our sinnes are washed with Christes bloud when our bodies are washed they are taken out of the water againe to signifie how we shall be raised from death to life by the resurrection of Christ and how we should rise from sinne to righteousnesse thus we begin our life with a solemne promise to God before the Church to serue him with our bodies and soules till death vs depart Now let vs remember how we haue kept this promise with the Lord or rather how we haue broken promise with him then we gaue our selues to GOD but since we haue giuen our selues to sinne then wee promised to renounce the world but euer since we haue embraced the world therefore now let vs begin to pay that which we ought so long and pray the Lord which hath instituted this Sacrament as a seale of his mercie to receiue this child into his fauour as we receiue it into his Church to baptize it with his spirit as wee baptize it with water and powre vpon it his grace as we giue it the signe of grace FINIS THE PILGRIMS WISH PHILIP 1. 23. I desire to bee dissolued and to bee with Christ. HEere is Pauls desire to be dissolued and the cause that he might be with Christ wherein first you shal see the difference betweene the faithfull and the wicked how one loatheth this life and the other longeth after it Secondly because the Apostle seemes to desire death you shall see whether any man may wish to die Thirdly because after his dissolution hee hopes to bee with Christ you shall see the diuersitie of iudgements betweene Paul and the Papists which think when they are dead that they shall goe on to Purgatorie Lastlie because the soules which are with Christ cannot walke as they did when they liued vpon the earth you shall heare a little of walking spirits which haue beene so much talked of in the time of poperie and were taken for the soules of them which were dead after wee will speake a little of the Sacrament which yee come to receiue and so commit you to God I desire to be dissolued Before Christes comming when the Kings or Patriarches died it is said that they went to their fathers as we read of Dauid and Salomon c. but after Christs comming when the faithfull die they are said to go to Christ as we read of the penitent thief Luke 23. 43. Not because the Patriarches went not to Christ as well as they but because yet Christ was not ascended to heauen therefore they are not to go to Christ although if they went to heauen they must needes go to Christ because Christ touching his Godhead was alwaies in heauen I desire to be dissolued As the wordly long for Christ to come to them so the faithful long to go to Christ for vnlesse we ascend to him as he descended to vs his descending is in vaine because he came downe that we might go vp he descended to take our flesh we ascende to take his kingdom he descended to be crucified we ascende to be glorified he descended to hell we ascend to heauen that is to ioy to glory to blisse to our father to our Sauiour to our comforter to Angels to Saints to eternall life therefore good cause had Paul to desire to be with Christ that he might be at rest for no doubt it was the sweetest voice that euer the theefe heard in this life when Christ said vnto him This day shalt thou bee with me in Paradise Luke 23. chapt vers 45. Besides as Paul persecuâ—ed before so he was after persecuted himselfe as he tels the Corinthians 2. Cor. 11. 24. I was thrise beaten with rods I was once stoned I suffered thrise shipwrake c. Therefore good cause had Paul to desire to be with Christ that he might be out of trouble Yet he wil not dissolue himself but desireth to be dissolued that is that he which brought him into this world would take him out of the world neither doth he wish or pray or make any petitioÌ„ to God to take away his life but tels him his desire desiring to be dissolued to desire is not to pray but shewes what we approue neither doth he desire so to be dissolued as though he were weary of his labors would suffer no more for Christ but he is content to liue as he saith in the 24. vers Neuertheles for me to abide in the flesh were better for you as if he should say to do you good I am content to suffer euil and stay still from Christ whom I long to be with Seeing then that he wil not dissolue himself nor pray to be dissolued but is content to liue stil why doth he say I desire to be dissolued Onelie to shew what he preferreth in his desire if hee might choose life or death for his owne respect he could be content to leaue friends and riches and pleasures and life and all onely to bee with Christ This seemes to be a good lesson for sickemen when they can liue no longer then to be with Christ were better then to be with the glutton which neuer thought of heauen til he was in hell but Paul was not sicke nor sore when he desired to be dissolued therefore this is not onely for the sicke but for the whole If he had wished to liue stay still in the world no man need to be taught to say after him for yong old desire not to be dissolued but few are content to bee dissolued To a naturall man in this life nothing is so sweete as life it selfe and he which is in loue with this world seldome dyeth quietly vpon his bed but to a minde which misliketh this worlde nothing can come so welcome as death because it takes him out of the world This it is which Paul would haue vs learne that nothing in this world is so pretious or pleasant that for it we should desire to liue or stay from God one hower though all may not wish to die yet all must subscribe to this that death is better then life because it leads to Christ which when Paul had throughlie tasted he was satisfied for all things else and desired to liue no longer that he might bee with Christ heerein appeareth the end of mans life which when he hath obtayned he desireth to liue no longer how great riches and honours and friends soeuer he leaue behind him From the time he knoweth Christ crucified and begins like Enoch to walke with God he cryeth euer after with the Apostle I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ who shall deliuer mee from this bodie of sinne death weare to me aduantage Euen as Simeon reioiced that Christ came to him so the faithfull reioice that they shall go to Christ The necessitie of sinne is so irksome to him which knoweth the vilenesse of sinne that the faithfull man but to doe good would not liue
out of heauen no not one hower This made the Martyres so willing to abide any kinde of death that tyrannie could deuise to be rid of their sinfull bands and this corruptible burthen which presseth downe the soule that looks after Christ like his disciples when he ascended to heauen All is trouble and wearines and vanitie to the godly mind whether he eate or drinke or sleepe he counteth it a seruitude vnto the flesh and wisheth with Dauid to be rid from these necessities so the knowledge and loue of God maketh a man forget his owne flesh maketh him despice the whole world taketh away the difference from life and death changeth his nature which hee could neuer ouercome and teacheth him to renounce his deere selfe and say though he should die Not my will but thy will bee done All this appeareth in this example what operation is in the knowledge and loue of Christ it made the world irksome vnto Paul which all men naturally desire it made death pleasant vnto him which all men naturally abhorre although they bee wearie of their life and haue no pleasure from morning to night yet it will not please them to change which they needes must they neuer loath but loue their miseries I will not dye one houre to liue for euer Doe not the wicked themselues prophecie by their feare of death a worse condition of some dreadfull iudgement after this life prepared for sinners and all that contemne GOD when none but they stande in such feare of death Why dooth one wish for it and another tremble to heare of it If it were but a sleepe no man would feare it at all for who feareth to take his rest when the night approacheth If it did take away sence and feeling and make men trees or stones no man would feare it at all for who would feare strokes if hee could feele no more then a stone or who would care for any thing if he had no sence of anything would any man tremble so to bee as the dead creatures which haue no sence of euill They must needes be in better case than the happiest man in this life which is not without the sence of euill Therefore this feare of death which you see in all but the faithfull dooth presage some strange torment some heauie change and sharpe punishment to those men which they begin to tast alreadie before they dye like the spirite which persecuted Saul before his end They desire not to be dissolued but they feare to bee dissolued they goe not to Christ but their departure is an euerlasting departure from Christ to the damned to the diuels to hell without either end or ease or patience to endure it Thus you see that no man is willing to die before his conscience bee quieted towarde God and that he can catch some hope of a better life after this life He which knowes that he shall go to Christ it is impossible that he should die vnwillingly but he which can not hope for a better world must needs leaue this world grudginglie and feare death more then all the terrors of life He had rather to be sicke and cold and hungry and want and beg then go with death because he knoweth what he suffereth here but hee knoweth not what he shall suffer hereafter Therefore he which is not willing to be dissolued hath not â—earned Christ yet as Paul did for no man esteeme this life when he begins to taste of the next but then the loue of the world doth fall from him like the mantle of Elias when he was rapt into heauen The Apostle had seene many good things in his daies and was neuer satisfied willing to be dissolued but thirsted still and no water could quench his thirst vntill hee dranke of the water of life and then hee thirsted no more so nothing can fill the soule which was made for God but God alone Riches and honors pleasures did not make Simeon willing to die but the sight of Christ happie are the eyes which see him for they are as willing to die as Simeon was So soone as Iohn Baptist did see our Sauiour and knew that it was hee hee debased himselfe as if hee had beene nobodie and would not bee accounted of but sought to loose the opinion of the people that Christ might haue all although he was a Prophet and more than a Prophet and not a greater amongst the sonnes of women So when Paul had seene his Sauiour hee forgot all that he loued all that hee desired and all that hee possessed no ioye no glorie no life now but to die All thinges must yeelde to the Sonne and bee content with Iohn that hee increase and wee decrease This is our glorie and life that hee liueth in glorie It is enough saith Iacob for me that Ioseph my sonne liueth it is enough for vs that Iesus our Sauiour reigneth If the head be crowned all the bodie is more honoured therefore let vs glorie that Christ is glorified and reioyce as much that hee is ascended as our fathers reioyced that he descended for where the head is there the body must needes be I desire to be dissolued he calleth his death not a destruction but a dissolution for three causes First he departeth from this life and hath no more societie with them that liue vpon the earth Secondly his soule departeth from the bodie vntill the day of resurrection then she findeth her owne bodie agayne and they reioyce like friends which are met together Thirdly he departeth from this vale of miserie into the paradise of ioy and all felicitie to liue and reigne with God for euer in assurance whereof he saith that he shall bee with Christ so that death is the way to Christ As the Doue found no rest vntill she came to the Arke so the faithfull find no rest till they come to Christ they goe through the wildernesse like other men Vntill the Iewes arriued at Canaan all their life was spent in sinfull Egypt or in the dreadfull desert during the time of their iourney they had no setled rest or continuing pleasure Peace beginneth when the battell endeth there is the prerogatiue of the dead least death should bee too fearefull to vs. The best of Gods blessings are behind that is euerlasting life and the way to it is death thou art going to ioye therefore looke not for it vntill thou come to thy iourneys ende If Canaan the land of peace the land of plentie the land of pleasure bee in the wildernesse stay heere march no further whither doe you goe like the Pilgrims of Israel if Canaan be in the wildernesse But Paul lookes for the crowne at the gole he is not with Christ but trusts to bee with Christ he is not in heauen but he hopes to come to heauen and this hope led him through the wildernesse that he murmured not like the Israelities but only longed for
that day when Christ shall say vnto him as he said to the penitent theefe This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Thus you haue heard the difference betweene the faithfull and the wicked how the one lotheth this life and the other longeth after it Now wee come to our questions Simeon said Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace so Paul saith I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ they doubted not as the Papists doe what should become of them after death for one saith that he goes to Christ the other saith that he goes to peace therefore it seemes that Purgatorie was not yet found when the iust men went to peace This is one of the fruits of a godly life it hath hope saith Salomon in the end in death it warranteth a man of life when the flesh saith feare and the serpent despaire it makes the flesh crouch and the serpent flye the soule reioyce while death is opening the prison doore that she may flie to her countrey from whence she came Therefore what shall I say to Purgatorie if Paul go to Christ Simeon goe to peace Some say that it is in the ayre some say that it is in the earth some vnder the earth some a little aboue hell Thus Nabuchadnezzar cannot assoile his owne dreame You must vnderstand that Purgatorie is like your paynted Sepulchers which are framed more for the liuing then for the dead for you know that the locusts of Rome liue by Trentals and Dirges and Masses for the dead as the Siluersmiths in Ephesus liued by Images and therefore as they were loth that Images should goe downe so they are loth that their Purgatorie should bee quenched for it is the gainfullest lye in all Poperie for out of this lake issue their Masses and Dirges and Trentals for the dead They are sayd for the dead but they make for the liuing For the dead haue no portion of al that is done vnder the sun doe what you will say what you can Masses Dirges or Trentals they haue no portion in it for they haue receiued their reward alreadie and the tree lieth where it fell yet these foolish virgins hope for oyle of the wise virgins and thinke they shall be paied for other mens labours and almes and trentals pilgrimages and Masses as though they neuer read that the iust shall liue by his owne faith that he which beleeueth shal not go to iudgement but passe from death to life that they that die in the Lord rest from their labours how doe they goe presently into Paradise if they stay at Purgatorie and fire torments Hath Christ satisfied for vs must wee now make satisfaction for our selues Whither the glutton and the beggar are gone thither must we all that is to Abrahams bosome or hell fire there are but two kindes of men and therefore but two waies and where then is Purgatorie which the best of the fathers confesseth that he could neuer finde in Scripture Therefore take heed of hell for Purgatorie is but a scarre babe Furthermore when Paul sayth that he shall goe to Christ this seemes to resolue the old question often debated among the simple people once deluded whether the soules of men departed walke after death and appeare vnto men exhorting them to this or that as Gregorie or some counterfeit reporteth in his Dialogues The Apostles before their full groweth might seeme to bee incumbred with this errour because when they saw Christ walking vpon the waters they sayd It is a spirite and when Peter knocked at the doore in the night they sayd to Rhode a Damsell It is his Angel Act. 12. 15. Which errour was drawen from the elusion of Sathan and vulgar opinion receiued from Pythagoras which taught that the soules of men departed did returne into the bodies of other men after death either for correction or for reward if they were good soules then they were preferred to better men if they had been badde soules then they were cast into worse bodies then they had before a fine Philosophicall dreame This deluded Herod when hee heard of Christ he supposed that Iohn Baptist was risen againe whom he had beheaded and the better sort of the people as we reade in Mat. 16. 14. dreamed that Christ was Elias or Iohn Baptist or Ieremie or some of the Prophets risen againe But touching the soule once departed from the body that it returnes not nor can returne into the world many examples and testimonies and reasons the order of our resurrection declareth The soules of the righteous are in the hands of the Lord no man or diuell can take them out of his hands the soules of the wicked are in the hands of the diuell and God will not take them out of his hands and therefore Abraham sayth He which is here cannot come from hence and they which be there cannot come frō thence for then the paines of hell were not euerlasting paynes not the ioyes of heauen euerlasting ioyes but temporal like the paynes and ioyes of this world Therefore it is no soule which walks about How then What is this which I see in the night like such a man and such a man The Diuell which chaungeth himselfe into an Angell of light to deceiue can change himself into the likenes of a man much more that is it which thou seest as Saul sawe Samuel 1. Sam. 28. 8. not Samuel himselfe For could the Witch raise Samuel out of the graue which could not keepe her selfe out of the graue or could the diuell disturbe the Prophet after death Then he should neuer be quiet if the diuell could disturbe him because hee disquieteth the godlie so much while they liue If this apparation bee called Samuel how doth he call it Samuell if it be not Samuel As the Bookes of Caluine are called Caluine as the picture of Beza is called Beza as he which playeth the King vpon a stage is called a King as the golden Myce and Hemerodes which the Philistines layd in the Arke were called Myce and Hemerodes although they were but meere shapes and figures of them so this likenesse of Samuel is called Samuell though it was not Samuel in deede but a counterfeit shape of Samuel For GOD would not answere Saul before by Oracle nor by Priest nor by Prophet and would hee aunswere him by the dead which dooth forbid to aske counsell of the dead No sayth Abraham they haue Moses and the Prophets Luke 16. As if hee should say let them learne of the bookes of the dead for the dead shall not returne vnto them Againe if it had been Samuel himselfe which had taught Saul to worship GOD woulde that holie Prophet haue receiued worship himselfe as this spirit did Againe If it had been Samuel Sauls Schoolemaster which taught him alwayes to repent while hee liued hee would rather haue exhorted him to repentance now
then before seeing the daye of his death was so neere But you will say Whatsoeuer it was it seemes that he could prophecie of things to come for hee foretold Sauls death Can the diuell prophecie This was an easie matter for the diuell to prophecie because he knew that Dauid was annoynted before and therefore Saul must be remooued that he might reigne as he was annoynted Secondly he knew that Samuel had prophecied his confusion and therefore hee must bee degraded that the Prophecie might bee fulfilled Thirdly hee did see the Philistins comming against him and therefore no meruaile if he did aime that his death was neere at hand seeing a man might prophecie the same If any man bee not satisfied with this to beleeue that the soules of the dead doe not walke after their dissolution let mee reason with him thus Is it a soule which thou seest Why a soule is a spirit and cannot bee scene no more then a voyce or an Eccho diddest thou euer see thine own soule though it hath been euer with thee since thou was borne Doest thou thinke it is a bodie Why a bodie cannot walke without a soule for the soule is the life which mooueth the bodie If thou say it is a bodie and soule too then why doth Paul call death a dissolution It is a separation of the soule from the bodie if the bodie and soule bee not dissolued then the man is not dead but liuing still If thou say the soule is come to the bodie and the bodie is risen to the soule for that time then I can say no more to thee but beleeue thine owne eyes If thou thinkest that it is such a mans bodie which thou seest looke in the graue and open the ground and there thou shalt see the bodie where it was laide euen while this vizard walkes in thy sight therefore apparitions are no other then that which appeared to Saul Thus the Diuel hath many wayes to deceiue and this is one a dangerous one to draw vs from the word of God to visions dreames and apparitions vpon which many of the doctrines of the Papists are grounded They had neuer heard of Purgatorie but for these spirites which walked in the night and tolde them they were the soules of such and such which suffered in fire till their masses and almes and pilgrimages did raunsome them out So these night spirits begate Purgatorie and Purgatorie begate trentalles as one Serpent hatcheth another Yet a third question riseth out of these wordes and that is this Whether a Christian may wish for death As Paul desired so may wee desire if wee haue Pauls spirit As Christ told his Disciples when they asked him whether they should pray for fire from heauen as Elias did Christ answered that they knewe not of what spirit they were as if he should say If you were of Elias spirit and did praye with the same mind and to the same end that he did then you might pray as he prayed The wicked wish to die because they would bee rid of the crosse and suffer no more for God as Cain so soone as he was cursed and knew that his life should be a torment he sought to dye to preuent the iust iudgement of God spight him as it were which shuld punish sinnes So doe the people oftentimes which haue not to satisfie hunger the sicke which saint of an incurable disease and the wearie captiues in prison galleis and bonds As for the faithfull if they at any time wish to die they pray for death as the last remedy against sinne and Sathan euen as they pray in the Reuelation for the hastening of Christs comming to iudgement Come Lord Iesus come quickly for the shortening of the daies of sinne least all flesh should perish But they which wish for death in this sorte would dye as the will of God hath ordained and mortifie their flesh to abide these troubles and still by fayth suppresse the doloruos griefe of sin by frequent meditation of inward ioy receiued by grace in Christ and therein reuiue themselues as with the earnest pennie of their inheritance which they shall receiue at the fit time when it shall comfort them much to haue suffered so long Much therefore haue they to answere which are not contented to die in peace and stay till they bee dissolued but as though themselues were the authors of life death from cruell heart giue wrongfull commission to the bloodie hand to cut asunder that which God hath ioyned the louing soule and their body as Iudas Achitophel Saul and Pilate did not one of these was good in life or death Yet the Author of the Macchabees commendeth Raz is most of all for that which was the greatest sinne that euer he did for killing himselfe Man was not borne of his owne pleasure neither must hee die at his owne lust or else it had been good for Iob which suffered more than any Saint except Christ to make away himselfe as Iudas did But why is it commanded then thou shall nor kill If thou maist not kill another much lesse maist thou kill thy selfe As for the example of Sampson Iud. 16. 30. which may seeme to oppose against this in that he killed himselfe when as he pulled the house vpon his owne head and all that were with him vnderstand that hee was a figure of Christ which vanquished moe in his death than in all his life and it appeareth that he had warrant from God in that his strength being taken from him was for the acte in a moment restored to him vpon his prayer And the Epistle to the Hebr. 11. 13. to cleere that fact saith that he did it of faith that is knowing that he had deserued to die and that by these meanes the enemies of God should bee destroyed he submitted himselfe to the good will of GGD like a good Captaine which ventured his life to kill his enemies therefore we must not looke to particultr examples but to the generall law Wherfore let no man doe this euill that any good may come of it but rather follow the aduise of the holy Apostle as it becommeth vs with patience let vs runne out the race which is set before vs. Here I might shew you that they are guiltie of their owne death that kill themselues with surfetting intemperance drunkennesse c. although they loue their life too deare yet they take all meanes to hasten their deaths Thus much of Purgatorie night spirits and praying for death Nowe it remaneth that as the Leuites sanctified their brethren before they did eate the Passeouer so I would prepare you before yee eate this holy Sacrament of which the passeouer was but a signe The Iewes were taught of God before they did eate the Passeouer to put away leauen out of their houses the daie before Exod. 12. 15. Hath God care of leauen No this is it which the Apostle teacheth 1. Corinth 5.
Shall the Gods die too Hee giues them their title but he telles them their lot Though their power though their wealth though their honour though their titles though their train though their friends though their case though their pleasures though their diet though their cloathing be not like other yet their ende shall be like other nay their endes are like to bee more fearefull than other For GOD makes him examples of great men as he did of Pharaoh and therefore wee see so many strange and sodaine deathes of Princes more than of other Therefore hee spake heere with the least when hee saide Yee shall die like other for verie fewe of them escape the Swoorde or knife or poyson which other neuer or very seldome feare But if all your subiectes were your friendes yet yee shall dye like them for are yee not colde when Winter comes are yee not withered when ages comes are yee not weake when sickenesse comes and shall yee not goe aswell as the meanest when death comes Therefore bee not proud of thine honour as though it would last alwaies for thou shalt dye and then all thine honour shall forsake thee and another shall rise in thy place as great as thou and when his glasse is run another shall follow him and so another till death haue all Bee not cruell in thine authoritie as though it woulde laste alwaies for thou shalt dye and then thy Authoritie shall dye with thee and they which remayne aliue will sende infinite curses after thee because thy life was as a scourge vnto them Be not secure for thy wealth as though it would last alwaies for thou shalt die and then another shall take thy riches and thou shalt goe to giue account how thou commest by them How many things dooth hee implie when he saith yee shall die This is a Barre in their armes which makes the proudest peacocke laye downe his feathers when hee thinkes vpon it though he pricke them vp againe whereby the holy ghoste woulde haue them learne that nothing will make them liue and rule and deale so well in their thrones as to remember that they shall die and shortlie giue account for all signifying that prosperitie makes vs forgetfull of our endes and that these mortall Gods liue as though they were immortall A hard thing for Princes to remember death they haue no leasure to thinke of it but chop into the earth before they beware like a man which walketh ouer a field couered with snow and sees not his way but when hee thinketh to runne on sodainly falles into a pit euen so they which haue all things at will and swim in pleasure which as a snowe couereth their waie and dazeleth their sight while they thinke to liue on and reioyce still sodainely rush vpon death and make shipwrack in the calme sea Therefore as it is good for them to heare they are Gods so it is meete to knowe they shall die Wherefore ye shall die saith he in the next wordes as if hee would preuent some conceit that they would take of the wordes which hee cast out before hee cooles them quicklie before they swell and deferres not to another time but where he calles them Gods there hee calles them wormes meate lest they should crow betweene the praise and the checke I haue said ye are Gods but ye shall die c. but for this die manie would liue a merrie life and feast and sport and let the world slide but the remembrance of death is like a dampe which puts out all the lightes of pleasure and makes him rub and frounce and whine which thinkes vpon it as if a moate were in his eie O how heauie tidings is this to heare thou shalt die from him which hath life and death in his owne handes when the message is sent to them which raigne like Gods as if he should say Euen you which glister like Angels whom all the world admires and sues and bowes to which are called honourable mightie and gracious Lords I will tell you to what your honour shall come First ye shall wax olde like others then ye shall fall sicke like other then ye shall die like other then ye shall be buried like other then ye shall bee consumd like other then ye shall bee iudged like other euen like the Beggers which crie at your gates one sickens the other sickens one dies the other dies one rots the other rots looke in the graue and shewe me which was Diues and which was Lazarus This is some comfort to the poore that once he shall be like the rich one day he shall bee as wealthie as mightie and as glorious as a King one hower of death will make all alike they which crowed-ouer other and looked downe vpon them like Oakes other shall walke vpon them like worms and they shall be gone as if they hadde neuer beene Where is Alexander that conquered all the worlde and after sought for an other because one woulde not satisfie him Where is Xerxes which coulde not number his Armie for multitude Where is Nemrod which built his nest in the clowdes Where is Sampson which slewe an armie with the iawe of an Asse Where is Constantine Nero Caligula Titus Vespasian Domitian thunderbolts in their times One hundred Princes of Englande are dead and but one aliue the rest are gone to giue account how they ruled here when they sustained the person of God Who would haue thought saith Ieremie that the enemie shoulde haue entred into Ierusalem and spoyled that faire Citie Yet he brake into it and Ierusalem was ransackt like other Who woulde haue thought that Herod which was honoured like a GOD should haue beene deuoured with wormes and sauoured that none could abide him Yet while hee was in his pompe like an Idol sodainelie hee was stroken and all his glorie like the snuffe of a Candell which all men looked vppon euen nowe when it shined and now it so sauors that they tread it vnder foote Who woulde haue thought Iezabel that beautifull temptation shoulde haue beene gnawed with dogs Yet shee was cast vnto dogs not an eare left to season the graue What woulde he thinke that had seene Salomon in his Roialty after seen him in the clay O world vnworthie to be beloued who hath made this proud slaughter Age Sickenes and Death the three sumners which haue no respect of persons made them paie the ransome themselues and bowe to the earth from whence they came there lie the men that were called Gods How soone the flower of this world is faded yesterdaie the tallest Cedar in Libanus to daie like a broken sticke troden vnder foote yesterday the state lieth vppon earth to daie shrouded in earth forsaken forgotten that the poorest wretch would not bee like vnto him which yesterdaie crouched and bowed to his knees Then woe to them which had the names of God and sinnes of men for the mightie shall be mightilie
the way for other that they may fall too Therefore Let him that thinketh he standeth take heede lest he fall So earnestly must we call vpon our soules that we be not wearie of well doing for happier are the children that neuer began then Iudas whose ende was worse then his beginning Wisedome and Righteousnesse are angrie with him that leaueth his goodnesse to become worse if thy spouse had committed fornication thou mightest haue diuorsed her but he which leaueth his righteousnes to liue in wickednes forsakes his spouse to commit fornication and is diuorsed from Christ himselfe If thou wert like the Vine or the Oliue or the Figge tree they would not leaue their grapes or their fatnesse or their sweetnesse to get a kingdome but the Bramble did If thou be like the Bramble what wilt thou doe when the fire comes As this is a memorandum to all so especially let him that ruleth and him that teacheth take heede lest he fal for if the Pillers shrinke the Temple shakes as when a great Tree is hewen downe which is a shadowe to the beasts and a nest to the birdes many leaues and bowes and twiggs fall with it so many stande and fall with them whose lampes giue light to others Euen as Ieroboams sinne made Israel to sinne therefore Paul hath giuen you a watchword which euery one should write vpon his table vpon his bed vpon his nayles lest he forget in one houre for he which standes now may fall before night Sinne is not long in comming nor quickly gone vnles God stop vs as he mette Balaam in his way stay vs as he staied the womans sonne when he was a bearing to his graue we runne ouer Reason and tread vpon Conscience and fling by Counsel and goe by the Word and poast to Death as though we ran for a kingdome like a Larke that falles to the ground sooner then she mounted vp at first she retires as it were by steps but when she commeth neerer the ground she falles downe with a iumpe so wee decline at first and wauer lower and lower till we be almost at the worst and then we runne headlong as though wee were sent poast to hell from hot to luke-warme from luke-warme to key cold from key cold to starke dead so the languishing soule bleedes to death and seeth not his life goe till he be at the very last gaspe Woe bee vnto him that is guilty of this murther if the bloud of Abel cried for vengeance against his brother Caine which slew his bodie shall not GOD bee reuenged for the death of the Soule where is thy brother saith God Nay where is thy soule hast thou slaine it which was my spouse my temple mine owne Image If the seruāt which hid his Talent was cast into darknesse what shall be done vnto thee which hast lost thy Talent For he which falles from his righteousnesse dooth not hide his Talent but more he doth lose it Thus if you neuer knewe what good to make of euill this you may learne in the sinners Schoole let them which thinke they stand take heed lest they fall and let them which are downe care to rise and the Lord so direct our steppes that wee may rise againe FINIS THREE PRAYERS ONE FOR THE MORNING ANother for the Euening the third for a sicke man Whereunto is annexed a godly Letter to a sicke friend and a comfortable speech of a Preacher vpon his death bed Anno. 1591. A Morning Prayer O Lord prepare our hearts to praye ETernall God giuer to them which want Comforter to them wich suffer and forgiuer to them which repent we haue nothing to render thee but thine owne If we could giue thee our bodies and soules they should be saued by it but thou wert neuer the richer for them Al is our duetie al of vs cannot performe it therefore thy son died thy spirite descended and thy Angels guide and thy Ministers teach to helpe the weakenes of men All things cal vpon vs to cal vpon thee and we are prostrate before thee before wee know how to worship thee euē since we rose we haue tasted many of thy blessings thou hast begun to serue vs before wee begin to serue thee Why shouldst thou bestow thy health and wealth and rest and libertie vpon vs more then other we can giue no reason for it but that thou art mercifull And if thou shouldst drawe all backe againe we haue nothing to say but that thou art iust Our sinnes are so grieuous and infinite that we are faine to say with Iudas I haue sinned and there stop because we cannot reckon them All things serue thee as they did at first onely men are the sinners in this world Our heart is a roote of corruption our eies are the eyes of vanitie our eares are the eares of follie our mouthes are the mouthes of deceipt our hands are the hands of iniquitie and euery part doth dishonour thee which would be glorified of thee The vnderstanding which was giuen vs to learne vertue is apt now to apprehend nothing but sinne the will which was giuen vs to affect righteousnes is apt now to loue nothing but wickednes The memorie which was giuen vs to remember good things is apt now to keep nothing but euill things There is no difference betweene vs and the wicked we haue doone more against thee this weeke then we haue doone for thee since we were borne and yet we haue not resolued to amende but this is the course of our whole life first we sinne and then we pray thee to forgiue it and then to our sinnes againe as though we came to thee for leaue to offend thee And that which should get pardon at thy hands for all the rest that is our prayer is so full of toyes and fancies for want of faith and reuerence that when we haue praied we had need to praie againe that thou wouldest forgiue our prayers because wee thinke least of thee when wee pray vnto thee what Father but thou could suffer this contempt and bee contemned still Yet when we thinke vpon thy sonne all our feare is turned into ioye because his righteousnesse for vs is more then our wickednesse against our selues Settle our faith in thy beloued and it sufficeth for all our iniquities necessities and infirmities Now Lord we goe foorth to fight against the world the flesh and the diuell and the weakest of our enemies is stronger than wee therefore wee come vnto thee for thy holy spirite to take our part that is to change our mindes and wils and affections which wee haue corrupted to remooue all the hindrances which lets vs to serue thee and to direct all our thaughts speeches and actions to thy glorie as thou hast directed thy glorie vnto our saluation Although we be sinners O Lord yet we are thine and therefore we beseech thee to separate our sins from vs which would separate vs from thee that we may be ready
It followeth This is my bodie Here is the fruite of his thankes before hee prayed that the bread and wine might be blessed they were blessed As Isaacks blessing shewed it selfe vpon Iacob whom he blessed so Christ his blessing appeared straight vpon these mysteries for it could not be said before This is my bodie because it was meere bread but now it may be called his bodie because his blessing hath infused that vertue into it that it dooth not onely represent his bodie but conuey his bodie and himselfe vnto vs. The efficacie of this blessing is in this Sacrament euer since sanctifying it vnto vs as well as it did to the Apostles euen as Christs praier staied Peters faith after Christ was dead Now ye haue heard the meaning of these words He tooke bread and blessed it and brake it and gaue it you shall see with what a mysticall resemblance they vnite Christ and vs First as Christ in the Supper tooke bread to feede vs so in his birth he tooke our flesh to saue vs. Secondly as Christ when he had taken the bread blessed the bread to make it a spirituall food so Christ when he had taken our flesh powred foorth most rich and precious graces into it to make it food of life vnto vs. Thirdly as Christ when hee had blessed the bread brake the bread so Christ when hee had filled his bodie with most precious graces brake it vp like a rich treasure house his handes by the nayles his backe by the stripes his head by the thornes his side by the speare that out of euerie hole a riuer of grace and goodnesse might issue flow forth vnto vs. Lastly as Christ gaue the bread when he had broken it so Christ by a liuely faith communicateth his bodie after he hath crucified it Hereby wee are taught that when we see the Minister take the bread to feed vs we must conceiue that Christ being God from euerlasting tooke our flesh to saue vs. When we see the Minister blesse the bread to a holie vse we must conceiue that Christ by vniting the Godhead vnto it sanctified his flesh for our redemption When wee see the Minister breake the bread to sustaine our bodies we must conceiue that Christ in his death brake his bodie to refresh our soules When wee see the Minister giue the bread to our handes we must conceiue that Christ as truly offereth himself to our faith to be receiued of vs. Because vpon these wordes the Papists ground their Transubstantiation that is that the bread is changed into Christs flesh the wine is turned into Christes blood whereby we eate the same bodie which dyed vpon the Crosse drinke the same blood which issued out of his side That you may see the blindnes of this Popish dreame I would haue you but marke euerie word of this scripture how they make against transubstantiation that ye may see them slaine like Goliah with their owne sworde Euen as God made Caiphas speak against himself so the scriptures which heretikes alledge do make against thēselues like the Baalites which wounded their owne flesh I may liken their allegations to Satans when he tempted Christ in the wildernesse he alleadged but one sentence of scripture for himselfe and that Psalme out of which hee borrowed it made so plaine against him that he was faine to picke here a word and there a word and leaue out that which went before and skip in the middest and omit that which came after or else hee had marred his cause the scripture is so holie and pure and true that no word nor sillable thereof can make for the diuell or for sinners or for heretikes yet as the diuell alledged scripture though it made not for him but agaynst him so doe the Libertines and Epicures and heretickes as though they had learned at his schoole Now there is no sentence of the scripture which the wiser Papists alleadge boldly for their Transubstantiation but this that Christ sayd This is my bodie by which they may proue as well that Christ is a doore because he saith I am the doore or a vine because he saith I am a vine for his sayings are like Figuratiue speeches must not be construed literally but this is heretikes fashion If you mark you shall see throughout that all the testimonies which the Papists alledge for their heresies are either tropes or figures or allegories or parables or allusions or darke speeches which when they presume to expound allegoricallie or literallie without conference of other scriptures then they wander and straie from the marke or else it is impossible that the truth should maintaine error that is that the scripture should speake for heresie if it were not peruerted therefore wee see that Eue neuer erred vntill she corrupted the text Now we will enter the lystes with our aduersaries and see whether these wordes doe proue that the bread and wine are turned into Christs bodie Paul saith Iesus tooke bread well then yet it is bread when he had taken it then he blessed it what did he blesse the bread which hee tooke well then yet it is bread when he had blessed it then he brake it what did he breake the bread which hee blessed well then yet it is bread when hee had broken it then hee gaue it what did hee giue the bread which he brake well then yet it is bread when he had giuen it they did eate it what did they eate the bread which hee gaue them well then yet it is bread when they did eat it then he sayd This is my bodie what did hee call his bodie the bread which they did eat well then yet it is bread If it be bread all this while when hee did take it and blesse it and brake it and gaue it and they did eate it when is it turned into his bodie here they stand like the Sadduces as mute as fishes Now that ye may see that not we only say it is bread and wine after the consecration in the 27. verse Christ himselfe doth cal it bread and wine after he had giuen it as hee did before And in Marke he saith I will drinke no more of the fruit of the vine Here Christ saith that it was the fruit of the vine which hee drank but his blood is not the fruit of vines but wine therefore wine was his drinke and not blood Beside if you would heare Paul expound Christ hee sheweth that all our Fathers had the same substance of Christ in their Sacraments that we haue in ours for hee sayth They all did eate the same spirituall meate and al drinke the same spiritual drinke Straight hee saith that this meat and this drinke was Christ Marke that he sayth not onely They did eat the same meat that we eate but he saith that this meat was Christ and not onely so but
them which breake the lawes of men but to suffer and suffer and euer to suffer all that the diuels would heape vpon vs. Then came the mercie of God for Christ which shedde his bloud like an vmpire betweene God and vs and saide as Esay saide to Hezechia Thou shalt not dye but liue loose him let him goe for hee is mine So we were staied like the widdowes sonne when he was carried to his graue This is the benefite of Christes death and this Sacrament is the remembrance of it and therefore whensoeuer we receiue it this addition commeth with it which is shed for the remission of sinnes our fault was so hainous and greeuous that no ransome could counteruaile it vnlesse God himselfe had suffered for vs. Being in this extremitie neither man nor angel offered his life for vs but the prince himselfe which should haue crucified vs came to be crucified of vs for vs y t we might say with stedfast faith I beleeue the remission of sinnes not the satisfaction of sinnes but the remission of sinnes Marke this distinction against Popish merites of workes or penance Christ hath satisfied and not we we are remitted and not Christ therefore we say in our confession I beleeue the remission of sinnes which I may call the mercifull Article because it is the quintessence and sweetnesse of all the twelue Therefore who but Antichrist durst depraue it If there be a satisfaction for our sinnes by our works or by our pilgrimages or by our masses or by our penance let Christ neuer be called a forgiuer but an exchanger like the Pope which selleth his pardons Wretched creatures which will not receiue the Lord when he comes to their doore Christ saith Take for nothing and they say no we will not take but buy Vile base miserable men disdaine to take grace of God without satisfaction but they will cope with the Lord and giue him so many pilgrimages fast so many daies heare so many masses and paie so manie workes for it vntill they haue done as much good as they haue done euill Our sinnes are infinite and God is infinit but our works are finite in number and measure how can they answere then to that which exceedeth number and measure Therefore be content with Iosephs brethren to take your money againe and say that you haue corne for nothing that is you are saued for nothing or else when you say I beleeue the remission of sinnes you lie vnto God because you doo not beleeue the remission of sinnes but satisfaction for sinnes like the Papists It followeth As often as yee shall eate this bread and drinke this cuppe yee shall shewe the Lords death till he come Here are three inuincible arguments against Popish transubstantiation like the three witnesses vnder which euerie word doth stand First we are sayd to eate bread then it is not flesh but bread Secondly we are saide to shew the Lordes death then it is but a shewe or representation of his death Thirdly it is said vntill hee come if hee be to come then he is not come if he be come how can we say vntill hee come The effect of this verse was shewed in these wordes Doe this in remembrance of me For to say Doe this in remembrance of me and to say So oft as you doe this you shew my death is much at one so that if you call this Sacrament a shewe of Christes death as it is called here then it is not Christ or if you call it a remembraunce of Christ as it is called there yet it is not Christ but a shewe or remembrance of Christ but this is such a shew and remembrance that the next verse saith Whosoeuer receiueth it vnworthily is guiltie of the bodie and bloud of Christ Will yee know who receiueth vnworthely In the nine and twentith verse Paul saith he discerneth not the Lords bodie that is which putteth no difference betweene this bread and other but eateth like a childe the meate which hee knoweth not and after the bread seemeth stones to him and the wine poyson because his conscience telleth him I haue receiued vnwoorthelie before I could say like Dauid My hart is prepared My sheepe saith Christ know my voyce as they discerne Christs wordes so they discerne Christes bodie and therefore so often as they come to the Lordes table they seeme to come into the Lords presence there they greete and kisse and embrace one another with affections which none can know but they that feele like Iohn which leaped in the wombe so soone as Christ came neare him Will yee know beside what it is to bee guiltie of the bodie and blood of Christ euen as Iudas was guiltie for betraying him and Pilate for deliuering him and the Iewes for crucifying him so they are guiltie which receiue this Sacrament vnworthily as Pilate and Caiphas and Iudas were If they be guiltie of Christs death they are guiltie of theyr owne death too as if they had committed two murthers and therefore Paul saith after that many of the Corinthians dyed onely for the vnwoorthie receiuing of this Sacrament As the Worde is the sauour of death to them which receiue it vnworthelie so the Sacrament is the sauour of death to them which receiue it vnworthelie it neuer goeth into their mouth but they are traitors ipso facto may say to Hell this day haue I taken possession of thee because I am guiltie of Christes blood Therefore it followeth immediatlie Let a man examine himselfe before hee eate of this bread or drinke of this wine as if he should say If he which receiueth this Sacrament vnworthely bee guiltie of Christes death like Iudas which hanged himselfe if these signes be receiued to saluation or damnation like the Word the next lesson is to examine your selues before you receiue lest you receiue like the sonne of perdition which swallowed the bread and the Diuell together Therefore Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate that is let him examine first and receiue after for if wee should receiue the bread of the earth reuerentlie how should we receiue the bread of heauen When Iehonadab came to Iehu his chariot hee sayd Is thy heart vpright as my heart is toward thee So when wee come to the Lordes table hee would haue our hearts vpright to him as his heart is to vs for who feasteth his enemies and mockers The golden Ring sitteth highest at our table but the Wedding garment sitteth highest at this table It is safer eating with vnwashen handes than with an vnwashen heart The Iewes were taught to choose the Lambe of the Passe-ouer on the tenth daye of the first moneth in which moneth they came out of Egypt and on the fourteenth daye after they were taught to eate him so they had foure daies respite betweene the choosing and the killing to prepare
riches by vsurie To begin with the punishment not onely Gods law but euen the Cannon law doth so condemne vsurie that first it doth excommunicate him from the Church as though he had no communion with Saints Secondlie it dooth detaine him from the sacraments as though he had no communion with Christ Thirdlie it dooth depriue him of his Sepulchre and wil not suffer him to be buried as though hee were not worthie to lie in the earth but to lie in hell Lastlie it maketh his will to be no will as though his goods were not his owne For nothing is ours but that which wee haue rightlie got and therefore we say It is mine by right as though it were not ours vnlesse it be ours by right This is the iudgement of mans law Now you shall heare the iudgement of Gods law A Vsurer dooth receiue two incomes one of the borrower and another of the reuenger of the borrower he lookes for gaine but of the reuenger he lookes for punishment Therfore all the Scripture prophecieth euill vnto him as Michaiah did to Achab Salomon saith He which encreaseth his riches by Vsurie gathereth for them which will be mercifull to the poore As if hee should saie when he hath loden himselfe like a Cart hee shall be vnloden like a Cart againe and they shall inherit his monie for whom he did neuer gather it For he which is vnmercifull to the poore meaneth not to gather for them which will bee mercifull to the poore But Salomon saith That they shall be his heires which will be mercifull as hee was vnmercifull Now marke whether this prophesie of Salomon be true I know not how many in this Cittie doe encrease by vsurie but this prophesie seemeth to be verified of many for it is noted that the riches lands of Aldermen and Merchants and other in London do not last so long nor indure so well as the riches and lands of other in the countrie and that their children doe not prooue so well as others nor come to that place in the Common weele which for their wealth their parents looked that they should come to I can giue no reason for it but the reason of Salomon Hee which increaseth by Vsurie gathereth for them which will bee mercifull to the poore That is their riches shall go from their heires to Gods heires according to that The riches of the sinner is layd vp for the righteous that is the righteous shall enioie that which the wicked gathereth All riches are vncertaine but the riches which are euill gotten are most vncertaine They may be called moueable goods for they are verie moueable like the clowdes which neuer rest till they fall as they climed God sayth that he will smite the Vsurer with his fist not with the palme of his hand but with his fist which giueth a greater blow As his handes were shut against the poore so Gods handes shall be shutte against him that his punishment may be like his sinne But if you will heare their finall sentence Dauid saith heere That they shall not dwell in Gods Temple nor rest in his holie mountaine Then we will seeke no more punishments for this punishment is all punishments If they shall not come to heauen whose then shall those riches be Nay whose then shall the honour be when that day commeth If hee shall not rest in heauen then he shall rest in hell where no rest is Then saith one the Vsurer shall crie vnto his children Cursed bee you my Children because you were the cause of these torments for least you should be poore I was an Vsurer and robbed other to leaue riches vnto you To whom the children shall replie againe nay cursed be you father for you were the cause of our torments for if you had not left vs other mens goods we had not kept other mens goods Thus when they are cursed of God they shall curse one another curse the Lord for condemning them curse their sinnes for accusing them curse their Parents for begetting them and curse themselues because they cannot helpe themselues As they which are blessed doe nothing but blesse so they which are accursed do nothing but curse This is the second vsurie which the Vsurer shall receiue of God after hee hath receiued vsurie of men then the name of Vsurie shalbe fulfilled as it signifieth biting so when it hath bitten other it shall bite the Vsurer too and neuer rest biting then they shall wish that they could restore againe as Zacheus did and shall not restore because their money is gone Therefore if Christ be come to your hearts as he came to Zacheus house restore now as Zacheus did and escape this iudgement This is the end of the Vsurer and his money if they stay together till death yet at last there shalbe a diuision The diuell shall take his soule the earth shall take his bodie the strangers shal take his goods the mourners shall reioyce vnder their blacks and say Wickednesse is come to the graue Therefore if thou wouldest not be counted an vsurer then refrain to be a vsurer now for they which are vsurers now shalbe counted Vsurers then Thus you haue heard the Vsurers payment Now if you will know whether it be vnlawful to giue vsurie as it is vnlawfull to take vsurie I wish that you could resolue your selues that I might not speake of it for I haue heard some Preachers say that there be some truths which they would be loath to preach and so there be some truthes which I would be loath to preach because manie heare by halues and some for malice or ignorance will take thinges otherwise then they are spoken yet because I haue promised I wil speak somthing of it Well then may we neither take vsurie nor giue vsurie I know that Ieremie saith I haue not lent vpon vsurie to others neither haue others lent vpon vsurie to mee as though both were vnlawfull not onely to take vsurie but to giue vsurie But thereby Ieremie doth signifie that hee was no medler in the worlde whereby they should enuie him like other men and therefore hee cleareth himselfe chieflie from Vsurie because Vsurers were most enuied And to shewe that hee was not an Vsurer he saith that he was not a borrower which is more lawfull than to be a Vsurer like a man which saith I doe neither hate him nor know him Why it was lawfull to know him but to proue that he did not hate him hee saith hee doeth not know him So Ieremie to proue that hee had not lent vpon vsurie doeth saie that hee neuer borrowed vpon Vsurie which manie will doe that will not lende The best Expositors giue this sence of it I knowe beside that Christ did cast foorth the buyers out of the Temple as wel as the sellers But that was not for buying but for buying in the Temple where they should not buy but
this day but thus it standes God hath sent vnto vs for our hearts and wee answere him as the husbands of the vineyard when he sent for fruites or as Nabal answered Dauid when he sent for food Who is Dauid or who is the Lord that I should take my heart from pleasure and sin and giue it vnto him Thus we demurre vpon the cause when we should giue whether we should giue or no and aske the flesh and our lusts and our pleasures and if the diuell will not giue his assent then wee returne an excuse it is not mine to giue or if thou canst get the diuels good will I will not stand or let sinne and pleasure haue it for a while and when they haue done with it then God shall haue it Thus euery thing which should be thrown out hath a place in our heart and he which should bee receiued in can haue no roome there though hee would open the doores of heauen if we would open the doores of our hearts that the King of glorie might come in What shall become of those hearts when he which craues them now shall iudge them hereafter Then shall they stand like Esau and see them blessed like Iacob which gaue their hearts and crie themselues as hee did to his father Isaac Hast thou not reserued a blessing for vs What a heauie heart will it bee then when it may not ioy any longer here and the ioyes of Heauen are shut agaynst it and hee which desired it will not haue it because it comes like the foolish Virgins when the doores of mercie are shut Thus ye haue heard what God requires for all that hee hath giuen you and how all your seruices are lost vntill you bring it What shall I wish you now before my departure I wish you would giue all your hearts to God while I speake that yee might haue a Kingdome for them Send for your hearts where they are wandering one from the Banke another from the Tauerne another from the Shop another frō the Theaters call them home and giue them all vnto God and see how hee will welcome them as the Father imbraceth his Sonne If your hearts were with God durst the Diuell fetch them durst those sinnes come at them Euen as Dina was defloured when she strayed from home so is the heart when it straieth from God Therefore call the members together and let them fast like a quest of twelue men vntill they consent vppon lawe before anie moe Tearmes passe to giue God his right and let him take the heart which hee wooeth which hee would marrie which hee would endowe with all his goods and make it the heyre of the crowne When you pray let your heart pray when you heare let your heart heare when you giue let your heart giue whatsoeuer you doe set the heart to doe it and if it be not so perfect as it should bee yet it shalbe accepted for the friend that giues it Now if you cannot command your hearts to turne vnto God because the diuell pleades custome and the flesh will not agree to leaue her possessions then remember what Christ saith When ye giue almes let not your left hand know what the right hand doth so the flesh must not knowe what the spirite doth Thou must not make thy lusts of counsel but as Abraham when hee was bid to offer his sonne rose vp betime and left his wife at home and neuer made Sarah priuie lest she should stop him being more tender ouer her childe like women than the father is so thou must giue thy heart to God before the flesh heare of it for if Abigaile had consulted with Nabal whether she shuld haue supplied Dauid with victuals or no when he sent the miser would neuer haue giuen his consent which scolded so soone as he heard of it therefore she went alone and gaue that which hee asked and neuer tolde her husband what shee would doe lest hee should hinder her which sought her welfare and his too so wee should steale our harts from the world as the world stole them from vs and transport them to God when the flesh is a sleepe I haue but one daye more to teach you all that you must learne of me therefore I would holde you heere vntill you assent to giue all your hearts to God If ye giue them not now where haue I cast the seede and how haue ye heard all this yeare If ye will giue them now ye shall bee adopted this daye the sonnes of God and I shall leaue you in the bosome of Christ which will giue you heauen for your hearts The Lord Iesu graunt that my wordes bee not the sauour of death vnto my soule here but that you may goe in strength thereof through prosperitie and aduersitie till you heare that comfort from heauen Come ye blessed and receiue the inheritance prepared for you FINIS THE TRVE TRIAL OF THE SPIRITES To the Reader TWo things we are apt to forget Gods benefites and our sinnes for the first the Lord saith I haue loued you and they say Wherein hast thou loued vs For the second hee saith Ye haue despised me and they say Wherein haue we despised thee THE TRVE TRIAL OF THE SPIRITES 1. Thess 5. 19 c. 19 Quench not the spirit 20 Despise not prophecying 21 Trie all things and keepe that which is good 22 Abstaine from all appearance of euill AT the last time which I spake of these wordes In all things giue thanks Quench not the Spirit Touching the first I shewed you that it is an easier thing to obtaine of God than to bee thankfull to him for moe haue gone away speeders than haue gone away thankers Then how the wicked are beholding to God as well as the iust and therfore it is sayd that the Sunne doth shine vpon the iust and the vniust Then how Iacob came not so barely to Laban when he brought nothing with him but his staffe in his hand as man commeth into this worlde without strength or staffe to sustaine him which made the Apostle to aske What haue you which you haue not receiued Therefore to teach man to be thankfull vnto his maker hee was not made in Paradise the place of ioy and happines but being made out of Paradise hee was brought into Paradise to shew how all his ioy and happines came from God and not from nature that he might know where to bestow his thankes Therefore Dauid to perswade all men vnto thankfulnesse saith It is a good and pleasant thing to be thankfull If he had sayd no more but good all which loue goodnesse were bound to be thankful but when he saith not onely good but pleasant too all which loue pleasure are bounde to be thankfull and therefore as Peters mother in lawe so soone as Christ healed her of a feauer rose vp immediatly to
tormented All their friends and subiects and seruants forsake them because they goe to prison to trie the mercie of hell and take what the spirites of darkenes will heape vpon them there lie many of the men which were called Gods and thus endes the pilgrimage of Kings Princes and Rulers This is our life while we enioy it we lose it like the Sunne which flies swifter than an Arrowe and yet no man perceiues that it moues Hee which lasted nine hundred yeares could not holde out one houre longer and what hath hee now more than a childe which liued but a yeare Where are they which founded this goodlie Cittie which possessed these faire houses and walked these pleasant fieldes which erected these stately Temples which kneeled in these seates which preached out of this place but thirtie yeares agoe Is not earth turned to earth and shall not our Sunne set like theirs when the night comes yet wee cannot beleeue that death will finde out vs as he hath found out them though all men die yet euery man dreames I shall scape or at the least I shall liue till I bee olde This is strange men cannot thinke that God will doe againe that which hee dooth dailie or that he will deale with them as he deales with other tell one of vs that all other shall die we beleeue it tell one of vs we shall die and we beleeue it sooner of all than of one though we bee sore though wee bee weake though we be sicke though wee bee elder than those whome wee follow to the ground So they thought which lie in this mould vnder your feete as you doe If wisedome or riches or fauour could haue intreated death those which haue liued before vs would haue kept our possessions from vs but death would take no bale wee are all Tenants at will and we must leaue this Cottage whensoeuer the Landlord will put an other in our roome at a yeares at a moneths at a weekes at a daies at an houres warning or lesse the cloathes which we weare vpon our backes the graues which are vnder our feete the Sunne which sets ouer our heades and the meates which go into our mouthes doe crie vnto vs that we shall weare and set and die like the beastes and fowles fishes which now are dead in our dishes and but euen now were liuing in the Elements Our Fathers haue summoned vs and wee must summon our children to the graue Euerie thing euerie daie suffers some Eclipse nothing standeth at a stay but one creature cals to another Let vs leaue this world While wee play our Pageants vpon this stage of short continuance euerie man hath a part some longer and some shorter and while the Actors are at it sodainelie death steps vpon the stage like a hauke which separates one of the Doues from the flight he shootes his dart where it lights there fals one of the Actors dead before thē and makes al the rest agāst they muse and mourne and burie him and then to the sport againe While they sing play and daunce death comes againe strikes another there he lies they mourne him and burie him as they did the former and play againe so one after another till the plaiers bee vanished like the accusers which came before Christ and Death is the last vpon the stage so the figure of this worlde passeth away Many which stand heere may lie here or elswhere within this twelue moneth But thou thinkest It is not I and hee thinketh It is not he but he which thinkes so commeth soonest to it If I could make you beleeue that ye haue but a yeare to liue and that all which heare mee this day shall come to the barre before this daie tweluemoneth returne againe ye would prepare your selues to die and leaue your sinnes behinde you and depart Christians out of the Church with a minde to do all that God wil haue you that when the tweluemoneth is ended ye might liue with Angels in heauen and escape that fierie lake where the Glutton begs but a drop of water to coole the tip of his tongue and it will not bee graunted him least it should ease him But nowe wee know not whether we shall liue a weeke to an end we will doe nothing that he bids vs but abide the venture and trie the marker what God wil giue for sinne so one is taken after another and because we are not ready we go against our will like Lots wife out of Sodom This is our fashion to see the best last till we can neither forsake our sin nor hope of mercie Thus I haue proclaimed to all Kings Princes Iudges Counsellors and Magistrates that which Esay foretold to one Set thy things in order for thou shalt die Yet 15. yeeres were behind when the Prophet warned him to set al things in order But I cānot promise you 15. yeeres for many Princes do not raigne so long for one that doth That which Esay spake to one God here pronounceth of all yee shall die therefore the message is sent to you and when ye think of your honour think of your end These 2. notes that ye are Gods and that yee shall die the holy Ghost thought enough to teach you how to liue and how to rule And that wee may bee all like Gods hereafter let vs prepare before the accompt for none are in heauen but they that left the world before it left them Therefore let vs praie that GOD would keepe vs in remembrance of his iudgements that the subtiltie of sinne neuer steale our hearts from him but that we may count this life a respite to repent before the Iudge sit to deuide betweene the sheepe and the goates when we shall giue account of all his instructions corrections and benefites euen of this seede which hath beene sowne since yee came in how yee haue receiued his worde this houre FINIS The Triall of Vanitie Eccles 1. 2. Vanitie of vanities saith the Preacher Vanitie of vanities All is vanitie THis booke begins with All is vanitie and endes with Feare God and keepe his commandements If that sentence were knit to this which Salomon keepeth to the end as the hauen of rest after the turmoyles of vanitie it is like that which Christe sayde to Martha Thou art troubled about many things but one thing is necessarie That which troubleth vs Salomon calles Vanitie That which is necessarie hee calles the Feare of GOD from that to this should be euerie mans pilgrimage in this worlde we begin at Vanitie and neuer know perfectly that we are vaine vntill wee repent with Salomon Therefore this is his first greeting and lesson to all after his conuersion to warne them that All is vanitie as if God had said to him as he saide to Ezechiel Cause Ierusalem to know her abhominations as though men did not knowe their sinnes how vaine they are as Eliphaz saieth He beleeueth not that
if ye haue tried the pleasures of vanitie alreadie as I knowe ye haue whether yee may readilie say with Saint Paule What profit haue we of these things whereof we are ashamed no profit but shame and griefe and guilt a dreadful expectation of iudgement As Salomon cals folly the inheritaunce of follie so vanitie is the inheritaunce of vanitie Ten times Laban changed Iacobs wages but ten thousand times sinne hath changed your wages and deceiued you with other successe than you looked for like Shebna which built his Sepulchre in one Countrey and was buried in the other and yet how many changes are behinde you knowe not for if you did you woulde make inquisition now and banish them at first for whensoeuer ye goe about to cast them out they will say still like the Diuels that thou tormentest them before the time It seemes that manie are touched with compassion of this therfore repriue their vanities and slack the execution as though they were affraid to offend the Diuell euen we perhaps are in the trace of vanitie hunting with Salomon to finde that which we loue and finde it not because we seeke it out of the way What is the remedy So runne saith Paul that ye may obtaine you haue tried the euil way to happines now try the good way and then that which yee loue nowe shall not onely seeme vaine but Vanitie of Vanities that ye wil maruaile how ye could loue them so long and would not bee in that dotage of thē again for all the world Vntill these earthlie things seeme vaine no heauenlie things shal seeme precious therefore lose no more time the daie comes when Vanitie of vanities shall be turned to miserie of miseries and All is vanitie to All is miserie There is a certain place called Hel where God keepes generall Sessions there Iustice shall sit to examine vanity who hath embraced her and who hath forsaken her God and he which made his pleasure of sinne so soone as he heares this doome Depart from me yee wicked shall goe downe by a blacke waie with many a sigh and 〈◊〉 from God from the Angels from the Saints from ioie from glory from blisse with the fiends of hell to 〈…〉 Pallace of darkenes with the Princes of horror at the table of vengeance in the 〈◊〉 of calamitie with the crowne of death vpon his head he which tempted him to sinne shall plague him for sinning vntil he crie like Gam My punishment is greater than I can beare for all the griefes and feares and cares and troubles which fed vppon him while he liued shall meete in an houre and exceede them so farre that he suffers for all and maruaile how any torment can bee left for other What faith or feare haue they that go dauncing leaping to this fire as it were to a banquet like a foole which runneth to the stocks How happie were it for men as we liue in these daies if there were no iudgment at all What will we answere when he which made Salomon to write this shall aske why we would not beleeue it what shall we say when he which came from his kingdom to bring vs vnto it demaunds why we did turne the day of saluation vnto the date of vanitie if ye cannot excuse it here how will ye defend it there we were borne in vanitie and we liue in vanitie but wee would not die in vanitie because no man lookes for any good of his sinnes after he is past this world therefore let vs remember that whither the vaine men are gone thither vaine men shall goe There be not two endes for sinners but one what a wofull bargaine will it seeme then to remember that thou didst sell they soule for vanitie If any thing wil reclaime vs this wil◠be a terrour in our heartes to thinke that we shal giue account vnto him which will measure to vs as much miserie as wee haue taken vanitie therefore as Abner saide to Ioab knowest thou not that it will be bitternes in the latter ende So let euery man consider with himselfe though his vanities be swee◠now yet they will bee bitter in the ende As Ammon after hee had fulfilled his lust did hate Thamar which defied her more than he loued her before so when the sport is past and Death lookes vs in the face wee shall hate our vanities more than wee loue 〈…〉 All this 〈◊〉 conclude that our Sauiour said to Martha but one thing is necessarie Which God graunt wee may choose for his sonne Iesus Christ and then wee haue learned this lesson FINIS The Ladder of Peace Reioyce euer more pray continually in all things giue thankes WHen I spake last of these words I shewed you how the Apostle commēdeth vnto vs three vertues of greater price than the three presents which the wisemen brought vnto Christ the first is Reioice euermore the second is pray continually the third in all things giue thankes All three are of one last for wee must reioice continually because he saith reioyce euermore and we must pray continually because he saith pray continually and wee must giue thankes continually because he saith in all things giue thanks These are the three things which one saith Al men doe and no man doth because euerie man doth them and scarce one doth them as hee should Therefore the Apostle to shewe vs how we should doo them well doth put continually vnto them as though continuance were the perfection of al vertues I chose this scripture for a consolation to them which are afflicted in conscience which is commonly the disease of the innocentest soule for they thinke that they doo wel to mourne continually and Paul saith Reioice continually and therefore I will speake a little more of these wordes than I did before If you marke it it may well be called The Ladder of Peace for it stands vpon three steps and euery step is a step from trouble to peace from sorrow to ioy for hee which can Reioyce is past his griefe he which can pray is passing from his griefe he which can giue thankes hath obtained his desire A man cannot reioyce mourne a man cannot pray and despaire a man cannot giue thankes and bee offended therefore keepe still vpon one of these three steps and you shall neuer sorrow too much If thou canst not reioyce as if thy paine were past then giue thankes because thy paine is profitable if thou canst not thinke that thy payne is worth thankes then pray that thou maist haue patience to beare it and it is vnpossible that in praying or thanking or reioycing that any greefe should want patience enough to beare it But when you forget to reioyce in the Lord then you begin to muse and after to feare and after to distrust and at last to despayre and then euery thought seemes to be a sinne against the holy Ghost How many sinnes doth the afflicted conscience
is giuen to none but to him which is called Excellent and such a pleasant thing that Paul ioyneth Pray continuallie with Reioice continually and such a heauenlie thing that it makes vs like the Angels which are in Heauen and such a necessarie thing that God built a house for it and made a daie for it and such a holy thing that none but the holie can deale with it and such a strong thing that it ouercommeth GOD which ouercommeth all How is it then that our Fathers spent so much time in praier and we make no account of it Haue we nothing to praie for as well as they Nay they prayed for nothing but wee had neede to praie for the like The Turkes and Idolaters praie to them which caÌ„not heare but he which saith I will heare hath not so many Supplications to him as Noble-men What will we giue God if we will not afford him thanks What will we doe for him if we wil not praise him If thou be wise saith Salomon thou art wise vnto thy seâ—fe so if we doo praie we do praie for our selues Shall the birds sing vnto God and not they for whome hee created birdes What a foole is he which will fight and trauaile and watch for himselfe and will not speake for himselfe If GOD had required such costlie Sacrifices of vs as hee did of the Iewes it is to be feared that hee shall not be serued at all for we are such Gregesites that we would not part from our beasts to Sacrifice to him Therefore let vs not say God will not heare but let vs say we doe not aske for God is redâ—er to giue than we to aske therefore let vs pray that our neglect of prayer may be forgiuen FINIS The betraying of Christ Math. 27. 1. 2. 3. 4. When the morning was come all the chiefe Priestes and the Elders of the people tooke counsaile against Iesus to put him to death And led him away bound and deliuered him vnto Pontius Pilate the Gouernour Then when Iudas which betrayed him sawe that hee was condemned hee repented himselfe and brought againe the thirtie pieces of siluer to the chiefe Priests and Elders Saying I haue sinned betraying the innocent bloud but they sayd what is that to vs see thou to it THE last time you heard how a Publican receiued Christ now you shall heare howe an Apostle betraieth Christ But first heere is set downe what the Priests and the Elders did against Christ of whom it is said When the morning was come all the chiefe Priests and the Elders of the people tooke counsaile against Iesus to put him to death 2. And led him awaie bound and deliuered him vnto Pontius Pilate the gouernour The Priests were Ecclesiasticall persons and the Elders were ciuill Magistrates so they which shoulde haue stoode most for Christ stoode moste against him Marke putteth in the Scribes too Luke putteth in the whole multitude as if he should say The Priests the Scribes and the Pharisies and the Elders and the people Hee which stood for all had all against him Heere is fulfilled that which was prophesied in the second Psalme They banded themselues against the Lord against his annonited But why did they band themselues against the Lord or against his annointed What was their desire of him To haue his goods nay hee had non for himselfe but they were richer than he To haue his libertie Nay that would not suffice them for they had bound him before To bring the people into dislike of him Nay that would not serue them for they had done so alreadie vntill euen his Disciples were fled from him What would they haue then his bloud yea they tooke counsaile saith Mathewe to put him to death They had the Diuels minde which is not satisfied but with death and how doe they continue it Hee saith They tooke counsaile about it When Pharaoh did most foolishlie hee said come Let vs worke wiselie So when they did worst then they seeme to doe it in best maner for they will not sinne without counsaile a wise counsaile to cousult of murther like the Papists counsels when they giue licence for treason They may be fitlier said to take armes then to take counsell For Christ saith before that they came with swords sâ—aues to take him Dauid speakes of a malignant Church that is a Church of malicious persons such a Church was this for they called themselues the Church and went about to kill the head of the Church In the beginning of the night Christ instituted the Sacrament and consulted how to saue them and at midnight they institued their treason and consulted how to destroy him The time which they chose and the Iudge which they chose are specially to be noted the time In the morning c. This therefore is not to be expounded of the beginning of their counsell but of the end of their counsell for they tooke counsell in the night and executed it in the morning When they agreed to goe vnto Pilate it was night but when they brought him to Pilate it was morning But marke how vniustly they handled him before they brought him to the Iudge They should haue done nothing against him before he came to his iudgment but they did all against him except condemning him and crucifying him before they came to the Iudge For all that is spoken before of examining him and mocking him and reuiling him and buffeting him spitting in his face was done before they came to the Iudge which shewes that they were euen angry that they could not kil him without the Iuge too All this was done in the night and therefore Christ saide to his Disciples in the Euening This night all of you shall bee offended for mee Shewing that all these things should be done in the night Therefore Saint Marke saith that Peter and Iames and Iohn where a sleepe when Iudas and his companions came against him which sheweth that it was the time of sleep and in the one and fiftieth verse hee sayth that a yong man ran after with a linnen garment vpon his bare bodie which sheweth that hee hearing a tumult and an vprore to grow in the night ran forth of dores in great hast without his clothes as they doe in a fire to se what was doone and it is added that they stroue to take him and that hee was fayne to slippe of his Linnen and runne away from them naked as Ioseph did when hee left his Cloake with his light Mistresse when he slipt from her which sheweth how voyde of shame and modestie they were to offer such violence to a straunger that hee coulde scarse scape their handes naked although they had nothing against him This I note to shew that their conspiracie against Christ was a night worke like them which hate the light because they doe euill It was not their woont to sit in counsayle in the night but in the
day It would haue troubled them to watch so long for a good cause but it was fit that the worke of darknes shoulde be done in draknes therefore Christ saith This is the houre of darknesse the houre of darkenes and the power of darknes and the worke of darknes met together When they should rest malice would not suffer them to rest but they became like Owles which watch in the night and cannot sleepe Heere was fulfilled Salomons saying They cannot sleepe before they haue done euill so eagre wee are vpon reuenge more than anie thing else They say that hee cannot stay which rideth vpon the Diuell for malice draweth him and furie spurres him Therefore Zacheus went not so hastely to receiue Christ as his enemies hast to destroy him Nay rather I may say to destroy themselues For as they prayed at Christes death so it came vpon them They sayed his bloud be vpon vs and vpon our children so his bloud is vpon them and vpon their children which haue beene Vagabonds ouer the earth euer since and haue no countrie of their owne for if they be cursed which do the Lords busines negligently they must be cursed too which doe the Diuels busines diligently If men were so hastie in executing Iustice as they were in executing malice so many mē should not be vndone by sutes of Lawe for in one day they could apprehend accuse and examine and condemne and execute him which was Innocent but hee which is iust cānot be quit in one terme nor two nay if he haue right in a yeare it is counted quick dispatch and hee is glad that hee met with such a speedie Lawyer How then when they take a bad cause in hand and prolong it too which keeps their Clients in suspence from day to day and from weeke to weeke in great charge and sinne together I would to GOD that some did not sit in counsaile against good Christiās as these Priests did against Christ but GOD in his mercie dooth daily confounde and bring to nothing the accursed counsailes of the wicked Antichrist and all his rebellious confederates So when the wicked tooke counsaile together wickednesse was the ende of their counsayles for there is nothing woorse to the vngodlie than to meete together for before they meete their wickednes is a little hid like the poyson in a Serpent but when they meete together one setteth on another and the poyson breakes forth into vile speeches and detestable workes and vngodly practises as we see in Tauernes and such like assemblies as this For now they are met together they haue conspired amongst themselues to accuse vnto the Gouernour the most innocent man in the world as if he were the worst man liuing they abused him and mocked him and reuiled him and buffeted him before they brought him to the Gouernor which sheweth that they woulde haue killed him too if they durst without the Gouernour but sin is craftie and therefore they obserue the order of lawe and forme of iudgement lest they should be takē in the snare which they made for him First because Pilate had the authoritie ouer iudgements of death and not they Therefore they are inforced to seeke vnto his iudgement seat to saue themselues from blame and to be deliuered out of trouble if they did vsurpe any thing vpon the Magistrates Office Then because they might not runne vnto the gouernour before daye without suspition of tumult they staide vntill it was morning but so soone as they coulde come they came post hast for the Sunne did no sooner peepe but euen at the verie breake of day they were all readie to flocke vnto the Iudge against him This they did without knowledge but God directed euery thing vnto a right end For it was meete that the Sonne of GOD shoulde bee cleered in a solemne manner by an earthlie Iudge to shewe how wee shalbe cleered by the heauenlie Iudge and therefore as it appeareth in the seuen and twentieth Chapter and foure and twentieth verse of Saint Mathewes Gospell Pilate saide that he found no euill in him before he gaue sentence against him which sheweth that he died not for his owne sinnes but for our sinnes and therefore though they went to the Iudge to saue thēselues from blame yet God sent them to the Iudge that his worde might be fulfilled Lastly this Pilate was a Roman gouernour which ruled for Caesar as Zacheus was a Romane collectour which gathered for Caesar For at that time the Romanes had brought much of the worlde vnto their subiection as since that time they haue brought much of the worlde vnto Idolatry and therefore God would haue his sonne to be iudged by the Romane policie and to be condemned by a Romane Iudge and to be slaine with a Romane death as it were ioyning the Iewes and the Romans in impietie together to shewe that these two Nations shoulde be the odioust people vnto him in all the worlde and how his seruaunts should be crucified there where hee was crucified himselfe for as the Romanes then did crucifie Christ vpon a Crosse so they crucifie him nowe vpon their Altar and resemble the Dragon which when he could not preuaile against Michaell himselfe then hee fought against the woman and her seed that is the Church and her children which are slaine in Rome as the Prophets were in Ierusalem Thus Rome began with the heade and ends with the members So much of the Priests and the Scribes and the Pharisies and the elders Pilate what they did against Christ of whome was fullfilled Dauids praier Lord turne the counsell of Achitophell vnto follie So their counsell was turned vnto follie For as Paule reuiued when he was stoned so Christ rose againe when he was buried to shewe that there is no counsell against God and therefore let all our counsels be for God Now we come to Iudas to aggreuate this tragicall counsell The Euangelist annexeth vnto it the desperate end of the cursedst mā that euer was Three things are speciallie noted of this Traitor his death the cause of his death the confession which hee made before his death His death in the fift verse Hee went hanged himself The cause of his death in the 3. verse For that hee had betrayed his Lord now did see him condemned had no ioy of the money which was giuen vnto him for his Treason His confession in the thirde verse I haue sinned betraying innocent bloude I will speake of euerie worde as they lie for your memorie Therefore first of his Treason When Iudas the traytor before hee was called Iudas the Apostle now he is called Iudas the traitor to distingish him from other of that name lest anie of his name shoulde be defamed for him a brand is set in his forehead like the letter Tau or Caines marke to make him hatefull like a rogue which is burned in the eare so Esau was called Edom which signifieth Redde
terrours of Iudas come vppon the soule the tongue cannot hide his sinne for despaire and horror will not bee smothered But hee which hath Sauls spirite haunting him will rage as Saul did There is a warning conscience a gnawing conscience The warning conscience commeth before sinne The gnawing conscience followeth after sinne The warning conscience is often lulled a sleepe but the gnawing conscience wakeneth her againe If there bee anie hell in this world they which feele the worme of conscience gnawing vpon their hearts may truely say that they haue felt the torments of hell Who can expresse that mans horror but himselfe Nay what horrors are they which he cannot expresse himselfe Sorrowes are met in his soule as at a feast feare thought anguish deuide his soule betweene them All the furies of hell leape vpon his heart like a stage Thought calleth to Feare Feare whistleth to horror horror beckeneth to despaire and faith come and helpe mee to torment this sinner One saith that shee commeth from this sinne and another saith that shee commeth from that sinne so he goeth through a thousand deaths cannot die Irons are laid vpon his bodie like a prisoner Al his lightes are put out at once hee hath no soule fit to be comforted Thus he lieth as it were vpon the racke sayth that he beares the world vpon his shoulders and that no man suffereth that which he suffereth So let him lye saith God without ease vntil he confesse repent call for mercie This is the goodlie waye which the Serpent sayde would make you Gods and made him a diuel Therefore at last learne the sleight of Sathan in this wretched traytor His subtilties are wel called the depth of Sathan for is so deepe that few can soūd him Now he lets Iudas see his sinne before he hid it from him Vntil he had sinned hee made as though it were no sinne but with promises and bribes mufled his face and couered the vilenesse of his fact lest shame should keepe him frō it But whē he had done he made it seeme as vile as hee could to make him despaire for it All his baites are made of this fashion that the sinne is done before the punishment bee considered Let vs not looke for Iudas to come out of hell to warne vs for this is written for our learning therefore Be as wise as Serpentes that the Serpent may not deceiue you The Petition of Moses to God The Text Deut. 3. Chap. 23. 24 verse And I besought the Lord the same time saying O Lord God thou hast begunne to shew thy seruant thy greatnes and thy mightie hand for where is there a God in heauen or earth that can doe like thy workes and like thy power HEere Moses teacheth vs howe to pray hee beginneth first and telleth God that he hath begunne to shewe him fauour well might Moses so say for hee was no sooner borne but the Lorde beganne to shewe him his greatnesse in sauing him when he was cast into the Riuer and deliuering him vnto a Kings daughter to be brought vp and after by his mightie prouidence bringing him to his mother to be nursed If all that the Lorde hath done for him till this time be considered hee had great cause to say O Lorde thou hast begun to shewe thy seruaut thy greatnes Heerein Moses in some part sheweth himselfe thankefull for that hee hath receiued trusting thereby to intreat GOD to continue his benefits and louing-kindnes towards him which is a thing that pleaseth God for which of vs hauing a friend at whose hands wee had receiued a benefite heretofore if we should stand in neede of him againe woulde not saie vnto him Sir you haue beene my friend heretofore and many waies good vnto mee the consideration whereof at this time hath imboldened mee to come vnto you againe Who is it but will account this a thankfull fellow and saye see it is a good deede to doo for one which sheweth himselfe so thankfull Euen so Moses commeth to God he is not like one who sitting in his doore and seeth one day by daye come by him and salute him and yet taketh no acquaintance so that if he stand in need of him either hee knoweth not where he dwelleth or els because he is not acquainted with him he is abashed to aske any thing of him Moses is not such a one but hee is acquainted with the Lorde who so often passed by him and therefore he now sayth Thou hast begun O Lord thou hast begun to shewe thy seruaunt thy greatnesse and thy mightie hand Of this is already spokē what this greatnes and mightie hand which God shewed to Moses was we haue alreadie heard namely that mightie deliuerance which the Lorde euen from his birth to this time had sent him in the time of neede For where is there a God in heauen or in earth that canne doo like thy woorkes or like thy power Here Moses challengeth all the Idoll Gods and telleth them that amongst them all there is not one of them that can doo like his God So God when he is opposed and set against his enemies is then most glorious and confoundeth them all Now Moses procedeth in his prayer saying I praye thee let mee goe ouer and see the good land that is beyond Iordan that goodly mountaine Lebanon But the Lord was angrye with mee for your sakes and would not heare mee and the Lord said vnto me Let is suffise thee or bee content speake no more vnto me of this matter Get thee vp into the top of Pisgah c. Heerein is foure things to be considered First the prayer of Moses in these wordes I pray thee c. Then the answere of God for his prayer then the mitigating of his anger set downe in these wordes Let it suffise thee or be content c. Speak no more vnto mee of this matter Then the promise which God maketh vnto Moses that hee shall see the land of Canaan though not possesse it First for the prayer of Moses set down in these wordes I pray thee let mee goe ouer and see the good Land c. Here Moses prayeth like one of vs who are alwayes crauing but neuer haue respect to the will of God to say Thy will bee done Christ hath not taught vs to aske Our dayly bread before he taught vs to say Thy will be done and therefore Christ when he went to pray after hee had prayed that if it were possible that houre might passe from him Yet after remembring how hee had taught his Disciples before returned againe and saide Neuerthelesse not that I will but that thou wilt bee done And our prayer made after this sort is the cause many time why wee are not hearde therefore let vs hereafter learne in our prayers to pray that Gods will may bee doone What this Mountaine Lebanon is surely Moses meaneth the place where the Temple shoulde bee built
what passion expelled what sin repented what good performed since we began to receiue thy benefites this day wee must confesse against our selues that all our works words thoughts haue been the seruice of the world the flesh and the diuell we haue offended thee and contemned thee all the day and at night wee pray vnto thee Father forgiue vs all our sins which haue dishonored thee while thou diddest serue vs run from thee while thou didst call vs and forgotten thee whilest thou didst feede vs so thou sparest vs so we sleepe and to morrow we sinne againe this is the course of al our pilgrimage to leaue that which thou commandest and doe that which thou forbiddest Therefore thou mightest iustly forsake vs as we forsake thee and condemne vs whose conscience condemnes our selues but who can measure thy goodnesse which giuest all and forgiuest all Though we are sinfull yet thou louest vs though wee knocke not yet thou openest though we aske not yet thou giuest what should wee haue if wee did serue thee which hast done all these things for thine enemies Therefore thou which hast giuen vs al things for thy seruice O Lord giue vs a heart to serue thee let this be the houre of our conuersion let not euill ouercome good let not thine enemie haue his will but giue vs strength to resist patience to endure and constancie to perseuere vnto the end Instruct vs by thy word guide vs by thy spirite mollifie vs by thy grace humble vs by thy corrections winne vs by thy benefites reconcile our nature to thy will and teach vs to make profite of euery thing that wee may see thee in all things and all things in thee because O most mercifull father we walk between thy mercie and iustice through many temptations gouerne our steps with such discretion that the hope of mercie may preuent dispaire the feare of iustice may keepe vs from presumption that in mirth wee bee not vaine in knowledge we be not proude in zeale we bee not bitter but as the tree bringeth foorth first leaues then blossomes and then fruit so first wee may bring foorth good thoughts then good speeches and after a good life to the honor of thy name the good of thy children the saluation of our soules remembring the time when we shall sleepe in the graue and the day when wee shall awake to iudgement Now the time is come O Lord which thou hast appointed for rest and without thee wee can neither wake nor sleepe which hast made the day and night and rulest both therefore into thy hands we commend our soules and bodies that thou hast bought that they may serue thee restore them O Lorde to their first Image and keepe them to thy seruice and resigne vs not to our selues againe but finish thy work that we may euery day come neerer and neerer to thy kingdome till we hate the way to hell as much as hell it selfe and euery cogitation and speech and action be so many steps to heauen For thy names sake for thy promise sake for thy sonnes sake O Lord wee lift vp our hearts hands voyce vnto thee in his name which suffered for sinne and sinned not Our Father c. A Prayer for a sicke man ALmightie God and all mercifull Father which art the Phisition of our bodies and soules in thy hands are life and death thou bringest to the graue and pullest backe againe we came into this world vpon condition to forsake it whensoeuer thou wouldest call vs and now the Somners are come thy â—etters hold me and none can loose me but he which bound me I am sicke in bodie and soule but he hath stroken me which in iudgment sheweth mercie I deserued to dye so soone as I came to life but thou hast preserued me till now and shall this mercie bee in vaine as though wee were preserued for nothing Who can praise thee in the graue I haue done thee no seruice since I was borne but my goodnesse is to come and shall I dye before I begin to liue but Lord thou knowest what is best of all and if thou conuert me I shall be conuerted in an houre and as thou acceptedst the will of Dauid as well as the act of Salomon so thou wilt accept my desire to serue thee as well as if I did liue to glorifie thee The spirit is willing but the flesh is fraile and as I did liue sinfullie whensoeuer thy spirite was from mee so I shall dye vnwillingly vnlesse thy spirite prepare mee therefore deare father giue mee that minde which a sicke man should haue and increase my patience with my payne and call vnto my remembrance all which I haue heard or read or felt or meditated to strengthen mee in this houre of my triall that I which neuer taught any good while I liued maye nowe teach other how to dye and to beare theyr sicknes patiently apply vnto me all the mercies and merites of thy beloued sonne as if he had dyed for me alone Be not from me when the enemie comes but when the tempter is busiest let thy spirite bee busiest too and if it please thee to loose me out of this prison wheÌ„ I shal leaue my earth to earth let thine Angel carrie vp my soule to heauen as they did Lazarus and place me in one of those mansions which thy sonne is gone to prepare for me This is my mediator which hath reconciled me and thee when thou didst abhorre mee for my sinnes and thou didst send him from heauen to vs to shew that thou art bound to heare him for vs. Therfore in him I come vnto thee in him I call vpon thee O my redeemer my preseruer and my sauiour to thee be all prayse with thy father and the holy spirite for euer Amen What shall stay me from my Father my brother and my Comforter A comfortable speech taken from a godly Preacher lying vpon his death-bed written for the sicke I Owe to God a death as his Sonne died for me Euer since I was borne I haue been sailing to this hauen and gathering patience to comfort this houre therefore shal I be one of those guestes nowe that would not come to the banquet wheÌ„ they were inuited what hurt is in going to Paradise I shal loose nothing but the sence of euil and anon I shall haue greater ioyes then I feele paines For my head is in heauen already to assure mee that my soule and body shall follow after O death where is thy sting why should I feare that which I would not escape because my chiefest happinesse is behinde and I cannot haue it vnles I go vnto it I would go through hell to heauen and therefore If I martch but through death I suffer lesse then I would suffer for God My paines doe not dismay mee because I trauaile to bring forth eternall life my sinnes doe not fright me because I haue Christ my redeemer the iudge doth not