A TREATISE AGAINST THE Necessary Dependence upon that One Head, and the present Reconciliation to the Church of ROME. TOGETHER WITH CERTAIN Sermons preached in public assemblies, VIDELICET 

1. The want of Discipline.  
2. The possession of a King.  
3. The tumults of the people.  
4. The mock of Reputation.  
5. The necessity of the Passion.  
6. The wisdom of the rich.    
By Roger Fenton Doctor of Divinity, late Preacher of GRAY INN.  Aug Ser. 12. in Nat. Dom. 
Caput vestrum peperit Maria, nos Ecclesia.  
LONDON, Printed by Edward Griffin for Nathaniel Butter. 1617.   

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE, SIR FRANCIS BACON Knight, Lord Keeper of the great Seal of ENGLAND, and one of his majesties most honourable Privy Counsel.  
RIGHT HONOURABLE:  
THere are many controversies in the Church: every one thinks he is in the Tower of Zion. Some that conceive themselves to be inspired with the rushing wind, would have the Church, like that Spirit, to be invisible: Some are so pure, that they would have it where it was first: Some imagine a Church to reside upon their wit: Some will have it in any place, where there is no Room; and some the greater or more bend all their wits to Rome, and to one Head in that Church, like the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Pythagoras, or Aristotle's Primum, that must be a Monarch by Power, not by Gifts, by Multitude, not by Truth; That must suppress Schisms, and determine Faith. Their cry is great, The Roes and Hinds of the field do stand aghast upon the opening of every Romish hound, 
Cant. 2 7.  The Consonants which speak for this only Supremacy, as their superior Vowels bid them, and which cause men of tender consciences to make head they know not whither. Others, either of no Religion, or such as would have an exact Religion in an Idea, stand by and receive none till all be agreed. But if we listen to the Canonists, as the Heathen made Terminus a God, and such a God that would not yield to jupiter; so the Bishop of Rome must be the end unto which all divisions in Religion, wheresoever discussed, must be reduced, from whom it is not lawful to appeal to God.  
Many there are that follow him, we may take up a Father's complaint, many which we may fly, none which we may follow; which flicker aloof; and suffer him to fly with his wings of unlimited authority, without a Quid iure posset, Quid charitate debet, and like an Eagle not in Rome, but in the world to fly alone. Emperors before were Lions; but now in the mystery of Sampsons' Riddle, mortified by Christ, are become Nursing Fathers, and no Lions. The Bishops of Rome were Nursing Fathers, now they are Lions, that range alone, that will brook no equality, either with man, or with the world, or with the Scripture, or with any power, but God.  
So though God hath broken down the walls of the old jerusalem, like the banks of Paradise, and hath let out the rivers of the Church to take their names from the Countries through which they pass, yet he hath made enclosure again, and will have all to lose their name in him, as the great Sea.  
Thanks be unto God, that one of the other side of the bank was lately driven over the waters of Meribah and Separation, by the Spirit of God, as by a gentle gale of wind, and is now united unto us in a commerce of Religion, Mirante Roma, gaudente Ecclesia, The Church ingeminating the name of ANTONIUS of SPALLETO, as they did VICTORINUS of ROME, 
Aug. confess. 8.2.  converted to public profession by Simplicianus. In Saint BERNARD'S time it was A voce tonitrui tui formidantes. The Pope spoke then something like the voice of God, but now he roars only in a Bull, and we hope ere long all EUROPE will sit upon him as a beast, when they shall see such great Masters of the flock forsake him.  
The Author of this Treatise hath not confuted every objected Scripture: Like Turkish Arras no large Imagery is drawn; but in four knots hath folded all the colour which is pretended for the dependence upon Rome. An obscure resemblance of him, yet his. Sed cuius haec imago est? It is the Posthumus of Doctor FENTON, adorned with no other garments than he left it, not so properly his Image, but his Similitude, in which there are the true lineaments that express the proportion of his former works, though not lived with those fresh colours, yet his without addition or correction. One there was it seems of the Tribe of Dan, something a kin to the borderers in the North, that after his death bitten his book of Usury by the heel, 
Gen. 49.17  and drew his arguments as Cacus did the cattle of Hercules, backward, Ne qua forent pedibus vestigia rectis; whose impudency was dashed before it had scarce looked abroad, by that watchful and true evangelical Bishop the Diocesan of London.  
It may be those that Gossip into other men's labours only for news, will dandle this a little in their hands, to see whether it be like the father, or no: 
Nazianz. in peace. 2.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not to judge, but to deprave it. And who will deprave that judgement of his, which was admired of every side; even of those which in regard of our present government, have their opinions slipped a little out of joint? If there be any, the naked innocency without affectation, and the natural majesty of the style, like a Master Bee without a sting, will defend it. But as his book against Usury had a Patron, so next to him not in desire as Adam was to God, nor in conceit as Nabuchadnezzar, nor in voice only as Herod, but in integrity, and honour, and judgement, is this poor model dedicated.  
And now we are sure, that since God hath separated your light from darkness, 
Gen. 1.4.  and drawn the Curtain to discover those secret excellency's lodging within you, which because of some interpositions had not their full epiphany to the world, you will clear his cause and ours, both concerning Maintenance and Countenance: Not being of those which have broiled the Clergy with disgraces and slaveries, 
jer. 52.13. Gregor past. cur. 3. part. cap. 20.  as Nebuzaradan according to Saint GREGORY'S sense, did burn the Temple, but keep the gold; some alas, which have kept justice, but loved it not, whose prosperity, cùm arrisit, irrisit, made them fools that thought us no better, or else our pleas had never been laughed out of the Court with a plus facetiae quàm justitiae, 
Ber. de consid. 3.2.  nor these that were oppressed had lift up their weeping eyes to behold how justice was become blind, as the Poet's picture Love, with which it was grown too familiar. But to your Honour, which did ever commiserate our humility, and relieve our miseries, and reverence our calling, and patronize our labours, do I presume to present this book, which may be bold to offer prayers to God for your preservation here, and your exaltation in the life of glory.  
Your Honours and the Church's servant, Emmanuel Vtie.   

To the Reader.  
Christian Reader:  
IT was the old, and is the common excuse for the penning of books which march forth into the world like the Tribe of Gad in multitudes, 
Gen. 30.11.  Christi charitas, amicorum necessitas: I need not make an Apology, because I am not the Author but a Compiler of the Treatise, and so it must be respected, not what I am, but what I have: It had been better for me to have watched with Moses in the Mount, with Elias in the Desert, with Samuel in the Tabernacle in some celestial contemplations and holy whisperings with God, 
Exod. 9.9  then have added any volumes to the number of which the world is as full, as the hand of the Prophet was of ashes, that now are dispersed before the face of God, to blister the reputation of the best men. In this boiling age of ours, in which every servile Gehezi that hath but made a Prophet's bed, will lift up himself to be seen, though in a scab.  
As there were no Hangmen among the jews, because every one was an Executioner; so we cannot indigitate one Censurer in the world, because there are so many: Therefore sine me liberibis in orbem. If this book will avoid the fangs of censurers, it must as the Apostle speaks of Community with Fornicators and Drunkards, 
1 Cor. 5.11.  (to such as would be Hermits, or sup up water-gruel with Daniel by themselves) Go out of the world: But I think, as there may be a secret dispensation for the one, so there may be a public Expectation of the other: 
Chrysost. in loc. ad Corinth.  And so it was especially of some sweet natured Gentle men of the new world, which were twisted to him entirely and privately like bowels, & qui cum awlsa sint viscera sentiebant, & cum occidit ille, succidit illos: some I mean of those in Gray's Inn, whose hearts bled through their eyes when they saw him dead, desired they might have something of his to live after them, a monument of his heavenly and secret raptures, which did mortify him to the world: a good reason that he that was dead unto the world while he lived, should live to all posterities after he be dead: which had been erected before, if my pen had been as nimble as their desire, or if preaching so necessarily imposed, and so often expected, had permitted me: But blame me not for my slowness to satisfy the expectation of men, since Mary took such a pause to answer the salutation of the Angel. 
Luc. 1.29   
For admiration I beg not, we admire commonly nothing but that which is most great or most ancient. This is new and little, yet as the twelve loaves of showbread set upon the altar seven days, 
Leu. 24.6  to desire God to provide sustenance for the twelve Tribes, are now united together in one petition of the Lords prayer, panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis, so there is the substance of some greater volumes comprised in one demand.  
My suit is (Gentle Reader) that thou wilt love it at the least for his sake, which if he had lived longer would have reviewed and renewed it: but indeed as S. Augustine reports, that his great grandsire's glass was of more duration, than three or four men's ages, so we know to our grief, that many spider's webs which are only Hangers on some Pillar in the Church, 
Gal. 2.9.  have lasted longer than the life of that man, who was of such great sufficiency and so little continuance: come not therefore with preiudication, either of the matter of the person, like these smoking flaxes, which have neither the clear light of knowledge, nor the true heat of charity, impute not the errors of the letter to the Author: Take not the cuttings and shreds of the book, but revolve it unto the end, and God bless thee with it:  
Chigwell this 18. of April. Thy true friend in the Lord, Emmanuel Vtie.   

A TREATISE AGAINST THE NECESSARY Dependence upon that one head of ROME, and the present reconciliation to that CHURCH.  

TRACT. I.  MATTH. 16.18. 
Upon this Rock will I build my Church.  
WE have been wandering sometimes in strange-paths like noah's dove out of the Ark, and found no resting place, neither among the jews, nor Grecians, nor Mahometans; the first working upon Scripture, the second by Reason, the third, by neither Scripture nor Reason but by mere cruelty: We are at the last come to our Rock whereon we may safely build and repose our souls.  
They all confess there is a Rock, but have not yet found it, and though all oppose this, yet can they not show any other: the jews say, there is one to come, but cannot tell when he will come: the Gentiles by the light of reason have prepared the way in four points; for so much light they have as will condemn them for denying CHRIST.  
First, they do acknowledge one, only wise, and everliving God, though in policy he suffered them to err in pluralities.  
Secondly, that God infused into man that everliving spark, the immortality of the soul, which is known 

By the desire of perfect knowledge which here cannot be had.  
By the capacity of the soul, which nothing will satisfy but that which is infinite.  
By the extraordinary fear of judgement, in guilty consciences, which is a divine judge.  
By the desire of immortality, which being general is natural, and therefore cannot be frustrate.  
By Heroical spirits which aspire higher than a bodily desire can do, and that by the very thought of immortality.  
If a beast could think of reason, a beast were reasonable, if of immortality, immortal, and therefore by these we may gather that the soul is immortal.    
Thirdly, Pudor himinis, & timor numinis, The shame of man, and the fear of God made them confess, that he created the soul in far better estate than now it is: Their Sacrifices show it, and their ordinary Queries: why are the feet so ready to run at the command of the soul, and the affections so slow when reason commands them? whether the soul hath more reason to complain of the body or the body of the soul? but they conclude that Beasts keep their kind better than their Masters.  
Fourthly, hence some of them have inferred that it cannot be but God hath provided some means for restoring man to happiness again. Their ceremonies and expiations aim at it, 
De civit. lib. 10.32.  and therefore excellently speaks Augustine, De universali via animae liberandae quam Porphirius malè quaerendo non reperit: That great Philosopher Porphirius, and that great adversary of the Christian Faith under Dioclesian doth confess, he could not find it discovered in any sect of Philosophers, nor amongst the Indians by the Gymnosophists, nor amongst the Chaldeans. No Saint Augustine, nor ever shall, until they come to Ego sum via, vita & veritas; Via Regia, via sacra: Abraham came out of Chaldea, so must they out of their Sects, before they come to these two things set down in the Text.  

The Foundation, The Rock.  
The Building, The Church.   

Verse 17.  The Rock imports first a foundation, and the surest, upon which the rest of the grunsels, are laid: what this Rock is, points to the premises, to that Rock which Peter discovered before, and laid hold on, that rock which flesh & blood had not revealed unto him, but the father, in the 17. verse. As thou art Peter, which signfies a Rock, so upon this Rock, which thou hast discovered, 
Lib. 6. de Trinit. Lib. 61 9 in Luc. Hom. 55. in Matth. Vlt. Tract. in joh. Serm. 3. de verb. Retra. 1.21.  will I build my Church: So saith Hillary, Super hanc confessionis petram Ecclesiae aedificatio est: So Ambrose, Fundamentum Ecclesiae sides est: So Chrysostome, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, upon faith and confession: So Augustine, Super hanc petram quam confessus es, edificabo Ecclesiam meam, And in another place, De verb. Dom. And in his Retractations he confesseth, that he hath expounded it of Peter in some places, & recalls it. Christ the son of the living God is the ground, besides which none other can be laid: Or that Christ is the son of the living God, is the first ground of truth, whereupon the Church is built up in faith, and knowledge of that rock which is permanent, we say, the first ground and principle of Christianity, whereupon the rest of the gruncels and articles of Christian faith are laid, and out of which the other are derived.  
The Logicians make a question which is the first principle in reason, whether one or many? but this is the first in faith and the very rock of all. 
Lue 17.6.  In the 17. of Luke ver. 6. The kingdom of God is compared to a seed, The least of all seeds, and to one grain of that seed; for as our articles are not many: so are they contained in one which is the first, and that this is mole minimum, but virtute maximum, it is clear, for in it as a seed the rest are contained.  
If then we be settled in our hearts: There is a possibility of rest, and a facility of believing the rest that follows.  
If that man Christ was the image of his father, by whom all things were made, he might easily preserve his mother's virginity, and so be borne of a virgin.  
If we believe that this man was true God, than we may as easily believe that he was able to suffer the jews to crucify, kill, bury his body, and raise it up again by the power of his divinity; if Christ by whom all things were made of nothing, be able to govern, then is he able to rectify and restore all by the resurrection of the body to eternal life.  
This was first revealed by the Angel at his conception. He shall be called the son of the most high. 
Luc. 1.32.   
2. Installed the Head of the Church at his Baptism, This ground was first revealed, 
Mat. 3.17.  not by an Angel, but by his own father, Matth. 3.17. and when john Baptist was to bear witness, 
joh. 1.34.  joh. 1.34. I saw and bear record that this is the son of God.  
3. When he was about to go out of the world at his transfiguration, 
Mat. 17.5.  This is my beloved son, hear him: This is the ground of all, that the beloved Disciple makes so much of in his Epistle, 
1 joh. 4.15.  1. joh. 4.15 Whosoever confesses that jesus is the son of God, in him dwelleth God: and 1. joh. 5.5. Who is he that overcomes the world, 
1 joh. 5.5.  but he that believeth that jesus is the son of God: he hath gotten here this very seed and ground of all.  
4. Hear the rock is revealed to Peter from heaven, expressed by Peter's confession: Therefore they that believed Christ did first lay hold on this.  
Nathanael in the first of john, 
joh. 1.49.  Rabbi thou art the son of God. The Centurion at his death, in the 27. of Matthew; 
Mat. 27.54  Doubtless this is the son of God: Therefore this is the first spark of Christian faith that falls into the heart.  
5. Did Christ tell Peter, this Rock? Let us then see upon what rock Peter built, for he was a master-builder. Look the last Catholic Epistle, the first Chapter, 
2 Pet. 1.14.  and the fourteenth verse. Seeing I know the time of my departure is at hand, I must lay down this my Tabernacle, even as our Lord jesus Christ hath showed me. 
Verse 15. Verse 15.  I will endeavour therefore alwaeyes, that I may be able to have remembrance of these things after my departing. How endeavour? 
Verse 16.  Verse 16 For we follow not deceivable fables: with our eyes we saw his Majesty. For verse 17. 
Verse 17.  he received honour and glory of his father, when a voice came from him: 
Verse 18.  This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased: This voice we heard in the eighteenth, when it came from heaven, being with him in the holy Mount: This he confirmed by the Prophets: 
Verse 19  The sure word of the Prophets: Though as a light in a dark place, not so manifestly shining as afterwards. And that he may confirm this confirming authority of the Prophets, verse 20.21. he says, 
Verse 20.21  It was an inspiration from the holy Ghost: and therefore Peter had been overseen, that if Christ had pointed to Peter in these words, Super hanc petram, if Peter pointed not the Church to the successors of Rome: super hanc petram: especially knowing of his departure, taking his farewell, making his last Catholic Epistle, he points only to this rock that Christ is the Son of God.  
6. That other master-builder so soon as ever the scales fell from his eyes, 
Act. 9.20.  straightway he preached Christ in the Synagogue. That he was the son of God.  
7. The Eunuch received Baptism, and all exacted at his hands was the confession of this point. 
Act. 8.37.  I believe that jesus Christ is the Son of God: Did Philip teach him, that he and his Queen of Aethiopia must go after to Rome, as before to jerusalem? I think he troubled his head with no such points: so still this is the first ground whereupon the rest are built, and therefore no marvel though Satan hath so maliciously from this day opposed this point.  
From the beginning did the gates of hell oppose it, Mat. 4.3. 
Mat: 4: 3.  So soon as ever Satan enters, he gins; If thou be the Son of God: At his death, The hour and power of darkness, Math. 27. 
Mat: 27: 40.  Satan did then set his instruments against that Rock: If thou be the Son of God come down from the Cross, and we will believe thee. After the Ascension the most general and pestilent heresy that ever was of Arrianisme opposed this ground, Satan well knows so long as the Church is firmly built upon this, the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.  
Now as the grain of mustard-seed groweth, so must we proceed from faith to knowledge, unadvised they are that would have us prescribe a scantling of Faith and knowledge, as if either more were needless, or less damnable: but God in wisdom thought it meet to prescribe no such certainty, and that for two reasons.  
1 To stir up our sluggish nature, To forget that is behind, and endeavonr to that which is before: 
Philip: 3: 13  It is perfectio viatoris, the perfection of a traveler still to go on: what need we go to Church? I know the sum of all: believe in Christ jesus, etc. Such sluggards shall never grow rich in grace, that good corn shall never prosper in their hearts, because they are so overgrown with thorns and thistles.  
2 Because God would not limit his mercies: As it pleaseth him to save infants without any knowledge, so also to save some in all degrees of knowledge, joining wisdom & mercy in proportioning something to the Times & ages wherein men live, some to the place where, some to the capacities of the persons themselves: God exacts not so much knowledge of the woman of Samaria, as of Nicodemus, john the 3. Art thou a Doctor in Israel? nor so much of them that dwell in the midst of Spain as of them in the heart of England, nor of those that lived in the time of superstition, as of us that are in the Sunshine of the Gospel: It is a sure rule if we hold the foundation sure, and conform our lives and affections thereafter, the ignorance of other branches shall never condemn us, except it be wilful or affected ignorance.  
1 Wilful ignorance in such as either contemn, or neglect the means of further knowledge, or such as in doubtful cases will venture without advice, and then say, I meant no hurt.  
2 Affected ignorance when we suffer our affections to blind our understanding, 
Act: 19: 25.  like Demetrius that persuaded the craftsmen not to hear the Apostles, because they lived in a profitable trade. But simple ignorance in a well meaning Christian is either passed over in mercy, or more knowledge revealed in time, as the Prophet in the Psalms: To him that ordereth his conversation aright, 
Psal: 50. vlt  will I show the salvation of God: Cornelius, Acts 10.4. Thy prayers and almsdeeds, The two wings of devotion fly up to heaven together: for as it is in supplication, Forgive us as we forgive, so in alms, Give us as we give them: rather than Cornelius shall want knowledge for salvation, God will send Peter from joppa.  
If any man doubt, let him begin with the fear of the Lord, and practise those grounds he knows well, and then by degrees learn to go on and build upon them, as in Hebr. 6.13. 
Hebr: 6.1.3.  being the doctrine of the beginning of jesus Christ: Let us go on and pray to God that we may lay the foundation safely and surely, that in Faith and charity we may be knit altogether in the body of Christ.   

TRACT. II.  
WE have in the former exercise found the Rock whereon we may safely build: upon this Rock must the main grunsels be laid, such principles of Christianity, and Articles of Faith, as be expressed in Scripture in the plainest places, after compiled by the Church into a little body, or short form, such as Irenaeus first sets down, as received of all churches about 178. which he testifies to be so uniformly professed in all Churches, as if all Christians had but one soul, and one mouth: In Germany, France, East and West Europe and Asia, and in all places of the world. As there is but one Sun to every nature, so there is but one Faith to every Christian: he that is most powerful in speech can say no more, and they that are most simple mean no less.  
Tertullian expresseth another thing to the same effect, Anno 210. after that the Fathers of the Nycen Counsel Anno 324. after that Athanasius made his Creed, more fully designing the persons in Trinity against Arrius; Anno 333.  
These ancient known verities being agreed upon of all Churches long before these distractions: Let unstable minds, that find their souls wavering in Religion give attention, 
1 Cor. 9.22.  for such I make inquiry, as Paul 1. Corin. 9.22. Became all things to all men: So we will doubt with the doubtful, stand upon indifferent ground, look on both sides with a single eye, that we may the better discern the true way of a Christian resolution.  
Be we sure then to hold the foundation, and to build upon these truths which all Churches in all ages have agreed upon. Hear take we footing as upon firm ground and look a little about us, before we resolve where to light.  
These parts of the Church within our view do each of them beckon us to their side: The Church of Rome bids us return to our old mother, as only true Catholic: The Brownist cries come to our congregation, we are even jump as it was in the Apostles time: nay to ours (says the Anabaptist:) Lo here is Christ, lo there: It is the plea of every Church.  
But of all, the Church of Rome cries loudest, and if her challenge be true, it stands us in hand to listen to it, for it concerns us as much as everlasting life is worth: Extra Ecclesiam Romanam non est salus: Without the Church of Rome is no salvation.  
Yet she must pardon us though we make a pause, and do not presently make it an article of our Faith, because we find it not in any of our ancient Creeds, nor in any plain text of Scripture in any translation, theirs or ours: what chemical wits may extract thence, we will not now dispute: A Catholic Church we find, but a Romish Catholic Church we find not; That all Christians have such necessary dependence upon any place, or person, Rome, or Bishop of Rome, and under such a penalty of eternal damnation.  
It seems then, this is the Rock, without which all other articles will not save us: and yet the ancient Church hath forgotten to put it in any of her Creeds: It is not in the Apostles Creed, Irenaeus hath left it out of his, Tertullian out of his, the Nycene theirs, Athanasius out of his, And Peter out of his Catholic Epistle, 
2 Pet. 1.13.  when at the time of his departure out of this life, he took his last farewell of the Church.  
First one Church we acknowledge built upon Christ the son of God, 
Eph. 4.4.  fully described in the 4 of the Ephesians by one Body, one Spirit, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one Father.  
1 One body, because a Church is nothing else but a society of believers called out of the rest of the world by the word of God, and though it run as the Sea through many Countries, and thence receives many names like the seven Churches of Asia, yet it is but one body.  
2 It follows One spirit that doth animate and inform the members of the same, as the soul, or spirit of a man knits up the members into one body.  
3 This professeth One Lord Christ which makes it a Christian Church.  
4 Yet the very naming of Christ jesus our Lord is not sufficient to prove a Christian Church, unless we embrace that Faith which Christ doth publish, one Faith, not in every branch of divinity, that never was nor will be, but the grundsels laid upon the true foundation.  
5 Yet we are but Catechumenists, as it were in the Church porch, till we be admitted by the door of Baptism.  
6 In which Baptism we are made the Adopted Children of One Father, upon which the Apostle concludes: one God and Father of all must needs make a Church.  
Secondly, this Church we believe to be Catholic, that is, universal, not because it is spread over the face of the universal world, but because it is not limited to any place, or nation, as the lewish Church was, much less to the succession of any person, but it is scattered and dispersed without bounds. So as still it hath a power and disposition to be more and more universally spread; That's the sense of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to Zacharies' prophesy: That jerusalem should be inhabited without walls. 
Zach. 2.4.   
But for the Roman Church so famous in the Apostles time, that Saint Paul in the first to the Romans, doth glory so much in it;  
Admit the memory of the Apostle Peter caused the Church to honour his successors, and to give the Patriarch of that Sea priority before all other.  
Admit that Church having been purged by fiery persecutions, and crowned with Martyrdom under the Heathen Emperors, was therefore more reverenced of succeeding Churches in other ages:  
Admit the seat of the Empire, the renown of the City, the excellent choice they made of wise and learned Bishops, got them such credit amongst remote Churches that amidst their distractions which were amongst the Greeks', many there were that would have recourse to Rome, as to arbitrators for advice and judgement:  
What is all this to the salvation of my soul in these days? What warrant have I to rend myself from this Church, wherein by God's providence I am borne, and whereof I am borne again a member? Or what reason have they to exact this new article at my hands, whereof I find no mention amongst the old?  
I dispute not the point in this place, only let me put the case of a lay man's resolution.  
I am by God's providence borne and Christened, brought up and Catechised in the Church of England: The quaere is no more but this: Whether I be bound in Conscience to become a Romish Catholic, and to be reconciled to the present Church of Rome, as now it standeth in pain of eternal condemnation?  
This is the very point that draweth so many from us, to whom I propound five Queries or demands, which in the judgement of indifferent men may seem reasonable.  
1 First, I demand some clear evidence or firm ground to build upon, that this is my duty, and upon so great a penalty: to thrust myself into such an action without sufficient warrant, I should not only condemn myself of rashness; but incur offence against God in the 14. to the Romans; 
Rom. 14.23.  What every Man doth doubtingly is sin to him that doth it, Quod dubitas ne feceris; A greater matter is a greater sin, a greater than this cannot be under the Sun; I desire therefore some clear warrant for my resolution.  
The first testimony that is offered is the Testimony of the Church, that is of the Church of Rome, for she tells us that she alone is the true Catholic Church, out of which there is no salvation: whereupon it follows that such as will be saved must be reconciled to her: This we verily believe that the Church of Rome saith so, and hath so said a long time.  
2 The next Quaere is then; whether the Testimony of the Church of Rome in this case concerning herself be sufficient? Go up as high as they will, so long as she hath made this challenge, I demand whether her testimony be sufficient? I answer, out of doubt it is not: In the fifth of john, vers. 31. If Christ should bear witness of himself, 
job. 5.31.  his witness were not true: that is, not sufficient: Though after chap. 8.14. he professes, that though he should bear witness of himself, yet his witness were true, because ver. 16. I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me: Take him single as in the first place by the way of concession, that he will deal with the jews upon indifferent terms. I hope then the testimony of Christ concerning himself, was as sufficient in itself, and to the jews, as the testimony of the Church of Rome can be either in itself, or unto us. Let it not therefore seem unreasonable, if beside the testimony of the Church we desire further evidence; for here she standeth for herself against all Churches in Christendom.  
3 Other testimony beside the Church and Scripture they pretend none, for Traditions are referred to the Church, and the Creeds to the Scripture: To the Scripture then of necessity she must come in this point.  
4 Our next demand is, whether it is expressly there, or drawn out by Tract of consequent: mentioned it is not, neither in the original, nor in the vulgar, nor in the Rhemish, nor in any of their own translations.  
5 If by consequent it be extracted, my next Quaere is; whether I am bound under pain of damnation to believe every point that may be drawn out of Scripture by consequence of arguments, we stumble not at immediate consequents, as such as these: The Trinity is not named in so many letters; but the Scripture implieth every person to be God in several places, and elsewhere averreth that there is but one God: this is easily put together: But are we to believe that which by long tract of consequent may be gathered? Then none but great wits can be saved, our weak understanding is not able to fetch every conclusion from the right ground.  
Hence let us make three degrees of divine positions:  
1 Some are Articles, as Christ the Son of God was crucified.  
2 Some as Conclusions, as that children are capable of Baptism, but not of the Lords Supper.  
3 Some are taken as Opinions, and problems of Divinity: As that Angels do more solemnly attend in person at holy exercises: That Saints shall have some personal knowledge one of another, 
Matt. 17.  as Moses and Elias had in the mount. Now as fixed stars seem to twinkle, because they are further remote, and cannot so steadyly be discerned by our weak eyes: so our understandings are more unstable, and our belief more uncertain in points deduced by many sequels, and far fetched consequents. These bring narrow issue, let us see what degree of evidence they bring, and accordingly frame our Faith.  That I cannot be saved except I be subject to the Bishop of Rome as head of the Church. 
He must pretend then a title from Christ as he is Vicar: for spiritual matters it is evident that Christ while he lived on earth, was the visible head: for temporals himself concludes, Who made me a judge? My kingdom is not of this world, therefore so far as he meddleth with kingdoms, he cannot claim that from Christ: It is confessed, that while Christ was on earth, he was the visible head of the whole Church, so as no soul could be without necessary dependence on him; but whether at his departure he committed the supremacy to any man on earth: If he did, whether in whole or part: to whom, whether to the Apostles in general equally, or to one above the rest, and who that was?  
1 Their point is, that Christ left it to Peter alone, & to no other Apostle in that degree: This is clear out of Scripture, That the rest of the Apostles, as Apostles, are equal, but as Bishop he above them: note that, a Bishop above an Apostle, Linus above the Evangelist john, who lived in his time.  
2 Admit the Supremacy in Peter, whether it died with him as the Apostleship did, or left it to his successors:  
The difference is, they put the rest out of special favour, They might have as great power, but it was for term of life: Peter had it for him, and his successors for ever: But this must be cleared, that Peter had power to leave it to his successors, and none but he. If this be not proved, why not john's successors, in the Churches of Asia, or of james in jerusalem, or any of the Apostles in other places, as well as he to his.  
The reason is, Though Peter by virtue of his fiery tongue, was able to govern the whole Church in his days being but small, yet he knew the charge in time would grow so great, and the circuit so large, that Peter's spirit had need be doubled upon those that should succeed him. If he had one cloven tongue, his successors need to have twelve: so we might say of the least of his successors, A greater than Peter is here.  
Peter was not alone, during his life, there were the eleven Apostles, 
Bel. l. 1. c. 21  and Paul as great an Apostle as himself as Bellarmine confesses, and greater, because he writ more than Peter, he planted more Churches than Peter: he laboured more abundantly than they all, for he preached from jerusalem, 
Rom. 15.19.  round about to Illiricum, as Hierome avouches, from the red Sea to the great Ocean, so far as there is any land. 
Amos. c. 5.  And that all the charge of Peter and Paul and all that the rest had, should lie upon the shoulders of one Pope, and yet never a cloven tongue to his head: Sure say That a greater than Peter is here.  
Bellarmine proved well from the election of Mathias in the first of the Acts, 
De Pont. 4.23.  that the Apostles were not chosen by Peter, and Paul was, Galathians the first, Paul an Apostle, not of men, nor by men, but by jesus Christ: Those that came in after the death of Christ, Mathias and Paul were not: but all the Apostles successors must now derive their power from the Pope, Therefore a greater than Peter is here.  
3 Admit while the body of the Church carried any proportion to a visible head, as in the Apostles time it might, and some time after, for avoiding of factions, a Monarchical government might stand, but when it is so dispersed, that amongst the Antipodes, for aught we know may be Christians, that such a burden of government should rest upon the shoulders of any one mortal wight, it is strange.  
It must be cleared out of the book of God, for the Testimony of their Church in her own case is silent: That Peter did not impart his supremacy to divers, in divers Churches which he planted, but wholly committed it to one, in one place.  
4 If to one, we must know where that one is, Certitudine fidei, else we are never a whit the nearer. Whether Peter left it amongst the Jews till they fell, being himself the Preacher of the Circumcision. If not, because he saw they would revolt, why not at Antioch, a Church of his own planting? Paul had as much to do at Rome as he: Antioch had the Primacy, 
Act. 11.27.  for they were first called Christians at Antioch, and it was a famous patriarchal Church: Why not Mark the Evangelist, Peter's Disciple, who writ the Gospel from his mouth in that famous Church of Alexandria?  
It is clear then that Rome and no other Church doth enjoy that Bishop who succeeds Peter in that great office. But now wherein a lay man may receive satisfaction, the Scripture is silent: It is not found in our Creed; The testimony of the Church is laid by in this point.  
Bellarmine says, 
Bel. 2. de Rep. c. 12.  that the Bishop of Rome alone doth succeed Peter in the Supremacy, is not found in Scripture, but to be believed upon tradition. I thought we should return thither again, it is hard that they will not spare their own testimony in their own case: Seeing Christ did spare it in his case, I hope we may be saved without it.  
5 Admit this could be cleared, yet that Church doth not agree who was Bishop, Linus, or Clemens, or Cletus, after three Popes at once, Benet the ninth, Silvester the third, and john. Then two in a schism betwixt urban and Clement: The first in Italy, the second in France: after that three again, hard to judge who was the true one: Such uncertainties must there needs be when Religion depends upon any man's person in this troublesome world.  
6 Admit it can be demonstrated to my conscience, that this Pope is lawfully chosen, and undoubtedly succeeds Bishop Linus, and Peter by a lineal succession of true Popes for 500 years, without any material interruption: yet never the nearer except they do succeed as well in Faith and doctrine, as in place and person; else they could not exclude us from the Church, for we show personal succession, as well as they. Cranmer consecrated Barlo, Scony and Coverdale. These consecrated Parker, Parker other Bishops: these made Priests; every Act of Priesthood ratified by their own Canons is Valide factum, though not Licite. Quis enim Catholicorum ignor at ordinatos ab Episcopo haeretico verê esse ordinatos: That those that are ordained Priests of an heretical Bishop are truly ordained, no Catholic is ignorant: So they exclude us as heretics, as not embracing their doctrine: so by their own rule they grant that the Church and the Bishop of Rome must succeed Peter as well in Faith and Doctrine, as in time and place, else we are not bound in conscience to cleave to them: you see by how many sequels and degrees of consequent, they must proceed before it be cleared to my conscience that I am bound to be reconciled to the church of Rome, as now it stands under pain of eternal condemnation.  
If therefore they fail in any of these demonstrations we must fail them: These six Articles we must pass before the main point be concluded.  
Let us repeat them that we forget them not.  

1 We must believe certitudine fidei, with the certainty of Faith:  
2 That Christ left his supremacy to Peter, and to his successors only.  
3 That Peter bequeathed it to one in one Church, and not to divers.  
4 That this one was the Bishop of Rome, and no other.  
5 That this Pope that now is, did succeed him in this Church.  
6 That he and his Church do continue succession of Faith and doctrine, as well as in person and place.   
Until these be all made clear as an article of our Faith, I hope they will give us leave to serve and worship our God, according to that Christian liberty which God hath given in a Church professing his Gospel.   

TRACT. III.  
Return we then to our first conclusion that for such gruncels as are immediately to be laid upon the rock: that is matters of salvation, and principles of Faith, we must receive them undoubtedly, & distinguish them from all other positions that are thrust upon us, as necessary to be believed by the same degree of Faith: And to receive them upon examination according to the authority of the propounder, and according to that degree of evidence by which they are proved.  
Hold on the foundation, and let us conform our affections and lives, and build further to perfection of grace, as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and then as it is, Psalm. 50. and the last. To him that ordereth his conversation aright, I will show the salvation of God.   

TRACT. FOUR  
Give me leave a little, because I do not much trouble you with questions, to examine this point for their sakes that be unstable, or desire the same, the rather because this is the very ground of their resolution, and if this fail, all fails.  
That the supremacy was in Christ while he lived upon earth, it is agreed: but whether at his departure he conferred the same upon Peter, and in that degree which they challenge, is the first main point?  
And for this they pitch upon four main texts.  

1 Super hanc Petram, Mat. 16.18. 
Matt. 10. verse 19   
2 Tibi Dabo claves: That key of David which Christ had, which openeth when no man shutteth, and soutteth when no man openeth.  
3 Pasce oves, Ioh 21.15. Before it was promised, there exhibited: To be chief Pastor: To feed the Lambs, that is, the Laity: To feed the sheep, that is, Rule and Govern the Clergy, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: yea the Apostles themselves, if they be sheep of Christ, Peter must be their shepherd.  
4 I have prayed for thee: Tu autem conversus confirma fratres, Luke. 22.32. That is, confirm the rest of the Apostles, they were his brethren.   
These 4 are like four pillars, whereupon Peter's supremacy is built: presently, if Peter had it, the Pope hath it: but admit this: yet we find many doubts which must be cleared, and many blocks which must be removed before my conscience find a clear evidence to come over to them under such a penalty as eternal condemnation.  
For my Text, the point of difference is, what Christ meant by the Rock?  

1 Whether the Person of Peter as they affirm:  
2 Or the Faith of Christ which Peter professed.   
Thou art the Son of God, or Christ apprehended by that Faith.  
Do them no wrong: 'tis agreed that Christ is the Primitive foundation, but the secondary foundation is Peter's person, not as a private person, but as the head of the Church:  
That it should be Peter, not Christ, or the Faith of Christ there are four colours.  
1 Hanc by Grammar must be referred to that which is Tues Petrus, etc.  
2 Because Petrus and Petra are all one in the tongue wherein Christ spoke; Cepbas, therefore he meant the same thing.  
3 Not aedifico, nor aedificanis, but aedificabo: As if Christ had built his Apostle upon himself already: But Peter is called Sathanas after and denied Christ: o but after the resurrection it is built upon Peter, and therefore Aedificabo.  
4 He would never have said, Tu es Petrus, and then Inferred, super hanc, why does he say with an asseveration, Ego dico tibi?  
These are pretty colours to look upon at the first, but these are not wadded, they will not hold, but shed if they be well handled.  
What if we say with St. Augustine: 
Aug. de ver. Dom. Secum: Mat. ser 13  Super hanc petram quam confessus es, super hanc petram quam cognovisti, dicens: Tu es filius deivivi, aedificato ecclesiam meam, id est meipsum filium dei vivi aedificabo ecclesiam meam. Upon this Rock which thou hast acknowledged, upon this Rock which thou hast known saying, Thou art the son of the living God, I will build my Church: that is myself, the son of the living God will I build my Church: Is not this good grammar.  
What if we say with S. Ambrose, 
Ambr. in 2. cap. ep. Ephes. v. 20  Super istam aedificabo Ecclesiam meam! hoc est, in hac catholicae fidei confession, fides ergo ecclesiae fundamentum est. Upon this Rock will I build my Church, that is, in the confession of this Catholic Faith, therefore Faith is the foundation of the Church; hath not Hanc a good reference to the premises?  
What if I say with Hilary? una haec est foelix fidei petra, 
Hill: de Trin: 2.6.  Petri ore confessa, tu es filius Dei vini, super hanc igitur confessionis petram, Ecclesiae aedificatio est. Haec fides Ecclesiae fundamentum est. This alone is the most happy rock of faith, confessed by the mouth of Peter, thou art the son of the living God, upon this rock of confession is the building of the Church; this faith is the foundation of the Church: to the same purpose you find, Cyrill de Trinit. 4. 
Cyrill. Chrisost. Beda.  Chrysost. 55. hom. sup. Matth. Beda upon john the 21. These fathers will defend Grammar well enough for hanc: but let us add one of their own, 
Lyra. gloss. Interlin. Cusanus gloss. in Grat. Aliaco.  Lyra who they say for interpreting Scripture had not his match, and the interlineall gloss. Cusanus and the gloss upon Gratian, Petrus de Aliaco Chancellor of Paris, though a Cardinal, though he name Peter, yet goes with us.  
2. It is all one word Cephas: but Bellarmine, and Augustine, and the rest are deceived, because they did not understand the Syriake tongue: but the Evangelist distinguishes betwixt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. To make a difference betwixt Peter's faith and his person, to distinguish the Rock that he confessed from himself? Bellarmine's says, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, a stone, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Attickes is a stone; but why doth the Enangelist alter the dialect in the same sentence? nay, the vulgar translation which they prefer before the Greek, is not super hunc; but super hanc.  
For edificabo: The Church was not then built, but a few grunsels laid, and verily loosely too, but he was to build a great Church to the end of the world: neither was Peter perfectly laid himself; for in general we may say with Augustine, 
Aug. de ve. Apost. Ser. 22.  Domus Dei credendo fundatur, sperando erigitur, diligendo perficitur. The house of God by believing is founded, by hoping is erected, and by loving is perfected: he was not yet finished, or else to what end was this speech, we hoped that this man should have redeemed Israel.  
4. Tu es Petrus, why Peter's name comes in? this it is, thou art Peter and hast made a confession like thy name: a good allusion to Peter's, Christ the Rock, Peter a living stone: & so for hanc, and for theidentity of the word, & the Tense Aedificabo, and tu es Petrus, that leads the sentence: Our interpretation and of the ancient Church may well stand.  
Upon this rock which thou hast presently confessed will I build my Church, though it be but begun, yet I will build my Church upon myself, apprehended by faith: and as thou, answerable to thy name, hast laid a firm foundation in confessing, so shalt thou be a living stone built upon me. 
1 Pet. 2.4.   
1. That our interpretation is the truest, it appears not only by the analogy of the Text, by the fit allusion to Peter's name, by the exact distinction of Petrus and Petra: both in the original and vulgar.  
2. But secondly by the practice of Peter, and the rest in building according to the prescription of Christ. In the second of Peter and the first: A voice from heaven, saying, 
2 Pet. 1.14.17. Acts 9.20.  this is my beloved son, Paul in the ninth of the Acts, when the scales fell from his eyes preached straightway, That Christ is the son of God: 
Acts 8.37.  Philip baptizing the Eunuch in the eighth of the Acts, the Eunuch confesses that jesus Christ is the son of God: Nathanael first apprehended this in the first of john the fourth, Rabbi thou art the Son of God. 
joh. 1.49.   
3. It is unlikely that Christ would build upon that person who within 4. verses is described by the name of Satan, and that Peter should not be puffed up, Matthew joins both the stories together; to show that to the first Church, how unlikely it was that this person should be a foundation, and to distinguish the frailty of the person from the foundation of faith.  
4. It is agreed then that Christ is the main foundation, The Rock ever expresseth the main foundation: Therefore Christ, not Peter.   

TRACT. V  
But they call us to the Testimony of the Church for interpretation. Yet they might spare us in this. For if the Church did challenge this supremacy from the beginning, as they maintain it: That Church in this case is no indifferent witness: but the ancient Church is clear from giving Peter any such power.  
The Fathers have three conceits of the Text.  
1. Some, and those of the best give that sense which we in the pages before have laid open: For other foundation can no man lay, save that which is laid, 
1 Cor. 3.11.  which is jesus Christ.  
2. Some do mean Peter by the Rock, but as the rest of the Apostles, according to that in the Revelation: 
Reu. 21.14. Ephes. 2.20.  The twelve foundations and the names of the twelve, Ephes. the 2. The foundation of Prophets and Apostles: And he one amongst the twelve.  
Origen upon Matthew, 
In Mat. 16  Is it but only of Peter? shall the gates of hell only be against Peter? If Tibi dabo claves, to thee I will give the keys belong to all, why not this? Hierom ad Marcellum: 
Hierom ad Marc. Ad jovin.  Petrus super quem Dominus fundavit Ecclesiam, but how doth he repeat it? Ad jovin: Idem etiam dicitur de omnibus Apostolis, & firmitas Ecclesiae stabilitur aequaliter super omnes: Let them purge out Aequaliter and Super omnes, or else let jerom alone.  
But what says Cyprian? 
Cyp de Simplic. praelatorum.  Qui Cathedram Petri tenet, super quam aedificata est Ecclesia in Ecclesia se esse confidit: The chair of Peter then, and only Peter? This strikes at the very root, if this was the conceit of the Church in Cyprians time, it's more than time we were reconciled: but where is it? what edition? where was this printed? not in Cullen, not Basil, not Paris, not at Antwerp by Crinitus; not at Lions, nor at Rome by Manutius: It is confessed that it was never found in Cyprian, till Pamelius a Canon of Bruges found it in a Manuscript in the Abbey of Cambron. So have they printed the same at Antwerp by one Stellius, de simplicitate Praelatorum, and is not this simple dealing?  
2 The third sort lay Peter for the foundation amongst the rest, yet before the rest, as the first in order. If there be twelve foundations, one must be first: but Priority in order, and Superiority in power do differ much. It is one thing in Parliament to be as Speaker, another as Prince; Peter was the first that commonly spoke; and Christ directs his speech to Peter before the rest, saith Ockham.  

1 Either because he was the most ancient in years.  
2 Or because he was one of the most familiar with Christ, noted in the Scripture with james & john.   
These three Peter, james and john were admitted to ask questions, Matth. 18.21. At the raising of jairus daughter, Luk. 8.51. At the transfiguration, Mat. 17.1. At his passion, Mat. 26.36. and of these Peter was the foreman.  
But Peter first made the confession, therefore must be first laid upon the foundation, Revel. 21.19. 
Reu. 21.19.   
Cyprian in his foresaid Tractate says: Erant utique & caeteri Apostoli quod suit Petrus Pari consortio praediti & honoris, & Potestatis, sed exordium ab unitate profisciscitur. The same honour, and the same power in the rest: 
Act. 1.15.  Peter he propounded the matter in the election of Mathias, and after much disputation in the Council at jerusalem, 
Acts 15.7.  Peter made the first speech, but james gave the final sentence, to which all agreed: 
Vers. 22. Hieron. count jou: lib: 1. Leo ep. 84.  To the same purpose Hierom against jovinian in his Epistles doth significantly speak, for my part I cannot find a Father alleged by them, who falls not upon one of these three points.  

1 Either that Christ is the rock here meant and discovered by Peter's confession.  
2 Or that Peter is here laid with the rest equally.  
3 Or that Peter is before the rest in Priority of order, all this comes not near the home.    

TRACT. VI  
THe second Text is, Tibi Dabo claves, where Observe that the main grunsels of that Church are upon such places which are full of Metaphors: As Purgatory is kindled out of that of the 1 Corin. 3. Wood, Hay, and Stubble, 
1 Cor. 3.12.  and confirmed by the Metaphor of the Minister, jailer, and Prison, out of which they cannot come until they pay the uttermost farthing.  
So the supremacy is founded upon the Metaphor of the Rock and keys: we may climb up by a Metaphor well tentered higher than the boughs will well endure:  
1 Tibi Dabo Claves, Aedificabo, & Dabo: A promise here is made of that after was performed.  
2 By Keys is expressed the chief authority in the Church: It is fetched from Esay 22.22. 
Esay 22.22  spoken to Eliakim to be steward in the steed of Shebne: The key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder, so he shall open, and no man shall shut, and he shall shut, and no man shall open: This key Christ had as the Master, 
Revel. 3.7.  in the third of the Revelation, and this say they, committed he to Peter. As the Master Christ had it, so he commits it to the Apostles as stewards, 1 Corin. 4.1. 
1 Corin. 4.  Let every one so think of us, as the Ministers of Christ, and Stewards: so the same word is used in Luke, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a faithful Steward But Tibi now is Vobis? True, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  it was first promised to Peter upon his confession, but if the same be performed after to all, that is here promised to Peter, 
Luk. 12.42.  is not the point then at an end?  
1 What is more in Key then a Metaphor of binding and losing, two metaphors, one to explain another: yes Caiet an and Stapleton say there's more in keys then binding and losing: we leave them to Bellarmine, he confutes Caietan in that, by the general consent of Fathers.  
What can the keys do but open and shut? We shut men out of heaven by sin, by the Grace of the Gospel they are admitted.  
So by sin we are bound, and bound over to eternal condemnation in the chains of darkness: By the Gospel we are loosed from sin to the glorious liberty of the Sons of God.  

1 In the keys than the power is promised.  
2 The function is declared: so saith the Catechism upon the Council of Trent challenge them, therefore upon their Oath:   
Sacram Scripturam nunquam nisi juxta unanimem consensum Patrum accipiam aut interpretabor: This Scripture being taken according to common consent, and interpretation of the Fathers, as the Bull of Oath made by Pope Pius the fourth, and annexed to the Council of Trent doth witness, all shall be well at length.  
2 What is here promised to Peter, that is not given to all, john, the 20. and the 23. verse, Sicut me pater: As my Father hath sent me, so send I you: A larger commission cannot be given in plain words, much less in a metaphor, Then sicut me Pater misit. The Father sent me to open heaven to the penitent, so send I you: The Father sent me to preach liberty to the captives, and to them that are bound, 
Esa. 61.1.  the opening of the prison, so send I you, Whose sins ye remit they are remitted, and whose sins ye retain they are retained.  

If this power were given by breathing, Christ breathed no more upon Peter then on the rest, for aught we know.  
If the Apostles were made Bishops by laying cloven tongues on their heads, we find no more upon Peter then the rest.  
If the Apostles be the twelve foundations, we find not Peter greater than the rest.  
If twelve precious stones in the Revelation, the first is esteemed no more precious, unless in our estimation.   
Bellarmine urged by Caluin: 
Cal. lib. 4. Instit. c. 6. Sect. 1. Bell. de Rom. pont. l. 1. c. 9.2. Cor. 11.28  How Scripture still giveth the chief power to the Apostles equally without preferring Peter before the rest, yieldeth the Bucklers: Summa potestas ecclesiastica non solum data est Petrosed etiam alijs Apostolis: Omnes poterant dicere Instantia mea quotidiana & solicitudo omnium Ecclesiarum: fuit enim in illis Ecclesiae primordijs necessarium ad fidem toto orb terrarum celeritèr disseminandam, ut primis praedicatoribus & Ecclesiae fundatoribus summa potestas concederetur: Mortuis autem Apostolis, Apostolica authoritas insola petrisuccessione permansit: Is it come to this? that their labour was alike: that they were all equally the chief Preachers: that they were all in the same degree founder's of the Church, and the disseminators of the Catholic Faith? The stream of the texts, and the current of Antiquity interpreting the same, hath driven him to that Ingenuity.  
What do we contending about Peter's supremacy amongst these texts? We had thought he would have fetched it from Peter, Peter never had it, search it then from Linus or Clement, he that succeeded Peter; we do not know who it was.  
1 Observe they urge it as Ius Divinum, and persuade weaklings that of Conscience under pain of condemnation we acknowledge ourselves members of that Universal Bishop, and that out of Scripture: Scripture doth not once mention him, much less give any pre-eminence to him above the rest.  
2 Bellarmine belabors all the texts, Super banc petram. Tibi dabo claves, etc. as if still Peter had something more than the rest: he hath spun such a thread in this point, that no spider's thread is more subtle: Peter had the grant, but never to enjoy it one hour; It was to begin in his successors, but after his death. So they must have it from Peter, else not jure divino, else not as the Vicar of Christ, or from him: yet Peter never had it himself.  
Somewhat there was which was given to Peter in these Texts, but to begin after his death, and after the death of all the rest: It is worth examining, for we never came to the main point till now: Go on with these texts which they press, but you shall find this to be the issue of all.   

TRACT. VII.  JOHN. 21.16. 
Feed my sheep.  
LEt us handle this text occasionally, having the last Term propounded the main point: The Quere whereupon the resolution of minds unresolved in Religion do depend: to wit, whether a man stand bound in conscience to forsake this present Church, in which we are baptised and Catechised to be reconciled to the Church of Rome under pain of eternal condemnation: so they propound it to their disciples.  
Concerning which, I have made these demands.  
1 We demand some clear evidence for our Conscience, else it were not only rashness, but a great sin in so great a matter: that the Church of Rome is the only Church wherein is salvation.  
2 Whereas to this testimony of the Church, that is, of Rome, for other they will acknowledge none, that she alone is the only true Catholic Church, we take exception in this point to her testimony in her own cause: for if Christ were content to lay by his testimony, let it seem a reasonable demand.  
If she ask how long we take exception to her testimony? we answer, just so long as she hath made the same challenge as she doth, and no longer.  
3 Since other testimony there is none besides the Church, and Scripture, which they do pretend. I demand whether this point, that she is the only Church wherein salvation may be found, be there expressed, or by tract of consequent?  
Not expressly.  
4 Because a man is not bound to believe every thing, that by consequent is drawn out of Scripture: I demand some clear consequent, for according to the degrees of evidence must we frame our Faith.  
Now this consequent is so far fetched, that before they can persuade a man's conscience that he is bound to join with them, and become subject to the Bishop of that Sea, he must of necessity demonstrate these 5. points.  
1 That Christ being the visible head of his whole Church, so as without his Church there was no salvation, they must prove that he left this to his Apostle Peter above the rest.  
2 That this power given to Peter did not die with him, as the Apostleship did with the rest, but continued in his successors.  
3 That Peter at his death did not impart it unto many after him, though it was a great charge, and like to grow far greater, but heaped it all upon one, and that that one was the Bishop of Rome.  
4 That this Bishop who doth now reign is not only lawfully chosen, but doth undoubtedly succeed Peter in a direct succession for these fifteen hundred years, and above without any material interruption.  
5 This proved, we are never the nearer by their own rule, except it appear, that this Pope and present Church of Rome doth succeed Peter, and his Church, as well in Faith and Doctrine, as place and person, for they do not exclude us for want of succession, our Records are true and clear; but as heretics for not obeying their Faith: Therefore if they do not obey the Faith of Peter, all the former points are to no purpose.  
Let me therefore make a motive unto him who is unseted in his resolution, that he would rest his soul where it is, & content himself with the plain text of Christ and his Apostles agreed upon, till these five points be made clear to his Conscience, and before that I hope his soul shall be in Abraham's bosom.  
Now that Christ left this power to Peter alone above the rest, which is the main foundation, which if it fail, the whole building must needs fall: It is laid upon four pillars, in four texts which are repeated before.  
For the first I have proved that Rock not to be Peter's person as the head of the Church, but that which Peter discovered by confession, The Son of the living God: and that Christ named Peter alluding to the signification of his name, for that he made a firm confession answerable to his name, and should therefore be as a living stone upon that Rock: Blessed art thou Simon Bar-iona, for flesh and blood hath not revealed this to thee: This we have proved by the Analogy of place, by exact difference observed between Petrus and Petra, our original, and their vulgar; by the practice of Peter and the rest in building upon this Rook, and by interpretation of Augustine, Ambrose, Hillary, Cyrill, Chrysostome, Bede, or else by Lyra, the interlineall gloss, Cusanus, Petrus de Aliaco, etc.  
For Tibidabo claves: that there is no more power meant in the Metaphor of the keys promised to Peter then is after expressed in binding and losing, Bellarmine himself hath undertaken it against Caittan and Stapleton: whatsoever Christ did promise to Peter in Matthew, is given to the rest in john, In sicut misit me Pater sic mitto vos: As large a Commission, and in as plain terms, as may be: As my Father sent me, Esay 61. To preach liberty to the Captives and them that are bound, the opening of the prison, so send I you, therefore whose sins ye remit, they are remitted, and whose sins ye retain, they are retained.  

If there were power given by breathing, where Christ breathed on all alike:  
If in the sending of cloven tongues no more sat on Peter's head then on the rest:  
If as one of the twelve foundations Peter is no bigger than the rest:  
If amongst the twelve precious stones he be no more precious than the rest, unless in our estimation, sapphire as good as lasper, than we may safely as yet determine against them that lay such snares on men souls concerning their salvation.   
For Orabo pro te and confirma fratres, 
Luk. 22.32.  upon examination we have found no pre-eminence given to Peter at all, saving only in the occasion which moved Christ to speak particularly to Peter, a prophecy of his denying of Christ in the 34 verse: for Christ prayed for the rest as well as for Peter, in john the 17. Father sanctify them in thy truth: 
joh. 17.11.  Now if Christ prayed more for Peter, it was not for his dignity, but because he was in greater danger, Christ tells him what need there is that he should pray for him.  
Confirma fratres: He means all Christians to whom he preaches and writes, as in the 2. of Peter 1. & 10. If we will therefore have Christ to mean his fellow Apostles: doth not Paul confirm Peter more than ever Peter did Paul.  
4 Text. But Pasce Oues meas, 
Galat. 2.11.  is the place they lay the most weight on: and it demonstrates three things faith Bellarmine.  
1 That it is directed to Peter alone, by name Simon joanna, and Diligis me plus his? His excluding the rest, and repeated three times.  
2 Pasce, not only to feed, but also to govern, expressed in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. It hath a third signification: To eat: It is well that Bellarmine leaves out that, for Baronius against Segnorius of Venice, an holy Father, uses it for Kill and eat. 
Acts 10.13   
3 Oues meas: there's the Lambs, that's the Laity, The little sheep, the Clergy; and the strong sheep the Apostles: Heretics deny this division, saith Bellarmine, Nobis autem exploratum certumque est omnes omnino Christianos, etiam Apostolos ipsos Petro tanquam oviculas commendari cum ei dicitur, Pasce Oues meas, with all Christians, and the Apostles themselves commended to his cure: Then Peter, and Peter alone must be the sole ordinary Pastor of the Church of Christ.  
1 True it is that this is spoken to Peter, and only to him, and that three times: The reason is, because he was singular in denying Christ, and denying three times: and if the place be rightly weighed, it is rather a stay of his weakness, than a note of his greatness: Ominous it is that the Pope relieth most upon those places which are grounded upon Peter's denial.  
2 For Pasce, here's no commission granted, but a commandment imposed to look to his office as a good Pastor, for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is given as well to the Elders of the church, as Peter: 
Acts 20 28  If that be of weight, make us all Popes.  
3 For the argument, Oues meas, That the Apostles are Christ's sheep, therefore Peter must be their Pastor, is as much as if in the Gospel of Mark, 
Mar. 16.15  They must preach the Gospel to every Creature, Ergo, preach the Gospel to Peter, The argument is all one, let it go.  
Ferus upon the Acts, 
Fer. in Act. 11.  where Peter is to put in his Apology for going to the Gentiles; says, Ecclesia sponsa Christ, & Domina Domus suae, Petrus autem servus est & minister: The Church hath power over her servants, etiam penitus eijcere: so it was of old, but now Peter's successors will not be ruled by the Church, ac si domini essent & non servi Ideo justo judicio Dei, ab omnibus contemnuntur: That because they will be Lords and not ministers, therefore they are despised: Honest Ferus.  
When I read how Bellarmine makes a Catalogue of Peter's prerogatives in eight long Chapters, and in every one finds a mystery of supremacy: In his name Cephas, in walking upon the Sea: In his double draft of fish, in his first Sermon, and first miracle: In Paul's resisting of him, at jerusalem, and the rest. I see a wise man may be overseen sometimes. If arguments went by tale, and not by weight, I could reckon up Paul's praerogatives, and Peter's infirmities, would out number Bellarmine's arguments, but you would deem me very idle to stand upon it.  
Peter's prerogatives were, To be a worthy vessel, to carry God's name: That he was first in the rank, where there was a Priority of Order, without superiority of power, because he was the most ancient in years, and one of the most familiar with Christ, as Occam gives the reason, but what's this to the purpose?  
To sum up the other two famous places of Scripture: For Orabo pro te, & Confirma fratres: It is for the danger, and not the dignity, and being in the more danger, he might learn to confirm his brethren in the like: This upon examination found to be passed over.  
But for Pasce cues meas: it is largely demonstrated in 3. conclusions.  
That it is not spoken to Peter as a note of greatness, but as a stay of weakness: 2 That it is no commission, but a command: 3 That therefore the Apostles may as well preach to Peter, as Peter to them by the rule of other Scriptures: whence is inferred the judgement of Ferus upon that Church, an honest judgement of an usurping Church, notwithstanding all the prerogatives of Peter, numbered by Bellarmine more by tale, than weight, from whence they draw both argument and pretence of their greatness:  
After all the four old pillars of Popery are thrown down by the hands of Fathers and Reason: we have discovered the two new evasions of Bellarmine and Stapleton.  
In that by a rule received, we prove that which agrees to one, agrees to all, and that if they were equal in governing the people, then equal amongst themselves.  
That since there was no visible head for sixty years, but all Apostles were alike: It cannot be, that the dignity of Peter can be above the rest, for fear it be proved, that the Bishop of Rome is above Peter, & so it seems he is, when his Scarlet Church is about him.  
That being no more out of the word feeding, but that which is given to an ordinary Presbyter in the Acts: By the confession of Bellarmine, the same Episcopal and perpetual office, with full jurisdiction being given to the rest of the Apostles as well as to Peter: The rest making Bishops as well as he, and the same multitude of successors, If not more than he, first these three issues being discovered.  
1 That they are forced like children to run to their mother, and yet  
2 They cannot find so much as once Peter to Father them for his own;  
3 And therefore Bellarmine gives over Scripture, and since his authority will not settle a silly mind, that looks not to the by-ways and labyrinths of questions, but to the mark of his salvation set before him: conclude therefore, we may be saved without reconciliation to this present Church of Rome.  
These be all the colours which they can allege out of Scripture; Bellarmine gathers all before him, & adds to the heap, as I have faithfully delivered unto you: how sandy a foundation it is to set such a building of that weight, I hope an indifferent mind may see: so sandy, as the latter & wiser sort considering how weak they are in this point, which must hold or all falls; being overpressed by Reasons, and the current of the Fathers; concerning these four places of Scripture: give up the old pillars of Popery which have stood too long in the Church, and have sought out two new evasions.  

1 The first devised by Stapleton.  
2 The second taken up by Bellarmine, 
Stap. cont. 3 qu. 1. Art. 1. Tom. 1. Tract. 1 c. 3  but found first in caietan's opuscula, which when we have examined, we will take our leave of this point.    

TRACT. VIII.  
IT is now agreed that the Apostles are equal, every one had supremacy over all: 
Bellar. de Rom. P. l. 1. c. 6.  Summa potestas Ecclesiastica non solum data est Petro sed etiam alijs Apostolis: fuit enim in illis Ecclesiae primordijs necessarium ut primis praedicatoribus & Ecclesiae fundatoribus summa potestas concederetur. 
Lib. 4. c. 23.  The chief authority to them, as to the first Preachers and founders of the Church, and in the fourth book he spends the whole three and twentieth chapter to this purpose: what stir hath here been?  
Stapleton says, all are equal in respect of the people, 
Stap. contr. 3. q. 1. ar. 5.  but not among themselves: How can that be? Quae conveniunt uni tertio conveniunt inter se, A mathematical principle: if they be equalled in governing the people, then in that office they are equal among themselves. Then Peter is not above them in governing the Church: but was it in regard of their persons? It is strange that they should govern the Church without a guide, that could not govern themselves: In Timothy, If a Priest cannot rule his own house, how can he govern the Church of God? So, 
1 Tim. 3.5.  if they would not govern themselves, how order the Church? Admit an Apostle should have deserved censure for personal faults: had Peter power to excommunicate him, and not to suspend him from his office? power to remove him from receiving of the Sacrament, and not from the Ministration of it to others? power to cut him off from being of the Church, and no power to suspend him from being governor over the Church? This is an idle conceit, I find it propounded, but I think it is not relied upon.  
That which indeed is stood upon and the very main issue of the whole questiones that Bellarmine pitcheth upon, devised by some latter schoolmen a little before.  
That the Apostles were all equal during their lives, Mortuis autem Apostolis, summa potest as in solo Petri successore permansit: The Apostles for term of life had as much authority as Peter, but Peter as an ordinary Pastor for his successors, and that by virtue of this Text, Pasce Oues, Peter as Pastor, they as Delegates: he ordinary, they out of special grace, so as all their successors shall hereafter depend upon Peter's successors, and derive their power from them.  
Where note by the way, that the visible Church of Christ from the Ascension into heaven till the death of the Apostles, which was above sixty years, The Church I say had no one visible head, all the Apostles were alike, all supreme Governors, and ever after though the circuit were far greater, and the people in the Church far more unruly, yet it shall have but one to govern all, and he sometimes but a silly one God wot; yet shall his charge be greater, his dignity more excellent, and his command more absolute than ever Peter was, for Peter had many peers every whit as good as himself.  
But let us follow the point: This only was Peter's privilege above his fellows, That authority which he had in common with the rest during their lives, he might as the ordinary Pastor of the Church confer it wholly upon his successor of Rome, so might no other.  
What all that authority wholly? I'll be careful for doing them any wrong: Not their Apostolical authority, but all their Episcopal and Pastoral authority which is to be perpetually in the Church by virtue of this Pasce.  
Pope's do not challenge to be called immediately of Christ Apostles: to have seen Christ in the flesh as the Apostles did: to work miracles, to be free from error in preachings and writings, as the Apostles were, saving in their seat when they have the Church about them.  
That which is pastoral is perpetual, Peter is a Pastor by virtue of this Text Pasce. Therefore he may confer this authority upon his successors: so have you their meaning, let us follow it.  
It is a sure rule, Species aequè participatur in Individuis that which agrees to a man, as a man, agrees to every man, Quod convenit homini ut homo, singulis hominibus: pastori ut pastor, singulis pastoribus. Now that which is said here to Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, feed my sheep is said to the Presbyters in the Acts of the Apostles, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 
Act. 20.28  To feed the Church, yea but they mean not that Peter is as an ordinary Pastor: then somewhat must be added to this Text: It's not pasce oves meas will carry it: It must be pasce prae caeteris, or pasce pastors. Either feed before the rest: or feed them that feed: else pascere Ecclesiam is as much as pascere oves: if not more.  
Hear is nothing singular in this text, but the singular number, thrice repeating of it, alluding to the thrice denying of Christ, which will not be for their credit to stand upon: for it is noted by an Ancient, and let us not forget it: to be rather a stay of his weakness, than a note of his greatness.  
But let us follow their conceit without Scripture: Peter was chief Pastor of the whole Church, therefore had power as Pastor to leave that power to his successors.  
Were not the rest of the Apostles Pastors as well as Peter? had not they this power as well as he, I mean not Apostolical, but Episcopal and Pastoral which is perpetual?  
Hear what Bellarmine hath ingenuously delivered from the consent of the ancient: 
Lib. 4.24.  Sicut me misit pater factos esse his Christiverbis Apostolos Christs vicartos, immò ipsum Christi officium & aut horitatem accepisse: en Apostolica authoritate contineri omnem potestatem ecclesiasticam: sicut me misit pater siquidem misit filium summa potestate praeditum. That they are all the Vicars of Christ: that they have all the office and authority of Christ himself: having alleged the fathers to this end he infers thus, Vbi vides idem dari Apostolis per illa verba ego mitto vos quod Petro fuit promissum, per illatibi dabo claves, & postea exhibitum per illa, pasce oves meas, id est, jurisdictionem plenissimam etiam exteriorem. Bellarmine concludes that, that full and outward jurisdiction, that was promised to Peter in the keys, and exhibited to him in his pasce, was also given to all the Apostles in their general Commission, Sicut me misit, iam sumus ergo pares. These Texts that we have troubled you withal, leave them equal, why may not then the rest of the Apostles make their successors in other Churches aswell as Peter at Rome? and if we may credit Ecclesiastical writers so they did. james left Simeon to succeed him at jerusalem, Simeon left justus, justus left Zacheus, and so along: john left Polycarpus in Smyrna, as Tertullian avouches; Paul left Timothy at Ephesus, Titus in Crete, Dionysius at Athens, as Eusebius: All this they confess: Where are we now?  
We are come to a narrower issue, so narrow that it crowds the supremacy in pieces: for how can the successors of Paul, of john, and of the rest depend upon Rome? They fetch it from the other Apostles; They immediately from Christ, as you have heard, Sicut me misit, Bellarmine says, It is a prerogative which is not found in Scripture, but in other authors, as in johannes de Turrecremata: Peter was made Bishop by Christ, and Peter made all the rest of the Bishops: why? Alioquienim cum omnes Apostoli plurimos Episcopos in varijs locis constituerint, si Apostoli ipsi non sint facti Episcopi à Petro, certè maxima pars Episcoporum non deducet originem suam à Petro. If not the Apostles, than not the greatest part of Bishops take their original from Peter: then we are undone.  
Bellarmine makes an objection: If Peter made judas Bishop, our answer is, judas was no Bishop: no? In the Acts, Let another man take his Bishopric, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, That's but praefecturam. Did he make john Bishop, the Disciple whom jesus loved? did he make Paul Bishop, who does so glory that his authority came not of men or by men? 
Galat. 1.1  Then comes in Bellarmine, In Apostolica authoritate contineri omnem potestatem Ecclesiasticam, sicut me misit. In good time now the Popedom is contained in the Apostleship: had Campian got us at such a vantage, how he would have gloried with his spectatum admissi risum teneatis amici: I do protest I have beaten my brain to reconcile them in this point, and I cannot, I would gladly have a sentence of a Father that Peter made Paul Bishop, or john, or any of the Apostles.  
The only colour I find that Peter, james, and john made james the less Bishop of jerusalem, as Eusebius and others do record: not Bishop, but Bishop of jerusalem, giving him an especial care of that Church, james was Bishop before says Bellarmine: It's included in his Apostolic power. A Bishop may be a Bishop, though he be designed to no place: nay though he be an heretic, capable of no place, yet he may ordain: Quis enim Catholicorum ignorat Ordinatos ab haereticis verè esse Ordinatos, quando Ordinator haeretieus verè Episcopus fuerat & adhuc erat saltem quantum ad Caracterem.  
Is it possible any indifferent mind should believe it? that the Evangelist St. john, that Eagle of the new Testament could not ordain Polycarpus or any in the Churches of Asia without Peter's leave? or that Paul could not ordain Timothy unless he had power from Peter?  
This is the last refuge.  
If it will not hold: Maxima pars Episcoporum non deducet originem suam a Petro. The greater part of Bishops have not their original from Peter, Then the Church of Rome is not that only Church, but there may be salvation without it.  
So the question is at an end.   

TRACT. Vlt.  
THese issues and desperate distinctions are forced from them, 
Bel lib. 1.23 de R. P.  Quia passim docent veteres Romanam Ecclesiam esse matrem omnium Ecclesiarum, ab ea omnes Episcopos habuisse consecrationem & dignitatem suam, quod non esset verum; nistin eo sensu, quod Petrus qui Episcopus fuit Romanus omnes Apostolos, omnesque alios Episcopos ordinavit: because it is the mother Church it is therefore so: you see them driven to this issue.  
2 It is conceited that Christ intends nothing in Peter above his fellows, but only that the successors of Rome may be great; who are not once mentioned or prophesied of in Scripture: Cyrus prophesied by name; should not the holy Ghost neither by Peter, nor any other, give us some inkling of him under whose wings alone we must seek salvation? except we will have him mentioned under the title of Antichrist, we have it not: The Church of Rome is spoken of by Paul, he glories as if it were his Church in the first chapter to the Romans: 
Rom. 1.4.  Peter doth not so much as once name it, unless they will have it under the name of Babylon.  
3 Bellarmine doth ingenuously give over Scripture in the entrance to the first book, and the three and twentieth chapter, dividing it from the rest, Hactenus quae ex divinis literis colliguntur, addemus nunc quae ex varijs authoribus decerpsimus: A man will hardly hazard his estate upon so nice a difference without maxim, bookcase, or any authority in Law: and should we rely our souls upon so narrow, so new and so perplexed a Divine?  
In this great point as we are directed so let us look upon that place in the Corinthians: 
1. Cor. 4.6.  That no man presume above that which is written: and then we shall find that in the Ephesians: 
Eph. 2.19.  Now therefore we are no more strangers, and foreigners (or heretics) but Citizens with the Saints, and of the household of God, and are built upon the foundation of Apostles and Prophets, jesus Christ himself being the head corner stone. Let this be ever our hold, and we shall never fall. And to conclude, let us go on even with our adversaries, so far as they lead us in the right way, but if they carry us into unknown tracts, and dangerous passages: let us there protest a separation from them, and then we shall show ourselves to be right Protestants indeed: Let us look also with a vigilant eye, as some religious men did after corruption grew thick upon that Church, and then we shall see that we cannot communicate with her in this point and others which she professes and practices, without shipwreck of conscience: which corruptions, if we should reckon, they would swell beyond the proportion of our present project: which, if a simple man cannot behold when he is assaulted by the Bishop of that Sea for present reconciliation: let him ingenuously plead ignorance, rather than yield, and tell him plainly he knows him not: and that his mind is bend to know God and himself, if he have any reference to God, he will acknowledge him in his due place: In the mean time we pray for divine knowledge out of the scriptures, that the beams of that celestial light may double her reflection upon our hearts, and so warm our affections with the love of the Truth, that we may bring forth the fruits of it in a Christian Life: Amen.  
Deo Trino & uni Gloria.  
FINIS.    

A MOTIVE DEDICATED TO THE Honourable Society of the Gentry in Gray's Inn. by E. V.  
RIGHT WORTHY GENTLEMEN:  
ALL this Treatise stands upon that Union spoken of by St. Paul to the Ephesians, 
Ephes. 4.4.  There is one body and one spirit, even as you are called in one Hope of your Vocation: One Lord, one Faith, one Baptism: one God and Father of you all, which is above all, and through all, and in you all: To prevent distraction, and preserve the unity of the Church: To limit out the natural branches, besides those that are cut off by schisms, or pared away by the censures of the Church, to set out the truth of the Redeemer according to the Doctrine of Faith, and the covenant of Baptism: here are the bonds of peace combined in one head, not in the Church which had their circular Epistles written for communion, 
Coloss: 4.16. Acts 15.6.  nor in the Synods of the Church, which had their Counsels for the composing of divisions: These are but confirmations, no beginnings of that unity which is pretended. A peace there is pretended, or as the Author says, a reconciliation: what peace? saith jehu to jezabel, Pacem do vobis, pacem meam Relinquo vobis: sufficit Domine, pacem quam tu relinquis excipio, Relinquo quod Retines. Give me leave to set these feet of dirt upon that golden image of him whom you did admire, and I do imitate, he did convince you, let me only move you by that which follows: Upon that Scripture there are 3. things grounded: 1. That the Church is united in Christ. 2. After him in Peter. 3. after Peter in the successors of Rome: In the two last points he joins an issue, and finds that unity of a visible head, and that una Sancta Catholica Ecclesia, 
Decreto Bonif.  in the Decretal: and that subjection thrust upon every creature with a Declaramus, dicimus, definimus esse de necessitate salutis: not to be trust up in One: when we have done, I hope this thirteenth article shall be thrust out of our Creed.  
First for Peter.  
The same reprehension, 
Mat. 20: 26 Mat: 9: 23 Mat: 19: 28 Rev: 21: 17 Acts 1. Acts 8: 14.  the same commission, the same promise, the same glory, the same power was given to the rest of the Apostles as well as to him: If any thing more, it was not given but assumed: Bee would not assume it that was sent as a Legate, not a Pope, he could not be Pope, that did not decree, but show his opinion, and his opinion being rejected at Antioch, 
Acts 15: 19  it is time for them to give him a sword, and yet we see not how they can draw it out of that text of Luke, that leaves us only to suffer, and not to rule. 
Galet. 2. Luk. 22: 38.   
That he is put the first, and Mary the last, she full of Grace, 
Acts 1: 14 Acts 2. Luke 2.  he but fall of the spirit, neither he nor any had that prerogative to be full of Grace, and full of that holy fruit beside described by that great ginger, to be an honest and beautiful Virgin, bearing in her hand two full ears of Corn: 
Albamaz: in mayor: jotroduct. tr: 6.  A fable, as all the writings of the Poets concerning the sons of jupiter was by the policy of Satan to make the world believe that the Prophecies of that jesus was but a fable: but the truth is, she is so described, and therefore Peter being set before her the last before the first, behind her in dignity, 
Luke 1: 13. 2 Tim: 4: 21.  before her in place: That Linus is set after Pudens, the Bishop of Rome may blush indeed to rank himself before all the Church, or Peter before Paul, which besides the excellency of his miracles, as Salmeron confesses, went up as high into the third heaven, with the fullness of faith, as Peter sunk low into the waters for want of it, and it seems he came to visit Peter, 
Galat. 2.18  to see whether he were sick of any opinion or no: for I think the word will bear it, if any think not so, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  we can show an author for it: so that except they will make an universal diffusion of some secret Grace flowing from Peter as from the name of jesus, which is an Ointment poured out: 
Cant. 1. Phil. 2.  If they think that this name of Peter like oil above water gives a general command over heaven and earth and hell as the names of jesus, which it seems they do, for in their writings Peter is as often writ as the name of jesus in the Epistles of Paul: but I think, as David was not a King over all Kings because of his mystery of three times anointing, no more was Peter Prince over all the Apostles, because of the commission of threefold feeding: but that he was at Rome, that he seated himself there, that he planted the Church, gave it after his death to Clement, we take it as a matter of history, not of faith. For if it were so, we wonder that Paul should be so uncivil to leave out a salutation to Bishop Peter amongst the rest. 
Rom. 16.  It may be Peter being one of the hot spirits of Galilee, 
Galilei pugnaces. jeron.  where was nothing but a word and a blow, as it seems when he cropped the High Priests servants ear, would in stomach at Paul's unkindness leave him when he came to his first answer: 
Mat. 26.  let them answer this, or there is no Apology to be made for Peter, 
2 Tim. 4.16  that besides unkindness is to be accused of negligence that he grounded the jews at Rome no better, that were scarce catechised in rudiments of Christianity by him that was not Bishop of Rome some five and twenty years, 
Acts 28.  but also of the circumcision: and not only of negligence but forgetfulness, in not remembering the words of Christ, 
Ioh: 21: 15.  Feed my Lambs, upon whom depended the hope of the whole flock: It is a sign of lightness to be credulous, so said Porphiry against the Christians; but being mortal as we are, and not celestial, let them aperire fontem sciendi, and we will imponere jugum credendi: If they can make us know it, we will submit ourselves and believe it: yet they cannot.  
But that he left it to the Bishop of that See is the main issue: let them answer Paul that had not a vision of the Gentiles as Peter had, but the division of them from the jews: and even then me thinks when the Doctor of the Gentiles, 
Acts 28.28  of which Rome was the chief City, was out of favour with his Countrymen I think Bishop Peter was something inhospitable, to let him hire an house. Peter had no Palace, 
Epiphan: Hares. 27.  that's a wonder, no more had Paul, both Roman Bishops: It seems that Peter dwelled upon the stone in which Luke did engrave the picture of the Virgin Mary, or else to be supposed that he was Bishop of Rome by one of St. jeroms allegories, 
Hierom: in Philem: Acts 28.30  as he doth interpret Paul's biennium, to be the gift in the two Testaments, and so the Bishopric itself: so doubtful we shall find it in the history, that when we come to believe it, I doubt it will but prove an Allegory.  
Let them then interpret Gregory the Pope, 
Greg: ep. ad Eulog: Alexand.  who doth avouch that the succession of Antioch was from Peter, and answer Antioch, who they say, enjoyed him seven years, where was the first name of Christian, or Polichronius of jerusalem, who thinks the Primacy should be where Christ first was, where was his first Fecit and Docuit: Then alas it will be but mere folly to thrust upon us the writings of Clemins & Anacletus, 
Jacobo fratri Domini Episcopo Episcoporum Hebraeorum Ecclesiam Regenti.  whom they make say so without any craft, for Clement writes to james, and after that john is living, both under this Pope, both their writings in the canon, and the Epistles of these the only heirs to Peter's Chair forgotten: and so they may, for truly their authors are hidden and obscure, as the devout Abbot spoke of William the simoniacal Bishop of Africa. Concerning his letters Apostolical, so secret they are that they seem to come à Principe tenebrarum, not à Principe Apostolorum: They were forgotten as he did his own Dignity, by calling james the Bishop of Bishops, and yet will teach the Apostle, as his successor Anacletus it seems being a little more warm in the Chair corrects Saint john by deriving 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
john 1.  which the Apostle himself doth interpret a stone: as simple derivations as the Latin is in which their Epistles were written. 
Aug. conf. 8.  But as Victorinus the Rhetorician before his full conversion, ashamed of the humility of the word, blushing at the shame of the cross, was wont to mock Simplicianus when he inclined him to open profession: Ergo ne parietes faciunt Christianos? The walls of the Church make no Christians, nor the chair of Rome it seems make Rhetoricians, but as in Art, so in the Truth of Religion, it may be, 
Mat. 13.45  they acquire all their knowledge by sitting: no pains they take to purchase that pearl in the Gospel: no, we presuppose they found it before they sought it.  
Is it come to this? Then to that Religion, and unto that Church which finds us and we not them, must we be reconciled under pain of damnation: 
Euseb: 5.  Let us deal with them à posteriore: Then was Irenaeus in the state of damnation, which took up Victor for censuring the Eastern Church: Then those were blessed which Cyprian calls Desperate, 
Ep: 55.  and he in a woe case for condemning those that made appeal to Rome from Africa: Then presently after Cyprian, the Church of Carthage must be damned for want of Reconciliation, that excepted against the universality in particular: Ne quidem Romanus. And St. Augustine as deep in hell that was an assistant to that Council. Search the councils Milevitan and Nice, nothing can be found in the Originals, except as the Athenians made an Altar, where the Beasts stayed, to the unknown God, so where the Pope sits, they will make relation to some unknown Original in the time of Numa: but Plus oculo quam oraculo: 
Chrysost. Hom: 43. in Matth.  we will see it before we receive it upon their bare report: for we are sure the Greek Church would not yield in Chrysostom's time, he writes against it, and the other did excommunicate those that made an appeal to Rome, because no good did issue from appeals; but long journeys, expense of money, many miseries, but no redress, no pity, no indignation at the wrongs, and to those that did practise them, it was not Refugium, but Suffugium, a refuge, but a shift to slip off the punishment of some notorious crimes, that they had committed in their own Church: not for any care to religion, but to be of that religion which did either permit unlawful things, or dispense with great persons, like the Magis that said unto the Kings of Persia: We have a Law, that it is not lawful for a man to marry his sister, we have another Law, 
Virgil's Fglog.  that Kings may do what they list: Et quae tanta fuit Romam tibi causa videndi? Libertas, saith the Poet, liberty and impunity was the cause of these appeals, and though there were a necessity, yet no fruit did grow from it.  
The comparison which S. Jerome a Priest in Rome doth make betwixt Orbem and urbem is well known, and the place in which he parallels the merit & Priesthood of Constantinople with Rome. 
jer. ep. ad evagr. Einsdem meriti et Sacerdotij.  I omit the titles of Gregory the Pope himself, enough to discover his successors to be Antichristian, not spoken only for mere opposition to the pride of john of Constantinople, but for his own part, absit haec levitas ab aurihus meis, 
job. 7.  he would not hear of it, but because he was but a spark of mortality as others were, he would not strive to fly the highest, but shine the brightest, and so we are come past the 600. years: Then every man knows how Phocas killed Mauritius, and usurped the Empire; and to curry favour with the Romans, made that dog of the flock, Boniface the third universal Bishop: so they continued in height of pride and cruelty: as the old Rome was built in blood: so was the supremacy gotten by parricide, 
Psa. 67.20 Non Jesuitarum suasu sed militum terrcre: Eliens. epis. ad Bell. Apol. Resp. cap. 1.  we wish it did not so continue.  
It was a saying, Thou leadest thy people like sheep by the hands of Moses and Aaron, but now alas, it is not Ducit, but Trahit, we must not be led, but drawn by the necks, not so much by the persuasion of jesuits, as the violence of Soldiers: Ignatius turned from a Soldier to a jesuite, now turned from a jesuite to a Soldier: by bloody inquisitions and by force of arms must we be forced to reconciliation: not violence used only upon Subjects, but upon Kings: There have been some that have given an uncertain sound to the battle against this plea: As that the Bishop of Rome is not above a Council in Paris; not above the Laws and all Ecclesiastical Persons, by supreme power, in Venice: not above all by a direct temporal dominion, in the consistory of Cardinals: There have been in England five Kings that have resisted the Pope in such usurpations, and now, thank God, JAMES is the sixth, but amongst them and us the first, which not long ago in that famous disputation at Cambridge, where the King, 
Anne Dom: 1614 Mark 8. Luke 2: 6. Reu. 1: 13.  sitting like Christ among the Doctors, keeping an Act, not of approbation, but of admiration, or rather like the Son of God in the similitude of the Son of Man amongst the golden Candlesticks, a King like a Doctor, opposing, answering, determining, not in the Majesty of his person, of which he did but show the lineaments, but in the beauty of his administration, in which he did communicate light to every disputer, and glory to himself: When that profound schoolman  his professor, upon the Question, Whether the Pope had any power in temporal things as they tended to a spiritual good? Objected that the Pope had power, in disposing and transferring dominions, in prescribing the civil Laws of Nations to Kings, as S. Ambrose might to Theodosius under pain of Excommunication. The sum of the answer being, that it was not by civil authority, 
Non politica authoritate sed medicina spirituali, etc.  but as by a spiritual medicine, not by the power of constraint, but prescription, not by authority but by Council: The King added Concionando non cogendo: It pleased him further to use these words, Quaestio est utrum Ambrosius iure fecit? Vtrum exemplum cius sit lex? Nego planè Ambrosij factum fuisse licitum, nimis arroganter se gessit Ambrose, & plusquam decuit in ea re. Spoken like a King; 
Levit. 10.  for Moses must speak when Aaron must hold his peace: S Ambrose might persuade him to defer the punishment 30. days after the or of the Grecians he could not constrain him, nay a little further, since man is only above beasts, but Kings are above men, because they are Gods, there is no way but by turning to a greater God, 
Psal: 82: 6.  whose children they are, & though they be wicked, yet they are children of the most highest: strange children, 
Psa: 18: 76.  etc. strange because they let go justice, but children because they keep the image of God: & therefore when S. Gregory gave advice to that murderer Phocas which had slaughtered Mauritius with his Sons and his Brother, even then when he might read the impiety of the fact in the very nature of the plague that followed, which killed them before they had any time to be sick, 
Ex judel: 6: lib: 1: c: 1: & 2.  as he murdered them before they had any time to rule: yet his advice to take away the enemies of the commonwealth, to restore the freedom of it, to remove abuses was concluded thus, Melius hoc orando quam suggerendo: A greater degree of divine wisdom than was in St. Ambrose: This turned to the King, he turned to God, far from constraint that he would scarce suggest: And it seems when Elias had the sword it was given him, and then he took it, persuaded by Prophetical motion, directed by the word which commands the death of Idolaters, and permitted by the King, but he turned not the sword against the King though he were an Idolater, no more than Michael did the sword of the Tongue against the Dragon: neither the nature of an Angel with the right of his quarrel, nor the advantage of the place, nor the multitude of an heavenly host must conquer but the blood of the Lamb. A King is like unto Sina that must not be touched but by Moses, that carries within him the spirit of meekness: there is more fire of courage in a King, then in an ordinary person: It must be quenched by preaching of the blood of Christ: Our Church's bed is a bed of flowers, 
Cant. 1.  nothing in it but the sweetness of peace: The Church may correct something in zeal, suffer some things in meekness, some things in good consideration they may dissemble, so they do not approve them. And when the King waxes wanton in wickedness like jeroboam that worshipped the calf, It is enough that the Prophet reproves it: All shall be well if we neither eat the fat nor the blood, be neither carnal nor cruel. 
Leu: 3: 17.  So then we commend S. Ambrose with Mr. Caluin for his constant refusing to appear before Valentinian a young Emperor. ruled by his mother that was an Arrian: 
Institu: 4: 11: d: 15.  distinguishing rightly betwixt his authority in matters temporal, and his judgement in matters merely spiritual, but in this point leave him to the censure of the King. In the mean time our Religion is not a Religion of blood: even the Law only prescribed the death of beasts, not of men, no human sacrifice but Christ that came for the preservation of men to sacrifice his blood. The same argument therefore that we have against the religion of the Heathen gods, their cruelty in desiring the slaughter of men, and of the most innocent, as virgins and children, which proves it to be false; The same we have against this religion of Rome, that makes a game of murder, & holds it an Aphorism to kill the innocent; praeter intentionem, for the Catholic good. 
Ephes: 4. Ioh: 12: 32.  Let us be reconciled to that Religion where is the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, & not to that which doth not draw us, but drive us: not draw us like a waggon, but drive us like the horses, and now by this time we are come to move you by the consideration of two points.  
First, what honour the fathers of the 600. years gave, and upon what ground.  
Secondly what division that causes rather than reconciliation.  
We stand not upon this word Pope, it is but a Father, it was but given to Pastors, to those that were worthy Pastors. Ascribed to Fathers in Epistles and superscriptions, as to Augustine a poor Bishop, and to Paulinus a poor Deacon. A name of reverence now grown odious, as tyrannus is for tyranny: And when it was given, it was an amplification in regard of worth of the persons, not in regard of pre-eminence of place, given to those that had nothing to do at Rome: & that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Theodosius called Ambrose in the temple of Constantinople and Illustrissimus Doctorum latinorun, ascribed to S. Austin, & the large circuit S. Gregory entitles Cyprian withal, even all the 4 quarters of the world, is rather a personal amplification, than a jurisdiction of place: & indeed consisting with equality of a jurisdiction that others may challenge from john & james, and Polycarpus: and if Rome were wise, they would take as great a privilege fro Paul as Peter, I am sure Irenaeus is of that mind, 
Lib. 3. Acts 6.  & all the privilege that the Counsel of Africa gave him after Cyprians death, was to be Primaescdis Episcopus, not Princeps Sacerdotum, no relation to the holy Synod of Priests and Bishops, but to the place, and to the place only in a civil respect, other institution it had none from Christ, and in this no likelihood of succession from Peter. A civil priority then, not an Ecclesiastical superiority: Civil, for the Scripture in the hottest contention of the Church in the 600. years was never urged for it. It was found out in the grossest times of ignorance, and then it began to be thus ordered: 1 Rome: 2 Alexandria: 3 Antioch: 4 jerusalem: And (alas) see the indisposition, Alexandria before Antioch, the seat of Mark before his Master Peter at Antioch: A malice discovered to the Apostle of love, is Ephesus of no account where john preached? he preached too unhappily and foretold the tricks of Babylon, and that's the reason why the Church that he founded, was not patriarchal: And jerusalem the jast because traditions did not begin there, but the Gospel first at jerusalem had his original: 
Luke 24.  so that it was not Christ nor his Apostles, that made Churches patriarchal: They were dead before Constantinople was made one: It was propter Imperium as the Council of Chalcedon defined, notwithstanding the instances of Leo's Legates. It is true some of the fathers did invest the old Rome with privileges above the rest, but 152. Bishops gave the younger Room equality, because there was an Empire and Senate as well adorned: Magnificent titles the Grecians gave poor Grecians like schoolboys to their Pedagogues, Reverendissimo, Maximo, so did they write: for Rome was then the scourge of the world. And for that unlimited title of universality, it is so trust up of late, that I must only gird it up with one of justin Martyrs interpretations upon that All of every beast which Peter saw in his vision, 
Act. 10.12 Quest. 2. ad Orthod. 89.  which All he doth restrain to the unclean: As Christ who is the head of every man, that is, of the faithful who are the body of Christ, not of the unfaithful: so they may expound (universal) if they will of all in Rome, not in the world, and if the comparison hold, then shall they have (no doubt) a company of cleanly beasts except they be mended since S. Bernard's time, he describes them handsomely in that Chapter which he entitles of the manners of the Romans, to be a want on people, intractable, tumultuous, rebellious, proud, sacrilegious, seditious, inhuman, unfaithful, importable, unthankful, 
De consid. 4. c. 2.  deceitful, hypocritical: It is enough for the Pope to dress his own stables, all the world is too much, o but Rome is too little, as Paradise was for Adam: it is too straight a prison for his Godhead, 
Gen. 3.  then since Man is become like one of us, let us turn him into the wide world out of Paradise, from Paradise to a fools Paradise, a little Garden, a small City will not comprehend his godhead: So shall the Bishop of Rome be universal, and like to Lucifer in Heaven, and Adam in Paradise, take up the Rome of the second person in Trinity, because One. 
Consid. 3. Cap 4.  But Saint Bernard thought it not lawful for him to dismember the Churches at his pleasure to confound Order, and to break open the bounds of the Church which his fathers before had made: 
Rom. 13.  power he gives him, and thinks it unlawful to resist him; power he hath, a principal power, but not a singular power: his meaning is, he hath an head above him, unto which other eminent members of the Church have a reference as well as he. Every one knows how the Fathers run upon the difference betwixt praesum and prosum, betwixt dominion and dispensation, betwixt possession and Law: and so his Lordship which was prayed for in their Litanies in the time of Pius Quintus, by the name of Dominus Apostolicus amongst the rest, is by this discovered to be nothing but truly worse than Octanus and Tiberius his predecessors which refused the name of LORD, because it was a Title of power, but not of Piety: So than his Ecce duo Gladij, The two swords, the one for the Church, the other of the Church; the one from the mouth of the Priest, the other from the hand of the Emperor: It is enough, it is too much, as devout Bernard speaks: And by this time we see the reason why the Pope above Rome, and Rome above all Cities, Inter Caput extulit urbes, have exalted themselves.  
These 5. things considered will clear it.  
1 A primacy in regard of the Empire.  
2 The chief men elected Popes, excellent Scholars, worthy Martyrs. This made the people wing on that side.  
3 The Emperor translated to the East, The Pope getting the upper hand of his deputy at Rome, the Emperor curbing the Bishop of Constantinople, the Latin Church grew strong, and the Greek weak.  
4 The levity of the Greek Church, given to novelties, distracted with heresies, suffering of Bishops opposite to their Church, even within their walls, was the cause that compelled the better sort of Bishops to appeal to Rome for succour, and of the credit of that Sea.  
5 The Emperor still withdrawing his forces, the Clergy of Rome overbalancing the temporalty, Propter imperium, gave advantage as stirrups for the man of Pride to raise himself by the help of Phocas, and such wicked Pages that lifted him up into that seat where now he sits Although all the Fathers that speak of Order, and Gregory, and Hierome themselves so much run upon that word Aequaliter, yet now ambition tears in pieces those brazen steps where Devotion before did wear itself, and we are wearied with the weight of this great head that is upon us, that never yet could be set upon the shoulders of Russia and Armenia, and other places: and now we may pray with DAVID, Lord save us from the Horn of the Unicorn, because this head hath made the most precious home of the Church an Instrument of Murder and of division rather than Union.  
Be it so, that will not content them to be Lords over us, but our Faith also: They will have an infallibility of Determination: That must depend upon that Chair, and to this we must be reconciled, and so we must think under pain of damnation.  
This Question was canvased at Cambridge before the King: It must determine and therefore necessary, One Tribunal necessary to determine matters of Faith; Non unum universum supremum Tribunal said the King upon that ground. The Dean of Paul's, Loquebatur in puncto, 
Doctor Cary.  as the Prover be is: His words were like goads and nails, sharp and sure. How wittily and substantially did he prove, that there was to be had the last resolution of Faith: that Christ instituted that infallible: that it was most expedient to be so: that Christ foresaw it to be so expedient: that the Church could not be one body without it: that there could not be without it a just uniting of the parts of the Church: that there could be no unity of Faith: that without it Heretics could not be convinced, nor lay men in the Church: that the unity of the Church was more preserved by it: that no Heresies were condemned without that Bishop's consent: and that hce had the definitive sentence. If any were given by others, yet they had recourse to the Pope for confirmation, as in the Milevitan Council. So pithily disputing, that it was enough to have plucked out a man's eyes as the preaching of Paul to the Galathians, and led him by a blind jesuitical obedience to think so.  
The King certainly admired the frame of his arguments, and therefore impatient of interruption, bade them, let the Dean go on. A frame indeed.  
Aut hoc inclusi ligno occultantur Achivi,  
Aut aliquis latet error, equo ne credit Teucri.  
I had not spoken so much of him, but in remembrance of S. john's, That hath branched out this golden Candlestick to beautify one of the most famous Churches in this King doom: 
Greg. ep. Reg. 12. Indu. 11. cp. 7.  S. Paul's in the time of Gregory the Great complained for want of light, this cannot, howsoever in the other I am sure not in the spiritual sense. I have done with him; even in his Relation something may be collected to unsettle that opinion of dependence upon the person of that One, as chief in matters of faith, because we take our level of belief rather from the matter then the person, you shall know him by his fruits, 
Mat. 7.15.  nnt his fruits by him. It is Christ's order not Quis but Quid. The Pope as a Graduate or Catholic Priest may err, not in his Chair. There is not Quid but Quis, not what he speaks, but what he is, the order of Christ perverted: and so give me at the last leave to persuade you by the second point. That this dependence upon this one person may be a cause rather of division and separation, then of that Reconciliation that is so much implied, and so furiously persuaded.  
Now let us look back and see whether we can be reconciled to that Church: which before that head could be set on that body, caused more distractions and bloodshed of the Lords servants, than was in any part of Christendom. And why did Chrysostome complain in his time, that the Bishop of Rome had filled the Churches with blood, and defiled the holy Eucharist with murders? well, it might have been prevented, if Peter's successor had done to his fellow Bishops as Peter to Paul, 
Gal. 2.9.  given the right hand of fellowship: or if they would, as Gregory doth interpret that part of Esay; 
Esa. 40.9. Gregor.  O Zion that bringest good tidings, get thee into the high mountains, not of the highness of place, but of the excellency of life, but he keeps himself aloft above his fellows of the Clergy; if he would descend a little there might millstones of offences and scandalous sins be discovered in him to tumble him as low as Eucebolius that unprofitable salt: and upon that place of Mark, after Christ had confuted the supremacy of the Apostles, 
Mar: 9: 50.  he infers, Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another, wisdom with unity, the Pomegranates besides the bells in the garment of the high Priest, the diversity of gifts without, the unity of Faith within, not any eminency of place, or necessity of dependence, or infallibility of determination: in which we may observe the indisposition of that Bishop from that scripture in the Romans. 
Rom: 14: 22  Hast thou faith? have it to thyself: that he should love for others, and believe for himself; but he believes for others, and loves for himself. No love in him that cannot brook equality, but is ravished with his height of dignity, as Peter was with his glory on Mount Tabor, not what he had, but what he saw, and would not look once at Paul that mounted higher, yet was brought down, Ab invisibilibus coelorum ad Secreta coniugum, from the spiritual mysteries of the third heaven, to the carnal secrets of a marriage bed, and calls himself a servant, a fellow-helper, one that had dominion over his own life, not his brethren, 
1 Cor: 4: 1. 2 Cor 1: 14.  all to beat down pride, but it would not be.  
But indeed one visible head is the cause of errors, and pride the cause of division, and dependence upon one a fountain to poison all the rivers of the Church: One that hath often provoked them to hatred, animated them to contentions, instructed them to treacheries, carried them to slanders: the mouth of that One hath taught them that hath been sometimes impure, sometime blasphemous: 
Rea: 18.  I cannot conceive how all nations should be drunk with the cup of that One, 
Verse 23.  how deceived with the enchantments of that One, unless it be by such an universal dependence up on One. Give him what they will, the more they give him, makes us suspect him the more: that he can determine a 'gainst the Epistles of Paul, he is Paulo mayor, that he can define against the old Testament, because he is greater than all the Authors of the old Testament, a title in their Canons: 
Ros: flis: Franc:  That Christ did orare, Franciscus exorare, Christ prayed, 
Sess: 6:  Francis a lousy Friar obtained: That Pope Leo was anointed the Lion of the Tribe of juda in the Lateran Counsel under him; that not only the Lion, but the Lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world, was ascribed to him by the Ambassadors of Cecilia. 
P: Aemil: lib. 7:  That he can dispense with one that committed adultery with the Virgin Mary, and with one that plucked a feather from Gabriel the archangels wing, light stuff for this Thamar the whore of Rome. That they must needs misinterpret the first verse in the Bible, that one visible Head, non in principijs, sed in principie, 
Gen: 1: 1:  that they must thus add and diminish, and mistake the word, enforce tradition as articles of faith, such articles as are published at the Pope's Parliaments. That it is not lawful to appeal from the the Pope to God himself: and all these to be believed under pain of damnation, though all the world should stand against it: Then fall down and worship him, 
I: de Turrecrem: in L: 3: 64.  Dicite plures, Dicite nullum, Dicite Diabolum: as Apollonius and julian the Apostata fell from many Gods to no Gods, and from no God to adore the Devil, so if we must not only fall down here before God, and worship him, Dicite Papam: who will not then start aside at these fearful characters which Satan himself hath marked upon the face of this Antichristian Bishop? These are blasphemies.  
And now I humbly desire you that loved that sweet Soul that lives now in heaven, and upon earth did breathe this temperate demands in his Treatise against that necessary Dependence amongst you: that being a parcel of his last will unto you, it may be a caveat to take heed of those winding Spirits that have left off the habit of Lions, and Wolves, and Bears, the violence of Kingdoms described in Daniel, and have taken the names of cups, and drinks, and enchantments, and women, and whoredoms in the Revelation: 
Zach: 3: 7.  and as in Zacharies' prophesy wickedness is called a woman, so Antichrist is called a whore, not a whoremaster, that doth overcome the younger Gentry of the Land, not by force, but subtlety, 
john 4.  and to that end take heed of those that meddle with the Samaritane like factors in other Countries of no Religion, but like Meddlers, indeed rotten within, and if that skin of pretended love unto their Country, and loyalty to their King were plucked off, you will find it so: and see them turn Assyrians, a scourge to their own brethren: And though these ordinarily object our own divinons betwixt the separation, the Caluinists and us, as it was of the obstinate Grecians in S. Barnard's time; so say we of them, juncti fide pace divisi, A little lame they are, and will not go the beaten way of our Discipline, they take a softer way of liberty not far from us, as Prudentius comprehends wisely in those hexameters.  
— Concordia laesa est,  
Sed defensa fide, quin & concordia sospes  
Germanam comitata fidem sua vulner a ridet.  
In Faith we agree, but in remote points of more difficulty, and less necessity we may differ as themselves do. It they see our Bishops less insolent, and the Clergy less dissolute, if they see desolations, dilapidations, prescriptions, confusions, scandals in our Church, not altogether dressed because of negligence and deceit, yet it hurts not our Faith, because these are personal, and we bid that man of pride look to himself, for he walks as one upon a rope, 
Justin Martyr. Ep. ad jer. & Serenum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  above the place that God hath provided for him, and so hath catched many falls in our observation, we hope fore runners of his destruction: no great motives from any thing in him for reconciliation.  
This man that made that Treatise in term Lectures for you: The man of love beloved of you, not in a barren love, but in the love of both Rachel and Lea, benevolence and bounty without any triumph of unkindness, or self-love, which are the breake-strings of the heart of Love, A mavit nos quoque Daphnis: for he called Gray's Inn his Crown, and well might he call it so that endured so many public labours and private wrestle, so many Reading amongst them, so many meditations at home that brought him first to Timothy's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, often infirmities when he was but young, the Gout St. Gregory's disease, the stone St. Barnard's hell, the burning ague St. Augustine's Purgatory. All these he had, 
Mat. 7.  like Light and Salt he did waste himself, draw on disease upon disease, and which is the life of Love and St. Paul's Impendam, cut off all hope of life, yet not unrewarded in living and loving: for he refused all for your sakes, who would have done this but for a crown? not a crown of Paper to write of him and adorn his memory as I do; 
Plusarch. in Agesil. 1 Thes. 2.19  but St. Paul's crown of rejoicing in his care and labour for you; so did he Ouare, so was this Lamb crowned with gold, so did he sacrifice himself, and so was crowned D: Fenton the Preacher of Gray's Inn for the space of 17. years, whom every man did know to be so approved for Sanctity, so Catholical for profession, so conformable for unity, so discreet in commanding, so in dustrious in disposing, so able in performing, so modest in speaking, so sober in zeal, so right in judgement, so affable in conversation, so amiable in aspect, and that which was an admirable conveyance to his judgement, his invincible meekness against all contradictions of opinions: that he went like meek Moses through the red Sea, 
Num. 12.2.  a world of Divisions inclined to no faction, but followed his calling as he did the cloud and the pillar, that we may say with the same affection as Hales of Bonaventure; non videtur Adam in homine isto peccasse: never was more knowledge and so much innocence in a Preacher that was the son of Adam. We have lost our delight; he hath changed his for better, in that place where there is exact knowledge, and perfect righteousness Let therefore the worthiness of him be a motive to those of your society that are unsteady, that they make no intercisions in this point, but rely upon him as an Oracle sent from heaven: As it was once the cry of the Synod, Haecest fides Cyrilli: haec est fides Cyrilli, so haec est fides Fentoni: Whosoever have any other acclamation, proceeeding from spiritual timorousness; or diabolical peevishness: there cutting betwixt two religions; these intercisions will at the last prove abscissions, turn to separations from God and his Church like Goats. And as it was not Abel but his blood, 
Matth 25.  so not the writer, but the letter shall be the black scroll of their condemnation at that day when all judgements and opinions shall be cleared: which writings are grounded upon rules of Scripture, according to which Scriptures he professed: In which profession he lived, according to which life he died and as he lived and died a Lamb, 
Revel.  so no doubt he follows the Lamb of God from meekness to majesty, from humility to Glory.  
FINIS.   

THE WANT OF DISCIPLINE: A SERMON PREAched before the King at White-Hall.  EZECHIEL 28.14. 
Thou art the anointed Cherub which covereth, and I have set thee in Honour.  
IT was the Royal state of Tyrus, to which God by his Prophet directeth this speech: a royal and flourishing estate it was which God thus honoured, comparing it to his holy Cherub in the Holy of Holies, which cove read the mercy-seat, and the Ark of God. Yet notwithstanding, those sins specified before, and after my Text did at length overthrow that state: those heinous and grievous sins, by which even the Cherubs themselves were broken in pieces, and the most famous kingdoms of the world, long since laid in the dust: And were it not for these sins so grievous, so general, so inveterate, He that sitteth judge a-among the Gods, and dwells between the Cherubs, would have dwelled there still: for how loath he was to departed, witness this our Prophet in the ninth chapter. The glory of the God of Israel was gone from the Cherub whereupon he was, and stood upon the door of the house. 
Cap. 9.3.  Great abominations those were which then moved God to remove from his seat, his mercy-seat, and when he removed, he stood but upon the door of the house, offered as if he would be gone, but went back again, and stayed there still. Being forced again to remove in the tenth Chapter, 
Cap. 10.  he stayed at the door still, loath to departed: but at the last, when there was no remedy, no hope of amendment, no remorse, he went away for all ado.  
The more cause have those Kingdoms and States to magnify the name of God, among whom he vouchsafeth to continue and dwell still, and for whom he hath caused these examples to be written, that in them they might look themselves, consider their dignity with thankful hearts, and in their dignity their duty, with obedient hearts to the highest majesty: for these two, dignity and duty are ever so twisted together, as they ought never to be severed.  
Both of them implied in each part of this text: In the name of Cherub.  
In the anointing or hallowing of the same:  
In the work or office of covering:  
And last of all, in the Author of all this excellence, the Lord: I have set thee in honour.  
In every one of these, Nescio an plus honoris vel oneris: sure I am, too much honour cannot be given to them who bear so great a burden. Wherefore that subtle serpent showed Christ all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, he shows them all in a moment of time, 
Luk. 4.5.  saith S. Luke, full well knowing if he should have given Christ any longer time to have looked into them, he would have perceived somewhat in them, that would not have tempted him so much: Great is the glory of them without question, as appears by this glorious comparison: Cherubs were pictures of Angels like men, to teach that some men should be like Angels, and though all, even the best of us in regard of our personal infirmities shall be men, not Angels: yet in the place and execution of public functions we ought to be Angels, not Men: Angels, so it pleaseth God to call public persons in respect of his Divine image which he hath put upon them, for as Angels do carry the name of the Sons of God above other creatures in the first chapter of job: so these men be filii Excelsiomnes, 
job. 1.6. Psal. 82.6.  in the fourscore and second Psalm: not as ordinary persons like pictures drawn to the shoulders in respect of Reason and understanding, but drawn throughout as Cherubs were, to take in heart and affections, and the whole man.  
For the understanding part: My Lord (saith Mephibosheth) is as an Angel of God, 2 Sam. 19 27. so able for his wisdom to judge of all matters, for sincerity and readiness to execute, as Angels are ready to do the will of God: 
Ps. 103.20  So it is our daily Prayer that his will may be done in earth, as it is in Heaven, that is, with all integrity, as the holy Angels do it, with all alucrity as the Seraphins do it, 
Esay. 6.2.  described with six wings in the Prophecy of Esay, That they may do his will both in justice like the Cherub at the gate of Paradise with the blade of a sword shaken, as also in mercy like this Cherub with wings evermore stretched out.  
2 A Cherub is but an Angel, but this Cherub carrieth the name of Christ the anointed, who in that he was anointed was reputed far more excellent than an Angel, as in the Epistle to the Hebrews: Unto the Son he saith, 
Heb. 1.8.  thy throne is for ever, the Sceptre of thy Kingdom is a Sceptre of righteousness, wherefore God even thy God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows: All Christians receive some drops of spiritual unction, for which they be called Christiani from Christ, but Christus Domini, the anointed of the Lord is amongst men, as Christ among the Angels anointed above his fellows, hallowed and sanctified above the rest, and separated from the rest to take upon him the person of God himself, to sit upon his throne, and to execute his judgement: Blessed be the Lord thy God, saith the Queen of Saba, who hath loved thee to set thee on his throne as King in stead of the Lord thy God. 
2 Chro. 9.8.   
As anointing doth imply a dignity, Vncti Domini è grege factisunt egregiae creaturae, so doth it with all a duty, for Oil is both a gentle, and a very Sovereign thing. It cureth by way of suppling, to teach them to be gracious Sovereigns, to establish their royal thrones by mercy, Proverbs the 20. 
Prou. 20.28. Num. 11.12  Like Moses carrying his people in his arms as a Nurse doth her sucklings: So David tendering his people as he Tendered his Ewes great with young ones: like Solomon, As a shower of Raine distilling into a fleece of Wool: 
Psal. 72.2.  like Christ himself, who though he bruised his enemies with the Rod of Iron, and broke them in pieces like a Potter's Vessel, yet amongst his own did he not break a Bruised Reed, nor quench a Smoking flax.  
Which tender care over the flock of God insinuated in the word anointed, is most lively expressed in the office of covering: for as Christ doth profess he would often have gathered his people even as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings: so these anointed Cherubs do with their wings stretched out, cover the mercy-seat, and Ark of God. This Cherub to whom Ezekiel here speaketh was thus far honoured, that being a Gentile, he was vouchsafed to be a Benefactor unto the Church of God, for that which David prophesied of him in the five and fortieth Psalm, 
Psal. 45.12  The daughter of Tire shall do homage with presents; the same was accomplished by Hiram King of Tirus, and his Subjects in salomon's days, who sent Cedar and fir-tree, Gold, and what ever was desired to the building of the Temple, 
1 Kin. 9.11.  whose Navy brought much gold from Ophir, and precious stones, Chap. 10.11. whose cunning work men made all these exquisite works described in the seventh Chapter of the same book, by whose means the Temple was adorned and beautified, even as the Cherubs did adorn the mercy-seat: for which Honour done unto him (for Hiram took it to be a great Honour) in the first of Kings, the fifth. The state of Tyrus was honoured, 
1 Kings 5 7.  as we see in this place above 14. generations of Kings after him from salomon's days to these of jeconias. All which was but a prefiguration that Kings and Princes of the Gentile, should be protectors of the Church of Christ; the first fruits whereof we did commemorate yesterday in the wise men of the East, the full harvest whereof is reaped and enjoyed by us in the North all the days of our life, and we hope shall be by our posterity to the end.  
Blessed be those days wherein it may be said in plenitudine sensus, even in the fullness of the holy Ghosts meaning, that not only this Scripture, but many other joyful Prophecies to this purpose are fulfilled in our ears, that Christian Princes twice anointed Cherubs (for this kingdom and that which is to come) be our Nursing Fathers, 
Esay 49.23  and nursing mothers, that the tender Church of Christ shall suck the milk of Gentiles, and the breasts of Kings, as if Kings had breasts to feed, and wings to cover and protect the Church of Christ.  
Tues Cherub Protegens, which covereth the Ark of God, and in it 3. things.  
1 The Tables of the Covenant, the moral Law of God, for though the ceremonial Law did pass as a shadow in the presence of the Body, though the curse of the moral Law be abolished in the name of jesus, who hath saved us from the same, and though the rigour of it be mollified, and suppled by Christ, 
Cant. 1.2.  whose name is a precious ointment powered out, that our unperfect keeping of it, is in him acceptable unto God: yet the everlasting and ever-binding Law itself was engraven by the finger of God in Tables of stone, and reserved in the Ark to be kept for ever: so as he that willingly breaks the least of these Commandments, shall be of least account in the kingdom of God, 
Mat. 5.19.  Matthew. 5.19.  
2 The Golden pot of Manna: not such as perished in a night with worms, be melted in the day by the Sun, but preserved Manna, representing that spiritual food that perisheth not, but came down from heaven to feed our souls to everlasting life. Both these have been hitherto covered and preserved safe for us, not in figure, but in truth.  
3 But there is a third, which was also put into the Ark, and that by the special command of God himself; Of God to Moses in the 17. 
Numb. 17.10.  of Numbers: Aaron's rod that budded, the rod of Discipline, without which the Church of Christ is better fed then taught. This Rod is either wanting, or so withered, that it will not smart, men care not for it, their consciences are not kept in awe for want of it.  
St. Paul could threaten the Church of Corinth with this Vultis ut in virga veniam ad vos? 
1 Cor. 4.21.  shall I come unto you with the rod, or in love, and the spirit of meekness? Sure if any be of such a good disposition that we can win them with meekness, it is well, but the Rod is gone.  
Our Saviour Christ after his resurrection, when he would teach his Apostles by fishing how to fish for men, john the twenty one and the sixth, he bids them Cast out on the right side of the ship, 
john. 21.6.  and they shall find: accordingly we cast our nets, and we hope on the right side, but see the success.  
1 Many there be, will never come within compass of the net; there be Recusants on both sides the ship, in profaneness as well as superstition.  
2 Many come within the compass, and suffer us to cast our nets over them, but they run themselves so deep into the mud, that the net cannot get under them. In the 33. 
Eze. 33.31  of this Prophecy, verse. 31. Son of Man, my people sit before thee, and hear thy words, but they will not do them, for either they make themselves merry, or else their heart runs after covetousness. They run into the mud of pleasure and pelf of this world that we cannot catch them.  
3 Now the third and best sort are caught, and so long as the net is dragged the same way that they swim, they come currently forward: but when they perceive how they be restrained of their former liberty, and how their consciences are entangled in this net, they give a jerk and break net and all.  
We had never more need to sit and mend our nets: for let us twist them as sound out of holy writ, and weave them as strongly as possibly we can, 
Psal. 2.3.  these sons of Belial who cannot abide a negative, will break them. They will hear us preach out of the two Tables while the bellows hold, they will devour whole Gomers of Manna, and yet never the better liking: but Aaron's rod they cannot endure to hear of it, though their souls have surfeited never so much of sin; though their Consciences be never so dangerously wounded: as much of the Samaritans oil as you will to heal it presently, and draw a skin over it, but for that sharp wine to scour the wound, for that corrosive Divinity to eat out dead works, for the Church's Physic by Contrary, they will perish before they can take it.  
After they have suffered their minds to wander after their eyes in the corners of the world, and to feed upon unlawful vanities: tell them of afflicting their soul, and crucifying their affections and lusts, of confining their thoughts unto devotions, and the Meditation of unpleasing objects, Death, Hell, Anger to come, of David's daily Vows, of striving, of labouring, of watching unto Prayers with all perseverance. 
Ephes. 6.18.   
After they have corrupted themselves in the service of Mammon, tell them of Zaccheus his restitution and Almsdeeds for all their misdeeds, that all may be cured by the contrary, and made clean unto them, Luk. 11.41. 
Luk. 11.41.   
After they have pampered their flesh, and fulfilled the lust of it, tell them of the Corinthians revenge upon themselves for so offending such a gracious God, 
2 Cor. 7.11.  of Paul's not beating the Air, 
1 Cor. 9.26. Psa. 102.9. Luk. 7.38.  but beating down his body: of David's ashes for Bread and mingling his drink with weeping: of the sinful woman's Penitent Bath and her Towel: and of that destruction of their flesh that their spirits might be saved in the day of the Lord: 
Corin 5.5.  Do but show them this rod they are presently gone, and Aaron is not able to hold them, except Moses help him: To hear of Discipline either voluntarily inflicted by themselves, or necessarily imposed by others, is detestable.  
If there must needs be a Rod, they will choose Moses Rod, though it turn Serpent, and sting them like a Scorpion, rather than Aaron's, though it bud and blossom, and would become in the end never so fruitful, and comfortable to their souls: It was Aaron's rod and not Moses, which God commanded Moses, 
Num 17.10  and not Aaron to preserve in the Ark.  
The first time that I find this Rod missing in the Ark of God was in salomon's days, 
1 Kin. 8.9.  in the happy and peaceable days of Solomon: and then was Plenty, Peace and Liberty, the abuse whereof brought an iron rod for want of Aaron's Rod, Rehoboams' Scorpions, the renting of the Tribes, leading into captivity, turned salomon's Canticles into jeremies' Lamentations, and all for want of Aaron's rod: for if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged, 1 Cor. 11.31. O Cherub Protector, vouchsafe to look down into this Ark of God, consider the want of this rod in these quiet, peaceable, salomon's days: Aaron's rod is missing in the Ark of God: our Church in her book doth still complain of the want of this Rod: Until (saith She) the discipline of the Primitive Church may be restored again, which thing is much to be wished, etc. In steed whereof is a Commination against sinners, as much regarded of the people, as Bell, Book and Candle. But had we that discipline which the Fathers of the Primitive Church had, who respected not so much the multitude of professors, as the truth of their devotion: had we (I say) that severe discipline in these dissolute days, which they had, and power to execute it, and grace to use it aright, men would quickly be weary, either of those sins which they now commit with greediness, or of that counterfeit profession of Christianity.  
This is the Fan that john Baptist speaketh of, 
Mat. 3.12.  which would purge the flower and sever the chaff from the good corn; for want of this there is no trial or manifestation either of faith by works, or of Repentance by the exercise of mortification; but as by a vain dead faith, so by a slight unsound Repentance we deceive both ourselves and others, so consequently there is no fear, no awe, no remorse of conscience. And were it not that the mercy seat is above the Ark, that the invincible mercy and long suffering of God in Christ is above all his works, we should soon feel the want of this Rod.  
But the seat of God amongst us is a mercy seat, and his oracles is the comfortable voice of the Gospel of Christ which defendeth us and the whole Church: It was the voice of him that dwelled in the Bush which preserved the Bush from burning, though it was all of a flaming fire: and it is the voice of the Gospel of Christ which hath preserved this Church from fire and powder. The anointed therefore as he hath already with his Cherubs quill, so let him ever after with both his wings defend, protect, and cover this Gospel, so long as the heavens cover the earth with his own wings: they be his, let him then suffer none to pluck them, lest the Church of God be left naked and uncovered: They be a pair of wings, let him keep them in their due proportion, Moses and Aaron be brethren, it were vain to contend for seniority, who was the elder brother, they are brethren: God leadeth his people by the hand of Moses and Aaron: If we see any one, 
Psal. 77.2.  he or she beat their hands one against another, presently we imagine there is a distempered person: let the anointed Cherub to bring us in temper, prune and proportion his own wings, that in their due places and bounds, they may be both stretched out to protect the Church of Christ.  
4 Thus far we have presumed to ascend; yet one step higher to conclude with the voice of the author of all: Ego posui te, saith the Lord, I have set thee, that is, I have made thee a Cherub, with my holy oil have I anointed thee, I have covered and protected thee in the midst of all dangers, to the end that thou might cover and protect my Church: neither is it unfitly added by the translator, I have set thee in Honour, for there cannot be a greater honour then to protect the Church of Christ, nor a more lasting honour for all posterity, even 14. generations: I dare be bold to say this title of covering Cherub, is a more honourable and glorious title than Prince, King, Emperor, or Monarch of the world.  
If all this honour was done to and for shadows, what shall be done to the body itself? for Hiram and Solomon and his Temple, and the Cherub and the Ark were but all shadows of these blessings we enjoy: what honour is it to protect that Church for which the King of heaven hath taken such pains, as he could not do more for his Vineyard: That Church for which the King of glory that fills heaven and earth with his glory, became a lump of flesh, Who binds Kings with chains, and Nobles with links of Iron, was himself swaddled in clouts and laid in a manger? what honour is it to be a nursing Father, and to give milk to that which was bought, and is daily fed with the flesh and blood of the Son of God? what honour is it to cover that with his Cherubs wings which the Angels in Heaven desire to behold and look into, 
1 Pet. 1.12.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith S. Peter, and he alludes unto the Cherubs that were made bowing and looking into the Ark, and Mercy seat: so the blessed Angels in Heaven, who continually behold the face of our Heavenly Father, they bow themselves and count it a part of their contemplative happiness to look into those holy mysteries of salvation, which we on earth do enjoy. Which that this Church may enjoy while the Sun & Moon endureth, beseech we him who dwells amongst the Cherubs and blessed Angels, to bless us and our Cherub to the honour and glory of his blessed name, and our everlasting comfort in Christ jesus: To whom with the Father and holy Spirit, three persons, one eternal, everliving, and only wise God, be all honour, praise, and thanks, this day and for ever. Amen.  
FINIS.   

THE POSSESSION OF A KING.  
Another Sermon before the KING.  GENESIS 28.13. 
The land whereupon thou sleepest will I give thee and thy seed.  
THis short sentence delivered without curiosity doth speak three things.  
1 The land of Promise. 2. The promise of the Land. 3. The persons to whom the Land is by promise assured. 1. The Land of Promise specified in the word whereupon. 2. The promise of the Land delivered in the word Dabo. 3. The parties first jacob himself in person, than his posterity after him: The Land whereupon thou sleepest will I give thee and thy seed: this is the effect of the Text.  
But if I should rend it from the premises, I should offer injury to the context, for it is not entire of itself, neither can it stand alone.  
1 While jacob was solicitous for a biding place upon earth, 
Vers. 12.  God points him the way to heaven in the former verse, Behold a ladder whose top reached unto heaven, and the Angels of God went up and down by it.  
2 To assure him that that way was open for him, he reneweth the covenant made unto his Fathers in this verse: I am the Lord God of Abraham thy Father, and the God of Isaac.  
3 Then follows my text, The Land will I give thee, etc. teaching jacob ever to set heaven before earth, even then when he most desired and stood in greatest need of a place upon earth, to provide for his mansion in Heaven: I wot not whether the holy Ghost had any such intent in transposing Isaac's words while he was blessing his two Sons in the former chapter; for in Esau's blessing the fatness of the Earth is put before the dew of heaven: 
Gen. 27.39  but in jacobs' blessing it is quite contrary: God give thee of the dew of heaven and the fatness of the earth: 
Vers. 28.  howsoever, this I am sure of, that our Saviour plainly assevers, that if we first seek the kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof, all these shall be ministered according to our several places: the whole land whereupon he sleepeth to jacob and his seed.  
First, 'tis not an unknown land, a far off which I will give thee, but even this whereupon thou sleepest: and secondly a fruitful and plentiful land that floweth with milk and honey: and thirdly which is more, a blessed and holy land, whereupon thou sleepest, and sleeping dreamest, and dreaming beholdest the gate of heaven, and the way to eternal happiness.  
There be profane spirits in the world (far be they from the palaces of jacob) who would persuade us that Religion and this gate of heaven is but a dream: but let them know that the foolishness of God is wiser than the wisdom of men, and the weakness of God stronger than men, whose power and wisdom do by silly means shine the most glorious: what is counted more idle than a Dream? What is of greater importance than the way to life? What's weaker than water? What's stronger than the house of God? yet he that laid the beams of his chambers in the waters, hath revealed that to jacob in his sleep which the greatest potentates of the earth, and the most quick disputers of the world could never find broad waking.  
jacob slept upon the land which God gave him, and might sleep sound for he was weary, but his sleep was a troubled sleep, and great matters did run in his head; by which it seems God would divine unto jacob that possessors of great Dominions must be sometime: content with broken sleep, when meaner persons sleep more securely under the shadow of their wings: we that little know what belongs to these, can read in our books, Tali nocte dormire non potuit Rex, as good King David's eyelids slumbers, and jacobs upon his stony pillow: Our Saviour did once sleep in a ship, and then suffer a tempest to rise, to intimate that while governors sleep in security, there is some danger of a Tempest, yet see the mildness of him that was able to command all, that when his Disciples did presume to awaken him, he was not offended. This land whereupon thou sleepest, whereon thou takest though a troublesome, yet a most happy and heavenly sleep: this land will I give thee and thy seed, and so we pass to the  

2 Dabo.  
jacob might claim this land by right of inheritance, by his descent from Abraham and Isaac, by the same right that Abraham is called the heir of the world, 
Rom 4.13.  Romans the 4. yet Dabo, I will give, is that upon which jacob relieth: God's gift is the best inheritance, and whatsoever is not grounded upon his promise hath but a sandy foundation, whose promise doth establish every man's right, which holdeth his right from God, and so professes: This did jacob know, and this did he acknowledge. It was the phrase of Esau his brother, 
Gen. 33.9.  and the manner of his speech that he uses speaking of his possessions, Brother I have enough: Like the rich miser in the Gospel, Soul take thine ease, thou hast enough laid up for many years: but jacobs' answer is in another tenor, God hath had mercy on me, therefore I have all things: Doubtless every good thing and every perfect gift cometh down from above from the Father of lights: but shall we observe out of the pronoun Tibi upon whom this gift is bestowed. It is that wherein the goodness and power and wisdom of God did most gloriously manifest itself.   

3 Tibi.  
1 To thee jacob whom I have chosen of purpose before thou wast borne, that thou mayest give all glory to me: Before thou hadst done good or bad I said, jacob have I loved.  
2 To thee I give it whom I delivered from the bloody hands of Esau that sought thy life, from the treacherous conspiracy of him whom I ordained to be thy servant, and to bow to thee, and by this thy deliverance I witness that thou art preserved for some excellent work.  
3 To thee will I give it, to whom I have revealed this Ladder, the only true way to heaven, by which the gate of Heaven is open unto thee, and a continual commerce is had betwixt heaven and earth, by which I standing at the top, will be thy GOD, and my Angels shall be thy fellows, Ascending and Descending to defend thee and thy Dominions: To thee will I give, whom I have so instructed in the knowledge of my Son CHRIST, who is the only Ladder that knits heaven and earth together, the sole mediator betwixt God and man; the foot of whose humanity standeth upon earth; the top of whose Divinity reacheth unto Heaven. Endeavour more and more to settle and establish this Ladder in the land where thou sleepest, and this Ladder shall establish the land to thee and thy seed for ever.  
Thou well perceivest what Ladder this is, no pieced ladder as some dreamers have dreamt, but entire of itself: the way to heaven is not peeced out either by Saint or Angel, or any other but by Christ alone, standing on earth, reaching along unto the highest Heaven.  
Neither is this way so easy as some have slanderously reported that we teach, and as flesh and blood is prone to believe, we shall not be carried to Heaven in a Featherbed, but we must climb a Ladder. If we be carried as Elias was in a chariot, 'twill be a fiery Chariot. If we will climb, we must take pains, for the way is long, and the impediments many.  
That our Church did ever teach a Theorical Faith without practice, is a mere slander: We must apprehend and lay hold on this Ladder with the hand of Faith, & climb every step of it with the feet of our affections, in being conformable to the Son of God, or else we shall never attain that which we expect, so hath God predestinated his to be, Rom. 8.29.  

1 The first step is his Conception and Birth unto which we must be conformable in our regeneration and new birth.  
2 To his Circumcision, in the cutting the foreskin of our hearts, that we may bleed in remorse for our wicked life.  
3 To his infancy by converting and becoming as little children, else we can never enter into the kingdom of God.  
4 To his Baptism, by our washing and purification from dead works.  
5 To his Life by learning his humility, meekness, patience, and obedience to his Fathers will.  
6 To his Death by mortification, and fruits of repentance, which if it be a godly repentance, What care will it work? What indignation? What fear, what zeal, what revenge, even to the crucifying of ourselves unto the World?  
7 To his Resurrection in newness of life & good works: but here commonly we make a stand as though we were out of breath, if one of the Sons of thunder do not urge us forward.  
8 To his Ascension by devotion having our conversation in heaven where Christ sits at the right hand of God: From the foot of his conception to the height of his Ascension, we must climb if ever we mean to reign with him: this Ladder did God reveal to jacob, which jacob did well consider, therefore (saith God) to thee will I give the land that thou mayst settle this Ladder in the land.   
4 To thee jacob will I give it, that thou mayst be as thy name is a supplanter, or a wrestler; to supplant Esau and all profane Edomites out of the holy Land: to wrestle with many crosses, and all impediments which hinder GOD'S glory, and good government: for the old Serpent is a supplanter still, and will never leave biting at the heels to make us fall backward from God: Christians thought themselves secure, when Governors, who used before to persecute them, were become Christians. Great cause they had to rejoice, but none to be secure: Imperatores factisunt Christiani, sed nunquid Diabolus factus Christianus? Though Emperors become Christians, and the most sincere Christians become Emperors, so long as the Devil is alive and Walketh, jacob must wrestle still, that he may become Israel to prevail with God and man. Pray we that our jacob may so prevail as Israel did, not so much by his sword, as by his true sincerity.  
5 To thee jacob and thy seed: Hear will I rest and proceed no further. The promise was to thy progenitors in part, but to thee entire, I was the God of Abraham, but in the line of Isaak only; I made a promise to Isaak, but in the line of jacob, but to thee and thy seed without limit. The family of Abraham was divided betwixt Isaak and Ishmael, whom men called Ismaelites: The family of Isaak was divided into jacob and Esau, and his were called Edomites: but the family of jacob united all the Tribes which became one Church, one Body, one Kingdom known by the name of Israel: and doubtless had Solomon preserved that unity and uniformity of Religion which before was established, the house of jacob had never been divided. But Solomon divided religion wherein God's kingdom consisteth, betwixt God and idols, therefore did God in his just judgement rend his kingdom betwixt jeroboam and Rehoboam. But in jacob it was united, wherein he was a type of the chief corner stone Christ jesus, who united many Nations into one everlasting Kingdom: A fit subject for Simeons' song, Mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared to be a light to lighten the Gentiles, and to be the glory of thy people Israel: an admirable pattern for Princes how to carry themselves in their kingdoms: For such was the dispensation of God, that took away contempt on one side, and envy on the other, and became salvation unto both, that the jew might not contemn the Gentile, therefore he was a light to lighten the Gentiles, that the Gentile might not insult over the jew, he was the glory of Israel, and salvation prepared before the face of all people.  
Now the God of all wisdom and power who is only One without division: That eternal son of his, the only pattern of true union: That holy spirit of his, whose function it is to build up and knit together the members into one body in the bond of peace: That blessed Trinity united inseparably in one Deity, so guide and moderate your Wisdoms and consultations herein, that jacob may carry the image of the God of jacob, that he may be a light to the one, and glory to the other, and happiness to both.  
For setting forward of which happiness observe a threefold blessing entwined and twisted together in this short sentence promised to jacob, enjoyed by us.  

1 Dabo tibi semen, a posterity to jacob which his progenitors wanted long.  
2 Dabo terram tibi & Semini: a blessing prepared for his posterity also; when thou shalt wax old, and grow weary of this clod of earth, when thou shalt desire to pluck up thy feet, and step into a better kingdom: The land whereupon thou sleepest is for thy seed after thee.  
3 Dabo te & semen tuum terrae: a blessing of all blessings to this land whereupon: to the land itself, and an happiness prepared before the face of all people.   
This triple cord is not easily broken, neither was it ever broken in the house of jacob, something untwisted it was in the captivity, but never broken before the appearing of the son of God in flesh, than was that Kingdom delivered unto Christ, that he might be all in all. That blessing be upon us and our children, upon jacob and his seed, till the appearing of our Lord in the clouds, from whence we expect a true kingdom, whereof all these are but shadows: That everlasting kingdom purchased by the blood of his dear Son and our only Saviour and Redeemer, to whom with the Father and Spirit, three persons and one God, be all Honour and Glory, from this time forth and for ever: Amen.  
FINIS.    

THE TUMULTS OF THE PEOPLE.  
Another Sermon at the Court in White-Hall before the King.  EXODUS 32.1. 
But when the people saw that MOSES tarried long ere he came from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together against AARON, and said unto him: up, make us gods to go before us.  
THE circumstance of Time is a powerful circumstance, either to aggravate a crime, or to make any action more effectual: the very same time that God was providing a law for his people, and writing it in Tables of stone, they were conspiring idolatry against him: The same night that Christ was betrayed, he took bread, 
1 Cor. 11.25  instituting a Sacrament of life for them who were plotting the treason of death against him.  
With this opposition did the Law and the Gospel both begin, by which it doth appear, that that old arch enemy of man's happiness was the chief agent in this business: It was not judas so much as he that entered into judas, nor the Serpent so much as he that spoke by the Serpent: nor the people so much as he that drives them like an heard of swine headlong to the accomplishing of Satan's purpose, and their own destruction: for Satan had a further purpose in this intent than the people thought of: He had been 2000 years in blotting God's Law out of man's heart, he sees that labour like to be lost, for that Law is at this present renewing by God in the mountain, and a writing by his own finger in Tables of stone to continue: therefore a plot must be devised either to break the tables in pieces, or some way to deface the work; and he plots it unhappily, for in the very instant when Moses came within sight, they were in the midst of their madness shouting after a Calf, the sight whereof so wrought upon the fervency of Moses zeal, that down fell the Tables and brake in pieces. As David's prayer was his only defence against Achitophel's policy, 
2 Sam. 15.31.  so must we pray to bring Satan's Council to nought, for none but he can do it.  
Satan is the principal agent, yet not mentioned no more then in his first temptation, Genesis the 3. Moses historicum agit non interpretem, let us therefore consider of this Scripture as it is an history, the Tract is plain, and the passage easy by the steps.  

1 The chief actors mentioned in the business are the people  
2 The occasion they took for this attempt, Moses absence in the mountain, his long absence as they pretend.  
3 The instrument wrought for their purpose must be Aaron.  
4 The means whereby they wrought him, by force in a tumultuous assembly.  
5 The work whereunto he was forced, Make us Gods to go before us.   
Where the people be principal actors, there's a dangerous piece of work towards; it is via serpentis, where the tail guides the head, where the people command Aaron. The true visage of an Anarchy; for if ever we should fall into the hands of a disordered multitude, we should see the sweetness of government, Carendo magis. here's a multitude: It is like the waves of the Sea that dash against this Rock, and that Sand, and break one upon another: here against Moses, there against Aaron, at the last against themselves: And herein is the power of God, saith King David in the Psalms, In appeasing the noise of the waves, 
Psal. 65.7.  and the madness of the people: the one by his invisible power, the other by that beautiful government which is his own blessed ordinance.  
But what people be these that disorder themselves, or to whom do they belong? The people, and my text hath it twice for failing, The people. In the third Chapter and the seventh verse; I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people, than were they God's people, and all along the history they be termed the children of Israel, the posterity of jacob, but now they be neither Gods nor jacobs, but their own, a rout of masterless men that none will own: so in the 32. of Deuteronomy, They have corrupted themselves, 
Deut. 32.5.  not being his people, but a froward generation. Doubtless it grieved Moses at the very heart, vers. the 7. When God said unto him, Get thee down, for thy people which thou brought out of the land of Egypt have corrupted their ways: Thy people saith God to Moses, Governors had need to have a tender care over God's people, for when they transgress, God turns them over to them. And had not Moses a tender care? No imputation could lie upon him, he had provided sufficiently for them in his absence, Aaron & Hur besides the Elders and Nobles of the Elders of Israel: therefore hark how Moses answers God again in his own defence, and in commiseration of a masterless people, vers. the 11. O Lord why does thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought out of the land of Egypt, with great power and a mighty hand? See how they be put off from one to another. God will not own them, Moses cannot: they be their own, they be themselves: I have seen this people, and behold it is a stiffnecked people, saith God to Moses in the 9 verse, and What did this people to thee, that thou brought such a sin upon them, saith Moses to Aaron, verse 21. Thou knows this people, that they are even set on mischief, saith Aaron to Moses, vers. the 22.  
Thus do their sins fall upon their own heads: they lost the glory of being God's people, they lost the honour of being the Children of Israel, even the Nobles of the Children of Israel, cap. 24.11. Though men be never so well descended, vice does taint the blood, it stains Nobility, especially this of resisting government: they be left to themselves alone, a degenerate multitude, they be neither God's Children, nor the Children of Israel: this and the like are the fittest appellations of such a sinful people.  
2. The occasion which moved this people thus to do, was taken and not given. Moses was absent; what then? was he not about public business? receiving Laws and Ordinances from God, for the governing of them, such Laws as no nation under heaven had the like: did he not acquaint them with all this before he went? more than Governors are bound to do: In the 24. chap. verse 14. Moses told them all the words of the Lord: How far was he gone? but into the mountain leaving them at the foot. He left them not alone without judges, cap. 24.14. whosoever hath any matter let them come before them. Yea, but he tarried long before he came down: How long? not six weeks in all. So impatient, so quickly have they forgot the covenant made at their parting, cap 24.3. All things that the Lord hath said we will do; repeated again in the seventh verse, and ratified with sacrifices. Is the impression of thunder and lightning so soon worn out? will not the twelve pillars erected at his going, at the foot of the hill be sufficient remembrances for six weeks absence? Children of Israel, well might he call them children, and Moses their nurse to carry them, as sucklings in his bosom which he conceived not, ever crying and complaining, never satisfied; taking occasion where none is given. There was great difference for a quiet contented heart when Moses was a Shepherd, and when he was the Governor of this people: Nec abnuendum si dat imperium Deus, nec appetendum.  
3. Moses is gone, they wot not what is become of him, 
3 The Instrument.  or they will not know, the power is in them, somewhat, some exploit must be done, and who must countenance the matter but Aaron? One highest in authority, and that should be holiest in life, he must be the man, and so he was. Omnis caro foenum; If Aaron, Moses Vicar amongst the people: If Peter, Christ's Vicar in the Church? who should be Summi Pontifices? If these fall so fowl, that one denies his Lord, the other prefers a Calf before him: let the Church of God never be built upon that Rock, but upon that which Aaron prefigured, and that which Peter discovered in the sixteenth of Matthew, 
Mat 6.16. Aug. vlt. D. tract. in joh.  Super hanc quam confessus es petram, saith S. Augustine, upon this Rock which thou hast confessed will I build my Church.  
God in Aaron would teach Israel that he who was thus captivate to sin himself could not deliver captives from sin by his sacrifices, as the Apostle proves at large in his Epistle to the Hebrews: Moses died in the wilderness, Aaron fell foully in the wilderness, the mortality of the one, and infirmity of the other were as School masters of Christ the Lamb of God, and Lord of life, to deliver us from sin and death.  
4. 
4 The means.  But let us not (as the manner of the world is) lay more imputation upon Aaron, then there is just cause: his infirmity was great, yet was he no voluntary agent, but a forced Instrument, they assembled themselves against him tumultuously, and urged him in threatening manner, up make us Gods: True, it did not excuse him more than Pilate, who feared a tumult, Matthew the 27. He should rather have died a thousand deaths then have yielded: yet see what pretty policies he hath to stay the business.  
1. He calls for golden ear-rings of their wives, sons and daughters, in the second verse: thinking women would by importunity bring any thing to pass, rather than part with their jewels and ornaments: there was some hope, that either the covetousness of men, or the pride of women might so far prevail, that some domestical dissension might hinder this great conspiracy against the God of heaven. But as Satan will not cast out Satan, so one sin is hardly wrought against another, especially those diabolical sins of pride and idolatry: There was no cost spared, for all the people plucked off their jewels, not one from another, but from themselves in the third verse: their Idol was their jewel: they never yet bestowed such cost upon the true God, that brought them from the bondage of Pharaoh, nor on Moses their Gonernour, as now upon the image of a Calf.  
2. When there is no remedy, he takes the jewels, casts them into the fire, fashions a Calf, carveth it, made a graving tool to go over it, built an Altar, proclaimed an holiday, whiled the time that Moses might come down, or some accident befall to stay their fury: so unwilling was Aaron, but they forced him.  
5. What to do? Make us Gods to go before us: God's service is a reasonable service in the 12. of Romans: 
Rom. 12.1.  but the service of sin is most unreasonable; especially this of Idolatry: that a God can be made: that Aaron a sinful man can make a God: that he can give it life and motion to go before them; Is it possible the people should be so senseless?  
This point than will bear two Queries.  

1. What Gods they meant should be made? Make us Gods.  
2. To what end? to go before us.   
Some think they meant only a sensible resemblance of the true God; or an image to which some Divine power might upon consecration be annexed: but I doubt they troubled not their heads with such differences.  
1 They called them gods in heathen terms, they were weary of one God, and now they must have a plurality: though Elohim be usually translated in the singular number, yet in this place I take it plurally, because St. Stephen does so read it in the seventh of the Acts, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
Acts 7.40.  Make us gods.  
Idolatry implies plurality, a plurality a nullity, dicite plures, dicits nullum: two infinites there cannot be, either one must run into another, or they must be finite on one side.  
2 When I consider how David speaks of ancient Idolaters, Psal. 115. 
Psa. 115.8.  They that make them are like unto them: how Esay describes them, cap. 44. vers. 16. They bake bread with one piece, 
Esay 44.16  roast meat with another, warm themselves with the third, and of the residue make a god: How in Baruc the 6. 
Baruc. 6.19.  Cats and Owls do redeem their Gods from their enemies, Rats and Mice that would devour them: I conceive the most senseless kind of idolatry: and howsoever Aaron might seek to refine it in the 5 verse, in proclaiming an holiday to jehovah the true God, yet sure the people themselves conceived it in gross.  
The like difference may be taken in matters of inferior superstition betwixt the school distinctions and the practice of the vulgar: Non colitur imago sed Deus in imagine, colitur Imago sed alio cultu, cultu eodem, at non univocè sed analogicè & reductiuè: distinctions well filled and refined in the brain: but alas, the people in whom is greatest danger, who are not able to distinguish betwixt Aaron's Beard, and the Beard of Aaron, must of necessity fall into extremity; howsoever Aaron in this place might help them with references and reductions to jehovah, yet in the people's intention this idolatry was very gross.  
2 To what end? to go a Procession, to go before us: did not the Cloud go before them by day, and the pillar of fire by night? yea the Lord himself went before them in the pillar and the cloud in the 13. Chapter, vers. 21. yea and that at this present, verse the 22. he took not away the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night from before the people. This will not content them: they must have a Calf, a costly Calf, and when all cost and carving is bestowed upon it, it cannot go, it must be carried before them; whereas the cloud and pillar of fire moved without their help. See how men please themselves in their own devices be they never so foolish, more than in Gods own institutions, be they never so full of Divine wisdom.  
But whither should it go before them? I think themselves scarce know whether: whither they meant to rove up and down in the wilderness, sit down to eat and drink, and rise up to play: but if they intended a set journey, it was either toward Canaan, or, as I think rather, back again into Egypt: else why should they think of a Calf, but in alluding to the Egyptian Apis, that pied Bull? they meant to go into Egypt, therefore they must have an Egyptian God to guide them: These be thy gods o Israel that brought thee out of the Land of Egypt as strangers when the Egyptians desired us to be gone, and these shall conduct us back again. But that which persuades me most, is in the Acts of the Apostles: they turned in their hearts back again into Egypt, 
Acts 7.39.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, saying, make us gods: Their hearts were in Egypt already, they wanted nothing but a God to guide them.  
If all things in the wilderness were in figure unto us, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 1 Cor. 10.11. This history most of all: all of us were under the bondage of Egypt, subject to sin, death, and hell, taskemasters of that spiritual Pharaoh, who hath power over death. 
Heb. 2.14.   
Our true Master Christ hath delivered us out of Egypt, and brought us under hope of enjoying that celestial Canaan. In the mean time he is gone up to the mountain to God the Father to mediate for us, and to write the Gospel is the Law of Christians, & the new covenant: he hath left his deputies beneath Civil & Ecclesiastical to govern us in his absence: He hath left Sacramental representations, as the cloud did represent his humanity, the fire his divinity: but his absence is so long, not a few weeks, but many hundred years, that we carry us in this life, as if we knew not what is become of him, where is the promise of his coming? 
2 Pet. 2.4.  in the 2. of Peter and the 3. Thus we sit down to eat and drink, & rise up to play: Every one hath his gods, his darling affections, his desires, his devices, though as wise as Calves, Deus est suacuique cupido: these foolish desires lead us back again into Egypt, there to make brick, or gather stubble; for that's the Dicotomy of this world: we are either making brick to build or plant ourselves on earth, or gathering stubble, picking the straws of vanity and pleasure: in which return, if we hold on, we had better we had never been delivered: for Christ will come as suddenly as Moses did from the mount, either himself in judgement, or by his messenger Death, give us our portion, make us drink the powder of our God's wrath. The dregs of sin which will turn into the gall of Asps: He that presumes Christ will be long a coming, and that death is a far off, he will surely come to him unlooked for: The Master of that servant will come in an hour when he is not aware. 
Luk. 12.46.  There be three Parables St. Luke joins in an excellent order. The Parable of the Prodigal Son, the unjust Steward, and the rich Glutton. The Prodigal by prodigality became miserable, by misery was drawn to repentance. But because men when they have run themselves out of breath in wickedness, presently have the parable of the prodigal child in in their mouths; He adds unto that the unjust Steward, who had short warning to give up his stewardship; he wisely cast in his mind what to do, Quid faciam, and never ceased casting till he resolved Scio quid faciam, and presently put it in execution, set down quickly: and because every man should not expect any special admonition before hand, he adds unto that the Parable of the rich man, who thinking his Master would belong a coming, follows his pleasure: & in momento descendit in infernum, died, and was presently in hell before he lift up his eyes unto heaven; So doth sudden destruction ever follow presumptuous sins.  
Therefore these golden glistering calves that we propose unto ourselves to follow, be it the Calf of wealth or pleasure or ambition, let us break them in pieces, and stamp them to powder by true repentance before the Lord come and break them for us: let us drink the powder in the tears of sorrow and contrition, that judging ourselves we may prevent the judgement of God, that we may redeem the time we have so vainly spent, in doubling the works of a good life; and happy is that man, whom the Lord when he cometh, shall find so doing. Which happiness God grant unto us for his Son's sake jesus Christ our Lord: To whom with the Father and the blessed Spirit, be all Honour and Glory both now and for ever. Amen.   

THE MOCK OF REPUTATION. A Public Sermon.  GENESIS 3.22. 
Behold, the man is become like one of us.  
ALL story and discourse whatsoever, indited by the spirit of Wisdom, the more concise it is, the more pithy is the sentence, and the matter of more special note: which Truth if it hold, as like it doth in Divine writ: Lo here the Acts and Monuments of a thousand six hundred and odd years comprised within the compass of six small chapters, the only true Records of that Age, containing story of more weight and worth, than all the books and Chronicles of the Kings of juda: which respect, beside others common to holy scripture, doth intimate unto us what virtue and pith the holy Ghost hath pressed and couched together within every sentence of this Chronicle, whereof my Text is one, and such an one amongst the rest, as is noted by the finger of the holy Ghost in the margin, Behold, the first word of wonder we find, pointing at some spectacle worth the beholding: A spectacle not for men to gaze upon, but Man a spectacle to God and Angels, who being placed by God in Paradise, was by his folly put into a dream of a deity, aspiring in knowledge to become a God, was in understanding made like the beasts that perish, turned out of Paradise into the open field amongst the beasts to be clad in Leathern hides, and skins of beasts: wandering in this miserable plight, Almighty God puts him in mind of his glorious Godhead, Behold the man is become like one of us, a God, and no man, where indeed he was a wretched worm, and no man.  
These words delivered by God in a figurative speech, and in the form like nails do pierce deeper, and stick faster than an ordinary speech. An irony, but uttered by a man of God, 
1 Kings. 18.21.  made Baal's Priests launce themselves with knives till the blood followed. A figure that being spoken (as here it was) to a proud man in misery, is Death unto him, and cuts deeper than any knife, vox tamen haec est non tam insultantis, quam caeteros ne superbiant deterrentis: God in this Irony did not so much intend to wound a miserable man, as to warn his posterity.  
Wherefore, (Right Honourable, Right Worshipful, & well-beloved) when I gave all diligence to speak unto you of those swelling humours that reign in the Sons of Adam, I was directed to this Scripture, which for the Majesty of it was delivered by God himself in the solemn assembly of the blessed Trinity, and holy Angels, for the use of it to the terror of all us which lay in the loins of Adam, for the Virtue of it pointed with an Irony, to pierce our affections, and stick fast in our memories, That we break not Gods bonds asunder, nor cast away his cords from us, lest he that sitteth in Heaven laugh us to scorn, and the Lord should have us in derision.  
The sentence itself like Christ's garment, may not be divided, it is so woven into one period, that to dismember the words, were to disgrace the figure: yet to avoid confusion of speech, and help our memories, I will distinguish these two points.  

1 Man's purpose and aspiring mind to become a God.  
2 The shameful miss of his purpose, that indeed became nothing less.   
Both which are insinuated in this figure, and may naturally be branched out of this sentence.  

Verse 22.  Peccasse Adamum tam specie quam individuo, is a schoolepoynt very probable; That Adam did not sin only personally, as a particular man, but as bearing the person and nature of all mankind: for that devilish infection of an aspiring mind, hath made as deep an impression in Adam's posterity as ever is did in himself: 
Dan. 4.27. Acts 12.21  Nabuchadnezzar and King Herod, the one for Power, the other for Speech affecting a Deity, are two fit Emblems of man in this place. Is not this great Babel that I have built by the might of my power, for the honour of my Majesty? spoken like God himself: Is not this great Heaven and Earth, which I have built by the might of my power, for the honour of my Majesty? but while the word was in the King's mouth, his Kingdom was rend from him, & himself turned out of his palace among the beasts of the field: Herod after he had made a smooth oration in a great assembly, for assenting to the people's applause: The voice of God and not of man, became a prey to the worms: these two bear the Image of the old Adam, who being in honour like Nabuchadnezzar, was cast out of Paradise amongst the beasts that perish, and for listening to the Serpent's voice, Eritis sicut Dij, like Herod became mormes meat, Dust thou art, and to dust thou shalt return.  
But what do I tell you of Kings and monarchs? that of the Poet, Est Deus in nobis, is common in every man's conceit, no affection so ridiculous, which vain man hath not made a God: 'twere vain to stand upon particulars: shall I tell you of the God of Gods exalted above heaven and earth? It is the God of honour and reputation amongst more. A God mighty and terrible, a jealous God, and a consuming fire, a God more honoured of English Gallants, then ever was jehovah in judaea, or jupiter amongst the Grecians: Si quoties peccant homines: jupiter is very sparing of his thunderbolts, though often dishonoured of mortal men, and the God of Israel when he was in his greatest fury, and most provoked to execute judgement, yet is said to seal up his plagues amongst his treasures: 
Deu. 32.34.  as though he were loath to spend them: God is patiented, and yet God is provoked every day: but if our honours be touched never so little, agitant calescimus illo: out goes a challenge presently, he shall die the death: Thus as vengeance were ours, miserable men will be Gods to die for it.  
By your patience (Honourable and worshipful) saving your Honours and Reputations, give me leave to estimate them one degree below God's honour, and your own salvation: Happily you will object, It is our honour, and we stand upon it; more precious and dear to us then life itself, for that is the life of our mortal lives, and preserves us living after our death, life without honour is no life, and honour after life makes death no death; wherefore in this respect no less honourable is our Resolution, than Razis the father of the jews commended in the Maccabees, 
2 Machab. 14.42.  in choosing rather to die manfully, then suffer reproach, unworthy his noble stock: 'Tis true, God forbidden we should deny, but that honour in a noble mind is to be preferred before a thousand lives, if our lives were altogether in our nostrils, if our Essence did return into the womb of the first Chaos, as things of base being; if our spirits did vanish into the light air like the spirits of beasts; then were this reason without exception: But we must remember that besides this word Honour which is commended to the favourable opinion of the world, to be blown to and fro with the breath of men's nostrils, there is an heavenly substance to be disposed of, to be placed after death, according to thy death, either in everlasting Tabernacles or perpetual torments: Wherefore, endangering thyself in single combat, not only to die, but to die the death, not only to perish, but to perish and come to a fearful end: not only to be cut down, but cut down and cast into the fire. Then poise these two, the blemish of honour, with the hazard of ever lasting life in the balance of thy judgement, and accordingly make resolution.  
I presume none will deny but in our usual and daily quarrels the danger is great, and rueful for any Christian to consider: but in a case of necessity, when otherwise neither Court can clear me, nor the devise of man give remedy: there laying apart all personal respects, abandoning all affections of Honour, without any desire of revenge, only for trial of right I'll commend my cause to the proof of Arms, and sentence of weapon, to be directed by Divine judgement. If your resolution be such, let me commend unto you a double consideration of cause and person.  
1 Is thine injury so heinous as may not be borne? and the trial so difficult as neither can be manifested by Record of writ, 
jer. 32.44.  nor decided by testimony of two or three witnesses established by our Saviour, nor indeed by Oath, 
joh. 8.17.  which the Apostle makes the upshot of all controversies amongst men. If thy quarrel be such, 
Heb. 6.16.  thou appealest to the judgement of Weapon.  
2 Then in the second place examine thyself, if respecting the private injury and blemish of honour, thou canst meet thine enemy in the field, and leave all sinister affections at home, if thou canst carry Christian Charity in thine heart, and the weapons of Death in thy hands? If thou canst commend a prepared soul to thy Saviour, & intent to shed that blood for which his blood was shed on the cross. If thou canst expect the reward of God's saints in heaven & determine to cast out thy brother's soul in a wrong cause; then see you have warrant, and keep thy resolution, but understand that this thy passage into heaven, if there be any such, after all honest pretences man's wit can devise, all the Differences the Law can afford, are bestowed upon it, will prove as hard and narrow a passage for thy soul, as a Needles' eye for the huge Camel. What shall we say then? Is there no redress for the blemish of honour and reputation? Yes beloved, there will come a day when the most secret cause will be made manifest, when all the Courts in the world shall be judged over again, till which time God hath reserved many causes untried for his own Court. Therefore says St. Paul, 
1 Cor. 3.5.  judge nothing before the time, till the Lord come, who will lighten things that are hid in darkness, and then shall every man have praise of God: have patience then till the trump blow, and the walls of jericho fall flat to the ground, Till the Heavens pass with a noise, and the elements melt with fervent heat, then shalt thou meet the judge of the world, and receive sentence according unto right, then shall thine honour be restored seven fold in the sight of Men & Angels: there mean while resolve thyself like a Christian, if thy supposed honour affect thee, in case of God's honour or the safety of thy soul, cast it off, better it is for thee to enter heaven lame in honour, maimed in reputation in the sight of the world, then having all sound to be cast into hell fire. I speak not after the manner of men, else would I persuade that it were not a world could eclipse true honour, Well: true or supposed honour, shall I suffer disgrace till the last trump? This is an hard interim, I would to God I could relieve you.  
Shall I with S. Augustine adfratres in Eremo, commend unto you the example of our Saviour, who being disgraced, and shamefully dishonoured of his enemies: the first oblation he offered upon the Altar of the Cross, was prayer for his enemies: that were not so fit, it was writ adfratres in eremo, but I know to whom I speak: Shall I commend the Prophet David's example, who dishonourably reviled of Shimei, revenged not again, but dealt honourably with lame Mephibosheth, the remnant of his enemy's house. Yea but David was a Prophet altogether swallowed up with divine contemplation, we are not of that precise coat: yea but David was a Prince, and well witted what true honour meant; a valiant Prince, whose arm would encounter a bow of steel, and by the might of his God spring over a wall, yet herein was his glory to show kindness to his deadly foe. 
2 Sam 9.3  Remains there not one (saith David) of the house of Saul on whom I may show the salvation of God? Honourable David that thought it the most honour to be likest God in showing mercy to his enemies: All my Father's house (saith Mephibosheth to David) were but dead men before my Lord the King: Posse & nolle nobile, To revenge a quarrel argues skill and courage, but to forgive, or not regard an injury, that is right Honourable. Wherefore, to conclude this point, 
Mar. 8.35.  that which our Saviour Christ pronounced in the Gospel of Mark is as truly to be meant of honour, as of life, Whosoever will save his honour shall lose it, and whosoever shall lose his honour for my sake and the Gospels shall save it. Be it then far from dust and ashes to seat himself in God's place, crying vengeance is mine, I will repay it: to extol his own honour before Gods, lest he that sits in heaven laugh them to scorn, and the Lord should have them in derision: This is one point in which vain man the Son of Adam does affect to become a God Like one of us.  
If it would please Almighty God to look down from Heaven upon the sons of men, 
Psal. 13.2.  he might behold more presumptuous and aspiring gods amongst men, or would he come down from heaven to make trial of these cries that are come up to him, 
Gen. 18.21.  as himself speaketh in the 18. of Genesis, would it please him to take a view of his own dwelling place, the holy house of his habitation, he should perceive one of Adam's unhallowed sons seated in his room, houzed within the holy stones of Zion: his chambers & chairs adorned with the Church's robes, himself and his family fed with Tithes and Offerings: would not this provoke Almighty God to take my text for good sooth, and say behold the man is become a god like one of us: harboured in our sanctuary, and served with our Priests, like one of us, honoured and worshipped in consecrated Tithes, and holy offerings like one of us, whiles we may take up our lodgings with Baucis or Philemon, or content ourselves with ten shekels of silver, and a suit of apparel. Then sure blessed must that house be where God is so well regarded says that idolatrous miscreant Micah. 
Iud 17. ver. vlt.  As for Tithes and Offerings, they be but Levitical customs, ceremonies, and shadows vanished away at the Sunshine of the Gospel: thus are we content to have our mouths muzzled, and our tongues tied.  
The Roman Orator played his prizes never worse, then in his own cause, and I know not how it comes to pass, either we are over-modest to plead for ourselves, lest we might seem partial, or too timorous: we are content at balack's beck, neither to bless nor curse, or (which is worst of all) if ever we mean to enter God's house, ourselves must come like Gods, like jupiter himself in a golden shower, or stand without, o aur eum orationis flumen; these be the golden streams of eloquence that make the Preachers voice the voice of a God.  
But as I begun to say, we are unfit Orators for this theme, will it please you to hear almighty God speak in his own person: 
Malac. 3.8.  Will a man spoil his gods? but you have spoiled me, saith the Lord: A strange speech for the God of heaven to speak to mortal men, You have spoiled me, and that made the people of Israel to wonder, Lord wherein have we spoiled thee? God answers, in Tithes and Offerings: parturiunt montes, a ceremony, a shadow, a toy: no (beloved) almighty God fights not with shadows, nor is so zealous for a ceremony, there is more in it then all they account for: these are not Mint and anise we talk of, but matters of greater moment.  
All the wonders the Apostles wrought upon the earth were saving wonders, restoring men to their health and perfection; but when they met with sin of alienating Church goods in Ananias and Saphira, their wonder was an extraordinary judgement, no less than present death: When the Lamb of God walked upon the earth, he is observed never to have wrought any thing by force or violence, but all with gentle persuasions, and fatherly admonitions, so observeth S. Augustine in one book, 
Vera relig. c. 16. Cap. 13.  yet the Father was deceived, for himself doth retract that point in his book of Retractions, and does confess, that indeed when he met with this sin of Merchandise in the Church of God, than his patience was moved to use some Discipline: then, and only then in all his life did the Lamb of God play the Lion of the tribe of juda; for himself alone with a three-stringed whip drove the Merchants out of the Church.  
Now if these Merchants shall quit him with his own, and through their merchandise drive Christ out of the Church, they are no more to look for a whip of cords but a rod of iron, to break them in pieces like a Potter's vessel; If they will needs meddle with forbidden fruit as Adam did, they must look to turn Gods as Adam did, in whom I beseech you a little to look yourselves as in a glass. Man having his choice of all the pleasant fruits in Paradise, only except the forbidden fruit, whereof if he eat, the same day he must die the death, was visited by the Serpent; yea, hath God indeed said, ye shall not eat? indeed, says the woman, we eat of the trees of the Garden, but of the fruit of the tree in the midst of the garden, (there is a tree in the midst of the garden worth all the rest) of the fruit of that tree God hath said, Ye shall not eat, neither shall ye touch it lest ye die: Die? says the Serpent, ye shall not die: die the same day? ye shall not die at all: die the death? ye shall live most happy lives, ye shall be Gods: but what became of them, we all know by woeful experience.  
So you, beloved, are by God's goodness here placed in a land like Eden for pleasure and plenty, blessed like Ifrael with the dew of heaven, and fat of the earth, enriched like Tyrus, whose Merchants were Princes, and Chapmen the Nobles of the land, sucking the abundance of the sea, and treasure hid in the sand: only the forbidden fruits of the Church touch not lest ye die the Death. Then comes the Serpent, hath God indeed said ye shall not eat of these fruits? Indeed (answers flesh and blood) we eat of the fruits of the Land, and abundance of the Sea, but there be certain Holy fruits of the Land worth all the rest, Tithes and Offerings, the flower, and fat of the land, pleasant springs, Orchards, Gardens for recreation, goodly stones that would build us stately houses and towers, whose top might reach unto heaven, were we but possessed of these, we should be gods upon earth. Thus stolen waters are sweet, and the bread of deceit is pleasant to a man, but afterwards (says Solomon) it turns to gravel in the mouth, and then you know what follows, a gnashing of teeth, when almighty God shall come to give sentence. Adam where art thou? Hast thou eaten of the forbidden fruit whereof I said thou shouldst not eat? Thou shalt be cast out of the Paradise of this world, not in Leathern skins among the beasts of the field, but stark naked among the fiends of Hell, where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth: Then he that sits in Heaven shall laugh them to scorn, and the Lord shall deride them with a bitter Irony, Behold the man is become like one of us: Son remember thou in thy life time hadst a paradise of pleasure, no dwelling would please thee, but the sanctuary and habitation of God: no lands and livings content thee but those hallowed and dedicated to God: no bread sweet and pleasant unto thee but Tithes & Offerings, and holy things of God This shall be the Lords derision: this is that fearful sentence whereto my text is but a warning piece, and the fall of Adam but a figure; and so we have done with the second general point, wherein the Son of Adam affecteth to become a God like one of us.  
Out of the last words, unus è nobis, it is agreed that almighty God directed his speech to the persons in Trinity, whence it may be demanded, to which of the three persons man affected to be like, like one of us; though indefinitely it may be understood of any, yet the School determines: He affected not so much to be like the Father in power, or the spirit in love, as in knowledge to resemble the second person, who is the wisdom of his Father, for it follows like one of us, knowing good and evil.  
The sum of which is, that man created in perfect reason, & endued with great measure of knowledge, according to his kind, yet in time was to attain to greater perfection, but unwilling to stay his time, and expect the means appointed by God, thought to take a shorter out, but taste an apple, and presently have his eyes opened, and become a God in knowledge: A fault (beloved) that died not in Paradise, but lives still, & never more then in these days, where knowledge & Divinity do bud and blossom, and ripen all in a trice, like Aaron's rod, as if we were suddenly inspired from heaven, or we ourselves had a cloven tongue at command.  
The treasures of wisdom and knowledge are not all gathered in one day; hadst thou a more excellent wit and gifts more famous than young Timothy, of whom Prophecies went what a notable instrument he was like to prove, 
1 Tim. 1.18  yet Timothy must so belabour it, that his stomach shall be the worse for it, and his body subject to many and often infirmities. 
1 Tim 5.23  Dost thou rely upon God's special grace and assistance never so much? as S. Paul did, not I, but the grace of God with me, yet Paul's books and parchments must not be forgotten, for all the spirit. A man would think that visions and revelations were never more rife then in these days: to see a young Divine plunge himself out of one Church into another, Determine Religions and challenge Moses and Aaron, as if himself in a trice had thoroughly digested the volume of God's book, and drunk up the whole current of the ancient Fathers: but if Paul will be a planter of Religion, he must take spade and mattock, dig deep, and labour more abundantly than they all, yea and spend a more precious humour then the sweat of his brows: Librorum helluo makes the best Divine, 
Ezek 2.8.  by Eating of the book, and not of an apple do we attain to Divine knowledge, howsoever Adam will touch and taste, & have his eyes opened: And by this time it remains to inquire what is become of him, Behold, says God, he is become like one of us. And thus far shall suffice for the 1. point, of Adam's purpose and aspiring mind to become a God: Now follows the shameful mill of his purpose, that in truth he became nothing less than like one of us, which is truly expressed in the manner of speech being Ironical, Behold the man is become like one of us.  
2 Ecce Adam, behold the man, Quid superbis pulvis & cinis? Diabolus superbit sed non pulvis & cinis, saith St. Angustine: It had been a wonder if Lucifer the brightest of Angels had become a God, being but a creature, but for man, Dust and ashes, a piece of clay, taken from under the feet of beasts, to be extolled amongst the gods, this was exceeding wonderful: This man is become such a god, that attired in skins, turned out of the Garden, the bruit beasts, had they the tongue of Balaams' Ass, might have saluted him in good sooth without a figure: Behold the man is become like one of us; shrouded in a Leathern hide from the parching heat of the Sun, and the pinching frost of the night, like one of us: nay, respecting his condition far worse than one of us, Quanto peius est fieri, quam nasci belluam, far better it is to be a beast by nature's privilege, then by degenerating to be compared to beasts; worse than that, sent to the school to learn of beasts, by Solomon to the Coneys and pismires for wisdom and providence, by a greater than Solomon to the Ravens and Fowls of the air for trust and confidence in God, by jeremy to the Ox and Ass for knowledge and religion: 
jerem. 3.2.  The Ox hath known his Owner, and the Ass his Master's Crib, but my people have not known, nor Israel understood: This is that goodly Godhead almighty God means in this figure, upon which phrase of speech, it is worth the while a little to pauze: Behold, saith God, he is become, but how came he? factus est, sed quis fecit?  

Vers. 44.  In the two and thirty chapter of the book of Exodus, when the Israelites went a-madding after a Calf which Aaron had fashioned for a God, Moses put Aaron to his Apology, who made this narration for himself, They gave me their gold, I cast it into the fire, and thereout came this calf: what Aaron? became that a calf by hap hazard without hands, or did it make itself a calf? theront came this calf: Aaron was ashamed to say, he had made a God, that the God of Israel should be the workmanship of his hands, wherefore he passeth that over in silence, and says, I cast the gold into the fire, and thereout came this calf: in like manner God in this place to make the wonder greater, neither expressing the Author nor manner of this Metamorphosis, only, Behold the man is become like one of us: notwithstanding, that may be easily gathered by the allusion and reference of this sentence to that of the serpents in the fifth verse (Eritis sicut Dij) his meaning is, that man was a God of the Devils making, who finding our parents of a Thrasonical and swelling disposition, aspiring towards a Deity, comes upon them like Gnatho, with Eritis sicut Dij, yea, you shall be Gods: a practice so performed of all hands, as it is become a main pillar of Satan's Kingdom, Parasitatio quam facilis quam pestifera, an easy part, the cobblers Crow will con that: yet never played without a Devil: Peter no sooner saluted our Saviour in this smoothing dialect, but presently he discovered a Devil, Get the behind me Satan: Satan never moved the tongue of Beasts, but to sooth and flatter: Almighty God never opened the mouth of dumb beasts but to reprehend, and the simplest Ass in service shall stand his master in better stead in this kind, than the nimblest tongued Serpent that walks in this garden: art thou then placed in a Paradise of pleasure, abounding with all delights man's heart can desire beware the serpent's poison, that will make thee to swell bigger than the skin will hold, to stretch thyself beyond thyself, till thou consume as smoke that vanisheth by increasing.  
Art thou a Caesar upon each, parting thine Empire with jupiter himself, Caue àsalutatoribus, these are the Crows that peck out thine eyes being alive, and make thee stone-blind, that thou shalt not be able to know or discern thyself.  
Art thou set upon the Candle stick of the Church, to give light to all that are in the house of God? art thou determined in shining to others to consume and spend thyself for Zion's sake? Look to thy followers, there was a Parasite amongst the Disciples pulled Christ by the sleeve, took him aside, & bade him favour himself,: 'tis a world to see what pre-eminence this profession hath gotten in the world: no state so holy or absolute, no person so base or of small worth, whom this Court holy-water hath not besprinkled: If all thy earrings, gold, or silver, or what ever plucked from men, women, and children by violence and extortion will but raze a Golden Calf. The whole host of Israel will play the Parasites, or that Calf shall become a God: That great Ox Nabuchadnezzar lifted upon a Monarchy had his saluters at hand, O King live for ever, as if it were not impossible but a Monarch might be immortal like God: Hi homines prorsus exstultis insanos faciunt: Our Parents Adam and Eve went a fooling after a Godhead, and here comes the Devil with an Eritis sicut Dij, ye shall be Gods, and carries them headlong like an heard of Swine into utter perdition: Atque sic homo factus est Deus, thus did the man become like one of us.  
The Serpent having his prizes is fled away, and Man hears no more of him: his Oracle proves true, but in a wrong sense: their eyes were open, but to their own shame: They had the knowledge of good and evil, but by woeful experience. And for the third, he said they should be Gods, and children to the most high God, but they died like men, and fell like one of the Princes, like the Prince of Babel from the world's dominion to the beasts of the field: like the Prince of Angels, from glory and joyful bliss, to extreme misery and torment of conscience: like Prince Herod from a conceit of a god, to a pray for worms. Here ends the tragedy of woeful man wallowing in the pit of endless perdition, vexed by God from heaven with a taunting Irony, Behold the man is become like one of us.  
It were great pittty to leave man in this miserable case, will our text lead us no further but jump to the pit of perdition? No sweetness to be sucked out of God's Ironia, but all bitterness and wormwood? Yes (beloved) The Father of all creatures delights not in taunting, vexing, or tormenting of any. The God of all consolation, who in the midst of judgement thinks upon Mercy, was never more ready and quick to show mercy then at this present. For before ever he did pronounce judgement upon man at the 16. verse of this Chapter, he promised the seed of the woman should break the serpent's head: in the 15. verse gives promise of redemption, before the sentence of condemnation, the reason of which redemption may be gathered out of the last words of my text, unus è nobis, according to the premised doctrine.  
In Matthew the 12: 
Mat. 12 32  He that sinneth against the Son shall be forgiven, but he that sinneth against the holy Ghost shall never be forgiven in this world, nor in the world to come: Satan in this act sinned directly against the holy Ghost, of mere envy maligning the state of man, and therefore his fall was without redemption: but man offending more directly against the second person, affecting in knowledge to be like the Son of God, the wisdom of his Father: wherefore almighty God, says S. Barnard, in the fury of his wrath, seeing his son so dishonoured, and as it were thrust out of his throne by the aspiring mind of man, cries vengeance is mine, and I will repay it: I'll revenge my sons injuries upon Adam and his posterity for ever: nay (father) replies the Son in tender zeal to his Father's glory: Let it never be said thou madest man for nought, and the sons of men for endless perdition: thou that madest the Heaven for thy perpetual seat, and established the earth never to be removed: Thou that in wisdom hast created all things for some happy end, wilt thou bring man the image of heaven, and glory of the earth, the collection of creatures, and map of nature, the impression of divine essence, to shame and confusion? Let that malicious Serpent never boast himself that he hath disgraced the workmanship of thy hands, and defaced thy divine Image, that he made the Prince of Paradise a vassal of hell, and the Lord of Creatures a bondslave to Satan: And for mine own injury, Si propter me haec tempestas orta sit, If I be the occasion of all these troubles and tumults, take me (father) and cast me out of thy presence into the Sea of that troublesome world, that thereupon may ensue a calm: let the deep swallow me up, and the water of affliction go over my soul, that many souls may peaceably arrive at the Haven of eternal happiness: If for tasting the forbidden fruit of Paradise, the whole earth must be barren, and cursed with unfruitfulness, let the plowers blow upon my back, and make long furrows, whereout man may reap most joyful fruits of my bitter passion: If in the sweat of his brows he shall eat his bread, let me by mine agony and bloody sweat become that bread of life, whereof if he feed he shall live for ever: Let me be crowned with those thorns which the cursed earth for his sake brought forth: since it hath pleased thee for my sake to take his fig leaves from him, put him into Leathern skins to salute him with this Irony, behold the man is become like one of us: let mine enemies for his sake, take mine own garments from me, and put upon me Scarlet Robes to mock & deride me with Hail King of the jews: If man for affecting mine image in knowledge be for my sake cast amongst the fiends of Hell, let me for his sake take upon me the image of man, that man by me may be exalted among the Angels in heaven: If for eating of the tree in the garden he shall die the death, let me be made that fruit, hanging upon that cursed tree in Golgotha, whereof if he eat he shall live the life, that everlasting life whereby in glory and true happiness he shall indeed become like one of us: If for affecting that fair seeming fruit of Paradise man shall become an exile from the place of plasure, let me be made a pleasant fruit of a new promised land; Grapes of Canaan growing out of a withered and deformed stock, without form or fashion, that goodly cluster of grapes carried upon the bar of the cross, pressed out into most precious liquor, a pleasant wine that makes glad the heart of man, and does him good at the soul. Father, since it is thy good pleasure in tender zeal to mine honour, thus to bring forth miserable man, for a wonderment and gazing stock to the whole host of Heaven with an Ecce: Since nothing else will pacify thy wrath and heavy displeasure for thy sons sake, I myself will bow the heavens, and go down, invest myself with a vail of flesh, and cover of skin, the shape of a servant, that mortal men may in truth salute me, not without a wonder, Behold the God of heaven is become a mortal man like one of us, Eternity itself is born, and immortality put into the grave, like one of us.  
Behold the eternal Son of God begotten of his Father before all worlds without a Mother, brought forth of his Mother into the world without a Father: He that built heaven and earth, a Carpenter's Son, and the Prince of Heaven spoiled of his royalty, become a sucking babe like one of us, laid in a woman's lap like one of us. Behold the incomprehensible light of glory, put into a lantern of corruptible flesh, the bread of life an hungered, and the fountain of living water a thirst like one of us. Behold the eternal God in whom is no shadow of change, no mutability at all, hath put on a piece of clay, a bundle of grass, a bubble of water, is become a vapour, a shadow, a Dream, when he became man like one of us: If this will not satisfy thine indignation, more than this: since man by his fall is compared to the beasts: let this Ox and the Ass of Bethleem salute me: Behold the incomprehensible deity that fills heaven and earth, is laid in a manger, and the Lord of Heaven installed in a stable like one of us: If this will not suffice thy wrath, let Traitors, Robbers, and Malefactors of the world salute me: Behold, the immaculate Son of righteousness is condemned at the bar, the glory of heaven spit upon: he that sits upon the Cherubins, and rides upon the wings of the wind, is mounted upon a Cross, and hanged up between two thieves like one of us. Thus was our cause pleaded, and our salvation enacted at the high Parliament of the blessed Trinity: This is the intercession of Christ's blood, that speaks better things than the blood of Abel, which cried for vengeance: this is the comfortable speech of the Son that mitigates the bitterness of his Father's Irony: This is the pleasant voice of God in a burning bush, that the hot wrath of God consume us not: This is the honey in the Lion's mouth, the Lion of the Tribe of juda, that hath broke the Serpent's head, and trod Satan under feet: Thus is Heaven and earth joined, and God and man reconciled: The gates of heaven are lift up, and the everlasting doors set open: now men and Angels may praise God in one quire, and sing one song, Glory to God on high, in earth peace, and good will towards men: Now the Cherub which before kept man from the tree of life with a fiery sword, does overshadow the Mercy seat for man. This is the Lords doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes: what shall we do then? but take the cup of salvation, and praise the name of the Lord: every man commemorating his benefits with the Prophet David: 
Psal 103.  Praise the Lord O my soul, and all that is within me praise his holy name, praise the Lord O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, which forgiveth all thy sins, and healeth all thine infirmities, which redeemeth thy life from death, and crowneth thee with mercies and compassions; which filleth thy mouth with good things, making thee young and lusty like an Eagle. These are the benefits of the Lord of life, who became sin, knowing no sin, that thy sins might be forgiven thee: the satisfaction of him, who was whipped and scourged, that by his stripes thine infirmities might be healed: Of him that was humbled unto death, the death of the Cross, that thy life might be redeemed from death, from eternal death: Of him that was crowned with thorns, to crown thee with mercies and compassions: Of him that drank vinegar and gall, drank amain the cup of God's wrath, that thy mouth might be filled with good things: Of him that was pierced and mangled upon the Cross, became a bleeding carcase, eagle's food, that thy soul therein upon feeding might become young and lusty like an Eagle, iovis & Vir 'gins ales, that great Eagle that broke the net for us, and we are escaped from death unto life, from the bondage of Satan to the freedom of the Sons of God, heirs and fellow heirs with Christ of his Father's kingdom, crowned with glory and immortality like one of us: This is the body of the Doctrine contained in this sentence: By your patience in a word, let me sink it a little deeper towards the heart, & then I will commend it & you to the grace of God. You see how the edge of this I conical speech, which otherwise might gall & wound miserable man, is abated by the indulgence of the son of God: what then? hath this sentence lost his edge? is it become blunt, and to no use? yes (beloved) it is the word of God spoken by God himself, & therefore sharper than any two edged sword: but the edge is turned from wounding men, to the cutting down of all those affections that grow in men: I cannot better resemble it then to Abraham's knife, which was stretched over his son Isaac, till the Angel of God from heaven turned the knife from Isaac to the Ram caught by the horns, 
Gen. 22.10  so was the Ram killed and Isaac saved alive: In like manner this sharp sentence of Almighty God, sharper than knife or razor to a proud man in misery, had not the eternal Son of God, The everlasting father, The Prince of Peace turned the edge of this sentence from Isaac to the Ram, from wounding the sons of men, to the kill of the rammishnesse of our affections, to cut down those lofty and aspiring minds that threaten the clouds, and rob God of his honour.  
Wherefore (Right honourable and Worshipful) let us humble our souls under the sacrificing knife of Almighty God, which will mortify our corrupt and boisterous affections: let us open our bowels to embrace that two edged sword of the Spirit, which will cut down both extremes of vice from the golden mean of our mortified affections. Let us suffer ourselves to be cropped and pruned by our heavenly father, that we may bring forth fruits worthy of Repentance, lest in stead of a pruning knife to lop off the sprigs that shoot out beyond measure, there be an Axe laid to the Root, we cut down and cast into the fire: lest this fatherly and gentle Irony: be turned into a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a bitter derision, when he that sits in heaven shall spy us a far off in heaven, laugh us to scorn, and the Lord have us in derision. judge you selves therefore that ye be not judged of the Lord, give sentence upon yourselves, that ye be not condemned of the Lord, humble yourselves, under the mighty hand of God, lest he execute himself judgement, and humiliation upon you. I am not ignorant how unsavoury these sackcloth Sermons are to flesh and blood, but I know no other way to heaven, since man lost heaven by lifting himself aloft, then must he get it again by humbling himself in sackcloth and ashes: no passage into Paradise but under a fiery sword, the sword that cuts away the branches of our corrupt nature: no climbling into heaven but over a cross, our Master's beaten way and his Disciples: He that will look ever to attain to that place of bliss, where all tears shall be wiped from our eyes must have his eyes like the fishponds of Heshbon standing full of water, which makes them more beautiful in the sight of our beloved Spouse. He that with David will have God to put off his sackcloth, and gird him with gladness, must himself put it on and mourn with sorrow: Capernaum (says our Saviour) which art lifted up to heaven, shalt be brought down to hell, for if these things which are done in thee had been done in Tire and Sidon they would have repent in sackcloth and ashes, therefore the only way to keep Capernaum out of hell is sackcloth and ashes; when the judge of the world shall give sentence at the last day, see the goodness of God to mankind even in the sentence of condemnation, Go ye cursed into hell fire, prepared, for whom? for you? no: for the Devil and his Angels: when thou wilt become one of Lucifer's Angels, mount thyself into the seat of God, 
Esay 14.  Ero similis altissimo, become a God like one of us, Then shalt thou fall from heaven like lightning, pierce the clouds as a thunderbolt, and come down with such a vengeance.  
Therefore let us tread the steps of our Lord that hath broken the Ice, and trod out the way for us, who desires us to learn but one lesson of humility for the rest of our souls: It may seem a strange speech delivered from Christ; When I am lift up, I will draw all men unto me, 
john. 12.31  signifying what death he should die, is it like that himself hanging upon the cross could entice others to that cursed tree? It must be a great humiliation surely, and so it must be, Non decet sub spinoso capite membrum esse delicatum: If the head of Christ wore a crown of Thorns: It is no dishonour for the foot to catch a thorn: let it not grieve us to tread the steps of the eternal Son of God, and king of glory, but learn of him, even of him that rid upon an Ass & was mounted upon a Cross to be humble, and so you shall find rest unto your souls; The peace of God which passeth all understanding shall possess your humble souls, and the Prince of Peace descend, like a shower into a fleece of wool, into your meek and gentle souls. Then shall the dew of heaven water your contrite and broken souls with all celestial graces. Then shall we reap every grain we have sowed in tears, and these souls that have mourned and turmoy led themselves in this cloddy and miry earth of sinful flesh shall return with joy to the Father that gave them, & carry their sheaves with them: from which sorrow, to which joy he deliver us, and bring us, that hath redeemed us, and bought it for us, les us Christ the righteous, to whom with the Father and the blessed Spirit, be all honour and glory from this time forth and for evermore Amen.   

THE NECESSITY of the PASSION. A Sermon on good Friday at the Cross.  LUKE 24.46. 
So it is written, and so it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise again from dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins might be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at jerusalem.  
THIS is one of the little Gospels of Christ revealed now in plain words hidden before in Moses and the Prophets, even from the Apostles and Disciples till it pleased our Saviour Christ to open their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures, and then to deliver these words which now by God's providence in the evangelical writings be come unto our hands: For God in his Divine dispensation thought it meet that Moses face should shine through the vail: that the Ark of the Covenant should be covered that the Tabernacle should be overshadowed with a Cloud, that there should be a vail of the Temple which should be as a wall before the Holy of Holies, until the fullness of Time came that his own Son should be manifested in the flesh, to speak face to face to us. Until the cover of the Ark, that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as it is called, Romans the 3. should be opened at the Passion that we might look into it, 
Rom. 3.25.  and see what it behoved Christ to suffer: until the Son of righteousness should rise again the third day to dispel the cloud of the Tabernacle: until the vail of the Temple should be rend that we might behold the mercy-seat of God in stead of judgement, that we might see the Cherub with stretched wings ready to fly with the glad tidings of Remission of sins to all Nations, beginning at jerusalem: So that the Removing of those veils, was nothing but the revealing of these mysteries which my Text declares. That Son of God our Saviour who opened the understandings of the Disciples to see so much, remove the vail from your hearts that you may discern as much, and rightly apply the same: And that it may the better stick by us, and work upon us, observe the order of the Holy Ghost in the Text delivered in four distinct points, 

The Proof of the Redemption.  
The Work of the Redemption.  
The Fruits of the Redemption.  
The Ministration of the Redemption.    

1 The Proof a Testimony of Scripture, So it is written.  
2 The work consisting in two things, the Suffering.  
2 The work consisting in two things, the Resurrection.  
3 Out of these two spring two fruits, Repentance out of the Passion.  
3 Out of these two spring two fruits, Remission out of the Resurrection.   
For as the Passion of Christ works in us Repentance, which is the Passion of a Christian: so the Resurrection dissolving the bands of Death doth absolve us from the chains of sin which is the Resurrection of a Christian.  
4 The ministration of it to the world by public proclamation, The text calls Preaching.  
2 This preaching with authority in his name.  
3 This authority gives a large commission to all Nations.  
4 Yet not confusedly but in orderly proceeding, beginning at Jerusalem.  
This I conceive to be the most easy and plain tract of this Scripture, So it is written, and so it behoved etc.  
So it is written. 
The proof. ] This sword of the Spirit Christ did take unto him when he first entered the lists with Satan in the 4. of Matthew, and so now after his resurrection taking his leave off the Church, armeth his Disciples with the same sword: So it is written: and as Satan at the first laboured to wrest it out of the hands of Christ, so ever since he hath endeavoured to drive us from it, knowing it to be safest for us, and the most deadly weapon against him: So it is written.  
1. Great Love of God, 
Magnus amor.  that he vouchsafed to feed his Church in the infancy so famlliarly with Revelations, but a greater Love when the is Revelations are upon record, that posterities might have recourse unto them, to judge of Revelation and decern of Spirits, by So it is written.  
No marvel therefore though writing the Law made the Devil so mad, that he set the people a madding upon a Calf, hoping by that stratagem to put their Captain Moses into some zealous fury, that he would break the tables or do some mischief to the written Law: It stung the Serpent that God's Law should be written in tables of stone to continue, that from time to time it might discover all false Oracles, and keep the verity of God entire from his unwritten vanities.  
2. A great Benefit to have the Law written, 
2 Magnum beneficium:  but greater favour that Comments also of Moses and the Prophets together with their Prophecies and the Mysteries of salvation given by divine inspiration should be committed to writing, that Christ in his person might confirm his Apostles, as here with So it is written, and that the Apostles upon the same testimony might preach the same Gospel to all nations, beginning at jerusalem.  
3. 
3. Magna misericordia.  But of all mercies this the greatest, that to Moses and the Prophets are added Christ and the Apostles, that all things needful to salvation be now perfected, exactly written, admirably preserved, sealed up with a curse in the end of the book to any that shall add or diminish: whether of the sect of Montanus or servetus, or any fantastic spirit of latter time that expects further Revelation: or whether they that make the traditions of men or the voice of a Counsel equivalent, that is, of equal infallibility with the Word written: this is so absolute itself and of itself, that Vincentius Lirinensis so approved by our adversaries doth aver, Solus sufficit ad omnia satis superque: An absolute canon it is, but for what? for the mysteries of our salvation wrought by the death, and perfected by the resurrection of Christ: An absolute canon for prescript of all essential parts of God's worship, and the directing of our souls to everlasting life, for which It is written. 
Ioh: 20: 21.   
But shall we therefore from sufficiency of the written word require the proof of all particulars without limitation? Doubtless under this pretence we may go too far: Must ye have a proof out of Scripture, that the plague is not infectious or will ye not believe it? shall we exact a prescription out of the word of God, How to build Churches for divine service? or, How to shape decent garments for the Clergy? shall the Scripture define in particular each ceremony and circumstance any ways annexed or appertaining to external Worship? shall the Preacher look for special direction out of God's Book in what manner to branch his Text, to order his speech, to enforce the Argument for the best edifying of each particular auditory? shall the people wait till we can give express charge out of this Book when to sit, stand, or kneel at divine Service? what ever is against the second Commandment, I fear this is against the third, for it takes God's name in vain, and stands not with the Majesty of that word, written for matters of greater importance.  

Vers. 13.  The Apostle being to reform abuses concerning Prayer, and Prophesing in the Church of Corinth, 
1 Corin. 11.  doth for some things refer himself to their own discretion, judge in yourselves, is it comely? doth not nature itself teach? as if for decency in the Church common sense, or the light of reason could say somewhat: to which, if you add the general direction of Scripture, may not the Church of Christ out of these grounds determine the particulars? Nature itself teacheth, that the most solemn act in every kind is most solemnly to be performed, and religion teacheth what act of religion is most solemn, may not the Church then determine of particulars within the compass of General rules of Scripture? 'twas the sentence of that famous Oracle of Geneva in his comment upon the same chapter, vers. the 2. where showing the Apostle to speak de ijs quae pertinent ad ordinem & politiam, he inferreth Scimus enim unievique ecclesiae liberum esse politiae formam inslituere sibi aptam & utilem quia Dominus nihil certi prescripserit: we know saith Caluin, he makes no Quere upon it for matters of Order, we know that every Church hath her liberty to institute a form of government fit and profitable for herself, because the Lord hath prescribed no certain thing: Paul planteth, he left Apollo's to water: The Master builders have set up God's house, and have left the fitting of the rooms by general directions to the overseers of the building: The eye of the handmaid waits upon the hand of her mistress not so simple as to be pointed to every particular within compass of discretion; no she hath been better brought up then so, when she was a child, she was taught as a child, but now she is stronger by the assistance of that spirit which leadeth her into all truth: pray we to God for that spirit of truth and sobriety upon his Church, that she may so carry herself in all her proceed that still she have an eye to God and his word, till he have mercy upon her, and restore her to the Peace of Zion, and so we come unto the work, So it is written.  

2 So it behoved Christ to suffer.  
Christ is the Son of the living God, 
The work.  therefore most free, not subject to necessity, necessary it is therefore that we in the first place distinguish of oportuit, a necessity was of Christ's suffering, not imposed upon him, but assumed by him voluntarily: a necessity not primitive but by consequent, not absolute, but presupposing the ordinance of God, which two kinds were distinguished by Christ at his Passion.  
1 In the fourteenth of Mark, 
Mar. 14.36  Abba Father, all things are possible to thee, take away this Cup, therefore no absolute necessity to drink of it.  
2 In the 26. of Matthew, Father if this Cup cannot pass but I must drink of it, thy will be done, therefore a secondary necessity there was.  
1 Of the first in the 53. verse, Thinkest thou that I cannot pray to my Father, and he will give me more than twelve Legions of Angels, therefore not an absolute necessity to yield himself.  
2 Of the second in the 54. verse: How then shall the Scripture be fulfilled? which is the very consequent of this Text, So it is written, therefore So it behoved: So God hath ordained, whose decree is unchangeable: so hath he revealed his Ordinance by writing, whereof one title shall not pass, therefore, So behoved Christ to suffer.  
The reasons of this necessity will appear in the consideration of the three points implied in this sentence.  

1 It behoved there should be a suffering.  
2 That Christ should suffer.  
3 That he should so suffer: Sic oportuit Christum pati.   
1 The Law of God was broken by sin, which behoved us to have kept, therefore it must be restored by judgement; the glory of God was obscured by sin, therefore it must be cleared by expiation: The justice of God was offended by sin, therefore it must be satisfied by punishment: The wrath of God was kindled by sin, therefore it must be quenched by water and blood: the work of God, and the course of Nature put out of joint by sin, therefore it must be reduced into order by the suffering for sin: Our Nature did thus offend, therefore our Nature must thus suffer, man sinned, man must die: thus far doth the justice of God proceed.  
2 But that this suffering should be translated from one person to another, from the offender to the innocent, from us unto Christ is a work of mercy, of such mercy as was denied to our betters, the Angels when they fell, and suffered in their own persons: yet such a work of mercy as doth not any whit cross his justice.  
1 First, it is true that God said by Ezekiel, The same soul that sins shall die, 
Ezek. 18.4.  the punishment of one man's sin shall not be exacted of another, but Christ the anointed Priest did willingly enter pose himself betwixt God and us, volenti non fit iniuria.  
2 'tis true again that being innocent, though he would in love, yet in duty he may not offer himself to die for malefactors, may not leave his station, Iniussu imperatoris may not offer that injury to the public body whereof he is a member: but Christ the anointed king of heaven and earth hath absolute power over his life: 
john 10.18  I have power to lay down my life, and power to take it up again.  
3 'tis true, that no creature, admit he loved us, would suffer: so that admit also he had liberty given to lay down his life for us, yet no creature in heaven or earth could satisfy God for the least sin: but Christ the Son of the living God did confer the dignity of his person upon the passion of the humanity, Oportuit Christum verbum: Christ the anointed Priest of God did in love sacrifice himself for us: Christ the anointed King had power in justice to lay down his life for us: Christ the Son of the living God was worthy in person to answer his Father for any offence committed against him: Christ the Prophet told us before his death and here again, how it behoved him to suffer: whereby that mystery is revealed which the wisdom of flesh and blood could never have found: How mercy and truth are met together, how righteousness and peace have kissed each other.  
3 Come we to the third, Sic pati, so to suffer, and we find more in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 than the tongues of men, and Angels be able to express which is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the 26. verse: ought not Christ to suffer these things? and so it behoved Christ to suffer, all one: who list to look effectually into Christ's sufferings, let him put his hand into his bosom, and say Ita fecimus nos quae non oportuit, ergo oportuit Christum haec pati: We have not so done as it behoved us, therefore so it behoved Christ to suffer: for as sacrifices were proportioned to offences, so in Christ the Truth itself, so many and so great our sins, therefore so many and so great his sufferings: all sin is unjust, some inhuman, some horrible: For Christ an innocent to die against justice: for doing good to die, is against humanity, for the Son of the living God to die is horrible: Some are sins of ignorance, some of infirmity, some wilful sins: As we sin blindfold, so did he suffer; as we sin of weakness, so did Christ suffer such infirmity, that an Angel comforted him, we sin willingly, with what alacrity was he pained? For shameful sin, he suffered shameful punishment: for strange and unnatural sins, a strange and unnatural grief: the sweat of blood in a frosty night: for execrable and cursed sins, an execrable and cursed death, the hanging upon a tree. Our sins as a Leprosy spread over all the powers of soul and body; the understanding darkened, the will perverted, the affections infected, the senses corrupted, the members instruments of unrighteousness unto wickedness: Christ's sufferings as general: His understanding troubled in the 12. of john, How is my soul troubled, what shall I say? Father save me from this hour: his will distracted, Not my will but thy will be fulfilled: his affections tormented, his love abused, his compassions scorned, his grief intolerable: all parts of his body afflicted: his head with thorns, his eyes with tears, his face with buffets, his ears with reproaches, his mouth with vinegar, his hands and feet with nails, his body furrowed with stripes, and his heart divided with a spear.   

O Quid dicam.  
Christ paid the transgression of every commandment.  

1 We had forsaken the true God against the first commandment, Christ was forsaken of his Father.  
2 We bowed our knees to graven images in dishonour of God, Christ had knees bowed to him in derision.  
3 The name of God had been taken in vain of man, Christ was so blasphemed that his divine works were ascribed to the Devil.  
4 We had broken his Sabbath, the precious body of the Son of God was subject unto death, fettered in the bonds of Golgotha all the Sabbath long.  
5 We had dishonoured Father and Mother, Christ to whom all honour is due, submitted himself to the form of a servant.  
6 Man had committed Murder, Christ's blood was shed for it.  
7 Man committed adultery, Christ, as an unclean person, was spit upon.  
8 Man had stolen, Christ hanged among thieves for it.  
9 Man bore false witness, Christ had many false witnesses against him.  
10 Man coveted another man's goods, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he exhausted himself, or as it is in the Prophet Daniel, He had nothing to be coveted. 
Phil. 2.7. Dan. 9.26.    
Illa fecimus nos quae non oportuit, ergo oportuit Christum haec pati: So many and so great our sins. Therefore so many and so great his sufferings, I cannot number how many: shall I tell you how great?  
Great be the indignities that God received at their hands, on whom he bestowed so many blessings, enen then dishonoured when he showed mercy: Christ suffered by them to whom he showed much good, even then when he suffered: He kissed judas while judas betrayed him, he healed Malchus ear while Malchus came to apprehend him: he prayed for them while they were crucifying of him, he pleaded for them while they were scoffing at him, he saved them whiles they killed him: There's a mystery of iniquity, a bottomless, unspeakable, unconceivable gulf of sin: so were his sufferings, when there was presented before him Death in his full strength, Hell never mastered before by any that came within the confines of it, the Deformity of sin, the heavy Wrath of God unappeased, when he felt and saw himself flesh and blood, left alone to encounter all these (for the Divinity inseparably united to his humanity, did notwithstanding contract her beams, and deny the sweet influence of comfort.) This was the mystery of that passion, which the heart of man can never be able to conceive: unspeakable were our sins, therefore unspeakable were his sufferings.  
3 Give me leave to take the fruit with the tree, 
The fruit.  repentance with the passion for more easy passage: for out of Christ's passion springeth our passion, a penitent and godly sorrow for sin: 
Zach. 12.10  So it behoved Christ to suffer, That Repentance might be preached: That which God said by Zachary in the 12. He would pour upon the house of David and the inhabitants of lerusalem, the spirit of Grace and compassion, to look upon him whom they had pierced, and mourn for him as an only Son, Is accomplished by repentance: for if the spirit of grace be in us, we will mourn in compassion for him whom we have pierced with our sins: That which Christ Prophesied of us, john the 12. When I am lift up from the dead I will draw all men to me, takes effect in us by repentance: for if we remember his sufferings, we cannot forget our sins, and if we love him for his sufferings, we must hate those sins that brought him to it: Let us never bite at the stone with the dog; whosoever were executioners, whosoever were instruments, every one of us had an hand in killing the Lord of life: and the more heinous sins we have committed, the more be our hands imbrued in that innocent blood: let therefore Peter go weep bitterly, let Mary Magdalen shed a basin of tears, let sinners weep, let great sinners howl, let the inhabitants of the city mourn like Hadradimmon in the valley of Megiddo for piercing me, saith the Lord; 
Zach: 12.13  shall we soothe and flatter ourselves with sleight sorrow then? I beseech you consider under what terrible terms this doctrine of Repentance is commended unto us; The Scripture not only speaks of weeping and mourning, 
Acts 2.37.  but of Pricking the hearts in the Acts of the Apostles; of cutting the foreskin of their hearts to make them bleed, of Renting the heart as a garment; of crucifying our affections: see how Repentance is described unto us in the very terms of Christ's passion: weep for these sins which have caused him to shed the tears of blood, be pricked in heart for these sins which have pierced the Son of God; cut off the foreskin of thy heart, and make it bleed for him which shed his heart blood for thee, crucify those affections which have crucified the Lord of Life.  
I am a fool, Beloved, so often to urge this doctrine of Repentance, it is so harsh and bitter that you cannot abide it, it makes you heavy and melancholy, it pinches, it cuts, it rends your hearts, it crucifies your sweet affections, I know it is so unsavoury you cannot abide it: yet let me tell you with S. Paul, that whom God hath foreknown, them he hath predestinated to be conformable to the image of his son, 
Rom: 8.29.  in sufferings, for of sufferings he speaks, and that those to whom the spirit of grace is given to consider his passion, have also the spirit of compassion to lament as one mourneth for his only son, to lament for offending such a gracious God, who hath given his son, his only son Christ for the sins of the world.  
I might dwell all day upon this day, upon this, for it is a Meditation for the Day, but the time and my Text plucks me forward with more speed,  
And to rise from the dead the third day. 
2 The works. The Resurrection.   
As there was never Priest before had the love to sacrifice himself for the people, so never any had the power to revive the Sacrifice he once killed, but our High Priest Christ had Love to lay down his life, & power to take it up again. By the first he showed himself the son of man after the flesh: By the second he was declared mightily to be the son of God. Rom. 1.3.  
1. Many shall be raised from death as well as he, who have lain longer in the graves than he, yet no Gods: True; but Christ was not only passively raised in his flesh, but did himself actively rise in his power, Destroy this Temple and I will build it: he said, he would raise himself, therefore he did it, else God would never have raised him by miracle to second and confirm a lie.  
2. divers did rise with him, but Christ was the first fruits of them that slept, by whose virtue some few ears that were then ripe, and hereafter the whole harvest shall be carried into everlasting barns.  
3. Some rose before him, Lazarus, the widows son, jairus daughter, but they were delivered to their friends again, conversed amongst men as before, and in the end returned from whence they came: 
Act. 13.34  but Christ was the first that rose to eternal life never to visit the grave any more More cannot be said for this than is expressed in the Revelation, 
Reu. 1.18.  I am alive and was dead, and behold I am alive for evermore; and have the keys of hell and death. 1. I am alive and now dead, the first that rose again from death. 2. Alive for evermore, never to see death again. 3. I have the keys, to open the grave to whom I list, and to shut in the rest, till the last trump. For the manifestation of which power the bowels of the earth and her foundations were shaken when the first borne of the dead came forth. 
Mat. 28.2.  When you have perceived an earthquake, out of your natural observation you say, some abundance of spirits & exaltations were bend in the body of the earth, which by force made her tremble: believe it, it is most true: that Spirit, that abundant spirit of the Deity inseparably united to the precious body of Christ even in the heart of the earth could not be shut up in the earth: marvel not then at that great, extraordinary, miraculous earth quake, for than were the fetters of Golgatha shaken off like Peter in prison, than was the womb of the grave rent, and the power of death shaken in pieces: for (saith Peter) it was impossible that Christ should be holden of death: holden he was for a time, 
Acts 2.24.  but a very short time, the third day was the furthest of this humiliation, for the manifestation of the truth of his death he could rise no sooner, his father's love to him, and his own love to his Church would suffer him to lie no longer.  
If joseph in collateral affection to his brethren could not suffer them above three days in prison, 
Gen. 42.18.  but the third must call them out: could God the Father of our Lord jesus Christ suffer his only Son to be longer imprisoned in the bonds of death: who so lately pacified his Father's wrath for us, and so patiently endured those bitter passions, in him undeserved? nay to compare God with God, if he taught his Church to challenge his promise under these terms in the Prophecy of Hosea, 
Hos. 8 2.  After two days will he revive us, and the third will he raise us up, and we shall stand in his sight: may not the head of the Church and his only Son challenge it much more? Add unto this his tender love to his small, weak and distressed Church, when the faith of his own Disciples was going out: I will not believe (saith one) we had thought (saith another) this had been he that should have redeemed Israel: verily it was time to rise, to strengthen these bruised reeds, and cherish these smoking flaxes: upon the day God was to give sentence upon men for sin, he stayed till the heat of the day was over, in the third of Genesis: 
Gen. 3.8.  but upon this day being to preach remission of sin, he rose betimes while it was dark: It was the love of God, and his tender affection to the Church which he had so lately and so dearly bought, made him rise so soon, and appear so often the same day to minister comfort to distressed souls.  
The sum of which comfort followeth: That remission of sins might be preached:  
Remission of sins which springeth naturally out of his resurrection, 
The 2. fruit.  as repentance out of his passion: for as Christ died for our sins that sin might die in us by repentance, so did he rise again for our justification, which consists in remission of sins: this is the sum of the Gospel defined in the first to the Romans, 
Rom. 1.16.  to be the power of God to salvation to all that believe: for as the power of darkness showed never more in force then at his death: so was the power of light at his resurrection: that our Saviour Christ could go down into the depth of death with so many millstones about his neck, with the sins of the world upon his back, and that he could there shake them all off, Rise up the Son of righteousness like a Giant, leave all our sins in the bottom of the gulf, never to rise up in judgement to our condemnation, This I say, is the remission of sins, and this is the power of God to salvation to all that believe.  
And that we may believe it, 
The ministration.  we must preach it: that Repentance and Remission of sins might be preached.  
How shall ye believe in him of whom ye have not heard? how shall ye hear without a Preacher? In the tenth to the Romans: Thanks be to God you hear, 
Rem. 10.14.  and I make no doubt but you would be glad to hear the glad tidings of salvation, the remission of sins preached, for it makes you happy: Blessed is the man whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sin is covered: but I beseech you consider the tenor, and order of this commission: you must hear of repentance before remission, else we shall build the roof before we lay the foundation: for as sure as Christ did suffer before he rose, so must you suffer the passion of repentance before you can be justified by remission.  
Pardon me (Right Honourable and well-beloved) It is my task to provide the sharp sauce, the sour herbs of Repentance before you can taste, and truly relish the Paschall Lamb at Easter: you must weep and mourn with Christ at the Cross before you can rejoice with him at the resurrection, you must put on sackcloth before Scarlet, humble yourselves before God before you can triumph with him that came from Edom in red coloured garments from Bozra, Esay the 63. and the first.  
Think not that that austere doctrine of repentance did end with john Baptist; or that you can banish it out of the City into the wilderness: for as john Baptist did begin his preaching, Matthew the 3. In the same manner did Christ begin his, when john was cast into prison, Mark the first, Repent and believe the Gospel, for the kingdom of God is at hand.  
So by his Example are we directed, and so by his name are we authorized to preach to you.   

2 In his name.  
1 If you ask by what authority we do these things, 
The authority.  my text is our warrant, we come in his name, At whose name every knee doth bow, both of things in Heaven, and in Earth, & under the earth: we are the Ambassadors of Christ the anointed King of Kings.  
2 If you take exception to our weakness, being earthen vessels full of frailty, men of polluted lips like yourselves: Though of ourselves we are no more in us, then empty pitchers or Rams horns, yet we come in the name of our grand Captain Christ, who by the shining lamps of his Gospel in our empty pitchers can put our enemies to flight, in the name of the praise of the high God, who by blowing of these horns with the powerful spirit of his mouth is able to overthrow the walls of jericho, nay the very gates of Hell.  
3 If you think we take too much upon us, that we are busy-bodies, that we are they that trouble Israel, & disturb the Conscience more than needs: we are sent in his name who hath laid this Oportet upon us: So it behoved Christ to suffer, and so it behoveth us to preach, equally are these two applied together, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: So it behoved Christ to suffer, who if he had not suffered, everlasting woe had lain upon you: and so it behoveth us to preach: we have received the ordinance of God by imposition of hands, we be set apart for this business, we have put our hands to the plough, there is a necessity lies upon us, we may not be scared away with a white cloth, Woe unto us if we preach not the Gospel.  
4 If our message of repentance be unwelcome, because it sets your Conscience upon the rack, till you have made a penitent confession of your sin, Remember we come in his name who suffered greater torment for you, to teach you mortification by his passion, the sacrifice of a broken heart made acceptable to the bloody sacrifice of his Son.  
5 And then, but not till then; behold we come in the name of him who rose from the dead, to raise up your souls by the spirit of consolation: In the name of him who rose the third day betimes; to bring speedy comfort to a troubled spirit.  
6 To conclude, we come in the name of Christ the Lord anointed, whose name is a sweet ointment powered out, to cure your souls by gentleness: we come not by force of arms compelling, but by forcible persuasions alluring japhet to dwell in the tents of Sem: yea we beseech you in the name of Christ that you would be reconciled unto God: So did Paul entreat the Corinthians, and so do we desire you: for the commission is without limitation, extending to all Nations.   

Among all Nations.  
Before his death, 
3. The extent.  It was only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, but when the stone which the builders refused at his Death was become the chief corner stone at the resurrection: then were two walls knit together, the jew and the Gentile made one Church: then the Partition wall was broken down, and all respect of persons removed: then was jerusalem to be inhabited without walls for the multitude of inhabitants. Then did the Church of Christ become Catholic, 
Zach. 2.4.  dispersed far and wide over the face of the whole earth.  
Then was the manifold wisdom of God made manifest to the Angels in heaven by this mystery which was kept secret in God from the beginning of the world: hence was the mystery of salvation revealed, and derived to us that dwell in the ends of the world, shut up in another world like fishes in the Sea, so that we from the North as well as from the East and West shall replenish the kingdom of God, and to our comfort be it spoken, 
Luc. 13.29.  that heavenly jerusalem described Revelations the 21. hath as many gates, and as open on the North side as any other part under heaven in the 13. verse of that Chapter.  
I have swiftly passed over the former points as more familiarly known amongst you: give me leave by your honourable patience, now I am come to the last point, a little to pause upon it.   

Beginning at jerusalem.  
By this divine dispensation I perceive the truth of Gods promise performed unto the jews: The righteousness of God showed to his Son: The wisdom of God for spreading of the Gospel, and the goodness of God towards the sinners of the Gentiles in that it began at jerusalem.  
1 It could not be that the wickedness of men could make the promise of God of none effect, therefore seeing the inhabitants of jerusalem were the children of the Prophets, and of the Covenant made with their Fathers, true Olive branches springing out of the root of Abraham, to whom did appertain the adoption, the glory, the giving of the Law, the service of God, and the promises, Christ to perform this promise beginneth at jerusalem.  
2 As God a righteous judge honoured him in recompense of his humiliation, so did he honour him in the same place he suffered: In jerusalem was he despised at his Passion: In jerusalem shall he be glorified by his Gospel: In jerusalem in the assembly of much people, at the solemn feast of Easter did Christ suffer a public execrable shameful death of the Cross, therefore at the feast of Whitsuntide before the assembly of many nations in the famous City of jetusalem shall his name be first honoured in preaching of the Gospel.  
3. The manifold wisdom of God is here manifested as well for the publishing as the confirmation of the same.  
1. If God would have his Gospel spread amongst all nations like the river of Eden, where shall we make the head of the spring but at jerusalem, 
Acts 2.5.  where was dwelling every nation under heaven.  
2. If he would have the truth of the Gospel tried before men of knowledge, amongst the Doctors in the Law and these that were skilful in all science, where should he make the first probation but at jerusalem?  
The truth of God seeks no corners, nor avoids the light like the Oracles of the Devils in the 45. of Esay, 
Esa. 45.19.  It seeks not to establish itself in weak places, it creeps not privily amongst the people like the heresies of the false Prophets: 
2 Pet. 2.  but as Christ when he first showed himself was seen amongst the Doctors at jerusalem: and as Paul when his Doctrine was called in question, 
Gal. 2 2.  he went and conferred with the best at jerusalem: So for this cause also the Gospel of Christ began at jerusalem:  
3. If he desire to fettle his Gospel in the world, shall not choose the City before the Country? the famous City of jerusalem, there is the strongest hold, get that and the rest will yield. 
Act. 17.16.  When was the spirit of Paul stirred within him, but when he came to Athens? There he laboured more earnestly with all kind of men, with all kind of Sects, being the Seminary of learning, a plentiful harvest as at jerusalem.  
4. If he would make a way that the Athenians and the rest of the Gentiles should receive the Faith, what greater argument could be used then this?  
That it was received before at jerusalem: that the jew, the very professed enemies of Christ recanted, embraced the Faith, and believed him whom they crucified? what secondary means made Paul so powerful among the Gentiles, but this? That Saul a jew, a learned jew, Gamaliels' scholar, a religious jew of the strict Sect of the pharisees, a zealous jew, persecuting this way unto the death, became so earnest a professor of the same?  
5. What greater encouragement for us sinners of the Gentiles? that salvation was first offered in jerusalem to them that were his murderers, why then should we sinners despair of his mercy? when the thief on the cross saw him not only forgive, but pray for those that did torment him, he lays in for himself; Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom: there is hope for thieves and Murderers if for these, and doubtless salvation will be easily attained if for jerusalem.  
It began at jerusalem, but it flowed over the face of the earth: yet is here no footing for universality, to be an infallible mark of the truth of Religion: for the Gospel doth not spread at once over all nations like Noah's flood, but like rivers of waters winning ground in one place, and losing in another, dried up at jerusalem and Samaria, and flowing in other places.  
The triple estate of Christ's Church is well shadowed in the three famous figures of the same: She was in her infancy, being a little flock, tossed like Noah's Ark, in man's judgement ready every moment to be swallowed up. 2. She shall be in her triumphant estate like Salomous Temple on Mount Zion, that cannot be moved: but in the mean time she is Moses Tabernacle in the wilderness movable from place to place, first pitched at jerusalem and in the East parts of the world, after that in the West, since removed into the North amongst us, and S. Paul tells us, It shall return to the jews from whence it came: so all Israel shall be saved: 
Rom. 11.26  there is not any place or people under the Sun, that can challenge the Residence of the Church of Christ: Admit Peter lived and died, and was crucified at Rome: what then? did not a greater than Peter live and die and was crucified at jerusalem? did he not rise the third day? did he not appoint Apostles, send down his Spirit, plant his Church at jerusalem, yet it is removed thence long since? It began at jerusalem, went through other places, now among us. Wherefore now it behoveth us to look about us and consider this point: what can we say for ourselves, why this candlestick should not be removed from this place also?  
A notable place there is in Ezechiel, 
Ezech. 9.3.  as it was in jerusalem, so with us, he rose from them twice and then went away: 
Cap. 10.4.  change the name and the vision is ours; twice or thrice hath he risen from us, in that year of 88 In the death of our Sovereign: In the plague, and now he stands on the door, as though our abominations would drive him away, looking upon us with a rueful eye: will ye drive me quite away? Shall I be gone for all ado? yet he dwells amongst us. And yet for all this what amendment do you find? How many hearts have bled? How many tears have been shed? what restitution of wrong gotten goods? what vain fashions and wanton attires have your Dames of Zion cast off? what crying sins have been strangled in the suburbs of this place? doubtless the wrath of God is not appeased for our sins, but is stretched out still: O, beloved, presume not too much, provoke him not too often, for when we are most secure, at peace with all at home and abroad, while we least think of evil, so long as this pitch of iniquity remaineth, there may breed that in the bowels of the Church, which may be her overthrow.  
Now the God of peace and comfort who sent his son unto us to suffer these things for us, work true Repentance by his blessed Spirit, that his wrath may be pacified towards us, and he pleased to dwell amongst us while the Sun and Moon endureth, and that for his sons sake our blessed Redeemer, to whom with the Father and the holy Spirit, three persons and one immortal God, be all honour and glory, both now and for ever. Amen.  
FINIS.    

THE WISDOM OF THE RICH.  
A Sermon at PAUL'S Cross, Octob. 3. 1611.  LUC. 16.9. 
Make you friends of the unrighteous Mammon, that when you shall want they may receive you into everlasting habitations.  
THis is the general application or use which Christ makes of a Parable: a Parable standing between two other Parables: The prodigal Son immediately before The rich Glutton following after: This of the unjust Steward in the midst.  
1. The Prodigal spent his portion, brought himself into misery, his misery brought him to humility, his humility found mercy, because he had a Father.  
2. The Steward spent another man's goods: having warning to give account, by wisdom prevented misery, else had he been turned out of all because he was but his Master.  
3. The Rich man had enough to spend, abused it, and himself, dropped of a sudden into hell, where the most loving father that ever was had no pity on him: This is the very frame wherein these Parables thus placed by the Evangelists were made for our instruction, that we should not sever these three which the holy Ghost hath so joined together. When men have run themselves out of breath in wickedness, and wickedness hath brought misery upon them, they get this Parable by the end: and while they are in the wine of their vanity, all religion and resolution is but to make use of this one Parable: That when extremity and the fear of death is at hand, than they purpose to go to their Father, and say; Father I have sinned against heaven and against thee, and think the Father must needs hear them because of this Parable: Therefore Christ annexed this second Parable of the unjust Steward, who if he had stayed till misery had seized upon him, as the Prodigal did, he had been turned out of all, and should have had neither house nor tabernacle wherein to put his head.  

Verse 3.  His wisdom is here commended unto us: That we would call ourselves to account before hand, take up his Quid faciam, what shall I do? I shall be turned out of my Stewardship. I wot not how soon, may be to night before to morrow: Christ, was borne (Beloved) in an Inn, that Christians might account houses Inns, here to day, and gone to morrow: The holy Ghost hath ever taught to reckon our life by days and not by years, as one did in the twelfth chapter, 
Cap. 12.19.  for many years: but not only accounted a fool for so reckoning, but his many years were contracted into a piece of a day, Stulte hac nocte: To day then if we hear his voice, let us not harden our hearts, but every one reckon with himself, Quid faciam? Thus and thus have I spent my time, strength, wealth, powers and faculties of soul and body, not so much to the honour of my Lord and Master, as to satisfy my humour, and give my self content, if mine account be taker. I cannot answer one of a thousand. Thus to cast, and never leave casting till we come to his Scio quid facians? his resolution, 
Verse 4.  I know what, He take another course then hitherto, I'll forsake my darling sins and nail them to the Cross, I'll crucify my sweetest affections by true repentance, I'll do my poor endeavour while I live to do good, I'll get me friends by God's blessing, and such friends as may stand me in stead when I need. This is Christ's advice. But we are yet taking of the frame wherein my Text stands according to the old rule, Vide quid supra, vide quid infra. This Steward for all his wisdom in one point of wisdom was defective, in that he deferred his resolution till his Master had given him warning, Give an account of thy stewardship, 
Verse" 2.  for thou must be no longer Steward: for if we defer our reckoning till sickness, or some other Messenger of death arrest us, it may be we shall want either Time or Power to provide for our souls: Therefore follows the third Parable of one that fared deliciousty every day: had no admonition before, 
Verse 19  neither misery to bring him home, nor warning to prepare himself, but died suddenly and went to the Devil: fearful examples we have every year, of some that are snatched away by sudden death, Qui in momento descendunt in Infernum, take the easiest translation, which in a moment do descend down into the grave: Thus is the King of Heaven, a Father to one, a Master to another, but a just judge to the third. To the penitent Converts a loving & merciful father, as to the prodigal Son, more ready to receive us than we to offer ourselves, I'll go to my Father, says the Son, the Father ran to meet him, the young man goes, the old man runs; runs and falls upon his neck and kisses him. But if this tenderly and fatherly affection be abused, and overmuch presumed on, than the second Parable makes him a Master that will call us roundly to account, and bid us give over our Stewardships: and if the servant of that Master defer, will not believe Moses and the Prophets, but say his Master will be long a coming, than the Master of that servant shall come in an hour, when he looks not, and give him his portion with the rich Glutton and Hypocrites. Therefore it is good to be wise in time, and rather than fail, to learn wisdom from the children of this world, 
Vers. 8.  who are wiser in their generations then the children of light: if they will not learn righteousness from us, yet we must learn wisdom from them, innocency from Doves, and wisdom from Serpents.  
It was none of the honestest resolution this Steward made, though the wisest: when he had spent all, he was too idle to work, fodere nescio, I cannot dig, I was never brought up to take pains; he was too proud to beg, mendicare erubesco, I that have lived so gallantly amongst my companions am ashamed to beg, so in the end he resolves to rob his Master: a wicked resolution, yet out of this wickedness doth Christ teach us to extract wisdom.  
Wisdom in three points.  

1. To provide for ourselves by making us friends, one great point of wisdom in making good choice.  
2. To use the best means to get them: Unrighteous Mammon.  
3. The End, sapient is est ordinare in finem, that when we want, they may receive us into everlasting habitations: of these three (by your honourable and gentle patience) as God shall assist me, and my strength with the time permit.   
Make you friends] Friends enough no doubt so long as Mammon is our friend, multos numerabis amicos, but such friends as job in his sixth chapter complains of, like the brooks by which the Merchants do travel unto Teman, 
job 6.16.  frozen in winter, and dried up in summer, in the time of rain they overflow, 
job 6.17.  surely (says job) you are even like unto it: 
job 6.20.  In my prosperity you were mine only friends, when I had no need of you, when I had showers of blessings from above, you overflowed in kindness, but in misery and drought, when I have most need of refreshing, you add affliction to affliction. But we must make such friends as will be sure to help when we shall want, such as shall be both willing and able to help: where shall we find them? where, but amongst the great and mighty ones of the world? surely the holy Ghost means not such friends: for, Put not your trust in Princes, nor in any son of man, for there is no help in him: his breath departeth, he turneth to the earth, & then all his thoughts perish. He had thought to have promoted his favourites, and made his followers great: He thought upon me amongst the rest, for I studied his humours, and applied myself unto him, but his breath departs, he turns to the dust, and all these thoughts perish: Nay, these great ones are as the flowers of the field, which commonly fall before the common grass: All flesh is grass (saith the Prophet Esay) but the Word of the Lord endures for ever: 
Esa. 40.8.  let us then come to that Oracle to know the best friends.  

Vers. 14.  Christ who is the Word itself makes it plain: The friends he would commend unto us are poor and needy, if we can bribe those well, they will stand us in better steed in the time of need, than all judges and Princes of the world: Poor and needy? alas these are but poor friends: This seemed such a Paradox to the pharisees when Christ spoke it, that they mocked: whose laughter, as I take it, was the occasion of the third Parable: Do ye think it bootless to make the poor your friends? There was a rich man in scarlet, a beggar at his gate, had not he better have made this beggar his friend, a few crumbs would have done it in time, he neglected this, therefore when he wanted a drop of water, he could not obtain it: not because the poor are able of themselves to be friends, but God doth undertake for them, he hath given his word for every work of charity, whether it be a work of Piety or of Mercy, of Piety to his Church, or of Mercy to the miserable, we have bountiful rewards promised for both.  
1. He that giveth to the poor, dareth to the Lord, 
Prou. 9.17.  and the Lord will recompense him: Christ a greater than Solomon pawned his word, Matth 19 
Mat. 19.21  Thou shalt have treasures in heaven: There's for Mercy.  
2. For Piety, Matth. the 10. 
Mat. 10.41  He that receives a Prophet in the name of a Prophet, shall have a Prophet's reward, like the Shunamitish woman, 
2 Kin. 4.10.  which persuaded her husband to provide a chamber and some furniture for the Prophet.  
It's a work of piety well begun in this place: Was it not pity that the poor scholars should be fetched from the Universities upon bare exhibitions? That Ministers should be called out of the Country from such poor single Benefices to feed your souls, and have no more refreshing for their pains, but a poor dinner? It's remembered that some have come above forty miles on foot to furnish this place, yet could they not say, Quam speciosi, but quam lutosi sunt pedes Euangelizantium: Should themselves have complained who were ashamed to be so known? then it would be said, we beg for ourselves: Thanks be to God, the world is somewhat amended in this, I would it were so in the rest: It's no small encouragement that what good soever we do, whether it be by works of Piety to the Church, or of mercy to the miserable, shall not go unrewarded.  
Get you friends] but what is the way to make them sure friends? the shaving of the head and paring of the nails? I may say with the Poet.  Crede mihi res est ingeniosa dare. 
Blessed is that man that considereth the poor and needy, 
Psal. 41.1.  that doth study and consider how he may do the best good: we may learn five precepts from this unjust Steward.  
1. 
Verse 5.  He called his Master's debtors, and stayed not till they called him: Abraham and Lot are said to sit in the door of the Tent, to call in strangers, they needed not to knock: commonly they that crave the least have the most need: Cast thy bread upon the waters, saith Solomon, but especially upon the standing waters, saith a Father, the running waters will shift for themselves, they that abide in their places are like standing waters most subject to putrefaction.  
2. That he did, he did it quickly, he called them and bade them first set down quickly: Bis dat qui citò dat, ut hilarem ita celerem datorem diligit Deus, 
Verse 6.  Expedition as well as cheerfulness.  
3. The extent is, he called every one of his Master's debtor, we must not heap all our liberality upon one, 
Verse 5.  but so contrive it, that it may extend to many, Aliud est dare pauperibus, aliud ditare pauperem: dispersit, dedit pauperibus, 
Psa. 112.9  in the Psalm, there must be a distribution, & then all is well.  
4. As he called every one, so he dealt bountifully, for which we have no certain rule, because charity is not cut by a thread as justice, but only in general.  

1. That it be proportionable to our ability: 
1 Cor. 8.12.  according to that which a man hath.  
2. That it be a good proportion, 
2 Cor 9 2.  for he that soweth sparingly, shall reap sparingly.   
5. Though he was bountiful to all, 
Verse 6.7.  yet with discretion and difference, fifty to one, and twenty to another, the most to those who were most likely to help, Do good to all, but especially to those of the household of faith: help the most. If then we first have a willing mind in casting with ourselves how to do good before we be called to it: If we dispatch it quickly, and neither leave it for our executors to do, not let it hang long betwixt our fingers: If we contrive it so as it extend to many: If to many generations, if bountiful to successions as our forefathers were, so much the better: If in wisdom we give most, where the best bestowed; then shall we deal wisely, and make our friends sure against the time of need. I come to the Instrument, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of unrighteous Mammon: And so much for the first.  
2. I'll not strain at the word, 
Aug. serm. in meant. jer. 151. Ep  Augustine tells us that in the Punic tongue it is taken for lucre: S. jerom in the Syriack for riches, so the word is common for wealth. But how comes this Epithet unrighteous in this place? may we procure these friends by ill gotten goods? God is not pleased with such sacrifice, you know Zaccheus his division, Luc. 19 Half my goods I give unto the poor, 
Luc. 19.8.  and if I have wronged any man, I restore it fourfold. Restituit aliena, dedit sua, he restored other men's and gave his own. In the fourth to the Ephesians, Let him that steals, steal no more, but let him labour with his hands that he may have an hand to give, as if before he had nothing to give, because nothing well gotten: That's given to the poor is given to me, saith Christ, shall we then make Christ a receiver of stolen goods? God forbidden: yet one case there is I confess where ill-gotten goods must be bestowed upon good uses of necessity, else they will bestow our souls in hell fire: It's but one case, and I fear that it is the case of many in these days, who possess much wealth ill-gotten, who have deceived so many by bargain and sale, oppressed so many by their place and office, received so many fees either for saying nothing, or doing no hurt, as the Devil takes gifts of the Indians ne noceat, so much wealth have they gotten wrongfully, that they know not the right owners, nor where to find them. In this case they must be their Executors to bestow them as themselves would, or rather should to godly uses. For thy conscience tells thee, the owners of these goods, would not willingly bequeath them to thee nor thine, thou knowest neither them nor theirs: than it follows as a Father says, Acquisisti malè, impende iam benè: whosoever oweth them, thou art not the right owner, therefore as long as thou keepest them, thou keepest the curse of God with them, Esa. 3 14. Till thou disburden thyself of them, thou canst look for no certain remission in Christ: For his blood was not shed to pay men's debts: If they be able, restitution must be made besides the Ram for atonement in the 5. of Numbers. 
Numb. 5.7.  It cannot be made to them nor their heirs, because thou knowest them not, therefore they must go to good uses; thou hast gotten them ill, bestow them well.  
This doctrine is most true, but it is not the meaning of this Parable: Restitution is an act of justice, but my Text intends Charity: If the Steward had given the debtor no more corn and oil than their due, they would never have received him into their houses, but it was out of bounty and liberality more than he ought them, therefore of free liberality is this understood: for the more easy passage Beza reads it ex Mammona fallaci, of deceitful or unconstant Mammon, which will fit riches well enough, but it cannot so well stand, neither with the received use nor property of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, nor with the current of Interpreters, who term it unrighteousness, because commonly it is so, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, will make an Epithet.  
For 1. The holy Ghost in Scripture doth speak very suspiciously of riches and rich men, and the Latins call them divitiae, quasi de vitijs, riches of vices.  Nomen idem vitijs divitijsque datum. 
Dives, aut iniquus, aut iniqui haeres: a rich man is a wicked man, or a wicked man's heir: true as proverbs be for the most part.  
2. As they be often malè parta, so malè locata, ill gotten and ill bestowed: the world is a bad steward in dispensing worldly wealth, tam iniquè comparatum est, ut qui minùs habent semper aliquid addant divitioribus, so little equality, or desert is respected, as the heathen maids the goods of fortune to have a blind Mistress.  
3. Because wealth is an instrument of much iniquity, it perverts justice wheresoever it comes: Dives est qui perturbat omnia: 
Ezra 4.5.  In Cyrus' Court the councillors shall be feed that the building of the Temple shall not go forward: In the seats of justice, if Paul would but have said tantum dabo to Foelix, 
Act. 24.24  there would have been more virtue in these two words, then in all Tertullus eloquence: Simon Magus trusted more to his Mammon then all his Familiars, 
Act. 8.19.  he thought there was more power in money, than all the Devils in hell, to have conjured the Apostles themselves.  
4. It is called unrighteous Mammon, ab effectu, it endangers the soul of the possessors,  mors pallida, sic iniquae divitiae, quia divites iniquos faciunt.  
There is as great danger in the multitude of those temporal blessings, as there was in the multitude of fish, 
joh. 21.6.  joh. 21. for if Christ had not seconded their great draft with divine help, they had broke the nets, sunk the ships, and and lost their lives. So when Christ tells his Disciples, how hard it is for rich men to get into heaven, and they reply, who then shall be saved? 
Iuc. 18.27.  In the 18. of Luke Christ's answer is: The things that be impossible to men, are possible unto God, 
Mat. 19.20  All things are possible to God, Matth. 19 as if God did use his omnipotent power to bring a rich man into heaven: 
1 Tim. 6.9  The reason is given in the 1. of Timothy the 6. They that will be rich fall into temptations and snares: imagine an house full of cobwebs, every cobweb with a spider in a corner, what danger think you are the poor flies in it, that fly so busily up and down that house? so when men busy themselves up and down to get wealth in this world, which hangs so full of nets, totus mundus laqueus, every net hath a Devil like a spider in a corner which sucketh out all goodness and grace. In so great danger are we by getting wealth to poison our souls, that it may well be called unrighteous Mammon. Therefore doth Christ teach how to make friends of this dangerous enemy, to make treacle of viper's flesh, to make a box of precious ointment to anoint the feet of our blessed Saviour: those surbated feet which tread upon the earth naked and miserable, that when we shall want they may receive us into everlasting habitations: that third and last branch of my Text being the end and motive to good works.  
3. This last end is a motive to any good work, answering 3. Quaeres.  

1. Cui bono? What good of well doing? Everlasting habitations, a royal reward.  
2. But when? When we shall stand in greatest need, want.  
3. By whose means? They shall receive you: They.   
1. 
Prou. 23.5.  First, Proverbs 23. Riches take wings as Eagles, and fly into heaven. If they fly thither, let them fly. There neither rust nor moth doth corrupt: there thieves do not break thorough and steal. Quod non dederis, aut vivus amittis, aut mortuus dimittis. That which is not given, is either lost while we live, or left when we die: but that which is given, is as seed sown; it increaseth an hundredfold: Panis frangendo crescit. It's like the bread broken to the hungry multitude: It multiplieth not unto bread that perisheth, but unto everlasting life.  
But shall good works purchase heaven? Not by the virtue of the works; they be but the fruits of charity; nor by the virtue of charity, that's but the fruit of faith; nor by the virtue of faith, that's but an instrument to apprehend Christ, who alone by his merits hath made this purchase, and prepared these mansions for us.  
By faith in Christ we are justified before God, and made heirs of these everlasting habitations; our faith justified to ourselves to be a lively faith by charity in our hearts, which to us is a more sensible quality than faith. Our charity is justified before the world by works, which to the world are visible, and more apparent than charity. Our works shall be justified before men and Angels by our reward, if they proceed from true charity and faith in Christ.  
So then we are adopted sons of God, and made Inhabitants of heaven only by jesus Christ: we are justified by faith in Christ, we are sanctified by charity from faith, charity shed in our hearts by the holy Ghost, we shall be glorified by the works of charity, and we are enabled to these works by the riches of iniquity.  
Thus worm-eaten Mammon may procure us an incorruptible crown, by being an instrument of those Good Works, which are fruits of that tree of Charity, which springeth from that root of Faith, which groweth in our hearts from that seed of the Word, which revealeth unto us that Saviour of the World, who is the only author of all these blessings and graces.  
But when shall we enjoy these blessings? When we shall stand in greatest need, when we shall be turned out of our Stewardship; for we are but Stewards, nothing that we have is our own.  
1. Because we must part with it. Si vestra sunt, tollite vobiscum. We brought nothing into this world, neither may we carry any thing out of this world.  
2. Because we must give account how we spend them. May not I do with mine own what I list? 
Mat. 20.15  Matt. 20. Therefore not ours. Saepiùs risi testamenta legum dieentia, Hic habebit agrorum usum, ille dominium. Chrysostome was wont to smile when he read men's Wills; Such shall have the use, such the Lordship, such for a time, and such the fee simple. Terra Domini est & plenitudo eius: We are but Tenants, or rather Stewards at will.  
Pardon me (honourable Lords) though I count you but Stewards: you are no more, and we are no less. The Parable extends to all: Every one hath a portion for which he must answer, and out of which he must be turned. Either the birthright of Reuben, or the government of juda, or the iudgement-seat of Dan, or the eloquence of Nephthali, or the rich blessings of joseph, or the pleasures of Asser, or the strong bones of Isachar: Either wealth, or wit, or strength of body, or authority, or portion, or other things; which if we employ to the honour of our Lord and Master, we may gain a Kingdom by it when we want: and that want shall be at the hour of death: Then shall we want every thing, when we shall have nothing. Our friends will leave us because they cannot help us: perhaps they will shed a few funeral tears after our corpse; they will stand you in no stead if you would: there's no water sooner dried. Happily you have a stately Tomb over your dead bones, Picta domus coeco: or some few words in your commendation, Philomela surdo. Then shall we want indeed, when we shall have neither wealth to relieve us, nor friends to comfort us, nor so much as these earthly Tabernacles to shelter our souls, but poor souls shall be turned out of house and home. Then happy shall they be who shall be received into those everlasting habitations.  
But who shall receive us? Shall the poor? Can they bestow mansions? Much ado to get places themselves. Christ shall say at the last day, 
Mat. 25.35  Matt. 25. I was hungry, etc. In as much as ye did it to one of those, ye did it unto me. As Christ therefore is said to receive these alms on earth which the poor receive and not he, so the poor in heaven are said to receive us into everlasting habitations, which Christ shall bestow, and not they. Doth not Christ tell his Apostles, They shall sit on twelve seats, 
Mat. 19.28  judging the twelve Tribes of Israel? Doth not S. Paul tell the Saints, that they shall judge the world, yea the Angels? Conceive that, 
1 Cor. 6.3.  and understand this, that those poor souls to whom you have done any good in the name of Good, either by your wealth, or counsel, or any comfort whatsoever, that all these shall testify what you have done, before the eternal judge, and approve that sentence which shall crown you with glory.  
Can you imagine how the Queen of Saba and the men of Ninive shall rise up at the day of judgement, and condemn the jews, Matth. 12. So shall the men, women, 
Mat. 12.41  and children of your Hospitals rise up and testify, Sweet jesus, had it not been for these and these benefactors, we had perished for want. Then shall a multitude of poor Scholars rise up and testify, Sweet jesus, had it not been for these and these, we had never been enabled to preach thy Gospel, or enlarge thy kingdom. Then shall jesus say, Come ye blessed of my Father, receive the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world. As Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, said to the Thessalonians, in the first Epistle, and the first chapter, You are our hope, our joy, our crown of rejoicing in the presence of the Lord jesus Christ at his coming, 
1 Thess. 1.19  because the Thessalonians would then testify how these had laboured in the Gospel for the good of their souls: so may every one of you (right honourable and well-beloved) say of all those to whom you have done good in the name of good, You are our crown in the day of the Lord jesus, because those shall testify your good works before men and Angels, and justify that sentence which shall receive you into everlasting habitations.  
Christ's counsel than is good, That we make friends of poor Saints with unrighteous Mammon. But how shall we know the poor Saints from others? As all rich go not to hell, so neither shall all poor be Saints in heaven. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. If then thou be poor and proud, poor and envious, poor and murmuring, poor and malicious, that Kingdom belongs not to thee. But our rule in doing good must be a rule both of wisdom and charity; of wisdom, in making good choice of the parties; of charity, in deeming and hoping the best of them. If we be deceived in our choice, that shall not prejudice our good deed: Charitatis error salutaris est, 
Eccles. 29.12.  we seldom sin in charity. claud eleemosynam in sinu pauperis, & ipsa orabit prote. Admit their prayers whom thou hast relieved be not acceptable to God, yet as Abel's blood did cry for vengeance against Cain, so the Alms deeds themselves shall go up into the presence of God for Cornelius, 
Act. 10.4.  Act. 10.4.  
To conclude: See the wisdom and goodness of our God, who hath opened the gates of heaven both for poor and rich, that the poor by poverty, and the rich by wealth may attain a kingdom. Art thou poor? He that wore a crown of thorns for thee, hath taught thee, of thorns and tribulations to make a crown of glory. Art thou rich? He that is Lord of heaven and earth hath taught thee in this Parable by wealth to attain an eternal Tabernacle: So as poor and rich, one by suffering, the other by doing well, may meet at the last day with rich Abraham and poor Lazarus in the Kingdom of glory. To which Kingdom the God of all righteousness bring us for his sons sake: To whom with the blessed Spirit, three persons and one everlasting and only wise God, be all honour and praise both now and for ever. Amen.  
FINIS.