foorth and let her be burnt Where Iudah as some conceiue being a Patriarch and head of his family did adiudge that Thamar his daughter in law which had played the whore should be burnt for her fault or as other he required that shee should be brought before the Iudges sitting in the gates of the city that they might condemne her to dy Vnder the Law there be many precepts in this kind recorded in one chapter as Exod. 21. Hee that smiteth a man and hee dye shall dye the death he that smiteth his father or his mother shall dye the death hee that killeth a woman with child shall pay life for life Now Moses Iosua Samuel Dauid and other good gouernours executed these lawes vpon their delinquent subiects and ye know that Naboth accused by two false witnesses of blasphemy was by Queene Iesabels art and King Ahabs authority stoned to death and the Scribes and Pharisees hauing taken a woman in adultery brought her vnto Christ and said that she should be stoned to death according to the Law When Christ himselfe was come which is the end of the Law he gaue this absolute determination All that smite with the sword shall perish with thâ—… sword The which cannot be so well expounded as thus hee that strikes with the priuat sword of reuenge shall be punished with the publique sword of Iustice for the publique sword of the Magistrate was at that time drawen out against Christ and therefore Peter ought to put vp his priuat sword of reuenge and obey the higher powers 2. We proue this doctrine by the iudgement of the most ancient and Orthodoxe fathers Augustine writes Lib. de Ciuitate Dei chap. 21. That publique persons in authority when as according to the Iust courses of law they sentence malefactors to death offend not against the precept thou shalt not kill and in another place repeating the words of Christ all that strike with the sword shall perish with the sword He doth explaine them thus Such as vpon their owne authority strike with the sword shal perish with the sword But if God put a sword into their hand then they may yea then they must strike for Princes punish malefactors with death not as masters of their liues but as Ministers of God and it is not in them any murther but an act of Iustice. Hilary writing vpon the same words of Christ maintaineth also that it is lawfull to kill in two cases especially 1 In our owne Iust necessary defence 2 When we are called to Magistracie S. Hierome in his commentary vpon the words of Ieremie Chap. 22. 3. Execute yee iudgement and righteousnesse doe no violence nor shed innocent blood in this place saith expressely that the putting to death of homicids witches sacrilegious persons is not effusion of blood but execution of right Lastly wee proue this assertion by reason and common experience for an husbandman pruneth idle twigs and luxurious branches which hinder the growth of his vine and the chirurgeon cutteth off a rotten member which otherwise would infect the whole body So the Magistrate being the great husband and Physitian of the State may destroy some corrupt part for the preseruation of the whole Melius est vt pereat vnus quam vnitas in the wordes of our common law better it is to suffer a mischiefe then an inconuenience More safe that one should be ruinated in his particular then the whole kingdome in conueâ—…ienced in the generall And the sword of an officer thus vsed is not as Augustine speaks Ferrum inimici vulnerantis sed medici sanantis Yea but if Christ will haue mercy Mat 9. 13. How may Christians execute Iustice Answere is made that Christ in that place speakes not of publique Iustice but of priuat behauiour now then albeit a Magistrate bee neuer so mercifull in his owne cause yet is he in his office the Minister of God to take vengeance on him that doth euill and there is a pity which is cruell and a Iustice which is merciful optimum miserecordiae genus nocentes occidere It is in a Prince the best kind of mercy to put a few notorious offendors to death that all the rest vnder him may lead a quiet life Concerning a peaceable life Princes are protectours of their Realmes against all forreine forces as they beare the sword of Iustice to defend their people from all domesticall desturbers of the peace So likewise the sword of war to defend their people from all forreine foes inuading their lands and encroching vpon the liberties of their kingdomes For albeit the Manichees in old time and Anabaptists in our time haue thought it vnlawfull for Christians to bee warriours yet all Orthodox diuines hold the calling of souldiers to be both honest and honorable and this they prooue by concluding arguments out of the Scriptures and Fathers God in his word giueth vnto souldiers not a Commission onely but a commendation also bidding them to fight and blessing them in lawfull warres a Commission is granted Iudg. 3. 1. These are the nations which the Lord left that hee might proue Israel by them euen as many of Israel as haue not knowen the warres of Canaan onely to make the generations of the children of Israel to know and to teach them warre and 1. Sam. 15. verse 2. 3. Thus saith the Lord of hostes I remember what Amalek did vnto Israel now therefore goe and smite Amalek and destroy ye all that apperteineth vnto them haue no compassion on them but slay both man and woman both infant and suckling both oxe and sheepe both Camell and Asse But a more generall and expresse Commission is deliuered Ecclesiast 3. 8. There is a time of warre and a time of peace there is no season alotted for any wicked act because we must serue God in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life warre then haâ—…ing an appointed time must of necessity be good and so Iust warres are stiled often in holy â—…cripture the battels of the Lord And God preâ—…bed in his law diuers Military rules as Deut. â—…0 1. When thou shalt goe foorth to warre against thâ—…e â—…mies and shalt see horses and charets and people 〈◊〉 then thou be not afraid of them for the Lord thy 〈◊〉 is with thee who brought thee out of the land of Aegypt and Numbers 10. 9. When yee goe to warre yee shall blow an alarum with the trumpet and Num. â—…1 2. Harnesse some of you to warre that ye may execute the vengeance of the Lord against Midian and verse 27. Diuide the prey betweene the souldiers that went to warre and all the congregation And Dauid in the 144. Psalme verse 1. Blessed be the Lord my strength who teacheth my hands to warre and my fingers to fight Peter Martyr biddeth vs obserue the great Emphasis in the pronoune my manus meas my hands and my fingers because Dauid was a
among swine by the rules of the Gospell and Lawes of our Land he that wil not labour ought not to eate he that will not learne of the Pismire to prepare his meate in Summer and to prepare his food in haruest hee that is a Ludouicus nihil agens a Lewis Doe nothing should haue nothing of our liberalitie but in extreame necessitie to conclude the loyterer is to bee punished but the labourer to bee cherished If thou bee neighbour to such an one breake thy bread to his hungrie Soule call him to thine house couer him and comfort him There bee foure strings of Gods whip mentioned Ezechiel 14. 21. the Sword Famine Noysom beasts and Pestilence Now the most greiuous of thē all is Famine For what noysome beasts the Sword and the Pestilence kill in a moment there bee many lingring deathes in hunger Famine saith Basile is a disease that doth soone torture yet slowly consume destroying by little and little Well then if the greater miserie be the better obiect of mercy deale thy bread to the hungrie So God which is the father of mercy d satisfied the thirsty soules of Israel in the Wildernesse and filled their hungrie soules with aboundance So Christ which is our way for example so well as trueth in doctrine filled the hungrie with good things Luke 1. 53. This was Solomons precept Pro. 25. 21. If thine enemie bee hungrie giue him bread and it was Tobits practise I gaue my bread to those that were Hungrie Tobit 1. 16. And in the last day the first good deed of the godly remembred by Christ and rewarded is I was hungrie and ye gaue me meat And the first ill obiected vnto the damned I was hungrie and yee gaue mee no meat I thirsted and yee gaue mee no drinke The third point to bee further examined is quid dandum and that is Bread now there bee three sorts of bread mentioned in holy Bible Sacramentall 1 Cor. 11. 28. Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of this bread Doctrinall Iohn 6. Labour not saith our Sauiour for the loaues and for the meat which perisheth but for the meate and bread that endure to life euerlasting Corporall Math. 4. 4. Man shall not liue by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God The bread here principally spoken of is neither mentall nor sacramentall but corporall and this kind in a strict acception is the loafe made of wheat or the like graine Gen. 14. 18. Melchisedech King of Salem brought forth bread and wine but in a more generall and large signification it is vsed in holy Scripture pro omni Comestibili for all kind of food as Gen. 3. 19. In the sweate of thy face thou shalt eate bread 2 Sam. 9. 10. King Dauid sayd to Ziba Mephibosheth thy Masters Sonne shall eate bread alway at my Table that is hee shall fare so well as I fare so well as one of the Kings Sonnes as it is sayd verse the 11. And in the Pater Noster giue vs this day our daily bread Where Panis is Pan euery thing fit and necessarie for our present life Well then if in asking of bread from God thou wilt haue it of the largest extent take heed how you curtall it in this and other commandements concerning the giuing of bread to thy poore brethren As you begge bread of God so breake bread to the hungrie deale to him as occasion is offered more then either Crust or crumme of thy loafe Giue so much as is necessarie for his reliefe bring him to thine house couer him and hide not thy face from thy flesh The fourth point is de quo dandum and that is expressed in the word Tuum not the goods of another but thy bread si tuus almes are a sacrifice pleasing vnto God now wee may not present an offering to God of that which cost vs nothing as King Dauid speakes 2 Sam. 24. 24. Honour the Lord with thy riches cast thy bread vpon the waters giue thy garments vnto the naked and of thine aboundance to such as haue neede It must bee thine first and that acquired lawfully not by Bribes or oppression or Forgerie but thine by descent or purchase thine by the sweat of thy Browes in some honest occupation or thine by the sweat of thy braines in some commendable profession Almes are not to bee giuen as one wittily sayd except they first haue sweat in a mans hand It is not an act of Charity to rob Peter and pay Paul or to build an Hospitall for a few by the ruins of many for so you shall haue more to curse you then to blesse you If thou giue giue that which is fit ont of thine ovvne Cesterne and owne Well and owne substance deale thy bread Or thy bread that is such as thou thy selfe dost eate qui tuus thy dole may not bee panis lapidosus as Fibius Verucosus speakes in Seneca so hard to digest as a stone no mouldy bread no mustie bread but wholesome and sauourie such as thou wouldest haue wert thou to begge thy bread Or thy bread that is when it is thine dum tuus est as the blessed Apostle Gal. 6. 10. While thou hast time make thine owne hands executors and thine own eyes ouerseers and thine owne sonns and seruants in thy houshold witnesses of thy wil in doing good Halfe a loafe broken vnto the hungrie while thou liuest hast it in thine own power and purse procures thee more friends in the court of Heauen then a whole loafe giuen after thy death by heires and asignes If bread bee thine thus as I haue told you si tuus qui tuus dum tuus deale thy bread to the Hungrie A good worke is in it selfe a sufficient reward Pro. 21. 15. It is ioy to the iust to doe Iustice much more to shew mercy for hee which is full of pitty rewardeth his owne soule Pro. 11. 17. Blessed is hee that considereth the poore and needy Psal. 41. 1. Blessed in His Temporall Ciuill Spirituall Eternall Estate Blessed in his temporall estate both in respect of wealth and health As for wealth there is that scattereth and yet is increased more but hee that spareth more then his right shall surely come to pouertie The liberall person shall haue plenty or as other read the soule of blessing shall bee made fatt and hee that watereth shall also haue raine God makes an hedge about him and about his house and about all that hee hath Iob. 1. 10. As for his health the Lord preserueth him and keepeth him aliue that hee may bee blessed vpon earth the Lord deliuers him in the time of trouble the Lord comforts him when he lyeth sicke vpon his couch and makes all his bed in his sicknesse To my remembrance saith Hierom I neuer read of any that dyed an vnhappy death who lead a mercifull life concerning both health and wealth
more need his deuotion in frequenting publique prayers his constancy in his studies his studious vigilancy for the publike affaires both of the Church the Common wealth So that hee might with as little Ostentation haue spoken of himselfe as Luther did of himselfe Ego sum oneratissâ—…mus psalterium exigit â—…ntegrum hominem totum eundem Concio ad Populum totum preculae instituti mâ—…i cultus totum negotioâ—…um alienorum occupatio I am burdened more then any man my paines in my Pesthâ—…ls require a whole man My Preaching to the people a whole man My priuate and publique deuotions a whole man common affaires belonging to my place in the Church in the common wealth a whole man So that I may compare his life to such an one as S Augustine wished Eudoxius the Abbot to lead Inter ignem et Aquam Inter Apicem Superbiae et voraginem Desidiae Neither inclining to Pride on the right hand nor idlenesse on the left Wheresoeuer he liued leauing some remarkeable token of his goodnesse Witnesse his mother Camebridge who will still remember him as truely for his learning as Trithemius did for Algerus Vir fuit in sanctis Scripturis jugâ—… studio exercitatus veterum quoque Lectione Diues atque in Secularibus literis magnifice doctus ingenio cautus et disertus eloquio And for his life the like Testimony may be easily procured that there was none in the Vniversity more obseruant of Order Habit â—…xercises both publique and priuate I haue heard it from his owne mouth and hee had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he neuer missed publique Sermon at St. Maries during all the time of his abode there saue twice I am loath to defile mine owne nest Yet I feare Aetas Parentum peior Avis tulit nos nequiores Witnesse likewise the Church in generall for whom willingly hee would haue spent himselfe so that few are left behind but are loosers by his death Heauen only a gainer in whose blessed mansions hee now rests fully satisfied with the melodious harmony of that Supernall Quire Part of which musicke I thinke he heard before he departed this life for the night before he dyed all his discourse was of musicke and being demanded whether he heard any or what musicke he meant his answere was O Gabriel Gabriel Sure the blessed Choristers of Heauen were ready to carry his soule with ioy into his Masters ioy I will conclude with him as S August concerning his deare beloued Nebridius Nunc vivit in sinu Abrahae Boysius meus dulcis amicus meus nam quis alius tali animae Locus My deare friend now rests in Abrahams bosome for sure there is no othe place for so Diuine a soule Thus gentle Reader haue I giuen thee a short suruey of the life of him whom perhaps thou knewest though not in his person yet in his workes If I haue come short of what his desert might iustly challenge as the relation of Salomon did to the Queene of Saba I must craue craue pardon for my weakenesse in this kind it being thanke worthy for him that hath no better 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or if I haue shot my few arrowes ouer the marke with Ionathan I shall be well content with S. Augustines censure vpon Tully for his large commendations of Caesar So it may bee with his glosse Dicebat hoc tam Magnus Laudator aut tam Magnus Adulator sed si Laudator talem noverit si autem adulator talem esse debere ostendebat To conclude if this last worke of his finde but that acceptation with thee which vttered Viva Voce it gaue to the auditors or if this Prol s Posthuma haue but some resemblance with his former off-spring that it be not thought altogether Spurious I doubt not but thou wilt bee easily induced together with mee and others that haue bene bettered by the godly example and heauenly labours of this holy man to glorifie the Author of euery good and perfit gift who will not cease to raise vp such excellent instruments for his owne glory and the Churches good To whose blessed Protection I commit thee Euer Resting Thine in what hee may R. P. A TABLE OF THE CONTENTS Sermons on Proper Lessons 1 The first Lesson at Morning Prayer on the second Sunday in Aduent ESAY 5. 18. Woe vnto them that draw inquitie with cords of vinitie and sinne as it were with a cartrope Pag. 1 2 The first Lesson at Morning Prayer on the first Sunday after Epiphany ESAY 41. 14. Feare not worme Iacob c. 16 3 The first Lesson at Evensong on the fourth Sunday after Epiphanie ESAY 58. 7. Breake thy bread to the hungry 31 4 The first Lesson at Morning Prayer on Sepâ—… Sunday 〈◊〉 1. 26. And God said let vs make man in our image after our likenesse 50 5 The first Lesson at Morning Prayer on the seventh Sunday after Trinitie 2 SAM 24. 14. Let vs fall now into the hands of the Lord for his mercies are great and let me not fall into the hand of man 70 6 The first Lesson at Morning Prayer on the thirteenth Sunday after Trinitie 2 KING 19. 36. So Sennacherib King of Ashur departed and went his way and returned and dwelt in Niniue and as he was in the Temple worshipping Nisroch his God Adâ—…amelech and Sharezar his sonnes slew him with the sword 89 7 The first Lesson at Morning Prayer on the nineteenth Sunday after Trinitie DAN 13 16. Shadrach Mesech and Abednago answered and said vnto the King c. 106 8 The first Lesson at Morning Prayer on the one and twentieth Sunday after Trinitie ABACVCK 2. 9. Woe be to him that coveteth an evill couetousnesse to his house 121 Other Sermons vpon seuerall Occasions 1 On Rogation Sunday PROV 22 28. Remoue not the ancient bounds which thy Fathers haue made 135 2 At the Sessions ROM 13. 4. He is the Minister of God for thy good 160 3 A Funerall Sermon PSAL. 42. 9. One deepe calleth another 197 4 Before the King at Christchurch PSAL. 84. 10. One day in thy Courts is better then a thousand 211 5 On PSALM 105. 4. Seeke the Lord and his strength seeke his face euermore 228 6 IOHN 8. 6. Iesus stopped downe and with his singer wrote on the ground 254 7 IAMES 5. 16. Confesse your faults one to another 27â—… SERMONS ON Proper Lessons ESAY 5. 18. Woe vnto them that drawe iniquitie with cordes of vanitie and sinne as it were with a Cart rope IN this Text two poynts are to beediscussed especially First the goodnes of God who soundes a woe before he sendes a woe Secondly the wickednesse of man in drawing iniquity Touching the first in holy writ we finde two kinds of woes a woe of Condoling and a woe of Condemning Condoling as Psalm 1â—…0 Woe is mee that I am constrayned to dwell with Misery Mica 7. 1. Woe is mee for I am as the Grape gleaning of the Vintage And in this Prophesie
of the axe saith Gregorie the great to fly from the helme and so they kill vnaduisedly their bretheren And these ghostly Fathers vse Christians as the Iewes did Christ hanging on the Crosse when his thirstie soule called for some comfortable potion they gaue him gall and vineger to drinke The word of God must dwell in vs plenteously but in all wisdome Col. 3. 16. We must heare it in all wisdome read it in all wisdome meditate on it in all wisdome speake of it in all wisdome especially preach of it in all wisdome not only in some but in all wisdom For all is litle enough considering the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine By Iacob yee which are verst in the Bible know well is ment the seed of Iacob all Gods people descended from his loynes heere called a worme And as Tremellius and our old English translations a little worme in respect of their abiect estate first in Egypt and afterward in Babylon a silly worme In quo saith one nihil est quod quis aut amet aut metuat So the next clause doth expound this in the iudgment of Caluine yee dead men of Israel in such a wretched and base slauerie that ye resemble men which are dead euen past all hope to be restored and raised againe to your former glory Gods people were not dead indeed but as it were dead to many purposes vnder their Captiuity They did not lead vitam vitalem a liuely life being as Socrates and u Plato sayd of marriners neither among the dead nor yet among the liuing And as Saint Paul of a Widdow spending her dayes in pleasure dead while they liue For so the Scripture speaking Hyperbolically calls those dead who liue in extreame perils and deepe dangers as Psalm 116. 3. The snares of death compassed me round about and the paines of hell gat hold vpon me and Psalm 86. 13. Thou Lord hast deliuered my Soule that is my person and life from the nethermost hell euen the pit of the dead or the graue So the Prophet Ezechiel entreating of this argument in his 37. Chapter compares the men of Israel vnder bondage to drie bones in the mids of a field These bones are of the house of Israel behold they say our bones are dryed and our hope is gone and wee are cut off a◅ branches from the tree Therefore Prophecie vnto them and say Thus saith the Lord God behold my people I will open your graues and cause you to come vp out of your Sepulchres and bring you into the Land of Israel againe As there is a spirituall resurrection from sin and an eternall resurrection a◅ the last day from the graue So likewise a temporall resurrection from affliction in this world So the Lawyers terme those ciuilly dead which are banished out of their Country There is between Exilium and Exitium so little difference that it sounds well enouge in a Latine eare to call such as are condemned to perpetuall Exile Capite damnatos men appoynted to dye Other instead of dead men of Israel read few men of Israel as our new Bibles in the margine so the Septuagints and their translator Israel parvulus little Israel and Procopius in his commentarie Perpaucus Israel as being in this aduersitie litle for number and lesse in account despised Israel as the translation Hen. 8. Thus I haue deliuered vnto you the plaine story but for as much as all the faithfull are the Sonnes of Abraham and true Iacobins as Augustine sayd more Israel then Israel it selfe the most and best expositors aswell ancient as moderne extend this not onely to the sonnes of Iacob according to the flesh but also to the seed of Iacob according to the spirit that is to the Church of Christ afflicted and persecuted vnder Antichrist in in spirituall Babylon And so these times haue made a large Commentarie vpon this text For Iacob is a worme troden vnder foot in Italie troden vnder foot in Spaine troden vnder foot in France troden vnder foot in Austria troden vnder foot in Poland troden vnder foot in Germanie Persecuted by the red Dragons might and malice throughout the Wildernesse of the whole world and the friends of Iacob are but louing wormes a few men and they by the designes of Antichrist his bloody ministers the Iesuits appoynted to dye for Christs sake killed all the day long This Scripture then is a parallell vnto that Cant. 2. 2. Like a Lillie among the thornes so is my loue among the Daughters and to that Ecclesiastes 9. 14. There was a little City and few men in it a great King came against and compassed it about and built forts against it And to that of our blessed Sauiour in the Gospell affirming that his Church is a little flocke in the mids of Wolues Now that which is sayd in generall of Christs whole body mysticall is verified in particular of euery member as euery sliuer of a bone is bone So euery sonne of Iacob euery true beleeuer baptized into Christ is a worme and as a man that is dead A worme not in respect of his humane condition onely Iohn 23. 6. Man is a worme euen the Sonne of man but a worme saying to corruption thou art my Father and to the worme thou art my Mother and my Sister But in respect of his Christian estate much more being vilified and accounted in the worlds esteeme a worme and no man a scorne of men and outcast of the people yea the filth of the world and off-scouring of all things 1. Cor. 4. 13. His soule quoth Dauid is filled with the contemptuous reproofe of the rich To good Men and Angels an obiect of pittie To bad Men and Angels an obiect of enuie To both a gazing stocke Bernard Ser. ◅1 Inter paruos sermones And with the despightfullnesse of the proud a gazing stocke to Men and Angels infaelicitatis tabula Calamitatis fabula the Map of miserie the table talke yea tabret as Iob speakes vnto the wicked Yee beleeue this I know because ye daily see this not in the tents of Kedar onely but in the high streets of Hierusalem also the greater doubt is how the Christian is sayd here to bee Dead For the better vnderstanding whereof obserue that spirituall death in Iacob is threefold to witt A Death of Sinne For how shall we that are dead to sin liue therein Rom. 6. 2. The Law Through the Law I am dead to the law Gal. 2. 19. That is saith Luther against that accusing condemning Law I haue an other law which is Grace Libertie which accuseth the accusing and condemneth the condemning Law The world Actiue Whereby the world is dead vnto Iacob renoūcing the pompes thereof and accounting all things losse to winne Christ. Passiue Whereby Iacob is dead to the world which hateth and persecuteth him for Christs sake The summe of all is that a
pride of their hearts who shall bring vs downe to the ground Though thou exaltest thy selfe as an Eagle and make thy nest among the starres Yet thence will I bring thee downe saith the Lord The Lords hand found out Nabuchadnezzar being at rest in his owne house flourishing in his owne palace saying in vaine boasting Is not this great Babel which by the might of my power I haue built for the honour of my maiesty While the word was in his mouth a voyce came downe from heauen O King Nabuchadnezzar to thee be it spoken Thy kingdome is departed from thee and they shall driue thee from men and thy dwelling shall be with the beastes of the field and the very same houre was the thing fulfilled vpon Nabuchadnezzar and he was driuen from men and did eate grasse as oxen and his body was wet with the dew of heauen till his hayres were growen like Eagles feathers and his nayles like birdes clawes When Phocas had built a strong wall about his palace for security hee heard in the night a voyce O King though thou build as high as the cloudes yet the city may be taken easily for the sin within marres all The Lords hand found out Simon Magus as hee was presuming to fly vp into heauen in the publique theater of Rome and there he gaue him such a fall as that hee could neuer rise more The Lords hand found out Siluester the second who to get the Popedome gaue himselfe to the deuill as hee was in a chappell singing of a masse the Lords hand found out Nitingall a blasphemous popish priest in the very pulpit No place be it neuer so high or so holy so deepe or so darke so foule or fayre can exempt the wicked from the wrath of the Lord It is true that Gods dwelling is in Sion onely Psal. 76. 2. as Hugode S. victor gloseth it in mundo est vt imperator in regno in ecclesia vt pater familias in domo in anima fideli vt sponsus in thalaâ—…o He dwelleth in the world as an Emperor in his kingdome for the earth is the Lords and all that therein is Psal. 24. 1. He dwels in the Church as a master in his house for the house of God is the Church of God 1 Tim. 3. 15. In a faithfull soule as the bridegrome in his chamber there he suppes and refresheth himselfe apoc 3. 20. but our iniquities on the contrary make a separation betweene God and vs Esay 59. 2. And so God is sayd in the holy scripture to be faâ—…re from the wicked and the wicked to goe farre from God The which is proued in the prodigall câ—…ild who tooke his iourney into a farre country that is far from God farre from goodnesse Answere is made by St. Augustine in one word Deus non ibi deest vbi longe est quia vbi non est per gratiam adest per vindictam Although in respect of saluation and grace God be farre from the wicked yet in respect of his power and punishment alway so nigh that his out stretched arme can euery where reach and ruine them God dwels in Sion only but is present in Babylon also Secondly we note from this circumstance Gods exact Iustice who would haue Sennacherib to perish in the same place where hee had offended most he was a great Idolater and he committed that Idolatry most in the chappell of his Idoll Nisrock And therefore Gods reuengefull hand did find and confound him in the right vbi so the Prophet Elia sayd to King Ahab Hast thou killed and gotten possession also thus saith the Lord in the place where the dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs euen licke thy blood also The corps of Mr Arden slaine by the consent counsel of his own wife was laid as a spectacle to men and Angels in the very same field which he had vniustly taken from a poore widdow and it is well ordered in our State that where men commit outragious murthers there they should dye the death for it The iudgements of God is at all times terrible but being executed in the same place where the malefactour acted the fault it is more fearefull it putteth him in mind of his offence with all the circumstances thereof and so makes his conscience to denounce his owne condemnation Euery day should be to the good man a Sabbath and euery corner of his mansion a priuy chappell as occasion is offered for deuotion O then I beseech you by the mercies of the Lord Iesu take heed of sinne in your secret closets and chambers for nothing is hid from Gods al-piercing eyes which are as a flame of fire who can make your very table a snare to take you withall and the thinges which should haue beene for your wealth an occasion of falling hee can make the stone out of the wall and the beame out of the timber to cry for Iudgement against you Dauid afflicted heauily said euery night wash I my bed and water my couch with my teares He had offended most in his bed hee did act his repentance therefore most in his couch Imitate Dauids example who was a man according to Gods owne heart when thou commest into the roome defiled with any filthinesse of thine sinne no more but water the place with teares otherwise God may smite thee with a sudden and vnhappy death as hee did Sennacherib in his temple where he transgressed most It was in God also great Iustice that he should perish by the sword who had abused the sword in shedding innocent blood It was a iust iudgement vpon the cruell Egyptians to be drowned in the sea because they cast all the male children of the Hebrewes into the riuer It was a iust iudgement vpon Adonibezek that the thumbes of his hands feet were cut off hauing before â—…one the like cruelty to seauenty kings and constraining them to gather crumbs vnder his table Iudg. 1. 6. It was a iust iudgement vpon the tyrant Maxentius that hee was ouerthrowen in the same bridge which he craftily built as a snare for the destruction of Constantine It was a iust iudgement vpon Pope Alexander the 6. who was poysoned at supper with the very same wine his seruant mistaking a bottle which hee had prepared as a deadly draught for his familiar friend Cardinall Adrianus It was a iust iudgement vpon the chiefe plotter of the most execrable gunpowder treason that being pursued he should himselfe bee first scorched with powder and afterward killed with a gunne and so the mischiefe fell vpon his owne head and his wickednesse vpon his own pate Non est lex aequior vlla Quam necis artifices arte perire sâ—…a No iudgement more sit then that they who dig a pit for others should fall into the mids of it themselues as Dauid phraseth it Psalme 57. 7. The third circumstance to be further examined is the
the like resolution I am ready not to bee bound only but also to dye at Hierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus In the like case blessed Ignatius had the like resolution as S. Hierome and diuers other râ—…late for being adiudged to bee throwen vnto the beastes and hearing the lyons roaring I am quoth hee the wheat of Christ and I shall bee ground with the teeth of wild beastes that I may be made pure manchet for his owne mouth In the like case S. Vincent had the like resolution being as 〈◊〉 reporteth out of 〈◊〉 vicit 〈◊〉 vici et 〈◊〉 In the like case Martin Luther had the like resolution I am certainly determined to enter Wormes in the Name of our Lord Iesus although I knew therâ—… were so many deuils 〈◊〉 mee as there bee tiles to couer the houses in Wormes All Martyrologies as well ancient as moderne abound with examples in this kind Christians in old time saith Sulpitius desired Martyrdome more then men in our time doe Bishopriches for when once the Gospel is at the stake and Gods glory questioned Tormenta carcer vngula ardensque flammis lâ—…mina atque ipsa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mâ—…rs Christianis 〈◊〉 est As Prudentius in Hymno de Vincentio Martyre diuinely Bacon our countryman is termed among the Schoolâ—…en Doctor Resolutuâ—… in like manner all the schollers of Christ ought to be Doctores inconcussibiles as Nic de Clemangris wrote to Gerson in his 9. Epistle Iuuenal saith in his first Satyr Stulta est patientia cum tot vbique Votibus occurras periturâ—… parcere chartae But take heed as Clemang in the fore-cited place doth aduise ne sit stulta patientia cum tot vbique Gladibus occurras Cum tantam Ecclesiae ruinam et tantam euersionem videas parcere â—…ri parcere linguâ—… parcere stilâ—… to which I will adde periturâ—… parcere carni Brethren ye haue not as yet resisted the man of sinne vnto blood exhort one another while 〈◊〉 is called to day marke those diligently which are ready to forsake the Gospel and imbrace the present world who trust almighty God so little with their liues as that vpon rumours of warres in forreine parts and shaddowes of feares neerer home turne backe like Iordan and start aside like a broken bowe It is an obseruable note touching the writings of S. Iohn how that in in his Gospel hee teacheth especially faith in his Epistles especially loue in his Apocalyps especially hope This booke being as reuerend Bullinger censureth Euangelicissiâ—… liber of all holy scripture the fullest of consolation and the maine poynt of the whole reâ—…elation is vndoubtedly the certaine destruction of Babylon and most vnspeakeable blessednesse of Hierusalem aboue Wherefore stand fast in the faith quit your selues like men bee strong in the Lord and in the power of his might bee not weary of well doing but abundant alwayes in the worke of the Lord continue faithfull vnto death and the God whom we serue shall deliuer vs from the hands of all our enemies and giue vs the Crowne of life ABACVC 2. 9. Woe be to him that coueteth 〈◊〉 euill couetousnesse to his house c. There be 2. parts of this Prophecie 1. An expostulation of Abacuc or a complaint in the 1. and 2 chap. 2. A postulation of Abacuc or prayer in the â—… chap. THe Prophets expostulatioÌ„ is twofold the first concerning the licentious and loose liues of the 〈◊〉 compassing aboue the righteous either by secret fraudes or else by spoyling and open violence Chap. 1. vers 2. 3. 4. To which almighty God answereth in the seuen next verses that hee will bring vpon the Iewes for their iniquities the Chaldâ—…ans a bitter and a furious people who shall â—…mple vpon the breadth of their land and possesse their 〈…〉 teaching the Prophet how to comfort the faithfull and shewing by vision that hee will ouerthrow the Chaldeans their enemies when as their ambition and pride shall be full and at the height For their generall and chiefe captaine Nâ—…buchodonosor who doth inlarge his desires as the hell and as death is vnsatiable gathering vnto him all nations and heaping vnto him all people what is he but as one that transgresseth by wine for as wine doth in the beginning make the drunkard Iouiall and merry but in the conclusion ouerthrow him and expose him to base contempt euen so Nebuchodonosors prosperity made him exceeding fearefull and terrible to the nations round about him in the beginning but as the Lord here tels Abacuc in the end these people shall take vp a taunting prouerbe against him and a parable of reproch As he boasted in fiue things especially so there be fiue mocks or worse against him in this chapter answerable to the same 1. He glorified in the multitude of his riches against which it is sayd Woe be to him that increaseth that which is not his and ladeth himselfe with thicke clay 2. Hee gloried in the greatnesse of his kingdome against which it is sayd in our text Woe bee to him that coueteth an euill couetousnesse to his house c. 3. Hee glorified in the strength of his 〈◊〉 cities and towres of defeâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 towne with blood and erecteth a city by iniquity 4. He gloried in oppressing of his neighbour Kings and kingdomes against which it is sayd Woe bee to him that giueth his neighbour drinke and maketh him drunken that thou mayest discouer his nakednesse 5. Hee gloried in the protection of his Idol and Idol god against which it is sayd Woe bee to him that saith to the wood awake to the dumbe stone arise it shall teach behold it is layd ouer with gold and siluer and there is no breath at all in it I am at this time to treat of the second tract only the which as it concerned Nabuchodonosor in Hypothesi so beloued it may be verified of euery couetous vnsatiable wretch in Thesi that in spoyling other hee couereth an vnprofitable gaine consulting shame to his owne house and sinning against his owne soule As Seneca sayd there is a good vsury and a bad a good of our precious time a bad which is the biting interest of money For the Scripture mentioneth a good and a bad couetousnesse a good which our blessed Lord calleth hungring and thirsting after righteousnesse And S. Paul a coueting of spirituall giftes and S. Hierom a couetous desire to winne soules vnto God an euill couetousnesse termed by Christ. Luke 16. 9. Vnrighteous Mammon and that in three respects as being either ill got or ill kept or ill spent Ill gotten as when a cruell oppressour doth encrease that which is not his own verse 6 when hee buildeth a towne with blood and a city with iniquity verse 12. Or when he seeketh his owne with oâ—…er great care setting his whole heart vpon worldly wealth extending his desires as hell and as death
openly the foxes haue holes and the birdes of heauen haue nestes but the sonne of man hath not whereon to rest his head And Martin Luther a second Elias who by fire from heauen descried and described that abomination of desolation in Gods temple writes of himselfe that of all sinnes hee was euer least subiect to couetousnesse The Papists obiect often that professours of the reformed religion are Lutherans but I would to God both we and they were true Lutherans in this point I haue read that Cardinal Burbonius should say he would not leaue his part in Paris for his part in Paradise But a man of God on the contrary must account all thinges losse that he may win Christ If euery sinne be lesse or more deformed ex parte boni cui inordinate subditur as the schoole speaks then vndoubtedly couetousnesse is a most abiect sinne because goods of the world are worse then either goods of the body or goods of the mind it is but a dirty sin to loue thick clay If we may not too solicitously care for to morrow Mat. 6. 34. Then it is the serpents head and height of impiety to carke for many morrowes building our nest on high that wee may escape the power of euill to come hording vp secret treasure not only for our children but also for our childrens children as the Lawyers speake setling inheritances and making vncertaine riches which according to Gods booke haue wings as an Eagle perpetuities for euer This insatiable both intent and extent is an euill couetousnesse in Gods eye Now concerning our neighbours auarous increasing of wealth is often reported and repeated in this Prophecie to be spoyling of other which are either superiours equalls or inferiours as for superiours euill couetousnesse denyeth vnto Caesar the things that are Caesars It with-holds tribute to whom tribute custome to whom custom honour to whom honour belongeth It renders not to minister and master and magistrate that which is due by the lawes of God and man As for equals it is euill couetousnesse that occasioneth so many quarrels in law and makes so many breaches in loue As for inferiours it is euill couetousnesse that maketh a man hard hearted and fast handed toward the poore the true character of Nabal is to get much and keepe much but to spend little and giue nothing Not to run in the field of this common place beyond the bounds of our text hee that inlargeth his desires as the hell and is as death and cannot be satisfied but gathereth vnto him all nations and heapeth vnto him all people he that buildeth his nest on high erecting it with blood and iniquity he that increaseth that which is not his owne and leaues so much hid treasure to his babes that all of them may liue like gentlemen and Idle men is an enemy to the Church and common weale loosing the one many good Pastors and the other many good professours and tradesmen If gallant vpstarts like nettles today peeping out of the ground to morrow perking to the top of the hedge had not bene left an opulent fortune they would haue got their liuing either by the sweate of their braynes or else by the sweat of their browes whereas now the state both Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill is depriued of their industry Lastly this sinne is the roote of euill vnto our selues auarus nemini bonus sibi vero pessimus A muck worme doth no good vnto any much hurt vnto himselfe he coueteth an euill couetousnesse saith our Prophet to his owne house he sinneth against his owne soule and consulteth shame to his owne posterity It is euill vnto his house for the building of it so high vpon so bad a foundation will be the ruine thereof and make it euen with the ground so Cyrillus Alexandrinus vpon the place Posuisti nidum in alto sed miser eris et repente sub pedibus inimicorum Thy stately towers and townes ouertopping the heads of thy friends shall vpon the sudden bee trampled vnder the feet of thy foes for although all men should hold their peace yet sayth our Prophet the stone shall cry out of the wall and the beame out of the tymber shall answere it the dumbe creatures answere one another as voices in the quire and their cryes as S. Iames telleth vs enter into the eares of the Lord of hostes and the Lord cryeth although thou exaltest thy selfe as an Eagle and make thy nest among the starres yet thence will I bring thee downe for as thou hast done so shall it be done to thee thy reward shall returne vpon thy head Obadia 4. and 15 verse It is euill to his posterity for vnconscionable gaine will occasion his children to be lazie lazinesse will occasion lewdnesse and lewdnesse will occasion vtter ruine for them that honour mee will I honour and they that despise mee shall bee despised sayth the Lord God of Israel 1. Samuel 2. 30 It is euill to his owne selfe for as the liberall and mercifull man rewardeth his owne soule Prouerbs 11. 17. So the cruell and couetous sinneth against his owne soule sayth our Prophet and this euill is the worse for that it growes stronger and stronger as he growes weaker and weaker omnia vitia saith Zanchius Cum senectute sâ—…nescunt auaritia sola iuuenâ—…scit other sinnes as wee grow in yeeres are lesser and lesser only couetousnesse which Abacuc telleth vs is a kind of drunkennesse reignes in old men especially an apprentise hauing serued certaine yeeres is a free-man and a scholler hauing studied at the vniuersity seauen is a master but the couetous person is neuer a free-man or a master but alwayes a seruant and a slaue to Satan and sin deficient in euery good office concerning his naturall life ciuill life spirituall life eternall life all which is included in this one word Woe wherby the Prophet doth intimate that couetousnesse is the roote of all euill which a man suffers Woe to him that coueteth an euill couetousnesse An Angel cryed Apoc. 8. 13. Woe woe woe to the inhabitants of the earth inhabitantibus non accolis as S. Ambrose distinguisheth vnto such as are not onely soiourners but setled inhabitants who so dwell on earth as that they make it their mansion and heauen and neuer looke for another city which is aboue Woe to such in their life woe to such in their death woe to such after death as the godly man whose conuersation is in heauen hath the promises of the life present and of that which is to come so the worldly man who coueteth an euill couetousnesse whose minde is set on earthly things hath the punishments of the life present and of that which is to come Woe wo woe to such a one woe to his body which is a temporall wo wo to his soule which is a spirituall woe woe to both body and soule which is an eternall woe Concerning
a cherefull thankesgiuer one that serues him with gladnesse and comes before his presence with a song It is a seely thing for a Priest or people to dissemble with God and to become Hermaphrodites in the businesse of religion A seely thing to halt betweene God and Baal A seely thing to receiue the wages of the Gospell and to doe the worke of Antichrist A seely thing to looke vp to Hierusalem and to goe downe to Iericho to gaine preferment in the Church of England and yet vnder hand craftily to repaire the tottering walles of Babylon the Lord knoweth who are his and he knowes those which haue but a sâ—…cret marke of the beast as well as wee know those which openly worship a wodden blocke magnifie the masse make new sauiours yea for king killers a new heauen and for such as please not their confessours well a purgatorie which is a new hell and so withall that is within them and all that is without them exalt the man of sinne aboue all that is called God Beloued if ye desire to seeke the Lord happily seeke him heartily and that not only once or twice during the sun-shine of prosperity or in the time of trouble in the houre of death in the day of Iudgment only But as our Prophet exhorâ—… euermore When a man hath done his best he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 againe saith Ecclesiasticus he that 〈◊〉 he hath sought enough is like to find bâ—… 〈◊〉 saith Leo the great so Bernard qui dixit suffâ—…t d ficit continually to seeke is constantly 〈◊〉 seeke neuer to fâ—…int in doing this duty Happily some will obiect if the Lord bee found of such aâ—… seeke him faithfully what need is there to seeke any more Are christians in this respect like to the foolish gossips of whom St. Paul euer learning and yet neuer able to come to the knowledge of the trueth or like carnall Israel who following the law of righteousnesse could not attaine to the law of righteousnesse Rom. 9. 31. Answere is made by Augustine that wee seeke Gods face by faith and they seeke it more by hope Melior fit quaerens tam magnum â—…m quod et inueniendum quaeritur et quaerendum inuenitur nam et quaeratur vt inueniatur dulcius et inuenitur vt quaeritur auidius He doth alwayes better himselfe who seekes so great good which is to bee sought that it may be found and found that it may be sought sought that it may be found with greater delight and found that it may bee sought with greater desire Now we behold Gods face by faith and hope through a glasse darkely but we shall hereafter see him as S. Paul speakes euen face to face and then as wee shall euer loue him so doubtlesse euer seeke him and as the want of the beautifull vision in the iudgement of Diuines is the hell of hell so the fruition of Gods face contrarily the heauen of heauen The Father of mercy bee mercifull vnto vs and blesse vs and shew vs the light of his countenance that wee may grow from strength to strength and goe from grace to grace from seeking him in this earthly tabernacle to seeing him vpon his holy mountaine Hierusalem aboue where with him and of him and through him and for him we shall haue fulnes of ioyes and incomparable pleasures for euermore Amen IOHN 8. 6. Iesus stouped downe and with his finger wrote on the ground THere be so many questions vpon this text that the text it selfe is a little called into question it being in the iudgment of Erasmus Caietan Iansenius Beza rather a patch then a parcell of the Gospel If any list to be contentious hee may read Erasmus answered by Bellarmin de verbâ—… dei lib. 1. Chap. 16. Caietan answered by his Antagonist Ambros us Catharinus in his annotations against the nou ll opinions of Caietan § de historia adulterae Iansenius answered by Maldonate Beza by Melancton Caluin Aretius Piscator in their commentaries vpon the place For my part I was euer and am still an oâ—… 〈◊〉 of the Church hearing the instâ—…uction of my Father and not forsaking the eaching of my Mother and therefore beholding this pecce with the eyes of all antiquity to bee prot 〈◊〉 and altogether authenticall I foâ—…beare further inquisition and come presently to the worke of this houre which is to deliuer vnto you first an explication of the wordes and then an application of the doctrines arising from the same Our text then is a Iudicious answere of Christ vnto a captious question of the Scribes and Pharisees in the words immediatly going before Master this woman was taken in the very act of adulterie now Moses in the law commanded vs that such should be stoned but whatsayest thou hereby tempting him that they might haue to accuse him either before the Priests or the people before the Priests If contrary to the commandement of Moses hee should absolue this adulteresse before the people If contrary to the profession of his meekenesse and mercy he should vtterly condemne her and therefore being in a great strait he doth answere by not answering or he giueth vs his answere by deed whereas they did obiect by word this action of deed is two fold 1 He stouped downe to the ground 2 He wrote with his finger on the ground In stouping downe to the ground he doth intimate that if they would set apart their supercilioâ—…s pride descend into themselues and contemplate that in the beginning they were dust and in the end shall againe returne to dust If they would consider seriously that it is appointed vnto men once to dye and after death a iudgment followeth in which all receiue their doomes according to their deedes If they would examine their owne selues and vnderstand their owne case they would not bee so foreward in censuring nor so malitious in condemning others O earth earth earth heare the word of the Lord thou which art earth by procreation earth by sustentation earth by corruption in principio sperma faetidum in medio 〈◊〉 corumi in fine cibus vermium Heare the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord what word euen that of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sauiour Mat 7. 1. Iudge not that yeâ—… bee not iudged Iudge not rashly Iudge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iudge not vnseasonably lest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the whole world conâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So S. Paul expounds his Lord â—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—… If we would iudge our selues wee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iudged Iâ—… is a conclusion in architecture that the foundation requires the most exact care for if that happen to dance it will marre all the mirth in the house and it is another rule he that will build high must lay his foundation low So beloued it is in the spirituall building of Gods house which are we Heb. 3. 6. 〈◊〉 euer exalteth himselfe shall be humbled and 〈◊〉 that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted The proâ—…d
the soule of the world the Clergie of the Church and the Iesuites of the Clergie Iesus in this answere to the Pharisees expressed equity trueth piety but the Iesuites in their disputes regarde quaestum magis quam quaestionem All seeking their owne and not the things of Iesus Christ as S. Paul phraseth it Philip. 2. 21. Which occasioned a learned Diuine to say that they were Suitae not Iesuitae louers of themselues and not followers of Christ. Iesus here would haue scandalous accusations of our brethren written in the dust and trodden vnder feet of all that passe by But their doctrine is composed of lyes and libels and all thinges are fed and mainteined by such things of which they are bred and made the aliments of Popery must be correspondent to the elements of which it consisteth aequiuocation is their Diana lying their best helpe Machiauel their fifth if not first Euangelist as Caesar sayd si ius violandum est regni causa violandum and I haue heard that Sambucus alluding to that Apophâ—…egme should say when he had stolen a manuscript out of a library si ius violandum est eruditionis causa violandum so these men are resolued if a man must lye hee must lye for the good of the catholike religion and if lye in so good a cause lye to some purpose Iesus is a Sauiour of his people the Prince of Peace the God of loue but the Iesuites are destructiue doctors as rash Empiricks they can cure none but by letting of blood no treason plotted as Camerarius obserues in any state but a Iesuit hath a finger if not his whole hand in it either at the beginning middle or end so drunken with the blood of the Saints that as their old acquaintance writes the very Canibals and Anthropophages shall condemne them at the last day Thus haue they nothing of Iesus except only the bare name and nomen inane saith a Father is Crimen immane for their nature they resemble more Christs aduersaries the Scribes and Pharisees as being their offall and off-spring not so much flesh of their flesh as spirit of their spirit Now beloued I beseech you giue me leaue to say that vnto you which Moses in the 30. Chap of Deuter. to his auditours I haue set before you this day life and death good and euill blessing and cursing chuse therefore life shun the wayes of Antichrist which are the paths of death and follow Christs example which is the way the truth and the life that foâ—… both you and your seede may liue good subiects in his kingdome of grace and blessed Saints in his kingdome of glory IAMES 5. 16. Confitemini invicem peccata vestra Confesse your faults one to another OVr iniquities make a separation betweene God and vs and withhold his good thinges from vs Ierem. 5. 25. Now then vt cessante causa cesset effectus that the cause ceasing its effect also may cease S. Iames in the closing vp of his Epistle prescribeth a three-fold remedie for the remouing of our sinnes Eclipsing the Sunne of righteousnesse and hiding his face from vs. The first is confession of our faults one to another in our present text The second is prayer one for another in the words immediatly following The third is exhorting one of another in the 19. and 20 verses Concerning confession hee sets downe fiue conditions especially to wit that it be 1 Non involuta sed aperta not inuoluved and intricate but ingenuous and plaine noted in the verbe fatemini 2 Non diuisa sed integra not a partiall acknowledgement but a Plenarie noted in the preposition Con. Confitemini 3 Non reciproca sed transitiua not recoyling toward our selues but vttered vnto others also noted in the Aduerbe Inuicem 4 Non defensiua sed accusatiua not defensiue but accusatiue noted in the Nowne peccata faults 5 Non aliena sed Propria not another mans but our own noted in the Pronoune Vestra your faults Touching prayer one for another he shewes the great power thereof illustrated by the Prophet Elias example who being a man subiect to the like passions as wee that is frayle both in respect of his mind and body in respect of his mind as fleeing from angry Iesabel 1. Kings 19. In respect of his body as being fed by Raueâ—…s and by the little cake of a poore widdow dwelling in Zarepta 1. Kings 17. Yet with one prayer he shut vp the windowes of heauen and it rained not on the earth for three yeeres and sixe moneths And with another earnest prayer hee did open them againe and the heauen gaue raine and the earth brought soorth her increase As for exhorting one another he doth vrge that duty from the most excellent reward thereof If any of you haue erred from the trueth and some man hath conuerted him let him know that hee that hath conuerted the sinner from going astray out of his way shall saue a soule from death and shall hide a multitude of sinnes It is the worke of God only to saue soules causally but occasionally good men as Ministers and Instruments of God are sayd to saue soules in conuerting sinners from euill courses vnto the right way by fruitfull instructions and good examples So the Scripture speakes Matth. 18. 15. If hee heare thee thou hast won thy brother and more plainly 1. Tim. 4. 16. Take heede vnto thy selfe and vnto thy doctrine continue therein for in so doing thou shalt both saue thy selfe and them that heare thee I am at this time to treat of confession and the condition thereof I therefore resume my text Confesse your faults one to another A sinner vnregenerate is like Sampson grinding in the prison house corne for his enemies the greater his labour the more his losse Now the first step out of this vnhappy prison is the acknowledgement of his faults as the reuerend Father Nilus initium salutis est sui ipsius accusatio The condemning of his infirmities is the beginning of his sauing health Adam in couering his offence did offend more then in committing it all the sonnes of Adam haue this imbred cunning to hide their nakednesse with fig-leaues that is their naughtinesse with idle cloaks and excuses it is mother-wit to post and passe sinne from our selues vnto some other As when almighty God arraigned Adam in Paradise for transgressing his commandement in eating of the forbidden fruit hee presently layd the fault vpon Eua his wife she being questioned layd it vpon the serpent and the serpent vpon God Albeit vngodly men as our notes declines their sinnes throughout all the cases in the Nominatiue by their pride to get them a name in the Genitiue by their fornication in the Datiue by their Bribes in the Accusatiue by their Detracting and backbiting In the Vocatiue By their adulation and flattering In the Ablátiue By their oppression and robberies Yet they will not