the world that hee gaue his sonne to redeeme it If God had not beene mercifull man had beene miserable and therefore saith Peter Blessed be God which according to his mercy hath begotten vs againe to a liuely hope Secondly wee are iustified sanguine vel obedientia Christi by the blood and obedience of Christ. 1. Vt materia iustitae nostrae As the mater of our iustification 2. Vt causa formalia iustificationis nostrae as the formall cause of our iustification 3. Vt causa impulsiua meritoria as the inpulsiue and meritorious cause Thus the obedience of Christ is the matter the forme and impulsiue cause of our righteousnesse From the redemption of Christ there is freedome from death reconciliation with God the gift of righteousnesse and the inheritance of the kingdome of heauen Thus all the vertue of our iustification depends vppon the life and death of Christ Neither could our death be dissolued without Christs passion nor our life restored without his resurrection Thirdly we are iustified ex fide of faith vt causa instrumentali in nobis as the instrumentall in vs whereby we apprehend the righteousnes of Christ by faith apply the same vnto vs. To cōclude it in a word here is misericordia Dei the mercy of God promising 2. satisfactionem Christi the satisfaction of Christ meriting 3. fidei faith beleeuing and thus stands our righteousnesse Which distinction the Church of Rome refuseth saying wee are iustified by an inherent righteousnesse wherein two false points of doctrine are maintained First that there is some meritorious cause in vs of this righteousnesse Secondly that we are free from sinne for so are their owne words that we are not reputed iust but are made iust indeede But to the meritorious cause in man I answere in Augustines wordes God crowneth thee but in mercy for thou wast not worthy whom God should call or being called to bee iustified and being iustified to bee glorified If thou pleade thy merits God saith vnto thee examine thy merits and see if they bee not my giftes Where then is the meritorious cause in man Hoc est non in nostris recte factis this lyeth not in our well-done deedes sed in tua bonitate situm est but in thy goodnesse O God that we are made righteous And for the perfection of iustice I answere with the same Augustine Our iustice in this life consisteth rather in the remission of sinnes then perfection of vertue Take comfort then O Christian For if God iustifie who shall condemne who is able to lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen Why then should wee feare For tius quod non est non est poena peccatum remissum non est Ergo peccatum remissi non est poena That which is not hath no punishment forgiuen sinnes are not Ergo forgiuen sinnes hath no punishment as saith the Apostle wherefore let vs goe boldly to the throne of grace If thou wouldest bee healed hee is thy Physition if thou burnest with feauers hee is a fountaine to coole thee if thou art pressed downe with iniquitie he is thy righteousnesse if thou feare death he is thy life and if thou desirest heauen he is the way Is God thus good thus mercifull as to iustifie vs being sinners what will hee doe for vs then being iustified and this is the proper righteousnesse in this place There is a righteousnesse of sanctification for as Christ is our iustice so is he our holinesse And as many as haue put on Christ haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lustes whereby a man is righteous in his life and conuersation So saith Iohn whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not That is as Piscator notes non dat operam peccato not giuing them to worke sinne for these two goe together iustification and regeneration as Dauid saith Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne there is iustification and in whose heart there is no guile this is sanctification Happy men in whom two kisse one another where the dewes of iustification are destilled down and the sweet flowers of sanctification doe spring vppe And yet such honour haue all his Saints iustification peace of conscience ioy in the holy Ghost and sanctification of life Thus God raines downe his mercies vpon his Saints which be the Charter of heauen the couenant of grace and the assurance of glory musicke to the eares splendor to the eye odour to the smell daintaies for the tast pleasures for the sense and solace for the soule And seeing it is now high time to leaue you here will I leaue you for I cannot leaue you better then where I haue you And so I cease to speake of that which you shall neuer cease to enioy The persons now remaine to bee spoken of lacem you but I passe ouer this with silence hauing spoken of them before And now I call heauen and earth to record that this day I haue set before you life and death a blessing and a curse and haue sounded out the voyce of Boanarges and the voyce of Barnabas by the voyce of Boanarges I haue laboured to plowe vppe your sinnes in the doctrine of repentance by thundring out Gods iudgements in the voyce of Barnabas I haue laboured to helpe you to reape the haruest of Gods promises in the voyce of consolation and in all this I haue not beene partiall neither fearing the great nor fauouring the meane And now all I desire at your hands is a thankefull acceptance of my paines and a ready obedience of my exhortation which if I finde I shall thinke grace to be in your soules zeale in your hearts iustice in your handes and holinesse in your liues and so looking for the haruest of my labours I commit my words of exhortation to your practise and my wordes of consolation to your comfort and your selues to the blessed trinitie to God the father which loned vs so sweetly to God the Sonne that bought vs so dearely and God the holy Ghost who sanctifies vs so purely three glorious persons but one immortall incomprehensible onely wise God be giuen and ascribed from men and Angels in heauen and earth with soule and spirit all praise honour glory might dominion and maiestie at this present hencefoorth and world without end Amen 6 JY 53 Esa. 44. 3. Man patt with all creaturs Obserue Luk. 16. 19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pto. 10. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Man a diuine earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iohn 15. 5. Doct. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pro. 4. 23. 〈◊〉 4. 14. Heb. 13. 9. Luk. 21. 34. Re. 1. Rom. 10. 10. Psal. 112. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 King 22. 31. Iohn 13. 2. Esa. 29. 13. Matth 13. 9. Matth. 7. 17. Leuit. 22. 19. Exod. 23 2. Heb. 10. 22. Heb. 12. 24.
haue made choyce of such a text as doth speake to all persons I feared to speake of Iudgement least it should make the weake harted to tremble Or of mercy least the wicked should be secure Therefore I haue ioyned them together OSEA 10. 12. SOwe to your selues in righteousnesse reape after the measure of mercy breake vp your fallow ground for it is time to seeke the Lord till he come and raine righteousnesse vpon you QVo brevior co obscurior The shorter this Prophesie is the more mysticall In the holy Scripture these two things euer do concurre Sententia breuis res ampla A finit sentence an infinit sence as in a litle mapp we see a world of Coūtries what the foote cannot measure in many dayes the eye passeth ouer in a moment This text is a little Mappe of the whole body of Diuinitie turnes ouer vnto vs a golden lease whose inke is Nectar and the penne the wing of Angels for the matter expressed is wholly celestiall Quis sit finis iustorum it iustificantium iustos I will in somesort open the euerlastiing dores and heere shewe you the King of glorie and in him your glorie Therefore let an holie reuerence possesse your soules and say with Iacob This place is fearfull none other but the house of God and the gate of Heauen where will appeare the loue of God in his Iudgements to the sonnes of men who in promising mercie omits iudgment but in threatning iudgment remembers mercy as heere in this place And now as you intend to trauell with me in this way tye your considerations vnto two generall heads The first is a precept The second is the consequent The precept is affirmatiuelie set downe and is illustrated by a metaphor taken from the husbandman First by the plowetime Innouate vobis nouale Plowe vp your fallowe Secondly by the seede time Seminate vobis in iusticia sowe to your selues in righteousnesse Thirdly by the haruest time Metite in ore misericordiae Euery one of these times offer 3. branches apeece First the subiect the fallowe grownd 2 The propertie of the worke Plowe 3 The proprietie of the persons your Plowe vp your fallowe grownd Secondly the seede time 1 Sowe There is the Propertie of the worke 2 Righteousnesse there is the matter to worke vpon 3. To your selues There is the extent of it Sowe to your selues in Righteousnesse Thirdly the haruest time 1 The action or worke reape 2 The manner According to mercy this is the precept and the parts therof and now the consequent followes and is amplified thus first by an argument taken from their negligence For it is time to seeke the Lord Secondly by an argument taken from the benefit of it till he come raine righteousnesse vpon you In the 1 obserue an action seeke there is the propertie of it 2 whom the Lord there is the obiect of it 3 why for it is time There is the compelling cause for it is time to seeke the Lord. In the second part obserue how longe donec vewiat vntill he come there is the continuance of it 2 Et doceat iustitiam vobis and teach you rightcousnesse there is the ende of it First by the acte to teach 2 by the qualitie righteousnesse 3 the persones you this is the consequent with the parts thereof so that now if you will take a generall veiwe of these wordes you shall finde euery word a sentence and euery sentence a world of matter it wants but a skilfull workeman A Scripture very necessarie for these dayes and I thinke not vnfit for this present auditorie Albeit to them whose eares are alwayes listininge after nouelties it may seeme to triuiall yet I doubt not but to those that come with willing mindes to learne it will proue very profitable Therefore you Right Honorable whom God hath vouchsafed his owne name vnto heere vpon earth with reuerence attend it It is the ground of iudgment therefore ye most worthy Iudges may liften vnto it it is the end of controuersies therefore yee skillfull Lawyers may take notice of it Here is matter of ciuill obedience therefore ye inferiours may fitly learne it also it is the instrumentall cause of faith and repentance therefore ye beleeuers may earnestly embrace it Shimgnu debar Iehouah Thus who so begins and ends his dayes shall dye the death of the lighteous and his last end shall be like vnto his The matter in the whole is an exhortation vnto holinessed ana consequent enforcinge The exhortation comes now in hand being considered I by the plowe time secondly by the seede time 3 by the haruest time The plow time by order is first to be handeled Aud in that I noted 1 the supiect of the worke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fallowe ground 2 The property of the worke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 New plowe 3 The propriety of the persons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your And now the subject doth challenge the first place THE SVBIECT NIru Fallow ground In euery scripture we are to con sider Sententiam et intentionem The sentence the intent Quid dicitur et quid intenditur What is said and what is intended Euery scripture being to be considered either litterall or metaphoricall Litterall when sence and sentence agree As cursed is the earth for thy sake Gen. 3. 17. metaphoricall when one thing is spoken and another thing is meant I will power waters vpon the dry ground So here we must vnderstand him that hath heauen for his seeling the earth for his pauement the Sunne Moone starres for his hangings the creatures for his diat and the Angels for his attendants Man is called euery creature by the mouth of our Sauiour Mat 28. Because he hath a participation of the best good in all creatures and so more excellent then all Stones haue a being but not a life Plants haue a being and life but not sence Beasts haue a being life and sence and yet none understanding Angels haue being life sence and vnderstanding But in man ye may behold a Mappe of all these For he hath a being with stones life with plants sence with beasts and vnderstanding with the Angells A most sweet abstract or compendium of all crèatures perfections Yea be not proud because of all these for thou art but earth Earth is the lowēst of all elements and the Center of the world Earth must be earth liuing earth to dead earth Respice aspice prospice looke back what thou wast see what thou art and consider what thou shalt be Dust thou wast earth thou art and to dust thou shalt returne as Saith Phocylydes Ex terra corpus nobis est rursus in illam Selumur et puiuis sumes Our body is of earth and dying must Returne to earth for man is made of dust So then it is earth The difference is this liuing earth walkes vpon dead earth and shall at the last be as dead as his pauement that he treads vpon I
thinke few be proud of their soules and none but fooles will be proud of their bodyes Quid superbis terra Why art thou proud O earth Man of earth is called earth and I cannot passe this poynt before I haue fixed your considerations vpon this obseruation How the Lord insinuates his contempt of the wicked by cutting off their names as not worthy to stand in his booke The mention of which would be a blur to his sacred leaues This is the estemation that the wicked beare with God How thinke ye then that their persons shall sit in his kingdome whose names may not stand in his booke Thus God crosses the worlds fashion some times giuing them no names at all As that reall parrable glues the rich man no name at all but Diues Some times by cutting off their names as the seruants of Dauid were serued by the Princes of Hannon Who cut off their garments by the buttocks and shaued off halfe their beards So God cutteth off halfe their names As Aram is called Rame leconia is called Conia Surely when God takes letters from their names he intendeth also to take blessings from their persons Some times he giues them a by name as the Bulles of Basan And here the earth or fallow ground as vnworthy of any other name or title of Honor. It is not alwayes true that Quanto ornatior tanto nequtor The more adorned the more wicked For surely greatnes is the fairest obiect to the eye of the world and goodnes to the eye of heaven There is a glorious splendor in pompous honor if it come by the hand of God For They that honor me I will honor saith the Lord. And it is made as a promise of God to the righteous Zecer fsaddik The memoriall of the iust shall be blessednes full of honor Good lucke haue such with their honor But there are many to whom our bonnets vaile and our knees bowe whom the sight of heaven scornes as not worthy of those titles and complements giuen vnto them For Deus vbinon est ibi nihil eft Where God is not there is nothing For he that hath not Christ. How can he haue right vnto any thing For the condition runnes thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All is yours and you Christs But first you must be Christs before any thing can be yours Feede not your selues then with shadowes O iudex quisque sui Let euery man be a Iudge of himselfe Cum te quis laudet iudex tuus esse memento When any man prayseth thee remember to be thine owne Iudge Whether these things doe belong vnto thee or no. Plus aliis de te quam tu tibi credere noli Do not thou beleeue other men more concerning thy selfe then thou doest beleeue of thy selfe If you desire your names to be registred with the pehne of eternity in the kingdome of glory write them your selues in the kingdome of grace with the penne of obedience and there reade them to your comfort They stand sure with God before not sure to vs vntill now If you would haue God to dignifie your names with titles of honor then honor his name with songs of prayse and the fruite of odedience Remember his great and glorious name saith Moyses And fitly said Dauid that our helpe standeth Beshem Iehouab in the name of the Lord. Maintayne the glory of it then with your strenghts and sound it out with your prayse that so God may write you not without a name nor with a by-name nor with a curtolled name but that your names may stand at the full length in his booke That he reading the same as Ahashuerosh did Mordecayes then your service shall be found out with rewards arayed with the Kingds robe titles of honor set on the Kings Horse and Proclamation made This is the man whome the King will honor Honor him with reputation on earth before men and with glory in heauen before Angels O blessed are they that stand registred in the Chronicles of heauen with the penne of the eternall spirit and read in the leaues of obedience in the kingdome of grace I haue not yet don with the subiect This earth is a diuine spirituall and immortall nature called the fallow ground by a metaphor This ground is incapable of suffering terrene fragillity This is Gods ground and that in an high and mysticall sence yet proper enough The earth is the Lords Yet he hath not such respect to this ground as he hath to man for whome he made it but chiefely to the soule of man which is this fallow ground There is a wonderfull mixture of the elements in man First the Heart is placed in the midst as the earth or the center 2. The Liuer like the Sea from whence the springs of blood doe flowe 3. The veines like Rivers spreading themselues abroade into the vtmost members 4. The Braine which is placed 〈◊〉 like the Sunne giuing light and vnderstanding 5. The Senses like Starres set rounde about like ornaments And therefore man may well be called earth yea Microcesmot a little world The Earth is called Terra which betokeneth the roundnes of the earth Or it is called Terra and hath that name of the over part qua 〈◊〉 That is trod vpon as being the foundation and ground worke of all And is also called Humus and hath that name of the Sea that is moyst for without moysture the earth is vnprofitable They must be ioyned together For if it be drie which is either by too much cold and then it turnes to sande and gravell or by too much heate and then it turnes to Chauke and Oker The earth must haue moysture to make it fruitfull This moysture is Gods grace that makes the soule as profitable as the showers from heaven cause the earth to be fruitfull The heart and grace must be myxed together for it is necessary to divers ends I Illuminat intellectum It doth lighten the vnderstanding 2. Inflamat affectum It inflameth the affection 3. Frangit it cordis duritiam It breaketh the hardnes of the heart Thus when the heart and grace are ioyned together they are fruitfull Therefore the earth is called Tellus because we take fruite therof And Ops for it heapeth with fruite Such is the heart of a good christian that it floweth with the works of righteousnes as appeareth Cant 2. 12. The flowers appeare in the earth saith Salomon Obserue with me First the place Baarets in the earth This earth is the heart and soule that is the fountaine of them 2. Nireu they appeare Inward grace bringes forth outward fruite 3. The quantitie of them Hannitsanim the slowers set downe in the plurall to shewe the abundance of them as our Lord witnesseth This Earth is fruitfull when the ayre of Gods grace hath giuen influence with the seasollable dewes of his spirit and the Sunne of righteousnes hath bestowed his kindly heare then followes a plentifnll
I will beginne with Mary for vpon the day of her conception they haue this prayer O Mary the mother of grace the mother of mercy defend thou vs from our ghostly enemy and receiue vs at the houre of death Againe in the visitation of Mary they vse to say extinguish the fiery heat of our sinne blot out what is amisse and cause vs to leade an innocent life I could spend a whole houre to shewe you such stuffe as this is but to let you see somewhat of Paul O blessed Apostle Paul I pray thes that thou wilt deliuer me from the Angel of Sathan and defend me from wrath to come and bring me into heauen the like they haue to Iames. O happy Apostle and mightie Martyr Iames helpe thy worshippers defend courteously thy pilgrimes on euery side and bring them to heauenly ioye and now as God said to the Prophet come and I will shewe you greater abominations O Crosse triumphant wood all haile worlds true health among all the trees in the wood ther 's not thy like for blossome bough and budde Christians Physicke saue the sound and heale the sicke And thus I haue giuen you a taste of some of their abominations and presently I will shewe you how they are contrary to the word of Iehouah 1. Now the warrant they haue for their prayer to Saints and Angels is none at all but contrariwise we are cōmanded to pray to God Pray to thy Father which is in secret and againe At that day saith Christ you shall aske in my Name And Iames tells vs whither to go for wisedome namely to God but not a word of Saints or Angels A doctrine neuer heard of before this adulterous generation sprung vp The Angels in heauen haue refused the same and Saints vpon earth denied it What shall I say is it not against the word of the Lord and a counterfeit coyne come foorth of the Deuils mint to delude the world with all 2. It is against the office of Christ for he is the Mediator betweene God and man namely the man Christ now then to make Angels and Saints Mediatours is to put Christ out of place 3. It is a robbing of God of his worship for prayer is adoratio Dei and to offer that to the creature which is proper to the Creator is to robbe him of his honour 4. It is Idolatry that is a breach of the first Commandement Thou shalt haue none other gods before me Now whom wee pray vnto wee put confidence in and cursed are they which trust in any creatures 5. It is a sinne of blasphemie for why doe they go to creatures but because they doubt of the mercie and loue of God and what is more iniurious then to make God lesse mercifull then creatures 6. It is in vaine to pray to Angels or Saints for they are ignorant of our estate neither are they capable of our prayers for Abraham is ignorant of vs and lacob knoweth vs not The liuing know that they shall die but the dead know nothing To conclude we must pray to him Pro quo nullus interpellat for whom no man pryes sed ipse pro omnibus but he prayes for all I might trouble your eares with their vn written verities which they affirme to be of as great authoritie as the Scriptures but this I answere briefly First say that there are many things which the Prophets Christ and the Apostles taught It followes not therefore that the Church should seeke for them because we know them not when wee haue found them and as soone we may imbrace a lie as a trueth Secondly admit that we could meete with the right yet there is no neede of them For these things are written that we might beleeue and in beleeuing wee might haue life eternall as Augustine notes Many things were done which are not written saith hee Electa sunt autem quae scriberentur quae saluti credentium sufficere videbantur But so much was chosen out to be written as was thought to be sufficient for the saluation of the faithfull Thirdly God hath forbidden vs to seeke after any thing saue what is written not to adde to the word of God It were better for a man to mourne all the dayes of his life then to make himselfe merrie with the breach of the word of the Lord that is to play with it Againe what warrant haue they for to take away the second commandement of God as not worthy to stand in the leaues of his Booke Sure I am they ought not so to doe for Thou shalt not take from the word of the Lord. The Law was concluded with this and so was the Gospel Thou shalt not adde to the word nor take ought from the same What warrant haue they for their Free will whereof they boast To the contrary saith the Apostle It is the Lord which worketh in you both the will and the deed And here wee are to consider a foure-fold will which is in man One by creation where the will was free both ad malum and ad bonum and as Augustine saith Primum liberum arbitrium posse non peccare The first free wil was to be able not to sinne The second is Post lapsum qualis libertas fit reliqua ante regenerationem What freedome is remaining after the fall before regeneration and that is a will free to sinne but not to good a will tantum ad malum onely to euill The third is Libert as voluntatis post regeneationem the libertie of the will aftor regeneration and this is partim ad bene partim ad male operandum partly to doe good and partly to doe euill So that if we will well it is of God if euill it is of our selues And as Augustine saith Suis voluntatibus sed quas ipse operatus est Their wills but such as he hath wrought in them volunt as humana libertate consequitur gratiam sed gratia potius libertatem The will of man doth not by the freenesse thereof obtaine grace but by grace obtaines freedome So then velle in nobis est to will is in our power bene velle a Deo but to will well is of God And the fourth is Libertas voluutatis post glorificationem The liberty of the will after glorification and in this libertie the will shall be free tantum ad bonum onely to good and not ad malum to euill The summe is this before the fall the will was free to good and euill by nature free to euill by grace free in part and by glory perfect I must not omitte their pardons because they inrich the Popes offer and derogate from the death of Christ who can forgiue sinne but God yet the Pope will and marke well the manner for first hee pardons not onely sinnes past but also sinnes to come so that hee both pardoneth and pattoniseth sinnes whereas Christ saith
extra nos these intra nos vero spiritu Dei inscripta Written by the very Spirit of God For God hath sent the Spirit of his Sonne into our hearts whereby wee crie Abba Father And though the sound of saluation delighteth the eare yet the ioy and sweetnesse is in the heart Deus est mel in ore God is hon is in the mouth Melos in aurc Musicke in the eare iubilum in corde and ioy in the heart Veniet veniet dies indicy vbi plus valebunt pura corda quam astutia verbis conscientia bona quam marsupia plena quandoquidem index ille nec verbis falletur nec donis flecteur The day will come the day of iudgement will come when cleane hearts will more auaile then crastinesse in words and a good conscience then a full purse seeing that the Iudge will neither be deceiued with words nor mooned with gifts If then a good heart shall bee of such worth at that day it is principally to be regarded in this lise Now before we passe-from this note with mee here the hypocrites which haue onely the outside of greatnes like stage-players which appeare like Kings vnto others themselues being no better then beggars These hypocrites serue the Lord in shew not in trueth Christians onely in name Saints onely in shew These are painted boxes wherein are hid deadly poysons vnder Iesabels painted face a whorish behauiour These cleanse the outside but within is a denne of theeuish affections O generation of vipers how should ye escape the damnation of hell Vnto this purpose serueth that storie wherein I reade of Hercules which begot Scithes on a monster whose vpper parts were like a woman and her lower parts like a viper Me thinkes the hypocrite resembles this monster his vpper parts shall be like a woman I meane his smooth and splendent words but his lower parts or if you will his heart is like the viper For as historians report the viper eates a way out of the belly of her damme with the danger of her life that bred her so the hypocrite eates vp the bowels of his mother the Church that brought him foorth crying out against disorders abroad whiles there is none at home in his owne heart I speake not against professors but against hypocrites to whom I say as Chrysostome said Aut esto quod appares aut appare quod es Either be as thou seemest or appeare as thou art I would to God they would bee either open enemies that so we might beware of them or faithsull friends vnto Christ and his Church These are sicke of wantonnesse in religion and are so hote about the question de modo that it is to be feared the enemy steales away the matter of religion out of their hearts It is strange to see if that wee will not shew our selues refractarie wrangle about shadowes and speake against authority our sermons are hissed at and our persons are derided These are prosessors of note when they speake bitterly their names cary it away strongly with our scandals Note here the proud persons with their top and top-gallants that build towers in the ayre and a heauen on earth whiles there is a hell in their consciences The proud person is Deo odibilis diabolo similis and sibi damnabilis Odious vnto God like the deuill and damnable to himselfe witnesseth the saying of the Apostle God reiecteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble Eucry proud man is an idolater because he loues his pride and makes that his God no maruell then if hee be reiected For Nemo potest Dominis rocte seruire duobus No man can serue two masters God and Pride Yet the proud man will and if either be vnserued God shall he will be sure to couer his backe with externall brauerie whether God line his soule with grace or no. You shall see many of these gallants put a whole inheritance into a trunke and metamorphise a whole mannour into a sute of apparel And no maruell when the best farme in it will doe no more then pay for a paire of shooe-strings besides a band in the fashion starched with the deuils liquor and in the punke colour to beautifie it And now they flourish it out in brauery what with their curled haires painted faces and foolish if notfooles coates Thus shine they like starres thinking themselues to be Gods among Saints when God knowes and I feare they be but deuils among men I conclude with the authour to the Hebrewes It is good to haue the heart established with grace and as Seneca saith It is better to haue a soule furnished with grace then a bodie decked with glorious apparell that so wee might be like vnto Nathaniel of whom it is said Behold a true Israelite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in whom there is no guile Ioh. 1. 47. But I haue not yet done with the subiect New fallow your fallow it was plowed before but for the sowing of euill seede The husbandman in the countrey can better vnderstand this then the citizen The maner of the husbandman is to fit his tillage according to his seede The ground wherein he sowes Barley Oates Pease and Tares needeth but one yeeres plowing whereas the ground where Wheate and Rye is to be sowen hath two yeeres plowing During the time that it lies plowed and not sowen it is called fallow ground Such is this fallow ground of their hearts which was made ready for the sowing of iniquitie As the same Prophet witnesseth Cikerbu cattannur libbam For they haue made ready their hearts And as another Prophet witnesseth They lie in waite for blood Likewise Dauid sayth That they lie secretly as a Lyon in his denne Thus the wicked not of infirmitie but of meditation and deliberation runne into sinne Prauus vsus vix aboletur A wicked vse is hardly abolished Assidua consuetudo vitium in naturam conuertit saith Augustine A continuall custome conuerteth vice into nature For it is a pastime to the wicked to doe euill whereas the godly hath no delight in sinne Seneca by the light of nature could say that Bonus animus nunquam erranti obsequium accommodat A good minde neuer reacheth the helping hand vnto error Insomuch that the heathen said that Bona cupido animi bonus Deus est A good desire in the minde is a good God Whereas the minds of the wicked are bent to commit sinne with greedinesse as Salomon saith Come say they let vs lie in waite for blood Of purpose you see not by infirmitie notwithstanding the Lord by the Prophet pronounceth a woe against them that imagine wickednesse vpon their beds There are two things that make the wicked thus bent in their minds to sinne The first is the corruption of nature which is corrupt of it selfe and iudges those things to be good which are euill and those things euill which are good As the Apostle witnesseth The naturallman knowes not
prerogatiue that belongs to God to know the heart The difference stands thus Other men know nothing of our heart our selues know somewhat and God knowes all that may bee knowen There is not a word in my tongue but thou knowest it O Lord and there is nothing hid from thee O God saith Dauid Yet euery man knows somewhat of his owne heart I know saith Paul Rom. 7 that in mee there dwelles no goodnesse This made him to crie out so bitterly not against others but against himselfe This is a true saying that Christ came into the world to saue finnert 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 us ago 〈◊〉 Whereof I am the chiefe because hee knew his owne heart and not the hearts of others And from his owne experience teacheth the same to others Proue your selues know yee not your owne selues which not to know were very strange And as euery man is best acquainted with his owne heart and therefore the fittest to be his owne plowman so likewise euery man is to be saued by his owne faith and grace The iust shall liue 〈◊〉 in his faith Other mens faith may doe vs good by way of exhortation to build vs 〈◊〉 in the wayes of godlinesse But it is our owne actuall faith that might saue vs for as the Apostle saith If thou beleeue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in thy heart not in my heart for that will not saue thee Therefore as it was said to Dauid To thy house O Dauid so I say to thine owne heart O man haue a speciall care But for all this that hath been spoken doth not God impose too great a worke vpon vs which neither we nor our forefathers were able to beare It is beyond our power and arte This is ars aritum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the arte of arte and the gouernement of soules It is open Dei as Christ doth witnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the works of God that ye beleeue Why then doth God impose the same vpon vs Not because wee are causa efficions but because wee are causa materialis Therefore as Iohn saith Let vs looke to our selues for surely it is a worke very necessary to bring the plowe home to our owne hearts Many will be busie Bishops in other mens Diocesse spending their time in other mens ground and suffering their owne to be barren There be many Arguses in these dayes with an hundred eyes apiece that can quickly espie the moates that are in other mens eyes but cannot feele the beames that are in their owne Peter will bee medling in Iohns affaires yet without thankes for Quidest hoc tibi What is that to thee The Pharises would wash the hands of Christ and yet their owne hearts were foule filthy and odious A preposterous kinde of zeale to begin where we should make an end I deny not but this is to be done yet not to leaue the other vndone As in Dauid we see a worthy example hereof Before he purged the land hee cleansed his house and before his house he purified himselfe Obserue his proceeding at the second verse he saith I will walke betham lebabi in the perfection of my heart And then at the 7. verse he saish No wicked person shall abide in mine bouse And then in the 8. verse-he beginnes to purge the land Thus you may behold the three steppes to perfection First his heart then his family lastly the realme Excellent proceeding to keepe Sessions at home within the heart and to be executers of our owne sinnes Niru lachem 〈◊〉 now fallowe your fallowe It is a good lesson for vs that are to plowe vp your fallowe first to turne vp our owne we must not be like the sonnes of Eli 1. Sam. Least we cause the Gospell to bee euill spoken of our name and office must agree we are called lux 〈◊〉 by our vocation and wee must be lumen in 〈◊〉 by life and conuersation Then may we as wee must the better plowe vp your fallowe ground Crie aloude spare not lift vp thy voyee like a trumpet shewe my people their transgressions and to the house of Iacob their sinnes There is nothing so necessary and more commendable then reprehension if it be seasonable and reasonable I thinke none ought to be more wisely bold then vs Ministers for sinne is bold saucy and presumptuous O miserable when hoot sinners and coole Ministers meete when the one sort is infected with burning feuers and the other with shakinge agues And when they that should lift vp their voyces like a trumpet doe but whisper through a trunke Nihil interest scoleri an faueas an perpetras There is no difference whether thou fauour a wicked action or commit it Dauid hath a song of two parts like Ianns with his two faces I will sing mercy and iudgement wee must vse Leuitiues preseruatines and restoratiues with Paul We beseech you to be reconciled to God 2. Cor. 5. 19. But if this will not serue to rowse these sleepers out of the dead sleepe of sinne but that they will be still as worldly as Demas enuious as Caine couetous as Iudas treacherous as Absolon and as stony-hearted as Pharaoh the text of mercy befits not these but the sword of iudgement The learned haue compared the soure Euangelists to the foure beasts in Ezekiel 10. 14. comparing Marke vnto a Lion because hee begins with the thundering voice of the Law crying in the wildernesse repent When sinnes be crying sinnes wee must become crying preachers Esay cries and Ieremie weepes and we must not be sparing in reprehension Where men are bold in sinning preachers must be bold in reprouing We must put on yron foreheads to reprooue such as haue whorish faces cut them to the quicke This is the way that they may bee cured with the good Surgeon to cut out the dead flesh It is a smarting corasiue yet a healing plaister as Ierome saith Dum pungit 〈◊〉 Whiles that it 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not if euer there were a time for this now is the age where shamefastnosse hath left the stage and presumption now actech her part desperation attending ready to shut vp all with a dreadfull catastrophe Sinne wounding the conscience accusing hell gaping and God striking the land being ouerspread with sinnes Caines murther Pharaohs hardnesse Naboths churlishnesse and Amnons incest We haue spent much time in plowing vp this fallowe ground yet the profit I hope will more then equalize our paines the sinnes haue beene cited a iurie pannelled they sound guiltie and are condemned by the great Iudge of heauen and earth What remaines then but that you the magistrates see them executed wee can but plowe them by the word it is you that must plow with the sword you are put in trust to see the king of heauen his lawes obserued the righteous defended the oppressed relieued and the offenders punished Solan being asked what best preserued a common-wealth answered
these sinnes before named or as many as stand within your charge beginning with good King Iosiah at the last to purge Ierusalem This doe and the God of peace be with you And now I wish mine arme were long enough to reach ouer 〈◊〉 of this 〈◊〉 to strike those 〈◊〉 dead that daily 〈◊〉 men 〈◊〉 whole houses play-houses drinking-houses outpuries and the like that men were as good goe ouer Salis buryeplaine and with more safetie then to stoppe out into the Suburbes of this citie It were an easie matter to haue the citie sweete if these places were not so soule and filthy It seemes that there are no Magistrates there If there bee they are Nonresidents or else as bad as the people In the dayes of Christ there were dum be blinde and lame deuils and I feare these miserable people haue such magistrates among them some blinde that cannot see others dumbe not able to speake and most lame that wil not strike and it may bee they are more forward to bee bribed then the people to sinne yea and often deeper in iniquitie then the people in trespasse Who say be people to these mens manners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out horibus 〈◊〉 It is selfe-sinning after such author 〈◊〉 these magistrates sinne the fiat of consent goes 〈◊〉 and all takes hold of the same saying Their hands are with vs in the said dish for feare themselues should be seene will keepe away the light of reproofe from vs or they are coueteus louing bribery and then wee can with a litle white or red sand digged out of the bowels of the earth quickly put out their eyes Then let the Preachers say what they please we will take our fill of vanity Thus regis ad cuemelum to 〈◊〉 componitur orbis greatnesse is a copy after which all men order themselues When Leo loued Stage-playes all Rome swarmed with Iuglers I would it were not seene in the skirtes of this famous citie the magistrates louing iniquitie and the people swarming with villany I can say no more to these without the walles then I haue said to them within If these people perish their blood shal be required at your 〈◊〉 therefore whiles this day of saluation lasteth plowe vp this fallow ground Lastly I haue a desire to valleys of Iuda there 〈◊〉 and the countrey vilages of this realme and say somewhat to them also for the land is defiled euen from Dan to Bersheba the streame of vngodlinesse running very strong which if speedy course be not taken it will like the riuer Nilus ouerflowe the bankes indaungering the whole land Therefore you learned magistrates there placed by our worthy Iehosua whet your swords and cut those trees downe by the rootes But let me tell you one thing before you will doe God honour the King seruice and the countrey good you must carry your teame plowe and all your tacklings downe into the countrey where your charge is What a shame is it to forsake your habitations and to neglect the charge committed vnto you Whereby the poore are robbed of their bread the oppressed of their reliefe the righteous of their defence the countrey of your seruice Religion of her left hand and God of his honour O yee magistrates for shame be resident vpon your charge where yee ought with the sword of iustice to plowe vp this fallowe ground least the blood of these perishing soules be required at your hands And thus I haue made an ende of my plowing which is the first part of the exhortation plowe vppe your fallowe ground The second part of the exhortation WE are at the length come to the seed time Sowe to our selues in righteousnes Which part I hane formerly viewed vnder three heads 1. Sowe there is the property of the worke 2. Righteousnesse there is the matter to worke vpon 3. the Persons You. Righteousnesse is he fairest obiect to the eye of heauen splenderous to the world profitable to the soule and glorious to God Wee will walke a while in this light which will bring vs to a more glorious light to a new 〈◊〉 and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse Righteousnesse of grace feales the righteousnesse of glory Well might Ambrose say non enim per se pars ost iustitia sed quast mater ost omnium For righteousnesse is not part by it selfe but as it were the mother of all vertue as the old verse is Insticia in sese virtutem continet omniem id est Righteousnesse in it selfe doth truly containe all that to vertue doe belong and appertaine Hence it is that this righteousnesse is found in so many congugatios In Niphal it is nitsdak in Pihel it is t siddek in Hiphil it is hitsdik and in bithpahel it is hitstaddek All which doe shewe the largenesse of this vertue But let vs come to some particular parts of it and to omit many we will speake onely of the worke of righteousnesse and the word of righteousnesse And first of the word of righteousnesse sowe to righteousnesse so is my Text agreeing with that To the the law and the Prephets if a man walke not according to this rule it is because there is do light in him All our action must be ordered by Gods word where he hath not a mouth to speake we must not haue a hand to worke for workes without direction are like messengers that runne without their warrant and goe without their arrand Therefore saith the Apostle Wee haue a sure word of the Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which yee doe well if yee take beede thereunto Heauen is a marke we are the archers our actions the arrowes Gods word is the bowe If wee will hit the 〈◊〉 we must shoote in Gods bowe Such a seholler was David Psalme as at a marke so will I ayme When Ioshua was to gouerne the people God told him it should be after his word Dauid must make it a light to his feete and we the rule of all our proceedings They which doe not runne to the prophatie all sayinge apostelie all 〈◊〉 an a magnetic all authorities 〈◊〉 but to themselves because the masters of errors Wherefore let vs doe as Baalam saide not goe beyond the word of the Lord more or lesse And that propter mandatum Des for the commaundement of God And cursed are they that doe erre from they Commaundements There is nothing more dangerous then for a man to make himselfe merry with breaking Gods Commaundements Woe to them that say Who is the Lord that we should obey him Therefore wee will none of thy waies But non bonum ludere cum sanctis It is not good ieasting with holy thiugs let Sauls example serue for all when God commaunded him to destroy all the Amalekites hee thought it more wisedome to preserue some But for all his wisedome he prooued a foole in so doing and lost the kingdome from himselfe and his posterity It may be he thoght himselfe too
good to obey God and God knew the kingdome too good for him He rent his Obligiens from God and God the Crowne from him Is it good for the vessell of dust to encounter with the arme of omnipotency The potte with the potter Sine percutiat sine percutiatur franginecesse est whether it strike or be strocken it must needs be broken When the Centurian came to Christ for the healing of his seruant he seemed to illustrate this point by an argument taken from himselfe I am a man of authorine I say to one come and he commeth to another goe and he goeth out of which words he frames an argument thus If men haue that prerogatiue to commaund and ordaine lawes then much more God But men haue a prerogatiue to doe the same Ergo God hath prerogatiue and power to command And after this manner God himselfe reasons if you feare to offend the 〈◊〉 of your Prince Then you ought to feare to offend against my commaund But it is true you feare to offend his commaund Ergo You ought to feare to offend my precepts Therefore let vs doe as Soloman saide heare the ends of all feare God and keepe his commaundements For hee is a great and dreadfull God clothed with maiesty the splender of whose glory is tenne thousand times more bright then the Sunne at the sight of whose maiestie the Angels tremble the Heauens melt away like waxe the mountaines smoke the foundations of the earth are mooued and the floods are dried vp and wilt not thou feare to disobey this great and glorious God whose name is wonderfull his iustice infinite his power omnipotent his wisedome vnsearchable his knowledge from eternitie to eternitie and his iudgements intollerable endlesse and remedilesse But if this great and glorious Iehouah which commaunds the sonnes of men to direct their wayes by his word will not serue to perswade you then let the necessity thereof perswade you hereunto for as Peter saide of the name of Iesus so I say of the word there is no other thing that can direct and shewe vs how to walke aright For nihil est 〈◊〉 vel stabile in rebus humanis nothing is firme and stable in humane things Therefore I say with Christ to the Rabbin which asked him saying what shall I doe to be saued in lege quid Scriptum est quomodo legis what is written in the lawe how readest thou for herein is read the righteousnesse of God from faith to faith That is ex fide veteris testementi in fidem noui as Origin obserues from the faith of the olde Testament to the faith of the newe So Chrysostome and this agrees with that of Paul The lawe was our schoolemaster to bring vs to Christ. The olde shewed a Mosias to come the newe sheweth that he is come or as Ambrose saith Ex fide promittentis Dei infidem hominis Credentis From the faith of God promising to the faith of man beleeuing That is the Scriptures doe shew how God giueth and bestoweth his blessings and also how wee are to embrace them God promiseth and man beleeues or as Augustine saith ex fide Praedicantium in fidem andientium from the faith of the Preachers to the faith of the hearers So saith the Apostle faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God preached We preach you beleeue wee teach and you must obey Or ex fide praesentium in fidem futurerum from the faith of things present to the faith of things to come shewing how to liue in the kingdome of grace that hereafter we may enioy the kingdome of glory So doeth the Apostle teach vs saying whatsoeuer is written is written for our learning that we by them might haue hope and consolation of future ioyes For this is that which is able to make a man perfect vnto euery good worke If now you shall demaund of mee wherewith shall a man redresse his wayes I answere with Dauid by taking heede to the word of the Lord for that is the true guide to the kingdome of glory If Gods word the word of righteousnesse be the marke whereat we mustayme then I see fewe hitte the white some shoote wide with the Idolaters some ouer with the proude and ambitious some to lowe with the couetous others too short with their halfe turnes so that as Dauid said they are all gone out of the way non est qui faciat bonum non est usquae ad vnum there is none that doeth good no not one They eate vncleane things in Ashur and oyle is caried into Egypt but woe to such as goe into Ashur or downe to Egypt and haue not asked counsell of Gods word The formest of this cursed crue is the whore of Rome with all her English calues which hath stollen trueths garment to couer errors nakednesse her seuerall names prefigured out her manifold errors She is called a beast Antichrist 〈◊〉 Prophet a whore and multorum 〈◊〉 num sed non boni many names but neuer a good name Of whom I will demaund this one thing whether she be able to maintaine her wayes by the word of God or no If not then as it hath beene saide so is it still Rome is a whore and all those pretended Catholikes bastards begotten in the bed of adultery First let them tell me by what authoritie from the word of God they keepe the word of saluation lockt vp in an vnknowne tongue from the people yea they haue warrant for what they doe and marke it well First the word is the cause of errors and heresies as they say therefore not fit to be knowne Whereas indeede the want of it is rather the cause of errors as the trueth it selfe saith whom wee will belecue before them doe ye not erre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because ye know not the Scriptures And Dauid compareth them to a lanthorne to light our pathes if the light thereof be hid how can they profit vs for still we are ready to stumble at euery error and fall into euery heresie Therefore saith Peter Wee haue a most sure word to the which yee doe well that yee take heede as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place But it seemes these men will bee wiser then God but God shall make it manifest to their confusion that they are fooles Secondly the people cannot vnderstand the word of God when it is translated Ergo it ought not to be translated at all whereas the translation of them is the way to vnderstand them and vnderstanding the way to get faith and faith the way to heauen But why doeth not the wise lesuite reason as well against saluation it selfe thus Man is not able though hee haue the meanes to saue himselfe ergo it is not fit hee should haue the meanes at all And now who will not laugh at such an argument Augustines saying shall end this Why are
against the same for their owne confusion I haue read of the Thracian flint that burnes with water but is quenched with oyle A true embleme of these wicked persons that are the worse by Gods blessings Tullies historie is made good in this of a countrey that the more it rained the more dust did arise And contrariwise want of raine caused durt and myre How comes it to passe that the good blessings of God should exasperate such persons to euill shal their greatnesse draw them from the seruice of God which ought to bee a spurre to pricke them forward For the bountifulnesse of God stould leade vs to repentance And were you greater then the greatest among men yet there is one greater then you For God is melek nodang gnal-cal Elohim A great King aboue all Gods The highest round of our greatnesse comes farre short of the lowest steppe of Gods meannesse And so long as there is a super our the inferiour is to obey the same as Augustine nots cum enim se volunt as relicto superiore ad inferiora conuertit officitur mala For when the will turnes it selfe from the superiour to the inferiour it is euil Therefore let the words of exhortation be imbraced and tender downe your greatnesse at the footestoole of Gods Maiestie the originall of all greatnesse and this shall make you greater For the congruitie of manners not the pedegree of anncestors hath the prerogatiue of noble birth He that is not borne of God had been better hee had neuer been borne Therefore maintaine the Gospel by your greatnesse and he shall maintaine your honours by his power Againe the inferiour sort are not without their Apologies The superiour hath not drunke the water of Nilus alone these must needes haue a lappe For though they breake not their heads against the vpper sieling of greatnesse yet they stumble at the threshold of basenesse Either they thinke it a duetie not imposed on them or that it will not be accepted But to take away these obiections the Lord commanded when the Tabernacle was to be built the people to bring from gold to goats haire to shew that the chiefest obedience must be offered and that the poorest is not reiected God regards not man for his greatnesse nor reiects any for his meannesse Greatnesse raiseth not to heauen not pouertie casteth downe to hell Inferiority must not hinder vs from Gods seruice and obedience but rather a spurre to pricke vs forward seeing godlinesse hath the promise of this life and that to come Therefore let vs doe as loel saith to walke in obedience for who knowes whether God will leaue a blessing for vs or no God hath saide they that honour me I will honour them and a poore man that feareth the Prou. 19 Lord is better then a rich man which peruerteth his waies And thus much shall serue for the seede time The third part of the precept the haruest time WE are come at the length by Gods assistance and your patience to the haruest the last part of the percept Great paines is taken in the seruice of God yet in the ende comes a haruest and pays for all first niru then zergnu and now kitsru plowe sowe and now reape Thus is that true of Salomon Cast thy bread vpon the waters and after many dayes thou shalt finde it It was the counsell of Socrates Sowe good workes and thou shalt reape the flowers of ioy and and gladnesse qualis vita finis it a such a life such an ende Obserue in generall that obedience neuer goes vnrewarded Christ proclaimes it They that followe me in the regeneration shall follow me in the glorification And Salomon a type of Christ saide long before the sower of righteousnesse shall bee truely rewarded The trueth whereof wee may see performed in the godly before vs. Abraham beleeued God and was iustified Henoch walked with God and was taken vp into heauen What should I speake of Noah of Moses of Dauid of Iob of Peter and all the godly which first sowed the seede of obedience and now inioy their haruest for godlinesse hath the promise of this life and that to come Yet let vs take heede wee fall not into a popish conceite that we are rewarded for our workes no This is not in our well done deedes but in thy goodnesse O God that we escape damnation saith Chrysostome Not of workes can we obtaine saluation but of Gods election and grace yet still it is true obedience is euer rewarded And there are two reasons hereof The first Proptcr veritatem Dei for the trueth of God which is most sure and firme and stands like mount Sion that cannot bee remooued which proceedeth from the eternitie and immutabilitie of his will with whom there is no change nor shadowe of changing He that commanded trueth in others will surely keepe it himselfe or else hee should not bee omnipotent but impotent Therefore the Apostle doth thus stile him God that cannot lye And as the author to the he brewes saith non enim in iustus est Deus for God is not vnrighteousnesse that he should forget your worke in the Lord. 2 The second reason is propter iustitiam Dei for the righteousnesse of God for to punish those that sinne and not to reward the righteous might seeme vnrighteous But verily there is a reward for the righteous for as those that doe euill shall haue tribulation and anguish c. So they that doe well shall haue peace glory and immortalitie Otherwise hee should seeme to be more iust to the wicked then mercifull to the righteous I conclude that they which serue the Lord in the day time of their life shall bee rewarded in the euen-tide of their deathes We which are the sweete singers of Israel and haue sung out the songs of saluation shall reape a haruest according to our place and worke for if we conuert many we shall shine as the Starres Glorious shall their reward be in heauen whose titles are so great on earth as luminae stellae angellae and the like Surely there is a double document in the same namely that the greatnesse of the titles doe put vs in minde of the worke therefore not to suffer our hearts to be adulterated with popular applause but to hunt soules into heauen and not our selues into fame And as it puts vs in mind of the worke so of the greatnes of the reward which will be glorious Marke well the comparisons that we are compared vnto to the Sunne Starres Salt and Angels Obserue it well though these are the glory of the world yet haue they beene shaken The Angels fell the Starres shorte the Salt corrupted and the light obscured A good caueat for vs to be the more vigilant that our reward may be the greater Peter was three times willed to feede the flocke that is as Barnard obserues with
Christi aduentu By consummation and glorification of the Church in the second comming of Christ and vntill then we must seeke the Lord. The last pare the ende VVE are come now by your patience to the last branch of our text And teach you righteousnesse where in obserue 1. the propertie of it Teach 2. the forme of it Rightcousnesse 3. the persons You. The propertie of the worke comes first to be handled Raine This part would bee better vnsoulded by some Phylosopher then by me Raine is impression that commeth of much cold vapour and moist gathered into a body of a cloude drawne out of the earth or waters by the heate of the Sunne into the middle region of the ayre whereby cold it is so knit together that it hangeth vntill either the waight or heate cause it to breake Some thinke the raine and cloudes are not aboue nine miles in height Albertus Magnus saith they are but three miles in height and some thinke that they be but halfe a mile and some againe by Geometricall demonstrations make it aboue fiftie miles to the place where the cloudes and raine are gathered but not to be too curious to seeke for that whereof we haue no neede To conclude sometime they are higher sometime they are lower according to the waight thereof where they breake to the great feare and no lesse danger of man and beast but to come to the true raine here intended Raine the word iorch doth signifie to raine yet a supernaturall showre which makes glad the city of God Gods word is compared to raine and is this raine fo saith the Lord my word shall droppe as the raine Likewise his spirit is compared to raine I will power water on the dry ground And fitly is his word and grace comcompared to raine 1 Raine is called Imber and hath that name of Imbuendo for it springeth and tempereth the earth and maketh it beare fruite Man is compared to earth and the word and grace to raine If this raine be not showred downe vpon this earth it is vnfruitfull therefore to make this earth fruitfull God sends downe the showers of this raine vpon it as the operatiue meanes and working cause to make the hearts of men fruitfull in faith loue and the like and their liues full of good workes And to this belongs the saying of the wise man Arise O North and come O South because in these two places are the signes which concerne the water and the earth as Taurus Virgo and Capricornus which are in the South and be earthly signes The other are Cancer Pisces and Scorpio in the North and bee watery signes Now when the earth of mans heart and the raine of Gods grace doe meete there followes a fruitfull haruest 2 Raine is called Pluuia and hath that name of pluralitate pluralitie of drops and that drop after drop that the earth might receiue it the better A droppe is part of a cloude being broken which destilleth downe droppe after droppe A fit embleme of this supernaturall raine which from one cloude the spirit destilleth into the hearts of men grace after grace and gift after gift Man hath not all the graces of God at the first but by degrees as the Apostle saith We must first haue milke and then strong meate first a lesse grace then a greater and after that full perfection Regeneration is compared to a birth where first the braine is made then the heart after that the liuer then the sinewes arreryes and pipes and lastly the handes and feete And thus is it in the spirituall birth first knowledge and vnderstanding then faith and repentance after peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost and lastly full assurance of all Gods mercies 3 Raine is a maker of peace for often wee see the windes and other elements in an vproare where by the stout Cedars are bowed to the ground Towres and Castles trembling and the waters roaring But now comes a showre of raine from the cloudes and mittigates all this fury Euen so when since the conscience Gods wrath and the terrors of hell accuse vs within and Gog Magog Moab and Ammon I meane wicked men persecute vs without then are wee in great feare and trembling But now comes a showre of grace and mittigates all feares and secures vs from all terrours 4. Raine is Medicus a good Phisition hauing a powerfull efficacie to cleanse the ayre when by infectious fogges and contagious vapours it is corrupted washing away with the showres thereof all the noysome putrifaction euen so when the iudgement and vnderstanding are infected with the filthy fumes of errours and heresies and the trueth almost stifled then commeth a shoure of grace and cleanseth the soule from all these infectious fogges 5. Raine mollifieth the hard earth and makes it more apt for tillage whereby the bowels of the earth are cut with coulters and shares Euen so the hard and obdurate heart of man is made soft and apt to euery good worke by the showres of Gods grace Happie earth whereon this raine falles that is so operatiue and donum omnium donorum maximum A gift farre aboue all other gifts Ioreh of iarah and signifies to teach as well as to raine For while we liue in this world we are in the schoole of Christ and haue need of teaching and the chiefe teacher is the Spirit of God as Christ The comforter whom the Father will send in my Name shall teach you all things outward meanes without this will doe no good For Paulmay plant Apollo may water yet it is God which teacheth by the Spirit or otherwise all is in vaine For Non verbis hominis sit vt intelligatur verbum Dei facit Deus vt intelligatis The wordes of man cannot make man to vnderstand the word of God but it is God that maketh them to vnderstand The outward ministery worketh no grace in the hearts of men It is but a subordinate meanes and causa instrumentalis The instrumentall cause and not causa efficiens The efficient cause Therefore sayth the Apostle Haue you receiued the holy Ghost Intimating thereby that if they wanted the Spirit they could haue no faith for Hoc est opus Dei This is the worke of God Gods assisting grace and the ministery of man must go together else thereis no power in our perishable voyces to effect your consciences Breake away this Analogie and vertuall association of the spirit from the word and you shall bee like those women euer learning but neuer able to come to the knowledge of the trueth Learne then First to follow the counsell of Christ to giue God the things that belong to God and to Cesar that which belongeth to Cesar. If by the ministerie of man you haue gotten some good measure of knowledge faith loue repentance and the like forget not your duetie to the messengers of God Haue them in singular respect for their workes
when subiects obey their magistrates and the magistrates the lawe Ye are Gods Liuetennants here vpon earth hee hath giuen you his owne name Ani amarti elohim atem I saide yee are Gods that yee might doe Gods worke We are to cry contrapeccatum but yee are to strike downe ipsum peccatum for there is as great a charge laide on you to strike with the sword as on vs to preach the word No preaching no beleeuing no sword striking none obedience yeelding Aron and Moyses must goe together the Ministers mouth and the Magistrates hand must hold the plowe Non meae humilitatis dictareuobis It sutes not with my humilitie to direct you the meanes but onely with my conlcience to put you in minde of that that is your charge I would I could perswade you to resolue with Dauid Psal. 101. 8. Betimes to destroy the wicked of the land You want nothing to effect it but a willing minds Lawe is on your side and power in your hand if courage and zeale were in your hearts it would be 〈◊〉 If ye doe cut them downe yee doe but your duty If not as God said vnto Gaine great 〈◊〉 lyes at the doore of your conscience and vpon them Illicit a non prohibere consensus erroris est not to prohibite vnlawfull things is an consent vnto vnlawfull things So it is Si vit ia amici fares facis tua If thou winke at the offences of thy friend thou makes them thin owne Let mee say vnto you as Mordecay said vnto Hester If thou hold thy peace God shall send deliuerance by some other meanes ueat ubeth abik tobedu both thou and thy fathers house shall perish So if you will hold your peace I meane the sword within the sheath God shall cutte them off some other wayes But woe to you and your houses they shall perish and the blood of these soules that perish through your neglect and conuyuency shall bee required at your hands If thou hold thy tongue and forwarue them not they shall dye in their sinne but their blood will I require at thy hand saith God Surely you beare not the sword for nought Remember that which you reade in Exodus Thou and all within thy gutes shall remember to obey the Lord. These gates are the bands of your iurisdiction so farre as your authoritie reacheth so far are your gates and charge and whatsoeuer is amisse within the same is your sinne not because they doe it but because you suffer it It is not possible that sinnes could be at that height as now they are if magistrates were not asleepe or pertakers of the same sinnes winking at other mens offences least their owne should be discouered Democrites beholding magistrates executing malefactóurs fell a laughing and being demanded a reason hereof answered sir quoth he to see the great theeues hang vp the little theeues Often it salles out that the inferiors faire the better where the superiors are transgressors for rather then they will discouer it in themselues they will suffer it to remaine in others least the saying of Cato bee propountied against them Que culpare soles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no 〈◊〉 ipse Turpe est doctori cum culpa redarguit ipsum It is a shame for thee to commit that offence Which thou doest teach others not to be committed Giue me leaue to awaken your consciences in the words of exhortation I know many excellent things are spoken of thee thou Citie of God yet I cannot but condole thine imperfections in some things And who shall I accuse herein I will not iustifie the doers but condemne them that should restraine the same Good lawes are made the life blood of them is the execution Else the lawe is like a woodden dagger in a faire sheath when they that haue the charge imposed and the sword in their hand stand like some great image holding vp the sword but neuer strike I knowe yee magistrates of this Citie yee haue done worthy seruice herein and more ye might haue done if all the lawes had beene put in due execution Chrysostome well obserues To make musicke it is not sufficient to play on one string but all must bee stricken in due measure and proportion So to bring a citie or countrey into good order is to execute euery part of the lawe with due execution I would be loth to say vnto you as Christ said vnto the Pharises Yee tythe mint anise and cummin looking to the markets taking order for dust and cleansing the streetes with many more such like but the waightie points of the lawe are executed halting limping and lingering Haue yee no lawe for drunkennesse that ye suffer it to goe reeling and staggering in euery streete Is there neuer a sober Iudith left to cut off the head of this drunken Olifernus Is there no lawe in the behalfe of the Sabbaoth that there is such carrying of packes ryding abroad with swaggarers such selling of wares and walking into the fieldes that it is hardly know from an other day Is there neuer a zealous Nebemia among you to shut the gates of Ierusalems Is there not a piece of a statute left vncorrupted to take hold of the swearer that infects the clouds with oathe that the land mournes for the same Is not the law for the blasphemer in vse that yee may bring him without the hoste and stone him to death Shall I say as Paul said Is there not a wise man among you to foresee future euents as Virgil sings Foelix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas He is happie that hath been able to know the causes of things If you saw and made conscience that your conniuencie at these things doth harden the actors and incourage the spectators then yee would be ruled by the exhortation af Christ If foote hand or eye offend thee cut it off Let the whole law of God be executed vpom these who knowos whether your punishments may saue their soules or 〈◊〉 For often detrimentum peounia sanitatis est propter bonum 〈◊〉 A losse of the money crosse to the corps is for the good of the soule As Mordecai said to Hester Who knower whether thou art come to the kingdome for this purpose or no So who knowes whether you are come into the place of magistracie to saue these soules by keeping them from finne You reade that when the hands Moyses were both held vp the people preuailed but when his hands went downe then their enemies preuailed So while the two hands of the Church are held vp she preuaileth namely Verbum informans virga reformans The word information and the rod reformation And to conclude my exhortation to you of this citie with the saying of Paul I beseech you by the mercies of God that you giue vp your selues soule body sword strength riches authoritie counsell and all to the seruice of God for the plowing vp of