had threatned if they would not be reformed but walke stubbornely against the Lord that hee would scatter them among the Heathen Leuit. 26.33 and will draw out a sword after them and their land shall be waste and their Citties shall bee desolate Againe Deut. 4.27 and the Lord shall scatter you among the people and you shall bee left few in number among the Nations whither the Lord shall bring you And least any should thinke these threatnings to bee vaine and but words let vs see with what horrible examples the Lord hath confirmed them Hoshea raigning ouer the ten Tribes in Samaria they turned from the Lord and committed all abhominations against him wherefore God stirred vp Salmanazar King of Assiria who after three yeares warre tooke Samaria the Metropolis of that Kingdome 2. Reg. 17. spoyled the Countrey carried away all the people into the most cruell captiuity of the Assirians Secondly the other two Tribes namely the Tribe of Iuda and the Tribe of Beniamin 2. Reg. 25. were dispersed Ierusalem being taken with their perfidious King Zedekia by Nabuchadnezzar with their wiues children and other Princes as Ieremy before prophecied Ierem. 27. then was the Citty ouerthrown the Temple consumed with fire and they that escaped the sword famine fire and pestilence as flockes of Cattell were driuen away into the miserable captiuity of the Chaldaeans Thirdly the Reliques of the Israelites were oppressed and dispersed now by the King of Syria now by the King of Egypt sometimes with ciuill warres among themselues so that wretched Iudaea standing in the midst and addicted sometimes to this side sometimes to that was trodden downe of both and exposed to the direptions of both sides so that many good men not enduring the sight of the prophanation of their Country and holy Things wandred farre and neere Yea some betooke them to the Desart chusing rather to leade their liues with brute beasts then with such kind of men as the History of the Machabees doth testifie and they wandred vp and downe Heb. 11.37 in Sheepes skinnes and in Goates skinnes being destituted afflicted and tormented Heere brethren wee are to obserue two notable Lessons for our instruction First that with all reuerence wee heare and beleeue the word of God that wee may learne thereby to feare the Lord For his word is neuer in vaine nor returneth voide as the Prophet saith Esay 55.10 11 c. Surely as the raine commeth downe and the snow from heauen and returneth not thither but watreth the earth and maketh it to bring forth and bud that it may giue seed to the sower and bread vnto him that eateth So shall my word bee that goeth out of my mouth it shall not returne vnto me voide but it shall accomplish that which I will and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it And the Lord hath in all ages seuerely punished the contempt of his Word and Messengers 2. Chron. 36.15.16 Therefore the Lord God of their Fathers sent to them by his Messengers rising earely and sending for hee had compassion on his people and on his habitation But they mocked the messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets vntill the wrath of the Lord arose against his people and till there was no remedie Secondly to hate sinne and flie from sinne as from a serpent as the cause of all euils and calamities that are in the world The euils of sinne Sinne blindfoldeth the minde taking away the supernaturall light of Gods grace it defileth and spotteth the conscience as a thing most filthy and vnworthy for a man it accuseth vs guilty before God as iniurious to his Diuine Maiestie it impouerisheth vs spoyling vs of all our spirituall riches it dishonoureth vs making vs odious in the sight of God and of his holy Angels in this life is the cause of sicknesse famine sword pestilence and all euils that may happen to the body and of eternall destruction of body and soule in the life to come To conclude seeing that God is the inexhaust treasurie of all goodnesse and sinne separateth from God it followeth then that sinne bringeth vpon vs incomparable and infinite losse for it depriueth vs of God the infinite good Your sinnes haue diuided betwixt your God and you Esay 59.2 If then ô man thou dost so diligently take heed of temporall losse if thou so carefully keepest thy money and treasure how art thou deceiued through blindnesse of minde how is thine vnderstanding darkened with folly how is thy reason obscured by the deuill If thou fearest not to fall into sinne which depriuest thee of God the fountaine of all happinesse Why makest thou so small account of the God of infinite Maiestie Why fearest thou more to loose one peny then by sinning to bee depriued of thy God and through lying deceiuing swearing c. to be separated from him who is insititly good and who hath power to cast both body and soule into hell and without whom there is no blessednesse Thus for their sinnes was that Nation of the Iewes Gods vengeance pursuing them many times dispersed and persecuted But of this the Apostle hath not respect in this place but of the dispersed Christians which for the name of Christ were scattered abroad and persecuted For many out of all the Tribes which professed Christ after Saint Stephen was stoned Acts 7. flying the rage of the Pharisies were scattered in diuers Countries Actes 8.1 At that time saith the Scripture there was a great persecution against the Church which was at Ierusalem The state of the Church Millitant and they were all scattered abroad except the Apostles And heere brethren againe we are to note the state and condition of the Church militant and of all the faithfull while they are in their exile and pilgrimage in this life trauelling toward their Countrey in the way they are to suffer many crosses troubles persecutions and many iuiuries of the world and the diuell and if wee will arriue at the hauen of happinesse and port of felicity wee must follow our Pilot and Captaine Iesus Christ the same way he went before vs Act. 14.22 For through many tribulations wee must enter into the Kingdome of heauen 2. Tim. 3.12 And all that will liue godly in Iesus Christ must suffer persecution It cannot then bee otherwise but the godly going to heauen-ward must be enforced to suffer diuers troubles Pathemata Mathemata Afflictions are instructions These are the trials of the faithfull by which God exerciseth the faith hope charitie and patience of his children and confirmeth them and therefore in the booke of Wisedome this triall of faith is compared to the triall of gold As gold is tryed in the fire Wisd 3.6 so men are tried in the furnace of affliction And againe 1. Pet. 1.6.7 Through manifold temptations yee are in heauinesse that the triall of your faith being
God who in their special charge do serue God and further his kingdome so Princes in their places Preachers in their functions are the Seruants of Christ in their seuerall callings and speciall seruice in the Church and Common-wealth in which respect our Apostle heere calleth himselfe The Seruant of God 1. Cor. 1.1 Phil. 1.1 Tit. 1.1 So Paul calleth himselfe the Seruant of Iesus Christ So againe he calleth himselfe and Timotheus the Seruants of Iesus Christ and to Titus he vseth the same Title It is meet then Brethren that we should all acknowledge our selues the Seruants of Iesus Christ and labour faithfully to performe our duetie towardes him Wee are his Seruants by the right of our creation for all things were made through him Wee are his Seruants by the right of our conseruation Iohn 1.4 for in him wee liue mooue Acts 17 28 and haue our being by the right of our redemption for he bought vs with the price of his owne precious bloud by the right of his empire rule ouer vs for all rule is giuen vnto him in Heauen and in Earth by the right also of his iudicial power Iohn 5.22 for the Father hath giuen all iudgement vnto the Sonne Seeing then Brethren that in so manifold a bond of duetie wee are bound vnto our Christ let vs so serue him in sinceritie of heart that wee be neuer numbred among the number of stubborne and disobedient seruants of whom our Sauiour speaketh Mat. 25.30 Cast the vnprofitable Seruant into vtter darkenesse there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth The duety of a good Christian shewed by the duetie of a profitable Seruant But let vs now a little examine the duetie of a profitable Seruant that wee may perceiue how farre off most men are from the regard of this duetie The profitable Seruant employeth the chiefest part of his time not in his owne but in his Maisters businesse but now men spend the whole race of their life in the seruice of the world and the diuell and the things pertaining vnto God are least of their care Seruants possesse little and that but things necessary and which they receiue from the hands of their Maisters but now men catch and scrape whatsoeuer they may and by what meanes soeuer and what they can not catch they still couet it in heart and enuy it vnto others Good Seruants though they suffer many stripes they answer not againe but vse gentle words take it patiently but now in crosses and aduersities many will murmure against the highest God yea sometimes blaspheme and despaire Good seruants hearing the threatnings of their masters doe feare and are the more wary how they offend but now adayes Gods threatnings for sinne of many are despised Good Seruants vse no familiarity with their maisters enemies but now men enter into deep league and friendship with the world and the Diuell which haue continuall enmity with God yea They haue made a couenant with death Esay 28.15 and with hell are at an agreement Good Seruants doe not their owne willes but execute the willes and commandements of their maisters but now the commaundements of God are kicked at and trodden vnder foote Is this to be the Seruants of Christ are these the markes of our Christian profession All couetous wretches then are not the Seruants of Christ but of their god Mammon the glutton and drunkard are not the Seruāts of God but of their belly which they make their god all filthy and carnall liuers serue not God but the vncleane spirit All prowd and ambitious men are not the Seruants of Christ but doe homage vnto Sathan But for what stipend and reward doe they serue Bernard li. Senten Saint Bernard sheweth Quatuor sunt quorum in hac vita obsequijs deseruimus caro mundus diabolus Deus habent singuli principes isti dona propria c. There are foure maisters to whom men in this life yeelde their seruice the flesh the world the diuell or God The flesh giueth to hir seruitours a little momentany pleasures full of stings and remorse the world transitorie aduancements the Diuell perpetuall captiuitie but God eternall felicitie quibus ergo potiùs aut impensiùs seruiendum saith he Which of these now tell mee oughtest thou rather or more earnestly to serue Of these words The Seruants of God and of our Lord Iesus Christ among the learned Expositors I finde two Interpretations first that the Apostle speaketh coniunctim that he is the Seruant of Christ who is God and Lord as well of the Apostle as of all men Heretikes confuted And heere hee meeteth with the heresie of the Ebionites Cerinthians Carpocratians Arrians and the Iewes which affirmed Christ to be onely man the sonne of Ioseph and not God the Lord whose blasphemies in few but in most effectuall words he confuteth teaching that the same Lord Iesus Christ is both God and Man the very consubstantiall Sonne of the Father The other Interpretation is of the later Writers which read the word disiunctim Seruus Dei Domini nostri the seruant of God and of our Lord Iesus Christ where he hath respect vnto two of the Persons in Trinitie the Father and the Sonne whose seruant our Apostle here professeth himselfe to be And this interpretation proueth also the Diuinity of Christ seeing that equally he professeth himselfe to be the seruant of God the Father and of his Sonne Iesus Christ and both his God and his Lord. And heere the heresies of the Sabellians and Priscilians are refuted c. The second part Vnto the twelue Tribes which are dispersed salutation HAuing spoken before of the person of the Writer of this Epistle and of his Office next hee sheweth to whom he wrote to the twelue Tribes dispersed wherein these three things commeth to bee considered 1 Of the dispersion of the Iewes 2 Why he wrote especially vnto them 3 Of his salutation It is well knowne that the Israelites were diuided into twelue Tribes according to the number of of the twelue sonnes of Iacob which were the twelue Patriarches from whom as from Fountaines sprang many and great Nations Gen. 35. 49. They first dwelled with their father Iacob in the Land of Canaan afterwards in Egipt after that in the Desarts of Arabia from whence they inhabited the Land of Palestina where hauing receiued the Law of God and Religion they were ioyned together into the body of one Kingdome and Synagogue and so long they remained vnited as they claue vnto God but when they reuolted from the high God vnto idolatry and the seruice of strange Gods after the manner of the Heathen who in steed of the true God worshipped deuils Psal 106. ver 40.41 then was the wrath of the Lord kindled against his people and hee abhorred his inheritance and hee gaue them into the hands of the Heathen and they that hated them were Lords ouer them As the Lord also before
paragon his Paradise c. yet let the Christian confesse the bearing of the Crosse the suffering of affliction the triall of their faith to bee their happinesse and felicity with the blessed Apostle which saith Blessed is the man that endureth temptation Wee are heere taught what is the condition and state of the godly in this world that they are euen as sheepe among wolues that is exposed to the hatred slander and iniuries of the wicked and that they are proued and exercised by diuers temptations and thereby prepared to receiue the Crowne of Glory so would the Lord haue Abel Abraham Iacob Ioseph Moses Dauid c. to bee subiect to this crosse For if any man will follow mee Mat. 16.24 1. Tim. 3. let him forsake himselfe and take vp his Crosse All that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution The Apostle expresseth also the time when it shall bee giuen when wee are tryed the Crowne is promised after our conflict the hire is not rendred before wee haue done our labour 2. Tim. 2. No man saith the Apostle is crowned except hee striue lawfully 2. Tim. 4.7 The Vse There is no garland where is no gole to run vnto There is no Crown where the race is not lawfully runne And setting downe his trauaile before his reward hee saith I haue fought a good fight and haue finished my course I haue kept the faith There is no price where there is no striuing Heere wee learne that is is not enough once or twice to resist sin for the whole life of man is a continuall warfare vpon earth Againe wee are heere taught that our life was not giuen vs of God that wee should serue our lusts follow our fleshly pleasures to giue our selues to couetousnesse and ambition whereby the soule is defiled but that wee should serue the Lord c. This being so they then flatter and deceiue themselues which thinke to bee partakers of the reward without euer entring into the combate and tryall of temptations That hee might stirre vp our mindes with the greatnesse of the reward and our heauenly happinesse hee vseth heere a metaphor taken from such as contend and striue for masteries Champions and Conquerours in signe of glory haue Crownes giuen them either Ciuicas Murales Castrenses Nauales made some of Lawrell some of Oake c. So all good Christians that fight in the cause of the soueraigne Emperour of heauen and earth haue a Crowne of heauenly glory reserued for them as the reward of their labours O sweete comfort to the faithfull the which in this life endure so many labours so many crosses so many persecutions in the life to come they shall be free from all these things raigne with God for euer A shadow heereof is figured in the Welles which Isaac digged in Gerar Gen. 26.20.21.22 A Figure the first for which they contended with the Philistimes they called Contention the second for which they also stroue they called Hatred the third which without contradiction they enioyed they called latitudinem largenesse saying dilatauit nos dominus the Lord hath now made vs roome To signifie vnto vs that before wee come to the fountaines of liuing waters where there is true rest true safety eternall felicity wee must first passe through hatreds contentions labour strife in this life The Apostle Paul calleth this reward 1. Cor. 9. An incorruptible Crowne The Spirit of God also in another place promiseth to the Church of Smirna a Crowne of Life Apoc. 2.10 This being so brethren I may iustly cry out vnto this wicked age with the Prophet Esay Quare appenditis argentum non in panibus laborem vestrum non in satietate Esay 55. Wherefore lay yee out your siluer and not for bread and your labour without being satisfied By siluer is meant the time of this present life that precious gold which wee should lay out for eternall felicity which yet wee spend not vpon Bread that is vpon necessary things but on things of no value and profite Simile Should not hee bee iudged for a foole and a mad-man who being ready to perish with famine and hauing but one peece of siluer should lay out the same to buy him a fether to weare in his hat Would yee not iustly say to such a one O foole were it not better for thee to buy bread to releeue thy hunger So may I say to the children of this world which follow vanities Why yee fooles spend yee your time a thing so precious in sinfull vanities and not in bread not in things necessary for your saluation but rather in filthy pleasures worldly delights in the pursuit and greedy scraping together of corruptible riches This Crowne of glory is not giuen as a due desert for the worthinesse of the worke of patience but by the promise of God as a free reward of our labour An Example God dealeth with his children as a bountifull and louing father who promiseth his sonne that if hee will doe such or such a thing hee will make him his heire of all his ample inheritance which farre exceedeth the deserts of his child yet the father performeth it for his promise sake and not for the obedience of his sonne and therefore saith the Apostle heere that such as are tryed receiue the Crowne of eternall Life by promise To this the Apostle Paul subscribeth I haue fought a good fight 2. Tim. 4 7. I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith henceforth is there laid vp for mee a Crowne of righteousnesse And least hee might seeme arrogantly to claime the same as merited for the worthinesse of his workes hee ascribeth all to the gift of God when hee addeth Which God the righteous Iudge shall giue mee at that day If it were giuen of God then did not the Apostle merite it by his workes As hee saith againe Rom. 6.23 Eternall life is the gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lord. For if a man could merit eternall life then must there needs bee a proportion betwixt that which meriteth which is mans righteousnesse and that which is merited which is Eternall Life but betwixt these the one being temporall the other eternall there can be no proportion at all and therefore saith the Apostle Rom. 8.18 I count the afflictions of this present time not worthy of the glory which shall be shewed vnto vs. Again 2. Cor. 17. Our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre more excellent and eternal weight Let vs then hold for a truth that this crown is due to patience not by our merites but by the promise of God and in as much as patience is a noteable effect of a true liuely and iustifying faith Now this reward is most sure and firme and shall neuer faile vs in regard of the vnchangeable and euer-liuing God vpon whom it is grounded Verse 17. With whom is
as to effeminate ioyfull and delicate men the bait of lechery and vaine-glory to Stoicall sterne and angry men the baite of wrath and pride c. And which is most to bee feared he worketh not this by himselfe onely but also by his seruants and instruments And euen as a Prince or noble-man riding a Hunting or Hauking hath many hunters and seruants that accompany him and whatsoeuer is taken in hunting is ascribed all vnto the Prince The deuill hath his agents So the deuill hath his gard hath his hunters to take soules For what else shall wee call the whoorish woman Note this the fraudulent friend the alluring companion him that keepeth a house of play and baudry but the diuels Huntsmen for so the Lord himselfe calleth them Ier. 5. There are found among my people wicked persons that lay waite as hee that setteth snares they haue made a pit to catch men What remaineth then brethren but that we hearken to the counsell of the blessed Apostle 1. Pet. 5.8 Bee sober and watch for your aduersary the denill as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom hee may deuoure Yee had need to bee very carefull and vigilant for yee haue to do with a most vigilant enemy which compasseth you with a greedy desire to hurt you seeking not onely whom hee may wound but also kill and deuoure Simile If any Souldier or Marriner should fall into the hand of the Turke and bee carried vnto Constantinople though he would greatly feare to fall into the hands of so cruell an enemy of the name of Christ yet hee hath some hope of redemption for siluer and gold may redeeme him but if hee fall into the hands of the Lystrigons or Canibals which as soone as they haue taken men presently deuoure them aliue What hope then remaineth O man created after the image of God that thou mightest enioy eternall blessednesse take heed of this cruell enemy which as a bloudy beast destroyeth and deuoureth men trust him not enter into no friendship with him there is no hope of fauour to be expected at his hands The third kind of temptation is presumptionis of presumption whereby man tempteth God as when men abuse Gods patience and suffering to a security of sinning flattering and deceiuing themselues in the mercy of God and finall repentance Ephes 4. and in the meane time wallow in their wickednesse sin with greedinesse saying I haue sinned Eccles 5. and what euill hath happened vnto me The Lord hath mercy in store for vs all hee will receiue me whensoeuer I come I will repent at the houre of death and I shall doe well enough c. This is a presumptuous tempting of God an abusing as Paul saith of the riches of Gods goodnesse patience and long-suffering and those doe Thesaurizare sibi iram in diem irae Rom. 2. Heape vp vnto themselues wrath vnto the day of wrath Here let vs learne brethren how dangerous a thing it is to deferre repentance and while wee haue time not to turne vnto the Lord Surely it is a fearefull thing for a sinner to passe the whole race of his life in pleasure and to protract repentance to the last minute of our life A wise man repaireth and couereth his house in Summer least he be anoyed with the stormes of Winter The prouident Saylor when the sea is calme and the weather faire prepareth all things necessary against a tempest least being preuented with a storme he laboureth in vaine The breach in a Citty-wall in time of peace and not in the brunts of battell is to be repaired And Alexander is reported to haue disgraded a Knight because he was then preparing his armour when hee should encounter with his enemies So shold we betimes while opportunity serueth prouide vs of things necessary for our iourney towards our Country I meane repentance and amendment of life without which wee shall neuer attaine to our wished end For if we be slack herein and do foolishly deferre it till the future time death may preuēt vs while we are a preparing Augustine Cum vult improbus homo non potest quia quando potuit noluit ideo per malum velle perdidit bonū posse Non facile inueniuntur in aduersitate praesidia quae non fucrunt in pace quaesita Luk. 14 31. and cast vs into eternall torments Truely saith Augustine when the wicked would he cannot because when he could he would not and therefore through the euill of his will he lost the good of his power And in an other place Succours are not easily found in aduersity which were not sought in time of peace Our Sauiours example of the King teacheth vs this What King saith he going to fight with another King sitteth not downe first and taketh counsell whether hee bee able with tenne thousand to meete him that commeth against him with twenty thousand O thou vnhappy and foolish sinfull man which wagest warre with the highest King euen the King of Kings whose beck all things obey by whose prouidence all things are gouerned whom the Angels do serue whom the deuils do feare whose power is greater then heauen and earth can comprehend who hath the keies of life and death in his hands What is this thy vaine confidence vpon what counsell rebellest thou against thy God Dost thou trust vnto the health of thy body and a long life O vaine man thou trustest then to a broken reede which by the sinne of thy first parents is brused and crased with a thousand chinckes of infirmities and laid open vnto death why dost thou not then craue of him the conditions of peace why takest thou not truce with him why with all humility dost thou not conuert vnto him with true repentance craue pardon for thy sinnes while hee is yet farre off Wee reade of Alexander Alexand. that mighty Monarch of the world when hee besieged any rebellious Citty at length he would hang forth a Candle burning before the gates of the Citie and proclaimed that if before the same was out they would render the Citie hee would receiue them into fauour if not they might know that there was no hope of mercy While then the Lord calleth vs and offereth his mercy vnto vs ô let vs come by repentance least when it is too late the dore of mercy bee shut and it happen to vs as it did vnto Esau who found no place of repentance Heb. 12. though hee sought it with teares Woe bee vnto them which onely with their life giue ouer their sinnes which will then repent when they can sin no longer Peccata tunc te dimiserunt Augustine non tu illa saith Augustine Then thy sinnes haue left thee and not thou them And againe When I come to old age thou wilt say then I will repent Quare hoc fragilitas humana presumat cum diem vnum in potestate sua non habeat Augustine Wherefore doth humane frailty
of their Maister Belial But should this bee sound among Christians How greatly the Lord esteemeth the works of mercy The Lord so much esteemeth the workes of mercy and charity and so much detesteth cruelty towards our brethren that at the last iudgement hee reputeth the workes of mercy as the fulnesse of all other vertues and cruelty and vnmercifulnesse to bee the full complement of all other sinnes Come yee blessed saith hee for I was hungry and yee gaue me meate c. Math. 25. but vnto the other Goe yee cursed c. for I was hungry and yee gaue mee no meate c. and the one hee receiueth into his eternall Kingdome and the other hee casteth into eternall fire Fulgentius vpon these words of Christ Fulgen. Euery Tree that bringeth not forth c. noteth Si sterilitas in ignem mittitur rapacitas quid meretur And Rabanus vpon the former place of Mathew Raban I was hungry and yee gaue me no meate Quid accipiet qui aliena tulit si semper ardebit qui sua non dedit If he shall alwaies burne which gaue not of his owne what punishment shall he haue which harh taken away from others which was not his owne I was hungry and yee gaue mee no meate c. nay I was hungry and that little bread that I had thou tookest from mee I was naked and thou cloathest mee not nay that simple coate that I had thou spoylest mee off As the Prophet cryed out O yee heauens drop downe righteousnesse because righteousnesse was banished from the earth so may wee now cry for want of loue among vs O yee heauens drop downe kindnesse and loue into our hearts that the vnkind and churlish Nabals of our times which are so little moued at the afflictions of Ioseph as if they pertained to a forraine body that they may know that they were not borne to liue to themselues that they are Coloni non domini Manurers not Lords of the earth and as Ierome saith of the holy Patriarches which were rich Hieron that they were Dispensatores Dei magis quam diuites appellandi to bee termed rather Gods Stewards then rich-men Indeed so well nowadaies they obserue the precept of the Gospell D. K. that their right hand knowes not whar the left doth because neither right nor left doth any thing that good is Well is it said of a Heathen that a man should wish his wealth to bee as his coate rather fit then too long Concinnam magis probo quam longam That the Lord might induce vs the more to mercy hee layeth before vs the example of our heauenly Father surely a motiue of all motiues if wee haue not cauteriatam conscientiam a conscience seared with an hote yron past all feeling hee is louing to the vnthankefull patient towards the sinner kind to the vnkind hee maketh his Sunne to arise vpon the iust and vniust and his raine is to all alike profitable the Sunne shineth the day lightneth the fountaine watreth the shewers bedeweth all alike nay without his mercy wee cannot liue consist and haue our being one minute of an houre If then my beloued we bee the children of God if wee thinke it an honour vnto vs to bee reputed his sonnes if there bee in vs any loue of the pure and vndefiled Religion let vs follow our Fathers steps and beare some part of his Image Wee cannot imitate him in his strength nor in his wisedome nor in his miracles onely in the bowels of his pitty and compassion let vs bee like him Let Tigers Dragons Beares Lyons bee cruell one to another let Scithians Canibals which know not God bee mercilesse one towards another Euen as God hath loued vs let vs Christians bee mercifull gentle kind one towards an other let vs not bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without naturall affection The mercifull mans goods are blessed and multiplyed of God A Story I remember a story in the liues of the Fathers of a certaine rich man who as long as hee was liberall to the poore and needy his goods encreased so that hee grew very rich but withall when hee waxed couetous and gaue ouer his wonted liberality his goods fell away so that at length he became poore and asking of an holy man the cause thereof who answered that as long as these two brethren Date dabitur vobis Giue and it shall bee giuen vnto you dwell together in his house they kept Gods blessings with them but as soone as he banished the first Date Giue yee the other because he cannot dwell without his brother is also departed and hath carried away Gods blessings with him The noble Emperour Vespatian was so enclined to the workes of mercy and liberality that on a time being at supper and calling to minde hee had giuen nothing that day said Amici diem perdidi My friends I haue lost a day for hee knew that at the houre of his death hee might say as Marcus Antonius being vanquished of Augustus said Haec habui quae dedi caetera quae his relinquo quomodo illa habeo quae velim nolim alijs trado The things which I gaue I haue the rest which I leaue vnto others how can I count them mine owne seeing whether I will or nill I must leaue them vnto others The other effect of true Religion is innocency of our liues to keepe our selues vnspotted of the world that is not to pollute our selues with the filthy crimes of this world but to keepe our selues pure from the lusts of the flesh Iohn 2. the lusts of the eies and the pride of life This world is wont to spot and defile men that are plunged in the loue thereof according to those verses Mundus non mundus quia mundus polluit ergo Qui manet in mundo quomodo mundus erit This world is vnpure for why this world it staines How can he cleane endure that in this world remaines And therefore when God called Abraham to the true Religion Gen. 17. hee gaue him this charge Walke before mee and bee thou perfect So after bee had prescribed a Law vnto his people and taught them his true Religion hee requireth holinesse and integrity of life saying Bee yee holy Leu. 11. for I the Lord your God am holy So the Apostle warneth vs not to fashion our selues like vnto this world Rom. 12. And againe hee saith Let euery one that calleth vpon the name of Christ depart from iniquity 2. Tim. 2. O hearken vnto this yee that are bond-slaues vnto the pleasures of this polluting world Luke 8. you that suffer the good seed of admonition to bee choaked with the pleasures of this life you who loue to bee the sonnes of Pharoahs daughter to bee the darlings of the pleasures of Egipt and to sit vpon the knees of the Dalila of this world and to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season loose the eternall felicity in
the Kingdome of heauen you that are as the Apostle noteth you 2. Tim. 3.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 magis quam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 louers of pleasures more then louers of God As though there were no heauen for the godly Ferra pilae similis nullo fulcimine nixa Aere sublimi tam graue pendet onus God hath hanged the earth vpoÌ„ nothing Iob 26.7 nor hell for the wicked When thou callest to minde that thou treadest vpon the earth hanging like a ball in the aire and floting in the waters is it not euident enough vnto thee that there is a God Hee hangeth the earth vpon nothing Cum te pendenti reputas insistere terrae Nonne vel hinc clare conspicis esse DeuÌ„ When thou considerest that thou tread'st on earth that hangs in aire Dost thou not clearely see by this there is a God-head faire The vse wee are to make of this doctrine is The Vse neuer to fall in loue with this polluting world as our intollerable greedinesse plainely sheweth that we are too much glewed to the loue of earthly things and haue little feeling of the ioyes of our heauenly countrey prepared for all such as loue the Lords appearing nor yet of the sinnes of this infecting world which cleaue so fast vnto vs. A Simile shewing the danger of worldly loue O that I could by any plainnesse of teaching imprint this so profitable a doctrine in your minds We see beloued in reason that the naturall heate which is within vs by externall cold in the Winter kept in and augmented which by the heate in Summer opening the pores euaporateth out and is inwardly diminished And verely so is it in spirituall matters the colder wee feele the loue of the world the more the loue of God is kindled in our hearts and the more it encreaseth but if we wallow in earthly delights in the sun-shine of polluting pleasures ô how much is the loue of God within cooled and diminished in our hearts 1. Sam. 17.39 Euen as Dauid was not well able to go vnder the burthen of Saules armour about him but when it was taken from him hee couragiously marched on and slew that enemy of God and his people the great Goliah So whilst wee are laden with Saules armour that is clogged and spotted with the weight of this defiling world wee are altogether vnapt to any Christian combate but if wee cast of this weight wee runne with alacrity as did Danid encounter with this spirituall Goliah preuaile with honour and giue him the foyle The second inseparable property then and effect of true Religion the Apostle teacheth to bee innocency of life to keepe our selues vnspotted of the world that is to bee cleere from the workes of darkenes and pollutions of wicked worldlings to abstaine from carnall lusts and filthy pleasures to which prophane worldlings are most prone The Saints of God which truely embrace the Christian and soulesaâ—â—â—g Religion are here distinguisheâ—â—â—â—m hipocrites and false 〈◊〉 They onely labour to bee holy and pure both in body and minde in soule and spirit in thought and we he 2. Cor. 11. that they may bee presented blamelesse as chaste virgines before the Lord Iesus Epictetus Epictetus comprised all his Philosophy in these two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sustine Abstine Beare Forbeare to suffer euill Lactantius and abstaine from doing euill And Lactantius saith the rule of a godly life consisteth in Patience and Abstinence Almighty God requireth especially of all that professe his name this innocency of life that they keepe themselues vnspotted of the world So when hee called Abraham from the idolatry of Mesapotamia to his true worship and Religion Gen. 17. he gaue him this charge Walke before mee and bee thou perfect So when hee gathered his people into one Congregation and body polliticke hee required of them holinesse innocency and integrity of life as the effect and note of true Religion saying Bee yee holy Leuit. 11. for I am holy So our Sauiour the Authour of Christian Religion calleth his from the pollutions of the world when hee willeth them to bee as innocent as Doues Math. 10. So the Apostle prescribing to them the Christian sacrifice warneth them to take heed of worldly corruptions and not to Fashion themselues thereunto Rom. 12. This is also his counsell to Timothy 2. Tim. 2. Let euery one that calleth vpon IESVS CHRIST depart from iniquity Now the spots wherwith worldlings are chiefly defiled are Thefts Adulteries and fleshly Vncleanenesse Couetousnesse Vsury Oppression Drunkennesse Pride Enuy Contention Ambition Vaine-glory c. Wilt thou know now whether thou bee a true Professour indeed of this pure Religion which onely is able to saue thy soule fall then into a serious examination of thy conscience whether thou bee not defiled with adulteries and vncleannesse whether thy heart bee not set vpon couetousnesse and oppression stained with vsury extortion thy body polluted with surfetting drunkennes whether thou bee free from pride arrogancy void of enuy malice and contention whether thou bee not spotted with cruelty hard-heartednes towards thy neighbour c. Herewith whoseeuer is stained his Religion howsoeuer he flatter himselfe is not pure vndefiled before God for pure Religion and vndefiled before God the Father is to visite the fatherlesse widowes c. Examine thy conscience whether thou be studious of the coÌ„trary vertues as chastity teÌ„perance meeknes loue mercy liberality brotherly kindnes c. wherein the true Religion consisteth which God grant vnto vs for his Sonne Iesus Christs sake to whom with the Holy Ghost bee all honour praise power and Dominion for euer and euer Amen FINIS