all the faithfull The Lord hath bin mindfull of vs and he shall blesse vs and he will blesse the house of Israel he will blesse the house of Aaron he will blesse them that feare the Lord both small and great Psal 105. verse 8.42 He hath been alwaies mindfull of his couenant and promise that he made to a thousand generations Therefore let not the vngodly any longer say vnto the Lord Depart from vs Iob. 21.14 Sap. 2. wee desire not the knowledge of thy waies Who is the Almightie that we should serue him And what profite should we haue if we should pray vnto him For the candle of the vngodly shall bee put out their destruction hasteneth on them their hope is as a drie thistle flower blowen of the winde they leade their liues wantonly and sodainly they go downe into hell And as for vs let vs put our trust in the Lord and consider deeply and duely to what ende the Almightie hath bestowed on vs that excellent treasure of Memorie Let vs endeuour rightlie to vse the same by printing therein enough these fiue worthie things following viz. 1 The Lord God and his actions both of mercie and iudgement 2 Our brethren and that duetie wee owe them 3 Our owne selues what wee are and wherevnto subiected 4 The finall and generall Iudgement for which wee must wayt and prepare our selues 5 Lastly this memorable example of Lots wife and this last do I referre to the second part of my generall dunsion as the onely matter or subiect for the action commanded in my present text A good memorie is here required Now if a man could remember with Cyrus King of Persia who was able as Solinus reported to call euery one of his Souldiers by his proper name when as his hoast was exceeding great Or if a man had the mindfulnesse of that mayde which can hardly forget her attire as Ieremy said yet could we not reach herein to a sufficient perfection But as for our selues I feare me we be so farre of that we may rather be iustly compared to one Messala Coruinus who albeit he was sometime a graue Senatour in Rome and much commended by eloquent Cicero for many vertues did yet a two yeeres before his death become so forgetfull that he remembred not his owne name Which kinde of forgetfulnesse hath come vnto diuers other also either by infirmitie of nature or by extreame sicknesse or by dotage or by excessiue cares And would to God that our naturall infirmities our sinfull agonies our damnable dotings in blind affections and our worldly carefulnes had not maymed vs with this maladie then might we haue escaped that reproach of the Israelites The Oxe knoweth his owner Isay 1. vers 3. and the Asse the cribbe of his maister but my people haue not knowne me they haue forgotten me Although wee cannot denie but that we haue our earthen vessels with Agathocles thereby to remēber our originall and with Peter haue heard the Cock crowing thrise in our eares to put vs in minde of things memorable yet it is true that we haue forgotten oftentimes that we should minde hauing our cogitations blinded with Satans enchantments that sometimes we will not heare to obey the Word of God be it preached neuer so wiselie This point of folly noteth S. Iames in the man Iam. 1.23 that beholding his bodily face in a glasse but going his way forgetteth immediatly what manner of one he was Héeere is great forgetfulnes from the which the Lord kéepe vs. Let vs vse the talent lent vs knowing that as well for that one as for the tenne an accompt is required and a reckoning must be made and that good seruant shall be commended with a double reward when the vnprofitable wretch shall haue his talent taken from him and himselfe double punished Remember God and his Workes Eccles 12. verse 1. Let vs remember the Lord and his meruailous works The wise Salomon commandeth vs to remember God and therewith to obserue the time conuenient saying Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth whiles the euill dayes come not nor the yeeres approach wherein thou shalt say I haue no pleasure in them To this duty did Moses often incite and stirre vp the forgetfull Israelites who neuerthelesse after innumerable benefites receiued of the Lord remembred him not Iudg. 8.34 but forgat the Almighty that begat them God that formed them Deut. 32. verse 18.19.20 c. which caused him in anger to correct them to whet vp his glittering sword for them and his hand to take hold of Iustice against them to execute vengeance on them and to reward them that hate him This Dauid hauing considered exhorteth thus Seeke the Lord and his strength Psal 105. ◠Seeke his face continually Remember the meruailous works he hath done his wonders and the iudgements of his mouth And thus let vs remember the goodnes of the Lord first generally on all mē next on his Church and holie congregation and then on euerie particular member thereof and considering the same let vs ascribe all prayse honor thanks and maiestie to him for euer He hath not only created man The mercie of God but in mercie preserued him and prouided louingly for him He maketh the Sunne to shine as well on the vniust as on the iust and giueth raine to them both mouing all men to remember them and without this dutie they be touched with intollerable ingratitude But as for his Spouse the Church Dauid singeth of his louing mercies and goodnes vnto thē in this manner Psal 115. He blesseth them aboundantly that feare the Lord both small and great he encreaseth his graces towards them euen towards them and their childrē for they be the chosen generation the royall Priesthood the holie Ierusalem and blessed of the Lord that made heauen and earth And therefore this especiall little flock hath the Lord wonderfully defended and kept vnto himselfe holy safe and vndefiled before him Although the holy Church is as a bush in fire burning yet is it not consumed though as a Ship tossed yet not ouerturned though as a woman trauailing yet neuer dead and though as a Vyne pruned yet neuer sterued And as for this particular branch of the Church wherein we liue the verie land sauoring of the swéetnes of Gods mercie we are forced to confesse that the Lord hath not dealt with euery Nation as he hath dealt with vs and do find by full experience that the Nation is blessed which hath the Lord for their God Lastly if euery particular man shall duely consider with himselfe and remember how many excellent blessings he hath receiued of the Lord to the beawtifying of his body and soule oh God how shall he be forced to prayse and blesse him in the same with endlesse comfort Aboue all when there was neither sufficiencie of wood for burnt offerings in Libanus The goodnesse of God in Christ nor Cattell
faith is as a Tower which giueth vs two aduantages agaynst him namely to defende our selues thereby from him and to cast out from thence the strokes of thundring Ordinances to annoy him Therefore he first aymeth to our faith Heb. 11. Ephe. 6. 1. Pet. 1. Rom. 9. 1. Cor. 10. Rom. 11. The Apostle shewing the commodities of faith by the examples of Abraham Isaak Iacob Sarah and other Saincts doth thereto oppose the infidelitie of such as haue thereby purchased iust paynes for recompence Adam by his vnbeleefe with Eua were cast out of Paradise the Iewes wanting faith could not come into the land of promise but perished in the wildernesse he that beleeued not the Prophet was trodden on in the gate of the Citie Zacharie was dumbe because he did not beleeue the worde of the Angell the Apostles were checked for their vnbeléef and Lots wife is plagued The world is reprooued for sinne by the holie Ghost Io. 16. because they beleeue not as if vnder this one sinne al other sinnes were comprehended and well worthie for without faith it is impossible to please God seeing whatsoeuer is done is sinne The Iewes by their vnbeleefe were not onely vnworthie that Christ should work any myracle among them in his owne countrie ◠but also they alienated the fauour of God from them and their children This is if grieuous sinne Let vs take heed of vnbeleefe and eschew the payne therof by a perfect faith in Christ Let vs beleeue the voyce of the Angell let vs hearken vnto our greate Archangell Christ and his word preached by his Ministers that wee may beleeue for faith commeth by hearing and faith hath more commodities than I am able to expresse at this time When Satan desired to sift vs as wheate Christ prayed that our faith might not fayle The Lord therefore helpe our vnbeleefe and encrease our faith in vs euermore that thereby we may hasten from Sodom with righteous Lot and not stay or turne thether agayne to perish with his vnrighteous wife Secondly in her is noted the sinne of disobedience 2 Disobedience Lot obeyed the voyce of the Angels and departed from Sodom without retyre or looking backe but she disobeyed that voyce in looking backe And no maruaile for she beleeued not For obedience is not expected from infidelitie no more than the standing of an house without a foundation or sweete fruite to growe on the tree that hath a bitter roote She would not come forth to Zoar to saue her felfe there She looked back to Sodom Though obedience be better than Sacrifice as Samuel sayd to Saule to hearken is better than the blood of Goates and disobedience is as the sinne of witchcraft yet she obeyeth not she hearkeneth not but rebelleth Although it was commaunded by the Lord enioyned by the Angell Gen. 19. Deut. 28. and obedience hath a promise of the best thing in the lande and disobedience a commination of plagues which surely bee performed and that not the hearers of the lawe be iustified but the doers yet is she disobedient Would to God the most part in these dayes did not followe her therein Take heede of the iudgements thereunto belonging Saule for disobedience is reiected and his kingdome taken from him The man of God was slayne of a Lion 1. Sam. 15 1. Kin. 13. because he did eate bread in the old Prophets house contrary to Gods expresse commandement The good King Iosiah in that he obeyed not the Lord speaking out of the mouth of Neco King of Egypt yet a wicked King was striken that he dyed The fathers in the wildernesse perished through disobedience yea and many that did things with a good intent yet disobediently were surely reproued and punished Vssah touched the Arke as it was falling with entent to stay it vp it apperteyned not to him therefore is he striken Nadab and Abihu the sonnes of Aaron tooke straunge fire in their Censors thinking they did well but being contrarie to the commaundement they haue therfore a grieuous punishment In these yea euen in these persons was this sinne punished But what of that Shall we then thinke to escape vnpunished for the like yea and greater breaches of Gods holie commaundement Heb. 10.20 29. Deut. 19.15 If he that despiseth Moses law dyeth without mercie vnder two or three witnesses of how much greater punishment suppose ye shall he bee worthie of which hath troden vnder foote the Sonne of God and hath counted the bloud of the Couenant wherein he was sanctified an vnholy thing and hath done despight vnto the Spirite of grace 1. Pet. 4.17 The time is come that iudgement beginneth at the household of God and if it begin there what shall be the end of them that beleeue not the Gospell I begin sayth the Lord to plague the Citie whereon my name is called Ier. 25.29 and thinke you I will suffer you to escape No ye shall not go quite Take heede then of this sinne of Lots wife Wee do reade of other women which haue gotten both fauour and commendation by obedience to GOD and their owne husbands but Lots wife looseth all good reporte yea her life and health too through disobedience The third fault we note in her is Pride 3 Pride this thing did the deuil ioyne to infidelitie disobedience of Euah who would willingly be as God So this woman aspiring aboue degree therby contemneth the simple estate of her owne husband and the worde of the Lord. Oh how much better had Christian humilitie beseemed her It is the best ornament of a faithfull person Abraham was beautified therewith when comming before the Lord he accompted himselfe vile dust and ashes vnworthie to speake vnto his Maiestie This Dauid also had when he daunced bare before the Arke though Micholl his owne wife disdained him thereat This vertue did Christ himselfe embrace who oftentimes fell on his face to the earth when he prayed yea and yeelded himself to the great contempt of the Crosse Humilitie lifteth that vp into heauen which pride assayeth to cast downe in hell The humble and lowe degree of Mary the Lords handmayd is esteemed and she accompted blessed the poore Publican is 〈◊〉 Dauid obteyneth mercie but the proude Phariste Antiochus Senacherib Herod and other proude persons haue been cast downe Lots wife in her pride disdayned the vocation of her husband she contemned the Countrie whereinto he was going from Sodom she thought scorne to make such a chaunge and to endure in steede of pleasure affliction for delicate fare hunger and colde for ease trauayle for fine apparell Camels hayre for seeled houses Caues of earth for Iuorie beddes the harde stones or grasse in the fieldes in steede of companie solitarinesse for mirth mourning and sorrowes for solace She disliked now after so many wealthie pleasures in Sodom to become as a Pellican in Wildernesse as a doue alone mourning as the sparrowe on the house top sorrowing She could not
timely warning to eschewe the plagues deserued with a sweete prouocation of sinnes to fruitfull repentance either by comfortable arguments of his bounties to his obedient children Sap. 10. or by strange and fearefull examples of his iudgements executed on the rebellious and vngodly sinners In like manner our Lord Iesus Christ that true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and friend to mankinde imitating in this as in all other things his heauenly Father who of his loue to man according to the purport and effect of the auntient promise made to Adam and confirmed to Abraham Dauid and other godly Fathers in his mercy sent him into the world to bring all true beleeuers vnto life euerlasting doth not only by perfitting the worke of mans saluation which none could do but himselfe shewe great mercies vnto his beloued but also foresheweth both to them and all others a most miserable destruction imminent and ready to fall first on the Iewes and then on all others who after their stubbornes faithlesse ingratitude and Apostasie do despise the goodnes of God and he leaueth not vnwarned in the same all men to take heed of those future miseries that horrible sinners do purchase to themselues by producing this notable memorandum of the terrible iudgements of God euen on the wife of that righteous man Lot she going about to saue her life lost it and looking backe in her heart to sinfull Sodom from whence the Lord in mercy had drawne her with charge to proceede without retire God foresheweth his iudgements she perished from the right way betweene Sodom and Zoar in that great wrath kindled against her We reade in Genesis that when all flesh had corrupted his way on the earth Gen. 6.23 and the Lord sawe that the wickednes of man was great on the earth and all the imaginations and thoughts of his heart were only euill in so much that he repented him of mans creation and was grieued in his mind he would yet in mercie though in the middest of wrath both foreshew the destruction following vnto his righteous seruant Noah whome he fauoured and gaue him also commission to diuulgate and publish the same to the world whome notwithstanding this vnreasonable sorrow conceiued he would in mercie spare for the space of an hundred and twenty yeares And moreouer for a perpetuall instruction to the posterities the Lord after that Noah had obteined rest made his Bowe in the Clowdes to be a token of the couenant thereon compacted which also beareth manifest Arguments both of mercy and iudgement to the comfort of the godly for whose benefit the promise was giuen to the confusion of the wicked for whome destruction waiteth And there is the blew colour of water to note for euer wherewith the world was destroyed and the red colour of fire to shew wherewith it shall perish 2. Peter 3. according to the Prophesie of S. Peter Genes 18. Afterward when the sinnes and abhominations of the filthy Sodomites had ascended vp and the loathsome cries of these execrable Sinners had pearced the Lords eares he determined thereon a mightie Plague which yet he threw not vpon them till time he had both warned them thereof and deliuered from the same his Seruants Abraham and Lot In the Booke of the Iudges it is mentioned that the Israelites oftentimes sinned against the Lord and incurred the plague of their transgressions whereof likewise they were forewarned and admonished to beware by Moses Iosuah Deut 28. verse 31. Iosh 24. and other the Seruants of God And besides that such destructions and miseries as ensued intollerable ingratitude to their posterities were told of by the holie Prophets and the persons on whome the inconueniences fell had yet certaine signes and tokens left to be as continuall remembrances vnto them The Prophet Samuel sayd to King Saul whiles he was yet King ouer Israel 1. Sam. 11 verse 23. and without feare of disgrace The Lord hath cast thee off from being King ouer Israel And this thing sayd he was also signified by the renting of his garment And so the Prophet Ahia the Silonite told Ieroboam 1. Kin. 11. verse 31. that the Lord had rent the Kingdome of Israel into 12. parts and this did he prognosticate by renting a newe Mantell into twelue péeces The Prophet Ieremy foreshewing a destruction to come proclaimeth thus in the Lords name Iere. 35.5 Behold I haue set pots of Wyne before the household of the Rekabites but they would not drinke obeying therein their fathers commaundement but as for you ye haue not hearkened vnto me as they hearkened vnto their father therefore I will bring vpon Iuda and vpon euery inhabiter of Ierusalem all the trouble that I haue deuised against them And this was certainly performed in his due time when as the Israelites for their sinnes were caried away captiue into Babylon their Citie being destroyed their Temple polluted and all their glorie shadowed 1. Cor. 10. S. Paule hauing declared both the mercie and wrath of God mercie in bringing the auntient Israelites out of Egypt wrath in ouerthrowing the rebellious people in the wildernes and turning per apostrophen to the Corinthians to whome he committeth this example warneth them thus Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heede that he fall not And thus did S. Peter Iude Iames and Iohn admonish them to whome they wrote Aboue all our Sauiour Christ willing to stirre vp not onely the Iewes but all men which rest in carelesse securitie Christ foreshewed the destruction of the Iewes and begin to bend backward foreséeing their ruine and miserable thraldome doth not only languish and powre foorth teares for the same thereby mouing vs if possible to wéepe for our selues but also prophesieth destructions and many heauie lots to fall on men in the world And to the ende they may the better be admonished séeing the consideration of other mens hurts may moue them to take héede he bringeth foorth the examples of the Niniuites of Tyre and Sidon of those on whome the Towre in Silo fell and of them whome Pilate slewe in the time of their Sacrifices of them that were drowned in the generall Floud and of the Sodomites And therevnto he addeth semblable Parables as of the Rich man and poore Lazarus of the vniust Steward and the wicked Mammon of the fiue foolish Virgins of the disobedient child the wicked husbandmen the ingratefull guests and such like Héere he setteth foorth vnto them the fearefull iudgements of God on Lots Wife willing them by her example to take heede of destruction not to looke backe from the plough but to hold on for feare of a greeuous and horrible destruction Therefore sayth he Remember Lots Wife A sentence very briefe yet a lesson not for idle Scholers fewe words yet not for dull hearers but as enough for a Sermon so a meete memorandum for a man during his life The Oracles and graue sayings of the wise men of yore
and prayed for their good successe Héereby the godly persuaded themselues The man that forgetteth the iniurie of his brother may the better come to God that laying aside all displeasures and forgetting manifold iniuries though it were to seuenty times seauen as Christ teacheth they might with more safe hearts and quiet consciences approach vnto the throane of grace with these and such like petitions Remember not the sinnes of our youthfull dayes O Lord Psalm 25. Forget our iniquities and blot our transgressions out of thy mind Forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespas against vs. The Lord Iesus graunt vs the spirit of pietie and patience to forgiue and forget the offences of our bréethren against vs. Moreouer Dauid in his 45. Psalme teacheth the Church Psalm 45. and therein euery member of the same what should be forgotten that her heauenly wooer Christ Iesus might be pleased in her Another forgetfulnes commanded in Scripture more generall Iohn 3. Forget saith he thine owne people and thy fathers house Therevnto counselleth S. Paule in his Epistle to the Rom. cap. 12. verse 1.2 and in his 13. Chapter of the same verses 12.13.14 This is that new birth which Nichodemus with all his wisedome is not able to conceiue and so difficult and hard for the fleshly man which conceiueth not the things that be of God as nothing is harder And therefore as the valiant Captaine Vlysses being in Affrica and perceiuing that his fellowes did continually languish with the remembrance of their Countrie Wife and Children which they could not forget caused them to taste of the Trée Lotos whereof if a stranger eate it is sayd he forgetteth his owne Countrey so our most excellent Captaine Christ produceth vnto vs his holy Word the trée of life to be tasted eaten and disgested with this commaundement Hearken ô Daughter hearken ô Israel he that hath eares to heare let him heare and happy is he that heareth the Word of God and keepeth it for by eating thereof man liueth he forgetteth old Adam To forget old Adam and the fleshly affections of man he casteth off the shooe from his féete with Moses and draweth néere to the Lord he meditateth on the Lawe of God day and night and is satisfied with goodnes By this was Paul put apart from the world This quencheth out the lust of the flesh the pride of life and loue of the world This bringeth faith to iustifie man before God and vertues to approue him before men This harboureth men in the bosome of faithfull Abraham whome the ruinous habitation of Adam could not preserue This draweth men from earthly Hierico to heauenly Ierusalem and persuadeth Iaphet to dwell in the tabernacles of Shem. Peter tasting of this Genes 9. goeth foorth at the doore and wéepeth for his sinne Ruth Ruth 2. the Moabitisse is hereby taken from her owne countrie and brought into Israel and this pearle being so pretious causeth a man to forsake all that hee hath to sell all his wealth to buy purchace and obtayne it The Lord graunt vs grace to bee in this poynt so forgetfull that we neither remember to commit nor dare bée so bold as to attempt sinne that wee neither dwell in the loathsome tents of Kedar nor so much as sauour of the fleshly affections of impious and vngodly men Thus haue we seene what things we are chiefly to forget and shut out of memorie Now let vs beholde the true substance of memorie What to remember and so in the end descend vnto this particular example of Lots wife If wee would that GOD in goodnesse should remember vs and that our prayers may enter in before him Nehe. 13. verse 31. Ionae 2.7 as Nehemiah and Ionas sayd then must we not be forgetfull of that which he commaundeth to bée kept in minde And except the Lord in his mercie be mindfull of vs Gen. 8.1 Genes 19. verse 29. Psal 115. verse 12. as he hath bene of old time of his seruants Noah Lot Abraham Dauid Ionas Manasses and others to whome in extremitie hee sent comfort and helpe we may be compared to Sodoma and like vnto Gomorrha wee cannot stande in the congregation but bee confounded in iudgement wee shall want that which may helpe vs and finde whatsoeuer anoyeth vs and being banished from the benediction of Gods children shall incurre the heauie curse of his enemies And a most fearefull thing is it to be forgotten of the Lord. For there is nothing remayning but cursings in the towne and in the field going out and comming in in the basket and in the store in the bodie and in the land and in whatsoeuer is taken in hand a sick bodie and a faint heart maymed members and a doubtfull minde in the morning wishing for the euening Deut. 28. in the euening desiring the morning vengeance from heauen an hell vpon earth Of this portion drinketh the vngodly to whom there is no peace saith the Lord seeing they bee aduersaries to the Almightie and banished from his presence Isai 40. as cleane out of his mercifull remembrance The faithfull children remembring these things with considerate mindes haue resorted vnto the Lord praying him in goodnesse to remember them Thus prayed Salomon O Lord God 2. Chro. 6. verse 42. refuse not the face of thine annoynted Remember the mercies promised to Dauid thy seruant And so prayed that noble Captaine Nehemiah Nehe. 1.5.8 cap. 5.19 ca. 13.31 O Lord God of heauen the great and terrible GOD that keepeth couenant and mercie for them that loue him and obserue his commandements c. I beseech thee remēber the worde that thou commandest thy seruant Moses Againe Remember me sayth he in goodnesse That patient man Iob in his great afflictions cryed out vnto the Lord Remember that my life is but a wind And King Hezekiah turning his face to the wall 2. Kin. 20.3 prayed in this manner I beseech thee O Lord remember now how I haue walked before thee in trueth and with a perfect heart and haue done that which is good in thy sight Baruch in the behalfe of the captiue Israelites Remember not sayth he the wickednesse of our fathers but thinke vpon thy power and thy name at this time The Prophet Dauid being moued with an excellent spirit Psa 74.20 and 137. Psal 119. verse 49. singeth vnto the Lord Remember thy couenant and promise Remember Sion be mindful of thy mercies c. Finally the condemned théefe on the Crosse with our Sauiour sayth vnto him Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdome These godly desires vttered with a faithfull heart haue not bene put backe nor was the Lord vnmindfull of his loue but as he remembred Noah and euery beast and all the cattel that was with him in the Arke and as Christ remembred Peter Mary Paule the théefe on the Crosse Psal 115. verse 12. So sayth Dauid in the behalfe of
her wise lesson to her yong Lemuel Rom. 12. Prou. 31. And Tobiah to his sonne S. Paul chargeth the Romaines and others to giue chéerefully to the poore 2 Cor. 9.7 to do good and forget not to distribute to remember the prisoners and the poore Saints Heb. 13. Gal. 2.9 1. Cor. 16.1 Ro. 15.26 Act. 10. and for such he himselfe caused diuers collections to be made and thereto laboured with his hands He commended them much of Macedonia and Achaia for the same thing The noble Nehemiah mindfull of his poore bréethren did neither craue that wages he should haue exacted nor suffered any man else to oppresse them But alas there is a commoÌ„ cry of the poore in euery place whose faces be grinded with the extortions of the wealthie and this pitie haue they found Am I sayeth Cayne the keeper of my brother is his ouersight or protection committed to me am I bound to reléeue him These persons be not of the mind of Christ which saith Weepe not Widowe but of the mind that Diues that rich man was who could rather permit poore Lazarus to cry and dye at his gate without compassion But heare that terrible sentence against such vnpitifull people Math. 25. When I was hungrie yee fed mee not when I was thirsty ye gaue me no drinke therefore depart from me ye cursed Vnto this dutie belongeth that not to forget to deliuer the oppressed froÌ„ the hand of his oppressor And that also to be gratefull thankefull to our bréethren that haue both laboured for vs and comforted vs with their charities whether they be poore or rich This thing not onely the verie Heathens haue taught by painting foorth their three 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Graces but also the verie brute beasts birds as the Elephant the Storke yea the earth insensible which yéeldeth to her tiller a double reward But alas among vs that be Christians we oftentimes find this verified No man remembreth the poore man Eccles. 5.14.15 that by his wisâ—dome deliuereth the Citie from the great King Pharaohs Butler hath quite forgotten Ioseph though he earnestly requested him to remember him to the King Gen. 40. verse 14. yea the vnthankefull Sichemites haue not onely quite forgotten the goodnes of Gedeon towards them Iudg. 9.18 but are likewise consent together with Abimelech to rise vp against him and his house Thus Ioas remembred the goodnes of Iehoida the Priest which had bin his only stay and preseruation in rising vp against Zacharias his sonne and killing him 2. Chr. 24.20.21.22 It is great vnkindnes not to requite a benefite receiued so it is to forget or not to acknowledge it but oh most horrible is that vnkindnes which recounteth good things with euill things from this kind of obliuion the Lord deliuer vs and a true mindfulnes of our bréethren we beséech him to giue vs and heerevnto may we be the better induced by the remembrance of our owne selues This is the third thing which we are willed héere to remember Remember our selues To know our selues is a profitable perswasion to the knowledge of God imitating of Christ in our duties Heere might we be put in mind of our estate and condition in this land which to remember is most profitable that being admonished by others examples we may after Pauls caueat take heed we fall not although we thinke we stand 1. Cor. 10. And let it be remembred that as the fiue talents gained fiue other so is it expected that our great aboundance of Gods blessings should yéeld semblable thankefulnes the want whereof bringeth dread and fearefulnes by the consideration of the vnprofitable seruant the disobedient sonne the barraine fig trée and vnfruitefull Vine and I pray God that in this our time of peace we do remember not only of whome we receiue it but also what belongeth to the same I ayme only to that which I should with many more words expresse But more particularly let euery man looke into his owne estate and condition as deriued from the common condition of all men as fold and subdued to sinne and thereby to infirmities miseries and death To this point the Apostle bringeth all meÌ„ when he saith All men haue sinned and héereof tooke that generall calamitie his originall Thou art dust sayth God to Adam after his transgression and into dust thou shalt returne againe This is particular to euerie man and this is generall to all men Heereof is man called mortall flesh grasse vaniâ—â—e a vapour a lyer a corrupt feede the child of inconstancie and dust Let men remember this what man is that they may not waxe proude A man doth seldom remember himselfe being but dust and ashes But alas this is so hard a thing for them as nothing is harder to perswade them selues what they be what their life is And therefore whiles they note the condition of their tenures whether they hold their land in fee simple fee tayle terme of life or yéeres and accompt when their leases may expire they neuer remember the condition of their owne liues how good or euill they bee they note not how they drawe to ende and thinke not of death which lingreth not This was that notable and wise saying which Symonides Simonides who as Cicero reporteth first found out the arte of Memorie vttered before Pausanias the Lacedemonian King at his banquet being willed by the King to speake something excellent and of importance Remember thou art a man saith he The King hearing it tooke it scornefully at the first But afterward being shut vp in prison and in miserie where also he dyed with famine he called to minde that word of Symonides with great sorrowe saying The words were in deede of great importance but I through mad pride esteemed them nothing The like in a maner read we of rich Croesus who in prosperitie forgat himselfe and what Solon had taught him till time that Cyrus brought him to recognize his estate and miserie with imminent execution of death But Philippe of Macedonia did more wisely prouide for his memorie when a boy cryed to him euery day Philippe Remember thou art but a man And this is common to euery one he is a man then mortall then subiect to miseries then of short life and continuance This is the effect of Iobs description of man He hath but a short time to liue Iob Man is a Pilgrim yet replete with many miseries he commeth vp as a flower from the earth he florisheth a little while vpon the earth he is cut downe and withereth in the earth Which also Isaiah in his 40. Chapter Isa 40. â— Ia. 1.11 1. P. 1 1â— S. Iames in his first Chapter and Sainct Peter in the first Chapter of his former Epistle do effectuallie applie Man commeth from a sinfull wombe liueth in a wretched place goeth to a ghastfull gulfe Remember this Olde father Iacob was most mindfull of this which