he be throughly tried S. 35. P. 13. The best foode for the soule of man S. 36. P. 13. 14. Not proud but humble men do profite by reading and hearing of the worde of God S. 37. 38. P. 14. 15. The riches dignities and honors of this world and the life of man are fitly compared to clouds in the aire which are suddenly dispersed and scattered with the windes S. 39. P. 15. 16. The word of God is a looking glasse that wil deceiue no man If a man behold himselfe well in it he shall see plainly that before he was man he was earth and before he was earth he was nothing S 40 P 16. As a birde thrusteth hir bill through the loopes of hir cage in token of hir great desire to be at libertie So the soule of a true Christian groneth and sigheth in the bodie in desire to be dissolued and to go to dwell with the Lord Iesu S. 41. P. 16. 17. Papists compared to vipers S. 42. P. 17. Man for his inconstancie is compared to a ballance that is mooued with euerie little weight S. 43. P. 17 18. Man is so wauering that he is compared to a Chameleon which changeth his colour according to the thing that is next him and also bicause the Chameleon will be changed into any colour saue white S. 44. 45. P. 18. Not they that trust to a dead faith but they that haue a liuely and working faith shall be saued S. 46 P. 18. Many men of very good qualities and indewed with sundrie vertues and full of good parts haue been strongly altered and greatly disgraced through their familiaritie with the wicked S. 47. P. 18. 19. When Peter came into Cayphas his hall he denied Christ S. 48. P. 19. What it is not to eat the word of God and not to fill a mans bellie and bowels with it S. 49. P. 19. The harder that the tree of sinne and wickednes is to be cut downe the more earnestly and diligently ought the preachers of the word to strike at it with the sharpe edge of Gods most mightie and most holie worde S. 50. P. 20. The Lord doth humble vs in this world that he may exalt vs in the world to come this world doth smile vpon vs with a purpose to deceiue vs S. 51. 32. P. 20. Wicked men are wilfull murtherers of their owne bodies and soules S. 53. P. 21. Vngodly men finde no comfort nor sweetnes in the word of God S. 54. P. 21. In mens iudgements words and works we may be deceiued in Gods we cannot Whatsoeuer is writteÌ„ in Gods word is truth whatsoeuer is taught in it is vertue and holines and whatsoeuer it promiseth in the world to come is eternitie S. 55. P. 22. The onely weapon that we must vse to ouer come the world flesh and diuell is the word of God and the practise of the same S. 56. P. 22. Poore men feare they God neuer so much are little set by in this world S. 57. P. 23. Christ hath his cup and the world his the one is bitter but wholesome the other very pleasant but pestilent and deadly S. 58. P. 23. and 24 and also S 60. P. 24. As a guiltie man whose conscience doth accuse him would neuer see the iudge and a traitor would neuer willingly be espied of his prince nor a disloyall person of one that knoweth him and on the other side a true and faithfull subiect that hath done dutifull seruice desireth the presence of the prince in hope to be well rewarded So the wicked and vngodly ones of the world are greeued to heare of Christs comming to iudge the quicke and the dead but they that haue liued with good consciences do grone for his comming S. 61. P. 24. There be great braggers of religion which make a great noise as thogh none were right professors of the truth but themselues such be not the best men humble minded Christians are better than they S. 62. P. 25. Death commeth suddenly vpon many that neuer thought to die nor cannot tell what shall become of them when they bee dead S. 63. P. 25. 26. All men are alike subiect to death whether they beyoong or olde this world is like a potters warehouse and all men in it are earthen vessels S. 64. P. 26. As the moone decreasing hath hir open side hanging downward but increasing and gathering light hath hir opening vp towards heauen So men meere naturall haue their harts set only vpon earth and earthly things but men regenerate haue the open side of their harts euer towards God heauen and heauenly things S 65. P. 26. 27. A common wealth without good lawes and holy ordinances put in practise is like a bodie without a soule S 66 P 28. As the horse is ordained to run the oxe to plough and the dog to hunt So is man borne to loue God aboue all things S. 67. P. 28. Mans hart is so hard that it must be smitten with the Lords owne hand and bruised with one calamitie or other or else no godo thing will euer issue out of it S. 68. P. 28. and S. 69. P. 29. S. 70. P. 29. The earth is the Lords steward and doth dispose and detaine the increase of it selfe at the Lords appointment when God wil plentie when he will scarciâ—ie S. 71. P. 29. 30. If man cleaue to God God will sticke to him if he will run from God yet can he not escape his hands S. 72. P. 30. A man that is vertuous without hypocrisie is an excellent iewell he is greatly greeued to see any bewitched with the forceries of the world he doth what he can that none may Carnall men are meere strangers to true christianitie S. 73. P. 31. Vaine and carnall men compared to organs S. 74. P. 31. Naturall men will do no good thing vnles they be pricked forward with the praise and commendations of the world S. 75. P. 31. 32. Hypocrites most plainly and truly described by a wood or groue full of goodly trees and pleasant plants to delight men and also full of stinging serpents to poyson and to kill men S. 76. P. 32. Heauenly meditations doe molliâ—ie and warme the hart and do greatly inflame men with a feruent loue of God This world and the things thereof haue euer been false and haue deceiued euen their louers and deerest friends at the length S. 77. P. 32. 33. The Lorde suffereth his owne children whom he loueth most deerely to bee oftentimes in great wants when the wicked haue euen the world at will The afflictions of this are not the maledictions and curses of God but rather most certaine signes of his loue and tokens of his grace S. 78. P. 33. 34. God doth suâ—fer his saints heere vpon the earth to be smitten and sore beaten of the world and to be throughly tried with diuers tentations to the end that their inward graces may breake
on high first kéepeth it lowe and holdeth it downe with the force of a van and the gathering togither of much winde Euen so our God presseth vs downe and kéepeth vs lowe that he may lift vs vp and exalt vs on high he throweth vs downe héere in earth that he may exalt vs in heauen and laieth many times disgrace vpon vs in this world among men that we may be gracious in the world to come with himselfe his angels and his saints On the other side AS a wrastler imbracing him with whom he striueth in the wrastling place for victorie lifteth him vp the higher that with the greater force he may hurle him against the ground So this world doth extoll vs that with throwing vs downe headlong it may hurt vs and that we may fall from the top of deceitfull and transitorie glorie downe to the bottome of most certaine and perpetuall ignominie Cyprian saith The world smileth vpon a man with a cruell purpose it flattereth to deceiue it calleth a man to it to kill him it extolleth him to vndo him AS men mad and frantike are woont to teare and rent themselues So wicked and vngodly men inflict vpon themselues most deadly and incurable wounds yea they be most wilfull murtherers of their owne soules and bodies For that is true in the booke of Wisedome Man through his owne naughtines killeth his owne soule And what greater madnes can there be than a man to run headlong vpon euerlasting destruction Iob hauing a desire to describe the ignorance of such men and to declare that euen in matters most euident and plaine they be vtterly void and destitute of wisedome he saith In the day light they run into darknes and as in the night so stumble they at noone daies And whereas the feare of God is the beginning of wisdome as Dauid and Salomon his sonne do both affirme and vngodly men loden with all maner of naughtines to the feare of God are méere strangers it is plainly and truly concluded that they be not onely without wisedome but also that they haue not so much as the beginning of the same AS the filthie swine regard not but thrust from them roses that are most beautifull and swéete and séeme to contemne most fragrant and pleasant flowers and do rather séeke after foule puddles and stinking mire and forsaking dainty dishes and costly iuncates do franke themselues most gréedily with wilde mast and vncleane things So vngodly men haue no taste of the word of God but hunting after vncertaine riches which are in continuall hazard and at the length will deceiue them they are as it were fettered in the inchanting pleasures and pestilent flickerings of the world From the which the Lord preserue and deliuer vs. Amen AS in a fruitfull and fertile ground among many wholsome and very medicinable herbes some that be dangerous and full of poyson do grow So the wits and wisedome of men togither with some profitable and wholsome counsels and admonitions do bring foorth perilous and pestilent errors and are therfore with wisedome and great discretion to be regarded euen as herbes are to be gathered and vsed But this wisedome and discretion is to be sought for and had onely in the word of God which is a lanterne to our féete and a most perfect light vnto our pathes It is onely acceptable to the soules of Gods saints and nothing but it doth féede them to eternall life It is swéeter vnto them than hony and the hony combe In mens iudgements words and works we may be deceiued in the Lords we cannot Thy iudgements O Lord saith Dauid are iust and more to be desired than fine golde or pretious stones and they are swéeter than hony and the hony combe It is the power of saluation to all that beléeue it it is able to saue our soules if it be throughly rooted in vs. The word of the Lord laid vp in our harts doth preserue vs from sinne it clenseth our harts and by the working of the holy Ghost with it it createth right spirits within vs. By the meanes of it the saints and seruants of God attaine to that puritie and cleannes of hart and minde that they wish for and desire nothing but that which is good godly and holy The author of the word is God himselfe who can neither deceiue nor be deceiued and therefore whatsoeuer is written in it is truth whatsoeuer is taught in it is vertue and holines whatsoeuer it promiseth after death is eternitie and endlesse ioy to the children of God when this life is ended Whereto the Lord bring vs all if it be his good pleasure AS that man that will giue an onset and encounter with an enimie or wil defend and kéepe himselfe vnwounded at his hands hath néede of a sword in his hand to smite the enimie withall and to repell his violence So whosoeuer will triumph and carry away the victorie ouer this world flesh and diuell must hold fast in his hand that is in his maners conuersation and the whole course of his life the worde of God which is called the sword of the spirit is sharper than any two edged sword This the Lord commandeth to be closed and safely laid vp in the cofer of our harts and to be worne as a signe vpon our hands and to be had for a remembrance alway before our eies Salomon doth counsell vs to binde it fast to our harts and to vse it as a chaine about our necks and to take it with vs when we walke abroad And Christ himselfe saith If any man loue me he will kéepe my saying Againe Blessed are they that heare the word of God and kéepe it The apostle also Not the hearers of the law are righteous before God but the doers of the lawe shall be iustified And Iames saith Be ye doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiuing your owne selues The Lord giue grace and his holy spirit vnto vs that we may loue to heare his word and to do his will EVen as doues do loue and delight in houses that be faire whited and do willingly frequent swéete and pleasant places but contemne and flie from blacke foule and vnsauorie cottages So faithles and vntrustie friends do hunt and séeke after the friendship of those men by whose wealth and riches they may be holpen reléeued and enriched But men in pouertie and distressed persons vnable to fill their bellies to clothe their backs or otherwise to pleasure them with some worldly things they vtterly despise they care not for their companie their loue nor friendship feare they God neuer so much Yea if some blustering storme and terrible tempest of aduersitie shall blowe away thy wealth and shall separate thy riches and thy selfe thy greatest friends as thou thoughtest will hide them from thée and no where be found but a faithfull friend loueth at al times
CERTAINE VERY PROPER AND MOST PROFITABLE SIMILIES wherein sundrie and very many most foule vices and dangerous sinnes of all sorts are so plainly laid open and displaied in their kindes and so pointed at with the finger of God in his sacred and holy Scriptures to signifie his wrath and indignation belonging vnto them that the Christian Reader being seasoned with the spirit of grace and hauing God before his eies will be very fearfull euen in loue that he beareth to God to pollute and to defile his hart his mind his mouth or hands with any such forbidden things And also manie very notable vertues with their due commendations so liuely and truly expressed according to the holy word that the godly Reader being of a Christian inclination will be mightily inflamed with a loue vnto them Collected by Anthonie Fletcher minister of the word of God in vnfained loue in the Lord Iesu to do the best and all that he can to pleasure and to profite all those that desire to know the Lords waies and to walke in the same This present yeere of our happines 1595. Psalme 128. Blessed is euery one that feareth the Lord and walketh in his waies Printed at London by Iohn Iackson for Isaac Bing To the Right honorable Earle and vertuous Lord the Lord GILBERT TAVLBVT Earle of Shrewsburie and Knight of the noble order of the gartar Grace mercie and peace through Christ Iesus with increase of honor health and all happinesse c. BEing very desirous Right honorable in the feare of God to do good and to profit among all at the least some especially of the weakest sort whose neede of helpe in heauenly things that they may see both vertue and vice and learne to imbrace the one and to auoide the other is exceeding great I haue ventured to take a little paine to collect and to bestowe some labour to gather togither a little booke of Similies to testifie my loue in Christ Iesu to all the seruants of God and haue presumed to dedicate the same vnto your Honor not doubting but that as it may do good and profit very manie concerning the knowledge of God and of his iudgements due to sinne so your Honor will accordingly receiue the same in good part and be as glad to be a patrone to any true seruice to God as any man in the world is or can be able to offer and to performe it Your Honors continuall and faithfull care to do good to your natiue countrie your vnfained and most hartie zeale in fauouring true religion your very good liking and loue towards all that feare the Lorde your misliking of vice and loue to vertue your readinesse to do good to all both for their bodies and soules and to hurt none These things I say haue giuen me this boldnes vnder your Honors protection to publish and to send abroad this my little labour as a poore token of my good will and loue in Christ towards all the seruants and children of God nothing doubting but that for your Honors sake it will be the better welcome to all that feare God and with the greater diligence read imbraced and imitated of all And I my selfe the more incouraged to labour heerafter and to thinke no pains great whatsoeuer I am able to vndergoe and to indure to profite others to increase knowledge in the ignorant and to further the saluation of all men Againe the remembrance of that most vertuous and godlie Ladie Ladie Marie your Honors good and gracious sister wife to the very worshipful and good Knight sir George Sauill when I was preacher in Wakefield to me and to all that feare God a most Christian friende did euen seeme to warrant me though I am vnknowen to your Honour that you are readier to further than I am to perform any good worke Lastly the readinesse to knowe God and their obedience vnto the highest and almightie that I found in those gracious branches sweete virgins and most towarde Ladies your Honors owne daughters when I being preacher at Clerkenwell they were with that vertuous gracious and very religious gentlewoman somtimes mother to hir Maiesties Maides of honor and my very worshipful friend mistresse Winfield hath giuen me great comfort to thrust out this little booke of mine vnder your Honors protection to do good to them that you and I both do loue as I assure my selfe in Christ Iesu Thus without troubling your Honor any longer I beseech the Almightie to blesse your Honors selfe the honorable and godlie Ladie your wife your Ladie daughters and all that appertaine to your Honor if they appertain to God This 22. of May 1595. Your Honors most humble to command in Christ Iesu during this temporall life Anthonie Fletcher preacher of the word of God A paterne of a cursed tree and the fruite and end of the same WHen the sonne of God the redeemer of the world Christ Iesus was heere below vpon the earth so truelie in his bodie as we be now in our bodies sauing that he was cleere and free from all corruption of sinne and as he walked being pinched with hunger did espie a goodlie fig tree which with the faire greene and flourishing leaues did offer vnto him some hope of releefe and comming to it finding it fruitlesse and being disappointed of his hope he cursed it and commanded that it should be cut downe and cast into the fire If he dealt so with trees that did beare no fruite at all we may warrant and assure our selues that he will curse cut downe and cast into the fire that neuer shall be quenched euery tree that is euerie man that bringeth foorth such fruits as this tree beareth If the Lord his curse belongeth to a barren tree that beareth no fruit much more doth it belong to those trees which bring foorth bad fruites If trees that are vnprofitable bicause they beare nothing but leaues are fitter for the fire then to trouble the earth then much more those trees that are so heauie loden and so full of poyson that a man cannot touch one twig of them but it killeth his soule and bodie for euer Such a tree is euerie one that beareth such fruites in his life and manners as this tree doth No good Christian therefore will delight please himselfe with the shadow of such a tree neither build his nest in any part or branch of it but rather will do his greatest indeuor to pull it downe Do thou good Christian thy best and be sure the Lorde will take thy part And howsoeuer earthlie iusticers let slip their parts and forget to do their duties the Lord will neuer forget nor let slip his part Heere thou seest Iustice hath fastened his coard to the top of the tree and Veritie is hacking at the roote betweene them both to ouerthrowe it Now if thou louest righteousnes and art a friende to truth take their parts in this busines pull downe with Iustice and strike with Veritie lend
religion be That saying of our sauior Christ of necessitie must euer be true and infallible He that exalteth himselfe shall be brought lowe and he that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted IT behooueth that sinne and iniquitie may greatly displease thée that the loue of thy selfe may be turned into a sincere loue of God For if thou shalt east into an hot burning fornace wood and stickes that be scare and drie and ready to burne there will arise and burne out a most pure and cleare flame of fire But if thou wilt cast into the same fornace gréene sticks wet and stinking rushes or some other such matter they will burne in déede but the fornace and whole house will be filled with smoke and will be euen blacke by reason of the thicke darknes which procéedeth of the foule and stinking smoke So the hart of man is a furnace continually burning if thou wilt nourish it with cogitations and heauenly meditations of the loue of God there will appéere and shine out of it a pure flame and bright light of true and vnfained loue to God and man But if thou wilt cherish and maintaine it with thoughts and deuises of selfe loue then it will be full of vile smoke stinch and darknes They perished saith the apostle in their own imaginations and their foolish hart was darkened The fountaine and originall of all euils and the center from whence the lines of all abhominations do flow is mans inordinate selfe loue Augustine saith that Adam did fall into that ouermuch loue of himselfe before he did eate the forbidden fruit And the same author saith that two loues did build two cities the loue of God Ierusalem and mans selfe loue Babylon It is selfe loue that Christ speaketh of sayeng He that loueth his life shall lose it And Paule saith In the latter daies men shall be louers of themselues couetous hautie high minded proude c. And againe we must not please our selues And Peter calleth the wicked and vngodly bold and pleasers of themselues There is no misery comparable to this that a man knoweth not his owne miserie And of follies there is none greater then not to know a mans owne follie but to haue an ouer well wéening of himselfe It is excéeding great and very laudable wisdome that a man cast downe and condemn himselfe that he may auoid the heauy iudgements of God and condemnation with the wicked world For the more vnperfect that we esteeme and iudge our selues to be the néerer to true perfection do we come For this in some measure is perfection euen to know and to acknowledge our owne imperfection EUen as after great showers and stormes of raine the aire is clensed and cléered So after great troubles sorrowes afflictions and temptations cleannes of hart quietnes of minde and peace of soule and conscience do follow AS with a pile or stacke of seare and dry wood the fire is quickly kindled and caused mightily to flame out Euen so the outragiousnes of carnall and fleshly lust is greatly prouoked mooued and stirred vp through rioting banqueting quaffing gussing swilling and continuall féeding and pampering of the belly and by taking the bodie from good lawfull and honest exercises and giuing it to idlenes slothfulnes and ouermuch ease and rest from labours EVen as of ouermuch fulnes of the stomacke and superfluitie of meats groweth that obstruction which the physitions do call oppilation or stopping whereupon bréedeth a continuall headach and that frensie which bringeth men to a madnes Euen so of a depraued and dishonest loue of this life of the corruption of manners of gluttonie and excesse eating doth spring an vnbridled and vntamed lust whereof ariseth that phrenetical madnes of heretikes and a corruption of their vnderstanding in matters of faith They which care not to kéepe a good conscience do at length fall to an incurable contempt of faith The apostle therfore ioyneth faith and a good conscience togither The which conscience saith he whiles some cast from them they haue made shipwracke of their faith If therefore thou wilt that the almightie shall like and allow of thy faith be sure that thou kéepe a good conscience without the which thy faith is dead and will do thée no good The Emperor Traianus compareth the treasure of rich men with the spleen EVen as when the spleen increaseth the other members ioyntes and parts of the bodie do consume and pine away So the great treasures and riches of couetous tyrants increasing the wealth of subiects and inferior persons is weakened and diminished whiles they pill and poll away their substance and goodes to enrich themselues withall And euen as the spléen increasing the other members do decrease So couetousnes growing greater and greater all vertues do vtterly decay and vanish away Bountifulnes liberalitie charitie truth righteousnes and all such excellent qualities are no more found in those men which are strangled and poisoned with a great and gréedie desire of worldly riches For being drowned in couetousnes they can neuer lift vp their harts to God nor stretch foorth their hands to do good to their brethren God giueth vnto men riches wit industrie knowledge and many other things signified and vnderstood by the name of Talents to the end that they should honor and worship God and bicause they should do him faithfull and true seruice which is the giuer of all good things The Euangelist saith that the Lorde called his seruants togither and gaue vnto them his goods Riches then and all goods whatsoeuer men haue in their possessions are not their owne but the Lords vnto whom they must make an account for the same The Apostle saith What hast thou that thou hast not receiued And the holy prophet his words are plaine The earth is the Lords and all the fulnes of the same the round world and they that dwell therein thou art then a seruant a steward a bailife the things which thou hast are Gods not thine they be his goods which he hath deliuered vnto thée that thou shouldest vse and bestow them not vpon thy foule lusts nor filthie pleasures vaine delights nor to hurt thy brother neither that thou shouldest hide them but to his good liking honor and glorie that his Gospell may be preached his poore seruants and distressed children reléeued that the honest causes of poore widowes and orphanes may be defended and that other such charitable déedes should be done and practised that the Lord finding thée faithfull in thâ—se small things may at the length giue thée greater matters that is the kingdome of heauen and the ioies thereof but if thou be faithlesse in these he will neuer trust thee with those Take héede and beware therefore that thou do not lauish waste and consume the Lords goods in the seruice of the flesh world and diuell It is a lamentable thing to sée how many yea innumerable men in these daies
cut off thy arme and the arme of thy fathers house And shortly after the Scripture saith That his sonnes were slaine in fight and that Hely himselfe fell backward out of his chaire and broke his necke God grant that this example of Hely and his sonnes may be a warning to all parents to traine vp their children in the feare and nurture of the Lord and to punish their sinnes and vices so often as they perceiue and know them But againe the vngodly motions and mischieuous thoughts of our harts what are they els but children and brats of our owne bréeding The which we ought very seuerely to restraine and without pittie to punish them sharply when they are vnruly and wil cast from them the empire and gouernment of reason offending God and dangering our soules If we do not howsoeuer we breake not our necks in this world we shall perish for euer in the world to come IF thou dwellest with prophane vngodly faithlesse and wicked men and dost still hold fast and kéepe surely the faith religion profession and integritie and honestie of life and maners and dost so beare and endure all their spites malice obloquies contumelies railings ratings and what else soeuer shall be offered and done vnto thée that thou neuer swarue nor fall from the state of nature grace feare faith and loue of God It is an euident argument and a manifest proofe of a great and Christian magnanimitie and courage that is in thée of excellent vertues and of the holy Ghost himselfe that dwelleth in thée and doth arme and strengthen thée against sathan and all his cunning sleights and violence For euen as a looking glasse though it be most cléere and cleane with the foule breath of those that blowe vpon it is obscured and dimmed euen so a man that is honest vertuous and godly with continuall custome acquaintance and familiaritie of dishonest vngodly and gracelesse men is oftentimes corrupted infected and blemished And therefore Ecclesiasticus saith Whoso toucheth pitch shall be defiled with pitch c. IF it shall happen that a planet otherwise very beneuolent and wholsome shall be ioined to other stars or planets which are maleuolent and of bad influence it also will send foorth influence that is euill and vnwholsome Euen so a man that is vertuously giuen and well bent to godlines if he shall take and ioyne vnto him prophane wicked and vngodly men in too much acquaintance custome and familiaritie he also at the length wil become prophane and vngodly as they be For all for the most part are woont to imitate the maners of them with whom they are conuersant and familiar vnles they haue some speciall gifts and strength from God to preserue and to kéepe them from such baits and snares as sathan is woont to spread and lay abroad in the persons and maners of men badly and lewdly disposed THat we may perfectly behold and sée a thing it behooueth that there be some space betwéene our eies and the obiect or thing that is to be séene So that we may sée the world plainly and throughly looke into it it is requisite that there be some distance betwéene vs and it But euill lewd and vngracious men which please themselues in all things that displease God séeing they are the world it selfe how can it be that they should sée it when there is no space nor distance betwéene them and it So then if thou wilt sée the world and all the vanities flickerings and deceits of the same be not one with it fashion not thy selfe after the maners of it be stil at ods with it let there be a distance and space betwéen you so shall it neuer deceiue thée EVen as the eie doth not sée the lids of the same bicause there is no space betwéene the eie and them So the vaine and pestilent sort of people cannot sée the world bicause they are not separated from it by any distance or space at all In the middest of Babylon they sée it not in the middest of Sodom they cannot perceiue the filthines nor féele the stinch thereof they haue eies and sée not they haue eares heare not they haue hands and handle not féete and go not c. They are in the world of the world and the world it selfe therfore they loue the world they inhalse and imbrace the world They cannot they will not spie any faults in the world To them the stinch of the world is a swéete smelling sauour the foulnes of it is excellent beautie the corruption of it is perfect goodnes That saying of the Psalmist agréeth well with worldlings Fire came down vpon them and they did not sée the sun shine This fire that the prophet speaketh of is an extraordinarie and rotten loue of themselues which bringeth such a darknes vnto them that couereth and ouerwhelmeth their vnderstanding it blindeth their eies and stoppeth their eares it doth manacle their hands and fetter their féete so that in all goodnes they are senselesse The sunne that the prophet meaneth is that whereof mention is made in the booke of Wisedome The sun shine of vnderstanding is not risen or hath not appéered vnto them EVen as oyle doth cause the fire to flame So flatterie doth minister nourishment to errors Beléeue not a flatterer for vnder the person of a most swéete friend he is a most bitter enimie It is not for nothing that Salomon saith He that flattereth his neighbor laieth abroad a net before his steps to trap and to take him withall It is the office and as it were the profession of a cunning flatterer with his smoothe words and soft and sugred spéeches to vndermine supplant deceiue men and to draw them into some dangers and snares whereout they shall not easily escape but with some harme Euen as the end of an Orator is with eloquence to perswade and the end of the physition with medicine to cure and to heale so the end of the flatterer is with his humble communication and swéete alluring talke to deceiue Be sure of this one thing whensoeuer an euill and wicked man or one that is vaine and prophane doth séeme to stoupe and to crouch vnto thée in his words and spéeches then is he spreading his net and casting in his minde how to deceiue thée and to bring one euill or other vpon thée Plato calleth a flatterer a wilde beast that is very pestilent and hurtfull to mankind and saith he is like an vncleane deuill that féedeth mens minds that are not wise and warie with deadly dainties and with foule things that are dangerous and poysonfull He also compareth a flatterer with a sorcerer and a witch And in my iudgement there is no théefe woorse nor vnwoorthier to liue in the world than a flatterer bicause he doth not onely rob men of their mony and goods but also of reason and iudgement Augustine saith there be two kindes of persecutors one is
sore and weake is very troublesome and hurtfull and yet the sunne euer all one and the selfe same that it was before So God that hath euer shewen himselfe benigne and bountifull to those that were kinde and tender harted towards his saints and mercifull to those that shew mercie vnto the same men when they fall into wickednes and grow to be full of beastly crueltie the Lord sheweth himselfe to be very wrath and angrie and yet still one and the selfesame immutable God from euerlasting to euerlasting So that we sée the Lord to beare and shew himselfe vnto men according to that which he knoweth them to be The prophet Dauid had great knowledge and no small experience of this when he said The Lord will reward me according to my righteousnes and according to the cleannes of my hands in his owne eie sight with the holy thou wilt be holy and with the froward thou wilt deale frowardly When the wicked and vngodly do prouoke the Lord to anger and euen pull vpon themselues through their rebellion and hardnes of hart some iudgements plagues or scourges then they thinke that the Lord dealeth hardly and frowardly when as notwithstanding he is most holy and most iust AS a looking glasse doth shew whatsoeuer thou shalt set against it if thou shew thy selfe pleasant and milde vnto it it also will shew it selfe milde and pleasant vnto thée and if thou beest angrie and full of wrath and indignation thou shalt perceiue in like maner the countenance of the glasse to be as it were furious and cruell to behold whereas notwithstanding the glasse is one and the same So God whereas he is one and the selfesame immutable and euerlasting God and as it is said in the booke of Wisedome A glasse without spot or blemish is sometimes compared to a gentle lambe and sometimes to a fierce and terrible lion Esaias saith of him Euen as a shéep vnto the slaughter was he led and as a lambe before the shearer so he opened not his mouth And Iohn Baptist saith of him also Behold the lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world And Christ speaketh of himselfe Learne of me for I am méeke and lowly in hart These and such other places do shew the mildnes and kindnes of our God But the prophet Esay speaking of him againe saith The furie of the Lord is waxâ—n hot against his people And a little after His voice is as the roring of a lion And Amos the prophet saith A lion of the tribe of Iuda hath the victorie Christ himselfe affirmeth that he is mercifull towards them that be mercifull saying Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercie And touching the Lords maner of dealing with cruell and vnmercifull men Iames the apostle saith He shall haue iudgement without mercie that sheweth no mercie himselfe Thus do we plainly sée how diuersly the Lord sheweth himselfe to wit mercifull to those that be mercifull and to those that be mercilesse and cruell he sheweth himselfe sharpe and seuere Christ declareth in his Gospell that he will say vnto the good in the last iudgement day Come ye blessed children of my father possesse a kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world for I was hungrie and ye gaue me to eate c. O swéete and comfortable saying to the children of God And to the wicked he will say Depart from me ye cursed ones into euerlasting fire prepared for the diuell and his angels for I was hungrie and ye gaue me not to eate c. O dolefull and fearfull curse well had it béene for them if they had neuer béene borne Our sauiour Christ in his holy Gospell that he may teach vs his care loue towards vs compareth himselfe to many things calling himselfe somtimes a shepheard somtimes an husbandman somtimes a man somtimes an housholder and somtimes also a king calling his seruants to their accounts rewarding wel the good and condemning the bad and somtimes also a king bidding all to a marriage and to a wedding dinner For thus it is written The kingdome of heauen is like vnto a man a king which made a great marriage for his sonne He is called a man a king that we may vnderstand him to be bountifull and mercifull toward vs. But not long after it is said When the king heard it he was angrie When he is noted to be angrie he is not called a man a king but king onely And as we read the scriptures we find that Christ is called by diuers and sundrie names and all to expresse his nature and disposition vnto vs. He is said to be woonderfull a branch iust comely beautifull Iesus Messias a sauiour saluation a rocke a corner stone a counsellor strong beloued the sun a captaine a giant a bridegroome the east the prince of peace the father of the world to come a lord an high priest a physition Emanuel an eagle a mediator a fountaine of water of life the bread of life the way truth and life a light the roote of Iesse a swift destroier and by many other names is he called as we shal finde in the scriptures as we read and marke them well and yet he the same God and as Iames the apostle saith Without any shadow of change He brought and aduanced the people of the Hebrewes to great dignitie and againe did throw them into extreme ignominie but the change was in them and none in him He placed them in the land of promise and brought them into the captiuitie of Babylon and all these things did he without any alteration in himselfe to shew both his mercie and his iustice EVen as a twig or branch taken from a very good and fruitfull trée and graffed in the trunke or stocke of some wilde trée as a crab thorne or such like doth draw the trunke or stock to the nature of the twig or branch that now it beareth other leaues and other fruit than it was woont to do So the doctrine of Christ well planted and surely graffed in our barren harts doth draw vs and conuert vs vnto and into it selfe and causeth vs to beare other goodly leaues of holy and godly words and other most pleasant and wholsome fruits of vnfained vertues and graces But by the way we must néedes crop and cut off the boughes of our old sinnes that Christ may be graffed in vs and then no doubt our fruit shall be such as God for his sonnes sake will accept and take in good part at our hands A good trée cannot beare bad fruit nor an euill tree good fruit No man can be delighted with the foule pleasures and filthie delights of the world and the flesh and with the ioyes of heauen at the same time No man can be giuen both to the contemplation of heauenly things and to the wisedome of the flesh Truth and lying things euerlasting and things most vile
froth of gold doth differ from gold it selfe S. 215. P. 123. 124. They that with their hypocrisie do steale the praises commendations of men without any iust desert they either lose them before they die or not long after for the truth will out it will not be hid for euer The glorie of this worlde is buried with mens bodies when they be dead and posterities do forget it To be truely glorious is to despise the glory of this world S. 214. P. 125. 126. Singlenes of hart and true christian simplicitie is best seene and made most euident in troubles and afflictions S. 215. P. 126. 127. Sorrow and griefe shut vp and pestered in mans hart and no way vttered is verie dangerous and deadly weeping mourning and sighing doth lighten and ease the hart S. 216. P. 127. The reprobates and castawaies that be tormented in hell do confesse that the pompe and glorie of this world is transitorie and that it is a vaine thing for man to set his hart vpon Let christians therefore whiles it is to day that is whiles they liue heere vpon the earth set their harts and mindes vpon God heauen heauenly things not vpon this world or ought that belongeth to it let them either confesse heere in their life time that all those things be vaine which the world doth affoord vnto man or else they must confesse it in hell where and when it will be too late S. 218. P. 128. All they that with the eies of faith do behold the ioies and pleasures of heauen laid vp and kept in store for the saints of God in the world to come although they sit heere in the princely seates of all dignitie honor delights or whatsoeuer may hee had in this world yet will they vnfainedly desire to bee dissolued to remooue out of this world and to go to dwell with the Lorde Iesus S. 219. Pag. 129. Men being thirstie do earnestly desire water but their thirst being quenched they turne their backs vpon the fountaine where they found water so men distressed will crie and seeke after God but being eased they will forget him and turne their backs to him S. 220. P. 130. The knowledge and vnderstanding of the word and will of God doth not by and by worke an hungring and thirsting to leade a vertuous and a godly life in all those whom it hath instructed and most perfectly taught what they should do and how they ought to liue He that wil speake good things and will not do them is like an instrument that delighteth other men but not it selfe To what end a man should desire knowledge if he will desire to haue it aright S. 221. P. 131. 132. and 133. Mans bodie must not bee pampered but kept in subiection to the spirit otherwise it will be vnrulie and very vnapt to feare and serue the Lord S. 222. P. 134. Manie men when they be poore and in meane estate will be very lowly but once inriched and aduanced they forget both God and man as in such men honors change maners so were it very well if maners might change honors S. 223. P. 135. There be in this world two principall and chiefe fishers the one is Christ the other is the diuell Christ fisheth for men to saue them the diuell fisheth for men to destroie them The diuell catcheth far moe than Christ the reason is bicause his baite is more agreeable to the corrupted nature of man than Christs baite is but happie are they that take Christs baite and not the diuels S. 224. P. 136. 137. 138. Sathan is a subtle fisher and doth not by and by deale very roughlye with those of whom he maketh a sure account but doth suffer them a little to play and to sport them selues with his hooke in their mouthes vntill at the length they cannot escape S. 225. Pag. 139. and 140. They be most dangerous people that can keepe no counsell nor secrets S. 226. P. 140. 141. and 142. Verie manie will make a shew of vertue that haue no delight in vertue it selfe Such men are fitly compared to painters whose delight is more in colours than in the substance S. 227. P. 142. Very manie will follow Christ with their lips whose harts do neuer come neare him in words they will be with God but in deedes with the diuell S. 228. P. 144. Christ is said to make a feast and to eate at the conuersion of a sinner S. 229. Pag. 14â— and 146. Idlenes doth breede and cherish all wickednes and abhomination in man and doth not become a Christian S. 230. P. 147. The iudgements of God that hang ouer our heads for our vnthankfulnes S. 231. Pag. 147. c. When man in troubles seeketh for comfort from the world he seeketh for life in the house of death S. 229. P. 145. The world with a smiling looke and the diuell with a faire word can sooner haue at commandement to follow them and to do their wils the greatest number than Christ can with his death and the promise of his kingdome S. 231. P. 148. Man is the deerest purchase that euer was made in heauen or earth the like price and cost was neuer bestowed vpon any creatures as vpon man S. 231. P. 148. The goodnes of Christ considered there was neuer any creatures dealt so vnkindlie with him as man doth ibidem When Christ calleth vs to do good then we run headlong to do all maner of euill ibidem It will profite man nothing to abstaine from the committing of sinne if he loue it in his hart and doth it rather for feare of shame here or condemnation in the world to come than drawen with the loue of God ibidem Pag. 151. The people of Rome were mightily mooued with an oration made by Marcus Antoninus vpon the death of Caesar and expulsed the homicides out of the citie but when we heare of the death of Christ and knowe the cause of his death to be our sinnes yet we will not expulse sinne out of our selues they shed teares when they heard what Caesar had done for them but we can heare what Christ did for vs without one teare or anie griefe of hart S. 232. P. 152. Caesar was more beholden to the Romans than Christ is to the most part of the world S. 232. P. 153. The cause of the destruction of Sodom Gomorrhe and that the same sinnes be now very rife S. 232 P. 154. Very many will confesse that God in times past did most iustly punish the sinnes of men but the same confessors will do the like without either feare or loue of God S. 232. P. 154. The examples of Gods iudgements vpon others do no whit moue the vngodly in these daies S. 232. P. 155. and 156. Men in these daies are woorse than some of those Iewes which crucified Christ S. 232. P. 156. They that wil not profit any thing by hearing the worde preached nor will suffer no drops nor dewes of grace to