borne and a time to dye as though death did border vpon life as though our cradle did stand in our graue Hee sayd something to the purpose which sayd that life was smoake or the shadow of smoake or the dreame of the shadow of smoake but I say of him as one sayd of another in another case non dixit vt est dixit vt potnit hee made life as short as hee coulâ— noâ— so short as hee should hee shot nearer the marke who being demanâ—ed what life was made an answere answereles for he presently turned his backe and went his way and indeede we fetch but here a turne and God saith g Ps 90. 3. returne againe our mortall life is but a liuing death the â—aâ—th receiues vs like a kinde mother into her entralls when we haue a while troden her vnder foote and all our time in respect of eternitie is shorter then the time betweene the drinking of the â—emlocke and death of him that drinkes it mine a Ps 39. 5. age is euen as nothing in comparison of thee saith the Prophet and euery man liuing is altogether vanitie First therefore affect not a kinde of eternitie here vpon earth old men as they are children for simplicitie so would they be for yeares Lysicrates in his old age dyed his white haires blacke that he might sâ—eâ—e young still The b Num. 32. 5. children of Ruben and Gad hauing much cattle requested Moses leading the people toward the land of promise that they might be left in the land of Gilead and not goe ouer Iorden so carnall men hauing many beastly affections and worldly men whose portion is in this life say as Peter when Christ was transfigured c Mat. 17. 4 it is good to be here and therefore with thâ— Gadits d Num. 23. goe to building and make their prison as strong as they can but when they haue done what may be done yet within a few daies like the spider and her webbe wherein shee thought to haue lodged as in her freehold they shall bee swept away their daies shall soone suffer eclipse the night will come when their candle shall be put out and they shall goe to their long home though many times against their will e GeÌ„ 19. 26. as Lots wife went out of Sodome as f Luc. 16. 3. the vniust Steward went out of his office though with the Crabbe they goe backward from death and are pulled from life with more violence g 1 Kâ— 2. 28 then Ioab from the hornes of the Altar Secondly haue this life in contempt euen for this that it lasteth not a Mat. 20. 6 Here wee may not stand still here wee can not rest b Re. 14. 13 that is reserued to another life c 1 Pet. 2. 11 here we are pilgrims and strangers and therefore not in our Countrey to rest our selues but in our iourney to walke our selues if wee feele any pleasure it is soone dashed with some mishappe and like a calme continues not long without a storme nay our sweet is tempered with sowre and we finde a mixture of both but say that our life were a Paradise our ioyes exquisite and our pleasures without composition yet how can wee sing our songes in a strange land how can this but coole our delight and make vs lesse esteeme it to consider our life is short our delight vanish and though we spend our time in pleasure yet sodainly we goe downe to the graue Thirdly we haue here no abiding place therefore seeke the place where we shall haue d Heb 9. 15 a perpetuity rather then this from whence wee must shortly goe of necessity respect that where we shall haue an euerlasting habitation rather then this where like freshmen we haue but as it were a yeere of probation In purchasing you regard not so much three liues as the fee simple not so much a lease determinable by yeeres as land which goe to you and your heires for euer then set not so much by this life which shall vanish away like a scrolle as by that where you shall receiue the charter of an euerlasting being not so much by this day in which the sunne setteth as by that day which knoweth no euentide nor hath any sunne going downe where thou shalt haue no more Sunne to shine e Esa 60. 19 20. by day nor Moone by night where the Lord shall bee thine euerlasting light and thy God thy glory Thy daies The day to come f 1 Pet. 3. 10 is the day of the Lord but the dayes present h are our dayes A man reckones of that g Ps 90. 12 which is his owne though it be but of small value and hee of great ability Naball a man of great possessions and exceeding mighty yet reckones of his bread and other small commodities a 1 Sam. 25. 2. 11. Shall I take my bread and my water and my flesh and giue vnto men whom I know not whence they bee but if it bee dainty then wee set the more by it as the poore man did by that b 2 Sa. 12. 3. one little sheepe which he had bought in Nathans parable but if further we can neuer recouer it if once it be gone from vs then how great is our griefe to leaue it or loose it Now time is ours c Luc. 19. 42. this day and nihil nostrum nisi tempus nothing so properly ours as is time it is also rare and dainty for whereas of other things a man may haue d Iob i. 2. 3 many at one time he can haue but one time at once and if this be once past behind e Ec. â— 5. 6. 7. there is no holdfast to pull it backe againe The Sunne and the wind and the riuers all these three returne to their places In the three parables f Luc. 15. 6 9. 31. the man doth finde his lost sheepe the woman her lost groate the father his lost sonne but losse of time comes neuer againe but is like a bird let flie at large out of the hand or a word which babled out cannot be recalled If wee haue but a short time to enioy any thing we take all the benefit we can reape in that time as if a lease bee shortly out of date we rip vp the grounds eate vp the grasse cut downe the copses and take all the liberty the lease will afford Certaine hawkes in colder countries are most eager and earnest to take their prey when the day light there is of least continuance euen g Re. 12. 1â— the diuell him selfe is most busie because he hath but a short time Now time is ours and it is but a short time we haue he that is young may thinke he is old enough to die he that is strucken in yeeres sees his set period before him and may thinke himselfe too old to liue longer the palme tree is full of blomes the mappe of age is
in royall apparel through the streets of the City and proclaimed before him Thus e Hest 6. 11 shall it be done to the man whom the King will honour so must they much more honour the King whom God doth honour This honour consists not onely in reuerence in regard whereof it was not lawfull so much as to laugh in the Court of the Areopagites and euen the Romaine Censors disgraded a Burgesse for yawning too wide in their presence not onely in allegiance which is as well pledged vnto him by the obligation of an oath as it is due vnto him by bonds of Nature not onely in feare in token of all which three God hath giuen Princes three speciall ensignes of honour f Ps 21. 3. a Crowne of gold for their sublimity for which they must bee reuerenced g Eze. 19. 11. a Scepter of righteousnesse for gouernement for which they must be obeyed a Rō 13. 4 a Sword for vengeance for which they must be feared but especialy it consisteth in seruing him with our goods for his maintenance and with our liues for his defense with our goods for his maintenance and therefore though our Sauior Christ wrought many miracles yet he neuer wrought any about honor or mony but that about tribute b Mat 17. rather then that should goe vndischarged hee commanded a fish to pay it for this cause Christ doth not say date but c Mar. 22. 12. reddite quae sunt Caesaris Caesari and Saint Paul saith d Rō 13. 6 yee pay tribute as though it were a due debt and therefore wee must be willing to discharge it Secondly this honour to the King must shew it selfe in seruing him with our liues for his desense The Bees in their common wealth haue a King whose pallace they frame as faire in shew as strong in substance if they finde him fall they establish him againe in his throne with all duty with all deuotion they garde him continually for feare hee should miscary for loue he should not The people c 2 S. 18. 3 in the second booke of Samuel would not haue the least hurt befall King Dauid and therefore when they went to warre would not suffer him though he were forward in offering himselfe to goe forth with them but they would put their liues in hazard to saue him harmeles This serueth to teach euery subiect to doe the best he can for his Princes safegarde he that is in the place of counsaile by all the waies of wisdome he that is in the seate of iustice by due iust execution of the law he that is in the Priests office by bowing his knees and lifting vp his hands and not onely this but to goe further and say to his King as Peter to Christ d Mat. 26. 35. I will ieoparde my life for thy sake and though I should die with thee yet I will not deny thee Againe this serueth to condemne those who are so farre from putting themselues in ieopardy for their King that they will aduenture their liues to make him away as Brutus and Cassius who slew Caesar in the Senate house as Simon the Monke who first dranke himselfe of the Wassall bowle into which he had conueyed the venome of a toade that he might poyson King Iohn at the Abby of Swinestead This in latter time condemneth the Pope who promised earthly and heauenly recompence to Parry for offering his seruice to kill Queene Elizabeth It condemneth Doctor Allen who taught that Princes might be violently handled deposed from their throne or exposed to danger It condemneth the Iesuites who celebrate them as Martyres who lost their liues in the North for bearing armes against the Queene I conclude therefore this point of honour with that saying of Saint Paul e Rō 13. 1. Let euery soule submit himselfe to the higher powers euery one without respect of persons not euery body but euery soule with respect to a willing minde to higher powers without exception against their qualities which maketh against the priests in Hildebrands time who taught the people that they owe no subiection to euill Kings and though they haue sworne fidelity they must not performe it nor yet be accounted periurers for holding against their King but whatsoeuer they are that beare rule wee must submit our selues their will must bee done aut à nobis aut de nobis of vs or on vs when their lawes agree with Gods then wee must be agents when they are dissonant then wee must bee patients if Kings entring vpon Gods freehold will broach a new Gospell or coyne another Creede they must not bee obeyed therein f Dan 3. 18 Be it knowne vnto thee O King say the three children Sidrah Misach and Abednego that we will not serue thy gods nor worship the golden Image which thou hast set vp He that obeyes a wicked command is as much to blame as he that doth enioyne it yet must we submit our selues to the punishment which shall be laid vpon vs for that we obey not knowing that bad Kings are tempters and we must receiue our tryall with patience An other sort of Fathers to whom honour is due are our elders in yeeres for the Apostle teaching Timothy how hee should behaue himselfe in rebuking all degrees calleth them fathers g 1 T. 5. 1. 2 Exhort an elder as a Father the younger men as Brethren the elder women as Mothers the younger as Sisters This the Prophet Esay noteth to bee a signe of extreame confusion a Esa 3. 5. when the children shall presume against the ancient and the vile against the honourable and there fore b Leu. 19. 32. Moses giues in charge to rise vp before the horehead and honour the person of the old man In token of this honor at Rome the younger sort were wont to leade the elder sort home Magna fuit quondam capitis reuerentia cani Inque suo praetio rugasenilis erat how were they wont to reuerence a man that had ouerliued the taste of his pallat the sight of his eyes the haire of his head the teeth of his gummes on whose forehead was figured the mappe of age in the furrowes of whose face appeared the calenders of death but sape nigrum cor est caput album Some are in their nonage for affections when they are in their dotage for yeares and are such as Plutarch saith of Sardanapalus c 1. Tim. 5. 6. and Paul of a widdow liuing in pleasure they are dead while they liue such as Seneca saith of an old man non ille tam diu vixit sed tam diu fuit as though being altogether vnprofitable hee had out liued himselfe told three or foure-score yeares and then dyed these haue but barely age and therefore but one step vnto honour but if they be like flowers which haue their rootes perfect when themselues are withering if with roses they keepe a sweet sauour though they loose their
so had no creature beside and therefore man should exceed all other creatures in the loue of his make and therefore Darius aforesaid when Alexander the great had ouercome him yet shewed himselfe stoute and inuincible till he vnderstood his wife was taken prisoner at hearing whereof his heart did melt his knees did smite together sorrow was in all his loynes being more grieued for her imprisonment then losse of his owne liberty victory credit and estimation Againe concerning the woman shee was taken out of the side of man neere the heart when she was first made and when shee is married there is a ring put by her husband on the fourth finger of her left hand where there is a veine which goes to the heart to teach their to loue him from the heart The Chronicle stores vs with a cluster of many singular examples of this loue some for loue to her husbands haue been content to hazard their estate as Some haue been content to leaue their Countrey when Lâ—ntulus Crustelio was banished into Sicily Sulpicia followed Gen. 12. her husband like Sarah for when Abraham by Gods commandement left his Countrey shee without commandement left her Countrey also as if shee should say to her husband as Ruth to Naomi whither thou goest I will gâ—â— and where thou dwellest Ruth 1. 16. 17. I will dwell where thou diest I will die and there will I bee buried the Lord doe so to mee and more also if ought but death depart thee and mee Some haue been content to loose their goods to loose their good name to loose their liues When Guelfus and other Noble men with their wiues were taken prisoners after a siege in the Castle of Winsberg the women hauing leaue to goe away and carry with them whatsoeuer they could beare on their shoulders they leauing all other things tooke vp their husbands and away they went A woman as we read in the Acts and Monuments defamed herselfe to deliuer her innocent husband it was Calaway a Gold-smith in London who should haue been cast away had it not been for his wife for he being indited of a crime which was death by the law and might not haue the benefit of his clergy because hee had married a widow for the law was that Bigamus might not haue his booke and he was accounted bigamus who had been twise married himselfe or else had married a woman whose former husband was dead his wife came forth before the Iudges and deposed that shee neuer was married to him that was accounted her first husband but liued in adultery with him When Nero condemned Seneca to dye he gaue him leaue to chuse what death he would dye whereupon he caused his veines to be opened in a Bath his wife Paulina of her owne accorde did the like choosing rather to dye with him then liue without him I cannot omit one example of an English Queene and that is Eleonor wife to King Edward the first for when he going to the holy Land was wounded by a Morian with a sword so enuenomed that art and medecine could not cure him this good louing wife with her owne mouth did day by day sucke and drawe out the venemous humour and without hurting herselfe helped her husband cured and closed his wound in remembrance of whose great affection King Edward did build her many monuments A second breach of this law and branch to bee cut off is Fornication which though it be not so great sinne as Adultery as I haue already proued yet flye Fornication for these 1 Cor. 6. 18 things are common to both these sinnes a diseased body a damned soule a poore purse a shamefull name a wronging of posterity and of the party with whom the folly is committed For the first these finne against their owne bodies wasting their strength in pleasure as the flame consumeth the candle and therefore are like Sparrowes which Aristotle saith doe therefore liue but a short time because of their common copulation they procure to themselues such infectious diseases as will hasten their death and such as will sticke by them when their best friends giue them ouer Concerning their soules Saint Paul excludeth them from 1 Cor. 9. 6 the Kingdome of heauen as he will haue them separated from 1 Cor. 5. 9 11. 13. the company of men vpon earth Concerning their estate pouerty commeth vpon them as one that trauaileth by the way and necessity like an armed man this sinne is purgatory to the purse though it be paradise to the desires Danae doth then like Iupiter when he comes vnto her in the forme of a showre of golden rayne and therefore the Poet saith Nuda Venus picta est nudi pinguntur amores Nam quos nuda capit nudos dimittat oportet How soone had the prodigall childe consumed his portion Luc. 15. 14 when once he light among harlots but you will say this sinne may bring a meane man to pouerty and a poore man to beggery but great ones may wallow in this sinne and yet their estate neuer be empaired nay women are like enough to gaine by the trade for they be receiuers with e Mat. 26. 15. Iudas they are at their Quantum dabis as if their louers bring any thing they are welcome if any of them say with Peter g Act. 3. 6. Siluer and f Gen 38. 16. gold haue I none ibit for as there is no entertainement for him f Thamar the string of their hearts reach to the pulse of their hands and must be rubbed with gold Concerning Name men haue a care of their credit and would haue a good reputation among men next to the approbation of God and the testimony of a good conscience for if a mans name be once tainted with iust reproch postea nullus erit but is like a garment which once rent is like to be torne on euery nayle now he that committeth adultery with a woman looseth his name a bad report is his portion while he liueth a bad heyre when he is dead and such a one as shall outline all his posterity his reproach shall neuer be put away and â—ro 6. 33. it were well if onely he himselfe did pay for it but this is not all but euen the children vnlawfully begotten doe feele the smart of it for first the staine remaineth to them and bastardy is their blemish then which what can be a greater and therefore when the holy Ghost would brande the Israelites with a marke of greatest reproch he cals them the seede of Esa 51. 3. the Adulterer and of the whore Againe parents are not so carefull of the good education of such children their birth is not so base but their bringing vp is as base as their birth such fathers care not though with the Israelites they offer such sonnes and daughters vnto diuels they haue no care to correct them they care not though they haue their swinge though
require by vertue of this precept resteth in the soule you may dissemble with men you may set vp Idols in your heart and conceale it from them for I haue walled in the heart and mans eyes cannot be let into it but deceiue not your selues see you doe it not for I know the Anatomy of the heart and can gage the very bottome of the thoughts your doings are not behind my backe but before mee before my face in my sight I am all eye all hand all eare all foot I see worke heare all and am euery where I view all things as one and each one thing as all being whole together without diuision change or abatement Thus you see the streames into which this fountaine diuides it selfe now come to the waters and drinke raste of euery one as they present themselues in order to your view Wee must haue one God and he must be Dauids God a Ps 31. 14 I said vnto the e Lord thou art my God this God shall be our God vnto death therfore we must 1. loue him aboue all 2. feare him aboue all 3. trust in him aboue all for whatsoeuer we loue feare or trust in most that is a god to vs for the first loue him aboue all our Sauiour Christ said vnto Peter three seuerall times b Ioh. 21. 13. Simon Ioanna louest thou mee that his three-folde confession might wipe away the shame of his three-fold deniall or as Bernard c Mat. 26. 70. saith to teach thee that thou must loue God plus quam tuos tua te more then thy kinred more then thy substance more then thy selfe 1. More then thy kinred Great is the loue of children towards their parents it was a strange thing that Sarah d Gen. 18. 11. old Sarah when it ceased to be with her after the manner of women e 21. 7. should giue children sucke it was as strange that a childe should giue sucke to the parents yet Moses witnesseth the one the French Academy reports the other for when a father was condemned to die of famine his daughter gaue him sucke with her owne breasts which being made known to the Magistrates she obtained pardon for her fathers life here was loue much like the naturall loue of the Storke which feeds the dam when shee is old because the dam did feed her when she was young greater is the loue of parents towards their children magis discendit quā ascendit amor of the children the Poet said filius ante diē patrios inquirit in annos but the parents praied offred to the gods to preserue their children that they might ouer liue them therfore called superstitiosi the child is many times sicke of the father and weeps because his father liues so long whereas the father is ready to dye for sorrow that his child doth dye so soone When Iacob supposed verily that his sonne Ioseph was dead he would not be comforted but said f Gen. 37 35. surely I will goe downe into the grane vnto my sonne mourning and Dauid shewing his fatherly affection when hee heard of the death of Absolon wept as hee went and thus hee said g 2 Sam. 18 33. O my sonne Absolon my sonne my sonne Absolon would God I had died for thee o Absolon my sonne my sonne but this notwithstanding if our parents if our children stand betwixt vs and our God wee must not regard them nay in this case our holy carelesnesse must make them our footsteps God is loue and he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and God in him yet loue it selfe speakes of hate in this respect and exhorts it h Ln. 14. 26 If any man come to me hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters hee can not be my disciple in this case odium in suos is pietas in Deum and if they lye in his way as he is going to God he must tread and trample them vnder his feet for loue vnto God forget his blood as i Gen. 29. 18. Iacob forsooke his kinred for loue he had vnto Rachell This serueth to reproue the father which maketh a God of his child as father Hely did he himself was a good man but his children of disposition vnlike himself the white Halciones hatch black young ones k Esa 5. 2. the vine in Esay brings forth wild grapes these children were young twigs that liked not vnder the old tree weeds that waxed out of measure noysome and fruit vpon which a bad aire falling it did quicklie rotte and fall from the tree and because their cockering father doting on them gaue them but light admonition for heauy sins and small l 1. Sam. 2. 23. 24. 29. rebuke for great offences Why doe you such things for of all this people I heare euill reports of you doe no more my sonnes for it is no good report I heare hee is said to honour his children more then God on the other side it serueth to reproue the child which maketh a god of his father Elisha was somewhat faulty this way who being too much wedded to his parents would first go m 1 King 19. 20. kisse his father and mother when he was called to the seruice of God more blameable was that disciple who being called to follow Christ would stay till his father was dead n Mat. 8. 21 Master suffer me first to goe and bury my father when the matter respecteth faith and religion and seruing of God o Mat. 23. 9 call no man your father vpon earth which should haue superiority ouer your faith or hinder you when God calleth for there is but one your Father which is in heauen 2. Loue God plus quam tua more then thy substance we may roue a riches but God must bee our standing marke Crates otherwise a wise man in this was reckoned but a Philosophicall foole to throw his mony into the sea with these words Ego te mergam ne mergar à te I will drowne thee lest thou shouldest drowne mee The Cappuchines are but Hypocrites who neither take nor touch siluer but start backe when it is offered as p Ex. 4. 3. Moses did from his rodde when it was turned to a serpent the prodigall man is blame-worthy who comming to his wealth before he comes to his wits runneth beyond his pale and liuing without compasse maketh his owne hands his executors and his owne eyes his ouerseers supposing he onely knoweth the value of the world and that others ouerprise it wee may haue riches as the Egyptians had their bondmen for vse onely and vse them as trauellers doe their third legge to helpe them along to their iourneies end but the immoderate loue of them must be left to the heathen which know no other heauen os homini sublime dedit whereas other creatures looke downewards to the ground God hath giuen man a contrary countenance that
then thy belly to pamper it or Secondly more then thy life to saue it Wee are detters to the flesh to prouide things necessarie i Rom. 8. 12 for it but not to liue after it k Mat. 6. 34 He that will not haue vs carefull will not haue vs carelesse It is a vertue to haue a care of the body their is one extreame in defect when pinching and sparing l Col. 2. 23. we haue it in no estimation to satisfie the neede thereof an other in excesse when m Rom. 13. 14. we make prouision for the flesh to satisfie the lust of it On the one side we must not so weaken our bodyes that we become vnprofitable and not able to doe seruice in Church or common-wealth on the other side not so pamper our paunches not so barrell vp Gods Creatures in our bellyes not so mast our selues like Hogges of Epicures heard that we may saue to doe seruice onely to our bellyes On the one side we must not be caught vp in a whirlepoole touch not tast not nor on the other side sincke in a quickesand n 1 Cor. 15. 32. let vs eate and drinke for to morrow we shall die on the on side we must prouide that our teeth be not cleane and white for want of foode on the other side take heede they be not furred with excesse This flesh of ours is ill inclined keepe it vnder that it may be obedient to the spirit abstinence is a certaine brime and pickle to preserue it that wormes and stench doe not breede in it but pinch it not to much for then we wrong the body glut it not to much for then we pine the soule In a word if our kitchin be our shrine if our cooke be our Priest if our Table be our Alter o Phil. 3. 19. if our belley be our god as the Apostle speaketh then transgresse we this Commandement which forbiddeth vs to haue any more then one god This serueth to reprooue those which make their belly an Idoll which by nature is a place of excrements The bruit beasts take onely that foode which Nature requireth for their maintenance euen the Lyon which of all beastes is most rauenous and greedy of prey whose appetite cannot be stanched without great superfluitie of nourishment contents himselfe for two or three dayes after he hath once satisfied himselfe to blame were the Agrigentines who builded as though they should liue euer did eate as though they should euer dye to blame was Philoxenus who as Catullus wished all his body were nose that he might spend all his time in sweete smelles wished he had a necke as long as a Crane that he might take more delight in meates and drinkes to blame was that monster of the world Heliogabolus who was serued at one supper with 60. Ostriches and neuer serued two dayes with one kinde of meate who neare the sea neuer vsed fish far from the sea nothing but fish to blame are all Epicures whose senses are their guides and Purueyors whose appetites are their stewardes who stuffe themselues like wooll-packes who whereas they should bee like Antes and Bees the wisest creatures and abound rather in pectore vbi est animus quam in ventre vbi est stercus resemble Philopoemenes Army which had neither head nor feete but whole belley and being like the Locusts which hath but one gutt haue al their body in belly whose bellyes may be sayd rich for they haue great comminges in whose throates are open Sepulchers for the fat morsells and gobbets which they â—ury in their stomackes more then nature requireth doe there rotte putrifie and stinke as dead carcases in the graue who making but one meale a day begin early in the morning and holde out till late in the night who cramme their bellyes and fat themselues like boares till they be brawned and haue as Elyphaz speaketh p Iob. 15. 2â— collopes in their flankes If the Pagans were to blame which made them gods of Siluer gods of Golde gods of Marble then how blame-worthy are they which hauing a greedy gutt a sweete tooth and veluet mouth make their best beloued god shew holy sacrifising vnto it whatsoeuer they can rap and rend and whereas they should be filled with the Holy Ghost farce their bodyes though they starue their soules and if they follow Christ they doe it as they in the Gospell q Ioh. 6. 26. more for loaues then for loue Or loue God Plus quam te more then thy life Our liues are neare and deare vnto vs herein the diuell who was a lyer from the beginning sayd truely r Iob. 6. 26 skin for skin and all that a man hath will be giue for his life though the desperate man many times weary out his life dyes a dogges death making his own hands his executioners though better men then he lying sicke vpon their bed in extremity of their payne haue intreated death to release them though some malefactors laughing on their hangman iest away their last breath yet naturally we shrinke at the thought of dissolued and would turne our backes when death shewes vs his face The Papists in time of ignorance were content to be at cost to set vp Idolatry happely with the Å¿ Ex. 32. 3. Israelites they would not spare their earings and t 1 Kin. 18. 19. with Iezabell would harbour a crue of trencher Chaplaynes for the seruice of Baall againe in their blinde zeale would macerate their bodyes whipp themselues goe in sackcloath and fast till they were as hungry as a Church-mouse but I neuer read of any that went so farre as the Prophets of Baall u 1 Kin. 18. 28. to cut themselues with Knâ—ues and Launces till the bloud gusht out vpon them but yet more then that vt serues vitam ferrum patieris et ignem Men will be content to be launced yea and seared to for the preseruarion of their liues bondage is bitter x Ex. 2. 23. the childreÌ„ of Israell sighed cryed made a mone for their seruitude but when they thought their freedome would cost them their liues in the wildernes they wish they had endured it the Gibeâ—nites thinke they haue great fauour shewed them of the Israelites if they spare their liues though they make them bondmen y Ios 9. 23. hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of the Lord for the vse of the Tabernacle and Temple when it should be builded A man is hardly brought to alter his religion he maketh such a league with it as Elisha with Elyas x 2 Kin. 2. 2 I will not leaue thee he will not reele from faith to faith like a drunken man from post to piller or as an vnskilfull builder misliking his owne doings he will not be still pulling downe that he is still setting vp on the one side Constantine will not consent to haue images though therefore his mother Irene takes him
saith Ionas here g Act. 20. 9 with Eutychus you may take him vp dead but I will looke againe toward thy holy Temple here you may see him with h Gen. 45. 27. Iacob to reuiue i Luc. 7. 15 with the young man to sit vp and speake k Mat. 9. 7. with the palsey man to arise walke l Rom. 7. 24. O wretched man that I am sayth Paul herein consideration of his infirmitie setting vp sayles of discomfort hee is ready to runne vpon dangerous shelues but I thanke God thorough Iesus Christ our Lord this is a breath of faith which comming stopes his course and standing as a rudder in the sentence turnes it quite another way but as for the vngodly it is not so with them when they hit vpon discord they neuer fall into a good concord when they fall they fall away Prolapsi id est prosus lapsi they fall like the Elephant who being downe riseth not againe m 1. Sam. 4. 18. they fall backward with Heli and can haue no helpe of their hands in a word this feare and terrour of conscience in the godly lasteth but for a time and they are deliuered from it in the wicked it abideth alwayes and they are deuoured by it to the one God giues the thred of grace to bring them out of the laberinth of a troubled mind the sense of sinne sendes the other headlong n Mat. 8. 32 as the diuels the heard of swyne to the lake of disperation feare in the one o Psa 114. 3. like Iorden is driuen backe in the other like p 2. Kin. 5. 27. the leprosie of Gehezi it cleaâ—eth fast for euer of all feares feare not this feare it is most opposite to the true feare of God which this Commandement requireth Lastly the wicked feare death and that because they neuer feared God in their life they carnally feare to dye they hellishly feare to be dead the intollerable payne in the very act of dissolution causeth the first the conceit that they shal be euer dying causeth the second A good man lookes death in the face and goeth out couragiously to meete it with a smile and taking it by the hand before it taketh him doth at once welcome and contemne it he knoweth that q 1. Cor. 15 56. the sting of death is sinne and that Christ hauing pulled it out calles it droane to it face r 1. Cor. 15 55. O death where is thy sting and therefore he is like the Swan which by a naturall instinct finisheth his life with ioy and singing vbi fata vocant vdis abiectus in herbis Ad vada Maandri concinit albus olor but to the wicked it is a death to thinke vpon death when they consider on the one side what euill they haue done and on the other side what euill they shall suffer on the one side what bad stewards they haue been on the other side what reckoning they shall make at the audit they cry loath to depart and are still willing like slaues to be chained to their gallyes and are as vnwilling to goe out of life as Å¿ Gen. 19. 16. Lâ—t out of Sodom and and are pulled from the earth with more violence then t 1. Kin. 2. 28. Ioab from the hornes of the Alter But if the feare of God possesseth our hearts then are wee voyde and empty of this and all other base feares according to the admonition of Esay u Esa 8. 12 wee feare not the feare of the wicked And secondly wee feare not the wicked men themselues according to that of our Sauiour Christ x Mat. 10. 28. feare not them that kill the body Iustinus Martyre sayd the persecutors could only kil they could not ill much like that of Petus concerning Nero occidere me potest lâ—dere vero non potest they haue no more power ouer the soule then Satan had ouer Iobs and can hurt the soule no more then he which cutteth a garment hurteth the body for the body is the garment of the soule Iacob y Gen. 31. 3 when God bids him leaue Padan Aram and goe againe to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan hath a wolfe by the eares which he can neither hold nor let goe without danger if he disobeyes he hath God against him if he obeyes his brother Esau comes against him but the feare of God as the stronger yron driues out the feare of man as the weaker nayâ—e Gods Commandement is of more force to make him obey then present perill to make him afrayd he feareth God more then man whose life is in his breath whose breath is in his nosthriles Saint Laurence feared not his persecutors who speake to the Emperour who caused him to bee tormented on a fiery gridyron on this wise This side is now rosted enough turne vp O tyrant great Assay whither rosted or raw thou thinkest better meate Apollonia feared not her persecutors who for confessing the faith of Christ had all her teeth pulled out of her head Herevpon I suppose it came that Apolline was the Saint for the Tooth-ach when the Tyrant threatned to burne her except she would blaspheame Christ she breaking from the Officers willingly leapt into the fire I commend her constant courage but set no Rosemary branch vpon her fact for when our Saui our Christ sayth to Peter z Ioh. 21. 18. another shall binde thee and leade thee whither thou wouldest not he teacheth that wee must suffer of another not of our selues we must not lay violent handes by no meanes vpon our owne bodyes In latter times Latimer feared not his persecutors for timâ—r addidit alas feare would force flight But he hauing forewarning six houres before that a Pursiuant was comming downe to call him vp to London there after examination to be clapt in the Towre and condemned was so far from flying that in that time he prouided himselfe that he might be ready to ride with the Messenger all these knew that if they be blessed that dye in the Lord then much more blessed are they that dye in the Lord and for the Lord they knew that Christ did forsake his father heauen and all to come vnto them they would forsake their friends earth al to come vnto him Their enemies being more weary in tormenting them then they of the torments which seemed more harsh to the beholders then to themselues who did endure them they were not afraid though ten thousand of people did beset them round about who could but kill the body but they feared him who hauing killed the body was able to cast both body and soule into hell according to the charge which Christ giueth a Luc. 12. 5. feare him which he doubleth yea I say vnto you feare him hammering vpon vs againe and againe because nay les the oftener they are smitten the deeper they peirce The last thing required by this commandement
Gods handy worke much lesse may we serue the shadowes of those creatures prepared by art to resemble the Creator Neither their matter which make the best of it is o Ex. 20. 23 but golde and siluer neither the forme which is but the skill and draught of the Crafts-man say there may be an historicall vse in paynting the images as the West Church vsed images as Ornaments and Monuments for the ruder sort thereby to learne the liues and death of ancient and vndoubted Martyres yet is it no piety to worship the picture say it may be vsed for remembrance for religion it may not p Deu. 19. 14. It was a great fault to remoue the land-marke q Deu. 27. 17. there is a curse vpon him that doth it but they which transgresse the boundes of their duty in seruing Idols r Hos 5. 10 are like them that remoue the marke and though a stone might be set vp to bounde ground from ground yet if any imagery were wrought in it if it were consecrated if men putting religion in it worshipped God in the stone ſ Leu. 26. 1. then it was forbidden God is a husband the Church is his spouse the one must performe that office in faith which the other in flesh the desire of the woman must be to her husband the appetite of the Church must be vnto God when Serapion in time of persecution for feare of death offered sacrifice to an Idoll the faithful being there with offended put him out of the congregation and gaue him ouer to Satan If sedition arise among any people and the contagion thereof spred it selfe far and nigh only the ringleaders and chiefe doers are punished but if inhabitants of a t Deu. 13. 13. Citie be drawne to idolatry all the inhabitants must be slaine with the sword and though women are the weaker vessels and therefore more to be borne withall yet in this case u Deu. 17. 5. the woman as well as men must dye the death God would not suffer the Iewes to make themselues any other King to rule ouer them then such a one x Deu. 17. 15. as should come out of the bosome of the Church that true religion might be maintained among them The Israelites must bring their offring to the doore of the Tabernacle y Leu. 17. 6. 7. and the Priest onely must offer the beasts that this way the people might be bridled that they did not lay themselues open to diuels z Nū 33. 4 God did execute his iudgements vpon the Gods of Egypt which maketh for the commendation of true religion lest the children of Israell should encline to the superstition of other nations The Countrey and the house of Laban was stuffed with superstition God therefore saith vnto Iacob a Gen. 31. 13. I am the God of Bethel to teach him to walke religiously in the midst of an idolatrous generation If it should be said God is in this world we being carnall would fasten him to a pillar or mountaine and therefore that we might passe beyond our fantasies b Iob. 22. 12 Elypbaz saith that God dwelleth in heauen c Ios 24. 15 Ioshua bids Israell make choise of him whom they will serue and shewes his owne resolution that if afterward they should follow Idols it might turne to their shame since they had bound themselues to serue the Lord with their owne consent The distrustful man preferring his fiue wits before the foure Euangelists will not beleeue God vpon his word and therefore d Iob. 17. 3 God must get some other creditor except hee leaue a pawne with him but the Idolater is worse then hee for the one doth not honor God but the other sets vp an other God against him A fountaine hath water in it selfe and hath no need to receiue it from other but giues it to other a cesterne hath no water of it selfe but remaineth empty except there bee some brought vnto it from some other place A fountaine from whence water springeth naturally is not dried vp but let other drinke of it yet it still sendeth out little streames but take water out of a cesterne or pit the more yee take the lesse it hath and at length it will be cleane empty A fountaine still sendeth forth fresh water and healthfull but let cisterne or pit-water stand a while it stinkes and is vnwholsome God is a fountaine of liuing waters e Ier. 2. 10. 11. c. Idols are pittes euen broken pittes that can holde no water God therefore maruaileth as at a thing that was neuer seene before that his people should change the one for the other and in stead of him serue Idols which did not profit them but turned to their owne decay f Nū 35. 2 When the other Tribes had their portion each Tribe by it selfe the Leuits were scattered in the land that keeping watch and ward they might see that no superstition crept in among the people God would haue all the Inhabitants of the land of Canaan rooted out One reason was lest Israell ioyning with them might depriue themselues of the lawfull inheritance which God had appointed for them An other reason lest those incredulous Nations the Amorites Canaanites the Hittites and the rest should pollute the land but a principall reason was g Ex. 34. 11 lest they should allure the elect people of God to the worship of false Gods and to the busying of themselues in their doting fancyes This serueth to rebuke the Papacy which euen from the Alpha to the Omega thereof is nothing but errour and superstition it serueth to reproue Iulian who ordained that no Christian might take degree in Schoole keepe lecture read any art or be admitted to study vnlesse he did worship the Idols to reproue wicked h Hest 3. 9. Haman who in a manner offereth all his goods to satisfie his lusts and vphold Idolatry when he would not haue giuen a dodkin to the seruice of God To reproue some people of Affricke who worship that which they meet first in the morning supposing the same for that day to be their God to reproue the Assyrians who worshipped as many gods as they had Townes To reproue the Persians who had as many gods as there were Starres in the skie to reproue Alexander who hauing subdued the Persians made men worship him as god to reproue the Saracens who sacrifice in mount Mecha to Abraham Isaac and Saint Thomas to reproue the Aegyptians who besides their other gods deified their King Apis forbidding all men vpon paine of death to say he was a man to reproue that Councell of the Greekes at Frankeford who said that he that feareth God adoreth an image as hee would the Sonne of God with that worship which is due to the Originall to reproue Orphey Homer and Hosiodus who first brought gods into Greece and did set downe their petigrees in writing giuing them names and sir-names and appointing
therefore let wealth and worth goe together let goods and goodnes kisse each other The last sort which would haue their share in this honour and whose plea seemeth best for it are they which discend of more noble bloud then other and can fetch their pedigree furthest off but euen these must know that they are not to stand on the greatnes and antiquitie of their race if they lacke vertue whereof greatnes tooke her beginning Beatus Ludonicus being asked what honourable surname should be giuen vnto him demanded againe from whence it was that he had greatest nobility and when some sayd of his Predecessors others of his birth place I doe not remember saith he that euer I had greater honour then when I became a Christian and this was at Pissiacum and therefore will I be called Ludouicus de Pissiaco and so he was he thought no birth to a new birth in Christ no parentage to that of hauing God to his father Doe we reckon of the wine that runneth on the lees because it was drawne out of the same peece the neate wine was doe we reckon of muddy water though it came from a cleere spring shall we with the Israelites bow to a molten calfe because it was made of golden earings It was the saying of old English Chaucer to doe the gentle deedes that makes the gentleman gentry without vertue is bloud indeede but bloud without sewet bloud without sinewes bloud is but the body of gentility excellency of vertue is the soule that without this is a body without a soule and without honour falles downe in the dust and therefore when Hermodius a noble man borne imbraided the valiant Captaine Iphicrates for that he was but a shoomakers sonne my bloud sayd Iphicrates taketh beginning at me and thy bloud at thee now taketh her farewell be the birth neuer so base yet honesty and vertue is free from disgrace be the birth neuer so great yet dishonesty and vice is subiect to dishonour To conclude therefore if thou be noble by thy birth proue not ignoble either by bad vices of thine owne or lewde deuises of other take thy great birth to be an obligation of great vertue suite thy behauiour vnto it and inoble thy parentage with pietie and since true honour must come of thy selfe and not of other worke out thine owne glory and stand not on what thou wouldest borrow of thy predecessors If thou reach not the goodnes of those which gaue the outward glory know it is thy pride to be transported with a vaine name if thou doest not as much honour thy house with the glory of thy vertues as thy house hath honoured thee with the title of thy degree know thou art but as a woâ—dâ—n knife put into an empty sheath to help fill vp the place when that if good mettle is lost and can no more be found if thou doâ—st not learne Patrizare and let thy faâ—hers vertue meete with thy bloud know thou art but as a painted fire which may become the wall but giues no light to the beholder nay know further that the greater the honour of thy father was the greater is thy blemish and reproach if thou come short of thy fathers vertue for now art thou guilty of neglecting so good a President They that are noble will haue their retayners seeke the worship of their estates in the seruice of them then let themselues seeke the honour of their estates in the seruice of God and be as carefull to get true honour by seruing him as their followers to receiue ciuill worship by seruing them That thy dayes may be long g Gen. 32. 26. Iacob would not let the Angell goe before he blessed him nor the Lord part with this commandement before it leaues a blessing behinde vpon them which doe obserue it so that the entrance into this second table a Ex 12. 7. like the doore posts of the Israelites hath a blessing vpon it b Eph. 6. 2. Saint Paul calleth this the first Command-ment with promise not but that the second Commandement hath a generall promise of mercy for the generall seruice of God but this is the first that hath a particular promise made vnto them which performe the particular duties which it requireth and secondly the first not that a second followeth with any expresse promise for first hath not alwaies relation to a second thing c Rom â— 8. as we may see in the Epistle to the Romaines and theâ—efore Heluidius argument is false to proue the virgine Marâ— had a second sonne because the Holy Ghost saith d Mat. 1. 25 she brought forth her first begotten sonne and called his name Iesus and a Commandement with promise not that God doth binde himselfe that they which honour their parents shall alwaies liue long for Gods promises of temporall blessings are Hypotheticae anâ— goe with condition sometime expressed sometime suppressed which condition is as an oare in a boate or sterne of a ship and turnes the promise another way The first thing therefore which here I obserue is that long life is to be reckoned among the blessings of God It was a blessing of God vpon Israel that being in the wildernes 40. yeares e Deu. 29. 5 their garments did not weare f Ios 9. 5. as the garments of the Gibeonites so if in many yeares some mens strength weares not their senses doe not decay their bodys which are as the garments of their soules hold out longer then other mens as though with the Eagle they did renew their youth and God did adde certaine yeares vnto their dayes g Esa 37. 5. as he did vnto Ezechias this is a great blessing of God Men are full of holes and take water at a thousand breaches some goe away by siâ—kenes some by violence some by famine some by fulnes sometime death a Mat. 2. 16 is in the cradle b 2. Kin. 4. 40. sometime in the pot sometime in the cup therefore Iob doth not say the graue but the graues were prepared for him to shew that he was besiedged with many deaths that he had but one life among a number of deaths which were ready for him now if death which seeketh for vs euery houre in euery place be long before it finde vs if hauing an habeas corpus he will not serue his processe till our yeares be as many ages and we are satisfied with long life if when our life hangeth in the ballance and there is but a step betweene vs and death if we be continually as one trauelling with childe if we walke thorough the valley of the shadow of death and our soule be alwaies in our hand yet we multiply our dayes as the sand and euen like Salamanders liue long in the fire this is a blessing of God Some enter no sooner into life but they are at the brinke of death receiuing at once their wel-come and their farewell their lampe it wasted assoone as
lighted and their life at an ebbe before the tyde be full others like flowers are gathered while they be fresh and being like a sentence interrupted before a period begin like some summer fruite to rotte assoone as they are ripe death writes them c Dan. 5. 3. as he did the Chaldean tyrant a letter of Summaunce to appeare that night before him It is a curse of God vpon the bloud-thirsty and deceitfull man d Ps 55. 23 he shall not liue out halfe his dayes it was a punishment of God vpon Elie for cockering his sonnes and vpon his sonnes for their disobedience e 1. Sam. 2. 32. 33. the multitude of thine house shall dye when they be men there shall not be an olde man in thine house for euer it was a plague of God vpon Israel that though they brought vp their children f Hos 9. 12 yet God would depriue them from being men a plague vpon the wicked g Iob. 36. 14. that their soule doth dye in youth a Iob. 22. 16 that they are cutte off before their time b Gen. 38. 7. like Er and Onan as not worthy to liue vpon the earth and on the other side it is Gods blessing if he increase the length of our dayes and yeares of our life if we multiply our dayes as the sand if death demande not his due till the crowes feete be in our eyes if we dye c Iob. 42. 17. with Iob being olde and full of dayes and goe to our graue in a full age d Iob. 5. 26. as a ricke of corne commeth in good season into the barne This serueth first to confute that heathen who said optimum est non nasci proximum quam cito aboleri the best thing is neuer to be borne and the second best is to dye quickely for though this life be ouer spread with sinnes and cares and crosses which like a filthy morphew make it lothsome to all iudicious eyes yet all these are but accidentall life it selfe is a blessing and the longer we liue the more experience we haue of Gods fauour a greater loathing of the sinnes which our youth delighted in and larger time of repentance Againe this teacheth that we must not hasten forward the end of our dayes and bring our selues out of breath before our race be ended for this is to throttle and choake the blessing of God let therefore the thred of thy life be drawne out by Lachesis till 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be sent to cut it in sunder let not the spirit resigne ouer it borrowed mansion till naturall moisture of it selfe doth soake away till like a Sise or wax candle it be consumed to the socket and the last drop of moisture quencheth the last sparke of glory surrender not thy selfe when a conceit takes thee let the landlord take it at his pleasure doe not like a coward run away but then depart in peace when God saith returne againe thou sonne of Adam and then willingly pay tribute to Nature when of themselues the naturall passages doe close together like an empty bagge neither loue this life for delights in it e Ec. 1. 2. for vanitie of vanities and all is vanitie yet loue it to serue God in it neither hate this life for the miseries of it yet hate it so far forth as it keepes thee in subiection to sinne Againe come not presumptuously into places where some bodies are contagiously sicke lest thou loose this blessing and come vntimely to thy graue come not within the lists of destruâ—ction if f Gen. 19. 20. with Lot thou canst haue a Zoar to saue thy selfe fly as much from him whose disease would infect thy bloud as from him whose cruelty would spill it Lastly bestow cost as long as thou maiest to continue this blessing by vpholding this ruinous house of thine it is against the course of Nature and a way to tempt the very God of Nature wilfully to hinder our health or not seeke meanes to continue it or to recouer it God sendeth seuerall diseases and hath appointed seueral Medicines as remeâ—ies to incounter theÌ„ therefore honour the Phisition g Es 38. 21 with Ezechias lay a plaister vpon the boyle say not man hath his set period as well as the sea it boundes which it cannot passe say not life and death is not in our owne handes for some seeke death in misery yet finde it not others meete with it at feasts and gaudees where they would fainest forget it say not when the glasse is run doe what wee can wee can stay no longer and the clocke will stricke when the minites be past say not let death seâ—ke vs yet it shall not finde vs till our time be come and therefore away with Phisicke what shall meanes doe for then a â—ope vpon thee try euery knife eate Colloquintida thy belly full freqâ—ent places where the ayre about thee doth infect and where the breath of one body is poyson to another but in matter of hope where the end is not knowne a 2. Chr. 16 12. vse meanes with Asa though thou rely not vpon them though many times they auaile not Daies though some mens liues be long yet the Lord saith not long yeares long monethes but long dayes and Dauid measuâ—eth their length not by a goade or an ell but by an hand b Ps 39. 5. thou hast made my dayes as it were a span long to shew how shorst this long life is and howsoeuer we patch and peece these poore cottages of ours yet they will come in manus domini and shortly fall into the Lords handes Let old men in their arithmeticke deduct their night for sleepe which is like vnto death being the customer of mans life taxeth the nights to his owne vse and they shall finde halfe their time stricken off at one blow let them deduct their prime dayes for c Ec. 11. 10 childehood and youth are vanitie another part is cut off let them deduct the dayes of sortow which are rather to be tearmed death then life and all their daies are gone for life and misery are twines Hipocrates twines borne together and dye together The Lacedemonian in Plutarch hearing the Nighttingale sing sweetly tooke her into his hand and hauing stripped her of her feathers sayd tantum vox she was nothing but voyce such is the life of him that can sing the merriest note if you strip it of sickenes strip it of cares strip it of sorrow d Gen. 5. 27. Mâ—thusalâ—h liued longest of all our forefathers yet he liued not a thousand yeares but grant he had yet a e 2. Pet. 3. 8 thousand yeares to God are but as one day but we who commonly exceede not threescore yeares and ten liue not an houre to that day and therefore Salomon as though our dayes were not worthy the title of time mentioned not a time to liue but f Ec. 3. 2. a time to be
Latron hath had the flesh of the fish small matters like the skabbard shall remaine vntoucht when thunder hath destroyed the sword The Statute of Mortmaine prouided they should giue no more to the Church and therefore like Moses it cried Hoe but tempora mutantur nos mutantur in illiâ— These latter times haue seene the springs of bounty like Iorden turned backe which heretofore did run fresh and fast into the Church Our fathers fore-fathers put too much bloud into the Churches veines succeeding ages for her good that it might not dye of a plurisie let it bloud in the swelling veine of her excesse these times are so farre from stopping the issue that they prick it still and suffer it to bleed to death The Aegyptians dealt hardely with the Israelites when they tooke away their straw and so doe these Gipcies which take away the corne and allow nothing but straw they are sicke of the dropsie and a cup as big as a Church will scarse satisfie it so they may bee golden Patrons they care not though they present leaden or wooden Priests they are content with Michaes Priests so they may haue them for Michaes wages they preferre euen light angels before Angels of light and care not how little reckoning the Clarke bee so they may sell their presentation at a great price they doe not so much regard aram dominicam as haram domesticans these are not Papistae but Rapistae Merchants broken into the Church a great deale more intollerable then those which Christ whipt out of the Temple This sacriledge is theft in the highest degree in reuenging whereof d Act. 5. 3. Peter vseth his key in mentioning whereof e Rom. 2â— 2â— Paul maketh it a match or ouermatch for idolatry and indeed if couetousnesse bee Idolatry and theft the daughter of couetousnes and sacriledge the eldest daughter of theft then he that committeh sacriledge may be sayd an Idolater besides he is a meanes of Idolatry in bringing in ignorance and superstition and though there be great fault in the Clarke for he should say by the grace of God I am that I am not by my smooth tongue not by my great friends not by my bribing purse yet Sacriledge is a beame in respect of this mote and though the beame and mote must both be cast out yet f Mat. 7. 5. first cast out the beame g Mat. 2â— 12. though sellers and buyers must both be cast out of the Temple yet the sellers haue the first place and therefore ye Patrons be no longer Pyrats of the Church neither mangle nor sell that liberall allowance that is committed to your trurst doe not vnder colour of taking away the superfluity leaue to little for the necessitie of the Minister be somewhat more friendly to the Church then the East winde to the fruits of the eaâ—th doe not h 1. Kin. 14. 17. with Rehoboham giue her sheilds of brasse for her sheilds of golde make her not a marke to shoote at pull not still the forbidden fruite despoyle not the Church which your fathers clothed rob her not of her possessions and endowments let not your Leuits purchase your Cures let him haue his penny that labours in the Vineyarde the false prophets made a spoyle of you doe not you make a spoyle of the true if you are merchants of soules you are enemies of religion you consume the zeale of Gods house and are harbingers to take vp Chambers for the diuell Againe the Parishoners which with-hold their tithe are sayd to robbe or spoyle i Mal. 3. 8. 10. the Lord in tithes and offrings God as he will haue the seuenth of your time so he will haue the tenth of your liuing Moses giues a strict charge for this in the Old Testament and k Gal. 6. 6. Paul as strict in the New The Minister is borne for the good of many and many for the good of him to Minister to him temporall things as hee to them spirituall and therefore doe not yee like Caterpillers cleaue to the fruites of the Church say truely with the Pharisee l Luc. 18. 12 I giue tithe of all that euer I possesse and giue it with a willing minde Others like greedy cormorants and fawcons seaze and plume and prey vpon the common wealth such are they who make a priuate gaine of that which should be for the publike good such as depopulating Parishes thinke themselues ill seated when they dwell by neighbours such as grating vpon poore trades with hard ingrossing to get much wealth put in hazard all their credit and estimation euen Tully a heathen Philosopher in his third booke of offices thought this pulling this catching and snatching from other did ouerthrow common societie and that the whole body must then needes be weake and perish when euery part thereof did thinke it might be strong if it had conueyed to it selfe the strength of the next liues but let this suffice to haue spoken of publike theft either in spoyling Church or common wealth there is a more priuate theft when a man is a theefe to himselfe or to his neighbour or to both to himselfe either to his body or his goods to his body when he doth not minister to it thiâ—gs necessary but will be alwaies indebted to his backe and to his belly and so as he may haue his purse full he cares not though he keepe his backe bare and belly thinne and cares not how poore he liue so as he may dye rich The good man hauing nothing is Lord of all things l habet â—mina quia habet habentem omina he hath all 2. Cor. 6. 10. things because he hath the Lord of all things the father the most ancient of dayes filleth his memory the sonne the wisdome of the father filleth his vnderstanding the holy Ghost the comforter filleth his will on the other side the miserable man hath all things yet of all he hath he hath nothing he is good to none but worst to himselfe he is like the Cornish-chough which will steale a peece of money and hiding it in some hole will neuer helpe her selfe with it afterward vnlike the deluer of the earth for he with his matâ—ocke drawes reliefe and nouriture out of the earth but this man hides that in the earth which should be a meanes â—â— nourish and relieue him if he wants any thing his spirit is troubled with restles thoughts to get it if he hath any thing he comforts not himselfe with it but accompts it lost that he bestowes vpon himselfe he is afraid hee should hinder himselfe of a chicke if he should but eate an egge and thinkes himselfe halfe vndone if he makes a good meale on his owne trencher this is an euill which Salomon saw vnder the sun and it is much among men m A man to whom God hath giuen M. Eec 6. 1 riches and treasure and honour and he wanteth nothing for his soule of all that it
with which others are tickled to death therefore Canutus a King of this Land about thirty yeares before the conquest did breake that false glasse which presented him a face not his owne for when as one to sooth him vp tolde him hee was as God and all things were at his beck and commaund he caused his Chayre of estate to be brought to the Sea shore at Southampton and as the water flowed thus he said Tu me â— ditionis es c. Thou art vnder my dominion neuer any one who disobeyed me went scot-free I charge thee enter no further on my land presume not to wet the robes or any member of me thy Lord Master The Sea notwithstanding keeping it course without doing any reuerence wet the Kings feete whereupon he giuing backe said The Lord is God and him onely doe windes and Sea obey and after to know what hee was hee would giue no credence to other Thus if within thy selfe thou doest not behold thy selfe if thou who art most priuy and shouldst be least partiall to thine owne worth restest on others commendation and standest not on thine owne bottome if thou canst be silent when others flatter with their tongue and feed thee with the winde thou consentest with those which against this law by flattery beare false witnes Contrary to these are another sort whose tongues are euer walking in the track of vniust accusations Iob would not be silent in this case for if he had held his tongue it would haue bin thought he had bin euen such a one as they said therefore when Elyphaz charged him with cruelty iniustice and oppression that he had spoiled the cloathes of the naked that he had not giuen to the weary water to drinke that he had withdrawne bread from the hungry g Iob 22 6. 7. Iob cleares himselfe and saith he did not eate his morsels alone the fatherlesse did eate thereof that the loynes of those which wanted clothing blessed him because they were couered with the fleece of his sheepe so when h Iob 3â— 17. 20 Festus said of Paul Thou art besides thy selfe much learning doth make thee madde Paul is as ready to make his Salue as Festus is to giue the wound I am not mad i Act. 26. 25. O noble Festus saith he but I speake the words of truth and sobernesse Christ was a Lyon and a Lambe so is euery Christian patient as a Lambe to suffer in his innocency bolde as a Lyon to plead and defend it not a Lyon in his conuersation nor sheepish when slaundered he sets his foot by his that shall wrongfully accuse him when his accusers as busie as Flyes will light where there is no sore his tongue shall be a flap to fray them away and now is his speach powdred with salt Indeed Mary was accused three seuerall times k Luc. 7. 39. The Pharisie accused her of presumption that being a sinner she would touch Christ l Luc. 10. 40. Secondly Martha accused her of idlenesse that she suffered her to serue alone Thirdly m Ioh. 12. 5. Iudas accused her of prodigality that she wasted the oyntment shee was alwayes patient and put vp all she knew her selfe a stranger euen at home and let the dogges of the world barke at her she was a woman and would be seene and not heard her sex required the more silence besides her Sauiour did at all times answere for her according to that saying in another case n Exod. 14. 14 The Lord shall fight for you therefore holde you your peace Againe if any wrong other by scandalous imputation and open their mouthes boldly to sound out detraction and slaunder as some will sit and speake against their Brother and Psal 50. 20. slaunder their owne Mother Son we sin by silence if we doe not with courage beare out the accused whom we know then Innocent and therefore when Peter heard that the Apostles were accused of Drunkennesse as being full of new Wine his spirit was hote within him and while he was musing the fire kindled and at last he spake with his Tongue p Act. 2. 15. These are not Drunken as yee suppose since it is but the third houre of the day c. If a malicious man be giuen to traduce a mans name we cannot stop his mouth from speaking ill yet must we open our mouthes to reproue him else lending him a willing eare wee consent with him and haue beene partakers with the backbiter bearing the Diuell as much in our eares as the other in his tongue hâ—rting our neighbour as well by receiuing as the other by giuing out and dispersing spitefull narrations and therefore this giuing forth and receiuing in the Law are coupled together or rather meete in one word q Exod. 23. 1. Thou shalt not report or receiue a false tale You will blame a Thiefe for stealing and will not you blame him that receiueth stollen goods Were there no Receiuers there would be no Theeues You will blame a man that robbes one of his good name and will you not blame him that opens his eares to take in the theft There would not be so many to broach false rumours were it not that they see they please other mens taste yee will blame him that robbes God of his honour else the Curse will come vpon you which doth vpon the men of Meroz because they came not foorth r Iudg. 5. 23. to heâ—pe the Lord to helpe the Lord against the mighty blame him likewise which wrongeth man by false report winke not at his folly smother not his fault doe not swallow it doe not digest it reproue such a man tell him his owne there is little difference Faueas ne scelus an illud faâ—ias if the Backbiter shall see by thy face that hee hath a roome in thy heart thou art an abetter of euill a Pander to his sinne a good Nurse of ill fame a Wolfe to thy Brother and in a word possessed with a dumbe Diuell Againe other breake this Commandement by silence either outwardly in their gesture when indeed they doe not scourge with their Tongue nor speake wordes like the prickings of a Sword when they doe not digge vp euill neither is there in their lippes like burning fire but though they shoote not out the venemous sting of their Tongue yet they nippe men by their gesture and spit out their venome by the malicious carriage of their bodies the Prophet complaineth of such a Psal 22. 13 They gaped vpon me with their mouthes as it were a ramping and roaring Lyon b Psal 35. 15. making mowes at me and ceased not such were they c Math. 27. 39 which wagged their heades as they passed by at the Passion of Christ and before that d Ioh. 13. 18. Iudas who lift vp his heele against Christ and after that the Iewes e Act. 7. 54. who gnashed at Stephen with their teeth if wee shall hisse
figured on his forehead the calenders of death appeare in the furrowes of his face the graue doth call him saying it is high time to depart this life to come away and dwell in it and therefore take the benefit of this â—hoâ—t time a Ier. 4. 4. brâ—ake vp your fallow groundes and sow not among the thornes be circumcised b Deu. â—0 16. to the Lord and take away the fore-skinnes of your hearts let vnquiâ—t passions and ambitious desires be crucified c Mat. 2â— 38 like the two theeues and euen in this sense let them d Gal. 5. 12 be cut off that trouble you The wicked slippe no time to worke wickâ—dnesse e Ioâ— 2â— 5 as wil le Asses in the wildernesse they goe forth to their businesse it is now no good argument they are not drunken f Act 2. 15. since it is but the third houre of the day for g Esa 5. 11. they rise vp early to follow a â—â— 23. 2. drunkenesse Balaam posteth for a bribe b Luc. 16. 5 the vniust steward hasteneth to make friends of the vnrighteous Mammon be you as wise in your generatioÌ„ c Ex 16. 21 gather Manna in the morning steppe into the water d Ioh 5. 7. with the criple while health may bee recouered open while Christ e Reu. 3. 20 knocketh f Mat. 23. 37. gather your selues vnder the hen while shee clocketh with g Luc. 19. 5 Zacheâ— come quickely when Christ calleth at this present instant change your hearts a â— Cor. 6. 2 now is the accepted time and now knoweth no morrow b Ioh. 9. 4. worke while it is day euery day lay vp somewhat for the last take order with death before it serues you with an execution take hold on time as it commeth and catch it by the forelockes seeke Christ c Mat. 28. 1 with Mary the first day of the weeke and first houre of the day chase not away good houres to bad purpose sit not at the Alehouse and see the race of an houre glasse vse not time with the slothfull but gaine by the expense of time when it steales from you let it carry with it some witnesse of the passage in that you haue in it made your election sure and would not hazarde the saluation of your soules vpon the doubtfull euent of your finall repentance they are your daies say not we will doe with our owne what we list but spend them and end them in God In the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee Long life is a blessing which God giueth to obedient children but hast thou but one blessing my father Yes surely thou blessest when thou hast blessed and therefore thou giuest Israel a fuitfull land also the land of Canaan d Ex. 3. 17. a land that floweth with milke and honâ— so that thou hast e Gen. 27. 3â— blessed Iacob and therâ—fore hee shall bee blessed f Eph. 2. â— thou art rich in mercy mercy there is the compassion of thy nature rich there is the abundance g Luc. 8. 1â— thou giuest after thou hast giuen as a spring runneth after it hath runne a Ps 100. 5 thy mercy is euerlasting and thy goodnesse is without conclusion Frst thou giuest breath that thy dayes may be long then thou giuest bread in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee here is a blessing vpon a blessing as though one of thy mercyes did binde thee to giue another as though former benefits were an earnest lay de to assure vs of those which are to come as though thou wouldest shew what thou wilt doe by what thou hast done The Oyle ceaseth not as long as there are b 2. Kin. 4. 6 vessels to receiue it and thy mercy lasteth as long as there is a true concurrence as long as there is no let in vs to hinder the apprehension O Lord make our praise and thankes answereable to thy goodnes that as thy goodnes is without end so there may be no period to our praise but that we may still say c Ps 41. 13. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel world without end So be it euen so be it Giueth not that the Israelits should haue this land in present possession for they did not enter vpon it till the daies of Ioshua in whose time God cast out other nations and planted them in but he speaketh in the present tense for the certaintie of performance God forgiues vs our debts and when we sue out our pardon d Rom. 8. 33. hee acquits vs by proclamation and crosseth our accompts here that hereafter we may haue our Quietus est and he is as true a debter to pay as he is mercifull creditor to forgiue and doth reckon that his promise doth as much indebt him to vs as mens loue or desert doe indebt vs to them first therefore O Israel here is a land made ouer vnto thee and the grant is good for that it coÌ„meth from the right Landlord the Lord and it is gratious for that it commeth not from a stranger but from thy God the Lord is thy God and therefore thou shalt haue it cum gratia et priuilegio 1o. cum gratia thou shalt not purchase it or pay a fine or rent for it but it shal be passed ouer to thee by a deed of gift thy God giueth 2o. thou shalt haue it cum priuilegio there shall be no ioint tenants or copartners to hold it with thee but thou shalt haue it solely and wholy to thy selfe The Lord misdoubt not thy state thy God looke to haue it with all fauour giueth doubt not of thy freedome theâ— feare not any that now keepe the possession The Lord thy God giueth The diuels mouth doth run ouer when shewing Christ all the Kingdomes of the world he saith e Luc. 4. 6. All these are mine and to whom soeuer I will I giue the power and glory of them if thou therefore wilt worship â—e they shall be all thine for first for his claime he is like the franticke man who standing on the sea shore thought all the shippes that passed by to be his owne or he doth but dreame he hath them like him who sleeping thought he held in his hands two staues and waking did thinke verely they should be two crocier staues and therefore presently prepared himselfe tooke horse and posted for two Bishoprickes not doubting but he should be presently installed but his horse casting him himselfe turned to be criple and his crociers to be critches God is the Lord of all by right the diuell but by vsurpation the Scripture stileth him f prince of darkenes he shewes himselfe like the Poet Accius who being but a dwarfe made himselfe an image as if he had been one of the sonnes of Anac indeede he may g Iob. 1. 7. compasse the earth too and fro and walke in it a Ps 24. 1. but the