diuided to our hands by the rule of three A tripartite Metaphore that willingly spreads it selfe into an Allegorie 1. Gods word is the Balme 2. The Prophets are the Physitians 3. The People are the Patients who are very sicke Balme without a Physitian a Physitian without Balme a Patient without both is in fausta separatio an vnhappy disiunction If a man be ill there is neede of Physicke when he hath Physicke he needes a Physitian to apply it So that here is miserie in being sicke mercie in the Physicke Not to disioyne or disioynt the Prophets order let vs obserue that the words are spoken 1. In the person of God 2. In the forme of a question 3. By a conclusiue inference Onely two things I would first generally obserue to you as necessarie inductions to the subsequent Doctrines Both which may naturally be inferred not tyrannously enforced from the words That which first obiects it selfe to our consideration is the Wisedome of God in working on mens affections which leades vs here from naturall wants subiect to sense to supernaturall inuisible and more secret defects from miseries to mysteries That as if any man admired Solomons House they would be rauished in desire to see Gods House which transcended the former so much as the former transcended their expectation So heere wee might be led from mans worke to Gods worke from things materiall to things mysticall and by the happinesse of cure to our sicke bodies be induced to seeke and get recouerie of our dying soules The second is the fit collation and respondent relation of Diuinitie and Physicke the one vndertaking to preserue and restore the health of the body the other performing much more to the soule 1. God leades vs by sensible to the sight of insensible wants by calamities that vexe our liuing bodies to perils that endanger our dying Consciences That wee might inferre vpon his premisses what would be an eternall losse by the sight of a temporall crosse that is so hardly brooked If a famine of bread be so heauie how vnsupportable is the dearth of the Word saith the Prophet Man may liue without bread not without the word If a wearie Traueller be so vnable to beare a burden on his shoulders how ponderous is sinne in the Conscience which Zacharie calls a talent of Lead If blindnesse be such a miserie what is â—gnorance lf the night be so vncomfortable what doth the darknesse of Superstition afford If bodily Disease so afflict our sense how intollerable will a spirituall sicknesse proue Thus all earthly and inferiour Obiects to a Christian soule are like Marginall hands directing his reading to a better and heauenly reference I intend to vrge this poynt the more as it is more necessarie both for the profit of it being well obserued and for the generall neglect of it because they are few in these dayes that reduce Christianitie to Meditation but fewer that produce Meditation to practise and obedience Diseases destined toward Death as their end that can by Nature neither be violently endured nor violently repelled perplexe the flesh with much paine but if Diseases which be Deaths capitall Chirurgions his preceding Heraulds to proclaime his neerenesse his Ledgers that vsurpe his place till himselfe comes be so vexing and full of anguish what is Death it selfe which kils the Diseases that killed vs For the perfection of sicknesse is Death But alas if the sicknesse and Death of the body be such what are Sinne the sicknesse and Impenitencie the death of the soule What is the dimmed eye to the darkned vnderstanding the infected members to the poysoned affections the torment of the reynes to the stitches girds and gripes of an aking Consciencâ— what is the Childes caput dolet my head akes to Ierusalems cor dolet my heart akes The soule to leaue the body with her offices of life is not so grieuous as Gods spirit to relinquish the soule with the comforts of grace In a word it is farre lesse miserable to giue vp the ghost then to giue vp the holy Ghost The soule that enters the body without any sensible pleasure departs not from it without extreame paine Hee that is animans animas the soule of our soules forsakes not our spirits but our paine is more though our sense be lesse As in the Warres the cut of a sword crossing the Fibres carries more smart vvith it though lesse mortallitie then the fatall charge of a Death-thundring Cannon The soule hath two places an Inferiour which it ruleth the body a Superiour wherein it resteth God! Mans greatest sorrow is when hee dyes vpwardly that GOD forsakes his God-forsaking soule His greatest sense when he diâ—s downewards and sicknesse disperseth and dispatcheth his vitall powers Let then the inferiour suffering vvaken vs to see the Superiour that doth vveaken vs. Thus God drawes our eyes from one obiect to another nay by one to another by that which wee loue on earth to that which wee should loue in Heauen by the prouidence for our bodies to the prouision for our soules So our Sauiour hauing discoursed of carefulnesse for terrene wants drawes his speech to the perswasion of celestiall benefits giuing the coherence with a But. But first seeke ye the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these inferiour things shall be added vnto you Vt ad excellenâ—iam diuinarum rerum per corporalia homines attollat That at once hee might lesson vs to holy duties and lessen our care for earthly things Thus quios homini sublime dedit cor subliâ—ius eleuare voluit Hee that gaue man a countenance lifted high meant to erect his thoughts to a higher contemplation For many haue such groueling and earth-creeping affections that if their bodies curuitie was answerable to their soules incederent quadrâ—pides they would become foure-footed beasts It is a course preposterous to Gods creation disproportionable to mans fabricke that he should fixe his eyes and thoughts and desires on the base earth made for his feete to stand on and turne his feete against Heauen in contempt lifting vp his heele against God Hee whose ill-ballancing Iudgement thinkes Heauen light and Earth onely weightie and worthie doth as it were walke on his head with his heeles vpward I haue heard Trauellers speake of monstrous and praeternaturall men but neuer any so contranaturall as these Christ knew in the dayes of his flesh what easie apprehension worldly things would finde in vs what hard impression heauenly would finde on vs therefore so often by plaine comparisons taught secret Doctrines by Histories Misteries How to the life doth he explaine the mercie of God to the miserie of man in the lost Sheepe in the lost Groat in the lost Sonne How sweetly doth hee describe the different hearers of Gods Oracles in the Parable of the Seede which howsoeuer it seemed a Riddle to the selfe-blinding Iewes yet was a familiar demonstration to the beleeuing Saints So the Prophets found
round about you and whiles you quake at the plagues so naturall to our neighbours blesse your owne safetie and our God for it Behold the Confines of Christendome Hungarie and Bohemia infested and wasted with the Turkes Italy groning vnder the slauerie of Antichrist which infects the soule worse then the Turke infests the body Behold the pride of Spâ—ine curbed with a bloody Inquisition Fraunce a faire and flourishing Kingdome made wretched by her Ciuill vnciuill warres Germany knew not of long time what Peace meant neither is their warre ended but suspended Ireland hath felt the perpetuall plague of her Rebellions And Scotland hath not wanted her fatall disasters Onely England hath line like Gedeons fleece dry and secure when the raine of Iudgements haue wetted the whole earth When God hath tossed the Nations and made them like a wheele and as the stubble before the winde onely England hath stoode like Mount Syon with vnmoued firmenesse Time was she petitioned to Rome now she neither feares her Bulls nor desires her Bulwarkes The destitute Brittaines thus mourned to their conquering Romanes Aetio ter Consulâ— gemitus Britannorum Repellâ—nt nos Barbari ad mare Repellit nos mare ad Barbaros Hinc oriuntur duo funerum genera quia aut iugulamur aut submergimur To the Romane Consull the Brittaines send groaning in stead of greeting The Barbarous driue vs vpon the Sea The Sea beates vs backe vpon the Barbarous Hence we are endangered to a double kinde of death either to be drowned or to haue our throates cut The Barbarous are now vnfeared enemies and the Sea is rather our Fort then our Sepulcher A peacefull Prince leads vs and the Prince of peace leads him And besides our peace wee are so happy for Balme and Physitians that if I should sing of the blessings of God to vs this should still be the burden of my Song What could the Lord doe more for vs There is Bâ—lme at Gilead there are Physitians there Will there be euer so Is there not a time to loose as well as to get Is whiles the Sâ—nctuarie is full of this holy Balme Gods word if whiles there is plenty of Physitians and in them plenty of skill the health of Israell is not restored how dangerous will her sicknesse be in the priuation of both these restoratiues They that grow not rich in peace what will they doe in warre Hee that cannot liue well in Summer will hardly scape staruing in Winter Israell that once had her Cities sowne with Prophets could after say Wee see not our signes there is not one Prophet among vs. They that whilome loathed Manna would haue beene glad if after many a weary mile they could haue tasted the crummes of it He whose prodigallity scorned the bread in his Fathers house would afterwards haue thought himselfe refreshed vvith the huskes of Swiâ—e The Sâ—nne doth not euer shine there is a time of setting No day of iollitie is without his euening of conclusion if no cloud of disturbance preuent it with an ouer-casting First God complaines men sing daunce are Iouiall and neglectfull at last man shall complaine and God shall laugh at their destructions Why should God be coniureâ— to receiue his Spirit dying that would not receiue Gods spirit liuing All things are whirled about in their circular courses and who knowes whither the next spoake of their wheele will not be a blanke Euen in laughter the heart is sorrowfull and the end of that mirth is heauinesse If the blacke stones of our miseries should be counted with the white of our ioyes we should finde our calamities exceeding in number as well as they doe in nature Often haue wee read our Sauiour weeping but neuer laughing Wee cannot chuse but lament so long as we walke on the bankes of Babilon It is enough to re-assume our Harpes when we come to the high Ierusalem In Heauen are pure ioyes in Hell meere miseries on Earth both though neither so perfect mixed one with another Wee cannot but acknowledge that wee begin and end with sorrow our first voyce being a crie our last a groane If any ioyes step in the midst they doe but present themselues on the Stage play their parts and put off their glories Successiuely they thrust vpon vs striuing either who shall come in first or abide with vs longest If any be more daintie of our acquaintance it is ioy It is a frequent speech fuimus Troes we haue beene happy Cum miserum quenquam videris scias cum esse hommem cum vero gloriosum sciâ—s cum nondum esse Herculem If thou seest one miserable that 's a man but if thou seest another glorying yet that 's no God There is no prescription of perpetuitie It is enough for the Songs of Heauen where Saints and Seraphins are the Choristers to haue no burden as no end belonging to them Let that be the standing house where the Princes of GOD shall keepe their Court without griefe or treason our Progresse can plead no such priuiledge We must glad our selues here with the intermission of woes or interposition of ioyes let that place aboue chalenge and possesse that immunitie from disturbance where eternitie is the ground of the Musicke Here euery day is sure of his night if not of clouds at noone Therefore mutet viâ—am qui vult accipere vitam let him change his life on earth that lookes for life in heauen Tu quamcunque Deus tibi fortunauerit horam Grata sume manu nec dulcia differ in annum Take the opportunitie which Gods mercie hath offered thee It is fit that God should haue his day when thine is past Your saluation is now neerer then you beleeue it but if you put away this acceptable time your damnation is neerer then you feare it Mourne now for your sinnes whiles your mourning may helpe you Thaâ— is the Mourners marke yet the last letter of the Alphabet for an vltimum vale to sinne Euery soule shall mourne either here with repentance or hereafter in vengeance They shall be oppressed with desperation that haue not expressed contrition Herodotus hath a tale of the Pipeâ— that comming to the Riuer side began to play to the fishes to see if they would daunce when they were little affected with his musicke he tooke his Net and throwing it among them caught some which were no sooner cast on the dry ground but they fell a leaping to whom the Piper merrily replied that since they had erst scorned his Musicke they should now daunce without a Pipe Let it goe for a fable Christ saith to vs as once to the Iewes Wee haue piped vnto you the sweet tunes of the Gospell but ye would not daunce in obedience time will come you shall runne after vs as the Hinde on the barren Mountaines but then you may daunce without a Pipe and leape Leuolto's in Hell that haue daunced the Deuils Measures on Earth This is the time you
nor a Tap-house-Lecture oâ—â—ly as among Drunkards that fetch authoritie from the pot like Augustus Caesar to taxe all the world but a Citie-lecture such a one as Iesabell read to Iezreell a publike Preaching her Pulpit being excelsa ciuitatis top-gallant filling eminent places with emanant poisons 2. Solomons Pulpit is yet transcendent and aboue it for it is a â—hrone a Throne of Iuorie ouerlaid with gold such a Throne as no Kingdome could follow it The Preacher is a King the Pulpit a Throne nay an Oracle de Solio rex oracula fundit For God gaue him wisedome yea such a wisedome that no man but his Antitype God and man did euer excell him 5 Their Commissions 1. The Deuill gaue Sinne her â—rrand guilded her tongue and poâ—soned her heart put a cup of damnation into her hand and the Sugar of Temptation to sweeten it allowed her for his Citie-Recorder or his Towne-â—laâ—ke and sealed her a commission from Helâ— as Saul had from the High-Priest to binde with snares Filios Tâ—rrae the Sonnes of Men. 2. But God gaue Solomon a celestiall roule to eate as to Ezâ—kiel and touched his lips with a coâ—le from his owne Altar as to Esay putting into his mouth documenta vitae the ordinances of eternall life God hath set this day before you two diuers Pulpits aduerse Preachers dissonant Texts declares who speakes by his warrant who besides it against it Behold as Moses said I haue set life and death before you take your choyse The Dialogue of both the verses present vs with a Banket conuiuium or conuitium rather a Feast but a Fast were better a Banket worse then Iobs childrens or the Dagonals of the Philistins like the Bacchanals of the Moenades when for the shutting vp of their stomachs the house fell downe and broke their neckes You haue offered to your considerations verse 17. supplying but the immediatly precedent word Dixit 1. The Inviter 2. the Cheare Solomon comes after as with Salt and Vinegar and tels you 3. the Guests 4. and the Banketting-house verse 18. But the dead are there c. The Inviter It is a woman She saith to him but that name is too good for she hath recouered her credit a woman as she brought woe to man so she brought forth a weale for maâ— causa dâ—licti solatium relicti an instrumentall cause of transgression and no lesse of Saluation If you say she brought forth Sinne without man so she brought forth a Sauiour without man as the Diuell tempted her to the one so the Holy Ghost ouershadowed her to the other This not a woman then but a Harlot meretricia mulier a degenerate woman vnwomaned â—t pudore pudicitia of both modestie and chastitie The feast is like to be good when an Harlot is the Hostice And sure the Scriptures found some speciall parietie if not identâ—tie betweene these two not making their names conuertible which had beene much but expressing by one word both of them which is more as if it concluded their professions and conditions names and natures all one which is most of all Impleta in nostris haec est Scriptura diebus Experience hath iustified this circumstance A Harlot then bids and feasts and kils what other successe can be looked for If Dalilah inuite Sampson waâ—e his lockes shee will spoile the Nazarite of his hayres there are many Dalilahs in these dayes I haue read of many Inviters in the holy Writ some good many indifferent most euill this worst of all 1. Good Matth. 22. you haue the King of Heauen a Feast-maker Cant. 5. you haue the Kings sonne a Feast-maker Iesus Christ bids Eate oh friends drinke abundantly oh beloued Reuel 22. you haue the Spirit of glorie a Feast-maker and an Inviter too The Spirit and the Bride say Come To this Feast few come but those that doe come are welcome well come in regard of themselues for there is the best cheare Blessed are they that are called to the Mariage-Supper of the Lambe welcome in respect of God who doth not grudge his mercies 2. Many indifferent and inclining to good Abrahams feast at Isaac's weaning Sampsons at his marriage The Wedding-feast in Cana where the King of glory was a Ghest and honoured it with a Miracle with the first Miracle that euer hee wrought 3. Euill Nabals feast at his Sheepe-shearing a drunken feast Belshazzars feast to a thousand of his Lords surfetting with full carouses from the sacred Boles a sacrilegious Feast The Philistins feast to the honour of Dagon an Idolatrous feast Herods birth-day-feast when Iohn Baptists head was the last course of the seruice a bloody feast The rich Churles a quotidian feast a voluptuous surfet all bad 4. This yet worst of all the Harlots feast where the Ghests at once comedunt comeduntur their soules feast on euils and are a feast to Deuils for whiles men deuoure sins sins deuoure them as Actaeon was eaten vp of his owne dogs This is a bloody Banket where no ghest escapes without a wound if with life for if Sinne keepe the Reuels Lusts are the Iunkets Ebrietie drinkes the Wine Blasphemie sayes the Grace and Bloud is the conclusion But allegorically Sinne is heere shadowed by the Harlot Voluptuousnâ—sse meretricum meretrix the Harlot of Harlots whose Bawde is Beâ—lsebub and whose Bridewell is broad Hell Wickednesse foeminei generis dicitur is compared to a Woman and hath all her senses Lust is her eye to see Briberie her hands to feele Sensualitie her palate to taste Malice her eare to heare Petulancy her nose to smell and because shee is of the foeminine sexe we will allow her the sixtsense tittle-tattle is hâ—r tongue to talke This is the common Hostice of the world Satans house-keeper whose dores are neuer shut nocâ—es atque dies patet c. There is no man in the world keepes such hospitalitie for hee searcheth the ayre earth sea nay the Kitchen of Hell to fit euery palate Vitellius searched farre and wide for the rarities of nature Birdes Beasts Fishes of inestimable price which yet brought in the bodies are scorned and onely the eye of this Bird the tongue of that Fish is taken that the spoyles of many might bee sacrifices to one supper The Emperour of the low Countries Hell hath delicates of stranger varitie curiositie Doth Iudas stomach stand to treason there it is hee may feede liberally on that dish Doth Nero thirst for homicides the Deuill drinkes to him in â—oles of bloud is Ieroboam hungry of Idolatrie behold a couple of Calues are set before him hath Absolon the Court-appetite Ambition loe a whole Kingdome is presented him for a messe a shrewd baite Machiauâ—ls position faith-breach for Kingdomes is no sinne The Deuill thought this Dish would please CHRIST himselfe and therefore offered him many kingdomes for
sinne that vvhiles men commit it it commits them either to the high-way or the Hedges and from thence either by a Writ or a Warrant an Arrest or a Mittimus to the prison Solomon saith Hee shall not be rich The Gut is a Gulfe that vvill easily swallow all his commings in Meat should be as wise Agur praied food conuenient for thee or as the Hebrew phrase is the food of thy allowance This dish is to feed on all dishes that may pleasâ— the appetite or rather may delight surfet for appetite dares not lodge in an Epicures house This Sinne is instar omnium like the Feast it selfe saue that the Glutton feedes on Gods good â—reatures corporally but on Sathans mysticall boord is set nothing but what is originally euill and absolutely banefull So that here Gluttony that feeds on all Dishes is but a priuate Dish it selfe and though perhaps for the extent and largenesse it takes vp the greater roome yet for the number it is but one It is most rancke Idolatrie sayes Paul and so neere to Atheisme vvith a no-God that it makes a carnall God In mea paâ—ria Deus venter as profound and profane as the Babilonians sacrifice they to their Bell these to their Belly Perhaps you will say they are more kinde to themselues not a whit for they vvrappe vp death in their full morsels and swallow it as Pilles in the Pappe of delicatie They ouerthrow nature vvith that should preserue it as the Earth that is too rancke marres the Corne. They make short vvorke vvith their estates and not long vvith their liues as if they knew that if they liued long they must bee beggars therefore at once they make haste to spend their liuings and ende their liues Full Suppers midde-night Reuels Morning Iunkets giue them no time to blow but adde new to their indigested surfets They are the Deuils crammed Fowles like Aesops Henne too fat to lay to produce the fruites of any goodnesse They doe not dispensare but dissipare bona Domini wisely dispence but blindely scatter the gifts of GOD. They pray not so much for daily Bread as for daintie Bread and thinke God wrongs them if they may not Diues-like fare diliciously euery day Sense is their Purueyour Appetite their Steward They place Paradise in their throates and Heauen in their guts Meane time the state wastes the soule pines and though the flesh be puffed and blowne vp the spirits languish they loue not to liue in a Fenne but to haue a Fenne in them It is not plague enough that GOD withall sends leannesse into their soules but their estates sincke their liues fall away they spinne a webbe out of their owne bowels vvorse then the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men-eaters they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 selfe-eaters they put a Pleurisie into their bloods a Tabe and Consumption into their states an Apoplexie into their soules the meat that perisheth not is fastidious to their palates that they may feede on that which feeds on them and so at once deuoure and be deuoured drinke of a cup that drinkes vp them 3. The third Viall is Idlenesse a filching water to for it steales away our meanes both to get goods and to be good It is a rust to the Conscience a theefe to the estate The Idle man is the Deuâ—ls Cushion wherevpon he sits and takes his ease He refuseth all works as either thankelesse or dangerous Thus charactered he had rather freeze then fetch wood hee had rather steale then worke and yet rather begge then take paines to steale and yet in many things rather want then begge Ignaui sunt fures saith Melancthon Sluggards are theeues they robbe insensibly the Common-wealth most sensibly themselues Pouertie comes on him as an armed man The Idlesbie is pouerties prisoner if hee liue without a calling pouertie hath a calling to arrest him When the Cisterne of his patrimonie is emptied and seemes to inuite his labour to replenish it hee flatters himselfe with enough still and lookes for supply without paines Necessitie must driue him to any worke and what hee can not auferre he will differre auoyd hee will delay Euery get-nothing is a theefe and lazinesse is a stollen water if the Deuill can winne thee to plye hard this liquour hee knowes it will whet thy stomach to any vice Faction Theeuerie Lust Drunkennesse blood with many Birds of this blacke wing offer themselues to the Idle minde and striue to preferre their seruice Would you know sayes the Poet how Aegistus became an adulterer In promptu causa est desidiosus erat the cause is easie the answere ready hee was Idle Hee that might make his estate good by labour by Idlenesse robbes it This is a dangerous water and full of vile effects for when the lazie haue robbed themselues they fall aboard and robbe others This is the Idle-mans best end that as hee is a Thiefe and liues a beast so to dye a beggar 4. The fourth Cup is Enuie Water of a strange and vncouth taste There is no pleasure in being drunke with this stollen water for it frets and gnawes both in palates and entralls There is no good rellish with it either in tast or digestion Onely it is like that Acidula aqua that Plinie speakes of which makes a man drunke sooner then wine Enuie keepes a Register of Iniuries and graues that in Marble which Charitie writes in the dust Wrong It cannot endure that any should be conferred with it preferred to it Nec quemquam iam ferre potest Caesarue priorem Pompeiusue parem Caesar can brooke no Greater Pompey no riuall Iohn Baptist was of another spirit when he heard that the people had left him to follow Christ he spake with the voice of content My ioy is fulfilled He must encrease and I must decrease Inuidus non est idoneus auditor The enuious man is an incompetent hearer his eares are not fit to his head If hee heares good of another hee frets that it is good if ill he is discontent that he may not iudge him for it If wronged hee cannot stay Gods leasure to quit him he is straight either a Saul or an Esau by secret ambushes or by open hostillitie he must carue himselfe a satisfaction No plaister will heale his pricked finger but his heart-bloud that did it if he might serue himselfe he would take vnreasonable peny-worthes S. Augustine would coole his heate Vis vindicari Christiane Wilt thou bereuenged of thine aduersarie oh Christian tarry a while Nondum vindicatus est Christus Thy Lord and Sauiour is not yet auenged of his enemies Malice is so madde that it will not spare friend to wreake vengeance on foes So Garnet told the Powder-traitours that some innocent mighâ— be destroyed with many nocent if the publicke good could not otherwise be perfected His instance was that in a Towne besieged though some friends were there yet no wrong nor offence at
the Inditement a rebellion against our Soueraignes Crowne and Dignitie Ambitious theefes in the Court Simoniacall theeues in the Church hollow-hearted theeues in the Citie oppressing and men-eating theeues in the Country all must be summoned their debts summed their doome sentenced The impartiall conscience from the booke of their liues shall giue in cleere euidence There is no retaining of Counsell no bribing for a partiall censure no tricke of demure no putting off and suspending the sentence no euading the doome The cursed generation of thefts are now easily borne and borne out Subtiltie can giue them the helpe of a conueyance and money purchase a conniuence But then alasse what shall become of them and of many soules for them what shall become all the Traitours gory Murtherers impudent Atheists secret Church-robbers speckled Adulterers rusty Sluggards nasty drunkards and all the defiled wretches that haue sucked damnation from the breasts of blacke Iniquitie An impenetrable Iudge an impleadable Inditement an intolerable anguish shal ceaze vpon them Mountaines of Sand were lighter and millions of yeeres shorter then their torments Oh thinke thinke of this ye Sonnes of rapine that with greedinesse deuoure these stollen waters You can not robbe God of his glory man of his comforts your selues of your happinesse but God Man your owne Soules shall cry against you What thunder can now beat into you a feare of that which then no power shall ease you of why striue wee not Niniueh-like to make the message of our ouerthrow the ouerthrow of the message and so worke that according to Sampsons Riddle the Destroyer may saue vs Wherefore are wee warned but that wee might be armed and made acquainted with Hell in the speculation but that wee may preuent the horrour of it in passion Let me tell you yee theeues that sit at Sathans boord there is a theefe shall steale on you steale all from you The day of the Lord will come as a Theefe in the Night in the which the heauens shall passe away with a great noyse c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Theefe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to take away priuily or by stealth or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of hiding or couering Fur a furuo quia in obscuro venit A theefe as well for stealing on vs as for stealing from vs. He comes in the darke when no body sees treads on wooll that no body heares watcheth an houre that no body knowes This Theefe shall steale on you perhaps Banketting at this Feast of Vanitie as the Flood came on the old World vvhiles they ate and dranke and were merrie Watch therefore for you know not what houre your Lord doth come So Chrysostome on that place from our Sauiours comparison of the good man of the house non laederetur ille furto si sciret venturum vos scitis paratiores esse debetis The theefe should not hurt him if he knew of his comming you know he wil come prepare for his welcome We are all housholders our bodies are our houses our soules our goods our senses are the Doores and Windores the Lockes are Faith and Prayer The day of our doome will come as a theefe let our Repentance watch let it neuer sleepe lest we perish Si praescirent homines quando morituri sint deligentiam super cam rem ostenderent If men foreknew the time of their death they would shew carefulnesse in their preparation how much more being ignorant But alas Ignorance couenants with death and securitie puts far away the euill day and causeth the seat of violence to come neere When the Prophets of our Israell threaten Iudgements you flatter your selues with the remotenesse The vision that he seeth is for many dayes to come and he prophecyeth of the times that are farre off As if it concerned you not what ruine laid waste the Land so peace might be in your dayes But there is no peace sayth my God to the wicked our Rose-buds are not vvithered our daunces are not done sleepe Conscience lye still Repentance Thus with the sentence of death instant and in a prison of bondage to Satan present saith S. Augustine Maximo gaudio debacchamur wee are drunken we are franticke with pleasures There may be other there can be no greater madnesse Loe the successe of these stollen waters You heare their nature time hath preuented their sweetnesse God of his mercie that hath giuen vs his Word to enforme our Iudgement vouchsafe by his Spirit to reforme our consciences that wee may conforme our liues to his holy precepts For this let vs pray c. What here is good to God ascribed be What is infirme belongs of right to me FINIS THE Breaking vp of the Deuils Banket OR The Conclusion BY THOMAS ADAMS Preacher of Gods Word at Willington in Bedford-shire ROM 6.21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof you are now ashamed For the end of those things is death TERTVL lib. ad Martyres Pax nostra bellum contra Satanam To be at warre with the Deuill is to be at peace with our owne Conscience LONDON Printed by Thomas Snodham for Ralph Mab and are to be sold in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Grey-hound 1614. TO THE RIGHT VERTVOVS AND VVORthy Sisters the Lady Anne Gostwyke and Mris DIANA BOVVLES sauing Health THat I haue clothed this SERMON in the Liuery of your Patronages I might giue many reasons to satisfie others But this one to mee is in stead of all that you affect the Gospell Not with the suddaine flashes of some ouerhote dispositions but with mature Discretion and sound Obedience I could not therefore suffer any thought of mine owne vnworthinesse to disswade mee from presenting this poore labour to your hands who haue so fauourably accepted my weaker seruices I owe you both a treble debt of Loue of Seruice of Thankefulnesse The former the more I pay the more still I owe. The second I will be ready to pay to the vttermost of my power though short both of your deserts and my owne desires Of the last I will striue to giue full paiment and in that if it be possible to come out of your debts Of all these in this small Volumne I haue giuen you the earnest As you would therefore doe with an ill debtor take it till more comes It shall be the more currant if you will set thereon the seales of your acceptance It is the latter end of a Feast yet it may perhaps afford you some Christian delicate to content your well affected spirits It shall let you see the last seruice of Sinnes Banket the harsh and vnpleasant closure of vanitie the madnesse of this doating Age the formall dislike and reall loue of many to this World the euill works of some criticall others hypocriticall dispositions the ending conclusion and beginning confusion of the Deuils Guests The more perfectly you shall hate sinne the more constantly you shall hold your erst
and pulls not off his hands or his eyes till the eye of Heauen is ashamed of it and denies further light hee is not wearie let him sit at Church two houres the seate is vneasie his bones ake either a Cushion to fall a sleepe with or he will bee gone That Christ may iustly and fitly continue that his reproofe vpon such Can ye not watch with mee one houre Thus the Commaund makes things burdensome and Prohibition desirable The wicked would not so eagerly catch at vanities if God had not said nolitâ— tangere touch them not Rapine Lust Ebrietie Sacriledge would sitte idle for want of customers if Gods interdiction had not sette a ne ingrediaris on their doores Enter not Rome I know not how truly bragges and let her boast her sinne that shee hath the fewer Adulterers because shee sets vp the Stewes It is reported that Italy did neuer more abound with Students then when Iulian had shut vp the Schoole-doores and turned Learning into exile He had fellowes in that Empire of so contrarie dispositions that some restrayned all things some forbad nothing and so made their times either tyrannous or licentious insomuch that it was a busie question in those times whether of those Emperours were worse one that would let euery man doe as he list and the other that would suffer no man to doe as hee would It is obserued of the Iewes that whiles the Oracles of heauen were open and Religion leaned on the shoulders of peace they fell frequently to Idolatrie but with the Babilonian bridle in their mouthes they eagerly pursue it their persecution for it encreased their prosecution of it So the bloud of Martyrs seedes the Church as if from their dead ashes sprung Phoenix-like many professours If troden Vertue grow so fast like Camomill how then doth restrained Vice thriue sure this Hydra rather multiplies his heads by the blowes of reproofe Sure it is that ex malis moribus oriuntur plurimae leges If men were not prone to infinite sinnes a more sparing number of lawes would serue our turnes And the more dangerous the law hath made the passage of Iniustice the more frequently feruently they loue to saile after it What they quake to suffer they tickle to doe as if their Itch could not bee cured till the Law scratch them so peruerse is their disposition that onely coaction must force them to good onely correction binde them from euill Now as it is shame that necessitie should draw vs to that whereunto our owne good should leade vs so it is past shame to warre for that which God hath charged vs to ware of Malum est agere quod prohibetur sed agere quià prohibetur pâ—ssimum Hee that doth that which is forbidden is euill hee that doth it because it is forbidden Deuill But as the honest man that hath somewhat to take to is in most care to come out of debt so hee that hath neither honestie nor lands takes care onely to come into debt and to be trusted Thus wee all long for restrained things and doate on difficulties but looke with an ouerly scorne and winking neglect on granted faculties Pharaoh is sicke of Gods plague the peaceable dismission of Israell will cure him hee sees his medicine no hee will be sicker yet Israell shall not goe Oh that these vvho wrastle with God would thinke that the more fiercely and firily they assault him they are sure of the sorer fall The harder the earthen vessell rusheth vpon the Brasen the more it is shiuered in pieces But nothing doth giue the vngodly such content as that they dangerously pull out of the iawes of difficultie No Flowers haue so good a smell as the Stollen no repast so sauoury as the cates of Theft Quae venit ex tuto minus est accepta voluptas Facilitie and libertie onely takes off the edge of Lust and what God doth restraine man will not refraine The Adulterer cares not for the chaste societie of a faire and louing wife but the lusts of vncleannesse which he steales with hazard from anothers bed are sweet in his opinion Ahabs whole kingdome is despised in his thoughts whiles â—e is sicke of Nabaoths Vineyard Heare Esau What is my Birth-right to mee when I can not taste of those red pottage Oh the crossenesse of our refractary dispositions that are therefore the more earnestly set vpon the pro because God hath more clearely charged them with the contra as if our naturall course was Crab-like to goe backward and our delight was to be a second crosse to CHRIST whereby though wee cannot crucifie his Flesh yet wee oppose and oppugne his Spirit as if Cynically we affected snarling or like the Gyants would trye our strengths with God Thus wee haue examined the Deuils reason and finde the natures of the vvicked actually disputing for the truth of his assertion and so interdicta placent the waters of sinne seeme sweet and are more greedily swallowed because they are stollen The Prince of the ayre so rules in the hearts of the children of disobedience that their appetites onely couet prohibited meates and their affections languish after discharged obiectes But your turning of things vp-side downe shall be esteemed as the Potters clay And those mine enemies which would not that I should raigne ouer them bring hither and slay them before mee GOD hath a hooke for Senacherib a curbe for Saul a bridle for these Horses and Mules the highest mouer ouer-rules the swift motion of these inferiour Sphaeres that they cannot fire the vvorld but as they delight to make other mens possessions theirs by stealth so they shall one day bee glad if they could put off that is theirs vpon other men and shift away the torments that shall for euer sticke on their flesh and spirits 2 The second argument of their sweetnesse is their cheapenesse The sinnes of stealth please the vvicked because they are cheape vvhat a man gets by robberie comes vvithout cost The vngodly vvould spare their purse though they lay out of their conscience Parcatur sumptui Fauour their temporall estates though their eternall pay for it Iudas had rather lose his soule then his purse and for thirtie siluerlings hee sels his Master to the Pharises himselfe to the Deuill Yet when all is done hee might put his gaines in his eye It is but their conceit of the cheapnesse they pay deare for it in the vpshot The Deuill is no such franke Chapman to sell his Wares for nothing Hee vvould not proffer Christ the kingdomes vvithout a price hee must be worshipped for them The guests carry not a draught from his table but they must make curtesie to him for it His worship must be thanked at least nay thankes will not serue affected obayed honoured Hee is proude still and stands vppon it beyond measure to bee worshipped Hee vvill part vvith an ounce of vanitie for a dramme of worship
Nothing in grace though somthing in nature knowledge humane is a good stirrop to get vp by to preferment Diuine a a good gale of winde to wast vs to Heauen But charity is better Knowledge often bloweth vp but charitie buildeth vp Aristotle calles knowledge the Soules eye but then saith our Sauiour if the light be darknesse how great is that darknesse True it is that knowledge without honesty doth more hurt The Vnicornes horne that in a wise mans hand is helpfull is in the beasts head hurtfull If a man be a beast in his affections in his maners the more skilful the more illfull Knowledge hath two pillars Learning and Discreation The greatest Scholler without his two eyes of Discreation and Honestie is like blinde Sampson apt to no good able to much mischiefe Prudence is a vertue of the soule nay the very â—oule of vertue The Mistresse to guide the life in goodnes All morall vertues are beholding to wisedome She directs Bounty what to giue when to giue where to giue And Fortitude with whom for what and how to sight Knowledge is excellent to preuent dangers imminent and to keepe vs from the snares of this strange woman But if the Deuill in our dayes should haue no guests but those that are meerely ignorant his roomes would be more emptie then they are and his Ordinarie breake forwant of Customers But now a-dayes alas when was it much better and yet how can it be much worse we know sinne yet affect it act it Time was we were ignorant and blinde now wee haue eyes and abuse them Tyre and Sidon burne in Hell and their smoake ascends for euermore that had no preaching in their Cities but our Country is sowne with mercies and our â—elues fatted with the doctrine of life who shall excuse our lame leane and ill-fauoured liues Let vs beware Bethsaida's woe If the Heathen shall wring their hands for their Ignorance then many Christians shall rend their harts for their disobedience He that despised Moses Law died without mercie vnder two or three witnesses He that despiseth not he that transgresseth for so do all He that reiected and departed from the Law Church of Israel died without mercy eternally for other transgressors died without mercie temporally Of how much sorer punishment shal he be thought worthy c. that treads vnder his foot not Moses but Christ counts not the blood of Goats but of Gods Son vnhely and despiteth which is more then despiseth the spirit not of feare bondage but of grace All the learning of the Philosophers was without an head because they were ignorant of God Seeing they were blinde speaking they were dumbe hearing they were deafe like the Idol-Gods in the Psalme We want not an head but an heart not the sense of knowledge but the loue of obedience wee heare and see and say and know but doe not If you know that Gods cheare is so infinitely better why doe you enter commons at Satans Feast The Schoole calls one kind of knowledge Scientia contristans a sorrowfull knowledge Though they intend it in another sense it may be true in this for it is a wofull knowledge when men with open eyes runne to Hell This is Vriahs letter contayning his owne death These tell Christ wee knew thee Christ tels them I know not you These times are sicke of Adams disease that had rather eate of the tree of knowledge then of the tree of life speculatiue Christians not actiue obedient Saints You cannot plead that you know not the dead are there behold wee haue told you Quit your selues But many mens Ignorance is disobedience they will not know that the dead are there and that her guests are in the depth of Hell Which now presseth vpon vs to be considered Solomon hath described the persons feasting and feasted The place remaines the depth of Hell This is the Banketing house It amplifies the miserie of the guests in three circumstances 1. their weaknesse they are soone in 2. the place Hell 3. the vnrecouerablenesse of it The depth of Hell 1. Per infirmitatem In regard of their weaknesse No sooner come to the Banket but presently in the Pit they are in they are soone in They would not resist the tentation when it was offered they cannot resist the tribulation when it is to be suffered They are in No wrastling no contending can keepe them from falling in Into the pit they runne against their will that ranne so volently so violently to the brinkes of it As a man that hath taken his careere and runnes full fling to a place cannot recoile himselfe or recall his strength on the sodaine Hee might haue refused to enter the race or recollected himselfe in time but at the last step he cannot stop nor reuocare gradum rescue himselfe from falling The guests that hasten themselues all their life to the feast of vanitie and neither in the first step of their youth nor in the middle race of their discreetest age returne to God doe at last without Christs helpe precipitate themselues into the depth of Hell Thinke oh thinke ye grâ—edie Dogges that can neuer fast enough deuoure your sinfull pleasures if in the pride of your strength the May of your blood the marrow and vertue of your life when you are seconded with the gifts of nature nay blest with the helps of heauen you cannot resist the allurements of Satan how vnable will you be to deale with him when custome in sinne hath weakened your spirits and God hath withdrawne his erst afforded comforts They that runne so fiercely to the pit are quickly in the pit The guests are in the depth of Hell 2. Per infernitatem In regard of the place it is Hell The Prophet Esay thus describes it Topheth is ordained of old hee hath made it deepe and large the pile thereof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lord like a streame of Brimstone doth kindle it Topheth was a place which the children of Israell built in the valley of Hinnon to burne their sonnes and daughters in the fire to Moloch Which valley was neere to Iebusi afterwards Ierusalem as appeares Iosuah 18. The Councell of Ierusalem whiles their power lasted vsed to punish certaine offenders in that valley being neere their Citie By this is Hell resembled And that in Peter Martyrs opinion for three reasons 1. Being a bottome a low valley it resembleth Hell that is beleeued to be vnder the earth 2. By reason of the fire wherewith the wicked are tormented in Hell as the children were in that valley burnt with fire 3. Because the place was vncleane and detestable whither all vile and lothsome things were cast out of the Citie Ierusalem So Hell is the place where defiled and wicked soules are cast as vnworthie of the holy and heauenly City This place shall begin to open her cursed iawes when the Iudge of all men and Angels shall
their euersion is our conuersion They were Gods Vâ—ne but they lost their sweetnesse They vvere Gods Oliues but they lost their fatnesse Therefore God tooke away his Balme 6. Pliny affirmes that euen when the Balâ—ame tree grew onely in Iury yet it was not growing commonly in the Land as other trees either for Timber Fruit or Medicine but onely in the Kings Garden The prepared Iuyce or Opobalâ—amum was communicated to their wants but the Trees stoode not in a Subiects Orchard He saith further that it grew in two Orchyards of the Kings whereof the greater was of twentie dayes aring I force no greater credite to this then you will willingly giue it which yet is not improbable but this I build on and propound for truth that this spirituall Balme growes onely in the Garden of the King of Heauen To him that ouercommeth will I giue to â—ate of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God It growes in the Paradise or heauenly Orchard of God The roote of it is in Heauen there sits that holy tree at the right hand of his Father His fruit his seed his Balme he sends downe to vs written by his Prophets and Apostles read and preached by his Ministers Mahomet would challenge this Balme to grow in his Garden and bids vs search for it in his Alchoran The Apostate Iewes affirme it to grow in their Sinagogue and point vs to the Talmud The Russian or Muscouitish turne vs ouer to their Nicolâ—itan Font and bid vs diue for it there The Pope pluckes vs by the sleeue as a Trades-man that would faine take our money and tells vs that he onely hath the Balme and shewes vs his Masse-booke If we suspect it there hee warrants the vertue from a generall Councell If it doth not yet smell well he affirmes not without menacing damnation to our mistrust that it is euen in scrinio pectoris sui in the closet of his owne breast who cannot erre Tut saith he as it growes in Gods Garden simply it may poyson you As if it were dangerous to be medled withall till he had plaid the Apothecarie and adulterated it with his owne sophistication Indeede he makes it sweet by his fayning it and therefore his Shop wants not Customers But it is deere when Gods is cheape saith the Prophet Buy it without money without price Wherefore doe you spend money c. Well it can grow in one onely Garden and that is Gods There is but one truth Onâ— Lord one Faith one Baptisme c. Euen they that haue held the greatest falshoods hold that there is but one truth Nay most will confesse that this Balsame tree is onely in Gods Garden but they presume to temper the Balme at their owne pleasure and vvill not minister it to the world except their owne fansie hath compounded it confounded it with their impure mixtures No false Religion no fundamentall Heresie but giue God the appropriation of the Balme but they take to themselues the ministration the adulteration of it So in effect they either arrogate the Balme to themselues or take it out of Gods Garden as it were whither he will or no to plant it in their owne So they bragge euery one of this Balme But who will not suspect the Wares out of a knowne Couseners Shop It is vnlawfull and wicked to offer to Gods Church Balsamum vâ—l alterum velidem alteratum either another Balme or after another fashion then he appoints But as Clusius writes of new Balmes Peruvianum et Balsamum de Tolu from Peru and Tolu so demonstration is made vs of new Balmes some rather Logicall then Theologicall Germanie knowes my meaning Others produce vs Balmes of Piety made vp with Pollicie the coate of Religion put vpon the backe of State Where there may be some Balme but it is so mixed that it is marred For to a scruple of that they put in whole ounces of other ingredients an ounce of Oleum vulpinuâ— Foxe-like subtiltie as much oleum viperis poysonable opinion and no lesse oleum tartari c. A whole pound of pollicie an arme-full of stinking weedes friuolous and superstitious Reliques all these are put to a poore dramme or scruple of Balme Nay and all these shall be dash'd and slubberd together by a Masse-Priest an idle and vnskilfull Apothecarie And when any conscience is knowne sore by auricular Confession it shall haue a plaister of this stuffe Perhaps this is that they call their Holy-oyle which is said to heale the sicke body if it recouers or at least to cure the soule of her sinnes at least of so many as may keepe a man from Hell and put him into Purgatorie where he shall haue house-roome and fire-wood free till the Pope with soule-Masses and merits can get him a plat of ground in Heauen to build a house on How shamefull is it to match their oyle with Gods Balme to kneele to it as God to ascribe euents to it which God workes and to helpe the glory of it to call those workes miracles whereas they might finde fitter vse for it about their boots Though it be newly inuented and euery day more sophisticate then other yet they make their Patients belieue that it is auncient and deriued from holy Scriptures and enter the lists with the Champions of Gods truth to maintaine the puritie and antiquitie of it A great while they kept Gods Balme the word wholly from the people now because the cursings of the people haue a little pierced their soules for ingrossing this Balme and denying iâ— to their sores they haue stopped their mouthes with the Rhemish Testament But as they erst did curse them for hoording Gods graine so now their iust anger is as sharp against them for the musty mill-dew'd blasted stuffe they buy of them Their wickednesse is no lesse now in poysoning them then it was before in staruing them Before no Balme now new Balme Before no plaister to their woundes now that which makes them ranckle worse So they haue mended the matter as that Phisitian did his Patients health to whom because hee was vrged to minister somewhat hee gaue him a potion that dispatched his disease life at once Thus the Popish Balme is as Renodaeus cals one vulgare Balsamum exoletum inodorum vietum rancidum stale vnsauory rammish lanke vile Such is the sophisticate doctrine of superstitious heretikes speaking for Gods precepts their owne prescripts preaching themselues and in their own names for ostentation like the Scribes deliuering falshoods and fathering them on the Lord Hee hath said it abusing mens eares with old wiues tales and old mens dreames traditions of Elders constitutions of Popes precepts of men vnwritten truths vntrue writings either with-holding the truth in vnrighteousnes or seâ—â—ing the word of God for gaine or corrupting it and dealing with it as Adulterers doe in their filthinesse as these respect not issue but lust so the other not Gods glory
whole neede not a Phisition but they that are sicke Foolish mâ—n because of their iniquities are afflicted that their soule abhorreth all manner of meate and thâ—y draw neere to the â—ates of death Yet they cry vnto this Phisitian and hee deliuers them from their dâ—stresse So hee hath promised in the Testament both of his Law and of his Gospell Call on mee in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee Come to mee all that are lâ—den and I will giue you rest There neuer went sorrowfull Beggar from his doore without aâ— Almes No maruell if hee be not cured that is opâ—nionated of his owne health They say that the Teâ—ch is the Phisitian of Fishes and they being hurt come to him for cure All the Fishes that are caught in the Net of the Gospell come to Christ who is the King of Phisitians and the Phisitian of Kings Come then to Him beloued not as to a Master in name onely as the Lawyer Matth. 22. but as to a Sauiour indeed as the Leaper Matth. 8. Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane Non taâ—quam ad Dominum titularem sed tanquam ad Dominum tutelarem as one ellegantly Ministers are Phisitians vnder Christ sent onely with his Phisicke in their hands and taught to applâ— it to our necessities Neither the Phisitian of the bodie nor of the soule can heale by any vertue inherent in or deriued from themselues We must take all out of Gods warehouse God hath a double Boxe of Nature of Grace as man hath a double sicknesse of â—lesh of spirit 1. The first boxe is mentioned Ecclus. 38. The Lord hath created medicines out of the earth and hee that is wise will not abhorre them God hath not scanted earth of drugges and mineralls the simples of Phisicke for such as tread on it And howsoeuer our vanitie in health transport our thoughts earth hath no more precious thing in it then as sustenance to preserue so medicine to restore vs. You that haue digged into the entralls of the dead earth and not spared the bowels of the liuing earth the poore for riches You that haue set that at your heart which was cast downe at the Apostles feete Money as fit onely for sanctified men to tread vpon in contempt You that haue neglected heauen which God hath made your more glorious feeling and richly stuck it like a bright Canopy with burning lights and doted on your pauement made onely for your feete to tread vpon fixing your eyes and thoughts on that which God hath indisposed to be your obiect for mans countenance is erect lessoning his soule to a iust and holy aspiration You that haue put so faire for the Philosophers stone that you haue endeuoured to sublimate it out of poore mens bones ground to powder by your oppressions You that haue buried your Gods so soone as you had found them out as Rahâ—l did Labans in the Litter and sit downe with rest on them saying to the Wedge Thou arâ— my conâ—â—dence When your heads ake dissolue your gold and â—rinke it wallow your crasie carkasse in your siluer wrap it in perfumes and silkes and try what ease it will aâ—ford you Will not a silly and contemptible weede prepared by a skilfull Phisitian giue you more comfort Doth not the common ayre which you receiue in and breath out againe refresh you better How eager are our desires of superfluities how neglectfull of necessaries This boxe of treasures hath God giuen vs and indued some with knowledge to minister them least our ignorance might not rather preiudice theâ— succour our healths No Phisitian then cures of himselfe no more then the hand feedes the mouth The meate doth the one the medicine doth the other though the Phisitian and the hand be vnspared instruments to their seuerall purposes Thus God relieues our health â—rom the Boxe of Nature 2. The other Boxe is Grace whence the Diuine draweth out sundry remedies for our dâ—seases of soule This is not so common as that of Nature Once one Nation had it of all the world now all the world rather then that Nation But it is certaine they haue it onely to whom the Gospell is preached It is indeede denied to none that doe not denie their faith to it Christ is that Lambe that takes away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sinne of the world But many want tâ—e Phisitians to teach and apply this And how shall they preach except they be sent Now where these Phisitians are is the people healed by any vertue deâ—â—ued from them Is it the Perfumer that giues such sweet odours or his perfumes Why looke ye so earnestly on vs as though by our owne power or holinesse wâ— had made this man to walke Be it knowne to you all that by the name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth doth this man stand whole before you Therefore saith S. Paul concluding this Doctrine so throughly handled Let no man glory in men for all things are yours whither Paul c. all are yours and ye are Christs and Christ is Gods It is the tidings we bring that saues you not our persons Moses that gaue the Law could not frame his owne heaâ—t to the obedience of it It lyes not in our power to beget faith in our owne soules The heart of the King is in the hands of God as are the waters in the South The soules of all Prince and people Prophets and Nazarites Preachers and hearers learned and ignorant are conuerted by God by whom they were created It was the voyce euen of a Prophet Turne vs oh Lord and so shall we be turned This consideration may serue to humble our harts whom God hath trusted with the dispensation of his Oracles It is a sacrilegious sinne for any spirituall Phisitian to ascribe Gods doing to his owne saying and to make Hâ—s glory cleaue to earthen fingers As Menecrates a naturall one wrote in a certaine Epistle to Philip of Macedon Thou art King of Macedon I of Phisicke It lyes in thy power to take health and life from men in mine to giue it So monstrous was his pride yet so applauded by the besotted Citizens that he marched with a traine of Gods after him One in the habite of Hercules another of Mercurie a third in the forme of Apollo whilst himselfe like Iupiter walked with a purple robe a Crowne of gold and a Scepter boasting that by his Art hee could breath life into men Foolish clay hee could not preserue himselfe from mouldring to dust Ostentation in a spirituall Phisitian is worse by how much our profession teacheth vs to be more humble It is a high climbing pride in any Pharise and iniurious to the Throne of God to arrogate to himselfe a conuerting power As in the fable the Flye sitting on the Coach-wheele at the games of Olympus gaue out that it was she which made so great a dust Or as that