Aaron's rod blossoming, or, The divine ordinance of church-government vindicated so as the present…

That the thought and care of excommunication hath now so far waxed cold almost in all the Churches, is to be ascribed (as appeareth) unto three sorts of men. The first is of those whose minds the wealth of this world and high advancement of dignity do so lift up, that they are ashamed to submit the neck to the obedience of Christ. What (say these) shall that poor fellow lay a yoke on me? What, should I be subject to this naughty and rude Pastor? But let go, good Sir▪ your vain swelling empty words; how rude soever he be, yet if he be your Pastor, you must needs be a sheep of the flock, whom if he doth rightly instruct, so much the more dutifully you must submit. But if otherwise, it is the fault of the man, not of the Ministry; To those at least yield thy self to be ruled, whom thou knowest to ⟨p. 588⟩be more learned. But go to, thou which canst not suffer a man to be thy Pastor, to whom then wilt thou submit thy self? unto Christ himself (thou sayest:) very well forsooth. This then is of such importance, that Christ for thy cause must again leave the heavens, or by his Angels or Arch-Angels feed and govern thee, whom these mean men the Pastors do not satisfy: But what if it so pleased the Lord by these mean Pastors, as thou callest them, to cast down and confound all the highest stateliness and pride of this World, even as of old by a few and contemptible Fishers he subdued not only the high and conceited opinion of Philosophers, but even the Sceptres of Kings also? Now what will thy boasting magnificence say? But hear what Christ himself saith of them, whom thou from thy high loftiness lookest down upon as unworthy. He that despiseth you despiseth me (saith he.) And moreover who so despiseth Christ, despiseth him from whom he is sent, and who said unto him, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee: Ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance, and the utmost ends of the earth for thy possession: Thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron, and break them in pe•ces like a p•tters vessel. Wherefore seeing thou dost acknowledge so great a Lord, so many ways above all Majesty whatsoever can be named; let it not be grievous to thee (my brother whosoever thou art, or with how great power soever thou art highly advanced) laying aside thy high looks and pride, to be humbled under his mighty hand;

THat the thought and care of excommunication hath now so far waxed cold almost in all the Churches, is to be ascribed (as appeareth) unto three sorts of men. The first is of those whose minds the wealth of this world and high advancement of dignity do so lift up, that they are ashamed to submit the neck to the obedience of Christ. What (say these) shall that poor fellow lay a yoke on me? What, should I be subject to this naughty and rude Pastor? But let go, good Sir▪ your vain swelling empty words; how rude soever he be, yet if he be your Pastor, you must needs be a sheep of the flock, whom if he doth rightly instruct, so much the more dutifully you must submit. But if otherwise, it is the fault of the man, not of the Ministry; To those at least yeeld thy self to be ruled, whom thou knowest to ⟨p. 588⟩be more learned. But go to, thou which canst not suffer a man to be thy Pastor, to whom then wilt thou submit thy self? unto Christ himself (thou sayest:) very well forsooth. This then is of such importance, that Christ for thy cause must again leave the heavens, or by his Angels or Arch-Angels feed and govern thee, whom these mean men the Pastors do not satisfie: But what if it so pleased the Lord by these mean Pastors, as thou callest them, to cast down and conf•und all the highest statelynesse and pride of this World, even as of old by a few and comtemptible Fishers he subdued not onely the high and conceited opinion of Philosophers, but even the Scepters of Kings also? Now what will thy boasting magnificence say? But hear what Christ himself saith of them, whom thou from thy high loftinesse look•st down upon as unworthy. He that despiseth you despiseth me (saith he.) And moreover who so despiseth Christ, despiseth him from whom he is sent, and who said unto him, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee: Ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance, and the utmost ends of the earth for thy possission: Thou shalt rule them with a rod of yron, and break them in pe•ces like a p•tters vessel. Wherefore seeing thou dost acknowledge so great a Lord, so many wayes above all Maiesty whatsoever can be named; let it not be grievous to thee (my brother whosoever thou art, or with how great power soever thou art highly advanced) laying aside thy high looks and pride, to be humbled under his mighty hand;

And do not think it a light matter (whereas thou entertainest with so great applause and honourable respect an earthly Kings Ambassadors) that thou shouldest disdain the Ambassadors of him, who alone hath power over all Kings and Lords. If thou yieldest unto a mortal Physician thy wounds to be handled, yea to be cut also, and to be burned and seared (if need be) how cometh it, that thou canst less endure the same thing also in the curing of the diseases of the soul from the spiritual Physician, especially seeing in so many respects better is the health of the soul then of the body? Nor do thou so account any whit in this regard to be impaired of thy honour, if unto thy Bishop or Pastor, yea rather herein to Christ thou be subjected. Yea contrariwise, so account as the thing is indeed, that there is no true glory but in Christ and in his sheepfolds; ⟨p. 589⟩that none do more prosperously reign, then they which every way do serve him, without whom as there is no glory, so is there no safety and salvation. Neither let it seem disgraceful to thee, what so many ages ago the most high Monarchs of the world and most potent Emperors have done before thee: amongst whom Philip, as he was the first of all the Emperors who was made a Christian; so I meet with no other more famous example, and more worthy of all mens imitation. He willing to be present at the solemn Assemblies of the Church on Easter, and to communicate of the Sacrament▪ when as yet he was judged not worthy of admission; It is reported that Fabian the Bishop withstood him, neither did receive him before he confessed his sins, and stood among the Penitentiaries. What would those our proud giants, fighters against God do here, if they had stood in the like condition and high place? But this no less mild then most mighty Emperor was nothing ashamed (forgetting in the mean while his Imperial Majesty) of his own accord to submit himself to the obedience of his Pastor, undergoing every thing whatsoever in the Name of Christ was imposed upon him. O truly noble Emperor, and no less worthy Bishop! But these examples in both are too rare amongst us this day.

And do not think it a light matter (whereas thou entertainest with so great applause and honourable respect an earthly Kings Ambassadors) that thou shouldest disdain the Ambassadors of him, who alone hath power over all Kings and Lords. If thou yeeldest unto a mortal Physitian thy wounds to be handled, yea to be cut also, and to be burned and seared (if need be) how commeth it, that thou canst lesse endure the same thing also in the curing of the diseases of the soul from the spiritual Physitian, especially seeing in so many respects better is the health of the soul then of the body? Nor do thou so account any whit in this regard to be impared of thy honour, if unto thy Bishop or Pastor, yea rather herein to Christ thou be subjected. Yea contrariwise, so account as the thing is indeed, that there is no true glory but in Christ and in his sheepfolds;

Another▪ sort is of those which would be Christians but in name and title only, they promise an honest enough show of Christian profession; they dispute both learnedly, and every where with great endeavour, of Christ; they carry about in their hands the Gospel; they frequent sacred Sermons; have cast off all superstition; they feed with the perfect; they marry, eat, and are clothed, so as they hold no difference either of times or of places. Finally, Whatsoever is pleasing in Christ they take and stiffly hold. But if ye look into their life, they are Epicures, Wasters, Ravenous, Covetous, Sons of Belial; Not Christs servants, but slaves of their belly; who according to the Satirist, think virtue to be but words, as the wood to be but trees. And of these there is a great store every where, who seeing only for their belly they follow Christ, they leave nothing undevised and uninterprised to hinder Excommunication, that so they may the more freely satisfy and serve their own lusts. So ⟨p. 590⟩the Covetous man feareth that his Covetousness be called in question, which he will not forsake. The Adulterer, he that buyeth or selleth men into slavery, the dicer, the whoremonger, the drunkard would rather his intemperance to be concealed. So the Robber, the Murderer, the Incendiary is afraid to be laid open or made known. So he that delighteth to be fatted and enriched with the damages of the Common▪ wealth, is unwilling to have any bridle to curb and restrain him: The Cheater that with false wares beguileth the people; the seller that with unjust gain outeth counterfeit wares; the deceiver who cozeneth and circumventeth his Neighbour. Last of all whosoever are thus affected that they savour or follow nothing but their belly, their ambition, and the purse, they do not willingly endure that their liberty of sinning should be stopped to them.

Another▪ sort is of those which would be Christians but in name and title onely, they promise an honest enough shew of Christian profession; they dispute both learnedly, and every where with grea• endeavour, of Christ; they carry about in their hands the Gospel; they frequent sacred Sermons; have cast off all superstition; they feed with the perfect; they marry, eat, and are clothed, so as they hold no difference either of times or of places. Finally, Whatsoever is pleasing in Christ they take and stiffely hold. But if ye look into their life, they are Epicures, Wasters, Ravenous, Covetous, Sons of Belial; Not Christs servants, but slaves of their belly; who according to the Satyrist, think vertue to be but words, as the wood to be but trees. And of these there is a great store every where, who seeing onely for their belly they follow Christ, they leave nothing undevised and uninterprised to hinder Excommunication, that so they may the more freely satisfie and serve their own lusts. So

Which things if these and all other Epicures did more diligently think of, it would come to pass I suppose, that neither the custom of sin would so much like them, and withal the matter it self would so far draw them, that more willingly they would have recourse unto these so many ways wholesome remedies of the Church, as unto the only medicine of mans life.

Which things if these and all other Epicures did more diligently think of, it would come to passe I suppose, that neither the custome of sin would so much like them, and withall the matter it self would so far draw them, that more willingly they would have recourse unto these so many waies wholsom remedies of the Church, as unto the onely medicine of mans life.

FINIS.