to léese their brightnes the earth to tremble the Sea to roare and all things else to manace a present ruine not as if it were so indéed but because men shall be so straitned as that they shall thinke it is so And because those notable reuengements of God on the Babylonians Tyrians Egyptians Iewes other nations were as it were paintings out of the great day of iudgement and forerunners thereof we may fitly apply vnto that day such descriptions as the Prophets haue made of those reuengements Behold then what Isaiah saith speaking of the punishment of the Babylonians Behold the day of the Lord commeth Isa 13.9 c. cruell with wrath and fierce anger to lay the land waste and he shall destroy the sinners out of it for the stars of heauen and the planets thereof shall not giue their light the Sunne shall be darkened in his going fâ—rth and the Moone shall not cause her light to shine Therefore I will saith the Lord shake the heauen and the earth shall moue out of her place in the wrath of the Lord of hoasts and in the day of his fierce anger and it shall be as a chased Doe and as a sheepe that no man taketh vp and I will visite the wickednes vpoÌ„ the world and their iniquitie vpon the wicked and I will cause the arrogancie of the proud to cease and will cast downe the pride of tyrants Behold againe what the same Prophet saith speaking of the punishment of all vngodly enemies of the Lords Church Isai 34.1.2 c. Come neere yee nations and heare and hearken ye people let the earth heare and all that is therein the world and all that proceedeth thereof for the indignation of the Lord is vpon all nations and his wrath vpon all their armies he hath destroyed them and deliuered them to the slaughter and their slaine shall be cast out and their stinke shall come vp out of their bodies and the mountaines shall be melted with their blood and all the hoast of heauen shall be dissolued and the heauens shall be folden like a Booke and all their hoasts shall fall as the leafe falleth from the vine and as it falleth from the figge tree Behold againe what Ezekiel saith Ezek. 32.4 c. speaking of the punishment of Egypt I will leaue thee vpon the land saith the Lord God and I will cast thee vpon the open field and I will cause all the foules of the heauen to remaine vpon thee and I will fill all the beasts of the field with thee and I will lay thy flesh vpon the mountaines and fill the vallies with thine heigth I will also water with thy blood the land wherein thou swimmest euen to the mountaines and the riuers shall be full of thee and when I shall put thee out I will couer the heauen and make the starres thereof darke I will couer the Sunne with a cloud and the moone shall not giue her light all the lights of heauen will I make darke for thee and bring darkenes vpon thy land saith the Lord God Behold againe what the Prophet Ioel saith speaking of the plagues that should light vpoÌ„ the Iewes Ioel. 2.1.2.31 Blowe the trumpet in Zyon and shoute in mine holy mountaine let all the inhabitants of the land tremble for the day of the Lord is come for it is at hand a day of darkenes and of blacknes a day of clouds and obscuritie the Sunne shall be turned into darkenes and the Moone into blood When we behold these and the like spéeches let vs suppose that they are foretellings of the last iudgement When the Psalmist saith The God of Gods euen the Lord hath spoken and called the earth from the rising vp of the Sunne Psal 50.1.3.4 vnto the going downe thereof our God shall come and shall not keepe silence a fire shall deuour before him and a mightie tempest shall be moued round about him he shall call the heauen aboute Zephan 1.14 c. the earth to iudge his people When the Prophet Zephania saith The great day of the Lord is neere it is neere and hasteth greatly eueÌ„ the voyce of the day of the Lord the strong man shall crye there bitterly that day is a day of wrath a day of trouble heauines a day of destruction desolation a day of obscuritie darkenes a day of clouds and blackenes a day of the trumpet alarme against the strong cities and against the high towers and I will bring distresse vpon men saith the Lord that they shall walke like blind men because they haue sinned against the Lord and their blood shall be powred out as dust and their flesh as the dongue neither their siluer nor their gold shal be able to deliuer them in the day of the Lords wrath but the whole land shal be deuoured by the fire of his iealousie for he shall make euen a speedie riddance of theÌ„ that dwell in the land When the Prophet Daniel saith I behold Dan. 7.9.10 till the thrones were set vp and the ancient of daies did sit whose garment was white as snowe and the haire of his head like the pure wooll his throne was like the fiery flame his wheeles as burning fire a firie streame issued came foorth from before him thousand thousands ministred vnto him and ten thousand thousands stood before him the iudgement was set the bookes opened When these things are spoken what else is it but that the Diuine saith And I sawe a great white throne Reu. 20.11.12.13 and one that sate on it from whose face fled away both the earth heauen and their place was no more found and I sawe the dead both great small stand before God the bookes were opened another Booke was opened which is the booke of life and the dead were iudged of those things which were written in the bookes according to their workes And the sea gaue vp her dead which were in her and death and hell deliuered the dead which were in them and they were iudged euery man according to their workes This is the second comming of Christ much differing from his first comming For in his first comming he appeared humble in the shape of a seruant in his second coÌ„ming he shall appeare stately in the shape of the King of Kings and Iudge of all in his first coÌ„ming he was subiect to reproach in his second comming he shall shine in glorie in his first coÌ„ming he appeared weake in his secoÌ„d comming he shall appeare in heauenly power in his first comming he did vndergoe the iudgement and condemnation of the reprobate in his second comming he shall iudge and condemne all the wicked and reprobate In his first comming he fought like little Dauid against Goliah without worldly furniture in his second comming he will descend like armed and angrie Dauid 1. Sam. 25 21.22 against vnthankefull Nabal and will say as Dauid said
of Nabal Indeed I haue kept all in vaine that this fellowe had in the wildernes so that nothing was missed of all that pertained to him for he hath requited me euill for good so and more also doe God vnto the enemies of Dauid for surely I will not leaue of all that he hath by the dawning of the day any that pisseth against the wall Euen so Christ may say Indéed in vaine haue I bestowed so many benefites on wicked and obstinate mankind in vaine haue I shewed so many mercies in vaine haue I taken flesh for vngodly and vnfaithfull men and suffered death and preach the Gospell and sent my Apostles and offered the graces of my holy spirit and instituted my Sacraments and winked at them so often and imparted on them so many good things of nature and of the earth and what lay in me for my part I haue caused that nothing hath perished of all that pertained to man in vaine haue I done all this for vngodly and vnfaithfull men since they requite euill for good Vngratefull and foolish men are like to sottish Babel for they haue receiued my benefits yet haue seâ—ued Sathan and the flesh and when I sent my children my poore and my distresied members vnto them they did not couer the naked nor féede the hungrie nor comfort the afflicted God doe so and more also vnto mine enemies For I will destroy them and make them know how dangerous a thing it is to fall into the hands of the liuing God who is euen a consuming fire Abigail met with angrie Dauid Heb. 12.29 and appeased him but in the last Iudgement when Christ shall descend to reuenge the contempt of the vngodly that regarded not his saluation offered vnto them No Abigail shall make Intercession for sinners as S. Chrysostome prooues clearely out of the Scriptures Hom. 22. ad pocul AntiocheÌ„ Behold saith he how he that was not arrayed with the Wedding robe was cast out at the doores and none was a petitioner for him Behold how he that gained not with his Talent was punished and none made Intercession for him Behold how the fiue foolish Virg nes were excluded and their fellowes made no request for them Therfore the terror of this day is vnutterable and cannot be expressed because the Iudge shall be inexorable and cannot be intreated Then shall be heard the great and loude voyce of the Archangell and the Trumpet of God which all the Elements obey which cleaues the Rockes opens Hell breakes the bondes of the dead Chrys sup 1. Cor. 15. calles soules out of the depth and ioyned them againe with their bodies and all this it doth sooner then an Arrow doeth flie through the Ayre For the Apostle saith that it shall be done in a moment or twinkling of an eye Then shall come the time when the vnbeléeuing and vnrepenting shall say to the hils Fall vpon vs to the Mountaines Couer vs Luk. 23.30 and shall hide themselues from the presence of him that sitteth on the Throane and from the wrath of the Lambe and shall séeke death Reu. 6.16 Reu. 9.6 and shall not finde it and shall desire to die and death shall flie from them and shall goe into the holes of the Rockes Isai 2.19 and into the Caues of the earth from before the feare of the Lord and from the glory of his Maiestie when hee shall arise to destroy the earth Then there shall be a most strickt examination For what is lesse then an idle word yet the Lord saith Mat. 12.39 That of euery idle word that men shal speak they shal giue account therof at the day of Iudgement Then the hidden and secret cogitations shall be disclosed 1. Cor. 4.5 For when the Lord doeth come hee will lighten things that are hid in darknes and make the counsels of the hearts manifest and then shal euery man haue praise of GOD. Then shall bee done to the wicked and impenitent sinners which Nathan threatned to Dauid Thou didst it secretly 2. Sam. 12 12 but I will doe this thing before all Israell and before the Sunne That is the lurking sinnes of the vngodly shall be displayed before the view of the whole world 2. Cor. 5.10 Then we must all appeare before the iudgement seate of God that euery man may receiue the things which aâ—e done in his body according to that he hath done whither it be good or euill Eccles 12.14 for God will bring euery worke vnto iudgement with euery secret thing whether it be good or euill Then Ierusalem shall be searched with lanterns Ezek. 8.12 and the wall shall be digged downe and the abominations shall be seene at an open doore which sinners haue done in the darke and in their priuie chambers when they fondly said in their imagination The Lord seeth vs not the Lord hath forsaken the earth Then the Sonnes of men shall be called to a reckoning for all their workes as schollers are brought to repetitions in the end of the weeke and laborers receiue their wages in the euening and merchants pay when the faire is done for the wares which they haue staied and taken vp Then the wicked shall feele the shâ—rpenes of the two edged sword of Gods wrath which now is shut vp in the scabberd of mercie and the burning flame of Gods displeasure which is now couered like the Sunne vnder the cloude of long suffering and they shall no more be able to resist Gods firie anger Matt. 3.12 then the chaffe can resist the fire for they are the chaffe that shall be burnt vp with vnquenchable fire Then Sathan will conuince the obdurate transgressor by his owne offences and charge him with the debts he oweth him euen as the Creditor conuinceth his debter by his owne hand-writing Then the sinnes of the vnbeléeuers shall be opened as a fardell in the market and shall appeare in iudgement against them and like bastard children borne of wickednes Wisedom 4.6 shall be witnesses of the wickednes against their parents when they be asked If any should haue his secret faults reuealed in an open assembly in this world Chrys hom 5. ad Rom. would he not rather wish to die and to be swallowed vp quicke of the earth then to haue so many witnesses of his sinnes What then shall become of wretched sinners when all their doings shall be disclosed to the whole world vpon an open and perspicuous stage and shall be séene of infinite thousands whom they neuer knewe Now the sinnes of the wicked are so hidden as if they were written in Gods booke not with cléere Inke but with the iuyce of a citron or orenge Those things which are written with the iuyce of an orenge appeare not till they be brought to the fire and then they may be read plainely euen so the secret iniquities of the vngodly shall clearely appeare in the fire of the last iudgement For in Fire
such death and tribulations are not a reproach vnto them but a thing glorious in Gods sight and pleasing vnto him Rom. 5.3 Therefore the Apostle saieth That we reioyce in Tribulations That is we iudge afflictions to be a glorious thing which God will after chaunge into glorie and this is the peculiar wisdome of the Church which the world perceiueth not Lastly hee affirmeth that there remaines a life and iudgement after the death of the bodie For if the death of the godlie be not neglected of God but is pretious in his sight and on the contrarie * Mors impiorum pessima vulgata translatio ex Graeco Psal 6.8 If the death of the vngodly bee euill there must néedes remaine a iudgement wherein this shall bee made manifest to all Tyrants shall receiue punishment for their crueltie but the godly shall be â—dorned w th eternall glorie For if God number the teares of the faithfull and put them into a Bottell Ps 34.21 How can he suffer the blood that is shed for the confession of his diuine Name to perish and vanish away to nothing Doest thou quake and tremble at the remembrance of that horrible day 2. Pet. 3.10 in which the Heauens shall passe away with a noyse and the Elements shall melte with heate and the earth with the workes that are therein shal be burnt vp Bee of good comfort For thy Iudge is also thy Sauiour he is thy Brother he is thy head and thou a member of his bodie Hee loues thée most ardently hee is thy Iesus That is SAVIOVR Patrone Aduocate Redeemer Intercessor Hee layed downe his life for thée Ioh. 5.24 He hath sworne with an oath that if thou belieue in him thou shalt haue eternall life He maketh request for thée and who shall condemne thée He coÌ„meth to finish the troubles of the World and to auenge himselfe of his enemies and to deliuer the godly from the hands of sinners and he commeth not to condemne thée but to absolue thée and not to torture thée but to rid thée from all miserie and to make manifest thy full Redemption and to frée thy bodie also from all calamities to performe that promise of eternall life which so often he hath made vnto thée in his sacred word For he that heareth his word belieueth God that sent him hath euerlasting life shall not come into condemnation but hath passed froÌ„ death to life Therefore as Christ saith Surely Reu. 22.20 I come quickly So thou mayest say with the Euangelist Amen euen so come Lord Iesus It is for the wicked that haue no part in Christ to tremble and be dismaied at the very mention of the great day For what haue they to doe with it Amos. 5.18.19.10 the day of the Lord is as darknes and not light as if a man did flie from a Lyon a Beare met him or went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall and a Serpent bit him shall not the day of the Lord to the wicked be darknes not light euen darknes and no light in it Zach. 9.9 But the Prophet Zachariah bids the Daughter of Zyon to reioyce for the comming of her King And vpon good reason Isai 35.4 for as another Prophet testifieth The same day that brings wrath vengeance to the vngodlie brings a recompence and saluation to the godly For which cause the holie Apostle Paul sets this downe for a marke of the faithfull by which they may be knowne Namely 1. Cor. 1.7 2. Tim. 4.8 that they wayre for the appearing of CHRIST and loue his comming Therefore if we shall happeÌ„ to liue at such time as Christ shall come to Iudgement against the beholding of those ghastly signes which shall be ioyned with his CoÌ„ming we must coÌ„fort our selues with Christs promise that then our Redemption draweth neere that is that he will take vs to himselfe into heauen finally deliuer vs from all miseries In the meane time let vs belieue with the Apostle That there is layed vp for vs the crowne of righteousnes which the Lorde the righteous Iudge shall giue vs at that day not to vs only but vnto all them that loue that his appearing And when we sée the clowds of the Heauen let vs be admonished of these things For as when Christ Ascended Act. 1.11 a clowde tooke him out of sight and as Christ shall so come againe euen as he was takeÌ„ vp that is in the clowds 2. Thess 4.17 so the clowds shall as a Charret to lift vs vp to eternal glorie and we shal be rapt vp into the clowdes to meete the Lorde in the Aire Psal 20.3 c. When we heare the Thunder which is the terrible and mightie voice of God let vs suppose that we heare the lowde voice of the high Iudge pronouncing the Sentence both of the shéepe and goates When wee sée the swift and bright and sudden flashes and flakes of lightning Let them call to our mindes the sudden and vnexpected and * Epipháneian 2. Tim. 4.8 cleere and perspicuous comming and appearing of the supreme Iudge For as the lightening that lighteneth out of the one part vnder heauen shineth vnto the other part vnder Heauen so shall the Sonne of man be in his day Luk. 17.24 And since these things must be so For heauen and earth shall passe and be changed but the word of the Lorde abideth for euer what manner persons ought wee to be in holy conuersation godlines looking for and hasting vnto the coÌ„ming of that day of God by which the heauens being on fire 2. Pet. 3.11.12.13.14 shal be dissolued the Elements shall melte with heate But we looke for new Heauens and a newe Earth according to his promise wherein dwelleth righteousnes Wherefore seeing we looke for such things Let vs be diligent that wee may bee found of him in peace without spot and blameles Let vs take heed to our selues Luk. 21.34 least at any time our hearts be oppressed with surfetting and drunkennes and cares of this life and least that day come on vs at vnawares There are thrée Robes and Garments belonging to a true Christian The first is a Purple robe the second is a white robe the third is a golden robe If we will attaine to true happines and holines Iude. vers 23. wee must cast off our owne polluted rags and denie our selues and we must put on these rich pretious garments First we must be arraied in a purple garment dyed and dipped in the blood of the Sonne of God That is Gal. 3.27 wee must fréely receiue forgiuenes of sinnes and be reconciled to GOD through CHRIST and Faith in his blood and this is our Iustification Next Rom. 13.13 wee must be clothed with a white robe That is it becomes vs to be renued in the spirit of our mind and to serue God in holines and
they haue séene the beautie and brauerie of this world not to be bewitched and beguiled therwith but thereby to climbe vp as it were by staires and steps to the contemplation of the happines of that other world As it is reported of Fulgentius when he fled the persecution of the Arrians and soiourned at Rome and when he sawe the glorie of the citie and Senate of Rome that he spake thus to the companions of his exile How beautifull may the heauenly Ierusalem be if earthly Rome doe so shine and if in this world there be giuen such dignitie and honour to those that loue vanitie and errour what honour and glory shall be giuen in heauen to the Saints that loue veritie and vertue It is too apparant how gréedily we doe gape after earthly treasure and fading riches which is either lost by shipwracke or cōsumed by fire or stolne by théeues or taken away by fraude and oppression or corrupted and empaired by rust canker and long space of time or at last left behind in death But how backward and vnwilling are we to labour for the riches and wealth that neuer decaieth Wherein we forget why God hath placed the mettals which we so much estéem in the bowels and entrailes of the earth and hath displayed the face and cope of heauen where the true treasure is stored vp namely because we should not so gréedily séeke and search for the one but thirst and long after the other Neither hath he onely laid open the heauen to our view and fight that we might alway remember the maker thereof and for what place we were ordained after the race of mortalitie is finished but whereas other creatures are so formed that they bend downward to the earth God hath giuen to men a shape erected and lifted vp toward heauen that they may more easily contemplate heauenly and spirituall things When Anaxagoras was asked for what purpose he thought himselfe to be borne he said It was to behold the Heauen and Sunne Which spéech though otherwise men haue much admired Instit l. 3. c. 9. yet Lactantius laughed at it affirming that he brake foorth into these words not knowing what true answere to yéeld and that if a man indéed with wisedome indéed should be demanded why he was borne he would answere presently that he was created to serue God his Creator Psal 19.1 Rom. 1.20 But with Lactantius fauor doth not the Maiestie of God cléerely shine in the outward beautie of the heauen and doth not the heauen declare and proclaime his glorie and doth not God as it were stretch out his hand to lift vs vp from groueling on the ground to behold the fairenes of his worke and thereby also to extoll his power wisedome goodnes and mercy Wherefore we must blush to beare a crooked minde in a straight body and to suffer our soule to wallowe in dirte and drosse of the earth whose conuersation should be in heauen and which was created for heauenly and diuine things Heauen then is the pennie giuen for working in the Lords vineyard and that we may be diligēt in that working let vs fixe our minds in the consideration of the celestiall and new Ierusalem where that pennie of immortalitie shall be deliuered vs whose Ruler King is the sacred Trinitie whose lawe is perfect charitie whose walls are of Iasper and the citie pure gold like to cleere glasse Reu. 21.18.21 Reu. 22.1.2 Heb. 12.22 1. Cor. 13.12.13 1. Pet. 2.24 whose gats are pearles and euery gate is of one pearle whose inhabitants are Angels the Spirits of iust perfect men where is the pure riuer of water of life the tree of life and where all vnperfect things shall be done away we shal no more see darkely through a glasse but cleerely face to face shall knowe God as we are knowne Of all which good things Christ Iesus the Shepheard Bishop of our soules who his owne selfe bare our sinnes on his body on the tree that we being dead to sinne should liue in righteousnesse and by whose stripes we were healed make vs euerlasting beholders possessors for his endles incomprehensible goodnes and mercies sake that at last as the marriner after surging stormes quietly arriues in the harbor and the patient after drinking of a bitter medicine obtaines health and the souldiour after brunts in the battell is rewarded by his Captaine so we diligently continually walking in our calling and in the narrow way to life may in the end be partakers of the end of this way which is endles ioy blessednesse and may rest in the kingdome of Christ with the Patriarks Prophets Apostles Martyrs and Saints of all ages Amen HYPOCRISIE VNMASKED Matt. 22. 11. Then the King came in to see the guests and sawe there a man which had not on a wedding garment 12. And he said vnto him Friend how camest thou in hither hast not on a wedding garment And he was speechles 13. Then said the king to the seruants bind him hand and foote take him away and cast him into vtter darkenes there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth THe name of a Christian is deriued from Christ our Sauiour signifieth a scholler of Christ one that followes the precepts life of Christ and one that hath fellowship with Christ and is engraft into Christ But as the Apostle saith of the Iewes Rom. 9.16 that all they are not Israell that are of Israell so it may be said truely that all are not Christians in déede that beare the Name of Christ For there are two sorts of Christians the one appearing and séeming the other right and true They are onely seeming Christians that are baptized and are of the outward congregation and professe Christ yet without true conuersion and repentance that is they are dissembling Hypocrites and christians but in tongue Of these séeming Christians our Sauiour saith Many are called but few chosen Matt. 20.16 They are right and true christians who are not only baptized and professe the Faith of Christ but also are indued with a liuely Faith doe declare the same by fruits of Repentance and by faith are made the members of Christ and partakers of his anointing that is by Faith and the holy Ghost 1. Ioh. 2.27 who is signified by the name of annoynting true christians are ioyned to Christ and engraft into him euen as a branch is fastned to the stocke and a member knit to the head whereby wee are made partakers of his iuyce and of his life and being truely made one with him do bring forth fruits worthy of our calling All true Christians are appearing christians For Christ saith Mat. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen Iam. 2.18 And S. Iames saith Shew me thy faith out of thy works and I will shewe thee my faith
him to heare my prayer which I doe not heare that vtter it forth I beseech God to giue heede to me when I my selfe giue heede nor to him nor to my selfe but which is much worse by tossing vncleane and vnprofitable things in my heart I bring before his sight an horrible stinch And another said as fitly that as in a garland it is not enough Chrys hom 4. cum esset presbyter designatus for the flowers to be pure and cleane except the hand that ioynes and binds them vp be pure and cleane also in like sort in the prayses and prayers offered to God not onely the words must be godly but also the minde whence they proceed The second thing to be considered in Saint Peters words is a reason of his exhortation 2. A description of Sathan and therein a description of our arch-enemie Sathan in these words For your aduersarie the Dâ—uell as a roaring lyon walketh about seeking whom he may deuour S. Peter saies that we are souldiours must fight as long as we remaine in this world and doth admonish vs that we haue to do not with a coÌ„mon enemie but with one that like a lyon runnes hither thither readie to deuoure therefore he infers herevpon that we must be sober and watch And héere we may sée what thing our life is how the Apostle doth paint it out as that none regenerate by Gods spirit will not wish continually to be dissolued and to be with Christ For we are heere exposed to the assaults of Sathan like a traueller that is to enter into an Inne full of theeues and robbers Without doubt before he entered into that house if he must néedes enter he would arme and furnish himself as much as he might and he would sléepe very little in it that he might depart againe out of it without hurt Euen in the like danger doe we liue heere on the earth where Sathan beareth great swaie and so ruleth in the hearts of worldlings as that he holdes them captiues at his owne pleasure This is a terrible matter if it be duely considered And therefore blessed Peter labours to put vs in minde that we looke to our selues carefully and earnestly that is that we be sober and watch For we often abuse peace and quietnes vnto idlenes and sloath and thence it comes to passe that now and then the Enemie beguiles and oppresses vs because thinking our selues frée from all daungers we passe ouer our time in delights and pleasures as the flesh desireth How néedfull is it that we should watch since we haue an Enemie and what Enemie that eminent and notable aduersarie the diuell And what is he a lyon and what lyon a roaring lyon and what roaring lyon a roaring lyon wandring vp and downe and why wandring and walking vp and downe that he may spoile and deuour the soules of men Matt. 4.3 Ioh. 12.31 2. Cor. 4.4 Matt. 12.29 Isa 27.1 Reu. 12.3 Luk. 10.18 Heb. 2.14 This aduersarie is a tempter to impietie he is the Prince of the world he is the God of this world he is that armed man that kéepes his house with munition he is the hugie and hideous whale that doth swallow the vngodly in the gulfe of perdition he is that great dragon and old serpent he is like to lightning that will pierce most nimbly and straungely and doe wondrous things contrarie to all expectation he hath the power of death for from him came sinne and sinne brought forth death he it is of whom Saint Iohn saith He that ommitteth sinne is of the Diuell 1. Ioh. 3.8 for the diuell sinneth from the beginning And it is to be marked that he saies not the Diuell hath sinned but the Diuell sinneth to teach vs that he doth nothing else but sinne and entice to sinne One cals him magnum illum Peripateticum that great Peripatetick or walker And he may wel be so called for when he stood among the children of God Iob. 1.6 The Lord said vnto Sathan whence commest thou And Sathan answered the Lord saying from compassing the earth too and fro and from walking in it Yea but if Sathan be such a wanderer and compasser of the earth how can that place of Saint Peter stand 2. Pet. 2.4 where he saies that God spared not the Angels that had sinned but cast them downe into Hell and deliuered them into chaines of darkenes to be kept vnto damnation If the wicked Angels are deliuered into chaines of darkenes and so kept how can they wander vp and downe The answere hereunto is that God in the beginning assoone as the Angels had rebelled and sinned against him he thrust them into Hâ—ll and the depth vnder the earth and yet in that sort that as often as it pleaseth him he suffeâ—s them till the last iudgement to goe forth vpon the earth and againe after a time shuts them vp into the dâ—pth that they may hurt no more nor no longer then it seemeth good to his heauenly wisedome Reu. 9.1 For where we reade that the keye of the bottomles pit that is of Hell was giuen to an Angell and when the pit was opened destroying grasse-hoppers came foorth that is infernall and hellish spirits whose king was the Angell of the bottomles pit and was called in Hebrewe Abaddon and in Greeke Apollyon that is a destroyer and that power was giuen them to vexe and disquiet men for a certaine time and where we ceade Reu. 20.1 that an Angell descended from heauen which had the keye of the bottomles pit and a great chaine in his hand with which he bound Sathan for a thousand yeares that he might deceiue the nations no longer vntill the 1000. yeares were accomplished for afterward he must be loosed againe for a small space what may be learned out of this but that the hellish spirits are so enclosed in their prison that is in Hell and in the depth vnder the earth that now and then they are sent foorth vpon the earth and then againe shut vp and bound at Gods pleasure But while Sathan is suffered so to compasse the earth he neuer ceaseth nor neuer resteth to assaye all enterprises and vndertake all courses that he 〈◊〉 â—â—â—lest the godly make himselfe sure of the wicked and so encrease the subiects of his infernall kingdome Gen. 3. He beguiled Euah in the person of a subtile Serpent If Paradise had no priuiledge and if the first woman created holy and vnspotted of sinne were subiect to his allurements who can promise securitie to himselfe He deceiued Saul in the forme of the old sacred graue Samuel he seduced Ahab by the mouth of Prophets 1. SaÌ„ 28. 1. King 22. 1. Chron. 21. 2. Cor. 12.7 Luk. 22.31 Luk. 4.13 he stird vp the Patriarke Dauid to number the people he mooued Paul to be proud of the vision he sought to winnow the Apostles as wheate to sift them to and froe and to cast them
are to be done and whence they are to be learned The Law and coÌ„mandements of God are the path that we must walke in and the lanterne that must direct our steps and the goale that we must runne at and the looking-glasse wherein we may sée what good works are required of vs. It is hard to finde out Nazianz â—orat de â—aupertate what vertue is most excellent that we may attribute the chiefe praise vnto it saith Gregorie the Diuine as it is hard in a medowe or garden replenished with diuers fragrant flowers to discerne the flower that is fairest and smels most swéetly since this flower and that flower doth allure our eye and smelling vnto it and doeth as it were desire that it may be pluckt first Lacke we patience we shal learne it out of the word of God Lacke we humilitie there we shall learne it Lacke we sobrietie and temperance there we shall learne it Lacke we wisedome and vnderstanding in the knowledge of saluation there we shall learne it Lacke wee zeale to the Gospel and prayer there we shall learne it Lacke we repentance for our sinnes and vngodlinesse there wee shall learne it Whatsoeuer we lacke or desire to know touching our dutie to God or man there we shall learne it abundantly For the law of God is perfect conuerting the soule Psalm 19.7.8 the testimonie of the Lord is sure and giueth wisedome vnto the simple the statutes of the Lord are right and reioyce the heart the commandement of the Lord is pure 2. Tim. 3.26.7 and giueth light vnto the eyes And the whole scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to conuince to correct and to instruct in righteousnes that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good works Wherefore let vs embrace the Word of God and muse thereupon day and night Let vs loue God with all our heart soule minde and power Let vs be truely penitent for our offences that the miserie which our sinnes haue committed may be taken away Let vs be feruent in prayer and supplication and aboue all things let vs pray CHRIST IESVS who is the inuincible Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah to strengthen vs against that coaring Lyon who continually walkes about seeking whom he may deuoure and who is that sauing Serpent lifted vp first on the word of the crosse after on the theater of the world by the preaching of his Gospell to make vs wise against the assaults of that old and subtile serpent and who is that white and immaculate Lambe that hath vanquished the tyrannie of Sathan to grant vs his silly shéepe the assistance of his sacred spirit that confirmed and strengthened by him we may gloriously ouercome and triumph ouer all the attempts of our ghostly enemies and that from our hearts we may obey the Lord walking in newnes of life and from henceforth liue not after the lusts of men but after the wil of God Finally let vs heare the summarie abridgement of all Whatsoeuer things are true whatsoeuer things are honest whatsoeuer things are iust Phil. 4.8.9 whatsoeuer things are pure whatsoeuer things are worthy loue whatsoeuer things are of good report if there be any vertue or if there be any praise Iews thinke on these things and doe these things and the God of peace shall be with vs. Amen THE CVRBING OF COVETOVSNES 1. Thess 4.3.6 This is the will of God that no man oppresse or defraude his brother in any matter for the Lord is auenger of all such things as we also haue tolde you before-time and testified GOd of his infinite wisedome hath so ordained that no man should liue in this world so furnished with all things necessarie but that hée should stand in néed of some one thing or other which other men may affoord vnto him Diuerse are gods gifts whither we respect the soule or the body or the blessings of the earth that doe comfort both and diuersly doth the Lord bestowe these his gifts distributing seuerally as he listeth vnto some more vnto some lesse vnto euery one something vnto no man al things For why as God hath tempered and disposed the bodie of man 1. Cor. 12.14 c. that euery member should haue execute his distinct and proper dutie and function so that the eye seeth for the whole bodie and the hand worketh for the whole body and the foote goeth for the whole bodie and euery member is delighted and sympathizeth and suffereth each one with the other least otherwise there might be dissention in the body if one part were not beholding to another So also God hath ordered for the preseruation of societie loue and amitie among men that one should want wealth and another haue riches to aid the needie one should want counsell and another haue discretion to aduise the simple one should want strength and an other haue might to defend the weake one should lacke this or that and therefore séeke to buy and another haue store and therefore be readie to sell If all were full if all had plentie if all did abound where would loue and charitie be which ariseth from nothing more then from the necessitie that is cast vpon vs to be beholding one to another But such is the malice of Sathan to mankinde that what God hath appointed for the good of men and for their mutuall societie and concord he labours by all meanes to turne to the damage and hurt of mankinde For where Gods prouidence hath decréede that some should abound and some lacke and some should buy and some sell to the end we might the more regard and estéeme one of the other Sathan vpon this necessarie entercourse and trafficke of busines betwéene man and man takes occasion to bring in violence and wrong and oppression and craft and deceite and subtiltie And therefore the Apostle Saint Paul to reduce things to their right order and performance tels the Thessalonians and in them all other Christians That this is the will of God that no man oppresse or defraude his brother in any matter for the Lord is auenger of all such things as he had tolde before-time and testified In which words there is a prohibition not to deale vniustly a reason why no vniust dealing should be vsed and an insinuation or implication of the dutie of the Minister The prohibition is in these words This is the will of God that no man oppresse or defraude his brother in any matter the reason of the prohibitioa is in these words For the Lord is auenger of all such things the insinuation of the Ministers dutie is in these words As we also haue told you before time and testified The proâ—â—â—â—tion This is the will of God that no man oppresse or defraude his brother in any matter When one vpbraided Lysander the Lacedemonian Captaine that he wrought many exploites by fraude and subtiltie it is reported that he
reiection of the Iewes the destruction of erusaâ—em and the like demonstrations of the last Iudgement And are not daily calamities both publique priuate and the death of the bodie are not these representations Images of the last iudgement Wherefore since it is so certain that the day of iudgement shal come at the time prescribed of God and since that day shall be so searefull and terrible Let vs watch and pray continually that we may be counted worthie to escape all these things that shall come to passe and that we may stand before the Sonne of man Secondly we must note The day of iudgemeÌ„t not known and why that the day and houre of the day of Iudgement is vncertaine and vnknowne For this our Sauiour teacheth most euideÌ„tly For wheÌ„ the disciples asked what signe there should be of his coÌ„ming and of the end of the world Christ did not answere when his comming should be but after what manner it should be He declareth the fashion of it but he concealeth the season of it If any shall say that the approaching of it may be discerned by the signes and tokens which our Sauiour himselfe hath set downe and that therewithall the time of it may be somewhat coniectured It may be answered that the prognostications and signes of the day of iudgement are of two sorts some are precedent anâ— going before it and some are conioyned and going with it And of the foregoing tokens some goe long before it and some goe not long before it The signes that goe long before the day of iudgement Matt. 24 24.3â—.38 are these First the preaching of the Gospell throughout the whole world and among all nations secondly that strange securitie and gluttonie such as was in the daies of Noah before the flood thirdly a departure from sound doctrine of which Paul speakes 1. Tim. 4.1 when he saith That the spirit speaketh euidently that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith and shall giue heede vnto spirits of error and doctrines of Diuels fourthly a wonderfull disorder and corruption in manners for in the last daies saith the scripture shall come perillous times 2. Tim. 3.1.2.3.4 for men shall be louers of themselues couetous boasters proud cursed speakers disobedient to Parents vnthankefull vnholy without naturall affection truce-breakers false accusers intemperate fierce no louers at all of them which are good traitours headie hie-minded louers of pleasures more then louers of God fiftly the reuealing of that notable Antichrist for the Apostle saith 2. Thess 2.3 That no man must deceiue vs by any meanes For that day shall not come except there come a departing first and that that man of sinne be disclosed euen the sonne of perdition sixtly Luk. 2â— 12 Matt. 24.10 Matt. 24.11 the persecution of the godly and betraying of them for the name of Christ seuenthly publike and notorious scandales and offences eightly many false Christs false Prophets saying I am Christ that is vsing the name of Christ or faining that they are sent of Christ or that they are that which Christ is shewing forth signes and wonders to deceiue the very elect if it were possible ninthly neglect of loue and charitie and a falling from the faith The signes going néerely before the day yet such as the day shall not presently follow are these First in heauen Mar. 13.17.24 the sunne shall be darkened that is there shall be eclipses of the Sunne the Moone shall loose her light the Starres shall fall from heauen that is shall séeme to fall the powers of heauen shall be shaken Secondly in the earth there shall be great earthquakes sturs and tumults nation shall rise against nation and kingdome against kingdome Luk. 11.9.10.15 Mar. 13.7.8 Luk. 21.23 no place shall be frée from wars pestilences famines persecutions and vexations 3. In the sea there shall be fearefull roaring sounding and flowing 4. In the aire there shall be dreadfull and terrible tempests In a word the heauen earth and all Elements shall expresse the face of an angrie Iudge that sinners may be warned to repent Super. Matt. 24. except they will perish suddenly And therefore Saint Chrysostome saies When the good man of the house dieth the familie lamenteth apparelleth it selfe with blacke garments so when mankind drawes to an end the powers of heauen which were made for mankind doe mourne and putting aside beautie are ouerwhelmed with darkenes When the king of heauen ariseth to iudge the quicke and dead the Angelicall powers shall be moued and the terrible seruants shall goe before the terrible Lord. Vnto these foregoing signes may be added the conuersion or gathering of Israel to the faith that is of the whole Iewish nation to the Church of Christ Luk. 21.24 Isai 59. Rom. 11. when the fuâ—â—s of the gentiles is come in of which conuersion both the Prophet and the Apostle maketh mention and the which how and when it shall be none knowes but God These are the signes that goe before the second comming of Christ The tokens conioyned and going with the day of iudgement are the wayling of the kinreds of the earth Matt. 24.30 and the signe of the Sonne of man which shall be seene in the heauen when the Lord shall come in the cloudes which some take for the signe of the Crosse and some take for the excellent glory and Maiestie which shall giue witnes that Christ is come to iudge the whole world Now by the accomplishing of the foregoing signes which we haue scene and doe see daily performed we may gather the néere approaching of the day of iudgement but of the signe that shall goe with it the time is vncertaine and therefore our Sauiour saith Matt. 24.33 When ye see all these things knowe that the kingdome of God is neere euen at the doores and he addes presently but as the daies of Noah were Verse 37.38.39 so likewise shall the comming of the Sonne of man be for as in the daies before the flood they did eate and drinke marrie and giue in marriage vnto the day that Noah entered into the Arke and they knewe nothing till the flood came and tooke them all away so shall also the comming of the Sonne of man be And he ads withall of this be sure Verse 43.44 that if the goodman of the house knewe at what watch the theefe wold come he would surely watch not suffer his house to be digged through therefore be ye also readie for in the houre that ye thinke not will the Sonne of man come 2. Pet. 3.10 This Peter learned of his Maister Christ when he said That the day of the Lord will come as a theefe in the night And likewise Paul Thess 5.2.3 when he said That the day of the Lord shall come euen as a theefe in the night for when they shall say peace and safetie then shall come vpon them sudden destruction as
by thy self and thy friends to performe that condition This life is as it were an houre neither canst thou assure thy self of one houre it is promised thee of God that thou shalt obtaine the euerlasting in heritance if thou watch and pray Why then dost thou cease to watch against sin to pray for Gods grace mercy that thou maist be counted worthy to escape all these things to staÌ„d before the Sonne of man That is to appeare boldly to obtaine fauor of the iudge and not to be reiected either in the general iudgment when all flesh shall receiue their doome or in the particular iudgment of thy soule when it shal be separated from the tabernacle of the bodie by death But perhaps because thou seest many to liue long thou doest promise to thy selfe ling life therefore dost deferre to prepare for thy iudgement And doest thou not also sée that many are takeÌ„ hence in their flourishing Age and on the sudden Who will not beware of a madde Dogge that bites all that passeth by Death is like a furious Dogge that spares none and warnes fewe But in this regard we are like vnto Swine For when Swine sée their fellowe killing and heare his grunting they all run about him and grunt and make a great sturre but when their Fellowe is killed and cryes no more presently they returne to the dyrt and dongue and care no longer for it So worldly carnall and voluptuous men when one of their acquaintaÌ„ce dyeth as long as the Funerals last they are mooued and serrified and troubled but anon after the Funerals are finished they soone forget it and returne againe to the filthinesse of their pleasures and former iniquities The deferring of repentance and doubling of sinnes is most perillous A Shippe bâ—eares many burdens yet it may be laden so long till it sincke againe God is gratious but if he be prouoked euery day he will whet his sword and bend his Bowe and shoote his Arrowes against the obstinate offenders Patience too much wronged Psal 7. â—â— is turned into Furie at last It is reported of the Diamond that it is the hardest of all stones but when it is broken it is scattered into most smal pieces that can hardly be discerned with the eyes and can neuer be ioyned together againe Let vs beware that the Lord be not by so much the more seuere against vs if we abuse his louing kindnes by how much the more fauour he hath formerly shewed vnto vs. He that heares the Thunder is afraid of the lightning The preaching of the word is a thundring of the iudgemeÌ„t to come Let vs next feare the lightning of the iustice of God The loÌ„ger we haue liued and the more punishments we haue escaped that were due to our sinnes the more let vs expect the iudgement that will come spéedily and surely Tâ—eramenes a Citizen of Athens when he had auoided the fall of an house which fell as soone as he was out of it cryed out Aelian de vaer histor l. 9. O Iupiter cuinam metemporâ—reseruea ô God for what time doest thou keepe me And anon after he was compelled by the thirtie Tyrants to drinke poyson and so dyed The like thing must the sinner expect that remaines impenitent and hath not yet felt the hand of God Wherefore say not Ecclus â— 4 5.6.7 I haue sinned and what euill hath come vnto me for the Almightie is a patient rewarder but he will not leaue thee vnpunished because thy sinne is forgiuen be not without feare to heape sinne vpon sinne and say not the mercie of God is great he will forgiue my manifold sinnes for mercy and wrath come from him and his indignation commeth downe vpon sinners Make no tarrying to turne vnto the Lord and put not off from day to day for suddenly shall the wrath of the Lord breake forth and in thy securitie thou shalt be destroyed and thou shalt perish in time of vengeance Thirdly Let vs sée to what the remembrance 3. To what the remembrance of the iudgement auaileth the Feare and the expectation of the last iudgement auaileth To meditate on the day of iudgement will bridle and refraine the desire and delight in sinning And therefore Saint Basil saies well If thou perceiue thy selfe to be prouoked to any sinne saith he call to minde that fearefull iudgement of Christ which no mortall man may endure and stay thy soule as it were with this bridle For as the Sunne obscures and darkens all the Starres with his brightnes In Psal 33 So the remembrance onely of this iudgement puts out all the concupiscences of the soule by the terriblenes thereof And therefore the Prophet Dauid shewes that the forgetting of this iudgement is the cause of sinne For when he had said that the vngodly doeth persecute the poore make boast of his owne hearts desire is so proud that he cares not for his God hath his mouth full of cursing deceit and fraude He yéeldes the reason Psal 10.6.11 when he saies That Gods iudgements are farre aboue out of his sight For he hath said in his heart God hath forgotten he hideth away his face and will neuer see it I shall neuer be mooued nor be in danger Therefore when we are allured and tempted to euill let vs resist temptations and say to our selues I will not doe this euill and I will not commit this sinne For a day will come wherein I shall not be able to answere for it in which the Heauen and Earth the Aire and water and whole world will stand vp and giue witnesse of my sinnes and though all things should hold their peace yet my very thoughts and workes shall be before mine eyes and shal accuse me before the Lord. When Sathan shall perswade vs that we shall finde fauour in that day though we persist and wallow in vngodlines let vs oppose and set against this assault the sort and qualitie of the last iudgement which shall be horrible intollerable vnauoydable sudden and wherein the iudge shall not be miscarried by fauour and entreatie For on the right hand shall be sinne to accuse On the left hand infinite Diuels to torment Vnder the hydeous Gulfe of Hell Ouer an Angrie Iudge Without the World flaming Within Conscience burning There the Righteous shall onely be saued Ah wretched Sinner whither wilt thou flie being so taken To be hidden it is impossible To appeare it is intollerable Nothing can be so auaileable to leade our life in the feare of God Ambros de Gffic as firmely to beléeue that he shall be the iudge whom no secret thing can deceiue and none offence hurt and who is delighted with vertue godlines the feare of the Lord. And if when our cause is to be heard of an earthly iudge we be so heedefull to prepare an Aduocate and to make readie all prooâ—es that may doe vs good how diligent should we be to haue our faith fixed
in stead of all and I desire no more Readers As for the daintie I exhorte them to feede on the fine Flower of the Learned whose manifold Bookes abound with exquisite cates to passe by this course Beane which is conuenient onely for hungrie Stomackes But those that had rather suche dangerous opinions out of eloquent wordes then profitable instructions out of ordinarie termes As though it were better to drinke poison out of a golden pot then wholesome liquor out of an earthen cup and those that consume the pretious Time of this Posting life in long turning and pervsing of toyous and vaine discourses As though it were safe Fishing with a Golden hooke in troubled waters where the labour will yeelde small aduantage but the loosing of the hooke may bee damageable If they will not followe the Example of Marie in chosing the good part which shall not be taken away yet I admonish them to consider that though Heauen and Earth shall passe away yet the word of God abideth euer and that howsoeuer the louers of this fugitiue world are deuoted yet to the truely religious the Lawe of the Lord is sweeter then Honie or the Hony-combe and better then thousands of golde and siluer and that at last they that trie the inuentions of men in the conflict of Conscience will crie out with the children of the Prophets Death is in the potte and with Ieremiah What is the Chaffe to the Wheate and with the patient Iob to his Friendes Miserable comforters are yee all Shall there bee none end of wordes of winde If you shall fauourablie vouchsafe to countenance these few vnfiled Treatises Dedicated by him that wisheth you the continuall multiplying of Gods graces I shall account the fruite of my labour in some forwardnesse and be strictly obliged euer to remaine Your Worships submissiuely deuoted Rob. Wolcombe SPIRITVALL BALME FOR THE afflicted Ioh. 16. verse 20. Verily verily I say vnto you that ye shall weepe and lament and the world shal reioyce and ye shall sorrowe but your sorrowe shall be turned to ioy Verse 21. A woman when she trauaileth hath sorrowe because her houre is come but as soone as she is deliuered of the child she remembreth no more the anguish for ioy that a man is borne into the world Ver. 22. And ye now therfore are in sorrow but I will see you againe and your harts shall reioyce your ioy shall no man take frō you CHrist had before said to his disciples a little while Verse 16. and ye shall not see me and againe a little while and yee shall see me for I goe to the father In which few and somewhat darke words he foretold two things to wit his death and his resurrection First of his death he thus saith a little while and ye shall not see me that is after a little while you shall not sée me for too morrowe I shall be crucified and shall be hidden in my sepulcher Secondly of his resurrection he thus saies and againe a little while and ye shall see me that is after a little while to wit the third day you shall sée me againe because then I will rise from the dead and shew my selfe vnto you Now when the disciples had mused and reasoned of these words saying among themselues Verse 17.18 What is this that he sayeth vnto vs a little while and ye shall not see me and againe a little while and ye shall see me and for I goe to the father What is this that he sayeth a little while we knowe not what he saith Christ preuented their asking of the question Verse 19. what he meant and said vnto them Doe ye enquire among your selues of that I said a little while and ye shall not see me and againe a little while and ye shall see me Verily verily I say vnto you that ye shall weepe and lament c. In which portion of scripture the Lord first replaines his former spéeches in the 20. verse And he doth not openly name his death and resurrection but he insinuates and signifieth both of them by the effects following his death by the weeping lamentation and sorrowe of his disciples and the ioy of the world that is of the wicked Iewes his resurrection by the ioy and gladnes of his disciples Secondly he illustrates and depaintes that sorrowe and ioy of his disciples by a similitude in the 21. verse In which words he compares the sorrowe of his disciples for his death to the sorrowe of a woman in trauell and on the other side he compares their ioy for his resurrection to the ioy of a woman which hath brought forth a child into the world Thirdly he applies that comparison to his disciples in the 〈◊〉 verse In which words Christ doth promise that he will rise againe and shew himselfe vnto them and he amplifieth the gladnes that should thereby growe vnto his disciples partly by the greatnes thereof when he saith your harts shall reioyce partly by the perpetuitie and eternitie thereof when he saith and your ioy shall no man take from you As if our Sauiour should thus say you that are my disciples shall be tempted hardly and heauily for when I shall be put to death the wicked people of the world shal triumph and you shal lament and the vngodly worldlings shall iudge themselues happie and repute you miserable But by the operation of the holie Ghost your sorrow shall be turned into ioye not as though you should liue exempted from all sorrowe For as long as you dwell in these earthly Tabernacles you shall fight a harde fight and you shall feele and beare indignities and you shall haue many occasions of Lamentation and you shall Fast and wéepe when the Bride-groome is taken from you Mat. 9.15 but yet with whatsoeuer sorrow you shall be burthened spirituall ioye shall swallowe it vp and you shall be so renued by the power of the holy Ghost that you shall put off all former féeling of infirmities and with Heroicall courage magnanimitie you shall treade downe all euills that shall rise vp against you Consider how Weomen are griped with sudden griefe when the time of Trauell ouertakes them and how their griefe is so great that they are little distant from death but when they haue brought foorth a Childe their ioye is by so much the greater by how much their anguish was the extreamer So you that are my Disciples are in trauell that is shal be renued by the regeneration of the holy Ghost you shall first be vehemently distressed and afflicted And because the Lorde shall withdrawe his helpe and séeme to stand on your Aduersaries parte you shall reckon your condition to be forlorne and desperate But when the day of Redemption shall come you shal be refreshed with vnexpected ioy and your perplexitie shall not bee comparable to your consolation And when I shall sée you and visite you by the graces of the holy Ghost this
hee is faint and his soule longeth So shall the multitude of all Nations be that fight against Mount Zion This is true generally of all the ioyes of the vngodly although Literally the Prophet compares onely the glorie and power of the Assyrians and their Adherents that oppugned the Churche of GOD to the pleasure of those that dreame they eat drinke whereas it is a false and illuding pleasure In a Mappe or Chart are seene Kingdoms and Prouinces and Cities and Seas and diuerse Countreyes and yet all this is paper and ynke which is blurred corrupted with one drop of water The heart of man possessed with the vaine delites of the world is such a map Hee that thinks that he shall or doth possesse Towers and Castels and honors and Treasures and what not shall find all these to be but as paper and yuke and a table painted in the imagination which one Ague or other sicknes by the approching of death vtterly defaceth and dissolueth Let the wicked flatter himselfe neuer so much Iob. 20.6.7.8.9 yet his reioycing is short and the ioye of Hypocrites is but a moment though his excellencie mount vp to the Heauen and his head reach vnto the clowdes yet shall he perish for euer like his Dung and they which haue séene him shall say where is he He shall flie away as a Dreame and they shall not finde him and shall passe away as a vision of the night so that the eye which had séene him Hom. 2. ad popul Antioch shall doe so no more and his place shall sée him no more Therefore S. Chrysostome affirmes that in he hath laughed at the follie of some men who in their last Wils and Testaments haue bequeathed the vse of some Houses and Fieldes to one man and the Lordship of them to an other man whereas in trueth the vse onely of these things is granted vnto men and not the Lorship For the earth is the Lords and all that is therein Howsoeuer men perswade themselues yet we are in this life but Guests Strangers and Pilgrims and we haue the world for a lodging place not for an abiding Citie Let vs therefore vse this world as if wee did not vse it for the fashion of this world passeth away Let vs not set our hearts on riches though they encrease Let vs not set our affections on earthly things but on heauenlie things Fixing our heartes there where true ioyes are found Againe on the other side when we are afflicted we must not be dismaied but we must remeÌ„ber that afflictioÌ„s are very profitable vnto vs For they stirre vs vp to praier they trie and prooue our Faith whither it be true or temporarie onely they worke Patience in vs which the holie Ghost powreth into our hearts by suggesting and affoording manifolde consolations They cause vs to yéeld obedience to the commaundements of God they humble vs in that they shew vnto vs our weaknes and enforce vs to depend vpon God they mooue vs to repentaÌ„ce clense away the drosse of iniquitie that hangs so fast on they bréed at length the praises of God in our minds mouthes and instruct vs both to comfort other with that comfort wherewith wee our selues are comforted of God and to Sympathize and be compassionate towardes them that are in other or the like case And who will not with patience endure afflictions if he consider that they are sent from the gratious prouidence of God which measureth them out vnto vs according to our strength and as hee foreséeth that they will redound to our saluation For as the best and skilfullest Physitians do heale dislike diseases by dislike curings remoouing some by swéete medicines some by bitter though to some they applie searing to some launcing to some oyle to some gentle Plaisters yet by most variable meanes they seeke one and the same health So GOD if hee scourge vs seuerely hee cures our soules as it were by Searings and cuttings if he refresh vs with prosperity hee comfortes vs as it were with oyle and pleasant plaisters working by diuerse courses one and the same saluation If Tribulation pricke thée and thou wilt deriue the name thereof from a †Tribulus Thistle yet the Lord will so order it that it shall but pricke thee to amendment and forsaking of sinne or pricke thee to runne the race that is set before thee to eternall life with more diligence and watchfulnes Or if thou account Tribulation to be as a Threshing-toole as the * Triâ—â—la name thereof also may seeme to importe Yet as the Threshing toole doeth not crush or bruise the good graine but onely exempts it from the dâ—â—r and chaffe that after the Chaffe is separated and blowne away from the good Corne it may be conuerted to Bread the strengthening of mans hart So Tribulation by the gratious appointmeÌ„t of the Lord shall not extinguish our Faith and godlines but by little and little abandon and chase away the relicts of our naturall pollution that our vertue and good workes may bee layde vp in Gods garner and we obtaine the ende of our Faith euen the saluation of our soules This is euidently declared by Saint Peter when he saieth that Affliction is layed vpon vs for the triall of our Faith 1. Pet. 1.7 that it being much more pretious then Golde that perisheth though it bee tried with Fire might be found to our praise and honor and glorie at the appearing of Iesus Christ And he vseth a most apt similitude in comparing affliction to a fire For as fire workes diuerse effects vpon things of diuerse natures for it melts waxe and hardens claye it purgeth gold and burneth drosse so affliction hath diuerse operations according to the persons on which it is inflicted for it consumes the wicked with impatience or obdurates them with distrust but the godly are thereby mollified to mortifie their concupiscence to cal on God to fashion themselues to his holy will to manifest their faith in taking tribulation patiently that the Lord may temper the bitternes thereof with his loue and gentlenes If then affliction be but a purging fire it is to be feared of chaffe and not of pure metall For it is the chaffe that is burnt and turned into ashes in the fornace but gold is there purified and refined Aug. in Psal 60. The fornace is the world the gold are the righteous the fire is tribulation the goldsmith is God The goldsmith doth what he listeth and when he punisheth we must suffer for he commaunds vs to suffer and he knowes how to purge vs. Although the chaffe flame to burne and consume vs yet the chaffe is turned into ashes and we are made cleane thereby And therefore séeing affliction is so beneficiall to our saluation and God vseth it as a remedie to reforme our imperfections it must be so far off from our hearts to suppose our selues miserable in wrestling with tribulations that with the
inhabitaÌ„ts thereof are as grashoppers he stretcheth out the HeaueÌ„s as a curtaine spreadeth them out as a Tent to dwell in Hee bringeâ—h the Princes to nothing maketh the Iudges of the earth as vanitie He giueth strength vnto him that fainteth and vnto him that hath no strength hee increaseth power euen the young men shall fainte and be wearie and the young men shall stumble and fall but they that waite vpon the Lorde shall renue their strength they shall lift vp the wings as the Eagles they shall runne not be wearie and they shall walke not fainte And thus saith the Lord Cursed bee the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his Arme withdraweth his heart from the Lord Ier. 17.5.6.7.8 For hee shall be like the Heath in the wildernesse and shall not see when anie good commeth but shall inhabite the parched places in the wildernes in a salte land not inhabited but blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lorde whose hope the Lord is for he shal be as a tree that is plaÌ„ted by the water which spreadeth out the rootes by the Riuer shall not feele when the heate coÌ„meth but her leafe shall be greene shall not care for the yeere of drought neither shall cease froÌ„ yeelding fruite If we should trust in man in whome should wee trust rather then in Princes But what saieth the man of God Put not your trust in Princes Psal 146.3.4.5.6 nor in the sonne of man for there is no help in him his breath departeth and he returneth to his eatth then his thoughts perish blessed is he that hath the God of Iacob for his helpe whose hope is in the Lorde his God which made Heauen and Earth the Sea and all that therein is which keepeth his Fidelitie for euer But although we are to implore the aide of God alone in our troubles although God hath promised to heare vs to assist vs with his helpe yet we must beware that we neither murmure against God if hee answere vs not as we thinke fit nor appoint set downe a time of our deliuerance but we must abide the Lordes leisure Thou wilt not appoint a time to the Physitian of thy bodie when or what or how he shall minister vnto thee and when thou art seared or launced thou endurest and if thou call on the Physitian hee heares not as thou listeth but as he iudgeth fittest for thy recouery And wilt thou bee offended if God satisfie not thy request by and by Or wilt thou defigne a time when hee shall ease thy sorrowe forgetting that GOD is the Physitian of thy soule In Psal 2â— and that Tribulation is Medicamentum ad salutem non poena ad damnationem A Medicine to saluation not a punishment to damnation as Saint Austin saith Hieron in Proumio in Abakuk prophet If hee that is sicke of a burning Feuer call for colde water and say to the Physitian I am gâ—ieued I am tormented I burne I am astonished How long shall I crie vpon thee and thou wilt not heare What will the wise Physitian aunswere him but this I knowe when I ought to giue that thou câ—auest and I take no pittie vpon thee nowe because this pittie were crueltie and thy will doth wish thine owne damage Euen so our God knowing the weight and measure of his owne mercie doth sometimes not heare him that calls vpon him that hee may trie him and prouoke him to more earnestnes in prayer and make him more righteous and cleane as it were refined by the fire of tribulation The Heathenish Poet that neuer knewe the truth of God but onely groped after it by the light of corrupt Reason could say Saepè bibit succos quamuis inuitus amaros Aeger oranti mensa negata mihi est Ouid. lib. 1 de remed Amor. Vt corpus redimâ—s ferrum patieris ignes Arida nec sitiens ora leuabis aqua Vt valeas animò quicquà m tâ—llerare negabis At praetium pars haec corpore maius habet Wherein hee rebukes those that refuse wholesome counsell restraining from the delectation of vice and yet can tollerate bitter potions and the Chyruâ—gians instruments and thirst to be strong in bodie and sayes that it is a shame for them to endure all this for the bodie and to suffer nothing to bee sounde in minde séeing that part of man is farre more precious then the bodie Wherefore though wee see no effect of our petitions presently Heb. 10.35.36.37 yet wee must not cast away our confidence which hath great recompence of reward For wee haue neede of Patience that after wee haue done the will of God wee may receiue the promise For yet a very little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarrie But thou saiest that thou canst not subdue thy passions digest the bitternes of thy tribulation Yet wee sée that tamers of wilde beasts doe so manage and breake their sauage nature Epist 86. that they become méeke and milde Seneca sayes that some tamers of Lyons and Tigres haue made them so gentle that they haue put their hands into their mouthes and layd their owne mouthes vpon the beasts mouthes that ElephaÌ„tem minimus Aethiops iubet subsidere in genua The least Aethyoptan commands the Elephant to sit on his knees and he concludes hereupon why should not a wise man bee so cunning to tame his aduersities and troubles as that griefe and pouertie and slaunders and prisonment and exile and whatsoeuer terrible things when they happen may be conquered and not trouble the minde may be ioyfully entertained When Children are afraide of maskes and vizards we put them into their hands turne the inside out and make them to handle them that so they may cast away their vaine feare and men are woont coÌ„monly when their horse either starts or will not goe forwardes at the fight of a stone blocke or bright thing in the way to spurre him on vehemeÌ„tly and to driue him forciblie vpon that which terrified him that so by approching néere vnto it or by traÌ„pling on it hee may not be dauuted Ioshuah commaÌ„ded the chiefe men of Israel to put their féet on the necks of those fiue kings of Canaan to tread them downe Iosh 10.35 saying Feare not nor be faint hearted but be strong and of a good courage For thus will the Lord doe vnto all your enemies against whome yee fight Euen so if we narrowly note the fruite and benefite of aduersitie that redouÌ„ds to the godly looke aduisedly into the nature of things as they are indeed wee shall finde afflictions to be wilde beasts yet such as may be tamed to be vgly maskes yet such as appeare more hideous and fearefull then they are in trueth and to be blockes in the way yet such as may be past by and to be terrible Tyrants in outward shewe yet as easie to
Dathan and Abâ—ram that conspired against him and from the people that murmured against him and to rest well pleased with Gods appointment and therefore when wrath was gone foorth from the Lord and the plague begun to say to Aaron Num. 16.46 that he should make an attonement for the people with his censer filled with incense and kindled with fire of the Altar and that he should stand betwéene the dead and them that were aliue that the plague might stay This consideration made Dauid to curbe the reuenging of his seruants that would haue smitâ—en Shimei that cursed him and to humble himselfe vnder Gods rod 2. Sam. 16.10 Psal 38.12.13.14.15 acknowledging the iudgement of God in that behalfe and saying He curseth euen because the Lord hath bidden him curse Dauid And therefore when his life was sought after and snares laid and his enemies went about to doe him euill and talked wicked things and imagined deceit continually he became as a deafe man that heareth not and as a dumbe man that openeth not his mouth and vttereth no reproofes and because it was Gods doing to chastice him he waited on the Lord his saluation And what should make Paul to call himselfe the prisoner of Iesus Christ Phil. v. 1. but this consideration Act. 21. For he was deliuered by the Iewes into the power of Caesar and reserued to the examination of Augustus and yet because his affliction was ordained and ordered by God and for the aduancement of Christs Gospell and the edifying of the Church he turneth his thoughts from the Iewes malice and Caesars authoritie and termeth himselfe the captiue of Iesus Christ Wherefore since our portion of affliction is duely proportioned vnto vs by the vnspeakable wisedome and decrée of God for his owne glory and our good and the encouragement of other by our constant faith and patience 2. Tim. 2.3.4.5.6.11.12 let vs suffer affliction as good souldiours of Iesus Christ coueting to please him that hath chosen vs to be souldiours and remembring that as if any man striue for a maisterie he is not crowned except he striue as he ought to doe and as the husbandman must labour before he receiue the fruit so if we will liue together with Christ we must die with him and if we will raigne together with him we must also suffer affliction with him Let vs not thinke it straunge when we are afflicted as though some strange thing were come vnto vs 1. Pet. 4.12.13.19 but let vs reioyce inasmuch as we are partakers of Christs sufferings that when his glorie shall appeare we may be glad and reioyce and let them that suffer according to the will of God commit their soules to him in well doing as vnto a faithfull Creator Iam. 5.7.8.9.10.11 Let vs be patient vnto the comming of the Lord behold the husbandman waiteth for the pretious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it vntill the former and the latter raine Let vs be patient therefore settle our hearts for the comming of the Lord draweth néere behold the Iudge standeth before the doore Let vs take the Prophets for an example for suffering aduersitie and of long patience which haue spoken in the name of the Lord Behold we count them blessed saith blessed Iames which endure We haue heard of the patience of Iob and haue knowne what end the Lord made for the Lord is verie pittifull and mercifull Finally Matt. 7.24 that our house may not be founded on the sand and so fall when the raine falls and the flouds come and the windes blowe and beate vpon it but may be grounded on the rocke that no tempest nor waue can shake or remoue let vs sticke fast and cleaue firmely to this consolation and promise of our Redéemer Sauiour Christ Iesus that though while we soiourne in these brittle tabernacles of claie we shall wéepe and lament and be in sorrowe yet in this life the assistance of Gods spirit will support prop vs vp that our harts shall reioyce in the midst of tribulation shal be replenished with true sound gladnes that no man shall take from vs that though affliction fal vpon vs as trauel vpon a woman with child yet as the mother forgets her paine of trauell wheÌ„ a child is borne into the world so after these transitorie troubles and trauels are vanquished and vanished we shall reioyce for the eternall inheritance that is reserued for vs in heauen Amen A LETTER TO A PENSIVE FRIENDE ALthough I doubt not but your owne wisedome and feare of God doe procure you comforte in your discomforte yet as a Friend I am bound to giue you aduise in the Lord. Now God calleth you to repetitions to make you shewe your former profiting by what you haue both heard and read out of his word and after the example of the blessed Virgine Luk. 2.19 laide vp and pondered in your heart Declare your selfe therefore a good Scholler and one that firmely remembers this lesson Act. 14.22 That wee must through manie Afflictions enter into the Kingdome of God As you daily pray that the will of God may be done so now it is done murmure not against Gods will But say with the mirrour of patience Iob. 1.21 Blessed be the name of the Lord. Can we auert Gods decrée Are we stronger then he May not his purposes be likened to the decrees and statutes of the kings of the Medes and Persians Est. 8.8 Dan. 6.15 which might not be reuoked or altered Happie then is the man that beares patiently and thankefully that he must néedes beare We must not resemble flies that sticke fast vpon sores and boyles but slide and flip from sound places so we must not still muse on our miseries but we must reflect our thoughts on the good things past be animated with hope of good things to come Iob. 2.10 Shall we receiue good at the hand of God and not receiue euill Is not heauenly ioy worth affliction that in respect of eternitie lasteth but the twinckling of an eye Shall marriners endure the threatning flouds of the Sea husbandmen beare the stormes and tempests and souldiours suffer wounds and daungers and champions contemne blowes and buffets for the hope of temporall and perishing commodities And shall we repine and grumble at the aduersities of this momentanie life hauing heauen set before vs for a reward and those vnspeakable and eternall blessings If there be no triall there is no crowne if there be no striuing there is no prize if there be no endeuouring there is no honour if there be no tribulation there is no triumphing Take away raine and cloudes and frost and winter and what haruest will there be Now is our tempest now is our frost now is our winter and therefore let vs beare the stormes and winter of aduersitie patiently that we may reape in the haruest of glorie plenteously and that we may
things Rom. 2.6 but if they deale faithfully and carefully God will recompence them according to their workes Thus haue we bene perswaded to be liberall to the poore by the coÌ„mandement of God by the example of the Faithfull by the reward of mercie by the threatnings against the mercifulnes and if the incompassionate and flinty harted person shall déeply ponder these things there is hope that hereafter he will be mollified put on the tender bowells of compassion Sen. lib. de beneficijs When the Cynick begd a talent of Antigonus he answered that a talent was too much for a Cynick to beg wheÌ„ the Cynick asked a pennie he answered again that it was too little for a king to giue This was shameful sophysticall cauillatioÌ„ to deuise a meanes how to giue nothing for he respected the Cynick in the talent a king in the pennie whereas he might haue giuen a peÌ„ny to the Cynick a talent as he was a king In these dayes also many will forge excuses why they restrain their liberalitie froÌ„ the distressed but these excuses are not so soon allowed of God as deuised of man For let not the couetous person that seldom or neuer giues to the poore say I haue but little scarce enough for my self mine own family Giue then after thy state 2. Cor. 8.12 9.7 giue which a chéerfull and single hart the Lord will respect thée not according to that thou hast not but according to that thou hast if there be first a willing mind for God accepteth a cheerfull giuer Luk. 21.2 He that hath praised the widow for casting of 2. mites into the tresury hath also promised Math. 10 42. that if thou giue but a cup of cold water in his name thou shalt not leese thy reward He that hath noght els to giue let him powre forth praiers good wishes for the poorâ— distressed Psal 41.1.2.3 saying The Lord deliuer him in his trouble the Lord keepe him and preserue him â—he Lord blesse him the Lord streÌ„gthen him vpon the bed of his sorrow and comfort him in his sickenes and he shall be blessed that so considers the poore saith the man of God So truely saies an ancieÌ„t Father That the Almes is not weighed Chrys by the largenes of the things giuen but by the liberall minde of the giuer Aug. in Psal â—03 And another saith If thou canst giue then giue if thou canst not then vse corteous spéeches God rewards the inward willingnes where he findes not outward ablenes Naz. in Orat. de pauper amandis let none say I haue not to giue for charitie is not measuâ—ed by the purse And another saies likewise Giue some small thing to him that wants and yet it shall not be small to him that wants all things nay God will not account it small if thou giue after thy power account it for a gift if thou giue comfortable words si nihil habes collachryma if thou haue nothing to bestow shed teares with him that is in miserie Amb in ep ad Cor. For non solum quaeritur quantum sed de quanto quo animo detur The question is not only how much is giuen but from what abilitie and from what minde it procéeded Let not the couetous person that seldome or neuer giues to the poore say before I giue to another I will first sée whether I shal want my selfe or not For remember how the meale in the barrell and the oyle in the crewse of the widowe of Zaâ—â—ptha 1. King 17. failed not though she gaue to Eliah leauing not for her selfe and her sonne God hath promised That the liberal person shall haue plentie Prou. 1.25 and he that watereth shal also haue raine And it was excellently said of the second Tiberius the Emperor when he was reproued for exhausting spending the treasurie in Almes That the Treasurie should neuer want monie as long as there were poore to receiue almes Let not couetousnes which is the roote of all euill 1. Tim. 6.10 Luk. 12.15 Eph. 5.5 and of which Christ bids vs to take héede to beware because a mans life stands not in riches and which is Idolatrie for that the auaritious person reposeth in his monie the coÌ„fidence due to God let not couetousnes make vs to distrust the promise of God or the prouidence of God for he that hath prouided our mot hers milke to nourish vs before we were borne and he that hath clothed vs prouided necessaries for vs that came naked into the world will not he féede succor sustaine vs when we walke in the obedience of his commandements If we heare that poore the corne Hoâ— 2 1â—.20.21.22 the wine and oyle will heare vs and the earth wil heare the corne fruits and the heauens will heare the earth the Lord will heare the heaueÌ„s marrie vs vnto himselfe for euer in righteousnes in iudgemeÌ„t in compassion in faithfulnes Let not the couetous person that seldom or nere giues to the poore say that he will not giue to the néedie because they are ignorant in religion idle vnruly théeuish vnthankfull railers therefore that he will follow the couÌ„sell of the sonne of Syrach saying Giue vnto such as feare God EccluÌ„s 12.4 receiue not a sinner do well to him that is lowly but giue not to the vngodly hold back thy bread giue it not vnto him Vers 3. least he ouercome thee therby Indéed these are the words of the sonne of Syrach but what saith he in the same place He cannot haue good that giueth 10 Almes and therfore he speaks coÌ„paratiuely respectiuely not excluding altogether the néedie though lewd froÌ„ Almes but shewing the choice discretion in giuing he bids vs when we will do good to know to whom we doe it For in liberality a regard is to be had both of the things persons of things Greâ— in Epist that all be not giueÌ„ to one but somewhat to euery one whereby we may doe good to the more according to that of the Prophet he hath dispersed and scattered here and there and giuen to the poore of persons that wee giue first to the good and then to sinners vnto whoÌ„ not wtstanding we are prohibited to giue Non qui homine sed quia pâ—ccatores not for the they are meÌ„ Gal. 6.10 but for that they are sinners So S. Paul saies that priÌ„cipally we must doe good to the household of Faith that is to the godly but immediately before he had said while we haue time let vs doe good to all men Therefore there must be wisedome discretion choice in distributing our alms Niceph. li. 14. ca. 14. For though Atticus the Bishop of ConstaÌ„tinople when he sent money to Calliopius the Nicene Priest to be destributed amoÌ„g the poore did bid him in bestowing
the money not to regard so much as religion in the poore but only to haue an eye to this that the néedie might be sustained not to prefer those that do liue as Christians should liue yet he addes wtall that they should haue most giueÌ„ to them that did blush to beg not that did make a trade trafficke to beg Ad Olympiad for the filling of their bellies S. Chrysost also prescribing a forme of giuing Alms saith among other things that Bountifulnes is to be measured by the need of those the craue This is the sum Nazianz. It is far better to do good to the vnworthy for the sake of the worthy then not to do good to the worthy for the sake of the vnworthy For what if the poore do not their dutie wilt that therfore not do thy duty Althogh in many respects they are not worthy of alms yet giue them for Gods sake for the CoÌ„mandements sake for Christs sake for the declaration of the faith godlines If that caÌ„st not giue to them as they are faithful belieuers people worthy of liberality yet giue to them as they are men womeÌ„ created of the same God coÌ„sisting of the same substaÌ„ce drawing the same ayre attainted with the like passions infirmities subiect to the same dissolution death and due to the same earth the generall Mother of euery mothers sonne daughter Matt. 5.45 Herein thou shalt imitate thy heaueÌ„ly father be merciful as he is mercifull making his Sun to arise on the euil the good sending raine on the iust and vniust The force of which reasoÌ„ is so pregnaÌ„t that if coÌ„pelled euen a Pagan to say that it is the part of liberalitie to giue to euery one that asketh Sen. lib. de beneficijs therin to imitate God If thou doest imitate God saith he giue also to the vnthankfull For the Sun arisetth vpon the wicked the Seas are open to Pyrates God the good author of things begins to bestow benefits vpon them that know it not holds on to bestow benefits vpoÌ„ the vngratefull God ceaseth not to heape vp his blessings onely with this intent that he may doe good let vs therfore imitate him let vs giue though many things be giuen in vaine WheÌ„ thou hast seriously considered the néedie caÌ„st find in them nothing worthy of reliefe yet call to mind that thogh they are vnworthy of help yet they were created after the image of God as thy selfe wert and therefore weigh whether Lactantius speake not fitly wheÌ„ he saies that if the worshippers of the false Gods doe adorne the senseles Images Lib. 6. c. 13. de vero cultu and bestowe all their pretious things on that which can neither vse it nor render thankes for it how much méeter and righter is it to adorne the liuing Images of the true God which as they make vse of it and yéeld thankes so God in whose fight we doe good will both allowâ— of it and also reward our pietie It is to be wished that when this obiection is cast against the most part of the poore it might be answered with a single deniall that it is false and slaunderous But he should be conuinced by daily experience that should absolutely denie it Wherfore as the rich haue bene exhorted to be liberall to the poore so the néedie are to be admonished that they endeuour to be worthy of liberalitie and to be thankfull for charitie deuotion extended towards them and to pray for the happie state of their benefactors and to carrie themselues soberly and truely and humbly and contentedly in their state of life that so the graces and blessings of God may be multiplied vpon all both rich and poore in this life and at last we may be all inheritors of eternall blessednes in Heauen through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen PITTIFVLL PERSONS LEND TO the Lord. Prou. 19.17 He that hath mercy vpon the poore lendeth vnto the Lord and the Lord will recompence him that which he hath giuen THis goldeÌ„ Aphorisme and sentence of Salomon the wise king of Israel is a most pithie commendation of liberalitie towards the poore and néedie and therewithall an effectuall exhortation to embrace the same In which spéech two things are presented to our consideration the first is a description of mercie to the poore what it is the second is the fruite and profitablenes thereof what it brings vnto vs. If any would knowe what mercie to the poore is he heares it called héere A lending to the Lord he that hath mercy vpon the poore lendeth vnto the Lord. If any aske what commoditie redounds to the mercifull he heares it heere affirmed that the mercifull giuer of Almes shall be rewarded The Lord will recompence him that which he hath giuen So that the wise man mounts by degrées almes on the poore is no léesing of our goods saith he but a giuing it is no giuing away of our goods neuer to haue them againe it is but onely a lending of them it is no hazardous lending of them to a debter either beggarly that cannot repaye or careles that will be bankrupt or deceitfull that will defraude his Creditor or denie his due but it is a lending to the Lord of heauen and earth who is both a faithfull God and therefore will performe his promise made to the mercifull and an almightie Lord and therefore is able to recompence what is bestowed on the néedie As if Salomon had thus spoken Hoorde not vp treasure in this world neither fixe your hearts on the riches of the earth which is the broken bag that cannot holde For if treasure be heaped vp on earth it is vncertaine it prouokes enuious eyes it stirs vp those of a mans owne house and that conuerse familiarly with him to endeuour to spoyle him But if you desire to haue your riches safely kept why do you desire and seeke mens helpe The Lord is readie to receiue them and to kéepe them and to recompence them with large vsurie None can take them out of his hands for he will keepe you and your riches safe and when he hath done it he craues not a recompence for kéeping as men doe but he himselfe will bestowe a reward vpon you If you respect gaine and wish that your coyne may encrease with great vsurie behold rare and vnheard of gaine promised by him that cannot lye namely a large recompence from the Lord of Lords Men doe oftentimes lend great summes of monie vpon hope of gaine and aduantage and they take but the word or the band of a mortall man whose breath is in his nostrils but you that giue to the poore lend not to men nor haue not assurance from men to be repâ—ied but you lend to the Lord and you haue his word that abideth for euer and his obligation and hand writing for repaiment If some great Prince or Potentate should commaund a crier
the word are our brethren and men subiect to the like passions as we are and therefore in that respect we may say to them Physitians heale your selues yet they haue a treasure in an earthen vessell and to animate vs the more to embrace his will 2. Cor. 4.7 God speakes vnto vs by our owne flesh and blood and to declare his loue and fauour towards base men he exalts him to this dignitie to be a Trumpetter of his pleasure 1. Cor. 4.1 Ministers are called disposers of the secrets of God that we should giue eare vnto them as to them that are sent of Christ for this end and purpose that we might receiue as it were at their hands the treasure of saluation that is drawne out of the secrets of God They are called Ambassadors in the name of Christ because they haue the word of reconciliation betwéene God and vs and are Ministers therof praying the faithfull in Christs stéede as if God did pray in them 2. Cor. 5.20 Eph. 4.11 that they be reconciled to God They are called Pastors and féeders of soules teachers and instructors of the ignorant and planters of mindes in the Garden of Christianitie 1 Cor. 3.6 Reu. â— 20 and waterers of hearts with the showers of godly perswasions and Angels that is bringers and messengers of ioyfull tidings and Starres that hold foorth vnto vs the shining light lampe of the Gospel which shewes vnto vs how we should passe the time of our abiding héere and discouers vnto vs the will and pleasure of God both what God will haue vs to doe and how he will be woâ—shipped of vs and also what he will doe with vs and how he will saue vs. 1. Cor. 3 10.11.1â— They are called builders that must buiâ—d vpon the foundation that is layde which is Iesus Christ gold siluer and pretious stones 1. Pet. 2.5 that we should suffer our selues to be framed with the hammer of their doctrine as liuely stones and be made a spiritual houâ—â— an holy Priesthood to offer spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ They are called the salte of the earth and light of the world Matt. 5.13.14 that we should suffer our corrupt liues to be seasoned and purged with the salt of their wholesome words and our steps to be ordered by the brightnes of their exhortations that we may walke vnblamably and circumspectly in this present world that lyeth in wickednes Ezek. 33.7 Act. â—0 28 They are called watchmen and ouerseers that we should hearken to their warming when they foretell of the counterwaites and comming and danger of that old and subtile Serpent that studies nothing but for the destruction of the soules of men Luk 10.2 They are called labourers in the haruest that we should remember by their doctrine to bring foorth the fruit of good workes that may be gathered into the Lords garner and be euerlastingly rewarded They are called fishers of men Matt. 4.19 Luk. 5.10 that we should by their preaching of the glad tidings of saluation be caught in the net of eternall life They are called labourers together with God that is those that serue vnder him 1. Cor. 3.9 for the gathering together of the elect not as if they could do any thing of their owne streÌ„gth but by the grace of God that makes them able and all the encrease that procéedeth from their labour doth so come from God that no part of the praise is to be attributed to the vnder seruant Lastly Obad. v. 21. Rom. 11.14 1. Cor. 9.22 1. Tim. 4.16 Iam. 5.20 Isai 43.3 Act. 4.12 the Ministers of the word are called Sauiours and are said to saue others Yea but will some say is there contrarietie in the scripture It affirmes that there is no Sauiour besides the Lord and that there is none other name vnder heauen by which we must be saued but the name of Iesus What Sauiour then is the Minister The answere is that there is no discord nor repugnancie in the scripture for God is the alone author and worker of our saluation and we are saued onely by Christs merites and passion as touching the fountaine and originall substance of our saluation but the Minister is said to saue his hearers inasmuch as he is an instrument that by the doctrine and publishing of the Gospell applies the saluation vnto our soules For there are diuerse steps and degrées of our saluation we cannot haue saluation but we must be reconciled to God we cannot be reconciled to God without Christ wee cannot haue Christ without faith wee cannot haue faith without the preaching of the word Rom. 10.14.15.17 This is cléere by that saying of the Apostle How shall they call on him in whom they haue not beléeued and how shall they beléeue in him of whom they haue not heard and how shall they heare without a preacher and how shall they preach except they be sent Out of which he infers this conclusion then faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God If then we haue such helpe by the Ministerie for the vnderstanding of the mysteries of saluation contained in the scriptures whosoeuer despise the preaching of the word of God which in respect of vs is the first step of saluation and contemne the preachers and publishers thereof doe despise their owne saluation Chrys and the meanes whereby they may be partakers of it séeing per ipsos Christum induimus per ipsos dei filio coniungimur per ipsos membra beati ipsius capitis efficimur by the helpe of the Ministerie we doe put on Christ we are conioyned to the sonne of God we are made members of him that is the blessed head of the Church That the word of God is the spirituall furniture and Armour that beates downe strong holdes and discomfites the Arch-enemie of our saluation Sathan Eph. 6.12.14.15.16.17 it is euident by Paul who reckoning vp the weapons that must defend vs against principalities against powers against worldly gouernours against the Princes of the darkenes of this world against spirituall wickednesses which are in the high places as the girdle of veritie the brest plate of righteousnes the leg harnesse of the Gospell of peace the shield of faith the helmet of saluation he names among the rest the sword of the spirit which is the word of God Saint Chrysostom doubts not to say Ser. 3. de Lazaro that the very sight of the Bible chaseth and driueth away the diuell For saith he euen as where there is armour of proofe laid vp in an house though none vse it yet it bréedes securitie and safetie to those that dwell in that roome inasmuch as no robber nor vnderminer of wals nor any other malefactor dares to assaile that house where such furniture is kept euen so wheresoeuer those heauenly bookes are from thence all Sathans force is expelled and the inhabiters want no consolation Heads the reason
of the soule (f) Basil in exhor ad Baptis Iud. 16. Wherefore they that will dominere ouer the Church of God and kéepe the vulgar sort in such awe as to leade them whither they list as the Philistimes led Sampson after their pleasure when they had shauen his haire and puld out his eyes though otherwise he were strong and big Ioh. 12.35 For he that walketh in the darke knoweth not whither he goeth and they that will neither themselues teach the people nor permit them to reade the scripture that they may teach themselues these must appropriate those places to themselues Matt. 23.13 Woe vnto them that shut vp the kingdome of Heauen before men neither going in themselues nor suffering them that would enter Deut. 27.18 Matt. 15.14 to come in And cursed be he that maketh the blinde to goe out of the way And If the blinde leade the blinde both shall fall into the ditch And where there is like people like Priest Isai 24.1.2 the Lord maketh the earth emptie and turneth it vpside downe and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof And Isai 30.10.11.12.13.14 where there is a rebellious people that will not heare the lawe of the Lord Which say vnto the Seers see not and to the Prophets prophesie not vnto vs right things but speake flattering things vnto vs prophesie errors depart out of the way goe aside out of the path cause the holy one of Israel to cease from vs Thus saith the holy one of Israel because you haue cast off this word and trust in violence and wickednes and stay thereupon therefore this iniquitie shall be to you as a breach that falleth or a swelling in a high wall whose breaking commeth suddenly in a moment And the breaking thereof is like a potters pot which is broken without pittie and in the breaking thereof is not found a sheard to take fire out of the hearth or to take water out of the pit Secondly let vs sée 2. How the word must be heard how the word of God must be heard When meate is conueyed into the stomach euery member and part of the bodie receiues his nourishment and conuerts the sustenance into his owne nature for example that which the liuer receiues is turned all into blood that which the gall receiues is turned all into choller that which the lungs receiue is turned all into fleame and that which the breasts receiue is turned all into milke Chrys hom 38. in Matt. So when the Ministers of the Church speake the word all doe receiue it vnusquisque autem conuertit illud secundum cor suum but euery one doth conuert it according to his owne heart So as one and the selfesame word in good hearts proceedes to life in peruerse hearts it bréedes anger like choller in some it workes loue like swéete milke and in other some it breedes hatred like bitter gall Theodoritus de curatione infidelium Graecerum ser 5. It is commonly experimented that it is the nature of the loade-stone to suffer any matter and substance to lye quiet except yron but to hale or drawe yron to it and sometimes to pull it vp aloft and to cause it to hang there not staied or propped by any thing or bound aboue by any linke or band but onely by an hidden force and vertue not seene of man Euen another such thing euery one that giues héede thereunto may marke in the preaching of the word of God For the greatest part of people will encline the eare vnto it yet onely the faithfull are delighted therewith and drawne after it when for all that vnder them appeares no comfort of worldly felicitie neither is there séene any band by which they are tied from aboue but onely it is by the operation and efficacie of Gods spirit that secretly frameth the motions of our hearts Saint Augustine hath a most excellent saying quicquid loquimur in Dei nomine In Psal 98. quoniâ—m Dei est per nos loquentis imber Dei est vidâ—te vos qualis terra sitis whatsoeuer we speake in the name of God because it is the word of God that speakes by vs it is the showre of God looke you to it what kinde of soyle you are For when the raine fals on the earth if it be good ground it yéeldes good fruit if it be ill ground it brings foorth thornes yet is the raine comfortable both on the fruits and on the thornes He that heares the word and becomes worse and by watring bringeth foorth thornes let him not accuse the raine but looke to be burnt But he that is bettered thereby and brings foorth good fruit out of his good ground let him commend the raine and assure himselfe that his fruit shall be laied vp in the garner of heauen And what is all this but that which our Sauiour plainely expresseth by the séede Matt. 13. which being sowne fell diuersely some by the way side some vpon stonie ground some among thornes and some in good ground the foules deuoured vp that which fell by the way side that which fell on stonie ground withered away for want of depth of earth that which fell among thornes was choaked and that onely fructified which fell in good ground Out of which words who is so simple that he cannot gather that the greater part receiue the word vnprofitably Some haue open hearts to lodge and harbour all ill affections and desires like the common way some are wrapped and tangled in worldly cares as with thornes some are soone ripe soone rotten spring vp quickly and wither quickly because they want déepenes of roote like corne sowne on stonie ground Therefore if the séede shall spéede well it must be sowne in good ground And what is this good ground The chiefest and skilfullest manurer and husbander of the heart doth shew Luk. 8.15 That which fell in good ground saith Christ are they which with an honest and good heart heare the word and kéepe it and bring foorth fruit with patience First then there must be an honest and good heart honest in the outward shew and good in the inward qualities and gifts which not onely séemeth such a one but is such a one indéed The Poet saith Sincerum nisi vas quodcunque infundis acescet If the vessell be not cleane whatsoeuer thou powrest into it it doth léese his sauour If we put a drop of honie into a great vessell full of vineger the honie is lost and the vineger still remaines eagre So where a man lies in wickednes preach the word vnto him the word is fruitles and his sinne abideth When a showre distils on a stone Chrys the stone sweates without but it is drie within because the moysture cannot piecce it The worldly and vnregenerate person is like the hard and drie stone onely the sound of the word beates vpon his carnall eares but nothing descendeth into his heart Psal 25.14 For the secrets
of God the onely comforter doth swéeten the bitternes of affliction and doth strengthen our féeble knées and stablish our fainting hearts we may iustly say O Lord wee are not worthy that such consolation should come vnder the roofe of our soules Besides this as the Centurion said Maister I am not worthy that thou shouldest come vnder my roofe so we may inuert and turne about and stretch his spéech farther and say O Lord we are not worthy that we should come vnder thy roofe And why The world in which we inhabite is Gods house and we are all Tenants at will to be put out at our liue lords pleasure In this house of the world Man is a great commander hauing dominion ouer the workes of Gods hands and hauing all things put vnder his féete The Sunne and the Moone giue him light the shéepe and oxen and beasts of the field the foules of the aire and fishes of the Sea yéeld him sustenance the birds delight him with singing the flowers solace him with smelling all the workes of Gods fingers serue either for this profite or pleasure or both In that then Man a worme and the sonne of rottennes and corruption is brought into such a spacious and specious a great and gay house of God as the world is and made little lower then God and crowned with glorie and worship we may iustly say Psal 8.4 O Lord our Lord what is man that thou art mindfull of him and the Sonne of man that thou visitest him We are not worthy that we should come vnder the roofe of thy house Nay when we consider our houses that protect and shroud vs from the furie and violence of the weather our beds whereon we case our selues when we are wearie and sicke our liuings and goods by which we sustaine our selues our children which are an heritage and gift that commeth from the Lord and which possesse the fruit of our labours and which preserue our memoriall on earth when we consider these and many other blessings which God bestowes on vs that daily and hourely offend him and transgresse his commaundements and which many others doe want who notwithstanding are redéemed with the pretious blood of Christ aswell as we may we not procéed farther and say O Lord we are not worthy that we should come vnder the roofe of our owne house Furthermore the materiall temple and Church is called the house of God For why In the Church we are taught the statutes and lawes of God and God speakes vnto vs in his sacred word In the Church we speake vnto God by praier and we worship God by singing foorth the swéet praises of his mercie and goodnes In the Church we are by Baptisme clensed from our sinnes and receiued into Christs Church and congregation which is the spirituall house of God and we are incorporated into Christs bodie made members thereof In the Church we spiritually feede on the body and blood of our Sauiour Christ and we are thereby partakers of Christs merites righteousnes to the fruition of eternall life In that then the materiall Church is the house of God and the soueraigne Apothecary shop where euery sinner may finde a spirituall medicine and salue to cure the maladies infirmities of his soule we may truely say when we are going into the temple and Church where we participate of so many diuine things O Lord we are not worthy that we should come vnder the roofe of thine house Lastly let vs contemplate on the ioyes and felicitie of Heauen where is ioy without sorrowe plentie without scarsitie glorie without enuie life without death where is the trée of life and the riuer of the water of life where the Seraphins sing continually Holy holy holy and all the Angels and Saints praise God vncessantly with most sugred and harmonious melodie where the elect receiue the pennie of immortalitie for working in the vineyard and sit downe with Abraham Isaak and Iaakob and where are those vnspeakable good things which eye hath not séene nor eare heard nor heart of man can conceiue In that then God hath ordained vs to this eternall rest and from the dust hath exalted vs to his heauenly kingdome we may truely say O Lord we are not worthy that we should come vnder the roofe of Heauen Thales Milesius being old and hauing deuised some admirable inuention of the motion of the Heauens he did communicate it with Mandrita another Philosopher who gaue him thankes for the instruction and asked what recompence he should giue him for the document to whom Thales said O Mandrita it shall be sufficient to me if when thou wilt vtter this which thou hast learned of me thou doe not ascribe it to thy selfe but confesse that it was mine inuention This a man craues of a Man how much more iustly doth God require of vs that if we haue any vertue or any knowledge or any wisedome or any strength or any good thing when we make vse of it we attribute it not to our selues but acknowledge that it is receiued from him Wherefore let vs humble and prostrate our selues with this Noble and godly Centurion let vs praise the Lord for all his blessings with vnfained thankefulnes let vs confesse our vnworthines either that God should come vnder our roofe or that we should come vnder Gods roofe let vs amend our liues repent for our iniquities and expresse true gratitude by our good workes that God may augment and heape his mercies vpon vs continually and that Christ may heare vs as he heard the Centurion and that as by the mercy of God we entered into the house of God the world and dwell therein and as by the same mercy we enter from time to time into the materiall Church which is the house of God so at last by the fauour and grace of Christ we may ascend and mount into the glorious and magnificent house of Heauen there to remaine with him for euermore Amen CONSTANCIES CROWNE Gal. 6.9 Let vs not therefore be wearie of well doing for in due season we shall reape if we faint not THe holy Apostle Paul in these words doth admonish the Galathians and in the Galathians all other Christians to be plenteous in good works and to bring foorth the fruits of the Spirit neither this onely but to persist and perseuere in well doing that they may obtaine the reward of eternall life The spéech containes first an exhortation to continue in well doing secondly a reason and motiue why we should not faint in well doing The exhortation is this Let vs not therefore be wearie of well doing If we refer this well doing to beneficence and liberalitie towards the néedie which is spoken of in the verse following where the Apostle saith While we haue time Calon poioûntes 1. eupoioûntes euergetoûntes let vs doe good to all men as if well doing were doing well and bestowing well on the poore then where Paul saith Let vs not be