like is imployed a necessity of marchantdizing for the distraction of commodities from one nation to another for furnishing the necessities of each country for the vpholding norishing of commerce peace amity amonge the people and inhabitants of the earth Lastly it is plaine by deuine dispensation of gods all ruling prouidence vvisdome in opening the secrets of all things as belongs to Marchants As first god himselfe that made the sea vvas author of shipping nauigation on the sea For the first modell of a shipp vvas the arke of Noah that after the flood cataclysme of vvaters vvas found vpon the mountaines of Armenia Againe god hath opened the vse of the needle card compasse as the abstruse secrets of nauigation that are only for their vse And hath caused nature in generall as the starres of heauen the vvinds the seas the art of man in the skill of nauigation to be as the attendants vpon their Marchantdizing Prov. 31.14 Therefore the Marchants shipp vvhich bringeth her commodities from a farre to vvhich a good vvife is resembled in the prouerbs is indeed the good husvvife of a common vvealth Can vve then thinke the abysse of vvaters for soe the scripture cals the Ocean vvas made for nother vse Psa 104.26 but for sight and vvondermente vvhen as Dauid tells you there goe the shipps describes gods marveilous perseruation of his seruants in those great vvaues There also is fish in great abundance vvhich by shipping is had thence for the vse of man yea the gospel of Christ Iesus had bene vnknovven vnto remote nations vnles by marchantdizing they had hard thereof yea and it pleased god to extēd enlarge the territories of his sonnes dominion by Pauls trauelling Act. 13. voyages made by sea in the shipps of Marchants All this shevves that Marchants their marchandizings are of god It remayneth that the men to vvhom this glorious kingdome of heauen is resembled doe vse their vocation legally that god may blesse them it that they may at the last become Marchants of that kingdome of heauen To performe their vocatiō legally they must doe it first conscionably then constantly and in so doing they shal be sure to end it comfortably To doe their vocation conscionably they must remember that it is not enough for a man to be in a lavvull calling but he must follovve it lavvfully Luc. 18.10 For god loueth aduerbs better then adiectiues That is god loueth that his children should doe all things lavvfully Luc. 5.5 and that to doe it by directiō of his vvord that vvhether they trade day or night by sea or land the vvord of god must be their loadstone compasse and Pilote as the pillar of fire pillar of a cloud vvere the guids of gods people in the vvildernes Auoyding in all their tradings all base couetousnes Genes 6. Galat. 5.13 Psal 107. Act. 21.5 vniust dealing When they build a shipp they must build her in faith as Noah did the arke vvhen shee it built they must serue one another vvith her in loue in all things vsing prayer For Paule before he vvent on ship board prayed vpon the sea shoare For in vaine else doe vve build shipps vnlesse god doe giue the blessing Secondly they must vse it constantly not be as the manner of some is to be constant only in vnconstantcie But rather by remouing all hinderances in your trading as namely Absolons foolish ambition Matchiuills diuelish pollicy all deluing trenching vndermyning one another in their gaines and commodities but constantly vsing the holy meanes of honest recreation helpes of deuotion to further one another in their holy calling Act. 20.24 So vndoubtedly you shall finish your course comfortably and end it vvith ioy that vvhen the auncient of dayes shall sitt dovvne death the sea Reuel 20.13 Matth. 25.21 the graue shall giue vp her dead you shal be sure of a comfortable Euge vvel done good and faithfull seruants enter into your masters ioy vvhich haue continued trading as I bad you vntill I came novve I vvilbe your euerlasting great revvard for euer vvhich revvard of mercy you did allvvaies trade for in all your negotiations busines Practice 1 The life of this learning is first of Caution that you should not be proud if riches encrease by your marchantdizing for the Tyrians and Sidonians vvere the greatest Marchants of the vvorld but being proud by reason of their riches the prophets did prophicie against them Es 23.1 Ezech. 27.2 Hovvle o ye shipps of Tharsis for your distruction shipvvrackes sayth the prophet And albeit they vvere come to perfect beauty in their Marchantdizing That their plankes vvere of the fine trees of Shenir their masts of the ceders of Lebanon their oares of the oakes of Bashan their bankes vvhereon they rovved of yuorie brought from Greece Italie Their sayles vvere of fine linnen vvith broydered vvorke brought from Egipte Blevv silke purple vvas their clothing vvast clothes Their marriners men of Zidon Aruad Their pilottes vvere prudent Their kalkers the skilfull men of Geball The Persians the men of Lud of Phut of Aruad the Gammadimes vvere their men of vvarre theyr saylers their souldiers From Tharsis they traded in siluer tinn iorn lead The men of Iauan Tubal and Mesech vvere their vndertakers From Togarmah they had horses horsemen mules They dealt from Dedan vvith Elephants teeth Peacokes They occupied vvith the Aramites in Emrauds corall pearle They dealt vvith the men of Iudah Israel in vvheat honny oyle balme With them of Damascus in vvine vvoole With them of Dan in Cassia Calemus in vvhat not So large vvas their marchantdizing soe encreased vvas their trade the marchants in all this vnthankfull grovven intollerable proud Therefore lamentation is taken vp for thē heire city distroyed their ships broken at sea they shipvvracked other Marchants hissed at them yea they became a terrour to themselues to others to this day vvere neuer any more in that glory reputatiō as they vvere before Take heede therefore of pride if you be lifted vp vvith riches let not your harts be lifted vp against god For kings the principall among the sonnes of men are borne naked euery thing is an helper to our being The heauēs giues vs light The ayre beath the earth her fruites the bees their hōny the veins their wine the shepe their woole the wormes our silke why then should Marchants be proud Hast thou gold siluer Hag. 2.8 Psal 50.10 Psal 24.1 Eccles 1.7 it is the lords saith Haggai Hast thou cattle they are the lords vpon a thousand hills Hast thou plate houshold stuffe vvhy the earth is the lords all that therein is Hast thou had much and novve hast not Gen. 33.11 Psal 78.70 he is the Ocean to vvhich all riuers runne
often to say vve haue seized vpon heauen let vs fly hence let vs fly hence Practice 6 Sixtly of Confidence against the terrors of iudgment for blessed is that seruant vvhom the lord shall find vvhensoeuer or hovvsoeuer he commeth thus trading For if god loued vs vvhen vve vvere his enimies did beare vpon vs the image of the diuell hovve much more shall he loue vs novve being reconciled bearing the image of sanctification in Christ Practice Last Lastly of Expostulation together vvith motion Can any one amongst you implead this Learning Is there a vvise man amongst you I hope he is not vviser then Solomon yet he accounted all things in the vvorld vexation vanitie vvhen he had once learned this lesson Is there any amongst you that makes an high accompt of himselfe his let not this stout hart of his stoope to vile vaine things of the vvorld Is there a frugall thrifty man amongst you that vvould enrich himselfe let him trad for this true gold of Ophir not vvith the shippers of king Ochasias trade for peacockes parrats parachitoes popiniayes for soe they may chance to haue their ships broken at Esiongeber all their proud peacokes be they vviues or vvātons all their paultrie popiniays be they giules or practises may suffer a fearfull vvrack vvith them In a vvord all of you are men ciuill men Marchant men that vvhich is more then all Christian men Will you knovve the best of all the only good for you yours then knovve that guiles are noe gaines for you to liue by in a godly conscience Nor noe good ground-worke for your posterity to liue on whē you are gone for the goodnes of god is extended to the thousand generatiō of thē that loue him endevoure to keepe his commandements Thus much of the vvhole text in generall The secōd lesson From the particular passages arise diverse lessons The first is dravven from the Object vvhich is a kingdome For frō hence vve learne That it is the mind of Christ Iesus that all his should be of a Royall mind therefore a kingdome is sett before them as a reward of mercie for their seruice The light of this appeareth forasmuch as gods kingdome is three fold to vvitt of Povver of Grace of Glorie Of Povver for god is not a brasen vvall but a vvall of fire to his chosen to surround encircle them What euer pleaseth him that doth he in heauen Psal 13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in earth in the seas in all deepe places And of him Rom. 11.36 through him to him are all things For the Lord is the Greatnes The Povver The Glory the victorie the maiestie for all are his in heauen in earth his is the Kingdome he is exalted as head ouer all soe preacheth Dauid in the booke of the Chronicles 1. Ch. 29.11 Dan. 6.26 and Darius the king of Babilō proclaymeth in his kingdome that all men should tremble feare before the god of Daniell for he is the liuing god steadfast foreuer his kingdome That vvhich shall not be destroyed And his dominion shal be euē to the end All his vvorkes shevve this for they all speake of his glory of his kingdome talke of his povver Thus you see here is a kingdome of Povver that the vveake may flie vnto it as vnto a city of refuge Secondly a kingdome of Grace soe CHRISTS forerunner saith Repent for the kingdome of god is at hand Matth. 3.2 Christ him selfe tells his Apostles that it is giuen vnto them to knovve the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen Luc. 8.10 Christs follovver sayth the kingdome of heauen Rom. 14.17 is not meat drinke but righteousnes peace ioy in the holy ghost Lastly he hath a kingdome of Glory For it is his pleasure to giue his children a kingdome it vvas prepared for them before the vvorld vvas Luc. 12.32 Mat. 25.34 Mat. 13.43 they shal shine therein as the sunne in the firmament The right of this appeares in reason that Christ vvould haue Christians regally minded because there is an opposition of kingdomes against this kingdome of Christ to vvit that of the kingdome of the beast of the vvhore the kingdome of Sathan the kingdome of this vvorld Apo. 16.20 The kingdome of the beast the Reuelation mentioneth Matth. 26. against both by vvay of disclayme Christ saith directly My kingdome is not of this vvorld The might of this kingdome of Christ appeareth that he should rule ouer the house of Iacob for euer Luc. 1.33 he should raigne till his enemies are put vnder his feete yea his very members by his grace shall raigne 1. Co. 15.23 For if by one mans offence death raigned by one man much more they vvhich receaue abundance of grace Rom. 5.17 of the gifte of righteousnes shall raigne in life by one Iesus Christ he it is that hath made vs vnto our god kings Preests vve shal reigne on the earth by santificatiō Apoc. 5.10 Yea vve shal iudge the collapsed angels Thus much for the probat of the learning hereof 1. Cor. 6.3 Practice 1 The life of this appeares First in the practise of the exaltation of our ovvne Christian spirits for euery one hath euer naturally vvithin himselfe a kingdome vvherein reason is the prince the sences the gard the vpper faculties of the soule the Peares the invvard sēces the commons the passions the rebbells Novve faith by grace ruleth ouer all these obtayneth the kingdome For passion must subiect it self to sence Sence to reason reason to faith faith to the spirit of god Thus is a kingdome sett vp in vs that vvill neuer be cast dovvne either by the plotte of Machiauell vvho imagined that religion did effeminate debase deiect the courages of Christians But the magnanimity of George Castriott prince of Epyrus of Iohannes Zisca Mirmidons of vvarre of Martin Luther of Huldricus Zinglius of such like both Laiques Cleriques vvortheis of the vvord doth vtterly confute that poore conceit of the secretary of Florence Machiauell This exaltation also vvil guide vs that vve be not deceaued by Sathan vvho offereth vs kingdomes to serue him Nor yet to dreame of an earthly kingdome vvith the flattering Herodians Matth. 4.8 misled Chyliasts Origenists or Millinaries for all these last three are one Practice 2 Secondly the life of this learning confuteth those that are of a base abjecte condition that either with the proud man sells their clayme for ayre as did Absolon for honor or vvith the couetous man for earth as did Demas for this present vvorld or vvith the Letcher for puddle as did Ammon for Thamar or else pavvne it as did Dauid Noah Peter or lose their clayme to this kingdome by neglecte contempt or
may driue a vvay disasters diseases tempests mortall sinnes Moreouer vvhat 's a gentelman but his pleasure For this shopp of profitt vvere nothing vvorth vnlesse they had a shopp of pleasure vvithall For profitt vvithout pleasure is sordid base Therefore these cunning marchants haue deuises to make their greatnes merry Their shopp of pleasure For first they take great pleasure in the peoples ignorance And to this purpose they sett it dovvne positiuely for an haynous offence to haue a bible or leturgie praiers in a knovven tongue And noemareuell vvhen they haue a professed sort of friers vvho tearme themselues Foliain or friers ignorant And vvhen Bellarmine their Attlas shall euidently affirme that the faith of a Christian may better be defined by ignorance then by knovveldge Secondly they take great pleasure in traducing the scriptures For they render the vvord Repent that is say they vvhip your selues or goe a pilgrimage to Loretto in Italy or to Sickem Hallas in Flandres To beare the crosse of Christ is as they tell the people to carry a siluer or golden crosse in their capes You are the lighte of the vvorld saith the scripture that is say they vve must light tapers in churches in the day time And PATER NOSTER in popery is latine for a paire of beades And because Christ sayd Be like vnto children Therefore say they our friers doe vveare covvles like vnto childrens first biggins Thirdly they sport themselues to see hovve they can serue all commers all customers and please euery humour If they be stately minded vvhat is more pompous then the papacie If they be of a base humor vvhat is more sordid then the Capucini Foliani If they be melancholly vvho more retyred then the Hermits Anachorits If they be Epicures Abbots shall entertayne them If they be vvanton some fevve dayes before the Carniuall it is lavvfull in Rome for a man to vse his pleasure any vvay vvithout controule And that vvhich I admire aboue all the mixe composition of their doings And for the Pope to take vpon him to vvash the feete of the poore in humility yet to cause the kings of the earth to kisse his feete in extreame arrogancie vvith one the same bull to giue take avvay kingdomes And to call himselfe the seruant of seruants yet to suffer bookes to come out vvith this title to gods viceroy Paule the fist that novve is pope And adde to these the povver that they challenge to remitt sinnes the opinion of Transubstantiation vvhereof Bessaeus the French kings Almoner sayd vnto the Prince of Condie thus Ioshua comanded the creature to stand still in the firmament but the popish preests command the creator in the sacrament As also adde herevnto auricular confession vvith the punishment and absolutioÌ„ thereof espetially that of Robert the NormaÌ„d duke surpasseth all ciuillty humanity Lastly the vvorkes of supererogatioÌ„ or rather the vvorkes of superarrogation vvhere in they say the Ethnickes meritt of congruity The faithfull Layiques of condignity but the Cleriques are of an extrordinary straine for they meritt for themselus their neighbours A thing not hard of of the patriarchies Prophets Apostels O the vvit of man among popelings Papists Iesuits Tell me novve deare _____ contrymen masters _____ mortalls Is it not a lamentable thing for vs in this glorious suneshine of the vvord to see the spirit of god so greeued the pure light of the gospell so obscured may not vve cry out vvith Dauid It is tyme for thee lord to sett to thy hand for they haue destroyed thy lavve But leaving these antichristiaÌ„ Marchants I returne to you vvith a charge euen to euery one of you that if any of you haue a robe a diamoÌ„d a horse acknowledge it to be the kings as Mordicai did Est 6.8 that is the king of kings not yours And let noÌ„e of you enquire curiouslie as did the Israelits of the Manna saying Man hu vvhat is this Neither let any of you sacrifice to your owne nett Habac. 1.16 1. Reg. 3.26 or burne in cense to your ovvne yearne or be of a vvhorish disposition as the harlot spake to Solomon let it be deuided meaning the liue child so you must take care not to share vvith god in your vvealth as partly attributing the encrease thereof to gods blessing your paines taking But learne to speake as the man after gods ovvne hart doth absolutly disclayming your ovvne selues say Not vnto vs lord not vnto vs but to thee thy name be rendred the praise the honor the glory for euer The fift lesson For this kingdome of heauen is not resembled to euery marchant but to a marchaÌ„t Ievveller so sayth my text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The kingdome of heauen is like vnto a marchant maÌ„ that sought goodly pearles The learning vvhereof is this That Marchandizing for pretious vvares is lawfull he that seeketh the kingdome of heauen is rightly resembled to such a MarchaÌ„t that seeketh pretious not vile things that indeede is a Marchant Ieweller The light of this appeares from paradise For there vvas the Bdelium Gen. 2.12 the onix stone for mans delight before his fall euen in his inocency In the breastplate of Aron there vvas sixe pretious stoÌ„es on the one side Exo. 28.10 sixe on the other God shevving herein the pretious accoÌ„pte he made of his people And for the fabrique of the Temple Dauid prepared vvith all his povver for the house of god gold for vessels of gold 1. Chr. 29.2 siluer for vessels of siluer brasse for things of brasse yron for things of yorn vvood for things of vvood onix stones stones to be set carbuncle stones of diuers colours all pretious stones marble stones in abundance 2. Chro. 32.27 The right of this appeares from a regall state Hezekiah also had exceding much riches honour he gate him treasures of siluer of gold of pretious stones From a regall banquet The hangings vvere of vvhite Est 1.6 greene blevv clothes fastened vvith cords of fine linnen purple in siluer rings pillars of marble The beds vvere of gold of siluer vpon a pauement of porphyre marble alabaster blevv colour And froÌ„ a patriarchall marriage Gen. 24.53 Then the seruant of Abraham tooke forth siluer ievvels of gold raiment gaue to Rebekah Moreouer the kingdome of heauen is rightly resembled to a Ievveller seing god himselfe vvill haue is ovvne those things that he haue prepared for his ovvne to be signified by pretious stones His ovvne in the breastplate of iugdment Exo. 28.17 There must be fovver rovves consisting of threes In the first rovve a sardius a topaze a carbuncle in the second an emâ—raud a saphir a diamond in the third a ligure an achate an hematite in the fourth a Chrisolite
〈◊〉 The light of this appeares in the vvord of the text vvhich signifieth beautifull coÌ„modious amiable superexcellent pearls Beautifull is goodnes in it selfe for if it could be portrayed in orient colours set out to the life vvonderfull vvould be the loue that men vvould be stirred vp to beare vnto it CoÌ„modious for godline is the goodliest riches Phil. 4.8.9 Amiable in effecte making them amiable that are good superexcelleÌ„t so sayth the Apostle whatsoeuer things are true vvhatsoeuer things are honest Whatsouer things are iust vvhatsoeuer things pure vvhatsoeuer things are louely vvhatsoeuer things are of good report if there be any vertue if there be any praise think on these things Those vvhich ye haue both learned and receaued hard seene in me doe the god of peace shall be vvith you The feete of them amiable that bring vs the meanes that makes vs to be good The promise that god vvould be present vvith it 2. Chro. 19 11. For Jehosaphat told his iudges that they should be of good courage doe it god vvould be vvith the good Mich. 6.8 And the declaration of this shevves it to be good For god hath shevved thee o man vvhat is good vvhat the lord requireth of thee surely to doe iustly to loue mercy to humble thy self to vvalke vvith thy god Secondly this appeares by the distinction of goodnes Naturall Morall Deuine Just Mar. For Christian Marchants doe not only desire accidentall good things as a good vvife good children good seruants Titus 2.12 such like vvhich are all gods good gifts And Morall goodnes in themselues but also Deuine goodnes vvhich leads them to this kingdome Heb. 10.24 2. Pet. 1.10 And these things doe soe neare touch vs that vve by goodnes the effecte thereof doe signe to others â— Tim. 1.7 seale to our selues the certainty of our election Wherein also our faith doth not only shevve it selfe but exercise Eph. 4. â—0 inflame vs to a godly seale Thirdly it abandoneth vs from sinne For as by euills vve greeue the holy ghost that sealeth vs vnto god soe by goodnes vve ioy our conscience in the holy ghost Fouerthly as by doing evill vve call to our selues many miseries Deut. 28. so by doing the good vve shall auoyd many euills of punishment see the goodnes of god in the land of the liuing Lastly goodnes is the vvay vvherein gods childreÌ„ ordinarily trade Eph. 2.10 for they are his vvorkmaÌ„shipe created for that purpose Thirdly there is a necessity of being good in gods children Not a necessity of coaction for gods children doe the good Chearfully Not of cause for goodnes is but the vvay and gods children vvalke therein but it is of necessary duty that vve should be good For that 's the vvill of god euen your santification 1. Thes 4.3 It is the commandement of god Let your lights so shine before men that they may see your good vvorkes Matt. 5.16 and glorifie your father vvhich is in heauen Tit. 2.12 it is the end of all preaching Noe good actioÌ„ can be done but by a good man vvho doth it out of a pure hart othervvise it is base sordid out of a true faith vvhich else is a glittering sinne to the glory of god Vae justitiae nostrae siremota justitia Christi judicetur Nam quâ—equid in te est sine Christo Sathan est August vvhich othervvise is but hiprocrisie And this is the cause vvhy it is accepted of god for Christ his sake othervvise all our goodnes vvere menstruous monstrous The right of this appeares forasmuch as reall Christians knovve that god regardeth goodnes more then greatnes Nay there is nothing but foolish man regardeth greatnes Nature doth not for the sonnes of royalty are borne naked the god of nature is noe accepter of persons nor the destroyer of nature for death visits the crovvne assoone as the clovvne Againe it is the end scope of the reall Christians lyving vvhich hath three aspects in doing good First to the praise of god O lett my soule liue it shall praise thee sayth Dauid Secondly to comfort our selues in making our election sure by goodnes Lastly to ouercome others euill vvith our good â— Petr. â— 10 Secondly reall Christians are pertakers of the diuine nature For vvhen god tooke a vevve of vvhat he had made he savve it vvas exceeding good but vvhen maÌ„ tooke a suruay of vvhat he had done behold it vvas nothing but vanity vexation of spirit Thirdly good examples of good men doe encite gods children to goodnes For albeit none are absolutly good but god only 2. Chro. 32 32 2. Chro. 35 26. Yet the scripture stiles Hezekias Iosias to be good kings The goodnes of gods children hath a threefold povver Of Preseruation Vnion Communication It is a preservatiue to pull some out of the fire Iud. Epist 23. Of vnion to make peace Of communication by extending their goodnes to the saincts on earth Thy Christians faith is a proper a peculiar good betvvixt god thine ovvne soule but a Christians goodnes is extensiue delated to all demensions of goodnes The very profession of a Christian is goodnes See in the rule of addition in Christian arythmetike that S. Peter setteth dovvne for sayth he Adde to your faith vertue 2. Pet. 1â— 5.6.7.8 to vertue knovvledge to knovvledge temperance to temperance patience and to patience godlines to godlines brotherly kindnes to brotherly kindnes charitie For if these things be in you abound they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor vnfruitfull in the knovvledge of our lord Iesus Lastly let vs reason from the povver of Christ bloud vvas it shed that vve should be vile still farre should any such thought be from vs that vve should professe religion deny the povver thereof By this then that hath bine spoken both from the light of Illumination in gods vvord by the right of Demonstration in reasoning from the vvord It is plaine that the high vvay to heauen is to consult and resolue to doe all the good vve can vvhile vve are here trading tovvard heauen The vse of this is manifold Practice 1 First of ansvvere to the cauills of popery vvho accuse vs Protestants for contemners of goodnes because vve teach that man is iustified by faith only And here vpon they accuse vs that we preach negatiue priuatiue doctrines not affirmatiue positiue And here vpoÌ„ they say that the tymes are novve become Ablatiue vvhich vvere heretofore Datiue branding vs vvith the heresies of the Synomians Eunomians Jovinians such like vvhereas vve in one vvord ansvvere directly that these are meere slanders vntruths For vve teach onlie that good vvorkes haue noe iustifying quality in themselues before god but that faith only is like Iohn the deuine leaning on
deuine soules o you my masters mortalls tell me vvhat comfort can it be vnto you if you cōsider god essentially as he is a iudge euē a consuming fire casting vpon vs fire brimstone as he is the lord of hosts breaking the rockes as he is a master comming before vve are prepared Psal 11. as he is a king cōming to destroy his emmies to render vengance to them that hate him vvhat comfort haue you I say in these things But if vve consider him personally as he is One vvith vs. Psal 31.5 Act. 7.56 1. Pet. 4.19 Then vvith Dauid vve recommend our our soules into his hands Then vvith Stephen vve see heauen open Then vvith Peter vve committ our soules vnto him as vnto a faithfull creator Apoc. 21. And vvith the spouse vve loue vve looke vve long for him crie out come lord Iesus come quickly Practice 5 The fift practice is is of Mediation vvhere in I become an humble sutor to euery deuoute soule as Moses did to the Israelites I stād betvveene the lord and you to shevve you the vvord of the lord 1. Cor. 5.20 saith he and as Paule to the Corinthians For saith he vve are ambassadours of Christ as though god did beseech you through vs vve pray you in Christs stead that ye vvould be reconciled to god As they so I cast myself dovvne at euery mans foote beseeching him to remember that Mat. 5.18 as Christ is one soe not one iote of his word shall perish That it is an impossibility to serue tvvo masters Mat. 6.24 It is a hard matter masters Mat. 26.46 mortalls If vve cannot to find this One pearle spare One hovver seing he reioyceth more ouer One sinner that repenteth then ouer ninty Luc. 15.7 nine that neede noe repentance Let therefore all of vs cast our selues dovvne as the prodigall sonne did cry to our heauenly father make vs as one of thy houshould seruants and it sufficeth for vve are not vvorthy to be called thy sonnes Practice 6 The last is of Motion Let it never be sayd of any here I beseech you as Christ sayd to Iudas one of you shall betray me one of you is a diuell Mat. 26.21 but remember the tyme vvill come that tvvo shal be in one bed together one shal be receaued the other left alone Iam. 2.19 If you say that you beleeue that there is one god the diuell doth soe trembleth Hovve farre are you from the faith of deuils but vnlesse you beleeue as the doctrine is that god is one vvith you in the vniō of the spirit most one in himself in deuine essence vvith the father soly Apo. 18.10 vvholy one in his mediation to god for you It vvilbe sayd of you as of Babell alas their iudgment is come in one houre 1. Cor. 15.51 But behold I shevve you a mystery vve shall not all dye but vve shal be changed in a moment for vve liue not in certainty one day one houre one minuit If therefore this one houre be granted vnto you seeke this one in this one houre that you may be one vvith god in him for euer The tenth lesson In the former place vve haue hard his Onenes Novve lett vs see his pearelesnes pretiousnes For Christ is not only one but a pearle also of great price So then the doctrine is this That Christ Iesus our Sauiour is the one only pearle both peareles priceles vvhich vvas giuen as a ransome to redeeme vs from hell 1. Cor. 6.29 The Apostle Paule sayth so speaking indefinitly you are bought vvith a price but the price vvas priceles So Peter also ye are not bought vvith gold or siluer or pretious stones but vvith the bloud of Iesus Christ vvhich is vnvaluable matchles soe sayth my text in the resemblance of the pearle in the Hebraisme of great price The resemblāce very apposite both in Name Nature Generation Quantity Quality Phil. 2.9 For the first a pearle is rare in Name Soe Christ for god hath exalted him highly and giuen him a name aboue euery name Secondly a pearle is illustious in Nature So Christ Thou art fairer then the sonnes of men grace is povvred in thy lips because god hath blessed thee for euer Psal 45.2.7 thou hast loued righteousnes hatest vvickednes because God euen thy god hath anoynted thee vvith oyle of gladnes aboue thy fellovves Thirdly a pearle is maruelous in generation being ingendred of the devve of heauen in the mother of pearle on earth So Christ miraculous in his generation hauing his father in heauen his mother on earth Fourthly a pearle is small litle in quantity So Christ abased himselfe to nothing He like the sunne in the diall of Ahaz that vvas gone dovvne ten degrees backvvards Ioh. 14.28 So he ten degrees beneath his father The father is greater then I. Ten degrees beneath the angells For he made him lovver then the angells Psal 8.5 Ten degrees beneath men I am vvorme noe man yea ten degrees beneath vvormes for a liue doge is better then a dead lion Liuing Barrabas the murtherer acompted better then the dying lord Iesus Lastly pearle is soueraigne in effectuall qualities to cure infirmitys diseases among the people His bloud is a soueraigne antidote Math. 4.23.24 the sinners bathe to cure our burning feauers of incontinencie The feare of the lord is cleane endureth for euer the iudgmēts of the lord are truth they are righteous altogether Psal 19.9 Our phlethorie of pride to become litle children Our lethargie of forgetfulnes Remember thy creator in the dayes of thy youth whiles the euill dayes come not Marc. 10.15 nor the yeares approch vvherein thou shalt say Eccl. 1◠1 I haue noe pleasure in them Our staggers of inconstancie For vve shall not be afraid of euill tidings for our harts vvill be fixed in the lord Psa 112.7 And our apoplexie of coueteousnes For this reall marchant selleth all buyeth it saith this present text Thus you see the sutablenes of the resemblance Secondly this appeareth vnto vs from the Hebraisme vvhich sayth that this one pearle vvas of great price There are three states of singular eminency in the vvorld a preest a prophet a king In all these our Christ is supereminent Illoque TENUS SUPEREMINET OMNES Christ vvas a preest after the order of Melchisedec vvho vvas king of righteousnes for there vvas noe guile found in his mouth King of Salem for he made both one Without father on earth vvithout mother in heauen without begining vvithout ending Who vvas the temple August 4. li. de trin cap. 24. alter the preest the sacrifice him to vvhom it vvas offered A prophet of infallibility a voice from heauen spake it Heare him the soule that doth not heare him must be cut of from the people
of our lord Iesus Christ Of vvhom is named the vvhole familie in heauen in earth That he might graÌ„t you according to the riches of his glory that ye may be strengthned in the inner man by his spirit That Christ may dvvell in your harts by faith that ye being rooted grounded by loue may be able to comprehend vvithall saincts what is the bredth length depth height And to knovve the loue of Christ which passeth knowledge that ye may be filled with all fulnesse of god Vnto him therefore that is able to doe exceeding abundantly aboue all that vve aske or thinke according to the power that worketh in vs be praise in the church by Christ Iesus throvvout all generatioÌ„ for euer Amen The eleuenth lesson Thus you haue hard vvhat is meant by that One pearle of great price in heauen Novve see vvhat is that One pearle of great price on earth which this reall marchant findeth here The former interpreters haue expounded it to our hand shevving that it is Charity The learning then is That Christian Charity is that one only pearle in earth both peareles priceles vvhich is found only among the children of god The light of this appeares most euidently from S. Paules vvords 1. Cor. 12.31 1. Cor. 13. per tout Wherin first S. Paule sayth That he vvould shevve a more excellent vvay in the chapter follovving doth make it demonstrable The Analysis vvhereof is thus breefly First it callengeth the best things Secondly it combateth vvith the vvorst things and Thirdly it conquereth the last things Christian Charity callengeth the best things For angellical euangellicall eloquence vvithout Charity is as sounding brasse or as a tinckling cymball The gift of prophecie all knovvledge all faith yea miraculous faith in comparison of this is nothing Almes deeds martyrdome vvithout Charity profitteth nothing In the second place it combateth vvith the vvorst things In vvrath it suffereth long base couteousnes it caÌ„not endure for it is bountifull it is voyd of spight for it enuies not it is not frovvard for it doth not beast it selfe it is noe sovvlen bladder of pride for it is not puffed vp it is farre from reproach that it vvill doe noe vncomly thing it is so farre from iniury that it seeketh not its ovvne in it is noe bitternes at all for it cannot be provoked to wrath noe surmises of euill for it thinketh none noe vniustice for it reioyceth not in inquity but reioyceth in the truth beleeueth the good hopeth the best endureth all In the third place it conquereth the last things For vvhen the vvorld hath done it shall endure vvhen faith vvhich beleeueth all things of god hope vvhich expecteth all doe cease yet shall Charity vvhervvith vve loue god man endure for all eterinty It is also one Io. 13.34 for it is that one commandement from mount Sion vvhich is the complement of the other ten from mount Sinai vvhich Christ calls the nevve commandement affirmes that it is the marke of his chosen It is also a pearle of perfection for the Christians house vvhich he builds to god hath faith for its foundation vvhere vpon it is grounded hope the vvalls vvhereby it is erected but Charity is the roofe vvhich perfecteth couereth all It is of all price vvhether vve respecte the nearenes of it vnto vs It is not in heauen that thou shouldest say vvho shall goe vp for vs bring it vnto vs that vve may beare it doe it Neither is it beyond the sea that thou shouldest say vvho shall goe ouer the sea bring it vs that vve may heare it doe it But the vvord is very nigh vnto thee in thy mouth in thy hart that thou mayest doe it Or the breefnes The commandement is shortened that euery man might be vnexcusable that noe maÌ„ in the day of iudgmeÌ„t as saith S. Augustine might implead god or complaine that he could not retayne this lesson in his memory Therefore saith that father the vvord is this If yee loue me you vvill loue one another Matâ— 11.30 Or if vve respect the easines of this lesson It is an easie yoke For both old young rich poore vveake and vvhole may performe this duty Or if vve respecte the preâ—iousnes of it It is the bond of perfectioÌ„ yea pretious it is in all dimensions In lenght it endureth euer In breath it is dilated to all to the good of duty to the bad of pitty In deepenes it fayleth neuer it vvill not forsake a frend in misery noe nor in extremity noe not in death it selfe Cant. 8.6.7 For loue is as strong as death ielousie is as cruel as the graue the coales thereof are fierie coales a vehement flame Much vvater cannot quench loue neither can the flouds drovvne it if a man should giue all the substance of his house for loue they vvould greatly contemne it Or in height it is of a noble disposition it loues our frends in the lord our enimies for the lord In a vvord it is pretious in extension In this vvorld universall it doth good to all In the other vvorld it is eternall Pretious in this vvorld for vse for a mans faith is his ovvne proper good but Charity is profitable and vsefull to others In the other vvorld it is pretious for continuance for it endureth to the end in the end after the end vvithout end Ignatius Christs martyr shall conclude vvho saith that faith is the beginning of our Christianity Charity the end best pillovve vvhereon to repose our head at the last gaspe The right of this appeares in the subject of Charity for it svvimmes not in the braine vvith fancifull imaginary opinions but setleth in the hart by deuine and Christian affections It is not conceitfull but truly cordiall In the obiect it is pretious for god is the obiect thereof vvhatsoeuer god vvill haue beloued as men all men yea our enimies for that 's the exaltatioÌ„ thereof Angels saincts Christ himself according to his humane nature vvhereby he doth not disdaine to call vs brethren Lastly in the effects pretious for it bringeth vnto vs the ioy of the spirit peace of our conscience patience mercie bounty the like Practice 1 The vse of this is first of Confutation of the Papists vvho make Charity the forme of faith they argue thus If Charity be greater then Faith hope more pretious for vse continuance as Paule affirmeth Then are vve not iustified by faith only I ansvvere that these conclusions vvill as vvell follovve A king is better then a boore therefore he can till the earth better A man is better then a beast therefore he can runne svvifter then a horse he can carry more then an Elephant Who sees not the absurdities Let Faith haue her prerogatiues It is the cause of gods loue Galat. 5.6 For in Iesus Christ neither circumcision aueileth