often to say vve haue seized vpon heauen let vs fly hence let vs fly hence Practice 6 Sixtly of Confidence against the terrors of iudgment for blessed is that seruant vvhom the lord shall find vvhensoeuer or hovvsoeuer he commeth thus trading For if god loued vs vvhen vve vvere his enimies did beare vpon vs the image of the diuell hovve much more shall he loue vs novve being reconciled bearing the image of sanctification in Christ Practice Last Lastly of Expostulation together vvith motion Can any one amongst you implead this Learning Is there a vvise man amongst you I hope he is not vviser then Solomon yet he accounted all things in the vvorld vexation vanitie vvhen he had once learned this lesson Is there any amongst you that makes an high accompt of himselfe his let not this stout hart of his stoope to vile vaine things of the vvorld Is there a frugall thrifty man amongst you that vvould enrich himselfe let him trad for this true gold of Ophir not vvith the shippers of king Ochasias trade for peacockes parrats parachitoes popiniayes for soe they may chance to haue their ships broken at Esiongeber all their proud peacokes be they vviues or vvātons all their paultrie popiniays be they giules or practises may suffer a fearfull vvrack vvith them In a vvord all of you are men ciuill men Marchant men that vvhich is more then all Christian men Will you knovve the best of all the only good for you yours then knovve that guiles are noe gaines for you to liue by in a godly conscience Nor noe good ground-worke for your posterity to liue on whē you are gone for the goodnes of god is extended to the thousand generatiō of thē that loue him endevoure to keepe his commandements Thus much of the vvhole text in generall The secōd lesson From the particular passages arise diverse lessons The first is dravven from the Object vvhich is a kingdome For frō hence vve learne That it is the mind of Christ Iesus that all his should be of a Royall mind therefore a kingdome is sett before them as a reward of mercie for their seruice The light of this appeareth forasmuch as gods kingdome is three fold to vvitt of Povver of Grace of Glorie Of Povver for god is not a brasen vvall but a vvall of fire to his chosen to surround encircle them What euer pleaseth him that doth he in heauen Psal 13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in earth in the seas in all deepe places And of him Rom. 11.36 through him to him are all things For the Lord is the Greatnes The Povver The Glory the victorie the maiestie for all are his in heauen in earth his is the Kingdome he is exalted as head ouer all soe preacheth Dauid in the booke of the Chronicles 1. Ch. 29.11 Dan. 6.26 and Darius the king of Babilō proclaymeth in his kingdome that all men should tremble feare before the god of Daniell for he is the liuing god steadfast foreuer his kingdome That vvhich shall not be destroyed And his dominion shal be euē to the end All his vvorkes shevve this for they all speake of his glory of his kingdome talke of his povver Thus you see here is a kingdome of Povver that the vveake may flie vnto it as vnto a city of refuge Secondly a kingdome of Grace soe CHRISTS forerunner saith Repent for the kingdome of god is at hand Matth. 3.2 Christ him selfe tells his Apostles that it is giuen vnto them to knovve the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen Luc. 8.10 Christs follovver sayth the kingdome of heauen Rom. 14.17 is not meat drinke but righteousnes peace ioy in the holy ghost Lastly he hath a kingdome of Glory For it is his pleasure to giue his children a kingdome it vvas prepared for them before the vvorld vvas Luc. 12.32 Mat. 25.34 Mat. 13.43 they shal shine therein as the sunne in the firmament The right of this appeares in reason that Christ vvould haue Christians regally minded because there is an opposition of kingdomes against this kingdome of Christ to vvit that of the kingdome of the beast of the vvhore the kingdome of Sathan the kingdome of this vvorld Apo. 16.20 The kingdome of the beast the Reuelation mentioneth Matth. 26. against both by vvay of disclayme Christ saith directly My kingdome is not of this vvorld The might of this kingdome of Christ appeareth that he should rule ouer the house of Iacob for euer Luc. 1.33 he should raigne till his enemies are put vnder his feete yea his very members by his grace shall raigne 1. Co. 15.23 For if by one mans offence death raigned by one man much more they vvhich receaue abundance of grace Rom. 5.17 of the gifte of righteousnes shall raigne in life by one Iesus Christ he it is that hath made vs vnto our god kings Preests vve shal reigne on the earth by santificatiō Apoc. 5.10 Yea vve shal iudge the collapsed angels Thus much for the probat of the learning hereof 1. Cor. 6.3 Practice 1 The life of this appeares First in the practise of the exaltation of our ovvne Christian spirits for euery one hath euer naturally vvithin himselfe a kingdome vvherein reason is the prince the sences the gard the vpper faculties of the soule the Peares the invvard sēces the commons the passions the rebbells Novve faith by grace ruleth ouer all these obtayneth the kingdome For passion must subiect it self to sence Sence to reason reason to faith faith to the spirit of god Thus is a kingdome sett vp in vs that vvill neuer be cast dovvne either by the plotte of Machiauell vvho imagined that religion did effeminate debase deiect the courages of Christians But the magnanimity of George Castriott prince of Epyrus of Iohannes Zisca Mirmidons of vvarre of Martin Luther of Huldricus Zinglius of such like both Laiques Cleriques vvortheis of the vvord doth vtterly confute that poore conceit of the secretary of Florence Machiauell This exaltation also vvil guide vs that vve be not deceaued by Sathan vvho offereth vs kingdomes to serue him Nor yet to dreame of an earthly kingdome vvith the flattering Herodians Matth. 4.8 misled Chyliasts Origenists or Millinaries for all these last three are one Practice 2 Secondly the life of this learning confuteth those that are of a base abjecte condition that either with the proud man sells their clayme for ayre as did Absolon for honor or vvith the couetous man for earth as did Demas for this present vvorld or vvith the Letcher for puddle as did Ammon for Thamar or else pavvne it as did Dauid Noah Peter or lose their clayme to this kingdome by neglecte contempt or
carelesnes 3. Ioh. 1.9 Lucae 16. or giue it avvay as Diotrephes did for preheminence as the Glutton for delight as the vvanton for pleasure as the envious for nothing but for vexatiō of mind as the desperate only for horror of conscience vvho destroy their bodies that the deuill may haue their soules Practice 3 Thirdly this teacheth vs not to be rebells in this kingdome not to partake vvith the beast vvho disposeth of kingdomes at his pleasure nor vvith the deuill vvho seekes to ruinate the states of kingdoms Rom. 6.12 but that finally vve resolue that sinne may not raigne in our mortal bodies as in a kingdome that vve should obey it in the lust thereof Rom. 5.21 but that as sinne hath raigned vnto death euen soe grace might raigne through righteousnes vnto eternall life by IESUS CHRIST our lord The third lesson The former was a kingdome but novve a kingdome of heauē is sett before vs wherein we may learne That God hath prepared a kingdome of heauen for those that in hope thereof purge themselues in the kingdome of grace By heauen vve vnderstand not that place betvvixt the earth Gen. 1.28 the Moone for that 's the heauen of fovvles for they are called the foules heauen Genes 1. nor yet the firmament vvherein are placed the sunne the moone 2. Cor. 12.2 starres but that third heauen into vvhich Paule vvas taken vp vvhere Christ sitteth at the right hand of god the father vvhere the soules departed are in rest vvhere all the elect in the end of the vvorld shal be as the angels shal shine as the sunne in brightnes glorie of god the father Of vvhich kingdome of heauen if you aske me vvhat it is I ansvvere it is a creature made of god in the begining vvhē he created the earth Gen. 1.1 If you aske me vvhere it is I ansvvere it is aboue these visible heauens If you aske me vvhy god made it I ansvvere for to shevve his glorie vnto his saincts therefore it is called a paradise of all delectable desireable things in the presence of god The house of god vvherein all the elect are gathered A kingdome vvherein god is king Christ is the prince the church the queene the subjects all the angells saincts Luc. 6.38 And it is called the kingdome of glorie vvherein not only vve receaue glory in good measure but pressed dovvne heaped vp running ouer In hope vvhereof all gods children purge prune themselues that they may bring forth much fruite 1. Ioh. 2.3 For vvhat vvill not a Christian soule doe labour striue struggle vvhile he is here that here after he may sitt in heauenly places vvith Christ Iesus Eph. 2.6 The right of this learning the reason of scripture shevves Apoc. 21.8 For noe vncleane thing entereth into this holy city nor any abhomination The meanes is therefore offered 1. Ioh. 1.7 euen the bloud of Iesus Christ vvhereby vve may be purged frō all our sinnes that vve may be cleane And gratious is the conversation of all gods children for their conuersation is in heauen allbeit they be in earth Phil. 1.20 First by liuing in christian charity For he that liueth in charity liueth in god Matt. 6.21 Secondly in affection for their hart is in heauen vvhere their treasure is Thirdly by right of inheritance for vvhere the head is there must the members be Christ our head is in heauen christians the members clayme their interest in him Gorranus in locum Or as our contryman sayth the conuersation of Christians on earth is in heauen 1. By meditation in the strength vvhereof they fly daily into heauen 2. By daily conference for they speake continually of those things that belong to the kingdome of heauen 3. By holy admiration for vvho knovveth the order of the visible heauens therefore much lesse can vve vnderstand the glory of the invisible 4. By speaking to our soules in holy soliloquies saying Who is or vvhat is there in heauen or in earth that vve desire but thee o lord god Lastly by attending gods leasure as the Patriarches did Gen. 49.18 soe doe they daily vvaite for their saluation The life of this learning consists in practise Practice 1 First of greuance for it is a thousand greeuances to see the madnes of the vvorld that vvhen as god hath prepared vs a kingdome this kingdome is preached daiely vnto vs yet it is sleigthed neglected as if vve told thē tales of Virginia Iob. 4.19 2. Pet. 1.14 1. Pet. 2.11 or of the Bermuthaes vvhere they neuer meane to goe And for asmuch as vve knovve that vve dvvel here in houses of clay in tabernacles of earth are but strangers pilgrimes yet that vve should haue noe more desire to goe to our mansions to repaire to our tabernacle made vvithout hands to reside in our ovvne country is a straine of extreame madnes Practice 2 Secondly of contentation in vvhat estate or condition soeuer vve are either vvith Abraham dvvelling in tents Heb. 9.10 yet still to haue an eie to the land of promise or vvith Paule not to looke on the things that are seene 2. Co. 5.1.2 but to knovve that if this earthly tabernacle be destroyed vve shal be sure of a better made vvithout hands Practice 3 Thirdly of confutation of those hellish spirits that make hast vnto the kingdome of darknes For say preach vvhat the lord Iesus vvill in his holy Testamēt that they should purge and purifie themselues for the hope of this kingdome Hosh. 5.4 yea if Hoshea preach neuer soe earnestly yet the Spirit of vvhordome vvilbe in the middest of some Exod. 16.5 If Moses Aarō preach of this kingdome shevve Signes vvonders 2. Ti. 4.10 yet the spirit of gluttony vvill desire the flesh potts of Egipte if Paule preach neuer soe povverfully yet the spirit of coueteousnes vvill cause Demas to forsake him Matt. 5.22 imbrace this present vvorld the spirit of vvrath vvill call his brother Racha though he be in dainger of a counsell Eph. 4.29.30 the spirit of enuie vvill sell innocent Ioseph the spirit of lying of peruersnes peeuishnes vvill greeue the spirit of god vvith rebellion vvhat soeuer can be sayd to the cōtrary Practise 4 The fourth is of purgation vvhich directeth vs hovve vve may be cleansed laying dovvne this first as a ground that noe man shall see god vvithout a purgatory but this is noe popish foolish cōceite of purging after this life vvithout ground or vvarrant of the vvord but our invvard effectuall purging by baptisme the lavacre of regēeratiō the vvashing of the nevve birth by Christs passiō where in he hath vvashed vs in his bloud by the vvord vvhich maketh vs cleane Aquinas by grace vvhich purgeth vs from all our sinne by
doctrine vvhich cleereth vs from ignorance Practice 5 Fiftly of eleuation to bestovve our vvhole man in searching seeking to lift vp our selues both outvvardly invvardly to this kingdōe our eies to vvaite vvatch for it our eares to listen to gods counsells our hands to be lift vp in pure prayer our feete to stand in the gates of the lords house our soules to thirst after the the righteousnes of this kingdome for all christiā soules doe soe vvhose minds are illuminated vvith this knovvledge vvhose vvills the holy ghost hath moued vvhose desires are thereto sanctified Lilia terrae Ilia terrae Ludibria venti Yea those soules ouerlooke Baca Basan that is all crosses losses accompting the pleasures thereof to be but the lillies of the earth gold siluer but the garbage of the earth the fauors of great ones to be but as the turnings of the vnconstant vveather cockes Practice 6 Lastly the practise of this tends to motion that vve should vse the meanes to fitt our selues for this kingdome of heauen The first is our readines to be vvith our loynes girt our hart allvvaies vpon our treasure in heauen our earnest desire to be dissolued Psal 84.10 Secondly to loue the congregation of gods people to chose rather to be a dore keeper vvith Dauid then to be out of the congregation vvith Miriam the sister of Moses or to complayne in the great misery of Cain that vve are cast out from the face fauour of god Gen. 4.14 Thirdly to vveane our selues from the vvorld that our soules may be humbled as a vveaned child And lastly to dispose our selues for death that vvhen the lord calleth vve may say as Samuel sayd here I am lord as the spouse sayth Come lord Iesus Come quickly being thus disposed fitted made meete for this kingdome of heauen vve shall neither much feare our ovvne death vvhensoeuer it commeth or vvheresoeuer nor ouermuch lament the death of others for vve shal meete in this kingdome of heauen be blessed for euer in Christ our lord The fourth lesson If you aske me vvhere vnto this kingdome may be resembled my text tels you It is like vnto a man A kingdome resembled to a man There is reason for both A man is a little kingdome yea a little vvorld and the kingdome of heauen is prepared for man through the mercies of god by the merritts of the life death of one that vvas truly man albeit not a meere mā euen by Iesus Christ both god and mā vvho is blessed for euer This very resemblance that the kingdome of heauen should be resembled to a man shevves me this light That man in his Creation of God regeneration by the grace of God is the most perfecte modle of all Creatures but in his degeneration and falling from God is a most prodigious portentous monster and euen as hell it selfe Eccles 7.31 The preacher preacheth soe shevveth it in one vewe saying God made man righteous but he hath sought out many inventions The creation of man shevveth it For he vvas created in the image of god both in the dignity of his soueraingty in the proprieties of his person and also in the entitie of his subsistence Genes 1. In his soueraingty For as god is lord of all vvhatsoeuer so god made man the souerainge of all corporall things And as God is vvholy in the vniuerse and in euery part thereof so mans soule quickneth guideth moueth the vvhole body and euery part parcell thereof Man indede is the Epitome and sume of all things hauing being life sence and intellectuall faculties To noe other creature all those but to him only In the proprieties of personage a very resemblance of the diety For man is spirituall as he is a regenerate person The spirituall man discerneth all things saith Paule Invisible in his soule and impassible in the same by any outvvard things In a vvord there are three men in one man a carnall man a naturall man a spirituall man and all trulie one man In his entitie a very perfect resemblance of the trinity The trinity is three persons in one essence Mans cheefe entity hath three faculties in one soule Memory Vnderstanding Will. In vvhich vve may take a vevve of this perfecte modle in his state of regeneration In the Memory dvvells god the father Psal 100.3 Psa 104.27 For vve record him to haue giuen vs our first being Indeede he made vs and not vve our selues Secondly he giues vs temporallties to maintayne our being He giues vs our meate in due season Thirdlie he giues vs his sonne for our better being In vvhom vve haue measures of grace in this life and assurances of glory in the other life for our best being God the sonne dvvelleth in our vnderstanding by the knovvledge of our god and of our selues Psal 9. Of our god his majesty to feare of god his mercie to adore of our selues that vve might knovve our selues to be but men fraile men euery day ready to be dissolued vaine men lighter then vanity it selfe vile men vvorthy to be abhorred vvretched men euery vvay despicable vvicked men euery day to become penetentiaries God the holy ghost dvvells in the Will by bovving it to the obedience of god lavves soe affecting and cleansing it by the vvord that a regenerate man doth not only contemne all earthly things vvhich are combersome but also all delectable things yea and a mans ovvne selfe that he may enioy god The priuiledges of this regenerat man vvho can declare Doth he beleeue he hath eternall life Is he mercifull he is gods deare sonne Doth he heare the vvord he is the cozen the sister the mother of Christ Doth he pray he surpriseth gods maiesty as did Moses Ioh. 5.24 Matth. 5.7 Matth. 12.49.50 Doth he giue a cup of cold vvater he shal not lose his revvard In a vvord all other creatures move in a right line but a man moveth in a circular Mat. 10.42 Other creatures haue taken that perfection they haue in themselues man hath his perfection in god he came of one in that one he hath his being and to that one he must returne in his best and most happie being for euer Act. 17.22 Thus haue we all this vvhile bene ioyous in vevving the delectable things of paradise in seing the light of the land of Goshen in telling the bulvvarkes the cittadles tovvers of the heauenly Ierusalem in arriuing at the faire hauens and considering man in his perfection but novve vve must descend in to the vally of the children of hinnon to consider the darknes of Egipte to looke on the ruines of the holy citie and to see our vveather beaten barke shaken and ready to sinke vvith the boysterous blasts of Furoclydon yea novve vve must consider man in his degeneration as he is become a prodigious and portentous monster even as hell it selfe Practice 1
First by vvay of Demonstration For an vnregenerate man hath sought out many inventions First the vvay of invention of disobedience he had rather be at his ovvne direction then at gods and so is become a monstrous rebbel like Chore Dathan and Abyram vnvvorthey to breath vpon the earth Secondly the invention of doubting by putting in Paraduentures into the vvord as Euah did Genes 3. vvhich god neuer spoke Thirdly the invention of Presumption in plovving vpon gods backe and making long furrovves saying let him that made me saue me Fouerthly the invention of sleighting god euen in discourse of reason as the Ievves did in chosing Barrabas and refusing Christ Fiftly the invention of Dissimulation resembling the generation of those that are pure in their ovvne conceipte and are not cleansed from their vvickednes Sixtly the invention of Persvvasion of euill to others as if they had not sinne enough of their ovvne to ansvvere for but they must entice others also Lastly by the invention of shutting their eares and hardening their harts against vvhat soeuer they should heare from god or be persvvaded by good mē for their good resoluing desperatly to liue in the vvorld vvith an iorn arme to doe any violence for aduantage vvith an ants belly to liue neuer so basely for their profitt and vvith a dogs souls to doe any exployt neuer soe deuelishly soe they may haue their ovvne vvill Practice 2 The second passage is of Lamentation For is it not a thousand pitties to see him that vvas a man of god should become a man of bloud to invent gunns and torments to destroy his Species as did Bertholdus Schuuartz the Franciscan Frier Genes 4.8 To become a man of death to cause his ovvne hands to murther his ovvne brother as did Cain to become a sonne of Belial to sel himselfe to doe euill as did Ahab and to become a man of sinne as that great Archimandrites the Pope of Rome is Practice 3 The third passage is of Deiection Psal 49.12 Psal 59.20 For tvvice in one Psalme it is sayd Man being in honor vnderstood it not is compared vnto the beasts that perish To beasts in generall Paule fought vvith beasts at Ephesus Iere. 51.17 and Ieremy saith that euery man in his ovvne knovvledge is a veary beast To beasts in particular as to vipers Maith 3.7 Matt. 10.16 Luc. 13.32 Marc. 7.27 Matt. 16.12 Act. 13.10 1. Tim. 4.1 vvolues foxes hogs doggs Yea compared to devills Haue not I chosen you tvvelue one of you is a deuill sayth Christ And Paule tells Elimas the sorcerer that he vvas the child of the deuill yea vve read of doctrines of deuills deepenes of Sathan The fathers haue resembled men to beasts A man of goodlie parts vvithout discretion to the Estridge that hath goodlie feathers and canot flie as Job speaketh a man of enuy and despight studying reueng to a camell that forgetteth all things sauing a shrevvd turne a man that is apte for euill to a Dromedary that is svvift to batell Oh hovve lamentable a thing it is to consider that a man that vvas made in the image of god should novve be vvorse then the men vvith vvhom he liueth running to that excesse of royot vvhich other men doe not Worse then bird vvhich praise their creator in their kind vvorse then beasts vvhich vvil drinke no more but vvhat sufficeth vvorse then deuills that beleeue and tremble Practice 4 Lastly of Erection For my desire is that this sunneshine should not sett in so darke a cloud seing god hath sayd to man vvhich he sayd not to the angells that fell Shall man fall and shall not he rise shall man turne avvay shall nothe returne againe Lett vs therefore as the Apostell sayth quitt our selues like men vve are all of vs Ishbosheths sonns of shame When vve come into the vvorld our frends couer our shame vvith raggs and in the end vvhen vve goe out of the vvorld they doe the like All of vs are Mephibosheths lame on both leggs both in our loue to god and in our charity one to another We are all Lazarusses full of sores and lie begging at the gate of gods rich mercie Lett vs therefore remember our creator that as vve are men soe by gods grace vve may become ciuill men Christian men and the men of god by the mediation of the man IESUS CHRIST our lord god blessed for euer and by his merritts may obtaine this kingdome vvhich is resembled to man prepared for mā merited by that man vvhich kingdome he shal render vp in the end of all vvhen there shal be noe man lyving on the earth to god the father that god may be all in all Euen so lord Iesus The fift lesson But this kingdome is not resembled to euery man but vnto a marchant man The lesson then is That Marchants and Marchādizing are of god Marchāts not only in their creatiō but also in their vocation In their creation as they are men in their christiā vocatiō as they are Marchant mē It is noe smalle cōfort for a man to be assured and assertayned that his calling is of god It remaines therefore that you marchants vse this calling legally that god may blesse you it that you may be traders for this heauenly kingdome vvhich is resembled vnto you as you are marchant men The light of this appeares that marchants dizing is pretions vvith god First because it is for the magnificence of a kingdome that god vvould advance Secondly it is for the good of a people that god vvould blesse Thirdly it appeareth from the heauenly distribution of commodities in seuerall countries and places And lastly from the dispensation of deuine prouidence in all things For the first the kingdome of Solomon is recommended vpon record in gods booke as for other things so also for the magnificence of marchantdizing 2. Chron. 8.17.18 1. Reg. 10.22 Es 23.18 That he sent ships to Esion geber to Elod ioyned him selfe vvith Hiram king of Tyre vvith his marchants vvho brought gold from Ophir once in three yeare Againe it is a blessing pronoūced of Tyre that her marchantdizing vvages should be holy vnto the lord It shall not be laid vp nor kepte in store but her marchantdize shal be for them that dvvel before the lord to eate sufficiently and to haue durable clothing Thirdly god hath distributed his commodies seuerally one country hath not all commodities But the sea the earth those tvvo great caskets of gods treasuries are in seuerall places diuersly furinshed So that one country seemeth as it vvere the granary of the vvorld So Sicilie vvas called the granary of the Romane state Another the celler of the vvorld as the Canarie Ilands Another the orchard of the vvorld as Lombardy in Ittaly so acompted Another the Arcenall of the vvorlde as Russia Norvvay are esteemed espetially for cordage materialls of shipping In all vvhich the
THE MERCHANT REALL PREACHED BY VVILLIAM LOE Doctour of Diuinitie Chaplaine to the kings sacred maiestie and Pastour of the Englishe church of Merchants Adventurers residing at Hamboroughe in Saxonie MATTH 16.26 VVhat is a man profited if he shall purchase the vvhole vvorld lose his ovvne soule or vvhat shall a man giue in exchange for his soule Printed at Hamboroughe by PAULE LANG ANNO DOMINI 1620 To the right VVorshipfull SR. THOMAS LOVVE KNIGHT GOVERNOUR THE DEPUTIES ASSISTANTS AND GENERALITIE of that auncient much famous most vvorthy Companie of Merchants Adventurers residing at London Hamboroughe Middleborough else vvheresouer in the vvorld that trade for the other vvorld Grace Peace all prosperous successe in all their adventures both by sea land in CHRIST RIGHT vvorshipfull much endeered in the lord Promise is debt debt is due The dutie of my seruice the debt of my promise I novve make bold to tēder vnto you all The promise vvhich I made vnto you at London vvhere I began this taske by gods permission I haue finished at Hamboroughe novve tender performance Doct. Wilkenson It is not many yeares since that a learned Doctour of Divinitie vvho is novve vvhich god preaching in court at an honorable mariage out of the prouerbs The lord Hay his mariage She is like a Merchant shippe that bringeth her merchandize from a farre Prov. 31.14 called his sermon The marchant royall I haue the tearmed this THE MARCHANT REALL For that royaltie is vpheld by Realtie And vvise men vvishe ever rather to be Realls then Nominalls I could not conceaue in all the boke of god vvhere a marchant could bestovve his best thoughts better then vppon his ovvne character so lightsome for Edification so delightsome so liuely sett out by Christ himselfe for consolation VVherein every tittle is pretious every vvord a fullnes of matter every point pressing tovvard the marke the Period not only pointing to but putting you into possession of an eternal purchase In this purchase there is noe vvant but a vvonderfull fullnes of all royalty realty It is a mans greatnes to be greater then himselfe it is happines enough for a man to attaine his perfection at last VVere I a marchant did see heare Christ resembling his kingdome to my vocation I should conceaue veary highe thoughts purposes of resolution to attaine this pearle should beleeue that text punctually to concerne me For vvhat doe vve see here belovve but toyling turmoyling greeving vvishing hoping fearing vvearinesse yea vvretchednes in all VVhat doth the vvorld but besott vs vvith the loue of our ovvne trouble The godly knovve it is better to be vvise to god then happie in the vvorld And the reall Christian is euer limited euer avved vvith feare of excesse I knovve noe condition of mē more happie then Merchants Their veary youth is accompanied vvith many and many fold experiēced trialls both by sea and land vvhich may make them prudent Their mature age is blessed vvith a plentifull portion vvhich may make them thankfull their old age affordeth a very surplusage of marveilous fulnes vvhich may satisfie them In all this If they should build vp their tabernacle here sing a Requiē to themselues to their soules not to remember their eternall purchase vvhat can any man implead god for Solomons navie fetcht the gold of Ophir vvith the perill of a vvhole three yeares voyage but it vvas to build god an house a glorious house A blessed end Some that trauailed in that voyage brought home apes Peacockes A ridiculous Merchantdizing VVhat gaine vve for all our travaile labour if vve find not this Pearle but derision from god daunger in our liues noe good memoriall after vve are gone hence VVho is so foolish to loue the vvorld that breeds nothing but sorrovve Let them tell me that haue experience of manyfold occurrences in the vvorld vvhat find they in it but a smyling deceipt Not vnlike to the bee that haue hony in the mouth a sting in the tayle But vvhy doe vve desire so much Only to keepe it That is a most base thing If vve vvill Lay vp vvhere can vve repose our treasure more secure then in CHRIST treasury VVhat richer purchase then a kingdome The attaynement vvhereof I haue endeuored in this treatise The Pearle is Christ in heauen Charity on earth The one the obiect the other the effecte of faith The one the practice of this life The other the full possession of eternall life If euer you vvill vnite minds in vnitie you must take avvay all discord in Religion Then the vvhich nothing is so strong to vnite nothing so forcible to disseuer disvnite if it be in discord The distraction of minds causeth destruction of estates Can you loke for true seruice of your Apprētices or for carefull trust of your factors vvho that loue not your order IN ORDINE AD DEUM No assure your selues You heare not vvhat they doe Neither shall you knovve Their harts are alienated so are their actions their intendments their purposes Vnite them once in Religion They are yours absolute present or absent sleeping or vvaking by sea or by land Oh vvhat miserable distractions haue falne out by disasters in religion Nay about the robes apparell of the same Hovve can you thinke god should blesse Your negotiations vvith successe vvhen the minds of yours of vvhom you haue a tender care are rent a sunder Beleeue me I haue euer conceaued that the trade of Marchantdizing requires a vvhole man And this man must be a marchant Shall he not be reall Reall he cannot be to man that is not so to god Hovve can he be a faithfull seruant to his earthly master in his accompt that cares not vvhat audite he makes to his heauenly master Assuredly as he beleeues not in the one so he sleights the other There is a broode of fooles vvho like Shemei vvhile they seeke their servāts that is Riches lose their soules VVhat are else all false harted seruants factors vvho care not to lose this pearle vvith the price of their soules so they may attayne pealse It is a thousād pitties to see so many honest harts so miserably distressed in forraine parts vvith more thē lamētable disagreements of folly factiō Either part stryving strugling by all manner of meanes they can deuise to offend infest the other vvhiles in the Interim they neglecte their trades their trusts spend their dayes in miserable garboyles All that I can say for my selfe vvherefore I haue made this treatise speake novve in a dead letter that vvhich before vvas deliuered by the voice of a lyving man is only a desire of doing good If I doe seeme to any man Prodigall of my little yet this honest ambition you see vvill not suffer my one talent or if it be but a part of one to rust in the earth If this Discourse
of Merchants and Merchandizing be not so curiously hādled as the fulnes of the subiecte requireth yet let my endeered affections vnto you all make amends for the manifold defectes hereof It is that my vveakenes could afford It is the issue of noe curious brayne but I hope the symptome of an honest hart If from hence you vvould be pleased to dravve a Paralel of the cares trauailes perills aduentures you make here not for an earthly kingdome but for to attayne some modell of moderate liuely hoode And compare those labours vvith these you take for heauē you vvould easily see vvhat defecte there is I leaue that to your ovvne practice purpose shall euer pray to almighty god to make you all most happie in your selues by being reall Merchants for your ovvne soules happie in your seruants factors that may be reall in your trades trusts god make you prosperous in all your legall aduentures both by sea land To vvhose blessed guydance and sauing mercies I recommend you all resting Yours all in all respectfull duty observance VV. LOE Matth. 13. verse 45.46 Againe the Kingdome of heauen is like vnto a marchant man seeking goodly pearles who when he had found one pearle of great price he went sold all that he had bought it The Proëme BLessed beloued in the Lord JESUS Mine enterance into this text I made at London before those of your most vvorthy companie that are your carefull masters Creditors of your trusts your louing brethren Masters to seruants creditors of trusts to factors brethren both of companie of communion Of companie as you are all marchants Adventurers of communion as you are all orthodoxe Christians Mine enterance vnto you here is vvas both ciuill honest First by free election of your ovvne fellovvshipe Secondly by approbation of the state vvhence I came Thirdly by recommendation of his sacred majestie vnder his ovvne hand vvho pleased to grace me his vnvvorthy seruāt vvith his Royall letters of the most reuerēd Archebishope of Cāterbury who patriarchally tendered your peace Fourthly vvith attestatiō from the famous Vniversitie of Oxford vnder their seale from the Cathedrall Church vvhere I haue bene a mēber tvvo tvventy yeares one of the masters seuenteene yeares Thus from others had I enterance of vvhose recommēdations I acknovvledge my selfe most vnvvorthy Concerning my selfe I demurred after mine election a vvhole yeare halfe begged of god to resolue me touching my coming vnto you novve being come I doe protest in the sight of god his holy angells that I come not vnto you vvith any Italionated hart of implacabillity that cannot be appeased nor vvith any Hispaniolized hart of Iesuited nouelty nor vvith a Frenchified hart of singularitie nor yet vvith a Dutchified hart of neutrality all vvhich I speake not as of any nationall disgrace for the finest cambrick may haue many fretts frayes but I am come vvith a good an honest Englishe hart of Orrthodoxe Catholike syncerity Of the professors vvhereof there are tvvo mayne sorts vvhich I haue obserued in the Christian vvorld both of them striuing strugling for purity but in a differēt dissonant māner The one are seeming Puritans altogether led by faction Puritans in Actiō Puritans in Factiō The other are reall Puritans to vvhom all things are pure altogether busie in honest Actiō Puritans in factiō are all Papists Anabaptists Brovvnists Separatists all singularists vvhatsoeuer Tit. 1.15 sectaries vvhosoeuer that are merely nominalls Puritans in Action are all the pure in hart Matth. 5.8 vvho see god in his vvord in his vvorkes vvhile they are in this vvorld shall see him in the other vvorld in his displayed glory in the beatificall vision of Iesus Christ our blessed sauiour Into this blessed vision doe I desire to bring you Masters mortalls my louing countrymen blessed beloued in the lord Iesus And this text doth seeme punctually praecisely to point you Marchants out Wherein you may First see the Object of your pure faith Diuision vvhich S. Peter Calls the end of faith the end of euery thinge vvise men doe respect in all things this maine Obiect or end is the Kingdome of heauen euen euerlasting life the Catastrophe of your Apostolike Creede Secondly the resemblance specified in the text is the Word of your pure faith or the manner hovv you may be vvorded vnto this blessed end of your faith the Kingdome of heauen It only remayneth both for you me to beg of our god the spirit of faith vvhich vvill lead vs to this end guid vs into all truth by this meanes to the atchiuement of our blessed end If therefore there be here amongst you any one present of a regall royall disposition 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is a kingdome for him or if there be any of a celestiall cōceipte here is the kingdome of heauen for him vvhich is more If any be curious to knovve vvhat this kingdome is like I vvill tell him It is like saith my text to a Mā 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Indeed for mā it vvas prepared by the merritts of the life death of a true man although not a meere man Iesus Christ both god man And it is like to a marchant mā vvhich vvord you ought to listē vnto for albeit euery Marchant is a mā yet euery mā is not a Marchāt Hovvbeit reall Marchāts principally in all their negotiations affaires doe not only attend but intēd this that so by any meanes they may attayne vnto it 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And not only to a Marchant man is this kingdome resembled but to a Marchant man that is a Ievveller For it is the most pretious Marchant-dizing in the vvorld to trade for this kingdome Moreouer it is not resembled only to a Marchant-man that is a Ievveller but to such a Marchant Ievveller that hath endovvments of grace As first dilligence to seeke 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 secondly Iudgment to chose thirdly Constancie to perseuere seeking vntill he find fouerthly skil to knovve vvhen he hath founde Lastly resolution both of readines to prosecute then contempt of the vvorld to abandon thirdly of full persvvasion to settle his hart Lastly of purchase to enioy that one only Ievvell of peareles priceles vvorth to vvit Christ in heauen Charity on earth the one apprehended by the acte of pure faith the other comprehended by the pure effecte of the same In comparison vvhereof ten thousand millions of vvorlds all the pearls that might be therein are not of any
may driue a vvay disasters diseases tempests mortall sinnes Moreouer vvhat 's a gentelman but his pleasure For this shopp of profitt vvere nothing vvorth vnlesse they had a shopp of pleasure vvithall For profitt vvithout pleasure is sordid base Therefore these cunning marchants haue deuises to make their greatnes merry Their shopp of pleasure For first they take great pleasure in the peoples ignorance And to this purpose they sett it dovvne positiuely for an haynous offence to haue a bible or leturgie praiers in a knovven tongue And noemareuell vvhen they haue a professed sort of friers vvho tearme themselues Foliain or friers ignorant And vvhen Bellarmine their Attlas shall euidently affirme that the faith of a Christian may better be defined by ignorance then by knovveldge Secondly they take great pleasure in traducing the scriptures For they render the vvord Repent that is say they vvhip your selues or goe a pilgrimage to Loretto in Italy or to Sickem Hallas in Flandres To beare the crosse of Christ is as they tell the people to carry a siluer or golden crosse in their capes You are the lighte of the vvorld saith the scripture that is say they vve must light tapers in churches in the day time And PATER NOSTER in popery is latine for a paire of beades And because Christ sayd Be like vnto children Therefore say they our friers doe vveare covvles like vnto childrens first biggins Thirdly they sport themselues to see hovve they can serue all commers all customers and please euery humour If they be stately minded vvhat is more pompous then the papacie If they be of a base humor vvhat is more sordid then the Capucini Foliani If they be melancholly vvho more retyred then the Hermits Anachorits If they be Epicures Abbots shall entertayne them If they be vvanton some fevve dayes before the Carniuall it is lavvfull in Rome for a man to vse his pleasure any vvay vvithout controule And that vvhich I admire aboue all the mixe composition of their doings And for the Pope to take vpon him to vvash the feete of the poore in humility yet to cause the kings of the earth to kisse his feete in extreame arrogancie vvith one the same bull to giue take avvay kingdomes And to call himselfe the seruant of seruants yet to suffer bookes to come out vvith this title to gods viceroy Paule the fist that novve is pope And adde to these the povver that they challenge to remitt sinnes the opinion of Transubstantiation vvhereof Bessaeus the French kings Almoner sayd vnto the Prince of Condie thus Ioshua comanded the creature to stand still in the firmament but the popish preests command the creator in the sacrament As also adde herevnto auricular confession vvith the punishment and absolutioÌ„ thereof espetially that of Robert the NormaÌ„d duke surpasseth all ciuillty humanity Lastly the vvorkes of supererogatioÌ„ or rather the vvorkes of superarrogation vvhere in they say the Ethnickes meritt of congruity The faithfull Layiques of condignity but the Cleriques are of an extrordinary straine for they meritt for themselus their neighbours A thing not hard of of the patriarchies Prophets Apostels O the vvit of man among popelings Papists Iesuits Tell me novve deare _____ contrymen masters _____ mortalls Is it not a lamentable thing for vs in this glorious suneshine of the vvord to see the spirit of god so greeued the pure light of the gospell so obscured may not vve cry out vvith Dauid It is tyme for thee lord to sett to thy hand for they haue destroyed thy lavve But leaving these antichristiaÌ„ Marchants I returne to you vvith a charge euen to euery one of you that if any of you haue a robe a diamoÌ„d a horse acknowledge it to be the kings as Mordicai did Est 6.8 that is the king of kings not yours And let noÌ„e of you enquire curiouslie as did the Israelits of the Manna saying Man hu vvhat is this Neither let any of you sacrifice to your owne nett Habac. 1.16 1. Reg. 3.26 or burne in cense to your ovvne yearne or be of a vvhorish disposition as the harlot spake to Solomon let it be deuided meaning the liue child so you must take care not to share vvith god in your vvealth as partly attributing the encrease thereof to gods blessing your paines taking But learne to speake as the man after gods ovvne hart doth absolutly disclayming your ovvne selues say Not vnto vs lord not vnto vs but to thee thy name be rendred the praise the honor the glory for euer The fift lesson For this kingdome of heauen is not resembled to euery marchant but to a marchaÌ„t Ievveller so sayth my text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The kingdome of heauen is like vnto a marchant maÌ„ that sought goodly pearles The learning vvhereof is this That Marchandizing for pretious vvares is lawfull he that seeketh the kingdome of heauen is rightly resembled to such a MarchaÌ„t that seeketh pretious not vile things that indeede is a Marchant Ieweller The light of this appeares from paradise For there vvas the Bdelium Gen. 2.12 the onix stone for mans delight before his fall euen in his inocency In the breastplate of Aron there vvas sixe pretious stoÌ„es on the one side Exo. 28.10 sixe on the other God shevving herein the pretious accoÌ„pte he made of his people And for the fabrique of the Temple Dauid prepared vvith all his povver for the house of god gold for vessels of gold 1. Chr. 29.2 siluer for vessels of siluer brasse for things of brasse yron for things of yorn vvood for things of vvood onix stones stones to be set carbuncle stones of diuers colours all pretious stones marble stones in abundance 2. Chro. 32.27 The right of this appeares from a regall state Hezekiah also had exceding much riches honour he gate him treasures of siluer of gold of pretious stones From a regall banquet The hangings vvere of vvhite Est 1.6 greene blevv clothes fastened vvith cords of fine linnen purple in siluer rings pillars of marble The beds vvere of gold of siluer vpon a pauement of porphyre marble alabaster blevv colour And froÌ„ a patriarchall marriage Gen. 24.53 Then the seruant of Abraham tooke forth siluer ievvels of gold raiment gaue to Rebekah Moreouer the kingdome of heauen is rightly resembled to a Ievveller seing god himselfe vvill haue is ovvne those things that he haue prepared for his ovvne to be signified by pretious stones His ovvne in the breastplate of iugdment Exo. 28.17 There must be fovver rovves consisting of threes In the first rovve a sardius a topaze a carbuncle in the second an emâ—raud a saphir a diamond in the third a ligure an achate an hematite in the fourth a Chrisolite
an Onix a Jasper And all this to shevve hovve pretious his children are both in life death in his sight Right deare in the sight of the lord is the death of his saincts saith the Psalmist Psal 116. If their death be pretious their life much more The things prepared for his are resembled to pretious stones For in the description of the heauenly Jerusalem in the Reuelation by the Devine Apoc. 21.21 it is sayd that the foundation of the vvall vvas of all manner of pretious stones as of Jasper Saphir Calcedon of the Emeraude Sardoinx Sardius of the Chrisolite Beryl Topas of the Chrisoprasus Iacinth Amathyst The right of reason shevves this For god hath put more povver and beautie in stones that haue only being then in other Creatures that haue being sence reason Whereby he shevveth to vs his povver to snib controule our pride For vvhat beauty is so bright as the diamōd vvhat roseall hevve so amiable as the Corall vvhat skill haue any phisitiā so povverfull in medicine to cure as are many pretious stones Secondly god confirmeth herein the doctrine of election reprobation for as of stones so of mankind some are vile some are pretious And on the other side the rarest ievvells haue not that vertue as the loadstōe vvhich for lustre in respecte of other stones is but vile despicable Wherein vve may see that vvhen the most vile meanest things are taken into the hand of god vvhat rare vvonderfull effects he can bring to passe by them In a vvord all pretious stones procede from one and the selfesame matter vvhich is the earth yet see vvhat great difference there it betvveene the vile the pretious betvveene the currant counterfaite Euen so among the sonnes of men all are made of the one the same matter Yett vvhat difference there is betvvixt man man of the same mould betvveene brother brother of the same bloud euen asmuch as betvveene Simon Magus Simon Peter Cephas Caiphas Judas the traytor Jude the apostle yea vvhat differēce is in one mā vvhē god takes him into his hand as of a persecuting Saule to make him a preaching Paull Practice 1 The vse of this is first of Demonstration vvhat manner of persons they are that truly build tovvards heauen Paull telleth vs that if vve build not vpon the foundation that is Christ pretious stones vve shall suffer losse 1. Cor. 3.12 Those therefore that are true builders are reall Marchant ievvellers For the grace of god doth so much prevaile vvith them Psal 1. 1. Ioh. 3.3 that they become Jaspers greene florishing in good vvorkes Saphires purging themselues of Epidemicall diseases for the hope of heauē Calcedons curing fantasticall delusions all Enthusiasmes Anabaptismes the like fancies Carbūcles healing the falling sicknes of falling into the vvaters of coueteousnes Zanch. de oper Dei fires of contention Sardonixes as composed of two natures mortall spirituall by the one humbled by the other lifted vp Sardiusses in reioycing the hart for vvho can be more merry thē he that serues god Chrisolits driuing avvay agues both hott cold for the feare of god is the bath of sinners curing them of chilling cold of base idelnes the flaming heat of intemperat Zeale Beryls by kindling fire against the sunne the Zeale of the sonne of god euen eating them vp Apoc. 12.1 Topasses curing Lunacies trampling all sublunary things vnder their feete Chrysoprases shyning more in the night then in the light holding out the light of the truth against all the darknes of this vvorld Hyacinths hauing armore of profe against lightning for they are as innocent as doues therefore god vvill not hurt them Lastly Amatysts enioying quiet sleepe For god giueth his beloued sleepe in this life their death is as a very svveet repose rest in sleepe Practice 2 The second practice is of Information from the name generation production of pretious stones The name of them pretious for god knovves all his by their names The generation of pretious stones is rare euen from the devve of heauen in the mother of pearle the regeneration of gods children rare euen of the symle of heauen the grace of god in the bosome of their mother the church The production of pretious stones vvonderfull from the veines of the earth from the deapth of the sea from the bodies of vncleane creatures The renovation of gods children wonderfull from the dusty durty thoughts of the earth from the sleepenes of Sathan from the bodies of vvicked parents come eftimes good children Practice 3 The third of Detection for there are certaine pretious stones vvhich are transparent only soe are gods children like Nathaniell vvho vvas so translucēt that Christ pronunceth of him that in him there vvas noe guile Some are duske not transparent such a countefaite vvas Demas vvho shyned for a tyme but in the tyme of tentation fell avvay some are mixt vvhich are partly duske partly transparent Such are they that vveare Linsy vvoolsy in their garments plough vvith an oxe an asse changing their religion vvith William Rufus according to their profittable reason But all these may easily be knovven the true from the counterfait euen as pretious stones are by three manner of vvaies By the touch by the sight by the file If they be counterfaite touch them deale vvith them their dealing vvilbe as rough as Esaues hands albeit their voice be as oylie as Iacobs Looke vpon them not a good vvorke shall you see but their good vvorkes are as invisible as the holy ghost Try them vvith the file they vvill not abide the tryall but in the tyme of temptation fley avvay as the svvallous doe in vvinter Practice 4 Lastly of motion all pretious stones come of the earth their common parent but by the devve of heauen influence of coelestiall bodies doe become pure pretious Soe all gods children are all by nature from the earth earthly but by the loue of the god of heauen their father by the vnspeakable benefitt of the sonnes sufferings by the all powerfull operatiō of the holy ghost they are not by the will of mā but according to the purpose of the will of god rēewed becōe pure pretious from out all their contagion euill in the end shall suffer noe losse in their tryall For they as pretious stones are built vpon the euerlasting foundation Iesus Christ by vvhom they are conveyed to the heauenly building shall remayne in the heauenly Ierusalem vvith god for euer The sixt lesson Moreouer the Marchant to vvhom this kingdome is resēbled is not a Ievveller of ordinary Ievvells but one that seeketh goodly pearles so that hence vve learne That the high vvay to this kingdome of heauē is goodnes the studie of Goodnes is the Christian reall Marchants practice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
idle companion but one that Seeketh goodly pearles So then the learning of this is That The life of a reall christian Marchandizing soule that trads for heauen is not secure sluggish but full of dillegence search seruice The light of this appeares from gods lampe First in seeking him by the contemplation of his vvorkes The invisible things of him that is Rom. 1.20 his eternall povver godhead are seene by the creation of the vvorld being considered in his vvorkes to the intent that they should be vvithout excuse In the mirror of his vvord for soe vve are enioyned Io. 5.39.40 Search the scriptures for in them yea thinke ye haue eternall life they are they vvhich testifie of me And yee vvill not come to me that ye might haue life yea in this life to seeke a glimpse of his glory that is to seeke his face Psal 24.6 This is the generatioÌ„ of them that seeke him euen of them that seeke thy face o Jacob. Secondly by questioning hovve vvhat vve may doe to find him as did the young prince in the gosple Good master vvhat good thing shall I doe Matt. 19.16 that I may haue eternall life As the people publicaâ— â—ouldiers did The people asked him saying vvhat shall vve doe then The publicans came sayd vvhat shall vve doe Luc. 3.10 ibid. 12. ibid. 14. The souldiers likevvise demaunded of him saying vvhat shall vve doe As the Ievves did What shall vve doe that vve might vvorke the vvorkes of god Io. 6.28 Act 16.30 And as the Iaylor did Sirs vvhat must I doe to be saued Thirdly in requiring Christ Iesus the prince of this kingdome of heauen if vve haue lost him at any tyme by our negligence euill We must seeke him in our beds in the streets vve must aske after him of the vvatchmen yea of all rather then not find him as the spouse did Gant 3.1.2 3.4 For a liuely conscience vvill not be at quiett vntill it hath found her beloued Therefore the godlie vvill Seeke him in the first place according to the direction of Christ Seeke ye first the kingdome of god his righteousnes all things shal be added vnto you Seeke him vvith sorrovve if need be as Ioseph the virgen did Christ Mat. 6 3â— Seeke him in the graue vvith Mary Magdalen Seeke him aboue as Paule exhorteth Seeke him in distresses as Dauid Luc. 2.48 Ioh. 20.15 Col. 3.1.2.3 Psal 32.3 Psal 38.8 Rom. 8.36 Seeke him in faintings sighings roarings Yea in vtmost extremities and torments though vve are killed all the day long Yea albeit shame cover vs albeit vve turne our backes vpon our enimies become as sheepe for the slaughter are made a byvvord of them that are round about vs Psal 44.10 yea albeit vve are smitteÌ„ into the place of dragons into the shadovve of death yet vve vvill neuer forgett to seeke after thee o god sayth Dauid Psal 119.25 In a vvord albeit our bovvells cleane eueÌ„ vnto the graue our vearie soules vnto the dust as Dauid speakes that vve vvere made the filth ofscouring of all things 1. Câ— 4.9 〈◊〉 become a galing stocke to men angells as Paule sayth Yet a reall Christian soule hath resolued vvith Iob to Seeke god in trust though god kill him And a reall christian soule hath reason for it First from gods promise Matth. 7. â— Matt. 18 11. that he that thus Seekes god in Christ shal assuredly find him Secondly vvhen vve seeke him in vveakenes he seeketh saueth vs in povver And hovve should not a religious soule Seeke him vvho vvipes avvay all teares from our eies vvho putts an end to all our troubles Hovve can vve chose but seeke him vvhose face fauour turneth all sorrovves of this vvorld to solace Yea vvhom to seeke is to liue saith Amos. Amos. 5.4 Practice 1 The life of this learning is first of direction that he vvho seeketh god must first forsake him selfe as they that are indebted being not able of themselues to pay seeke helpe assistance from others Secondly he that seeketh god must thirst after righteousnes in gods mercie in Christ his merritts the desirable viands of a Christian soule Thirdly he must goe the right vvay vvhich is traced out vnto him in the bloud of Christ For if vve seeke him othervvise by pilgrimages to Loretto Compostella Shichim Hallas and the like or by trust in our ovvne vvorkes vvhich are but markes not causes of our saluation the vvay to this kingdome not the cause of our raigning vve faile fall in our seeking For in all such vnvvarrantable courses it is impossible to find him because vve seeke him not in faith Practice 2 The second is of Encouragment For great revvards are promised vnto all diligent seekers for first he gratiously offers himselfe vnto all such for their exceding great revvard beholdeth them coming tovvards him a farre off meets them by his preventing grace as the tender harted father did his prodigall sonne So gratious is not the fauour of princes or great ones in the vvorld Luc. 15.20 For gods maiesty stoopeth dovvne herein to our misery Secondly heshevves them exeding fauours For his eies are vpon the righteous to doe them good his eares are open to their prayers Thirdly he blesseth them vvith the testimonies of his loue vvith the principalls Psal 34.15 of paradise the appurtenances of happines vvith the testimonies of his loue in quieting their consciences vvith assurances of remission of their sinnes in this life as the pledge earnest of his spirit vvith the assured rest of glory in the vvorld to tome With principalles or paradise as namely vvith the continuall banquet of a good conscience vvith the ioy of the spirit Lastly vvith the appurtenances of happines as hauing a proportion of estate or contentment in this life as a parcell of that eternall portion in the other life Practice 3 The Third is of Caution First to remoue all impediments that hinder vs in seeking after our god as Mockery contempt of the vvord such like vvhich commonlie doe accompanie them that looke tovvards heauen But god vvill reuenge himselfe on them that hate him ye he vvil lift vp his hand to heauen sayth he vvill liue for euer If he vvhets his glittering sword his hand take hold on iudgmeÌ„t he vvil render vengance to his enemies vvil revvard them that hate him He vvil make his arrovves drunke vvith bloud Deu. 32.40.41.42 his svvord shall deuoure flesh that vvith the bloud of the slaine of the captiues from the begining of the reuenges vpon the enemie Nay saith the Psalmist he hath bent his bovve vvhet his svvord made it ready against the faces of them that seeke him not Take heed therefore that in noe case you giue sell your selues over as Ahab did to
Coll. 3.6 children of disobedience children of iniquity vvho vvill sell the righteous for siluer Am. 2.6 Hosh. 10.9 Ioh. 12.36 Rom. 9.8 Matth. 8 1â— the poore for shoues yea they vvill transgresse for a crust of bread But there are children of light children of promise children of the kingdome these hauing god to their father CHRIST to their brother the angells to their guard the creaturs to their seruants the holy ghost to their assurer enioy all things 1. Cor. 3.22 for all things are theirs they are CHRISTS CHRIST is gods Practice 3 The third vse is of caution Here see vvhat S. James saith vnto you Goe to novve ye that say to day â—am 4.13.14.15.16.17 or to morrovv vve vvill goe into such a city continue there a yeare buy sell get gaine vvhereas ye knovve not vvhat shal be on the morrovv For vvhat is your life It is euen a vapour that appeareth for a little time then vanisheth avvay For that ye ought to say â—if the lord vvill vve shall liue or doe this or that But novve ye reioyce in your boastings all such reioycing is euill Therefore to him that knovveth to doe good doth it not to him it is sinne And further that blessed apostle saith to the secure vvordlings Goe to novve ye rich men vveepe hovvle for your miseries that shall come vpon you Iam. 5.1.2.3 Your riches are corrupted your garments motheaten your siluer gold is cankered the rust of them shal be a vvitnesse against you shall eate your flesh as it vvere fire yee haue heaped treasures together for the last dayes Practice 4 The last practice is of motion The Egiptians sold houses lands possessions to buy them earthly bread vvhat should not vve sell to buy our heauenly Manna Make frends therefore of the vnrighteous Mammon that you may be receaued in to euerlasting habitations But if you vvill vvith Iudas sell Christ neither for god nor goodnes sell Deut. 32.30 or giue any thing then knovve that god vvill sell you Hovve els should one chase a thousand tvvo put ten thousand to flight except their Rocke had sold them the lord had shut them vp Esai 50.1 Therefore saith the lord vvhere is the bill of your mothers diuorcement vvhom I haue put avvay or vvhich of my creditors is it to vvhom I haue sold you Behold for your iniquity haue you sold your selues for your transgressions is your mother put avvay Psal 44 1â— And Dauid complaines that vvhen god is angry vvith a people he sells them for nought Ioel. 3.1 takes noe mony for them And Ioel saith that they haue cast lots for my people haue giuen a boy for a harlot solde a girle for vvine that they might drinke Thus you see this noble marchant reall chooseth rather to sell then to be sold that so he might purchase the price of his redemption The fourtenth lesson Yea this marchant is so resolute that he is not only ready to goe vvith Christ contemne the vvorld but also is fully persvvaded to sell ALL. He is noe Agrippa to be persvvaded almost to become a Christian He is noe Athan to â—oord vp a vvedge of gold a Babylonish garment Nor a Saul to spare Agag the best things But he being come to the full persvvasion of his faith selleth all Whence the doctrine is That they vvhich once come to the full persvvasion of their faith doe willingly consecrate themselues all they haue as holy heauenly reasonable seasonable vvhole burnt offerings to god in Christ Iesus This is cleare first by the degrees of sauing faith For the first degree of faith is a ground vvorke vpon vvhich vve build a trust and confident affiance Hebr. 11.1 Then vve proceed to a reuerend boldnes hauing an aduocate vvith the father Iesus Christ our lord 2. Cor. 3.12 Phil. 3.3 vvho is our master of requests in heauen And vpon these premises vve come to a full persvvasion at the last 1. Ioh. 2.1 conclude vvith Abraham in a full absolute persvvasion of faith that god is able of stones to raise vp children Hence is our harts filled vvith solace our minds vvith rest our mouths vvith praise hovve soeuer the lord deales vvith vs. Exo. â—9 18 Secondly this appeares from the mystery or figure of the vvhole burnt sacrifice For vvhether it vvere a ramme or a lambe it must be tendered ALL. When Abraham vvas to offer vp Isaac it vvas not a legg or a limme an eie or a hand could serue the turne but ALL. Thirdly from euangellicall righteousnes vvhich must exceed Mat. 5.20 surpasse pharisaicall or ells vve shall neuer enter into the kingdome of heauen Which righteousnes is seene First in contrition of humility by forsaking our selues Matth. 26.24 â— Cor. 7.31 Mar. 10.25 euen all our selues by vsing the vvorld as if vve vsed it not euen all the vvorld by vntvvyning the cable euen ALL the cable that so it may goe through the eie of a needle Matth. 3. Fides fiduciae Secondly this euangellicall rightiousnes issueth froÌ„ faith of assurance that god is able to raise vp children of stones they that haue him for their assuerer are assured by their trust in the lord to stand fast as mount Sion for euer Psal 125.1 Thirdly this righteousnes produceth invocation in holy deuotion Reu. 3.17 Not as the church of Laodicea doth in the Reuelation saying I am rich vvant nothing but as Christ hath taught vs to pray hovv rich soeuer vve are Giue vs our bread for the day Mat. 6. For vvhat is our ALL if god giue not a blessing to euery peece parcell thereof vpon vvhich premisses vve conclude First by questioning vvhat shall seperate vs from the loue of god resolue at at last that nothing shal be able to doe it hovvsoeuer vve are assalted either vvith things aboue vs Rom. 8.35 39. or vvith vs or beneath vs to vvithdravve vs from it The reason of this appeares first from an apostollical question 1. Cor. 4.7 What hast thou that thou hast not receaued Hast thou gold siluer Haggai tells thee It is none of thine Hast thou heards of cattle in thousands Hag. 2. â— the Psalmist vvill tell thee they are the lords Psal 50.10 Hast thou had riches novve hast not The preacher vvill tell thee that god is the ocean from vvhence they ebe Ecc. 1.7 flovve Secondly from a diabollicall suggestion For the deuill could say ALL this vvill I giue then vvhen he had nothing to giue But gods children acknovvledge no such donor Neither doe they conceal the author of their vvealth vvith Esau nor the phisition of their health vvith the nine vnthankfull leapers nor gase gape vpon vvhat they haue as the Israelits did vpon their Manna