was multiplyed not by Nâ—turall succession but by Grace So Theodoret. 3. To exercise the Fayth Hope Patience of such as notwithstanding a Promise had their issue delayed But now Isaaâ— prayes God heares Rebecca conceaues she conceaues a double burden a paire of Sonnes strugling in her wombe Her body is no lesse disquieted with this plenty then her minde was before with the lacke of Children Esau and Iacob are borne brethren they are not more neere in birth then different in disposition For Esau was a cunning Hunter a man of the Field but Iacob was a plaine man dwelling in Tents These two are the Subiect of my Discourse wherein I will regard their Nomina Omina Names and Proceedings Their Names Esau and Iacob note their conditions for opposite The one a cunning Hunter the other a Plaine man Of both whom I will be bold to speake literally and liberally literally of their indiuiduall persons liberally as they were figures and significations of future things For herein is not onely regardable a meerâ— Historie but a Mysterie also And as S. Paul applied the true Storie of Isaac the sonne of the free and Ishâ—ael the some of the bondwomâ—â— that by these thinges was another thing meant Gal. 4. 24. So I may conclude of these two Brothers in the same manner ver 29. As then hee that was borne after the Flesh persecuted him that was borne after the Spirit euen so is it now So it is now and so it shall be to the end of the world A Discouerie of the cunning Esauites of our times Genes 25. 27. Esau was a cunning Hunter and a man of the field I Must speake first of the first borne Esau. It is probable hee was called Esau in regard of his manner of birth ver 25. Hee that came out first was redde all ouer like an hayrie Garment and they called his name Esau. Some deriue it from the Hebrew word Quasah which signifieth To make and taken passiuely it implies a Perfect man For he came forth redde and hayrie Redde to betoken his bloody disposition Hayrie to shew his sauage and wilde Nature Other Children are borne with Haire onely on the Head Eye-lids and Browes but hee was hairy all ouer promising extraordinarie crueltie Hee had three names 1. Esau because hee was complete 2. Edom because he was red of complexion or because he coueted the red Pottage 3. Seir that is Hayre You heare his Name listen to his Nature Gods Spirit giues him this Character Hee was a cunning Hunter c. A Name doth not constitute a Nature yet in holy Writ very often the Nature did fulfill the Name and answere it in a future congruence The Character hath two Branches noting his Dition Condition His Condition or Disposition was Hunting his Dition Portion or Segniory was the Field he was a Field-man The first marke of his Character is A cunning Hunter Wherein wee haue expressed his Power Policie His Strength his Sleight his Brawne and his Braine His Might hee was an Hunter His Witte hee was a Cunning Hunter His Strength A Hunter Hunting in it selfe is a delight lawfull and lawdable and may well be argued for from the disposition that God hath put into creatures Hee hath naturally inclined one kind of Beastes to pursue another for mans profite and pleasure Hee hath giuen the Dogge a secret instinct to follow the Hare the Hart the Foxe the Bore as if hee would direct a man by the finger of Nature to exercise those qualities which his diuine Wisedome created in them There is no Creature but may teach a good soule one step toward his Creator The World is a Glasse wherein we may contemplate the eternall power and maiesty of God For the inuisible things of him from the creation of the World are clearely seene being vnderstood by the thinges that are made euen his eternall power and God-head It is that great Booke of so large a Character that a man may runne and read it Yea euen the simplest man that cannot read may yet spell out of this Booke that there is a GOD. Euery Shepheard hath this Calendar euery Plough-man this ABC What that French Poet diuinely sung is thus as sweetly english'd The World 's a Schoole where in a genâ—rall Story God alwayes reades dumbe Lectures of his Glory But to our purpose This practise of Hunting hath in it 1. Recreation 2. Benefite Delight Though man by his rebellion against his Creator forfeited the Charter which he had in the Creatures and hereon Adams punishment was that hee should worke for that Sudore vultus which erst sprung vp naturally beneficis Creatoris Yet this lapse was recouered in Christ to beleeuers and a new Patent was sealed them in his Blood that they may vse them not only ad necessitatem vitae but also in delectationem animi So God giues man not onely Bread and Wine to strengthen his Heart but euen Oyle to refresh his Countenance Let thy Garments bee alwayes Wâ—ite and let thy Head lacke no Oyntment When Salomon had found men pulling on themselues vnnecessary vexations in this world and yet not buying Peace in Heauen with their trouble on Earth hee concludes Then I commended Mirth because a man hath no better thing vnder the Sunne then to Eate and to Drinke and to be Merry for that shall abide with him of his labour the day of his life that God giueth him vnder the Sunne But there is a Liberty the bounds whereof because mens affections cannot keepe it is better their vnderstandings knew not For Melius est nescire centrum quam non tenere circulum I may say of too many as Seneca Nihilfaelicitati eorum deest nisi moderatio eius They haue happinesse enough if they could moderate it Nothing is Magis proprium materiae say Philosophers more proper to matter then to flow nisi a forma sistitur vnles the forme refraine and stay it Nothing is more peculiar to Man then to run out and to erre exorbitantly if Grace direct not Men deale with Recreation as some Trauellers doe with anothers Grounds they begge passage through them in Winter for auoydance of the Miry wayes and so long vse it on sufferance that at last they plead Prescription and hold it by Custome God allowes Delights to succour our infirmitie and we sawcily turne them to habituall Practises Therefore Salomon condemnes it in some as he commendes it in others Reioyce in thy youth and follow thy vanities but know that for all this God will bring thee into Iudgement And our Sauiour denounceth a Vae ridentibus for they that will laugh when they should weepe shall mourne when they might haue reioyced Wee often read Christ weeping neuer laughing taking his creatures for sustentation not for recreation Indeed hee afforded vs this benefite and what wee had lost as it were ex postliminio recouered to vs. But it were strange that Haeres succedens in defuncti locum
Their trepidations are more shaking then cold Ague-fiâ—tes their staggers worse then a Drunkards A Fether in the Ayre a Fane on the House a Cock-boate in the Sea are lesse inconstant The course of a Dolphin in the Water of a Buzzard in the Ayre of a Whore in the Citie is more certaine They are full of farraginous and bullimong mixtures powre them foorth into libertie and they run wilder then Quick siluer on a table But let a good man be as Iohn Bap was commended by our Sauiour No Reed shaken with the Winde Let our Actions haue ballace our Affections ballance bee wee none of those that will not Binde 2. Some will Binde but not with Cordes they will take on them an outward profession but not be feruent in it they will not binde themselues to Deuotion as the Philistines bound Sampson with new Withes or with new Ropes but onely with a Rush or a Haire or a twine Threed of coldnesse A Sermon or a Masse is all one to them they come with equall deuotion to either All the Religion in the World with these Gergesens is not worth a slitch of Bacon For handfulles of Barley and morselles of Bread you may winne them to worship the Queene of Heauen Their lukewarmenesse is so offensiue that they trouble all stomaches GOD shall spâ—e them out of the Church the earth shall spue them into the Graue and the Graue shall spue them into Hell 3. Some will Binde and with Cordes but not the Sacrifice Such are the vtterly irreligious the openly prophane They haue their Cordes to binde but they will not meddle with the Sacrifice Deuotion The Prophet Esay giues them a Vae for their labour Woe vnto them that draw Iniquitie with cordes of Vanitie and sinne as it were with a Cart-rope But in a iust quittance for their strong-haled wickednesse they draw on their owne destruction with Cordes and damnation as it were with a Cart-rope So those Funcs peccatorum that Salomon speakes of shall be rewarded His owne iniquities shall take the wicked himselfe and he shall be holden with the Cordes of his sinnes There is such a concatenation of their wickednesse rioting swearing drunkennesse whoredome that at last the Cordes end reaches to Hell Their whole life is but like a Fire-worke that runnes along the Rope of wickednesse till at last it goes out in the Graue and is rekindled in the slaming Pitte They bind sinne sure to them selues with Cordes and with the same Cordes the Deuill Bindes them as fast to him they shall speed as himselfe doth and be at last Bound with the Cordes or Chaiâ—es of darknesse The Magistrate should doe well in meane time to Bind them with Materiall Cordes of seuere punishments Chaine vp their feete from Brothell-houses Manacle their hands from slaughters giue them the Cordes of Correction least at last by a Corde they depart the world The three spetiall Twists of this Corde are Drunkennesse Whoredome Cossenage If you could vntwine these three and seperate them there were some hope of breaking them all You say on their deprehention they haue sure punishment be as carefull to finde them out But it is reported you haue rowsed these sins from their old nests and sent them home to your owne houses Cheating winds into some of your owne shops Adulterie creepes into some of your owne Chambers And I know not how somtimes Iustices Magistrates haue whipt Drunkennesse out of the Alehouse into their owne Cellers There is one amongst vs that is a terrible Binder and that 's the vsurer Hee Binds strangely strongly with the Cordes of obligations You know he that enters into obligation is sayd to come into Bonds it is all one into Cordes This mans whole life is spent in tying of knots his profession is Cordage And for this cause he is belou'd of the Cord-makers for setting them on worke and of no body else This fellow Bindes but he 'l neare Bind the Sacrifice his conscience shall be loose enough I could say much to this Binder if there were any hope of him But I remember a true story that a friend told me of an Vsurer There was a Godly Preacher in his Parish that did beate downe with all iust conuictions and honest reproofes that sinne Many Vsurers flocked to his Church because he was a man of note Among the rest this Vsurer did bid him often to dinner and vsed him very kindly Not long after this Preacher began to forbeare Vsurie not in any conniuence or partiallitie but because he had dealt plentyfully with it and now his Text led him not to it Now begins the Vsurer to be heauy sorrowing and discontent And turned his former kindnesse into fullennesse The Preacher must needs obserue it and boldly asked him the reasons of this sodaine auersion The Vsurer replyed If you had held on your first Course to inâ—eigh against Vsurie I had some hope you would haâ—e put all the Vsurers downe and so I should haue had the better Vent and Custome for my Mony For my part say what you will I neuer meant to leaue it But I should haue been beholding to you if you could haue made me an Vsurer alone You see the hope of an Vsurers Conuersion But I would to God that euery one thus bound with the Corde of his Wickednesse would consider that so long as a Corde is whole it is not easily broken but vntwist it lay it threed by threed and you my quickly snappe it a sunder Beloued first vntwine the Corde of your sinnes by serious consideration and then you may easily breake them off by Repentance 4. Some 1. will Binde 2. with Cords 3. yea and the Sacrifice 4. but not to the Altar There are many of these in our Land they binde the Sacrifice exceeding fast to Themselues not to the Altar All the Altaragia the dues that belong to them that serue at Gods Altar and which the Lawes of God and man Bound to the Altar they haue loosned and Bound to themselues and their heires These Bind the Sacrifice and with Cordes but not to the right place Nay I would to God they would Binde no more But now the fashion is to hold God to Custome if a poore Minister demand those remanents which are left to the Altar he is ouâ—rthrowne by Custome Oh the pittie of God that England-should haue any such Custome And for you that neuer thinke your selues well but when you haue Bound the Sacrifice to your selues and imagine that the Milke or Fleece of your Flocks which God hath tyth'd for himselfe is too good for the Minister and will either actâ— or armis with force of Law or craft of Coosening keepe it to your selues that will plead the rate of a penny in Law for a pound in concience Chop and change your Sheepe to defraude Christ of his Tenth sleece know that as you Binâ—e the Sacrifice from the Altar so you shall haue no comfort by the
Trueth neuer speake it of vs that wee haue the Booke of the Lord in our Hands not the doctrine in our Consciences That wee haue Gods Seales yet vn-marked Soules That De virtutibus vacui loquimâ—â— Wee speake of the Graces wee haue not It was once spoken of Greece in regard of the ruines â—ea of the vtter extinction for Etiam periere ruinae Grâ—ciam in Graecia quaerimus non inuenimus Wee seeke for Greece in Greece and can not find it Let it neuer be sayd of vs in respect of our recidiuall disobedience Angliam in Anglia quaerimus et non inuenta est Wee seeke that famous Church of England in England and finde it not Many loue to liue within the circumference and reach of the Gospell because it hath brought Peace and that Peace Wealth and that Wealth Promotion But if this Health or Quiet might be vpheld or augmented by that Romane Harlot they would be ready to cry Great is Diana of the Ephesians and Christ might lodge long enough at Bethleem ere they would goe to visite him Our liues too prodigiously begin to pretend this But O faxit Deus vt nullum sit in omine pondus And for our selues Bel. Let vs not like the Priestes direct others to a Sauiour and stay at home our selues nor like the Trumpeter that encourageth others to the Battaile against the enemies of God and our saluation Nihil ipse nec ausus nec potuit our selues being Cowards and giuing neuer a stroke It is not enough to tell the people of a Sauiour in Bethleem Opus est etiam praeitione aut saltem coitione et pari congressu Wee must goe before them or at least goe with them For this cause I commend the Fayth of these Magi Seeing the Priestes doctrine concurres with the Starres dumbe direction though Herod will not leaue his Court nor the Scribes their ease nor the People their trades yet these men will goe alone to Christ. When thou art to imbrace Religion it is good going in company if thou canst get them for the greater blessinges â—alles vpon a multitude but resolue to goe though alone For thou shalt neuer see the Lord Iesus if thou tarry till all Ierusalem goe with thee to Bethleem WEe haue heard their Aduent or Accesse listen to the Euent or Successe They saw the young Child with Mary his Mother God hath answered the desire of their hearts they had vndertooke a long Iourney made a diligent inquirie no doubt their Soules longed with Simeon to see their Sauiour Loe he that neuer frustrates the faythfull affection giues abundant satisfaction to their hopes They saw the young Child with Mary his Mother Obserue Whom With whom Where they saw him Whom The young Child Meditate and wonder The Ancient of dayes is become a young Child The Infinitely great is made Litle The sustainer of all things Suckes Factor terrae factus interra Creator coel creatussub coelo He that made Heauen and Earth is made vnder Heauen vpon Earth The Creator of the world is Created in the world Created Litle in the world they saw the young Child With whom With Mary his Mother Mary was his Daughter is she now become his Mother Yes he is made the Child of Mary who is the Father of Mary Sine quo Pater nunquam fuit sine quo mater nunquam fuisset Without whom his Father in Heauen neuer was without whom his Mother on Earth had neuer beene Where It is euident in S. Lukes Gospell they found him lying in a Cratch He who sits on the right hand of the Maiestie on high was lodged in a stable He that Measures the Waters in his Fist and Heauen with a Spaâ—ne was now Crowned in a Manger and swadled with a few Ragges Here they finde neither Gard to defend him nor tumults of people thronging to see him neither Crowne on his Head nor Scepter in his hand but a young Child in a Cratch hauing so litle externall glory that they might haue saued their paine and seene many in their owne Countrey farre beyond him Our instruction hence is that God doth often strangly and strongly exercise the Fayth of his that their perswasion may not be guided Oculis but Oraâ—ulis by their Sight but his Word The eye of true Fayth is so quicke sighted that it can see through all the Mistes and Fogges of difficulties Hereon these Magi doe confidently beleeue that this poore Child lying in so base a manner is the great King of Heauen and Earth The fayth of man that is grounded on the promises of God must beleeue that in prison there is libertie in trouble peace in affliction comfort in Death life in the Crosse a Crowne and in a Manger the Lord Iesus The vse of this teacheth vs not to be offended at the basenesse of the Gospell lest we neuer come to the Honour to see Iesus It was an argument of the Deuils breaching Haue any of the Rulers or Pharises beleeued on him The great the learned the wise giue him no crâ—dence But this people that knoweth not the Law is Cursed None but a few oâ— the rascall companie follow him 〈◊〉 hereof Simeon resolued his mother Mary 〈…〉 set for the fall as well as the risiâ—g againe of many 〈…〉 for a Signe which shall be spoken against He should 〈…〉 but woe vnto them that so esteemed 〈…〉 to worke his will by 〈…〉 should apply a medicine contrary to 〈…〉 of the patient he would haue litle 〈…〉 the disease But such is Gods mâ—raculous working that he subdues Crownes to a Crosse ouercomes 〈…〉 pouertie ouerthrowes the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 Folishnesse of the Spirit and sets knees a 〈…〉 in a Manger YOu see their Accesse and the Euent or Successe which poynts determine their Direction Let vs come to their Deuotion Herein wee shall find a triplicitie to follow the method of Augustines Glosse Adorant corporibus vencrantur officijs honorant muneribus Christ had bestowed on these Magi three sorts of giftes Goods Corporall Spirituall Temporall And all these in a deuout thankefulnesse they returne to Christ. In Falling downe they did honour him with the Goods of the body In Worshipping him with the gifts of the Minde In Presenting to him guiftes Gold Frankincense Mirrhe with the goods of the World The Body and Minde I will knit togeather They fell downe and worshipped him It is fitte they should be partners in repentance that haue been confederates in sinne It is questioned whether in transgressing the body or the soule be most culpable I am sure either is guiltie It is all one a man that wants Eyes carries a man that wants Feete the lame that cannot goe spies a Bootie and tels his blind Porter of it that cannot see Hee that hath Eyes directes the way hee that hath Feet trauels to it but they both consent to steale it The Bodie without the Soule wants Eyes the Soule without the Body wants
Tents intend not a long dwelling in a place They are mouables euer ready to be transferred at the occasion and will of the Inhabiter Hebr. 11. Abraham dwelt intents with Isaac and Iacob the heires with him of the same Promise The reason is added For hee looked for a Citie which hath foundations whose builder and maker is GOD. These Saints studied not to enlarge their barnes as the rich Cosmopolite Luke 12. or to sing Requiems to their soules in the hoped perpetuity of earthly habitations Soule liue thou hast enough laid vp for many yeares Foole he had not enough for that night They had no thought that their houses should continue for euer and their dwelling places to all generations thereuppon calling their lands after their owne names God conuinceth the foolish security of the Iewes to whom hee had promised by the Messias to be purchased an euerlasting royalty in heauen by the Rechabites who built no houses but dwelt in Tents as if they were strangers ready on a short waâ—ning for remouall The Church esteemes Heauen her home this world but a Tent. A Tent which we must all leaue build we as high as Babel as strong as Babilon When wee haue fortified combined feasted death comes with a Voyder and takes away all Dost thou thinke to raigne securely because thou closest thy selfe in Cedar Friends must part Ionas and his gourd Nebuchadnezzar and his pallace the couetous churle and his barns Arise and depart for this is not your rest Though you depart with griefe from Orchards full of fruits grounds full stocked houses dightly furnished purses richly stuffed from musicke wine iunkets sports yet goe you must goe euery man to his owne home Hee that hath seene heauen with the eye of Fath through the glasse of the Scripture slippes off his coate with Ioseph and springs away They that liued thrice our age yet dwelt in Tents as Pilgrims that did not owne this world The shortnesse and weakenesse of our dayes strengthens our reasons to vilipend it The world is the field thy body the Tent heauen thy free-holde The world is full of troubles windes of persecutions storms of menaces cold of vncharitablenesse heate of malice exhalations of prodigious terrours will annoy thee Loue it not Who can affect his owne vexations It is thy through-fare God loues thee better then to let it be thy home Euery misery on earth should turne our loues to heauen God giues this world bitter teats that wee might not sucke too long on it Satan as some doe with rotten nutmegs guildes it ouer and sends it his friends for a token But when they put that spice into their broth it infects their hearts Set thy affections on heauen where thou shalt abide for euer This life is a Tent that a Mansion In my Fathers house there are many mansions This casuall that firme a kingdome that cannot be shaken This troublesome that full of rest This assuredly short that eternall Happy is he that heere esteemes himselfe a Pilgrim in a Tent that hee may bee heereafter a citisen in a stable kingdome 2. Their frugallitie should not passe vnregarded Heere is no ambition of great buildings a Tent will serue How differ our dayes and hearts from those The fashion is now to build great houses to our lands till wee leaue no lands to our houses and the credite of a good house is made not to consist in inward hospitality but in outward walls These punkish out-sides beguile the needy Traueller hee thinkes there cannot be so many roomes in a house and neuer a one to harbour a poore stranger or that from such a multitude of chimneis no meate should be sent to the gates Such a house is like a painted whoore it hath a faire cheek but rotten lungs no breath of charity comes out of it We say frustra fit per plura quod fieri potest per pauciora What needes a house more roomes then there is vse for A lesse house and more hospitablenesse would doe a great deale better Are not many of these glorious buildings set vp in the curse of Iericho the foundation laid in the blood of the eldest the poore the walls reared in the blood of the yoongest the ruine of their owne posterity This was one of the Trauellers obserued faults in England camini mali that we had ill clockes and worse chimneis for they smoaked no charity We see the Precedent the application must teach vs to Deale plainely Here is commended to vs Plainesse in Meaning Demeaning Which instructs vs to a double concord and agreement In Meaning betwixt the heart and the tongue In Demeaning betwixt the tongue and the hand In Meaning THere should be a louing and friendly agreement betweene the heart and the tongue This is the minds herald and should onely proclaime the senders message If the tongue be an ill seruant to the heart the heart will be an ill maister to the tongue and Satan to both There are three kindes of dissimulation held tolerable if not commendable and beyond them noâ—e without sinne 1. When a man dissembles to get himselfe out of danger without any preiudice to another So Dauid fained himselfe madde to escape with life So the good Physician may deceiue his patient by stealing vppon him a potion which he abhorreth intending his recouerie 2. When dissimulation is directly aymed to the instruction and benefite of another So Ioseph caused the money to bee put in his brethrens sackes thereby to worke in them a knowledge of themselues So Christ going to Emaus with the two Disciples made as if he would goe further to try their humanity 3. When some common seruice is thereby performed to the good of the Church Such are those stratagems and policies of warre that carry in them a direct intention of honesty and iustice though of hostillity as Iosuah's whereby he discomfited the men of Ai. Further then these limits no true Israelite no Plaine-Dealing man must venture Plato was of opinion that it was lawfull for Magistrates Hosium vel Ciuium causa mentiri to lie eyther to deceiue an enemy or saue a citisen I might against Plato set Aristotle who sayth expresly that a lie in it selfe is euill and wicked And another Philosopher was wont to say That in two things a man was like vnto God in bestowing benefites and telling the truth Nor will we inferre with Lyranus because there is a Title in the Ciuill Law De dolo malo of euill craft that therefore it is graunted there is a craft not euill But let vs know to the terrour of lyers that the deuill is the father of lying and when hee speaketh a lie hee speaketh of his owne And beyond exception they are the words of euerlasting veritie No lie is of the truth Therefore into that heauenly Hierusalem shall enter none that workes abhomination or maketh a lie A lie must needes be contrary
strangers To this Hope wee open the dores of the kingdome of Heauen and so farre as the Commission of the Keyes Ieades vs wee vnlocke the gates of eternall life and allow entrance Wee call this the Blessed Hope Charitie IS an excellent vertue and therefore rare if euer in this contentious age wherein Fratrum quoque gratia rara est the vnfained loue of brothers is strange Wo is mee before I am come to define what loue is I am falne into a declamation against the want of it what is heere chiefly commended is chiefly contemned as if wee had no need of mutuall succour nor could spare a roome in our hearts to entertaine Charitie lest wee should expell our old loued guests fraud malice and ambition Loue hath two proper obiects the one immediate and principall the other mediate and limitted The proper and immediate obiect of our Loue is God This is the great Commandement Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule with all thy strength As if hee would not leaue out the â—east sinew or string of the heart the least faculty or power of the soule the least organ or action of the strength So Bern. With all the heart that is affectionately With all the Soule that is wisely With all the strength that is constantly Let the zeale of thy heart inflame thy loue to God let the wisedome of thy soule guide it let the strength of thy might confirm it All the affection of the heart all the election of the soule all the administration of the body The Soule iudgeth the Will prosecutes the strength executes God can brooke no riualles no diuision betwixt him and Mammon betwixt him and Melchom betwixt him and Baal betwixt him and Belial Causa diligeâ—di Deum Deus est modus sine modo The cause and motiue to loue God is God the manner is without measure Minus amatte qui aliquid amat praeterte quod non amat propter te Hee poorely loues God that loues any thing besides him which hee doth not loue for him The subordinate obiect of loue is man and his loue is the effect of the former cause and an actuall demonstration of the other inward affection Waters comming from the sea boyle through the veines of the earth till they become springs and those springs riuers and those riuers runne backe to the sea againe All mans loue must be carried in the streame of Gods loue Blessed is hee that loues Amicum in Domino inimicum pro Domino his friend in the Lord his enemy for the Lord. Rom. 13. Owe nothing to any man but this that yee loue one another Other debts once truely payde are no more due but this debt the more we pay it the more wee owe it and wee still doe acknowledge our selues debters to all when wee are cleare with all proverbially I owe him nothing but loue The communication of this riches doth not impouerish the proprietary the more hee spends of his stocke the more hee hath There is that scattereth and yet encreaseth But hee that will hoord the treasure of his Charity shall grow poore empty and bankerout There is that withholdeth more then is meet but it tendeth vnto pouerty Loue is the abridgement of the Law the new precept of the Gospell Luther cals it the shortest and the longest Diuinitie short for the forme of words long yea euerlasting for the vse and practise for Charity shal neuer cease Thus for the first degree of compariion Positiuely The second is Comparatiue where though it be sayd Vertues and great men must not bee compared yet we may without offence bring them to a holy conference els how shall wee perceyue the Apostles intended scope the transcendency of Charity I will therefore first conferre Faith with Hope and then with them both Charity The distinction betweene Faith and Hope is nice and must warily bee discouered I will reduce the differences into three respects of Order Office and Obiect For Order Paul giues Faith the precedencie Hebr. 11. Faith is the ground of things hoped for Faith alwayes goes before Hope followes after and may in some sort bee sayde to bee the daughter of Faith For it is as impossible for a man to Hope for that which hee beleeues not as for a Painter to drawe a picture in the ayre Indeed more is beleeued then is hoped for but nothing is hoped for which is not beleeued So that on necessity in respect of order Faith must precede Hope For Office Faith is the Christians Logicke Hope his Rhetorike Faith perceiues what is to bee done Hope giues alacritie to the doing it Faith guides adviseth rectifieth Hope couragiously encounters with all adversaries Therefore Faith is compared to a Doctor in the Schooles Hope to a Captaine in the warres Faith discernes the truth Hope fights against impatience heauinesse of Spirit infirmitie deiectednesse desperation Divines haue alluded the difference betweene Faith and Hope in Divinity to that betweene wisedome and valour in Philosophie Valour without wisedome is rashnesse wisedome without valour is cowardice Faith without Hope is knowledge without valour to resist Sathan Hope without Faith is rash presumption and an vndiscreet daring You see their different Office For Obiect Faithes object is the absolute word and infallible promise of God Hopes obiect is the thing promised Fides intuetur verbum rei Spes verò rem verbi Faith lookes to the word of the thing Hope to the thing of the word So that Faith hath for the obiect the Truth of God Hope the Goodnâ—sse of God Faith is of things both good and bad Hope of good things onely A man beleeues there is a hell as truely as he beleeues there is a heaven but he feares the one and hopes onely for the other Faith hath obiected to it things past present future Past it beleeues Christ dead for our sinnes and risen againe for our Iustification Present that hee now sits at the right hand of his Father in heauen Future that hee shall come to iudge quicke and dead Hope onely respects and expects things to come For a man cannot hope for that which hee hath You see how in some sense Hope excels Faith For there is a faith in the Deuils they beleeue the truth of God the certainety of the Scriptures they acknowledge Christ the Iudge of quicke and dead therefore cry Why tormentest thou vs before the time They haue faith ioyned with a Popish preparatory good worke Feare the Deuils beleeue and tremble yea they pray they beseech Christ not to send them into the deepes what then want they Hope a confident expectation of the mercy of God this they can neuer haue They beleeue they cannot hope This is the life of Christians and the want makes Devils If it were not for this hope wee of all men were most miserable Charity differs from them both These three divine graces are a created Trinity and haue some glimmering
grain after graine take heed lest thou run not all to chaffe There is a Faith of Saints Gal. 2. Now liue not I but Christ liueth in mee and the life that I liue I liue by the Faith of the Sonne of God And there is a faith of Deuils Iam. 2. Thou beleeuest thou doest well the Deuils beleeue and tremble There is a faith which cannot perish Ioh. 3. Whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not perish And there is a faith that in the time of temptation fals away Luk. 8. The rockie ground receiues the Word and for a while beleeueth but in the time of temptation fall away There is a faith which the world ouercommeth such was the faith of Demas And there is a faith that ouercommeth the world 1. Ioh. 5 This is the victorie whereby wee ouercome the world euen our faith There is a dead idle and infructuous faith Iam. 2. 14. And there is a liuely actiue working faith Gal. 5. Faith worketh by loue Bee sure then that thy faith will endure the toucheuen the fiery tryall 2 Doe not loose such a Legacie as Christ hath bequeathed for want of faith Glorious is the inheritance but where is thy Euidence Flatter not thy soule with hope of this possession without the assurance of faith Christ giues his life for his sheepe What is this to thee that art a Wolfe a Swine a Goate God dresseth his Vineyard pruneth it watereth it is prouident ouer it What 's this to thee that art a thorne and no branch of the Vine Looke thou to be weeded vp and throwne out The bloud of Christ runnes fresh but where is thy pipe of faith to deriue it from his side to thy conscience Say it should showre mercy yet if thou wantest faith all would fall besides thee There would be no more fauour for thee then if there was no Sauiour Let then no miseries of earth much lesse pleasures quench thy faith Satan seeing this sparke of fire kindled in thy heart would blow it out with stormes or worke thee to smother it thy selfe with vanities or to rake it vp in the dead embers of cold security but beleeue against sight and sense As Dauid prophesied that hee should be a King Eo plus habet fides meriti quo minus argumenti Faith shall haue so much the more recompence as it had the lesse argument to induce it Hope IS the sweetest friend that euer kept a distressed soule company it beguiles all the tediousnesse of the way all the miseries of our Pilgrimage Iam mala finissem letho sed eredula vitam Spes fouet melius cras foresemper ait Therefore dum spiro spero sayes the Heathen but dum expiro spero sayes the Christian. The one whilest I liue I hope the other when I dye I hope so Iob I will hope in thee though thou killest â—ee It tels the soule such sweet stories of the succeeding ioyes what comforts there bee in heauen what peace what ioy what triumphes mariage-songs and Halleluiahs there are in that Country whether shee is trauelling that shee goes merrily away with her present burden It holds the head whilst it takes and giues invisible drinke to the thirsty conscience It is a liberty to them that are in prison and the sweetest Physicke to the sicke Saint Paul calles it an Anchor Let the windes blow and the stormes beat and the waues swell yet the Anchor stayes the shippe It breakes through all difficulties and makes way for the soule to follow it It teacheth Abraham to expect fruit from a withered stocke and Ioseph in a dungeon to looke for the Sunne and Starres obeysance It counsels a man as Esdras did the woman that hauing lost her sonne would needs dye languishing in the disconsolate fields Goe thy way into the City to thine husband Mourne not wretch for the losse of some worldly and perishing delight sit not downe and die though the fruit of thy wombe bee swallowed into the earth But goe home to the citie the City of mercy to thine husband euen thy husband Iesus Christ let him comfort thee This is the voyce of hope Though misery be present comfort absent though through the dimme and waterish humor of thy heart thou canst spie no deliuerance yet such is the nature of Hope that futura facta dicit It speakes of future things as if they were present Rom. 8. Wee are saued by hope Yet sic liberati vt adhuc speranda sit haereditas postea possidenda Nunc habemius ius adrem nondum inre Wee haue our inheritance in hope which giues vs the right of the substance though not the substance of the right assurance of the possession though not possession of the thing assured This tels vs that Nemo valde dolebit diu no man should grieue much and long God making our misery aut tolerabilem aut breuem eyther sufferable or short These are the comforts of Hope Now that you may not bee deceyued there is as I sayde before of Faith a thing like Hope which is not it There is a bold and presumptuous Hope an ignorant security and vngrounded perswasion the very illusion of the Diuell who when hee cannot preuaile with downe-right euill cozens with the shadowes of goodnesse that how wickedly and wretchedly soeuer a man shall liue though hee sucke the poisonous dugs of lust though hee surres himselfe warme with poore mens hearts though hee forbids his braines as on couenant one sober houre in the yeaae to thinke of heauen though hee thirst for carowses of bloud though he striues to powder a whole Kingdome with the cornes of death and massacre though hee carries halfe a dozen impropriate Churches on his sacrilegious backe though hee out-thunder heauen with blasphemies though hee trample vnder his profane foote the precious bloud of Gods sonne yet still hee hopes to bee saued by the mercy of God But wee will sooner cast pearles to swine and bread to dogges then the comforts of Sion to such Wee say not Reioyce tremble but tremble without reioycing Wee sing not to them with the Lord is mercy that hee might bee feared but with the Lord is iudgement and vengeance with him is plague and pestilence storme and tempest horrour and anguish indignation and wrath that hee may bee feared Against this Hope wee shut vp the bosome of consolation and the promise of safety by the merites of Christ and so farre as wee are charged the verie gates of euerlasting life There is an Hope sober faithfull well grounded well guarded well assured This is like a house built on a rocke The rocke is Gods promised mercy the building Hope in Christ it is as it were moted or intrenched about with his bloud bulwarked and rampirde with the Sacraments assured by the sweet testimonie of Gods Spirit to the Conscience knowne by the Charity of the Inhabitants for it keeps bread for the hungrie clothes for the naked entertainment for