A SERMON AGAINST SELF Policy, Preached at White Ha●●●n ●●nt. 1621. BY ISAAC BAPGRAVE: Doctor in Divinity; chaplain to the Prince His Highness, and Pastor of St MARGARET'S Church in WESTMINSTER. LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes, for john Bartlett, and john Spencer. 1624. A SERMON AGAINST Selfe-Policy: Preached at WHITEHALL. OSE 10. Verse 1. Israel is an empty Vine, he bringeth fruit to himself. IT is the misery of man that since his first fall, no estate can free him from misery, being once touched with the venom of the tempter, he turns all things into poison which he toucheth, the very apple of the Tree of Life, is made the ministration of death: all God's appointments for his felicity prove the means of his misery. To demonstrate this in all mankind, would make too long a Syllogism, see it here in one for all, God's chosen inheritance the sons of Israel; who though they had for many years been the treasury of God's blessings, and that the whole Series of the old Testament be little other than the sacred Register of his free mercies toward them: yet now especially in the time of Ose, under the reign of jeroboam they were in the height of their prosperity. Now were their garners laden with Corn, their bottles swelling with wine, their presses flowing with oil, their Coffers burdened with the abundance of silver and gold; and yet in this fullness of all temporal blessings, they prove empty of all spiritual grace, they pour out their wine before Astaroth, and their oil before Baal, they abuse all these favours of their Maker, to the setting up of Idolatry, or the satisfying of their own Luxury. Israel is an empty Vine, he bringeth, etc. The Text in the matter of it is an expression of one main sin in Israel; and this matter is Discovered in a most remarkable form. First, in a similitude or Allegory: In which we have the exemplar or pattern, a Vine: the Exemplatum or Parallel Israel, Israel is a Vine. Secondly, this Allegory contains a Riddle, and a Resolution. The Riddle set down by way of Paradox, composed of two Contradictory Positions, Israel is an Empty Vine. Fruitful Vine. The Resolution is unfolded in the last Word, Sibi, to himself; This Reads the Riddle, and reconciles the Contradiction, for therefore Israel is an empty Vine, because he brings, etc. Such is the monstrous nature of sin, that direct simple notions are not able to express it. It must be helped out with obliqne Similitudes and Allegories, what shall I liken to thee Oh Daughter of jerusalem: Thy breach is great like the Sea, who can heal thee, Lam. 2. 3. Thy mother is like a Vine in the blood, Ezech. 39 Nay, such is the Prodigious form of sin, that similes and allegories cannot yet enough describe it, unless they beheightned by Riddles and Paradoxes. Israel is an empty Vine, Israel is a fruitful Vine. Lo this only have I found (saith the wise man) Quod facit Deus hominem rectum, That God made man upright; but the praevaricating quality of sin hath perplexed him with many Riddles and Paradoxes, just such as this in my text. Which in that regard if it may add any life to your sacred attentions, (as admiration is the mother of attention, saith Aristotle.) I may presume to style it, Textus admirabilis, an admirable text, Metap●. ●. 1. for so Tully from the Stoics, and the Schoolmen from Tully, call all Paradoxes, propositiones admirabiles. And that justly too, for every Paradox consists of two contradictory positions: Now the nature of contradictions being such, that if one be false another must needs be true, if one true, another must needs be false, if by discourse we may reconcile these opposites, and prove them both true, it may well be called an admirable Text. And sin with all the Paradoxiall qualities, and riddling intricacy thereof is not so subtle, but he that searcheth the heart and the reynes, can discern and discover it, for the last word of the Text, resolves the Riddle, and makes that which is strange and admirable, familiar and easy to us For therefore Israel was an empty Vine, not because she brought forth fruit, but because she brought forth, etc. This sacred Paradox, I have chosen to present to your gracious attentions, as a subject neither unfit for wise, nor great ones. Divine Plato, thought it no Oil misspent, to discourse of that vulgar paradox, V●r, 〈◊〉 5 d. rep. non vir percussit avem, non avem, in arbore, non arbore, An Eunuch strooke a Flinder-mouse in an Elder Tree. Maria the Queen of Castille commended to the Interpretation of Tostatus 5 Divine Paradoxes; concerning the person of Christ and his blessed Mother. The first was, There was a Lion who was seen and not seen, heard and not heard, taken and not taken, known and not known This and the three following he interpreted of Christ our Saviour, who to dissolve the paradox of sin▪ was made not only Scandalum but Paradoxon, Not only a stumbling block, but a Paradox to all humane reason, he suffered, and suffered not, he died and died not, he was buried, and not buried, he rose again, and rose not again, saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sar. ●. Saint Ambrose. As he was man God died, as he was God, man was 〈◊〉 c 1ST. raised to life, saith S. Austin, All these are admirable yet true propositions, so many parallels to the Text, which as the sin of Israel, had now out grown the Common nature of sin. So the Holy Ghost in no Common form of style blazons the sin of Israel, by the pattern of a monstrous paradoxical Vine, an empty, yet a fruitful, a fruitful yet an empty Vine. Now because such parabolical transumptions, are to be expounded to the sense not to the letter, and are then best expounded, when all the parts of the parallel agree with the pattern. Israel being the Centre upon which all the lines of similitude are proportionably to fall, we'll first, as it were in Puncto, set down what may be here meant by Israel, Israel is, etc. We know that after the flesh there were Ismaelites as well as Israelits, the sons of Agar, as well as the sons of Sarah. But the sons of the Bond woman were cast out, Saint Paul only the free borne Israelites became God's proper Inheritance. That happiness which jacob foresaw in his dream, when he beheld the Angels ascending, and descending from Heaven, while GOD stood upon the Top of the Ladder, was but a shadow of that happiness, which the Israelits for a long time enjoyed. GOD their indulgent Father by the Ministration of the Angels, and the Creatures, pouring down the plenty of all both Temporal and Spiritual Blessings upon them. For to omit their protections, their victories, their possessions in the land of Canaan, what higher privilege than that which was the proper right of the I●raelits, that to them should pertain the Adoption, and the Glory, and the Covenants, the giving of the Law▪ the service of God and the promises, of whom are the Fathers, and of whom after the flesh Christ came, who is GOD over all blessed for ever Amen, Romans 9 vers. 3. Israel according to the flesh thus protected, thus privileged, This Israel so filled with Fruit, becomes an Empty Vine. So sounds the letter of the Text, but is there no spirit in this letter? Are the sons of Abraham, only the seed of Abraham? No certainly, they are not all Israel which are of Israel? Rom 9 6. It is mirabile magnum, saith Austi●, yet as true as wonderful. Many which are not the sons of Israel, are Israel; & many which are the sons of Israel, are not Israel. In the flesh the Ismalites pertain to Agar, the Israelites to Sara, in the spirit the jews pertain to Agar, w● Christians to Sara: had they retained the faith and the works of Abraham, they had still continued the ions of Abraha, but now they have lost their progeny, and we have found it. For of Israel came the jews, of them came Marry, of Mary Christ, in Christ we all live and move, and have our being, and therefore all we are the sons of Israel: Not by nature but by faith, not in the letter but the Spirit, not by the Law but by grace, not carnal, but spiritual Israel. Would you see this yet clearer, look in the glass of this similitude, Israel is a Vine, There we shall find Tropum in Tropo, Israel under the Vine, and ourselves under Israel. There we shall see that almost none of GOD'S peculiar mercies to Israel, but are become proper to us. I pray GOD we may not likewise partake of their sins and punishments. It is the Law of an Allegory, saith Aristotle, that it have a true proportion of similitude; and if the words be not consonant to the matter, Error fit non metaphora, it is rather an Imposture than an Allegory, saith the School. To serueigh this Parable by this Rule. A man saith Aristotle, is a Tree turned upward, having his head for the root, the rest of his Limbs for the branches. But among all Trees the Holy Spirit doth most often present the selected Israel of GOD His Church in the likeness of a Vine, as the fittest emblem both of his bounty to them, and their duty to him. First, saith Calvin, the Vine best In lo● speaks his bounty to his Church, because he gives us not only bread, ad vitam, but wine ad Hilaritatem, whereby we live cheerfully, for wine glads the heart of man, Gal. 10. 4. Never was there Vine so planted, so bound, so spread, so pruned, so fenced by the providence of GOD. judge ye Oh inhabitants of jerusalem, betwixt me and my Vineyard, what could I have done more than I have done to it. Esay 5. 4. Israel is a Vine, Ergo fratres forte vinea fuit domus Israel & nos non sumus vinea? Hath Israel only tasted of the bounty of Psal. 80. 8 10. God, and are not we also the Vine of the Lord of Hosts, hath he not likewise brought our vine out of Idolatrous Egypt, hath h●● not cast out the He ●hen, an● planted i●, hath he not caused it to take deep 〈◊〉, so that it filleth the Land. Nay w●ile Rebellious I●ra●l are rooted ●ut of the Vineyard, having no King, nor Priest, nor Law, being become Rebels to Heaven, and Vagabonds on earth, are not we in their room grafted into the stock Christ jesus? hath he not given us a most indulgent nursing Father to this prosperous Vine? Hath he not planted us in the Gospel, pruned us by the Law, rooted us in faith, bound us up in love, solaced us with peace, cherished us with plenty, fenced us with his providence by rare and unheard of protections▪ But let your hearts rejoice in the memory of it▪ Never any 〈◊〉▪ any Nation, no not Israel it 〈◊〉 hath been blest with more arguments of God's bounty, I pray GOD they may not one day prove so many accusers of the neglect of our Dut●. As the Vine cannot flourish without God's bounty, so secondly, he will not suffer it to flourish without our duty: He expects fruit from his Vine. As the Vine excels not other Trees in show or stature but in Fruit, so it is not the glorious show of Temporal things, but the saving fruits of the Spirit, with which God would have his Vine flourish. But of this anon more properly. In the mean time, while ye behold this Vine of Israel thus dressed and blest by the hand of God: me thinks like the Fig Tree which jesus saw, it should move your appetite to come and seek for the Fruit. But alas! when Christ came to it he found nothing but leaves: just so proves this Vine here; Vitis frondosa, as Jerome, vitis vacua, as Tremelius, and our Translation a leaffy, unprofitable, empty Vine. The comparison of Israel to a Vine, had been rather honourable then odious, for a good Vine of all other Trees brings forth the best, and the most fruit, but see now this Allegory grows into a Paradox, this Vine into a Monster. An empty, yet a fruitful, a fruitful yet an empty vine. Now because a Paradox is neither true nor false till it be expounded. We must know that all sin is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a direct Paradox, crossing the Common sentence both of the Law of GOD and Reason, and among all the Paradoxes of sin: Hypocrisy is the most exact; an Hypocrite and a Paradox have both the same definition. Qui aliud verbis, aliud sensu ostendunt: They are both one thing in show, and another in deed. And of all Hypocrites two of the most notable are descried in this paradox, The first, Israel is an Empty Vine. Here a pure Platonical Hypocrite, Faith without works, God in his mouth, the Devil in his actions, They say and do not. Matth. 23. The second, I●rael brings forth, etc. Here's a Popish thrasonical Hypocrite, works without Faith, false charity in their Works, self vainglory in their thoughts, They do all their works to be seen of M●n. Matthew 23. First of the first. When God the Husband man went down to see how the Vine Flourished, Canticl. 6. 11. Ecce vitis vacua, Behold, he found Israel an Empty Vine. Empty, saith Jerome; mispending that fat moisture which it should have converted into Grapes, upon the vain ambition of Flowers, and Leaves: mis-employing those eminent graces which GOD had given them above other Nations, upon their own lust, and vainglory. The Adoption, the Law, the promises, their peace, their plenty, with all these, they were full and fat Full of blessing, but empty of thanksgiving. I●s●r●● waxed fat and kicked, he forsook GOD which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation, Deuter. 23. 15. They gloried to sit in Moses Chair, and interpret the Law, but they said and did not, Matth. 32. 3. They made long prayers, but it was to devour widow's houses, vers. 14. They paid tithe of mint, anise and cummin, but omitted judgement, mercy and faith, the weightier matters of the Law, vers. 23. In a word, this Vine bare leaves and flowers enough, but no fruit, no grapes; it was an empty Vine. And I would this Prophecy had ended only in Israel; but this is seconded with another of Saint Paul, that falls near our times. In the last perilous days, men shall be lovers of themselves, having a ●●rme of godliness, but denying the power thereof, 2. Tim. 3. Why here's a true empty Vine, the shadow of a Christian, the pure Hypocrite of our Church, Moses Chair, long prayers, the tything of mint and cummin; all form but no power of godliness; all leaves no fruit, all faith, no works, all profession, no demonstration. Saint Basil in his time found out the progenitors of these Bastard plants. Vidi ego orantes, iejunantes, praeteritorum paenitentia suspirantes, omne denique fine sumptu pietatem ostendentes, egentibus vero ne obolum quidem praebentes. Our times will well Translate him. We may see many among us, men demure in their looks, thin in their apparel, long in their prayers, deep in their sighs, most devout in all cheap duties of a Christian, but in the Works of Charity, to be devout in them it is mere Popery. CHRIST himself may hunger, but the Fig Tree will yield no Figs. Those little ones of Christ the poor may thirst, but this Vine gives no Grapes, it is an empty Vine. The Church is a Theatre, upon which some act their own parts, being always the same that they seem, and these are all good men, but bad Actors. Others on the contrary do merely personate, seeming perpetually what they are not, and these are all bad m●n, but good Actors: notorious Hypocrites, like Monkeys, who imitate humane actions, but remain Monkeys still. Like complemental Courtiers, all courtesy in promise, no honesty in performance. They have the voice of Jacob, and the hands of Esau. Like the Apples of Sodom, they are fair to the sight, but if you touch them, they turn to fume and ashes. They are such eminent Histrionical Mimics, that in Greek all Stage-Players are called by their name's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hypocrites. They form a Plato●call kind of Divinity, an abstracted sanctity, that divides Faith from Charity. In a word, they are nothing else, but a mere paradox in our Church and Commonwealth. Vir non vir, arbour no● arbour: A Vine and no Vine, a Christian and no Christian, a mere empty Vine. And as their way, so is their end, their whole Course; as when a Hungry man Dreams, and behold he eats, but when he awakes he is faint, and his soul is Empty, Esay 29. 8. It is the Fruit that denominates the Tree, thy Faith makes thee a true Christian, thy works make thee known to be a true Christian. As in a Logician, so in a Christian give me Demonstration, thou must Demonstrate thy Faith by thy Works. There was no Honey used in GOD'S Sacrifice, Leuiticu● the 2. Chap. and the ●1. verse. Saith Theodoret, because it was made of Leaves and Flowers only, and not of Fruit. Herodotus tells us that the gods went to choose their Trees jupiter chose the Oak, because it was strong; Neptune the Cedar, because it was long; but Pallas the Vine, because it was fruitful. When our GOD, the GOD of all power and Wisdom, calls Israel a Vine, he calls for fruit, and if we look upon the letter of the Text, he can but call and have, for see the next words, this empty vine brings forth fruit. What an empty, and yet a fruitful Vine? This will be worth the examining, saith the Hebrew paraphrase. Every Riddle or Paradox consists of Contradictions, and it is the rule of Contraries, that Circa idem praedicantur, they both belong to the same subject, empty or fruitful, here is the same Israel, the same Hypocrite still. There is two kinds of hypocrisy, saith Navarrus, in words and in works. Faith without works, and works without faith, hypocrisy is the ground of all. Our Saviour in the 23. of Matthew, as he found some all-sayers and no doers, so others that would outdo all faith. This empty Vine will bring forth fructum aceruatum, as the Chalde bears it, whole heaps of fruit. This was and is the jews Tenet, that they were able to fulfil the whole Law, and so to work out their own salvation. And to this end they spare no labour, they compass Sea and Land to make a Proselyte. v. 15. they pinch at no cost, they build the Tombs of the Prophets, v. 29. with the Israelites in this Verse, they build many Altars, goodly Images. They do as much to seem, as others to be good. Yet all this in the end proves nothing but a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goes away, Ose 6. for all this fruit, the Verse 4. Vine is but an empty vine. But do these bastard-plants grow only in jury? are there no such jews to be found among Christians? Yes certainly, there be those that can outdo the jews, do more than God's law requires, they can supererrogate, as much as will save other men as well as themselves. As for their cost, it is they that sumptuously garnish the sepulchers of the righteous. Old Rome itself was never so glorious with rich shrines and Altars. And for their labour, 'tis they that compass Sea and Land to make a Proselyte, that sail with the four winds, ultra Garamantas & Indos: Southward to call home Heretics, Westward to convert Pagans, and when they have converted them, they make them twofold more the children of Hell than they themselves, Matthew 23. 15. compass the whole world, they disgrace and scandal the Gospel of Christ, throughout the whole world, dum exigunt sumptus lucrosae egestatis, aut simulatae pretium sanctitatis, while under the veil of religion, they bring forth fruit to themselves. The all-searching Spirit of GOD, makes all good Christians see and know, that all's not gold that glisters, that all this fair show of works, is but to be seen of men, Matt. 23. all but so many mists to delude the spiritual eyes of the people, and to catch them as cobwebs catch flies. These painted sepulchers so fair without, within are full of dead men's bones, a generation of Serpents and vipers, who make use of the works of Christ, only to betray the cause of Christ. As the former are so nice in the point of Faith, that they are afraid S. james comes too near Popery, so these so jealous in the point of works, that S. Paul himself hath run the censure of being too much a Lutheran. Works without faith are dead works, saith Paul. And faith without works is a dead faith, saith james. And the Heathen could teach us that dead wine was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unfit to be offered to the God of life. Medium tenuêre beati. Most happy is the temper of our Church, who as in the rest, so in this, is medium Contradictionis, partaking no more of either extreme, then conduceth to perfect verity. Words are women, deeds are men, say the Italians, we marry them both together. Prayers and alms, profession and demonstration, Saint Paul's faith, and Saint james works, we join them both together; and this conjunction is like the sacred union of the houses of York and Lancaster: so long as these were divided, our fruitful vine became empty, and no sooner were they united, but instantly our empty vine became fruitful. The blessed dew of Heaven fall plentifully upon that royal Plant, in whom both those stocks continue united, that under the gracious shadow of him and his, our Vine may flourish to all eternity. In the mean time, let us endeavour with words and works, with heart and hand, to take these Foxes that destroy the vine, these contradictory combining hypocrites, who, though their heads are asunder like Samsons Foxes, with malicious firebrands they are tied by the tails, they take several paths, but both meet in the end. Here's one word yet in the Text, sibi, to himself. This makes the Paradox to be Orthodox, it reads the Riddle, and discovers their hypocrisy. Israel empty, or Israel fruitful, they are neither for God nor his Church, for the King nor the Kingdom. Israel is all for himself, and Therefore Israel is an empty, etc. Here's all contradiction, all admiration taken away. The vine of Israel did not want fruit in the kind thereof, they enjoyed the blessing of peace, that with which the Vine is so much delighted. Suidas. Their Land was filled with plenty, with the multiplication of Wine, Oil, Silver, Gold, Ose 2. But all this abundance of fruit doth but serve to bring forth the abundance of sin: for as they had the fruit, so now as if they had had the rain and the dew in their own power, they contemn God that gave it them, they turn all the love of GOD into self-love, all their devotion and Religion ends in sibi. Even God and his blessings are made but the instruments of their base lusts, they presently fall to building of Altars; to making of Images. They bring forth, etc. So sweet and so secure is that dependence which we have upon God the first of being, that when we fall from him, we fall to nothing, or to that which is worse than nothing, a trust in ourselves. Verily all things are vanity alone without him who is virtue alone, no man's thoughts or actions good, whose end is himself, and not the chief Good. But give me leave with this Prophet to strike at the root of all evil self-love and covetousness. For either I am deceived, or else this one word sibi, reads the riddle, and discovers the mystery of the whole World's iniquity. Verum illud verbum est vulgò quod dici s●let, Omnes sibi ma●le melius esse quàm alteri. Plautas. In the corruption of nature, we are all borne with this contractive quality of self-love and interest. 'twas that which made Plato banish meum and M●r. 2. tuum out of his Commonwealth. And Aristotle could tell us that only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that the wicked man doth all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: he makes himself the end of all his actions, whereas the good man doth all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not for his own but virtue's sake, and therefore is rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a lover of goodness then of himself. To love virtue itself, not for virtue, but thyself, is the stain of virtue. If we love goodness for profits sake, we may be crafty men, but never good men, saith Tully: we may be as 1. De L●g. these men in my Text; perfect Hypocrites, but never good Christians. Such a one as these may mask under the name of Christ, and plead very passionately for faith or for▪ works; but the truth is, he hath no faith but in his own projects: & esteems no works but such as work his own commodity. Oh this wicked sibi, this selfedoctrine, the mother of Hypocrisy, and the nurse of Apostasy! There are some Court-Doctors who teach, that the finis Architectonicus of a Courtier, is this sibi, neither the glory of God, nor the honour of his master, but his fortune, his own commodity: 'tis true, he may cover his own projects under either of these, but he should serve neither of them, no farther than he serves himself. My noble Auditors, I must hope better things of you, for you have been instructed in the knowledge of the Spirit of life. Fare be such Amnous' and Absaloms' from the house 2 Sam. 13. 10, 28. of our David. Ye have the high calling of Christians, that which must command and actuate the calling of a Courtier, that which teacheth thee to deny thyself, while thou followest Christ, and not in compliment alone, but indeed to lay down thy goods, nay thy life for the service of the King. But it were some comfort, if this selfe-accusation lay upon the Court alone. There, are some, as Posse●ine and Ribadeyneir● that make it fall as heavily upon our Church and State, as if our ministry aimed no farther than our own commodity, and our Religion had no other ambition, but to bring forth fruit to ourselves. But if any such Foxes as these be crept into our Vineyard, the fearful curse of Hypocrisy light upon them to their amendment or confusion. But as for the general aim of our Church, I appeal to this Auditory, if ever we aimed at other ends than the glory of GOD, the peace of His Church, and the safety of our Sovereign: if with true exultation of spirit, we do not daily rejoice in the form of our civil government, that after the pattern of God's universal providence, we live in the best of all forms of policy, a Monarchy, and in that piously and peaceably under a most religious King. In point of Doctrine, we have the pure word of God for our judge, in matter of discipline, God's immediate Deputy for our Commander, under this unparalleled government hath our Vine flourished, to the irreconcilable hatred of those our accusers, and under the same may it still gain vigour and strength, donec Rumpatur quis quis rumpitur invidia. But if we would have passed the Alps for our Divinity, we might have learned, not from hellish Machiavelli alone, for private interest to do things against faith, charity, and Religion, but even those our very accusers, Possevine and Ribadeynira in their Antimachivels, would have taught us; that it is a point of conscience to equivocate in a point of State, and that as against the sting of Vipers we may use treacle; which is made of Viper's flesh: so 'tis Religion, against dissemblers to use dissimulation. And thus Boterus, that common brander of our English and Scottish Nations, and for that happily so much esteemed among the Romanists, he hath it among his Capi di Prudenza for a resolute Principle, that l. Interest é quel lo che vince Ogni partito, that all friendship, leagues, affinity, all bands of communion whatsoever, are to be measured by this Sibi, by the line of our own Interest and commodity. And what is this, but an absolute forsaking of GOD, to sacrifice in the house of Mammon? This was an excellent Rule for judas, who rather than suffer with his Master, to provide for himself, he must betray his Master. These had been choice Tutors for Lodowick the Eleventh, King of France, who desired his Son Charles the Eighth might learn no more Latin than this, Nescit regnare, qui nescit simulare. What a rare Disciple in this cursed school was Eccbolius, julians' Governor, who with the Emperor Constantius was a Christian? and because his Master was so, an Arian, with false julian who succeeded, he turned Gentle, and with pious jovinian who followed, he returned Christian, and begged pardon at the Church-door. Hear was one of the Devil's precious Agents of those, qui non Deum, sed purpuram colunt, saith Socrates, who are so wise that they know not God, 1 Cor. 1. Oh the powerful effects of this hellish doctrine, the sinful omnipotency of this wicked sibi! Hence it is, that a good Christian is now no more esteemed but a great Politician, the rule of State hath banished the rule of Charity, every Mechanic is become a Machiavelli, God's Word is forbidden, and Tacitus is become their Bible, more Commenters upon him than upon Saint Paul. Eight Hierol●mo da Ro●●●e. thousand Maxims of State in one Volume, and all these squared by the master-rule of self-interest. This is become the main Canon of all their holy Orders: for though the jesuites be the best Capreoli; the most winding branches of this encroaching Vine▪ yet as the Heavens, though all carried about by their first mover the Pope, yet every Planet, every peculiar Order have their proper motions for their own Interest and perfection. This is that makes Infants Cardines Ecclesiae, the pillars of the Church. This is that makes the Head of the Church, the Pope. I have their published Conclaves to avow it, that Interest of gain, of affection, of revenge, of faction, are the 4. prime Electors in the Popedom. Nay the top of Iniquity, this Sibi, is able to make gods: for so jeroboam, lest the people's hearts should turn against him, sets up one Calf at Dan, and another at Bethaven, and cries to the people, Behold thy gods, O Israel, 1 Kin. 12. Hear was worldly policy the ground of foul Idolatry; for verily desire of gain, devised the image, Wisdom Verse 16. 14. This made the Israelites here build so many goodly Altars, & Images. And thus our friend Boterus adviseth all Catholic Princes, that no means is so prompt to enrich & people a Country, as to get the fame of some holy Relic, some miraculous Shrine or Altar. Such as Loretta in Italy, Saint Michael in France, Guadalupo, Montserrata, and Compostella, in Spain. Here's excellent doctrine for the Devils Court. They must play with the poor people's Conscience, to favour their affairs; and GOD the highest Object, with Religion the chiefest act of man, must serve to no other end, but to usher in worldly policy and ambition. Notorious Antichristian Mountebanks, who have Christ in their foreheads; and Mammon in their hearts. The sons of the Sorcerers, and the seed of falsehood, Esa 57 Such as have Religion for the murder of Kings, and the Interest of the Church, for the dethroning of Gods Anointed. Oh let not this extraction of hypocrites, these Dogs and Foxes, come near the Court of David, nor harbour in the Vine of judah. These bastard-plants, that make no use of Religion but for their own ends, they may have the name of a Vine, and bear leaves like it, but are indeed pura labrusca, in stead of grapes, they bring forth wild grapes, even those gourds of the savage Vine that poisoned the broth, 4. King. 4. They Verse 40. are worse than the Vine of Sodom, and the fields of Gomorrah, their grapes are grapes of Gall, and their clusters bitter, Deut. 32. One word in the ear of Verse 33 these glorious worldlings, and I have done. Let not him that is deceived, trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompense. When the evil hour approacheth, wherein thou must enter into the chambers of death, now when thy soul body, and polluted soul are ready to be distracted, when thy trembling pu●●e shall strike the Alarm to death, when thy spirits shall faint, thy nerves fail, thy bones anguish, thy limbs sink under thee, and thy heart be forced to resign the power of life to him that gave it; now shall thy conscience turn thy inside outward, and with horror thou shalt plainly see the fruits of thy former projects, that they are all miserable vanity. Now shalt thou shake off thy unripe grapes as the Vine, for the Congregation of Hypocrites shall be desolate, job 15. And at the length, when the son of man with his sharp sickle shall gather together the clusters of the Vine of the earth, then shall he cast them into the great Winepress of the wrath of God, and the Press shall be trodden, and blood shall come out thereof, even to the Horses bridles, Re●. 14. Even thus shall it be with all those, who abuse the name of God, to bring forth fruit etc. Thus shall it be with the empty Vine of Israel. But though Israel play the Harlot, yet let not judah offend. The very Vine itself doth teach us better things. Video vites, quantum velis prem●s, static ad superna conari, saith Tertullian. Behold the Vine, press it as much as thou wilt, yet naturally it climbs upward, and seems ambitious of Heaven: And wilt thou, O Christian, the proper motion of whose soul is an ascension to God that made it, wilt thou lie grovelling in the Serpent's way, feeding upon thine own earthly projects, the corrupt dregges of the flesh? Let Pagans pant after the world, and the jews still hang in the expectation of their temporal prosperity, shall we Christians make the world our end, when Christ our Saviour hath pronounced the poor so blessed? See, the good Vine brings not forth fruit for himself, but for us. Sic vos non vobis. Let this likewise be our care to bring forth fruit to God, and not to ourselves. God, who hath given the means, hath not l●ft thee destitute of ends, whereon thou art to employ the fruits of his grace. The first and chief is the maintenance of true Religion: the second subordinate to this end, is the good of thy Commonwealth: the third, as the band of all Societies, is charity to our Neighbours, that in the pride and prime of our Vine, we forget not the afflictions of our brethren abroad; but freely, with heart and hand assist them: for, alas, if we suffer the devourer to destroy them, then in the time of thy need, who shall pray for thee, or who shall have pity upon thee, O jerusalem, jer. 15? In a word, let this Trinity of religious objects, be the ends of all thy pious endeavours, and then the sin of Israel shall light only upon the head of Israel, but all the fruits of thy labours shall reflect upon thyself, and thine own eternal happiness. Say ye to the Righteous, that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their labours, Esa 3. The Vine shall give her fruit, the ground▪ shall give her increase▪ the Heavens shall give their dew, and the people shall possess the Land, Zach. 8. Their happiness, who only aimed at themselves, shall end in themselves: but as in no Tree nature lasts longer than the Vine; the Vine of the Lord of Hosts shall flourish to all eternity. In the path of that eternal happiness, conduct us, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest joseph as a Flock, thou that dwellest between the Cherubims, shine forth. Look down, O God of Hosts, from Heaven, behold and visit our Vine, the Vine which thine own right hand hath planted, & the branch which thou hast made so strong for thyself: Let not the Boar of the wood waste it, nor the Beast of the field devour it. Keep thou still the Keeper thereof: upon the head of him and his, let his Crown for ever flourish: so shall Zion be glad, and jerusalem rejoice in thy Salvation; Ever attributing to thee, O FATHER, with the blessed So●●e, and holy Spirit, all power, praise, etc. FINIS.