Exposition of the Apostles Creed, Part · Sermon 38

Exposition of the Apostles Creed · Part · Sermon 38

p. 501A Vindication of the Ecclesiastical, or Church Censure.

1 Cor. 4. vers. ul…. Or as the Greek Scholiasts, Oecum. Theoph.the first verse of the next Chapter.

foreign.

What will ye? shall I come unto you with a Rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?

A Word there is in the Text, it is foreign, may I come? and it suits with the present occasion. The Apostle was absent at this time; at Philippi, as some; at Ephesus, as others think; yet he makes a promise of a journy ere long to Corinth; foreign, I will shortly come unto you; positively, at the 19. vers.

A journey; not of complement, nor yet of pleasure, but of necessity and profit for the Church. Ʋeniam & Cognoscam; foreign Cognoscam, a juridical word. Matters there were in the Church of Corinth much out of Order, fit for a spiritual Cognizance; and therefore he resolv'd to come to them speedily, and keep a spiritual Court.

1. ThataaCap. 3. ver. 3. carnal people had their Zealots, who raised a faction about theirbbCap. 1. ver. 12. Teachers. Apollos, saith one, is ccAct. 18.24.Acts 18:24a very eloquent man, and m…ghty p. 502in the Scriptures: in comparison of him, Paul is butdd2 Cor. 10, 10. & 1. vers. foreign. Chrys. hom. 2. in Psalm 50.2 Cor 10:102 Cor 10:1Ps 50 foreign, speaks but like another man; and therefore foreign, I am for Apollos, 1 Cor. 1.12. Well, quoth another, it may be so, ee2 Cor. 11.6▪2 Cor 11:6Pauls person may be weak, and his outside very meane, yet his l…tters are writ with power, and carry weight with them, and for this, foreign, I preferre Paul. Neither of them both, quoth a third, is to be compared to Cephas; he is the Rock, he is the Head of all Apostolical power; foreign, and for that I lean to Peter. Scinditur incertum, &c. This was the state of the Church of Corinth at that time, b…ing distracted by a few, hot, contentious, factious spirits.

2. And, as it falls out in contentions of this Nature, many things in life and the exercise of Religion, were out of square.

Cap. 5,1. An incestuous person tolerated.

2. Much vexation by unnecessary suits of Law.

6,3. Fornication too much winked at; the Apostle was fain to prescribe a remedy, cap. 7.

4. Things offer'd to Idols, scandalously eaten.

5. Little reverence used to the blessed S…crament.

8, 11.6. And (that which undermineth the foundation) the Resurrection of the body call'd in question, cap. 15.

High time you must confess this was for a visitation, foreign, to set in joynt again what was started aside. Thus much the Apostles presence was like to effect, and that he promiseth.

But yet before he sets one foot forward, he gives an intimation of his Apostolical power. both for Cen…ure and Indulg…nce; A Rod he had by Christ put into his Hand, and Love he had couch'd in his Heart; in their power it was to make choice of either. To them the motion is made, and the option referr'd, Quid vultis? What will ye, &c.

The words are foreign, of one who purposed to stownd them a little,Oecum. in loc. and put them in a fear; Very lively, and quick; and so much the quicker and livelier, because the phrase is question-wise. The very figura dictionis puts life and spirit into them. Ʋeniam, I will come, is but a heavy and flat expression, to Q…id vultis ut veniam? And to me it shews a little of the Apostles zeal; as if he were heated that they were so hot, so hotly bent to faction, so eagerly enflamed to i…cest.

You may then, if you please, take notice of the manner, and of the matter of this vers.

1. The manner of delivery is passionate, by a double Interrogatory, and makes the matter del…ver'd more tart and piercing.

2. In the matter you may consider,

1. That he would take a journey for their sakes.

2. What he would bring with him when he came, Meekness, or a Rod.

3. And that the reference was made to them, of which these two he should make use of.

So upon the accompt there come to be handled these points.

1. That a zealous eloquence well becomes Gods Embassadors.

2. That a veniam, a visitation is sometimes necessary.

3. That the execution thereof be so far as may be, with love and meeknesse.

4. That where love cannot, there the Rod must take place.

5. That it rests in the visited, which of the two the visitor shall use; by an foreign, the Apostle deliberates, and consults with them what he should do; Quid vultis?

p. 503You see the boundaries of my discourse: With the manner I will begin, and with what I observe from thence, that eloquent expressions fired with zeal, are fit for such as are sent upon Gods errand.

That a man should be foreign, came out of the foreign at Athens; Paul teaching in Tyrannus Schoole, neither admits, nor practiseth it;Lips. Man. ad Stoic. ph. diss. 7. Tul. pro. Murena. angry he may be, and angry he is; and then most angry, when God is angred. His own affronts he could easily pass by; but if a brother be scandalized, and by that scandal Christ less set by, or Religion discredited, then foreign,2 Cor. 11.29.2 Cor 11:29 pure zeal sets him on fire; and the flame cannot be suppressed, but it breaks out into some such passionate question as this, Quid vultis? what mean you? will you have a rod on your back for this?

Now the passion in my judgment, became the Apostle well; and the like will well become any discreet zealous Minister of God.

For first it removes the Objection, Si vis me flere, Horat. Art. poet.dolendum est Primum ipsi tibi.

Secondly, Then a speech so enliven'd, hath more activity in it, and works more nimbly upon the Anditory.

You are the Salt of the Earth; Mat. 5.13.Matt 5:13and in Salt there is sharpness by which it pierces, dries up all crudities, and so preserves. Will insulsa oratio ever do this, think you? I pray tell me what good he did,Aristoph. foreign. Hom. Il. β. except raise a tumult, who being foreign, stept up, foreign, chatter'd like a Daw, he knew not what!

Words that are either watery in themselves, or runne away like Water apace out of a Preachers mouth, have but a watry fatuous relish;Psa. 58.7.Ps 58:7 they coldly affect, and do little good, God wot. Aculei, Eccl. 12.11.Eccl 12:11Goads they should be acutely pointed, if ever we mean they should pierce home. The Masters of the Assembly fasten none but such; and such only are quick and powerful, and sharp, and pierce, Heb. 4.12.Heb 4:12to the dividing asunder both of soul and spirit.

That which I would have, is this, That Sermons be not made to the people in a heavy, insipid stile, without any Art or Elocution at all; but that they be fram'd by the Prophets and Apostles mould, to whose Writings the Honey of Nestor was but windy stuffe. Take, my Brethren, the Prophets for an example, who did not barely teach necessary Doctrines, but by Tropes, Figures of Diction, Elocution, and Amplification: In a word, by all Rhetorical Artifices did work upon the affections, to embrace what they taught. Neither did our Saviour, or his followers, come short in this Art.

Go therefore, and do you likewise: Your zealous reprehensions will search deeper, when rubb'd in this Salt; and your loving admonitions be taken down with more delight, when they are perserv'd with this Sugar.

But I will leave this point, having perhaps pressed it too far upon so small an occasion; I come unto those observations which are more pertinent, and properly issuing from the Text. The first of which, is,Gwae'r mil ni wyl ei berchen. Wo to the Beast the Master sees not. Prov. Wall. Tert. Apolog. cap. 9. & ad uxor. l. 1. c. 5. Lactant. lib. 5. c. 9. & lib. 6. c. 20. Nonn. & Hesych. Ill. in foreign. That

2. A Veniam, a journey to visit the Church is sometimes necessary. What the eye of the Master is unto his Beast, the eye of a Physician to his Patient, or the eye of a Shepherd to his sheep, that, and much more is the eye of a Bishop to his flock; and therefore it is necessary to come and see how they do.

To bring forth children, and leave them to the wide World, without ever more casting an eye after them, is an Argument of an hard heart. Some Civil Nations have done it, but they have alwayes been branded for it with cruelty. True spiritual Fathers know not how to be thus obdurate; but as p. 504they have begotten them by the Gospel, ver. 15. and travelled with them …ill Christ be formed in them; Gal. 4.19.Gal 4:19so are they careful of their Nursing and Education, and ever and anon will come and see how they come on, and take their breeding.

This was the Reason that the Apostles themselves made journies to the Churches they first planted; they did not found them, and so leave them, but went over them again; so that I may safely affirm, that to visit Churches, began with the Christian Church: And every visitation is either foreign, or foreign. as the terms were borrowed from physick, so was the end to comfort, prevent and cure; in the first visitations we shall find all these.

Baron. An. 39. Tom. 1. n. 26.Baronius by vertue of those words, Acts 9.32. Peter went through all quarters, will needs have the Apostle to be the Visitor General: 'Tis likely the Cardinal, in whose head there swam the dream of a Monarchy, enlargeth his circuit too far; That a Visitor he was, I easily grant, as Saint Paul was, who with Barnabas did visit the Brethren in every City, Acts 15.36.Acts 15:36wh…re they formerly preached the Word of God: These were the first visitations we read of, and they were foreign, wholly for comfort, in the nature of Cordials; the end was …o see foreign, how they did, ver. 36. foreign, to confirm the Churches, ver. 41.

To these there succeeded another at Miletus, Acts 20.17. and this was a Provincial Ʋisitation, where we may find a fit Precedent for such a Synod.

1. A Visitor, Saint Paul.

2. The visited, the Clergy, the chief of the Clergy, Bishops; for the foreign, ver. 17. were at the 28. foreign.

3. Concio ad Clerum, a Sermon at the Visitation, preached by Saint Paul.

4. The end, the safety and well-being of the Flock; that they would take heed Et sibi & Gregi, to themselves, and to the Flock; the Synod was wholly foreign, or ad Cau…elam, to make both Shepherd and sheep heedful of the Wolf.

Now a man would judge that not Saint Peter, as Baronius dreamed, but rather Saint Paul had been the Vicar-General; for in this place he gives warning of another Visitation; he had gone through Syria and Cilicia, Derbe, Lystra, and Iconium, Phyrgia, and Galatia, &c. and was now coming to Corinth. And what to do can you imagine? In the same manner as some Ladies and Courtiers use to visit their friends more for form, than love; no such matter, it was no such idle visit: When he came he would keep a Consistory,Ver. 19. Cap. hujus. and call those that were puffed up before him, and he would know what was in them; not their words, but their power; yea, a Rod he had, Authority to punish, and if necessity required, they should feel he would fetch blood; his Visitation in this place was foreign, to Reform the Schisme, and amend the Manners of the full-fed Corinthians.

2. This was the practice of those Virgin-times, and the succeeding Churches took it up by their example;Tarra. Can. 7. Episcopi annuatim dioecesin visitent. Toled. Can. 3 5. Per cunctas d… aeceses & parochias suas per singulos annos Episcopos ire oportet. they supposed that might be of use still, which was of use then; and that abuses by this means might be prevented or reformed, as well as at first. Hence the Bishops were commanded to visit their Diocess; they had their very name from it, foreign ab foreign, which is to visit; their name will put them in mind of their office, which if they forget, the Decrees of divers Councils will pull them by the ear; that of Tarracon, Can. 7. enjoyns that it be annuatim; the fourth of Toledo, Can. 35. that it be per singulos annos; and that of Trent, that it be quolibet saltem triennio, Sess. 24. which is the order established among us, yea, and before that Council.

p. 505When this order was first enacted, it is hard to judge, but it is like to be very Ancient;Can. 1. & 2 for the second Council of Braccara (that prescribes a Form how Bishops ought to visit their Churches) speaks of sicut antiqui Canones …ubent; and I have read in some Canon, that all is to be done Secu…um antiquum ritum & consuetudinem: An old custome then it was, and there were old Canons for it, and foot-steps thereof it is easie to trace in the practice of the …st Ages.

For it is evident that the Chorepiscopi, either in the absence, or sickness, or peradventure negligence of the Bishops, supplied this place; and of these there is often mention made in the Epistles of Damasus, the Ancyran and An…iochian Councils; and by this means there grew such estimation to those Rural Bishops, and so small regard of the Episcopal power, that the Councils thought fit to call them to task. The Ancyr. Can. 13. that they should not ordain; for that indeed was a meer usurped power. The Antiochian, Can. 10. Ut modum proprium rec…gnoscant, &c. that they should know their place; and the Laodicean quite removed them; foreign mark that word, foreign,Laodic. Can. 57. Anim…d. in Epiphan. Meurs. Glossar. Verb. foreign. you may translate them with Pe avius, Visitatores; with Meursius, Lustratores, or else C…r…itores, whose Office was, as Balsomon glosses that Canon, to ride their Circuit, and visit all the Churches in that Diocess, and to enquire of their well or ill being; foreign, as his words are, foreign. The like may be collected out of Genna…ius in h…s Encyclio, save that he placeth them after the foreign, when i…deed they did, as is evident by the words of the Laodicean Council, succeed in their places: But be it as it will, Visitors▪ these Circitores were, and for the Bishop; whence we may collect that the Visitors Office was Episcopal at first, and very Ancient.

3. But because it is impossible that any constitution should be so well made, but in the execution thereof there may be much wro…g done; therefore the wisdom of the Church hath made Visitors over these Visitors,Quaran. Autor. A…chiep. 28, 29, 30. &c. Ivo. Ep 182. 1 Conc. Lateran. cap. 6. A…chiep…copus E… coporum p…nc…ps Con. J…. d… A…on. in const…t. O…hm. cap. d… Off. Archiep. Linwood. de tem…or. o…din…nd. not. f. constit. Richard. de cen…u. cap. fin… in 6. Sess. 24. cap. 3. and set an higher eye to over-look them. The Canons have ordained the Metropolitan to be the General-Visitor in his whole Province, and given him a facul…y to enquire how his sheep are dealt with; easie it were to heap up Decrees of Councils to this purpose. The sum of what they deliver is this, That the Arch-bishop is Custos Canonum in his whole Province, that he is the univ…rsal Rect fier of all Customes; that Jure positivo, by a Church-Law he is the ordinary Judge; that the Bishops are subordinate to him, and have dependance on him; and therefore he may come and visit his sheep, take some part of their milk and wool, enquire in what pasture their Sh…pherds feed them; call any man to an account who doth deglubere, when his Warrant runs only tondere; and if he be found faulty that way, or any other, Authority he hath to censure or punish h m; that to him either by Appeal or Devolution any case may be referred.

And therefore our new Masters of Trent were over-magisterial, when they exacted à Metropolitanis post plenè visitatam propriam dioecesin non visitentur Ecclesiae Cathedrales, neque dioeceses suorum comprovincialium, nisi causâ cognitâ & approbata in Synodo Provinciali. They might have kept their nisi to themselves, the Cla…se is too too childish; by it they would seem to grant a favour, which no Metropolitan is like to enjoy; for who can conceive that the Bishops within the Province would ever consent to an inhibition, or approve the Arch-bishops Reason, when he meant to visit them?

They have removed the old Bounds, let us let them alone; these are the Fence about us; and though they cost us somewhat the keeping, yet the charge p. 506is not to be valued,Episcopus quasi uperspeculator, …uperintendens. Linwood. fol. 17. 6. in regard of the benefit; did they not over-see us, we should perhaps feel other Visitors, such as would never make question in what manner they should come; put it to you, wi…h a Quid vultis? but put it upon you with Rod enough.

Veniam in charitate;] I will come in love; of which in the next place: For however the Rod stand first, yet it is to be used last; and when taken in hand, even then to be guided by love; for love stands in this Verse as the point in a circumference, from which all the lines are drawn.

1. His journey to visit issued from thence; a matter of much pains it was, and he would never have undertooken it, had it not been out of meer love.

2. The lenity and mildness with which he would proceed when he came, was but a gracious impression of the loving spirit; mildly he never would have dealt with such a froward people, had he not loved them.

3. Yea, but what say you to the Rod? is there love in that? yes love, and great love certainly, which put this Instrument into his hand, and not a sharper weapon; for however to punish, seems to proceed from wrath and anger, not love; yet when it is executed with a fathers hand, and laid on with a Rod only, from the bowels of love it proceeds; Castigat, non quod odio habet, 2 Cor. 10.8.2 Cor 10:8sed quod amet; foreign, not foreign: for Edification, not for Destruction; which moved Saint Augustine to observe upon this Text, Et Virga Charitatem habet.

Lastly, In his quid vultis, there is great fervour of love; that be the offence very foule, yet it was in their choice whether they would be whip't for it; that depended upon their carriage foreign; may I come, saith the Apostle? he doth as it were ask leave of them.Hebrais. est. the subjunctive mood for the indicative; foreign. Love then there is in his journey, love in his lenity, love in his Rod, love in his question; the center love in the midst of the Verse, makes fluxus punctorum, all the points to meet in it.

foreign, Iron-sides there be in the World, who as if they were of a Forraign Body, have no fellow-feeling of a wounded part; Quod pereat, pereat, Zach. 11.9.Zech 11:9is their churlish tone; and that which is cut off, let it be cut off; ready enough they will be to supplant a man, but staffe he shall have none from them to stay him, that he fall not; nor hand he shall have none to help him up, when he is fallen; what becomes of any besides themselves, they reg…rd not; thus these sibi nati: But our Apostles name cannot be entred in this Roll; they, the Corinthians, his children might be what they should not, a Schismatical, Heretical company, Separatists, and scandalous sinners; yet a spiritual father he was; through the Gospel he had begotten them, ver. 15. and therefore he could never put off the bowels of compassion.

See how all these just occasions of dislike offer themselves in the Church of Corinth, for which the Apostle doth not yet desert them, as if God by his love would teach us what to do in the like case.

1. Heresie they were guilty of, Haeretici n…scientes at lest they were; for they were utterly ignorant of,Tertull. de Resur. car. cap. 1. if not flatly denied Fiduciam Christianorum, the Article of the Resurrection; our Apostle is forced at chap. 15. to prove it unto them by invincible Reasons and Demonstrations.

2. Their Schisme was grown to a great height; every one had his Master to follow,1 Cor. 1.12.1 Cor 1:12 Apollo, Paul, or Cephas, just as the wind of his own fancy carried him.

3. As for their sin, that was become clamorous and impudent, foreign,1 Cor. 5.1.1 Cor 5:1 all Corinth rung of it again.

4. And to this their spiritual father they proved ungracious children: nothing he could do could please them; Not his person, foreign,2 Cor. 10.10.2 Cor 10:10 a weak man he seemed, he carried not Majesty in his looks; N… his office; p. 507for as if he had not been Legatus à latere, he must come in the second Form, and not be matched with the chief Apostles: No, nor his preaching;Cap. 12.11. for though his letters were foreign, yet when he came to a Sermon, all was foreign, addle stuffe,Cap. 10.10. they could make nothing of it.

This they were, and thus they dealt by him; and yet for all this, Audi sanctam insaniam, saith Bernard, in a case much like this;De natura amoris Divini. cap. 3. with us this were madness, not love, thus to love, where there appears no cause; thus to love, where we are not beloved; but be it what it will be, so mad Saint Paul will be; Whether he be besides himself, or sob r, the love of Christ constraineth him; & affirmato est animo, obstinate and stiffe he is in this to do as he does;2 Cor. 5.13, 142 Cor 5:132 Cor 5:14 love foreign, not only those that loved him not first; but foreign, those vhich loved him not again.Chrysost.

An excellent pattern for us to work by, that aim at the same end that he did, to take men, and save souls, that nothing bring us into hatred with their persons; nor unkindness, nor sin; nor heresie, nor schisme should quench our love; obstinatly we should resolve to become yet more vile to do them good; follow them, and prosecute them even revolted, in the words, St. John, forgetful of his years, did his flying young man; Oh my son, Why fl…est thou me, thy father unarm…d, and old? Oh my child, tender my case, be not a…raid; Euseb. lib 3. cap. 23. …x Clemen. Alex.as yet there remaineth hope of salvation; I will undertake for thee with Christ, I wi… dye for thee if need be, as Christ did for us; I will hazard my soul for thine, trust to me, Christ sent me. Love should transform us into any thing, make us become all things to all men, to win some.1 Cor. 9.22.1 Cor 9:22

Aaron had a very untoward people to deal with,Exod. 32.22.Exod 32:22 and therefore he doth thus apologize for himself to Moses, O my Lord, thou know…st that this people is set upon mischief; which caused Saint Stephen to set two brands upon them, and that justly; one upon the neck, and the other in the heart; foreign.Acts 7.51.Acts 7:51 And yet was he commanded to carry them in two eminent places about him, in superhumerali, & in pectoral…, Exod. 28.12. & 21.Exod 28:12Exod 28:21upon his two shoulders for a mem…rial, that he might call to mind that the peoples burdens were tyed fast to his back; and in the breast-plate beautified with twelv… stones, and in every stone the name of a Tribe, that his eye might pr…mp't his heart, how dear the safety of that people was to be unto him. By patience he was to carry them on his shoulders, by love to lodge them in …is bosome; in sinn, in his bosome; there where the Nurse carries her child; there where the kind husband layes his wife; there they will be next the heart, and the heart is the seat of love; God will have his people be in the High Priests breast, upon his shoulder, above the rest.

And a word there is in this Text, though a little one, that being well weighed, will perswade them to accept of the burden; it is Ʋos; now who were they? Look back to chap. 1. ver. 2. and you shall find that they were the Church of Corinth, men that were sanctified in Christ Jesus, and called to be Saints; sanctified I say, and reputed to be Saints, notwithstanding their Schisme, Heresie, and notorious sin; and can any love be too dear for such? God so loved them that he gave hi… Son; his Son so loved them, that he gave his life; and shall the Priest love these so little, as not to bestow his pains? The price is that which makes every thing of esteem.

— Magis illa juvant quae pluris emuntur.Juv. sat. 10.

And of the higher esteem any thing is, the more eagerly it is affected; let it be so in this case, where the price was the blood of the Son of God, and the Church the purchase; that which was so highly prized, and so dearly bought, p. 508may well be the object of our love, most tender and dear to our affections, ever under our eye, upon our shoulder, and laid next to our Heart. And put case we meet with a discourteous people, and a prophane, seditious multitude, yet Eliahs spirit doth not so well, till we have tryed what we can do by love, and with the spirit of meekness, foreign.

4. foreign] And meekness is one of the wayes that love shews it self, Charitas benigna est, 1 Cor. 13.4. Kind it is, and so kind, that it pities those that are in misery; rejoyceth not over them, but is willing to redress their wrongs, relieve their wants, reform their errours, and procure their welfare.

It becomes not a Superiour to give that command of that bloody Emperour,Tacit. Ita feri ut mori se sentiat; rather if he must punish, to be drawn to to it unwillingly, aculeo justitiae misceat mel clementiae; and wish with Nero in his golden dayes,Seneca de Clementia. lib. 1. Quam vellem nescire litteras, when he is to sign a penal Warrant. Sinnes are sores, and there is great Art in curing them; a Corrosive when it is requisite, laid on with a gentle and easie hand, will be less felt, and better taken than a Lenitive clapt to in a boysterous manner. It is reported of the Judges of China, that their words are accompanied with such an incredible sweetness,Hist. of the Court of China p. 220. as they are gracious even to those whom they Condemn. For by this kind usage it will appear that all is done animo medentis potius quam saevientis, that it is not the purpose to Torture the disaffected party, or to put him to pain, farther than the necessity of his Cure requires.

But this is not a work for every man to undertake. Ʋos qui spirituales, Gal. 6.1. a carnal-minded, man hath no skill of it; flesh and blood is too proud and insolent, to restore in meekness a poor Christian-lapsed-soul. 'Tis a task only to be perform'd by such an heart which is softned by the Unction of the Divine Spirit. And therefore our Apostle asks not simply, whether he should come in love and meekness; but in a new phrase, never to be read in a prophane Author, in such love and meekness as the Spirit of God did breath into him.

5. foreign] Another direction this is to proceed by, proper and peculiar to a Christian.

1. Love is one Rule.

2. Lenity another.

3. But Sp ritus lenitatis, is a third, and far beyond either of the other two. For love and lenity will not be kindly till they come from within; and from within they will not come, till the Spirit dwell in the Heart. Get the Holy Spirit thither, or else his Graces will not come there; moral civil vertues without him you may have, but Graces you shall not have; something to commend you to the world, but nothing to commend you in the eye of God. Many a Heathen you shall find highly extoll'd for their clemency and sweet mildness, who are, being compared with other Nabals, deliciae generis humani. Titus Imp. Sueton.But because this gracious behaviour proceeded extrinsecus, was taken up for some worldly respects, perchance to be seen and praised of men, or arose from a natural constitution, or a careful education, it was neither kindly, nor yet constant; ever now and then you shall find it interrupted and sowred with some Act of cruelty, as it fell out in Nero, that did but counterfeit the work.

But when this sweet disposition is breath'd from the Spirit of God that dwells within, you shall see with what freedome and ingenuity it will flow, and with what constancy and uniformity it will continue; so that truly gratum faciet, a Grace it will be that will make a mans person, and what he does, truly gracious in the eyes of God and men. The word Spirit then, in this p. 509place is not to be taken foreign, for it is added foreign it is no superfluous or paraphrastical terme, but it hath its full weight added for necessity, in that it in spirits both our love and our lenity; quickens both, and sets both aright.

'Tis not unknown unto you, that all activity is from the Spirit, yea, even in meer natural bodies; take off that, and what remains behinde but bruta pars, a meere earthly part, that is better cast away, than reserv'd. The Galenists know this well, who of the spirits of Vegetals, and the Paracelsians, that of the spirits of mettals compose their Doses. By the spiritual parts they hope to effect what they desire. 'Tis thus in natural Physique, the spirits do all; but in spiritual much more; the Do…e will never work kindly, except there be some ingredients of the Spirit in it.

Too too often when a brother is fa…len, homo exuit hominem, he considers not the slippery ground upon which his brothers feet stood, and that he hath the same seeds of evil in him, that his brother had; and therefore his feet may slip as his brothers have done, and those seeds may grow into as rank a stalk, and beare as bad fruit as they did in him. Upon the Fact we look, not that the person that committed it, is like to one of us. Hence we are so far foreign 'tis Saint Pauls word, Gal. 6. from setting in that which is out of joynt, that if we finde ought dislocated, or slipt aside, indicamus, irridemus, spernimus, homo homines, Bern. in Cant. 44.delinquen…es peccator. We cry with Pilate, Ecce homo; we bring forth the bloody Coat, and make show of it openly, and ask in scorne, An haec tunic… filii, Gen. 37.32.Gen 37:32whether such a menstruous Cloth as this, can sit well upon a Childs back?

I know not well what to say to it, but sure I am there is little of the spirit of meeknesse in this course; much there is of an Ishmaelitish nature in it; neither will all the precepts or perswasions of Moralists better it.Beru. loc. cit. Ʋ…runtamen quod non potest natura, potest gratia. That man whom the Spirit of God shall anoint with this gentle oyle, will presently recover his humanity again; nay more, have a super-unction of Christianity; and so his brother whom he is to restore, from the meekness of a man, and the spirit of a Chr… stian, shall receive help.

Hitherto every line hath breath'd nothing but Love; now you must give me leave to call for the Rod; and yet I promise you, non quod odio h…beam; The fault may be such, that a soure look must be put upon the matter, and the love that lies in the heart not without danger shown. Charitatem erga fidel…s Apostolus animo gerebat, non semper os…endebat. Estius in loc.The Apostle did not alwayes make show of the good-will he bore; neither may I, nor any other Spiritual Father, but chide we must, and fight we must, as occasion serves; and so I unwillingly betake me to that Taske, To the Rod.

6. Where first I will shew you what the Rod is; next,Rupert. in Mat. c. 10.Matt 10 how it must be used.

There is in the Scriptures Ʋirga Dominationis, Directionis, & Correctionis.

First, The Rod of domineering power; but this it is not; it being too much superciliousness in any Prelate how Eminent soever,1 Pet. 5.3.1 Pet 5:3 foreign, to domineer over Gods Heritage. And yet a man there is, but it is the man of sinne that hath made him such a Rod; and as if he were another Senacherib, virga furoris, takes upon him to whip the Kings of the Earth at his pleasure. His Parasites have told him, that in ordine ad sp ritualia, Isa. 10.5. Bell. de Rom. …on. lib. 5. c. 6. Mat. 20.26.Isa 10:5Matt 20:26he may domineer, and lash whom he list; and it seems he believes them, rather than Christ. His Masters prohibition, Ʋos autem non sic, is out of p. 410Date; and Bernard was but an old doting Monk,Ber. de cons. l. 2. c. 6 to tell him Dominatio interdicitur, indicitur Ministratio; and the Abbot Rupert knew not well what he said,Rupert. in Mat. 10.Matt 10 when he was so positive, Ʋirga dominationis non est concessa Ministris Evangelij pacis.

Our Lord had no earthly Scpter.

1. None jure haereditario, not by inheritance; he might descend of the Blood Royal, and yet not be next in blood.

2. None by Election; his question carries with it the form of a Negative, Qu…s constituit me in judicem? Luke 12.14. And when the people would have advanced him to the Crown,Joh. 6.15.John 6:15 he fled, and hid himself.

3. None by Conquest and Victory; for his Warre was not with earthly Princes, but with the Prince that compasseth the earth. His works he came to dissolve, 1 John 3.8. His power he did spoyle, Col. 2.15. By him this P…ince was cast out, John 12.32. Caesar was no way disturb'd by him; in this point he gave full satisfaction to Pilate, Regnum meum non est hin…. Joh. 18.36.John 18:36Upon which place St. Augustine, Audite Judaei, audite gentes, audi circumcisio; audite omnia terrena Regna, Non impedit dominationem vestram in hoc mundo. And therefore it is impudence in his Courtiers, to m…ke the Pope Lord of all, at the least of the Christian World, by a Donation from Christ,Alvar. Pelag. Aug. Triumphus citatus à Bellar. when Christ himself as Man, or Mediatour, was no temporal Lord or King; and therefore much less gave any temporal Dominion to his Apostles. To put such a Rod into his hand, were to make the Disciple to be above his Lord; Esto ut aliâ quacun{que} ratione haec sibi ven…icet, [viz. Papa] sed non Apostolico jure; Bern. lib. cit.nec enim ille alicui dare po…uit, quod non habuit. It was not then this Rod of Monarchy, Power, or Domineering tyranny, that our Apostle here means.

Secondly, A second Rod yet there is, and it is the Shepherds Pastoral, by which every wandering Sheep is reclaim'd from the wrong, and directed the right way. Precepts, and wholesome examples, frequent advices, good counsel, and exhortations in season and out of season, make up this Rod; and this our Apostle had made use of toward the Corinthians now for twenty ei…h… months; from a bad course he had dehorted them, to a right path he had advised; but they had this of the Sheep in them, that they would be always stragling; wherefore laying aside his Rod of direction, he calls for his corrective Rod.

Thirdly, For as I told you such a Rod there was, Ʋirga correctionis, and this was it which St. Paul threatens to bring with him to Corinth, the Disciplining Rod, and therefore the Rhemists position on this verse is not to be rejected.Rhem. annot. in locum. The Apostles had power of Censures and Discipline against …ffendors. The word is Metaphorical, and fetch'd out of the School; Chrysostom interprets it in large termes, Poena, & supplicium. Ambrose takes in Correptiones, Hom. 14. in 1 Cor. 1. de poenit. cap. 12. Chrys. hom. 30. in 2 Cor. Amb. l cit c. 14.1 Cor 1& increpatoines; but both at last speak out for excommunication. Ʋenit in virga, qui à Communione Sacra convictum removet; and E…ius upon this place is positive, Ʋirgam nominat non gladium, tametsi gladium ab cissionis, i. e. excommunicationis jam cogitans quia Patrem se dixerat; patris enim est virgâ castigare Filium. And he that shall but reade the next Chapter where he gives order for the incestuous person tradi Satanae, need not doubt, but that it was his intent to come to Corin…h with this Rod in his hand.

But because there be, who are too busie with this Rod, plagosi Orbilij; who, forgett ng that they are Fathers of Gods people, whip any man upon every light occasion, out of the Temple, fit it will be to set down some Directions for this Rod of Correction; and I know not whence they can be better fetch'd than from this Text, and context of the Apostle, which we have now in hand.

p. 511For here we shall finde

1. In whose hand the Rod is.

2. That it is a severe Rod.

3. We meet with the person that must feel it.

4. The quality of the Fact for which he is to be whipt.

5. That it may not be taken off at pleasure.

6. We have a solemn form to be used in the laying it on.

7. The place where the offendor must suffer,

8. And lastly, the ends for which all this is to be done.

First, The Rod is in Saint Pauls hand, an Apostle, a Clergy-man; the Pronoune Ego here appropriates to him: For it is not likely that he would terrifie them with that power he had not. This Rod in Saint Pauls hand, is all one with the Key in Saint Peters; there was the same use of it in both. By this the chief Apostle might shut out, and let in; with this the least Apostle might whip out such as deserv'd it.1 Cor. 15.8.1 Cor 15:8

To them this power was promised; by name to Peter, Tibi dabo claves; but in him to all the Apostles, Petrus gessit Ecclesiae personam; quae ergo dicta Petro, dicta universae Ecclesiae, August. in Psal. 108. For to all it was bequeath'd, John 20. by a formal conveyance, Quorum remiseritis peccata, remittuntur ijs; and what was Peter and his Colleagues at this time? Lay-men, trow ye? not so, for they had their Ordination by vertue of these words, Receive the Holy Ghost; they had their Mission, As my Father sen… me, so send I you; and then, and not before, they receiv'd their Commission, the tenor whereof was Reten…ion, or Rem…ssion of sinne, injunction of Pennance and Absolution: So careful our Saviour was before he committed so great power into their hands, to make them capable of it. Neither was this their Commission temporary, or to last only for the Apostles dayes; because when they had run their races, there would be as great sinners as liv'd in their dayes, who would have as great need of the grace of Absolution and Indulgence from the Priests Hand, as they could have. As Priests then, and not as Apostles, they receiv'd this power; to last for ever, as the Gospel which they preached was to be aeternum Evangelium, Rev. 14.6. to endure for ever; and therefore to be a perpetual Legacy to their Successours. But in their places none but Priests succeed them, and therefore none but Priests can succeed them in their power and function. The Commission to loose and binde, was granted to none but to them and their Successors; and therefore it may be executed by none but by them and their Successors. In their Hands it is, and solely in theirs, in fieri, in esse, in conservari, in operari. Let them then in Gods name, quietly enjoy, what by Original grant is theirs.

Hence it follows that a Lay-man, qua talis, how eminent soever, nor yet any Corporation of Lay-Elders how godly soever, may wrest this Rod out of Saint Pauls Hand; no, nor yet by any means be invested with, much less arrogate to himself this power, because it is a prerogative annex'd to the power of Order.

But this you will say may easily be granted, that a Clergy-man, and none but a Clergy-man, hath the power of the Rod; the question is, whether he may not delegate this power unto a Lay-man; by vertue of which delegation a Lay-m…n may sit in the Temple of God.

To which I answer first, that our Saviour did it not; to the Apostles only he committed this power, and not to any Laique; now his actions ought to be presidents, nay precepts to all following cases.

Next, no man ought to conferre a Grace upon that man of which he is not capable; and of this grace, as I have sufficiently proved, no Lay-man is, p. 512in that he is not inspired, in that he is not sent; and therefore since he hath not the former grace of sending, he may not execute the latter of binding and loosing; either the Bishop must send him, and inspire him by Ordination, or else he cannot give him a Comm…ssion.

I am not ignorant with what fig-leaves they go about to cover this their nakedness.Thom. sup. 3tiae partis. q. 22. art. 2. The School hath taught them to Apo…ogize by distinctions. They distinguish of the Key, they distinguish of the Court; one Ke… they have ordinis; another they have jurisdict…onis; and one Court they have call'd poenitentiale, but another litigiosum, or conten…osum; and though that the Key of Order be alone to be used in foro poenitentiae, and by none but a Priest; yet the Key of Jurisdiction may be exercised in foro cont…ntioso, by a Legat, Offi…ial, or Arch-Deacon, that are not in Ord…rs. Thus they: But Cretice pelluces, Vid. Hist. Con. Trent. p. 330, 331.their nakedness cannot be thus hid. First the distinction is new, the Bishops Court being in the prime institution forum poenitentiae, and nothing else; O…iginally the whole foreign was there decreed and transacted, and the poenitentiary was a Priest; that Lites were there composed, and a Trial passed upon other matters, proceeded meerly from the indulgence of Princes. That a Lay-man may be deputed by the B shop in foro exteriori, or contentioso, to hear and decide such cases, I deny not; I question only whether he hath power to excommunicate. Their distinction then may serve them to prove their right of Trial, but not their power of Excommunication.

Yea, and their very practice evinceth so much; for grant that the party who hath a case to be tryed in the Court, obey not the Monition and Citation of the Church, for this he is pronounced contumax, and so proceeded against; but by what Key? ordinis, or jurisdictionis? Not by the latter, for that hath his use only as they teach, in foro exteriori, where Lis is decernenda, and his Contumacy is not of that nature. A sinne it is, and an high branch of pride, and therefore must be brought, and the party for it in forum poenitentiae, where the Key of Order must teach him to humble himself, and submit unto his Superiour, before he can stand rectus in curia, or have his cause tryed in that Court.

Out of this you may collect thus much, that by their own confession they turn no Key upon any man in this Court but for sinne: either for some sin committed, or else for wilful contumacy; and of sin only since a Poenitentiary Priest may be Judge, it follows that he only may binde and loose. And this Truth Ʋignerius saw well enough,Vigner. inst. p. 527. and therefore in h…s Epitome of Thomas, was forc'd to confess, that Non est propriè actus clavis ea excommunicatio, quâ homo à consortio hominum separatur, s…d magis exterioris judicij q…od promulgatur, and that non ligat in foro conscientiae, qua ca sa aga…ur int…r hominem & Deum, but ad hominem tantum. If it be no Act of the Key, then it is nothing; and if it binde not the conscience, nor yet in Heaven, by their own ground it is but brutum fulm…n, it may be contemned.

Thus have I proved that this key may not be put into a Lay-mans hand. What then? shall the Bishop keep it only in his own? if he please he may. But if he list not to do it, he may delegate it to a Commissary, so he be of the Cler…y. Any Ecclesias…ical Judge may decernere excommunicandum, but a C…ergy-man only pronounce the sentence of Excommunication; and the reason is, because the power …f the K…ys, in respect of that internal effect that it hath upon the Conscience, is annexed to the Priesthood, both in fieri, in esse, in conservari, in oper…ri, as I but now said.

p. 513That they apply it not without a special Commission ad Corpus Christi visibile, in the injunction of any publick pennance, or reconciliation of any publick penitent, is, because they are not Bishops, have no… a Diocess assigned to them, over which they may jus dicere, as a Bishop may; without whose leave were it lawful for every Priest to execute that power which doth belong unto him potestate ordinis, there would be no uniformity, no unity in the Church: But that in fieri, that is potentially; and in esse, that is essentially; and in …onservari, he is made the Keeper; and in operari, he may be the instrument to execute this power, the absolutions which every Parochian Rector and Curate doth publickly pronounce, and the reconciliation of private penitents doth suffi…iently declare. And therefore the Bishop may delegate his power to any Suffragan in the Clergy, because he was in his Ordination originally invested with it; Tunc ei Claves datae, then the Key, and the power of the Key; then the R…d, and the Authority of the Rod was del…vered un…o him; so that the Bishop by his Seal gives him not any new Faculty or Authority, but only a Liberty to execute that power (which is primarily in him) publickly, and in his stead, without which License for the common good, and peace of the Church, he might not intermeddle.

Secondly, You see in whose hand the rod is; next take notice that it is a rod, the sharpest penalty that can be inflicted. When the good Emperour Theodosius felt it upon his back,Sozom. lib. 7. c. 24. Theod l…b. 5. cap. 16, 17. he gtoaned at every blow that Ambrose gave him, and with tears in his eyes, thus bespoke his Favourite, Thou O Ruffine, makest but a sp rt of these things; but the consideration of these stripes make me sigh and lament; for that whe…eas the doors of Gods hous… are op…n to slaves and beggars, so that they may be admitted to present their petitions to their Lord, these are shut against me; nay, which is worse, the gates of heaven are fast locked against me also; for I cannot forget the words of my Lord, Quicquid ligaveritis in Terrâ, erit ligatum in Coelo.

A most heavy blow this is, and yet you feel not the full weight thereof;Chrys. in 1 Tim. Hom. 5. Ambr. in 1 Tim. Aug. Cont. Ep. Par. lib. 3.1, 1. Cypr. Ep. 62. Inst. Calv. cap. 8. de fide. Sect. 188. a worse matter yet there is behind; it is Tradi Satanae, ver. 5. of the next Chapter. I will not affirm with divers of the Fathers, That the person thus whip't out of the Church, was put into the hands of the Divel, as Job was, to be scourged by him with a plague or bile in his body; I rather enc…ine to think with Mr. Calvin, Ideo Satanae tradere dictus est, quia extra Ecclesiam Diabolus, quod in Ecclesia Christus: That being by this heavy censure driven out of the Church, which is Christs Kingdom, and by that means deprived of all graces annexed to that society, he is exposed to the Tyranny and Incursions of Satan, subject to the dominion of sin, and ready to do as that Prince of darkness bids him. To this wretched estate, so much as lies in us, we bring that man upon whom we lay this Rod; this therefore is not lightly to be done, except we judge it a small matter to shut a man out of Heaven, to pull a Member of Christs body from him, and cast it to the Divel; or a light thing to debar a man of the Oraisons, Suffrages, and Sacraments of the Church, which are his buckler of defence.

In the Primitive Times the Excess of Charity in correcting, did make the Corrector to feel greater pain than the Corrected; so that in the Church no punishment was imposed without great lamentation of the multitude, and greater of the better sort; and this was the cause, why to correct, was to lament; so St. Paul rebuking the Corinthians for not chastising the Incestuous, said, You have not lamented, to separate such a Tran…gressor from you, Tert. Con. Fol. 330.

Well be it that this Rod be sharp and smarting; yet a time there is, when it must be laid on for all that: In this, that we be not mistaken, the Apostle sets us a precedent; then it is when we meet with a heinous sinner; such an one p. 514there was at Corinth, ver. 1. not among the Heathen scarce the like to be found, one who with Reuben, had climbed up to his fathers bed; necessary it was that such an offendor should be well whip't. Sinners would be distinguished;Calv. Instit. loc. citato. Sect. 187 some are delinquentes, others flagitiosi; and in delinquentes such severity is not to be used; flagitia graviori supplicio, heinous offendors only would be well jerked.

Fourthly, Especially if the Fact be notorious, such as this was, foreign, Verse 1. Res notior quam negari possit, it was plainly heard,Calv. Instit. cap. de fide. Sect. 186. Mat. 18.15. 1 Tim. 5.20. Amb. Ep. 64. l. 8.Matt 18:151 Tim 5:20 Rhem. or all the City rung of it again. The old Rule was, Up peccator sit gravis, scandalosus confessus, vel convictus, before he migh… smart. Delicta there be, privata, & palam manifesta; of the first Christ saith, Argue inter te & ipsum solum; for the last Saint Paul gives direction to Timothy, Coram omnibus argue. Ambrose takes up Syagrius the Bishop of Verona, That without any just ground he had questioned a Virgin, affirming that this was no legal course; Ubi enim est haec Cognitionis solennitas? ubi talis judicandi formula? Look (saith he) into the Imperial Laws, and they require an Accuser; into the Laws of the Church, and then every word m…st stand by the mouth of two or three witnesses, Mat. 18.16.

Fifthly, Now when the person appears to be scandalous, and the Fact notorious, then the Rod must be laid on, and laid on till it smart again; it must not be taken off at pleasure. Ʋeniam in Virgâ, was no sporting threat of the Apostle; there was severity in it, and he laid on for all their crying; yet it never repented him of the blowes he gave them, because they made them repent; 2 Cor. 7.2 Cor 7the Rod that made them sorry, made him a glad man, because it made them sorry after a godly manner; it wrought Repentance in them; nay, what Care? Ver. 9, 10.nay, what Apologies? nay, what Indignation? nay, what Fear? nay, what vehement Desire? Ver. 11.yea, what Zeal? yea, what Revenge? These were the effects of the Rod in them; and till we find these, or some of these in the penitents, they must smart still.

How childishly then did the Pope and his Conclave dally with this Rod, when the Embassadour of Henry the fourth,The Bishop of Lincoln's answ. to Parsons. pag. 275. that Hercules of France, was not whip't at Rome, but had a white wand for pennance softly laid on upon his Cloke! the Whip was here turned into a Wand, and jerking into stroaking: And 'tis said that at Rome the purse may do pennance for the Master; the bold Germans cast it in their teeth, and cry out, M…rces magnae Meretricis, a Proxy with which the Ancient Christians were not acquainted.

Should a man cast his eyes upon the Prostration and Humiliation of penitents in the Primitive Church, he would aver that they felt the Rod smart: You shall have it in the words of old Tertullian, Tertull. de paenit. cap. 9.De ipso quoque habitu & victu mandat foreign, sacco & cineri incubare, corpus sordibus obscurare, animum maeroribus dejicere, illam quae peccavit tristi tractatione mutare, caeterum pastum & potum pura nosse, non ventris sed animae causa, plerum{que} vero jejunijs preces alere, ingemiscere, lachrymari, omnibus fratribus legationes deprecationis suae injungere: Much more might be read to this purpose in the Council of Agatha, cap. 9. & 11. & Gratian. Dist. 50. Do you think they felt not the Rod smart, who underwent all this? And under this rod, foreign, continued sometimes their whole lives, sometimes divers years! Basil, Can. 58. makes mention of 14. foreign. This their severity is not in use, and that justly; yet sure they would be, that it should be what it was, a rod, before they would take it off; they would not with Mos…s, turn it to a white Wand, or a Serpent at pleasure. To remit of this severity, lay in the Bishops power.

p. 515Sixthly, But I go on; they proceeded to the use of it with great circumspection and reverence; they knew that the sentence which they pronounced, was promulgatio sententiae Dei, Gods sentence in their mouths, and therefore they came to do it with fear and trembling, In the Name of God, a solemn form borrowed from the Apostle, Ver. 4. In Nomine Domini nostri Iesu Christi. He begins with his Master; he hath his Lord, whom he daily serves, before his eyes, and under him he executes his office; he dares not in his own name offer a b…ow to the least of his fellow-servants; but by Gods power he does what he does, and strikes him only whom his Master will have striken; this should put us in fear, lest by giving a wrong blow, We take Gods Name in vain. Tota actionis solennitas praeter Nominis Dei invocationem eam gravitaetem habere debet, quae Christi presentiam prae se ferat, Calvin. loc. cit.ut non dubium sit quin ipse suo judicio praesideat: The Order of Excom. in the Scottish Church printed 1571.And if the practice of the Church of Scotland answer unto their Order, such a solemn course is taken in their publick Repentance; would that Eldership had ever so err'd, and we with them.

Seventhly, And as this is to be done in a solemn form, In Nomine Domini n…stri Iesu Christi; so also it must be performed in a solemn place,See the Bishop of Elies Book of the Sabb. pag. 214. foreign, Ver. 4. Upon the Sunday it was done, and in those solemn Assemblies where the Christians met to serve God; Ibidem etiam castigationes & censurae divinae, saith Tertullian, Apol. cap. 39. Ibidem, in that place where the Factio Christiana, or Corps of Christians, as that Ancient speaks, did Coire in Coetum & Congregationem; there it was where the penances and censures of the Church being a fore-intimation of the future judgment, were solemnly published and pronounced; and upon this ground it is that Calvin gives his direction right for the Assembly, though awry in the Judges:Calv. Instit. Non solum seniores seorsim id faciant, sed conscia & approbante Ecclesia, in eum scilicet modum ut plebis multitudo non regat actionem, sed observet ut testis & custos, ne quid per libidinem à paucis geratur. By this means there can be no plea put in, but that the censure is just; nor fact, nor person to be defended; as the fact was not kept in a Corner, so the rod should not be lightly laid on in a Chamber; for this is to make it a Wand of Ceremony, not of Correction.

Eighthly, Lastly, The ends for which all this is to be done, must be well thought on, which either respect the Church, or the Offendor.

1. That the Church may thereby keep up her reputation, that in her there is the communion of Saints, that she w…ll not cast that which is holy to Dogs, Matth. 7.6.Matt 7:6nor set pearls before Swine; nor willingly admit to her prayers and holy Rites any profane persons; and in this she follows the Apostles advice, Ver. ult. Cap. seq. Put from your selves that wicked person.

2 Then by this means she exercises a singular work of Charity, whiles she declares her care to keep the Flock of Christ in all purity, lest by their Conversation with such wicked persons, they should contract a spiritual leprosie; a scandalous leud sinner as easily infects his Neighbour, as one rotten grape others that grow next; and it were cruelty in our Mother to nourish such immedicable parts, as it is mercy to remove them; for such leud Associates are not fit company for Christians; Our Apostle, Ver. 11. compares these to leaven, intimating that there is much sowreness in them, and that if there be not great heed taken, they will marre the whole lump; when therefore they will not purge out their old leaven, for their old leaven they must be purged out.

These two ends reflect upon the Church; but two others there are which have reference unto the guilty person.

p. 5161. For the bodies sake, or rather foreign, the flesh; fleshly affections then are too much rank blood in that man who is come under the Prelates Rod; there was in this incestuous person; and this rank blood must be let out; foreign it is, for that end that the flesh be brought low, and mortified, ver. 5. cap. seq.

2. But in respect of the Spirit, another end there is, quite repugnant to the former; that must dye, this must live; that be destroyed, this edified; that lost, this saved, Ver. 5. For this publick whipping may bring on shame, shame beget godly sorrow, sorrow bring down and humble, and humility be a means to remove the rod, and make a man capable of that place in the Church from whence he was cast; in regard of these ends it is, that in the School there be two rods, one far sharper than the other; and if thou be a Master, no reason, Quod scuticâ dignum horribili sectere flagello.

One censure they have, which they call Eradicans & mortalis, foreign it is, a wire Whip, with which they whip't to death; but another there is much milder, it is medicinalis vel penitentialis, and it hath more of the rod in it. By the first, the Church purgeth her self; by the second, her children; her intent in both, is either to root out those which will not be reformed, lest they discredit her, and corrupt her children; or else to mortifie the lustful affections, and save the souls of such as confess their fault, desire to return, and ask pardon.

Thus many Cautions have we in this one Chapter for the use of this rod.

1. That no man be bold with it, but a Clergy-man.

2. That the severity thereof be well weighed.

3. That it be not laid upon the back of any, but a heinous notorious Offender.

4. That being on, he be sensible of the smart, and soundly corrected, before it be taken off.

5. That we proceed publickly, and in the Name of God, with great Reverence and Solemnity in this matter.

6. And that we have alwayes a good end and intention, either to purge the Church, or those in the Church; for Edification, and not for Destruction.

The rod you have before your eyes, Et jam quid vultis? What shall we use it,Oecum. & Theoph. in loc. or let it alone? which had you rather? it, or love, or lenity? foreign. You are the Lords of this action, you may dispose us to anger or love as you please; like Fabius at Carthage, in our Laps we bring War and Peace; the rod and love, both are before you, make your own choice; if you be foreign, supinely negligent, and overflow in your Function we may then whip you forward; but if we find you foreign, soberly at work,, behold then nothing but love, nothing but incouragement.

Were the matter put to us, you shall hear of nothing but Pax huic domni; not a word, but such as were breathed in with a still and soft voice; not a syllable that might cause the least suspicion, that we were not in Love and Charity with you: For it is not pleasure to us of the Clergy, to take this sharp weapon into our hands and make the jerks given in love, seem the stripes of an enemy; in you it is to stay or stir our hands; and if you smart, blame your selves, not us; if any of our Coat prove bryars in your flesh, and thorns in your sides, it is because we dwell with bryars and thorns, Ezek. 2.6.Ezek 2:6and with the froward we may be froward.

p. 5171. Compare the Times and the Churches, Corinth and ours, and you shall find the question no more than needs; in the Church of Corinth there were factious spirits, such as had their private Masters to take to, Paul, Apollo, or Cephas, just as the wind of their fancy carried them; At qui viri? no mean men I can tell you, foreign they were, either Apostoli, or Apostolici; the worst of them an eloquent man, and mighty in the Scriptures; and yet a fault it was, worthy to be noted with an Apostles pen, that they were divided about these; it was a sign of too much carnality and babishness in them, 1 Cor. 3.

Now would not a man judge that a great part of our people were of late shipped from Corinth! Ego Penrei, saith one; Ego Cartwrighti, saith another; nay, saith a third, I prefer H. Nicolai with his house of love; trust not one of these, saith Simon, Mr. Brown's the man; ye know nothing at all, quoth Phil…umene, Mr. Traske is far a more Reverend Teacher; away, away, quoth Neophythus, this people knows not the Law, Dr. Hethering is the man of God. Thus do they heap to themselves Teachers, Et jurant in verba: At qui veri? neither Apostoli, nor yet Apostolici; no nor yet, for all their pretext of Revelationr and Motions of the Spirit, immediatly taught from heaven; but such rather as Tertullian describes, Omnes tument, omnes scientiam pollicentur, ante sunt perfecti, Catechumeni quam edocti; for so I would point that place:De prescript. Cap. 41. They will seem to be perfect Gnostiques, before they be perfect in the Catechisme; or to speak in Saint Paul's words, They desire to be Teachers of the Law, yet neither understand what they say, nor whereof they affirm: 1 Tim. 1.7.1 Tim 1:7Such Idiots are their Gnostiques; yet these they contend for, and which is yet worse, for the most part, — Dux faemina facti. Quid vultis? What will you then? what course would you have the Prelates take? whether is it fitter they come with a rod, or in love, and in the Spirit of meekness? judge ye.

2. Again, At Corinth notorious sin was grown common and impudent; Incest openly committed, and fornication accounted of as little Zoar; Cap. 6.7.it grieves me to speak it, but spoken it must be; our leudness in this kind is grown so shameless, that we may justifie our sister Corinth, foreign, there be too many known Judah's, Laisses too too many, besides a Spawn of Platonical Lovers, lately risen up amongst us; Et quid vultis? and what think you now, is not a rod fit for such rankness?

3. Farther, Yet at Corinth there was great irreverence used,Cap. 11.19, 20, 21. trem…ndis Mysteriis, to the Holy Mysteries; the people came together not for the better, but for the worse; one was hungry, and another was drunken. These particular disorders are indeed vanished at the instant of the Solemnity, but 'tis possible to find a Communicant drunken within one houre after. But to let this pass, the irreverence in another kind remains in most places still; foreign, or foreign, as Nyssen with one breath calls it,Nyss. de Bapt. Nazianzen. Cyril. Hieros. Cat. Myst. 5. the Altar, or the Holy Table is despised; and those fearful Mysteries which Cyril adviseth none to receive, before he doth foreign, i. e. bow himself, and cast his eyes to the ground, as if for very fear he durst not look upon them, but as it were, with half an eye; and that Sacrament which is of all holies the most holy, to which no man might approach in Chrysostom's judgment,Chrys. in 1 Cor. Hom. 24. foreign▪ without much fear and reverence, of all parts of Gods service speeds worst; men come to receive it, foreign, at all adventure, carelesly, or in an homely manner: Nay, the matter is come to this, that not only de facto, no veneration this sacred action hath, but de jure a matter of conscience is made of it, p. 518that none it ought to have. You know well whose these words are, even that great Andrews, Andr. of the powder-treason. pag. 981.who deserves foreign, Monumentum aere perennius, of this our Church.

Fourthly, I must go a step further; a worse Brood there was yet at Corinth; some of the Whelps of the Ephesian Beasts were transported thither; by those they were taught to deny the most comfortable Article of the Christian faith; it seemed impossible to them that God should raise the dead, Chap. 15. And out of their Ashes there is risen not a Phenix to prove,Tertull. de Res. Car. cap.. 13. but a base Worm to smite our Gourd, and make it wither; a Generation of Vipers that labour to extinguish in themselves and others these necessary notions, the Immortality of the Soul, Rewards and Punishments after this Life, and the Bodies Resurrection.

Trencher-mates these are, (for such the most of them be) who frame to themselves a way most pleasant; a new method they have of turning things that are serious, into mockery; an art of contradiction by the way of scorn: This they study, this they practice, this they grace with a wanton superfluity of wit, insulting over the too much patience of religious minds: Their purpose is to enjoy in present what sensual pleasure or profit soever the World can afford, and this is the very radical cause of their Atheisme. Thus I find the Character of these Beasts drawn to my hand, by the learned and judicious Hooker, Eccl. Pol. lib. 5. Sect. 2.

Quid vultis? In what manner would you have us deal with such? it must be confessed that toward these forlorn creatures we are too patient; Patimur hebescere aciem Authoritatis; a Rod we have, but it is like a Sword in the Scabbard; drawn forth it would be; for a legal course would be taken with such lawless people; a Rod at least were fit for such Fools backs, yea, though it were the sharpest, Eradicans & Mortalis.

Cic. Catil. 1. 2 Cor. 12.11. Plutarch. in Lycurgo.2 Cor 12:11Cupio me esse clementem; but the poysoned hearts, and licentious tongues of these Miscreants have somewhat heated me; Insipiens factus sum, sed hi me coegerunt: For I will not, I dare not dye course Cloth in fine Colours; or guild over ugly vices with the fair and smooth name of Vertue; but with me a Spade is a Spade, Adultery Adultery, Faction Schisme, Extortion plain Extortion, and Atheism down-right Atheism; such a Rustick am I of the Clergy become for your sakes; and you of the Laity, did you prize your souls, would forgive me this wrong. Let then that be lovingly taken, which is lovingly meant; nor I, nor any true Minister of God means you any hurt.

Isa. 34.7. Job 15.16.Isa 34:7Job 15:16Quid vultis? What will you? Would you have us suffer you to lie soaking in your Broth? Quid vultis? What, would you have us suffer you to drink iniquity, Ezek. 13.18, 20.Ezek 13:18Ezek 13:20as an Ass drinks water, with ease, with delight? Quid vultis? Would have us sow Pillows under mens Elbows? Quid vultis? Would you desire us to make the way to Heaven wider than God hath made it? and that you run along in that broad way, Matth. 7.13.Matt 7:13till you arrive at Hell? This were the way to go to Hell with you for company,Ezek. 33.6.Ezek 33:6 and to cause God to require your blood at our hands: And I know you had rather we use the Rod, than endanger our selves, and your souls after so gross a manner; if it chance to smart, I beseech you impute it not to rigour in us. Spiritual Fathers we are, and we know not how to be cruel; sharp we may be, but it is love and necessity that perswades this course; could you be otherwise reformed, you should not taste of the Rod; our bowels yearn over you when we smite you; for we can love, and fight too.

Quid vultis? What will you then, will you go on in your beaten Road? Behold then we have a Rod of Reproof, and you shall feel it from our mouths; and if that mend you not, another Rod we have of Correction, and you shall feel it from our hands; not to your destruction, (the love we bear you in p. 519Christ Jesus prevails too far with us to think of that) but it shall be for your salvation that the soul may be saved in the day of the Lord. The worst that can happen, is but the mortifying of the flesh; and the deader that is, the Spirit is the quicker; more lively, and more nimble you will be in the way of life, in which if you keep strait on, ye shall at last arrive at heaven, where with Saints and Angels you shall sing Hallelujah to the Lamb, and to him that sits upon the Throne for evermore. Amen.