a stinking smell chases away Doues so the noysome smell of sinne puts to flight the Angell that is appointed to defend vs. And so Iosephus writes De tello Iudaico Li. 7. c. 12. that when Ierusalem was to be besieged of the Romanes in which siege it was destroyed before Vespasian came with his traine there was a voyce of Angels heard therein crying Migremus hinc let vs depart hence Cypâ—ian therefore saies pithily Hoc sunt peccata lapsis Ser. 5. de lapsis quod grando frugibus quod turbidum sydus arboribuâ— quod armentis pestilens vastitas quod nauigijs saeua tempestas sinne to the offender is as haile to corne as a scorching starre to trées as a murraine to beasts as a fierce tempest to ships For sin destroyes the fruite of all good worke corrupts the powers of the soule and brings man wholly to destruction If a Marchant after long and perillous sayling from the Indies bring home gold siluer and many pretious commodities and the next day after his returne doe hazard all his wealth at one cast of the dice and so loose it who wil not call him both foolish and wretched but in the same case and farre worse is he that will leese the good things which he hath alreadie wrought for the pleasure of sinne and by suffering it to raigne in his mortall body If then we will not be diuorced and diuided from God if we will not be a prey to all our spirituall enemies if we will not chase away the holy Angels of God which are the ministring spirits to the heires of saluation Heb. 2.14 if we will not haue our former good déedes forgotten and vnrewarded let vs not suffer sinne to rule manage and gouerne vs but let vs set before vs the example of Lysimachus the King of Macedonia Plut. in lib. de â—â—enda bona valetudine who waging warre among the Scythians being enforced by extreame thirst to yéeld both himselfe and his hoast to his enemies after he had dranke cold water he burst out into these words Good God! for how short a pleasure how great a kingdome haue I lost so let euery sinner say when the pleasure of sin is past O what an heauenly kingdome haue I lost for short pleasures sake let him sincerely say thus and be truly sorrie and rise by vnfained repentance and not throwe his soule againe into the like danger by suffering sinne to haue the vpper hand and to raigne in his mortall body For there is almost no sinner but if he be demaunded why hee committeth sinne hée will alleadge pleasure and delectation for a reason Call the drunkard to an account he will speake of the strength and pleasantnes of his liquour Call the vnchast to an account hée will speake of the Syrens Song and alluring baite of incontinencie Call the couetous and gréedie to an account and he will speake of the cordiall glittering and tentation of money Call the proud and ambitious to an account and he will speake of the tickling and prouocation of honour and reputation Call the malitious reuenger to an account and he will speake of the delitiousnesse of reuenge and how it is swéeter then life it selfe to tread downe and to subdue an Enemie Thus pleasure tempts a sinner to commit iniquitie but what is the end and sequele of this delight What but this that the pleasure of sinne which in the beginning is as swéet as the honey combe in the end becomes as bitter as gall and wormewood When sinne is permitted to raigne and hath the reines loosed vnto it then at last commeth the worme of conscience then commeth the iudgement of God which the vngodly cannot escape Pro 2â— 1 â—sâ—â— â—7 â—0 1 â—o 3 2â— then the wicked flee wâ—en none pursues them then the wicked are as a tumbling sea which cannot rest then the conscience hath no tranquility and peace for destruction and vnhappinesse are in the waies of the obstinate and obdurate sinner and the way of peace haue they not knowne and because they haue eaten the sowre grape of iniquiâ—ie their teeth are set on edge and tâ—ey cannot discerne and taste Iâ—r 31 3â— how good and gratious the Lord is Behold â—osepâ—s brethren when they went first into Egypt and had endured some vexation they presently reâ—embred the sinne which they had committed twentie yeares before against their brother Iosep Gen. 42.11 saying We iusâ—ly suffâ—r this 〈◊〉 wâ—â—â—â—â—ed agâ—inst our Brother We thâ—â— wâ—llowed in sinne shall feare the ratling oâ—â— leafe shall thinke euery bush to be a tormeâ—ter shal imagiâ—e that the flashes of lightniâ—g shall presently consume him This is that which the Psalmist saies Behoâ—d hee shâ—ll trauell with wickedneâ— Psa 14.1 for he hath concâ—iued misch efe but he shall bring forth a lye he hath made a pit and digged it and is fâ—llen into the pit that he made Vpon which Saint â—hrâ—sâ—stomâ— saith that the trauell of a sinner is not like the trauell of a woman with childe for a woman though she endure extreame paines in her trauell yet for ioy that a man is borne into the world shee â—emembers her sorrowes no more but â—he â—rauell of a sinner is like the hatching of the viper wherein the young broode gnaweth out the damnes belly though there be delâ—gâ—t and pleasure in the conception nourishment and bringing forth of wickednesse yet when the sinner be holds the vgly and deformed childe of sinne he is touched with â—nguish and remorce of conscience And so Saint Austen speakes truly Vo uisti Dominâ— Confes l. 1. c. 1. uaâ—st vt omnis animus mordinatus sibi ipsi sit â—aeâ— O Lord it is thy will and to it comes to pâ—sse that euery inordinate aâ—d sinfull minde should be a puâ—ishment to it selfe Therefore since the raigning of sinne in our mortall bodies doth cause the sting and worme of conscience at the last let it not suffer it to raigne in our mortall bodies neither giue our selues ouer to vngodlinesse to commit sinne euen with gréedines that wee may enioy that peace with God and quietnes of minde Pro. 19.13.15 which is a continuall feast and most daintie banquet more to be desired and embraced then all the gold and treasures of the rich Indies Thus we haue seene good and bad life and death cursing and blessing and who will now doubt what to chuse and what to refuse But as when the swéetnes profit of meat is commended to one that is hungrie the comfort of drink is declared to the thirsty this is no remedie but rather a greater griefe to the hungrie and thirstie except a way be shewed them how they may satisfie their néeds so all the exhortation to good works commendation of them shal be vneffectual and rather meat and drinke shall be shewed to the hungry thirsty then leaue giuen them to eate drink if it doo not appeare what good works
that the infirmitie is expelled the Patient cased so God workes in vs by his grace vt peccatum consumatur homo liberetur that sinne is consumed and we set at libertie to the end we may fréely serue the Lord in holines righteousnes all the daies of our life Or else the Kingdome of God in this place may be taken for the kingdome of glorie which is the scope last ende of all the godlie and vnto which we are directed and led by the kingdome of grace For as among the Romanes Honour had a temple and Vertue had a temple but these temples were so built and scituate that none could come into the temple of Honour but hée must first passe through the temple of Vertue so there is a kingdome of grace in this life and there is a kingdome of glorie in the life to come but these two Kingdomes haue such coherence and societie betwéene themselues that none can enter into the kingdome of glorie except he walke through the kingdome of grace nor none may be a subiect in the latter except hée haue bene a subiect in the former In the kingdome of glorie there shall be perfect knowledge here wée know but in parte and sée darkely through a glasse 1. Cor. 13 9. In the kingdome of glorie shal be eternall life peace quietnes ioy and concord here our life is as a Flower our peace is soone broken our quietnes troubled our ioy molested our concorde dissolued In the kingdome of glorie is no death sorrowe wearines infirmitie hunger thirste pouertie slauerie Reu. 21.27 For no imperfection or vncleannes enter into the newe Ierusalem héere the waues of affliction and tribulation tumble one vpon the others necke as long as wee carrie about vs this bodie of death Briefly if we liue here in prosperitie yet we liue subiect to mortalitie and sicknes yet we sée but a vaine and wicked world yet we behold but mortall men and dwell but with sinfull men and conuerse but with inconstant men but in the kingdome of glorie our bodies shall be immortall the Maiestie of God shall be the obiect of our eyes Hebr. 12.22 the company of innumerable Angels and the assemblie and congregation of the first borne which are written in heauen and the spirites of iust and perfect men shall be those with whom we shall continually abide and dwell What is the earth and earthly glorie compared with the glittering Pallace of heauen but an earthen and dirtie cottage of a beggar in respect of a gay gilded mansion of a Prince They that are translated out of the wretchednes of this world into the blessednes of that other worlde are like those that are exalted out of Dungeons fetters into a Royall throne of dignitie It is much to say this but when S. Iohn Chrysostome had saide it Hom. 6. ad Heb. he addes presently Sed neque sic integrè pertingere potui ad illius regni similitudinem that by this spéech he could not fully expresse the likenesse of that glorious Kingdome For in the aduancement from worldly miserie to worldly felicitie there ariseth a pleasure and great delight but after a few dayes the minde begins to be satiate with the ioy and gladnes and though it remaine in delectation yet the delectation beginnes to fade for that it is vsuall and common but in those good things which eye hath not séene nor eare hath heard nor mans heart can comprehend there is no decrease ende or change but there is an augmentation of ioy replenished with all desireable good things For as the death of the wicked may be termed euill worse and worst euill because it ends their earthly ioy Bernard in paruis sermonib ser 41. worse because it sends to tormeÌ„ts worst because there is no ende of those anguishes so the death of the godly may be called good better and best good because it finisheth their miseries better because it puts into possession of happines best because there is no alteration nor feare of alteration in that happines In a word as much as the soule excels the bodie so much the ioyes of heauen surmount all the pleasantest and carest choisest delites of this fading life And this is that kingdome that Christ commands vs to seeke before all other things and who will not be desirous to attaine vnto it The Righteousnes of God which Christ bids vs to followe is that Righteousnes and holines which God in his word commaunds and allowes And these wordes The righteousnes of God are an exposition and declaration of the former namely the K ngdome of God For then God doth raigne in vs and then we are subiects of Gods kingdom when he by his holy spirit works sanctification and an earnest desire of godlines in our hearts to liue godly and holily and soberly in this present world Therefore if we will be inheritors of Gods kingdome and finde the ioyes thereof we must as obedient children not fashion our selues vnto the former lusts of our ignorance 1. Pet. 1. v 4 15. â—6 17 â—8 19 but as he which hath called vs is holie so we must be holy in all manner of conuersation because it is written Bee yeâ— holie for I am holie And since we call him Father which without respect of persons iudgeth according to euery mans work we must passe the time of our abiding héere in feare knowing that we were not redéemed with corruptible things as siluer and golde but with the pretious bloud of Christ as of a Lambe vndefiled and without spot And is it not reason that we should studie to please the Lord in holines Ioh. â— 16 and righteousnes and newnes of life Since God hath so loued vs that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beléeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life When thou art worne out with age or liuest in pouertie or art tossed and turmoyled with affliction and aduersitie what wouldest thou not suffer to bee made young and lustie rich and wealthie setled and quiet Christ hath promised and will performe more then all these Prâ—â— 25.14 Iud. 11.12 Antiochus was called Dolon because hée was wont to say that he would giue and he would reward he would pay and yet gaue and rewarded and payde nothing being like the vapour and winde that hath no Raine Hebr. 13.18 and the clowde without water but Iesus Christ is no willinger to promise then able to performe and hée is the same yesterday and to day and for euer For youth doth not so much excéede Age riches beggerie peace quietnes Nay truth doeth scarce so much excéede a dreame and the bodie a shadow and a precious iewell a clod of clay as all the brauery and pleasant delights of this world shal be truely and indéede excéeded by the glorie and ioy of heauen If any would liken the glorie of heauen to the brightnes of the Sunne yet he should say nothing
by thy self and thy friends to performe that condition This life is as it were an houre neither canst thou assure thy self of one houre it is promised thee of God that thou shalt obtaine the euerlasting in heritance if thou watch and pray Why then dost thou cease to watch against sin to pray for Gods grace mercy that thou maist be counted worthy to escape all these things to staÌ„d before the Sonne of man That is to appeare boldly to obtaine fauor of the iudge and not to be reiected either in the general iudgment when all flesh shall receiue their doome or in the particular iudgment of thy soule when it shal be separated from the tabernacle of the bodie by death But perhaps because thou seest many to liue long thou doest promise to thy selfe ling life therefore dost deferre to prepare for thy iudgement And doest thou not also sée that many are takeÌ„ hence in their flourishing Age and on the sudden Who will not beware of a madde Dogge that bites all that passeth by Death is like a furious Dogge that spares none and warnes fewe But in this regard we are like vnto Swine For when Swine sée their fellowe killing and heare his grunting they all run about him and grunt and make a great sturre but when their Fellowe is killed and cryes no more presently they returne to the dyrt and dongue and care no longer for it So worldly carnall and voluptuous men when one of their acquaintaÌ„ce dyeth as long as the Funerals last they are mooued and serrified and troubled but anon after the Funerals are finished they soone forget it and returne againe to the filthinesse of their pleasures and former iniquities The deferring of repentance and doubling of sinnes is most perillous A Shippe bâ—eares many burdens yet it may be laden so long till it sincke againe God is gratious but if he be prouoked euery day he will whet his sword and bend his Bowe and shoote his Arrowes against the obstinate offenders Patience too much wronged Psal 7. â—â— is turned into Furie at last It is reported of the Diamond that it is the hardest of all stones but when it is broken it is scattered into most smal pieces that can hardly be discerned with the eyes and can neuer be ioyned together againe Let vs beware that the Lord be not by so much the more seuere against vs if we abuse his louing kindnes by how much the more fauour he hath formerly shewed vnto vs. He that heares the Thunder is afraid of the lightning The preaching of the word is a thundring of the iudgemeÌ„t to come Let vs next feare the lightning of the iustice of God The loÌ„ger we haue liued and the more punishments we haue escaped that were due to our sinnes the more let vs expect the iudgement that will come spéedily and surely Tâ—eramenes a Citizen of Athens when he had auoided the fall of an house which fell as soone as he was out of it cryed out Aelian de vaer histor l. 9. O Iupiter cuinam metemporâ—reseruea ô God for what time doest thou keepe me And anon after he was compelled by the thirtie Tyrants to drinke poyson and so dyed The like thing must the sinner expect that remaines impenitent and hath not yet felt the hand of God Wherefore say not Ecclus â— 4 5.6.7 I haue sinned and what euill hath come vnto me for the Almightie is a patient rewarder but he will not leaue thee vnpunished because thy sinne is forgiuen be not without feare to heape sinne vpon sinne and say not the mercie of God is great he will forgiue my manifold sinnes for mercy and wrath come from him and his indignation commeth downe vpon sinners Make no tarrying to turne vnto the Lord and put not off from day to day for suddenly shall the wrath of the Lord breake forth and in thy securitie thou shalt be destroyed and thou shalt perish in time of vengeance Thirdly Let vs sée to what the remembrance 3. To what the remembrance of the iudgement auaileth the Feare and the expectation of the last iudgement auaileth To meditate on the day of iudgement will bridle and refraine the desire and delight in sinning And therefore Saint Basil saies well If thou perceiue thy selfe to be prouoked to any sinne saith he call to minde that fearefull iudgement of Christ which no mortall man may endure and stay thy soule as it were with this bridle For as the Sunne obscures and darkens all the Starres with his brightnes In Psal 33 So the remembrance onely of this iudgement puts out all the concupiscences of the soule by the terriblenes thereof And therefore the Prophet Dauid shewes that the forgetting of this iudgement is the cause of sinne For when he had said that the vngodly doeth persecute the poore make boast of his owne hearts desire is so proud that he cares not for his God hath his mouth full of cursing deceit and fraude He yéeldes the reason Psal 10.6.11 when he saies That Gods iudgements are farre aboue out of his sight For he hath said in his heart God hath forgotten he hideth away his face and will neuer see it I shall neuer be mooued nor be in danger Therefore when we are allured and tempted to euill let vs resist temptations and say to our selues I will not doe this euill and I will not commit this sinne For a day will come wherein I shall not be able to answere for it in which the Heauen and Earth the Aire and water and whole world will stand vp and giue witnesse of my sinnes and though all things should hold their peace yet my very thoughts and workes shall be before mine eyes and shal accuse me before the Lord. When Sathan shall perswade vs that we shall finde fauour in that day though we persist and wallow in vngodlines let vs oppose and set against this assault the sort and qualitie of the last iudgement which shall be horrible intollerable vnauoydable sudden and wherein the iudge shall not be miscarried by fauour and entreatie For on the right hand shall be sinne to accuse On the left hand infinite Diuels to torment Vnder the hydeous Gulfe of Hell Ouer an Angrie Iudge Without the World flaming Within Conscience burning There the Righteous shall onely be saued Ah wretched Sinner whither wilt thou flie being so taken To be hidden it is impossible To appeare it is intollerable Nothing can be so auaileable to leade our life in the feare of God Ambros de Gffic as firmely to beléeue that he shall be the iudge whom no secret thing can deceiue and none offence hurt and who is delighted with vertue godlines the feare of the Lord. And if when our cause is to be heard of an earthly iudge we be so heedefull to prepare an Aduocate and to make readie all prooâ—es that may doe vs good how diligent should we be to haue our faith fixed
to say and sweare falsely for hatred fauor or gaine let Malachies prophecie he remembred where the Lord saieth thus Mal. 3.5 I will come neere to you in iudgement and I will be a swift witnes against the southsayers and against the adulterers and against false swearers and against those that wrongfully keepe backe the hirelings wages vexe the widowe and the fatherles and oppresse the stranger and feare not me saith the Lord of hostes For what shall it profite a man Matt. 16.26 to win the whole world and to loose his soule or what shall he giue for a recompence of his soule Bernard since that day shall come in quo plus valebunt pura corda quam astuta verba conscientia bona quam marsupia plena in which a cleane heart shall more auaile then a subtill tongue and a good conscience more then a full purse Because that Iudge will neither be deceiued by wordes not be wrested by gifts For the great and last iudgement shall be after another manner then the iudgements that are holden in this world Rom. 14.10.11.12 It shall not auaile to run away For we shall all appeare before the iudgement feare of Christ and euery one of vs shall giue accounts of himselfe to God Dan. 7.9.10 It shall not auaile to denie the faults for the booke of euery mans conscience shall be opened and euidence giuen of euery mans doings It shall not auaile to endeuor to beguile the Iudge for Christ knoweth all men And hee needeth not that any should testifie of man Ioh. 2.25 2. Pet. 3.7 for he knoweth what is in man It shall not auaile to trust in riches honours and treasure for the earth with all the riches and workes thereof shall be burnt vp What is it then that will auaile at that day Euen this that Christ acknowledge vs for his owne seruants and Christ will acknowledge and confesse those onely to be his Matt. 10. â—2 33 who haue beléeued in him and confessed him before men Saint Ieromes words are most worthy of obseruation when he thus speakes of himselfe Whether I eate or drinke In com in Matt. or doe any other thing alwaies that voyce seemeth to sound in mine eares Arise ô yee dead and come to iudgement as often as I muse on the day of iudgement so often doe I tremble with my whole heart and body for we must after such a manner passe ouer the pleasantnes of our life as that the bitternes of the iudgement to come be neuer forgotten Againe as the remembrance of the day of iudgement will curbe vs from hardnes of heart and continuing in sinne so it will comfort and chéere vs in our afflictions and miseries And therefore our Sauiour proposed the parable of the fig-tree saying Luk. 21.28.9 â—0 31 Behold the fig-tree and all trees when they now shoote foorth ye seeing them knowe of your owne selues that summer is then neere so likewise ye when ye see these things come to passe knowe ye that the kingdome of God is neere And when these things begin to come to passe then looke vp and lift vp your heads for your redemption draweth neere In which words Christ not onely meanes that those troublesome times shall be as certaine a signe of his comming as we certainely knowe that summer approacheth when trées bud foorth but he signifieth another thing besides For whereas in winter trees being drawne together with roughnes of colde séeme to be the stronger but when in the spring that hardnes is dissolued they appeare weaker and as it were clouen and opened that new tendrels and springals may breake out so the strength of the Church is not hindred when afflictions doe soften it in the eyes of men For as the inward iuyce dispersed through the whole trée when it is softned it encreaseth force to renew that which was before as it were dead so the Lord doth bring foorth the full restoring of his children from the corruption of the outward man The summe is this that by the feeble and fraile state of the Church we should not coniecture a destruction and decay but rather hope for immortall glorie vnto which the Lord prepareth his eiect by the crosse and tribulation For that which the Apostle speaketh of the seuerall parts must be applied to the whole body of the Church 2. Cor. 4.16 namely That though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed daily In the meane time art thou afflicted with pouertie want and scarsitie bee of good comfort a day is at hand when thy Sauiour will came to giue thee the glorie of Heauen that exceedes pearle pretious stones all the golde and treasure of Ophyre all things of this world most desireable Art thou molested with sicknes and infirmitie of bodie Be of good comfort a day is at hand when thou shalt be partaker of that Kingdome where is no sicknes no sorrowe no enemie no enuie no danger no death no feare of death Art thou falsely slandered and vniustly accused and oppressed wrongfully and depriued of thy right Be of good comfort a day is at hand when the cause of the Poore and Fatherles and widow shall be righted And no Bribes no partialitie no gloses no fleights no fetches shall either suppresse trueth or oppresse the true 2. Thess 1.6.7.8.9.10 For it is a righteous thing with GOD to recompence Tribulation to them that trouble the godlie to them which are troubled rest when the Lord IESVS shall shew himselfe from HeaueÌ„ with his mightie Angels in flaming Fire rendring vengeaÌ„ce vnto them that doe not know God which obey not vnto the Gospel of our Lord IESVS CHRIST which shall be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lorde and from the glory of his power when hee shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be made merueilous in all them that belieue in that day And when the royall Psalmist saieth That precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his Saints Psal 116.15 He giues vs notable coÌ„solation and doeth defend vs as it were with a Buckler not onely against the terrors of death and dartes of Sathan in the publike persecutions of the Church but also against priuate griefe and sorrow For he witnesseth that the Church is subiect to the Crosse and afflictions but yet that the godly can neuer bee brought so neere the gates of Death that they can see nothing but death and destruction before them And he admonisheth that those afflictions and griefes of the godlie are not tokens of Gods Anger and of their casting off from the face of God as worldlings iudge who when they sée the godly to be vexed outwardly destitute of all succour they assault them the more vehemeÌ„tly and insult vpon them the more proudely and hee teacheth that though now and then some members of the Church are slaine by Enemies and Tyrants yet that
in stead of all and I desire no more Readers As for the daintie I exhorte them to feede on the fine Flower of the Learned whose manifold Bookes abound with exquisite cates to passe by this course Beane which is conuenient onely for hungrie Stomackes But those that had rather suche dangerous opinions out of eloquent wordes then profitable instructions out of ordinarie termes As though it were better to drinke poison out of a golden pot then wholesome liquor out of an earthen cup and those that consume the pretious Time of this Posting life in long turning and pervsing of toyous and vaine discourses As though it were safe Fishing with a Golden hooke in troubled waters where the labour will yeelde small aduantage but the loosing of the hooke may bee damageable If they will not followe the Example of Marie in chosing the good part which shall not be taken away yet I admonish them to consider that though Heauen and Earth shall passe away yet the word of God abideth euer and that howsoeuer the louers of this fugitiue world are deuoted yet to the truely religious the Lawe of the Lord is sweeter then Honie or the Hony-combe and better then thousands of golde and siluer and that at last they that trie the inuentions of men in the conflict of Conscience will crie out with the children of the Prophets Death is in the potte and with Ieremiah What is the Chaffe to the Wheate and with the patient Iob to his Friendes Miserable comforters are yee all Shall there bee none end of wordes of winde If you shall fauourablie vouchsafe to countenance these few vnfiled Treatises Dedicated by him that wisheth you the continuall multiplying of Gods graces I shall account the fruite of my labour in some forwardnesse and be strictly obliged euer to remaine Your Worships submissiuely deuoted Rob. Wolcombe SPIRITVALL BALME FOR THE afflicted Ioh. 16. verse 20. Verily verily I say vnto you that ye shall weepe and lament and the world shal reioyce and ye shall sorrowe but your sorrowe shall be turned to ioy Verse 21. A woman when she trauaileth hath sorrowe because her houre is come but as soone as she is deliuered of the child she remembreth no more the anguish for ioy that a man is borne into the world Ver. 22. And ye now therfore are in sorrow but I will see you againe and your harts shall reioyce your ioy shall no man take frō you CHrist had before said to his disciples a little while Verse 16. and ye shall not see me and againe a little while and yee shall see me for I goe to the father In which few and somewhat darke words he foretold two things to wit his death and his resurrection First of his death he thus saith a little while and ye shall not see me that is after a little while you shall not sée me for too morrowe I shall be crucified and shall be hidden in my sepulcher Secondly of his resurrection he thus saies and againe a little while and ye shall see me that is after a little while to wit the third day you shall sée me againe because then I will rise from the dead and shew my selfe vnto you Now when the disciples had mused and reasoned of these words saying among themselues Verse 17.18 What is this that he sayeth vnto vs a little while and ye shall not see me and againe a little while and ye shall see me and for I goe to the father What is this that he sayeth a little while we knowe not what he saith Christ preuented their asking of the question Verse 19. what he meant and said vnto them Doe ye enquire among your selues of that I said a little while and ye shall not see me and againe a little while and ye shall see me Verily verily I say vnto you that ye shall weepe and lament c. In which portion of scripture the Lord first replaines his former spéeches in the 20. verse And he doth not openly name his death and resurrection but he insinuates and signifieth both of them by the effects following his death by the weeping lamentation and sorrowe of his disciples and the ioy of the world that is of the wicked Iewes his resurrection by the ioy and gladnes of his disciples Secondly he illustrates and depaintes that sorrowe and ioy of his disciples by a similitude in the 21. verse In which words he compares the sorrowe of his disciples for his death to the sorrowe of a woman in trauell and on the other side he compares their ioy for his resurrection to the ioy of a woman which hath brought forth a child into the world Thirdly he applies that comparison to his disciples in the 〈◊〉 verse In which words Christ doth promise that he will rise againe and shew himselfe vnto them and he amplifieth the gladnes that should thereby growe vnto his disciples partly by the greatnes thereof when he saith your harts shall reioyce partly by the perpetuitie and eternitie thereof when he saith and your ioy shall no man take from you As if our Sauiour should thus say you that are my disciples shall be tempted hardly and heauily for when I shall be put to death the wicked people of the world shal triumph and you shal lament and the vngodly worldlings shall iudge themselues happie and repute you miserable But by the operation of the holie Ghost your sorrow shall be turned into ioye not as though you should liue exempted from all sorrowe For as long as you dwell in these earthly Tabernacles you shall fight a harde fight and you shall feele and beare indignities and you shall haue many occasions of Lamentation and you shall Fast and wéepe when the Bride-groome is taken from you Mat. 9.15 but yet with whatsoeuer sorrow you shall be burthened spirituall ioye shall swallowe it vp and you shall be so renued by the power of the holy Ghost that you shall put off all former féeling of infirmities and with Heroicall courage magnanimitie you shall treade downe all euills that shall rise vp against you Consider how Weomen are griped with sudden griefe when the time of Trauell ouertakes them and how their griefe is so great that they are little distant from death but when they haue brought foorth a Childe their ioye is by so much the greater by how much their anguish was the extreamer So you that are my Disciples are in trauell that is shal be renued by the regeneration of the holy Ghost you shall first be vehemently distressed and afflicted And because the Lorde shall withdrawe his helpe and séeme to stand on your Aduersaries parte you shall reckon your condition to be forlorne and desperate But when the day of Redemption shall come you shal be refreshed with vnexpected ioy and your perplexitie shall not bee comparable to your consolation And when I shall sée you and visite you by the graces of the holy Ghost this
the loynes of the poore blessed him because hee was warmed with the Fléece of his Shéeâ—e Looke on Obadiah the Gouernour of Ahabs house 1. King 18 13. who when Iezebel slew the Prophets of the Lord did hide an hundred of the Lords Prophets by fifties in a Caue and fed them with bread and water 1. King â—7 Looke on the widowe of Zâ—repâ—hâ— which in the great famine nourished and lodged the Prophet Eliah Tob. 2.2 Looke on Tobâ— who when he sawe at his table abundance of meate he bad his sonne Tobâ—â— to goe into the citie and to bring whatsoeuer poore of his brethren he could finde and would not eate till his sonne returned And these are some of the golden and graue sentences which he gaue to his sonne not knowing whether he should euer giue him more Tob. 4.7.8.9.10.11 My sonne saith he giue Almes of thy substance and wheÌ„ thou giuest almes let not thine eye be enuious neither turne thy face from any poore least that God turne his face from thée giue almes according to thy substance if thou haue but a little be not afraide to giue a little almes for thou layest vp a good store for thy selfe against the day of necessitie Because that Almes doth deliuer from death and suffereth not to come into darkenes for Almes is a good gift before the most high to all them which vse it Looke on Zichaeus the Publican who said to our Sauiour Christ Luk. 9.8 Behold Lord the halfe of my goods I giue to the poore and if I haue taken from any man by forged cauillation I restore him foure fold Looke on Dorcas which is commended by the holy Ghost to be a woman full of good workes and almes Act. â— 39 for whose death all the widowes wept before S. Peter shewing him the coats and garments which she had made while she was with them Looke on Cornelius the Captaine Act. â— 4 of whose praiers and Almes the Angell giues this testimonie That they were come vp into remembrance before God Vnto which spéech of the Angell Homil. 9. super Matt. S. Iohn Chrysostome séemes to allude in his description of Almes when he saies that it is a friend of Gods and still néere to God and hath the gates of heauen opened vnto it and when it enters in manner of a Queene none of the Porters or kéepers dare say vnto it What art thou or whence camest thou but they presently receiue it Virgo est habent alas aureas Almes is a Virgine hauing golden wings adorned with gay colours and yet so well feathered and nimble that it still stands before the throne of the superiall king Act. â— 3â—.34.35 Looke on the Infancie of the primitiue Church Where there was one heart and minde neither any said that any thing of that which he possessed was his owne but they had all things common neither was there any among them that lacked for as many as were possessors of Lands or houses solde them and brought the price of the things that were solde and laid it downe at the Apostles feete it was distributed vnto euery man according as he had neede Act. 11.28.29 Looke on the Church of Antiochia in which Beleeuers were first called Christians how when Agaâ—us signified by the spirit that there should bee great Famine throughout all the world the Disciples euery man according to his abilitie purposed to send succour vnto the brethren which dwelt in Iudea 2. Cor. 9.2 Looke on the Church of Corinth Achaiâ— how readie they were to contribute distribute to the necessity of the Saints so that Pauâ— was bold to boast himselfe of them to Macedonie affirms that their zeale had prouoked manie Looke on Placilla the most deuoute wife of Theodosius the Emperor Nicephor Callist l. 2. c. 4. who being blamed for visiting the sicke ministring to them with her own hands and giuing them large money she answered that it became the Emperor to giue the mony and it became her to coÌ„secrate the ministery of her hands to him that had bestowed the Empire on her Husband Looke on Amadaeus the Duke of Sauâ—y Munst lib. 2. Cosmograph who being asked of certaine Orators and Embassadors that were before him whether he kept Hounds or not he leckned vnto them that they shuld returne the next day And when they were come Cor. Nepos Plutarch Xenoph. Amadaeus from a Galiery on a side of his house shewed them a great companie of Beggars that sate at meale together and saide vnto them These are my Hâ—unds that I nourish euery day and by which I hope to hunt after the glorie of Heauen Here may be remembred also the bountifulnes of Ethnicks to the poore and néedie as of Pomponius Atticus that sustained many poore people Of Cyrus Ontôs ègò ùmîn Dipsô charìzesthai Plut. Chrémata â—â—âsthai mèn ôs chrôto chréschai dè ós timôto that sware he was more delighted to bestowe good turns vpon other then to enrich himselfe and that sayd that he did thirst to vse liberalitie Of Timon the Athenian that suffered his Fieldes Orchyards to lye open that the poore might take of the fruits without asking leaue and of whom it is reported that he did get Riches to vse them and did vse them to spend them honorably on the néedie And of Titus the Romane Emperor who vpon a time as hee sate at Supper remembring that he had the day before done no good turne to any he brake out into these wordes Amici diem perdidi Friendes Sueton. I haue lost a day These Presidents of Ethnick liberalitie to the néedie we must endeuour to follow and those former bright starres of godlines that shined in the middes of a darke and peruerse generation wee must beholde and imitate if we purpose to obserue the commandement of the Lord and to be partakers of the blessing that accompanieth liberalitie towards the néedie Third motiue to mercy Heb. 13.15.16 And what is that blessing It is to haue the fauour and loue of God toward vs for the Apostle saies Let vs â—ffer the sacrifice of praise alwaies to God that is the fruit of the lips which confesse his name to doe â—ood and to distribute forget not for with such sâ—crifices God is pleased As if Paul should thus say Let vs offer the oblations that are now pleasing to the Lord the old corporall sacrifices are abrogated and abolished but the true and spirituall sacrifices remaine which consist partly in giuing thankes and partly in liberalitie to the poore with which sacrifices God is delighted Luk. 6.38 Giue saith Christ And it shall be giuen vnto you a good measure pressed downe shaken together running ouer shall men giue into your bosome Of the mercifull man the Psalmist pronounceth Psal 112.9 That as he hath distributed and giuen to the poore so his righteousnes remaineth for euer That is his pietie
shall not lose his reward And who knowes not Christs verdict of the two mites of the poore widowe Luk. 21.1.2.3.4 For when he saw the rich men cast their gifts into the treasurie and a certaine poore widow also to cast in thither two mites he said Of a truth I say vnto you that this poore widowe hath cast in more then they all for they all haue of their superfluitie cast into the offrings of God but she of her penurie hath cast in all the liuing that she had Therefore it is not the quantitie of the gift but the minde and the manner of the giuing that is respected of the Lord. But perhaps some will say I haue wife children and familie my selfe why should I giue I know not what want I and mine may haue I haue people of mine owne to maintaine The rather for this cause thou must reléeue the poore that by a small portion which thou giuest nay lendest to the Lord thou maiest prouide his blessing and fauour for thy wife and familie after thy departure If thou wilt haue care for thy familie and children canst thou doe it better then in leauing them sure bonds and obligations of debt not confirmed by the hands and seales of mortall men but by the vndoubted promise of the king of kings and Lord of Lords The Apostle prooues out of the Psalme that he that sparseth abroad and giueth to the poore his beneuolence shall remaine for euer and be euerlasting and he shall neuer want to giue to the poore For God that findeth seede to the sower 2. Cor. 9.9 will minister likewise bread for foode and multiplie the seede and encrease the fruit of his beneuolence And the same Apostle elsewhere wils vs not to be wearie of well-doing Gal. 6.9 For that in due season we shall reape if we faint not In which places he compares the bestowing of almes and releefe on the poore to sowing and sparsing of graine vpon a fruitfull soyle And S. Chrysostome saith well Semen vocatur elâ—emosyna quia res haec non tam sumptus est quam redditus Almes is called seede because it is not so much a charge as a reuenue Depaenis 7. ser If corne saith he be shut vp close in the house of the husbandman it encreaseth not but is consumed of vermine but if it be sparsed on the ground it is not onely kept safe but also encreased so the wealth that is shut vp in chests and kept vnderlocks and bars soone flées from the owners but if it be distributed in liberalitie to the afflicted it remaines not onely surely kept but riseth also to more encrease He that hidâ—â—â— is treasure vpon earth Chrys hom 9. in Matt. and sends it not by liberalitie to heauen doth as if an husbandman should take séede and not sowe it on fertile soyle but scatter it into the water where he can neither enioy it nor preserue it from corruption Id. hom 5. in Matt. For where séede is fitly sowne there followes multiplying of fruits And if thou find a fat and fruitfull ground thou wilt not only manure it and till it plenteously with thine owne seede but thou wilt also borrow seede of other reckon it a great losse if thou shouldest be sparing in tillage thereof since then if thou be liberall to the poore thou sowest on a field that will yéeld encrease with manifold vsurie linger not nor procrastinate but vnderstand this That by sparing thou shalt leese and by sparsing thou shalt gather When we sow our séede we doe not so much looke vpon the emptying of our barnes as hope for the fruitfull haruest to come and that also when we are vncertaine of the euent for the rust and Caterpiller and vnseasonable stormes may frustrate our expectation Shall we be so chéerfull to commit our seede to the ground and shall we linger to commit our séed of almes into Gods hands and into the heauens where no tempests nor calamities can hurt it and where vnspeakable fruit shall be gathered For in sowing of graine the séedtime and haruest are of one nature he that sowes wheate or barlie or any other graine shall at haruest reape the same sort of graine but in sparsing of the séede of almes it is not so For we sparse siluer and we sparse bread and we sparse cloathes and we sparse other earthly things but if we sparse in faith and with a willing minde we reape mercie and we reape a recompence and we reape heauen and those incomprehensible blessings that transcend and exceede mans séeing hearing and vnderstanding Say not that thou wilt take order on thy Testament that somewhat shall be bestowed on the succouring of the néedy therfore that thou wilt bestow little or nothing while thou liuest For knowest thou that thy legacie shall alway be performed according to thy purpose and may not many that at this present time stand in néede depart out of this world before thy Testament be in force and so thou léese the offered opportunitie of doing good and is not thy gift after thy death like a candle lighted at thy backe that cannot guide thy féete in darkenes and hast thou forgotten the counsell of the sonne of Sirach Ecclus. 14.12.13.14.15.16 Defraud not thy selfe saith he of the good day and let not the portion of the good desires ouerpasse thee shalt thou not leaue thy trauels vnto another thy labours for the diuiding of the heritage giue and take sanctifie thy soule worke thou righteousnes before thy death for in Hell there is no meate to finde Remember that death tarrieth not and that the couenant of the graue is not shewed vnto thee doe good vnto thy friend before thou die and according to thine abilitie stretch out thine hand and giue him Wherefore while thou hast space be diligent in imparting thy knowledge in counsell vpon the simple thy wishes on the desires of them that want thy power on the helping of the néedie * Nosse incoÌ„silijs velle in desiderijs posse insubsidijs for these things thy neighbour must haue if he want them Thy life is a race to the goale of eternitie so runne then that thou maiest obtaine and thou shalt runne the nimbler if thou throwe from thée vpon the distressed somewhat of this worlds wealth that presseth thée downe so waightily Chrysost hom 5. de auar A Lyon or a Libard saith an ancient Father or a Beare or some other such wild beast while it is shut and pind vp in the darke it rageth and fumeth horribly euen so when riches are shut vp and hid closely they rage worse then lyons and trouble all things But if thou bring them out of darkenes and sparse them on the bellies of the needy where before they were sauage beastes they will become shéepe where before they were rocks they will become harboroughs where before they caused shipwrack they will bréede a calmenes For as in shipping too
inconquerable firmenes whereby the scripture hath stood and miraculously triumphed against so many sleights of Sathan rags of the world 1. Mâ—â— â— 59.60 as when Antiochus coÌ„manded That the bookes of the law which were found should be burnt in the fire and cut in peeces and that whosoeuer had a book of the TestameÌ„t found by him or whosoeuer consented vnto the law should be put to death yet presently these bookes shined as it were out of darkenes and not long after they were translated into the Greeke tongue and divulged through the whole world Let this be considered and who may denie that the scripture hath procéeded from God 1. Cor. 2.4 Let vs consider the venerable Maiestie of the spirit of God which shineth euery where in the scripture vnder a plaine simplicitie and humblenes of words together with an euident appearance of heaueÌ„ly wisedome and the subiect and matter of the scripture which in euery place containes diuine doctrine not sauouring of earthly wisedome and shewes the pure and perfect lawe of the Lord Deut. 4.6.7.8 Psal 9.9 and declares that meanes of saluation which is not repugnant to the glorie and most perfect iustice of God but appeareth and calmeth mans conscience and the efficacie and powerfull working of the scripture in the mindes of men Heb. 4.12 Psal 119.11 Act. 12.13 namely in mans conuersion when the scripture doth vnfold an hidden force whereby a man is striken and inwardly moued and so transformed into a new man and in aduersitie when it kindleth a liuely and strong consolation in our hearts as that we regard the scripture more then all other things and suffer our selues to be separated from it by no kinde of torments no not by death it selfe as appeareth in the Martyrs with whose blood it hath bene sealed Let this be considered and who may denie that the Scripture hath procéeded from God Let vs consider the consent of the whole Church generally and of seuerall godly persons particularly for so many Ages and in so many Nations in receiuing and retaining the scriptue Let vs consider so many and notable miracles 1. Kings 17.12 2. Kings 4 13. 17.21 Ex. 14.21 Iosh 3.15.6 Iosh 10.12 2. Kings 10.11 Exo. 2.7.10 â— 2 Act. 7 2â— c. Am. 7.14 Act. 2.11 â— â—â— as well of the Olde Testament which Sathan could not imitate onely in colour as the raising of the dead the diuiding of the Sea and Riuers and the standing still and going backe of the Sunne as of the New which the Iewes themselues cannot denie though at this day they say that Christs Miracles were done by some superstition of the word Schemhamphâ—ras least they should be compelled to acknowledge Iesus to be the Christ the Sonne of the Virgine Marie and so yéelde to the Truth Let vs consider the meruailous calling of Moses and the Prophets and the Apostles of whom the most part were vnlearned and priuate men and such as had learned nothing in humane schooles and yet disputed with a maiestie of heauenly mysteries and the strange conuersion of Paul into a new man being before a professed cruell and bloudie enemie and that these had no regard to their owne estimation and profite but onely to the glorie of God and of Christ and to the saluation of men Let vs consider the admirable harmonie and consent of the doctrine of Moses the Prophets Christ the Euangelists Apostles so that as when two Lutes of the same proportion are tempered tuned alike at the touching of the one the other will moue the strings by reason of the consent and Harmonie So the olde and new Testament agreeing in the same tune being written by the same spirit if the string of the one be toucht the string of the other will sound that is if we vnderstand the type and figure of the old Testament we shall presently perceiue the trueth of the newe and if we perceiue the truth of the new we shall vnderstand the type and figure of the olde Let this be considered and who may denie that the script hath procéeded from God Let vs consider the Euent accomplishment of the prophecies of the Scripture as of the Messias the Sauiour of Mankinde Gen. 3.15 Of the going downe of Abrahams posteritie into Aegypt of the bondage of Aegypt and the deliuerance out of it Gen. 15. â—3 14 15 Act. 7.6.7 Gen. 49.8 Isa 45.22 Iâ—ai 22.1 Ezek. 1â— 6. 2. King 22.4 Dan. 9.3 â— Mat. 24. â—2 Ier 12.15 15 11.1â— Isa 44.23 45.1.2 1. King 13.2 2. King 23.15 Dan. 7.17 1 11.2 5.24.25.26.27 that should be and was foure hundreth yeares after it was fore tolde to Abraham Of the Principalitie and Kingdome that should be erected in the Tribe of Iudah Of the vocation of the Gentiles after a long time to the free Couenant of God Oâ— the destruction of Hierusalem Of the returne of the Iewes from the Babylonish captiuitie Of the workes of Gyrus fauour towards the Iewes described an hundreth and seuentie yéeres before they were done Of Iosiah the King of Iudah that should kill the Idolatrous Priests and â—urne mens bones on the Altar of Bathel three hundred yeeres before Iosiah was borne and three hundreth fiftie nine yéeres before it was bone Of the Foure Monarchies and their courses and periods Of Antichrist and his doctrine Of the end of the world and the like and of the comming and death of Christ All which could not before séene by the quicknes of mans wit nor be gathered by naturall causes and yet were most surely performed â—dde hereunto the antiquitie of the Scripture which deliuers those things which no Bookes of humanitie haue truely and directly mentioned As the Time and Order of the worlds Creation the Progresse of the world the names and families of the Patriarks and the causes of the Corruption of the World and the state and condition of soules after this life Let all this be considered and who may denie that the Scripture hath procéeded from God Besides this the Iewes themselues do witnes with one consent that the books of the old TestameÌ„t were giuen by inspiration from God and therefore they reade and kéepe them studiously For which cause one calles them Librarios Christianorum Aug. the keepers of the Librarie of Christians in that they haue affoorded vs the reading of those sacred Bookes the vsing of which themselues neglect Yea the Iewes doe confesse Ioseph lib. 18. cap. 4. Antiq. Iudâ—c will they nill they that Iesus Christ was famous for Wisedom and vnheard of Miracles was slaine of the people and rose againe the third day But these reasons and this testimonie of the Iewes to prooue that God is the author of the scripture and that it procéeded from him is nothing to that one inward Testimonie of the holy spirit which doth speake within to our hearts and doeth assure vs that the scripture was written by diuine