by grace too Ephes. 2. 5. There must be ploughing and sowing the ground but yet no crop can be expected without the influence of the Sunne So there must be working but no crop of salvation can be hoped for without the Sun-shine of free grace 'T is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdome Luk. 12. 32. Give why might some say we have wrought hard for it I but Heaven is a donative though you work for it yet it is the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the good pleasure of God to bestow it Still look up to Christs merit it is not your sweat but his blood saves That your working cannot merit salvation is clear {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 'T is God that works in you to will and to do ver. 13. 'T is not your working but Gods co-working For as the Scrivener guides the childs hand or he cannot write so the spirit of God must afford his auxiliary concurrence or our work stands still how then can any man merit by working when it is God that helps him to work I should now having laid down this Caution re-assume the Exhortation and perswade you to the working out salvation but I must first remove two Objections which lie in the way Object 1. You bid us work out salvation but we have no power to work Answ. 1. 'T is true we have not power I deny that we have libertatem arbitrii * man before conversion is purely passive Therefore the Scripture calls it cor lapideum a heart of stone Ezek. 36. A man in his pure naturals can no more prepare himself to his own converting then the stone can prepare it self to its own softning But yet when God begins to draw we may follow Those dry bones in Ezekiel could not of themselves live but when breath came into them then they lived and stood upon their feet Ezekiel 37. 10. Quest But suppose God hath not dropt in a principle of grace suppose he hath not caused breath to enter Answ. Yet use the means Though you cannot work spiritually yet work physically do what you are able and that for two reasons 1. Because a man by neglecting the means doth destroy himself As a man by not sending to the Physician may be said to be the cause of his own death Secondly God is not wanting to us when we do what we are able Urge the Promise Seek and ye shall find Mat. 7. 7. Put this bond in suit by Prayer you say you have no power but have you not a Promise Act so far as you can Though I dare not say as the Arminian when we do exert and put forth nature God is bound to give grace yet this I say Deus volentibus non deest God is not wanting to them that seek his grace Nay I will say more he denies his grace to none but them that wilfully refuse it * The second Objection is this but to what purpose should I work there 's a decree past if God hath decreed I shall be saved I shall be saved Answ. God decrees salvation in a way of working * Origen in his book against Celsus observes a subtil Argument of some who disputed about Fate and Destiny One gave counsel to his sick friend not to send for the Physician because saith he it is appointed by destiny whether thou shalt recover or not If it be thy destiny to recover then thou needest not the Physician if it be not thy destiny then the Physician will do thee no good The like fallacy doth the Devil use to men he bids them not work if God hath decreed they shall be saved they shall be saved and there is no need of working if he hath not decreed their salvation then their working will do them no good this is an Argument fetched out of the Devils topicks But we say God decrees the end in the use of meanes God did decree that Israel should enter into Canaan but first they must fight with the sonnes of Anak God decreed that Hezekiah should recover out of his sicknesse but let him lay a fig to the boyl Isa. 38. 21. We do not argue thus in other things A man doth not say if God hath decreed I shall have a crop this year I shall have a crop What need I plough or sow or manure the land No he will use the means and expect a Crop Though the blessing of the Lord makes rich Prov. 10. 22. Yet it is as true the diligent hand makes rich Prov. 10. 4. Gods decreeing is carried on by our working And thus having removed these Objections out of the way let me now perswade you to set upon this blessed work the working out your salvation and that my words may the better prevail I shall propound several Arguments by way of Motive to excite you to this work The first Argument or Motive to working is taken from the preciousnesse of the Soul * well may we take pains that we may secure this from danger The soul is a divine sparkle kindled by the breath of God It doth out-ballance the world Mat. 16. 26. If the world be the Book of God as Origen calls it the soul is the Image of God Plato calls the soul a glasse of the Trinity 'T is a bright mirror in which some refracted beams of Gods wisdom and holiness do shine forth the soul is a blossom of eternity {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} God hath made the soul capable of communion with himselfe It would banquer the world to give half the price of a soul How highly did Christ value the soul when he sold himself to buy it * O then what pity is it that this excellent soul this soul for which God called a Councel in heaven when he made it * should miscarry and be undone to all eternity who would not rather work night and day than lose such a soul The Jewel is invaluable the losse irreparable 2. Holy activity and industry doth enoble a Christian * The more excellent any thing is the more active The Sunne is a glorious creature it never stands still but is going his circuit round the world Fire is the purest element and the most active 't is ever sparkling and flaming The Angels are the most noble creatures and the most nimble therefore they are represented by the Cherubims with their wings displayed God himself is actus purissimus as the Schoolmen speak he is a most pure act Homer saith of Agamemnon that he did sometimes resemble Jupiter in feature Pallas in wisdome Mars in valour by holy activity we resemble God who is a most pure act The Phaenix flies with a coronet on its head the industrious Christian wants not a coronet his sweat enobles him his labour is his ensigne of honour Solomon tells us that drowsiness cloaths a man with rags Prov. 23. 21. Infamy is one of
together There being therefore such mistakes and deceits about this work of salvation we had need be the more cautious and curious in this work Thirdly the difficulty about salvation-work ariseth from the remoraes and hindrances of this work These hindrances are either 1. From within viz. the flesh This is a slie enemy The flesh cries out for ease it lusts against the Spirit * Gal. 5. 17. We are bid to crucifie the flesh * Gal. 5. 24. but how many wounds must we give with the sword of the Spirit before the flesh will be perfectly crucified 2. We meet with hindrances in this work from without 1. Tentations our whole life saith Austin is a tentation We tread among snares there is a snare in company recreation yea our table is of a snare * Satan is still fishing for our souls How often doth he lay a train of tentation to blow up the fort of our grace The Apostle tells us o◠his fiery darts * Ephes. 6. 16. Tentations are called darts for their swiftnesse they are shot in suddenly and fiery for their terriblenesse they are shot like flashes of fire into the soul which do amaze and afright and doth not this retard the work o◠Salvation and make it difficult 2. Reproaches this sect is every where spoken against Act. 28. 22. The old Serpent is ever spitting his venome at Religion and the professors of it I may allude to that 1 Cor 10. 1. All our fathers were under cloud All the Saints of old have passed to Heaven under a cloud of contumely and reproach the world puts them in their black book whom God will put in his Rubrick The throat of the wicked is an open Sopulchre * to bury the good names of professors in Those who have been the antesignani the ensignbearers of Religion and have carried her colours 1. Sometimes have been traduced and slandered Paul was reported to be a seditious man 2 Tim. 2. 9. The Popish Rhemists traduced Calvin and fathered upon him this opinion that God was the Authour of sinne and that he died cursing though Beza who was an eye-witness and wrote his life and death confuted that slander and relates what a comfortable end he made Martin Bucer that blessed man who cried out in an holy triumph I am Christs and the devil hath nothing to do with me yet the Papists slanderously report of him that he should deny Christ to be the Messiah come in the flesh but he who was the Orator at his Funeral was his compurgator The like slander did the Jesuites in Burgundia raise of Beza that holy man they say that he perceiving death to be at hand renounced his former profession of the Gospel and was perfectly reconciled to the Church of Rome This was so false that Beza who lived after the slander went abroad did himself with great indignation refute it 2. Sometimes the Saints have had the trial of cruel mockings Heb. 11. 36. Cyprian was called in a jeer Coprian Athanasius Satanasius David was the song of the drunkards Psal. 69. 12. I doubt not but Noah had many a bitter taunt when he was building the Ark so many years before the flood they would laugh at him and censure him for an old doting fool that would be wiser than all the world besides Thus when we see the flood of Gods wrath coming upon the world and we begin to build the Ark and work out salvation men will be venting their scorne and derision What you will be holier than others more precise than needs all this serves to retard salvation work and make it difficult 3. A third remora or hindrance in this work is open violence Gal. 4. 29. as he that was borne after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit even so it is now no sooner doth a man give up his name to Christ and seriously set upon the working out his salvation but the world raiseth her train-bands and sets all the Militia of hell against him Gods Church is like Abrahams ram tied in a bush of thornes witnesse the ten persecutions in the time of Nero Domitian Trajan c. a man strictly holy is the white that is shot at if the worlds musick will not prevaile it hath its furnace ready 2 Tim. 3. 12. be assured Christ and his crosse are never parted It is with us in our building for heaven as it was with the Jews in their building the wall Every one with one of his hands wrought in the work and with the other hand held a weapon Nehem. 4. 17. So we must not only be builders but warriers with one hand we must work and with the other hand hold a weapon viz. the sword of the Spirit and fight the good fight of faith this is another hindrance in the work no sooner do we begin to set out for heaven but bonds and afflictions abide us Acts 20. 23. The world sounds an alarum and no cessation of armes till death 4. That which makes salvation-salvation-work hard is 't is a slippery work Look to your selves that we lose not those things which we have wrought * Joh. 2. 8. This work falls down almost as fast as we build An ordinary artificer when he hath been at work he finds his work the next morning just as he left it but it is not so with us when we have been working out salvation by prayer fasting meditation and leave this work a while we shall not find our work as we left it a great deal of our work is fallen down againe We had need be often called upon to strengthen the things {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which are ready to dye Rev. 3. 2. no sooner is a Christian taken off frō the fire of the Sanctuary but he is ready to cool and freeze again in security He is like awatch when he hath been wound up towards heaven he doth quickly unwinde to earth and sinne again * When the gold hath been purified in the furnace it remaines pure but it is not so with the heart let it be heated in an Ordinance let it be purged in the furnace of affliction it doth not remaine pure but quickly gathers soile and corruption we are seldom long in a good frame All this shews how difficult the work of salvation is we must not only work but set a watch too * Quest 1. But why hath God made the way to heaven so hard why must there be this working Answ. 1. To make us set an high estimate upon heavenly things If salvation were easily come by we should not have valued it to its worth If diamonds were ordinary they would be slighted but because they are hard to come by they are in great esteem Tertullian saith that when pearles grew common at Rome they wore them upon their shoes which was the next way to tread them under feet Salvation is such a pearl
something by the woman of ill report some impediment the man hearing this is presently taken off the suit ceaseth so 't is with many a man who begins to be a suitor to Religion fain he would have the match made up he grows very hot and violent in the suit and falls a working out his salvation but then there come some of his confederates and they tell him they know something by Religion that is of ill report This Sect is everywhere spoken against * There must be so much strictness mortification that he must never look to see good day more hereupon he is discouraged so the match is broken off Take heed of such persons they are devils covered wth flesh they are as one saith like Herod who would have killed Christ-as soon as he was born Thus when Christ is as it were beginning to be formed in the heart they would in a spiritual sense kill him And thus I have shewn you the bars that lie in the way to salvation which are to be removed I proceed now in the 2d place to lay down some helps conducible to salvation The first is in the Text fear and trembling * This is not a fear of doubting but a fear of diligence This fear is requisite in the working out salvation {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Let us fear lest we come short * fear is a remedy against presumption Hope is like the cork to the net it keeps the soul from sinking in despair and fear is like the lead to the net it keeps the soul from floating in presumption Fear is that flaming sword that turns every way to keep out sin from entring * fear quickens 't is an antidote against sloath Noah being mov'd with fear prepared an Ark * The traveller fearing least night should overtake him before he gets to his journeys end spurs on the faster Fear causeth circumspection he that walks in fear treads warily fear is a preservative against Apostasie I wil put my fear in your hearts you shall not depart from me Jer. 32. 40. The fear of falling keeps us from falling Fear is the hadge and livery of a Christian The Saints of old were men fearing God * It is reported of holy Anselm that he spent most of his thoughts about the day of Judgment Blessed is he that fears alwayes Prov. 28. 14. Fear is a Christians garrison the way to be secure is always to fear This is one of the best tools for a Christian to work with Secondly another great help in working out salvation is love Love makes the work come off with delight seven years labour seemed nothing to Jacob because of the love that he did bear to Rachel Love facilitates every thing * It is like wings to the bird like wheels to the Chariot like sails to the ship it carries the soul on swiftly and chearfully in duty love is never weary It is an excellent saying of Gregory let but a man get the love of the world into his heart he will quickly be rich So do but get the love of religion into your heart and you wil quickly be rich in grace Love is a vigorous active grace it despiseth dangers it tramples upon difficulties like a mighty torrent it carries all before it This is the grace takes heaven by violence Get but your hearts well heated with this grace and you will be fitted for work A third thing conducible to salvation is work in the strength of Christ {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me Phil. 3. 13. never go to work alone * Sampsons strength lay in his hair And a Christians strength lies in Christ When you are to do any duty to resist any tentation to subdue any lust set upon it in the strength of Christ some go out against sin in the strength of resolutions and vowes and they are soon foiled Do as Sampson he first cried to Heaven for help * then * having taken hold of the Pillars he pul'd down the house upon the Lords of the Philistines When we engage Christ in the work and so take hold upon the Pillar of an Ordinance we then bring down the house upon the head of our lusts Fourthly Work low be humble think not to merit by your working Either Satan would keep us from working or else he would make us proud of our working God must pardon our works before he crowns them If we could pray as Angels shed rivers of tears build Churches erect Hospitals and should have a conceit that we merited by this it would be as a dead flie in the box of perfume it would stain and ecclipse the glory of the work Our duties like good wine relish of a bad cask They are but glittering sins Let not pride poison our holy things when we have been working for Heaven we should say as good Nehemiah Remember me O my God concerning this spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy * 5. Work upon your knees be much in Prayer Beg the Spirit of God to help you in the work make that prayer awake O North-wind and come thou South blow upon my garden * We had need have this spirit blow upon us there being so many contrary winds blowing against us considering how soon holy affections are apt to wither The garden hath not more need of wind to make its fruit flow out then we of the spirit to make our graces flourish Philip joynd himself to the Eunuchs * Chariot Gods Spirit must joyn it self to our Chariot As the Mariner hath * his hand to the stern so he hath his eye to the star While we are working we must look up to the spirit what is our preparation without the spirits operation what is all our rowing without a gale from Heaven The spirit lifted me up Gods Spirit must both infuse grace and excite it We read of a wheel within a wheel Ezek. 1. 16. The spirit of God is that inner wheel that must move the wheel of our endevor To conclude all pray to God to bless you in your work the race is not to the swift nor the battel to the strong Eccles. 9. 11. nothing prospers without a blessing what way to obtain it but by prayer T is a saying of one of the antients The Saints carry the keys of Heaven at their girdle Prayer beats the weapon out of the enemies hand and gets the blessings out of Gods hand Lastly work in hope the Apostle saith he that ploughs shall plough in hope 1 Cor. 9. 10. hope is the souls anchor Heb. 6. 19. Cast this anchor upon the promise you shall never sink * Nothing more hinders us in our working then unbelief Sure saith a Christian I may toil all day for salvation and catch nothing What is
as God will not have slighted therefore it must be acquired by holy industry God loves not that the price of spiritual mercies should fall they that will have this precious flower of salvation must gather it in the sweat of their brows 2. We must work and take pains that we may be fitted for heaven a father will give his son the inheritance but first he will give him education that he may be fit for it God will settle salvation upon us but first he makes us meet for the inheritance * Col. 1. 12. While we are working we are running and fitting for heaven sinne is weakening grace is ripening while we are in combate we are fitting for the Crown First you season the vessel before you pour in the wine God wil season us with grace before he poures â—n the wine of glory * Quest 2. But if there must be this working how is it said that Christs yoak is easie* Answ. To the fleshly part it is hard but where there is a new and holy principle infused Christs yoak is easie * 't is not a yoak but a Crown When the wheeles of the soul are oiled with grace now a Christian moves in the way of Religion with facility and alacrity A childe delights in obeying his father it was Pauls heaven to serve God I delight in the Law of God in the inner man Rom. 7. 22. and how swiftly is the soul carried upon those wings Christs service is freedome therefore the Apostle calls it {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a Law of liberty Jam. 1. 25. To serve God to love God to enjoy God is the sweetest liberty in the world Christ doth not as Pharaoh make his people serve with rigor Exod 1. 13. but he layes upon them the constraints of love 2 Cor. 5. 14. His precepts are not burdens but priviledges not fetters but ornaments Thus his yoak is easie but to an unregenerate man the yoak hath a nail in it it galls and vexeth * nay so far as corruption prevails the best heart findes some reluctancy And so much for the first reason the difficulty of the work The second Reason why we must put forth so much holy sweat and industry about salvation is because of the rareness of this work but few shall be saved therefore we had need work the harder that we may be in the number of these few The way to hell is a road way the cawsey of it is paved with riches and pleasure it hath a golden cawsey therefore there are daily so many travellers in it but the way to heaven lies out of the road 't is an unbeaten path and few can finde it * the criers up of universal grace say that Christ died intentionally for all but then why are not all saved can Christ be frustrate of his intention Some are so grosse to aver that all shall actually be saved But hath not our Lord Christ told us That the gate is straite and few there be that finde it Mat. 7. 14. how all can go in at this gate and yet but few find it seems to me a Paradox The drove of men goes to the shambles but a remnant shall be saved Rom. 9. 27. The whole diece is cut off and goes to the devil a remnant only saved most of the world are wind-falls That olive-tree Is. 17. 6. with two or three olive-berries on the top of the uppermost bough may be a fit emblem of the paucity of those that shal be saved Satan goes away with the harvest God hath only a few gleanings In this great City if it should go by vote and by pole the devil would carry it Some of the learned observe * that divide the world into thirty equal parts nineteen of those thirty are overspread with Heathenish idolatry six of the eleven remaining with the doctrine of Mahomet so that there remaines but five parts of the thirty where is any thing of Christianity among those Christians so many seduced Papists on one hand and formal Protestants on the other that surely but few are saved It being thus it should make us strive the more tanquam pulvere olympico that we may be of the number of those few who shall inherit salvation The third Reason why we should put forth so much vigor about the work of salvation is because of the possibility of the work Impossibility kills all endeavour Who will take pains for that which he thinks there is no hope ever of obtaining but there is hope in Israel concerning this * Salvation is a thing feasible it may be had O Christians though the gate of Paradise be strait yet the gate is open 'T is shut against the Devils 't is yet open to you who would not croud hard to get in * 'T is but paring off your sinnes 't is but unloading some of your thick clay * 't is but asswaging the swelling humour of your pride and you may get in at the strait gate This possibility nay probability of salvation may put life into your endeavour If there be corn to be had * why should you sit starving in your sins any longer Use 1. Information it shews us that salvation is not so facile a thing as most do imagine many do phancy a fine easie way to heaven a sigh or tear or Lord have mercy will save them these are in a golden dream The text tells us of working out salvation * Basil compares the way to heaven to a man going over a narrow bridge if he treads never so little aside he falls in and drowns He that thinks the way is easie was never yet in the way There are so many precepts to obey so many promises to beleeve so many tentations to resist that we shall not finde the way easie There must not only be diligence but violence Beloved heaven-gate is not like that iron-gate Acts 12. 10. which opened to Peter of its own accord no there must be knocking and striving Jacob obtained the blessing in the garments of Esau Esau in the Hebrew signifies working * if you would weare this embroidered garment of salvation you must have it by working Work out your salvation Hannibal forced a way for his Army over the Alpes we must force our way to glory through difficulties I like the impress one gave viz. a hand with a pick-axe digging a way through a rock with this Motto inveniam aut faciam either I will find a way or make it we must to heaven through sweat blood There 's nothing got without hard labour You cannot have the world without labour and would you have Christ and salvation Do men dig for lead and not much more for gold 'T is observable that Adam in Paradise was not idle but did dresse the vine-yard The Angels themselves though they are glorious Spirits yet they are Ministring Spirits * God hath put
the rags that hang upon him God hates a dull temper We reade in the Law that the Asse being a dull creature must not be offered up in Sacrifice Spiritual activity is a badge of honour 3. Working out salvation is that which will make death and heaven sweet to us 1. It will sweeten death He that hath been hard at work all day how quietly doth he sleep at night you that have been working out salvation all your lives how comfortably may you lay down your head at night in the grave upon a pillow of dust in hope of a glorious resurrection this will be a death-bed cordial 2. It will sweeten heaven The more paines we have taken for heaven the sweeter will it be when we come there 'T is delightful for a man to look over his work and see the fruit appear * When he hath been planting trees in his Orchard or setting flowers 't is pleasant to behold and review his labours Thus in heaven when we shall see the fruit of our labours the end of our faith salvation 1 Pet. 1. 9. This will make heaven the sweeter The more paines we have taken for heaven the more welcome it will be the more sweat the more sweet When a man hath been sinning the pleasure is gone and the sting remains * but when he hath been repenting the labour is gone and the joy remains 4. Yet you have time to work This text and Sermon would be out of season to preach to the damned in hell If I should bid them work it is too late their time is past 't is night with the devils 't is yet day with you Work while it is day John 9. 4. If you lose your day you lose your soules There is not only {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} but {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} This is the season for your souls Now God commands now the Spirit breaths now Ministers beseech and as so many bells of Aaron would chime in your souls to Christ Oh improve your season this is your seed-time now sowe the seeds of faith and repentance If when you have seasons you want hearts the time may come when you have hearts you shall want seasons Take time while you may the Mariner hoists up his sailes while the winde blows never had a people a fairer gale for heaven than you of this City and will you not set forward in your voyage What riding is there to the Tearm I warrant you the Lawyer will not lose his Term Oh my brethren now is the Tearm-time for your souls now plead with God for mercy or at least get Christ to plead for you Think seriously of these foure things First our life doth unravel apace Gregory compares our life to the mariner in a ship going full saile We are every day sailing apace to eternity Secondly The seasons of grace though they are precious yet not permanent Abused mercies will like Noahs dove take their wings and fly from us Englands golden houre will soon run out Gospel-blessings are very sweet but very swift Now they are hid from thine eyes Luk. 19 42. We know not how soon the Golden Candlestick may remove Thirdly There is a time when the spirit hath done striving * There are certain spring-tydes of the spirit and these being neglected possibly we may never see another tide come in When conscience hath done speaking usually the spirit hath done striving Fourthly the losse of Gospel-opportunityes will be the hell of hell When a sinner shall at the last day think with himself O what I might have been I might have been as rich as the Angels as rich as heaven could make me I had a season to work in but I lost it * This This will be as a vulture gnawing upon him this will inhance and accent his misery And let all this perswade you speedily to work out your salvation Fifthly you may do this work and not hinder your other work working out salvation and working in a calling are not inconsistent And this I insert to prevent an objection Some may say but if I work so hard for heaven I shall have no time for my trade No sure the wise God would never make any of his commands to interfere as he would have you seek his Kingdom Mat. 6. 33. so he would have you provide for your family 1 Tim. 5. 8. you may drive two trades together I like not those that make the Church exclude the shop that swallow up all their time in hearing but neglect their work at home * 2 Thes. 3. 11. They are like the Lillies of the field which toile not neither do they spin * God never sealed warrants to idlenesse He both commands and commends diligence in a calling Which may the rather encourage us to look after salvation because this work will not take us off our other work A man may with Caleb follow God fully Numb. 14. 34. and yet with David follow the ewes great with young Piety and industry may dwell together Sixthly The inexcusablenesse of those that neglect working out their salvation Methinks I hear God expostulating the case with men at the last day after this manner why did ye not work I gave you time to work I gave you light to work by I gave you my Gospel my Spirit my Ministers I bestowed Talents upon you to trade I set the recompence of reward before you why did ye not work out your salvation Either it must be sloath or stubbornesse Was there any work ye did of greater concernment You could work in brick but not in gold What can you say for your selves why the sentence should not passe Oh how will the sinner be left speechlesse at such a time and how will this cut him to the heart to think with himselfe he neglected salvation and could give no reason for it Seventhly the unexpressible misery of such as do not work out salvation Those that sleep in spring shall beg in harvest After death when they look to receive a full Crop of glory they will be put to beg as Dives for one drop of water Vagrant persons that will not work are sent to the house of correction Such as will not work out salvation let them know hell is Gods house of correction that they must be sent to If all this doth not prevaile consider lastly what it is we are working for none will take paines for a trifle We are working for a Crown for a Throne for a Paradise * and all this is comprized in that one word salvation Here is a whet-stone to industry All men desire salvation 'T is the Crown of our hopes We should not think any labour too much for this * What paines will men take for earthly Crowns and Scepters And suppose the Kingdomes of the world were more illustrious then they are their foundations of Gold their walls of pearl