2 Peter 3:2

THE pretended title of that great usurper over the consciences of the Christian world, is fetch’d from the Succession of Saint Peter. How doe his sycophants magnifie Saint Peter? But it is their cunning, to reflect all that honour upon their Master. Otherwise, they would shuffle him up in the crowd of the Saints, and make no more reckoning of him than they doe of Saint Paul; and that is little enough. But now they call him the Coryphe of the Apostles, the Prince of their soules, the Porter of Paradise, and supreme Lievetenant of the Crowne of heaven: as wee finde it in a booke of theirs, which they call, the Occupation of the soule: certainely, the vainest occupation that ever soule was bound prentice to. They tell us, that hee was ever placed first, first mentioned, that he wrought the first miracle upon Ananias, that he made the first Sermon to the Gentiles after the comming downe of the holy Ghost; that he did first visite such as were newly baptised, that hee called and held the first Councell that the Church prayed sollicitously for him, as for her Head, when hee was in prison: that Saint Paul did not hold his Revelations for assured and authenticall, till they had passed under the approbation of Saint Peter: that the Churches where he was resident as Bishop are all Patriarchall: that by his appointment Rome is the Mother and Mistresse of all the rest. They have a world of other glorious titles for him, all which they meane to themselves. As even a Pope said, [Aeneas] Sylvius, that was Pius secundus: the former Popes did wisely in setting the lawyers on worke to debate, whether the Donation of Constantine the great to Sylvester, were good and valid in Law, or no: the better to ship over the master in fact, whether there was any such thing at all, or no. So hee doth now employ his Parasites, to heape mountaines of honours and attributes upon Peters Successor, and to strive who shall most deifie him: by this meanes to smother up the question, whether the Pope bee Saint Peters Successor, or no.

I need not tell you of other differences, they are too palpable: Peter forsooke the world, and followed Christ: the Pope hath renounced Christ, and followes the world. Peter had neither Gold nor Silver, but he had gifts and graces: the Pope hath neither gifts nor graces; but for Gold and Silver, such store, Act. 3.6. that he could spare it to shooe his Concubines Palfries. Peter would not suffer Captaine Cornelius to crouch to him: the Pope rides a cocke-horse on mens shoulders, treades upon Emperors neckes, and keepes a quoile like the devill in every kingdome. But to passe over these, Saint Peter refers us to the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles, for our onely direction: the Pope tries his owne Title, and imposeth upon our consciences onely by tradition. I hope, forbidding of marriage, was none of Peters commandement: worshipping of Images, none of his: prayer to the Saints, prayer for the dead, farre from any rule of Saint Peters. He never taught subjects to shake off allegiance to their Soveraignes; he never allowed, much lesse Sainted Traitors. Feare God, honour the King; this is the voice of Peter. Feare God, kill the King; that is the voice of his Successour. Heu quàm dissimilis! How diverse, averse, adverse, perverse is this Successour!

Let all them that will hearken to that which Saint Peter saies, (and all they must hearken to it, that will come to the place where Saint Peter is) observe my Text; Bee mindefull of the words, &c. Let all humane inventions, in the matter of salvation, dye abortive: This is the way, let us walke in it; Bee mindefull of the words, &c.

Wherein hee commends to us, first, a Treasure. Secondly, and the use of that Treasure. The Treasure is the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles: the use of that Doctrine and Treasure is our carefulnesse to observe it; Bee mindefull.

The generall parts their are two: 1. The Object of their mindefulnesse; The words, &c. 2. Their mindefulnesse of that Object; Be ye mindefull.

Of the Object first severally, and then jointly. The former specialty of the Object is,

The words which were spoken before by the holy Prophets.] Not to dwell upon the particulars; as that, first, they are worth, for their plaine certainty; not shadowes, and abstruse paradoxes. Secondly, spoken before, for their antiquity; not things of yesterday; no new devices. Thirdly, spoken by the Prophets, for the authoritie: men that had their commission immediately from God himselfe. Prophet hath ever beene a reverend and honourable name. Fourthly, by holy Prophets, for the sanctitie: they passed not through the lippes of a Balaam, or Caiaphas; but from men whose persons God had sanctified, for his heavenly errands. They were the [Protonotarii] of Heaven, the Registers of the Truth, the Secretaries of the holy Ghost, the Spokes-men of the Deitie, the Mouthes of Him who is the Fountaine of Wisedome, and Oracle of all Truth. We see accomplished, what they fore-told, and their Prophesie become Historie.

The words of the Prophets, is the Law of God. Mat. 7.12. This is the Law and the Prophets. Mat. 11.13. All the Prophets, and the Law prophesied untill Iohn. God hath joyned them together, let no man put them asunder. But it is objected; Luk. 16.16. The Law and the Prophets were untill Iohn: Why then should we be mindfull of them now? They were untill Iohn, as a preparation and prediction of Christs comming. He being come, that prediction, that preparation is ended: but still the Law and the Prophets remaine both to confirme us in the faith of Christ; and direct us the way of obedience to Christ. A man doth not despise his Schoolemaster, because he hath learned his Lesson. The Prophets were expounders of the Law, the Law was the Text of the Prophets. The Decalogue was that Magna Charta; to which, as to their common Principle, all their conclusions were reducible. As in Arithmeticke, when wee passe the number of tenne, all the latter numbers be but compounded resumptions of the former. So all the Doctrine of the Prophets is but the exposition and application of those tenne words, which Gods owne finger wrote in two Tables. Therefore Malachi, the last of the Prophets, to make a transition to the Gospel, in the very point of his passage towards the prediction of Christ and of Iohn Baptist, seales up the Old Testament in his last Chapter, with Mal. 4.4. Remember ye the Law of Moses my servant. Moses was a Prophet, and a Servant; the Law-bringer, not the Law-maker: yet God calls it the Law of his servant Moses.

The summe, then, of these words of the Prophets, is the Law of God: to this the Apostle here referres us; as Esay did before, Esa. 8.20. To the Law and to the Testimonie. How great is the honour of it, how honourable the greatnesse! Psal. 19.7. The Law of God is perfect, converting the soule, &c. There is the great honour. Hos. 8.12. I have written to them the great things of my Law: and, Iam. 2.8. Fulfill ye the royall Law: there is the honourable greatnesse. Mat. 22.36. Master, which is the great Commandement in the Law? (was the Lawyers question) whereas all Gods Commandements were great, Ierom. upon assignation of any one above the rest, hee meant to take occasion of accusing him. Therefore Christs answere is full of circumspection; Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart: Ver. 37. this hee calls Primum & magnum, The first and great Commandement. To this epitome of the first Table hee subjoynes, that the second is like unto it: Ver. 40. and lastly addes, On these two Commandements hang all the Law and the Prophets. To this all Lawes are subjected, and from this all good Lawes are derived. For Authoritie, it gives all the Decrees of men the Checkmate. Civit. Dei, lib. 6. ca. 11. S. Augustine hath from Seneca a plaine confession, That the Iewes, otherwise a contemptible people, wheresoever they came, Victi victoribus leges dederunt; the conquered gave Lawes to their conquerors. To make a Law, is the chiefest point of majestie: and the best Law-makers have commended their best constitutions, by deriving them from Gods Commandements: as if they could no way better confirme them, than by confessing where they stole them. Some of them have been so short of this conformitie, that they have set downe grosse sinnes for their learned Statutes, and trespassed upon common Principles. Among some of them, murder hath scarce been punishable, adulterie was pardonable, and theeverie commendable. But the pure, perfect, and unchangeable Law of God leaves no evill uncensured, no good uncommended: for which large comprehension, Peter Martyr compared the Ten Commandements, to the Ten Predicaments.

The best of this worlds wisedome, is but to drive corruption inwards; Vitia non abscindere, sed abscondere: and in making men conformitants, Lactant. Lib. 3. c. 26. many times to make them hypocrites. But Gods Word hath a reach to the very secret purposes, and inmost affections: Heb. 4.12. sharper than a two-edged sword, dividing betweene the joints and the marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intents of the heart. Like an Anatomist, searching and prying into every piece of a member, and reading a sound Lecture upon the smallest particle of a particle, spelling like a Criticke, the fractions of unperfect, and as yet unshapen cogitations of concupiscence. Whereas of a thought, kept within the compasse of a thought, no Law of mortall man can determine. So that if a sinner can wash his bloudie hands with Pilate, and not betray his bloudie heart by word, deed, or writing, he cannot be by man found out.

Such is the perfection and majestie of this sacred Doctrine, though all advocates should be corrupt, and all champions cowards; that it is not a bare advertisement, which is granted by the Papists; but a Rule: not a potentiall Rule, onely in regard of fitnesse; but an Gal. 6.16. actuall Rule: not partiall onely, for that is contrarie to the nature of a Rule, which admits of no addition; but totally definitive and directive for Gods service, and all our actions. Psal. 119.96. I have seene an end of all perfection, but thy Commandement is exceeding bread. Broad enough, but we have staggering feet: the drunkard can scarce keepe his path, though it be as broad as the Kings high-way. Our soules legges are borne crooked, and by the custome of sinne wee warpe them more and more. The Ideot could say of his crooked stickes, that would not fadge and worke to his minde; that they never grew but in the night, and that was the reason they could not see to grow straight. Wee take perverse, irregular, and crooked steppes, because wee walke in the night of our owne wilfull blindnesse. The Way is broad enough, but the proud beare too great a breadth for the Way. The Rule is straight, but we are crooked: Eccles. 1.15. and, that which is crooked, can hardly be made straight. Crooked branches are straightned two wayes; either by the hand of man, or by the fire. Those whom the hand of Gods grace doth not rectifie, are bound in bundles like thornes, and cast into that unquenchable Oven, the fierie Pit of Hell.

The Commandements of us the Apostles of the Lord and Saviour.] This is the other Specialtie of the Object. The Prophets were Legall Apostles, the Apostles are Evangelicall Prophets. Both these came to the world with Commandements: they doe often indeed perswade us, counsaile us, beseech us; Rom. 12.1. (I beseech you by the mercies of God; 2 Cor. 5.20. we pray you in Christ’s stead) but even those requests be Precepts. Doth not God therefore command, because he entreats? The very suites of Kings are Imperative: they must not aske, and be denyed: much more shall we finde the perswasions of God, Obligations to us. It is his gracious mercie, that entreates us to doe that, which wee are bound to doe without entreatie. Every wise man will be easily requested to doe himselfe good. When God sues to us, to save us, yea, to accept of salvation; wee are sullen and desperate fooles, to hinder our owne preferment. Phil. verl. 8.9 Paul pleades to Philemon, his age and bondage, for arguments; the power of his authoritie, and Patent for it, in Christ. Yet, as if love were the strongest charme; Propter charitatem petendo petos, for loves sake I rather beseech thee: Was not this Petition as valid as any Injunction, in the heart of a friend, of a brother?

That the Apostles had power to command, is so farre from being a question, that it is plaine they could convey this power to others, by the imposition of their hands. 1 Tim. 6.13. vers. 17. I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickneth all things. And Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded. I charge thee, to charge them. In the former, there is Episcopall authoritie: he that gives the charge, if he be not the chiefe on the Bench, yet is he greater than the Iurie. In the other, there is Evangelicall sufficiencie; by vertue whereof, Timothie is enabled to 1 Tim. 1.3. charge men, that they receive no other Doctrine. Pracipe divitibus, Charge the rich: the rich are commonly great: nobilitie and wealth is joyned together. Eccl. 10.20. Curse not the King in thy thought, nor the rich in thy Bed-chamber. Luk. 16.19. That rich namelesse Churle is ghessed by some to be Herod, or some other King. The rich man is a little King, among his neighbours; a pettie God, to his underlings. Dives, quasi Divus. Yet, be they rich or noble, they are under the command of an Apostle; yea, under the charge of a Priest, in the Word of Iesus Christ. Kings themselves are not here exempted, though they have absolute command over all men in their dominions: as the Fathers interprete that of King David; Psal. 51.4. Against thee onely have I sinned: because he could sinne against no body else: yet Nathan may reprove him in the Name of God. That transported Shaveling soared too high a pitch, when in his imperious Bull hee commands the Angels. But we may safely say, that all Powers beneath the Angels are lyable to our spirituall charge. Even the rich men, that speake with command to others, must be commanded by their Preachers. Mat. 8.9. I am a man under authoritie, having souldiers under me. The Centurion had many under his authoritie, himselfe is under the authoritie of another. Wee have a spirituall charge over their soules, that have a temporall power over our bodies.

God hath committed the Keyes of Heaven to his Church: some let them rust in their hands, for want of use: Teachers, that doe not teach; that can neither open the doores of Heaven for others, nor for themselves. Some alter the Wards, that they can neither open, nor shut: as it is fained of Pope Sixtus Quintus, that after his death hee went to Hell; but by good lucke the Porter would not let him in, though he had highly deserved it; but sent him to a place under his owne command, Purgatorie: this hee long sought, but could never finde. At last hee tooke heart, and went to Heaven, fearefully knocking at the gate: Saint Peter asked him, why hee knocked, considering hee had the Keyes? hee answered, Because the Wards were altered, and they could not now unlocke the doore. I would the Morall of this fiction were not too true: But alas, who sees not, that the Pontificians have so bruised the Keyes with breaking mens heads, and so furr’d them with the bloud of innocents, that they are not able to open the gates of Heaven? Some keepe them bright, with faire and continuall usage, whom God blesseth with the letting in of many soules.

Surely, if now wee shall appeale to your consciences; the fault is not in the Keyes, but all the Rust is in the Lockes, your worldly hearts. God hath set us to Command; and wee command, and goe without. Alas, by this contempt wee cannot gaine; but you are sure to lose: for if our word have lost the power in you, you have lost your right in Heaven. Wee dare wager our owne comming there, that you ordinarily come not thither without us. It is true, Spectaculo facti sumus; men come to Church, looke us in the face, and give us the hearing: but wee have not the credite with them, to beleeve us. Domine, quis credidit [auditui] nostro? Rom. 10.16. Lord, who hath beleeved our report? We are weake, and you are strong: you are honourable, and we are despised. But if we may not be your Commanders, yet let us be your Counsellers. Or if that place be too good for us, yet still we will be humble Petitioners to you, that you would be pleased to save your owne soules. If your houses were on fire, and wee should command you to quench them: if your bodies were sicke, and wee should charge you to send for the Physician; you would thinke it a kindnesse in us more than needs: you would doe all this, though we held our peace. Of all your Vtensils and moveables, doe you make least account of your soules? Alas, that all our Precepts must be turned into teares, weeping over you, as Christ over Ierusalem, for her At noluisti! Alas, that we should give a charge, and no souldiers come in to the Standard of Christ! You will say, wee are servants; and servants are not to command, but to obey. Indeed wee are Christs servants, and your servants for Christs sake: and if you could set us to a meaner office, we would not refuse it, to winne your hearts. But servants may be imployed to bring their Masters commands to their fellowes. God called Moses his servant, yet he gave him authoritie to make Lawes for the government of his people. God hath sent his servants, and his Farmers will encreated them: he sent his Sonne, saying, Matth. 21.37. They will reverence my Sonne; but they did not. If hee now see men misuse his servants, hee will no more trust them with his owne Sonne Iesus.

But if men dis-regard our command, let them reverence a higher than ours, the Apostles; yea, a higher than theirs, the Commandement of God himselfe. Nor can we here distinguish, but to the wilfull deceiving of our selves: for you receive from your Preachers none other command, than they received from the Apostles, and the Apostles from the holy Ghost. It is not our Word, but theirs; not theirs, but the Lords. The Apostles were the Trumpets of the Word, the Corners of the living God, the Notaries of Heaven, the Secretaries of the Church, the first Princes and chiefe Peeres of Christianitie; whose mouthes were filled with Oracles, and their hands with Miracles, and their pennes with Mysteries: the publishers of Mercie, and ingrossers of the Covenant of Grace: the Master-builders of Gods House, and the noble Columnes in the Building. The twelve Patriarchs, from whose heavenly Seed of the Word descend all true Israelites. The twelve Princes, Generals and Conductors of Gods Armie, that camped about the great Moses, the Manhood of the Sonne, the Tabernacle of the Divinitie. The twelve Searchers, sent to take a view of the Land of Promise; who have brought us certaine newes of the inestimable blessings there, flowing with the Milke and Honey of eternall joyes and comforts. The twelve selected men, that tooke twelve Stones out of the Chanell of Iordan, and pitched them in Gilgal: not omitting to set twelve other Stones in the midst of Iordan, where the Arke of God had stood: placing their holy Monuments both in the River, for a witnesse to the Iewes; and out of the River, for a testimonie to the Gentiles. The twelve Exod. 15.27. Fountaines, which the people found in the Desart, at Elim; those Wells of salvation, where thirstie soules sit downe and drinke. The twelve Loaves of Shew-bread, which stood before the face of the Highest; that onely the High-Priest Iesus brake in morsels, and gave to his Church. The twelve precious Stones, set in the Pectorall of Aaron: choise living Stones, taken into the breast of Christ. 1 King. 10.20. The twelve young Lions, which support the Throne of the great King; not the like in any Kingdome. 1 King. 7.25. The twelve Oxen, that carried the molten Sea of Gods infinite mercies to all parts of the world; three looking East, and three to the West; three to the North, and three to the South. The twelve Officers of the glorious Salomon, our King of Peace; that make his provision of holy soules, throughout all the coasts of Israel. Rev. 12.1. The twelve Starres in the Crowne of the Church, that Spouse of Christ. We may call them the Twelve moneths, that make up the yeare of Grace. The Rev. 22.2. twelve manner of Fruits of the Tree of Life, that yeelds her Fruit every moneth. The twelve Angels, the twelve Gates, the twelve Foundations, of the new Ierusalem; whose length, breadth, and heighth was twelve thousand furlongs. And they shall Matth. 19.28. sit upon twelve Thrones, judging the twelve Tribes of Israel. So precise is the number of Twelve, that when one of them miscarried, Act. 1.25. another must be chose, to supply his place. From them, wee are said to receive the twelve Articles of our Beleefe: from them we know, that we receive the Doctrine of the Gospel. 1 Thes. 4.2. vers. 11. Ye know what Commandements we gave you, by the Lord Iesus. So worke, as we have commanded you. They had power to command; I would wee were as sure of grace, to obey.

Thus farre wee have considered these Objects severally: now take them jointly, and they afford us some more observations:

1. Neither Prophets nor Apostles did ever command in their owne names: but the former came with, Thus saith the Lord: and the other in the Name of Christ. By vertue of this Commission and victorious Name, they commanded all things, even diseases and devils to depart, and were not disobeyed. Act. 4.10. By the Name of Iesus Christ doth this man stand here before you whole. As they did all by his power, so they referred all to his glory: and added, This stone, set at naught by you builders, is become the head of the corner. This is the fundamentall Stone, Ephes. 2.20. Wee are b••e upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner Stone. They are foundations to us, Christ is the sole foundation of all. Rev. 21.14. The wall of the City had twelve foundations, and in them the Names of the twelve Apostles of the Lambe. They are foundations of the wall, not of the City: not of salvation, but of the Ministery of salvation: not principall, but instrumentall: Non authores, sed lapides. A foundation cannot lay it selfe, it must have a builder. Christ laid them first of all other, in the bottome of the wall; in that respect they are called foundations. Ezr. 7.9. As Ezra 7. In the first day of the first moneth, he began to goe up, or was the foundation of the going up; that is, the first or chiefe Leader. Thus not one Apostle, but all are equally foundations.

Contrary to that senslesse, ungodly, unlucky corruption of the Text, that would transferre all to Peter; under the colour of super hanc petram: whereas the Scripture cals the twelve Apostles equally fundamentall. Minde the commands of Vs, not of Me, saith Peter himselfe here. Christ himselfe indeed is that Petra, that Rocke; Ephes. 2.20. Other foundation can no man lay, than that is laid, which is Iesus Christ. 1 Cor. 3.11. First, he is Lapis fundamentalis, the foundation of our faith: upon whom wee build so sure and firme, that neither Matth. 7.25. gusts nor floods, neither stormes nor streames can overthrow us. Secondly, hee is Lapis angularis, the Roote of love and peace, which bindes us together in the unity of the Spirit. Malitious and contentious soules are loose rubbish and refuse, not stones in Gods edifice. In all our booke-controversies, and sword-controversies, let us referre the decision to him: then doe wee set the corner stone in the right place. Thirdly, hee is Lapis pacificus, all sinne is a make-bate, hee is the Peace-maker betweene God and us. That Iacobs stone, whereon we rest our heads and hearts; and see Angels descending to comfort us: upon this stone Psal. 4.8. wee lye downe, and have quiet rest. Fourthly, he is Lapis foedificus, a Stone of Covenant betwixt Gen. 31.45. Iacob and his father Laban: the league betweene our heavenly father and us. Mizpah, a beacon or watch-tower, to warn us of our enemies. Fifthly, he is Lapis triumphalis, that shall give us the victory: Davids stone, wherewith hee slew the Gyant: by this wee shall be able to conquer Satan and the most monstrous sinnes, and triumph over them. Sixthly, he is Lapis petralis, which being smitten by the rod, gushed out floods of water. When he was stricken with death, there issued out streames of blood to save us: better than all their priviledges, though they had Oile out of the rocke, and hony out of the stone. Esay 42.21. Cantent inhabitatores petrae è vertice montium. Matth. 7.9. But if a sonne aske bread, will his father give him a stone? Nay, but this stone is bread; a living Stone, the Bread of life; Lapis & panis. Matth. 4.3. He did command this stone to bee made bread: therefore wee may as well say, Da Petram vivificam, as Da panem quotidianum. But let us take heed of offending this Stone: Matth. 21.44. for whosoever shall fall upon this stone, shall bee broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall it shall grinde him to powder. Wee may fall upon this Stone, or this stone may fall upon us: and then it had beene better that a milstone were hanged about our neckes, and with us throwne into the sea. But blessed are they that conforme their lives to the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets, and build their faith on this foundation.

2. Saint Peter refers us to the words of the Prophets, and commandements of the Apostles, and precisely chargeth our mindefulnesse with these lessons. Not humane traditions, not the constitutions and impositions of usurpers, that pretend the authority of the Apostles: fond men, that undertake to devise a better way to heaven, than he that dwels there hath set downe; who will admit none that come not his way: these are but artificiall paper-wals, set up against the Apostolicall Canons. Not the inventions of men, though of those pure braines that pretend most, yea mainely for the word: for sometimes they prove but Lapwings, that cry, Here ‘tis, Here ‘tis; when their nests are farre enough off. Athemeus tels us that the Stoickes had an opinion, that no man could doe well but a wise man; not so much as make good Lentil-broth. And therefore because no man was held wise but Zeno, no man would make Lentil-pottage but after his receit: and that receit was so curious and exact, that it prescribed the twelfth part of a Coriander seed. We have many simple men, and more simple and sinfull women, that have little or nothing besides a will, and a tongue; yet are so conceited of doctrine, that if Zeno prescribe it not, the broth is naught, death is in the pot: and for every sup of broth they must runne to Zeno: when (God knowes) all at the best is but a poore messe of pottage. These men have coats of their owne weaving, whose inside is altogether their owne lining: onely they face it with the words of a Prophet or Apostle, and have their Text from the Bible.

Not the wisdome of the Philosophers, nor all the morality that drop’d in verse from the pens of the Poets; bee the instruments of our building up to heaven. The wine that is made of the vines of the mountaines, is finer and pleasanter than the Grapes of the vallies. What are the dregs of this flat bottome, mans knowledge, to the Iam. 3.18. wisdome that descendeth from above, the Hill and Throne of God? I grant, there is use of the other: secular arts are like lobbies to the lodging chambers: nay, not so good, but rather the garnish and painting of the roomes: nay, inferior still, (for the former are for muniment, the other for ornament) but indeed staires to the parlours, as wee make them to our Pulpits: herbes in a glasse of wine: sallets and sawces to tempt downe our meats: but still the meat it selfe is the Word of God, that Christ may be all in all.

3. Neither the Prophets without the Apostles, nor the Apostles without the Prophets, but both together. The Gospell, without the Law, may lift men up to presumption: the Law without the Gospell, may sinke them downe to desperation. God hath provided a gracious remedy for both these fatall evils of man; the sweet composition of severity and mercy; the mixture of Law and Gospell; as Moses and Christ met upon the Mount. To direct our obedience, hee hath given us his Law: to answer for our disobedience, hee hath added his Gospell; that what wee could not doe in our selves, wee might see perfectly done for us by Iesus Christ. Lex imperando ligat, Fides impetrando solvit. The Prophets wrapped up the Gospell in the shadowes of the Law: the Apostles opened the Law in the cleare light of the Gospell. Lex data est, Aug. ut gratia quareretur; Gratia data est, ut Lex impleatur. Ioh. 1.17. The Law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ. Woe to them that adhere to the Law, and thinke to fulfill it well enough without the Gospell: the Gun-powder shall sooner bee able to stand the fire, and not bee blowne up. Woe to them that so sticke to the Gospell, that they cast away all respect of the Law: they would bee fed from Gods owne trencher, and that of his daintiest fare, and yet doe him no service. But their Livery shall bee pulled over their eares, and they sent away with a Nescio vos. But blessed are they that joyne them both together in heart and life: that have one eie upon the words of the Prophets, the Law of God, to give it obedience with all their powers: and the other eye upon the doctrine of the Apostles, the Gospell of Christ, to beleeve in it with all the hearts. The Lord shall binde them up in the bundle of life, lift up their soules to the participation of joy with the Prophets and Apostles, and make them heires with the Lord of all, his holy Sonne IESVS CHRIST.

4. The rule of Truth is delivered to us by the Prophets and Apostles: Truth is Gods peculiar, appropriated to his holy Word. Iam. 1.18. Hee begate us with the Word of Truth. Ioh. 17.17. Sanctifie them through thy Truth: thy Word is Truth. The Law is his Truth: Psal. 19.9. The Iudgements of God are Truth. The Gospell is his Truth, Eph. 4.21. Yee have been taught, as the Truth is in Iesus. Yea, an eminent Truth; distinguished from Naturall or Philosophicall truth. Nature is true in her principles, Philosophy true in her deductions and conclusions, the Law true in her impositions: all true, but no man can rest his salvation upon them. Ioh. 1.17. The Law was perfect Truth, but we were weake. It could not save us, because wee could not keepe it. Naturall truth is like the Sea; there is abundance of it, but so salt that it can never slake our thirst. For Legall Truth; suppose a malefactor comes before a just Iudge; you may rest upon it, that he will doe him justice, but he must looke for no mercy: but on the Evangelicall Truth wee may repose our soules. The good man will yeeld to all truth, Aug. and never bee ashamed of such a victory. What is more glorious than to bee overcome of Truth? This Truth is the Word of God; let it overcome us with our willing submission, or it shall overcome us against our wills to our confusion.

This Word and Truth is written by the holy Prophets and Apostles: for both in Creation and Redemption, God wrought all by his Word. Act. 11.14. Peter shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved. This is that Rule which bindes the Conscience; Phil. 3.16. let us walke by this Rule. Our neighbours of Rome have set up new Lesbian Rules, which they prescribe as necessarie to salvation. The Rule of Saint Francis, the Rule of Saint Dominicke; their Augustines, Iacobines, Benedictines: yea, they hold one mans Baptisme better than anothers, one mans Order holyer than anothers, one mans Rule perfecter than anothers; any Rule better than that which Saint Paul so blesseth, the Rule of Regeneration: Gal. 6.16. And as many as walke after this Rule, peace be on them and mercie, and upon the Israel of God. If that Apostle were now living on earth, to see their innumerable Orders, and aske them as they passe, what they are: and heare one answer; I am a Franciscan; another, I am a Dominican; another, I am a Carthusian; and scarce any one say, I am a Christian: hee had cause to thinke them all Antichristian. Hee was angry enough at that, when one said, 1 Cor. 3.4. I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; and called it Carnall. But now Moses and Samuel, Paul and Apollos are almost worne out, and we have Monkes and Fryars in their roome. Yea, that teeming Whore of Babylon hath in these latter dayes brought forth a Monster, Iesuitisme; a Mungrill, begot betwixt Superstition and Policie. Which though Pope Nicholas the fourth, in a Bull, a blasphemous Bull, preferred before the Franciscans, and the Franciscans before the Angels; yea, that Ignatius Loyola lived a more perfect life than Christ himselfe: yet certainely, to all honest hearts they appeare that Mysterie of Iniquitie, which Saint Paul prophesied should wait upon the Antichrist. If the manifest profession of Lying, of Murders, of Treasons, of the butchering of Princes, and raising tumults in States, be not Iniquitie: what is? If againe, for Kings to admit them to their Councell-Tables, to follow their damned advices, to give them Colledges and mightie exhibitions; be not a Mysterie: there is none. Put them together: that the horriblest sinners upon the face of the earth should skrew themselves into the favour of rich men, and Princes; surely can be no lesse than the Mysterie of Iniquitie: and this to me, is in stead of a thousand proofes, that their Master is the Antichrist. That they should doe all this under colour of the Christian faith, and make God himselfe Carnificem suum, is a monstrous Mysterie.

How does Ephraim and Manasseh, the Iesuite and all other Orders fight one with another, and all against Iudah? In a Citie of Spaine, a Iesuite in the midst of his Sermon fell into a Traunce, if wee could beleeve him: and starting up, he told his Auditorie, that hee had beene in a Dreame, and the Scene lay in Hell. There he saw many soules of all conditions, (naming them whom he thought fit to traduce) from Coblers to Emperours. Among the rest, he pretended to see abundance of Franciscans; whereat hee stood amazed, that men so holy, and strict of life, should come thither. This Dreame of his stucke in the Franciscans stomachs, till they could requite him with another. Therefore on the next occasion, in the same Pulpit, a Franciscan preaching, fell into the like Traunce: and waking, told them that he had also beene in Hell; and could not deny, but some sprinkling of Franciscans and other Orders were there. But his wonder was, that in Hell he saw never a Iesuite: at which Belsebub laughing, told him his error; That the number of Iesuites in Hell did exceed all other Societies, put them all together. Where are they? replyes the Franciscan. Alas, sayes the Devill, they are in a roome below: the common Iayle is too good for them, they are safe bound in the Dungeon, stowed in the Hold, under Hatches. For if they were suffered to come to the upper Deckes, they would set all Hell in an uproare. It was well it was but a Dreame, for their sakes: it might happily have beene a truth, for the Churches sake. Therefore as they that have made a new Gospel, Evangeliam Quintum, of Statisme; though not so plainely as those Monkes of Paris, with their Evangelium aternum, which they offered to be canonized, An. 1220. but by good lucke it was refused: yet as prodigiously, as blasphemously; whiles they teach the Prophets and Apostles to speake Treason and Murder, and to give dispensation for Lying: what Hell can be not enough for such Priests?

O ye blessed Secretaries of Heaven, how would you disdaine to have their Decretals come in competition with your sacred Canons? How would it grieve you, to see Iesus persecuted by a Iesuite? That blessed Name hath alwayes cast out Devils, it never brought in any: though these sonnes of Sceva have made bold to usurpe it, and come in fiends, under it. Shall we call that Christs Religion, which is not derived from the Prophets and Apostles; nay, which contradicts both Apostles and Prophets? Even the Prelates of their owne Church have compared their Schoole-men to Astronomers; who to save the Phoenomenon, framed to their conceit Eccentrickes, and Epicycles, and a wonderfull Engine of Orbes, though no such things were: so they, in the Councell of Trent, to save their Politiam Romanam, devised a world of distinctions, evasions, shifts, and Paradoxes: and in stead of Prophets and Apostles, brought us Poets and Philosophers: that not onely wee, whom they hold adversaries; but many of their owne have said, concerning the Lawes of that Councell; That they are beholding to Aristotle for diverse Articles of their Faith. This I thought good to touch; to shew the difference betwixt Saint Peters direction, in my Text; and his direction, that pretends himselfe Saint Peters Successor; and that he can never erre, out of that Chaire. If they have forsaken the Prophets and Apostles, it is time for us to forsake them. If they alledge, that they still retaine the Scripture, and keepe themselves to the words thereof: I answere, that Saul kept part of Gods Commandement, in destroying Amalek; yet for all that, Samuel tells him plainely, 1 Sam. 15.26. Thou hast rejected the Word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee. Or if they should take nothing from these words, yet Rev. 22.18. their adding to them, and equalizing their owne constitutions with them, shall make them lyable to that fearefull Curse.

That ye may be mindfull of the words.] This mindfulnesse consists in two things; our Observation, and our Conversation.

For Observation; God never meant his Word for a vanishing sound: that which is kept upon eternall record in Heaven, and is a constant dweller in the elected heart; must not be a Col. 3.16. sojourner, much lesse a passenger, with us. The Lord takes it in foule scorne at the hand of his creatures, to speake, and not be heard; to be heard, and not minded. Most men heare Sermons, as they entertaine newes out of the Indies; matters unconcerning them. Let us minde these things: if any vertue be commended, to practise it: if any vice be condemned, to avoid it: if any consolation be insinuated, to appropriate it: if any good example be propounded, to follow it: so minde that thou hearest, as if it were spoken onely to thy selfe. Is it Comfort? I repent, and ‘tis thine. Is it Iudgement? repent, and ‘tis not thine. They minded Iohn Baptists preaching, that came to him after the Sermon, with those materiall Quaert’s, Luk. 3.10. What shall we doe? As Domitian, perceiving many of his predecessors in the Empire to be so hated of the people, asked, How he might so rule, as to be loved? and was answered, Tu fac contra: Examine what they did, and doe thou the contrarie. Hearing prepares us for the way of salvation, Minding disposeth us for the travaile of it, Doing is the journey it selfe. The remaining flesh will tempt us: Ioabs sword had not goe a more usuall tricke of falling out of the sheath, than our corrupt nature to runne into pollutions. Those Agags, that are spared by the indulgent eye of Saul, favoured by the flesh, must be hewed in pieces by the sword of Samuel, by the Word of the Spirit. He that is furnished with weapons, and suffers a feeble unarmed enemie to overcome him, hath no courage in him. If the flesh, which in all regenerate soules hath received the deaths wound, foile us at every Bowt, we doe not minde our weapon, or (which is more cowardly) are afraid to use it. Some indeed feele no assaults; they have beleeved and minded the Word alwaies; as they pretend: but the state which was alwaies good, was in very deed never good.

Wee are bound to minde both Prophets and Apostles: the large looking glasse presents to a man his whole selfe: when it is broken into many small pieces, the least of them doth so still, but not so perfectly. Every line of the Law shewes us our miserable estate, every promise of the Gospell yeelds matter of comfort: let this glasse stand whole before us, that we may observe all our lineaments by it; Iam. 1.25. then shall wee be nobis noti, knowne to our selves. He that receiveth the seed into good ground, Matth. 13.23. heareth and understandeth, and brings forth fruits. The ground must bee susceptible, fit to receive the seed. The seed must bee conducible, fit for the quality of the ground. As wee doe not thunder Iudgements to the broken heart, nor offer the dugs of mercy to the lips of profanesse. So let every one minde his owne portion: let sinners apply those threatnings that belong to them, that by repentance they may have right to those blessings, which yet belong not to them. The Word of God is like Gold, saith the Psalmist: Gold is so ductile that an ounce of it will be made to cover an acre of land. Cardan. Wee can have no wants, which this riches cannot supply, if wee mindefully apprehend it. Lex est instar speculi, quòd maculas ostendit: Evangelium instar fontis, quòd ostensas abluit. Rom. 7.7. The Law is a glasse to shew our spots. (I had not knowne sinne but by the Law) the Gospell is a fountaine to clense them. Lex est manus, quae viam monstrat: Evangelium est brachium, quod in viam portat. They that minde not the Propheticall hand of direction, shall not have the Evangelicall hand of comportation. Tertull. Cui veritas comperta sine Deo? Cui Deus cognitus sine Christo? Cui Christus exploratus sine Spiritu sancto? Cui Spiritus Sanctus accommodatus sine verbo? Cui verbum profuit sine fidei obsequio? Wee cannot finde the truth without God, nor know God without Christ, nor reach Christ without the Spirit, nor receive the Spirit without the Word, nor profit by the Word without faith. If wee truly minde the Law and the Prophets, wee finde our selves miserable sinners. Totus homo est inversus Decalogus: to stand in a full contrariety to all the Law, is the very definition of man. The minding of this, will worke sorrow: Abraham cannot but bee troubled with malapert Hagar: the flesh is a curst concubine, as Anthony of Guevarra would not wish a man worse sorrow for his sinnes, than hee had that had an ill Wife. The feeling of this smart will teach us to decline the cause: contraries are cured by contraries. Maledixisti? Benedicas. Hast thou cursed? Blesse. Hast thou defrauded? Restore, Hast thou envied? Love. Hast thou offended in excesse? Fast.

Many a sinne had beene avoided by this mindefulnesse; and yet that sinne is the worse that is done after mindefulnesse. There is a practicall judgement in the heart; while it considers (on the one side) the danger of sinne, in offending God: and (on the other side) the pleasure and profit of sinne, which redounds to the flesh: while it puts in the one ballance, God and all his Commandements: in the other, sinne and all his appurtenances. If now after this poising, it prefers sinne, it had better never have weighed them: this is indeed to refuse Christ, and to chuse Barrabas.

There was never more neede of motives to mindefulnesse: (for this connexeth the two verses.) If the pure minds had need be warn’d and awakned, what shall we say to the dissolute and indisposed soules, that love on the Lords dayes their owne private thresholds, or a roome in Tavernes, better than the Courts of Gods House? We cry to drunkennesse, that wallowes in the puddle of excesse; Be mindefull, lest the day of judgement finde you beasts; and leave you no drinke, but a draught of the lake of Brimstone, that shall ever inflame, never coole your tongues: Yes, and they are mindefull, upon the next occasion to follow their cups. Wee cry to adultery, tumbling in the luxurious bed of uncleannesse; Be mindefull: lest your selves and your Strumpets be bound up in bundles, and cast into an unquenchable bed of flames: and they are mindefull; but it is to watch the next opportunity of their former wantonnesse. Wee cry to Idolatry, that kills herselfe in the bosome of that Babylonish Whore; Be mindefull: Rev. 2.22. or God shall throw you and your Iezabel into the bottomlesse pit: and they are mindfull; but it is for the next Masse, to worship that Stepdame on their knees. Wee cry to voluptuousnesse, that swaggers in the supposed Iubile of her endlesse pleasures; Be mindefull: lest your pastime be shut up in weeping, and howling, and gnashing of teeth: and they are mindefull; but it is of their next Rendevous appointed for riot. We cry to oppression, that crusheth the bones of the poore with her bloody jawes; Bee mindefull: and they are mindfull, but it is of the next cruell purchase. It were great pitty, if all their violence and extortion should not extort from the hands of God, their owne portion of vengeance. We cry to blasphemers, with whom oathes bee as common as the stones in our streets; Be mindefull: or God shall fill your mouthes with lamentations and curses. Wee cry to all sinners; Be mindefull of the words of Prophets and Apostles: but as Marius said, he could not heare the lawes of the noise of Armes: so they cannot bee mindefull of these things, for being mindefull of their sinnes and pleasures.

This is the fulnesse of time, wherein God gave his Sonne unto sinners: and this is the fulnesse of sinne, wherein this gift is despised by sinners. Salvation is preached to the lost, and it is lost among them: Life is offered to the dead, and it is become dead with them. God came unto men, and men will not come unto God. Wonder O Heaven, and be amazed O Earth, at the dulnesse of our unthankefull hearts. It is time for you to bee mindefull; yea, the time is almost past: now is your salvation neerer than when you first beleeved: and now is your damnation neerer, than when it was first threatned. Wee are come to the eleventh houre of the day; there is but a twelfth; a few minutes of time betweene us and judgement. The Sonne of man hastens his comming, more than the Sunne of Heaven hastens his going downe: O be mindefull. Shall we tarry to be started with the shrillest Trumpet that ever was blowne? Our mindfulnesse shall then grow perfect, and wee shall bee wise, but too late. Then will it onely serve to revolve those infinite favours of God, that could not winne us; and those innumerable perswasions, that could not worke upon us. Matth. 8.20. The Foxes have boles, and the Birds of the Aire have nests, but the Sonne of man hath not where to lay his bead. The Foxes have holes in us; crafts, deceits, and subtilties lodge in our hearts; the Birds of the Aire have nests in us: pride, vaine-glory, and ambition, dwell in our heads; but neither head nor heart will give any roome to Christ: he hath no chamber, no bed, no pillow in our soules, whereon to rest his weary head, that is wer with the dew of heaven, while he stands waiting at our doores. It will grieve all the veines of their hearts, to bee mindefull of these things when they are past recovery; to thinke in hell how easily they might have been saved, while they lived on earth, and did not regard it. But now let us be mindefull of God, and he will be mindefull of us. Is he so neere us, even within us, and doe we forget him? Shall a whole day passe, and neither wee speake to God, nor heare him speaking to us? This were too much betweene man and wife. No Lord, wee will bee mindefull of thee, in giving heed to thy Word. Bee thou mindefull of us in thy mercy, and remember us in the day of IESVS CHRIST.

Next, this is for our conversation. It is a barren mindefulnesse that does not declare it selfe in an holy fruitfulnesse. I have heard of a childe of nine yeeres old, that could say every syllable of the new Testament by heart, and not faile in returning a line in the right Chapter and Verse: heere was an admirable memory. But if all this mindefulnesse be so confined, if it extend not to practise, we had better never have heard of Gods Word. The use of operative arts is all in all; especially in Divinity: without which the Vine (through mindefulnesse) may yeeld sweet juyce: but (through want of practise) it will not make so much as a pin or peg for service. The Prophets and Apostles did not onely teach, but doe the will of their Master: as wee are mindefull of their doctrines, so let us also heed their examples. A speechlesse life hath more force in it, than a livelesse speech. Good workes are unanswerable syllogismes, invincible demonstrations; and make any men Preachers; even Preachers like the Sunne and Moone; that their sound goes over all the world, publishing Gods glory; not in Hebrew, Greeke, or Latine, which many barbarous nations understand not: but in a common language, Chrysost. the mother tongue of every country. The bels that towled to the Sermons of the Prophets and Apostles, were their miracles: these made way into mens hearts for their doctrine. Miracles are ceased, and now good conversation comes in their place. They carried, as the souldiers of Gideon, in one hand the burning lampe of a good life; in the other, the shrill trumpets of Preaching: with these weapons they conquered the Midian world. Two things are to the esse of a Christian; Profession and Practice of the truth. The best argument of our conversion, is our good conversation: our workes doe justifie that faith, which doth justifie us.

The Apostles did not onely preach heavenly Sermons, but doe gratious deeds: therefore a whole booke was written of their Act. 1.1. Acts. Saint Luke wrote of all that Iesus begun to doe and teach: Luk. 24.19. who was a Prophet mighty, not onely inward, but in deed. Luk. 7.22. Goe and tell Iohn what things yee have heard and seene. Words are but winde, and vanish into winde: a ship leaves as much impression in the Sea, as they doe in many an heart. There is an inartificiall argument, which is all the countrey-mans Logicke: as the Martyr answered Bishop Boner; My Lord, I cannot dispute for the Truth, but I can die for the Truth; and that was a taking argument. To doe well, is the art of a Christian: to doe, is every mans: to doe well, is the Christians. Benè is of few letters, of great operation; for it is the force of all arts. Rhetoricke, is the art of speaking well; Logicke, the art of disputing well; Magistracy, the art of governing well: so Christianity is the art of living well. Every Magistrate that governs, doth not governe well: nor doth every Christian that lives, live well. Estote factores verbi: we must distinguish between agere and facere: the first is to doe a businesse whereof nothing comes after it: facere is to make a thing; as when a building is made, it remaines. Actors present a shew on the stage, which being spoken, and ended, there is an end of it; it hath no farther extent. But Factors trade and traffique in forraine countries; and bring in their masters commodities and adventures, out of which ariseth profit. All the gaine of our soules comes from the doing of these things: without which knowledge leaves us but dishonourable to God, uncomfortable to our selves, scandalous to others: in no neerer termes to happinesse, than Balaam, and Iudas, and the divell himselfe; who the more they know, it is the worse for them: they doe but teach God how to condemne them.

Thus hee that encreaseth knowledge, encreaseth sorrow. Erasmus in a Dialogue calls such a man, Cyclops Evangeliophorus; a swaggering Ruffian that would bee thought a Christian. Hee had hanging at his girdle, on the one side, a Testament fairely gilt, bound, and bossed: on the other side a bottle of rich sacke. To convince him, hee is asked; what if hee were tyed to carry that bottle alwayes at his girdle, and never to taste of it; or to taste it onely, and never to drinke it downe: were not this a punishment as reall, as that of Tantalus was Poeticall. But what if he did, as his maner was, drinke soundly of it; would it not then warme his heart, quicken his spirits, cheare his countenance? Yes, but much more would that Booke doe so, if hee would spiritually feed on it, concoct, digest, and turne it into nutriment, in this life and conversation. Otherwise, it was but a poore use and benefit of his Bible, that one day in a rage hee had broken a fellowes head with it, that inveighed against the Gospell. Alas, to carry a Bible in our hands, and not to have a lesson of it in our hearts; not to be mindefull of this Doctrine in our practise; is but like the Asse that carries dainty burdens, and feeds upon Thistles. In effect, a man knowes no more than hee does: as the worldling hath indeed no more riches, than hee useth to his comfort. The Hebrewes had an imprecation; Psal. 137.5. If I forget thee, O Ierusalem; let my right hand forget her cunning. If men will not doe the good they know, they shall soone lose the knowledge of the evill they doe. It being just with God to punish the shipwracke of a good conscience, with the losse of the fraught of knowledge. Hee that never gave prescript, does not write himselfe Physitian: why doest thou refuse good deeds, and call thy selfe Christian? The Angell called his Name Iudg. 13.18. Wonderfull, because hee did wonderfully, and made good his Name by his action. If wee lay claime to that honourable name of Christians, let us doe the workes of Christians. Here lies the difficulty of all: the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles is contained in a little roome: the Sanctions and Rules to bee done, are set downe in briefe Summaries: so they are soone learned, easily knowne. But the motions, directions, reprehensions, perswasions, and such appurtenances of practise; these have enlarged the Volume of the Scriptures: these lengthen our Sermons, and multiply bookes. Line upon line and precept to precept: not for new lawes, but pressing obedience to the old. To be effectually mindefull.

1. Let us desire the faculty and facility of doing: earnestly to desire it, is one halfe, yea the best halfe. Benè velle est dimidium rei. Socrates could say; hee that would be an honest man, shall soone bee one; and is past the hardest part of the worke. An hearty affection to goodnesse, is the first step to goodnesse, a great helpe to goodnesse, a speciall signe of goodnesse. This will breed prayer for goodnesse, to the fountaine of all goodnesse, Christ: without whom we can doe nothing, but lie be calmed, unable to move or promove; as a ship on the Sea, or a mill on the land, without the winde, and breath of his Spirit. Thus let us begin the morning in a serious acknowledgement of our owne disability and deadnesse to every good worke; praying for will, as if wee had none; and begging grace, as if we were quite empty: grace preventing and subsequent, grace operative and cooperative, grace preserving and perfecting. Let us beseech him not onely to regenerate us with new principles of motion; but to renew his inspirations upon every act of ours; that we by Christ, or rather Christ by us and in us may doe all things.

2. Let us be thrifty husbands of time and meanes to be spiritually rich. If a man neglects the occasion, the occasion will neglect him. As we desire that all Sermons should be pertinent and applicatorie to us; (as if, like our Sutes of apparell, they were made for us, and for no body else, they doe so fit us) so let our eares drinke in the matter, that our eyes be fixed on our owne conscience. Let us lay our selves to the Rule, and examine how we and that doe agree. At the end of every Period let us aske our heart, How have I obeyed this Precept? How have I beene better’d by this reproofe? How comforted by this promise? Wanton hands gather onely the flowers, but good huswives looke to the fruit and hearbes of the Garden. Some like little children, minde not the Liquor in the Cup, but onely the paint and garnish; and in fondnesse of that, spill the Liquor. Or like Monkeyes, who looking in a Glasse, thinke they see another Monkeyes face, not their owne. Wee are so kinde to our selves, that wee can finde any mans fault in the Glasse of the Scripture, sooner than our owne. Matth. 11.17. Wee have piped to you, but you have not daunced: All that you observe, is the sound of our Pipe, not how your owne feete doe daunce unto it.

3. Let us reduce all to practise. Charmes are said to have no effect, unlesse one goe with a beleefe unto them. Surely, Preaching shall doe us no good, except wee come with a minde to be better’d by it. Now it were hard, if after all this discourse of mindfulnesse, you have not beene mindfull of the discourse. The Alarme of a Clocke is set, to summon us to businesse at such an houre, but if wee wake not with the Alarme, all is lost. It is a common saying, Now the Sermon is done; and it may be, you long to say so at this time. But consider, it is not done, till you have done it. The Christian Tell-truth speakes of a Lady, who asked her servants whether the Sermon was done, or no. They answered; Yes, it is done. But shee smartly replyed; Dicta, non facta concio: It is spoken, it is not done. You have had many Sermons; for constancie against back-sliding, for patience against murmuring, for charitie against covetousnesse, for sobrietie against excesse, for refraining your tongues from prophane speeches and ungodly Oathes; for obedience to the words of the Prophets and Apostles, against the formall profession of perfunctorie hearers: Sermons ever spoken, never done. O these were tedious Orations: but on whose side lay the tediousnesse? How unhappily are all these holy discourses lost, through unmindfulnesse? How is mindfulnesse it selfe lost in the want of practise? The Doer is blessed in his deed: It is our deed, to speake Gods Word unto you; to doe it, is both ours and yours: Doing crownes all. I will hold you no longer: Now you may say, This Sermon is spoken and done by the Preacher: God grant wee may say, It is practised and done by the hearers.