thou wilt see the shame of it look vpon Haman hanging vpon his own gallowes If thou wilt see the end of it looke vpon the Glutton frying in hell These are the pictures of sinne which GOD hath set for a terror before vs like the piller of salt or Achans Sepulchre to speake to vs. Take heed by those when I haue warned you as I warned them I will punish you as I punished them This is the Epitaph as it were which God ingraueth vpon Nabuchadnezzars Sepulchre Be thou an example to Kings and Rulers for all the children of pride to beware how they set themselues agaynst him who aduaunced them Thus hee which sets vp can pull downe Did not I sende thee dreames to warne thee Did not I sende a Prophet to warne thee If eyther of them woulde haue serued thou mightest haue ruled still and walked in thy galleries and feasted in thy pallace and iudged vpon thy throane and dyed a King but now thy kingdome is departed from thee Who would bee like Nabuchadnezzar now he is like a beast If this heathen was thus challenged for his warning which had heard but one Prophet we may tremble to thinke what wee shall answere for our warnings which haue been threatned as often as the Israelites and yet prouoked the Lord while he serueth vs like those which curse the sunne while it shineth vpon them Thus haue you seene the fall of pride Euen now he sayd Is not this great Babel Now he may say Is not this vnhappie Babel euen he sayd which I haue built by the might of my power and now hee may say which I haue built by the vanitie of my pride euen now he sayd for the honour of my maiestie now hee may say for the ruine of my kingdome yet after this he rose againe and came to himself and receiued his kingdome and honoured him which punished him so but the time will preuent me to speak of his restitution therefore here I ende FINIS THE RESTITVTION OF NABVCHADNEZZAR Dan. 4. 31. c. 31 And at the ende of these dayes I Nabuchadnezzar lift vp mine eyes vnto heauen and mine vnderstanding was restored vnto me and I gaue thankes vnto the most high and I praised and honoured him that liueth for euer whose power is an euerlasting power and his kingdome is from generation to generation 32 And all the inhabitants are reputed as nothing and according to his will he worketh in the armie of heauen and in the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hande or say vnto him Why doest thou so 33 At the same time I had my vnderstanding restored vnto mee and I returned to the honour of my kingdome my glorie and my beautie was restored vnto mee and my counsellors and my Princes sought vnto mee and I was established in my kingdome and my glorie was augmented toward me 34 Now therefore I Nabuchadnezzar praise and extoll and magnifie the king of heauen whose workes are all trueth and his wayes iudgement and those that walke in pride he is able to abase NOw wee are come to his Restitution first Nabuchadnezzar was humbled as God humbleth his enemies now he is humbled as GOD humbleth his children that although he had more honour than he had before yet he is not proud of it as he was before but cryeth with the Prophet Dauid Not vnto me O Lord not vnto me but vnto thy name giue the glorie So he which sayd not only with heart but almost with mouth too there is no God now with heart and mouth honoureth none but God His pride and his fall Daniel declared but when hee came to his restitution hee makes Nabuchadnezzar to speake himselfe and giue thankes in his owne person like a witnesse brought in to testifie the trueth of this wonderfull storie When the Prophet had shewed how this King vaunted and how he was debased for it presently after he had spoken it he calles in as it were the King himselfe to witnesse his report and declare how he was raised agayne like a man which hauing receiued grace from a Prince or great person is brought in before him to giue thankes for his fauour receiued and then is dismissed In these verses two things shewe themselues at the first view that is Nabuchadnezzars Restitution and his thankfulnesse in his Restitution First he shewes the time when he was restored in these words At the end of these daies then hee shewes the manner how hee was restored in these wordes I Nabuchadnezzar lift vp mine eyes to heauen and mine vnderstanding was restored to me In his thankfulnes first he extolleth Gods power in setting him vp and pulling him downe and raising him agayne then he commēdeth Gods iustice and trueth which deserues to be praised for his iudgements as much as for his mercie as though he reioyced that God had made him like a beast that he might dye like a man At the end of these dayes As Daniel noted the time of his pride when hee walked in his pallace to shewe how pride growes out of buildings and wealth and apparell and such rootes so he noteth the time of his fall while the wordes were in his mouth to shewe that he was punished for his pride and ignorance that he might knowe where to begin his conuersion and abate his pride and when he had taken away the cause then God would take away the punishment so likewise he noteth the time of his Restitution At the ende of these dayes that is after seauen yeares were expired to shewe how long the sicknesse of pride is in curing and to shewe how euerie thing was fulfilled which was prophesied euen to the poynt of time for it was tolde him by Daniel that he should be like a beast seuē yeares therefore Nabuchadnezzar is prompt as it were to confesse the trueth and sayth as the Prophet sayth At the ende of these dayes that is at the ende of seauen yeares I Nabuchadnezzar was restored to my kingdome as Daniel tolde me Yet another note is set vpon this beast least wee should thinke that God only regarded the season and thinke seuen yeares punishment enough for such a sinne He saith not barely that his vnderstanding and honour were restored vnto him when seuen yeares were ended but that they were restored vnto him when hee began to lift vp his eyes vnto heauen to shewe that this blessing came from aboue and that hee which had humbled him had restored him agayne as if hee should saye to all that are cast down with sicknesse or pouertie or infamie or any trouble whatsoeuer in bodie or minde hee which hath humbled you will raise you as hee hath done mee but you must looke vp vnto heauen and lift vp your hearts vnto him and then your vnderstanding and comfort and wealth and pleasure health and libertie and good name and all shall returne vnto you agayne like Iobs sheepe and cammels and oxen in
these galleries stil they would desire no other heauen but Nabuchadnezzar hath shewed the way before them and they must all dance after him though they were as mightie though they were mightier theÌ„ he death will not take his kingdome for a raunsome Now what is Babel and what is Nabuchadnezzar the King thereof Now Babel is destroyed and the King that built it laid in the dust had it not been better to haue built an house in heauen which might haue receiued him when he dyed The name of these pallaces may well bee called Babel that is confusion because they prophesie confusion to them that build them because their foundation is Pride their wals extortion their roofe ambition and all within them vsurie briberie and crueltie If this bee the best that Nabuchadnezzar hath to vaunt of what is the worst which he may bee ashamed of When I see how earnest this King was about his dreame and how loose he sate after in his pallace mee thinkes I see the image of the world in one man how liuely doth Nabuchadnezzar resemble the dreamers of our time He could not rest till hee knew the interpretation of his dream such inquirie such diligence to knowe Gods will that a man would haue thought now if the King meet with a Prophet that can tell him the trueth and instruct him from God that his dreame warned him to amend his life hee will then reclayme himselfe and reforme his realme and become such a King as was neuer in the land before But behold no sooner resolued of his doubt but hee is readie to bee warned agayne and was not so attentiue to the Prophet as hee was to his dreame although hee cared for neither for when hee vnderstoode that his dreame went about to chaunge the course of his life he went away like Naaman in a chafe and cared no more for his dreame after Before the dreame came all would haue sayd that such a dreame would haue humbled his heart for euer Before the Prophet came all would haue saide that such a Prophet would haue conuerted him with a word but Nabuchadnezzar is Nabuchadnezzar and if another dreame come more fearefull than this yet Nabuchadnezzar would be Nabuchadnezzar and loue his Pallace better than Paradice So we thinke if God would send a famine vpon this land that would make vs feare him but God hath sent a famine and yet wee doe not feare him If God would send an earthquake vpon this lande that would make vs feare him but God hath sent an earthquake and yet we doe not feare him If God would send a pestilence vpon this lande that would make vs feare him but God hath sent a pestilence and yet we doe not feare him If God would send warre vpon this lande that would make vs feare him but God hath sent warre and yet we doe not feare him therefore what will make vs feare him There be many which dreame vpon religion as Nabuchadnezzar dreamed vpon his dreame and as hee desired onely to knowe what it meant so they desire onely to knowe Master saith the yong man to Christ what shall I do to come into heauen He would faine knowe the way to heauen but when Christ shewed him the way hee would not take it So they will goe from Preacher to Preacher as Nabuchadnezzar sent from one wise man to another to be resolued in poynts of Religion such a scrutinie such attention such heed as though they would runne out of the world and goe beyond all that a man would thinke they would do any thing as the Iewes came vnto Moses and this young man vnto Christ But when they haue heard what they came for they doe like Nabuchadnezzar as they did before now they saye it was but a dreame because the meaning doth not answere according to their will So Achab enquired of the Prophet to heare what hee would say but it appeares that he neuer ment to follow him except he would answer as he would haue him When it commeth to the act which is euerie mans triall then you shall see who are like Nabuchadnezzar that is which affect onely to knowe and who are like Zacheus that is which practise as they knowe for as the truth is reuealed so it must be witnessed or els the fall of Nabuchadnezzar sheweth what iudgement will follow vpon such neglecting Because hee would not doe as his dreame warned him and as the Prophet counsailed him therefore GOD forsooke him and his Kingdome departed from him and hee was thrust out of his Pallace and â—urned like an Oxe into the wildernesse there he liued like a beast vntill seauen yeares were ended A warning to all to take warning by the word for it is the gentle warner the next will bee harder the third and the fourth harder then it like to the nine plagues of Egypt which did exceede one another for what is he can weigh the wrath of GOD or the grieuousnes of sinne Some men woulde thinke that Nabuchadnezzar might haue spoken all this without any such great offence as was taken at it for he sayde no more but that it was a fayre house and that he builded it and that hee erected it for his honour seeing manie vnder Princes delight in worse vanities than fayre buildings and speake vayner often in a weeke Therefore when you see howe it displeaseth God to vaunt of these earthly thinges or to impute any thing to our selues thinke what shall bee the doome of great sinnes if Nabuchadnezzar became like a Beaste and lodged in the wildernesse for his pride they which beare pride and couetousnesse and lust and wrath and malice in one breast shal lodge in hell and become like Diuels because they are like beasts already Therefore let this bee in stead of Daniels warning if God did take such a straight account of Nabuchadnezzar for his dreame what hee had profited by it what account will hee take of vs what profit we haue made by Nabuchadnezzars fall and punishment Thus you haue heard what the voyce spake from earth now you shall heare what the voyce spake from Heauen for it followeth While the word was in the kings mouth a voyce came from heauen and sayd O King to thee be it spoken thy kingdome shall be taken from thee c. God will warne him no more by dreames nor by Prophets as he did but his Iudgements shall speake Heere is fulfilled that which Elihu sayth to Iob God speaketh once and twice by dreames and visions in the night and man seeth it not at the last God openeth his eyes by the corrections which he had sealed so God spake vnto Nabuchadnezzar first by dreames and after by his Prophet Nabuchadnezzar regarded it not at last God openeth his eyes by corrections which hee had sealed vp that they should not touch him if any other messenger could bring him As the holy Ghost doth note the time when Nabuchadnezzar spake in his pallace so he noteth the
him in another Countrey where he had no sepulcher prouided Herod hoped when the people cryed at his words It is the voyce of God that hee should be worshipped euer after as God but God resisted his pride and before he descended from his throane the wormes so defaced his pompe that none which called him God would be like vnto him so whē women take more paines to dresse themselues then they doe all the day after and pay deerer to maintaine one vice than they neede to learne all vertues they thinke to please men by it but God resisteth their pride and al that see them though they cap and curtsie to them yet they iudge worse of them and thinke that they would not weare these signes of lightnes and pride vnlesse they were light and proud indeede Thus if their apparell condemne them before men how will it condemne them before GOD If sinne did not blinde them would they so deceiue themselues to take the contrary way and thinke that should honor them which disgraceth other But as Balaam was stopped knew not who stopped him so they are resisted and know not who resisteth them Though they doe al to please yet they can please none they please not God for God resisteth them they please not the humble for the humble are contrarie to thē they please not the proud for the proud doe enuie them which striue to bee as proude as they they please not themselues because they cannot bee so proud and braue as they would bee onely they please the diuell because their pride doth intitle him to them Thus much of Gods battailes against the proud Heere Peter leaueth the proud with this brand in their forehead This is the man whom God resisteth then hee turneth to the lowly and comforteth them But he giueth grace to the humble as if hee should say you are like Iohn the beloued Disciple which leaned on Christs bosome Iohn 13. 23. though God resist the proud yet hee will not frowne vpon you but when he resisteth them he wil giue grace vnto you as if hee should say the proud are without grace for God giueth not grace vnto the proud but to the humble according to that to Esay 66. 2. To him will I looke euen to him that is poore of a contrite heart and trembleth at my wordes therefore Learne of me saith Christ to be hūble meek as though the humble and meeke were his schollers Therefore God must needes loue the humble because they are like his sonne they shall haue his best giftes of which hee sayth 2. Cor. 12. 9. My grace is sufficient as if hee should say hee which hath giuen you his grace can he denie you any thing as Christ saith Hee which hath giuen vs his Sonne will he not giue vs all things with him Therefore grace may be called the gift of gifts because all gifts come with grace as the Court goeth with the Queene Therefore feare not to bee humble least you be contemned for all the promises of God are made to humilitie and yet men feare to be humble lest they shuld be contemned Humilitie did not make Iohn contemptible but when he refused the name of a Prophet Christ saith that hee was more then a Prophet Mat. 11. 2. Humilitie did not make Moses contemptible but as he was the mildest man vpon earth so he was the greatest vpon the earth Numb 12. Humilitie did not make Dauid contemptible but when he humbled himselfe hee said vnto Micol I will be more humble yet and lowly in my owne sight yet thou and thy maides shall honour me 2. Sam. 6. 22. As Christ ceased not to be a king because he was like a seruant nor to bee a Lion because he was like a Lamb nor to be God because he was made man nor to bee a Iudge because he was iudged so man dooth not loose his honour by humilitie but he shal be honored for his humilitie as the Son was honoured when he was humbled Luk. 15. 8. Thus humilitie hath found that which pride sought like little Dauid which was least accompted of and yet gotte the victorie yea when no man durst encounter with the Gyant 1. Sam. 17. 28. This is the ladder whereby we must ascend Gen. 28. 12. pride did cast vs downe and humilitie must raise vs vp As the way to heauen is narrowe Mat. 12. 13. so the gate is lowe and he had neede to stoope which entreth in at it therefore be not proud least God oppose himselfe against you but be humble and the grace of God belongeth to you So long as thou art proude and readest this sentence GOD giueth grace to the humble thou mayst say to thy soule Soule thou hast no part herein for grace is the portion of the humble and the dowrie of the meeke and the treasure of the lowlie but to thee it is saide The Lord resisteth the proude as if he should say Auoide Sathan Math. 4. or Departe from mee ye wicked Math 25. 45. Thus you see howe you may haue GOD your friende or your enemie Hee resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble if thou disdaine to learne humilitie of man learne it of GOD who humbled himselfe from heauen to earth to exalte thee from earth to heauen to which Kingdome when the proud shall be shut out the Lord Iesus bring vs for his mercies sake FINIS THE YOVNG MANS TASKE Ecclesiastes 12. 1. Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth IF it be so as they say that none but young men do heare our doctrine then this Text is well chosen for the auditory to teach young men that which if they learne they may say with Dauid I haue more vnderstanding then the auncient Psalm 119. 100. All Scripture is mans duetie and answeres like Iohn Baptist to What shall wee doe In the first of Iohn the second and the twelfth Iohn sayth I write vnto you babes I write vnto you children I write vnto you fathers I write vnto you youngmen I write vnto you old men So the word which is called aflying booke flyeth from one age to another from one sexe to another from one calling to another till like a Iudge it hath giuen euery man his charge Among the rest I may call this Scripture The young mans taske Wherein the Wise man sheweth when is the best time to sow the seede of vertue that it may bring foorth the fruite of life and make a man alway readie to die Let him remember his Creator in the daies of his youth and all his life shall runne in a line the middle like the beginning and the ende like the middle as the Sunne setteth against the place where it rose After Salomon had described man like Martha troubling and toyling himselfe about many things at last hee bringeth him to that one thing necessarie which Christ taught Marie and shewes him that if he had begun there at first he had found that which
young man to behold as if he should say looke my sonne is this man fit to learne which cannot heare nor see nor speake nor goe Therefore remember thou thy creatour in the dayes of thy youth before this dotage come This then is the leuell of our message to hasten them forward which trauell towards heauen because there is a great space betweene God and vs and much a doe to aspire the toppe of mount Sion but more a doe to aspire the top of the mount of heauen Therefore as Abraham rose early to sacrifice his sonne in the morning so in the morning of thy life sacrifice thy selfe to God and let him which is Alpha in euery thing be Alpha in thy conuersion that is the beginning as well as the ende Because wee are giuen to set the best last that wee may haue a longer time for our sinnes and pleasures like the Iewes in the 1. of Agge 2. which said alway the time was not yet come when they should build the temple Therefore the holy Ghost crieth so often This is the acceptable time this is the day of saluation to day heare his voyce like Rebeccah which taught her sonne the nearest waie to get the blessing When Christ went about to cast out diuels they said that he tormented them before the time so whensoeuer thou goest about to dismisse thy sinnes and pleasures though thou stay till thou bee an olde man yet they will say still that thou dismissest them before the time But then is the time when the diuell saith the time is not yet for the diuell is a lier knoweth that with what liquor our vessels be seasoned at first they will tast of the same euer after whether it be good or bad Therefore as God sueth to haue vs begin at goodnesse so the diuell wooes vs to begin at wickednesse alledging either that wee are not resolued yet to leaue our pleasures or els that God is exceeding mercifull to sinners or else that we shall haue space enough to serue him hereafter So he stands as it were at the ladder foote and keepes vs off with these weapons that wee cannot get vpon the first staffe but one thought or other pulleth vs backe when the foote is in the stirrop ready to ride away from all our sinnes at once Thus wee haue long purposed to serue God and euery man thinketh that hee should be serued but wee cannot accord of the time when to beginne One saith when I am rich an other saith when I am free another saith when I am setled an other saith when I am olde then my pleasure will leaue me and I shall be fitter to fast and pray and sequester my selfe but now I shal be mocked if I be not like others Thus like bad borrowers when our day is past alreadie we craue a longer and a longer and yet a longer til we be arrested with death so the prince of creatures dieth before he considered why hee liued for as no discipline is vsed where Christs discipline is neglected so no time is obserued where Gods time is omitted It is an olde saying Repentance is neuer too late but it is a true saying Repentance is neuer too soone Therefore we are commaunded to runne that wee may obtaine which is the swiftest pace of man The Cherubines were portraited with wings before the place where the Israelites praied to shew how quickly they went about the Lords businesse The Hound which runnes but for the Hare girdes foorth so soone as he sees the Hare start the Hawke which flyeth but for the Partridge taketh her flight so soone as she spyes the Patridge spring so we should followe the woord so soone as it speaketh and come to our Master so soone as hee calleth For God requiring the first borne for his offering and the first fruites for his seruice requireth the first labours of his seruants and as I may say the maidenhead of euery man Therefore so soone as man was created a law was giuen him to shew that hee should liue vnder obedience from the day that hee is borne So soone as he is borne hee is baptized in the name of God to shew that when we cannot runne to Christ we should creepe vnto him and serue him as we can in youth and age so soone as hee beginneth to praye hee saith Thy name be hallowed thy kingdome come thy will be doone before hee aske his dayly bread to shew that wee should seeke the will of God before the food which we liue by much more before the sinnes and pleasures which we perish by so soone as the Lord distributed the Talents he enioyned his seruants to vse them Who is so young which hath not receiued some talēt or other therefore youth cannot excuse him because the talent requires to be asked of euery one which hath it So soone as God had created the man and the woman hee commanded them to increase and multiplie shall we increase and multiplie in the flesh before we encrease and multiplie in the spirit the first thing which God did after hee had created heauen and earth he did separate light from darkenes to shew vs how we should separate good from euill before our good become euill The first lesson that Iohn taught was Repent for the kingdome of heauen is at hand Math. 3. 2. The first lesson that the Disciples taught was Repent too for the kingdome of heauen is at hand Matth. 10. And the first lesson that Christ taught was repent for the kingdome of heauen is at hand Matth. 4. 10. to teach vs what we should do first Repent was the first lesson to yong and old For what can we owe God to morrow which wee are not indebted to day Therefore Dauid prayed Teach mee O Lord to number my dayes not yeares nor my moneths nor my weekes but my dayes shewing that we shall answere for daies as well as yeares for to day as well as to morrow and for our youth as straightly as our age which made him cry Remember not the sinnes of my youth which hee would not haue spoken if God did not marke the sinnes of youth as well as age Therefore he calleth children vnto him as Salomon dooth and saith that hee will teach them the feare of the Lord. For should children honor their father and not honour God It was a sweete comfort when the children went before Christ to his temple and sang there Hosanna to make their fathers ashamed which did not know the Messias when he came when their little children knew him It is written that when Christ heard a young man answer that hee had kept the commaundementes from his youth Christ beganne to loue him which shewes how Christ loueth these timelie beginnings when wee make him our nurse and drawe our first milke from his brests There is not one confession for olde men and another for young men the old man saith not I did beleeue
followeth that all the rest might bee cast vpon him as when Salomon desired wisdome before honour God gaue him wisdome and honour too because he sought the best first There was a poole in Iurie where the sicke and Leprous laye for at one time of the daye the Angell came and stirred the water and then he which stept in first was healed of his disease hee which stept in first was healed saith Iohn none but hee which stept in first so he which taketh time is sure but he which foresloweth time oftener faileth then speedeth For when golden opportunitie is past no time will fit for her If Elias would bee serued before the widdow when shee had but a little cruse of Oyle which was not enough to serue her selfe will God be serued after Elias will God bee serued after thee Nay after the flesh and after the diuell Thou maist reade in the 19. of Leuit. and the 13. that GOD would not haue the labourers hire staie in thy hands all night but would haue thee pay him before thou sleepe If God would not haue the labourers due stay in thy hands one night how darest thou keepe his due from him day and night so many dayes and nights and weekes and moneths and yeares together where is the morning sacrifice which God requireth nay where is the euening sacrifice which God requireth the glomy morning hath ouercast the whole day doest thou thinke it enough if thou do not sit in the chaire of scorners or if thou do not staÌ„d in the waie of sinners hee which standeth stayeth not he which sitteth taketh his ease but he which walketh goeth his way Yet he which walketh in the way of sinners though hee neither sit nor stand is not of the blessed number But hee which neither sitteth nor standeth nor walketh is blessed saith Dauid Psalm 1. ver 1. Alas then why doe we sit if they which stande are accurssed and they which walke are not blessed Christ saieth First seeke the kingdome of God and wee say first let mee burie my father first let me bid my friendes farewell and so many things first So long in burying our Father and bidding our friends farewell that is the riches and honours and pleasures of this worlde that there is no time left to seeke the kingdome but followe mee is turned to followe vs Christ must followe our sinnes and come after our pleasures or else he shall not be serued at al. When we were Children we deferred tyll we were men when we are men we deferre tyll wee bee olde men when wee are olde men wee deferre tyll death in all our lyfe wee finde no leasure to liue well but flit from sinne to sin from wicked thoughts to wicked speeches from wicked speeches to wicked deedes as the flie skippeth from scab to scab vntill wee bee cast so farre behinde that we haue no courage to goe forward or else straied so far out of our way that wee care not to seeke it againe Therefore I cannot say to you as Christ saide First seeke the kingdome of heauen for then you should haue sought it long agoe but now I must say with the Apostle Redeeme the time and at last Seeke the kingdome of heauen For it is to be feared that as little flies when many came together plagued and destroyed the Egyptians so short houres but many in sinne and securitie will steale away our whole life and deceiue our repentance while wee liue like beasts longer then Nabuchadnezzar There be not many Lots but many linger like Lot loth to depart vntill they see the fire burne If the Angell had not snatched him awaie Lot had perished with Sodome for his delaye There be not fiue foolish Virgins and fiue wise but fiue for one knock when the doore is shut There bee not many Simeons but many as old as Simeon which neuer yet imbraced Christ in their hearts They thought to repent before they were so olde yet now they doate for age they are not olde enough to repent yet Naye I answere many Masters of Israell Maiors Aldermen Sheriffes Iustices Baâ—liffes Constables Gentlemen know no more what it is to be borne againe than Nicodemus which came by night line after line sermon after sermon and the Black more like himselfe All their tearms are vacations all their religion promises and all their promises hypocrises In stead of catechising their children as Salomon teacheth them they catechise them to hunt hawke to ride and vaute to ruffle sweare to game and daunce as they were catechised themselues least the childe should prooue better than his father and then he is qualified like a Gentleman Is this to seeke the kingdome of heauen first or last or not at all Woe to the securitie woe to the stubbornnesse woe to the drousinesse of this age The theefe commeth at midnight and we sleep till the dawning of the day we let in sathan before wee bid him auoyd we sell our birthright before it come to our hands we seek for oyle when our lampes should burne this daye passeth like yesterday and to morrowe we will spend like this day So hee which should haue the first fruites can get no fruites because we mar the ground before we sowe it Consider this ye which might haue known a thousand things more than yee doo if yee had begun when Salomon taught you God will not alway knocke at the doore Christ will not alway clocke like an Henne Iohn will not alway crie in the wildernesse but mercy is in the foreward and iudgement in the rereward They which can saye now We haue a prophet shall say We had a prophet but wee entertained him like the Gergesites so God sent him awaie from vs like Ionah to the Niniuites when the Israelites despised him Yet Wisedome cryeth in the streetes Let euerie Ioseph store vp before the famine come for he which promiseth thee pardon when thou doost returne dooth not promise that to morrowe thou shalt returne Repentance is a gift and a gift must be taken when it is offered The time past is gone and thou canst not recall that to repent in the time to com is vncertaine thou canst not assure that to repent in the present time is onely thine and thou maiest repent in that but anone that will be gone too Therefore as Samuell began to serue God in his minoritie as Timothie read the Scriptures in his childhood and Iohn grewe in spirit as hee rypened in yeares so whether thou be olde or yong thy repentance caÌ„not come too soone because thy sinne is gone before If thou lackest a spurre to make thee runne see how euerie day runneth awaye with thy life youth commeth vpon childhood age commeth vpon youth death commeth vpon age with such a swift saile that if all our minutes were spent in mortifying our selues yet our glasse would bee runne out before wee had purged halfe our corruptions All these examples sentences and Prouerbs and
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
recorde against it selfe repenting for breaking this commaundement and that commaundement and neuer repenteth for breaking this commaundement reioice euermore It is not an indifferent thing to reioyce or not to reioice but wee are commaunded to reioyce to shew that wee breake a commandement if we reioyce not Oh what a comfort is this when the comforter himselfe shall coÌ„maund vs to reioyce God was wont to say repent and not reioice because men reioyce too much but heere God commaundeth to reioyce as though some men did not reioyce enough Therefore you must vnderstand to whom he speaketh In 149. Psal 5. It is said Let the Saints be glad not let the wicked be glad and in Esaiah 40. 1. Hee saith Comfort my people not comfort mine enemies shewing to whoÌ„ this commandement of Paul is sent reioyce euermore it is not in this as Christ saieth that which I say vnto you I say vnto all but that which I say vnto you I say not vnto all Giue wine saith Salomon vnto him that is sorrowfull that he may forget his griefe So giue comfort vnto him which is penitent that he may forget his feare Salomon saith fiue times that this is the portion of man vnder the sunne to receiue the gifts of God with thankefulnes and to reioyce in them hee which would haue vs holy as he is holy would haue vs ioyfull as he is ioyfull he which would haue vs do his will vpon earth As the Angels doo it in heauen would haue vs reioyce vpon earth as the Angels reioyce in heauen he which hath ordained vs to the kingdome of Saints woulde haue vs reioice that we haue such a kingdom to receiue Therefore he saith to his Disciples Reioice that your names are written in the booke of life as Bâ—az said vnto Ruthâ— goe not out of this fielde to gleane in any other field for here thou shalt haue inough so he woulde not haue vs goe from this comfort vnto any other comfort for here we shall haue enough the spirite of God is called the Comforter because we should haue comfort in it I will send you the Comforter saith Christ to shew that they which haue the spirit haue comfort too and they which resist comfort resiste the spirit therefore the sonne of GOD is called the Consolation of Israell to shew that hee bringeth Consolation with him and that ioye is where Christ is as light is where the SuÌ„ne is Therefore the chiefest ioy is called the ioye of the holie Ghost to shewe that they haue the chiefest ioye which haue the holie Ghost therefore the greatest peace is called the peace of conscience to shew that they haue the greatest peace which haue a good conscience therefore the faithfull are said to be annointed with the oyle of ioy as though ioie were in their countenance therefore they are said to be cloathed with the garmeÌ„t of gladnes as though gladnes did compasse them like a garment therefore Paul in al his Epistels doth ioine grace peace together shew that the peace of God doth follow them which haue the grace of God It is not in vaine that the holy Ghost when he named Barnabas interpreted his name too because it signifieth the sonne of consolation as though he delighted in such men as were the sonne of consolation Comfort one another saith Paule How shal we comfort one another without comfort Therefore Paule saith GOD comforteth vs that we may be able to comfort other by the comfort wherby we our selues are comforted of God shewing that wee cannot comfort other vnlesse wee be comfortable our selues and therefore that we may performe this dutie we are bound to nourish comfort in our selues Paul saith I am full of comfort who then can say I am full of sorrow but he must contrarie Paule As the bodie may not offend the soule so the soule may not iniure the body because it is the bodis keeper but a pensiue man doth iniure the body and the soule too for Salomon saith A sound spirit will beare his infirmities but a wounded spirite who can beare As if he should say The heart must be kept couragious and strong liuely like an instrument which is tuned to tune all the rest or els euery griefe wil make thee impatient In Deut. 30. 9. it is said that God reioiceth to doe vs good therefore in the 28 of Deut. the Iewes are reprooued because they reioyced not in the seruice of God As he loueth a cheerfull giuer so hee loueth a cheerfull seruer and a cheerefull Preacher and a cheereful hearer and a cheereful worshipper and therefore Dauid saith Let vs sing hartelie vnto the Lord shewing as it were the tune which delighteth Gods eares If you would know with what tune ye should sing vnto God Dauid saith Heartelie that is you must giue heartelie you must loue heartelie you must obey heartelie you must pray heartelie and when you do all thinges heartely then you shall doe all things cheerfully Therfore now I may say vnto them which resist comfort and nourish griefe as the Prophet saith Who hath required these things of you GOD doth require no sorrowe but the sorrow for sin no feare but the fear to sin no care but the care to please him nay hee hath forbidden al other care and therefore Peter saith Cast your care vppon him As though God did not allow vs to care he sent his Apostle with this charge Cast your care vppon him As wee doo cast our sinnes vpon Christ so we must cast our cares vpon him for God hath commaunded vs to labour but not to care because care hindereth our labour like the Samaritanes which seemed to helpe the Iewes to build the Temple hindered them to build the Temple so care and sorrow thought seeme to helpe vs in our labours our studies our prayers and our strife but indeede they hinder vs for they take al the time from that which we should do disable vs to do it and therefore when care commeth to vs we shal answere it as Christ said vnto Sathan Auoide Sathan auoide care for euery care which is not of God is of Sathan and we may not beare that which God commaundeth vs to cast vppon him shall I hang my ioy and my faith and my hope because I haue sinned as Iudas hanged himself The Scripture saieth not let him which hath stolne despaire of mercie but Let him which hath stolne steale no more and it is enough As we are taught to discerne of spirites of doctrines so we must discerne of cares and sorrowes for when Paul saith There is a repentance not to be repented of Hee sheweth that there is a repentance to be repented of that is a repentance which is a sin like the teares of Esau which wept not for his sins but for
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
which challenged Nabuchadnezzar for twelue moneths since he was warned may challenge vs of twelue yeeres since we were warned yet we looke not for so great punishment as fell vpon Nabuchadnezzar for twelue moneths Daniel names there twelue moneths as though hee would speake of a great matter and shewes how worthie Nabuchadnezzar was to be punished because he might haue reformed his life since he was warned for there were 12. moneths betweene his dreames and his punishment But that yeere wherein he had so many warnings teachings was as vaine as the rest and vainer then the yeres before for now he should haue been a mourner like the King of Niniuie when Ionas threatned destruction vnto them But like a victor of a countrie returned from battell to solemnize his triuÌ„ph first he decked his pallace as braue as himselfe and then he walkes his stations in it and when he hath set al things before him which might make him forget God and like a serpent that would burst vnles he discharged some of his poyson he breaketh out and sayde Is not this great Babel which I haue built by the might of my power for the honour of my maiestie wherein obserue first what a glorious opinion this vaine King had of his vaine buildings Secondly how that he names himselfe the founder of them as though hee had done all without an helpe Thirdly that in all his works he sought nothing but vain-glorie as hee witnesseth against himselfe saying which I haue built for the honour of my maiestie not for the honour of Gods maiestie but for the honour of my maiestie So first that which he should haue contemned as Christ did the beautie of the Temple he admired it nothing seemed so glorious to him as that which made him shamefull to God Secondly that citie which was built by Semiramis he arrogateth to himselfe and neuer ioyned the chiefe workmaster with him but saith which I haue built by the might of my power when he should haue said by the might of Gods power for vnles God build the house the builder saith Dauid buildeth but in vaine Lastly that which hee should haue built for the honour of GOD as the man built a chamber for the Prophet hee builded for his honour as our Nabuchadnezzars doe Therefore when all his pleasures were prepared like a feast and he came to sit downe at the bâ—ket it hapned to him as to the churle in the Gospell after he had filled his barnes when hee came to sing in his heart Be merrie my soule that night his soule was takeÌ„ from him and the diuels made merrie with it in hell so he had fethered his neast and began to crow vpon his roost Is not this great Babel c. As if he shuld say Now Nabuchadnezzar make thee merie that houre his honor was taken from him for a voyce came downe from heauen like the terrible hand which wrote vpon the wall when Baltasar sate at his banquet dasht his pride vpon such a rocke that within an houre all his pomp and pleasures and treasures suffered such a shipwracke that his fall was more admired of all than his glorie and buildings were admired of himselfe Thus all the ioy and pleasures and glory of pride are spoken with a breath and stopt with another You haue heard what the voice spake from earth now ye shal heare what the voice souÌ„ds from heauen These three verses following declare this Kings fall when and howe and from whom it was While the words were yet c. there is the time A voice c. there is the Iudge O king c. there is the arraignement Thy kingdom c. there is the iudgement He was driuen from men liued with beasts in che wildernes till his haires were grown like Eagles fethers There is the execution and maner of his punishment First of the time while c. As Daniel obserued the time when Nabuchadnezzar sinned so he obserueth the time when Nabuchadnezzar is punished as if God had lien in waite to catche him in his words and take him at the trippe euen as he watched Lots wife when shee looked backe and transformed her into a piller of os salte so soone as she looked behind her So now the Lord lay as it were in the scout to watch wheÌ„ Nabuchadnezzar spake treason and to apprehend him vpon it O Nabuchadnezzar thou hast vanted these twelue moneths since I warned thee and I made as though I heard not but suffered thee to doe and speake thy pleasure and vauntest thou still Surely thou shalt escape me no longer I will not heare a word more against mine honour So hee cut him off while the wordes were in his mouth and propoundeth the wordes of iudgement against him If you marke the time when the voice spake from heauen you may see three wisedomes of God First God takes him in his fault that he might see his fault as Ieroboam was striken when he stroke the Prophet that he might know why he was striken Then he takes him sodainly because hee contemneth his warning as the fire came vpon Sodome while they contemned Lots warning Thirdly God takes him where he is pleasantest and lustiest and safest in his pallace which was like a Castle as he took Herod when his gard stood by him that he might see that nothing can garde him from God but God must gard him from danger or else Princes bee no safer than subiects so though a man sin often and steale his sins as it were without punishment yet at the last he is tooke napping while the wickednesse is in his hand as the Iewes were while the quailes were in their mouthes and his day is set when hee shall pay for all whether it bee after 12. moneths or 12. yeeres whensoeuer it commeth it wil seem too soon Vengeance doth stay till sin be ripe watch the time when they are most occupied then iudgement steps forth like the Angel to stop Balaam in his way because the punishment is more grieuous terrible wheÌ„ they look not for it for the worst that is wish like Balaam to die the death of the righteous therefore God will crosse them in that though they prosper alwayes before yet their ends shall be a kinde of iudgement vpon all their life a prophesie of torment for all men to see what become of the wicked after death that they may feare to be like vnto them As when we see some fall down vnder the table while they sit swilling at the Wine some striken dumbe in the pulpit while they preach vntruths eueÌ„ as the Philistines were slain while they feasted and as Herod was shamed while he vanted and as Ieroboam was striken while he stroke What doth this teach vs but that our sinnes depart from vs so soon as they are done vnto the Iudge there they accuse vs as Cains murther cried out against
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
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
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
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