no other Creature besides man for vnto all others it is most perfect Securitie to haue escaped that which is present But wee in respect of our Wit and Vnderstanding of our minde are in a continuall wrastling and strife with an enemie Which being so what safetie or securitie can wee looke for with our earthly pelfe notwithstanding all the bonds and Bils Euidences and Conuâ—aiances and whatsoeuer deuise else by craftie heads can bee contriued when wee can by no meanes secure our selues of our selues in rest and quietnes one houre to an end Now as touching the vniuersall disagreement and war that is betweene man and the Creatures and betweene the Creatures themselues and between man and man yea and in euery man in himselfe it is more then euident for doe not the Stars moue against the Firmament Doe not the Elements which be of contrary qualities striue one against another Are not the Windes at continuall conflicts among themselues Doth not one time contend against another time and one thing against another thing and all things against vs The Spring is moist the Summer is dry the Haruest is pleasant and the Winter sharpe And this which is called change and alteration is in very deed strife and disagreement although by the diuine prouidence of almightie they are made to agree together against their owne nature to serue mans turne that man might serue him These things vpon which we dwell by which we liue and are nourished which flatter vs with so many enticements how terrible are they when once they begin to bee angry the earthquakes shipwrackes whirlewindes raging fires and mightie flouds doe sufficiently declare With what violence doth the Haile fall What force haue stormes and tempests What ratling of Thunder What rage of lightning What fury of the waues What blowing of the Sea What roaring of flouds what excursions of Riuers What recourse and concourse of clouds Our meates and drinkes which we take to nourish vs if they be immoderately and excessiuely taken of vs what seazures and forfaitures doe they make of Reason Sence and Strength yea oftentimes of health and life it selfe There is no liuing Creature without war Fishes Foules wilde Beasts Serpents Men one kinde of these persecuteth another none are at quiet The Lyon followeth the Wolfe the Wolfe the Dog the Dog the Hare and the Hare the greene Corne with what craâ—t doth the â—oxe pursue our Lambs and our Poultry What watching is there of Crowes and Kites about our Pigeon houses and Broodes of Chickens And what assaults of Theeues is there against the priuie Chambers and Closets of rich men What watching and warding is there in euery seuerall kinde how great and diligent contention But though these cease yet disagreement ceaseth not for what hart-burning is there euen in Loue What disagreement in Marriage How many complaints what suspicions are there amongst Louers What sighes what paines what contention betweene Masters and Seruants Yea what bitter contention do we see betweene Parents and Children and betweene Brother and Brother And as touching the loue of Parents who are most tenderly affected towards their Children yet how great their indignation is it is euident whiles they loue them that are good and lament their case that are euill and thus in a manner they hate while they loue hartely Now among Friends although there be agreement in the words and ends yet in the way and in their actions what disagreement and contrariâ—tie of opinions and counsels is there What then shall a man hope for in hatred for there is Hatred in Loue and Warre in Peace and Dissention in agreement If wee consider the orders of Bees in their Hiues what thronging together what noyse what wars not onely with their neighbours but amongst themselues what domesticall conflicts and dissentions is there amongst them If we looke vpon the Doue that innocent and simple bird and which as some write hath no gall with what battailes and disquietnesse with what clamours and outcryes I pray you do they passe forth their life And now to meet with Christs instance againe How doth the Moth gnaw the cloth the Rot the post and little Wormes by day and night fret through the bowels of Beames huge Timber Againe what an enemie is the Grassehopper to Hearbs the Caterpiller to Fruites before they bee ripe and the Fowles of the Ayre to ripe fâ—uites and graine what an enemie is the Mildew to the Vintage the blasting to the Hearbs the Canker to the Leaues and the Moule to the rootes What should I speake of the hurtfull plentie of branches and leaues of Trees against which the wakefull Husbandman giueth diligent attendaunce And what doth the continuall returne of Bryars and weeds but minister perpetuall matter of toyle and strife I let passe the furious rage of showers of Raine and heapes of Snow and biting of Frosts and violence of Ise and force of Flouds which many times shake whole Regions and Countries But thou liuest amongst the Richer and more delicate sort perhaps yet art not thou nor any of them without their discommodities and toyles for how is their quiet silence and sweet sleepe interrupted and troubled eyther with the cryings and screiches of Owles or the continuall barking of Dogs all night against the Moone or with the horrible outcryes and hellish clamour of Cats meeting vpon the tiles and toppes of houses And on the day time they are annoyed with the common clamour and laughter of Fooles then which nothing is more ridiculous and the merriments of Drunkards then the which nothing is more grieuous Then come the complaints of such as be at variance and the Iangling scoulding of old wiues Ad hereunto the thronging and noyse of Iudgementâ— Hals vpon court dayes the Altercations of Merchants and such as buy and sell together with the vaine Oathes and Protestations both on the one side and the other Adioyne herevnto the sorrowfull singing of workmen to asswage their painefull trauaile Finally examine whatsoeuer there is run through in thy mind all the Heauen the Earth the Sea there is like contention in the top of the Skie and the bottome of the Sea and there is strife in the deep rifts of the earth as wel as in the woods and Fields and aswell is there perpetuall disagreement in the Desarts of sands as in the streets of Cities At the very beginning of the world there was a battell fought in the first Heauen and those vanquished Angels now Diuels whilst they endeauour to bee reuenged vpon vs mortall men that inhabite the earth they procure vnto vs immortall warre of sundry temptations with most hard and doubtfull businesse And to gather all into a short summe all things whatsoeuer hauing sence or without sence from the vppermost top of heauen vnto the lowest center of the earth and from the chiefest Angell to the basest worme there is continuall
more then they knew of and at last made himself knowen vnto them Gods spirit is called the Comforter and his words are the words of Comfort Sonne bee of good cheare thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Hee hath thy pardon with him in thee and when thou hast most neede hee will deliuer it thee and thou shalt see it with ioy and great gladnes In thee meane time that hee is in thee know by this that thou dost not hate the Lord but loue him and hast an holy desire with some earnest endeauour to serue him to liue honestly and to keepe a good Conscience in all things and art afraid of falling away And surely all good desires are of the Lord. Waite the Lords leysure with Patience seeke for Peace which though thou canst not finde awhile yet by Prayer thou must wayte on the Lord and say Lord because there is mercy with thee that thou maist bee feared I will wayte on thee euen as the eye of a Maid seruant waiteth on the hand of her Mistresse I will condemne my selfe of folly and say O my Soule why art thou cast downe wait on God for hee is thy present help and thy God And thus shalt thou bee restored to the ioy of thy Saluation And as Iob after his manifold tryals had both of Gods goodnesse of Sathans malice his friends vncharitableness and his owne weakenesse had all seauen folde restored vnto him againe So thou after thy supposed losse of heauenly Treasure shalt finde heauenly treasure plentifully restored vnto thee againe When Christ stept aside from his earthly father and Mother to doe the businesse of his heauenly Father hee meant to come againe but in the meane time they sought him with heauy hearts and at the last they found him in the Temple disputing with the Doctors to their great ioy and astonishment So Christ sometimes doth as it were step aside from vs to the end wee may seeke after him and wee may perhaps seeke him with heauie harts but yet at the last we shall finde him with great ioy for they that sowe in teares shall surely reape in ioy Thou hast heard what high commendations are giuen of the Christians heauenly Treasure doest thou beleeue it then lay vp thy treasure in heauen say not as the buyer doth it is naught it is naught for if thou couldst obtaine it with the losse of all the world thou mightst and wouldst brag of thy bargaine But alas how few regard this The poorer sort care not but for backe and belly and neuer repaire with good will to the house of God but when they thinke to receiue an almes like the criple at the gate of the Temple or like the people that followed Christ to haue their bellies filled of free cost Others come to the sermons and prayers of the Church but loaden with their sins their mindes cumbred with pleasures cares of this world to whom the house of God is as a house of correction and they sit there to bee whipped and euery sentence of the Preacher that crosseth their delights or beloued sinnes is as so many lashes and ierkes tormenting and tearing their guiltie Consciences Others againe make the Lords house as it were a market place repairing thether onely to muze and studie of the prizes of their commodities or to make some bargaines or to doe some busines with some whom they haue appointed to meete there Others againe make the house of God their play house and the Pulpit the Theater the Preachers are their fooles and Scripture phrases are their Iests to make themselues merry withall And others goe to the Lords house as children goe to schoole the one for feare of the rod and the other for feare of Lawes and Presentments whereupon the Prouerbe is growen as willingly as euer I went from schoole but these may say as willingly as euer I went for Church but alas poore soules long it will be before any of these kinde of hearers get any heauenly Treasure except they seeke after it with better mindes and affections But now as wee haue heard these Treasures commended for their Excellencie for their Perpetuiâ—y and Security so it will not bee amisse to consider of the Place wher we must seeke for them of the Time when of the Manner how to lay them vp and lastly of the Reason why All which are questions necessarie for the Serpent commended knowledge but withall shewed a wrong way thereunto so all commend the heauenly Treasure but all take not a right course to obtaine it therefore saith the Apostle Sorunne that yee may obtaine Christ is the Treasure and Treasurer And this Treasure is in the ship of Christ that is his Church and no where else The Ministers of the Church or Masters of the Assembly as Salomon calleth them are the factours Now in what roome to search or in what Vessell is the question In Ierusalem there were many chests yet but one Ark that had the holy things and sacred Monuments in it Though there were many Waters yet was there but one Poole of Siloam in which Lepers were cleansed In Christs Ship bee many places but the place of the treasure is but one Saint Paul saith it is in earthen Vessels so say wee too meaning the Ministers of the Gospel because we are in shew contempâ—ible and in substance brittle These vessels haue a booke that will shew all if any man can open it and vnderstand it and it is the Word of God contayning the holy Scriptures of the old and new Testament which Christ would haue vs to search because they beare witnesse of him and containe in them eternall life Like a Merchants bill they are which sheweth what commodities are in the ship This booke hath ben by gods prouidence mightily miraculously preserued from time to time from burning drowning and loosing and this priuiledge it hath that it endureth for euer and when heauen earth shall faile yet not one iot or title thereof shall fall to the ground The places then that wee must frequent if wee will finde this Heauenly Treasure are the holy Assemblies of Gods people where God is called vpon by the publike Prayers of the Saints the Word is truely taught and the Sacraments sincerely ministred for the working and increasing of faith and not the conuenticles of Schismatikes who haue seperated themselues from the publike assemblies of Gods Church and are at open defiance with their mother the true Church of Iesus Christ who first brought them to that knowledge and Faith that they haue if in truth and soundnesse they haue any at all That which must discouer vnto vs this heauenly Treasure is the holy Bible and sacred Scriptures of God and not the reuelations of Anabaptists nor the Dreames of the Familie of Loue nor the Iewes Taâ—mud nor the Turks Alcaron nor the Popes Portuise nor the Tridentine Counsels nor the Traditions or decrees of the Church of Rome all which will leade
to pray for thee and all the Creatures to serue thee and therefore art of all the Creatures the most noble and excellent thou must needs haue somewhat to delight in to occupy thy minde vpon and to set thy hart vpon Take heede it bee not vpon earthly things for all the earth cannot yeeld thee a fit match thou being called to so high and heauenly â— calling but heauen can In earth is â—othing that can make thee happy but in heauen there is happinesse it selfe In earth there is no commoditie without a discommoditie but in heauen there is In earth is no perpetuitie but in heauen there is In earth there is no securitie or safetie but in heauen there is both therefore Lay not vp thy Treasure in earth where the Moth and Canker corrupteth and where Theeues dig through and steale but in heauen where is no such matter Or it may thus bee expounded Thou which art a Christian doe not so greedely seeke after earthly substance as thereby to neglect thy heauenly substance as the manner of all men is to do by nature like Esau who was so hungry for a messe of his brothers pottage that for loue thereof and for feare of â—taruing except he had it lost his birth-right for which prophane part of his heâ— could not finde any place to repencance although hee sought the blessing with teares Verely a thing this is that may make our harts to ake for wee are at Esaucs passe So we may get the world keepe our customers and win the pottage wee are safe but marke thou that art of Esaues humour well maiest thou weepe for the losse of thy temporall benefits but for this damnable profanenesse of thine in preferring of Earth before Heauen except Gods grace bee the more abounding towards thee thou wilt hardly repent Therefore if thou be wise indeed as thou wouldest seeme to bee forsake Esaues dyet in time and lay not vp Treasure in Earth where Moth and Canker do corrupt and Theeues break through and steale c. Heare Christs reason Where Moths doe fret Canker corrupteth and Theeues dig through and steale The summe of his reason is this that whatsouer this world affordeth is subiect to consumption or corruption or both if it bee in vse it is consumed with the vse if it bee not vsed then it corrupteth for want of vse The consuming and spending of these worldly goods is eyther by the owners of them or by Theeues that oftentimes are pertakers of them to the hurt of the owner They are also consumed â—yther by sensible and liuing Creatures as by Mothes Flyes Mice and Rats and such like or else by insensible dead things as Rust and Mould and Fire and Water and Ayre and Age c. Now consider the matter consult giue sentence What madnes is it to prouide for theeues and Robbers What inhumanitie to giue that to Mothes and Mice c. which is better bestowed vpon thy selfe vpon thy familie or vpon the poore What vanitie yea what misery is this to bee a slaue to such things as theeues and robbers Vermine and rottennesse shall do minier ouer and in a short time must perish eyther in the vse or for want of vse This doe not worldlings consider they locke vp and lay vp and put out their Treasures to be kept for them yet can they not keep their garments from Moths nor their golde and siluer from Rust nor any thing they haue from one casualtie or another long When they haue gotten goods together they cannot promise vnto themselues either perpetuitie of them or securitie And what a misery is that but either their goods or themselues must weare away and their goods are in daunger for their properties sake and the owners are in danger for their goods sake Neither are these all the discommodities that thy Treasure is subiect vnto who knoweth not that the Fire may consume them as it hath done thousands or the Water may drowne them as it hath done thousands or the Plague may infect them as it hath done thousands or Time may weare them as it hath done millions of thousands or Death may fetch thee away as it hath done infinit millions of thousands Besides all this consider how manie haue beene vndone by vnconscionable Debtors by crafty headed Lawyers by vnthrifâ—re Children by vntrusty Seruants Yet this is not all for what restles care doth teare thee in getting them what tormenting feare doth abate thy comfort in keeping them and what hart breaking sorrow doth vexe thee in loosing of them Yet this is not all neither for here thou art praysed there thou art dispraysed now thou art loued by and by thou art enuied of some thou art admired of many thou art scorned and all for thy wealths sake The worldling is like a Mill driuen violently by a maine streame and great prouision is made to feede in one place and to coole in another the Sacke is brought to feede the Mill and the Mill grindeth and weareth it selfe to fill the Sacke againe and still the Wheele is where it was for all his whirling about and as you finde it so you leaue it so is it with a worldly man and his goodes but this similitude applyeth it selfe I will therefore follow it no further This wee all know but how often or rather how seldome doe wee thinke vpon it or remember it or make vse of it to stay vs from greedy coueting and egar pursuing of the World with the hazard of our Saluation The Diuell hee cryeth follow the World compasse the worlds goods oh thou shalt profit thy selfe but Christ saith What shall it profit a man to winne the World yea the whole World and to loose his owne Soule that the Diuell concealeth yea he dealeth with vs as hee did with Christ himselfe hee shewed Christ the glory and maiestie of worldly kingdomes but not the troubles and tumults not the daungers and enimies of the same So he deludeth the fooles of this world he sheweth them the brauery of the Court but not the vanitie that is in the Court hee sheweth them the glory of honour but not the daunger of honour he sheweth the flowers of Beautie but not the deceiptfulnesse of Beautie hee sheweth the commodities of Offices but not the discommodities of Offices he sheweth the wealth of such a Country but not the enuie misery of the same country And thus are the Fooles of this world as God himselfe calles them deluded and abused yea and destroyed many times by the Diuels shewes like the miserable Troyans who doted so much vpon the Grecians counterfaite and monstrous horse that they would neuer leaue vntill they had pulled downe the wals of their Cittie to get it in neuer dreaming of the hidden mischiefes and armed Souldiers that lay in the belly thereof prepareâ—d for their present destruction But they see what a shew this maketh and what a shew that maketh and meruailous it is in
which minde earthly things therfore their end is damâ—ation And thus we see how the profane Irreligiousnesse the deceiptfull dealing the wicked liuing and the cursed ending of worldlings doe all cry out with one consent and bid vs beware that we lay not vp Treasure on earth onely where Moths doe gnaw and Rust doth consume and Theeues breake through and steale When the men of Lystra would haue worshipped Paul and Barnabas those blessed Apostles cryed out O men why doe you such things wee are euen men as you be and subiect to the same passions that yee bee yet scarce refrained they the people that they had not sacrificed vnto them So when worldlings would sacrifice their harts to earthly Treasure doth not the earth cry out and say O vaine man what dost thou meane I am as thy selfe and as base as thy selfe I was another mans and am for euery mans turne I am enuironed with thornes and Bryers and inhabited with Toads Vipers and noysome Vermine all my commodities are haunted with moths cankers with Theeues and Diuels yet scarse doe they refraine from offering sacrifice vnto them I know not whereunto the earthly Treasure may bee better resembled then vnto the huge horse that the Greekes had prepared for the destruction of Troy if that story be true which made a great and goodly shew but vterum armato milite complent it was within full of armed Souldiers who when they saw their fittest opportunitie issued out of his panch to the vtter ruine of all those that doted so much vpon it and tooke so much paines to bring it into the Cittie But most pithy was the counsaile of Lacoon that valiant and prudent Cittizen concerning that monstrous mountaine of hidden mischiefes and happy had it beene for that Cittie if his counsaile had beene followed and surely Simeus non leua fuisset as the Poet speaketh if they had not beene too light of beliefe and too much enchaunted with a false perswasion thereof they had done well enough for hee spake plainely enough when he told them that Aut hocinclusi ligno occultantur Achiui aut hoec in â—ostros fabricata est machina muros Eyther sayth hee our enimies lye lurking in this woodden horse or else it is some Engine erected for the battering of our wals Nay more Aut aliquis latet error Equo nè crediâ—â— Teucri There is more mischiefe in it then wee are aware of O Troyans bee wise and take heede you trust not a Horse Yea but it is a gifte that the Greekes haue left for Pallas Well saith hee Quicquid id est ti meo Danaos dona ferentes Make what you can of it saith hee there is no trusting to the Greekes though they come with gifts in their hands So hee that hath a spirituall eye indeed that can pearce further then to the out-side of worldly shewes can truely say it and may safely iustifie it that the golden shewes of profits and pleasures which are often in this world presented vnto his view haue eyther some secret mischiefes lurking in them or are like some strange engine erected to batter his estate or to cut his throate or to ouerwhelme his head with cares and feares or to prouoke him to some desperate attempt but let the best bee made of it that can bee made yet the world is not to bee trusted though it comes sawning and flattering creeping and crouching to a man with giftes and presents in the hand for in a kisse was treason and Ioabs kind embracings prooue but deadly stabbings and the wisest that euer was amongst the sonnes of men hauing made tryall of all and taken not a taste but his fill of all the treasures and pleasures that this world could possibly inuent for the delight and strength of a king could at the casting vp of his accompts giue no better verdict of it but this Vanitie of Vanities and all is but Vanitie and vexation of spirit And here againe one wiser and greater then Salomon tels vs if we haue grace to beleeue him that both the rust and the Moth and the Canker and the Theefe and all cry out vnto vs and bid vs take heed how we dote vpon worldly Treasure Of this discourse we may make good vse when wee are tempted to the breaking of Gods Commandements for the gayning of the worlds goods When any is tempted let him but reason thus with his soule My Soule what thou wouldest haue thou seest but what thou shalt haue thou seest not thou seest the horse but not what hee hath in his belly thou seest the Bee but not her sting thou seest sweet meat but not the sower sauce thou seest the baite but not the hooke the cheare but not the reckoning a fawning face but not the hand at the back In a word thou beholdest the profite that thou art like to get by profaning of the Sabboth with working and drudging the gaine of Vsury and Bribery the commoditie of lying and cogging and the gaine of deceit and falshood and the like but what stings and wounds thou shalt get in thy Conscience by following of those spirituall Couseners thou dost not consider and therefore stay and proceede no further vnlesse thou wilt bee so mad as to loose Heauen for Hell Agane when thou art in prayer or hearing of Gods word or about any other of thy godly deuotions and feelest thy heart stepping aside to haue conference with earthlie cogitations doe but say thus to thy selfe with Salomon for whom is it that I now care is it not for the world that will cousen me of the word is it not earthly treasure that cals my minde away that I might loose this Heauenly treasure returne then O my soule vnto thy rest and keepe thy standing beware least thou be cousened of the heauenly verity with a shew of earthly vanitie And in like manner when thou hapnest to loose any worldlie commoditie neuer lay it to heart but euen say this to thy selfe now the world hath shewed it selfe like it selfe God hath taken that from me which otherwise would haue pulled me from him As a louing father he hath but taken from mee that knife wherwith I might like a child haue hurt my self And as a most wise captaine he hath rid me of my luggage that I might pursue my enemies more swiftly and make more expedition toward my heauenly countrie where are better things prouided for me euen such as no fire can consume no Moth can freet no Theefe can steale no time can weare so with patience let it goe and giue God thankes that hath better prouided for thee then thou wert aware of But lay vp for your selues treasure in heauen where c. Our Sauiour Christ hauing forbidden the gredy seeking of earthly things and brought men out of conceit with the bewitching vanities of this life he presently offereth vnto vs better things and commaundeth vs to lay them vp in heauen
then doth hee mean that we must sell away all that wee haue and begge for our selues as Popish Fryers and Monkish Papists would haue vs to doe Not so neither for in Luke 12. 33. It is not said sell that you haue but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sell that you haue ouerplus and may well spare and giue to the poore otherwise we should loue our neighbours not as our selues but aboue our selues which God neuer required And better it is for a man to keepe his goods for himselfe than to bestow them vpon idle Monks and a wicked rabble of Fryerly locusts which bee as necessarie in a christian Common-wealth as Snakes in a mans bosome or Mice in a barne full of Corne. What then doth hee meane that a man may liue idly and then looke to be maintained by others Not so neither for the Apostle being ruled himselfe by the spirit of Christ hath set downe a Rule for such irregular persons that if any can worke and will not such should not eate to shew that idle persons are inordinate and so burdensome to a Common-wealth that they are not worthy to liue but to bee punished by the most cruell death that â—an bee and that is to bee starued and pined to death And in Pro. 6. 6. the sluggard is sent by the holy Ghost to the Pismire that in beholding her wayes hee might learne to bee wise for shee hauing no guide gouernour nor ruler gathereth her meate in Summer and prepareth her foode in Haruest to shew that euen by honest and painefull trauaile men should prouide in Summer against the hard time of Winter and in health for sicknesse And albeit the Lord Iesus saith in Ioh. 6 Labour not for the meate that perisheth yet his meaning is not to discharge men of their honest labour and following euen with diligence their callings but that we must not labour so much for the bread that perisheth as for that which abideth to Eternall life or that our temporall commodities should not bee the only end of our labour or that we must not mingle our labour with distrust and vexing care for that euen our strength is but labour and sorrow and when Salomon by his Wisedome had waded through all matters and had made tryall of the world hee vpon his approoued experience set downe his verdict that all is but vanitâ—e and vexation of spirit as if hee should say moyle not vexe not weare not out your selues so much as you haue done about the world to the loosing of your heauenly treasure Well then if Christ doth allow men to get and enioy riches as the Merchants of Tirus and King Salomon if he doth allow vs to prouide and lay vp beefore hand as Ioseph did to saue that which is remaining as himselfe and his Disciples did and to lay vp for our families as the very Infidels doe If the Lord Iesus will not allow men to haue all things common as Anabaptists doe nor to proâ—esse wilfull pouertie as beggerly Fryers do nor to feed Idle-packs which will not labour for their liuing as preposterous pittie doth what then should bee his meaning when he saith Lay not vp for your selues Treasures in earth That wee may the better finde out the Lords meaning we are to know that Treasure here is put not onely for money riches and prouision for the time to come but also for any thing else as was said before wherein a man taketh most delight and whereupon hee dependeth most or which hee maketh his felicitie yea and doth so lauish out his loue vpon it and torment himselfe with careful thoughts for the same as if without it hee should be vtterly vndone and could not possibly liue In which maner Worlldings gather riches and Atheists seeks after pleasure the Ambitious man hunts after Honour euen with all their harts with all their minde with all their might strength soule as if it were their God that did make them and it should preserue and saue them which is a manifest breach of the first commandement Now all is made the Treasure that the heart is set vpon as for Example Some men take more to heart the losse of a Childe than the losse of all their goods besides and doe so much set their affection vpon it that they will say if God should take this Childe away then all our ioy is gone like Rachel that mourned for her children would not bee comforted Some are so iealous ouer their Honour that if they haue not all manner of outward complements afforded vnto them they are as male-contented as Haman who was full of Wrath and studied nothing but monstrous mischeuous reuenge because Mordecai did not bow the knee vnto him as others had done Some againe dote vpon their Credit that if their wicked counsell bee crossed at any time they are readie with Achitophell that treacherous counsellour to goe hang themselues Others are so madde vpon their present pleasure that with the beastly Epicures they cry let vs eate and drincke though wee dye for it to morrow Some are so enamored of their wealth that when their goods are encreased and their barnes enlarged then with the worldling they dreame of a quietus est And cry soule be now at rest for thou hast goods enough for many yeeres Of all these it may be said they haue layde vp Treasure in Earth but not in Heauen beecause in these things they haue reposed all their ioy their delight their trust And therefore being inuited to the heauenly banquet of the Gospell they `answere like earth-wormes making light of the matter I must looke to my farme saith one and I to my Oxen saith another and I must aske my wife first saith another which is no more in effect but thus much wee must follow that wee delight in and that wee trust in these are the things that our heart delight in and trust in these are our treasure If wee saw more goodnesse in that Feast then in these our commodities wee would goe to it but wee cannot relish them as wee doe these worldly matters and therefore thank your Maister for his good will and pray him to hold vs excused for the â—â—â—th is wee must follow that which our hart affecteth our worldly Treasure wee cannot come To all such it is said here Lay not vp your Treasures on earth c. And these words may bee expounded two wayes Lay not vp c. Thou that art a Christian and hast giuen thy Faith to the Lord Iesus Christ in thy Baptisme thou that art a Cittizen of the heauenly Ierusalem and hast the holy One of Isrâ—ell euen the Lord of Hoasts and the mightie God of Heauen and Earth for thy father his sonne yea his onely beloued Son for thy Redeemer and the holy Ghost which proceedeth from them both for thy sanctified guide and Comforter and thou that hast the Angels to guarde thee and the Saints