of liberty epicurisme sensualitie that we plucke vp good vvorkes as weedes by the rootes and cast them foorth of the doores as the children of the bondwomaÌ„ not worthy to inherite with the free-borne We never said that faith without workes barren and empty of her fruits iustified an vnrighteous soule but that faith so qualified doth notwithstanding iustifie without those workes this we mainetaine against men and angels so we remooue not workes from faith but workes from iustifying Still they followe their mistresse but in remission of sinnes and cloathing the sinner with the iustice of God therein they giue her the place and put the burthen of that worke vpon her shoulders Let Bilha the handmaide supply the defectes of Rahell and beare children vnto Iacob but let her ever remember that Rahel is aboue her and singular in some respect And let not Ioseph forget though he ride in the second chariot of Egypt be the next man to the king yet that the king hath reserved the throne to himselfe Shall I yet teach you by a more sensible and familiar demonstration Bethulia is in danger of Holofernes the terrour of the East as we of the iustice of God and as the strength of Bethulia was thought too weake to encounter him so all our obedience to the law of God is weake and vnsufficient to defende vs. Iudith vndertaketh for the people of her city faith for vs Iudith goeth accompanied with her handmaides faith with her works and though the eies of her handmaid were ever towards her Lady to carry the scrippe c. yet in performing that act of deliverance Iudith is alone her maide standing and waiting at the dore and not so much as setting her foot within the chamber So although our loue and obedience bee as attendant to faith as ever that servant was to Iudith yet in performing this mighty act of deliverance acquiting the conscience froÌ„ the curse of the law pacifying the anger of God and presenting vs blamelesse before his holy eies al which standeth in the apprehension of the merites of Christ and a stedfast perswasion that he hath assumed for vs faith is wholely and solely alone our workes not claiming any part in that sacred action Therefore wee conclude saith the Apostle Rom. 3. that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the law Therefore you see saith Iames in the second of his Epistle that of works a man is iustified and not of faith only He is and he is not doth the one conclude the former and doeth the other inferre also by way of conclusion that he hath prooved the latter What shall we say is God divided or is there dissension in the spirit of vnity or is there more than one truth Apostle against Apostle Iames against Paul in one and the same question deriving a contrary conclusion Not so But as the striking of two flintes togither beateth out fire so the comparing of these their two opinions will make the truth more manifest Surely by faith we are iustified without the workes of the law Meane it of ceremonies as some doe meane it of morall commandements the position is both waies true This rocke we must cleaue vnto this rocke must be published abroad rockes stones will publish this rocke if we conceale it To him that worketh not but beleeveth on him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is accounted for righteousnes Rom. 4. to him that worketh not I will not say that he worketh not at all but he worketh not in this action nor with any intent either to prepare or further his iustificatioÌ„ before the face of God his workes are not reckoned at that time nay they withdraw their presence and hang downe their heades and are abashed to offer themselues in that service But here is the point As I am iustified by faith without the workes of the law so by the workes of the law must my faith be iustified that is avouched made good and testified both to God and man with effectuall proofe and demonstration that it is not a naked fruitlesse hypocriticall faith but soundlye and substantially conditioned So Iames ment it And Thomas Aquinas writing vpon that Epistle confirmeth that meaning that the iustification vvhereof he spake is the exercising or accomplishing of iustice for a thing is then saide to bee done either vvhen it is perfected or when it is made knowne So then there is one righteousnesse imputed favoured and cast vpon vs though it bee not ours there is another righteousnes exercised or declared there is one iustice of iustification there is another iustice of testification there is one that acquiteth before God another that approveth especially before man the one without vs and lent the other within vs inhabitant and inherent the one in Christ and from him communicated to vs the other in our selues and to him in some sort recompenced For such is the nature of faith and loue as the Auncientes described their graces the one is in taking and apprehension the other is in giving and remuneration First we receiue by our faith and then by our charitie we returne some-thing Paule speaketh of the former of these iustifications Iames of the latter Paule delivered simply the doctrine Iames answered an obiection against those that gloried in the name and shadow of faith Paule instructed the vnderstanding Iames informed the life Paule as a Doctor and in the schooles lecturing Iames as a pastour and in the pulpit applying the one handling iustification properly the other to speake as properly sanctification the one establishing a reall christian iustifying faith the other confuting a verball devilish falsifying faith There is now then but one Lord one spirit one truth one gospell one tongue one soule in both these Apostles Consider the state of the question in this present example of the Ninivites You know what they were not only aliantes and strangers fâ—om the covenant and hope of God but of aliantes strangers such whose iniquity streamed into the highest heaven and called downe vengance vpon them What should they now doe to redeeme their peace For if they had fasted till their knees had bowed vnder them if they had put sacke-cloath about their loines till the haire and wale thereof had entred even into their soules if they had spent the day in crying and the night in wailing and if they had lived besides as iustly to the world as Aristides did in Athens who was banished the city for over-much iustice and had not withall beleeved I wil not say but God might haue spared to haue made them notorious examples of his iustice to the worlde but surely they had remained as aforetime children of darknes still and sonnes of perdition and the waies of peace they had never knowne Therefore to conclude on their parte they are iustified by their faith This is it that investeth them into the friendship and loue of God their very beleeving of him is imputed
vnto them for righteousnesse as it was to Abraham and to testifie that faith to man to make it perfect before God to seale it vp to their owne conscience they are abundant also in good workes which is that other iustification vvhereof Iames disputeth For as in the temple of Ierusalem there were 3. distinctions of roumes the entry or porch where the beasts were killed the altar where they were sacrificed the holiest place of al whither the high priest entred once every yeare so in this repentance of Niniveh there are 3. sortes of righteousnes the first of ceremony in wearing sacke-cloath and fasting the second of morality in restitution the third the iustice of faith and as it were the dore of hope wherby they first enter into the kingdome of heaven We haue heard what the Ninivites did for their partes let vs nowe consider what God for his It is said that he saw their workes and repentâ—d him of the plague intended and brought it not Nay it is saide that God saw their workes God repented him of the plague vvith repetitioÌ„ of that blessed name to let the world vnderstande that the mischiefe was not turned away for the value and vertue of their workes but for the acceptance of his own good pleasure nor for the repentance of the city but for the repentaÌ„ce of his own heart a gracious inclination propension that he tooke to deliver them No marvaile it was if when God saw their workes he bethought him of their deliverance For when the person is once approved received to grace which their faith procured them his blemishes are not then looked vpon his infirmities covered his vnperfect obedience taken in good part nay coÌ„meÌ„ded honored rewarded daily provoked with promises invitatioÌ„s of greater blessednes to come So a father allureth his son the servaÌ„t doth ten times more yet is the recoÌ„peÌ„ce of the son ten times greater for the father respecteth not so much the workes of his child but because he is a father teÌ„dreth followeth him with fatherly affection wheras the hired servant on the other side is but a stranger vnto him Why then were the works of Niniveh acceptable vnto God not of theÌ„selues but for their sakes that wrought them they for their faith for this is the root that beareth theÌ„ al. In that great cloud of witnesses Heb. 11. what was the reason that they pleased God besides the honour of the world that they vvere vvell reported of and obtained the promises which was the garlande they ranne for besides their suffering of adversities subduing of kingdomes vvorking of righteousnesse with many other famous exploites there ascribed vnto them what was the reason I say but their faith which is the whole burdeÌ„ of the song in that memorable bead-role By faith did Abell thus Enoch thus and others otherwise But why not their workes of themselues For is not charity more than faith these three remaine faith hope and loue but the greater of these three is loue 1. Cor. 13. And the first and the greate commaundemente is this Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy GOD c. Math. the two and twentith And the end of the commaundement is loue 1. Tim. 1. And loue is the fulfilling of the lawe Romanes the thirteenth I graunt all this if thou be able to performe it Loue the Lorde thy God with all thy heart c. and thy neighbour as thy selfe and there is nothing wanting vnto thee thou hast kept the commandement thou hast fulfilled the law thou needest not the passion of thy redeemer thou maiest catch the crowne of life by rightfull desert But this thou art not able to performe were thou as righteous as Noe as obedient as Abraham as holy as Iob as faithfull as David as cleare as the sunne and moone as pure as the starres in heaven yet thou must sing and sigh with a better soule than thine owne who saw and sighed for the impurity of all living flesh Enter not into iudgement vvith thy servant O Lorde for no flesh living can bee iustified in thy sight God hath concluded thee and thy fathers before thee and the fruit of thy body to the last generation of the world vnder sinne and because vnder sinne therefore vnder wrath and malediction and death if thou flie not into the sanctuarie to hide and safegarde thy selfe But blessed be the name of Christ the daies are come wherein this song is sunge in the lande of Iudah and through all the Israell of God farre and neare vvee haue a stronge cittie salvation hath God set for wals and bul-workes about it Open ye the gates that the righteous nation which keepeth faith may enter in Which is that righteous nation that shall enter into the citty of God thus walled and fortressed but that which keepeth faith or rather faithes as the Hebrew hath that is all faith not ceasing to beleeue till their liues end They that beleeue thus adding faith vnto faith the Lord vvill returne them as great a measure of his blessing even peace vpon peace in the next wordes because they trust in him We neede no better expositour The righteous man is he that beleeveth and the beleeving man is he that vvorketh righteousnes for these two shall never be sundred and the onlie key that openeth vnto vs the gates of the citty is our faith So then when we see good workes we must know that they are but fruites and seeke out the root of them and when we haue the root we must also haue regarde to the moisture and iuice whereby it is nourished For as the fruits of the earth grow from their root that root liveth not by it selfe but is fedde and preserved by the fatnes of the soile warmth of the sun benefite of the aire vnder which it standeth so good workes grow from faith and that faith liveth in the obiect the merites and obedience of Iesus Christ feeding and strengthning it selfe by the sweet influence and sappe of these heavenly conceites that he came into the worlde to saue sinners and that he died for her sinne and rose to life for her iustification For as we esteeme the worth of a ring of gold not so much in it selfe as in the gemme that it carrieth so are we iustified magnified also in the sight of God by faith in Christ not for this quality of beleeving which is as vnperfite as our works but for the obiect of this quality Christ our mediatour which is the diamonde and iewell borne therein The hand of a leper though never so bloudy and vncleane yet it may doe the office of an hand in taking and holding fast the almes that is given The giver may bee liberall enough and the gift sufficient to releeue though the hand that received it full of impurity So it is not the weakenesse of our faith in apprehending and applying the passion of Christ that
there anie vessell more or lesse in honour then the rest are Moses is no better then Samuel Samuel thē David David a king then Amos an heardman Iohn Baptist more then a prophet not more then a prophet in this auctority Peter or Andrewe the first that was chosen not better then Paul that was borne out of due time The foure beastes in the Revelation haue eies alike before and behinde and the Apostles names are euenly placed in the writings of the holy foundation Salomon the vvisest king that euer vvas in Ierusalem perceiued righte vvell that wheresoeuer the vncreated vvisedome of GOD spake it spake of excellent thinges even thinges seemelie for Princes David his princelie father before him had so high a conceite of these ordinances of the most high that vvhere he defineth any thing he esteemeth them for value aboue great spoiles and thousandes of gold and silver yea all maner of riches and for sweetnesse aboue the hony and the honycombe where he leaueth to define he breaketh of with admiration wonderfull are thy testimonies I haue seene an ende of all perfection but thy commandement is exceeding broade meaning thereby not lesse then infinite The Iewes acknowledge the old testament abhorre the new the Turkes disclaime Iulian atheists and skorners deride Grecians haue stumbled at both olde and newe Papistes enlarge the olde vvith Apocryphall vvritings some of the ancient heretickes renoūced some prophets others added to the number of Evangelists but as the disciples of Christ had but one Maister or teacher in heauen and they were all brethren so one was the authour of these holy vvrittes in heaven and they are all sisters and companions and vvith an vnpartiall respect haue the children of Christes familie from time to time receiued reverenced and embraced the whole and entire volume of them They knowe that one Lorde vvas the originall fountaine of them all vvho being supremely good vvrought and spake perfect goodnesse One vvorde and vvisedome of God revealed these wordes to the sonnes of men himselfe the subiect and scope of them one holie Ghost endited them one bloude of the lambe sealed and confirmed the contentes of them one measure of inspiration vvas given to the pen-men and actuaries that set them downe one spowse and beloved of Christ as gages of his eternall loue hath received them all in keeping And surely shee hath kept them as the apple of her eie and rather then any maime or rent shoulde bee made in their sacred bodye shee hath sent her children into heaven maimed in their owne bodies and spoiled of their dearest bloud they had thinking it a crowne of ioie vnto them to lay downe their liues in the cause of trueth And therefore as branches of the same vine that bare our predecessours to vvhome by devolution these sacred statutes are come vvee esteeme them all for Gods most royall and celestiall testament the oracles of his heavenly sanctuary the onelie keye vnto vs of his revealed counselles milke from his sacred breastes the earnest and pledge of his favour to his Church the light of our feete ioy of our heartes breath of our nostrels pillar of our faith anchor of our hope ground of our loue evidences and deedes of our future blessednes pronouncing of the vvhole booke with every schedule and skrole therein conteyned as hee did of a booke that Sextius vvrote but vpon farre better groundes vivit viget liber est supra hominem est It is a booke of life a booke of liuelyhood a booke in deede savouring of more then the wit of man Notwithstanding as the parcelles of this booke were published and delivered by divers notaries the instruments of Gods owne lippes in divers ages divers places vpon divers occasions and neither the argument nor the stile nor the end and purpose the same in them all some recounting thinges forepassed some foreseeing thinges to come some singing of mercy some of iudgement some shallowe for the lambe to wade in some deepe enough to beare and drowne the Elephant some meate that must bee broken and chevved vvith painefull exposition some drinke that at the first sighte may bee supt and swallowed dovvne somevvhat in some or other parte that may please all humours as the Ievves imagine of their Manna that it rellishte not to all alike but to everie man seemed to taste accordinglie as his hart lusted so though they vvere all vvritten for our learning and comforte yet some may accorde at times and lende application vnto vs for their matter and vse more then others Of all the fovvles of the ayre I meane the Prophetes of the LORDE flying from heaven vvith the winges of divine inspiration I haue chosen the Doue for so the name of Ionah importeth and Ierome so rendereth it to Paulinus to bee the subiecte of my labour and travell vndertaken amongest you vvho vnder the type of his shipwracke and escape figuringe the passion and resurrection of the sonne of GOD and comming from the sea of Tharsis as that Doue of Noahs Arke came from the vvaters of the floude vvith an oliue branch in his lippes in signe of peace preacheth to Niniveh to the Gentiles to the vvhole vvorlde the vndeserved goodnesse of GOD towardes repentant sinners For if you vvill knowe in briefe vvhat the argument of this Prophet is it is abridged in that sentence of the Psalme The LORDE is mercifull and gracious of longe suffering and of grette goodnesse Hee is mercifull in the first parte of the prophecy to the Mariners gracious in the seconde to Ionas long suffering in the thirde to the Ninivites and of great goodnesse in the fourth in pleading the rightfulnesse of his mercie and yeelding a reason of his facte to him vvhich had no reason to demaunde it So from the foure chapters of Ionas as from the foure windes is sent a comfortable breath and gale of most aboundant mercies And as the foure streames in paradise flowing from one heade vvere the same water in foure divisions so the foure chapters or sections of this treatise are but quadruple mercie or mercie in foure parts And so much the rather to bee harkened vnto as an action of mercie is more gratefull vnto vs then the contemplation the vse then the knowledge the example then the promise and it is sweeter to our taste beeing experienced by proofe then vvhen it is but taught and discoursed You heare the principall matter of the prophecie But if you woulde knowe besides what riches it offereth vnto you it is a spirituall library as Cassiodore noted of the Psalmes of most kindes of doctrine fit for meditation or as Isidore spake of the Lordes prayer and the Creede the vvhole breadth of scripture may hither bee reduced Here you haue Genesis in the sodaine and miraculous creation of a gourd Moses and the lawe in denuntiation of iudgement Chronicle in the relation of an history Prophecy in prefiguring the resurrection of
the martyrings of Iob for the other for though the circuit of Sathan be very large even to the coÌ„passing of the whole earth to fro yet he hath his daies assigned him to staÌ„d before the presence of the Lord for the renewing of his commission And besides Oviculam vnam auferre non potuit c. he could not take one poore sheepe from Iob till the Lorde had given him leaue put forth thine hande nor enter into the heard of swine Mat. 8. without Christs permission And so to conclude whether men or devilles be ministerial workers in these actions all coÌ„meth from him as from the higher supreme cause whose iudgments executed thereby no man can either fully comprehend or reprehend iustly God professeth no lesse of himselfe Esay 45. I forme the light and create darkenesse I make peace and create evill I the Lord do all these thinges And in the 54. of the same prophecie Beholde I haue created the smith that â—loweth the coales in the fire and him that bringeth foâ—th an instrument for his worke I haue created the destroyer to destroy destruction commeth from the instrument the instrument from the smith the smith and all from God In the 10 of the same booke Asshur is called the rod of his wrath and the staffe in his hands was the Lords indignation And the prophet praieth in the 17. Psalme to the same effect vp Lord disapoint him cast him downe deliver my soule from the wicked which is a sword of thine We neede not farther instructioÌ„s in this point but whatsoever it is that outwardly troubleth vs let vs larne to feare him therin froÌ„ whose secret disposition it procedeth who hath a voice to alay the winds the seas a finger to confound sorcerers coÌ„iurers an hooke for the nostrels of Senacharib a chain for the divell himselfe the prince of darkenes In the 2. person which were the marriners we are directed by the hand of the scripture to consider three effects which the horrour of the tempest wrought vpon them For 1. they were afraid 2. they cried vp on their Gods 3. they cast out their wares the 1. an affection of nature the 2. an action of religion the 3. a worke of necessity Some of the Rabbines held that the marriners in this ship had more cause to be astonished and perplexed then all that travailed in these seas besides for when other ships were safe and had a prosperous voiage theirs only as the marke wherat the vengance of God aimed was endaungered But because it appeareth not in the booke I let this passe with many other vnwritteÌ„ collections as namely that they were nere the shore laboured with all their force to tough their ships to land but could not do it which happily may be true and as likely otherwise therfore I leaue it indiffereÌ„t am conteÌ„t to see no more theÌ„ the eie of my text hath descried for me But this I am sure of Affliction beginneth to schoole theÌ„ driue theÌ„ to a better haven then they erst found It evet worketh good for the most part and although the better sort of men are corrected by loue yet the greater are directed by feare As the wind the seas so the feare of the wrath of God in this imminent danger of shipwrack appearing shaketh perturbeth their heartes though they had hardened them by vse against all casualties by sea like the hardest adamantes All the works of the Lord to a coÌ„siderate mind are very wonderful his mercy reacheth to the heavens and his faithfulnes is aboue the cloudes his wisdome goeth from end to end his righteousnes is as the highest mountaines his iudgmentes like a great deepe whatsoever proceedeth from him because that artificer excelleth is must needes be excellent But it is as true a position perseverantia consuetudinis amisit admirationeÌ„ the assiduity continuance of things bringeth theÌ„ into coÌ„tempt QuaÌ„ multa vsitata calcaÌ„ tur quae coÌ„siderata stupeÌ„tur how many things doth custome make vile which consideratioÌ„ would make admirable because the nature of maÌ„ is such to be carried away rather with new theÌ„ with great things The creatioÌ„ of man who maketh accompt of because it is coÌ„mon But would we ponder in our harts as David did that we are wonderfully fearfully made that our bones were not hid from the Lord though they were shaped in a secret place and fashioned beneath in the earth that he possessed our raines in our generation covered vs in our mothers wombes that his eies did see vs when we were yet vnperfect all things were written in his booke when before they were not it would enforce vs to giue acclamation to the workemanship of our maker as the sweet singer of Israell there did marveilous are thy workes o Lord that my soule knoweth right well A tempest to marriners is nothing because they haue seene and felt and overlived so many tempestes As David because he had killed a lion and a beare at his folde perswaded himselfe that he also could kill Golias So these having past already so many dreadefull occurrents begin to entertaine a credulous perswasion of security no evill shall approach vs. They make their harts as fat as brawne to withstand mishaps It fareth with theÌ„ as with souldiers beaten to the field they haue seene hundreds fall at their right hand and thousands at their left and therefore are not moved and though they beare their liues in their hands they feare not death wherevpon grew that iudgmeÌ„t of the world vpon them Armatis divum nullus pudor souldiers the greater part feare not God himselfe Vndoubtedly our sea-men drinke downe digest their dangers with as much facility felicity to as some their wine in bowles yet notwithstaÌ„ding the marriners here spokeÌ„ of even the maister of the ship with the vulgar sort having such iron sinews in their brests giaÌ„ts by sea and if I may tearme them so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men that fight with God being in their proper element the region and grounde where their arte lieth having fought with the waues and windes a thousand times before they are all striken with feare and their heartes fall asunder within them like drops of water David Psal. 107. setteth downe foure kindes of men vvhich are most indebted to God for deliveraunce from perilles the first of those that haue escaped a dearth the second prisoners enlarged the third such as are freed from a mortall sicknes the last sea-faring men of whome hee writeth thus They that go downe into the sea in shippes and occupie their marchandize by greate waters they see the worke of the Lorde and his wonders in the deepe For hee commaundeth and raiseth vp the stormie winde and it lifteth vp the waues thereof they mount vp to the heaven and descende againe to the deepe so that their soule melteth for trouble They are tossed too and
is the leader and the captaine faileth the knees smite togither sorrow is in the loines and the face gathereth blacknesse But I leaue to discusse the nature of feare because I haue handled it twise before This onelie I obserue in the mariners out of these words that they goe from strength to strength the longer the leaven lieth in the meale the more it leaveneth the longer they reteine in their harts the knowledge of the true God the more they encrease in knowledge If you compare the 5. and 10. and this 16. verses togither you shall finde that in the first they only feared in the second they feared exceedinglie in the third they feared the Lord exceedinglie The first declareth no more than the affectioÌ„ the secoÌ„d addeth the measure the third the obiect The first was the feare of nature the second of grace in the prime and first sprowting thereof the third of grace in a further perfection At the first they feare as men next as novices lastly as coÌ„verts First they see a tempest and because it threatneth destruction vnto them they are afraide which is incident to all men secondlie they heare a confession of the true Lorde a relation of an offence done a declaration of the iustice of God then they are afraide more than before now lastlie they see the event and proofe of all things the truth of a Prophetes words the importunity of iudgement the excecution of vengeance at this they feare as much as before but their idolles wholie relinquished they feare whome they shoulde feare the dreadfull Lorde of hostes and to publish that feare to the whole worlde they offer sacrifices and make vowes Thus is the kingdome of God described Math. 13. it is as a graine of mustard seede at the first the least of all seedes but when a man hath sowen it in his fielde it becommeth first an hearbe secondly the greatest of hearbes thirdly a tree fourthly the birds make arbours and shades in the boughes thereof So doe the marriners passe from one feare as the seede to an other feare as the hearbe and to a great feare as a great hearbe and yet to a greater feare the feare of the Lord as to a tree and the boughes thereof are so large that birdes may build nests in them that is their workes and fruites so apparant that others may be drawne by the sight and example of them There is small hope comfort to be had of that man who though hee heare the worde of God and receiveth it and forthwith receiveth it and furthermore with ioy yet serveth but the time applying his religion conscience to the present condition of things Examine your selves by these notes whether you are sowen in the fielde of the Lorde to take roote and to growe to perfection yea or no whether yee heare the lawe to keepe the law whether you hold that which you have as Philadelphia is counselled and not only hold at a stay but strengthen and confirme the remnant that which is lefte that your workes may be fulfilled before the Lorde as Sardi is wished to do whether you runne not onely to pace the grounde to make vp the number of runners to wearie your bodies to spend your breathes but to obtaine also for that is the Apostles exhortation So runne that yee may obtaine There is no time of standing in this life we must still forwardes and thinke that every blessing of God bestowed vpon vs is a further calling and provocation of God as were his callings vpon Elias when he found him a daies iorney in the wildernesse sitting and sleeping vnder a iuniper tree hee calleth vpon him vp and eate and when he found him a second time vp thou hast a great iorney to goe and when hee had travailed forty daies and was lodged in a cave what doest thou here Elias and when hee had brought him forth to the mount what doest thou heare Elias Goe and returne vnto the wildernesse by Damascus and doe thus and thus So whether we be entered into our way or have proceeded in it whether we be babes in Christ or strong men whether carnall or spirituall wee must vp and eate and strengthen our selves first with milke and then with stronger meat wee have still a greater iorney to goe wee must walke from grace to grace from vertue to vertue from knowledge to knowledge and allwaies thinke that we heare a voice that calleth vs forward Thou hast yet a greater iorney to goe what doest thou heare Elias Our Saviour telleth his disciples Iohn 14 that in his fathers house are the mansions they are not in the wildernesse nor in Horeb not vpon the mount where Peter would haue had the tabernacles builte nor in anye parte of this life therefore let no man singe a requiem to his soule Anima quiesce Soule take thy ease or body take thy rest till hee commeth to that place where his rest is Christ observed this course himselfe Luke 13. Goe tell that foxe Beholde I cast out devilles and do cures this day and to morrowe and the thirde day I shal be perfited The church of Thyatira in the Revelation is thus commended I knowe thy workes and thy loue and thy faith c. and that thy last workes are more than the first And the conclusion or posie of the Epistle vvritten to that church and of all the other Epistles is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not he that draweth his sword nor hee that fighteth the battelles of the Lorde nor hee that spendeth his bloud much lesse hee that fainteth or flieth but hee that overcommeth shall eate of the tree of life and receiue those other blessings To conclude It is a graue and serious exhortation which the Apostle maketh to the Hebrewes leaving the doctrine of the beginning of Christ let vs be led forward to perfection not laying againe the foundation of repentance from dead workes and faith towardes God c. The earth which drinketh in the raine which commeth oft vpon it and bringeth forth hearbes meete for them by whome it is drest receaveth blessing of God but that which beareth thornes and briers is reprooved and is neere vnto cursing whose ende is to be burned You see how the plagues arise 1. reproofe 2. a curse 3. burning and therefore it is as requisite that wee encrease in our fruitfulnesse Hee addeth a modest and kinde qualification of his former speech But wee are perswaded better thinges of you and such as are â—eere to salvation though wee thus speake If wee shoulde thus speake of our corrupt and vnprofitable times wee are perswaded better things our perswasion must be stronger then our proofe and experience For our grounde hath drunke this raine whereof he wrote and often dranke it not distilled from the cloudes of the aire but from an higher region of Gods most gratious favour Where are the hearbs fitte for the vse of the husbandman that dressed it I see but
vnto him at the resurrection of iust men vvhat then if the waters were come vp evâ—n vnto his soule Or coulde hee perswade himselfe that any depth of vvaters coulde over-reach the iudgementes and counsailes of the Lorde in preserving his Saintes Are not they also abyssus magna as greate and a greater deepe than ever sea had what then if the depth closed him about did hee not know that weedes shoulde rotte and fall away from his head and in steede of weedes the head shoulde bee crowned with mercy and compassion and clothed vvith glory as with the sunne-beames vvhat then though the weedes were bound about his head vvas hee to learne that the Lorde shoulde one day say to all the prisoners of hope though Ossa and Pindus the graves of those Gyants had buried their bodies stande vp and shew your selves and that the gates of hell much lesse the barres of the earth are not of force to resist his ordinances what theÌ„ though hee were descended to the bottomes of the mountaines c. What if his heade and heart also body and soule the vvhole composition and frame of Ionas had susteined a dissolution temporall vvhich the lawe of mortalitye and the common condition of all fleshe had made him subiect vnto is there not a time of refreshing when both the substance and beauty of all these shal be renewed againe Then againe I say what needeth in seculum so deepe a suspition of the goodnesse of the Lord as if it had for ever relinquished him it is an effect which for the most part a vehement griefe worketh in all sortes of men except some of a Stoicall disposition and others of a worse that have seared their heartes with hot irons and can feele nothing So vvee reade in the Lamentations My strength and my hope is perished from the Lorde And for a space of time there is little difference either in speech or thought betwixt precious and reprobate spirites But whereas the nature of desperation is this obligatur consuetudine obseratur ingratitudine impenitudine obfirmatur custome bindeth ingratitude locketh impenitency barreth it vp there is not that custome ingratitude impenitency in Gods chosen ones but though they lay downe their hope they take it vp againe and though they giue over the field to the enimy and seeme to fly away yet they flye to returne and to fight with more courage and vpon better advantage The hope of a Christian man is very nicely and fearefully placed betwixt two extremities as Susanna in the midst of two adulterers Ista duo occidunt animaâ— aut desperatio aut perversa spes Desperation and presumption are two infamous gulfes and here as ill as ever Scylla Charybdis did for the wracke overthrow of in my poore soules For as it is not good on the one side to haue too bold head strong an hope that howsoever we liue whither swearing or fearing an oth we shal be saved eáspe freti sperando pereunt they that so hope perish by so hoping it is the hope of the hypocrite shall come to naught it is as the house of a spider that shal soone be overturned so on the other it is not safe to haue our iealous god alwaies in iealousie stil to diffide whither he be our merciful father yea or not For hope is ever accoÌ„panied with 2. sisters which never depart froÌ„ her sides society faith loue faith the guide to keepe vs froÌ„ desperation loue the rule to keepe vs from presumption For he that hath faith can never distrust of the mercies of God because he beleeveth the promises in Iesus Christ he that hath charity wil never presume of a sinfull and licentious life because he is taught by loue to keepe the coÌ„maÌ„dementes of the most High Ionas made some triall of both these extremities For when he went fiirst froÌ„ the face of the Lord and refused a plaine iniunction what was it els but presumption in him Now to distrust of the mercies of God and stifly to affirme that his miseries shall never be released is a spice of desperation But his wisedome was that at their first invasioÌ„ he treadeth vpoÌ„n the heades of both these serpents assoone as he feeleth them sting he presently armeth himselfe with the grace of God to escape from them Otherwise if as the speech of Ionas was in seculum so the thoughtes of his heart had continued in seculum without revocation then had he also takeÌ„ vp his place amongst those whom God had set on his left hand and made the mirrours to the world of his irrevocable damnation For this were insanabilis plaga as Ieremy speaketh a wound that never can be cured to despaire of the aide of God as if a surgion should promise helpe to a sore and the patient should thrust his nailes into it and answere him nay but it shall not be healed It is the iust state of the damned for when all the people vpon the earth besides liue by hope for he that soweth soweth in hope and he that reapeth reapeth in hope he that liveth liveth in hope and he that dieth dieth in hope yea the whole creature groneth vnder hope and waiteth for that time with a fervent desire vvhen the sonnes of God shall be revealed and it selfe restored these onely are past hope One compareth desperation to the beaste in Daniell that hath no name given to it The first of the fowre was a lion the second a beare the third a leopard but this without distinguishing the kinde was very fearefull and terrible and stronge and had greate iron teeth destroied and brake in peeces and stampt vnder his feete and had hornes enough to push at God with blasphemy at his brethren with iniury and at the soule within his owne bosome with distrust of mercy Other our sinnes are fearfull enough and haue as it were the rage of lions and leopardes and beares to spoile make desolate the soule of man but the finall decay indeede which can never be recovered whilst there standeth a seate of iustice in heaven is desperatioÌ„ The greatest sinnes they say are these which are opposed to the theologicall vertues faith hope charity infidelity to faith desperation to hope hatred to charity amoÌ„gst the which infidelity hatred the one not beleeving the other hating God are in themselues worse but in regard of him that sinneth desperation far excedeth theÌ„ both in the daunger annexed to it For what can bee more miserable than a wretch not pittying himselfe But to acquite the prophet of the Lord from so damned a sin as in the former verses after his deadly downe-fall one would haue thought when his iudgmeÌ„t came from his owne mouth I said I am cast out c. he arose againe set vp a staÌ„dart of coÌ„fort to al the distressed of the world yet will I looke againe towardes thy holy temple so in this 2. fight and fit of his
generation than the children of lighte First there is nothinge that winneth the common people marke it when you vvill more than superstition Adde the iudgmeÌ„t of the Romane Oratour in the second place A man that is wonne to superstition can never bee quiet in minde Which whither it bee our pride that wee are all in loue as Pygmaleon with his picture so we vvith the vvorkes of our handes devises of our heads and therefore the true service of God we are not so soone allured with because it commeth by precept as vvith the inventions of our owne braine because wee are the authours of them our selves Philo implieth so much writing of religions that everie man a part seemeth best vnto him because they iudge not by reason but by affection or whither it be the care and vigilancy of the devill whome he hath gotten prisoners those to loade with the more irons and to keepe them in safe custodie and if it be possible to make theÌ„ love their captivity or whatsoever the cause else be this I knowe to begin at the head that Sathan will spare no paines in compassing the whole earth to gaine a soule a Scribe or Pharisee will travaile sea and land to winne a proselyte an idolatrous â—ewe will freely bestowe his iewelles and earinges to make a golden calfe an Ammonite will not spare his sonne or daughter from the fire to sacrifice to Moloch a Priest of Baall will cut and launce his owne flesh to demerite his idoll a false prophet will vveare a garment of haire nexte his skinne to deceive with a frier will whippe himselfe till the bloude run downe his shoulders the fathers and children of Babylon will rise early and late to keepe Canonicall howers observe fastes walke pilgrimages runne over their beades and rather loose a limme of their bodies than a ceremonie of their churâ—h and in every acte of their councelles and thirde line of their writings Anathema to men and angels that hold otherwise Let it be their commendation that they take such paines to doe wickedly A thiefe is more watchfull to breake through the house than the goodman to garde it The traitours that Cesar feared in Rome were not those that were fat well in proofe but macilenti pallidi Cassius Brutus that were leane and pale spending the sap of their flesh with travailinge watching plotting devises What is it they loue and labour vpon so much Vanities Is it not of the Lorde of hostes that men shall labour in the fiâ—e to burne and consume themselues and the people shall even weary themselues for verie vanitie They that plough wickednesse a toilesome occupation doe they not reape iniquitie and eate the fruit of lies because they trust in their owne vvaies A man may aske them vvith the prophete vvherefore bestovve you your labour and are not satisfied Or with the Apostle vvhen hee seeth their labour lost what profit had yee in those thinges whereof you are now ashamed The vanities hee nameth are not onely the idolles of the heathen vvhich haue neither sighte in their eies nor hearing in their eares nor breath in their nostreiles nor helpe in their hands to wipe away the dust froÌ„ their owne faces but whatsoever the world hath visible or invisible outwarde or inwarde besiâ—es displacing God of his right and bearing our hart and hope after it it is our idoll in some sort and one of those lying vanities that is heere mentioned Ionas committed idolatry in leaving the mandate of God and bending his iourney after the lustes of his owne heart That vnprobable cogitation which hee fansied to himselfe of escaping the presence of God by taking a contrary way was the idoll hee served and waited vpon and the lying vanity wherewith hee was beguiled The God of heaven called vnto him Arise goe to Niniveh the God of his owne making the devise of his braine commanded otherwise Arise flie to Tharsus The covetous maÌ„ is called an idolatour in plaine tearmes Ephes. 5. Iob expresseth the right forme of their canonization whereby they make gold a God They saie to there wedge thou are my confidence As treason and rebellion putteth vp a nevve king Absolon for David so covetuousnesse a newe God Mammon for Iehovah You cannot serue God and Mammon Dispute not superfluously and idly that you can doe it for God hath pronounced the contrary God cryeth lende giue scatter cast vpon the waters feede cloath visite harbour and is not obeyed Mammon cryeth on the other side take gather extort strippe sterue spoile and is harkened vnto Whether of these two is now the God An other idolatry as mentioned by Abbacuk in the first of his Prophecie of those that sacrifice to their nettes and burne incense to their flewes vvho because their portion is encreased and their meate plenteous by these instrumentes and helpes vvhich they vse in their trades of fishing or the like they forgette the righte author of their thrifte and arrogate all to themselues and their serviceable meanes Some make an idoll of their owne braine as the king of Tyre did who thoughte that by his vvisedome and vnderstanding hee had gotten riches into his treasury and his hearte was so highly exalted vvith that conceite that hee coulde not forbeare that most blasphemous and Luciferian presumption I am a GOD. Such are the states-men as they loue to bee helde the Politicians and Machiavellistes of our sinnefull age plotters of kingdomes and common-vveales vvho thinke themselues vviser than Daniell as the king of Tyre did and that Moises and the prophetes are not so able to instructe them as they themselues Some make an idoll of the strength of their armes as Zenacharib did By the multitude of my chariots have I done thus and thus but touching the true Lorde of hostes as if hee were lesse than nothing and had lost the strength of his mightie arme hee vaunteth to the king of Iudah let not thy GOD deceive thee The end of all is this Idolum nihil est An idoll is so farre from being more than vanitie that it is mere nothing I know in an idoll of silver or gold or brasse there is both matter and fashion Golde is golde and the thoughtes of our heartes thoughtes our wisedome beauty and strength are qualities that have their being And if we make either belly or backe our God they are both creatures that God hath made but they are nothing of that whâ—ch we suppose them to be Wee make them our honour our hope our confidence such they are not For yet a little while and the moth the worme rottennes rust and consumption shall inherite them all The righteous shall beholde it and feare and laugh them to scorne that haue beene so madde after vanitieis ecce homo beholde the man which hath not made God his helper but trusted in riches or other like transitorie things Wherefore I exhort you al as Paul his auditours
sustenance sake Wherein they noted a great indignity that those hands should be vsed at the mill wherewith hee wrote of the sunne and starres It grieveth mee to speake vvhat shiftes they are driven vnto who are able to labour in the word to doe the worke of righte good evangelistes idque vitae sustentandae causa not to grow rich thereby but to put meate into their mouthes and the mouthes of their families I conclude with the exhortation of the Apostle 1. Thes. 5. Now wee beseech you brethren that you know them which labour amongst you and are over you in the Lorde and admonish you that yee haue them in singular or abundant or more then abundant loue for their workes sake From an abundant spirit hee craveth abūdant abūdance of loue empting his soule of words that if it vvere possible hee might stirre their heartes In this sparingly sparing generation of ours what wordes might serue to warme their frozen devotion vvhome neither painefulnesse in labouring nor preeminence in overseeing nor vigilancy in admonishing can cause to knowe and discerne no nor keepe from contemning or so exceedingly to loue no nor vvithdraw from exceedingly hating these labourers rulers vvatchmen of theirs but even for their workes sake because they are ministers most debase and despight them They knew Christ among the Iewes to bee the carpenters sonne and such to bee his brethren and sisters So these they are content to know not in the worthinesse of their calling givinge countenance to their place and maintenaace to their service but in the basenesse of their birth and kindred poorenesse of their liuinges pensions and whatsoever may make to adde vnto them further disgrace And proclaimed a fast and put on sackloth Fasting and sackeclothe saith Ierome are the armour of repentaunce Shee commeth not to God with a full belly and meate betweene the teeth nor in gorgeous attire of silver and golde or of needle worke but with the thinnest face and coursest apparrell that shee can provide Shee is so much the apter to apply her suite and to entreat GOD. Not that the emptinesse of the stomake or roughnesse of the garment doe so much content him which are but outwarde signes of an inwarde cause from whence they proceede For when the soule is touched indeede and feeleth the smarte of her sinnes because it hungreth and thirsteth after the righteousnesse of God therefore it cannot thinke on feeding the outward man but commaundeth it abstinence for a time even from necssary eating and because it longeth to bee clothed with the salvation of God therefore it chargeth her flesh and bloud not to take care for wonted attiring but to change their accustomed ornamentes into sackcloth and ashes Meanetime the pleasure that God hath is in the sorrow of the heart and in the humility of the minde which the humiliation of the body giveth him assurance of The practise of David Psalm 35 is mee thinketh a very good paterne both to shewe the order of repentance to assigne the place that fasting sackcloth haue therein When they were sicke I clothed my self with sackcloth humbled my soule vvith fasting and my praier vvas turned vpon my bosome I behaved my selfe as to my friend or brother and made lamentation as one that bewaileth his mother 1. There must be some misery as the sickenes of friends maladies of our own soules or the publicke sores of the whole land 2. Vpon that misery ensueth an inward harty compassion as in a case that dearely affecteth vs. 3. vpon that cōpassion griefe which mercy is never sundred frō 4. vpon that griefe a neglect of bodily duties neither leasure to fill it with meates drinkes nor care to trim it with ornamēts 5. vpon the neglect of the body doe the exercises of the soule praier the like offer thēselues 6. praier with her other cōpanions at length come laden home with the sheaues of comfort blisse frō the plentifullest fields So that sackecloath and sasting as they are the witnesses of sorrow or some like passion so are they helps also occasions to more acceptable workes then they are themselues neither lye they next to the favor of God but they thrust praier faith between them and home to begge remission I meane not to prevent my text by shewing the nature originall kindes and vse of fasting amongest both heathens Christians which some later verses of this chapter doe challendge to themselues Only I obserue for this present that both those sinnes wherwith the people of Asia did most especially abound and these in Niniveh perhaps more especially then the rest they laboured forthwith to reforme that is the delicacy of meates drinkes intemperancy in cloathing The rich man in the gospell is noted for both these as handmaides that waited vpon his riches And Niniveh the richest lady vnder heaven was not cleare from them To rid themselues of these baites allurements 1. they fast from meate drinke sleepe ointments delightes recreations of all sorts For that is truly to fast not only to forsake forget ordinary food but to emprison shut vp the body from all the pleasures of life to pul downe the strength and pride thereof for neighbour-hoods sake to afflict the soule with it in effect to giue it straight commandement touch not taste not handle not any thing wherein thy wonted ioies consisted 2. They proclame a fast they leaue it not indifferent and arbitrary to the will of every private cittizen to doe what hee best fansied They binde them by a law and decree to do as the rest did least there might have bin some in the city carrying their Epicurisme and loosenesse of life to their graue Let vs eate and drinke for within forty daies vvee shall die 3. They put on sacke-cloath Perhappes not sacke-cloth in kinde which all the shoppes in Niniveh coulde not supply them with but the vilest and simplest vveedes that they might devise Their purple and prince-like furniture wherein they esteemed not warmth but the colour and die and ware them for their price more then necessity their wanton disdainefull superfluous sailes of pride and vaine-glory they lay aside and but for open vncivilitie they would strippe themselues to the bare skinne and repente naked 4. from the greatest to the least They spare no calling Prince nor peere noble nor vulgar person They spare no age old nor yong The aged that went with his staffe and the suckling that drew the breast are all chardged alike even those who for bodily infirmities were vnable enough to beare it The two daughters of the horse-leach which sucke the bloude of our land wasting the substance and commodity thereof in vaine in some the effects of their wealth in others the efficientes of their beggery are the vices of these Assyrians which directly and purposedly they crosse in this worke of repentaunce For what hath
therein committed The answere is this he that dwelleth in such brightnesse of light as never eye of mortalitye coulde approach vnto the sight of whole face to an earthly man is vnsufferable and the knowledge of those invisible thinges in the God-head vnpossible yet to giue some ayme and coniecture vnto vs what he is hee appeareth as it were transfigured into the likenesse of our nature and in our owne familiar tearmes not departinge from our accustomed manners speaketh to our carnall senses and that man may know him in some measure hee will bee knowne as man by eyes eares handes feete other bodily members by anger sorrow repentance ielousie with the like spirituall affections By which hee woulde signifie vnto vs not that which is so indeede but that which is needefull on our beâ—alfe so to bee vttered and expressed For because wee are not ignorant of the vse office effect of these dailie and naturall thinges in our selues therefore when wee heare them ascribed to God by translation we are able partly to ghesse what is meant by them The rule which Bernard giveth in his 4. Sermon vpon the Canticles is catholique and vniversally serveth to the opening of these figures Haec habet omnia Deus per effectum non per naturam All these hath God not by nature but by effect Now what is the effect of anger revenge For a man that is angered is desirous to bee satisfied and to wreake himselfe vpon him that hath provoked him the passion of anger is not in the nature of God but the effect is Vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lorde What is the effect of repenâ—ance The change or abrogation of some thing formerly done or at least determined Repentance is not in God the effect of repentance is the recallinge or vndooinge of a worke which in the iudgement of the worlde was like to haue continued Thus hee repented the making of man Gen. 6. and the advancing of Saul to the kingdome 1. Sam. 15. not that his heart was grieved but his handes that is his iustice and power vndid it and thus hee repented his iudgement agaâ—nst Niniveh by slayinge the sequele and fall thereof So that the easiest exposition indeede of the repentance of God is in the third member of the verse for therefore hee repented him because hee did it not The evill which is heere mentioned is different from that vvhich went before where their evill waies are spoken of for that was culpable this but poenall that defileth a man this but chasâ—eneth afflicteth him that was evill in dooing this but in suffering that in nature this but in feeling the latter proceedeth from the iustice of God the other hee is most free from And God sawe their workes that they turned from their evill waies When I first tooke in hande to declare the repentance of Niniveh I desired you to beare in minde that the first and principall gate whereby they entered into that service towardes God was faith The Prophet who compiled the history noted no lesse as appeareth by his placing of it in the heade of the booke that is in the beginning of the whole narration They beleeved God they tooke him to bee a God of truth and made no question but his worde in the mouth of his servant shoulde bee established And I as little doubt but they also beleeved God not onely assentinge to the truth of the message but entertaining in their heartes a persuasion of deliverance in the ninth verse it is very plaine where the hope of his mercy is that which induceth them to all these workes of pietye Heere it is saide that God sawe their workes and consequentlye repented him of the iudgement and did it not The place hath beene abused and a weapon drawne there hence to fight against Gods grace that these afflictions of the Ninivites macerating themselues with fasting and sackcloth prepared them aforehand to the easier attainement of their pardon Such are the pillers which they builde their workes of preparation vpon that before a man is iustified his workes may deserue that favour of God not of condignity they say worth for worth but of of congruity as if it stood not with reason and conscience that their workes shoulde bee forgotten If the prophet had trusted our simplicitye herein and concealed the name of faith weich heere hee placeth with her open face as the leader and forerunner to all their other actions coulde wee ever haue imagined that they woulde haue humbled themselues by repentance and prayed vnto God on whome they had not first beleeved and whosoever hee bee that spendeth his wretched dayes in the wildernesse of this worlde a wildernesse of sinne as the children of Israell in that wast and roaring wildernesse of SIN Exod. 16. without this cloude by day and piller by night to guide him the way to his rest hee walketh hee knoweth not howe hee strayeth stumbleth falleth because hee hath not light hee liveth and dieth in darkenesse his soule is as a fielde vntilled or as a vineyard growne wilde which though it haue store of grapes they are but sowre grapes his worshippe of God and workes of common civility what glasse soever they beare of honesty and commodity in the eyes of men they are both vnfruitfull to himselfe and before the face of God full of sinne and reprobation There are two thinges in the vvhole course of this history wherevnto I will limite my speech the one what the Ninivites did they beleeved proclaimed a fast repented the other what God he sawe their workes and was satisfied In the person of the Ninivites faith goeth formost workes follow it This is the nature of a true and a living faith it ever worketh by loue Gal. 5. and by workes it is made perfect Iam. 2. faith without these is as an almes of the rich man to the poore departe in peace warme thy selfe fill thy belly but he giveth him nothing Or as the body without the spirit wherin the life motion thereof consisteth For even the theefe vpoÌ„ the crosse that litle time which he had he bestowed in good workes In reproofe of his fellow condemnation of themselues iustification of Christ invocation of his name and a true confession that he was the king of Israell And this although we speake write imprint preach in all our assemblies even the pillers of our churches can beare witnes vnto vs that faith is an idle vnperfect verball deade faith where is not sanctity of life to attend it and wee both receiue it our selues as a faithfull saying confirme it to others that such as haue beleeved God must also be carefull to excell in good workes yet if the pens presses of the Romane faction might passe without controlment we should be trâ—ducâ—d as far as the world is christian for preaching only faith in the iustification of a sinfull man that our gospell is a gospell
invincible courage in defending the Church Nazianzen writeth of Basile that betweene him his followers there is no more cōparison than betweene pillers their shadowes I omitte the rest But such are our vnequall iudgementes of those whose equalles wee shall hardelye bee that if vvee were willed to speake what we thought of Basile we would reckon him but a shadow and counterfeit to our selues and great Athanasius as one of the least amongst vs and thrust out the eyes of Ambrose and tearme him a crow and a chough as the Pie of Mirandula did Cyprian should haue a letter of his name changed as sometimes it was and bee but Caprian vnto vs one that wrote of trifles and vanities I omitte the rest the classicall and principall Doctours of the church next the Apostles of Christ and their next succeeders the starres and ornamentes of learning the pillers of religion and Christianity in their time who put their bodyes and soules betwixt Christ and his adversaries who spake and vvrote and lived and died in defence of his truth whose labours were then renowned and GOD in his providence hath reserved their bookes to this day monumentes to vs of their infatigable paines and helpes to our studies if wee bee not enemies to our selues I could be content to say much for them because I vse them much For I never could bee bold to offer mine owne inventions and conceiptes to the world when I haue found them such in S. Augustine and others as might not bee amended I would not wish the learned of any sort that hath but borne a booke to dispraise learning She hath enemies enough abroade though she be iustified by her children It is fitter that wisedome be beaten by fooles than by wisemen and that Barbary disgrace artes rather than Athens the mother and nurse of them But aboue all other places a blow given in the pulpit leaveth a skarre in the face of learning which cannot easily be removed It preiudiceth the teaching of others as if they fed the people with akornes huskes in steede of bred because they gather the mēbers of truth togither dispersed through oratours philosophers poets fathers scriptures make one body of them all which God is the author of they are thought in a manner to preach falshod Or at least it is vanity in those that preach itching in those that heare in neither of both to be allowed I also condēne it whē it is so Vaine vaine glorious invention let it wither at the braine that sent it forth And let itching eares fret consume away with the malignity of their humours Where we find them itching afte◠pleāsure it is good to make them smart with the acrimony of severe reprehension But where it is otherwise let not a rash conclusion without proofe be admitted against good learning If Asclepiodorus will draw with a cole or chawke alone I iudge him not if others will paint with colours neither let them bee iudged If some will barely teach and others proue if some affect to speake with simplicity and others with variety illustrate If some conferre with men of yester day others with antiquitye some binde themselues precisely to the words of God others not refraine the words of men vsing thē as the words of God If some stande narrowlye vpon the tearmes and sentences of faith others not depart from the proportion of faith nor bring in anye thinge dissonant and disagreeing to the vniformity thereof both may doe well but the latter in mine opinion doe farre the better That which concerneth you in this little dissent of iudgementes the sheepe of his pasture by whome wee are set in his house to giue you your portion in due time is this that you be not dismaied heereat For wee preach not our selues in such kinde of preachinges but Christ Iesus the Lorde not to commend our giftes but to edifie your consciences And to this ende I may saye vvith some alteration of vvordes as the Apostle to the Corinthians All thinges are yours whither it bee Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the vvorlde or life or death or thinges present or thinges to come so all thinges are yours in our preachinge whither it be scripture or nature or art all is yours Yours are Philosophers Orators Historigraphers Poets Iewes Gentiles Grecians Barbarians Fathers new-writers men angelles that you may be saved this only is the end where vnto our knowledge learning of what kind soever is directed To returne to Ionas discontented and withall to conclude you see the fall nay you see the relapse of a chosen prophet a sicknes recovered and a recidivation into the same or a worse sickenes Before hee had sinned and recanted his sinne and washed his disobedience away with the water of the sea but now is returned to the mire againe mire indeed wherein his heart as a troubled muddy spring is so disordered that he discerneth nothing a right neither in faith to God nor charity to man nor loue to himselfe accusing the most righteous Lord envying his innocent brethren and carried away headlong with a kind of detestation towardes his owne person once angry and angry againe and not onely conceaving but defending anger angry with the worme in the earth angry with the sunne in the skie angry with the winde in the aire angry with the former and governour of all these who could haue ended his passion with the least breath of his angry lippes A daungerous and grievous wound in a Sainte If I woulde thrust my fingers into it and thoroughly handle it But I leaue it to the order of my text vvorthy of another sea and of another whale and once more of the belly of hell even of hell indeede if God would exactly stand to repay it Improbe Neptunum accusat qui iterum naufragium facit Hee hath no reason to accuse Neptune that so presentlye after a late daunger will hazard himself to take shipwracke againe God is admirable in his Saintes not onely in their risinges but in their fallings also The best amongst them haue fallen And I loue to report their falles not that I take any pleasure with vngracious Chain to vncover the nakednes of my fathers but because that mantell and cloke of charity which God casteth over their sinnes to cover their weaknesses with is the comfortablest reading and learninge that the world hath S. Augustine spake wisely of the errour of Cyprian Propterea non vidit aliquid ut aliquid per eum supereminentius videretur There was something which he saw not that hee might gaine the knowlege of some more excellent thing That vvhich hee lost in faith hee gott in charity So there is somewhat that Ionas doth not to make way to the doing of some bettter worke For if hee gained nothing else the mercy of God might by this meanes bee the more commended in the forgiuenesse of his trespasse and that which hee
looseth in charity hee getteth in faith that is in the assurance and ratification of the loue of God towardes him Commissum atque conscriptum est saith Augustine vppon the 51. Psalme of the adultery and murther of David So is this fault of Ionas both done and written by one of whome I am sure that his witnesse is true because hee accuseth himselfe and it is written for our learning that those who yet stand fall not and those that are fallen may rise againe Trust not your armes of flesh trust not your heartes of ashes trust not your purest and vprightest spirits whilest they have their dwelling in houses of clay and there is a law in the members striving against them to get the victory If you have stood a time yet trust not your legges you may slide againe or if you have slipt and recovered trust not that recovery for feare of back-sliding Trust not the prerogative of your calling Prophets have fallen Patriarches have fallen Apostles have fallen starres have fallen Angelles have fallen trust notly your strength it is infirmitye trust not wisedome it is folly trust not the frendshippe of the world it is enmity with God trust not the authority thereof it is contemptible in his sight trust not the purity of nature it is defiled trust not the righteousnesse of your workes it is vnperfit trust in the mercy of God for that onely is absolute and in the merites of his beloved sonne for they are all-sufficient It is I it is even I which for mine owne sake put avvay thine iniquities It is not I nor thou nor Abraham nor Moses nor Peter at Rome not Paul at Ierusalem that can doe this cure Heare thy Physitian It is I even I. Not with the preparation of thine owne nature nor with the liberty of thine owne will nor with the cooperation of thine owne iustice heare him once againe It is I even I which for mine owne sake If thou thinketh to hire him thou loosest him Hee standeth not vpon thy desart but vpon his owne most holy name his owne most righteous promise and the obedience of his owne and most only begotten sonne the Lord Christ Iesus An admonition to the readers IT may seeme strange that I have vsed so lardge and impertinent a digression in behalfe of good learning As after a longe oration spent in the praise of Hercules one asked quis vituperavit Who dispraised Hercules So you may desire to know vvho dispraised learning Let it suffice you to vnderstand that one of my fellow-labourers in this worke of the Lorde whome neither I iudge in the freedome of his conscience for speaking what hee thought neither can free from the community of erring with my selfe and others because wee are all vnperfite in knowledge vpon the best day of the seven in the best place and before not the meanest assembly handling the wordes of the Apostle 1. Cor. 16.13 watch yee stand fast in the faith tooke occasion therevpon to stande for the onelye worde of faith in sermons with vehement exception against the histories of the Gentiles Orators Poets other prophane knowledge Wherein let it be his commendation that according to the warning of his text he was diligent in his watch and being iealous for the truth suspected those for enemies which were not and shewed his fidelity to the faith though he went a litle too far missed in the iust measure of applying it For mine owne part I woulde have spared mine answer especially in publicke but that I perceived the speech to bee bent to some marke of a few that laboured in that calling and the eares of the people dranke it in with earnest attētion because it was heartily spoken and some were perplexed others offended therewith and learning was wounded which not to have salved had beene a wrong and the arrow flew from her side glanced vpon vs all without exception in that church who in our manner of teaching held no other course THE XLI LECTVRE Chap. 4. ver 2. And he praied vnto the Lord and said I pray thee O Lord was not this my saying when I was yet in my country c. THe first part of this chapter is spent in declaring the fault of Ionas his vnmerciful affection towards this poore people freed from the wrath of God to whō he should have wished wel if they had beene enemies as now they were friends reconciled by apparāt repentance rather thē have missed this successe which fell out not only have doubled and trebled his paines but even have pulled out his eies laid downe his life to have saved their lives Ionas in liew hereof envieth their mercy received and is angry against God the dispenser carver of that mercy angry against himselfe that hee liveth to behold his expectatiō so contraried A wound in a prophet so much the more intollerable that it was but greene after his late recovery For being newly raised vp from falling he dasheth his foote presently against the same stone rebelling before against the expresse commandement of God and now repining fretting expostulating not much lesse then rebelling againe One would have thought that the salte sea should have purged and washed away all his cholericke distemperatures and that his daunger so nevvly endured and eschewed farther than his hope coulde see into shoulde wholye have transformed him into a man of mercye But you see it is otherwise For the goodnes of God displeaseth Ionas exceedingly and hee is angry The impatience of Ionas consisting of envy implied and probably coniectured it displeased Ionas of anger openly expressed wee haue in generall laide downe in the first verse are particularly to pursue in those that follow Thē were named the affections onely now we come to the effectes of those affections with what gesture speech he came before God Surely the effects are such that they deserue to bee smitten with the censure of the wise man A stone is heavy the sand weighty but yet a fooles heart is heavier than thē both Ballance the iustice of God in his righteous dealing with the penitent city of Niniveh against the anger of Ionas fired enraged doth not Ionas impeach it as if the Lord had done some iniury for which he were iustly to be taunted brought into question O I beseech thee was not this my saying c. Pōder his owne offence which if Saul or some other aliant had cōmitted hee should haue borne his trespasse doth he not iustifie it therfore I prevented it that is I did not amisse to flie vnto Tharsis The state of this mighty city to be desolate overthrown he regardeth no more than to see a grasse in the field mowen downe For I knew thee to be a mercifull God that which I feared is fallen vpon me the exhibition of thy grace to Niniveh Yea the price of his owne life is but vile in his owne eies so he may wreake his anger
pleasure in Though I speake with the tongues of men angelles and haue not charity I am as sounding brasse or a tinckling cymball though I had the gift of prophecy and knew all secrets and knowledge yea if I had all faith so that I coulde remooue mountaines and had not charity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before I was little I was but a sound now I am nothinge What can we lesse pronounce of the prayer of Ionas though one that spake with the tongue of a man in coÌ„parison of other men the tongue of an angell a tongue of the learned a tongue refined like silver though one that had the gift of prophecy and knewe as many misteries of knowledge as was expedient for flesh and bloud to be acquainted with one that had faith enough to saue him in the bottome of the seas the bottome of the mountaines the bottome belly of a monstrous fish but that the want of loue was sufficient to haue lost the blessing grace of all his hearts desires And said I pray thee O Lorde was not this my saying c. Consider now I beseech you what he prayed and therein howe long it is before hee commeth to the matter intended a foolish and vnnecessary discourse interposed of his owne praise but his subiection to the wil of God not thought vpon For what is the substaÌ„ce of his prayer that which is inferred after a loÌ„g preface therfore I pray thee take away my life from mee hee strengthneth it by reason for it is better for me to die than to liue Why better the cause of this commodiousnes and convenience are contained in the prolocution in those frivolous vaine speeches that are first laide downe I beseech thee was not this my saying c. Asmuch as to say I was thrust forth into a charge which from the first houre I had never liking vnto wherin I thought said and resolved to my selfe from the very beginning that I should be deceived Admit all this Say thou foresawest it and that the end would bee other than thou lookedest for oughtest thou therfore to haue refused thy message a necessity was laid vpon thee and thou mightest well assure thy selfe that woes would haue lighted vpon thee as many as the haires of thy head if thou didst it not Leaue the event to God let him vse his floore at his pleasure whither hee gather into the barne or skatter as the dust of the earth do thou the office of a prophet Againe thou sentest me to denounce a iudgment thou meantest nothing but wel vnto theÌ„ I preached righteousnes and severity thou art a gracious God and full of pitty I made their accounts perfect and straight that destruction should fal vpon them at the end of forty daies thou takest a pen of thy mercy and dashest thy former writing writest theÌ„ a longer day yeares and generations to come I know not how many Vpon this he concludeth therefore now O Lord take away my life c. But we will weigh the conclusion when we come to it Mean-time we must rip vp his former speaches which were of preparatioÌ„ making the way to his suit before haÌ„d Peruse theÌ„ who will he shal finde them fuller of affections than words and such a bundell of errors wrapt togither as one would hardly haue imagined in a prophet Wherein by a blind selfe-liking loue to his owne wit iudgement he is carried from reason truth obedience from that reverent estimation which he should haue had of God For howe often in so short a space doth he challendge wisedome to himselfe I beseech thee O Lord I appeale to thine own coÌ„scieÌ„ce speake but truth be not partiall in thine owne cause was not this my saying I am able to alleadge particulars I can remember the time and the place when I was yet in my countrey therefore I prevented it If I had had mine own will I had stopt this inconvenience for I was not to learne that thou vvast a gracious God there was no pointe of fore-sight wherein I mistooke Thus his saying his providence his prevention his knowledge these are the thinges that hee standeth to much and to long vpon Thy saying Ionas or my saying or the saying of any mortall man what are the wordes of our lippes or the imaginations of our harts but naughtie foolish peruerse from our youth vp if God direct them not or vvhat thy prevention and forecast or of all thy companions prophets or prophets children in the world to knowe what to morrow will bring vpon you or the closing vp of the present day vnlesse some wisdome from heaven cast beames into your mindes to â—llighten them As Elizeus directed the hand of Ioash the king of Israell to shoote and the arrow of Gods deliverance followed vpon it and so often as he smote the ground by the apointment of the prophet so often and no longer he had likelihoode of good successe so the Lord must direct our tongues hearts in all that proceedeth froÌ„ them and where his holy Spirit ceaseth to guide vs there it vvill bee verified that the prophet hath Surelie everie man is a beast by his owne knowledge Therefore the advise of Salomon is good Trust in the Lorde vvith all thine hearte and leane not vnto thy vvisedome in all thy waies acknovvledge him and he shall direct thy pathes Be not wise in thine owne eies and feare the Lorde and departe from evill so shall health bee to thy navell and marrow to thy bones You haue heard the counsaile of the wise nowe ioine vnto it for conclusion the iudgment of the most righteous Wâ—e vnto them that are wise in their owne eies and prudent in their owne sight Wisedome presumed you see and drawne from the cisterne of our owne braine is in the reputation of God as the sinnes of covetousnesse oppression drunkennes and such like and standeth in the crew of those damned and wretched iniquities which God accurseth I pray thee I like the note that Ierome giveth vpon this place he tempereth his complaint because in some sort he accuseth God of iniustice For this cause he sweetneth the accusatioÌ„ with faire flattering speach For to haue challendged God in grosse blunt tearms had bin to apparant therfore he commeth with a plausible glosing insinuation vnto him I pray thee O Lord for remembring that fearful name of his Iehova wherein he saw nothing but maiesty dreadfulnes could he do lesse than entreate him if he had spoken but to the king of Niniveh in whose dominions he was or to Ieroboam the second who raigned in his own natiue couÌ„try the very regard of their persons and place would haue enforced him so much It was the couÌ„saile that AEsop gaue to Solon enquiring what speach he should vse before Croesus either verye little or very sweete For a prince is pacified with curtesie and
and kennings in some sort but not sufficient measures to skanne it by It is well observed by Cassiodore vpon the 51. Psalme that the beginning thereof Have mercy vpon me O Lord is the onely voice quae nunquam discutitur sed tranquille semper auditur which is never examined suspended delaied deliberated vpon but evermore heard with peace and tranquillity from God And in the Psalme 136. you shall finde his mercye both the mother that bread and the nurse that to this day feedeth and to the end of the world shal cherish and maintaine al the workes of God It standeth there like a piller or bounder at the end of every verse an endlesse and durable mercy not onely to beautifie the Psalme but to note that the whole frame of the world and every content thereof in particular touching both creation and government oweth not onely their being but their preservation and sustenance to Gods goodnes 4. To leave the persons and to examine the thinges themselves what was a gourd a matter of nothing and in nature but a vulgar ordinary plant for there is a difference in trees as Deut. 20. there is a law made that in besieging a citty they shall not destroy the trees thereof by smiting an axe into them the reason is for thou mayest eate of them therefore thou shalt not cut them downe For the tree of the fielde is mans life Onelye those trees vvhich thou knowest are not for meate those thou shalt destroy and make fortes against the citty Nowe of this tree there vvas none other vse either for meate or for ought besides that he knew save onely for shadow From this difference of things our Saviour argueth Luke 14. when hee healed the man sicke of the dropsy vpon the sabboth day vvhich of you shall have an asse or an oxe fallen into a pit and will not straight way pull him our on the sabboth day For if they tendered the welfare of their beastes much more might he regard the life of man which was far more precious And it is there said that they were not able to aunswere him againe in those things they were so plainely evicted 5. Touching the accidents of this gourd if Ionas had planted nursed it vp which he did not he should have regarded it none otherwise than as a gourd he should not have doted vpon it as Xerxes is reported to have loved a plane-tree in Lydia and he could hardly be drawne away from it and Passienus Crispus twise Consul of Rome a mulberry tree they seeme to have beene some notable bovvers which they fel so in love with The nature of man is to love the works of his owne handes The Poet describeth it in the fable of Pigmalion arte suâ miratur hee is surprised with the liking of his owne arte Who planteth a vineyard saith the Apostle and eateth not of the fruite thereof For this is the ende why he planted it It is confessed Eccles. 2. to be the hand of God that wee eate and drinke and delight our soules with the profit of our labours Nabuchadonozor Dan. 4. boasteth of his greate pallace not which his fathers and progenitours had left vnto him but himselfe had built for the honour of his kingdome The Apostle telleth the Corinthians that hee had laid the foundation amongst them and that others did but builde vpon his beginninges and that although they had tenne thousand maisters in Christ yet had they not many fathers for in Christ Iesus hee had begotten them through the gospell Wherfore he requireth them in equity to be followers of him because they were his building and children and he had a right in their consciences which other men coulde not challendge Novv this vvas a tree wherein Ionas bestowed no labour nec arans nec serens nec rigans neither in preparing the ground nor in setting nor in dressing it was not his worke whereas the Ninivites were Gods creatures neither belonged that to his tuition or chardge to see it preserved whereas that people had evermore lived vnder Gods providence 6. If the continuance and diuturnity of time had bred any liking in Ionas towards the gourd because we coÌ„monly loue those things wherwith we are acquainted his passion might the better haue bene tolerated Nathan doth the rather amplifie the fault of David in taking away the poore mans sheepe because he had had bought it and nourished it vp and it grew vp with him and vvith his children Length of time commendeth many things It commendeth vvine vvee say the olde is better It commendeth wisedome Counsaile must be handled by the aged speres by the young It commendeth truth Id verius quod prius The first is truest It commendeth custome thou shalt not remoue the auncâ—ent boundes which thy fathers haue set It commendeth friendshippe thine owne friend and thy fathers friend forsake thou not forsake not an olde friend for a new will not bee like vnto him It commendeth service in the fielde dost thou despise the souldiours of thy father Philippe saith Clytus to Alexander and hast thou forgotten that vnlesse this olde Atharias had called backe the young men when they refused to fight wee had yet stucke at Halicarnassus Lastly it commendeth our dwellinge places possessions Barzillai telleth David vvho vvoulde faigne haue drawne him alonge vvith him I am foure-skore yearee olde let mee returne to mine ovvne citâ—ye and be buryed in the graue of my father and mother And Naboâ—h telleth Ahab the Lorde keepe me from giving the inheritance of my father vnto thee It would somwhat more haue commended the gourd if Ionas had long enioyed the vse thereof which he did not it was but the child of a night both in rising and falling sodainely sprung vp and sodainely dead againe So there is neither price in it because it is but a gourd nor propriety because he had not laboured for it nor prescription of long acquaintance because it was soone dead Now that which is set against the gourd on the other side is by name Niniveh by forme a citty by quantity a great citty and shall not I spare Niniveh that great citty Niniveh at this time the heade of Assiria the fame and bruite wherof filleth the world and holdeth the people in awe by reason of her soveraigne government Niniveh no villadge or hamlet of the East but a citty that had walles gates for so is the nature of a citty described we haue a strong citty salvation shall God set for our walles and bulwarks Esay 26. and the people wherof are inclosed within orders and lawes as the buildinges within fences Niniveh no small citty in Assiria as Bethlehem was in Iudah or as the litle city of Zoar which Lot fled into but a lardge and spacious citty in circuite of ground but for the number of inhabitants most populous and abundant Now the greater the place is the
the cattell the respect wherof did somwhat moue him to withdraw his iudgment And surely the abundance of cattle is no meane blessing of God He promiseth it vnto Israell Beholde I will multiply vpon you man and beast they shall encrease bring forth Abraham and Lot were very rich in cattle Gen. 13. so were Iacob and Esau Gen. 36. the land could not beare them both togither because of their flockes So was Vzzah the king 2. Chr. 26. he built towers in the wildernesse and digged many cisternes for hee had much cattle both in the valleyes and plaines The substance of Iob in the first of that booke was seuen thousand sheepe and three thousand cammelles and fiue hundred yoke of oxen and fiue hunered shee-asses towardes the end of his daies all these were doubled vnto him You see then what reasons the Lord hath vsed in this second member of the comparison for the sparing Niniveh 1. It was populous with all kind of men 2. there were infants in it 3. sixe score thousands 4. they were innocent 5. there was cattle 6 much cattle I do not finde that Ionas ever aunswered this argument but yeelding the victory to God and his blessed truth he leaveth a testimony of his silence and submission to the whole world in this writing vvhich he afterward compiled Such honour did Turnus giue to Aeneas when he vanquished him vicisti victum tendere palmas Ausonii videre thou hast overcome me and the people can beare witnes that I acknowledge thy victory With this most sweete and victorious sentence doth Ionas conclude or rather breake of his prophecy as if hee had said great is thy truth and prevaileth Thy mercy triumpheth against iustice much more shall it triumph against dust and ashes Let the corrupt affections of man giue place to thy righteous iudgements let both greate and small the infant and dumbe beast sing of thy lovinge kindnes and let every thing that hath breath say the Lorde bee praised And let this be the end of my labours for this time The meditatiō of that mercy of God wherin this prophcy is ended let the labours of my whole life know non other end Thus let me end the day begin the night end the night and begin the day againe whither I read or write thinke or speak or whatsoever else I do let me doe it all with this conclusion when I haue run out the race of my sinful daies let me rest at that happy marke wherin the Lord doth giue over his argument I these paines I haue at lengrh finished by the grace of God your patient audience my simple expositions vpon the prophecy of Ionas an argument narration you see of onely mercy the 4. Chapters whereof as those 4. beasts in the Revelation full of eies both before and behind I meane in every part opening and discovering vnto vs the invisible God in the sweetest propriety of his nature that is in the abundance of his loue cease not day and night for al eternity to sing gracious gracious gracious Lord God almighty which was which is which is to come thy mercy is over all thy works thy faithfulnes endureth frō generation to generation but the last of the 4. is the flying Eagle to all the rest as the fourth beast there having an higher reach loftier demonstration than the other had For where the mercy of God was then but exemplified in fact 1. to the mariners 2. to Ionas 3. to Niniveh in the 3. first chapters here it is pleaded maintained propugned touching the right reasonablenes therof with arguments so strong as that I say not the tongue of man but not the gates of the nethermost hell shall ever be able to prevaile against it Whilst there is a difference betwixt day and night when the covenant of day and night shall be broken this indifferency betwixt God and man shall stand in force shalt thou spare and shall not I spare or rather this difference if thou sparest not yet will I spare Though man can bee cōtent to see multitudes of his owne kind to be murdered like tatte◠or mice pittying neither infant in age neither innocent in cōditions nor the harmelesse beast yet GOD the Creator of all will cast a mercifull eye over all his creatures and both man and beast aged and suckling maugre the malice of Satan and opposition of his owne flesh shall finde grace in his eyes If I haue profited any man by putting Gods talente to vse in this exercise and beene as my hearty vvish was a sweete smelling sacrifice and a savour of life vnto him let God haue the honour the father and giver of all good and perfite giftes there shall none of his glory cleaue to my fingers I take nothinge to my selfe but weakenesse and shame vvho though I haue broken my maisters bread vnto you vvith mine earthly and vnvvorthy handes yet vvas I but the instrumente the blessing and povver his alone vvho giveth both seede to the sovver and breade to him that eateth That I haue beene chardgeable vnto any man it repenteth mee it is more blessed to giue than to take and although it standeth vvith the libertye and leaue of the gospell so to doe For vvho feedeth a flocke and eateth not of the milke of the flocke And if vvee haue sovven vnto you spirituall thinges is it a greate matter if vvee reape your carnall yet I vvill modestlye confesse it hardely stoode vvith the libertye and freedome of mine ovvne disposition and I am able to affirme it from a pure conscience as Paule did in the tvventieth of the Actes though I received some thinge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet I haue not coveted the silver or golde or apparell of anie man I speake not in anie sorte my vvitnesses are in heaven and in mine owne bosome to diminishe the credite of your benevolence tovvardes me The LORDE requite it vnto you seaven folde I hate ingratitude as witch-crafte my mouth vvere vvorthy to bee muzzelled vppe if I vvoulde not freely and fully professe your kindenesse for you vvere vnto me as the house of Stephanas was vnto Paule and his companie the first fruites of Achaia he meante the first of that region that gaue themselues to minister vnto the Saintes so you the first fruites of Englande that haue given mee anie maintenance by voluntarie contribution I hope your cruise shall the more abounde your cup be the fuller for it Yet let me saie vvith patience whatsoever hath bee done in this behalfe I was rather sought motioned therevnto than my selfe ever sought it And during the greater time of my continuance therein if I had not rather desired to satisfie others than mine owne heart feeling more burden in my paines than sweetenesse in my recompence I had longe since eased both my selfe of my labour and you of your chardges Though some are ignorant others will not know