gaine against all them in the verse before which hold that Gaine is Godlinesse These two opinions are verie contrarie and here are many against one A man would thinke that Paul should be verie eloquent and sharpe witted and that he had neede to vse some Logicke for hee hath chosen a hard Text. What Paul will you prooue that Godlinesse is gaine You shal haue moe opponents against you then Micaiah had when he forbad Achab to fight If you had taken the former verse which sayth that Gaine is Godlines then you should haue had matters and examples inough the Merchant and Mercer and Lawyer and Landlord and Patron and all would come in and speake for gaine as the Ephesians cried for Diana but if you will be crosse to al and preach Godlinesse is gaine to them which account Gaine godlinesse men will thinke of you as Festus did that you speake you know not what These lessons are for Paul himselfe As Christ sayth All doe not receiue this Word so all do not count this gaine but losse We count him rich which hath his barns full like the Churle his coffers full like the Glutton his table full like Belshazzar his stable full like Salomon his groūds full like Iob his purse full like Craesus You speake against your master for Christ sent word vnto Iohn that the poore receiue the gospell as though the godly were of the poorer sort and Dauid calleth the wicked rich They prosper and flourish sayth he their seede blasteth not their Cow casteth not as if he should say It is not as you take it Paul that Godlines doth make men rich for this I haue obserued in my time that the wicked be the wealthiest and good Lazarus is the poore man and wicked Diues is the rich man Againe we reade that the Officers were asked which of the Pharisies or of the Rulers did follow Christ yet these were counted rich men though they had no godlinesse and if we should examine your owne selfe it seemes you were no great rich man for all your Godlinesse when you did worke with your hands for your liuing therefore if Godlinesse be such gaine how happeneth it that your share is no better So they which are like Nicodemus when Christ sayth that they must be borne againe thinke that hee can haue no other meaning but that they must returne againe into their Mothers wombe and when he calles himselfe Bread that he must needs meane such bread as they dine with As the Iewes hearing the Prophet speake so often of Christes kingdome and call him a King looked for a temporall King that should bring them peace and ioy and glorie and make them like Kings themselues so the carnall eares when they heare of a kingdome treasures and riches straight their mindes run vpon earthly and worldly and transitorie things such as they loue to whome Paul answereth as Christ answered his Disciples I haue another meate which you know not of so there are other riches which you knowe not of I sayd no◠that Godlinesse is earthly or worldlie or transitorie gaine but great gaine He will not onely prooue Godlinesse to bee gaine but great gaine as if hee should saie more gainfull then your wares and rents and fines and interest as though he would make the Lawyer and Merchant and Mercer and Draper and Patron and Landlord and all the men of riches beleeue that Godlinesse will make them rich farre sooner then Couetousnesse I feare this saying may be renewed If a man tel you ye wil not beleeue it nay if God tell you yet you will not beleeue it As the Lorde looked downe vpon earth to see if any did regard him and sayth There is not one so this sentence may go from Court to Cittie from cittie to countrie and say there is sacrce one in a town that wil subscribe vnto it Manie saith Dauid aske who will shewe vs any good meaning riches and honor pleasure which are not good But when he came to goodnes it selfe he leaues out Many prayeth in his owne person Lord lift vp the light of thy countenaunce vpon vs as though none would ioyne with him Yet wisdome is iustified of her owne children and the godly count godlinesse gaine To make vs loue godlinesse he calleth it by the name of that wee loue most that is Gaine as the father calleth his sonne which he would loue more then the rest by his own name to put him in mind of such a loue as he beareth to himselfe Here we may see that God doth not commaund men to bee godlye onely because it makes for his glorie but because godlines is profitable to vs. For godlines is not called gaine in respect of God but in respect of vs it is gaine to vs but it is dutie to him So it is not called a health in respect of vs because it is the health of our soules so it is not called a kingdome in respect of God but in respect of vs because wee are intituled to the kingdome by this difference from the reprobates Put all the good things in the world together the goodnes of all is found in godlines and therefore godlines is called by the names of those things that men count best to shew that the godly are as well as merrie as content with their loue toward God and Gods loue toward them as other are with health and wealth and pleasures Therefore it is sayd of the godlie The feare of the Lord is his treasure Therefore saith Ieremie The Lord is my portion as though he desired nothing else And therefore it is said of Moses That he esteemed the rebuke of Christ greater riches then all the treasures of Egypt If crosses be riches as Moses thought what riches are in godlines But is this all the haruest shall godlinesse be all the godlie mans riches Nay saith Paul Godlines hath the promises of this life and of the life to come that is the godlie shall doe well in heauen and here too And therefore Christ saith First seeke the kingdome of God all the rest shall be cast vpon you euen as the sheaues fell before Ruth so riches shal fall in your way as they did to Abraham and Lot and Iacob and Iob and Ioseph riches were cast to them they knew not how but as if God had sayd bee rich and they were rich straight For al good things were created for the good and therefore they are called good because the good God created them for good men to good purposes and therfore as Iacob got the blessing so he got the inheritance also to shew that as the faithfull haue the inward blessing so they haue the outward blessing too when they are good for them For saith Dauid They which seeke the Lord shall want nothing that is good Now God knowes better then wee what is
good for vs as the Nurse knoweth better then the child when the milke is readie for it Therefore Christ saith in Mathew 6. 32 Your heauenly Father knoweth what you haue need of He sayth not that we know what we haue neede of but that our Father knoweth as if hee should say When you haue neede of health your Father will send you health when you haue neede of riches your Father will send you riches when you haue neede of libertie your Father will send you libertie for hee sayth not onely that his Father knoweth what wee haue neede of but that Hee will giue vs the things which wee neede Matth. 7. Verse 11. Therfore as children take no care for their apparell what cloathes they shall weare nor for their victuals what meat they shall eate but leaue this care for their father so sayth Christ Take you no care for my father careth for you He was not content to cal Godlinesse gaine but he calleth it Great gaine as if hee woulde say gaine and more then gaine riches and better then riches a kingdome and greater then a kingdome As when the Prophets would distinguish betweene the idoll Gods and the liuing God they call him the Great God so the gaine of godlines is called Great gaine The riches of the world are called earthlie transitorie snares thornes dung as though they were not worthie to be counted riches and therfore to draw the earnest loue of men from them the holy-Ghost brings them in with such names of disdaine to disgrace them with their louers but when hee comes to Godlines which is the riches of the soule hee calleth it great riches heauenly riches vnsearchable riches euerlasting riches with al the names of honor and al the names of pleasure and all the names of happinesse As a woman trimmes and deckes her selfe with an hundred ornaments onely to make her amiable so the holy-Ghost setteth out godlinesse with names of honor names of pleasure and names of happines as it were in her Iewels with letters of commendation to make her to bee beloued Lest anie riches should compare with godlinesse he giues it a name aboue other and calleth it great riches as if hee would make a distinction betweene riches and riches betweene the gaine of couetousnes the gaine of godlines the peace of the world and the peace of conscience the ioy of riches and the ioy of the holy Ghost The worldly men haue a kinde of peace and ioy and riches but I cannot call it great because they haue not inough they are not contented as the godlie are therefore onely godlinesse hath this honour to be called great riches The gaine of couetousnesse is nothing but wealth but the gaine of godlinesse is wealth and peace and ioy and loue of God and the remission of sinnes and euerlasting life Therefore onely godlines hath this honour to be called Great gaine Riches make bate but godlines makes peace riches breede couetousnesse but godlines brings contentation riches make men vnwilling to dye but godlines makes men readie to dye riches often hurt the owner but godlines profiteth the owner and other Therefore onely godlines hath this honour to be called great riches such gayne such ioy such peace is in godlinesse and yet no man couets it for this is the qualitie of vertue it seemeth nothing vnto a man vntill he hath it as Salomon saith of the buyer while hee is in buying hee dispraiseth the thing which hee buyeth and sayth It is naught it is not worth the price which ye aske but when he hath bought it so soone as he is gone he boasteth of his peni worths and saith it is better than his money So godlines before a man haue it hee saith it is not worth his labour and thinks euerie houre too much that hee spendeth about it but when he hath found it he would not lose it againe for al the worlde because hee is nowe come to that which followeth To be contented with that he hath Heere Paule sheweth with what a man should bee contented not with a thousande poundes nor a hundred pounds nor twentie poundes but with that hee hath and there is great reason why hee should so because no man knoweth what is fit for him so well as his Caruer And therefore euerie one should esteeme so reuerently of God that hee thinke nothing better for him for that present time than that which God measureth forth vnto him For when Christ had no money hee was contented and when hee wanted money to paie tribute hee sent for no more than hee needed hee might haue commanded twentie poundes as well as twentie pence But to shewe that we should desire no more than will serue our turne hee would haue no more than serued his turne Now because Contentation is of such a nature that it can please it selfe with pouertie as well as riches Therefore it is called the great gaine as though it had all which it wanted And this Contentment saith the Apostle Paul we owe to Godlines because it is not possible for a wicked man to be contented for as he is not satisfied with sinne so he is satisfied with nothing Riches come and yet the man is not pleased honor comes and yet the man is not pleased libertie comes yet the man is not pleased pleasure comes and yet the man is not pleased vntill God come and then he saith My cup is full Shewe vs thy Father sayth Phillip and it sufficeth Iohn 14. 7. Nay shewe vs thy trueth and it sufficeth Now my soule sayth the Churle take thy rest Nay now my soule take thy rest for thou hast laide vp for many yeares The godly man hath foūd that which al the world doth seeke that is inough Euery word may bee defined and euerie thing may bee measured but inough cannot bee measured nor defined it changeth euerie yeare when we had nothing we thought it inough if we might obtaine lesse than wee haue when we came to more we thought of another inough now we haue more we dreame of another inough so inough is alwaies to come though too much be there alreadie For as oyle kindleth the fire which it seemes to quench so riches come as though they would make a man contented and make a man more couetous Therefore seeing Contentation was neuer found in riches the Apostle reacheth to seeke it in godlinesse saying Godlinesse is riches as though it did not onely make a man contented but make a man contented with it selfe Hee speakes as though hee had found a newe kinde of riches which the world neuer thoght of that are of such a nature that they will satisfie a man like the water that Christ spake of Hee that drinkes of this water shall thirst no more so they that tast of these riches shal couet no more but as the holie Ghost filled all the house so
We will not sinne therefore the heart of the godly is called a contrite heart but the heart the wicked is called a heart that cannot repent Beside as Christ cast out a legion of diuels at once so the godly would be purged of all their sinnes together but the wicked neuer consent to leaue all but as Naaman sayd Let the Lord spare me in this so euer hee excepteth one sinne which is his beloued sin like Herod which reformed many things yet would not leaue his brothers wife They are distinguished in Charitie for ye shall neuer see the wicked loue their enemies and therefore when the Pharisies could not loue their enemies they taught that men might hate their enemies and Christ speaking of Publicans and sinners exhorteth his Disciples not to loue like them because they loued none but their friends They are distinguished in Prayer for the wicked cannot praie therefore Dauid saith They call not vpon the Lord as if they had not the spirite of prayer and therefore Christ calleth their prayers babling for they thinke not of God when they speake vnto him They are distinguished in Patience no hypocrite can beare the Crosse but saith lyke Cain It is heauier than I can suffer but Paul and Silas sing in prison for a faithfull man would haue something to humble him reioyceth to beare his maisters markes because the wounds of a louer are sweete They are distinguished in the vse of aduersitie for this is a proper and peculiar mark of Gods children to profite by affliction and therefore we reade not in all the punishments of the wicked that one of them said like Dauid It is good for mee that I haue bene afflicted They are distinguished in Humilitie for the wicked are not hūbled before the crosse like Pharaoh that neuer sorrowed but when hee suffered but the Apostles learned humilitie of their Maister before their persecution came They are distinguished in their iudgement of the word for to the wicked it seemeth the hardest and simplest vnpleasantest booke that is and therefore Paul saith that it is foolishnes vnto them But to the godly it seemeth the wisest and eloquentest and sweetest and easiest booke of all other as though God did sodainely bring the vnderstanding of it to them as Iacob sayde of his venison according to that Hee that will doe his will shall know his doctrime They are distinguished in their Iudgement of God the wicked are persuaded now and then of Gods mercie for the present time while they feele it as the Iewes praised him alwaies when hee did as they woulde haue him but they cannot persuade themselues that God will be mercifull to them still like Iob which said Though the Lord kill mee yet will I trust in him therefore the hope of the righteous is called hope in death Beside if the wicked loue God it is but for his benefites as Saul loued him for his kingdome And this is alwaies to be noted that in the wicked the feare of hell is greater then is their hope of Heauen but in the faithfull the hope of heauen is greater then their feare of hell They are distinguished in their Delights for the sport of the vngodly is follie like Belshazzers and therefore when they are sicke or troubled they neuer runne to the Word for comfort as though Gods promises pertained not to them but to feasts or tables or tales or musicke as Saul did to the harpe But all the delights of the godlie are like Dauids daunce about the Arke they are neuer merrie but when they are dooing well nor at peace but when their praiers haue ouercome God like Iacob They are distinguished in their opinions of death for the faithfull long to bee dissolued although they might liue euer in continuall prosperitie yet they would not staie so long out of heauen but the wicked would neuer be dissolued because death comes alwaies vnto them like a iailor to hale vnto prison as Ahab sayd to Michaiah That he neuer prophesied good to him Hereby a man shall know whether hee haue faith for if hee doe beleeue the promises hee will be glad to receiue them They are distinguished in their sense of sinne Wicked men feele the lothsomnesse of their vices but none but the faithfull feele the defects of their righteousnesse The naturall man neuer complaineth of his good workes but vaunteth of them but a godly man findeth fault with his praiers and his almes and his watches like Isaiah that sayde his righteousnes was like a menstruous cloth As Christ met the tempter in the wildernesse a place of prayer and fasting and meditation so a godly man meeteth the tempter in his praiers and in his fasts and in his meditations that is he finds some lette or spotte or want in all his deuotions Therefore vnlesse thy righteousnesse mislike thee as well as thy prophanenes know that yet thou art no further than the wicked They are distinguished in their Endes for the children of God propose the glorie of God and leuell all their thoughts and speeches and actions as if they were messengers sent to carrie him presents of honor Thus did Dauid when hee sayd All that is within me praise the Lord. As though himselfe had rather bee without praise then his master but the children of the world set vp their owne glorie for their marke like Nabuchadnezzar which sayd For the honour of my Maiestie Dan. 4. 27. Therfore they speake and looke and walke as if they did say to their tongue and eyes and feet and apparell as Saul said to Samuel Honour me before this people Lastly they are distinguished in Perseuerance for the zeale of the wicked lasteth not and therefore God sayth They are soone turned out of the way but the zeale of the faithful was represented by the fire of the Temple which neuer went out By these differences thou maist see how much thou doost differ from the wicked or whether thou be of their band Then come to the third examination as the diuell tempteth thee to see what thou wilt do for him so thou must tempt thy self and get of thy soule what it would doe for God and what it would suffer for him which hath suffered death for it Therefore here we will set downe certain interrogatories wherof thou shalt examine it First whether thou hast the heart of Ioshua to worship God as boldlie as thou doest though all the world did renounce him and euerie one did mocke thee as they did Noah while he built the Arke Whether thou wouldst not denie Christ as Peter did if thou were in Peters straights and nothing to succour thee but thy policie Whether thou wouldst not steale if thou didst see a bootie as fit as Achan which thou mightest catch vp
the man whom godlines doth make rich For When the blessing of the Lorde maketh rich saith Salomon hee dooth adde no sorrow to it but saith hee the reuenewes of the wicked is trouble as though his mony were care Wherfore let Patron and Landlord and Lawyer and all say nowe that Paule hath chosen the better riches which thiefe nor moath nor canker can corrupt these are the riches at last which we must dwell with when all the rest which we haue lyed for and sworne for and fretted for and couzened for and broken our sleepe for lost many Sermons for forsake vs like seruants which change their masters then Godlinesse shall seeme as great gaine to vs as it did to Paule and he which loued the world most would giue all that he hath for a dram of faith that he might be sure to go to heauen when he is dead though he went towardes hell so long as he liued Here then is an answere to them which aske What profit is it to serue God Howe happie was Barzillai that would not be exalted What quiet had the Shunamite which cared not for preferment When did the Disciples seeme so rich as when they were willing to leaue all This shall be your gaine when you are Vsurers of godlinesse Is not the word gone foorth yet which hath killed couetousnesse that I may end my Sermon Either you goe away contented or else you goe away condemned of your owne conscience Before you were vexed with couetousnes but now the word shall vexe you too for you shall neuer couet nor lye nor deceiue hereafter but a sergeant shall arrest you vpon it and some sentence which you haue heard shall gnaw you at the heart with a Memorandum of hell that yee shall wish Oh that I could abandon this sinne or else that I had neuer heard that warning that makes it a corrosiue vnto mee before I can leaue it If they which are greedie still could see what peace and rest and ioye go home with them which are contented although they may say with Peter Gold and siluer haue I none euerie man would be a suter to Godlinesse that he might haue the dowrie of contentation If anie here be couetous still let him alway thinke why Dauid prayeth Turne my heart vnto thy law and not vnto couetousnes he might haue named pride or anger or lust but to shewe that no sinne did so keepe his thoughts from the law as couetousnes when it came vpon him he saith Turne my hart vnto thy law not vnto couetousnes as though a man could not be couetous haue leisure to thinke vpon any good But as Iohn baptized with water so I cā but teach you with words Now you haue heard what Contentation is you must pray to another to giue it you It is said of this Citie that many Citizens of London haue good wils but bad deedes that is you doe no good vntill ye die First ye are vngodly that you may be rich and then you part from some of your riches to excuse for your vngodlinesse It may bee that some here haue sette downe in their wils When I die I bequeath 100 pounds to a Colledge 100 pounds to an hospitall and 100 gownes to poore men I do maruell that you giue no more when you are at that point for Iudas when he died returned all againe so yee die and thinke when ye are gone that God will take this for a quittance Bee not deceiued for God doth not looke vpon that which you doe for feare but vpon that which ye doe for loue If you can find in your heart to do good while you are in health as Zacheus did then God hath respect to your offering but before God hearken how you giue your riches first he examins how ye came by them for a man may be hanged for stealing the monie which he giueth to the poore because if hee should count Godlines gaine much more should he care to gaine by godlie meanes Thus you see the fruits of Godlinesse and the fruits of Couetousnes to stay Balaam posting for a bribe and the sonnes of Zebede suing for preferment least seeking for asses they lose a better kingdome then Saul found If you be couetous you shall neuer haue enough though you haue too much but whē ye pray Thy kingdome come ye shall wish my kingdome come If ye be godlie ye shall haue enough though yee seeme to haue nothing like the Smyrnians of whom God said I know thy pouertie but thou art rich Therefore what counsel shall I giue you but as Christ coūselled his Disciples Be not friends to riches but make you friends of riches know this that if ye cannot say as Paul saith I haue learned to be content Godlinesse is not yet come to your house for the companion of godlines is contentation which when she comes wil bring you all things Therfore as Christ saith If the sonne make you free you shall be free indeed so I say if godlines make you rich ye shall be rich indeede The Lord Iesus make you doers of that yee haue heard FINIS THE AFFINITIE OF THE FAITHFVL Luke 8. 19 Then came to him his Mother his Brethren and could not come neare him for the prease 20 And it was told him by certaine which sayd thy mother and thy brethren stand without and would see thee 21 But he answered and said vnto them My Mother my brethren are these which heare the word of God and do it HEre is Christ preaching a great prease hearing his mother and his friends interrupting Christ againe withstanding the interruption with a comfortable doctrine of his mercies toward them which heare the word of God and doe it When Christ was about a good worke and many were gathered together to heare him the Diuell thought with him selfe as the Priestes and Sadduces did in the fourth of the Acts If I let him alone thus all the world will follow him and I shall be like Rachel without children therefore deuising the likeliest pollicie to frustrate disgrace but one of his Sermons thereby to make the people more vnwilling to heare him againe as he set Eue vpon Adam and made Iobs wife his instrument when hee could not fit it himselfe so he sendeth Christs Mother and putteth in the mind of his kinsmen to come vnto him at that instant when he was in this holy exercise call vpon him while he was preaching to come away and go with them Christ seeing the serpents dealing how he had made his mother his tempter that all his Auditorie might go away emptie and say where they came We heard the man which is called Iesus and he began to preach vnto vs with such words as though he would carie vs to Heauen but in the middest of his Sermon came his Mother and Brethren to him that it might be
and the wicked are as neare kinne as Christ and the faithfull Now as Dauid saith Seemeth it a light thing vnto you to be the Sonne of a king seeing I am a poore man and of small reputation So may I saie seemeth it a light thing vnto you to be the sonnes of the king of kings seeing you are poore men and of smal reputation It is counted a great honor to Abraham Isaac Iacob that God was not ashamed to be called their God What an honor then is this that God is not ashamed to be called our Father nay our brother as though we were matched with him If the Israelites had such care to match with the seruants of God what a blessing is this to marrie with the sonne of God Therefore if any affect rich kinsmen or great marriages heere is a greater then Salomon marrie thou him This kinsman of ours is now gone vp into heauen that we may haue a friend in the Court. Ioseph desired the Butler to remember him when hee stood before Pharaoh and hee forgot him though hee had pleasured him But a Theefe desired Christ to remember him when he came into his kingdome and hee receiued him into paradise the same day though he had alwayes offended him to shewe that although wee haue beene as bad as theeues yet we may hope in Christ Therefore now I may conclude you haue heard the word if you goe away and doe it then you are the Mother and Brethren and Sisters of this heauenly King To whome with the Father and the holy spirit be all praise maiestie and dominion now and euermore Amen THE CHRISTIANS SACRIFICE To my late Auditors the congregation of Clement Danes all the good will which I can wish BEloued in Christ Iesus my first fruites I haue nothing but this myte to leaue with you which is the summe of all my Sermons ye haue heard it alreadie and as the Apostle calles the Corinthians his Epistle so ye should be my Sermon that is my Sermon should bee printed in your hearts as this is printed in paper If you haue not giuen your hearts to him which sent for them now thinke that God hath sent for them againe and heare mee writing whom yee cannot heare speaking Take not custome for Religion shunne occasion aswell as sinne seeke the vse of euery thing desire not to haue your Kingdome here And so I leaue you all with Christ whom I haue preached to bring forth the fruite of that seed which is sowne beseeching you for all the loue that you haue of heauē that ye would not count any thing in this world worthie to keepe your hearts from God but thinke of the day when ye shall giue account for euery lesson which ye haue heard and he which hath called you in this prison will glorifie you in his Pallace where ye shall see him to whom ye haue giuen your hearts and enioy that blessing of blessings which makes all the world to worship him The Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which hath begun to draw you to his kingdome neuer leaue you vntill you come vnto it Amen Your late vnworthie seruant for the Lord Henrie Smith THE CHRISTIANS SACRIFICE Prouerbs 23. 26. My Sonne giue me thy heart TO binde all the lessons together which yee haue learned since I came this sentence came to my mind My Sonne giue me thy hart which is the summe of all that yee haue heard and shewes in what chest you should lay vp these treasures in your heart and then giue that heart to God he wil keep all safe A supplication is come as it were frō God to man that man would send God his heart penned by Salomon vnder the name of Wisdome and directed to her sonnes Wisedome intreateth her sonnes that they would giue her their hearts this Wisedome is God we by adoption are his sonnes and our heart is that which Christ calls spirit and truth without hypocrisie Giue me that heart saith God He which giues anie thing to another considers before what he loues giues that which he thinkes will be accepted that he may bee loued for the gift therefore Dauid as though he were at a stand sorrowed that he could not do enough for God breakes forth to him selfe What shall I giue vnto the Lord for all that he hath giuen me The Lord hearing as it were these sighs of his seruants which care studie what they may do to please him comes in their suspence and like a friend which desires nothing but good will answers from heauen My sonne giue me thy heart Vnder which sute he taxeth them beside which are suters alwayes to him and looke still to receiue like the Publicans but neuer cast in their minds what they should giue therefore their tribute is set downe by equall measure vnder the kings seale euerie man must homage his heart Hee which alwayes gaue nowe craues and hee which craued alwayes nowe giues Christ stands at the doore like a poore man and askes not bread nor clothes nor lodging which we should giue to his members but our heart that is euen the continent of all and Gouernour of mannes house which sits on the Bench like a Iudge to giue the charge and teach the tongue to speake the hand to worke the foote to walke the eare to attend the eye to obserue the minde to choose and the flesh to obey That wee must present to God like a burnt Sacrifice wherein all is offered together a wise tongue a diligent hand a warie foot a watchfull eye an attentiue eare an humble minde an obedient flesh put all together and it is but the heart My sonne saith God giuee me thie heart Here thou art the giuer God the petitioner thy heart the gift which he claimeth by the name of a Son should God be a suppliant vnto thee me but that our vnthankfulnesse condemnes vs that for all the things which he hath giuen vs we neuer considered yet what we should giue vnto him before he asketh He is faine to put in his petition like a Suter and say Giue me thy heart Marke what God hath chosen for himself not that which any other shall loose by like the demaunds of them which care for none but themselues but that which being giuen to God mooues vs to giue vnto euerie man his due as Zacheus when hee gaue his heart to Christ parted his goods to the poore and restored to all that which he had gotten by wrong Once God required offerings and sacrifices which men were vnwilling to giue because it was a deare seruice of God but now he saith that the heart is more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices Iacob loued Ioseph more than all his brethren so God loueth the heart more than all her fellowes this myte God will haue for all his benefites which we may best affoord him thy
which hee gaue once a yeare to his Leuite nor like the gluttons flaunt which ietted in purple euery day nor like the light clothes which Christ sayd are in kings Courts and make them lighter that weare them But it is like the garment of the high Priest which had all the names of the Tribes of Israell written vpon his breast so all the names of the faithfull are written in the breast of Christ and registred in the book of his merites it is like Elias mantle which diuided the waters So he diuideth our sinnes and punishments that they which are clothed with Christ are armed both against sinne and death It is like the garments of the Israelites in the wildernesse which did not weare fortie yeares together they wandered in the desert and yet saith Moses their shooes were not worne but their aparell was as when they came out of Egypt So the righteousnesse of Christ doth last for euer and his mercies are neuer worne out As Mardocheus shined in the kings roabes before the people so and more glorious are the faithfull in the roabes of Christ before God When Christ was transfigured vpon the mount Mathew saith that his face shined like the Sun his clothes were as white as the light So when we are transfigured into the image of Christ wee shall shine before other men like lights and therefore Christs disciples are called Lights because they were clothed with light and shined to the world Salomō was not so glorious in all his royaltie nor the Lillies which are brauer than Salomon as he which is clothed with Christ because the apparel vpon him is better than al the world about him Therfore if Dauid said Weepe ye daughters of Israel for Saul which clothed you in purple I may say reioyce ye daughters of Israel for Christ which hath clothed you with righteousnes as it were with a vesture before you come to y t banket This is the Wedding Garment without which no man can feast with the Lord. This Garment is called an Armour because it defendeth vs from all the assaults of the diuell the flesh the world the heate of persecution and the cold of defection This Garment is called Light because it is the beautie glorie of them which weare it This Garment is called a Kingdome because none but Kings do weare it that is they are inthroned in the kingdome of Christ made kings ouer the world the flesh and Satan which weare this Garment like the haire of Sampson which while he wore he was like a king and all his enemies had no power to hurt him This Garment Paul hath sent vnto you to go before the king of heauen and earth a holy Garment a royal Garment an immaculate garment an euerlasting garment a garment whereof euerie hem is peace of conscience euerie pleate is ioy in the holy Ghost euerie stitch is the remission of some sinne and saueth him which weareth it If shee which touched the hemme of Christs garment was healed he which weareth the Garment nay he which weareth Christ him selfe shall not he be healed of all his sores though he were wounded from head to foote You need not cloath him now which saith When I was naked ye did not cloath me nor cast your garments in the way as they did when he came to Ierusalem but take his Garments and suffer your selues to be clothed as Noah did to couer your nakednesse As the good Samaritane put him vpon his owne beast which was spoiled with theeues and bound vp his sores when hee was wounded So Christ Iesus mounteth the faithfull vpon his righteousnesse and healeth their sinnes as though he should couer them with his garments whom the world the flesh and the diuell haue robbed of their garments that is the righteousnesse which they had in Paradise before the serpent came so if we put on Christ we are clothed with his obedience wherby our wickednes is couered we are clothed with his merits wherby our sins are forgiuen we are clothed with his spirit whereby our hearts are mollified and sanctified and renued til we resemble Christ himselfe This is the Apostles meaning to put on Christ as it is vnfolded in Col. 3. 12. Where he brings forth all the robes of Christ and sorts them saith put on mercie put on meeknes put on humilitie put on patience put on loue all which before he called the new man So that to put on Christ is to put on the new man with all his vertues vntill wee be renued to the Image of Christ which is like a new man amongst men They which labour to be righteous and yet beleeue that Christs righteousnes shal saue them haue put on Christ as Paule would haue them We are not taught to put on Angels nor Saints nor the virgin Mary nor Paul himselfe to couer our sinnes with their righteousnes as the Papists do but we are commanded to put on Christ and couer our sinnes with his righteousnes The bodie hath manie Garments but the soule hath one Garment Euery clout will couer our sores but the finest silke wil not couer our sinnes Therfore when we seeme braue to others we seeme foule to God because his eie is vpon our sins which lie naked whē al the rest is couered vntil we put on Christ then we hear y t voice Thy sins are couered thē we haue that blessing Blessed is the man whose sin is couered so we are clothed blessed together Yet this garment is out of request too rough for some too graue for others too base for others And therefore in stead of putting on Christ they put him off in stead of welcomming him they discharge him like the Gadarens that they may keepe their swine that is their beastly pleasures which he wold cast into the sea These are like the foolish souldiers which should haue made Christ their Garment and they cast lots vpon his Garments and diuided them and so spoiled them So do the Papists deale with this Garment they say it is not fit for them and therfore they breake it and mangle it and peece it with ragges of their owne inuentions they say it is too light and not able to beare off the stormes of death and heate of hell and therefore choose rather to make themselues garments of their merites and their masses and their penance and their pardons and their pilgrimages like Adam and Eue which made themselues coates of fig leaues which God destroyed againe to shewe that when men haue patched all their leaues of masses of pardons of pilgrimages satisfactions together yet they will not couer their nakednesse nor keepe off the heate of Gods wrath but are like the curtall skirtes of Dauids Ambassadors which hidde not their shame Therefore when wee may goe in our masters attyre shall we scrubbe
doth any good As the Eagle doth account them bastards that cannot abide to looke vpon the Sunne so Christ doth account them bastards which will not take him to bee an example of lowlinesse Euery creature doeth impart his good vnto man but the enuious man he hath separated himselfe from dooing good to any euen as an Apostata Euerie vice is the contrarie of some vertue as intemperance to moderation incontinence to chastitie pride to humilitie but enuie is contrarie to all This is the cognisance of the diuell for God saith By this shal men know that you are my disciples if you loue one another so the Diuell hee saith By this shall men knowe that you are my Disciples if you enuie and hate one another The proud the prodigall the couetous the lasciuious they are loued of some but the enuious man is hated of all And this sinne is so lothsome vnto him that hee cannot abide it in any but in himselfe Therefore if wee loue our selues let vs loue our neighbours for nothing doth more please God than loue so that if the blacke Moore could be cleane here is water inough to wash him But the flesh of man is more strong then all these reasons God hath put enmitie betweene vs and the Serpent and the Serpent hath put enmitie betweene man and man When Ioseph had laden his brethren full of corne and sent them away he bade them not to fall out by the way so I would this lesson when we haue plentie of all things and are full had deepe impression in our hear is that we forget it not Fall not out by the waye FINIS To the Reader WHereas these Sermons of Nabuchadnezzar haue heretofore been printed by an vnperfect Copie and by meanes thereof haue passed through the handes of diuers hauing in some places the minde of the Author obscured in other some the sentences vnskilfully patched together whereby the Authors discredit might bee furthered and the sale of the Sermons haue been hindered Now as I haue caused them to be examined by the best Copies and to bee corrected accordingly so I thought good to certifie thee of the same that the wants which were in the first impression might not cause thee to suspect this impression also and so discourage thee from acquainting thy selfe with the excellent Instructions offered in these Treatises THE PRIDE OF Nabuchadnezzar Dan. 4. 26. 26 At the end of twelue moneths he walked in the royall pallace of Babel 27 And the king spake and sayd Is not this great Babel that I haue built for the house of my kingdome by the might of my power and for the honour of my maiestie I Haue chosen this storie of Nabuchadnezzar wherein is laide downe his Pride his Fall and his Restitution This Nabuchadnezzar was a wicked King and therefore God warned him by a dreame and by Daniel to amend his life but all would not serue hee made many shewes but hee reuolted againe therefore at the last GOD gaue him ouer for a time and he became like a beast vntill he acknowledged his power to come from God A warning to all rulers to put them in remembrance that one ruler is aboue which must bee serued of them all or else all their buildings and treasures and guard will not shield them from iudgement when the stroake commeth no more than they could saue Nabuchadaezzar At the end of twelue moneths saith Daniel this king walked in his royall pallace The Prophet sheweth that hee had deserued this punishment before and that his dreame which he had did tell him that his kingdome should depart from him for his Pride yet this respite of twelue moneths was granted him like the fortie dayes which were granted to the Niniuites to trie what hee would doe vpon his warnings and whether hee would repent as the Niniuites did therefore the holy Ghost sheweth how the time ranne and how he liued after as if he should say If he will returne yet and be warned by the dreames or by the Prophets which I sent him I will stay my hand and his kingdome shal not depart from him But here he sheweth that he forgot his dreame like a dreame and was more desirous to knowe what it meant than to bee warned by it The twelue months ranne moneth after moneth yet Nabuchadnezzar is all one Now his dreames are gone he thinketh that all is ended therefore hee getteth him vp into his pallace amiddest his delights to beake himselfe as it were in the sunne of all his pleasures where indeede hee hastened God to take away all his pleasures and delightes from him when hee should haue repented as the Prophet Daniel willed him and ripped vp his sinnes and bewailed his wicked life and poured foorth teares and preuented his iudgement with prayer vpon his knees then was hee stalking in his galleries and thinking what sinne should bee next to fill vp the number of his rebellions that GOD might not spare him when he iudged so the wicked will not suffer the prophesies of God against them to be in vaine but they will put GOD in minde of their punishments and sinne till the punishment doe come vppon them to fulfill the threatnings due vnto them Some thinke that Nabuchadnezzar walked vppon the roofe of his pallace from whence hee might see all partes of the Citie round about him like the mountaine whither the tempter led our Sauiour Christ to shew him the beauty of the world This the Prophet Daniel would signifie that the King liued in ease as he liued before and pleased himselfe in vanitie still for all his warnings and turned his time of repentance to sinne againe Therefore God would deferre the time no longer but cut him downe like the barren and fruitlesse figge tree to teach vs to take mercie when it is offered and repent while wee haue time and space and that if GOD speake vnto vs but once to lay it vp in our hearts for euer not looking or expecting to be spoken to againe because GOD is not bound to admonish or giue vs any warning at all One woulde haue thought that Nabuchadnezzar woulde haue remembred his warning while hee had liued which had such a strange and fearefull Dreame and after that another dreame being no lesse strange and fearefull than the former dreame to confirme it and after such a Prophet to expound it and the exposition of it threatning such a miserable ruine and downfall vnto himselfe One would haue thought and beleeued that he could neuer haue forgotten it or put it out of his remembrance although he had liued vnto this day But like a wonder which lasteth not aboue nine dayes so is the repentance of them which sinne by custome for when sinne is rooted it sticketh fast and will hardly be weeded out though GOD should send vs dreames though he should shewe vs visions though he should raise vp Prophets Daniel himselfe cannot make this blacke Moore white which alwaies hath been black before
time when God spake from heauen Euen while the words were in the Kings mouth as though he should say God answered before he looked for it when he thought God had been as farre from him as he was all the yeare before Thus God lay as it were in the skowte to watch when he spake treason and to apprehend him vpon it O Nabuchadnezzar thou hast vanted this twelue months since I warned thee I made as though I heard not but suffered thee to doe and speake thy pleasure and vauntest thou still Surely thou shalt scape me no longer I will not heare one word more against my honour So he cutteth him off while the words were in his mouth and pronounceth the word of iudgement against him The first note in this verse is the time when God spake from Heauen Pride sayth Salomon goeth before the fall so when pride had spoken then Iudgement spake euen while the proud word was in his mouth See how God shewes that these brags offended him and therefore he iudges while he speaks How short is the triumph of the wicked When they beginne to crowe God stoppeth their breath and iudgement seaseth vpon them when they thinke no danger neere them So when Baltazar was in his mirth with his Nobles the fearfull hand wrote his doome vpon the wall and presently his mirth was changed into sadnesse that he became as one that was strooken with a palsie so while Herod vanted himselfe and the people honoured him like a God the Angell of God smote him vpon his throane and immediatly he was deuoured of wormes in the face of them which honoured him while the Philistines were triumphing and banquetting Sampson pulled the Temple vpon their head so while the men of Ziklag were feasting and dancing Dauid came vpon them and slew them when the Israelites were at their Manna and Quailes euen while the meat saith Dauid was yet in their mouths God tooke away their liues when Iobs children were making merrie one with another the winde came and blew down the house while the old world was marrying giuing in mariage the floud came and drowned them while the Steward was recounting with himselfe and thinking that his Master Knewe not what policie was in his heart suddenly his Lorde called him to account while the churle was musing of his barnes full of corne and saying to himselfe be merrie my soule that night his soule was taken from him so while we sinne think nothing of it our sinnes mount vp to heauen and stand at the barre and call for vengeance against vs how soone Abels blood cryed for vengeance of Cain We cannot sin so quickly but God seeth vs as quickly Howe many haue beene strooken while the oath hath been in their mouthes as Ieroboam was striken while he stroke that they might see why they were strooken and yet al this wil not keep vs from swearing Though a man sinne often steale his sins as it were without punishment yet at last he is taken napping euen while the wickednes is in his hand and his day is sette when he shall pay for all whether it be after twelue moneths or twelue yeeres when it commeth it will seeme too soone Therefore once agayne let this bee in stead of Daniels warning if God did take so straight account of Nabuchadnezzar how he had profited by his dreame what account will hee take of vs how we haue profited by Nabuchadnezzars punishment Here I ende THE FALL OF KING Nabuchadnezzar DAN 4. 28. c. 28 While the worde was in his mouth a voice came from heauen saying O King Nabuchadnezzar to thee be it spoken thy Kingdome is departed from thee 29 And they shall driue thee from men and thy dwelling shall be with the bâ—astes of the field they shall make thee to eate grasse with the Oxen and seuen times shall passe ouer thee vntill thou knowest that the most highest God beareth rule ouer the kingdome of men and giueth it to whomsoeuer he will 30 The very same houre was this thing fulfilled vpon Nabuchadnezzar and he was driuen from men and did eate grasse as the Oxen and his body was wet with the deawe of heauen till his haires were growne as Egles feathers and his nailes as birds clawes FRom the 26. verse to the ende of this Chapter is laid down the pride fall and restitution of Nabuchadnezzar The two first verses are like a banner of his Pride which shew him in his ruffling as it were in the ayre before he knew God or himselfe The three next verses are the discouerie of his shame which shewe him in his miserie as it were groueling on the ground after God had cooled his courage The foure last verses are the celebration of his recouerie which shew him in holines as it were rapt into heauen singing with the Saints for ioye that GOD had brought him vnto his knowledge though it were through shame trouble losse of all that he had seuen yeres together Of his pride wee haue heard alreadie yet because we are friends to vices as we are to meÌ„ so loÌ„g as they prosper and flourish but when they decay and fall then we shrinke away and are ashamed of theÌ„ so it may be if ye could see pride take a fall though yee loue her well yet yee would forsake her like a banquerout when ye see that she can pleasure you no longer Therfore ye shall see Nabuchadnezzar vpon his feete againe before you behelde him vpon his knees that when ye see what a king he was in his galleries after find his seruaÌ„ts in his pallace and his subiects in his throane and himselfe like a beast in the wildernesse God may giue you hearts to thinke a little of this sinne what it is which cost so deare and is so common now in euery house as it was then in the kings court After twelue moneths saith Daniel that is twelue moneths after God had warned this king by dreames and by Daniel to repent his sinnes he was strouting in his galleries and thought what sin should be next as though he had neuer heard of dreame or Prophet By this computation of sin wherein the moneths are obserued so exactly how longe Nabuchadnezzar rebelled after he was warned Daniel shewes what reckoning GOD keepes of our moneths and weeks and daies which he giues vs to repent as he did Nabuchadnezzar and what an account wee shall make of theÌ„ as Nabuchadnezzar did though we count no more of our age then the childe dooth of his youth and haue doone no more of our taske at twentie then when we were but tenne nor at thirty then when we were but twenty nor at fortie then when we were thirtie yet we shall giue account of mo hours in the day of iudgement and it shall be heauier to the old then to the young to you which haue the worde then to them which want it and there is great ods betweene Nabuchadnezzar vs for he
him so soon as he slew his brother I know thy works saith God he may say I knowe thy works thy thoughts too for Iudas could not goe so closely about his trechery but that Christ did know when the thought entred into his hart and heard when he conferred also with the Scribes and saw likewise when he tooke the bribe though he kept a time to punish him as he saith Psalm 37. ver 2. When I see a conuenient time then wil I execute iudgement Now the time was come when this King should bee made an example vnto all other Kings after him to amend their liues and reforme their Realmes when as the Prophet commeth from God vnto them to tell them what they should doe When Dreame and Daniel had done what they could now God cals foorth his Iudgements and bids them see what they can do and commaunds them to chase Nabuchadnezzar vntill he haue lost his kingdome vntill he be driuen out of his pallace vntill he be fled into the wildernes vntill he be degenerate like a beast vntill his subiects seruants pages make their sport gaze and wonder at him like a foole which goeth vnto the stockes or a trespasser which is gazed at vpon the pillorie so the king was debased when God heard him but vaunt of his buildings Therefore let vs take heede and be carefull after what sort we speake and what wordes slip from vs lest GOD take vs in our lies or oaths or slanders or ribauldrie as hee tooke Nabuchadnezzar when his tongue walked without a bit for if he had supposed that God had been so neare and that he would haue answered him as he did he would haue held his peace and layd his hand vpon his mouth rather than pay so deare for a vain word which did him no good when it was spoken The second note is of the Iudge A voyce came downe from heauen the controuling voice came down from heauen God is most offended with our sinne for Nabuchadnezzar might haue spoken more than this before any other man and no man could controll him because he was king and kings delight in greater vanities than buildings yet no man saith Why doest thou so because Salomon saith He which repeateth a matter separateth the Prince that is he which tels Princes their faults maketh them his enemies therefore since Iohn Baptist dyed onely God is left to reprooue almost all that sinne by authoritie yet there is one in heauen hath an eare and a tongue and checketh the king as boldly as euer the king checketh his subiects When the voice from earth spake vainly the voice from heauen spake iudgement Here is the king of heauen against the king of earth the voice of GOD against the voice of man a diuine wrath warring with a humane pride the fire is kindled woe to the stubble The Lorde of hoasts is in armes against the Lord of Babel and beginnes to lay handes on him and to thrust him out of his throane First he rattles him like a thunder O King Nabuchadnezzar as if he should say for all thou art a king thou shalt see whether another bee aboue thee Now gard thy person now defend thy honour for he whom thou hast despised threatneth to take thy kingdome from thee goe nowe and walke in thy galleries fetch one turne more before thou bee turned out of doore and walke with the beastes in the forrest Now he comes to the arraignement and cals him to the barre O king Nabuchadnezzar to thee be it spoken He was neuer called king with lesse reuerence nor had such paie for sinne in all his raigne God giues him his title and he tels him his lot he cals him king but without a kingdom as if he said late king of Babel holde vp thy hande Here a king is arraigned in his owne kingdome and no euidence giuen against him but as though hee had witnessed against himselfe as all sinners doe God condemneth him out of his owne mouth and to open his eares he calleth him by his owne name O king Nabuchadnezzar as the prisoner is called when he holds vp his hand at the barre Then he pronounceth the iudgement To thee be it spoken to thee which aduancest thy selfe like God to thee which wouldst not take heed by thy dreame to thee which wouldst not bee warned by the Prophet to thee which diddest all for thine own honor Now hearken to thy iudgement Thy kingdome is departed from thee thou shalt bee driuen out of thy pallace they which should honor thee shall expulse thee thou shalt raigne with the beastes in the desarte there shall be thy dwelling seuen yeares goe now and stalke in the woods as thou diddest in thy pallaces and when thou art among the Lyons and Wolues and Beares looke vnto Babel which thou hast built How dooth this speech differ from Nabuchadnezzars speeche his wordes were but wordes but Gods wordes were He spake and it was done For in the same houre that which was spoken was done saith Daniel whatsoeuer the voyce threatneth vnto our sinnes or vnto the sinner shal be done at first or last To Nabuchadnezzar it was said Thy kingdome shall bee taken from thee To vs it is said Thy life shall bee taken from thee To him it was said Thou shalt be thrust forth into the desart To vs it is said Thou shalt bee throwne forth into darkenes To him it was said Thou shalt be like beasts To vs it is said Thou shalt be like the damned Shall not the voice spoken to vs be remembred with God as well as the threatning menaced to him This voice came from heauen and therefore it spake home not like them which glide by the faultes of Princes whisper behinde their backes as though they would reproue them if they durst but for feare lest the prince or counsellor or iudge or magistrate should take it as he meanes it think that he aimes at them which makes them speake in parables as though they would cast a vayle ouer their reproofe and eate their message before they haue spoken it The holy Ghost teacheth vs here to reproue so that whosoeuer sinneth may knowe that thou speakest to him Hee which speaketh from Heauen as the voyce did must speak like Iohn Baptist among the Publicans harlots and souldiers as though he went from one to another and saide this is spoken to thee this is spoken to thee this is spoken to thee For vnlesse wee come neere these mortall Gods and proud Nabuchadnezzars as neer as Elias came to Achab whē he said It is thou that troublest Israel they wil poast it ouer and thinke that thou speakest not to them vntill thou speakest plainly as the voice spake from heauen To thee be it spoken And they will reforme the matter or else God shew some iudgement vpon them as he did heere vpon this great king Nabuchadnezzar Now the decree goeth foorth that Nabuchadnezzar shall be King no
greater number than he had before as all the blessings of God returned to Nabuchadnezzar when he looked vp to heauen so they shall come backe like a riuer vpon you when your eyes can goe by these vanities and looke vpon him which lookes vpon you or els seuen and seuen yeres shall passe ouer you and you shall be neuer the better but worse and worse like Saul which was vexed more and more till he had killed himselfe Therefore as the Iewes looked vp to the brasen Serpent which was a figure of Christ when they would bee healed Numb 21. 8 so all that woulde recouer that which they haue lost or obtaine that which they want Nabuchadnezzar doth teach them here to lift vp their eyes to heauen from whence sayth Christ commeth euerie blessing of man At the end of these dayes I Nabuchadnezzar lifte vp mine eyes c. Like a man which is wakened out of a long traunce now he began to stirre and lift vp his eyes when the heart is once lift vp it wil lifte vp the eyes and the hand and voice and all to heauen he which neuer looked vp to heauen so long as his comfort was vpon the earth nowe his minde is changed his lookes and iestures speeches and all are chaunged with it As though God would shew a visible difference betweene the spirituall and the carnall euen in their lookes and iestures as there is betweene a childe and an olde man The spirituall mindes are heauenly and looke vp because their ioy is aboue The carnall mindes are earthly and looke downe like beasts because their treasure is belowe As the serpent grouels vpon the ground so doth the serpents seede and hath not so much as the countenance of grace Therefore by lifting vp his eyes to heauen is signified that the time was come which the Lord had set downe that he should bee like a beast vntill he had learned that lesson That the most high beareth rule ouer the sons of men Therfore Nabuchadnezzar sheweth that hee had learned his lesson for he looked not vp to heauen to beholde the Sunne the moone or the starres like an Astronomer but thinking howe hee had set himselfe against Heauen from whence came all his honour in a godly shame holy anger toward himselfe he turnes his face from earth to heauen to magnifie him which had humbled him that so contemneth him which aduanced him Nowe hee talkes no more of his Pallace nor his power nor his Maiestie though it be greater then it was but hee looked aboue his owne pallace to another Pallace from whence that terrible voyce came down vnto him Thy kingdome is departed from thee Which expresseth his contrite hearte and wounded spirit howe many passions batled within as if hee should chide himselfe and saye Vnthankefull man my power euer descended from aboue and I euer looked vpon the earth and mine honour came downe from heauen and I neuer lifte vp mine eyes before But now sayth he goe vp my voyce and my handes and my eyes how long will ye pore vpon the earth like a beast so he lifted vp his eyes vnto heauen After hee had lifted vp his eyes he beginneth to pray praise and giue thanks to God which sheweth that he did not onely lifte vp his eyes but his heart too for vnlesse we can say with Dauid I lift vp my hart Psal 25. 1. it is in vain to lift vp eies or hands or voice as the hypocrits doe because he which is a spirite will be worshipped in spirite Iohn 4. Therefore Marie sayth My heart doth magnifie the Lord. Luke 11. 46. As for the Infidels and Idolaters they haue no heartie seruice but their religion is like an occupation which is done with the body For when we reade of the sacrifice or prayers of the Idolaters and Infidels we doe not find that they lifte vp their hearts to their Idols but their hands or their eyes or their voyce as the Baalites roared to Baal 1. King 18. 28. and the Marriners cryed to their Sea-gods 1. Ionas 5. and the Ephesians showted to Diana Act. 19. 28. But the lifting vp of the heart is the holy seruice and alway appropriate vnto God which saith My sonne giue me thy heart Pro. 23. 26. Therefore now Nabuchadnezzar lifts vp his heart to God shewing that he had learned that lesson which GOD gaue him 7. years to study that The most high beareth rule ouer the sonnes of men c. Now God thinkes the time long enough as he reformed the ground after the flood with fruit and hearbes and flowers agayne so hee reformeth Nabuchadnezzar with vnderstanding and beauty and honour againe As when he repented himselfe and sayd I wil drown the earth no more Gen. 8. 21. so I wil chase Nabuchadnezzar no more nowe he knowes a king aboue him he shall bee king againe nowe he seekes my honour I wil giue him honour now he magnifieth him which debased him I will returne to exalt him So the voyce which thundred from heauen Thy kingdome is departed from thee sounds again Thy kingdome is restored to thee For it was not tolde that he should be like a beast vntill he dyed but vntill he knew that the most high beareth rule ouer the sonnes of men Therefore when he knew this nothing could stay him from his kingdome no more then they could stay him in it before Thus the displeasure of God is but an interim vntill we knowe some thing that we should know and then Nabuchadnezzar shalbe king againe then the sick man shalbe whole againe then the bondman shall be free againe then the poore man shall be rich againe His mercies are called euerlasting because they endure for euer Psal 136. 1 2. But his anger is compared to the clouds because it lasteth but a season whome he loueth hee loueth to the ende but whome hee scourgeth hee scourgeth to repent as Hezekias was sicke vntill hee wepte Nabuchadnezzar was banished but vntill hee repented Now the first cure of the Kings restitution was of his mind Mine vnderstanding saith Nabuchadnezzar was restored vnto me To shewe what an inestimable gift our vnderstanding and reason is whereby wee differ from beasts for which we cannot be thankful enough therefore he records it twise as though his heart did flowe with gladnes and his tongue could not choose but speak often of it as a man thinketh and speaketh of that which he loueth Mine vnderstanding was restored vnto me c. That which was first taken away was first restored againe which so soone as it was gone he was counted a man no more but a beast As Dauid sayth Like Horse and Mule which haue no vnderstanding Psalme 32. 9. counting them which are voide of vnderstanding to better then horse and mule Therefore they which haue lost their vnderstāding at the Tauerns as many here haue done somtimes they which vnderstād not yet what is the booke of God are but horse and mule
him in the streetes as they doe at his apes and say there goeth a deepe fellowe he hath more wit in his little finger then the rest in their whole bodie You talke of Sectaries how fast they growe and how fast they breed I warrant you where any Sectary hath one sonne Machauil hath a score and those not the brats but the fatlings of the Land which if they had but a dram of religion for an ounce of their policie they might goe like Saints among men But wee speake to the belly that hath no eares Now let vs see the parts of this kings confession that we may see how his thankfulnes did answere to his sinne before he had robbed God of his honor now as though hee came to make restitution he brings praise thankes and glorie in his mouth First he aduanceth Gods power and saith that his kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome in which wordes he confesseth that God was aboue him because that his kingdome was not an euerlasting Kingdome but a momentanie Kingdome like a sparke which riseth from the fire and falleth to the fire againe Therefore he sheweth what a foole he was to vaunt of his Kingdome as though it were like Gods Kingdome which lasteth for euer Secondly hee magnifieth the power of God and sayth that God doth what he listeth both in heauen and in earth and nothing can hinder him or say vnto him what doest thou Vnder which words he confesieth againe that God was aboue him because hee could not raigne as he listed for when hee thought to liue at his pleasure hee was thrust out at doores and God said not to him what doest thou but Thy kingdome shall depart from thee therefore he sheweth what a foole he was to vaunt of his power as though it had beene like Gods power which cannot bee checked Thirdly hee commendeth the iustice of God and saith that his workes were all truth and his waies were all iudgement Vnder which words he confesseth againe that God was aboue him for his waies were all errors and his workes were all sinnes as the ende prooued Therefore he shewes what a foole he was to vaunt of his workes as though they had been like Gods workes which cannot be blamed therefore hee concludes I Nabuchadnezzar praise and extoll and magnifie the King of heauen When hee lighted vpon the right string marke how he harpes vpon it and doubles it and trebles it like a bonde which is ratified with many wordes of like sense so he ratifieth his bonde to God with many words of like meaning I will praise and extoll and magnifie the King of Heauen as if hee would praise him and more than prayse him They which loue with the heart and repent from the bottome praise praise praie and pray giue and giue serue and serue that is when they haue serued him they are ready to serue him againe Here is a glasse for al the children of pride First looke vpon Nabuchadnezzar you that are great men like Nabuchadnezzar For thus will GOD make his example of great men because they should bee examples to others Many wicked men died in Iurie and scarse a man was by to see their ende but Herode was striken before the people that all might see because hee was a wicked King There were many in Babel as proud as Nabuchadnezzar but none but Nabuchadnezzar was made like a beast because hee was a proud King so God doth stomacke sinne in those that beare his owne person As Princes vse to picke those that are principall and chiefe in rebellion to make them examples of terrour to others which were ringleaders in the treason so God doth bend his shot against the captaines of his enemies like the King of Aram which charged his souldiers that they shoulde fight with none but against Achab the King as it is written in the second Booke of Chronicles the eighteenth chapter and thirtieth verse For as Salomon saith in the nineteenth Chapter of his Prouerbes and fiue and twentieth verse Strike the strong and the rest will beware so Iustice shewed vpon a Ruler or great personage dooth terrifie manie If we could see but one of our Nabuchadnezzars so degraded it would make all the rest better in their office thinke when they sit in their maiesties as Queene Hester did that their power is giuen them for the Church and not against the Church Paul being before Festus and Agrippa wisheth not vnto the King Agrippa more wealth or more honor or more riches but more religion which is the greatest want of Princes and Magistrates They sitte in Gods chayre and are called Gods but are not like God but like Mammon except their names and their crownes peraduenture a Dauid or a Salomon or a Iosua that is a few that remember whose person they beare the rest are like Saul and Herod and Nabuchadnezzar which know not frō whome their kingdomes come Nabuchadnezzar built for his honour and they built for their honour Nabuchadnezzar gathered for his wealth and they gather for their welth Nabuchadnezzar sought after his pleasure and they seeke after their pleasure Nabuchadnezzar vaunted of his power and they vaunt of their power what did Nabuchadnezzar which they do not but repent which they doe not I cannot wish them beastes to doe them good like Nabuchadnezzar because it is a question whether they are worse than beasts already but if we could driue them out of their pallaces to liue like beasts in the wildernesse it were a good riddance for there they shoulde doe lesse harme where now their proude hornes doe gore others their hoof is vp to strike euery one that is better than themselues which maketh many flie into the wildernesse from their house and church and calling lest they should fall into their clutches The Lorde which restored Nabuchadnezzar from the likenesse of a beast restore them to the likenes of men or els fright them like Nabuchadnezzar to runne from their roomes that better may haue their places Thus you see Nabuchadnezzar was made like a beast that he might die like a man for he could neuer learne from whence his kingdome came vntill he had beene apprentice seuen yeares vnto the crosse and when hee perceiued who took his kingdome from him then he perceiued also who gaue his Kingdome to him and learned his thankefulnesse in the wildernesse when al the blessings were gone which he should haue been thankfull for he thought that God was no body vntill he became like no body himselfe and then who but God no power but of him no honor but from him his first honor came from God as well as his last but when he was like a beast which knew not his owner like a babe which knewe not his Father like an Image which knowes not his maker but nowe hee knoweth from whom Kings raigne and hath learned to say thy Kingdome as well as my Kingdome and is like the elders in the Reuelation which cast
in God the young man saith not I will beleeue in God but both say I doe beleeue in God for hee which is called I am in the third of Exodus loueth I am and careth not for I was nor I will be When Christ asketh Peter Louest thou me he looketh that Peter should answere him Yea Lord I loue thee and not driue him off as Felix did Paule I will heare thee I will loue thee when I haue a conuenient time For he which will not come when God cals whatsoeuer he say it is impossible that hee should resolue to come heereafter for hee which is euill how should hee resolue to bee good therefore now or neuer now and euer the tree which buddeth not in spring is dead all the yeare when a man is first maried he may vse the matter so to winne his wife vnto him or to estrange her hart for euer when a Pastor commeth first to a place with a small matter he may make the simple people like him or dislike him so long as he staieth when the heire comes to his lands lightly all his tenants beginne to speake well of him or euill of him when a Prince commeth to the crowne by the lawes which hee maketh first the people gesse how he will rule euer after and eyther dispose theyr hearts to loue him or wish his death Therefore the sage and beaten counsaylers aduised Rehoboam when he beganne to raigne Shew thy selfe louing to the people this day and they will be thy seruants for euer As though all the dayes after could not doo so much as the first Such a victorie it is to beginne well as our Prouerbe saith hee which hath begunne well is halfe his waye especiallie it is good for a man to beginne his repentance before he learne to be euill For herein our minds do follow our bodyes If our children bee deformed in their youth we neuer looke to see them well sauored so if the minde be planted in sinne sildome any goodnesse buddeth out of that stocke For vertue must haue a time to growe the seede is sowne in youth which commeth vp in age And if we can say of others when we see a gracelesse boye thou wilt prooue a wag-string if thou liue to bee elder why should wee if we begin as ill as hee thinke that wee shall bee better and better which iudge that he will be worse and worse as the arrowe is directed at the first so it flyeth all the waye ouer or vnder or beside but it neuer findeth the marke vnlesse it bee leuelled right in the hand so they which make an euill beginning forespeake themselues as it were at the first and wander out all their race because when they should haue leuied their life they tooke their aime amisse Therefore happie are they which haue the arrowe in theyr hande and day before them for they neede not wishe to bee yong againe Now kill the serpent in the egge for when he is a serpent he wil kil thee if thou cannot ouercome sinne in the infancie before the roote fasten and the fence bee made about it how wilt thou struggle with the Lion when he seeth his pawes and sinne is become like an olde man so tough and froward that he will not heare As harde as it is to reclaime one of these olde sinners or graunde Papists which are incorporate into poperie and as poyson is setled in a serpent so harde it will bee to reclaime thee when thou wilt beginne to saye it hath beene my custome and I cannot leaue it Trie thy strength but with one of thy sins and see what shifts what excuses what delayes it will find and how it will importune thee to let it alone as the diuell tormented the Childe before hee went out if thou canst not discharge one vice that thou hast accustomed thy selfe vnto when all thy vices are become customes how wilt thou wrastle with them Therefore wee bende the Tree while it is a twigge and breake the Horse while hee is a Colte and teach the Dogge while hee is a whelpe and tame the Eagle while hee is young Youthe is like the daye to doo all our woorkes in For when the night of age commeth then euerie man sayeth I might haue beene learned I might haue beene a teacher I might haue beene like him or him but the haruest was past before I beganne to sowe And Winter is come now my fruite should rype Thus euerie man that is olde saith he cannot doe that which hee thought to doe and crieth with Salomon Catechise the Childe in his youth and he will remember it when he is olde so corrupt him in his youth and he will remember that too This Nabuchadnezzar perceiued and therefore hee chose the towardliest children of the Israelites to traine them vp in idolatrie like the popish Seminaries that they might be his instruments another day If he had let them alone till they had learned the truth first hee thought that they would not take his way therefore hee tooke them before they had any religion to frame them to his religion If idolatours and Papists be so cunning in their generation to poyson their Children betime least they should prooue Christians after what care appertaineth to Christians to season their children in the spring like the vertuous Ladie which Iohn commendeth least they prooue papists and traytours and reprobates when they looke for comfort of them There was nothing which made Rehoboam to choose such young counsailers when hee beganne to raigne but because they were his companions before therefore they became his counsailers after This is the preferment of our sinnes if they haue been our companions in youth in age they will looke to be our counsailers and masters too Therefore the best season to seeke GOD is to seeke him early before the floudes of wrath arise and the heape of sinnes stand vp like a rampired wall betweene GOD and vs. They which seeke mee earlie shall finde mee saith Wisdome in the 8. of Prouerbes but to them which deferre shee saith they shall seeke mee but they shall not finde me 1. Prouerbes because they did not choose the feare of the Lorde that is when good and euill were set before them they did preferre euill before good as a man chooseth that which hee liketh Therefore when they seeke mee saith GOD they shall not finde mee How doe yee say then that yee will seeke GOD when God himselfe saieth that yee shall not finde him Therefore in the 4. of Prouerbes and the 7. Wisedome is called the beginning to teach vs to seeke Wisedome in the beginning For saith Christ If yee seeke the kingdome of heauen first all the rest shall bee cast vpon you hee saith not if you seeke the world first heauen shall bee cast vpon you but if you seeke heauen first worldly things shall be cast vpon you Hee which dooth beleeue this would first seeke the kingdome of heauen for that which
haue to liue wil make vs applie our harts to that which is good The first point is that as euery one had a day to come into this world so he shal haue a day to goe out of this world When Moses had spoken of some which liued 700. yeeres and other which liued 800. yeeres and other which liued 900. yeeres shewing that some had a longer time and some a shortet yet he speakes this of all mortuus est at last comes in mortuus est that is he died which is the Epitaph of euery man We are not lodged in a castell but in an Inne where wee are but guests and therefore Peter cals vs strangers We are not Citizens of the earth but Citizens of Heauen and therefore the Apostle saith we haue here no abiding City but we look for one to come As Christ saith my kingdom is not of this world so we may say My dwelling is not in this world but the soule soareth vpward whence she came the body stoopeth downward whence it came as the tabernacles of the Iews were made to remoue so our tabernacles are made to remoue Euery man is a tenant at wil ther is nothing sure in life but deth as he which wrote this is gone so I which preach it you which heare it one comming in one going out is to all Although this is daily seene yet it had need be prooued nay euery man had need to die to make him beleeue that he shall die When Adam Eue became subiect to death because of their sin to teach them to think on death so soon as they were thrust out of paradise God clothed them with the skins of dead beastes which shewed them that now they were cloathed with death and that as the beastes were dead whose skins they wore so they should die also therefore Dauid saith Man being in honour became like the beasts which perish when he saith that hee did become like the beasts which perish he implieth that man should not perish like the beasts but when he did like a beast hee died like a beast From that day euery man might say with Iob Corruption was my father and the worme was my mother For the rich glutton is lockt in his graue as fast as poore Lazarus Therfore God speaking of kings saith I said ye are Gods but ye shal die like men If kings must die like men then the expectation of men is death therefore when this king was readie to die he said to Salomon that he should go the way of all the earth calling death the way of all the earth to which Esay be ares witnesse crying all flesh is grasse that is it falleth and is cut downe like grasse In paradise we might liue or die in the world we liue must die in heauen she shall liue and not die Before sinne nothing could change vs now euery thing doth change vs. For when winter comes wee are cold when age comes wee are withered when sicknesse comes we are weak to shew that when death comes we shal die The clothes which were vpon our backs the sun which sets ouer our heads the graues which lie vnder our feete the meate which goes into our mouthes câ—ie vnto vs that we shall we are and sade and die like the fishes and foules and beasts which euen now were liuing in their elements and now are dead in our dishes Euery thing euerie day suffers some eclipse and nothing stands at a stay but one creature calles to another let vs leaue this world Our fathers summoned vs and we shall summon our children to the graue first wee wax olde then wee wax drie then wee wax weake then wee wax sicke so wee melt away by drops at last as we caried other so other cary vs vnto the graue this is the last bed which euery man shal sleep in we must returne to our mothers wombe Therefore Iacob called his life but a pilgrimage therfore Paul called his life but a race therfore Dauid calleth him selfe but a worme a pilgrimage hath an end a race hath a stop a worme is but troden vnder foote and dead straight so in a houre we are and are not heere we are now and anon we are separated to morrow one sickneth and the next day another sickneth and all that be here neuer meet againe we may well be called earthen vessels for we are soone broken a spider is able to choake vs a pin is able to kill vs all of vs are borne one way and die a hundred waies As Eliah stood in the doore of the caâ—e when God passed by so wee stand in the passages of this world readie to go out whensoeuer God shall cal We loose first our infancie then our childhood then our youth at last as we came in the roomes of other so other come into our roomes If all our daies were as long as the day of Iosua when the sun stood still in the midst of heauen yet it will be night at last our sun shal set like other It is not long that we grow but when we begin to fall we are like the ice which thaweth sooner then it froze so these little worlds are destroied first and at last the great world shal be destroied too for all which was made for vs shall perish with vs. What do you learne when you thinke of this but that which Moses saith to applie your hearts to wisdome death commeth after life and yet it guides the whole life like the sterne of a ship but for death there would be no rule but euery mans lust should be his law he is like a King which frighteth a far oft though he defer his sessions and stay the execution yet the verie feare that he will come makes the proudest peacock lay downe his feathers and is like a dampe which puts out all the lights of pleasure The second note is that the time of man is set his bounds appointed which he cannot passe therfore Moses praieth the Lord that he would teach him to number his daies as though there were a number of our daies Therefore God is called Palmoni which signifieth a secret number because he knoweth the number of our daies which is secret to vs. As it was said to Balthasar God hath numbred thy kingdome so it may be said to all God hath numbred thy life To this Job beareth witnes saying Are not his daies determined thou hast appoynted his bounds which he cannot passe Again Ieremie saith they could not stand because the day of their destruction was come As there is a day of destruction and a day of death so there is a day of birth a day of marriage a day of honour a day of deliuerance according to that the determinatioÌ„ is made that is God hath determined all things As God appointed a time when
doe as they doe if they did but thinke that these speeches and deeds should come to iudgement As the bird guideth her flight with her traine so the life of man is best directed by a continuall recourse vnto his end The thoght of death hath made many sinnes auoid like the diuel when Christ alleaged Scripture it is like a strainer all the thoughts and speeches and actions which come through it are clensed and purified like a cloth which commeth out of the water Seeing then that so much fruit growes of one stalk which is the numbring of our daies let vs consider what an haruest we haue lost which happily before this day neuer prayed with Moses that the Lord wold teach vs to number our dayes What if we had died in the dayes of our ignoraunce like Iudas which hanged himselfe before he could see the Passion or Resurrection or ascension of Christ But God hath cared for vs more then we haue cared for our selues We should haue numbred our dayes and sinnes too but alas howe many dayes haue wee spent and yet neuer thought why any day was giuen vs But as the olde yeere went and a newe yeere came so we thought that a new would follow that and so we think that another will come after this and so they thought which are dead already This is not to number our dayes but to prouoke GOD to shorten our daies there are few here which haue not seen twentie years now if we had but euery yeare learned one vertue since we were borne we might by this time haue been like Saints among men but the time is yet to come when we must applie our hearts to wisdome To riches pleasures we haue applyed our harts and our eyes and our eares and our handes too but to wisdome we haue not applyed our hearts There may be many causes but there shuld be no cause if wee had numbred our dayes For surely if a man could perswade himselfe that this is his last day as it may be he would not deferre his repentance vntill to morrow If he could think that this is his last meale that euer he shall eate hee would not surfet if he could beleeue that the words which he doth speake to day should be the last that euer he should speake he would not offend with his tongue if hee could be perswaded that this sermon should be the last sermon that euer he should heare he would heare it better then euer he heard any yet Yet breath is in the bodie and the heart may applie it selfe and the eye may applie it selfe and the eare may applie it selfe and the hand may applie it selfe Worke while it is light I can but teach you with words as Iohn Baptized with water As Moses prayed the Lord to teach him to number his dayes so you must pray the Lord to teach you to number your dayes And now I lead you to number your dayes It may bee that thou hast but twenty years to serue God wilt thou not liue twenty yeares like a Christian that thou maiest liue a thousand yeares like an Angel It may bee that thou hast but tenne yeeres to serue him wilt thou not serue tenne yeares for heauen which wouldst serue twenty yeares for a farme It may be that thou hast but fiue yeares to serue God wilt thou spend fiue yeares wel to redeeme all thy yeares for fiue Yet GOD doth knowe whether many here haue so long to repent for all the yeares which they haue spent in sinne If thou were borne but to day thy iourney is not an hundred yeares If thou be a man halfe thy time is spent already if thou be an olde man then thou art drawing to thy Inne and thy race is but a breath therfore as Christ said vnto his Disciples when he found them sleeping Could ye not watch one houre So I say to my selfe and to you can we not pray can we not suffer a little while He which is tyred can crawle a little way a little farther one steppe more for a kingdome For this cause God wold not haue men know whē they shall die because they should make readie at all times hauing no more certaintie of one houre than another Therefore our Sauiour saith watch because you know not when the Lord will come to take you or to iudge you Happy are they which hear the word and keepe it Thus you see that death is the last vpon earth that the time of man is set that his race is short that he thinkes not of it that if he did remember it it would make him applie his minde to good as he doth to euill and nowe I ende as I began The Lord teach vs to number our dayes that wee may applie our hearts to wisedome Amen FINIS A LOOKING-GLASSE for Drunkards Gen. 9. 20. 21. 20 Noah also began to be an husbandman and planted a vineyard 21 And he drunke of the Wine and was drunken and was vncouered in the midst of his Tent. FIrst we are to speake of Noah then of Cham his wicked sonne after of Shem and Iapheth his good sons In Noah first of that which he did wel thē of his sin In Cham first of his sinne and then of his curse In his brethren first of their reuerence and then of their blessing Nowe wee will speake of the Father and after of his Children Then sayth Moses Noah began to bee an husbandman This is the first name which is giuen to Noah after the flood hee is called an Husband-man and the first worke which is mentioned was the planting of a Vineyard One would thinke when all men were drowned with the flood and none left aliue to possesse the earth but Noah and his sonnes that he should haue found him selfe something els to doe than to plant Vineyards and that the holy Ghost should haue intituled him king of the world and not an husband-man of the earth seeing there bee no such men as Noah was which had more in his hand than any king hath in the world or shall haue to the worlds end but hereby the holy Ghost would shew that God doth not respect kings for their titles nor men for their riches as we doe and therefore he nameth Noah after the worke which he did not after the possessions which he had an husbandman It seemeth that there was great diuersitie between their age and ours For if we should see nowe a King goe to plough a Noble man driue the teame a Gentleman keepe sheepe he should be scorned for his labour more than Noah was for his drunkennes yet when we reade how this Monarch of the world thought no scorne to play the husband-man wee consider nor his Princely calling nor his auncient yeares nor his large possessions to commend his industrie or modestie or lowlie minde therein which may teach vs humilitie though we learne to disdaine husbandrie of whom will we learne to be humble if Kings
giuen life and light and food to fowles and fishes and beastes but his Word is the prerogatiue of man As to speake is the propertie of man so to heare is the propertie of man To shewe the fruite which commeth by hearing Christ calleth the Word which wee should heare Verbum Regni The Word of the Kingdome as though it brought a Kingdome with it to shewe the fruite which commeth by hearing The Disciples call the word which we should heare Verbum vitae the Word of life as though it brought life with it to shewe the fruite that commeth by hearing Christ compareth the good bearers to the fruitfull grounde to shewe the fruite that commeth by hearing Paule â—aieth Faith commeth by hearing in the â—enth to the Romanes there is one fruite Knowledge commeth by hearing Matthew the fifteenth and tenth verse there is another fruite Comforte commeth by hearing Psalme one hundred and nineteene there is another fruite the sense of sinne commeth by hearing there is another fruite As Christ with fiue loaues and two fishes fed fiue thousand men so Peter with one Sermon conuerted three thousand foules Agrippa hearing Paul but once almost became a Christian the Eunuch hearing Philip but once straight receiued the faith Zacheus hearing Christ but once gaue halfe his goods to the poore so I doubt not but some goe from our Sermons almost Christians like Agrippa some whole Christians like the Eunuch expressing their faith like Zacheus Now a little and then a little the soule groweth like the bodie If you heare well our voyce is like the sounde of the Rammes hornes that made the Walles of Iericho to reele nay it will make the walles of hell to reele for the same Worde made the Prince of hell giue backe Matthew 4. 7. Although at all other times we are as plaine and simple as Iaacob yet at this time wee haue a promise and it is giuen to vs for your sake to speake sometime that which we conceiue not our selues because the houre is come wherein GOD hath appointed to call some of you as hee hath done some of you before Therefore as the princelie spirite came vpon Saul when hee should raigne to teach him how hee should rule so the Propheticall spirit commeth vppon Preachers when they should teach to teach them how they should speake Therefore as Christ was contented to be baptized of Iohn so be you content to be instructed of vs that if we be more simple than you the glorie of God may appeare more in conuerting you by vs. Thirdly touching the kinde of hearers If all which come to heare did heare as they should Christ neede not warne vs Take heede how yee heare But as we pray so wee heare the one is a lip-labour and the other is an eare-labour As children play the trewantes in the schoole so men play the trewantes in the Church how many come to heare mee and yet peraduenture some doe not heare while I speake of hearing One hath no pitcher another hath left his pitcher behinde him another hath brought a broken pitcher which will holde no water therefore Christ calleth vs Fishers for as a Fisher taketh but a few in respect of those which goe by so we reforme but a few in respect of them which goe as the came First of Pauls hearers and then of Christs hearers and after our hearers When the Athenians heard Paul preach of the resurrection it is said that some mocked there is one sort the chaire of scorners some said we will heare thee of this againe there is another sort which are not yet resolued but desire to bee better instructed some did assent vnto him and receiued his doctrine as Dionisius Areopagita and Damaris a woman there is the best sort wee neuer preach but wee haue all these hearers some mocke some wauer and some beleeue Now of Christs hearers Wee finde in the Gospell that Christ had foure sorts of hearers while I count them to you thinke of what sort you are for I doubt not but that there bee here of all sortes Some heard him to wonder at him like Herode which was mooued with the fame that went of him some came to heare because they would know all things that they might be able to talke of them It seemes that Iudas was such a scholler for he had learned to preach but not to follow some came to cauill and to trip him in his speeches of these hearers were the Scribes and Pharisies which would make him an enemie to Caesar some were like to the good ground which came to know what they might doo and how they shoulde beleeue like the humble Scribe which inquired the way to heauen Now to our hearers As there were wise Virgins and foolish Virgins so there are wise hearers and foolish hearers Some are so nice that they had rather pine then take their foode of any which is licensed by a Bishop as if Helias should refuse his food because a raueÌ„ brought it to him and not an Angel some come vnto the seruice to saue forfeiture and then they stay the Sermon for shame some come because they would not bee counted Atheists some come because they would auoyde the name of Papists some come to please their friends one hath a good man to his friend least he should offend him he frequents the Preachers that his friend may thinke well of him some come with their masters and mistresses for attendaÌ„ce some come with a fame they haue heard great speech of the man and therefore they will spend one houre to heare him once but to see whether it be so as they say some come because they be idle to passe the time they go to a Sermon lest they should bee wearie of doing nothing some come with their fellowes one saith let vs goe to the Sermon content saith he and hee goeth for companie some heare the sound of a voyce as they passe by the Church and step in before they be aware another hath some occasion of busines and he appoynts his friend to meete him at such a Sermon as they doe at Pauls all these are accidentall hearers like children which sit in the market and neither buy nor sell But as many foxes haue been taken when they came to take so they which came to spye or wonder or gaze or scoffe haue changed their minds before they went home like one which findes when he doth not seeke As ye come with diuers motioÌ„s so ye heare in diuers manners One is like an Athenian and he hearkeneth after newes if the Preacher say any thing of our Armies beyond sea or counsell at home or matters of Court that is his lure another is like the Pharisie and he watcheth if any thing bee sayd that may bee wrested to be spoken against persons in high place that he may play the diuell in accusing of his brethren let him write that in his
the beginning of his raigne before hee had rebelled a band of men did cleaue to him of whom it is sayd whose hearts God hath touched as though while the Rulers hearts doe stand toward God the peoples hearts should stand toward them and they should carrie them like God to all their desires as it is said of Dauid What soeuer the King did pleased all the people Therefore looking into this Diuine ordinaunce what a power they haue ouer the people which they shoulde neuer haue got from men if GOD had not giuen it them I haue thought it an easie matter to redresse an hundred things which trouble Christendome without reason and none would kicke agaynst it if these Gods would cast downe their Crownes and begin to the rest for all stay vpon them like the alarme which soundeth first to the battell for our experience shewes that there will bee no great good done if the example of the best giue not light vnto the rest Oh woulde that Princely spirite woulde once come vpon them to go before the people which Moses appoynted for the Kings place and not lagge after them like Herod which sayde he would come after the wise men to Christ for if Nicodemus come by night no maruaile though the rest come not at all Thus their name tels them how they should rule and by consequence teacheth how we should obey God calles them Gods therefore he which contemneth them contemneth God God cals them fathers therefore wee must reuerence them like Fathers God cals them Kings Princes Lords Iudges Powers Rulers Gouernours which are names of honor and shall we dishonor them whom GOD doth honour Our first lesson is Feare God the next is Honour the King that is as Paul interpreteth Wee must obey for conscience not against conscience for that were to put a straunger before the King and the King before God which Christ saith haue no power but from God and therefore cannot make themselues Magistrates no more then they can make themselues Gods As none could giue this name but GOD so no man which exalteth himselfe can challenge this honour no more then Simon Magus was great because hee called himselfe a great man But they to whom GOD saith I haue called yee Gods as if he had the naming and appointing of them Euery power is from God for by nature no man can challenge power ouer other but by the Word and therefore euery soule which is subiect to God must be subiect to them for hee which calles them Kings cals vs Subiects this is their patent as the Queene of Sheba sayd to Salomon that God had chosen them kings and set them vpon the throne As he sayd and all things were made so as he saith al things should be Therefore vnles ye heare this I say that ye are Lords Iudges and Magistrates ye are no Lords no Iudges no Magistrates of GOD. And therefore the Pope and his Cleargie to whom God neuer sayd yee are Lords or Iudges or Magistrates are no Lordes no Iudges no Magistrates of GOD but that which the Lorde sayth they are that they are and no more though they put on a triple crowne If they were worthie to bee called as others Pastors Doctors and Teachers wee woulde giue them those titles They which giue them more then the Lord giues them make them proud and insolent and tyrannous more then they which are Lords Iudges and Magistrates indeede But for these vsurped titles and bas-borne honour which they haue encroached from men which puffe them vp and trouble them like Sauls armour they woulde haue intended the duetie of Ministers and Teachers as the Apostles did whereas nowe they are so cumbred and mingled by their vsurping ouer Princes that they are neither good Ministers nor good Magistrates but Linsie wolsie a mingle mangle betweene both nay vtterly falne from both being no shepherds but woolues of whose slaughters all Christian Kingdomes haue been the shambles who seeking a superfluous title they haue for gone all necessarie dueties and but for their formalities a man could not knowe of what profession they are for they neuer preach nor write but to maintaine their kingdome which falles like the Tower of Babel faster then they build Therefore as Naomi sayd Call me no more Naomi which signifieth beautifull but call me Mara which signifieth bitter so they may say Call vs no more Bishops or Pastors or Doctors or Preachers but call vs robbers and sleepers and giants and Pharisies whom we succeed For why should they be called Bishops which doe not watch or Pastors which doe not feede or Doctors which doe not teach or Iustices which doe not Iustice except this bee the reason The Idols were called Gods though they were vnlike God If their bodies had growen as farre out of square since Christs ascension as their titles pompe and honour they might stand in the maine seas and not be drowned for their heads would crowe aboue the water It followeth But yee shall die as a man Heere hee distinguisheth betweene mortall Gods and the immortall God Yee haue seene their glorie now behold their ends They shall all die like others Though they be neuer so rich so goodly so mightie so honourable while their date lasteth yet they may as trulie as Iob call Corruption their father and the worme their mother for the graue shall be the last bed of all flesh As they were borne like men so they shall die like men the same comming in and going out is to all nay if ye respect but the bodie hee might say yee shall die like beastes for Man being in honor saith Dauid may well be compared vnto beasts that perish though hee bee in honour yet he perisheth like the beasts which haue no honour and death will not take his kingdome for a raunsome when GOD dooth but say his time is come When Esay had saide that All flesh was grasse as though hee would correct his speech hee addes and the glorie of it is as the flower of the field As if he should say Some men haue more glorie than other and they are like flowers the other are like grasse no great difference the flower shewes fairer but the grasse stands longer one sieth cuttes both downe like the fatte sheepe and the leane that feede in two pastures but are killed in one slaughter So though the great Man liue in his pallace and the poore man dwelles in his cottage yet both shall meete at the graue and vanish together Euen they which are Lordes and Iudges and Counsailers now are but successors to them which are dead and are neerer to death now than when I beganne to preach of this theame It had been a great Sessions for all other to die but for Magistrates for Princes for Kinges for Emperors to die as they die What a battell is this that leaues no man a liue
and so shall the people be left without a guide to goe in and out before them and then shall they be readie and a fit pray for the Wolfe Well we see that Iosua here is better incouraged and it is not without a cause that God would haue Iosua thus incouraged For if hee had an eare at euerie mans mouth hee would rather wish to die with Moses vpon the mount than take in hand to bring such wicked Caines into the lande of Canaan That which olde Ieâ—hro taught Moses that a gouernour had neede to be a man of courage heere he findeth true for nothing more burteth Iustice than feare Therefore a Magistrate had need to be such a one as shall not feare the face of any whatsoeuer which caused Moses to speake so ofteÌ„ to Iosua bidding him to bee of good courage And to that end God commaundeth Moses againe and againe to incourage him vsing these three words Charge incourage and imbolden him as the cock crowed thrise that if Peter were sleepe the first and the second time yet he might at last awake him Now it resteth that I shoulde incourage Iosua which succeedeth me But how should I begin to incourage him or where shoulde I begin shall I tell him that he shall liue now at ease and in security No. Why how should I incourage Iosua shall I tell him you will loue him and follow him and that hee shall finde you willing and forward in euery good action If I promise it shall I not lie If I become bounden for you shall I not forfeit I feare yes Why how then should I incourrage Iosua shall I tell him all will speake wel of him or shall I tell him none will slaunder him No. For if he be as righteous as Christ yet some of the Scribes and Pharisies will seeke to persecute him If hee will liue in quietnes he must not vtter all the Counsell of God though God commaund him Nor he must not reprooue some sinnes for then he shall be thought to enuie against some persons Nor he must not keepe company with the godlie for then shal he be accounted a partaker No he must not denie the company of the wicked for then he shall be accounted a Precisian a Puritane and I knowe not what But thou wilt saye what then is there no comfort for Iosua I answer yes And that is it may be after some 3. or 4. yeares labour and trauaile he shall winne some 2. or 3. vnto Christe which shall extinguish al griefe For God will one day reward him for his labour glorifie him in heauen But if Iosua should bee in trouble as he cannot almost otherwise choose if hee keepe a good conscience and reprooue the mightie vnder his charge then he shall see most of the great ones wil quite forsake him which now seeme to fauour him they wil see him persecuted like Christ and stand a farre off like Pilate and wash their handes as though they were innocent when it is in their power and authoritie to amend it If he stand out like a valiant souldier preuaile then all will draw vnto him But if hee faint for lack of strength although he weepe like Peter yet none will pitie him Therefore stand you to him both in prosperity aduersitie Loue him obey him in all righteousnes as the Iewes did their Iosua and heere I deliuer you vnto him with my loue leaue and good will I giue him my possession my labors my twelue moneths trauailes And here because I woulde not keepe you ouerlong like as Iosua kept the people before his death with an exhortation to feare God or as one friend holdeth another by the hand being loth to part I wil make an end beseeching you as Iosua besought the people of Israel that you will henceforward feare the Lord serue him in truth and put away all enuie and vngodlines that it may not be said they haue returned with the dog to his vomit or with the swine to their puddle but that you may go on forward in all goodnes seruing the Lord in spirite and trueth Then shall the God of heaueÌ„ blesse prosper you in all temporall graces and in the end glorifie you in the kingdome of heauen to the which the Lord for his mercies sake bringe you all Amen This was the last Sermon that Henry Smith made at Clement Danes FINIS The Dialogue betweene Paul and Agrippa Acts. 26. 27. O King Agrippa beleeuest thou the Prophets I know that thou beleeuest Then Agrippa said vnto Paule Almost thou perswadest me to become a Christian Then Paule saide I would to God that not onely thou but also all that heare me this daie were both almost and altogether such as I am except these bands IN this Dialogue betweene Agrippa the King and Paule the Apostle first you shall heare what Paule saith then you shall heare what Agrippa aunsweres after you shal heare what Paul replies In Agrippa you shall see what we are In Paule you shall see what we should be For the king shewes that hee is almost a Christian and the Apostle shewes that he should be altogether a Christian This is the summe of their confession First Paule begins and speakes as though he would teach vs a way to win sinners euery word is a motiue and shewes that hee which fisheth for soules had neede to haue many nets and obserue time and place and calling and fit al words before in his minde lest he lose his bait For vnlesse he seeke the vantage and get the vpper ground of sinne before he incouÌ„ter it is liker to giue him the foile as the Diuels did to the Exorcists than to be driuen out by him Therefore as Iacob came to Esaâ— with seuen curtesies to prepare his heart and turne his wrath before they met together so Paul vseth as it were three preambles before he imbrace this King First with a reuerent title O King Agrippa Secondly with a profitable question Doest thou beleeue the Prophets Thirdly with a fauorable preuention I knowe that thou beleeuest With these three congies he closeth so with King Agrippa that he could not start out of his circle the holie spirit so placed euery word when he ment to doe good that it was not possible to correct them so they hit in their speeches which haue that proÌ„pter and seeke not themselues but woulde faine speak that which might touch the hart win the hearer to God O King Agrippa I note here a questioÌ„ an obiectioÌ„ as though he were opponent correspondent too for he askes the question answers himselfe O King doest thou beleeue Now Agrippa should say I or no Paul takes the word out of his mouth lest he should say no hee answers for him I know thou beleeuest This is his preparatiue to Agrippa before hee come with that hard lesson to be a Christian altogether Before Paul had to deale with Festus
neuer brought Agrippa to altogether Therefore they which fishe for soul 〈◊〉 must take Paules net and remember what God saith to Ieremie 15. 19. Let them bee conuerted vnto thee But be not thou conuerted vnto them for then thou shalt neuer conuert them Signifiing that our constancie in goodnes shall induce others to turne from their wickednes and make him which is but almost come to altogether This is the substance of Paules replie that it is not enough to be a Christian almost that is to haue a kinde of religion a little knowledge a little faith a cold zeale a flattering holines like the touch of the hem but we must march to perfection and doe his will vpon earth as it is in heauen and contend to be holie as hee is holie This is religion saith Iames to keepe thy selfe vnspotted like a glasse which is still wiped To this end saith Paul 2. Tim. 3. The Scripture doth teache and reproue and instruct and comfort That the man of God might bee absolute And in the 1. to the Ephe. 41. To this ende wee were elected that wee might be holie and without blame And Rom. 1. He describes our iourney from faith to faith not from faith to distrust As Dauid describes the waie of the righteous Psal 840. 7. From vertue to vertue as a trauailer goes from towne to towne till he come to his Inne What a foolish thing were it for the Scribe to stay there whē our Lord telles him Thou art not farre from the kingdome of heauen for therefore Christ telleth him that he is not farre from heauen to incourage him lest he should giue ouer before he come to it So if yee staie at almost and repente in some sort as Esau did when hee wept you may hunt for the blessing as Esau did and goe without it for God is not mocked but God is mocked if colours and shewes will serue When GOD said Seeke my face mine heart aunswered said Dauid I will seeke thy face Psalme 27. 8. So wee must aunswere the Lorde to that which he asketh and not when hee biddes vs seeke his face seeke his backe when he requireth al giue him halfe God asketh Art thou a Christian and thou aunsweres O Lord I am almost a Christian What niggardlie aunswere is this to him which deserueth a thousande times more than the best can giue If thy maister aske thee art thou my seruant wilt thou aunswere him I am almost thy seruant If the Prince aske thee Art thou my subiect wilt thou aunswere I am almost thy subiect If thy father aske thee art thou my sonne wilt thou answere I am almost thy sonne If thou art but almost his son then he is but almost thy father And so it is with God a son or no sonne halfe a sonne is a bastard How doest thou know God to be thy God but as thou art his seruant How doest thou knowe God to be thy father but as thou art his son By thy loue thou shalt know Gods loue for according to thy minde towards him is his minde of thee whereby thou maist truelie iudge whether he fauour thee or hate thee and no way else God loueth nothing almost therefore he doth not loue almost Therefore loue as thou maist be loued or else thy loue is lost Thou must seeke as thou maist finde or else thy labour is lost They shall seeke and finde me saith God because they shall seeke with all their hearts as in Ieremie 29. Chapter and the 13. verse as though they should not finde him though they sought him vnlesse the sought him with all their hearts Naaman is not onelie commaunded to wash himselfe in Iordan but to washe himselfe seuen times and then he shall bee healed So man is not onely commaunded to obey God but to obey him while hee liues and then he shall be saued Be faithfull saith the Angell vnto death and then I will giue thee the Crowne of life Reuel 2 10. When Saul was commanded to kill the Idolatrous beasts he was commaunded to kil all and because he spared some God reiected him Yet God hath more mercie on beasts than on sins Would he haue the beasts of sinners die their vices liue No saith Christ Make cleane within that is leaue no filth behind Whensoeuer Christ cast out one deuill we read that he cast out al euē the legion together so when thou castest out one vice cast out all for one is not worthier than another The Prophet doth teach vs to power out our sins like water which leaueth no taste or colour or sent behinde There is a whole old man and there must be a whole newe man The old man must change with the new man wisedome for wisedome loue for loue feare for feare his worldlie wisedome for heauenlie wisedome his carnall loue for spirituall loue his seruile feare for Christian feare his idle thoughts for holy thoughtes his vaine wordes for wholesome wordes his fleshlye workes for righteous workes This is a Christian altogether as if he were cast in a newe mould As a Painter woulde drawe a beautifull picture which should bee fairer than all women in the worlde hee would marke the speciall grace of euerie one and make one beautie of all so we must make vp a Christian and take modestie from him faith from him loue from him patience from him zeale from him and humility from him vntill it be like the Image of Christ This is the building of a Christian First his foundation is laide and then his walles and then his roofe and then a Christian like Adam in Paradise God made all things good therefore if we bee but almost good all thinges are better than wee The wicked man speaketh out of the corruption of his fleshlie heart and shall not the righteous speake of the aboundance of his spirituall heart Hee which is merrie would be merrier if he knew how He which is enuious would looke sterner if he could He which is proud would goe brauer if hee had it and all if wee could bee worse wee would but let them amend which looke to die For what kinde of man should hee bee which must beare the Image of God be the Temple of the holie Ghost and inherite the kingdome of heauen Who is fit for these things saith Paul Nay who is fit for these things Do ye know no enough in riches nor pleasure nor sinne and thinke that you haue enough of religion before yee haue any The good are knowne because none but they which are good striue to be better Wee are inuited to a banquet shall we go but halfe the way vnto it Were it not better that the fig-tree had borne fruites than leaues that the Virgins had carried oyle than lamps So is it not better for vs to be vessels of gold that come to the Lords table than like the image in Daniel part of gold part of siluer part of brasse part of iron part of clay
which was after broken If the crowne did lie in the midde way then thou needest run but halfe the way but to shew that there is no reward for them that begin well all the promises are made to him that continueth to the end Hee is cursed not onely which doth euill but hee which dooth the worke of the Lorde negligently or by halfes that is hee which offereth a maymed sacrifice for a sound almost a Christian for altogether Therefore Dauid before hee prayes summoneth his thoughts his speeches actions and saith All that is within mee praise the Lorde as a man giueth that which he thinketh wil be accepted that he may be welcome for it If we did serue an vngratefull master then we might thinke almost enough But Christ did not loue almost when he shed his heart bloud for vs therefore he cannot aske more than he gaue and yet the inheritaunce of his blessings is behinde why shouldest not thou giue as much for them as Abraham or Dauid or Simeon which would haue serued God till this time if they had liued still reformed themselues yet thought they had done nothing as Iacob counted his seruice for Rachel nothing because he loued her but thou thinkest that if thou giuest thy pleasures thou shalt want thy pleasures No as Abrahā did not lose his son when he would haue sacrificed his sonne so God can keepe his pleasures when thou resignest thy pleasures Thou thinkest that God will not misse it as Ananias thought that Peter woulde not misse it but if Peter did misse it will not God misse it So we pare the offering like Elies sonnes which kept the best and fatest to themselues which made the people abhor the sacrifices and shall not God abhor such sacrifices If Ely reprooued his sons how wil God reproue them which reproued Ely for not reprouing thē enough A spirituall eare can heare GOD reprouing this land for this mincing of his worship Can the preaching of the word the signes of heauen the shaking of the earth the victorie of your enemies and all the blessings of God make you but almost Christians almost religious almost thankefull Is this my reward saith God as though you were afrayde to bee too good If you thinke that you shall bee mocked if you bee too zealous as Micholl scorned Dauid when he daunced before the Arke Dauid tels you how you shal stop such scorners mouthes O saith Dauid I will be more humble yet before my God When Michol sawe his resolution she mocked him no more but reuerenced him euer after So tell the Diuell and all his mockers I wil be more zealous more feruēt and more holy yet vntill I be like him which said Follow me and they which mocke thee shall reuerence thee as Michol did Dauid This when thou art in the way to heauen remember that thou must goe forwarde or backward for Iacob did see none stand vpon the ladder which ascended vp to heauen but either thy went vp or down they which go not forward go backward They which will not come so forward as altogether shall not stay at almost but fal from their faith loue and knowledge and zeale by descents till Christes threatning be fulfilled That which they seeme to haue shall be taken from them as though they neuer had any taste at al. Thus I haue set you a glasse to beholde whether you are in almost or altogether Yet Paul lured for Agrippa Now he sues to the people When he had caught the King hee spred his net for the people I would to God that not onely thou but all that heare mee were not onely almost but altogether as I am Hee might wish rather than hope and therefore hee praies I would to God that all were Christians As Moses wished that all coulde prophesie Peter was taught both to feede the sheepe and the lambs great and small and old an young rich and poore So Paul praies for the King and for the people too wisheth that they were all Christians This prayer we may say for them that doe not praye for themselues to make them ashamed when they see other more careful for their soules than they thēselues The Pastours care extendeth to all although some are more to be laboured yet none is to be despised which is but a lamb of the flock Paule doth not wish Agrippa more honour or more wealth or more friēds but more religion which is the greatest want of Princes Although they haue receiued a kingdome yet they are not so thankfull as they which haue receiued nothing but from hande to mouth Though they haue done a thousand times more euil yet they are not so penitent as he which hath done least of all They sit in Gods seat are called Gods but are not like God but like Mammon more than their names and their Crownes except Dauid or Salomon or Iosua a fewe which remember whose person they bear the rest are like Herod and Saul and Nabuchadnezzar which know not from whō their kingdoms come As I am saith Paul directly Paul shoulde haue replied altogether a Christian and not altogether as I am but who shall teach the Spirit to perswade Hee chose to say as I am that Agrippa might see his single heart and loue toward him who went not about to seduce him but wisht it vnto him as vnto him selfe Euen as I am If any thing will perswade most fit is the example when he which teacheth vs goes before vs for then we see that hee dealeth plainly and speakes of loue and meanes no deceit when we see him doe as he saith Saul hath slaine his thousand but Dauid his ten thousand So where another conuerts a thousand hee shall conuert ten thousand which can say like Christ Follow mee Oh what is this when a Christian and I am all one that ye might say to your children I woulde to God thou were a Christian when you say I woulde to God thou were like me The king shoulde bee like Paule by this saying How then doe some say with Festus Too much zeale hath made thee mad If the people know the Lords prayer the ten cōmandemēts the Articles of beleefe it is enough is this to be like Paul No Festus the knowledge of the word doth not make a mā mad but makes him wise to saluation Can that which makes a mā wise make him mad Therefore they which say that we are the worse for knowledge or worse for religion or worse for zeale are like Festus which had neither knowledge zeale nor religion in him And they which teach the people that they shall not neede to be as Paul but that a mediocritie will serue incurre that curse of Paule Hee which teacheth another doctrine than that which yee haue receiued of vs which wished all as perfect as himselfe Let him bee Anathema that is accursed They which loue you like Paul doo not wish you zeale by waight and knowledge by
the name Three things I note wherefore the diuell may be sayd to compasse the earth First because he tempteth all men Secondly because he tempteth to all sinnes Thirdly because he tempteth by all meanes So whosoeuer sinneth wherein soeuer he offendeth whereby soeuer he is allured the sinne and the sinner and the baite are compassed and contriued by this Archpolitique which calles himself a Cōpasser Many haue their names for naught because they doe nothing for thē like Labans images which were called Gods though they were but blocks but the diuell deserues his names he is not called a tempter and a lyar and a slaunderer and an accuser and a deceiuer and a murtherer a compasser in vaine like S. George which is alwaies on horseback and neuer rides but he would doe more thē by his office he is bound to Other are called officers because they haue an office but he is called an enemy because he sheweth his enuy Other are called Iusticers because they should doe iustice but he is called a tempter because he practiseth temptations Other are called Pastors because they should feede but he is called a deuourer because he doth deuour we cal him a Compasser because that he doth compasse Euer since he fel frō heauen he hath liued like Caine which cannot rest in a place but is a rūnagate ouer the earth from doore to doore from man to man begging for sinnes as the starued soule begs for bread He should haue dwelt in heauen and not bin compassing the earth hee should haue sung with the Angels not been quarelling with men but he hath changed his calling and is become a compasser that is to lay fetters vpō men as GOD hath fettered him least they should ascend to the place from whence he is fallen Therefore in this the Lyer spake truth whē he said I come from compassing the earth as if hee should say to God I come from the slaughter of thy seruants not to aske forgiuenes for all the soules which he hath slaine alreadie but to get a commission that GOD would make him Knight Marshall ouer the world to slay and kill as many as hee hated like the bramble which set it selfe on fire first and then fiered all the wood Peter describing the diuels walke saith that he goeth about The diuel saith that he goeth a compassing Peter puts in seeking whom hee may deuoure the diuell leaues out deuour and sayth no more but that he compasseth This circular walke is peculiar to the diuell and therfore may be called the diuels circuite All other creatures go forward but the diuell goeth about which may well bee applied to the craftie diuell because to goe about is commonly takē to vndermine when he meaneth he will destroy you then we say he will compasse you so when the diuell compasseth then beware lest he deuour For the diuell goeth about men as the Fowler goeth about the lark to snare her as the theefe goeth about the house to robbe it as the yuie goeth about the oake to kil it The diuels walk is a siege which goeth about but to find an issue to goe in for he goeth about but vntil he can get in to be a possessor He is cōtent to be a compasser The first name the diuell hath in Scripture is a Serpent he is a Serpent so are his waies like a Serpent which windeth himself like a circle As GOD is sayd to make an hedge about men so here the diuel is said to make an hedg about men but this is an hedge of temptations and that is an hedge against temptatiōs As Dauid saith the Angels compasse vs so might hee say the diuels compasse vs Sathan compasseth and man is compassed Sathan is like the circumference and man is as it were the Centre that is temptations goe round about him and he dwelleth in the middest of them Thus much of Compassing now what he doth compasse I come from Compassing the earth This is the diuels pilgrimage from one ende of the earth to the other then to the other againe and then backe againe like a wandring Marchant which seeketh his trafficke where hee can speed cheapest I haue heard of some trauellers which haue gone about the earth but I neuer heard of any that had seene all parts of the earth but this olde Pilgrime Satan which hath been in heauen and in paradise and in the earth and in the sea and in hell and yet hath not done his walke but like the Sunne which courseth about the earth euery day so there is no day but Satan seeth euery man vpon earth as a compasse hath no end so hee makes no ende of compassing Because he is such a compasser of the world therefore Paul calleth him The God of this word not a peece of the world as Englād or Ireland or France or Germanie or Spayne but of the world that is of all the countries and cities and townes and villages and houses The Pope talkes of his kingdome how many Prouinces are vnder his dominiō but the diuels circuit is greater then the Popes one would thinke that he could neuer tend halfe his flocke because he is Vicar of so great a Monarchie and yet he is neuer non-resident You may see his steppes euery where so brim and fresh as though they were printed in ashes If God make you see your country naked your Temples desolate your Cities ruined your houses spoyled you will say the Spanyards haue been heere so when you see your mindes corrupted your hearts hardened your willes peruerted your charitie cooled your Iudges bribers your Rulers persecutors your Lawyers brablers your Marchants vsurers your Landlords extortioners your Patrones symonists your Pastors loyterers you may say the diuell hath been here Seeing then these weedes growe in euery ground you may beare the diuel witnesse that he doth compasse all the earth If a man loue his friend he will say I will goe an hundred miles to doe him good but if the diuel hate a man he wil goe a thousand miles to doe him hurt The diuel doth not goe his progresse like a King only for delight but all the way as he goeth Peter saith He seeketh whom he may deuoure The diuel goeth a visiting he will teach the sicke how they shall recouer their health hee will whisper the poore how they shall come by riches he will tell the captiues how they shall redeeme their libertie but to deuoure is the ende of his visitation Therefore Peter called him a Lyon and said that he went about and told vs that he sought as he went at last he saith to deuour there he ends shewing that deuouring is his ende Now you shall heare whom hee compasseth and to what he compasseth and how he compasseth When it is said that the diuell compasseth the earth it is meant that he compasseth the men of the earth out of which I gather first of all creatures he compasseth men secondly that he compasseth all