CONCERNING CHURCH GOVERNMENT. xxi and bene less eger in so good a cause. Sulpitius Severus doth note as much in the dealings of Idacius against the favourers of Priscillian, when that heresie was but greene and new sprung up; for by overmuch vehemencie against Instantius and his mates a sparke was made a flame, in so much that thereby the seditious waxed rather more fierce than lesse troublesome. In matters of so great moment, whereupon y peace or disturbance of yo Church is knowen to depend, if there were in us that reverend care which should be, it is not possible wee should eyther speake at any tyme without feare, or ever write but with a trembling hand. Doe they consider whereabout they goe, or what it is they have in hand, who, taking upon them the cause of God, deal onlye or cheifly against the persons of men? Wee cannot altogether excuse ourselves in this respect, whose home controversies and debates at this day, although I trust they be as the strife of Paul with Barnabas, and not with Elymas, yet because there is a trueth which, on the one side being unknown, hath caused contention, I do wish it had pleased Almightie God that in sifting it out, those offences had not grown, which I had rather bewaile with secret teares than publick speech. Nevertheless some sort of people is reported to have bred a detestation of drunkeness in their children by presenting the deformitie thereof in servants. So it may come to pass (I wish it might) that wee, beholding more foule deformities in the face and countenance of a common adversarie, shall be induced to correct some smaller blemishes in our owne. Ye are not ignorant of the demands, motives, censure, apologies, defences, and other writings which our great enemies have published under colour of seeking peace, promising to bring nothing but reason and evident remonstrance of truth. But who seeth not how full gorged they are with virulent, slanderous, and immodest speeches, tending much to the disgrace, to the disproof nothing, of that cause which they endeavour to overthrow? 66 Will you speak wickedly for God's defense?" C [Sulp. Sever. Sacr. Hist. lib. ii., p. 447: Lugd. Bat. 1647.] xxii THE CAUSES OF THE CONTINUANCE OF THE CONTENTIONS saith Job: will you dipp your tongues in gall, and your pennes in blood, when yee write and speak in His cause? Is the truth confirmed, are men convicted of their errour, when they are upbrayded with the miseries of their condition and estate? when their understanding, witt, and knowledge is depressed? when suspitions are ruinous, without respect how true or how false, are objected to diminish their credit and estimation in the world? Is it likely that invectives, epigrammes, dialogues, epistles, libells, loden with contumelies, and criminations, should be the meanes to procure peace? Surely they which doe take this course, "the way of peace they have not known." If they did but once enter into a staied consideration with themselves what they doe, noe doubt they would give over, and resolve with Job, Behold', I am vile; what shall I answer? I will lay my hand upon my mouth: if I have spoken once amisse, I shall speake no more; or if twice, I will proceed no further." II. But how sober and how sound soever our proceeding be in these causes, all is in vaine which we doe to abate the errors of men, except their unrulie affections be bridled. Self love, vain glorie, impatience, pride, pertinacie, these are the ruine of our peace, and these are not conquered or cast out but by prayer. Prays for Jerusalem, and your prayer shall cause the hills to bring forth peace; peace shall distill and come downe like the raine upon the mowen grass, and as the showers that water the earth. Wee have used all other meanes, and behold wee are frustrate, wee have laboured in vaine. In disputations, whether it be because men are ashamed to acknowledge their errors before manie witnesses, or because extemporalitie doth exclude mature and ripe advise,.without which the truth cannot soundly and thoroughly be demonstrated, or because the fervour of contention doth soe disturb men's understanding, that they cannot sincerely and effectually judge: in books and sermons, whether it be, because wee doe speak and f d Job, chap. 13. ver. 7. Job, chap. 40. ver. 4. e Rom. chap. 13. ver. 7. 8 Psal. 72, ver. 3, 6. CONCERNING CHURCH GOVERNMENT. xxiii write with too little advise, or because you doe hear and read with too much prejudice, in all humane means which have hitherto been used to procure peace; whether it be because our dealings have been too feeble, or the minds of men with whome wee have dealt too implacable, or whatsoever the cause or causes have beene, for as much as wee see that as yet wee fail in our desires, yea the wayes which wee take to be most likelie to make peace doe but move strife; O that we would now hold our tongues, leave contending with men, and have our talk and treatie of peace with God. Wee have spoken and written enough for peace; there is now no way left but this one, "Pray for the of Jerusalem.” peace h Psal. 122. ver. 6. SERMON I. MATT. CHAP. XXVII. VER. 46. My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me? THERE is a dereliction of probation and reprobation, of utter refuseal, and a dereliction of triall onely. That of refuseall toucheth the highest power of the soul, and the everlasting condition thereof. It is when God in his just displeasure denieth the grace of his saving mercy, and that for ever, unto such as have made themselves vessels incapable of his goodness in that kind. As touching this dereliction, they which are born of him he doth not in that sense forsake. They have, to the contrary, his own. most sweet and comfortable promises. "Fora a moment in anger I hid my face from thee for a little season, but with everlasting mercy have had compassion on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer. The mountains shall remove, and the hills shall fall down, but my mercy shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace fall away, saieth the Lord that hath compassion on thee." "I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will never turn away from doing them good: I will put my fear in their hearts, and they shall not depart from me." "Hec loved his own which were in the world, yea, he loved them to the end." "Nod man shall take them out of my hands." a Esai, chap. 54. ver. 8, 10. John, chap. 13. b Jerm. chap. 32. d John, chap. 10. OF PROBATION AND REPROBATION. XXV "The seed of God remayneth in them," and "that seed' is incorruptible." Touching the other, no sonne of God, exempt from it. That Sonne of whome he hath testifyed with thundring voice from heaven, "This is my well beloved in whome I am well pleased," the Sonne in whome I have joy and delight. This very Sonne he wrappeth in the state of that other kind of dereliction, which leaveth in part and for a time, but for ever and in whole rejecteth not. The subject of which dereliction in Christ was his humane nature only, and his humane nature only so far forth as concerneth the bodie, and of the soul that part wherein passions and affections doe reside. For concerning the intellectuall parte of the soul, that part wherin dwelleth reason, judgement, and the apprehension of truth, the light of the countenance of God therein shining could not possibly be put out. The strong sinewes of that speech wherin he seemeth as it were even to hold God clasped with indissoluble armes, My God, My God; the force and vigour of this speech cleerlye manifesteth God abiding in the fortresse, the top and turret of the soul of Christ. When God left the body of Job for Satan to work upon, it was with this exception: "Lo; he is in thy hand, but save his life." No such exception when the body of our Lord and Saviour was left as an anvile to be beaten upon with the violent hands of miscreants, the impes of Satan. Wherefore all his senses they loaded with whatsoever wit and malice could invent. His eyes they wounded with the spectacle of their scornful lookes, his eares with the sound of their heinous blasphemies, the spirits of his vitall breath with the noisome savour of the dead, his tast with gall, and his feeling throughout all parts with such dilamation [sic] and torture as buffets, thornes, whippes, nailes, and the dint of the spear could breed, till his soul at the length as a bird was chased out. So that as touching corporall dereliction, how trulye might the Sonne of man have uttred those words in the dolefull canticle of Jeremy, "All ye e 1 John, chap. 3. ver. 9. f 1 Peter, chap. 1. ver. 23. |