THE Ioy of IERVSALEM: AND Woe of the Worldlings. A Sermon preached at Pauls Crosse the 18. of IVNE. 1609.

By WILLIAM LOE Batchelor of Diuinity.

LONDON Printed by T. Haueland for C. Knight and I. Harrison, and are to be sold in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the holy Lambe. 1609.

A SERMON Preached at PAVLS Crosse the eighteenth of Iune. 1609.

IOHN 17. 9.‘I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast gi­uen me; for they are thine.’

WHat the Almightie God purposed in Dauid the fathers heart, hee perfor­med in Salomon the sonnes hand. Dauid voweth, his head shall take no rest, nor hisPsal. 132. temples any repose, vntill he had found out an habitation for the God of Iacob. This proiect was perfected by Salomon, who built [Page] the Temple; and hauing built it, consecrates and dedicates it with1. Reg. 8. praier and praise vnto Iohouah. God the Father, in the secret coū ­sell of his heauenly Consistorie, chuseth a mysticall Temple vnto himselfe, the erecting wherof was manifested in his sonne Christ Ie­sus. Dauid vow and purpose, a fi­gure of God the Fathers election and preordinate counsell: Salo­mons performance, and erection of the Temple, a type of Christ Iesus declaration, ful accomplish­ment of the promises, and perfect demonstration of the predesti­nate will of his heauenly Fathers secret purpose. So that, what was Propositum in God the Father, is Depositum in Iesus Christ the son,2. Tim▪ 4. 8 and Repositum in expectation of the faithfull, quibus imponetur, in that glorious day of his gratious [Page] doome. Behold now then, O yee Christian people (blessed and be­loued in Iesus Christ; for I can­not giue you a more honourable title, be you honourable or other­wise, if I should giue you tenne thousand) behold (I say) your re­all and royall Salomon, dedicating this mysticall and spirituall tem­ple with praier and praise vnto his righteous father, as in this whole Chapter it appeareth, wherein he praieth, first, for himselfe; se­condly, for his Disciples; thirdly, for all the elect. And not onelie praieth, but also as a iudicious Sa­lomon, vttereth that absolute and most wise designation and distin­ction, by way of prophecie, of these different generations (the blessed and cursed) which the wombe of this wretched world bringeth forth; and being in the [Page] world, are not onely diuers, but contrarie in their actions, and af­fections.

He praieth, and praieth not. 1.The diui­sion. I pray for them. 2. I pray not for the world. In his praying foure things remarkeable. 1. The person, I. 2. The pious and powerfull practise, I pray. 3. The parties designed, (for them.) 2. distingushed, (but for them.) 4. The reasons why he prai­eth being two. 1. Donatiue, (which thou hast giuen me.) 2. Possessiue, (for they are thine.) In the person, 2. things obseruable. 1. His name. 2▪ his Nature. In the pious practise, two things also. 1. The power of praier in others. 2. The peculiar propertie therof in him, in whom all other had their power. In the parties. 1. We will consider their designement by the titles of fa­uor & honour set down in holie [Page] scripture. For them: that is, who are my Sons & my Saints: my Princes & my priests: my beloued & my Baptized mine illuminates, & mine Associates. Psal. 87. 3. For these glorious things are spoken, as of the citie: so of the Citizens of God. Secondly in the parties distin­guishment, or separation, (but for them:) discerned and notified frō the world by three inseparable notes, and remarkeable tokens of distinction. 1. A Catholike faith towards God. 2. Newnes of life in themselues. 3. Euangelicall charitie towards others. In the reasons. 1. Consider the donation, how wee are giuen vnto Christ by God the father (which thou hast giuen me:) that is, to be my seruants In foure seuered and singular suits and serui­ces. 1. In religious deuotion to­ward God. 2. In zealous affection toward our brethren. 3. In humi­litie. [Page] 4. In bearing the Crosse. 2. Consider the possession, how we are the fathers (for they are thin) euen thy Saints, whether we looke backwards, or forwards. Back­wards, thine they are. 1 By Election. 2. By Creation. Forwards, they are thine. 1 By Sanctification. 2. By Glo­rification.

In the second generall part, I pray not; Three things memorable. 1. The person I. 2. The excepti­on, I pray not. 3▪ The designation, for the world. In the person, his offices are to bee considered; as hee is a king, Priest, and Prophet: and how in euery of these, it is consonant to his person and office that he doth not pray: wherein the obiections shall be answered, & the text clee­red. 2. In the acception, we will attend the reuealed reasons why he praieth not for the world. And [Page] lastlie in the Designation, let vs marke. 1. who are desined by the world. 2. Why they are so descri­bed; and in conclusion take a sur­uey of this present age, and world wherein we liue: which I feare, vp­pon the view, wil appeare vnto vs to be that world, & those world­lings that Christ prayed not for.

But let vs return to the first ge­neral head, his praying: whereunto I earnestly desire you to attend as to one of the Songs of Sion, and the Ioy of Ierusalem: and therein I shall pray you to watch and wait the first houre, to the ioy of your hearts, who truely seeke, and serue the Lord. As for the secōd houre, the woe of the worldlings (his not praying) shall bee denounced, that all flesh may tremble, and all peo­ple perceiue the glorious saluati­on of our God, and bee resolued [Page] why the world is so wicked, name­ly because Christ praieth not for it.

First of the person. Many haue praied and not obtained: but now I pray saith Christ, whose name is Saluation, and whose power is safe­ty, my name is Saluation, an An­gelMat. 1. 21. spake it. Thou shalt cal his name Iesus; the reason being added, for he shall saue his people from their sins. From which Angelical assertion, the Disciples conclude an Aposto­licall: and peremptorie corallarie: There is saluation in no other (neither Pope nor Priest, Principalitie, nor power) for among men there is no o­ther Act. 4. 12. name giuen vnder heauen wher­by wee must bee saued. My power also is safetie, for who so delighteth in the secret of the most high, shall a­bide in the shadow of the Almightie. Psal. 91. 1. Neither is this Saluation tempo­rarie, [Page] as that of Sampson or Sam­gar, Gideon or Iepthah, but I am a Sauiour once for euer, I alone for e­uerie one, both effectually, and e­ternallie.

The vse of this is; that wee must inuocate this name onely, and re­uerence this power: this name be­ing our citie of refuge. The name Pro. 18. 10. of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous runne vnto it, and are secured. This power beeing our flag of de­fiance against the Lords, and our enemies; Faithfull Dauid being a fruitfull president in this resolute direction. All nations compassed me about, but in the name of the Lord Ps. 118. 10 11. 12▪ I shall destroy them. They compassed mee againe, and againe: but in the name of the Lord I shal destroy them: yea, when they came and swarmed a­bout me like Bees, they are quenched as a fire of Thornes that choaketh them; [Page] for in the name of the Lord I shall destroy them. I pray, that haue both a Deuine, and humane nature. A diuine nature, to help, and a hu­mane to commiserate and con­dole therein, hauing a simpathy of our miserie, and moane I came out of the land of the liuing; to bring you happines that sit in the shadow of death. I bring you rich promises, and precious of the glo­rie and grace of God the father, whereby you are also made par­takers2. Pet. 1. 4 of that heauenly nature, not in substance, as Seruetus grossely i­magined, but in qualitie, whether therfore you respect my name, or my nature, saith Christ, I am both willing, and able to succour, and saue them that seeke mee. Onelie this you must dulie remember, that your glorious name of Chri­stians, auaileth not, vnlesse you bee [Page] also partakers of the gratious na­ture: for euerie one that calleth on 2. Tim. 2. 19. the name of Christ must depart from iniquitie. And thus much of the person. Now let vs goe on to the pious practise.

Secondlie I pray. He praieth as a man: hee giueth as a God: saith Saint Augustine vpon this place. August. in Iohan. Much might here bee said of prai­er, and not to much: for it is the pretious Iewell, and peerelesse pearle of our christian profession: but I tie my selfe to my parts pro­posed, to wit, to shew the power thereof in others, and the speciall propertie in him, by whom, and through whom, others had, and haue their power. The power of praier in others, both in the old Testament, and in the new, is as myraculous as marueilous. In the old, Moses and Aaron are cal­led [Page] vpon by Pharaoh a reprobate, at that time when the plagues & punishments of God lay vppon him, and his people, that they should pray vnto their God for him, and their praiers were the meanes to take away, and ease those distressed people frō those vexations, & torments. No char­ming of his fanatical Enchanters, no violence of his desperate soul­diers, no magnifience of his vaine Pyramides, although aduanced to heauen, could ought preuaile, but prayer onely: yea, powerfull praier in the Faith of Gods seruants,Exod. 8. 9. stands in the gap, and turnes away the plagues euen from Aegipt. It rained not in three yeares and a halfe, and the praier of Elias ope­neth1. Reg. 18. the buckets of heauen, lo­seth the bands of Orion, and the bottles of the clouds, as Iob calleth [Page] them, when no other re­medie nor means could be found vnder heauen. A seelie and distres­sed, yet faithfull woman, Anna the Mother of Samuel, openeth not1 Sam. 1. her mouth in vocal praier, but in mental eleuation vnto her God, & she obtaineth the desire of her heart; euen a Sonne at the hands of God, when as Ely the Priest i­magined shee had beene drunke, and rebuked her, but she yet con­tinued in her earnest and power­full petition, and preuailed.

In the new Testament also, a­nother reprobate Simon Magus, paraleling Pharaoh in the old, had this knowledge of the power of praier; That when Peter had de­nounced against him the fearefull threats of Gods iudgements; Oh saith he, Pray you to the Lord for me, Act. 8. 24 that none of these thinges which you [Page] haue spoken, come vppon mee. See, Si­mon Magus went thus far in religi­on, that he knew there was no spe­dier harbinger of trust, could bee sent to stay and stop the passage of those fearefull plagues, but the Praier of Gods seruants. Peter is caught; put in prison; deliuered to foure quaternions of Souldiers, by mightie and malitious Herod. He sleepeth betweene two souldiers, bound with chaines, the keepers before the doore, yea, the verie night before hee should bee brought foorth to the people. What meanes is there now for Peter to escape? Behold the pow­er of praier; Earnest praier wasAct. 12. made of the church to God for him, saith the Scripture. This so pre­uaileth, that it procureth an An­gell to bee sent from heauen: chaines cannot detaine him, nor [Page] Prison, nor Souldiers cōfine him: nor keepers restraine him: nor the Iron gate of the city stay him, but it openeth of it owne accord, and Peter is brought safe to his friends. Maruellous art thou O Lord, and glorious in thy works, but aboue all in thy mercie which thou shewest vs in the priuile­degesAct. 4▪ 31. of thy Church and chosen. The Apostles being ioyned toge­ther in heartie and holie prayer, the verie place where they were assembled shooke, and trembled, for the maiestie of Gods presence was there. Consider then that the verie earth whereon we liue and mooue, quakes at the powerfull operation of praier.

If then praier bee so powerfull in those who had their power by Christ, who heere praieth; How much more powerfull and preti­ous [Page] is his praier? who is so gra­tious with God his Father, that a voice was heard from heauen saying, This is my welbeloued Sonne Matt. 3. 17 in whome I am well pleased. And a­gaine, a second time a voice from heauen answereth, I haue glorified Ioh. 12. 28 it, and I will glorifie it againe, when as the people that stood by, thought it had thundred. Yea, and an Angel is sent from heauenLuk. 22. 43 to comfort him, when hee was to enter into that great and gree­uous conflict of his bloodie ago­nie: yea, right powerfull must his praier be, that was iustified euenMat. 27. 19 24 by his enemies. Pilates wife wri­teth, Haue nothing to doe with that iust man. Pilate himselfe washeth his hands from the guilt of that innocent. The Centurion inu­red to carnage blud, & butchery, pronounceth, Assuredly this was 54 [Page] a iust man. The verie variable and hundred headed giddie multitude returne knocking their breasts in remorse of conscience, for shed­ding that pious and pretious guiltlesse blood of Iesus Christ.

For our knowledge then, hence wee inferre, that this praier of Christ, is the Foundation, Firma­ment, and Perfection of the Church. The foundation of the Church, if wee looke backwards, for it was e­lected in Christ before the world was. This Chapter witnesseth it, verse 5. That Christ was with the fa­ther Ioh. 17. 5 before the world was. That hee came out from the father vers. 8. And that the father loued him before the foundation of the world. verse. 24. It is the firmament and assurance of the Church, if we respect the time present, for the calling of God is without recalling: the Golden [Page] Chaine testifieth it, Whome he hath elected before all time, he calleth, iusti­fieth, and sanctifieth in time. So inRom. 8 the 15. verse he praieth not, that the father would take them out of the world, but being in the world, preserue them from the e­uil therof; both, a malo culpae, from the euill of sinne, a malo penae, from the euill of punishment for sinne, and also, ab illo malo, from the de­uill, and all his designements.

Lastlie, it is the perfection of the church, if we respect the time to come; for hee is the ancient of daies, not to bee antiquated by length of time. He is the perfec­tion of our soules and bodies, in the resurrection; and in a word, our exceeding great reward. So he praieth verse. 24. That we may be where he is, that we may behold his glorie which was from euerlasting.

[Page]Of this knowledge of the power of Christs praier, mani­fold is the holie, and deuine vse & practise. 1. Of hope which quick­neth vs. For while we pray heere on earth, wee knowe, and beleeue assuredly, that Christ praieth for vs, and pleadeth our cause as an aduocate in heauen.

In his humiliation hee praied for vs: in his exaltation then as­suredlie: oh Angelicall Manna! 2. Of reuerend boldnesse, which the spirit of God exhorteth. See­ing Heb. 4. 14. 15. 16. then that wee haue a great high Priest which is entered into heauen, euen Iesus the Sonne of God, Let vs hold fast our profession, for wee haue not an high Priest, which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmi­ties, but was in all things tempted in like sort, yet without sin. Let vs ther­fore goe boldly vnto the throane of [Page] grace, that we may receiue mercie, and finde grace to helpe in time of neede. 3. Of resolution: if the praier of Elizeus was powerfull to restore2. Reg. 4. 36. Act. 20. 12. to life the Sonne of the Shunamite, and of Paul, to bring againe the breath of Eutychus; Why should not wee resolue to trust in the Lord, albeit hee kill vs, for he kil­leth and maketh aliue againe; he laies vs in the dust, and raiseth vs vp to euerlasting and euerliuing glorious felicitie. 4. Of confir­mation, for heere are all the bles­sings of Garazim and the dew of Hermon, which falleth vppon the hill of Sion, (which is Gods Church) where the Lord promi­seth his peace and blessing forZach. 2. 5. euermore: this is not murus ahene­us, but murus igneus, not a wall of Brasse, but of fire; wherein is not onely protection, but terrour and [Page] vtter destruction. Protection to Gods Children: a terrour to their enemies, euen a far off, but if they bee so foole hardie, as imagining their skins to be thunder proofe, and approach to hurt his church, they and theirs shall bee vtterlie consumed. 5. Of precedent. wee ought also to pray for our selues, and for our brethren, for that is a countermure against all assaults of Sathan, and therfore Christ our Sauiour so aduiseth vs, Pray conti­nually. Luk. 18. Lastly of direction. Christ praieth to God the Father imme­diately, wee therefore in his name onely ought to send out our prai­ers, not to Saint or Angell, for that is an iniurie to the whole Trinitie. First, to God the father, who is the obiect of our praiers, so himselfe speaketh: Call Psa. 50. 15. vpon me in the time of trouble, and I [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] will heare you. 2. To God the Sonne, for he is the one, and onely mediatour of our praiers. There being but one God, and one me­diatour betweene God and man, 1. Tim. 2. 5 which is the man Christ Iesus. 3. To God the holy Ghost, for he is the breath of our praiers, Wee in our selues knowing not what to pray for, Rom. 8. 26 nor how to pray as we ought, but the spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes vnutterable.

Now let vs descend from the person, which is the Sonne of God, vnto the parties, which are the Sonnes of men. First, as they are designed by titles of fauour & honour. Secondly, as they are di­stinguished by notes of separati­on from the world. I pray for them which are my Sonnes by adoption, my Saintes by calling, my Princes and Priests by conuersation; my [Page] beloued by decree: my baptized by institution: my Illuminates by purpose, and mine Associates by promise.

His Sonnes: so Saint Iohn stilethIohn. 1. 12. them: As many as receiued him, to them he gaue prerogatiue to bee the Sonnes of God. An heauenlie priui­ledge. The Sons of men, become the sonnes of God by knowing & acknowledging Iesus Christ. The same diuine, in words of admired demonstration, pointeth this out, saying, Behold what loue the father hath giuen to vs, that wee (wretches) should be called the Sonnes of God. And because the Euangelist thought it not enough, that wee should be so called, he addeth fur­ther: Deerely beloued, now are we1. Io. 3. 1. 2 the Sonnes of God, but yet it is not manifest what wee shall bee. If then we be sonnes, some vertue toge­ther [Page] with the seede is transfu­sed. Bonus sanguis non mentitur. Honourable blood cannot coun­terfeit. Whereupon the spirit of God warneth vs that we shew our selues as Sonnes, not as bastards, forHeb 12. 8 whome hee praieth not.

2 I pray for them which are my saints by calling, whome I haue purged by my blood, and sanctifi­ed by my spirit: The blood of Iesus 1. Ioh. 1. 7 Christ purging vs from al our sinnes. And Paul testifieth that Iesus Christ was declared mightilie to be the sonne of God by the spirit of sanc­tification,Rom. 1 not onely in himselfe, which was powred out on him without measure, but also vppon euerie one of his in some mea­sure. We ought therefore to bee holy, as our heauenlie father is holie, wee beleeuing also a com­munion of Saints, which is seene [Page] by faith, and not by eie.

3. I pray for them which are my Princes, & my Priests by con­uersation. So Peter entituleth1. Pet. 29 them: ye are of the Royall Priesthood. Royall, therefore Princes: Priest­hood, therefore Priests. Princes in swaying their affections; Priestes in sacrificing their pleasures, and in offering their daily sacrifices to God, for themselues, & others. In euerie true christian there shineth a certaine princely maiestie, sea­soned and sorted with a Priestlie modestie, and humilitie. Chryso­stome saith, they are knowne by their gate, by their looke, by their vesture, by their voice: Their go­ing princely; being shod with theEph. 6. 15. shoes of preparation of the Gos­pell;Psal. 131. 1 Their lookes Princely; being lifted vppe vnto the hils, from whence commeth their helpe: [Page] Their vesture Priestlike, al gloriousPsa. 45. 13. within: Their voice Priestlike, soft and milde, as Iacobs voice: and these are those for whome Christ heere praieth.

4. I pray also for them, which are my beloued by decree: Beloued before they were: Iacob haue I lo­ued. Beloued when they were chil­dren:Hos. 11. 1 when Israel was a childe, I loued him. Beloued when they were men: Zorubbabel, the sonne of Shealtiel, shal be as the signet vponHag. vlt. my right hand. Beloued, when they are not, Right deere in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints: yea albeit Beggers, yet beloued, for an­gels attend them, in, & after deathLuc. 16, 22 to carrie and conuey them to rest.

5 I pray for them which are my Baptized outwardly by institu­tion. Inwardly being washed from [Page] their blood with that clean water which Ezekiel speaketh of, wash­edEz. 16. 9. in mine owne pretious blood, which maketh their garments white, contrarie to al other blood which staineth: for so haue the Saints washed themselues: andApoc. 7. 14 their robes washed also in the lauoure of the new birth, wherbyTit. 3. 5. they are regenerate to life euer­lasting.

6 I pray for them, which are mine Illuminats by purpose, which once were darkenes, but now are light in the Lord, for I enlighten euerie one that commeth into the world, but not any that loueth the world. These dwell in Goshen where is alwaies light: and all o­ther sit in darkenesse, and in the Aegiptian shadow of death. These mine Illuminates are pure in hart, being purified by faith: they ther­fore, [Page] see God in a three-folde mir­rour. 1. They see him in his word in the mirrour of Iesus Christ. 2. They see him in his works, (withMat. 5. 8 another eye then the worldling doth) in the great displaied book of heauen and earth. 3. And lastlie, heereafter shall see him face to face in heauen with Iesus Christ, and the holie Angels.

7 I pray for them which are mine Associates by promise, partaking of mine owne name, beeing Chri­stians.Act, 11. 26 At Antioch they were first called Christians; now heere, and in all the Christian world. Saint Ambrose his iudgement of these Associates was so deere, that hee reades that place, Gal. 5, 24. Qui sunt Christi, in the nominatiue plu­rall, not as it is vulgarly taken in the genitiue singular: As if hee should obserue, that so manie [Page] Christians, are so many Christs, by reason of this holy and heauenlie vnion and Association.

The vse then (blessed Brethren) is, that wee seeke, and endeuour by all might and meanes to cor­respond these gratious, glorious, and ennobled titles. Otherwise, what are wee with these pretious titles, but like the boxes and pots of the Apothecarie, which out­wardly haue some goodlie exo­tique inscription, when within, is some vnwholesome, vnsauory drug: or like the Mahumetanes which at this day call themselues Sarasins, as if they came of Sara the free woman, when as indeedeZozom. Eccles. Hist. 6. 38. they are Hagarines of Hagar, and Ismael (as Zozomen a thousand yeares agoe obserued:) which ap­peareth euen yet by their wicked and dissolute condition at this [Page] day. Or like those that row in a bote, sit with their faces toward you, but row the bote backward: so some make semblance of going on in a direct course, and christian carriage, when their actions and proceedings are directlie contra­riant.

With such I may expostulate and say, what hast thou to doe with the name of Sonne, when like a bastard thy condition is to shame thy father, and dishonor thy mother? Thou causest God, whome thou boastest to bee thy father, to bee contemned, and the Church thy mother to be despised. What hast thou to doe with the name of Saint, when as thou art a Slaue to sinne, and a bond­slaue to sathan? what hast thou to doe with the title of Prince, or Priest, when as thou canst finde in [Page] thine heart, nay boast of it, that thou art an agēt against Prince, & Priest in the vilest actions. Or why boastest thou of the honour of be­loued, when as thou art hatefull to God & good men? or of thy Bap­tism, seeing thou art of that folishPro. 30. 12 & fond generation, that are pure in their own conceit, and art not clensed & baptized from their vn­cleannes? Or of thine Illumination, when as thou gropest at mid-day, as did the ancient heretikes, the Gnostikes, who imagined that they had an impropriatiō of Gods spi­rit, that none had true knowledge but they, and as the Anabaptists & Iesuits with the late foūded order of the confoūded congregatio Ora­torij, who at this day in this glori­ous light of the Gospell of Christ, grope in Cymmerian dark­nesse, and gape after vnwrit­ten [Page] reuelations. Lastlie, what haue you to doe with the name of christian when as ye are indeed Cretians, of whome that ofTit. 1. 2. Epimenides is fully verified: The Cretians are alwaies liars, euil beasts, slow bellies.

But I am perswaded better things of you, my brethren. At­tend you therefore as Sonnes: and if ought afflict you, call and crie vnto your heauenlie father, who doth tender you as Sonnes, and as Saints: resolue that here we haue no abiding Citie, but we seek one to come: let your conuersation bee therefore as they that looke for so glorious an estate in hea­uen. And as Princes and Priests, Psal. 119. 164. Dan. 6. 10. with Dauid seauen times a day: and with Dauid three times a day Pray, & praise the Lord. You that are the beloued of the lord: let neither life [Page] nor death separate you from that vnspeakeable loue: nor the power of darkenesse, nor the gates of hell, for none of all these preuaile against the beloued of the Lord. And, as truely Baptized children, and washed in the righteousnes of Christ, say with the spouse in theCan. 5. 7 Canticles, I haue washed my feete, how should I defile them? I will by no meanes wallowe againe in the mire. You are illuminated of the Lord by the pretious eye salue of his truth, being blind and darkned before through the ignorance that was in you. Giue glorie ther­fore vnto the Lord, as the blind in the Gospel, who were restored to their sight. And lastly, as true chri­stians associated to Iesus Christ, bee zealous in the Lords seruice, as were the Christians in the primi­tiue church, who being in perse­cution, [Page] and dailie subiect to blou­die butcherie, yet praied and prai­sed the Lord in the dens & caues of the earth, as Plinius Secundus e­uen their aduersarie in the time of Traianus the emperour testifieth of them. But you, blessed brethren haue your oratories open, your pulpits frequented, with free and gratious passage; let not the fer­uencie of these distressed Chri­stians rise vp against you in the day of iudgement, who are thus blessed euerie way, and beloued euerie day of the Lord of heauen and of earth, that he may pray for you, and so you may be euermore blessed in the surpassing fauour of Iesus Christ.

Remember also that as you are thus designed, by titles of fauour and honour, that you also shew your selues both to your owne [Page] soules, & to others, as the people that are distinguished, and separa­ted from the men of this world. For our Sauiour heere in this place, saith, I pray not for the world, but for them: which discretiue But, distinguisheth, & demonstrateth that you are not of the world, al­beit you are in the world.

That you are not of the world, three infallible notes of separati­on must declare. And here let no man traduce this word Separation, for I vnderstand not thereby anie Anabaptisticall or Brownish seperati­on, but the same that Paul meneth, though in a diuers matter. For as he speaketh of Separation, or set­ting apart of Preachers, [...]:Ro. 11. 19 so I say, heere is a Seperation of true Christians, [...].

The notes of this diuine Sepa­ration [Page] are three. 1. A Catholike faith toward God. 2. Integritie of life and conuersation in them­selues. 3. Euangelicall charitie toward others.

By a Catholik Faith, I vnderstand, not a Romish, rotten, ragged, nouel profession: nor as these rare illumi­nated Iesuits vnderstand Catholike, who among manie, and manifold other their trauersing the point how to vnderstand Catholik at last conclude verie holie (God wot) that none are Catholik professors, and of that faith, but such as are vnder the Catholike Bishop, the Pope of Rome, in the gouernment and tie of their soules and consci­ences, and vnder the Catholike King of Spaine, in the regimentSparing Discouery of Eng. Ie­suits. of their bodies & goods. And this deuice was then hatched when they intended to haue raised that [Page] Phillip of Spaine to haue beene the western Monarch of this part of the world. Thus doe these Iesuiticall impostours abuse and abase these sacred mysteries of Faith, and the seruice of God, to damnable and detestable policie. But wee (belo­ued of the Lord) vnderstand a ca­tholike faith, either as the current of the fathers, that is, the ortho­doxe Faith, or as Vincentius Lyri­nensis Vincent. Contr. Hor. Ca. 3. thirteene hundred yeares a­goe interpreteth Catholike, to wit, That which hath beene re­ceiued and beleeued euerie where in the christian world, in al places, at all times, and of all true confes­sors.Heb. 12 And without this faith, wee conclude with the Apostle, That it is impossible to please God. The resi­ence whereof is in the heart: for with the heart we beleeue to righteous­nes. Ro. 10. 10 So Philip the Euangelist teach­eth [Page] the Eunuch. If thou beleeue with Act. 8. 37. all thine heart thou maist bee bapti­zed.

The effects of this Catholike faith, are foure, manifested in the word: 1. A resolued trust in God. 2. A reuerend boldnesse toward him. 3. An euidence of things not seene. 4. A plenarie perswasion and full setling of the heart. The two first are reuealed in one vers: Seeing then that we haue such trust, [...]. Cor. 3. 12 saith Paul, we vse great boldnesse of speech. The fourth is verified, as of Abrahams faith, which is a perfect paterne, so of all the faithfull, That hee was fully perswaded, that he Rom. 4. 24 which had promised, was able to per­forme it, and therefore it was imputed to him for righteousnes. The third is positiuely set downe of the spirit of God: That faith is the ground of Heb. 11. 1 things hoped for, and the euidence of [Page] things not euident.

Thus may we discerne a Catho­like Faith by the stile, and by the effects. Furthermore, we may des­crie it by looking vpon those halfe faced christians, which haue not this true character & stamp vpon them. As first, those are not of this Catholique Faith, who ob­serue part of the commande­ments, & reiect the other part, as an Hypocriticall Faith doth. For the hypocrites are precise in the ob­seruance of the first table, but re­misse in the cautions of the se­cond table. And this is Sans que­stion, an infallible note of a pre­cise Hypocrite, if you mark it. Se­condly, those that willingly be­leeue part of the Articles of our creed, and neglect the other part, are not of this Catholike faith. For whereas the whole summe of our [Page] Faith is referred to those three heads. 1. Ad esse Matura. 2. Ad esse Gratiae. 3. Ad esse Gloriae. The chri­stiā partee perpale, as the heralds speak, condiscendeth to the cre­dit that God made the world, which is the first generall head, and willingly heareth of the pro­mised glory in the world to come but when he is brought to the hu­miliation, death, and resurrection of Christ, and is bound hereby to humble, mortifie, and conforme himselfe according to the Image of the sonne of God, there hee fai­leth, and leaueth off his processi­on, and going on in this Catholike Faith. Thirdly, those are not of this Catholike Faith, who thinke they may serue Idols outwardly: so they keepe their Faith to God inwardly, like vnto Peter in the Pallace of the High priest, and the [Page] ancient Heretiques the Helchisitae who imagined they might doe as others doe in the outward wor­ship, so that they kept their con­sciences and hearts to God: as though God were not the Creator of their bodies, as well as of their soules; & required not the whole man to serue him. Fourthly, they are not of this catholik faith, who serue God onely outwardly, as do all worldly christians. Fiftly, they are not of this Catholik faith, who serue God onelie in their time of prosperitie; for both these sorts are condemned and reiected by our Sauiour in the parable of the seed. Lastly, they are not of thisLuke. 8. Catholike Fath, who serue him in certaine places, as in the court, and not in the countrie, in the countrie, and not in the court. These are such as Christ praieth [Page] not for, but are excluded from the holy Communion of his blessed intercession. Dauids spirit & faith was other wise: for he saith, I willPsal. 119 speake of thy testmonies before kings, and will not bee ashamed. What an hideous shame was this, euen in the time of Christs Incarnation, That among the cheefe Rulers many beleeued in him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confesse him, lest they should bee cast out of the Synagogue: but the reason ensueth;Ioh. 12 They loued the praise of men, more then the praise of GOD. O foo­lish and faithlesse people, be ye Gouernors, Rulers, Iudges, or Inferiors, heare your doome; with what measure yee mete with­all, shall bee measured to you againe▪ christ auoucheth it, whosoeuer, saith he, shall confesse mee before men, Mat. 10, 32 33. him will I confesse also before my [Page] Father which is in heauen. But whosoeuer shall denie mee before men, him will I also denie before my Father which is in heauen. AndLuk, 9, 26 againe, whosoeuer shall bee ashamed of mee, and of my words, of him shall the Sonne of man bee ashamed, when hee shall come in his glorie, and in the glorie of the father, and of the holy angels. Thus much of the first note of true christianity; which is a Ca­tholik faith toward God.

The second is Sinceritie, and Newnes of life and conuersa­tion in our selues. And herein ap­peareth the wonderful power & maiestie of our God, in that wee haue strength, through him, to sanctifie in some measure our wre­tched and accursed nature. For as the true Christian, for whom Christ here prayeth, liueth two liues, a natural life, & a supernatu­ral, [Page] so hath god giuen him two forms whereby those liues are sustained. For first, as by the soule, which is the naturall forme, we liue a natu­rall life, in all our powers and sen­ces: so of grace which is the su­pernatural, forme proceed all the vertues, and gifts of Gods spirit, whereby wee liue a supernaturall life. This was Pauls life after he was conuerted, when as he testifi­ed, That he liued not, but Christ li­ued in him. In like manner the spouse also in the Canticles expo­stulateth with temptations: I haue put off my coate, how should I put it on againe? that is, shee had cast away the works of darknes; how should she take them againe? I haue washed Can. 5. 3. my feete, how should I defile them? that is, I am become cleane in be­ing purified by faith in the blood of Christ, and haue done away all [Page] my former filthes, how can I now, that reioyce that I am thus de­liuered, return into that bondage and slauerie againe?

The vse of this then is (because I hasten) that we deceiue not our selues: for what semblance soeuer wee make outwardly of christian profession, yet if we doe not sanc­tifie our selues in some measure, there is no truth in vs; and we doe but cosen our owne consciences, and become traitors to our owne soules. For this is positiue; ThatPsal. 19. 1. Ioh. 3. 3. the feare of the Lord is cleane. And, he that hath a hope of heauen, doth purge himself. If I might craue of you (blessed people) to remember but this paralel of scripture, it shal be sufficiēt for me to blesse (al the daies of my life) this my poore la­boure and trauel. And so I wil des­cend vnto my third note of Sepa­ration, [Page] whereby those, that here Christ prayeth for, are distingui­shed from the world: to wit, E­uangelical Charitie, which is indeed the Cognisance of a true Catholike Christian.

So our Sauiour testifieth, saying, By this shall all men know you to be my Ioh. 13. 35 disciples, if ye loue one another: which Loue is not in the mouth & tong onely, but in truth and veritie.

That this is the true outward di­stinction1 Ioh. 13. 3. of a true Catholike Christi­an, it appeareth to all of vs heere present. For it is common to all professors, to be receiued into the Church by Baptisme: to enter into the assemblies to praier and preaching: to bold vp their handes, and cast vp their eies to heauen: to crie, Lord haue mercie vppon vs: and in conclusion to say, Amen. Yet many of these are counterset Christians, fained, and [Page] false dissemblers: but Charitie, and Loue Euangelicall notifieth vnto vs the faithfull professor, from the fained and false dissembler.

There are foure fountaines from whence Loue springeth: the. 1. of Nature, and that euen is also the instinct of brute beastes. The. 2. of Blood, and that is of Naturall men, as they are meerely naturall. The 3. of Reason; and that is the league and amitie of Philosophers, who take Reason to bee their Pilot; and Loue no farther than they haue Reason. The. 4. of Grace; and that is properly of true Christi­ans, and that I call Euangelicall Charitie. The properties whereof are: 1. To sympathize with others in their distresse: Beare one anothers burthen. 2. To pray for one ano­ther: The Christian Sacrifice. 3. To suffer, beare and forbeare, euen [Page] with the conditions of them that hate vs, yea, and doe good vnto them, and this is indeed the exal­tation of Christian charity: which Euangelicall and gratious charitie is twofold, either in affectu, or in effectu. In affection onely the poore shew their loue, from whom the Lord accepts the will, euen as the deed: for he requireth not that of them, which he giueth not vnto them: but in the rich this charitie must bee effectuall in distributing, and despersing the blessings and benefits of the Lord to his poore people.

Witnesse therfore (blessed audi­torie in the Lord Iesus) this day; that it is a slander and calumnia­tion of the Papist, who saith, that we teach you negatiue doctrines onely, and not affirmatiue. For wee eft-soones proclaime vnto [Page] you from this place, and all other the like in this kingdome, that your Catholike Faith is a dead and desperate follie if it worke not by loue, for loue is the euidence to your selues, and to the world of your Faith to God. But alas, with horror and amazement be it spo­ken, how many are there that make profession of this Catholike faith, and Euangelicall charitie, and yet are degenerated beneath brute beasts in the course of na­ture and bloud, as becomming a cruell Oedipus to their father, and a cursed Nero vnto their mother! Yea, euen in their reason become more vnthankfull then Iudas, and that to those, to whom they owePhil. v. 19. in all right and reason, euen their owne soules: yet are they inhu­mane as the Dog, and cruel as the Lionesse, whereas Euangelicall chari­tie, [Page] as hath beene said, is extended euen vnto our enemies, after the example of our God, who shineth with his sun vpon the good and bad, and of Christ Iesus our Cap­taine, and of the Protomartyr Saint Stephen, our fellow souldier, who praied for their tyrannous perse­cutors; but much more then to our brethrē, to the distressed, nee­die, and afflicted members of our Lord Christ. Let it bee then a brand of impietie against that soule in the day of account, who heareth this, and regardeth it not, seeing it is the peremptorie and positiue assertion of the Sonne of God, That by this Euangelical cha­ritie, Ioh. 3. 35 all men shall know who are his.

And thus much for the person, praier and parties both designed and distinguished. Now let vs proceed to the reasons, why hee [Page] praieth for them. 1. Donatiue, which thou hast giuen me.

This giuing of vs to God the father, is nothing else but a mani­festation of the determinate pur­pose of God in Iesus Christ: for as God the father hath predestina­ted vs to the end, which is his glory, euerlasting life: so also hath he predestinate vs to the meanes, to bring vs therunto, & they can­not be eluded. The father hath gi­uen vs to his Sonne, to serue him in foure especiall suites and seruices: 1. in deuoted religi­on, euen as the sonne himselfe doth, who saith heere in this chapter, verse 4. I glorifie the fa­ther, so must we that bee Christs seruants; Let our light so shine before Mat 5. 16. men, that they seeing our good works may glorifie our Father which is in heauen. 2. In the zeale of soules. [Page] For the zeale of the Lord must euen Psal. 69. 9 eate vs vp. Monica the mother of Augustine is a rare President heerein. What prayers, sighes, and groanes did that godly mo­therAug. Con­fess. make for her sonne Augustine yet being a Maniche, that hee might become an Orthodox? Such was the zeale of that pious mo­ther for the soule of her deere Sonne. Paul also became all vnto all, that hee might winne the more: who was weake, and he was not weake? Thirdly in humi­litie:Mich. 6. 8. for the Prophet Micheas expostulating this point, where­withall hee should come before the Lord, in the end concludeth, that a man must humble himselfe to walke with his God, shewing that there is no other meanes whereby man may tread the steps of the holy seruice of God, but by [Page] an humble deiectment of him­selfe to the maiesty of God. So al­so our Sauiour himselfe teacheth vs when he saith, Learn of me, for I Mat. 11, 29 am meeke and lowly in heart, and yee shall finde rest vnto your soules. Last­ly, in bearing the Crosse, not a woodden Crosse, or a golden cru­cifixe, or an Agnus Dei, or any such Romish rudiment, or guileful merchandize, but a constant pur­pose of holie life, which is indeed the bearing of the Crosse: for 2. Tim. 3. 12. whoso will liue godlie in Christ Iesus, shall suffer persecution, and haue crosse as much as his backe will beare, which crosse wee must take vp, not auoide or shun, and follow Christ Iesus.

The second reason is taken from God the fathers possession of vs, in these words (for they are thine.) We are God the fathers, [Page] whether wee looke backwards or forwards; backwards both byIoh 15. Election, and also by Creation. By Election: for so it is said, You haue Eph. 1. 4. not chosen mee, but I haue chosen you, and that before the world was. By Creation: so saith the Psalmist, Thy hands haue made mee, and fashi­oned me, and in such an admirablePsa. 119. 73 manner, as hee hath denied to all others his creatures, for hee hath made vs after his owne Image. If we looke forward, wee are his by Sanctification and Glorification. By Sanctification: for so he saith to the church of Laodicea▪ Behold I stand at the doore and knocke: If any man heare my voice, and open the doore, I Apoc. 3. 2 [...] wil come in vnto him, and banquet with him, and he with me. What is this knocking, but his calling vnto vs by his word, workes and bene­fits? what is this doore, but the [Page] closet of our hearts? what is this hearing, but our obeying? what is this opening, but the readinesse of our soules? My heart is ready, saith Dauid. This comming into vs? but his being in vs by his holie spirit, whereby he taketh liuery and sei­son of vs? What this banquetting, he with vs, and we with him, but the continuall feast of a good and a godlie conscience? And by Glo­rification wee are his: for his wee were, we are, and shall be for euer and euer. All the promises in Christ 2. Cor. 1. 20 being Yea, and Amen. Attend then the summe of both the reasons. We are the gifts of GOD to his sonne, therefore his freely, supremo iure in the highest right. Paul precheth it in one verse by a most heauenlie and diuine speech of degrees, where hee saith, All things are ours, and prooueth it by enu­meration [Page] of particulars in an ad­mirable gradation: Whether it bee 1 Co. 3. 21. 22. 23. Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, whether they be things present or things to come, euen all are yours, and you Christs, & Christ Gods. Oh holie honour! oh diuine consolation! Behold, I say, and looke with your eies of faith vnto this angelicall dignitie, and bee rauished in the spirit with this surpassing and exceeding fa­uour of God, in giuing vs (wretch­es) vnto his Sonne, as if his Sonne were not compleat without vs: as if there were no better things to bestow in the whole frame of na­ture vpon his beloued, then vs miserable & dust-creeping crea­tures. And as though hee had for­got all other creatures of heauen and of earth, and set his eie of fa­uour and affection vpon vs one­ly: [Page] Man and Angels fall; the An­gelsIud. ver. 6. are reserued in chaines of darkenesse, vnto the great day of the Lord. But for man he ordai­ned a Sauiour, remembred wherof he was made, & according to his tender compassion, & multitudes of his mercies saued him, and gaue him to his Sonne, that through him hee might haue fa­uour toward man, delight in him, and bee one with him.

O ye blessed of the Lord, note then in the first reason, that God giueth to his Sonne no prophane A­theist, cursed Achrist, or irreligious wanton, or that person who shall say in his heart, religentem esse opor­tet, religiosum nefas; as if it were a piaculum to be deuoutly religious. 2. Nor any remisse and carelesse companion, who hath as much care of his brothers soule, as of [Page] his owne, and saith in Cains cursed voice, Am I my Brothers keeper? no indeed, how can he bee his bro­thers keeper, when he hath no re­gard of his owne keeping? who can suffer Christ to bee crucified daily before his eies, and not bee mooued therewith? 3. Nor any imperious ruffian, for God resist­eth the proud. 4. Nor any such as flie the Crosse, who would with Balaam die the death of the godly, but will not liue their life: would haue Angels in their end conuey them into Abrahams bo­some, but all their life care not for God, nor Angell, Saint nor Di­uell.

And further, learne out of the second reason: 1. Of your Electi­on: That hee hath elected you in Christ, which excludeth all merit.Ephes. 1. 2. That hee hath chosen you in [Page] himselfe, therefore hee found no­thing in vs worthy of election or remembrance. 2. Of your Crea­tion: that wee wholly giue ouer our selues vnto him, who hath made vs that we may bee guided and ruled by his holy and heauen­lie directions. 3. Of our Sancti­fication: that wee quench not the1. The. 5. 19 spirit of Gods good motions that he kindleth in vs, nor despise that blessed grace whereby we are sea­led to Saluation. 4. Of our Glori­fication, that we set our affections on heauen and heauenly things, & not Col. 3. 2. on earth and earthly things, but seek those things which are aboue, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. Thus by degrees haue we ascended Iacobs ladder, & lifted vp our thoughts vnto the highest heauens, euen to our holy and heauenly Mediator Christ Iesus. [Page] And now I must end this Song of Sion, the diuine solace of the religious soule; and descend from heauen to earth, euen vnto the second generall part, the woe of the worldlings, in these words, I pray not for the world. Wherin note three obseruances. 1. The person I. 2. The exception, I pray not. 3. The designation, for the world. First of the person. As in the for­mer part wee considered him in his name and nature, so now let vs looke vpon him in his offices, to cleere the obiections of Cauil­lers, namely, how it is consonant to his diuine offices of King, Priest and Prophet, that hee should not pray for the world.

First then of his kingly office: How sorteth it therewith, that he being a King, should come into the world, and not pray for it? [Page] Indeede some erroneous Iewes dreamed that the kingdome of the Messias should bee a tempo­rall estate. And there were a rout of heretikes called Herodians, flat­terers in Herods Court, who pre­tended Herod to bee the true and vndoubted Messias. Yea the very Disciples of Christ also were in a quandarie of this surmise, when they asked Christ whether now he would restore the Kingdome to Is­rael? Act. 1. 6 But Christ himselfe answe­reth this obiection very plainely, where he saith, That his Kingdome is not of this world. Therefore it is consonant, that he as a King prai­eth not for the world.

As touching his Priesthood, many and manifold are the obie­ctions; but they may be reduced briefly to these foure heads: The first drawen from the power of [Page] his passion. The second from the equitie of his will. The third from his owne practise. And the fourth from Apostolicall exhortation. 1. From the power of his passion is obiected that of Saint Iohn: He 1. Ioh. 2. 2. is the reconciliation for our sins, and not for ours only, but for the sinnes of the whole world. Why therefore doth hee not pray for the world, seeing hee is the propitiation for the sinnes of the whole world? The same Euangelist elswhere an­swereth it: He came indeed vnto his Io. 1. 11. 12▪ owne, but his owne receiued him not. But to as many as receiued him, to them he gaue this prerogatiue, to bee the sonnes of God. Their destructi­on and desertion therefore is of themselues, because they do not receiue him. The second obie­ction drawen from the equitie of his will, is that of S. Peter, where2. Pet. 3. [Page] it is said that he would that all men 2. Pet. 3. should bee saued. How then can that bee, seeing heere hee praieth not for all men? The answer here­vnto is, that his will is two-fold: to wit, voluntas Signi, and voluntas Beneplaciti. His reuealed will, and his concealed will. He praieth, saith Saint Augustine: thats hisAug. in Io­han. mercie. For he hath mercie on whom hee wil haue mercy. He praieth not: thats his iustice. For there are ves­sels Rom. 9. of wrath prepared for destruction. The third obiection is taken from his owne practise, for hee praied for his enemies, father forgiue thē. The answer: Christ was then the Lambe of God, and in his dee­pest humiliation, wherein hee shewed all tokens of meekenesse and mercie, but heere in the di­stinguishment of the sheep from the Goates, he is the Lion, of the [Page] royall blood of Iuda, that rendeth in peeces his aduersaries, and di­uideth the spoile. The fourth ob­iection from Apostolicall exhorta­tion, is, that of Saint Paul, who ex­horteth,1. Tim. 2. 1 That praiers and supplica­tions bee made for all men. The an­swer: This word All is not to be vnderstood de singulis generum, but de generibus singulorum: as that al­so in our Liturgy, That it may please thee to haue mercie vpon all men: which some haue made an nicetie of, is not vnderstood collectiuè, but distributiuè, as Master Perkins con­senteth.

But that of Cyrill meeteth al ob­iections, and descendeth to the third office of Christ, as hee is a Prophet. For that ancient Father saith, Christ speaketh heere spiritu prophetic [...]; for obserue the maner: In his passion hee praieth for his [Page] aduersaries; not mentioning his Disciples: heere hee praieth for his Disciples, and excludeth his enemies. Neither is this disso­nant from Dauid his tune, when he said, Let their Table bee made a Psal. 6 9. snare, bow downe their backs, and let that which was for their wealth bee vnto them an occasion of falling, and the like: for this is no imprecation, but a prophecie, that so it shal be­fall the accursed, the Lords ene­mies. Augustine is of the same iudgement. Christ might (saith Augustine) haue praied in silence vnto his heauenlie father, but hee would not: First, because he might be an example vnto his Disciples that they might also pray. Se­condlie, that hee might make knowne vnto them the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen, to whom they belonged, whereof [Page] this was not the least; to wit: That the vngodly had no portion with them of the praier of their Lord and Sauiour. But let vs heare Christ himselfe: First excluding the reprobates in generall in this verse, I pray not for the world: and secondly in particular, excepting Iudas, as you see, verse 12. Where you may obserue that he praieth not for his confusedly, but parti­cularly: for the Lord knoweth who are his.

Now then ye see that as he is a king, he answereth, My kingdome is not of this world. As he is a Priest, all receiue him not, albeit he pro­fer & offer himselfe vnto all, and as a Prophet he foretelleth what shall bee the portion of the wic­ked to drinke. But if any shall bee yet curious, and obiect that the person of the Sonne of God, suf­fered [Page] which is sufficient. I answer that the Pascall Lambe profited the Israelites onely, and not the Aegyptians.

The vse of all this is, First, that the promises of God doe onelie concerne the faithfull. And there­fore let men remember that of Saint Augustine: Sperando & des­perando miserè pereunt homines, by hoping wickedly, and wantonlie all their life in the mercy of God, & desparing worse in their death, by forsaking the liuing Lord, men miserably perish. The second vse is, that albeit Paul preach, yet Christ is indeed to some the righteous­nesse of God, but to others the Rock of offence. So that the effect is not in the Preacher, but in the dispo­sed auditour. Lastly, that a Pro­phet must aswell denounce Gods iudgements, as pronounce his [Page] mercies. So did Hosheah to the Clergie, when he cried, O ye Priests, Hos. 5. 1. heare this: and to the Laitie, Harken O ye house of Israel: and to the kings Court, Giue eare O house of the king: for iudgement is toward you, be­cause yee haue beene a snare in Miz­pah, & a net spred vpō Tabor. In like manner also doe al the Prophets. Fitly therefore heere doth Christ Iesus, the very spirit of Prophecy, pro­claime the wicked world to bee excepted in his holy and heauen­ly mediation. He therefore saith, I pray not.

Durus est hic sermo, quia cor no­strum durius. Did the sunne stand still at the praier of Iosua? did itJosh. 10. 12 2. Reg. 20. 11. Mat. 26. 45. retire ten degrees in the Dial of Ahas, at the word of Ezechias? And was it darkened at the passi­on of Christ Iesus? No maruell then if now it had stood still, and [Page] neuer againe mooued, or retired to the vtmost corner of the world, and neuer returned, or beene vt­terly darkened, and neuer giuen a­ny light againe, seeing the light of the world, and the Sonne of God said, I pray not for the world. Ex. 19. 18. Did Mount Sinay tremble at the giuing of the Law, and the wallesIosh. 6. 20 of Iericho fall downe, when the Priests sounded their Trumpets? and did the earth quake at the passion of Iesus Christ, as fain­ting vnder such an hideous bur­then,Mat. 26. 51 that the wicked and accur­sed sonnes of men should execute the Lord of life? No maruell then if the whole frame and fa­brik of heauen & of earth had not beene dissolued into their ancient Chaos, when Christ Iesus by whom all things were made, shall say, I pray not for the world. But the hea­uens [Page] & the earth are reserued vn­to2. Pet. 3. 7. the second and glorious com­ming of the Lord, and are now preserued, and susteined only for the good of the elect, for whose sake onely this world continueth, that their number may bee full, and accrue vnto the Lord. Blessed be the maiestie of our God for e­uermore.

But O Lord, may we be so bold as to enquire a reason why thou that diddest sacrifice thy selfe for the sinnes of the world, wilt not pray for the world? Surely (blessed and beloued in the Lord) I will not conceale that from you which the Lord hath reuealed: He praieth not for the world, the first reason may be drawne from a mandatorie prohibition. The second from the Communion of Saints. The third from distincti­on [Page] of diuine knowledge, and the fourth from Christs owne fore­knowledge. First therefore asMat. 12. there is a sinne irremissible, so there are sinners not to be pardo­ned nor prayed for. Concerning which sinne, the prohibition is,1. Ioh. 5. 16, There is a sinne vnto death. I say not 2. Cor. 4 4 that thou shouldest pray for it. Se­condly, it is said, That the Deuill is the God of this world. What Com­munion then hath Christ with Be­lial, or light with darkenesse?1. Ioh. 5. 19 Thirdly, GOD hath giuen this knowledge vnto his Children, that they know themselues to be of God, and the whole world lieth in wickednesse. What then hath1. Cor. 4. 9. 13. Christ to doe with the stoole of wickednesse? Fourthly, Christ foresaw that this world should murther his Saints, & make thē the gazing stocke of the world, & account [Page] them as the riffe raffe of the world, and treade them vnder foote, as the of [...]couring of all things. Second­ly, Christ foresaw that the wicked world should deale more cruelly with the coate of maintenance of the Church, then did the Romish Souldiers with Christs coat, who cast lots for it; but this world di­uides, and rents, and teares it in­to peeces, and well is he that can get a peece, albeit it profiteth him not: nay, although all the rest he hath be cursed for it. That coat which the souldiers cast lots for, was without seame, wouen from the top to the bottome. The soul­diers were wise, who saw if it were diuided, it would roue, and be to no benefit; they therefore became aduenturers, who should haue all. But this politike world which see­keth to deuoure religion, delaieth [Page] not the time in lotterie, but euery one snatcheth and catcheth, some by violence, as wilde beasts and Boares of the forrest, and cor­morants of the world: some by craft and subtiltie, as Foxes nip the blossoms of the Lords vine, vntill it die againe. Thirdly, Christ foresaw that the wretched world should not onely vnmannerlie exclude the Lord of life out of doore, albeit hee knocketh and desireth entrance, but also that it wold deale clownishly with him, as did the inhumane Gergesens, who willed him to depart out of their Coasts.

The vse of this exception is, that wee enter into no associati­ons and leagues with this wicked world, for it is deliuered vp into three fearefull traditions, or ra­ther desertions. First, vnto the [Page] lusts of a wicked heart. Second­ly, vnto vile affections. Thirdly,Rom. 1. into a reprobate sense. The Psal­mograph therfore bids vs haue no­thing to doe with the stoole of wicked­nesse, which imagineth mischiefe as a Law. And the Apostle proclai­meth the Lords will, saying, Come 2. Cor. 6. 17. 18. out from among them, and seperate your selues (saith the Lord) and touch none vncleane things, and I will receiue you, and I will be a father vn­to you, and you shall bee my Sonnes and daughters, saith the Lord Almightie. But let vs consider farther: First, who are here desig­ned by the world, and secondlie why they are so described. Con­cerning the first, who are signified by the world.

As the passion of Christ: so the praier of Christ sufficient for all, but not effectuall to all: suffi­cient [Page] for all, it is the current of the fathers. That one drop of the blood of the sonne of God, was sufficient to expiate the sinnes of the whole world▪ but albeit, the sonne of God did sweate bloud in an Agonie, yea, not drops, but clots of bloud, and that in such quantitie, that it trickled downe to the ground, to blesse the earth, which was accursed: Yea, and seas of pretious bloud issued in his glorious passion from his hands and feete, yea, and from his verie heart, yet there is a cursed and wretchedHe. 10. 29. generation, which treade vnder foote the Sonne of God, and count the bloud of the Testament as an vnholy thing, & despise the spirit of grace. Of these the bles­sed Apostle telleth the ChurchPhil. 3▪ 18. 19. of Philippi weeping, That they are [Page] are the enemies of the crosse of Christ, whose God is their bellie, whose glorie is their shame, whose end is fearefull damnation, which minde worldly things. Rightly therefore are they designed by the world.

So doe the ancient interpret world. For I will not detaine you with the manifold acceptions of this word world, and the pro­miscuous vsage thereof. I pray not for the world: That is, saith Ber­nard, for them that wholly addict and addresse themselues to the world: I pray not for the world. That is, saith Ierome, for the wic­ked, and euill men of the world. I pray not for the world: That is, saith Augustine, for these that fol­low and pursue the concupi­scence of the flesh. In all this wee may inferre, that the world here is directly opposed to the disci­ples, [Page] and followers of Christ Ie­sus: and so Saint Iohn taketh the world in his Gospell, where hee saith, Christ came into the world, and Iohn. 1. 10 the world receiued him not. So that nothing can be more contrariant to Christ and true Christians, then these that are heere designed by the world: which will appeare vnto vs most euidently in the part following, wherein wee may exa­mine the resemblance why they are signified by the world. Which is, first, in respect of the parts. Secondly, in regard of the cause [...] of the world. First, in the parts, both Firmamentarie, and Ele­mentary.

In the Firmamentarie parts of the world, they are fitly resembled vnto the Eclipses and Meteors. In the Elementarie parts to their corruption and rebellion. Second­ly [Page] in the causes, to two onely: the Materiall, and the formall cause. As for the other, as they know not, so they care not to know or consider.

But let vs returne to the Firma­mentary part. In the Firmamen­tary world, there bee Eclipses of Sunne and moone. For wher­as the Moone receiueth her light from the sunne, it hapneth that in the full, the Moone being in the head or taile of the Dragon vnder the Madix of the sunne, that theIohannes de Sacro busto de Sphaera. earth will be enterposed between the sunne and the Moone, so that the shadowe of the earth falling vpon the bodie of the Moone, causeth her not to bee seene in our sight. Such is the Eclipse of the wicked in this world. For by the Moone is resembled the church, which is alwaies eclipsed [Page] vnto the vngodly, by the shadow of earthly things, for they are put betweene their sight, and the Church. So saith Saint Paul. If our 2. Cor. 4. 4. Gospell bee hid, it is hid to them that are lost, in whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes of the infidels, that the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ, which is the Image of God, should not shine vnto them. Note, that the God of this world blindeth them, and so they suffer a fearefull eclipse. The Sunne isIdem in tract. de­sphaera. eclipsed when the bodie of the Moone is interposed betweene our sight and the bodie of the Sunne, not that the Sunne loseth any light, but is therby shadowed from our sight. In like manner, the sonne of GOD is eclipsed to the wicked worldlings by the of­fence that they take of the church­es meanenesse. This is apparent [Page] by the speech of the Pharisies, Doth Ioh. 7. 48. 49. any of the Rulers or the Pharisies be­leeue in him? but this people which know not the law are accursed. The offence they take at the church is the meannes & deiection therof, which yet is confirmed by our Sa­uiour, That the poore receiue the Gos­pell. Fitly also are they resembled by the Meteors: for the Philoso­phers Aristot. de meteor. l. 1. tearme them the passions of the Elements, so likewise are these distemperatures of the world. In the Church they are Heretikes and Schismatikes: In the Common-wealth Traitors and Combustions: In societies and cor­porations, the fire brands of hell and dissension. They are Meteors of euerie element: of the fire, as tailed Meteors; for if they bee great and honourable in the world, they draw a great traine [Page] with them of Seruitors and Retai­ners, all which must bee at their beck, and insist in the steps of their insolencie and diuellish policie, many of which sort of Meteors do fall from the firmament, and so do these, and the fal of them is great. And some of these Meteors are not indeed of the fire, but seeme to bee, hauing in them neither il­lumination nor heat, but onelie a false glimmering, and these the Naturalists call ignes fatui, walking fires in the night season. So these wretched worldlings haue no goodnesse neither effectiuè nor formaltier, neither in themselues reallie, nor towards others in­deed and verilie, but onely a false and feigned glosse of goodnesse & hypocrisie. Like also to the Me­teors of the Ayre: For Bernard calleth them venti furentes, raging [Page] and blustering winds, throwing downe, and violently ouertur­ning whatsoeuer occurreth them. And Augustine calleth them venti Aug. in so­liloquio. adurentes, windes scorching and drying vp by their vnthankful­nesse, the chrystall streame of Gods mercie and grace, which would flow vnto them. Like al­so vnto the watrie Meteors, euen to those Nubes pendulae, which pro­mise raine, but giue neither drop nor dew. So Saint Iude stileth them, Clouds they are without water Iude 12. carried about of euerie winde. Lastly among the Meteors of the earth, to lead are they resembled by the Prophet, for he saith, Iniquitie is as Zac. 5. 7. 8. a talent of lead, which if they doe not looke vnto, it will weigh and sway them downe to the bottom­lesse pit of hell, and heauinesse. You see now how fitly the wicked [Page] are resembled to the eclipses, and Meteors of the firmamentarie world. Now let vs descend vnto the Elementarie: and heerein they are like vnto them in their cor­ruption and rebellion. First vnto the fire in vnkinde blastings: so these in their wilfull and wick­ed blasphemies. Secondly, vnto the Aire, when it infecteth: so they by their euill examples and misperswasions, corrupt and taint all those which are neare vnto them. Thirdly, as the water by vncouth and vnvsual inundations doth runne ouer the land, and de­stroieth both the corne and cat­tel: so doe these cormorants and wretched worldlings depopulate whole countries by enclosures, & by racking their miserable te­nants. Lastly, they are fitly re­sembled▪ vnto the Briers and [Page] Thornes of the earth: for the spirit of God saith, as is the Lilly amōg the thornes, so is my spouse among the Can. 2. 2. daughters. As for the causes of the world, they know but two, & ther­after they work accordingly. The 1. is, the material cause. They hap­pilie credit and deeme the world to bee made of nothing: for they desire to reduce and bring it, and themselues to nothing. And in li­uing here without Christ, it to thē, & they to it, are nothing, for as­much as without him was made no­thing. For if a worldling be de­uote,Ioh. 1. 3. his religion is an Idoll, and an 1. Cor. 8. 4. Idoll is nothing in this world: and if hee bee irreligious, and an Atheist, his bellie is his God, and the end thereof is faeda annihilatio, filthie nothing. This being the diffe­rence betweene a superstitiousPlutarch. [...]. person & an Atheist, the one [...] [Page] thinks there is no God: the o­ther [...], wisheth there were no God to punish his Idolatrie, so that the world to them, and they to themselues are nothing: Their life onely beeing a meere phanta­sie, and their liuelihood a meere fopperie. And as the world is said to be round, which is the formall cause, so these wretches run aroūd temporizing in the world, doing. Omnia pro tempore, ni­hil pro ve­ritate. Al things to fit the time, nothing for the truth. Optat. li. 1 [...]. Chrysost 2. Tim. 3. 7 Alwaies about the way, neuer in the way: like those silly wo­men that Paul speaketh of, Who are euer learning, and neuer come to the acknowledgement of the truth. For if you respect their practise, they are like vnto the Hedge-hog which hath two holes, one toward the South, the other toward the North, and when the winde blow­eth in the north, she shutteth that, [Page] and openeth the other toward the South, and turneth her selfe that way. If the winde blow in the South, shee openeth that to the North, and that way reposeth her­selfe. Semblably doe these, for with euerie winde they turne, and with euery note tune according­lie. If you respect their heart, it is like the cart wheele which al­waies turneth round in the dirt; so their affections are turmoiled in the vilest and basest conditi­ons. If you mark their thoughts, they are like a rowling axe-tree, e­uer deuising mischief and miserie euen vpon their beds: for there is no pece to the wicked. In a word, if you consider their whole life, it is like vnto a Mil-horse, euer mo­uing round, and neuer going for­ward, but at night in the same place as in the morning: so these, [Page] as religious, as godly, as well dis­posed at thirtie as at twentie, at sixtie, as at sixteen: at the euening of their death, as at the morning of their birth.

And for other causes besides these two, they neither know nor desire to learne. For as touching the efficient cause which is God, they haue said with the cursed in Iob: Depart from vs, wee desire not the knowledge of thy waies. And as for the enforcing cause which mooued God to make the world,Iob. 21. which was his goodnes, they bid the Lord keep the heauen to him­selfe, for they purpose not to trou­ble him; as for the earth, it is their portion, and they are content therewith. Concerning the instru­mentall cause, whereby the Lord made the world, which was the personall Word, the Sonne of [Page] God Christ Iesus. They are like to the Disciples of Ephesus, Who had Act. 19. 2. not heard whether there were an holy Ghost or no. So these haue not heard whether there bee a Iesus Christ or no; or if they did heare, they regarded it not. And lastly for the finall cause, wherfore God made the world, that herein men should serue and glorifie him, they are either mad with Empe­docles, that there shall bee more and more worlds; or dote with Democritus, that this world was ex Contingenti, and so by chance and chaffer, they do & deuise al their businesse whiles they are in the world.

These are such as Christ prai­eth not for, forasmuch as they ne­uer speake of him, or thinke on him. But it may bee verified ofGrafion in his Chron▪ them, as Queene Mary said of [Page] herself lying vpon her death-bed, to her friends and comforters, that if they did rip her when shee was dead, they should see Callis stamped in her heart, intimating that she conceiued such sorrow at the losse of Callis, that it pearced her heart and killed her. So these are in such loue with this world, that they onely heare it, they talke and thinke onely thereon, that if they were opened, you should see the world engrauen and written in their hearts. But this is the con­demnatiō of the world, That light Iohn 3. 19. is come into it, and men loue darkenes more thē light. Yet be you of com­fort all yee blessed and beloued of the Lord, for you shall be the Iudges 1. Cor. 6. 1. of this world. And with the residue Saint Iames shall expostulate: and so I will cōclude the examination of the resembance why the wic­ked [Page] are likened to the world. O ye Iam. 4. 4. adulterers and adulteresses, doe yee not know that the amity of the world is the emnitie of God. Whosoeuer there­fore will bee a friend of the world, maketh himselfe the enemie of God.

And is not this world wherein wee now liue full fraught with such enemies of God? Is not this the world that Christ praied not for? behold, the ataxie and disor­der of all things. The last Lords day from this place, you heard the plea of the Lord against this age of the world, and this land, wherin is no truth nor mercy, but Hos. 4. 1. 2. swearing and lying, and killing, and stealing, and whoring, with breaking out, and blood toucheth blood: now you heare the reason thereof, be­cause these are the people whom the Lord Christ praieth not for. [Page] Hence is it that the life of some is a loathsome stie of impuritie and impietie, and they lie wallowing in the dung and draft of their sin­ful filthinesse. Of others, their life is a Corban of vniust guiles, which they falslie call Gaines. And of others, whose life is an Acheldama of blood and oppres­sion, for they care not who wants nor starue, so they may epicurize, gourmandize, & spend it on their vaine and vile lusts, and wilfull af­fections. But alas, what doe I in­tend to capitulate the wretched­nesse of this time and age, where­in we now liue, which is rather to bee detested then commemora­ted, especially seeing a godly bro­ther did so earnestly & so feruētly touch and taxe the particulars the last Lords day? to which I referre your remembrance, and at this [Page] time onelie desire you to looke to one onelie mischiefe and villanie, whereof this world is too too guiltie, and wherein it doth di­rectlie oppose the Church of Christ Iesus, and subiects it selfe to this feareful exception, that Christ prai­eth not for it. And that is in those things which are consecrated by well disposed mindes out of the world, to the seruice of the Al­mightie.

The miserie whereof, and my­sterie of vngodlinesse now busily worketh, and is seene, first, in this worlds affection toward God in the things that belong vnto him. And secondly, in the vse thereof intended to perpetuitie. For the first: The affection of the for­mer world hath beene to giue the best things to God: so did Abel giue of the fat of the earth in his [Page] deuotions vnto the Lord; and Sa­lomon the flowre of euery sacrifice: yea, the very heathen obserued in their Idolatrous worship, to giue the things that were, First, Pura, without blemish: Secondly, Pro­ba, sound, Thirdly, Profana, not giuen before: And lastly, Sua, truely their owne. But the affecti­on of this world is cleane conrra­riant. For in dedicating your children to the Lord, if they bee deformed or foolish, then yee say they are good enough to become Priests. Of our yeeres, the worst we giue to God, as our old and withered age; as for the flower of our life, wee wholly addresse that to the slauery of Satan, to spend it in vanitie and wantonnesse, coun­ting it a preiudice to our youth, & a disparagement to our estate, to giue our selues to our beads be­fore [Page] wee bee decrepit, and good for nothing else. And as for the things wee offer vnto the Lord, yee make choice of the worst, the vncleanest, the vnsoundest, or some pittance perhaps of a great masse which yee haue vniustly scraped, or violently, or craftily gotten, of other mens goods. Or else some taking a poore remorse of what infinite wealth, he hath robbed the Church of, doth in his miserable pitie bestow some part of her own vpon her again, and thinketh he hath bound God vnto him, to bee beholding vnto his bountie for euer. And this, be­loued in the Lord, is the affection of this world, vnto the glorie and seruice of the most High.

Now as touching the vse which is intended to perpetuitie, two things are principallie to bee no­ted. [Page] First, are Temples built for the publike seruice of God: and secondly, the endowments of Churches; and reuenewes for the maintenance and perpetuating of that sacred seruice: not that the Lord of heauen & of earth wan­teth any thing that we haue, but this is his ordinance whereby wee may and ought to be exercised in the imploiment of those things, wherewith hee blesseth vs to the promotion of his glorious ser­uice. Concerning Temples, the Elders of the Iewes thought they could not come to our Sauiour with a more forcible motiue, whē they intreated for the Centurion,Luk. 7. 5. 6. then to say, He is worthy thou shoul­dest doe this for him, for hee hath loued our nation, and hath built vs a Synagogue. Few either are in this our age, for whom wee may thus [Page] pleade: but it it▪ bee in the buil­ding of a fine house, or the deui­sing of sundrie vanities and foo­lish pleasures▪ thousands are thought little enough to bee bestowed. Witnesse those mani­folde fabrikes, and structures in this land, whereof many seueralls haue buried as much treasure as would erect and found seuerall collegiat or cathedrall Churches. This age therefore wherein wee liue, admiring all these Temples and Colleges which are built, and see none built now doe say and often affirme, looking but vppon one of our Churches, If this were now to bee built, the whole land could not erect the same. Whereas if they cast their eies vpon the houses of many Noble men, Knights and meane gentlemen, they might ea­sille discerne where the affection [Page] resteth. For you shall see their houses like pallaces aduanced vp to heauen pompous—and specious to behold, euerie smo­key chimney ouertopping, and o­uerpeering the Lords temple, which happily obscurely stands stooping and drooping beceath like a rude heape of stones, being made the receptacles of Owles and Ostritches, Zim Ohim, & dan­cing Satyres. Or if they would look vpon the vain maskes and shews and frantik pleasures vpon which thousands are imployed, to driue away the darknesse and teadious­nesse of winter, they might easi­ly conceiue that this woful world is directly opposed to God, and al holy goodnesse. This is contra­rie to Dauids affection, for it was his heart greefe that hee might not dwell in the Courtes of the [Page] Lords house, and it was his espe­ciall wish, That he might beholde the beauty of the Temple of the Lord. And this is also far different from the deuotion of the christian Em­perors and estates of the primatiue Church, who erected Churches, built Colleges & Schooles, endow­ed them with maintenance, and left them to posteritie, and they like cormorants haue deuoured the church reuenues, and left the children thereof to liue like Gide­ans souldiers in the lapping cold water.

Furthermore, as concerningIudg. 7. 6 the endowments of the Church, this world holdes it as a granted proposition, that non oportet chri­stum ditesc [...]re. Contrarie to the practise of the first church, which was founded and framed by the finger of God, whether you re­spect [Page] it in the tabernacle or in the temple. In time of the tabernacle being yet in the desert, the ordi­narie treasure of the Church was 2400. shekels of siluer, and 120. shekels of golde, euerie shekell weighing halfe an ounce. Yea, the treasurie was euen then a Ne­mo scit, as may be gathered out of the booke of Numbers. The treasu­ry of the temple was valued to be at one time laid vp in store 8000. Cichars of golde, and seuenteene thousand Cichars of siluer, euerie Cichar weighing 1800. shekels, beside the oblations and gifts at the building againe of the temple in the time of Nehemias. Yea euē in the time of Sanhedrim, Mithri­dates had at one time 800. talentsCic. orat. pro L. Flac Ioseph. an­tiq. l. 14. c. 12 of treasure of the temple, as Cicero in his Oration for Flacous recor­deth. And Crassus a Roman Cap­taine [Page] had at another time of Elea­zar the Priest, a beame of treasure weighing 700. talents and more, as Iosephus testifieth. But what do I insist vpon the Iewish Churches treasurie, seeing the Christian Church affordeth so pregnāt testi­monie how diuelish this deuice of the world is, & that the end ther­of (as of the possessed) is worse then the beginning. But I may not longer detaine you with loo­king far backe. Recount but from the time of King Edward the first, when the world was inforced to enact the statute of Mortmaine, whereby it was prouided that none should giue to the church without an especial licence from the king: which statute is yet vnrepealed, but I thinke it may bee repealed without preiudice to the Kings Crowne, or dignity, or disparage­ment [Page] to the state, seeing the affec­tions & dispositions of this world are not toward the Church, vn­lesse it bee in some good words from some certaine specious word-mongers. But what may be the cause that many of the hou­ses of the Nobilitie and gentrie of this Land, prosper not, nor beare the part & honour that their fore­fathers did, seeing some haue at­tempted al meanes both direct & vndirect to aduāce their fortunes to the vtmost? as namely: First, by improuements, and racking of Tenants, that Iesuiticall deuice, & popish practise, saluing it with this hypocriticall plaister: It is lawful for euery man to make the most of his owne. Whereby they ende­uour to shadow al their vnconsci­onable, and vnchristian dealings. Secondly, by the fauours of their [Page] prince, which hath not a little lif­ted vp the conditions of some. Thirdly, by all forfeitures, morga­ges, perpetuall suites & turmoiles in the law, wresting it out of the handes and hearts of the lawful­lie possessed. And lastly by their practise in claiming from the Church, by impropriations, con­cealements, fraudes, and other in­finite strange deuices and practi­ses. And yet all this will not serue, but they are yet more gree­die then before, and farre more needy then their ancient [...]ie. Sure­ly, beloued and blessed in the Lord Iesus, I know no other cause but this: your fore-fathers were neuer wel but when they were be­thinking themselues what they should giue vnto the Church and maintenance of the Gospell of Christ Iesus, and therefore GOD [Page] blessed all that they possessed: but you as directly contrarie, seek by all meanes to haue from the Church you care not how; wher­of it commeth that all you haue is thereby accursed, neither can you enioy it. Doe you see a Representa­tiue Church vpon the earth? who founded it? did not your proge­nitors? If the same minde had beene in them, which is in you, what face or fashion of a Church had there beene at this day in the Christian world? Nay, further­more, because couetousnes, and Prodigalitie cannot sweepe stake with the Churches goods in that poore remainder which is left, after which the world yet most greedily gapeth, and vnsatiablie lusteth, the Sonnes of religion stand vp like the agents and ad­uocates of desperation, and plead [Page] that the fulnesse of bread hath made the Church to wantonize, therefore they must be so bold as to take it from them, for feare they should surfeit. And further, that Endowments hath poisoned reli­gion, and therefore they haue pre­pared an Antidote. And lastly, that our hearts and affections we may bestow vpon God, but as for our goods, wee may imploy them o­therwise, yea any waies they think well, but to the Church and Gods word: So that you see now (be­loued) the worldlings themselues feare not to surfet and die with fulnesse, nor to be poisoned with these Endowments, but such is their charitie and care of Gods Church, that they would not it should thus miscarrie, and there­fore they will carry what they may from it. Hence is it that your [Page] faith is so little, that were our Sa­uiour liuing on earth, hee might truely say vnto you, O yee of little Faith. For what tokens remaine of your being Christians in this world? but euen as the cursed complaine, their life is like a ship that passeth through the water, & maketh a noise with the violence of winde, carrying her sailes, but when shee is past, no token re­maines of her passage: or as a bird that flieth, parteth indeed the aire with her wings, and swift flying, and as an arrow which is shot at a marke, leaueth no token or note of their going through, so your life is spent in a dreame, and you leaue no print or signification that you haue liued thankfully to your God. Hence is it that your hope is lesse, either being like the vaine hope of Absolon, who reared [Page] vp a pillar in the kings dale, so you some pompous Pyramis, or gay tabernacle of clay in the earth: or like the hope of the Hy­pocrite, which is resembled to the flowre of the poppie, which euery blast scattereth, so all your hope­full proiects in this world, are prostrated by euery blast and tempest of aduerse casualtie. Hence is it that your charitie is lesse then lit­tle, either toward God, or toward your Brethren. Frst, toward God. Heretofore the King of the earth came to Cottages of the men of God, and called them Fathers, Oh 2. King. 13. 14. my Father, my Father, the Chariots of Aegypt, and the horse-men of the same. But now the seruants of Christ must bee suters to the vas­sailes of Princes, to bee admitted vnto thē. Secondly, towards your brethren, nothing but enuie, ma­lice, [Page] and all vncharitablenesse, a­gainst which we may truely pray, as the Church doth, Good Lord de­liuer vs.

The conclusion then, if you wil be pleased attentiuely to hearken, yea, but a very little, shall instant­ly follow in this one illatiue, That whatsoeuer is in this world, if it be not enioyed in Christ Iesus, is anathema­tized and accursed. A view heere­of we may behold in Iericho: at the sacking of which citie, Ioshua is en­ioyned to beware of the execra­ble thing; for the whole citie and all therein was accursed, sauing that onely which was consecrated to the Lord: and the thing was not onely execrable in it selfe, but it made them also accursed that touched it. Semblably are all the thinges of this world, which are possessed without Christ, execra­ble, [Page] both in their possession, vse, imployment, and end, and the ow­ners also thereby anathematized. What then, beloued in the Lord,1 Cor. 10. 11. shall we doe, vpon whom the ends of the world are fallen? The spirit of God hath not left vs either1. Cor. 7. 8 comfortles or councellesse. Pauls counsell and exhortation is, Vse the world as if you vsed it not, and that both in action and affection, not in action, no not so much asRom. 12. 2. in fashion. Fashion not your selues like vnto this world: for you see the fashiōs of this world hath vndone many, and caused them to forget God their Creator, their countrie and comely fashion, yea, them­selues and their posteritie, so sicke and frantike haue many beene of the fashions of this world, which are accursed, as it is apparant by their witlesse and wicked ends, [Page] who haue turned themselues in­to all fashions like the Camelian, saue the good and honest fashion.

Neither in your affection cleaue vnto the world. For the beloued Disciple forbids you to loue the 1. Ioh. 2. 15 world or any thing therein, vnlesse your loue be in God, and for his sake. The reason he yeeldeth, is, a map or view of the world, which hee capitulateth in a Hypothesis. 1. Io. 2. 16 If any loue the world, this loue of the father is not in him. For all that is in the world (as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eies, and the pride of life) is not of the Father, but is of the world. And lest either fashion, which now is accounted the forme of the world, as if it gaue that being (for many thinke they are not, vn­lesse they bee in the formall fashi­on of the world) or lust, which is esteemed the frame of the world, [Page] should annihilate or vilepend this diuine Councell, the spirit of God vrgeth further: First, to the fanaticall fashionable, That the 1. Cor. 7. 3 fashion of this world vanisheth: Se­condly,1. Joh. 2. 17 to the lustfull, That the world it selfe passeth away, and the lust thereof. Will any obiect that this is but hearesay? Why then, attend to an eie witnesse: I haue seene the wicked (saith Dauid) flou­rish like a greene Bay tree: (there is one in the fashion) and I passed by, & loe he was gone, & his place knew him no more: ther's the fall of the fashion. The life of these being a very dreame, euen like vnto a hun­grie Esa. 29. 8. man dreaming: for lo he eareth: and when he awaketh his soule is [...] ­ptie: or like as a thirstie mā dreameth, & loe he drinketh, but when he awa­keth, his soule is faintie. Euen so is the issue of fashion and lust, [Page] vanitie of state, and Imbecillitie of strength. Al the followers & fauo­rites wherof put their gaines as the vnthriftie seruant did his ear­nings,Hag. 1. 6. euen into sacculum pertusum, a bottomlesse bag, no sooner in but out. Fitly therfore is the state and cōdition of this world resem­bled to Ionas gourde, quae statim sta­tim perijt. And Saint Paul conclu­deth, That while we are in the bodie (that is attending the bodie onely as if wee had no soules) we wander 2. Cor. 5. 4 a Pilgrimage from the Lord. We must therefore pray that wee may goe out of the bodie, and so rest with the Lord eternallie. But if Paul were in the flesh, & did preach this doctrine,2. Tim. 4. 10. yet Demas will forsake him, and Christ to, & embrace this present world: as his deare darling, and sole delight. Many and manifolde are the multitudes, which make [Page] such account of this world, that they can by no meanes be wooed from it, let the melanchollie schollers say what they will. And therefore is it that so many haue turned religion into pollicy, wher­by that prouerb is verified▪ The Daughter hath deuoured the Mo­ther. Religion hath bred peace, and peace praies and tires vpon religion. Hence is it that so many church-robbers, tyrannize vpon the reuenues and goods of the [...]. Danaeu [...] [...]n Apho­rism. Politic. lib. 1. Church, being indeede no better, flatter themselues how they lust, but Pyrats by land mother mur­therers and vsurpers of others goods. Pyrats by land more inhu­mane and tyrannicall vnto the Christian Church, then the Pyrats by [...]ea Ward and Dansker to theReport of [...]o [...]ota▪ [...]le p [...]r [...]ts▪ Christian common-wealth. Those taking by open violence: these [Page] encroching and entring by cun­ning practise & sinister pretence. Mother murtherers they are also. for if the church bee our mother and they take away the bread and liuely-hood from her, wherby she fainteth, sickneth, & dieth. What are they but mother murtherers, and of the generation of Vipers? Lastly, they are vsurpers of others goods: for he is a Vsurper that appropriateth others goods vnto himselfe. But these Church rob­bers do claime not onely interest but also lawfull possession and vse of Christs goods, in that they rob him in tythes and offerings which he calleth his, what are they then but Vsurpers, & encrochers vpon others tenures and interest? But their precedent generation hath denounced a woe against saying, Woe be vnto them that either [Page] wash or clippe the coine whereon the Lord hath set his stampe. Yea, your ancestours commonly vsed these words in their donations: Let their Ex aribi­uis [...]alleg Gland. accoūt be without fauor in the day of the Lord, whether they be our heires or successors, who shall dare to dimi­nish or alter the lands reuenues and inheritance that we haue consecrated to the Lord. If the iudgement of your elders be required, this impi­ous and iniurious surprising of Church estates, hath beene con­demned both by Christian bi­shops, and also by Christian Em­perors, who euer were willing ra­ther to lay downe their liues, then that the prosperity of the church should bee impeached, or the goods thereof wickedly imbea­zeled, or diuerted from the godly intendments of her well disposed benefactors. But you see beloued [Page] that Christs Church hath bene sur­prised, and dispoyled of her pos­sessions, that whereas the Psalmist saith, The earth is the Lords, The men of the earth with their earth­ly mindes haue left our Lord, as the Iewes, no place to rest his head so they, no land to set his foot vp­pon. Hence are your lacklatines, & your lacklearnings which you fondly and furiouslie obiect vnto the reuerent Beaupeers of the church, the Bishops, whereas you your selues haue made such priests by robbing the Church, as church-Pyrats by famishing the Church-men in taking away their bread and liuelihood, & by vsurping the possession of others. For who should serue your foure pound, fiue pound, twentie no­bles cures? if such were not or­dained to holde your plough, [Page] your Church and parish would lie fallow, yea, that poor pittance which is left to maintaine a few better qualified persons is so caught and dailie vndermined by bare weather beaten desperate courtiers, forlorne Gentlemen, & Cyclop [...]cal scatizers, that al wisdom & godlie policie of the reuerend Bishops and faithfull councellers of state, vsing their best endeuors & vtmost fidelitie is little enough to retaine it: so far are they from any hope of a succession or godlie deuoted generation, who would studie to promote the wealth of the Church.

But let this generation know, that the world is giuen vp to a re­probate sense, and if they follow it, they also are in no better estate. Good Lord, where is the blessing and fruite of the ancient time? [Page] Happie is he that preacheth to an attentiue eare, and to an intelli­gent heart, and an obedient soule. Worthy Ridley in one sermon to that famous renowned Christian Prince Edward the sixt, preuailed that Christ-Church hospitall, the Hospitall of Saint Bartholomews in Southwarke, and Bridewell were at once erected. But now in an hundred Sermons the ministers of Christ, must become like to the Friars Mendicants, and yet not so far preuaile, euen in this place with this Hono. citie us to purchase entertainement. I hope I shall be the last that euer shall mention it. And to conclude (my blessed brethren) seeing that al the things of this world are accursed with­out Christ, se [...] before your eies Paul and Dauid as presidents and motiues to exhort you to resolu­tion. [Page] Paul was crucified to the world Gal. 6. 14. and the world to him, and accounted all things as losse and dung for the lu­cre Phil. 9. 8 of Christ. And Dauid wondred That any man should desire ought in heauen but the Lord, or esteeme any thing in earth, in respect of his God. Let vs not then bee like sucking babes, who rather cleaue to their nurse then to their owne naturall mother. This world is our drie nurse, the Church is our true mo­ther. Let vs then that are able to receiue strong meat, learne to di­stinguish. But if for al this you de­spise this counsell, & set at naught these aduertisments, and addict your selues wholly to the world: listen and heare how the world will deale with you in the end. Serue it neuer so long, yet as Churlish Laban dealt with Iacob in bringing foule Leah to his ma­riage [Page] bed insteed of faire Ra­chel, so the world wil promise you gladsomnes, but will performe loathsomnesse: will promise you the finest and gaiest speciousnes, but will performe with you in de­ceitfull spitefulnes. Let the expe­rienced say, if by the world they found any thing but worldly care in gaining the world, wordly fear in retaining it, & worldly sorrow in losing it. Yea, this is the meede of their life, and in their death in­steed of Tumulus giue them cumu­lus, an heape of stones, as had A­chan, who touched the execrable thing, so these haue some painted Sepulcher, or some specious or pompous funerall, and there is Catastrophe & the guerdē that the world affords them. But you be­loued and blessed in the Lord, lift vp your hearts to him that prai­eth [Page] for you, in whome you are the Sonnes & the saints, the Prin­ces and Priests, the Beloued, and the Baptized, the Illuminates and Asso­ciates of the highest: by whose suf­ferings you are seperated and di­stinguished with works of saluati­on from the residue of the world, & through whom God dwelleth in you by the liuerie and seison of his gratious spirit in this life, and will after this life is ended, be in full possession of you both in soule and bodie eternallie in the glorious rest of heauen.

To moue you now therfore to are solution to leaue this world, & all worldly, fleshly, and diuelish practises of the worldlings, and such as are ex diamet [...]o contrariant to all heartie and vnfained Chri­stians, & to cleaue vnto the Lord that doth thus pitie you in praing [Page] for you, honour you in making choice of you frō among others, and in gracing you by vouchsafe­ing to receiue you as pledges of his fathers loue, and accounting you as his own. I cannot propone a more forcible motiue to stir vp and quicken your hearts to a sad & serious thankfulnes, then to put you in minde that you certaine­ly are the people that Christ hath praied for, euen you I meane, the faithfull of this Land and state; who haue sought the Lord in sin­ceritie and hearty deuotion. And that I may not now in the Epi­logue of this my weake endeuour send you farre backe: I shal desire you to looke, and with open and displaied eies, beholde the louing kindenes of the Lord toward our kingdome and countrie, euen in the memory & view of our whole [Page] nation and all Christendome. How escaped we the furious and mischeeuous complotments of manie weightie and malitious deadly enemies in all the peacea­ble raigne, & most happie and ne­uer enough admired gouernment of that deere Lady, our late soue­raine Qu. Elizabeth of pretious memorie? Did not Christ pray for vs when all those secret designe­ments, popish thunder, Cardinal conspiracies, Iesuiticall proiects, and domesticall treacheries were discouered, & set vpon the stage? Did not Christ pray for vs when our state tottered at the decease of our late Soueraigne, and to the wonder of al the Christian world, did as an earthquake shake & set­tle in a moment? when all na­tions about vs stood looking at the things likely to ensue?

[Page]What frustrated the Popish prophecie of Worthing tō the Iesuit, when forespeaking as he (hispani­olized traitor) wished, That the fall of one Ladie would be the raising of an other. Meaning that the death of Ladie Elizabeth would bee the Di­adem of Izabella Infanta Eugenia Clara? who brought to scorne al­so the surmise of Weston the Iesuite, another false prophet, who seeing his fellow Worthingtōs spel take no effect, went on, and tooke longer time, as the manner of bankrupts is; and said, That the sinnes of En­gland were not ripe at the death of Weston de tripl. offic. Queen Elizabeth. But when England had fulfilled the measure of her sinnes as the Ammorites did, then would the Lord vtterly destroy vs. WhichGen. 15. 16 prophecie of his doubtl [...]s inten­ded the powder Treason, which if it had beene effected, then had [Page] Weston deserued to haue been no­tified with a red letter in the list of Anabaptisticall prophets. But then euen then also Christ Iesus praied for vs, and Worthington with his coopse-mate Weston are found lyars, and we, our prince and peo­ple are maruellously, and miracu­lously deliuered from the sulphu­rous blast complotted at Rome, proiected at Rhemes, fortified at Doway, practised in England, yea and that which was some certain yeeres in intendment and purpose was frustrated in a moment. Oh then seeing not onely the whole land but euen the very particular person here present can capitulat in specie, what great things the Lord hath done for them, where in we now reioice; let it be suffi­cient for me to commemorate in generall, and for euerie one of vs [Page] in indiuiduo, to commune with his owne heart, and write this lesson there, with the pen of a Diamond that neither day nor night, tide nor time, weale nor woe may ob­literate or blot out the charac­ter of his diuine lesson, and ange­licall consolation, but resolue that our whole life bee a deuoted sacrifice of thankfulnes & seruice to the liuing God of eternal ma­iestie, through Iesus Christ, our faithful intercessor, to whom with God the father, & God the sanc­tifying spirit, be rendred al power praise, might, and maiestie this day and euermore. Amen.

The very God of peace sanctifie you 1. Thes. 5. 23. throughout, and I pray God that your spirits, soules and bodies may bee kept blameles vnto saluation, through Christ Iesus, this day and euermore.

FINIS.

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