make men vnfit to take care for their soules health Sicknesse is a time to liue by faith and not a time to get faith What a madnesse and miserie were it for the Souldier to haue his Sword and Helmet to seek when the enemy sounds alarum to the battle so what a foolish thing is it to haue the prouision for our soules to seek when death is ready to get in at the window But admit that sicknesse put them in minde of death that they were sure to die to morrow yet many would not be the better for it The Apostle 1 Cor. 15. 32. tels vs of the Epicures of his time that spake of dying to morrow and yet had no grace to prouide for their soules for thus they say Let vs eate and drinke for to morrow we shall die which shewes that grace is not wrought by sicknesse or feare of death but by the power of Gods Spirit Ob. Oh but then we will send for the Minister and hee shall pray for vs. Answ Wilt thou send for them to pray for thee in thy sicknesse whom thou hast scorned despised and dis-regarded in thy life and health as much as euer Pharaoh did Moses and Aaron If they could doe no good vnto thy soule while thou wert in thy health what canst thou thinke they can doe vnto thee now a sick passionate and diseased man doest thou think they can worke faith and repentance in thy heart No they cannot gather Grapes of Thornes nor Figs of Thistles if thy heart be ouergrowne with the weeds of sinne and prophanenesse they can doe thee little good vnlesse thou shew great signes of repentance and hatred of all thy former sinfull life Let no maÌ„ thinke I would depriue the distressed of those meanes God hath appointed to confirme their faith that is not my meaning Ob. Oh but then wee will receiue the Sacrament and then no doubt but it shall goe well with vs. Answ The Sacrament is not a meanes to beget faith but to confirme faith where it is already begotten take heed therefore thou doe not receiue it with vncleane hands and an vnrepentant heart lest it seale vp to thee thy damnation and be vnto thee as the Sop was vnto Iudas Brethren mistake mee not I pray you I doe not condemne nor disallow for any that is sicke to send for the godly learned Minister for to receiue help and comfort from him in the time of distresse no no that is not my meaning the Apostle exhorts those that are sicke to call for the Elders of the Church and to let them pray Iam. 5. 15 16. ouer them he shews the benefit that will follow The prayer of faith shall saue the sicke and if he haue committed sinnes they shall be forgiuen And if hee repent truely of his sinnes the Sacrament shall seale vp and assure him of Christ and his righteousnesse to be imputed vnto him for his saluation But the thing that I aime at is this when as I see prophane men contemne and despise the godly faithfull Ministers in their life health I feare me they deceiue themselues to thinke that the Minister can doe them any good by his owne power and presence no no he can but declare their remission of their sinnes vpon their repentance if then they doe truely repent them of their sinnes and resolue from the bottome of their hearts to lead new liues let them not doubt but they shall receiue much comfort by Gods blessing from them for to this end hath the Lord giuen them the tongue of the learned that they might know how to minister a word of comfort in due season to a wearied Conscience Therefore Brethren if you would haue comfort by them in your sicknesse and at your death make much of them and reuerence them in your liues and let them be deare and precious vnto you and honour them for their workes sake But here may some obiect and say What a stir is here for the saluatioÌ„ of the soule here is more adoe then needs we may prouide for that at our leasure there is no time vnfit to repeÌ„t and turne to the Lord hee is a God of mercy hee will haue mercy vpon our soules whensoeuer we repent and turne to him did he not shew mercie to the Theefe at the last gaspe therefore I doubt not but if I repent in my old age I shall bee saued well enough To which I answere that though no time be vnfit or too late for repentance while wee are here in this life yet manie times we heare of many which are taken out of the world before they thought of repeÌ„tance and late repentance proues seldome good but many times faigned and dissembled like Cain's Esau's and Iudas If the case bee so deare brethren then it is a point of wisedome to looke into it whether it were best policy for vs to take the opportunity of time while it is offered or else post it off to another time wee see that the men of the world are wiser in their generation Froâ—te capilaâ—â— pâ—st est occasio calua let vs learne a point of wisdome of them Aske the Merchant when it is best time to prouide for his Commodities and he will tell you while the Mart lasts Aske the Husbandman when it is time to sow his ground and he will tell you while the season lasteth The dumbe Creatures as the Storke and the Turtle and the Crane know their appointed times but man will not know when it is time to turne vnto GOD that hee may haue mercy vpon his soule and if they doe know the time yet they put it off neglect it though they be often called Today if you will heare his voyce barden not your hearts yet the most of vs like drouzy men sleepe still in sinne and answere the Lord as Saint Austine saith of himselfe saying Lord I had not wherewith to answere thee when thou saidst vnto me Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall giue thee life And thou demonstrating those things to bee true in euerie point which thou spakest vnto mee I being conuinced of the truth had not any answere at all but onely the words and speeches of a loytering sluggard and of a drouzy sleeper Nil nisi tantum verba lenta somnolenta modo ecce modo fine paululum sed modo modo non habebat modum fine paululum in longum ibat Aug. Conf. l. 8. c. 5. By and by and behold anon by and by behold anon had neither measure nor moderation and let me alone held on a long time So doe sinfull men with GOD they by procrastinating the time hazzard their saluation Now if by the Word of God we can conuince the carelesse world in this point for the neglect of the saluation of their soules and dissolue this obiection we hope wee shall not vnprofitably spend our time let vs therefore in the
his desire 7. As they cannot in any degree profit our bodies so they are lesse able to profit our soules They cannot inrich them with spirituall graces They cannot purchase Christ procure for vs the rich Robes of his righteousnesse or purchase vs an obedience answerable to the Law They cannot furnish vs with faith hope repentance They cannot reconcile vs to God for he accepteth not the person Iob 34 19. of Princes and regards not the rich more then the poore for they be all the worke of his hands GOD doth not respect men for their goods but for their Godlines For better is the poore that walketh Pro. 28. 6. in his vprightnesse then hee that peruerteth his wayes though he bee rich They cannot put courage in vs to stand resolutely for Christ and for his cause against Sathan and his seruants but rather they make vs cold in the performance of holy duties of which we shal haue more occasion to speake of in due place 8. As riches cannot profit vs in our soules so they cannot profit vs in the course of our life they cannot keepe off old age the forerunner of death neither can they make vs carefull to prepare our hearts for God at our death and so to submit our will vnto Gods Will Neither can they appease Gods anger restraine the Deuils power but when we are panting and gasping vpon our sick beds all the world will not bribe Death but hee will tell vs hee hath a warrant from GOD to attach vs without baile or mainprice For it is appointed for Heb. 9. all men once to die Which statute being enacted in heauen all the world is not able to reuerse What comfort then shall rich worldlings find in their bags of Luk. 12. 15 Gold seeing their life consists not in their riches Then what shal it profit them to haue their barnes full when as their soules shall be taken from them what good will their money doe them when the Deuils are ready to attache them then shall they lament and say they haue spent their strength in vain For what hope hath the hypocrite though Iob. 27. 8. Quicquid vita dedit tollit cum vita recedit hee hath heaped vp riches when God taketh away his soule How miserable then will the case of rich worldlings bee when as they shall finde that they haue heaped vp the wrath of GOD with their riches and that now as they came naked into the world so they must returne Eccl. 5. 14 15. Then what profiteth it a man that he hath laboured for the winde How much would a man then giue for a good Conscience to haue his peace made vp with God how would he preferre a dramme of grace before a bag of Gold and would be content to part with his Coffers and Treasures to haue a share among the inheritance of the Saints for the rich men shall leaue Ier. 17. 11. their inheritance in the middest of their dayes and their end shall be as a foole But suppose riches could sweeten death and make it lesse painful to vs yet what good can it doe vs when wee are laid in the Graue then they cannot preserue our bodies from corruption no then there will bee no difference betweene the King and the Begger For one heape of dust is not better then another in the darke Chambers of death For as nature maketh no difference between one man and another in the birth so neither doth it distinguish them after their death open the graues and stately monuments and we shall see Kings and Princes and great men turned to dust as wel as poor men Finally the riches of the world caÌ„not stand vs in stead at the day of iudgment for at that day the Lord the iust iudge Psal 62. 12. Rom. 2. 6. will reward euery man according to his workes he will not respect rich men according to the honour which they haue with men but according to the honour which they haue Solae virtutes faciunt beatum Macrob. done to him and comfort to his poore members he will not esteeme men for their wealth but according how they haue vsed it to his glory and the good of their brethren Then they that Pâ—o. 21. 21. haue followed after righteousnesse and mercy shall finde life righteousnesse glory But those which in their life haue beene contentious proud and enuious and haue not obeyed the truth Tribulation and anguish shall bee vpon euerie soule and the riches Rom. 2. 8. which they haue had shall witnesse against them because they haue not vsed them to glorifie their Creator Thus by Gods Iam. 5. 3. mercy we haue traced the rich man through the whole course of his life and death wee haue laid him downe in his graue haue summoned him vp to iudgement and haue found out the inabilitie of riches to profit him in life death and day of iudgement in all which wee haue seene the truth of this point That a man is not profited if he gaine the whole world and lose his soule But alasse riches are so farre from profiting vs as that they are the cause of much euill to soule and body For they that will bee rich fall into temptations 1 Tim. 6. 9. and into many dangerous lusts The loue of money made Balaam aduenture to make a long Numb 24. iourney to go to curse the people of God For hope of reward Dalilah was alâ—ured to betray Sampson her beloued husband Hope of preferment will make Doeg flatter Saul and speake euill of Dauid the beloued of the 1 Sam. 22. 10. 2 Sam. 15. 2. Lord. And Absolon will seeke his Fathers life to gaine his Kingdome If Ioab may but get the chiefe Captainship hee 2 Sam. 10. will make no scruple to kill Amasa And Abimelech will embrue his hands in the blood of Iud. 9. 2. threescore and ten of his brethren to make himselfe way to the Crown The loue of money made Iudas sell his Lord and God for thirty peeces the price of a slaue by which meanes he brought the blood of Christ vpon his soule that it had beene good for him if hee had neuer beene borne The loue of gaine so tipt the tongue of Demetrius that he became a subtill Orator to plead for Idolatry The loue of mony made Gehazie run after Naaman with a lie in his mouth 1 King 21. so for a little mony chaÌ„ge of raiment to sell Gods honor and his masters credit The loue of Naboths Vineyard made Ahab purchase a place of pleasure with the price of the blood of his subiect which procured the bane of him and his familie The Babylonish garment and los 7. 21. wedge of Gold made Achan expose himselfe and all the hoast to the iudgement of God The loue of money will make men cruell and vnnaturall Cruell to Mic. 2. 2. couet fields and to take them
iudges not according to the outward appearaÌ„ce nor any whit the more esteemed of the godly So on the contrary such is the blinde worlds iudgement that if a man bee as prudent as Cato as iust as Manlius and as magnanimous as Scipio neuer so honest wise temperate and neuer so beautified with vertue yet Non facilè emergunt quorum virtutibus obslat res angusta domi Sub sordido pallio latet aliquando sapientia if he be a poore man though he haue great wisdome and many excellent parts Si res angusta domi if Coyne bee wanting hee is despised and reiected and if hee haue neither coine nor friends he is like to haue coâ—d entertainment and no more regarded then an vnwelcome guest for Si nihil attuleris ibis Homere for as If empty handed thou appeare No welcome ghest thou canst bee here Money is the sinewes blood and soule of a man for vnlesse the purse bee well linde with crownes neither Science Art nor honesty is auaileable to aduance to dignitie So that a man is neuer thought wise and learned vnlesse he be rich and though hee speake well and to the purpose yet as the Poet saith Rara tenui facundia paÌ„no A Satyr 7. Dum pauper loquitur tunc barbarus esse videtur poore mans speech is seldome pleasant and wisdome vnder a patched coate seldome Canonicall But let these poore wormes know though they be despised of the world yet there is a GOD that iudgeth the earth and will come quickly and bring his reward with him to giue vnto euery one as Reu. 12. 12 his workes shall be Therefore let not this neglect of respect dismay the vertuous and wel-deseruing though they haue no regard in the world yet wisedome shall be iustified of her Children and their owne work shall praise them yea their very enemies shall bee forced to acknowledge their vertues Though the Iewes did labour by all meanes to bury the glory of our Sauiour and the vertues of his Disciples vnder disgrace yet for all this their enemies were forced to acknowledge their innocency and iustifie them against the faces of their enemies Therefore wee read that Metellus Macedonicus praised Scipio for his vertues and wept for him at his death though he were his mortall foe for no man though hee bee neuer so enuious can take that from him which vertue hath merited If in this life onely 1 Cor 15. 19. we had our hope we were of all men most miserable But let the poore despised comfort themselues though they sow in teares yet they shall reape in ioy For mans felicity is not in riches they are gotten with paine kept with care and lost with griefe Then what is a man profited if he gaine the whole world This base esteeme of the godly poore doth shake the feeble Conscience of many weake ones when they behold diuers good men stored with many good parts yet in regard of their pouerty are made the scorne of the world Let such know mans happines doth not consist in this world but in the world to come where they shall shine as the Starres in the firmament whereas those which haue had their portion in this life shall bee turned into hell Vse 3 If the world cannot helpe nor profit vs in life nor death Then let it be our wisedome to seeke for that which may and Psal 32. 1. 1 Tim. 6. 6 that is For the free pardon of our sinnes in Christ And to be truely godly which is the chiefest gaine The righteousnesse of Phil. 3. 9. Christ which is the portion of the Saints A holy conuersation Phil. 2. 15. and a good Conscience in all things which is a pledge of the true ioy wee shall haue in heauen 2 Cor. 1. 12 For all other ioyes are vaine which haue not grace for the foundation Labour then to haue GOD reconciled vnto thee And to bee at one with him And if thou feare him thou shalt want nothing that is good Wouldest thou haue riches then feare the Lord and Psal 112. 3. then wealth shall be in thy house Wouldest thou haue true gain Christ shall bee vnto thee in life Phil. 1. 2. and death aduantage Desirest thou saluation It is he that shall Mat. 1. 21. saue his people from their sinnes The comforts of the world may leaue the vngodly But the consolations Iohn 16. 21 of the godly are as wels of liuing water their ioyes shall neuer bee taken from them And they Ps 119. 165 that loue the Lord shall haue great prosperitie For the Lord taketh delight Psal 35. 27. in the prosperity of his seruants This should teach vs then to prize grace and the feare of the Lord according to their due worth They are better then Gold Psa 19. 10. yea then the fine Gold If outward things in their lawfull vse be so base and vnable to doe vs good how filthy and vile are they in their sinfull abuse And how excellent then is the Lord Iesus And how ought wee to prize his loue to vs that when Gold and siluer could doe vs no good then he bought vs for a price euen the 1 Cor. 6. 20 greatest price that any one could pay For what can bee more costly then blood or what Isay 53. Rom. 5. 10. more deare then life Yet when we were his enemies he powred out his blood to reconcile vs to God How ought we then to loue feare and obey him For it is not the riches of Craesus the triumphs of Caesar the conquest of Alexander nor any worldly pompe can profit vs and make vs happy Though some among the Romanes and some among the Grecians were so aduanced to outward felicitie that their Painters did picture them with Townes and cities gliding into Plutarch their nets while they were asleepe as Plutarch reports Yet what are these without Christ they cannot bee reduced to any of the beatitudes The fairest colours are not seene in the darke and without light haue no pleasant shew So are the most specious blessings of the world take away CHRIST the light of the world and where is their glory and comfort They are but drosse and dung Phil. 3. 8. without him full of obscurity and dishonour Labour I say to get thee an inheritance among the Saints the comfort of Gods Spirit and to let the Word of GOD dwell plentiously in thee This is the true riches this wealth is permanent and will bee a comfort vnto vs in our troubles sicknesse and houre of death when rich worldlings will be at their wits end If God blesse vs with riches let vs pray for wisedome to vse them aright Pray first for goodnesse and then in the second place for goods Else they will not become good vnto vs vntill grace season them and they be sanctified vnto vs And then vse them for necessitie as men doe knaues and theeues which they know
short time full of misery many of vs haue spunne a long thred and so haue set our feet within the gates of death and many of vs haue trod in the path of old age in which the Almond flourishes many of our haires are turned white to the haruest of death Old age is honourable if it be found in the wayes of righteousnesse but if old men be found in the wayes of sinne ignorance and prophanenesse oh how dishonorable are those gray hayres what an old man a swearer an old man a Drunkard an old man a Gamester an old man a Lyar an old man a Whoremaster an old man an ignorant man oh what a shame is this Brethren the Israelites were commanded to gather twice so Ex. 16. 22. much Manna the day before their Sabbath as they did any day in the weeke before and should not the gray hoare head that lookes euery day for his last day of mortalitie and his Sabbath of rest should not hee I say labour to get twice so much knowledge pray twice so much read twice so much and ponder in his heart the workes of the Lord of mercy and of Iustice and grow in the graces of Gods Spirit that they Tit. 2. 7. may shew themselues patternes of all goodnesse for young men to imitate the dayes of mans life are threescore yeares and ten sayes Moses the Man of Psal 19. God but oh the carelesnesse of many which haue passed this age and though death stand at the doore yet they will not beleeue it It is said of Ephraim that gray hayres were vpon him yet he knew it not he had Hos 7. 9. markes of death vpon his face and hayre yet would still bee young and what was said of Ephraim may iustly bee said of many old men in our dayes whose windowes grow dimme whose sight faile and they bend downward to their long home and yet they consider not their latter end therefore they fall Lam. 1. 9. miserably and many die fearfully Oh consider this all yee that forget God! oh how soure and stinking are the dregs of sinne and prophanenesse of old men in the sight of God! as old men are to repent betime so are young men they are to remember their Creator in the dayes Eccles. 1. 2. of their youth for it is needfull to begin betimes because they haue much worke to doe and they haue no lease of their liues time and tide stayeth not therefore all of vs while it is called to day hearkē and obey for betweene old men yong men there is little difference old men goe to death and death comes to young men therefore as all men must die all must labour to get their soules saued For it is a iust thing with Iustum est vt a Deo contemnatur moriens qui Deum omnipotentem contemp sit viuens God that he should contemne that man in his death which contemned God Almighty in his life therefore let vs not deferre this needfull worke but presently set vpon it while wee haue time and while it is called to day for it may bee to morrow may be too late Gods mercy being abused he is a consuming fire and therefore it will be a most fearfull thing to fall into his hands Ob. Oh but God is a God of mercie and he shewed mercy vnto the Theefe at the last houre and therefore I doubt not but he will also shew mercy vnto me A. It is true indeed God is a God of mercy full of compassion and his tender mercies Ps 145. 8 9 Eph. 2. 4. are ouer all his workes yea hee is rich in mercy and therefore thou thinkst his mercy will bee as great to thee as it was to the Theefe vpon the Crosse This was a rare example of Christs mercy and cannot be applied to any particular man because the promises of mercy doe ioyne the meanes and end together Therefore we cannot deny but that as God is mercifull so also he is iust and Iustice and Mercy cannot dispence one with another God deales with man as Physitians deale with their Patients wee see many learned Physitians sometimes giue ouer their Patients not for that they want skill but because they see them incurable so thou that posts off and defers thy repentance and care for the saluation of thy soule till the last gaspe if thou bee damned it is not because the Lord wants mercy but because thou art dead in thy sinnes and past recouery and so the mercy of the Lord can doe thee no good thou remainest in thy impenitency hardnesse of heart and vnbeliefe The Apostle tels the beleeuing Romanes that God is able to graft the Iewes into the true Oliue plant againe if they doe not continue in their vnbeliefe Intimating vnto vs that God is not able to shew mercy vnto vnbeleeuing and vnrepentant Rom. 11. 23 wretches so long as they continue in vnbelife See therefore what thou art like to gaine by this rare exāple of the Lords mercie shewed vnto the theefe vpon the Crosse But because this is the strong hold wherein many desperate wretches hide themselues wee will therefore by the light of Gods Word diue into this example and weigh euery circumstance in it and what we discouer we will plainely set downe and shew what rockes and shelues lye in this harbour and how dangerous it is to cast Anchor here hauing found out the danger wee will hang out a bloody Flagge which may threaten death and destruction to all that seeke to harbour vpon this sandy foundation Tell me not therfore of the Theefe vpon the Crosse for of two theeues one was damned though hee saw the repentance of his fellow heard Christs gratious promise yet for all this he repented not Why doe we not bring him for a patterne and apply it to our selues and say Might not this be our case which haue put off our repentence vnto the last Here is a Theefe against a Theefe the one is saued and the other damned that this theefe was saued was a miracle miracles were no miracles if they were common Wee haue of this rare mercy of GOD one example that no man should despaire and but one example that no man should presume 1. This is a rare example without any promise of God if that thou canst shew a promise that thou shalt repent at the last houre of thy life but if thou canst not then thou promisest that to thy selfe which God neuer promised to giue thee 2. Againe this was a worke of wonder and euery way miraculous for Christ was hereby pleased to honour the ignominy of his Crosse and to manifest his power in his greatest humiliation his cruell enemies raged and blasphemed his stripes and wounds shewed him to be but a mortall and despised man and his Disciples despairing after so many miracles whether he were the promised Messiah or no therfore our blessed Sauiour to manifest his power and
are like to lose for the gaining of these deceitfull vanities that so at the last wee may be perswaded to labour for the saluation of our soules For is it not better to serue God and to worke out our owne saluation here that we may bee blessed hereafter then for the loue of this base world to bee tormented for euer and euer Is it not better to want these sinfull pleasures then for enioying of them to be turned into Hell For what Gal. 6. 8. shall we reape of the flesh but corruption And what shall we gaine of the Deuill for al our seruice but eternal torments And what shall Psal 37. 35. wee gaine of the world but speedy forgetfulnesse Seeing then the loue of the world is so vaine and deceitfull let vs then labour for heauen and heauenly things and take no thought Rom. 13. 14 for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof minding not so much this present world as that which is to come for this is temporary and must haue an end but that is eternall 2 Cor. 4. 8. and will abide for euer This must bee done Col. 3. 1 2. that thereby wee may approue our sanctification for here wee liue by faith 2 Cor. 5. 7. and therefore our conuersation Phil. 3. 20. must bee sutable This will bring vs present ease Heb. 6. 19. Ioh. 16. 22. for our hope is certaine and cannot deceiue vs. This is the onely way to be approued Rom. 14. 18. of God and to gaine a good report among men This will bring a sure reward at last God himselfe hath pronounced that it shal goe well with the iust Isay 3. 10. for their end shall bee euerlasting Rom. 6. 22. life For the ground of their hope is founded vpon 2 Tim. 1. 12. Tit. 1. 2. Heb. 6. 18. his power that cannot faile on his promise that cannot lye and vpon his Iustice that will not forget Heb. 6. 10. to reward This as it will bring comfort when worldlings are at their wits 2 Cor. 4. 8. ends so also it yeelds an honourable imployment in the meane time while wee exercise our selues in heauenly Col. 3. 2. things For the things Phil. 3. 8. of this life as they are base so they are shamefull and the end of them is death Then what is a man profited if he gaine the whole world and lose his soule Spare no paines then for to gaine thy saluation abandon and cast away all pleasures and delights till thou art perswaded thy name is written in heauen Wee see Luk. 10. 20 worldly men will toyle labour to gaine riches Honour and preferments hope of gaine will make Raine and windie weather seeme faire and pleasant For shame then let not worldlings diligence condemne ours for how shall wee escape if wee neglect so Heb. 2 3. great saluation Christ hath done more for vs and shall wee doe nothing for our selues wee shall lose nothing at the end but gaine exceedingly then it shal not repent vs that wee haue sowne in teares when wee see we shall reape in ioy As we desire to bee members of the new Ierusalem hereafter let vs now labour to haue the assurance sealed vp to our soules by denying the world and all worldly things For the glory of the world is but like a blazing Starre which terrifies the minde by presaging ruine and the pleasures of the world like candide Wormwood which deceiues the taste and imbitters the stomacke Thus farre Christian Reader for thy sake I haue diued into the world and all worldly things if I haue said any thing in this ensuing discourse which may yeeld thee any profit giue God the glorie and me thy friendly censure and helpe Iâ—uate me orationibâ—â— vestris vt sâ—mper possim loqui quae opâ—rtâ—t opere iâ—plere quae loqui Bernard in Cant. me with thy prayers that I may speake those things I ought and practice my selfe what I speake But if in any place I haue erred then I pray correct it gently or passe it ouer with silence or in a friendly manner admonish me thereof and then I haue of thee as much as I desire and then I shall be encouraged to set Pen to Paper againe and publish another Treatise vpon the Parable of the Vncleane Spirit recorded by the Euangelist Matth. 12. 43. Luke 11. 24. in which if God grant life and opportunitie I will shew 1. The manner and the measure of Sathans departure from the soule of mans and then how hee demeaneth himselfe when hee is gone 2. His diligence to gain his former possession with the reasons that induce him thereunto 3. When he hath regained possession how strongly he fortifies himselfe to preuent expulsion Lastly the miserable estate of those which he repossesses how wherein their end is worse then their beginning As also compose a Table for the reading vnderstanding and remembring of the Scriptures and how to reconcile such places as seem to contradict one another to prescribe rules to know when the Scriptures are to bee taken figuratiuely and when literally with the reasons why And to set downe the time when such famous men liued as are mentioned in Scriptures with many other occurrences both profitable and delightfull All which I shall bee willing Cum lectoris nomen feras ne lictoris nomen geras to performe if in this discourse thou wilt performe the part of a Reader that is to Suspend thy iudgement and censure not in haste Before thou iudge the first first read the last But alas there are manie now adayes that can spie a moate in anothers eie that had need to haue a Beame pulled from their owne some there are so curious in their conceits as that they can easier finde two faults in another mans worke then know how to mend one If thou be of that mind friendly Reader I doe not intend to make thee my Iudge My end is not to gain popular applause but to discharge my Conscience and to doe my Countrey good Then accept his will who meaning plaine Doth neither write for praise nor hope of gaine And though it be not so curiously set forth as perhaps thou expectest be content to accept of this answer If it be not so punctuall as it should yet it is as I could for They that are learn'd and haue the gift May make of matters what they will But hee that hath no other shift Must goe the plaine way to the Mill. When the materiall Temple was to bee built euery man could not bring gold and siluer so in this spirituall building euery one hath not the skill of caruing and working curiously yet if I by bringing baser metals or by working plainly may helpe thee in thy spirituall building it shall aboundantly comfort me Come not then to carpe with Momus nor to disdaine with Zoilus nor to sooth with Zantippus if thou doest I shall care as
aduersitie though the stocke they match their Children in be neuer so infected and blasted with vice and all manner of vngodlinesse yet if rich and mightie it is well enough Surely this Ethicall policy were highly to be commended if so be our abiding City were here but seeing all things here are vaine and moment any short and transitory what a vaine thing is it to be in loue with the flattering smiles of this life to gaine earth and to lose heauen Therfore if wee would be truely honourable wee must not place our trust in Princes nor in any thing in the world but in the Lord alone which will be faithfull vnto vs in our life and in our death according to his promise 1 Sam. 2. 30. and wonted manner of dealing Those that honour mee shall be honoured there is his promise Now his manner is not to faile one iot of his promise but hath made it good in all ages as we may see in Moses Aaron Dauid Salomon Iosiah c. whose names hee honoured in their liues and magnified them after their death But those which would not honour him in their liues as hee branded them in their liues for infamous persons so they shall bee crowned with euerlasting shame and reproach and in ages to come their name shall stinke How infamous is Cain for murthering his Brother Abel Potiphers wife for her whorish allurements Pharaoh for his cruelty Doeg for accusinâ— and killing the Lords Priests Iezabel for whoredome and murthering Naboth for his Vineyard Iudas for betraiyng his Lord and Master All these with many more doe stinke before God and man and their reproach shall neuer be blotted out For as the memoriall of the Pro. 10. 6. Pro. 13. 9. iust shall be blessed so the name of the wicked shall rot To shew vnto vs that the name of the wicked is no better then carrion which giues such a noysome sent that the passers by stop their noses the remembrance of their liues shall be as noysome as the stinking snuffe of a Candle and this is the iust iudgement of God vpon them that as they regarded not to glorifie him but themselues therefore hee gaue them vp to such vile affections and such filthy actions which can breed nothing but a rotten and a filthy name For they that dishonour mee saith the Lord I will dishonour Thus you haue heard how honour in it selfe is good the meanes how to attaine it and what doth hinder defile it let the consideration hereof stir vp and put courage in those which are aduanced aboue the people to be resolute zealous for the Lord their God to maintaine his cause against the proud of the world and to chase away the workers of iniquity But alasse how may wee lament the sinfulnesse of many which being aduanced to place abuse their authority which GOD and the King hath giuen them to serue their owne lusts shewing theÌ„selues patternes of prophanesse Lord lay not this sin to their charge And thus much shall suffice to haue spoken of honours and preferments and their insufficiency to profit vs. Wee will now proceed to the third point propounded that is to consider of pleasures and delights which the prophane Epicures of our age doe so much dâ—ale vpon which vaine pleasures and pleasing vanities though they are many in nuÌ„ber yet may they be comprized vnder these heads 1. Pleasures of the flesh pride in apparell beautie vaine glorie and popular applause We will begin with the first which for methods sake we wil subdiuide into these particulars 1 Pleasures of the body 2 Belly 3 Eyes And 4 Eares But first of pleasure in generall and afterwards we will descend into the particulars Pleasures are so farre from profiting vs for our soules or our bodies as that many times through the corruption of our nature which want wisdome to vse them aright they are the cause of much hurt to both But herein I would not bee mistaken as if I seemed to condemne all pleasures as vnlawfull for Christians to vse but because the carnall world is ready to plead for Baal and so through inordinate loue of them is ready to prize them aboue their worth wee will therefore diue into them and for triall bring them to the touch-stone of Gods Word by which we will discouer which are good and lawfull and how farre they may be vsed of Gods Children and how they may be abused To which end we are to know pleasures are of three kindes 1 Holy Pleasures are of three sorts and Diuine 2 Temporall and Earthly 3 Carnall and Sinfull 1 Holy and Diuine pleasures are when wee can reioyce in the Lord and are glad when wee enioy his gifts and graces of his Spirit here so as wee haue a sence and feeling of those ioyes which he hath prepared for vs in the life to come vnto these pleasures we are exhorted in Scripture to reioyce in the Lord alwayes and againe 2 Cor. 10. 17. Phil. 4. 4. I say reioyce These heauenly pleasures wil make vs not onely to reioyce in prosperity when our Corne Wine and Oyle abounds but also in the middest of our affliction to reioyce continually 1 Thes 5. 16. 1 Sam. 30. 6. Thus Dauid comforted himselfe when the people were ready to stone him the Apostles when they were whipped Act. 5. 41. 16. and put in prison for they knew that they were iustified by faith and had peace with God therefore they reioyced in Rom. 5. 1. their tribulation This is that true pleasure which the Children of God ought to delight themselues in as being in it selfe most excellent sweet and comfortable But of this pleasure we will speake in a more fit place The second kinde of pleasures The second sort of pleasures are temporall and earthly which pleasures in their owne nature are good and in respect of the vse of them to vs of an indifferent nature good to those which haue grace to vse them well but very pernitious to them that abuse them Now by these temporall pleasures we are to vnderstand those which consist in meat drinke and apparell and all other necessaries for the sustentatioÌ„ of our natural life Now these are good in their owne natures as they are the gifts of God which he hath prouided for his Children in the creation bestowed them vpon his seruants as incouragements to moue them to walke cheerefully in the practice of piety For as that sweet Singer of Israel saith Hee hath not onely Psal 104. 1â— made bread to strengthen mans heart but also wine to make his heart glad and Oyle to make his face to shine He hath ordained for his Children not onely things necessary but also pleasant and comfortable for their delight and recreation Therefore at the Creation God placed Adam in the Garden of Eden where all manner of varieties abounded not only for necessary vse but also for delight And our Sauiour at the marriage at
was a confused Chaos so some shall liue to see it passe away as a scroule or squib in the Aire so also it is mutable in regard of vs who are changeable and subiect to alteration If the world could alwayes continue yet could not wee for one generation must passe Eccles 1. 4. Quod breuiter dâ—râ—t quis prudens quaerere curat away and another come in their place Then what wise man would set vp his rest vpon such an vncertaine place so vnable to doe vs good what is the world a vale of misery a sinke of sinne a Court of Sathan a purgatory of paine a mother to the wicked and a Step-dame to the godly where the proud are aduanced without desert and the vertuous oppressed without cause What is the world a second hell full of ambitious desires wicked wiles and deuillish intents a cruell Serpent that biteth vs with her teeth scratcheth vs with her nailes and swelleth vs with her poyson much like Laban who made poore Iacob serue seuen yeares for faire Rachel and in the end deceiued him with foule Leah Euen so dealeth the world with vs promising health wealth long life and in the end deceiueth vs with sicknesse pouertie and death What is the World her musicke is griefe sorrow shame and paine her wealth misery nothing is to be looked for in it but troubles following one another as Iobs messengers Some are pinched with pouerty and ouerwhelmed with misery some vexed with strife and contention some tortured w th sicknesse boyles and vlcers some amazed with crosses losses and the like some one way some another way in so much that if an old man should consider the dangers of his life from his birth to his graue he might wonder how he could bee able to endure so painfull a iourney What is the world no place to continue in all mankinde are either strangers or straglers 1 Pet. 2. 11 Heb. 11. 13 the godly they are Strangers and Pilgrimes so the godly haue confessed and the wicked they are Straglers howsoeuer they take their portion in this life yet at last they must away Psa 17. 14. Act. 1. 25. with Iudas to their owne home Then what a vaine thing is it to build vp Tabernacles of rest here of whose fauour and loue there can be no certaintie for the world it selfe is subiect to change looke vpon the earth it waxeth weake and feeble for age and therefore not so fruitfull as in times past looke vp to the heauens they are not free from mutabilitie the Sunne and the Moone haue their ecclipses the times vary chaÌ„ge one with another Summer with winter day with night looke vpon the world sometime it flourisheth and abounds with delights and seemes to be as the garden of God as Sodom and her neighbour Cities and presently turned into ashes Look vpon the Assyrian Babylonian Monarchy for a time Master of the world but at last was fain to yeeld to the Monarchy of the Medes Persians they at last were forced to stoop to the Grecians and they to submit to the Romanes So that wee see that the glory of the Nations was quickly laide in the dust And haue not wee liued to see many in our dayes which haue shined as the Starres which in a moment haue vanished away like a Comet haue not our eies beheld and our eares heard the setting of as glorious stars as euer shined in the World since the death of Iosiah I meane the setting of that glorious Princess of euerliuing memory Queene Elizabeth the Phoenix of her age whose name shall smell as precious as euer Maries oyntment in the nostrils of all true hearted English as also the going Dum tumu lum cernis our non mortalia sperâ—is downe of the Sunne of that prudeÌ„t learned godly prince King Iames of blessed memory who was in vertue excellent in glory renowned in gouernment politick remouing debate by diligent foresight filling our hearts with the fruit of peace yet for all this though they Quid valet hic mundus quid gloria quidue triumphus Sic transit gloria mundi were great in Gods fauour yet they died When God doth call Nature must obey Alexander that conquered the world could finde no weapon to conquer death Man in honour must not continue Brethren what meane you then to set vp your rest in such an vncertaine place What hath Christ redeemed you from the world and will you bee partners with the deuill in possessing it it wil shortly passe away perish before your eies and yet will you make it your God What madnesse is it to repose hope felicity in that which is nothing els but troubles to our bodies disquietnes to our minds inticements of vice to our children seedes of enuy to our neighbours the bait of sinne the snare of the soule and the gate of death The world is like vnto Salomons harlot that layes open her breasts to intice Trauellers and Strangers the two Dugs whereof are profit and pleasure with the first shee deales like Hypomanes and Attalanta who being to runne a race for a kingdome Hypomanes casting a ball of gold on this side and that side so besotted Attalanta that for to gaine the gold she lost the victory so doth the world mis-lead the gold desiring Merchant With the second the world deales like Cyrces who alluring Grillus to taste of her drugs made him so drunke with the pleasure thereof as that he neither remembred the dignitie of his person nor sight of his Country so deales the world with the pleasurable worldling But of this point we haue spokeÌ„ enough yet for all this so linckt in league are wee with the world that we can bee content to hazzard our saluation for the vncertaine inioying of it If we look vpon the rich Giants of the world which ioyne house to house and land to land to maintaine their proud backes golden heads and dainty throats they haue power to get riches policie to keepe them and time to possesse them but they want hearts to vse them they build great and gorgious houses as if they should liue for euer and surfeit themselues with dainty diet as if they should die to morrow hauing lesse charitie to the poore then the Deuill he desired to haue stones turned into bread but they turne Beefe and bread which was wont by the charity of the godly to feed the poore these they turne into stones to raise vp their Babel and into Silkes and Veluets to maintain them in their brauery and so by this means they haue almost brought the Common-wealth into ruine for there was neuer good house kept by Gentlemen since the Tailer measured their lands by the yard for now while they striue to aduance themselues on high they fearefully plunge their soules in misery But woe to such fat Buls of Bashan without speedy repentance they shall bee turned into hell and al the people that forget God
for heauenly our labour here may procure vs maintenance and what we want may be supplyed by the Charitie of our friends but no man can redeeme his soule Wee may win the world as Alexander did and yet for all this lose our soules Oh consider this all yee that forget GOD and are carelesse of your saluation we will bee at great cost for the assurance of our lands and for gaine wee will trauell farre and to bee sure of promotion we will endure much toyle and drudgery and shall we take no paines to be assured of heauen the gaine of glory and the saluation of our soules Naturally we are moued to seeke after those things by which wee may escape losse and gaine some good but oh the carelesnes of the most of vs for the saluation of our soules Men study to become learned they labour for friends striue for riches and seeke for promotion because the benefit of theÌ„ is much for mans welfare the want of them is held to be very hurtfull without them men are iudged but miserable yet riches honour are nothing so auaileable for vs here learning and friends cannot make them happy that haue them vnlesse they be assured of the saluation of their soules but alas we are like Balaam wee can wish that our soules may die the death of the righteous but are vnwilling to liue their life we would with Diues fare delicately euery day and yet with Lazarus looke for heauen at our ending Thus we passe our dayes in the sinfull vanities of the world and are carelesse of our owne saluation and so spending our dayes in pleasure suddenly we sink down into hell Oh but may some say God forbid wee should bee so carelesse for our soules as to lose them for the world wee hope we haue more care then so Vnto whom I answere if you be so carefull as you say you are what meanes that rising vp early and going to bed late what toyling carking caring for the world like the bleating lowing of the Amalekites sheep and Oxen what meanes that excessiue care for the belly and backe these cry so loud that men may see that the care of the most is for the world and the least care is for the soule the most precious Iewel we haue But thou that sayest thou art so careful for thy soule let me aske thee a question or two and let thy Conscience answer before God that knows the secrets of thy heart Doe you feele as great thirst after righteousnes as euer at any time you haue felt after drinke to refresh your drie body or as great a desire after Gods Kingdome as the Couetous man hath after money is your principall care night and day how you may please God canst thou sorrow and mourne more for sinne and for the losse of Gods fauour then for the losse of any worldly estate Canst thou put vp wrongs and iniuries done thee patiently and quietly and see Gods hand in them as Dauid did the cursing of Shimei If these things thou doest out of a good Conscience then I say thou art carefull for thy soule But on the contrary art thou a willing seruant of sinne more willing to doe what thy lust leads thee vnto then what God commands Doest thou bestow vpon the world that loue feare ioy delight strength and time which God challengeth and the godly in all ages haue beene carefull to performe and giue vnto him then where is thy care for thy soule doth thy life and couersation agree better with the wil of the Deuill then with the Will of God dost thou take more care paines to fulfil the Will of the flesh and Sathan then in doing what God requireth If thus thou doest for shame neuer say thou takest care for thy soule for the deuils take as much care as thou doest If the righteous can hardly bee saued where shall the prophane sinners appeare if they which haue set their faces towards heauen all the dayes of their life shall scarce be saued what shall become of those that haue set their faces against heauen all their life If wee haue care of our soules as wee ought where is our zeale to God-ward where is our reuerend feare of his Maiesty where is our seruice and obedience wee yeeld vnto our Lord and God where is our very reason that makes vs differ from beasts which by the instinct of Nature follow those things which are profitable to them and shunne those things which are hurtfull yet we hauing direction from the Word of God haue no desire of euerlasting happinesse nor feare of endlesse destruction Ob. Oh but may some say I mean to take care for my soule but as yet I haue no leisure I haue many businesses in hand and within short space I meane to put off my trade and by that time I shall haue got money and then I meane to betake my selfe to a religious course of life A. But doth not God in the first place command thee to seeke his Kingdome which is the greatest principall work and wilt thou seeke that last which hee hath commanded to seeke first Thou sayest thou wilt serue God when thou art rich but how doest thou know that thou shalt haue a heart then to serue God haue not wee seene many rich men haue made their riches their god and so haue withdrawne their hearts from God Againe no Calling must bee a calling from God euery man can finde time to spare out of his Calling to eate drinke sleepe and many times to prate game and the like and canst thou finde time to fill thy belly and no time to prouide for thy soule Oh but may some say I will repent when I am sicke then will I humble my selfe and seek for my soules health for sicknes will put me in minde of death Vnto which I answere suppose thou bee neuer sicke wilt thou neuer take care for thy soule haue wee not heard of many that haue died suddenly and so haue had no time to prepare for their soules health Was not Zimry and Cosby taken in the very act of sinne and so by the hand of Iustice sent to Hell without any time to repent in If old Ely had had his repentance to seeke and the prouision for his soule to get when he fell downe and his neck was broken in what a fearfull case had he beene Doe we not see many in their sicknesse to haue died senselesse like Nabal and it is iust with GOD that Soepe morieâ—s obliui scitur sui qui dum viâ—eret oblitus est Dei. they which haue forgotten him in their life should forget themselues in their death Did not the Israeliâ—es die suddenly with the Quailes in their mouthes and Ananias and Saphira his wife before they were summoned by sicknesse or thought of their soules and how many are there which are taken away by senselesse diseases as the Apoplexie dead Palsie or other diseases which
vp our peace with him Let vs therefore remember the counsell of the Wiseman to remember our Creator in the dayes of our youth and the rather 1. Because our liues are vncertaine Motiues to to induce vs. therefore they are compared to a Pilgrime to a Weauers shuttle to the flower of the Grasse to smoake to a Vapour to a Bubble to a dreame that is ended before it bee well begun All which shew the shortnesse of our dayes and what need had wee then to spend them in the seruice of God yet for all this many we see are ready to goe out of the world before they knew wherfore they came into it Therefore hee that is well now may be sicke and dead before he is aware Herod was well and in health when he began his flourishing Oration but Act. 21. 23. before the end thereof and his departure from the people the Angell of the Lord smote him and he was eaten vp of wormes by whose fearefull example wee may learne that if wee deferre our repentance but one day yea but one houre death may preuent vs before wee repent for no man can tell what dangers a day or an honre may bring forth 2. Because as we haue shewed before that the longer a man doth defer his repentance the harder it will be for him to repent to leaue and forsake his sin the naile that is driuen fast in w th a haÌ„mer with many strokes is not easily got out So sin the longer wee nourish it in our bosoms the harder at last it wil be to master and the weaker we shall be to ouercome it If a man haue receiued a deadly wound in his body hee will not deferre the cure of it to a yeare or a quarter or a moneth nay a weeke but will take the opportunitie of time Are men so carefull to preserue their bodily life but oh how carelesse are many for their soules which will post off their repentance to their sicknesse or old age But let no man so dangerously aduenture to tempt God as to put all to the successe of the last battle hauing no better weapons then these wherewith so many haue beene foyled 3. If we defer our repentance to the last we may in the meane time be depriued of the meanes by which God vsually worketh faith and repentance that is the preaching of the Word which may be tanslated either nationally or parochially from vs and if we neglect the meanes it is presumption for vs to think that God will worke faith and repentance without the means which being neglected our comforts are abated our faith weakned and the Deuill aduantaged against vs. If therefore we would be assured that our care is good and that wee shall not be depriued of our hope let vs take the opportunity of time while it is offered vnto vs for if it bee offered vs now who knowes whether it shall bee offered vs againe or no and the more pauses and delayes wee make the more vnfit we are to lay hold vpon the meanes hereafter for when Sathan hath so preuailed with men that he can bring them into a custome of sinne by negligence carelesnesse or any thing else what followes but hardnesse of heart and what followes hardnesse of heart but impenitency so we treasure vp Gods wrath against Rom. 2. 4 5 the day of wrath this should carefully be laid to heart of all but especially of those which haue so many lets and hindrances that they can finde no time to take care for their soules If old age make men vnfit to attend a King as Barzillai tels Dauid saying that â— Sam. 19. 35. he was vnfit to doe him seruice how vnfit are all those that deferre the seruing of GOD to their old age in which many haue as little taste and relish in godlinesse as euer he had in his meate 4. We are not sure we shall liue till old age how fearfull a thing theÌ„ is it for vs to defer our conuersion The Israelites perished Num. 11. 33. while the meate was in their mouthes and Iobs Children Iob 1. 18. were slaine while they were banquetting in their brothers house and many we see and heare of are taken away before they are aware happy then are wee if wee can learne wisdome by other mens harms if we could now descend into hell to behold the damned in their torments frying and burning in fire and brimstone If wee should aske them the cause of their misery one would tell vs he made account to repent him of his sinnes make his peace with God when hee was fick but alas he dyed suddenly and now must liue miserably in torments Another he meant to repent him when hee was old but he dyed while hee was young All of them would tell vs in effect that if they were to liue againe they would prepare for their soules presently Well they are gone and past recouery let vs now while we haue time and means opportunitie repent turne vnto the Lord that hee may shew mercie vnto our soules 5. Late repentance is not so acceptable to God as the willing seruice of youth Late repentance is feldome true repentance A good deuout Father disputing this point saith He Ambr. that repenteth and reconcileth himselfe at the last cast and passeth hence I confesse vnto you that we deny not vnto him what hee desireth Non dico saluabitur non dico damnabitur tu verâ— age poenitentiam dum sanuses but I dare not say hee went well hence I doe not presume I doe not promise I doe not say he shall be damned neither doe I say he shall be saued but if thou wilt bee assured and freed from doubt repent while thou art in health so runne that thou mayest obtaine and then thou shalt be sure to bee safe because thou repentedst at that time when thou mightst haue sinned but if thou wilt repent when thou canst sinne no longer thy sinnes haue dismissed thee and not thou them Si aetate prohibitus a peccato desistis debilitati gratias agendum Basil Qui prius a peccatis relinquitur quam ipsa relinquat ea non libere sed quasi ex necessitate condemnat Aug. de vera falsa poenitentia câ— 17. and if a man leaue sinne when age and weaknesse hinder him from following it wee must thanke his weaknesse and not him and it is no thanks to mortifie our sinnes when they are mortified by sicknesse True repentance must be voluntary performed willingly therefore let no man tarry so long in sinne as he can for God requireth the liberty of the wil he that will not take the time that God giues it is iust with God that he should seeke for time which shall be denied Let vs preuent it lest we bee preuented by it wee know in Praefâ—at praeuenire quam praeâ—eniri regard of our time wee haue but a short time to liue and that