THE SERMONS OF MAISTER HENRIE SMITH GATHERED INTO ONE VOLVME Printed according to his corrected Copies in his life time ANCHORA SPEI AT LONDON Printed by Richard Field for Thomas Man dwelling in Pater Noster row at the signe of the Talbot 1593. NOBILISSIMO VIRO GVILIELMO CECILIO EQVITI AVRATO BARONI BVRGHLEIENSI SVMMO ANGLIAE THESAVRARIO ET CANTABRIGIENSIS ACADEMIAE CANCELLARIO HENRICVS SMITHVS HAEC PIGNORA IN GRATI ANIMI TESTIMONIVM CONSECRAVIT THE SEVERAL TEXTS and titles of the Sermons contained in this Booke A Preparatiue to Mariage A treatise of the Lords supper in two Sermons I. Corinthians 11. 23. 24. c. The Lord Iesus in the night that he c. The Examination of Vsurie in two Sermons Psalme 15. 1. 5. Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle c. The benefite of Contentation 1. Timothie 6. 6. Godlinesse is great gaine if a man be c. The affinitie of the Faithfull Luke 1. 19. 20. 21. Then came to him his mother and his c. The Christians Sacrifice Prouerb 23. 26. My Sonne giue me thy heart The true triall of the Spirits 1. Thessalonians 19. 20. 21. 22. Quench not the Spirit c. The Wedding garment Romans 13. 14. Put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ c. The way to walke in Romans 13 13 Let vs walke honestly as in the day c. The pride of Nabuchadnezzar Daniel 4. 26 27. At the end of twelue moneths he c. The fall of Nabuchadnezzar Daniel 4. 28. 29. 30. While the word was in his mouth c. The Restitution of Nabuchadnezzar Daniel 4. 31. 32. 33. 34. And at the end of these daies c. The honour of Humilitie 1. Peter 5. 5. God resâ—steth the proud and giueth c The Young-mans Taske Ecclesiastes 12. 1. Remember thy Creator in the daies of c. The triall of the righteous Psalme 34. 19. Many are the troubles of the righteous c. The Christians practise Romans 12. 2. Be ye changed by the renuing of your c. The Pilgrims Wish Philippians 1. 23. I desire to be dissolued and to be with c. The Godly mans request Psalme 90. 12. Teach vs O Lord to number our daies c. A Glasse for Drunkards in two Sermons Genesis 9. 20. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. And Noah began to be an husband c. The Art of Hearing in two Sermons Luke 8. 18. Take heed how you heare The Heauenly Thrift Luke 8. 18. Whosoeuer hath to him shall be giuen c. The Magistrates Scripture Psalme 82. 76. I haue sayd Ye are Gods but ye shall die c. The Triall of Vanities Eccle. 1. 2. Vanitie of vanities sayth the Preacher The Ladder of Peace 1. Thess 15. 16. 17. 18. Reioice euermore c. The betraying of Christ Math. 27. 1. 2. 3. 4. When the morning was come and the c. The petition of Moses Deut. 3. 23. 24. And I besought the Lord the same c. The Dialogue betweene Paul and Agrippa Act. 26. 27. 28. 29. O King Agrippa beleeuest thou the c. The Humilitie of Paul Rom. 12. 1. 2. I beseech you therefore brethren c. A looking Glasse for Christians Rom. 12. 3. I say through the grace that is giuen c. Foode for new borne babes 1. Pet. 2. 2. As new borne babes desire the sincere c. The banquet of Iobs Children Iob. 1. 4. 5. And his Sonnes went and banqueted c. Satans compassing the Earth Iob. 1. 7. 8. Then the Lord sayd vnto Satan c. A Caueat for Christians 1. Cor. 10. 12. Let him that thinketh he standeth take c. To the Reader BEcause sicknesse hath restrained mee from preaching I am content to doe any good by writing Happie is that author which is instead of other that after his booke is read men need read no moe of that matter I go vpon a Theame which many haue trauersed before me prolixly or cursorily or barrenly If I haue performed by studie any more then the rest let my Reader iudge and giue glorie to him which teacheth by whome he wil What I haue endeuoured my selfe do feele and others know We are ignorant of many things for a few that we vnderstand but I haue bin alway ashamed that my writings shuld weigh lighter for want of paines which is the bane of printing and surfetteth the Reader Now I send thee like a Bee to gather hony out of flowers weeds Euery gardeÌ„ is furnished with others so is ours Read pray and meditate thy profit shall be little in any booke vnlesse thou read alone and vnles thou read all and record after as the Bereans did the sermons of Paul It is one of the births of my fainting therfore take it with a right hand and if thou find any thing that doth make thee better I repent not that others importunitie hath obtained it for thee Farewell As Iacob blessed his sonnes when he left them so now I must leaue my fruit to others I pray God to blesse it that it may bring forth fruit in other and be the sauour of life to all that reade it Thine in Christ H. S. THE EPISTLE TO THE TREATISE OF THE LORDS SVPPER IN the first sermon the aduersary is confuted In the second sermon the Communicants are prepared In both are manie obseruations and the wordes of the Text expounded Now labour for thy selfe as I haue laboured for thee I would haue thee profit somewhat more by this book because it hath weakened mee more then all the rest Farewell The principall contents of this Treatise THe cause of contracts before mariage 1 Three honors giuen of God to mariage 2 Three causes of mariage 9 Whether Ministers may marrie 12 Whether an olde man may marrie a young woman contra 13 Whether Protestants may marrie Papists 31 Whether children may marrie without Parents consent 31 Whether husbands may strike their wiues 44 Whether the vse of mariage be sinne 18 Whether mothers should nurse their Children 63 How children should be brought vp 64 Fiue markes in the choice of a husband or wife 26 The husbands duties 40 The wiues duties 47 Their duties to their seruants 56 Their duties to their children 62 Three examples of good parents 66 Of Stepmothers 67 Of Diuorcement 69 Other obseruations that fall in handling the parts MAriage the first ordinance of God and calling of men fol. 3 Christs first miracle at a mariage 4 Three mariages of Christ 4 By mariage the womans curse turned to two blessings 5 A note of Adams sleepe 6 Another application of the rib whereof was made the woman 7 The day of mariage counted the ioyfullest day in mans life 7 Fornicators like the diuell 12 No bastard prospered but Iephtah 12 A married Fornicator like a Gentleman theefe 13 A wife is the poore mans treasure wherein onely he matcheth the rich 16 Two spies for a wife discretion fancie 17 The wife must not onely be godly but fit 18
Ioab that he should not kil Absalon so God hath boūd maisters that they should not oppresse their seruants Shall God respect thine more then thou Art thou made fresher to thy labor by a little rest is not thy seruant made stronger by rest to labour for thee How many beasts and sheepe did Laban lose onely for hardly intreating of a good seruaunt therefore that is the way to lose but not to thriue Hee which counteth his seruant a slaue is in an error for there is difference betweene beleeuing seruants and infidell seruants the infidels were made slaues to the Iewes because God hated them and would humble them but their brethren did serue them like helpers which should be trained by them It is not a base nor vile thing to bee called a seruaunt for our Lord is called a seruaunt which teacheth Christians to vse their seruaunts well for Christes sake seeing they are seruants too and haue one maister Christ As Dauid speaketh of man saying Thou hast made him a little lower then the Angels so I may say of seruaunts that God hath made them a little lower then children not children but the next to children as one would say inferior children or sonnes in law And therefore the housholder is called Pater familias which signifieth a Father of his familie because he should haue a fatherly care ouer his seruants as if they were his children and not vse them onely for their labour like beasts Besides the name of a seruaunt dooth not signifie suffering but doing therfore masters must not exercise their hands vpō them but set their hands to worke and yet as God layeth no more vpon his seruaunts then hee makes them able to beare so men should laie no more vpon their seruaunts then they are able to beare For a good man saith Salomon will be mercifull to his beast and therefore hee will bee more mercifull to his brother That mā is not worthie to be serued which cannot affoord that his seruants should serue God as well as himselfe Giue vnto God that which is Gods and then thou maist take that which is thine He that careth not for his familie saith Paul is worse then an infidell because infidels care for their familie But as Agur praieth Giue me not too much nor too litle but feed me with food conuenient so their care should not be too much nor too little but cōueniēt or else they are worse then infidels to because couetousnes is called Idolatry which is worse then infidelitie for it is lesse rebellion not to honor the king then to set vp another king against him as the Idolatrous do against the king of heauen Next vnto seruants instruction and labors must bee considered their corrections As Paul saith Fathers prouoke not your childrē to wrath So may I say Maisters prouoke not your seruants to wrath that is vse such reproofes and such corrections that you do not prouoke them but moue them that you do not exasperate them but winne them for reuiling wordes and vnreasonable fiercenesse doth more hurt then good And therefore the law of God did charge the maister that he should not inflict aboue fortie stripes vpon his seruant least he should seeme despised in his eyes For while a childe or scholler or seruant doth thinke that he is reproued for loue or beaten with reason it makes him thinke of his fault and is ashamed but when hee seeth that he is rebuked with curses beaten with staues as though they were hated like a dog his heart is hardned against the man which correcteth him and the fault for the which he is corrected and after he becommeth desperate like a horse which turneth vpon the striker and therfore thinke that God euen then chides you whensoeuer you chide in such rage For though there be a fault yet some thinges must be winkt at and some thinges must be forgiuen and some punished with a looke for hee which takes the forfeite of euerie offence shall neuer bee in anie rest but vexe himselfe more then his seruant Further I haue heard experience say that in these punishments it is most meet and acceptable to the offender that the man should correct his men and the woman her maides for a mans nature scorneth to be beaten of a woman and a maides nature is corrupted with the stripes of a man Therefore wee reade that Abraham would not meddle with his mayd but committed her to his wife and said Doe with her as it pleaseth thee as if hee should say It belongeth not to mee but to thee Lastly we put the dutie toward children because they come last to their handes In Latin children are called pignora that is pledges as if I should say a pledge of the husbands loue to the wife and a pledge of the wiues loue toward the husband for there is nothing which doth so knit loue between the man and the wife as the frute of the wombe Therefore when Leah began to conceiue she sayd now my husband will loue me as though the husband did loue for children If a woman haue many defects as Leah had yet this is the mendes which she makes her husband to bring him children which is the right wedding Ring that sealeth and maketh vp the marriage When their father and mother fall out they perke vp betweene thē like litle mediators and with many pretie sportes make truce when other dare not speake to them Therefore now let vs consider what these little ones may challenge of their parents that stand them in stead of Lawyers Before we teach parents to loue their children they had need be taught not to loue them too much for Dauids darling was Dauids traitor and this is the manner of God when a man begins to set any thing in Gods roome and loue it aboue him which gaue it either to take away it or to take away him before hee prouoke him too much therefore if parentes wold haue their children liue they must take heed to loue them too much for the giuer is offended when the gift is more esteemed than he The first duetie is the mothers that is to nurse her childe at her own brestes as Sara did Isaac and therefore Esay ioyneth the nurses name and the mothers name both in one calleth them nursing mothers shewing that mothers should be the nurses So when God those a nurse for Moses he led the hand maid ◠Pharaos daughter to his mother as though God would haue none nurse him but his mother After whē the son of God was born his father thoght none fit to be his nurse but the virgin his mother The earths fountaines are made to giue water and the brestes of women are made to giue suck Euery beast and euery foule is bred of the same that did beare it onely women loue to be mothers but not nurses Therefore if their Children proue
vnnaturall they may say thou followest thy mother for she was vnnaturall first in locking vp her brests from thee and committing thee forth like a Cuckow to be hatched in a Sparrowes nest Hereof it comes that we say He suckt euill from the dug that is as the Nurse is affected in her bodie or in her minde commonly the childe draweth the like infirmitie from her as the egges of a Henne are altered vnder the Hauke yet they which haue no milke can giue no milke But whose breastes haue this perpetuall drought Forsooth it is lyke the goute no beggers may haue it but Citizens or Gentlewomen In the ninth chapter of Hosea thy brestes are named for a curse what lamentable happe haue Gentlewomen to light vpon this curse more then other sure if their breasts be drie as they say they should fast and pray together that this curse migro be remoued from them The next dutie is Catechize a childe in his youth and he will remember it when he is olde This is the right blessing which fathers and mothers giue to their children when they cause God to blesse them too The wrong mother cared not though the childe were deuided but the right mother would not haue it deuided so wicked Parents care not though their children be destroied but godly parents would not haue them destroyed but saued that when they haue dwelt together in earth they may dwell together in heauen As the Midwife frameth the bodie when it is young and tender so the parents must frame the minde while it is greene and flexible for youth is the seed time of vertue They which are called fathers are called by the name of God to warne them that they are in stead of God to their children which teacheth all his sons What example haue children but their parents and sure the prouidence of God doth ease their charge more than they are aware for a childe will learne better of his father than of anie other And therefore wee read of no Schoolemaisters in the scripture but the Parents for when Christ saith to the Iewes If yee be the sonnes of Abraham yee will doe the workes of your Father Abraham he sheweth that sonnes vse to walke in their Fathers steppes whether they bee good or bad It is a maruellous delight to the father and mother when people say that their children are like them but if they be like them in godlinesse it is as great delight to other as to the parents or else we say that they are so like that they are the worse for it Well doth Dauid call children arrowes for if they be wel bred they shoote at their parents enemies and if they be euill bred they shoote at their parents Therefore many fathers want a staffe to stay them in their age because they prepared none before like olde Eli which was corrected himselfe for not correcting his sonnes Are not children called the fruite of their parents Therefore as a good tree is knowne by bringing foorth good fruite so parents should shewe their godlinesse in the education of their children which are their fruite For this cause the Iewes were wont to name their children so whē they were borne that euer after if they did but thinke vppon their names they would put them in mind of that religion which they should professe for they did signifie some thing that they should learne An admonition to such as call their children at all aduentures somtime by the names of dogs euen as they proue after In 1. Kings 2. 2. we haue Dauid instructing his sonnes In Gen. 39. Iacob correcting his sonnes and in Iob. 1. Iob praying for his sonnes These three put together instructing correcting praying make good children and happie parents Once Christ tooke a childe and set him in the midst of his disciples and sayd He which will receiue the kingdome of heauen must receiue it as a little childe shewing that our children should be so innocent so humble and voide of euill that they may be taken for examples of the children of God Therefore in Psalme 127. 4. children are called the heritage of the Lord to shew that they should be trained as though they were not mens children but Gods that they may haue Gods heritage after Thus if you doo your seruants shall be Gods seruants and your children shall be Gods children and your house shall be Gods house like a little Church when others are like a denne of theeues Now I speake to one which is a mother so soone as she is married therefore peraduenture you looke that I should shewe the dutie of stepmothers Their name dooth shewe them their duetie too for a stepmother doth signifie a stedmother that is one mother dieth and another commeth in her stead therefore that your loue may settle to those little ones as it ought you must remember that ye are their stedmother that is in sted of their mother and therefore to loue them and tender them and cherish them as their mother did She must not looke vpon them like Rehoboam who tolde his people that hee would be worse vnto them then his predecessour for then they will turne from her as his subiects did from him but she must come to them as Dauid came to the people after Saules death and sayd Though your master Saul be dead yet I will raigne ouer you so she must say to them though your mother be dead yet will I be a mother so the children will loue her asmuch as their father Further these children are orphanes and therefore you must not onely regarde them as children but as orphane children Now God requireth a greater care ouer widowes and Orphanes than ouer anie other women or children Lastly you must remember that saying As you measure vnto other so it shall be measured vnto you againe that is as you intreate these children so another may come after and intreat your children for he which hath taken away the first mother and sent you can take away the seconde mother and sende a third which shall not be like a stepmother to yours vnlesse you be like a stepmother to these If these duties bee performed in marriage then I neede not speake of Diuorcement which is the rod of mariage and diuideth them which were one flesh as if the bodie and soule were parted asunder But because all performe not their wedlocke vowes therfore hee which appointed mariage hath appointed diuorcement as it were taking our priuilege from vs when we abuse it As God hath ordained remedies for euery disease so he hath ordained a remedie for the disease of mariage The disease of marriage is adulterie and the medicine hereof is diuorcement Moses licensed them to depart for hardnesse of heart but Christ licenseth them to depart for no cause but adulterie If they might be separated for discord some
the worst like them which call good euill and euill good He praieth Not to be lead into temptation and leadeth himselfe into temptation Surely he doth not feare sinne which doth not shun occasions and hee is worthie to be snared which maketh a trap for himselfe When Salomon the mirror of wisedome the wonder of the world the figure of our Lord by Idolatrous concubines is turned to an Idolater let no man say I shall not be seduced but say how shall I stand where such a Cedar fell The wife must be meet as God sayd Gen. 2. 18. But how is she meet if thou be a christian she a Papist We must marry in the Lord as Paul saith but how doe we marrie in the Lord when we marrie the Lordes enemies Our spouse must be like Christs spouse but Christs spouse is neither harlotte nor heretike nor atheist If she be poore the Lord reproueth not for that if she be weak the Lord reproueth not for that if she be hard fauoured the Lord reproueth not for that all these wants may be dispenced with but none giueth anie dispensation for godlinesse but the diuell Therefore they which take that priuiledge are like them which seeke to witches and are guilty of preferring euil before good This vnequall mariage was the chiefe cause that brought the floud and the first beginning of Giants and monstrous births shewing by their monstrous children what a monstrous thing it is for beleeuers and vnbeleeuers to match together In Matth. 22. Christ sheweth that before parties married they were woont to put on faire and new garments which were called VVedding garmentes a warning vnto all which put on wedding garments to put on truth and holinesse too which so precisely is resembled by that garment more then other It is noted in the fourteenth of Luke that of all them which were inuited to the Lordes banquet and came not onely hee which had married a wife did not desire to be excused but said stoutly I cannot come Shewing how this state dooth occupie a man most and draw him often from the seruice of God and therefore we had not neede to take the worst for the best are combersome enough In the second of Iob it is obserued of the patient man that he did not curse the day of his birth vntill his wife brake foorth into blasphemie shewing that wicked women are able to change the stedfastest man more then all temptations beside Sampson would take a Philistian to wife but he lost his honor his strength and his life by her least any should do the like But what a notable warning is that in the 2. Chro. 21. 6. where the holy Ghost sayth Iehoram walked in the waies of Ahad for he had the daughter of Ahad to wife as though it were a miracle if hee had bene better then he was because his wife was a temptation Miserable is that man which is fettered with a woman that liketh not his Religion shee will be nibling at his praier and at his studie and at his meditations till she haue tyred his deuotions and turned the edge of his soule as Dauid was tired of his malapert Michol she mocked him for his zeale and liked herselfe in her follie Many haue fallen at this stone Therefore as Christ saith Remember Lots wife so when thou marriest remember Iehorams wife and bee not wedded to her which hath not the Wedding garment but let vnitie goe first and let vnion follow after and hope not to cōuert her but feare that she will peruert thee least thou saie after like him which should come to the Lordes banquette I haue married a wife and cannot come Luke 14. 20. Yet the chiefest point is behinde that is our duties The dueties of marriage may be reduced to the dueties of man and wife one towarde another and their dueties towarde their children and their duetie toward their seruants For themselues saith one they must thinke themselues like two birdes the one is the cocke and the other is the dam the cocke flieth abroad to bring in and the dam sitteth vpon the nest to keepe all at home So God hath made the man to trauell abroad and the woman to keepe home and so their nature and their witte and their strength are fitted accordingly for the mans pleasure is most abroad and the womans within In euerie State there is some one vertue which belongeth to that calling more than other as Iustice vnto Magistrates and Knowledge vnto Preachers and Fortitude vnto Souldiers so Loue is the Marriage vertue which signes Musicke to their whole life Wedlocke is made of two loues which I may call the first loue and the after loue As euerie man is taught to loue God before hee be bid to loue his neighbour so they must loue GOD before they can loue one another To shewe the loue which should be betweene man and wife Mariage is called Coniugium which signifieth a knitting or ioyning together shewing that vnlesse there be a ioyning of hearts and a knitting of affections together it is not Mariage in deede but in shew and name and they shal dwel in a house like two poysons in a stomacke and one shall euer be sicke of another Therefore first that they may loue and keepe loue one with another it is necessarie that they both loue God and as their loue increaseth toward him so it shall increase each to other But the man must take heede that his loue toward his wife be not greater than his loue toward God as Adam Sampsons were for all vnlawfull loue will turne to hatred as the loue of Amon did toward Thamar and because Christ hath forbidden it therefore hee will crosse it This made Vriah so fearful least the pleasure of his wife should withdraw his heart from God that he would not goe to his owne house so long as he had cause to mourne and pray although he had a wife which feared God like himselfe that you may see it is no cheape dalliance for the husband to make the wife or the wife to make the husband lesse zealous then they were In Deut. 13. the wife which did draw her husband from God is condemned to die therefore good wiues when their husbands purpose any good should incourage them like Iacobs wife which bade him do according to the word of God and if they see them minded to doe any euill they should stay them like the wife of Pylate which counsayled her husband not to cōdemne Christ For seeing holinesse is called the Wedding garment who shall weare this wedding garmēt if they weare it not which are wedded When one holy hath found another then the holiest seemeth to make the Mariage and his angels come to the feast To passe ouer sleights which seldome prosper vnlesse they haue some warrant The best pollicie in mariage is to
euill suspition therefore Cham thinking that his brethrē had bin as shameles as himselfe thought this a merrie may-game to make them sporte Come with me saith he and I will shew you my Father naked they say it is an euill bird which will defile his own nest so it is an euill sonne that will shame his owne father he should haue couered his fathers nakednesse so soone as he saw it lest his brethren should see it too but he was readie to make it worse like them which heare a suspition and make it a report he should haue taken the beame out of his owne eye when he spied a moate in his fathers eye but as the eye seeth all things and cannot see it selfe so wee can see others mens faults but not our owne When Agur had considered the follies of others he considered his owne follies and said I am more foolish then any man When Iudah had considered Thamars sinnes he cōsidered his owne and said She is more righteous then I. But when Cham did see a fault in his father al his owne faultes were hid vnder a bushel he cared not that he was his father nor that hee was saued for his righteousnesse nor that he had planted a Vineyarde for him and his brethren nor that he was neuer drunken before nor that he had committed greater sinnes himselfe but like them which make their sport that which should be their sorrow so he laughed at that which might make him weepe Often did I well might Noah say and thou didst neuer honour me for that but once did I euill and for that thou wouldest shame me There is a kinde of men which are ashamed of other mens faults but not of their owne they are like flies which alwayes light vpon the sore if they finde any sinne there they talke that is their sporte like a Tennis ball when they come to their ordinaries and though they did neuer well in all their life yet that fault seemeth greater to them then all their owne these men are so like the diuell that in Reuelat. 12. 10. The diuel is called by their name An accuser of the brethren and that you may knowe that such tongues shall burne in the fire of hell Saint Iames sayth That their tongues are kindled with the fire of hell already Iames 3. 6. This was euer the propertie of bad men to seek faults in good men to obiect againe that they may sinne without reproofe of them Therefore saith Paul So behaue your selues that they which would slaunder you may be ashamed hauing nothing to speake euill of you If Noah had not been drunken Cham had lost his sporte Now because this fact of Cham was so hainous when he is accused of it he is called the Father of Canaan as if he should say think what he deserueth which being a father himselfe would so dishonour his father It was meete that hee which had Children should knowe the duetie of a Childe and euer think that as he behaued himselfe toward his Father so his sonnes would behaue themselues to him againe but all this did nothing moue him therefore the greater was his sinne To conclude then as Cham was worse then Noah whom hee derided so if you marke they which are wōt to speake hardly of others haue greater faults thēselues which they cannot tell how to couer but by disgracing others Thus much of the wicked sonne now of the good sonnes it followeth Then tooke Shem and Iaphet a garment and put it vpon both their shoulders and went backward and couered the nakednesse of their father c. Salomon saith If sinners tempt thee yet consent thou not So though Cham tempted them they consented not but when he said Come and see they went and hid Noah stripped himselfe but hee could not couer himselfe so we can corrupt our selues but wee cannot amend our selues As Cham is accused of two faults for beholding his fathers nakednesse and for reuealing it so Shem and Iaphet are commended for two things that they would not see their fathers nakednesse and that they couered it All came of one roote and all had one duetie yet see what difference was between thē one was glad of his fathers shame and the other were sorye for it one published it and the other smothered it These two saith Moses sawe not their Fathers nakednesse Once it was no shame to be naked for it is sayd that Adam and Eue were both naked and were not ashamed But as sinne made labour irkesome which was not irkesome before and made heate offensiue which was not offensiue before and made colde hurteful which was not hurtfull before so it made nakednesse shamefull which was not shamefull before that rather then a man would be naked now he wil couer himselfe as Adam did with fig leaues Therefore we neuer read that Noah was naked before he was drunken shewing that a sober man wil neuer open that which nature hath hid This is a difference between men beasts men are not only ashamed to be seen naked themselues but vnles it be some Cham they are ashamed to see another naked Shem and Iaphet saw not their fathers nakednesse who is so blind as he which will not see Nay who is so blinde as he which will see the light of the eyes oftentimes draweth the soule out of light into darkenesse knowing therfore that it was hard to see like Cham and not to sinne like Cham they would not see least they should offende As they would not see it themselues so they were carefull that none other should see it and therefore they couered it with their cloakes For we must not only refraine sinne but restraine sinne according to that Leuit. 19. 17. Suffer not thy brother to sinne so Shem and Iaphet seeing how their brother had sinned stopped the cause that no more might sinne they were loath that he should see that which he would haue them to see their griefe and modestie it was such that they did not stay to make him any anuswere or aske him any question but straight they thought what was best to bee done and as a Nurse taketh the milke out of her own mouth to giue to the Childe so they tooke off their cloakes from their backes to couer their fathers Such a reuerence is in childrē toward their parents if they haue but nature that they will not suffer the maiestie of their Father to waxe vile but rather they will heare any reproch against themselues then abide a word against their Father Now if wee doe such reuerence to earthly Fathers which bring vs into miserie that we had rather shame our selues then they should beare any shame why are wee so ashamed and afraide to speake for our father which calleth vs out of miserie into happinesse if Cham b◠cursed for dishonouring a man let them feare which dishonour God You knowe that the Papists doe couer the spottes of their Bishoppes with
they feasted together which sheweth how sweet and pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in vnitie Nowe you shall see what the olde man doth which was so commended in the 1. vers the storie saith that hee sent for his sonnes and sanctified them sacrificed for theÌ„ In which wordes the holy Ghost sheweth the patterne of an holy man and good father which kept the rule that God gaue vnto AbrahaÌ„ to bring vp his children in the feare of the Lord. Iob doth not as some which when they haue passed their bounds set all at randome and say with Cain in Gen. 4. My sinne is greater then can be forgiuen but he goeth to the remedie as the Iewes when they were stinged went to the brasen serpent Albeit my children haue not done their dueties in al poynts but offended in their feastings yet I am sure that God will haue mercie vpon them and vpon me if ye aske him forgiuenes Therefore he sent for his sonnes like a father and then hee taught them like a preacher to sanctifie them selues and then he offered sacrifice for them First we wil speake of the cause which moued Iob to sacrifice for his sonnes set downe in these words Iob thought It may be that my sonnes haue blasphemed God in their hearts He was glad good maÌ„ to see his children agree so wel together but he would haue them merry and sin not and therfore he puts them in mind euery day while they feasted to sanctifie themselues he condemneth not honest mirth and sober feasts to maintain amity and peace but being throughly acquainted with mans infirmitie this sheweth that he had obserued neuer any feasts so duely celebrated but some disorder or other hath crept in whereby God hath been dishonoured at his owne table either for superfluitie of meat or excesse of drinke or vnchast songs or corrupt speeches or wanton dancings or vnseemely daliances the diuel hath been stil at one end is lightly the master of the feast Therefore Iob thought with himselfe It may be that my sonnes haue committed some scape like other men I cannot tell they are but men it is easie to slip when occasion is readie though they thinke not to offend he had no apparant cause to suspect them and therefore he speakes in the doubting phrase It may bee that they haue sinned It is better to be feareful than too secure that which happeneth often in the like case he might well doubt of it though he had warned them before therefore his heart was not quiet but still this ranne in his minde all the while they feasted It may bee that my sonnes sinne How wary was Iob ouer himself which was so ielous ouer his sonnes least one sinne should slippe from them nay if ye marke he speaketh not of any open or grosse sinnes which he feared but he speaketh of a sinne in the thought It may bee that my sonnes haue blasphemed God in their hearts Blasphemie is properly in the mouth when a man speaks against God as Rabshakeh did but Iob had a further respect to a blasphemie of the heart counting euery sinister affection of the heart as it were a kind of blasphemie or petie treason Thus the penitent man doth aggrauate his sinnes and retch them as it were vpon the racke to make his small sinnes seeme great sinnes that he might beware as well of smal as great contrariwise the prophane and carnal minded man doth minâ—e and flatter and extenuate his sinnes as though they were no sins because they shuld not trouble him for this sinne which Iob calleth Blasphemie which is the highest name of sinne the Papists call but A veniall sinne that is but a sleight sinne because it is in the thought So Iob they differ in iudgement Now out of this speech of Iob It may bee that my sonnes haue sinned or it may bee that my selfe haue sinned which I may properly and rightly terme the ielousie of a holy man wherein Iob sheweth in what feare he stoode of his sonnes so long as their feasts lasted euen as a merchaunt doth till his shippe come home First wee may see this that the best thinges may soone be corrupted by the wickednesse of men such is our nature euer since Adam chose euil before good good hath bin turned into euill Gen. 3. Notwithstanding that our intent and meaning be good As for example when an husband loueth his wife or a father loueth his children these are good holy and commendable things yet there is no man can be found that doth loue his wife or his children with that euennesse as I may call it or iust proportion but that there is some oddes in the ballance when his affectioÌ„ is weighed which may craue pardon like the feasts of Iobs children If this oddes be in all our measures then it is no strange case that Iob thought with himselfe that his children might offend God in the thing that of it selfe of fendeth not Therefore it is good for a man so long as he liueth in this world to remember stil that he is among temptations and sits at a feast like Iobs children where he may soon take too much If the fish did know the hook the bird had seen the net though they haue but the vnderstanding of fishes and birds yet they would let the hooke alone and flie ouer the net and let the fouler whistle to himselfe so we must looke vpon our riches as we look vpon snares and behold our meats as we behold baites handle our pleasure as we handle Bees that is pick out the sting before we take the honie for in Gods giftes Sathan hath hid his snares and made Gods benefites his baits that as Adam said The womaÌ„ which thou hast giuen me tempted me to sin so they may say the riches or the honours or the liberty or the wife or the seruants or the children or the meates or the wit or the beauty which thou hast giuen me tempted me to sinne so many sinnes lie in wait for vs about our meats and drinks beds waies that vnles we watch pray and looke about vs at euery time it may be as Iob sayth that we may sinne in our doings or in our sayings or at least in our hearts as he thought of his sons Therefore no doubt but as Iob thought that his sonnes might offend in their feastings so hee taught them euen when they were feasting and when they sate at the table and when they dranke one to another to thinke oftentimes we may sin as our father tolde vs which brideled their mirth stopt many wordes at the doore euen when sin was at the tongues end you are not Iobs sonnes but you are come to be Iobs schollers therefore learne that which his children learned If a man did but carrie this watch-word with him whensoeuer he eateth or speaketh or bargaineth it would cut off a thousand idle words and wicked acts in one
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