wee may hang our Harpes vppon the willow trees For there is ioy and gladnesse only in the dwellings of the righteous and only they that are true of hart shal be glad Psal 118. The organs shack-buts Psalme 64. and tuneable pipes sounded alowd Luke 15. and filled the house when the prodigall sonne came home vnto his father when wee returne from our sinnes vnto our father Psalme 30. we shall putte off our sackecloth and girde our selues with gladnes Psalme 16. for at his right hand are aboundance of pleasures for euermore But of this ioy which is the true ioy indeede which the gospell doth begette in the heartes of those that loue it can none better speake than such who haue had a liuely feeling of the same whereof in holy page wee haue innumerable examples Vertue commeth out of euery parte of this as out of the fringe and garment of Christ For as Christ with fiue loaues and two fishes fed fiue thousand men Acts 2. so Peter with one sermon did conuert three thousand soules Actes 26. Agrippa hearing the Apostle Paul but once was almost made a christian The Eunuch hearing Philip but once he became a conuert Actes 8. Zacheus hearing Christ but once for ioy hee shared out his goodes vnto the poore Luke 19. Innumerable soules that haue lighted vpon the word haue lighted vpon saluation but without the worde I finde none that hath been conuerted hath found this saluation The dead haue heard the voyce of Christ and haue beene restored vnto life The blinde haue heard the worde of Christ and haue receiued sight the dumb haue heard the word of Christ their tougs haue beene loosed and they haue glorified Christ The lame haue heard the voyce of Christ and they haue skipped the windes and they haue ceased The sea and it hath bin calmed The diuells and they haue obeyed But wee farre worse than they heare it continually and are not reclaymed A sinner can no sooner resigne his sinfull life and betake himselfe to a christian godlie course but a straunge metamorphosis and change immediately is to be seene in him and the inward effects of the blessed word of god wil soone be espied by his outward glad affects As Haman was so exceeding ioyfull when he was bidden to the banquet to the King Ester 5. as he could not conceale it but he must needes boast to his wife and neighbours of it so the righteous being caled by the preachers of the word to the supper of the Lambe and to the kingly marriage they can not but make their godly boast of it and all the day long be talking thereof As heate that is hid vnder a thicke cloude A similitude will not be restrayned from breaking foorth into a thunder and great noyse So the heate of Gods worde abiding in our heart resteth not but it searcheth all the partes and maketh great motions and commotions in them There be diuerse kinds of houses builded two chambers or three chambers high like the Arke of Noah and insuch that noyse which is made in the higher roome descendeth to the lower and is easily heard in it The inward man is much of this making standing vpon two lofts in the vpper roome lodgeth his vnderstanding and will and belowe cowch his sensuall and brutish affections and grosser motions that are carnall and beastly and these twoo distinct pauilions are so compact and conioyned together and there is such a combination betwixt them as let there be any stir more than is ordinary in the higher roome they that dwell beneath are made partakers of it If God his loue be earnest in motion in the inward and spirituall man it is woonderfull howe the outwarde and carnall man is possessed with it They goe hand in hand together like vnto twoo Twinnes sampling and fulfilling this Aphorisme of the Prophet Dauid My heart and my flesh reioyced in the euerliuing God Psalme eightie foure If as yet thorough want of knowledge of the word of God thou hast had no feeling of the ioyfull effects of it do but taste and feele how sweete the Lord is and thou shalt soone perceiue it The ignorance of it is the only maine cause of our generall loathing of it Gregorie shewing the oddes that is betwixt both kinds of ioy that which the world yeeldeth that which the word offereth passing elegantly discourseth in this wise Bodily pleasures whenas they are wanting vs as most desired of vs and being fulfilled with them we are soone glutted and surfeited with them But spiritual ioy the more we are without it the lesse we esteem to haue it but the more we haue it the greater affection and pleasure we haue in it In earthly delights our appetites onely please vs which being fully to our desires serued they presently do displease vs. In heauenly things our appetites only faile vs and the sole experience and feeling that we haue of them onely doth affect vs. In the other our appetite doth ingender fulnesse and fulnesse breedeth fulsomnesse but in these our desires beget fulnesse and fulnesse increaseth continually more delightsomnes The more the sweetnesse of this ioy is perceiued the more ardently it is loued the beter it is known of vs. A sottish country man obscurely mewed vp al his before A similitude in a base and simple cottage when he commeth to the famous cittie of London he stareth about him euery steppe that he doth make is a man made of wonders euery obiect which is before his eies being vnto him a subiect of wonder It is not so with them that are borne cittizens and there haue their abode their long cōtinued conuersation of that place taketh away all admiration of the place Those who haue hitherto dwelt in Aegyptian and damnable darknesse who are rude and ignorant and as a beast before him when it pleaseth the Lord that they should lift vp their eies and behold the light and with that eie of Faith see that great cittie not of London but of Hierusalem not to see new stately houses but to see new glorious heauens they are in a world of wonder they are astonished and sodainly cast downe they maruaile to see such things and sensibly they feele that which before they beleeued not But the free denisons of this Ierusalem who do serue the Lord day and night in the temple and are alwaies before him they muze not at that which they haue so long enioyed which haue bin their comfort in all their afflictons with faithfull hearts acknowledging with holy Dauid in all dutifull thanksgiuing Psal 31 How great is thy goodnesse which thou hast layde vp for them that feare thee and done to them that trust in thee euen before the sonnes of men As the Lord of old when his Israelites wandred through the waste wildernesse toward his promised land of Canaan which abounded with milke and honny prouided Manna a celestial diet for
water shall thirst no more The word of God raiseth vppe the dead regenerateth the liuing healeth the sicke and preserueth the whole delighteth the godly reclaimeth the wicked lightneth the blinde warmeth the cold comforteth the sad and confirmeth the desperate The want of this is the high way that leadeth to the chambers of death and deadly misfortune For from hence onely proceede vaine hope trembling feare consuming care furious lust boiling couetousnes fretting enuy fuming anger the whole black gard rablement retinue of malignant mischiefs of impotent affectioÌ„s the carbuncles boils botches of our soules Infinite are the attributes to expresse his properties which are giuen to the word It is called Light Bread Wine Medcine a Sword a Hammer a fire Seede Light because with his orient brightnesse it illuminateth our mindes informing them and induing them with heauenly wisedome Bread because it sustaineth our hungry soules Psalm 107 and filleth our empty soules with goodnesse strengthning and staying vs in the way of godlines Wine because it cherisheth mannes heart with the gladsome memory of his mercies promises and maketh him mery with the ioy of his countenance Medicine that it healeth our putrifying sore swellings and corruptions A Sword that it diuideth betweene the soule and the marrow Hebr. 4. and heweth asunder all our workes and affections that are sinfull A Hammer because it battreth and mollifieth our hard and stony consciences A Fire because it kindleth the spirite and the loue of God within vs. And Seede because it being sowed in the furrowes of our heartes by the spirit of God our husbandman it is of verie great increase and cast in some an hundred in some threescore in othersome thirty fold Since then the vse heereof is so great and manifold and extendeth it selfe so farre why worketh it not these wholsome effects in our â—â—nfull consciences why is it still as a dead letter vnto vs as bitter to our taste as is the very gall or the water of worme-wood and we can not digest it If Gods word be a light why walke wee not in this light but groape at noone day â—â—t stil in palpable and damnable darkenesse of horrible ignorance If it be Bread why doe we not as the Angel say de to Iohn Take this booke and eate it Reuel 20. but we do still remayne hungry like dogges and goe about the city If it be Wine why do we not powre out take our fil of it and make our hearts cheereful and merry with it If it be Medicine why do we not bind it to our blisters and wounds to drawe out the rancor and corruption of them and to make vs whole Since it is a Sword why do we not with it cut the cordes of vanitie and cart-ropes of iniquitie and hew all the bondes of vngodlinesse asunder If it be a Hammer why doth not the noise of it grate thine care and the power of it breake thy heart A similitude but thine eares like Smiths dogges vsed to such noyse giue no heed vnto it and thy heart more hard and stubborn than the adamant yeeld not a whit at all the blowes therewith If it be Fire why doth it not take holde of sin consume our wickednes like stubble and melt all the vngodly of the earth like drosse and inflame and lighten al our heart with Gods loue If it be Seede why commeth it not vppâ—â— and take deepe roote in vs but we are stil as waste ground which hath not beene sowed at all The raine is alone which descendeth vpon the corne and vpon the thornes A similitude but the effect is not one for it falles vpon the corne to ripen it for the barne but vpon the thorn to fit it for the fire The gracious deaw of the blessed worde of God hath beene great among vs it behooueth vs to see to his effect whether this moisture doth bring vppe thornes within vs oringendreth good seede Goe to then now tell me what is it that thou wantest and tel me whether this be not a treasure and a store-house to furnish euery want Doost thou hunt after honour 2. Cor. 4. and praise of men by this shal euery man haue praise of God Doth thy heart couet after riches and â—ong life beholde Prover 3 the length of dayes is at his right hand Riches and plenteousnesse is in his house Dauid resteth wholly contenâ—ed with this The Lord is my portion Moses before him preferreth Christs rebuke before â—he coffers and riches of Aegypt Hebr. 11 All the riches that are in the world make not an end of â—his ioyful haruest for it is not shut vp vnder the promises of this life 1. Tim. 4. but it stretcheth to the promises of the life that is to come The Spirite speaketh euidently Psalme 34 They which seeke the Lord shall want nothing that is good Answerable wherunto is this Aphorisme of our Sauiour Matthew 6 First seeke the kingdome of God and this shall be the Porter that shall bring in all your liuing all other things shall be put into your mouthes If ignorance doth trouble thee here thou maist haue knowledge if heauinesse comfort if doubt counsaile if feare hope if dispaire encoragement if temptation protection The latter Dauid with these small smooth stones Mathew 41 smote the hairy scalpe of our ghostly Goliah and put him to confusion And the former Dauid with his shield and buckler did beare off brauely the buffets that sinne gaue him Psalme 119 I did hide saieth he thy Lawe within my heart that I might not sinne against thee There is no age or sexe or condition of persons that hath not a great benefite and treasure of the word It is a rule for the yong man to square his life and for the old man to order his death 2. King 4 It is vnto the poore instead of the meale that tooke away the bitternes and death of that hearb which was in the pot it giueth them comfort in the midst of al theiâ— sorrowes It sheweth the rich man how to vse his riches it teacheth the Senatour wisedome So that euen as Ioseph had no vse of Astronomie because he had the gift of prophesie so he needeth not any other riches that hath this imcomparable riches of Gods spirit Since therfore we so diligently read books of humane learning from wheÌ„ce we obserue nothing but either common-wealth discipline or gouernement of health or precepts oeconomicall or points of husbandrie or inuentions of trades or allurements vnto pleasures how much more ought our whole studie be set vpon Gods law by which God himselfe speaketh face to face vnto vs by which the mind is exceedingly comforted disquiet thoughts dispelled the whole man enabled beyond all imagination to euery good worke Be thou of what mould and constitution that may be here is argument and reading for thy turne Art thou of a graue and seuere disposition and doth
similitude the Sunne is much hidden and absent from vs because we cannot see it the interposition of thick and black clouds betweene that and vs keeping it from our eyes the Sonne of God Christ lesus is a light vnto our paths but our sinnes as it were a cloudy curtayne is drawne so betwixt vs as we are not the better for it The fault heereof is wholly in our selues the Sonne is cleare of it God indeede doth blinde the wicked but he blindeh them negatiuely namely to recusant and obstinate sinners he dooth not communicate the light of his spirite and for this cause as Iob sayth They doe groape at noone day Iob 5. Whenas men wilfully do hide themselues from God God not vnwillingly dooth hide his word from them This hiding is euer in the creature onely and not in the Creator He would haue cured Babylon Ierem. 51. but she would not therefore he must leaue her The word must haue a fit subiect to work vpon or else no maruel though it be preached in vaine and is as a sword hidden in a scabbard and seemeth a dead and hidden letter to vs. The plow-man A sumilitude when he casteth his seede into the ground looseth it if the soyle be not fruitfull and fit for it so strowe Gods good seede in the furrowes of bad heartes and the seede shall neuer be seene to come and spring vp in them In euery action naturall and spiritual these two things chiefly are regarded the agent the patient In the agent there must be power and abilitie of action and in the patient conformable disposition to entertayne the action The Smyth must first make his yrons fit and pliable by the fire A similitude before he can hammer them make them serue his turne Drie billet is a fit substance to worke vpon Some earth is so leane Similitudes as to sowe it with wheate it thriueth not therby it bringeth forth nothing but light and wilde oates Mans heart is like an Inne that entertayneth alguests confusedly alike of what sort soeuer It is like a boate that leaketh and taketh water at euery seame and cranny It is like an open Cittie without walles obiect and subiect to the inuasion of the enemie It is like a vine without a hedge And finally like a house wythout lockes and doores vnto them and euery one hath ingresse and maketh a lakes of them Depart not thou from God hide not the selfe from him let no fault be in thee and God will not forsake thee or hide his word from thee but he will open this his measure 〈◊〉 thee As the Sun by his departure from the earth is the cause of the congelation of the earth not directly but indirectly so God A similitude to the condigne punishment of impotent sinners hideth himselfe from them for for God to hide himselfe from a sinner and a sinner to hide himselfe from God it is all one Therfore since this treasure is hidden from them I maruel not they esteem it so little and make no seeking for it Ignoti nullique cupido who lusteth loueth that which he did neuer know A base fellow by the high way often beardeth and braueth his better A similitude because he knoweth him not A clowne taketh more pleasure in his cottage and preferreth it before a sumptuous house in London that neuer yet knew the inequalitie betweene them Pearles are not to be prized by those that haue no skill of the nature of them Aesops Cocke will barter it away for a barley karnel inasmuch as the vertue of it is hidden from him and truly such apalogues are instructine enough and I find that the wisest sometimes do vse them Taste therfore and see how sweete the Lord is Psalme 14. 1. Pet. 2. and pray to him to open the wonders of his law so shall thy delight be in his commandements which thou hast loued and thou shalt prefer thē aboue gold Psalme 119 worldly treasure if thou knewest what they are This treasure moreouer may be said to be hidden because vnto such as are dispensers of it Math. 7 we are not to open it Christ his precept in this case is flat who chargeth that pearles should not be cast among filthy swine that will treade them vnderfeete The dammage that from hence wil ensue vpon vs if contrary to Gods will we shall with Ezechias open this treasury to the embassadours of Babylon ◠King 20. by the terrible commination by the Prophet denounced vpon Ezechias for this fact is not obscurely shewed vs. Last of all this treasure may be said to be hidden because the estate and possession of this treasure which the word affoordeth is as yet whilst we soiorn in this miserable world detained and hidden from vs Dum est spes not estres saith Augustine This treasure and pearle we haue yet b ut in hope Colost 3. and our life as saith the Apostle is hidden in Christ but when Christ which is our life shall appears then shall we also appeare with him in glorie Therefore the Apostle defineth faith which is the hand which reacheth vs this glory the substance of things hoped for Hebr. 11. and the euidence of things that are not seene Now as this treasure is neuer the lesse worth albeit the hauing of it is yet denied vs and the vnspeakable wealth and worth therof is as yet hidden from vs euen so it is with our soules and bodies that are grafted in Christ Iesus by a true and liuely faith albeit those ioyes which we vndoubtedly look for are yet shut from our eies Beloued 1. Iohn 3 we are now the sonnes of God but yet it doth not appeare what we shall be and we know that when he shall appeare we shall be like him and we shall see him as he is which time the Lord hasten that we may receiue that inheritance with the faithful which the Father of olde hath prepared the Son of late hath purchased and the holy Spirit hath consigned which as yet is hidden from vs. CHAP. V. Of this Merchant-man his taske imposed vpon him for the attayning vnto this Treasure and Pearle of great price THings of excellencie are not had without difficultie Gold and Pearle grow not as the ordinarie fruites of the earth in the outward face of it but they lie hidden in the entrals therof and with hard deluing and tedious turmoyling must be found out of vs. Our Euangelicall Merchant in this place got not vp these goods by gazing about him in an idle speculation but he buckled himself to the ordinary means of attaining therevnto by industruous operation He found this treasure as it is in the first and he sought these good pearles as it is inserted in the latter of these parables Wherefore in this man ech man may see the nature of his taske that expect this mans waies He must not stretch himselfe vpon his bed and fold
a Kingdom The wealth of this world is a burden fit for asses it is meet that we should disburden our selues of it being called to a Kingdome Abraham made no reckoning of Vr of the Chaldeans Gen. 12 of his own kindred or his fathers house when the Lord did preferre him to a better exchange multiplying his nation and increasing his ioy Dauid no more followed his ewes bigge with yoong Psal 78 when the Lord had called him to goe before his people The Baptist hunted not for honour of the world Math. 3 when the spirite gaue him summons in the wildernes of Iudea to be a Fore-runner and Preacher of his word Mathew being called to the chaire Apostolike Matth. 9 left his custome seate Peter to embarke himselfe in Christs shippe and to be of his houshold forsooke his torne nettes his fishermans boat and the affaires of this world Zacheus preferred the vsury of godlinesse Luke 19. before the vsurie of sinfulnesse Moses would no longer abase himselfe to keepe Iethro his sheepe when his heauenly father imposed vpon his shoulders a charge of greater weight euen the keeping of his people One thing that was necessary Mary more setteth by which was spiritual Luke 10 than those many things about which her sister plodded which were but onely temporall Tu nanigas sedilla iam in portu est saith Saint Augustine Aug. Tom. 1◠in haec verba Lucae Martha sailed in the troblesom sea but Mary was arriued quietly at the hauen Erant in illa domo istae duae vitae ipse fons vitae In Martha erat imago praesentium in Maria futurorum Quod agebat Martha ibi sumus quod agebat Maria hoc speramus hoc agamus benè vt illud habeamus plenè Againe saith the same father There was in this one house twoo kindes of liues and in the midst of them the fountaine of all life In Martha are figured those things that are present but Mary beares the image of things that are to come That which Martha did we all enioy That which Mary did we all doe hope for Let vs do this dutifully to obtaine the other plentifully He that laboureth for the world A similitude is like a souldier pressed to the warres and but putting on his harnesse and hyred but for very slender wages and that not duely paid him obiect and subiect to all kinde of danger but hee that laboureth about the woord and doctrine is like the souldier that hath wonne the field that putteth off his harnesse and is out of gun-shot and triumphantly and ioyfully diuideth the spoyle God is in vs God is with vs and wee are with God in our godly exercises whenas we are in prayer wee talke with God when we sitte at the Preachers feete God speaketh vnto vs. What a blessing is this what is dust and ashes Gen. 18 that the Lord shoulde speake vnto him or he speake to the Lord When this Ieweller sawe the beautie and riches of Gods house A similitude hee cared not for seeing any more his owne house It is with him as with those that behold the Sunne in his orient brightnes who hauing fully fixed their eies vpon it it so dazeleth their sight wyth his radiant beames as when they come home and doe goe apart into any inward closet the roome seemeth darknes vnto them So such as looke vpon with the eie of faith the sonne of righteousnesse and are dazeled with the corascant surpassing hew of it the thinges of this world seeme obscure vnto him as soone as againe he shall set his eyes vpon them He that hath a taste of the good spirite of the ioyes that are to come in an other life letteth fall the loue of the worlde from him as Elias rapt to heauen 2. Reg. 2. didde let fall his Mantle from him to the earth In the beginning of the creation God him selfe diuided light and darkenesse asunder Gene. 2 to teach vs to distinguish to put a difference betweene the workes of light and darknesse and not to confound and iumble them together The first thing that God willed Gen. ◠after that he made man was that hee shoulde increase and multiply But this propagation and fruitfull increase must beginne in the best maner not in the flesh or worlde but in the spirite Christ in his copy or rule of prayer prescribed vnto vs telleth vs what thinges are to bee first sought for in willing vs first to pray for such things which concerne God as the halowing of his name the comming of his king dome the fulfilling of his will before wee preferre any sute for our selues that respect the worlde and appertayne vnto the flesh as daily bread and such other thinges as followe It pleased Christ Luke 6 not to found his Church vpon the earth Math. 16 8. Corin. 10 but vpon a rocke to teach vs not to build vpon the thinges of this worlde but vpon the rocke which is the Spirite We are willed to lay vp this treasure which is heauenly but that which is earthly is not to be kept for times that are to come which wee may neuer see Therefore the same day that the oblation was offred Leuitle 7. Exod. 12. Exod. 18 it was by the Lorde commaunded to be eaten As likewise there was nothing of the Pascall Lamb to be referued to the morrowe by his positiue iniunction The Manna that putrified and swarmed with wormes hatched vp by the Israelites for the day folowing is not an obscure argument of the iudgement of God hanging ouer such who carke and prowle so miserably for this world The great Doctor of the Gentiles illuminated round about him Actes ◠with an heauenly light woulde no more post with letters and epistles to Damascus against the Saintes of God and dwell in former darkenesse but hauing sauoured the sweetenes of Christ hee accounteth as doung Philip. 2. the sweetenesse of this earth Such as are besotted in the inward man A similitude hauing their cogitations darkened the god of this world blinding their mindes and their eyes of vnderstanding troubled with the sand and dust of the earth that is gone into them so as they can not see the thinges that are of God but look downe vpon the ground and loath the world in comparison of the world they are like babes newly weaned from the breast esteeming more of an apple and of a nut than of a peece of golde or of a pretious pearle Or like children in the market place A similitude who thinke better of their riding reed than of the greatest stateliest steed that the prince hath Or like the yoong minion that more fancieth her puppet that is made of clowtes than all the beautiful women that shee seeth It is wonderfull how this worlde runneth a madding as Samson without eies Iudg. 16 not able to finde out the pillers of the house not able to comprehend
diminution of any iote thereof beeing the forfeit of thy whole coppy This is a slye pollicie of the diuell to haue vs dernie christians to serue GOD by halues to drawe vs on to some duties of deuotion that whilst we doe flatter and beguile our selues with a counterfeit profession he may cause vs priuilie and vnawares to fall into the pit of his destruction A similitud And herein he hath the tricke of a cunning angler who hauing hold of some great fish vpon his hooke is not greedie of him to drawe him vp to shore but he stretcheth out his rod and giueth him more line that hee might more throughly swallow vp the hooke for otherwise through too hasty violence that is offred him he will breake all asunder and the fishe shall so escape him Thus he playde with Herod who hauing snarled and hooked him before with the hooke and line of inordinate lust Mark 6. he dallieth with him and giueth him some libertie to heare Iohn Baptist willingly and to reforme many things according to his directions As along as the diuell hath vs vnder his line and hath any hold of vs either by our pride by our vsurie by our couetousnes by our enuie by our emulation by our ambition by our hatred by our crueltie by any kinde of sinne he will so sporte with vs as he will be sure of vs he will not let vs goe For as a bird if she be limed A similitude and taken by one wing cannot flie away so though we pray or fast or giue our almes repaire to sermons and giue our selues to many good deuotions yet if any sinne hath a limme of vs it is impossible to escape To be bound in any part is all one as to bee bounde in the whole To what vse is it to rampire vp al the gates of the citie A similitude and to set watch and warde about the walles if one gate or breach of the wall shall be suffred to lay open for all the power of the enemie to come in Giue thou the diuell but an enterance into thee and thou shalt neuer remoue him but he will be wholy at the last seated in thee Christ his charge to those that will be followers of him Math. 11. flatly is this Take my yoake vpon you He nameth not any parte of the body that should be yoaked aboue other the head the necke the shoulders or such like but the whole that wee should not thinke that we haue serued God well by myncing him a pittance vnles he hath the whole Wherefore Dauid summoneth al his parts to the Lords courtes Psal 34. Psal 103. Psal 119. All my bones saith he shall say Lord who is like vnto thee And againe Praise the Lord O my soule and all that is within me praise his holy name And againe I haue an eye vnto all thy commaundements and all false wayes I vtterly abhorre The diuell is an importunate suter vnto vs to haue any roome or tenement within vs be it neuer so little rather then he would be vtterly shut out When as Pharao could no longer holde the Isralites in durance Exod. 10. but the time was come that they should be set at libertie and sent away to serue the Lord he craueth that their cattell might remaine behind them so when the diuell is not permitted to domineere as he list to haue his full power and pleasure ouer vs he beggeth but a parte and little portion within vs. But giue the diuell that answer that Moses gaue to Pharao who snobbed him thus roundly No not a hoofe shall remaine behinde vs but euery part shall be consecrated vnto God Or let vs say in this case vnto Satan Gen. 27. as Isaac said to Esau Iacob haue I blessed and he shall be blessed we haue giuen vp all to God already and he shall possesse it Yea let vs say to God as Peter said to Christ when Christ would wash his feete Lord Ioh. 1â— not my feet onely but my hands and my head For why should we deny him any thing seeing he is the owner of euery thing we haue The diuell the world the flesh indeede haue no more right in vs then Achab had to Naboth his vineyard or Herod to his sister 1. reg 21. If we giue all to God Mark 6. he will saue and preserue it there is nothing that the diuell would haue but that he would destroy And yet we are ouercome of such folly and madnes as we will rather put our selues to our destroyer then to our mercifull Sauiour A similitude As many a young man doth who rauished with lust of a droyling slauish bond woman doth bestowe himself vpon her and albeit that he knoweth that he is cast away by her yet will he marry her so our will forgetfull of Gods loue is so lincked to the lust of this wretched world as hap what hap shall it will not be diuorced but will be obsequious to her imperious hestes Sampson could not be so absurdly ignorant of Dalila her drift Iudg. 16. for former experience and triall that he made of her discouered her deceit He sawe too plainely that her so earnest practise with him to vnderstand wherein his power might be weakned did tend to his destruction yet he could not be warned by former admonitions but is so intoxicated and besotted with her as he chuseth rather like a mill horse to grinde at the mill and to be made a foole as afterwardes he was when he was the subiect of the Philistines pastime then to be offensiue to this his abiect mynion As the Lord is Alpha which signifieth the beginning Apoc 1. A similitude so is he Omega which signifieth the ending He wil not be put off as Lawyers doe their clyents from terme to terme with dodges and delayes Moses asking Pharao when he should pray for him his answere was to morrow And why not to day Pharao since euery day is Gods and he cannot be serued of any man too soone How doest thou know that thou shalt liue vntill to morrowe Thus the wicked prescribe God his time whenas euery time is his Lycurgus making lawes for the Lacedemonians propounded them vnto them to be obserued of them vntill he should returne from that region and country whither immediatly he was to take his voyage and so sayling into Creet he neuer did returne but there dying commaunded his bones to be burned and the ashes of them to be throwne into the sea supposing that if his body might not be carried ouer his lawes and ordinances should neuer be repealed Such a tender care had this Gentile Philosopher of the zealous and continued obseruation of good lawes which care of his taxeth our carelesnes and remisnes in keeping the commandements of our God seruing him by fits as our stomackes serueth vs and affording him what we may spare from our pleasure and our sinnes It should not be so
with vs but we should take that course which this Ieweller by his practise here prescribeth vs who resigneth vp all that he had in the world that he might buy this treasure of Gods word Let vs doe the like Augustine Nos ipsos pro illa margarita demus non quia tanti vateamus sed quia plus dare non possumus Let vs giue our selues for this pearle of great price not because we are worth somuch but because we haue no more to giue Minus dat vt plus accipiat hoc fac tu Da modica accipe magna da temporalia accipe aeterna da terram accipe coelum This Ieweller hath a wonderfull bargaine in giuing vp his state and interest to this world for liuery and seisin of this better purchace of the world that is to come For as Augustine saith he giueth the lesse to receiue the more doe thou the like Giue meane things and receiue greater for them giue temporall things and receiue eternall giue earth and receiue heauen giue golde and receiue God As thou forsakest father and mother to cleaue to thy wife so forsake father and mother wife and al be it neuer so neere and deere vnto thee to cleaue to God To sell all that we haue is to renounce the lusts of the flesh and of the minde and so to shake off the world which inticeth vs to wickednes as Ioseph shaked his cloake from him Genesis 39. and left it with his mistris egging him to vncleannesse But this is that that breaketh off the bargaine and keepeth vs from this purchase we endure well enough to heare of the pleasure and profit of this purchase but we like not the couenants we are loath to be touched in our worldly state or to alter the condition of our life the doctrine of repentance and the Gospel of Christ teaching vs to deny all vngodlinesse and worldly vanity and to liue soberly iustly and vprightly in this world is grieuous vnto vs Tit. 2. and we cannot abide it The children of Israel hearing of the fruitfulnes of the promised land of Canaan Num. 14 buckled themselues in al the haste vnto the battell and marched towards it eger of the present possession of it but hearing the place was inhabited with Giants they hung downe their heads and their hearts failed them and altred quite from the men they were before their fancies were set vpon Aegypt again So many hearing by Gods spies that came from heauen of the ioy and happines laid vp in store for vs in the life that is to come especially of saint Paul who was rapt vp to heauen and was full of reuelations 2. Cor. 12 and discoursing of the vnspeakable riches of his kingdome rauisheth the hearers with these delightfull tidings that the eie hath not seene the eare hath not heard 1. Cor. 2 neyther can the heart of man conctiue the things that God hath prepared for them that loue him men I say heartned with such consolation they take stomacke to themselues and are zealous and hot in spirit after it to winne and enioy it But withall vnderstanding that the way is narrow Math. 7 and the doore streight that leadeth into it and that there wil be some difficultie in our passage our hearts grow heauy and our iourney is dashed and our whole minde is set vppon retiring vnto Aegypt and to embrace this present world He that hath earnest occasion of speech with another man A similitude coueteth to find that man alone and free from other busines when as God would speake to vs he would find vs in this case he would haue vs loue men sequestred and put apart from the world Therefore when hee was to commune with Abraham Gen. 12 he willed him to be priuate to resigne his natiue soyle Vr of the Caldeans and to inioy his blessed presence to forget his owne kinred and his fathers house And because that cares are the daughters of riches which as thornes do choake the good seed of the worde in worldly minded men the Lord enacted in the state of Israel that cleargy men Deut. 18 seperated and put a part to the ministrie should not haue worldly hereditaments and possessions as other of the tribes that their minds whilest they were in their holy ministration might not be distracted and miscaried with them As also it was a constitution among them Leuit. 〈◊〉 that he that was bunched and crooked in the backe shuld not serue minister in the temple For this defect and impediment of body is a hindraunce to their eies that they cannot lift them vp to heauen as they shuld So such as are distorted and crooked in mind and haue their affections always stooping looking on the world are no fit persons to serue before the Lord and to enter into his courtes Mortifie we therfore all our worldly lusts and slay we them down right with the sword of the spirit Let vs not imprison in the bowels of our soules such sinnes as we like best and keep them aliue as Saul did Agag 1. Sam. 15 whom God commaunded should be put to death but let vs hew them in peeces as Samuel did Agag in Gilgal before the Lord and beate them as small as the dust of the earth If we pitty our sins as Ely did his sons 1. Sam. 2 when we ought to punish them God will punish them and wil bring a great iudgement against vs for them Oh heauy and most grieuous is that commination of the Lord against Achab 1. King 20. for demissing Benhadad Because saith God thou hast let goe out of thy handes a man whome I appointed to die thy life shall goe for his life The like sentence is gone out against all that saue aliue that sinne they should destroy they shal die for it If ye liue saith Saint Paul after the flesh ye shall die Rom. 8 but if ye shall mortifie the flesh by the spirit ye shall liue Thus Paul maketh two men of one the one the outward and the other the inward man both which are vnited in one yet are they so sundry as they cannot agree in one but the generation of the one must be the others corruption the life of the one must be the death of the other and therefore to saue and keepe aliue the one we must needes mortifie and put to death the other What a good match we shall make in coping away the pleasure of the world for the ioyes of heauen at that generall county day wherein the bookes and scrolles of consciences shall be laid open plainly will appeare at what time all those things that we haue here gathered together will do vs no good where no manner of excuse may serue our turne where there wil be no place of any refuge for vs. Here there haue bin found some places of small succor in the time of danger Gen. 3 Genes 18 Gen. 19 1.
his deuotion for vpon the commendation of Iob his disposition which God had made vnto him how that he was a iust man and one that feared God Iob 1 Behold how this iugler priuily vndermineth him diueth to the depth of him sitteth at the heart and reines of him snatcheth at the secret intendment of his mind that Iob his religion stood with good policie for thus he descanteth vpon Iob his deuotion Doth Iob serue God for nought Hast thou not made a hedge about him and about his substance and about all that he hath on euery side Thou hast blessed the worke of his hands and his substance is increased in the land But stretch out now thy hand and touch that he hath to see if he will not blaspheme thee to thy face as if he should haue saide hee worketh on the surer side and playeth vpon the aduantage his gaine is his godlinesse but touch him in his purse and crosse him awhile in his estate and substance and the case will soone be altered with him and Iob I will warrant you will not proue the man you take him for Thus he doth like Pioners in the warres A similitude who digge at the foundation wherevpon the whole weight of the building leaneth He doth not deny a matter manifest such attributes and praises as God doth giue to Iob but he wrangleth and cauelleth about the maner which he knew well enough if it had bin true would haue ouer-throwne all the matter Well this will be a bone wherewith he will choake vs vpon our death beddes let vs deliuer our selues of it as wee can whether we haue serued God for nought is the question propounded to vs to assoile our inclinations and inward affections at that time wil be throughly canuised Let vs proue them therefore and examine them before Psalm 111 that there be no frawd and wickednesse in them so shal they be able to stand in the iudgement and congregation of the iust Set therefore this watch-woord of the Apostle before thy race 1 Cor. 9 So runne that thou mayst obtaine Apoc. 1 Let God be Alpha and Omega with thee the beginning and end of all thine actions Fasten not the anchor of the ship of thy heart vpon the daungerous sea of the loue of this world Gather vp thy wits and set downe in thine accounts how much thou hast deuoted thy self vnto the world and how litle vnto God It is with vs A similitude as it is with the wind-mill which grindeth not the corne into meale without a gale of wind which may turne it round about we cannot turne vs to any good action vnlesse we may be puffed and rocked to and fro with the winde of worldely vanitie Good workes are as good wine but done in a bad mind we mingle worme-wood and gall with it and do like the Iewes who tempered gall in their cup of drinke that they gaue to Christ The diuell recoyleth and goeth backe not by our doing good but by our doing well It is that that maketh him to reel as the rammes hornes did the huge walles of Iericho Iosua 6 As Ieremy saith Cursed is he that dooth the woorke of God negligently so no doubt Gods curse shall light vpon those that do it deceitfully and that doe it not with a faithfull heart But there are hypocrites among true christians as Saul among the Prophets But the glorie of God which should be the end of euery good worke is the touchstone that trieth our works of what worth they are whether they be of gold or any other baser substance Sichem and Emor were circumeised aswell as Iacob and his sonnes Gen. 34 but if was but counterfeit holinesse that was in them for they only regarded the goods of Gods people and not the good of Gods glorie This much they not obscurely insinuated in their words vnto the people saying their substance Genes 34. cattel and flockes shal be ours There is no reckning to be made of such religion which is grounded on a carnal intention What father esteemeth that obedience of his sonne A similitude shewed him for a feare of loosing his possessions and not for loue in a naturall disposition Whatsoeuer good we do whatsoeuer euill we suffer the maine motiue thereof must be the honor and glory of his name So our Saviour teacheth vs in many places of the new instrument Mat. 5 Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake Againe Mat. 10 ye shal be brought before Kings and rulers for my names sake Againe he that looseth his life for my sake Mat. 10 Again he that forsaketh father and mother for my sake and the Gospel Luke 1â— God wil say to such as he said Gen. 15 to Abraham I will be thy exceeding great reward Wherefore let vs say to God as Iacob said to Esau Gen. 33 Let my Lord go before his seruant and I will follow according to the pace of the cattell which are before me and as the children be able to endure Let God goe before and we wil trace his foote-steppes as he shall enable vs. It is said in the Iudges Iudg. 9 that Abimelech their Iudge and principall ruler did cut off braunches from the trees and did beare them on his shoulders and said vnto his fellowes What ye see me do haste and do the like So whatsoeuer we see Christ do let his example be our imitation who made Gods glory the scope and drift of all his proceedings Euery handy-crafts-man A similitude in euery kind of worke doth obserue the paterne that his master giueth him and frameth it to that end which he before had purposed for if he shall make it to an other vse to please his own fancy his maister maketh refusall of his workemanship and his labour is lost wherefore that that we do may be pleasing to our Lord and master and acceptable in his sight let vs with holy Dauid Psalme 16. set the Lord before our eies and we shall not do amisse Therefore God would that the two Chorubins with stretched out wings shuld couer the mercie seat where God gaue his answers Exod. 25 to insinuate that when wee intend any good we desire not ostentation to be seene so man seeing that God when hee would shew mercy pleased that the place wherein hee would appeare should bee thus shadowed and couered As Christ willeth the Spouse in the Canticles that Shee would set him as a seale vnto hir heart and as a signet vpon her arme Cant. â— So let vs make God and his glory the obiect of our eyes the scope drift and marke at which we onely ayme in the whole course of our life so shal we make with this heauenly Ieweller an exceeding good purchase receiue with him an euerlasting inheritance an incomparable crowne of glory all treasure and happines in the kingdome of God worlde without end CHAP. XII An