church of God so none can of his own power and naturall forwardnes abound with good works or doe any thing acceptable to the Lorde except his heart be renued by the holie Ghost for none wrought in the vineyard but those that were hyred and effectually called Therefore they that are delighted with doing well must acknowledge Gods grace on this behalfe and not either flatter themselues as if they performed it by their owne strength or despise others that doe not so well as if by nature they were better then they And those that were called and sent into the vineyarde were not called all together and in one houre but some were called at the Dawning of the day and some about the third houre and some about the sixth ninth houre and some about the eleuēth houre that is but one houre before the setting of the Sūne So all they on whom God hath decreed to bestow Eternall life are not effectually called at the same moment and minute of life but some are called sooner some latter some in their Childehood some in their youth some in their constant and setled age some in their olde age Luk. 23.40 some but euen a little before the end of their life as appeareth by the exāple of the thiefe vpon the crosse And therefore charitie willeth vs not to despaire or misdoubt of those whom we sée not yet reclaimed but to continue in vsing all the best means for their conuersion since God calls whome hee will and when hee will and how he will and where hee will Yet though the Lorde all the day long stretch foorth his hand readie to receiue sinners that repent in the armes of mercie we must not be a disobedient gainsaying people deferring procrastinating our amēdment because none can promise to himselfe grace and space to repent Therfore euery one must hearken to that voice of the holy Ghost To day if yee shall heare his voyce harden not your hearts On which Paul infers Heb. 4.12.13 Take heed brethren least at any time there be in any of you an euil hart vnfaithful to depart away from the liuing God but exhort one another daily while it is called to day least anie of you bee hardened through the deceitfulnes of sinne For vnto those that post ouer and delay their reformation the words of the Housekéeper to those that stood idle in the Market place about the eleuenth houre may be spoken Why stand yee here all the day idle So that the purpose of CHRIST in the parable of the laborers in the vineyard is no other but to pricke prouoke vs forward to a continual diligēce in discharging the charge of our vocation state of life and to teach vs not to be weary of well-doing through a vain perswasion that we haue done enough not when halfe the course is scarce ended to sit downe in the mids of the race but to forget that is behinde endeuor our selues to that which is before follow hard toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God Phil. 3.13 14. in Christ Iesus to protest with the kingly Prophet that we wil not suffer our eyes to sléepe nor our eye-lids to stūber vntill we find out a place for the Lord Psal 132.4.5 an habitation for the mightie God of Iaacob that is till we haue built a spiritual temple in our hearts wherin Gods grace mercy fauor may delite to dwel This industry in our seuerall rancks places is that which God enioyned to the first man Adam whē he had said vnto him In the sweate of thy face shalt thou eate bread Gen. 3.19 till thou returne to the earth In which we are taught that euery man must take paines in that condition state of life which God hath cast vpon him For so S. Paul séemes to expound that cōmandement giuen to Adam his posteritie Rom. 12.9.7.8 and thus to comment thereupon Seeing then that we haue gifts that are diuers according to the grace that is giuē vnto vs whither we haue prophecie let vs prophecie according to the portiō of faith or an office let vs waite on the office or he that teacheth on teaching or he that exhorteth on exhortation he that distributeth let him doe it with simplicitie he that ruleth with diligence he that sheweth mercie with cheerfulnes Therefore that we may haue prosperous successe in our vocation first euery one must knowe and vnderstand the offices and duties appertaining to the calling vnto which God hath put him apart and he must diligently busily and constantly labour in that his calling Secondly euery one must onely meddle with those things which are prescribed and belonging to his vocation auoyding curiositie and things impertinent to his calling 1. Thess 4.11 For so the Apostle teacheth the Thessalonians to studie to be quiet and to meddle with their owne busines and to worke with their owne hands Thirdly we must with true humilitie and feare of God acknowledge our owne great infirmitie and call vpon God and craue helpe and happie successe of him and with assured confidence of Gods assistance labouring thus diligently in our places let vs knowe for a suretie that as the labours and counsels of men cannot prosper without God so when we desire aid of God our labour shall not be in vaine in the Lord Psal 37.5 but as we commit our waie vnto the Lord and hope in him so he will bring it to passe And if any difficulties and crosses fall out in our waie let vs not be dismaied and broken in courage neither forsake our vocation but constantly and confidently let vs expect deliuerance from God with quiet mindes If then we be commaunded by God himselfe to be industrious and painefull in our calling we are also in the same forbidden to be idle and negligent For idlenes is Sathans cushion or featherbed on which he secretly takes his ease rules turnes the idle person at his owne pleasure and therefore because idlenes is the mother and nurse of all vices we must carefully flie from it When men doe nothing they learne to doe ill For when they are not embusied in the lawfull offices of their calling then they muse how to entrap their neighbour how to defraude the simple how to preuent the vnaduised how to slaunder the harmeles how to reuenge wrongs how to raise vp dissention among brethren and how to liue * Oite melissáon cámaton trú chousin aergoà Hes like droane bées by the hony of other mens labours The Loyterer is an open marke for Sathan to shoote his arrowes against the Loyterer is a citie castle without wal exposed to the irruption inuasion of spirituall foes the Loyterer is an odious loathsome sinke that receiues all ill suggestiōs tentations cogitations As Nature admits no vacuū emptines for where there is no body to fill there the aire fils so
Eleazar that could be drawne to play the hypocrite by no flatteries and allurements no not to saue his life thereby and to auoid most gréeuous tortures though he might haue done it by eating indéed such flesh as was lawfull for him to vse and onely by faining that he did eate swines flesh but he considered discréetly as became his age and the excellencie of his ancient yeares and the honour of his graie haires and his most honest conuersation from his childhood but chiefly the holy lawe made and giuen by God therefore he desired rather straight waies to be sent to the graue then to play the dissembler and he gaue this answere to them that priuately had giuen him counsell to vse dissimulation for his life It becommeth not our age said he to dissemble whereby many young persons might thinke that Eleazar being fourescore yeeres olde and tenne were now gone to another Religion and so through mine Hypocrisie for a little time of a transitorie life they might be deceiued by me I should procure malediction reproach to mine olde age For though I were now deliuered from the torments of men De morte patris sui yet could not I escape the hand of the Almightie neither aliue nor dead And Nazianzene could once say of his Father that he chastised pride and loued humilitie not fainedly or superficially or colorably and that hee reposed humilitie in the secrete closet of his soule and not in his garments or bowing downe of his necke or lowe spéech or thicke and long beard or coloured haire or graue pace in going for these things saith he are easily deuised Matt. 21.28 yet quickly reproued for no counterfait thing can be durable Such men there were once but where are they now to be found and how rare are they Are there not in these dayes farre more that are like the younger sonne that being cōmanded of his Father to worke in the Vineyarde saide I will Sir yet went not then that are like the elder sonne who being commanded to worke in the vineyard said I will not yet afterward he repented himselfe and went Are there not some that say Ier. 7.4 The Temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord this is the tēple of the Lorde yet they amend not their waies works nor execute iudgemēt betwéen a man his Neighbour but they oppresse the stranger the fatherles and the widow Mic. 3.11 Are there not some that iudge for reward and teach for hyre and Prophecie for money and yet will leane vpon the Lorde and say Is not the Lorde among vs As though they would vaile their sin by the vizard of leaning on Gods law Are there not some that are very quick of sight in earthly things yet blind in these things which pertaine to the heauenly life Luk. 12.55.56 that are those Hypocrites that can discerne the face of the Earth and of the skie but cannot discerne the acceptable time day of saluation Matt. 6.2 Are there not some that séeke the praise of men whē they do good works blowing the trumpet when they giue almes praying with ostentation and vaineglorie fasting with sowre and disfigured faces and that séek to merite their saluation and to sanctifie their soules by their outward and dissembled holines Whereas God abhorreth their coloring and dissimulation and God looketh vnto him that is poore of a contrite spirite Isai 66. ◠3 trembleth at his words but their Hypocriticall works hee will reiect as he reiected the Iewish oblations when he saide of them Hee that killeth a Bullocke is as if he slew a man he that sacrificeth a sheepe as if he cut off a dogges necke hee that offereth an Oblation as if he offered swines blood he that remembreth incense as if he blessed an Idole the reason is because they had chosen their owne wayes and their soule delighted in their abominations For they that bragge and vaunt of their owne worthinesse Prou. 30.12 are that generation that are pure in their owne eyes yet are not washed from their filthines And therefore whē they do good or lesse ill then others in that they cast it in Gods téeth thinke thereby to win mercie they are foolisher then beggars Ber. serm de Aduētu Domini who when they implore helpe Almes of men they shew not foorth costly garments but sores naked limmes When the Emperor Fredericke the third heard one say that he would goe into those places where no hypocrites were Thou must thē said he fly beyōd the remote Sauromates the ycie Ocean yet whē thou cōmest thither the place wil not be clean without hypocrisie vnles thou be a God not a man For perhaps the Emperor remēbred the saying of the mā of God Euery one is an hypocrite Isai 9.17 therfore affirmed that Hypocrisie aboūdeth euery where Our dayes were happy Psal 50.16.17.18 19.10.22 if it might be said to none What hast thou to do to declare God ordināces that thou shouldst take Gods couenāt in thy mouth seing thou hatest to be reformed hast cast his words behind thee For whē thou seest a thiefe thou runnest with him and thou art partaker with the Adulterers thou giuest thy mouth to euill with thy Tongue thou forgest deceit thou sittest and speakest against thy Brother and slanderest thy Mothers sonne ô consider this yee that forget God least he teare you in pieces and there be none that can deliuer you Is it not found among vs as Ezechiel found among the Iewes Ezek. 14.3 that many dissemble as though they would hearken to the admonitions of Gods word when they haue set vp their Idols of sinne in their harts and put the stumbling blockes of iniquitie before their faces Ecclus 19 25. Is it not found among vs that some being about wicked purposes doe bowe themselues downe and are sad when their inward parts burne altogether with deceit Is it not found among vs Ier. 5.2.22 that some say The Lord liueth yet doe sweare falsely and for all their pretensed pietie yet doe not sincerely feare the Lord Nor are afraied of his presence which hath placed the Sand for the boundes of the Sea by the perpetuall decree that it cannot passe and though the waues thereof rage yet they cannot preuaile though they roare yet can they not passe ouer it Is it not found among vs that some are named Christians and thereby beare in hand that they are full of Faith good works but when they speake of the vildenes of sinne of saluation of immortalitie and of heauenly and spirituall things they shew that it comes out of a wrong bowe they cannot say with the Psalmist The zeale of thine house hath eaten mee Psal 69.9 119.139 my zeale hath euen consumed mee because Gods enemies haue forgotten his words But as when Callidius said that he would prooue by witnesses
A GLASSE FOR THE GODLY CONTAYNING MANY COMFORTABLE TREATISES to perswade men from the loue of this world to the loue of the world to come and exhorting them with cherefulnes to passe through the crosses and afflictions of this life Full of spirituall comfort for all such as hope to be saued by Iesus Christ THE FIRST PART By R W Minister of Gods Word Amend your liues therefore and turne that your sinnes may bee put away when the time of Refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Acts 3.19 AT LONDON Printed by T P for Arthur Iohnson dwelling at the signe of the White Horse in Paules Churchyard An Dom 1612. The Treatises contained in the first part THE seeking of Heauen A whip for loyterers Hipocrisie vnmasked How to vanquish Sathan Practise must accompany profession The curbing of couetousnes Know this that God will bring thee to Iudgement TO The right VVorshipfull Sir Edward Seymour Baronet all increase of solide happines on Earth and eternall felicitie in Heauen SIR NOting seriously the great securitie of the age in which wee liue how men are addicted to profit and pleasure and how they either cursorily or else not at all doe contemplate and practise that which concernes the life to come I was animated to propose these my vnpolished labours to the view of Christian Readers He that searcheth and seeth the hearts and reines knoweth that the originall motiue exciting me to put pen to paper was a desire to bestow some Spirituall gift on the Church of God for the confirmation of the godly the consolation of the afflicted the awaking of those whom sinne like a poysonesome and drouzie Aspe hath lulled asleepe in obdurate and daungerous carelesnesse I haue endeauored according to the small portion of grace giuen vnto me to charme the deafe Adder and by blowing of the Trumpet to prepare the Lords Souldiers which must fight his battels vnder Christs banner against iniquitie to the end they may be circumspect and not preuented or circumuented by their spirituall foes that watch and walke continually seeking whome they may deuoure Many before me haue ranne a faire course in this race and haue thrust their sharpe sickle into this haruest in whose steps I gladly acknowledge my selfe to haue troden and I freely voluntarily confesse that my penury hath gleaned some bundles of eares that lay scattered in their copious fieldes To him that shall obiect my drawing of water out of the fountains of others and my resounding as an Eccho of their voyces I reply that as Aeschilus the Poet was accustomed to say that his Tragedies were but small dishes of great Homers Suppers so my slender repast may be called the fragments and reliques of the delicate dishes of Learned Christian and Godly Authors And to them that shall twi◠that heere is scarce ought written that hath not been published before what shall I retorte also But that either the forme is transformed or the language altered or at least the vsage of the latter Prophets and Euangelists imitated who haue repeated much and oftentimes verbatim trāscribed out of those that wrought before them as their purpose and occasion required Is not this euident in Deuteronomie the Cronicles and the Gospels Is Paul ashamed to write the same things to the Phillippians Nay doth he not esteeme it a sure and behoouefull matter for them Is not the generall Epistle of Iude the brother of Iames a compendious abridgement and recapitulation of the latter Epistle of Saint Peter Therefore an intent to prooue our doctrine consonant to auncient and approued writers as Oecumenius Theophilact and other aswell old as Moderne haue done is not to bee misliked nor reprooued But doe I frame an Apologie in this respect and not rather inferre with an eminent sound and profound Diuine that he that helps himselfe with the precedent workes of others cannot iustly be blamed since the holy Apostle affirmes that all things are ours and are ordained for helpes and furtherances to bring vs to CHRIST IESVS What successe will accompany my enterprise I leaue to him who though Paul Plant and Apollo water yet onely giueth the increase If I haue brought but the least stone or sticke that may serue for the promoting of Gods Edifice If I haue presented but one threed that may be vsed in the garnishing of Christ Sanctuarie If I haue reclaimed but one sinner from the path of perdition vnto the way of Paradise so that any shall heereafter say vnfainedly my Soule hath been bettered by this Booke this is the marke I aimed at and praised be God from whom all good and perfect gifts descend Some readers are still desirous of Novelties not regarding to performe what they haue formerly learned like guests that disdaine the meate that is set before them euer longing after change and varietie of dishes Some Readers respect not what they read so they be reading Like thirstie trauellers that drinke of euery fountaine not considering whether the water be wholsome or hurtfull Some Readers procure diuerse Books and boast of the store and multitude of thē though they apprehēd the doctrine but in small measure Like those that furbish many weapons and keepe them in their houses but are commonly vnexpert eyther to defend or offend when they are drawne to tryall Some readers vse Books more for shew and ostentation then for study of Godlines and reformation of manners Like Children that burne lamps and candles in the night but either watch not or else vse no exercise whence profit and commoditie may redound At a word some readers reprehend what they perceiue not or depraue what they vnderstand misliking matter or methode or phrase or all these Like the captious beholders of a garden that reiect hearbs and flowers whose vertue and operation they are jgnorant of and blame the contriuing and plotting of that which they haue often seene In this variable dispositiō of readers it is not possible to satisfie the appetite and expectation of all my confusion craues order my harshnes desires a sponge my shallownes longs for waight and depth and therefore I am vrged to intreate the skilfull to pardon the defects the curious to wink at the escapes the vnlearned to suspend their censure the resolued to beware of proposterous and intemperate zeale the lukewarme and them that are frozen in their dregs to suffer the words of exhortation finally I entreat all vnto whose hands these vnadorned Treatises shall come to embrace my good meaning in the armes of Christian loue and curtesie and to remember the blessed Apostles Maxime that a man is accepted according to that he hath and not according to that hee hath not if there be first a willing mind Finally least my preface resemble a swolne head disproportionable to the dwarfelike body following or become another Myndus that had ample gates it selfe beeing a very little Cittie and therefore the Cynick floutingly aduised the Cittizens to shut the gates least the whole Cittie
that runne after their shadowe but neuer ouerget it and those that lye in a slumbering sléepe and called vpon say We will come yet fall asléepe againe and those that doe parturire non parere trauell in the birth of newnes of life but bring foorth no childe of righteousnesse and those that would faine wade ouer the water but looke till the running water stop his course that they may passe drie and those of whom the Satyrist saies Pers sat 5. Nam quamuis propete quamuis temone sub vno Vertentem sese frustra sectabere canthum Cum rotaposterior curras in axe secundo That sitting by the second whéele of the chariot imagine they shall catch the former and first whéele that still rowles from them these must be content to haue this spéech of the householder applied to them Why stand ye heere all the day idle This carelesnesse and negligence in the matter of saluation is both perillous and pernitious Christianitie is a warfare and by Baptisme we are enrolled soldiers in the Armie of Christ therefore we must be circumspect we must be watchfull we must be couragious Ephes 6.11.12.13 Our enemies are Sathan and his vngodly complices for we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities against powers and against the worldly gouernours the Princes of the darkenes of this world against spirituall wickednesses which are in the high places And therefore we must put on the whole armour of God that we may be able to stand against the assaults of the diuell and that we may be able to resist in the euill day 2. Tim. 4.7.8 and hauing finished all things to stand fast If we fight a good fight and finish our course and kéepe the faith from henceforth is laid vp for vs the crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous iudge shall giue to vs at that day and to all them that loue that his appearing They that haue giuen their names to Christ and that shall be so plenteously rewarded for their labours in the Lord is it not a shame for them to loyter or be found in the campe of Sathan Christianitie is a wrestling and against what must we wrestle against the darkenes and ignorance of the flesh 1. Cor. 1.20 Ioh. â— 3.5 whose wisedom is foolishnes before God and cannot comprehend the mysterie of saluation for except a man be borne againe be borne of water and of the Spirit he cannot sée the kingdome of God nor enter into the kingdome of God And we must wrestle against the hatred and enmitie of the flesh and world Ioh. 15 1â—.20 for we must resolue our selues that since the world hated Christ it will hate vs also the seruant is not greater then his maister if they haue persecuted him they will persecute vs also And we must wrestle against the alluâ—â—ments and tentations of the â—â—â—sh which is an intestine and secret foe and â— dâ—mâ—sticall Iudas readie alwaies so betray vs into the power of our spirituall Enemie For 〈◊〉 our flesh naturally dwelleth no good Rom â— 1â— c. the fleâ—â—h 〈◊〉 finde no meanes to performe that is good the flesh suffers vs not to doe the good we would but the euill that we would not doe that we doe the flesh expels the delight that the inner man hath in the lawe of God and rebelling against the lawe of our minde lâ—ades vs captiue into the lawe of sinne Neb. 4.17 Saâ—â—allaâ— and â—obâ—ah and the Arabians and the Ammâ—â—â—â—es and the Ashdodims did not more withstand the repayring and reedefying of Ierusalem then the flesh and the sinfull motions thereof doe resist the saluation of the soule and the subiecting of it to the will of God The buâ—â—â—ers of Ierusalem being hindered by their malignâ—rs when they builded on the walls and when they bare burdens and when they laded did the worke with one hand and with the other hold the sword And they that are to wrestle against such so importunate strong and flattering an Aduersarie may not be secure and remisse and cast aside their spirituall furniture séeing an old and most practised wrestler not ignorant of Sathans sleights cries out on this sort Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death Christianitie is a race and that we may so runne that we obtaine mortification patience â— Cor. 9.24.25 and perseuerance is required of vs. They that runne and prooue maisteries for a corruptible crowne vse a most exquisite diet and abstaine from all things that may make them vnfit for the race they are not rewarded with the prize vnles they runne to the goale and will any imagine that he shall receiue the incorruptible crowne of life except he perseuere in faith and godlines What shall it auaile to heare the word to participate of the Sacraments to follow the calling of Christ for a while and at length and last to faile and faint either enchanted by pleasures or corrupted by the examples of the world for not he that fighteth and fainteth or flieth but he that ouercommeth shall haue power giuen him ouer the nations Reu. 2.26.27 Reu. 3 1â— and he shall rule them with a rod of yron and as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken he that ouercommeth shall be made a pillar in the temple of God and shall goe no more out and vpon him shall be written the name of God and of the citie of God and that new name Vâ—rse 21. he that ouercommeth shall sit with Christ in his throne And what meaneth our Sauiour when he saith Luk. 9.62 No man that putteth his hand to the plough and looketh backe is apt to the kingdome of God but that he admits no such schollars that doe not wholly consecrate themselues to him but reflect an eye to worldly desires and vanities For as the Ploughman that lookes not directly forward but doth cast his eye aside makes no right furrowe but a balke so they that doe not bend their whole endeuour to promote Gods glorie and to renounce the cares of the world cannot procéede aright in the way of life but must néeds decline either to the one hand or to the other And this our race is not in a corner Mâ—tt 5.14.15 nor without beholders for we are as a citie that is set on a hill cannot be hid as a candle that is not lighteâ— to be put vnder a bushell but on a candlesticke 1. Cor. 4.9 that it may giue light to all that are in the house and we are as gazing stocks vnto the world and vnto Angels and vnto men Matt. 5.16 and therefore being placed in such open view Let our Light so shine before men that they may see our good works and glorifie our father which is in Heauen He that hath a long iourney and but a short time in which he must make it will neuer end his
iourney except he trauell forward continually We must goe to heauen and the iourney is long for we must ouercome many tentations and kéepe many commaundements and doe many good workes and endure many tribulations before we can come thither The time for trauelling to heauen is this life whose daies are short and we cannot be sure of to morrowe Why then doe we loyter in the waie Nay why doe we slumber When there are many impediments in our waie as when it is hard to finde or théeues lye in ambush or the passage is rough and vneasie is it not néedefull that the Traueller should walke so much the more spéedily In the path of life there are many trials many conteruailes of Sathan many difficulties therefore we must neuer loyter but hold on continually If a friend offer vnto vs the meanes whereby we may be deliuered from inconueniences doth not he abuse his friend that neglects those meanes God daily affoordes vs his grace by meanes of which we are certainly freed from the daunger of leesing our soules and shall we abuse the long suffering of God in not apprehending the grace and fauour of the Almightie At a word is not he to be blamed iustly that omits the opportunitie and iust occasion to obtaine any thing It is vsually said that time and tide tarrie for none And Ausonius thus describes the statue and representation of Occasion and opportunitie which Pâ—â—dias carued that she stoode on a wheele to shew her rowling inconstancie that she had wings on her féete to shew her haâ—tie departure that she had a loâ—ke of haire on her forehead to shew how hardly she can be discerned and that she must be apprehended when she offers her selfe that the hinder part of her head was bald to shew that she could not be caught if she were once escaped and that her companion is Repentance to shew that sorrowe waits on those as a due portion that reiect iust occasion of doing good when it is offred vnto them Apelles the famous painter was wont to complaine that he had lost that day in which he had drawne no line and shall not the godly be grieued if they haue spent a day without procéeding and profiting in godlines and in the feare of God One saies that we must chiefly be héedfull of two times the morning and the euening that is we must consider what we will doe and what we haue done for so we shall in good sort both dispose our time and order our dutie And therefore Catoes manner was to repeat in the Euening what he had done séene or read in the day before and to recall himselfe to an account not onely for his busines but for his leisure The wise man fully perceiued that time is most pretious and the losse of time vnrecouerable Which thing if all men would consider the sharpe reprehension of the graue Censurer of depraued manners should not be renued in our age when he saies That we haue not little time Sen. but we leese much time that we receiue not a short life but make it short that we want not life but are wastfull of life and that whereas men are sparing in keeping their patrimony when they come to losse of time they are most prodigall in that in which couetousnesse and pinching deserues commendation If we must thinke all time lost wherein we haue not thought of God as Bernard saies when we call our selues to a reckoning how slender a part of our life shall we finde imparted on God how few houres spent in his seruice how rare the thoughts directed and erected towards Heauen Let many carefully recount what they haue thought spoken done in the day what shall they sée but innumerable wicked vnbridled thoughts idle words redounding neither to the profite of the speaker nor hearer backbitings slaunders lyings blasphemies swearings and a whole haruest of vanitie and iniquitie Indéed all our life is the time appointed of God for the laying hold on his grace which bringeth saluation vnto beléeuers but let vs suppose euery day to be our last day and this time to be the accepted time and this day to be the day of saluation and then we will in no case permit this time of grace to slip and slide away and we shall performe the Prophets exhortation Esai 55.6.7 Seeke ye the Lord while he may be found call ye vpon him while he is neere let the wicked forsake his waies and the vnrighteous hiâ— owne imaginations and returne vnto the Lord and he will haue mercie vpon him and to our God for he is very readie to forgiue Wherefore let vs not curiously prie into other mens actions but descend euery man into his owne soule and sée how we haue laboured in Gods vineyard And that we may be the willinger to worke in the vineyard and to employ the talents with which we are entrusted to the glorie of our Maister Christ and the edifying of his elect let vs haue an eye to that wages and pennie which shall be paied vnto vs in the Euening when this transitorie and wretched life is ended And what is that peÌ„nie It is eternal life it is our Masters ioy it is the glorie of heauen it is the wiping away of all teares it is the resting from all labors it is the end of sorrowe sicknes trouble care hatred anger it is the beginning perpetuall enioying of true pleasure ioy blessednes Austen saith excellently Soliloq c. 21. If thou O Lord hast ordained for this base corruptible body so great and so many blessings from the heauen aire the earth the sea the light and darkenes the heate and shadow the deaw and shewers the wind and raine the birds and fishes the beasts and trées and the varietie of hearbs plants which successiuely serue our turnes ease our tedious loathing what maner how great infinite are those good things which thou hast prepared for those that loue thée in that heaueÌ„ly countrie where we shall sée thée face to face If thou bestowe so great things on vs now being in prison what wilt thou bestowe vpoÌ„ vs when we are in the Palace If thou giue vs such comforts pledges of thy loue in the day of teares what wilt thou giue vs on the mariage day If thy gifts are so infinite diuerse which thou impartest both on thy friends and enemies how swéete and delectable shall those be which thou wilt bestowe vpon thy friends alone And elsewhere he saith Enarrat in Psal 85. ô my brethren thinke on and consider the good things which God giueth to sinners and by them vnderstand what he kéepeth for his seruants God giueth the heauen and the earth God giueth fountaines fruits health children plentie abundance to sinners that doe blaspheme him daily He that giueth these things to sinners what must we suppose doth he reserue for his faithfull people This hath béene the wisedome of the Saints when
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