of the soule (f) Basil in exhor ad Baptis Iud. 16. Wherefore they that will dominere ouer the Church of God and kéepe the vulgar sort in such awe as to leade them whither they list as the Philistimes led Sampson after their pleasure when they had shauen his haire and puld out his eyes though otherwise he were strong and big Ioh. 12.35 For he that walketh in the darke knoweth not whither he goeth and they that will neither themselues teach the people nor permit them to reade the scripture that they may teach themselues these must appropriate those places to themselues Matt. 23.13 Woe vnto them that shut vp the kingdome of Heauen before men neither going in themselues nor suffering them that would enter Deut. 27.18 Matt. 15.14 to come in And cursed be he that maketh the blinde to goe out of the way And If the blinde leade the blinde both shall fall into the ditch And where there is like people like Priest Isai 24.1.2 the Lord maketh the earth emptie and turneth it vpside downe and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof And Isai 30.10.11.12.13.14 where there is a rebellious people that will not heare the lawe of the Lord Which say vnto the Seers see not and to the Prophets prophesie not vnto vs right things but speake flattering things vnto vs prophesie errors depart out of the way goe aside out of the path cause the holy one of Israel to cease from vs Thus saith the holy one of Israel because you haue cast off this word and trust in violence and wickednes and stay thereupon therefore this iniquitie shall be to you as a breach that falleth or a swelling in a high wall whose breaking commeth suddenly in a moment And the breaking thereof is like a potters pot which is broken without pittie and in the breaking thereof is not found a sheard to take fire out of the hearth or to take water out of the pit Secondly let vs sée 2. How the word must be heard how the word of God must be heard When meate is conueyed into the stomach euery member and part of the bodie receiues his nourishment and conuerts the sustenance into his owne nature for example that which the liuer receiues is turned all into blood that which the gall receiues is turned all into choller that which the lungs receiue is turned all into fleame and that which the breasts receiue is turned all into milke Chrys hom 38. in Matt. So when the Ministers of the Church speake the word all doe receiue it vnusquisque autem conuertit illud secundum cor suum but euery one doth conuert it according to his owne heart So as one and the selfesame word in good hearts proceedes to life in peruerse hearts it bréedes anger like choller in some it workes loue like swéete milke and in other some it breedes hatred like bitter gall Theodoritus de curatione infidelium Graecerum ser 5. It is commonly experimented that it is the nature of the loade-stone to suffer any matter and substance to lye quiet except yron but to hale or drawe yron to it and sometimes to pull it vp aloft and to cause it to hang there not staied or propped by any thing or bound aboue by any linke or band but onely by an hidden force and vertue not seene of man Euen another such thing euery one that giues héede thereunto may marke in the preaching of the word of God For the greatest part of people will encline the eare vnto it yet onely the faithfull are delighted therewith and drawne after it when for all that vnder them appeares no comfort of worldly felicitie neither is there séene any band by which they are tied from aboue but onely it is by the operation and efficacie of Gods spirit that secretly frameth the motions of our hearts Saint Augustine hath a most excellent saying quicquid loquimur in Dei nomine In Psal 98. quoniâ—m Dei est per nos loquentis imber Dei est vidâ—te vos qualis terra sitis whatsoeuer we speake in the name of God because it is the word of God that speakes by vs it is the showre of God looke you to it what kinde of soyle you are For when the raine fals on the earth if it be good ground it yéeldes good fruit if it be ill ground it brings foorth thornes yet is the raine comfortable both on the fruits and on the thornes He that heares the word and becomes worse and by watring bringeth foorth thornes let him not accuse the raine but looke to be burnt But he that is bettered thereby and brings foorth good fruit out of his good ground let him commend the raine and assure himselfe that his fruit shall be laied vp in the garner of heauen And what is all this but that which our Sauiour plainely expresseth by the séede Matt. 13. which being sowne fell diuersely some by the way side some vpon stonie ground some among thornes and some in good ground the foules deuoured vp that which fell by the way side that which fell on stonie ground withered away for want of depth of earth that which fell among thornes was choaked and that onely fructified which fell in good ground Out of which words who is so simple that he cannot gather that the greater part receiue the word vnprofitably Some haue open hearts to lodge and harbour all ill affections and desires like the common way some are wrapped and tangled in worldly cares as with thornes some are soone ripe soone rotten spring vp quickly and wither quickly because they want déepenes of roote like corne sowne on stonie ground Therefore if the séede shall spéede well it must be sowne in good ground And what is this good ground The chiefest and skilfullest manurer and husbander of the heart doth shew Luk. 8.15 That which fell in good ground saith Christ are they which with an honest and good heart heare the word and kéepe it and bring foorth fruit with patience First then there must be an honest and good heart honest in the outward shew and good in the inward qualities and gifts which not onely séemeth such a one but is such a one indéed The Poet saith Sincerum nisi vas quodcunque infundis acescet If the vessell be not cleane whatsoeuer thou powrest into it it doth léese his sauour If we put a drop of honie into a great vessell full of vineger the honie is lost and the vineger still remaines eagre So where a man lies in wickednes preach the word vnto him the word is fruitles and his sinne abideth When a showre distils on a stone Chrys the stone sweates without but it is drie within because the moysture cannot piecce it The worldly and vnregenerate person is like the hard and drie stone onely the sound of the word beates vpon his carnall eares but nothing descendeth into his heart Psal 25.14 For the secrets
of the Lord are with them that feare him and he will not admit the sinfull soule into the mysteries contained in his holy word If we will haue our hearing of the word to prosper we must remoue the curtaine of wickednes from our hearts 2. Cor. 3.15 else we shall heare without profite as the Iewes reade the lawe and vnderstand it not because the vaile is not taken from them If we will be rightly instructed and sanctified by hearing the word and bring foorth acceptable fruit we must breake vp the fallowe ground Ier. 4.4 and not sowe among thornes for if the good séede fall among thornie sinnes that naturally sprout and spring vp in vs they will choake all the good plants of holy doctrine that are graffed in our hearts If we will approach néere to God by hearing the word we must not bring a prophane and a wicked heart Leu. 10.3 as Nadab and â—bihu offered strange fire before the Lord for God will be honored in them that drawe nigh vnto him If we will growe in grace by our entrance into the Lords house we must looke to our feete how much more to our hearts when we come thither Matt. 22.11 and we must not thrust into the marriage feast not arraied in the marriage robe that is we must not presume to heare the word of God with a polluted vncleane and vnsanctified heart An honest and vertuous heart rinsed and clensed from the dregs of iniquitie makes vs chéerefull and forward and desirous to heare the word of God And as hunger is the best sawe for meate so the desire of the word is the best motiue and prouocation to the hearing thereof and where that desire is there the words of the Psalmist shall be heard How swéete are thy promises vnto my mouth Psal 119.103 yea more then hony vnto my mouth To be hungry for meate declares good health of bodie so to long for the word of God Hom. 2. in Isai argueth good constitution of soule saith Saint Chrysostome And why doe many get so little good by hearing It is because the honest and good heart is not in them that brings foorth the true desire of hearing When Diogenes was repelled of â—nâ—sthâ—nes he put his head vnder his staffe and said beate me Laerâ— l. 6. as long as thou wilt for thou shalt finde no staffe so hard that may driue me away from thee as long as thou speakest any thing that I may learne If our desire of diuine wisedome were answerable to Diâ—genes his desire of humane wisedome no labour no paines no busines should plucke vs backe from hearing of the word But therefore doe we neglect to heare because we desire not to heare and therefore we desire not to heare because we know not the true benefite of hearing and haue not the good heart that should excite vs to séeke it out For as the things which we behold a far off are represented bigger to our view then they are indéed and those things seeme big which are néere vnto vs so to a sinner that loues earthly things all things pertaining to God because they are farre from his eye and the whole knowledge of diuine matters appeares small contemptible and the ioyes commodities only of this world séeme fairer desirable because they are néere to his eye from this blindnes proposterous iudgement springs that difference betwéene corporall foode set on the table and spirituall foode deliuered in preaching For when we are inuited to a banquet we doe not refuâ—e as if we wanted not meate but when we are inuited to heare the word we oftentimes refuse as if we néeded no preaching When we sit at table we would gladly be serued with the best meate and care not before whom the course meate be set but in hearing the word as in the reprehension of some vice that chiefely makes for the soules health we remoue the best from vs and shift it off to other saying this toucheth him or him not me When we sit at table we would be first but when we shall heare the word we care not if we be last When we sit at table scarce any banquet séemes too long but when we heare the word almost euery sermon is tedious Lastly at table we eate often and almost daily the same foode without disdaine but in hearing the word we can scarse heare one spéech twise vttered without loathing And what is the cause of all this but for that our stomackes are queasie and our appetites decaied towards heauenly things Wherefore as the blinde Bartimaeus cast away his cloake Mar. 10. â—0 when he should come to Christ to receiue his sight of bodie so we must cast off our rags of sinne when we come to the word to receiue knowledge and our inward sight of minde For the feare of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge Pro. 1.7 Gods graces will not come to the heart nor remaine in the heart that is not clensed from wickednes if we will haue Christ to teach vs Mar. 4.34 as he expounded all things to his disciples apart we must also goe apart from iniquitie and the loue of the things of the world and we must earnestly beg that honest and good heart of him that seeth and ruleth all hearts that our soules being made vndefiled Virgines Reu. 14.3 may sing the Virgines song which none can learne but such as sing it Next we must heare and kéepe and retaine the word in our hearts that it may dwell in vs plenteously He that puts bread or any other meate into his mouth first chewes it and then conuaies it into his stomack so when we haue heard Gods word we must meditate on that we haue heard and we must consider what was spoken and how it was spoken and to what purpose it was spoken There is much adoe to kéepe the word when it is heard for the flesh and the diuell fight against the Spirit that séekes by the preaching of the word to be a new ghest in our soules 2. King 9.20 But as Iehu was knowne by his furious marching so an honest and good heart is knowne by zeale and earnestnes to finish a good purpose in hearing and keeping Gods word that it may dwell in vs. And as Iaakob when he wrestled with the Angell said I will not let thee goe Gen. 32.26 except thou blesse me so a true Israelite will say when he heares the word I will sixe it in my heart and I will not let it depart till it reforme my minde and bring foorth fruit Neither auailes it ought to heare the word except the heart kéepe it and faith engraue it deepely in the soule What did it profit Adam Gen. 3.11 to heare the commandement to abstaine from the trée of knowledge of good and euill when he neither beléeued nor kept it What did it profite Loâ—s wife to heare that commandement Gen. 19.17 Escape
heareth and kéepeth will bring foorth none other thing then that it teacheth and deliuereth Faith in Christ amendment of former life knowledge of God loue to God and man are preached and sowne and where there is the honest and good heart and these things are heard kept and dwell there these things spring growe and flourish God required the Israelites Deut. 31.12 to gather the people together men and women and children the strangers that were within their gates that they might heare and that they might learne and feare the Lord their God and kéepe and obserue all the words of his law Hearing and learning and fearing the Lord goeth before and then kéeping and obseruing the words of the law commeth after For God commaunded Moses to teach his ordinances and lawes to the people Deut. 6.1.2 that they might doe them and feare the Lord and doe all that was commanded Therefore when the Israelites would promise an absolute and entire worship of God Deut. 5.27 they said that they would heare all that the Lord God should say vnto them Isa 29 13.15.1â— and doe it For they that come neere to God with their mouth and honour him with their lips but haue their hart remooued from him and doe not feare him in their workes are cursed though they séeke deepe to hide their counsell from the Lord and doe their workes in darkenes and say Who seeth vs and who knoweth vs their turning of deuises shall not be estéemed more then the potters clay for shall the worke say of him that made it He made me not or the thing formed say of him that fashioned it He had none vnderstanding That is for all their craft they shall not be able to escape Gods hands no more then the clay that is in the potters haÌ„ds hath power to deliuer it selfe When Christ gaue coÌ„mission to his Apostles to goe and teach all nations and to baptise Matt. 28.20 he ads how they should teach theÌ„ teaching them saith he to obserue all things whatsoeuer I haue commaunded you Iam. â— 22 Ro. 1.13 We must not only be hearers of the law deceiuing our selues but also doers of the law for not the hearers of the lawe are righteous before God but the doers of the law shall be iustified We must not onely professe good things but practise good things for if we knowe what is good Iob. 13.17 Luk. 12.47 yet we are blessed if we doe it and the seruant that knoweth his maisters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes We must be good trées that doe not onely beare leaues and blossomes Luk. 6.44.46 but also bring forth good fruit in due season otherwise Christ will say vnto vs Why call ye me Lord Lord and doe not the things that I speake We must not deale with the scripture in performance as the Papists deale with it in exposition calling it a nose of waxe that is we must not make it serue our wils affections beléeuing what is promised but not doing what is coÌ„manded Idle boies sometimes strike fire out of the fâ—int not to kindle a fire but to sée how the sparkles flye out praising and admiring sometimes these sometimes those sparkles putting no fewell or substance that may fire a flame so many hearers more curious then Christian bring their vnderstanding as a flint to the preachers voyce which is like the stryking stéele onely to heare how oratoriously and eloquently he speakes and not putting thereunto the fewell of their desire that it may be kindled to vertue and good workes When they haue heard many preachers they will say He is learned another is eloquent this man is copious that man is swift in vtterance Therefore a Sermon to them is like a Musicall songe wherein the voyce of the singer is commended but the subiect of the sonnet is not considered And it often fals out that as when Musicke sounds by night in the stréetes a man may rise out of his bed to heare it but assoone as it is ended he goeth to his bed againe and sléepes as erewhiles he did so many worldly couetous proud and voluptuous persons when the Sermon is heard they profite nothing therby but carrie home the same minds which they brought foorth and lye downe againe to sléepe securely in the bed of iniquitie But if we will haue the word of Christ to dwell in vs and be profitable hearers we must heare with an honest and good heart and we must heare and kéepe and bring foorth fruit And how must we bring foorth fruit with patience For the chiefest fruit that comes of the right receiuing of the word of God is the propagation thereof vnto others also that being freed from Sathans tyrannie they may be made citizens of Christs kingdome This cannot be done in the world without crosses aduersities and persecutions Therefore we must haue patience for without patience this principall fruit of the word cannot be yéelded foorth 2. Tim. 2.12 forasmuch as all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution This caused the Apostle to say Ro. 2.7 that the way to euerlasting life is patience in well doing he saies not well doing and no more but patience in well doing because without patience we can hardly doe any good 2. Cor. 6.4 This caused him to reckon Patience for the first vertue that must alwaies be in a good Minister of the word howsoeuer other vertues may not alwaies be in him nor without exception vnles it be according to the affection of the minde This caused him to say Heb. 10.36 That we haue néede of patience that after we haue done the will of God we may receiue the promise This caused Christ when he had foretold many and bitter calamities of the professors of his name to conclude the spéech with this Luk. 21.19 By your patience possesse your soules as though he had said when you are pressed with miseries on euery side it will be hard for you to possesse your soules except ye be valiant couragious and beare vp manfully by patience for Vertue without patience is a Widowe Patience can turne reproaches into ioy infirmities into glorie tribulations into gladnes for it made the Apostles to goe away ioyfully Act. 5.41 for that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for the name of Christ and it caused Paul to take pleasure in his infirmities 2. Cor. 12.10 Hab. 2.4 Heb. 11.1 Rom. â— 25 Patience is the life of the righteous for the righteous liueth by his faith and faith is the ground of things which are hoped for and hope is propped vp by patience for hoping for that we see not we do with patience abide for it therefore the righteous liue by their patience Patience encreaseth the reward of weldoing and therefore Chrysostome well weighing the force of Pauls words 1. Cor. 3. â— where he saith Euery man shall receiue his wages
eares that they should not heare yea they made their hearts as an adamant stone least they should heare the law and the words which the Lord of hoasts sent in his spirit by the ministerie of the Prophets There is no stone so hard as the Diamond yet the disobedient were as hard as the Diamond Let not vs Christians equall their hardnesse and let not vs be found harder then the Diamond so that the spéech of an auncient Father may be appropriated to vs when hee sayes that the Diamond though most hard Cyp. de dâ—p martyriâ— yet it is mollified and maistered with the blood of an hee Goate but that we doe not east aside our hardnesse nor as yet are softened by the blood of Christ who was the true scape goate Leu. 16.21 shadowed out in the types of the olde sacrifices vpon which Aaron was to put his hands and to confesse ouer him all the iniquities and trespasses and sinnes of the children of Israel and to send him away by the hand of a man appointed into the wildernesse and which was a true figure of Iesus Christ that beareth the sinnes of the people Moses strake the rocke with his rod Isai 53.4 Psal 78 2â—.2 and the waters gushed out so let the remembrance of Christes sufferings and the infinite benefites that wee receiue thereby pierce our hearts and draw forth teares of true repentance and of amendment of life Psal 78.8.9.10.11 For as the Israelites were a rebellious generation a generation that fet not their heart aright and whose spirit was not faithfull to GOD and the children of Ephraim being armed and shooting with the bowe turned backe in the day of battell and kept not the couenant of God but refused to walke in his law because they forgot his Acts and his wonderfull workes that hée had shewed them so what truer reason can be giuen of rebellion against Gods ordinances but our forgetting of Gods incomprehensible loue Rom. 8.32 Ioh. 3.16 who spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him for vs all to death and that so loued the world that hée gaue his onely begotten Sonne that whoseuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Shall wee so long exhilerate and encourage our spirituall foes by wallowing in the filthinesse of sinne and giue them occasion to say in their hearts O our soules reioyce Psa 35.25 wee haue deuoured them And shall wée not by our conuersion procure ioy to the holy Angels of GOD Luk. 15.7 that reioyce more for one sinner that conuerteth then for ninety and nine iust men that neede none amendment of life Let vs dash the young children of Babylon against the stones that is Psa 137.9 let vs destroy the broode of sinne in the cradle and infancie before it wholly possesse vs and let vs spéedily driue away the tentations and enticements to wickednes that wee may say with the man of God Psâ—l 18.37.38 We haue pursued our enemies and taken them and haue not turned againe till we haue consumed them â—e haue wounded them and they were not able to rise they are fallen vnder our feete Let vs beware how sinne take roote in vs for as inueterate maladies of the body craue long and sharpe curing and as cloath often and deepely dipped in the fatte hardly or neuer leeseth his colour so the inâ—eterate vices of the soule are not easily remooued and the corruption of the minde that becomes an habite cannot be washed away without much adoe Ier. 3.23 Can the blacke Moore change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may they also doe good that are accustomed to euill saith the Lord by his holy Prophet Let vs breake the bands of Sathan and escape out of his snare wherin he would hold vs at his pleasure and let vs not suffer him to deale with vs as the childe deales with the bird which he tieth with a threede by the foote permitting it sometimes to skip fréely but then pulling it backe when it thinkes to escape so let not Sathan tie vs by the vse and custome of iniquitie that though we séeme likely sometimes to flie from him yet he may drawe vs backe because we are fettered in the traps of sinne Let vs auoid and shun the baite of wickednes with the warie fish least if we swallow downe the baite the hooke also catch vs and then our ghostly Enemie leade vs hither and thither as the fisher drawes and carries the ensnared fish according as himselfe desireth At a word 〈◊〉 not the tumults of our sinfull desires breede in vs a spirituall deafeneâ— that we cannot heare the distinct and piercing sound of the word of God that doth admonish vs Heb. 12.1 To cast away euery thing that prâ—sseth downe and the sinne that hangeth so fast on as the dwellers by some places of the Riuer Nâ—us in Egypt Cic. in sâ—m Scip. called Catadupae can heare no sound because they haue gotten a deafenes by the continual rumbling of the Riuer that rusheth downe from high mountaines but let vs beseech God to open our eares both inwardly and outwardly that we may abandon vngodlines learne to doe well and pray vnfainedly vnto the Lord Psal 69.14.15.16 that he would deliuer vs out of the mire that we sinke not and that he would deliuer vs from them that hate vs and from the déepe waters and that the water floud may not drawe vs nor the deepe swallowe vs vp nor the pit shut her mouth vpon vs and that the Lord would heare vs For his louing â—iâ—dnes is good and turne vnto vs according to the multitude of his tender mercies Contrarily to them that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse to them that haue taken vp the crosse of Christ and follow him to them that sigh vnder the burthen of iniquitie to them that are desirous to remooue hence and to dwell with the Lord to them that loue prayer the word and all good workes this spéech of the Apostle is to be proposed Let vs not be wearie of well doing for in due season we shall reape if we faint not Hast thou begun to renounce sinne and to embrace righteousnesse Let not the old Prouerbe be verified of thee 2 Pet. 2.20.21.22 The Dogge is returned to his owne vomite and the Sow that was washed to the wallowing in the miâ—e For if thou after thou hast escaped from the filthinesse of the world through the acknowledging of the Lord and of the Sauiour Iesus Christ art yet entangled therein and ouercome the latter end is worse then the beginning for it had béene better for thée not to haue acknowledged the way of righteousnesse then after thou hast acknowledged it to turne from the holy commaundement giuen vnto thée As the Scripture doeth witnesse that Christ should not surcease in the progresse of Mediatorship Math. 12.20 Luk. 1.74 75. till â—ee brought iudgement into victorie that is till hee shewed
Ethnick Democritus apud Sen. de prou we must account them wretched that haue neuer bene wretchâ—d Et nihil infalirius eo cui nihil aduênit vnquam aduersi that he is most vnhappie that was neuer crost with any aduersitie How can the godly be wretched in their afflictions since God our mercifull father doth so guide and moderate them that they cannot exceede that measure which he prescribeth nor transgresse the limits and bounds which he prefixeth Chrys hom 4. de diuers We sée the Musitian neither to straine the string that it should breake nor to slacken the string that it should marre the melodie but to wrest it temperately that the tune may be proportionable so God bestowes vpon vs neither continuall prosperitie nor continuall aduersitie but according to his endles wisedome he dealeth with vs so as neither continuall prosperitie may make vs slothfull nor continuall aduersitie make vs dismayed It is not still winter nor still summer it is not stil teÌ„pestuous weather nor still calme weather it is not still night nor still day so tribulation shall be but it shall not be alwaies Art thou beaten with the stormes of winter be of good comfort there will come a spring Art thou thronged in the rough bushes of calamitie and trouble be not daunted there growes some wholesome hearbe in those hard briars Art thou pursued by the swelling surges of aduersitie take courage to thée for though the flouds rage horribly yet the Lord commaunds the seas and windes and they obey and though the waues swell fearefully yet God hath limited them their bounds and hath said thus farre you shall come and no further For it is he that mittigateth our miseries asswageth our griefes either by taking of them away vtterly or by assisting and comforting of vs in our distresse most fatherly The Israelites were straightly enrounded hauing before them the red sea behind them their enemies the Egyptians on either side mountaines so that considering their imminent perill they said to Moses Hast thou brought vs to die in the wildernes because there were no graues in Egypt But what was the answere of Moses and what deliuerance did the Lord promise and performe Feare ye not saith Moses Exod. 14.11.13.14 stand still and behold the saluation of the Lord which he will shew to you this day for the Egyptians whom ye haue seene this day ye shall neuer see them againe the Lord shall fight for you this day therefore hold you your peace Act. 12. When Peter slept betwéene two souldiours bound with two chaines and the kéepers before the doore kept the prison what way could the vnderstanding of man espie for his escaping yet the Angell of God did wonderfully deliuer him so as for the present Peter himselfe knew not that it was true which was done of the Angell but thought he had séene a vision Euen so when we are in perplexitie and can sée no way to passe out yet if we faithfully trust in God and zealously call vpon him he will giue an issue and euasion for our escaping and deliuer vs out of daunger as out of the lyons mouth and shake all feare from our hearts as the chaines fell off from Peters hands For why 2. Cor. 1.10 God hath deliuered his children from great daungers and doth deliuer them and will deliuer those that trust in him 2. Tim. 4.17.18 God will assist and strengthen them and deliuer them from euery euill worke and will preserue them vnto his heauenly kingdome 2. Pet. 2.9 God knoweth to deliuer the godly out oftentation as he deliuered iust Lot vexed with the vncleanely conuersation and vnlawfull déeds of the wicked and God the author of all grace 1. Pet. 5.10 which hath called vs to eternall glorie by Christ Iesus after that we haue suffered a little while will make vs persit confirme strengthen and stablish vs. And the Apostle may well say that we suffer but a little while for how can our suffrings belong in so short a life Psal 90.5.6 â—0 13.14.1â— Man groweth vp like grasse which in the morning flourisheth and groweth but in the euening it is cut downe and withereth for our daies passe away as a thought the time of our life is thréescore yéeres and tenne if men be of strength fourescore yeeres yet their strength is but labour and sorrow for it is cut off quickly and we flee away Therefore we must hope that the Lord will returne and be pacified towards his seruants and fill vs with his mercie that we may reioyce and be glad all our daies and that he will comfort vs according to the daies that he hath afflicted vs and according to the yeeres that we haue séene euill Wherefore when Dâ—uâ—â— had said of himselfe out of his owne experience that when he had sought the Lord he was heard and deliuered out of all his feare he infers generally the Angell of the Lord pitcheth round about them that feare him Psal 31.7.8.15.17.18.19.20 and deliuereth them taste and sée how good and gratious the Lord is the eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous and his eares are open vnto their crie the righteous crie and the Lord heareth them and deliuereth them out of all their troubles The Lord is néere vnto them that are of a contrite hart Psalm 94.12.13.14 and will saue such as be afflicted in spirite Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth him out of them all He keepeth all his bones not one of them is broken Blessed therefore is the man whom the Lord chastiseth and teacheth in his Law that he may giue him rest from the dayes of euill whiles the pitte is digged for the wicked Surely the Lord will not faile his people neither will he forsake his inheritance If then God doe deliuer his children out of their afflictions Pathémata Mathémata Aduersitie may be called an Vniuersitie and Schoole of the holie Ghost where we are instructed to pray earnestly and to the Lorde alone And that wee should be the readier to pray God hath commanded vs to repaire and flée to him in our distresse and promised that wee shall be heard Psal 50.5 Call vpon mee in the day of trouble So will I deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie mee And to whome should we pray but to the Lord God that féedeth his Flocke like a Shepheard and gathereth the Lambs with his arme Isay 40.11 12.15.22.23.29.30.31 and carrieth them in his bosome and guideth them with young who hath measured the waters with his fist counted heauen with the span and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the Mountaines in a weight and the Hills in a ballance Behold the Nations are as a drop of a bucket and are counted as the dust of the ballance Behold he taketh away the Isles as a little dust hee sitteth vpon the circle of the earth and the
should goe out at them aboue all other I submissely implore your fauour for the acceptation and patronizing of my slender trauell beseechching you not to be displeased that I haue beene emboldned to dedicate this simple worke vnto you I was prouoked by your zeale to pure and vndefiled religioÌ„ by your vnpartiall regard of Iustice by your feruent affection to benefit your Countrey and by your loue to Learning and the learned which vertues as they are infused into you by the Author of all sincere vertue so they seeme in you to be hereditarie and deriued and transfused from your gracious Progenitors by these things I was prouoked to yeeld this testimony of your deserts as a consenting harmonie and generall applause of the multitude And thus praying the Lord to multiply and continue his mercies vpon you and yours I humble commend this declaration of my reuerent and due conceit of your worthines vnto your selfe and your selfe vnto the Almightie Your Worships in all dutifulnes to be commaunded ROB WOLCOMBE THE SEEKING OF HEAVEN Matt. 6.33 But seeke ye first the kingdome of God and his righteousnes and all these things shall be ministred vnto you I It is the dutie of a sincere teacher of the will word of God Ier. 1.10 2. Cor 10.4 first to plucke vp iniquitie and to roote out vngodlines to destroy sinne to throwe downe the strong holdes of Sathan and then to build pietie and to plant the feare of the Lord. For as we see that thornes must be first pulled vp before good séede can be dispearsed with gaine and profit so none can apply their mindes to vertue before they lay aside the contrarie and repugnant vices Ier. 4.3 Isai 1.16 Psal 34.15 Therefore the Prophets exhorting sinners to repentance haue said that we must plough vp our fallow ground and not sowe vpon thornes and we must cease to doe euill and learne to doe well and we must decline from euill and doe that which is good The same order is obserued by Christ the true publisher of Gods pleasure For when he had sufficiently dehorted from anxietie and carefull pensiuenes touching earthly things as meate drinke and raiment namely because it hinders the seruice of God drawes vs to the seruice of Mâ—â—â—mo that is of worldly wealth and because it is foolish and superfluous for God will giue foode and raiment to his children for he that hath giuen life which is the greater will giue foode and raiment which is the lesser he that féedes the fowles of the heauen that neither sowe nor reape will he not féede his seruants that both sowe and reape he that cloathes the lillies that labour not nor spin will he not cloath his children that doe both these and when he had shewed both that this carefulnes is troublesome and profits nothing for who by carking can adde one cubite to his stature and that this anxietie pertaines to the Gentiles and Ethnicks which are ignorant of God and strangers from Christian religion and therefore ought to be far from vs that are Christians and doe acknowledge God to be our mercifull God and father When Christ had by these reasons disswaded from pensiue carefulnes now in these words he exhortes to godlines vertue and righteousnes saying But seeke ye first the kingdome of God and his righteousnes and all these things shall be ministred vnto you In which words there are contained two things the first is an exhortation in these words But seeke ye fâ—rst the kingdome of God and his righteousnes the second is a reason of the exhortation in these words And all these things shall be ministred vnto you We are exhorted to seeke principally and before all other things the kingdome of God and Gods righteousnes And what is the kingdome of God It is the kingdome of grace in this life wheÌ„ Gods holy spirit swaies and rules in our hearts doeth so transforme and alter vs that of enemies of God we are reconciled vnto him For we are by nature strangers from God and the commonwealth of Israel and replenished with all vncleannes and iniquitie Ioh. 3.5 Matt. 3.11 and the spirit of God and his grace is water to purifie our pollution and fire to burne away our drosse and rust and oyle to supple and soften our hardnes and the seede of godlines 1. Io. 2.20 1. Io. 3.9 Luk. 11.20 froÌ„ which our soules growe vp into faire and goodly trees in whose branches vertues and good workes make their nests and dwelling places and the finger of God that engraues in our hearts the will and commandement of God and obedience vnto the same Luk 1.32 In this kingdome of grace Christ Iesus is the King and high Lord appoynted by his father to rule and gouerne it In this kingdome of grace the Subiects are the faithfull whom Christ hath redeemed with his death and set â—ree from the tyrannie of Sathan In this kingdome of grace the lawes are the word of God wherein all things are commaunded that belong both to the humble seruice and obedience of that supreme King and to the concord of the Subiects and citizens In this kingdome of grace all things are spirituall namely the King himselfe his glorie power Subiects lawes reward and punishment of Rebels And therefore Christ saith to Pilate Ioh. 18.36 my kingdome is not of this world For Christ requires no such thing of his Subiects as earthly kings are wont to aske but contrarily he doth continually enrich them with his owne gifts and spirituall riches he makes all his Subiects partakers of his kingly dignitie which earthly Kings cannot doe he doth not onely commaund as other Kings doe but also giues vs his owne spirit which puts power into vs whereby we are made able to yéeld our humble and dutifull obedience to his commaundements Finally all other kingdomes are subiect to alteration change but this kingdome of grace is inuincible and shall endure vntill the last comming of Christ This is the kingdome that our Sauiour bids vs to séeke first and chiefly and therefore let vs all pray that we may be Subiects thereof For grace is the balme to cure the sores and sicknesses of our soules grace is the directer of our thoughts spéeches and works in the awe of God as the rudder rules the ship grace is the garment and robe that couers and clothes our naturall defects and imperfections grace is the celestiall influence that makes our minds to spring foorth into godly actions as the raine that drops from heauen bréedes fertilitie in the earth grace is the swéetner of our workes which are otherwise bitter and vnsauorie as they issue from our corrupt wels as Eliâ—haes salt cured the bitter and venemous water of the citie Iericho 1. King 2. And what can be more fitly said of grace then that Saint Austin hath said Tract in Iohan. 41. As the Physitian hates the infirmitie of the Patient and workes by curing
foolish in respect of the idlenes which they imagined in God because before the world was created God had greater things in himselfe wherein to worke then were the creation and gouernment of the world namely the ConteÌ„plation of his owne diuine Essence his infinite Loue the communication of the diuine persons and the election of them that shall inherite heaueÌ„ and yet it séemed to shewe some wisedome in that they did so much detest idlenesse as that they thought it did not become God If it become not God that néeds nothing how much lesse becomes it men that are of themselues most néedie and doe pray continually euen for daily bread S. Paul held idlenes so damnable a fault that he coÌ„mands the idle person to be restrained from meate 2. Thess 5.10 Herodd 2. For thus he writes to the ThessaloniaÌ„s When we were with you this we warned you of that if there were anie which would not work that he shuld not eate Amasis King of the Aegyptians made this Lawe that euerie one of his Subiects should shew yéerely to the Gouernors of his prouinces by what meanes he liued and that he that did not this or could not shewe by what lawfull courses hee liued should be put to death Socrates and Draco brought the same law into the citie of Athens Sabell l. 6. ca. â— and the highest Court and counsell of the Areopagites partly established it And at Florence in Italie at this day the idle persons are grieuously punished and if anie being asked whence hee gets his Dyet and cloathes cannot yéelde a probable reason hée is either sorely punished or else bannished out of the Citie as a pernitious member The Gymnosophists who were the wise men of India did so farre detest loytering that when meete was set on the table they did first aske of the young men what they had learned or done after they rose in the morning and he that gaue no fitte answer was debarred of his dinner And they buried Loyterers that had done nothing in their life as if they had not liued at all no otherwise then brute beasts are buried Among the Romanes he that did not looke well to his fielde but suffered the bryars and mosse to ouergrowe it And hée that did not proyne his Trées vynes had a Fyne set on his head by the Censor Among the Anabathaej they were heauily amerced that did by negligence and sloath diminish that Wealth which their fathers had left them Among the Lucanj who in olde time inhabited part of Italie men were Indited as well for Idlenes as for other crimes and if any were conuicted for lending any thing to any that liued in idlenes and pleasure it was decreed that he should léese that he had lent But what should the ordinaÌ„ces of other Nations be rehearsed Wée haue as necessarie and laudable Statutes enacted against Vagrant persons sturdie Beggers and Loyterers as anie couÌ„trey euer had or now hath and if readie execution which is the vigor and soule of the Lawe were answerable to the strictnes goodnes of the Law and if the Lawe in this case were not oftentimes as a sword hiddeÌ„ in a scabberd hée that should inueigh against Idlenes Loytering shuld but set vp a man of straw to fight wtall It appéereth then by the Word of GOD by the course of Nature by the censure of Philosophers by the Lawes of Heathenish nations and by the Decrees of all well-gouerned Kingdoms that Idlenes is a most odious sin and therfore to be shunned abandoned from euery honest well disposed person Wherefore if Magistrates Officers shall foreslacke to administer iudgement iustice shall deale corruptly partially in their places and shall not punish the offendor and giue reward and encouragement to the well-doer they must be content to haue this spéech of the Householder applyed to theÌ„ Why stand ye here all the day idle If Ministers and Shepheards of soules shall not regard to féede the flockes ouer which the holy Ghost hath made theÌ„ ouerseers but shall suffer the wolfe to scatter and teare the shéepe whome CHRIST hath raunsomed redéemed with his precious bloud they must be content to haue this sâ—éech of the Householder applied to them Why stand yee here all the day idle If those that are adorned with wisedome vnderstaÌ„ding experience other profitable gifts doe not exercise them to Gods glorie and the good of humane societie but do shut them vp as close prisoners vnder loâ—ke or as rare iewels in a boxe they must be content to haue this spéech of the housholder applied to them Why stand yee here all the day idle If the rich in this world be not rich in God in good works and doe not endeuor to lay vp a sure foundation against the time to come but doe trust in vncertain riches and set their harts on them forgetting the necessity and penurie of such as desire but the crummes of their superfluities they must be content to haue this spéech of the Householder applied to them Why stand yee heere all the day idle If Artificers craftesmen that haue no other meanes but the labor of their hands by which they may maintaine theÌ„selues their families delight in loytering and waÌ„dering vp downe the stréetes and in haunting Tauerns Alehouses and in carouzing bouzing so long till they spend all their thrift and leaue thereby either their sicknes or their old-age or their children or all these to bee relieued by the compassion of others whereas if they would learne of the Pismiâ—e they might rather bee helpfull then burthensome to their neighbors and if hirelings and day-labourers make no conscieÌ„ce to discharge their dutie but worke negligently not regarding the charges prouision bestowed vpon them they must be content to haue this speech of the householder applied to them Why staÌ„d ye here all the day idle If the ignorant in the mysteries of Christs religion do either disdaine to be instructed or refuse to be admonished or procéede verie little in knowledge or stand at a staie as vnfruitfull hearers though they beare the world in hand that they are sauorers of the word of God and Gospell of Christ by diligent frequenting the Church and attending to the word read or preached they must be content to haue this spéech of the householder applied to them Why stand ye heere all the day idle If the swearer blasphemer drunkard adulterer enuious and malitious person or any other addicted to some one or other spirituall sinne doe stop their eares with the deafe adder as that they will not heare the voyce of the charmer charme he neuer so skilfully and doe harden their hearts like a diamond that the words of exhortation cannot enter and doe cast reproofe behind their backs putting ouer their amendment and conuersion from yeare to yeare from moneth to moneth and from day to day till the wrath of God suddenly ouertake them béeing like those
the rags of impietie before God and that reprooues other for that he doth himselfe There is a kind of rotten wood and some skales of fishes that glimmer in the night and yeeld foorth not a true but a seeming light so hypocrites haue an appearing light of vertue but no substance thereof and they ambitiously affect an opinion of vertue more by iudging and controlling of other then by reforming themselues Epiphan in â—ysiologo It is written of the foxe that he faines himselfe dead when he comes among birdes and pulterie but when he sees them come neere vnto him he suddenly praies on them so the hypocrite like one dead to the world and a man mortâ—fied and a shéepe led to the slaughter conuerseth among the harmeles so long Matt. 3.7 till he get some occasion of calumniating biting and reprehending This is Iohn Baptists generation of Vipers that inwardly nourish poyson but outwardly hisse foorth a kinde of zeale If we be desirous to see hypocrisie exemplified in true performance let vs consider Esai 7.10 how Ahaz being commaunded to aske a signe of the Lord for his deliuerance from the furious wrath of Rezin the King of Aram and Rekah Remaliahs sonne that for a time were as smoking fire-brands but should quickly be quenched and how he fained that he would not tempt God nor offend him by requiring a signe though indeed he regarded not how much he greeued the Lord let vs consider 1. King 14.2 how couertly Ieroboams wife disguised her selfe when she went to Ahijah the prophet to aske what should become of her sonne that was sicke Amos 7.12 how smoothingly Amaziah perswaded Amos the Prophet to flee into the land of Iudah and to liue and prophecie there but not to prophecie in Bethel because it was the Kings chappell the Kings court how cunningly Gehazi counterfaited 2. King 5.22 both with Naaman to get a reward and with Elisha his Maister at his returne as though he had gone no whither Ezra 4.2 let vs consider how the enemies of the Iewes beyond the Riuer came colourably vnto them as though they would haue aided them in the building of the Temple whereas indéed they hindred it by their possible endeuour accused the Iewes of wickednes and rebellion and wrote letters to Artaxerxes for the staie and stopping of the worke Neh. 6.2 and how Sanballat and Geshem sent vnto Nehemiah that he should méete them as though they would haue conferred with him for the furtherance of the repairing of the walls of Ierusalem they being fully minded to worke Nehemiahs euill and to ouerthrow the building which he had repaired Let vs consider these things and we shall cléerely perceiue that the vsage of hypocrisie is vnder a maske of sinceritie and plainenes to couer all iniquitie and doublenes Mar. 7.3 The Iewes that did not eate without often washing of their hands though they came but from the market honouring God with lips when their heart was farre from him and worshipping God in vaine teaching for doctrines the commandement and tradition of men Luk. 6.2 the Pharisees that were so scrupulous that they rebuked the disciples of Christ for plucking eares of corne on a Sabbath day albeit they were hungrie and might therefore defend themselues by the example of Dauid who when he was an hungred entered into the house of God and eate the shew-bread and gaue to his followers which was not lawfull to eate but for the Priest onely Luk. 13.14 the ruler of the synagogue that blamed the diseased to come to Christ to be healed on the Sabbath estéeming it to be lawfull then to loose an oxe or an asse from the stall but vnlawfull then to loose a man or woman from an infirmitie the persecutors of our Sauiour that had no conscience to accuse him falsely and with all violence and bloudines to procure his death Ioh. 18.28 yet that forbare to enter into the common Hall least they should be defiled and might not eate the Pâ—sseouer with externall sanctitie and that thought it not lawfull to put the money into the treasurie Matt. 27.6 which Iudas the Traytour had brought againe because it was the price of blood though their selues had paied it for betraying the innoceÌ„t lambe of God Simon the Sorceror Act. 8.6 that had a kinde of temporarie and historicall faith and was baptized and continued with Saint Philip albeit he had neither part nor fellowship in the busines for his heart was not right in the sight of God and he was in the gall of bitternes and bond of iniquitie Ananias that made Act. 5.1 as if he were a true disciple and bare vnfained loue to the brethren yet that put aside part of the price of his possession Act. 23.2.3 and lyed to the holy Ghost the high Priest of the same name that heard the cause of Paul and sitting as a whited wall to iudge him according to the lawe commanded him to be smitten coÌ„trarie to the lawe Reu. 3.9 and those dissemblers that in the Church of Philadelphia called themselues Iewes when they were the synagogue of Sathan nothing lesse then Iewes of circumcised hearts these and all these are the liuely Image picture and representation of counterfaiting hypocrisie and dissimulation Thus we sée the vgly shape of an hypocrite and how Chymaera like he is compact of diuerse formes let vs also consider the punishment of hypocrisie Hypocrisie is darkenes for where there is no sincerity there is darkenes as Christ teacheth Matt. 6.22.23 saying The light of the body is the eye if then thine eye be single thy whole body shall be light but if thine eye be wicked then all thy body shall be darke wherfore if the light that is in thee be darkenes how great is that darkenes If hypocrisie be darkenes a worke of darkenes where shall it be punished but in vtter darkenes Take him away saith the king and cast him into vtter darkenes there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Iob. 8.11.12.13.14.15 Can a rush growe without myre Or can the grasse growe without water though it were greene and not cut downe yet shall it wither before any other hearb so are the pathes of all that forget God and the hypocrites hope shall perish his confidence also shal be cut off his trust shall be as the house of a spider he shall leane vpon his house but it shall not stand he shall holde him fast by it yet shall it not endure Iob. 15.33 34. as Bildad once said to his afflicted friend God shall destroy the hypocrite as the Vine doth her sowre grape and shall cast him off as the oliue doth her flower for the congregation of Hypocrites shall be desolate and fire shall deuoure the houses of bribes The reioycing of the wicked is short Iob. 20.5.6.7.8.9 and the ioy of the hypocrites is but a momeÌ„t though his excellencie
mount vp to the Heauen and his head reach vnto the clouds yet shal he perish for euer like his dunge and they which haue seene him shall say where is he he shall flee away as a dreame and they shall not finde him shall passe away as a vision of the night so that the eye which had seene him shall doe so no more his place shall see him no more Christ speaking of the euill seruant that shall say in his heart Matt. 24.48 My maister doth defer his comming and therefore shall begin to smite his fellowes to eate and to drinke with the drunken that seruants Maister will come saith he in a day when he looketh not for him and in an houre that he is not wâ—re of and will cut him off and giue him his portion with hypocrits there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth And what is the portion of hypocrites What but that spoken of in the scripture Iob. 13.16 which saith that the hypocrite shall not come before God It is gréeuous to be tortured in fire and brimstone it is gréeuous to be thrust out of the blessed companie and out of heauenly glorie it is greeuous to know that there shall be none end of these torments but how vnspeakable and intollerable anguish shall it be to be secluded and separated from the very sight of heauen and of the king of immortalitie so that nothing shall be seene heard or felt but lamentation woe and mourning Wherefore if we will auoid these extreame and exquisite paines we must in no case presume to come to the wedding but in the wedding garment One saies of earthly glorie Cic. lib. 1. Offic. and reputation of this world Compendiaria est via ad gloriam vt qualis quisque haberi vult talis sit It is the readie way to glory that euery one be such a one indeed as he would seeme to be Much more it may be said of eternall glorie that the direct way to it is to be such Christians indeed as we appeare outwardly to be that is to be godly in word and godly in worke Seneca saies That it makes a far greater matter what manner of person thou appeare to thy selfe Epist 87. then what manner of person thou appeare to other and that none can long beare a counterfaite shewe ficta in naturam suam citò recidunt fained things doe soone returne to their owne nature but those things that are supported by truth and doe rise from soliditie they growe greater and better as he writes to Nero the Emperour God is the souÌ„der searcher â—éer of hearts God is not mockt God cannot be blinded God will quickly desire the guest that is not fitly apparrelled God will challenge him and say vnto him Friend how camest thou in hither and hast not on a wedding garment God will punish him commaund his Angels to take him away and to cast him into vtter darkenes 1. Cor. 2.11 where shall be wéeping gnashing of téeth None knoweth the things of a man saue the spirit of a man which is in him therefore euery one must seuerally enter into the closet of his own mind and examine his owne soule priuately whether his heart be sincere before the Lord and whether his soule be frée from hypocrisie and dissimulation God deceiues none and may be deceiued of none his eyes are the infallible touchstone that trie our faith whether it be true liuely and effectuall But the fruits of good workes are the touchstone wherby men make iudgmeÌ„t of faith Matt. 22.33.35 Matt. 7.16.17.18 And for this cause our Sauiour saith Either make the tree good his fruit good or else make the tree euil his fruit euill for the tree is knowne by his fruite do meÌ„ gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles so euery good tree bringeth forth good fruit and a corrupt tree bringeth forth euill fruit a good tree caÌ„not bring forth euil fruit neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit a good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things and an euill man out of an euill treasure bringeth forth euill things for of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Where there is séene zeale and deuotion charitie and commiseration patieÌ„ce humilitie an earnest endeuour sincere desire to kéepe the lawe of God it may be said that there is a Christian faith and there is an vnfained Christian Where there is seene coldnes in religion neglect of the word praier and sacraments enuie strife malice couetousnes deceit dissimulation pride incontinencie swearing drunkennes and other markes of the flesh it may be said that there is no manifest step and trace of true faith there is no sincere Christianitie there is no signe of the marriage garment Where there is séene haunting of the Church listning to sermons and outward fauour countenance to the word of God and frequenting of the vse of the Sacraments and continuall boasting of faith profession yet without the life and soule of faith and profession which is performance and practise it may be said that there is false semblance and hypocrisie or else what manner of thing is hypocrisie It is said of Epicurus Cic. â— Tuscul that he did put on but the bare habite of a Philosopher and was not a Philosopher in truth It may as truely be spoken that many in this age put on but the naked shape of Christians and are not Christians indéed and that many colour their wickednes by outward pretence of religion and by bearing Bibles in their hands and the word in their mouth though it be neuer setled in their hearts being like the Carbuncle that hath a firie shew yet neuer flames and like those that vse muske and pomanders to conceale their vnsauorie and stinking breath Diogenes séeing one clothed in a Lyons skin Laer. l. 6. cap. 2. flattering himselfe as if he were thereby valorous Wilt thou not cease saith he to disgrace the apparell of valour may it not be said to him that hath but a shew of godlines 2. Tim. 3.5 and religion and by works denieth the power thereof Wilt thou not cease to disgrace the profession of Christianitie Plut. in regum Imperat. apoph For as Alexander the great when some commended the frugalitie of Antipater in that he led an austere life exempt from all deliciousnes he said that Antipater wore a white cloake outwardly but inwardly his heart was wholly of purple colour wherein he glaunced at his dissembled parsimonie and thriftines whereas else his heart desired honors and the purple robes of Princes euen so against the outward zeale and pietie and protestations and humilitie of some in our time it may be obiected that these are but the disguised cloakes of hypocrisie seruing onely for the shadowing shrowding of irreligiousnesse impietie falsehood and haughtines 2. Mace 6.23 There was once an
such obedience giuen to Earthly rulers and shall wee refuse to obey the commaundement of our Heauenlie King specially when hee craues not that wee should vainely spend our liues but that we would subdue our affections our corrupt desires our inordinate concupiscences vngodly motions Let vs not therefore be bare protestants and not performers Let vs not liue in the reformed Church and haue deformed manners Let vs not bee entertained in Christs Campe beare his colours yet wish the enemie well promote the cause of the enemie and séeke opportunitie with Iudas to betray CHRIST with the traiterous soldiour to flie to the enemie What is profession worth except practise bee coupled therewith We know what S. Iames saith Iam. 1.22.23.24.25 Be yee doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiuing your owne selues For if anie heare the word do it not he is like vnto a man that beholdeth his nâ—turall face in a glasse for when hee hath considered himself he goeth his way forgetteth immediately what manner of man he was but who so loketh in the perfect lawe of libertie coÌ„tinueth therein he not being a forgetfull hearer but a dooer of the worke shal be blessed in his deede And wee knowe what the lord saith Mat. 7.21 Not euery one that saith vnto me Lord Lord shal enter into the kingdome of heauen but hee that doth my Fathers will which is in heauen And what gaines that seruant that knowes his maisters will doth it not August but to be beaten with many stripes Hee is thy best seruant saith an ancieÌ„t Father speaking to God not the desireth to heare of thee what he would but rather that is willing to performe what he heareth And therfore whereas the poet Hesiodâ— was much coÌ„mended by most men for his deuise in that he gaue the chiefest wisdom to him that knowes of himselfe what is good and méete the next to him that hearkens to another when hee himself is ignoraÌ„t Diog. Laert. Zeno Citticus did correct that sentence of Hesiode and did attribute the chiefest wisedome to him that heares the good counsell of another and the next to him that is wise of himselfe And his reason for the animaduersion was because he that is wise of himselfe and giueth aduise to another hath but the vnderstanding and knowledge of the matter but hee that hearkens to counsell deliuered puts the thing in execution and practise Besides this the Apostle saies that goodworks are profitable And to whome are they profitable to our Neighbours and to our selues Good workes are profitable to our brethren in that wee comfort and relieue them by our good déedes and we stirre them vp by our example to feare the Lord and they are caused to praise God for bestowing such grace vpon vs. And good workes are profitable to our selues in that they are the fruits of our faith 2. Pet. 1.10 Iam. 2.17 and thereby they assure vs of our election and vocation being by them declared to be new creatures we cherish in our selues the hope of eternal life As for the coÌ„modity that we reape by good works what spéech can be answerable thereunto since the Lord hath promised to reward our good works most largely pleÌ„tifully with blessings aswell temporall as spiritual Deut. 28. Leu. 26.3 Let vs not therefore be wearie of well doing but let vs behold the recompenâ—e of the reward for in due season we shall reape Gal. 6.9 if we faint not If we be not carefull to shew foorth good workes we must not expect the reward if we doe not trim and prepare our lampes with oyle Matt. 25.2 against the comming of the bridegroome we shall not enter into the palace of glory if we doe not worke while we haue the light the darkenes will come Ioh. 12.35 And he that walketh in the darke knoweth not whither he goeth It is not enough to abstaine from euill but we must also do good Remember Matt. 25.30 how the vnprofitable seruant was cast into vtter darkenes and why not because he was wicked but because he was idle and not for that he committed ill but because he omitted good Indeed it is hard to doe well and to perseuere in well doing For there are many intisements and allurements to iniquitie But let vs heare our Sauiour Striue to enter in at the strait gate Luk. 13.24 Matt. 7.14.8 because the gate is strait and the way narrow that leadeth vnto life Though the gate be straite yet if we struggle and striue to enter we shall finde an entrance for whosoeuer asketh receiueth and he that séeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened The eshnick Greeke Poet partly perceiued this by the glimmering light of naturall reason and therefore said Hes Tes â— ' hà rerés idâ—òta theâ—ì proparoithen èthecan à thánatei That God had put sweate before vertue and that the way vnto it was long and tedious and rough at the first but after one aspired to the top it was as easie then as it was vneasie before And the Latine Poet could also say Hor. l. 1. Epist 2. Ep. Dimidium facti qui caepit habet sapere aude Incipe He that hath begun hath halfe ended be conragious to followe vertue begin once There must be a beginning attempted to doe well and when the yee is broken the wading thorough is not difficult And thereupon another wittily discanteth Incipe dimidium facti est caepisse Auson supersit Dimidium rursum hoc incipe efficies Begin saith he for to begin is to end halfe and when thou hast begun if there remaine halfe begin againe and thou shalt end all Vertue is like the Palme trée and the Lote trée the Palme hath a sharpe and rough rinde and the Loâ—â— hath a bitter pill but both the one and the other haue most swéete fruite Chrysostome saies notably Orat. 4. Aduersus Indaeos that as in monies he that hath gained two crownes is readie to gaine tenne or twentie crownes so it fals out in vertue he that doth a good worke once and once performes his dutie he is therby encouraged and stirred vp to do more good and to adde verâ—ue to vertue And another saies Stobaeus ser 1. de Virâ— that as they that begin to climbe a ladder goe from round to round till they aspire to the top so he that hath once begun to doe well mounts higher and higher We sée the most gay picture begins from rude draughts and lines and shadowes and procéedes from colour to colour till at last it be absolute so vertue and the habite of well doing is not presently engraft in vs but it riseth to full groweth by daily encreases Epist 86. It was ingeniously applied of Seneca that as Phidias was skilfull to make statues and Images not onely of marble and of brasse but if he had vilder and courser matter he could likewise
to proclaime that whosoeuer would lend him monie should in short space receiue againe not onely the principall summe and that interest which the lawe tollerates but far more namely twise as much nay an 0. sold there would be none when he should heare of this proclamation that would not presently lend to that Prince as much monie as he had and if he had none that would not sell away his possessions and so procure monie that he might obtaine that extraordinarie munificence and recompence of the Prince But if perhaps the Potentates promise and proclamation should not mooue some but that they would kéepe their monies by them at home and not lend them they must of necessitie either be iustly censured of follie in neglecting of such great gaine or be conuinced of distrustfulnes in not yéelding credit to so royall promises Wherefore saith Salomon since God doth not take away our â—iches but preserue them kéepe them for vs and doth recompence them againe with large and ample vsurie nay doth promise for temporall and transitorie wealth eternall and neuer perishing what excuse can those make or what pardon can those looke for that refuse to lend to the Lord and that regard not the most liberall recompence which God bestowes on them that shew mercie and compassion vpon the poore and miserable And this is the force and meaning of this prouerb of Salomon which of it selfe is sufficient to stir vp tractable and flexible minds to performe the workes of mercie on the afflicted But for that good things cannot be spoken too often nor dilated too plainely and in this last age of the world loue wareth cold as it did before the destruction of Ierusalem Matt 24. according to the words of our Sauiour it will not be impertinent to amplifie this Argument somewhat more For that which we finde in the swellings and infirmities that sticke déepely in our bodies namely that there must be long time much labour and discretion vsed in applying remedies that they may be remooued without endangering the life the same we may perceiue in couetousnes and other vices and diseases of the soule For the gréedie loue of worldly things hath taken such roote in the mindes of many that it cannot be cured by one or two exhortations but manifold admonition must be vsed that at last by often compassing with the armies of godly perswasions and by lowd blowing the trumpets of seuere threatning and by bearing the Arke of the word of the Lord the strong holds and fortresses of couetousnes may be battered and demolished like the wals of Ierico Iosh 6. Plin. i. 32. c. 4. Some write of the Narmensian field that it is the drier for raine and the moister for drouth and therfore Cicero iested thereupon saying that in that place Raine did cause dust and sun-shining dirt so there is a generation of people that will bend contrarie to the force of exhortation and rowe against the streame of perswasion and waxe worse worse for admonition But though dogs bite those Matt. 7.6 that cast holy things vnto them and swine turne backe and rent those that throwe pearles before them and though some stop the eare to the charmer like the deafe Adder Psal 58.5.6 that will not heare the Enchanters voyce charme he neuer so cunningly Matt. 11.16.19 and though some are those stubborne sinners that will neither lament when they heare wéeping nor daunce when they heare piping that is that regard neither the sharpe manaces of the lawe nor the swéet comforts of the Gospell yet wisedome is iustified of all her children and they that are endued with the grace of Gods spirit will hearken to the statutes and voyce of the Lord and will say with the holy Prophet when they are reprooued Heale vs ô Lord Ier. 17.14 31.18 and we shall be whole saue vs and we shall be saued conuert vs and we shall be conuerted The forme of Diogenes supplication when he begd Lâ—â—r l. 6. was this If thou hast before this time giuen to any giue also to me but if thou neuer gauest to any begin now with me whereby he meant that he was in the case of other beggars and therefore desired that he that gaue to euery one would also giue to Diogenes and that it was time for him that was so niggish as to giue to none at length to begin to giue somewhat The same supplication of beggars may be vsed in our age and therefore that we may either learne at length to lend to the Lord and amend our backwardnes or else perseuere in liberalitie and haue the good worke confirmed which is alreadie begun in vs it shall be declared first why we 〈◊〉 giue to the poore secondly to what poore 〈◊〉 must giue thirdly how and after what manner we must giue First why we must giue We must haue compassion on the distressed to declare that we haue loue and who knowes not that euery Christian must entertaine loue and charitie For if the most excellent things are to be embraced as they are indéed what is more excellent then loue They that speake with the tongues of men and Angels 1. Cor. 13.1.2.3.8 and haue not loue are as sounding brasse or a tinckling cymball they that haue the gift of Prophesie and know all secrets and all knowledge yea that haue all faith so that they can remooue mountaines and haue not loue they are nothing they that féede the poore with all their goods and giue their bodies that they be burned and haue not loue it profiteth them nothing When prophecying shall be abolished and tongues cease and knowledge vanish away and when faith and hope shall be determined and ended namely when our soules shall come to that blessed life then loue shall still remaine for loue doth neuer fall away Can there be any vertue comparable to loue that is the soule and life of other vertues and that suruiues and liues after other vertues doe cease and are abolished He that hath mercie on the poore makes it manifest that he hath loue and that he loues 1. Ioh. 3.18 not in word and tongue onely but in déed and truth For to say that we loue our brethren and yet not to giue to their necessities is that cold charitie which Saint Iames reprehends Iam. 2.15.16 when he saies If a brother or a sister be naked and destitute of daily foode and one of you say vnto them depart in peace warme your selues and fill your bellies notwithstanding ye giue theÌ„ not those things which are needfull to the body what helpeth it This colourable loue is like faith without workes and a painted fire without warmth and a counterfait streame without moistnes and a tree full of leaues without any fruit Therefore to shew that we are not void of so rare and excellent a vertue as loue is we must haue mercie on the poore Againe we must shew mercy on the poore
dungeon of Hell To leaue Lawrence marke what Christ saies in the 25. of Matthew and sée whether he doe not there most liuely demonstrate and shew what he accounts of the faithfull poore and what estimation he makes of Almes bestowed on them for there he saies Matt. 25.31 c. that when the sonne of man commeth in his glorie and all the holy Angels with him then shall the he sit vpon the throne of his glorie and before him shall be gathered all nations and he shall separate them one from another as a Shepheard separateth the shéepe from the goates and he shall set the shéepe on his right hand and the goates on the left Then shal the king say to theÌ„ on his right hand Come ye blessed of my father take the inheritance of the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world For I was an hungred and ye gaue me meate I thirsted and ye gaue me drinke I was a stranger and ye tooke me in vnto you I was naked and ye clothed me I was sicke and ye visited me I was in prison and ye came vnto me Then shall the righteous answere him saying Lord when saw we thée an hungred and fed thée or a thirst and gaue thée drinke and when saw we thée a stranger and tooke thée in vnto vs or naked and cloathed thée or when saw we thée sicke or in prison and came vnto thée And the king shall answeare and say vnto them Verily I say vnto you in asmuch as ye haue done it vnto one of the least of these my brethren ye haue done it to me How terrible shal the day of Iudgement be to those that are not perswaded that Christ shall bee as well their absoluer and acquitter as their Iudge censurer 2. Pet. 3.10 For the day of the Lord will come as a théefe in the night in the which the heauens shall passe away with a noyse and the elements shal melt heate and the earth with the workes that are therein shall be burnt vp and in that great and generall and Impartiall Iudgement the booke of all offences shall be layed open the Graue Death and Hell shall yeeld foorth all that are in them all corners shal be swept and all plaites and wrinckles shal be vnfolded the Sunne shal be darkened and the Moone eclipsed and the starres shall fall from Heauen Christ the Iudge of quick and dead shall take in hand the glittering and two-edged Sworde being readie to throw the Thunderbolts of his fierce wrath and the vnfaithfull and vngodly shal be driuen to such straites and extremitie that they shall crie to the Hills Fall on vs and to the Mountaine â—ouer vs and to the Waters Swallow vs vp Happie are they that may stand then boldly in that day but that loue their poore brethren shall haue boldnes and confidence in the day of Iudgement For as hee is so are wee in â—his world saith the Apostle that is 1. Ioh. 4.17 GOD will not condemne those that are like himselfe but the mercifull in this world are like to God for God is mercifull and gratious and therefore the mercifull néede not to feare the sentence of condemnation And wee must marke that CHRIST will say Take the inheritance of the Kingdome For I was an hungred and ye gaue me meate He will not say enherite the kingdome of heauen because ye haue prophecied in my Name cast out diuels in my Name For many that shall say so in the last day shall heare this Answere Mat. 7.23 I neuer knewe you Depart from me yee that worke iniquitie Neither shall Christ say enherite the Kingdome because you haue not couered your Neighbors goods because you haue not committed fornication because you haue not defiled your handes with blood although the auoyding of these things be necessarie for Christians for Fornicators and murtherers and vncleane persons and couetous persons Gal. 6.21 shall not possesse the kingdome of God Neither shall Christ say to Abel because thou hast suffered for righteousnes to Noah because thou hast built the Arke for the worlds preseruation to Abraham because thou hast offered vp thy Sonne to Moses because thou hast published the law to Peter because thou wast Crucified therefore inherite the Kingdome of heauen But Christ shall only say enherite the Kingdome because yee ministred to the poore Saintes in their necessities Which words of our Sauiour must not be so taken as if Almes or any other of our workes did merite eternall life Almes merite not and why mention is made of workes of mercie in the last iudgement For the Scripture expressely teacheth that our Election is of grace and if it be of grace it is no more of works or else were grace no more grace but if it be of workes it is no more grace or else were worke no more worke Rom. 1.5 â— and the scripture teacheth that we are saued by grace through faith and not of our selues it is the gift of God Eph. 2.8 and the scripture teacheth that Christ by his merite hath sufficiently obtained for vs eternall life in that he gaue his life for the ransome of many Matt. 20.28 and the scripture teacheth that Christ being an high Priest of good things to come by a greater and a more perfect tabernacle not made with hands neither by the blood of goates and calues but his owne blood entered once vnto the holy place and obtained eternall redemption for vs for if the blood of buls and of goates and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling them that are vncleane sanctifieth as touching the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ which through the eternall spirit offered himselfe without fault to God purge our consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God Heb. â— 11.12.13.14 This doctrine clearely taught in holy scrripture vtterly excludes boasting on our part in the matter of saluation For that anie worke of oure may merite first it is required that it be freely our owne and not due to him to whome it is performed but whatsoeuer good we doe it is onely some parte of our dutie which wee owe to God Luk. 17.10 For when we haue done all those things which are commanded vs we must say we are vnprofitable Seruants wee haue done that which was our dutie to doe Ro. 11.35 And who hath giuen to the Lord first and he shall be recompenced Rom. 8.12 and we are debters not to liue after the flesh but after the spirit Next it is required that our worke or gift that we offer be profitable and commodious to him of whom wee merite but no action or worke of ours can bring any commoditie to the Lord Psal 16.2 For the Prophet sayes My well doing extendeth not to thee ô Lord And the Temanite Iob. 22. â— 3 Iobs friend sayes May a man be profitable vnto God as he that is wise may be profitable to himselfe
them but a Christian may doe otherwise and farre more by the working of the Spirit that blesseth the studie of the scriptures nam ligneum vas acceptum poteris aliquando reddere aureum for thereby thou mayest make that a golden vessell which thou receiuedst a wooden vessell Who will now call into question the profite that the scripture brings to them that loue it reade it heare it and thinke vpon it And how brazen are his browes that dares to affirme Bellar. tom 1. l. 1. c. 16. that the translation of the scripture into vulgar languages is neither necessarie nor much profitable but ofttimes hurtfull and therefore the reading of them is not to be permitted to any but to such as shall be licensed thereunto by their Ordinarie Ioh. 5.49 If Christ commend and commaund the searching of the scriptures if the Eunuch of Canaâ—ce be neuer to be forgotten Act. 8.28 Act. 16.11 for busie perusing of the word of God if the noble Beraeans did well in receiuing the word with all readines and searching the scriptures daily whether those things were so Act. 18.24.26 if Apollos Aquila and Priscillâ— were diligent readers and expounders of the things of the Lord if he that spake as he was inspired of God Psal 1.2 pronounce the man blessed that meditates on Gods law day and night they that will debarre men from reading and hearing of Gods word must be contented to be ranked in the number of those on whom the man of God doth cast a view Isa 5.20 when he saith Woe vnto them that speake good of euill and euill of good which put darkenes for light and light for darkenes that put bitter for swéete and sweete for sowre Doth not the wiseman shew how necessarie the scripture and the exposition thereof is for the people in that he writes that where there is no vision Prou. 29.18 that is declaration of Gods word the people decay doth not Christ shew that the not knowing of the scriptures is the mother of error Matt. 22.19 when he saith that the Saduces beléeued not the Resurrection and were wrapt in ignorance because they knew not the scriptures Doth not the holy Apostle cleerely beate downe the maintenance of ignorance 1. Thes 5.20 1. Tim. 4.13 when he commaunds not to despise prophesie that is the exposition of the word of God and when he chargeth the Minister to apply reading exhortation and doctrine Doth it not manifestly appeare that the scriptures were read of Ezra to the people in their knowne tongue Noh 8.18 9.3 Luk. 21.22 and likewise of Christ himselfe in that vpon the reading and expounding of a place of the Prophet when Christ had said this day is the scripture fulfilled in your eares they all bare him witnes wondred at the gratious words which proceeded out of his mouth and likewise of the Apostles Act. 2.11 13.15 who preached to the Greekes and other nations not in the Hebrewe tongue but in the Greeke tongue and in that tongue that was vnderstood of the hearers But that in old times the common people were commaunded to reade the scriptures and to read them in that tongue that they vnderstood Deut. 6.6.7.8.9 it is most euident by that place where it is said Heare O Israel these words which I commaund thee this day shall be in thine heart and thou shalt rehearse them continually vnto thy children and shalt talke of them when thou tarriest in thine house and as thou walkest by the way and when thou lyest downe and when thou risest vp and thou shalt binde them for a signe vpon thine hand and they shall be as frontlets betwéene thine eyes also thou shalt write them vpon the postes of thine house and vpon thy gates Cor. Agrip de â—an scient Incapite Ieiunij One saith that is was decréed in the first Nicem Counsell that no Christian should want a Bible in his house Augustine speakes thus to his people Let it not suffice that you heare the scriptures read in the Church but also in your owne houses either reade them your selues or séeke some to reade them Chrysostom speakes thus to his hearers In Ioan. Hom. 9 〈◊〉 â—pâ—â— Coâ—os I admonish and desire you to get you Bookes heare this all ye secular men get you Bibles which are medicines for your soules If you will haue nought else get you euen the newe Testament the Apostle the Acts that are continuall and diligent teachers Origen speakes thus In Isai hom 2. Would God that all of vs would doe that is written Search the scriptures Ierome speakes thus of the companie of women that were conuersant with Paule at Bethleem In epitaph Paula It was lawfull for none of them to be ignorant of the Psalmes and not to learne somewhat euery day out of the holy scriptures Despir sancto c. 1. Basil speakes thus As much as humane nature can beare we may be like to God and the likenes cannot be without knowledge and this knowledge consisteth of doctrine and the beginning of doctrine is speech and the parts of speech are syllables and sounds As if he had said Except men know sounds and syllables they cannot perceiue the speech except men perceâ—ue the speech they cannot apprehend the doctrine except men apprehend the doctrine they cannot be like to God Iulian that most wicked Emperour obiected to Christians Cyrill contra Iuliad lib. 6. In fuâ—â—â— Orat. â—e sâ—r Gorg. That their women were spitefull in the scriptures and Nazianzen witnesseth of his sister Gorgonia that she was excellently exercised in the old and new Testament If women if the common people if euery fort were commaunded to reade and search and did reade and search the scriptures who are to be exempted from this dutie If Moses wish Num. 11.29 Psal 1.9.10 1. Thes 4.1 that all the Lords people had knowledge and could prophecie if Paul wish to all Gods people daily and large encrease of knowledge to call ignorance the Mother of Deuotion is that heresie that called Ignoarnce of the truth knowledge (a) Iâ—en l. 2. c. 19. For Ignorance is the Mother of all errors (b) Concil Tol. 4. c. 24. and not to knowe the scripture is not to knowe Christ (c) Hier. distinct 38. fi iuxtra and they which knowe not those things which pertaine to the Lord are not knowne of the Lord (d) Greg. in pastoral l. 1. c. 1. and it is the greatest torment and paine to the Diuels to see any to apply the word of God and studiously to seeke out the knowledge of Gods lawe and the mysteries of the scripture this is the flame and fire wherein they burne for they possesse all those that lye in Ignorance (e) Orig. in Numb hom 27. and as the body cannot liue except it breath so the soule cannot liue except she knowe her Creator for not to knowe God is the death
it But rather as when thou art trimmed of the Barber thou lookest on the glasse to sée whether thou aâ—t well trimmed or not so when thou goest from hearing the word consider whether thou be made better or worse by the hearing Art thou learned Let the word of Christ dwell in thee plenteously and despise not the preaching and exposition thereof Though thou know much yet thou maiest be confirmed in knowledge though thou reade priuately with deuotion yet that which mooued thée not then nor séemed worthy to be obserued when another vtters it may worke on thy soule 2. Sam. 12.1 though Dauid were a singular Prophet yet Nathan roused him out of his securitie though Pharaoh remembred his dreame yet Ioseph made the interpretation thereof cléere vnto him Gen. 41.17 Art thou vnlearned pray that the word of Christ may dwell in thee plenteously and loue it earnestly and meditate thereupon continually and then thou shalt say with the Prophet Psal 119.98.99.100 by thy commandements O Lord thou hast made me wiser then mine enemies Psal 119.98.99.100 for they are euer with me I haue had more vnderstanding then all my teachers for thy testimonies are my meditation I vnderstood more then the Ancient because I kept thy precepts For true it is Ean es philomathès èse polumathés Isocrat that the Athenian Oratour wrote ouer his schoole doore in golden letters If thou loue learning thou shalt attaine to much learning Art thou poore or rich Art thou a father or a child Art thou a Maister or a seruant Art thou a Magistrate or a priuate person Of what ranke or condition soeuer thou art Let the word of Christ dwell in thée plenteously For if thou be tempted to sinne it will call to thy minde what is written and what thou hast read if thou doubt what is to be done by thy selfe or other it will direct thée in the right way if thou wouldest reprooue vice it will teach thee the will of the Lord if thou wouldest confirme truth or confute errour or comfort the afflicted there thou shalt be satisfied and learne the whole dutie of man Wherefore since they that are of God Ioh. 8.47 1. Io. 4.6 heare Gods words and they that despise it are not his children let vs shew our selues Gods children by hearing his word let vs remooue from vs the loue of the world that doth commonly hinder it let vs shun pleasures and cares that doe choake it let vs heare it with an honest and good heart and a purged minde and a sincere faith and a prompt will and an humble and reuereÌ„t feare of the Lord and daily and diligent praiers and supplications for the true vnderstanding thereof let vs kéepe it by continuall meditation and obedience and watchfulnes and profession and practise that so lodging the word of God as an heauenly guest in our soule and suffering it to dwel therein plenteously in all wisedome in this life in the life to come we may dwell eternally with that word Ioh. 1.1.4 which is God and which is life and may sit downe with Abraham Isaak and Iacob in his heauenly kingdome Amen THE HVMBLE CENTVRION Matt. 8.8 But the Centurion answered saying Maister I am not worthy that thou shouldest come vnder my roofe but speake the word onely and my seruant shall be healed THis is the answere of the Centurion to Christ wheÌ„ hee had desired him to heale his seruaÌ„t that was gréeuously pained with the palsie when Christ had said that he would come and heale him As if the Centurion had thus answered Maister I beléeue that thou art the Messias and Sauiour of beléeuers I beléeue that thou art the onely sonne of God I beléeue that thou art omnipotent able with a word to call remooue sicknesses diseases from maÌ„s body EueÌ„ as I haue my souldiours at coÌ„mand when I say to one go he goeth to another come he commeth and to my seruant doe this he doth it so if thou bid sicknes enter on a man it enters if thou bid sicknes depart from a man it departs if thou bid sicknes returne to a man it returnes if thou bid sicknes kill a man it kils him if thou bid sicknes not to touch a man it toucheth him not Since then I knowe thy Maiestie authoritie and power I suppose it needles to entreate thee to come to my house as if in thine absence thou couldest not heale my seruant or as if thou were like other Physitians that must behold the sicke patient and consider of many circumstances that are to be weighed in applying of medicines but it shall be sufficient if thou speake the word onely And what should I expect thy comming to mine house séeing I am a sinner and altogether vnworthy that thou shouldest enter vnder my roofe It is doubtfull which was greater and more to be admired whether the Centurions faith or the Centurions humilitie His faith is highly extolled by Christ himselfe Verse 10. when he said Verily I say vnto you I haue not found so great faith euen in Israel As if our Sauiour had said In Israel there are that doe embrace my doctrine and sticke to me and followe me and acknowledge that I am the lambe of God that taketh away the sinne of the world but these haue beene alwaies brought vp in religion and haue continually heard the prophecies â—ead that testifie of my comming in the flesh this Centurion is a stranger borne a Gentile naturally voyde of the knowledge of the lawes written by Moses and therefore forasmuch as he makes so excellent a profession of my power and worthines I am constrained to maruell and I must needes say that I haue not found so great faith euen in Israel Christ hath so fully and plenteously commended the Centurions faith that it needes no farther explanation or amplification vnles we should be exhorted to the imitation of it namely that in all our dangers troubles crosses and afflictions we relie wholly on the mercie of our onely Sauiour not distrusting but that he can and will at an instant and in a moment succour vs if he speake the word onely and see that it shall redound to Gods glorie and to our saluation Let vs then see what edification we may retaine by the Centurions humilitie when he saith Maister I am not worthy that thou shouldest come vnder my roofe If this were the same Centurion that S. Luke writes Luk. 7.2.4.7 of as some very learned men haue thought though there séeme some difference in the narration doubtles he was a Nobleman and appointed by the Romanes a Gouernour and a president of Capernaum the chiefe citie of Galile who so much loued the Iewish nation that he built a Synagogue for them and therefore the Elders of the Iewes were intercessors to Christ for him saying that he was worthy that he should doe this for him Yet this Centurion respecting neither the Noblenes of
of God the onely comforter doth swéeten the bitternes of affliction and doth strengthen our féeble knées and stablish our fainting hearts we may iustly say O Lord wee are not worthy that such consolation should come vnder the roofe of our soules Besides this as the Centurion said Maister I am not worthy that thou shouldest come vnder my roofe so we may inuert and turne about and stretch his spéech farther and say O Lord we are not worthy that we should come vnder thy roofe And why The world in which we inhabite is Gods house and we are all Tenants at will to be put out at our liue lords pleasure In this house of the world Man is a great commander hauing dominion ouer the workes of Gods hands and hauing all things put vnder his féete The Sunne and the Moone giue him light the shéepe and oxen and beasts of the field the foules of the aire and fishes of the Sea yéeld him sustenance the birds delight him with singing the flowers solace him with smelling all the workes of Gods fingers serue either for this profite or pleasure or both In that then Man a worme and the sonne of rottennes and corruption is brought into such a spacious and specious a great and gay house of God as the world is and made little lower then God and crowned with glorie and worship we may iustly say Psal 8.4 O Lord our Lord what is man that thou art mindfull of him and the Sonne of man that thou visitest him We are not worthy that we should come vnder the roofe of thy house Nay when we consider our houses that protect and shroud vs from the furie and violence of the weather our beds whereon we case our selues when we are wearie and sicke our liuings and goods by which we sustaine our selues our children which are an heritage and gift that commeth from the Lord and which possesse the fruit of our labours and which preserue our memoriall on earth when we consider these and many other blessings which God bestowes on vs that daily and hourely offend him and transgresse his commaundements and which many others doe want who notwithstanding are redéemed with the pretious blood of Christ aswell as we may we not procéed farther and say O Lord we are not worthy that we should come vnder the roofe of our owne house Furthermore the materiall temple and Church is called the house of God For why In the Church we are taught the statutes and lawes of God and God speakes vnto vs in his sacred word In the Church we speake vnto God by praier and we worship God by singing foorth the swéet praises of his mercie and goodnes In the Church we are by Baptisme clensed from our sinnes and receiued into Christs Church and congregation which is the spirituall house of God and we are incorporated into Christs bodie made members thereof In the Church we spiritually feede on the body and blood of our Sauiour Christ and we are thereby partakers of Christs merites righteousnes to the fruition of eternall life In that then the materiall Church is the house of God and the soueraigne Apothecary shop where euery sinner may finde a spirituall medicine and salue to cure the maladies infirmities of his soule we may truely say when we are going into the temple and Church where we participate of so many diuine things O Lord we are not worthy that we should come vnder the roofe of thine house Lastly let vs contemplate on the ioyes and felicitie of Heauen where is ioy without sorrowe plentie without scarsitie glorie without enuie life without death where is the trée of life and the riuer of the water of life where the Seraphins sing continually Holy holy holy and all the Angels and Saints praise God vncessantly with most sugred and harmonious melodie where the elect receiue the pennie of immortalitie for working in the vineyard and sit downe with Abraham Isaak and Iaakob and where are those vnspeakable good things which eye hath not séene nor eare heard nor heart of man can conceiue In that then God hath ordained vs to this eternall rest and from the dust hath exalted vs to his heauenly kingdome we may truely say O Lord we are not worthy that we should come vnder the roofe of Heauen Thales Milesius being old and hauing deuised some admirable inuention of the motion of the Heauens he did communicate it with Mandrita another Philosopher who gaue him thankes for the instruction and asked what recompence he should giue him for the document to whom Thales said O Mandrita it shall be sufficient to me if when thou wilt vtter this which thou hast learned of me thou doe not ascribe it to thy selfe but confesse that it was mine inuention This a man craues of a Man how much more iustly doth God require of vs that if we haue any vertue or any knowledge or any wisedome or any strength or any good thing when we make vse of it we attribute it not to our selues but acknowledge that it is receiued from him Wherefore let vs humble and prostrate our selues with this Noble and godly Centurion let vs praise the Lord for all his blessings with vnfained thankefulnes let vs confesse our vnworthines either that God should come vnder our roofe or that we should come vnder Gods roofe let vs amend our liues repent for our iniquities and expresse true gratitude by our good workes that God may augment and heape his mercies vpon vs continually and that Christ may heare vs as he heard the Centurion and that as by the mercy of God we entered into the house of God the world and dwell therein and as by the same mercy we enter from time to time into the materiall Church which is the house of God so at last by the fauour and grace of Christ we may ascend and mount into the glorious and magnificent house of Heauen there to remaine with him for euermore Amen CONSTANCIES CROWNE Gal. 6.9 Let vs not therefore be wearie of well doing for in due season we shall reape if we faint not THe holy Apostle Paul in these words doth admonish the Galathians and in the Galathians all other Christians to be plenteous in good works and to bring foorth the fruits of the Spirit neither this onely but to persist and perseuere in well doing that they may obtaine the reward of eternall life The spéech containes first an exhortation to continue in well doing secondly a reason and motiue why we should not faint in well doing The exhortation is this Let vs not therefore be wearie of well doing If we refer this well doing to beneficence and liberalitie towards the néedie which is spoken of in the verse following where the Apostle saith While we haue time Calon poioûntes 1. eupoioûntes euergetoûntes let vs doe good to all men as if well doing were doing well and bestowing well on the poore then where Paul saith Let vs not be