shamefull spewing shall be for your glory We haue all drunke liberally of these waters too prodigally at Sinnes fountaine Quando voluimus et quantum valuimus when we would as much as we were able not onely to drunkennesse but euen to surfet and madnesse if we keepe them in our stomachs they will poyson vs Oh fetch them vp againe with buckets of sighes and pumpe them out in riuers of teares for your sinnes Make your heads waters and your eyes fountaines weepe your consciences emptie and dry againe of these waters Repentance onely can lade them out They that haue dry eyes haue waterish hearts and the Prouerbe is too true for many No man comes to heauen wiâ—h drie eyes let your eyes gush out teares not onely in compassion for others but in passion for your selues thaâ— haue not kept Gods Law Weepe out your sullen waters of discontent at Gods doings your garish waters of pride freezing obduracie burning malice foggie intemperancâ— base couetise Oh thinke thinke how you haue despised the waters of life turned Iesus Christ out of your Inne into a beastly Stable whiles Pride sits vppermost at your Tables Malice vsurpes the best Chamber in your mindes Lust possesseth your eyes Oathes imploy your tongues Ebrietie bespeake your tastes Theft and iniurie inthrone themselues in your hands Mammon obsesseth your affections Sicke sicke all ouer you may cry with the Shunamites Sonne Caput dolet my head my head and with Ierusalem my bowels my bowels Oh let faith and repentance make way that the bloud of our Sauiour may heale you We are not onely guilty of auersion from God but of aduersion against God Oh where is our reuersion to God the waters of lusts are aquae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the waters of folly and madnesse but our teares are aquae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the waters of change of minde and repentance Poenitentia est quasi poenae tenentia Repentance is a taking punishment of our selues oh take this holy punishment on your soulâ—s Weepe weepe weepe for your vanities Achan cannot drinke vp his execrable gold nor Gehazi deuoure his bribes nor Ahab make but a draught of a vineyard mingled with bloud nor Iudas swallow downe his cousenage and treason without being called to a reckoning Nos quare non credimus quod omnes astabimus ante tribunal Why account wee not of our future standing before a Iudgement Scate Omnium aures pulso All we whom these walls compasse haue beene drunken with these waters some that hate Swearing with dissembling some that abhorre Idolatrie with profanenesse some that auoid notoriousnesse with hypocrisie many that pretend ill-will to all the rest with those Lares et Lemures household-Gods or rather household-Goblins and Deuils which almost no house is free from Fraud and Couetousnesse Wee know or at least should know our owne diseases and the speciall dish whereon wee haue surfetted oh why breake wee not forth into vlulations mournings and loud mournings for our sinnes cease not till you haue pumped out the sinnes of your soules at your eyes and emptied your consciences of these waters And then behold other behold better behold blessed waters you taste of them in this life and they fill your bones with Marrow and your hearts with ioy they alone satisfie your thirst without which though you could with Xerxes Armie drinke whole Riuers drie your burning heat could not be quenched Here drinke Bibite et inebriamini Drinke and be drunken in this Wine-celler onely hauing drunke hearty draughts of these waters of life retâ—ine them constantly be not queasie-stomached Demas-like to cast them vp againe the token of a cold stomach not yet heated by the spirit for as the loathing of repast is a token that Nature drawes toward her end so when these holy waters proue fastidious it is an argument of a soule neere her death Take then and digeâ—â— this water Recipitur aure retinetur corde perficitur opâ—re The eare receiues the heart retaines the life digests it but alas we retaine these waters no longer then the finger of the Holy Ghost keepes them in vs like the â—arden-pot that holds water but whiles the thumbe is vpon it Leaue then Beloued the Deuils Wine-Celler as Venerable Bede calls it Vbi nos dulcedo delectationis invitauit ad bibendum Where the sweet waters of delight tempt vs to drinke But Dauid though he longed for it would not drinke the water of the Well of Bethlehem which his three Worthies fetched because it was the water of bloud brought with the danger of life and shall wee drinke the waters oâ— the Deuils Banket the venture of bloud with the hazard of our dearest soules No come wee to this aqua Coelestis be wee poore or rich haue wee money or none all that come are welcome And know that hauing drunke liberally at the fountaine of grace you shall haue yet a larger and pleasanter draught at the fountaine of glory that riuer of life cleare as Christall proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lambe to which the Spirit and the Bride are Inviters and say come It is a delightfull banket we enioy heere The Kingdome of heauen is rightâ—ousnesse and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost None know the sweetnesse of these ioyes but they that feele them but the Supper of ioy the Banket of glory the Waters of blessednesse are such as no â—ye hath seene c. Illic beata vita in fonte There is the Spring-head of happinesse they cannot want water that dwell by the Fountaine Nam licet allata graâ—us sit sapor in vndâ— Dulcius ex ipso fonte bibantur aquae That which is deriued to vs in Pipes is pleasant oh what is the delight at the Well-head The Deuill like an ordinary Host sets forth his best wine first and when the guests haue well drunke worse but thou oh Lord hast kept the best wine tâ—ll the last They are sweet wee taste heere but medio de sonte leporum surgit amari aliquid There are some persecutions crosses to imbitter them the sweet meate of the Passeouer is not eaten without sowre hearbs but in thy presence oh Lord iâ— the fulnesse os ioy at thy right hand there are pleasures for euermore There is no bitternesse in those waters they are the same that God himselfe and his holy Angels drinke of so that as for Christ his sake wee haue drunke the bitter Cup of persecution so we shall receiue at Christ his hands the Cup of saluation and shall blesse the name of the Lord. To whom three persons one onely true and eternall God be all praise glory and obedience now and for euer Amen FINIS THE Second Seruice OF THE DEVILS BANKET BY THOMAS ADAMS Preacher of Gods Word at Willington in Bedford-shire ZACHARIAH 5.4 I will bring forth the curse saith the Lord of Hostes and it shall enter into
The villanâ—es of the Cloistures were not vnseene to his reuenging eye Perhaps they tooke a recluse life that they might practise experimentall wickednes without suspition proâ—â—sing to the world contemplation premising their owne thoughts to contamination They thought themselues secure shadowed from the eye of notice and fenced from the hand of Iustice So they were in doctrine out of the world but in proofe the world was in them they were not more politi strict in profession then polluti loose in conuersation But as darke as their Vaults were the all-seeing GOD descried their whoredomes and destroyed their habitations or at least emptied them of so filthy Tenants The obscuritie of their Cels and Dorters thickenesse of Wals closenesse of Windores with the cloake of a strict profession throwne ouer all the rest could not make their sinnes darke to the eye of Heauen Our impieties are not without witnesse To videt Angelus malus videt te bonus videt et bonis et malis maior Angelis Deus The good Angell and the bad and hee that is better then the Angels farre aboue all principalities and powers sees thee The iust man sets foorth his actions to be iustified Lucem aethera petit teste soâ—e viuit Hee loues the light and walkes with the witnesse of the Sunne It is recorded of Iacob Hee was a plaine man dweâ—ling in Tents Nathaniel by the testimonie of the best witnesse was an Israelite indeed in whom was no guile It was the Rabbins councell to his Scholler Remember there is 1. a seeing Eye 2. a hearing Eare. 3. a Booke written Sic viue cum hominibus quasi Deus videat sic loquâ—re Deo quasâ— homines aâ—diant So conuerse with men as if GOD saw thee so speake to God as if men heard thee For non discessit Deus quando recessit God is not absent though thou dost not feele him present Corporeall substances are in one place locally and circumscriptiuely incorporeall created substances neither locally nor circumscriptiuely but definitiuely GOD the creating substance is euery whit in euery place not circumscriptiuely as bodies nor definitiuely as Angels but repletiuely Ioâ—is omnia plena filling euery place by his essence Hee is hypostatically in CHRIST graciously in his Saints gloriously in Heauen powerfully in Hell You see then the falsehood of the Deuils assertion Sinnes would be secret but they are not The Bread of secrecie being described I should come in the third and last place to the Ascription It is pleasant But because the former adiunct of sweetnesse doth but little diuersifie from this of Pleasure and I shall haue iust occasion to conuince the Deuils fained delicacie from Solomons proued miserie I will therefore silence it And for conclusiue application giue mee the leaue of your patience to examine the truth of the former secrecie It is the Deuils pollicie though he can not blinde his eyes that made the light in Heauen and the sight in man yet hee would darken our sinnes with the vaile of secrecies from the view of the vvorld And are they so no the suffering eye sees them and can point them out nay sensible demonstration speakes them to the eaâ—es and obiects them to the sight of man The iniquities of these dayes are not ashamed to shew their faces but vvalke the streets without feare of a Serâ—eant The sinnes of the Citie are as pert and apert as the sonnes of the Citie I would Iniquitie was not bolder then Honestie or that Innocence might speed no worse then Nocence Absit vt sic sed vtinam vt vel sic saith Saint Augustine in the like case God forbid it should be so bad yet I vvould it were no worse For the times are so wheeled about to their olde byas that vix licet esse bonum it is scarce safe to be an honest man Suspition makes the good euill and flatterie makes the euill good the first in the opinion of others the last in the opinion of themselues Our faith is small and led â—â—th reason our life euill and led without reason Corruptio morum toâ—lit scientiam ethicam Our euill maners shut vp Philosophy and Diuinitie too into the caue of Ignorance This Forrest of Man and Beast the world growes from euill to worse like Nabuchâ—dnezzars dreamed Image whose Head was Golden Siluer armes Brasen thighes but his feet were of Iron and Clay What Ouid did but Poetâ—ze experience doth moralize our manners actually performe This last is as it must bee the worst Our Couetise saith It is terrae aetas an Earthen Age. Our Oppression ferrea aetas an Iron Age. Our Impudence ahâ—nea aetas a Brasen Age. Neither aurea nor argentea saith Necessitie For the poore may say as the Priest Siluer and Gold haue I none Let me say our sinnes haue made it worthy to be called inferna aetas a hellish Age. Sinne is called by Paul The olde man but hee is stronger now then hee was in his Iâ—fancie diebus Adamâ— in the dayes of Adam Most mens repentance is in the knee or tongue but their wickednesse in the heart and hand Money marres all for this and the pleasures this may procure Esau sels his Birth-right Iudas sels his Master Ahab sels himselfe to worke vvickednesse Sinne was wont to loue priuacie as if shee walked in feare The Tippler kept his priuate Ale-bench not the Market place the Adulterer his Chamber not with Absolon the house-top the Theefe was for the night or sequestrate wayes the corrupt Lawyer tooke bribes in his Studie not in the open Hall but now peccata nullas petitura teâ—â—bras our sinnes scorne the darke Men are so farre from being ashamed of their fruitlesse liues that mala comittunt commissa iactant iactata defendunt they commit euill â—oast that they committed and defend that they boasted Pride is worne as a chaine and crueltie as a garment conspectu omnium as proud of the fashion They talke of a Conscience that seekes couers like Adams Figge leaues but these glory in their shame whose end is damnation saith Saint Paul The very Harlot comes short of them shee wipes her lippes and saith shee hâ—th not sinned Bâ—tter fare those that yet would be accounted honest Wee may iustly paralell these times and our complaints to the Prophet Esay's The shew of their countenance doth witnesse against them they declare their sinne at Sodome they hide it not But woe bee to their soules for they haue rewarded euill to themselues So the Iewes answered GOD pleading hard to them There is no hope no for I haue loued strangers and after them I will goe Nay resolutely they discharged GOD of further paines Wee are Lords wee will no more come vnto thee Therefore Ezekiel denounceth their destruction For this cause yee shall bee taken with the hand of Iudgement because your sinnes are discouered and in all your
should know but a greater sinne to be ignorant of that wee haue mâ—anes to know Ignorance may â—e distinguished into fiue kindes Humane naturall affected inuincible proud and puffed vp 1 The first is humane This is not sinfull as in Adam not to know his nakednesse nor Sathans subtiltie So in the Angels yea euen in the head of Angels Christ himselfe as man not to know the latter day Proprium est naturae humanae futura ignorare It is a thing simply proper to the nature of man to be ignorant of future things No legall iniunction binds vs to it no censure shall passe against vs for the want of it This is called ignorantia iusta an vnfaulty ignorance 2 The second is naturall called ignorantia inâ—irmitatis vel imperitiae the ignorance of infirmitie incident to mans nature since his fall For desiring to know more hee knew lesse This is the effect of sinne sinne in it selfe and the caâ—se of sinne It was bred by transgression it doth breed transgression and is no lesse then transgression of it owne nature for Gods law binds vs to the knowledge of his law The blinde swallowes many a flye the ignorant cannot be innocent This is ignorantia simplex inuoluntaria priuatiuae as the Schoole calls it A sinne which the Papists generally and I feare many Protestants particularly neuer repent of Dauid doth It is this that makes vs aliants from God Hauing the vnderstanding darkned being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them and through the blindnesse of their heart Saint Paull cals his ignorance the cause of his sinnes Et nescius seruâ—s poenas luit saith Christ euen the ignorant seruant shall be beaten with some stripes Therefore my people are gone into captiuitie because they haue no knowledge A Prophecie mistically fulfilled in these dayes in respect of our spirituall bondage to Sathan The God of this world hauing blinded the mindes of vnbeleeuers This ignorance cannot excuse for wee are bound to know The breach of our Nationall statutes cannot goe impune by the plea of Ignorance It may a tanto not a toto a little quallifie and allay our punishments not annihilate them This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Folly and hee that drinkes of â—ollies cup shall haue little cause to licke his lips after it Nature is a common schoole-master and the Gentiles sinning against that monitor iustly perish For the inâ—â—sible things of God may be vnderstood by the things that are made so that they are without excuse Euen the errours of the Iewes had their sacrifices and shall not the ignoraâ—ces of the Christians cry God mercy This ignorance is sinfull yea euen in those that cannot haue â—he meanes of knowledge 3. The third is an aâ—fected ignorance This is the conedmnation that light is come into the world and men loued darknesse rather then light becausâ— their deedes were euill These shut their eares when God calleth and being housed in their secuâ—itie will not steppe to the dore to see if the Sunne shines This ignorance if I may say so doth reside rather in their affections then vnderstanding part They wilâ—ully know not saith S. Peter They know but will not know and runne with broad eyes to distruction Tell them that Christ is at Ierusalem no it is too â—arre off Nay venit ad limina virtus the kiâ—gdome of Heauen is among you then if they must needs goe to Church they will goe hooded Pâ—eiudice of affections shall muffle the eyes of knowledge Thus the Deuill carryes them quietly to Hell as the Falconer his hooded Hawke which bare-fac'd would bayte and be too wild to sit on his â—ist These sometimes haue gray haires and greene affections Like a man that being borne neere a great Citie yet neuer trauelled to it He can direct others the way he neuer went These to auoyd that â—ault which the Traueller found in England horologia non benè ordinata that our clockes were not well kept he ment our houres were ill spent will haue no clocke at all in their house to tell them how their time passeth no informer of their erring wayes And as if a candle would set their house on fire they liue perpetually in the darke Micah was glad hee had got a Priest these are glad they are got farre from a Priest and had as liefe goe to Hell darkling as with a torch 4. There is an Inuincible Ignorance when God hath naturally darkned the vnderstanding by a sore punishment of originall sinne Idioticum hoc No art nor eloquence can put knowledge into that heart which nature hath not opened to receiue it as no minde can be opened which God hath locked vp Hee keepes the keyes hee openeth and no man shutteth he shutteth and no man openeth The dore of this mind is so fast barred vp that no helpe of man can open it Neither can there be in this a complaint against Gods Iustice since that our first sinne hath deserued a greater punishment 5. The last is a proud Ignorance whereof there is no hope saith Solomon The other is inuincible but indeed this more inuincible a foole is sooner taught So Christ foyled the Pharises with their owne weapons and proued their weakenes by their arguments for their owne strength If you were blinde you should haue no sinne but now you say wâ—e see therefore your sinne remaineth The Pharises though blinde will be Seers Nicodemus a Master in Israell and yet knew nothing of regeneration Nihil grauius quam si id quod ignorat quis scire se credat There is nothing more grieuous then that a man should be perswaded hee knowes that soundly whereof hee is totally ignorant Therefore saith Chrysostome Praestat proba ignorationâ— detineri quam falsa opinione mancipari It is better to be held in with an honest ignorance then to runne out vpon a false opinion It is hard plowing in the ground not stocked ill writing in a paper full of lines These flye from instruction as the Tyger from the trumpet Others are comprehended of the light these thinke they comprehend the light when as the Apostle saith they are held of darknes Let vs now see which of these ignorances is here ment I answere exempting the first Sathans Harlot Vice hath guests of all these sorts Many that goe after her as an Oxe to the slaughter or as a foole to the correction of the stockes Some â—unne to the Banket and know not some know and runne all are fooles and destitute if not of naturall yet of spirituall vnderstanding To this purpose she apteth her speech here Who so is simple let him turne in hither and as for him that wanteth vnderstanding shee saith c. Knowledge is good yet if disioyned from grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is nothing Nihil in esse gratiae quamuis aliquid in esse naturae
that actuall applications pierced more then verball explications Nathan by an instance of supposition wrought Dauids hart to an humble confession Hee drew the Proposition from his owne lippes The man that hath done this is worthie of death and then stroke while the iron was hot by an inferred Conclusion Thou art the man The Prophet Ahijah rent the new garment of Ieroboam in twelue pieces and bad him reserue tenne to himselfe in signe That God had rent the Kingdome out of the hand of Solomon and giuen tenne Tribes to him Esay by going naked and bare-foote as by a visible signe lessons Egâ—pt and Ethiopia that after this manner they should goe captiue to Assiria Ieremie by wearing bands and yokes and sending them to the Kings of Edom Moab Ammon Tyre Sidon Iudah giues them an actuall representation a visible Sacrament of their Babilonish captiuitie Ezekiells pourtraying vpon a Tile the Citie Ierusalem and the siege against it is called by God a signe against them Agabus tooke Pauls girdle and bound his owne hands and feete a signe and that from the holy Ghost that hee who ought the girdle should be so bound at Ierusalem and deliuered into the hands of the Gentiles God schooled Ionas in the Gourd by a liuely Apothegme and reall subiection to his owne eyes of his vniust impatience against God and Niniueh It was Gods vsuall dealing with Israell by the afflictions wherewith hee grieued them to put into their mindes how they had grieued him by their sins So Paul as our Prophet here For this cause yee are weake sickely and many dye drawing them by these sensible cords of their plagues to the feeling of their sinnes which made their soules faint in Grace sicke in Sinne dead in Apostasie For this cause c. This Doctrine affords a double vse particular and generall particular to Ministers generall to all Christians 1. To the dispensers of Gods secrets It allowes them in borrowed formes to expresse the meditations of their harts God hath giuen vs this libertie in the performance of our callings not onely nakedly to lay downe the truth but with the helpes of Inuention Wit Art to remoue loathing of his Manna If wee had none to heare vs but Cornelius or Lidia or such sanctified eares a meere affirmation were a sufficient confirmation But our Auditors are like the Belgicke armies that consist of French English Scotch Germaine Spanish Italian c. so many hearers so many humours the same diuersity of men and mindes That as guests at a strange dish euery man hath a rellish by himselfe that all our helpes can scarce help one soule to heauen But of all kindes there is none that creepes with better insinuation or leaues behinde it a deeper impression in the Conscience then a fit comparison This extorted from Dauid what would hardly haue ben graunted that as Dauid slew Goliath with his owne sword so Nathan slew Dauids sinne with his owne word Iotham conuinced the Shechemites folly in their approued raigne of Abimelech ouer them by the tale of the Bramble Euen temporall occasions are often the Mines to digge out spirituall instructions The people flocke to Christ for his bread Christ preacheth to them another bread whereof hee that eates shall neuer dye The Samaritane vvoman speakes to him of Iacobs Well hee tells her of Iesus Well whose bottome or foundation was in Heauen whose mouth and spring downewards to the earth crosse to all earthly fountaines contayning waters of life to be drawne and carried away in the Buckets of faith She thought it a new Well she found it a true Well whereof drinking her soules thirst was for euer satisfied The Creeple begges for an Almes the Apostle hath no money but answeres his small request with a great bequest health in the name of Iesus Nihil additur marsupio multum saluti His Purse is nothing the fuller his body is much the happier This course you see both Christ and his Apostles gaue vs in practise and precept In practise When the woman blessed the wombe that bare Christ and the pappes which gauâ— him sucke he deriueâ— hence occasion to blesse them which conceiue him in their faith and receaue him in their obedience Blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it Euen as Mary her selfe was rather blessed percipiendo fidem quam concipiendo carnem Christi in receauing the faith then conceauing the flesh of Christ. So the newes of his kinred in the flesh standing at the doore taught him to teach who are his true kinred in the Spirit In precept to his Apostles If they will not receaue and beleeue you Wipe off the dust of their Citie that cleaueth to your feete against them If they will not be moued with your words amaze them with your wonders Heale the sicke cleanse the leapers raise the dead cast out Deuils We cannot now worke miracles yet we can speake of miracles Euen we must also as obey his Documents so obserue his doings and follow him in due measure both in his words works though non passibus aequis not with equall steps Our imitation must be with limitation aptly dâ—stinguishing what we must onely admire in our mindes what admit in our manners 2. To all Christians that wee climbe vp by the staires of these inferiour creatures to contemplate the glorious power of the Creatour A good Christian that like the Bee workes honey from euery flower suffers no action demonstration euent to slip by him without a question All Obiects to a meditating Solomon are like wings to reare mount vp his thoughts to Heauen As the old Româ—nes when they saw the blew stones thought of Olympus so let euery Obiect though low in it selfe eleuate our mindes to Mount Syon A meane scaffold may serue to raise vp a goodly building Courtiers weather-driuen into a poore Cottage etiam in caula de Aula loquuntur gather hence opportunitie to praise the Court Wee may no lesse euen ex hara de ara dicendi ansam sumere from our Tabernacles on earth be induced to praise our standing house in Heauen So as the Philosopher aymed at the pitch stature of Hercules by viewing the length of the print of his foote Wee may by the base and dwarfiâ—h pleasures on our earth guesse at the high and noble ioyes in Heauen How can we cast vp our eyes to that they were made to behold and not suffer our mindes to transcend it passing through the lower Heauen which God made for Fowles Vapours Meteors to the Firmament wherein he fixed his Starres and thence meditating of the Empyreall Heauen which he created for himselfe his Angels his Saints a place no lesse glorious aboue the visible then the visible is aboue the earth Read in euery Starre and let the Moone be your Candle to doe it the prouident disposition of God the eternitie of your after-life But
discrediting our liues you raise ciuill or rather vnciuill persecutions against vs. By these you exercise our papatience which yet we can beare whiles the blow giuen vs by a manifest rebound doeth not strike our God But per nostra latera petitur Ecclesia impetitur Christus when as through our sides you wound the Church nay Christ himselfe it is stupiditie in vs to be silent Christ when the glory of his Father was interessed and called into question by their calumniations tooke on him a iust apologie I haue not a Diuell but I honour my Father If I haue spoken euill beare witnesse of the euill but if well why smitest thou me Wee haue comfort enough that wee can suffer this martyrdome for Christ his sake being blessed by the peace of our times from a worse The Courtier cares not so much for the estimation of his fellowes so his Prince approues and loues him Let God bee pleased with our innocencie and your base aspersions of scandalls against vs shall not much mooue our mindes The Ministers of God must approue themselues in much patience in afflictions c. Our warre is ferendo non feriendo The Miter is for Aaron not the smiter Wee must encounter with Beasts in the shape of men with Wolues in the coates of sheepe with Diuels in the habite of Angels with vnreasonable and wicked men therefore we haue need of patience Indignities that touch our priuate persons may bee dissembled or returned with Isaaks apologie of patience of silence As Augustine answered Petilian Possumus esse in his pariter copiosi nolumus esse pariter vani You doe in euent not so much wrong vs as your selues You foame out your owne shame and bewray your wretched I had almost sayd reprobate malice for such are set downe in the seat of the scornfull which the Prophet makes a low steppe to damnation God shall laugh you to scorne for laughing his to scorne and at last despise you that haue despised him in vs. In expuentis recidit faciem quod in coelum puit That which a man spittes against heauen shall fall backe on his owne face Your indignities done to your spirituall Physitions shall not sleepe in the dust with your ashes but stand vp against your soules in iudgement 2. If your Physitian be worthy blame yet sport not with cursed Cham at your Fathers nakednesse Our life our life is the derision that stickes in your iawes till you spette it out against vs. I would to God our liues were no lesse pure then are euen these our enemies being Iudges our doctrines Be it freely acknowledged that in some it is a fault Our life should be the Counterpaine of our doctrine Wee are Vines and should like that in Iothams Parable cheare both God and man The Player that misacts an inferiour and vnnoted part carryes it away without censure but if he shall plaâ— some Emperour or part of obseruation vnworthily the spectators are ready to hisse him off The Minister represents you say no meane person that might giue toleration to his absurdities but the Prince of heauen and therefore should be holy as his heauenly Father is Be it confessed and woe is vs we cannot helpe it But you should put difference betwixt habituall vices nourished by custome prosecuted by violence and infirme or inuoluntary offences The truth is also that you who will not haue eares to heare Gods word will yet haue eyes to obserue our wayes How many of you haue surdas aures oculos emissitios Adders eares but Eagles eyes together with criticall tongues and hypocriticall lookes You should and will not know that our words not our workes bring you to heauen Examples are good furtherances but ex praeceptis viuitur we must liue by precepts If you haue a Christian desire of our reformation cease your obstreperous clamours and divulging slanders the infectious breathings of your corruption and malice and reproue vs with the spirit of meekenesse to our foreheads If wee neither cleare our selues from imputed guiltinesse nor amend the iustly reproued faults nor kindely embrace your louing admonitions proceede with your impartiall censures But still know that we are nothing in our selues though we be called lux mundi the light of the world yet solummodo lex est lux Gods word is the light that must conduct your beleeuing and obeying soules to the land of Promise Did we liue like Angels and yet had our lips sealed vp from teaching you you might still remaine in your sinnes For it is not an ignorant imitation of goodnesse but a sound faith in Christ neuer destitute of knowledge and obedience that must saue you in the day of the Lord Iesus 3. Lastly let this teach you to get your selues familiar acquaintance with the Scriptures that if you be put to it in the absence of your Phisitian you may yet helpe your selues We store our memories and perhaps not trusting them our Bookes with diuers receites for ordinarie diseases Whom almost shall you meete whiles you complaine of an Ague of the Tooth-ach of a Sore but he will tell you a Salue or a Medicine for it Alas are our soules lesse precious or their wounds griefes sicknesses easilier cured that wee keepe the Clossets of our consciences emptie of Medicines for them The Iewes were commaunded to write the Lawes of God on their walls c. God writes them on the Christians hearts So Dauid found it Thy Law is within my heart This is true acquaintance with it It is our Masters charge if at least we are his seruants Search the Scriptures for in them is eternall life We plead that our faith is our euidence for Heauen it is a poore euidence that wants the seale of the Scriptures It was the weapon that the Sonne of God himselfe vsed to beate backe the assaults of the Deuill Many ignorant persons defie the Deuill They will shield themselues from Satan as well as the best that teach them the foule â—iend shall haue no power ouer them yet continue an obstinate course of life As if the Deuill were a Babe to be out-faced with a word of defiance It is a lamentable way to braue a Lyon and yet come within his clutches Hee will beare with thy hote words so hee may get thy colde soule The weapon that must incounter and conquer him is the sword of the spirit the word of God No houre is free from his temptations that wee had neede to lodge with Gods Booke in our bosomes 1. Who knowes where he shall receiue his next wound or of what nature the sicknesse of his soule shall be 2. The Minister cannot be present with euery one and at euery time 3. Satan is neuer idle it is the trade of his delight to spill soules Lay all these together and then in the feare of God iudge whither you can be safe whiles you are ignorant of the Scriptures This is the Garden of
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
arguments that perswade the sweetnesse of this Bread This is 1. eyther the Leauen of the Pharises 2. Or the leauen of the Sadduces 3. Or the Leauen of the Herodians The Leauen Pharisaicall is described by CHRIST himselfe to be Hypocrisie a tradition to make cleane the out side of the Cup but no deuotion to keepe the inside pure from extortion and excesse The Leauen of the Sadduces is the doctrine of the Sadduces as the mistaken Apostles about Bread corrected their owne errours This Doctrine was a deniall of Resurrection of Angel of Spirit The Herodian Leauen was dissolute profanenesse deriued from the obseruation of Foxe-like Herod These pleadings for Sinne by the Deuils mercenarie Aduocates put like Leauen a better taste into his Bread Thus it is leauened 7. It lackes now nothing but baking Sure the Ouen that bakes this corrupt Bread is our owne euill affections which the Deuill heates by his temptations and with supply of Fewell to their humours Thus by sinne he makes way for sinne and prepares one iniquitie out of another Hee strikes fire at the couetous heart of Iudas and so bakes both Treason and Murder He hath made Absolons affections so hot by Ambition that Incest and Parricide is easily baked in them The Prophet Hosea speakes the sinnes of Israel in this Allegory They are all Adulterers as an Ouen heated by the Baker who ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the Dough vntill it be leauened They haue made ready their heart like an Ouen whiles they lye in waite their Baker sleepeth all the night in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire They are all hote as an Ouen c. Yea Ephraim it selfe is a Cake halfe baked Thus when our affections are made a fiery Ouen through the greedinesse of sinne there is soone drawne out a batch of wickednesse Thus the Deuill runnes through many occupations before his Bread be baked his Banket prepared for his guests He is a Seedesman a Waterer a Reaper a Thrasher a Miller a Moulder a Baker A Baker here for his Bread as before a Brewer for his Waters And to conclude an Host that makes the wake inuites the guests and Bankets them with their owne damnation You haue heard how this Seruice may be called Bread and therein the subtiltie of the Deuils prescription Let vs as iustly poise his description in the ballance and see how it holds weight Secret bread or the bread of secrecie nay of Secrecies for sinne is not like the Raile that sits alone but like the Partridges which flye by Coueys Secret This will be found a fraudulent dimension for there is nothing so secret that shall not be made manifest The speeches of whispering the actes of the Closet shall not scape publishing The Allegorie of Adulterie is prosecuted Forbidden lusts stollen by snatches and inioyed in secret are sweet and pleasant It is instanced in this particular what hath a generall extent to all the paralells euery sister of that cursed stocke I will hold with it thus far that sin loues secrecie and I will testifie against it a degree further that no sin is so secret as the Tempter here affirmes it or the committers imagine it And from these two rootes I will produce you a double fruit of Instruction 1. Vniust things loue priuacie the Adulterer saith Iob loues the darke Thais drawes Paphnutius into the secret and more remoued chambers The two wicked Elders thus tempt that Embleme of chastitie Ostia pomerij clausa sunt the gates of the Orchyard are shut and no body sees vs. Hence the generation of sinnes are called the workes of darkenesse And reformation of life is compared to our decent walking in the day Though the light of grace shines saith the Sunne of brightnesse yet men loue darkenesse better because their deeds are euill Ignorance and the Night haue a fit similitude 1. Both seasons are still and hush't no noyse to waken the Sybarites vnlesse the Cockes the Ministers Nuncij Dei et diei and their noise is not held worth the hearing Few will beleeue Christs Cocke though hee crowes to them that the day is broken 2. Both seasons procure stumbling The wayes of our pilgrimage is not so euen but that wee need both light to shew the rubbes and eyes to disceâ—ne them The Gospell is the day Christ is the light Faith is the eye that apprehends it Light without eyes eyes without light are defectiue to our good If either be wanting the stumbling feet indanger the body In the spirituall priuation of either Gospell or Faith the affections are not able to keepe vpright the Conscience 3. Both are vncomfortable seasons Nox erroris terroris plenissima The night is full of wondring of wandring Imagine the Egyptians case in that grosse and palpable darkenesse the longest naturall night that the Booke of God specifies A silent solitary melancholy inextricable season In which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no murmure disquiets the Ayre no man heares his name no Birds sing except the Owle and the Night-rauen which croake onely dismall things 4. Both are fit seasons for fowle spirits to range in It hath beene fabled of night-walking sprights Let it be false yet this is true the Deuill is the Prince of darkenesse his kingdome is a kingdome of darkenesse and his walkes are the walkes of dâ—rkenesse In the calignious night of Superstition and Ignorance hee playes Rex and captiuates many a soule to his obedience His children as it is fit haue the same disposition with their father They are Tenebrio's and loue nocturnos conuentus meetings in the darke as the â—owder-Traâ—tours met in the Vault But the eyes of Iehouah see not onely things â—one in the tops of the Mountaines but could spâ—e the Treaâ—on of the Vaulâ— 2. And this is the consequent Iâ—struction which I would the Diuels blinded guests should know God sees There is nothing secret to his eye 1. Hee sees our sinnes in the Booke of eternitie before our owne hearts conceiued them 2. He sees them in our hearts when our inuentions haue giuen them forme and our intentions birth 3. Hee sees their action on the Theater of this Earth quite through the scene of our liues 4. Hee sees them when his wrathfull eye takes notice of them and his hand is lift vp to punish them There is nothing so secret and abstracted from the senses of men Vt creatoris aut lateat cogitationem aut effugiat potestatem that it may either lurke from the eye or escape from the hand of God No Master of a familie is so well acquainted with euery corner of his house or can so readily fetch any Casket or Boxe he pleaseth as the Master of the whole familie in Heauen and Earth knowes all the Angles and Vaults of the World Iupiter est quodcunque vides quocunque moueris In him we liue moue and haue our being
doings your transgressions doe appeare So the same people to the Sonne as they had erst to the Seruants Wee will not come vnto thee How often would I haue gathered you but you would not Yee will not come at mee that you might haue life 1. The way is easie 2. You shall haue life for comming it is worth your labour 3. You can haue it no where else then Come to mee No you will not come at mee as Daniel answered Belsâ—azzar Keepe thy rewards to thy selfe and giue thy gifts to another These are sinnes with lifting vp the hand and heâ—le against God the hand in opposition the heele in contempt There are two Ladders whereby men climbe into HEAVEN the godly by their Prayers the wicked by their sinnes By this latter Ladder did Sodome and Niniueh climbe GOD graunt our sinnes be not such climbers that presse into the presence Chamber of HEAVEN and will bee acquainted vvith GOD though to our confusion Are our wickednesses done in this Râ—â—â—on and Sphaere of sinne the Earth and must they come to Heauen first Must the newes be at the Court of what is done in the Coâ—ntrie before the Countrie it selfe know of it Our consciences take no notice of our owne iniquities but they complaine in the audience-Court of HEAVEN and few out an Outlawry against vs. So impudent and vn-blushing is our wickednesse that with the Prophet wee may complaine Were they ashamed when they had committed abhomination nay they were not at all ashâ—med neither could they blush Our sinnes keepe not low water the tide of them is euer swelling they are obiects to the generall eye and proud that they may be obserued And let mee tell you many of the sinnes I haue taxed as secret and silent as you take them and as hoarcely as they are pleaded to speake are no lesse then Thunder to Heauen and Lightning to men They doe votally and vocally ascend that vvould actually if they could The labourers hyre cries in the gripulous Landlords hand The furrowes of the Incloser cry complaine nay weepe against him for so is the Hebrew word The vaine-glorious builder hath the stone crying out of the Wall against him and the beame out of the Timber answering it The Blasphemers tumult cryes and is come vp into the eares of God The Oppressors rage and violence reacheth vp to Heauen and is continually before mee saith the Lord. These are crying sinnes and haue shrill voices in Heauen neither are they submisse and whispering on the Earth To bee short most men are eyther Publicanes or Pharises eyther they will doe no good or loose that they doe by ostentation Many act the part of a religious man and play Deuotion on the worlds Theater that are nothing beside the Stage all for sight Angels in the High-way Deuils in the by-way so monstrous out of the CHVRCH that they shame Religion It was prouerb'd on Nero It must needes be good that Nero persecutes their vvicked liues giue occasion to the world to inuert it on them It must needs be euill that such wretches professe Others are like Publicanes Onely they were Christened when they were Babes and could not helpe it but as angry at that indignitie they oppose Christ all their liues Take heed Beloued Hell was not made for nothing The Deuill scornes to haue his Court emptieâ— you will not bend you shall breake you will not serue God God will serue himselfe of you Put not these vices from you by your impudent cloakings How many staâ—d here guiltie of some of thesâ— sinnes How many may say with Aeneas Et quorum pars magna sui whereof I haue a great share Many cry out the dayes are euill whiles they helpe to make them worse All censure none amend If euery one would plucke a brand from this fire the flame would goe out of it selfe But whiles wee cast in our iniquities as Fewell and blow it with the Bellowes of disobedience wee make it strong enough to consume vs yea and all we haue For God will not spare euer he is iust and must strike Shall wee loosen our hands to impietie and tye God from vengeance I haue often read and seene that Mercy and 〈◊〉 meet together that Righteousnesse and Peace kisse one â—nother But Mercie and sinnefulnesse keepe not the saâ—e hoâ—sâ— Peace and wickednesse are meere straâ—â—ers To reconcile these is harder then to make the Wâ—lfe and Lâ—mbe liue together in quiet Thinke not that God can not strike Mars vlâ—or galeam quoque perdidit res non potuit seruare suas The Hâ—â—then Gods could not auenge their owne quarrels But our God caâ— punish a thousand wayes Fire Plague Warre Famine c. Milla nocendi artes Our sinnes may thriue a while and batten becaâ—se they liue in a friendlâ— Ayre and apt Soile but in the end they will ouerthrow both themselues and vs. Ciuitatis euersio est morum non murorum casus A Cities ouerthrow is sooner wrought by lewd liues then weake walles Were the walles of our Cities as strong-Turreted and inexpugnable as the wall that Phocas built about his Pallace yet it may bee really performed on them as the voyce in the night tolde him Did they reach the Clouds they may be scaled the sinne within will marre all Graâ—iores sunt mimici mores praui quà m hostes infesti Our worst enemies are our owne sinnes And thougâ— these punishments fall not suddenly yet certainely if repentance step not betweene Adam did not dye presently on his sin yet Gods Word was true vpon him for hee became instantly mortall sure to die and fell as it vvere into a Consumption that neuer left him till it brought him to the graue GOD hath leaden Feet but Iron hands take heede ye feasting Robbers when God strucke that secret theefe Iudas hee strucke home he tooke away the world from him or rather him from the world and sent him to his owne place Feast Reuell Ryot Couet Ingrosse Extort Hoord whiles you will Earth is not your House but your Bridge you must passe ouer it either to Canaan or Egipt Heauen or Hell euery man to his owne place Graunt oh deare Father that wee may so runne our short Pilgrimage on Earth that our dwelâ—ing-place may bee with thy Maiestie in Heauen through the merits and mercies of our Sauiour Iesus Christ. AMEN In conviuium Diabolicum They that to glut on sinnes such pleasure haue Descend with sickly Conscience to their graue Vnlesse Repentance and true Faith make sure The physicke of Christs bloud their wounds to cure Forbeare thou Christen'd soule the Deuils Feast And to Heauens Supper be a welcome Guest FINIS THE SHOT OR The vvofull price vvhich the wicked pay for the feast of Vanitie BY THOMAS ADAMS Preacher of Gods Word at Willington in Bedford-shire LVKE 16.25 But Abraham said Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy good things and
banket haue this death in present the precedent and subsequent are both future the one naturally incurred by sinne the other iustly inflicted for vnrepented sinne For all shall dye the corporall death Hee that feareth an oath as well as hee that sweareth the â—eligious as the profane But this last which is Eternall death shall onely cease on them that haue before hand with a spirituall death slaine themselues This therefore is called the second death Blessed and holy is hee that hath part in the first resurrection which is the spirituall life by grace On such the second death hath no power Hee that is by Christ raised from the first death shall by Christ also scape the second But hee that is dead spiritually after hee hath died corporally shall also dye eternally This is that euerlasting seperation of body and soule from God and consequently from all comfort Feare him saith our Sauiour that is able to destroy both body and soule in Hell And many of them that sleepe in the dust of the earth shall awake some to euerlasting life and some to shame and euerlasting contempt This is that death that God delights not in His goodnesse hath no pleasure in it though his iustice must inflict it Man by sinne hath offended God an infinite Maiestie and therefore deserues an infinite miserie Now because he is a nature finite hee cannot suffer a punishment infinite in greatnesse simul et semel together and at once hee must therefore endure it successiuè sine fine successiuely without end The punishment must be proportioned to the sinne because not in present greatnesse therefore in eternall continuance Christ for his elect suffered in short time sufficient punishment for their sinnes for it is all one for one that is eternall to dye and for one to dye eternally But he for whom Christ suffered not in that short time must suffer for himselfe beyond all times euen for euer This is the last Death a liuing death or a dying life what shall I tearme it If it be life how doth it kill If death how doth it liue There is neither life nor death but hath some good in it In life there is some ease in death an end But in this death neither ease nor end Prima â—ors animam dâ—lentem pellet de câ—rpore secunda mors animam nolentem tenet in corpore The first death driues the soule vnwillingly from the body the second death holdes the soule vnwillingly in the body In those dayes shall men seeke death and shall not finde it and shall desire to dye and death shall flye from them Their worme shall not dye Thus saith the Scripture morientur mortem they shall dye the death Yet their death hath much too much life in it For there is a perfection giuen to the body and soule after this life as in heauen to the stronger participation of comfort so in hel to the more sensible receiuing of torment The eye shall see more perspicuously and the eare heare more quickly and the sense feele more sharply though all the obiects of these be sorrow and anguish Vermis conscientiam corrodet ignis carnem comburet quia et corde et corpore deliquerunt The worme shall gnaw the conscience the fire burne the flesh because both fleâ—h and conscience haue offended This is the fearfull death which these guests incurre this is the Shoâ— at the Diuells Banket God in his Iustice suffers him to reward his guests as hee is rewarded himselfe and since they loued his worke to giue them the stipend due to his seruice These are the tempted guests dead The vlgar Latine translation I know not vpon what ground hath interpreted here for mortui Gigantes thus hee knoweth not that the Gyants are there Monstrous men that would dart thunder at God himselfe and raise vp mountaines of impietie against Heauen As if they were onely great men that feasted at Sathans Banket whose riches were able to minister matter to their pleasures And surely such are in these dayes of whose sinnes when we haue cast an inventory account we might thus with the Poet sum vp themselues Viâ— dicam quid sis magnus es Ardelio Thou hast great lands great power great sinnes and than Dâ—st aske me what thou art th' art a great man The Gyants in the Scripture were men of a huge stature of a fierce nature The Poets fained their Gyants to be begotten and bred of the Sunne and the Earth and to offer violence to the Gods some of them hauing an hundred hands as Briareiu was called centimanus meaning they were of great command as Helen wrot to Paris of her husband Menelaus An nescis longas regibus esse manus This word Gyants if the originall did afford it must be referred either to the guests signifiing that monstrous men resorted to the Harlots table that it was Gigantoum conviuium a tyrannous feast or else and that rather to the tormentors which are laid in ambush to surprise all the commers in and carry them as a pray to Hell But because the best translations giue no such word and it is farre fetched I let it fall as I tooke it vp The third person here inserted is the Attempted the new guest whom she striues to bring in to the rest He is discribed by his ignorance Nescit Hee knoweth not what company is in the house that the dead are there It is the Deuils pollicie when hee would ransacke and robbe the hoâ—se of our conscience like a theefe to put out the candle of our knowledge That wee might neither discerne his purposes nor decline his mischeefes Hee hath had his instruments in all ages to darken the light of knowledge Domitian turnes Philosophie into banishment Iulian shuts vp the Schoole-doores The barbarous souldiours vnder Clement the seauenth burned that excellent Vatican library Their reasons concurred with Iulians prohibition to the Christans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 least they kill vs with our owne weapons For it is said euen of Gentile learning Hic est Goliae gladius quo ipse Goliah ingulandus est Hic Herculis claua qua rabidi inter Ethnicos canes percutiendi sunt This is that Goliahs sword whereby the Philistine himselfe is wounded This is that Hercules clubbe to smite the madde dogs amongst the heathen Habadallus Mahomets scholler that Syrian Tyrant forbad all Christian children in his dominions to goe to schoole that by ignorance hee might draw them to superstition For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To be destitute of learning is to dance in the darke These were all Sathans instruments yet they come short of the Pope whose pollicie to aduance his Hierarchie is to oppresse mens consciences with ignorance teaching that the fulnesse of zeale doth arise from the emptinesse of knowledge euen as fast as fire flasheth out of a fish-pond There are degrees in sin so in ignorance It is a sin to be ignorant of that we
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
if earth be at once neerer to your standing and vnderstanding and like dissembling Louers that to auoyd suspition diuert their eyes from that cheeke whereon they haue fixed their hearts so you loooke one way and loue another Heauen hauing your countenance Earth your confidence then for Earth read this instruction in all things the destruction of all things For if the raâ—ified and azure body of this lower Heauen shall bee folded vp like a Scrole of Parchment then much more this drossie feculent and sedimentall Earth shall be burnt Vret cum terris vret cum gurgite ponti Communis mundo superest rogus c. The Heauens shall passe away with a â—oyse and the Elements shall melt with feruent heate the Earth also and the workes that are therein shall be burnt vp At least quoad â—iguram though not quoad naturam The forme shall be changed though not the nature abollished Euerie creature on earth may teach vs the fallibillitie of it It is an Hieroglyphicke of vanitie and mutabillitie There is nothing on it that is of it that is not rather vitiall then vitall In all the corrupted parts of this decrepit and doting world mens best lesson of morallitie is a lesson of mortalitie As it was once said Foelix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas so now better Foelix qui poterit rerum cognoscere casus It is good to know the casuall beginnings of things it is better to know their casuall ends It is good to be a naturall Philosopher but better to bee a supernaturall a Christian Philosopher That whiles we intentiuely obserue the creature we may attentiuely serue the Creator That which is said of pregnant wits is more true of Christian hearts that they can make vse of any thing As Trauellers in forraine Countries make euery slight obiect a lesson so let vs thriue in grace by euery presented worke of Nature As the eye must see and the foote walke and the hand worke so the heart must consider What Gods doings which are maruellous in our vnderstandings eyes God looked vpon his owne workes saw they were good and delighted in them sure it is his pleasure also that wee should looke vpon them to admire his wisedome power prouidence mercie appearing both in their nature and their disposition The least of Gods works is worthie the obseruation of the greatest Angell Now what Trewants are we that hauing so many Tutours reading to vs learne nothing of them The Heathen were condemned for not learning the inuisible things of God from his visible workes For shall wee still plod on the great volume of Gods works and neuer learne to spell one word of vse of instruction of comfort to our selues Can wee behold nothing through the Spectacles of contemplation Or shall we be euer reading the great Booke of Nature and neuer translate it to the Booke of Grace The Saints did thus So haue I read that worthy Esay sitting among other Diuines and hearing a sweet consort of Musicke as if his soule had beene borne vp to Heauen tooke occasion to thinke and speake thus What Musicke may we thinke there is in Heauen A friend of mine viewing attentiuely the great pompe and state of the Court on a solemne day spake not without some admiration What shall we thinke of the glory in the Court of God Happy obiect and well obserued that betters the soule in grace But I haue beene prolixe in this point let the breuitie of the next succour it 2. Phisicke and Diuinitie are Professions of a neere affinitie both intending the cure and recouerie one of our bodies the other and better of our soules Not that I would haue them conioyned in one person as one spake merrily of him that was both a Phisitian and a Minister that whom he tooke money to kill by his Physicke he had also money againe to burie by his Priesthood Neither if God hath powred both these gifts into one man doe I censure their Vnion or perswade their separation Onely let the Hound that runnes after two Hares at once take heede least hee catch neither Ad duo qui tendit non vnum nec duo prendit And let him that is called into Gods Vineyard hoc agere attend on his office And beware least to keepe his Parish on sound legges he let them walke with sickly consciences Whiles Galâ—â— Auicen take the wall of Paul Peter I doe not here taxe but rather praise the works of mercie in those Ministers that giue all possible comâ—orts to the distressed bodies of their brethren Let the professions be heterogenâ—a different in their kindes onely respondentia semblable in their proceedings The Lord created the Physitian so hath he ordained the Minister The Lord hath put into him the knowledge of Nature into this the knowledge of grace All knowledge is deriued from the Fountaine of Gods wisedome The Lord hath created Medicines out of the earth The Lord hath inspired his holy word from heauen The good Physitian acts the part of the Diuine They shall pray vnto the Lord that he would prosper that which they giue for ease remedy to prolong life The good Minister after a sort is a Physitian Onely it is enough for the Sonne of God to giue both naturall and spirituall Physicke But as Plato spake of Philosophie that it couets the imitation of God within the limits of possibillitie and sobrietie so wee may say of Physicke it is conterminate to Diuinitie so farre as a Handmaid may follow her Mistresse The Institutions of both preserue the constitutions of men The one would preuent the obstructions of our bodies the other the destructions of our soules Both purge our feculent corruptions both would restore vs to our primarie and originall health though by reason of our impotencie and indisposition neither is able Both oppose themselues against our death either our corporall or spirituall perishing When the spirit of God moued on the waters and from that indigested confused mixture did by a kinde of Alchimicall extraction seperation sublimation coniunction put all things into a sweet consort and harmonious beautie hee did act a Phisitians part God is in many places a Phisitian Exod. 15. I am the Lord that healeth thee Deut. 32. I kill I make aliue I wound and I heale Ier. 17. Heale me O Lord and I shall be healed saue me and I shall be saued Sometimes he is as a Surgion to binde vp the sores of the broken-hearted and to stanch the bleeding wounds of the Conscience Nay Dauid intreats him to put his bones in course againe So Christ hath sent his Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad coagmentationem as Beza reades it to put in ioynt the luxate members of the Church that are compacted by ioynts And in the period or full stoppe of time God will minister to the world the phisicke of Fire to purge the sicke body of it as heâ—
made such rebellious creatures It is long before his wrath be incensed but if it be throughly kindled all the Riuers in the South are not able to quench it Daily man sinnes and yet God repents not that he made him Woe to that man for whose creation God is sorrie Woe to Ierusalem when Christ shall so complaine against her Stay the Bells ye Sonnes of wickednesse that ring so lowd peales of tumultuous blasphemies in the eares of God Turne againe ye wheeling Planets that moue onely as the sphere of this world turnes your affections and despise the directed and direct motion of Gods Starres Recall your selues ye lost wretches and stray not too farre from your Fathers house that your seekers come againe with a non est inuentus least God complaines against you as heere against Israell or with as passionate a voyce as once against the world It repents mee that I made them If wee take the words spoken in the person of the Prophet let vs obserue that hee is no good Preacher that complaines not in these sinfull dayes Esay had not more cause for Israell then we for England to cry Wee haue laboured in vaine and spent our strength for nought For if we equall Israell in Gods blessings wee transcend them in our sinnes The bloud-red Sea of warre and slaughter wherein other Nations are drowned as were the Egiptians is become dry to our feete of peace The Bread of Heauen that true Manna satisfies our hunger and our thirst is quenched with the waters of life The better Law of the Gospell is giuen vs and our sauing health is not like a curious piece of Arras folded vp but spread to our beleeuing eyes without any shadow cast ouer the beautie of it We haue a better high Priest to make intercession for vs in heauen for whom he hath once sacrificed and satisfied on earth actu semel virtute semper with one act with euerlasting vertue We want nothing that heauen can helpe vs to but that which wee voluntarily will want and without which wee had better haue wanted all the rest thankefulnesse and obedience We returne God not one for a thousand not a dramme of seruice for so many talents of goodnesse We giue God the worst of all things that hath giuen vs the best of all things Wee cull out the least sheafe for his Tyth the sleepiest houre for his prayers the chippings of our wealth for his poore a corner of the heart for his Arke when Dagon sits vppermost in our Temple He hath bowels of brasse and an heart of yron that cannot mourne at this our requitall We giue God measure for measure but not manner for manner For his blessings heapen and shaken and thrust together iniquities pressed downe and yet running ouer Like Hogges we slauer his pearles turne his graces into wantonnesse and turne againe to rend in pieces the bringers Who versing in his minde this thought can keepe his cheekes dry Oh that my head were waters and mine eyes a fountaine of teares that I might weepe night and day c. No maruell if animus meminisse horret The good soule tremble to thinke it especially when all this wickednesse ariseth not from Sodome and Sidon and Edom but from the midst of the daughter of Sion Hinc illae Lachrimae Hee that can see this and not sigh is not a witnesse but an agent and sinne hath obstructed his lungs he cannot sorrow Forbeare then you captious sonnes of Belial to complaine against vs for complaining against you Whiles this Hydra of Iniquitie puts forth her still-growing-heads and the sword of reproofe cannot cut them off what should we doe but mourne Quid enim nisi threna supersunt Whither can wee turne our eyes but wee behold and lament at once some rouing with lewdnesse some rauing with madnesse others reeling with ebrietie and yet others railing with blasphemie If we be not sad wee must be guilty Condemne not our passions but your owne rebellions that excite them The zeale of our God whom wee serue in our spirits makes vs with Moses to forget our selues Wee also are men of like passion with you It is the common plea of vs all If you aske vs why we shew our selues thus weake and naked we returne with Paul Why doe you these things Our God hath charged vs not to see the funerals of your soules without sighes and teares Thus saith the Lord Smite with thy hand and stampe with thy foote and say Alas for all the euill abominations of the house of Israell for they shall fall by the sword by the famine and by the pestilence Shall all complaine of lost labours and we brooke the greatest losse with silence Merchants waile the shipwracke of their goods and complaine of Pyrates Shepheards of their deuoured Flockes by sauage Wolues Husbandmen of the tyred earth that quites their hope with weedes And shall Ministers see and not sorrow the greatest ruine the losse of the world were lesse of mens soules They that haue written to the life the downfall of famous Cities either vastate by the immediate hand of God as Sodome or mediately by man as Ierusalem as if they had written with teares in stead of Inke haue pathetically lamented the ruines Aeneas Syluius reporting the fall of Constantinople historifies at once her passion his owne compassion for it The murthering of Children before the Parents faces the slaughtering of Nobles like beasts the Priests torne in pieces the Religious flea'd the holy Virgins and sober Matrones first rauished and then massacred and euen the Reliques of the Souldiours spoile giuen to the mercilesse fire Oh miseram vrbis faciem Oh wretched shew of a miserable Citie Consider Ierusalem the Citie of God the Queene of the Prouinces tell her Turrets and marke well her Bulwarkes carrie in your minde the Idaea of her glories and then on a sodaine behold her Temple and houses burning the smoke of the fire wauing in the ayre and hiding the light of the Sunne the flames springing vp to Heauen as if they would ascend as high as their sinnes had erst done her Old Young Matrons Virgins Mothers Infants Princes and Priests Prophets and Nazarites famished fettered scattered consumed if euer you read or heare it without commisseration your hearts are harder then the Romanes that destroyed it The ruine of great things wring out our pitie and it is onely a Nero that can sit and sing whiles Rome burnes But what are a world of Cities nay the whole world it selfe burning as it must one day to the losse of mens soules the rarest pieces of Gods fabricke on earth to see them manacled with the chaines of Iniquitie and led vp and downe by the Deuill as Baiazeth by that cruell Scithian stabbed and massacred lost and ruined by rebellious obstinacies and impenitencies bleeding to death like Babell and will not be cured till past cure they weepe like Rahell and will not be comforted to see this