our teares that they shoulde not gush out of our soules to water and refresh vs in the middest of our extremitie Matt. 2 Wherefore kil Herode that Christ may liue slay thy sinnes that thy soule may liue If wee liue after the flesh we shal die Gal 5. but if we die to the flesh wee shal liue and Herod being dead Christ wil returne againe into Egypt As Iacob was called Iacob which signifieth a supplanter â—en 3â— before hee was called Israel which is seeing God so wee must first bee Iacob and supplant our sinnes and take them by the heeâ—â— as Iacob did Esau and giue them a fall before wee can be Israelites and see God and be partakers of his kingdome â—od 19 As God gaue commandement to stone the beast which would approch and touch the mountaine so we drawing neere by heauenly meditations to Gods most holy mountaine it is enioined vs to kill the beast our sensuall pleasures and sinfull lusts which are nothing else but beastly Wherefore poure out thy heart like water We must repent our selues of all our sinnes Lament 2 as Hieremy exhorteth thee before the face of God like water not like honie oyle or wine If any other liquour beside water bee poured out of a vessell somewhat of the liquour will hang vnto the sides or remaine in the bottome especiallie clammy and limie substance as oyle and honey or at the least the sauour of that liquour is still retained and remaineth in the cup if both these faile yet will the glasse vessell or cup draw vnto it the outward colour of that liquor as it were wholie altered and changed into that colour But water doth none of these for it runneth out clearely it leaueth neither substance colour or sauour at all behind it Therefore we must as the Prophet warneth poure forth our spirits like water as to our power we may leaue no remainder no dregs no substance no shewe of sinne behind vs but poure it out al out of the vessels of our hearts Wherefore as God commanded Saul to destroy Amalech and to reserue no creature aliue 1. Sam 15 neither sheepe or oxen or any other thing Rom. 6. so God commandeth vs vtterly that we doe abolish the whole body of sinne that no part of sinne bee kept aliue in vs. When as the Israelites were vnder Pharao his bondage Exod. 10 and when as Israell was to sacrifice vnto the Lorde Pharao spake thus vnto Moses and to Aaron Go sacrifice vnto the Lord only let your sheep and cattel remaine Hee would haue a pledge and assurance of their returne and so would the Diuell haue of his captiues whome hee holdeth in there sinne when they should depart from their sinne by true repentance and returne vnto GOD. Hee would haue some sinne that wee shoulde not repent of that we may leaue as a pawne in his hande of our comming againe But aunswere thou the Diuell as Moses and Aaron did aunswere Pharao All our Cattell shall goe with vs their shall not remaine a hoofe behinde vs there shal no sinne tarrie behinde vs all shall be slaine and vtterly destroied As the Angell when he deliuered Peter out of prison Act. 1â— hee willed him to girde himselfe and to binde on his sandales not to leaue them behind him least hee should bee mooued to retire againe for them so wee going out of the prison of sinne let vs not leaue anie sinne behinde which maie cause vs to returne and may drawe vs backe after it Leuit. 8 The Bullocke that was slaine by Aaron the priest for a sinne offering was not onelie sacrificed but also all the fatte that was vppon the inwardes the kall of the liuer and the two kidneyes with their fatte were burnt vppon the altar yea the Hyde the flesh the doung was burnt with fire without the hoast as the Lord had commaunded Moses So wee for our attonement must offer this sinne offering wee must burne with fire and consume all our sinnes the very doung and excrements must be done away there must bee nothing left We must serue sin as the altars of idolatry Deut. 7 which God commanded should be throwne downe and crushed in peeces Our sinnes which we haue worshipped must be serued as the Calfe which the Israelites adored Moses grinded it to powder and gaue it to the people of Israel to drinke that so hee might be sure nothing should remaine of it But this tractate of true repentaunce Obiection will seeme needlesse to some to whome repentance it selfe seemeth needles For there be those who think that it needeth not or booteth not to repent themselues of that which cannot bee helped to bee sorrowfull for that which cannot bee called backe sinnes that are done cannot bee vndone and therefore it is in vaine to bee sorrowfull for them This is a lewd and vngodly obiection and the argument most weake Trewe it is Answere that euill deedes and actions committed cannot bee reuersed yet are they not so paste as if nothing remained present for the memorie the remorse the guilt of them remaineth It was sometime tolde a Philosopher that he ought not to mourne for his dead son because there was no remedie all the sorrowe and lamentation that he made could not reuiue him but the Philosopher answered that therefore hee had iust cause of lamenting because it coulde not bee otherwise so ought the godly to grieue that they haue sinned and also because it could not be otherwise Obiection Othersome there be who when as they see that of their sinne there hath come good as God out of euill thinges can bring good thinges to passe they thinke this kind of sinne hath a priuiledge and protection and that it is not to bee repented of of vs. Shall we repent our selues say they of that which hath done vs so much good nay let vs rather bee glad of it and reioice There was a religious woman by profession who hauing had two base children being willed by hir confessour in time to bee sorrowfull for this loose and lewde behauiour she answered that there was no reason of that for as much as those children proued so good men the one beeing the great schooleman Gratian and the other Peter Lombarde the maister of the Sentences she rather wished that she had more such children shee was so far from sorrowing for those which she already had Answere But this conceite is as idle as the former and hath no reason in it The Apostle setteth it down as a flat conclusion and Canon in diuinitie that we must not sinne that good may come of it Shall we sinne then saith he that grace may abound Rom. 6 Nay God forbid How shall wee that are dead to sinne liue yet therein Wherefore let vs who are burdened with our sinnes come before God in a godlie sorrowe for them that he might ease vs of them Let the straie sheepe returne vnto his shepheard the sicke
for the meate that perisheth Iohn 6 but for the meate which endureth vnto euerlasting life Heb. 11 And couet thou with Moses rather to suffer aduersitie with the people of god then to inioy the pleasures of sinne for a season We are born weeping and we shall die sorrowing and woulde we liue reioycing More sorrow then ioy doth that father taste of A similitude who in one and the selfe same day seeth his sonne both to be borne and buried and to haue no continuance The prodigal sonne spilt his goods like water that runneth apace it melted like wax before the heat of the fire it was no sooner gathered but it was scattered what ioy then could he haue therin when as coÌ„fort lasted but the twinkling of an eie but sorows endured for a loÌ„g season Wherfore for asmuch as this is our condition we are soon depriued of the grace of God our portion in this worlde lasteth not with vs The mirth of tabrets resteth Esai 24 the noyce of them that reioice endeth the ioy of the harp ceaseth 1. Cor. 9 Let vs vse this world as though we vsed it not vsing worldlie substaunce as wee vse oares to rowe with A similitude which wee vse to lay aside when wee come to land and as stanes in our hands whilst we trauaile by the way laying them away at our iourneyes ende The ninth Chapter Of the maner howe the prodigall sonne lauished out his portion vnder which the damnable effectes of whordom and riotous liuing are displaied THis ding thrift not only spent but mispent his portion he deuoured it with whores as it is in the clause and riotously concocted it as it is inserted in the beginning of the history It had beene well with him if hee had sustained but a temporall losse and had not lost God as well as his gold But running ouer the shooes he rested not till he was ouer the eares Beeing once impudent he grew past grace being fallen into Châ—ribdes hee desperately plunged himselfe into Scylla the merciles gulfe of perdition and destruction Oh how is it to be wished and feruently prayed for that worldlings who go spoiled of their riches to the graue might not goe spoiled of all vertue into hell Hee is taxed principallie for two grosse sinnes Whoredom and Ryot the very froath and fome of all sinne Hee liued riotously and the story sheweth how euen by lashing it on vppon harlots and knaues and inordinate companions And such mates such kind of men alwaies doe cull out For like will to like as it is in the olde prouerbe Such as are wantonly cockered from their cradles and are suffered to liued â—sely without awe or gouernment as they growe in yeares so will they grow in wantonnesse they will be then conso ted with none but wanton companions In that the story saith that he liuâ—d in ryotousnes Ryotousnes and Whordom the cause of all sinne it is as much as if it had saâ—â— that he liued in al wickednes For what wickedâ—es doth ryotousnesse omit or what mischiefe doth it not â—ommit It mispendeth all the giftes and graces of God in must fearful maner there is no grace of God to be found in such who wallowe in the mire and puddle of this sinne The Doue going out of the Arke of Noah Genes 8. finding no place for the sole of hir foote but vncleane carcasses would not rest there Math. 3 but returned to the Arke so the holy spirit of God who descended like a Doue willing to remaine and dwell in our hurts if he findeth them polluted with this carrion which is all abhomination it will sâ—e away from vs and not abide with vs. As the nature of Dones is to delight in cleane houses so the nature of Gods spirit is to delight in clean soules Aspicis vt veniant ad candida tecta columbâ—e Ouidius Accipiet nullas sordida turris aues This fire of the flesh is the fire of hell Note thâ— saying our ryotous diet gluttony and drunkennes are the coales that kindle it the flame therof is filthines the ashes vncleannes the smoake infamy the end of it a torment to the soule a destruction to the bodie a shortning of our life the corruption of good manners and an absolute transgression of the whole law of God Let one fire therefore put out another for the greater fire doth ouercome the lesser Ouercome this lesser fire which burneth in thy bodie by setting before thine eies the greater fire of hell which vtterlie shall burne thy body and thy soule Hee that keepeth not himselfe from this fire in earth shall bee sure to burne in the other fire in Hell for the Apostle hath flatâ—e concluded it That they that doe such things shall not inherit the kingdome of God The grieuousnesse of this sinne may be iudged of sufficiently by the grieuousnes of the punishment The grieuous punishment of whoredom Aug. lib. 2. â—ont Donaâ—stas which God at al times hath inflicted vpon it Hereupon saith saint Augustin Quis dubitauerit hoc esse sceleratius commissum quod est grauius vindicatuÌ„ Who doth doubt that that is hainously committed which is of the Lord so seuerely punished â—â—n 7 â—â—n 1â— For Ryot and Whoredome the Lord ouerwhelmed the first world with water and Sodome and Gomorrha and the cities round about he burnt vp with fire â—â—n 38 â—â—n 3â— He did smite Onah with suddaine death he wasted and destroied the city of the Sichemites and almost vtterly extinguished and raced out the whole tribe of Beniamin â—â—g 20. â—â—m â—3 â—in 11. â—â—g 16. 〈◊〉 13 This brought Ammon vntimely to his death Salomon to idolatry Samson to his blindnesse the aduersaries of Susanna to their iust destruction 2. Sam. 12 Num. 25 and Dauid Gods seruaunt vnto manifolde afflictions This caused a miserable massacre among the Israelites for by reason of this sinne three and twenty thousande soules were murdered without mercie and did fall in one day Nay further what may we thinke of this sinne which hath beene thus punished when as diuerse others verie grieuous sinnes haue escaped vnpunished Howe manie sinnes vngraciously committed in Christes sacred societie by his domesticall disciples did hee mercifullie remit and doe we reade how Ryot or Whoredom hath beene tolerated in any of them Incredulity is a foule fault Iob 20 yet Thomas Didymus was stained with this blot and al the disciples were tainted with this Mark 16 whome Christ doth vpbraide because of their vnbeliefe Ambition and Pride is a venemous Viper and doth more mischiefe then any man canne deuine Yet the two brethren Iames and Iohn swelled therewith Matth. 20 and the other tâ—nne were not a little blown and puffed vp with disdaine Finallie at the Passeouer and last supper what a broile Luke 22 and bitter brawle did breede among them about the primacie whilest each of them did striue for
preferment aboue others and communed contentiously which should be the greatest in the kingdom of heauen Malice Luke â— and sugred desire of reuenge is a maine mischiefe yet two of the Apostles were fiercely set vpon it and much misled with it when in their implacable and inexorable stomacks they called for a iudgement against the Samaritanes and would haue made Christ the patterne of their peeuishnes desiring his authority to command fire from heauen to burne vp his aduersaries Entry is a fretâ—ing and furious euill yet one of Christ his houshold was diseased therewith For Iohn did enuie it and seeme it very much that a man that was not one of their companie shoulde haue the liberty to vse Christes commâ—ssion and to practise in his name Maister saith hee to our Sauiour Christ we sawe one casting out deuils in thy name â—â—ke 5 and we forbaâ— him because hâ— followeth thee not with vs. Whaâ— shall I say of couetousnesse the root of â—ll euill with which his houshoulde disciple Iudâ— was mightilie bewiâ—ched 〈…〉 For he was a thiefe 〈◊〉 caried the bag Last of al apostasie and defection from the faÌ„â—â—â— and the open abiuration of a knowne truth is a sin exceeding dangerous yet Peter fâ—ll into it and at the voice of a damsell exceedingly raned and with bitter cursing periurie and banning did denie his maister Thus haue we laid open the nakednesse of the disciples and blowne ope their skirtes and haue noted such defectes which the scriptures giue vnto them which are odious and horrible yet find we none branded with this note of ryotousnesse or dodded in the face with the black coale of vncleannesse Reuel 21 For no vncleane thing shall enter saith saint Iohn into the kingdom of heauen The nature of this sinne differeth from al sinnes The difference of whordom from other sinnes for other sinnes only do â—â—ght against the soule but this sâ—â—ne sighteth against the whole man the body and the soule it admitteth no boies play to bar any 〈◊〉 Sâ—â—h as are giuen and deuoted to this sinne are bâ—â—â—sh and beastlie Psal 30 they are like as Dauid saâ—â—◠〈◊〉 the Horse and Mule without vnderstandâ—ng 〈◊〉 thine eyes therefore from beholding this 〈◊〉 it is vnlawfull for thee to see that which is vnlawfull for thee to desire Hier 9 Death entreth saieth Hieremy by the windowes of thine eies the eyes do shoot the arrow that doth wound thy hart Withstande thou therefore this temptation and auoide it let it not scale the walles and fortresse of thy heart for then will it raigne in thy mortall body Extinguish and put out this fire of concupiscence with a fountaine of teares There are fewe who are not in vouch or in age inticed to this sinne Be aduised therefore by the wisdome of Salomon who prescribeth this counsaile in elegant wise Say vnto wisdome thou art my sister Prou. 7 and call vnderstanding thy kinswoman that they may keepe thee from the strange woman euen from the stranger that is smooth in hir wordes Verse 25. Let not thine hart decline to h r pathes wander thou not in hir waâ—eâ— For she hath caused many to fall downe wounded the strong men are al slaine by hir hir house is the way vnto the graue which goeth downe to the chambers of death Now this temptation must bee subdued by eschewing and auoiding it We are not to wrastle against this sinne but to auoide it Other sinnes are vanquished as it were with force of armes by fighting against them but there is no wrestling and striuing against this enemie but wee must turne our backes and runne away from him Come not neere pitch least thou bee defiled with it this sinne will defile thee if thou commest anie thing neere it A similitude It is no credite for thee neither is it meet to wrastle and gripple in the field with him who hath wallowed in the mire and is all be smeared and dawbed with dirte for thou canst not choose but be berayed by his filth howsoeuer otherwise thou shouldest cast him to the grounde What king will not chuse to goe to warre abroade against the face of the enemy A similitude when he knoweth he hath false harted subiects at home wee nourish sinnes as traytors in our owne bosomes and wee carrie them about vs. The skirmish therefore and conflict will bee daungerous if wee fight at home let vs therefore goe abroade from our inwarde affections and then the victorie and conquest may bee ours Iudg. 4 Trust thou not in any case the wife of Heber for shee wil beguile thee shee will offer thee creame out of a Lordly dish but like a tyrant with a hammer shee will naile thee to the ground Thou hast many flatterers attending vpon thee who like Achabs courtiers wil daungerously deceiue thee If thou doest trust vnto such false prophets thou shalt with the Prophet sent to Ieroboam be eaten of a lyon and be deuoured whilest there is none to helpe thee 1. King 22 1. King 13 Run away therfore with a swift foot from this sin which is like a Crocodile who wil destroy thee if he seeth thee first The tenth Chapter The daunger that commeth by euill company expressed by the danger that the prodigall Sonne fell into WHereas the spirit speaketh euidentlie that ryotousnesse was the ruine and downfal of this man and that his ryotousnes consisted in the vaine bad company with whom he did conuerse with whom and among whom he deuoured his substance and consumed his inheritance not onely a fit but a necessarie exhortation from hence doth arise to auoid such companions by whome we may fal into the like calamitie Hee is an vnwise man who seeing his neighbours house on fire before his eyes A similitud will not in due time take heede vnto his owne Other mens daungers are faire warnings vnto vs and do plainlie teach vs if we will incur no such iudgementes to preuente such occasions as vsuallie doe enforce them As the company of vilde persons did worke this mans woe so will they bee like wise our bane and coâ—â—â—â—on if we follow them in their counsailes They are worser then theeues Euil coÌ„pany worser then thieues for they do but touch those things that are temporal they rob thee but of thy purse or at the extremity doe depriue thee of this life but these doe bereaue thee of graces spirituall they corrupt thy manners and not onely with not shorten thy mortall life More infectious then the plague but with many prouocations and allurements vnto sinne do depriue thee vtterly of thy eternall life both in body and in soule Vngracious companions doe infect more perniciouslie and contagiouslie then the plague For as a little sparke kindleth a great fire a little leauen sowreth much dowe so set thou an vngodly man in the midst of vs and let Sathan stande at his right hand he will kindle a fire
sanctifie them and that was the cause it came speedilie on them 〈◊〉 â—1 The Prophet Esaie declaring the office of Christ in preaching the Gospell sheweth that the subiect of this preaching is to publish Gods readinesse to pardon sinners and his vnwillingnes to take iudgement of them And to make proofe thereof hee compareth them together and maketh his clemencie to be far greater and of longer continuance towardes vs then his iustice For hee restraineth his vengeance and limiteth it to a daie but hee extendeth his mercie infinitelie beyonde it giuing a continuance of time vnto it the space of a yeere For thus the spirit speaketh Isai 54 To preach the acceptable yeere of the Lord and the daie of vengeance of our God The same Prophet in an other place confirmeth the same doctrin most comfortablie vnto vs when in the person of God himselfe hee saith A little while haue I forsaken thee but with great compassion will I gather thee for a moment in mine anger I hid my face from thee for a little season but with euerlasting mercy haue I had compassion on thee saith the Lord thy redeemer The due regard hereof breedeth no admiration but it tendeth exceedinglie to our consolation for this is natural and proper vnto God to be gracious and mercifull it is a strange worke to him as the scriptures say of him to punish and shewe vengeance A similitudâ— Euen as a Painter when he hath elaboratelie finished a picture if so be he be constrained in regard of some faultes which he findeth in it vtterlie to blot out and deface all his worke hee is much grieued for it so when God seeth manie defaults and blemishes in vs who are his workmanship engrauen image vpon whome he hath bestowed such exceeding cost as varnishing vs and adorning vs with liuely colours which must be reformed for which cause he must marre that he hath made and begin his worke anew it cannot but bee grieuous and troublesome vnto him A similitude If thou wouldest place a stone of great waight vppon the roofe of thine house thou hast neede of pullies cables for to reare it but if thou wouldst throw it to the ground thou needest doe nothing but let it fall from thee for it will fall of his accord vnto the grounde for naturallie heauie things doe tend downeward as those that are light do ascend vpwarde It is as naturall with God to shewe mercie to a sinner as it is for a stone that is heauie to fall downewarde for the Sunne to shine for the fire to burne or anie other thing to performe his nature Wherefore thou readest euerie where in the historie of Christ of innumerable mercies which hee shewed vnto many but thou readest not of his punishments inflicted vpon any but only at one time when hee made him a whip â—n 2 and chased out of the temple such impure copesmates as had too abhominably prophaned the temple Was there euer any that intreated his mercy and did not obtaine it He healed graciously Malchus his eare â—â—ke 21 his professed and sworn enemie then one of the furious bloud thirsty souldiours who combined together intending his destruction The murmuring Israelites exasperated the Lord exceedingly against them when as the spies returning from Chanaan their tidings displeased them for they so mutinously muttered against God as they were threatned of him that they should not possesse the inheritance promised them or enter into the lande Yet after that when the people were in armes and prepared vnto battell in the middest of iudgement the Lorde could not vtterlie forget mercie hee is so naturallie disposed to bee mercifull and therefore both in anger and loue hee saieth vnto them Doe not ascende vp Num. 14 for I am not with you least yee fall before your enemies If he had not been with them he would not so graciouslie and louinglie haue warned them that they should not go vp but would haue suffered them to fall vpon the sword and bee a pray vnto their enemies Againe if so be he had beene with them and had not been angry with them he would not haue said so directly vnto them I am not with you He was with them and was not with them He was not with them that they should haue the conquest he was with them that they should not be conquered If the Lord be thus mercifull when men are so sinful it is thereby manifest that hee is soone satisfied The foure beasts which Ezechiel did see in a vision had the faces of a Lion Ezech. 1 also of a man in the right side to signifie vnto vs that as he looketh like a lion vpon a sinner that cannot repent vtterlie to destroy him whilest there is none to helpe him so when a sinner returneth from his sinnes and turneth vnto him he hath the louing and kinde face of a man and intreateth him familiarlie and kindlie as a man This father could not be more forwarde in fauor towardes this his lost sonne then to looke out after him and to cast his eyes about to espie where hee might see him and when he had happily seene him a far off to hic out vnto him to embrace him to fall on his neck and kisse him Al these are good notes of good nature and affections but when they do paâ—ley and talke together the zeale is admirable which he expresseth towards him For he is so soon pleased as no sooner the sonne beginneth to speak but the bowels of the father are so presentlie mooued as hee suffereth him not to vtter all he meditated for before he could come to this clause of his set speech Make me one of thy hired seruauntes the father interrupteth him and breaketh off his speech preuenting him graciouslie with his blessings of goodnes and granting infinitly more then he desired Thy God as so reaâ—â—e to shew â—is sinner â—h mercy The father in great wisedome vsed this great speede because his sonnes estate and neede so required it For when as a sinner through anguish of sinne is in extremity as this sinner was hee hath neede of present comfort to preuent despaire and ready encouragement to allaie the rage and furie of his passions which otherwise woulde bee verie dangerous vnto him For this cause God vseth no delay with such but immediatly vpon the forgiuenes of sinnes hee giueth therewithall the riches of his grace there is no time betwixt them but they come both together The remission of sin and the giftes of grace come together Before we can recouer our bodily health after a great sicknesse it is a long time by little and little and by degrees we leisâ—râ—ly attaine it for the body is not of that moment as the soule therefore there is no such vrgent necessitie of the present health of it for by lingering and time it may do wel enough It is otherwise with the soule which woulde languish with griefe
him he declareth his entire loue vnto him for a kisse among men A kisse a token of loue among men hath alwaies gone currant for a pledge and pawne of kindnesse which is professed by it For because by our mouthes we do drawe our spirits and thereby doe vnfolde the secrets of our hearts and do vtter our thoughts by the outward ioining together of our mouthes wee doe promise an agreement and coniunction of hearts Gene. 45 Hence it is that Ioseph when he opened and reuealed himselfe vnto his brethren and would poure out his loue in the greatest measure vpon them among other notes and tokens thereof hee affectionatly fel vpon their necks and kissed them Luke 7 Mary Magdalen the sinner when shee was conuerted to testifie her loue which shee did beare to Christ shee did cast downe hir selfe at the feete of Christ and most humbly kissed them Matt. 26 When Iudas the traitour studied with himselfe what course might be the best to bring Christ vnto his death he could not deuise a more subtil shift thē vnder a kisse a pretence of kindnesse to couer his villany Cant. 1 When as the church in the Canticles sueth to her spouse to shew his loue vnto hir she intreateth her husband Christ that he would bee so fauourable as for to kisse her with the kisses of his mouth that is that hee would manifest and declare his affections by manefest and good tokens The father therefore protesteth all loue and good wil vnto his son and as a seale and confirmation of it he bindeth and sealeth it vp with a kisse so as now he may fully satisfie himselfe and make no doubt of it That which is here typically shrowded and shadowed vnder a parable is plainly and substantially in euery one of vs verified For this is gods behauior towardes vs his lost children whome vpon our returne he generally kisseth For doth not he most manifestly shewe his loue towardes vs as if he should kisse vs when as his lips are so ful of grace as he thus affectionately and graciously greeteth vs As I liue Ezech. 1◠I will not the death of a sinner but rather that hee doth returne and liue This is to be esteemed as the kindest most comfortable kisse that may be giuen vnto vs of the like sort is this comfort Iohn 3. So God loued the worlde as hee gaue his only begotten son that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting And this This is my beloued sonne Matt. 3 in whome I am well pleased heare him As the father thus kisseth vs so doth the sonne that we might kisse him Psal 2 least he be angry with vs. Who doth not wonder at these gracious wordes which proceede from his mouth appertaining vnto all Matth. 1◠Come vnto me all ye that labour and are heauy loaden and I will ease you To the same purpose serue the Sacraments of the church which are seuerall sweete kisses and as it were the earnest peny to confirme the couenant that God bath made vnto vs. And truly he ioineth himselfe closely vnto vs and streightly embraceth vs and as it were kisseth vs when as by baptisme hee doth receiue vs into the lap of the church incorporateth vs into his holy congregation maketh vs the mysticall body of his sonne espousing vs vnto him and with him intituling vs vnto his blessed inheritance purchased by his bloud in the kingdome of heauen The like he doth by the mystical supper by which we are instructed that hee is the same who kisseth and cherisheth vs as sustaining vs with his blessed bodie and bloud which he gaue and shed for vs to saue and preserue vs both bodies and soules vnto eternall life To these may be numbred all his kinds of benefits which are inestimable and vnspeakeable of which there is no end by all which he imbraceth vs with the armes of mercy and kisseth vs with the kisses of his mouth It is our duty in regard of this to shew loue to him who hath so loued vs yea who hath loued vs when as we loued not him who whilest we were enemies hath vouchsafed to die for vs. Let his kisses therefore kindle our affections and drawe vs on to kisse him againe who is our loue our doue our beloued our bridegroom our sauior But how may we iustly be ashamed of our selues that wee haue forsaken our own spouse haue cōmitted filthines with strāge flesh we haue wrought folly in Israel and haue cōmitted fornication with the baude of Babilon 〈…〉 who with her craft hath caused vs to yeeld and with hir flattering lips hath enticed vs The whore of Rome hath bewitched our heartes and hir painted face hath rauished our affections But take wee in time the aduise of sage Salomon and let vs prudently follow it 〈…〉 Heare me now therefore O children and harken vnto the words of my mouth Let not thine hart decline to her waies wander thou not in her paths for she hath caused manie to fall down wounded and the strong men are all slaine by her Hir house is the way vnto the graue which goeth downe vnto the chambers of death The fift Chapter Of the Roiall robe giuen by the father vnto the prodigal sonne when he was in presence WE haue hitherto discussed diuers main pointes of rare and strange fauour shewed by the father to his sonne a far off and somewhat we haue spoken of his gestures and actions of loue towards him when he drew nigh vnto him but now far greater remain to be intreated of admirably expressed when hee was in presence with him Now had he fit time and iustice required it and his sonnes sinnes deserued it that he should rip vp vnto him his defaults past and cal to his remēbrance the offences of his youth to call him to account of the time mispent and to lay open the booke of conscience before him Some seuere father if he had such a sonne would haue ratled him roundly and woulde haue either constrained himselfe to seeme inexorable or otherwise would not haue accepted of him but vpon cōditions of amendment of maners of an absolute obedience afterwards But this father is so fatherlie and ful of fauor as he cannot giue himselfe to rigor and austerity but assoone as he seeth him his loue is set on fire and burneth towards him so as the coles that follow are kindled at it for assoone as he hath him he most courteously enteraineth him graciously greeteth him with all louing kindnes Hee suffereth him not to conclude his speech though he knew wel enough that he had not much to speake He should haue spoken on and saide as hee purposed Make mee one of thy hired seruants but the father interrupteth him by his hasty calling to his seruants for him giuing more then hee himselfe would haue requested or his mind conceiued For immediatly while the words were in his mouth