I Purposed to have entred into these words abruptly; but the first words which stand as it were in the porch, being parti­cles of speciall inference from the former, and therefore of necessary reference to them, tell me that I must borrow light at the next doore, that I may walke inoffensively. To give a touch then of the coherence. You may take notice of it, either as they depend upon the next ver­ses immediately going before, or as they stand in the whole building, and are as it were woven [Page 2] into the whole frame of the Apostles dis­course. The connexion with the precedent verses is very easie and perspicuous: you may areed the meaning, if you will but read the words, And all things are of God, &c. these are the words out of which you may easily draw, and (with a little turning of the wheele of your understanding) as it were spin the words that I have read, thus: We have a com­mission to preach the word of reconciliation, that is the good will of God, for reconciling man to him­selfe by the bloud of Iesus Christ: We have such a commission from God: Ergo, we are Ambassadors for Christ. But there is something more diffi­culty to observe how these make to the gene­rall end and scope of the Apostle: give me leave to go back a little, and take the advan­tage of a run, that I may the better open the meaning of these words. The faithfull Apo­stle (as it is the condition of all that will be faithfull) met with many rubs and much op­position at Corinth, especially from the Col­ledge of proud Pharisees and learned Rabbins among them: among other things, his affli­ctions were laid in his dish, and that scandall of the meanenesse of his person, was interpre­ted as a reall prejudice against the truth of his profession. You will say, a brutish collection, and against a common rule of humanity; and yet, to say truth, it is the common opinion of carnall men; they judge of Religion by these [Page 3] outward impertinencies, rather than appurte­nances, they cannot fancy the truth, because of the ragged garment that she weares. As on the contrary, the tyrant boasted that the Gods approved of his sacriledge, because he sailed home with a faire gale of wind: Foelix scelus virtus vocatur, Mischief happy in the successe is cal­led vertue: and with the Papists, the ostentation of the prosperity of their estate, is the best de­monstration of the sincerity of their religion: belike they have clipt the wings of prosperity (as the Athenians did the wings of victory) that she cannot flie away from their Church: so in this, Iobs friends reason thus, surely thou art an hypocrite, or else thou hadst never come to this: And the Barbarians in the Acts con­clude thus in their countrey barbarous Mood and Figure, when they saw a viper upon Pauls hand,Acts 28. 4. surely that man is a malefactor, justice pursues him, and that vermin, as an officer of justice, hath arrested him. So do they of Co­rinth, according to their barbarous divinity, seeing Pauls misery, as they conceived it, call his ministery into question: But the Apostle wipes away both these imputations, the one cast upon his person, the other on his calling, with one answer, and stops two gaps with one bush, looke 4. Chap. 7. Vers. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. As if he should have said, our profession is honourable, [Page 4] though our person be contemptible; our Mi­nistery is a treasure, though we Ministers be but earthen vessels; and these very earthen vessells, though they have but a base matter, yet they have a blessed end: for they proclaim to all the world, that the excellency of the power is of God, and not of us. Is it thus, might some man say, and is there nothing then that comes to your share? have you nothing but your la­bour for your paines? is there nothing to be gotten by the Gospell but blowes and persecu­tion? Why then you may take all the gaines, and put them in your eye (as we use to speake) and see never a whit the worse, and then weep them out againe. But I wonder what makes you so faithfull in such a fruitlesse thing? why are you so hot for that which yeelds such cold recompence? The Apostle, besides the excel­lency of his function, alledges three reasons why afflictions did not daunt him, and dash him out of countenance, but he held on his course and diligence in publishing the Gospell: I will but point them out and passe them over.

1. From the hope of a blessed reward in heaven, from the 13. Verse of the 4. Chapter to the 10. of this 5.

2. From the feare of just punishment, and a curse, if he should have done the worke of the Lord negligently, in the 10. and 11. Verse of this Chapter, For we must all appeare, &c. and though here were weight enough to set the [Page 5] most rusty wheeles a going: yet because these two may work in base minds, and are in them­selves but sinister ends, which many that seem to goe streight, may looke a squint upon: feare in the foreward, and reward and hope in the rereward marshall all his forces, and love in the maine battell, or rather, tota in toto & tota in qualibet parte, animates every one to valour and victory; punishment is servile, and hope of reward mercenary. He addes a third motive, which is the peculiar character of a Christian mind, and that is love, in the 14 vers. of this Chap. For the love of Christ constraineth us, this is that which winds up his affections to that in­tention of zeal and fervencie. And I pray mark the words. Reward hath an attractive, and punishment an impulsive, but love hath a com­pulsive facultie. Reward drawes him, punish­ment drives him, but love hales him forward, to the discharge of his duty: Hope like a ten­der Mother entices him with a reward, feare like a severe Master incites him with punish­ment, but love like a Soveraigne Lord com­mands him. Hope hales before him, and feare blowes behind him, and both on each side row him, but love within him like the very soule of obedience teaches him a naturall motion. Behold againe a strange agreement, force and freedome, violent and voluntary, necessity and liberty met together, and married; and which is more, the most pure liberty with the most [Page 6] powerfull necessity, For the love of Christ con­straineth us, the sweetest natured affection. Love is growne a tyrant and will needs force and ravish the virgin, freedome of will; which hitherto hath been inviolate. Love constrains not by forcible but by loving necessitie, as Plato speakes. [...]. You see three goodly threads, which twisted all together have strength enough to draw the most sleepy sluggard out of his bed of sloath, but you doe not see how they are fastened to Paul, you see three mighty engines, which are able to moove him that were im­movable, but you do not see in what point they touch our Apostle, and yet that is the principall point: for if these generalities were sufficient, why doth not every Vzzah lay hands upon the Arke of God without any checke of justice? why doth not every man that is not a stocke or a Stoick, that hath any hope or feare or love, become a Preacher, a publisher of the Gospell? Yes I will tell you, Paul was an Apostle, he had a calling which authorized him, to doe what he did, and therefore all these wrought upon him, and encouraged him to doe it dili­gently. This is the handle on which they all lay hold; Now we being Ambassadors for Christ, hope invites us, and feare commands us, and love constraines us to strive for our victory, to see for our safety, to condescend to your infir­mity in the faithfull execution of our ministe­ry, and therefore in all earnest, obedient, and [Page 7] humble manner, we pray you be ye reconciled to God. I have made bold to crop these few tops of flowers out of this Divine Garden which lies before my text, where I must dwell some­thing longer, and I meane to scruze the juyce of them into my following discourse. And therefore if you find that it shall taste of this co­herence, you see the ingreedients, you need not suspect the operation. The summe of the words is the summe of the Word of God, they are a little Bible, an Enchiridion of the whole volume, all the letters are compen­diously abbreviated in these few characters, all the particular words cast up into this totall summe, all the silver sayings reduced into this golden sentence, that it may be more portable. We pray you be ye reconciled to God, for here is the knowledge of God; we pray you be ye reconci­led to God, here is the knowledge of man; we pray you be ye reconciled to God, here is the knowledge of him that is both God and man; we pray you in Christs stead, be ye reconciled to God, here is the knowledge of them that are sent from God to man, to bring man to God.

We pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God. I shall not be curious in laying out the parts, a popular argument will be content with a popular distribution, I will but let the words fall into your eares and they will breake them­selves into two parts. Now therefore we are Am­bassadors [Page 8] for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you be ye reconciled to God. You see the words of their owne accord fall into two parts. 1. Yee have the Ambassadors, 2. The Embassage: The Ambassadors in the first words, We are Ambassadors for Christ, The Embassage in the rest; and then the last words of the first part [for Christ] are as it were the corner stone, in which the two build­ings are coupled; the middle ring, in which the two extreames are joyned; the communis terminus, in which the two parts are continu­ed; the joynts upon which they turne them­selves, and clasp one with another: and per­haps I may expresse the same thing in better termes, if I call the first the charge, the second the discharge; the first, the institution of an Office; the second, the execution of it: In the first, we have one Proposition consisting of a simple antecedent, and a triple consequent; the antecedent We, we are Ambassadors for Christ: the primary consequent is Ambassadors; We are Ambassadors, which is attended with a double illustration, and so altogether make a treble attribution, as I told you: First from the Object about which they are employed, for Christ; We are Ambassadors for Christ: The second from the Author, by whom they are imployed, from God; We are Ambassadors for Christ from God: indeed this is implyed in the text, but must be supplyed out of the context, [Page 9] as you may see easily, and shall see shortly. This is the first part, and the second is like un­to it, as our Saviour said of the Commande­ments: for there we have one proposition like­wise, which hath a sensible proportion with the former, but yet accompanied with some re­markable alterations: for, 1. It consists of a triple antecedent, and a simple consequent cleane contrary to it. 2. That which was the consequent before hath shifted his place, and is now become the antecedent, the whole be­ing enriched with a new consequent, which was not in the former. 3. The three parts of the consequent have had a remove, that which was last, is commended and preferred to be first; and which was first, is degraded and re­jected to be last; only the middle, as the center, is unmooved. And now thus it is; We are Ambassadors for Christ from God, ther's the antecedent, peeced out with the three parts of the former consequent: pray you be ye reconci­led to God, ther's the consequent, but the or­der of the parts are inverted: for they should run as I propounded them, but they are pro­pounded so, that they run cleane backward in a [...]. retrograde motion, as the Artists speake: We as Ambassadors for Christ from God, comming from God, as though God did be­seech you by us, comming for Christ, in Christs stead, or in Christs name: comming as Ambassadors or Orators, do play the Ora­tors, [Page 10] we pray you be ye reconciled to God. The last point of the first, is the first of the last; and the last of the last, is the first of the first, and so they close together much like the figure which the Rhetoricians called [...]. a circular fi­gure, and more like the yeare, of which the Poet, ‘At (que) in se sua per vestigia vertitur annus.’

So that ye have in these words two propositi­ons, like two Semicircles, and we is the Center upon which they both move; like two Hemi­sphears, and we is the Horizon, which divides the superiour from the inferiour; both which together make one solid Globe, and we is the Diameter, that cuts it into equall portions, a Se­micircle of being, and a Semicircle of operati­on; an Hemisphear of office, and an Hemisphear of action: The first, We are Ambassadors for God, The second, We as Ambassadors pray you to be re­conciled to God. The contriving of these rooms was so perplexed, that I am afraid my speech hath not given window enough to let in light enough to cleare the passages: I am sure I am glad that I have wound my selfe out of this in­tricate Labyrinth, though I were to breake the clue that guided me, and the thread of my dis­course presently.

But now we have cut out the stuffe, we must goe about to make up the garment. To begin with the first. As the Stars in the Firmament have a double vertue, of illumination and in­fluence, whereby they communicate them­selves [Page 11] to the inferiour bodies: So hath every text in holy writ, an illumination of truth upon the understanding, and an influence of grace and goodnesse upon the will; and therefore I will endeavour to shew your apprehensions the light of truth in the explication of the words, so that they may shed their influence of grace upon your affections in their application. The first word that offers it selfe to our confi­deration, is the subject we: which though it be so concrete with that which followes in the originall that it hath lost it selfe, for there all that sentence is wrapped up in one word [...]; as the lesser Starres when they have ap­proached in too near a degree of propinquity to the Sunne, as it were conscious of their own presumption, they dare not be seene, or else they forfeit their light to the Sunne their so­veraigne, and are eclipsed. Yet a good Lo­gician, with his Prometheus fire, would sever these heterogeneals, and resolve them into their pure and primitive natures, and then would appeare a paire of arguments, besides the yoke that holds them together, as our translation renders it, We are Ambassadors. Well then, that first word (that we may take the just measure of the meaning of it) must be considered in three degrees of latitude. 1. It respects himselfe. 2. All his fellow Apostles. 3. All his Fellow-labourers in the Lords har­vest. The body of it moves within himselfe, [Page 12] as in his proper and particular Spheare, the beames are cast abroad upon all the Apostles in a direct and perpendicular line, the beautie and lustre diffuseth it selfe yet further in an un­partiall liberality to every Minister of the Word; I, and they, and all, we are Ambassa­dors for Christ. 1. Himselfe, I, who was an abortive birth, a stranger, a wolfe, a persecu­tor, a traitor, an enemy to the grace of God, in my best principles of nature; I am become, by the rich mercy of God, a darling sonne, a Subject, a Shepheard, a Preacher, a Favourite, an Ambassador of the grace of God in Iesus Christ: I am an Ambassador. Thus the A­postle chewes as it were upon his office, as the wounded Hart upon the famous Dictamum, and all the poisoned Arrowes of reproach and obloquy, drop off. Thus he shakes the Viper off his hand, which those barbarous enemies thought to have beene deadly▪ but the reason why he speakes in the plurall number, is be­cause of humility partly, and partly of wise­dome. It is the language of humility, when a man is urged to a necessary [...]. selfe-praise, and forced by the importunity of others, to vindi­cate himself, yet to qualifie his speech as much as may be. So doth the Apostle here excel­lently, it seemes good to him to distribute this honour to many, that he may not seeme to at­tribute too much to himselfe, and this plurall number is a phrase of singular humility, and [Page 13] thus the stile of Princes runnes (we will and our pleasure) joyning their Counsell or the whole State with themselves: For I rather take that frequent anomalie for an intimation of modesty, then of majestie, though I am not ignorant how others apprehend it. Again here is a mystery of wisdome in this word. For as a Deere that is eagerly pursued will immerse it selfe into the whole heard, that so she may suspend the violence of the chase, by the am­biguity of the choise in such variety of game: So Paul being singled out by calumny, doth mingle himselfe with the whole fellowship of Apostles. Or as one in danger of arresting will take sanctuary in some priviledged place: So Paul takes sanctuary at the Colledge of A­postles. 2. This word besides the particular appropriation which it hath to Paul himselfe, must needs be interpreted, according to the true propriety of the number, and meaning; and so it extends it selfe. 1. To all the Apo­stles. 2. To all Ministers of the Word, both of them are Ambassadors, for they agree in the substance of their commission, though there be some difference in the circumstance of the execution: the Apostolike office, indeed, car­ried a more lively resemblance of an Ambas­sage, then the ordinary Ministery, in two re­gards. 1. They were authorized by Christ himselfe, and so received their instructions im­mediately from his mouth, who is the King of [Page 14] the Church; and accordingly were furnished with all sufficiencies, by the inspiration of his Spirit; they bestowed not much time and travaile to speake forreine languages, (a thing necessary for Ambassadors) but as Esaie's tongue was touched by a Seraphim with a cole from the Altar, so they had cloven and fiery tongues, bestowed on them by the Spirit: be­side that, they had the gift of miracles, as it were the broad seale of Heaven, annexed to their letters of credit. But with our Mini­sters it is not so, but they are brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, and trained up in the Schooles of the Prophets, and purchase their abilities (as he in the Acts did his freedome) with a great summe of labour, and time, and cost: and then the Church the Spouse of Christ, since her Lords departure, as a Matron, weares the keyes of authority at her girdle, opens to them a doore of utterance and admits them to the ser­vice of the Altar. As they had a more au­thenticall mission, so they had a motion more observable, which addes as it were life and spi­rit to the image, and picture of Ambassadors. They were dispatched into all coasts and cor­ners of the world; but ours are fastned to some one place, like pillars of residence; but not­withstanding these petty differences, seeing they have the same sphear of activity, in which they moove, to reconcile men to God, and the same Sun of authority, by which they moove, [Page 15] the power of the Church, being the power of Christ derived to her, (as we call them the Kings officers, who are created not immedi­ately by his Majestie, but in vertue of his po­wer and in subordination to his Royall prero­gative) And lastly, seeing the similitude may be preserved entire in both, though this varie­ty be confessed: there being a difference in the type Ambassadors, much like that in the anti­type of Ministers; so that either may answer the patterne: And our ordinary Ministers sute with agents or leiger Ambassadors, as the A­postles came neerer to extraordinary. In all these respects they also being included, the whole extent of this word We hath three de­grees: 1. Himselfe, 2. All his fellow Apo­stles, 3. All his fellow-labourers in the Lords harvest. I have made some haste, but the time I feare hath over runne me much, and therefore for that which is behind of the ex­plication, I will lay downe but the rude linea­ments, and proportion, and leave the perfect colours and complexion to another time. The second word (Ambassadors) is a speech bor­rowed from Princes Courts, and applyed to Christ his Church, by a decent analogy. Am­bassadors are messengers from one Prince or State to another, about such affaires as con­cerne both. You may observe three moments of being, in this rude description; and accor­dingly draw out three paralell lines, in which, [Page 16] the termes of comparison do runne along one by another in a sweet proportion. 1. They are both Messengers. 2. They are both from Princes. 3. They are both about matters of mutuall behoofe.

But, because you know a similitude is a ten­der thing, and must be gently handled, you must not squeize it too much, and stretch it too farre, lest you breake the harmony and analo­gy, the Musicke and Logicke of the parts; I shall pray you to carry along with you three maine discords in which they jarre, least pro­mising your selves an harmony, [...], in every note and point; you be offended too much with every harshnesse and inequality. 1. Ambassadors are therefore sent from Prin­ces, because them selves cannot be present e­very where: but the Lord of these Ambassa­dors, as he is in no predicament of time, because he inhabiteth eternity; so he is in no vbi, but ubiquity. 2. Ambassadors are directed to Princes only, or free Estates, and that from some Peere, who can neither claime subjection of them, nor superioritie over them to whom he sends. But these are sent to subjects, to vassalls, to rebels; from him, to whom all owe an oath of allegiance; to whose suprema­cy, the highest must subscribe; to whose so­veraigntie, all the sonnes of the mighty are ob­noxious in a politicall, naturall, essentiall order of dependance. 3. Ambassadors are set forth [Page 17] with some beseeming port and pompe, that they may sustaine the person of majestie, and support the majestie of the person, whom they represent. But with these it is nothing so, the Chariots of their glory, are the shame of their Lords house, who, to speak with reverence, is like some rich Gentleman in the Countrey, who in a bravery, scornes to bee brave. The third word of the Text remaines, [for Christ] which may beare a threefold construction: wherein Christ may be conceived, either, as the author, or the end, the Alpha and Omega of this Ambassage, or thirdly, the object of these Ambassadors, the center, and circum­ference of their imployment. But I promis­ed but a delineation of these things: only give me leave to close up all, with one observation out of the words: I noted before that this sen­tence [We are Ambassadors] is closer trussed up in the Originall, into one word [...], a word of a precious emphasis, which is much abated, and very dilute, almost lost in the trans­lation; for that word of action, signifying the office, may tell us so much in our eares, that those officers must be men of action, they must be of a nimble and active constitution. The men of the earth may be of a more dull and sad temper, they may fold their armes, they may stretch themselves upon their beds of Ivory, and turne themselves upon them, as the doore turnes upon the hinges: But these Messengers [Page 18] of Heaven, must be like Heaven in perpetuall motion: They may well fall to a motus trepi­dationis, if they but once forget their daily pro­gresse. They that preach Christ the Sonne of righteousnesse, must be like the Sunne, who commeth forth of his chamber, like a bride­groome, and rejoyceth to runne his race, as a mighty man; and yet when they have done all, there will be many sonnes of darknesse, that will live in a night of security, and sleepe and snort in sinne: there will be many cold pro­fessors, that are frozen to their lusts, and will not be thawed by that Divine Lamp, and mel­ted into the teares of true repentance. And therefore this translation, We are Ambassa­dors, nimis lentum est: We ergo Ambassadors, hoc quoque est nimis lentum. These Ministers must fly, like the Cherubims that give atten­dance in the presence of God, they must have sixe winges for expedition, in the execution of his will: they have wings upon their feet, a strange thing, wings upon their feet; no they cannot foot it fast enough, but they must speed their race with flight, remis velísque, the booke they carry, is such as the Prophet saw, a flying booke; and Christ himselfe in their mi­nistery, sitteth betweene the Cherubims, and rideth upon the wings of the winde, and so communicates himselfe to all Nations.

YOU may remember, that I pro­ceeded thus farre the last time, to lay downe the coherence of these words, with the former, and to lay open the particulars in them contained. The first point of Doctrine, that we started then, was, That Ministers of the Word, are Gods Am­bassadors. I touched lightly both the cir­cumstantiall differences, which might be ob­jected; and the substantiall agreement, which must be observed, as it was intended, in this metaphoricall speech; and there we coupled [Page 20] up. And though I determined then, to have gone overthem more fully, yet because I fore­see many things to be delivered, I will rather passe them over; contenting my selfe, with that which hath beene spoken, and descend to the confirmation of the truth propounded. But there is one thing crosses the way, and comes betweene me and my purpose: For, perhaps there are some here, who considering the name and nature of this exercise, will de­mand, or rather, command and challenge the resolution of a question, before I goe any far­ther. For what necessity can be imagined, that God should send his Ambassadors to us; or, if that be supposed, what conveniency may be conceived, that men, and meane men should be imployed in so honourable a service? To the first part of the question, I shall shape an answer briefly. Looke as some royall King, when his naturall subjects, have unnaturally rebelled, and taken up armes against him; (like the churlish Israelites, We have no portion in David, no inheritance in the sonne of Ishai, every man to his tents O Israel.) that he may curb their insolencie, with the bridle of Soveraigne au­thority; is ready to send forth a decree of wrath, by the hand of the messengers of death: But the young Prince, out of his speciall grace and princely compassion, stepping betweene them and the blow, and interceeding for them, is intreated to reverse the sentence, and dispatch [Page 21] a Proclamation of pardon, to all such of them as within the prefixed period shall return to their obedience: So we having committed high trea­son, against the most High, in most ungracious manner, and lifted up the hand against our Ma­ker (like the proud tyrant that belched forth­this, Who is God, that we should obey him? or who is the Lord, that we should serve him?) whose hands had but even then fashioned us; and the decree of death being gone forth against us, Thou shalt dye the death; Christ Iesus the eter­nall Sonne of God, the Prince of peace, hath interposed himselfe for us, and latched the blow (that would have sunk us to Hell) upon his owne body, which he gave for us on the Crosse; that so reconciliation being made in his blood, the Father might be well pleased in him, to speake peace unto us, and proclaime a free pardon to all that should believe, by the silver Trumpet of the Gospell: Returne, re­turne, for why will ye die ô house of Israel? This is the necessity: wherein you may observe on mans part, no meritorious excellencies, but miserable extremity: On Gods part, no forci­ble compulsion, but a most feeling and free compassion, that caused him to visite us, with these comfortable messengers. And this I might exemplifie in all, if I would run through all kinde of Ambassages. As, some are to moove, and make marriages: So is this, to espouse the Soule to a noble Bridegroome, e­ven [Page 22] Iesus Christ. Some are for commerce and traffick; and so is this: that we might have a secure and sweet entercourse with the Lord, as once we had, before the league was broken in Paradise, in integrity: that the Lord might transport us to that aureum vellus, the robe of Christs righteousnesse, who was the Lambstain from the beginning of the world; that Pearle of price, that rich Margarite, the Kingdome of Heaven; and might receive againe of us, by way of exchange, (a poore exchange, but ve­ry precious in his sight) our humble and thank­full obedience. But which way soever you please to patterne the materials of the simili­tude, you shall find no other motive but what I said before, Gods incomparable mercy, be­holding with a tender and compassionate eye, mans irrecoverable misery. This may suffice for a taste of a farther answer, to the first point in the question, concerning the necessity why God sends Ambassadors; for I should but an­ticipate my following discourse, if I should labour to give the full satisfaction. The se­cond point comes now to be considered. For if there must needs be Ambassadors, why are not some of those glorious Cherubims, and Seraphims, that shine with knowledge, and burne with zeale, that cry, holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabbath; that like courtiers of the King of Heaven, attend upon his Royall person, and behold the face of their heavenly Father, con­tinually [Page 23] ready to execute his will and pleasure; why are not some of these preferred to this honour? I am sure such a liturgie, might well beseeme the highest Hierarchie; such a message, the tongue of Angels; such superna­turall truths, such Angelicall and Seraphicall Doctors. And who more fit to dispence the Word of God, the heavenly Mannah, the food of Angels, then the sonnes of God, then An­gels? Who can tell me the mistery of this strange proceeding, that they should be neg­lected, and man exalted to this dignity? May not every one presume to refuse this of­fice without presumption, and disobey such a command, without disobedience; or will not such presumption, be counted humility; and such disobedience, modestie? As Moses when he should have gone in Gods errand, What am I, that I should goe to Pharaoh, or deliver the chil­dren of Israel out of Egypt? Exod. 3. 11. 12. though the Lord removed the scruple, when he answered, I am with thee; as if he should have said, count not only the multitude of enemies, and the likely­hoods of opposition, as Antigonus his Admi­rall did, when he told him, that the enemies number farre exceeded his; but how many do ye set me against, said the King? but looke about you and see who is with you, Behold I am with thee, Cap. [...] 10. yet Moses was not satisfied, but replyed the second time, O my Lord I am not eloquent, nor ever was, but a man of a heavie mouth [Page 24] and a slow tongue, the Lord satisfieth him a­gaine, but he is not satisfied; for after he had bid him consider, who gives the tongue to man? or, who makes the dumbe and deafe, as it not I the Lord? As if he should have said, it is the grace of God, by which we are that which we are, and I am able to do all things by the grace of God, which enableth me: And we may say of grace in this kinde, as the Poet doth,

Yet Moses could not rest but he leaves object­ing,Vers. 13. and fals intreating; O my Lord, I pray thee send by the hand of him, whom thou shouldest send. And who is so highly priviledged above Moses, that might not shrinke as Moses did, when hee should consider with himself the weightinesse of the worke, and the weaknesse of his owne person,2 Cor. 2. 16. and say as Paul did, who is sufficient for these things? But it is time to frame an an­swer: Though neither our shallow capacitie can sound the depth of Gods counsels, nor he be bound to render a reason of his proceed­ings, yet he gives us both liberty to enquire with sobriety, and light to finde out so much that we may go away with reasonable satisfa­ction. And therefore I pray observe with me three principall Reasons, why the Lord [Page 25] who wants neither wisdome, or power, to contrive it otherwise, either by immediate ir­radiation, upon the understanding, and influ­ence into the will, or by the ministerie of the blessed Angels, yet thought good rather to make use of the helpe of man, for the bringing of man to himselfe, and working that mighty worke of conversion, which our Divines have thought, and taught not without some proba­bilitie of reason, to be greater than the great worke of the first creation. The first, I take to be from the nature of the thing, wherewith this order stands in greater congruity divers wayes: For first of all, supposing things in sta­tu quo, that God will have men descend by na­turall propagation, and divide themselves into politicall societies; of which, and out of which, he will call some to grace, which shall come by degrees, not powred in all at once, but dropped in, by little and little, here a line, and there a line. It sures not with the na­ture of Angels, to have such ordinary, and vi­sible commerce with men, as is necessary to accomplish this: for men in this case, must be alwaies feeding, as children use, and must have continuall hand and tending: well indeed they may be dry nurses, to watch, and preserve, and protect the children of God; but to be fathers to beget them by the immortall seed of the Word, to be wet nurses, to succle them with the syncere pure milke of the Word, they can­not [Page 26] be. So that, unlesse we would imagine the whole face of nature changed, and all moulded into a new frame, this peece would not hold proportion with the rest. Nay, it were a thing irregular, and a kinde of violence to the Angelicall nature, to converse with men in this kinde, whereas we all know, nullum vi­olentum est perpetuum, there be few Analogies, but there be none Anomalies that are perpetu­all: Indeed the Lord uses them for the good of man many times, but their part is not to be alwayes on the Stage. 2. By this meanes, man is drawne to God in such a manner, as is most convenient for his nature, not only in re­gard of his composition (for by preaching of the Word, his sensible part is wrought upon, and affected) but also in regard of his free­dome, for as in the free motions of nature, there is (that I may use a distinction something nice for the termes, but necessary for the thing) I say, a cooperation, without any coaction: so in the first motion of grace, though the Lord worke with a certaine infallibility, and as I may say, a sweet necessity, yet he doth not offer violence to any principle of nature, which hath some evidence, ever from this, that God▪ workes it by man; so that if you looke to both the causes, the principall, and instrumentall, you may say it is the work of God, therefore there is no possibilitie of resistance; it is the work of man, therefore there is no shew nor [Page 27] shadowes of violence: and these two must goe together, for as the King in Plutarch said of a groat, [...]. it is no kingly gift; and of a talent, [...]. it is no base bribe: So may we say in this case, to worke with danger of failing, agrees not with the power of God, whose will is not will, if not omnipotent, except it can worke what it will. Againe, to worke by way of forcing, agrees not with the nature of man, whose will is not will, except it will what it workes. I should enterpret my selfe more fully, for feare of unkind constructions, but that I must make haste. 3. There is a de­cency, that seeing the Sonne of God became the sonne of man, that the sons of men might become the sonnes of God; and we having all received of his fulnesse grace for grace, his gifts of grace should be conveighed as by a conduit pipe by the same nature: and there­fore the Apostle, painting forth unto us that goodly body of the Church, of which, Christ is the head, makes Apostles, Evangelists, Pa­stors, all men, &c. the organicall parts of that body, which receive sense, and motion, and di­rection from the head: and for this purpose, he is (as the head) annointed with the oyle of gladnesse above his fellowes, that is, in greater measure, and above, that from him it may distil by the higher to the lowest members. Now the Angels are not univocall members with us, under the same head, though for the effica­cie [Page 28] of Christs merit, whether it may any way redound to those blessed Spirits, I will neither peremptorily deny, nor dispute for the pre­sent: and therefore it is more meet, the Word should be committed to men than Angels, or any other creatures. The second principall reason may be this, because it is most profita­ble for man, that men should be Gods Am­bassadors, and that in three respects. 1. Be­cause this honour is both a fruit of Christs exal­tation, Who ascended on high and led captivitie captive, and gave gifts unto men; and those gifts, are the ministeriall gifts, as you may see in the place: and besides it is a reall pledge of Gods [...]. affection to man, not only to the persons so dignified, but also in them to all mankinde, e­ven as great offices in the Court bestowed on any, are ordinarily arguments of great grace with the King. 2. Because it is a most pro­bable and likely way to bring men to God, for many reasons, which I will but propound, and so proceed. 1. In that God deales familiar­ly with us, which is a wondrous art to win af­fection. You know the Fable of the Theban Dame, that was misperswaded to intreat lupi­ter to company with her in all his majestie, to which when he condescended, she was so farre from taking that pleasure she promised her selfe from her goodly Bridegroome, that she lost her life: So could not our feeble spi­rits brooke the presence of the Divine glory, [Page 29] if he should vouchsafe to come unto us in all his Royaltie. I will not tell you any Poeticall Fable, but the truth of God. The Israelites tryed this, for when the Lord appeared to them in Mount Sinai with thunder and lightning, they presently found their owne weaknesse, and made suit to Moses, Let not the Lord speake unto us, Exod. 20 18, 19 lest we die, but speake thou unto us, and we will heare thee. And therefore Iob wishes that God would lay aside his terrour, and reason with him familiarly, to which when the Lord gra­ciously condescended, what was the issue? in­stead of his former disputation, he grew to this conclusion,Iob. 42. 6. Deut. 18. 15. I abhorre my selfe in dust and ashes. And God promises this as a blessing, I will raise you up a Prophet from among your brethren, he shall teach you. And therefore the Lord stooping to our capacitie, gives us so as we may receive, and speakes to us men by the mouth of men, as the most proportionable in­strument to worke upon us. Not much unlike Astyanax, in the Poet, who when his father be­ing armed came to embrace him, [...]. the child forthwith hid his face in his nurses bosome, cryed, and being afraid at the sight of his fa­ther, when he saw his hairy Plume upon his Headpeece bending towards him. Like as the Sunne when he lists to be seene, delayes his beames in some thicker cloud, that the edge of his brightnesse being abated, our dim eyes may not be too much offended. Againe, [Page 30] thus the troubled soule, may have free accesse to the Minister, which comfort could hardly be conveighed another way: especially, consi­dering whom the Lord makes choice of, to bestow the riches of his grace upon, not the great ones of the world so much, but the mean ones. Now as you have seene in a Faire, the Countrey people will not venture into the rich Shops, among the fine Citizens, but had rather bestow their money on some countrey Chap­man: so it may bee in this case: and therefore the Lord appoints men, and meane men, that even the meanest Christians may more freely repaire unto them. 2. Second­ly, the ministery of Men, is more credible then Angels, or any other could be; for though their testimony be of more weight in it selfe, by reason of their acurate knowledge, and en­tire fidelity; yet I know not how a man may have more advantages to deale with us: for to let passe the irrefragable authority of the word of God, upon which all divine truths must stand, which would be needlesse, if it pleased God to take any other course than this; and to omit that it is hard to give such infallible cha­racters, wherby divine illuminations, might be distinguished from diabolicall illusions, that all ambignity might be taken away; I say, 1. First, men converse with us, are knowne, they are our brethren, flesh of our flesh, and bone of our bone, and therefore what suspici­on [Page 31] can arise, that they, who are otherwise ap­proved, should goe about to deceive us, in a thing that is as much worth as our soule is. 2. They cannot deceive others, but they must deceive their owne soule, being they are in eâ­dem navi, in the same condition. 3. They confirme their owne words, and adde a com­mentary of practice to the text of preaching, with their workes; and by tasting themselves of what they prescribe to us, securing us of all feare of poyson. 4. Lastly, they may, and doe sometimes set a seale of suffering to their saying: but I passe to the third. Thirdly, the ministery of men is most effectuall, as for those respects touched before, and because they symbolize in qualities; whereas Philoso­phy teacheth, that there is easiest transmutati­on, where there is a Symbolicall quality be­tweene the agent and the patient: and because they sympathize in nature, so that there may be a secret attractive power, as we see in the Loadstone to the Iron, or rather a mutuall conspiring to embrace one another: So even by the very art of perswading: I know not what the tongue-eloquence of Angels is, and the Apostle seems to mention them with intimation of excellency, neither will I main­taine against all commers that a man may be a better Orator than an Angell: but I know the Lord is, and he hath put his Word into the mouth of man, he that made the heart and [Page 32] tryes the reines, he knowes how to frame words that will affect the heart, and so they doe insinuate themselves into the darkest cor­ners of it with wondrous power and efficacie. And this I know and dare avouch, that the highest mysterie in the Divine Rhetorick is to feele what a man speakes, and then speak what a man feeles. [...]. * Praxiteles exquisitely drew love, taking the patterne from that passion which he felt in his owne heart. And therefore this advantage a man hath, that he having a porti­on in the worke of Christs redemption, hath himselfe tasted, how sweet the blood of Christ is, how soveraigne to a sinfull soule, by expe­rimentall, as well as contemplative Divinitie. The heart best understands the language of the heart. But as this ordinance is profitable to men, because it is honourable to the Minister, and beneficiall to the people, so there is a com­mon utility redounds to both. For thirdly, it is one of the strongest bonds of love betweene Christians, who are hereby made givers and receivers in the most precious things, it is a knot to tie man and God together, God speak­ing to man by the Minister, and man speak­ing to God, it is the mid way as it were, in which they meet, and though there be more subtile bonds of faith, and Gods Spirit, where­by we are immediately united to Christ, and made members of his mysticall body: yet for our visible communion with him in his politi­call [Page 33] body, the Ministers are as it were the li­gaments. There remains yet one of the three principall reasons, Why the Lord makes men his Ambassadors, and it must not be omitted, because it is the most principall among the three: and this it is. 3. He gaines most glory this way, for, the weaker the instrument is for outward pomp, or appearance, the greater had need to be the power, and so the praise of the artificer;Eccl. 10. 10. If the Iron be blunt, you must put the more strength to it, saith Salomon in Ecclesiastes: Now you know how much the Lord esteemes of his honour: I am the Lord, (saith he by the Prophet) And my glory I will not give to ano­ther. And as Xenocrates said once to the chil­dren of one that had beene liberall to him, I have required your father, (said he) for all men commend him for his kindnesse to me. And as Themistocles, when he entred into the Olympick games, and all the Grecians cast their eyes upon him, and pointed at him, and whispered one to another, This is Themistocles that delivered Greece from Xer­xes, and the barbarous Persians, This is Themistocles, This day (said Themisto­cles) I confesse I am abundantly recompenc­ed, for all the paines that ever I tooke for Greece: So the Lord lookes for no other re­ward but this: And therefore the Psalmist re­peates it very often, and very pathetically, O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his [Page 34] goodnesse, and for his wondrous workes that he doth for the children of men, Psalme 107. He gives all the commodity of the world to the sonnes of men, receiving only this Royaltie to him­selfe; he cals for no other tribute, but that we attribute all to him. Now when he workes by simple meanes, all the glory comes entirely to him, there is none to share with him, none to cry halfes with him, mens mindes cannot rest in the inferiour causes, they must needs looke higher and say, This is the Lords doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes: whereas if the meanes had many faire probabilities in them, God must needs be robbed of a great part of his ho­nour: both because men are ready to thinke highly of themselves, and magnifie their owne actions, and also because others are ready to ascribe much to the immediate agent, who is intituled to the honour by the suffrage of the senses too, Is not this great Babell that I have built for my owne magnificence (said Nebuchad­nezzer) strouting in his Palace: and the proud Physitian wrote thus to King Philip, [...]. Mene­crates a god, to Philip a King: what title then might the spirituall Physitian challenge, that revives soules? either arrogating all to them­selves, or else dividing (as the Asse in the Fa­ble did to the Lion) an equall portion to God and themselves; and as the Jesuites now doe, Laus Deo & virgini Marieae, and then they would fall soone into the Cardinals method, [Page 35] Ego & Rex meus. Besides you see how fond men are of the instruments of their good, how ready they are to deifie them: most of the Heathen gods have beene dubbed so, because they have been beneficiall to men. Commu­nicative bonitie (which we call bountie) hath such a lively resemblance of the Divinitie, that weake eyes can hardly know them asunder: it was once Dionysius his sophistry, Dii boni sunt, eorum ergo bonitate utendum; but it is al­most all mens naturall Logick, Boni sunt, ergo dii sunt, according to that in the Poet,

And therefore the Lord to prevent all such in­jurious usurpation, and vindicate his owne title, effects great things sometimes without meanes, sometimes with very small meanes, that in all matter of praise, the image and super­scription may be his only. And therefore as when Caesar and Bibulus were Consuls toge­ther, and Bibulus did nothing, being over-awed by Caesar, they were wont to write in jesting manner, Iulio & Caesare Consulibus: So if it please God at any time to assume man to be his colleague, in any great action, we must not say God and man did such a thing, but God and his grace, did such a thing. And it may be said well enough of him, as it was of Caesar in in another cause, Socium habet neminem, he may [Page 36] have a companion, but he must not have a competitor. Perhaps indeed, the foolish Epi­cure, that cousened himselfe with a silly Para­logisme, and concluded, that God did not cre­ate the world, because he had nothing to cre­ate it withall: Quae ferramenta, quae machinae, qui vectes, qui ministri tanti operis fuerunt? perhaps, I say, he, when he heard of Ambassa­dors from a God, and a new creation, and saw nothing but men, and weak men, Gods Mini­sters, would make a scoffe againe, at qui Mini­stri? and would either denie the thing, because he did not like the meanes, or would hardly be perswaded, that such Atomes could do such great wonders. But God sees not as man sees: he in his wisdome uses this course, for the cause alledged. It is time to conclude, but yet give me leave to confirme this with two places of Scripture, and two examples: The first is the 2 Corinth 4. 7. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellencie of the power may be of God and not of us: I will not urge it because I have used it before, since I entred into this argument. The second is, the 1 Corinth. 1. from 17. to the end of the Chapter, a known Text, where as Apostle discourses this at large, The summe is this: It pleased God by the foolishnesse of Preaching to save them that believe. And againe, Brethren, you see your cal­ling, how not many wise men after the flesh, not ma­ny mighty, not many noble that are called: And [Page 37] wherefore is this? God hath chosen the foolish things of this world, to confound the wise, and God hath chosen the weake things of the world, to con­found the things that are mighty, and base things of the world, and things that are despised, hath God chosen; yea, and things that are not, to bring to nought, things that are: and what of this? That no flesh should glory in his presence: and the con­clusion of all is according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. The words need no Commentary, and therefore I passe to the examples. The first you shall finde in the 7. of Iudges, There the Lord overthrowes the Midianites by Gideon, who at first had ga­thered thirty two thousand men, but these were too many for the Lord to worke with, therefore he will have them as it were boyled by two decoctions, till they sunke first to ten thousand, but there were yet too many, then to three hundred, and then they march a­gainst the enemy, who were more then one hundred and thirty thousand, and covered the land like Grashoppers: but I pray, how were these three hundred appointed? we doe not read so much as of a sword they had, but they carried a Trumpet in their right hand, and emptie Pitchers, with a Lampe in their Pitchers in their left hand: and what did they? we can­not find a stroke they strooke, but only they blew their Trumpets, and brake their Pitchers, and cryed, The sword of the Lord, and of Gide on, and [Page 38] their enemies fell downe dead, or fled before them: and the end of all is couched in the be­ginning of the Chapter, Lest Israel should vaunt himselfe against nee, and say, mine owne hand hath saved me. The second, is the 6. of Ioshua, where the Israelites beseiged Iericho, and won it, a strange seige, and a strange victory: the Priests carried the Arke of God about the Ci­tie, and blew with Rams-hornes, they compas­sed it about six dayes, and seven times the se­venth day, and this was all: there was no o­ther [...]. seige laid, but the Arke of God; no o­ther Arietes to batter the wals, but the Rams­hornes; no Ordnance, but the ordinance of God that commanded this; they did not lift up an hand against it, only they lifted up their voyces; they did not shoot once, but on­ly shout, and the wals of Iericho, as it were wil­ling to doe some holy service, on Gods holy Sabboth, did obeysance to the Arke of God, (as Dagon did) they fell downe flat, as it were, and worshipped the God of Israel. I made choise of these the rather, among infinite ex­amples, because I may paralell both with the thing in hand, for the Preaching of the Word is but like the sounding of Rams-hornes (in the judgement of carnall men) towards the shaking of the wals of Iericho, towards the casting downe the strong holds of sinne. And the former would make a sweet Embleme of it. A Souldier with a Trumpet in the right [Page 39] hand, and an earthen Pitcher with a Lamp in the left hand, lively representing the Minister, who doth both in his ministery sound the Trumpet of the Gospell, and in his martyr­dome, break his body, like some earthen pitch­er, that the glory of God might breake forth, through the humane frailtie, like a Lamp, and shine more bright and cleare. But I must passe over these, I will touch but one thing, and so conclude: for there is yet another respect in which God gets glory by this order, and that is, because by this meanes, he takes try all of the obedience of his children, whether they will entertaine such homely messengers for his sake, who sends them, and yeeld obedience to him, whose will they publish. But too much of this argument, which I am affraid some may think needlesse, or fruitlesse: and the truth is, I should not have gone so farre in this path, if I had not observed some worthies of Israel all the way before me.

IT is reported of a Saracen Am­bassador to Charles the Great, that sitting in the Emperors Hall at dinner with him, and observing two tables full of guests; the lower, of poore people (invited according to his accustomed manner) in ragged weeds and simple apparell; he asked what they were: the Emperor an­swered; These are the Servants of our God, whom we Christians worship, and I enter­taine them for his sake: the upper, full of gal­lants, Courtiers in gold chains, and gay attire: [Page 42] he asked also, what they were: the Emperor answered, these are my servants that attend up­on my person: O, said the Saracen, if you preferre your servants, before the servants of your God, that they be brave and costly, and these be base and beggarly, I will never em­brace your religion. I may not thinke there is any sonne of scoffing Ismael here, any ba­stard Saracen among these true sonns of Abra­ham, sonnes of Promise, sonnes of the Pro­phets, that will pick a hole in the coat of Gods true servants, his Ambassadors, that so they may picke a quarrell with Gods true religion: I may not thinke so. And yet I thinke I may take occasion here, to take away all occasion of doubting, that may perhaps arise in some weake judgements. For as Aristotle could not better apprehend, or expresse the magnitude of God, then by the magnificence of the King of Persia: so there may be some babes in Christ, not throughly weaned from the vanities of this world, that would require some outward emi­nencies in the Ministers of the Word, to prove that they are Gods Ambassadors; which if they be wanting, though they dare not contra­dict the truth, because they professe to believe so much, yet they cannot conceive the myste­ry, because they do not believe so much as they professe. And therefore having cleared this the last time, why God made choise of meane men for this honourable office, rather then of [Page 43] the Glorious Cherubims, and Seraphims, ra­ther then of the sonnes of the mighty: give me leave now to produce some few evidences, by which it may appeare, that these men are indeed Gods Ambassadors. The ground of this is plaine (as I touched also before) for this great world, is a little Kingdome, wherein▪ God is the soveraign Lord, the King of Kings, and all men for their possiessions, are his te­nants; for their functions, his Lievtenants; and in this great world, the little flock of Christ is a great family, in which, God is the great Ma­ster of the family. There can nothing be done in this family, in this Kingdome, without the authority of this Master, of this King, and therefore the Ministers of the Word, must needs be dispensers of his speciall favour, in the great family of his Church, from him, as from the great Master of this family. And againe, Ambassadors of his Royall pleasure, in his Kingdome of the world, from him, as from their supreme Lord the King of Kings. But why doe I produce the ground? the Text is plaine: We are Ambassadors for Christ, and if you cast your eyes back to the foregoing verse, you shall see from whom, namely from God. And the same Apostle, in the last of the Ephe­sians useth the same word to the same purpose, Eph. 20. [...]. For whom I am an Ambassador in chaines: where a man would think, hearing of an Am­bassador, that he spake of a golden chaine, and [Page 44] in some kind of vanity boasted of it. And in­deed, the servants of God are noble and free, though fettered in chaines of Iron, as the slaves of sinne are base prisoners, though in chaines of Gold. And in this sense I thinke I may al­lude to the story and custome of wearing chaines, and say the Divell deales with them, as the Aetoli scoffingly said of Titus Flaminius the Romane Generall, who pretended liberty to the Graecians, but yet held some principall Ci­ties by Garrisons, that he made their clog smoother indeed than it was under Philip King of Macedon's tyranny, but as heavie as it was. And again, [...]. Their feet are free from the stocks, but their necke is under the yoke: but this by the way. The same thing is affirmed every where through the Scripture in equiva­lent termes: Prophets are called Men of God in the Old Testament; and Timothy in the New is stiled a Man of God; and all Apostles Ser­vants of Iesus Christ, the Servants of God, and Angels of the Churches, for this reason. But why do I enforce the Text? the truth is plain, and who is there here that doth not acknow­ledge it? Who is such a fresh Proselyte in the Lords familie, that doth not know his cogni­zance, his livery? As the Disciples said igno­rantly to Christ himself, Art thou only a stranger in Israel, and knowest not these things? So it may be truly said to that Christian, if there be such an one, Who is such a novice in Gods schoole, [Page 45] that if he hath but learned the Alphabet of the language of Canaan, cannot tell that they speak the language of Canaan? Thou art a Galilean, thy very speech bewrayes thee, said the maid to Peter: So may every Christian see the Mini­ster by his speech, (as Socrates did) and know where they are, and from whom they come: or if any doe not understand them when they tell them whose Ambassadors they are, it is be­cause they have not an interpreter (as the Eu­nuch said to Philip) they have not the Spirit of God, which should be their interpreter. But why doe I confirme the truth of this, the point is plaine: That the Ministers of Gods Word are servants of Iesus Christ, Men of God, Gods Ambassadors. Yet suffer me now (accor­ding to promise) for the further clearing of this, to adde a few probable demonstrations, (if I may so speake without a Soloecisme) and because the Doctrine is the best, and truest [...]. touchstone of the Doctor: I shall draw them all from the nature and qualitie of the Do­ctrine they teach. And here I might enlarge my selfe: for all those arguments that are al­leadged by Divines, to prove that the Scrip­tures are of Divine authority, might easily be perswaded to speake the same for the Mini­sters, and prove that they have a Divine Au­thor: but I shall single out two or three most pithy and pertinent for my purpose.

And first I might place Antiquity an Ar­gument 1 [Page 46] much used, much urged by the anci­ent Fathers, against the ancient Philosophers: a good argument, if I had not little time e­nough for better: for though I have not such an overweening opinion of every Moth-eaten Manuscript, as your young and busie Criticks seeme to have: though I do not superstitiously admire, and adore every relique, and ragg of e­very Father, (perhaps of their own getting) as the Papists do: though I know there be sins of the forefathers mentioned in Scripture, there be an old Serpent, an old man, not commend­ed: I wist there is vetustas erroris, as a Father speakes: there are veteratores as well as veteres, and not farre distant: to conclude, the Gibe­onites musty bread and moldie shooes, are but a slovenlie argument of a long and teadious journey: yet I confesse, in a good sense, the Prophet Ieremy bids the Israelites inquire for the old way, which was the good way, as if antiquum & bonum, were convertible one with another, and both of them with unum & ve­rum: In a good sense I approve the Axiome of Tertullian, Quod antiquissimum, etiam veris­simum: I admit that of the Poet, Veritas tem­poris filia, though some allow Platoes elogy of the ancient, [...]. Antiquitie is neere a Deitie: to conclude, I thinke, that true antiquitie in any Doctrine, argues the author of it to be time, that is the ancient of daies: I am sure it is so here, for though I find it not recorded in Poly­dore [Page 47] Virgil, De Inventoribus rerum, yet I can warrant it out of better Authors, that Paradise was the first Parish, that had a Sermon in it, and Adam was the first auditor, that heard a Sermon in Paradise, and the fall of man, was the first Text of the Sermon, that Adam heard, and God was the first Preacher of a Ser­mon upon that Text, and these were the briefe notes, written by Moses in characters, of Gods Sermon, The Seed of the woman; shall breake the Serpents head. So that God is not only as the Athenian Commander said he was, (being ask­ed what he was) neither Bow-man (said he) nor Pike-man, nor Hors-man, nor Footman, but one that knowes, istis omnibus imperare: But God as he gave some to be Priests, some to be Levites, some to be Prophets in the old Law, and some to be Apostles, some to be E­vangelists, and some to be Pastors, and some to be Preachers in the new Law, and is the Lord of all these, qui solus novit illis omnibus imperare: So he was himselfe, as I shewed, the first Preacher, and all the rest ever since, per­form their office by an authority derived from him: they are the [...] Gods Ministers. Lords Vicars. This is the true antiquitie of the Doctrine, that Gods Am­bassadors teach, of the function they have: not as they, who were wont to weare Moones in their shooes, to cleare theirs that they were [...]. older than the Moon; they were rather [...]. Lu­natick, as the Gospell speakes: though the [Page 48] Church of God may, even in this sense, bee said to have the Moone under her feete, as the Woman (in the Revelation) a Type of the Church, is said to have the Moone under her feet. But that which Cyprian alledges and allowes, Non quod ante nos, ille, vel ille dixerit; sed quod ante omnes Christus: and therefore wee may justly say to all other Doctors, as the Egyptians in Plato to the Graecians, [...]. You Graecians are al­wayes children; and to another Doctor, thou art but of yesterday, but the Word of God en­dureth for ever, as God the Word is yester­day and to day and for ever the same, from e­ternitie to eternitie.

2 But I passe from this to the second, which shall be, the excellencie of their Ambassage. For if the people in the Acts, for a little flashie e­loquence in Herods Oration, could say, The voyce of God, and not of man. If Plato could dis­cern some [...]. beams or influences. beams of Divinitie in all Arts, for some obscure tidings of God, that they told him, Grata de Deo fama in artibus sparsa est. If Pompey were received by the Princes, non tan­quam ex vrbe missus, sed tanquam è caelo delapsus, as the Orator speakes, because they found a be­neficiall, though thin influence of his Justice and temperance upon them. If Catoes nobility, though he were but Novus homo, must be deri­ved from heaven, and that by the best He­raulds, the minds of men admiring his vertues, tertius è coelo cecidit Cato: Then I pray tell me [Page 49] in what account should the Ministers be, to whom all these may be as truly applyed, as they were friendly supposed in the other. It is not with them, as it was with the Persian Lord, in Apelles Shop, whom the apprentises admired for his bravery, so long as he stood silent, but when he began to speake of things he had no skill in, derided him for his simplicitie: but cleane contrary, like Vlisses, in Homer, who stood like some silly Countrey fellow, leaning upon his staffe, saith the Poet, [...]. But when he spake he spake with a courage. but when he spake, he spake admirably. Let me intreat you to take notice but of the subject, and the project of their doctrine, and you shall see it: for he that teacheth plainly of the incomparable per­fection of the Deitie, the incomprehensible di­stinction of the Trinitie, the depth of prede­stination, the power of creation, the skill of gu­bernation, that there is a nature infinitely sur­passing all nature; that it is one, yet three; three, and yet one; that all things were moulded in nothing, made of nothing, and yet kept from nothing, is not this man from God? Surely none but they that have learned of his Spouse, plowed with this Heifer, can areed these rid­dles. Againe, he that teaches truly of mans blessed integrity, his cursed apostacie, the Di­vell, the Serpent, the Garden, the Apple, the Woman, the funerail which Adam made for himselfe, the fall, how man was once full of sanctitie in his soule, beautie in his body, [Page 50] majestie in both, the son of God, a vessell of honour, the tenant of Paradise, the heire of Hea­ven, the lord of the creatures, whom the very sacred Angels served, and the very salvage Ty­gers feared: but is become by his owne fault, a slave of the creatures, an heire of Hell, a ves­sell of dishonour, a child of the Divell in soule and body, and both the very sinke of sinne, and shame, and misery, ‘Heu! quantum Niobe Niobe distabat ab illâ!’ Is not this the man from God? Surely if the Heathen did not understand their owne mean­ing, I cannot tell, but their words are very good, and I dare avouch with them, out of better Oracles than Apollo's, de Coelo descendit, [...]. Know thy selfe.

I proceed, he that teaches clearely of a strange marriage, the Divine nature with the Humane,As Euripides. and yet a stranger; a marriage of ju­stice and mercy, [...]. a sweet marriage of a Vir­gin that was [...]. Mother of a God, and an In­fant that was [...]. God and Man, of a God that was man, beginning, growing, hungring, thir­sting', wearie, weeping, bleeding, and, that which was the wonder of wonders, dying; of a man that was God, rising from the grave po­werfully, ascending into Heaven triumphant­ly, sitting at the right hand of God royally, trampling under his feet sinne, Hell, and death, and Sathan victoriously, and returning to judge [Page 51] the quick and the dead gloriously: is not this man from God? To conclude, he that teaches sweetly of humiliation by the law, of vocation by the Gospell, justification by Christ, recon­ciliation with God, sanctification from sinne, resurrection from the dead, the terrible day of judgement, the glory of the Saints, the tor­ments of the wicked, and the like, I will not aske you any more, but I tell you plainly, that man is from God. For, behold in these truths not a beame of Divinitie (such as Plato spied in all arts) but a body, or rather, not a shadow, for his beame was no more, (the word may be ambiguous) but a perfect body of Divinity. Neither is it possible that any man should in­vent, or conceive these sublime mysteries by naturall reason, since we see evidently, that no man can so much as accept or receive them being taught, without a supernaturall faith. And therefore as Telemachus said, when he saw a great light which guided his father and him in a darke roome, [...]. surely there is some god in it: So let every one confesse when he heares these things from the mouth of Gods Ambas­sadors, Non vox hominem sonat, Never any man spake as he spake, as they said of Christ. I might adde something of that divine precept of mo­ralitie, farre beyond the straine of Philosophy: for though the Academicks, Stoicks, Peripa­teticks, and Epicures travailed much in these Observations, and went farre, yet how short [Page 52] do they come? For here we have Rules more naturall than the Epicures, which made plea­sure their Empresse, and themselves her Para­sites: more humane then the Peripateticks, which made Reason their Mistresse, and them­selves her Schollars; more Heroicall then the Stoicks, which made Vertue their Goddesse, and themselves her Votaries; more divine then the Academicks, which made God there Idoll (I understand their Idea, which they did not understand) and themselves his idolaters, and so excelling every one of these great pro­fessors in their severall projects. The end re­maines, which I will dispatch in a word.

3 It is the salvation of man, the most noble and necessary worke in all the world, and most beseeming the greatnesse, and goodnesse, and wisdome of God, to take into his speciall con­sideration and providence, man being his [...]. hus­bandry, as the earth is mans: And therefore it is absurd, as Plutarch hath well observed [...]. to take the best things out of the compasse of Gods foreknowledg. To shut up this, it is absurd to thinke that Solon, Lycurgus, Numa published their lawes, as the Heathen did, from the gods, and that Ministers doe not preach the Gospell from God, since they brought many things a­gainst the rule of reason, and nothing above the reach of nature; but these teach nothing a­gainst the rule of nature, but many things a­bove the reach of reason. It is absurd that eve­ry [Page 53] petty beuefactor of mankind should be dei­fied, and these founders (I may terme them) vilified; that they should be esteemed gods, even to the vilest vermine, among the Egypti­ans, and these should not be esteemed so much as Gods Ambassadors. The blind Heathen could not choose but see some splendor of Di­vinitie in these things. The Critick Longinus observed out of the description of the creation of the World, in the 1. of Genesis, that Moses was no ordinary man: and besides that Imperatoria brevitas (which Tacitus speakes of) he saw so much majestie in the relation: In the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth, and God said, let there be Light, and there was Light, let there be Earth, and there was Earth, that he con­fesses [...]. that narration had a seemely character and cognizance of the Divine power set upon it. The Platonick Ammonius also, so admired the storie of the Divine generation of Christ, in the first of S. Iohns Gospell, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, that he judged those words worthy to be written in golden Letters, and prefixed on the gates of all Temples. The men of Lystri likewise in the Acts, hearing the Apostles Paul and Barnabas, were so convinced in their consciences, that their Doctrine was divine, that they were something transported in their judgements, to thinke their persons were divine, and therefore would needs have [Page 54] worshipped them as gods, with Priests, and Buls, and Garlands, and Sacrifice. And if I would give you a short draught of some truths, as they have degenerated into fables, among the Heathen, I might make them seeme with oce labour more perspicuous, and more preci­ous: for as their unlikenesse to themselves (crossing and thwarting one another) con­fute themselves: so their likenesse to the truth, (intimating and as it were acting it) must needs confirme the truth. The tales of the golden Apples, and the [...], of the Hesperidum hor­ti, and Adonis Garden, of the fiery Dragons that kept them, answering either to the flaming sword of the Cherubim, or the Serpent, to the true Paradise, the Garden of Eden, to the Ap­ples of the Tree of Knowledge of good and e­vel, are sufficient for a taste. But it were a shame for me once to name these fabulous legends, since I did but name the Heavenly truth, which they have adulterated. To conclude, I thinke none but Davids foole, that hath said in his heart there is no God, can find in his heart to say the messengers of these things are not Gods Am­bassadors.

For, as for the rule of happinesse it selfe, which I touched in the last step of my former gradation, I wonder not, if men of the earth did errare toto coelo, they were ignorant of the three forenamed grounds, and it could not be therefore otherwise, they could not take the [Page 55] height of Gods excellencie, in his nature, and workes, and therefore could not sound the depth of mans misery in his fall: they were ig­norant of the measure of his fall, and therefore could not measure, nor comprehend, the height, and depth, of Gods mercy in Christ: they had not heard of Gods mercy in Christ, and therefore could never teach, or thinke of the profunditie of humiliation, the latitude of sanctification, the altitude of glory, but vanish­ing in their imaginations, instead of these, groped in the darke to find mans Summuns bo­num in himselfe, and dreamed a pretty dreame of a shadow of happinesse ( [...]. man is a dreame of a shadow, as Pindar speakes) which they meant to purchase with a shadow of wisdome, and vertue, and riches, and honour, and plea­sure: and in this respect, we must doe with their bookes, as they say the Iewes did with the book of Hester. The Iewes read the booke of Hester in­deed, because they account it Canonicall Scri­pture, but before they read it, they let it fall to the ground, because they doe not finde the name of God once mentioned in it, as their Rabbins have observed: So for the morall treatises of Philosophers, we must read them, because they speak of vertue, and happinesse; but we should let them fall to the ground be­fore we read them, because they doe not give glory to the glorious name of God.

I come to the third, which I meane to draw [Page 56] from the efficacy of their Ministery; for which purpose I might produce many expresse places of Scripture, and many plaine experiments: for this respect the Lord Iesus is represented in a Vision to Saint Iohn, Revel. 1. 16. in the Revelation, Act. 24. 32. With a sharpe two edged sword proceeding out of his mouth: and when he talked with his Disciples going to Emaus, Did not our hearts burne within us, said they, while he talked with us? In this respect the Psalmist saith of him, Psalme 45. Thou art fairer then the children of men, Grace is powred into thy lips; Suada in labris sessitat, Apes in ore mellifi­cant; tis true of him, for Grace is powred on his lips, a sweete attractive Grace, which is an eloquent beautie, as they say that beautie is a dumbe eloquence, and therefore Thou art fair­er then the children of men; and it followes, Thy arrowes are sharpe in the heart of the Kings ene­mies: his lips and mens hearts are chained to­gether, as you have heard the Embleme of the French Hercules. Ierem. 20. 9. In this respect, the Prophet Ieremy saith, His Word was like a burning fire, shut up in his bones, Esay 6. 6, 7. and he could not stay, the Pro­phet Esay had his tongue touched with a cole from from the Altar. The Apostles had the gift of fie­ry tongues, and what was the succeesse? at one Sermon of Peter three thousand were set on fire, and inflamed with the love of God, and come rather bleeding, then breathing forth these words to the Apostles,Act 2. 37. Men and brethren what shall we doe? What should I tell you the [Page 57] voyce of God is mighty, the voyce of God breaketh the Cedars, the Cedars of Lebanon, which is not only true of thunder (as interpre­ [...]ers expound it) but of the Word of God. For if Caligula trembled at that, I am sure Felix did at this, Act. 24. when Paul reasoned of righteousnes and temperance, and judgement to come, Felix trembled, a strange thing, that the accused par­ty triumphed, and the Judge trembled▪ if being touched with his affecting words, and trem­bling he had turned to Christ, as the Needle touched with the Loadstone, turnes to the North, and had shaped his course according­ly, Felix had beene happy as one saith: But this is the more remarkable, because, in the same place, Tertullus a curious Oratour had made a quaint oration with no such successe, as if the Lord would compare as it were with humane faintly eloquence, and teach us that all is but painted eloquence, in comparison of the divine power of his Word: Indeed they re­port, that when Tully pleaded for Ligurius, (I thinke) Caesar trembled, and the bils of accusa­tions fell out of his hands, as it were wrested out by Tullies eloquence: but you shall see the difference anon. Yea, and Paul himselfe felt the force of this thunder, for in the very heat of his persecution as he marched furious­ly (like Iehu) to Damascus, Act. 9. 3. 5. he was arrested by a messenger from Heaven, a great light shone round about him, and he heard a voyce from Hea­ven, [Page 58] the light like lightning flashed in his face, and dazeled his eyes, and laid him flat on his backe: But will you heare a terrible thunder­clap, Saul Saul why persecutest thou me? this was the thunder that boared his eares (as Scaliger reports of a countrey fellow that had his eares boared with thunder) and this was the light­ning, which, as the Naturalists say, melts the Sword and hurts not the Sheath, that breakes the bones and bruises not the flesh: this was the lightning that broke Pauls heart and melted his very soule within him, and made him that was yet [...]. breathing out threatnings and slaughter a­gainst the Disciples of the Lord Iesus, breath out more gentle and humble words, Who art thou Lord? what shall I doe Lord? and the like. I cannot stand to presse these, and yet I cannot passe over one place, because it is most effectu­all, looke Heb. 4. 12. For the Word of God is quick and powerfull, and sharper then a two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soule and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Who hath any gold weights and a ballance of the Sanctuary, that we may expend and weigh these golden words exactly? I pray marke, it is a living Word, yea more, a working Word, yet more, a cutting Word, yea, and more yet, a pierc­ing Word, it is not as other written words are mutus magister, but viva vox, [...]. a living word, it is not living, as some do (of whom it may be [Page 59] truly said, Hic situs est, as Seneca said of Vatia) but it is an [...] effectuall working word: it is not working, as some do, till they be cold again, or as we say, as good never the whit as never the better, but it is a cutting word: it is cutting, not lightly to raze the skin, and scratch a little, but it bites sore, it is a piercing word: it is like a sword, a bloody instrument, but that it is sharp­er, for the Apostle saith [...]. sharper: the word is a word of comparison, but the thing is above compare, for it is [...]. 2 Cor 2. 16. sharper then a sword, it is like a two edged sword (as I told you of Christ in the Revelation) it will cut which way soever it lights, either a savour of life to salvation, or a sa­vour of death unto condemnation, as the Apostle speaks: but it is [...] sharper then any two edged sword, It was once said of the sword of Goliah by Da­vid, There is none to it, but I dare say it is true of the sword of God and of Gideon, the sword of God and his Ambassadors, for it pierces to the dividing of the soule and spirit: who is so acute almost that can distinguish these two by an intellectuall precision? (I am sure Interpreters sweat about it) and yet this royall sword, like Alexanders, is so sharp that it cuts this knot with an actuall diuision, betweene the joynts and the marrow, not the hardest bones can abate or turn the edge of this invincible weapon; not the most hidden marrow can escape the dint of it, but as the Sun in the 19. Psalme, nothing is hid from the heat of it. To conclude, it is [...] a discerner [Page 60] of the thoughts and intents of the heart: the strang­est Critick that ever was, thought it not free from it: and whereas other Criticks pride themselves in restoring some obliturated mo­numents, stopping some gaps in old Manu­scripts, taking up some stitches let fal in a Poet, this goes farther, and reades the very thoughts, verbamentis, the letters written in the soule, that abrasa tabula, as the Philosopher cals it: I have put all the weights, graines, and scruples that I have into the Scales, and yet this place of Scri­pture as it is pure, (the word of God is like gold which is tryed in the fire seventimes) so, for weight it weighs them all downe, which was the rea­son that I insisted the longer on it, for me thinks, this very place doth not only affirm that the Word is effectuall, but confirme it exceed­ingly, being it selfe so effectuall. I conclude this generall, he that knows the efficacy of this Word, cannot chuse but acknowledge the di­vinitie of this power, and be affected, as the Prophet Habakuk was, with the presence of God in his glorious works, When I heard (saith he) my belly trembled, my lips quivered at the voyce, Habak. 3. 16. rottennesse entred into my bones, and I trem­bled in my selfe, that I might rest in the day of trou­ble. There remaines much behind yet, for I should shew you this in particular both exten­sively and intensively as it works, 1. In the heart, 2. A strange worke in the heart, both these in regard of the act it selfe, and then in [Page 61] regard of the manner of working, 1. Without any helpe, ex parte subjecti, the heart conferres nothing, not so much as naturall receptivitie. 2. Without any help, ex parte medii, no insinu­ations of wisdome, no tricks of Rhetorick, but with downe right blowes: and I could wish all unsaid that hath beene spoken, that I might spend my selfe wholly in these things, but I must touch them briefly. The heart of man is the most free and hard of any thing to worke upon, and to make an impression and stampe upon this hard heart, this heart that is so stonie, Adamantine, harder then the mother Milstones, as the Scripture teacheth. To compell this freewill, that Domina sui actus, the Queene in the soule, the Empresse, it cannot be without a divine power, without a hand that is omnipo­tent; but the Ministers doe this by the Word, they mollifie, and wound, and break this heart, they incline, and bow, and draw this free will whither the spirit listeth: And Clemens Alex­andrinus is not afraid to say, that if the Fables of Orpheus and Amphion were true, that they drew birds, beasts, and stones with their ravi­shing melodie, yet the harmony of the Word is greater, which translates men from Helicon to Sion, which softens the [...]. hard heart of man obdurate against the truth, that raises up chil­dren to Abraham of stones, that is, (as he inter­prets) of unbelievers, which he cales stockes and [...]. stones, that put their trust in stones and [Page 62] stockes, which metamorphoses men that are [...]. beast-like wild, birds for their lightnesse and vanity, serpents for their craft and subtilty, Li­ons for their wrath and crueltie, Swine for vo­luptuousnesse and luxurie, &c. and charmes them so, that of wild beasts they become tame men: that makes living stones (as he did others) come of their owne accord to the building of the walls of Ierusalem, (as he of Thebes) to the building of a living Temple, to the everliving God: this must needs be a [...]. true perswasive charme, as he speakes. Herodotus relates of Cambyses, that being admonished of his drun­kennesse by Prexaspes a noble Counsellour, in a rage he commanded his sonne to be placed before him as a marke, and his Bow and Ar­rows to be brought, and He shot and killed the boy, and then caused him to be opened, and finding the Arrow in the middest of his heart, he made this argument, that he was no drunken man, and turning him to the father asked him (with a cruell smile) what he thought of it: O my Lord (said Prexaspes, betwixt griefe for his sonne, and feare for himselfe:) I think the gods cannot shoote better: I may paralell this out of Scripture, and apply it to my purpose, for the Apostles in the Acts, being charged with drunkennesse, Peter steps up to make an apologie, he takes his bow and arrowes (as the Prophet Esay speakes) he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of his hand hath [Page 63] he hid me, and made me a polished shaft in his Quiver:) hee shootes and smites three thousand with one arrow, and when they o­pened themselvs, it was found they were prick­ed in their hearts: and you shall now be judges, whether I may not well say as he did with a little alteration, O Lord I thinke none but God, none but thou can shoot so well. I conclude this, the Ministers of the Word are stars in the right hand of God, (as it is in the Revelation) and therefore they dart their influ­ence into the secret corners of the soule: their words fall high from heaven, and therefore sinke deepe into the hearts of men. As the wo­man of Tekoah was subtile, because the hand of Ioab was with her: so they are powerfull because the hand of God is with them, they are the pen that write in mens hearts, but it is the hand of God. In a word, they beare such authority be­cause they are men under authority, men of God, Gods Ambassadors. I should prosecute the rest, but I will rather leave the point abru­ptly then be tedious.

IT is a maxime in Divinitie receiv­ed by generall consent of all, Ca­thedram habet in coelo qui corda do­cet: and therefore I see no rea­son, why that which hath beene said should not bee a sufficient argument to prove, that those that sit in Moses chaire are sent from Heaven, except it be to those that from walking in the way of the ungodly, and standing in the way of sinners, are come to sit in the chaire of the scornfull. Yet I will adde a second degree, to put it out of question: for they doe not only worke upon the heart in ge­nerall, [Page 65] but in a speciall and strange manner, as might be shewen many wayes, I will but touch the principall. It is our Saviours promise to his Disciples, Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, Ioh. 14. 12. the workes that I doe, shall he doe also, and greater workes then these shall he doe: greater workes then these, O blessed Saviour, (might the Disciples say) how can that be? Thy name is Wonderfull, the great Counsel­lor, and thou dost wonders alone; and is not this one of thy great wonders, how we should conceive the wonder of this speech, greater workes then these, O blessed Saviour! The Schooles of men have an Axiom among them indeed, [...]. Many Schollers are better than their Masters, but we have learned another lesson in thy Schoole, The Disciple is not above the Master, and it is enough, the Disciple be as the Master is, it is enough: O humble Saviour, among proud sinners, it is too much! greater workes then thou O Lord! didst not thou cure all dis­eases, cast out Divels, didst not thou rebuke the Feaver, and it durst not stay, chide the winds, not as he in the Poet, expostulate with them, but chids them with authority, [...]. rebuk't the winds, and they were silent, calmed the Sea, and walked upon the swelling waves, as it were upon some Marble pavement? and can there be greater works then these? But who was that O Lord, was it not thou, that diddest raise the dead, that Rulers daughter at the [Page 66] house, the Widows sonne at the Hearse, the two sisters brother (I meane Lazarus) in the grave, when he that stunk was revived with thy sweet voyce, and he that was bound hand and foot with linnen cloaths (which was [...]. a miracle in a miracle, as a Father speakes) came forth and walked: and can we do greater works then these? Now we have begun to speak un­to our Lord, suffer us to speake once more, though we be but dust and ashes. Didest not thou feed five thousand men with five loaves, five loaves, which by a strange Arithmetick were so multiplied by Division, and so augmented by Substraction, that five loaves sufficed five thousand guests, and yet twelve baskets full were gathered up, for thy twelve Apostles. Didest not thou cure the poore woman of her incurable issue of blood with a touch of the hemme of thy garment only: it was her contactus, but thy vertue O blessed Lord that did it, and shall we doe greater workes than these? Yes, they doe greater miracles, saith Augustine, Majus enim est quod sanet vmbra, quàm quod sanet fim­bria, comparing the last I mentioned, with that which is recorded of Peter in the Acts, that those which had diseases were healed by his shadow as he passed by: and they did greater workes that were no miracles, then all the mi­racles that Christ wrought, and they were the conversion of many soules to God by their ministery: and good reason it should bee [Page 67] thought so, for if a shadow, a privation, a nul­lity may produce such a reall effect, then what shall we think of the light of the Gospell, the most beautifull, the warmth, the most active, the truth of the Gospell, the most powerfull quality in the world, if we believe the Wise­man? and two of which are so transcendently excellent, that it hath beene said, that if God himselfe would take a visible shape, he would make a body of light which should be acted and animated by truth as by a soule: Thou hast made light thy garment, and thou lovest truth in the inward parts. Yea, and that same Father affirmeth, that the justification of a sinner, is a greater worke then the creation of a World. Aut si aequalis sit utrumque potentiae, certè hoc est majoris misericordiae, as he concludeth it. The Schoole follow him in this, and dispute whe­ther it be not simply the greatest worke that e­ver was; and determine that it is ex parte ef­fectus, averring that the least worke of grace is greater then the greatest in nature: they doubt also whether it be miraculous, and leave it doubtfull. Our moderne Divines give a reason of it, because in creation there is only a negative indisposition of nothing, to being: but in regeneration, there is besides a positive opposition of sinne, to grace. I will not now discusse whether this be precisely true, or no: but a great work it is without question, as may appeare by the act which is called in Scripture [Page 68] a rising from the dead, Blessed are they that have their part in the first resurrection, Rev. 20. 6. saith the Spirit, in the Revelation: [...]. a generation, except a man be borne againe he can never see the kingdome of God, saith Christ to Nicodemus: [...]. Ioh 3. 3. a new creation, saith Paul to the Corinthians: it appeares like­wise by the [...]. Gal. 6. 15. effect, the which is called the new heart, Create in me O Lord a new heart: A new man, That the new man may be renewed daily: A new creature, Neither circumcision, nor uncir­cumcision availeth any thing, but a new creature: It appeares lastly by the terms, between which there is as much difference, as betweene light and darknes, death and life, Heaven and Hell, the Divell and God, immane quantum! for these are the termes betweene which this mu­tation runnes, as the Scripture teaches us. Who can bring to passe this true [...] transmigration, (Pythagoras dreamed of another) but he that is the Father of Spirits, and th [...] Word that doth it, must needs be the breath of his mouth: This divine [...]. Conversion (as Plato calls it, speaking admirably of it, though he knew it not) but he to whom the Prophet goeth in this case, turne us O Lord, and we shall be turned: this wondrous [...] change, as Clemens cals it, as I no­ted, but he that formed the mountaines, and of whom the Psalmist, Manus tuae plasmaverunt me, he that formed man after his owne image: Dii coeptis, nam vos mutâstis & illas, aspiratemeis: fig­mentum cordis, saith Moses, The imagination of [Page 69] mans heart is only evill and that continually: but as for the heavenly work of grace, of holinesse, of a new man, is as the Heaven is said to be, and as the Protoplast was, figmentum manuum tua­rum, the workmanship of thy hands O Lord. In a word, none can restore or vindicate a man from the servitude of sinne, into the libertie of Gods children, and of a miserable bond-slave make one a [...]. royall man, (as Clemens cals his Gnostick) but the great King, of whom it is said, if his Spirit make us free, then are we free in­deed: the knot in which we were tyed is dig­nus vindice nodus, and our desperate case doth require a [...]. strong helpe, according to the use and phrase of Tragedies. I could be infinite in this theme, if I would tell you all the won­ders that they worke in the heart of man, the terrours of the Law, which make a man think that he is in Hell, more truly and more profita­bly, then the Jesuites doe their Clients in their chamber of meditation: by the consolations of the Gospell, which gives a man wings to flie into Heaven, and take sanctuary there from all afflictions, from whence he lookes downe up­on this lower world with heroicall contempt and scorne, wondring at the vanitie of men, that are so greedy of vanities, whereas the whole World appeares to him (as the territo­ry of Athens to Alcibiades in Lucian) but a spot of earth; he scornes the best Orators to perswade him (as Nazianzene saith of Cyprian [Page 70] that he did in his Letters exhortatory to Mar­tyrdome) to think that swords have not met all in them to do him hurt, that fire is cold, that wild beasts are gentle, that famine is dainties, that the hottest flames that ever Martyrs were burned in for Chrict's sake were but like Eliahs fiery Chariot, wherein he rode in triumph in­to Heaven; and which is more, that these are are not Paradoxes in Christianity.

I can remember but one that gave such te­stimony of the power of any humane writing: and that was Cleombrotus, I thinke of Platoes booke, of the immortality of the Soule, which when he had read, he was so afflicted, that hee killed himselfe, to learne that without booke in the Elysian fields that he had read there, and injoy that good that he imagined out of it. But how many thousand Martyrs, have set a feale of blood to Gods booke, and tooke it up­on their death, that it was the most powerfull of all other.

But to bound my selfe: I purposed only to treat of the first worke, which I have already done: Yet I will adde one thing more, and but one thing. The untamed horses of distem­pered passions (as Plato cals them) which ma­ny times so hurry and wheele about the crazie chariot of reason, that they set the wheeles of judgement (upon which it should runne steadi­ly) cleane besides the socket, even these are charmed and tempered by this heavenly mu­sick, [Page 71] as the evill spirit in Saul was by the Harpe and hand of David. Excellently Lactantius, Da mihi iracundum, da libidinosum, da avarum, &c. and I will so inchant him with a few syl­lables, (he sayes no more, but paucis syllabis) out of Gods word, that I will make him meeke, chaste, liberall, and concludes this confident as­sertion with this Epiphonema, Tanta divine sa­pientiae vis est, ut in hominis pestus infusa, matrem delictorum stultitiam uno semel impetu expellat. It is more then time to shut up this point: brief­ly therefore, it is absurd to say of naturall ge­neration, Sol & homo generant hominem, and yet to thinke of spirituall regeneration, that the sonne of man can doe it without the sonne of righteousnesse. And if the principles be true that the masters of that art have delivered in conveyance of water, Aqua tantum ascendit, quantum descendit: then this water of life, which makes a man ascend to God, must needs have descended from God first, and the Conduit­pipes, the Ministers of God, must needs be Or­ganicall, not Authenticall agents, in the cures they worke with it, they must be the instru­ments of God, Gods Ambassadors. The third degree followes, which is, the heart of man conferres nothing to this worke, to this great worke, not so much as a naturall receptivitie: if there were apprehension in nature, the diffi­cultie would not be such as to prove a Divini­tie, but to make Adamants receive impressions [Page 72] like waxe, to teach a stone to fly like a bird, to swimme against the streame, to croud against the multitude, to saile against the windes, to make a man against the corruption of his na­ture, against the nature of his corruption, a man of the World, to savour and relish the things of God: I know not what strength in nature can make it good, what authority can warrant it:Rom 8. 7. The best wisdome of the flesh is (saith the Apostle) [...]. enmitie with God: most signifi­cantly [...]. the most refined wisdome is not only an enemy, but even enmity to God:

Non vitiosus homo es Zoile, sed vitium, said theMartial. Poet, with some affinity to this phrase. I will illustrate this but with a word or two out of Nazianzen, and so leave it, because I per­ceive the time passes, and the thing hath beene touched in part already. Such is the corruption of man, that propound any divine good to it (saith he) it is entertained, [...]. as fire by water, or wet wood with hissing: So grace is almost hissed off the stage with scoffs and taunts: I cannot tell, but me thinks I could bid the secure and carnall men, if there were any such among us, beware least it prove that they have learned that hissing facultie from the hissing serpent: but to goe on, propound any evill, [...]. like fire to straw, as he shewes elegantly, like the foolish Satyre that made haste to kisse the fire, like that unctuous matter; which the naturalists say that it sucks and snatches the fire to it, with [Page 73] which it is consumed. Nay, this is the great difficultie of a Pastorall cure, saith the same Fa­ther, that whereas in other medicinall, the dis­eased party is termed a patient, and may be so, because hee is willing to subscribe to that which his Physitian shall prescribe him: In this theologicall, it is cleane contrary, a mans selfe is his greatest sicknesse, [...]. like a franticke person that fals foule with his best friends, [...]. we are valiant against our selves, and we de­fend what we affect: like corrupt Lawyers, to plead an ill cause; and they which [...]. are more generous without all colouring or cloaking the matter, runne bare-headed as we say, runne on shamelesse to all wickednesse: who shall helpe poore man in this miserable condition, nam quid miserius est misero non miserante seipsum; saith Austin in his Confessions: even thou O God who art Pater miserationum, which work­est mightily with thine owne word in the mouth of thy Ministers, thy Ambassadors. The fourth and last degree will make this proofe square and sure, a good proofe; like Aristotles good man, [...]. quadrangular, and ther­fore we must not omit it. This worke of the Ministers upon the heart, which is so effectu­all, and yet so much against the haire, against the bent of the heart, besides all these, it is done with silly instruments. The Philosophers and Rhetoricians make a Goddesse of their eloquence, and by the power of her divinity, [Page 74] thinke to bewitch and inchant their auditors as they please, and to scrue themselves into the most retired parts, to take the heart [...]. the chiefe City or Metropolis of mans affections: they admire her, they studie her, they pray her [...]. charme this man: yea, and to say the truth, who is such an infant that hath not heard of the power of eloquence? And yet it is not this that doth this great worke, it is another [...]. per­swasive goddesse, that breeds this setled [...]. con­fidence, this grounded [...]. perswasion of a Chri­stian, it is humilitie, and simplicitie, and plain­nesse of speech that doth it, as the Apostle de­clares to the Corinthians: such is the Scripture language, such the Ministers. And as Plutarch observed out of the naturalists, that the seed of those that are lascivious and incontinent is not fruitfull, and applies it to the great talkers: so I make no question, but wanton and lascivious Rhetorick, makes the immortall seed of Gods Word more unfruitfull; like a sword wrapped in wooll, that cannot cut; like an Oke embrac­ed with the flattering Ivie, that will not thrive and prosper. I doe not condemne Rhetorick: the genuine tropes and figures in a solid speech are like arrowes in the hand of a mighty man, as the Psalmist saith in another case, blessed is the man that hath his quiver full of them. And as the Philosopher said of Oyle, observing the use to be good, but the abuse to be great, Male sit illis cinaedis (said he) qui rem optimam pessime infa­mârunt: [Page 75] so may I say, the use is good but the a­buse is great of eloquence: and therefore away with these effeminate, and unmanly Orators, that have cast a shrewd aspersion upon a no­ble profession: As for the modest and sober use, that is true of Divinitie which Seneca said of Philosophy, that is true of eloquence which he said of wit, Philosophia non renunciat ingenio; Theologianon renunciat eloquentiae, for there is an eloquence in the Scripture, which is more then eloquence: the Rhetoricians may call theirs an [...]. Allurement of the soule, but this is a [...]. transmigration as I told you: theirs may perfundere animum, but this doth perfringere: they may delight, but this doth ravish with a divine Enthysiasme: theirs is properly orato­ry, but this is, to speake more properly, Im­peratory, which is then most full of Affection, when it is most free from affectation: theirs is more Scholasticall, but this is more majesti­call, as best becomes the mouth of Princes, as the noble Lord of Plesis hath well noted of the stile of the Scripture.

But the best of their nervi and t [...]ri, the best sinewes and strength, is but as Longinus ob­servs of some childish Orators, [...]. their schoole wit through curiosity ends in folly, or frigidity and chilnesse, in comparison of this.

To end this, I can beare well that they brag of their Arculae, Myrothesia, and Lecythi, like some deformed woemen of their boxes, out of [Page 76] which they draw a painted and greasie beautie. But I cannot brook that they should speake of thunder and lightning in their Orators, igno­rant and silly men, as though these fiery Me­teors were bred, or did appeare in this lower Region, so far from Heaven. No, no, as they said once of Christian Souldiers, that they were Fulminatrix Legio, so I may say of the celestial Hierarchie of the Angels of the Churches, the Lords Ministers, that is Fulminatrix Regio: and if I be not deceived, he should not be much a­misse, that should call the Pulpit the shop of thunder: all other Pericles have but brutum fulmem, in comparison of that, as you may con­ceive out of that which hath beene spoken: and that which is the wonder in this, all this is without any pomp or shew, not [...]. with great pompe, but [...]. with great weaknesse and infir­mity rather, which argues the evidence of the Spirit and the power of God the more strongly. I conclude therefore. As one said of Demetrius Pompeii libertus, who spake much, but had no­thing to doe, when Pompey himselfe who did all, but said but little, I regard not (said he) [...]. what thou sayest, but what he doth silently: so may we say, it skils not so much what the Minister said outwardly, as what the Spirit workes inwardly: since the efficacie of their words depend not so much upon themselves, because they are good orators, as upon the Spi­rit of God, because they are Gods Orators, [Page 77] Gods Ambassadors. I have finished now the explication of the intensive efficacie. I must adde a word of their extensive, for so I was con­strained to call them for distinction sake. I meane it thus: If you take a view of the whole world you shall scarce find a region, of which the Ministers of the Gospell may not say as he in the Poet, ‘Quae Regio in terris nostri non plena laboris?’

The Sects of Philosophers were distinguished by the names of [...]. Italick, and [...]. Ionick, as Laerti­us tels us, but Religion is characterized and known by the name of [...]. Catholike. Now wee know there is nothing commonly received, but either by the law of nature in morall, or by the law of nations in politicall affaires: Now the faith of Christ preached by the Ministers being dispersed over all, and not imprinted in all, by either of those it cannot be but probable, that it proceeds from the grace of God, who is the God of nature. Againe, as the great Mathematician said once to the King, [...]. let me have a place to stand on, and I will move the earth, implying that the moving of this earth could not be supposed without a firme stand­ing on some other earth granted: so the mov­ing of the whole earth by the Ministers, to the embracing of the faith, must needs evince a fixing of them in Heaven, from whence they are sent, and the rather because of that great [Page 78] opposition, which they find every where, which will compell us to grant the former suppositi­on. You have seene the Embleme of an earth beseiged round with many windes, the Devill on the one side blowing, and the Pope the Di­vels instrument on the opposite side blowing, and the Cardinals the Popes agents on each side betweene them blowing, and the Turke at another corner blowing, and all to shake this earth: and yet notwithstanding all these, the word is written in it immobilis, the word is written in indeleble characters, and it is un­moovable: and it may well be said of all these blowers, as the Orator said of the Athenians, comparing them to men running up an Hill, [...]. they blow hard, but runne slow. The Earth is the Ministers of the Gospell, and that Word which they preach, all those and many other lay their heads together, to blow it away, but all in vaine, for the finger of God hath written immobilis upon them, and his decree is like the Medes and Persians, that cannot be changed, but what he hath written he hath written: Nulla litura in Decretis sapien­tum, tis true of God: and good reason, the Spi­rit, as the wind, bloweth where it listeth, as Christ saith, and it is folly at least, if not madnesse, as Pythagoras speaks, [...]. to blow against the winds.

The Word is like the [...]. Lampe that is un­quenchable, in the storie which laughs at the winds (ridebis ventos, saith he) that swell, and [Page 79] puffe, and blow against it, but it cannot blow it out: and they that carry it are like the Persian Souldiers, which they call [...]. immortall, of whom the world may say, as they did once of the Grecians in that Epigramme, whom they thought invulnerable; [...]. we shoot at them, but they fall not downe, we wound them, and not kill them.

In a word: as Gamaliel said of the Apostles preaching, if it be of God it will prevaile, we may invert it and say most truly, if it prevaile thus against all opposition, surely, it is of God, they are men of his right hand, men of God, Gods Ambassadors.

There is no gainsaying [...]. Demosthenes words: tis true of the power of the Spirit, in the word of the Ministers: as it was said of Steven, his enemies could not so much as [...]. stand against the wisdome of the Spirit of God that was in him, but fell downe, as Dagon did before the Arke.

The tale of the Dragon and his traine (the false Prophet is the taile, saith Isaiah, and the Pope is the false Prophet, as may appeare out of the Revelation) the taile of the Dragon, the Pope, may draw the third part of the stars out of heaven, but the gates of Hell cannot prevail gainst any part of a starre in the right hand of Christ: O thence it is that they are so in­vincible.

YOu have seene a Larke upon a fine Sunn-shine day mounting and singing, not to the Sunne (as Cardan tels of strange flo­wers, that make strange hymns to the Moone) but (as Clemens Alexandrinus speaks) of the quire of Grashop­pers, one of which leapt upon the Musicians Harpe, and supplyed the want of a string that chanced to crack in the midst of his song ( [...]. to the most wise God the inventer of musick,) a song of thanksgiving to him that taught her the art of singing, and so she climbes aloft with her [Page 81] prety note, peiring and peiring, as though she would peire into the secrets of Heaven: but on the suddaine, when you have long expected what newes shee would bring from thence, you have seene her fall silently to the earth againe: me thinkes those Ministers may be said to be like those Larkes, fly like Larkes, and fall like Larks, which rise much in the con­templative of their discourse, nothing in the practicall; which in the explication of truths wind up their auditors understanding to so high a pitch, that they seeme to carry them in­to Heaven, and make them read distinctly in the volumnes of eternitie, but in the applicati­on so slacken their hand, that they let their af­fections fall againe, and have them where they found them at the first, on earth. And therfore I will crave leave to spend this exercise wholly in such instructions as may be profitably de­ducted out of that which hath beene formerly delivered. You have heard the proportion be­tweene the Ministers of God and the messen­gers of Princes, how they are Ambassadors; the compulsion and necessity of the sending of these, why there needed Ambassadors; the election of these, why such meane men were made Ambassadors; the confirmation of the point, that these meane men are notwithstand­ing Gods Ambassadors, and this the last time: where the last proofe was from the efficacie of their Ministerie, as it was upon the heart, in [Page 82] which respect that may be said of all, which was said of Luther, that he spake as if he had beene within a man: in that it was a great worke upon the heart, a resurrection, a re­generation, a new creation, in that it was a­gainst the propension of the subject, the heart of man opposing it, in that it was without any great preparation of art and eloquence: in which respects though there had never beene any miracle, to seale their preaching, yet it may be said of the doctrine it selfe, as the Thomists say of their Master Aquinas, Etsi nullis in vita sua nec morte miraculis claruisset, &c. to warrant his canonization for a Saint, yet his doctrine would be sufficient, quot enim articulos, tot miracula, so many articles as he wrote, so many miracles God wrought by him, quilibet enim est unum miraculum, say they: and may not I say, so many articles of Reli­gion, so farre above naturall reason, as they have perswaded men to believe, so many mira­cles have they wrought? Lastly, in that it hath prevailed over the whole world, in spite of all enemies and opposition, in which respect I may not unfitly paralell the triumph of the Word of God, concerning Christ, with the triumph of Christ himselfe described in the 19. of the Revelation, who is called the Word of God, not without some reference to this I thinke,Rev. 19 11. 12, 13. And I saw Heaven opened, and behold a white Horse, and he that sate upon him was called [Page 83] faithfull and true, and in righteousnesse he doth judge and make warre: his eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crownes, and he had a name written that no man knew but himselfe, and he was cloathed in a vesture dipt in blood, and his name is called the Word of God, and out of his mouth goeth a sharpe sword, that with it he should smite the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, &c. I might improove this text, but that I make haste to the observations that fol­low, which I must passe over in a word, be­cause I have many things to speake; and am loth to trouble memorie.

The first of which, concernes those that en­ter into the ministery.Vse I. It is reported of three Romane Ambassadors appointed for Bythinia, one of which had his head full of scarres, the second did vecordia laborare, and the third had the gout in his feet, of whom Cato said scoffing­ly, that Romana legatio neque caput, neque cor, neque pedes haberet: and it were great pity that Gods Ministers, which are his Ambassadors, should be such, as might be obnoxious to any just obloquy of the World▪ for any grosse de­fects: it would well become the Church of God, the Spouse of Christ, which weares the keyes of authority at her girdle: (as I no­ted heretofore) to turne the key against all those that would presume to enter, into this great office and charge, and had not good cardes to shew for it; that should be found de­fective [Page 84] either in sound understanding, or syn­cere affection, or unblameable conversation, either in head, or heart, or feet. Princes count it a point of honour to send those that are fit, and in this case it is a shrewd presumption, that those that are not fit, were never sent by God, who is so jealous of his honour; they may bee uncased for counterfeits, that have not these gifts to shew, as it were letters of credit from their Master. There is indeed a latitude, and it were folly to disable every one, that cannot fill Procrustes bed: but it is wisdome again to mea­sure every one, and [...]. stretch them out by Pauls Canons, as Nazianzen speaks, that they should be of [...]. good behaviour, apt to teach, at the least, it is not necessary every one shonld be a gol­den mouth'd Chrysostom, but who ever heard of dumb Orators, dumbe Ambassadors: much is required of them, they must instruct, exhort, reprove, correct, &c they must be wise, and learned, and meeke, and zealous, or to use Na­zianzens word, they must be [...]. in a word hea­venly, they should reflect some splendor back upon their honours, which cast so great a lu­stre upon their persons, that it may be said of them, as he sayes of a learned and worthy Car­dinall, Qua demum purpurato facto ipsa mihipur­pura vere fact a ornatior: we should not hear then any complaints of such as the Father speakes, [...]. I may translate it, yesterday players on the Stage, and to day labourers in the Lords Vine­yard. [Page 85] But there were sous of Ely which were sons of Belial, slovenly Priests, that made the people of Israel abhorre the offering of the Lord, and I would to God there were none such now a­dayes. It was the sin of Ieroboam who made Is­rael to sinne, that he made Priests of the [...]. vilest of the people indeed the basest of the people if they were but men, were too good to make Priests for Ieroboams gods, which were but Calves. But what hath Gods truth and religion deserv­ed, that she should fal into such hucsters hands? If this were tolerable, and God would beare with it in the time of our former ignorance, when the Proverbe was verified [...]. the worst Cretian is as good as the best Graecian, & inter caecos luscus Rex est, yet in this great [...]. augmen­tation of light and learning, it must needs be lamentable. The Asse did not only teach the Foxe wit, as it is in the Fable, but the Pro­phet also, as we read of Balaam: and Christ himselfe made use of an Asse; but it was then when the Disciples might say truly, The Lord hath need of him: but now we may say as the servants of Achish said of David, when he slavered his beard, and scrabled on the wals, hath our Lord need of mad men? who if they chance to bestow any of their children on the Church, as he said of Basil, who was therefore preserved from the violence of an Arian Em­perour, because he was a meanes to recover his sonne of a dangerous Ague, that he was [...]. the [Page 86] gift of an Ague: so they are the gift of some lamenesse, or some blindnesse, some infirmity, or deformity, some want of gifts; if he bee good for nothing, he will make a Preacher, say they. Base wretch! Doth the Lord require that the beast which is offered to him should be without blemish, and can he take it well, the Priest that offers it should be full of blemishes? Doth he call for a reasonable Sacrifice, and wil he be content with an unreasonable Sacrificer? Shall they be thought fit to rule in Gods com­mon-wealth, which some wise Philosophers have not thought fit to live in their common-wealth? Yes, go to the Prince and offer him such a present, wil he accept him at thy hands? Mal. 1. 8. say to him I have a son which I had purposed to have made a Lawyer, or a Merchant, or a Trades-man, or a Husband-man, but because he is lame, or blind, dull, or simple, I beseech your Majestie to take him into your service, to make him your Ambassador: I leave it to you to imagine what the King would answer such a rude suiter. But you know what Xerxes did, when he was solici­ted by an old man, (a father) that he would re­lease but one sonne of seaven from the service of the warres, that he might remaine with him, a stay, and staffe of his age, caused all to be slain before him, thinking him unworthy to have any son that would not give them all freely to his Soveraigne. And we read that Mephibo­sheth, lame Mephibosheth was a Courtier, but [Page 87] we doe not reade that he was an Ambassador; or rather he was entertained at Davids Table as a friend, not as a Courtier. Why do I speak to these men of the earth, who [...]. do account Religion so much worth, as they find her ra­ted in their books of account; whose best Chri­stianity is but good husbandrie, their tongue goes of the Service at the Altar, but their eye squints at the fat of the sacrifice? Let me rather turne to those that are more like to heare me, and so conclude this point. Hearken then O ye sonnes of the Prophets: seemeth it a small thing to you to be Ambassadors for a King, for the King of Heaven? Suffer me to give a little counsell. The Church of God is an ho­nourable stage, God, and Men, and Angels, are judicious spectators: these Seminaries of learn­ing are attiring houses wherein we do addresse our selves to action, you must bethinke your selves of all the helps and ornaments that may either grace or expedite your function. And Lord what a world there is of this mundus The­ologicus! as I may so speake: A rich invention, a solid judgement, a faithfull memorie: all these like your Merchants Ships, returning from some happy voyage, full fraught and laden with precious wares, the skill of Arts, of tongues, the ancient Hebrew, the copious Greek, the elegant Latin, (Tongues are neces­sary for Ambassadors, and these tongues are very necessary for Gods Ambassadors) all [Page 88] which must be assisted (as the Orbe in his mo­tion, with his Intelligence, or rather informed as the body with the soule in all his operations) with pithy Logick, perswasive Rhetorick, pro­found Philosophy, that I might not name o­thers, every one of which apart, would make a noble profession in another, and yet altogether make but a small part of the noble profession of Theologie, and rather not a part, but a porch of this royall building: for I have not yet told you of the Scripture, in which not a word, not a Jot, not a title, but hath his weight, and must not be suffered to perish, the depth of the Scripture, least it be said by some scoffing Sa­maritan, the Well is deep and thou hast never a Bucket. Lastly, the infinitenesse of Divinity (there is no infinitie in Philosophy, but here there is) positive, controversall, Ecclesiasti­call, experimentall, for the Chaire, for the Schooles, for the Pulpit, for the conscience,

All which are necessary for him that would be a worthy Divine in the Countrey, that I may conclude the catalogue of instruments in this heavenly Georgicks, as Virgil doth that of his Georgicks. He that should be as Nazianzen saith of Basil, [...]. he breathed as much fire as elo­quence, that none were like him; and such for Logick, that it were easier to winde ones selfe [Page 89] out of a Labyrinth without Ariadnes thread, then to untie the Herculean knots of his Syllo­gismes, and had all the rest answerable, would finde use for all: Illi des nominis hujus honorem, (as the Poet saith in another case) he is a Di­vine indeed, let him be so stiled. But as for him that is altogether ignorant in any of these, let him say, I am no Prophet, nor the sonne of a Prophet, but I was among the heards men of Tekoah. To conclude this, they that are too for­ward in this kinde, may runne apace, as Ahi­maaz did, they may runne faster to the Sepul­cher of Christ, as Iohn did, but Peter that was slower went further, for Iohn came first to the Sepulcher, but Peter went first into the Sepul­cher and saw all things. In a word, let them be sure to take their instructions with them, that desire to goe Ambassadors.

I come now to the second observation,2. Vse. which concernes those that are in the Ministe­rie, and that divers wayes, both for instruction, and first for their life. If Vzzah must die but for touching the Arke of God, and that to stay it when it was like to fall: if the men of Bethshe­mesh but for looking into it: if the very beasts that doe but come neere the holy Mount bee threatned: then what manner of persons ought they to be, who shall be admitted to talke with God familiarly, to stand before him (as the An­gels doe) and behold his face continually: to beare the Arke upon their shoulders, to beare his name [Page 90] before the Gentiles, in a word, to be his Ambas­sadors. Holinesse becommeth thy house O Lord, and were it not a ridiculous thing to imagine, that the Vessels must be holy, the Vestures must be holy, all must be holy, but only he upon whose very garments must be written Holinesse to the Lord, he might be unholy: that the bels of the horses should have an inscription of holinesse up­on them, in Zechariah, and the Saints-Bells, the Bels of Aaron, should be unhallowed? No, they must be shining and burning lights, or else their influence will dart some malignant qua­lity▪ they must chew the cud and divide the hoofe, or else they are uncleane; they must [...]. divide the Word aright, and [...]. walke uprightly in their life, joyne life to learning; or either of them single, like the solitary Helena to the Mariners, will be unhappy: they must be such, as he sayes of zealous Christians, which unwisely opposed their Pastor, which had a [...]. conversation per­swading to godlinesse; they must be such of which that may be verified, [...]. his degree credi­ted his life, and his life graced his degree: then shall all the world know them to be Gods ser­vants, Gods Ambassadors: they shall be like Innes, which have their Signes on both sides: like those which you have seene of the Kings Guard, which have the Armes of the Crown on their brests and on their backes, they carry about them a double demonstration of their office, à priori, & à posteriori: If they meet [Page 91] with you in their doctrine, you know them for Gods servants: If you follow them in their steps, in their example; you know them for Gods servants, either way they beare the stampe and cognisance of Heaven upon them. Excellently Nazianzen of Athanasius, [...]. he was rich for the theorick, and rich for the practick in his life, and he linckt both as in a golden chaine, manifesting it, by using his conversati­on as a guide of his speculation, and his specu­lation as a seale of his conversation: where the reading I thinke may be better inverted. If this be wanting, they dishonour the countrey from whence they come, the Prince from whom they come, and this dead Amasa, this dead Doctrine not quickned with a good life, lying in the way, stops the people of the Lord, that they cannot goe on cheerefully in their spiri­tuall warfare. They would be wished there­fore, to preach no otherwise then Origen did, you know the storie: Origen after his foule fall, when put to his choise, whether he would de­file himselfe with an Aethiopian woman, or sacrifice to the Heathen gods, he had done the latter, comming to the Church at Ierusalem, and being requested to preach there, he open­ed the booke, and fell upon that in the Psalme, What hast thou to doe to take my words into thy mouth, seeing thou hatest to be reformed? which when he had read, he closed the booke againe, and sate downe and wept, and all the congre­gation [Page 92] wept with him, and this was all his ser­mon. And thus in my opinion would these men be counselled to repent of their preach­ing, and so as it were preach of their repen­tance. The second instruction followes, for their doctrine: For this title of Ambassadors, commends many things unto them, as, 1. Fi­delitie. Ambassadors have a commission, be­yond which they must not go, and I thinke it is disputed and determined by Lawyers, that a Legate may not transgresse it, though he might, in probability advantage his master more otherwise: I am sure, it must be so with Gods Ambassadors, the Word is their com­mission, from which if they swerve, the Lord will commence an Action, [...]. concerning their Embassage, against them: And if it were pos­sible, that traditions, and humane inventions, could gain more glory then this, yet, they that presumed to use them, might justly looke to be handled as the Triumvirs did the servant of a noble Senator of Rome, that betrayed his Ma­ster, whom they had proscribed: they rewar­ded him for his service to them, because he de­livered him who was proscribed, they proving him guilty; and then they rewarded him for his treachery to his master, whom he should have preserved, they cast him down headlong from the Capitoll, and brake his neck. 2. Hu­mility. They go for another, they must not wo for themselves: Non nobis Domine, non nobis, [Page 93] not unto us O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy Name be given all the praise and glory, must be their song. They may take up the Embleme that a noble Lady of France, being suspected of a crime, and not well knowing how to wash it a­way otherwise, used a watering Pot dropping, with this Motto, Nil mihi praeterea, praeterea mihi nil: The Ministers I say may well use this wa­tering pot, for Paul may plant, and Apollo wa­ter, but it is God that giveth the increase. In a word, (because I am forced to post over these things) as Peter and Iohn having healed a lame man, that lay at the beautifull gate of the Tem­ple, said to the people that beheld it, and began to have them in some admiration, Why gaze you upon us, as if we had done this by our owne power, &c? And as the King Canutus in our English Historie, tooke off the Crowne from his owne head, and set it upon the Crucifixe at Westmin­ster: So Gods Ambassadors, must not receive honour for themselves, but must be like the Mercuriall Statues to point men the right way to Christ. 3. Diligence, Cursed be he that doth the worke of the Lord negligently, especially they that are▪ is Ambassadors, they must not say, as Iustin Martyr speakes, in a case not much different, [...]. We know not how to minister. we know not how to worke: but as the heroicall Prince professeth, so their Arms must be, the feathers, and their word, I serve: and who is so dull a Gramarian, that cannot put these together, and make this easie con­struction, [Page 94] That the nature of their service re­quires much diligence, and expedition: Their master and their errand, the authority of the one, the necessity of the other, the reward, the punishment, the horrour of the one, the hope of the other, will compell them to discharge their office, with all possible industrie. Who would not runne like a star in perpetuall motion upon earth, that he might shine like a star in hea­ven hereafter, in perpetual rest and glory but to leave this, as not so proper, Luther said wittily of a servant, Minùs nocet ignavus fur, quàm seg­nis minister, which is most true here: the little Foxes that the Canticles speaks of that steals the Grapes, do not so much hurt, as the idle Mini­sters, lazie labourers in the Lords Vineyard. 4. Courage and resolution against all feare or flattery, Feare not their faces, (saith the Lord to Ieremy) lest I destroy thee. Popilius a Romane Am­bassador to Antiochus the great, having deliver­ed his message, and the King deferring his an­swer, and demurring on it, drew a circle round about him with his wand, and conjured him, to determine, and resolve, whether he would have peace or warre, before he went a foot out of the circle: which wondrous resolution and confidence, caused him presently to define, peace. And doe not we see how bold every petty Constable will beare himselfe upon the higher power, I charge you in the Kings name, &c. and why should only Gods Ambassadors [Page 95] like children, be afraid of shadowes and bug­beares? The world hath many reproachfull nicknames for Gods Ambassadors, Priest, Par­son, Vicar, &c. what should we doe? as he in the Poet,

Vaine men! as though the crowne of honour, which God himselfe hath put upon the head of all these, whom he hath made his Ambas­sadors, were made of such fading flowers, as would be blasted with every stinking breath, of every prophane scoffer; away with such ig­noble, and base pusillanimity: to be scared with these, we are too too nice and daintie, Christi nimis delicati martyres, as one speakes, if wee thinke the worse of our selves, or of our profes­sion for this, or if not the better. It is a small thing, yet many times more praise worthy, to digest these without any rising of stomack, quàm centum plagas Spartanâ nobilitate concox­isse: like curs they barke, because they are a­fraid of you, they would not have you come neere them. They speak evill of you, because you do well, or as he said plainly, being asked why they did so, quia malefacere nequeunt. In the wildernesse, these wilde beasts goe loose, and prey upon Gods children: but in this prospe­rity of Sion, the Law chaines them, and chaines them so, that they cannot hurt, and therefore they grin the more afarre off. Let them know, every contumelious word against a Christian, [Page 96] who is the sonne of God, is at least scandalum magnatum, against his Ambassadors, petty trea­son, and when they belch forth this among their Tobacco-smoke to collow them, they ut­ter voces per jugulum redituras, as the Phrase is. What if Ahab frowne and fret, and charge the Prophet of sharpnesse, and unkindnesse: Thou never propheciest good unto me, like the King in Homer, [...]. Jnquit Aga­memnon ad va­tem Calchanta. Iliad. [...]. Thou never propheciest good unto me? What if that be true, loquor certa crux? as Francis the first of France, when he looked for an Ambassage from Charles the fifth the Emperour, which he liked not, set up a Gal­lows at the Court gate, and promising to hang him on it, that should bring the message We must say as Michaiah did, as the Lord liveth, what the Lord saith unto mee, that will I speake unto thee. We must conclude with Nazi­anzene, [...]. we feare only that which is of the full­nesse of God. We must resolve with noble Lu­ther, If all the tiles in Wormes were Divels, yet I would not be afraid to goe and speake in be­halfe of the Gospell of Iesus Christ. Or as He­ctor in Homer, [...]. I will combate with him, al­though his hands were as fire, and his strength as Iron. Tell me, who was that, being about to speake for the nation of the Iewes in great danger, armed her selfe with this, If I perish I perish, was it not Hester? was it not a woman? and yet it was a more then a manlike speech, and yet it smells strong of some womanly [Page 97] weakenesse, If I perish, I perish: no, Hester was deceived, that had beene truer, Periisses nisi pe­riisses: And this may be a riddle which a Chri­stian only can areed, and a Christian will areed it easily, if I perish, I flourish. Admirably The­mistocles, when being about to speake to Eury­biades, the chiefe Commander of the Greekes forces against Xerxes, he held up his staffe, as if he had beene about to strike him, [...]. strike (said he) but yet heare: so let every Minister say, scoffe if you will, but heare; raile if you will, but I pray heare: strike if you will, but I be­seech you, heare that Word of God which I bring unto you. But incomparably Pompey, who being chosen Curator annonae, in a great dearth at Rome, and having made great provisi­on for the reliefe of his Citizens, and ready now to put to Sea for the conveyance of it, when the Pylot of his Ship told him that the wind was boistrous, the Sea tempestuous, and the passage like to be very dangerous, it skilleth not (said Pompey) hoist up saile, [...]. tis necessa­ry for us to saile, tis not necessary for us to live. So should every man of God resolve (whose lips, and Libraries, are the very Granaries of Gods people) it is not necessarie that I should live, but it is necessary, and woe is unto me, if I do not preach the Gospell, of which I am an Ambassador. To shut up this, as the Philoso­pher hath observed, [...]. every Coward is a Mur­derer. And as Mauritius the Emperour, said [Page 98] of Phocas, who conspired against him, having enquired of his disposition, and hearing, that he was fearefull, Si timidus est, homicida est, said he: So I say in this case, the cowardise of the Ministers, is crueltie: if he feare the fa­ces of men, he is a murtherer of the soules of men. A word of flattery. It is a rule in Plu­tarch that a Queene gives a Courtier, those that speake to Princes, must speake silken words, their tender eares will not abide the scratch of biting truths: but as a worthy Divine hath wit­tily observed, I thinke (saith he) that must be understood of silken men: but as for Elias, or Iohn Baptist, a Minister, a smooth tongue will as ill become their rough garments, as Iacobs smooth voice, became his rough hands; be­tweene which, there was a reall and palpable contradiction: as it did become the Asse in the Fable, to fawne and leape upon his master, which he did, because he saw the Dog that did it, was much made of for it. Of all things in the world, a Parasite and a Pulpit, are most incom­petible. It is most base for Gods Ambassadors, which represent his person, to pick feathers off from great Mens coates, (an ancient character of a Parasite) to stuffe pillowes withall to sowe underneath their elbowes: how much do they cast themselves beneath themselves, and tram­ple upon the royaltie of their office, that can finde in their hearts to stoope to this servility? A Lacedaemonian slave standing to be sold in [Page 99] the market, and asked of a chapman, what Art he knew? [...]. I am a free man, said he: and shall Gods Ambassadors bee the greatest slaves, whose very speech being but attired and at­tended (as they ought to be) with that majesty and authority, which Divine truths carry in their very countenance, should command as much reverence, as the Pontificall garments, in which Iuddus the high Priest met with A­lexander the Great, who was so affected with that auguste state, and bravery of them, that he fell downe at his feet, and worshipped him, as Iosephus records. I have done with the instru­ctions: a word or two of incouragement.

I will not be so bold my selfe, but I would commend any thing, to some that were wor­thy to put our great Rabbins in mind, wherein their honour lies: it is not Silks, nor Velvets, nor Scarlet, nor a goodly traine (what doe I speake of these) it is not Throns, nor Domina­tions, nor Powers, nor any dignities, that can make a man so truly honourable, as the preach­ing of the Gospell to poore soules, to be Gods Ambassadors, surely they are mistaken, they need not feare, the frequency in this duty, should prove a disparagement or imminution to greatnesse. Excellently saith our Saviour, All power is given unto me both in Heaven and Earth: I will now prefer all my servants, and make you Lords and Rulers, but wot yee how? it followes, Go preach to all Nations, but [Page 100] this, by the way. I conclude this with a word to some, with whom I may be bold. Let no man here that is in a way to the Ministery, believe the false spies that raise an ill report upon that good land, that flowes with milk and honey. I will say no more now, but is it thinke you a base thing and sordid, to be Ambassa­dors to the King of Heaven? I will repeat it once more, because I can scarce heare without some indignation, that that should be a maxime in the worlds Heraldrie, for earthly Kings, once Ambassador, ever honourable: And it is a base thing to be Ambassadors for the King of Hea­ven. And now I come to the third deduction, concerning the people, which I must run over. I shall not need to tell you, that you must not offer any discourtesie to these Ambassadors: Ambassadors are inviolable by the law of Na­tions: and the Lord hath set a better mark then Cain had, and given them a better pasport, touch not mine annointed, and do my Prophets no harm: And if any should rise up against them, I would tell them boldly, what one whispered in the Captains eare, when he was somthing too busie with Paul, Take heed what thou doest, this man is a Romane: Take heed what thou doest, this man is an Ambassador. The Romans sacked the fa­mous Corinth and razedit to the ground, for a little discourtesie they offer'd to their Ambassa­dors: And what shall the Lord of the Vineyard doe to those husbandmen, that beat and ston'd [Page 101] and killd his servants, that he sends unto them? It is a symptome of a disordered and desperate estate. When these Ambassadors are violated, we pull all Gods judgements upon our heads, with the chaines of our sinnes: but this is the linke of the chaine that immediately drawes them. It is a remarkable place, in the last of the Chronicles, Moreover all the chiefe of the Priests and the people transgressed very much after all the abominations of the Heathen, and polluted the house of the Lord, that he hallowed at Ierusalem: here be many links, but observe that followes, And the Lord God of their Fathers sent to them by his Mes­sengers, rising up betimes and sending, because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his Prophets (this is the last linke, and ye see judgement fastned, chain­ed, and linked to it) untill the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedie. Therefore he brought upon them the Chaldees, &c. I passe from this. When Ehud told the King of Moab, I have a Message to thee from God, O King, he rose from his thron and bowed himself. I think it was Francis that said, if he should meet a Preacher and an Angell together, he would first salute the Preacher, and the Angell after. I am sure Paul saith of the Galathians, that they received him as an Angell of God, yea as Iesus Christ, and that they would have plucked out their eyes for him, how beautifull are the feet of [Page 102] those upon the mountaines that bring the glad ty­dings of Peace, saith the Church in the Prophet: the Spouse of Christ is so humble, or modest, or both, that shee dares looke no higher then the feet, and yet she spies beautifull, written in the very dust of their feet (as you have seene a contrary word other where) and that in such le­gible characters, that she reads it afar off, before they come neare her, upon the mountaines, as though it had beene written with a Sun beame upon some Easterne hill in a goodly morning: and those letters printed such affection in her, that being not able to expresse it by art, shee throwes down her pensill, (as you have heard of the Painter) and expresses it with a passion, or rather, she shadowes that she could not set forth in a patheticall exclamation: How beauti­full are the feet of those upon the mountaines, that bring glad tydings of peace! and what she did in speeches, Mary in the Gospell spake in deed, she fell downe at the feet of Christ, she broke her box of precious ointment and powred it upon them, she let fall a shower of more precious tears, (peni­tent teares are something like to pearls, but that they are more precious) with which she wash­ed them: she wiped them with a most precious towell, the haires of her head: me thinks these golden haires were like to threads of gold, with which Mary tyed her self (as it were) in a true lovers knot to her best beloved Saviour. Would you know plainly what entertainment you must [Page 103] give these Ambassadors. I will tell you in a word. Give attention, credit, obedience to their words: if they thunder and lighten out of Mount Sinai, if the Lion roare, let the proudest beast in the forrest quake and tremble: if Mount Sion let fall her silver drops, if the silver trum­pet of the Gospell sound peace and comfort, let the poorest worm forget that he creeps up­on the earth, and think he hath a title to Hea­ven. I know you long till I make an end, and so do I too. To conclude therefore: I wish you could forget all that hath beene spoken, and blot it out of your memory, to fasten this one thing which I am now to say. Let this be our remembrance when we go to the Lords house, I go now to heare what Gods Ambassadors shall say unto me: they that dresse themselves to go with any colder or baser conceits, may well bee checked, as Caligula was wont to say tyrannically, what Antidotum contra Caesarem: and that is a reall crime in them only, which was a ridiculous accusation of Trebonius, Quod telum toto pectore non exceperit. Again let this be our meditation, when we returne from thence, with benefit, Blessed be thou, and blessed be thy counsell, and blessed be the Lord that sent thee out to meet me this day: Surely this is a man of God, a man of Heaven: tell me, O you that are cun­ning linguists, did he not speak with the tongue of Angels? was not I in heaven while I heard him? is it but an imaginary fancie? or did I [Page 104] heare the more then Pythagorean harmony of the sphears? His words like Soveraigne balme dropt into my wounded soule, like the sweet influence of the Pleiades upon this lower world: me thought, I felt my heart (while he spake) shoot up into my eares, as it were to meet and kisse the blessed lips, which distilled such gra­cious dew, such golden showres, and drinke them as the parched, and thirsty earth the dew of Heaven: and yet, in the sweet remembrance thereof, My soule magnifieth the Lord, and my Spi­rit rejoyceth in God my Saviour. Blessed be the Lord that hath sent his Angels, (as he did to Peter) to draw me out of the dungeon of sinne and misery, that hath sent his Ambassadors, as David did to Hanun, to comfort me. Signa Deum agnosco per sua, Christus adest: only Christ the [...]. munificent God (as Nazianzen cals him) could go to the cost of these precious and cor­diall words, he hath put them into the mouths of his Ambassadors.

The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ, and the love of God the Father, and the comfortable fellowship of the blessed Spirit, be with all those blessed soules, that by the grace of God, and power of his Spirit, love the Lord Iesus.

Deo soli gloria.

THis verse, as you see, is linked to the former, not intire of it selfe, and independent, as appeares by the first particle, being a causall con­junction, For I determined: and it takes us by the hand, and leades us to the next verse, of which it is a reason: for,

1. There was registred S. Pauls action, I cannot, &c. and here we have the cause rendred, which is, Paul, agens consilio, his determination, I did not, for I determined. And yet we cannot stay there, for we find and another particle, as it were another stayer, to lead us yet▪ higher. And therefore, I pray give me leave to draw the whole pedegree of my Text by the line of method, that so I may lead your understand­ing [Page 2] into the meaning of the words, with a con­venient construction, and lead my observations out of the meaning of the words, without any violent consequution. Wherein if my discourse be tedious, I will make no apologie, but this, necessity forced me to seeke further then my Text, and when I was entred, delight perswa­ded me to seeke farther then I needed: yet I resolved when I had done, not to trouble you with any thing in this kinde, but then it was too late, I was compelled by another necessity. Wherefore I must intreat you to accept it as it is. The Apostle Paul, like a faithfull labourer in the Lords Vineyard, had planted a Church at Corinth, and watered it with a whole yeares Preaching, as it were, showring downe the sweet dewes of Heaven upon it. After his de­parture, though he had both his hands full of other imployments, yet, being jealous of the successe of his labour, both his eyes were watchfull, if he might by any meanes further the worke he had begun: being thus desirous, there could not want occasion: For behold ere long, both his eares are filled with newes from Corinth; Those of the house of Chloe, on the one side, welwillers to the welfare of the Church, have recourse to him, to informe him of some corruptions wherewith the Church was trou­bled: for the envious man had sowne Tares a­mong the good Seed, while the good man was asleepe. Those of the Church of Corinth, on [Page 3] the other side, make repair to him to be inform­ed in some questions, wherw^th their conscience was troubled: for the gracious Lord had bles­sed the labour of his good servant in planting and watering, with a blessed increase. And thus you see a double occasion of writing, which makes a double argument of this golden Epi­stle. Concerning corruptions, to the seventh Chapter, where he fixes a transition [...], as it were a marke of his passage to the second; which beginning there, holds on to the end of the Epistle concerning questions: Sed transeat ista. The corruptions were either such as were generally committed by all, not only permitted, as Shisme, in the 4. Chapter, or permitted only by all, not generally com­mitted, as unnaturall incest, Chapter 5. unchri­stian quarrels, Chapter 6. Ye see then the de­formities of Corinth, overspreading the whole face, and overgrowing the whole body of the Church. All the Governours were guiltie: The Preachers with their affected eloquence and ambitious affectation had rent the people in sunder, from unity to mutiny, from faith to faction. The whole Presbyterie was tardie in their dutie, incest, horrible incest was among them, the shame of the Church, the scorn of the Gentiles, the scandall of the Christians, in cest, horrible incest was among them, jetting in their streets, and yet they see it not, or wink at it, crying to Heaven and was heard; and yet [Page 4] their sword sleeps in his scabbard and cannot be awaked. See yet further, they are but a little handfull, hemmed in with enemies round a­bout, who watch them with a thousand eyes, and yet they cannot leave wrangling among themselves, they must needs hale one another to the judgement seates, and there in a goodly Theater set themselves, Themselves? nay, the Go­spel, the precious word of God, the joy, glory, aud jewell of a Christian, for which, a mans life were not deare, if he bought it so: I say, they set the Gospell to sale, to the derision of the Hea­then. These then were the maladies of Corinth, Schisme broken out with arrogancie, and not bound up with humility: Incest committed by villany, and not controlled by authority: law­sutes prosecuted at Heathen courts, and not ta­ken up with Christian care: and Paul like a skilfull Physitian, applies Doses to these dis­eases. Incest must be cured by cutting; Chri­stian caution, may prevent unchristian conten­tion: but Schisme is a longer task; that swel­ling humour of pride and vaine-glory, must be abased and abated with the spare diet of a sin­gle mind, a simple meaning, and a syncere manner in the Preaching of the Word, that so the glory of God may be advanced, and all the pride of man trampled in the dust.

The argument of Schisme is continued from the 10. of the 1. to the end of the 4. Chapter, where a double course, used in the cure there­of, is intimated.

[Page 5] 1. That which he premises. 2. That which he promises. He premises this Letter sent by the hand of Timothy, that he might further the bu­sinesse: and promises, that if this will not doe, himselfe will shortly come and take further order.

The summe of the Letter is an exhortation to unitie from one argument especially, and is couched and concluded in this Enthymeme, You are all one in Christ Iesus who is one, you agree with one mind, and one mouth: the Proposition being supposed as very reasonable, and therfore suppressed as not very necessary. The conclu­sion is proposed in the tenth of the first, where because it stands (as it were) in the forefront without the premises, it is guarded on the one side with a sweet entreatie, I beseech you brethren: on the other side with a sound authority, By the name of the Lord Iesus Christ, being (as it were) edged with the one, the sweet entreatie; and backed with the other, the sound authority, that it might the better peirce into the very tower of their affections; and force them with a sure charme to all syncere obedience, and this con­clusion iterated in the 14. of the 4. closes up the whole argument.

The Assumption follows in the 13. of the 1. whetted, as it were, and pointed, with nimble interrogations, which all speake as Spaniards in the language of Pike, with invincible po­wer, and unavoidable necessity, that Christ [Page 6] is the onely one, and undivided Saviour.

But here the Corinthians barre up the way with an objection, which is insinuated in the 12. verse, and is but insinuated in the whole progresse: yet so, that you may easily perceive that all Pauls paines in the foure first Chapters, is spent in the remoovall of this rub, the antici­pation of this objection: Now this it is.

Though there be but one Christ, one Ma­ster, yet there be many of Christs Ministers, and they have different gifts; one likes Pauls simple perspicuitie; others, Apollos ample plentie; a third, Cephas solid potency; and therefore, why may not I apply my self to Paul, I, to Apollo, I, to Cephas?

This their discourse (if you marke it) is a discovery of all the causes of their disorder. They are two: the bewitching tongues of the teachers, and, the itching eares of the people: the teachers arrogance, the peoples ignorance. The teachers, faithlesse teachers, wooe for themselves, instead of their Lord: the people, foolish people, fall in love with the man, in­stead of the master, the servant, instead of the soveraigne: And therefore Paul instructs them both: the teachers, what they should do, from the 14. of the 1. to the 5. of the 3. where im­bracing an occasion, he sweetly passes to the people, what they should doe: the people must not account too highly of their Ministers, for two reasons.

[Page 7] 1. They are but the Lords servants. They may well take up the embleme of a watering-Pot dropping, with this word, Nil mihi praete­rea, praeterea mihi nil. For Paul may plant, and A­pollo may water, but it is the Lord that gives the in­crease. And therefore they must not set up the labourer against the Lord.

Nay secondly, the Ministers, they are the Co­rinthians servants in the Lord, For all things are yours, whether Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas, or the world or life, or death, or things present, or things to come, all are yours, and ye are Christs, and Christ is Gods. And therefore, you must not make them lords of your faith: and therefore, Let no man glory in men.

Now for the Ministers duty. It is not to seeke themselves, but the glory of God, and the good of the people; and therefore, not to preach themselves in quaint words, and curi­ous eloquence, but to preach both for matter, Christ Iesus; and for manner, with all plainnesse, and without all affectation, nothing but Christ Iesus with all humility, and without all osten­tation, nothing but Christ Iesus crucified. Christ Iesus, must be the argument of their preaching, for in him God will be glorified: Christ Iesus must be the ornament of their preaching, that he that glorieth may glory in the Lord. This is the Summe of that which is laid downe at length in Pauls example: his story reports both the fact that he did so, and the causes, both ef­ficients, [Page 8] and ends: efficients, God peremptori­ly commanding, Paul voluntarily obeying God as a royall Soveraigne, Paul as a loyall subject, God imperio, Paul obsequio; both which have their ends the same, to wit, the glory of the e­ternall God, and the eternall good of the Co­rinthians: yet with this different distinction, God independently, Paul in dependency; God as supreme head prescribing, Paul as subordi­nate, subscribing to his holy pleasure: and with this disposition God intending his glory, is spe­cially treated of in the first Chapter, Paul at­tending the peoples good, specially propoun­ded in this Chapter. This is the series rei, but the series historiae consists in three steps.

1. God commanded Paul, and all, so to do, from the 17. verse of the 1. to the end.

2. Paul determined so to doe, in the verse of my Text.

3. He did so, in the first verse, for thus they lie in order: and therefore you must observe two things for the method.

1. That the first verse of this Chapter holds hands with the 17. of the 1. and all which is inserted, is but a commoration in the storie, illustrating the command of God from the cause of his counsell, and the contrary conceit of the worldlings.

2. That the order of the two latter parts in his determination and action inverted, this be­ing placed after the 1. verse, which in the ac­curate [Page 9] method, should have had the prece­dencie.

To contract all that hath beene said: two things may be observed here, a Precept, and an Example. The Precept is a description of a Minister of the Gospell, to be such an one, as now being sent of God, is to preach the glad tydings of Christ Iesus come into the World, for the redemption of mankinde, for the glory of God, and the salvation of his people: This description containes the chiefe causes, as is shewed. The example is Paul, in whom, as in a glasse, all this is represented, for three Reasons.

1. For Pauls own sake, to vindicate his inte­gritie with the Corinthians, inveigled with their Rabbinicall Doctors, and thence offended with Pauls simplicitie, began to call in question: as you may see.

2. For the Doctors sake, that if they would not learne their duty from God, they might learne it from him, so lofty a patterne, of so lowly a pietie: as you may see.

3. For the Corinthians sake, to provoke them to a filiall imitation, by the patriall example of his humilitie.

To draw now to a conclusion. You see the context is a Commentary upon the Text: and the Text is a Compendium of the context; for the Text is a recapitulation of all the severalls above mentioned, the very quintessence of all [Page 10] the simples afore unfolded: and the Context is a light discovering what is contained in the Text, both for words and meaning, and what may be collected out of the Text, for instructi­on. The words may now be easily interpret­ed: [...] may be rendred either, with Calvin, in precio habui, or with Beza, decrevi; for it signifies Paul acting, consilio rei in all actions: and the word of judgement [...] comprehends both, [...] must be rendred by a Metonymy of the Cause for the Effect, by the word Preach­ing, or some such like, for you see it notes Pauls ministeriall function, and it is spoken [...], not so much as know, even as [...] seeme to be not any thing, that is not in com­parison or in competition. [...] is a Synechdoche, for all that was to be taught concerning Christ Iesus, namely, faith in him, and salvation by him; even as the last words [...], comprehend all his sufferings in generall, of which, this is a species [...]. The meaning then is, as if Paul had said, I thought nothing worthy to be knowne, and there­fore determined to make shew of no other knowledg among you, but of the counsell of God, for your sal­vation, by a true faith in Christ Iesus, who there­fore was crucified for you.

This being the meaning, you see what this verse containes in it, namely, a generall pre­cept, and a speciall example, a generall precept in a speciall example. The generall precept is, [Page 11] that every Minister must preach, for matter, Christ Iesus only; for manner, with all humility Christ Iesus crucified: this is in the Text, and the context, as a Commentary, shews why this must be done, from the efficients.

1. God he commands.

2. The Minister, it is his duty to obey. And from the ends.

1. He must seeke Gods glory, not his owne applause.

2. He must seeke the peoples salvation, not his owne approbation.

And secondly, it shewes what is here for­bidden, all humane wisdome and humane elo­quence, which tend any way to selfe seeking, and, therefore all these doctrines are plainly contained in this precept, beside what may be collected: as.

1. That the only way to seeke Gods glory and the salvation of the people, is by teaching Christ Iesus, and him Crucified, and him only: and therefore,

2. That we can hardly preach in humane e­loquence and wisdome, but we shall be in dan­ger of bewraying our owne vainglory, and be­traying the Lords honour, and the soules of his people.

3. The preaching in humility, is the best way to prevent Schismes in charity.

Now all these are made more illustrious in a most illustrious example, to which every word in the Text payes tribute, that it may be excellent.

[Page 12] 1. Paul did not seek the wisdome of words, to seeke his owne worship; and therefore no mans greatnesse, or learning, no exemption can priviledge, no priviledge can exempt any man from this necessary humilitie: for if any, then might Paul have pretended this, who was brought up at Gamaliels feet, and accomplished with all humane institution, who was rapt into the third heavens, and acquainted with all divine revelations: and that you may not think, that ignorance in letters, was the mother of this devotion to Christ, he was at Lystry taken for a god, even for Mercurie, the god of elo­quence: yet Paul did it not: yea.

2. He shaked off all tickling inticements; and shunned all inducements, for he determi­ned not to doe it: yea.

3. He determined not so much as to know any thing beside Christ, as if he should say, dele de hinc ex animo, [...], and surely, if we make an anatomie of the whole body of Pauls Epistles, you shall find, Christ Ie­sus Crucified, written in the heart of them, in golden characters, as truly, as they falsly report that they were seene in the heart of Ignatius.

4. Marke the word, not any thing, not a [...], not a tittle of any thing, but Christ Iesus Cruci­fied: and yet we have not done, for behold yet a further wonder.

5. He would not know any thing, no not a­mong the Corinthians; if any where, then surely [Page 13] he might have shewed learning and eloquence at Corinth, a City of Greece, a famous City, a learned City, where they could understand, and did expect it, and, as it seems, and as I shew­ed before, were offended with his homlinesse: yet all this could not draw Paul from his charge, no more then they could draw the Sun from his Charriot. Me thinkes, I see the Co­rinthians amazed at the hearing of the first verse, to see that Paul so lightly esteemed, that which they so highly admired, and assaulting him in this manner.

It was once said, much learning, ô Paul, hath made thee mad; but now much love hath made thee mad. When we heare of a messenger from God, we look'd to have seen one cloathed, clou­ded with the Moon, crowned with a Crown of Stars, and lookt thou shouldest have spoken in the language of heaven, with the tongue of An­gels: but see what it is, a silly simple man, in a silly simple manner, something like Archimedes, naked, and yet as earnest in crying [...], as though it were some great matter, and yet upon tryall we find nothing, but Crosse, and foolishnesse, the foolishnesse of Preaching, and the word of the Crosse; in a word, nothing but Christ Iesus Crucified: is this the majestie of Gods word? is this the eloquence of Gods Am­bassador? or rather may not we say, as he said once, much learning hath made thee mad; may not we say, much love hath made thee mad?

[Page 14] But here doth Paul answer. I am not mad, ô Noble Corinthians, but if you will needs ac­cuse me of my duty neglected to my Lord, I charge you tell him (what shall you tell him?) I charge you tell him, that I am sicke of love. Neither can I see what you can blame in my preaching, you cannot call it rashnesse, for I de­termined; you cannot call it rudenesse, for I might have done otherwise, if I had not other­wise determined; or say it were both rude and rash, yet you may stay the censure, for, ‘—Si crimen erat, crimen amoris erat.’

For it was among you, it was for your good: and if all this will not satisfie you, yet because it was Christ Iesus I preached, I am well satisfi­ed for the losse of estimation, and the leaving of eloquence, for I count all things losse, for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the losse of all things, and doe count them but dung that I may winn Christ: O noble Apostle! noble Paul! would God not only all we here present, but all the Lords servants were like thee in all things, like in this especially, to count nothing worthy to be knowne, but Christ Iesus and him Crucified.

And thus much for the entrance into this Text, which I therefore made choise of, to dedicate my first entrance into the Lords ser­vice, because it is the summe of all Religion, [Page 15] the summe of all, the desire of Paul here, and of all Christians, and the summe of my desire: for I count all things losse, for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesus my Lord, for whom I could suffer the losse of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ; For I determined (and therefore wonder not at my choise) to know nothing among you, but Christ Iesus and him crucified. And thus much for this time.

MArlorat upon this place, observes two things out of Calvin, and those both of speciall conse­quence. 1. Quid docendum: What is the dutie of every Mini­ster. 2. Quid discendum: What is the duty of every man. The duty of every Mi­nister is expresly implyed, in the particular ex­ample of Pauls determination: the duty of eve­ry man is directly deduced by an easie conse­quence out of the nature of Relation. For if the dutie of the teacher be to teach Christ, and nothing but Christ, as it appeares in Paul, who determined to know nothing, but Christ Iesus, and him Crucified: then the duty of the learner can [Page 17] be nothing else, but to learne to know Christ Ie­sus and him crucified.

The Ministers duty is more naturall to the scope of the Text: the duty of every man is more generall in the order of nature; so that they may both challenge and strive for the precedency. Therefore I determined to take an indifferent course: The last time I handled the former, so farre as it made for the clearing of the Text, but descended not to any special­ties: wherein I pointed only what was the du­tie of the Minister, generally out of the Con­text, particularly in the words.

And least any man should object, that Paul indeed did thus, but we are not pinned to his sleeve, we live not by examples, & nos habemus Spiritum Sanctum, I shewed how his example did conteine, not only a precept concerning the argument of preaching, but also an argument to provoke us to the observation of that pre­cept. For it was,

1. Paul, who was brought up at Gamaliels feet, rapt up into the third heaven, taken for a god at Lystra, even Mercurie the god of Elo­quence; if Paul then be exemplified for this humble vaine of preaching, who then is ex­empted?

2. Paul did it not out of rudenesse, or rashnesse, but he deliberated what was best to be done, and determined of this.

3. He determined not so much as to know, as if [Page 18] he should say, deleo dehinc ex animo omnes, [...].

4. Not to know any thing, not a [...], not a tittle of any thing.

5. Not any thing, no, not among the Co­rinthians, among you, rich, learned Graecians, Corinthians. All which inferre, or rather inforce this conclusion.

That if Paul upon these termes would not, then no Minister, upon any termes must preach any thing, but Christ Iesus, and him crucified.

And thus much I thought good to premise concerning the first, Quid docendum, what is the duty of every Minister, because it seemes to be somthing more specially intended in the verse: now I come to the second.

Quid discendum, What is the duty of every man, which I will prosecute, because it is more generally extended in use: or rather I come to the Doctrine which is common to both, and out of which both of them are derived. The Doctrine is this.

That the knowledge of Christ Iesus crucified, is sufficient to salvation.

Which in a word justifies both Pauls deter­mination, as a reason, and warrants Calvins ob­servation, for the duty both of Preacher and People, as a ground and foundation: therefore seeing the whole frame of this building lies upon it, it will not be amisse to take a speciall view of it.

[Page 19] The rise of this Doctrine out of these words is evident: for if Paul who was sent by God to preach salvation to those that believe, deter­mined to preach nothing among them but Iesus Christ and him crucified, then either that was sufficient to that end, or els it must needs be, that he either weakly conceived of the means, and so was unskilfull; or wilfully concealed some part of them, and so was unfaithfull in his office; but it were blasphemy to say so; for, as for his fit­nesse he was not inferiour to the greatest Apo­stles; and as for his fidelitie, he revealed to them the whole will of God: and this very place, (so eminent it was) propounds him as an exempla­ry patterne: and therefore I thinke it is firme out of this place, That the knowledge of Christ Iesus crucified is sufficient to salvation.

Now that we may the more distinctly con­ceive of this truth, I will endeavour to cleare these two things.

1. That Christ Iesus is a sufficient Saviour.

2. That faith (for this I understand here by knowledge) is sufficient to make him our Saviour: For these two things must consi­dered in our salvation, the appretiation, (that I may so speak) and the appropriation, the gift, and the conveyance, and both these are comprehen­ded in that proposition: for, Christ crucified is the price paid, which is made ours by faith, when his spirit enlightening our minds to ap­prehend his mercy, and inclining our wils to [Page 20] imbrace it, unites us to our Saviour: and if there be any defect in the sufficiencie, it must needs be, either because Christ is not a suffici­ent Saviour, or, because faith is not sufficient to make him our Saviour: but neither of these can be.

1. For the first, That Christ is a sufficient Sa­viour: I will first point out what Salvation is: and secondly, prove that Christ hath wrought it sufficiently.

1. By Salvation, I meane the Summum bo­num, the utmost end, the chief happinesse of man, which cannot consist in any thing in the world, save in his conjunction and conformity with his Creator: For the Lord made all things for man, and man for himselfe. Indeed he imprin­ted the vestigia of his power, and wisdome, and all his Attributes, in the glorious worke­manship of the World; but as for all other creatures, though they contain the arguments of his praise, written in golden Letters, yet they have no eye to read them, though they obey the word of his will, for he did but say, let it be so, and it was so, yet it was without a free and voluntarie obedience; therefore it pleased God to create man, who might glorifie him in the carefull observation of his wisdome, written in the volume of his workes, and in the chearfull observance of his will ingraven in the table of his heart; and for this cause was he made, as he was the image of God, in science and sanctitie; [Page 21] and on this condition was he made the Lord of all the creatures, that in their names that could not, he might that could, offer the tribute of praise to his Lord and Maker. And this was the reason, that man was the last of all his workes, as though all proceeded from him, but ended in man, and man only stood betweene them and God, receiving all the profit of them with the one hand, and re-delivering all the praise of them with the other hand, into the hands of the Lord. This then was the end of man, in the observation of his wisdome, and the observance of his will to glorifie God, and this should have beene his honour, and his happinesse.

Perhaps you doe not well understand yet what I meane by Salvation; neither indeed can you well understand it, till you have consider­ed the state that man now is in: and therefore I pray give me leave to touch it briefly.

I say then that every man of us, every mo­thers sonne is born by nature a vessell of wrath, a vassall of Satan, an enemy to God, and all goodnesse. If you aske me whence this comes, I answer as Christ in another case, Ab initio non fuit sic: for as I told you before, and now tell you againe, Man was created the most glo­rious piece of this goodly frame, a Citizen of Heaven, Inhabitant of Paradise, Brother of the Angels, Lord of the Creatures, Sonne of the Almightie, even the glorious image of the [Page 22] Lord of glory, the lively picture of the living God, his body being graced with many orna­ments, and his soule adorned with many gra­ces, so that Heaven and Earth might seeme to have beene maried in his making.

Now, then man was no sooner made but he rebelled against his maker, he that was right, was fat and kicked against his Lord, and we in him: [...] ▪ we were, sonnes of prevarication, and the [...] sonnes of perdition, Ex illo fluere, from that fountaine springs all our miserie: we have all sinned against the Lord, and therefore this great evil is upon us: hence it is that our minds are blind, the Crowes of the valley have picked out our eyes: our wil's lame to any thing that is good, our nature catcht a fall, like Me­phibosheth, in the cradle of her infancie, and we could never outgrow it: hence it is that our bodies are subject to deformities, infirmities, death, our soules and bodies to the wrath of God, which lies heavie upon us here, prosecuting us with armies of plagues, and will never leave us till it hath brought us (unlesse his mercy pre­vent us) to eternall torments, and sunck us in­to the bottome of Hell.

No marvaile then, if Plato complaine that the soule hath broke her wings: if Poets tell us of an iron age: if whole volumes be filled with declamations of the brevitie of mans life, and the miseries of mankind. No, I marvaile not, if they who had but one eye saw these things, [Page 23] even through the cloudes of obscuritie: I mar­vaile rather, that among Christians, who have both their eyes, the eye of reason, and the eye of faith, and besides, live in the Sunneshine of the Gospell, so few see this, as they did, or at least, the reason of this, which they could not.

I marvaile I heare no more cry out with S. Paul, O miserable man that I am, who shall deli­ver me from this body of death! for if Paul so pa­thetically cryed out, who could so triumphant­ly give thanks; how much more justly may we, if we cannot adde that which follows, reiterate the same againe, and say? O miserable man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death!

Ye see now the misery of a naturall man, consisting in the conscience of sinne, and the con­sequence of sinne, the fault and the guilt, malum culpae, malum poenae: this is the miserie of man, which estranges him farre from the state of happines: and out of this ye may gather what salvation is. For every Salve supposes a Sore, and the sore is sinne and paine, and therefore the salve is that which will free us from this horrible condition: and restore, and re-estate us into the favour of the Lord, and so into our former felicitie. This is that which I meane by Salvation.

And thus am I falne into the second point, That Christ is a sufficient Saviour. The Sunne shines not so cleare in his strength, as this truth I hope shall shine, though through my weak­nesse: [Page 24] for, to let passe all that might bee alleadged for it, and to make use of those grounds onely, which have beene laid already. Yet it will be more then evident: for as you heard, Salvation is the redeeming us from that miserable condition, in which by nature we lie plunged most deservedly, and restoring us to that happy state which we should have enjoy­ed, had we continued in our integrity: But Christ Iesus hath performed both these for us: therefore he is a sufficient Saviour. The proofe of the Proposition was provided for before: the Assumption I will make good in the parts. For first Christ hath redeemed us from all our misery, whether sinne, the roote, or punish­ment, the fruit be considered.

1. He hath taken away all sinne, both our o­riginall impuritie, by the originall purity of his manhood, which was therefore sanctified in his conception, by the worke of the Holy Ghost, that it might be exempted from the common condition of corruption; and our actuall impietie, by the actuall observance of the whole Law of God. The Pharisees could not take him tripping in a word, though they laid many traines to intrap him. The High Priests could lay nothing to his charge, though they hired false witnesses against him. Pilate himselfe was constrained, through the inno­cencie of his cause, ceremonially to justifie him by washing his hands, though he were con­strained [Page 25] through the importunitie of his ene­mies judicially to proceed against him, and so spill blood guiltlesse. Thus was Christ Iesus the Lambe without spot, the Israelite without guile, fairer then the children of men, that so he might take away the pollution of our nature, with which we were wholly defiled. And this was his active obedience, wherein hee did that which we should have done, but could not, ex­actly fulfilling even the rigorous exaction of all Gods Commandements.

2. The Punishment of sinne he tooke away likewise by suffering and overcomming that which we must have suffered, but could not o­vercome, even the full viols of Gods wrath, and the weight of his hand, the heavie weight of his heavie wrath, which was due to us for our offences: for he tooke not on him our na­ture only, but the infirmities of our nature: hee that was rich became poore for our sakes, that we which were poore might be made rich: hee that was cloathed with majestie as with a gar­ment, became naked, that we might be decked with the robes of his righteousnesse: he that was annointed with the oile of gladnesse above his fel­lowes, wept; that all teares might be wiped from our eyes: he whose throne was in the Heavens, wandred and had not whereon to rest his head, that he might lead us, who had lost our selves in the Labyrinth of sinne, to eternall rest, and fix us like starres in the Firmament.

[Page 26] Doe you believe in him for these things (as he once said to Nathaniel) follow me a little with your attention, and you shall see greater things then these: For he tooke upon him the chastisements of our sinnes, and bare the bur­den of our iniquities: he was accused, that wee might be acquitted; he was condemned, that wee might be condoned; he was accursed, that wee might be acquitted; he was hanged upon the Crosse and accounted a sinner, that our sinnes might be crossed out of the booke of accounts, and we might be accounted holy and righte­ous, and wholly righteous. Who now shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? Take a view of all the enemies, they were three, like the three sonnes, all terrible Gyants, terrible to all the sonnes of Adam, Sinne, Death, and Hell. If the Lord had not beene on our side, may we now say, if the Lord had not beene on our side, they had swallowed us up quicke: But thanks be to God in Christ Iesus, the net is broken, and we are escaped, and behold, they are dead that sought our lives.

The Divell, like a Serpent in the Garden, stir­red Adam to sinne; and Sinne, like a Serpent in the Wildernesse, stung Israel to the death: but our Saviour hath overcome them all: he tamed the Serpent in the wildernesse, that tempted Adam in the Garden to sinne: and he tooke out the sting of sinne, the Serpent of the Desart, by the desert of his suffering: for sinne was the Ser­pent, and the sting of sin was death, and death [Page 27] he vanquished in the grave, even in his owne denne, even on his owne dunghill. So that if death should now reason that he hath us still in captivitie, because he hath us still in keeping, we may say as Tully once to Atticus, O mors, ubi est acumen tuum? or rather as S. Paul prom­pteth us, O death, where is thy sting? ô grave, where is thy victorie?

And thus was Christ the Lambe sltaine, the price paid, the propitiatory sacrifice for his chosen: and this was his passive obedience, where­by he suffered and overcame that which we should have suffered, but could not have over­come, satisfying even the rigorous exaction of Gods exact justice: and these are both the parts of the payment, which he tendred up to God in our behalfe and for our behoofe: by which he hath not only freed us from our na­turall misery, which was the first part of Sal­vation, and hath beene shewed hitherto, but hath also filled us with all good things, which, as the former, consists in two things, Holinesse, and Happinesse.

Both which Christ hath furnished us with­all, out of the rich storehouse of his merits; for what he did he did for us, and we are righteous in his righteousnesse; and what he merited, for us he merited; and we are victorious in his vi­ctorie: in a word, he hath cloathed us with an undefiled immaculate [...]. robe of righteousnesse, and crowned us with an immortall [...]. crown of [Page 28] glory: even in incorruptible crowne of incon­ceivable glory: with righteousnesse irrepre­hensible, with glory incomprehensible.

And if any man doubt yet of the sufficiency of his satisfaction, weighing the heinousnesse of our transgression: let that man consider but who it was that did these things, and what the things were that he did and suffered, and then I hope he shall be sufficiently satisfied. It was the Lord of glory that emptied himselfe into the forme of a servant, it was the Lord of life, that shed his precious blood for us: he humbled himself to be a man, yea a servant, of whom it was eve­ry way true, if ever it were true, [...]. there is one servant only which is master of the house: yea, not a man, a worme and no man: he humbled him­selfe to the death, the death of the crosse, the most ignominious, and ignoble death of all other [...] he descended out of the bosome of blessednesse, into the bottome of basenesse: and therefore needes must his passion be very meritorious, whose person was so magnificent: his desert must needs be great, whose descent was so glorious.

Neither need any man doubt of Gods ac­ceptation: for beside that which hath beene said, that what he did, and what he suffered, it was for us, because he was man: he tooke not the nature of Angels upon him, but of man; and it was sufficient, because hee was God, which adds infinite value to both: beside this, [Page 29] I say, who could be so fit to reconcile man to God, as he who was both God and man? Man, quia solus Deus sentire; God, quia solus homo su­perare non potuit mortem quam pro nobis obire de­buit: yea, and it was the counsell of the Lord, that this should be the meanes to bring this to passe, and therefore hee laid his wrath upon him, which otherwise had beene injustice: his wrath, I say, so heavily upon him, that it wrung out strange words, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? and therefore, he that accoun­ted him a sinner for our sakes, must needs ac­cept of the sacrifice that he offer'd for our sins.

Now when I review all that I have said for his sufficiency, me thinks I need not have gone further off my text, for demonstration of this truth; for Paul saith, he determined to know nothing but Christ Iesus, and him crucified: therefore he is Christ, and Iesus, and crucified, therefore he is an alsufficient Saviour: for these three, like the three termes of a Syllogisme, draw in a demonstrative Conclusion: like the three tongues that were written upon the Crosse, Greeke, Latine, Hebrew, to witnesse Christ to be the King of the Iewes, doe each of them in his severall Idiom avouch this singu­lar Axiom, that Christ is an alsufficient Savi­our: and a threefold cord is not easily broken.

He was that Christ, which was annointed and appointed of God, for that purpose; and therefore, filled and furnished with all graces [Page 30] fit for the accomplishment. According to the smell of thine Ointments, thy Name is an Ointment powred forth, therefore the virgins love thee, saith the Spouse in the Canticles. His name is [...]. the Annointed, and in him many graces concurred to make a full performance; as in a precious ointment, many spices concurre to make a sweete perfume: Therefore the virgins love thee, the virgins that are pure in heart: hence they fetch Oyle for their Lamps, and therefore they burne in love: virgins love oint­ment for their beautie, thy Name is an oint­ment powred forth, therefore the virgins love thee: the wise virgins love thee, because they are wise; and so would the foolish too, but that they are foolish:

2. This Christ was crucified for us: there was the whole box of ointment broken, and powred forth, there all the spices gave their smell, [...] a sweet smelling savour, which ascen­ded into the nosthrils of the Lord, and became to him [...] a dutifull smell, in which he is well pleased: And therefore.

3. He must needs be Iesus, whether you de­rive the name from the Greeke, as some have done, [...]., to heale, more finely then fitly, and yet, more fit then finely: for he hath healed all our infirmities, by the merit of his blood, and the annointing of his Spirit: or from the Hebrew, as it is most truly, for he hath saved us from our sinnes, from all our sinnes, and therefore is a [Page 31] true Iesus, a Saviour, a perfect Saviour, (for so the Angell that imposed his name expounded it) And therefore is an Angell from Heaven preach any other doctrine then this, let him be accursed, saith S. Paul.

I need not heape up any more, yet it will not be amisse to let you heare the voice of the Scri­pture, where, to omit the common consent of the whole frame and phrase of the booke, and the murmure of every letter, which all of them proclaime this truth: and beside those words of note, which note thus much e­very where, as, [...] Grace by Christ did over­flow and superabound, and [...]. the riches of grace, [...]. the exceeding great love of Christ, and [...]. the bredth, and the length, and the height, and the depth of love. A man would thinke that Paul had spent all his Arts, all his Rhetorick, in Ple­onasmes, and Hyperbolies: his Geometry, in taking the height of his desert, and could not attaine it. And indeed, they are words of won­der, wondrous words, or rather, as he sayes, [...]. wonders, not [...]. words, to expresse his absolute perfection: to omit all these, I say, I will con­tent my selfe with two or three witnesses to ratifie it, which shall be past exception.

Iohn 1. 29. Behold the Lamb of God, which ta­keth away the sinne of the world, saith Iohn Baptist of Christ. Will you believe the Lords Messen­ger, Behold the Lamb, what shall we behold in a Lamb? Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh a­way [Page 32] the sinnes of the World, Iohn 19. 30. It is finished, (saith Christ Iesus himselfe) It, what? the Redemption of mankind: what of the Re­demption? It is finished: will you believe the Lord and Master? Let no man think to thrust his Sickle into another mans harvest, for it is finished. Matth. 3. last. This is my welbeloved sonne, in whom I am well pleased, saith God the Father: This, which? even Christ Iesus: what of Christ? This is my welbeloved sonne, in whom I am well pleased: will you believe the Lord and Maker? Let no man feare any after reckon­ing, the Lord will looke for no more, he will take no more, for he is already pleased, for in his welbeloved sonne, he is well pleased.

I thinke there's no man can slight the cre­dit of these witnesses: for Iohn, [...], hee said no more then he saw: and Christ, [...], he affirmed no more then he performed: and God, [...]. spoke that which be received, his acquittance could be no larger then his acceptance: and therefore needs must all these make it irrefragable.

Neither was their witnesse a perfunctory te­stimoniall, but a peremptory proofe of his fuf­ficiencie: for Iohn was nothing but a voice, and [...] the voice of a cryer, and yet this is all that he said with such earnest contention, and God said it, not in a silent manner, whispering; not in a secret place, but it was a [...]. voice from Heaven: and Christ said it not in his ordinary speech, but when he was upon the Crosse, then he said a [Page 33] [...]. great voice, as S. Matthew and S. Marke note: then he said it with his last breath, and seald it with his dearest blood. And therefore I hope that this will suffice to have spoken of his sufficiencie.

I come now to the second point, That Faith is sufficient to make him our Saviour: which I will handle according to my former order, but exceed­ing briefly. 1. What faith is, viz. out of the true sence of our own misery by nature, and sweet ap­prehension of Gods mercy offered, an humble denyall of our selves, and all creatures, and con­fident relying on the mercy of the Lord in Christ Iesus: This may serve for a weake delineation of that worthy grace, framed according to the pro­portion of my former principles.

And that this is sufficient, needs no more proof, but to point at that which ye have heard already: for seeing our Salvation must be wrought by an­other, and he that wrought it is Christ, what can be further requisite, then that Christ and his merits be made ours, which can be done by faith only: beside which, there can be no other affection be­tweene God and man: for the Spirit of God is the bond that unites and knits us to Christ by faith: and faith is the hand that receives the treasure of Christs merits, that inrich us: and Christ is all our riches: for being once transplanted out of the old Adam, and ingrafted into the new, which is Christ, and made one with him, the Lord cannot chuse but repute us righteous, through the imputation of his righteousnesse.

[Page 34] Hence it is, that all our sinnes are remitted and blotted out of the booke of remembrance, and our selves re-admitted into his favour, and into his fa­mily: hence it is, that we are adopted to be his sonnes, and adorned with his sonnes holinesse: hence it is, that the curse of our sinnes is take a­way, and we have peace with God and all his crea­tures, the Angels pitch their Tents about us, and the stones of the field are in league with us: for it is written, He hath given his Angels charge over us, to preserve us in all our wayes, least at any time we should hurt our foot against a stone: hence it is, that the old man, with the lusts of the same, dye in us, and decay, and the new man is renewed daily.

As soone as we begin to believe in the Lord Ie­sus, the scales fall from our eyes, that we can not only read in the book of the Scripture, the will of God, which before, was a booke closed, a booke sealed up to us, but also lift up our eyes to Heaven, and looke into the volumes of eternitie, and read our names written in the booke of life: The shac­kels also fall from our feet, and we being inlarged, are enabled, not only to walk in the Lords Sta­tutes, but also, to run the way of his Commandements.

And though we groane under the burden of our sinnes, so long as we live here cloathed with this body of death; yet we are freed from the bon­dage of them, and still grow on to perfection: which then wee shall attaine, when we shall bee translated into the Heavens: where we shall receive the end of our faith, even the salvation of our souls, [Page 35] through his mercy, who hath so dearely bought us, and brought us thither: where we shall enjoy the blessed presence of God, in whose presence, there is fulnesse of joy, and pleasure for evermore.

Blessed are the people that are in such a case, in such a place, yea, blessed are the people whose God is the Lord. But all this is made ours by faith only, which enti­tles us to the merits of Christ, who purchased it for us: therefore faith is sufficient. I should now justifie this by Scripture, but to say truth, this truth and this Text, is the only scope of the Scri­pture, the theme of Theologie, the pith of all pi­ety: and therefore because it deserves some better observation, I will deferre it to some better op­portunitie.

Μόνῳ τῷ Θεῷ δόξα.

WHen I first tooke this place in hand, I thought to have finished it out of hand, the same time I began: but it fared with me, as it did with Si­monides, who, the more time they gave him to assoyle the question, what God was, the more he craved. And what marvaile, since Christ is the argument we have in hand? They talk of a fabulous purse of Fortuna­tus, I thinke few are so credulous to believe it; but this we may and must believe, for the Spirit of truth avouches it, that in Christ are hid all the trea­sures of wisdome and knowledge: and who is so im­pious, as once to call it into question? We read in [Page 37] the golden Legend of Poets, of a fruitfull tree, of which he sayes, ‘—Vno avulso non deficit alter Aureus—’ and something like, in Alcinous's Garden: but Christ is the tree of life, in the middest of the Pa­radise of God, whose fruits are of twelve sorts, ac­cording to the seasons of the yeare, and according to the families of the house of Israel, whose leaves also were for the healing of the Nations: how much more golden then that one, fruitfull then those other? We are beholding to Polydore Virgil and ancient Histories, that call our England, Puteus inexhaustus, for the store of commodities: but Christ is a fountaine, better then that Well of Iacob, a Fountaine, of whose water whosoever drinketh, shall never thirst againe: For, he is a fountaine of living water, springing up to everlasting life. What doe I speake of Fables? They say it's true of the Oyle at Rhemes, that though it be continually spent in the inauguration of their Kings of France, yet it ne­ver wasteth; and this they attribute of the crosse to the blessing: I am sure, it is true of the Oyle in the Cruse of the Widow of Sarepta, that it fed her house, and failed not: though they be false and foolish which would father that miracle upon the Crosse too, which they find in the sticks that she gathered, which they say lay a crosse, as well it may be, as Helena found her crosse: and as true, I am sure it is, that Christ crucified is the pot of Mannah, the Cruse of Oyle, a bottomlesse Ocean of all comfort to the faithfull: he is rivers of oyle, [Page 38] and his steps drop fatnesse: for this cause received the Spirit without measure, and was annointed with the oyle of gladnesse above his fellowes: and in him God is, as he cals himselfe, I am, because in him hee is all good, that the heart of the godly can wish or want: he is that benedictum medicamentum, [...]. that annointing medicine, the only [...]. all-healing me­dicine against all diseases, the only [...], a­gainst all danger. To conclude, as Demosthenes said of Pronunciation, that it was primum, secun­dum, tertium, in all Rhetorick: so may I say of Salvation, it is primum, secundum, tertium, in all Di­vinitie, and in it, Christ is all in all.

And thus I see I have taken up my speech where I let it fall the last time: for if you remem­ber, when I ended I said a great word, That faith in Christ crucified, was the theme of all Theologie, the scope of all the Scripture; which now that I may libe­rare fidem, I must endeavour to make good.

I feare not that you should thinke I make quid­libet ex quolibet, as Alchymists they say can fetch oyle out of flint, and as the Papists say, the Scri­pture is a nose of wax, and make it so, when they conclude the Popes supremacie out of Peters walking on the waters: for I see my Text will warrant me in what I have said: for if Paul would preach nothing but Christ Iesus, and him Crucified, and yet was to preach all that was necessarie to salvation, then que­stionlesse he judged Christ crucified to bee the summe of all: beside this evidence that convinced me, necessity compelled me to take this course: [Page 39] for when I sought for witnesses of that I had deli­vered in the Scripture, the whole booke of God offered it selfe: and therefore in such copious plentie, I deemed this the most compendious path, to prove that in generall, which otherwise would have proved infinite, if I had once minced it into the particulars.

Having thus scoured the way, I come now to enter upon the point, to shew, that faith in Christ is the summe of Divinitie, the scope of the Scripture: and first, I will begin with Divinitie, because the rule of it being the Analogie of faith, will light us in the search of the secrets of the Scripture, and lead us into the native meaning therof with more facility: and this I will apply to the double consideration of Divinitie, both in the maine substance, which was alway the same, and the mutable circumstances ther­of, which according to divers times had some di­versitie.

The maine substance of Divinitie was alway that Doctrine and Rule that chalked out the way, in which man was to walk to eternall salvation, and eternall happinesse: which will easily appeare to be summarily comprised in faith, if that be true, which is most true, which I have already proved, that it is sufficient to attaine salvation: and the same will shine yet more brightly, if we do but lay downe the severals of the art, for this will be the summe that all will amount to, this will be the E­pitome of all, even Christ Iesus, who is the foun­dation of faith, and the fountaine of all obedience, [Page 40] which are both, and all the parts of Divinitie.

Take these asunder now, and consider them se­verally: That Christ is the foundation of our faith, I will alledge but one place for it: heare what Paul saith, 1 Tim. 3. 16. Great is the mysterie of godlines, God manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seene of Angels, preached of Men, believed in the World, received into glory. See here the mysterie, the whole mysterie of godlinesse, and that a great mysterie, yea, and without controversie, great is the myste­ry of godlinesse; and yet this is all, even Christ Iesus.

Reason it selfe will subscribe to this Article, and proove it too: for you know, the object of faith is God alone, and by it we are united unto him, and this was the condition of our integritie: our bo­dies were temples of his blessed Spirit, and the de­light of the Lord was in the sonnes of men: but now having provoked him to indignation against us, by our voluntarie transgression, his mind is ali­enated, and the case is altered: his good Spirit being grieved, is departed from us, and he frowns upon us with an angry countenance: neither can it be otherwise, for he could not love his owne ju­stice, if he did not hate our iniquitie.

We may read our misery in Adams story, who after his sinne, when he heard the voyce of the Lord walking in the Garden, was afraid, and hid himselfe: And againe, in the children of Israel, who hearing the terrible thunders, and seeing the thick flashes of lightning, and the mountaine smoaking, when the Law [Page 41] was given at Mount Sinai, in a great fright, came to Moses, and said, Speake thou unto us, and we will heare, but let not God speake to us, lest we die: and the reason of this is, because our guiltie conscience suggests no other conceit of God unto us, but as of an angry Judge, who is cloathed with revenge and terrour, as with a garment, and whose garments are dyed in blood, as the Prophet elsewhere speaketh. Moses à [...]. And these examples teach us, in what need we stand of a Mediator, who might treate of peace, and make an attonement for us; for otherwise, what faith, what confidence can we have in God, whom sinne hath made our enemie? Now Christ alone is that Mediator: for hee by his suffering hath smooth'd his Fathers brow, having satisfied his justice: and beside hath purchased his Spirit for us, who teacheth us to call him Abba Father; and through whom we have accesse with boldnesse to the throne of grace: therefore he is the foundation of our faith, which was the first part of Divinitie.

He is (in the second place) the fountaine of all o­bedience: I will content my selfe here also with one place, looke Phil. 1. 9 And this I pray (saith S. Paul) that your love may abound yet more and more, in all knowledge, and in all judgement: and in the 11. againe, that ye may be fild with all the fruits of righteousnesse which are by Iesus Christ, to the praise and glory of God: behold here, love in all know­ledge, and that love in aboundance, and that a­boundance yet more and more: behold againe [Page 42] the fruits of righteousnesse▪ and all the fruits, and a fulnesse of all the fruits, and yet all this, and more, if more may be, by Iesus Christ, for he is the Tree planted by the rivers of water, of which the Psalmist speaketh, who is transplanted out of the old Adam, and ingrafted into the new, which is Christ, he is the tree that bringeth forth her fruit in her sea­son: for as soone as we are in him, ingrafted into his stocke, watered with his blood, warmed with his Spirit, who is the Sunne of righteousnesse, we are inabled to bring forth the fruits of Righteousnesse.

And well may he challenge this interest in all our obedience in a triple right.

1. Because he hath performed all obedience in his owne person, but in our name, and therefore for us.

2. Because all the abilitie we have to performe any thing, is his gift, and the worke of his Spirit in our hearts: For of our selves, as of our selves, we can do nothing, but it is he that worketh in us both the will and the deed.

3. Because he hides the deformities and washes a­way the spots of our actions, for otherwise, all our righteousnesse is as a menstruous cloth: he perfects all our imperfect performances. Survey but all the parts of obedience, you shall find this true. In the observation of the Decalogue, it is worth the observation, that this is the preface, I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage: we must be let at liber­tie by Christ, out of the bondage of Egypt, out of the fetters of sinne and Satan, before we can set a [Page 43] step in the way of Gods Commandements. And for our prayers, we need no other Beades, or bed-roll, Christ is the only Pearle of price in them: it is his Spirit that kindles the fire of our zeale, that teaches us how to pray, for we know not how to pray as we ought: and it is himselfe ascending in the flame of our ardent desires, as he did once in Manoahs sacrifice, that makes God smell a sweet savour, which otherwise, would stinke in his nosthrils, would be an abomination, and turne to sinne. For as Themistocles presented himselfe to the King of the Molossi, under the protection of his son, and that was [...], as Plutarch observes: so unlesse we come to God, in the name of his sonne, there is little hope of speeding: unlesse Ia­cob come in the garments of his elder brother Esau, there is small likelihood of a blessing; and so un­lesse we come cloathed with the Robes of Christ our elder brother: but if we do, behold it is [...], yea, the Lord will blesse us, as Isaac said, and we shall be blessed: The Sacrament receiving, is the last act of our obedience, which without Christ are but cold and dead carkases of Lions, unprofitable.

In a word therefore, Christ alone is he that adds value, and vertue to our weake faith; beautie, to our stained obedience: being the very foundation of our faith, and the fountaine of our obedience: as I have shewed of each of them severally taken, and will endeavour to the doe same of both joyntly considered.

If you looke for the proper place of faith in [Page 44] Christ, in the bodie of Divinitie, you shall find it seated in the very center, where it stands in a dou­ble relation, of that which goes before, and that which followes after.

That which goes before, is the former part of the Rule of Faith, which all mooves to it: that which followes after it, is the Rule of life, and is all mooved from it, and all the lines of either meet in it.

As it represents a Center, it is the heart of Divi­nitie. For, as in the naturall generation, the heart is first articulated, and then the other parts: so in our spirituall regeneration, faith in Christ is first formed, before any other graces; and therefore Paul cals the Galatians, his Children, of whom he travelled in birth, till Christ were formed in them: [...].

As wee looke upon it in that double relation, (me thinks) upward and downeward, it expresses Iacobs ladder which appeared in a vision, by which he saw Angels ascending, and descending, and God standing on the top thereof: for Christ, by the con­sent of all, is that scala coeli, by which we ascend to God, and descend to good workes: and Paul hath excellenty described that comparison in a most sweet gradation, Rom. 8. 29. Those whom God hath foreknowne, those also he predestinated to be conforma­ble to the image of his sonne; whom he predestinated, those also he called; whom he calleth, them he justifieth; whom he justifieth, those also he glorifieth: behold a scala coeli, a golden chaine, and in it a descent of God [Page 45] to man, by the stepps of election and vocation, and an ascent of man to God, by the staires of ju­stification and sanctification, to the highest state of glory.

I thinke now that I may conclude this point, That Faith in Christ is the summe of Divinitie, considered in the constant truth thereof; for in him it pleased God [...], to re­collect and recapitulate all, even in this sense: in him it pleased God that all fulnesse should dwell, and in him dwels [...], the fulnesse [...], and it may be [...] too, for the fulnesse of the Divinitie bodily, and the body of Divinitie fully dwell in him.

Let us come yet a little lower, and take this truth in the Rule of Divinitie, as it is in a double difference, before Christ, and after Christ: before Christ, againe as it was before the Law, or under the Law.

Before the Law, Gen. 3. 15. I pray, what was the Religion of Adam? Moses touches it in a word, The seed of the woman shall breake the head of the Serpent: see the first prophecie concerning Christ, and that by God himselfe: he that promised him, pro­phecyed of him: for Christ was that Seede of the woman, which brake the head of the Serpent, and therefore was borne of a woman onely, a Virgin that had not knowne a man, the Virgin Mary: and therefore at the very time when hee fulfilled this promise, when hee hung upon the Crosse, he said to his Mother, woman, behold thy [Page 46] sonne, (meaning Iohn to whose care he committed her) woman, not mother, intimating, that he was that seed of the woman, of whom God foretold so long ago, that seed of the woman that brake the head of the Serpent, the counsell of the Divell.

Goe now to Abraham, what was the Religion of Abraham and his familie? the Lord himselfe hath left it recorded, Abraham saw my day and re­joyced: Ioh. 8. 56. this then was Abrahams joy, and Abrahams Religion, even the expectation of the promised seed, which was the soule of the covenant that God made with him, the seale whereof was Circumcisi­on, an image of his bloodshed: and therefore Isaac the sonne of promise, if he had not beene called Isaac the sonne of laughter, because Sarah laughed in the Tent doore, when she heard the newes of a sonne, saying, Shall I that am barren beare a sonne in mine old age? he might have beene called Isaac the sonne of laughter,Gen. 21. 3 6. because Abraham saw his day, who was indeed the sonne of promise, and rejoyced.

For Isaac was not that promised seed, of which God said, in thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed: for by the same reason should many more be that seed, even all, that proceeded out of the loines of Ahraham in the line of Isaac, which were like the starrs of the Heaven in number: but God said, not in thy seeds, as of many, saith S. Paul, but of thy seed, as of one, which was Christ, in thy seed, in this thy seed, shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed.

For Isaac was but a type of that seed, and repre­sented [Page 47] him in many resemblances: Isaac was borne of Sarah a barren woman, and past beareing: Iesus was borne of Mary an unspotted virgin, springing like a branch out of a drie land, as Esay speakes, like a stone hewen out of a rocke without hands, as Daniel sayes:Dan 2. 45 Isaac bare the wood which should have con­sumed him: Iesus bare the wood of the Crosse, on which he was crucified: Isaac was bound, Iesus was bound, Isaac should have beene offered for a sacrifice, Iesus was offered a sacrifice for the sinns of the world: Isaac on Mount Moriah, Iesus as some thinke on Mount Moriah, from Isaac arose the pro­verbe, in the Mount will the Lord be seene, in Iesus it is much more true, for no man hath seene the father at any time, but the sonne, and no man can see the Fa­ther, but he to whom the sonne hath revealed him: and in him we see all the love of God, for behold what love the Father hath given us, that he hath sent his only begotten sonne into the world, that who so be­lieveth in him, might not perish but have life ever­lasting.

Many such like types had those times, like pro­spective Glasses, to conveigh their glimmering sight to the only object of happinesse, Christ Iesus; as Iacob, who got the blessing in his elder brothers garment, and Ioseph, who was stripped of his coate, sold by Iudahs motion, stood before Pharaoh at thirty yeares old, whose coate dipped in blood turn'd the wrath of his Father from his brethren, even as Christ was stripped by the Souldiers, sold by Iudas treason, stood before God in his office [Page 48] about thirty yeares old, and in whose blood we being dipped, are delivered from the wrath of God the Father.

From hence then we passe to the time under the Law, where we shall finde nothing but Christ nei­ther: Indeed, all things then were more obscurely delivered, untill the day came, and the shadowes fled away, Can. 2. 17. as Salomon speakes: even untill Christ came, who was the substance of those ceremonies; and un­till the ceremonies fled away, which were the sha­dowes of that substance: yet were they not destitute of all light.

Take an Emblem of their condition. The chil­dren of Israel in their journey into the Land of Ca­naan, where guided by the conduct of a Pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night: their day was something overcast with a cloud, and yet their darknesse was something overcome with a light: they had a day, but not without some e­clipse of a cloud; they lived in a night of darknes, yet not without some glimpse of light, for the Lord led them to the heavenly Canaan with a pil­lar of cloud by day, and by night with a pillar of fire.

And perhaps the Psalmist may insinuate so much, where he sayes, Thy word is a Lanthorne to my feet, for a Lanthorne argues much darknesse, and is used in the night only; as for the day, mad­nesse it were, splendente sole lucernam accendere, but againe, it argues some light, for otherwise, why was it kindled? Neither is Peter farre from this [Page 49] allusion,2 Pet 1. 19 when he compares the Word of the Pro­phets, which the Israelites enjoyed, to a light shi­ning in a darke place. Agreeable to the first adum­bration, ther was a day, but with a pillar of cloud, and a pillar of fire, but by night: and here wee have a light, but of a Lanthorne, a light shining, but in a darke place: this was then the state of Religion.

Now all the light they had was borrowed from Christ, as the starres do theirs from the Sun: and all lead us to Christ againe, as little Rivers to the Ocean. See this.

1. In their Sacraments, their ordinary Sacra­ments were Circumcision and the Passeover, answer­able to those, we have Baptisme and the Lords Sup­per: which both, had reference to the same in­ward grace, though there were a difference in the outward elements: for what meant the blood, shed in Circumcision, and sprinkled on their doore­posts in the Passeover, but the blood of Christ, shed for the remission of sinnes, and sprinkled in our hearts, to purge and cleanse all our iniquities: for Christ was the true Paschall Lambe, in whom therefore the law of it was fulfilled,Ioh. 1. 29 Not a bone of him shall be broken: and of whom Iohn sayes, Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world. Christ is the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the World for that purpose, and the very name of Passeover notes as much: for in Christ it pleased God, when he judges all the World, in mercy to passe over us, and when he passed over all the [Page 50] World in justice, to take his elect in mercy, and make them his children. Yea Christ himself there­fore when hee had celebrated the Passover with his Disciples, instituted the Sacrament of his body and blood, to shew that he was that truth, of which the Lambe was but a representation. And in that Passeover we may discerne a modell of our Supper: they must eat it with sowre hearbs, to wit, repen­tance and mortification, that they may the better taste the sweet mercy of God, in their delivery from the bondage of sinne and Sathan, shadowed out in the bondage of Egypt: so it is unto us a Sa­crament of our union to Christ our head: then they were to eate it with sweet unleavened bread, that they might bee taught to take heed of the sowre leaven of malice: so is ours to us, a Sa­crament of communion with Saints, the bodie of Christ.

The difference betweene ours and theirs is, that their Sacraments were not without blood, because Christ as then had not shed his blood, but ours are, because the truth being come, the type is needlesse.

Againe, what were the pillar of cloud and fire, and the red Sea, in which they were baptised, as Paul saith, but that which the Gospell cals the Baptisme of water and fire, even the effusion of the blood of Christ, and the infusion of his graces; the merit of his passion, and the efficacie of his Spirit in our hearts, to make it ours by applicati­on. What was the water that Moses stilled out of [Page 51] the Rocke, by striking it with his Rod, when the Israelites were like to perish in the wildernesse for want of water, but the blood of Christ issuing out of all his body in a bloody sweat in the Garden, when the very wrath of God, the Rod of God (for the chastisements of our sinnes was upon him) lay heavie upon him, and streaming out of his blessed side, when the Souldier pierced it with his speare, I say the blood of Christ spilt for our sakes, who o­therwise had perished.

And that Mannah, that heavenly food, with which they were sustained in the wildernesse, what was it, but Christ, as Christ himselfe ex­pounds it, Iohn 6. that he was the bread of life that descended from Heaven: and Paul accommodates both of them, 1 Corinth. 10. For they all ate the same spirituall food, and they all drank the same spiritu­all drink (even the same with us) for [...]. they drank of the spirituall Rock, and that Rocke was Christ: Christ is the onely Rocke, on which his Church was built: [...] not [...], not Peter, but Christ.

The Brasen Serpent, tell me, what can you see in it, but Christ, who was lifted up on the Crosse, as that was lifted up in the Wildernesse: and as that saved all that looked to it, from the stinging of the poysonous Serpents, so hath Christ saved us from the power of the old Serpent the Divell, and all the power of darknesse: he hath healed all our in­firmities, for by his stripes we are cured, and by his wounds we are healed.

You see then, how all their Sacraments, ordi­nary, [Page 52] and extraordinary, receive all their life from Christ, and give all their light to him againe.

All the laborious and teadious paedagogy of their Ceremonies, was to no other end then this nei­ther: in which this truth was written, as it were in great Letters, that he that ran might read them, because all words of a thing not sinsible, but so farre off, could not be halfe so legible.

So the blood of all the Sacrifices propitiatory, and gratulatory, of Bullocks, and Rams, Goats, and Lambs, Sheep, and Dove, were all but types and copies drawn from Christ, and drawing to Christ, who was the true sacrifice in which al the other were sanctified, (which otherwise were of no value) and by which Gods justice is satisfied: and they were so many, in such varietie to seale to them his alsufficiencie.

So were all their curious ablations, and chargable oblations of rost, baked, sod, fryed, to teach our perfect washing by his blood, and perfect nourish­ment by his body, which suffered the heat of Gods wrath, and so was dressed to our appetite, and sau­ced with such diversity, that he might take away our satietie.

Sweet was the figure of the two Goates, one of which was offered as a Sacrifice for the sinnes of the people, and the other (the Scape Goat the Scrip­ture cals it) being charged with all their sinnes, Aaron laying both his hands upon his head, and con­fessing the sinnes of the congregation over him, was let goe into the wildernesse: both which expresse Christ in a double respect, either because Christ was slaine [Page 53] that we might escape, or because Christ the same was dead and is alive, as the Revelation speakes, be­cause he dyed for our sinnes, Rev. 2. 8. Rom. 4. 25 and rose againe for our justification, as the Apostle elsewhere applyes it.

Much like another in the purgation of the Leper, where two Birds or Sparrows were to be brought the one was to be kild, the other to be let flie, be­ing dipped first in the blood of the former, reser­ved in a vessell for that purpose, even as Christ dy­ed for us, and wee being dipped in his blood, escape, for by him the nets are broken, and we are escaped.

Yea and all their holy persons did but represent unto the people the person of the Messiah, all their Priests, especially the High Priest, they sacrificed, and blessed the people in his name, who was that Benedictum semen, in whom all the nations of the earth were to be blessed, even Iesus Christ, who is God bles­sed for ever, and who gave himselfe for us, a pleasing and acceptable sacrifice to his father. And the High Priest many wayes, he bare the names of the Tribes of Israel on his shoulder, when he appeared before God: so did Christ of all his faithfull: he entred into the Holy of Holies once a yeare not without blood: so did Christ by his owne blood, open the way for us into the highest heavens, and make a passage in­to Paradise, in which we could not keep our selvs, and out of which we were kept, by the flaming sword of a Cherubim: upon which the Poets harping, have hatched a pretty Fable, that the au­rea Hesperidum mala, are kept by the vigilant guard [Page 54] of a fierie Dragon, but Hercules overcame him: which in sober truth is thus much, that the way to the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden is guar­ded by the glittering blade of a glorious Cheru­bim, but Christ hath removed him.

Lastly, the Holy places themselves, were teach­ers of the same truth, so that if those (the Priests I meane) should hold their tongues, these (the stones I say) would cry thus much.

1. The Tabernacle was a visible signe of Gods presence among his people, and therefore in it were placed (among many other things) the Mer­cy seat, even Iesus Christ, in whom it hath pleased God to have mercy on whom he will have mercy; and the Table of Shew-bread, is the same Christ, whose body is the true bread, by which we are fed to e­ternall life, which, as one observes, was panis pro­positionis, in the Law, but is become panis assumpti­onis in the Gospell, even the bread of the Lords Table.

So was the Temple, and therefore they were to offer their Sacrifices at the Temple, and their prayers in or toward the Temple, because all were sanctified and accepted in Christ, who was the true Temple, for so he sayes of his body, de­stroy this temple, and I will raise it againe in three dayes: and therefore when Christ was come into the world, the true light which enlightneth all men that come into the world, all these shadows vanish­ed at his presence and fled away.

The Leviticall Ministerie ceased, as you may see [Page 55] in a sweet allusion which some have observed: When God promised Iohn Baptist to Zachary, as he was discharging his office in his course, he was stricken dumbe, and therefore; when the people ex­pected he should have blessed them, he could not speake, tacuit Zacharias generaturus vocem, saith one: this silence proclaimed that that service was at an end: the silence of a Leviticall Priest, made way for the voice of an Evangelicall Preacher, e­ven Iohn, who was a voice preparing the way of the Lord Iesus, the only High Priest of our salvation.

You have heard that the Heathen Oracles ceased at the birth of Christ; so did the Iewish Oracles too, before his birth, for they had no answer from God by Vrim and Thummim, all the time of the second Temple, and so you see that the Iewish Priesthood ceased too: and at the death of Christ, the vaile of the Temple rent insunder: Theophylact hath a witty conceit, a pretty glosse, that the Tem­ple rent her vaile, hearing of the blasphemies of the Iewes uttered against Christ, according to the fashion of the Iewes, who rent their garments when they heare any blasphemies: but this was the meaning surely, to shew that by the rents of his body the true Temple, the way was opened to all the faithfull into the Holy of Holies, the highest Heavens.

And no marvaile it is, that Christ upon the crosse should cause all shadowes to vanish: the T (which men make the figure of the Crosse) in the Egyptian mysteries, is an Hieroglyphick of [Page 56] eternall life, which (say they) when it comes, shall put an end to our Religion. It may be they had some notion of such a thing from the Iewes, or rather it is an after-birth: but this is certaine, that Christ lifted up upon the Crosse was in his Meridian exaltation, no marvaile then, if the sha­dows vanished.

We reade of one that wondred how his Host had furnished his table with so rare variety, his Host answered, that all was but Swines flesh, only the art of the Cooke had made the difference: and I according to my abilitie have discovered, that all the dishes of the old Ceremonies, furnish us with no other thing but Christ, only the wis­dome of the Lord diversly dressed his sons flesh, in proportion to the times, and palats of his peo­ple, in such admirable variety.

Come we now to the last period of times, the time of the Gospell, and see the musicall harmony thereof with the former: wherein me thinks, I presage already, that my talke will be more easie: for what meanes the departure of all the Legall shadowes, at the approach of Christ; if he were not the substance of all: and therefore the aboliti­on of those is a cleare evidence, that Christ now is all in all.

The Doctrine preached every where, is a silver Trumpet of this sacred truth: but that having beene alway the same, my course propounded, permits me not to insist upon it: only this diffe­rence it hath, that as it pointed forward before to [Page 57] Christ to come, so now it pointeth backward to Christ come, in whom it teacheth every man to looke for salvation, and no other: the outward signes that are left are few, but they conspire in the same testimonie with the Doctrine, and the old ceremonies, sealing the same thing, but with more simplicity, and with more significancie.

The water of Baptisme hath a sutable Analogie with the blood of Christ, by which we are purged from our spirituall uncleannesse of sinne, as we are purged by water from all corporall uncleannesse. In the Lords Supper we have bread and wine, meat and drinke perfect nourishment: bread the staffe of mans life, and wine that maketh glad the heart of man, the best elements to expresse the best ali­ments: which how fully doe they set forth Christ Crucified: the Bread is broken, so was his body broken; the Wine is powred forth, so was his blood powred forth upon the Crosse, for the re­mission of sinnes, to all those that come to him with an hunger and thirst after his righteousnesse, and feed on him by a lively faith.

The signification is so emphaticall, that I may say of those that are partakers of this, as Paul said of the Galatians, who had heard him preach Christ crucified, [...]. before whose eyes Christ cruci­fied was set forth, I may say it of all such, except they bee foolish Galatians, and except they bee bewitched.

And thus I conclude this point, That Christ Crucified, is the Summe of all Divinitie, the sub­stance [Page 58] of all ceremonies, the soule of all Sacraments, the Kernell, and Key of all knowledge, the Center, and circumference of all Divine wisdome.

I had thought to have gone a little further, as Christ in the Gospell, beyond Emaus, but the importunity of the time, which will take no de­nyall, forces me to turn in here against my will.

AS often as I reade these words, mee thinks I conceit, how some Phari­saicall Doctor might step up from among the Senate of the Corinthi­ans, accusing Saint Paul laesae Maje­statis, as though he had spoken trea­son against the Scriptures: even as their Predeces­sors accused Christ his Master of Blasphemy, when he said, He was the Sonne of God, and when he said to the sick of the Palsey, Thy sinnes are forgiv­en thee, arise, take up thy Bed and walke. And as the Athenians once, [...]. What babler is this, that is so la­vish of his assertions? And what? Is Christ the summe of all Divinitie? Is the knowledge of Christ [Page 60] Crucified alone sufficient? [...], this is an hard saying indeed, this is short worke. But what shall then become of that goodly frame of the Scripture, with the monuments of Antiquity trea­sures of Poesie, Oracles of Prophecy? Ergo ibit in ignes? Yes Paul, go and take those Tables of stone, and in a fit of zeale (forsooth) dash them in peeces, or scrape out those divine characters ingraven therein by the finger of God himselfe: Nay, goe ransack the Arke it selfe, with sacrilegious piety, not only looke into it, as the men of Bethshemesh did, or touch it, as Vzzah, but ransack the Arke it selfe, and sacrifice those sacred volumes to the devour­ing flames; as the Iewish Princes served Ieremies Role: go breake those golden Pens of all the Pro­phets and Apostle, which have dared to speake any thing, but that: I, and digg them out of their graves againe, and burn their bones for Hereticks▪ as the Papists did the bones of Bucer and Fagius, in Cambridge, in the dayes of Queene Mary: or else, (after a new kinde of persecution, for so Christ seemes to account it) erect them new Sepulchers, and adore them, as the Pharisees did in Christs time. If Christ be sufficient, then why doe you not make an Index expurgatorius for the Bible, (as the Jesu­ites have done already for the Fathers) and spung out all but Christ crucified, for that is sufficient? whereas the Scripture sayes [...]. all Scripture is inspi­red of God, profitable, &c. and Christ himself sayes, that he came to fulfill, not to disanull the Scripture.

You heare what the curious Rabbins may ob­ject, [Page 61] I dare not undertake to relate what answer the Apostle might make them, lest I should sinke under the gravitie of so great a person; you may presume it was divine, sed nostro non referenda sono. But yet because it concernes the Text I have in hand very nearely, I will endeavour in that respect to give satisfaction.

Every word of God is pure, like Gold tryed in the fire seven times, and what was said of the Orator, that the addition or detraction of a word would marre the grace or clyp the meaning of their sen­tence, is most true in Gods word: and therefore we read this just and severe sanction of his Books authority, he that adds to this booke, God shall adde to him all the plagues that are written in this booke; Rev. 22. 18 19. hee that detracts any thing, his name shall be razed out of the book of life: and what was said in another case, is most true in this, not an [...], nor a [...], not the least letter, nor the least tittle thereof shall passe, because not so much as one of them is idle, or su­perfluous. And for profit, the very leaves thereof are for the healing of the nations, and the fruit, is the fruit of the tree of life; the leaves are physicke, and the fruit is meate; the fruit is preservative, and the leaves are restorative; the leaves are health, the fruit is immortality: for this book is not for sight, but for meat, as appeares by Iohn, who ate the booke that the Angell gave him, beside that, it is sweeter then the hony and the hony combe, as David, that hath tasted, hath testified. How then? this reso­lution of S. Paul doth not abolish the Scripture, but [Page 62] establish it: for Christ crucified and faith in him, is the summe and scope of all the Scripture.

And thus you see, I have overtaken, or rather, met with the same point, and in the same place where I left it the last time: for, as you may re­member, after I had treated of the sufficiency of faith in Christ, I propounded consequently, that it was the summe of Divinitie, and the scope of the Scri­pture: that it was the summe of Divinitie, as I could, I then evinced, by casting up the reckoning of both the parts thereof, faith, and obedience, which amounted to no more but this: for wee found that Christ was the foundation of faith, and the fountaine of obedience, the Iacobs Ladder, of as­cent and descent, descent of God to man, ascent of man to God: and as the Spouse speaks in the Ganti­cles, he is Sigillum cordis, & Sigillum brachii, for he is the stampe of faith in the heart, that is Sigillum cordis, and he is the stampe of good works in the hand, that is Sigillum brachii: in the hands [...]. the following character, but in the heart the [...]. leading character, for he is both Sigillum cordis and Sigillum brachii, as the Spouse speaks in the Canticles. Thus is Christ the summe of Divinitie.

It remaines now then that we should cleare the other, that he is the Scope of all the Scripture: which I will do first in generall, and so leade you on into the particulars. In generall, this may be demon­strated, by that which hath been before delivered: for if faith in Christ be the Epitome of the Rule of Divinitie, then needs must it be so likewise of the [Page 63] Scripture that containes that Rule: and that in a double respect.

1. As the immutable substance of the Rule is con­sidered, the substance was alway that which leads man to eternall Salvation, which is by Christ Iesus only: and this is the maine scope of the Scripture in generall.

For all the sonnes of Adam being guilty of high treason against the most High: the hand wri­ting of the Law inditeing us: Heaven and earth wit­nessing against us: the Grand jurie of the blessed An­gels finding us guiltie: our owne consciences answer­ing guilty; what remaines, but to heare the terri­ble sentence of condemnation pronounced against us, by the mouth of the most just Judge, the Lord Almightie? Yet the mercy of the Lord was such, that when the Law had cast us, the Lord called us to pardon. And as the Clergie of our Land is pri­viledged in many cases to have their booke: so was it his pleasure, to give his [...], his inheritance, his peculiar, their booke, that by their booke they may be saved, and this booke is the booke of the Scripture.

The Scripture againe is the Letter of the Al­mightie to the sonnes of men (as one cals it) indi­ted by God himselfe, and the Angell of his great coun­sell Christ Iesus (for so Esay stiles him) together with his Spirit, penned by his principall Secretaries the holy Prophets and Apostles, and sealed with the blood of the Lamb: let me goe a little further, they are the Literae laureatae, the Superscription is, To the [Page 64] faithfull, the Salutation is Salutem in Christo: The Argument is nothing but a Proclamation of a ge­nerall pardon in his name to all penitent and be­lieving sinners.

This is the Summe of the Scriptures in gene­rall, and this is the first demonstration that Christ is the summe thereof: because Divinitie and it, like two twinnes, keepe pace with a mutuall cor­respondency, like two parallels, runne on in equall extent, beginning and ending both together, and the summe of the one is the summe of the other, and the summe of both is eternall happines, which is to bee looked for, and can bee found in Christ alone.

2. This is the first proportion we find between them: the second offers it selfe to your considera­tion, as the Scripture may be accommodated to the mutable circumstances of the Rule, according to the difference of time before and after Christ.

The Lord made in the beginning duo magna Lu­minaria, the great to rule the day, and the lesse to rule the night, the Sunne and the Moone. Much like to this, there be two portions of the light which God hath revealed, concerning our salvation, given to guide two times: the old Testament, the lesser light, like the Moone, to rule the night of ignorance, when the Doctrine of the Messiah was more ob­scurely delivered: the New, the greater light, like the Sun, to rule the day of knowledge, which the faithfull have injoyed, ever since Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse appeared. When it was night [Page 65] there must needs be many Ceremonies, like many shadowes, and many humours, by reason of the feeble light▪ and heat the influence of the Moone afforded, which the vertue of the Sun hath since dryed up or driven away.

Or, the Old Testament is like the light created the first day, which though it wanted that glorious and resplendent lustre, yet it separated betweene night and day, Goshen and Egypt, the beloved City and the Gentiles: and the porportion holds of a day to a thousand yeares, for a thousand yeares is as but a day in thy sight, saith the Psalmist: and so as the Sunne was set in his Tabernacle the fourth day of the world; so the Sunne of righteousnesse came in the 4000. yeare of the World, in the Tabernacle of his flesh, to fulfill all righteousnesse. And perhaps the 19. Psalme may have some relation to this comparison: for there the Sunne is described, tan­quam Sponsus, as Christ is described, tanquam Sponsus Ecclesiae: and the Prophet slides there from the Sunne, it may be because of this Analogie, to the Elogies of the Scripture.

Now both these were the same light, for the Moone receives hers from the Sunne, and the light of the Sunne is but the conglobation of the first light: Even as both the Testaments teach but one Christ, for he only dyed for us, and there­fore they are both his Testaments.

The Old Testament containes him in the Hiero­glyphicks of Sacrifices, and Types, and Ceremo­nies: the New, in legible and ordinary characters: [Page 66] in the old, he was like the corne in the eare, in the New, like the corne shaken out. in the Old, like the Mannah which was hidden in a pot, for he is that hidden Mannah, in the Arke: in the New, like the Shew-bread, that was set upon the Table: in both of them, the same Christ, heri, hodie & in aeternum idem Christus: yesterday, in the Old Testament, un­der the time of the Law; to day, in the New Testa­ment, under the time of the Gospell: yesterday and to day and for ever the same Christ, who is God blessed for ever.

For they both are but one booke, but the booke that was shut before by the comming of the Lamb is opened, for the Lambe opened the booke that we may fetch a resemblance of this Revelation, out of the booke of the Revelation. Compare the Ministers of both the covenants, and we shall see the same: for as it was said once, [...]. What is Plato or Moses Atticizing? so we may say now, [...]. What is Iesus or Moses Evangelizing? Nay, it is even the same Moses, only the vaile is removed, and we see him retectâ facie.

Divines have said as much, that the Old Testa­ment is but Novum involutum, and the new, but Vetus revelatum: as the Stoicks of old said of Rhe­torick and Logick; comparing them to pugnus & palma, as though the difference were no more but in contraction and explication, obscurity and per­spicuitie. This shall serve for the proposition of my second generall Reason: that the Old and New Testament, contain nothing but faith in Christ Iesus.

[Page 67] But these two are the whole Scripture: some have gathered out of those words of Christ, Matth. 13. 52. Every Scribe learned to the King­dome of Heaven, is like a certaine houshoulder, which brings out of his treasure old and new: The conse­quution is but idle, but the conclusion is infallible, that there is no more Scripture, but the old and new Testament.

And thus many God would have for the con­firmation of our Faith, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word might stand. For though Origen do but descant upon those words, when he sayes, in the mouth of two, that is the old and new Testaments; and in the mouth of three, that is, Prophets, Evangelists, Apostles, the truth of the word, the word of truth shall stand assured: yet this is most certaine, that the foretelling, and ful­filling of the same thing, I say, the same thing fore­told so long before it was fulfilled, and fulfilled so long after it was foretold, makes exceedingly for the supporting of our faith, as being an invincible argument, that this word is the word of the e­ternall God, before whom all times are present.

The second Testament then, like Rachel and Le­ah, build the faith of the elect; like two sisters inse­parable companions hold hand in hand: chained faster together then the invincible Armado: for Malachie gives his Lampe to Marke, as they did in the games at Athens, and Marke takes it where he leaves it, the end of Malachie reaches to the beginning of Marke: Mark begins, and Mala­chie [Page 68] ends with Iohn Baptist: so are they secretly so­dered together, and holding hands (take this by the way) they plucke a Crow with the A­pocrypha, if I may so speake in so grave an argu­ment.

Upon these premises, that the old and new Testa­ment containe nothing but the doctrine of Faith in Christ, and salvation by Christ, and yet they two make up the intire body of the Scripture, and this is my inference, that Faith in Christ is the scope of the Scripture.

I descend now from the generall to the particu­lar declaration of this point: And first, for the old Testament.

To let goe all their Types and Ceremonies, with the whole ancient state of Religion among the Iewes, which all had reference to the comming of Christ the promised Messiah, which make a great part of the argument of the booke of the first co­venant, because I touched them the last time: and to let passe whole bookes which have nothing but this, as the booke of Ruth, a Grand-mother of Christ, and the Booke of the Canticles, a sweet E­pithalamie, or spousall of Christ and his Church, I will divide it for this time into two portions, Hi­storicall and Propheticall, and make good the point in either of them, and that briefly, because I per­ceive that my entrance hath exceeded already the scantling of time allotted to this exercise, and be­cause I resolve to end this at this time, that so I may set afresh upon the use of this Doctrine.

[Page 69] The Historicall part of the old Testament, beside the historie of life openly propounded, containes the mysterie of faith also sweetly couched therin: as will easily appeare, if you doe but consider the periods of times, the context and continuation of the storie, with the remarkable examples here and there dispersed.

A man would thinke those many Genealogies and many names very harsh and teadious, like craggy mountaines full of stones, but barren of all fruit: but if you will vouchsafe to make but a little inquisition, [...], to digge into the bowels of those mountaines, you shall find a golden vaine, a golden chaine, consisting of many linkes, from the first Adam to the second Adam, to derive his pedigree and shew his generation, of whom Esay sayes, Who can tell his generation, for hee is the eternall Word of his Father, and the ancient of dayes.

And I pray tell me, wherefore is there such a curious context of succession from Adam to Noah, from Noah to Abraham, from Abraham to David, from David to Zorubabell, from Zorubabel to Mary, but to draw a golden line (as you have seene the golden line in the Genealogies) a via lactea to lead to Christ, in whom all Genealogies are ended, and accounted by Paul in the same ranke with Matae­ologies, and old wives Fables. And therefore Matthew begins his Gospell with this, and cals it [...], a Booke, a Bible, because this is the very Map and Epitome of the whole Bible, as it was in the [Page 70] old Testament, that he might by this divine art of insinuation, teach the end and use of all that was then written.

The like may be picked out of the very names there registred; for though the conceit of the Caba­lists be fond and vaine, that patch up the names of Mary and Iesus, by a strange Alchymie of Rapso­dies and Anagrams, out of diverse passages of the Scripture, yet this ought to be of some importance, that religious parents imposed such names to their children, as might be monuments of the Messiah: Master Broughton hath observed many, and I spare to repeate any.

View againe the Succession of Kings, Priests and Prophets, you shall finde that all those severall cur­rents emptie themselves into Christ, as rivers into the Ocean, and Crown him with a triple Crown, for hee is the King, Priest and Prophet of his Church, of whose comming all the rest were but Harbengers. I say, they three, like the three Wise­men, offer Gold, and Myrrhe, and Frankincense, and so make a triple Crowne for Christ: and so again, make a three twined scourge, to whip the usurp­ing Whore out of the Temple of God, as Christ served the Trucksters, buyers and sellers, and money changers.

Thus is the series of the storie contracted into Christ the summe of all, the same lesson may be read written in great letters (that hee that runnes may read them) in those many illustrious exam­ples, of all those three kinds recorded in Scripture: [Page 71] so that if there were not many expresse notes, yet there were many notable impressions, many visti­gia omnia te adversum spectantia, all looking to Christ-ward, each of them giving a taste of that which Christ performed in all fulnesse.

1 For Priests, I need not name any, because they all represented Christ, if not in their personall excellencies, yet in their officiall performances.

2. For Prophets, I will name a few, because they were so many: Two ascended into Heaven, Enoch before the Law, Elias in the Law: thus was Christs ascension, who was primitiae dormientium, a maine Article of our faith prefigured: Three before Christ were raised from the dead, one by Eliah, an­other by Elisha, a third, by touching the bones of Elisha being dead, revived: even as three were raised in the Gospell, the daughter of Iairus in the house, the Widowes son in the gate, Lazarus stink­ing in the grave: thus was one of the greatest miracles of our Saviour, and his owne resurrecti­on, who was primitiae dormientium, prefigured. Elias after his wearie persecution by Ahab, lying under the Juniper tree, complained, and desired that he might die: so did Ionas, when the Sunne beate upon his head, after the Gourd was withered, and something more frowardly: thus was the pas­sion of Christ prefigured, and the most uncouth ex­igent thereof: for when the wrath of God the Fa­ther, like the rayes of the Sunne, beat upon him, when hee hung upon the Crosse, then was hee brought under the Juniper tree: for the heat of [Page 72] the heat of the wrath of God, was hotter than Ju­niper coales, yet he underwent it for the love of us men, and our salvation constrained him, for the fire of love is hotter then the coales of Juniper: Moses and Elias fasted forty dayes in the Wilder­nesse, so did Christ; who notwithstanding fed five thousand with five loaves, as Elisha typically had done before him.

I had intended to have propounded more; but it shall be enough digitum ad fontes, as they say, to have set the wheeles of your better meditations a going.

3. Many Kings and Iudges were types of Christ, in the storie, as Moses a lawgiver in the Wilder­nesse, Iosua a [...] of the true [...], a Mediator of the true Mediator, a leader of Israel into the land of Canaan, a Iosua of the true Iosua, the true Iesus; Da­vid that fought the Lords battailes, and foiled the great Goliah, that defied the hoast of Israel, Salomon the beloved of the Lord; the Prince of peace, and otherwise were they but glasses which did not bound the light, but transported the godly to the contemplation of Christ.

The accommodation is easie, but I hasten: yet I cannot passe by the type of Sampson, it was so lively: for as Sampson by his owne death was the death of thousands of Philistims, and David slew Goliah with his owne sword: so Christ overcame death, by undergoing death, and brake the head of the Serpent, by suffering him to bruise his heel: for in him the fiction of Achilles is no fiction, that [Page 73] being otherwhere impenetrable, his heele was not: for Christ was only penetrable in his heele, his humanitie, his Deitie remaining altogether im­passible.

I am ravished with delight in these sacred re­liques of antiquitie: yet I must cut off what I thought to have added: and me thinks I heare some wondring, what all this makes to the argu­ment in hand: I answer, as Tamar convinced Iu­dah by his staffe and his signet, and Theseus his [...], that made him knowne, were a pasport and certificate to his father of his legitimation: so Christ is acknowledge to be Iesus, to be Messiah, by these performances: for these are the tesserae of commerce, the watch word betweene the old and new. Testament: the badges of the whole booke, proclaiming to us they doe belong: the joynts and gimmers by which either of them is (as it were) scrued into the other: Mercuriall statues, pointing the way to Christ: Starres in storie, like the starre that appeared to the Wisemen, guiding them to Bethlehem, where it stood still: for all ended in Christ, and he is the end of all.

Thus the Historicall part of the old Testament is full of Asterisks, and hands, and lines, that draw the intelligent reader to Christ. To conclude this point, this is the use of Genealogies, to track the way of salvation, by the golden line that leades to Christ: and this is the wisdome of wisemen, to follow the conduct of the starre, till we come to him, who is the true morning-star, [Page 74] the true Load-starre that guides our wandring feet in our wearie pilgrimage to eternall rest in the heavenly Canaan.

The Propheticall part is more plaine by many degrees almost palpable: for there was not any thing almost fulfilled by Christ, but it was foretold by the Prophets, as there was not any thing foretold by the Prophets, which was not fulfilled by Christ. See this, 1. In the maine Articles of the Creed: he was borne of the Virgin Mary, Esay 7. 14 so Esay, Behold a Virgin shall conceive, and beare: Suffered under Pi­late; so Iacob, Gen 49. 10 The Scepter shall not depart from Iuda, till Shilo come: Crucified, As the Serpent was lifted up in the Wildernesse: Dan. 9. 26. Dead, The Messiah shall bee slaine, saith Daniel: Buried, Thou wilt not leave my soule in grave, said David in his person: the third day he rose againe, for it was impossible that the paines of death should hold him, as was sig­nified in Ionas, comming out of the Whales bellie: He ascended into Heaven, as Enoch and Elias, types of him had done: Sitteth at the right hand of God the Father, so David, the Lord said unto my Lord, Psa. 110. 1. sit thou at my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy footstoole.

2. Because Christ crucified more specially makes for our purpose; consider it of his passion in speciall: he was betrayed, he that eateth bread with me, Psal. 41. 9. my familiar in whom I trusted, saith David: sold for thirty pieces of silver: some would have it to answer to the price of the ointment that Mary powred upon his feet, because Iudas murmured: [Page 75] and so that hee did it, ut impleretur, that the bagge might be filled: thus the covetous Traitor should have sold the annointed of the Lord, to have gained the ointment, but this was not it: here was the true reason, ut impleretur, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, that said so much, Zach. 11. 12. So they weighed my price thirty pieces of silver, a goodly price, that I was prized of them: he was Crucified be­tweene two Thieves, for so saith the Scripture, with the wicked was he counted.

3. Nay, even petty things were not omitted: he thirsted, well might he thirst, who was so scorched with the heat, and pressed with the weight of Gods wrath that he sweat water and blood, and therefore well might he say he thirsted, ut im­pleretur, that he might quench it, but this was the maine cause, ut impleretur, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, for it was meat and drink for him to doe his fathers will: they gave him vinegar to drinke, so David: They cast lots for my garments, so said he, upon my vesture have they cast lots: his side was peirced with a spear, Psal. 21. 18. Zac. 12. 10 even that speare was guided by a prophesie: so saith David [...] not [...]: so Za­charie, they shall see him whom they have pierced. I might be infinite: and Matthew alone hath gather­ed thirty two prophecies, and applyed them to him, with this burden or undersong, ut impleretur quod dictum erat per Prophetas▪

I end this point with that of Peter, Act. 10. 43. To him give all the Prophets witnesse, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remis­sion [Page 76] of sinnes: the place is very plaine, and those words of the Prophets are thrise repeated in the third of that booke: for all the Prophets are many times Boanerges, sonnes of thunder, and then in­deed they fetch all from Mount Sinai, where there were thunder and lightning and earthquakes when the Law was given: but all these stormes usually end in some calme of consolation: and when they would be Barnabas, sons of consolation, they fetch all from Mount Sion, the sweet promises of the Messiah, and steepe all their words in his blood.

Thus Christ is the scope of the Propheticall part of the old Testament: I should shew the same in the new also, but it will be needlesse: every letter [...], by the very sound, as the Ora­tor speakes, avouches this truth: The foure Evan­gelists, what are they but the storie of his life and death?Ioh. 20. 31 Let Iohn speake for them all, These things are written, that ye might believe in Christ Iesus, and believing have everlasting life, through his name: I will not hunt for comparisons, nor shew what re­ference they have to the foure beasts in Ezekiel: but me thinkes all the rest aime at his humanitie more principally: Iohn only, like the Eagle, is quick­er eyed, and as though he had some window into his breast, as well as he leaned on his breast, hee peirceth through the vaile of his flesh to his Divi­nity, and draws his pedigree from heaven through eternitie.

And the Providence of the Lord is worth obser­vation, that he would have foure to write this sto­rie, [Page 77] all in a most celestiall harmony; two of which, the two Apostles Matthew and Iohn were ocular, and two, the two Evangelists Mark and Luke auri­cular witnesses of that which they wrote, that all pretext of doubting might be excluded.

The Acts have nothing but the same Christ preached among the Gentiles, for he brake downe the wall of separation. And as after the flood, there was a confusion of tongues, to hinder the building of Babel: so was there the effusion of the gift of tongues, to further the building of the heavenly Ieru­salem, that all knees might bow, and all tongues confesse that Iesus is the Lord.

All the Epistles have no other argument but sal­vation by Christ, as may appeare out of the salutati­on, Grace and peace in Christ Iesus, grace the begin­ning, and peace the perfection of all happinesse, and both by Christ Iesus.

And it is observed, that the very name of Iesus is used by Paul alone, above five hundred times: and no wonder, for there be in it a thousand treasures, as Chrysostome said, yea all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge and comfort, are hid and lockt up in him: The whole Revelation what is it but a Com­monitorie for the observation of the government of the Church by Christ, the King thereof, and the expectation of his glorious comming, as the con­clusion of all evidences, Come Lord Iesus, come quickly,

That I may didicate an Egyptian Jewell to the ser­vice of the Tabernacle.

[Page 78] And thus I shut up this part, that Christ is the summe of both Old and New Testament: in these three differences, as to come in the Old, and in the New as come, and to come againe to judgement.

And me thinks, those two are like the two Che­rubims, that shadowed one Mercy-seat, their faces were one toward another, and their wings; but both toward Christ the Mercy-seat: like Ezekiels vision, where the foure creatures stirred and stood still both together: whose wheels were, as it were, one wheele within another, and Christ in all: like the Spies, that returned to Moses out of Canaan: for as they brought the clusters of Grapes (a map of that good Land) betweene them, so the two Testaments bring nothing but Christ betweene them: now Christ is the true Vine, as himself sayes, like the clusters of Grapes, as the Spouse speaks: and his blood is the Wine of the Sacrament, the wine that maketh glad the heart of the faithfull, which was scruzed out of his body upon the Crosse, the Winepresse of Gods wrath; where you may behold him excellently, tanquam uva passa, Christ Cru­cified.

And therefore Christ is like the hinges, upon which the whole frame of time, upon which the bifores valvae of the house of the Sunne, the two Tabernacles, the two gates of Heaven, doe hang and turne themselves.

And now I hope, though this my discourse bee very imperfect, yet it will not bee altogether im­pertinent or unprofitable: for this one point, that [Page 79] faith in Christ crucified is the summ of al the Scripture, well considered, must needs give very much light to the reading of every part thereof: it will be like a key, to unlock the meaning, and so make way to the rich treasure therein, like a clue of thread, to lead us thorow many intricate Labyrinths therof. And this makes me call to mind, what I forgat e­ven now, that the red thread that Rahab hung out of her window, when Iericho was beseiged, was an Embleme of Christ Crucified, by whom all the faithfull must be saved from eternall death, as she was then preserved from present destruction: much bettet then Leucotheae vitta, or Ariadnes filum.

Let me wind up all that hath beene said, Christ is the summe of all Divinity: me thinks the Clypeus fidei, is like that Clypeus Phidiae, the Buckler of faith like the buckler of Phidias, that Historians speake of, I meane the Buckler of Minerva, which Phidias made: for as in it he had so curiously intrailed his owne name, that it could not be taken out without the dissolution of the whole frame; so hath Christ so divinely wrought his name in the worke of sal­vation, the rule of Divinitie, that it cannot be taken out, but that golden chaine, that series causarum, will all fall in sunder.

The Ephesians, when Croesus beseiged them, chained their City to the Temple of Diana, the Ty­rians theirs, when Alexander, to the Statue of Hercules: and so all the precepts of Divinitie seem to be chained to the Crosse of Christ: he is the um­bilicus, [Page 80] where all the intrails are knit together, the Center, where all lines meet: and therefore in the Creed of twelve Articles, ten of them concern him, and beside the other two of God the Father, and the Holy Ghost, have their dependance on him too, for he hath obtained the Spirit for us, and by him we have accesse unto the Father, as I shewed before.

And therefore as in the first book we learn, the Crosse begins the row, as though all the 24. Let­ters were but Commentaries upon the Crosse: so surely, this is the summ of all our learning, to learn to know Christ Iesus and him Crucified.

Againe, Christ is the Scope of all the Scriptures, Me thinks, the Scripture is a Ring of Gold, which Christ hath given his Spouse the Church, as a to­ken of his love, and himselfe, like the Diamond in the Ring: the Scripture is the field menti­oned in the Gospell, and Christ like the jewell in the field, which a wise Merchant knowing of, would sell all he hath to purchase: the Scripture the box, and Christ the ointment, preciosum opobalsamum in gem­meo myrothecio: and therefore Christ is called [...] the Word, as though every word sounded of Christ, and all the Word of God were nothing else: and Christ is the Alpha and Omega thereof, as himself sayes, Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end; for all the Letters, without which the Spirit in the Scripture breaths not, for so [...] signifies, or Alpha and Omega, the two principall for all the Vo­wels, without which all the Scripture is but a mute [Page 81] Letter, a dead Letter, I may say, a killing Letter: and for him the Scripture it selfe is called [...], the Bible, the booke, because it is the only book, containing this knowledg, which alone is sufficient, and which is only necessary to eternall salvation.

In a word to close up all, the knowledge of Christ crucified, is the Theme of Theologie, the Scope of the Scripture, the Pith of all Pietie, as Paul ex­cellently layes it downe, Ephes. 2. 19. For through him we have accesse by one Spirit to the Father, being no more strangers, and forreiners, but fellow-Citizens with the Saints, and of the houshold of God, and are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe cornerstone, in whom all the building fitly framed together, [...], groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord. &c. you see the knot that holds all together. And thus much for the explication of this Text.

THe handling of the Word of God, is a divine kinde of husbandry. And this portion of Scripture is that parcell of holy ground which I began to till long agoe, but have not yet finished: I have hitherto broken up the ground only: it remaines that I should now breake the clods, which might hinder the fruitfulnesse, and cast out the stones, that so at last, I may sowe the blessed seed of exhortation, in hope of a blessed harvest.

Or rather this portion of Scripture is the seed, for so saith Christ, the seed is the Word, and I have hitherto beat this seed out of the eare onely, and [Page 83] must now winnow and fanne it out of the chaffe, that at the last I may cast it again into the ground of your heart, (for so saith Saint Paul, [...]. 1 Cor. 3. 6 7 you are the Lords husbandrie) in hope of a fruitfull increase, from the blessing of the Lord, the Lord of the har­vest, for Paul may plant, and Apollo may water, but it is the Lord that gives the increase: he that planteth is nothing, and he that watereth is nothing, but the Lord that giveth the increase, for without him, the seeds-man is but [...], semini verbius, a babler, ac­cording to our translation, as the Epicures scoffed at Paul, or [...] seminilegus, such an one as they that stood in the Corne-markets, and gathered up the Corne that fell beside the Sacks in emptying, as Casaubon observes, that is, a man of no worth, an earthen vessell, as the Apostle cals Ministers else­where, and the word will beare it.

I presume the meanest in this place conceives my meaning, yet I will endeavour to speake more plainly, that if there be any seeming riddle, you may plow with my Heifer, as Sampsons compani­ons did, and reed the interpretations. I have hi­therto given you the explication of these words, and so, as it were, threshed the Corne out of the eare, with the flaile of the Spirit: I come now to the application in two parts.

1. For confutation of popish errors, and so I will chide away the chaffe out of this stoore with the fanne of Christ.

2. For exhortation, and so I will cast the seed into your eares, and charme it in the phrase of the [Page 84] Spouse in the Canticles, Arise ô North, and come ô South, and blow upon my Garden, that the Spices there­of may flow forth.

In the Explication I have handled alreadie these three points.

1. That Christ crucified is a sufficient Saviour.

2. That Christ Crucified is the summe of the Scri­pture.

3. That Christ Crucified is the summ of Religion: Which may stand as so many reasons, to warrant the wisdome and equitie of Pauls determination, to know nothing among the Corinthians, but Christ Ie­sus and him Crucified.

Now out of these shall be deduced, First, for Confutation: out of the first two things.

1. That Saints are not Saviours, and therefore not to be invocated as Saviours.

2. That Sinners cannot be their owne Saviours; and therefore, that our works on earth, are not me­rits of Heaven.

Out of the second, two things.

1. That the Scripture is most perfect, and there­fore needeth not to be patched up with Tradition.

2. That the Scriptures are perspicuous, and there­fore neede not to be locked up from the Laitie.

From the third, two things.

1. How a man may know the true Religion, by Christ the corner-stone, the Lydius lapis, the Touch­stone of Religion.

2. How a man may unmaske Antichrist, and his counterfeit Religion, by Christ, and his.

[Page 85] 2. For Exhortation, out of all jointly.

1. For Ministers, what is the true Rule of Preaching, the Art, (and that I may so speak with reverence) the very tricke of Preaching, viz. to Preach Christ, and him crucified.

2. For all, what should be all our chiefe study, the aime and scope of all our studies, viz. only to know, believe, and love Christ Crucified. If any of you think any of these too farre fet, rather haled then drawn out of this Text, when I come to the particulars, I hope to give him a reasonable sa­tisfaction.

And thus I have drawne a Map of the holy Land: or rather as God brought Moses to the top of Mount Nebo, where he shewed him a sight, a Synopsis of the Land of Canaan, so have I you: but as it was then, so it is now, and so it will ever be, we must travaile some dayes journies, before we can enter into that good Land: we must winn it, and weare it, we must fight with the enemies of God, before we can fill our selves of the milke and honey, of that Land which flowed with milke and honey.

Thus much I think I may be bold to say in ge­nerall, that he that is indifferent, if he thinke advi­sedly on the matter, will say, that I have taken an indifferent course: I have taken these to try my selfe, but I have refused more which I might have taken, because I would not tire my auditors: I have selected these to exercise my meditations, out of many other which I neglected, that I might [Page 86] not exceed the proportion of this exercise: for who sees not that Antichristianisme is nothing else but an opposition in a mysterie, to the mysterie of godlinesse revealed in Christ, either by open op­pugning, or secret undermining: or if there be any that cannot see, he may well heare the Proverb, Who is so blind, as he that will not see: so that if I had a minde to favour my selfe, I have a faire occasi­on to make choise of mine enemie, among all the troopes of the Romish Antichrist, and single out the weakest: but I rather follow the direction of the lot that is falne into my lap, and set upon him that stands nearest, though he strout wide, and speake boistrous, and looke big with horrour and disdainfulnesse.

I remember, how David with a little stone which he found by the brook, branded that proud Goliah in the forehead, and foundred the uncir­cumcised Philistim, that defied the Hoast of Israel, and the Lord of Hoasts. And Daniel makes men­tion of a stone that was cut out of the mountaine without hands, which brake the glorious image of Nebuchadnezzar, whose head was of gold, the armes and breasts of silver, the thighs and legs of brasse, the feet of iron, (a man would think all me­tall) and yet that little stone battered it all to pee­ces. Behold, I stand by the brooke of water, by the book of God, for the Scripture is the river, that makes glad the City of God: behold in these chri­stall streames, the stone, the Lord Christ, for Christ is the stone which the proud builders of Babel re­fused, [Page 87] but is become the head of the corner, which the Master-builder hath put in Sion, and elect and precious stone: me thinks I want nothing but Da­vids hand, or Davids sling, to check the scornefull Whore with a blow, and spoile the mysterie that is written in her forehead: and yet againe me thinks I need not Davids hand, since I have his stone: for his stone is the same, that Daniels stone, and Daniels stone (like the Phoenician ships in Homer) is guided by an higher Intelligence, and can doe the feat without hands: and as the stone without hands intimates, according to our interpreters, the Vir­ginitie of Mary, out of whom Christ was hewen, without the help of man: so Christ in my Text, may be taken out without hands, without any great paines of man, to breake the clay feet, the brittle pillars of that brasen-faced Whore, to breake them like a Potters vessell. And though I know the Fathers and Councels, like Sauls Armour, are not needfull for David in his combate: yet per­haps it were no hard matter for the happy cham­pion, when he hath foyled his enemy with a stone out of the Scripture, and laid him grovelling in the dust, to set his victorious foot upon his necke, and strike off his head with the edge of the Fa­thers, as it were with his owne sword, in which he gloried.

Perhaps you wonder wher's the point all this while: is that lost? is that forgotten? tis true: but I choose rather to leade you into my further discourse, though with an unseasonable preface, [Page 88] then trouble you with an unseemely repetition of the former: though I might plead the prescripti­on of time, enough to secure me from exception or obloquie: and yet I presume that, with your fa­vourable construction, I have erred indeed, but so as not praeter casam, no nor praeter causam neither. I come now to it.

The first point of the Explication was, that Christ is a sufficient Saviour: out of it I deduced, 1. That Saints are no Saviours, nor therefore to be invocated as Saviours: here is no such magneticall and invisible Sympathie, that any man should wonder what necessity tyes these two together: neither is their any such forced deduction, that a man should need to pumpe or cherne to make it come: the dependance is easie▪ as it is in the links of a chain, draw one, and the rest will follow: as it is in water spilt upon an even table, it is very docible to go which way soever the finger will lead it; so willingly doth this consequent offer it self to your consideration, out of the precedent position. Well then, this is our Theme, for this time, that Saints are not Saviours, nor therefore to be invocated as Sa­viours: wherein I purpose first to represent unto your view a light adumbration, a rude draught of it, instead of an exposition of the state of the que­stion, which shall containe (as it were) a Sciagraphy of the truth, and a Sciamachy against the falshood: I shall measure but three paces in this porch, be­fore I bring you into the maine building, the first will be in the generall Idolatry of the Synagogue of [Page 89] Rome, which offends against Christ crucified: the second, in that which is committed with the Saints in generall: the last, in that which particularly con­cernes the Virgin Mary.

For the first: It was said of old Rome, that it was [...]. The Epitomie of a Family, or rather of supersti­tious folly. But it is more true of new Rome: good Lord! what a world of trinkets, and trash, and trumperie, is their great Colossus stuffed withall? what apish imitation, what sottish devotion, what popish superstition is among them? insomuch that a man would doubt, whether he should laugh, or scorne, or abhorre those fardels of folly; whether hee should laugh at the act, or weep for the actors; whether he should pity their simplicity, or spit at their sinfulnesse.

If ever the saying of the Preacher were verified in simple truth, Vanitie of vanities, all is vanitie: here it is more then true, and that with advantage, by a kind of transcendent supereminency of truth, Vanitie of vanities, all is vanitie: or if there be any thing viler than vanitie, they shall vie with it for vilenesse: or if there be any thing lighter then va­nitie, they shall weigh with them in the ballance for lightnesse.

The Egyptian blindnesse was nothing compa­rable to this; the Egyptian darknesse, not halfe so palpable: or if that were more palpable, I am sure, this is more culpable: The Egyptians worshipt vile creatures, but yet living creatures; the Romanes worship stocks and stones, and dead carkases: they [Page 90] worship Oxen, and Owles, and Rats, and Mice, and Cats, and Crocodiles, and such like vermin: these worship Iudas his Lanthorne, Francis his Cowle, Beckets shooes, and Iosephs breeches, and a peece of stone that was in the Well where the Vir­gin Mary washed the swadling cloutes of Christ, as sorry Saints I trow: They sute at the Catadupes of Nilus, and their heauy eares were made deafe with his barbarous language, and (as it were) rockt asleep: there fell no dew from Heaven upon their heads, that might wet their locks, that might soften their rockey hearts, and make them bring forth better fruits: no marvail then, if they worship Nilus, whose steps dropt to them fatnesse, whose rich in­undation filled their Vallies with Corne, and crowned their yeares with gladnesse, so are the words of the Psalmist: no marvaile if they wor­ship't Nilus, and that cursed vermin, the fruitfull spawne of his too fruitfull wombe: but these men are brought up at the feet of Gamaliel: and if they did not preferr the seat of the scorners, they might be preferred to the chaire of Moses: they sit in the Temple of God, and heare the silver Trumpet of the everlasting Gospell of God, proclaiming war against such idolatrie from the Lord of Hoasts: and yet they heare no more, then their stocks and stones heare them: the dew of Heaven hath rich­ly falne among them, and yet like Gideons fleece, they are dry, when all the Regions about them are wet: their stubborn hearts remaine as hard as the Adamant, to speak with Iob, as hard as the nei­ther milstone,

[Page 91] But I pray tell me, what is the summe of their devotions, or, if you will heare me, I will tell you what it is, by my casting a smooth-faced smiling picture, a Saintish stone, a rotten ragg of a nastie Relique, a B in a box, a Crucifixe I meane, a pret­ty cosset Agnus Dei, these are the particulars, now lay them altogether, and the Summe amounts to this (if my Arithmetick faile me not) pretty mau­mets, pretty puppets for such wanton babies as they are to play withall, and as we use to promise children fine gay things of nothing: this is the summe of their devotion. Behold, these are thy gods, ô thou sonne of the rebellious woman, ô thou daughter of Rome, thy gods in which thou trustest: this is the precious merchandise that hath drawne all the trafique of the World into thy streets, these are the Apples after which thy soule lusteth.

Pardon me, if these termes seeme something light: the toyes themselves are so ridiculous, that I could not finde in my heart to vouchsafe them any graver speech: but I will make amends, and turn them all away packing: only let me remember what your worthy Bishop Claudius Taurinensis said excellently of some of them your Agnus Deies, Pi­ctos adorant, vivos devorant, I will make bold to English it rudely, they worry the living Saints, while they worship the dead: but Christ did not say, Pinge Agnos tuos, frame thee Lambs that may represent me, but Pasce agnos meos, Feed the Lambes that doe represent me: but it seemes they do not much re­gard [Page 92] what hee said: and yet he did not only say thus, but he conjured them also with the power­full charme of love, if thou love me (Peter) feed my Lambs: and yet these devout adorers, like deafe Adders, stop their eares and will not heare the charmer, charme he never so wisely. I conclude this point: As Aristippus once answered him that asked, what his sonne should be the better for learning, if he bestowed it on him: Vt nihil aliud (said he) cer­tè in Theatro non sedebit lapis super lapidem: so may I make answer to him that should demand, what should any man be the better to come out of Baby­lon, out of Rome, and betake himselfe into the bo­some of the faithfull Spouse of Christ, our Church, our Religion: Vt nihil aliud certè, in Templo non ora­bit lapis ad lapidem, blocks shall not prostrate them­selves before blocks, nor stones prostitute themselves to stones, living stones, to livelesse stones; sensitive blocks, before senslesse blocks, beside a thousand priviledges.

And thus I passe to take the second step, which was concerning Saints in generall. Bellarmine hath a very tragicall and passionate preface to this con­troversie: hee fals fowle with us Protestants, hee termes us scoffing Lucians, and Gyants, that make warre against the Gods, and such like flowers of his wild Rhetorick, Canina facundia, dogged elo­quence he bestowes upon us: and perhaps he was at great cost to gather them, but we conne little thanks: and then like some desperate Fencer, that hath more heart then braine, more malice then [Page 93] might, he hewes, and lashes, and foynes, and strikes blindfold, he cares not where, and hits he cares not whom: or like some mad dogg, he hath a quarrell to every one he meets: he grins at E­rasmus, he snarles at Melancthon, and barkes at Illy­ricus, and snatches at Luther, and worries Calvin, as though hee had to deale with some carion car­case; this is the only difference, the teeth of a mad dogg are poison, but his tongue is no slander: at last, as a man newly awaked out of a trance or sleepe, he throwes his envious eyes to heaven with great devotion, (forsooth) and wonders why the starres are suffered to stand there, belike hee thinks to convince their workes of darknesse: hee wonders at the patience of God that suffers us he­reticks to discover their Catholick abominations, in the false worship of Saints, and vindicate the glory of God, from their impudent impostures. Me thinks, this preface is like the Painters Table. One spake to a Painter to draw him a Horse run­ning in full speed: he did, and gave it him, but gave it with the wrong side upward: the man dis­liked it, and told him, he spake for a runner, this was a tumbler, no hurt, quoth the Painter, turne the Table and this will runne: so in that Preface, all may be true, but all is turned upside downe; like the Horse with his heeles upward, sprawling toward Heaven: but change the persons, and let that bee said of the Papists, that hee would faine make the world believe is true of the Protestants, and I blame not the Picture: or as the Painter said, [Page 94] turne the Table, and all may runne well enough, or at least go currant. But what if we should let the Jesuite goe, perhaps he had as live be some where else, and as live be doing something else, as bee brought in for a tumbler to play tricks: if you thinke so, I am content to dismisse him: well then, to leave the Cardinall, and come to the cause.

The Papists have brought in so many new Sa­viours, that the true Saviour is gone out: I know not how they will find Heaven, but I am sure, they have lost Christ, they have lost the way to Heaven: for he is the way. And if there be any spark of faith, any remnant of the faithfull flocke among them, they may well complain, as Mary did to the Gar­dener, when she went to visite the sacred body of the Lord, and found it not, Sir, they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him: if there be (I say) any faithfull Mary among them, like a Lilie among thornes, which led with an holy zeale indeed, but misled by ignorance, should thinke to find him in their crowd of Saints, wrapt up in some of their reliques, as he was once in lin­nin cloaths, I thinke some Angell would tell her, as he did, He is not here; I thinke Christ himselfe would take the paines to meet her, and instruct her thus: Mary, I see thou meanest well, but yet thou missest much, thou art in a right mind, but thou art in a wrong box: it is but lost labour to seeke the living among the dead, the living Saviour, among the dead Saints: I would have thee know therefore, I have retired my selfe from this Garden, and shall [Page 95] not feed any more among these Lillies, but untill the day breake and the shadowes flee away, I go, my wel-beloved, I go to the mountain of spices.

But why do I presume as it were to teach Christ to speake, who is the word, in whom God speakes to us? or why doe I relate his speech, who am a child and know not how to speake? I know the Cri­ticks taxe Homers rashnesse, in reporting the song of the Sirens, because it cannot be thought, how it should be done, but it must needs fall many bowes short of expectation: such things are better sup­pressed, then expressed; or if expressed, better velo, then penicillo; that veile of silence is the best attire of sobrietie: and I may feare a more just censure that have reported what Christ said to Ma­ry, since, never man spake as he spake: but you know the Lord himselfe vouchsafes bal butire no­biscum, and therefore hee will beare with Moses stammering tongue, if he goe on his errand: nay which is more, though it do stammer he will have it go on his errand, on his Embassage: nay, he will admit of no excuse neither, as you see in Moses, so that I hope, I shall need no other Apologie or excuse.

The word of God, in the description of the ho­ly Land, hath foure things observable in the gol­den line that directs our passage thither: two for the way, and two for the end: for the way,

1. That it is streight without crooke.

2. That it is narrow without croud.

For the end, that the gate of the Royall City, [Page 96] 1. Is narrow, 2. Is one: but the Popes Itinerary, made out of the lying Legend, the cosoning Calender, the Ephemerides of the Saints, contra­dicts the Kings map, the word of God in all these: there is a lying spirit gone out, and gone into the mouths of the Prophets of Iezebel, to send Ahab upon an unhappy voyage: and as the Israelitish spies, (all beside Caleb and Ioshua) spake evill of the good Land, so the Romish spies, which they have sent to view this Land, speake false of the true way, which the Israel of God must walke in, if they meane to come to the God of Israel.

1. They have made the way crooked: As the man in the Gospell that offered himself to follow Christ, would faine have taken a vagarie, and fetched a circuit by his fathers house, that hee might have saluted him, and bidden him farewell with a kisse: and another, would have visited his fathers tombe, and seen him honourably interred, whereas they should have followed Christ direct­ly: so the Papists will not goe the nearest way to Heaven, by Christ, but will needs coast about, by the Sepulchers of Saints, for feare belike, that if they should make too much haste, they, should come too soone thither: But the Lord commands us, to make streight ways for our steppes, [...]. and to make streight steps in that way: but the crooked crabs in the dead Sea of Rome, will not learn to go streight: their crooked lives, must needs runne on in croo­ked lines: and their blind workes, will needs finde blind wayes, rather then they will keepe the [Page 97] Kings high-way to Heaven: as superstitious tra­vellers, that turne aside to worship [...]. every greazie stone: or as the Iewes, (perhaps as they went to the Temple) would make a stay at every greene hill, and everyshadie grove (the Lord complains thus) as ye have seen some hackney Jades at every green banck, with a moneths minde to bait there, and steale a sweet bit, a mouthfull of Idolatry.

2. They have made the way wide. You know the man who said, he would not leave his part in Paris, for his part in Paradise: And I thinke it not impossible to finde some daintie minion in the Whores lap, that would not exchange his Cardinals Hat, for a Martyrs Crowne. But for this time, we will thinke, that they thinke at least, that they would come to heaven: But when they heare Christ saying, I am the way, they thinke in their conscience that's too narrow; and when they heare him say plainly, that the way is narrow, they say plainly that's an hard saying, who can beare it? And as the young man that came to Christ, went away griev'd at a like speech: so they are grieved indeed, be­cause they were as covetous as he was: but they will not goe away because they are not so ingenu­ous as hee was. But why was the young man grieved, and why are they grieved, as the young man was? because he was rich, because they are riotous: they are afraid that narrow way will not receive their goodly traine, their great retinue: fond men, that cannot be contented to go to heaven, except they goe in state: very fooles, that will not [Page 98] (as the Proverb is) leave their bables for the To­wer of London, their towers of Bable for the Lord▪ that will not shake hands with that folly, that they imbrace this felicitie. But why will not they goe away as the young man did? hee was a young man they thinke, and they are grown gray in mis­chievous devises: they meane to try conclusions ere they goe away. What doe they then? they hire a rascall rout of hungry ditchers to breake up the fence, that the word hath made, to make the way broader then the merits of Christ, and then they eke it out with the forged merits of Saints: and being so drunken with superstition, that they cannot passe the lake that burnes with fire and brimstone for evermore, upon that one planck of Christ, as they say the barbarous Turkes doe, when they meet a deepe river in the way that in­terrupts their course, they slay their poore vassals, and make a bridge of their dead corps: so they inlarge that bridg with the rotten boords of Saints mediation: but it is to be feared, that while they, in their Pontificall fancies imagine the bridge (by their deceitfull moone-shine) wider then it is, they find themselves deeper then they would, plunged in that Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for evermore.

3. They have made the gatewider: They are so cram'd with the sinnes of the people, and fed so fat with their follies, and so puft up with the winde of pride, that they have no hope to get into Hea­ven, if all that get in must do as Christ said, Strive [Page 99] to enter into the strait gate: beside their great. Master would faine have the gate so large, that he might goe in with full soope, top and top-gallant, without vailing his triple crowne, or bending his stubborn knees: for he is as stiffe as though he had eaten a stake: his joynts are like the Elephants, they are no joynts: and like Nebuchadnezzars I­mage, their leggs are of brasse, they cannot bow, so much as to him that made them: they are like some nice and cold hearers of the word, that are willing to heare and make toward the Church (perhaps they made a short dinner for haste) but when they come there, and see a little doore beset with a great throng about it, they shrinke their heads into their shell againe: they meant to heare, but they never meant to croud for the matter: the Cat loves fish, but will not wet her foot: they had rather swell and putrifie, and die with sin and ignorance, then be so sweezed. But what doe they in this case to helpe themselves▪ they have set on worke many skilfull Carpenters (perhaps some apprentises of that jolly Carpenter, that made a gate of a window by his learned interpretation of a place in the Acts) they have furnished them with store of timber out of the Popes storehouse of Saints Reliques, and these have promised to give so much scope to the gate, that the most pro­found bellies may step in and not complaine for want of elbow-roome.

4. They have made many gates instead of one: The Grammer of the Gospell writes it [...] the [Page 100] gate, not the gates: and Christ saith, Ego sum ostium, I am the doore, not the doores: I am, and no other, as the Lord speaketh in another place: But these foolish Florentines, (I think Florentines, I know foolish) these foolish Florentines, have a strong conceit, upon a weak ground, that the more gates go out of their City, the more gaine comes in, and therefore have made so many Saints as are gone to heaven, so many gates to goe to heaven. Excellently saith the Spirit of God in the Revelation, Revela­tion 21. and the 21. And the twelve gates were twelve Pearles, every severall gate was one Pearle: the translation abates something of the worth, for those Pearles in English, are Margarites in Greek, and those Margarites are the best of Pearles, and represent Christ himselfe, and that most sweetly: for those Margarites are begotten of the divine influence of the starres, and conceived of the pure dew of Heaven, though a poore shell gives them entertainment: so was Christ the Sonne of the most High, begotten by his eternall father, and conceiv­ed by the Holy Ghost, though he did not abhorre the wombe of the Virgin, though the Virgin Mary brought him forth.

But here seemes to be many gates. I pray mark: there is a double number, and a double unitie: there is a number of twelve, and a number of three: of twelve, round about for the twelve tribes of Israel: of three, on each side for the Gentiles in all quar­ters of the world, three to the East, three to the West, three to the North, three to the South: [Page 101] twelve, that the fulnesse of the Iewes may come in by those gates; three, that the fulnesse of the Gen­tiles may come in and sit with Abraham in the Kingdome of God. Againe, there is a double unitie, an unitie of matter, all these gates are made of Mar­garites: an unity of forme, they are all made of one Margarite a peece; and that Margarite I told you was Christ: so that in effect, there be many goers, but one gate: there be many Iewes and Gentiles to enter, [...]. this gate will receive them all, both Iewes and Gentiles, that shall be gathered from all the foure winds of the earth.

This is the gate which the Angell of God hath measured with his golden reed: but the leaden meetwand of the Popes Canonization hath laid us our gates made of the rotten wood of Saints, if it did but chance to glow a little in a gloomy night of darknesse.

I will end now this point of Saints in generall. We read of some that take the Kingdome of Heaven by force: Mat. 11, 12 For the Kingdome of Heaven suffers vio­lence, and the violent take it by force, saith Christ▪ and yet these men are commended: for it suffers them, grata est vis illa. We read of some againe, that purchase the Kingdome of Heaven, Mat. 13. 46 for the wise Merchant sold all that he had, to purchase the field, in which he knew there was a rich Margarite, and that Margarite was Christ, and that field was Heaven: and yet this Merchant is commended: but we doe not read of any that crept into the win­dow, but thievs and robbers, and they are condem­ned: [Page 102] but such thieves and robbers are the Papists, that thinke to steale in by the windowes of Saints prayers: and that when the gate stands wide open, when Christ stands forth and invites all, Come unto me, all yee that are heavie laden, and I will ease you: and yet these thievs had rather pray to Saints, and neglect Christ.

But me thinks, their prayers without Christ, are like the womans Beere, when she forgat to put in the Malt: they are prayers of their owne brewing, and they are like to drinke as they brew, faint beere, faint prayers, thin beere, thin prayers. What if they be strong of the Hop of Saints, yet when there is no graine of faith in Christ, not so much as a graine of Mustard-seed in them, I hope I may well terme them thin beere, thin prayers, faint beere, faint prayers. Let me then say to them, Behold, these are thy Saviours, ô thou sonne of the rebellious woman, ô thou daughter of Rome, thy Saviours in whom thou trustest: and let mee say to you, Sonne of man, seest thou these abominati­ons? then learne to say with me, O the patience and long sufferance and gentlenes of God, toward vile sinners!

Follow me but a little further with your atten­tion, and I will shew you greater abominations then these: for now I come to the third step, concerning their Idolatry with the Virgin Mary in particular. Revelation 9. There is mention made of a bread of Locusts out of the smoake of the bottomlesse pit, which are at large described there: among other, this is [Page 103] one particular, that they have womens haire, ac­cording to the judgement of learned Interpreters: these Locusts typifie the flocks of Easterne Saracens' and the Westerne swarmes of Monkes: but how can shaven crownes (for so Monkes are, and it went before, that they had like crownes upon their heads, which notes, that round shaving in forme of a crowne, which was indeed as precious as a crowne to them, to keepe them sacred and invio­lable) how can those bald-pates be said to have womens haire? yes, not litterally, but mystically; because they gloried in womens haire: the thing is plaine in storie. The Saracens descended indeed of Hagar the bond-woman, as it were of purpose to verifie this type, will needs be called Saracens, of Sarah the free woman: and so they boast of their womens haire. And who knowes not, how the Monks brag of the Virgin Mary, and so their bare skuls have borrowed a periwig (as it were) of womens haire. But what doe they with it? As the Carthaginian Matrons once suffered themselvs willingly to be shorne, that the men might make Engines of their haire, for the defence of their Citie: so the Carthusian Monkes, and other of the same rabblement, have made an engine, an [...] of the Virgins haire to take heaven withall; and let me tell those bold climbers, in what dan­ger they are of an irrecoverable fall, as the Pro­verb is, [...]. the sword hangs over their head in a slight haire, as it did for Dionysius his Parasites: let them looke backe to their originall, the rocke out of which [Page 104] they were hewen, the pit from whence they came. If the clew of the Virgins haire hath led them to a posterne doore of Heaven, the key of him that is the Angell of the bottomlesse pit must open it: but let me tell them, that pit is bottomlesse, there is no hope of getting out, and therefore that key is boot­lesse, there is no hope of getting in.

The Helvidians of old, cal'd the perpetuall vir­ginitie of the Virgin Mary into question: but shee might have beene [...] a perpetuall Virgin, as well as she was [...] borne of God, if she had not falne into the Priests hands: they have shrived her but ill favour­edly: for though her spotlesse virgin-soule, injoy an innocent sleep (I do not meane, an [...]. everlasting soule-sleep) in the bosome of Abraham, yet these artificiall leachors, have made shift to find a trick, by a vertuall, I cannot say, because it is most vici­ous; by a spirituall, I cannot say, because it is most carnall; but by that which the sonnes of the Philo­sophers call, a vtrtuall or spirituall contact, to con­taminate her memorie, which should be blessed, and to commit folly with hervery name.

For what I pray you, are [...]. those flattering titles which they give her in their prayers, Queene of Heaven, Mother of grace, Port of Paradise, &c. but such uncleane and unchast names for a Virgin, that if she should heare them with patience, I would not be afraid to say, she were the most im­pure harlot that ever was: but her blessed spirit abhorres their cursed breath, and they, while they thinke to sowe these ungracious seeds of spirituall [Page 105] whoredome in her most gracious eares, doe but imbrace a cloud, instead of a Queene; a Ione, in­stead of a Iuno, as he did; and so beget mishapen Centaures, I may say, centuries of misbegotten Orizons. Or, what are their strange devices, that God hath given her his Kingdome, and reserved on­ly that other halfe to himself, the half of mercy to her, and the halfe of justice to himselfe: that he contents himselfe with his Bench of Iustice, and hath placed her in the Mercy seat: and that this was prefigured in Ahasuerosh, who promised He­ster the halfe of his Kingdome? a goodly strata­gem to drive men from God to Mary. Againe, that there are two Ladders up to Heaven; a red Ladder by Christs blood, and a white Ladder by Maries beautie, which is farre the easier: me thinks these men mistake Iacobs Ladder, but yet some­thing like it was, for they are in a dreame, as Iacob was. But I will not rake this dunghill of stinking blasphemies.

Yet if a man would take the paines, to turne o­ver their stinking Rosaries, but as often as they do their beads in a day, he should soone perceive, that the name of Christ is out of fashion, out of date, and the name of the Virgin in the freshest honour: the withered Lawrels of Christ, are faine to vaile the Bonnet and give place to the flourishing, prime, and greene Garlands of the Virgin: as Lu­cullus did once to Pompeys: and some merrie Cour­tier might aske no more, whether Mary were gra­cious with Christ, but whether Christ were with [Page 106] Mary; as they did scoffingly, whether Alexander were gracious with Hephaestion: Mary hath all the sutors, Mary hath all the presents, Mary doth all in the Court of Heaven. It is not here, as it was once said of Themistocles his sonne, that he ruled all Greece, because his father ruled all, and his mother ruled his father, and he ruled his mother: For the Popes Sophisti call Logick in a Sorites, and ambi­tious Rhetorick in a Climax, is cleane contrary: God rules the World, his Sonne rules him, and Mary rules his Sonne; therefore Mary rules the World. She is become, against the Lex Salica, I am sure, against the Lex Coelica, the new Queene of Heaven, at least, as though her sonne were in his minority, the Queene Regent. She complaines her self in Erasmus, that she hath so many Clyents, so much custome, tantum non enecant, shee hath much adoe to take respite enough, to take breath enough, to keepe life and soule together: belike they meane to kill her with kindnesse, to presse her to death with loads of honour; as the perfidious Virgin was served that betrayed the Capitoll: they come something neare alreadie, tantum non enecant. But if there be any that make shew to kisse the Sonne, as the Psalmist speakes, it is to be feared, that it is not because they are afraid-least he, but lest she be angry: or according to our commonspeech, many kisse the child for the nurses sake: they kisse the child, but their mouth waters at the mothers lips, they make much of the child and dandle it in their armes, but it is but to insinuate themselves [Page 107] into the sweet embraces of the mother.

And yet these filthie monsters of lust (for they are no better then monsters, bewitched out of the shape of men, by the powerfull charmes of the Romish Circe, and her golden Cup offorni­cation) these filthie monsters do so please them­selves in their filthinesse, that as the Apostle Peter speakes, they speake evill of us, as of those that do evill, and thinke it strange, that we doe not runne with them into the same excesse of riot.

Like some fond and amorous Bridegroome newly wedded, that dotes may chance upon an homely spouse, and wonders that all his neigh­bours doe not meet him with their mouths full of wonder and gratulation, that they doe not wor­ship her whom he adores: because forsooth, shee is written for a Saint in the Calender of his heart, he thinks she should be received for a Queene in the Charter of their Parish: because she is the I­doll of his fancie, he thinks she should be the god­desse of their faith: he is so well acquainted with the zeale of his owne private devotion, that hee cannot but admire, what cold blast of stupid igno­rance or envie, (for he hath not the power to think it any other) hath so frozen and congeald them, that they do not melt into his mold, that they will not be reduced to his temperature.

But to give them their answer. The Old Iewes baked for the Queene of Heaven, and the New Col­lyridians did the like for the Virgin Mary, whom they cald the Queene of Heaven, and so do the Pa­pists, [Page 108] the sole heires of both their follies. But let Epiphanius answer them all: The Virgin is to bee honoured, she is not to be adored; shee is blessed a­mong woemen, but not God blessed for ever▪ or, that I may allude to those cakes, shee may be ho­noured, that is frumentum, corne that growes in Scripture, a Christian stomack may digest it: but she must not bee adored, that's fermentum; it is so sowre of the leven of the Pharisees, that a Christian stomack (as Erasmus said, he had Animum Ca­tholicum, stomachum Lutheranum, a Catholike minde, and a Lutheran maw, because he loved no fish) I say, a Christian stomack cannot brooke it: in a word, their Cake (as we use to say) is dow ba­ked: and it were to be wished, that these blinde Collyridians, if their mouth be out of taste, at least would annoint their eyes with that Collyrium, com­mended to the Angell of Laodicea, Revelation 3. some eye-salve of the Scripture, that they might see the grossenesse of their Idolatrie.

If they could but open their eyes, I doubt not, but they might see that we give more to the Virgin then they, that we are not Hereticks, because wee doe not give so much to the Virgin as they doe; but they are Atheists, that give so much as they do: and yet to say truth, we give her more then they do; they would make her worshipfull, we would have her honourable: an easie Herauld would decide the controversie, which is the better title: and so would an easie Divine, which are the Anti­dicomarianites, they or we. But if they will needs [Page 109] sleep still, loth to part with this pleasant dreame: let us call and see if we may awaken them: Behold thy gods, ô thou sonne of the rebellions woman, thy gods in whom thou trustest! Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. But why doe I spend so much breath in vain, they are not deafe, but dead in sinne: let me rather speak to you that heare me: Son of man, seest thou these abominations? then learne to say with me, O the patience, and long sufferance, and gentlenesse of our God, toward vile sinners!

I am come you see to the highest step: I have now finished my narration or generall explication of Popish Idolatry, and I stand (as it were) upon the highest pinacle of the Tower of Babel: I should begin to pull downe: but the time will not suffer.

BEfore I proceed any further, I must beseech you all to heare with wisdome and love. Let no man thinke these fowle Idola­tries either lesse abominable, be­cause they are so ridiculous; or more [...]amiable, because the phrase of my speech hath seemed hitherto to smile upon them. I thought I must confesse the Nature of this exercise, especially in a controver­sie, admitted of some libertie, and I wish I have not taken too much, and beseech you so to inter­pret me.

But as the picture of a Goddesse in a certaine Temple was so contrived, that she fround on men [Page 111] as they went in, and smiled as they came out, as though they had wonn her good wil with gifts and offerings: the Priests they did indeed, whose devise it was: and therefore I think the men, clean contra­ry to their Goddesse, smiled when they came in, as knowing nothing; but fround, when they went out so cheated: so, though yet my entrance hath seemed to smile, yet I meane to learne to frown, before I go out of this Temple of Idols: I meane to whip out these cheaters, though I came in like a Lamb (as they say of Moneths) I will endeavour to goe out like a Lion: I meane to walk with a fie­ry tongue among this stubble: and if this fat super­stition begin as Agag did, to walk delicately, and say with her selfe, surely the bitternesse of death is past: let her know, I owe a sacrifice to the God of Israel, and that must and shall be paid with her blood, gratior nullus liquor tinxisset aras, as hee said.

Now I proceed: I had brought you to the gates of this Babel: we must cast a mount against, and plant our batterie: I will tell you before hand, what you shall see afterward, that when you see it, you may observe all things more exactly.

1. You shall see the Armie: then,

2. The successe.

The Armie shall be distinguished into Captaine and Soldiers.

The Captaine shall be the Word of God, even God the Word, Ios. 5. 15. who is the Captaine of the Lords Hosts, (so stiled in Iosua) and the Lord of Hosts: whose [Page 112] name is written in his thigh, Revel. 19. The King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. The Souldiers shall be valiant reasons that have sworne fealtie to him, and put their neck under his yoke, that will fight man­fully under his banner. The Successe I need not tell you, you know alreadie by the Armie: yet I will tell you, that you may know the better.

1. Victorie: Not a blow shall be given, not a stroke struck, but the Priests shall march before the Arke of God round about the Citie: they shall blow their Trumpets, at the command of their great Commander, at whose shrill voice the tender wo­men shall teare their haire, and howle, as you have heard paltrie curs when a bell rings: feare shall come upon the inhabitants of the land: their hearts within them shall melt like water, and their feeble knees shall knock together, the foundations of the City shall shake, and the whole frame tremble: yea, their mightie champions shall fall low, and like the dust that is under his feet: their paper wals and painted castles shall fall low, and kisse the ground on which he treads.

2. We will erect a stately Trophee for a monu­ment, wherein shall be ingraven in indeleble Cha­racters for all eternity, the true storie of their pride, the just cause of their fall, the true storie of their sin, the just cause of their shame.

3. We will sack the houses, and ransack the store­houses, and see what treasures we may cary away for our owne use, to enrich our selves withall. Briefly and plainly I will,

[Page 113] 1. Confute this their opinion by Scripture, and rea­son out of Scripture.

2. Refute their weake arguments.

3. Observe the causes of this grosse superstition.

4. Collect some uses: This is the summe of all that followes.

The first place of Scripture shall be against the mediation and invocation of Saints, Iohn 2. 4. Iesus said unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? &c. You may read the Story at large, I will run over my meditations. Observe with me.

1. Out of the Story, Mary was not sent here to Christ by any, to mediate for them; but she went of her owne accord.

2. Out of the words.

1. Severally, Woman, not Queene of Heaven, not Mother of Grace, nor Mother by nature, (though that were by grace too, for the Angell stiles her [...]. as one that had received grace) not so much as Mother, but plaine Woman: What have I to doe with thee? or what hast thou to do with me? according to the sense: as if he should have said, as he did,

Meddle with that you have to doe, you have no­thing to do with me.

2. Joyntly out of the connexion, Woman, what have I? &c. as if he had said, Thou art a woman, therefore thou hast nothing to doe with me: thou hast nothing to doe with me, because thou art a wo­man: [Page 114] or, thou hast nothing to do with me, why? because thou art a woman. Thou art a woman, what then? Thou hast nothing to do with me.

But imagine a Jesuite had stood behinde her when she heard this: no doubt but he would have prompted her thus: What be thus taken up? Wo­man: it might have beene Mother: What have I to doe with thee? then tell him, thou hast some­thing to doe with him: uncover thy breasts, Mary, (they be their phrases) and conjure him, by the Roses of thy cheekes, and the Lilies of thy hands, by the wombe that bare him, and the paps that gave him suck, by the sacred name of a mother, to give thee better respect: nay, (they be their owne words) Imper a redemptori, jure matris impera: thus the Jesuite would have tutor'd her.

But you must know, she had a better master, even the Spirit of God within her, that taught her a better lesson: and therefore shee stands not to contend or contest with him; she makes no replys; she knowes what the Psalmist said,Psa. 45 11 He is thy Lord, and thou must worship him: and shee thinkes with her selfe, I was rightly called woman, for I have spoken once like a foolish woman, but I will make a covenant with my lips, that I offend no more with my tongue: and then as though shee did re­member her selfe, that she had forgotten her selfe, when she attempted to prescribe to him that is a­bove prescription, she turnes to the servants, and commands them to do whatsoever he should com­mand them.

[Page 115] But O Blessed Saviour, suffer the sonne of thine handmaid to speake a word unto my Lord, in the behalfe of thine handmaid: Thou bidst us Learne of me, that I am humble and meeke, and why art thou so cruel to thy Mother? thou wast as a sheepe that is dumbe and openeth not his mouth before the shearer▪ and why art thou so harsh to her that bare thee? How many, Lord, how many meaner sutors have requested greater matters at thy hand and obtain­ed, and why must a Mother only go away with a denyall? or if she must needs have a denyall, why was not the bitternesse of the thing, sugred with the sweetnesse of words, or why must that denyall bee embittered with a check? but suppose her rashnesse deserved, might not her relation deserve a mitiga­tion? why then was that check whetted and sharp­ned with a question the servant of war and wrath? Thy words, ô thou fairest among the children of men, thy words were wont to distill like the ho­ney, and thy lips to drop like the honey combe, and yet thou hadst not tasted that potion of gall and vinegar, and whence then is this tang of tartnesse?

But vaine man that I am? [...], why doe I disease my master? why do I say, who shall ascend into heaven to bring a resolution of this diffi­cultie from him? behold the meaning is neare, and the word is in thy mouth, and if you will give mee leave, I will tell you. She presumed because shee was his mother, and therefore he thinkes it fittest not to call her mother: she knew too well he was [Page 116] her sonne, but she did not thinke that hee was the sonne of God, and therefore he thinkes it fittest to call her Woman.

O the sweetnesse of the wisdome and provi­dence of our Lord: he gives a preservative long before hand, against that poyson which he fore­saw the Italian Divell would temper long after, to the perdition of many poore Christian soules, if it should not have beene prevented with a preser­vative: He cals her but woman, that was his Mo­ther; that we might not call her Goddesse, that was but a woman: he vilifies her, that we might not deisie her: he tels her that she had nothing to doe with him, that we might have nothing to doe with her: And as Paul writes, Be angry and sinne not: so he who was the patterne of meekenesse was an­gry, that we who are the Embleme of weaknes might not sinne: he was angry and denyed her petition, that we might not sinn and dote on her intercession: he denyed her to her rebuke, that wee might not dote on her to his dishonour: he rebuked her sharp­ly in a question, that he might teach us sweetly that it was out of question, that she can have no stroke, no hand, not so much as a little finger in the divine worke of mediation.

To wind up all that hath beene spunne out of this Context of Scripture. Maries accesse to Christ, was such, and such was her successe with Ghrist, that if I would goe to her, I thinke she dare not goe to him: or if she would goe to him, I knowe I dare not goe to her, except I longd to speed as shee did.

[Page 117] This is the first testimonie which I trusse up thus: Mary is a woman, and therefore she hath nothing to doe with Christ: she hath nothing to doe with Christ, therefore we have nothing to do with her, therefore she is no Saviour, therefore no Saints are Saviours, therefore no Saints are to be invocated as Saviours.

The second place shall be 1 Epistle of Iohn 2. 2. If any man sinne, we have an advocate with the Father, even Iesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitia­tion for our sinnes: here you see, that the beloved Disciple tels us, that Christ is the only Advocate: that lay in the bosome of Christ, tell us, that Christ who came out of the bosome of the Father, is our only Advocate, not Saints, nor Angels: for here be many things to enable Christ for that office, that disable all Saints.

1. The secret opposition of Client and Patron, of sinner and righteous, if that any sin, we have an Ad­vocate, Iesus Christ the righteous.

2. The sweet agreement of the Patron and Judge, the Father and the Son, we have an Advocate with the Father, Christ Iesus.

3. The necessary condition of him that must be an Advocate, intimated in the conjunction of these words, with those that follow, we have an Advo­cate, Christ, who is the propitiation for our sinnes: As if all were said thus: We are all sinners, for hee had said before, that he that saith he hath no sinne, is a lyar, and the truth of God is not in him: and there­fore we stand in need of an Advocate: and that [Page 118] Advocate must needs be righteous, if he would doe any good for sinners: and we have sinned a­gainst the Father, therefore our Advocate must be one that is neare the Father: and because our sinnes cry lowd for vengeance, he must satisfie for our sinnes, that will be heard for mercy: there is no mediation for sinners, but by him who is the propitiation for sinnes: none can plead for us, but he that bled for us. All these leade us by the hand to Christ: He is the righteous, the Lamb, the true Is­raelite without guile, the Sunne of righteousnesse, he is neare the Father, he sits at the right hand of God, he is the only begotten and beloved sonne of the Father, in whom he is well pleased: he made sa­tisfaction for us, and therefore hee knowes best how to make intercession for us: therefore he is our only Advocate. Not Saints,

1. They are not the righteous, not [...] but [...]. righteous, but made righteous, or if righteous, not the righ­teous.

2. They are not the only sonnes of God, not [...] but [...]. sonnes, but made sonnes, or if sonnes, as they are sonnes indeed, yet not by [...] but [...]. nature, but by adoption: by adoption, therefore by [...] making of sonnes, not by nature; by Regeneration, not by Generation.

3. They are not our propitiation: they did not undergo the wrath of God, for our sinnes: there­fore they cannot undertake to procure the favour of God to our prayers: in a word, Saints are not Advocates, they are not Mediators, and therefore not to be invocated as Mediators.

[Page 119] The third place shall be Revelation 19. 10. And I fell downe at his feet to worship him, but the Angell said, take heed thou doe it not, for I am thy fellow-ser­vant, and worship God: I bring this place, because as you know, the invocation of Angels is a part of this controversie.

1. You have in this verse, the errour of Iohn: and I fell downe, &c. out of which I observe, as Salomon writ his Ecclesiastes after his Vanities, to testifie his reconciliation to the Church: so Iohn re­ports his errour to shew that hee did repent of it. Againe, as Thomas doubted of the resurrection, that we might be assured, as Divines observe: so Iohn was suffered to fall, that we might be admonished to stand.

2. You have the correction of the Angel, which consists,

1. In a Prohibition.

2. In a Reason.

The Prohibition is, See thou doe it not: which is much more emphaticall in the Originall, [...]. see not, there is an Ellipsis of the word [...]. doe, or some such like: out of which observe,

1. The zeale of the Angell: for that word that is wanting may say as Christ did, the zeale of thine house hath eaten me up: zeale makes haste, it stands not upon complement of words: it hath no spare time to spend so idly: and therefore the Angell saith abruptly [...]: as if he should say, I cannot speake till you stand up.

2. The detestation of the fact: for you must ima­gine [Page 120] that what was defective in speech, was sup­plyed by action: and therefore thinke you see the Angell either turning away from Iohn, as offended; or raising up with his hand: he thought it not e­nough to expresse his dislike in words, but hee speakes more effectuall with his hands, and he will have him read his dislike in his countenance. This I observe out of the passionate prohibition, [...].

2. Now when he hath raised, he vouchsafes to conferre with him, and gives him a double reason of his refusall.

1. I am thy fellow servant, therefore worship not me: Where by the way note the vanitie of the Po­pish distinction betweene [...] civil and religious, the glorious triumphant Angels are [...] fellow-servants to the Militant Saints, therefore they cannot chal­lenge so much as [...]. civill-worship from them.

2. God is only to be worshipped, as it is writ­ten in the Law of Moses, and therefore the Angell saith, worship God: and so you have this Law of Moses in deed and litterally [...] given by an Angell, as Paul speakes to the Galatians.

And we may well say, this is a blessed Angell, he speakes the word of God in truth, without respect of persons; as they said of Christ: yea, without re­spect of his owne person. And as David said of A­himaaz, he is a worthie man, and brings good tydings: so this is a worthy Angell, and let us believe him, and if any man or Angell from God, teach any other Doctrine, let him be accursed: and though he refuse his worship, yet he is no looser by the bargaine: [Page 121] For as it was said of Caesar, that while he restored the statutes of Pompey, he established his owne: so while he reserves to God the propriety of his ho­nour, he preserves to himselfe the perpetuitie of his owne: for the Lord will honour them, that ho­nour him. To point this Argument: Angels are not to be adored: therefore much lesse invocated: Angels are not to be adored, therefore much lesse Saints: to make a compound of the double Em­phasis: Angels are not to be adored, therefore much more Saints are not to be invocated.

The fourth place is, 1 Timoth. 2. 5. For there is one God, and one Mediator betweene God and Men, the man Christ Iesus, who gave himselfe a ransome for all. We have three things in this Text worth obser­vation, for the truth in hand.

1. The knitting together of those words, one God, one Mediator; that is, as there is but one God, so there is but one Mediator: and therefore it were Atheisme to set up more then one Mediator, as it is to set up more then one God.

2. The secret description of a Mediator, he must be one betweene God and Man, that is, both God and Man: he must participate of both natures, that must reconcile both natures, which agrees to Christ only, who is [...]. God-man, Immanuel, and there­fore the true [...]. Mediator, the true Iesus, that can save his people from all their sinnes: and though hee bee called Man-Christ, yet it is the Man that was the sonne of God, as well as the sonne of Man.

[Page 122] 3. It followes, who gave himselfe a ransome for all, which is like that which I noted before in Iohn.

I might adde a fourth out of the Context: that Paul speakes of a Mediator of intercession only, for hee had before recited, that prayers should bee made for all men, and now he directs to the Medi­ator, in whose name these prayers must be offered, that they may be acceptable to God, and sayes plainly, there is but one Mediator, and that one is Christ.

Which may serve to stop the mouth of Papists, which think to elude all with a distinction of Me­diators of Redemption and Intercession, and say, that Christ is the Mediator of Redemption, Saints may be of intercession: if these men did speake so wari­ly as they might, and think so truly as they ought, yet we might say to them, as the Artificer did, that wrought finely, but spake meanely, when hee contended with another, that spake finely, and wrought meanly, [...]. as he spake, I will doe: we might say of them, they speak well with their tongue, but they make a noise with their feet that drownes the good words: [...]. their deeds speak more then their words: their pronunciation is good, but their acti­on is naught: Soloecismum manu faciunt, as he said.

But they do not speake well, and yet they mean worse: therefore I will endeavour to answer them.

1. Populus non distinguit, is an Axiom in Poli­ticks: the peoples gowtie fingers, cannot handle the slender threads of these daintie distinctions, (which these subtile spinners make) so tenderly, [Page 123] but they will be in great danger of breaking: and so while these supplanting Jesuites are counter­feiting Iacobs smooth voice (that I may alter the storie a little) the poore peoples hands are rough and horrid with superstition, as Esaus were: and it were hard to say which are in the better case: The people draw in iniquitie with cart-ropes of vanitie, (as the foolish Trojans did the fatall Horse into their Citie) and so go down to the pit directly: The Je­suites spin a fine thread out of their brain (as the Spiders do, out of their bellie) and upon that they thinke to climb to Heaven as wisely: Or like two Buckets at a Well, the people are like to that which goes down in a rope directly; the Jesuite as the other, seems to be comming up (not upon that thick rope, for he sees the other go down in it) but he thinks to winch himselfe up upon a silly thread.

I think the people in the better case, for though they go down in the rope, yet they go emptie, and the rope (as it were) moderates the violence of the fall, so that they are not like to sinck so deep: but the Jesuite comming up full upon his slender thread (suppose hee should wind himselfe a little way, by his Mathematicall Magicks) the thread cannot choose but breake, and then hee cannot choose but fall into the bottome of hell: and good reason, as he hath better known [...]. the depths of Sa­tan, so he should better feele [...]. the depths of hell: as he hath made the depths of Satan, so he should measure the depths of hell: The Summe of this answer is, the thread of this distinction is too slight [Page 124] to beare such a weight: and beside, Populus non di­stinguit, while they distinguish, the people perish.

2. Principes non distinguunt, is true in Politicks, though it be no Axiom. It is but an hard bargaine for a King to exchang a Crown for a craftie distin­ction The poore King of the Indians, when he heard that the Pope had given away his Kingdome to the King of Spaine, asked what the Pope was, that gave away that which was none of his owne: but let him claime the right of dispossessing Princes, when he pleases, and disposing Scepters, where he pleases: let him publish his pictures and represent Turks Turbants, and Imperiall and royall Crowns with Dukes Coronets hanging downe like labels from his loftie Miter, as hee hath done: let him pronounce them Maniches, holding two Principia, that hold any power equall to his Soveraigntie: let him enjoy all, perhaps at his donation, who said of Kingdomes, all these are mine, which I will give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship: though it be much, yet let him take all, because he is the Vicar of Christ: now me thinks he hath so large a parish, and so rich tithes, he might at least have remembred that he was but Christs Vicar: why then doth he wound the honour of Christ, and (as it were) cleave his Sacred in twaine, and thinke to bring this [...]; and think to heale it with these figg-leaves? why doth he rend the seameles coate of Christ, and then make up the matter with a sleevelesse distinction of Intercession and Re­demption?

[Page 125] The Whore of Rome hath learn'd of that Har­lot that was judged before Salomon, to say Divi­datur; but Christ will not part with his honour so: he likes no such halving: he will have all or none: Divide and Regna, is a Machiavilian rule, and true: give the Saints halfe, and (it is no great difference) let them take all as well. The summe of this an­swer is: When they rob Christ of his honour, he cannot take such a distinction for satisfaction; Prin­cipes non distinguunt.

3. Scriptura non distinguit. This proud di­stinction stands strouting, like the Angell in the Re­velation, with one foot upon the Land, and the other up­on the Sea: so this hath one part that hath ground in Scripture, namely, that Christ alone is the Media­tor of Redemption; but the other part, that Saints may be Mediators of Intercession, floates upon their restlesse brain, as it were upon the Sea: so that if it have any weight in it, it must needs sinke with his own weight. Again, the Scripture tels us, that the Saints have long white robes: but these robes are gi­ven them, they are intire the gift of Christ: the wool is Christs, who is the Lamb slain before the begin­ing of the world: the dye is Christs, they are washed white in the blood of the Lamb: the work is Christs, as they shewed the garments that Lydia wrought with her owne hands, so these are wrought with Christs own hands: and they are sent to us, as Da­vid sent his servants to Hanun, Embassadors of peace and comfort: and therefore it is barbarous and bru­tish inhumanitie, to cut these coats of Christ short, [Page 126] where with our nakednesse is covered: and it is di­vellish impietie, to take that which remains and make broad Phylacteries, and large fringes with it for the Saints, and so to make proud Pharisees, which were indeed penitent Publicans. Briefly, the Scri­pture joyns both together, Redemption and Interces­sion, to make Christ a perfect Saviour: Scriptura a non distinguit: and therefore what God hath joyned together, let no man separate.

4. Pontificii non distinguunt: Bellarmine himself that objects this riven shield of this distinction, as a sufficient bulwarke for defence of this impietie, rejects it elsewhere: not because he had forgotten what he wrote here, but because he remembred what he thought here: and therefore in his booke De Indulgentiis, he casts off this mask of modestie, and puts on (as he speaks) [...]. a viz or of impudencie: or rather, [...]. with a bare head, as the Greeks speake, without all circumstances: or rather more, for he doth [...]. steele his forehead against blushing, and sayes plainly, that Saints are Mediators of Redemption also; which overthrowes that forged distinction: Ponti­ficii non distinguunt: and now you see no more My­sterie, but Blasphemy written in the whores forehead: so that there needs no other Confutation but to have read it.

I have beene large in this, because it is the only starting hole they have: and therfore I will name but one place more, and that briefly.

The fifth. Eph. 3. 12. In whom we have accesse and boldnesse, with confidence by the faith in him: in [Page 127] him, that is, in Christ: we have accesse, that is, to the Father: I will observe but two words here more specially: 1. Accesse in Greeke [...]: (so that according to our translation, we have not so much as any accesse to God the Father, but by Christ, who is the way and the doore: I think the word may be rendred Presentation, I am sure, the thing is said elsewhere, and is true: Heaven is a royall Benefice, there is none that hath the right of presentation, but the Kings sonne. I think we may find an Em­bleme of it at home: the Saints are indeed Citizens of the new Ierusalem, free Denisons of Heaven, sup­pose them of the Parliament, yet they are but of the lower house, they are Priests, but not High Priests; they have no accesse into this Sanctum Sanctorum: they are incorporated into the most renowned Universitie, the Celestiall Syon, which I may well call the mountaine of vision, as the lower was called the valley of vision: for there they see no more by faith, but by vision, as the Schoole speakes: In the mount will the Lord be seene, as Abra­ham said: nay, suppose them of the house too, it is but of the non Regent house, Christ alone is the on­ly King, the only Regent: he that hath not h's Scio, he that is not presented by him to his Father, shall never be admitted to any degree in the University of glory.

The second word that I observe is [...] or [...] for there are two for failing: suppose there be accesse, yet without Christ there is no boldnes, no confidence: if our heart like a wise Mercha [...]t [Page 128] would send a ship of prayer to the coast of Heaven that should returne richly laden, with the trea­sures of that good land, it must first command the gracious dew to distill abundantly from the win­dows of the eyes, for this ship must swimme tho­rough a Sea of salt teares: and then to omit all o­ther tackling, it must provide a Card and a Com­passe which must agree with the points, with the will of Heaven, and the Needle of it must bee touched with the Loadestone: and if it be touch­ed with the true Loadestone, it will have a fit of shaking, a palsie of feare, it will turne and turne, and tremble and tremble, till it come to Christ; who will rebuke the Fever, and heale the Palsie: and then it will stand still, and stand with confi­dence: for Christ is a Magneticall rock whose attra­ctive grace it is that drives it thither: and the house of faith is builded upon that rocke: let the raine fall, and the Windes rise, and the Sea rage, it stands unmovable, like to Mount Sion that cannot be re­moved: and why, because it is builded on a Rock.

The Papists then that goe without this faith in Christ, may come with a shivering of feare, but they cannot come with boldnesse: or, that we may be li­berall to them, they may come with impudence, but they cannot come with boldnesse: for in Christ wee have accesse with boldnesse, faith the Apostle.

And thus farre have I exercised my selfe in the Scripture: if any say, I might have made choise of more and more pregnant places. I answer: that I thinke these pregnant enough, and I know this [Page 129] truth impregnable, and therefore I need not be very scrupulous.

You have heard how the Papists dishonour Christ crucified, by the honour that they give to Saints canonized: the Saints that have gone be­fore us, are indeed a cloud of glorious witnesses, as the Apostle speakes to the Hebrewes, wherewith we, who are the sonnes of promise, are encompassed in our journey: but they comming after them, have made them a cloud of grosse idolatry, where­with Christ, who is the Sun of Righteousnesse, is eclipsed in his glory: You have heard in particular how they commit folly with the Virgin Mary.

I touched that point but sparingly: but if a man would take the paines to turne over their stinking Rosaries, but halfe so much as they do their beads in a day, he should soone perceive that the name of Christ is out of fashion, out of date, and the name of the Virgin in the freshest honour: the withered lawrels of Christ are faine to vaile the bonnet, and give place to the flourishing, prime, and greene garlands of the Virgin, as Lucullus did once to Pompeyes.

And if there be any that make shew to kisse the Sonne, as the Psalmist speaks, it is to be feared, that it is not because they are afraid least he, but least she be angry: or, according to our common speech, Many kisse the child for the mothers sake: they kisse the child, but their mouth waters at the mothers lips: they make much of the child, and dandle it in their armes, but it is but to insinuate [Page 130] themselves into the sweet imbraces of the mother.

And yet these filthy monsters, of lust (for they are no better than monsters, bewitched out of the shape of men by the powerfull charmes of the Romish Circe, and her golden cup of fornication) these filthy monsters do so please themselves in their filthinesse, that, as S. Peter speakes, they speak evill of us, as of those that doe evill, and thinke it strange that we do not run with them into the same ex­cesse of riot. Like some fond and amarous bride­groome newly wedded, that dotes, may chance, upon an homely spouse, and wonders that all his neighbours do not meet him with their mouthes full of wonder and gratulation: that they do not worship her whom he adores: because, forsooth, she is written for a Saint in the Calender of his heart, he thinks she should be received for a Queen in the Charter of their Parish: because she is the idoll of his fancy, he thinks she should be the God­desse of their faith: he is so well acquainted with the zeale of his owne private devotion, that he cannot but admire what cold blast of stupid igno­rance or envie (for he hath not the power to think it any other) hath so frozen and congeal'd their dull spirits, that his Sun doth not melt them into his mold, that they will not be reduced to his tem­perature.

But the truth is, as I said before, we give more unto the Virgin, that they do: they would have her worshipfull, we would have her honourable: an [Page 131] easie Herald would decide the controversie, which were the better title: and an easie Divine, which were the Antidicomarianitae, they or we: but it is a fit of frenzie, not of love, that transporteth them: the untamed horses of distempered passion, as Pla­to cals them, have so hurried and whirled about the crazie chariot of their reason, that they have frighted them out of their little wits, and set the wheeles of judgement (upon which they should have run steadily) quite beside the socket.

And therefore we have taken such a course with them, as, you know, 1. We have cal'd upon them by a generall discourse, as faithfull friends, to reclaime them from this folly. 2. We have set the Scripture, as a grave over-seer, to frowne upon them, and chide them into their wits againe: this hath done little good yet; and there­fore we must now try the last remedy: if they will not learne of the word at Ierusalem, we must send them to schoole to Bethlehem, (a place ap­pointed for men in their case) and there set Rea­son, like a severe master, to disple them every day, and whip their wandring wits from place to place, (as they do vagabonds) till they returne to the place from whence they came, and regaine the seat of their Nativity, together with the Scepter of their Regencie.