many wicked men preach and I haue knowne many wicked men counsell but I did neuer knowe any wicked man that could pray well nor any that could praye well liue wickedly This Peter prooueth in his first Epistle and fourth Chapter when hee sayth Bee sober and watchfull in prayer shewing that all cannot pray but they which are sober and watchfull This Peter the Apostle prooueth againe in his first Epistle and third Chapter when hee exhorteth the husband and wife to loue one another lest their praiers be interrupted shewing that sinne dooth hinder our Prayer and that a man cannot pray heartilie when wrath or malice or lust doth carrie his mind away This Paule witnesseth againe when hee saith Howe shoulde they call vpon him in whom they haue not beleeued shewing that none can pray but they which haue faith and that is a signe that the Spirite is within if he can pray and therefore one sayth so long as God doth not take away thy praying he hath not taken away his mercie Seeing then that prayer is such a sacrifice as is offered to none but GOD and none can offer it but they which haue faith and loue and repentance to bring it to him As Aaron did not stande before the Lorde before he was washed so let no man call vppon GOD before hee be sanctified For as Isaac did first taste Iacobs meate and then blessed him when hee liked his offering so God will haue an offering which pleaseth him before he giue the blessing which pleaseth vs. Therefore as Iacob charged his sonnes when they went vnto Ioseph Take the best fruites of the land and giue vnto him So I aduise my selfe and you when we go to GOD let vs take the best fruites of our heartes and giue vnto him that is not the shewe of repentance but repentance in deede As Abraham left his Asses at the foote of the hill when hee went to sacrifice so when wee goe to praie wee must leaue our passions and affections and lustes behinde lest they trouble vs like the fowles which hindered Abraham in his sacrifice And when our prayers doe please GOD as Iacobs meate did please his father then GOD will heare our prayers and blesse vs as his father blessed him Now to informe vs what prayer delighteth GOD the Apostle Paul in his first Epistle to the Corinthians and the fourth verse sheweing that hee had the minde of Christ teacheth vs to praie continually This hee expoundeth in the seconde Epistle to the Thessalonians the third Chapter and the thirteenth verse when hee saith Be not wearie of well doing Therefore if you doe well when you pray you must not be wearie of praying The like saying is in the twelft Chapter to the Romans where it is saide Continue in praier The like saying is in the first Chapter to the Romans where it is saide Pray at all times The like saying also is in the eighteenth Chapter of Saint Luke where it is saide Praye alwaies and bee not faint Wee are not commaunded to preache continually nor yet to heare continuallie nor to fast continually nor to Watch continually nor to gone continually but wee are commaunded to pray continually as though praier were more needefull than all the rest Wee want continuallie and wee are tempted continually and we sinne continuallie and therefore we had need to pray to GOD continualâ—y that GOD woulde supplie our wants and forgiue our sinnes and preuent our temptations To shewe that wee shoulde pray dailie Christ teacheth vs in the eleuenth Chapter of S. Luke to saie Giue vs this day our dailie breade this day wee aske no more but our daily breade and if wee liue till the morrowe then wee aske no more but our dailie bread so the worde dailie dooth teach vs to pray dailie for there is great reason that they which haue continually need of God should pray continually vnto him But as some aunswered Christ as it appeareth in Saint Iohns Gospell Who is able to doe this So you will say vnto mee Who is able to pray continually Saint Paul in his twelft chapter to the RomaÌ„s teacheth vs a reasonable seruice of God Here hee seemes to inioine vs an vnreasonable seruice of God For who did euer praie continually Or if wee should pray continually when should we heare or Preach or when should we studie or when should we worke so one seruice seemes to hinder all seruices but indeede it doth further all seruices and therefore we are commanded to praie continually because we can doo nothing without Praier But if you imagine that this coÌ„mandement is broken if your lips be not alwaies going which was the heresie of the Messaliant or if you dwell not alwaies in the Church like the golden Candlestickes then you are out of Pauls minde for Paul did not praie continually with his lips and therefore he doth not meane a lip-prayer neither did Paule liue day and night in the Temple and therefore he doth not meane a Church-prayer and further it seemes that the Iewes were not appointed to praie at all times for they had set times of praier and therefore we reade how Peter and Iohn went vp to the Temple at the time of praier therefore to praie continually is to lift vp our hearts continually vnto God to praie in our thought as Moses did though wee open not our lips and so we may praie continually As when a good man is to answer before the persecutor a thought praieth in his hart that he may answer wisely when he is to giue Almes a thought praieth in his heart that it may doo good when he is to giue counsel a thought praieth in his heart that it may prosper wheÌ„ he is to heare a Sermon a thought praieth in his heart that he may be edified and sanctified by it Thus we may pray and heare praie and speake praie and eat pray studie pray and woorke together as the Iewes built and fought together and therfore praying seems a harder thing than it is for if it had beene irksome for any to pray Paule woulde not haue ioined praying reioycing together It is not hard which a man may do reioyce too If a maÌ„ loue intirely he hath no such delight as to talke often and to conferre daily with him whoÌ„ he loueth for by this his loue is increased and his ioy is doubled but the seldomer we coÌ„mune together by little little our affections abate til at last we become strange one to the other as though wee had neuer beene acquainted EueÌ„ so our affections and familiaritie doth grow toward God by often praying vnto him and when wee leaue of to pray then our affections drawe from him and his affections from vs therefore we read how often the goodmen were wont to praye In times past Daniel saith that hee prayed thrise a daye Dauid saith that hee praiâ—d seauen times a daye It is sayed that Cornelius praied continually
doers If you aske God who shall dwell in the holie Mountaine he saith The man which walketh vprightly Here are none but dooers If you aske Christ who shall enter into the kingdome of heauen he saith Not they which crie Lord Lord though they crie twise Lord but they which do the will of my father here are none but dooers If you aske him againe howe you may come to heauen hee saith Keepe the Commaundements here are none but doers If you aske him againe who are blessed he saith Blessed are they that heare the word of God and do it here are none but doers If you aske an Angell who are blessed he saith Blessed are they which keepe the words of this booke here are none but dooers If you aske Dauid who are blessed he saith The man is blest which keepeth iudgement and doeth righteousnes here are none but doers If you aske Salomon who are blessed hee saith The man is blessed which keepeth the law here are none but doers If you aske Esay who are blessed he saith Hee which doeth this is blessed here are none but doers If you aske Iames who are blessed he saith The doer of the word is blessed in his deede heere are none but dooers Thus blessing and dooing runne together Least any man should looke to be blessed without obedience Christ calleth Loue the greatest commaundement but Salomon calleth Obedience the end of all as though without obedience all were to no end When Michah had got a Leuite into his house Now saith hee I know the Lord will be good vnto mee seeing I haue a Leuite in my house So many thinke when they haue gotten a Preacher into their parish Now the Lorde will be good vnto vs now Christ will loue vs now we are good sonnes seeing we maintain a Preacher amongst vs. But Michah was not blessed for a Leuite nor you for a Preacher but as you would haue vs do as we teach so God woulde haue you doe as you heare for you shalbe no more saued for hearing than we are for speaking When God created the Tree hee commanded it to bring foorth fruite so when he createth Faith he commaundeth it to bring foorth workes and therefore it is called a liuely Faith VVhen our Sauiour woulde prooue him selfe vnto Iohn to be the true Messias indeed he sayd to his Disciples Tell Iohn what things you haue heard and seene Matth. 11. 4. not onely heard but seene So if wee will prooue our selues to be Christes kinsmen indeede we must worke that thing which may be seene as well as heard Iohn was not onely called The voyce of a Crier Luke the seuenth Chapter and two twentieth verse but Aburning Lampe Mathew chap. 3. verse 3. which might be seene so all which are crying voyces must be burning Lampes Iames dooth not say Let me heare thy faith but Let me see thy faith As the Angels put on the shape of men that Abraham might see them so faith must put on works that the world may see it The workes which I do saith Christ beare witnesse of me So the workes which wee doe should beare witnesse of vs. Therefore Christ linketh Faith and Repentance together Repent and beleeue the Gospell Marke the first chapter verse fifteene Therefore I conclude That which Christ hath ioyned let no man separate Marke chap. 10. ver 9. Thus I haue shewed you Christ preaching a great prease hearing his Friends and Kinsfolke interrupting and Christ againe withstanding the interruption By this you may see what a spirite the diuell hath to hinder one Sermon therfore no maruell though he cause so many to be put to silence no maruell though he stand so against a learned Ministerie no maruell though he raise vp such slaunders vpon Preachers no maruell though he write so manie bookes against the Christian Gouernment in the Church no maruel though he make so manie Non-residents no maruel though he ordain so many dumbe Priestes for these make him the God of this world The Diuell is afrayde that one Sermon will conuert vs and we are not moued with twentie So the diuell thinketh better of vs than we are Againe by this you may learne howe to resiste and withstande temptations whether it bee thy father which tempteth thee thy mother which tempteth thee or thy brother which tempteth thee or thy sister which tempteth or thy kinsman which tempteth or Rulers which tempteth or Master which tempteth or wife which tempteth As Christ would not know his mother against his father so thou shouldst not know any father or mother or brother or sister or friend or kinsman or master or childe or wife against God If the mothers sute may be refused sometime a noble mans letter may be refused too Hee that can turne his hinderance to a furtherance as Christ did heere may make vse of euerie thing Againe by this you may learne how to choose your friends As Christ counted none his kinsmen but such as heare the worde of God and doe it so we should make none our familiars but such as Christ counteth his kinsmen Againe you may see the difference betweene Christ and the worlde Christ calleth the godly his kinsmē be they neuer so poore and we scorne to call the poore our kinsmen be they neuer so honest so proude is the seruant aboue his master Againe by this you may see how Christ is to be loued for when hee calleth vs his mother hee sheweth vs the way to loue him as a mother for indeede hee is the mother of his mother and his brethren too Againe by this all vaunting and boasting of Kinred is cut off Glorie not in that thou hast a Gentleman to thy Father glorie not that thou hast a Knight to thy Brother but glorie that thou hast the Lord to thy Brother He which called Abraham his Father fried in Hell because GOD was not his Father If Marie might not bee prowde of such a Sonne as our Sauiour Christ much lesse may you bragge of any friend or Sonne that you haue Againe by this you may know whether you be kinne to Christ As those Priestes were shut out of the Temple which could not count their Genealogie from Aaron so they shall bee excluded out of Heauen which cannot reckon their Pedegree from Christ Heere are the Armes now whereby you may shewe of what House you come If you heare the woord of God and doo it then Christ saith vnto you as hee said vnto them These are my Mother and my Bretheren and my Sisters You women are his Sisters and you men are his Bretheren and if you be Christs Brethren then are you Gods Sonnes and if you be Gods Sonnes then are you his Heyres for all Gods Sonnes are called heires Rom. 8. 7. Lastly by this you may know the Diuels Kinsemen and therefore our Sauiour Christ saith You are of your father the diuell Shewing that the diuel
when you heare that saying then remember these examples how he hath fulfilled it before After come the apostles and they shew some hardened some bewitched some blinded Paule tels how Demas fel away and Iohn sheweth how many fel away Thus the Prophets and Apostles on either side and Christ in the mids hold vp this threatning as if it were a pit which all are falling into The soule of man is called the temple of the holy Ghost As God pulled downe his temple when it became a den of theeues so he forsaketh the temple of the soule taketh his graces with him as frō a diuorsed spouse when it lusteth after other loues With any Talent he giueth this charge Vse increase it vntill I come being left at last the commeth againe to see what we haue done The seede was sowen this yeere the Lord cals for fruite none will come the next yeere the next after and none comes at last the curse goeth foorth Neuer fruit grow vpon thee more Then as the figtree began to wither so his giftes begin to paire as if a worme were still gnawing at them his knowledge leeseth his relish like the Iewes Manna his iudgement rustes like a sworde which is not vsed his zeale trembleth as though it were in a Palsie his faith withereth as though it were blasted and the image of death is vpon all his religion After this he thinketh like Sampson to pray as he did and speake as he did and hath no power but wondereth like zedekias how the spirit is gone from him Now when the good spirit is gone then commeth the spirit of blindenesse and the spirit of errour and the spirite of feare and all to seduce the spirite of man After this by little and little first he falles into error then he comes vnto heresie at last hee plungeth into dispaire after this if he enquire God will not suffer him to learne if he read God will not suffer him to vnderstand if he heare God will not suffer him to remember if hee pray God seemeth vnto him like Baal which could not heare at last hee beholdeth his wretchednes as Adam looked vpon his nakednes and mourneth for his gifts as Rachel wept for her children because they were not All this commeth to passe that the Scripture might bee fulfilled Whosoeuer hath not from him shall be taken that which he seemeth to haue As the ship sinketh vpon the Sea while the merchant sporteth vpon the Land and makes him a banquerout when he thinketh that his goods are comming in so while wee are secure and the heart spendeth and the eare bringeth not in by little and little the stocke decaieth and moe become banquerouts in Religion than in all trades beside When a man sinneth he thinketh with himselfe I will doe this no more after another sinne promiseth as much profite as that and hee saith againe I will doe this no more presently another sinne promiseth as much profite as that and hee saith againe I will doe this and no more There goeth strength and there commeth a wound so the soule bleedeth to death and knoweth not her sicknesse till she be at the last gaspe Euen as a man vndresseth himselfe to bed first hee casteth off his cloake and then his coate and then his dublet so when GOD rifleth our hearts he pulleth away one feather after another first he wounds his faith after he strikes his loue then he blindeth his knowledge thē he shall haue no delight to heare the word after he shall growe to hate the Preachers of the word at last he shall euen hate the word it selfe This is the bleeding of the soule or the spiritual consumption when graces drop away as the haires fall from an hoarie head before death Let Achitophel be a spectacle for all to feare he was counted a wise man and a deepe Councellor yet because it was the wisedome of the flesh the storie saith that GOD turned his wisedome into follie and that he might seeme foolish as he was in deede God made him to hang himselfe whereby his follie was more notorious then his wisedome But most notable is the example of persecuting Saul when he began to fall he ran headlong First he fell in hatred of Dauid then he fell in hatred of GOD after God fell in hatred of him Anon the spirit departed from him At last hee sought for helpe at Witches which he had condemned before This is the propertie of sin to spurre a man forward vntill he commit that which he condemneth himselfe that he may be tormented of his owne conscience Now if I might applie this scripture as Christ sayth are there no mo sinners but they vpon whom the Tower of Shilo fell So I may say is the Talent taken from none but from him which hid it in the ground Nay Saul was but a type of many which should loose the spirit Sampson was but a type of manie which should lose their strength Demas was but a type of many which shoulde imbrace the world as Dauid cryeth How are the mightie ouerthrowne So wee may mourne and say how are the zealous cooled how are the diligent tired They which should season others are become like the white of an egge which hath no taste once they seemed to haue fruite but now they are not hanged with leaues As God cryed vnto Adam Adam where art thou so they may cry Zeale where art thou Learning where art thou Conscience where art thou Loue where art thou They which shined like the Sun when they rose seeme now to be eclipsed of their light The world hath won the flesh the flesh hath won the spirit and Iordaine is turned backe As God tooke heat from the fire when it would burne his Children so he taketh knowledge from the learned when they turne it to euill Now when they see such ruines of their gifts with what heart can they thinke I am the tree whom Christ accurseth or I am the seruant of whom it is sayd Take his Talent from him Therefore I say to you as Christ sayd remember Lots wife as her bodie was turned into salt so your wisedome may turne into follie your knowledge may turne into ignorance your vnderstanding may turne into blindnesse your zeale may turne into coldnes therefore let al which haue a Talent take heede how they vse it Three thinges I note in these words then end First Christ saith not It shall be taken from them which haue but from them which seeme to haue Lest they which stande should feare to fall Paul saith not Let him which standeth take heed lest he fall but let him which thinketh he standeth so lest they which haue the Spirit shuld feare Christ saith It shall bee taken from them which seeme to haue Marke how warilie the Scripture speaketh for this speech doth shew that many shall fall and yet it doth shew that none shall fall but they which seem to stand that none shall lose
owne brethren yet God hath prouided one comforter for him like Ionathans armour-bearer that shall neuer forsake him that is another selfe which is the onely commoditie as I may tearme it wherein the poore do match the rich Without which some persons should haue no helper no comforter no friend at all But as it is not good to be alone so Salomon sheweth That it is better to be alone then to dwell with a froward wife which is like a quotidian ague to keepe his patient in vre Such furies do haunt some men like Saules spirite as though the diuell had put a sworde into their handes to kill themselues therefore choose whom thou maist enioy or liue alone still and thou shalt not repent thee of thy bargaine That thou mayst take and keepe without repentance now we will speake of the choise which some call the way to good wiues dwelling for these flowers growe not on euerie ground therefore they say that in wiuing and striuing a man should take counsell of all the world least he light vpon a curse while hee seekes for a blessing As Moses considered what spies he sent into Chanaan so thou must regarde whom thou sendest to spie out a wife for thee Discretion is a warie spie but fancie is a rash spie and liketh whom she will mislike againe In the Reuelation Antichrist is described by a woman and in Zacharie sinne is called a woman which sheweth that women haue many faultes therefore hee which chuseth of them had need haue iudgement and make an Anatomie of their hearts and mindes before he say This shalbe mine For the wisest man saith I haue found one man of a thousand but a woman among them all haue I not found Although this may be vnderstoode of his Concubines yet it implyeth that generally there is a greater infirmitie in women than in men because hee compareth them together as though there were a dearth of good women ouer the world For helpe hereof in 1. Cor. 7. 39. we are taught to marrie in the Lord then we must chuse in the Lord too therefore we must beginne our marriage where Salomon beganne his wisedome Giue vnto thy seruant an vnderstanding heart So giue vnto thy seruant an vnderstanding wife If Abrahams seruant praied vnto the Lord to prosper his busines when he went about to chuse a wife for another how shouldst thou pray when thou goest about a wife for thy selfe that thou mayst say after My lot is fallen in a pleasant ground To direct thee to a right choise herein the holie Ghost giues thee two rules in the choise of a wife Godlinesse and fitnesse Godlines because our Spouse must bee like Christes Spouse that is graced with gifts and imbrodered with vertues as if we married holinesse her selfe For the marriage of man and woman is resembled of the Apostle to the marriage of Christ and the Church Now the Church is called holie because shee is holie In the sixt of the Canticles she is called vndefiled because she is vndefiled In the 45. Psal she is called faire within because her beautie is inward So our Spouse should be holie vndefiled and faire within As God respecteth the heart so we must respect the heart because that must loue and not the face Couetousnesse hath euer bene a suiter to the richest and pride to the highest and lightnesse to the fairest and for reuenge hereof his ioy hath euer ended with his wiues youth which tooke her beautie with it The goods of the world are good and the goods of the bodie are good but the goods of the minde are better As Paul commendeth Faith Hope and Charitie but saith the greatest of these is charitie so may I commend beautie and riches and godlinesse but the best of these is godlinesse because it hath the things which it wāts and makes euery state alike with her gift of contentation Secondly the mate must be fitte It is not inough to be vertuous but to be sutable for diuers women haue many vertues and yet do not fitte with some men diuers men haue many vertues and yet doe not fit to some women and therefore we see many times euen the godly couples to iar when they are married because there is some vnfitnesse between them which makes oddes What is oddes but the contrary to euen therefore make them euen saith one and there will be no oddes From hence came the first vse of the Ring in weddings to represent this euennesse for if it be straiter then the finger it will pinch and if it be wider then the finger it will fall off but if it be fitte it neither pincheth nor slippeth So they which are like striue not but they which are vnlike as fire and water Therfore one obserueth that concorde is nothing but likenesse all that strife is for vnfitnesse as in thinges when they fitte not together and in persons when they suite not one another How was God pleased when he had found a King according to his owne hart So shall that man be pleased that findes a wife according to his owne heart whether he be rich or poore his peace shall affoord him a cheerfull life and teach him to sing In loue is no lack Therfore a godly man in our time thanked the Lord that he had not onely giuen him a godly wife but a fitte wife for he sayd not that she was the wisest nor the holiest nor the humblest nor the modestest wife in the world but the fittest wife for him in the world which euery man should thinke when that knot is tied or else so often as he seeth a better hee will wish that his choice were to make againe As he did thanke God for sending him a fit wife so the vnmarried should pray God to send him a fit wife for if they be not like they will not like The fitnesse is commended by the holy Ghost in two words one is in the second of Genesis and the other is in 2. Cor. 6. 14. that in Genesis is Meet God saith I will make man a helpe Meet for him Shewing that a wife can not helpe wel vnlesse she be meet Further it sheweth that man is such an excellent creature that no creature was like vnto him or meet for him till the woman was made This meetnesse God sheweth againe in the 22. verse where Moses sayth That of the rib which was taken out of man God built the womā signifying that as one part of the building dooth meet and fit with another so the wife should meet and fit with the husband that as they are called couples so they may be called paires that is as a paire of gloues or a paire of hose are like so man and wife should be like because they are a paire of friends If thou bee learned chuse one that loueth knowledge if thou be martial
gaine against all them in the verse before which hold that Gaine is Godlinesse These two opinions are verie contrarie and here are many against one A man would thinke that Paul should be verie eloquent and sharpe witted and that he had neede to vse some Logicke for hee hath chosen a hard Text. What Paul will you prooue that Godlinesse is gaine You shal haue moe opponents against you then Micaiah had when he forbad Achab to fight If you had taken the former verse which sayth that Gaine is Godlines then you should haue had matters and examples inough the Merchant and Mercer and Lawyer and Landlord and Patron and all would come in and speake for gaine as the Ephesians cried for Diana but if you will be crosse to al and preach Godlinesse is gaine to them which account Gaine godlinesse men will thinke of you as Festus did that you speake you know not what These lessons are for Paul himselfe As Christ sayth All doe not receiue this Word so all do not count this gaine but losse We count him rich which hath his barns full like the Churle his coffers full like the Glutton his table full like Belshazzar his stable full like Salomon his groūds full like Iob his purse full like Craesus You speake against your master for Christ sent word vnto Iohn that the poore receiue the gospell as though the godly were of the poorer sort and Dauid calleth the wicked rich They prosper and flourish sayth he their seede blasteth not their Cow casteth not as if he should say It is not as you take it Paul that Godlines doth make men rich for this I haue obserued in my time that the wicked be the wealthiest and good Lazarus is the poore man and wicked Diues is the rich man Againe we reade that the Officers were asked which of the Pharisies or of the Rulers did follow Christ yet these were counted rich men though they had no godlinesse and if we should examine your owne selfe it seemes you were no great rich man for all your Godlinesse when you did worke with your hands for your liuing therefore if Godlinesse be such gaine how happeneth it that your share is no better So they which are like Nicodemus when Christ sayth that they must be borne againe thinke that hee can haue no other meaning but that they must returne againe into their Mothers wombe and when he calles himselfe Bread that he must needs meane such bread as they dine with As the Iewes hearing the Prophet speake so often of Christes kingdome and call him a King looked for a temporall King that should bring them peace and ioy and glorie and make them like Kings themselues so the carnall eares when they heare of a kingdome treasures and riches straight their mindes run vpon earthly and worldly and transitorie things such as they loue to whome Paul answereth as Christ answered his Disciples I haue another meate which you know not of so there are other riches which you knowe not of I sayd no◠that Godlinesse is earthly or worldlie or transitorie gaine but great gaine He will not onely prooue Godlinesse to bee gaine but great gaine as if hee should saie more gainfull then your wares and rents and fines and interest as though he would make the Lawyer and Merchant and Mercer and Draper and Patron and Landlord and all the men of riches beleeue that Godlinesse will make them rich farre sooner then Couetousnesse I feare this saying may be renewed If a man tel you ye wil not beleeue it nay if God tell you yet you will not beleeue it As the Lorde looked downe vpon earth to see if any did regard him and sayth There is not one so this sentence may go from Court to Cittie from cittie to countrie and say there is sacrce one in a town that wil subscribe vnto it Manie saith Dauid aske who will shewe vs any good meaning riches and honor pleasure which are not good But when he came to goodnes it selfe he leaues out Many prayeth in his owne person Lord lift vp the light of thy countenaunce vpon vs as though none would ioyne with him Yet wisdome is iustified of her owne children and the godly count godlinesse gaine To make vs loue godlinesse he calleth it by the name of that wee loue most that is Gaine as the father calleth his sonne which he would loue more then the rest by his own name to put him in mind of such a loue as he beareth to himselfe Here we may see that God doth not commaund men to bee godlye onely because it makes for his glorie but because godlines is profitable to vs. For godlines is not called gaine in respect of God but in respect of vs it is gaine to vs but it is dutie to him So it is not called a health in respect of vs because it is the health of our soules so it is not called a kingdome in respect of God but in respect of vs because wee are intituled to the kingdome by this difference from the reprobates Put all the good things in the world together the goodnes of all is found in godlines and therefore godlines is called by the names of those things that men count best to shew that the godly are as well as merrie as content with their loue toward God and Gods loue toward them as other are with health and wealth and pleasures Therefore it is sayd of the godlie The feare of the Lord is his treasure Therefore saith Ieremie The Lord is my portion as though he desired nothing else And therefore it is said of Moses That he esteemed the rebuke of Christ greater riches then all the treasures of Egypt If crosses be riches as Moses thought what riches are in godlines But is this all the haruest shall godlinesse be all the godlie mans riches Nay saith Paul Godlines hath the promises of this life and of the life to come that is the godlie shall doe well in heauen and here too And therefore Christ saith First seeke the kingdome of God all the rest shall be cast vpon you euen as the sheaues fell before Ruth so riches shal fall in your way as they did to Abraham and Lot and Iacob and Iob and Ioseph riches were cast to them they knew not how but as if God had sayd bee rich and they were rich straight For al good things were created for the good and therefore they are called good because the good God created them for good men to good purposes and therfore as Iacob got the blessing so he got the inheritance also to shew that as the faithfull haue the inward blessing so they haue the outward blessing too when they are good for them For saith Dauid They which seeke the Lord shall want nothing that is good Now God knowes better then wee what is
deliuer them to other like an experienst medicine which himselfe hath proued Thus much of preaching nowe to you which heare Thinke that you are gathering Manna and that it is God which speakes vnto you and that you shall giue account for euery lesson which ye heare and therefore record like Marie whē you are gone and the seede which wee sowe shall grow faster then the seed which you sow FINIS THE HEAVENLY THRIFT Whosoeuer hath to him shall bee giuen and whosoeuer hath not from him shall bee taken euen that which it seemeth that hee hath Luke 8. 18. THe next wordes before are take heede howe you heare the reason followes to make vs take heede howe we heare hee saith Whosoeuer hath c. This sentence hath two hands as it were one giueth and the other taketh therfore one calleth it a comfortable saying and a dreadfull saying for it blesseth some and curseth other like Moses which saued the Israelite and slewe the Egyptian Whosoeuer hath to him shalbe giuen there goeth the blessing Whosoeuer hath not from him shall bee taken there runneth the curse Thus looking backe to the words before viz. Take heede how you heare This doctrine commeth vnto vs that he which taketh heed how he heareth sprouteth and flourisheth like a twigge which hath life in it till it come to a tree but hee which taketh no heede how he heareth fadeth and withereth like a stocke which is dead vntill hee hath not onely lost the giftes which hee had but till the spirite doe leaue him too and he seeme as naked to men as Adam did to GOD. The like sentence in the twentie one of Mathew where it is said The kingdom of heauen shall bee taken from you and shall bee giuen to a Nation which will bring foorth the fruites thereof there is a taking from them which bring no fruites and a giuing to them which bring fruites The like is in the 22. of the Reuelat. where it is said Let him which is iust be iust still and let him which is filthie bee filthy still whereby it is meant that the iust shall bee more iust and the filthy shall bee more filthie The like is in the 15. of Iohn 2. where it is saide Euery branch which bringeth no fruite he taketh away but euery branch which bringeth foorth fruite he purgeth that it may bring foorth more fruite The likeis in the 25. of Matthew where this sentence is repeated agayne after the Parable of the Talents as to one seruaunt were committed fiue Talents and to another two and to another one to increase and multiplie and hee which vsed his Talent doubled it and hee which hid his Talent lost it euen so to euery man GOD hath giuen some gifte of Iudgement or tongues or interpretation or counsell to employ and doe good and hee which vseth that gift which God hath giuen him to the profite of others and Gods glorie shall receiue moe giftes of GOD as the seruant which vsed two Talents receiued two more but he which vseth it not but abuseth it as many doe that gifte which he hath shal be taken from him as the odde Talent was from the seruant which had but one shewing that one gifte is too much for the wicked and therefore it shal not stay with him One would thinke it should be sayd Whosoeuer hath not to him shall be giuen and whosoeuer hath from him shall bee taken for God biddeth vs giue to them which want But this is contrarie for he taketh from them which want giueth to them which haue It is sayd that our thoughts are not like Gods thoughtes and so our giftes are not like Gods giftes for he giueth spirituall things and we giue temporall things Temporall things are to be giuen to them which haue not but spirituall things to them which haue Therefore Christ calleth none to receiue his worde and spirite and grace but them which hunger and thirst which is the first possession of heauen When it is saide It shall be giuen GOD sheweth himselfe rich and bountifull because he giueth to them which haue that is hee giueth after he hath giuen for What hath any which hee hath not receiued Therefore none can saie as Esau sayd to Isaac Hast thou but one blessing my Father For he blesseth when he hath blessed as a spring runneth when it hath runne First marke the growthe of Gods giftes in them which vse them how he watereth his seede like a Gardener vntill it spring in the earth and then he watereth it agayne vntill it spring aboue the earth and after hee watereth it agayne vntill it bring foorth fruit vpon the earth therefore GOD is called The Lord of the Haruest because the seede and the blade and the eare and the corne and all doe come from him After you shall see the wan◠and the Eclipse of their giftes which vse them not howe their learning and knowledge and iudgement dooth betray them as strength went from Sampson when hee had lost his hayre till at last they may say like Zedechiah When did the spirite departe from mee When did loue departe from me When did knowledge depart from mee When did my zeale departe from mee The first part of this sentence is like the gratulation to him which vseth this talent in the twēty fiue of Mathew Good and faithfull seruaunt I will make thee Lord ouer much The second part is like the Obiurgation to him which hidde his Talent Naughtie and sloathfull seruant take his Talent from him So GOD beginneth here to separate betweene the sheep and the Goats Iacob shall not be cursed because Esau is cursed Neither shall Esau bee blessed because Iacob is blessed But the Lord Knoweth who are his and who are not and therefore he saith wosoeuer hath and whosoeuer hath not as though he knew them all whosoeuer they bee This Scripture was performed before it was written For when Adam serued GOD God serued him he consulted for a Mansion for him he consulted for meat for him hee consulted for a companion for him vntill Adam rebelled against God wee read of nothing that God did but his workes for Adam sixe dayes together as though he had beene hired to labour for him But when hee left his innocencie then God began to take againe that which he had giuen he lost his wisdome he lost his quietnesse hee lost his libertie hee his glorie hee lost his dwelling like the man which fell amongst theeues Thus while Adam had righteousnesse it might bee sayde of him Whosoeuer hath to him shall bee giuen And when he had not righteousnes it might be sayd of him too From him which hath not shall be taken God is called a Father because he is like a Father which taketh a pleasure to see his sonne thriue and grieueth to see him an vnthrist First he giueth vs a stock to prooue our husbandrie and then if wee thriue with that hee dooth adde more vnto it now a little
like Peter if hee see one loue one vertue he maketh him loue another vertue if hee see one hate one vice hee maketh him hate another vice if he see one like one Sermon hee maketh him like another Sermon when hee hath him in his schoole and hee commeth once to this to say like Samuel Speake Lord for thy seruant heareth then hee taketh him vp to the mount like Moses and openeth his heart vnto him teaching him a waie to make vse of all that he seeth and of all that hee heareth and of all that hee readeth and of all that hee feeleth Thus when God hath strayned and fined him he is apt to euerie good worke and takes all occasions to doe them If hee but see one praye his heart burneth to praye too if hee see one reading he hath a minde to reade too if hee see one meditating he hath a zeale to meditate too if hee see one sorrowing hee hath a desire to sorrowe too like the Disciples which when they heard Peter say wee goe a fishing they said we will goe a fishing too After this euery benefit maketh him thankfull euery instruction maketh him fearefull and he is neuer well but when he is walking with God like Enoch or when Christ is speaking to him or when he is speaking to Christ for when God meeteth with his children like a nurse hee emptieth himselfe of his milke according to this text which we now handle To him which hath shall be giuen Thus when you vse those giftes well which you haue the Lorde will come vnto you and say that your heart may heare him Good seruant and faithfull I will make thee Lorde ouer much thy seede shall become a tree thy spirite shall be doubled First thou shalt haue a loue to heare reade and meditate after thou shalt haue a little knowledge to iudge and speake of Gods Worde of the spirite and of doctrines then thou shalt ascend to faith which will bring thee vnto peace of conscience then thou shalt meete with good bookes and God will send thee Teachers to instruct thee and incourage thee like the Angels which came to Christ when hee hungred Thus a Trauailer passeth from towne vnto towne vntill hee come to his Inne so a Christian passeth from vertue to vertue vntill hee come to Heauen which is the iourney that euery man must endeuour to goe till death It followeth And whosoeuer hath not from him shall bee taken euen that which it seemeth that he hath As the Lorde saith to his faithfull Seruant Thou shalt bee ruler ouer much so hee saith of his slothfull seruant Take his talent from him Heere is one like Iaacob whome God loueth to him hee saith shall bee giuen here is another like Esau whome God hateth from him hee saith shall bee taken so one may say like Iob The Lorde hath giuen and the other may say like Iob The Lord hath taken But from whom dooth he take From him which hath not And to whom dooth he giue To him which hath In this God seemeth not to deale his giftes charitablie for he should giue to them which want Ioseph maruailed to see Iaacob lay his left hand vpon Manasses and his right hand vpon Ephraim as though the younger should bee more blessed than the elder Ishai maruailed to see Samuel choose the least of his sonnes before the tallest as though the vnfittest were the fittest so it is maruaile that hee which commandeth vs to giue vnto them which want should take from them which want and giue to them which haue Isaac would not haue blessed Iaacob but Esau but God would haue him blesse Iaacob and not Esau Ioseph would that Manasseth shoulde haue more than Ephraim but God would that Ephraim should haue more than Manasseth As God loueth not as man loueth so hee giueth not as man giueth Why should Abraham haue three Angels and Lot but two and Balaam but one and Balaac none Why should not Philip goe vp the mount as well as Iames Why should not Aaron behold God as well as Moses Why should not Moses go to Chanaan as well as Caleb According to our loue is Gods loue and according to our hatred is Gods hatred Reuben should haue had as good a blessing as Iudah but when Iaacob blessed him Genesis the 35. chapter 22. verse he remembred his sinne with Bilhah and therefore curbed his blessing for when he blessed him he said Thou shalt not be excellent as if hee should saye Reuben thou shalt haue some thing but thou shalt not haue so much as thou shouldest haue because of thy vncleannesse with Bilhah So Moses should haue gone to Canaan as well as Caleb but GOD remembred his murmuring at the waters of bitternes And when he desired to goe vnto it God would not heare him but let him see it from an hill and so hee dyed So the third seruant should haue receiued as many Talents as his fellowes but the Lorde remembred how hee hid the Talent which hee had and therefore would giue him no more least he should hide them too so wee should haue more vnderstanding more iudgement and more knowledge but God seeth what wee doe with this and therefore stayeth his hand lest we should abuse any more This is Saint Iohns meaning when hee saith God Giueth grace for grace That is where he findes one grace there he giueth another This is Saint Paules meaning Rom. 1. where he saith The righteousnesse of God is reuealed from faith to faith signifying that they which haue faith shall haue more faith Therefore this is the fearefullest signe that wee haue no faith nor grace if God do not increase our faith and his graces in vs For to him which hath shall be giuen Therefore if we had faith wee should haue loue if wee had loue wee should haue knowledge if wee had knowledge we should haue zeale if we had zeale we should haue holines As he which hath broken one commaundement is made guiltie of all so hee which hath one vertue is made partaker of all It is said so long as Iehoiada liued Ioash prospered and did well because Iehoiada instructed guided him but when Iehoiada dyed Ioash goodnes died with him and he was neuer like himselfe after but turned like his fathers So there is a seed in the heart which while it liueth and is fostered wee sprowt and prosper as Ioash did but when that seede dyeth for want of cherishing then wee beginne to droope and fade and decay againe as loash did If one vertue bee offended she lureth all her fellowes from vs as many of Ishbosheths friends shronke with Abner Dauid setteth forth the godly man like a tree planted by the waters side Which sprowteth and grwoeth and bringeth foorth fruite Straight vpon this he saith It is not so with the wicked When hee spake of growing and flourishing and fructifying hee saith It is not so with the wicked That is it is contrarie
astonish me because the Iudges sonne is my aduocate the diuel doth not amaze me because the Angels pitch about me The graue doth not grieue me because it was my Lords bed Oh that Gods mercy to me might mooue other to loue him for the lesse I can expresse it the more it is The Prophets and Apostles are my fore-runners euery man is gone before me or else he will follow after mee if it please God to receiue me into heauen before them which haue serued him better I owe more thankefulnes vnto him And because I haue deferred my repentance till this houre whereby my saluation is cut off if I should die sodainly Lo how my God in his merciful prouidence to preuent my destruction calleth me by a lingering sicknes which staieth till I be ready and prepareth mee to my end like a preacher and makes me by wholesome paines weary of this beloued worlde least I should depart vnwilling like them whose death is their damnation So he loueth me while he beateth me that his stripes are plasters to salue me therefore who shall loue him if I despise him This is my whole office now to strengthen my body with my heart and be contented as God hath appointed vntill I can glorifie him or vntil he glorifie me If I liue I liue to sacrifice and if I die I die a â—acrifice for his mercy is aboue mine iniquitie Therefore if I should feare death it were a signe that I had not faith nor hope as I professed but that I doubted of Gods truth in his promise whether he will forgiue his penitent sinner or no. It is my father let him doe what seemeth good in his sight Come Lord Iesus for thy seruant commeth I am willing helpe my vnwillingnes Thus the faythful departe in another sort with such peace and ioy round about them that all which see wish that their soules may followe theirs A Letter written to ones friend in his sicknes BEloued I maruel not that you haue paine for you are sicke but I maruel that you couer it not for offence because the wisdome of a man is to bite in his griefe alwaies to shew more comfort in God than pain in suffering Now God calleth to repetitions to see whether you haue learned more constancie than others if sicknes be sharpe make it not sharper with frowardnes but know this is a great fauour to vs when we die by sicknes which maketh vs ready for him that calleth vs â—ow you haue nothing to think vpon but God you cannot think vpon him without ioy your griefe passeth but your ioy will neuer passe Tell me patient how many stripes is heauen worth Is my friend onely sicke it the world or his fayth weaker than others You haue alwayes prayed Thy will be done now are you offended that Gods wil is done How hath the faithful man forgotten that all things euen death turne to the best to them that loue God Teach the happy O Lord to see his happines through troubles Euery pain is a preuention of the paines of hell and euery ease in paine is a fore-taste of the ease and peace and ioyes in heauen Therfore remember your own comforts to others before and be not impatient when there is most neede of patience but as you haue euer taught vs to liue so nowe giue vs an example to die and deceiue Satan as Iob did FINIS ReuereÌ„dum Couerdalum excipio Eccle. 9 9. Gen. 2. 18. Exo. 22. 16. Deu. 22. 28. Why contracts goe before mariage Mat. 1. 18. * That is betweene y e contract the mariage Luke 1. 27. 42. 49. c. What mariage is The parts of the treatise Heb. 13. 4. The excellencie of mariage Act. 7. 53. Heb. 2. 2. Gen. 2. 22. Mariage the first ordinance of God Gen. 3. 15. Luke 1. 25. Deu 32. 2. Christes first miracle at a Mariage Ioh. 2. 8. Mat. 22. 2. Verse 11. Cant. 5. 9. Three mariages of Christ Reue. 19. 7. Reu. 21. 9. Reu. 17. 1. By mariage the womans curse turned into two blessings Gen. 3. 16. Gen. 1. 28. Ioh. 16. 11. 1. Tim. 2. 15 * For those paines wil trie her faith Note Gen. 2. 22. A note of Adams sleepe Gen. 2. 21. 1. Cor. 15. 22. 45. Eph. 5. 14. Ioh. 14. 6. A note of Adams sleepe Gen. 27. 3. A note of Adams rib Gen. 2. 22. Eph. 5. 23. The Fathers obseruation Pro. 14. 14. Thus Adam doth Gen. 2. Gen. 29. 20. Three causes of mariage Gen. 2. 7. Gen. 1. 28. Why mariage is called Matrimony This is signified in Deu. 23. 1. Prou. 5. 18. Mal. 2. 15. The second cause 1. Cor. 7. 8. Papists stewes 2. Sa. 16. 22 Mal. 2. 15. Deu. 17. 17. 1. Tim. 3. 2. Gen. 4. 23. Mat. 9. 5. Prou. 2. 16. Gen. 36. 25. Fornicators like the diuell Mat. 13. 22. Psa 128. 4. Gen. 1. 28. Bastards Iudg. 11. 1. They might be saued but they had the marke of the curse Leu. 20. 10. Deu. 22. 22. Maried fornicators Mariage of Ministers 1. Cor. 7. 9. Heb. 13. 4. 1. Cor. 7. 1. Tim. 3. 2. 1. Cor. 7. 6. 1. Cor. 7. 17. Gen. 2. 18. Mat. 19. 11. 1. Tim. 4. 3. Rom. 3. 8. * Be not thou vain and these words will not be offensiue Heb. 13. 4. 1. Cor. 7. 8. Leuit. 12. 4. 5. c. 1. Cor. 7. 5. The third cause Gen. 2. Eccl. 4. 10. Pro. 19. 6. Pro. 27. 10. 1. Sam. 14. 7 A wife is the poore mans riches Prou. 21. 9. 1. Sa. 16. 14 The choise Deut. 1. 23. 4. Two spies for a wife Zach. 5. 7. 1. Reg. 3. 9. Gen. 24. 12. Godly fitte Ephe. 5. 29. Cant. 6. 8. Psal 45. 9. 1. Sa. 16. 7. 1. Cor. 13. 13. A fit wife The ceremonie is not approued but the inuention declared 1. Sa. 2. 35. The saying of a godly man Gen. 2. 18. 2. Cor. 6. 14. Gen. 2. 22. Phil. 4. 3. Ezec. 16. 44 Fiue rules in the choise of a good wife Psal. 11. 26 Pro. 10. 7. Mar. 14. 9. Luke 6. 26. Iohn 15. 19 Iohn 8. 46. Luke 16. Eccle 8. 7. Esay 3. 9. Acts 3. 2. Gen. 24. 65. To Adam first and to Moses after Maids must speake 〈…〉 Mat. 12. 34 Mat. 12. 36 Pro. 18. 7. Pro. 17. 23. Eccl. 12. 10. Pro 19. 15. Nu. 19. 15. Luk. 16. 19. Mar. 1. 6. 2. King 1. 8. 1 The. 5. 22 Rom. 12. 2. 1. Reg. 12. 8. Pro. 1. 11. Psal 6. 8. Gen. 24. 50. Parents consent in Mariage Exod. 20. Gen. 2. 22. Exod. 22. Num. 30. 6. Deut. 7. 3. 1. Cor. 7. 38. Iob. 1. 3. 10. Gen. 29. 18. 1 Sam. 18. 17. â— Gen 28. 6. Gen. 34. 9. Gen. 24. 51. 52. 53. Iudg. 14 2. Mariage with Papists c. Gen. 24. 3. Exo. 34. 16. Gen. 28. 1. Mal. 2. 11. Ezra 9. 12. Gen. 34. 14. The similitude holds in their saying not in their meaning for they spake truely but they ment