A Nick for Neuters. A most godly and fruitful Sermon, begun and preached at Paul's Cross, the 30. day of October last, and continued & finished in Paul's Church, on Newyears day at night. By Thomas Burt, Preacher of the Word. How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him; but if Baal be God, then follow after him, 1. Kings 18.21. Seen and allowed. AT LONDON Printed by Simon Stafford. 1604. To the right Worshipful Sir john Grange, Knight, one of his majesties justices of the Peace and Quorum, in the County of Middlesex: and to that right virtuous, the Lady Katherine his wife, all earthly and heavenly true happiness. IN this dangerous time of Pestilence, raging in this our Mother City, and places adjacent, it might be said, as sometimes it was of Rome, Paucorum virtus cuncta Romae patravit. Your Worship, right worthy Knight, being one of this paucity, incumbent on your office in these places, even alone Moses-like, from the Morning to the Evening, bearing the burden of the people, in hearing, deciding, ending their controversies, maintaining the virtuous, & punishing the malefactors; and like a broad Fig tree, sustaining the weak and little shrubs, making shadow to the weary, giving fruit to the hungry, and bearing yourself strongly against all perverse & importune winds of contradictions and discouragements, yea, sowing virtue, and reaping fame; with grief have seen, and well do know, that it might be said yet again (notwithstanding Gods revealed wrath and sharp punishments) as sometimes it was of Rome: Moribus antiquis res stat Romana virisque. chrysostom. faith, If thou seest a tree doth bear no fruit, the cause is in the root. The cause of the barren leaves of the people's trees, and their vain words, and abominable works, I take it to be want of Religion, and Neutrality in Religion: I have therefore made choice of this text. Wherefore I entitle this book, A Nick for Neuters, because this our age hath brought forth many a prodigious Polypus, and vain ayre-full Chameleons. The divine Angels of our Churches have been vilipended, God hath been offended, and our City grievously punished. God avert his future further plagues, & turn his justice into mercy, and give us grace by repentance to meet with his judgements. The Lord stir up the heart, and bless with all wisdom, our prudent succeeding Solomon: inspire with his spirit, and give fit ability & cunning to Bezaleel, & Aholiab, to promote the work of the Tabernacle. God raise up (especially now) trusty Chusa, provident joseph, and just Samuel, bold Elias, plain john the Baptist, instant Paul, and feeding Peter: and extirpate and explode wicked Achitophel, covetous judas, blind Elymas, and paltry Magus, and grant, that the Fig leaves of authority, parentage, self-love, flattery, dissembling, and fond fancies, may be pulled off from Madam Psacentia● & the noble Lady Verona may show her lineaments, in uninuested & unobscured nakedness: so that with circumcised hearts and catechised souls, we may every one bring the Ark of God into our houses, while we may; that our houses may be blessed, as those houses were where the Ark was: and that this famous City with the Suburbs, and adjoining Parishes, now after their late sorrowful sighing of that Hei mihi, quanta de spe decidi, may (as it was said of Christ) gustare post fella favos, to the glory of God, the Church, Common wealth, and our private good, And as by good desert induced, it is my bounden duty, I beseech the most Highest, to stretch out his hand of protection, & defend, receive under the coverture of his wings, and preserve your Worship, and your virtuous Lady, with those toward Imps, your two gracious sons, & modest courteous daughters: and to send with this my Newyears gift (such as I have to give) which I commend unto you, many new years, and continual new and true joys, benedictions and graces temporal, corporal, spiritual, celestial, and eternal, for his Christ's sake, Amen. Your Worships in the Lord, Thomas Burt, Reu. 3. 14 And unto the Angel of the Church of the Laodiceans, writ, These things saith Amen, the faithful and true witness, that beginning of the creatures of God. 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou werest cold or hot. 16 Therefore because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, it will come to pass, that I shall spew thee out of my mouth: 17 For thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing, and knowest not, that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. TO speak briefly of some, and pretermit other circumstances: The Penman of this prophecy throughout the whole book of the Revelation is john, that divine Eagle, Eagle of divineness, one of the Lambs twelve Apostles, The time when, on the Lord's day, Apoc. 1.10. called the first day of the week. 1. Cor. 6.2. The observation of this seventh day is of divine institution, & so hath been from the beginning. Acts 20.7. It is natural, moral and perpetual. God blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it. The place, in the I'll of Pathmos, lying in the Aegean sea, whither john was exiled by Domitian, the Roman Emperor, about the year of our Lord 96. for the Words sake, and for the testimony of jesus Christ, Apoc. 1.9. The Persons to whom, are all the servants of God, Apoc. 1.1. Although but seven Churches are mentioned, yet under them, all others are contained. The true end and use of this book, is to publish to the world all things herein contained, as they must be orderly fulfilled, even to the end of the world, Cap. 1.1. This Book of the Revelation may fitly be divided into three visions, as it were into three general parts. The first vision, contained in the three first Chapters. The second, in the next eight Chapters, from the fourth to the twelfth. And the last vision, contained in all the consequent Chapters, from the twelfth, to the end. This Chapter than is part of the first vision, & containeth seven Epistles written to the seven Churches of Asia, wherein the present estate of the Churches of Asia, is most lively described, and in them the estate of all the Churches then militant on the face of the earth. Four things are contained in every one of these Epistles. First, an Exordium or entrance into the matter. Secondly, a general proposition. Thirdly, a narration. Fourthly, a conclusion. The Exordium containeth two things in every Epistle. First, the person to whom. Secondly, the person from whom this Epistle is written. The proposition and conclusion, is in every Epistle one and the same. The narration put between them both, consisteth of praise and dispraise, admonitions, reprehensions, threats and promises. This text than consisteth of three parts of this Epistle, written to the Laodiceans, the last of the seven Churches. First, of Th'exordium, noting unto whom it is written, in these words, And unto the Angel of the Church of the Laodiceans writ. Secondly, of the person from whom it is sent, which is here described by three Majestical titles. First, he is called Amen, observed in these words, These things saith Amen. Secondly, The faithful and true witness. Thirdly, The beginning of the creatures of God. The proposition is the same as in the other Epistles, I know thy works. This Narration containeth, First, a reprehension for a crime, which is, to be neither cold, nor hot. Secondly, A demonstration of the cause of the crime, which is, worldly riches, and spiritual poverty, in these words, For thou sayest, I am rich, etc. Thirdly, The threatening, which is, of punishment, Therefore because etc. it will come to pass, that I shall spew thee out of my mouth. Of the general proposition, I know thy works: I have lately, At Lam beth before many right reverend and learned, already entreated, as also of the first part of this Exordium, to whom this Epistle was written. Now resteth (Right Honourable, right Reverend, Worshipful, and beloved, that I speak of the rest of these parts, taking the words in order as they lie. And first, of the Majestical titles here given to our Saviour Christ: Thus saith Amen. First, he is called Amen. THis word Amen, is a strange kind of speech in the beginning: for we are wont to end with the same word that we now begin. So as it may seem by this beginning, that we make an end, when we do begin: and by this continuing, to begin again, when we have made an end; as though we had never made an end, and never begun. Yet in this is no preposterous speaking, if we mark a divine beginning: for the order of this speech declareth the efficacy of his name, and the effectualness of the name, the Majesty of the Son of God, whose Name it is. For as Amen is here in order first, and otherwhere last, it resembleth his nature, as he is called, Isa. 41.4. Primus & novissimus: The first and the last. And as Amen beginneth, and Amen endeth: so is he aswell called, Reu. 1.8. Alpha, the beginning; as Omega, the ending. And as Amen is one word in all languages: so is he one and the same in all his Saints. Amen, as Aretius noteth, is vox approbantis fore: a word, ratifying and willing a thing to be; so to ratify and say Amen to all, before any thing be done at all; and with whom all things are done, as soon as he saith Amen. Psal. 33.9. He spoke, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood. And as Amen is the end, finishing, and last addition to all sayings: so is he said to be the finisher of our faith, Heb. 12.2. As the Hebrew word Amen, signifieth verò, certò proculdubio: so is he said to be Amen, two manner of ways. First, in respect of God's promise. For 2. Cor. 1.20. All the promises of God, in him are Yea, and are in him Amen, unto the glory of God, through us: that is, are sealed sure and firm, confirmed in him, through God's good will towards us in Christ lesus. Mat. 3.17. This is my well-beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Witnessing, that though God was displeased for our sins sake, yet he is well pleased, and his wrath appeased for his sons sake. For without him, we cannot attain to God's promise. Therefore is he called our peace, Ephes. 2.14. and our bond, Rom. 8.36. Secondly, in respect of the truth of his natures. For how could be performed the work of the world's expiation, unless he had been both God and man? Man, to be borne under the Law: God, to fulfil the Law. Man, to suffer; and God, to overcome. Lo then, how this word Amen expresseth his nature, whilst it setteth him forth to be the stability of all his promises. Amen, that is to say, that God; that verity, that is eternity; that man, that is the seat of mercy; that nature, that is charity; that power, that is victory; that peace, that is unity; that life, that is felicity; being eternal, without beginning; everlasting, without ending; infinite in himself; the first and the last; venerable in his Saints, as a Bride in her ornaments; amiable in his Church, as a father in his charge; infallible in his word, as a prepotent performer; admirable in his works, as an Almighty Redeemer; imperial in the heavens, as a sovereign Commander; inestimable in the world, as an inexhaustible treasure of all the gifts and graces of God. The faithful and true witness. HEre the latter expoundeth the former. Christ the faithful and true witness of God, which declareth to us faithfully the true will of God: for in Scripture God is set forth to be the incomprehensible mind, and the Son, his divine and heavenly word: because, as the inward mind is made known by the vocal word, so the will of God is revealed by his Son, Mat. 11.27. And in this sense he is Amen, in respect of us: in the other he is Amen, in respect of God; for that he performeth the word of God, and carrieth it as an embassage to us, as here he cometh from heaven, and witnesseth to men their unkindness and cold affection to God: and therefore to furnish himself, assumeth these adiuments of credit, wherewith men ought to be prepared, when by the sway of an oath the truth in balance ought to be poised. The first is faith. The second, truth. The third, knowledge. faith, for integrity; truth, for equity; knowledge, for certainty: for that every such witness must know the matter in question, without doubting, speak that he knoweth, without lying, and continue faithful, without corrupting. Adhibenda est fides, ne testimonium violetur; veritas, ne mendacij arguitur; cognitio, ne ignorantia aberremus. These 3. properties are derived from the tongue, from the heart, and from the conscience: he must speak what he knoweth, know what he thinketh, think in heart what he knoweth: by means whereof these three parts in man, give due honour to God: The conscience, by testifying; the heart, by ratifying; the tongue, by specifying the truth, which is required of three persons. First, of God. Secondly, of the judge. Thirdly, of the innocent. For God looketh on the heart: the judge trieth by the tongue: and the innocent hangeth on the conscience. So that here we see three notable assistants to confirm credit. First, an upright conscience. Secondly, a faithful heart. Thirdly, a true and sincere tongue: By whose just testimony of the truth, God's honour is confirmed, the judge is informed, and the wrong is reform. But if faith, truth, and knowledge be so necessary in a witness of credit; what manner of persons are they, that for faith, produce falsehood; for truth, lies; and avouch their own knowledge, contrary to their own conscience: and so bring a guilty conscience, a false heart, and perjured tongue to the solemn judgement seat, where that high God doth sit as chief Precedent, and the judge, as his authorized Lieutenant, to hear and try, etc. 2. Chro. 19.6. Whereby it followeth, that the false swearing wretch doth not only lie to the Majesty of God, but also in calling him to witness, brings forth the everliving God, to maintain that his lie is true: and so makes the God of truth (as far as in him is) to be his stolen to betray the truth, his ascociate in the villainy, his consort in the injury, the colour of his treachery, and countenance of his perjury. Wherefore, seeing they beguile men under the name of God, and make the blessed God their cursed means to bring their wickedness to end: as they in the highest degree abuse the sovereign good, and so commit, of all others, the most heinous crime: so do they merit, of all others, the most grievous pain. Lamentable examples whereof have been showed to this wretched world. Melancton reporteth, lib. 4. of one Otho, Bishop of Mogunce, that he was, for wilful perjury, first strooken by thunderdynt from heaven, and afterwards carried by Devils visibly to hell, who yelling out as they went, this audible cry, Sic luendo, lues, atque ruendo, rues; gave their warnings to such miserable miscreants, to take heed of GOD'S allseeing eye, and severest judgement. Eusebius maketh mention, lib. 6. cap. 8. of three false varlets, accusing Narcissus, Bishop of jerusalem, by false oaths, making several imprecations against themselves, to confirm their affirmation: the first, that he mought be burnt with fire; the second, that he mought be consumed to death; the third, that he mought not see the light (if their testimony were not true) that the first was consumed with burning; the second, wasted with pining; and the third made blind with weeping. In how deep detestation (think you) doth the LORD hate this crime, since he himself doth in the Law, Numb. 5.11. set down the punishment, by an Oracle from heaven, and inflict it with a miracle from earth, insomuch that, in women, that forswore their incontinency, those parts that offended, with swelling and rottenness perished? For seeing that by perjury, GOD himself is dishonoured, truth abjured, conscience defiled, judgement deluded, Magistracy abused, the innocent condemned, the guilty absolved, the righteous wronged, and wrong-doers advanced; what marvel, if God be thereby most highly offended, when the world thereby is in peril to be confounded? False witness and perjury, is the spear and shield of all injury, the throne and Crown of all villainy, the stain and shame of piety, the scum and some of fallacy, the founder of iniquity, and confounder of integrity. In whom, amongst all other ill practices, this is most detestable, they work all their falsehood, under a colour of truth, and compass all their wrongs, under the mask of doing right, and perform all manner of iniquity, under the vesture of Christian duty. Is not an oath the stablisher of all truth, determiner of all strife, the trier of all right, the discoverer of all falsehood, the ground of all judgement, the end of all controversy, the witness of all righteousness towards men, and of all fear and worship towards God? Deut. 6.13. Thou shalt fear the Lord God & serve him, and swear by his name, etc. Deut. 19.15. One witness shall not rise against a man for any trespass, for any sin, or for any fault that he offendeth in, but at the mouth of two or three witnesses shall the matter be established. Mat. 18.16. That by the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word may be confirmed. Heb. 6.16. An oath for confirmation, is amongst them an end of all strife. jer. 4.2. And thou shalt swear, The Lord liveth, in truth, in judgement, and in righteousness. If so; what trial can be of truth, what invention to find out fraud, what Sanctuary to secure right, what refuge to rescue wrong, what end of Law, what use of justice, what judgement seat, what Princes throne, what credit in men, what regard of God, if the reverend and sacred religion of an oath fall to ground? Assuredly, these false and forsworn Vipers do more hurt by veiled villainy, then doth the enemy by armed hostility; personated in Sinon. — Capti dolis, periurique arte Synonis, Quos neque Tydides, neque Larisseus Achilles, etc. Sinon's perjured tongue wrought more woe, and shed more blood, than Achilles' piercing lance. The one cometh into the field, like a man; the other into the Court, with falsehood, like a Devil: the one, with weapon in hand; the other, with poison in heart: this striketh his private enemy with the sword; that, the public Magistrate with deceit: this man impugneth his mortal foe; that beast repugneth the sacred laws and judgement seat of God: he, to repel the conceived injury; this, to overthrow justice, truth, and equity: so the one doth assault with valour and magnanimity; and the other deceive by sacrilege and treachery. But what do I compare them to men at Arms, with their villainy who go (if it were possible) beyond the devil himself in this wicked witchery? Medea confesseth, that she could by the help of Hecate, Ripis mirantibus, amnes in fontes redire suos facere, by her incantation, make Rivers run backwards again into their fountains, turn streams backward, and roots of trees upwards: a thing very prodigious. But these, by their enchanting perjury, can do a great deal more than that: for whereas she could only enchant by her charms, rivers, hills, woods, herbs, stones and trees: these can bewitch equity, truth, judgement, knowledge, and authority; and by their black art turn them so contrary, that they can transform good into ill, light into darkness, truth into falsehood, equity into injury, verity into vanity, authority into tyranny; make the defender the destroyer of the world, and transmute the comfort of men into confusion. Wherefore, although they both abuse the Name of God; the one by sorcery, the other by perjury: both defile Gods creatures; the one by conjuring, the other by abjuring: both work wonders in the eye of the world; one under the visor of piety, the other by open iniquity: Yet in this, the conjuror doth invocate the devil, the Perjurer, the Name of God; this infecteth the earth, that infesteth the heavens; this worketh on corporal bodies, that on spiritual minds; this on trees & herbs, that on states and Cities: the one opposeth his wickedness against the things of this world, the other his devilishnesse against the Throne of God. No doubt, the very damned Witches are so much the less in their doings heinous, than the perjured Swain, as it is more impious to abuse the inviolable Majesty of GOD, than the subtle Devil; and those heavenly treasures, than the earthly creatures: For when he hath done all this mischief, he maketh the just God his cloak, to cover all his abominations: So that he infecteth the very heavens with the breath of his mouth; the very air, with the venom of his tongue; and surmounteth even very hell, with the malice of his heart. O earth, earth, earth! corruption, for foulness; carrion, for vileness; flesh, for frailness, how darest thou say to Gods most sacred Majesty, Cover my perjury: and to that inviolable Verity, Be a shadow to my lie: and to the judge of all righteousness, Be my copesmate in wickedness? Was there ever sin of such a shameless face, obstinate heart, yron-sinewed neck, and brazen brow, as to say to the Searcher of the heart, and Trier of the reins, Witness my witness to be true, when he lieth in his heart? O incredible impudence! surpassing Tytion in opprobriousnes; Gorgon, in prodigiousnes; and Cyclops, in contemptuousnes: yea, the Devil himself in wickedness, according to that saying, Non audet Stygias, Pluto tentare, quod audet Perturus. The Devil for fear doth quaking stand, to see what perjury takes in hand. Yet though the crime be never so heinous, and the punishment never so grievous, too too many care no more for false swearing and perjury, then in manner of a common courtesy. I rue to think, that, as in duty I am bound to speak; and I would to GOD, I might be silent with safety: but seeing the burden of duty is laid on my back, that I must speak against this horrible and rife sin, and so do of love, hoping for amendment: let the goodness of your minds answer to the greatness of my desire, as to look rather to your own duties in amending, then mine in admonishing. I say, that public place, and Courts of reformation, Westminster Hall, and this your Honourable City, is much dishonoured and infamed with this crime and perjury, though (I confess) the known malefactors have often received condign punishment, for these sins so offending God and equity: yet needful is it of a continual care to save lands, lives, goods and souls, by grave, deep, and discreet scrutiny. It is said, there are certain, called knights of the Post (I think so called for the greater part, because they have so much true faith, truth, and knowledge, as hath a post) that as one man would lend another an horse to relieve his journey; so will they lend another an oath to relieve a cause, preferring policy before piety, and commodity before equity: they dishonour God, to favour men, win themselves wealth, with the loss of themselves, and run into this cursed and capital crime of false witness-bearing and perjury, which is the slaughter of sanctity, massacre of verity, stab of equity, bane of innocency, murder of authority, and Hag of all improbity; hells sacring, heavens unhallowing; Gods defiling, man's forlorning, and the worlds untwining. Oh, that profane and wicked wretches would be think themselves, first, before whom they stand: let them but imagine it to be before some man of great authority, worthy of reverence, full of severity, and piercing of judgement. Secondly, that they would persuade themselves, when they are to give in their testimony, that then was the last period of their life: and therefore then so to speak, as one that was presently before God's tribunal seat, then for the same to give an account. And lastly, that they would have God before their eyes, as if he were present, visibly and corporally, (as in truth he is invisibly in all places, especially in that place, where God is said to be amongst the gods.) And therefore to speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth (according to their charge) looking to God the Searcher of all thoughts, that standeth there, as witness and judge, to allow, or disprove, to judge, or acquit them: then would they have one eye to God, and the other to the cause in question; then would they justly respect the truth in every man's cause, and not make account of any man's person, knowing that God is Author of truth, and therefore hateth lies; and the devil father of lies, and therefore hateth truth; that nature hath joined their tongues and hearts together, because the tongue should express what the heart doth think; that leasings are the most dangerous enemies to quietness, and makers of debate; that it breaketh, and in time taketh away all the affiance and trust that should be between man and man; it impaireth their credit, woundeth their conscience, & engageth their souls. O remember this, ye that forget God, and are possessed with whole Legions of lying devils, that make no conscience of a sacred oath: fear not the displeasure of men, but fear to transgress the commandments of God: reveyle not one part, to gall an enemy, nor conceal an other part, to pleasure a friend; speak the truth, and the whole truth. Veritat is simulatio, abnegatio, etc. saith Fulgentius. Halt not on both sides, with one part of the testimony; on one part to pleasure the plaintiff, and the other, to please the Defendant. Cover not Nero's cruelty, (beware of scarlet sins) under Cato's gravity; nor Herod's butchery, with john Baptists simplicity. Mala conscientia delictorum, testis, judex, carcer, torture. Remember, that CHRIST doth entitle himself, The faithful and true witness, in whose heart was never untrue thought, in whose mouth was never guileful word, in whose hands was never false deed: for he was the Way, the Truth, and the Life; the Way, never erring; the Truth, never failing; the Life, everlasting: true in all his promises, true in all his prophecies, true, in giving us true liberty. If then you be true by this example in heart, true in tongue, true in hand, faithful and true witnesses, your thoughts shall yield comfort to yourselves, your tongues praises to your God; your hands, good deeds to your brethren. But if you lie without fear, you shall die without GOD: and when your body is without life, your soul shall be without hope. And ye, most prudent and learned judges of the Land, to whom it doth belong; though I may say, Ye grave fathers, as sometimes Bernard did to Eugenius, consid. lib. 2. Non est meae humilitatis dictare vobis, Vel sic, vel sic faciendum: In all humility for JESUS CHRIST his sake, I beseech you to respect of what Religion and honesty the witnesses be, that are produced before you; for Constantine's rule doth hold: They cannot be faithful to men, that are faithless to God. You will not suffer them to rob men by the high way side; much less, to rob God of his honour, the laws of true justice, and their neighbours of their rights, lives, lands, and goods. They must not murder others; and shall they slay their own souls? They may not speak treason against their Prince; and shall they utter blasphemy against GOD? Why should any man abuse his own horse or house? for if they please not one, they may pleasure another. And why should any man be permitted (as far as it may be prevented) to abuse his own soul? they are not their own, but are bought with the precious blood of the immaculate Lamb, Christ jesus. I am of opinion, if I see one ready to drown himself, and stay him not, if I may, if so he doth perish, that I am guilty of his death. But Pauca sapienti. Thanks to God, for your religious care already had upon this point; and God grant your perseverance, to the glory of God, and furtherance of justice. And thus much for these words in Christ's second title, The faithful and true witness. That beginning of the creatures of God. CHrist is said to be the Author and Beginner of the creatures of God, two manner of ways. First, as it is joh. 1.3. All things were made by it, and without it was made nothing that was made. So that he is beginning without beginning: for he that giveth beginning to all things, must needs have none himself: he that is before all things, cannot after be made to be: he that created all other, cannot himself be a creature: he that sustaineth, and giveth Being to all, must needs be himself an eternal and infinite Being, which never began to be, nor never shall make an end to be. Therefore he is not the beginning amongst creatures, that is, the first amongst creatures that began to be, but the beginning, that is, the Beginner & Former of all things whatsoever be. This Majesty of God in the creation, not a little setteth forth the dignity of the message: for how materially should we regard his pleasure, that is Prince of all power, who as he made us of nought, so can he bring us to nought; and can make us heirs of heaven, or firebrands of hell. Secondly, he is said to be the beginning of the creatures of God, as he is in this sense, Eph. 1.4. As he hath chosen us in him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and without blame before him in love, etc. 2. Thes. 2.13. The Apostle affirmeth, that God hath from the beginning chosen them to salvation, through sanctification of the spirit, and the faith of truth, etc. Whereby we may see, God looked on the countenance of Christ, when he first made man, that whereas in Adam we all perished, so we should in Christ all be repaired: and this was his eternal decree from the beginning. Therefore is he said to be the Lamb slain from the beginning, and jesus Christ, yesterday and to day, and the same for ever. Now, as Christ is said to be the Beginning of the creatures of God, two manner of ways, so is the creature to be considered two manner of ways: that is, not only by creation, but by renovation, as it is implied Psa. 51.10. Gal. 6.15. 2. Cor. 5.17. Eph. 2.10. Whereby it appeareth, that man's last renewing is as great a work of God, and as mighty as the first. In the first creation, Adam of nothing was made good. In the second, man was of ill made good. Now to draw one contrary out of another, is of no less divine power then to make good of nothing: for in ill is a natural hatred and resistance to be made good, but in nothing is no resistance, Aug. Par sit utriusque potestas, & justos creare, & impios iustificare: yet must the latter be of more mercy than the first. The first was of the earth, earthy, 1. Cor. 15.47. And by this creation, not only the earthy, that is to say, the corruptible nature, which doth only savour terrene and earthly things, is made divine, having in this life the heart made heavenly, with divine faith, the conscience heavenly, with divine peace, the understanding heavenly, with divine knowledge, the affections heavenly, with divine love, the life heavenly, with divine works; but being thus prepared in this life present, shall in the blessed heavens, of wretched, be made blessed; of maimed, be made perfect; of stained, be made pure; of caducal, immortal; and of corruptible, eternal. So in the like manner, in the first was created in the human body, being, life, and sense; and in the human soul, reason, memory and will: But such a being, as without this last renovation, better not to be, being indeed nothing else but a perpetual languishing; such a life, as was and is to be dissolved; such sense, as was and is to be perplexed; such reason, as was and is to be deceived; such will, as was and is to be disordered; such memory, as hath often failed. But in this second is not only a being, but a happy being; not life alone, but eternity; not only sense, but iocundity; reason without obscuring, will without disturbing; and memory without forgetting. So in the first, the body was drawn out of dust, life out of breath, sense out of life, mortality out of nature, and misery out of sin. But in this second, both body and soul are drawn out of hell, life out of death, and sense out of torment, eternity out of mortality, and felicity out of misery. Moreover, in the first (as we must thankfully confess) though man was most royally and magnificently seated, and made Lord of this inferior world, had Paradise for his Palace, all creatures to serve him, all treasures to enrich him, all elements to help him, the earth to sustain him, and heaven to conserve him: yet in this second (my heart doth melt to think it: O wonderful thing!) mortal man is made heir of the immortal God, and succeed in the inheritance of his unmeasurable glory, hath heaven for his folace, Angels to help him, God's spirit to sustain him, his grace to enrich him, God's Son to redeem him, God himself to adorn him. Furthermore, God made man at the first, when he was then as the earth is now, senseless without feeling, and lifeless without moving; so that if he had no praise of well doing, he had no blame of ill deserving. But now at the last, when man had fallen from the God of life, into the power of the king of death; and in preferring the credit of the lying Devil, before the truth of the living God, had not only rendered disobedience for duty, and great ungratefulness for God's great bounty; but also had sense of feeling, and torments for ever abiding: then the gracious and bountiful God, to show not only a patience in suffering, compassion in pitying, a mercy in pardoning; but also a love in retaining, a bounty in restoring, a magnificence in enlarging his estate again, doth argue his love to have so much the more exceeded, in how much man's love had the less deserved. Opus sine exemplo, gratia sine merito, charitas sine modo, saith Bernard. Besides, the first creation was made by the might of God's Son; but the second by the death of God's Son: so God laboured to make the first, but Christ suffered to make the last: so that in the first, man was exalted; but in the last, God was debased, & that so interchangeably, as that by how much the Son of God was humbled, in so much was the son of man advanced: for God came down to earth, and man went up to heaven: God took our human flesh, and man his divine spirit: God was made the son of man, & man was made the son of God: yea God was condemned, & man was acquitted; Christ suffered, and man was redeemed; he was done to bitter death, and man received to eternal life; he sustained the pains of hell, and man possessed the joys of heaven; he was crowned with pricks & thorns, to crown man the King of bliss. Thus was God depressed to man's misery, and man exalted to God's glory. Now, what greater love could God show to man, then to prefer man to the glory of God? and yet in doing it, by detruding himself to our misery, he doth double the bounty by suffering, which he bestowed in advancing: for in giving his glory, what soever he had, he gave him all: But in suffering our misery, he freely gave himself and all. Now if we can never satisfy for the greatness of that glory, what shall we render for this his unmeasurable love? Thus then to conclude, was the Son of God by the first, our beginning of life; but in the second he brought us an end of death by the first, mould was made a man; by the second, sin was made a Saint: the first made man the image of God; the second, the son of God: by the first, was made a human soul; by the second, a divine spirit: by the one, he is made Lord of earth; by the second, King of heaven: by this he hath a world full of creatures; by that he hath an heaven full of joys: so, by the one he is wonderfully created, by the other inestimably redeemed: whereby the Son of God declared by the first his unmeasurable greatness, by the last, his incomparable goodness. Lo, behold here, Beloved, what wonderful great things the Lord hath done for us: we ought (if it were possible) to be answerable in all kindness and thankfulness to his great love and goodness: which thing, since we cannot possibly perform, yet, when we have done all that we are able, we must of necessity confess we have done much less than we ought: how ought we notwithstanding to contend to do all things to the uttermost of our power, that by our readiness in doing that which we can, we show our willingness, that we would do that as we cannot: where, if it be so, we do far less than our duty, even when we endeavour to do more than our power: what duty do they perform, who when they should do more than all, perform less than nothing? nay not only seek not to advance any duty, but shame not to requite so great goodness with all impiety, by falsehood, fraud, and perjury, seeking only to anger & most grievously to offend him, which hath most egregiously deserved of them. But if it be a savage and brutish thing for a man so to behave himself, as to be (I say) not only unworthy, but vanquished of a good turn; how monstrous & prodigious a thing is it, to render immeasurable wickedness, for incomparable goodness, and that especially to God's eternal Majesty? And if we should not suffer our goodness to be overcome by others wickedness, as the Apostle saith, how incredible obstinate are we, if our wickedness cannot be overcome by God's mighty divine goodness? We are to know, blessed Brethren, that the Lord hath not placed us therefore in this world, that we should by savage ungratefulness become worse than brute beasts, but that as human creatures, we should excel in all humanity, and show our great love towards him, for his great love towards us, acknowledging our gratefulness for his deseruednes, and with all our might honour him, that doth with all his bounties pleasure us. Wherefore let us learn by the pattern of his worthiness, to be made like to his goodness, because he hath promised us in Christ, that they which are like unto him in grace, should reign with him in glory. And thus we are assured of, that, look what is in Christ promised, because he is God Amen, shall be performed undoubtedly. Which thing that the Lord may effectually do indeed, let us with all our hearts beseech him to bless us, that we may with all our hearts serve him, that after this life present, we may with him eternally enjoy the life to come: which God grant for his Christ his sake. Amen. The second part. reve. 3. 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot, etc. 16 Therefore, because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, etc. 17 For thou sayest I am rich etc. THE Lord jesus, having before premised the description of his dreadful Majesty, but especially of his infallible knowledge which cannot be deceived; of his immutable truth, which cannot be changed; of his inviolable faithfulness, which cannot be corrupted: Having thus (I say) premitted (as a thunderbolt) the excellency of his nature, he proceedeth to note down the faultiness of their behaviour, giving them to conceive thereby, that it is in vain to make false semblance with God: For by reason of his infallibleness, he will not be deceived by them; & because of his faithfulness, he will not deceive them. But as by virtue of his knowledge, he seethe what they are: so for his inviolablenes, he will use them as they are: assured they may be, whatsoever he promiseth, because he is true, he assuredly performeth, because he is faithful. The Laodicians being thus assured to find reward according to their desert, he cometh to declare; both what they have deserved, and how they shall be rewarded. Wherein the Lord setteth down to them, First, the crime. Secondly, the cause of the crime. Thirdly, the punishment. First, the crime is, to be neither hot nor cold. Secondly, the cause, worldly rich; and spiritual poverty. Thirdly, the punishment, to be vomited out of the Lords mouth. The grievousness of this crime we shall the more evidently perceive, when we mark thoroughly, first, who they are that are hot. Secondly, who they are that are cold. Thirdly, and consequently, a third sort, Neuters, that are neither hot nor cold. They are hot in Religion, whom Christ baptizeth cum Spiritu sancto & igni: for so were the Apostles, Acts 2. when the holy Ghost sat in fiery cloven tongues on every one of them. First, in fiery tongues, to make them lucent and ardent. Secondly, in tongues, to make them prudent & eloquent. Thirdly, these tongues were cloven, to show, that as every tongue was made many by cleaving: so should they have diversity of gifts and multiplicity of languages, Rom. 12.6. And as one saith, Omnium gentium linguas loquitur Ecclesia. For as in fire there are many notable qualities perceptable to the senses, as clearness, beauty, burning, heat, dryness, and many singular effects answerable thereunto, as to make pure, adorn, manifest, separate and consume: So this alluding of the holy Ghost unto fire, putteth us in mind, that God's spirit worketh like fire, in the Saints, an illustrious brightness; yet not of the eyes, but of the understanding; clearness, not of colour, but of conscience; heat, not of fire, but of zeal; and a thirst & dryness, not unto moisture, but unto goodness, making men to shine in the darkness of this world, Phil. 2.5. to be adorned with the beauty of holiness, as the world with the beauty of heaven, and to be made pure in heart through faith, Acts 15. as fire doth purify gold; to be zealous and fervent in spirit, as the fire makes men fervent in heat, Ro. 12. to consume our corrupt affections as dross with flame, Ro. 8. to fill us as full with the fruits of righteousness, as fruit trees are filled with the fruit of the Sun, Phil. 1.11. So that by means of this sacred fire, the Saints are made with zeal, like S. joh. Bap. burning fyrebrands; through love, like the Apostles, shining lights; through faith, like the wise virgins, shining lamps; through grace, like the righteous in heavens kingdom, evershining stars. And no marvel; for these have not only cast off the works of darkness, by mortifying their own flesh, denying their own selves, subduing their own wills, foregoing their own delights, & by contemning the glory of the world, the flatter of prosperity, & the despites of adversity; but are made infatigable against all labours, intrepidable against all dangers, invincible against all pleasures, and inexpugnable against all power; and have moreover, after a most divine and heavenly manner, put on the armour of light, Rom. 13.12. and walk in the light, using (as Cyprian saith) Tanta humilitate in conversatione, stabilitate in fide, veritate in verbis, in factis justitia: such government in manners, and justice in works, as that their whole lives are nothing else, but spectacles of piety; their bodies, tabernacles of sanctity; their mouths, oracles of verity; their hearts, habitacles of charity; and themselves, mirrors & miracles of all integrity. And they that are such, may rightly be said to be hot in Religion. Behold (beloved) how greatly ought we to be inflamed with the love of this Excellency, as also confounded with the shame of our indignity, that the more far we are off from the worthiness of the Saints, the more we ought to endeavour to come near unto the same. Now, by the contrary to those that are hot, we may easily discern what these are that are cold: that is, such as have no spark of this heavenly fire, no heat, nor comfort of the holy Spirit, being without light in darkness; cold without love, and impure without goodness; & therefore such as the holy Ghost noteth, 1. Cor. 6.11. as are not washed, as are not sanctified, as are not justified in the Name of the Lord jesus, and by the Spirit of our God: such as Ephe. 2.12. are said to be without Christ; such as he denounceth, in the first to the Corinthians, the sixth Chapter, to be Idolaters and adulterers, etc. Whereby we may gather, three sorts of these Psukroi, keycold in religion; Atheists, natural men, and Epicures. The Atheist, the Apostle describeth, to be without God; the natural man, without Christ; the Epicure, without any spark of the blessed Spirit: because the Atheist wants the light of nature, Ro. 1.20, 21. the natural man, the light of grace, 1. Cor. 2.14. the Epicure, the light of the law, Gal. 3. For the Atheist, because his heart is darkened saith the Apost. Ro. 1.21. When they knew God glorified him not as God. The natural man, 1. Cor. 2.11. because he wanteth the spirit of grace, cannot know the things that are of God: for as no man knoweth the things of man, but the spirit of man that is in him; so the things of God, knoweth no man, but the spirit of God. And the Epicure, because he regardeth not to know God, according to the law of God, God giveth him up to a reprobate mind, to do the things that are not convenient. Whereby it comes to pass, that the Atheist becomes irreligious without hope; the natural man, erroneous without truth; and the Epicure, impious without conscience. The Atheist, in midst of light, remaineth still in darkness: the natural man, in time of truth, in error; and the Epicure, in time of grace, liveth still in sin. The Atheist, in stead of God, honoureth his own will; the natural man, the Idols of his own heart; the Epicure, his paunch, and his own pleasure. And thus the Atheist, because he is without light, and without hope, is cold in Religion: the natural man, because he is without Christ, without grace, without truth: the Epicure, because he is careless without fear, shameless without honesty, and senseless without conscience: which are men (to use the words of Peter & Jude) for all inanity of goodness, as wells without water; for instability & lightness, as winds without rain; for defilings and filthiness, spots without cleansing; for fruitless barrenness, trees without fruit; Stars without light, for darkness; flesh without spirit, for sensualnesse; beasts without reason, for brutishness; and men without God, for profaneness. Then woe be to us, if we be without Religion, & live as miscreants in the midst of Saints, and to the corruption of nature, do add the contempt of grace. But now to come to our Neuters (the thing we seek after) we may easily gather by the negation of these two, that are in such wise hot, and in such wise cold, as beforespoken, what he is, that in religion is neither hot nor cold, and partly, how by partaking of both, he is neither of both: for he that neither hath the comfort of the holy Ghost, in such degree as a Saint, nor is so i'll with the coldness of iniquity, as an Infidel, is Neuter, that is, neither Saint, nor Infidel: but as betwixt a Horse and an Ass, is procreated a Mule; betwixt a Lion and a Wolf, an Hyena: so betwixt this heat, and that coldness, is engendered a Nullifidian of profaneness, which is neither hot nor cold: not cold, because he doth profess to know God: not hot, because he doth in works deny God, Tit. 1.16. not cold, because he doth appear righteous before men: not hot, because he is full of iniquity before God, Mat. 23.13. not cold, because he doth worship God with his lips: not hot, because he is far from him with his heart, Mat. 15.8. not cold, because he loveth in word & in tongue: not hot, because he doth not love in deed and in truth, 1. joh. 3.18. so that he is holy in profession, but hollow in conversation; of a good opinion touching truth, but of an ill example touching life: such a one indeed, as doth hold Religion, but yet without zeal; as will say, he is of the true Religion, but is not truly religious; as hath knowledge, but without love; as professeth the faith, but without works, jam. 2.14. This is the crew of that surlike company, that pretend conscience, but without feeling, 1. Tim. 4.2. they are come to that point of insensibility of sin, that they shame not to sin with delight; such as have a desire, but without all performing. And as by the negation, the lukewarm Christian is a Neuter; so is he by participation an Ambidexter. These men have their coats made of Linsy wolsey: these are they that plough with an Ox & an Ass: these do sow their land with divers kind of seeds: these are like the Griffin in the war between the birds, & the beasts: to the birds, he showed his wings; to the beasts, his feet, professing aid to both, yet show'd himself Neuter to both: having, by reason of this partaking of both natures, a natural facility to play with both hands, being ready both to worship Baal, with Achab, and the Lord with jehu, 1. Kin. 16. & 29. both to build up the Temple with Zerubbabel, and pull it down with the Aramites, Ezr. 4. to bless for Israel, and curse for Balak, Num. 24. to cry Hosanna to day, and Crucifige to morrow, Mat. 20. & 27. Partim serviunt Deo, partim Diabolo, saith Aug. where God being angry the devil should have any part, doth leave his part, and let the devil take all: for by reason he hath his heavenly heat delayed with worldly coldness, he is not fervent in any religion, a man indifferent for all religions, ready to partake any religion, but indeed, a lover of no religion: for that he is always for his twofold mixtures, mungrell-minded; for want of heat, cold affected; through warmness, busy-headed; by negation, hollow-hearted; with partaking, double-handed; by delaying, half addicted; in every mutation, soonest changed: so that as lukewarm water will be soon ice; so lukewarm men will be soon wicked: & as ice will rather dissolve, then admit warmness, so they as easily die, as return to goodness. For which cause, Christ avoucheth in this place, not only the misbelieving Infidel, but the profane Atheist to be better, or not so bad, as the lukewarm Neuter; because the Atheist professeth to be as he is, openly wicked; the Neuter, by ill dissimulation, to be good, whereby that ill doth more annoy under colour of goodness. The Atheist thinks not there is a God, because he thinketh he is not. The Neuter thinketh there is a God, but regardeth him not (An erring by darkness of nature, oftentimes being enlightened, doth hunger after grace) The Neuter enlightened already with the good gifts of grace, through satiety, ofttimes returneth to the vomit of nature: so, whereas the one sort is a committer of wickedness, the other is beside an abuser of godliness; the one offending through boldness of ignorance, the other through perverseness of will; those, through frailty of nature; these, through contempt of grace. Whereby it is evident, that all lukewarm Christians, are for all profane behaviour, most notable hypocrites, most dissembling Ambodexters; in dealing with men, Neuters; in partaking with neither, Nulli-fidians; in relapsing from both, counterfeits of holiness, to profane virtue, Apostates from God, full of all wickedness, for all kind of vice, monsters in nature, Atheists in error, Epicures in pleasure, Saints in honour, and devils in demeanour. What wonder then, if the Lord will have no coldness in them that profess him, when as in only warmness there do muster such an army, and lieth hid so dangerous an Ambuscado of wickedness? The more shameful that any fault is, the more careful should we be to shun it. And what can be more heinous, than such a crime? and yet what more common, than such behaviour? It is an old saying, Non omnes Sancti, qui calcant limina Templi. All that gloweth, is not gold, nor all that seem, are not Saints. We profess the Kingdom of the Gospel: but for the most part, we embrace the kingdom of the world; we believe like Christians, & live like Pagans; look like the Lamb, and speak like the Dragon; the Name of God is in our tongue, but the fear of God is not in our hearts: we can serve all turns, change ourselves into all forms, and with a trice become openly Protestant's, secretly Papists; inwardly neither, outwardly both; Saints in face, serpents in heart; Angels in show, Devils in deed; God's word swimming in our lips, but detestable Satan digging in our souls. There was never better teaching, nor worse following; more talking, and less practising: not like Pambo, who, when he had heard one lesson, would learn no more, before he would practise that▪ for we will hear any thing, but frame ourselves to follow nothing; find great fault with our former sins, and object, our forefathers lived in ignorance, (and in truth, they knew very little, but did very much; they were spare in speech, & noble in acts:) but we, as though degenerate, or none of their children, nay rather, none of God's children, the more good we know, the less good we do; we have filled tongues, but defiled hearts. Now, if all the world would set to their hands, to defend us from ruin, yet how can God suffer that Commonwealth to stand, that shroudeth such a multitude of wickedness, under the sacred holiness of his most blessed Name? Wherefore (dear Citizens) let us repent with Ninive, that we be not cast away with Laodicea. And thus much touching the crime. NOw to speak of the cause. The Lord, in this place, assigneth two causes, why the love of Religion is quailed in the Laodiceans; and they may be assigned as causes this day, why it also quaileth in us. First, worldly riches. Secondly, spiritual poverty: the one oftentimes ensuing the other: for men unmeasureably rich, are commonly immoderately bend upon the world; so encumbered with the toil of worldly cares, that they can scarcely respite themselves one breath or gasp of an heavenly thought; or else, after the manner of these Loadiceans, having their wealth increased, begin to conceive so well of themselves, that they think all to be well, whatsoever they do; and because they have goods enough, think themselves to be good enough, censuring after the judgement of the world, that God doth favour, whom the world doth prosper: and therefore, because they are well, touching the world's prosperity, they deem themselves well also, touching God's favour. For prosperity is often proud, wealth wanton, and many times, not only wilful, but also witless too. The rich man is wise in his own conceit (saith Solomon.) As who would say, he were in deed but a fool. Lo, how riches can enchant the mind, to cause a man to think himself wise, when he is but foolish; strong, when he is but weak; fenced, when he is naked; godly, when he is wicked; and to leave the Lord, the Tower and strength of his defence, to trust in the weak & rotten walls of wealth. For the nature of man being composed of two contraries, of a mortal body, the earth, Gen. 2. and an eternal soul, which is from heaven, Eccl. 12. & are as contrary, as heaven and earth: whilst either of these parties are naturally moved to conserve the good estate of his own nature, it cometh to pass, that both this base & earthly part draws a man vehemently to be attended upon earthly things; & contrary, that divine & heavenly part doth covet to carry men up into heaven, from whence he is descended: By means of which repugnancy in man's nature, it is brought to pass, that man is wonderfully drawn into contrary & repugnant desires, endeavouring to join things together, which of their own nature are severed most farthest asunder, wearying himself with infinite toil, how to join God and the world together; to be partaker of corporal pleasures, and spiritual joys; and possess both all prosperity of the earth, and all felicity in heaven. And this is the cause of all Neutrality at this day: for we would all the sort of us fain be Christians and worldlings too; worship God and Mammon too; taste the sweetness of heaven and of the earth too: & so would be Neuters, that is, hot and cold too. In which conflict of contrary and impossible desires, if that gross & carnal part get the upper hand (as without the assistance of God's divine power, it must needs do) both because of the corruptness of our nature, as also that the jewel of the soul lieth wrapped up in the body, as a folded vesture, unknown to the outward man, that draweth away the heart from God, as the Adamant iron, to the veneration of the world, pulling him, as a bird tied by the leg, when he would fly up into heaven, down again to the earth, and so to fix his affiance in the confidence of creatures, which is the cause, why covetous men are called Idolaters, Eph. 5.5. and Colossians 3.15. He calleth the covetous man an Idolatrous person, because he ascribeth to his treasure the divine power, which appertaineth to the divine nature, and as a reverend Father saith, colit Idola, quae finxit: For whereas the eternal Majesty is only most mighty, wise, bountiful, rich, blessed, and full of all goodness: even so, saith the miser, is my money, that can do all things, therefore the most mighty; provide all things, therefore most wise; give us all things, therefore most bountiful; purchase all things, therefore most rich, cause a man to live in all plenty and abundance, therefore most blessed. Lo, so greatly doth his treasure change his heart, as that it maketh him to change his God, drawing him from the God of heaven, down right to the devil of hell: for he it is (the devil I mean) whom all antiquity hath accounted to be the god of treasure, whom for the same cause the Greeks called Ploutos, the Latins Dis, our Saviour Mammon, which we call riches, whom this rich man doth acknowledge for his god, & all the world besides acknowledge for a devil; not only because that gold & silver, which is the riches of the world, is found deep in the earth, as it were, in the pit of hell, but because money is as mighty unto mischief, as the devil himself. It can make miracles, and work wonders, condemn Innocents', vanquish armies, overcome kingdoms; nay, the nature of riches can alter nature, change the heart, pervert the will, & turn the reasonable mind into brutish affections, as chrysostom saith, Divitiarum sequela, est luxuria, ira intemperans, furor iniustus, arogantia superba, and all brutish affections. No marvel then, if an other reverend Father saith, Nullum est pietatis in illo cord vestigium, in quo sibi avaritia fecit habitaculum. Whereby we may see, that even as the Son of God came into the world in poverty, as S. john saith, to destroy the works of the devil; so doth the devil come into the world, to destroy the works of God by riches, turning living creatures into Idols, men into beasts, devils into gods, light into darkness, and heaven into hell. Rightly therefore saith Christ, Ye cannot serve God and Mammon, seeing it is as impossible, as to serve God & the devil. Well then may that be allowed, that riches is the same as Pluto is, if those men that say, I am rich, and boast of the rich devil, become to be neither cold nor hot to poor Christ. And this cometh not to pass through any iniquity that is in treasure, but only through the pravity of our own nature, which doth pervert these excellent creatures on to that evil, which were created for our good: for otherwise, riches are the blessings of God, Pro. 10. crown of the wise, Pro. 14. fountains of liberality and bounty, Deut. 15. What incredible improbity is it then of our nature, which doth through his insection, abuse these great treasures of the world, which God hath ordained to be blessings to the rich, comforts to the poor, fortifications against injuries, munition for defence of equity, fountains of liberality, Almenors of charity, Diadems of wisdom, furnishments of bounty, ornaments of virtue, & adiuments of life, as to make them baits of perdition, aliments of pleasure, ensigns of pride, weapons of revenge, armour unto strife, and finally, the servants unto all servile uses, & sovereigns of all servile minds? Wherefore (my beloved Brethren) seeing the use of riches is so dangerous, our nature so pernicious, the abuse so impious, alas, why should we with such unmeasurable greediness gape after riches, which not only, as Bernard saith, possessa onerant, amata inquinant, amissa cruciant: are burdens to them that possess them, defilings to them that love them, and torments to them that lose them: but chief, because they enchant & bewitch us to the world, extinguish and quench our zeal in Religion, and mightily hale us and drive us away from God, to eternal perdition? NOw, there is an other sort of riches, which our Saviour affirmeth to be in deed & truth, poverty, a counterfeit kind of wealth, painted fire, and yet is in show so good, as nothing can be better; but in proof so ill, as nothing can be worse: it is taken for the inestimable price of heaven, but is not worth a despicable mite of the earth: that is, human merits, and justiciaries works, which seem to be golden virtues, but are in deed shining sins. These merit-mongers, our Saviour elegantly deciphers under the name of riches, because, even as worldlings boast of their wealth, so hypocrites of works; as they say, I am rich, so these say, I am righteous; as they put confidence in money, so these in merits; as they think to make friends of their Mammon of iniquity, so these to win favour by their holiness and sanctity; the one thinks to have all, that is to be had in earth; and the other, to want nothing that may be purchased in heaven. By reason whereof, in these merits, our Saviour describeth three properties. First, that in the world they go for currant goods. Secondly, that they are most pernicious ills. Thirdly, that in seeming good, they are the more evil, because the seeming deceiveth, while it annoyeth. Now, that in the world they go for currant goods, he proveth by the mouth of the very owner, who knoweth best to set his own price upon his own wares, and he himself saith, I am rich, & want nothing, that might seem to purchase heaven itself. I have kept the Law of God: I have not murdered, stolen, committed adultery, etc. and if I had offended, yet I have works enough to satisfy for sin: for satisfaction, as Saint Tho. in Quaest. desatisf. possib. 13. est, cum paena culpae aequatur: and justice, saith he, or a just mends, is but contra passum, that is, whereas on the one side, I have taken pleasure in offending, I should on the other side contra pati, suffer as much grief in repenting. And I say, the justiciaries have always done this; for I never took so much pleasure in sin, but I have taken as great sorrow in penance; I have fasted twice a week, etc. yea, I fast when others feast; this body of mine hath been chastised with whips, when others are pampered with cates; I have given my goods to the poor, and my lands to build Abbeys: and, if he be rich, non qui plus habet, sed qui minus cupit, than I, not only, because I have a great treasure of good works, but also am satisfied in desire, may be justly counted to be rich indeed. And thus you see how human merits go for currant goods. But whilst they advance their merits to so high a rate, they make the price of heaven indeed to be but little worth: for as Rom. 10. they that go about to establish their own righteousness, do not submit themselves to the righteousness of God: for while they are pure in their own eyes, they have no care at all to be washed from their filthiness, Pro. 30.12. so that they are without the fountain of purity, which is opened to the house of David, Zach. 13.1. & without the white robes of righteousness, washed in the blood of the Lamb, Reu. 8. & without the clear crystal rivers of grace, that flow from the sanctuary of God, Ezech. 47. so that albeit they be adorned never so royally with the beauty of good works, yet are they without that wedding garment of faith, and true holiness, wherewith the new jerusalem was trimmed, as a Bride that came down out of heaven from God, Mat. 22. Reu. 21. and finally, without all the true treasure, which is the inestimable riches of Christ, Eph. 3.8. and therefore indeed are extremely poor. Whereby appeareth, what a pernicious evil merits are, that whereas it is the natural work of God to justify sinners, and to save the miserable and damned, and hath therefore ordained the Law, as a glass, to show men the corruption of themselves, by the pureness of the Law, that knowing their own sinful nature, they may be schooled to seek to Christ for grace, these men will not suffer God to perform his own natural work, because they will not suffer themselves to become sinners, nor acknowledge their own miserable estate: whereby it cometh to pass, that by seeking through merits to fulfil the law, they grievously transgress against the Law, and in stead of obedience, show rebellion: for the law going about to prove them sinners, Ro. 3.23. they do thereby contrary to the law, prove themselves to be Saints; it bringeth them to the knowledge of sin, Rom. 7.7. they gather out the righteousness of works; it humbleth them to God's mercy, Gal. 3.23. they prank themselves in their own justice: by means whereof, in stead of humility, they gather pride; in stead of grace, merits; in stead of mercy, wrath; and so consequently, for truth, error; for life, death; for heaven, hell. And thus, according to that notable prediction of the Prophet, Psal. 69. Their own table is made their own snare, that is, the law, which is the table of all their wisdom & understanding, Deut. 4.6. whilst they look to that they falsely have, rather than to that they truly want, it is made a snare to entangle them in all ignorance and error. Can there be a more greater ill devised, than merits are, which do not only that which is exceeding evil, that is, draw men into perdition, but also do it by that that is most exceeding good, namely, under endeavouring to serve the law & will of God? So that it can hardly be defined, whether it be more egregious for the ill it committeth, or for the good it perverteth. Wherein it abuseth both the good & the ill, with such exquisite skill, as that it performeth notably the duty of both, that is, it doth grieve, hurt and destroy, which is proper unto evil, and yet winneth it self nevertheless to be beloved, desired, and embraced, which is proper unto goodness. Lo, this is a strange kind of ill indeed, that can both grieve a man, and make him love his grief; hurt a man, and cause him desire his hurt, and bring him to embrace all kind of misery, and even then to think himself in the midst of all kind of felicity; to make him blind in truth, and yet believe that he doth see; poor in works, and yet believe that he is rich; naked of grace, and yet conceive that he is clothed; wretched in state, and yet be persuaded that he is blessed: finally, damned, and yet believe that he is saved. Wherein is declared the fearful judgement of God, as our Saviour witnesseth, john 6. That he is come unto judgement, that these that do see the truth, & will not, shall be made blind, that they cannot: and those that cannot see the truth, and yet would, might be made able, that they should: For it is a just punishment of sin, that every one should lose that gift, that he would not use well when he had it, as Aug. saith, lib. 3. de libero arbitrio, cum rectum facere, cum possit, non vult, amittat posse cum velit. And even this judgement of God is the reason, that the recusant justiciaries of our time, do so stiffly persist in the obstinacy of their own wills, as they both refuse to hear the word preached, lest it should instruct them, as also all indifferent writers, lest they should convince them. What way may a man devise then to persuade them, seeing they will hear no message out of heaven, but even rake up their great grand father Pelagius, to tell them this tale out of hell? Ye mad men, what? do you mean to make yourselves mates with Christ? to match man's merits, with God's mercy? to couple human works, with divine grace? & your deserving, with Christ's redeeming? In thus dealing with yourselves, you do but damn yourselves, as ye may behold by me, what desert is due to you; most extreme wrath, for contemning of grace. Ye may not patch an old garment with new cloth, nor power new wine into old bottles, but must be either all new, or all old; all hot, or all cold; all Moses, or all Christ; all works, or all grace: for in the act of salvation, there can by no means be any botching of new and old; merits and grace; works and faith; heaven and earth; God and man both together. Alas, saith Gregory, Humana justicia, divinae justiciae comparata, iniusticia est: quia ut lucerna in tenebris lucere cernitur, etc. For even as a candle in the dark night doth shine with brightness, but in the bright sun, is shadowed in darkness: so human righteousness may shine before men, in darkness, but cannot but be darkened by the shining righteousness of God. Let us therefore take heed, lest by erroneous opinions, we prefer the perverseness of our own wills, before the Law of God, which is the pleasure of his will, lest he make the law (I say, his revealed will) to be a train to the frowardness of our own will, to bring us by the consent of our froward will, unto destruction, according to the just purpose of his will. And thus have ye heard both the foulness of the cause, and of the crime. NOw followeth to be expressed, The greatness of the pain, which is no less, then to be vomited out of the Lords mouth. Whereby if this were only meant, that all Neuters, for their hypocrisy and dissimulation, should be cast out of favour with the Son of God, it were a most woeful and importable chastisement, if we consider of his divine nature rightly, what the Son of God is, that is the same God, that is unto us the cause of all our being, the fountain of all life, the founder of all joy, & the mirror of all goodness: for he is the Word eternal, that is, God almighty; by whom all things are made, in whom is life, and of whose fullness we receive whatsoever good we have. Whereby it must of necessity follow, that without the favour of this universal cause, which is all in all, we must needs be annihilated to nothing; and being nothing, yet remain such a thing notwithstanding, as is without him; in death, without life; subsisting, without being; desisting, without dying; in life, never joying; in death, ever dying. But now, by this vomiting, is meant more than a bare eiecting out of favour: for herein is expressed a fearful and violent casting out in anger: For in this Simile, the Church is compared to the stomach; the lukewarm Neuter, to the lukewarm water; and their grievous disturbance, to noisome vomitings. The Church is compared to the stomach, because, as the stomach by altering and concocting the nourishment received, feedeth & preserveth the parts of the body: so the Church, by concocting & digesting the food of life, doth nourish and preserve the body of Christ, even in such sort, as from out of food in the stomach, the liver draweth blood; the heart, spirit; the brain, sense; the sinews, strength; the veins, nourishment; the body, life: so out of the food of immortality, which is the word of God, that is in the Church, to every member of Christ, doth the heart draw faith; the will, obedience; the understanding, knowledge; the conscience, comfort; the body, immortality; and the soul, all felicity: and that also, after so rare and stupendious an order, that even as the stomach, so doth it quicken, by killing; revive, by destroying; grow wise, by foolishness; obey, by rebelling against its own flesh; obtain life, through death; felicity, through misery; and eternity out of mortality. The Neuters are compared unto lukewarm water, which to a tasting stomach, being received, is hurtful; whiles it remaineth, is grief-ful; & being ejected, is shameful: because all Neuters are even such in the Church of God, not only by hindering the work of God's Spirit in the Church, but also by the unquieting and disturbing of the same. Their great and grievous disturbings are compared to noisome vomitings; because as that which breedeth vomiting, is cast out with hatred, for that it is enemy to nature; with violence, because it oppresseth the stomach; with shamefulness, because the defilings thereof are laid open to the eye; and finally, so ejected, as never again to be received. So all incorrigible Neuters, shall by the LORD himself be thrown out of the Church, as filthy vomitings out of the stomach, & that, with hatred, because they are enemies unto Christ; and with violence, because they hurt and oppress the Church; and with shame, because their hypocrisy shallbe made known; & finally, cast out of the Church, never again to be received; because that while they were in the Church, they could never be amended: where the hatred of ejection doth show the detestation of the crime; the violence, the mightiness of the pain; the shame, the horror of confusion; and the never receiving, the eternity of destruction. Then, if it be such a woeful thing, as it hath been declared, for Neuters to be cast out of favour with the Son of God, what is it (I pray you) thus to endure the fierceness of his anger? If it be so miserable, to be deprived of the comfort of his goodness, how importable, to bear the heavy wrath of his greatness? who is to the wicked, in terror, the God of vengeance; in nature, consuming fire; in wrath, burning jealousy; his face, lightning; his voice, thunder; his displeasure, death; his breath, a river of brimstone; his lips, a flood of indignation; his tongue, a devouring flame; as the Lord doth witness of himself, Deut. 4. & 32. Es. 30. where the mighty terror of God's eternal Majesty is described, to make it known, that as the perverseness of sinners is incorrigible, so his wrath towards them is implacable; and as Neuters faults are intolerable, so their punishments are unmeasurable, that so there may be a proportion of justice between their crime, and his doom; that even as in this world they would never want sin, so in the world to come, they should never want pain. Wherefore to conclude, seeing that the wrath of God, is in this fearful manner revealed from heaven, against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, how carefully are we here to consider of ourselves, how near this reprehension may touch us. All men, by the censure of Christ, are either hot in Religion, or of necessity cold, or else only lukewarm; & so, either Saints in piety, miscreants in iniquity, or Neuters for hypocrisy. What may herein justly be deemed of us? are we Saints? (I would to God we all were, as no doubt, but the Lord hath his.) Let every man judge himself: if we be Saints, where is then our works? if miscreants, where is then our comfort? if Neuters, where is then our conscience, when the Son of God shall come in flaming fire, rendering recompense unto them that do not know God, and which obey not the Gospel of our Lord jesus Christ? Are we baptised with the spirit and with fire? are we fervent in spirit? lucent in life? ardent in zeal? shining in works? burning in love? or in the midst of light, remaining in darkness? in the time of truth, abiding in error? in these days of grace, live still in sin? nay, are we not cold rather, which every where prefer pleasure before piety, that we will take no pain, no, not to purchase joy? which esteem of gain so much above godliness, that we will take no loss, no, not to win heaven, in whom all affections grow so cold, in respect of Lady Money, that for her love, men are brought even universally to be unjust to their own neighbours; unfaithful to their own friends; unkind to their own kin; unnatural to their own parents; untrusty to their own Country; untrue to their own Prince; impious to their own God; merciless to all others; & most miserable to their own selves. And yet, we are not only thus too cold; but contrariwise, as much too hot: too cold, because we want zeal; too hot, because we want patience; too cold, because we want charity; too hot, because we want modesty; too cold, because we want fidelity; too hot, because we want our wills. If this be true (beloved) whereof should I first complain? Of our ungratefulness? or our ungodliness? Our ungratefulness, that whereas God hath made our Country, especially this City, a City of visions, a Sanctuary of Nations, a Crown and joy of all Lands, that after so many graces and kindnesses towards us, we should be towards him, neither new nor old in profession, hot nor cold in affection, fish nor flesh in Religion, light nor darkness in conversation: Our ungodliness, to make the Church of God, and house of Saints, by our defilings, an habitation for Dragons, Reu. 19 If this be not true, then what argue these daily contentions amongst us; this manifold cunning and cozenage in all sorts; this general deceit in all trades; this common lying in all contracts; this privy receiving of all hands; this shouldering and countenancing against all right; this extorting & oppressing on all parts; this immoderate licentiousness to all lust; & this defiling of ourselves with all vice? Hath the Lord therefore given us the divineness of his truth, goodness of peace, greatness of plenty, sweetness of health, brightness of honour, that we living in tranquillity, in safety, in security, should misspend our lives in all licentiousness and voluptuousness of pleasure; after so long preaching of the Gospel, to be a great part counterfeits of holiness, serpents of wiliness, Satan's of wickedness, monsters of ugliness, & dunghills of filthiness? Oh, how often hath the Lord admonished us of these monstrous and prodigious behaviours, by monsters and prodigies of the land? How often hath he threatened by Comets & signs from heaven? And yet we still remain more dead & senseless than the earth: nay the dead and senseless earth hath generally quaked, yet we have never been abashed; the great & mighty waters have started back, and changed the course of the streams, yet have not we changed the course of our lives. The enemy's sword hath been ready to cut our throats, yet are not we ready to cut off our sins. The meat hath been plucked, for our unworthiness, from out of our jaws, yet have not we repent our disobedience. The Plague of Pestilence hath gone over our land; and now the poison rageth in this the head City of the same; yet are not we cured of the botches, wounds and sores of our empoisoned corruptions. How hath the Land been shaken by deep and secret Treasons, whilst we have remained less movable than the rocks! Why? if the Lord can neither win us by his bounty, nor allure us by his mercies, nor persuade us by his truth, nor make us heedful by his warning, nor fearful by threatening, what shall become of us? Are we better than the Laodiceans? or will God spare us, that hath so grievously punished them? Nay rather, as God hath for their Neutrality cast out them, so will he likewise, for our hypocrisy, vomit out us. All these Churches of Asia there mentioned, the many and mighty kingdoms of Greece, with the late noble Realms of Hungary and Livonia, may at this day be spectacles of calamity, to forewarn us, if we be wise; who, because they trod under foot the eternal verity of the Saints of God, by their filthy life, are now trodden themselves under foot, by the filthy Turk, & every man of them by so much the more abused, as he is the more enriched with the ornaments of grace. In like manner assure yourselves, if we live profanely under the protection of God's holy Name, he will take away the Gospel of the Kingdom from us, and give it to a Nation, that shall bring forth the fruits of it. And the more that his love hath been towards us, the more will his wrath be, to recompense the greatness of benefits, with the greatness of punishments, if by our coldness we provoke him thereunto. Which plagues, that GOD may turn away from us, let us humbly pray him, to turn our hearts towards him, that we may withal our hearts serve him, and he with all his goodness bless us; that we passing the time of this our pilgrimage in his fear, may pass the rest of the time in his joy, to the praise of the glory and rich grace, which he hath towards us in JESUS CHRIST. To whom, with the Father, and the holy Spirit, three Persons and one God, be ascribed all honour and glory, praise and thanksgiving, for ever and ever. Amen. FINIS.