THE HAPPINES of the Church OR A Description of those Spirituall Prerogatiues vvherewith Christ hath endowed her Considered in some contemplations vpon part of the 12. Chapter to the Hebrewes Together with certain other Meditations and Discourses vpon other portions of holy Scriptures the titles wherof immediatly precede the Booke Being the Summe of diuerse Sermons preached in S. Gregories London By Thomas Adams Preacher there 2. Corin. 12. 15. I will very gladly spend and be spent for your soules LONDON Printed by G. P. for Iohn Grismand and are to be sold at his shop neere vnto the little North dore of Saint Pauls at the signe of the Gun 1619. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE SIR HENRIE MOVNTAGVE the Lord Chiefe Iustice of ENGLAND my very good Lord. RIght Honourable my allegiance to the Almighty King necessitates my endeuours to glorify his Great Name My Profession hath imposed on me all ministeriall seruices My filiall dutie to our blessed Mother the Church hath taught me to help forward her cause both with tongue and penne My thankfulnes to your Lo. tyes me to seeke your honourable authorising of all these labours They run to you first as if they waited your manumission of them to the world If bookes be our children and the masculine issue of our braines then it is fit that your Lo. who haue the patronage of the father should also vouchsafe a blessing to the childrē Nor is this all there is yet a weightier reason why they should refuge themselues vnder your Lo s. protection The world is quickly offended if it be told of the offences men study courses practise them and if the Clergie find fault yea if we doe not iustify and make good what they magnifie make common they will be angry It is the most thanklesse seruice to tell men of their misdeeds Now a busines so distastfull requires a worthy Patron whose Patronage should I desire but your Lo s. whose I am and to whom I owe all duty seruice whose but your Lo s. who are in place to reforme vice and to encourage goodnes to make that practicall and exemplary which is here onely theoricall and preceptory God hath intrusted to your hands his Sword of Iustice draw it in his defence against the enemies of his Grace Gospel You sit at the common sterne and therfore are not so much your owne as your Countreys Helpe vs with your hands we will helpe you with our prayers The God of maiestie mercy sanctifie your heart rectifie your hand iustifie your soule and lastly crowne your head with eternall glory Your Lordships obseruant Chaplain Tho. Adams To the worthy Citizens of Saint Gregories Parish syncere louers of the Gospell present happinesse and euerlasting Peace I Owe you a treble debt of loue of seruice of thankfulnesse The former the more I pay the more still I owe. The second I will be ready to pay to the vttermost of my power though short both of your deserts and my owne desires Of the last I will striue to giue full payment and in that if it be possible to come out of your debts Of all I haue in this volume giuen you the earnest as therfore you vse to doe with bad debters take this till more comes You see I haue venturously trafficked with my poore talent in publike whilest I behold richer graces kept close at home and buried in silence liking it better to husband a little to the common good then to hoord vp much wealth in a sullen niggardice I censure none if all were writers who should bee readers if none idle Pamphlets would take vp the generall eye be read and applauded onely through want of better obiects If the graine be good it doth better in the market then in the Garner All I can say for my selfe is I desire to doe good whereof if I should faile yet euen that I did desire it and endeuor it shall content my conscience I am not affrighted with that common obiection of a dead letter I know that God can effectuate his owne ends and neuer required man to appoint him the meanes If it were profitable being spoken sure it cannot be vnnecessary being written It is not vnknowne to you that an infirmity did put me to silence many weekes whilest my tongue was so suspended from preaching my hand tooke opportunity of writing To vindicate my life from the least suspition of idlenesse or any such aspersions of vncharitable tongues I haue set forth this reall witnesse which shall giue iust confutation to such slanders If it be now condemned I am sure it is onely for doing well I very well know the burden of preaching in this Citie wee may say of it in another sense what Christ said of Ierusalem O thou that killest the Prophets Many a Minister comes to a Parish with his veines full of bloud his bones of marrow but how soone doth he exhaust his spirits waste his vigor And albeit there are many good soules for whose sake hee is content to make himselfe a sacrifice yet there are some so vnmercifull that after all his labor would send him a begger to his graue I tell you but the fault of some quitting your particular selues I speake not to diminish the credit of your bounty which I haue found and heere with a thankefull profession acknowledge it In testimony whereof I haue set to my hand and sent it you a token of the gratitude of my heart Receiue it from him that is vnfainedly desirous of your saluation and if he knew by what other means soeuer he might bring you to euerlasting peace would studie it practise it continue it whilst his Organ of speech hath breath enough to mooue it Your vnworthy Preacher Thomas Adams The Contents The Happinesse of the Church Hebr. 12. 22. But ye are come vnto Mount Sion The rage of Oppression Psal. 66. 12. Thou hast caused men to ride ouer our heads The victory of Patience Psal. 66. 12. We went through fire and through water Gods house Psal. 66. 13. I will goe into thy House Mans Seed-time and Haruest Gala. 6. 7. Whatsoeuer a man sowes he shall reape Heauen-Gate Reue. 22. 14. And may enter in through the gates The Spirituall Eye-salue Ephe. 1. 18. That the eyes of your vnderstanding The Cosmopolite Luke 12. 20. But God said vnto him Thou foole The bad Leauen Gala. 5. 9. A little leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe Faiths Encouragement Luke 17. 19. And he said vnto him Arise The Saints meeting Ephe. 4. 13. Till we all meet in the vnity of the faith Presumption running into despaire Reue. 6. 16. They said to the Mountaines Maiestie in misery Math. 27. 51. And behold the vaile of the Temple The Foole and his sport Prou. 14. 9. Fooles make a mocke at sin The fire of contention Luke 12. 49. I come to send fire on the earth The Christians walke Ephe. 5. 2. Walke in loue Loues Copy Ephe. 5. 2. As Christ loued vs.
Church 4. Per annectionem such are spirituall Liuings and endowments these are not to be profaned in buying and selling Selling is like the sinne of Gehesi buying like the sinne of Simon Magus Anathema danti anathema accipiâ—…nti There is a curse to the giuer and a curse to the receiuer Now Sacriledge to these holy things of God is committed three waies 1. Quando ausertur sacrum de sacro when a holy thing is taken from a holy place as the consecrated vessels out of the Temple Foelix seeing the costly Chalices Constantinus and Constantius had bestowed on the Church maliciously scoffed What stately plate is there for the Carpenters Son But he that had so base a conceit of Christs bloud did himselfe nothing night and day but vomit bloud till his vnhappy soule was fetched from his wretched carkase Wee haue too many of those that like Belshazzar with the riches of the Church haue furnished their cup-bords of Plate 2. Quando non sacrum de sacro when a common thing is stolne from a sacred place As if a thiefe breakes open a Church to steale some priuate treasure hid in it So the Church-wardens may defraud the poore of the money in the boxe It is the poores not sacred to the Church yet is it sacriledge to embezzel it 3. Quando sacrum de non sacro when a holy thing is taken out of a common place as when the Church is robbed of her possessions and endowments O the mercie of God what shall become of England for thus robbing Gods Citie Our Patrons are like those Christ whipped out of the Temple yea worse for they bought and sold in the Church these buy and sell the Church it selfe It is a snare to the man that deuoureth that which is holy A snare hath three properties 1. It catcheth suddenly Vzza did but touch the Arke and presently fell down dead 2. It holds surely Vzziah will offer Incense but the Leprosie which was his plague held him to his dying day 3. It destroyes certainely the earth swallowed Corah and his confederates when the rest escaped The Prophet bestowes a whole Psalme against this sinne Psalme 83. The Center of it vpon whom all the lines and proiections of his inuectiues meet are those ver 12. that say Let vs take to our selues the houses of God in possession He calls them Gods enemies tumultuous proud God-haters ver 2. Crafty enemies with their plots tricks subtilties much like our Impropriators legall iustifyings ver 3. Confederate enemies combining themselues to annihilate a Church Come let vs cut theÌ„ off from being a Nation ver 4. endeuouring to extinguish the very Name of Israel breaking downe the pale that the Bore the depopulator and the wild beast the corrupt Patron may waste and deuoure it They would plow vp the Vniuersities and sowe them with the seed of Barbarisme Now marke how hee prayes for them ver 9. Doe vnto them as vnto the Medianites who were by the trumpets and lampes so terrified that they drew their swords one vpon another so that these by the trumpets of the Law and lampes of the Gospel might be awaked As to Sisera to Iabin at the brooke of Kison that great Captaine whom God deliuered into the hands of a woman ver 11. Make their Nobles like Oreb and like Zeeb yea all their Princes as Zebah and Zalmunna All Princes yet died violent and ignominious deaths and became like dung for the earth Doth he stay here No ver 13. O my GOD make them like a wheele and as the stubble before the vvind Infatuate all their plots turne their braines and disperse their stratagems Is he yet satisfied No. ver 14. As the fire burneth a wood and as the flame setteth on fire the mountaines so persecute them with thy tempest Hee vseth imprecations to open the floud-gates of Gods wrath that like fire it might consume them either naturally as fire burnes the wood or miraculously as it enflameth the Mountaines ver 16. Fill their faces with shame If this be to take Gods houses in possession who dares lay sacrilegious hands vpon them Yet for all this those men did not what they desired Let vs take ver 12. they said it they did it not Perhaps no thanks to theÌ„ they would if they could We haue done it taken inhabited inherited as Elias said to Ahab We haue killed also taken possession His tithes his offerings all his holy rites yea his very Churches we haue gotten them and led them captiue away bound in chaines of yron conueyed by deedes grants seales fines as if you would make sure they should neuer returne to the owner God is robbed of them for euer Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord shall not my soule be auenged on such a Nation What familie that hath had but a finger in these sacriledges hath not beene ruinated by them They haue beene more infortunate to the Gentry of England then was the gold of Tholossa to the followers of Scipio Remember the Prouerbe Hee that eates the Kings goose shall haue the fethers sticke in his throate seuen yeeres after Iustinian said Proximum sacrilegio crimen est quod maiestatis dicitur Treason is a petty sinne in respect of sacriledge Augustine seemes to giue the reason Tantò grauius est peccatum quantò committi non potest nisi in Deum It is so much the more haynous because it cannot be committed but immediately against God himselfe Well then as the Philistines made haste to send home the Arke and the Aegyptians to rid themselues of Gods people so let vs restore to God his dues with all speed Otherwise as hee smote the Philistines with Emrods secretly and the Aegyptians with plagues publikely so onely himselfe knowes what he hath determined against vs. With what face canst thou expect an Inheritance from Christ in heauen that detainest from Christ his Inheritance here on earth Let vs not so Iewishly with the spoyles of Christ purchase fields of bloud It is much if at all this any guilty soule tremble but howsoeuer like Pharaoh when the thunder and lightning are done they are where they were O this is a difficult Deuill to be cast out Render vnto Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are Gods Reddite Deo sua vt Deus restituat vobis vestra Returne vnto God that which is his that God may allow you that which is yours Wee pay to the King Impost Subsidies and Fifteenes so giue we all these in a resemblance to God The Lords impost for all his blessings is our gratitude What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits toward me I will take the cup of saluation and blesse the Name of the Lord. If wee forget to pay this Impost the commodity is forfeit God will take it backe Our Subsidies are according to our parts The subsidies of our eyes are our
that hee hath in all things But to shew that the Almighty God being tied to no meanes doth yet worke by meanes to vphold the weakenesse of our natures A Prince sees his little children besieged and sends his stronger sonnes able souldiers to relieue them Their helpe to vs is certaine though not visible we cannot describe it nor prescribe it but vvee feele it in the successe they preserue vs. Against the Syrian band the mountaine was full of horses and charets of fire to defend Elisha Neither is this all but to manifest his abundant goodnesse to mankind What is man O Lord or the sonne of man that thou so gardest and regardest him They are dust and vanity and rottennesse yet the Lord sends his glorious Angels his Pages of honour and Princes of his Court for their messengers and ministers As if a King should not onely giue his subiect a charter and Patent of safe conduct but also sends his own gard to attend him So the Lord honors vs with his own gard royall through Iesus Christ. 3. To enemies not for their safety but for the execution of Gods iudgements on them The huge Armie of Senacherib was ouerthrowne by an Angel Indeed they will not the destruction of any man further then the Iustice of God ordaines it But sometimes they are sent out for the protection of the very wicked so Daniel speakes of the Grecians Angel and of the Persians Angel The Romists allot a particular tutelar Angel to euery Colledge and Corporation yea to the generation of flies fleas and ants yea to euery Infidell kingdome such an Angel yea to Antichrist lastly euen to hell it selfe Sure then they vvill not pinch themselues they appoynt to the Pope two principall Seraphims Michael and Gabriel euer attending his Person For that Michael is the chiefest Victorellus produceth two very equall witnesses the Roman Liturgie and Tasso's Ierusalem as a worthy Diuine obserued To the Conclaue they assigne one speciall assistant Angel But mee thinks as they Ideate their Hierarchy this Angel should desire the roome and become a suter to the holy Ghost to name him Pope in the next Conclaue For by this meanes hee doth wonderfully enlarge his Diocesse hauing all the lower world vnder him all particular Angels of speciall Societies subiect to him yea all the Archangels and Principalities officed to seueral Estates must concurre to his gard and assistance The truth is God sometimes allowes the help of Angels to the very reprobates but to this scope purpose Populs sui promouere salutem to further the welfare of his owne people For all the atchieuements and victories which come to the heathen by helpe of Angels are intended not for their good but the good of the Saints It is for the Sonne of Gods sake they minister to vs and to none do they performe these comfortable seruices but to the Elect in Iesus Christ. Thus you see what these Angels are now let vs consider how many An innumerable company The originall is Myriades Myrias is tenne thousand innumerable a finite number is put for an indefinite Thousand thousands ministred vnto him and tenne thousand times ten thousand stoode before him I heard the voice of many Angels round about the Throue and the number of them vvas tenne thousand times tenne thousand and thousands of thousands Gregory thinks there are so many Angels as there are Elect. Superâ—…a illa ciuitas ex Angelis et hominibus constat ad quam tantum credimus humanum genus ascendere quantos illiâ—… contigit electos Angelos remansisse Vt scriptum est statuit terminos Gentium iuxta numerum Angelorum Dei So many Angels saith hee as fell from heauen so many soules shall goe vp to heauen It is a question much disputed whether besides the protection of Angels in common euery particular man haue one particular Angel for his Guardian I find many of the Fathers allotting euery one a particular Angel Isidor Singulae Gentes praepositos Angelos habere creduntur imo omnes homines Angelos suos Origen Basil Hierome Chrysostome Theophylact Gregory Nyssen Primasius Iustin Martyr Augustin most of the Schoolemen and some Protestant Diuines all conclude that euery man from his birth or especially from his Baptisme hath a particular Angel I will not dispute it yet I must doubt it because I see no cleare ground in the Scriptures to proue it The two chiefe places cited are these Math. 18. 10. Despise not these little ones for their Angels behold the face of my Father in heauen This place Caietan and others expound not that euery little one hath a peculiar guardant Angel but Omnes omnibus that all the Angels take care of all Gods little ones As the Scriptures construe it selfe All the Angels reioyce at the conuersion of one sinner The other place is Acts 12. 15. Peter being vnexpectedly deliuered out of prison came to Maries house where the Saints were gathered together Rhoda hearing his voice ranne in and told them how Peter stood at the gate They said to her Thou art mad but when shee constantly affirmed it they said It is his Angel I answere that the Disciples amazed at the strange report spake they knew not vvhat On the like reason because Peter transported in beholding Christ transfigured said Let vs build here three Tabernacles some might inferre that Saints departed dwell in Tabernacles Because the two sonnes of Zebede desired to sit one at Christs right hand the other on his left in his kingdome they might haue concluded that Christ was to be a temporall King Or because the Disciples seeing Iesus walking on the Sea in their troubled minds said It was a spirit others might proue that spirits walke Omne dictum sancti non est dictum sanctum All are not Christian truths that true Christians haue spoken Dicunt errores non Christiani sed homines they erre not as they are Christians but as they are men But it is obiected that they spake after the common opinion of men in that age Wee reply that in that age it was a common opinion that dead men walked so it appeares by Herod hearing the fame of Iesus This is Iohn the Baptist he is risen from the dead Uox populi is not euer vox Dei common errors are no rules of truth And if the place were so manifest as they could wish it why might it not rather be vnderstood thus It is his Angel that is some Angel that God hath sent for his deliuerance Sometimes many men haue but one Angel other times one man hath many Angels Exod. 14. 10. There was but one Angel for many people 2. King 6. 17. There were many Angels for one man Let vs now make some vses concerning this discourse of Angels These may be two-fold some for imitation others for application First for imitation there are three things specially to be obserued in Angels Purenesse of substance Readines of obedience
the Popes gaine He must be Iudge yea he shall be an vnerring Iudge Yet if the Pope haue this infallibility I wonder what need there is of Councells Here they fly to distinctions as to familiar spirits The Pope may erre Argumentatiuè not Definitiuè in his chamber not in his chaire Personaliter non Formaliter as man not as Pope How proue they such an exposition of the Scripture Here they fly to the Pope hee so expounds it How prooue they the Pope cannot erre Here straight they fly back againe to Scripture Peter I haue prayed for thee that thy faith shal not faile These hang gether like a sick mans dreame Insequeris fugio Fugis insequor Yet thus they conclude against their own wills whiles they only proue the Pope by the Scripture spight of their teeth they preferre the Scripture aboue the Pope If this be so that the truth of the Gospell being professed belieued obeyed among vs manifest vs against all aduersaries to be true members of this Generall assembly then two subordinate questions offer themselues collaterally here to be handled First whether corrupters of our Truth and disturbers of our peace are to bee tolerated Secondly whether for some corruptions of doctrine or vices in manners it be lawfull for any of vs to make separation from vs. 1. Seditious and pestilent seedsmen of heresies are to be restrained If a little leuen sowre the whole lumpe what will a little poison do If Paul to his Galatians could not endure Christ and Moses together how would he to his Corinthians endure Christ and Belial together Hee sticks not to ingeminate Anathema's to them that preached another Gospel The Papists cry out against vs for persecution they that shame not to bely the Scriptures will not blush to bely vs. Their prosperity their riches their numbers among vs directly proue that a man may be a Papist in England and liue But if their religion turne to treason shall it scape vnpunished A Papist may liue a Traitor may not liue To perswade that a Christian king at the Popes will may yea must be decrowned or murdered is this the voice of Religion or Treason If this be conscience there is no villany if such an act merite Heauen let no man feare Hell I would aske a Papist vvhether he be not bound by his religion to execute the Popes doctrinall will whether if he bid him kill his King hee may refraine from that sacred bloud and not sinne If he refuse treason he is not constant to his Religion if hee keepe his Religion hee must not sticke at any act of treason So that who knowes whether this day a mere Papist may not on the Popes command to morrow be a Traytor But say they this a supposition as likely as if Heauen should fall the Pope will neuer command it I answere that Popes haue commanded it But we hope his present Holinesse will not we were in a pitious case if our securitie was no better then your hope God blesse our gracious Soueraigne from euer standing at the Popes mercy Why should such Seminaries of heresie and Incendiaries of conspiracie be suffered What atonement of affection can there be in such disparitie of Religion when some cry God helpe vs others Baal heare vs. They to Angels and Saints wee to the Lord that made Heauen and Earth But the euent hath often prooued which of these could best heare prayers As in that memorable fight on the Leuant Seas of fiue English ships against eleuen Spanish they crying for victory to our Lady wee to our Lord it seemes the Sonne heard better then the Mother for the victory was ours The Common-vvealth that stands vpon legges partly of yron and partly of clay is neuer sure One wombe held Romulus Remus in peace one kingdome could not containe them But euery mans mind is as free as the Emperors Conscience is a Castle and there is nothing so voluntarie as religion faith comes by perswasion not by compulsion Yield all this and say with Tertullian Nihil minus fidei est quà m fidem cogere And with Bernard Suspendite verbera ostendite vbera Make a man in error rather blush then bleede But if they breake the foundation Non ferendi sed feriendi First speake to the Conscience by good counsell but if that eare be stopt shake the whole house about it Speake to the eares of the inheritance of the liberty of the body by mulct by prison by exile Let the Liberty say to the Conscience For thy sake I am restrained let the Inheritance say For thy sake I am empouerished let the Body say For thy sake I am afflicted But because heresie dies not with the particular person but kills also others and Centum inficit dum vnum intersicit And because it strikes at the life of a Christian that is his Faith For the iust shal liue by his faith Therfore pereat vnus potius quà m vnitas Haretici corrigendi ne pereant reprimendi ne perimant Heretikes are to be corrected lest they damne themselues to be restrained lest they damne others Persecutio facit Martyres haeresis apostatas plus nocuerunt horum togâ—… quà m illorum galeae Persecution made Martyrs heresie makes Apostates the Heretikes words haue done more hurt then the tyrants swords Apertè sauit persecutor vt Leo haereticus insidiatur vt draco Ille negare Christum cogit iste docet Aduersus illum opus patientià aduersus istum opus vigilantia The persecutor rageth like a Lyon the heretike insinuates himselfe like a serpent To deny Christ he compels this man instructs Against the former wee haue need of patience against the latter of vigilance Excommunication bondage exile haue bin thought fit punishments for heretikes fire and fagot is not Gods Law but the Popes Canon-shot An heretike dying in his heresie cannot be saued therefore Luther thinkes hee that puts an heretike to death is a double murderer destroying his body with death temporall his soule with death eternall But saith Augustine Diligite homines interficite errores Loue the persons kill the errors Presume on the truth without pride striue for it without rage Seueritas quasi sâ—…ua veritas but verity and seuerity doe not agree Fire and sword may put to death heretickes but not heresies See heere the difference betwixt the Papists proceedings against vs and ours against them They dye not among vs for refusing our faith but vs they burned not for denying any article of faith but for not beleeuing Transubstantiation So strange an Article that Bellarmine himselfe doubts whether it may bee proued from Scripture or no but that the Church hath declared it so to be But though faith be aboue reason yet it is not against reason This is my body saith Christ. Hoc This bread this Pronoune demonstratiue they will haue to demonstrate nothing Hoc aliquid nihil est How then this nothing is my body not this bread but this nothing
making straight paths for our feete lest that which is halting be turned out of the way 3. The sacrifices must be Males because the best and most perfect things are to be giuen to God Multi homines pauci viri Let vs offer vp our masculine vertues growing to a perfect man to the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ. We must aime at this perfect sacrifice Besides in the Law there were three other rules obseruable in the consecration of the first borne 1. That they should be seuen daies with the damme and the eight day be giuen to God Exod. 22. 30. wherein there vvas not onely a respondence to the rule of circumcision limited to the eight day Gen. 17. 12. But to preuent their fraud in offering to God things of no seruice being too soone taken from the damme 2. In voluntary oblations they were forbidden to dedicate to the Lord any of the first borne The firstling of the beasts which should be the Lords firstling no man shall sanctifie it The reason is because that vvas the Lords already Wee haue such names highly recorded on our Hospitall-walls painted on the windowes of our Churches often engrauen in marble the memorable tenent of worthy acts for excellent benefactors Yet All their beneuolence to God is not the Tenth of that they haue robbed God taken from his Church Foole giue of thine owne if thou wilt haue reward in Heauen first restore iustly what thou hast gathered vniustly To giue of that is not Liberaliter dare sed partialiter retribuere thou bestowest on God a Lambe of his owne Evve Doost thou looke for thanks for such a gift Alas it was Gods owne before 3. They were commanded neither to worke nor sheare the first borne Thou shalt doe no worke with the firstling of thy Bullocke nor sheare the firstling of thy Sheepe To curbe their couetousnesse though they would not deceiue the Lord of his first borne yet they would take so much profit of it as they could But they are restrained from diminution they must not present a worne Bullocke nor a shorne Sheepe Now if the Lord was so ielous of first borne beasts how is hee ielous of first borne soules Let vs not thinke our choisest and most excellent things too deare for God that hath made vs his first borne in Iesus Christ. 3. Lastly let vs vpon no condition part vvith our Birthright Hath God aduanced vs to this honour I will make him my first borne higher then the Kings of the earth then let vs neuer sell it Let there be no person profane as Esau who for one morsell of meate sold his Birthright Hath the elder brother Primariam potestatem Be Lord ouer thy brethren and let thy mothers sonnes bow downe vnto thee Let no lust subiect vs seruire minori to serue the younger The enemies rage against them but saith God to Pharaoh Let my sonne goe that hee may serue me if thou refuse to let him goe behold I will slay thy sonne euen thy first borne Thus saith the Psalmist God reproues euen Kings for their sakes Now Omne beneficium petit officium euery benefite is obligatory and binds to some thankful duty Hath God dignified vs with a Priuiledge he expects that our carefulnesse should neuer forfetit Naboth would not sell his Vineyard yet his Vineyard was but a part of his Inheritance his Inheritance but a part of his birthright Though Ahab profferd him a better vineyard or the worth of it in money yet saith Naboth The Lord forbid it me that I should giue the inheritance of my fathers vnto thee And shal we for trifles passe away our eternall Birthright It is a wretched bargaine yet the Blasphemer sweares away his birthright the Epicure feasts away his birthright the wine-bibber drinks away his Birthright the Lauish spends his birthright the couetous sels his birthright for ready mony There be some 1. that sell their Birthright it is said of the Lawyer that hee hath linguam venalem a saleable tongue the couetous venalem animam a saleable soule the harlot venalem carnem a saleable flesh Esau sold his birthright Ahab sold himselfe to worke wickednesse Iudas sold his soule for thirty peeces There is not a more wicked thing then a couetous man for such a one setteth his soule to sale because while he liueth he casteth away his bowels Others pawne their Birthright they are not so desperate as to sell it outright but they will pawne it for a while They seeme to make conscience of their waies generally and to be good husbands of their talents but when an opportune temptation comes with meat in the mouth a fit aduantage of much wealth of high honour of secret pleasure they will embrace and fasten on it though they pawne their soules for a season And indeed he that knowingly ventures to sin doth as it were morgage his birthright puts it to the hazard of redeeming by repentance But it is dangerous to be a Marchant venturer in this case the birthright is precious if that infernall Broker get but a colour of title in it hee will vse tricks to make thee breake thy day and then sue out a Iudgement against thee 3. Some lose their Birthright profane and negligent wretches that leaue their soule perpetually vnguarded vnregarded They may be carefull about many things but one thing is necessary to keepe their Birth-right While they sleepe the enemy sowes tares it is a wretched slumber that sleepes and slips away the birth-right 4. Others giue away their birthright these are specially the enuious and the desperate Malice giues it away and hath nothing for it The Ambitious bargaines to haue a little honour for his Birthright the Couetous to haue some gold for his birthright the voluptuous to haue some sensuall pleasure for his birthright but the malicious giues it away for nothing except it be vexation that doth anguish him and languish him The desperate destroying his body giues away his birthright hee hath nought for it but horrors within and terrors without These men serue the diuels turne for nothing Looke O miserable man vpon the Purchaser of thy Birthright Christ consider the price it cost him if thou sell that for a little pleasure that he bought with so much paine thou thinkest him an idle Marchant No Lord as thou hast giuē it to vs so keepe it for vs that hauing now the assurance of it in grace vvee may haue one day the full possession of it in glory Written in heauen This phrase is often vsed in the Scripture and is but a metaphor whereby God declares the certaintie of some mens eternall predestination and eternall saluation Tostatus makes three written bookes of GOD. 1. The great booke wherein are written all persons actions and euents both good and bad Out of this are taken two other bookes 2. The booke of Predestination consisting onely of the Elect. 3.
the Eeues that vve may feast on the Holy-dayes let vs here abstaine from the table of sinne that wee may heereafter banket in the Kingdome of Heauen This is matter of comfort to vs heere the world condemns the godly therefore they shall haue a time of absoluing When that Generall Session comes then looke vp and lift vp your heads for your redemption draweth nye There is no mercy to be had in this vvorld for the wicked themselues are accusers witnesses iudges but at that day a poore mans case will be heard Therefore the poore committeth himselfe vnto thee for thou art the helper of the fatherlesse Christ vvill take the cause into his own hand The soules vnder the Altar cry with a loud voyce How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not iudge and auenge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth Yes it is fit euery one should haue a day of hearing This is theirs that shall be ours The righteous shall reioyce when hee seeth the vengeance Reioyce yes they haue no charity to vs on earth vve must haue no charity to them in hell 2. The Commendation followes the calling Mat. 25. 35. For I was hungry and ye gaue me meate I was thirsty and ye gaue mee drinke c. Christ witnesseth their faith from the effects they brought foorth fruits of mercy Thus it is euident that not according to the internall habite of faith and charity but according to the externall acts proceeding from them is the reward bestowed Christ before iustified them by their faith apprehending his merits now hee iustifies them by testimony of that faith arising from their vvorkes The point Christ insists in is their workes of mercy which are sixe visito poto cibo redimo tego colligo fratres Giuing them meat drinke harbour clothing visitation in sicknesse redemption from bondage Where obserue that the maine point Christ will scanne at the last is the point of mercy Not how wise nor how learned nor how iust but how mercifull Ambr. Now if a Scholler standing for preferment knew directly that one question vvherein hee should be opposed he would study a full and ready answer to it We all know that one and maine question wherein Christ vvill examine vs vvhat vvorkes of mercy haue we done if we haue gotten no demonstration of mercy vve are vvorthily condemned Now their mercy is commended partly in respect of the obiect and partly in respect of the act For the obiect it is done to Christ happy mercy that is done to the Lord Iesus it shall neuer passe vnrewarded Ioash forgot the kindnesse of Iehoiada but the King of heauen will remember all the good done vnto him Sayes that good malefactor Lord remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome I will not forget thee answeres Iesus To day thou shalt be with me in Paradise I was hungry and ye fedme I and me saith Christ. In regard of the act the thing they distribute and contribute is not bare vvords but actuall mercies food clothing c. This is the effect of a true faith not a verball but a reall working faith A faith not like that the Psalmist seemes to mention though in another sense I belieued ideo locutus sum and therefore I spake but such as the Apostle speakes of I belieued ideo operatus sum and therefore I wrought a faith working by loue It is easie to mistake Saint Paul Rom. 14. 22. Hast thou faith haue it to thy selfe before God vnlesse vve expound him by S. Iames Iam. 2. 18. Hast thou faith shew thy faith by thy workes If vve vvill be the children of Abraham who is the Father of them that belieue wee must bee so by Sara vvho is the mother of them that obey They that vvill be trees of righteousnesse in Gods garden must not bee like the fig-tree in the Gospell that had onely leaues no fruit but like the tree that brings forth her fruit in due season Or like Aarons rod that of a dead sticke hauing life and sappe put into it presently bare Almonds fruit no leaues spoken of Some giue words enow contrary to Moses who was a man of few vvords The Papists vvill rather loose a penny then a Paternoster these vvill giue ten Paternosters before one penny They giue the words of Nepthali pleasant words but no meate As if the poore were like Ephraim fed with the wind Or as if their word were verbum Domini the word of God that men might liue by it Salomon sayes Wisedome is good with an inheritance so good counsell is good vvith an almes If a famished man begge bread of thee and thou onely fallest to instruct his soule but deniest food to his body hee may reply as Hushai said to Absolon of Achitophels counsell The counsell that Achitophel hath giuen is good but not at this time Martial demands of Caius a small piece of siluer Quod vel donanti non graue Caius blamed him for his idle profession of Poetry counselled him to study the Lavv that vvould enrich him To him Martial Quod peto da mihi tu non peto consilium Giue me that I aske thee I doe not aske thee counsell Many are like S. Peters fish it had money in the mouth but not a hand to giue it Or like Diues his dogs they can licke a poore man vvith their tongues else giue him no reliefe Diogenes a witty begger would vsually walke in a place where earthen Statues were erected in honour of some that died for their country To them he would pray to them reach out his hand bow and beg being asked the reason he answered Nihil aliud quà m repulsam meditor I thinke of nothing but a repulse and deniall Wee haue many such liuing Statues meere Idols that haue mouthes and speake not eyes and pity not hands and giue not the poore are sure of nothing but a repulse 3. The reply or question vpon this commendation made by the Saints Math. 25. 37. Then shall the righteous answere him Lord when saw we thee an hungred and fedde thee or thirstie and gaue thee drinke c. This is no deniall of that truth Christ hath auouched But 1. to magnifie Christs mercy who takes these workes as done to himselfe which are done for his sake Let no couetous Churle plead he wants subiects vpon whom to exercise his mercy Pauper vbique iacet which way can he walke and not behold one hungry another thirsty c 2. To testifie their humilitie that albeit these things are true yet they acknowledge no merite in them they haue not done so much of these as they ought Besides they might haue an after-consideration of their sinnes past which valued with their good works they find one to out-weigh a thousand The Papists ostent their merits on earth the Saints dare not doe so euen ready for heauen but cast downe their crownes before the Throne saying
aduise thy sicke soule who after a desperate and inueterate wound lookest for a suddaine cure by repentance it is better to make this thy dyet then thy physicke Repent euery day that thou maist haue remission one day Melior medicus qui excludit morbos quà m qui curat He is a better Physician that keeps diseases off vs then he that cures them beeing on vs. Preuention is so much better then healing because it saues the labour of being sicke Thou allowest not a Surgion vnnecessarily to breake thy head to try his skill and the vertue of his plaister Sprindges were better taken away quae non prosunt because they doe no good then the setting of watchmen by them to warn trauellers ne noceant that they be not hurt by them Take away thy lusts quite this is the way to be sure for repentance may be like Baal so fast asleepe that all thy cryes are not able to waken her To conclude hee that will weare a crowne in heauen must be all his life on earth preparing the gold to make it Not that thy owne vertues crowne thee but that GOD without thy vertues will neuer crowne thee The robe of glory that is worne there must be spun and wouen heere spun out of the side of Christ by faith and embroydered with our good workes That eternall light ariseth from this internall life Lay vp in store for your selues a good foundation against the time to come that you may lay hold on eternall life The ground worke of saluation is made here that high Tower of glory that is built for thee in heauen hath the foundation of it laid vpon earth How should a man be Perfectus that was neuer factus well begun I wonder what perfection a wine-bibber lookes for sure to be a perfect drunkard What perfection expects the luxurious prodigall sure to bee a perfect begger What perfection hopes the couetous Churle that allowes himselfe a race of fourescore yeares and sets God at the latter end of it and he hath that place too with this condition that hee trouble not his minde about it till the last day comes Surely to liue vnblessed and to die vnpittied but that some now blesse God hee 's gone and other say it 's pitty he died no sooner All his proiections haue aimed at this perfection to make himselfe a perfect slaue What perfection dreames the Iesuite to himselfe but to become a perfect traitor What perfection is likely to the incontinent adulterer but to bee a perfect Lazar. What the malicious but a perfect villaine what the proud but a perfect foole what the blasphemer but a perfect Deuill They say earely holinesse proues ripe corruption but I am sure habituated prophanesse proues ranke damnation Alas how should they make an end that neuer begin This man began to build saith Christ but could not make an end how should they finish that neuer began you that spend your dayes in a lazie forgetfulnesse of religion examine your owne consciences do you euer think to be perfect Are you content still to be abortiue and shall you be perfected in the womb of the graue God hath giuen you time and meanes he did not say Sumite consumite take it and spend it at your pleasure O begin that you may continue and end heare to learne learne to doe doe to continue continue to be perfect Begin betimes lest Gods end come before your beginning Enter into the way of Piety and follow it striuing with all your powers to grow vp to a perfect man vnto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ. And to Iesus the Mediator of the new Couenant and to the bloud of sprinkling that speaketh better things then that of Abel We haue considered the glory of the Citie the felicity of the Citizens we are lastly come to the Mediator who brings both these together and without whom they had beene euerlastingly asunder We are all by nature belonging not to Mount Sion but to the valley of Hinnon not to the celestiall Ierusalem but to the infernall Babylon not to the society of glorious Angels but of afflicting Deuils not to the Church of the first borne but to the assembly of abortiue reprobates wee had no reference to God as a kinde Father but as a seuere Iudge not to iust spirits made perfect from sinne but to lost spirits made perfect in sinne Thus were wee by nature but Iesus hath brought vs to Mount Sion c. How blessed a thing will it be to come vnto this Iesus It was Saint Augustines speciall wish to haue seene Christ in the flesh If there were such cōfort in seeing Christ humbled if such admiration in seeing him transfigured what ioy is it to behold him in heauen glorified How glorious a matter do some thinke it to stand in the Court of an earthly Prince to receiue a gracious looke to heare a royall word or to bee commanded some honourable seruice what is it then to stand in the Court of heauen to haue the King of Kings speake peaceably to vs to behold our Lord Iesus crowned with that immortall Diadem to sing his prayses as free from flattery as from inconstancy and to liue in that Paradise for euer Vbicunque fueris Domine Iesu wheresoeuer thou art O blessed Sauiour giue vs no more happinesse then to be with thee If thou be in the earth wee will trauell day and night to come to thee if on the sea with Peter we will swimme to thee if on the Crosse we will stand weeping by thee if riding in triumph we will sing Hosanna to thee if transfigured on Tabor we will bee rauished with thee but if sitting in thy heauenly Throne how blessed euen to looke vpon thee It is his will that we should be with him where he is and behold his glory Wee are now come to him by a coniunction mysticall wee shall then haue a vicinity locall and eternall The Mediator not a Mediator but The That Mediator that onely one For there is one God and one Mediator betweene God and men the man Christ Iesus God was angry man was guiltie Christ is the Mediator betwixt them who being God could satisfie God and beeing man could suffer for man We are lost and desire something to recouer vs what shall that be Mercy No God is iust he that hath offended must be punished Shall it be Iustice No we haue need of mercy that he who hath offended might be spared Here to be so merciful as not to wrong his iustice to be so iust as not to forget his mercy there must be a Mediator This must not be the world that was Gods owne before he made it not Angels for they are engaged for their owne creation and being finite cannot satisfie an infinite Maiestie by infinite punishment for infinite sinnes Gods Sonne must doe it now if hee come to satisfie for pride he must put on humilitie if for rebellion he must
publishing of his benefite Mark 1. to the Leper See thou say nothing to any man of it But he went out and began to publish it much to blaze abroad the matter I know diuerse Diuines by curious distinctions haue gone about to excuse the matter by making this an admonitory not an obligatory precept But I subscribe to Caluin and Marlorat who taxe it for an offence and manifest breach of Christs commandement And Ierome on that place sayes that Non erat necesse vt sermone iactaret quod corpore praeferebat His tongue might be silent for his whole body was turned into a tongue to publish it The act was good but not good at that time Disobedient he was be it granted yet of all disobedient men commend me to him Let not then any politicke or sinister respects tye vp our tongues from blessing him that hath blessed vs. Suffocate not the fire of zeale in thy heart by silent lips lest it proue key-cold But say with our Prophet My foot standeth in an euen place in the congregations vvill I blesse the Lord. We perceiue now the motiue cause that brought Dauid into Gods house I would take leaue from hence in a word to instruct you with what minde you should come to this holy place We are in substance inheritors of the same faith which the Iewes held haue in stead of their Tabernacle Sanctuary Temple Churches places set apart for the Assembly of Gods Saints Wherein wee receiue diuine Mysteries and celebrate diuine Ministeries which are said by Damascen Plus participare operationis gratiae diuinae There is nothing lost by the Gospell which the Law afforded but rather all bettered It is obseruable that the building of that glorious Temple vvas the maturity and consummation of Gods mercy to the Iewes Infinite were his fauours betwixt their slauery in Egypt and their peace in Israel God did as it were attend vpon them to supply their wants They haue no guide why God himselfe is their guide and goes before them in a pillar of fire They haue no shelter the Lord spreads a cloud ouer them for a Canopy Are they at a stand and want way The Sea shall part and giue them passage whiles the diuided waters are as walls vnto them For sustenance they lacke bread heauen it selfe shall powre downe the food of Angels Haue they no meat to their bread A winde shall blow to them innumerable Quailes Bread and flesh is not enough without drinke behold a hard rocke smitten with a little vvand shall powre out abundance of water But what is all this if they yet in the wildernesse shall vvant apparell their garments shall not waxe olde on their backes Doe they besiege Iericho walls shall fall downe before them for want of engines hailestones shall braine their enemies Lampes and pitchers and dreames shall get them victorie The Sunne shall stand still in Gibeon and the Moone in the valley of Aialon to behold their conquests Lacke they yet a Land to inhabite the Lord will make good his promise against all difficulties and giue them a land that flowes with milke and honey But is all this yet short of our purpose and their chiefe blessednesse They want a House to celebrate his praise that hath done all this for them behold the Lord giueth them a goodly Temple neyther doth hee therein onely accept their offerings but he also giues them his Oracles euen vocall oracles between the Cherubins I might easily paralell England to Israel in the circumference of all these blessings but my center is their last and best and whereof they most boasted The Temple of the Lord and the Law of their God To answere these wee haue the Houses of God and the Gospell of Iesus Christ. We haue all though all in a new manner 2. Cor. 5. Old things are passed away behold all things are become new They had an Old Testament we haue the New Testament They had the Spirit wee haue a new Spirit They had Commandements we haue Nouum mandatum the New commandement They had an Inheritance Canaan we haue a new Inheritance promised Vids nouum coelum nouam terram I saw a new heauen and a new earth To conclude they had their Temple we haue our Churches to which as they were brought by their Sabbath so we by our Lords day wherein as they had their Sacraments so we haue our Sacraments Wee must therefore beare the like affection to ours as they did to that We haue greater cause There was the shadow heere is the substance there the figure here the truth there the sacrifices of beasts heere of the Lambe of God taking away the sinne of the vvorld I finde my selfe here occasioned to enter a great sea of discourse but you shall see I will make but a short cut of it It is Gods house you enter a house vvhere the Lord is present the place where his honour dwelleth Let this teach vs to come 1. With Reuerence Ye shall hallow my Sabbaths and reuerence my Sanctuary I am the Lord. The very mention of this Reuerence me thinkes should strike our hearts with our selfe-knowne guiltinesse How few looke to their feet before they enter these holy dores Eccl. 5. and so they offer the Sacrifice of imprudent and impudent fooles If they are to heare they regard Quis not Quid any thing is good that some man speakes the same in another triuiall If the man likes them not nor shall the Sermon Many thus contend like those two Germans in a Tauerne One said he was of Doctor Martins religion the other protested himselfe of Doctor Luthers religion and thus among their cups the litigation grew hote betweene them whereas indeed Martin and Luther was but one man Others when they come first into the Church they swappe downe on their seates clappe their hattes before their eyes and scarce bow their knees as if they came to blesse God not to intreat God to blesse them They vvould quake in the presence of an offended King who are thus impudent faced in the house of God But saith the Lord whose Throne is the heauen and the earth his footstoole I will looke to him that trembleth at my vvord So Iacob Gen. 28. was afraid and sayd Hovv fearefull is this place This is none other then the house of God and this is the gate of heauen Whereupon Bernard Terribilis planè locus c. A fearefull place indeed worthy of all reuerence which Saints inhabit holy Angels frequent and God himselfe graceth vvith his owne presence As the first Adam was placed in Paradise to keepe it so the second Adam is in the congregation of his Saints to preserue it Therefore enter not without Reuerence I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercies and in thy feare will I vvorship toward thy holy Temple 2. With Ioy. None but a free-will offering is welcome to
forth to him For his ground brought forth plentifully So deepe a draught haue the wicked often drunk in the common cup of blessings Their Bull gendreth and faileth not their Cow calueth and casteth not They spend their dayes in wealth Yea will you heare yet a larger exhibition They are not in trouble as other men neyther are they plagued like others There they haue exemption from misery Their eyes stand out for fatnesse they haue more then heart could wish There they haue accumulation of felicity Secondly we haue him caring what to doe vers 17. He had so much gaine so much graine that his roomes could not answere the capacity of his heart What shall I doe because I haue no roome where to bestow my fruits Care is the inseparable companion of aboundance Vnâ recipiuntur diuitiae solicitudo They to whom is giuen most wealth are most giuen to carking sharking and solicitous thoughtfulnesse with a little inuersion of our Sauiours meaning Where is much giuen there is much yea more required Those hearts whom the world hath done most to satisfie are least of all satisfied still they require more and perplexe themselues to get it A reasonable man would thinke that they who possesse abundant riches should not be possessed with abundant cares But care not for to morrow saith Christ. Cuius enim diei spatium te visurum nescis quam ob causam illius solicitudine torqueris Why shouldst thou disquiet thy selfe with thought of prouisioÌ„ for that day whose euening thou art not sure to see Thirdly wee haue his resolution which in his purpose hath a double succession though no successe for their disposed order and places This will I doe vers 18. what 1. I will pull downe my barnes and build greater and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods He thinks of no roome in visceribus pauperum in the bowels of the poore which the Lord hath proposed to him a fit receptacle of his superfluity He mindes not to build an hospitall or to repaire a Church eyther in cultum Christi or culturam Christiani to the worship of Christ or education of orphanes or consolation of distressed soules but onely respects Horreum suum and Hordeum suum his Barne and his barley The want of roome troubles him his haruest was so great that he is crop-sicke The stomake of his Barne is too little to hold that surfet of corne he intends it and therfore in anger he will pull it downe and make it answerable to his owne desires 2. This hee takes as granted and vpon the new building of his Barne he builds his rest ver 19. Then I will say to my soule Soule thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeeres take thine ease eate drinke and be merry He dreames his belly full and now his pipes goe he sings requâ—…em and lullabies his spirit in the cradle of his barne This sweet newes hee whispers to his soule Though he had wearied his body with incessant toyles and made it a gally-slaue to his imperious affection yet his soule had beene especially disquieted and therefore hee promiseth his soule some ease In this indulgent promise there is a Preface and a Solace 1. The Preface assures his soule much goods and many yeares multas diuitias multos annos He knew that a scant and sparing proffer would not satisfie his boundlesse desires there must be shew of an abundant impletion It is not enough to haue an ample rocke or distaâ—…e of wealth vnlesse a longeuall time be afforded to spinne it out Philoxenus his wish coupled with his pleasant viands a long throat Crane-like to prorogue his delight for shortnesse doth somewhat abate sweetnesse Rex horae a king of one houre can scarce warme his throne it keeps a christmass-Christmass-lord flat that he knowes his end If this man had bin his own Lord how excellent an estate would hee haue assured himselfe His Farme should haue been so large and his lease so long that I doubt whether Adam in Paradise had a greater Lordship or Metbushalem a longer life The last of his desires is of the longest size giue him much goods and much time abundance of ioyes and abundance of dayes and you hitte or fitte the length of his foote 2. The Solace is a daunce of foure paces Take thine ease eate drinke and be merry The full belly loues an easie Chaire he must needs ioyne with his laborious surfets the vacation of sleepe He hath taken great paines to bring death vpon him and now standing at his dore it heares him talke of ease He promiseth himselfe that which he trauells to destroy life and euen now ends what he threatens to begin So worldlings weary and weare out their liues to hoord wealth and when wealth comes health goes they would giue all for life O fooles in continuall quest of riches to hunt themselues out of breath and then be glad to restore all at once for recouerie The next pace is Eate his bones must not onely be pleased but his belly It is somewhat yet that this man resolues at last no more to pinch his guts therefore what before he was in their debt he will pay them with the vsury of surfets He purposeth to make himselfe of a thinne starueling a fatte Epicure and so to translate Parcum into Porcum The third pace is Drinke where gluttony is bid vvelcome there is no shutting out of drunkennesse You shall not take a Nabal but he plyes his gobblet as well as his trencher And this is a ready course to retire himselfe from his former vexation to drowne his cares in Wine The last pace is a Leualto Be merry When hee hath got iunkets in his belly and vvines in his braine what should he doe but leape dance reuell be merry be mad After feasting must follow iesting Heere be all the foure passages he sleepes care away he eates care away he drinks care away and now he sings care away His pipes be full and they must needes squeak though the name of the good yea the name of GOD be dishonoured But to such a mad-merry scoffer might well be applied that verse which was sounded in the eare of a great Rimer dying Desine ludere temerè nitere properè surgere de puluere Leaue playing fall to praying it is but sorry iesting with death Thus his dance was like Sardanapalus Ede bibe lude Eate drinke and be merry but there is one thing marres all his sport the bringing of his soule to iudgement He promiseth a merry life and a long life but death sayes nay to both He gratifies his soule ratifies his state but couzens himselfe in all It may be said of him as King Iohn of the fatte Stagge dying See how easily he hath liued yet he neuer heard Masse This was the sweet but the sowre followes Qui gaudebit cum mundo non regnabit cum Christo. He reioyceth with the World but
must not liue in glory with Christ. Thus farre the Rich man acts now comes in Gods part which turnes the nature of his play from Comike purposes to Tragike euents He behights all peace and ioy to himselfe But God said Thou foole this night shall thy soule be taken from tâ—…e c. The words containe an Agent Patient Passion Question The Agent is God But God said The Patient is the rich Foole. The Passion This night shall thy soule be required of thee The Question which God puts to him to let him see his folly Then whose shall those things be vvhich thou hast prouided The Agent God The Rich man was purposing great matters but he reckoned without his host he resolues thus and thus But God said to him Hence two obseruations 1. That the purposes of men are abortiue and neuer come to a happy birth if God blesse not their conception Man purposeth and God disposeth The horse is prepared to the battell but the victory is of the Lord. It is a holy reseruation in all our purposes Si Deo placuerit If it shall please the Lord. Goe to now ye that say To day or to morow we will goe into such a Citie and continue there a yeere buy and sell and get gaine Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morow Ye ought to say If the Lord will For neither tongue can speake nor foote moue if the Lord shal eneruate them as he did Zaobaries tongue in the Temple and Ieroboams arme when he would haue reached it out against the Prophet In vaine man intends that whereagainst God contends Sisera resolues on victory GOD crosseth it with ouerthrow Yet thinks Sisera Iael vvill succour me For there is peace betweene Iabin King of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite No euen there â—…he arme of the Lord is ready to encounter him a draught of milke shall be his last draught and the hand of a vvoman shall kill him that hath escaped the hand of an Armie The Iewes may say We will flie away 〈◊〉 swift horses But God saith Your Persecutors shall be swifter Senacherib purposeth to lick vp Israel as the Oxe grasse and though he found the Land before him as an Eden to leaue it behind him as Sodome But God said He shall goe home without his errand An hooke in his nostrils shall reine him back The King of Babylon sayes in his heart I will ascend into heauen I will exalt my throne aboue the starres of God and I will be like the most High But God said Thou shalt be brought down to hell to the sides of the pit Hâ—…d made himselfe so sure of Christ that rather then to faile of cutting off the prophecied King he slayes his owne sonne Hee might so but he shall not touch Gods Sonne With what lauish promises do the Spanyards flatter themselues when they baptised their Nauie with the name of Invâ—…nsible England is their own they are already grasping it warme with gore in their clutches But God said Destruction shall inherite their hopes and the remainder of ruine shall be onely left to testifie vvhat they vvould haue done Mens thoughts promise often to themselues Multa magna many things great things they are plotted contriued commenced yet die like Ionah's Gourd when we should expect their refreshing Quia non fortâ—…it Deus because God hath not blessed them Ambition may reare turrets in emulation of heauen and vaine-glory build Castles in the ayre but the former shall haue no roofe as the latter hath no foundation Philip threatned the Lacedemonians that if he entred their Countrey he would vtterly extinguish them They wrote him no other answere but Si If meaning it was a condition well put in for hee neuer was like to come there Si S I non esset perfectum quidlibet esset But in the menaces of angry Tyrants and purposes of hastie intenders there is an If an included coÌ„dition that infatuates all Let our lesson hence be this That our purposes may be sped with a happy successe let vs intend in the Lord for the Lord. 1. Let vs deriue authoritie of our intentions from his sacred Truth which giues rules not onely to liue well and to speake well but euen ad bene câ—…gitandum to thinke well It is a wicked purpose to fast till Paul be killed to wreake malice to satifie lust Inauspicious and without speed are the intents whose beginning is not from God Let no purpose passe currant from thy heart till God hath set on it his stampe and seale of approbation Let his Word giue it a Fiat Whatsoeuer ye doe yea or intend to doe let both action of hand and thought of heart be all to Gods glory 2. Let vs in all our purposes reserue the first place for Gods helping hand Without mee yee can doe nothing saith Christ. But it is obiected that Paul spake peremptorily to his Corinthians I will come vnto you when I shall passe through Macedonia And Dauid I will goe to the house of the Lord. I answere Cor tenet quod lingua tacet they that had so much grace in their hearts wanted not this grace et noscere et poscere facultatem Domini to know and desire the Lords permission You shall neuer take men so well affected to good workes that doe not implore Gods assistance Though they doe not euer expresse in vvord yet they neuer suppresse in thought that reseruation If it please God as Paul doth afterwards in that place If the Lord permit If any will dare to resolue too confidently patronizing their temeritie from such patterns as if their voluntates were potestates let them know that like Taylours they haue measured others but neuer tooke measure of themselues that there is great difference betwixt a holy Propet or Apostle and a profane Publican 2. Obserue that God now speakes so to the Couetous that he will be heard he preacheth another kind of Sermon to him then euer he did before a fatall finall funerall Sermon a Text of Iudgement This night shal they fetch away thy soule For this is Gods Lecture himselfe reades it But God said Hee had preached to the vvordling often before and those Sermons were of three sorts 1. By his Word But cares of the world choake this Seed the heart goes after couetousnesse euen whiles the flesh sits vnder the pulpit This is the deuills three-wing'd arrow wealth pride voluptuousnesse vvhereby hee nailes the very heart fast to the earth It is his talent of lead which he hangs on the feet of the soule the affections that keepes her from mounting vp into heauen with the printed beauty of this filthy Harlot hee bewitcheth their mindes steales their desires from Christ and sends them a whoring to the hote Stewes of hell Thus is Gods first Sermon quite lost 2. By Iudgements on others whose smart should amaze him For God when hee strikes others vvarnes thee Tua
to dispense vvith it Thou shalt not worship an Idoll no not to saue my life Not to saue life as those three seruants of God professed to Nebuchadnezzar If the God wee serue will not deliuer vs yet we will not serue thy gods nor worship thy golden image Thou sayest Minimum est it is little but in minimis fidelem esse magnum est to be faithfull in a little is no little vertue Well done good seruant thou had beene faithfull in a little therfore I will make thee ruler ouer much Hee that is not carefull in a little is not to bee trusted for more If any man will corrupt his conscience for a pound what would he doe for a thousand If Iudas will sell his Master for thirty pence about some 22. shillings of our money what would he haue sold for the Treasury God neuer gaue a Non obstante for sinne The Pope indeed giues Buls and Indulgences Pardons for cursed works before their perpetration but God neuer allowes leaue to doe ill The Pope sayes Kill an hereticall King God sayes Touch him not woe to that soule who takes the Popes word before the Lords word God charged a Prophet that he should eate no bread nor drinke water in Bethel Another Prophet came saying An Angell spake to me blessed Angels speake truth nay more hee spake by the word of the Lord. Bring him backe that hee may eate bread and drinke water He did so but marke the euent returning home a Lyon slew him by the way Beleeue not a man beleeue not a Pope beleeue not a Prophet beleeue not an Angell against the word of the Lord. Let vs refuse iniquity in what extenuation of quantitie or colour of qualitie soeuer it be offerd vs. For sinne is like a bemired dog if it fawnes on vs it foules vs. And the least sinne is like a little leake in a shippe which if it be not stopped will sinke the whole vessell The Frenchmen haue a military Prouerbe The losse of a nayle the losse of an Army The want of a nayle looseth the shooe the losse of a shooe troubles the horse the horse indangereth the rider the rider breaking his ranke molests the company so farre as to hazard the whole Army From slender and regardlesse beginnings grow out these fatall and destructiue effects The dores are shut the theefe cannot enter a little boy is put in at the window and he opens the dore for the great thiefe so the house is robbed A charme is cast in at the window eye or eare that quickly vnlocks the dore of the heart till all the roomes be ransak't not a peece of vertue or one gemme of grace left Pompey marching to the warres requested to lodge his Army in a certaine Citie by whose borders he must needs passe the Gouernour answered that he would not trouble his Citie with so numerous and dangerous a guest Pompey then desired but entertainement and reliefe for his sicke souldiours who were perishing for want of succour the Gouernour thought sicke men could do them no mischiefe this was granted they admitted Being there a while they recouered their health opened the gates to the rest so became strong enough to take the Citie If Satan cannot get leaue for his whole Army of lusts yet he begs hard for his weake ones as sinnes of infirmitie but those sickly souldiours soone get strength to surprise the soule The trees of the Forrest held a solemne Parliament wherin they consulted of the innumerable wrongs which the Axe had done them therefore made an Act that no tree should hereafter lend the Axe a helme on paine of being cut downe The Axe trauels vp downe the Forrest begs wood of the Cedar Oke Ash Elme euen to the Poplar not one would lend him a chip At last he desired so much as would serue him to cut downe the bryers and bushes alledging that those shrubs did suck away the iuyce of the ground hinder the growth and obscure the glory of the faire and goodly Trees Hereon they were content to afford him so much when he had gotten his helme he cut downe themselues too These be the subtle reaches of sinne giue it but a little aduantage on the faire promises to remooue thy troubles and it will cut downe thy soule also Therefore Obsta principijs trust it not in the least Consider a sinne as indeed it is a crucifying of Christ wilt thou say I may crucifie Christ a little I may scourge his flesh wound his side pierce his heart a little What man loues the Lord Iesus who would either say it or doe it Consider thy falling into sinne a hurling of thy selfe downe from some high pinacle wilt thou say I may breake my necke a little Consider it a casting thy selfe into vnquenchable fire wilt thou say I may burne my soule and body a little As suffering wee thinke the least misery too great so sinning let vs thinke the least iniquitie too great So auoiding also little sinnes we shall finde great fauour with Iesus Christ. Amen FAITHS ENCOVRAGEMENT LVKE 17. 19. And he said vnto him Arise goe thy way thy faith hath made thee whole THESE words were spoken by our Sauiour Christ to the penitent and faithfull Leper For induction I will obserue two remarkeable circumstances preceding my Text. First that Christ did mend him and then commend him hee did purge him and praise him 1. Hee mended him curing first his body then his soule His body of the Leprosie a disease not more lothsome to endure then hard to cure The difficulty of healing it appeares by the answere of the King of Israel vpon the receit of the King of Syria's letters Am I God to kill and make aliue that this man doth send vnto me to recouer a man of his Leprosie intimating that onely God is able to cure the Leprosie His soule of the spirituall Leprosie and this was the perfection of health For this cure the Prophet so earnestly prayes Sana animam Lord be mercifull vnto me heale my soule for I haue sinned against thee This is a supernaturall cure fit onely for the great Physician of soules to performe the more difficult Quo minus in natura sit quod profit because nature hath no influence in her starres no minerals in her earth no herbes in her garden that can heale it 2 Hee commends him of all the ten cleansed there are none found that returned to giue glory to God saue this stranger God had his Tythe there whence he might least expect it Now what doth Christ commend him for For his thankefulnesse for his humility for his faith why these graces were Christs owne doth hee praise him for that himselfe had giuen him Yes this is Gods custome Sua dona coronat hee crownes his owne graces hee rewards his owne gifts Which teacheth how wee should vnderstand Reward in the Scripture Call the labourers and giue them their hire Whosoeuer
others vertues and good actions with praise It is the argument of a sullen and proud disposition not to commend them that do well Yet there is no ointment so sweet but there will bee some dead flies to corrupt it There bee certaine dogs that will barke at the Moone Critickes that spend the larger part of their time seeking knots in a bulrush The Snow is not so white but there is an Anaxagoras to make it blacke It was Gods commendation of Iob that there was none like him in the earth he had no fellow yet the deuill pickes quarrels and inuenteth slanders against him Traducers of their brethren I call not Damones but Damonis agunt I do not say they are deuils but they do the worke of deuils This mischiefe of deprauing hath also infected the Church Many a Preacher thinkes his owne glory eclipsed if the next Orbe be lightned with a brighter Starre Hence they fall to faulting and inueighing as if there were no way to build vp their owne credites but by the ruins of anothers disgrace God doth otherwise The Lord commended the vniust Steward because he had done wisely Though he had many faults yet Christ praiseth him for what was worthy praise his policy S. Paul found grosse errours in the Corinthians In this I praise you not that you come together not for the better but for the worse But wherein they did well he commends them ver 2. I praise you brethren that you remember me in all things Thus Ezekiel commends Daniel a Prophet of his owne time and thought it not any derogation from himselfe Behold Art thou wiser then Daniel As Salomon saith of beggers A poore man oppressing the poore is like a sweeping raine which leaueth no food behind it So a Minister disparaging a Minister is a breach whereby the deuill comes out and many soules go into hell Now to the words Arise go thy way thy faith hath made thee whole The verse may be distinguished into a Pasport and a Certificate Arise go thy way there is the Pasport Thy faith hath made thee whole there is the Certificate Hee giues him first a Dismission leaue to depart then a Testimonie or Assurance both to certifie the Church actually that he was cleansed of his leprosie but especially to certifie his owne conscience that he was conuerted and that the faith of his soule brought health to his body In the Pasport or Dismission there are two words considerable Surge and Vade Arise Goe Surge ad incipiendum vade ad perficiendum First let vs speake of them secundum sonum then secundum sensum First according to the Historie then according to Mysterie Allegories are tolerable when they be profitable Nor can it be much from the Text by occasion of those two words spoken to the eares of the Lepers body to instruct your soules how to Arise from the Seate of Custome the couch of sinne and to Goe on in the way of saluation Arise The Leper casts himselfe downe and Christ bids him arise Humility is the Gentleman Vsher to Glory God that sends away the rich empty from his gates loues to fill the hungry with good things The ayre passeth by the full vessell and onely filleth that is emptie This is the difference betweene the poore and beggers both agree in not hauing differ in crauing The proud are Pauperes Spiritus the humble are pauperes spiritu Blessed are not the poore spirits but the poore in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of heauen Such as felt their wants sought and besought God for supply Euery Valley shall be filled and euery Mountaine be brought low The lowly minde shall be exalted the high-towring ambitious shall be throwne downe How should God say to the Marchant that glories in his wealth to the Vsurer that admireth his moneyes to the Gallant that wonders that his good cloathes do not preferre him Arise alas they are vp already they were neuer down A dwarfe in a great throng seeming low on his knees was bidden by the Prince to stand vp alas he was before at his highest God cannot be so mistaken as to encourage their standing vp who neuer yet had the manners to cast themselues downe Descendite vt ascendatis ad Deum cecidistis enim ascendendo contra euâ—… Descend that yee may rise vp to God for you haue fallen by rising vp against God He that is a Mountebanke must leuell himselfe euen with the ground if humblenesse hath once throwne him downe and brought him on his knees he shall heare the Patron and patterne of humblenesse comforting him with a Surge Arise The guest that sets himselfe downe at the lower end of the Table shall heare the Feast-maker kindly remoue him Friend sit vp higher If Hester fall at Asuerus feete hee will take her by the hand and bid her arise When Peter fell downe at Iesus knees saying Depart from me I am a sinfull man O Lord He presently was raised vp with Feare not from henceforth thou shalt catch men Zacheus is gotten vp on high to see Iesus see him hee may with his eye of flesh but he must descend that hee may see him with his eye of faith Come downe Zacheus this day is saluation come to thy house Descend to the ground that thou maist be raised aboue the clouds Pride euen in good things Non ditio sed perditio is no argument of possession but destruction The haughtie-minded lookes alwaies beyond the marke and offers to shoote further then hee lookes but euer falls two bowes short humility and discretion who is heard to say with Paul Quorum ego sum primus I am the chiefe of sinners such an humble confession scarce heard of But Christ had giuen him a Surge on his former humbling Arise and beare my name before Gentiles and Kings c. Let vs all thus cast our selues downe in humility that the Lord may say to vs in mercy Arise Gâ—…e This was the word of Dismission wherewith Christ sends him away Though he were healed therein had his hearts desire what could he expect more of Christ why is he not gone No he has not yet his Vade hee will not go till he is bidden Hee found such sweetnesse in the Lord Iesus that could you blame him though he were loth to depart From another mans house we say after some small tarrying Let vs saue our credites and go before we are bidden but from the Lord let vs not depart without a dismission The hearts of the people were so set on Christ that hee was faine to send them often away Mat. 14. 22. Hee sent the multitudes away Math. 15. 39. Hee sent the people away As Simeon that Swanne which sung his owne funerall Nunc dimittis Lord now thou lettest thy seruant depart in peace This makes to the shame of their faces that without other cause then of wearinesse waywardnesse or wantonnesse will not tarry for their
that herafter we may meete in glory I am a companion of all them that feare thee and keepe thy precepts Death may breake off for a while this gratious meeting but our glorious second meeting shall triumph ouer death it shall be Generall it shall be eternall Wherin In the vnitie A perfect vnitie is not to be expected in this life it is enough to enioy it in heauen Indeed the Church is euer but one There are threescore Queenes and fourescore concubines and virgins without number My doue my vndefiled is but one shee is the onely one of her mother Though a kingdome haue in it many shires more Citties and innumerable Townes yet is it selfe but one because one King gouernes it by one law So the Church though vniuersally dispersed is one kingdome because it is ruled by one Christ and professeth one faith There is one bodie one spirit one Lord one faith So much Vnitie now But that vnitie which is on earth may be offended in regard of the partes subiectuall to it What familie hath not complained of distraction What fraternitie not of dissention What man hath euer beene at one with himselfe There must be diuisions sayth Paul are and must be by a kind of necessitie But there is a twofolde necessitie One absolute and simple God must be iust a necessitie of infallibilitie The other exhypothesi or of consequence as this there must be heresies Satan will be an aduersarie man will be proued a necessitie vpon presupposition of Satans malice mans wickednesse But woe vnto them by whom offences come we know not the hurt we bring by our diuisions Thus sayth the Lord of Hostes. Zach. 8. Loue the truth and peace Some loue peace well but they care not for truth These are secure worldlings let them alone in their sinnes and you would not wish quieter men Pacem quaerunt Pietatem fugiunt they seeke peace but they flie righteousnesse as if they would disvnite those things which God hath ioyned together righteousnesse and peace Righteousnesse and peace shall kisse each other Others loue truth well but not peace Let them fabricke a Church out of their own braines or rather a discipline to manage it and they will keepe within verges of the maine truth They cannot be content to haue good milke but they must chuse their spoone to eate it with They are wanton children and worthy the rod of correction let them be whipt onely discipline may mend them I would our eyes could see what hurt the breach of vnitie doth vs. Scilurus his arrowes taken singly out of the sheafe are broken with the least finger the whole vnseuered bundle feares no stresse We haue made our selues weaker by dispersing our forces Euen the encouraged Atheist walkes to Church in the lane of our diuisions and is still no lesse an Atheist then the deuill was a deuill when he stood among the sonnes of God It is the nature of our controuersies to fight peremptorily at both ends whiles truth and pietie is left in the middle and neglected Whiles men haue contended about the body of Religion some haue thought it quite dead as no doubt Moses body was when the Archangell disputed with the Deuill about it As one sayd of his Donatists Betwixt our Licet and your Non licet many soules stagger and excuse their irresolution by our want of peace Indeed this is euentually one good effect of many controuerted poynts the way is cleansed for others though not for themselues Theeues falling out true men come by their goods Two flints beaten together sparkles out fire and by the wrastling of two poisons the health is preserued So are some vnited to the truth by these diuisions of peace But others are more vnsetled they condemne all for the dissension of some our comfort is God doth not so The diuisions of a few and that about the huske of Religion Ceremonie cannot redound to the condemnation of a whole Church In Gods iudgement it shall not we must care little if in theirs Doe not we know that Satan by his good will would allowe vs neither Truth nor Peace but if we must haue one will he not labour to detaine the other If he can keepe vs from Truth he cares not much to allow vs peace The wicked haue securitie the deuill lets them alone What fowler sets his ginnes for tame birds that will come gently to his hand But if we embrace the truth then haue at our peace Shall the Prince of darknesse bee quiet when his Captiues breake loose from him The good are soonest tempted Inuidia fertur in magnos It was the king of Syria his command to his 32. captaines Fight neither with small nor great saue only with the King of Israell It is the Deuils charge to his souldiers fight against none but the godly that fight against mee Dauid was safe among his sheepe and Moses leading a priuate life No man layes snares for his owne birds nor the Deuil for such as are taken captiue by him at his will But pax conscientiae is bellum Satanae and this iust warre is better then an vniust peace Let all this giue condemnation to peace-haters and commendation to peace-louers There are some quite gone not diuerse but aduerse to vs with these warre and no peace for they haue no peace with Christ. Sinewes cut in sunder can neuer be knitte nor can there be Integralis vnitas in solutione continui They will be gone let them goe I would we were as well ridde of all those whose soules hate vnitie The Christians of of the first age were nether Albinians nor Nigrians the report of faction was scarce heard Athanasius on whose shoulder our mother the Church leaned in her sharpest persecution to take her rest reioyced that though the aduersary hate was violent the loue of brethren was sound Peter was commanded to put vp his sword euen when Christ was at his elbow to heale the greatest wound he could make why doe we smite and hurt that haue not such meanes of cure King Richard the holy warriour hauing taken a Bishop in coate-armour in the field was requested by the Pope calling him his Sonne to release him The King sent not him but his coate to the Pope and asked him An haec esset Filij sui tunica whether this was his sonnes coate alluding to the coate of Ioseph which his brethren brought to their Father The ashamed Pope answers Nec his Sonnes vndertakes wit conscience prepares scrupâ—… and Peace suffers And now 〈◊〉 â—…hey 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnum but 〈◊〉 not to 〈◊〉 out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ake their malice on but to dissolue and vndoe the vnited strength of all â—…her the sceâ—…r must stoope to the miter or no peace Betweene the rootes of Iudah and Leui by Moses law the separations and distances were 〈◊〉 â—…de that neither need to crosse anothers walke nor 〈◊〉 â—…clipse anothers dignitie The rod of Moseâ—… was
euery good and faithfull Seruant the vaile is taken away and Christ sayes enter thou into the ioy of the Lord. 2. By this meanes we haue in this world a free accesse to the Throne of grace by our prayers the vaile and separation of sinne and wrath is rent asunder by Christ and a cleare way made for our supplications The Propitiatory and Mercie-seate the Cherubims of glory shadowing it the very presence of God were within the Holyest and the people might not approach it but stood without a farre off Our Sauiour hath torne away this vaile and opened our petitions a free passage to the Seate of mercie in heauen Hauing such an high Priest ouer the house of God sayth Paul immediately after the clearing our way through the vaile Let vs draw neare with a true-heart in full assurance of faith c. Wee see howe farre our prerogatiue excelles that of the Iewes They were seruants we are sonnes and cry Abba Father they had Priests we are Priests they had a barre to vs that vaile is rent away Let vs therefore come boldly vnto the Throne of grace that we may obtaine mercie and find grace to helpe in time of neede This is singular comfort that poore subiects may bee sure of accesse to the King with their petitions yea more bee heard in all their desires yea most of all haue an Aduocate at the Kinges right hand to plead their cause But then remember the Psalmists caution If I regard wickednesse in my heart the Lord will not heare mee Let the seruants of Baal cry neuer so loudly if lewdly their prayers are not heard To the cryes of vnfaithfull sinners the vaile is vp still and like a thicke cloud reuerberates beats backe their orisons that they cannot ascend to the Throne of grace Onely faith makes a free passage and a cleare conscience hath a cleare voyce that can peirce heauen 3. The breaking downe of this vaile did make the Holyest and the other part of the temple all one Whereby was signified that of two was made one Iewes and Gentiles one Church He is our peace who hath made both one and hath broken downe the middle wall of partition betweene vs. So that now those the Iewes called dogges eat the bread of the children yea they are the children and Iaphet is perswaded to dwell in the tents of Sem. She is also Beloued that was hated euen the Church of the Gentiles is the Spouse of Christ. The vaile that hindred Paul cals the Law of commandements contained in ordinances this he abolished for to make in himselfe of twaine one new man Heauen gate is no wider open to a Iew then to a Grecian In Christ Iesus neither circumcision auaileth any thing nor vncircumcision but a new creature And as many as walke according to this rule peace be on them and mercie and vpon the Israel of God The Sum of the Gospell as of the world is not confined to lighten Iudea onely but shines vniuersally There is not one priuiledge wherein the Gentile hath not as franke a share as the Iew the sonnes of Hagar are adopted the sonnes of God and the free Ierusalem aboue is the mother of vs all All this did our blessed Sauiour worke for vs by renting the vaile That he might reconcile both vnto God in one body by the crosse hauing slaine the enmitie therby Oh then let vs keepe the vnitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace Christ hath made vs at one let vs not make our selues twaine The vaile is rent why set we vp new schismes in doctrine iarres in conuersation The bill of diuorcement is cancelled let vs loue our husband Christ and for his sake euery man his brother Let vs set vp no more vailes least we doe it with the curse of building more Iericho's There is no bond so sure as Religions no ligaments so strong as faith and a good conscience Wretched man that breakest these tâ—…es and rentest thy selfe from them to whome thou art by Christ vnited A mothers yea a Fathers blessing forsakes thee and thou buildest vp a new vaile which thou must looke for no more Christs to come rent asunder 4. The renting of the vaile teacheth vs that when men sinne rebelliously against God no prerogatiue shall doe them good The Temple was one of their principallest priuiledges their glory their crowne The Temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord. It was a figure of the Church militant as Solomon the builder was a figure of Christ. For this Temples sake God often spared them So Daniel prayes Cause thy face to shine vpon thy Sanctuary that is desolate Yet when they fall away from God and crucifie their Messias this prerogatiue helpes not For here Gods owne hand rents the vaile and after giues the whole fabricke a spoyle to the Gentiles If ye will not heare if ye will not lay it to heart I will send a curse vpon you I will curse your blessings yea I haue cursed them already because you doe not lay it to heart It lies in mans sinne to make God curse his very blessings and to punish the nocent in the innocent creatures We see the way how wee may loose Temples and peace and Gospell and all priuiledges by running the courses of disobedience Who can number the blessings we haue enioyed by the Gospell Let vs beware least our vngracious and vngratefull liues robbe vs not of that with all the appertinent comforts They that haue trauelled the Belgicke Prouinces can witnesse the miserable footsteps of warre and the tyrannie of desolation Churches and Cities haue no more monuments but the ruined foundations to testifie that they were Sin made way for bloud and massacre Idolatrie puld downe those wals which otherwise the most sacrilegious hand should haue forborne If there had beene no enemie to rase them they would haue falne alone rather then couered so blasphemous impietie vnder their guiltie roofes Peace is within our walles prosperitie within our palaces blessed for euer be our God of peace for it Yet we haue a subtle aduersarie Sacriledge that incroacheth sore vpon vs and hath taken many of Gods houses in possession We cannot say They haue burnt vp all the Synagogues in the land but they haue done very wickedly to the Lords Sanctuaries The wals stand and it is well if in many places they do so but there is not a Leuite to feede the people alas how can there when there is nothing left to feede a Leuite Couetousnes would do as much hurt with vs as warre hath done with our neighbours it would but I trust in the Lord Iesus it shall not Though they haue rent away Gods right Tithes and offrings they shall neuer rent away Gods Truth and Gospell rent themselues from it indeede they are likely to do 5. Lastly The Vaile was rent By renting the part God did threaten the subuersion of
Elias tell Ahab of his Idolatries Iohn Baptist Herod of his lusts and then Thou art mine enemie The vngodly may pretend other causes but this is the true one The Pope refused to confirme an Archbishop elect when no insufficiencie could be found against him onely because of his age not considering that himselfe being older did manage a greater place But if the Archbishop was able to trauell to Rome and backe againe to England sure he was able to haue sate in the Chaire of Canturbury Age was the exception but the truth was the Archbishops honestie that he carried not with him to Rome a golden bottle to quench the Popes thirsty soule as many others dâ—d who returned home with as much wit as they went forth but not with so much money Such was the Popes pretense against Reimundus the good Earle of Tholouse that hee was an Hereticke but when his iust purgation and iustifying of himselfe would not pacifie his vnmercifull Holinesse nor get peaceable possession of his owne lands it was euident to all eyes that the Popes desire was not so much to haue the Earle part from his Heresie as from his Heritage Persecutors plead castigation of errours but they meane subersion of truth But great peace is prophecied to the Gospell Esa. 11. The Wolfe shall dwell with the Lambe and the Leopard lye quietly by the kidde c. And Micaâ—… 4. They shall beate their swords into plowshares and their speares into prâ—…ing hookes nation shall not lift vp a sword against nation neither shall they learne warre any more I answere God will either restraine the furie of these sauage beasts and turne Esaus threats into mildnes when hee meets Iacob Hee that sittes in heauen laughes at their combinings Or many Tyrants shall be conuerted to the faith of Christ subiecting their Crownes and laying downe their Scepters at the feete of the Lambe Or it may intend that outward vniuersall peace which was through all the world when Christ was borne in the dayes of Augustus But most specially that peace of conscience and Communion which shall be among the Saints who shall lay aside all querelous differences and be made one by the bloud of Iesus But when the Gospell came to vs in Queene Elizabeths dayes of so blessed memorie we also had much peace We had with Gloria in excelsis Deo sung also Pax in terris The iron gates of warre were shut vp and the long tossed Arke of our Church had an Oliue branch of flourishing peace bestowed on it The fury of an Aduersary was not knowne but Righteousnes and peace kissed each other Yet was not this peace without great Fires 1. There was a great fire of Anabaptisme a grosse peruerse and sottish sect that hadde washed off their Font-water as vncleane and thought it not enough to run out of Babylon vnlesse they ranne also out of themselues out of their wittes This combustion could not be well quenched onely we were happily rid of it by the shifting ground For when the flames were suppressed in England they burst out beyond Sea 2. There was a great fire of Brownisme an Ignis fatuus fastning on abundance of crude and squalid matter could not easily be extinguished It was blowne vp with the Bellowes of pride and because it might not haue the owne swinge it fell to direct rayling They say the Church of England may be their mother but is none of Gods wife why doe they not call her plaine Whore For such is a mother that hath children and no husband But these the whiles are braue Sons who care not to proue themselues bastards that their mother may be noted for an Harlot But the shame be their owne Integritie hers who hath not defiled her bed though they haue shamed her wombe But whiles they call her Saint Iohns Beast in the Reuelation let them beware least they proue themselues Saint Pauls Beast to the Phil. chap. 3. ver 2. Dogs Surely God neuer will leaue peaceable spirits in England to go dwell with railers at Amsterdam 3. There was a raging fire of the Papists who to mainetaine their spirituall fire of superstition made vse of materiall fireto set a whole land in combustion How vnspeakeable were their treasons agaynst that gratious Princesse which yet if we gather vp into one volume we shall find their last equalling all which should haue beene a fire a fire indeede such a one as hell it selfe could onely belch out But blesse we our God that with sweete showres of mercie rayned it out These fires haue beene kindled in a Land of peace though many teares haue beene showred vpon them earnest prayers sent vp to heauen for their quenching Yea and will be still so long as that crowne-shorn generation can transport their burning quils into England and their great Antichrist the Successor not of Peter but of Romulus sits on that fierie Chaire So long as hee is suffered to tyranize ouer nations to depose Kings and dispose Kingdomes who praies Peter and Paule as if they neuer had taught subiects to obey their Soueraignes to eradicat and cast out an Emperour from his royaltie Whereupon he conferred the Empire vpon Rodolphus with this blasphemous verse Petra dedit Petro Petrus diademâ—… Rodolpho All Kingdomes were to Peter giuen by Christ And Peter may dispose them as he list But as Cardinall Benno affirmes that when this Hildebrand would needs solmnly excommunicate the Em perour his Chayre burst in pieces being but newly made of suffâ—…cient tymber so if it were throughly broken to fitters neuer like Iericho to be rebuilded then and not till then Princes may raigne in peace From all this we may obserue 1. That this fire was kindled in Christs time and hath burned euer since For if this rage stroke at the head it will not fauour the members If the sawcie Deuill durst meddle and incounter with the Captaine he will not feare to set vpon a meane souldiour Remember sayth Christ the word that I sayd vnto you The seruant is not greater then the Lord if they haue persecuted me they will also persecute you We cannot expect that immunitie which our Sauiour neuer found In the securest and most quiet state of the Church we haue found this that sedition hath trode on the heeles of peace and persecution beene borne into the world with the feete forward for hast 2. That the godly must maintaine this fire for there must be in them no deficiencie of fewell They must hold fast integritie though this be the matter whereuppon this fire workes No peace must be had with them that haue no peace with God I deny not peace in ciuill affaires but in conforming our manners to theirs For righteousnesse must not yeeld to iniquitie Christ must be borne and being borne must raigne though Herod rage and the Deuill foame and all Ierusalem be troubled at it Dagon must yeeld to the Arke not the Arke to Dagon the
of God bestowed on vs to the edification and consolation of others spending our selues like torches to giue others light A Christian though he be the freest man of all yet he is seruant to all to Christ for himselfe to others for Christ serue one another in loue Let this affection of vnitie be encreased by considering three inconueniences of dissension 1. A great aduantage is giuen to the enemie They boast the goodnes of others errours whilst wee agree not in our truth They take opportunity to shuffle in their counterfet coine whiles wee consent not in our gold I say not so much for the waight or purenes of sub stance as for the fashion Is it not a shame for the children of God to dissent when the children of hell are at peace It is a military principle Tempt not an enemie by giuing him the aduantage What is this but to harten their malignant opposition to assault vs when they spie in the Citie a Breach Qui vnionem rumpit vnitatem ruit Hee that dissolues the vnion of parts ouerthrowes the vnitie of the whole 2. Sinne by this meanes steales vp nor is there an aduantage giuen only to our aduersaries of Rome but to our enemies of hell Wickednes is a crafty theefe which spying a towne on fire and all hands labouring to quench it takes his aduantage of booties and what others redeeme he steales Whiles we are busie about this Fire the deuils factors come abroad like Nicholas Clarkes and steale away soules Whiles so many disagree about Christs descending into â—…ell Sathan gathers many thether 3 Our soules by this meanes often become 〈◊〉 gather corruption for want of scowring them by repentance Whiles we are carefull and curious about mint and cummin Iustice and Pietie goe away neglected We at once grow hote in contention and cold in deuotion The fire of the Altar goes out whiles this fire of sedition is fewelled It was the comparison of a worthy Diuine The meanes whereby the sheepheards take the Pelican is to lay fire neere her nest which she in a foolish pitie to saue her young ones offers to flap out with her wings and so is burned her selfe So many in a fond compassion to quench this fire burne their owne wings rather then help others If our ashes could quench it we should not grudge them but since it encreaseth with part-takings let vs either quench it with our teares or by our prayers moue God to put it out Howsoeuer neglect wee not the estate of our owne soules nor suffer our hearts ouer-growne with the rust of corruption or mosse of securitie So thou mayest be like the gold-finer that is all day purifying of mettals till himselfe be reezed smooted and soiled all ouer Take heede thou mayest be so long about the fire till thou be made blacke with the smoke We haue brought together the Fire and the Fewell now we must looke for Kindlers The Kindler Of this fire is principally Satan it is hee that brings the fewell of good mens sanctitie and the fire of euill mens iniquitie together and so begets a great flame This he doth performe either by his Instruments or by himselfe He is the great Bustuarie himselfe and hath other deputed inflamers vnder him Sometimes immediately by himselfe Reu. 12. That great red Dragon with seauen heads and ten hornes and seauen Crownes on his heads stands before the woman which was ready to be deliuered for to deuoure her child so soone as it was borne When he perceiued that the Great Light Christ was come into the world by throwing downe his oracles of darknes he begins to bustle and howsoeuer he speeds he wil fight two or three bouts with him in a monomachie or duell person to person He durst not trust this battell to an instrument or fight by Attourney this fire he will kindle himselfe As proud as he is rather then he will hazard the escaping of a soule from his blacke kingdome he will in his owne proper person take the paines to hamper him with his strongest temptations Sometimes by his instrumentes which are many thousands for if we compare numbers he hath more helpers on earth to kindle this fire then Christ hath servants to put it out Therfore he is called the God of this world where sub nomine mundi are meant mundani worldlings Reu. 12. He is said to deceiue the whole world He labours to deceiue all that are in the world but he doth deceiue all that are of the world It was he that stirred vp couetousnes in the Sabeans and couetousnes stirred vp their harts against Iob. He incenseth Haman and Haman Ahashueroch against the Iewes He prouoked Iudas almost all Iudah against Iesus He kindleth malice in their harts that kindle these damnable fires shall burne in vnquenchable fire for his labour It is he that prouoketh the Magistrate to tyrannie the people to disobedience trecherie the learned to heresie the simple to securitie all to rebellion and impietie Men litle thinke whose instruments they are whose businesse they goe about when they put their finger in this fire It is the diuel that puts slander in their tongues malice in their hearts mischeefein their hands wherby they labour either seducere or abducere to corrupt mens soules or to cut their throates For Satans whole intent is to draw men a cultu Dei debito ad cultuâ—… suimet indebitum from worshiping the God of light to worship him that is an Angell of darknes Oh that men would consider what eternall fire is prepared for them by whom this mysticall fire is kindled Now Sathan kindleth two sorts of fires Generall or speciall And either of these is double The generall are extended either to errour or terrour 1. He kindles the fire of open warre He is the great generall of that armie Psal. 2. that doe band themselues against the Lords annointed The Dragon and his angels fight against Michael and his Angels There is no fighting against the Saints but vnder his colours Hee was the captaine in that ParisiaÌ„ massacre the Pilot to that inuincible nauie 88. He is the great master of the inquisition the grand Cair of all confederacles abroad the Machiauell of all conspiracies at home There was no treason but was first hammer'd in his forge tooke the damned fire from his breath The Pope hath bin his applauded Instrument many yeares to kindle these belluine Belial fires Innumerableseditions of warres haue bin sent from the enginous studie of his holy brest to vexe Christian Emperours and kings wherein continually the Pope gaue the battell but the Lord gaue the victorie and that where his vicar least intended it Hildebrand Hell-brandrather promised Rodolphus whom he incensed against his liege-Emperour Henricus assured conquest but it seemes the Bishop had small power in heauen whatsoeuer he pretended on earth for Rodolphus his ouerthrow gaue Henricus direct proofe to the contrary It
how wise a king hath read his destinie Pride will haue a fall 2. The next is Prodigalitie and because hee takes himselfe for the true Charitie hee must be second at least This is a young Gallant and the horse he rides on is Luxurie Hee goes a thundring pace that you would not think it possible to ouertake him but before he is got a quarter of the way hee is spent all spent ready to begge of those that begd of him 3. Enuie will be next a leane meager thing full of malicious mettle but hath almost no flesh The horse he rides on is Malcontent He would in his iourney first cut some thousand throates or powder a whole kingdome blow vp a State and then set on to heauen But the hangman sets vp a Galowse in his way wherat he runs full butt and breakes his necke 4. Then comes sneaking out Coâ—…eteousnes a hunger-staru'd vsurer that sells wheat and eates beanes many men are in his debt and he is most in his owne debt for he neuer payd his belly and backe a quarter of their dues He rides on a thinne hobbling Iade called vnconscionablenes which for want of a worse stable hee lodgeth in his owne heart He promiseth his soule to bring her to heauen but tarrying to enlarge his barnes he lost opportunitie and the prize of saluation and so fell two bowes short Fayth and Repentance 5. Lust hath gotten on Loues cloke and will venture to runne A leprous wretch and riding on a trotting beast a hee-goate was almost shaken to pieces Diseases doe so crampe him that hee is faine to sit downe with Vae misero and without the helpe of a good Doctor or a Surgion he is like neuer to see a comfortable end of his iourney 6. Hypocrisie is glad that he is next to Charitie and presumes that they two are brother and sister Hee is hors'd on a halting hackney for he does but borrow him called Dissimulation As he goes hee is offring euerie man his hand but it is still emptie Hee leanes on Charities shoulder and protests great loue to her but when shee tryes him to borrow a little money of him for some mercifull purpose he pleads he hath not enough to serue him to his iourneys end He goes forward like an Angell but his trusted horse throws him and discouers him a Deuill 7 The last named but first and onely that comes to the prize at the goales end is Charitie She is an humble vertue not mounted as the other racers but goes on foote She spares from her owne belly to relieue those poore Pilgrims that trauell with her to Heauen She hath two Virgins that beare her companie Innocence and Patience She does no hurt to others shee suffers much of others yet was shee neuer heard to curse Her language is blessing and shee shall for euer inherite it Three celestiall Graces Glory Immortalitie and Eternitie hold out a Crowne to her And when Faith and Hope haue lifted her vp to heauen they take their leaues of her and the bosome of euerlasting Mercie receiues her A CRVCIFIXE OR A Sermon vpon the Passion EPHES. 5. 2. He hath giuen himselfe for vs an offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet swelling sauour THis latter part of the verse is a faire and liuely Crucifixe cut by the hand of a most exquisite caruer not to amaze our corporall lights with a peece of wood brasse or stone curiously engrauen to the encrease of a carnall deuotion But to present to the eye of the conscience the grieuous Passion and gracious compassion of our Sauiour Iesus Christ Who gaue himselfe for vs c. This Crucifixe presents to our eye seauen considerable Circumstances Who Christ. What Gaue. Whom Himselfe To whom To God For whom For vs. After what manner An offering Sacrifice Of what effect Of a sweet sauour The poynts you see lie as readie for our discourse as the way did from Bethanie to Ierusalem onely fayle not my speech nor your attention till we come to the Iourneys end Who. The Person that giues is Christ the qualitie of his person doth highly commend his exeeding loue to vs. We will ascend to this consideration by 4. staires or degrees and descend by 4. other Both in going vp and comming downe we shall perceiue the admirable loue of the giuer Ascendently 1. We will consider him Hominem a man Behold the man saith Pilate We may tarry and wonder at his lowest degree that a man should giue himselfe for man For scarcely for a righteous man will one die But this man gaue himselfe for vnrighteous man to die not an ordinary but a greevous death exposing himselfe to the wrath of God to the tyrranie of men and Devils It would pittie our hearts to see a poore dumbe beast so terrified how much more Hominem a man the Image of God! 2 The second degree giues him hominem innocentem an Innocent man Pilate could say I haue found no fault in this man No nor yet Herod No nor the Devill who would haue beene right glad of such an advantage So Pilates Wife sent her husband word Haue thou nothing to do with that iust man So the Person is not onely a man but a iust man that gaue himselfe to endure such horrors for vs. If wee pittie the death of malefactors how should our compassion be to one Innocent 3. In the third degree he is not onely Homo a man and Iustus homo a good man but also Magnus homo a great man royally descended from the auntient Patriarches and Kinges of Iudah Pilate had so written his Title and he would answere not alter it Quod scripsi scripsi And what was that Iesus of Nazereth the King of the Iewes Now as is the Person so is the Passion the more noble the giuer the more excellent the gift That so high a King would suffer such contempt and obloquie to be cast vpon him when the least part of his disgrace had beene too much for a man of meane condition That a Man a Good man a Great man bore such calumnie such calamitie for our sakes here was an vnmatchable an vnspeakable loue 4. This is enough but this is not all there is yet a higher degree in this Ascent we are not come to our full Quantus It is this he was Plus quam homo more then man not onely maximus hominum but mator hominibus the greatest of men yea greater then all men Not mere filius hominis but verè filius Dei he was more then the Sonne of man euen the Sonne of God As the Centurion acknowledged Truely this man was the Sonne of God Here be all the foure staires vpwardes a Man a Harmeles man a Princely man and yet more then man euen God himselfe Salomon was a great king but here is a Greater then Salomon Salomon was Christus Domini but here is Christus Dominus he was the annointed of the Lord but this
the musician of crotchers the Seminary of equivocations The glutted Epicure dreames of dainty dishes and fat morsells The thirsty drunkard dreames of his licour and behold he drinketh but awake his thirst is not satisfied The vsurer dreames of his trunckes that he is telling his gold and starts as if euery rat were a thiefe breaking in vpon him The timorous dreame that they are flying before ouertaking danger The Lustfull imagines his desired embracings The angry that he is fighting killing spoyling The secure that they are wilstling singing dancing The ielous man dreames of his wiues errors when she lyes chastly by his side The ambitious that he is kissing the kings hand and mounted into the saddle of honour The ouercharged mind dreames of his employment For a dreame commeth through the multitude of businesse 2. Preternaturall and these are either Ad Errorem Terrorem Whereof the first is wrought by Satan Permittente Deo God suffering it The second by God mediante Diabolo Satan being a mediate instrument 1. There are Dreames for Error wrought by the meere illusion of Satan whom God once suffered to be a lying Spirit in the mouth of 400. Prophets Hee working vpon mans affections inclinations and humours causeth in them such dreames as seduce them to wickednes and induce them to wrechednes They write of one Amphiaraus an Argiue Soothsayer that by a dreame hee was brought to the Theban voyage wher 's Hiatu terrae absorbetur he was swallowed vp of the earth So Pharaohs Baker was encouraged to hopefull error by a dreame So was that monstrous hoste of Midian ouerthrowne by a Dreame of a Barley cake that hit a Tent and ouerwhelmed it which was interpreted the Sword of Gideon 2. For Terror Iob sayes that Deus terret per somnia per visiones horrorem incuiit God strikes terror into the hearts of the wicked by Dreames As a Malus genius is said to appeare to Brutus the night before his death or as the face of Hector was presented to Andromache Polydore virgil records the dreame of that bloudy tyrāt Richard 3. that in a dreame the night before the battaile of Bosworth field he thought all the deuils in hell were haling and tugging him in pieces and all those whom he had murdered crying shricking out vengeance against him Though hee thinkes this was more then a dreame Id credo non fuisse somnium sed conscientiam seelerū He iudged it not so much a dreame as the guiltie conscience of his own wickednes So to Robert Winter one of the powder-traytors in a dreame appeared the gastly figures and distracted visages of his cheefe friends and confederates in that treason not vnlike the very same maner wherin they after stood on the pinnacles of the Parliament house 3. Supernaturall such as are sent by diuine inspiration and must haue a diuine interpretation Such were the dreames of Pharaoh expounded by Ioseph the dreames of Nebuchadnezzar declared by Daniel Of these were two sortes 1. Some were mysticall such as those two kings dreames and Pharaohs two officers whose exposition is onely of God So Ioseph answers Are not interpretations of the Lord So Nebuchadnezzar to Daniel Thou art able for the spirit of the holy God is in thee The Sorcerers and Astrologers dearly acknowledged their ignorance with their liues Thus Pharaoh may dreame but it is a Ioseph that must expound it It is one thing to haue a representation obiected to the fantasie another thing to haue an intellectuall light giuen to vnderstand it 2. Others are demonstratiue when the Lord not onely giues the dreame but also withall the vnderstanding of it Such were Daniels dreames these Wisemens Iosephs in this chapter Wherein was a Vision Pro uision a vision what to doe a prouision that no harme might come to Iesus These dreames were most specially incident to the new Testament when God at the very rising of the Sunne began to expell the shadowes of darke my steries And it shall come to passe in the last dayes saith God I will powre out of my Spirit vpon all flesh and your sons your daughters shall prophecie your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dreame dreames Now the Sunne is gotten vp into the midst of heauen the Gospel into the ful strength these shadowes vanish the more light the lesse shadow So that now to expect reuelation of things by dreames were to intreat God to lend vs a candle whiles wee haue the bright Sun The superstitious Papists are s◅ill full of these dreames and find out more mysteries in their sleepe then they can well expound waking The Abbot of Glastenbury when Ethelwold was Monke there dreamt of a tree whose branches were al couered with Monks cowles on the highest bough one cowle that ouertop'd all the rest which must needs be expoūded the future greatnes of this Ethelwold But it is most admirable how the Dominicke Friers make shift to expoūd the dreame of Dominickes mother which she had when she was with child of him that she had in her wombe a wolfe with a burning torch in his mouth Say what they will a wolfe is a wolfe still that order hath euer carried a burning torch to scorch their mother the Church But there is no dreame of theirs with out an interpretation without a prediction And if the euent answere not their foretelling they expound it after the euent If one of them chance to dreame of a greene garden he goes presently and makes his will Or if another dreame that he shakes a dead friend by the hand he is ready to call to the Sexton for a graue takes solemne leaue of the world and sayes hee cannot liue Beloued God hath not grounded our fayth vpon dreames nor cunningly deuised fables but on the holy Gospell written by his seruants in bookes and by his spirit in the tables of our hearts They that will beleeue dreames and Traditions aboue Gods sacred word let them heare and feare their iudgement For this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should beleeue a lye That they all might be dāned who beleeue not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnes Banish from your hearts this superstitious follie to repose any confidence expectant on dreames But if you desire to make any vse of dreames let it be this Consider thy selfe in thy dreaming to what inclination thou art mostly carried and so by thy thoughts in the night thou shalt learne to know thy self in the day Be thy dreames lustfull examine whether the addictions of thy heart run not after the byas of concupiscence Be they turbulent consider thy owne contentious disposition Be they reuengefull they point to thy malice Runne they vpon gold and riches they argue thy couetousnesse Thus God may be said to teach a man by his dreames still non quid erit sed qualis est not what shall be but what
euen to them that beleeue on his Name By one offering hee hath perfected for euer them that are sanctified This is sure comfort to vs though hee dyed almost 1600. yeares agoe his bloud is not yet dry his wounds are as fresh to doe vs good as they were to those Saints that beheld them bleeding on the Crosse. The vertue of his merits is not abated though many thousand hands of Faith haue taken large portions out of his treasurie The riuer of his Grace which makes glad the citie of God runnes ouer the bankes though infinite soules haue drunke heartie draughts and satisfied their thirst But because we cannot apprehend this for our selues of our selues therefore he hath promised to send vs the Spirit of truth who will dwell with vs and applie this to vs. for euer Thus you haue seene the first Triplicitie how he is the Same Obiectiuely in his Word Now he is Subiunctiuely in his Power the Same and that Yesterday for he made the world To day for he gouerns the world For euer for he shall iudge the world Yesterday in the Creation All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made By him were all things created that are in heauen and that are in earth visible and invisible whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers all things were created by him and for him All things euen the great and faire booke of the world of three so large leaues Coelum Solum Salum Heauen Earth and Sea The Prophet cals him the Everlasting Father Daniel Auntient of dayes Salomon sayes that the Lord possessed him in the beginning of his way before his workes of old So himselfe told the vnbeleeuing Iewes Before Abraham was I am We owe then our selues to Christ for our creation but how much more for our redemption Si totum me debeo pro ine facto quid addam iam pro me refecto In primo opere me mihi dedit in secundo se mihi dedit If I owe him my whole selfe for making me what haue I left to pay him for redeeming me In the first worke he gaue my selfe to me in the second he gaue himselfe to me By a double right we owe him our selues we are worthy of a double punishment if we giue him not his owne To day in the Gouerning Hee vpholdeth all things by the word of his power Hee is Paterfamilias and disposeth all thinges in this vniuerse with greater care and pâ—…ence then any house-holder can menage the buâ—…nesse of his priuate familie Hee leaues it not as the Carpenter hauing built the frame of a house to others to perfect it but lookes to it himselfe His Creation and Prouidence is like the Mother and the Nurse the one produceth the other preserueth His creation was a short prouidence his prouidence a perpetuall creation The one sets vp the frame of the house the other keepes it in reparation Neither is this a disparagement to the Maiestie of God as the vaine Epicures imagined curare minima to regard the least things but rather an honour curare infinita to regard all things Neither doth this extend onely to naturall things chained together by a regular order of succession but euen to casuall and contingent things Oftentimes cùm aliud volumus aliud agimus the euent crosseth our purpose Which must content vs though it fall out otherwise then we purposed because God purposed as it is falne out It is enough that the thing attaine the owne end though it misse ours that Gods will be done though ours be crossed But let me say Hath God care of foâ—…les and flowers and will he not care for you his owne Image Yea let me goe further Hath God care of the wicked Doth he powre downe the happie influences of heauen on the vniust mans ground And shall the faithfull want his blessing Doth hee prouide for the Sonnes of Beliall and shall his owne children lacke He may giue meate and rayment to the rest but his bountie to Beniamin shall exceed If Mâ—…b his Wash-pot tast of his benefites then Iudah the signet on his finger cannot bee forgotten The King gouernes all the Subiects in his Dominions but his seruants that waite in his Court partake of his most Princely fauours God heales the sores of the very wicked but if it be told him Lord hee whom thou louest is sicke 〈◊〉 enough hee shall bee healed The wicked may hâ—…â—…utward blessings without inward and that is Esau's pottage without his Birth-right but the elect haue inward blessings though they want outward and that is Iacobs inheritance without his pottage For euer because he shall iudge the world GOD hath appoynted a day in the which he will iudge the world in righteousnesse by that Mâ—…n whom he hath ordained In the day that God shall iudge the secrets of mâ—…n by Iesus Christ. Let the wicked flatter themselues that all is but talke of any comming to Iudgement non aliud videre patres aliudve nâ—… pâ—…tes aspicâ—…nt all is but terriculamenta nutricum meere scar-babes Scribarâ—…m peâ—… mendaces they haue written lies there is no such matter But when they shall see that Lambe whom they haue pearced and scorned they shall cry to the mountaines and rockes Fall vpon vs and couer vs. Now they flatter themselues with his death mortuus est hee is dead and gone and Mortuum Caesarem quis â—…etuit Who feares euen a Caesar when he is dead But he that was dead liueth behold I am aliue for euermore Amen Iesus Christ yesterday and to day and for euer Quâ—…sitor scâ—…erum veniet vindexque reorum Here is matter of infallible comfort to vs. Lift vp your heads for your Redemption draweth nigh Here wee are imprisoned martyred tortured but when that great Assise and generall goale-deliuery comes Mâ—…s non â—…rit vltra there shall be no more death nor sorrow but all teares shall be wiped from our eyes For it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you And to you who are troubled rest with vs when the Lord Iesus shall be reuealed from heauen with his mightie Angels We shall then find him the Sâ—… the same Lambe that bought vs shall giue vs a venitâ—… beati Coâ—…e ye blessed receiue your kingdome Surely I come quickly Aâ—…on Euen so Come Lord Iesus Effectually in his Grace and Mercie so he is the Same Yesterday to our fathers To day to our selues For euer to our children Yesterday to our Fathers All our Fathers whose soules are now in heauen those Spirits of iust men made perfect Hebr. 12. were as the next words intimate saued by Iesus the mediatour of the new Couenant and by the bloud of sprinkling that speaketh better things then that of Abell Whether they liued vnder Nature or vnder the Law Christ was their expectation and
hell Diuitiae non iniquae sed iniquis Riches are not vnrighteous but to the vnrighteous Nec culpabile est habere ista sed harere istis It is not a sinne to haue them but to trust them As much might be sayd for Honour It is the Lord that aduanceth Those that honour me I will honour sayth God It is God sayth Iob that putteth on the kings girdle that fastneth his honour about him Promotion commeth neither from the East nor from the West nor from North nor South but onely from the Lord. Hence it followes that Great men may be good men yea hence it should follow that great men ought to be good men They may be good Christ had his faithfull followers euen in Cesars familie Bernard indeed complained that the Court is wont to receiue good men but to make them bad men Bonos facilius recipere quam facere and Plures illic defecisse bonos quam profecisse malos The Court doth sooner take good men then make good men There moe good are peruerted to euill them euil converted to good Yet in the Court of Pharaoh was a good Ioseph in the Court of Darius a good Daniel in the Court of Ahashuerosh a good Mordecai Neither is it euer true that Quò quis corruptior moribus corrumpentior muneribus the more a man is corrupt with vices and corrupting with bribes so much the more set by The Pharises obiection is sometimes false Haue any of the Rulers beleeued on him They may be good yea They must be good For they are vnprinted Statutes whereout euerie man reads his dutie They are Legis factores therefore should not be Legis fractores Aristotle calls them Loquentes Leges speaking Lawes In feriours often set their eyes to supply the place of their eares and rather looke to see their duetyes then to heare it All should liue by Precept but most will liue by Precedent A Superiour therefore should teach men to take the measure of his greatnesse by his goodnes These two should be of an euen length of an equall pace If honour out-runnes honesty it will hardly be ouertaken Let such a one appeare to the people as he would haue them be and be himselfe such a one as he appeares A great Person is like a great hill which giues a faire prospect but is subiect to the lightning and thunder of censures 2 But it may here be obiected that if Riches and Honour be GODS gifts then is he the giuer of Iudas his wealth and Hamans honour Perhaps you would here learne whether your riches and honours come from God or no your demand is requisite and I will striue to giue you satisfaction First for Riches If they come from God they are Honestly gotten Iustly disposed Patiently lost 1. They are well gotten for God is not the Patron of vniust gaines He can blesse a man well enough without the help of the Deuill There are many that will haue wealth though they go a fishing for it eyther with Habakkuks net or Ophni's booke They do not onely trouble the waters for it but they bloudy the waters fetch it out of the bowels and life-bloud of the poore This is not from God nor will he blesse it But as it was gathered of the hire of a harlot so it shall returne to the hire of a harlot It is easie for that man to be rich that will make his conscience poore He that will defraud forsware bribe oppresse serue the time vse abuse all men all things swallow any wickednesse cannot escape riches Whereas he whose conscience will not admit of aduancing or aduantaging himselfe by indirect means sits downe with contented Pouertie But Bonus non cito eâ—…sit diues a good man seldome becomes rich on the suddaine Wealth comes not easily not quickly to the honest dore Neither let vs enuie the grauell that stickes in the throate of iniustice For hee that will swallow the baite which hangs on the Line of another mans estate shall be choaked with it Of riches let vs neuer desire more then an honest man may well beare away Mallem me miserum sanctum quà m prosperum peccatorem I had rather be a miserable Saint then a prosperous sinner When the raising of thy roofe is the rasing of anothers foundation The stones shall cry out of the wall and the beame out of the timber shall answere it Thus â—…on accipimus data sed arripimus prohibita we take not things with a beggars hand but with a Tyrants they are not Gods gifts but our felonies For this cause Riches are called Bona fortunae the goods of fortune not that they come by chance but that it is a chance if euer they be good Vaeac cumulanti non sua And Woe to him that coueteth an euill couetousnesse to his house Wee thinke the oppressors auarice euill onely to the houses of the oppressed but God sayth it is most euill to his owne Whether fraud or force bring in vniust gaine it is as a coale of fire put in the thatch of his house And to shew that God is not the giuer of this hee powres a curse vpon it that often they who thus desire most wealth shall not haue it the world being to them like a froward woman the more woed the further off Woe to thee that spoylest and wast not spoyled when thou shalt cease to spoyle thou shalt be spoiled And Habac. 2. 8. Because thou hast spoyled many nations all the 〈◊〉 of the people shall spoyle thee and thou shalt be for booties vnto them Many a great fish in the sea of this world deuoures another and instantly comes a greater and deuoures him As that Emperor suffered his Officers to bee like spunges sucking vp the goods of the comminaltie and being once full hee squeased them into his owne coffers Pharaohs leane kine that deuoured the fat were yet themselues neuer the fatter Philip was wont to say that an asse laden with Gold would enter the gates of any citie but the golden lode of bribes and extortions shall barre a man out of the Citie of God All that is so gotten is like quick siluer it will bee running If the Father leaue all to his son yet the sonne will leaue nothing for his sonne perhaps nothing for himselfe neuer resting till Quodcumque profunda Traxit auaritia Luxu peiore refundat Vntill he hath throwne abroad all with a forke which his father got together with a rake The lion did teare in pieces enough for his whelpes and filled his holes with prey and his denns with rauine But I will bee against thee sayth the Lord and the sword shall deuour thy young Lyons The father playes the Lyon for his whelps oppresseth and consumeth the poore but his young Lyons which he so prouides for shall be destroyed Non habet euentus sordida praeda bonos We haue seene huge hills of wealth like mountaines
graine did also feed vpon him albeit he built a Tower in the middest of the riuer Rheine to auoid them which the Germanes call still Rattes Tower How shall they which slander heauen with pretended dearths be admitted as friends to that place which they haue belyed You see how these riches must be gotten how disposed honestly gotten iustly dispensed now it follows also in the next place that they must be 3. Patiently lost When God giues riches to the good he giues them also a heart to trust in himselfe in himselfe I say not in them Trust not in vncertaine Riches but in the liuing God who giueth vs aboundantly all things to enioy He giues abundantly but he forbiddeth trust in that abundance He commends riches to vs as a great man doth a seruant to his friend worke him but trust him not put labour to him not confidence in him Wealth may doe vs good seruice but if it get the masterie of our trust it will turne tyrant Termagant we condemne our selues to our owne gallies To the godly riches are neuer so deare but they can be content to forgoe them They receiue them at Gods hands with much thankfulnesse and they loose them with much patience When God takes ought from vs he does vs no wrong Retrahit sua non abstrahit nostra he doth but take backe his owne not take away ours So Iob. The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken away The Lord giueth therefore hee may take away Yea faith sayes Lord take all so thou giue me thy selfe We haue left all and followed thee sayth Peter Nos sequamur Christum caetera sequentur nos Let vs follow Christ other thinges shall follow vs. But if they doe not it is gaine enough to haue Christ. He is too couetous whom the Lord Iesus cannot satisfie We may loose diuitias Dei but neuer Deum diuitiarum We may be forsaken of these riches of God but neuer of the God of riches Amittamus omnia dum habeamus habentem omnia Let vs loose all so we haue him that hath all That was neuer perfectly good that might bee lost Of this nature are riches they haue made many prouder none better As neuer man was better so neuer wise man thought himselfe better for them That wise Prophet would neuer haue prayed against riches if their want had beene the want of blessednesse The Deuill indeed sayes All those will I giue thee but the two dearest Aposties say Siluer and gold haue I none Who would not rather be in the state of those Saints then of that Deuill Riches are such thinges as those that haue them not want them not those that haue them want them they are lost in a night and a man is neuer the worse for loosing them How many Kings not fewer then nine in our Iland that haue begun their glory in a Throne haue ended it in a cell changing their command of a Scepter for the contemplation of a Booke Alas silly things that they should dare aske one dramme of our confidence Non tanta in multis foelicitas quanta in paucis securitas There is not so much happines in the highest estate as there is content and peace in the lowest Only then God be our trust whose mercie we can no more loose then himselfe can loose his mercie Thus you see this second generall poynt amplified if Riches be Gods good blessings not onely in themselues so they are alwayes good but to vs then they are gotten honestly disposed iustly lost patiently As much happily might be said for Honour wherein I will briefely consider how and when it is of God God indeed giues Honour and Riches but not all Honour as you heard before not all Riches There are foure things in an honoured person First his Person wherein he pertakes of the common condition of Mankind liues and dies a man Euen the sonnes of Princes haue their breath in their nosthrilles Secondly his Honour and dignitie this simply considered is of God whosoeuer he be that hath it a Ioseph or a Haman Thirdly the manner of comming to his Honour and this is no longer of God then the meanes are good If it bee Gods honour God must giue it not man vsurpe it Fourthly the menaging of this Honour and this is also of the Lord if it be right and religious It happeneth often that Potens the great man is not of God They haue set vp Kings but not by me they haue made Princes and I knew it not The manner of getting dignity is not alwayes of God Richard 3. came to the Crowne of England by bloud and murther Alexander 6. obtained the Popedome by giuing himselfe to the Deuill Yet the dignitie is of God By me Kings raigne by me Princes and Nobles It is a hard question wherein Honour consists It is in bloud descending from the veines of noble auncestors Not so except nature could produce to Noble parents noble children It was a monstrous tale that Nicippus his Ewe should yeane a Lyon Though it be true among irrationall creatures that they euer bring forth their like Eagles hatch Eagles and Doues Doues yet in mans progenie there is often found not so like a proportion as vnlike a disposition The earthy part onely followes the seed not that whose forme and attending qualities are from aboue Honour must therefore as well plead a Charter of successiue vertue as of continued scutchions or it cannot consist in bloud The best things can neuer be traduced in propagation thou mayest leaue thy sonne heire to thy lands in thy will to thy Honour in his bloud thou canst neuer bequeath him thy vertues The best qualities do so cleaue to their subiects that they disdaine communication to others That is then onely true Honour where dignitie and desert bloud and vertue meete together the greatnesse whereof is from bloud the goodnesse from vertue Among Fooles dignitie is enough without desert among wise men desert without dignitie If they must bee separated desert is infinitely better Greatnesse without vertue laudatur ore alieno damnatur conscientia sua is commended by others tongues condemned in the owne heart Vertue though without promotion is more comforted in the owne content then dishartned by others contempt It is a happie composition when they are vnited thinke it your honour ye great men that you are ennobled with vertues not that you haue but that you deserue Honour Let this that hath beene spoken teach vs some lessons concerning Honour 1. Take it when God sends it but bee not ambitious of it Indigni est arripere non accipere honorem It is an argument of vnworthinesse to snatch it denyed not to accept it offered God resisteth the proud opposeth himselfe in a profest warre against him as if he held a sword against his brest when he would rise vp in glory to nâ—…le him fast downe to the earth But he giueth grace to the humble like a great
thy robes of glory but not thy rags of pouertie They loue him whiles the people cry Hosanna but shrinke backe when they cry Crucifie him All pleaseth them but the Crosse all the faire way of delights they will accompany him but at the Crosse they part They would share with him in his kingdome but they will none of his vassalage The Lyon in a Fable had many attendants and he prouided for them good cheare They like well of this and are proud of their master to whom all the other beastes gaue awe and obedience But it chanced that the Lyon fell into the daunger of the Dragon who had got him downe readie to deuoure him His followers seeing this quickly betake them to their heeles and fell euery beast to his old trade of rapine Onely the poore Lambe stood bleating by and though hee coulde not helpe would not forsake his Lord At last the Lyon gets the victory and treads the Dragon vnder his feet to death Then he punisheth those revolting traytors with deserued destruction and sets the Lambe by his owne side The great Lyon of Iudah feeds many of the Iewes and at this day profane wretches whilest his bountie lasts Christ and none but Christ. But when the Red Dragon hath got him vnder nailed him to the crosse Crucified him dead away goe these runnagates no more peny no more Paternoster If affliction come for Christ his cause they know where to find a kinder Master Backe to the world one to his fraud and hee will ouer-reach others with the sinne of deceitfulnesse though himselfe be ouer-reached with the deceitfulnesse of sinne Another to his vsurie and hee chymically proiects money out of the poores bowels A third to his couetousnesse and hee had rather that the very frame of the world should fall then the price of corne A fourth to his Idols and hee hopes for cakes from the Queene of heauen as if the King of heauen was not able to giue bread If the Lord pinch them with distresse they runne to Rome for succour expecting that from a blocke which they would not tarry to obtaine from the God of mercie Then they cry like the Israelites Vp make vs gods to goe before vs for as for this Moses wee know not what is become of him But at last this Lyon conquers the Dragon ouercomes Sathan his damnation what shall he then say to those Rebelles that would not haue him raigne ouer them But Bring those mine enemies and slay them before me But the poore and pure innocent Lambs that suffer with him shall raigne with him Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the kingdome of heauen 〈◊〉 The other vse is St. Pauls Let the same minde be in you which was in Christ Iesus What mind is that Humilitie Ver. 7. He that thought it no robberie to bee equall with God humbled himselfe to become Man we should haue found it no robberie to be equall with Deuils and shall we be proud What an intolerable disproportion is this to behold Humilem Deum superbum hominem an humble God and a proud man Who can indure to see a Prince on foot his vassall mounted Shall the Sonne of God be thus humble for vs shall not we be humble for our selues For our selues I say that deserue to be cast downe among the lowest for our selues that we may be exalted He that here cals himselfe the Sonne of man is now glorified they that humbly acknowledge themselues to be the Sonnes of men that is mortall shal be made the Sonnes of God that is immortall In the first of King 19. There was a mightie strong winde that rent the mountaines and brake the rockes but God was not in the Wind the Lord will not rest in the turbulent spirit puffed vp with the wind of vaine-glory There was an earth-quake but God was not in the earth-quake He will not dwell in a couetous heart buryed in the furrowes of the earth and cares of the world There was a Fire but the Lord was not in the fire Hee will not rest in a cholericke angry soule full of combustion and furious heate There was a still soft voyce and the Lord came with it In a milde and humble spirit the God of heauen and earth will dwell The high and loftie One that inhabiteth eternitie will dwell in the contrite and humble soule It is a sweet mixture of Greatnesse and Goodnesse Vt dum nihil in honore sublimius nihil in humilitate submissius When the highest in dignitie are the lowest in courtesie Augustine called himselfe Minimum non solùm omnium Apostolorum sed etiam Episcoporum the least not onely of all the Apostles but of all the Bishops wheras he was the most illuminate doctor and best Bishop of his times Paul thought himselfe not worthy to be called an Apostle and behold he is called The Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not Paul but The Apostle Abraham that esteemed himselfe dust and ashes is honoured to bee the Father of all them that beleeue Dauid sits content at his sheepe-folds the Lord makes him King ouer his Israell But as Humilitie like the Bee gathers Honey out of ranke Weeds very sinnes mouing to repentance So Pride like the Spider suckes poyson out of the fairest flowers the best graces and is corrupted with insolence Vna superbia destruit omnia Onely Pride ouerthrowes all It thrust proud Nabuchadnezzar out of mens societie proud Saul out of his kingdome proud Adam out of Paradise proud Haman out of the Court proud Lucifer out of heauen Pride had her beginning among the Angels that fell her continuance in earth her end in hell Poore man how ill it becomes thee to be proud when God himselfe is humble Is come We vnderstand the person let vs come to his Comming And herein Ecce veritatem behold his Truth Did God promise a Sonne of a virgin Emanuell a Sauiour He is as good as his word Venit he is come Did the sacrificed bloud of so many Buls Goates and Lambes prefigure the expiatory bloud of the Lambe of God to be shed Ecce agnus Dei Behold that Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Is the Seed of the woman promised to breake the head of the serpent Behold he breakes the heauens and comes downe to doe it For this purpose the Sonne of God was manifested that he might destroy the workes of the Deuill Did God ingage his word for a Redeemer to purge our sinnes Call his name Iesus for he shall saue his people from their sinnes Against vnbeleeuing Atheists and mis-beleeuing Iewes here is sufficient conviction But I speake to Christians that beleeue he is come Hac fide credite venturum esse qua creditis venisse Beleeue that he will come againe with the same faith wherewith you beleeue he is come alreadie Doe not curtall Gods
periudice But the poyson of the wicked dum alios inficit seipsos interficit Whilest it infects others kills themselues His owne iniquities shall take the wicked himselfe Their owne wickednesse like poyson hath in themselues these three direfull effects It makes them Swell Swill Burst 1. It makes them swell with pride and blowes vp the heart as a bladder with a quill Quis est Dauid Who is Dauid and who is the Sonne of Iesse Yea Quis est Dominus Who is the Almightie that wee should serue him Thus the Spider a poysonous vermine Climes vp to the roofe of the kings pallace If he be in prosperitie nothing can hold him to a man Be hee but a Thistle he sends to the king of Lebanon for his daughter to be his Sonnes wife Though he be but a dwarfe in comparison he would swell to a son of Anak Sinne hath puff'd him vp he forgets his maker The Lord hath fed him to the full he rebells against him We haue then good cause to pray with our Church In the time of our wealth good Lord deliuer vs. 2. It makes them swill the poyson of sinne is such a burning heate within them that they must still bee drinking And the deuill their Physician holds them to a dyet-drinke they shall not haue the water of the Sanctuary that would coole them but the harsh harish ill-brewd drinke of damnation They shall tast nothing but sinne more poyson still Which is so farre from quenching their thirst that it enflames it Totis exquirit in agris Quas modo poscit aquas sitiens in corde venenum So a man puts out the Lampe by powring in more oyle and extinguisheth the fire by laying on fewel This may for a small time allay the heate as cold drinke to a burning feuer So Ahabs feruor was a litle delayed with a draught of wine out of Naboths vinyard But Satan holds his guests to one kind of lycour and that 's ranke poyson the mudde of sinne and wickednesse He allowes them no other watring place but this Puddle-wharfe 3. It makes them burst here be the three sore effects of sinne in the soule as of poyson in the body Frst it makes a man swell then it makes him drinke lastly it it bursts him Iudas is houen with couetousnes hee drinkes the money of treason and then he bursts Rumpuntur viscera Iudae he burst out This is the catastrophe of a wicked life Then when lust hath conceiued it bringeth forth sinne and sinne when it is finished bringethforth forth death To others You see how fatall the poyson of the wicked is to themselues It doth not onely rumperese but corrumpere alios burst themselues but corrupt others It depriues their owne good it depraues others good The hurt is doth to others consists in Correptione Corruptione in outward harming in inward defiling them Outwardly Their Poyson breakes forth in the iniuries of all about them They spare neither forreiner nor neighbour There be litle snakes in Babilon that bite only forreiners and not inhabitants Pliny writes of Scorpions in the hill Caria that when they sting onely wound the naturall borne people of the Countrey but extraneos leuiter mordere but bite strangers gently or not at all These like fooles not onely strike them that are nearest but betweene their poyson in ruinam omnium to the ouerthrow of all Such a one cannot sleepe except he haue done mischiefe nay hee dyes if others doe not dye by him Et si non aliqua nocuâ—…sset mortuus esset A mans Land cannot scape the poyson of the depopulator nor his estate the poyson of the vsurer nor his children the rauisher nor his peace the contender nor his name the slanderer If their poyson cannot preuaile ad interitum hominis they will spend it ad interitum nominis If they cannot murder they will murmure They are the Deuills bandogs as one calls Parsons the Popes Cerbâ—…rus If they cannot come to bite they will barke If their sting cannot reach their mouth shall sputter out their venime Yea some of them doe not onely this mischiefe whiles they liue but etiam mortui euen dead As Herod that caused the noble Sonnes of the Iewes to be slaine post mortem suam after his death They write of some serpents that their poyson can doe no hurt except it bee shot from the liue bodies of them but these leaue behind them a still euill-working poyson As wee say of a charitable man that hee doth good after hee is dead his almes maintaine many poore soules on earth when his soule is in heauen Et quamvis ipse sepultus alit So these wicked sinne perpetually euen dead The incloser of commons sinneth after he is dead euen so long as the poore are depriued of that benefite He that hath robbed the Church of a tenth so leaues it to his heire sinnes after he is dead euen so long as God is made to loose his right Moriente serpente moritur venenum but here moriente homine viuit peccatum As one sayd of a Lawyer that resoluing not to be forgotten hee made his will so full of intricate quirkes that his executors if for nothing else yet for very vexation of law might haue cause to remember him Ieroboams sinne of Idolatrie out liued him The vniust decrees of a partiall Iudge may out liue him euen so long as the adiudged inheritance remaines with the wrongfull possessor The decrees of diuerse Popes as in curtalling the Sacrament forbidding marriage c. are their still liuing sinnes though themselues be dead and rotten Inwardly Their poyson doth most hurt by Infection their companie is as dangerous as the plague a man cannot come neere them but hee shall bee contaminated Like the weed called Gosses they make the ground barren wheresoeuer they grow Their Poyson is got Per Contactum Contractum Compactum Conspectum 1. By touching he that toucheth pitch shall be defiled It is dangerous to sport and dally with them dum ludunt laedunt He casteth firebrands and arrowes and death and sayth Am I not in sport As Solomon sayth Their very mercies are cruell so their very iest is killing earnest 2. By companying with them they hurt by sporting but worse by sorting Cast in thy lot among vs let vs all haue one purse They that will quarter themselues with the wicked must drinke of their poyson If you aske how happes it that their infection is not smâ—…lt Bernard answers Vbi omnes sâ—…rdent vnius minimè sentitur one is not smelt where all stinke 3. By Confederacie which is yet a higher degree of receiuing their poyson The first was alight dallying with their humours the next a societie with them in some drunken riots and disorders but this third is a conspiracie with them in their pernicious and deadly plotts Thus a Seminary comes from Rome and whistles together a number of traytors he brought poison
hee thinkes of Preachers as the Deuill sayd of CHRIST that we come to torment him before his time Well then Reioyce sayth GOD Let thy heart cheare thee in the dayes of thy youth But ironice hee mockes when hee sayes so Now quod Deus loquitur ridens tu lege lacrymans What God speakes laughing doe thou read lamenting If God once laughes itis high time for vs to weepe They will not heare God when he preacheth in their health God will not heare them when they pray in their sicknes They would not hearken to him in the Pulpit nor hee to them on their death bed 6. God speakes by his Spirit This spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit c. Perhaps this is that voyce behind vs as it were whispering to our thoughts This is the way walke in it This is that speaking Spirit It is not yee that speake but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you It is this Spirit that speakes for vs and speakes to vs and speakes in vs. It is the Churches prayer Let him kisse mee with the kisses of his mouth Sanctus Spiritus osculum Patris The holy Ghost is the kisse of God the Father Whom God kisseth he loueth Now by all these wayes doth God speake peace to our consciences and say to our soules that hee is our Saluation 1. Hee may speake with his owne voyce and thus he gaue assurance to Abraham Feare not I am thy shield thy exceeding great reward If God speake comfort let hell roare horrour 2. Hee may speake by his workes actuall mercies to vs demonstrate that we are in his fauour and shall not be condemned By this I know thou fauourest mee because mine enemie doth not triumph ouer mee 3. Hee may speake by his sonne Come to mee all that labour and are heauie laden and I will ease you 4. He may speake by his Scripture this is Gods Epistle to vs and his letters Patent wherein are granted to vs all the priuiledges of saluation An vniuersall Siquis Whosoeuer beleeues and is Baptised shall be saued 5. He may speake by his Ministers to whom he hath giuen the Ministerie of reconciliation 6. He doth speake this by his spirit he sendeth forth the spirit of his sonne into our hearts crying Abba Father By all these voyces God sayes to his elect I am your saluation To my Soule Many heare God speaking comfort to the corporall care that heare him not speaking this to the soule They heare him but they feele him not The best assurance is from feeling Come neare let mee feele thee my Sonne sayd Isaacto Iacob let me feele thee my Father say wee to God The thronging Iewes heard Christ but Zacheus that beleeuing Publican felt Christ. This day is saluation come to thy house My Soule There is no vexation to the vexation of the soule so no consolation to the consolation of the soule Dauid in this Psalme calls it his Darling Rescue my soule from their destructions my Darling from the Lyons The same Prophet complained of a great vnrest when his soule was disquieted within him Ionas of a grieuous sicknesse when his soule fainted Ioseph had a cruell bondage when The yron entred his soule So no comfort to the comfort of the soule In the multitude of my thoughts within me Thy comforts haue refreshed my soule The wicked heare tell of Gods mercies communitur audimus verbum salutis but God speakes not to their soules Therefore they cannot say with Mary My soule reioyceth This ioy when God speakes peace to the soule is ineffabile gaudium a iubilation of the heart which a man can neither recitare nor reticere neither suppresse nor expresse It giues end to all â—…arres doubts and differences ouercomes the world non-sutes the deuill and makes a man keepe Hilary Terme all his life To my Soule Mine I might here examine whose this Mea is who is the owner of this my A prophet a king a man after Gods owne heart that confessed himselfe the beloued of God that knew the Lord would neuer forsake him holy happy Dauid ownes this meae hee knowes the Lord loues him yet desires to know it more Dic animae Mea say to My soule But let this teach vs to make much of this My. Luther sayes there is great diuinitie in pronounes The Assurance that GOD will saue some is a fayth incident to Deuills The very Reprobates may beleeue that there is a booke of Election but GOD neuer told them that their names were written there The hungry begger at the Feast-house gate smells good cheare but the Master doth not say this is prouided for thee It is small comfort to the harbourlesse wretch to passe through a goodly Citie and see many glorious buildings When hee cannot say Haec mea domus I haue a place here The beautie of that excellent Citie Ierusalem built with Saphyres Emeralds Chrysolites and such precious stones the foundation and walls whereof are perfect gold affords a soule no comfort vnlesse hee can say mea ciuitas I haue a Mansion in it The all sufficient merits of Christ doe thee no good vnlesse tua pars portio hee bee thy Sauiour Happy soule that can say with the Psalmist O Lord thou art my portion Let vs all haue oyle in our Lampes lest if wee bee then to buy beg or borow wee be shut out of doores like the fooles not worthy of entrance Pray Lord say vnto my soule I am thy saluation I am thy saluation The Petition is ended I will but looke into the Benediction wherein I should consider these foure circumstances Quis quid Cui quando Who What to Whom When. Who. The Lord to the Lord Dauid prayes He hath made a good choice for there is saluation in none other Thou hast destroyed thy selfe but in me is thy helpe The world failes the flesh fals the Deuill kils onely the Lord saues What. Saluation a speciall good thing euery mans desire who would not bee saued Euery man would goe to heauen though perhaps hee runnes a course directly to hell Beatus vult homo esse etiam non sic viuendo vt possit esse Man would be blessed though he takes the course to be cursed I will giue thee a Lordship saith God to Esau. I will giue thee a kingdome sayth God to Saul I will giue thee an Apostleship sayth God to Iudas But I will be thy saluation he sayes to Dauid and to none but Saints Indeed this voyce comes from heauen comes vnto earth but onely through the mediator betwixt heauen and earth Iesus Christ. Hee is the alone Sauiour Worldlings possesse many things but haue right to nothing because not right to him that is the heire of all thinges Christ. The soule is the perfection of the bodie Reason of the Soule Religion of reason Faith of Religion Christ of faith A man can warrant vs vpon earth that
but the goates are not written in his booke The foundation of God standeth sure hauing the seale the Lord knoweth them that are his It is a goodly thing to be famous and remarkable in the world Est pulchrum digito monstrari dicier hic est It is a goodly thing to bee sayd this is the man whom the world honours but perhaps this is not he whom God honours He that suffers and does according to the will of God the Lord will take that man into his bosoâ—… Such honour haue all his Saints It is no great matter for men to be knowne to kings and nobles if the Lord know them not nothing to ride in the second Coach as Ioseph to be next to the Prince if they bee strangers to the Court of heauen Therefore let vs all lay hold on well-doing that we may haue comfort in well-dying Wee desire to shut vp our last scene of life with In manus tuas Domine commendo spiritum meum Lord Into thy handes I commend my spirit Behold while we liue GOD sayes to vs In manus tuas homo commendo spiritum meum Man into thy hands I commend my spirit As we vse Gods Spirit in life God will vse our Spirit at death If we open the doores of our hearts to his Spirit he will open the doores of heauen to our Spirit If we feast him with a supper of Grace he will feast vs with a supper of Glory If wee grieue his Spirit he will grieue all the veines of our hearts When such shall say Lord into thy handes wee commend our soules no sayth God I will none of your Spirit for you would none of my Spirit You shut him out when hee would haue entred your hearts hee shall shut you out when you would enter heauen Let vs therefore here vse Gods Spirit kindly that hereafter hee may so vse our spirits Let vs in life entertaine him with Faith that in death he may embrace vs with mercy So Lord into thy handes wee commend our soules keepe and receiue them O thou faithful Creator and God of truth through Iesus CHRIST Amen FINIS a 2 Cor. 3. 9. b Mal. 4. 2. c Iohn 1. 8. d Ioh. 1. 17. Heb. 3. 6. e Paraeus f Ioh. 6. 44. g Can. 1. 4. h Psal. 143. 10. i 2. Kin. 25. 7. k Acts 3. 2. Ber. l Heb. 11. 6. m Rom. 8. 24. n Iohn 5. 24. o Phil. 3. 20. 1 p Psal. 87. 2. q Math. 4. 8. r Deu. 34. 4. 2 s Ioh. 14. 2. t Gen. 30. 8. u Psal. 36. 6. x Ion. 3. 3. y Psal. 106. 28. a Heb. 9. 14. b Mat. 22. 32. c Psal. 49. 11. d Mat. 24. 2. 3 4 e Reu. 21. 27. 5. 6. f Rom. 4. 25. 7. Aug. g Iohn 3. 16. h Psal. 87. 2. i Psa. 78. 60. k Psal. 107. 34. l 2. Pet. 3. 10. m Mat. 7. 27. n 1. Pet. 2. 6. o Psal. 30. 8. p Amos 6. 1. q Esa. 21. 11. r 1. King 20. 23. s Ierem. 3. 6. t Luk. 12. 19. u Esay 40. 4. x Luk. 23. 30. a Psal. 125. 1. b Sen. c Iohn 14. 2. d Esay 2. 2. e Psal. 149. 9. f Mat. 5. 14. g Psal. 48. 2. h Rom. 2. 24. i 1. Pet. 2. 12. k Exod. 10. 23. l Iud. 6. 37. m Psal. 4. 6. n Reu. 2. 17. Sen. Greg. o Iob. 31. 24. p Dan. 4. 30. Ambr. Aug. q Gal. 4. 29. r Rom. 5. 1. s 1. Iohn 3. 2. t Ioh 16. 22. Aug. u Psal. 84. 10. x Mat. 17. 2. y Psal. 84. 1. a Mat. 25. 23. b Psal. 2. 6. c Reu. 14. 1. d Acts 8. 32. e Psal. 121. 4. f Psal. 97. 5 8. g Psal. 114. 4. h Psal 78. 68. i Psal. 132. 13. k Psal. 48. 4. c l Gene. 19. 20. m Gen. 4. 17. n Gene. 11. 4. o Psal. 127. 1. p Iere. 22. 15. q Acts 12. 23 r Psal. 122. 3. s Psal. 101. 8. t Mat. 10. 23. u Luk. 13. 23. x Rom. 8. 29. y Rom. 7. 9. a Mat 10. 16. b Luke 12. 32 c Esay 1. 9. d Esay 6. 13. e Esay 17. 6. f Esay 24. 13. g Mich. 7. 1. h Iere. 3. 14. i Amos 3. 12 k Gene. 6. 12. l Esay 8. 18. m Ioh. 7. 51. n 2 Tim. 4. 16 o Act. 19. 34. p Reu. 13. 16. q 1. Kin. 20. 27. r Rom. 9. 27. s Reue. 3. 1. t 2. Esdr. 5. 23. u Luk. 13. 14. x 2. Esd. 7. 6. Aug. a Reu. 18. 2. b Gal. 4. 26. c Psal. 2 6. d Ephes. 2. 2. e 2. Tim. 2. 19. f 1. Ich. 2. 16. Greg. g Hebr. 11. 10. h Iud. ver 14. i Psal. 49. 13. Aug. k 2. Cor. 5. 19. l 1. Iohn 5. 29. m Mat. 24. 51. a Hebr. 1. 6. b Rom. 8. 29. c Rom. 13. 4. d 2. Cor. 5. 20. e 1. Thes. 4. 3. f Mat. 6. 32. g Mat. 5. 34. h Rom. 6. 23. n Luk. 10. 16. o Mark 11. 17. p Mala. 3. 8. q Act. 8. 19. r Gala. 5. 22. s Ioh. 6. 63. Theodoret. t Prou. 20. 25. u 2. Chr. 26. 19. x Psal. 80. 13. y Iudg. 7. 22. a Iudg. 4. 9. b 1. King 21. 19 c Ier. 5. 29. 1 Sam. 5. 11. Exod. 12. 31. Aug. e Mark 12. 17. Aug. f Psal. 116. 12. g Psal. 51. 15. h Luk. 10. 39. i Gal. 1. 2. k Eph. 3. 14. l Act. 7. 60. m Luk. 6. 38. n 1. Cor. 8. 5. o Psal. 82 6. p Rom. 13. 1. q Ioh. 19. 11. r Rom. 13. 2. s Acts 17. 18. t Acts 14. 11. u Psal. 106. 28. x 1. Cor. 8. 4. y Psal. 135. 17. a 1. Thes. 1. 9. b 2. Cor. 4. 4. c Iohn 16. 11. d Rom. 16. 20. e Eph. 4. 27. f 〈◊〉 Cor. 6. 13. g Esa. 2. 20. * 1. Tim 6. 16. h Psal 104. 3. i Gal. 2. 20. k Col. 3. 3. l Ver. 4. m Prou. 23. 5. n Luk. 6. 25. o Mat. 27. 53. p Gene. 22. 14. q Heb. 7. 2. r Gala. 5. 12. s 2. Cor. 13. 11. t Gala. 4. 25. u Reu. 21. 2. x Gala. 4. 26 Hugo Card. y Psal. 132. 13. a 1. Pet. 2. 9. b Esay 5. 2. c Eph. 4. 3. d 1. Tim. 3. 15. e Psal. 122. 5. f Reue. 3. 7. g Iam. 1. 18. Phil. 3. 20. Ambr. h Ephe. 1. 3. i Iob 4. 19. k Iohn 17. 24. Plato l Gen. 12. 1. m Iere. 22. 29. n Hebr. 13. 14 Damasc. o Gene. 18. 8. Caluin p Gen. 18. 2. q Luk. 24. 4. r Iude. ver 6. s Col. 1. 20. t Esa. 6. 2. Greg. u Eph. 3. 10. x 1. Tim. 3. 16. a Mat. 24. 36. b Acts 1. 24. c Psal. 103. 20. d 2. Thes. 1. 7. 2. Kings 19. 35. e Reu. 12. 8. f Hos. 12. 9. g Gen. 19. 22. h Exod. 32. 10. i 2. Pet. 2. 4. k Mat. 18. 10. l Heb. 2. 16. m Greg. n Gene. 48. 16. o Exo. 14. 19. p Mal. 3.
he is Not future euents but present condition may be thus learned Neither day nor night scapes a good man without some profite the night teacheth him what he is as the day what he should be Therefore said a Philosopher that all waking men are in one common world but in sleepe euery man goes into a world by himselfe For his dreames doe signifie to him those secret inclinations to which hee thought himselfe a stranger though they were home-dwellers in his heart Euen those fancies are speaking images of a mans disposition And as I haue heard of some that talke in their dreames and then reueale those secrets which awake they would not haue disclosed So may thy dreames tell thee when thou wakest what kind of man thou art The hypocrite dreames of dissimulation the proud woman of paint and colours the theefe of robberie and booties the Iesuite of treasons Let them aske their very sleepe qualeâ—… sint what manner of men they arâ—… For so lightly they answere temptations actually waking as their thoughts doe sleeping Thus onely a man may make good vse of his dreames Here let vs obserue that God doth sometimes draw men to him suis ipsorum 〈◊〉 by their owne delights and studies No doubt these Magi were well acquainted with dreames it being amongst Ethnickes and Peripatetickes a speciall obiect of diuination Therefore there is a booke bearing the name of Aristotle De diuiâ—…ne pâ—…r somnium Many â—…ors these men had swallowed by dreames now behold in a dreame they shall receiue the truth So God called them by a Starre whose profession was to relie too much on the Starres Quare per Stellam vt per Christum ipsa materia erroris fieret salutis occasio Why by a Starre that through Iesus Christ the very matter of their error might be made a meanes of their saluation Per 〈◊〉 illâ—…s vocat quâ—… familâ—…ria illis consâ—…tudo fecit God cals them by those things which custome had made familiar to them They that are stung with Scorpions must be cured by the oyle of Scorpions Thus God allures men to him as Fishermen 〈◊〉 with such baites as may bee somewhat agâ—…ble to them Paul is occasioned by the Alâ—… 〈◊〉 the vnknowâ—… God to make knowne the true God the 〈◊〉 Iesus Doth Dauid loue the Sheepe-folds he shall be a Shepheard still From following the eâ—…s great with yong he brought him to feed Iacob his people and Isrâ—…ll his â—…ritance Doth Peter loue fishing he shall goe a fishing still though for more noble creatures to catch souleâ—… Doe these Magicians loue Starres and Dreames behold a Starre and a Dreame shall instruct them in the truth of God Old Isâ—… takes occasion by the smell of his Sons garments sauouring of the field to pronounce a spirituall blessing The smell of my Sonne is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed Ierome notes of Amos that he begins his Prophecie with roaring The Lord shall roare from Sion Because he being a field-man kept the woods where hee was wonted to the roaring of Lyons Iudaei signa quaerunt Doe the Iewes seeke a signe Why Christ will there euen among them worke his Myracles Doth Augustine loue eloquence Ambrose shall catch him at a Sermon All things shall worke to their good that are good Omnia etiam peccata All things euen their very sinnes sayth Augustinâ—… 〈◊〉 in his Essayes writes that a libidinous gentleman sporting with a Courtezan in a house of sinne chanced to aske her name which she sayd was Mary Whereat he was stricken with such a remorse and reuerence that he instantly not onely cast off the Harlot but amended his whole future life Well-beloued since this is Gods mercie to allure vs to him by our owne delights let vs yeeld our selues to be caught What scope doth thy addiction leuell at that is not sinfull which Gods word doth not promise and afford What delight can you aske which the Sanctuarie giues not Loue you hunting learne here to hunt the Foxes the little Cubbes those craftie sins sculking in your bosomes Would you dance let your hearts keepe the measures of Christian ioy and leape like Iohn the Baptist in Elizabeths wombe at the saluation of Iesus Delight you in running Paul sets you a race So runne that ye may obtaine You shall haue good company Dâ—…id promiseth that he will run the way of Gods commandements Peter and Iohn will runne with you to Iesus Loue you Musicke Here are the Bels of Aaron still ringing the treble of Mercie and the tenor of Iudgement Leui's Lute and Dauids Harpe There are no such songs as the songs of Sion Would you be merry Reioyce in the Lord alwayes and againe I say reioyce If euer you found ioy like this ioy the peace of conscience and ioy of the holy Ghost backe againe to the world Louest thou daintie cheare here be the best cates the body and bloud of thy Sauiour the bread of life no hunger after it Wilt thou drinke much Drinke my wine and my milke drinke yea drinke abundantly O Beloued Bibâ—…e 〈◊〉 as the originall imports drinke and bee drunken with loues pledge the health that Christ begun euen asauing health to all nations Are you ambitious there is no preferment like that to be had here in the Court of the King of Kings Dauid iudged it no little thing to bee Sonne in law to a King but what is it then to bee a King Desire you stately buildings Alas the whole world is but a Cottage a poore transient Tabernacle to the Mansions promised by Christ. Lastly are you couetous Yet I need not aske that question but take it as granted Why then here is gold more precious then that of Arabia or of Hauilah rust or theefe may distresse that this is a treasure can neuer be lost What should I say more What can winne you Which way soeuer your desires stands God doth allure you The best thinges in earth or in heauen are your baite With these doth the Lord seeke you not for any need that he hath of you but for your owne saluation When the fairest of all Beloueds doth thus wooe vs let him winne vs and espouse vs to himselfe in grace that wee haue the plenary marriage in glory You see the Manner of their Warning The Matter That they should not returne to Herod Why not to Herod Because the Lord now lets them see his hypocrisie For howsoeuer he pretended Ver. 8. to come and worship him yet he intended not seruire but sâ—…uire not to honour him but to murder him He cals the Wisemen priuily as if hee quaked at the propagation of this newes for it came vpon him like the pangs of death He commands them to inquire de infante not de rege of the babe not of the King for that title galled him to the heart That I may worship him Dirum facinus tingit colore pietatis
It is a monstrous wickednesse which he would die in the colours of godlinesse The Lord doth disappoint the purposes of Tyrants though their Bowes bee bent and their swords whetâ—…ed yet the marke shall be remoued and they shall rather wound themselues then their hated obiect Though they be great with child of iniquitie and conceiue mischiefe yet they shall bring forth but falshood Though those Iewes had bound themselues vnder a curse neither to eate nor drinke till they had killed Paul Yet if they had kept their vow they had fasted to death Though Sennacherib purposed to swallow vp Ierusalem at a morsell yet the Lord mocked his menaces Hee shall not come into this citie nor shoot an arrow there nor cast a banke against it Herod made himselfe sure of Christ but the Lord deceiued him againe and againe First he stroke him with extreme sottishnes that learning by the Wise men the birth of Christ yet though the matter in his thought touched his Crowne hee sends none of his Courtiers with them vnder pretence of gratifying them which might so haue seised on that innocent Lambe and not worshipped but worrey'd him But the Lord so confounded his wits with the spirit of giddines that the Magi goe alone Next now that his bloudie hopes depend vpon their returne behold they are sent home another way So that he saw that he was mocked Herod mocked the Wisemen and God shall direct the Wisemen to mocke Herod He pretended to adore whom he did abhorre and they doe eum vulpâ—… vulpinara beguile the Foxe yea rather â—…vicula lupum fallit the Lambe deceiues the Wolfe Simplicitie goes beyond subtletie A cane non magno saepe tenetur aper Here was Herods follie that he would not suffer the King of the whole world to be King in Iury that in feare of a Successor he would kill his Sauiour Nay further for feare of a strange heire he killes his owne heire Which occasioned Augustus to say that it was better being Herods Hogge then his heire Here then see his crueltie if his strength cannot take Iesus hee will trie his cunning and last when his cunning failes he fals to open violence againe sending forth men of warre Thus when Tyrants faile in their Politicians Rhetoricke they fall to the Carters Logicke You see the Informance let vs looke vpon their Performance They departed into their owne Countrey another way All which wanting time to prosecute the hystorie I will applie to our selues Their course home shall teach vs a course to our home euen to heauen and glory Wherein I desire to obserue these Circumstances Our selues naturally lost Our finding of Christ. Our charge not to returne to Herod But to goe to our owne Countrey And that by another way 1. Let it be granted that we haue all wandred from the way of life All we like sheepe haue gone astray wee haue turned euery one to his owne way I would to God euery one would sentire feele this in particular and not onely consentire consent to it in generall I am not come to call the righteous sayth Christ but sinners to repentance And Luke 15. he leaues the hypocriticall 〈◊〉 to their owne high-conceited puritie and seekes the lost sheepe We may here pawse and wonder at our misery at his mercie Wee were so lost that wee could neuer find him â—…e is so good that he sought and found vs Inuenit non quaerentes non pâ—…rdet inueâ—…s He found vâ—… not seeking him being found he will not loose vs. Come to me all that labour and are heauie laden and I will giue you rest The proud sinner who doth not find his sinne the careles who doth not feele his sinne is not called Onely sentsentibus morbum promittitur medicina Health is promised to those that feele their sicknes 2. Christ cals vs but how shall we come Behold he sends vs a Starre for direction his holy Word Lord to whom shall we goe Thou hast the words of eternall life Would you come to him that is vita the life You must come by him that is via the Way It is he Quò eundem whether we would goe it is he Qua eundem by which we must goe To his word then let vs come with an honest heart not to sleepe not to carpe not to gaze but to obserue attentiuely to remember faithfully and to practise obediently what is there taught vs. Neither must God onely for his part afford vs a Starre for guidance but we must also for our part bring feete to walke to him These are three 1. Contrition a heart truely sorrowfull for our former iniquities He that is cast downe by repentance shall be raised vp with ioy It is not possible to walke to God without this foote Hee that goes to heauen must wash his steps with teares And hee that hath this foote shall make large paces to glory Though he hath long lingred he will now hast as the malefactor stept by this foote from the Crosse to Paradise 2. Faith Sorrow may cast downe too fast too far Though the head haue leaue to ake yet let not the hand of faith be wanting to hold it Though the eye be blubbred with teares yet must it looke through all that water to the cleare Sunne Iesus Christ. When the Law hath done the office in making thy sinne manifest thanke it and take thy leaue of it as thou wouldest doe of a friend that hath done thee a good turne but now growes troublesome Put Moses behind thee sayth Luther and fixe thine eyes vpon Christ that Lambe of God which takes away the sinnes of the world Without this foot thou shalt step short of comfort Faith must bring thee to the fountaine of that Bloud which shall wash away all thy sinnes 3. Obedience this foote must be continually vsed all the dayes of thy life must thou trauell in the wayes of God with this foote It knowes and keeps Celeritie Integritie Constancie Celeritie I will runne the way of thy commandements It makes hast knowing that God will not bee pleased with halting obedience or with that zeale that onely goes a Parliament-pace The Creeple was carried to the Temple God loues not such limping zeale that is carried to Church on two Crutches Law Custome but that which with Peter and Iohn runs to the place where Christ is But it is God that maketh our feete like the feete of hindes Integritie it turnes not to the right hand nor to the left but goes straight on running with patience the race that is set before it Therefore sayth the Apostle Make straight paths for your feete least that which is lame be turned out of the way for all false wayes the Lord doth vtterly abhorre The wicked walke on euery side they haue circular goings on euery side of the truth but the true way they cannot find But Integritie is not so light heeld to