nothing but a sad and austeare stile delight thee here is law agreeable â—o thy humour Is thy heart so obdurate as nothing but iudgement and terror can soften â—â—â— repaire vnto the Prophets whose dreadful comminations are hammers and thunderboltes and as scepters of yron to beate them vnto powder Art thou light hearted and of a iocund and delightsome nature heere is psalmodie and harmonie for thy fancie Art thou philosophically and grauely bent and delightest thou to heare concise and curious sentences Psal 78. the Lord here openeth his mouth in parables and declares vnto thee hard sentences of old Reade Iob Ecclesiastes the prouerbes of Salomon and there are quicke inuentions sutable to thy vaine Last of all art thou nice and curious in thy reading and doth nothing but Chronicles and antiquitie affect thee there are none such braue antiquaries as the pen-men of the Scripture the admirable actuaries historians of all times Thus euery kind of way whither soeuer we turne our selues and name what we will we haue here a tresure to beare out al our wants So as it seemeth not vnlike a princes armory A simiiltude which affoordeth plenty of all sorts of armor and implements of warrefare sutable to euery condition of person whether of tall or low stature whether of strength or weaknesse of body What is worldly treasure which we esteem so much but base and vile in comparison of this which we esteem so little Paul not being able to find out with himselfe a worser thing to which he might compare it likeneth it to dung Phil. 3. A homely comparison yet fitting right the nature of the thing For what is it else being considered as it is what is the substance stance of our chiefest treasure as of gold siluer or the Onix stone but the very guts and exhalation of the earth Luke 16. The gorgeous glutton who was in the ruffe robed in purple what was the matter of it but the wooll of dead beasts and what was the die and colour of it but the excrements of the shel fish His lawnes and daintie diapers what were they but the barke and the skinne of the flaxe His delicate dishes sent from his dresser what were they but the carcasses of beastes birds and fishes his pompous pallace was nothing else but a confused lump of earth congested together And if I should leade you with a long discourse and recite of particulars I must brand them on the foreheads with Salomons make Eccle. 1. Vanitie of vanities and all is vanitie There is nothing earthly stable and permanent The word of God only endureth for euer Our life passeth away swiftly like a post â—ur youth wax soon old fortune often frowâ—eth and riches ebbe and flow A similitude Isai 4. as the waters of the sea and resemble harlots who do nothing but flatter coozen and forsake vs. The people that calleth thee blessed deceiueth thee saith the Prophet Isai Trust not this flattering and deceitfull world which will kill thee with culling thee as Ioab did Amasa and Iahel did Sisopa It wil promise thee one thing and giue thee another thing as Laban who promised Rachel vnto Iacob Gen. 29 and foisted in Leah It promiseth thee prosperitie and it giueth thee aduersitie tempering poison in a golden challice like the whoore of Babylon What did all the treasure and pleasure of Aegypt availe to help Pharao when as in the height and top of his gallantnesse Exod. 14. the waters ouerwhelmed him the depths couered him and his whole hoast did sincke to the bottom like a stone Nabucad-nezzar had trussed vppe much treasure and had brought in the wealth of the whole world into his exchequor and treasurie at Babylon he stalked in his galleries and crowed pertly like a cocke vppon his dunghill Is not this great Babel which I haue built Dan. 4. for the honour of my kingdome But his comb was soone cut he soared vp so high in the lightnesse of his mind euen as the bird by the lightnesse of her feathers but he was made come downe with mischiefe enough and of the other side brought as low driuen from his court and courtly retinue and dieted couched and driuen among beastes Baltasar braued it passingly for a time and who but Baltasar but this lustinesse lasted not Dan. 5. for imediately he saw vpon the plaster of the wal his definitiue doome which brought him to his dumpes perplexed his thoughts dissolued his ioynts knocked his knees together and what good then did all his treasure do him Most miserable therefore and wofull is their estate who preferre this earthly which is so fraile and fickle before the celestial treasure of the worde which abideth for euer wherevnto shall I liken such a generation They are like vnto dogges A similitude who will not depart from the drie bone they gnaw vpon for any peece of money or like Aesops cocke that hauing found a great iewell in the dunghill is desirous to permute it with a barly kartell If thou fearest that thy corne will foist in lower ground to preuent such mishap Aug. in Psal 89. thou caust hoist it vp to a higher granerie Thy â—â—â—asure which thou cofferest hoardest vp â—â—earth will canker and corrupt in this case therfore be as prouident for thy soule as thou 〈◊〉 carefull of thy corne for the sustenance of thy body lay vp such prouision as is needfull for it in the highest loft where it may lie safely be as forward to lift thy soul to heauen as thou art to lift vp higher vpon any occasion thy graine heere in earth if thou askest how and art herein desirous to bâ— taught I answere with Augustine the pullies gables ladders instruments hereunto belonging are thy wel qualified and godly affections Thy loue is the captaine that giueth the onset the foote of the soule according 〈◊〉 this proposition of S. Augustine Amor men pondus meum Amore feror quocunque feror My loue is my burden whither soeuer I am carried it is loue that carieth me Base account 〈◊〉 made of some kind of money in a double respect partly because the substaÌ„ce is but baseâ— and partly because it is false and counterfeiâ— Such is the treasure which the world yeeâ—â— deth vs Psal 12 the word of God onely is of simplâ— substance purer theÌ„ gold yea then fine gold purer then the siluer which hath bin seaueâ— times in the furnace purified Bagge vp therefore such money as is currant and will be sure to goe for payment it the resurrection of the iust A similitude Send thy treasure thither whither thou art sure to goe as thâ— merchant-factor laieth out his mony abroad to be repaide it at home A similitude We are here trauellers and pilgrims vpon earth and haue no certaine dwelling place As trauellers cannot carry any great burdeâ— with them neither is it wisedome to bestow â—â—st there where ye
Israelites were so glutted with the garlicke of Aegypt as they had no fancie to a finer foode Let vs be purged of these hurtfull euil humors and so shal our souls be fulfilled with Gods word Whenas Christ vppon his entrance into the temple chaced away such with a whip of cords Iohn 2 who chopped and changed and made their worldly bargaines and matches in the Temple what doth this his zealous fact conclude els but that the impure negotiations of this world cannot be intermedled with the exercise of his word He cannot away with such paltry doings when as his holy misteries which are of such moment are needful to be handled What Courtier would not think himselfe greatly iniured A similitus who whilst he is busie in talk with his prince about his great sutes a country pesant with his irksome clamour should interrupt his businesse It is a grand dodge that the soule so excellent a creature sustaineth who whilst her sutes should be put vp to God it is disturbed and cut off by the vntimely importunat molestation of the world God neuer presented himselfe vnto Moses so long as he was a Courtier in Egypt Exod. 25 and liued in pleasure daintily dandled in Pharaoes daughters hands and dieted delitiously with the princes iunkets but hee was first espied of Moses in the middst of a bramble or bush of thornes to insinuate thus much that he is not to be found in a pleasurable life but in a state that is pricked and wounded with the briars and thorns of persecution And at that time God straitly charged Moses to put off his shooes before he came vnto him teaching vs thereby to put off our worldly mindes before we presume to prease to the presence of the Lord. When the prophet Elias sawe Gods glory and maiesty passing by before him he couered blinded his eies with his mantle whosoeuer will be partaker of Gods glorie hee must close vp the eies of his earthly affectiōs and must not behold the vanity of the world Psalme 89. He will not dwell in the stincking cage of our bodies of whom it is written Righteousnes and iudgement is the habitation of his seate If thou hast a vessel that thou wouldest fil with any liquor A similitude and that standeth full of another already is it possible to put them both together or to put in the one without emptying the other Thou arte to bee filled with the liquor of life with the sweete balme and oyle of the grace of God thy glasse viall euen thy heart is full already of bitter water of wormewoode of the brackish and salt water of the sea of this world therefore powre this out first and rince thy vessell cleane that it neyther may keepe out or infect that pleasant confection and restauratiue that is to be putt into it And embrace the sweete counsaile of saint Augustine in this case in this sorte directing vs Ex inani quod implendum est bono implendus es funde malum quia melle vult te implere Deus August si aceto plenus es vbi mel pones Empty that which is to be filled Thou art to be filled with the goodnes of thy God powre out thy wickednes God wil fill thy belly with hony but if that be ful of vinegar before where shal he find roome in thee for his hony As hee that will graffe a wilde oliue tree A similitude vnfruitfull by nature first loppeth and cutteth off his riotous branches and graffeth in that stocke in the roome of them the braunches of a fruitfull and fertile three so such as wil be planted in the Lordes house Psalme 92. and will florish in the courts of the house of our God and bee graffed into the stocke and body of Christ hee must first prune and toppe his worldly inclinations the shrubbes of sinne and the armes of vngodlines must be broken off and the loue of God the estimation of his word and the braunches of holinesse and righteousnes of life must bee graffed in their place Psalme 137 Howe shall wee sing the Lordes song in a strange land sayth the kingly Prophet The world and heauen are as strange as may be and therefore so long as we are giuen to the world we cannot sing vnto the Lord in our hearts If wee therefore cannot sing Oh let vs sigh to be deliuered from it that wee may in heauen make that cheerefull noyse of Haleluya to the Lorde and in the meane while trebble with one harpe vpon Dauids dumpe weeping and mourning for the remembrāce of Syon Sarah was first past her youthfull yeeres Genes 1◠and was dead to the world before shee conceiued and brought foorth Isaac which was his fathers ioy We must first subdue and ouercome the worlde and be dead vnto it or else we shall neuer bring forth the effects and fruites of true ioy which is of Gods Spirite Euery beast was to be killd before it could be sacrificed Leuitie 1. so first our beastly worldly lusts must be killed before we can be a sacrifice to God Iacob was called Iacob Genes 25. which signifieth a supplanter before he was called Israel which is Gen. 32 Seeing God to teach vs that wee must first treade the world vnder feete before wee can see this presence of the Lord. As Daniel first destroyed the Idol Bel Dan. 14. and then hee buckeled with the Dragon well enough so destroy thou this dumbe idoll of the world and thou shalt griple with the deuill the olde dragon well enough It is dangerous to ride on an vntamed colt that laboureth to cast thee A similitude this worlde is thy vnruly lade assaying alwayes in thy voyage to Ierusalem to throw downe thy spirit The spirite and the world are as a paire of balaunces and scales A similitude when the one of them mounteth vp the other is weighed downe when the Spirite is eleuated and cast vppe to heauen our worldly affections are throwne downe to the earth Or they are like an houre Glasse A similitude which emptieth one parte to fill another the soule when it is ful of the spirite of God emptieth it selfe of the lusts of the world Abraham receiued not the couenaunt of circumcision before he went from Vr Gen. 18 which was his worldely possession before about receiuest Gods couenant in thy mouth and professest his religion it is looked that thou shouldest as thou arte called of God giue vp and renounce thy too worldly disposition As the tree leaneth so it falleth A similitude when the axe is put vnto it if the body and braunches weigh to the left side it wil fal on the left side If al thy life time thou leanest to the left side namely to the world neuer looke when thou diest that thou shalt fall on the right hand of his glory and felicitie If thou wilt liue to God the worlde must not sunder
A PEARLE of Price OR The best Purchase For which the Spirituall Marchant Ieweller selleth all his Temporalls By Samuel Gardiner Batchellor of Diuinitie It shall not be valued with the wedge of Golde of Ophyr nor with the precious Onyx nor the Saphyr Iob. 28. verse 16. Printed by V.S. for Thomas Bushell and are to be sold at his shop at the North Doore of Paules 1600. To the Right Honourable sir Thomas Egerton Knight Lord Keeper of the great Seale of England and one of her Maiesties most Honourable priuie Counsaile MY Lord hauing nothing but two mites with the poor widdowe woman to cast into your Treasurie euen the seruice of the body and the minde and the whole man a tribute that of duety is due vnto your Lordship seeing I am iustly charged with this oblation I hope your Honour will acquite mee of presumption both vse and liuely feeling giuing mee protection vse wyth every tenant to pay his Landlord rent and sensible feelyng of your Lordships bounty iustly extorting this as my bounden duty Our Lorde forbid that we receiue a benefit as a beast his dyet and neuer respect and beholde the founder of it My master Christ Iohn 6 who commanded the fragments of a benefit bestowed vpon an hungry people to be gathered vp in baskets insinuateth thereby that the basest benefit that is done vpon vs should not be forgotten Hauing therefore so deepely dyued into your Lordshippes debt how can I not but drawe from as deep thoughts as euer any water was drawne from Iacobs well the memoriall of your goodnes Iohn 4 Since it pleased your Honor by the ryght worshipfull sir Hierome Bowes Knight the onely worldely arch and supporter of my estate to take sight of my poore person and honourable commiseration of my afflicted condition If I make no relation of your Honors most christian clemencie when J drewe my breath but faintly how I had recouery and regained free recourse to my woonted study If I rip not vp the circumstances of your zealous fauors J doe but as Salomon wyth the brasse in the Temple who because it was so massie hee would not stand to weigh it or as Portius Latro who engraued in his minde that which others ingrossed in a booke This pretious pearle of the worde of God which shineth which way soeuer you turne it and flieth vnto all I haue wrapped vp in this little manuel and fastned it vnto your Honors vertuous name as vnto a ribband and golden Chayne that will keepe it the better Your Lordship haue alwayes worne it about you and haue bound it as a Signet vnto your hand and with the faithful Congregation of Colosse haue suffered it aboundantly to dwell in your heart whenas with most worldlings Gods worde as the Leuite that went to Gibea wandreth in the streetes and haue but slender entertainement among men I encourage my selfe that GOD will geue a blessing to these labours that the argument it self wil draw heartes vnto it and you my Honorable Patrone will be a sufficient protection to my person God almighty euery way prosper your Honour double your honour and dayes among vs and giue you all honor in his heauenly kingdome Your Honors humble Orator Samuel Gardiner To the Gentle Reader IT is a matter of no mean maruel that man so quicke-sighted in worldly affairs should be so purblind in things concerning God That whereas he is Totus occulus manus all cie and hand to obserue and practise in liuely imitational other things only this main and fundamentall thing how to order his conuersation right that he might see the saluation of his God he is wholy ignorant of Though he wanteth the wings of a doue to flie to the vtmost parts of the earth yet he can so subdue to himselfe his mules and dromedaries as their feete like harts feete shall carry them whither they list And though he hath not the finnes of a fish to scudde through the channells and pathes of deepe waters yet instead thereof his head hath bin occupied in excogitating great vessels keels and tall ships to transport euery where Naturally he is vnarmed of himselfe yet this art and cunning hath deuised for him selfe his sword his bow and his speare and all sufficiency of weapons of offence and armor of proofe to couer his head in the day of battell enough for his defence He is vnable so to tune his pipes and chaunt and sing vnder euery green tree with the nightingale and melodious bird yet that his musick is of more delight which by Lute and Harp and lowd Cymbals and other exquisite and deuised instruments he hath formed and framed to himself Thundrings and coruscations of the ayre are peculiar vnto God the arrowes of his quiuer and his Bailiffes arrant and Purseuants of his anger yet behold in a strange and prodigious imitation hereof he hath found out most fearful roring Cannons of all sorts most horrible to consider of Finally he prouideth for this kind of life infinite kinds of waies which are like an intricate maze past our finding out by laws by trades by all manner of learning But Finis vltimus the last end of all is least considered of wherein the whole state of all blessednes of the man so fully doth consist Man as saith the Psalmograph is deceitfull vppon the weights and is altogether lighter then vanity it selfe Man being in honor and hauing no vnderstāding is compared to the beasts that perish We bewaile those our friends that are dead in body O let vs weepe and bewaile their estate who are dead in heart and are twice dead and to be plucked vp by the rootes The Apostle accounted all things but dung to gain Iesus Christ This is better then the gold of Ophyr or India albeit we stop our eies with waxe and bind a napkin before our eies of knowledge and think that there is a wisdom in the world far better then this Thesewipe their mouths with the whore in the Reuelation say vnto themselues that they are rich and need no more whenas they are the poorest and most miserable of al men as the last end shal proue vnto thē They that haue tasted of this heauenly Manna wil scorn the grosse food diet of Egypt and being called to the kingdome of grace will with the shepheards leaue their flock with Mathew their custome-seat with Peter their nets with Paul their proces writs that were signed to be sent vnto Damascus when the loue of God is falne vpon vs the loue of this world wil fall frō vs as Elias mantle when he left the world and was caried vp to heauen Buy therfore this Pearl and Treasure of the soule and lodge it in thy hart it will be instead of all riches vnto thee Couet heauenly things and let our conuersation be in heauen seeing we haue here no abiding place but we look for a city whose builder maker is God And so I cōmit you to the
by which he hath much illuminated our minds as men of learned skil much seene in philosophy and poyntes of humane learning who shine as smaller stars in the firmament of this world but these haue caried as it were a candle before the sunne which vanisheth before it it hath not remoued the night from vs but thicke clowdes and darknes hath still ouershadowed vs onely Christ the brightnes of his Father giueth cleere light to vs that sit in darknes the light that lightneth the Gentiles and the glory of the people Israel Since then one Pearle supplieth all our wants what neede we more than one Luke 2. The starres of heauen are many A similitude because they are â—mperfect and one of them seuered can not giue such light as all of them conioyned The â—tarres are many because their light is little â—herefore that which is wanting in them singularly is supplied by them generally But â—here is but one sunne because his light is sufficient of it selfe hee needeth not the ayde of â—lanet or of starre to encrease his light So Christ is light enough and in him is no darknes he is a sole and sufficient Sauior and therfore he abideth no copartners with him Augustine by a plausible and plaine similitude thus dilateth vpon this poynt August and maketh the matter manifest The golde which thou possessest can not bee thy siluer Thou canst not call thy bread which thou eatest thy wine but Christ may be said to be instar omnium all in all vnto thee And herein he only satisfieth and contenteth himselfe and this is as the Philosophers stone vnto him and the golden mine desiring nothing in comparison of this or beside this alone saying in this sorte O Lord I require nothing but thee for thou arte onely my Doctor and Doctrine Physician and Medicine the sole preparer and perfecter of my minde my loue and louer my gift and giuer my life and the only preseruer of my life But the learned Schoole-man Gregory paraphraseth pathetically and properly vppon this poynt Gregorie I consider sayth hee the fathers of the olde and new Testament Dauid Daniel Amos Peter Paul Mathew and mine eyes of faith are fully fixed on them He inspireth the yong harper and he maketh him a Psalmist He breatheth vpon the babe and hee is wiser than the aged and is made their Iudge He giueth the simple shepheard and heardsman in the field the wisedome of his Spirite and he becoms a famous shepheard and prophet of the people He calleth the fisherman and immediately hee angleth and fisheth for men and with his nets draweth thousands at once from the bottomles pitte of eternall destruction to the highest top of their eternall saluation He enlightneth the persecutor and he prooues a passing Preacher of an erratical and wandring starre a fixed starre keeping his station a starre that is in the right hand of Christ He reclaymeth the customer and â—he impure Publicane and loe he becomes a blessed actuary and penne-man of a Gospel Since therfore all riches and graces of god doe streame from one fountayne since one â—oote ingendreth and bringeth forth all fruit since one and the same spirite is the craftesâ—an of al trades and the founder of al knowledge were it not better for vs to be acquainted with this on 〈◊〉 which is the porter that brin â—eth in al our expâ—r then to runne to vnderings inferiâ— vp 〈◊〉 base creatures which shall â—euer be able to supply our necessities A similitude What â—eggar beggeth almes of his fellowe beggar whenas a right honorable and liberall nobleman passeth by him and is ready to bestowe greater almes vpon him We are but beggars brats in this world from the sun moone and starres we do begge our light from the earth we begge our bread from beasts birds and fishes we begge our meate and clothing and what do these yeeld vs without the Lord or in comparison of the Lord let our recourse therefore and sutes be vnto him What maruell is it that this one spirit shuld worke all things in vs A similitude since one minde ruleth all the senses and faculties of the body and stirreth vs vp to such infinite kindes of actions Be perswaded therefore to make purchase of this Pearle whatsoeuer it dooth cost thee beeing that which Christ calleth 1. Pet. 11 the hiddeâ— Manna and Peter the ioy vnspeakeable and Dauid Psalme 36 the fountaine and wel of all pleasures and which in this parable is set at a high rate This the diuell laboureth especially to depriue vs of knowing in his subtilty that it is oâ— that woorth For as pyrats on the seas principaly do bend their force â—â—â—inst those shipâ— which they knowe to bee 〈◊〉 with goldâ— pearle A similitude and treasure and goâ—â—â—â— of greateâ— wealth so such as are indued with heauenâ— riches and fraught wyth the graces of his hâ—â—ly spirite and beare about them this pearle 〈◊〉 peerelesse price against such this rouer anâ— pyrate of our soules especially layeth his dangerous assaults and shootes his fiery dartes The Spirite here in a subtile kinde of wisedome as I may so say to win vs to the word suteth himselfe in his forme and frame of speech to our fancies and affections A similitude like a skilful angler couering his hook with a pleasant baite to toll fishes vnto him setting out his speech with most delightfull wordes to drawe our soules vnto him The hope and expectation of gaine set before vs rowseth vs vppe plucketh vs by the eares and causeth vs to stirre and abide all aduentures He that eateth eateth in hope 1. Corint 9 and he that thresheth thresheth in hope The hope of a good haruest hartneth the husbandman all the yeere long to all tedious toyle and turmoyle of his body The souldier giueth a hardy onset and dreadeth no danger vpon the comforte hee conceiueth of a conquest of sharing out the â—poyle and of a bountifull booty at the last The Huntes-man for the loue he beareth to his game in expectation of his sport rangeth about and vnder-goeth all wrathfull spite of â—ny colde and tempestuous weather finally â—here is nothing of which we haue any hope which is not as a spurre to pricke vs forwarde vnto any attempt whereby we may atchieue 〈◊〉 Dauid â— Sam. 17. before hee gripleth with Goliah of Gath first communeth about the case asketh the standers by What shal bee giuen to the man that ouercommeth him And when aunswere was returned that the King woulde bestowe great treasure vpon him and giue his daughter in marriage vnto him and woulde make him free denison in the land of Israel Dauid had enough the hope of this reward foorthwith gaue him boldenesse and stomacke enough to fight hand to hand with him Nowe if it shall be asked what that man shall haue that shall ouercome the spirituall Giant the world and the flesh wee answere that treasure at his pleasure
painted and varnished yet not fully finished they admire the passing perfection of it deeming that nothing can be added further to it but the Painter himselfe seeth well enough hauing a further worke conceiued to himselfe then others can desire how far it is distant from the hue and brauerie which he mindeth to giue vnto it before he hath done with it So thinke we as we will of the beautie of Gods house of the inestimable treasures and pleasures of his kingdome dispearse them and extend them as farre as we may by all imagination we are bleare eyde with Leah and we see with the blind man not yet fully cured Mark 8. men walking like trees things nothing answerable to that they are indeede Before the chiefe workeman hath put his last hand to his image and counterfeit it will shew it selfe wide and distant from our iudgement Some thinke that Coelum which is called heauen commeth of Coelo which is to engraue and so it may well for we see how it is carued graued and adorned round about with glistering and orient starres But I subscribe to them who thinke that Coelum is taken à coelo which is to couer hide and conceale because the treasure laide vp for vs in heauen is couered concealed 2. Cor. 12. and hidden from our knowlege For whenas Paul was snatched vp to the third heauen he vttered more with silence then he could with speech for he plainely saith he heard such wordes which cannot be spoken which are not possible for a man to vtter for indeed mans tongue in such kinds of cases stammereth and cleaueth to the roofe of his mouth so disable it is to vnfold diuine misteries So that our chiefest commendation of them is our silence of them Isai 24. And this vse did the Prophet make of them to himselfe who being ful of secret Reuelations kept them in a dutifull silence to himselfe saying My secretes are to my selfe God his wondrous workes so exceede all number measure and proportion as it is more commendable to conceale them with a godly admiration then to prie into them with a curious inquisition A similitude Set a round bowle or globe in any place which is of that quantitie that may fill the place and will that vast substance thinke you be dragged out of the narrow and strait passages of the doore of that place there is no reason so to thinke the spirituall ioyes of heauen are of that huge capacitie and substance Cui magno nihil est magnum â—eneca there being nothing great in comparisoÌ„ of this great as they cannot enter into the doores of our soules or be drawne through the portall and passage of our lippes The Queen of the South comming from farre to heare Salomons wisedome â— King 10 it perplexed and astonished her and tooke her spirit from her how much more shal the wisedom of the word farre greater then Salomons put vs to filence and amaze vs sodenly Christ informing Nicodemus but in the rudiments of religion Iohn 3 and beginning with him at the first element of our redemption pointing as it were with his finger at the fountaine and head thereof which is the loue of God to mankind he handleth it so as thereby we are not able to see the nature of it for saying thus of it so God loued the worlde that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne this first word so putteth vs to a non plus For how did he loue it he loued it but so as cannot be expressed And he cannot speake otherwise because hee knoweth Gods loue to be vnspeakable The blessed Apostle entreating of the passion Heb. 12 not being able in particulars to extend it thus generally comprehendeth it Consider him who hath suffered such shame for you But Paul what was this shame why rippest thou not vp his stripes and his blowes his mockes and his mowes the crowne the nailes the speare the crosse because howsoeuer they were liuely and sensible yet were not sufficiently explicable and intelligible We will you likewise to consider of the word as of a Treasure and a Pearle of great price If further we would know the vttermost of his worth the spirit answereth here that it is hidden from vs it is more then any is able to declare The treasure of inward heauenly inspiration the pleasure of diuine celestiall consolation the crowne of glorie laide vp as a reward of our bitter persecution and finally God our father his most gracious compassion by the tongue of men or Angels cannot be spoken of they are hidden mysteries that are too deep for vs. This Treasure is hidden because it hath neede of spirituall Reuelation It is not so hidden but that whatsoeuer is needful to saluation is opened vnto vs. God dealeth not as Poets and Philosophers with the truth who with the darke clowdes of their fabulous inuentions haue so eclipsed and obscured the cleere light therof as the minds of the readers are confounded with them and can giue no iudgement of it Gods spirit hath not so mocked dallied with vs as to set actuaries and penne-men a worke to engrosse such books which being so perplexed can minister no instruction comfort vnto vs in this kind of vaine may Apollo please himselfe â— Pet. 1 God his worde is a light that shineth vnto vs out of a darke place This booke howsoeuer it is sealed vp by the Lion that is of the tribe of Iudah is broken open to vs. Howsoeuer heretofore Exod. 19 vpon the publication and giuing of the law the Lord ouershadowed all Mount Horeb with a clowde and with a thick clowd obscured the temple that was made by Salomon and couered the Arke of the couenant with a vaile 1. Reg. 10 Christ the image and brightnesse of his Father hath dispelled this darknesse chased away this cloud taken away the vaile So that as Elias when he went vp to heauen 2. Reg. 2 left his mantle to Elizeus behind him whereby he diuided the deep waters of Iordan so Christ going vp on high Ephes 4 left his wisedom and gifts among men whereby they might diuide the deepe misteries of the spirit contained in the scriptures If Pharao be nothing skilfull in his dream let him send for Ioseph who is able to interprete it If Nabuchad-nazzar his vision doth perplex him Gen. 41 if he calleth Dauiel he wil presently vnfold it Dan. 2. 4 Ananias will informe and acquaint Saul what he ought to do Actes 9. The Aethiopian Queenes Chamberlaine vnderstandeth what he readeth by the helpe of Phillip So Acts 8. if we find the Scriptures to be hidden let vs send for preachers who may lay them open for vs. But aboue all 1. Cor. 3. let vs pray for the assistance of the spirit of God knowing that it is neither Apollo in watring or Paul in planting that doth vs any good but God that giueth increase wee may haue
them and fed them with the bread of heanen so for vs who are trauellers as all our fathers were in the wildernesse of this world the Lord hath likewise giuen vs Angels food the word of God the spirtuall Manna whereby we liue for euer Now as the former rellised most pleasauntly in their mouthes and contained all toothsome and delightsome taste in it which all other his sweete creatures ioyntly or seuerally coulde affoorde vnto vs So this Manna and diet of our soules is instead of al delights and dainties vnto vs and is like a perfume which hath odour for euery one This the spouse sensibly did taste and feel in the presence of her bride-groom Cantie 1 and therfore she desireth to be still vnited vnto him and that he would kisse her with the kisses of his mouth inasmuch as her loue is better then wine and because of his sweete oyntments for which the virgins loued her Of this ioy our Sauior Christ speaketh in his generall proclamation Math. 11 vnder the comfort and refection vnto which it pleaseth him most graciously to inuite vs by our obedience vnto his word saying vnto vs Come vnto me alye that trauail and are heauy laden and I will refresh you Such therefore as make that the argument of their sorrow which should be vnto them an occasion of great ioy who are grieued and disquieted at the preaching of the word who entertaine a preacher with no other congee then Achab did Elias saying vnto him 1. Reg. 21 art thou come my enemy hanging downe their heads like bul-rushes Isaiah 58. when the ovice of the preacher toucheth their sinnes and with the sword of the spirit launcheth them deeply and cutteth them to the heart saving within themselues Iohn 6 Durus est hic sermo This is a hard saying and who is able to abide it Such I say A similitude may well be likened vnto those who suffer shipwracke at the hauens mouth and the key side the only place of harbour and refuge in such danger But we cannot be ignorant how vntoothsome and vnwholsome this spiritual diet is to the stomacks and affections of the greater sort who are grossely minded A similitude And we maruel not much at it For as swine are not delighted with the smell of sweete hearbs but with the stinking sauour of corrupt carrion so swinish soules regard not the fragrant odour of the sweet word of GOD but they drinke puddle as an asse drinkes water and their pleasure is to wallow in the myre of their sinnes The wicked A similitude who are senselesse and without feeling both of God and godlinesse are like green and moist faggot sticks which are so far from taking hold of the fire put vnder them as thorough the sap that distilleth from them they do extinguish and vtterly ouercome it The hearts of the godly are of the nature and condition of the gun-powder which is presently set on fire by the lest touch but of a sparke that is put vnto it So the fire of Gods word is choaked and smothered in vngodly men being not a fit combustible subiect to worke vpon But it soone maketh a light and bright flame in the soules of his saints as beeing a sulphurous and apte matter vpon which it may extend and exercise his force A kettle of water set on the fire A similitude as soon as it conceiueth the heate thereof expresseth as we see the motion of the fire for albeit it be a heauy and waighty body and so by nature should descend yet when it boyleth it layeth aside his nature and bubbleth ariseth and ascendeth vpward in the manner of fire The bodies of the righteous howsoeuer by nature they are of an earthly and heauy substaunce and so do bend downeward and haue a prospect to the world yet the fire of Gods spirit that burneth within them contrary to their course lifteth them vpward and causeth them to mount vp to heauen Wherefore as Iohn wept vntill the booke was opened Apoc. 5 and so soone as it was opened all the Elders sung so let vs adiudge it to be the greatest cause of weeping when the word is taken from vs and the best occasion that can be of ioy when it is restored and giuen to vs againe Therefore be like vnto this learned Lapidary and learne out the valew and price of this pearle and thou shalt soone find ioy in it It is a memorable example that Socrates in his ecclesiasticall hystory setteth downe of a certaine Abbot who dieting himselfe with bread that was of a grosse and course graine Hist Tripâ—â—â— lib. 8 cap. â— answered thus finely such who would know his reason therof of him I take my whole repast vpon this bread that is so sower so vild mean that nothing but God might be of any pleasure and delightsomnesse with me Oh that we were thus deuoted vnto God and stoode so affected towardes heauenly things it could not be otherwise but that they would expresse their ioyful effects in vs. A similitude For euen as those that walke in the Sunne be the occasion of what it wil must needs be parched and coloured with the Sunne so they that shall walke in the sun-shine of Gods word the light of the world I doubt not but that it shall comfort their hearts and warme their soules with the loue thereof and alter their conditions and set a new die and hue vpon them and minister such ioy as they are not able to conceiue CHAP. VII ¶ By the example of this Marchant who did hide his Treasure the necessitie not onely of the hearing of the word but also of the faithfull hiding it in our hearts is manifestly euicted FOrasmuch as this Ieweller wheÌ„ he lighted vpon this Treasure was as carefull in keeping it as hee was ioyfull in hauing it which he euidently shewed in his prouident hiding of it it is argument enough to conclude the necessity not only of the reading and hearing of the word but also of the industrous preseruing it in our harts Without this the immortal seed of gods word A similitude shall neuer take deep root and fructifie in our hearts For euen as the seede that is strowed vpon the furrowes of the earth vnlesse it be ploughed in and buried in the earth that thereby it may take root can neuer spring vp and be fit for the haruest so the word of God vnlesse it may be throughly fixed in our hearts and there abide and remain his ful time it wil neuer yeeld any grain of good works or serue to any profitable pur pose any waie We must not be trewants in the Church of God as Schollers in the schoole or be idle in the church as children in the market who neither buy nor sel but we must heare mark and hide vp that which is taught vs. As the yron steel A similitude so long as it is cold can not be
with vs but we should take that course which this Ieweller by his practise here prescribeth vs who resigneth vp all that he had in the world that he might buy this treasure of Gods word Let vs doe the like Augustine Nos ipsos pro illa margarita demus non quia tanti vateamus sed quia plus dare non possumus Let vs giue our selues for this pearle of great price not because we are worth somuch but because we haue no more to giue Minus dat vt plus accipiat hoc fac tu Da modica accipe magna da temporalia accipe aeterna da terram accipe coelum This Ieweller hath a wonderfull bargaine in giuing vp his state and interest to this world for liuery and seisin of this better purchace of the world that is to come For as Augustine saith he giueth the lesse to receiue the more doe thou the like Giue meane things and receiue greater for them giue temporall things and receiue eternall giue earth and receiue heauen giue golde and receiue God As thou forsakest father and mother to cleaue to thy wife so forsake father and mother wife and al be it neuer so neere and deere vnto thee to cleaue to God To sell all that we haue is to renounce the lusts of the flesh and of the minde and so to shake off the world which inticeth vs to wickednes as Ioseph shaked his cloake from him Genesis 39. and left it with his mistris egging him to vncleannesse But this is that that breaketh off the bargaine and keepeth vs from this purchase we endure well enough to heare of the pleasure and profit of this purchase but we like not the couenants we are loath to be touched in our worldly state or to alter the condition of our life the doctrine of repentance and the Gospel of Christ teaching vs to deny all vngodlinesse and worldly vanity and to liue soberly iustly and vprightly in this world is grieuous vnto vs Tit. 2. and we cannot abide it The children of Israel hearing of the fruitfulnes of the promised land of Canaan Num. 14 buckled themselues in al the haste vnto the battell and marched towards it eger of the present possession of it but hearing the place was inhabited with Giants they hung downe their heads and their hearts failed them and altred quite from the men they were before their fancies were set vpon Aegypt again So many hearing by Gods spies that came from heauen of the ioy and happines laid vp in store for vs in the life that is to come especially of saint Paul who was rapt vp to heauen and was full of reuelations 2. Cor. 12 and discoursing of the vnspeakable riches of his kingdome rauisheth the hearers with these delightfull tidings that the eie hath not seene the eare hath not heard 1. Cor. 2 neyther can the heart of man conctiue the things that God hath prepared for them that loue him men I say heartned with such consolation they take stomacke to themselues and are zealous and hot in spirit after it to winne and enioy it But withall vnderstanding that the way is narrow Math. 7 and the doore streight that leadeth into it and that there wil be some difficultie in our passage our hearts grow heauy and our iourney is dashed and our whole minde is set vppon retiring vnto Aegypt and to embrace this present world He that hath earnest occasion of speech with another man A similitude coueteth to find that man alone and free from other busines when as God would speake to vs he would find vs in this case he would haue vs loue men sequestred and put apart from the world Therefore when hee was to commune with Abraham Gen. 12 he willed him to be priuate to resigne his natiue soyle Vr of the Caldeans and to inioy his blessed presence to forget his owne kinred and his fathers house And because that cares are the daughters of riches which as thornes do choake the good seed of the worde in worldly minded men the Lord enacted in the state of Israel that cleargy men Deut. 18 seperated and put a part to the ministrie should not haue worldly hereditaments and possessions as other of the tribes that their minds whilest they were in their holy ministration might not be distracted and miscaried with them As also it was a constitution among them Leuit. 〈◊〉 that he that was bunched and crooked in the backe shuld not serue minister in the temple For this defect and impediment of body is a hindraunce to their eies that they cannot lift them vp to heauen as they shuld So such as are distorted and crooked in mind and haue their affections always stooping looking on the world are no fit persons to serue before the Lord and to enter into his courtes Mortifie we therfore all our worldly lusts and slay we them down right with the sword of the spirit Let vs not imprison in the bowels of our soules such sinnes as we like best and keep them aliue as Saul did Agag 1. Sam. 15 whom God commaunded should be put to death but let vs hew them in peeces as Samuel did Agag in Gilgal before the Lord and beate them as small as the dust of the earth If we pitty our sins as Ely did his sons 1. Sam. 2 when we ought to punish them God will punish them and wil bring a great iudgement against vs for them Oh heauy and most grieuous is that commination of the Lord against Achab 1. King 20. for demissing Benhadad Because saith God thou hast let goe out of thy handes a man whome I appointed to die thy life shall goe for his life The like sentence is gone out against all that saue aliue that sinne they should destroy they shal die for it If ye liue saith Saint Paul after the flesh ye shall die Rom. 8 but if ye shall mortifie the flesh by the spirit ye shall liue Thus Paul maketh two men of one the one the outward and the other the inward man both which are vnited in one yet are they so sundry as they cannot agree in one but the generation of the one must be the others corruption the life of the one must be the death of the other and therefore to saue and keepe aliue the one we must needes mortifie and put to death the other What a good match we shall make in coping away the pleasure of the world for the ioyes of heauen at that generall county day wherein the bookes and scrolles of consciences shall be laid open plainly will appeare at what time all those things that we haue here gathered together will do vs no good where no manner of excuse may serue our turne where there wil be no place of any refuge for vs. Here there haue bin found some places of small succor in the time of danger Gen. 3 Genes 18 Gen. 19 1.
Exhortation to the loue of the worde and the spirituall life the purport of the premisses IT is not gold but drosse not hony but gall not credit but shame not life but death not good but euil which the world yeeldeth vs diuide the worlde aright with the sworde of truth and the vanitie of it will soone appeare vnto thee But thy word Psalme 119 O Lord endureth for euer in heauen Mat. 13 It is the word of the kingdome because it bringeth vs to no lesse than a kingdome It is Iohn 6 the word of life which giueth life vnto all creatures Mat. 2 It is the starre which conducteth vs to Christ Gen. 28 The ladder whose toppe reacheth vp to heauen The water which purgeth and cleanseth our leprosie 2. Reg. 5 Psalmey ◠The manna which satisfieth our hungry soules Iohn 6 The booke that we should study vpon day and night The royall and celestiall Testament of God The Oracles of his Sanctuarie Psal 1 Ierem. 31 Isai 22 The Key that openeth his counsell chamber doore The milke of his breasts Mat 16 1 Pet 2 Psalm 11◠the gage of his loue The light of our paths The breath of our nostrells The piller of our faith Pro 3 The anchor of our hope The ground of our loue Heb 6 The charter of our happinesse Pro 4 The Schoole and Library of all spirituall learnings This is the pathway that leades vnto heauen Luke 18 so saith Christ to the yong man in Luke If thou wilt enter into heauen keep the commandements So saith the Spirit Reuel 2◠Blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it So saith the Angel Blessed are they that keepe the words of this booke So saieth Solomon Prou. 29 Blessed is the man that keepeth the Lawe So saieth Isaiah He that doth this is blessed Isai 56 Iames 1 So saith Iames The doers of the Lawe are iustified And to this giue all the Scriptures witnesse if we wil consider them Good cause therfore haue we to loue this Lawe and all the day long to haue our study in it Worldly Lawyers increase daily they are called common lawyers because they are too common and they are not weary in following that study but Gods Law which speaketh of farre better things and promiseth to the faithfull professors thereof not the golde of Ophir or India but the infinite and vnspeakeable treasure of a kingdome lieth open in the windowe or shut in the studie altogether neglected or retchlesly regarded Sommon all the Law giuers and conuent them together and lette them worship their politique ordinances and statutes as they list they must not bee matched and consorted with this Lawe None of these euer durst or did promise vnto any that were keepers thereof the recompence of a kingdome Mercurius Trismegistius gaue Lawes to the Aegyptians Phoronaeus to the Graecians Solon to the Athenians Lycurgus to the Lacedemonians and Numa Pompilius vnto the Romanes yet none of these pricketh them with that praise as to assigne such a recompence and rewarde vnto them Such glory hath all his Saintes saieth the Kingly Prophet 1 Chro. 12 As one of the least of the captaines of the sonnes of Gad could chace away a hundred and the greatest a thousand so one of Gods books exceedeth a thousand of humane constitutions Prou. 31 Many daughters saith King Lemuel haue done vertuously but thou surmountest all so many writers haue written learnedly but the actuaries of the scriptures haue gone beyond them all Wheras others of Gods blessings as food light and life are communicated to others of his creatures as to birds beasts and fishes this priuiledge of the word as a preheminence and prerogatiue royall aboue all other creatures he hath appropriated only to man And this is argument pregnant to perswade vs to the loue of the word As man is most happy by his hauing the word so had he bin of all most miserable if he had bin destitute altogether of this word For what comfort saith Tobias can I haue now I sit in darknes so what comfort could we haue had whilst we sate in darknesse and in the shadow of death whilst we were without knowledge and hope of our saluation aliants from the common wealth of Israel Ephe 2 strangers from the couenant of promise and were without God in the world Whenas God would checke the ingratitude of his people he calleth to mind his benefits done vnto them and as the chiefest among others Miea 6 he grateth their eares with a rehearsall of his word That as he had giuen them Moses to gouerne them Num. 34 so he had sent them Aaron to instruct them as he had giuen them a Iosua to leade the people Iosua 15 so he did giue them a priest to beare the Arke a Iehozadach with Zorobabel Agge 1 and a Iayrus in the Synnagogue with a Centurion in Capernaum Mat 8 9 His word hath bin the badge and cognisance of his people the hedge and partition whereby they haue bin distinguished from all other people So singeth the melodious musition of Israel Psalm 147 He hath not done so to any other nation neither haue any people such knowledge of his laws This is that one thing that is necessary as Christ said to Martha howsoeuer many other vnnecessary things are preferred before it Luke 10 and we preferre with the vngentle and vnmannerly guests in the Gospel Luke 14 our wife our farme our oxen before it Herein we resemble and imitate such porters A similitude who letteth euery one that is costly apparrelled into his masters gate and keepe out such who are farre their betters because they carry not such an outward shew Or they are like the rauē A similitude who whē sheseeth her young ones in the nest first doe begin to fether and then their fethers seeme white she doth not know them but afterwards perceiuing how the fethers grow blacke she nourisheth and preserueth them The world loueth not a godly man because he seemeth to be of a contrary fether but let him turne blacke and be like the world and the world will know him for his owne and make much of him As in desperate diseases A similitude such medicines as do serue simply in their nature as preseruatiues of life are turned thorough the dangerous corruptions of the patients into occasions of death So in some most dangerous diseases of the soule the word which otherwise in nature is a salue is a corsiue vnto vs. For the word is of sundry effects according to the diuerse dispositions of the subiects that it principally worketh vpon The Sun worketh diuersly as we see A similitude according to the variable nature of the matter vpon which it hath his force For as it softneth waxe so it hardneth clay as it whiteth some things so it blacketh othersome things and yet the
Ioseph who left his cloak in the hands of his Mistris and ranne away naked rather than he would yeeld to hir wicked lust to leaue all that thou hast in the world rather than to the offence of God and destruction of thy soule to cleaue vnto wickednes What prisoner that is fast shutte vp in prison A similitude and condemned to die for his capitall crimes and he seeth no other meane of escaping but by the breach of the wall and his friendes aduiseth him hereunto wil not take their counsell and the better to get through so narrow a passage wil not put off al his apparel to the skinne and leaue it behinde him to preserue his life Wee see how death is set before our eies for our heinous sinnes and rebellions against God and we cannot shun it but by striuing to goe through the straight gate that entreth into heauen and to crowd into that Iet it not be grieuous to stripour selues of whatsoeuer burden wee doe carry about vs but to presse in le ts make any shift albeit it be with grating galling and wounding these our mortall bodies To be blinde in soule and to be ignorant of Gods word is a farre more horrible and palpable blindnes than that which the Lorde in iudgement did bring vpon the land of Egypt Exod. 10. which was so foggy and grosse for the time as one man could not see an other or once stirre out of the place wherein he was For whereas man consisteth of two parts the body and the soule how farre the soule doth exceede the body it is not so easie for vs to define But this is most manifest that the body if it might be sundred from the soule litle differeth from the bodies of bruit beasts if that the soule might be singled from the body it would be but little inferior vnto angelicall spirites Whatsoeuer ornament A similitude grace and feature is in the body it hath it from the soule his vigor functions and naturall induments are from thence deriued For as the beautie and brauery of a picture ouer-layde with golde consisteth not in the woodden subiect but in the orient and golden forme which beeing defaced and put out it is nothing but a rude and deformed substance so the soule beeing the life and the liuelihoode of the man which giueth essence and forme vnto the man being taken from the body the body becommeth a most vncleane carrion most vgly and fearefull vnto vs to behold Yet in most preposterous and brainsicke maner al the whole care is set vpon the body and we grow most remisse and carelesse of the soule The base bond-woman the flesh is aduaunced and set in the higher roome and the spirit our peerelesse and beautiful lady to her great disgrace is debased and put downe to the lowermost end If the body be diseased how many Physitians are sent for to succor it if in want what cares do we take to supply it if in danger we runne through thicke and thinne to shunne it but the deadly disease the wofull want the extreamest danger that can be of the soule is not respected of vs. Whereas the soule is the Mistris and the body but the chamber-mayde whereas the soule is the rider and the body but the beast that beareth the rider loe the minion mayd is graced and her Mistris despised the simpler iade is stroaked and the rider is thrown off and cast vnto the ground The body is but the garment couerlet of the soule It is meere madnesse for any to spoyle his body that he might not spoyle his garment so is it for vs to saue the body to destroy the soule If all outward things be ordayned for the body and the body bee created for the soule and the soule for God is it not grose and absurde follie to busie our selues wholly about those things that are to this end and to neglect the maine poynt of all which is the end it selfe To prouide such stuffe as may sette vp a house and neuer to goe in hand with the house To get many bookes and to procure vs many teachers and yet to make no vse of these bookes and teachers To goe to warre and to be carefull to haue a fine scabard enamelld embossed with pearle with gold and not to care for the matter of the blade whether it be of yron or of lead or of any other base and impure substances The bodie is the subiect and as it were the case sheath of the soule wherein the soule is hidden it is a franticke fashion therefore to be so curious and nice about the pleasures of the body and to be so carelesse and vnwise for the treasure of the soule Let vs lay them both together and weigh them in the ballaunce of iudgement and discretion and the disproportion that will appeare betweene them will conuince in our election our too too blinde and preiudicate affections If no tongue be able to vnfold the preheminence and dignitie royall that the soule dooth carry aboue the body I thinke that much lesse the glory of Gods Saintes in the life that is to come how much it exceedeth and excelleth all the glory that this present world affordeth is able to be expressed For how can both themselues admitt a iust comparison whenas one is momentanie subiect to all vanitie the other eternall comprehending all felicitie Isai 64 Of this saieth the Lord The eye hath not seene what the Lord hath prepared for them that expect him And of the other saith Saint Iames It is a vapour that appeareth for a time Iames 4. and vanisheth away The Philosophers of the Gentiles prying into the nature and condition of this life but with the eye of humane reason found matter enough of discontentment with it inasmuch as Seneca is of that minde as hee thinketh that no man would vouchsafe to take vppon him this life if first he might be certified of the estate and maner of it Silenus another of that sect saith plainely that the best thing in his conceit is not to be borne and that the next to that is to die Stories do speake of a people in Thracia who entertaine their infants when they are borne into the worlde with teares and great lamenting and doe celebrate their funeralles with all melody and triumphing And I marud not at it why the heathen sorte should be so conceited of this life since the deere Saints of God Iob and Ieremy were so malcontented with it Iob 3 Ierem. 20 Giue me a man in whome all the fauours of this worlde shall conspire who is in the faunt and liueth as hee list anotomize his lfe giue a right iudgement of al the pleasures and wishes he enioyeth tel me what they are Is hee in honour and estimation amongmen and dooth the worlde applaude him What is this to him in the rigorous iudgment whenas he shall not be tryed by his country but his