1. he Wee saw his glorye And also in his notable and deuine miracles turning water into wine feeding manye thousandes with a few loaues and fishes causing the rough sea and windes to bee still making warlike souldiers to fall backewarde and euen the diuells to giue place at his commandement therefore when it is said here he was iustified in the spirit the meaning is he was apparantly shewed knowne and acknowledged to be God in the flesh Seene of Angels He was not onely iustyfied and acknowledged to be the sonne of God in the flesh by men but also by Angels who were acquainted with it and witnesses of it they brought tydings of his birth to the shepheardes they brought Luk. 1. tydings of his resurrection to the women Luk. 24. they were behoulders of his ascention with the Apostles and they did not onely Acts. 1. see him but adore and worship him and Heb. 1. not onelye the good Angels but the euill Angels did acknowledge him this Mar. 3. is a great misterye that dooth appeare wonderfull to all creatures both good and bad that a babe lying in a manger and a man hanging vppon the crosse should be the sonne of God and Sauiour of the world Preached to the Gentiles This is a further amplifying of this mistery for Christ did not take flesh to the end to be hid and vnvnknowne especially after he had performed the worke of redemptiō for although he bad his disciples to shew his transfiguration Mat. 17. to no man till he was risen againe from the dead yet after that he would haue both it and all other partes of religion published to all men when the woman powred a boxe of ointment on his head he said wheresoeuer this Gospell should be preached that which shee had done should be spoken of for a memoriall of her thereby shewing that the Gospel should be preached thorow the world and if that little that shee did before his death should bee published and praised how much more his death it selfe This mistery of religion was hid 4000. yeares or thereaboutes from the Gentiles a long time it was contained in one familie and in one kingdome in which respect the Apostle calles the calling of the Gentiles to the knowledge of Christ by the Gospell a mistery hid from the ages Ephe. 3. past but when the fulnesse of time was come then God sent his sonne in the flesh a light to be reuealed to the Gentiles Luk. 2. as Simeon speaketh according to that which was promised to Abraham in thy seede shall all the nations in the earth be blessed therefore our Sauiour Christ commaunded his disciples to goe to all nations and preach the things he had commaunded Mar. 28. for which purpose hee gaue them extraordinary guifts and among the rest the guifte of speaking with dyuers Acts. 2. tongues according to that which Paule saith he ascended vp on high and led captiuity captiue and gaue guiftes to men and appointed some to bee Apostles c. 〈◊〉 4. Now as they were commaunded and inabled to preach to the Gentiles so they did as we may see throughout the booke of the Actes of the Apostles they preached first Acts. 13 indeed to the Iews but when they refused they turned to the Gentiles although they suffered reproofe and persecution for the same at the hands of the Iewes because the Iewes misliked the calling of the Gentiles some of them of ignorance thinking the promises belonged onely to them and not to the Gentiles except such as should enter into the Church by the auncient dore of circumcision and some of them of duty thinking their dignity of being the only people of God would fall if the Gentiles should be taken in which is set forth in the example of the elder brother who enuied Luk. 15. the entertainemen of the prodigall sonne Now this mistery of calling of the Gentiles is so much the more misticall because the Iewes who were the natural Oliue-tree were broken and the Gentiles who were of the wilde Oliue-tree were grafted in this is a great mistery that the Gentiles that were poore beggers which lay by the hedges Mat. 22. and high wayes as it is set foorth in the parable should bee called to the marriage of the Kinges sonne that no Gentiles that were strangers and forreners as the Apostle speakes to the Ephesians should be Citizens with the saints and of the houshold of God and as the Apostles did preach to the Gentiles so the summe of their Preaching and Sermons was this mistery of religion that God was manifested in the flesh as we may see in the Actes where Acts. 4. they teach that there is no name vnder heauen whereby we may be saued but the name of Iesus Beleeued on in the world Hauing sayde Christ God and man was preached to the Gentiles now he saith He was beleeued on the world Whereby we see that preaching goeth before faith as Paul saith How shall they beleeue except they heare and Rom. 10. how shall they heare without a Preacher and Peter saith God chose him that the Gentiles Acts. 15. should heare the Gospell and beleeue the preaching of the lawe though it hath an excellent vse to be a Schoolemaister to Gal. 3. leade vs to Christ and to prepare vs for Christ as it did those to whom Iohn Baptist preached the doctrine of repentance Luk. 3. yet it cannot worke faith in men that is the office of the Gospell which setteth foorth Christ Iesus and this misterie of our redemption that he hath wrought in the flesh as we haue heard before therefore is the Gospell called the word of faith which the Gentiles did heare and beleeue for although all that doe heare doe not beleeue yet none can beleeue but those that heare therefore it is said It pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue those that 1. Co◠1. beleeue Whereupon I inferre this briefe exhortation as a Parentheses that those who would be religious should not thinke reading either by others or by themselues sufficient but that therewithall they do ioyne ordinary hearing the worde preached which is the iust liuely effectuall meanes that God hath ordained for the beginning Gal. 3. and increasing of this grace of faith and all other gifts of sanctification For Christ beeing preached to the Gentiles he was not preached in vayne but as the Apostle saith he was beleeued on in the world not of all the world for the Apostle 2. Thes 3 saith all men haue not faith but in Acts. 13. the world that is as Luke saith in the Acts As many as were ordained to eternall life beleeued and therefore is true faith which doeth apprehend Christ called the faith of Gods elect which is according to Godlinesse Titus 1. This is not the least part of this great mistery that Christ is beleeued on in the world some maruell that all which heare the word so
though Verse 5. it be stone in the bottome yet it hath some earth in the top and the seede takes a little roote and springs vp sodainly but the earth is so shallow and the stones so many that it cannot take any deepe roote but when the heate comes it withers away To this ground our Sauiour Christ compares some men that are not so sencelesse as the former but goe a degree further they perceiue some beautie and excellencie in the Gospell feele some sweetnesse in it as the Apostle saith in the Hebrews They haue a Heb. 6. taste of the good worde of God Luke saith These men receiue the seede with ioye they Luk. 8. 13 will commend the Sermon and the Preacher and shewe a greene blade of profession and flourishing shewe of religion and though they haue some ioye in the worde yet it is not in the commandement to knowe and doe their dutie but onely in the promises of the Gospell that sets forth the grace of God and saluation in Christ as if it belonged to them and therefore it is said they beleeue for a time but their Luk. 8. 13 hearts be so hard that they cannot mourne for their sinnes and wants and though the worde be the meanes to soften mens harts yet it cannot mollifie them but they remaine stonie There is nothing so harde but by arte and workemanship may be sofned mettals are melted with the fire Yron is made plyable with the hammer a Dyamond is broken with the bloud of a Goate but some mens hearts are so hard that neither the hammer of the worde the fire of hell nor the bloud of Christ can soften them there is great complainte of the stone in the raines but fewe complaine of the stone in the hearte or of a stonie heart Christ saith these men haue no roote Verse 17 in themselues their religion stands in the Prince in the Minister in their bookes in their wiues in their friends they haue no true vnderstanding nor power of grace in themselues that which is in them it is in their tongues to speake a little their hearts are so harde within that the worde cannot take roote enough to endure the stormes and trials of heate and colde that it might bring forth fruite They continue but a time That is their ioy they tooke in the word continues not their fresh shew of religion continues not as it is necessarie to imbrace the truth so it is necessarie to continue in it if we change it cannot be for the better but for the worse Christ saith If yee continue in my worde yee are verily my disciples if yee continue not ye are Iohn 8. not my aisciples in deed but in shew Some continue too long in error and false religion as the Turkes Papists Anabaptists and others but that is not constancie but obstinacie constancie is in the trueth it is obstinacie that is in error Salomon hath said Buy the truth but sell it not therefore it is pittifull and fearefull that some should let it goe when they haue it Apostacie is the most dangerous and vnrecouerable sinne that may be so terribly described in the Hebrews that it is vnpossible such a man should bee renued by Heb. 6. repentance and Iohn saith The prayers of the Church cannot helpe him Peter saith It 1. Ioh. 5. had beene better for him neuer to haue knowne 2. Per. 2. the truth then after he hath knowne it to turne from it Therefore that hee might make this sinne of Apostacie odious to all men and Apostates odious to other men hee compares them to the Sowe that was washed and returnes to her wallowing in the mire and to the Dogge that returnes and resumes his vomit Those that haue beene Apostates as Iudas and Iulian are neuer named in the Church but with detestation such a one is vnfit for the company of men he must be giuen ouer to sathan Therefore Paul calles the Galathians foolish Galathians because they did not runne out their race These stonie men though they be fresh at the first comming of the Gospell they are no body at the last but are like to Plinies Lion that at the first litter had fiue at a clap after euery litter bated one till at last shee had none at all In worldlye matters mens after-wit is best and shall it in matters of religion be worst at last Therefore let vs heare that waightie exhortation of the Apostle Take heede Heb. 3. least at any time there bee in any of you an euill heart and vnfaithfull to depart from the liuing God And so much the rather let vs take heede of it because our Sauiour Christ saith here there bee some men that receiue the worde with ioye and yet continue but a time Luke saith Beleeue for Luk. 8. a time that is professe the faith for a time not that they had iustifying faith at all for that cannot be lost as Iohn saith Whosoeuer beleeue in Christ shall not perish but haue eternal Iohn 3. life And true faith saith the same Apostle in his first Epistle ouercomes the worlde 1. Ioh. 5. but the meaning is these men do professe the faith as Simon Magus did and seeme to themselues and others that they doe beleeue Acts. 8. but it is a fayned faith that is ouercome of the world not a iustifying faith for the gates of hell shall not preuaile against Mat. 16. that much lesse the gates of the prison It is not a true faith for that bings forth ripe fruite as Iames speakes but a counterfeit and dead faith without fruite therefore it is saide they beleeue and continue but a time that is a short time for true faith also ceases in the life to come therefore 2. Cor. 13 Peter saith The godly receiue the ende of their faith euen the saluation of their soules but 2. Pet. 1. these men beleeue but a shorte time they giue ouer in this life neuer come to that excellent end because they neuer had any true beginning When persecution ariseth because of the word Our Sauiour Christ shews the reason why these men continue but a time the chiefe reason is indeede because the word tooke no roote in them they had no sound faith they wanted grace but this is the sencible reason or occasion of their reuolting they are afraide of affliction and loue to sleepe in a whole skinne such were the Israelites that would goe into the wildernesse to worship God but when they were pinched a little they became murmurers such were the professors at Rome that Paul speakes of At my first 1. Cor. 10 answering saith he all men forsooke me such 2. Tim. 4. were many in King Edwards time which then had a blade of religion but when Queene Mary came it withered away and such are all those that be time-seruers of whom we may haue a great gesse now but no certaine triall till persecution
because she goes to him that hath her heart It is a worthy saying of Iacob that I haue thought of many a time when he was sick and in the midest of his speech with Ioseph and his other sonnes Lord saith he I haue waighted for thy saluation therefore let no man so desire this life but let him be content to change it for a better for it is an absurd thing that naturall inclination should ouerrule the force of Christian hope There is a third sort of men as I said before who know they must dye will peraduenture bee content to yeelde to death when it comes but they will not labor for wisedome while they liue therefore it were well they would often take vp this petitioÌ„ of Moses Teach vs to nuÌ„ber our daies that we may apply our harts to wisedome But what wisedome doth Moses meane If he had bin a PhisitioÌ„ we might haue thought he had ment naturall wisedome to prouide Methredates and preseruations for this life if hee had beene a Philosopher we might haue thought by wisedome he had ment humane wisedome to know the nature of things in the firmament in the earth and in the sea to obserue things past and to gesse at all things to come but Moses was learned in all the wisedome of the Egiptians therefore he prayes not for that wiseodme which he had but for that which he and the people wanted if he had beene a Politision as Matcheuill calles him wee might haue thought hee ment here worldely wisedome to heape vp honours ritches and prefermentes for himselfe and his posterity but his practise was against this wisedome for he refused to be called the sonne of Pharaoes daughter and the pleasures and treasures of Egipt and Heb. 11. his drift in this place shewes that hee meanes not this wisedome for what similitude had there beene betweene this petition that God would teach them to number their dayes that is to knowe the breuitye and vncertainetye of their life and his reason That we may apply our heartes to wisedome if hee had ment this wisedome to heape vp ritches and honours which wee must shortlye leaue behinde vs therefore wee must knowe Moses beeing a deuine hee prayes for spirituall Godly and heauenlye and true wisedome that is the knowledge and practise of the worde of God which is able to make a man wise vnto saluation this is the wisedome that Salomon 1. King 3 the wisest man in the worlde prayed for before ritches long life or the life of his enemies and which hee saythe in the Prouerbes is better then Golde Pro. 3. and Pearles to shewe that it will recompence all the cost that can bee bestowed vpon it This is the wisedome that the Queene of Sheba tooke such a long iourney for to shewe that it will recompence all the 1. Kin. 10 labour that can bee bestowed for it and this is it that shall iustiye procure the title of wise men as Moses saieth of those that heare and obay the worde in Deutronâ—mie Deâ— it shall bee sayde of them they onelye are a wise people and in respect of this wisedome our Sauiour Christ calleth the true professors of the Church wise virgins Mat. 25. Wherefore Moses saith Teach vs so to number our dayes that we may apply our harts to wisedome For that which is rotten and tottering had neede leane to a stable thing we haue seene how fraile the body is therfore we had neede of wisedome whereby we may repaire the soule wee haue seene this life is short and vncertaine therefore we had neede of wisedome that we may seeke for a better life that is euerlasting seeing wee shall leaue all outward things behinde vs we haue neede of wisedome that wee may haue some thing to carrye with vs. Wisedome is a generall word and comprehendes all that a man is to beleeue to doe to suffer before death that may make him happy in the next life Paul that speaks of the shortnesse of mans life and compares it to a tabernacle or a shed of bowes He 1. Cor. 5. willes maiestrates to gouerne their subiects equally and he willes subiectes to obay their gouerners dutifully he willes ministers Rom. 13. to attend vnto reading and to preach 2. Tim. 4. in season and out of season he willes the gouerners of the Church to rule with diligence Rom. 12. and to redresse the things that remaine he willes the Christians to come Titus 1. together euery first day of the weeke not only to here the word pray and receiue the sacramentes but to distribute to the poore Ephe. 6. he willes husband to loue their wiues and wiues to obay their husbands he willes children to honour and obay their parents and parentes to instruct their children hee willes seruantes to obay and shew all good faithfulnesse to their maisters and maisters Titus 2. to do that which is right to their seruantes for saith he we must all die and we must all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ and receiue according to that wee 2. Cor. 5. haue done in this body now he that would lye soft must make his bed thereafter therefore when Moses saith Teach vs so to number our dayes that we may apply our harts to wisedome he meanes that we may walke not as fooles but as wise redeeming the time as Paul saith that we may get knowledge Ephe. 5. faith repentance and grow in euery grace and vertue belonging to our renouation here and saluation hereafter and that while it is called to day according to the counsell of Salomon Remember thy maker Eccle. 1â— in the dayes of thy youth before the keepers of the house tremble that is the hands before the strong men shall bow that is the legges before they waxe darke that looke out at the windowes that is the eyes before the daughters of musicke shall be abased that is the eares before the Grashoppers or crooked shoulders shall bee a burden and before the wheele shall be broken at the cesterne that is the heart and before dust returne to the earth whence it came for that which foolish men desire to doe in the end wisemen labour to doe in the beginning as one saith wisely When I was young I studied how to liue and now I am old I study how to dye The Apostle saith It is appointed to all men once to dye now that which is once and but once to be done is to be carefully done for to dye well saieth maister Perkins is an arte that must be learned as long as wee liue therefore he that would dye well must be carefull to liue well he that must be at an houres warning will haue all things ready his cloake his bootes his spurs and all wee may be called for within this houre where is our cloake our bootes that is our vertues and readines for our iourney to be gone he that would be perfectly wise
plainely and plentifully preached doe not beleeue but rather considering the impediments of faith that are within vs and without vs it is maruell that any do beleeue for faith is not of our selues by nature it is the gift of Gods graâ—e and Ephe. 2. another manner of thing then many imagine seeing no man knowes it but those that haue it as no man knowes the sweetenes of hony but those that haue tasted it I will not enter into a common place of faith because I purpose not to go from the Apostles purpose onely thgat we may not be deceiued in iudging of it as many are let vs knowe that faith is a precious and vnspeakeable gift which God by his holy spirit workes in the hartes of his elect in measure whereby a man doeth applye Christ and all his good things to himselfe with comfortable assurance and whereby he is prouoked and inabled to thankefull obedience thus Christ being preached he was beleeued on in the worlde not talked on onely but beleeued on also he was talked on of many and beleeued on of some though but few in comparison as it is now but we must not rest in lip faith but labour for hart faith not rest in faith of the flesh but labour for faith of the spirite not rest in the faith of common Protestantes but labour for the faith of true Christians not rest in a dead faith that is without finite but labour for that faith which may maâ—e vs aliue from dead workes not rest in such a counterfet faith as is ouercome of the world but labour for that faith that â—â—oth ouercome the world for Christ 〈◊〉 ouercome for vs except â—◠〈◊〉 vs this is the commandement of the Gospell that we beleeue in him whome God hath sent that we beleeue this mistery noâ— only that God became man but that he did it for the saluation of men and not only of other men for so far hipocrites may go in beleeuing but of our selues euery one must beleeue that Christ so wrought the redemption of the Church generally as hee did it for him perticulerlye as a member of the same and if there had beene no more he would haue done it for him alone This is a part of this mistery to beleeue that Christ being in heauen and we in earth Christ beeing glorious and we base Christ being pure and we defiled should be one with vs and we with him But marke that it was said before Christ was preached to the Gentiles and now he was beleeued on in the world the Gentiles were great sinners yet when Christ was preached they beleeued in him Some may therevpon aske this question Doth Christ belong to wicked men no not so long as they bee wicked but the Apostles did preache this misterie of forgiuenesse of sinnes and saluation in Christ to those that do repent as Peter saith Amend your liues Acts. 2. and be baptised in the name of the Lord â—esus for the remission of sinnes therefore those that would beleeue this misterie must repent of their sinnes for the faith that wicked men boast of is but a fancie Repentance is a godly sorrow rising from the sight of our sinnes and the punishment due vnto them which causes a man to hate the deuill euill men and euill things to loue God good men and good things in his minde and to forsake the deuill euill men and euill things and to follow God good men and good things in his maners but it is not so needfull to shew now what repentance is as to perswade men to go about it neither is it so necessarie to shew whether faith or repentance be wrought first in a man seeing they are alwayes ioyned together and are at no time separated in a good man repentance though it may be said to be the last in nature yet it is the first in feeling Thus the Gentiles when they heard the Gospell beleeued in Christ as we may see in Zacheus and in those that burned their Luk. 19 Acts. 19. bookes of curious Artes at Ephesus and many other therefore those that became Christians are in the Epistles of Paul called Saints and if any that had beene receiued into the Church vpon a counterfeite shew of repentance did returne to his olde sinnes the scripture appoints him to be cast out and deliuered to Sathan as vnworthy of a Christian estate but those that did indeed beleeue in Christ became true Christians such as were redeemed iustified and sanctified by him Receiued vp into glory That is his manhood for his Godhead was alwayes in glorie but the Apostle meanes he was receiued into glorie in his manhood that he might enioy that life which was promised to those that keepe the law this is that he prayed for Father glorifie thy sonne with that glorie that I had with thee before the worlde Iohn 17. was This is that the Euangelist Marke speakes of He was taken vp into heauen Mar. 16. The manner of his ascention thether is set downe in the first of the Actes Acts. 1. Therefore he is not here corporally vpon earth as the Papistes say for we beleeue in the creede he assended into heauen which must containe him vntill his comming againe Acts. 3. this is that is saide of him he is crowned Heb. 2. with glory and honour not such glory only as the Saints and Angels haue but the highest degree of glory belonging to the head of the Church though he were base for a time yet is he glorious for euer which those that beleeue in him did see by saith as the theefe on the Crosse that said Lord haue mercy on me when thou commest in thy kingdome and therfore though in the primatiue Church the friendes of the Church did expostulate with them and say will ye beleeue and suffer for one that was crucified yet by faith they ouercame such reasons and knew he was another manner of person then they tooke him as it is said he was receiued into glory This is that which is said of him that hee sitteth at the right hand of God Ephe. 1. that is as Paule expounded it exalted farre aboue all principalitye and power Phil. 2. as it is said to the Philippians hee humbled himselfe to the death of the Crosse wherefore God hath exalted him and giuen him a name aboue all names that at the name of Iesus euery knee should bow this he saith of himselfe all power is giuen to me both in heauen and in earth that as he hath redeemed his people from their enemies so hee might defend them from them This is a great mistery that he which was brought so lowe should be exalted so high but is this all that he was glorified in his person No but that he might glorifie his members as Paule saith to the Thesselonians 2. Thess 1. He shall be gloryfied in his Saints and made maruelous in all those
that do beleeue he laid not downe our nature againe when he had wrought our redemption but carried it with him into heauen as one saith when Christ went away from vs hee lefte vs his pawne that is his spirit to assure vs hee would come againe to vs and tooke with him our pawne that is our flesh to assure vs we should come to him according as hee saith in Iohn I goe to prepare a place for you that where I am there you may bee also This is the misterye that the sonne of God came downe to the earth tofetch vs vp to heauen that after hee had sanctified our humayne nature in himselfe he might glorifie vs with himselfe as Paul saith He Phil. 3. shall change our vile body that it may be made like his glorious body which how excellent an estate it is no toung is able to expresse As the worst is past with Christ so the best is to come with Christians for he would not haue come from glorye to basenesse but to haue drawne vs from basenesse to glory therefore let vs be content with our Sauiour Christ himselfe to passe by the crosse to this crowne where we shall receiue the end of our faith which is the saluation 1. Pet. 1. of our soules The necessities of Religion or Mans Renouation IOHN 3. 3. Iesus answered except a man be borne againe he cannoâ— see the kingdome of God 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. OVr Sauiour Christ being excellent and famous when hee was vpon the earth many resorted to him to heare his doctrine and see his miracles and among the rest there was one Nichodemus who was a Pharisie a teacher and Ecclesiasticall ruler among the Iewes that came to him but secretly by night fearing the displeasure of the rest of his sect who loued not Christ nor his disciples as some looking Iohn 9. too much to men haue a kinde of fleshly shame or bashfulnesse in well doing and the higher any man is lifted vp in wealth authoritye or society with great men the stronger impediments he hath to keepe him from Christ But when he comes to our Sauiour Christ he salutes him reuerently and calles him Rabbi a title and saluation then commonly vsed to learned men and he saith to him we know speaking of himselfe his company thou art a teacher sent from God for no man could doe those miracles which thou doest except God were with him he knew him not to be the Messtas but tooke him for some speciall Prophet the rest of the Pharises asked him by what authority he did those miracles seeing he was not approoued by them that were the gouerners of the Church but Nichodemus being somwhat wiser then the rest confesses he had authority sufficient from God In the former chapter they required a signe of him to confirme his calling if it were extraordinary as Moses confirmed his calling by turning his rodde into a serpent and Elias by deuiding Iordâ—â— with his mantle but Nichodemus confesses there were signes ennow for saith he No man could doe those things that thou doost except God were with him Now although our Sauiour Christ might haue taken exception to his maner of comming by night and reprooued his feare of men and ignorance that he knew him not to be more then a Prophet yet letting passe these wordes that I haue read he beginnes with the chiefe point and that which was the cause of those faultes in him which was the want of grace and therefore saith Except a man be borne againe c. As if he should say although thou doost call me maister and thereby professest thy selfe to be a scholler yet I doe not account thee fit for my disciple except thou beest borne againe For by the kingdome of heauen heere is not ment the kingdome of glory in the next life as some haue taken it but the kingdome of grace in this life that is the true Church as it is taken in the fift of Mathew the Church is called Mat. 5. 19 the kingdome of heauen because the lawes whereby it is gouerned are from heauen the guiftes wherewith it is endued are from heauen the persons that are members of the true Church are Cittizens of heauen and because the Church is as it were the suburbes thorowe the which we must enter the Kingdome of heauen It is as if our Sauiour Christ should say thou hast made a iourney to heare me and thou hast vsed good wordes vnto me but that is not enough thou canst not bee accounted a true member of the Church except thou hast good thoughtes and good workes aswell as good words except thou beest borne againe that is generally made better both in thy minde and manners Let vs marke our Sauiour dooth not flatter him though he were a great man but seekes to profit him some doe much extoll small things in great men if they will heare a sermon or two giue courteous wordes and entertainement to a minister they greatly commend them although their mindes and manners be as vnformed as their naturall parents left them but we must follow our Sauiour Christes example to Nichodemus except they bee borne againe and reformed in hart and hand aswel as in toung except they be indeed generally sanctified aswel as they seeme to be so in some perticular it is nothing worth although they would goe twenty mile to heare the choisest Preacher in the country except they doe reforme themselues by the word conforme themselues to that which is taught therein they be no Christians This doubtlesse was an vnpleasant answer to Nichodemus for howsoeuer a naturall man can be content to haue something added to him yet he likes not to haue all condemned that is in him and to haue his estate called into question But our Sauiour Christ not regarding what would please him but profit him condemnes his first birth and telles him he must of necessity be borne againe neither doth he speake of Nichodemus in perticular but of all men in generall for saith he Except a man be borne againe and not of men onely but women also for that which was Nichodemus his condition is the condition of all by their first birth the Potter would not breake his pot to make it againe except it were ill made so God would not regenerate men except they were euill generated Therefore our Sauiour Christ dooth in these words both condemne our first birth and vrge the necessity of a new birth as if he should say except a man in the time of his life become better then hee is by his birth except a man be againe begotten of God who is a better father in the wombe Iam. 1. 18 of the Church that is a better mother by the worde that is immortall and better 1. Pet. 1. 23. seede and so becomes a new creature and hath better qualities he shall not haue a better inheritance It is as if he should say as a man is by
cast them away as the author to the Hebrews saith Cast away 〈◊〉 12. the things that presse downe To mortifie â—hem as it is sayde to the Collâ—sians Moâ—tiâ—ie your earthlie members and names diueis Col. 3. perticulers to abstaine from them as Peter 1. Pet. 2. saith Abstaine from fleshlye lustes that fight against the soule To haue no fellowship with them as to the Ephesians Paul Ephe. 5. saith Haue no fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darknesse but reprooue them rather To cleanse them as the Holye Ghost saith by â—ames Cleanse your hands Iam. 4. yee sinners and purge your hearts yee wauâ—ring minded There be some things in nature indeed that must not bee cast off as the faculties of the soule and members of the bodie but whatsoeuer is corrupt in nature must bee layde aside not iudgement but the corruption of iudgement not affection Eph. 4. 26 as some thinke all anger is sinne but the corruption of affection So not the members of the bodye as some haue taken those wordes of our Sauiour Christ Mat. 5. 29 If thine eye offend thee plucke it out c. but the corruption of those members and so of all the rest And as the Scripture doth command vs to cast off the corruption of nature generally so perticulerly saith Lie not sweare not steale not commit not adultery kill not c. Some will lay aside some sinnes in their manners but not the loue of them in their mindes as the Pharises were outwardly like painted Tombes but inwardly full of rottennesse some will leaue some little sinnes but not great sinnes as Herod that reformed many things but would not put awaye his brother Philips wife and some will leaue some great sinnes but not little Mark 6. sinnes they will not forsweare but they will sweate in their common talke they will not rob openly but they will deceiue secretly But all these are borne of the flesh not of the spirite In the new history of Scot-land there is mention made of a controuersie betweene Scotland and Ireland for an Iland lying betweene them both at length it was put to the determination of a wise Frenchman whose order was that a snake should be put into the Iland aliue and if it did still liue the Iland should belong to Scotland and if not it should belong to Ireland because it is said there are no snakes in Ireland which is aleaged to this ende to shew that if the venomous corruptions of our nature doe liue and thriue in men they belong to the kingdome of Sathan for that which is borne of the flesh is flesh and cannot enter into the kingdome of God And that which is borne of the spirit is spirit That is he that is a spirituall man is spiritually 1. Cor. 2. 15. minded walkes after the spirit as he that is borne of the flesh is carnally minded Rom. 8. 1 and walkes after the flesh so he that is borne againe of the spirit is spiritually minded and manuered He meanes not that the substance of the spirite is infused into a regenerate man as the familie doe dreame but the qualities and guiftes of the spirite neyther is it meant that a regenerate man that is borne of the spirite is all spirite as a naturall man is all flesh for wee must not thinke any man can be perfect in this life Paul saith of himselfe which is true much more Phil. 3. 12 of others That he was not come to perfection but onely did striue vnto it therefore to the Romans hee complaines of his imperfections which hee calles the lawe Rom. 7. of his members or remnants of the flesh that still did rebell against the spirite for although Saint Iohn â—ayth Hee that is 1. Ioh. 3. 9 borne of God sinnes not yet the meaning is not that hee sinnes not at all for in the first Chapter hee saith If wee say we haue no sinne wee lye and sinne in saying so But the meaning is as some take it hee sinnes not as hee is borne of God or so farre as he is regenerate but as the most take it he sinnes not as he did before he was regenerate willingly and notoriouslye therfore when our Sauiour saith that which is borne of the spirit is spirit the meaning is he that is regenerate is a spirituall man not the flesh but the spirit not the corruption of nature but the sanctifying grace of God dooth rule and is predominate in him Therefore the sinnes of the children of God are called infirmities because they proceede from corruption that is weakened and made infirme in them by grace and therfore the duties of the children of God are called good workes because they proceede from grace but passing by our reason our will our affection our tongues handes and other members that are corrupt by nature and but in part sanctified they receiue some defilement yet because the motion from whence they come being the motion of Gods grace the end whereto they tend being Gods glorye and the ground whereon they stand beeing Gods worde is good therefore they are called good workes are accounted good and accepted in the faith of Christ who whose workes were absolutely good and therfore the workes of those that are regenerate and beleeue in him are accounted as his are for this cause a regenerate man is called a spirituall man taking his name of the more excellent part as a man is called a melancholike man not as if he had no fleame or choller in him but because that humour beares the greatest sway in him so a Christian is called a spirituall man not as if there were no remnantes of flesh in him but because the spirit beares the greatest swaye and ouer rules corruption in him therefore we must put a difference betweene iustification sanctification The Papistes speake of such a sanctification as may iustifie a man before God but iustification must be teached by faith from Christ Iesus whose perfect iustice is imputed to those that beleeue Gal. 3. 1â— our sanctification is alwayes in this life imperfect and mingled with some wantes but yet so as regeneration makes a man exceedingly to differ from a naturall man he that is of the flesh saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 5 sauours the things of the flesh that is corruption affectes them delightes them c. But hee that is of the spirite that is as Christ saith Borne of the spirite saueurs the things of the spirite a regenerate man in that he is borne of God loues his heauenly father and delightes in him but hee that is not borne of God but is a naturall man Iob 27. 10. dooth not beeing nothing of kin to him A regenerate man delightes in the lawe of Rom. 7. 22. Ioh. 1. 20 God an vnregenerate man dooth not but hateth the light a regeneraâ—e man loues those that be regenerate being the children of God and his
strength and at night make their end and are gone Wee now mourne for our friends departed and shortlye other shall mourne for vs. Wee supply the places of those that are gone and shortly other shall supplie ours Wee haue heere no abiding Cittie saith the Apostle wee seeke one to come in which respect wee are called strangers and Pilgrams 1. Pet. 2. vpon earth It is reported of one Artabanus who seeing the huge armie of Zearxes containing a hundred thousand men wept and being asked why he did so because sayde he within a hundred yeares there shall not bee a man left aliue of this great companie as I suppose this small companie of lesse then a thousand men shall meete no more vntill we meete vnto iudgement as wee see many men shake hands purposing but a shorte absence but it prooues their last farewell And as the Scripture teaches Mans life is shorte so that it passes swiftly away if the waye bee shorte and the motion swift there can bee no hope of any long continuance where the waye is shorte and the motion slowe it may stay the longer as the children of Israell were fortye yeares passing thorowe the wildernesse because they went softely which a swifte moouer might haue done in fortie dayes but where the way is shorte and the motion swift it must needes come soone to an end such is mans life it is in the Scripture compared to a Poast that hasteth on the Kings businesse it is compared to a Weauers shuttle that soone passes from one end of the Loome to the other It is compared to a thought that runneth ouer the world in a moment how shorte doe wee thinke the time that is past how soone doe we thinke a weeke a month a yeare to bee gone Therefore this is a necessarie peticion of Moses Teach vs so to number our dayes that wee may applye our heartes to wisedome For what is it by Geometrie to take the bredth and length of the most huge things and spacious prospects and not to measure our life which Dauid sayth is but a Spanne long What is it with the cunning Philosopher to knowe the causes and effectes of many things and neglect to consider our owne frailety with the Historiographer to know and report what other haue done and to neclect the knowledge of himselfe with the lawyer to prescribe many preceptes and to forget the common law of nature with the Arithmetitian to be exact in numbring and deuiding the least fractions and not to bee able to number our dayes What is it to liue like doctors in diuers faculties and to dye God knowes like simple men therefore saith Moses Teach vs so to number our daies that we may apply our hartes to wisedome For numbring of men we haue an example in Dauid for numbring of mony we haue examples 1. Sam. 24 in Marchantes for numbring of sheepe oxen it is found among Grasiers and euery man hath Arithmetick enough to number the things of this life but there be few that do rightly number their dayes for where is there one of a hundred that dooth not eyther forget his mortality or if he doe remember it dooth not proroge his life and perswade himselfe of manye yeares or if not yet that dooth apply his hart to wisedome in his time therefore although Moses himselfe had well learned his lesson as appeares by taking such a fit occasion as I named in the beginning to fall into this meditation and as appeares by the diuers sutable speeches hee vses in this prayer yet because hee sawe the most men still ignorant forgetfull secure and vnwise He prayes God to giue them grace to consider their fraile and mortall estate and wisely to make vse of it But some may say what neede we seeke any further Moses himselfe in the 10. verse hath set downe the number of our dayes where he saith The dayes of a man are threescore yeares and ten but wee must marke there he compares the shortnesse of mans life in his time with the length of mans life in the dayes of his fathers who liued seauen hundred eight hundred and nine hundred yeares and now the age or life of man was but threescore yeares and ten or foure score as Ieremie prophesied that the Isralites should be in captiuitie in Babell seuentie yeares that is a whole generation and yet in the tenth verse in those wordes Moses meant not to set downe the certaine terme of euery mans life for then hee needed not to haue made this petition Teach vs to number our dayes but hee had experience as wee haue that some dyed in their infancie some in their childhood some in their middle age and some liue till that full terme then they dye yet whereas one Apple hangs on the Tree tell it be mellow and falles of it selfe there be a hundred that are broken off with violent hands and violent windes But suppose a man should liue till hee bee threescore yeares and tenne halfe that time is spent in sleeping which may be subtracted from the grose summe and then there remaines but thirtie and fiue yeares whereof wee may deduct fifteene yeeres of our childhood wherein we are rather troublesome then profitable and not fitte to doe any great seruice eyther to God or men and so there remaines but twentie yeares now take from that the time that is spent in wickednesse the time that is spent in idlenesse the time that is spent in superfluous eating drinking and other necessary things and then consider how little time remaines wherein wee applye our heartes to wisedome euen of those who liue threescore yeares and tenne how much lesse of those who dye sooner But this was but a supposition that a man may liue so long for Saint Iames saythe A man cannot tell Iam. 5. whether hee shall liue tell to morrowe Now the time that is past is gone and cannot bee called againe therefore Time was wonte to bee painted with hayre before and balde behinde the time that is to come is none and cannot bee presumed vppon Therefore it is sayde of a wise man hee woulde make no promise for to morrowe so that wee haue none but the present time to applye our hearts to wisedome Moses hath doone what hee can in this Psalme to instructe all men in the knowledge of the breuitie of their life and vncertaine certaintye of their death and prayes to God in these wordes to teach them further and better for all that is sayde in the Scripture aswell in this as anye other matter shall bee vnfruitfull except God doth teache the hart aswell as the eare for it is not the planting of Paul nor the watring of Apollo 1. Cor. 3. but God that giues the increase Nowe wee haue seene his peticion for the numbring of our dayes let vs come to his reason that wee may applye our hearts to wisedome He desires God not onely to teach vs to number our dayes but so to teache it
in the life to come must labour to be partly and truely wise in this worlde therefore Moses saith heare Teach vs so to number our dayes that wee may aâ—ply our heartes to wisedome And marke that hee saith Apply our harts to wisedome Not our eares to heare of it onely nor our tongues to speake of it onelye but our heartes to thinke of it and he meanes not a few wandering thoughtes of wisedome but a serious and conscionable bending of our iudgement and affection to those things that wisedome requires that we may looke both neere enough what we are now and farre enough what we shall bee afterwarde and thinke of it soone enough and thinke of it long enough It is not enough to heare a funerall sermon to speake of death but to thinke of it nor to heare of heauen speake of better life but thinke of it what it is to haue it and what it is to want it Marke he makes to consideratioÌ„ of death a reason to apply our heartes to wisedome we are so vnapt to goodnesse that wee had neede of reasons to perswade vs to euery good thing and wee are so apt to foolish things that we had neede haue some reasons to perswade vs to wisedome now there is no reason of more force then this that our life is shorte and vncertaine and wee cannot tell whether wee haue a weeke a daye or an houre to learne this long lesson There is nothing can teach a man better how to liue then to thinke euery daye to dye the wise man saith If thou wouldest remembeâ— thy end thou shouldest not sin Ezechias when the message of death came to him how profitable were his meditations Iacob Iosua and Dauid how carefull Esai 38. were they to instruct their families and to doe such things as were to be done when they did see and say we goe the way of all the world therefore saith Salomon It is better to go into the house of mourning then into Eccle. 7. the house of banqueting For he that is wise will lay it to his hart Philip king of Macedon appointed his chamberlaine euerye morning to cry vnto him Phillip remember thou art mortall and must dye and it is saide to this day Presbiter Iohn hath serued to his table a deathes head in a platter to put him in minde of his mortallity and many men it seemes to the same end doth weare a deathes head in a ring on their finger nay euery one dooth weare death it selfe in his finger for euery ache and euery paine doth put a man in minde though he be now well he shall be sick though he now walke strongly he shall lye weake though he now liue he shall die Therefore saith Moses Teach vs so to number our dayes that we may apply our harts to wisedome for forgetfulnesse of death is the cause that we apply our hearts to follye as the fiue foolish Virgins who thought not of preparing themselues till the Bridegrome Mat. 25. came As many put of repentance till the last and are busiâ—d about any thing saue that is most necessarie Moses knew that both wise and foolish dye but diuerslie Wise men dye and doe after death receiue the rewarde of their wisedome fooles dye and receiue the fruite of their follie Therefore let vs apply our hearts to wisedome that whether Christ send for vs by his Angels wee may bee receiued into Abrahams bosome or if we tarry till he come himselfe we may be receiued into the wedding chamber The reward of Religion and Godlinesse and punishment of irreligious wickednesse LVKE 16. 19. There was a certaine ritche man which was clothed in Purple and sine linnen and fared well and delicately euery day 20. Also there was a certaine begger named Lazarus which was laide at his gate full of sores 21. And desired to be refreshed with the crummes that sell from the ritche mans table and the dogges came and licked his sores 22. And it was so that the begger dyed and was carryed by the Angels into Abrahams bosome the ritch man also dyed and was buried 23. And being in hell in torments c. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30 THis text stands of two parts the first is a Historie the second is a Parable the Historie continues vnto the 23 verse Wherein our Sauiour Christ setteth forth an example of a ritch man whom he describes by his apparell by his diet by his death buriall of a poore man whom he describes by his name by his infirmities other circumstances The Parable continues from the 23. verse to the end of the Chapter wherein our Sauiour Christ by parabolicall speeches for our capacitie sets forth such things as else we could not conceiue For where it is said the ritch man being in hell should lift vp his eyes and see Abraham and Lazarus and should speake to him with his tongue and Abraham should heare him and answere him againe These things must be vnderstood after the maner of Parables for the ritch mans body was not in hell but in the graue it is said hee was buryed onely his soule was in hell therefore hee had not the vse or gouernement of his eyes to see of his eares to heare nor of his tongue to speake neither were the bodyes of Abraham and Lazarus in heauen that they should heare the ritch man or speake vnto him therefore the rehearsall of corporall sight hearing and saying is after the manner of Parables for our capacitie and instruction that we might know how the estate of the good and bad shall differ in the next life from that it is in this life how they that haue heere serued God reuerenced his worde loued their brethren fathfully done their duties and paciently borne their crosses shall in the next life be comforted and rewarded and those that haue here dishonoured God contemned his word neglected their brethren and not done nor suffred such things as God would haue them shall in the next life bee perpetually punished and in vaine shall desire the least mitigation of their miserie The drift of our Sauiour Christ in this example is to discourage the Pharises from their wickednesse or else in this ritch man to behold their doome to incourage his disciples in vertue and goodnesse and so in this poore man to beholde their reward The ritch man is set in the first place because in this life he had the preferment and he is purposely described to haue the world at will for the backe and the belly he had asmuch as hart could wish for the backe hee was cloathed with Purple a colour both costly and goodly for the sight and fine linnen softe and easie next the skinne for feeling for the belly hee fared deliciouslie that is hee had many pleasant and daintie dishes of meate and that not once or twice a weeke but euery day hee had also diuers other things answerable and suteable to these as a