owne and welbeloued Sonne Iesus Christ What mercy goodnesse and loue shineth in this redemption That he so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne to the end that all that beleeue in him might not perish Ioh. 3.16 1. Ioh. 4.9 but haue life euerlasting What a seale of his truth in that notwithstanding the ingratitude and vnworthinesse of the world he yet in his appointed time sent the seed of the woman promised to our forefathers Gen. 3.15 to breake the Serpents head To be briefe what power shewed he in this redemption wrought by Iesus Christ Gal. 4.4 wherein he surmounted and ouercame the deuill sinne death and hell But what doth such an image of God so expressely represented before our eyes in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ accomplishing our redemption shoot at but to giue vs to vnderstand and earnestly to feele the wisedome holinesse righteousnesse mercy truth goodnesse loue and power of God the father of Iesus Christ That we might loue him put our trust in him cleane vnto him call vpon him acknowledging him to be the inexpuiseable fountaine of al goodnesse and so glorifie him And the rather because by this meanes we are reclaimed from death and euerlasting damnation we bee made the children of God through the same Iesus Christ and inheritors of his kingdome and glory Rightly therefore doe we say that the ende of our redemption shoulde tend to encrease our knowledge of God that we may glorifie him That it is the dutie whereto Saint Paul exhorteth vs saying You are bought for a price 1. Cor. 6.20 therfore glorifie God in your body in your spirit for they are Gods Also in another place Eph. 1.6 God hath chosē vs to him throgh Iesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace 8 Ther is yet another consideration When Christ gaue sight to the blind raised the dead healed the sicke wrought other like miracles Mat. 9.8 Luk. 13.13 the same were so many testimonies seales of his diuinitie consequently arguments to induce men to glorifie him As he himselfe saith speaking of the sicknes of Lazarus This sicknes is not vnto death but for the glory of God Ioh. 11.4 that the sonne might be glorified therby For his raising frō death was a testimony of his diuine power But we al are naturally as concerning the soul dead in sin blind sicke of a hūdred diseases And as the soule is more excellēt thē the body so the illuminating restoring to life curing of the diseases of the soule are miracles more excellētly representing the deuine power grace then those of the body Of necessity therefore these miracles being performed in vs through faith in Iesus Christ do bind vs to glorifie him And how By effectual demonstration that where we were blind sicke dead in spirit we are now illuminated cured raised againe to life And indeed the motions affections holy works of Gods children being assured testimonies that in soule they be illuminated risen againe are the true meanes to glorifie God Contrariwise if we walk as men yet blind in the darknes of ignorance as men sicke polluted in vice corruption as men yet dead in sin We doo so much as in vs lieth abolish the miracles of Iesus Christ consequently his glory In this respect Saint Peter saith Haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles 1. Pet. 2 1◠that they which speake euill of you as of euill doers may by your good works which they shall see glorifie God in the day of the visitation Mat. 5.16 And in the same sence saith Iesus Christ Let your light so shine before men that seing your good works they may glorify God your father 9 But what argument is this to glorifie God in our holy conuersation good works Because as we haue before said shewed the same be testimonies effects of our spiritual resurrection consequently of Gods power goodnes mercy toward vs. Wherupon the ignorant seing that we who in the time of our ignorāce were dead in sin giuen ouer to all vice corruption since we were illuminated in the truth of the Gospell haue by this spiritual resurrection declared such an alteration in vs that now we are contrariwise become as it were new creatures walking in purenes holines loue may also glorifie God in two sorts First in this miraculous alteration that they see in vs as being a worke truely proceeding of the power and goodnes of God Secondly in this that by such miracles they be moued to allowe and embrace the same religion which we professe as being conuict that it is truely of God not of man Psal 65.1 To conclude where Dauid crieth out O God praise waiteth for thee in Sion He manifestly declareth vnto vs that they which be regenerate through the redemption in Iesus Christ are burgeses of Sion and members of the Church bound to praise God And also that we frustrate God of his dutie and expectation Psal 119 175 if we refer not out whole liues to his glory saying with Dauid O Lord let my soule liue that I may praise thee 10 The secōd principal end of our life should tend to attaine to life euer lasting John 3.16.17 And indeed In as much as God hath sent his Son into the world that the world through him might be saued that he so loued the world that he hath giuē his only begottē son to the end that al that beleue in him might not perish but haue life euerlasting It thereby appeareth that as the end of our redemption accomplished in Iesus Christ is the sauing of the elect so we that beleeue in him shoulde in all the course of our liues aime at this To bee saued by him Otherwyse wee doo so much as in vs lieth reuerse that excellent and wonderfull work of our redemption God hath created man without comparison more excellent than beasts yet if man be not saued nor attaineth to life euerlasting hee is much more miserable than the brute beast which passing ouer this life a great deale more easilye than man after death feeleth no euill and contrariwise the man which aimeth not at this lyfe euerlasting after all his calamities both bodily and ghostly tribulations in this life at his death entereth into incomprehensible and eternall torments If man who naturally desireth felicitie could comprehend the felicitie of such as attaine to the kingdom of heauen likewise the miserie and woe of those who at their decease doo passe into euerlasting death the very horror of the death of these wretches together with the soueraigne felicitie of the blessed would make him earnestly to couet after life euerlasting to esteeme this incomprehensible felicitie to be one of the principall endes of his lyfe Such therefore as doo neuer propound the kingdome of
his counsels are faithfull and that all his commandements doe tend to our good and saluation 4 Our second enemie to whom we giue too much credit is the world By the world we vnderstand the common course of mankind which is to giue themselues to wickednesse regarding onely this present life without any care of the kingdome of heauen In respect hereof doth Saint Paul call the world wicked and S. Iohn saith That the whole world is set vpon iniquitie The same Apostle setteth before vs sundrie examples of the corruption and wickednesse of the world saying All that is in the world Gal. 1.4 1. Ioh. 5.19 2.16 as the lustes of the flesh the lusts of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the father of heauen By the lusts of the flesh he vnderstandeth a desire to liue at ease and delicately without caring for any thing but what may concerne the profit and commodities of this life By the lustes of the eyes he comprehendeth the vanitie of vnchast lookes brauerie pompe other superfluities And by pride ambition haughtinesse vaine confidence and selfe loue euermore conioyned with the contempt of others 5 This world is vnto vs a mightie and strong enemie in respect that being so corrupt and vicious it inuiteth and by the example thereof allureth vs to follow it and so to abandon our selues to the same corruptions wherein such is our folly we are readie to beleeue it And indeed experience sheweth how easily wee are drawne to confirme our selues ther to The ease of the flesh which some men doe enioy The lusts and pleasures wherein they do reioyce The riches that make them to be honored The reputation to be mightier then others with the banquets and sumpteous attire doe all make a faire shew whereby to flatter moue and allure vs to follow them And as euery one is readie to beleeue whatsoeuer he desireth so doe we easily suffer our selues to bee perswaded to follow this world whereto we are naturally enclined 6 That the Adamant draweth the yron vnto it is truly a secret of nature but for the world to draw vs there to is a matter as naturall as for the water of a riuer to runne downe the chanel as for a chariot to runne downe a steepe hill or seeing another yaune to yaune after him or hering another sing to fall on singing For being naturally giuen to the corruptions of the world we shall need no soliciting thereto the onely sight of the thing we loue is sufficient to hale vs forward yea euē to force vs. As the wanton harlot allureth her louer the bayte vpon the hooke the fish and the infected aire infecteth all that liue in it The worlde resembleth a violent streame that carieth away all such trees as haue taken no sufficient roote To bee briefe it falleth out with vs as with those that liue among colliers or millers who hardly can shunne defouling with collow or meale 7 And indeed it is but too common that where wee ought through our holy conuersation to allure the worldlings to follow vs contrariwise the world being stronger then we carieth vs away therewith Phil. 2.15 Whereas it were our parts to serue as burning lampes shining in the middest of a crooked peruerse generation wherby to withdraw the worldlings out of their blind crooked waies into the pathes of light truth saluation contraiwise the darkenesse of the world doth quench our light and cause vs to wander in the darkenes This doeth Chrisostome note saying If the good conuerse with the bad the good will sooner grow worse then the bad better also one scabbed sheepe wil sooner infect tenne cleane ones then the tenne cleane ones will cure one scabbed one Yet if we suffer our selues to bee so perswaded by the entisements of the world that after the examples of others we do but a little neglect the care of our soules that we may gather goods and that wee follow others in the lustes of the flesh in superfluitie of banquets and costly attire the golde the siluer the exquisite moueables the apparell and foode will be vnto vs so many fooles cappes vpon our heads crying out alowd that we are indeede very fooles that will beleeue our enemie Iam. ◠4 Ioh. 2.15 If then we purpose to Amend our liues we must be better aduised We must remember that we can not continue friendship both with the world and with God And that the loue of the world is enmitie with God so with S. Iohns exhortatiō conclude not to loue the world but wholy to resolue to leaue and forsake the counsell of the world which is our enemie and to beleeue the counsel of God our true perfect friend 8 Our third and principall enemie is the deuill Whome Iesus Christ doth therefore tearme the enemie which also this name Sathan doth signifie Mat. 13.28 thereby to aduertise vs to take heede of him And indeede all his counsels and endeuours doe tend to death and therefore is he also called a man-slaier and a murderer from the beginning and so did hee shew himselfe towardes our forefathers Ioh. 8.44 whē vnder colour of fauour to Eue he perswaded her to eate of the forbidden fruite of the tree of knowledge of good euil Gen. 3. Wherupon God euen then proclaimed as it were with the found of the trumpet open warre betweene Satan and vs saying Gen. 3.15 I will put enmitie betweene him and the seede of the woman If he durst presume to enter into the earthly Paradice to assault and deceaue our first fathers while they yet did beare the image of God Also if sence Mat. 4.1 Luk. 4.1 he durst be so bold as to follow Iesus Christ into the wildernes and there assault him with his temptations fortie daies fortie nights and lastly to make those three mightie assaults mentioned by the Euangelists are not we to looke that he will bee 1. Pet. 5.8 as Saint Peter saith as a roaring Lion round abount vs seeking whom he may deuour He also is so much the more dangerous an enemie because he is inuisible because he is neuer wearie of sighting 2. Cor. 11.14 because he can transforme himselfe into an Angell of light Ciprian in his tenth tract in zeale that hee may the more easily seduce and deceiue vs. Saint Ciprian expounding this place of Saint Peter saith The deuill setteth before our eyes entising pleasures that by the sight of them he may supplant our chastity He tempteth our eares with the sweetnes of musicke that by the hearing therof he may weaken our Christian strength By bitter woordes he mooueth our tongue to euill speaking and and by iniurious deedes prouoketh our handes to sight and slay he offereth vnrighteous gaine wherby to enduce vs to fraud and pernicious profit to kindle couetousnesse in our soules hee promiseth temporall honours whereby to defeate vs of Celestiall he sheweth falsehood that he may take
from vs all trueth To be briefe he practiseth cunning in time of peace and violence in persecution Is it not then extreame folly yea euen desperate rage to beleeue such an enemie 9 But you will saie who will bee so vnaduised as to aske or take counsell of him When speaketh hee vnto vs Euen when vnder the pretence of Gods prouidence hee giueth or offereth vnto thee ritches honour dignitie pleasures carnall commodities to bee briefe prosperitie in all thy affaires For thinkest thou that he will not propound with them the like condition as hee did to Iesus Christ when he said Mat. 4.9 All these will I giue thee if thou wilt worship me Indeede hee doth not alwaies speake so like a deuill But comming as a friende to serue thy turne and to please thee in thy desires thou shalt well finde that in effect he tempereth some poyson or pernitious counsell among either that thou shouldest dissemble the knowen truth yea euen renounce it or to neglect the holy ministry or to dispence in practises nothing agreeing with charitie equitie or vpright dealing yet couered with the cloke of custome iniquitie of the time which will not beare better dealing telling thee that if thou be a sheepe the wolfe will deuour thee that the simple are not to deale in the world and that thou must liue and houle with the wolues 10 Neither is this all he mixeth yet another poyson that is hee lifteth thee vp in thy wealth that he may make thee to trust therin to employ it in pleasure and superfluitie to forget that thou art a mortall mā In summe to imagine that thou needest not the help either of God or man On the other side for he can turne all into poyson he will take away thy goods and bring thee into pouertie he will molest thee with long and tedious sickenesse he will make thee a skorne vnto men Hereupon he will seeke to perswade thee that thou maist iustly murmure against God complaine of him forsake him reiect and euen driue him away when hee offereth himselfe as did the Gaderinites when they driue away Iesus Christ because of their hogges whome the deuils had carried head-long into the sea Mat. 8.34 yea which is the tipe of all mischiefe euen to curse God whereof the historie of Iob is a manifest mirrour Againe art thou a great sinner Hee will set before thee the rigour of Gods iustice to plunge thee in dispaire Dost thou trust in his mercy Iob. 1. Hee will prouoke thee to sinne vnder pretence of friendship both to God and thee alledging that Where sinne aboundeth grace doth more abound Also that one Peccaus before thou diest Rom. 5.20 will suffice for all If thou appliest thy selfe to walke vprightly in the feare of God he wil counsell thee to thinke thy selfe a Saint and of great merite in the sight of God Doth hee finde thee wel resolued in the doctrine of Gods prouidence as he found Iesus Christ Mat. 4. when he alledged that Man liueth not by bread onely but by euery word that commeth out of the mouth of God He will sollicite thee to abuse it by tempting of God as he thought to haue surprised Iesus Christ when he exhorted him to cast himself from the toppe of the temple To be breefe his illusions and temptations are infinite 11 Now let vs marke the common course of men yea euen of many of those that professe the knowledge of God let vs iudge whether most of their workes be not euen so many examples witnessing that they beleeue and follow the counsell of their enemie Sathan let vs remember that al such thoughts imaginations motions affections and temptations afore mentioned be the counsels of our enemie Sathan That it is an extreame folly and madnesse for a man to beleeue his enemie that for the amending of our liues we must bee better aduised and beleeue him who is our true perfect friend euē our God who speaketh to vs in his holy Scriptures which onely doo containe assured holy healthsome counsell Of his loue towards vs we cannot doubt sith he hath giuen vs such a pledge as his sonne crucified for vs. He cannot neither will he lie or deceiue his children whome hee hath vndertaken to make blessed Let vs therfore oppose the counsels of Gods word against whatsoeuer the counsell of our enemies the world the flesh and the deuill Let vs followe the example of Dauid Psal 119.105 24.9 who protested that Gods worde was a light to his pathes that the testimonies of the Lord were his counsels that a young man shall amend his waie by walking according to the worde of God Let vs take heart in the example of Christ agaynst the illusions of the deuill and our other enemies Ephes 6.17 laying holde vpon the sworde of his spirite which is his word and with him let vs saie It is written It is written Psal 9.5 Let vs remember that Iesus Christ from God his father tooke the name of a counseller to aduertise vs that wee ought to receiue and beleeue his counsels onely Iosua 1. and not the counsels of our enemies the world the flesh and the deuill To bee briefe let vs put in practise the same which God in olde time enioyned to Iosua namely daie and night to reade and meditate vpon the booke of Gods lawe to liue after the contents of the same And so let vs assure our selues that according to his promise wee shall direct our course wiselye and prosper in all our attemptes Thus wee see that to the end to Amend our liues and hereafter to be better aduised we must beware of this Folly and neuer beleeue our enemies better than our friends The seuenth Folly To thinke our selues wise Chap. 8. THis seuenth folly sheweth man in all extremity and perfection to be a foole For being intangled in the sixe follyes afore mentioned many others he neuertheles thinketh himself wise and well aduised Among a hundred men that walke vp downe the streetes you shall not finde one that will bee contented to bee called foole or mad man but will thinke himselfe iniured for euery man desireth to be thought wise Yet they that beleeue not that there is a God they that esteeme better of man than of God they that thinke to liue euer and yet know not wherfore they liue they that iudge of mans felicity or misery by the outward shew they that beleeue their enemies rather than their friends Are not all these in thinking themselues wise euen perfect fooles yes and so haue we at large proued them 2 Yet may this folly be more generally considered in that man at the least for the most part thinketh himselfe to be but a man created for this temporall life and not a Christian beleeuing lyfe euerlasting For therof it falleth out that man being wise discreet and aduised as concerning the worlde yet a Christian foolish and senselesse
vnderstandeth not this worke of God hee is the more diligently to meditate vpon this Psalme which as the inscription importeth is a Canticle for the Sabaoth wherein Dauid sheweth that we are to rest from all other cogitations that with quiet mindes we may meditate vpon this doctrine Entring as in another place he saith into the Sanctuarie of God in his word considering the accursed end of the wicked that liue in pleasures and prosper in wicked consciences Whome God hath set in slipperie places and caused to sall headlong Psal 73. how suddenly they are destroyed and horribly consumed As a dreame when one awaketh whē thou raisest vs vp thou shalt make their image dispised Wherupon he concludeth that it is good to be alwaies with God and to be guided by his counsell with assurance that hee will receiue vs into glorie And therefore with him let vs saie Whome haue I in heauen but thee And I haue desired none in earth with thee For loe they that withdraw themselues from thee shal perish thou shalt destroye all them that goe a whoring from thee But as for me it is good for me to draw neere to God hee is my comfort I haue put my trust in the Lord that I may declare all thy workes Let vs therefore repose our selues in this onely wisedome to beleeue in him that knoweth bothe the outside and the inside thinges present and thinges to come who onely is our competent iudge and faithfull witnesse and cannot lye Beholde how without leaning to the outwarde shew we may conclude that the sinner in all his prosperitie is accursed and the faithfull in affliction blessed likewise how the contrarie opinion is like vnto chaines and strong roopes to draw men to liue as the wicked and prophane persons 1. Cor. 15.18 Thus by consideration of the premises breaking a sunder these cursed roopes and chaines wee may bee encouraged to perseuere in good workes as knowing that our labours shall not bee in vaine before the Lord. Of the sixt folly Rather to beleeue our enemies then our friends Chap. 7. AS it is a great folly to Repose more confidence in man then in God as is afore shewed so is this also a most inexcusable folly Rather to beleeue our enemies then our friendes Eccle. 37.11 In Ecclesiasticus wee reade this notable aduertisement Aske no counsell for holinesse of him that feareth not God neither of iustice of him that hath no iustice neither of a woman touching her of whome shee is iealous neither of a cowarde in matters of warre neither of a marchaunt concerning exchaundge nor of a byer for the sale nor of an enuious man concerning thankefulnesse neither of the vnmercifull touching kindenesse nor of the slouthfull for anye labour nor of an hireling for the finishing of a worke nor of an Idle seruaunt for much busines Harken not I saye to anye of these in any matter of counsell If it be a folly to aske counsell of the man that is not so much our enemie as his owne friende in anie thing that may concerne his owne person or action What a folly is it to follow the counsell of our enemies that labour onely after our destruction Of such enemies there are three principals Who all are so much the more daungerous because they dwell in vs and round about vs and to whome naturally wee are much enclined to giue credite The first is selfe loue or after the vsuall phrase of the Scripture our flesh the second the worlde and the third the deuill 2 As concerning the first Eph. 4.21 Most certaine it is that all the lustes of our flesh are so many enemies seeking to seduce vs as faith Saint Paul and fighting against our saluation The same saith Saint Peter also 1 Pet. 2.11 where hee sheweth how our carnall lustes doe fight against our soules Rom. 8. This enemie saith Saint Paule is so daungerous and pernitious that hee engendereth death and damnation in vs Iam. 1.14 and therefore hee threteneth vs that if wee beleeue this enemie wee shall die Saint Iames likewise compareth these lustes to a wicked mother that conceiueth and bringeth foorth iniquitie and consequently death All which notwithstanding we grow so foolish and sencelesse as to giue eare and credit to our flesh rather then to God whose loue towardes vs is most certaine and incomprehensible But I pray you whereto doth our flesh counsell vs Onely to couet ritches and to obtaine the same by any meanes whatsoeuer to aspire to preheminence and excellencie aboue all others to follow the pleasures and lustes thereof 1. Tim. 6. with other like affections Yet doe wee know that God condemneth all these wicked and damnable counsels Mat. 20.26.27 Mat. 23.12 1 Pet. 5.5 Luk. 21.34 Heb. 13.4 Colos 3.5 Eph. 4.22 Rom. 8.13 Mat. 16.24 declaring that Couetousnesse is the roote of all euill Also that Such as couet to bee rich fall into temptations and snares and into many foolish and noysome lustes which drowne men in perdition and destruction Protesting that they that will bee first shall be last and hee that exalteth himselfe shall bee brought low That hee resisteth the proude but giueth grace to the humble Exhorting vs to take heede that our heartes bee not ouercome with surfeating and drunkennesse pronouncing woe against whoremoungers and adulterers To be briefe that in many places he admonishing vs to mortifie this our flesh to put it off to denye it as an enemye that giueth vs deadly and damnable counsell 3 Neuerthelesse let euery man examine his owne conscience and consider the common course of men and so iudge whether euery one in generall seeketh not to become riche to grow into credit and to be exalted aboue his fellowes Whether they doe not loue and hunt after the commodities and lustes of the flesh Whether they enuie not such as get before them To bee briefe whether they giue not more credit to the counsell of the flesh then of God Experience is but ouer euident The onely example and plaine confession of Saint Augustine Augustine in his meditations Cap 4. a man endued with great wisedome and holinesse shall at this time suffice Hee speaking of couetousnesse ambition pride pleasure and other the lustes and affections of the flesh sayth thus I haue a whole armie of traytors within mee who vnder colour of friendshippe are mine enemies And yet beholde with them haue I liued from my youth vp them haue I pleased them haue I beleeued They bee the friendes whome I made much off the master whom I obeyed the Lordes whome I serued the domesticall seruants with whome I was conuersant the councelours whome I trusted If therefore it bee such a folly to beleeue our enemies let vs heereafter bee more circomspect and wiser Let vs no longer credite this enemye which doeth so possesse vs that he is euen our selfe But let vs beleeue God our true and perfect friend as knowing assuredly that all
saying Then did he see it and counted it he prepared it also and considered it And vnto man hee said Behold the feare of the Lord is true wisdome and to depart from euill is vnderstanding Hereby we see that as they that doo know Iesus Christ and walk in the feare of God are truly wise so they that haue not this wisdome are very fooles albeit they thinke themselues wise in that beeing esteemed wise men as concerning the world they are in deed foolish Christians in the sight of God 6 These seuen aforesaid follies do euidently declare that wyth great reason the holy Ghost warneth vs in the first sermon of Iesus Christ and of Iohn the Baptist that for the good and due Amendement of our liues the knowledge and feeling of our naturall follies ought to admonish vs to be more wise circumspect and better aduised hereafter For as in beleeuing that there is no God In thinking better of man than of God In thinking to liue euer so not to liue as if we should die In not knowing wherefore we liue and so liuing at randon not for the seruice of God and our neighbours but for our selues In iudging Gods children in respect of their outwarde tribulations to bee accursed and the wicked thorough their prosperitie to be blessed Beleeuing our enemies the world the flesh and the deuill rather than God our perfect and faithfull frend To be short in thinking our selues wise because we are wise as men and yet are ignorant and fooles as Christians Being I saie possessed of all these follies the same are against vs so many ropes and strong chaines in the hands of our enemy the deuill wherwith to pull vs on to sinne and to make vs continually to offend God to heape iniquitie vppon iniquitie and consequently to turne awaie from God from heauen from life euerlasting glory to folow after satan and so to cast our selues into the hel fire in to death into euerlasting damnation And contrariwise if beleeuing there is a God and esteeming him to be as he is all wise almightie all iust and true we doo loue feare and put our whole confidence in him If beleeuing that we must die and that shortly we doo applie our harts to wisdome liuing as we would euen at death wish wee had liued If knowing wherefore we doo liue we do referre the whole course of our liues to the glory of God to our saluation and to the seruice of our neighbors If iudging of mans felicitie or miserie not by the outward apparaunce but by the testimonie of God in his word we doo euen perceiue that the children of God albeit in tribulation are blessed and the wicked though in prosperitie accursed If renouncing the pernitious counselles of our enemies the world the flesh and the deuill we doo listen vnto and beleeue the counsels and admonitions of our God To conclude if considerding that all discretion knowledge and wisdome of man without the knowledge of Christ and the skil of saluation be but folly Also if vnderstanding that we be but fooles men deuoid of knowledge so long as wee are not wise and well aduised Christians therefore wee conuert and returne to God and walke in the waie that shall bring vs to heauen to life and to euerlasting glorie If I saie we doo thus conuert and amend our liues according to the will of God we shall finally become inheritours of his kingdome through his sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. The end of the first Booke VVHEREIN MAN IS TO AMEND The second Booke That man knowing Idolatrie and superstition ought wholy to abstaine from all participation in the same Chap. 1. WE haue before declared that the greatest Folly wherewith man is possessed is the offending of God And contrariwise that the beginning of all knowledge wisedome resteth in walking in his loue feare and obedience Also that as all men are naturally inclined to this Folly namely to offend God so we ought by amending our liues heereafter to become more wise and better aduised Now are we more particularly to vnderstand Wherein we are principally to amend The first point therefore to be intreated of consisteth in this That man hauing obtained knowledge of the truth ought to renounce all Idolatrie in no wise to participate in the same Many there are who with their bodies assisting at Idolatrie and superstition do neuerthelesse maintaine that they deserue not to be reproued because they disallow the same in their hearts These men should remember that sith Christ suffered both in body soule for the redemption both of our bodies and soules reason would that wee likewise should glorifie him as Saint Paul saith both in our bodies souls which are his And in deed inasmuch as man consisteth both of bodie and soule we are to cleanse both bodie and soule of all pollution that we may as Saint Paul admonisheth fulfill our sanctification 1. Cor. 6.9.20 1. Cor. 7.1 It is therefore a most sacrilegious and intollerable diuision to giue ouer our bodies to the seruice of the deuill when we say that we reserue our soules to God Will the worst husband among men bee content that his wise prostituting her bodie to whoredoome shall saie for excuse that she reserueth her heart for him S. Paule saith our bodies are Christes members and that applying them to whoredome we take them from the body of Christ make them the members of an harlot But the holy Ghost calleth Idolatrie whoredome he therefore that with his bodie assisteth at Idolatry dismembreth himselfe from Iesus Christ 1. Cor. 6 and maketh himselfe a member of the Idoll 2 In this consideration doth the Apostle exhort the Corinthians to flie from Idolatrie and least they should reply as these men do saying We disallow it in our hearts we know that the Idoll is nothing 1. Cor. 10 he addeth I speake as vnto those that haue knowledge not to the ignorant Then doth he bring them back againe to their owne iudgment the feeling of their owne consciences by the vse of the supper For as the communicants by eating the bread and drinking the wine haue a participation in Christ and are made his members so they that be assistants in the sacrifice of the Idols and doo eate of that that is sacrificed vnto them are made partakers of the Idols euen of the deuil as he expresly saith because that which is sacrificed to Idols is sacrificed to the deuill But saith he afterward yee cannot drinke the cup of the Lord and the cup of deuils yee cannot be partakers of the Lords table and of the table of deuils And to the end to preuent all replication he addeth Do we prouoke the Lord to anger Are we stronger than he And this he saith to shew vs that notwithstanding whatsoeuer we aledge that we do not apply our harts therto or that we know that the Idol is nothing yet in that we assist with our bodies
of euery one indifferently or that we would not care although afterward they liued other wise then might beseeme the children of God or were occasion of offence to the weake then would they surely come to communicate But if they may not be admitted before they haue talked with some minister or elder of the Church yea peraduenture be forced to beare with some Christian admonition in case they do not afterward walke in the course of Christianitie they will rather chuse to depriue thēselues of the communion As also to the end to confirme them in this mislike they shall find some discontented persons who to mislike the order of the Church will euen against their owne consciences charge it with the title of a new tyrannie inquisition Yet must wee confesse that the Church of Christ cannot consist without some order and as S. Paul saith All things must be done in order and decencie 1. Cor. 14.40 If no Cittie or familie can long continue without establishment of some order and gouernment Then the more excellent that the Church is the more necessarie it is therein to erect and obserue some gouernment which we tearme Ecclesiasticall Discipline Doctrine is as it were the soule of the Church and order as the sinnewes of the same to vphold it If the Church which is Gods house must not be a receptacle and harborow for dissolute persons and vnbeleeuing vnthrists and as both the Prophet and Iesus Christ himselfe termeth them a denne of theeues Then must there bee some order Iere. 7.11 Mat. 21.13 whereby to purge and preserue it from such 4 Particularly if the holy supper be ordained for the faithfull the children of God and the members of Iesus Christ Such as haue the gouernment of the Church must also haue some testimonie that they that desire to adioyne themselues thereto and to communicate therewith are taken to bee such as approuing the puritie of the doctrine doe not leade anie offensiue life And as for those that are once admitted to the communion they may continue therein by trying themselues because by the rule of charitie we are to beleeue that they perseuere in the faith godlines loue vntill either by reuolt from the doctrine offensiue conuersation or obstinate refusal of Christian admonitions exhortations they shew themselues vnworthie the communion whereto neuerthelesse vpon testimonie of their repentaunce and amendement of life they may bee againe admitted Let those therefore that stumbling at this order doe depriue themselues of the communion euen iudge in their owne consciences whether it bee not meete that order bee maintained and all persons subiected thereto rather then to bring in such confusion as indifferently to receiue to the Lordes supper all fornicators drunkerds theeues murderers and other like offensiue people whereof might ensue a most grieuous prophanation of the Lords table to the condemnation as well of those that so shall bee admitted as of them that voluntarilie doe admit them When Christ and Saint Iohn doe crie Amend your liues they speake also to such people that they vnderstanding how requisite this order is for the happie conduct of the Church in the feare of God accommodating themselues thereto may so dispose of themselues as to communicate in the Lordes supper to his glorie and theyr owne comfort and saluation 5 Some there are that voluntarilie doe abstaine from the communion because they cannot saie they resolue where the Church is as stumbling at the infirmities of such as doe communicate and still finding more faulte in the Church then in themselues These men shaming to bee reputed either halfe Papistes or of no Religion doe sometime frequent Sermons but they staie there and ioyne themselues to no Church Yea they euen doe seeme to reioyce when they heare of any the offences or infirmities of any of the members of the Church that thereby they may haue some collour to stand a loose Yet must they confesse that there is a Church in the worlde and that they must ioyne themselues thereto if they desire to bee in Gods house and partakers in the promises made to the Church To bee short if they looke to bee saued By alowing no Church they seperate themselues from the true Church that is vpon earth and consequently from the entrie into that which is in heauen If themselues should be in the fieldes ouertaken with some sharpe storme of wether woulde they stand still and seeke no couert vntill some great thicke leaued tree would offer it selfe to defend them Are they without fault The onely pride that possessing them maketh them to condemne all Churches considering they ioyne themselues to none doth sufficiently shew that they are not restrained so much by the particular faultes of some of the Church as by their owne offences and corruptions Mat. 18.1 and consequently haue such a mislike that they thinke no bread good In Christs Church which consisted but of twelue Apostles there was one traitor Mat. 26.65 There were ambitious disputations who should be chiefest in the kingdome of Christ They all forsooke their master and S. Peter thrice denyed him Mat. 26.69 How many faultes and corruptions did Saint Paule note and reproue in the Church of Corinth and the seuen flourishing Churches of Asia Apoc. 2. ◠Yet all that ioyned in these Churches and in them were partakers of the holy supper were accompted faithfull chosen and contrariwise they that kept themselues without vnbeleeuers Neither is it a matter indifferent or at mens libertie whether they shal communicate or abstaine but a precept from God Doe this saith Iesus Christ in remembrance of me And S. Paul Let euery man trie himselfe Luk. 22.19 1. Cor. 11.28 Mat. 26.27 Num. 9.13 and so eate of this bread and drinke of this cuppe Againe Take eate Take drinke ye all God in old time ordained as is aforesaide that they that had opportunitie to eate of the passe-ouer and voluntarily did abstaine should be rooted out from among the people that is to say be no longer accompted any members of Gods Church We must therefore obey God and feare his iudgements and so resolue to ioyne with his Church and communicate in the holy supper of the Lord. 6 There is a certaine decree ascribed to Zepherin Bishopp of Rome wherein he ordaineth that all Christians should communicate at the least once a yeere In the decretal Cap. Omnis depen Remiss Platina in his life If wee consider the state of the Church in his time we shall finde that they oftner did communicate then they now doe in our Churches And indeed this communicating should bee better frequented then it is Neither did Zepherin meane to permit or alow them to cōmunicate but once a yeere but rather to reproue the corruption and sloth of those who desiring the name of Christians did neuer communicate and so shewed themselues vnworthie of that name if by communicating with the faithfull in the holy supper
as God hath chosen vs from among so many others like vnto vs euen before the foundation of the worlde to an incomprehensible and eternall glory and felicitie Eph. 1.5 what might be the orignall and foundation that his free loue Eph. 1.5 his mercye his incomprehensible goodnes and the onely good pleasure of his will as S. Paul also saith That euen God himselfe hath chosen vs and predestinated to adopt vs to himselfe through Iesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his will If therfore we would diligently meditate and ponder that the cause that we are preserued from the horrible condemnation of the reprobate which dayly by our sinnes we doe deserue and assured of the possession of life and euerlasting glory without any our desert proceedeth of the only election of God grounded vpon his goodnes loue grace mercy and good pleasure how should it possibly be but that the remēbrance of our election should induce vs first to humble our selues in the sight of God Eph. 2. 3. and acknowledge that by nature we were the children of wrath as well as others as also that in vs there was neither worthinesse or merit that might moue God to elect vs but that only of his meer goodnes mercy loue he elected vs to life euerlasting Secondly this feeling of his loue and mercy toward vs shining in our election ought to kindle our harts and soules in the loue of God that they might euen burne in feruent loue toward him We loue God saith S. Iohn because hee firste loued vs. 1. Iohn 4.19 If the Sunne in his force shining vpon a stone can so heate the said stone that a man shal not be able to touch it with his hād how much rather shal we if we meditate vpon this loue toward vs in our election albeit we were as colde as marble be warmed and kindled to loue him with all our harts with all our strength and with all our mindes as himselfe hath also commaunded vs. Bernard in a tract of the loue of God 10 The cause saith S Bernard why we should loue him is God himselfe and the measure is to loue him beyond measure hee declareth that the diuinity in it selfe considered is worthye that we should loue it beyond measure how much then must we loue God when he communicateth to vs his loue goodnes mercy in electing vs to life euerlasting but if we loue God in such maner as our election that leadeth vs to his loue toward vs doth binde and admonishe vs we ought to studye to amend our liues in keeping his commandements as Iesus Christ requireth at our hands saying If ye loue me Luke 14.15 keepe my commaundements As also it is our duety to loue that which he loueth and willeth vs to loue and to hate that which he hateth and willeth vs to hate and this is the root of our bond to loue our neighbour for the loue of God and contrariwise not to loue the world Iames 4.4 because as the Apostle saith The loue of the world is enmity with God And for this cause must we also denye our selues and the flesh Rom. 8.7 because the affections thereof are repugnant to God yea euen for this must we be ready to forsake father mother Luke 14 26. goods and life it selfe for the loue of God for otherwise we are not worthy to be his 11 As in this loue to God and in all that we haue shewed to depend thereof the true amendment of life doth consist so doth it sufficiently appeare that there is not any more liuely or vehement argument to induce vs to amendment then the meditation and remembrance of our election and consequentlye of the loue of God towards vs which shineth in the same and this doth the Apostle Saint Paul writing to the Romains expressely confirme for in the 9.10 and 11. Chapters hauing at large entreated vpon predestination hee thereof doth in the beginning of the twelfth gather this vehement exhortation to amendment of life Rom. 12.1 I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that ye giue vp your bodyes a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable to God which is your reasonable seruing of God And fashion not your selues like vnto this worlde but be ye changed by the renewing of your minde that ye may proue what is the good will of God acceptable and perfect He heere raiseth them vp to the consideration of the great mercies of God shining in their election to saluation thereby to giue them to vnderstand how deepelye it bindeth and should induce them to amendment of life So often therefore as we finde our selues slacke in the seruice of God or attempted to offend him let vs thinke vpon our election and the loue and mercye of God the spring and originall of the same that so we may be moued to loue God and to shew forth this loue by a carefull and continuall amendment of our liues 12 Moreouer the remembrance of our election ought to stirre vs vp incessantly to praise God First for the incomprehensible riches of the life and glory wherto we are elected Secondly by the apprehension of the horrible and eternall damnation of the reprobate wherefro election onely hath saued and preserued vs. The remembrance therfore of so great so wonderfull and meere incomprehensible a benefite thus doubly considered ought to rauish our soules and open our mouthes night day infinitly and vncessantly to praise God Besides if we consider the cursed state of the reprobate and meditate vpon the fire alwaies burning the woorme perpetually gnawing the darknes that shal be without end to be short the lamentations and gnashing of teeth proceeding of their anguish that shal be the wofull fruit of their sins the iust reward of their iniquities who can but detest the offending of God Men vse openly to execute the guiltye to the ende that others by the apprehension of their punishment may feare to commit the like transgressions let then the representation of the so wofull estate of the vessels of wrath burning in hell fire make vs to feare to commit any thing wherby to deserue like punishment 13 Again the knowledge of our election ought in vs to engender a stedfast assurance that we cannot perish My sheepe saith Iesus Christ Iohn 10.27 heare my voice and follow me and I giue vnto them life uerlasting None shall take them from me My father who hath giuen them vnto me is greater then them all and none is able to take them out of my Fathers hand Iohn 6.37 I and my Father are one Againe All that the father giueth me shal come vnto me and him that commeth to me I cast not away And this assurance is grounded first vpon the foreknowledge of God for he cannot be deceaued in the foreknowledge of that that is to come As indeed all is present in his sight yea euen more assuredly then are to vs those things that we
stil looke vpon Secondly vpon the eternall decree and vnchangeable will of God whereof the Prophet Esay maketh mention saying in the person of God My Counsell shall holde Esay 46.10 and I wil accomplish my pleasure Thirdly because he that hath elected vs to saluation and life hath withall ordained and prepared most certaine and requisite meanes vndoubtedly to lead vs to the enioying of the same S. Paul in a short sentence noteth these three foundations of the assurance of the elect to attain to life euerlasting Rom. 8.29 Those saith he which God knew before he also predestinated to be made like to the image of his sonne that he might be the first borne among many brethren And whome hee predestinated them he also called and whom he called them also he iustified and whom he iustifyed 2. Tim. 2.19 them he also glorifyed First he saith that God did know before that is from all eternity those whom he would saue Could he be deceaued God saith the Apostle in another place knoweth those that be his Secondly he saith that he had predestinated them to make them like to the image of his sonne His will and decree is it not vnchangeable Thirdly he sheweth that he hath ordeined for them all that is requisite to leade them to saluation saying that hee hath called iustified them And this is so certainly fulfilled in the elect that he speaketh of it as if it were already done and they already lifted vp into glory for hee saith not that hee will call hee will iustifie or hee will glorifie his elect but that hee hath called hee hath iustified and hath glorified them And least our infirmitye should shake vs he opposeth the power of God against al the enemies of the elect saying If God be with vs who shall be against vs As also to shew that they can waÌ„t nothing he addeth He who spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all to death how shall he not with him giue vs all things also and withal he proceedeth saying If any man shall laye any thing to our charge God himselfe shall iustifie vs for that hee findeth in vs no cause of condemnation because that Christ died and rose again for vs. And in that he loueth his elect to shew that this loue the fountaine of all goodnesse Eph. 1.4 is stedfast and immutable concluding his speech he saith that whatsoeuer befall vs we may be certaine that we shall be more then conquerers through him that hath loued vs and who will loue vs constantly in Iesus Christ the sonne of his loue the true patterne piller and accomplishment of our electioÌ„ and in whom we are elected and not in our selues The elect therfore cannot possibly perish as Iesus Christ himselfe noteth Mat. 24.24 saying There shal be such assaults and temptations that euen the very elect if it were possible should be seduced therin manifestly declaring that it is vnpossible that they should be seduced or drawen to destruction The engendring therefore of an assured certaintye in vs 1. Cor. 9.26 that nothing can let vs but that finally we shall come to heauen is a most excellent fruit of this doctrine for as we can haue no greater consolation 1. Tim. 6.12 so is it an especiall encoragement vnto vs in all our assaults and combats knowing that we sight not as beating the ayer or doubtfully but the good fight of faith and that vndoubtedlye obtaining the victory we shal be crowned with eternal glory 1. Cor. 15.18 And this is it which should also augmente in vs a zeale and affection to suffer for the name of our Lord Iesus Christ to enlarge our goods to the poore Apoc. 14 13. feruently to employ our selues in all things that may tend to the glory of God and so to amend our liues as knowing assuredly that being elect our labours and workes shall not be in vaine in the sight of the Lord but shal as S. Iohn saith follow vs and be vnto vs a blessed encrease of ioye and glorye in his euerlasting kingdome 14 There is yet another notable fruit which some doe beate downe by maintaining that God offereth to all men saluation and life euerlasting and according as himselfe did foresee that some should accept it and beleeue and liue well so he did elect them to encrease in them his graces and to saue them And as for the others that should reiect the saluation offered and liue amisse he hath predestinated them to take from theÌ„ those graces that they had and so to reiect and damne them These men are possessed with two errors repugnant to the glory of God and the saluation of man Concerning the first which is the vniuersall calling of all men if thereby they vnderstand the creation and gouernement of the worlde God doth indeed inuite man to loue feare and praise him but as hee offereth vnto them neither Iesus Christ nor remission of sins so can it not be tearmed a calling to saluation and life euerlasting and thus the creation of the worlde is not a calling that may make man to be saued Eph. 2.12 and consequently elect and therfore all that haue had no other calling haue beene as Saint Paul saith of the Ephesians before the gospel was preached vnto them Strangers from the couenant of the promise out of Christ without hope and without God in this world Secondly if by the vniuersall calling they meane the preaching of the Gospel experience sheweth Act. 19.6.7 and the holy scripture sufficiently testifieth that there were and yet are many nations in the worlde to whom God hath not vouchsafed to direct his worde to call them as wee also read that God forbad Paul that he should not preach in Asia neither suffered him to goe to Bithinia and therefore it cannot be truely saide that this vocation was vniuersall and common to all men 2. Tim. 1.9 Thirdly there is a holy calling as S. Paul termeth it proceeding from the holy Ghost which is proper and peculier to the elect and not vniuersall Of the second Iesus Christ speaketh saying Many are called but few are chosen Mat. 20.16 Rom. 8.29 and S. Paul of the third saith Those whom God knew before and predestinated hath hee also called And whereas these men doe alleadge the saying of the Apostle that he will saue all because he addeth and they shall come to the knowledge of the truth it doth appeare that he there speaketh not of these nations 1. Tim. 2.4 to whom he would not haue his worde which containeth all truth preached Secondly the following of the text doth manifestly declare that S. Paul there mâ—â—â—eth not to speak of euery man but of all sortes of men as Magistrates and subjects rich poore wisemen and fooles because it is the will of God to saue of all callings The calling therefore that offereth saluation cannot bee spoken of all men in the worlde 15 By
and a winde that bloweth yet neuer see either A woman feeling the motions of the babe in her wombe beleeueth that she is with childe albeit she see it not 28 If they saie that experience teacheth them to beleeue all these thinges then let them renounce their blasphemie Who hath seene God that wee may beleeue him And let them beleeue that there is a God of whom they both see and feele such experience so certaine and mightie effects both in the world and in themselues as is afore shewed If they can beleeue that they haue eies and a forehead albeit they see them not but in a glasse let them also beleeue there is a God whose image they see ingrauen throughout this vniuersall world If being in a prison where they see but a glimpse of a Sun beame they neuertheles beleeue that the Sun is vp and shineth ouer the earth wherefore do they not likewise beleeue that there is a God that guideth the world when they are forced to feel noâ—e and confesse so many whole beams of his eternitie and prouidence shining in the world By discourse passing from the riuer to the fountain and from the fountain to the spring they beleeue that the riuer hath a spring why are they not likewise guided by theyr discourse from the creatures to the creator and author of the same from the so excellent frame of the world and from man to the master Architect and builder But it euidently appeareth that these people do malitiously sight against their owne consciences against their bodily senses and against al discourse of their vnderstanding to deny that there is a God by demanding Who hath seene him that they may beleeue 29 But this is the subtiltie and poison of the deuill By this selfe reason and argument doo they also conclude that they haue no soule that there be no deuils that there is no hel for of all this they see none this to the end that they may the more outragiously as beasts giue themselues ouer to the lusts and passions of their flesh without feare of God of deuill or of hell and so liue without remorse of conscience This truely is a cable and mightie chaâ—â—e by the deuill bent to drawe them to all iniquitie and so to heape vp fierie mountaines of Gods terrible wrath against such monsters Rightly therefore haue we placed this as the chiefe and principall folly in man To beleeue there is no God For as it extinguisheth all feare of euill doing so doth it quench all affection to pietie loue holynes and patience To be briefe it is the verie meanes to transforme man not into a beast but into a deuill Let vs constantly therefore renounce this extreame folly and madnes yea let vs abhorre all such cogitations and beleeue that there is a God a creator and a redeemer who by his prouidence guideth the whole world and especially his Church Also that vndoubtedly he will punish all Atheists and other Infidels with incomprehensible torments to continue without end and that he will graunt to the faithfull lyfe comfort and eternall glorie Let the assurance and apprehension of this truth make vs to amend our liues so that by renouncing this folly which would cast vs headlong into hell thorough so horrible a blasphemie as to deny God we may bee better aduised and turne to the Lord increasing in faith and fructifying in all good workes all the daies of our life The second Folly To esteeme more of man than of God Chap. 3. WE haue alreadie spoken of those that deny God both in hart and mouth Now are we to intreate of the folly of these who professing the knowledge of God do deny him in their workes Tit. 1.16 as Saint Paul saith This folly resteth in those that esteem more of man than of God For to confesse God and yet to esteem lesse of him than of man is to denye him And this folly doth possesse many and proceedeth of this incredulity that confessing that there is a God they doo not apprehend his diuinitie that is that by his prouidence he guideth all thinges that hee is the soueraigne good and well dooing that he is holy that he hateth iniquitie that he is righteous and will punish it that hee is true and almightie to fulfil his promises and to execute his iudgements and in wisdome infinite This incredulitie and corruption procureth vs first to loue man more than God secondly to repose more confidence in man than in God thirdly to feare man more than God And these are three euident proofes most assured testimonies that we esteeme more of man than of God Also that confessing God with our mouths we denye him in our workes Now let vs proceede to the first proofe 2 Gods commandement as also ouâ— dutie doo import that wee should loue God with all our heart with all our strength with all our soule The reason Because he is God Secondly because he is our God Being God as he hath bin from all eternitie before the creation and redemption he is worthie to be loued infinitely in as much as he is our God our creator and our redeemer he deserueth that we should loue him for his incomprehensible benefites bestowed vpon vs. Neuertheles the common course of man doth euidently declare that we loue man more than God And in deed let the husband examine the loue he beareth to his wife the wife hers to her husband the parents their affection to their children and the children theirs to their parents and many others the loue that they beare to their carnall friends and they shall all find that they loue man more than God Let vs proceed to the proues We cannot abide that any man should speake euill of him whome wee loue so that if the husband heareth his wife euill spoken of or the wife her husband each of them grieueth at the iniuries cannot brooke them in quiet but when we heare God our father euil spoken of or blasphemed who is moued at it Who findeth himselfe so much grieued as to procure amends and prosecute punishment for the same Euery man reioyceth to heare his commendations whom hee loueth so that if in companie anie man speaketh of the vertues of our children of our father of our brother or of anie of our entire friends we reioyce and are gladde of it but euen in the same companie let anie man reade the praises of God set down in diuerse of the Psalmes namely in the 103.104.105.106 c. who thereby feeleth himselfe so touched to the quicke as in hart to reioyce and be glad therof We also are redy to talke of those whom we loue and do reioyce when others do minister occasion to speak of them which we will be sure to take hold of to prosecute but when we doo speake of God oâ— if in companie anie once chance to beginne how is his motion seconded or prosecuted nay rather how soone is it giuen
deed if any man giue alms to the end to be seene of men euerie one will confesse that his deed is nought worth If a minister preach Gods word onely to get reputation not simply for the saluation of soules he prophaneth his vocation In like manner the marchant in his trafique seeking not to serue God by seruing of men but to enrich himselfe peruerteth his vocation the course of his lyfe because he liueth not to serue God but to serue himselfe 16 Why will some man saie Hath not God commanded euerie man to labour in his vocation for the maintaining of his family It is true but wee do misconster this ordinance of God For his meaning is that euery man should haue this end to serue God by the seruing of men And in reward and recompence of the seruice that wee doo him hee ordaineth that the artificer shall receiue the reward of his labour as from the hand of God whom he serueth by seruing of men and so may haue wherewith to maintaine his family That the marchant should sell his commodities for more than it cost wherein the surplussage is the reward that God paieth him for his seruice Likewise that the seruant man or woman shall receiue food some wages for seruice don to God in seruing of men Who so therefore maketh not this the end of his vocation namely to serue God by seruing of man he doth not referre his life to the right end and so prophaneth and peruerteth the same 17 Heerein doo we greatly wrong our selues for if we liued to serue God in our vocation besides that this seruice done to God should be rewarded in this life it would also bee a path waie to attain to the inheritance of heauen as Saint Paul teacheth vs saying The seruants that faithfully serue their masters doo serue the Lord Christ Col. 3.24 and therefore shall receiue of the Lord the rewarde of the inheritance of heauen As also the same Apostle sayth Through bearing of children the woman shall be saued 1. Tim. 2.15 if she continue in faith loue and holynes with modestie The poore woman bearing her fruite bringing it forth and noursing her little one abideth much paine sorrow and anguish But if shee thinke that God who vouchsafeth to continue the world by generation hath called her to this vocation that her whole ende in all the seruice that shee doth to the lyttle babe how vile and filthie so euer doo aime at the seruice of God by seruing the childe let her bee of good courage for by such seruing of God in her vocation she shall bee saued and shall receiue great reward in the euerlasting inheritance Yet not that this seruice in her vocation is anie merit but onely a path wherethrough God leadeth her to the possession of the celestiall inheritance and a worke which shall not be without reward in the lyfe euerlasting 18 It is also a great consolation to all those that are called to anie base or vile office in this worlde because if they consider that in seruing man they serue God their vocation cannot bee base or vile in the sight of God His maiesty is so great that there is no vile or contemptible office or calling in his house And therefore if a poore seruant when shee sweepes the house and doeth other businesse that seemeth base doth thinke with her selfe that God hath called her to that vocation and that seruing her master or mistres she serueth God she shall reape great contentation and is to expect a reward farre greater without comparison than any mortall man is able to giue For as God is great so doth hee greatly esteeme of seruice done vnto him And such is the excellencie of his children that they are not to imploie themselues in the seruice of men were it not that they hope for better rewarde than from men His will therfore is that in seruing of men they should looke for reward not from men onely but also from God considering that by seruing of men they doo serue God And thus so long as wee direct the ende of our liues in this sort to serue God by seruing of men wee shall neuer neede to doubt or to take care for the maintainance of our bodies in this lyfe but maye wholye repose our selues vpon so good a master whome wee serue And in deede if the seruant that faithfully serueth his master is not to care for his necessities but looketh and that iustly that the master whome he serueth should prouide for the same should not we doo God great iniurie and dishonor if referring our whole liues to his honour we should feare that he would suffer vs to starue 19 Moreouer if wee had perfectly learned that the end of our liues shoulde tende to serue God by seruing of men that one lesson woulde subuert all fraude deceit extorsion and vnlawfull trafiques For by deceiuing thy neighbour and wrongfull incroching of his goods into thy handes canst thou serue thy neighbour or God who cannot aduow but doth detest all such iniquitie No but contrarywise the iniurie done to thy neighbour proueth that in hew of seruing of God by seeking to serue thy selfe thou seruest the deuill who will returne but a wofull rewarde to his seruantes 20 By the premises wee perceiue the daunger of this fourth folly and how pernitious it is not to know wherefore we doo liue To the end therefore to Amend our liues let vs bee better aduised hereafter and learne first that the principall ende of our liues shuld tend to increase in the knowledge of God that knowing him we may glorifie him to our selues obtain life euerlasting Next that euerie man in his vocation haue this intent To serue God by seruing of men and so to fulfil the summe of the law which importeth that we loue God with our whole heart and our neghbour in God and for the loue of God The fifth Folly To iudge of mans felicitie or miserie by the outward apparance Chap. 6. THe fifth folly resteth In iudging a mans felicitie or miserie by the outward apparance This folly is so much the rather to be noted as it is more common euen in the children of God and the rather to bee reiected as it is the more pernitious The Prophet and author of the 73. Psalme confesseth that himselfe was ouertaken with this folly esteeming the wicked by reason of their prosperitie to haue beene blessed and contrarywise such as walked in purenesse and holynesse drinking vp tribulations in abundaunce as water to haue beene accursed Yea hee acknowledgeth that the outward prosperitie of the wicked and the afflictions of the righteous dyd so trouble him that his feete had almost slipped to ioyne with the wicked that hee thought there had beene no prouidence in God and that therefore it was lost labour to serue him in holynesse But afterward hee plainely confesseth that this was an extreame folly that hee was almost become a brute
in adioyning our selues to the Church of Christ ther to hear his word attentiuely to participate in his sacrameÌ„ts holily deuoutly with our whole affections to assist at coÌ„mon praiers Of the duetie both of domesticall and priuate praiers of euery faithfull Chap. 6. NOw as we haue shewed that publique praiers in the Church and the preaching of Gods word are vnto vs most profitable necessary so are we to vnderstand that notwithstaÌ„ding the same we are not neuertheles to neglect the vse both of Domesticall and priuate praier nor yet to forbeare the reading of the holy Scripture in our houses These be two points wherein as in that they be more coÌ„mon pernitious in respect of negligence slouth so are we the more hartely in dutie to seeke to Amend As for the praiers which euery housholder is to practise among his family Morning Euening we will speake of them hereafter where we entreate of the duties of housholders But for the priuate praiers of euery perticuler person ther is no man but besides his publique and domesticall exercises ought dayly to exercise himselfe therin Were we endued with the true knowledg both of our selues our estate condition of the efficacie of praiers we should need no solliciter to put vs in mind many times to present our selues before God to pray him more and more to reueale his truth to encrease in vs faith loue pacience and other his spirituall gifts to mortifie our corruptions to strengthen vs against the temptations and assaults of the flesh the world and the deuill to prouide vs of such and such necessaries wherof we are in want to preserue vs from so many daungers wherwith we are enuironed To be short to grant vs his holy spirite happyly to conduct vs all the daies of our life He that feeleth not the necessity of such graces and consequently of praier to obtaine them is sencelesse and voide of al vnderstanding as also euery man perticulerly in his vocation hath great need of Gods assistance and consequently of praiers Parents that God will giue them grace vertuously to bring vp wel to nurture their children Ministers of the word in holines to employ themselues in their ministerie Marchaunts and artificers faithfully to follow their traficke and trades Generally all men that God will vouchsafe to blesse them in their vocations workes and labours And besides there may be many of our acquaintance whose estate and condition bindeth vs to pray to God for them also 2 To be briefe ther is not any but after all priuate petitions accomodated to the time to the persons or to the occurreÌ„ces ought dayly to put in practise the doctrine of Iesus Christ where he saith You shall pray thus Our father which art in heauen c. as followeth In this forme of praier teaching vs that euery of vs ought dayly to present himselfe before God is a procurer first of his glorie then of the benefit and saluation of the congregation The zeale of Gods glorie as also our loue towards our neighbours do bind vâ— dayly to make this praier and that with greater diligence and feruencie because that making it as it were from the month of Christ the author thereof we shall be assured of hearing and consequently it shall make greatly to the aduancement as well of the glorie of God as of the good and saluation of our neighbours whereupon also as God in the obedience of his law doth more respeâ—t the obedience of his children then the worke it selfe so may we say that this praier whereby in the three first petitions we seeke the glory of God and in the three last the good and necessities requisite both for the body soule as well of our neighbours as of our selues being dayly with hart and mind poured forth is as it were a fulfilling of the lawe the summe whereof consisteth in this that wee loue God with our whole hearts and our neighbours as our selfe 3 Moreouer in these praiers lifting vp our hearts vnto God and so communicating dayly with him we do by little and little forget the earth and the world and doe grow spirituall and heauenly Euen as Moses in olde time hauing conuersed with God fortie daies and fortie nights when hee came downe to the people seemed to haue shining beames in his face And indeede as by little and little we learne the maners and language of those with whom we do ordinarily conuerse besides that by such conuersation ther breedeth a certaine affection betweene them more then others so by this our conuersing with God in our praiers we learne both the manners and language of heauen and in our selues doe perceiue some encrease of loue towards God Which is more as wee are but to much enclined either to our selues or at other mens solliciting to some riot or iniquitie so when we call to mind that in the morning we haue praied vnto God that he would vouchsafe to keepe vs also that at night we are to return againe to do the like the same is vnto vs a mightie bridle to restraine vs from wickednes and to retaine vs in due obedience towards God Besides as when we pray vnto him we haue regard to his promises the experience of his benefits and so cal him father beseeching him to guide vs as a father doth his children the same is a good meanes to strengthen our faith and a foundation of comfort in euerie vocation and estate whereinto it pleaseth God to call and place vs assuring our selues that by such praiers euery thing that shall come to passe shall be according to the worke and conduct of our father yea euen the accomplishment of his will which cannot be bad vnto vs. To be short such as through Gods grace doe dayly exercise themselues therein do by experience find what a comfort benefit and contentation they receiue by the same 4 This is the reason why the most excellent seruants children of God haue beene the rather addicted thereto How seruently did Moses employ himselfe therein when hee continued groueling before God in prayer for the space of fortie dayes and fortie nightes Likewise Samuell when hee sayde God sorbid that I shoulde sinne against the Lorde and cease praying for you Deu 9.18 1. Sam. 12.23 Psa 119.147 Psal 88.14 Act. 10.2.4 Especially the princely Prophet Dauid who in his Psalmes sufficiently declareth that he was as it were tyed thereto by dayly exercise As perticulerly wher to this purpose hee sayth I preuented the morning light to praye to God Againe My prayer preuenteth thee in the Morning Cornelius the Centurion so laboured therein that he prayed continually Whereby finally the Lords Angell sayde vnto him Pphil 1.4 Ehe 1.16 Col. 1.9 1. Thes 1.2 5.17 Col. 4.2 that his praiers were come in remembraunce before God S. Paul in many Epistles protesteth that he ceased not night and day to pray for the Churches As also in many places
otherwise to another then thou wouldest be done vnto To be short he had such a liking and so hartely embraced this sentence that he caused the same to be written and engrauen in his imperial pallace and in many publique works The other rule resteth in this which Iesus Christ commaundeth saying Mat. 7.21 Whatsoeuer yee would that men should doe to you euen so doe yee to them Now the loue of our selues importeth that men shoulde not only forbeare doing of vs hurt but also that they should do vs good Draco Licurgus Solon and other lawgiuers haue written and set foorth many good lawes whereby to maintaine man in equitie and vpright dealing many Philosophers haue written good bookes for the framing of the manners of men Yet all their great volumes their long discourses and the multitude of their lawes haue alwaies had great imperfections and tended as it were to the ordering but of the outward man and so in parte to make men hypocrites because they could neuer attaine to the knowledge of true Christian loue But God in one onely short sentence saying Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe hath comprehended the whole dutie of man one towarde another that they may liue together in al equitie peace loue and felicitie And thus may these two naturall rules Doe no otherwise to another then thou wouldest be doone vnto and Doe as yee woulde be doone vnto be sufficient commentaries vpon all Christian pollicie In this sence did Saint Paule iustly call this loue Col 3.14 the bond of all perfection And indeed if we would loue one another as our selues and declare our loue by these two naturall rules then should there bee among vs neither fraud iniurie wrong nor deceitfull dealing Then should all ambition pride couetousnesse enuie hatred euill speaking and other like passions cease We should see nothing but equitie peace concord 1. Cor. 13.4 loue reliefe and mutuall assistance And these fruites of loue doth Saint Paul note saying Loue suffereth long it is bountifull loue enuieth not loue doth not boast it selfe it is not puffed vp It disdaineth not it seeketh not her owne thinges it is not prouoked to anger it thinketh none euill It reioyceth not in iniquitie but reioyceth in the truth It suffereth all thinges it beleeueth all thinges It hopeth all thinges it endureth all things To be short if wee practise this loue we shall euen in this life beginne to tast the blessed estate of the kingdome of heauen whereto being lifted vp wee shall loue one another as our selues and reioyce at our neighbours good as at our owne Let vs alwaies therefore remember this commaundement that we loue our neighbour as our selues and hartely let vs endeuour to shew it by the practise of these two rules still harkening to nature who crieth saying Doe no otherwise to another then thou wouldest bee doone vnto And Doe as thou wouldest be done by 4 We are also farther to consider 1 Pet. 1.22 1 Pet. 4 8. that this loue must not bee colde but seruent not slacke but earnest and vehement as Saint Peter admonisheth vs. And that it may bee such it is requisite first that we hold nothing so deare or so precious as to bee alwayes readie to employ our selues for our neighbour yea euen to the spending of our liues Iohn 3.16 after the example of the loue that Iesus Christ shewed vnto vs as Saint Iohn sayth Hereby haue we knowen his loue that he gaue his life for vs. So are wee also to giue our liues for our brethren Secondly the heate and seruencie of our loue and charitie ought to bee such as might suâ—mount any thinge that shoulde quaile it as ingratitude hatred iniurie or vnworthienesse of our neighbours And indeede if wee must loue our neighbour for the loue of God If the Image God in him doth thereto binde vs. If being parcell of our flesh wee ought thereto to bee affected then notwithstanding whatsoeuer vnworthienesse bee in him yet God must not loose his right his image is not vtterly defaced Neither is that coniunction wherewith God bindeth vs together taken away Luk. 10.29 Therefore doth Iesus Christ by the parable of the Samaritan teach vs that euery one knowen vnknowen straunger yea euen an enemie as were the Samaritans to the Iewes is our neighbour whome wee must loue as our selues And so did Iesus Christ Mat. 5.43 correcting the false glose of the Pharisies expound it saying You haue heard that it hath beene saide Thou shalt loue thy neighbour and hate thine enemie But I saye vnto you loue your enemies And which is more hee willeth that wee shoulde testifie this loue not with our lippes only but also in deedes and workes by blessing those that curse vs by doing well to those that hate vs and by praying for those that molest and persecute vs. Exod. 23.4.5 5 This did Moses in his daies teach saying If thou meetest thy enemies Oxe or his Asse going astray thou shalt bring him to him againe Againe If thou see thy enemies Asse lying vnder his burden leaue thy busines that he may not rise alone yea leaue thy busines help him vp 1. Cor. 9.9 Or as others doe expound it See thou dost not forsake him vntill his master hath first forsaken him Careth God for beastes saith S. Paul That he should thus commend them to vs. Is it not rather hereby to shew vs what we are to doe to the person of our enemie sith we are bound to such a dutie to his Oxe or his Asse Rom. 12 20. as Saint Paul teacheth vs saying If thy enemie hungereth giue him meate If he thirst giue him drinke And because the practise hereof is very difficult Iesus Christ himselfe Mat. 5.45 the rather to induce vs to this dutie protesteth that In so doing we shall be the Children of his heauenly father who maketh his sunne to shine vpon both good and bad Mat. 5 46. and causeth his raine to fall vpon the righteous and the vnrighteous Hereby we gather that if our charitie be boundâ—d onely to our friendes and that we extend not the same euen to our enemies it is not the charitie of the children of God but as Iesus Christ addeth of publicans and infidels Also in workes and deedes if we shew not the loue that wee beare to our enemies it is in vaine for vs to protest that wee wish them no more hurt then to our selues or that wee loue them or wish as well to them as to our selues The holy historie expressely noteth that Absalom vsed no hard words to his brother Ammon who had defouled Thamar the said Absalons sister Yet loued he him not neither wished his good but in his hart nourished cruell hatred against him which hee finally declared by proâ—â—â—â—â—g him trayterously to bee murthered And thus it appeareth that speaking neither well nor ill betokeneth hatred and mallice For loue can not but both speake wel and do well euen to
her enemies 6 This loue is the rather to bee esteemed and commended because the giftes of speaking with tongues working of miracles prophecying and such like are nothing without loue Yea which is more then al those gifts euen faith hope shal haue an end but loue as Saint Paul saith abideth for euer Albeit therefore that by faith and hope we be made heires of wonderfull ioy and felicitie yet is the effect and fruite of loue greater in this respect that thereby the ioy of our perticuler felicitie obtained by faith shall be infinitly doubled and encreased for euery of the electes sakes whom we shall then loue as our selues and whose felicitie will be vnto vs as great a comfort as our owne Thus wee see what loue is required at our hands and how much wee are to esteeme it Now if wee would examine our selues and trie our loue with the same which God requireth at our hands as is afore shewed we shal find that it cometh very short And indeed what man loueth his neighbour as himselfe and that for the loue of God Who doth not many times by his neighbour otherwise then himself would be done by Who dealeth with another as he would be delt by Who is resolued to giue his life for his brethren Who loueth his enemies as himselfe and in hart praieth for them If loue as is aforesaid suffereth long if it enuieth not if it seeketh not her owne if it thinketh none euil if the patience therof be such as that it endureth sustereth al things 1. Cor. 13 Then doth it sufficiently appeare that we do wrongfully boast our selues to be the children of God because his character cannot bee seene in vs which is loue or that in purpose to amend we doe not mislike our owne corruption When therefore we heare the holy Ghost say Amend your liues Let vs be assured that he doth admonish vs so to encrease in this loue that wee may loue God with all our harts and our neighbours as our selues and that to the same end these two naturall rules may continually sound in our eares and that our consciences by the same examining all our wordes and workes may bee our iudge to condemne whatsoeuer we shall peraduenture doe to others which we would not should be done to our selues and to reproue our want of loue when we do not that to him that we would haue done to our selues that so in amending whatsoeuer it shall find in vs not conformable to this loue we may dayly encrease therin and thereby more and more get printed in vs the Character of Gods children and of the true Disciples of Iesus Christ And now let vs proceed to another examination of our loue Of Almos and relieuing of the poore Chap 10. AMong other the testimonies of our loue and charitie the due reliefe of the poore is not the least And indeed in vaine doe we boast of charitie vnlesse we practise the same by relieuing the poore in their necessities Who so hath this worlds goods 1. Ioh. 3.17 saith Saint Iohn and seeth his brother haue neede and shutteth vp his compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him Whereto hee addeth My children let vs not loue in word neither in tongue onely but indeed and in truth This dutie of loue did the Apostles of Iesus Christ so hartely commend that finding themselues to agree in the doctrine of the Gospell with S. Paul Gal. 2.10 2. Cor. 8.9 they commended nothing vnto him but to remember the poore And thereof was himselfe also very carefull as he doth affirme in his Epistle to the Galathians and did effectually shew the same in his second to the Corinthians As also it is not amisse to note that the last iudgement and sentence of felicitie or miserie shall bee pronounced in part vpon the performance or neglect of this dutie to the poore in affliction Mat. 25. 2 This reliefe of the poore is commonly tearmed Almes which word signifieth pitie and compassion The rather to teach vs that this reliefe must proceede of compassion through the feeling of their afflictions And this doth Esay declare saying If thou openest thy hart to the hungerie and satisfiest the needy soule thy light shall shine in darkenesse and thy darkenesse shall bee as the none day The word which the Prophet heere vseth Esa 58.10 signifieth as much as if wee should say if thou pullest forth thy heart to giue to him that hungreth therby teaching vs that true Almes importeth the opening communication of our harts by feeling the necessitie of others and therefore doth S. Augustine say Augustine his first booke of visit the sicke c. 3. 1. Cor. 13.3 that if our reliefe ministred to the poore proceedeth not of loue and compassion it neuer ascendeth into the presence of God Hereto may we also refer this sentence of S. Paul If we giue al that we haue to the poor haue no loue it profiteth not Yea saith a good auncient father In hart to take compassion of the poore is more then to giue them our goods for hee that giueth importeth externall things but hee that taketh compassion openeth and giueth his owne hart This compassion proceedeth of the vnion that God hath made betweene vs in that we all discending from Adam are as it were one body and one flesh As Esay exhorting vs to this compassion doth say Hide not thy self from thy owne flesh Esay 58.7 Heb. 1â— 3â— Which the Apostle also confirmeth saying Remember them that are in bondes as if ye were bound with them them that are in affliction as if ye were also afflicted in the body And indeed as Saint Paul saith This vnion should breede such a feeling of the weale or woe of the members of this body that wee should reioyce for the prosperitie of the one 1. Cor. 12.26 Rom. 12 15. 1. Cor. 12.25 1. Ioh. 3.17 and be sorrie for the miserie of the other and as in another place he saith that wee should weepe with them that weepe Otherwise as hee addeth there is no coniunction in the body but deuision partialitie And in that sence Saint Iohn denieth that ther is any loue in him who seeing the want and necessitie of his brother closeth vp his bowels by the bowels signifieng the compassion and mercy wherewith he should be moued at the sight of the pouertie of his brethren Iesus Christ also to assure vs that he will take compassion of vs whom we are persecuted for his name saith Act. 9 5. Zach. 2 8 Deut 32 10. that he is persecuted in vs that are the members of his body Yea he protesteth that who so toucheth vs toucheth the apple of his eye Therby declaring that as the apple of the eye is so tender that it may not be touched but with great griefe so the coniunction betweene him vs is such Psal 17.8 that he seeleth our afflictions therof taketh great
forth fruit but that some shall be deuoured by the fouls of the aire and some otherwise yet doeth hee not therefore forbeare to sowe euen so must we sowe our almes notwithstanding wee bee assured that all is not well bestowed Wee must vse discretion and dilygence that we may be faythfull stewardes not so seuere as to forget the simplicitie of charitie so highly commended and praysed by Saint Paule 1. Cor. 13 5 7 who sayth Loue imagineth no euill Loue beleeueth all things Loue hopeth for all things And in deede it is better to feed and cloath two wicked ones with one child of God than for feare of helping the wicked to suffer one of Gods children to perish for hunger or colde The marchant is many times deceiued in his expectation of gaine by tempests on the sea by banqueroutes and otherwise yet doth hee not giue ouer his traffique When Iob had clothed the needie with his wooll hee sayde that theyr loines did blesse him Iob. 31.20 thereby teaching vs that albeit the lips of the poore whom we haue clothed should curse vs and that he should abuse the reliefe that we haue ministred vnto him yet his loynes comforted with our garments shall testifie our charitie towarde him and blesse vs in the sight of God Esa 49.4 The Prophet Esaie exhorteth Gods seruants the preachers of his woorde to bee strong and of good comfort albeit the seede of theyr doctrine fructifie but in few shewing them that their labour and worke is neuertheles before the Lord. Euen so is it with the goods that wee distribute to the poore albeit some doo abuse them yet is our charitie in the sight of God Let vs therefore vse discretion and diligence in the well bestowing of our almes reproue those that abuse the same yet let simplicitie and charitie so guide vs that vnder colour of neglecting those that are vnworthie wee doo not refuse to relieue those that in deed are poore and needie 22 Many times such great husbands are the men that do most abuse the goods wherof God hath made theÌ„ not absolute Lords but stewards They be as prodigall in theyr owne vses as niggardly to the poor They exceed in rich costly attire in vnordinarie and sumptuous diet to be short in all superfluous vnprofitable carnall and worldly expenses but if there be anie speech of helping the poore there is nothing to bee had they haue neuer a whit too much to satisfie theyr owne prodigalitie and ambition But what account can they giue of their administration in the daie of iudgement Will Christ in his account passe these articles So much spent in ryot so much in excesse and banquets so much in the pleasures of the flesh Can they alleadge that they had not wherewith to helpe the poore No the former articles will conuince them so shall they be conuict as wel for despising the poor as for abusing the benefites whereof they should haue bene faithfull stewardes If Saint Paule commaundeth vs to worke wyth our handes to the ende to get wherewyth to releeue the needie how much rather shoulde wee according vnto Gods wyll cut off parte of our superfluitie and excesse Hierom vpon the Epistles therewyth to helpe such as want It is a kinde of sacriledge sayth Saint Hierome to giue the goods of the poore to such as bee rich inough Let the hungrie boweles commende thy charitie not the panches of those that are bursten wyth thy abundance Oh wofull calamitie of mankinde sayeth Saint Augustine August in his sermon 132 of the time howe many maye wee finde that doo vrge and compell those that bee alreadie satisfied to drinke more than be commeth them and yet wyll denie euen a glasse of small drinke to the poore that begge at theyr doore Those men doo neuer consider that the drinke which euen perforce they offer to drunkardes ought rather to bee giuen vnto Iesus Christ in the persons of the poore Math. 25 as himselfe hath sayd Whatsoeuer you haue doone to one of the least of these you haue doone it vnto me Wee doo commonlie saie to those that haue inough yee eate not and so vrge them to eate and yet do denie a morsell of bread to the hungrie VVhen men haue delicate wine and daintie fare which doo but too much whet on the stomacke wee vse to call vppon them to make good cheere and in the meane time forget them who hauing peraduenture neuer a bit of bread to giue to theyr children doo weepe and lament Had the rich man that liued in pleasures Luke 16. taken pittie of Lazarus that laie at his gate and cutting off parte of his superfluitie releeued his necessitie in sted of tormentes in hell fyre hee had receiued the crowne of Charitie as Lazarus receiued the crowne of patience in lyfe euerlasting Let vs beware least the superfluitie of our banquets apparell and other vanities that are good for nothing but to displease God and offende our neighbours bee not vnto vs as tormentors and burning coales in our consciences in the daâ—e of iudgement calling for vengeaunce agaynst vs for our contempt of the poore in theyr necessitie Neither let vs complaine of the meruailous increase of the poore that want reliefe but let vs accuse our owne coldnesse and slacknesse in distributing for theyr succour and reliefe Can wee complayne of want of abilitie when our onely superfluitie beeing cut off and gathered together myght suffice What man at his death coulde not with that hee had cut off and employed the same vppon the releefe of the poore Or who coulde not at that time bee content that hee had after the example of the poore widdowe or the Macedonians imparted vnto them of his substance in theyr necessitie Luke 21.14 2. Cor. 8.3 considering that the same shoulde haue beene vnto him so much treasure in Heauen 23 Let vs therefore amend our former neglygence and slouth and while wee haue time as Saint Paul sayth Doo good vnto all but especially to those that bee of the householde of faith Gal. 9 10 They all doo beare the image of God they all are of our flesh whome wee must loue as our selues Wee cannot therefore neglect and contemne them without great iniurie to God and our selues and breach of that vnitie that God hath made among vs yet as there is greater affinitie betweene the members of Christ and as the image of God doeth more cleerely and euidently shine in them so are wee more bound to care for theyr reliefe and to doo good vnto them in theyr necessities Let vs then imploie our selues heerein while wee haue time which may bee considered in three pointes First while God lendeth and giueth vs wherewith for we knowe not whether by fire warre banqueroutes thefte or anie other inconuenience our goods shal be taken froÌ„ vs. The husbandman hearing of approch of some armie and fearing thereby the losse of all his graine which might by them be
For the least that we can say of dances is to cal theÌ„ vnfruitful considering they also are in many sorts hurtfull as hereafter we wil declare 6 The same Apostle in another place propoundeth two sorts of works or fruits viz. Of the flesh of the spirit Gal. 5. but sith we cannot without great impudencie place these dances among the fruites of the spirit we must in reason acknowledge them to be the works of the flesh And indeed in dances we find the same pollution insolencie the S. Paul expresly mentioneth among the works of the flesh but not that temperance which he tearmeth the fruit of the spirit 1. Ioh. 2.15 Iohn saith Loue not the world neither the things that are in the world and for example which they be he nameth Lust of the flesh lust of the eyes pride of life Is not al this found in dances No doubt theÌ„ they be of the world not of God And so consequently as he addeth Who so loueth them the loue of the father is not in him If in a picture we see some eating drinking some dancing so forth will we terme this a picture of the children of God not rather a representation of the world Againe to what end is dancing but to delight the world the flesh As the affectioÌ„s of the flesh be enemies to god so he that loueth the world maketh himself an enemy to God It therfore plainly appeareth in this prohibition of Saint Iohn that we should not loue the world dancing is forbidden and applying our selues therto we must needs fal at enmitie with God Ephe 5.4 Mat. 12.36 7 Saint Paul willeth vs to abstaine from al folish vaine speeches as things not beseeming the Saints And Iesus Christ saith that in the day of iudgement we shall giue accompt of euery Idle word If the holy Ghost condemneth al tauntes quippes pleasant and idle talke that tend onely to delight the companie and consequently beseeme Apes and iesters but are not any way conuenient among Christians and the children of God surely the sollies mirth vanitie of dances are without comparison more vnseemly among the Saints and rather to be condemned Ephe. 5.16 The Apostle representing vnto vs the time that wee haue lost during our ignorance whiles we yet serued the Deuill the world and the flesh exhorteth vs to redeeme it And how In forsaking the pleasures of our flesh for the price of the purchace But doe we obey his admonition when we loose the whole day yea and spend the night in dancing making our selues besides wearie and vnfit for our vocation in the morning 8 The holy Scripture in many places exhorteth vs to be sober modest 1. Pet. 5.8 Phil. 4.5 Luk. 12.35 Phil. 3.20 1. Thes 5.6 1. Pet 5.8 Col. 3.5 Gal. 5.24 1. Cor. 9.27 Eccles 7 3. Mat. 16 24. Phil. 2.11 stedfast in al parts of our life to haue our loyns girt vp that is not to suffer the affections of our soules to cleaue to the ground in the desires and vanities therof to haue our conuersation in heauen to watch to mortifie our members to crucifie our flesh and the lusts thereof to tame and subdue our bodies to goe rather to the house of mourning then of mirth that is to say to seeke meanes to quench our pleasures vanities by the representation of death to deny our selues to beare our crosse to weepe when the world reioyceth To be short to employ our selues in our vocation in feare trembling But such as vse dancing do little thinke vpon these rules and duties of Gods children The onely remembrance of these exhortations and admoniâ—ions might suffice were they not desperate to make them renounce such vanitie insolencâ—e lightnes yea euen to abhorre and detest them If when they were in the châ—efe of their dance God should send some extraordinarie thunder or earthquake they would straight leaue off Yea if the same should long continue with other tokens from heauen then would all this mirth and vaine dancing bee conuerted into sorrow and griefe for their dancing and so their consciences would testifie that dances are repugnant to that disposition that should be in vs to watch for the comming of the Lord. 9 Now to proceede to another consideration By three principal points we may iudge whether our deeds and works be good First whether they concurre with our vocation Secondly whether they edifie our neighbours Lastly whether they tend to the glory of God As concerning our vocation it coÌ„sisteth in this That we being freed from sin do she from it and shunne all apparance of euill As touching edification the same resteth in this that our conuersation be such as may beseeme the profession of the Gospell that others may be induced to embrace follow the same And for the glory of God Saint Paul saith Whether we eate or drinke or whatsoeuer we doe let all be done to the honour and glory of God Now we referre our eating and drinking to the glorie of God when wee vse the same in sobernesse and thankesgiuing that wee may euerie of vs bee the better disposed to serue God in our vocations The like is in our sleepe and all other the recreations of our bodies or mindes But is not dauncing directly repugnant to our vocation because that where we should shunne sinne and all apparance of euill with all occasions and allurements thereto it ministereth nothing but apparance and entisement to the same Likewise for the edification of our neighbours This folly and vanitie is to no other vse but to be an offence vnto them in that thereby the dancers seeme to inferre that the Gospel therein concurreth with the world and the flesh considering that we that professe the Gospell and therefore ought to renounce such vanitie are so bent giuen thereunto And as touching the glorie of God what dancer dare be so impudent as to mayntaine that God is glorified in dancing either that hee danceth to the ende to glorifie God or to bee the more apt to serue him in his vocation Moreouer the rule of good workes resteth not in the custome and vse of the world but in the testimonie of the will of God Rom. 1â— â— Fashion not your selues like vnto this world sayth Saint Paul but proue what is the good will of God As for dancing wee must therefore place it among the wicked woorkes because it is repugnant to our vocation to the edification of our neighbours to the glorie of God and to the rule of his will Rom. 14.23 Agayne if euerie worke that is not of saith bee sinne as Saint Paule affirmeth and that there can bee no faith without the testimonie of Gods will let our dancers eyther prooue that it is Gods wyll that they shoulde dance or else acknowledge and confesse that dancing is sinne 10 Furthermore let vs consider the persons If they be stroken in yeeres dancing is an vnseemly lightnesse
then to be occasion of offence to our neighbors 1. Cor. 8.13 by our plesures to bring destruction vpon those for whom Iesus Christ hath dyed And as to the end to represent the corrupt world as it were in a table we haue alredy shadowed out men and women dancing so by inserting thereinto players and gamesters at Cardes Dice we shall more liuely demonstrate the world and shew that such as giue themselues to gaming are indeed of the world not truly of the church of Christ And as by lots the souldiers parted the garments of Iesus Christ so may we wel say that these games at Dice Cards are the meanes to part between the world the Deuil many of those who professing reformed religion are addicted thereunto 9 But in as much as Iesus Christ admonisheth vs to Amend our liues and to repent our former transgressions let vs stedfastly resolue hereafter to abstaine and not to bee carried awaie with the taunts of gamesters that scorne our simplicitie because we will not play with them Let vs remember the aunswere of a heathen Xenophanes who at a feast being called dasterd for that he would not play at Dice wisely replyed I am indeede a dasterd and fearefull in all dishonest causes Let therefore his censure who tearmed these thinges dishonest together with his constancie against the taunts of gamesters be vnto vs Christians an instruction and example constantly to refraine from such games And the better to confirme vs herein let vs also thinke vpon the wordes of Saint Cyprian Let vs sayth he be Christians not players at Cardes and Dice Let vs poure forth our mony vpon the table of the Lord wher Christ sitteth as president and the Angels do see vs. In hew of loosing them folishly let vs distribute our goods to the poor Yea let vs commit them to the custodie of Iesus Christ For these games saith he are daungerous worthie of death and replenished with folly They containe no truth but a quaguâ—yre of all falsehood periurie Let vs pull away our hands from such pastimes and in our harts turne off and take away the darkenesse wherewith Satan blindeth vs let our hands be cleane and not defiled in doing honour to the Deuil Let vs flie from the enemie that pursueth vs and spend our time in the learning of true wisdome and instruction in the doctrine of the Gospell Yea let vs lift vp pure hands to Câ—rist and to the ende wee may please God let vs neuer looke vpon Cardes or Dice So beit Thus doth Saint Cyprian conclude his treatise against players at Cardes and Dice Of Enuie Chap. 20. NOw let vs speake of Enuie the sister and inseperable companion of couetousnesse and ambition Wisd 1.24 Augustine of Christ Doctrine which likewise proceedeth of a foolish wicked selfe loue As it is written in the booke of wisedome Thorow Enuie of the Deuill death came into the world Which Saint Augustine also confirmeth saying Enuie is a deuelish vice whereof the Deuill is vnpardonably guiltie in the sight of God For in the sentence of the Deuils damnation it is not saide that he had committed adulterie or theft but that hee had enuyed the state of man created to the image of God Againe Petrarck of the remedies of fortune whereas all other vices doe breede some pleasure and contentment albeit but false and wretched Onely Enuie engendereth nothing but sorrow feedeth vpon mischiefe grieueth at others good and in it selfe alreadie hath that euill which it wisheth to others Aug. In a certaine Sermon And indeede Enuie is a passion in the soule yeelding sorrow and heauinesse for such benefites as other haue that may bee desireable amiable or commendable and thereof ensueth a hatred of their felicitie and prosperitie If they be our betters because we be not so good as they If our inferiours least they should grow equall with vs Plut. of curiositie If our equals for feare they shoulde get before vs. 2 Concerning the first We ordinarily see that they which are endued with the greatest vertues and exalted into highest prosperitie are subiect to Enuie as Aristotle saith That Enuie is the enemie that assaulteth vertue and others prosperitie Plut. of Enuie and hatred Also as there is no shadow where there is no sunne so where there is no prosperitie there is no Enuie We doe Enuie saith Plutarch such as prosper and therefore as they that are tender sighted doe finde themselues grieued with euery light and bright obiect so is it with the enuious in euery the prosperitie of others Whereupon he compareth enuious persons to Cantharides a certaine greene and venimous worme or a Flie that vsually feedeth vpon wheate when it waxeth ripe and roses in their pride for so doth the enuious man he taketh against those that be honest Cicero to Heren lib. 4. greeueth at the encrease of other mens vertue Cicero also saith that Enuie as a companion to vertue do still prosâ—cute the good And therefore Seneca aptly saith Seneca of maners It is more easie for a poore man to shunne contempt then for a rich man to auoide Enuie 3 Enuie vseth onely one point of discretion and temperance which is this That seldome or neuerâ—â—t medleth with those whose greatnesse and excellencie doe take from the enuious all hope of attaining to the like degree Aristo in his Rhet. lib. 2. And this doth Aristotle note saying Enuie for the most part seaseth vpon that which it may best ouertake or out goe and that in this consideration men neuer Enuie the dead Plut. of Enuie and hatred neither such as in greatnesse do without comparison exceede them Father as Plutarch saith those that in age doe farre out goe them And in that sence it is written that Enuie is many times extinguished by the greatnes and excellencie of other mens prosperitie And for example hee addeth saying No man enuied Alexander the great or Cirus when they had attained the tipe of their deuises For as the sunne beating directly vpon the crowne of the head yeeldeth but a small shadow so they that are in eminencie farre aboue vs doe purchase small Enuie against them And therefore hee very properly compareth enuie vnto smoke which so long as the fire is but small maketh a great shew but so soone as it staineth vanisheth away or at the least appeareth nothing so plainely as at the first 4 As for those that be equall in degree it is an old-saying that the earthen potter enuieth the potter Eras in his Chiliads whether for gaine or for reputatation and honor this doth another prouerbe note saying The neighbours eye is alwaies an enemie and enuieth For surely men cannot abide that others of their owne callings should bee better thought of or come to be greater then themselues Gen. 4. As Cain enuied Abell Gen. 30.1 because the sacrifice of Abell was more acceptable in the sight of
God loue of the world neglect of heauenly felicitie wil cry out for euerlasting vengeance against their parents so that if they account not their children as beasts without soul or if they loue them with the due loue belonging to parents let them declare their loue especially to the soule the Christian instruction whereof surmounteth all worldly treasure An ancient Philosopher said that hee could haue bin content to haue gone vp into the highest pinacle in the towne Crates Plut. in thâ— bringing vp of children thence to haue cried O fathers what meane you that imploy your whol indeuors to get riches why are ye so carelesse for the instructing of your children to whom ye leaue theÌ„ It is as if parents wheÌ„ their childe were sicke to the death without prouiding for his health should prepare him new garments Some say it would be a great comfort for them in heauen to know their neere kindred consequently their children and this commeth of natural affection But might it not be a greater discomfort for them eueÌ„ in their life time to see them go to hell for want of instruction Tâ—e Lacedemonians were very careful to bring vp their children in vertue according to the lawes of Lycurgus their law giuer therby grew to this custome that if anie man committed anie trespasse it was lawfull for anie that sawe him freely to reproue him and it was a great reproch to mislike of such reprehension 13 Some charge their childreÌ„ to be dulwitted hard to be bowed or brought to vertue Albeit naturall inclination bee a great helpe to profiting yet exercise custome to do wel is a mightie meanes to bend and shape them that waie yea euen such that by experience wee finde this olde prouerbe true Vse ouercommeth nature And this dyd Lycurgus the Lacedemonian lawe giuer verie aptly demonstrate to his people Plut. in his Lacon Apotâ—eg Hee tooke two whelpes the one of a hunting kinde the other of a mastiffe that followed the kitchin Then dyd hee bring vp the mastiffe to the game and the hound to the kitchen Afterward meaning to make demonstration and so to perswade the people to his purpose hee caused them to bee assembled and brought forth his two dogs where setting downe a dish of pottage and withall casting off a hare the hound fell to the pottage the mastiffe followed the hare Behold then sayth he what it is of doctrine vse he that came of a hunting kind yet vsed to the kitchin followeth his pottage and the other come of a mastiffe following the kitchin being now vsed to the game followeth the hare The wheele-wright doth by strength bow his timber letting it he long in that bent it abideth crooked Barren ground wel tilled soyled and sown with good seed groweth fruitfull yeeldeth good increase Iron weareth with handling The water by continuall dropping weareth the stone Wilde beasts may bee tamed and wilde coltes by custome bee brought to the saddle and are content to bee lead by the bridle The Greekes named Manners by a word that signified Custome Thereby to declare that euen the dullest capacities may by instruction and custome bee fashioned to vertue As contrariwise the wit most inclined by nature to vertue may by bad instruction and the conuersion of the wicked be peruerted and grow vicious 14 Parents therefore are heerein to respect two pointes First to begin to frame and bend their children in their tender youth to vertue remembring that a seale entereth deepest into softest waxe Plato warneth mothers and nurses from telling foolish tales to theyr children least they infect theyr tender wits with folly astonishment Experience sheweth that children will sooner learn anie language by conuersation thaÌ„ older folkes Also that the yonger the twigge is the sooner it is bent or made straight Secondly it is the parents duetie to restraine their children from haunting conuersing with such as bee vicious and peruerse And in deed we see that they doo soone learne villanous and vnseemely speeches and malitious and leaude actions wyth theyr corruptions and as the olde prouerbe sayth Halting with the lame they shal learne to halt A child that naturally speaketh well by conuersing with such as corrupt theyr speech shal degenerate and speake as badly Tie a young twigge that is crooked with a straight one that is stronger than it and in growing it wil become straight so continue when it is vndone And contrariwise a straight one tied to that which is crooked and stronger than it selfe will grow continue crooked 15 The Lacedemonians were maruellous carefull to prouide that their children should not be corrupted by euill companie And in regard thereof Plutarch in his Laconicalâ— we reade that when Antipater demanded of them fiftie children for hostages one of their chiefe magistrates named Etheocles aduised theÌ„ not to condescend thereto least they being brought vp in the societie of such as were wholy giuen to pleasure and vice might peraduenture grow vicious and so bring home afterward to their countrie nothing but corruption and miserie and therupon in lieu of fiftie children they offred the double number of men and women and so of aged persons alreadie formed of strength and discretion to withstand vice and corruption Lastly when Antipater still vrged them to send their children and vsed great threates in case they should disobey they plainly answered saying Let him if he can require anie thing more grieuous than death for rather will we condiscend thereto than to send our children O wonderfull constancie and care to preserue their children from vice and corruption If the heathen had such regarde to this vertue importing the training vp of their children in the obseruatioÌ„ of the laws of a mortall man what a shame may it be vnto christian parents that are so negligent in bringing vp theyr children in the heauenly doctrine and forming theyr manners and behauiors to pietie and godlynes in the feare and obedience of God Moreouer by this example may parents take warning when they mean to put forth their children to anie trade or occupation eyther to learning carefully to see and enquire whether such as they thinke to place them withal be vertuous or endued with the fear of God In the admittance of a seruant the feare of some temporall or carnall inconuenience causeth thee to enquire of his or her truth or other qualities Therefore if thou committest a childe to the instruction of a master before thou enquirest of his vertues thou shewest that thou hast lesse care of corrupting or infecting thy child with vice than of some small incouenience that might happen by an vnthriftie seruant When thou buyest an earthen pot thou soundest vpon it to see whether it be broken least thou shoulde be deceiued in a small peece of monie yet doest thou not sound whether the master to whome thou committest thy child be vicious or vertuous albeit by putting him to one that is
the reiecting of this error the elect may vnderstand that hauing bene called First by the preaching of the Gospell Secondly by the power of the holy Ghost ther are in them as it were two elections The one in that God almighty leauing so many others to whom hee hath not at all addressed the doctrine of his Gospell hath elected them to deliuer it vnto them the other in that reiecting so many others to whom he hath sent the preaching of his Gospell and yet neuerthelesse calleth them not by his holy spirite hee hath elected them that they might be called by the light and power thereof to the ende hee might saue them in his kingdome and glory And this consideration is vnto them as a twofold obligation wherein they are doubly bound as well incessantly to praise God as also to loue him and consequentlye to amend their liues And indeede if they that had the first grace namely the preaching of the Gospell and doe not beleeue and amend shal be more hardly entreated in the day of iudgement theÌ„ the enhabitants of Sodome and Gomorrah what do they deserue that are partakers also of the second grace Mat. 10.15 and haue the Gospell preached vnto them with the power efficacie of the holy ghost whereby they beleeue and are made the children of God in case the feeling of such a benefite truely incomprehensible and proceeding as it were from the bowels of Gods mercy loue toward them should not kindle their harts with a holy affection and zeale to amend their liues 16 As concerning the other error that the election of some and not of other some came of this that God did foresee that the men should doe either well or euill as the Pelagians did in olde time teach one only place of Saint Paul will be sufficient to condemne it Blessed be God saith he Ephes 1. 3 which hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessing in heauenlye places in Christ as hee hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the worlde that we should be holye and without blame before him in loue Who hath predestinated vs to be adopted through Iesus Christ vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace wherewith hee hath made vs accepted in his beloued Throughout all this whole sentence there is not any worde but may â—â—fise to condemne this errour First where the Apostle saith that God hath blessed vs hee sheweth that the spirituall blessings whereof he speaketh are the giftes of the Father of light and come not of ourselues Secondly adding that he hath blessed vs in Christ he declareth that those blessings are imparted vnto vs not for our owne sakes but for Christes sake Thirdly in this according as he had chosen vs and that in Christ he noteth that our election commeth of God and is grounded vpon Christ and not vpon vs. Fourthly adding that hee had chosen vs before the foundation of the worlde and so before that man was he would that we should acknowledge our electioÌ„ to proceed from the eternall wil and counsell of God not from our works or our acceptation of his grace vnto vs offered Fifthly he hath euidentlye declared this in that he saith that we were chosen not in respect of any holynes that he foresaw in vs but to the end that we might be holy vnreproueable in his sight And therfore it is not the acceptation of Gods graces and the faithfull vse of the same foreseene in vs that maketh vs to be chosen but euen the election it self which bringeth forth this acceptation of grace and consequently faith and good workes Sixtly he addeth according to the good pleasure of his will to shewe that our election dependeth vpon the onely goodnes and will of God and not of men Seuenthly he confirmeth it adding to the praise and glory of the grace of God for if election had proceeded from the freewill and workes of men the praise and glorye thereof as Saint Paul many times noteth would haue redounded to themselues and not to God Rom. 4.2 and so God should not haue elected theÌ„ but they should haue elected themselues Lastly in adding that of his grace hee hath made vs acceptable in his wel beloued he euidentlye doth shew that it is not our acceptation of his grace that hath made vs acceptable whereby we should be elected but only his grace and the loue that he beareth to Iesus Christ 17 Moreouer if the election of some and not of other some should haue beene wrought according to the good or euill workes foreseen Rom. 9. it were in vaine for S. Paul to perswade vs to acknowledg the power and authoritie of God in shewing mercy to whome he will and hardening whom he will and to make the good will and pleasure of God the foundation of the election of some and not of other some for in maintenance of Gods iustice he might haue answered in one worde that hee had chosen some and not other some according to the merites of their workes which he foresawe In vaine also had it beene for him to cry out O the depth of the riches of the wisedome and knowledge of God Rom. 11.33 how vnsearchable are his iudgements and his waies past finding out for could there be any thing more easilye comprehended or any answere more readye and plaine then to say that the election of some and not of other some was made according to the merites foreseene in euery one But the Apostle in not propounding this for the maintaining of Gods iustice doth sufficiently shew that we must not vse it and that it is a vaine and false allegation And indeed in another place for the foundation of our election and saluation opposing against the works of iustice not those which our selues shall doe but the mercy of God he plainly sheweth that our electioÌ„ is not wrought by the workes foreseene either done or to doe but by the onelye mercye of God 18 Heereto will wee also adde one notable place of Saint Augustine Augustine of predestinatioÌ„ c. 12. of t e benefite of perseuerance cap. 10. If the children of the faithfull sayth hee doo die in their infancie wee neuerthelesse beleeue that according to the teno of the couenant they shall bee saued It must needs then follow that they are elect and predestinate yet not by theyr workes foreseen for they neuer did anie But where the Pelagians replyed that God elected them for the good workes that he foresawe that they might haue done if they had liued He answereth that no man is punished or rewarded for the workes that hee hath not done nor neuer shall or that he neuer had neither could haue anie conceite or will to doo Whereupon it is written 2. Cor. 5.10 that euerie man shall receiue according as in his bodie hee hath done good or euill And for proofe heereof he alleadgeth the examples of
the Tiryans Sydonians of whome Iesus Christ sayth If his vertues and miracles had beene done among them Math. 11.21 they woulde haue conuerted and amended their liues And therefore God should haue chosen them that they might not haue bene damned And contrariwise the saying in the booke of Wisedome that Enoch was taken awaie by death least mallice should haue corrupted his heart doth shew Wisdo 4.10 Gen. 5.24 that he should haue beâ—â— reproued and condemned for the mallice foreseene wherewith hee might haue beene corrupted if hee had liued And thereof it must also followe that God had beene deceyued in foreseeing the thing that should neuer haue come to passe 19 As this error therefore which allotteth vnto man for the foundation of his election himselfe his free will and his woorkes doth diuerte him from the feeling and acknowledgement of the loue goodnesse grace good will and power of God and puffeth him vp in false and most pernitious opinion of his owne vertue and merites to his ouerthrow and destruction withall doth depriue God of his glorie so contrariwise the doctrine of election vnderstood and beleeued in manner as wee haue before declared doth teach and admonish vs to attribute the whole glorie of our saluation to one onely God incessantly to praise him to reuerence his power and infinite goodnesse wholy to depend vppon him and to walke in all humilitie confessing that in vs there is neither beginning nor preparation wherby God should be bound to choose and doo well by vs and therefore that all good namely our election is the pure gifte and free grace of the goodnes of God vnto vs. And to conclude This doctrine ingendereth in vs an assured certainty of our saluation infusing comfort and ioy into our harts with a zealous affection to consecrate our selues to the seruice of God with our whole hearts all the dayes of our liues 20 As for Gods prouidence the onely remembraunce that nothing befalleth vs but by the eternall will of him that hath elected vs in his sonne Iesus Christ ought to bring forth in vs many notable fruites First this doctrine teacheth vs to banish the prophane opinion of the heathen that imagined that all things came by fortune attributing to an idoll forged in theyr braines that thing which appertained onely to one God namely the euent of all that was done But as this is an intollerable idolatrie and sacriledge so representing theyr Goddesse fortune blinde they tooke awaie all feare of offending God and all desire to liue wel And in deede if all calamities and prosperities should befall man not by any conduct of prouidence iudgement or reason but by aduenture who would feare to doo euill for feare of correction and punishment Who would desire to liue well when hee should stande in doubte whether in well dooing hee shoulde bee blessed But when wee doo beleeue that all commeth by the prouidence of God who seeth all things and loueth righteousnesse and hateth iniquitie The onely remembrance that it is God that sendeth both good and euill will moue our heartes to feare correction punishment for doing euill and to hope for prosperitie and blessing in liuing in righteousnes and holines Thus will the knowledge of Gods prouidence stand vs in great stead to induce vs to amend our liues 21 The second fruit that groweth hereof is a true sanctification of the name of God For beleeuing all thinges to come of the will and prouidence of God all-wise all-righteous all-good and almightie euen euerie affliction calamitie that befalleth vs First the remeÌ„brance that he is righteous wil breed humilitie as knowing that it is in iustice that he afflicteth vs for our sinnes So Manaâ—les king of Iuda 2. Chro. 33 being grieuously afflicted in prison was by this doctrine moued to acknowledge his sinnes and consequentlye to humble himselfe before God Dan. 9 So Daniel speaking of the captiuity of the Iewes in Babylon confessing the sinnes both of the people and of himselfe among other things sayth To vs O Lord belongeth confusion but thou art righteous In this sense doeth Ieremie reproue the children of Israel Iere. 8.6 for that in their affliction no man said What haue I done Not that God alwayes taketh occasion of our sinnes to punish vs but because hee neuer afflicteth vs wrongfully or before wee haue deserued it And therefore shoulde the knowledge that it is hee that afflicteth vs humble vs and make vs confesse that hee is righteous Thus also shall wee beware of murmuring against God and saie with the Prophet Dauid O Lorde I helde my peace and opened not my mouth for it is thou that haste done it 22 Which is more this doctrine will teach vs to sanctifie his name that we shall praise him euen in our afflictions And in deed beleeuing that this God that punisheth vs is good and a well dooer also that louing vs in Iesus Christ without comparison better than a carnall father can loue his children Secondly that vndoubtedly he willeth the thing that is to our health and profite beleeuing moreouer that he is almightie and so can doo what hee will Thirdly that beeing infinitely wiser than we hee better than our selues doth knowe wherein our good and saluation doeth consist This feeling I saie of his goodnesse loue power and wisedome will force vs to conclude that all the affliction that hee saieth vppon vs is to our profite and good albeit in the iudgement of the flesh we thinke otherwise This is a true sanctification of the name of God and induceth vs to loue him when we are thus assured by the goodnes loue power and wisedome of him that afflicteth vs that the same affliction is good and profitable for vs and renouncing the contrarie iudgement of our flesh wee doo praise blesse God in the same when our spirite shall find that to be good which our flesh thinketh to be bad and that our spirite shall make vs to praise God for that which maketh our flesh to weepe To this purpose is the example of Iob verie notable For hee Iob 1 when hee lost all his goods and children sayde The Lorde hath giuen and the Lord hath taken awaie blessed be his name Afterward being extremly tormented in bodie he sayd Iob. 2.1 If wee haue receiued good from the hande of God shall wee not receiue euill First hee acknowledged all his affliction to proceede from the will and prouidence of God Next he felt that God by whose prouidence he was afflicted is as is aforesaid all good all wise and almightie And therefore in this sanctification of Gods name he concluded that affliction was good and profitable And this was the cause and reason that he blessed God in his affliction 1. Thes 5.18 as also S. Paul admonisheth vs to yeld thanks vnto God in all things 23 Againe this doctrine teacheth vs not to regard man that afflicteth vs but God who vseth him for our affliction
man was crucified with Iesus Christ wee must not nowe raise him again but leaue him dead And as a dead man is no longer possessed of the motions thoughts affections and woorkes of a liuing man so wee by our Baptisme beeing dead into Iesus Christ must no longer haue anie motions affections wordes or workes of our old man 13 There yet resteth this consideration that by Baptisme we do put on Christ But Christ whom we haue put on is holy and of a sweete sauour before God Gal. 3.27 And shall we be so slouthfull as to trail this sacred garment through the mire and silthines of this worlde Or putting it off to put on the villanous and stinking garment of flesh by walking in the affections thereof Let vs walke saith Saint Paule honestly as in the daie not in gluttonie or dronkennesse Rom. 13.13 neither in chambering and wantonnesse in strife and enuying But let vs put on Iesus Christ and take no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lustes thereof Thus doeth our Baptisme diuersely and in sundrie wise binde vs to amende our liues But because in Baptismes names are giuen as in olde time in the circumcision so ofte as wee heare our names let the same be an aduertisement vnto vs of our Baptisme putting vs in minde of our duties to amend 14 Vpon the holy ministerie dependeth also the communion in the holy supper of the Lord. Many are the reasons for the which Christ dyd ordaine it all which doo also binde vs to amend Of these wee will now consider soure principall The first by the vse of the holy supper our faith is strengthned and our soules are spiritually fed in the hope of lyfe euerlasting And therfore as the child when hee commeth to age is bound to honor his parents not onely for his begetting bringing into this life but also because they haue fed and brought him vp still do continue the same duties vnto him euen so should it be with vs whom God hath as it were begotten into his Church through our Baptisme and to whom he hath since in his holy Supper ministered the food of our soules in the communion of the bodie and bloud of Iesus Christ For not onely our spirituall new birth by Baptisme but also the spirituall foode which this good father â—â—eth vnto vs in his holy supper do binde vs to honor him yea and should thereto mightily induce vs considering that for food to our soules hee hath deliuered his onely sonne Iesus Christ to be crucified for vs. If anie man had a child so sicke that nothing coulde serue for his foode and recouerie but pearles confected or preserued how much should such a child bee bound to loue and honour his parents that for his releefe had not grudged at theyr expense Truly it were a most bitter ingratitude not to care to please or obey them Euen so what reproofe shoulde we deserue of our heauenly father who seedeth vs in his holy supper not with pearles but with the verie flesh and bloud of his son Iesus Christ in case wee should make no account to please him by amendement of life withall considering that as there is no comparison betweene pearles and the body and bloud of Iesus Christ so the spiritual life of our souls is without comparison much more excellent than the life of our bodies 15 Moreouer as meate and drinke ministred vnto the bodie do maintaine the life motions senses of the bodie so from the communion in the bodie and bloud of Iesus Christ which is the foode of the soule must proceed the spirituall and heauenly life cogitations affections wordes and deedes And therefore as it were a strange case if the bodie by eating and drinking shoulde gather no sustenance and consequently want all motions sense and bodyly operation so were it a monstrous matter that the soule communicating in the body and blood of Iesus Christ should gather no spirituall foode that might bring forth newnesse of life and holines in words and deeds 16 Besides as the holy supper is the table of Gods children the faithfull members of the Church of Iesus Christ so the communicating thereat is a solemne protestation that wee are the children of God true belieuers members of the church of Christ and that so we seperate our selues from the prophane worldly and vicious people and do purpose to liue holily righteously and religiously as it beseemeth the children of God and faithfull members of the Church Such therefore as communicating in the holy supper doe not neuerthelesse amende their liues but walking after the worlde and the flesh are giuen to whoredome drunkennesse gluttony couetousnesse deceite fraude ambition pride enuye hatred backbiting with other like vices and corruptions doe shew themselues counterfects hipocrites do eare and drinke their owne damnation and doe horribly scandalize or offend the Church whereof they shoulde be members togither with the doctrine that they doe professe First what an impudency is it solemnely to protest by taking the bread and wine that thou thinkest thy selfe to bee the childe of God and yet in thy selfe doest find that thou doest not so think that thou art a member of Christ and yet dost not belieue him that thou renouncest the world and the flesh and yet art in loue with them that thou wilt liue in holinesse and yet hast no will thereto that thou seekest life in Iesus Christ when voluntarilie thou doest cast thy selfe into death that thou wilt amende thy life yet hast no intent to forsake thy vice and corruptions to be short thus to abuse this holy communion to the end to make men belieue that which God seeth to bee false and contrarie to thy protestation 1. Cor. 11.27 Doest thou not belieue the protestation of S. Paule who saith that Whosoeuer shall eat this bread and drinke of this cuppe vnworthely doth eate and drinke his owne damnation because hee discerneth not the Lords bodie namely from bodily and carnal food which the mouth of the wicked and abhominable do receiue as wel as the mouth of the righteous man one that feareth God 17 Againe doest thou not apprehende the offence that thou doest commit in that thou openest the mouth of the aduersary to religion to condemne the doctrine of truth to reiecte the Church of Christ to blame the children of God and to blaspheme God himselfe thinkest thou not that thou doest harden them in their errours in the way of destruction damnatioÌ„ doest thou not consider that thou doest arme and encourage them to seduce such as are members of the Church and redeemed by the blood of Iesus Christ by declaring vnto them that men so giuen ouer to the world and the flesh cannot bee of the true Church that the doctrine of truth can bring forth no such fruits that the Church is no house for drunkerds adulterers couetous persons deceiuers quarelers enuious people men possessed with other like vices shouldest