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death_n	good_a	life_n	see_v	9,943	5	3.4753	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10931	Certaine sermons preached and penned by Richard Rogers preacher of Weathersfield in Essex, directly tending to these three ends. First, to bring any bad person (that hath not committed the sinne that is vnpardonable) to true conuersion. Secondly, to stablish and settle all such as are conuerted, in faith and repentance. Thirdly, to leade them forward (that are so setled) in the Christian life, to bring foorth the fruite of both. Whereunto are annexed diuers godlie and learned sermons of another reuerend and faithfull seruant of God, Mr. Samuel Wright, Bachelor of Diuinitie, late president of Sidney Colledge in Camebridge, deceased, tending also to the same ends, with diuers particular points in both, profitable and fit for these times.	Rogers, Richard, 1550?-1618.; Wright, Samuel, d. ca. 1612. aut	1612 (1612)	STC 21203; ESTC S116121	188,868	230

into his masters ioy But seeing this aduice and direction is not so soone receiued and vsed as giuen therefore there are many startings aside and goings out of the way and so they leaue their first loue as I haue said of the second sort to their small comfort And amongst many troubles and griefes which they bring vpon themselues thereby they complaine that they cannot haue the ioy that they first had at their beginning and what maruell seeing they haue waxed wearie of that esteeming and prising of faith and godly life which at first was in them Whereas they who with the good Philippians hold on their fellowship in the Gospel from the first day afterwards are alwaies readie to welcome death the Lords messenger For they thus growing on and abiding doe continue and shall be found faithfull and constant at their end whether by naturall or by violent death they be taken away all is one and they perseuering so shall be saued as Christ saith heere and receiued into heauenly habitations for euer FINIS TWO SERMONS VPON DEVT. 5. vers 28.29 Vers 28 Then the Lord heard the voice of your words when yee spake vnto me and the Lord said vnto me I haue heard the voice of the words of this people which they haue spoken vnto thee they haue well said all that they haue spoken Oh that there were such an heart in them to feare me and to keepe all my commaundements alwaies that it might goe well with them and with their children for euer MY purpose is beloued to shew what the things are which I intend God willing to deliuer to you at this time to the end ye may the better heare them and not wander vncertainely as ye must needes doe if ye know not what is intended to be taught you But yet so I will doe it as I may shew that the holy Ghost purposeth the same also in the words which I shall speake of The thing which I propound to teach is this That whereas the greatest part of people among vs doe thinke that if they can say Lord Lord they shall enter into the kingdome of heauen as our Sauiour giueth vs to vnderstand whereas they thinke also if they can vtter good words of the Scripture and professors of the Gospell that they serue God as well as the best and that God will blesse them accordingly and their posteritie they may know that it is nothing so for God requireth another and greater matter and that is that there be a true change both of heart and life and a constant holding out in both vnto the end To this purpose I intend to speake that which I meane to say of the words which I haue read vnto you And the same meaning had the Lord in speaking the words himselfe For to shew the occasion that moued him to vtter them which Moses repeated in the words before the text when the people of Israell had heard the Lord on mount Sinay to deliuer his law to thē out of the middest of the fire in clouds darkenes and were afraide to heare God speak vnto them any further they desired Moses euen all the chiefe of the tribes and elders to goe neere to the Lord and heare all that he should say to him and they would heare it againe at his mouth and doe it Then the Lord heard the voyce of their words when they spake to Moses and the Lord said to Moses I haue heard the words of this people which they haue spoke vnto thee they haue said well all that they haue spoken Oh that there were such an heart in them that they did feare mee and keepe all my commaundements alwaies that it might goe well with them and their children for euer Thus yee see also how the Lord in this text speaketh the same of the people to Moses which I am to deliuer vnto you This being done I will now shew in what manner I meane to handle the text and what order to follow therein and then proceede to the particulars This text deuideth it selfe most fitly into three parts The first is a mixed speech which the Lord vttereth to Moses commending somewhat and disliking somewhat of the peoples answere in these words This people hath said well but their heart is not sutable vnto their words The second thing is what the Lord wisheth to them and that is such an heart as might sute with their words from which onely and from no other heart this feare of God and obedience to his will which he liked of could come In these words Oh that there were such an heart in them to feare mee and to keepe all my commaundements alwaies The third is the fruite of such an heart and life and that is prosperitie and welfare to them and to their children for euer Now to begin with the first this mixed speech of the Lord which I so call because it commendeth somewhat in the peoples answere and disliketh somewhat in them it aloweth their words but condemneth their heart this mixed speech of the Lord I say teacheth vs clearely that men may possibly vtter good words and yet themselues bee without grace their words may be good but their hearts naught so that while they commend religion the preaching of the Gospell and the profession thereof yet for all that they may be vnprofitable in their liues and not sound and vpright in their hearts without which their speech helpeth them nothing And if it be said it is not sufficient for the proofe of this doctrine that is here said in the text for possiblie it may be gathered amisse let it be prooued by two or three witnesses that there may be no exception brought against it As that for example in the 50. Psalme verse 16. where yee may finde this Vnto the wicked said God what hast thou to doe to take my word in thy mouth and hatest to be reformed What needeth there any explanation of these words The Lord vehemently reprooueth them for speaking of his word as though they bare great affection to it when in the meane while they would not be subiect to it nor be directed by it To the which that may be added which our Sauiour saith This people draw neere to me with their lips but their hearts are farre from me in vaine doe such worship me And the Prophet Ezekiel agreeth most fitly with them both when he saith Sonne of man this people talke of thee by the walles and doores of their houses and say one to another come I pray you and heare what the word is that commeth from the Lord and they heare thy words but they will not doe them By all which it is manifest that to haue good words in our mouthes without the vprightnesse of the heart doth not commend vs to God And yet let not this be thought of any one to be spoken by me as though I made light of good

speech or thought it little worth which I acknowledge to be an excellent gift of God as Paul spake of it in the people of Corinth and I doe bewaile that the want of it is so great in so long continuance of the Gospell preached yea I say more that wee are commaunded of God to take vnto vs words to expresse our requests confession of sinnes thankesgiuing and our couenants of amendment of life and to be examples to others in our communication as well as in our conuersation and woe to them that indeuour not after it But to rest in it as if that were sufficient it is nothing and to stay our hope vpon it as if we thought it a testimonie of our happinesse it is no better then a bruised reede This therefore or any other such gifts of God are seemely ornaments in them that haue them for in most parts of the land ye shall not finde good words and godly speech common I need not say in Wales or Ireland but not in many places of England but dispised rather and laughed to scorne and rotten and filthie communication intertained with great applause in stead of it but yet as I haue said this alone of it selfe without other gifts of God is not currant nor that in which a man may haue contentment The reason is the heart of man is deceitfull and goeth not alwaies with the tongue and therefore we may well when we heare the one doubt of the other and yet the diuell can change himselfe into an angell of light and therefore can easilie perswade vs that euery good word or deed comming from vs is enough to saluation especially men being ready to thinke euery little to bee sufficient to serue God withall Whereas wee ought to search diligently and trie our waies and the whole course of our hearts and liues and pull downe the olde ruines of both and set vp the contrarie in stead thereof in both and all little enough to make a due proofe vnto vs that we are partakers of the promise of eternall life which to be necessarie to assure vs of the same and no lesse that saying of the Prophet Micah doth liuely shew where he bringeth in the wicked speaking thus when they sought how to be acceptable to God that they might please him Wherewith shall we come before the Lord and bow our selues before the high God Shall I come before him with burnt offerings Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rammes or with ten thousand riuers of oyle Shall I giue my first borne for my transgression Euen the fruite of my bodie for the sinne of my soule But the Prophet answered farre otherwise then they looked for saying He hath shewed to thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee surely to doe iustice and to loue mercie and to humble thy selfe and to walke with God Whereby he sheweth that man cannot direct himselfe in the great matters of pleasing God and seeking his fauour but God must guide him therein to the end hee may haue peace and consequently that good words are not sufficient to rest in for welfare and happines without better furniture of grace and goodnes And to goe a steppe further if good speech as commendation of the word praising of God and communication of his works and will be not to be rested in in what case are they who haue almost no good speech but rather that which commeth from them is profane foolish corrupt and such as ouerthwarteth and crosseth goodnesse But here a question ariseth about the people mentioned in the text for if their answere were good why was it not allowed meant they not as they spake I say yes but that freed them onely from hypocrisie but was no argument of their sinceritie for there is a middle sinne betwixt them both and may be called halting or not vpright and may cleerely be discerned by that which is spoken of the Israelites in the Psalme Who made a couenant there with God and had not to doe with men and therefore though they brake and went from it they could not be charged with hypocrisie but yet they dealt treacherously with the Lord in that they were not carefull to keepe and performe it The words are these in effect When he slew them they sought him yea they returned and sought God early but they flattered him with their mouth and dissembled with him in their tongue for their heart was not vpright with him neither were they faithfull in his couenant Now from this that hath been said in the answere to the question a good poynt is to bee obserued namely that wee take great heed when we couenant with God about amendment either in generall or to forsake any particular sinne in our life though we doe it in secret no man knowing thereof I say great heed is to be taken that we doe not afterwards waxe remisse and cold in going about to performe the same for then God will count it but flattering and deceiuing of him which he will not put vp at our hands for why men will not beare such indignitie one at anothers hands I speake this seeing many neuer suspect any danger to be comming toward them by breach of couenant to God if they cannot be challenged for hypocrisie before men Which indeed is the grosser of the two and it is the sinne of the most to vtter great words before men of their godlinesse when yet they deny the power thereof but yet the other is also odious to God when men so slightly regard the promise which they haue in their good moode made to him of obedience as though it were not to be looked after Such are al they who hauing in their trouble sicke bed or at their receiuing of the Sacrament professed seriouslie to turne to the Lord haue yet started aside afterwards like a broken bow I haue my selfe sometime had good hope of people when I visiting them in their likeliehood of death haue heard their franke and free promise made to God of forsaking their former ill life But when I haue seene so slight fruite to follow in many of them they returning after their recouerie to their wicked course as the dogge to his vomit tempting God thereby in a fearefull manner which is Pharaos sinne my good hope hath been much cooled and this I haue learned to bee so true by long experience that I dare not rest vpon such couenants And yet God forbid but that many couenanting the same by like occasions should looke conscionably to performe their couenant afterward though too many fall from them according to that which is said by Dauid in the Psalme I haue sworne and will performe it that I will keepe thy righteous iudgements Thus much of the mixed speech of God in the first part of the text Now it followeth what the Lord wished to the people in the second part And

mind and considered duely what a great sinne it is then truely lamented pardon craued with the prayer of faith and full purpose and endeauour against the same after and then to set afresh vpon the practise of christianity againe and neuer to thinke it well vntill this remedy be vsed This is to be done when this loue is decayed which to doe is a certaine violence vsing against our selues by more then an ordinary turning to God againe and a wary walking afterward to preuent the like And he●re I thinke it very meete to admonish you the more earnestly to beware of and to preuent this sin for two reasons which I vrge out of the text The one this the other followeth afterward seeing it shall bee the case of many to fall thus for so our Sauiour foretelleth saying because iniquitie shall abound the loue of many shall waxe cold And if many be like to fall thus what are we in this age to whom this watchword shall come that we should looke to auoide the danger of it vnlesse we be daily and much occupied in laboring and endeauoring to shun and preuent it And for mine owne part I am not ashamed to confesse if any lesse experienced herein regard the word of him that hath troden in this way before them that for more then thirtie yeares I haue feared the loosing of this first loue by reason of the strong prouocations thereto that I haue obserued from time to time to arise one after another by meanes whereof I haue seene good cause to auoide the same with all possible care that so doing I or any other in like state may much the better finish our course with ioy And yet this caueat I would might be well marked that all zeale in our first receiuing of the Gospel and beleeuing in Christ hath not been to be commended as that which may of necessitie vrge a Christian to the retaining and continuing of it afterwards as if it were a part of our first loue when as it is not to be denied that there was in our first beginning as there is daily in those who are effectually called to beleeue vnto saluation especially of the ignoranter sort much good meaning without knowledge and much froth in a great deale of zeale so that it should vnwisely be done of Preachers and farre from good discretion to vrge vpon them their former practise simplie without respect had of zeale voide of good ground and warrant of Gods word As for example many well minded when they were first brought to the true imbracing of the Gospell thought that all other who were not as themselues and iumpe of their fise and measure in zeale were to be iudged and censured as they thought good namely to haue had nothing in them neither were to be kept companie with whereas both themselues bewray their owne weakenes sufficiently all may see and beside who doubteth but that such as are teachable should be well hoped of and incouraged to be stedfast in the good things wherein they had well begun and so to be brought on to the receiuing of faith and the bearing of Christs yoke as true Christians doe Another great weakenesse hath possessed others and as full of error that in their zeale at their first beginning they haue thought that they must oft breake off their necessarie worke to pray and reade yea and that in the time of doing of their worke they must be praying rather then minding of and duely regarding the busines they had in hand Then the which what might be thought more sauoring of ignorance and blindnesse whereas they ought to haue knowne and been perswaded that God hath appointed a time to pray and all other things to giue place thereto when opportunitie serueth but yet in time of necessarie businesse that the same should be faithfully and diligently attended and followed and the mind not to be carried after other matters seeing God is serued therein euen as he is in reading praying and the like Also many haue fondly and falsely been perswaded that whiles they are occupied in holy exercises as prayer reading conference then they haue been more holy then others of their brethren but if they haue by frailtie failed therein yea or by other waightie occasions or if they haue waxen afterward more dull through want of knowledge or forgetfulnes vnfitter to Gods seruice then they were before then they haue iudged themselues the worst of all Gods people if they haue not denied that they were any of them at all Many such weaknesses which yet they count points of holines accompany the most of Gods faithful ones of the ignoranter sort at their first entrance into Christ who seeing better things are found in them are not imputed to them by the Lord but yet must they not for all that be iustified in them and borne with neither thinke that all things wherein they haue a good meaning must be holden for a vertue Euen as Naaman the Syrian being brought from his idolatrie by the Prophet Elisha and perswaded to worship the true God Iehoua only did in zeale and of a good meaning desire of him that two mules load of the earth that was in the land of Israel might be giuen him wherupon he might stand to offer sacrifice when he should come home as though that earth had been holier then that which was in his owne countrie Likewise Mary Magdalene and the other good women whom Christ before his death had most sweetly seasoned and perfumed with the odours of his heauenly doctrine so that they beleeued in him and followed him came of a zealous mind the third day after his buriall to the sepulchre to see him supposing that he had been still dead and not risen againe and brought sweete ointments with them to annoint his bodie By the which ceremonie and custome vsed to their dead in those dayes although they did confirme their faith in the hope of the resurrection after the manner of their Fathers who did so yet who doubteth but that they were led with blind zeale therein toward Christ both in seeking him that liued among the dead and also in going about to annoint Christs bodie as if it should haue putrified in the sepulchre like other mens By this that hath been said it is manifest that all things that the faithfull do in a good meaning are not to be paternes for themselues or others to follow vnlesse they haue had good warrant for the doing of them and especially at their first conuersion Thus much for the caueat or watchword before giuen namely that all zeale in good people at the first ought not to be taken for sound and substantiall I will now proceed Remember therfore that I set downe two reasons why Gods seruants should take heed in a speciall manner that they be not made cold in their loue as Christ hath foretold it shall be the case of many by meanes of the wickednesse which

they shall see in the world One of these reasons I haue handled and that is seeing it shall be the case of many to do so The other is this because they whose loue waxeth cold to God to the preaching of the Gospell and to his people they fall also from the duties which by that loue they should performe or which is all one with it they do them to no purpose so that God accepteth them not According to the words of the Apostle If I giue all my goods to the poore and my bodie to be burnt and haue no loue and though I speake with the tongues of Angels I am as sounding brasse or a tincking cymball So then if the best things which we do be sin without this loue it followeth that if that grace of loue be cold and dead in vs all that we do is abhorred of God I haue now spoken of the second sort prophes ied of by our Sauiour whose loue waxeth cold by the abundance of iniquitie which they see in the world and this I haue done as briefely as I might with any edifying I passe to the third namely of those who continue vnto the end in a godly life such he saith shall without question be saued Which words of Christ must wisely bee considered for hee doth not exclude from eternall life all such as haue left their good beginnings for a season if they do bethinke themselues better afterwards and returne againe to the Lord by true repentance for else none of the last mentioned sort could be saued neither doth he exclude such as haue a long time led a wicked race if they find mercie in their life time at Gods hands to be conuerted for if it were so then none of the first sort could obtaine eternall life But though he meane such as continue to the end in the good course in which they begun long before their death of which there is no question yet he meaneth also such who at their death shall be found penitent whether they begin then or whether long before and reuolted or turned aside againe so as in the truth of their hearts they returne at the last But let not this be taken as though it were a small matter to do the one or the other nay rather they doe both boldly and dangerously which dare tempt God after such a manner yet if any dare aduenture in that sort it is true that no man ought to debarre them of this libertie that if they confesse and forsake their sinne they shall find mercie Now to come to the words seeing they only who continue to the end shall bee saued and are blessed the chiefe point heere to be debated is who is he that continueth and how he groweth to it The answere whereto is at hand that they who begin well and daily go forward shall continue to the end and thereby and no other way we come to it that being excepted that I said before that they must not be denied mercie who repent at last Of both these therefore somewhat is requisite to be said which briefely shall be done And of the first the lesse seeing in shewing before in the first point how they who haue caused iniquitie to abound should repent I haue declared that such repenting is the right way to make a good end Therefore this onely I will say of a good beginning that it is requisite that all that intend and go about it be stedfast and stablished therein I meane in faith in loue in patience c. not flitting and inconstant This Saint Peter requireth when he saith Take heed that ye be not led away from your stedfastnesse in knowledge and grace This requireth truth care and wisedome therefore doe the fewer attaine to it to be builded and setled in their most holie faith but the most professors are off and on cheaping but not buying therefore in euery temptation or affliction for the most part they are doubting that they haue not repented aright and that they haue no faith neither euer had whereas a foundation well laid stands in stormes and tempests and is not throwne downe with wind nor weather And in speaking of this so worthie a point I cannot but bewaile a common and dangerous practise amongst people and those of the better sort that few by all their hearings and readings are able to collect and lay together a plaine path-way to saluation and a direction to a godly life but by halues or by shreds and pieces for either they faile in knowledge and so they are farre from the right way so that if they would neuer so faine enioy the benefit of both they know not how to go about it or else they seeke not with all their hearts to follow that which they know if their iudgements be sound and that maketh all that they pretend or go about as farre from a good foundation as the former And should men thinke we begin in faith and repentance in such a maner Is such a confused and raw entrance into it like to profit it This is all that I will say of the first of the two things that lead to a perseuering in a godly course to our end and that is a right manner of beginning For he that hath made a good entrance is halfe the way to a good end but he that begins erroniously and amisse shall the further he goeth the further go out of the way let this therefore be well regarded and looked to The second which being adioyned to the former wil most certainly bring continuance in a Christian course is a daily proceeding in and according to such a good beginning as I haue said to be required that is to build proportionably to it that as some true measure of knowledge faith hope patitience the feare of God and other grace is attained and stedfastnes therin so that they be vpholden maintained and preserued daily as precious things worth the cost and labor that is bestowed vpon them I meane that they who haue beleeued and repented do so still and endeuour aboue all things to hold out therin from day to day As the Fathers mentioned in the Epistle to the Hebrewes were said to liue by faith that is set it a worke after they beleeued and they that repented at Iohns baptisme were exhorted by him to bring forth the fruits of amendment afterward that so they might well testifie that they went on in repentance still And therefore must watching praying hearing and such other good meanes be vsed daily with as good appetite as at the first beginning that we may grow thereby The which course being obserued we cannot faile but be found of the Lord in peace whensoeuer he shall come for our deliuerance out of this vaile of miserie and happie shal that seruant be whom his master when he commeth shall find so occupied he shall bid him enter

to fall away neither ought we to be discouraged at it if wee haue true faith our selues as though we must needes fall away too for such were neuer setled in beleeuing neither euer had sauing knowledge though they haue bin zealous Thirdly such as haue long prized the pearle and yet are now dazeled againe with pleasure and profit let vs bewaile them whether they be ministers or people Many learned men haue bin such who had the Gospell in an high account sometime Oh they haue profitted fairely Note and be come about commendably are they not thinke we that they bee turned to their first sottishnes when God had done so much for them as to reueale himselfe so farre vnto them All this danger they are come to seeing they did not nourish their sparkles of good desires which gaue good hope but they quenched them and suffered them goe out Therfore it followes that the wise Merchant went by and by and solde all that he had and bought that pretious pearle And here I will passe to the third point and shew how the good hearer is herein like to the merchant man as he hath resembled him in both the former that is in seeking good pearles and finding one of great price Now because the excellēcy of this pearle doth yet more appeare heerby that this hearer doth as the marchant go and sel al that he hath buyeth this pearle I wil first speak of this last action of his and then make vse of it It is said he went his way and sold al that he had and bought that pearle This going away first sheweth that he did not stand still to muse doubt and linger out the time but as a wise marchant soe soone as he seeth a penyworth to be bought which may inrich him he leaues all other things and sets himselfe about that busines And this teacheth vs that we are not to linger nor deferre the time when God reueileth any excellent fruite or benefit that the Gospell bringeth vnto vs but presently goe our way and endeuour to make it our owne But how rarely shal we finde this to be done when for the most part euery where men practise the contrary Many see and will confesse that there is in the Gospell most precious treasure and worthy to be imbraced but they thinke the time too soone as yet to goe about it when they haue followed their other pleasures and delights in their youthfull dayes or when they haue obtained these or those purposes of theirs then they will entertaine the Gospell and sell their other delights for it euen as he who would first goe bury his father which Christ reproued and then he would follow him And thus it comes to passe vsually with these men as it doeth with careles and vnthrifty marchants that slacke defer and driue off the time of their commodity whiles it is to be had and repent them after when it is too late So these men they defer and delay the time in which God setteth out the pearle of the Gospell as it were to sale that they may buy it at a small and easie reckoning vntill the market of God be done and the day of grace be past that they cannot then haue it would they neuer soe gladly For as wisdom calleth and crieth vnto men a long time and cannot be entertained of them for their owne good Soe wisdome threatneth that she will refuse to heare them in the middest of their trouble and in the day wherein affliction and anguish shall like a whirlewind come vppon them Though they cry neuer so loude and seeke her neuer so earnestly she will not answer nor be found of them Wherefore it is good for vs to follow the counsell of the holy Ghost while it is called to day to heare the voice of God and to hearken to wisdom whiles she calleth vnto vs for we know not how long the day of grace will last with vs. It may be not a yeere or a day or an houre and if that be past then it is too late for vs to seeke after it we must haue our lamps ready burning with the fiue wise virgins if we wil enter in with the bridegrome but if we linger and deferre the buying of our oyle till hee come wee may knocke and call but shall finde no entrance nor ingresse for vs as they in the Gospell that were bidden to the supper and refused of all other they were debarred from it So wee see then the wisedome of this marchant commended vnto vs. Hee doth not foreslacke nor foreslowe any time but presently goes about the purchase of this pearle So that in earthly delights we see we soone resolue but twenty lets are in the way to hinder vs in heauenly Let vs next see what course he takes to get it He sels all that he had and buyeth that pearle By selling and buying here we are to vnderstand not such a marchandise as Papists make that say by their goods and substance they thinke to purchase heauen to themselues For there is no equality betweene all that we haue or can haue and betweene the kingdome of heauen but in things that are bought there is some equality betweene the price and the thing that is bought So that if they by their almes or good works whatsoeuer be able to purchase heauen at Gods hand it followeth that they are as profitable to God and benefit him as much by their almes and other good workes as he by heauen doth benefit them But we know the doctrine of our Sauiour when we haue done all we can do though we giue al our substance yea and our owne life for Gods glory we must say and acknowledge as the truth is we are but vnprofitable seruants vnto him For we haue done no more then duty required at our hands And therefore marke how the Apostle Paul calleth death the wages of sinne but life eternall the free gift of God For the wages saith he of sinne is death but life eternall is the free gift of God in Christ Iesus our Lord. So that death and condemnation we may deserue for it is the wages of sinne but life eternall we cannot deserue because it is the free gift of God But to proceede by selling all he meaneth the same that he doth in other places by forsaking and leauing all and by buying the pearle and getting the right possession and assurance of it to our selues he meaneth that we should be sure of it euen as those things which we haue bought and paide for are our owne As for that which he saith first he selleth al this is not ment simplie as if the possession of our goods and the enioying of the Gospell would not stand together but he speaketh comparatiuely that rather then we will not get the Gospell when we may haue it we will abandon al whatsoeuer beside and retaine it The like speech is vsed by our

with afflictions and those that they haue laid on them be not sore nor grieuous therefore when any come vpon them of any waight indeed they cast them off as impatient in bearing the burthen Neither let any say to me this that the children of God are alwaies vnder the crosse neither are they long without some afflictions seeing their life is compared to a sowing in teares For notwithstanding this many are their outward blessings also especially where the pure preaching of the Gospell is enioyed for many troubles may be easily swallowed vp where that is to helpe to digest them And yet what poore and weake commendation may be giuen of the ioyfull welcoming of the troubles which are sent to such for the most part And this to be true which I say those times do proue wherein they haue some load of affliction laid vpon them for what earnest seeking to God is in them or patience to beare them Indeed if they continue or waxe more grieuous so that they can neither auoid them neither is there any hope of earthly helpe left vnto them to come out of them then perhaps and not till then for the most part when they see no other remedy it may be seene that God is sought vnto seriously and then they stirre vp their faith to lay hold of assistance from God with some confidence when all other helpe faileth For example when by some sore visitation and sicknesse that is like to be vnto death God awaketh any of his the disease permitting and giuing libertie to the partie afflicted for some sicknesse is more violent then other it may be seene sometime that he lieth more like vnto one that preacheth and giueth encouragement and exhortation to repentance ioyfully rather then as one readie to die but how rare is this to see for in many smaller troubles perhaps patience will hardly be found And whereas some of Gods corrections cause sorrow only to the afflicted without paine to the bodie as the losse of friends or goods some cause sorrow that commeth from paine as sicknesse and grieuous diseases it may be that the former may worke some good now or then but for the most part the latter if extremitie hinder not leaue the best fruit behind them Howsoeuer it be there is no doubt but that this grace is too much wanting and the rather it is the lesse sought seeing we leane too much to temporarie holds and stayes and for that our hearts runne after earthly things inordinately as health riches peace c. though we see by long experience that there is no hold of them nor any safe resting in them And this lingring heere like Lots wife must be purged out of vs and chased from vs or else we shall degenerate from the faithfull in former ages and shew too truely that we be not led with their spirit when we being so nestled heere can so hardly go out of our selues to welcome the troubles which God sendeth to weane vs from hence and do not rather pray that we may reioyce vnder them and be thankfull in them The third thing in this first part of the text is that euill persons shall haue small cause in the end to reioyce of their hard proceedings against the seruants of God howsoeuer they pursue them with great delight for God will surely take part with them against their enemies As heere we see in the Iailer whom he terrified while Paul and Silas sung for ioy in so much that he and other his companions when they heard it might see that they had a God that could and would comfort them when hee himselfe their wicked aduersarie thought he had loaden them with anguish and sorrow and that this their God could astonish him with feares and desperatenesse when they whom he oppressed were merrie How God doth this in the world to come it is cleere enough by that Scripture to the Thessalonians where it is said That it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble his and to them that are troubled rest when the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heauen with his mighty Angels in flaming fire Indeed in this world that is not alwaies seene but yet God doth it euen heere also while he professeth that he will blesse them that blesse his and curse them that curse his and while he sheweth fearefull iudgements vpon them who did sore vexe his good seruants and constraineth other to crie out and with their owne mouthes to acknowledge that he plagueth them for their sakes whom they hated and persecuted For examples of the first kind Zidkiiah is one the arch-prophet of Baal who did not only feed Ahab with lies and false messages as from God when he demanded of him what the will of God was in a doubtfull and waightie case but also smote Micaiah the true Prophet of the Lord and withstood him for speaking the truth For this very cause he was constrained afterwards with feare to hide him from chamber to chamber Another example of the first kind is Corah with his companie for resisting and rising against Moses the true seruant of God charging him to be an vsurper of the Priests office and to take too much vpon him and himselfe to bee Gods true Priest for the which as Moses witnesseth he was swallowed vp of the earth with those which were of his conspiracie Examples of the latter sort is Pharaoh who after ten warnings by God in strange punishments for not letting the people of Israel go to serue the Lord out of his land but pursuing them still euen into the sea was in the middest thereof drowned when he was constrained to confesse that the Lord tooke part with Israel against him all the Egyptians saying We will flie from the face of Israel for the Lord sighteth for them against the Egyptians Another example is Iudas who betraying his Master into the hands of the high Priests for money was compelled to confesse before them that set him on worke in a most heauie torment of conscience casting the money againe before them I haue sinned in betraying the innocent blood By all these it appeareth that they shall haue small cause to glorie of their winnings in the end who offer hard measure to Gods people the Lord himselfe crying out thus vnto them Touch not mine annointed nor do my Prophets no harme Neither let any obiect heere that they know them not to be such for so they will affirme in their mad mood and raile on them who yet when they will speake as they are perswaded in good aduisednesse will say of them as Saul did of Dauid that he was more righteous then he and as the King of Babylon said to Daniel thou art the seruant of the most high God So let faithfull Christians rest in their innocencie and in the witnesse of a good conscience and let them count it banquetting

third he followeth his ambitious humour in seeking after fauour and authoritie and renowne in the world But these are all but deceitful pearles They make a glistering shew to a mans cōceit a farre off but when he hath them and considereth them aright and as they are then the vanitie and the basenesse of them appeares and therefore they that follow these with tooth and naile as they say they are alwaies restlesse while they think of the vncertainty and momentany state of them and neuer satisfied with any thing they haue attained Neither the voluptuous man with his pleasure nor the couetous man with his wealth nor the ambitious with his honor nor any man with that he hath neuer so greatly desired For euen the very pleasures and ioyes and delights of the voluptuous man are as a continual feauer or ague to vex and disquiet his mind howsoeuer he make a faire shew and seem to be merry happy yet he euer carries a sting in his conscience that inwardly prickes and torments him in such sort as in his greatest mirth and iollitie he neuer can heartily and soūdly reioyce And though the pleasures be as hony for a little time in his mouth yet he shal find thē whē they are sunck into his stomacke to be as bitter and as vnpleasant as gall The like may be said of the couetous and ambitious person First for the couetous man suppose he hath heaped vp and gathered together his chests full of gold and treasure at least more then euer he thought he should yea let him haue got all the pearles and precious stones into his owne possession that the East and West Indians can afford what hath he gathered together but euen a heape of cares to vex to disquiet himselfe withall for as before he got and scraped them together with great paine and toile and infinite dangers which he hath passed through so now he is to take no lesse care to keepe them as being many wayes in continuall danger of losing them And suppose he lose them as he shall either in his life or at his death then it is an exceeding griefe and heart-sore vnto him to see by experience how vaine flitting and vncertaine things they be that he hath so excessiuely toiled for and kept with so great care And hence it commeth oft to passe that he hauing lost that wherein the confidence of his heart was set he fals into despaire whence hardly he is euer able to be recouered The ambitious man in like sort he highly priceth promotion and rising vp from a meaner estate to an higher degree as the meane cottager if he could be but a yeoman and he a man of worship he should be therwith content and if the worshipfull could come to be but a Knight and the Knight a Lord or an Earle then he would desire to be no higher he saith but would rest well satisfied but when he hath gotten his Knighthood Lordship or Earledome which were the pearles he trauelled for he cannot yet be at rest because he sees other in places aboue him he is yet a subiect and vnder a Prince if he were a King then he thinkes he should be full content and aspire no further But it is not a kingdome of a whole countrie no nor of the whole world that is able to stay the ambitious affection of men Alexander the great Monarch hauing in a manner conquered the whole world is said to haue wept when he heard some dispute that there were no more worlds But not to stand particularly in exemplifying this point I will bring one who had his part in them al pleasures profits and honor let him tell vs the worth of them Salomon was such an one he made triall of all wayes and spared no paine labour nor cost to trie what fruit and commoditie was to be reaped of them all He had honor and fame the greatest that euer any Prince had that liued on the earth For pleasure he inioyed whatsoeuer his wisdome could deuise and his hart desire He had his Orchards and Gardens planted and set with all the most choice and excellent trees and herbes whereof he had not only the sight to feed and please his eye the sent to feed his smell and the fruit to please his taste but the exact knowledge of euery tree and simple therein which he also committed after to writing and imparted to others If musick might delight he had besides the solemne quier of singing men such a quier as no Prince in the world had vnto this day singing men singing women which he had priuately for his owne delight he had his possession of seruants of Beeues of sheep of houses of vineyards of siluer of gold of all precious stones and all the choice treasures of other kingdomes and prouinces aboue any King that euer raigned in Ierusalem or that we can reade of in any histories And all these did he enioy with great peace and prosperitie both at home and abroad So that if any man could euer be happie by following his pleasures Salomon was the man He had a greater wisedome then euer had any to inuent and contriue and deuise and he had all meanes at will to compasse and effect them all If any man could be happie by his wealth Salomon was the man for he had siluer as the stones of the street and gold for all his vessels and the adorning of all his buildings and store of rich and precious stones If honor might make a man happie he had more then euer any Prince in regard of the incomparable glorie and wisdome which God gaue vnto him All these Salomon enioyed as much to his desire as euer any hath done or shall do And what was the happines that he found in them Surely vanitie and vexation of spirit And what then should we account of these Did Salomon find these to be vanitie and most vaine and emptie of all goodnesse and shall we thinke to find something where he could find nothing to find substance where hee found but shadowes and vanitie and to find happinesse and a paradise of pleasures wherein he found nothing but trouble disquiet and vexation of spirit He tried all these and he tried them throughly and as they say vnto the proofe and found them in experience such as in his Ecclesiastes he hath laid them downe to be and as euery one that will be so foolish as to make triall shall find them to bee by his owne experience Let this be instead of many examples vnto vs. So that all men we see seeke for pearles and for good pearles but the most are deceiued with false and counterfeit pearles when they come to the triall they find them as base and of as small value and reckoning to rest in as the dirt which is vnder their feet so vaine and vile are all the pleasures and riches and honors and worldly things to make a man happie which men