almes to the poore thy counsell to the simple thy inheritance to thy children thy tribute to Caesar but thy heart to God he which is a spirite requires the spirite and delights to dwell in the hearts of men Here God plants himself as in a castle which is alwayes besieged with the world the flesh and the diuell If the enemie get a thought or a word or a worke yet he hath but razed the walles but if he take the heart then the fortresse is lost For that time all our thoughts words and works are captiue vnto him he bids them go and they go do and they do it That man is like Esau which had an inheritance which had a heart but now he hath not possession of his owne therfore giue God thy heart that he may keepe it not a peece of thy heart not a roome in thy heart but thy heart The heart diuided dieth God is not like the mother which would haue the child diuided but like the naturall mother which said rather then it should be diuided let her take all Let the diuell haue all if he which gaue it bee not worthie of it God hath no copesmate therefore he will haue no parting of stakes but all or none and therefore hee which askes heere thy heart in the sixt of Deuteronomie and the fift verse askes all thy heart all thy soule all thy strength thrise he requireth all least we should keepe a thought behind yet it is thy heart that is a vayne heart a barren heart a sinfull heart vntil thou giue it vnto God and then it is the spouse of Christ the temple of the holy Ghost and the image of God so changed and formed and refined that God calls it a new heart Some haue a double heart as it is in the twelfth Psalme but God acknowledgeth but one heart saying Giue me thy heart not giue thy hearts declaring that a single heart is pleasing vnto him and that they which haue a double heart a heart and a heart haue neuer a good heart God doth not require the heart as though he required no more but the heart like the Pope which saith Giue my thy heart and it sufficeth To maintaine his Papists pendant and crouehant which liue among Christians he requireth nothing of such but their heart that they may worship God with their lips and dissemble their religion and forsweare their opinion and come to sermons and subscribe to other lawes and seeme Protestants as the diuell licenseth witches to seeme Christians so they giue him their heart he dispenceth with them to dissemble and giue the rest as they list but God requireth the heart because we should not dissemble for in the twelfth to the Romanes he commandeth the bodie too Offer vp your bodies which we can not do vnlesse we giue heart and hand and tongue and eyes and eares and all for the bodie is all but the heart is chiefe in request because if there be anie goodnesse it lyes in the heart because he which giues the heart giues all for out of the abundance of the hart the mouth speaketh the hand worketh the eye looketh the eare listeneth the foote walketh to good or euill Therefore there is such strife for the heart as there was for Moses bodie Giue it mee saith the Lord giue it me saith the Tempter giue it me saith the Pope giue it me saith riches giue it me saith pleasure as though thou must needes giue it now here is the choyce whether thou wilt giue it to God or the diuell Gods heart or the diuels heart whose wilt thou be Thus doth man hang in a ballance like a yong virgin which hath manie sutors some she fancieth for parentage some for personage some for friends some for wealth some for wit some for vertue and after all chooseth the worst of all so the heart hath so many suters besides God that sometime she marrieth with one sometimes with another the world keeps her the flesh keeps her the deuil keeps her which haue no more interest in her than Herod to his sister but seeke her spoile like them which marrie for riches are glad when one dies that another may come These suters are like Absolon which did not seeke the hearts of the people like Dauid but stole them with flatterie and lies but God would haue thee giue thy heart As a man considers what he doth when he giues so God licenseth vs to consider of that which we do for him whether he deserues it whether we owe it whether he can requite it lest it should come against our will therefore giue me saith God as though he would not straine vpon vs or take from vs but if thou wilt giue him thy heart then he accepts it it must come freely like a gift as his blessings come to vs and then his demaund is graunted Here is no respect of time how long thou maist stay it or how long he wil keepe it but giue it is the present time as though he wold haue it out of hand while hee askes before ye goe out of the Church for what can we aske of him while we denye him but one thing when he askes of vs therefore consider who is a sutor to you Now I am a Collector for God to gather hearts either you must grant him or denie him thinke who shall loose by it if thou wilt not pay thy Land-lord his rent How many subiectes would reioyce if they had any thing to giue to their prince pray her to accept it and be glad if she would take it that they might but say I haue giuen a present to the Queene So Mary reioyced that shee had a little Oyle to sprincke vpon Christ that shee would take no mony for it yea the widdow of Zareptah was so ioyfull that she had a little food for the Prophet that she spared it from her children and her selfe to serue him first so they which loue the Lord like his disciple which left all to follow him had rather that he should haue their riches their honors their hearts and their liues then they themselues Why is Dauid called a man after Gods owne heart but because when God said Giue me thy heart his spirite answered like an Eccho I giue thee my heart Is God so desirous of my heart what good can my heart doo to God It is not woorthie to come vnder his roofe I would I had a better gift to send vnto my Lorde goe my heart to thy Maker the Bridegroome hath sent for thee put on thy wedding garment for the King himselfe will marrie thee Who is not sorrie now that hee did not giue his heart before Is hee not worthie to die which will take his heart from him that made it from him which redeemed it from him which preserues it from him which will glorifie it to giue it vnto him which will
not in heart but in countenance a false comfort like our false worship for he which giueth God his lips in stead of his hart teacheth God to giue him stones in stead of bread that is a shadow of comfort for comfort it selfe Now whē we haue giuen God faire words and long prayers and solemne fastes and mourning countenances hee puts in but a word more to fill vp the Sacrifice Giue me thy heart and it sufficeth It is like the last sute of Abraham when he said to God I will speake but this once so if thou wilt heare him in this he will aske no more therefore nowe conclude whether God shall haue thy heart or nothing if thou consider what right he hath to aske it and what cause thou hast to giue it thou canst not keepe it till I ende my Sermon Of all the suters which come vnto you it seemes there is none which hath anie title to claime the heart but God which challengeth it by the name of a sonne as if he should say thou shalt giue it to thy Father which gaue it to thee art thou my sonne My sonnes giue me their hearts and by this they know that I am their father if I dwell in their hearts for the heart is the temple of God therefore if thou bee his sonne thou wilt giue him thy heart because thy Father desires it thy Maker desires it thy Redeemer desires it thy Sauiour desires it thy Lord thy King thy master desires it which hath giuen his Sonne for a ransome his Spirite for a pledge his Word for a guide the World for a walke and reserues a kingdom for thine inheritance Canst thou denie him anie thing which hath giuen the heire for the seruant his beloued for his enemie the best for the worst Canst thou denie him anie thing whose goodnesse created vs whose fauour elected vs whose mercie redeemed vs whose wisedome conuerteth vs whose grace preserueth vs whose glorie shall glorifie vs O if thou knewest as Christ said to the womā of Samaria when she huckt to giue him water if thou knewest who it is which saith vnto thee Giue me thy heart thou wouldest say vnto him as Peter did when Christ would wash his feete Lord not my feet onely but my hands and my head not my heart onely but all my bodie and my thoughts my words and my works and my goods and my life take all that thou hast giuen For why should we not giue him our hearts aswell as our lippes vnlesse we meane to deceiue him with words for deeds If Abraham gaue Lot leaue to chuse what part he did like shall we not giue God leaue to chuse that which he loueth If he did not loue thee he would not require thy heart for they which loue require the heart The Maister requires labour the Landlord requires seruice the Captaine requires fight but he that requires the heart requires it for loue for the heart is loue We will giue him litle if we will not giue him that which he askes for loue toward our selues though he say Giue it yet indeed he hath bought it and that deerely with the deerest blood that euer was shed He gaue thee his heart before he desired thy heart but a heart for a heart a liuing heart for a heart which died thou doest not lose thy life as he did for thee but thou bestowest thy life to glorifie him thou dost not part from thy hart when thou giuest it but he doth keepe it for thee lest the Serpent should steale it from thee as he stole Paradise from Adam when it was in his owne custodie He can keepe it better than we and he will keepe it if wee commit it to him and lay it in a bed of peace and lap it with ioy and none shall take it out of his hands Therefore if ye aske me why you should giue your hearts to God I doe not answer like the disciples which went for the Asse and the Colt The Lord hath neede but we haue neede for vnlesse we giue our soules how can he haue them and vnlesse he haue them how can he saue them Therefore we haue neede If euer the saying were true It is more blessed to giue than take more blessed are they which doe giue their hearts to God than they which take possession of the world Abigail did not gaine so much by her gift to Dauid as we for our gift to God for she was married vnto Dauid but wee are married vnto Christ of whom the Church dooth sing in the fift of Canticles that no welbeloued is like her beloued what heart would not bee loued of him though it do not loue him VVho can assoyle this riddle VVe would haue Christ our bridegroome and yet we will not be his spouse I would haue him take my heart and yet I will not giue it How should he keepe it or saue it or glorifie it if I hide it away like the seruant that buried his talent in the earth So much as I keepe from God so much I keepe from heauen and wil not suffer him to glorifie it as if I did wish one part to be saued and another damned He which would haue his heart sanctified and comforted and enlightned and wil not giue it to God which should do it is like a woman which would haue her dough leauened and layeth her dough in one place and the leauen in another where one cannot touch the other then commeth the tempter and takes them asunder and seazeth vpon the heart because he findes her alone This is his seed time now he enters into it fils it with his poyson till the temple of God be the sinke of sin the heart which should be the seat of holinesse grace and wisedome a heart of pride a heart of enuy a heart of lust more like a belly than a heart how many things lodge in the heart when God is not there It is a world to thinke how the diuine soule which descended from heauen to bring forth fruit is become a fit soil for euery weed whereby wee may see what hearts wee haue before we giue them to God Therefore now aske your hearts whose they are and how they are moued with these wordes how many here will giue to this collection whose hart is gone vp vnto him since I began to speake Here one and there one runnes vp the ladder like the Angels that Iacob saw in his dreames and sing with Dauid My heart is prepared my heart is prepared and why not thou as well as he Doth not he send for all alike Wilt thou be the thorne or the stone or the high way where the seede dooth loose his fruite Why hadst thou rather bee compelled than inuited since thou art called to a banket How many hearts mo might we drawe to God if all that be here would go to him
chuse one that loueth prowes if thou must liue by thy labor chuse one that loueth husbandrie for vnlesse her mind stand with thy vocation thou shalt neither enioy thy wife nor thy calling That other word in 2. Cor. 6. 14. is Yoke there Mariage is called a Yoke Paul sayth Be not vnequally yoked If mariage be a yoke then they which draw in it must be fit like two oxen which draw the yoke together or else all the burthen will lie vpon one Therefore they are called yokefellows too to shew that they which draw this yoke must be fellowes As hee which soweth seed chuseth a fit ground because they say it is good grafting vpon a good stocke so he which will haue godly children must chuse a godly wife for like mother saith Ezechiel like daughter Now as the traueller hath markes in his way that he may proceed aright so the suiter hath markes in his way that he may chuse right There be certaine signes of this fitnes and godlines both in the mā and in the woman If thou wilt know a godlie man or a godlie woman thou must marke fiue things the report the lookes the speech the apparell and the companions which are like the pulses that shew whether we be well or ill The report because as the market goes so they saie the market men wil talke A good man commonlie hath a good name because a good name is one of the blessings which God promiseth to good men but a good name is not to bee praysed from the wicked and therefore Christ sayth Cursed are you when al men speake well of you that is when euill men speake well of you because this is a signe that you are of the world for the world liketh and prayseth her owne Yet as Christ sayd Who can accuse me of sinne So it should bee sayd of vs not who can accuse me of sinne but who can accuse me of this sinne or who can accuse me of that sinne That is who can accuse mee of swearing who can accuse mee of dissembling who can accuse mee of fornication No man can say this of his thought but euery man should say it of the act like Zachariah and Elizabeth which are called vnblameable before men because none could accuse them of open sinnes The next signe is the looke for Salomon saith in Eccles 8. 7. Wisdome is in the face of a man so godlinesse is in the face of a man and so follie is in the face of a man and so wickednesse is in the face of a man And therfore it is sayd in Esay Chapter 3. verse 9. The triall of their countenaunce testifieth agaynst them As though their lookes could speake and therefore we read of proud lookes and angrie lookes and wanton lookes because they bewray pride and anger wantonnes I haue heard one say that a modest man dwels at the signe of a modest countenaunce and an honest woman dwelleth at the signe of an honest face which is like the gate of the temple that was called Beautifull shewing that if the entrie be so beautifull within is great beautie To shew how a modest countenance and womanly shamefastnes do commend a chast wife it is obserued that the word Nuptiae which signifieth the mariage of the woman doth declare the manner of her mariage for it importeth a couering because the virgins which should be married when they came to their husbands for modestie and shamefastnesse did couer their faces as we read of Rebeccah which so soone as she saw Isaac and knew that he should be her husband she cast a vaile before her face shewing that modestie should be learned before mariage which is the dowrie that God addeth to her portion The third signe is her speech or rather her silence for the ornament of a woman is silence and therefore the law was giuen to the man rather then to the woman to shew that he should be the teacher and she the hearer As the Eccho answereth but one for manie which are spoken to her so a maides answere should be in a word for she which is full to talke is not likely to prooue a quiet wife The eye and the speech are the mindes glasses for out of the aboundance of the heart saith Christ the mouth speaketh as though by the speech wee might know what aboundeth in the heart and therefore he sayth By thy words thou shalt bee iustified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned That is thou shalt bee iustified to be wise or thou shalt be condemned to be foolish thou shalt be iustified to be sober or thou shalt be condemned to be rash thou shalt be iustified to be humble or thou shalt be condemned to be proud thou shalt bee iustified to be louing or thou shalt be condemned to be enuious Therefore Salomon saith A fooles lippes are a snare to his own soule Snares are made for other but this snare catcheth a mans selfe because it bewraieth his follie and causeth his trouble and bringeth him into discredit Contrariwise the heart of the wise saith Salomon guideth his mouth wisely and the words of his mouth haue grace Now to shew that this should be one marke in the choise of thy wife Salomon describing a right wife saith She openeth her mouth with wisdome and the law of grace is in her tongue A wife that can speake this language is better then shee which hath all the tongues But as the open vessels were counted vncleane so account that the open mouth hath much vncleannesse The fourth signe is the apparell for as the pride of the glutton is noted in that he went in purple euery day so the humilitie of Iohn is noted in that he went in hair-cloth euery day A modest woman is knowne by her sober attire as the prophet Eliah was knowne by his rough garment Looke not for better within thē thou seest without for euery one seemeth better then she is if the face be vanitie the heart is pride He which biddeth thee abstaine from the shew of euill would haue thee to abstain from those wiues which haue the shewes of euill for it is hard to come in the fashion and not to be in the abuse and therefore Paul saith Fashion not your selues like vnto this world as though the fashions of men did declare of what side they are The fift signe is the companie for birds of a feather wil flie together and fellowes in sin will be fellowes in league euen as young Rehoboam chose yong companions The tame beasts will not keepe with the wilde nor the cleane dwell with the leprous If a man can be knowne by nothing else then he may be knowne by his companions for like will to like as Salomon sayth Theeues call one another Therefore when Dauid left iniquitie he said Away from me all ye that worke
and no man spie thee Whether thou wouldst refuse a bribe like Elisha if thou didst meet with one which were as willing and able to giue it as Naaman Whether thou wouldst not deceiue if thou were in such an office as the false Steward whose master referred all vnto him knew not when he kept any thing backe Whether thou wouldst not fulfill thy lust as Dauid did if thou haddest his oportunitie and allurement and mightest doe it without danger of law like a king as Dauid might Whether thou wouldst not tell a lie as Abraham did if it stood vpon thy life which made him twice dissemble that his wife was his sister least he should die for her beautie Finally if it should be said vnto thee as the diuell said to Christ All these will I giue thee if thou will fall downe and worship me that is no more but if thou wilt sinne whether thou wouldest yeeld or no If thou hast sinned thus and thus before I will not say therefore the Lord wil not heare thee but Dauid sayth If I regard wickednesse in my heart the Lord will not heare me that is if for any cause a man purpose and carie a minde to sinne when he is tempted the Lord is so farre from helping him that he wil stand like Baal as though hee did not heare him for he hath a traytors mind as deepe as any which thinkes for a Dukedome I would betray my prince though he neuer playe the traitor in his life Thus you haue heard how to trie spirits and how to discerne a Christian from an hypocrite how to appose your hearts that ye may be sure to iudge rightlie what ye are Now wee come to that examination which is the Epitome or abridgement of all these for memorie is short and all are not of one strength but some runne and some goe and some creepe and all do well so long as they striue to perfection The matters wherof principallie the mind should be examined before the sacrament are these First whether thou haue faith not only to beleeue that Christ died but that he died for thee for as the scripture called him a redeemer so Iob calleth him his Redeemer The second article is whether thou bee in charitie not whether thou loue thē which loue thee but whether thou loue them which hate thee for Christ commandeth vs To loue our enemies The third article is whether thou repent not for thy open grosse sinnes but for thy secret sinnes and pettie sinnes because Christ saith That we must giue account for euerie idle word The fourth article is whether thou resolue not to sinne againe for anie cause but to amend thy euill life not when age commeth or for a spurt but to begin now and last till death for Christ is Alpha and Omega both the beginning and the end as well in our liuing as in our being which hath made no promise to them which begin but to them which perseuere The last article is whether thou canst finde in thy heart to die for Christ as Christ died for thee for we are bid not only to followe him but to beare his Crosse and therefore we are called seruaunts to shew how we should obey and we are called souldiers to shew how we should suffer These are the receiuers articles whereof his conscience must be examined before hee receiue this Sacrament happie is hee which can say All these haue I kept for the Doue was not so welcome to Noah as this man is to Christ But if thou find not these affections within but a neast of vices leaue thine offering at the Altar and returne to thine examination againe for thou art not a fit guest to sup with the Lord vntill thou haue on this Wedding garment How is it then that some regard their other garments more then this Paul sayth Examine your selues and they examine their apparell if they haue new cloathes in the countrie then they are readie to receiue I haue knowne manie kept from the Sacrament a whole yeare together by their maisters for nothing but for want of a new sute to set thē foorth with their fellowes Others respect whether it be a faire daye that they may walke after seruice making that day vpō which they receiue like a scholers Thursdaie which hee loues better then all the daies in the weeke onely because it is his play-day Thus like the Iewes They sitte downe to eate and rise vp to plaie that as Christ calleth the Pharisies praier Babling Matth. 6. 7. so their receiuing may bee called dallying When they haue the Sacrament in their bellie they thinke that all is well as Micah when hee had a Leuite in his house thought that God loued him but as the Leuit did not profit him because he receiued nothing but the Leuit so the bread and wine dooth them no good because they receiue nothing but bread and wine for want of faith Maruell not then if you haue not felt that comfort after the Sacrament which you looked for for it is comfortable to none but to them which prepare their hearts and examine themselues before because it is not the mouth but the heart which receiueth comfort Now it may be that the most which are here haue brought a mouth and not a heart these go away from the Sacrament to despight Christ as Iudas went from the sacrament to betraie him The other goe awaie like one which hath receiued a chearefull countenaunce of the Prince all his thoughts are ioy and the countenance of the Prince is still in his eye As he which hath eaten sweete meate hath a sweete breath so they which haue eaten Christ all their sayings and doings are sweete like a perfume to men and incense to God their peace of conscience and ioy of heart and desire to doe good will tell them whether they haue receiued the bare signes or the thing signified Euerie one which receiueth this Sacrament shall feele himselfe better after it lyke the Apostles or else hee shall finde himselfe worse after it like Iudas Heereby ye shall knowe whether ye haue receiued like the Apostles or like Iudas Thus we haue ended the doctrine of the Lordes Supper Now if you cannot remember all that I haue sayd yet remember the Text that is Examine your selues before you receiue this Sacrament hereafter FINIS THE EXAMINATION OF VSVRIE IN TWO SERMONS To the Reader HEre thou hast the Sermōs which haue bene often desired because of the matter fit for this Citie One saith that he would neuer speake to Vsurers and Bribe-mongers but when they be vpon their death-beds for hee which liueth by sin resolueth to sinne that he may liue But when he goeth to hanging Iudas himselfe will say I haue sinned If I speake not to Vsurers vpon their death-bed yet I speake to Vsurers
this vsurie let vs pray that the words which we haue heard out of this Psalme may dwell with vs till we dwell in heauen FINIS THE BENEFITE OF Contentation To the Reader HEaring how fast this Sermon hath vttered and yet how miserably it hath bene abused in printing as it were with whole limmes cut off at once and cleane left out I haue taken a little paines as my sicknesse gaue me leaue both to perfect the matter and to correct the print Now as the Angell said to Iohn Take this booke and eate it so I wish that thou hadst so digested this doctrine that all the parts of thy bodie and soule were strengthened by it But if all this will not make thee content with that thou hast sorrowe that thy couetousnesse is greater then others and neuer loue thy selfe vntill thou canst find in thy hart to be blessed Farewell Thine H. Smith THE BENEFITE OF Contentation 1. Tim. 6. 6. Godlinesse is great gaine if a man be content with that he hath BEcause when wee preach wee know not whether we shall preach againe my care is to chuse fit and proper texts to speake that which I would speak and that which is necessarie for you to heare Therefore thinking with my selfe what doctrine were fittest for you I sought for a text which speaks against couetousnes which I may cal the Londoners sinne Although God hath giuen you more then other which should turne couetousnes into thankefulnesse yet as the Iuie groweth with the Oke so couetousnesse hath growne with riches euerie man wisheth the Philosophers stone and who is within these walles that thinkes he hath enough though there be so manie that haue too much As the Israelits murmured as much whē they had Manna as when they were without it so they which haue riches couet as much as they which are without them that conferring your minds and your wealth together I may truely say this Cittie is rich if it were not couetous This is the diuell which bewitcheth you to thinke that you haue not inough whē you haue more then you neede If you cannot choose but couet riches I will shewe you riches which you may couet Godlinesse is great riches In which wordes as Iacob craued of his wiues and his seruants to giue him their Idols that he might burie them so Paule craueth your couetousnes that he might bury it And that ye might be no losers hee offereth you the vantage in stead of gaine hee proposeth great gaine Godlinesse is great gaine as if he should say Wil you couet litle gaine before great You haue found little ioy in money you shall find great ioy in the holy ghost you haue found little peace in the world you shall finde great peace in conscience Thus seeing the worlde striue for the worlde like beggers thrusting at a dole Lawyer against Lawyer brother against brother neighbour against neighbour for the golden Apple that poore Naboth cannot hold his owne because so manie Achabs are sicke for this vineyard when he had found the disease like a skilfull Physition hee goeth about to picke out the greedie worme which maketh men so hungrie and setteth such a glasse before them that will make a shilling seeme as great as a pound a cottage seeme as faire as a pallace a plough seeme as goodly as a diadem that he which hath but twentie poundes shal be as merrie as hee which hath an hundred and he which hath an hundred shal be as iocund as he which hath a thousand and he which hath a thousand shal be well contented as hee which hath a million euen as Daniel did thriue with water and pulse as well as the rest did with their wine and iunkets This is the vertue and operation of these words If you heare them with the same spirite that Paul wrote them they will so worke vpon your hearts that you shall goe away euerie man contented with that which hee hath like Zacheus which before he had seene Christ knew nothing but to scrape but as soone as he had heard Christ all his mind was set vpon giuing This was not the first day that Zacheus seemed rich to others but this was the first daie that Zacheus seemed rich vnto himselfe when riches seemed dung and godlines seemed riches Christ doth not will other to giue all their goods away to the poor as he bad the yong man to see what he would do but hee which forbad him to keepe his riches forbids vs to loue riches which makes our riches seem pouertie When ye contemne riches ye shal seem rich because no man hath inough but hee which is contented but if ye couet groue thrist as Iacob gaue Ruben a blessing but said Thou shalt not be excellent so God may giue you riches but he saith You shall not be satisfied for ye wil be couetous vntil ye be religious He that will haue contentation must leaue his couetousnes in pawne for it This is the spirit which we would cast out if ye will leaue but this one sinne behind you shall depart out of the Church like Naaman out of Iordan as if you had bene washed and all your sins swept away like the scales from Paules eyes For what hath brought Vsury simonie briberie crueltie subtiltie enuy strife and deceit into this Citie and made euerie house an inne euery shop a market of lyes and fraud but the superfluous loue of money Name couetousnes and thou hast named the mother of all these mischiefes other sinnes are but hirelings vnto this sinne Vsurie and briberie and simony and extortion deceit and lyes and oathes are factors to couetousnesse and serue for Potters to fetch and bring her liuing in As the Receiuer maketh a theefe so Couetousnesse maketh an Vsurer and Extortioner and Deceiuer because shed receiueth the bootie which they steale Euen as Rachel cryed to her husband Giue me children or else I dye so Couetousnesse crieth vnto Vsurie and Briberie and Simonie and Crueltie and Deceit and Lies Giue mee riches or else I dye how they may saue a little and how they may get much and how they may prolong life is euerie mans dreame from sunne to sunne so long as they haue a knee to bow vnto Baal so many vices budde out of this one that it is called The roote of all euill as if hee would saie the Spawne of all sines Take away couetousnesse and he will sell his wares as cheape as he he will bring vp his children as vertuouslie as hee hee will refuse bribes as earnestly as hee he will succour the poore as hartely as hee hee will come to the Church as lightlie as hee If ye could feele the pulse of euerie heart what makes Gehezi to take the bribe which Elisha refused What makes Demetrius to speake for images which Paul condemned What makes Naball deny Dauid that which Abigail gaue him What
makes Iudas grudge the oyle which Marie tendered Nothing but Couetousnesse When thou shouldest giue she saith it is too much when thou shouldest receiue she saith it is too little when thou shouldest remitte she saith it is too great when thou shouldest repent she saith it is too soone when thou shouldest heare shee saith it is too farre like Pharaoh which founde one businesse or other to occupie the Iewes when they should serue God Thus euerie labour hath an end but couetousnesse hath none like a suter in law which thinkes to haue an end this Tearme and that Tearme and the Lawyer which should procure his peace prolongeth his strife because he hath an action to his purse as his aduersarie hath to his land so hee which is set on coueting doth drinke brine which makes him thrist more and seeth no hauen till he arriue at death when hee hath lyed hee is readie to lye againe when hee hath sworne hee is readie to sweare againe when he hath deceiued hee is readie to deceiue againe when the day is past he would it were to begin again when the Tearme is ended hee wisheth it were to come againe and though his house bee full and his shop full and his coffers full and his purse full yet his heart is not full but lanke emptie like the disease which we call the Wolfe that is alwaies eating and yet keepes the bodie leane The Ant doth eate the food which she findeth the Lion doth refresh him selfe with the praie that hee taketh but the couetous man lyeth by his money as a sicke man sits by his meate and hath no power to take it but to looke vpon it like the Prince to whom Elisha sayde that hee should see the corne with his eyes but none should come within his mouth Thus the couetous man makes a foole of himselfe hee coueteth to couet hee gathereth to gather hee laboureth to labour he careth to care as though his office were to fill a coffer full of Angels and then to dye like an Asse which carrieth treasures on his backe all day and at night they are taken from him which did him no good but loade him How happie were some if they knewe not gold from leade If thou be wise saith Salomon thou shalt be wise for thy selfe but he which is couetous is couetous against himselfe For what a plague is this vnlesse one would kill himselfe for a man to spende all his life in carking and pining and scraping as though hee should do nothing but gather in this world to spend in the next vnlesse he be sure that he shall come againe when hee is dead to eate those scraps which hee hath gotten with all this stirre Therefore couetousnesse may well bee called miserie and the couetous miserable for they are miserable indeede Of them which seeme to bee wise there be no such fooles in the world as they which loue money better than themselues but this is the iudgement of God that they which deceiue others deceiue themselues and liue like Cain which was a vagabond vpon his owne lande so they are beggers in the middest of their wealth for though they haue vnderstanding to know riches and a mind to seeke them and wit to finde them and policie to keepe them and life to possesse them yet they haue such a false sight and bleare eye that when their riches lye before them they seeme pouertie and hee which hath not halfe so much seemeth farre richer than they Will you knowe how this commeth to passe To shewe that the couetous men belong to Hell they are like Hell while they liue Hell is neuer filled and they are neuer satisfied but as the Hors-leach crieth Giue giue so their hearts crye Bring bring and though the Tempter should saye to them as hee said to Christ All these I will giue thee yet all will not content them no more than heauen contentented him But as the Glutton in Hell desired a droppe of Water and yet a whole Riuer woulde not satisfie him for if a drop had bene graunted him hee would haue desired a drop more and a drop more and a drop to that so they will lye and sweare and deceiue for a drop of riches The Diuell neede not offer them all as hee did to Christ for they will serue him for lesse but if he could giue them all all would not content them no more than the world contented Alexander for it is against the name and nature of couetousnesse to be content as it is against the name and nature of Contentation to be couetous Therefore one saith that no mans heart is like the couetous mans heart for his heart is without a bottome A Prentise is bound but for nine yeares and then he is free but if the couetous might liue longer than Methushelah yet they would neuer be free-men but bounde prentises to the worlde while they haue a foote out of the graue It is a wonder to see as the Diuell compasseth about seeking whom hee maye deuore so men compasse about seeking what they may deuoure Such loue is betweene men and money that they which professe good will vnto it with their hearts will not take so much paines for their life as they take for gaine therefore no maruell if they haue no leasure to sanctifie themselues which haue no leasure at anie time to refresh themselues Christ knew what he spake when he sayd No man can serue two maisters meaning God and the world because each would haue all As the Angel and the diuel stroue for Moses body not who should haue a part but who should haue the whole so they striue stil for our soules who shall haue all Therefore the Apostle saith The loue of this world is enmity to God signifying such emulation betweene these two that God cannot abide the world should haue a part and the world on the other side cannot abide that God should haue a part Therefore the loue of the world must needes be enmitie to God and therefore the louers of the world must needs bee enemies to God and so no couetous man is Gods seruant but Gods enemie For this cause Paul in the fifth chapter of his Epistle to the Ephesians and fifth verse calleth couetousnesse Idolatrie which is the most contrarie sinne to God because as treason setteth vp another King in the Kings place so Idolatrie setteth vp another God in Gods place This word doth signifie that the couetous make so much of money that they euen worship it in their hearts and would do as much for it as the Idolaters doe for their Idols Paul seeing such sinnes committed and such paines taken for gaine thought with himselfe If they could bee perswaded that Godlinesse is gaine it is like they would take as much pains for godlinesse as they take for gaine therefore hee taketh vpon him to prooue this strange Paradox that Godlines is
the man whom godlines doth make rich For When the blessing of the Lorde maketh rich saith Salomon hee dooth adde no sorrow to it but saith hee the reuenewes of the wicked is trouble as though his mony were care Wherfore let Patron and Landlord and Lawyer and all say nowe that Paule hath chosen the better riches which thiefe nor moath nor canker can corrupt these are the riches at last which we must dwell with when all the rest which we haue lyed for and sworne for and fretted for and couzened for and broken our sleepe for lost many Sermons for forsake vs like seruants which change their masters then Godlinesse shall seeme as great gaine to vs as it did to Paule and he which loued the world most would giue all that he hath for a dram of faith that he might be sure to go to heauen when he is dead though he went towardes hell so long as he liued Here then is an answere to them which aske What profit is it to serue God Howe happie was Barzillai that would not be exalted What quiet had the Shunamite which cared not for preferment When did the Disciples seeme so rich as when they were willing to leaue all This shall be your gaine when you are Vsurers of godlinesse Is not the word gone foorth yet which hath killed couetousnesse that I may end my Sermon Either you goe away contented or else you goe away condemned of your owne conscience Before you were vexed with couetousnes but now the word shall vexe you too for you shall neuer couet nor lye nor deceiue hereafter but a sergeant shall arrest you vpon it and some sentence which you haue heard shall gnaw you at the heart with a Memorandum of hell that yee shall wish Oh that I could abandon this sinne or else that I had neuer heard that warning that makes it a corrosiue vnto mee before I can leaue it If they which are greedie still could see what peace and rest and ioye go home with them which are contented although they may say with Peter Gold and siluer haue I none euerie man would be a suter to Godlinesse that he might haue the dowrie of contentation If anie here be couetous still let him alway thinke why Dauid prayeth Turne my heart vnto thy law and not vnto couetousnes he might haue named pride or anger or lust but to shewe that no sinne did so keepe his thoughts from the law as couetousnes when it came vpon him he saith Turne my hart vnto thy law not vnto couetousnes as though a man could not be couetous haue leisure to thinke vpon any good But as Iohn baptized with water so I cā but teach you with words Now you haue heard what Contentation is you must pray to another to giue it you It is said of this Citie that many Citizens of London haue good wils but bad deedes that is you doe no good vntill ye die First ye are vngodly that you may be rich and then you part from some of your riches to excuse for your vngodlinesse It may bee that some here haue sette downe in their wils When I die I bequeath 100 pounds to a Colledge 100 pounds to an hospitall and 100 gownes to poore men I do maruell that you giue no more when you are at that point for Iudas when he died returned all againe so yee die and thinke when ye are gone that God will take this for a quittance Bee not deceiued for God doth not looke vpon that which you doe for feare but vpon that which ye doe for loue If you can find in your heart to do good while you are in health as Zacheus did then God hath respect to your offering but before God hearken how you giue your riches first he examins how ye came by them for a man may be hanged for stealing the monie which he giueth to the poore because if hee should count Godlines gaine much more should he care to gaine by godlie meanes Thus you see the fruits of Godlinesse and the fruits of Couetousnes to stay Balaam posting for a bribe and the sonnes of Zebede suing for preferment least seeking for asses they lose a better kingdome then Saul found If you be couetous you shall neuer haue enough though you haue too much but whē ye pray Thy kingdome come ye shall wish my kingdome come If ye be godlie ye shall haue enough though yee seeme to haue nothing like the Smyrnians of whom God said I know thy pouertie but thou art rich Therefore what counsel shall I giue you but as Christ coūselled his Disciples Be not friends to riches but make you friends of riches know this that if ye cannot say as Paul saith I haue learned to be content Godlinesse is not yet come to your house for the companion of godlines is contentation which when she comes wil bring you all things Therfore as Christ saith If the sonne make you free you shall be free indeed so I say if godlines make you rich ye shall be rich indeede The Lord Iesus make you doers of that yee haue heard FINIS THE AFFINITIE OF THE FAITHFVL Luke 8. 19 Then came to him his Mother his Brethren and could not come neare him for the prease 20 And it was told him by certaine which sayd thy mother and thy brethren stand without and would see thee 21 But he answered and said vnto them My Mother my brethren are these which heare the word of God and do it HEre is Christ preaching a great prease hearing his mother and his friends interrupting Christ againe withstanding the interruption with a comfortable doctrine of his mercies toward them which heare the word of God and doe it When Christ was about a good worke and many were gathered together to heare him the Diuell thought with him selfe as the Priestes and Sadduces did in the fourth of the Acts If I let him alone thus all the world will follow him and I shall be like Rachel without children therefore deuising the likeliest pollicie to frustrate disgrace but one of his Sermons thereby to make the people more vnwilling to heare him againe as he set Eue vpon Adam and made Iobs wife his instrument when hee could not fit it himselfe so he sendeth Christs Mother and putteth in the mind of his kinsmen to come vnto him at that instant when he was in this holy exercise call vpon him while he was preaching to come away and go with them Christ seeing the serpents dealing how he had made his mother his tempter that all his Auditorie might go away emptie and say where they came We heard the man which is called Iesus and he began to preach vnto vs with such words as though he would carie vs to Heauen but in the middest of his Sermon came his Mother and Brethren to him that it might be
Saint Iohn writing to a Ladie which brought vp her children in the feare of God calleth her the elect Ladie shewing that the chiefest honour of Ladies and Lordes and Princes is to be elect of God Saint Luke speaking of certaine Beroeans which receiued the word of God with loue calleth them More noble than the rest shewing that God counteth none noble but such as are of a noble Spirite As Iohn calleth none elect but the vertuous and Luke calleth none noble but the religious so Christ calleth none his kinsmen but the righteous and of those onelie hee saieth These are my Mother and my Brethren which heare the word of God and doe it As Abrahams Children are not counted Children after the flesh but Children after the spirite so Christes Kindred are not counted Kindred after the flesh but kindred after the Spirite for the flesh was not made after the Image of God but the spirit was made after his Image therefore God is not called the Father of bodies but the Father of Spirites Now God which is a Spirite preferreth them which are a kinne to him in the Spirite Therefore Esau was not blessed because hee was of Isaacks flesh but Iacob was blessed because he was of Isaacks Spirite As wee loue in the flesh so Christ loueth in the spirit therefore he calleth none his kinsemen but them which heare the word of God and do it It seemeth that Paule thought of this saying when he said Till Christ be formed in you If Christ be formed in vs as Paule saith then we are Christs mother euerie one which wil haue Christ his sauiour must be Christs mother The virgin asked the angel how she could beare Christ seeing she had not knowen a man Luke Chapter 1. Verse 24. so you may aske how you can beare Christ seeing he is borne alreadie As there is a second comming of Christ so there is a second birth of Christ When we are borne againe then Christ is borne againe the virgin was his mother by the flesh the faithfull are his mother by the spirit the holy Ghost doth conceiue him in them hee was in her wombe and he is in their hearts shee did beare him and they doe beare him shee did nurse him and they do nurse him This is the second birth of Christ As the soule of man may bee called The Temple of the holie Ghost which is the third person so it may be called the wombe of the Sonne which is the second person Before these words it is saide that Christ asked Who are my brethren as if hee should say you thinke that I am affected to my kinsmen as you are but I tell you that I count them my kinsmen which heare the word of God and do it To shewe that Christ loueth vs with an euerlasting Loue hee sheweth that hee doth not loue vs for anie Temporall things but for that which doth endure for euer If Christ loued vs as Isaack loued Esau for venison then we might misse the blessing as Esau did But as Iohn saith He loued in the truth so Christ loueth in the truth To loue in the truth is the true loue euerie loue but this at one time or other hath turned into hatred as the truth ouercommeth falshood Nowe for this loue Christ calleth them by all the names of loue his father and his brethren and his sisters In Rom. 6. they are called his seruants If that be not enough in the fifteēth of Iohn they are called his friends If that be not enough in the third of Marke they are called his kinsmen If that be not enough in the foure twentith of Luke they are called his brethren If that be not enough in Mark 1. they are called his children If that be not enough here they are called his mother If that be not enough in Cantic 5. they are called his Spouse to shewe that hee loued them with all loues the Mothers loue the Brothers loue the Sisters loue the Masters loue and the Friends loue If all these Loues could be put together yet the loue of Christ exceedeth them all and the Mother and the Brother and the Sister and the Childe and the kinsmen and the Friende and the Seruant would not do and suffer so much among them all as Christ hath done and suffered for vs alone Such a loue we kindle in Christ when we heare his word and do it that wee are as deare vnto him as all his kinred together Now as wee are his Mother so should we carrie him in our heartes as his mother did in her armes As wee are his Bretheren so wee should preferre him as Ioseph did Beniamin Genesis Chapter fortie three Verse fortie three As we are his Spouse so should we imbrace him as Isaac did Rebecca if thou be a kinsman do like a kinsman Now wee come to the markes of these kinsmen which I may call the Armes of his house As Christ saith By this all men shall knowe my Disciples if they loue one another so hee saith By this shall all men knowe my kinsmen if they heare the word of God and doe it As there is a kindred by the Fathers side and a kindred by the Mothers side so there is a kindred of Hearers and a kindred of dooers In Matthew it is saide Hee which heareth the Wil of my Father and doth it Here it is saide Hee which heareth the worde of God and dooth it both are one For his word is his will and therefore it is called his will Psalme 119. As he spake there of dooing so hee speaketh here of a certaine rule which hee calleth the worde of God whereby all mens workes must be squared For if I do all the workes that I can to satisfie an others will or mine owne will it auaileth mee nothing with God because I doe it not for GOD. Therefore hee which alwaies before followed his owne will when hee was stricken downe and beganne to repent cried out Lorde what wilt thou haue mee to doe as if hee should say I will doe no more as men woulde haue mee or as the Diuell would haue mee or as the flesh would haue mee but as thou wouldst haue me So Dauid prayed Teach mee O Lord to doe thy will not my will for wee neede not to bee taught to doe our owne will no more than a Cuckoe to sing Cuckoe her owne name Euerie man can goe to hell without a guide Here is the rule nowe if you liue by it then are you kinne to Christ as other kinreds go by birth and marriage so this kinred goes by faith and obedience Hearers are but halfe kin as it were in a farre degree but they that heare and do are called his Mother which is the nearest kinred of all Therfore if you haue the deed then you are kin indeed there is no promise made to hearers nor to speakers nor to readers but all promises are made to beleeuers or
if wee did eate him not as the Papists doe in their Masse but as the meate is turned into the substance of the bodie goeth through euerie part of man so Christ and his Word should goe from part of part from eare to heart from heart to mouth from mouth to hand til we be of one nature with them that they bee the verie substance of our thoughts and speeches and actions as the meate is of our bodie This is to eate Christ and his Word or else we do not eate them but chew them when our taste is satisfied spue them out againe Thus we must put on Christ for the Worde signifieth so to put him on as if thou wouldest put him in that he may be one with thee and thou with him as it were in a bodie together As hee hath put on all our infirmities so we must put on all his graces not halfe on but all on and claspe him to vs and gird him about vs and weare him euen as we weare our skinne which is alway about vs. Then there shall be no neede of Wyres nor curles nor perriwigs the husbands shall not be forced to racke their rents nor inhaunce their fines nor sell their lands to decke their wiues but as the poore mantle of Eliah seemed better to Elisha than all the roabes of Salomon so the Wedding Garment shall seeme better than all the flaunts of vanitie put euery fashion out of fashion which is not modest and comely like it selfe If you will know farther how to put on Christ you shall see how your Text will Catechize you in his three names Lord Iesus Christ The Apostle seemeth to spell out the way vnto vs how we should weare this Garment First we must put him on as Lord then we must put him on as Iesus lastly we must put him on as Christ Thou must put him on as Lord that is thy ruler to command thee thy tutor to gouerne thee and thy master to direct thee thou must be no mans seruant but his take no mans part against him but say with the Apostle Whether is it meete to obey God or you Thou must put him on as Iesus that is thy Sauiour in whom thou trustest thy protector on whom thou dependest thy redeemer in whom thou beleeuest thou must not look for thy saluatiō from Angel nor Saint nor anie thing beside him For the name of Iesus signifieth a Sauiour and is giuen to none but him and he is not onely called the Sauiour but the Saluation in the Song of Simeon to shew that he is the onely Sauiour for there may be many Sauiours but there can be but one saluation as there may be many tortures and yet but one death Therefore when hee is called the Saluation it implieth that there is no Sauiour beside him Thou must put him on as Christ that is a King to rule a Prophet to teach a Priest to praie and sacrifice and pacifie the wrath of God for thee For this name Christ doth signifie that hee was annoynted a King a Priest and a Prophet for man a King to rule him a Priest to offer sacrifice for him a Prophet to teach him So that hee putteth on Christ as Lord which worshippeth none but him hee putteth on Christ as Iesus which beleeueth in none but him and he putteth on Christ as Christ which worshippeth none but him beleeueth in none but him and heareth none but him You put on Christ first when you are baptized then you were sealed and consecrated to his seruice so soone as you came into the world you vowed to renounce the world and follow God How many haue put on Christ thus and since haue put him off againe which haue broken the first promise that euer they made and were neuer faithfull to God since You put on Christ againe when you are called and sanctified that is when you cast off the olde man which is corrupt with the lusts of the flesh the pride of life and the cares of this worlde and put on the newe man which is regenerate in righteousnesse holinesse to the Image of Christ or likenesse of Adam in his innocencie for to put on the new man is to become a newe man as if thou were borne againe and conceiued of the holie Ghost Of this Iob speaketh when he sayth I put on Iustice and it couered mee You put on Christ againe when you receiue his holy Sacrament and are partakers of his bodie and blood that is the merites of his obedience and passion by Faith which heareth him as if she did see him and seeth him as if she did feele him and feeleth him as if she did taste him and tasteth him as if she did digest him then Christ is become yours and dwelleth in you and feedeth you with his grace to eternal life as the bread and wine sustaineth the life present Lastly when you haue put on Christ in these three sortes which is your Garment for this world after you shall put on Christ in heauen and be cloathed with his glorie and that shall be your last vesture which shall neuer weare out Thus haue you heard what is ment by putting on Christ first to cloath our selues with righteousnes and holines like Christ then because our own righteousnes is too short to couer our armes and legges and thighes of sinne but still some bare place will peere out and shame vs in the sight of God therefore we must borrow Christes Garments as Iacob did his brothers and couer our selues with his righteousnes that is beleeue that his righteousnes shal supply our vnrighteousnes his sufferings shal stand for our sufferings because he came to fulfill the lawe and beare the curse and satisfie his Father for vs that all which beleeue in him might not die but haue life euerlasting Now I haue shewed you this goodly Garment you must go to another to helpe you to put it on and none can put this Garment vpon you but he which is the Garment the Lord Iesus Christ Therefore to him let vs pray FINIS THE WAY TO VVALKE IN. Rom. 13. 13. Let vs walke honestly as in the day not in gluttonie and dronkennesse neither in chambering and wantonnesse nor in strife and enuying c. HAuing alreadie shewed you a kingdome nowe I will shew you wherein this kingdome consisteth and in what it doth not cōsist as in the fourteenth of the Romanes hee sheweth that it consisteth not in meates and drinkes c. but in righteousnesse and peace ioy in the holy Ghost But because I am to speake of some vices which this text calleth me vnto I will first proceede in them beseeching you as you can heare them to bee condemned so speedily to proceed in execution to put them to death and so to go forward with the rest of your sinnes Let vs walke honestly as
And this we may see in our selues for why haue we neede to heare so often of repentance more then of anything else but that it is such a thing as we cannot frame our selues vnto If we bee warned of any thing but of sinne one warning will serue But we are so incorporate and inured to sinne that a thousand sermons will not serue so custome hath made sinne stronger in many than the word of God Well remember or consider or applie it how he will after twelue moneths God wil come take account of his dreames and of his Prophets which he sent him to see what he hath profited by them Although he hath leaden feete which are long in comming yet hee hath yron hands which when he commeth will strike home Now the twelue moneths are expired God comes findes Nabuchadnezzar vpon his towres when hee should haue cast himselfe downe to the ground and thought vpon his dreame and Daniel and so haue humbled his pride hee was pearched vpon his roost and there he begins to crowe of his wealth Is not this great Babel which I haue built for the house of my kingdome by the might of my power and for the honour of my maiestie See how the man standeth in admiration of his vanitie like a vsurer which doateth of his money as though hee had deserued immortall fame for spending his money vainely Is not this great Babel c. he should rather haue saide Is not this Nabuchadnezzars follie which hee hath built for a mocke to his name and an impeachment to his wisdome for men to say when they passe by look how our King hath bestowed his reuenues heere lie our subsidies tributes in this stone wall But Nabuchadnezzar thinkes that euerie one will praise him for his follie Therefore like a woman when shee is pricked vp in her brauerie thinkes that all doe admyre her and hath as goodly an opinion of her selfe as the Pecocke hath of his feathers and frameth all her lookes and gestures and speeches accordingly so when Nabuchadnezzar sate in his Pallace and sawe such shewes about him now saith Pride thou must frame thy lookes and gestures and speeches accordingly or else the Kings Pallace will be brauer than the King himselfe so hee beginneth to exalt his minde higher than his pallace and to looke and speake stouter than hee did before The temptation was no sooner in his heart but the words were in his mouth and hee pleased himselfe therein so well that he could not refraine being alone but as a foole admyres himselfe in a glasse so when hee was alone and no bodie with him hee strouted alone and bragged by himselfe to thinke what a iolly fellow he was and how men began to talke of his buildings By this we may see how wealth and honours change manners and how a gay coate or a great band or a gold ring can braue a mans mind and make him looke and speake after another manner then hee is accustomed when they are from him It is a wonderfull thing to see what power these pettie vaine toyes haue ouer the minde to alter and change a man sodainelie to make him thinke better of himselfe that day hee weares them than anie other daye besides Is not this great Babel which I haue built for the house of the kingdome by the might of my power for the honour of my maiestie Before the holy Ghost laieth downe Nabuchadnezzars words marke how hee commeth vnto them The King spake and sayd Spake sayd was not one enough but hee must say spake and sayd This doubling of the words sheweth that hee spake with a premeditate pride from his heart roote which passed not whether it were a sin or no come what will come of it The holy Ghost doth bring other speeches with He sayd and no more but here he saith Spake and sayd as though he spake twise not as he spake at other times but like a man at defiance which woulde not recall any word but if he could say more he would say more to anger Did I call it great Babel I may call it great Babel Did I say that I built it I will say that I built it Did I adde for the honour of my maiestie let it goe for the honour of my maiestie Thus hee spake and sayde as though he would bee constant in his pride although hee were constant in no other thing Is not this great Babel which I haue built for the house of the kingdome by the might of my power and for the honor of my maiestie Three things I note in this saying First what a glorious opinion Nabuchadnezzar had of his vaine building out of these words Is not this great Babel The second out of these words which I haue built by the might of my power wherein he tearmeth himselfe the founder of it as if he had done all without a helper The third is that in all his worke hee sought nothing but vaine-glory out of these words for the honour of my Maiestie These three sinnes Nabuchadnezzar doth bewraie in one bragge and in all these three we are so like that the beasts were not so like him when 〈◊〉 became like a beast First we haue not so wonderfull an opinion of GOD or of his word or of heauen as wee haue of our owne acts although we be neuer able to do halfe that Nabuchadnezzar did Secondlie this is our manner to attribute all to our selues whatsoeuer it be riches honour health or knowledge as though all came by labour or policie or arte or literature if wee cannot drawe it to one of these then we think it fortune although we vnderstand not what fortune is If wee did count our selues beholding vnto God for them then we would finde some time to be thankfull vnto him Lastly when we ouer-view these matters this is our solace and comfort to thinke these are the things which make mee famous and spoken of and pointed at and then we end as though it were inough to bee poynted at Is not this great Babel That which one loues seemes greater and more precious aboue all which he loueth not although they be better than it so did these buildings seeme to Nabuchadnezzar One would not thinke that a house were a matter to make a king proude although it were neuer so faire stone wals are not so precious that he should repose al his honour vpon lime and morter But this is a iust thing with God that vaine hope vaine prosperitie vaine comfort and vaine glory that may deceiue them when they trust vnto it therefore as the faithfull soule looketh vp to GOD or vpon the word or vp to heauen and sayth to it selfe is not this my hope is not this my ioy is not this my inheritaunce So the carnall man when hee looketh vpon his buildings or his grounds or his money sayth to himselfe is not this my ioye is not this my life is not this my comfort So while
him in the streetes as they doe at his apes and say there goeth a deepe fellowe he hath more wit in his little finger then the rest in their whole bodie You talke of Sectaries how fast they growe and how fast they breed I warrant you where any Sectary hath one sonne Machauil hath a score and those not the brats but the fatlings of the Land which if they had but a dram of religion for an ounce of their policie they might goe like Saints among men But wee speake to the belly that hath no eares Now let vs see the parts of this kings confession that we may see how his thankfulnes did answere to his sinne before he had robbed God of his honor now as though hee came to make restitution he brings praise thankes and glorie in his mouth First he aduanceth Gods power and saith that his kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome in which wordes he confesseth that God was aboue him because that his kingdome was not an euerlasting Kingdome but a momentanie Kingdome like a sparke which riseth from the fire and falleth to the fire againe Therefore he sheweth what a foole he was to vaunt of his Kingdome as though it were like Gods Kingdome which lasteth for euer Secondly hee magnifieth the power of God and sayth that God doth what he listeth both in heauen and in earth and nothing can hinder him or say vnto him what doest thou Vnder which words he confesieth againe that God was aboue him because hee could not raigne as he listed for when hee thought to liue at his pleasure hee was thrust out at doores and God said not to him what doest thou but Thy kingdome shall depart from thee therefore he sheweth what a foole he was to vaunt of his power as though it had beene like Gods power which cannot bee checked Thirdly hee commendeth the iustice of God and saith that his workes were all truth and his waies were all iudgement Vnder which words he confesseth againe that God was aboue him for his waies were all errors and his workes were all sinnes as the ende prooued Therefore he shewes what a foole he was to vaunt of his workes as though they had been like Gods workes which cannot be blamed therefore hee concludes I Nabuchadnezzar praise and extoll and magnifie the King of heauen When hee lighted vpon the right string marke how he harpes vpon it and doubles it and trebles it like a bonde which is ratified with many wordes of like sense so he ratifieth his bonde to God with many words of like meaning I will praise and extoll and magnifie the King of Heauen as if hee would praise him and more than prayse him They which loue with the heart and repent from the bottome praise praise praie and pray giue and giue serue and serue that is when they haue serued him they are ready to serue him againe Here is a glasse for al the children of pride First looke vpon Nabuchadnezzar you that are great men like Nabuchadnezzar For thus will GOD make his example of great men because they should bee examples to others Many wicked men died in Iurie and scarse a man was by to see their ende but Herode was striken before the people that all might see because hee was a wicked King There were many in Babel as proud as Nabuchadnezzar but none but Nabuchadnezzar was made like a beast because hee was a proud King so God doth stomacke sinne in those that beare his owne person As Princes vse to picke those that are principall and chiefe in rebellion to make them examples of terrour to others which were ringleaders in the treason so God doth bend his shot against the captaines of his enemies like the King of Aram which charged his souldiers that they shoulde fight with none but against Achab the King as it is written in the second Booke of Chronicles the eighteenth chapter and thirtieth verse For as Salomon saith in the nineteenth Chapter of his Prouerbes and fiue and twentieth verse Strike the strong and the rest will beware so Iustice shewed vpon a Ruler or great personage dooth terrifie manie If we could see but one of our Nabuchadnezzars so degraded it would make all the rest better in their office thinke when they sit in their maiesties as Queene Hester did that their power is giuen them for the Church and not against the Church Paul being before Festus and Agrippa wisheth not vnto the King Agrippa more wealth or more honor or more riches but more religion which is the greatest want of Princes and Magistrates They sitte in Gods chayre and are called Gods but are not like God but like Mammon except their names and their crownes peraduenture a Dauid or a Salomon or a Iosua that is a few that remember whose person they beare the rest are like Saul and Herod and Nabuchadnezzar which know not frō whome their kingdomes come Nabuchadnezzar built for his honour and they built for their honour Nabuchadnezzar gathered for his wealth and they gather for their welth Nabuchadnezzar sought after his pleasure and they seeke after their pleasure Nabuchadnezzar vaunted of his power and they vaunt of their power what did Nabuchadnezzar which they do not but repent which they doe not I cannot wish them beastes to doe them good like Nabuchadnezzar because it is a question whether they are worse than beasts already but if we could driue them out of their pallaces to liue like beasts in the wildernesse it were a good riddance for there they shoulde doe lesse harme where now their proude hornes doe gore others their hoof is vp to strike euery one that is better than themselues which maketh many flie into the wildernesse from their house and church and calling lest they should fall into their clutches The Lorde which restored Nabuchadnezzar from the likenesse of a beast restore them to the likenes of men or els fright them like Nabuchadnezzar to runne from their roomes that better may haue their places Thus you see Nabuchadnezzar was made like a beast that he might die like a man for he could neuer learne from whence his kingdome came vntill he had beene apprentice seuen yeares vnto the crosse and when hee perceiued who took his kingdome from him then he perceiued also who gaue his Kingdome to him and learned his thankefulnesse in the wildernesse when al the blessings were gone which he should haue been thankfull for he thought that God was no body vntill he became like no body himselfe and then who but God no power but of him no honor but from him his first honor came from God as well as his last but when he was like a beast which knew not his owner like a babe which knewe not his Father like an Image which knowes not his maker but nowe hee knoweth from whom Kings raigne and hath learned to say thy Kingdome as well as my Kingdome and is like the elders in the Reuelation which cast
that day that pride is borne in the heart of man as the false Prophets were schooled to speake as the King would haue them so their eyes and feete and tongues are bound to speake and looke and walke as the proud heart doth prompt them If GOD were in loue with fashions hee were neuer better serued than in this age for our world is like a pageant where euery mans apparell is better then himself Once Christ said that soft clothing is in Kings courts but now it is crept into euerie house then the rich glutton ietted in purple euerie day but now the poore vnthrift iets as braue as the glutton with so many circumstances about him that if yee could see how pride would walke herselfe if she did weare apparell she would euen goe like manie in the streetes for she could not goe brauer nor looke stouter nor mince finer nor set on moe laces nor make larger cuts nor carrie more trappings about her then our ruffians and wantons doe at this day How far are these fashions altered from those leather coates which God made in Paradise if their bodies did chaunge formes so often as their apparell chaungeth fashions they should haue more snapes then they haue fingers and toes As Ieroboams wife disguised her self that the Prophet might not know her so we may think that they disguise themselues that God might not knowe them nay they disguise their bodies so till they knowe not themselues for the seruant goeth like his master the handmaide like her Mistresse the subiect like the Prince as though he had forgotten his calling and mistooke himselfe like a man in the darke which puts on another mans coate for his owne that is too wide or too side for his bodie so their attires are so vnfit for their bodies so vnmeete for their calling so contrarie to nature that I cannot call them fitter then the monsters of apparell For the Giants were not so monstrous in nature as their attires are in fashion that if they could see their apparell but with the glance of a spirituall eye how monstrous it makes them like Apes and Puppets and Vices they would fling away their attire as Dauid flung away Sauls armour and bee as much ashamed of their clothes as Adam was of his nakednesse Pride hath been the deuiser of all these vanities which now neither shame nor lawes nor preaching can take away therefore had we not need to shew you how God resisteth this vice that careth not for any else Who can tell how this weede groweth seeing wee haue nothing to be proud of but more cause to be ashamed of our selues and flie from the face of God and man too then Adam our father had we were earth we are flesh and we shall bee wormes meate what cause hath earth or flesh or wormes meate to be proud We are borne in sinne we liue in miserie we shal die in corruption what cause hath sinne or miserie or corruption to puffe vs but to humble vs there is nothing good which we are proud of but a wise man is ashamed of the same things whereof we boast It is a wonder to see how a gay coate or a gold ring or a wrought handkerchiefe can braue a mans minde that he thinkes better of himselfe that day when he weareth them then any day els and speakes and walkes and lookes after another fashion then he did before If ye could say as the disciples said Luk. 10. 17. Lord the diuels are subiect vnto vs Yet saith the Lord glorie not in this how manie things doe we glorie in which we should not if wee may not glorie in the gift of miracles Euen as a couetous man is greedie of an halfpenie and an enuious man is angrie for a word so the proud man is proud of a fether Therefore shall not God resist them which glorie in all things but himselfe and should glorie in nothing but in him as he did emulate the loftie Babel so he dooth resist these loftie minds But for Pride the angels which are in hell should be in heauen but for pride we which are in earth should bee in paradise but for pride Nabuchadnezzar which is in the forest should be in his pallace but for pride Pharaoh which lies with the fishes should be with his nobles no sinne hath pulled so many down as this which promised to set them vp Of all the children of pride the Pope is the father which sitteth in the temple of God and is worshipped as God The Lords ministers are called seruants and his ministers are called Lords but for pride the Pharisies would haue receiued Christ as gently as his disciples but for Pride Herod would haue worshipped Christ as humbly as the shepheardes but for pride our men would goe like Abraham and our women like Sara as they would bee called their children but for pride Noble men would come to Church as well as the people but for pride Gentles would abide reproofe as well as seruants but for pride thou wouldest forgiue thy brother and thy brother would forgiue thee and the Lawyers should haue no worke But when thou thinkest of these things Pride comes in and saith Wilt thou goe like a hagler wilt thou follow Sermons wilt thou take the checke wilt thou put vp wrong what will men say that thou art a mome and a cowarde and a foole and no man will reuerence thee but euerie man will contemne abuse thee Thus men are faine to put on the liuerie of pride as they put on the liueries of Noble men to shrowd and defend them from the contempt of the world Who hath not felt these counsailes in his heart which would not beleeue that any pride was in him Yet as Absolon was a worse sonne then Adoniah because Adoniah rebelled against his brother but Absolon rebelled against his father so pride hath worse children than vanitie of apparell Tyrannie in Princes ambition in Nobles rebellion in Subiects disobedience in Children stubbornnesse in seruants name Pride and thou hast named their mother therfore shall not GOD resist pride which hath sowed so many tares in his grounde that scarse a man can say like Dauid I am not high minded Psal 131. 1. Giue me the mindes of all men humbled and there is nothing left to raise strife in the worlde But as Iames saith The heart of man lusteth after enuie so the heart of man lusteth after pride though he haue many hart breakes and pull downes and many times no countenance to shew it yet if a little sparke be put to the tow you shal see how soon this flaxe will flame therefore Salomon saith Eccles 3. 10. that all the troubles that God layeth vpon a man haue this purpose to humble him as though al troubles were little inough to humble pride and that but for pride there were no need almost of our troubles For the auoiding
Hee which cannot say with Dauid My heart meditateth a good matter cannot follow with Dauid My tongue is the penne of a ready Writer This is the equitie of God they which are vnwilling to obey are not thought worthy to knowe for what should he doe with his talent which will not vse it He which forbiddes vs to cast pearles before swine doth stay his own hand from casting knowledge to the vngodly they may know so much as shall condemne them but they neuer knowe what will saue them When Christ heard Peter saie Thou art the Sonne of the liuing God Christ answered Flesh and blood hath not taught thee this shewing that carnall men haue not this knowledge This is the word of which Christ saith All men doe not receiue it It is true that the Spirite breatheth where it will but it will breath vpon none but her louers Wisedome is like the daughter of God which hee marrieth to none but to him which loues her and sues for her As Dauid could not vnderstand why the wicked prospered vntill he entered into the sanctuary of GOD and as Aaron might not enter the Sanctuary where GOD did answere vntill he had sanctified himselfe so if we will vnderstand mysteries and heare God himselfe speake wee must put off our sinnes as Moses put off his shooes or else we shall be like images which haue eares can not heare When Paul heard mysteries hee was rapt into the third heauen when GOD would talke with his Church hee saith I will take her aside into the wildernes and then I will speake friendly vnto her so when wee will learne Diuinitie we must goe aside from the world and sequester our sinnes lift vp our mindes aboue the earth or els it will not stay with vs. As the spirit went from Saul when he sinned so when knowledge hath saluted the wicked she bids them farewell like vnto a Martin which will not builde but in faire houses It is said in Iohn 14. 15. When Iesus went to eate the Passeouer hee came to a chamber which was trimmed so the chamber that receiued God the hart which should lodge knowledge must bee trimmed and all the sinfull corners swept or else as Samuell would not come to Saul so Wisedome will not come to that hoste There is an harbinger which goeth alway before the knowledge of God to prepare the house this is loue the bond of perfection They which haue loue saith Iohn knowe GOD but they which haue not loue know not God though they haue neuer so much knowledge beside Vnto good Nathaniell Christ saide Thou shalt see greater things than these but vnto the obstinat Iewes he saide Seeing you shall not see like Hagar which had the wel before her and did not see the water He which cannot saie with Paul We haue the spirit of Christ cannot say with Paul We haue knowledge Holie men were alwayes interpreters of Gods word because a godly minde easeliest pearceth into Gods meaning according to that The pure in heart shall see God and that in Iohn 7. 17. If any man will doe Gods will he shall vnderstand the Doctrine whether it bee of God or no and that in Psalm 111. 19. They which keepe thy precepts haue a good vnderstanding that in 1. Cor. 2. 15. The spirituall man vnderstandeth al things And therfore the feare of the Lord is not onely called the beginning of wisedome but in Pro. 2. 5. it is taken for wisdome it selfe As when Christ taught in the Temple they asked Howe knoweth this man the Scriptures seeing hee neuer learned them So it is a wonder what learning some men haue which haue no learning like Priscilla and Aquilla poore tent-makers which were able to schoole Apollos that great Clerke a man renowmed for his learning What can we say to this but as Christ saide Father so it pleased thee as when Iacob came so soone with the venison and his Father asked him how he came by it so sodainly Iacob answered because the Lord thy God brought it sodaynly to mine hand so the holy righteous men cannot giue any reason why they conceaue the words of God so easily and the wicked doe conceaue them so hardly but that GOD brings the meaning sodainly to their hearts as we read in Luk. 24. 45. When the Disciples were setled in the profession of Christ it is said that Christ opened their vnderstanding and made them vnderstand the Scriptures so sodainly came their knowledge So we read in Prouerbs 1. 23. Wisedome promiseth to the righteous If you will turne at my correction I will powre out my hart vnto you and make you vnderstand my words A Schoolemaster might say to his schollers I will powre out mine hart vnto you but he cannot say as God saith I will make you vnderstand mine heart Therefore if the Queene of Sheba thought the seruants of Salomon happie because they heard his wisdome how happie was Salomon himselfe that serued God which gaue him wisdome Come vnto me saith Christ all ye which are wearie and I will refresh you As Christ hath no comfort but for the wearie so hee hath no wisedome but for the righteous They are his brethren and sisters and father and mother There is a kinde of familiaritie betweene GOD and the righteous that hee makes them of his counsaile as Salomon saith Prouerbes 3. 32. His secrets is with the righteous and Psalme 25. 14. His secrets are reuealed vnto them that feare the Lord. They are like Iohn the beloued Disciple which leaned in his bosome like Moses to whom he shewed himselfe like Simeon that embraced him in his armes like the three disciples which went vp to the Mount to see his glorie So we reade of Abraham Gen. 18. 17. Shall I hide it from Abraham saith God As though this were an offence in God if he should tel the righteous no more then he tels the wicked therefore because Abraham was a good man he told him more than he shewed all the rest As Adams knowledge was perfect so long as his righteousnes was vntainted so the neerer we come to that righteousnes againe the more things come to our knowledge according to that Prouerbes 28. They that seeke the Lord vnderstand al things Such an heart God hath giuen to his seruants like a touchstone or a lampe to goe before them to examine all thinges as they goe in this darke wildernesse least they should take error for trueth euill for good or their owne wil for the wil of God that they which hate euill might be preserued from euill as Dauid was from the bloud of Nabal Nowe because none but the righteous haue this lamp before them you see what a difference there is betweene the knowledge of the godly and the knowledge of the wicked As the windowes of the Temple were
large within but narrowe without so they which are within the Church haue greater light than they which are without They sit like Pharaoh in the darkenes of Egypt when the other dwell like Israel in the light of Goshen Knowledge is easie to him which loueth knowledge sayth Salomon but the scorner seeketh knowledge and findeth it not saith Salomon Pro. 14. The spiritual man saith Paul searcheth the deepe things of God but The naturall man saith Paul perceiueth not the things of GOD. Thou hast reuealed these things to babes saith Christ but thou hast hid them from the wise of the world If any man will doe Gods will he saith Christ shall vnderstand the doctrine but to the obstinate Iewes Christ saith you cannot vnderstand my talke My sheepe heare my voice saith Christ but to the wicked Christ saith you cannot heare my words Beleeuest thou for this saith he to Nathaniel thou shalt see greater things than these but If ye beleeue not sayth Esay ye shall not vnderstand That these Scriptures might bee fulfilled you see that as sin is called blindnes 2. Chro. 6. 18. so sinners are called blind Esay 56. 10. and may be called Strangers in Israel Vntill we be borne again we are like Nichodemus which knew not what it was to bee borne againe Iohn 3. Vntill we become zealous our selues we are like Festus which thought zeale madnes Act. 26. Vntill we be humble our selues we are like Michol which mocked Dauid for his humilitie 1. Sam. 6. 16. It was true then and it is true now and it will bee true alwayes which Paul obserueth 1 Corin. 1. 18. that to some religion shall seem foolishnesse The reason of all this Paul layeth downe in a word If ye aske why the wicked cannot vnderstand heauenly things he sayth Because they are spiritually discerned 1 Corin 2. 14. therefore how should he discerne them that hath not the spirite For this cause wisedome is not said to bee iustified of any but of her owne Children Mat. 11. 19. neither doth Christ say that any sheepe heare his voyce but his owne sheepe My sheepe sayth hee Iohn 12. 27 heare my voyce they followe their shepheard they heare his voyce they vnderstand his Lawe they iudge of his iudgements they haue the measure of his Wordes all is open and plaine and manifest and cleare vnto them they search deeper and iudge righter and know sooner and though they haue no learning yet they haue better iudgements than the learned wheras the other that labour and study without God walke in a labyrinth fall into doubts while they seeke resolutions When a wicked man reads the Scriptures he seeth no difference betweene the worde of God and the wordes of men like Cleopas which talked with Christ knew not Christ When he speakes of Religion he flutters like a young bird which cannot flye because her wings are not growen when he prayeth his prayer is like a childes grace that vnderstandeth not one word that he saith hee which hath but a shew of holines hath but a shewe of wisedome a little knowledge is in his head but there is no knowledge in his heart An euill man may knowe some thing and speake something of his reading hearing as Iob saith There is a spirit in man that is euery man hath a kind of knowledge but the inspiration of the Lord giueth vnderstanding as though the sinners vnderstanding did not deserue to be called vnderstanding If the wicked man speake any thing that is good hee speakes by roate but hee which speakes not out of the abundance of his hart is soone drawne drie The preaching of the Word doth not become him it is harsh and vnkind in his mouth as though it came out of a wrong bowe or like vnto a shittle which flittereth from the hand of a child he is in the pulpit as the guest at the banquet which wāted his wedding garment he speakes not like one which hath authoritie but as one that hath no authoritie and alwaies his conscience sounds vnto him What hast thou to do to take my word in thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be reformed Therefore bee renued that ye may knowe what the will of GOD is this is the Abce and Primmer and Grammar the first lesson and last lesson of a Christian to knowe the good and perfect and acceptable will of God which must make vs good and perfect and acceptable our selues the will of God is alwaies good and acceptable perfect howsoeuer it seeme to vs though it condemne vs of euill yet it is good though we see not how it is perfect yet it is perfect nay it is so perfect that we cannot see the perfection of it as the Sunne is so bright that wee cannot behold the brightnes of it first it seemes good vnto a man before it bee acceptable when it is acceptable then it seemes perfect and as Gods will doth seeme to vs so we doe seeme to him if his will cannot seeme good and acceptable and perfect to vs much lesse may our will seeme good or acceptable or perfect vnto him for this is our goodnesse to acknowledge his goodnesse If it be such a contentment to knowe the will of GOD what shall keepe vs from the knowledge of it shall sinne which is the worst thing in the world Because we will not renue our mindes therefore we are ignorant of so many things which we would knowe and vntill we be willing to followe the word wee shall neuer throughly vnderstand it but buzze and grope at it like Owles which prie at the sunne out of a barne Oh! what a benefite had Salomon lost if he had lost his wisedome which God gaue him as great a benefite doest thou loose if thou loose the knowledge of Gods will for from the day that a man cannot discerne the will of Sathan from the will of Christ euerie Heresie seemeth trueth euery euill seemes good and this hath been the beginning of al errors in the Church because men did not loue the trueth therefore God would not reueale his trueth vnto them therefore I conclude as I began Be ye chaunged by the renuing of your mindes that ye may proue what is the good will of God and acceptable and perfect Now a word of the Sacrament there is an infant to be receiued into the Church which putteth vs in minde of the promise which we made vnto God when we were receiued into the Church our selues This Sacrament was instituted by Christ when he was baptized of Iohn in the riuer of Iordan and it succeedeth Circumcision as the Communiō was ordained in stead of the Passeouer so soone as we are borne we are baptized In the name of the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost to signifie that we owe a duetie vnto God from the day that wee come into the world In this Baptisme our bodies are washed with water to signifie how
very wicked haue laboured to put on this vizard as we reade of Pharao who to couer his foolishnes saith Come let vs do wisely And again it is said that the Grecians sought after wisedom eueÌ„ the Nation which God cals the foolish nation did seek after wisedom that is they would haue the name of wisedome but this wisedome which Moses cals wisdome is couÌ„ted foolishnes the foolishnes of preaching saith Paul meaning how the foolish count preaching foolishnes Againe foolishnes to the Gentiles meaning that the word of God seemeth like a foolish thing vnto many For that which Christ said vnto Peter he may say almost to al They do not sauor the things of God As Anah deuised a new creature so they haue found out another wisedome which is called the wisdom of the flesh They remember Be wise as serpents but they forget Be simple as doues He which is like Achitophel is couÌ„ted a deep counsâ—â—ler he which is like Machiuel is counted a wise fellow Alas how easie a matter is it to deceiue counterfeit and play the subtile serpent if a man would set his head vnto it Could not Dauid goe as farre as Achitophel Could not Paul shew as much cuÌ„ning as Tertullus Yes yes if they were not taught to be simple as doues But this wisdome comes not by the remembrance of death but by the forgetfulnes of death Men do not vse to think of death when they goe about such matters but say like the serpeÌ„t We shall not die Two things I note in these words First that if we will find wisedome we must applie our hearts to seeke her theÌ„ that the remeÌ„brance of death makes vs applie our harts vnto it Touching the first Moses found some fault with himselfe that for al he had heard seene and obserued and was counted wise yet he was new to begin and had not applied his heart to learne wisedom like the wise man which saith I am more foolish then any man I haue not the wisedome of a man in me So vnsatiable and couetous as I may say are the seruants of GOD the more wisedome and faith and zeale they haue the more they desire Moses speaketh of wisedome as if it were Phisicke which doth no good before it be applied and the part to applie it too is the heart where all mans affections are to loue it and cherish it like a kind hostesse when the heart seeketh it findethas though it were brought vnto her like Abrahams Ramme Therefore GOD saith They shall seeke me find me because they shal 〈◊〉 me with their 〈◊〉 as though they shuld not find him with all their seeking vnles they did seeke him with their heart Therefore the way to get wisedome is to applie our hearts vnto it as if it were your calling and liuing to which you are bound prentises A man may applie his eares his eyes as many trewants doe to their bookes yet neuer proue schollers but from that day which a man begins to applie his heart vnto wisedom he learneth more in a moneth after then he did in a yeare before nay then euer he did in his life Euen as you see the wicked because they applie their hearts to wickednes how fast they proceede how easily and how quickly they become perfect swearers expert drunkards cunning deceiuers so if ye could applie your hearts as throughly to knowledge and goodnesse you might become like the Apostle which teacheth you Therefore when Salomon sheweth men the way how to come by wisedome he speakes often of the heart as Giue thine heart to wisedome Let wisedome enter into thine heart Get wisedome Keepe wisedome Embrace wisedome as though a man went a wooing for wisedome Wisedome is like Gods daughter that he giueth to the maÌ„ that loueth her and sueth for her and meaneth to set her at his heart Thus we haue learned how to apply knowledge that it may do vs good not to our eares like them which heare Sermons onely nor to our tongues like them which make table talke of religion but to our hearts that wee may say like the virgin My heart doth magnifie the Lord and the heart will applie it to the eare and to the tongue as Christ saith Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh The last poynt is that the remembrance of death makes vs to applie our hearts to wisedome Moses commended not many bookes to make a wise man learned but as Dauid commends one booke in stead of many Meditate in the Law of God day and night for the reading of many bookes sayth Salomon is but wearinesse to the flesh Therefore as though Moses had marked what did moue him most to seeke after GOD hee prayeth that that thought may run in his mind still the remembrance of death As many benefits come vnto vs by death so many benefites come vnto vs by the remembrance of death and this is one It maketh a man to applie his heart to wisedome For when he considereth that he hath but a short time to liue he is carefull to spend it wel like Moses of whom it is said that wheÌ„ he coÌ„sidered how he had but a season to liue he chose rather to suffer afflictions with the seruants of God than to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season This is that which makes the olde men fast and watch and prepare themselues more than young because they thinke themselues neerer the doore like olde Isaac which when he was blinde for age said vnto Esau Behold I am now old and know not the day of my death that is because I am old I looke to die shortly And therfore as Esay taught Ezechias to set all things in order before he died so he called his eldest sonne to whom hee thought that the inheritance belonged that he might blesse him before he died This wisdome the Fathers called the wisdome of the crosse which wee call the best because it was deerest bought It is hard for a man to think of a short life and think euil or to think of a long life and thinke wel Therefore wheÌ„ Ieremie had numbred al the calamities sins of the Iewes at last he imputed all to this She remembred not her end so if I may iudge why natural men care for nothing but their pomp why great men care for nothing but their honour and dignitie why couetous worldlings care for nothing but their gaine why voluptuous Epicures care for nothing but their pleasure I may say with Ieremie They rememember not their end We neuer couet the same things liuing and dying therefore when Salomon had spokeÌ„ of all the vanities of men at last he opposeth this MemoraÌ„dum as a counterpoyse against them all Remember that for al those things thou shalt come to iudgement as if he should say Men would neuer speake as they speake nor
sheweth the reason of these repetitions when hee telles Pharaoh why his dreame was doubled because the matter was important and certaine Therefore when Salomon repeates this saying so often he calles for audience as though hee had some waightie and great matter to vtter Such a point of wisedome it is for euerie man to knowe that All is vanitie if we direct not things to their right end as when the Holy Ghost would signifie that God is all holie he repeated thrice holie holie holie So when hee shoulde shewe that man is al vaine thrice he repeateth vanitie to shew how hardlie man beleeues that he is vaine therefore he brings in three assertions as it were three witnesses to prooue it All agree vppon the same words but that the last is more plaine and saieth that All is vanitie that is that man is not onely changed and become vaine but for the vanitie of man as the Apostle saieth The creatures are subiect to vanitie and haue not the glory and libertie which they should haue for the sinne of man A spirituall eie doth see some vanitie or other in euery thing as appeareth betwixt Christ and his Disciples at Ierusalem They gazed vpon the building of the Temple as a braue thing and would haue Christ to behold it with them but he did see that it was but vanitie and therfore saide Are these the things that yee looke vpon as if he should say How vaine are you to gaze vppon this If Christ thought the beauty of his Temple a vaine thing not worth the sight which yet was beautified and built by his owne prescription how should Salomon expresse all the vanitie of the world to which all men haue added more and more since the beginning Therefore as if he wanted wordes to expresse it as hee did see it hee breakes foorth into an exclamation and repeates the same often Vanitie of vanities as if hee should say I cānot speak how vain the world is but vaine it is and very vaine and nought but vaine speaking as if hee had the feeling and sense of it as though the worlde stoode naked before him and it grieued him to see he cuts his words in chiding maner makes short riddance as if it irked him to speake all that he knewe therefore that which hee speakes he speakes roundly that if they read no more but sleepe all the Sermon after yet the first sentence shall strike a sting into their heartes and leaue a sounde behinde to waken them when they are gone as manie you know remember this sentence which remember no sentence in all his booke beside Who hath not heard Vanitie of vanities c. Though fewe haue conceiued it This is the phrase of Scripture when the holy Ghost would commende the song of Salomon aboue all other songs hee calles it the song of songes so called in the Hebrewe and mentioned 1. King 4. 32. When he woulde exalt the heauenly king aboue all hee calles him the King of kings so when he woulde note a greate vanitie and yet a greater and a greater than that which is the greatest of all he calles it Vanitie of vanities as when we would note a great foole we will say a foole of fooles a sin of sins a seruant of seruantes These are scornefull names to the worlde and homelie titles to giue our pleasures to call them Vanitie of vanities and againe Vanitie of vanities and yet againe Vanitie as though wee woulde prouoke them to fall out with vs like a man which sharpens his enemie with taunts when he woulde egge him to fight Hee might haue mollified his tearmes before hee condemned the worlde thrise but the worlde is no changling that Salomon shoulde change his iudgement but vaine it was vaine it is and vaine it will bee and therefore a thrise vaine worlde hee may call it First Vanity straight Vanity of vanities and sodainelie All is vanitie What a transcendent is this as though it increased while he spake so fast groweth this weede to worse and worse like the Image which appeared to Nabuchadnezzar the first part was of Golde the second of Siluer the third of Brasse the fourth of Iron the fifth of clay so by many changes the world growes worse and worse and all they which folow it When a man begins to like of pleasure opens the doore to one vanitie which hee loues straight as many vanities floch to him as Salomon had Concubines till the Temple of God be like a den of theeues Therefore when Salomon beheld such apluralitie and Totquot of Vanities like Surges comming one vppon another in pleates and in foldes he spake as though he would shewe vs Vanity hatching vanities Vanity of Vanities all is Vanity The first saying dooth passe without let but the last rubs and sinks not into the heartes of men so easilie as it is spoken Me thinkes I heare some dispute for Baal and bid Salomon stay before he come to All is Vanity It may bee that sinne is vanity and pleasure is vanitie but shall we condemne all for sinne and pleasure What say you to Beautie which is natures dowrie and cheareth the eie as sweete meate doeth the taste Beautie is like a faire picture take awaye the colour and there is nothing left Beautie in deede is but a colour and a temptation the colour fadeth and the temptation snareth But what saie you to Riches which make men Lordes ouer the rest and allow them to goe braue and lie soft fare daintilie and haue what they list Riches are like painted grapes which looke as though they would satisfie a man but doo not slake his hunger nor quench his thirst Riches in deede to make a man couet more and get enuie and keepe the minde in care But what say you to Honour which sets a man a loft and makes the knee bowe the tongue sooth and the heade stand bare as though they were other kinde of creatures aboue them Honour is like a King in a play when his part is done his ornamentes are taken from him and hee which helde the bason to him is as good as hee Honour in deed may commaund all but life hee makes a faire shewe now but when death comes all is one But what say you to profound Knowledge in deepe mysteries which makes men sought vnto and called deepe Clarkes and great Doctours Knowledge is like the Letters which Vriah carried against himselfe so Knowledge draweth a greater iudgement and oftentimes condemnes the bearer Knowledge without Vertue leaues a man without excuse and is a witnes against him because hee vnderstandes what is good and will not doe it Yet there is another darling of account behinde what say you to Long life which causeth a man to see his childrens children and makes him reuerent before the people Long life is like a long night when a man cannot sleepe so age is wearisome with sicknes and striues
example heere zeale and discretion were met together the Doues simplicitie and the Serpents pollicy kissed each other to win one soule to God what study Paul tooke and how he beate his braine and picked his words to win a king to religion because many turne with their head Hee doth not so much flatter Agrippa as hee perswades him to doo that which he saith hee doth this was Pauls drift to drawe him as it were with the cords of ioy and make him confesse Christ before hee was a ware that so he might get more more of him euen as Nathan made Dauid by a sleight to confesse against himselfe and repent his adultrie when as it is like that plaine and blunt speeches would haue done more hurt than good This is the subtiltie of wisedome as I my tearme it which Salomon intendeth when she saith I wisedome dwell with Prudence Pro. 12. where prudence signifieth Christian policie which Christ commends when hee saieth bee wise like Serpents Mat. 10. 10. Thus you haue a patterne before you they which conuert soules to God may see how Paule incounters with Agrippa whereby no doubt the holie Ghost would haue vs learne how to gratulate to our brethren their smal beginnings and praise the mite which comes from them that haue learned but a while and take hold of such as are comming forward and drawe them further with all the signes of loue and not disdaine those which come at the last houre to the vineyard though we our selues haue labored since the morning For he which is first may bee last and hee which seemes last may be first Therefore let no man insult beyonde the listes of humilitie as many make themselues vnprofitable seruants by counting themselues more profitable than other It is a fault among the best which are like Aaron and Miriam a little proud of the Spirit and contemne them which are so ignorant as Agrippa whome Paul beares in his armes like the lost sheepe to the sold againe Now Paul hath spoken Agrippa answeres Almost thou hast parswaded me to become a Christian Wherein ye may see how Paules speech wrought with him that hee was almost conuerted with a worde when it was spoken in wisedome and loue what power is in one Sermon if ye heare attentiuelie Agrippa was an heathen euen nowe and worshipped Idols and neuer heard a Preacher before yet one Sermon made him almost a Christian As Luke saith of Steeuen when he disputed against the Sirenians Acts the sixt Chapter and the tenth verse they could not resist the wisedome and the spirite by which he spake So Agrippa coulde not risist the wisedome and the Spiritte by which Paul spake but was so fettered with the holie chaine that as Paule was captine to Festus so Agrippa nowe was captiue to Paul the worde had him in bands like a prisoner and made him confesse against himselfe before Festus that hee was almost a Christian For Pauls speech to the amase of that obstinate President and wonder of all that stoode by to see a King an heathen and an Idolatour which sate to iudge to be so chaunged with a worde of a captiue from his opinion whom they though all the wordes in Gods booke coulde not alter if Paul and Christ had spoken to him all his life Then it was verified which before was prophecied They shall binde Kinges in chaines and Nobles in fetters of Iron Psalme one hundred fortie nine and the eight verse O the Maiestie and force of the word when faith dooth kindle it and zeale dooth vtter it it flies like the stone out of Dauids sling and strikes sinne and sinner both together at the heart This Paule did in bondes when hee was bound he was stronger than they that bound him when hee was a Captiue he was â—reer than they which kept him and when his Iudges examined him hee examined them and made them free which are bound to Sathan before hee was free from them Sende for Paule out of prison to instruct Agrippa and he is in bandes which should conuert O that such Doctors might preach vnto the Romish Princes of Europe or that the Kings that honour yet the most Antichristian beast would heare like this King But they haue some Anasiahs which haue an eye to Amos that hee cannot speake in the Courte Goe thou seer flie into the lande of Iuda prophesie to the Lambes and keepe Sheepe Speake no more at Bethel for this is the kings Chappell and the kings Courte A goodlie reason why none but flatterers should preach to Princes because it is the kings Courte Should not Kings heare the trueth as well as others Must not Bethel heare of saluation as well as Iudah because Amasiah dooth feare his fall lest Aâ—os get his honour from him When will hee conuert Agrippa which will not preach in bands nor in libertie Happie Agrippa not by the name of a King but by the name of a Christian Happie Agrippa not by the presents which thou receiuedst of Festus but by the words which thou heardst of Paul thou camest to see but God brought thee to heare thy intent was to gratulate Festus but now thou maiest gratulate Paule The Captiue is better to thee than the President for Festus hath shewed thee but his pompe but Paul hath shewed thee his Sauiour and perswaded thee to become a Christian Almost saith Agrippa but not altogether Heere you may see your pittance how you measure God with almost and serue him by halfes which hath giuen all like Ananias which brought a part and kept a part behind This is our worship of God though we will not say for shame with Agrippa that wee are but almost Christians yet wee are not almost when we would be counted altogether We goe before him in hypocrisie and come behinde him in modestie for Agrippa woulde not shewe more than he had to be counted better than hee was Though altogether had been as ready as almost as it is to vs yet when almost was all hee said almost not altogether It seemes that the flaxe began to smoake though it did not burne The first temper is colde the next is luke-warme the last is hot Almost is first and Altogether is last and many come betweene before wee can goe from one to another Agrippa confesseth that almost is all and here he stayes to heare what Paule will say to instruct him farther Paule thou hast perswaded mee almost to become a Christian It is like the faint confession of him that wept and said I beleeue Lord helpe my vnbeleefe I am a Christian teach me to be a Christian Therefore they which descant vpon his name doe note that Agrippa is as much as Aegre pario which signifies him which hardlye laboureth and brings forth with paine as Agrippa did Nabal is his name saith Abigail and folly is with him So Agrippa is his name and difficultie is with him for hard and scarce was his conception in stead of a Christian
that is wise saith Salomon is wise to himselfe but he that is ouer wise is wise against himselfe heere you may see that note aboue Ela is a iarring note and alwaies maks a discord in the harmony Christ would not haue vs wise Serpents but as wise as serpents lest they which are like serpents should circumuent vs to be wise to euil is an euil wisedom and there is no such enemie vnto knowledge as the opinion of knowledge for one which is wedded vnto his owne witte wil neuer be counselled of any Therefore how necessarie it is to remember this doctrine and God graunt wee may remember it I cannot tell howe no man can serue GOD vnlesse hee knowe GOD for none doe obey him excepte they which doe knowe him and yet it is saide that there was neuer so much knoweledge and so little goodnes Surely as Christ saide to his Disciples O ye of little faith so he might say to vs O yee of little vnderstanding for there is not too much wisdome but too much ostentation Humilitie is none of our vertues They which should teach others to be wise according to sobrietie passe the bonds of sobrietie themselues euerie man hath a common-weale in his head and trauels to bring foorth newe fashions As the Iewes were not content with such rulers as God had appointed them but would haue a king like the Gentiles As the Papists are not content with such lawes as God hath appointed them but they will haue traditions like the Iewes So the wisedome of this worlde is to deuise better orders better lawes better titles better callings better discipline than God hath deuised himselfe Euery plant saith Christ which my father hath not planted shall bee rooted vp that is euerie title and euerie office and euerie calling which God hath not planted shall be rooted vp to bee wise according to this booke is to bee wise according to sobrietie Therefore seeke the wisedome of Christ for the wisedome of the serpent is turned to a curse the wisedome of the Pharisies is turned to a woe the wisedome of Achitophell is turned to folly the wisedome of Nimrod is turned to confusion the wisedome of the stewarde is turned to expulsion the wisdome of Iezabel is turned to death This is the ende of the deceiuers wisedome of the extortioners wisedome of the vsurers wisedome of the persecutors wisedome of the flatterers wisedome of the sorcerers wisdome of the hypocrites wisedome of the Macheuelians wisedome As Moses serpent deuoured the sorcerers serpent so Gods wisdome shall deuoure mans wisdome Wherefore by the grace of God which is giuen vnto me I say vnto euery one of you with Paule Be wise vnto sobrietie bee not ashamed to seeme ignorant of some things but remember that it is better to seeme ignorant than to bee proude Thus you haue heard what wisedome is now let vs pray vnto God for it Food for new borne babes 1. Pet. 2. 2. As new borne babes disire the sincere milke of the word that ye may grow by it THis Scripture beloued in the Lord containeth an exhortation to inâ—â—re and stirre vp the beleuing Iewes that as God had illightned them with some knowledge of his trueth and sanctified them in some measure with the grace of his spirit so they would proceed grow on and dailie increase more and more in the faith and feare of Iesus Christ like the glorious sunne which still augmenteth and redoubleth his heat and light till it bee come to the middest of heauen where is perfect daie Nowe the meanes whereby we receiue all our grouth and increase in God is the liuelie preaching of the word of trueth And therefore the Apostle by a figuratiue and borrowed kinde of speech earnestly pressing them to thirst to long for the word of God euen the foode of their soules as little infants which are new borne crie for the mothers milke to nourish and sustaine them For there are two birthes mencioned in the Scripture the one fleshly and naturall by propagation from the first Adam whereby originall and our birth-sin as it were a Serpentes poison passeth and transfuseth it selfe into vs the other heauenly and spirituall by renouation from the second Adam which is Iesus Christ whereby grace and holinesse is deriued and brought vnto vs. In this latter and better birth God is our Father to beget vs the Church his spouse our mother to conceiue vs the seede whereby we are bredde and borne againe is the worde of God the Nurses to feede and to weane and to cherish vs are the Ministers of the Gospell and the foode whereby we are nourished and held in life is the milk of the worde as in this place And therefore in as much as children which are newe borne cannot increase in grouth and stature but must needes die and come to dissolution vnlesse they bee continuallie fedde and nourished with wholesome foode it behooueth all the faithfull and godlie who are quickened and reuiued in the life of God as new borne babes to desire the sincere milke of the worde that they may grow by it I thinke we neede not many words to cleare the generall drift and scope of this Scripture as we need not many fingers to pointe at the shining sun Let vs now therefore discend to the particular doctrines which issue and spring from the seuerall branches of this scripture First here is noted a preparation if we wil be bettered and increased by the worde wee must bee as new borne bares Secondlie our affection and duetie when we are newe borne we must desire Thirdly the matter obiect of our desire the milke of the worde Fourthly the qualitie of the milke it must bee sincere Lastly the ende and vse for which we desire it that we may grow thereby For the first point we must be as new borne babes Children wee know are principally commended for simplicitie and harmelesnes and therefore all those which will profite in the schoole of Christ and receiue light and comfort by the preaching of the worde are here taught to become as babes to laie aside all maliciousnesse and to bring holy and sanctified hearts to the hearing of it Suffer the little babes to come vnto mee saith our sauiour and forbid them not for of such is the kingdome of heauen as if we were neuer fit to heare learne of Christ til we be reformed newly changed into little babes againe For the secrets of the Lord as the Psalmist speaketh is with them that feare him to teach vs that as Dauid would admit no vile person into his couÌ„sell So God will admit no sinfull soule into his secretes If any man will doe Gods will saith our Sauiour he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or no because no man can learn this doctrine but he that doth it as no man could learne the Virgins song but they which sang it And Salomon to the
same effect saith The feare of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge as if the first lesson to be wise were to be holie therefore Christ is said to haue expounded all thinges to his Disciples apart to shew that if we will haue Christ to teach vs we must go a part from the world So that as a man slippeth off all his cloathes when he goeth into a bath to wash him So we must slippe off all our sins when we come to the word to feed vs for wisedom will not rest in the defiled soule nor in a bodie that is subiect vnto sinne As the Deuill woulde not dwell but in a house that was swept from godlines so the graces of God will not come vnto the heart which is not cleansed from wickednesse for God will not powre new wine but into new vessels therefore vnles ye haue prepared new hearts look for no new blessings to bee powred on you The Iewes reade the Scriptures daily in their Synagogues to finde Christ but all in vayne because the vaile is not takē away in reading them Euen so doe we preach in vayne and you heare in vaine because the vaile of sinne which is drawne like a Curtaine ouer your harts hideth and eclipseth the glorious light of the Gospell from you And therefore beloued brethren if you will haue the Lord to blesse your hearing and to prosper our preaching you must wash and rince out the dregs of sin that are frozen in you you must purge the leauen of maliciousnes that sowreth your soules you must cast vp your couetousnes your pride and your slothfulnes your partiall preiudice like the serpent which spues vp his poyson when he goes to drinke For this is the cause why there are so many fruitlesse non-proficient hearers because there are so many sinfull and wicked hearers It is sayd of Christ that he did not many great works in his owne countrey for their vnbeliefs sake so it may be sayd that GOD concealeth many great mysteries of faith from vs for our sinnes sake Our wickednesse stops Christs mouth that hee will not speake as the Iewes incredulitie chayned his handes that hee woulde not worke Will an Embroderer teach an other mans seruant his trade if he knowe he will hurt him No more will God teach the Diuels seruants his truth because hee knoweth they will offend him The seed which fell into the thornie groud sprang vp very cherefully for a time that it might seeme to giue great hope of a ioyfull haruest but because thornes grewe vp with it at length they choked it so that vnlesse wee cut vp the thornie sinnes which naturally sprout and spring vp in vs they will ouerthrow all the good plants of holy doctrine that are graffed in vs and therefore the Prophet Ieremie willeth vs to breake vp the fallowe ground and not to sowe among thornes as if the heart must first be sanctified and afterward instructed as yron must first be heated and afterwards be fashioned In regard whereof I beseech you my beloued in the feare and reuerence of Gods blessed name looke to your feete when ye enter into the house of GOD presse not into this marriage feast without a Wedding garment treade not into the holie Sanctuarie to heare the word with an vnsanctified and a defiled and a filthie soule A man will not keepe the Sabbaoth in his working apparell but will put on his richest iewelles and array himselfe in his best attyre and yet wee make it no seruple at all to come vnto the Sabbaoths exercise with a prophane and a wicked and our workie day heart When Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire before the Lord God sayd I will bee honoured in them that draw nigh vnto mee to shewe that the Lord doth then looke for more holines at our hands when by practise of his seruice and the duties of holy religion wee approach to drawe more neere vnto him Wherefore to shut vp this point as the begger in the Gospell cast off his cloake to come to Christ so must we cast off the cloke of our wickednesse when we come to heare We must be as babes if wee will bee Christes pupilles because he reuealeth knowledge wisedome to none but babes And yet wee must not be babes only but newe borne babes which haue a newe soule a newe life newe members new affections imparted to them Whereby wee learne that it is not enough in our regeneration to redresse and reforme some one disordered affection in vs but wee must bee chaunged and new fashioned in euerie part As Saul when the kingly spirite came vpon him was turned as it were into another man So wee when the word begetteth vs a new must be turned and chaunged into other men and therefore they which are implanted into Christ are called new creatures because neither the olde hearn nor the olde hand nor the olde eare nor the olde eye will serue the turne but all must bee 〈◊〉 and newe framed agayne For whatsoeuer is borne of the flesh is flesh If wee will haue it spirit that is fit for Gods worship who is a spirit and will bee worshipped in spirit and truth it must bee borne agayne of the spirit The sense hereof made the Prophet Dauid crye out Create in me a cleane heart O God and renue a right spirit within me and therefore we must not patch and peece vp our hearts for GOD like a beggers cloake which is made of shreds but we must be renewed and thorowly chaunged in the spirite of our mindes When Naaman the leper had washed in Iordan his flesh came agayne like the flesh of a young child If the leprosie of sinne be washed and purged from vs al our affections and all our desires will bee altered and chaunged like the flesh of a child And therefore if wee will fit our selues to bee good hearers wee must not entertaine friendship with any sin As the Adder slippes off her skinne and the Eagle casteth her bill so wee must quite slip our selues of all our lusts when as newe borne babes we come to heare Touch no vncleane thing sayth the Lord because sinne will cling to the conscience like bird-lime to a feather therefore we must not touch it it must not haue a finger of vs. When the Diuell made his reentrie he tooke vnto himselfe seuen other spirites worse then himselfe Thus one diuell brings moe diuels and one sinne pulles on more sinnes as one crow calleth many crowes to a carrion and therefore as the leauen was hid in the meale till all was sowred so let vs neuer rest seasoning our soules till all be sanctified for then wee bee fit to vnderstand euery part of Gods will when we bee in euery part newe borne againe Furthermore this poynt discouereth and descrieth a grosse errour in Poperie concerning the works of nature which are wrought and effected by the
single vertue and power of our owne free will without the finger and grace of GOD. For whereas the Papists acquite manie of them and cleare them from sinne as if an vnregenerate man by the strength and abilitie of his owne will as it were mounted vpon his owne wings were able to aspire to the accomplishment of holie desires wee see that the Apostle in this place maketh no other account of the vnregenerate then of dead men and therefore that they must bee quickened and new borne againe before they can practise or performe any vitall action in the life of GOD. Christ is resembled to a vine and wee to the braunches for that all the iuice and sappe whereby the braunches spring and liue issueth and ariseth from the roote of the vine so all the grace and goodnesse that is in vs droppeth and distilleth from the riches of the person of Iesus Christ Before GOD blessed Sara she was barren and childlesse so vntill God blesse our hearts they bee wicked and fruitlesse And therefore as an vncleane fountaine cannot sende foorth sweete water nor a bad tree bring foorth good fruite no more can the corrupt and wicked heart of the vnregenerate bud and bring foorth anie good and vertuous actions Thus much of our condition and preparation whereby wee haue learned with how holie and with how sanctified affections wee ought to repaire to the hearing of the worde Now followeth our duetie and affection when wee are newe borne As newe borne babes desire Wee must not bee children in wauering and inconstancie because the Apostle sayth that GOD hath furnished his Church with Pastors and Teachers That we bee no more children wauering and carried about with euery winde of doctrine reeling from faith to faith from religion to religion like a drunken man from wall to wall Nor we must not be children in vnderstanding and knowledge because the same Apostle sayth Brethren be not children in vnderstanding but concerning maliciousnes bee children but in vnderstanding be of a ripe age But wee must bee children in an ardent and burning affectiō in thirsting and longing for the word of God Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousnes for they shall bee filled because God filles the hungrie with good things but the rich and the wealthie he dismisseth emptie The kingdome of God suffereth violence because none can enter at the narrowe gate but such as striue throng and thrust to enter And therefore as when the damme feedes her young euery bird gapeth and struggleth and stretcheth out the necke to receiue the foode So when wee come to heare euery man must reach and stretch out his heart to receiue the word For then indeede the word worketh most effectually in vs when our hearts before are kindled and inflamed with desire of it like waxe which receiueth any stampe after it is heated The Shunamites child which was raised by Elisha so soone as his flesh beganne to waxe warme neesed and opened his eyes and reuiued agayne So when wee waxe warme in the spirite and conceiue a desire and a thirst of the word of GOD it is an vndoubted token that wee are borne agayne that there is breath and a soule within vs and we are not vtterly dead in the life of grace As contrariwise they which haue not a sharpe and hungrie appetite to bee fedde and satisfied with the milke of the word are but dead carcasses and skinnes full of rotten bones so that this Citie which shoulde bee the glorie of the kingdome may well bee tearmed Golgotha The place of dead mens skulles in regard there are so manie thousand soules dead in sinne dead in desire who haue no thirst and hunger for the word of God If they haue a bare reading Minister as children haue a puppit to play with they thinke themselues in a happy state as if Elishaes staffe could raise the dead child without Elisha and the word giue life without a preacher It may bee they can bee content with Micah to accept a Leuite if they light vpon him But who will sende to Hierusalem the schoole of the Prophets as Saul sent to Bethelem to fetch Dauid for his comfort I thinke you know my meaning I would not wish you wait till preachers offer themselues to instruct you but to sende to the schooles of learning to prouide godly able men who may minister the word in due season Balaake because he longed for Balaam went to the vtmost coast of the countrey to meete him The father because he longed for his prodigall sonne ranne to kisse him a great way off Dauid because he longed for the Arke went and brought it vp from Kiriathaim So then indeed we desire the word of God when we will not stay till it come vnto vs but we will preuent it and goe to the vtmost borders of our coūtrey to fetch it home vnto vs. We must desire the milke of the word and we must desire it as babes that is in three respects First they say children so soone as they are borne into the worlde presently crie out for the mothers dugge so must wee so soone as wee feele the grace of God to haue renewed vs while wee are yet hote from the wombe hunger and thirst for the milke of the word If the mother should deferre to giue her childe sucke were it able to liue a moneth or a weeke or a day No more is our faith able to sustaine and support it selfe vnlesse it be presently nourished with the foode of life Christ so soone as he had raysed vp Iairus daughter commanded her meate as if it were in vaine for vs to be quickned by the finger of his power vnles we be fed by the word of his grace and therfore Eden was watered so soone as it was planted to shew that we must be strengthened so soon as we are instructed so that it is a great fault among vs when GOD hath quickned vs with his spirit we perceiue his graces to budde and to blossome in vs that we presently prouide not moysture to nourish and to preserue them We count it a miracle that Elias liued fortie dayes without foode and yet we after many yeares of famine still poste off the feeding of our soules We thinke it alwayes too soone to beginne though we begin then when we are ready to end as the rich man who then went in hand to inlarge his barnes when hee was euen at deaths doore to resigne his life As Christe was then sent for to heale the Rulers daughter when she was ready to departe so manie neuer desire the preachers company till they be ready to die They say that the time is not yet come that the Lords house shoulde bee built not yet time to sanctifie their soules for God not yet time to prouide for the milke of the word And thus we poste off from day to day from yeare to yeare till wee bee arrested by death
As the bad Lawyer driues off his Client from terme to terme till the suite be lost Lot was so long loytering and trifling in Sodome that the Angell was fayne to plucke him out with violence and certainly vnlesse the Lorde by the good meanes of his prouidence should plucke vs out of ignorance and darkenesse wherein we vse such trifling and plunging and delaying that scarce one of a thousand would bee saued Wherefore beloued in Christ if Paule haue planted you in the true fayth desire also an Apollo to water you If the foundation be layde by a maister builder seeke out a skilfull workeman who may roofe it also if ye haue receiued one grace speedily desire the preaching of the word that it may increase and grow vp by dressing and manuring vnto a double grace for euen the best giftes will wither and decay in you vnlesse they be presently watered with the word Againe we knowe that children are so greedily carried with a desire of the foode that when hunger assayles them they neither regarde leisure nor necessitie nor willingnes of the mothers but all excuses busines set apart so soone as they crie for it they must be fedde Euen so wee must not thinke it enough to desire the worde but we must bee earnest and feruent and importunate in calling and crying for it A notable parable is in Luke how one called for bread in the night the other answered that he was in bed which seemed a reasonable answere and yet it would not serue So we haue long called my brethren and wee haue a great while craued the bread of life though it may seeme a reasonable answere that they cannot giue it vs without impouerishing themselues and their children who are fat and inriched with the Ministers mayntenance yet we ought not to be daunted and discouraged so but to continue asking stil as Peter continued knocking til the doore was opened For as Iehu was knowen by his furious marching so you may know a faythfull and true Christian by his zealons perfecting of holy purposes The mother doth not alwayes feede her childe for loue but many times to keep it still and quiet is constrayned to leaue all and giue it sucke So if our mother neyther reuerenced God nor feared men yet if we would be earnest and importunate with her if we would continually crye and call for it as babes doe for the milke she would feede vs at last if not of loue yet at least to be eased of vs. It is an olde saying that he which asketh faintly teacheth vs to denie him If we will teach men to graunt vs we must aske it with courage and constancie And therefore as Iacob wrestled with the Angel and said I will not let thee goe vntill thou blesse me so must our requests wrestle with the Gouernours of our land and say I will not let you rest vntill you heare me This doctrine enditeth and conuinceth a great number of vs who though we haue a desire to the worde yet we are so chill and so colde and so loose in it that in euery crosse euent we stand stone still If it be but a straw it is a blocke in our way because as Ieremie speaketh We haue no courage for the truth vpon earth we haue some loue to the trueth but we haue no courage to labour and aduenture for it as a merchant that would gladly gaine but dares not venture the seas for feare of drowning If the people be somwhat backward or a Preacher cannot be procured at the first dash while the fitte is fresh vpon vs we take our discharge and cast off the care for euer after The slouthfull man sayes There is a Lyon in the way And so we discourage our selues in seeking good things because there is paines in the way But if we desire the word as babes doe milke we must neuer rest to desire it vntill we haue it Lastly we know children are continually crauing foode a little pause and then to the breast againe and therefore we must not bee gorged and glutted with once seruing but continually desire it We must be of Elias diet bread and flesh in the morning and at euening too So morning and euening our soules must bee fedde The Apostle exhorteth Let the worde of GOD dwell in you because it must not take vp a nights lodging and so be gone but it must be a continuall residence and abode in our hearts Though the ground be good yet it must haue the former and the latter rayne to make it fertile and yet many of vs thinke to grow greene with one shower and to goe vnto heauen with one sermon It is reported of the faythfull that they continued daylie in the temple as if a Sabbaoth dayes exercise would not serue the turne vnlesse we had some ordinarie repast in the worke dayes also and therefore as the lampe burned continually in the Temple without quenching So the word must continually sound in our eares without intermission Thus you see beloued that if you wil desire the milke of the word as newe borne babes you must desire it presently without delay importunately without fainting continually without loathing and being satisfied with it Now we come to the matter and obiect which we must desire namely our food and nourishment in Christ which is here called the milke of the worde To this our Sauiour recalleth vs from al our daynâ—â—â—s Labour not for the meate that perisheth but for the meat which endureth to eternal life For the word is euerlasting foode and immortal seede because it makes vs immortal and to last for euer We desire wealth honour and pomp and pleasure and euery thing saue the milke of the word which we should desire like Adam who had al trees and yet liked none but the forbidden tree There is a desire of the worde but it is a tare to choak the good corne There is a desire of money but it is the roote of al euil There is a desire of the flesh but it fighteth and wageth warre against the spirit There is a desire of preheminence but it is swelling and ambitious There is a desire of reuenge but it ariseth from a rash and carnal spirite There is a desire of praise but it is cursed and pharisaicall the blessed and holy desire is to desire the milke of the word When Ionathan saw the hony dropping he must needs be licking so when ye see the milke of the Gospel ye must desire to be sucking Of al the blessings of Canaan this was the chiefest that it flowed with milke and honie and this incouraged the Israelites to trauail to it in the desart to possesse it The worde is a land flowing with better milke and hony and we must not think any paine or toyle too much to attaine it God hath many names in Scripture to make vs conceiue more honorably of him so hath the word
many titles to make it more amiable It is called a lanterne to direct vs a medicine to heale vs a guide to conduct vs a bit to restraine vs a sworde to defend vs water to wash vs fire to inflame vs salt to season vs milke to nourish vs wine to reioice vs rayne to refresh vs a treasure to inrich vs and the keye to open and vnlocke heauen gates vnto vs. Thus the worde is named in al things that we should onely desire it in stead of all things And surely therefore the worde is in so small request among vs because wee know not what blessings it bringeth with it It is the word of saluation because it saueth the soule from pyning as the corne which Ioseph sent did Iacobs house from famine So that as Elisha sayd of Iordan wash and be cleansed so may we say of the word Heare it and be saued It is called the worde of life because it reuiueth the spirite as Elishaes bones reuiued the Israelites It is called the worde of reconciliation because it is like a golden chayne to linke GOD and vs together And in regarde hereof it is called a iewell of inestimable price as if all the treasure in Egypt were not wealthy enough to buy it And therfore as Dauid longed for the Well of Bethlehem so must we long and languish for the milke of the worde The Word is resembled to milke in three respects First because it is the onely foode of the faithfull as milke is the onely and proper foode of babes Secondly because it is not hard and intricate but playne and easie to be conceiued as milke is easie to be digested Thirdly because it is sweete and comfortable to the soule as milke is sweete and pleasaunt in taste For the first poynt the Lord chargeth the Israelites to doe whatsoeuer he had commaunded and not to adde or diminish any thing And Iosua Iosiah Ezra and the rest when theâ— would renew the Lordes couenant with the people reade nothing but the lawe to shewe that it was the only rule and square of al their duety and therefore Esay recalleth vs to the lawe and to the testimonie c. and Christ sends vs to search the Scriptures because by them we haue eternall life and therefore the Popish church which nor content with the milke of the Gospell hath broached manie heathen traditions and vnwritten trash doth not feede but choke and poyson her children with them and depriue the Lords people of this foode of life and like cursed Philistines stop vp the wells of water which other haue digged what doe they else but starue and famish so manie Nations For well may their hedge priests like drie Nurses delight and disport the children for a season but when hunger bites when the distressed conscience would bee fed and comforted then they are not able to affoorde them the very crummes from Christs table and therefore wee must needes account the estate of those congregations to bee full of dread and horror which haue not this milke of the word to feede their soules which want a good steward to giue them their meate in due season which like the AEgyptians lye crawling in the darke when other churches enioy most comfortable light Iaacob forsooke the blessed land of Canaan when it had no bread and can we be enamored of those assemblies where there is no soules foode If ye did consider my beloued that ye cannot be nourished vnto eternall life but by the milke of the word ye would rather desire your bodies might be without souls than your churches without preachers I tremble to thinke how oft you haue heard this and yet how little you haue performed it For the second poynt that the doctrine of the Gospel is plaine appeareth when the wise man saith Al the words of his mouth are plaine easie to him that wil vnderstand The testimony of the Lord is sure giueth light to the simple If our Gospel be hid saith the Apostle it is hid vnto them that perish for as the Sunne which was made to lighten all things is most light so the word which was made to cleare all things is most cleare so that if there be no communion betweene light and darknes the word of God be a lanterne vnto our feete a light vnto our pathes then it is euident that the Word hath no darknes in it If we see not all thinges the fault is not in the light but in the eie as Agar could not see the water which yet was before her therfore our aduersaries falsly charge the Scriptures of exceeding hardnes and intricatenes When the spies were returned from Canaanâ— they could not say but that it was a good lande but they sayd it was hard to come by So the Papists must needes confesse that the Scripture is a good Word and yet to disswade the Lordes people from a serious and diligent search of it they bring vp a slaunder and say it hath many obscurities and by-pathes But as Elisha saw the horses and fiery chariots which his enemies could not see So beloued if yee come with a faithfull and a holy heart to the Worde and to the Scripture yee shall see that plainnesse and easinesse in the doctrine which our aduersaries cannot see For the third poynte that the Gospell is the onely comfort and consolation of a faithfull soule The Prophet Ieremie saith Thy wordes were found by mee and I did eate them and thy worde was vnto mee the ioye and reioycing of my heart Thy testimonies haue I taken for an heritage for euer for they are the ioye of my heart As a man will bee glad to be hired to a noble man so Dauid when hee had gotten the milke of the Worde reioyced as much as if hee had been hyred vnto God and therefore in all the storie of the Acts we see ioy and comfort to haue followed the word as Elisha followed Elias and would not leaue him So the wise men reioyced exceedingly when they saw the starre which should leade them to Christ so yee haue matter of great ioy comfort when ye heare the woord preached which shall carrie you to heauen like the chariots which conueyed Iaacob into AEgypt There be many Micols in this land which haue mocked King Dauid for dauncing before the Arke There are many which terme vs heady and foolish men because we come and throng prease thus to a sermon but as Christ said Father forgiue them they knowe not what they doe So God forgiue them they know not what they say for if they did feele the calme of conscience the ioy of heart the consolation of spirite and the exceeding and euerlasting comforts in God which the faithfull possesse and enioye by hearing the word they would account vs not onely fooles but starke mad if al the pleasures or profites or daungers of the world should withdrawe or with-holde vs
from it So much for our food now we come to the qualitie of our foode It must be sincere Sincere both in his sauor and also in effect and operation for as in nourishing our bodie naturally our blood cannot be good if our diet be vnholsome so in feeding our soules spiritually neither our hearts nor affections nor our words nor our workes can be good vnlesse the milke bee wholsome whereupon we feed and therefore as our Sauiour bâ—ds vs take heede what we heare so the Apostle to the like effect giues a caueat to take heede vpon what we feede for there is a pure and fresh doctrine in Ier. 1. 7. and there is a sower and leauened doctrine in Matth. 16. 6. There is a new wine of the Gospel in Matth. 9. 17. there is mixed wine in the cup of Fornicators in Reu. 17. 4. There are wholsome wordes in 2. Tim. 1. 13. and there are corrupt and vnwholsome words Ephes 4. 29. There is a doctrine of God Ioh. 7. 16. and there is a doctrine of Diuels 1. Tim. 4. 1. There is an edifying and a building worde and there is a fretting and a cankred word 2. Tim. 2. 17. As the Prophets children cryed out death in the pot so some places may say death in our foode and hereof it is that we are so often for warned in Scripture to beware of the leauen of the Scribes and Pharisies to take heede of the Prophets which come to vs in sheepes cloathing to beware that no man seduce vs through Philosophie to trie the spirites whether they be of God or no as we must taste our foode before wee digest it to trie our gold before wee treasure it Christ tasted the vineger but would not drinke so when wee taste false doctrine we must reiect it There are many greedy of milke but it is Dragons milke they take great paines to learne but it is to learne the language of Ashdod not the language of Canaan they run to heare but to heare fables and vntruthes Nimrod was as paineful in building of Babel as Salomon in rearing the holy temple Micah entertained a Leuit consecrated his siluer but to an idolatrous worship The Israelites melted their eare-rings but to erect a calfe Iezabel fed a great rout of trencher chaplains but to honor Baal Many desire to haue milke but they wil haue it from dragons poysoned and therefore we are here warned to desire the sincere milke c. For the Lord will not haue the wine of his word to be mingled and mashed with the water of humane inuentions He that hath my word let him speake faithfully what is the chaffe to the Wheat God would not haue one fielde sowed with two kindes of graine to shew vs that hee would not haue one heart filled with two kindes of doctrine Dagon could not stand with the Lords Arke no more can Christs trueth holde any fellowship with the word of error and therefore as the ministers must beware that they make not merchandise of the word of God so must the people also that they drink not any milke but that which is sincere And here ye ought my beloued more carefully to behaue your selues as yee see the diuell more subtilly to assault you and vnder the cloake of zeale and reformation to bring into the Lordes sanctuarie most wicked prophanation As a man will be more warie to trie euery peece of gold when he sees many counterfeit and Flemish angels to flie abroad so when yee see many sortes of doctrine crawling daily like Locusts out of the bottomles pit yee must bee more diligent to taste and trie which is sound and sincere It followeth That ye may grow by it Here is the end of our hearing That we may grow in grace and increase in the faith of righteousnes for the faithfull are called the trees of righteousnes because they must bee alwaies springing liuing stones because they must growe in the building good seruants which must trade and traffique the Lords talents to increase fruitfull branches which must be purged pruned by the hande of the heauenly husbandman Isaac must not alwaies hang on Saraes breast but must be weaned so we must not alwaies be children but grow vp and increase and profite more and more As the star neuer ceased till it came ouer Christ so we must neuer rest walking till wee come to GOD. If we haue faith we must proceede from faith to fayth if we haue loue we must increase and abide in loue if we haue zeale we must endeuour to be consumed with zeale if wee be liberall to the distressed saints of GOD wee must double our liberalitie as Elkana gaue Annah a double portion If we read the Scriptures we must go on and continue in prayer if we giue almes we must step on one foote further and giue them with cheerefulnes and thus as the Eagle continually soareth till she come to the highest so must we still increase till we come to perfection Let vs be led forward vnto perfection as if a faithfull man were like a ship vnder sayle neuer anchoring till he arriue at heauen The greater is our sinne which heare and heare but are neuer the more reformed for our hearing like Pharaohs ill fauored kine which deuoured the fat kine but remained as il fauoured as they were before so many of vs when we haue lugged the breast almost drie after twentie or thirty yeares feeding are as skregged and leane as we were before No man almost among vs is more zealous no maÌ„ more faithfull no man more constant for the truth no man more feruent in religion no man more sanctified no man more diligent in practising nor lesse vitious now then he was one hundred sermons a goe as if wee were night black-rauens which cannot bee washed with all the sope of the Gospel Though wee haue long heard and stil desire to heare yet we doe not grow by our hearing wee are verie dwarfes in Christ scant able to goe little in faith little in loue little in patience little in obedience little in zeal like Zacheus so little that wee cannot see Christ This is an vndoubted euidence that we haue not fleshly but stony hearts which though they bee washed yet they cannot be watred with the sweete showers of the Gospell For is there not in euery tauerne and in euery shop and in euery house and in euery hall as much couetousnes as much briberie as much cosening as much wantonnes as much maliciousnes after this long shine of the word as ther was before Are we not now as slothfull in Gods seruice as dissolute in the practise of Christian dueties as dishonest in our dealing between man and man as proud in our attire as light in our behauiour as hypocritical abroad as sinnefull at home as we were before And what is the reason hereof but that we come to the fountayn rather to
they feasted together which sheweth how sweet and pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in vnitie Nowe you shall see what the olde man doth which was so commended in the 1. vers the storie saith that hee sent for his sonnes and sanctified them sacrificed for theÌ„ In which wordes the holy Ghost sheweth the patterne of an holy man and good father which kept the rule that God gaue vnto AbrahaÌ„ to bring vp his children in the feare of the Lord. Iob doth not as some which when they haue passed their bounds set all at randome and say with Cain in Gen. 4. My sinne is greater then can be forgiuen but he goeth to the remedie as the Iewes when they were stinged went to the brasen serpent Albeit my children haue not done their dueties in al poynts but offended in their feastings yet I am sure that God will haue mercie vpon them and vpon me if ye aske him forgiuenes Therefore he sent for his sonnes like a father and then hee taught them like a preacher to sanctifie them selues and then he offered sacrifice for them First we wil speake of the cause which moued Iob to sacrifice for his sonnes set downe in these words Iob thought It may be that my sonnes haue blasphemed God in their hearts He was glad good maÌ„ to see his children agree so wel together but he would haue them merry and sin not and therfore he puts them in mind euery day while they feasted to sanctifie themselues he condemneth not honest mirth and sober feasts to maintain amity and peace but being throughly acquainted with mans infirmitie this sheweth that he had obserued neuer any feasts so duely celebrated but some disorder or other hath crept in whereby God hath been dishonoured at his owne table either for superfluitie of meat or excesse of drinke or vnchast songs or corrupt speeches or wanton dancings or vnseemely daliances the diuel hath been stil at one end is lightly the master of the feast Therefore Iob thought with himselfe It may be that my sonnes haue committed some scape like other men I cannot tell they are but men it is easie to slip when occasion is readie though they thinke not to offend he had no apparant cause to suspect them and therefore he speakes in the doubting phrase It may bee that they haue sinned It is better to be feareful than too secure that which happeneth often in the like case he might well doubt of it though he had warned them before therefore his heart was not quiet but still this ranne in his minde all the while they feasted It may bee that my sonnes sinne How wary was Iob ouer himself which was so ielous ouer his sonnes least one sinne should slippe from them nay if ye marke he speaketh not of any open or grosse sinnes which he feared but he speaketh of a sinne in the thought It may bee that my sonnes haue blasphemed God in their hearts Blasphemie is properly in the mouth when a man speaks against God as Rabshakeh did but Iob had a further respect to a blasphemie of the heart counting euery sinister affection of the heart as it were a kind of blasphemie or petie treason Thus the penitent man doth aggrauate his sinnes and retch them as it were vpon the racke to make his small sinnes seeme great sinnes that he might beware as well of smal as great contrariwise the prophane and carnal minded man doth minâ—e and flatter and extenuate his sinnes as though they were no sins because they shuld not trouble him for this sinne which Iob calleth Blasphemie which is the highest name of sinne the Papists call but A veniall sinne that is but a sleight sinne because it is in the thought So Iob they differ in iudgement Now out of this speech of Iob It may bee that my sonnes haue sinned or it may bee that my selfe haue sinned which I may properly and rightly terme the ielousie of a holy man wherein Iob sheweth in what feare he stoode of his sonnes so long as their feasts lasted euen as a merchaunt doth till his shippe come home First wee may see this that the best thinges may soone be corrupted by the wickednesse of men such is our nature euer since Adam chose euil before good good hath bin turned into euill Gen. 3. Notwithstanding that our intent and meaning be good As for example when an husband loueth his wife or a father loueth his children these are good holy and commendable things yet there is no man can be found that doth loue his wife or his children with that euennesse as I may call it or iust proportion but that there is some oddes in the ballance when his affectioÌ„ is weighed which may craue pardon like the feasts of Iobs children If this oddes be in all our measures then it is no strange case that Iob thought with himselfe that his children might offend God in the thing that of it selfe of fendeth not Therefore it is good for a man so long as he liueth in this world to remember stil that he is among temptations and sits at a feast like Iobs children where he may soon take too much If the fish did know the hook the bird had seen the net though they haue but the vnderstanding of fishes and birds yet they would let the hooke alone and flie ouer the net and let the fouler whistle to himselfe so we must looke vpon our riches as we look vpon snares and behold our meats as we behold baites handle our pleasure as we handle Bees that is pick out the sting before we take the honie for in Gods giftes Sathan hath hid his snares and made Gods benefites his baits that as Adam said The womaÌ„ which thou hast giuen me tempted me to sin so they may say the riches or the honours or the liberty or the wife or the seruants or the children or the meates or the wit or the beauty which thou hast giuen me tempted me to sinne so many sinnes lie in wait for vs about our meats and drinks beds waies that vnles we watch pray and looke about vs at euery time it may be as Iob sayth that we may sinne in our doings or in our sayings or at least in our hearts as he thought of his sons Therefore no doubt but as Iob thought that his sonnes might offend in their feastings so hee taught them euen when they were feasting and when they sate at the table and when they dranke one to another to thinke oftentimes we may sin as our father tolde vs which brideled their mirth stopt many wordes at the doore euen when sin was at the tongues end you are not Iobs sonnes but you are come to be Iobs schollers therefore learne that which his children learned If a man did but carrie this watch-word with him whensoeuer he eateth or speaketh or bargaineth it would cut off a thousand idle words and wicked acts in one
to euery good as we are to euill Teach vs to remember our sinnes that thou maiest forget them and let our sorrowe here preuent the sorrowe to come Wee were made like thee let not flesh and bloud turne the image of God to the image of Satan our foes are thy foes let not thine enemies preuaile against thee to take vs from thee but make thy word vnto vs like the starre which led vnto Christ make thy benefites like the pillar which brought to the land of promise make thy crosse like the messenger which compelled guests vnto the banquet that wee may walke before men like examples and alway looke vpon thy sonne how he would speake and doe before we speake or do any thing Keepe vs in that feare of thy Maiestie that we may make conscience of all that we doe and that wee may count no sinne small but leaue our lying and swearing and surfetting and coueting and boasting and flanting and inordinate gaming and wanton sporting because they drawe vs to other sinnes and are forbidden as straightly as other Let not our hearts at any time be so dazled but that in all temptations we may discerne between good and euill between right and wrong between trueth and errour and that we may iudge of all things as they are and not as they seeme to bee let our mindes bee alwaies so occupied that wee may learne some thing of euerie thing and vse all those creatures as meanes and helpes prepared for vs to serue thee Let our affections growe so towarde one another that wee may loue thee asmuch for the prosperitie of other as if it were our owne let our faith and loue and prayer be alway so readie to goe vnto thee for our helpe that in sicknes we may finde patience in prison wee may finde ioy in pouertie wee may find contentment and in all troubles we may finde hope Turne all our ioyes to the ioye of the holy Ghost and all our peace to the peace of conscience and all our feares to the feare of sin that we may loue righteousnesse with as great good will as euer we loued wickednes and goe before other in thankfulnes towards thee as farre as thou goest in mercie towards vs before them taking all that thou sendest as a gift and leauing our pleasures before they leaue vs that our time to come may be a repentance of the time past thinking alway of the ioyes of heauen the paines of hell our owne death and the death of thy sonne for vs. Yet Lord let vs speake once again like Abraham one thing more we will beg at thy hands our resolutions are variable we can not performe our promises to thee therefore settle vs in a constant forme of obedience that we may serue thee from this houre with those dueties which the world the diuell and the flesh woulde haue vs deferre vntill the point of death Lord we are vnworthie to aske any thing for our selues yet thy fauor hath preferred vs to be petitioners for other Therefore wee beseech thee to heare vs for them and them for vs and thy sonne for all Blesse the vniuersall Church with truth with peace and thy holie Discipline Strengthen all them which suffer for thy cause and let them see the spirite of comfort comming towardes them as thy Angels came to thy sonne when he was hungrie Be mercifull vnto all those which lie in anguish of conscience for remorse of their sinnes as thou hast made them examples so teach vs to take example by them that wee may looke vpon thy Gospel to keepe vs from despaire and vpon thy lawe to keep vs from presumption Prosper the armies which fight thy battailes and shew a difference betweene thy seruantes and thy enemies as thou didst betweene the Israelits and the Aegyptians that they which serue thee not may come to thy seruice seeing that no God dooth blesse besides thee Make vs thankefull for our peace whome thou hast set at libertie while thou hast laid our dangers vpon others which mightest haue laide their dangers vpon vs And teach vs to build thy Church in our rest as Salomon builte thy temple in his peace Haue mercie vpon this sinfull Lande which is sicke of long prosperitie Let not thy blessings rise vp against vs but indue vs with grace as thou hast with riches that wee may goe before other nations in religion as wee goe before them in plentie giue vs such harts as thy seruants should haue that thy will may be our will that thy Law may be our Lawe and that we may seeke our kingdome in thy kingdome Giue vnto our Prince a Princely heart vnto our counsellers the spirit of counsel vnto our Iudges the spirite of Iudgement vnto our Ministers the spirite of doctrine vnto our people the spirite of obedience that wee may all retaine that communion here that we may enioy the communion of Saints hereafter Blesse this familie with thy grace and peace that the Rulers thereof may gouerne according to thy word that the seruants obey like the seruants of God and that wee may all be loued of thee Now Lorde wee haue commenced our suite our vnderstanding is weake and our memorie short and wee vnworthie to pray vnto thee more vnworthie to receiue the things which we praye for Therefore we commend our prayers and our selues vnto thy mercie in the name of thy beloued son our louing Sauiour whose righteousnesse pleadeth for our vnrighteousnes Our father which art in heauen c. ruption as though wee were made to sinne indeede or in worde or in thought wee haue broken all thy Commandements that wee might see what good is in euill which hath lefte nothing but guilt and shame and expectation of iudgement while we might haue had peace of conscience ioye of heart and all the graces which come with the holie spirite Some haue been wonne by the word but we would not suffer it to change vs some haue been reformed by thy crosse but wee woulde not suffer it to purge vs some haue been mooued by thy benefites but wee would not suffer them to perswade vs nay we haue giuen consent to the Diuell that wee will abuse all thy gifts so fast as they come and therefore thy blessings make vs proude thy riches couetous thy peace wanton thy meates intemperate thy mercie secure and all thy benefites are weapons to rebell against thee that if thou looke into our hearts thou maist saye our Religion is hypocrisie our zeale enuie our wisedome pollicie our peace securitie our life rebellion our deuotion ends with our prayers and wee liue as though wee had no soules to saue What shall wee answer for that which our conscience condemnes Wee are one daye neerer to death since we rose when we shall giue account how euery day hath been spent and how we haue got those things which other will consume when we are gone And if thou shouldest aske vs now what lust asswaged what affection qualified
serue God for himselfe and not for our selues as he which giues his heart doth all for loue this Christ requires when he casts off that Disciple that offred to follow him for aduantage The birds haue neastes and â—he foxes haue hoales saieth Christ but the Sonne of man hath not a place to hide his head shewing his Disciple if hee will follow him 〈◊〉 must not looke for a place to hide his head we must leaue all to follow Christ as Peter did not seeke all by following him as they that weÌ„t after him for bread Fiftly that wee should not serue God by fits as we vse to pray when the night comes to heare when the Sabboath comes to fast when Lent comes to repent when death comes but the seruice of the heart is a continuall seruice like that in 1. Thess 5. 16. Reioyce euermore praye continually in all things giue thankes Who is this which reioyceth and prayeth and thanketh continually The tong prayeth but sometime the eare attendeth but sometime the hand giueth but sometime but the heart prayeth and praiseth and worshippeth alwaies a man may serue God alwaies with his heart and neuer bee wearie because the heart cannot serue him vnles it reioyce in his seruice and therefore the Israelites praised God with musicke which did not delight God but shewed that they delighted in his seruice as they did in musicke But if the tongue or the hande or the eare thinke to serue God without the heart it is the irksomest occupation in the world the houre of tediousnesse like a long sicknesse he is tyred before he begin and thinketh himselfe in the stockes vntill the Sermon bee ended and vntill his Prayer bee done that hee may bee at libertie and returne to his olde byas againe Lastly this shewes how God mislikes our coldnesse in hearing or praying if we cannot say with the Virgin in Luke the first Chapter and sixe and fortieth verse My hart doth magnifie the Lord. All that comes short of this is hypocrisie pleaseth God like the offering of Cain As Ioseph charged his brethren that they should not come to him for corne vnlesse they brought Beniamin vnto him whom they left at home so God will not haue vs to speake to him nor come to him for any thing vnlesse we bring our heart vnto him which we leaue behinde The tongue without the heart is a flattering tongue the eye without the heart is a wicked eye the eare without the heart is a vaine eare the hand without the heart is a false hand Doest thou thinke that God wil accept a flattering tong a wicked eye a vaine eare a false hand which reiecteth a sacrifice if it be but leane or brused No saith Paule in his first Epistle to the Corinthians the thirteenth Chapter and first verse If I giue all that I haue and haue not loue that is giue not my heart it auailes me nothing he saith not that they which giue not their heart giue nothing but that they shall haue nothing for such offerings he which brings but a myte and brings his heart brings more than he which offers a talent and hee shall goe away more iustified than he which sayd All these haue I kept from my youth vpward for God is not mocked but knowes howe much is behinde though Ananias seeme to bring all He markes how I speake and how you heare and howe wee pray in this place and if it come not from the heart hee repelles it as fast as it goes vp like the smoke which clymes towardes Heauen but neuer comes there Man thinkes when he hath the gift he hath the heart too but God when he hath the gift calls for the heart still the Pharisies prayer the harlots vowe the traytors kisse the Sacrifice of Cain the fast of Iezabel the oblation of Ananias the teares of Esau are nothing to him but still he cries Bring thy heart or bring nothing like a iealous husband wheÌ„ he hath a wife yet he is iealous whether he hath her heart so whatsoeuer thou do yet God is iealous still and respectes not what thou doest but whether thou do it from thy heart that is of meere loue toward him If Pilate had washed his heart when he washed his hands he had bene cleaner than Naaman when hee came out of Iordan if the Sichemites had circumcised their hearts when they circumcised their flesh they had saued their soules when they lost their liues if Cain had offered his heart when hee offered of the fruites his offering had bene as acceptable as Abels But as Swines flesh was like Sheepes flesh yet was not accepted because it came from an vncleane beast so Cains offering Pilates washing the Sichemites circumcision the Pharisies prayer and fastes and almes were as faire as the Apostles yet they had no reward but Wo to you hypocrites because they wanted the heart which is like the fire that kindleth the Sacrifice But will he require our prayers and fastes and almes as he did theirs Yea saith Christ Except your righteousnesse exceede the Pharisies that is Except we giue our hearts beside our lippes and our eares our almes which they gaue wee shall not enter into the Kingdome of Heauen because our righteousnesse doth not exceede the righteousnesse of the Pharisies but their righteousnesse verie farre exceedeth ours Christ doth not bid them wo because they were Pharisies as we are not but because they were hypocrites as we are God delights him selfe in giuing and therefore he loueth a cheerefull giuer but he cannot giue cheerfully which giues not his heart Therefore as Iudas thought the Oyle spent which was powred vpon Christ and wished the price of it in his purse so they grutch grieue when they should doe good and thinke Shall I giue it Can I spare it What will it bring So the good worke dieth in the birth like a bird which droupeth in the hand while the head considers whether he shall let her goe or hold her still as easie to wring Hercules club out of his fistes as to wring a penitent teare from their eyes a faithfull prayer from their lips or a good thought from their heart which cannot affoord the heart it selfe all is too much which they do and they thinke God more beholding to them for blurting out a Pater noster or staying a Sermon or fasting a Friday than they to him for all his benefites and when they haue done what is their reward Woe bee vnto you like the Scribes and Pharisies because you giue not your hearts but your mouthes therefore we do but vexe our selues and loose our labour thinking to make God beleeue that we pray when indeed our lips do but pray whereby it comes to passe as we serue him so he serueth vs our peace is not in deed but in word our ioy is