THE SPIRITVALL ARCHITECTVRE.

OR, The Balance of Gods Sanctuary to dis­cerne the weight and solidity of a true and sincere, from the Leuitie, and vanitie of a false and counterfeit profession of Christianity.

Wherein also the sandy foundations of the Pa­pisticall faith are briefely discouered.

A Sermon preached at Pauls Crosse the 16. of Nouember, 1623. by ROBERT BARRELL, Master of Arts, and Minister of Gods word at Maidstone in Kent.

For we are labourers together with God, ye are Gods hus­bandry, and Gods building. 1. Cor. 3.9.
Si audire vis & non facere, adificas, sed ruinam aedificas, & ruina tua te tollit: ergo vna est securitas, & aedifi­care, & supra Petram aedificare. Aug. Tract. 7. in Iohannem:

Printed at London by Augustine Matthewes, and Iohn Norton. 1624.

TO THE MOST RE­VEREND FATHER IN GOD, GEORGE BY THE di­uine Prouidence Arch-bishop of Canter­bury his Grace, Primate of all England, and Metropolitane, one of the Lords of his Maiestes most Honourable Priuy Coun­cell, my very singular good Lord.

Most Reuerend Father in God;

IT may bee thought too high a praesumption (and that not altogether vniust­ly,) that I should seeke to shroud these my poore Labours vnder the roofe of your Gracious Patronage: which I doe not out of any confidence of the worth of them (for alasse I am too conscious to my owne wants to bee so arrogantly presumptuous) but out of the Conscience of that great obli­gation [Page] wherein I stand bound vnto your Grace for your Graces manifold vndeserued fauours, whereof I humbly desire to make this publique acknowledgement. It is a ru­led case in the Ciuill Law, mancipato Patre mancipantur & filii, the Children are inuol­ued with their Father in the same engage­ment: and the Fruits doe of best right ap­pertaine to him that is owner of the Field. To whom then should this my poore Or­phant, and these fruits of my poore Labours more rightly appereain then to your Grace; vpon whom I haue such an especiall depen­dance in the Place where I liue, and to whom I most deseruedly owe my selfe, and the best of my poore Seruice. Moreouer the whole English Clergy (whereof I am a poore vnworthy member) and the whole Church of England, and Cause of Religion owes much vnto your Grace: whereof (vn­der our most Religious, Learned and graci­ous Soueraigne) you are a maine Pillar and Sppor [...]er; not onely by your vigilant eye of circumspection, in gouerning this Church (according to your high place) but by your zealous tongue in Preaching, and learned [Page] Pen in writing. I write not this to flatter your Grace, for (besides that my nature ab­horres such basenesse) he needs no false and flattering praises, that abounds with true: and St. Cyprian saith truly; A good Consci­ence neither desires praise nor feares accusa­tions. Epist. 31. For my part, I should not haue presumed to publish to the world these my poore Labours, (which doth occa­sion mee humbly to craue your Graces Pa­tronage) but that in these dayes, wherein so many Babilonish Tobiahs and Sanballats, seeke by all meanes to hinder, and (if they could) to ruine it, euery true hearted Israelite that can lay but one stone to further the buil­ding of Gods Temple, & the walls of his Ie­rusalem, must not sit idle. Seing therefore your Grace is heerein a Maister-builder; vouchsafe (I beseech you) your gracious ap­probation of this little Stone that I haue hewen to lay in this Building: and your Noble Patronage of me and my poore La­bours, though the meanest of those that serue at Gods Altar: (for euen the Sunne in the Firmament shines aswell on the low Shrub as the tall Cedar, and sends his bright [Page] and glorious beames, aswell into the poore­mans Cottage, as the Noble-mans Pallace) which if your Grace shall vouchsafe to doe, you shal therby encourage me (to the vtmost of my poore power and skill) to bee still hewing more Stones for this Building; and binde me euer, as already you haue done, to be a dayly Suitor, and earnest Solicitor, to the highest Throne of grace and mercy, that the confluence of all wished temporall blessings and spirituall graces, may be pow­red downe vpon your Graces head most a­bundantly in this Life; with the euerlasting addition of a Crowne of Glory in the Life to come.

Your Graces most bounden and deuoted Seruant. ROBERT BARRELL.

The Authours Preface to the Chri­stian Reader.

COurteous and charitable Reader; not so much the importunity of my friends, (though I haue been much solicited therevnto) hath caused me to pub­lish this Sermon to the view of the world, as that Eye which I had therein to Gods glory and thy good: for being pressed by some of my especiall friends to pub­lish it as a Sermon, which in these dayes, of too much tottering inconstancie in Religion, might be some stay to wauering and vnstable soules, and so doe some good in the Church of God: I thought my selfe most vnworthy to receiue a mite, (much lesse a talent) from the Lord, if I should not most willingly and cheerefully cast it into Gods treasurie: for although of late, many other worthies of our Israel haueLuc. 21.1 &c out of the superfluity and abundant riches of their knowledge, cast in much more: yet I hope this mite (which I haue cast in with as good an inten­tion as any, though much more able than my selfe to doe good in the Church of God, (will be accepted of him who loues a cheer­full giuer, and whither it be little or much)2. Cor. 8.12. accepts the gift according to the ability which himselfe hath giuen. The Apo­stle saith: [...], Let all things be done to aedification: 1. Cor. 14.26. My scope therefore in this sermon is to teach thee the art of Spirituall Architecture: that is, how to build vp thy selfe to be an house or temple for the Lord, an habitation of God by the spirit: which J teach thee as my selfe haue learned it from that greatest, and chiefest Ar­chitect Christ Iesus. by the direction of his holy word. For all that be in Christ are likewise1 Cor. 16, 19. Temples of the holy Ghost to be built in this world, but to be dedicated in the world to come: (where the glory of the Lord shall fill thee with ioy vn­speakeable and glorious, as earst his glory filled the materiall Temple. Exod: 40.34) And as the building of these spiritu­all Temples here is painefull and laborious to flesh and bloud, so the dedication of them there, shall bee most ioyfull and glori­ous. [Page] To encourage thee to build, God himselfe hath laid the chiefe corner stone, yea1 Pet 5.6. himselfe is the chiefe corner stone, elect and pretious: and all the faithfull are liuing stones to bee laid vpon this foundation, and to be built a spirituall house:Aug. Tom in dedicat Templi. Fide formati, [...]pe formali, charitate compacti: squared by faith, laid fast by hope, and cemented together by charitie. Build therefore, or rather be built vpon this firme foundation, both by hearing and practising: for if thou build not at all, thou shalt be left destitute of aEsa 32.2. shelter from the wind, and a couer from the tempest: and if thou build on any other foundation, thou buildest thine owne ruine.Aug. in Psal. 101. Eia ergo (lapides viui) instructuram currite, non in ruinam, &c. Goe to therefore (ye liuing stones) come, yea runne to this building, and not to your owne ruine: B [...]e contented to bee hewen and squared by thatIer. 23.29. hammer that heweth the stones, the lawe of God: and to be polished with the stroakes of temptatious, afflictions, and persecutions here without, for as much as there shall not be any noise or stroake of that hammer heard when he shall be perfect­ly polished in the heauenly Sanctuary. Lay the pauement of your building low by contrite humilitie: fasten your selues and your faith vpon the maineEph [...] 19. foundation stones of the Propheti­call and Apostolicall doctrines: raise the walls of your buil­ding by feruent prayers, and deuout meditations: and adorne your building with good workes, which may bee conspicuous to the eye of the world (as with turrets and battlements: be pil­lars to support the weake, and roofes to shroud and shelter the poore and needy from the tempests of their seuerall calamities, and necessities: so shall ye be possessed of the Lord (as temples built for his honour and seruice:) by his spirit of grace here, and fullnesse of glory hereafter. That both thou, (Gentle Rea­der, whosoeuer thou be) and I may thus build, and be built, let vs helpe one another by the mutuall commerce of our feruent, and faithfull prayers.

Thine in the Lord Iesus, ROBERT BARRELL.

Faults escaped in Printing.

PAge 2. line 33 for imploy read imply. page 3. line 22. for walles read waters: page 4. line 14, for man read Mammon, page 5 line 30, for certifying reade rectifying, page 6, line 13, read, I wish that my words, &c. & page ead. line 28, for conneyed, reade conueyed: page 8 line 22, for usullarum vnita, read multa­rum vnitas & page ead. line 28, for startling, read starting: page 9, line 13, leaue out thereof page 10. line 6. read acknowledge him, &c. page ead. line 28. for Epitom read Epitome & line 29, for section, reade perfection. & line 37. between see, and smell, insert but: page 12, line 6, for Loe reade Hoe, &c & page ead. line 26, for Solius read solus. page 13, line 2, for mine, reade ruine page 14, line 2, for way, reade wander. page 15, line 2, for phrases, read praises: ibid. line 18, for criri­call, aeade criticall. ibid. line 19, for word, read words, page 23, line 27, for till, read while page 30, line 1, for verity, read vnity, & line 23, for vnitie, read vnite. page 31, line 6, for Catholikes, read Cacolikes, & page ead. line 35, for supply, read supple. page 33, line 26, for sectuntur, read secta [...]tur, ibid. line 30, for [...] reade [...]. page 34, line 38, for Costerius, reade Costerus. & page 36, line 28, ibid. line 26, for sunne read sonne. page 40. line 14, for vt, read vel. page 41. in An­not. marg. for Anno 3033, read 303, ibid. page 35, for whhle, read whole, page 45, line 21, for flaida, read fluida. ibid line 35, for [...] read [...], page 48. line 9, read Si restitui potest, ibid. line 14, for Colloguintida, read Colloquintida, ibid. line 27, for mind, conscience, reade my conscience Page 50 line vlt, for ouer­throw, reade ouerflow, page 5 [...], line 15, for thee read them, page 61, line 18. for irrecouerable. read irreuocable. ibid line 33, for Sancte, read Sancta, ibid. line 38, for wasted, read roasted, page 64, line 5, for right, read righteousnes, ibid. in marg for Cypr. read Opus, page 65. line 25, for mine, read ruine, page 67, line 27, for me read one, page 68, line 2, for malorum, read magorum.

If thou finde (Gentle Reader) any other faults, either in Orthography or otherwise, I pray thee correct them with thy pen: and let not the Printers errors be impu­ted to the Authour.

THE SPIRITVALL ARCHITECTVRE.

Text. MATH. Chap. 7. Vers. 24.25.26.27.

24 Therefore whosoeuer heareth these sayings of mine, and doth them, I will liken him to a wise man which built his house vpon a Rocke.

25 And the raine descended, and the flouds came, and the winds blew, and beat vpon that House; and it fell not, for it was founded on a Rocke.

26 And euery one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doth them not, shall be likened vnto a foolish man which built his House vpon the Sand.

27 And the raine descended, and the flouds came, and the winds blew, and beat vpon that house, and it fell, and the fall thereof was great.

THe blessed Apostle S. Paul termes the new Ieru­salem (which is the Christian Church)Gal. 4.26. the Mother of vs all: and this mother of all Christi­ans (like Mary the mother of Christ) isSer. 119. de temp. both a mother and a Virgin. A Virgin in re­spect of her most pure and vnspotted veritie, which though it be often assaulted by cursed haeretiques (the diuells off­spring) yet it neuer was, nor shall be wholy corrupted:Mat. 16.18. for the gates of hell cannot preuaile against it, being built on the rocke Christ Iesus. A mother in respect of her copious faecunditie: for she isCypr. de vni­tate. Eccl. Sect. 4. & 5. Faecunditatis successibus copio­sa, a fruitfull mother of children, bringing forth by her pu­ritie of doctrine many sonnes and daughters to the Lord Almightie; Illius faetu nascimur, lacte nutrimur, spiritu ani­mamur [Page 2] In her wombe we are bred, by her soule or spirit we are quickned, by her milke we are nourished: and her two breasts that yeelds vs this sweet milk (Psal. 19.10. sweeter to beleeuing souls than the hony and the hony combe:) are the two Testa­ments.

The same Church is compared by that holy Father, and blessed Martyr S. Cyprian Cypr. Epist. 73. Sect. 9. vnto Paradise: the trees wherof are the faithfull: which areEsa 61.3. Germina plantationis Domini, Trees of the Lords owne planting: and (like the trees plan­ted by the riuers of Waters:Psa. 1.3.) bring forth their fruites in due season; and the foure riuers of this Paradise (where­with these trees are watered) are the foure Euangelists.

These riuers (like Tagus) haue many golden streames: of which this sermon of Christ on the Mount is one of the chois [...]st: for it may be called Concio concionum (as Salo­mons sweet Epithalamium between Christ and his Church is called Canticum Canticorum) as being the key of the whole Bible, wherein Christ opens those treasures of Wise­dome and knowledge which are hid in the old and new Testament. Therefore we finde none of Christs sermons so largly registred by the EuangelistsIoh. 14.15, 16. as this except his con­solatarie sermō to his Disciples before his passion: this be­ing his Primum salue, or first welcome to his Apostles after their election to the Apostleship: and that his vltimum va­le, or last Farewel vnto them immediately before his passion.

1. Praef. Conc.How excellent a sermon this was it is euident. First, by the Preface or exordium thereunto: for it was deliue­red, In a selected place (Mat. 5.1. namely, a mountaine,) that the sublimitie of the place might shew the excellencie of the matter:Ver. 2. 2. To selected auditors (namely his twelue Apostles, and the choisest Disciples,) and in an especiall and singu­lar manner, intimated: First, by his preparation thereunto Luc 6.12.: for he spent the whole night before in prayer, which must needs imploy some consequence of great importance. Secondly, By his gesture of sitting Aug de Ser. Dom. in Monte., Quod pertinet ad dig­nitatem magisterij, implying both the dignitie of the spea­ker (who isMat. 23.8. [...], the great Doctor of his Church) and the weight of the matter. Thirdly, by the [Page 3] Euangelists phrase of opening his mouth: which implies not onely our Sauiours earnestnesse & intention both of heart and voyce in speaking, but the excellency and diuine per­fection of his doctrine.

He who is 1.Ier. 24.6. The eye of God, by which he looks downe vpon his Church for good and not for euill. 2.Esay 53.1. The Arme of God, whereby hee doth both sustaine and imbrace it. 3.Esay 48.13. 1 Pet. 5.8. The hand of God, whereby he hath laid the foundation of the earth in the worke of Creation, and pluckt his sheep out of the mouth of that roaring Lyon the Diuell (as Da­uid did his fathers sheepe out of the iawes of the Lyon,1 Sam. 17.35. & paw of the beare) in the worke of Redemption. 4. The Face of God, in whom (as in a Christall glasse) we may be­holdHeb. 1.3. the brightnesse of his fathers glory, and [...]xpresse Character of his person;Ioh. 14.9. He that hath seene me hath seene the father. 5. The mouth of God, whereby hee doth bothCant. 1.2. kisse his Church with the kisses of his loue, and instruct it with his heauenly Doctrine: heere opens his mouth (as a fountaine of liuing waters) to refresh the thirsting soules of his Disciples, as earst hee opened the rocke of stone for the refreshing of the fainting bodies of his Jsrael, Psal. 105.31. so that the walles gushed out, and riuers ran in drye places.

2 Materia: conc.2 By the substance or matter of this Sermon; which whosoeuer shall considerately read and marke, shall finde thereinAug. in loc. perfectum vitae Christianae modum, a perfect rule or direction for a Christian life, tending to true happinesse and perfection;Mat. 5.48. Analisis Conc: V. 3. A. v. 3. ad 13. Be yee perfect, &c.

For therein Christ shewes vs; first, the Marke at which wee must ayme, namely, true blessednesse in Gods King­dome. 2. The Steps or Degrees whereby wee must ascend vnto it; namely, humility, mourning for sin, meeknes, &c. for the eight beatitudes are as so many steps of thatGen. 28.12. my­sticall Ladder of Jaacob, whereby we must climbe vp vnto Heauen. 3. The Guides to conduct vs thither; namely,A. v. 1. ad 17. the Ministers of the Gospell, who are both the Salt of the earth, to season vs with the heauenly Salt of Grace, and the Light of the World, to guide our feete into the way of [Page 4] peace, that we may make straight steps to theApoc. 21.2. new Ie­rusalem and heauenly Sion. 4 The Norme or Squire, to rule out this way vnto vs, namely the Law of God, (the rule of Charity and Col 3.14. band of perfection) which our Sauiour by his diuine exposition cleeres from Pharisaicall glosses and corruptions.A. v. 17. ad fi­n [...]m Cap. 5.

5 The crooked by-pathes which wee must shunne, if wee will keepe vs in the right way to true blessednesse, and not turne to the right hand or the left; and th [...]se are ma­ny: (as t [...]ere is but one right way to a place, but many by-wa [...]es) namely;Cap. 6. a. v. ad 19. A. v. 19. ad fi­nem, cap. 6. 1. Hypocrisie in doing our good workes to be seene of men. 2. Worldly Sollicitude, in lay­ing vp our treasure in Earth not in Heauen; preferring the seruice of man before the seruice of God; and caring more for the perishing vanities of this life, then the King­dome of God and his righteousnesse.C 7 a. v. 1. ad 6. 3. Vncharitable cen­suring of our Brethren, and ouercurious prying into their motes,V. 6. whilst we see not our owne beames. 4 Prophane trampling vnder our feet (like dogs and Swine) the preci­ous pearles of Gods holy word and Sacraments, and ren­ding those that bring them vnto vs with the cruell teeth of malicious obloquy.A. v. 15. ad 21. 5. Listning to false Prophets (which are rauening wolues in sheepes clothing) s [...]eking vnder the faire pretences of humility, truth, simplicity and since­rity, to prey vpon, & deuoure the soules of Christs sheepe. 6. Omission of holy duties, namely, of feruent prayer, where­by wee should aske,A. v. [...]. ad 13. seeke and knocke at the gate of mer­cy: and a serious endeuour to enter in at the straight gate, and goe on in the narrow way that leads vnto salua­tion:v. 21. &c. for as much as a bare verball profession will not serue the turne at the last day: Not euery one that saith vnto mee Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdome of Heauen, but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heauen, &c.

3 Conclus. conc.3 By the conclusion, wherein there is an Emphaticall [...] seeming to limit these words of my Text to this Ser­mon onely (as containing the summe and substance of the whole Bible) but they may fitly haue a more generall re­ference [Page 5] to all the words of Christs heauenly doctrine de­liuered to his Church, and recorded in the sacred Scrip­tures.

And the Euangelist addes;V. 28.29. when Iesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his Doctrine, &c. for hee was the true Orpheus, who by the melodious har­mo [...]y of his heauenly Doctrine drew the rocks, & woods, and wilde beasts after him; that is, men of rocky and hard hearts (as the Pharisies) and as sauage in sinfulnesse as the wilde beastes, namely, Sadduces and Publicans:Luk. 6.17. Ioh. 6.2. who flocked from all quarters of Iudea, Samaria, Galile, &c. to heare his diuine doctrine, and behold his Almighty miracles; which they saw and heard with astonishment and admiration, saying; neuer man spake like this manCap. 7.46.. These words are the conclusion, and application of this di­uine Sermon; for this wise master builder doth not onely lay the foundation and raise the walles, but roofes the top, and perfects the building: this heauenly Husbandman doth not onely plant and sow by doctrine, but water by Application, that the seed may yeeld the more copious increase, as he doth elsewhere;Ioh. 13.17. Jf yee know these things, blessed are yee if yee doe them.

Wherein the1 Pet. 2.25. chiefe Shepheard and supreame Bishop of our soules teacheth all his subordinate Pastors, (especially in these dayes wherein there isBeza. much science but little con­science) to bend th [...]ir endeauours ratherBern. ad imbuenda cor­da, quam exprim [...]nda verba, to reforme mens liues, then ei­ther to tickle their itching eares or informe th [...]ir curious vnderstandings: and to seeke, not so m [...]chPhil 2.21. the things that are their owne (that is, their owne vai [...] glorious applause by curious straines of wit, or painting ouer their Ser­mons with the Vermillion of humane Eloquence:) as the things that are Iesus Christs, by certefying m [...]ns Conscien­ces and conuersations; and seeking to bring home many sheepe to Christ his folde, many soules to his Kingdome. Otherwise those croking Frogs of Rome, (I meane the Ie­suites and Seminary Priests) which now more then euer swarme in our Coasts, like the Grashoppers and Cater­pillers [Page 6] ofEx. 10.12. Egipt will still get ground of vs, while we seeke to please mens eares, and they to worke vpon their consci­ences (the strongest band to tye men fast to God and his sacred truth) and so in time the Israelitish Prouerbe may be inuerted to our great shame and the scandall of our Religi­on: h 1 Sam. 18.7. Dauid hath but his 1000. and Saul his 10000.

Pardon therfore my plainnesse (Right Honourable, &c.) If I striue that my doctrine may be deliuered1 Cor. 2.4. rather with the euidence of the spirit and power, then with the enticing words of mans wisedome and eloquence: for my desire is not to please carnally, nor to tickle the eares of the curious; but to win those that are truely religious to a constant perseue­rance in truth and godlinesse: and I wish that wordes may be vnto you as nailes and goads fastned by the masters of the Assemblies to pricke you forward to good workes,Eccles. 12.11. and make you cleaue fast to Christ and his truth continu­ally.

Concerning the sense of the Text, I finde a difference a­mong Interpretors.

1 Some by this house built on a rocke, vnderstand the Christian Church in Generall, built on the rock of Christian Doctrine, which is called,1 Tim. 3.15. The House of the liuing God.

Of this House 1. Christ Iesus is the chiefe corner stone Eph. 2.19.20..

2 The Prophets and Apostles foundation stones, and

3 The faithfull liuing stones made a spirituall house [...] Pet. 2.5..

4 The two opposite walles are the Iewes and Gentiles.

5 The foure corners of the House, are the foure Euan­gelists.

6 The Pillars are the Prelates of the Church.

7 The Windowes wher [...]by the light is conneyed vnto it, are the Pastors and Doctors of the Church.

8 The Dore is Christ Iesus, the dore of the sheepeIo [...]. 10.7..

9 The Curtaines wherewith this House, or holy Taberna­cle of God is adorned are the Precepts of the Law, and Pro­mises of the Gospell.

10 The Table of this House is the sacred Scripture & ho­ly Eucharist.

12 The spirituall meat set vpon this Table, is Christ Ioh. 6.31. the [Page 7] celestiall Manna, the bread of life broken to vs in the Word and Sacraments.

13 The Vessels of honour appertaining to this House, areRom. 9.22, 23 the Ʋessels of mercy prepared vnto glory; and the Vessels of dishonour, are the Vessels of wrath prepared to destruction.

For the visible Church is likeGen. 7.2. & 8.7.8. Noahs Arke, which con­tained both cleane and vncleane Beasts; and had in it as well the greedy Rauen, that flying out of it neuer returned againe, as the harmlesse Done, which out of the Arke found no rest for the soale of her foot, but with an Oliue branch in her mouth returned to the Arke againe.

This was figured inGen. 4.1. Adams family,Typ Eccl: visib. which had in it a bloody Cain as well as an innocent Abel; & 9.18: &c. in Noahs, which had a cursed Cham as well as a blessed Shem and Japheth; & 21.9. in Abrahams, which had a persecuting Jshmael as well as a per­secuted Isaack: and in Isaacks, & 25.33. which had a prophane Esau selling his Birthright for a messe of Pottage, as well as a godly Iacob that obtained the Blessing& 27.27..

But the wicked,Jn vnitate Ec­clesiae non cor­poris Eccl. A­lexan: de Hales. although they bee in the vnity of the Church visible; yet not in the vnity of the Churches body mysticall: or if they be, it is but as corrupt humours are in the body naturall; (which must be purged out before the bo­dy can be healthy and strong) but not as sound, sollid and substantiall parts of the same body.

For of those that liue in the visible Church there are three sorts: 1 Some are members thereof by Profession on­ly, 2 Others both by profession and affection for the pre­sent, but not in resolution, 3 Others both by profession, affection and resolution, hauing their hearts fast knit vnto God for euer. And of Professors there bee foure sorts. 1 Some professe the Cnristian faith but not wholly and in­tirely, as Heretickes: 2 Others professe the whole sauing truth, but not in vnity; as Scismaticks. 3 Others professe the whole truth in vnity, but not in sincerity, nor with a resolute and vndaunted constancie: as temporizing hyppocrites; Exposit. 2 and all these 3 sorts build vpon the sand, 4 Others professe the whole sauing truth in vnity and sincerity, and with an ir­refragable constancie: and these only build vpon the rocke.Mat 25.2.

[Page 8] Exposit. 2 2 Other Interpretors vpon this place vnderstand not the Church in generall, but the particular members of the Church: whereof some are wise, some foolish builders: as elsewhereMat 25.2. they are compared vnto wise and foolish Vir­gins.

1 The wise Builders are they, that both by hearing and practising build their faith on the rocke Christ, and his sa­cred truth; whose faith, neither the raine of prosperity can cor­rupt or [...]eaken, nor the flouds of aduersity vndermine, nor the winds of diabolicall suggestions shake downe and ouer­throw; because the foundation on which they are built is immoueable; namely, the rocke Christ, and his sacred truth.

2 The foolish builders are they that by bare hearing without due practising, build their false & temporary faith, vpon the sands of humane traditions, or their owne vaine fancies and superstitions, which euery win of vaine doctrine, storme of affliction, or tempest of temptation may easily o­uerthrow, because it is built on the sand, and the fall of such buldings and builders will be great, because they fall finally, totally, irrecouerably from Gods grace and glory, into the bottomlesse pit of perdition and destruction.

But this difference seemes to me rather verball then reall: because the Church is nothing els but a Mullarum vnita vel potius vnanimitas animarum; Bern: Serm: 61: in Cant: a collectiue, consisting of ma­ny particular men conioyned in the generall Profession of the same Christian faith: though some bee true Israelites, some cursed Edomites, some professing the truth in since­rity, others in hypocrisie; some constantly cleauing there­to euen in the mouth of danger, others quickly startling a­side from it like a broken bow.

This Text ther [...]fore is Gods fanne, to discerne this corne from that chaffe: His true touchstone to trye this pure gold from that counterfeit copper: and the iust ballance of his Sanctuary to discerne th [...] weight of a sound, sollid, and sin­cere profession of Christianity, from that which is deceit­full vppon the weights, and lighter then vanity it selfe.

Diuision: For it doth expresse a threefold difference betweene wise [Page 9] and foolish builders.

1 First, in the manner of their building: for the wise buil­ders perfect their building both by hearing and pra­ctising: but the foolish builders leaue it vnperfect, hea­ring, but not practising.

2 Secondly, in the foundation of their building; the wise build vpon a sure and immooueable foundation, namely a Rocke: but the foolish, either on none, or a weake foun­dation; namely, the superficies of the earth or the sand.

3 Thirdly, in the effect and issue of their building: for whereas both buildings are violently assaulted and beat vpon by raine, stormes, and wind: the one stands fast like Mount SionPsal. 125.1., &c. the other thereof falls downe flat, and the fall thereof is great.

Both begin w [...]ll, and consent in the first act, namely, of hearing Christs words, ( [...],V. 24. & 26. &c.) Whosoe­uer heareth, &c. but in the latter, they differ as farrre as the East is from the West, or the heauen from the earth: for the one conioynes hearing and doing: ( [...]) heares and doth them, v. 24. the other disioynes what God would haue conioyned ( [...]) hearing, but not doing, v. 26. And this is that which makes such a [...], or wide distance between them: First, in their pro­perties: the one sort being tearmed wise, the other, foolish builders: Secondly, in their worke: the one building on the rocke: the other on the sand: Thirdly, In the successe of both: for the issue of the one building is firme stability; but of the other vtter ruine.

The first difference betweene these wise and foolish buil­ders, is in the manner of their building: the first, by hea­ring onely: the second, by hearing and practising. But both heare: for the eares are the open doores by which the knowledge of those things entereth into the soule which haue no visible species for the eyes to apprehend:Rom. 10.17. faith comes by hearing; which is theHeb. 11.1. euidence of things not seene. Insomuch as the Centurion (who saw Christ cru­cified) beleeued not on him by seeing, but by hearing: for hearing him giue vp the ghost with a loud cry (contrary to [Page 8] [...] [Page 9] [...] [Page 10] the nature of that lingring death:) he concludedMar. 15.36., Sure­ly this was the Sonne of God Ber. Ser: 28. in Cant.. Auditus iuuenit quod non visus: oculum species fefellit, auri veritas se infudit: His eyes saw himEsa. 53 2, 3. despised and reiected of men, a man full of sor­rowes, hauing no forme nor beautie that he should be desired: but by his voice he beleeued, and acknowledged to bee the Sonne of God, not by his face: being herein a patterne for all Christs sheepe, and an Idea of them allIoh. 10.27., My sheepe heare my voice, &c.

Aquin. 1.2. Q. 12.The Scholemen say there is a threefold booke wherein we know God: First, of nature: secondly, of Scripture: thirdly, of life. By the two first we know him in this life, (but in part and as it were in a gl [...]sse darkely:) but by the third, we shall know him in the life to come, when wee shall see him face to face. 1. Cor. 13.9.

For the learning of the first booke wee neede vse nothing but our eyes Rom. 1.20., for the inuisible things of God (to wit his eter­nall power and Godhead) are by the creation of the world made visible.

Aug 5.55. in Joh Tom. 10.Aske the ornament of the heauens: namely, the bright­nesse of the Sunne (the beautie of the day, and the eye of the world:) and the splendour of the Moone, and order of the Starres: (the solace and ornament of the night:) aske the aire replenished with birds (natures quiristers) who by their pleasing notes, and chirping voices dayly chaunt out the prayses of their Creator: aske the earth a­dorned with trees, and plants, and replenished with foure-footed beasts and creeping things, and made the'receptacle & habitatiō of (Man the litle world, the epitom of Gods work­manship, and idea of diuine section.) Lastly, aske the sea, (the profound volume of Gods wonders, swarming with admira­ble and innumerable sorts of Fishes:) aske them all, and they will really answer thee: The Almightie hath created vs: Vniuersus mundusn [...]l aliud est quam deus explicatus. A­thenag. for the whole world is nothing els but a large booke wherein God is expressed: whose creatures are such faire Characters that we may reade them running. We need but looke and learne, see and perceiue: yea, we may not onely see, Cypr. de card. C [...]. operibus. smell, tast, and feele how gratious the Lord is, when [Page 11] we smell, taste, and feele his creatures.

For the learning of the second booke, we must vse both our eyes and eares, in reading and hearing: but especially our eares; for although reading of the Scripture be no small edifying: (as appeares by the fruit thereof in the Israe­lites2. Reg 33.2. &c when the booke of the law was read by Hilkiah the Priest, in the dayes of Iosiah, andNeh. 8.31. &c. by Ezra the Scribe, in the time of Nehemia): yet hearing of the Scriptures ope­ned and applyed by preaching is a more powerfull meanes to aedification and saluation: for manyAct. 8.3 [...]. (with the Eunuch) may reade the Scriptures, and not vnderstand them, vntill the liuely voice of some Philip be as a key to open the clo­set of Gods hidden treasures, (that is, the mysteries of the Gospell) vnto them.

Dignum esset per superiores oculorum fenestras veritatem intrare in animam, &c. Ber. Ser. 38: in cant. It were to be wished that the light of truth might enter into our soules by the windowes of our eyes: but this is reserued for vs in the life to come, when we shall with most pure and perfect eyes reade in the booke of life, and see God face to face. But now wee receiue the remedy as the disease first crept in vpon vs.Gen. 3.4. Euah was se­duced by hearkning to the voice of the diuell, we must bee conuerted by hearkning to the voice of God,Nunc vnde irrepsit morbus inde remedium intrat: vt per eandem vestigia sequatur vita mortem; tene­bras lux: vene­num serpentis antidotum ve­ritatis. Jbid. that so life may enter into our soules by the same gate, by which death entered, and light come into the houses of our soules by the same windowes, by which darknesse did: and the antidote of truth (Christs owne confection) may be taken of vs in the same cuppe wherein we first dranke the poyson of that old serpent: namely, by hearing.

The sacred Scriptures are the mysticall Paradise of God, in the midst whereof grow the two trees of knowledge and life: the fruites whereof are to bee gathered of vs by these two hands of reading and hearing: but hearing is the right hand: that is, the more actiue and effectuall. The word of God is the well of saluation, whence flowe riuers of wa­ters of life, that make glad the city of God, (.i. his true Church) and our eares are the channels by which the streames of these liuing waters doe flow into our soules. [Page 12] It is also1. Pet. 2.2. sincere milke to nourish vs, flowing from the two breasts of Christ (.i. the two Testaments:) and our hearing is as the mouth whereby we sucke this sincere milke that we may grow thereby.

Wherefore let vs hearken to that great proclamation of the King of KingsEsa. 55. [...], &c.: Loe, euery one that thirsteth come to the waters, &c. Let vs not spend our money (as too many doe) for that which is not bread, and our labour for that which satisfieth not: (preferring like swine, huskes, and acornes before better food:) but let vs come vnto God, and encline our eares to him, that our soules may liue, &c.Psal. 119.24. Let his statutes be our delight, and our counsailors. Luc. 1 [...].39.42. Let vs choose Maries better part (namely to sit at Christs feet, and heare his preaching:) saying with S. Peter, Ioh. 6.68. Master, whither should wee goe from thee? thou hast the words of eternall life.

For if we leaue him and his sacred word to hearken to vnwritten traditions, Popes decretalls, Schoolemens laby­rinths, Iesuites Pamphlets, or Seminary Priests buzzing suggestions, inciting vs to set vp the1. Sam. 5.3. Idol Dagon with the Arke of God in the temple of our soules, or2 Reg. 18.21 to diuide our hearts betweene God and Baal (ioyning with the worship of the true God and his Sonne Christ, the worship of Saints, Angells, Bread, Images, Reliques, &c.) we commit a double euill, wee leaue the fountaine of liuing Waters, and digge to our selues broken cesternes that can hold no water, Ier. 2.13.

Ber Ser. [...]8. in Cant. Solius habet auditus verum qui percipit verbum: None heares the truth but hee that hearkens to the word of truth: for the word of God alone is thatApoc. 1 16. two-edged-sword, which commeth out of the mouth of Christ: which isHeb. 4.12. mightie in operation, and sharper than any two edged sword (to cut downe error, and kill sinne in vs,) entring into the diui­ding asunder of the soule, and spirit, &c.Io [...]. 6.20. As the sound of the [...]ammes hornes (Gods power accompanying it) made the walls of Iericho to fall: so the mightie voice of Gods word (if rightly heard of all, by the vertue of his spirit ac­companying the same) would make the walls, not onely, of mysticall Babell, but of hell it selfe to reele and totter, and [Page 13] fall flat downe, and the whole kingdome of Sathan to come to mine: for it isRom. 1 6. the power of God vnto saluation: and it will make the Prince of hell recoyle and giue backe, and fall to the groundIoh. 28.6., as the powerfull voice of Christ made Iudas and his confederates goe backeward and fall to the ground.Ber. Dom. 7. post Pent.. And this glasse of truth deceiues no man, flat­ters no man, but truely and impartially shewes euery man what he is, that no man be cast down with needlesse feares, nor lifted vp with vaine presumptions. Also it supplants vice, and implants vertue in vs: banisheth our vaine, and cherisheth our good desires: layes our sinnes before our faces, and so humbles our proud and loftie lookes, and throwes vs downe before Gods footstoole, with godly sor­row and true compunction for them, and then raiseth vs vp againe with pretious promises, and vnspeakeable comforts in the tender mercies of a compassionate father, and soue­raigne merits of a soule-sauing Sauiour.

These effects hath this powerfull word of Christ in all at­tentiue, deuout, and religious hearers: if it haue not in all, it is because many heare amisse: (asIac. 4.3. many aske and receiue not because they aske amisse:) for some haueMat. 13.9. hearing, o­thers vnhearing eares: some heare the word and keepe it, others heare and sleight itc. 7.6.; treading this pretious pearle (like filthy Swine) vnder their feet, in the mire of their sins; and rending those with the teeth of malice and obloquy that bring it vnto them: therefore Christ makes this first maine difference or opposition betweene the hearers of the word: that the one sort areRom. 2.13. not hearers onely, but doers of the word (who are the wise builders and shall be iustified:) but the other sort areIac. 1.22. not doers of the word, but hearers one­ly, deceiuing their owne soules: who are foolish builders, and shall be condemned, for they with their building shall come to ruine.

There be diuers sorts of vnprofitable hearers.

1. Some haue dull eares, Mat. 13, [...]4. hearing they heare, but doe not vnderstand. These are no better for their being in the Church than the Churches pillars: for either (Act 20 9. with Eu­tichus) they sit sleeping while the minister is preaching: [Page 14] or if their eyes wake, their hearts are a sleepe: for (like men in a dreame) their hearts waue after their fancies, and are so firmely fixt on their worldly profites and carnall plea­sures that (like Idols in the Temple)Psa. 115 5, 6. they haue eyes and see not, eares and heare not: and although the sound of the word beat their eares neuer so much, yet the sound of the world, and the flesh beates it backe againe.

These although they can hunt Mammon dry-foote in their shops all the weeke, and neuer be weary: or spend whole dayes and nights in a Tauerne, sacrificing to Bac­chus: yet they thinke one houre too much to be spent in the Temple, whereby thoseMat. 8.34. Gadarenes make it apparant that in their account hara domestica is preferred before ara do­minica, their Mammon before Christ, the world before the word, and their owne Swinesties before Gods San­ctuary.

2 Some haue curious eares listening (like Athenians) after nouelties: and hearkning after quaint phrases, and curious strains of wit, more than after wholesome doctrine: like a child who desires to drinke out of a painted glasse, more to please his fancie than to quench his thirst: or an Epicure at a feast, who makes choise of such meates as are most delicious, not most wholesome: as if they accoun­ted the word of God no better thanEzec 33 31, 32 a Fidlers song, wherein men regard more the pleasantnesse of the voice, and sweetnesse of the musicke, than the soundnesse of the matter.

Yet when I condemne a curious and ouerdelicate eare, I doe not commend a barbarous rusticke eare which will not haue wholesome doctrine adorned with fit and significant phrasesPsa 45.14. which are the spouses embroydered garment of nee­dle worke to cloath and adorne her. The meane betweene both is to bee held: 1. That wee desire not to heare fine words without matter (which are like a guilded boxe that hath nothing in it:) nor rude and idle battologies (which are like the Chaos Ouid Metaph, li. 1., Rudis indigestaque moles, a confused and disordered heape of words, without either methode or matter: but sound doctrine adorned with fit and significant [Page 15] phrases, free from the enticing words of mans wisedome, and yet1. Cor. 2.4. in the euidence of the spirit and power: which is likeIoh. 12.3. Maryes Alablaster Boxe full of precious oynt­ment.

3. Some haue2. Tim. 4.3. itching eares, and they must bee clawed first either with their owne phrases: for they must be Sain­ted, and marked out for Gods children, and the Sheepe of Christ, (as if their names alone were enrolled in the booke of life:) and all the Apostles and Martyrs (whose names and memories the Church hath euer held reuerend) must be vnsainted againe to please their humours: or els second­ly with Inuectiues against others whom they maligne: and to this end they magnifie, cherish, and desire to heare onely such preachers whom (like Parrats) they may teach their [...],Persius Sat. 1. and who may bee as hollow Trunkes to carry through them the bullets of reproaches which they shoote at others.

These haue Eagles eyes to obserue the defects of others, (easily espying theirMat. 7.3. brethrens moles, but not discerning their owne beames (criricall tongues to censure the best word and actions: hypocriticall lookes to bleare the eyes of the world: but Harpies hands, or clawes, to hooke all that comes neere them; and their eares (like Mindaes gates) are wider than the whole body of Religion within them, so that it doth easily runne out at their eares (as Diogenes supposed) Minda would doe at the gates) and expires in hearing onely.

4. Some haueAct. 7.51. vncircumcised eares and hearts: either forestalled with malice and praeiudice against the Preacher, whom they hate (asReg. 22.8. Ahab did Michaiah) because hee doth not prophecye good vnto them but euill: and those wrest all that is well spoken to an ill sence: (as the spider turnes the iuice of the sweetest flowers into poyson:) or els so blockt, and barred vp with their owne hearts lusts, and re­bellious obstinacy, that although the LordApoc. 3.21. knocke neuer so loud and often at the doores of their hearts, they cannot, they will not open to him; for they haue made their Zach. 7.10. faces like a flint stone, and their hearts like an adamant stone, that [Page 16] they might not heare the voice of the Lord by the mouths of his Prophets, &c.

For the Lord (as a iust punishment of their former sins and rebellions) hath giuen themRom. 11.8. the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and eares that they should not heare: so that they bee possessed with such a sencelesse stupiditie, stupid securitie, and stiffe-necked obstinacy, that like the beares whichSolinu [...] c. 39. Solinus writes of (though they be wounded they cannot be wakened: or those fishes (whichArist. li. 4. de hist Aeia [...]ium c. 10. Aristotle mentions,) which sleepe so soundly, that al­though they haue speares thrust into their sides, they stirre not a [...] all.

Thus many sorts are there of vnprofitable hearers (com­pared by Christ to foolish builders) but there is onely one sort of good and profitable hearers (compared here to wise builders) namely those who heare the word of God and keepe it: firmely in their memories, and faithfully in their conuersations.

No man builds wisely and firmely in this spirituall buil­ding, but he that puts in practise what he heares:Aug de Serm. dom. in monte. Non quisque firmat quae audit nisi faciendo: No man can well keepe in memorie what he heares but by practizing: but if he forthwith put in practise what he heares, those actions will bee so many common places to confirme what hee hath heard in his memory.

[...]. v. 24.Therefore hearing and doing, knowledge and obedience, faith, and charitie, truth and sanctitie, must goe hand in hand together in our Christian profession: forLact. de vero cultu. c. 5. vertue without knowledge, is like a body without an head, and knowledge without vertue like an head without a body: both monstrous and abhominable.

Ioh. 10.27, 28. My sheepe heare my voice (saith Christ) and I know them, and they follew mee, and I giue vnto them eternall life, &c. Behold here the fiue principall Linkes of the golden chaine of our saluation: 1, Election (my Sheepe,) 2 Vocati­on: (heare my voice:) 3. Iustification, (and I know them) 4. Sanctification, (and they follow me:) 5. Glorification; and I giue vnto them eternall life, &c. Therefore hee that [Page 17] will confirme to his owne conscience his election, and bee a partaker of Iustification, and a possessor of glorification, must haue an effectuall vocation, and a sinccre sanctificati­on, hearing the voice of Christ, and following him.

To heare aright,Tu recte viuis si curas esse quod audis. is to be what a man heares out of the word of God he should be: This is the hearing which God requires:Deut. 6.3. Heare therefore (O Israel) and obserue to doe it, that it may bee well with thee, &c. And that Samuel of­fers to the Lord,1. Sam. 1.9. (Speake Lord for thy seruant heareth:) And that Dauid promiseth,Psal. 858. I will heare what the Lord will say concerning me: And that deuout S. Bern. prayes for,Ber: Ser. 28. in Cant. Vtinam & mihi aperiat aurem dominus vt intret ad cor meum sermo veritatis, &c. Oh that the Lord would open mine eare, that the word of truth may enter into mine heart, and cleere the eye of my vnderstanding, and cleanse my will and affections, &c. For if we thus heare, Faith will cleere that eye of the soule which infidelitie hath troubled: and obedience open that hard and flinty heart, which disobe­dience and rebellion had shut vp and closed.

This doing of Gods word consists in two things:Esa. 1.16, 17. Rom. 15.8. Eph. 4.22, 23, 24.

1. In ceasing to do euill; and 2. In learning to do well: In casting off the workes of darknesse, and putting on the armour of light: In putting off the old man, and putting on the new, &c.

1. We must mortifie sinne in our earthly members, &c. (Col. 3.5.) and crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts: Gal. 5.24.Ber. Ser. 30. in Cant. which is a kind of Spirituall Martyr­dome. And this must bee done: 1. Speedily,Luc. 12.40. because we know not what day or houre the Sonne of man will come to call vs to an account2. Cor. 5.10. for the deedes done in the body, whether they be good or euill. 2. Totally,1. Sam. 15, 9, &c. for in destroy­ing these spiritual Amalekites we must not spare one Agag: neither may we foster oneIud. 16.4. &c. Dalila, orMat. 14.4. Herodias in our bosomes, (.i. one darling or beloued sinne) least that one (though we thinke it but a little one, asGen. 19.20. Lot said of Zoar) incense Gods iust wrath, and worke our deserued destru­ction: for if any of theseIud. 2. & 3. Canaanites remaine within our borders, they will be prickes in our eyes, and thornes in [Page 18] our sides, wounds in our soules, and vlcers in our conscien­ences, giuing our soules no rest, but still vexing and mole­sting vs.

3. Finally, that wee returne no more2. Pet. 2.21, [...]2. with the dogge to his vomit, or the sow that is washed to her wallowing in the mire: for it had been better for vs neuer to haue known the way of righteousnesse, than hauing knowne it, to turne from the holy commandement giuen vnto vs. A true poe­nitent hates sinne once repented of, more mortally than2 Sam. 13.15. Ammon did Thamar after he had defloured her: orGen. 27 35. E­sau did Jacob after he had supplanted him twice, and decei­ued him both of his birthright and blessing. For sinne is in this respect a true Iacob, a supplanter indeed. 1. It sup­plants vs and depriues vs of our birthright, or interest vn­to the kingdome of heauen, which we should haue had by Christ Iesus the true heire of heauen: 2. It depriues vs of all Gods blessings, temporall, spirituall, and eternall: and therefore is to be mortally hated, and vtterly reiected.

2. We must doe good,Mat 3.8. bringing foorth fruites worthy amendment of life: andCol. 1.10. walking worthy of the Lord, en­deauouring to please him in all things, beeing fruitfull in all good workes and abounding in the knowledge of God.

And to the end our workes may bee truely good, and such as God accepteth, wee must obserue these condi­tions.

1. That our selues bee in Christ, ingraffed into him as branches into the stocke, and incorporated as members with their head by the bond of the spirit, and hand of faith [...]. Cor. 5.17. If any man be in Christ let him be a new creature: First, he must be in Christ, and then a new creature. It is the axiome of the Schoole Diuines:Regula Scholast. Complacentia operis praesupponit complacentiam personae: The worke can neuer bee accepted, except the person be first accepted:Gen. 4.4.5. as we see in Cain and Abel. Therefore S. Aug. saith of the vertues of the Heathens, (as the iustice of Aristides, the temperance of Fabritius, &c.) that they are butAug in Ps. 31. Splendida peccata, .i. Gli­string or glorious sinnes: andEt Ser. 55. de ver. dom. in Ioh. Cursus celerimus praeter viam, .i. a most swift course, but out of the way: and saith moreo­uer, [Page 19] Et in Psal. 83. That their chickens were trodden vnder foote by God, because they were not hatched in the nest of the Church: mea­ning that their good workes were reiected of God, because themselues were not members of the Christian Church.

2. That our good workes proceed1. Tim. 1.5. from a pure heart, a good conscience, and faith vnfained: for the spirit of grace is the father, and faith the mother of good workes: the one the root, and the other the iuice of that tree that brings foorth good fruit,Ber. Ser. 30. in Cant. Nec palmites absque vite, nec virtus absque fide; True vertue can bee no more without true faith, than the branches without the vine in which they grow and by which they liue, and are nourished.

1. Reg. 6.34.The two doores of the Sanctum Sanctorum had folding leaues clasping in each other: to teach vs that the two doores of faith and charity (by which Christ enters into our soules, as his holy Temples) must neuer be separated, but Se inuicem tenere, .i. Fold in one the other, and claspe hands together.Leo magnus. Sicut enim in fide est operum ratio, sic in o­peribus fidei fortitudo: As faith is the norme or squire to rule out our good workees, so good workes are the proppe or pillar to vphold and strengthen our faith. For faith and good workes be fundamentall stones in the spirituall building of our soules, to be an holy Temple in the Lord,Eph, 2. vlt. an habita­tion of God by the spirit: but they both leane vpon, relye vpon, and are borne vp, and sustained by the greatest and chiefest corner-stone, Christ Iesus.

Maldonate Mald. in loc. therefore, the Iesuite, doth falsely taxe vs (in his Commentaries vpon this text) for building on the sand, because wee teach (with S. Paul) ThatRom. 3.28. faith alone doth iustifie without the workes of the law: seeing wee teach withall, that charity is the life and soule of faith: and that a true iustifying faith must needs be operatiue, and fruitfull in charity:Iac. 2. vlt. for as the body without the soule, so faith with­out charity is dead.

We teach indeed (and that according to the Scriptures) that in the act of Iustification faith is alone:Thesis nostra. Fides est sola quoad actum iustificandi, non solitaria quoad actum existendi. because wee beleeue that not any merit of our owne workes, but the merit of Christ his perfect obedience actiue and passiue [Page 20] doth purchase at Gods hands the remission of our sinnes, and makes our peace and reconciliation with him: and faith alone is the eye whereby wee behold Christ, and the hand of the soule which wee stretch out to lay hold on him, and to apply the plasture of his pretious merits to our wounded soules, and to open the rich treasurie or caskenet of his spirituall graces vnto vs: thereforethough we teach, that faith is alone in that act (as most proper thereunto) as the eye is alone in the act of seeing, the eare in the act of hearing, and the hand in the act of receiuing (for these members performe those offices and no other:) yet wee say that faith is not alone in the act of existing, but doth coexist in the soule of the iustified man with other graces, (namely, hope, charity, obedience, patience, &c.) as the eye, eare, and hand are not alone in the body, but doe coex­ist with other members.

2. And Bellarmin doth but fight with his owne shadow whenBellur. li. 4. de Iustificat. ac. 1. ad 15. he labors in 14. seuerall chapters to proue against the Protestants the necessitie of good workes vnto sal­uation, which we neuer denyed, eyther directly, or by ne­cessary consequence, as he doth there falsely accuse vs.

For we teach them to be necessary vnto saluation, Non necessitate causalitatis sed consequentiae: not as meritorious causes of our Iustification, but as necessary effects, concomitan­ces, Thesis nostra. and consequents thereof: (as S. Aug. taught long sinceAug. de fide & operibus cap. 14 Sequuntur Iustificatum [...]on praecedunt iustificandum): for this queene of all graces, (a true iustifying faith) is euer ac­companied, and attended on with other graces, and good workes: asPsal. 45.9. the spouse with her honourable women.

Also we teach them to be necessary to saluation: 1. Ne­cessitate praecepti: because God hath commanded vs to per­forme them:Opera sunt ne­cessaria ad salu­tem necessitate precepti, & me dii, sed non me­riti. for we are his workemanship, created in Christ Iesus, vnto good workes which God hath ordayned that we should walke in them, Eph. 2.10.2. Necessitate medij: be­cause they are the meane and pathway to saluation, but not Necessitate meriti: as if they were not onely theBer. Ser. 61. in Cant. way to the kingdome, but the cause of our reigning there.

For we vtterly disclaime that Popish doctrine of the me­rit [Page 21] of workes. 1. As derogatory to the grace of God, and 2. to the merits of Christ Iesus.

1 As derogatory to the grace of God: because as Saint Ber. saith truely,Ber. Ser. 67. in Cant. Non est quo gratia intret vbi iam meri­tum occupauit: Deest gratiae quicquid meritis deputatur, .i. Grace is shut out of doores where merit hath got posessi­on: whatsoeuer we adde or ascribe to merit, wee substract from grace, according to that of S. Paul, Rom, 11.6. If it be of grace it is no more of workes, otherwise grace is no more grace: But if it be of workes then it is no more of grace, or els were workes no more workes. Now it is the grace of God alone that workes all good in vs:Phil. 2.13. He worketh in vs both the will and the deede, &c. and he findes nothing in vs which of it selfe (without the helpe of grace) can concurre with his grace in the doing of good: or which may increase or adde vnto, but rather decrease and blemish the perfection of our well doing:Aug. ep. 105. ad Sixtum. Cum non liberat nisi gratia, nil iustum inuenit in eo quem liberat: non voluntatem, non operationem, non saltem ipsam excusationem. (Wheras saith S. Aug.) the grace of God alone frees vs from the bondage of sinne, it finds nothing good or righteous in him whom it, doth free, not a good will, or a good worke, yea not so much as an ex­cuse for sinne,Hom. 93 de temp. Non enim in te placet nisi quod habes ex deo: quod autem habes ex te displicet Deo. There is nothing in thee (O man) which doth please God, but what thou hast from God: whatsoeuer thou hast from thy selfe doth dis­please God.

2.Justitia duplex promissi & de­biti. Aug. ep. 105. And it is the meere grace of God that rewards our well doing: for it is merces indebita, (an vndes [...]rued re­ward) or if any way due, it is by the iustice of Gods pro­mise, not of our desert: for God when he rewards our good workes, crownes his owne gifts not our merits. So S. Cypri­an, Cypr. epist. 77. When God beholds our fortitude and constancy in our conflicts with our spirituall or temporall enemies, hee approoues of our willingnesse, and helpes our weaknesse in the fight, and crownes vs when we haue ouercome: wherein he doth reward in vs what himselfe hath done, and honours what himselfe hath performed.

[Page 22]2. We disclaime the merits of workes, as derogatory to the all-sufficient merits of Christ Iesus: as if these alone were not sufficient to iustifie and saue vs, but that they must be pieced out with our owne merits: wheras S. Ber. saithBer. Ser. 61. i [...] Cant., That the righteousnesse of Christ is not pallium breue, (.i. a short, or scanty cloake that cannot couer two, namely, himselfe and vs) but largitur larga, & aeterna iustitia: .i. a most ample, large, and aeternall righteousnesse couering in him the treasures of his mercies, and riches of his goodnes, and in vs the multitude of our sinnes.

Therfore the Saints of God will ascribe nothing to their owne merits,Aug. in Psal. 39 but all to Gods onely grace and mercy.Ber. 5. Ser. in Cant. No­lo meritum quod gratiam excludat: horreo quicquid de meo est, vt meus s [...]m, &c I wil haue no merit (saith S. Ber.) which may exclude grace: I tremble at any thing that comes from my selfe, that I should bee my selfe alone, and stand vpon mine owne feet: It is the grace of God that doth iustifie me freely: my merit is the mercy of the Lord, if he be rich in mercy, I am rich in merit.

I conclude this point with S. August, Aug. de prae­destinat. sanct. Tom. 7. Conticescant ergo merita quae periere per Adam, & regnet dei gratia per Ie­sum Christum: Let merits therefore bee silent, and not dare to plead for themselues before the barre of Gods iu­stice, which are lost in Adam: and let theRom, 5.17. grace of God reigne by Christ Iesus.

Cond. 3 3. The third condition in the doing of good workes is, that they be such as God hath commanded in his holy word, which is the perfect rule of righteousnesse.Mich. 6.8. He hath shew­ed thee (ô man) what is good, & what the Lord requireth of thee, namely, to doe iustly, and to loue mercy, and to walke humbly with thy God. As in the building of the Taberna­cle. Moses was commanded to doe all things according to theExod. 25. vlt. patt [...]rne shewed him in the Mount: so in this our spiritual building of our soules and bodies to be the [...]. Cor. 6.1 [...]. Tem­ples of the Holy Ghost, wee must haue [...]n eye to the pat­terne that God hath shewed vs in the holy m [...]untaine of his heauenly word or els our building will prooue Babell, and turne to our owne confusion.

For if the good workes we doe be after theCol. 2.8 & 23 traditions of men, and the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ: (as many Popish deuotions are) namely, their pilgrima­ges, inuocations of Saints and Angells, adorations of Saints, reliques, and Images, and building of Monaste­ries for lazie Monkes, (which areTit. 1.12. [...], euill beasts, slow bellies:) then they are at the best but [...], a wil worship, and bodily ex­ercise, and profite nothing: of which God may truely sayEsa. 1.12. who hath required these things at your hand?

But if they bee such as God hath commanded,Lact. Jnstit. 15 such as haue true Religion for their root; and piety, and charity for the two maine branches whereon they grow, then they be accepted of God, and approoued of men, Rom. 14.18. And such haue beene the good workes of this ho­nourable city: (namely, founding of Hospitalls for poore Orphanes, decayed Gentlemen, and Trades-men, maimed Souldiers, &c. that theirIhb 21.20. Loynes and soules may blesse you, and blesse God for you:) and erecting of Gram­mer Schooles for the training vp of youth in good letters, and such like, in which kind of good workes, I dare bee bold to say, that our beautifull Rachel, (.i. true Religion) hath beene more fruitfull in one age;See Willets Ca­talogue of the Protestants good workes, annexed to his Synopsi. Papis. than their bleare-eyed Leah (.i. blind Popish superstition) hath beene in many ages. And I heartily pray that in all such good workes yee may abound yet more and more, and that your charitie may be like the good2. Reg. 4.6. Shunamites oyle, euer flowing till there bee empty vessels to receiue it.

Condit. 4 4. The fourth condition is that they be done to a good end, and with an vpright intention: not that they may be masques and vizards to couer the vgly faces of crying op­pression, blood-sucking extortion, cunning fraud, and gri­ping vsury from the eyes of the world: for those that doe good workes to such ends are like their Father the Diuell, transforming themselues into Angels of light, and seeming to be Saints, when they be very diuells, and Sathans hell-hounds: neither can such figge-leaues couer their naked­nesse from the eyes of men, much lesse from the eyes of [Page 24] God:) Nor that they may be trumpets to proclaime, and blow our fame abroad in the world: (asMat. 6.2. the Pharises in giuing their almes, caused a trumpet to be blowne before them;Ber. Ser. 30. in Cant. Quot enim & quales piorum botros operum, aut tulit iactantia, aut faedauit inanis gloria? for how many clu­sters of the grapes of good workes hath pride and vaine­glory corrupted, and pluckt off from the vines that bare them?Bonorum ope­rum fines.) but the ends of our good workes must be these.

1. Gods glory: Mat. 5.16. c. 6.9. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your workes, and glorifie your father which is in heauen: for that must be the prime end of our actions which Christ hath taught vs to make the first of our petitions: namely, that Gods name may be glorified. And if we glo­rifie God by the fruites of righteousnesse here on earth, hee will glorifie vs with a crowne of righteousnesse hereafter in heauen.

2. The good of his Church, and our Christian brethren, whose good we must tender as our owne, as fellow souldiers of the same campe, fellow Citizens of the same city of God, fellow-seruants of the same family, and fellow members of the same mysticall body.

3. The saluation of our owne soules, which wee must prize more then the whole world. Mat. 16.26.Aug. in Psal: 120. Noli fa­cere nisi propter vitam aeternam, ideo fac, & securus facies. Haue no sinister intention in the doing of thy good workes, but aime therein at thine owne saluation, doe them to that end, and thou shalt deale securely. For a true Christian (though he must renounce his owne merit in his well doing and suffering for Christs sake: yet hee may haue anHeb. 11.26. eye to the recompence of reward, (with Moses:)2. Tim. 4.8. to the crowne of righteousnesse, (with Saint Paul:) andHeb. 12.2. to the glory set before him (with Christ himselfe:) as a spurre to pricke him forward to well doing, and a cordiall to com­fort him in his suffering. Yea, hee may safely expect it also without all pride and praesumption: yet not as due by his owne desert, but by Gods faithfull promise:Psal. 146.6. who keepes his fidelity for euer, and Rom. 2.6. rewards euery man according to his workes.

The good workes done to those ends, may absolutely, and in euery respect be termed good:Bonū triplex. 1. In se, & cui fit, sed non faci­enti. for the Schoolemen distinguish of a threefold good worke. 1. Good in it selfe, and to him vnto whom it is done, but not to the doer: (as when a man giues an almes to a needy person, not out of charity, but out of pride and vaine glory to bee seene of men.) 2.2. Jn se, & fa­cienti, sed non cui fii. In it selfe, and to the doer, but not vnto him to whom it is done: as when out of our charity we bestow an almes vpon an idle person: 3.3 In se, & cui fii, & facienti. In it selfe, and to the doer, and to him also to whom it is done: as when wee giue an almes to one that truely wants, not for our own but Christ his sake:2. Sam. 9.7. As Dauid did good to poore Mephiboseth for Jo­nathans sake.

Applic. Let me exhort you therefore who (with charitable Dor­cas)Act. 9.36. are full of good workes and almes which ye doe, notMat. 6.1, 2. Pharisaically to cause a trumpet to bee blowne before you when ye giue your almes, or to doe your good work [...] to be seene of men: for then although yee haue the reward ye now looke for, and hunt after vpon earth, ye shall loose the reward which ye should looke for in heauen,Vers. 3. your tem­porall vaineglory will rob you of eternall true glory: but doe them in secret, and for the ends before specified, and your Father which seeth you in secret will reward you o­penly. Vers 4.

And the lesse ye seeke for your owne glory on earth, the more ye shall obtaine it: the faster ye flye from it, the fa­ster it will pursue you (as the shadow the body:) for a good name is the inseparable companion of well doing.

And by doing bona, bene, Fructus bone­rum operum. 1. Am [...]r. (i. Good workes to good ends) ye shall vndoubtedly reape these fruites: 1. Loue, honour, and reuerence among men: so that they will reioyce to en­ioy, and grieue to loose you, (2 Reg. 2.12. as Elisha did for Elias at his assumption, My father, my father, the chariot of Jsra­ell, and horsemen thereof, andAct. 9 39. the poore Widowes who stood weeping for the death of charitable Dorcas.) 2.2. Conscien. pa [...]. Peace, ioy, and solace in your owne soules: which is the continu­all feast that God himselfe makes for them that feede the hungry, &c. 3.3. Hon [...]r. A good name: which while yee liue shall [Page 24] [...] [Page 25] [...] [Page 26] bePro. 3.8. health to your nauells, and marrow to your bones: and when ye dye it shall be a pretious oyntment to embaulme your bodies in the graue,& 15.1. as Ioh. 12.3.7. Maries spikenard embaul­med Christs body at his funerall. 4.4 Gloria aeterna. An 1 Pet. 1.4. &c. 5. v 4. inheritance im­mortall, and vndefiled, reserued in heauen for you, and an im­marciscible crowne of glory.

Gal. 6 9. Be not weary therefore of well doing, for if yee faint not, ye shall reape without wearinesse: namely, loue, honour, ioy, peace, and glory both in earth and heauen.Chrys. in loc. Qui deficit in semine non gaudebit in messe, sed si homo non imponat finem operi, deus non imponet finem remunerationi. Hee that faints in seed time shall faile in haruest: but if a man put no pe­riod to his perseuerance in well doing, God will put no end to the reward of his well doing.

The 2. gene­rall part.

The second difference betweene these wise and foolish builders is in the choise of their foundation: the first buil­ding on a rocke, the other on the sand.

The principall care of a wise builder is to make choise of a firme foundation to build vpon: for if the foundati­on be immooueable, the whole building will stand fast and firme: but if the foundation faile, all the building (though neuer so laboriously framed, and artificially composed, will fall to the ground, and come to ruine. Now, no founda­tion is so firme and immooueable as a Rocke, and therefore no building so strong as that which is raysed on a rocky foundation: which will not faile how great a weight soe­uer be laid vpon it, nor be mooued, much lesse be remooued with any gusts of wind, force of stormes, or violence of torrents whatsoeuer.

A true Christian therefore that heares Gods word, and doth it, is fitly compared to such a wise builder that builds his house vpon a rocke:Verse 24. I will liken him, &c.

Expos. 1. By this rocke,Aug. Hier. Basil, &c. in loc. some interpreters vnderstand Christ himselfe: because by the power of his might, the righteous that cleaue vnto him by faith and obedience, are protected and strengthened against the violence of all temptations, afflictions, and persecutions: In which sence Dauid saith,Psal. 18.2. The Lord is my rocke and my fortresse, &c.

[Page 27]2. Others, by this rocke vnderstand the inuiolable and immooueable diuine truth of his Sacred word: So Chrys. vpon this text,Chrys. in loc. [...]: He calls the firme securitie of his owne doctrine a Rocke: because vpon a rocke a man may build securely: and here­by hee mooues all his Disciples to imbrace his diuine do­ctrine: [...]. Jbid. shewing the firme soliditie and immutability ther­of, by the solidity and immobility of a rocke: which who so builds his faith vpon, shall stand fastPsa. 125.1. like Mount Sion that cannot be remooued, but standeth fast for euer.

But I thinke both these expositions may bee conioyned, and by this rocke we may vnderstand both Christ, and his Sacred truth: forIoh. 14.16. c 17.17. as hee is the truth, so his word is truth: as he is the life, and th [...]t aeternall, so his words arec. 6.68. the words of aeternall life. And the whole word of truth is no­thing els but the reuelation and manifestation of that ae­ternall word, that increated truth Christ Iesus. For hee is the pith and kernell of the whole Bible,Apoc. 1.8. the [...] of the law, and [...] of the Gospell:Aug. Q. in Ex. 73. & 15. de ciu. dei c. 18. Velatus in veteri Testamento, reue­latus in nouo, in illo praedictus, in isto praedicatus: veiled and clasped vp in the old Testament vnder obscure Prophesies, promises, types: and figures, and opened or reueiled in the new: forExod 73.9. as the two Cherubins had their faces each to other, and both to the Propitiatory, or mercy-seat, so the two Testaments haue relation each to other, and are mutu­ally confirmed one by the other, and haue both an eye to one and the same Christ,1 Ioh. 2.2, who is the Propitiation for our sinnes.

As Christ onely is that foundation whereon the spiritu­all building of the Church is raysed in some respects:1 Christus Petra name­ly first, because hee alone is the beginning and fountaine, whence all spirituall good originally flowes:Iac. 1 17. Euery good and perfect gift is from aboue, and commeth downe from the Father of lights, &c. and the foundation whereon our con­fidence, hope, and expectation of any good which wee ex­pect from God groundeth it selfe:2 Cor 1.20. for in him all the pro­mises of God are yea and Amen, to the glory of God the Fa­ther.

Secondly, because all our persuasion of the most Sacred and irrefragable authority of diuine truth stayeth it selfe on him alone, as being the onelyMal. 2.5. Angell of that great co­uenant of life and peace, which God hath made with his Church in him, & reuealed it to his Church by him: (Eph. 2.14.16, 17. who is our peace-maker, and peace-preacher, and our peace: and the onely inditer of the Sacred Scripture,Luc. 1.70. who spake by the mouths of all his holy Prophets, which were butP [...]al. 45.1. the pens of this ready Writer:) in which respects the Apo­stle saith truely,1 Cor. 3.11. Other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, namely Christ Jesus: and on this rocke or foundation the Apostles themselues, and their doctrine were founded, or elsAct 5.37. (as Gamaliel saith) both they and it would quickly haue come to nought, and fallen to ruine.

2. Doctr. Apost.So in some other respectsEph. 2.19, 20. the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles is called the Churches foundation, Christ Ie­sus being the chiefe corner stone.

First, because they were the first that by their doctrine laid the Churches foundation, and conuerted Infidells to the Christian faith.

Secondly, because their doctrine (receiued immediately from God by most vndoubted reuelation, without mixture of errour, and now left recorded vnto vs in the Sacred Scripture) is the infallible rule of faith to all succeeding ge­nerations, and that most sure, immooueable, and rocky foundation, vpon which the faith of all Christians may, and doth most s [...]curely stay it selfe. Therefore Saint Iohn saith,Apoc. 21. [...]4. The wall of the city of God hath twelue foundation stones, and in them were written the names of the Lambes twelue Apostles.

And herein Peter had no preheminence aboue the rest, except a primacy of order onely: forSu [...]er omnes [...]quo Eccles for­titudo solidatu [...] [...]. in Jo [...]. li. 1 Saint Hierome saith, th [...] Church is aequally founded on the doctrine of all the Apo­stles: for these words,Mat. 16.18. Tu es Petrus & super hanc Petram aedificabo Ecclesiam: were not spoken personally to Peter, but generally to all the Apostles, (who as well as Peter did beleeue and confesse the same faith,) though in token [Page 29] of vnity they were vttered to one which in vnity did ap­pertaine to all the Apostles,Vnus pro mul­tis vnitas, pro [...]niuersis. Aug. in Psal. 88. in whose names Peter a­lone made this confession. Moreouer, not Peters person, or place, but the faith which he confessed, is that rocke on which the Church is built: as both the whole streame of the Fathers, and the generall counsell of Chalcedon doe te­stifie. Ʋide Aug. de ver. dom. Ser. 13. Hil. de Trin li. 6. Chrysost. inc. 16 Mat. Theod. in Cant. Pag 235. Am­bros. in cap. 2. ad Eph. Epist. in Appendice, Conc. Chal­ced. 13.

Seeing therefore he was calledAug Retract. li. 1. c. 21. Petrus a petra, from that rocke of faith which he confessed, Thou art the Christ the Sonne of the liuing God: which faith the rest of the Apo­stles held, taught, and confessed as well as he, and sealed it with their blood, wee may truely inferre (with S. Jerome)Hieron. in A­mos, li. 3. c. 6. that in this respect they were rocks (as well as he) where­on the Church is founded.

YeaPetrus gessit personam Eccle­sicut Iudas ini­micorum Chri­sti. Aug. in Psal 108. S. Aug. saith farther, that Peter in confessing Christ: and receiuing the power of the keyes sustained the person, not onely of the Apostles, but of the whole Church Militant, as Iudas did of the Church malignant:Jdem. 50. in Ioh c. 12. Vnus ma­lus corpus malorum significat quomodo Petrus corpus bono­rum, corpus ecclesiae: As one Iudas signified the whole soci­etie of the wicked, so one Peter, the whole company of good men, the body of the Church. Therefore from those words of Christ to Peter, (Thou art Peter, &c.) (who re­presented not the Apostles onely, but the whole Christian Church confessing the same faith:) it cannot bee inferred, that S. Peter and his successors are that rocke on which the Church is founded.

Those therefore that build their faith on that foundati­on of the Prophets and Apostles, whereof Christ is the chiefe corner-stone, by beleeuing, confessing, and practi­zing, are those wise builders here specified which build their houses on a rocke.

For the entire and sincere beleefe, profession,Nota Eccles. infa [...]biler [...] and pra­ctise of those supernaturall verities which God hath reuea­led in his Sonne Christ by the ministery of the Prophets [Page 24] and Apostles, (and that in veritie) is an infallible note of the true Church, and of a true member of the true Church.

All other notes without this are false, and counterfeite, and may deceiue vs.Notae fall [...]biles.

1 Antiquitas.1. Antiquitie without truth is nothing els butCypr. epist 74. & 63 Vetustas erroris: for we must not so much attend vnto, or consider what others haue done or thought fit to be done before vs, as what Christ hath done who is before all: we must not follow the custome of man, but the truth of God: for the true antiquity is truth it selfe deriued from ChristEsa. 9.6. the Fa­ther of aeternitie.

2. Successio.2. Personall succession without doctrinall is but asMat. 26.1. &c. Ca­iaphas succeeded Aaron, and yet was an enemy to the true High Priest Christ Iesus.Naz in lau­dem Athanasis. Such false Pastors, or bad members of the visible Church succeeded the true, and good, as darknesse succeedes the light, or sicknesse, health, or a tempest, faire weather, or madnesse the right vse of reason.

3. Vnitas.3. Vnity without truth is but a diuelish faction, and like that of thieues and rebells) an accu [...]sed confederacie, and wicked conspiracie against the God of truth,Apoc. 19 16. Who is the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords: Such though they com­bine and v [...] themselues neuer so strongly, are but likeGen. 49.5. Simeon and Leui, brethren in euill; or likeLuc. 23 12. Herod and Pi­late, that vnited themselues in a league of friendship to per­secute Christ Iesus.

4. VniuersalitasVniuersalitie or multitude without truth is nothing: for one1 Reg. 18.19. Elias teaching and professing Gods truth, and true­ly worshiping the true God of Israel, is to be preferred be­fo [...]e foure hundred Proph [...]ts of Baal, though brought vp in Ahabs Court, and eating bread at Iezabells table: and oneLuc. 23 42. poenitent thiefe confessi [...]g Christ before the high Priests and Elders, Scribes, Pharises, Sadduces, and thou­sands of Iewes persecuting him.

5. Nom [...]n Catho.Nor the specious titles of holy, Catholike, Apostolike, &c for that Church which hath these titles without truth, is like a boxe in an Apothecaries shop, which without hath the title of a soueraigne antidote written in faire Chara­cters, [Page 21] and within is full of deadly poyson.

Bare titles will not serue the turne: for those haeretikes in Saint Bernards time, who in truth were Apostatici (be­cause they reuolted from the Catholike faith) tearmed themselues Apostolici (though they could shew no signe of their Apostleship:Ber. Ser. 64. in Cant.) and in our dayes Popish Catholikes tearme themselues Catholikes, and Iebusites, Iesuites, and the Synagogue of lust, the family of loue.

Applicat. Be not therefore carryed away from the rocke of Christs Sacred truth with any, or all those glistering shewes which that painted whore of Babylon makes of antiquitie, succes­sion, vnitievniue, rsalitie, or the goodly titles of holy, Ca­tholike, Apostolike, &c. for all these are but the2 Reg. 9.30. painted face of that whorish Iezabell, or herApoc. 17.4. golden cup glistering without, but within full of the wine of her abhominations, and filthinesse of her fornications: the truth of Gods word alone, is that firme and immnoueable rocke on which euery wise Christian must build the spirituall aedifice of his soule and conscience.

1 Petra regene­rat.1. This is that rocke out of which wee are spiritually hewen: (Esa. 51.2) that is, the Rocke of our regeneration: for1 Pet. 1.23. we are borne againe not of corruptible seed, but incorrup­tible, by the word of God which liueth and abideth for euer.

2 Nutrit.2. The rocke of our spirituall nourishment vnto saluati­on: whence doe flowe 1. the waters of life to refresh our fainting soules, asExod. 17 16. streames of Waters flowed from the rocke in Rephidim to refresh the thirsting bodies of the Is­raelites. 2. The hony of spirituall consolation, which doth comfort the soules of Gods Saints in their spirituall Warfarre, more than the hony that1 Sam. 14.27. Ionathan tasted com­forted his fainting Spirits in his warfare against the Phi­listims: for Gods word is sweeter to the soules of his chil­dren than thePsal. 19.10. hony and hony combe. 3. The oyle of deno­tion: for this rocke poures vs outIoh. 29.6. riuers of oyle, to sup­ply our hard hearts, and stiffe knees, that our soules and bodies may be flexible to the will of God.

3. Protectionis.3. The rocke that shelters vs from the tempests of temptation, and floudes of affliction and persecution: [Page 32] Psal. 104.18. as the stonie rockes are a refuge for the conies: for whither should we flye in all these for shelter but to Christ and his word? The Prophet Esay saith of Christ:Esa 32.11 This man shall be an hiding place from the wind, and a couer from the tempest, as riuers of Water in a dry place, or as the shadow of a great rocke in a weary land.

And Dauid of his word,Psal 56.10. In thy word will I reioyce, in thy word will I comfort me.

4. Salutis.4. The rocke wherein wee may repose vs for rest and safety, (as theCant. 2 14. Doues in the clefts of the rocke:) or as Moyses didExod. 33.22. v. 23. who was put by God into the cleft of the rocke in Horeb, and couered with his hand while his glory passed by: and in this rocke we may hehold (with Moses) not onely posteriora dei, 5. Contemplat. the backe-parts of God, (that is, his wondrous workes, and the acts of his power and iustice:) but anteriora dei, the foreparts of God, (that is, the face of his mercy, andPsal. 4.6. light of his countenance:) and that in him which is theHeb. 1.3. expresse character of his fathers substance, or image of his person, namely, Christ Iesus. And with1 Reg. 19.11, 1 [...]. E­lias standing in the caue of the rocke in Horeb:) wee may behold God himselfe passing by vs, not onely in a strong wind, violent earthquake, and consuming fire of iustice by the threatnings of the law, but in a soft still voice of mer­cy by the promises of the Gospell.

Seeing therefore Christ and his holy word is the onely rocke.

First, of our regeneration: without which we lyeEph. 2.1. dead in sinnes and trespasses.

Secondly, of our spirituall nourishment and consolation: without which wee can neuer grow to ac. 42 3. perfect man in Christ Iesus.

Thirdly, of our supportation: without which wee fall to ruine.

Fourthly, of our shelter and protection, without which wee lye open to the stormes of all miseries, temptations, af­flictions, and persecutions.

Fifthly, of our diuine contemplation: wherein we may see God and his Sacred mysteries by the eye of faithCor 2.14. which [Page 33] can nor bee discerned by the eye of reason: and without which we areApoc. 3.17. miserable, and wretched, poore, and blind, and naked: let vs build our faith and obedience on this blessed rocke, which is immooueable, and cannot be shaken, and then we shall haue aHeb. 12.28. kingdome that cannot be shaken, that is, of aeternall glory in heauen.

All that build not on this rocke are foolish builders, and build vpon the sand, or superficies of the earth without a foundation.

By the sand is here meant,2 Super arenam aedificare. Faber. Stap. in Loc. 1. Aliud a petra fundamen­tum; that is, any other foundation of our spirituall buil­ding besides Christ and his Sacred word: namely, mens traditions, or our owne opinions, or false miracles, or ly­ing legends, or the worlds baites, or the diuells suggesti­ons, &c. all which are fitly compared vnto sand: 1.Rat. Simil. for their worthlesnesse: for sand is of small or no value: 2. their fruitlesnesse; for sand is barraine:) 3. their discohae­rent incongruity, for yee cannot make a rope of sand, the parts whereof will not hang together: 4. their inconstant instabilitie, floating like a quicke sand.

Euery Haeretike therefore (asHilar. in Loc Hilary saith) builds vpon the sand: because Haereticall doctrines had no firmer ground than mens fancies, and haue no cohaerence either with the truth, or among themselues. ThereforeIren. li. 1. c. 13. Ireneus com­pares haeretikes to men labouring of a frenzie: Quia vm­bras pro rebus sectuntur: They pursue their owne shad­dowes, and feede themselues with their owne fancies. AndBeda in Loc. Beda saith, That euery sinner builds on the sand, because sinne hath no foundation to stay it selfe vpon, nor any reall entity or subsistence in it selfe: for it is [...], a meere irregularitie, or deflexion from the lawe of God.

Applicat. Now there be amongst vs foure sorts of men that build vpon the sand:1 Papists. First, Superstitious Papists: secondly, Pro­phane Belials: thirdly, Greedy Mammonists: fourthly, Masqued Hypocrites.

First, Superstitious Papists (though they would bee ac­counted the onely true Church, and that none built vpon the rocke of truth but they:) build their faith vpon sandy [Page 34] foundations. I will not meddle with those sandy foundati­ons whereon they build the hope of their saluation: name­ly, their owne merits and satisfactions, the merits and in­tercessions of Saints and Angells, and the Popes indulgen­ces, whereby he exhausteth the Churches treasurie (as they tearme it) to fill his owne coffers: but will only speake of those whereon (as maine foundations) they build their faith, forsaking the sole immooueable rocke on which they should build it, namely, Christ and his Sacred truth recor­ded in the Scriptures.

Papist. Fidei fundamenta tria.And these are three: 1. the Churches traditions: 2. the Churches authority: 3. the Popes infallibility: yet these three meete in one center, and are deuolued by them into one and the same ground or principle of their faith: for they make the Popes mouth the Delphos, that deliuers to the present Church the Oracles of the auncient Churches traditions.

And their Canon Law set foorth vnder Gregorie the 13. saith,D 40. Si Papa. That men doe with such reuerence respect the Apo­stolicall sea of Rome, that they rather desire to know the institutions of Christian Religion from the Popes mouth, than from the holy Scriptures.

But let vs consider these sandie foundations of their faith seuerally.

1 Tradit1. For Traditions, their councell of Trent made a car­nall decreeHist. Conc. Trid: (at the time of a Carnouall) thatSess. 4 Decr 1. they should be receiued with the same reuerence and affection wherwith we receiue the Sacred Scriptures: yeaCosteri L [...]chi­rid. c. 10. Costerius a Iesuite goes farther, and will haue them receiued with more reue­rence, because they are the epistle of the King of heauen, written with his owne finger in the heart of the Church, (that is, the Pope, and Popish Prelates) whereas the Scrip­tures are written but with inke and paper.

These traditions they make of three sorts:D. Bysb. contra P [...]rk. de Trad. 1. Diuine, deliuered by Christ himselfe: 2. Apostolicall, deliuered by the Apostles: 3. Ecclesiasticall, deliuered by the Church.

1 Diuine.1. Concerning diuine traditions (if they bee truely such) we most reuerently and religiously receiue them: but wee [Page 35] acknowledge none for such but onely those doctrines of faith, & of Gods worship which are either expresly, or by necessary cōsequence contained in the old & new Testamēt.

For although we know and acknowledge thatBulling. de ver. Dei. the sub­stance of the old Testament was deliuered among the Pa­triarches from hand to hand by tradition from Adam to Moses: and of the new, till it was penned by the Apostles and Euangelists (D. Abbot. cont Bysh. de Trad. as some thinke for eight, as others for twenty, as others for fourescore yeares:) yet wee teach that when God had taken the custody of his owne traditi­on to himselfe by selecting and inspiring choise vessells of grace to commit them to writing (least the streames of truth should haue beene polluted by running through the muddy channells of mens mouths) then the Church was bound to receiue nothing for diuine truth but what is con­tained in the Scriptures, or necessarily deduced therefrom, and firmely grounded thereupon.

As when God had conueighed the whole light of the world (Gen. 1.3 which before was dispersed in the first dayes crea­tion) into the body of the Sunne (& v. 14. &c. created the fourth day:) then he would haue the Moone and Starres to deriue their light from thence, and the whole earth to be therewith en­lightened: so though in his first plantation of his Church, God did for a time continue the knowledge of his truth by immediate reuelation thereof vnto some chosen men which might deliuer it to his Church from hand to hand: yet now, since he hath conueighed the whole light of diuine truth into the Canon of the Scripture, hee will haue all the Pastors and members of the Church to deriue their light of sauing knowledge and true faith from thence onely: so that the doctrine of the Scriptures is now the onely di­uine Tradition.

2. Touching Apostolicall Traditions wee acknowledge them likewise for diuine; if they vnderstand thereby,2 Apost Trad. that diuine doctrine which the Apostles first preached, then wrot in the Scriptures, as the pillar and foundation of our faith: of which S. Paul speakes,Cor. 11.23. Accepi a Domino quod tradidi vobis: I haue receiued of the Lord that which I haue also [Page 36] deliuered vnto you, &c.Gal. 1.11, 12. for the Gospell which was prea­ched of me I receiued it not of man, nor was taught it by man, but by the reuelation of Iesus Christ

And this is the holy and diuine Tradition whichIren. li. 3. c. 1. Irene­us, Cypr. Epist. 74. &c. Script. est. Cyprian, and other auncient Fathers speake of, contai­ned in the Euangelists, Apostolicall Epistles, and Acts of the Apostles: (all which are written Scriptures of the new Testament.) This diuine and Apostolicall Tradition we call (with Tertullian) The rule of truth: 1 Regula veri­tatis Tertul. 2 Doctrinae Cypr. 3 Rectitudinis. Basil. 4 Credendorū, & agendorum, Dyonis. Carthus. and (with Cy­prian) The rule of doctrine: (and with Basill) [...], The rule of right, or straight rule of perfection: (and with their owne Carthusian) The rule of faith and manners, or of all things to be beleeued and practised: for wee constantly a­uerre (with Cyril)Cyril. Catech. Hierosol. That the securitie of our faith ariseth from the euidence and demonstration of the diuine Scripture: so that no man presume aboue that which is written. 1. Cor. 4.6.

Also we reuerently receiue such Apostolicall Traditions as haue their ground in Scripture, though not expreslyAct. 20.7. as the celebration of the Sabboth on the first day of the weekApoc. 1.10. the Baptisme of Infants, &c.

3 Eccles. Trad.3. Touching Ecclesiasticall Traditions, wee receiue for such:

First, those doctrines of faith which the ancient Primitiue Counsailes haue determined against Haeretikes, hauing their ground in Scripture: as that there is a Trinitie of per­sons in the vnitie of the diuine essence, and that the Sunne is [...], that is, consubstantiall and coaequall with the Fa­ther, &c. yet we dare not say (with daringEnchi [...] con­trov c. 1. Costerius:) That the first foure generall Counsailes are to bee receiued as we receiue the foure Gospells.

Secondly, those rules which the Primitiue Church hath set downe for order and comelinesse in the seruice of God: yeaPerk. de Trad. we acknowledge that the present Church hath power to make Canons to that purpose, so they bee consonant to the generall Canons of the Scripture: namely 1. That they tend to1 Cor. 14.26.40. decency and order. 2. To aedification. 3. That they be free from superstition. 4. That the Church be not [Page 37] ouerburthened with the multitude of them.

Trad. Papist.But if by the Churches Traditions they vnderstand the Canons of their latter Counsailes (which were but conuen­ticles or confaederacies against Christ and his truth, for the maintenance of Papall Hierarchy, and wherein all the Bi­shops were the Popes sworne seruants, and directed by him as by an Oracle, what to doe, and decree: or the decrees of their Popes (some of which haue beene Idolatrous, some haereticall, and some superstitious:) or if vnder that name, they would thrust vpon vs euery Fryers dreame, rotten re­liques, base costome, and idle ceremony of the Romish Church: then we reiect their vnwritten Traditions as san­dy foundations to build our faith vpon, and means to lead vs into a sea of errors, and vncertaineties, wherein there is neither banke, nor bottome.

And such Traditions as these bee the sandy foundations whereon they build many articles of their Romish Creed: namely, priuate Masses, halfe Communions, Transubstan­tiation, adoration of the host of Images and reliques, In­nocation of Saints and Angells, Purgatory, and the Popes transcendent authoritie in things Ecclesiastical and tempo­rall. ForAndrad in Orthodox Ex­plicat. Conc. Trident. li. 2. one of their owne plainly confesseth, That many points of their Romish faith would reele and totter if they were not supported by Traditions.

And this is the reason why they refuse their triall by the Scriptures, and thinkeConference betweene Dr. Feately, and M. Fisher. Christ and his Apostles, both in­competent Iudges, and partiall witnesses for the decision of their cause.

Yea Bellarmine (their great Goliah saith peremptorily:)Bell. li. 4. de ver. dei, non scripto. c. 12. That it was not the proper end of the Scriptures to bee rule of our faith, and that they are at the best but Regula partialis non totalis: that is, a peece of a rule, but not the whole entire rule of faith. AndEnbhir. c. 1. descript. Costerius affirmes, that they were not writtē to that end that they should prescribe vnto vs an absolute and exact rule of faith, and administra­tion of Sacraments, and other things necessary in the Chri­stian Common-weale: but occasionally to confute Iewes and Haeretikes, and to take away cer [...] [...] which [Page 38] then arose in the Church, and to comfort some that were weake, and vnstable in the faith, &c. as if the Christian Church then vpon those occasions had some neede of the Scriptures, but now no need at all. Thus basely (if I may not say blasphemously) doe they thinke, speake, and write of the Sacred Scriptures.

And when we confute their errors out of the Scriptures, then (with the Valentinians of old) they fall to accuse the Scriptures themselues:Iren. li. 3. contra bar. c. 2. Quasi non recte habeant, nec sint ex authoritate, &c. as if they were ill translated, or obscure, or imperfect without Traditions, or of no authority in themselues without the authoritie of the Church.

2 Authoritas Eccles:Therefore they make the Churches authority another maine foundation of their faith: as if it were greater than the authority of scripture, yea as if without that scripture were no scripture: because the Church gaue testi­mony to the scriptures, that they were diuinely inspired & made them Canonicall: therefore (say they) both the di­uine, and Canonicall authority of the scriptures relyes vp­on the Churches authority.

But let me aske them that so say: was Iohn Baptists au­thority greater than Christs, because he gaue testimony vn­to him:1 Ioh 29. Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sins of the world: o [...] doth the Herald that proclaimes the Kings title and authority, giue him his title and authority? or is the gold which the goldsmith toucheth therefore good, be­cause he (vpon trial therof by his touchstone) declares it to be so? was it not so before his tryall? would it not haue been so if he had neuer tryed it? yes vndoubtedly.

Dilemma.When the Church did first declare the scriptures to bee the word of God, either they were so before this declarati­on of the Church, or not: if not, then the Church erred in declaring them to be so, which were blasphemy, and flat A­theisme to auerre: if they were so, then they receiued no diuine authority from the Churches testimony.

I know a Iesuit would thinke to winde himselfe out of this dilemma withBellarm. li. 2. de author. Conc. c. 12. Bellarmins distinction of in se, & quoad nos: saying, that the scriptures are of diuine authority in [Page 39] themselues, but could not be so acknowledged of vs with­out the Churches testimony: but this distinction will not serue the turne: for if they bee so in themselues, they would be so if we neuer acknowledged, or receiued them for such: (as the Scriptures of the new Testament are di­uine euen among the Iewes and Turks, though they would neuer acknowledge them to be so:) and if they bee so in themselues, why should they not be so vnto vs? why should we not receiue the sacred Scriptures as diuine, for the di­uine authority which they haue in themselues without the Churches authoritie.

Indeed the Churches authority or testimony may bring Infidells or Haeretikes to heare the word that they may be conuerted,Ioh. 1.41.45. (as Andrew brought Peter, or Philip, Natha­niel vnto Christ, or as the woman of Samaria brought the citizens of Samaria to heare Christ with her testimony of him:c. 4, 39. Come see a man which hath told me all that euer J did: Is not he the Christ?

And in this sense is that S. Aug. saith:Aug. cont. epist fundamenti c. 5 I should not haue beleeued the Gospell, if the authority of the Church had not mooued me thereunto: but when they haue heard it, they are conuerted, and beleeue, not for the Churches testimony, but by the diuine authority, and coelestiall efficacy of the word it selfe, which isRom. 1.16. The power of God vnto saluation to eueryone that beleeueth: as the Samaritans said to the wo­man:Ioh. 4.2. Now we beleeue not because of thy words, for wee haue heard him our selues, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Sauiour of the world.

3. Jnfallibilitas Papae.The third sandy foundation of the Romish faith is the Popes infallibility: which I doe not falsely impose vpon them as a generall ground of their faith, (though some of their owne learned men hold the contrary: because their grand champion Bellarmine auerres, and prooues that it isBellarm. de Rom. Pom. li. 4. c. 2. Communissima opinio fere omnium Catholicorum: that is, the most common and generall tenet of all those of the Church of Rome, whom he calls Catholikes.

For although the Papists brag much of their Catholike Church that it can teach nothing but Catholike truth: [Page 40] and is not subiect vnto error, because Christ said of his true Church built vpon him and the rocke of his diuine truth,Mat. 16.11. That the gates of hell should not preuaile against it: which they falsely apply to the Church of Rome:Rom. [...].8. whose faith was indeed once famous through the world, though now theEsa. 21, 22. faithfull city be become an harlot, her gold mixed with drosse, and her wine with water: yet aske them what they meane by that Church that cannot erre, they will tell you they meane thereby the Pope (the head of the Church, and Saint Peters successor)Luc. 22.32. for whose faith Christ pray­ed that it should not faile.

So Bellarmine affirmeth, That the common opinion of Romish Catholikes isBellar. ibid. Ipsam infallibilitatem non esse in coe­tu Conciliorum, vt in concilio Episcoporum, sed in solo Pontifice: that the infallibilitie rests not in the assembly of Counsailes, nor in the counsell of Bishops, but in the Pope alone: for they hold that any member or Pastor of their Church is subiect vnto error: yea all the Bishops and Pa­stors of the Church assembled in a generall Counsaile (if the Pope confirme not their Canons:) onely the Pope can­not erre when he defines a matter of faith, Ex Cathedra, (that is, by his Papall authority,) as if the Popes chayre were made of Irish wood, to which no cobweb of errour could possibly cleaue.

And therefore all must be Haeretikes that be not within his pale, scripture must be no scripture without his allow­ance, and Kings no Kings if he please to kick their crowns of their heads with his holinesse foot, or to bellow out ex­communications, and depositions against them with his Papall Bull. Yea hee may make new articles of faith: (as Pius quartus did adde twelue articles to the Nicene Creed in a Bull of his (sent out about the time of her Tridentine conuenticle) entitledBulla Pii 4 super formae profess. fidei. The publike profession of the Orthodox­all faith to be vniformely professed and obserued: and likewise he may adde ten commandements of the Church to the ten commandements of Almighty God (which I haue seene in an English Roman Catechisme:) which must be kept with all Religious obedience of all the Popes Disciples: and dis­pence [Page 41] against the commandements of God, by allowing in­cestuous marriages, and the religious vowes of children made without the consent, yea against the will of their pa­rents, and the deposing and murthering of Princes for the aduancement of the Catholike Religion.

These be strange conclusions to be drawne from Christs prayer for Peter that his faith should not faile: which placeAug. de cor­rept. & gra. 12. S. Aug. will haue to be meant onely of Peters own particular sauing faith, whereby he should after his fall re­sist the temptations of Sathan, and stand fast vnto aeter­nall life: and comfort and strengthen his brethren (falling as he did) with the same comforts wherewith himselfe was comforted of God: which exposition seemes most conso­nant to the scope of the text. But admit it to be meant of that doctrine of faith which S. Peter should teach the Chri­stian Church: shall they therfore deriue the effect of Christs prayer from Peter to the Popes of Rome, from an holy A­postle (diuinely inspired, and directed by Gods vnerring spirit into all truth,Ioh. 16.13. according to Christs promise made to his Apostles:) to a ranke and succession of men among whom their owne Histories do testifie that there haue been found Atheists, Infidells, Idolaters, Heretikes, Schisma­tikes, incarnate diuells, and hatefull monsters of mankind? vndoubtedly so good praemises will ill beare so bad conclu­sions.

Jnst. I need not goe farre for instances, their owne histories afford such plenty.Baron. Annal. Anno. 3033. 1. Marcellin. turned Pagan, and sacri­ficed to heathenish Idols: for which hee was condemned in the counsaile of Sinuessa. 2.Idem. An. 357. Liberius was an Arrian, and subscribed to the vniust condemnation of Athanasius. 3. Honorius was a Monothelite (holding that Christ had but one will, & consequently but one nature:) for which he was condemned inSynod. 6. act. 4.12, 13. & 7. act. vlt. & 8. & act. 7. three seuerall counsailes. 4.Theod Niem. de schism. li. 3. c. 44. The counsailes of Pisa and Constance condemned Greg. 12. and Benedict 13. for notorious Schismatikes, obstinate Haeretikes, scan­dalizers of the whhle Church, and vnworthy, the Papacy. 5.& Conc. Con­stan. 5.73. Bin. Com. Conc. P. 1584. And the same Counsaile of Constance condemned Iohn the twenty three for an Atheist, because he held as his iudge­ment [Page 42] that there was no immortality of the soule, nor re­surrection of the body, nor life euerlasting. 6.Conc. Basill. sect. 34. The coun­saile of Basill deposed Eugenius the fourth, declaring him to be a Simonist, a periured wretch, an incorrigible schisma­tike, and an obstinate haeretike.

AndWatson quod­ [...]bet. Bellarmine being demanded after the death of Sixtus 5. what hee thought became of him, answered: Quantum capio, quantum sapio, quantum intelligo, descendit ad infernum. As farre as I can thinke, conceiue, or vnder­stand, he is gone directly vnto hell.

It is strange therefore that those that haue no faith themselues should be such infallible rules to guide the faith of others, and to lead others to heauen while themselues goe to hell: (seeing no norme or squire can make other things squared thereby straight lf it selfe be crooked, nor any man iudicially determine otherwise than himselfe iudgeth) vnlesse there be such a vertue annexed to the Pa­pall chaire that (be the Pope what he will) when hee sits downe therein, he shall be likeNum. 23.11. Balaam to blesse where he meanes to curse, or likeIoh. 11.50.51. Caiaphas to prophecye and speake truth, not vnderstanding what he saith.

Dr. Field of the Church. li. 3. in Append.Moreouer, it is the iudgement of many of their owne di­uines, (namely, Bozius, Gerson, Occam, Almaine, Alphon­sus a Castro, and the Sorbonists:) that the Pope may not onely be an Haeretike himselfe, but write, teach, preach, and define Haeresie, and that è Cathedra: (.i. by his Papall au­thority.) And diuers instances are giuen by ourDr. VVhite of the Church. sect 36. learned Diuines wherein they haue actually erred not onely in Church Canons, dispensations, and Papall decrees, but e­uen in matters of faith defined by them both in Prouinciall and generall Counsailes. And one of their owne Cano­nists saithApud Grat. D. 4. Si Papa. That if the Pope be found so negligent of his owne and his brethrens saluation that he draw innumerable soules by troopes with himselfe to be damned in hell, no man may say vn­to him, why doest thou so?

What a lamentable thing is this, that poore seduced soules should thus forsake the rocke of truth to build their faith on such sandy foundations; namely, the Churches [Page 43] Traditions, as they are deliuered by the Pope and the Churches authoritie, which is in effect nothing els but the Popes infallibility: (who is the ChurchGreg. de Va­lentia. T. 3. disp. 1. P. 24. virtually, because all the power of the Church rests wholy in him:) and yet he a man that may be, and often hath beene an obstinate Haeretike, Schismatike, Atheist, &c. and teach, preach, and define error, and lead thousands with himselfe headlong vn­to hell.

But let vs renounce such sandy foundations, and build our faith on the rocke of truth, contained in the Scripture: for the sacred Scripture is thatZanc. de scrip. Paradise of God, in the midst whereof are: first, the tree of knowledge, bearing no forbidden fruit: forDeut. 29.29. reuealed things are for vs and our chil­dren.

Secondly,Apoc. 2.7. The tree of life (Christ Iesus, the kernell and pith of the scriptures:) and noGen. 3. vlt. Cherubin set with a fla­ming sword to keepe vs from it: but the way left wide o­pen, and all inuited to come vnto it:Mat. 11.28. Come vnto me, &c. Thirdly,Psal. 23.2. Riuers of liuing waters to refresh and comfort our soules in temptation, affliction, and persecution.

Fourthly, A coelestiall aire sweetly breathing in the midst thereof: (videlicet, 2. Tim. 3.16. afflatus Spiritus Sancti, the inspirati­on of the holy Ghost,) inspiring both the penmen of it, and all that with faith, humility, and reuerence, reade or heare it.

Fiftly, God walking in the midst of this Eden: whose voice doth teach, reprooue, correct, instruct, and comfort euery sonne of Adam, that doth heare, and doe it, making himV. 15. wise vnto saluation through the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

2. A second sort of those that build on the sand are Pro­phane sinners: who build on the sand of their owne securi­tie and praesumption of Gods mercy,Rom. 6.11. continuing in sinne that grace may abound, as if God were wholy composed of mercy. This persuasion giues encouragement to the Pro­phane swearer to flye in the face of God, and threaten hea­uen with his blasphemies, as if he would [...], fight with God, and dare him to put on his habergion of iustice, [Page 44] and gird himselfe with his sword of vengeance: saying in his heart,Mal. 2.17. Where is the God of iudgement? And to the swi­nish drunkard, and lasciuious adulterer to ouerburthen the earth with their impieties,Eph. 4.19. turning the grace of God into wantonnesse, and committing all vncleannesse euen with gree­dines: and yet say in their hearts,Psal. 10, 11. Tush, God hath forgot­ten, he hideth his face and will neuer see it. (As if that God that made both day and night, and to whomPsal. 239.12 the night is as cleare as the day) did not as well behold the one walking secretly in the twilight,Pro. 7.9. as the other impudently staggering in the streetes at no one day.

But those shall one day know that thePsal. 116.5. Lord is righteous as well as gratious: and hath not onely his throane of grace, but his seat for iudgement.Apoc. 4.3. As there is a rainebow about his throane in sight like vnto an Emerald (representing his mercy, and couenant of grace, which is euer greene and fresh, and most comfortable to his children, and whence he continually streames downe showers of spirituall and temporall blessings vpon them: so out of this throane proceedv. 5. lightnings, and thunderings, and voyces, to signi­fie his iudgements denounced against, and reserued for the wicked.Cypr. de Laps. Deus enim quantum patris pietate indulgens sem­per & bonus est, ita iudicis maiestate metuendus, &c. For God as he hath the tender indulgence of a father, so hath he the dreadfull maiestie of a iudge he hath prepared both heauen and hell, as well places of aeternall sorrow and tor­ment as ioy and solace; and as well the pit of infernall darkenesse as the light that no mortall man can attaine un­to.

Let the Prophane sinner therefore know for a surety, that if heLeu. 26.21 24. walke contrary to God (by iniquity, and obsti­nacy) God will walke contrary to him in wrath and fury. If he prouoke God dayly by cursing and swearing, God will send out aZach 5.1.2. &c, flying roule of curses against him, that shall flye into the midst of his house and consume it with the timber and stones thereof. If he drinke without thirst. and wastfully swallow downe flagons of wine here: hee shall thirst without drinke, and not haue aLuc. 16.24. droppe of cold water to coole his tongue hereafter. And if he burne with [Page 45] the fire of vnlawfull lust here, he shall (without serious and seasonable repentance,) burne hereafter in theApoc. 21.8. lake that burnes with fire and brimstone for euer: for the Lord doth as well treasure vp wrath f [...]r theRom. 9 22 23 vessells of wrath, as mer­cy for the vessells of mercy,Ireen. li 3. c 43. Saluat saluandos, & iudicat iudicio dignos, &c. He saues those that are to be saued, and condemnes those that are worthy to be damned, making the one a receptacle of his mercy and an organe of saluati­on, and the other a receptacle of iudgement, and organe of damnation.

3. A third sort are couetous Mammonists: who build their nests in this world: beeing herein more foolish than the swalloweSolinus, that will not build her nest in a ruinous house: for the world is a great house whose whole fabricke shall fall to ruine,2 Pet. 3.10. The heauens shall vanish as a scrowle, the ele­ments shall melt with heat, and the earth with all therein shall be burnt vp.

These are rightly saide to build on the sand: for the world and worldly things are like the sand in two re­spects.

1. Quia flaida: because all things therein flowe and floate like a quickesand:1 Ioh. 2.17. for the world passeth away and the lusts thereof. Whence it is compared to aApoc. 4.6. Sea of glasse: To a sea, because it ebbes, a [...]d flowes, and is tempestuous: and to a glassie sea, because all things therein are brittle and slippery, sliding, fading, vanishing in a mo­ment.

2. Quia sterilia: As sand is barraine, so worldly things (especially if couetously affected, vniustly gotten and base­ly possessed) are fruitlesse, and vnprofitablePro 10.2, 3. Treasures of wickednesse profit nothing, for the Lord casteth away the substance of the wicked.

Therefore, though the world account her darlings O­racles of wisedome, yet in Gods Dictionary they be tear­med fooles:Lu [...]. 12.20. Thou foole, this night will they take away thy soule, &c. The word is [...], (signifying improuident,) for though worldlings be so wiseMat. 16.26. to win the world, yet they are so improuident to loose their owne soules. And [Page 46] marke I pray you how many points of extreame folly they commit.

1. They doe with great care and paines gather that which they cannot long enioy: but it shall bee taken from them, or they from it in a moment.

2. They lay vp their treasure where all their Praedeces­sors haue lost it.

3. They make their seruant their master: that is, serue Mammon which should serue them.

4.1 Tim. 6.9, 10 They pierce themselues thorow with many sor­rowes.

5. They preferre (which is the greatest folly) gold be­fore God, gaine before godlinesse, money before mercy, the world before their owne soules: and that when they are neerest their graue, and so drowne themselues irrecoue­rably inperdition and destruction.

Applicat. 1: 1. O that euery oppressing Ahab would think of this, that is1 Reg. 21.4. sicke for Naboths vineyard, and neuer wearyEsa. 5.8. ioyning house to house, and land to land, till there be no roome for the poore in the earth: for certainely hee that builds his house as theIob 27.18. moth, (that is, by spoiling and consuming o­thers)Esa. 53.1. when he shall cease to spoile, shall himselfe be spoi­led and consumed.

This is the cause of the dec [...]y of so many great families both in city and countrey, because they haue built their houses not onely vainly on the sand, but cruelly in an A­cheldama, a field of bloud: for Syrac. 34.21. the bread of the needy is the life of the poore, he that robs him thereof is a murtherer. If houses therefore be thus built (though neuer so high) the Hab. 2.11, 12. stone out of the wall shall cry, and the beame of the timber shall answer it, woe to him that buildeth his house with bloud, and erecteth a city by iniquity.

2. O that euery Symoniacal Patron, and greedy Impropri­ator would thinke of this, that robs God to inrich him­selfe. (Mal. 3, [...]. ye haue robbed me in tythes, and offerings, &c.) and (like the Eagle) with the flesh that he takes from Gods al­tar, carries a coale to burne his owne nest.

[Page 47]3. O that euery vnconscionable Lawyer would thinke of this: who if he put not on the Lyons skinne, will put on the Foxes case, and get by cunning vnder praetence of Lawe what hee cannot get by violence. I taxe not you (Reuerend Fathers of the Lawe) I doubt not but you account Godlinesse your greatest Gaine, and do­ing euery man right your greatest ioy: for that will build you sure houses, and bring you peace at the last.

But let me beseech you in the bowells of Christ, not to suffer those that are vnder you to delay causes so long till the silly sheepe that goes to lawe for a locke of his wooll lost in the countrey, loose his whole fleece in the Ci­ty before hee end his suit: for it is a common com­plaint among vs poore Countrey-men, that a poore man were better giue away his coate than goe to lawe for it against a rich aduersary: for let his cause bee neuer so iust, and honest, if his Aduersaries purse be stronger, he shall ne­uer haue an end of it, till he hath spent himselfe, and lost his cause.

4. O that griping Vsurers would thinke of this, that secretly eate vp mens estates, as the Moth con­sumes a garment, or little wormes the heart of a great Oake. Though this sinne may pleade praescrip­tion, (because the roote thereof is couetousnesse: which is as auncient as the fall of man, and the1 Tim. 6.10. roote of all e­uill) yetD. Fenton of Vsurie. a learned Diuine (late of this Church and Ci­ty) in a treatise of his against this sinne of Vsurie, a­uerres and prooues substantially, That neuer any Chri­stian Church Orthodoxall, or Haereticall, defended it as lawfull (as it is now practised among vs) fince the world stood,

How then doest thou hope to dye a Christian, if thou liue and dye an Vsurer, which no Christian Church did euer approoue? If it bee a condition required of him that willPsal. 5. [...]5. enter into Gods Tabernacle, that he lend not his money vpon vsurie, how doest thou then [Page 48] that makest it thy trade, and doest liue, and dye, in it hope to enter?

If euer therefore thou looke for remission of thy sinnes at the hands of God, and saluation of thy soule, repent spee­dily, and make restitution: It is the position of that iudi­cious and learned Father S. Aug. concerning euery sinne of this nature, wherein our brother is really wronged by impairing his estate to increase ours vnlawfully:Aug. epist. 54. ad Macedon. Non re­mittitur peccatum, nisi restituatur ablatum restitui potest. .i. The sinne is not remitted by God, vnlesse that which is wrongfully taken from our brother be restored, if a man be able to make restitution: for God will neuer forgiue, nor receiue vs so long as wee vniustly retaine what is none of ours. I know this is Colloguintida to the vsurers heart, but he must swallow this bitter pill, if euer he will bee purged from his finne.

But I spend too much time vpon those thatPsal. 51.17. hate to bee reformed: and haue stopped their eares (like deafe Ad­ders) at the voices of better charmers: for one saith true­ly of an Vsurer: Poenitet expensi praeterea nihili: Hee neuer repents of any thing but of his cost and expences: Yet be­ing called to this place (which is reported to be the com­mon Mart for this sinnefull trade) I could not but speake something thereof: it may please God for the conuersion of some: (for hee doth manifest his power in weakenesse, andPsal. 8.2. out of the mouths of Babes and Sucklings hath ordei­ned strength:) if not, yet for the discharge of mind, con­science, and deliuerance of mine owne soule.

5. O that the couetous Merchant would consider this, that doth engrosse commodities that he may haue Monopo­lies, (that is, none sell but he, and so sell at his owne rates:) whereby he doth grind the faces of the poore Tradesmen, and eate out the bowells of poore buyers, that stand in need of such commodities And the deceitfull artificer or Trades-man: for now single trades are growne to be dou­ble, and in one trade or occupation there be two skills: the one of doing it truely, the other of doing it deceitfully: [Page 49] called the mystery of the trade, which for the most part is a mystery of iniquity:) for now hee that knowes the fal­shood as well as the truth of his trade, and can set a good glasse vpon bad wares, is the most skilfull tradesman; and he that can make an excellent counterfeit, and sell it for good, and at as great a price, is accounted the best artifi­cer. Thus men take money not for wares but for cosenage, and selling deceit, doe buy with the price thereof (if they speedily repent not) their owne most certaine damnati­on.

Thus you see into how many intricate mazes, Mammon doth leade men to their owne destruction: Bee not there­fore the slaues of Mammon, least ye become the proprie­taries of hell and damnation: for as pride shut vp hea­uen against the diuell, and gluttony Paradise against our first parents: so couetousnesse is the key to open hell gates to the seruants of Mammon. If therefore thou wouldest shunne theMat. 7.13, 14. broad way and open gate to destruction, and find the narrow way and streight gate that leades to salua­tion. S. Bernard teacheth thee how to doe it,Ber. in Cant. sect 35. Jnuenisti plane sapientiae viam, si prioris vitae peccata defleas, si huius saeculi desiderabilia parui-pendas, si bona opera exerceas, & ae­ternam beatitudinem toto desiderio concupiscas. Thou hast found the way of wisedome, if thou bewaile thy sinnes, con­temne the worlds vanities, exercise thy selfe in good works, and earnestly mind and desire heauenly happinesse.

4. A fourth sort of these foolish builders on the sand, are masqued Hypocrites: who build their praesuming hope and confidence of their saluation, vpon the sandy foundati­on of their fained holinesse: for they haue2 Tim 3.5. forme of godli­nesse but deny the power thereof.

These (as aD. Boyce Deane of Cant. in his Postill. Reuerend and learned Diuine of our Church hath well obserued) doe mocke God and the world.

1. They mocke God and his word, for where God saith, Facite iustitiam, worke righteousnesse, they doe, non facere, sed fingere, not doe, but faine righteousnesse:Mat. 23.25. making cleane the outside of the cuppe and the platter, but within [Page 50] are full of rottennesse and corruption.

2. They deceiue men being Christians in lippe onely, not in life: making a masque of Religion: or rather a very vizar, with eyes, nose, and mouth fairely proportioned to all purposes.

For they will flocke and flye to the temples (as doues to the windowes) and lift vp the white of the eyes, and sit at the Preachers feet (asLuc. 10.19. Mary at Christs) and send out whole vollyes of sighes when the word is preached,Lact. Institut. l. 5. c. 20. Sed omnem religionem in templo, & cum templo relinquunt, &c. They leaue all their Religion at the Church, and carry none home with them to expresse it in their liues.

If ye deale with them, ye shall findeGen, 27.22. Iacobs smooth voice, but Esaus rough hands: for the Hypocrite is like counter­feit gold, faire in shew, but false in touch: Intus Nero, foris Cato, totus ambiguus: a Cato for his outward grauity, but a Nero for his inward malice and crueltie, a meere aequiuo­cator: Cypr. Ep 54. Aliud enim corde occultat, aliud voce pronunciat: He speakes one thing, and meanes another.

But most of all hee deceiues his owne soule building on the sand while he thinkes he builds on the rock, & so builds his owne ruine: for when the flouds of persecution arise, they soo [...]e wash away his painted holinesse, and cast downe his rotten building: and th [...] fall therof is great euen to the bottome of hell: which is the hypocrites proper portion, and haereditary possession, wherein all other sinners doe but share with him:Mat. 24.51. They shall haue their portion with hypo­crites, &c.

Pars. 3.

The third difference betweene these wise and foolish builders, is in the effect or issue of their building: which in the one is firme stabilitie [...], If fell not, and in the other, a suddaine and fearefull ruine. [...], &c. And it fell, and the fall thereof was great.

v. 25.1. In the former are implyed three things. 1. Tenta­tio varia: The varietie of the temptations, And the raine fell, &c. 2. Tentationum victoria: The victory that this firme building had ouer these temptations: in that (not­withstanding all these) it stood fast and immooueable, and [Page 51] could not be cast downe. (And it fell not:) 3. Ʋictoria cau­sa: The cause of this victory, and impregnable stability: because it was built on a rocke.

2. In the latter are likewise implyed 3. things: 1. Ruinae cau­sa: The cause of the ruine: And the raine fell, v. 27. &c. and beat vpon that house: 2. Ruina ipsa: The ruine it selfe: And it fell. 3. Ruinae qualitas seu natura: The nature or qualitie of that ruine: And the fall thereof was great.

1.1. Tent. varia The ten [...]ations that assaile both these buildings are the same, wherein obserue: 1. Tent. numerum, their number or diuersity: (viz. raine, flouds, winde.) 2. Impetum: their forcible nature, and violence: [...], &c. They beate vpon that house. For these three (raine, flouds, and windes) assaile a materiall house on euery side to try whether the building be firme or no: 1. The raine beates vpon the roofe of the house. 2. The flouds vndermine the foundation: 3. The winds beat on the walls and sides of the house: as thatIob 1.15 whirle-wind did smite the foure corners of Iobs house, and threw it flat to the ground.

Exposit. I will not trouble you with the varietie of opinions a­mong Interpretors, what is here mystically meant by raine, flouds, and winds: I take it Christ meanes hereby to include all kinds of temptations, wherewith the Christian Church in generall, and euery Christian soule in particular is as­saulted, and violently beat vpon by the world, flesh, and di­uell, to ouerthrow it and bring it to ruine.

1. Pluuia.But if ye will haue a difference made betweene them, I thinke 1. By the raine is meant the temptation of prosperi­ty: which softens mens minds ouermuch with wantonnes and luxury, and so workes their ruine: for raine falls gut­tatim, by droppes, and soakes into the house by little and little, and so rots the rafters and beames, and brings it to ruine.

2. Flumina.2. By the flouds are meant the Tentations of aduersitie, (.i. afflictions and persecutions:) which like Torrents as­saile this building violently to ouerturne it from the very foundation: for afflictions are called flouds in Scripture.Psal. 69.2. I am come into great waters where the flouds ouerthrow [Page 52] me b And persecutions also: The flouds of vngodly men made me afraid.

3. Venti.3. By the windes are meant the tentations of persuasion, whereby Sathan and his instruments (which like Elymas the sorcerer areAct. 13.10. full of all subtletie and mischiefe, and ene­mies of all righteousnesse) cease not to peruert (as much as in them lyes) the straight wayes of the Lord.

And this they seeke to doe two wayes.

1. Per blanditias, .i. By their subtle persuasions and faire allurements: for (as S. Gregory saith,Greg. mor. li. 3. c. 19. Verba molliunt dum virus infundunt: that is, (to vse the phrase of the Psal.)Psal. 55.21. Their words be smoother then oyle, yet they be very swords: namely, to pierce, wound, and kill mens soules. These may bee compared to the warme Southwindes, or plea­sing Westwinds: which (with their warme, but strong blasts) may ouerthrow an house as soone as the blustering Northwinds.

2. Per minas, .i. Their cruell threatnings, and bloudy inquisitions whereby they endeauour to deterre men from truth, and force them to entertaine error for feare, if not for loue: and when they cannot persuade, they will enforce mens consciences. These may be compared to thatIon 1.4. stormie wind raised vpon the sea, when Ionas was in the ship: or S. Pauls tempestuous wind (calledAct. 27, 14, 15 Euroclydon) which draue his ship with such violence, that the Mariners could not guide it, but were faine to let it driue whither it would.

Doctr. The true Church and euery member thereof is assailed & tryed on euery side: In peaceable times with the raine of prosperity, and warme southwinds of haereticall suggestions: and in troublesome times with the blu [...]tering Northwinds of tyrannicall th [...]eatnings, and violent torrents of p [...]rsecu­tion. In the one the Church isCypr. de Lap [...] 1. Militum Christi cohors can­dida the white band of Christs souldiers, fighting vnder the white ensigne of peace: in the other rubicunda the blou­dy band, fighting vnder the bloudy banners of persecutiō: for sometimes, the P. of peace holds out the white flag of peace to his Church: sometime, the L. of Hosts holds out vnto her the bloudy streamer of warre bloudshed, and persecution, and tries [Page 53] as well by the one as the other, whether his souldiers will cleaue close to their captaine, and follow their coulers.

1 Tent. prosper.1. SmoothGen. 27.22.36. Jacob (the worlds faire sonne) prosperitie may as soone and sooner deceiue and supplant vs, than rough Esau (the worlds churlish sonne) affliction and per­secution: for the poyson of aduersitie is sometimes so tem­pered in our soules with the wholesome ingredients of faith, hope, patience, and humilitie, that in stead of killing it doth cure vs, and purge our soules of the corrupt humors of sinne: and so playes the schoolemaster, not onely in whip­ping and scourging vs, but also in teaching and instructing vs to know God, and our selues, and the worlds vanitie, and to labour after a more permanent faelicity. Whereas pros­peritie many times (likeIud. 16, 19, [...]0. Dalila) lulls many a strong Samp­son so long asleepe in her lappe of carnall pleasures that she takes from him that wherein his spirituall strength con­sisteth, and betrayes him to that vncircumcised Philistim the diuell.

So then the worlds musicke of profits and pleasures is but a Syrens song, which while it tickles our eares, it wounds our hearts, and splits our soules vpon the rockes of sinne, whereby ofttimes wee make shippe-wracke of our saluation,2 Sam 11.2. &c. Dauid who did cleaue fast vnto God in his troubles, in his prosperitie started aside like a broken bow, and fell into the fearefull sinnes of Adultery and mur­ther.

And Peter Mat. 26.51. & Io [...]. 18.10 18 who stoutly defended his master among the swords and staues in the garden, basely denyed him, when he was basting himselfe by the fire in the high Priests hall.Aug. in Psal. 34. Homo victus in Paradiso, victor in stercore, Ioq 2.8. Job by his pa­tience was a conquerour on the dunghill, andGen. 3.6. Adam by his pride was conquered in Paradise. Also Romes peace and securitie after the Carthaginian wars were ended, did her more hurt than all the former battailes.

And Saint Bernard saith of the Church:Ber. Ser. 33. in Cant. Amara fuit prius in nece Martyrum, amarior postea in conflictu haereticorum, amarissima vero nunc in moribus domestico­rum: intimating that she was more hurt by the licentious [Page 54] liues of her children in the dayes of her peace, than by the bloud of her Martyrs, or her conflict with haeretikes.

Applicat. And may it not be truely said of this Church and land, that the raine of prosperitie, peace, and plenty (falling not by drops, but by full showers vpon it, in the late, long, and happy reigne of our euer to be remembred, and thrice re­nowned Deborah, and our now peacefull Salomon) hath done more hurt to this building, by rotting many beames, and rafters thereof, than those tempestuous whirle-winds, and violent torrents of persecution in Queene Maries dayes? for whereas there were then glorious confessions of the truth in the midst of the fire, now there be dayly A­postacies from it in the dayes of peace. And our moralitie is so corrupted with our long peace and prosperitie, that there was neuer more lying and dissembling in Creta, swea­ring and forswearing in Carthage gormandizing in Capua, or Semiplacentia, drunkennesse in Germany, pride in Spaine, or wantonnesse in Italy, than is at this day in our land: as if the vices of all nations did meete here as in their Center, or as if our land were the sinke or common sewer for the sinnes of all nations to runne into.

Shall we thus repay the Lord for his blessings? shall we now begin toNum: 11.5, 6. loath our Manna that hath thus long fal­len dayly about our tents, and hanker againe after the flesh­pots of the Romish Aegypt? shall we surfet of our quailes? and being full fed with Gods blessings,Deut. 8.10. spurne with the heele against him, and turne our backes vpon his mercy-seat? God forbid.

Let vs not thus turne Gods grace into wantonnesse, and repay him with our foule and crying sins in stead of thank­fullnesse for his blessings: (like the sea that receiues sweet waters from the fountaines of the earth, and returnes them salt and bitter:) least we incurre the curse of the re­probate Iewes.Psal. 69.22, 23 Rom. 11.9, 10. Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumbling blocke, &c. and the things that should haue beene for their weale be vnto them an ocasion of falling.

2. Tent. persuas.2. With this tentation of prosperitie, I may conioyne the Churches second tentation, by the pleasing south-winds [Page 54] of haereticall persuasions: because they are most rife in the dayes of the Churches peace. With these winds hath the house of the liuing God beene forcibly beat vpon, and the ship of his true Church beene violently tossed, almost in all ages in the troublesome sea of this world: for haeretikes and schismatikes, (being themselues carryed away with theseIren. li 3. c 13. three disastrous whirle-winds. 1. With the vncleane spirit of error: 2. With their owne frenzie whereof they labour: 3. Magis studio contradicendi, Cypr ad De­met. sect. prima quam voto discen­di: .i. Rather with an itching humour of singularity to contradict the truth, than a true zealous humility to learne it, seeke to driue others with them into error, and so they willfullyMat. 15.14. blind, leade the woefully blinded with them­selues into the ditch of destruction. But he who is driuen of these winds,Aug. Ti. 1. in Ioh. Mat. 25.30. Non portum sed planctum inueniet, shall in the end arriue at no other harbour, but where shall be wee­ping and gnashing of teeth.

Applicat. And from these disastrous winds our Church is not free now in the dayes of her peace: for there swarmes among vs corner-creeping Priests, and Iesuites, who (like subtle foxes) seeke to vndermine, and roote vp the flourishing vine of this Church and State; by2. Tim. 3.6. creeping into hovses, and lea­ding captiue silly women laden with diuers lusts, and silly Ide­ots apt to beleeue whatsoeuer they tell them without fur­ther tryal of their doctrine by the touchstone of truth. This kind of fishing they learned from Sathan himfelfe: who firstGen. 3.1. attempted the woman, that by her hee might tempt the man: vsing the wife as a trappe to catch her husband. And from the auncient Gnostikes: of whose ring-leader Marcus Jrenaeus reports:Iren. li. 1. c. 9. Maximè circa mulieres occu­patus est. His principall aime and chiefest businesse was to seduce silly women.

And as the diuell at first,Cypr. de vni­tate Eccl. sect. 5 Verbis mendacibus blandiens rudes animas incauta credulitate decepit; deceiued the poore innocent soules of our first parents by his lying & flattering words, praesuming vpon their heedlesse credulitie: so they by their lying and flattering words, (which areLact Jnstit. li. 5. c [...]1. Mella ve­nenum tegentia, pills of poyson lapt in hony:) creepe into [Page 56] the soules of their ouer-credulous Disciples, and blinding them with the false vizar of the name of the ancient Ca­tholike Church, lead them hoodwinked to their owne de­struction.

Ie [...]uiticaal traps to catch poore soules.For first, they tell them (and that onely truely:)Cypr. de vnit. Eccles. That out of the true Church there is no saluation: but all that are out of it must needs perish, as all that were out of the arke, were drowned in the deluge.

Secondly, they falsly assume that the Church of Rome (as now it is) is the onely true, auncient, Catholike Church: and the Protestants are haeretikes, and their Church sprung vp but lately since Luthers dayes.

Thirdly, they teach their disciples, that the Scriptures are obscure, and dangerous for lay-men, and silly women to meddle withall, (because the reading and misunderstand­ing of the Scriptures hath bred many haeresies:) and there­fore it is enough for them to relye vpon the definitions of their mother, the Romish Church, and directions of their ghostly Fathers, without any further search or inquiry: thus thieues put out the candle that should discouer them.

Fourthly, they tell them that it is haeresie for a lay-man to dispute in points of faith, neither must they reade any bookes written against the Romish Religion, or any part thereof: nor conferre with any Protestant minister, or o­ther able to defend his religion, but in all doubts repaire to their ghostly fathers for resolution.

Fiftly, they extoll deuout ignorance and implicite faith to the skies: and tell them, that such ignorantly deuout soules shall haue the benefit of other mens knowledge. So they canonize the Colliars faith, and make it their seduced disciples Creed to beleeue as the Church beleeues. Now when silly ignorant soules haue deepely drunke in these principles, what maruaile is it, if they bee easily peruer­ted, and hardly conuerted, when their seducing teachers haue thus hedged in their eyes, eares, and hearts, that they should not heare, nor vnderstand?

Hortatio.Wherefore seeing theseMat 7.15. Wolues in sheepes cloathing, (who like the wolues of Africa faine the voice of sheepe­heards [Page 57] to deuoure the flocke) be so busie to infect our flocks with Popery, let vs be as vigilant to continue them in the truth: Now (if euer) S. Bern. exhortation is to be put in practise:Ber. li. 3 de consid c. 10 Danda est opera vt increduli conuertantur, conuersi non auertantur, auersi reuertantur, &c. We that are Ministers of the word, must sedulously endeauour that those which do not rightly beleeue, may be conuerted, and those that are turned out of the way, may returne into the right way againe, and those that are conuerted, may not be turned away, and those that are peruerse may be directed into the paths of righteous­nesse, and those that are subuerted may bee recalled into the wayes of truth, and that the subuerters themselues should haue their errors conuinced by the euidence of truth, that either themselues may be reclaimed, or they may loose all power and authority to subuert others.

1 Ad epist.Let me therefore beseech you (Reuerend Fathers) in the bowells of Christ Iesus (who am vnworthy to counsaile you) that as yee are [...], Bishops, or ouerseers in name,Act. 20.28. so ye would indeed (in these dangerous dayes) with a most vigilant eye ouersee the flocke of Christ committed to your seuerall charges, which Christ hath purchased with his owne blood. Ye sit at the sterne of this ship of the Eng­lish Church, and are skilfull in your compasse, O let not these disastrous winds carry it the contrary way, but guide it still (as ye haue done) in the way of truth to the hauen of hapines. Ye are theMar. 13.34. porters of this house & fold of Christ, and haue the keyes of iurisdiction in your hands to let in and out: O watch therefore that theseIoh. 10.2. thieues and rob­bers breake not in, and steale away the sheepe of Christ from his fold, whose soules are mostPsal. 116.15. deare and pretious in his sight. And see that euery Archippus vnder you in your seuerall Diocaeses, doe both by preaching and catechizing (according to his Maiesties late pious, and most Christian directions)Col. 4.17. take heed to the ministery that he hath recei­ued in the Lord, that he fulfill it.

2. Ad Mag.And let all religious Magistrates in their places seeke with godly2 Pa [...]. 35.5. Josiah to purge Gods house where it is pol­luted either with error or sinne: and (with zealous)Neh. 4.1, 9. Nehe­miah, [Page 58] endeauour to reaedifie the ruine of Gods Ierusalem, and to defend this building against all malicious Tobiahs, and Sanballats that seeke to hinder it.

3 Ad priuatos.And let all priuate men take heed, that these wily Ser­pents creepe not into their bosomes by their subtle insinu­ations: but let thē hold fast the truth that they haue recei­ued in the Lord, and if any (though anGal. 1.16. angell from hea­uen) bring them any other doctrine, let them hold him accursed.Cypr. de vnit. Eccl. sect. 1. Nutet enim necesse est & vagetur, & spiritu er­roris arreptus (velut puluis) ventiletur qui salutaris viae non tenet veritatem: for he must needs totter, and wander, and (being driuen with the spirit of error) be carryed away asPsal. 1.4. dust or chaffe, which the wind scatters away from the face of the earth, that doth not keepe the truth of that way that leades to saluation.Eph. 4.14. Be not therefore (like children) wauering, and carryed away with euery wind of vaine do­ctrine, but follow the truth in loue, and in all things growe vp to him that is the head, namely, Christ Iesus.

[...]: Tent. persecut.3. The third sort of temptations wherewith the Church is assaulted, is affliction and persecution: compared to the blustering Northwinds, and violent flouds which beat vpon this house: for the true Church is likeGen. 7.18. & 8.4 Noahs arke: still floating on the waters of trouble, till shee come to rest on Ararat the Mount of God: forAct. 14.22. through many tribulati­ons we must enter into Gods kingdome.2 Tim, 3.12. And all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution: forAug in Ps. 31. though God had one sonne without sinne, yet he hath none without affliction. A Christians life is like a nauigation in a tempestuous sea: the harbor whence we launch is our mo­thers wombe, the port whereto we are bound is the hauen of heauen, but the interim betweene, (the whole time of our sayling in the troublesome sea of this world) is full of tempests, full of Pyrats. So that Reuerend Luther said true­ly: Qui non est crucianus, non est Christianus: no crosse, no Christian: consonant to that of the Apostle:Heb. 12.5. If ye bee without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sonnes.

And concerning the Churches persecutions, that of Ho­mer [Page 59] concerning Troy, may most truely bee spoken of the true Church Militant,Homer Iliad. [...]. She hath but a little breathing time from her continuall warfare: for these two contrary armies (Israel and Amalech) are al­wayes fighting.Ex 17. vlt. God will haue warre with mysticall A­malech, (.i. the Church malignant) from generation to ge­neration.Ser. 92. de Temp. As soone as the Israelites had dranke of the rocke, forthwith they warred against Amalech: to teach vs that we no sooner drinke of the rocke Christ, and are in­corporated into him, but forthwith we must prepare our selues for a warfare.

For the visible Church is likeGen. 25.22. Rebeccaes wombe: wher­in are bred sonnes of contrary natures (as Iacob and Esau) and these striue together in her wombe from her very con­ception of thee.Apoc. 12.5.15 As soone as euer the woman is deliuered of a manchild, (that is, the Church hath brought foorth a sonne to God:) presently the dragon doth cast out flouds of water out of his mouth to destroy it.

This auncient enmity betweene the old serpent and the seed of the woman began in Paradise:Gen. 3.15 [...] I will put enmity be­tweene thy seed and her seed, &c. And forthwith it began to breake out by open persecution: for the persecution of the Church of the old Testament began withCap. 48. Abels murther:Aug. de Ciu. dei. li. 18. c. 51. (Dedicat Ecclesiam sanguine: He dedicates the Church to God by his bloud): and of the Church of the new Testa­ment with cruellMat. 2.16. Herods bloudy butchering the poore In­fants of Bethleem: who were Martyrs, Opere, et si non vo­luntate in the worke it selfe, or their outward act of suffe­ring, though not in will or intention: whence S. Aug. cal­led them,Aug. de sanct. sect. 11. Primitias Martyrum: The first fruites of the Martyrs of Christ: for they suffered for Christ, though they knew not for whom they suffered. Pro Christo occiduntur paruuli pro iustitia moritur innocentia. The little Infants of Bethleem dyed for Christ: innocence dyed for righteous­nesse: for so Christ is called,Ier. 23.6. The Lord our righteousnesse.

And euer sinceGen. 21.9, 10 Ishmael hath persecuted Isaac: that is, those who are borne after the flesh, them that are borne af­ter the spirit. In the ten primitiue persecutions, the fur­rows [Page 60] of the Churches field were watered with streames of bloud, and this made it the more fertile: for l the bloud of the Martyrs is the seed of the Church.Cypr. de dupli­ci. Mart.

And euer since that bloudy Whore of Babylon hath borne sway in the world, she hath made her selfeApoc. 19.6. drunke with the blood of the Saints, and Martyrs of Iesus: by her bloudy in­quisition, cruell massacres, horrid treasons, and open perse­cutions: for where she may preuaile, she vseth no other ar­guments to maintaine her religion, but whipes, racks, gib­bets, strappadoes, fire, and fagot: (asSee Foxe his Acts and Mo­numents of he Church. here in England in Queene Maries dayes,) for she seekes not to persuade, but to compell: and delights to tyrannize ouer mens conscien­ces. Their very mercies are cruell: there is more mercy to be found of the mercilesse elements (to wit, the flaming fire, and raging sea) than at their hands where they may pre­uaile, and therefore from their bloudy hands and cruell teeth the Lord deliuer vs.

For we may safely pray, Vt Cypr. de mort. Martyriū desit anim [...], that we his seruāts being hurt by no persecutiōs, may alwaies glori­fie his holy name in his holy church (as our church praies in our Letanie: because God requires not our bloud, but our faith (as that blessed Martyr S. Cyprian saith:) but if the stormie winds and violent flouds of persecution for the truth should beate vpon the house of this Church, we must also pray and that earnestly, Ne animus desit Marty­ri [...]: that our minds be not wanting vnto Martirdome: but that we may be willing to shed our bloud for him and his truth, that shed his precious bloud for vs & our saluation: for these be the winds and stormes, that make a true & per­fect triall indeed who haue built the spirituall houses of their soules on a sure, and who on a sandy foundation: and which building will stand,1 Perfeuerautia a [...]ctorum. and which fall to ruine.

First, those that haue built the spirituall houses of their soules vpon the [...]ocke Christ, and his sacred truth, not by hearing or knowing onely, but by beleeuing and pra­ctising, will outstand all these tryalls of raine, flouds, and stormie winds, andPsal. 125.1. stand fast like Mount Sion, which cannot be remooued, but standeth fast for euer: for of such [Page 61] a building it is here said, though all these beat vpon it, Jt fell not, &c.

Saint Chrysostome writing vpon this place, saith,Chrys. in Loc. Boni firmitatem Petrae constantiae virtute superant, &c. The con­stancy of good and faithfull men exceedes the firmenes of a rocke.Ibid. A rock though neuer so much beaten against by the waues and winds, stands immooueable, and not hurt, as scorning their violence: so a faithfull Christian (because the Lord is his rocke, and he is built vpon the rocke Christ Iesus) scornes the force and malice of the diuell, and all his confaederates: knowing that though Sathan raise vp a mighty wind to shake him on euery side,)Iob 1.10. as the wind did the foure corners of Jobs house), yet hee cannot shake him off his foundation though he vexe him with all his stormes, yet none of these, nor the very gates of hell can preuaile a­gainst him, because he is built vpon a rocke.

Such a one wasGen. 37, 39. &c. Joseph: who serued God not onely in Potiphars house, and Pharaohs Court, but in the prison al­so, whē his feet were fast in the stockes, & their ó entred into his soule. AndIob 19.25. Job who (when God set him vp as a marke to shoot at) still held fast his confidence in his redeemer: J know that my redeemer liueth, &c. Dan. 3.16, 17. And the three chil­deren, whom neither the threats of Nebuchadnezzar, nor his angry countenance, nor the sight of the fierie furnace, could deterre from worshipping their God, nor cause them to fall downe before the golden Image. AndDan. 6.12, 13. Daniel: whom nei­ther the fauours of Darius could allure, nor his irrecouera­ble edict compell to desist from praying to his God, but he chose rather to be cast into the den of Lyons. I could be al­most infinit in instances of the like kind out of the Ecclesi­asticall histories: where we find S. And. kissing his crosse, & imbracing it with a Salue Sancte crux, &c. Ignat. inuiting the wild beasts to deuoure him: saying, I am the Lords wheat & must be ground with the teeth of wild beasts: & S. Laurence vpon his fierie gridirō (which was to him as a bed of down) outbrauing the tyrant Decius, and telling him that one side was wasted enough, he should now turne vp the other.

But I shall need no more instances, seeing Saint Paul. [Page 62] in the name of all Gods Saints, bids open defiance to Sa­than and his complices,Rom. 8.35. &c Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ? Shall tribulation, distresse, or persecution, or famine, or nakednesse, or perill, or swords: no, in all these we are more than conquerours through him that loued vs.

Not that Gods Saints and Martyrs are [...], altogether sencelesse (like stoicks or stocks rather:) for they feele the smart and paine of their tortures, els they could not be va­liant Martyrs: (seeing true fortitude consistes in the patient bearing of those things which are most afflictiue to flesh and bloud:) but they are comforted: 1. In the sense of Gods present mercies:Psal. 94.19. whose comforts doe refresh their soules: 2. In the certaine expectation of their future glo­ry:2 Cor. 4.17. for we know that these light afflictions which are but for a moment, doe cause vnto vs a farre more excellent and ae­ternall weight of glory: So that in all their afflictions & per­secutions, faith supports them that they fall not: hope com­forts them that they despaire not: patience quiets them that they murmure not, and their inward peace of conscience, sweetens their outward troubles with comfortable cordials that they faint not.

Chrys. in Loc.As he therefore that beates vpon an Adamant, is him­selfe beaten with his owne blowes (for he is wearied, but the Adamant not pierced, which is impenetrable:) And the waues that dash against a rocke are themselues broken, but the rocke standeth immooueable: and hee thatAct. 9.5. kickes as gainst the pricks is himself wounded with his own stroaks: so he that persecutes Gods faithfull children, hurts him­selfe not them: for he makes them haue fellowship with Ie­sus, in being partakers of his sufferings, and bearing in their bodies stigmata Christi: that is, the prints of his precious wounds: while himselfe hath fellowship with Iudas in be­traying and persecuting Christ in his members.Phil. 1.8. Be nothing therefore terrified with your aduersaries: which to them is a token of perdition, but to you of saluation, and that of God.

Ratio.The reason of this immooueable constancy and stability of Gods Saints is,V. 25. Because the spirituall aedifice of their soules and bodies is built vpon a rocke: for they haue these [Page 63] three rocks to support and strengthen them in all their rrou­bles: 1. The might and mercy of God the Father: who is the maine pillar of power, and fountaine of goodnesse: of whose fauour they doubt not, because he hath passed it vnto them in his holy word by promise, indenture, couenant, andHeb. 6.13. &c. oath: and that before immooueable1 Ioh. 5.7, 8, witnesses, the best in heauen, and the best on earth. 2. The merits of Christ: for their true and sauing faith doth rest it selfe in the preci­ous wounds of Christ, (as theCant. 2.14. doues in the clefts of the rocks,) that it cannot bee remooued. 3. The comforts of the holy Ghost: who dwells in them as in his1 Cor. 6.19. temples, and reignes in their hearts as in his kingdome: directing them into all truth and goodnesse, and comforting them in all their troubles: as being theEph. 1.13, 14. seale of their adoption, and earnest of their aeternall inheritance. And with these im­pregnable bulwarks, the fortresse of their faith is so streng­thened, that neither raine, flouds, nor wind,Rom. 8.38, 39 height, nor depth, life, nor death, principalities, nor powers, &c. nor the gates of hell, nor the whole force and power of the king­dome of darknesse can once shake, much lesse ouerthrow it, because it is builded vpon a rocke. For though Gods Saints bee troubled on euery side, yet are they not distressed,2 Cor. 4.8, 9. [...], .i. Haesitantes non haerentes, (Arr. Mont.) perplexed, but not in despaire: persecuted, but not forsaken, cast downe, but not cast away, or destroied.

But if any build vpon the sand of humane Traditions, 1 Casus malorum or their owne fancies, or the worlds vanities, both building and builders fall together (likeDan. 2.35. Nebuchadnezzars Image, when the stone hewen out of the mountaine without hands fell vpon it:) and become like the chaffe of the summer threshing floures, or the sand they build vpon, or the dust which the wind scatters from the face of the earth.Iust. prim [...].

1. He that goes to build vp the ruines of Babell in his soule, shall with it fall to ruine: for as one Angell cryed concerning Babilon, Apoc. 14 8, 9, 10 Cecidit cecidit, It is fallen, it is fallen: so another angell immediately following the former, cryed wieh a loud voice: If any man worship the beast, and receiue his marke in his forehead, or his hand, the same shall drinke of [Page 64] the wine of the wrath of God powred out without mixture in­to the cup of his indignation, and shall be tormented with fire and brimstone for euer.

Maruaile not therefore at the Apostacy of many to Po­pery in these dayes: they are such as neuer built on the rock of truth and right: but on the sands of their owne fancies, or the world, (by presumption, securitie, worldlinesse, or hy­pocrisie) and therefore God suffers them to fall into er­rors, as a iust punishment of their sinnes: and they shall at length fall into the fierie lake, as an aeternall punishment, both of their sinnes, and errors.2 Thes. 2.10.21, 12. Because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued, for this cause God shal send them a strong delusion that they should beleeue a lye, that they might be damned, who beleeued not the truth, but had pleasure in vnrighteousnes.

ForCypr. imper­fectum in Loc. how should he abide in Christ that neuer was in Christ? or how should the truth hold him that neuer held the truth? or righteousnesse preserue him that neuer kept the wayes of righteousnes? No, no, such buildings (though they be built as high as the tower of Babell, Gen. 11.4. whose top did euen reach to heauen, or as the tombe of Manseolus, or Py­ramides of Aegypt: and be as faire, and stately for outward shew as the temple ofAct 19.27. Diana at Ephesus (the wonderment of the world:) or the costly palace of Alcinoous, (the walls whereof were brasse, the gates gold, and the entries siluer): yet downe they must, they and their builders shall fall: andIinex. v. 27 Ruina magna. their fall shall be great.

The fall of an house is great: first, when it falls not in part but totaly: (that is, not the roofe, or a wal, or a roome onely), but is turned topsey-turuey from the very foūdati­on: 2. when it falls finally and irrecouerably neuer to be raysed vp againe like the walls of Iericho.Ios. 6.26. Such I am per­suaded shall in Gods due time bee the fall of Babilon (as aM. Higgo [...]s in his mysticall Babilon. learned Diuine of ours hath of late euidently prooued) though the Babilonish architects labour with all their arr. and industry to repaire the ruines of Babell: butPsal. 127.1. except the Lord build the house, their labour is but lost that build it, and the Lord hath decreed and denounced the fall thereof [Page 65] by thatApoc. 14.12. euerlasting Gospell, which the Angell brought in­to the world: therefore downe it must, and the fall there­of shall be great, and shall crush all that wittingly, willing­ly, and wilfully fall with it, and vnder it, (as theOct. 26, 1623. late fall of an house did some adhaerents vnto Babilon) and presse them downe (if they speedily repent not) to the bottome of hell.

And such also will be the fall of all worldlings,Iust secunda, & other foolish builders on the sand, if they speedily conuert not, and become wise builders, to builde on the rocke Christ and his Sacred truth, both by beleeuing and practi­sing. As here their fall was great, when they wittingly, and willingly consented vnto sinne; and greater, when they acted it, and greatest of all, when they persisted in it: so hereafter their fall shall be exceeding great: Not likeGen. 3 23. A­dams onely, from a paradise of pleasure to a wildernesse of wo [...]: (for so they fall here when they fall from truth to er­rour, and from righteousnes to sinne and wickednes: but like Lucifers, who fell likeLuc. 10.11. lightning, (that is, swiftly and suddainely from the height of heauen to the depth of hell: and from being an Angell of light, and a pure starre of coe­lestiall brightnesse to be an angell of aeternall night, and the blacke Prince of infernall darknes.

Applicat. To the end therefore that wee may escape this fearefull fall and irrecouerable Mine of haeretiks, prophane wretches, worldlings, and hypocrites, let vs build on the firme rocke of Christ and his heauenly truth, both by hearing and pra­ctising.

Wee of this land are bound to God for innumerable blessings: namely, a Religious King, a hopefull Prince, a fruitfull land (like Canaan flowing with milke and hony, or Eden the garden of the Lord:) also goodly and populous ci­ties and townes, and flourishing Vniuersities, and Innes of Court, (which like Theopbrastus Persian tree) doe at the same time bud, blossome, and bring forth fruit. So that we may say of England (as one did of Rhodes,) Semper in Sole sita est: for we haue had a long sunne-shine of prosperitie, peace, and plenty: and withall the sunne-shine of the Gos­pell: [Page 66] which (as Luther said) is Genus generalissimum om­nium bonorum, the well head of our happinesse: for hereby we may build on the rocke, while other our neighbour na­tions build on the sand.

Seeing therefore God hath trusted vs with such a trea­sure, let vs be thankefull for it: and shew our thankfullnes: first, in imbracing this Gospell of peace peaceably, as the sub­iects of the Prince of peace. Let vs not stand striuing (as too many haue vainely done already too long) about the swadling cloutes of holy Religion (namely Clericall ha­bites, and other comely Ceremonies) least while we striue about these ouermuch, wee endanger the body or substance of true Religion, let vs not any longer r [...]nd in sunder theCypr. de vnit. Eccles. seamelesse coat of Christ (the vnitie of the Church) by our needlesse con [...]en i [...]n [...] about th [...]se [...]h [...]gs. [...]or if [...]eeGal. 5.15. bite and deuoure one another, let vs take heed least we bee con­sumed one of another: and while we [...]i [...]tu [...]be th [...] Churches peace, we depriue her of her prosp [...]r [...]ie, an [...] make an open wa [...] (as this brea [...]h hath already done too much:) for those proud and cruell Babylonians to ruine our Ierusal [...]m: who say of it in their hearts:Psal. 127.7. Downe with it, downe with it euen to the ground.

But being [...]ll Ministers or members of one Church, (which isCypr. ibid. Vna Colūba, oneCant. 5.2. do [...]e of Christ: let vs haue all the douelike spirit of humi [...]itie, charit, peace, & vnitie: for the doues of one house liue together, loue together, fly to­gether, flocke together kisse each other, and in all respects performe the l [...]wes of loue, peace, and vnanimity. So let vs liue and loue together, and (with the first bel [...]euers of the Primitiue Church) be all ofAct. 4.32. one heart and one soule. Let all ministers preach, and people pray for the peace of our Ie­rusalem:Psal. 122.6, 7. for if peace be within her walls, plenteousnesse will be within her palaces.

2. Let vs that are built on this rocke of truth, bring forth the fruits of holines and true righteousnes. So S. Ier. said of the Christians of his dayes:Hieron. Pro [...]m. Comment. in Ezech. Scripturarum cupimus verba in opera vertere, & non dicere sancta sed facere: we de­sire to turne the words of the Scripture into workes, and [Page 67] not to speake of, but to doe the workes of holinesse.

As the naturall life lies hid in the heart (the fountaine of the vitall spirits) and yet Physitions iudge of it by the pulse in the arme: so the spirituall life of a Christian (to wit his regeneration) lies hid in the heart and soule, and yet men iudge of it by the motion of the arme (the exercise of good workes) for Mat 7.10. the tree is knowne by his fruites. We cannot iudge of the life of grace, and power of true Religion in the soules of men: 1. By the eyes: for many lift vp their eyes to heauen (by seeming shewes of sanctitie) when their hearts lye grouel [...]ng on the earth, yea mudling in the earth by base worldlinesse, and gross [...] carnalitie. 2. Nor by the eares: fo [...] there be manyIam. 1.22. hearers of the word, but not do­ers of the same, deceiuing their owne soules: 3. Nor by the tongu [...]: fo [...] manyMat. 15.8. & 7.21. draw neere to God with their mouths, and honour him with their lips, when their hearts are far from him, and cry with a zealous ingemination, Lord, Lord, and yet doe not the will of their heauenly Father. But by the arme or hand: that is, by doing cheerefully, sincerely, and con­stantly the things that God commandeth.

Cant. 5.1. & 6.2.Christ the bridegroome comes into his garden, not to refresh himselfe vnder the shadow of the trees, or to be­hold the greene lea [...]es, or to crop the buds, and blossomes, but to gather the fruits, that his friends may eate abun­dantly: for then Ch [...]ist feedes when his friends feed, the head is nourishe [...] in his members.Mat. 25.40. In as much as yee haue done it vnto me of these little ones ye haue done it vnto me.

Let therefore the word of GodCol. 3.16. dwell in you (as it dwels among you) plenteously that ye may bee1 Tim. 6.18. rich in good workes, ready to distribute, willing to communicate to the poore and needyEsa. 58 7, 8. dealing your bread to the hungry, & drinke to the thirsty, bringing the poore that are cast out into your houses, couering the naked with a garment, & not hiding your selues from your owne flesh: then shall your light breake forth as the morning, and your health spring foorth speedily, your righteousnes shall goe before you, and the glory of the Lord shall be your reward. And then shall GodApoc. 20.1. chaine vp Sathan in the bottomlesse pit, and re­straine [Page 68] the force and malice, of wicked men that they can­not hurt vs,Aug in Exod. Malorum potestas deficit in muscis, The po­wer of the Magitians failes in the flies: for Sathan cannot doe the least thing without Gods permission. If therefore weEccles. 12. vlt. feare the Lord and keepe his commandements, heare his word and doe it, euen those stormes, flouds and winds, which Sathan stirres vp to cast downe our spiriruall buil­ding, shall blow our happines, and land the ships of our soules and bodies at last in the hauen of heauen.

Now let euery heart stretch forth an hand, & apply what hath beene spoken to himselfe, and pray earnestly for the assistance of Gods Spirit that he may so doe: for we may preach, and you heare, and both loose our labour, except there be a drawing of the father, a touch of the Sonne, and an inspiration of the Holy-Ghost; but if these concurre, then God himselfe makes the Sermon, and builds vp there­by the spirituall Edifices of our Soules, & makes them stand fast for euer: and so the fruit of a few houres hearing shall be eternity of dayes.

A Prayer.

Grant vs grace therefore (O Lord) to bee doers of thy word, not hearers only, deceiuing our own souls: & vouchsafe so to assist vs with thy holy Spirit in this our building, that we may not build the spirituall Edifices of our soules, ei­ther on humane traditions, (with superstitious Papists;) or vpon our vaine presumption of thy mercy, (with prophane & secure sinners) or vpon the perishing vanities of this world (with foolish Mammonists) or vpon our outward profession of faigned holinesse, (with masked Hypocrites:) but vpon the rocky faundation of thy Christ and his sacred truth, both by hearing and practizing: that no raine of worldly prosperity, nor stormes of aduersity, windes of haereticall perswasions, or violent flouds of persecutions, ouerthrow this our spirituall building: but that it may stand fast like mount Sion till (this house of our earthly tabernacle being dissolued) wee haue a building giuen vs of thee, an house not made with hands but eternall in the Heauens.

FINIS.

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Text Creation Partnership. Searching, reading, printing, or downloading EEBO-TCP texts is reserved for the authorized users of these project partner institutions. Permission must be granted for subsequent distribution, in print or electronically, of this EEBO-TCP Phase II text, in whole or in part.