Whom doth GOD admit into heauen which is not admitted by the Minister into the Church To whom will GOD giue His Sonne for foode to his hungry soule but to him that receiues Him in the Sacrament Whose sinnes are loosed in heauen but hee that is loosed by the Minister on earth Who is wedded vnto CHRIST IESVS as a Virgine but hee that is prepared and fitted for Him by the Minister Or who is receiued of GOD as an holy liuing and accceptable sacrifice but hee that is as it were tyed to the hornes of the Altar and presented of the Priest perfect in IESVS CHRIST And if it happen that a man bee saued without the Ministery of man say it is a rare and extraordinary fauour and a thing whereof no man should dare to presume least by presuming vpon extraordinary grace and contemning the ordinarie meanes a man doe iustly for presuming depriue himselfe of grace as by his negligence hee depriued himselfe of the meanes of grace But yet there are which meanely esteeme of the Priest-hood because they spie vices in Priests But it were wisedome to distinguish betweene a man and his manners betweene a Priest and his vices and equity not to contemne all for some It were better to make much of the euill for them that are good rather then for them that are euill to contemne the good For it is better to do good vnto the euill though vndeserued then to depriue good men of the good which they doe deserue And hee is a very Cham that will blaze or sport at the nakednesse or infirmities of his Father Arise ô LORD and looke vpon Thy Seruants Let Thy Priests bee cloathed with Righteousnesse And praise yee the LORD all ye Seruants of the LORD yee that stand in the house of the LORD Praise the LORD yee sonnes of Aaron Praise the LORD yee house of Leui All yee that serue the LORD praise the LORD Holinesse becommeth His House for euer Of the Scriptures or Word of God THE Scriptures containe sufficient matter for a mans direction to eternall life They are the rule of faith and the measure of good manners Wouldst thou know what to beleeue They will instruct thee Wouldst thou know how to liue They will teach thee Wouldst thou discerne thine errours They will enlighten thee Wouldst thou amend thy life They will perswade thee Wouldst thou finde comfort They will affoord it thee Thou art blind but They are Light Thou art diseased but They are Sound Thou art euill but They are Good Thou art deceitfull but They are Faithfull For thy wants there is in Them a supply for thy superfluities They haue a remedy The ignorance of the Scriptures is the ignorance of CHRIST Neither can hee know GOD that is ignorant of his Word GODS Word a Meate Drinke and Physicke or the soule Yet as these things hurt the body rather then helpe it if they bee not well entertained so is it with the Word Yet the hurt lies not in the Word which is good but in the heart which is naught The Sunne shining vpon a bed of Roses makes it smell well but vpon a dunghill it makes it stinke The fault is not in the Sunne but in the dunghill To some the Word is the sauour of life to others it is the sauour of death the more they heare the worse they are but this is through their owne corruption Raine falling on a medow makes it flourish but on a flint it doth but wet it And water which quencheth fire inflameth lime And such the Word appeareth by reason of the diuerse obiects whereon it worketh The waters of Marah being bitter were made sweete by a Tree throwne into them The waters of Iericho being vnwholesome and the soile sterile were healed and corrected after Elishah had cast his salt into them So are mens hearts amended by the Word applyed to them and of bitter are made sweete of barren fruitfull by the blessing of GOD vpon it And as Ionathan recouered his sight and strength by the hony which hee tasted of in his faintnesse So the children of GOD are comforted and refreshed by the good Word of GOD which they receiue with hunger into their soules This Word is in it selfe the same though it bee not brought by the same men or in the same language to vs as gold is gold whether it be giuen a man in a purse of veluet or a pouch of leather and the selfe-same man may bee clad either in silke or home-spun russet It skils not therefore so much who brings it as if hee bring it Wee will take money out of a slouens hands Elias will eate his meate though a Rauen bring it And thirsty Sampson will take his drinke out of the iaw-bone of an Asse The light is not the worse because it stands vpon a wodden candlesticke nor learning any whit the lesse to bee respected because it is couered vnder a threed-bare gowne Well howsoeuer the Word comes or whosoeuer brings it it shall bee welcome to mee so long as it is the Word of GOD and not the fables of men It is mine appointed food I will receiue it whether it come in a platter of wood or in plate of siluer or whether the Cooke that drest it be vertuous or ill disposed Of Hearers IT is good to take heed not onely what wee heare but how As it is not amisse for a man to consider what he eates and drinkes as in what fashion Some times death is in the pot and poyson mixed in the cup. I would be loath to let venome in at mine eares or let-them swallow poyson And though a man should receiue that that is good if hee receiue it not well it will rather do him hurt then good Euen good food doth sometimes turne to bad humours though the fault bee not in the foode but in the feeder And workes though externally good yet if they bee not well performed will proue but little beneficiall to the worker There are some that like the Athenians haue their eares open onely for nouelties Some come to heare and not to learne some regard delight and not profite and words rather then matter some wil giue a man the hearing but they will beleeue no more thenlikes their humors And many shew themselues Censurers not Schollers Some are pleased with the voyce and delight in great sounds but whatsoeuer the sense be it is not of so great request Yee shall haue many quarrell with the Preacher his speech is plaine his voyce low he hath no good action his wordes stuck like burres in his throate Hee whips his Auditors hee is too full of the Fathers hee meddles too much with Controuersies hee railes vpon the Parish hee is an easy Diuine it was a plaine Sermon hee Preaches nothing but Law or hee is meale-mouthed hee Preaches his hearers a sleepe hee sings Placentia hee is loath to offend Or hee is neuer well but when hee is inueighing hee speakes daggers and hee aimed
are the diuels harbingers for hee lodges not but where they haue taken vp his lodging for him There are some vse to minish their sinnes either they are not great or they are not many Sure it is that the smallest sinne that can bee beeing the offence of the greatest Maiesty deserueth death and therefore is great enough to destroy the soule and though there were but one yet that were one too many For one foote of a bird taken or one wing belimmed may cost her her life One hole in a Ship may sinke her One bullet may kill as well as twenty The smallest sin is in it nature mortall yea the omission of the smallest duety which the Law of GOD requireth deserueth eternall death For cursed is euery one which continueth not in All Things which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them If the smallest curse of GOD bee too great to suffer then the smallest sinne against GOD is too great to doe As I therefore desire to escape all curses so will I by the grace of GOD bee carefull to auoide all causes and will neuer count that little which might make mee sustaine so great a losse as is the forfeite of my soule Of the Gospell THE Gospell is good newes from heauen of remission of sins reconciliation to GOD redemption from hell death and condemnation and of resurrection to life and glory by the merites of our LORD and SAVIOVR IESVS CHRIST O happy newes O ioyfull tydings What newes more welcome to prisoners then of a Goale-deliuery What more pleasing to malefactours then to heare of their Princes pardon What would a blind man more willingly heare of then that his eie-sight shall bee restored to him Or what better tydings can bee brought to a man sea-beaten and spent with labour then that hee shall most certainely obtaine an hauen where hee shall most safely rest free from the malice of Pirates and fury of all foule weather Yet for all this the Gospell with many findes but poore acceptance It is because men haue no thorough feeling of their miseries they feele no misery and therefore affect no change What cares a clunch for learning or good manners that blesseth himselfe in his rudenesse and inciuility What cares a man for meate that feeles no hunger What doe you talke to him of cloathes that feeles no cold nor nakednesse The lacke of things causeth estimation the sense of lacke When men haue beene worne with warres how pleasing is the newes of a true and constant peace When a man feeles his disease and sees death staring in his eyes O how welcome is the Physition How welcome should hee bee that would bring him newes of a medicine which hee might easily haue that would cure him and set him vp againe When Sea-men haue beene long at Sea and spent their victuals and water euen a pound of bread would bee worth a pound in siluer and a little fresh water how welcome would it bee vnto them And if men would but duely consider of their captiuity slauery miseries and necessities into which they are driuen by sinne and wherein they are inwrapped they would bee glad to heare of deliuerance And beautifull should be the feete of those which shall bring vnto them glad tydings of peace I will therefore examine my selfe by the Law that I may bee brought to esteeme of the Gospell I will mediate of my slauery which I am brought to by transgressing the Law that I may duely respect the liberty which is Preached in the Gospell Mine owne bitternesse shall make mee delight in this Sweetnesse and mine owne vngraciousnesse in this so great a Grace Of the Law and the Gospell THE Law saith doe this and thou shalt liue The Gospell saith Beleeue in the Lord IESVS and thou shalt be saued In the Law there is seuerity but in the Gospell mercy In the Law there is reserued no repentance but by the sentence thereof hee that sins must die But the Gospell admits repentance and promiseth life to him that turneth vnto GOD. The Law terrifies but the Gospell pacifies The Law discouers sin but the Gospell couers it The Law requires a mans owne iustice but the Gospell Preacheth pardon in the iustice of another to wit of CHRIST The Law is written after a sort in the hearts of all men Pagans and Christians but the Gospell is not so generally knowne to all And the Gospell was not first and then the Law But the Law was first and then the Gospell To finde out my sinnes I will veiw the Law but to reade my saluation I will looke into the Gospell To despaire of my selfe I will weigh the Law but to hope in CHRIST I will receiue the Gospell If I were disposed to stand vpon my good deeds I would sticke to the Law but being desirous of mercy I will flye to the Gospell If I would stand vpon my iustice I wold plead the Law but crauing Grace I go to the Gospell Yet this will I doe because the Law is the rule of good workes I will endeuour to keepe it with care and conscience Yet euery day will I pray and say GOD bee mercifull to mee a sinner Of Good and Euill GOOD is more ancient then euill Sanctity is elder then sinne vice is yonger then Vertue There was first an Angell then a diuell First a Man then a sinner First a True-man then a thiefe In good no man can bee too much in euill no man can bee too little Hee that would encrease in good let him thinke hee hath yet too little Hee that would decrease in euill let him remember still hee hath too much The way to learne vertue is to vnlearne vice Hee taketh the ready course to become good which repenteth of his euils And Hee onely will proue a Saint which feelingly confesses himselfe to bee a sinner Of the Church Vniuersall THE Holy Catholique Church is the Corporation or Communion of Saints Triumphant in Heauen and Militant on earth This is the Mysticall Body of CHRIST who is the onely Head thereof by whose SPIRIT euery Member thereof is animated as euery part of the naturall body is animated of the soule And from which Head euery true mysticall Member deriueth all Spirituall life sense and motion And as the Moone receiueth her light from the Sunne so doth the Church receiue all her brightnesse both of grace and glory from IESVS CHRIST This Church is the Vine of GODS delight the Spouse of CHRIST His Faire One His Wel-Beloued GODS House and Citty the LORD and Keeper whereof is GOD the Wall His omnipotent Grace and gracious Omnipotency the Watch-towers are His Prouidence and Omniscience Her Ensignes or Armes are Faith Righteousnesse Peace Charity and ioy in the Holy GHOST Her foundation is the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles Her Gate is CHRIST Her Religion is the seruice of the blessed TRINITY Her Citizens are all poenitent and true Beleeuers and all the Saints of GOD. This is the
yet his desire and endeuour should bee euer to liue and loue as one not of this world but redeemed from the world Many are Christians in name not so in deed for they that are CHRISTS do crucify the flesh and fleshly desires and are not ruled by their flesh but gouerned by His SPIRIT In vaine is hee called Christian that is in nothing like to CHRIST What will it pleasure a man to be reputed that hee is not Hee is indeed a Christian that resembles CHRIST his Maister that sheweth mercy to the miserable that feeleth the smart of others that being iniured breakes not forth vnto reuenge that can liue inglorious for the glory to bee reuealed that preferreth heauen to earth and GOD to Mammon that counts it his meate and drinke and pleasure to doe the Will of his Father that takes vp his Crosse in this life and beares it with patience and which iudges him onely happy in his death which dyeth either in CHRIST or for CHRIST CHRIST endured the Crosse before Hee obtained the Crowne and suffered Shame before Hee entred into His Glory O Christian thou art a delicate Souldier if thou thinkest to winne the field without fighting or to triumph without troubles For the whole life of a Christian if hee liue according to the Gospell is labour toyle trouble crosses Martyrdome Of the Ministers of Christ ALL the Apostles had equall power What Peter was all were what Peter could all could There was indeed amongst them disparity of gifts inequality in yeares difference in conditions but an identity of power an equality of authority all being equally partakers of one and the selfe-same Office of one and the selfe-same Power These had authority ouer nature to sure it ouer diuels to subdue them ouer all men to conuert them To these CHRIST IESVS gaue power to worke mighty wonders to bind and to loose to open and shut the dores of heauen These hee sent into the world as the Sunne his beames as the Rose her sweete smels and as the Fire his sparkles that as the Sunne appeareth in his beames as the Rose is perceiued in his smels and as the Fire is seene in his sparkes so the potency of CHRIST might be acknowledged in their Vertues and His Maiestie discerned in their Ministery These were the Planters of GODS Vine-yard the Architects of His Temple the Fathers of His Church the Champions of the Faith and Trumpetters of the Gospell who with their siluer-sounding blasts made the Vallies sing the Mountaines ring and fil'd the eares of all These were men of mercy such as had obtained mercy shewed mercy and by whom GOD wrought his works of mercy They neither liued to themselues nor dyed but vnto Him that dyed for them and for His sake also euen for vs receiuing light from the Father of Lights and spending themselues like Lampes in giuing light vnto others Successors to these are all faithfull Bishops and Priests who are not Maisters of the Church but Ministers not Lords but Seruants not Authours of the Faith but Preachers not Makers of the Truth but Keepers To whom is committed the word of reconciliation the dispensation of the Mysteries of GOD the power of remitting and retaining sinnes the care of the Churches and the keeping of the Faith These simply as they are Ecclesiasticall persons haue no secular power and authority for if the Maister then the seruant must also say My Kingdome is not of this world CHRIST came not to make them Princes but Priests Not Monarkes but Ministers Hee gaue them the keyes of heauen and not of Citties or Kingdomes Hee committed the Word vnto them but not the Sword and gaue them authority to deale with mens soules but not with their States or Substance Now to make a true Minister it is requisite that he haue a true Power a true Mission for otherwise he runnes vnsent and rules but not by CHRIST And that hee Preach the Truth or else hee abuses his Power This is a most reuerent and holy calling not instituted by man nor Angell nor any other creature but by IESVS CHRIST the Head and Husband of the Church And they that are thereof had neede to haue a thousand eies because they liue not to themselues onely but to the people also And they are as a Beacon vpon a Hill a Citty vpon a Mountaine a Candle vpon a Table all mens eies are fixed on them By teaching and liuing well they teach the people to beleeue and liue well but by liuing ill they teach GOD how to condemne them And in truth a good life is a good Sermon and oftentimes an ill Pastor destroyes as much with his ill life as hee buildeth vp with his good doctrine Of men no man is better then a Christian and of Christians no man is better then a good Priest But hee that is vicious is like a peece of dung with a Diamond in it and as the water in Baptisme which is profitable to others but perishes it selfe But yet GOD may worke effectually by the Ministery of wicked men for their power and calling is His and their wickednesse is their owne that is holy though they bee vnholy Their authority is not the better for their godlinesse nor the worse for their vngodlinesse The light is not polluted though it passe by polluted places or persons neither is the soule corrupted though it should bee in a corrupted body so neither is the power and authority of the Minister stained though hee bee full of staines himselfe And as water whether it run through a pipe of Wood or Stone or Siluer doth good vnto the ground so the Word and Sacraments are auaileable to the Receiuers whatsoeuer the Minister be that giues them Neither are wee to respect riches age greatnesse of gifts noblenesse of birth in a Minister as if hee were to bee contemned when these things are wanting but wee are to regard especially his place and power for the power varies not with the man neither is the Word and Sacraments of greater respect for any personall respects in the Minister Water hath the properties and effects of water whether brought in an earthen Pitcher or a cup of gold or siluer And though the more excellent gifts a Minister hath the better it is yet his power is not thereby greater or more excellent but still it is the same as a Diamond is whether set in gold or siluer Or as the authority of a Iustice is the same whether hee haue more wisedome godlinesse and insight in the Law or a lesser measure of the same And of all faithfull and true Ministers of CHRIST it may bee said how different soeuer in their Age Wealth Birth Breeding Gifts They are the Dispensers of the Secrets of GOD and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Co-workers with Him For without them Hee will not saue men and without Him they cannot saue men I say He will not for who that contemnes the Baptisme of man is Baptized with the Holy GHOST
Anchor followes the motion and turning of the water and not it the Boate or as as the drynesse of the Wayes follow the drynesse of the Weather and this that or finally as the Sea followes the Moone and not it the Sea By this Faith we heare with profite we walke with comfort wee worke by charity wee hope for glory we enioy tranquillity and though wee bee not iustified for the merite of it yet are wee iustified by it as by that onely meane whereby wee behold and hold beleeue and place our confidence in IESVS CHRIST who was made vnto vs of GOD Wisedome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption So Saint Paul knowing that a man is not iustifyed by the workes but by the Faith of IESVS CHRIST Wee also Paul and Peter haue beleeued in IESVS CHRIST that wee might bee iustified by the Faith of CHRIST and not by the workes of the Law Because by the workes of the Law no flesh shall bee iustified Epiphanius saith iustice is by Faith without the workes of the Law Chrysostome saith Hee hath saued vs by Faith alone Theodoret saith by bringing onely Faith we haue receiued pardon of sinnes We iudge saith Ambrose according to the Apostle that a man is iustifyed by Faith without the workes of the Law Ierome saith thou knowest that thou as the Gentiles hast found life in CHRIST not by the workes of the Law but by Faith alone To omit many heare onely now Saint Austen a word or two When the Apostle saith a man is iustified freely without the workes of the Law by Faith it is not his drift that when Faith is receiued and professed the workes of Iustice should bee contemned but that euery man may know it is possible for him to bee iustified although the workes of the Law haue not gone before for they follow him that is iustified and go not before him that is to bee iustified So then wee for our parts are iustified before GOD onely by Faith but wee and our faith also are iustified before men by good workes as the goodnesse of a Tree is shewed by the fruite the goodnesse of a rose by her sweete odors the cunning of a workeman by his workes And though Faith bee not alone but very well attended yet it iustifies alone as the eye sees alone the eare heares alone the mouth tastes alone the legges go alone but yet are not alone but are coupled to other parts of the body Hee that hath this faith hath all the vertues of a Christian hee that wants it wants all With it a man is something without it a man is worse then nothing A man hath all that hath himselfe he hath nothing that wants himselfe but hee hath himselfe that hath his Sauiour and hee hath his Sauiour that beleeueth in Him and by the vertue of his faith doth seeke and serue Him It it not faith but faithlesnesse not trust but distrust for a man to put affiance in himselfe I will therefore distrust in my selfe that I may beleeue in CHRIST I will despaire of my selfe that I may haue hope in Him and I will loose my selfe in my selfe that I may finde my selfe in Him I will not distrust in His might because Hee is Almighty nor in His good will because Hee is most mercifull and cryeth Come vnto mee not yee that are worthy but yee that are weary and heauy laden and I will refresh you Of Hope that maketh not ashamed HOPE is the wishing and expecting of some good to come True Christian hope is that worke of the SPIRIT in a true Beleeuers heart whereby hee patiently waiteth for those good things which GOD hath promised vnto him in IESVS CHRIST This hope is certaine and not false begotten of faith in the promise of GOD It is the anchor of the soule which would be split in peeces with stormes and tempests and driuen vpon Rockes and Sands or loose it selfe in the vaste Ocean of this vnquiet and sinnefull world if it were not preserued and staied by Hope fastned on our LORD and SAVIOVR CHRIST IESVS who is the ground of our hope our staffe our stay our comfort and contentment Ioy is the motion of the heart vpon some present good now enioyed But Hope is the hearts expectation of some good to come Which good the faithfull heart doth long and looke for not led thereunto by the euidence of humane sense or reason but moued by the euidence of faith which is the promise of GOD. The way to come to true Hope is to haue no hope in our selues but to receiue all our hope from faith in the Word of GOD. For to hope in the creature is to despaire of the Creator Neither doth hee truely hope in CHRIST that doth fixe his hope on any thing out of CHRIST To despaire is a grieuous sinne for a man thereby denies the Power of GOD who is Omnipotent or His good Will and Mercy who will cast away no humble Suppliant but knowes how to alter His Sentence if thou canst tell how to performe repentance It is true desperation doth destroy thousands but presumption doth kill ten thousands There is no more dangerous presumption then for a man to expect saluation by his owne deserts or to ground his hope of eternity vpon his owne perfections His waxen wings where-with hee soares on high will not bee able to endure the heate of GODS Iustice but with Icarus hee shall most surely fall and perish in the gulfe of hell So it is very vanity for a man to hope for heauen whiles hee is alwaies like a Mole rooting and turning vp Mountaines of enormities against the heauens and laying sinne vpon sinne as the Babilonians did stone vpon stone and so threatning heauen with their sinnes as they with their Tower The sinner may not hope for heauen but the Saint onely the humble and not the proud the penitent not the man addicted to his owne lusts and hating to bee reformed For the promise of Eternall Life is made not to Infidels but to Beleeuers not to the rebell but to the penitent not to the presumptuous but to the poore not to the children of the world but to the true spirituall sonnes and daughters of the Church of GOD. Adulterers Drunkards worldlings shall not inherite the Kingdome of GOD. They cannot be saued except they repent and when they do truely repent then GOD accounts them no longer Adulterers Drunkards Worldlings but doth forgiue them And as without repentance they cannot be saued so without repentance they cannot hope to bee saued If they looke to be saued and yet run on in their sinnes they looke in vaine This their looking being the presumption of fancy not the expectation of faith It is but a castle built in the Aire imaginary Or like an house of clay set in the waters LORD IESVS thou art mine Hope mine Honour I will beginne and end in Thee I would be found in Thee and not in Mee I will desire seeke and waite for life
seeking rather to benefite himselfe in his Debtor then his Debtor in him And to speake properly as he is an Vsurer he loues him not for loue seekes not her owne good but the good of him whom hee loues Now the Vsurer seekes his owne good onely and leaues his debtor to looke to himselfe shewing him onely a little outward indulgence for a time vntill hee may haue his debt paid him againe with vantage But indeed to gaine loue and to be counted a Benefactour is not any way more easily attain'd to then by doing good turnes vnto men freely seasonably vnasked and in secresie but some cannot do a man a good turne but they must cackle so long and so loud that all the world may take notice of it which argues that they regard fame more then friendship and to walke vpon the tongues of men rather then to liue within the breasts of their friends and followers Of Faith Hope and Charity FAITH Hope and Charity are three notable giftes of GOD without the which it is impossible for any man to bee saued though no man shall bee saued for them A man shall bee saued in them but not for them for that which merites our saluation for vs that is redemption from all sinne and sorrow and fruition of Eternall Glory that I say is not any thing in vs but something without vs It is not quality gift or grace infused but the Iustice of CHRIST imputed Faith beleeueth Hope expecteth the thing beleeued and Charity Ioues it linkes the soule vnto it Faith is as the mother Hope and Charity are her two daughters Because I beleeue therefore I hope and as I beleeue so I loue Faith beleeueth that GOD is true and faithfull in His Word Hope waiteth whiles Hee shew Himselfe to be so Faith be getteth hope hope being begotten preserueth faith Faith beholds and holds fast the Word of Promise Hope lookes after the thing that is promised in that Word Loue vnites the heart both to the Word and to the thing that is promised in it Hope is the waiting for a good to come but Faith beleeueth things past present and to come I beleeue that CHRIST was borne of a Virgin that Hee now sitteth at the right Hand of His FATHER and that Hee shall come hereafter to iudge the world Faith taketh CHRIST and worketh by Charity Charity worketh not by Faith as an instrument but arises from Faith as from the fountaine whereout it flowes Christian Faith beholdeth CHRIST in the Word and Sacraments But Christian Charity ties the soule not onely vnto CHRIST but also vnto all His Members in and for His Name Loue is not caused by hope but hope rather caused by loue for because a man doth loue GOD therefore hee doth expect and tarry and that with desire and longing till he do enioy Him to his fill And if hee did not loue Him he would not desire and hope to see Him but rather feare and grieue Finally Faith Hope and Charity are three excellent vertues but Charity is in two respects the chiefest First because Charity is profitable to our Neighbours whereas our Faith and Hope doth them no good at all were it not for Charity Secondly the loue whereby wee loue CHRIST and His Members now shall be continued and perfited in the world to come but whereas now we do by faith beleeue and by hope expect and desire to see the face of CHRIST hereafter Then when we do see and enioy Him this faith and this hope are at an end and whereas heere in this life wee walke by faith and not by sight and feeling in the life to come wee shall see face to face and know as wee are knowne and want no feeling nor sight of that that is pleasing and solacious to the soule And whereas men hope for that they see not how can they hope for that they see But GOD shall bee seene of His Saints in the world to come and their sight shall rauish them with His loue their corporall and intellectuall eyes then glorifyed being as doores or windowes to let in His Loue into their heartes which will most willingly entertaine Him and rest vpon Him as vpon their Center and sole Contenter Of Gods Word GODS Word is a Fire It must be warily meddled with If thou wilt not suffer It to burne vp thy lusts It will burne vp thee if It consume not the sinne It shall consume the sinner Art thou a cold It is fire to warme thee Art thou drossy It is fire to purge thee Art thou in darkenesse It is a fire to enlighten thee Is thine heart voide of zeale to GOD or loue to Man It is a fire to enflame thee Art thou frozen vpon thy dregs or art thou so hardned that no impression can be made vpon thee It is a fire to thaw and melt thee This Word shall be destruction to him that will receiue no instruction from It It will proue his desolation that makes it not his consolation It will condemne thee if thou wilt not suffer It to controule thee and if It shalt not helpe thee It shall vndoubtedly hurt thee This Word is an Hammer if It soften not a man and make him tender It will harden him and make him tough If It beate not downe the sinne it will knocke downe the sinner And if the hereticke will not be beaten with It from his heresies It will beate him downe one day thither from whence all heresies spring An hammer hurts not the aire or water which yeelds vnto it readily but breakes and bruises that that makes resistance Hee that resists the Word shall bee broken but hee that yeelds vnto it shall receiue no hurt Hee that would surely breake a thing with an hammer must not onely moue the hammer to it with strength but hee must so lay the thing that it slide slip or shrinke not from the blow so they that indeed would haue their hearts softned their proud hearts battered or any lust contused let them apply the Word of GOD vnto them closely and not leap or shrinke aside when it is ministred and fitted to them And what Minister soeuer brings with him this Fire this Hammer entertaine It vse It apply thy selfe vnto It. If the Fire if the Hammer be the same If it be GODs receiue it with the same affection though the men be not the same that bring it The Hammer is not the worse for him that holds it nor the Fire for him that brings it The Minister is to be receiued and honoured for the Word and not It for him In briefe the Smith can do nothing without his Hammer and Fire Ministers are Smiths and men naturally are like yron vnwrought or vnformed or rather indeed ill-wrought and ill-formed The Word that is the Law and Gospell is the Fire and Hammer by which through diuine assistance they worke them fashion them and make them fit instruments and vessels for the seruice of GOD in His House which
of the Land saith Hoseah because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of GOD in the Land My people are destroyed for lacke of knowledge This ignorance is the mother of superstition and prophanesse and the reason why men feare not GOD but are disobedient and vnawfull Therefore they in Iob that had said in their hearts Wee desire not the knowledge of Thy Waies say also Who is the Almighty that wee should serue Him And what profite should wee haue if wee should pray vnto Him If a man bee disposed to deuotion yet being ignorant of GODS Will hee will deuise some Wil-worship and foolish ad-inuentions which are as pleasing vnto GOD as Luke-warme water to the stomacke as apish complements to a graue man or as painting and pranking is to a staied and holy Matrone Besides the ignorance of GOD makes men do that against the truth and the professours of it which otherwise it is very likely they would not do Ignorance of CHRIST made the Iewes to crucifie Him and Paul to persecute Him in His Members They shall excommunicate you saith our LORD yea the time shall come that whosoeuer kils you shall thinke hee doth GOD good seruice and these things will they doe vnto you because they haue not knowne the FATHER nor MEE And for the life to come it shall bee no helpe to say wee would haue serued Thee had we knowne Thee But why did you not know Mee For mine Eternall Power and God-head are seene by the creation of the world The heauens declare the glory of GOD and the firmament sheweth the workes of His Hands But besides the booke of Nature you had the Scriptures Moses the Prophets and Apostles besides the world you had the Church I sent you my Messengers in whom I spake continually to you and entreated you to learne and serue Mee It is euident therefore that ignorance will not serue the turne For the LORD IESVS will render vengeance vnto them that know not GOD and obey not His Gospell which shall be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the LORD and from the glory of His power And finally whereas all the vanities pompe and glory of the world which wee do so much admire shall perish with the world this our knowledge of GOD begunne in this world shall be perfited in the world to come Now I know in part but then shall I know euen as I am knowne Then a man shall haue Light without darkenesse Knowledge without ignorance Wisedome without folly Vnderstanding without dulnesse Iudgement without errour Reason without perturbation Then shall all the Saints see GOD and serue GOD alwaies and for euer Of Seruing God IT was well said of a father to his sonne Know thou the GOD of thy father and serue Him How shall a man serue Him that doth not know Him And what will it profite to know Him if hee doe not serue Him But if men doe serue Him they shall end their daies in prosperity and their yeares in pleasures Or if Hee try them with the Crosse Hee will afterwards honour them with a Crowne Their griefes shall end in Glory their mourning in Mirth their tentations in Tryumphes their vinegar shall bee changed into Wine and though they haue sowne in teares yet they shall reap in Ioy. What desirest thou in a Maister Wisedome His Wisedome is infinite Greatnesse His Greatnesse is incomprehensible Strength Hee can do all things nothing is impossible with Him Valour Hee is not afraid of death nothing can dismay Him Magnificence Hee is the LORD of Hoasts cloathed with Glory and Honour Hee couereth Himselfe with light as with a garment and spreadeth the heauens like a curtaine Hee maketh the clouds His Chariot and walketh vpon the wings of the Winde Hee sitteth vpon the circle of the earth and the inhabitants thereof are as Grashoppers Hee bringeth the Princes to nothing and maketh the Iudges of the earth as vanity His garment is white as snow the haire of His Head like pure wooll His Throne like the fiery flame and His Wheeles as burning fire Thousand thousands Minister vnto Him and ten thousand thousands stand before Him Wouldst thou haue a Maister rich The earth is the LORDS and all that is therein the round world and all that dwell within it One that can aduance thee Promotion comes neither from East nor West nor South nor North but from GOD Who throweth the proud from his Pinacles raiseth the needy out of the dust and lifteth vp the poore out of the dung that Hee may set Him with Princes euen with the Princes of His people Or One that is kind and louing patient and compassionate The LORD is gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great mercy Hee will fulfill the desire of them that feare Him Hee will heare their cry and saue them Men will serue men specially such as may doe them good or defend them from harme Why then should wee not much more willingly serue GOD who is able to saue a man though all would destroy him and to destroy him when nothing can saue him If Hee blesse who can curse If Hee curse who can blesse Sometimes a seruant serues a Maister who growes weary of him because hee thinkes hee may proue costly to him Many Maisters hauing serued their turnes shake off their seruants as a dogge doth water or as a man would do burres and a good seruant may sometimes waite long and get little But GOD neuer forsakes or turnes out His seruants Hee lets them not serue Him vnregarded but as they honour Him Hee honours them And the more they serue Him the freer they are in this world and the greater rewards they shall receiue of Him in the world to come And it is to bee obserued that yong folkes vsually do giue themselues to bee seruants of men Why then should they not giue themselues to the seruice of GOD whom to serue is indeed to reigne and in whose seruice that may bee gotten which cannot bee found in the seruice of any mortall man O that wee would remember our Creatour in the daies of our youth and inure our neckes to His yoake whiles wee are fresh and tender But what must be the Rule of our seruice Surely not our wils who are but seruants but His Will who is our Maister which hee hath reuealed to vs in His Word to which wee ought to conforme and apply our selues infeare and humblenesse indeuouring to obey Him in all His commands sincerely cheerefully and to our end so shall we bee sure to dye in His grace and to bee raysed vp from the graue of death to possesse the glory of Eternall Life Of the Sower and his Seed THE Sower went out to sow Euery true and faithfull Minister of CHRIST IESVS is a Sower GODs Word is his Seed Mans heart is the ground that should receiue it The Word is a very rare and admirable Seed altogether matchlesse For by it men are made Christians sinners are
brings great commodity I haue heard a fellow say sometimes he cares not for any man he feares no mans displeasure What doth this discouer but pride and folly foolish pride and proud folly There is no man almost but he may do the best man good or the greatest harme Hath not a flye choakt a man was not a raskall the death of the great French King And yet the fellow feares no body cares for no body When pride is in the wit is out They say when they spleene swels the body pines and whiles a caske is full of winde it is voide of wine So we may truely say the soule prospers not vertue is in truth a stranger whiles the heart doth swell with pride and abounds with arrogancy and selfe-conceitednesse In one word there are none better then the humble there are none worse then are the proud and as honor followes the humble so perdition waites vpon the proud Of Hearing and Speaking IT is good counsell which Saint Iames doth giue Be swift to heare and slow to speake GOD hath giuen a man two eares but one tongue thereby teaching vs to heare more and to speake lesse The eares Hee hath made open without a couer but Hee hath inclosed the tongue within a double fence the lips and the teeth thereby shewing that we should be quicke and swift to heare and slow to speake GOD hath giuen a tongue to euery beast that is voide of reason but the faculty of speaking onely vnto man to whom Hee hath giuen an vnderstanding spirit whereby Hee would instruct vs that reason should rule our wordes and that our tongues should not runne before our wits And Hee hath made our eares Erect to heare heauenly things and not hanging downe like Blood-hounds as if they had beene made to heare earthly things or lies and errours which come out of hell it selfe The eare serues to learne with the tongue serues to teach with a man learnes not with his tongue nor teaches with his eares There is a time saith Salomon to keepe silence and a time to speake A fooles bolt is soone shot but a wise man will consider what he speakes whereof when where why how and before whom And his words vttered in season are like Apples of Gold with pictures of Siluer their inside is better then their outside but both good Some speake very much not because they haue the Art of speaking but because they want the skill to hold their peace He that knowes not how to hold his tongue knowes not how to vse his tongue Hee is the onely skilfull man that knowes when to speake and when to hold his peace Either a man should not speake or speake to purpose Either he should be silent or his words should be better worth then silence Three things are very commendable in a man Wisedome in the minde a certaine Manly modesty in the countenance and a well gouerned silence in the speech Simonides and Xenocrates were wont to say that they neuer repented them of their silence but that they were sorry sometimes for their speeches If men did well consider that life and death is in the power of the tongue and that in many words there cannot want iniquity and that an account must one day bee giuen of euery idle word certainely they would not so abuse their tongues as they doe to swearing and lying to taunts and slanders to cursing and rayling to wantonnesse and vanity neither would they bee so vnreuerent in the House of GOD as they vse by babling whispering seeing they shold come thither to pray and not to prate to vse their eares and not to abuse their tongues Nothing is ours longer then wee vse it well Our tongues are not ours if wee doe abuse them but our enemies for whom wee vse them when wee do abuse them An euill tongue comes from an euill heart For were the heart good the tongue could not bee naught A messenger which a man sends to his neighbour may lie or reuile and speake euill and deliuer a false errand whether the man that sent him will or no or though hee thinke not of it or meane cleane contrary but a mans owne tongue which is the messenger or interpreter of the heart can say no other then the heart doth bid it Euill must bee minted in the heart before it bee vttered in the tongue A good heart causeth a good tongue and a naughty heart a naughty tongue Of painting the face IF that which is most ancient be best then the face that one is borne with is better then it that is borrowed Nature is more ancient then Art and Art is allowed to helpe Nature but not to hurt it to mend it but not to marre it for perfection but not for perdition but this artificiall facing doth corrupt the naturall colour of it Indeed GOD hath giuen a man oile for his countenance as Hee hath done wine for his heart to refresh and cheere it but this is by refection and not by plaister-worke by comforting and not by dawbing and couering by mending and helping the naturall colour and not by marring or hiding it with an artificiall lit What a miserable vanity is it in a man or woman beholding in a glasse their borrowed face their bought complexion to please themselues with a face that is not their owne And what is the cause they paint Without doubt nothing but pride of heart disdaining to bee behind their neighbour discontentment with the worke of GOD and vaine glory or a foolish affectation of the praise of men This kind of people are very hypocrites seeming one thing and being another desiring to bee that in shew which they cannot bee in substance and coueting to be iudged that they are not They are very grosse Deceiuers for they study to delude men with shewes seeking hereby to bee counted more louely creatures then they are affecting that men should account that naturall which is but artificiall I may truely say they are deceiuers of Themselues for if they thinke they doe well to paint they are deceiued if they thinke it honest and iust to beguile men and to make them account them more delicate and amiable then they are in truth they are deceiued if they thinke it meete that that should bee counted GODS worke which is their owne they are deceiued If they thinke that they shall not one day giue account vnto CHRIST of idle deeds such as this is as well as of idle words they are deceiued if they thinke that GOD regards not such trifles but leaues them to their free election herein they are deceiued Now they that deceiue themselues who shall they be trusted with A man that is taken of himselfe is in a worse taking then he that is caught of another This selfe-deceiuer is a double sinner he siones in that hee is deceiued hee sinnes againe in that he doth deceiue himselfe To bee murdered of an other is not a sin in him that is
soule-body because it is gouerned of the soule so it is called then a spirituall body because it shall be at the Spirits command and shall bee more pure and subtill and fuller of agility then it is in this world and shall not haue need of such naturall and bodily helpes to succour and sustaine it In a word all glorified bodies shall haue a temper of elementary qualities brought to such an equality that heate shall not ouercome moysture nor this that but there shall be peace for euer without discord and contention There is nothing goes from these bodies nothing is put to them there is no defect no superfluity no aliment no excrement their temperature is altogether invariable Neither may it seeme harsh to any that these our bodies shall be raised vp againe For GOD that knowes their frame and is thoroughly acquainted with their substance is Omnipotent and Eternall and can most easily do it If an Image or Statue were broken in peeces yet so long as the worke-man that made it liues and whiles his skill lasteth his memory and fancie faile not and matter wanteth not there is hope it may be made againe as good as euer But GOD our Maker is One and the Same for euer and both can and will performe all his Promises made in His Word The howre shall come in which all that are in the graues shall heare His Voyce the voyce of the Son of man and they shall come forth that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life but they that haue done euill vnto the resurrection of condemnation O that my soule might rise from sinne in this world that my body might rise from death to Life and Glory in the world to come Of the last Judgement VVEE must all appeare before the iudgement seate of CHRIST Hee shall iudge the world that was iudged of the world Hee shall condemne sinners who was Himselfe condemned for a sinner Hee will recompense to euery one according as his deeds haue beene and no man shall escape His Power Faire words can not deceiue Him gifts cannot corrupt Him intreaty cannot moue Him fig-leaues cannot delude Him But as men haue brued so shall they drinke euen as they haue baked so shall they eate They that haue done well shall speed well but they that haue followed reprobate and wicked courses shall be condemned The more Grace men haue shewed the more Glory they shall receiue and the more men haue sinned the more smart they must suffer O that wee could say with Saint Ierome As oft as I thinke of that day I tremble all ouer For whether I eate or drinke or whatsoeuer else I do me thinkes I heare that terrible Trumpet sounding in mine eares Surgite mortui venite ad iudicium Arise yee dead and come to iudgement O that we would iudge our selues in this world that we might escape the fearefull iudgement of the wicked in the world to come Of Life Eternall THEY that haue serued GOD aright in this world shall liue eternally with GOD in the world to come They that haue liued vnto CHRIST and haue dyed in the faith and feare of CHRIST shall be raised by the Power of CHRIST and shall enioy His face for euer to their vnspeakeable comfort and contentment and as men haue excel'd in grace so they shall exceed in glory It is more easy to tell what shall not be in that life then what shall be There shall be no mourning nor misery no want nor weakenesse no sinne nor sorrow no wearinesse nor weeping no death nor dolour no hunger nor thirst no ach nor anguish no diseases nor discontentments no troubles nor tentations But what shall bee there who is able to expresse No eye hath seene no eare hath heard no heart hath yet conceiued What are the good things which GOD hath prepared for those that loue Him There is supreme Felicity perfite Liberty true Charity sweete Eternity immortall Happinesse and happy Immortality Eternal Security and secure Eternity There GOD shall be seene without end loued without loathing and praysed without wearines There is whatsoeuer is desired and nothing is desired which is not there Thy food is not thy rayment nor it thy light nor these thy mony but there God will be all in all to all his children They shall possesse him and he them for euer and for euer For that life shall see no death those ioyes shall haue no end that state shal neuer sustaine a change This life this state these ioyes God of his mercy grant vs for Christ Iesus sake To whom with the holy Ghost be ascribed all honor praise power might and maiesty now and euermore Amen Trin-vni Deo Gloria â—or 3. 18 Mat. 12. 5 Luk. 8. 2 * Or rather Baptisme and the LORDS Supper An. Dom. 1346. Further Adam sinned but we all are punisht but now if the father eate the sowre grapes the sonnes teeth shall not be set an edge * I meane it not as if any of them were either gracious or glorious in the same degree with her