him Iam. 4.4 for the amitie of the world is the enimitie of God and whosoeuer will be a friend of the world maketh himselfe the enemie of God Let vs remember that wee are in the latter end of the world And therefore they that haue wiues 1 Cor. 7.29.30.31 must be aâ— though they had none and they that weepe as though they wept not and they that reioyce as though they reioyced not and they that buy as though they possessed not and they that vse this world as though they vsed it not for the fashion of this world goeth away that is let vs not fixe and tie our affections on earthly things Heb. 13. â—4 For we haue hâ—ere no continuing Citie but wee seeke one to come but let vs hunger and thâ—rst after â—ighteousnessâ— that we may be filled with eternall blessednesse through our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus Amen KNOW THIS THAT GOD WILL bring thee to iudgement Luk. 21.36 Watch therfore and pray continually that ye may be counted worthie to escape all these things that shall come to passe and that ye may stand before the Sonne of man WHen our Sauiour had shewed the terriblenesse of that last and great day wherein hee will come to iudge all flesh and to giue to euery one after his doings hee exhorts all men to haue these things in continuall remembrance that they may attaine to eternall blessednes escape euerlasting wretchednes For they that are drawne from sinne neither by the loue of God nor the desire of heauenly blessings nor by the embracing and following of vertue yet if they giue héede to that they heare they must néedes be terrified and consequently something refrained from euill by the expectation and looking for of this dreadfull iudgemâ—nt And therefore our Sauiour propounds this as a meaneâ— to reclaime obdurate and obstinate offenders and concludes the fearefull description of the day of doome with this admonition Watch therfore and pray continually that ye may be counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to passe and that wee may stand before the Sonne of man And that which in this Euangelist is spoken briefely in Saint Matthew is expounded and amplified more largely where Christ saith Watch therefore Matt. 24.42 c. for ye knowe not what houre your Maister will come Of this be sure that if the good man of the house knewe at what watch the theefe would come hee would surely watch and not suffer his house to be digged through therefore be yee also readie for in the houre that yee thinke not will the sonne of man come Who then is a faithfull seruant and wise whom his Maister hath made ruler ouer his household to giue them meate in season Blessed is that seruant whom his Maister when he commeth shall finde so doing Verily I say vnto you he shall make him ruler ouer all his goods But if that euill seruant shall say in his heart my Maister doth deferre his comming begin to smite his fellowes and to eate and to drinke with the drunken that seruants Maister will come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an houre that he is not ware of and will cut him off and giue him his portion with hypocrites there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Likewise our Sauiour saith in S. Marke Take heede watch and pray Mar. 13.33.34 c. for ye know not when the time is For the Sonne of man is as a man going into a strange countrey and leaueth his house and giueth authoritie to his seruants and to â—uery man his worke and commandeth the porter to watch Watch yee therefore for yee know not when the Maister of the house will come at euen or at midnight at the cocke crowing or in the dawning least if he come suddenly he should finde you sleeping And those things that I say vnto you I say vnto all men Watch. Now to the end we may be the more prepared and the more watchfull and the more earnest in praier let vs weigh with our selues first the dreadfulnes of the last iudgement secondly why the day thereof is not knowne thirdly whereunto the expectation and remembrance thereof is profitable 1. The dreadfulnes of the last iudgement The fearefulnes of the last iudgement the Lord describes in the foregoing words when he saith Then there shall be signes in the Sunne and in the Moone and in the Starres and vpon the earth trouble among the nations with perplexitie the sea and the waters shall roare and mens hearts shall faile them for feare and for looking after those things which shall come on the world Luk. 21.25.26.27 for the powers of heauen shall be shaken and then shall they see the Sonne of man come in a cloud with power and great glorie Thus also it is expressed in Saint Matthew Matt. 24. â—9 30.31 And immediately after the tribulation of those daies shall the Sunne be darkened and the Moone shall not giue her light and the Starres shall fall from heauen and the powers of heauen shall be shaken And then shall appeare the signe of the Sonne of man in heauen and then shall all the kinreds of the earth mourne and they shall see the Sonne of man come in the clouds of heauen with power and great glorie And he shall send his Angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together his elect from the fower windes and from the one end of the heauens vnto the other The substance of Christs words is this that then all Elements and heauenly bodies shall both suffer strangely in themselues to affright the wicked and shall also work strangely on the wicked by casting vpon them diuerse torments as well of soule as of body and that all Creatures aboue and beneath shall be cryers and trumpetters to summon men before that horrible Tribunall seate which because they haue contemned therefore they haue persisted still in all vngodlines How the Sun shall be darkened the Moone shall not giue her light and the starres shall fall from heauen and the powers of heauen shall be shaken and the sea and floods shall roare in such ghastly sort that men shall be readie to yeeld vp the ghost through feare and anguish At this time we cannoâ— coniecture but the euent it selfe will declare and though the manner thereof be not knowne to vs yet to God it is well knowne But howsoeuer it shall be because the vse of the scripture is by the darkening of the Sunne Moone and Starres and by the like things as Christ héere foretels to discipher and signifie the extreame stormes and tempests of Gods wrath vengeance therefore those threatning predictions in the old Prophets may be applied to the last day of Iudgement in which they prophesie that the world shal be in such anguish perplexitie as that men shal thinke the Sun to be darkened the Moone to be bloodie the Sars
1. Cor. 2.14 for spirituall things are spiritually discerned When the spirit of God comes vpon vs then these muddie and earthly cogitations and delights and desires will flée from vs. It fared so with Saul for at Samuels first spéech of the Kingdome he answered contemptuously and sportingly Am not I the sonne of Iemini of the smallest Tribe of Israell 1. Sam. 9.21 and my Familie is the least of all the families of the tribe of Beniamin wherefore then speakest thou so to mee But when he was annointed with oyle when the Spirite of the Lorde came vpon him hée tooke to him a royall minde and changed into another man he began to imagine things worthy of his estate It is hard indéed to contemne the pompe of the world and the enticements of riches and the allurements and baites of pleasures but wée must not cease from attempting for euery good vertuous thing is hard Learne of Salomon to séeke first the kingdom of God and his righteousnes for when God appeared vnto him by night and saide 1. King 3.9 Aske what I shall giue thee Salomon asked not for himselfe long life nor riches nor the life of his enemies but an vnderstanding heart to discerne betweene good and bad Learne of Iob to séeke first the kingdome of God and his righteousnes Iob. 1.5 For when the dayes of his childrens banquetting were gone about thinking that they had sinned and blasphemed God in their hearts hée was accustomed daily to sanctifie his children and to rise vp early in the morning and to offer burnt Offerings according to the number of his Children Learne of Daniel to seeke first the kingdom of God and his righteousnes for when hée vnderstood Dan. 6.10 that the King had established the statute that whosoeuer should aske any petition of any god or man for thirtie dayes saue of the King he should be cast into the Lyons denne hee went into his house and couragiously opening his window in his chamber toward Ierusalem he knéeled vpon his knées thrée times a day and prayed and praised his God as he did aforetime Learne of Dauid to séeke first the kingdome of God and his righteousnes who affirmes of himselfe Psal 55.7 that with forcible vehemencie he would pray call vnto God Ps 5.17 Euening and Morning and at Noone and that he did crie vnto the Lord his prayer should early come before him and that he had sworne vnto the Lorde Ps 88.13 and vowed vnto the mightie God of Iacob that he would not enter into the tabernacle of his house nor come vp vpon his pallet Psal 132.2.3.4.5 or bed nor suffer his eyes to â—leepe nor his eye-lids to slumber vntill he had found out a place for the Lorde an habitation for the mightie GOD of Iacob Learne of the very Ethnickes and Pagans to séeke first the kingdome of God and his righteousnes For they had the first and chiefest care for their Religion and superstition and did establish compose and settle that before all other things Lampridius writes in the life of Alexander Seuerus the Romane Emperor that when hee heard a controuersie betweene some Christians and certaine Hucksters or Inne-kéepers touching a common place and field which the Christians kept to pray therein but the Inne-kéepers saide it was theirs and in former times properly belonged vnto them the infidell Emperor answered Quoquo modo fit satius est eo in loco Deum câ—lâ—quam cauponas exercere Howsoeuer it be â—â—â—h he it is better that GOD be worshipped in that place then that Inne-kéeping should be there vsed In the Senate of Rome those things were euer first proposed which concerned Religion and the worship of their gods Albertus Noui-camp in orat ad Hungar. Princip And at this day as often as the Great-Turke doth deliberate with his Bassaes and Nobles a Professor of their law is commanded to be present to take carefull héede that nothing be concluded against their Religion It is memorablie reported of Albinius Val. Max. lib. 1. ca. 1. that when the Galles had taken Rome and the Flamen and Vestall virgins fled with the implements and instruments of Religion Albinius carrying his wife children in a Carte or Waggon preferring publike Religion before priuate charitie commaunded his people to descend from the waggon and placed therein the Flamen and Vestal virgins for their easier carriage of the holie things and by this his forward yet blind deuotion makes one to say that this course and homely waine did either equal or exceed the most glittering triuÌ„phall charriot that euer was Cannot Christs commaundement Cannot the vnconceiueable glorie and ioyes of Gods heauenly kingdome prepared for those that loue and feare God vnfainedly Cannot the examples of Gods true Seruants that haue shined as Lamps and starres in the middest of wicked wordlings stirre vs vp to séeke first the kingdome of God and his Righteousnes Why then let vs blush for shame to be excéeded by the very Paganes and let vs do that in the worship of the true GOD. that they did in the adoring of their Idols least otherwise they arise against vs in the day of iudgement and condemne vs. Quintus Cicero writing a tract to his brother Marcus Cicero De petit Consul â—t touching the suing for the Consulship which was then the highest ordinary dignitie in the world admonisheth him to set this alway before his eyes minde whether he were at home or whether he weÌ„t into the Common-place or whether he entred into the Senate-house and to say to himselfe these words Nouus sum Consulatum peto Roma est I am of no ancient house I am a sutor for the Consulship I sue for it at Rome For he thought that each of these was able to prouoke and excite him to vertue First that he was not a Romane citizen borne nor of an Ancient house but an Arpinate and descended of an obscure Familie Secondly that he sought after the supreme dignitie Thirdly that hée sued for it in the Citie of Rome the most magnificeÌ„t stage of the whole world and among a great number of most worthy Competitors But wée Christians all and singular doe séeke and sue not for a Consulship in one citie but for the kingdome of Heauen Therefore that we may séeke it aright let euery one of vs say to himselfe Nouus sum gloriam beatitudinem aeternam peto Coelum est I am naturally no citizen of Heauen I seeke for the glorie and happines that is eternall Heauen is the place First wée are not borne Citizens of the kingdome of Heauen as our first Father Adam was in the Paradise of pleasure and in the state of Innocencie But wee are by nature sonnes of wrath strangers soiourners and pilgrims borne in the worlde that lyeth all in sinne and borne of the Flesh and conceiued in iniquitie We liue in a cursed earth in which we eate our bread with the
to léese their brightnes the earth to tremble the Sea to roare and all things else to manace a present ruine not as if it were so indéed but because men shall be so straitned as that they shall thinke it is so And because those notable reuengements of God on the Babylonians Tyrians Egyptians Iewes other nations were as it were paintings out of the great day of iudgement and forerunners thereof we may fitly apply vnto that day such descriptions as the Prophets haue made of those reuengements Behold then what Isaiah saith speaking of the punishment of the Babylonians Behold the day of the Lord commeth Isa 13.9 c. cruell with wrath and fierce anger to lay the land waste and he shall destroy the sinners out of it for the stars of heauen and the planets thereof shall not giue their light the Sunne shall be darkened in his going fâ—rth and the Moone shall not cause her light to shine Therefore I will saith the Lord shake the heauen and the earth shall moue out of her place in the wrath of the Lord of hoasts and in the day of his fierce anger and it shall be as a chased Doe and as a sheepe that no man taketh vp and I will visite the wickednes vpoÌ„ the world and their iniquitie vpon the wicked and I will cause the arrogancie of the proud to cease and will cast downe the pride of tyrants Behold againe what the same Prophet saith speaking of the punishment of all vngodly enemies of the Lords Church Isai 34.1.2 c. Come neere yee nations and heare and hearken ye people let the earth heare and all that is therein the world and all that proceedeth thereof for the indignation of the Lord is vpon all nations and his wrath vpon all their armies he hath destroyed them and deliuered them to the slaughter and their slaine shall be cast out and their stinke shall come vp out of their bodies and the mountaines shall be melted with their blood and all the hoast of heauen shall be dissolued and the heauens shall be folden like a Booke and all their hoasts shall fall as the leafe falleth from the vine and as it falleth from the figge tree Behold againe what Ezekiel saith Ezek. 32.4 c. speaking of the punishment of Egypt I will leaue thee vpon the land saith the Lord God and I will cast thee vpon the open field and I will cause all the foules of the heauen to remaine vpon thee and I will fill all the beasts of the field with thee and I will lay thy flesh vpon the mountaines and fill the vallies with thine heigth I will also water with thy blood the land wherein thou swimmest euen to the mountaines and the riuers shall be full of thee and when I shall put thee out I will couer the heauen and make the starres thereof darke I will couer the Sunne with a cloud and the moone shall not giue her light all the lights of heauen will I make darke for thee and bring darkenes vpon thy land saith the Lord God Behold againe what the Prophet Ioel saith speaking of the plagues that should light vpoÌ„ the Iewes Ioel. 2.1.2.31 Blowe the trumpet in Zyon and shoute in mine holy mountaine let all the inhabitants of the land tremble for the day of the Lord is come for it is at hand a day of darkenes and of blacknes a day of clouds and obscuritie the Sunne shall be turned into darkenes and the Moone into blood When we behold these and the like spéeches let vs suppose that they are foretellings of the last iudgement When the Psalmist saith The God of Gods euen the Lord hath spoken and called the earth from the rising vp of the Sunne Psal 50.1.3.4 vnto the going downe thereof our God shall come and shall not keepe silence a fire shall deuour before him and a mightie tempest shall be moued round about him he shall call the heauen aboute Zephan 1.14 c. the earth to iudge his people When the Prophet Zephania saith The great day of the Lord is neere it is neere and hasteth greatly eueÌ„ the voyce of the day of the Lord the strong man shall crye there bitterly that day is a day of wrath a day of trouble heauines a day of destruction desolation a day of obscuritie darkenes a day of clouds and blackenes a day of the trumpet alarme against the strong cities and against the high towers and I will bring distresse vpon men saith the Lord that they shall walke like blind men because they haue sinned against the Lord and their blood shall be powred out as dust and their flesh as the dongue neither their siluer nor their gold shal be able to deliuer them in the day of the Lords wrath but the whole land shal be deuoured by the fire of his iealousie for he shall make euen a speedie riddance of theÌ„ that dwell in the land When the Prophet Daniel saith I behold Dan. 7.9.10 till the thrones were set vp and the ancient of daies did sit whose garment was white as snowe and the haire of his head like the pure wooll his throne was like the fiery flame his wheeles as burning fire a firie streame issued came foorth from before him thousand thousands ministred vnto him and ten thousand thousands stood before him the iudgement was set the bookes opened When these things are spoken what else is it but that the Diuine saith And I sawe a great white throne Reu. 20.11.12.13 and one that sate on it from whose face fled away both the earth heauen and their place was no more found and I sawe the dead both great small stand before God the bookes were opened another Booke was opened which is the booke of life and the dead were iudged of those things which were written in the bookes according to their workes And the sea gaue vp her dead which were in her and death and hell deliuered the dead which were in them and they were iudged euery man according to their workes This is the second comming of Christ much differing from his first comming For in his first comming he appeared humble in the shape of a seruant in his second coÌ„ming he shall appeare stately in the shape of the King of Kings and Iudge of all in his first coÌ„ming he was subiect to reproach in his second comming he shall shine in glorie in his first coÌ„ming he appeared weake in his secoÌ„d comming he shall appeare in heauenly power in his first comming he did vndergoe the iudgement and condemnation of the reprobate in his second comming he shall iudge and condemne all the wicked and reprobate In his first comming he fought like little Dauid against Goliah without worldly furniture in his second comming he will descend like armed and angrie Dauid 1. Sam. 25 21.22 against vnthankefull Nabal and will say as Dauid said
the trauell vpon a woman with childe and they shall not escape Luk. 21.35 And our Sauiour saith also that that day shall come as a snare on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth Very fitly may the comming of that great day be compared vnto a snare For as a bird or beast feares nothing lesse then the snare but they flee and wâ—nder freely and without feare in the fields and woods seeking their foode and yet by the câ—aft and Arte of men of which they are not aware they fall into traps and snares and so are slaine euen so vpon earthly men which dwell vpon the face of the earth and which still gape on gaine of the world the prouidence of God which such people thinke not of brings the iudgement of God suddenly and so holdes them entangled in eternall condemnation The day then of iudgement must néedes be vncertaine since Christ sets it forth by very sudden things to wit Noahs floud a théefe a snare And the cause of the vncertaine day thereof is that we should take héede beware watch pray and be prepared If the bird or beast did know of the snare before hand how carefully would they auoid it For if the bird or beast once escape out of the snare they will hardly returne to that place againe Against théeues men build strong houses and shut their doores with lockes and barres and kéepe their dwellings with dogges and watchmen and weapons If there were as great care for the soule and eternall saluation as for the life temporall and earthly treasures and possessions who would not be readie for the day of iudgement And as God hath hidden the time of this last iudgement from vs that we should daily and hourely expect Christs comming and be watchfull that that day finde vs not vnreadie and that the number of the elect may be fulfilled 2. Pet. 3.9 Reu. 6.11 and the remnant of the faithfull may be called by the Gospell to the Church of Christ and that our faith hope and patience may be tryed and we stird vp to repentance and that the vngodly that contemne the lenitie of God Rom. 2.4.5 and the space that he hath so bountifully granted for their amendment may be made more and more inexcusable 2. Pet. 3.8.9 so also God hath hidden the time of the iudgement from vs to bridle our curiositie that we should not enquire after his hidden and secret Counsels For Christ himselfe saies That of that day and houre knoweth no man Mar. 13.32 not the Angels which are in heauen neither the Son himselfe but the Father In which words our Sauiour would hold the mindes of the faithfull in suspence least by false imagination they should prefixe a day and certaine time for the last redemption For such is mens curiositie that neglecting things necessarie to be knowne they most scrupulously desire to know that which God hath not vouchsafed to reueale vnto them The Apostles themselues were attainted of this curiositie and for this cause Christ said vnto them when they asked whether hee would restore the kingdome to Israel It is not for you Act. 1.6.7 said he to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power Therefore to draw vs from this curiositie and to cut off all occasion of enquirie after that Christ had discouered of his comming and the occurrences thereof hee presently speakes of the vncertaine day and houre therof For hee would haue the day of his comming to be so looked for and hoped for as that none should presume to enquire when hee would come and he would haue his disciples to walke in such light of faith as that being vncertaine of the time they should patiently waite for the reuelation thereof And therefore we must take héede that we be not more carefull and curious in the seasons and moments of time then the Lord doth permit For the chiefest part of Christian wisedome consisteth herein that we containe our selues within the limits and precincts of the word of God And therefore when the Apostle for the consolation of the godly had fore-tolde some things of the last times and Christes comming hee immediately addeth against this curiositie But of the times and seasons 1. Thess 5.1 brethren saith he yee haue no neede that I write vnto you Yea why should it gréeue men to be ignorant of that day since the Angels of GOD know it not Were it not too great pride and too importunate desire for vs wormes and wretches that créepe on the earth to séeke to know more then the Angels of heauen Therefore let vs be willing to be ignorant of that of which God would haue vs to be ignorant Yea were it not the extreamest folly to be vnwilling to submit our selues to that ignorance which the very Sonne of God himselfe hath not refused to vndertake for our sake Indéede for that many haue thought that it becommeth not Christ to be ignorant of any thing they haue endeuoured to mollifiâ— the hardnesse of the spéech as they accounted it with their owne inuention And it may be that the malice of the Arrians who by this place laboured to prooue that Christ was not the true and onely God enforced them to this starting hole as to say that Christ knew not the houre of the Iudgement because he would not reueale it vnto other But séeing it is cleare that an ignorance is attributed to Christ common with the Angels some other fitter meaning must be sought out of these words For it is nothing to say that Christ is God and God is ignorant of nothing for there are in Christ two natures so ioyned in one person that each nature retaineth it owne proprieties and specially the Deitie did as it were rest and not shew it selfe foorth as often as for the accomplishing of the office of the Mediator it was requisite that the humane nature should by it selfe worke that which appertained vnto it Therefore it is no absurditie for Christ that knew all things as hee is God to be ignorant of something as he is man How else could he haue beene like vnto vs and subiect to griefe and heauinesse And it is a great absurditie for any to reply that ignorance which is the punishment for sinne beséemeth not Christ For first it is folly to thinke that the ignorance which is here ascribed to the Angels procéedeth from sinne and againe it is folly not to acknowledge that Christ tooke vpon him our flesh to the end he might vndergoe the punishments that were due to our sinnes And that Christ knew not the day and haâ—re of the last iudgement according to his humanitie it derogates no more from his diuine nature then that hee was once mortall and subiect to death Now questionlesse Christ in attributing this ignorance to himselfe had respect to the office enioyned him by his Father as he did when he said that it was not his
should goe out at them aboue all other I submissely implore your fauour for the acceptation and patronizing of my slender trauell beseechching you not to be displeased that I haue beene emboldned to dedicate this simple worke vnto you I was prouoked by your zeale to pure and vndefiled religioÌ„ by your vnpartiall regard of Iustice by your feruent affection to benefit your Countrey and by your loue to Learning and the learned which vertues as they are infused into you by the Author of all sincere vertue so they seeme in you to be hereditarie and deriued and transfused from your gracious Progenitors by these things I was prouoked to yeeld this testimony of your deserts as a consenting harmonie and generall applause of the multitude And thus praying the Lord to multiply and continue his mercies vpon you and yours I humble commend this declaration of my reuerent and due conceit of your worthines vnto your selfe and your selfe vnto the Almightie Your Worships in all dutifulnes to be commaunded ROB WOLCOMBE THE SEEKING OF HEAVEN Matt. 6.33 But seeke ye first the kingdome of God and his righteousnes and all these things shall be ministred vnto you I It is the dutie of a sincere teacher of the will word of God Ier. 1.10 2. Cor 10.4 first to plucke vp iniquitie and to roote out vngodlines to destroy sinne to throwe downe the strong holdes of Sathan and then to build pietie and to plant the feare of the Lord. For as we see that thornes must be first pulled vp before good séede can be dispearsed with gaine and profit so none can apply their mindes to vertue before they lay aside the contrarie and repugnant vices Ier. 4.3 Isai 1.16 Psal 34.15 Therefore the Prophets exhorting sinners to repentance haue said that we must plough vp our fallow ground and not sowe vpon thornes and we must cease to doe euill and learne to doe well and we must decline from euill and doe that which is good The same order is obserued by Christ the true publisher of Gods pleasure For when he had sufficiently dehorted from anxietie and carefull pensiuenes touching earthly things as meate drinke and raiment namely because it hinders the seruice of God drawes vs to the seruice of Mâ—â—â—mo that is of worldly wealth and because it is foolish and superfluous for God will giue foode and raiment to his children for he that hath giuen life which is the greater will giue foode and raiment which is the lesser he that féedes the fowles of the heauen that neither sowe nor reape will he not féede his seruants that both sowe and reape he that cloathes the lillies that labour not nor spin will he not cloath his children that doe both these and when he had shewed both that this carefulnes is troublesome and profits nothing for who by carking can adde one cubite to his stature and that this anxietie pertaines to the Gentiles and Ethnicks which are ignorant of God and strangers from Christian religion and therefore ought to be far from vs that are Christians and doe acknowledge God to be our mercifull God and father When Christ had by these reasons disswaded from pensiue carefulnes now in these words he exhortes to godlines vertue and righteousnes saying But seeke ye first the kingdome of God and his righteousnes and all these things shall be ministred vnto you In which words there are contained two things the first is an exhortation in these words But seeke ye fâ—rst the kingdome of God and his righteousnes the second is a reason of the exhortation in these words And all these things shall be ministred vnto you We are exhorted to seeke principally and before all other things the kingdome of God and Gods righteousnes And what is the kingdome of God It is the kingdome of grace in this life wheÌ„ Gods holy spirit swaies and rules in our hearts doeth so transforme and alter vs that of enemies of God we are reconciled vnto him For we are by nature strangers from God and the commonwealth of Israel and replenished with all vncleannes and iniquitie Ioh. 3.5 Matt. 3.11 and the spirit of God and his grace is water to purifie our pollution and fire to burne away our drosse and rust and oyle to supple and soften our hardnes and the seede of godlines 1. Io. 2.20 1. Io. 3.9 Luk. 11.20 froÌ„ which our soules growe vp into faire and goodly trees in whose branches vertues and good workes make their nests and dwelling places and the finger of God that engraues in our hearts the will and commandement of God and obedience vnto the same Luk 1.32 In this kingdome of grace Christ Iesus is the King and high Lord appoynted by his father to rule and gouerne it In this kingdome of grace the Subiects are the faithfull whom Christ hath redeemed with his death and set â—ree from the tyrannie of Sathan In this kingdome of grace the lawes are the word of God wherein all things are commaunded that belong both to the humble seruice and obedience of that supreme King and to the concord of the Subiects and citizens In this kingdome of grace all things are spirituall namely the King himselfe his glorie power Subiects lawes reward and punishment of Rebels And therefore Christ saith to Pilate Ioh. 18.36 my kingdome is not of this world For Christ requires no such thing of his Subiects as earthly kings are wont to aske but contrarily he doth continually enrich them with his owne gifts and spirituall riches he makes all his Subiects partakers of his kingly dignitie which earthly Kings cannot doe he doth not onely commaund as other Kings doe but also giues vs his owne spirit which puts power into vs whereby we are made able to yéeld our humble and dutifull obedience to his commaundements Finally all other kingdomes are subiect to alteration change but this kingdome of grace is inuincible and shall endure vntill the last comming of Christ This is the kingdome that our Sauiour bids vs to séeke first and chiefly and therefore let vs all pray that we may be Subiects thereof For grace is the balme to cure the sores and sicknesses of our soules grace is the directer of our thoughts spéeches and works in the awe of God as the rudder rules the ship grace is the garment and robe that couers and clothes our naturall defects and imperfections grace is the celestiall influence that makes our minds to spring foorth into godly actions as the raine that drops from heauen bréedes fertilitie in the earth grace is the swéetner of our workes which are otherwise bitter and vnsauorie as they issue from our corrupt wels as Eliâ—haes salt cured the bitter and venemous water of the citie Iericho 1. King 2. And what can be more fitly said of grace then that Saint Austin hath said Tract in Iohan. 41. As the Physitian hates the infirmitie of the Patient and workes by curing
foolish in respect of the idlenes which they imagined in God because before the world was created God had greater things in himselfe wherein to worke then were the creation and gouernment of the world namely the ConteÌ„plation of his owne diuine Essence his infinite Loue the communication of the diuine persons and the election of them that shall inherite heaueÌ„ and yet it séemed to shewe some wisedome in that they did so much detest idlenesse as that they thought it did not become God If it become not God that néeds nothing how much lesse becomes it men that are of themselues most néedie and doe pray continually euen for daily bread S. Paul held idlenes so damnable a fault that he coÌ„mands the idle person to be restrained from meate 2. Thess 5.10 Herodd 2. For thus he writes to the ThessaloniaÌ„s When we were with you this we warned you of that if there were anie which would not work that he shuld not eate Amasis King of the Aegyptians made this Lawe that euerie one of his Subiects should shew yéerely to the Gouernors of his prouinces by what meanes he liued and that he that did not this or could not shewe by what lawfull courses hee liued should be put to death Socrates and Draco brought the same law into the citie of Athens Sabell l. 6. ca. â— and the highest Court and counsell of the Areopagites partly established it And at Florence in Italie at this day the idle persons are grieuously punished and if anie being asked whence hee gets his Dyet and cloathes cannot yéelde a probable reason hée is either sorely punished or else bannished out of the Citie as a pernitious member The Gymnosophists who were the wise men of India did so farre detest loytering that when meete was set on the table they did first aske of the young men what they had learned or done after they rose in the morning and he that gaue no fitte answer was debarred of his dinner And they buried Loyterers that had done nothing in their life as if they had not liued at all no otherwise then brute beasts are buried Among the Romanes he that did not looke well to his fielde but suffered the bryars and mosse to ouergrowe it And hée that did not proyne his Trées vynes had a Fyne set on his head by the Censor Among the Anabathaej they were heauily amerced that did by negligence and sloath diminish that Wealth which their fathers had left them Among the Lucanj who in olde time inhabited part of Italie men were Indited as well for Idlenes as for other crimes and if any were conuicted for lending any thing to any that liued in idlenes and pleasure it was decreed that he should léese that he had lent But what should the ordinaÌ„ces of other Nations be rehearsed Wée haue as necessarie and laudable Statutes enacted against Vagrant persons sturdie Beggers and Loyterers as anie couÌ„trey euer had or now hath and if readie execution which is the vigor and soule of the Lawe were answerable to the strictnes goodnes of the Law and if the Lawe in this case were not oftentimes as a sword hiddeÌ„ in a scabberd hée that should inueigh against Idlenes Loytering shuld but set vp a man of straw to fight wtall It appéereth then by the Word of GOD by the course of Nature by the censure of Philosophers by the Lawes of Heathenish nations and by the Decrees of all well-gouerned Kingdoms that Idlenes is a most odious sin and therfore to be shunned abandoned from euery honest well disposed person Wherefore if Magistrates Officers shall foreslacke to administer iudgement iustice shall deale corruptly partially in their places and shall not punish the offendor and giue reward and encouragement to the well-doer they must be content to haue this spéech of the Householder applyed to theÌ„ Why stand ye here all the day idle If Ministers and Shepheards of soules shall not regard to féede the flockes ouer which the holy Ghost hath made theÌ„ ouerseers but shall suffer the wolfe to scatter and teare the shéepe whome CHRIST hath raunsomed redéemed with his precious bloud they must be content to haue this sâ—éech of the Householder applied to them Why stand yee here all the day idle If those that are adorned with wisedome vnderstaÌ„ding experience other profitable gifts doe not exercise them to Gods glorie and the good of humane societie but do shut them vp as close prisoners vnder loâ—ke or as rare iewels in a boxe they must be content to haue this spéech of the housholder applied to them Why stand yee here all the day idle If the rich in this world be not rich in God in good works and doe not endeuor to lay vp a sure foundation against the time to come but doe trust in vncertain riches and set their harts on them forgetting the necessity and penurie of such as desire but the crummes of their superfluities they must be content to haue this spéech of the Householder applied to them Why stand yee heere all the day idle If Artificers craftesmen that haue no other meanes but the labor of their hands by which they may maintaine theÌ„selues their families delight in loytering and waÌ„dering vp downe the stréetes and in haunting Tauerns Alehouses and in carouzing bouzing so long till they spend all their thrift and leaue thereby either their sicknes or their old-age or their children or all these to bee relieued by the compassion of others whereas if they would learne of the Pismiâ—e they might rather bee helpfull then burthensome to their neighbors and if hirelings and day-labourers make no conscieÌ„ce to discharge their dutie but worke negligently not regarding the charges prouision bestowed vpon them they must be content to haue this speech of the householder applied to them Why staÌ„d ye here all the day idle If the ignorant in the mysteries of Christs religion do either disdaine to be instructed or refuse to be admonished or procéede verie little in knowledge or stand at a staie as vnfruitfull hearers though they beare the world in hand that they are sauorers of the word of God and Gospell of Christ by diligent frequenting the Church and attending to the word read or preached they must be content to haue this spéech of the householder applied to them Why stand ye heere all the day idle If the swearer blasphemer drunkard adulterer enuious and malitious person or any other addicted to some one or other spirituall sinne doe stop their eares with the deafe adder as that they will not heare the voyce of the charmer charme he neuer so skilfully and doe harden their hearts like a diamond that the words of exhortation cannot enter and doe cast reproofe behind their backs putting ouer their amendment and conuersion from yeare to yeare from moneth to moneth and from day to day till the wrath of God suddenly ouertake them béeing like those
iourney except he trauell forward continually We must goe to heauen and the iourney is long for we must ouercome many tentations and kéepe many commaundements and doe many good workes and endure many tribulations before we can come thither The time for trauelling to heauen is this life whose daies are short and we cannot be sure of to morrowe Why then doe we loyter in the waie Nay why doe we slumber When there are many impediments in our waie as when it is hard to finde or théeues lye in ambush or the passage is rough and vneasie is it not néedefull that the Traueller should walke so much the more spéedily In the path of life there are many trials many conteruailes of Sathan many difficulties therefore we must neuer loyter but hold on continually If a friend offer vnto vs the meanes whereby we may be deliuered from inconueniences doth not he abuse his friend that neglects those meanes God daily affoordes vs his grace by meanes of which we are certainly freed from the daunger of leesing our soules and shall we abuse the long suffering of God in not apprehending the grace and fauour of the Almightie At a word is not he to be blamed iustly that omits the opportunitie and iust occasion to obtaine any thing It is vsually said that time and tide tarrie for none And Ausonius thus describes the statue and representation of Occasion and opportunitie which Pâ—â—dias carued that she stoode on a wheele to shew her rowling inconstancie that she had wings on her féete to shew her haâ—tie departure that she had a loâ—ke of haire on her forehead to shew how hardly she can be discerned and that she must be apprehended when she offers her selfe that the hinder part of her head was bald to shew that she could not be caught if she were once escaped and that her companion is Repentance to shew that sorrowe waits on those as a due portion that reiect iust occasion of doing good when it is offred vnto them Apelles the famous painter was wont to complaine that he had lost that day in which he had drawne no line and shall not the godly be grieued if they haue spent a day without procéeding and profiting in godlines and in the feare of God One saies that we must chiefly be héedfull of two times the morning and the euening that is we must consider what we will doe and what we haue done for so we shall in good sort both dispose our time and order our dutie And therefore Catoes manner was to repeat in the Euening what he had done séene or read in the day before and to recall himselfe to an account not onely for his busines but for his leisure The wise man fully perceiued that time is most pretious and the losse of time vnrecouerable Which thing if all men would consider the sharpe reprehension of the graue Censurer of depraued manners should not be renued in our age when he saies That we haue not little time Sen. but we leese much time that we receiue not a short life but make it short that we want not life but are wastfull of life and that whereas men are sparing in keeping their patrimony when they come to losse of time they are most prodigall in that in which couetousnesse and pinching deserues commendation If we must thinke all time lost wherein we haue not thought of God as Bernard saies when we call our selues to a reckoning how slender a part of our life shall we finde imparted on God how few houres spent in his seruice how rare the thoughts directed and erected towards Heauen Let many carefully recount what they haue thought spoken done in the day what shall they sée but innumerable wicked vnbridled thoughts idle words redounding neither to the profite of the speaker nor hearer backbitings slaunders lyings blasphemies swearings and a whole haruest of vanitie and iniquitie Indéed all our life is the time appointed of God for the laying hold on his grace which bringeth saluation vnto beléeuers but let vs suppose euery day to be our last day and this time to be the accepted time and this day to be the day of saluation and then we will in no case permit this time of grace to slip and slide away and we shall performe the Prophets exhortation Esai 55.6.7 Seeke ye the Lord while he may be found call ye vpon him while he is neere let the wicked forsake his waies and the vnrighteous hiâ— owne imaginations and returne vnto the Lord and he will haue mercie vpon him and to our God for he is very readie to forgiue Wherefore let vs not curiously prie into other mens actions but descend euery man into his owne soule and sée how we haue laboured in Gods vineyard And that we may be the willinger to worke in the vineyard and to employ the talents with which we are entrusted to the glorie of our Maister Christ and the edifying of his elect let vs haue an eye to that wages and pennie which shall be paied vnto vs in the Euening when this transitorie and wretched life is ended And what is that peÌ„nie It is eternal life it is our Masters ioy it is the glorie of heauen it is the wiping away of all teares it is the resting from all labors it is the end of sorrowe sicknes trouble care hatred anger it is the beginning perpetuall enioying of true pleasure ioy blessednes Austen saith excellently Soliloq c. 21. If thou O Lord hast ordained for this base corruptible body so great and so many blessings from the heauen aire the earth the sea the light and darkenes the heate and shadow the deaw and shewers the wind and raine the birds and fishes the beasts and trées and the varietie of hearbs plants which successiuely serue our turnes ease our tedious loathing what maner how great infinite are those good things which thou hast prepared for those that loue thée in that heaueÌ„ly countrie where we shall sée thée face to face If thou bestowe so great things on vs now being in prison what wilt thou bestowe vpoÌ„ vs when we are in the Palace If thou giue vs such comforts pledges of thy loue in the day of teares what wilt thou giue vs on the mariage day If thy gifts are so infinite diuerse which thou impartest both on thy friends and enemies how swéete and delectable shall those be which thou wilt bestowe vpon thy friends alone And elsewhere he saith Enarrat in Psal 85. ô my brethren thinke on and consider the good things which God giueth to sinners and by them vnderstand what he kéepeth for his seruants God giueth the heauen and the earth God giueth fountaines fruits health children plentie abundance to sinners that doe blaspheme him daily He that giueth these things to sinners what must we suppose doth he reserue for his faithfull people This hath béene the wisedome of the Saints when
a woman vanisheth away wheÌ„ a child is borne The billowes and surging Seas may dash against Christs Church Matt. 16.18 but for that it is stablished and setled on CHIST the Rocke the gates of Hell shall not preuaile against it For as Physitians vse Serpents Vipers in Triacle for the help of men so God vseth Sathan in tentation for the profite of his childreÌ„ and for this purpose so ordereth his tentations that as he should blind the hearts of the disobedient and at last punish them eternally so he should only trie make knowne the Faith Hope Patience and Constancie of the godly that Gods Grace may be sufficient for them and that after they haue bin tryed for a while they may receiue the crowne of glorie that neuer withereth Therefore if hee would friendly insinuate himself pretending to do vs good that he may the sooner drawe vs out of the narrow way let vs oppose the expresse will and commandement of God against him not depart therefrom either to the right hand or to the lefte hand If he go about to rip vp our conscience with the knife of the Law to daunt vs with the vglinesse and haynousnes of our sinnes Gen. 4. Matt. 27. 1. Ioh. 1.9 as hee dealt with Cayne and Iudas let vs remember that if wée faithfully and penitently acknowledge our sinnes God is faithfull and iust to forgiue our sinnes and the blood of IESVS CHRIST his Sonne clenseth vs from all vnrighteousnes And to the beléeuer God hath twise thundred this most comfortable voyce froÌ„ heauen Mat. 3. 17. This is my beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased If he perswade vs to murmure in dearths or be discontent with the flourishing state of some vngodly persons as he threw this stuÌ„bling block before Dauid Psal 33. 73. Iob. 27.7 Ierem. 12. and before Iob before Ieremias let vs submit our selues vnder Gods mighty hand and cast all our care vpon him for he cares for vs all and not feare because it is our Fathers pleasure to giue vs a Kingdome If he would puffe vs wâ—th pride for well doing and make our hearts swell with prosperitie let vs consider that when we haue done all we are vnprofitable seruants and that we are but stewards of Gods gifts and shall one day be called to an account for our stewardship If when he is expulsed once or twise yet he returne againe Exod. 14. for as Pharaoh stird vehemently to bring backe the Israelites when they were departed out of Egypt and as the spirit raged and fomed mightily when he was expelled out of him whom he had possessed from his infancie Matt. 9.20.21 so the Pharaoh that tyrannized ouer the soules of sinners if he léese his praie he vncessantly attempts to winne it againe and generally as our Sauiour witnesseth Matt. 12.43.44.45 when the vncleane spirit is gone out of a man he walketh throughout drie place séeking rest and finding none he saith I will returne into mine house from whence I came and if he finde the roome emptie swept and garnished he taketh seauen other spirits worse then himselfe and they enter in and dwell there and the end of that man is worse then the beginning therefore to escape that lamentable pernition if Sathan returne after his expulsion let vs betake our selues to earnest prayer and then as the Lyon feares at the sight of a Cocke and flies at the crowing of a Cocke so this roaring and ramping Lyon feares at the sight of a faithfull person and flies at his prayer For as some remedies against poyson are hoate and some cold so the remedies against tentations and troubles are either the mildnes and coldnes of patience or the vehemencie and ardentnes of prayer What if thou canst not still vse long and set prayer and vttered with tongue either for that thou art vnlearned or for that thy busines hinders and stops it or for that the time and place forbid it Yet pray continually in heart and pray earnestly in minde and pray zealously in spirit August ad ProbaÌ„ as it is reported that the Christians in Egypt were accustomed to vse often yet short prayers and to vtter them forcibly yet spéedily least the intention and heedfulnes which is requisite for him that praieth per productiones moras euanescat hebitetur should vanish away and become dull by long staie doe this and thou shalt trie vndoubtedly that such prayer though bréefe yet it is an ayde to the soule a sacrifice to God a scourge to Sathan For though while our life is in this pilgrimage it cannot be without sinne and tentation for our profiting is knowne by tentation neither doth any knowe himselfe except he be tried neither can any be crowned except he ouercome neither can any ouercome except he striue neither can any striue except he haue an enemie and trials though then the Sea can no more be without tempests then the world without tentations yet we must valiantly by vehement praier resist the assault and batterie and when the surge of triall flowes vpon vs we must call and crie with the Apostles when the ship was couered with waues Maister saue vs Matt. 8.25 we perish and then we shall sée that the windes and stormes will cease and that he doth nâ—â— sléepe that séemed to sléepe for a little season And aboue all things we must take héede that we resist Sathans suggestions and allurements in the beginning for he could not preuaile ouer vs vnles we did encrease his strength by our vices and did giue him roome to enter in and dominiere in vs by our iniquities For this cause the Apostle speaking of anger saith Ephes 4.26 that the Sunne must not go downe vpon our wrath and that we must not giue place to the Diuell As if he said that anger or any other sinne will growe past cure like a wound that by delaie waxes incurable if it be not repressed spéedily and because continuance in sinne makes an entrance for Sathan who hauing entered vpon our hearts doth péece-meale at last wholy possesse them therefore we must betimes shut the doores against so hurtfull a guest For as a Serpent easily conuaies in the rest of his body if he get an entrance for his head so Sathan that subtile and slippery serpent if we permit one sinne to créepe into vs and giue consent thereunto he insinuates his whole traine and he drawes vs from consent to practise from practise to delight from delight to custome from custome to boasting in sinne from boasting in sinne to obdurate hearts Hier. in epist Dum paruus est hostis interfice vt nequitia elidatur in semine kill the Enemie of the soule while he is but little that vngodlines may be crusht in the séede as the Cockatrice is most safely slaine in the shell before he be hatcht and brought forth Suppose that we had séene Adam in his tentation when thoughts arose
c First he remooues doubtfulnes in that he saith that it is a true saying that we are saued by Christ Iesus As though he should thus say there is no doubt to be mooued in this spéech for that is before spoken is firme and vndoubted and certaine and cannot deceiue any and therefore farewell they that make doubtes touching the maine points of the Christian faith For these words this is a true saying may fitly be referred to the foregoing words which entreated of the pith and summe of our saluation And by this phrase he shewes the certaintie of his doctrine like as Christ in the gospell declares the infallibilitie of his doctrine when he saith Verily verily I say vnto you Wherefore the faithfull must diligently note and remember this singular comfort in whatsoeuer troubles and afflictions For our faith is continually battered and beaten on by manifold tentations and trials Christ saies That the time shall come Ioh. 16.2 that whosoeuer killeth the godly will thinke that he doth God seruice and that the godly shall be betraied of their parents Luk. 21.16.17 and of their brethren and kinsmen and friends and shall be hated of all men for his names sake And when Paul had made report of his owne persecutions and afflictions which came vnto him at Antiochia at Iconium and at Lystri 2. Tim. 3.11.12 he adds presently a generall conclusion Yea and all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution Now in the mids of these afflictions and aduersities what can staie and helpe vs but a cléere and a good and a sound and a setled conscience grounded on the faith of Christ Iesus And therefore the Apostle witnesseth that the faith in Christ Iesus is a most sure and vndoubted faith this is a true saying And this summe of our saluation may be easily prooued because the whole scripture doth agrée therein For that man is naturally wicked and ill disposed Psal 14.2.3 how plainely doe Dauid and Isaiah teach Dauid when he saith that the Lord looked downe from heauen vpon the children of men to see if there were any that would vnderstand and seeke God And what was the sequele of Gods search All are gone out of the way they are all corrupt there is none that doth good no not one Isaiah when he saith Isai 64.6 that we haue all beene as an vncleane thing and all our righteousnesse as filthy cloutes and we all doe fade like a leafe and our iniquities like the winde haue taken vs away Man being so polluted was not able to saue himselfe for then sacrifices could haue appeased and pleased God but sacrifices were not able to performe that Psal 50.5.9.10.11.12.13 for it is said in the psalme by the Lord That he will not reproue for sacrifices or burnt offrings that haue not beene continually before him I will take no bullocke out of thine house saith God nor goates out of thy foldes for all the beasts of the forrest are mine and the beasts on a thousand mountaines I know all the foules on the mountaines the wild beasts of the field are mine If I be hungrie I will not tell thée for the world is mine and all that therein is will I eate the flesh of â—â—ls or drinke the bloud of goates And another Prophet saith Isai 1.11.12.13 what haue I to doe with the multitude of your sacrifices saith the Lord I am full of the burnt offrings of rams and of the fat of fed beasts and I desire not the blood of bullocks nor of lambes nor of goates when ye come to appeare before me who hath required this of your hands to tread in my courts Bring no more oblations in vaine incense is an abomination vnto me I cannot suffer your new moones nor Sabbaths nor solemne daies it is iniquitie nor solemne assemblies And most euidently speakes the holy ghost by the mouth of Paul Heb. 10.1.2.3.4 that the lawe hauing the shadowe of good things to come and not the very Image of the things can neuer with those sacrifices which they offer yeare by yeare continually sanctifie the commers thervnto For would they not then haue ceased to haue bene offered because that the offerers once purged should haue had no more conscience of sinnes But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance againe of sins euery yeare For it is vnpossible that the blood of â—uls and goats should take away sinnes If then legall sacrifices and ceremonies were insufficient to abolish and take away our naturall corruption there must of necessitie be some other meanes This meanes is Iesus Christ who is all in all Col. 1.19.20 for it pleased the father that in him should all fulnes dwell and through peace made by that blood of that his crosse to reconcile to himselfe through him all things both which are in earth and which are in heauen Gen. 3.15 22.18 49.10 God promised that Christ the séede of the woman should breake the Serpents head and that in him all the kinreds of the earth should be blessed and that the scepter should not depart from Iudah nor a lawgiuer from betwéene his féete vnto Shiloh that is Christ the Messiah come and the people shall be gathered vnto him Dut. 18.18 Act. 3.22 Christ is he at whom Moses pointed when he foretold the children of Israel that the Lord their God should raise vp vnto them a Prophet euen of their brethren like vnto him Christ is he whom the types and ceremonies of the lawe prefigured and signified and namely the Paschall lambe for the Baptist cryes Ioh. 1.29 Matt. 27.51 Behold that lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world And therefore the vaile and partition of the holiest place from the vtter part of the temple did rent from the top to the bottome when Christ suffered to shew that now there is no more distinction of nations Act. 10.34.35 and God is no accepter of persons but in euery nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnes is accepted with him Christ is he which hath this testimonie of God the father from heauen This is that my beloued sonne Matt. 17.5 Ioh. 8.12.51 in whom I am well pleased heare him And he himselfe cals vs vnto him saying that he is that light of the world and he that followeth him shall not walke in darkenes but shall haue that light of life and that if a man keepe his word he shall neuer see death He saies of himselfe that he is greater then the temple greater then Ionas Matt. 1â— 6.1.22 greater then the wise Salomon And in the great and last day of the feast of the tabernacles he cried saying If any man thirst let him come vnto me and drinke Ioh. 7.37 Ioh. 17.11 15.17.21.24 And to make it manifest that our saluation is most déere vnto him he praies most earnestly for the faithfull that they may be kept in the
such death and tribulations are not a reproach vnto them but a thing glorious in Gods sight and pleasing vnto him Rom. 5.3 Therefore the Apostle saieth That we reioyce in Tribulations That is we iudge afflictions to be a glorious thing which God will after chaunge into glorie and this is the peculiar wisdome of the Church which the world perceiueth not Lastly hee affirmeth that there remaines a life and iudgement after the death of the bodie For if the death of the godlie be not neglected of God but is pretious in his sight and on the contrarie * Mors impiorum pessima vulgata translatio ex Graeco Psal 6.8 If the death of the vngodly bee euill there must néedes remaine a iudgement wherein this shall bee made manifest to all Tyrants shall receiue punishment for their crueltie but the godly shall be â—dorned w th eternall glorie For if God number the teares of the faithfull and put them into a Bottell Ps 34.21 How can he suffer the blood that is shed for the confession of his diuine Name to perish and vanish away to nothing Doest thou quake and tremble at the remembrance of that horrible day 2. Pet. 3.10 in which the Heauens shall passe away with a noyse and the Elements shall melte with heate and the earth with the workes that are therein shal be burnt vp Bee of good comfort For thy Iudge is also thy Sauiour he is thy Brother he is thy head and thou a member of his bodie Hee loues thée most ardently hee is thy Iesus That is SAVIOVR Patrone Aduocate Redeemer Intercessor Hee layed downe his life for thée Ioh. 5.24 He hath sworne with an oath that if thou belieue in him thou shalt haue eternall life He maketh request for thée and who shall condemne thée He coÌ„meth to finish the troubles of the World and to auenge himselfe of his enemies and to deliuer the godly from the hands of sinners and he commeth not to condemne thée but to absolue thée and not to torture thée but to rid thée from all miserie and to make manifest thy full Redemption and to frée thy bodie also from all calamities to performe that promise of eternall life which so often he hath made vnto thée in his sacred word For he that heareth his word belieueth God that sent him hath euerlasting life shall not come into condemnation but hath passed froÌ„ death to life Therefore as Christ saith Surely Reu. 22.20 I come quickly So thou mayest say with the Euangelist Amen euen so come Lord Iesus It is for the wicked that haue no part in Christ to tremble and be dismaied at the very mention of the great day For what haue they to doe with it Amos. 5.18.19.10 the day of the Lord is as darknes and not light as if a man did flie from a Lyon a Beare met him or went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall and a Serpent bit him shall not the day of the Lord to the wicked be darknes not light euen darknes and no light in it Zach. 9.9 But the Prophet Zachariah bids the Daughter of Zyon to reioyce for the comming of her King And vpon good reason Isai 35.4 for as another Prophet testifieth The same day that brings wrath vengeance to the vngodlie brings a recompence and saluation to the godly For which cause the holie Apostle Paul sets this downe for a marke of the faithfull by which they may be knowne Namely 1. Cor. 1.7 2. Tim. 4.8 that they wayre for the appearing of CHRIST and loue his comming Therefore if we shall happeÌ„ to liue at such time as Christ shall come to Iudgement against the beholding of those ghastly signes which shall be ioyned with his CoÌ„ming we must coÌ„fort our selues with Christs promise that then our Redemption draweth neere that is that he will take vs to himselfe into heauen finally deliuer vs from all miseries In the meane time let vs belieue with the Apostle That there is layed vp for vs the crowne of righteousnes which the Lorde the righteous Iudge shall giue vs at that day not to vs only but vnto all them that loue that his appearing And when we sée the clowds of the Heauen let vs be admonished of these things For as when Christ Ascended Act. 1.11 a clowde tooke him out of sight and as Christ shall so come againe euen as he was takeÌ„ vp that is in the clowds 2. Thess 4.17 so the clowds shall as a Charret to lift vs vp to eternal glorie and we shal be rapt vp into the clowdes to meete the Lorde in the Aire Psal 20.3 c. When we heare the Thunder which is the terrible and mightie voice of God let vs suppose that we heare the lowde voice of the high Iudge pronouncing the Sentence both of the shéepe and goates When wee sée the swift and bright and sudden flashes and flakes of lightning Let them call to our mindes the sudden and vnexpected and * Epipháneian 2. Tim. 4.8 cleere and perspicuous comming and appearing of the supreme Iudge For as the lightening that lighteneth out of the one part vnder heauen shineth vnto the other part vnder Heauen so shall the Sonne of man be in his day Luk. 17.24 And since these things must be so For heauen and earth shall passe and be changed but the word of the Lorde abideth for euer what manner persons ought wee to be in holy conuersation godlines looking for and hasting vnto the coÌ„ming of that day of God by which the heauens being on fire 2. Pet. 3.11.12.13.14 shal be dissolued the Elements shall melte with heate But we looke for new Heauens and a newe Earth according to his promise wherein dwelleth righteousnes Wherefore seeing we looke for such things Let vs be diligent that wee may bee found of him in peace without spot and blameles Let vs take heed to our selues Luk. 21.34 least at any time our hearts be oppressed with surfetting and drunkennes and cares of this life and least that day come on vs at vnawares There are thrée Robes and Garments belonging to a true Christian The first is a Purple robe the second is a white robe the third is a golden robe If we will attaine to true happines and holines Iude. vers 23. wee must cast off our owne polluted rags and denie our selues and we must put on these rich pretious garments First we must be arraied in a purple garment dyed and dipped in the blood of the Sonne of God That is Gal. 3.27 wee must fréely receiue forgiuenes of sinnes and be reconciled to GOD through CHRIST and Faith in his blood and this is our Iustification Next Rom. 13.13 wee must be clothed with a white robe That is it becomes vs to be renued in the spirit of our mind and to serue God in holines and
be vanquished by the true Israelites and faithfull Christians as the fiue Kings were troden downe by the olde Israelites Wilt thou say that affliction grinds thée It is for thy amendment and reformation that thy Faith and Hope and patience and other good qualities that are in thée may be brought to light and that thy example may edifie profite others Euen as the strength of spites when they are ground beaten small is â—â—ace more euideÌ„t effectuall Wilt thou say that affâ—iction blowes beats vpon thée as a blusterous wind It is that thou maist remeÌ„ber the thou art like a ship at Sea still in danger of rocks quick-saÌ„ds waues storms pirates lack of victuals other incumbraÌ„ces that can neuer be at rest till shee arriue in the Harborough Who will praise the skill and courage of a ship maister that feeles no tempests and that directeth his course without tossing of stormes but men praise him that scriueth against the winds and workes earnestly against the slouds and that feares not either when he is mounted vp to the heauen or when he descendeth to the depth so that gouernor and guider of his owne soule is to be praysed that vanquisheth aduersitie with patience and ouercomes it with courage and is not puft vp with prosperitie nor broken with aduersitie Be not dismayed therefore when the minde is troubled and thy soule staggereth but guide thy ship by the rudder of long suffering and at last thou shalt arriue where there is no pirate no robber no oppressor no enemie no night no death Wilt thou say that thou art iniuriously depriued of thy goods substance and liuings It is for thy triall Heb. 10.34 and for thy reward that if thou endure a great fight of afflictions and suffer with ioy the spoyling of thy goods thou maiest receiue in heauen a better and an enduring substance Hom. 35. super euaÌ„gel cum audieritis praelia For as Gregorie well notes our patience is prooued thrée waies some things we suffer from God some things from that ancient enemie of mankind some things from our neighbours We suffer persecutions and losses and reproaches from our neighbour we suffer tentations from that old Enemie we suffer chasticements from God But in all these waies of triall the soule must heedfully haue an eye to her selfe least by the iniuries of a neighbour it be drawne to the requital of euill least by the tentations of the spirituall foe it be seduced to delight in sinne to giue consent thereunto and least by the correction of our Creator it breake foorth into repining and murmuring When a schollar of Zeno returning home to his father was asked by him how he had profited in the studie of Philosophie I will shew thee saith he And because he said no more his father boyling with wrath and supposing that his charge was lost began to beate his Sonne The schollar bare most contentedly this seueritie of his father and when his father craued againe some shew and token of his profiting and expected some notable and wittie conclusion This fruit said his sonne haue I reapt by Philosophie that I can quietly endute my fathers angâ—â— In like sort we shall declare how well we haue profited and proceeded in the schoole of Christianitie and the feare of the Lord by dearing patiently the chasticements of our heauenly father layed vpon vs either immediatly by himselfe or mediately by our neighbours and brethren Wilt thou say that thou art wronged slandered without cause 2. Pet. 2.20 It is thy greater praise when thou doest well and takest thy wronging patiently for what praise is it if when we doe ill and are punished for our faults we take it patiently In such case Plut. in Lacon may not the spéech of Agesilaus be renued who when he heard that a malefactor had constantly endured punishment and torture What a notorious wretch said he was that fellowe to bestowe such patience on so wicked and vild things What if thou be railed on vndeseruedly shew no token that thou art moued troubled and thine enemies will soone surcease from rayling Laert. l. 6. as Diogenes gaue counsell to a young man once that told him he was troubled by many Aduersaries And if thou desire to repaie thy backbiter or reproacher heare what S. Iohn Chrysostome will tell thée Si vindicare vis sile funestam ei dedisti plagam If thou wilt auenge thy self on a contumelious person refraine thy tongue and thou hast giuen him a deadly blowe For long sithens a man wise but in worldly wisedome obserued this Philemon Ho loidorôn gar èà n ho loidoroúmenos Mè prospoiêtai loidereîtai ho loidorôn That the slaunder recoiles on the slanderer if he that is slandered doe not make shew that he is mooued Say not that it gréeues and gaules thée that thou canst not giue requitall Sen de ira c. 15. for he hath a great and noble minde that like a great palfry cares not for the barking of little dogs and it is the part of a base and wretched man to runne to euery one that bites him like mise and pismires that turne their mouth to the hand that toucheth them neuer so slightly If thou be adorned with true magnanimitie Sen. l. 4. de virtut thou wilt neuer thinke thy selfe to be reproched and thou wilt say of thine enemie he hath not hurted me but he had onely a minde to hurt me and when thou shalt see him in thy power thou wilt suppose it reuenge sufficient to be able to reuenge For to pardon is a great and commendable kinde of reuengement And that we may accomplish this the better we must estéeme and weigh afflictions by the first cause from which they procéed that is from the prouidence and dispensation of God If we respect outward causes and occasions we shall be impatient but if we looke on the ordinance and appointment of the Lord we shall beare tribulation patiently Mat. 10.29.30.31 For we are taught by him that cannot lye that two sparrowes are sold for a farthing and yet not one of them falleth to the ground without our heauenly father yea that all the haires of our head are numbred and therefore that we must not feare because we are of more value then many sparrowes Gen. 45.5 50.20 This consideration made Ioseph to forgiue the crueltie and malice of his brethren in that he turned his eyes from their hard handling of him vnto the diuine ordinance saying that God sent him before into Egypt for their preseruation and that when they thought euill against him God disposed it to good This consideration made Iob not to make mention of the Shabaeans and Caldaeans that robbed him of his oxen asses and camels but to ascribe the whole calamitie to the Lord Iob. 1.21 saying The Lord hath giuen it and the Lord hath taken it This consideration made Moses to withdraw his conceit from Korah
the loynes of the poore blessed him because hee was warmed with the Fléece of his Shéeâ—e Looke on Obadiah the Gouernour of Ahabs house 1. King 18 13. who when Iezebel slew the Prophets of the Lord did hide an hundred of the Lords Prophets by fifties in a Caue and fed them with bread and water 1. King â—7 Looke on the widowe of Zâ—repâ—hâ— which in the great famine nourished and lodged the Prophet Eliah Tob. 2.2 Looke on Tobâ— who when he sawe at his table abundance of meate he bad his sonne Tobâ—â— to goe into the citie and to bring whatsoeuer poore of his brethren he could finde and would not eate till his sonne returned And these are some of the golden and graue sentences which he gaue to his sonne not knowing whether he should euer giue him more Tob. 4.7.8.9.10.11 My sonne saith he giue Almes of thy substance and wheÌ„ thou giuest almes let not thine eye be enuious neither turne thy face from any poore least that God turne his face from thée giue almes according to thy substance if thou haue but a little be not afraide to giue a little almes for thou layest vp a good store for thy selfe against the day of necessitie Because that Almes doth deliuer from death and suffereth not to come into darkenes for Almes is a good gift before the most high to all them which vse it Looke on Zichaeus the Publican who said to our Sauiour Christ Luk. 9.8 Behold Lord the halfe of my goods I giue to the poore and if I haue taken from any man by forged cauillation I restore him foure fold Looke on Dorcas which is commended by the holy Ghost to be a woman full of good workes and almes Act. â— 39 for whose death all the widowes wept before S. Peter shewing him the coats and garments which she had made while she was with them Looke on Cornelius the Captaine Act. â— 4 of whose praiers and Almes the Angell giues this testimonie That they were come vp into remembrance before God Vnto which spéech of the Angell Homil. 9. super Matt. S. Iohn Chrysostome séemes to allude in his description of Almes when he saies that it is a friend of Gods and still néere to God and hath the gates of heauen opened vnto it and when it enters in manner of a Queene none of the Porters or kéepers dare say vnto it What art thou or whence camest thou but they presently receiue it Virgo est habent alas aureas Almes is a Virgine hauing golden wings adorned with gay colours and yet so well feathered and nimble that it still stands before the throne of the superiall king Act. â— 3â—.34.35 Looke on the Infancie of the primitiue Church Where there was one heart and minde neither any said that any thing of that which he possessed was his owne but they had all things common neither was there any among them that lacked for as many as were possessors of Lands or houses solde them and brought the price of the things that were solde and laid it downe at the Apostles feete it was distributed vnto euery man according as he had neede Act. 11.28.29 Looke on the Church of Antiochia in which Beleeuers were first called Christians how when Agaâ—us signified by the spirit that there should bee great Famine throughout all the world the Disciples euery man according to his abilitie purposed to send succour vnto the brethren which dwelt in Iudea 2. Cor. 9.2 Looke on the Church of Corinth Achaiâ— how readie they were to contribute distribute to the necessity of the Saints so that Pauâ— was bold to boast himselfe of them to Macedonie affirms that their zeale had prouoked manie Looke on Placilla the most deuoute wife of Theodosius the Emperor Nicephor Callist l. 2. c. 4. who being blamed for visiting the sicke ministring to them with her own hands and giuing them large money she answered that it became the Emperor to giue the mony and it became her to coÌ„secrate the ministery of her hands to him that had bestowed the Empire on her Husband Looke on Amadaeus the Duke of Sauâ—y Munst lib. 2. Cosmograph who being asked of certaine Orators and Embassadors that were before him whether he kept Hounds or not he leckned vnto them that they shuld returne the next day And when they were come Cor. Nepos Plutarch Xenoph. Amadaeus from a Galiery on a side of his house shewed them a great companie of Beggars that sate at meale together and saide vnto them These are my Hâ—unds that I nourish euery day and by which I hope to hunt after the glorie of Heauen Here may be remembred also the bountifulnes of Ethnicks to the poore and néedie as of Pomponius Atticus that sustained many poore people Of Cyrus Ontôs ègò ùmîn Dipsô charìzesthai Plut. Chrémata â—â—âsthai mèn ôs chrôto chréschai dè ós timôto that sware he was more delighted to bestowe good turns vpon other then to enrich himselfe and that sayd that he did thirst to vse liberalitie Of Timon the Athenian that suffered his Fieldes Orchyards to lye open that the poore might take of the fruits without asking leaue and of whom it is reported that he did get Riches to vse them and did vse them to spend them honorably on the néedie And of Titus the Romane Emperor who vpon a time as hee sate at Supper remembring that he had the day before done no good turne to any he brake out into these wordes Amici diem perdidi Friendes Sueton. I haue lost a day These Presidents of Ethnick liberalitie to the néedie we must endeuour to follow and those former bright starres of godlines that shined in the middes of a darke and peruerse generation wee must beholde and imitate if we purpose to obserue the commandement of the Lord and to be partakers of the blessing that accompanieth liberalitie towards the néedie Third motiue to mercy Heb. 13.15.16 And what is that blessing It is to haue the fauour and loue of God toward vs for the Apostle saies Let vs â—ffer the sacrifice of praise alwaies to God that is the fruit of the lips which confesse his name to doe â—ood and to distribute forget not for with such sâ—crifices God is pleased As if Paul should thus say Let vs offer the oblations that are now pleasing to the Lord the old corporall sacrifices are abrogated and abolished but the true and spirituall sacrifices remaine which consist partly in giuing thankes and partly in liberalitie to the poore with which sacrifices God is delighted Luk. 6.38 Giue saith Christ And it shall be giuen vnto you a good measure pressed downe shaken together running ouer shall men giue into your bosome Of the mercifull man the Psalmist pronounceth Psal 112.9 That as he hath distributed and giuen to the poore so his righteousnes remaineth for euer That is his pietie
Is it any thing vnto the Almightie that thou are righteous or is it profitable to him that thou makest thy wayes vpright Or what things wants God that is in our power Is it the beasts of the Forrest Psa 50.12 or the fowles on the Mountaines or the wilde beasts of the fielde If I be hungrie I will not tell thee saith the Lord for all the world is mine and all that therein is Thirdly it is required that the thing done or offered by vs be equiualent and answerable in price and dignitie to that which we reâ—iue againe and which hee at whose handes â—e merite rewards vs withall but no works â—ours are couÌ„teruailable and méete to be laid â—n the balance against Saluation and eternall life which we receiue of God For what proportion can there be betwéene our works and eternall life Rom. 8.18 which made the blessed Apostle to conclude and count That the Afflictions of this present time are not worthy of the glory Rom. 6.23 which shall be shewed vnto vs. So that our Almes and workes of mercie can merite nothing with God Chárisma and the eternall inheritance is the free gift of God And therefore when the Scripture sayes that God shall render to euery man according to his works Psa 62.13 Matth. 16 27. Ro. 2.6 Reuel 22.12 and that Christ shall pronounce the sentence of the last Iudgement after the workes of Mercie done or not done by the shéepe and goates The meaning is not that works are the causes that doe merite saluation but that the Elect shal be rewarded according to their workes not as if they were the causes of life and reward but as they are vndoubted effects arguments and declarations giuing true testimonie of the causes both of the one and the other For the true and onely causes of life and recompence are the decree of God from euerlasting and his calling of vs to life and iustifying of vs at the due time For in that Christ when he calls the Elect and sends them into possession of eternall life sayes vnto them Come yee blessed These words shew sufficiently the cause of their sending into eternall life to bee for that they are blessed with all spirituall blessings in Christ and freed from the curse of the law Eph. 1.13 Gal. 3.14 and heires and sonnes of God by his frée promise consequently cal ed and iustified For Adoption and Calling and Iustification are partes of that blessednes which in due season shal be reuealed And therefore whom Christ first called Blessâ—d of his Father Matt. 25.34.37 he calls after Righteous and he calls the kingdome of heauen an Inheritance Neither must wee suppose when Christ sayes For I was an hungred that hee yéeldes a reason of the blessednes of the Elect that it doth flowe from their Almes works but the reason is drawne from the effects that demonstrate the cause and beare infallible recorde thereof As though our Sauiour should say thus Goe into Heauen because yee are blessed and ordained to the Kingdome of heauen For by your Almes and works of mercie you haue giuen plaine testimony that you are blessed and prepared from euerlasting to that heauenly Kingdome Why then sayest thou doth he pronounce the sentence in the last doome after works because workes are more perspicuous better knowne vnto vs as effects are better knowne then the causes For God wil haue all things in the last iudgement to be apparent and manifest to our senses that true and liuely Faith may be discerned by her natural properties and true fruits least otherwise the maske vizard of Faith should be pretended in stéed of true and effectuall Faith And Christ speakes onely of the works of mercie not to shew the cause of saluation but to commend thsoe works vnto vs and to excite and encourage vs to performe embrace them the more readilie in that our labour in the Lord in the works of godlines shall not be frustrate or lost to shew that the inheritance possession of heauen pertaines onely to the Sonnes of God For who so much prooue themselues to be the sonnes of God to be like vnto him as the mercifull doe Therefore Christ sayes Bee yee mercifull as your Father also is mercifull And when he calls the Elect to the possession of Heauen hee sayes Luk. 6.36 Come in herite the kingdome as your owne and duely belonging vnto you by right of inheritance For the Sonnes of GOD ought also to inherite the Kingdome of God Wherefore if wee will haue mercie we must shewe mercie Iam. 2.13 for there shal be condemnation merciles to him that sheweth no mercie 2. To whom wee must giue Next wee must impart our Almes and works of mercie vpon all those that shall staÌ„d in neede of helpe For wée are commanded to loue our Neighbour as our selues and who is our Neighbour but hee that may be succoured and ayded by vs in his distresse of whatsoeuer state sorte or condition hee be This Christ prooues Luk. 10.29 by the example of him that fell among Théeues and was wounded and robbed and therefore was to be comforted by anie that should finde him in that pitifull plight Howbeit the Priest and the Leuite that passed that way did disdainefully neglect to affoorde him reliefe vpon a false supposall that hee was not ioyned to them by the band of Neighbor-hood and onely the Samaritane considering his lamentable case did estéeme him for his Brother and Neighbour therefore executed on him the offices of kindnes and Charitie Lib. 6. c. 11 For this cause Lactantius iustly calls the saying of Plautus detestable when he sayes Malè meretur qui mendico dat quòd edat Nam illud quod dat perit Et illi producit vitam ad miseriam That is Hee doth ill that giues meate to a beggar for that he giues is lost and hee prolongs the miserable life of the beggar Indéed the couetous and Machiauillian miser is very ingenious to deuise such reasons that he may pretend some colourable excuses why he hardens his hart and turnes his eyes and refraines his hands from imparting out of his superfluitie on the wants of the poore But we ought not to deuise such causes why we should withholde our bountie rather we ought to regard the commaundement of our gratious God and Lord who commands vs not to turne our eies from our owne flesh that is from the poore who are made of the sâ—me substance of which our selues are And therefore worthilie also Lactantius reprooues that spéech of Cicero Namely Ibid. apud Lactant. That wee must often giue of our goods vnto men that neede if they be meete to receiue and he checks it saying Quid personas eligis quid membra inspicis pro homine tibi habendus est quisquis precatur ideò quiâ— te hominem putat Why doest thou chuse persons why doest thou behold the
then pride will most assaile vs and when other troupes of vices are put to flight then pride will renew the battell Pride would infect our prayer our almes our zeale our loue to the word our temperance our iust dealing and vnles we be warie it will depriue vs of the reward of well doing Aug. in ep 56. ad DioscoruÌ„ As when we sinne we must feare other vices so when we doe well we must feare pride ne illa quae laudabiliter facta sunt ipsius laudis cupiditate amittantur least through desire of commendation those things be lost which were done coÌ„mendaably And therfore Saint Chrysostome teacheth that this pestilent vanitie is like a shipwracke in the very harborough Hom. de profectu euangelij As a ship saith he that hath passed many floods and auoyded many tempests when at last she runs on a rocke in the harborough it selfe she looseth all the treasure that was stored vp in her so he that after many labours and vertues hath not refrained his tongue and minde from the desire of praise he hath suffered shipwrack in the very harborough For this cause the Philosopher cals pride the last garment that the soule puts off Plâ—â—m Timeo as though he had glimmeringly perceiued that in putting off the old man pride is the last ragge Which another expresseth in words somewhat differing Isid de suÌ„mo bâ—â—â— l. 2. c. 28. Pride saith he is first in sinne and last in conflict because as it is the originall of all faults so it is the ruine of all vertues Therefore when we are escaped out of Sodome Gen. 19.30 let vs take héede that with Lot we doe not commit incest with our owne daughters and so bring foorth an ofspring odious to the Lord that is let vs not when we haue shunned sinne be enamoures and proud of our vertuous doing least our déedes displease God And when we haue brought foorth faire male children let vs hide them in secret Exod. 1.22 least Pharaoh commaund them to be cast foorth that is when we haue done well let vs not vaunt of it least Sathan through pride make our workes frustrate Christ commaunds vs to flée mans praise in our well doing and therefore saith That when we giue Almes we must not make a trumpet to be blowne before vs Matt. 6.2.3 Chrys hom 13. in Matt. oper imperfect to be praised of men and that when we doe Almes the left hand must not know what the right hand doth that is the will of the flesh which is still contrarie to God must not know what is done of the will of the minde and of reason that is subiected vnto God Matt. opar imperfect The hidden treasure is safest from théeues and robbers so concealed vertue is freest from pride and the snares of Sathan The fruits that growe by an high way doe seldome come to ripenes because gréedie trauellers doe gather them and eate them before due time so the workes that are done to be séene of men of ostentation neuer growe to soliditie and perfection because the praise of men makes the doer to swell with an opinion of his worthines and so he waxeth vnfit either to procéed in vertue or to vndertake other good workes The henne that cackles assoone as she hath layed her egge giues occasion of taking away her egge and loosing her brood of chickens so they that presently extoll their owne workes assoone as they are done or séeke to haue them extolled bring to passe that no fruit followeth of their workes 2. King 20.17 Hezekiah king of Iudah was vehemently blamed of the Prophet for shewing his riches and treasure to the Babylonian Ambassadors and those things which of ambition and vaineglorie he had shewed were carried all into Babell so when we hunt after praise by our well doing the diuell like the Tyrant of Babell spoiles vs of our treasure It is wisely said of Saint Iohn Chrysostome that as when we lay gold and a pretious garment in an open place we prouoke many to lie in waite for them Hom. 3. in Matt. but if we hide them close we shall keepe them safe so if we daily carrie the riches of vertues in open view as it were to be sold we arme our enemie and we prouoke our enemie and we stir vp our enemie to steale and spoyle but if no other know it but he that seeth in secret our pretious iewels are out of all perils Mat. hist l. 10. c. 3. l. 36. c. 19. Plinie reports that the Eagle builds her nest on high and that the Serpent Parias lies in waite for her yong but for that he cannot come néere them because of the heigth he drawes the winde vnto him and then casteth foorth a poyson that the infected aire mounting to the yong ones may so kill them which mischiefe to preuent the Eagle of a naturall instinct puts the ieat stone in her nest mooues it alwaies against the wind which ieat stone dispearceth that Serpents poyson The like care and diligence must we vse if we will haue our good workes ascend into the presence of God and be acceptable to him and not be infected with the venemous winde of pride which that spirituall Serpent will cast foorth against them we must set the honour and praise of God as a preseruatiue and pretious stone betwéene our workes and the winde of vaine-glorie For whosoeuer studieth by his good workes to please men is like one that alwaies drawes water and puts it into a cesterne that is full of holes For what can be more deceitfull then the praise and commendation of man and what greater vanitie then to seeke after it Chrys hom 17. in ep ad Rom. Is it not follie when thy state is in Heauen to choose beholders vpon earth A wrestler where he striueth there he seekes to be tryed thou striuest in high matters and wilt thou be crowned in lowe things Let our reioycing be the testimonie of our conscience 2. Cor. 1.12 1. Cor. 4 3. in simplicitie and godly purenes and let vs passe very little to be iudged of mans iudgement Though the vizards of stage plaiers be cunningly made and exactly set on yet who will desire to were them continually séeing they represent but a fained and counterfait person What is the praise of men but the maske and vizard of true praise séeing men oftentimes speake otherwise then they thinke and if they speake as they thinke yet their praise is but momentanie and lasteth but for the space of this life and may be turned into contempt and obloquie They that put their consciences in other mens lips are sometimes great sometimes little sometimes nothing and so the foole changeth as the moone Ecclus. 27.11 waxing and waining after the iudgement of them that commend him Heathen men haue little regarded the commendation of the multitude Polycletus the Statuarie made two Images placing the one publikely
Offices should bréed vertues that the Phylosopher could say that If there were a common-wealth of such good men as should be indeed Plato Pâ—lit 1. there would be as great strife to auoyd rule as now there is strife to obtaine rule Lathe bâ—esaâ— Albeit they are to be reprooued that embrace that lurking of Epicure and refusall of all function of teaching and ruling For as God will not haue superior places to be inordinately desired so also he commaunds that they that are conscious of méete gifts in themselues should willingly bestowe their labours on the Church Common-wealth This mooued the Apostle to say that if any man desire the office of a Bishoppe 1 Tim. 3.1 hee desireth a worthy worke And therefore Ammonius the Schollar of Origene when being called to the Bishopricke of Alexandria hee had cutte off his right eare and therefore was reprehended by Euagrius Niceph. Callist l. 9. c. 37. that also had refused a Bishops function aunswered rightly but 〈◊〉 said hee hast sinned more greeuously because thou hast cut off thy tongue and darest not to vse it to set forth Gods glorie by preaching the Gospell and vsest not the graces of GOD least thou shouldest sâ—eme to arrogate them to thy selfe And whosoeuer they be that abuse their gifts either to oftentation that they may get praise or to couetousnesse that may get riches they seeke to destroy themselues by not taking héede to feede the flocke of Iesus Christ whereunto they are called But they that are thirstie of worldly honour and exalt themselues therin must cal to mind what our Sauiour saieth Math. 23.12 Whosoeuer will exalt himselfe shall be brought lowe and whosoeuer will humble himselfe shall be exalted As a learned Father reports of a godly woman that she was the greatest of all by making her selfe the least of all Hier. in Ep. ad Eusta that the more she abased her selfe the more Christ aduanced her that she was hidden and not hidden that in flâ—eing glory she deserued glory quae virtutem quasi vmbra sequitur et appetitores sui deserens appetit contemptores for glory followes vertue as a shaddowe and passing by those that desire her desireth those that contemne her They that boast of their good workes as though they did by them merit the crowne of eternitie must remember that there is no good thing in vs which we haue not receiued 1 Cor. 4.7 Phil. 2.13 2 Cor. 3.5 if we haue receiued it why reioyce we as though we had not receiued it It is God which worketh in vs both the will and the deede euen of his good pleasure And we are not sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues but our sufficiencie is of God Of what then may wee boast Who will beleeue the wall Ber. Ser. 13. in Can. if it would say that it brings foorth the Sunne-beame which it receiues at the windowe Who would not laugh if the cloudes would say that they breed the raine And who sées not that man is not the cause but the instrument of well-doing and therefore for a man to praise himselfe for it is to fight against GOD Beggars when they would obtayne an Almes doe not adorne themselues with golden chaines and pretious cloathes but they shew their miseries the rather to moue to compassion and the Gibeonites obtained mercy of Israel Iosh 9.4.5 by taking old sacks and old bottels rent and bound vp and old shoes and clouted vpon their feete and old raiment and dried and mouled bread so if we entend to finde fauour with God we must humbly prostrate our selues and confesse our vnworthines The Paganes were perswaded that God resisteth the proud Stob. and giueth grace to the humble for Aesoâ—e béeing asked of Chron what God did he said That he did beate downe loftie things and extoll low things and Artahanus disswading Xerxes from his voyage against the Gréekes Herod lib. 1. Doest thou not see said he how God doth strike great beasts with lightning and le ts passe the little and doest thou not see how oftentimes the flashes of lightning doe strike great houses and great trees for God throwes downe all eminent things and therefore an hugie hoast may be discomfited by fewe Where is Pharaoh that said Exod. 5.2 Who is the Lord that I should heare his voyce and let Israel goe I know not the Lord neither will I let Israel goe Where is Benhadad the king of Aram 1. King 20.10.11 who swore that he would so ransacke Samaria that the dust thereof should not be enough to all the people that followed him for euery man an handfull forgetting that he that girdeth his harnâ—s must not boast as he that putteth it off Where is Sancherib king of Ashur that said 2. King 18.32.35 Who are they among all the Gods of the nations that haue deliuered their land out of mine hand that the Lord should deliuer Ierusalem out of mine hand Obey not Hezekiah for he deceiueth you saying The Lord will deliuer vs. Where is Haman Est 5.11 that told his friends and his wife of the glorie of his riches and the multitude of his children and all the things wherein the king had promoted him and how that he had set him aboue the Princes and seruants of the king Where is the proud Assirian Monarke that said Isai 10.13.14 By the power of mine hand I haue done it and by my wisedome because I am wise therefore I haue remoued the borders of the people and haue spoiled their treasures and haue pulled downe the inhabitants like a valiant man and mine hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people and as one that gathereth egges that are left so haue I gathered all the earth and there was none to moue the wing or to open the mouth or to whisper Where is the king of Babylon Isai 14 12.1â— which did cast lots vpon the nations and said in his heart I will ascend into heauen and exalt my throne aboue beside the stars of God I will ascend aboue the height of the clouds and I will be like the most high how art thou fallen from Heauen O Lucifer sonne of the morning and cut downe to the ground Ezek. 27.3.27 Where is Tyrus which was the mart for the people of many iles and which said I am of perfite beautie What is become of her riches and faires and merchandise and Mariners and Pylots and calkers and occupiers of merchandise and all the men of war that were in her and of all the multitude which was in the midst of her They are fallen in the midst of the sea in the day of her ruine Ezek 28.2.7.8 And did not the Prince of Tyrus that said once I am a God I sit in the seat of God in the midst of the sea at length see that he was a man and not God and that his brightnes
reÌ„negates which walked no more with Iesus working their destruction by the very doctrine of saluation whereas firme professors will say with Peter Maister Ioh. 6.68.69 to whom shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall life and we beleeue and knowe that thou art that Christ the Sonne of the liuing God Many will salute the Brethren for a time and labour for the truth and promote the Gospell of Christ Col. 4.14 2. Tim. 4.11 but when the perillous scirmishes come they will flee with the dastardly souldiour and with Demas forsake Paul and cleaue to this present world Many will say Lord I will follow thee whithersoeuer thou goest but when they heare that Foxes haue holes and the birds of the heauen nests but the Sonne of man hath not wherein to lay his head and when they call to minde their worldly businesses they will first goe and burie their father and they will first bid them farewell that are at their house and then they will follow Christ Luk. 9.17 c. But no man that putteth his hand to the plough and looketh backe is apt to the kingdome of God When the Philistines sent home the Arke of God setting it on a carte drawne with heifers whose calues were shut vp at home they tooke this for a signe that it was Gods Arke and that they were plagued for kéeping it if those heifers whose calues were so shut vp at home did goe on directly into the land of Israel 1. Sam. 6. did not returne vnto their calues till they had brought the Arke into it owne proper place So when the faithfull soule suffereth much for Christ and his faith and doth much good it is an argument that they are workes of godlines if we directly and still proceede in good workes walking from vertue to vertue Psal 84.7 till we appeare before the God of Gods in Syon But the soule that returnes to the Calues shut vp at home that is to sensuall passions and appetites and affections and reliques of the old man it shewes that it beares not the Arke nor is the true and liuing Temple of God When the Apostle saies Rom. 13.14 Gal. 3.24 that we must put on the Lord Iesus Christ and that as many as haue bene baptised into Christ haue put on Christ he commends vnto vs the vertue of perseuering For what else meanes the scripture by putting on of a thing but to be so ioyned vnto it as neuer to depart therefrom So the wicked man that delights in cursing is laid to be cloathed with it as with a raiment and to be couered with it Psal 109.18.19 as with a garment and to be compassed with it as with a girdle so Christ that is the absolute patterne of all righteousnes Isai 11.5 is said to be girded about the loines with iustice and girded about the reynes with faithfulnes so the obstinate sinner Iob. 8.22 that bewraies his hatred towards God by continuance in sinne is said to be cloathed with confusion and shame whereby wee may learne that to put on Christ is to be apparelled with the new man and to be so arraied with the Armour of God as not to put it off againe but to be found harnessed therewith It may be said of many that they are like new broomes that for a little space sweepe cleane but they daily decrease and decline shewing themselues not to haue a true affection to godlines and the heauenly wisedome Ecclus. 24.24 for she protesteth that they that eaâ—e heâ— shall haue the more hunger and they that drinke her shall thirst the more When the painter Euphranor had vndertaken to paint twelue Gods at Athens Val. Mar. l. 8. c. 12. he delineated the Image of Mercurie with as excellent colours of Maiestie as he could making shew as though he would haue represented Iupiter with greater dignitie but al his endeuour being consumed in the former worke his latter attempts could not rise to the height at whiâ—h they aimed For though Nature do often suffer Arte to imitate her power yet sometimes she smiles at the vaine enterprise of Arte as Euphranors pensill did truly prooue But God in working out our saluation followes not the order of Arte but of Nature procéeding from that which is imperfect to that which is perfect As in the whole matter after the letter and ceremonies of the law he gaue the lawe of grace and the Spirit kéeping the good wine with the bridegroome of Cana vntill the end of the feast so in particular Ioh. 2.10 God procéedes from the good vsing of a smaller grace to the bestowing of a greater Nature by continuall operation brings forth an high trée of a small plant or séede and the drop of water frets the stone not by force but often falling and the fire is maintained by continuall putting of fewell thereunto so the God of Nature by his grace as by a séede and by a perpetuall influence doth produce admirable vertues in his elect causing the latter ende euer to be better then the beginning 1. Cor. 15.46 For that is not first which is spirituall but that which is naturall is first and after succéedes that which is spirituall God commanded that in Aarons garment beneath vpon the skirts there should be made pomegranats of blew silke and purple and skarlet round about the skirts thereof and bels of gold betwéene them round about that is Exod. 28.33.34.35 A golden bell and a Pomegranate round about vpon the skirts of the robâ— The bels were that when he ministred and went into the holy place before the Lord and came out his sound might be heard and why may not the Pomegranates expresse the perfection and consummation of vertue and godlines in that the Pomegranate among al other fruits séemes to haue the resemblance of a crowne and the end is the glorie and crowne of the worke and this crowne as it were was set not in thâ— highest part nor in the most but about the lowest edge or skirts of the high Priests to be and why may we not gather hereby that we must abide in godlines vnto the last gaspe and continually speake well and doe well Yea but how may we obtaine to this constancie and perseuerance By earnest praier to God For the spirituall Armour by which we ouercome the wicked Eph 6.10 Phil. 1.6 Phil. 2.13 and quench his firie darts is the Armour of God God that hath begun this good worke in vs will performe it vntill the day of Iesus Christ God worketh in vs both the will and the déed euen of his good pleasure 1. Thes 5.24 1. Pet. 5.10 Heb. 13.21 Eph. 3.16 2. Thess 1.1 2. Thess 2.16 3.3 God is faithfull which calleth vs who will also doe it God will stablish vs. God makes vs perfect in all good workes to doe his will working in vs that is pleasing in his sight through Iesus Christ God graunteth vs