like Peter if hee see one loue one vertue he maketh him loue another vertue if hee see one hate one vice hee maketh him hate another vice if he see one like one Sermon hee maketh him like another Sermon when hee hath him in his schoole and hee commeth once to this to say like Samuel Speake Lord for thy seruant heareth then hee taketh him vp to the mount like Moses and openeth his heart vnto him teaching him a waie to make vse of all that he seeth and of all that hee heareth and of all that hee readeth and of all that hee feeleth Thus when God hath strayned and fined him he is apt to euerie good worke and takes all occasions to doe them If hee but see one praye his heart burneth to praye too if hee see one reading he hath a minde to reade too if hee see one meditating he hath a zeale to meditate too if hee see one sorrowing hee hath a desire to sorrowe too like the Disciples which when they heard Peter say wee goe a fishing they said we will goe a fishing too After this euery benefit maketh him thankfull euery instruction maketh him fearefull and he is neuer well but when he is walking with God like Enoch or when Christ is speaking to him or when he is speaking to Christ for when God meeteth with his children like a nurse hee emptieth himselfe of his milke according to this text which we now handle To him which hath shall be giuen Thus when you vse those giftes well which you haue the Lorde will come vnto you and say that your heart may heare him Good seruant and faithfull I will make thee Lorde ouer much thy seede shall become a tree thy spirite shall be doubled First thou shalt haue a loue to heare reade and meditate after thou shalt haue a little knowledge to iudge and speake of Gods Worde of the spirite and of doctrines then thou shalt ascend to faith which will bring thee vnto peace of conscience then thou shalt meete with good bookes and God will send thee Teachers to instruct thee and incourage thee like the Angels which came to Christ when hee hungred Thus a Trauailer passeth from towne vnto towne vntill hee come to his Inne so a Christian passeth from vertue to vertue vntill hee come to Heauen which is the iourney that euery man must endeuour to goe till death It followeth And whosoeuer hath not from him shall bee taken euen that which it seemeth that he hath As the Lorde saith to his faithfull Seruant Thou shalt bee ruler ouer much so hee saith of his slothfull seruant Take his talent from him Heere is one like Iaacob whome God loueth to him hee saith shall bee giuen here is another like Esau whome God hateth from him hee saith shall bee taken so one may say like Iob The Lorde hath giuen and the other may say like Iob The Lord hath taken But from whom dooth he take From him which hath not And to whom dooth he giue To him which hath In this God seemeth not to deale his giftes charitablie for he should giue to them which want Ioseph maruailed to see Iaacob lay his left hand vpon Manasses and his right hand vpon Ephraim as though the younger should bee more blessed than the elder Ishai maruailed to see Samuel choose the least of his sonnes before the tallest as though the vnfittest were the fittest so it is maruaile that hee which commandeth vs to giue vnto them which want should take from them which want and giue to them which haue Isaac would not haue blessed Iaacob but Esau but God would haue him blesse Iaacob and not Esau Ioseph would that Manasseth shoulde haue more than Ephraim but God would that Ephraim should haue more than Manasseth As God loueth not as man loueth so hee giueth not as man giueth Why should Abraham haue three Angels and Lot but two and Balaam but one and Balaac none Why should not Philip goe vp the mount as well as Iames Why should not Aaron behold God as well as Moses Why should not Moses go to Chanaan as well as Caleb According to our loue is Gods loue and according to our hatred is Gods hatred Reuben should haue had as good a blessing as Iudah but when Iaacob blessed him Genesis the 35. chapter 22. verse he remembred his sinne with Bilhah and therefore curbed his blessing for when he blessed him he said Thou shalt not be excellent as if hee should saye Reuben thou shalt haue some thing but thou shalt not haue so much as thou shouldest haue because of thy vncleannesse with Bilhah So Moses should haue gone to Canaan as well as Caleb but GOD remembred his murmuring at the waters of bitternes And when he desired to goe vnto it God would not heare him but let him see it from an hill and so hee dyed So the third seruant should haue receiued as many Talents as his fellowes but the Lorde remembred how hee hid the Talent which hee had and therefore would giue him no more least he should hide them too so wee should haue more vnderstanding more iudgement and more knowledge but God seeth what wee doe with this and therefore stayeth his hand lest we should abuse any more This is Saint Iohns meaning when hee saith God Giueth grace for grace That is where he findes one grace there he giueth another This is Saint Paules meaning Rom. 1. where he saith The righteousnesse of God is reuealed from faith to faith signifying that they which haue faith shall haue more faith Therefore this is the fearefullest signe that wee haue no faith nor grace if God do not increase our faith and his graces in vs For to him which hath shall be giuen Therefore if we had faith wee should haue loue if wee had loue wee should haue knowledge if wee had knowledge we should haue zeale if we had zeale we should haue holines As he which hath broken one commaundement is made guiltie of all so hee which hath one vertue is made partaker of all It is said so long as Iehoiada liued Ioash prospered and did well because Iehoiada instructed guided him but when Iehoiada dyed Ioash goodnes died with him and he was neuer like himselfe after but turned like his fathers So there is a seed in the heart which while it liueth and is fostered wee sprowt and prosper as Ioash did but when that seede dyeth for want of cherishing then wee beginne to droope and fade and decay againe as loash did If one vertue bee offended she lureth all her fellowes from vs as many of Ishbosheths friends shronke with Abner Dauid setteth forth the godly man like a tree planted by the waters side Which sprowteth and grwoeth and bringeth foorth fruite Straight vpon this he saith It is not so with the wicked When hee spake of growing and flourishing and fructifying hee saith It is not so with the wicked That is it is contrarie
When Paule said Children obey your Parents in the Lord hee meaneth not that wee shoulde obeye them against the Lorde As when hee saith Obey Princes for conscience sake hee meaneth not that wee should obey them against conscience Therefore when it commeth to this that the earthly father commaundeth one thing and the heauenly Father commaundeth another thing then as Peter answered the Rulers so maiest thou answere thy Parents Whether is it meete to obey God or you Then these are the hands which thou must cut off then these are the eyes which thou must pull out or else they should be as deare vnto thee as thy hand or thine eye In the nineteenth of Mathew A man must forsake his father his mother to dwel with his wife In the sixteenth of Luke he must forsake father mother wife too to dwel with Christ For He which forsaketh father or mother for me shall receiue more saith our Sauiour Nay He which doth not hate father or mother or wife for me can not be my Disciple Shewing that our loue toward God should be so great that in respect of it our loue towards men should seeme but hatred Thus he which obeyed his parents more than we yet would haue some rule some sentence some example in Scripture of not obeying them too because it is such a hard point to know how farre they are to be obeyed which are set in authoritie ouer vs. As none but God speaks alwaies aright so none but God must alwayes be obeyed we are not called onely the sonnes of men but we are called the sonnes of God Therefore as Christ answered his mother when she would haue him turne water into wine Woman what haue I to do with thee so wee should answere father and mother and brethren and sisters and rulers and maisters and wife too when they will vs to do that which is not meete What haue I to do with you For to leaue doing good and do euill were not to turne water into wine but to turne wine into water Peter was not Sathan but when he tempted Christ like Sathan Christ answered him as he answered Sathan Come behind me Sathan shewing that we should giue no more attention vnto father or mother or master or wife when they tempt vs to euill than we would giue vnto Sathan if he should tempt vs himselfe Three things children receiue of their parents life maintenance and instruction For these three they owe other three for life they owe loue for maintenance they owe obedience for instruction they owe reuerence for life they must be loued as fathers for maintenance they must be obeyed as maisters for instruction they must be reuerenced as Tutors But as there is a king of kings which must be obeyed aboue kings so there is a father of fathers which must be obeyed aboue fathers therfore sometime you must answer like the sonne when he was bid go into his fathers vineyard I will go and sometime you must answer as Christ answered I must go about my Fathers businesse When two milch kine did carrie the Arke of the Lord to Bethshemesh their calues were shut vp at home because the kine shuld not stay when they heard their calues crie after them so when thou goest about the Lordes businesse thou shalt heare a crie of thy Father and thy Mother and thy brethren and thy Sisters and thy Kinred to staie thee but then thou must thinke of another father as Christ thought of another Mother and so as these Kine went on till the Lord brought thē where the Arke should rest so thou shalt go on till the Lord bring thee where thou shalt rest It is better to flie from our friends as Abraham did then to stay with some friends as Sampson did with Dalila I may say Beware of Kinsmen as well as our Sauiour said Beware of men For this respect of cousenage made Eli his sons Priests and this respect of cousenage hath made manie like Priestes in Englande this respect of cousenage made Samuels sonnes Iudges and this respect of cousenage hath made manie like Iudges in England this respect of cousenage brought Tobias into the Leuits chamber this respect of cousenage hath brought manie Gentlemen into Preachers liuinges which will not out againe As Christ preferred his spirituall kinsmen so we preferre our earthly kinsmen Manie priuiledges many offices and many benefices haue stooped to this voice Thy Mother calleth thee or thy Kinsmen would haue thee As this voice came to Christ while he was labouring so many voyces come to vs while we are labouring One saith Pleasure would speake with you another saith profit would speake with you another saith Ease would speake with you another saith a Deanrie would speake with you another saith a Bishopricke would speake with you another saith the Court woulde speake with you When a man is in a good way and studieth the Scriptures to bee a teacher in the Church a voyce commeth to his eare as this came to Christs and faith Thy frends would haue thee studie the Lawe for by Diuinitie thou shalt attaine to no preferment thine owne Flocke wil vexe thee or the Bishop wil stop thy mouth This wind somtime turneth Ionas his sailes from Niniue to Tharshish makes him burie his talent If he be a Diuine alreadie and preach his conscience a voyce commeth vnto him againe as this did to Christ and saith Thy friendes would haue thee be quiet or there bee Spies which note what thou sayest or there be fellowes which lye in wayte for thy Liuing so sometimes with a little intreatie he beginneth to drawe vp his hand and lay his finger on his mouth and preach peace when he is sent with warre Thus we are cumbred like our master before our Sermons and in our Sermons and after our Sermons euen of them sometime which should encourage vs and therefore as Christ saith Beware of men so say I Beware of kinsmen So soone as the Children bee borne their Parents bring them to the Temple and baptise them offer them to God but so soone as they be able to serue him they tempt them away from him to Lawe or Phisicke or Merchandise or Husbandrie and had rather they should be of any Tribe thā of the Tribe of Leui which serueth in the Temple Hee which will be hindred shall haue blockes inough but we must learne to leape ouer all as Christ leaped ouer this If we should leaue Father and Mother and Wife and Children for Christ much lesse should wee care for labour or losse or shame or trouble or displeasure for wee woulde aduenture these for our friendes Thus much of his naturall kindred now of his spirituall kindred Here is another genealogie of Christ which Mathew and Luke neuer spake of As Christ saith I haue another bread which you knowe not so he saith I haue other kinsmen which you know not
neuer brought Agrippa to altogether Therefore they which fishe for soul 〈◊〉 must take Paules net and remember what God saith to Ieremie 15. 19. Let them bee conuerted vnto thee But be not thou conuerted vnto them for then thou shalt neuer conuert them Signifiing that our constancie in goodnes shall induce others to turne from their wickednes and make him which is but almost come to altogether This is the substance of Paules replie that it is not enough to be a Christian almost that is to haue a kinde of religion a little knowledge a little faith a cold zeale a flattering holines like the touch of the hem but we must march to perfection and doe his will vpon earth as it is in heauen and contend to be holie as hee is holie This is religion saith Iames to keepe thy selfe vnspotted like a glasse which is still wiped To this end saith Paul 2. Tim. 3. The Scripture doth teache and reproue and instruct and comfort That the man of God might bee absolute And in the 1. to the Ephe. 41. To this ende wee were elected that wee might be holie and without blame And Rom. 1. He describes our iourney from faith to faith not from faith to distrust As Dauid describes the waie of the righteous Psal 840. 7. From vertue to vertue as a trauailer goes from towne to towne till he come to his Inne What a foolish thing were it for the Scribe to stay there whē our Lord telles him Thou art not farre from the kingdome of heauen for therefore Christ telleth him that he is not farre from heauen to incourage him lest he should giue ouer before he come to it So if yee staie at almost and repente in some sort as Esau did when hee wept you may hunt for the blessing as Esau did and goe without it for God is not mocked but God is mocked if colours and shewes will serue When GOD said Seeke my face mine heart aunswered said Dauid I will seeke thy face Psalme 27. 8. So wee must aunswere the Lorde to that which he asketh and not when hee biddes vs seeke his face seeke his backe when he requireth al giue him halfe God asketh Art thou a Christian and thou aunsweres O Lord I am almost a Christian What niggardlie aunswere is this to him which deserueth a thousande times more than the best can giue If thy maister aske thee art thou my seruant wilt thou aunswere him I am almost thy seruant If the Prince aske thee Art thou my subiect wilt thou aunswere I am almost thy subiect If thy father aske thee art thou my sonne wilt thou answere I am almost thy sonne If thou art but almost his son then he is but almost thy father And so it is with God a son or no sonne halfe a sonne is a bastard How doest thou know God to be thy God but as thou art his seruant How doest thou knowe God to be thy father but as thou art his son By thy loue thou shalt know Gods loue for according to thy minde towards him is his minde of thee whereby thou maist truelie iudge whether he fauour thee or hate thee and no way else God loueth nothing almost therefore he doth not loue almost Therefore loue as thou maist be loued or else thy loue is lost Thou must seeke as thou maist finde or else thy labour is lost They shall seeke and finde me saith God because they shall seeke with all their hearts as in Ieremie 29. Chapter and the 13. verse as though they should not finde him though they sought him vnlesse the sought him with all their hearts Naaman is not onelie commaunded to wash himselfe in Iordan but to washe himselfe seuen times and then he shall bee healed So man is not onely commaunded to obey God but to obey him while hee liues and then he shall be saued Be faithfull saith the Angell vnto death and then I will giue thee the Crowne of life Reuel 2 10. When Saul was commanded to kill the Idolatrous beasts he was commaunded to kil all and because he spared some God reiected him Yet God hath more mercie on beasts than on sins Would he haue the beasts of sinners die their vices liue No saith Christ Make cleane within that is leaue no filth behind Whensoeuer Christ cast out one deuill we read that he cast out al euē the legion together so when thou castest out one vice cast out all for one is not worthier than another The Prophet doth teach vs to power out our sins like water which leaueth no taste or colour or sent behinde There is a whole old man and there must be a whole newe man The old man must change with the new man wisedome for wisedome loue for loue feare for feare his worldlie wisedome for heauenlie wisedome his carnall loue for spirituall loue his seruile feare for Christian feare his idle thoughts for holy thoughtes his vaine wordes for wholesome wordes his fleshlye workes for righteous workes This is a Christian altogether as if he were cast in a newe mould As a Painter woulde drawe a beautifull picture which should bee fairer than all women in the worlde hee would marke the speciall grace of euerie one and make one beautie of all so we must make vp a Christian and take modestie from him faith from him loue from him patience from him zeale from him and humility from him vntill it be like the Image of Christ This is the building of a Christian First his foundation is laide and then his walles and then his roofe and then a Christian like Adam in Paradise God made all things good therefore if we bee but almost good all thinges are better than wee The wicked man speaketh out of the corruption of his fleshlie heart and shall not the righteous speake of the aboundance of his spirituall heart Hee which is merrie would be merrier if he knew how He which is enuious would looke sterner if he could He which is proud would goe brauer if hee had it and all if wee could bee worse wee would but let them amend which looke to die For what kinde of man should hee bee which must beare the Image of God be the Temple of the holie Ghost and inherite the kingdome of heauen Who is fit for these things saith Paul Nay who is fit for these things Do ye know no enough in riches nor pleasure nor sinne and thinke that you haue enough of religion before yee haue any The good are knowne because none but they which are good striue to be better Wee are inuited to a banquet shall we go but halfe the way vnto it Were it not better that the fig-tree had borne fruites than leaues that the Virgins had carried oyle than lamps So is it not better for vs to be vessels of gold that come to the Lords table than like the image in Daniel part of gold part of siluer part of brasse part of iron part of clay
the worst like them which call good euill and euill good He praieth Not to be lead into temptation and leadeth himselfe into temptation Surely he doth not feare sinne which doth not shun occasions and hee is worthie to be snared which maketh a trap for himselfe When Salomon the mirror of wisedome the wonder of the world the figure of our Lord by Idolatrous concubines is turned to an Idolater let no man say I shall not be seduced but say how shall I stand where such a Cedar fell The wife must be meet as God sayd Gen. 2. 18. But how is she meet if thou be a christian she a Papist We must marry in the Lord as Paul saith but how doe we marrie in the Lord when we marrie the Lordes enemies Our spouse must be like Christs spouse but Christs spouse is neither harlotte nor heretike nor atheist If she be poore the Lord reproueth not for that if she be weak the Lord reproueth not for that if she be hard fauoured the Lord reproueth not for that all these wants may be dispenced with but none giueth anie dispensation for godlinesse but the diuell Therefore they which take that priuiledge are like them which seeke to witches and are guilty of preferring euil before good This vnequall mariage was the chiefe cause that brought the floud and the first beginning of Giants and monstrous births shewing by their monstrous children what a monstrous thing it is for beleeuers and vnbeleeuers to match together In Matth. 22. Christ sheweth that before parties married they were woont to put on faire and new garments which were called VVedding garmentes a warning vnto all which put on wedding garments to put on truth and holinesse too which so precisely is resembled by that garment more then other It is noted in the fourteenth of Luke that of all them which were inuited to the Lordes banquet and came not onely hee which had married a wife did not desire to be excused but said stoutly I cannot come Shewing how this state dooth occupie a man most and draw him often from the seruice of God and therefore we had not neede to take the worst for the best are combersome enough In the second of Iob it is obserued of the patient man that he did not curse the day of his birth vntill his wife brake foorth into blasphemie shewing that wicked women are able to change the stedfastest man more then all temptations beside Sampson would take a Philistian to wife but he lost his honor his strength and his life by her least any should do the like But what a notable warning is that in the 2. Chro. 21. 6. where the holy Ghost sayth Iehoram walked in the waies of Ahad for he had the daughter of Ahad to wife as though it were a miracle if hee had bene better then he was because his wife was a temptation Miserable is that man which is fettered with a woman that liketh not his Religion shee will be nibling at his praier and at his studie and at his meditations till she haue tyred his deuotions and turned the edge of his soule as Dauid was tired of his malapert Michol she mocked him for his zeale and liked herselfe in her follie Many haue fallen at this stone Therefore as Christ saith Remember Lots wife so when thou marriest remember Iehorams wife and bee not wedded to her which hath not the Wedding garment but let vnitie goe first and let vnion follow after and hope not to cōuert her but feare that she will peruert thee least thou saie after like him which should come to the Lordes banquette I haue married a wife and cannot come Luke 14. 20. Yet the chiefest point is behinde that is our duties The dueties of marriage may be reduced to the dueties of man and wife one towarde another and their dueties towarde their children and their duetie toward their seruants For themselues saith one they must thinke themselues like two birdes the one is the cocke and the other is the dam the cocke flieth abroad to bring in and the dam sitteth vpon the nest to keepe all at home So God hath made the man to trauell abroad and the woman to keepe home and so their nature and their witte and their strength are fitted accordingly for the mans pleasure is most abroad and the womans within In euerie State there is some one vertue which belongeth to that calling more than other as Iustice vnto Magistrates and Knowledge vnto Preachers and Fortitude vnto Souldiers so Loue is the Marriage vertue which signes Musicke to their whole life Wedlocke is made of two loues which I may call the first loue and the after loue As euerie man is taught to loue God before hee be bid to loue his neighbour so they must loue GOD before they can loue one another To shewe the loue which should be betweene man and wife Mariage is called Coniugium which signifieth a knitting or ioyning together shewing that vnlesse there be a ioyning of hearts and a knitting of affections together it is not Mariage in deede but in shew and name and they shal dwel in a house like two poysons in a stomacke and one shall euer be sicke of another Therefore first that they may loue and keepe loue one with another it is necessarie that they both loue God and as their loue increaseth toward him so it shall increase each to other But the man must take heede that his loue toward his wife be not greater than his loue toward God as Adam Sampsons were for all vnlawfull loue will turne to hatred as the loue of Amon did toward Thamar and because Christ hath forbidden it therefore hee will crosse it This made Vriah so fearful least the pleasure of his wife should withdraw his heart from God that he would not goe to his owne house so long as he had cause to mourne and pray although he had a wife which feared God like himselfe that you may see it is no cheape dalliance for the husband to make the wife or the wife to make the husband lesse zealous then they were In Deut. 13. the wife which did draw her husband from God is condemned to die therefore good wiues when their husbands purpose any good should incourage them like Iacobs wife which bade him do according to the word of God and if they see them minded to doe any euill they should stay them like the wife of Pylate which counsayled her husband not to cōdemne Christ For seeing holinesse is called the Wedding garment who shall weare this wedding garmēt if they weare it not which are wedded When one holy hath found another then the holiest seemeth to make the Mariage and his angels come to the feast To passe ouer sleights which seldome prosper vnlesse they haue some warrant The best pollicie in mariage is to
begin well for as boords well ioined at the first sit close euer after but if they square at the first they warpe more and more So they which are well ioined are well maried but they which offend their loue before it be setled fade euerie day like a Marigold which closeth her flower as the sunne goeth down til they hate one another more then they loued at first To begin this concord well it is necessarie to learne one anothers nature and one anothers affections and one anothers infirmities because ye must be helpers and ye cannot helpe vnlesse you know the disease All the iarres almost which doe trouble this band doe rise of this that one dooth not hit the measure of the others heart to applie themselues to eithers nature whereby it commeth to passe that neyther can refrain when either is offended but one sharpeneth another when they had neede to be calmed Therefore they must learn of Paul to fashion themselues one to the other if they would win one another and if any iarre doe arise one sayth in no wise deuide beds for it for then the sunne goeth-down vpon their wrath and the meanes of reconcilement is taken away Giue passions no times for if some mans anger stand but at night it turneth to malice which is vncurable The Apostle sayth that there will bee offences in the church so sure there wilbe many offenses in mariage but as he saith these are trials who haue faith so these are but tryals who are good husbands who are good wiues His anger must be such a mood as if he did chide with himselfe and their strife as it were a sauce made of purpose to sharpē their loue when it waxeth vnpleasaunt like Ionathans arrowes which were not shot to hurt but to giue warning Knowing once a couple which were both cholerick and yet neuer fel out I asked the man how they did order the matter that their infirmitie did not make them discord He answered me when her fit is vpon her I yeeld to her as Abraham did to Sara and when my fit is vpon me she yeelds to me and so we neuer striue together but asunder Me thought it was a good example to commend vnto all married folkes for euery one hath his frenzie and loueth them that can beare his infirmitie Whom will a woman suffer if she will not suffer her husband and whose defects will a man beare if he will not beare hers which beareth his Thus much of their duties in generall now to their seuerall offices The man may spell his dutie out of his name for he is called the Head to shew that as the eye and the tongue and the eare are in the head to direct the whole body so the man should be stored with wisdome and vnderstanding knowledge and discretion to direct his whole family for it is not right that the worse should rule the better but the better should rule the worse as the best rules all The husband saith that his wife must obey him because he is her better therefore if hee let her bee better than himselfe he seemes to free her from her obedience and binde himselfe to obey her His first duetie is called Harting that is hartie affection As they are hand fasted so they must be heart-fasted for the eye and the tongue and the hand will be her enemies if the heart be not her friend As Christ draweth all the commaundements to loue so I may drawe all their dueties to loue which is the hearts gift to the bride at her marriage First he must choose his loue then he must loue his choise this is the oyle which maketh all things easie In Salomons song which is nothing else but a description of Christ the Bridegrome and the Church his spouse one calleth the other Loue to shew that though both doe not honour alike yet both should loue alike which the man may doe without subiection The man is to his wife in the place of Christ to his Church therefore the Apostle requireth such an affection of him towardes his Spouse as Christ beareth towarde his Spouse for he saith Husbandes loue your wiues as Christ loued his Congregation that is with a holie loue and with a heartie loue and with a cōstant loue as the Church would be loued of Christ Will not a man loue his glorie Why Paul calleth the woman the glorie of the man for her reuerence makes him to be reuerenced and her praise makes him to be praised Therefore hee which loueth not his wife loueth his shame because she is his glorie Eph. 5. 28. Paul saith Hee which loueth his wife loueth himselfe for thereby he enioyeth peace and comfort and helpe to himselfe in all his affaires therefore in the same verse Paul counselleth husbands to loue their wiues as their bodies And after in the 33. verse as though it were too litle to loue them as their bodies he saith Let euerie one loue his wife as himselfe that is as his bodie and soule too For if God commaunded men to loue their neighbours as themselues much more are they bound to loue their wiues as themselues which are their next neighbors As Elkanah did not loue his wife lesse for her barrennesse but said Am not I better vnto thee then tenne sonnes as though hee fauoured her more for that which she thought her selfe despised So a good husband will not take occasion to loue his wife lesse for her infirmities but comfort her more for them as this man did that she may beare with his infirmities too When Christ saith that a man should leaue father and mother and cleaue to his wife hee signifieth how Christ left his father for his spouse and that man doth not loue his wife so much as he should vntil he affect her more then euer he did his father or mother Therfore when God bad Abraham forsake all his kinred yet he bad him not forsake his wife as though the other sometime might be forsaken for God but the wife must be kept for God like a charge which bindeth for tearme of life His next dutie to loue is a fruit of his loue that is to let all things be common betweene them which were priuat before The man wife are partners like two oares in a boate therefore he must diuide offices and affaires and goods with her causing her to be feared and reuerenced and obeyed of her children and seruants like himselfe for she is an vnder officer in his Commonweale and therefore shee must bee assisted and borne out like his deputie as the Prince standeth with his magistrates for his owne quiet because they are the legs which beare him vp To shew this communitie betweene husband and wife he is to maintaine her as he dooth himselfe because Christ sayth They are no more two but one Therefore when hee mayntaineth her hee
must thinke it but one charge because hee mayntaineth no more but himselfe for they two are one He may not say as husbands are woont to say That which is thine is mine and that which is mine is mine owne but that which is mine is thine and my selfe too For as it is sayde Hee which hath giuen vs his sonne can hee denie vs any thing So shee may say hee which hath giuen mee himselfe can hee denie mee any thing The bodie is better then the goods therefore if the bodie bee mine the goods are mine too Lastly hee must tender her as much as all her friends because he hath taken her from her friends and couenaunted to tender her for them all To shew how he should tender her Peter sayth Honour the woman as the weaker vessell As wee doe not handle glasses like pots because they are weaker vessels but touch them nicely and softly for feare of crackes so a man must intreat his wife with gentlenesse and softnesse not expecting that wisedome nor that fayth nor that patience nor that strength in the weaker vessel which should be in the stronger but think when he takes a wife he takes a vineyard not grapes but a vineyard to beare him grapes therefore he must sowe it and dresse it and water it and fence it and thinke it a good vineyard if at last it bring foorth grapes So hee must not looke to find a wife without a fault but thinke that she is committed to him to reclaime her from her faults for all are defectiues and if he find the prouerbe true That in space commeth grace hee must reioice as much at his wife when shee amendeth as the Husbandman reioiceth when his Vineyarde beginneth to fructifie This is farre from ciuile warres betweene man and wife in all his offices is found no office to fight If hee cannot reforme his wife without beating he is woorthie to bee beaten for chusing no better when he hath vsed all meanes that hee may and yet shee is like her selfe hee must take her for his crosse and say with Ieremie This is my crosse and I will beare it But if he strike her he takes away his hand from her which was the first part he gaue her to ioine them together and shee may put vp her complaint against him that hee hath taken away part of her goods Her cheekes are made for thy lippes and not for thy fists The verie name of a wife is like the Angel which staied Abrahams hand whē the stroke was comming If Dauid because he could not expresse the good and comfort of vnitie was faine to say Oh how good and ioyfull a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in vnitie Then weigh and iudge how harsh and bitter a thing it is for man and wife to dwell together in enmitie For the first yeare after mariage God would not haue the husband goe to warre with his enemies but no yeare would he haue him warre with his wife and therefore God gaue him that yeare to stay at home and settle his loue that he might not warre nor iarre after for the God of peace dwelleth not in the house of warre As a kingdom cannot stand if it be deuided so a house cannot stand if it be deuided for strife is like fire which leaues nothing but dust and smoake and ashes behinde it We reade in the Scriptures of masters that stroke their seruants but neuer of any that stroke his wife but rebuked her Lot was drunke when hee laie with his daughter in stead of his wife and so is he which striketh his wife in stead of his seruāt The law sheweth how a bond man should be corrected but the wife is like a iudge which is ioyned in commission with her husband to correct other Wilt thou strike one in his own house no more shouldest thou strike thy wife in her house She is come to thee as to a sanctuary to defend her from hurt and canst thou hurt her thy selfe Therefore Abraham was called Saras vayle because hee should shield her for a vayle is made to saue Abraham sayd to Lot Are we not brethren that is may brethren iarre But they may say Are we not one can one chide with another can one fight with another Hee is a badde hoast that welcomes his guest with stripes Dooth a King trample his Crowne Salomon calleth the wife The crowne of her husband therefore hee which woundeth her woundeth his owne honour Shee is a free Citizen in thine owne house and hath taken the peace of thee the first day of her marriage to holde thy handes till shee release thee againe Adam saith of his spouse This is flesh of my flesh But no man saith Paule euer hated his owne flesh So then if a man aske whether he may strike his wife GOD saith nay thou maist not hate thy wife for no man hateth his owne flesh shewing that he should not come neare blowes but thinke his wrath too much for Paule saith Be not bitter to your wiues noting that anger in a husband is a vice Doth the cocke spurre the henne Euerie man is ashamed to laie his handes on a woman because she cannot match him therefore he is a shameles man which laieth hands on his wife The hand dooth not buffet his own cheeke but stroake it If a man be seene raging with himselfe he is caried to Bedlem so these madde men which beat themselues should be sent to Bedlem till their madnesse be gone Salomon sayth Delight continuallie in her loue that is begin proceed and end in loue In reuenge whereof he sheweth that delight is gone because he calleth loue their delight Therfore as Paul saith of Bishops A Bishop must be no striker so a husband must be no striker for he which striketh his own flesh breaketh that law which sayth Thou shalt not make a skarre in thy flesh and is like the Baalites which wounded their owne bodies Thus we haue sent a letter vnto husbāds to read before they fight Now let vs go home to loue againe Wouldest thou learne how to make thy match delightfull Salomon sayd Reioice in her loue continually As though thou couldest not delight without loue and with loue thou maist delight continually Therefore loue is called the thankfull vertue because it rendereth peace and ease and comfort to them that makes of her So much to husbands Likewise the woman may learne her dutie of her names They are called goodwiues as good wife A. and goodwife B. Euerie wife is called a good wife therefore if they be not good wiues their names doe belie them and they are not worth their titles but answere to a wrong name as plaiers doe vppon a stage This name pleaseth them well but beside this a wife is called a Yoake-fellow to shewe that she should helpe her husband to beare his yoak
that is his griefe must be her griefe and whether it be the yoake of pouertie or the yoake of enuie or the yoake of sicknes or the yoake of imprisonment she must submit her neck to beare it patiently with him or els she is not his yoak-fellow but his yoake as though she were inflicted vpon him for a penaltie like to Iobs wife whom the diuell left to torment him when hee tooke away all he had beside The Apostle biddeth to Reioyce with them that reioyce and mourne with them that mourne With whom should the wife reioyce rather then with her husband or with whom should she mourne rather then with her owne flesh I will not leaue thee saith Elisha to Eliah so she should neuer leaue him till death Beare one anothers burthen saith Paul who shall beare one anothers burthen if the wife doe not beare the husbandes burthen Wicked Iezabell comforted her husband in his sicknesse and Ieroboams wife sought for his health though she was as bad as he God did not bid Sarah leaue her father and her country as he bad her husband yet because he bad Abraham leaue his she left hers too shewing that she was content not onely to be his play-fellow but his yoake-fellow too Beside a yoke-fellow she is called a helper to help him in his busines to helpe him in his labours to helpe him in his troubles to helpe him in his sicknesse like a woman Phisition sometime with her strength and sometime with her counsell for sometime as God confoundeth the wise by the foolish and the strong by the weake so he teacheth the wise by the foolish and helpeth the strong by the weake Therefore Peter saith Husbands are wonne by the conuersation of their wiues As if hee should say sometime the weaker vessell is the stronger vessell and Abraham may take coūsell of Sara as Naaman was aduised by his seruant The Shunamites counsell made her husband receiue a Prophet into his house and Hesters counsell made her husband spare the Church so some haue beene better helpers to their husbandes then their husbandes haue beene to them for it pleaseth God to prouoke the wise with the foolish as he did the Iewes with the Gentiles Beside a helper shee is called a Comforter too and therfore the man is bid reioyce in his wife which is as much to say that wiues must be the reioycing of their husbandes euen like Dauids harpe to comfort Saule Therefore it is saide of Rebeccah that she prepared meate for her husband such as he loued so a good wife is knowne when her wordes and deedes and countenances are such as her husband loueth she must not examine whether hee be wise or simple but that shee is his wife and therefore they which are bound must obey as Abigail loued her husband though hee were a foole for the wife is as much despised for taking rule ouer her husband as he for yeelding it vnto her Therefore one saith that a mankinde woman is a monster that is halfe a woman and halfe a man It becomes not the mistresse to be maister no more than it beseemeth the maister to be mistresse but both to saile with their owne winde Lastly we call the wife Huswife that is house-wife not a streete wife like Thamar nor a field-wife like Dinah but a house-wife to shewe that a good wife keepes her house and therefore Paul biddeth Titus to exhort women that they be chaste and keeping at home presently after Chaste he saith keeping at home as thogh home were chastities keeper And therefore Salomon depainting the whore setteth her at the doore now sitting vpon her stalles now walking in the streetes now looking out at the windowes like cursed Iezabel as if shee held foorth the glasse of temptation for Vanitie to gaze vpon But chastitie careth to please but one therefore shee keepes her closet as if shee were still at praier The Angell asked Abraham Where is thy wife Abraham answered Shee is in the Tent. The Angell knew where she was but yet he asked that we might see how women in old time did keep their tents and houses It is recorded of the Shunamite that she did aske her husband leaue to goe vnto the Prophet though she went to a Prophet and went of a good errand and for his cause as much as her owne yet she thought it not meete to go far abroad without her husbands leaue Phidias when he should paynt a woman painted her sitting vnder a Snailes shell signifying that she should go like a snaile which carrieth his house vpon his backe Salomon bad Shimei Go not beyond the riuer so a wife should teach her feete goe not beyonde the doore she must count the walles of her house like the bandes of the riuer which Shimei might not passe if he would please the king For when Adam was away Eue was made a praie if her husband be from her vntill he returne againe she must thinke her selfe a widowe that is separate from man for Vidua doth signifie A viro diuisa that is widowe doth signifie diuided from man therefore now she must haue no fellowship nor companie with men because she is deuided from man As it becommeth her to keepe home so it becommeth her to keepe silence and alway speake the best of her head Other seeke their honour in triumph but she must seek her honour in reuerence for it becommeth not anie woman to set light by her husband nor to publish his infirmities For they say that is an euill bird that defileth her owne nest and if a wife vse her husband so how may the husband vse the wife Because this is the qualitie of that sexe to ouerthwart and vpbraide and sue the preheminence of their husbandes therfore the Philosophers could not tell how to define a wife but called her The contrarie to a husband as though nothing were so crosse and contrarie to a man as a wife This is not scripture but no slaunder to many As Dauid exalted the loue of women aboue all other loues so Salomon mounteth the enuie of women aboue all other enuies stubborn sullen taunting gainsaying outfacing with such a bitter humor that one would think they were molten out of the salt pillar into which Lots wife was transformed We say not al are alike but this sect hath many Disciples Dooth the ribbe that is in mans side fret or gaule him no more then shoulde she which is made of the rib Though a woman be wise and painefull and haue many good parts yet if she bee a shrow her troublsome iarring in the end will make her honest behauiour vnpleasant as her ouer-pinching at last causeth her good huswiferie to bee euill spoken of Therefore although she be a wife yet somtimes she must obserue the seruants lesson Not answering againe and hold
Ioab that he should not kil Absalon so God hath boūd maisters that they should not oppresse their seruants Shall God respect thine more then thou Art thou made fresher to thy labor by a little rest is not thy seruant made stronger by rest to labour for thee How many beasts and sheepe did Laban lose onely for hardly intreating of a good seruaunt therefore that is the way to lose but not to thriue Hee which counteth his seruant a slaue is in an error for there is difference betweene beleeuing seruants and infidell seruants the infidels were made slaues to the Iewes because God hated them and would humble them but their brethren did serue them like helpers which should be trained by them It is not a base nor vile thing to bee called a seruaunt for our Lord is called a seruaunt which teacheth Christians to vse their seruaunts well for Christes sake seeing they are seruants too and haue one maister Christ As Dauid speaketh of man saying Thou hast made him a little lower then the Angels so I may say of seruaunts that God hath made them a little lower then children not children but the next to children as one would say inferior children or sonnes in law And therefore the housholder is called Pater familias which signifieth a Father of his familie because he should haue a fatherly care ouer his seruants as if they were his children and not vse them onely for their labour like beasts Besides the name of a seruaunt dooth not signifie suffering but doing therfore masters must not exercise their hands vpō them but set their hands to worke and yet as God layeth no more vpon his seruaunts then hee makes them able to beare so men should laie no more vpon their seruaunts then they are able to beare For a good man saith Salomon will be mercifull to his beast and therefore hee will bee more mercifull to his brother That mā is not worthie to be serued which cannot affoord that his seruants should serue God as well as himselfe Giue vnto God that which is Gods and then thou maist take that which is thine He that careth not for his familie saith Paul is worse then an infidell because infidels care for their familie But as Agur praieth Giue me not too much nor too litle but feed me with food conuenient so their care should not be too much nor too little but cōueniēt or else they are worse then infidels to because couetousnes is called Idolatry which is worse then infidelitie for it is lesse rebellion not to honor the king then to set vp another king against him as the Idolatrous do against the king of heauen Next vnto seruants instruction and labors must bee considered their corrections As Paul saith Fathers prouoke not your childrē to wrath So may I say Maisters prouoke not your seruants to wrath that is vse such reproofes and such corrections that you do not prouoke them but moue them that you do not exasperate them but winne them for reuiling wordes and vnreasonable fiercenesse doth more hurt then good And therefore the law of God did charge the maister that he should not inflict aboue fortie stripes vpon his seruant least he should seeme despised in his eyes For while a childe or scholler or seruant doth thinke that he is reproued for loue or beaten with reason it makes him thinke of his fault and is ashamed but when hee seeth that he is rebuked with curses beaten with staues as though they were hated like a dog his heart is hardned against the man which correcteth him and the fault for the which he is corrected and after he becommeth desperate like a horse which turneth vpon the striker and therfore thinke that God euen then chides you whensoeuer you chide in such rage For though there be a fault yet some thinges must be winkt at and some thinges must be forgiuen and some punished with a looke for hee which takes the forfeite of euerie offence shall neuer bee in anie rest but vexe himselfe more then his seruant Further I haue heard experience say that in these punishments it is most meet and acceptable to the offender that the man should correct his men and the woman her maides for a mans nature scorneth to be beaten of a woman and a maides nature is corrupted with the stripes of a man Therefore wee reade that Abraham would not meddle with his mayd but committed her to his wife and said Doe with her as it pleaseth thee as if hee should say It belongeth not to mee but to thee Lastly we put the dutie toward children because they come last to their handes In Latin children are called pignora that is pledges as if I should say a pledge of the husbands loue to the wife and a pledge of the wiues loue toward the husband for there is nothing which doth so knit loue between the man and the wife as the frute of the wombe Therefore when Leah began to conceiue she sayd now my husband will loue me as though the husband did loue for children If a woman haue many defects as Leah had yet this is the mendes which she makes her husband to bring him children which is the right wedding Ring that sealeth and maketh vp the marriage When their father and mother fall out they perke vp betweene thē like litle mediators and with many pretie sportes make truce when other dare not speake to them Therefore now let vs consider what these little ones may challenge of their parents that stand them in stead of Lawyers Before we teach parents to loue their children they had need be taught not to loue them too much for Dauids darling was Dauids traitor and this is the manner of God when a man begins to set any thing in Gods roome and loue it aboue him which gaue it either to take away it or to take away him before hee prouoke him too much therefore if parentes wold haue their children liue they must take heed to loue them too much for the giuer is offended when the gift is more esteemed than he The first duetie is the mothers that is to nurse her childe at her own brestes as Sara did Isaac and therefore Esay ioyneth the nurses name and the mothers name both in one calleth them nursing mothers shewing that mothers should be the nurses So when God those a nurse for Moses he led the hand maid ◠Pharaos daughter to his mother as though God would haue none nurse him but his mother After whē the son of God was born his father thoght none fit to be his nurse but the virgin his mother The earths fountaines are made to giue water and the brestes of women are made to giue suck Euery beast and euery foule is bred of the same that did beare it onely women loue to be mothers but not nurses Therefore if their Children proue
vnnaturall they may say thou followest thy mother for she was vnnaturall first in locking vp her brests from thee and committing thee forth like a Cuckow to be hatched in a Sparrowes nest Hereof it comes that we say He suckt euill from the dug that is as the Nurse is affected in her bodie or in her minde commonly the childe draweth the like infirmitie from her as the egges of a Henne are altered vnder the Hauke yet they which haue no milke can giue no milke But whose breastes haue this perpetuall drought Forsooth it is lyke the goute no beggers may haue it but Citizens or Gentlewomen In the ninth chapter of Hosea thy brestes are named for a curse what lamentable happe haue Gentlewomen to light vpon this curse more then other sure if their breasts be drie as they say they should fast and pray together that this curse migro be remoued from them The next dutie is Catechize a childe in his youth and he will remember it when he is olde This is the right blessing which fathers and mothers giue to their children when they cause God to blesse them too The wrong mother cared not though the childe were deuided but the right mother would not haue it deuided so wicked Parents care not though their children be destroied but godly parents would not haue them destroyed but saued that when they haue dwelt together in earth they may dwell together in heauen As the Midwife frameth the bodie when it is young and tender so the parents must frame the minde while it is greene and flexible for youth is the seed time of vertue They which are called fathers are called by the name of God to warne them that they are in stead of God to their children which teacheth all his sons What example haue children but their parents and sure the prouidence of God doth ease their charge more than they are aware for a childe will learne better of his father than of anie other And therefore wee read of no Schoolemaisters in the scripture but the Parents for when Christ saith to the Iewes If yee be the sonnes of Abraham yee will doe the workes of your Father Abraham he sheweth that sonnes vse to walke in their Fathers steppes whether they bee good or bad It is a maruellous delight to the father and mother when people say that their children are like them but if they be like them in godlinesse it is as great delight to other as to the parents or else we say that they are so like that they are the worse for it Well doth Dauid call children arrowes for if they be wel bred they shoote at their parents enemies and if they be euill bred they shoote at their parents Therefore many fathers want a staffe to stay them in their age because they prepared none before like olde Eli which was corrected himselfe for not correcting his sonnes Are not children called the fruite of their parents Therefore as a good tree is knowne by bringing foorth good fruite so parents should shewe their godlinesse in the education of their children which are their fruite For this cause the Iewes were wont to name their children so whē they were borne that euer after if they did but thinke vppon their names they would put them in mind of that religion which they should professe for they did signifie some thing that they should learne An admonition to such as call their children at all aduentures somtime by the names of dogs euen as they proue after In 1. Kings 2. 2. we haue Dauid instructing his sonnes In Gen. 39. Iacob correcting his sonnes and in Iob. 1. Iob praying for his sonnes These three put together instructing correcting praying make good children and happie parents Once Christ tooke a childe and set him in the midst of his disciples and sayd He which will receiue the kingdome of heauen must receiue it as a little childe shewing that our children should be so innocent so humble and voide of euill that they may be taken for examples of the children of God Therefore in Psalme 127. 4. children are called the heritage of the Lord to shew that they should be trained as though they were not mens children but Gods that they may haue Gods heritage after Thus if you doo your seruants shall be Gods seruants and your children shall be Gods children and your house shall be Gods house like a little Church when others are like a denne of theeues Now I speake to one which is a mother so soone as she is married therefore peraduenture you looke that I should shewe the dutie of stepmothers Their name dooth shewe them their duetie too for a stepmother doth signifie a stedmother that is one mother dieth and another commeth in her stead therefore that your loue may settle to those little ones as it ought you must remember that ye are their stedmother that is in sted of their mother and therefore to loue them and tender them and cherish them as their mother did She must not looke vpon them like Rehoboam who tolde his people that hee would be worse vnto them then his predecessour for then they will turne from her as his subiects did from him but she must come to them as Dauid came to the people after Saules death and sayd Though your master Saul be dead yet I will raigne ouer you so she must say to them though your mother be dead yet will I be a mother so the children will loue her asmuch as their father Further these children are orphanes and therefore you must not onely regarde them as children but as orphane children Now God requireth a greater care ouer widowes and Orphanes than ouer anie other women or children Lastly you must remember that saying As you measure vnto other so it shall be measured vnto you againe that is as you intreate these children so another may come after and intreat your children for he which hath taken away the first mother and sent you can take away the seconde mother and sende a third which shall not be like a stepmother to yours vnlesse you be like a stepmother to these If these duties bee performed in marriage then I neede not speake of Diuorcement which is the rod of mariage and diuideth them which were one flesh as if the bodie and soule were parted asunder But because all performe not their wedlocke vowes therfore hee which appointed mariage hath appointed diuorcement as it were taking our priuilege from vs when we abuse it As God hath ordained remedies for euery disease so he hath ordained a remedie for the disease of mariage The disease of marriage is adulterie and the medicine hereof is diuorcement Moses licensed them to depart for hardnesse of heart but Christ licenseth them to depart for no cause but adulterie If they might be separated for discord some
We will not sinne therefore the heart of the godly is called a contrite heart but the heart the wicked is called a heart that cannot repent Beside as Christ cast out a legion of diuels at once so the godly would be purged of all their sinnes together but the wicked neuer consent to leaue all but as Naaman sayd Let the Lord spare me in this so euer hee excepteth one sinne which is his beloued sin like Herod which reformed many things yet would not leaue his brothers wife They are distinguished in Charitie for ye shall neuer see the wicked loue their enemies and therefore when the Pharisies could not loue their enemies they taught that men might hate their enemies and Christ speaking of Publicans and sinners exhorteth his Disciples not to loue like them because they loued none but their friends They are distinguished in Prayer for the wicked cannot praie therefore Dauid saith They call not vpon the Lord as if they had not the spirite of prayer and therefore Christ calleth their prayers babling for they thinke not of God when they speake vnto him They are distinguished in Patience no hypocrite can beare the Crosse but saith lyke Cain It is heauier than I can suffer but Paul and Silas sing in prison for a faithfull man would haue something to humble him reioyceth to beare his maisters markes because the wounds of a louer are sweete They are distinguished in the vse of aduersitie for this is a proper and peculiar mark of Gods children to profite by affliction and therefore we reade not in all the punishments of the wicked that one of them said like Dauid It is good for mee that I haue bene afflicted They are distinguished in Humilitie for the wicked are not hūbled before the crosse like Pharaoh that neuer sorrowed but when hee suffered but the Apostles learned humilitie of their Maister before their persecution came They are distinguished in their iudgement of the word for to the wicked it seemeth the hardest and simplest vnpleasantest booke that is and therefore Paul saith that it is foolishnes vnto them But to the godly it seemeth the wisest and eloquentest and sweetest and easiest booke of all other as though God did sodainely bring the vnderstanding of it to them as Iacob sayde of his venison according to that Hee that will doe his will shall know his doctrime They are distinguished in their Iudgement of God the wicked are persuaded now and then of Gods mercie for the present time while they feele it as the Iewes praised him alwaies when hee did as they woulde haue him but they cannot persuade themselues that God will be mercifull to them still like Iob which said Though the Lord kill mee yet will I trust in him therefore the hope of the righteous is called hope in death Beside if the wicked loue God it is but for his benefites as Saul loued him for his kingdome And this is alwaies to be noted that in the wicked the feare of hell is greater then is their hope of Heauen but in the faithfull the hope of heauen is greater then their feare of hell They are distinguished in their Delights for the sport of the vngodly is follie like Belshazzers and therefore when they are sicke or troubled they neuer runne to the Word for comfort as though Gods promises pertained not to them but to feasts or tables or tales or musicke as Saul did to the harpe But all the delights of the godlie are like Dauids daunce about the Arke they are neuer merrie but when they are dooing well nor at peace but when their praiers haue ouercome God like Iacob They are distinguished in their opinions of death for the faithfull long to bee dissolued although they might liue euer in continuall prosperitie yet they would not staie so long out of heauen but the wicked would neuer be dissolued because death comes alwaies vnto them like a iailor to hale vnto prison as Ahab sayd to Michaiah That he neuer prophesied good to him Hereby a man shall know whether hee haue faith for if hee doe beleeue the promises hee will be glad to receiue them They are distinguished in their sense of sinne Wicked men feele the lothsomnesse of their vices but none but the faithfull feele the defects of their righteousnesse The naturall man neuer complaineth of his good workes but vaunteth of them but a godly man findeth fault with his praiers and his almes and his watches like Isaiah that sayde his righteousnes was like a menstruous cloth As Christ met the tempter in the wildernesse a place of prayer and fasting and meditation so a godly man meeteth the tempter in his praiers and in his fasts and in his meditations that is he finds some lette or spotte or want in all his deuotions Therefore vnlesse thy righteousnesse mislike thee as well as thy prophanenes know that yet thou art no further than the wicked They are distinguished in their Endes for the children of God propose the glorie of God and leuell all their thoughts and speeches and actions as if they were messengers sent to carrie him presents of honor Thus did Dauid when hee sayd All that is within me praise the Lord. As though himselfe had rather bee without praise then his master but the children of the world set vp their owne glorie for their marke like Nabuchadnezzar which sayd For the honour of my Maiestie Dan. 4. 27. Therfore they speake and looke and walke as if they did say to their tongue and eyes and feet and apparell as Saul said to Samuel Honour me before this people Lastly they are distinguished in Perseuerance for the zeale of the wicked lasteth not and therefore God sayth They are soone turned out of the way but the zeale of the faithful was represented by the fire of the Temple which neuer went out By these differences thou maist see how much thou doost differ from the wicked or whether thou be of their band Then come to the third examination as the diuell tempteth thee to see what thou wilt do for him so thou must tempt thy self and get of thy soule what it would doe for God and what it would suffer for him which hath suffered death for it Therefore here we will set downe certain interrogatories wherof thou shalt examine it First whether thou hast the heart of Ioshua to worship God as boldlie as thou doest though all the world did renounce him and euerie one did mocke thee as they did Noah while he built the Arke Whether thou wouldst not denie Christ as Peter did if thou were in Peters straights and nothing to succour thee but thy policie Whether thou wouldst not steale if thou didst see a bootie as fit as Achan which thou mightest catch vp
which shall he on their death-bed Three things do giue me hope One is that all hearts are in the hands of God to call them at what houre he list and therfore Saul may become an Apostle The next is that the third crow doth waken moe than the former and therefore after the crowing of other this Crow may happily bee heard The last is that there is no sinne but some men haue bene reclaimed from it and so may Vsurers from their sinne Therefore goe my booke like Dauid against Goliah and fight the Lordes battels against Vsurers The Lord giue that successe to his doctrine in these leaues that it may consume Vsurers as Ioshuah droue out the Chananites before him If I could take but this one weede out of the Londoners garden I were answered for my health and my strength spent amongst them Reade with thy best mind thou shalt profit more Thine H. S. THE EXAMINATION OF VSVRIE THE FIRST SERMON Psal 15. verse 1. 5. 1 Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle Who shall rest in thine holy mountaine 5 He that giueth not his mony to vsurie THese two verses must be considered together because one is the question and the other is the answere Dauid demaundes who shall come to heauen and God tels him that Vsurers shall not come thither as if he should say they goe to hell Therefore as Paul taught Timothie to warne them which are rich as though they had more neede to bee warned than other so this sentence seemeth to be penned for a warning to the rich because it strikes vpon the rich mans vice I haue spoken of Briberie and Symonie and now I must speake of their sister Vsurie Many times haue I thought to speake of this Theame but the arguments which are alleadged for it haue made me doubtfull what to say in it because it hath gone as it were vnder protection At last you see it falleth into my text and therefore now I cannot bauke it any longer Therefore if anie heere haue fauoured this occupation before let him now submit his thoughts to Gods thoughts for I will alleadge nothing against it but that which is built vpon the rocke Vsurie is the sin which God will trie now whether you loue better than his word that is whether you will leaue it if hee forbid it For if he flatly forbid it and yet you wilfullie retaine it then you loue Vsurie better than Gods word Therefore one saith well that our Vsurers are Heretikes because after manie admonitions yet they maintaine their errour and persist in it obstinately as Papists do in Poperie For this cause I am glad that I haue anie occasion to gripple with this sinne where it hath made so manie spoiles where it hath so manie patrones for it is sayd that there be moe of this profession in this Citie then there be in all the Land beside There be certaine sinnes which are like an vnreasonable enemie which will not bee reconciled to death and this is one of these euerlasting sinnes which liue and dye with a man For when he hath resigned his pride and his enuie and his lust yet Vsurie remaineth with him and hee saith as Naaman saide Let the Lord be mercifull vnto me in this let mee haue a dispensation for this as though this were a necessarie sinne and he could not liue without it There be three sinnes which are counted no sinnes and yet they doe more hurt then all their fellowes and those are Briberie Nonresidencie and Vsurie these three because they are gainfull are turned from sinnes to occupations How manie of this Citie for all that they are vsurers yet wold be counted honest men and would faine haue Vsurie esteemed as a trade whereas if it were not so gainefull it would be counted as great a sinne as anie othe and so it is counted of all but them which liue by it This is the nature of pleasure and profite to make sinnes seeme no sinnes if we gaine anie thing by them but the more gainfull a sinne is the more dangerous it is and the more gainefull vsurie is the more dangerous it is I will speake the more of it because happely you shall not heare of this matter againe First I will define what Vsurie is Secondly I will shew you what Vsurie doth signifie Thirdly I will shew the vnlawfulnesse of it Fourthly I will shew the kindnes of it Fiftly I will shewe the arguments which are alleadged for it Sixtly I wil shew the punishment of it Seuenthly I will shew you what opinion we should holde of them which doo not lend vpon Vsurie but borrow vpon Vsurie Lastly I will shew you what they should do which haue got their riches by Vsurie Touching the first Vsurie is that gayne which is gotten by lending for the vse of the thing which a man lendeth couenaunting before with the borrower to receiue more then was borrowed and therfore one cals the Vsurer a legall theefe because before he steale he tels the partie how much he will steale as though he stoale by lawe This word more comes in like a sixt finger which makes a monster because it is more then should bee Another defining vsurie calleth it the contrarie to Charitie for Paul saith Loue seeketh not her owne but vsurie seeketh anothers that is not her owne therefore Vsurie is farre from loue but God is loue saith Iohn therfore Vsurie is farre from God too Now all the Commaundements of God are fulfilled by loue which Christ noteth when hee draweth all the commaundements to one commaundement which is Loue God aboue all things and thy neighbour as thy selfe as if hee should say hee which loueth God will keepe all the Commandements which respect God and he which loueth his neighbour will keepe all the Commandements which respect his neighbour therefore to maintaine loue God forbiddeth all things which hinder this loue and amongst the rest here he forbiddeth Vsurie as one of her deadliest enemies For a man cannot loue and be a Vsurer because Vsurie is a kind of crueltie and a kinde of extortion and a kinde of persecution and therefore the want of loue doth make vsurers for if there were Loue there would be no vsurie no deceipt no extortion no slaundering no reuenging no oppression but we should liue in peace and ioy and contentment like the Angels whereby you see that all our sinnes are against our selues for if there were no deceipt then we should not be deceiued if there were no slaunder then wee should not be slaundered if there were no enuie then wee should not be enuied if there were no extortion then wee should not be iniured if there were no vsurie then we should not be oppressed Therefore Gods law had bene better for vs than our owne law for if his law did stand then we should not be deceiued nor slaundered nor enuied nor iniured nor oppressed God hath
Saint Iohn writing to a Ladie which brought vp her children in the feare of God calleth her the elect Ladie shewing that the chiefest honour of Ladies and Lordes and Princes is to be elect of God Saint Luke speaking of certaine Beroeans which receiued the word of God with loue calleth them More noble than the rest shewing that God counteth none noble but such as are of a noble Spirite As Iohn calleth none elect but the vertuous and Luke calleth none noble but the religious so Christ calleth none his kinsmen but the righteous and of those onelie hee saieth These are my Mother and my Brethren which heare the word of God and doe it As Abrahams Children are not counted Children after the flesh but Children after the spirite so Christes Kindred are not counted Kindred after the flesh but kindred after the Spirite for the flesh was not made after the Image of God but the spirit was made after his Image therefore God is not called the Father of bodies but the Father of Spirites Now God which is a Spirite preferreth them which are a kinne to him in the Spirite Therefore Esau was not blessed because hee was of Isaacks flesh but Iacob was blessed because he was of Isaacks Spirite As wee loue in the flesh so Christ loueth in the spirit therefore he calleth none his kinsemen but them which heare the word of God and do it It seemeth that Paule thought of this saying when he said Till Christ be formed in you If Christ be formed in vs as Paule saith then we are Christs mother euerie one which wil haue Christ his sauiour must be Christs mother The virgin asked the angel how she could beare Christ seeing she had not knowen a man Luke Chapter 1. Verse 24. so you may aske how you can beare Christ seeing he is borne alreadie As there is a second comming of Christ so there is a second birth of Christ When we are borne againe then Christ is borne againe the virgin was his mother by the flesh the faithfull are his mother by the spirit the holy Ghost doth conceiue him in them hee was in her wombe and he is in their hearts shee did beare him and they doe beare him shee did nurse him and they do nurse him This is the second birth of Christ As the soule of man may bee called The Temple of the holie Ghost which is the third person so it may be called the wombe of the Sonne which is the second person Before these words it is saide that Christ asked Who are my brethren as if hee should say you thinke that I am affected to my kinsmen as you are but I tell you that I count them my kinsmen which heare the word of God and do it To shewe that Christ loueth vs with an euerlasting Loue hee sheweth that hee doth not loue vs for anie Temporall things but for that which doth endure for euer If Christ loued vs as Isaack loued Esau for venison then we might misse the blessing as Esau did But as Iohn saith He loued in the truth so Christ loueth in the truth To loue in the truth is the true loue euerie loue but this at one time or other hath turned into hatred as the truth ouercommeth falshood Nowe for this loue Christ calleth them by all the names of loue his father and his brethren and his sisters In Rom. 6. they are called his seruants If that be not enough in the fifteēth of Iohn they are called his friends If that be not enough in the third of Marke they are called his kinsmen If that be not enough in the foure twentith of Luke they are called his brethren If that be not enough in Mark 1. they are called his children If that be not enough here they are called his mother If that be not enough in Cantic 5. they are called his Spouse to shewe that hee loued them with all loues the Mothers loue the Brothers loue the Sisters loue the Masters loue and the Friends loue If all these Loues could be put together yet the loue of Christ exceedeth them all and the Mother and the Brother and the Sister and the Childe and the kinsmen and the Friende and the Seruant would not do and suffer so much among them all as Christ hath done and suffered for vs alone Such a loue we kindle in Christ when we heare his word and do it that wee are as deare vnto him as all his kinred together Now as wee are his Mother so should we carrie him in our heartes as his mother did in her armes As wee are his Bretheren so wee should preferre him as Ioseph did Beniamin Genesis Chapter fortie three Verse fortie three As we are his Spouse so should we imbrace him as Isaac did Rebecca if thou be a kinsman do like a kinsman Now wee come to the markes of these kinsmen which I may call the Armes of his house As Christ saith By this all men shall knowe my Disciples if they loue one another so hee saith By this shall all men knowe my kinsmen if they heare the word of God and doe it As there is a kindred by the Fathers side and a kindred by the Mothers side so there is a kindred of Hearers and a kindred of dooers In Matthew it is saide Hee which heareth the Wil of my Father and doth it Here it is saide Hee which heareth the worde of God and dooth it both are one For his word is his will and therefore it is called his will Psalme 119. As he spake there of dooing so hee speaketh here of a certaine rule which hee calleth the worde of God whereby all mens workes must be squared For if I do all the workes that I can to satisfie an others will or mine owne will it auaileth mee nothing with God because I doe it not for GOD. Therefore hee which alwaies before followed his owne will when hee was stricken downe and beganne to repent cried out Lorde what wilt thou haue mee to doe as if hee should say I will doe no more as men woulde haue mee or as the Diuell would haue mee or as the flesh would haue mee but as thou wouldst haue me So Dauid prayed Teach mee O Lord to doe thy will not my will for wee neede not to bee taught to doe our owne will no more than a Cuckoe to sing Cuckoe her owne name Euerie man can goe to hell without a guide Here is the rule nowe if you liue by it then are you kinne to Christ as other kinreds go by birth and marriage so this kinred goes by faith and obedience Hearers are but halfe kin as it were in a farre degree but they that heare and do are called his Mother which is the nearest kinred of all Therfore if you haue the deed then you are kin indeed there is no promise made to hearers nor to speakers nor to readers but all promises are made to beleeuers or
religion because the preachers did not agree or because the liues of professors gaue some offence therefore Paul sheweth that there is no cause why they should mislike the word for the Preacher or why they should despise religion for the professor because the word and the religion are not theirs which teach it and professe it but Gods and therefore can not be polluted by them no more than God Then hee concludeth that seeing it is necessarie that there shal be alwayes errours and heresies to trie vs we should also trie them and thereby be prouoked so much the more from errour or heresie or superstition that we abstain euen from the appearance thereof lest we fall into the sinne this is the scope of these words Despise not prophecying This admonition is as it were the keeper of the former for by prophecying the Spirit is kindled and without prophecying the Spirit is quenched and therefore after Quench not the Spirite Paule saith Despise not prophecying shewing that as our sinne doth quench the Spirit so prophecying doth kindle it This you may see in the Disciples that went to Emaus of whom it is sayd when Christ preached vnto them out of the law and the Prophets the spirite was so kindled with his prophesying that their harts waxed hot within them This you see againe in Sauls messengers which were sent for Dauid when they came among the Prophets heard them prophecie their spirite was so kindled that they could not chuse but prophecie also insomuch that Saul came after him selfe and hearing the Prophets as they did the Spirit came vnto him likewise and he prophecied too wherupon it was said Is Saul also among the Prophets This is no maruell that the spirit of man should be so kindled and reuiued and refreshed with the word for the word is called the Food of the soule take away the word from the soule and it hath no foode to eate As if you should take food from the bodie the bodie would pine And therefore Salomon saith Without visions the people perish that is without prophecying the people famish Therefore hee which loueth his soule had no need to despise prophecying for then he famisheth his owne soule and is guiltie of her death therefore that Pastor or that Patron which is the cause why any place doth want preaching is guiltie of their destruction because he which taketh or keepeth away the food doth famish the bodie The Apostle might haue sayd loue prophecying or honor prophecying but he saith Despise not prophecying And why doth hee forbidde to despise Prophecying Why did Christ say The poore receiue the Gospell but to shew that the rich did contemne it Why doth Paul say I am not ashamed of the Gospell but to shew that many are ashamed of it Euen so he saith Despise not prophecying shewing that the greatest honour which we giue to Prophets is not to despise them and the greatest loue which we carrie to the Word is not to loath it If we do not despise the preachers then we thinke that we honour them enough and if wee do not loath the Word then we thinke that we loue it enough therfore the Apostle sayth Despise not prophecying for Honour prophecying Prophecying here dooth signifie Preaching as it dooth in Rom. 1. 14. Wil you know why preaching is called prophecying To adde more honor and renown to the preachers of the word to make you receiue them like Prophetes and then Christ saith You shall haue a Prophets reward that is not such a reward as you giue but such a reward as God giueth Lastly if you marke Paul saith not Despise not Prophets but prophecying signifiing that from the contempt of the Prophets at last we come to despise Prophecying too like the Iewes who when they were offended with the Prophet charged him to prophecie no more Therefore as Christ warned his disciples to heare the Scribes and Pharisies although they did not as they taught so Paule warneth the Thessalonians that if anie prophets among them do not as they teach and therefore seeme worthie to bee despised like the Scribes and Pharisies yet that they take heed that they do no despise prophecying for the Prophets Because the preachers are despised before the word be despised therefore we will speake first of their contempt Christ asked his Disciples what they thought of him so I would aske you what you thinke of Preachers Is he a contemptible person which bringeth the message of God which hath the name of an Angel and all his words are messengers of life Prophets are of such account with God that it is sayd God will do nothing before he reueale it vnto his Prophets so prophets are as it were Gods counsellers Againe Kings and Priests and Prophets were figures of Christ al these three were annointed with oyle to shew that they had greater graces than the rest but especially the Prophets are called Men of God to shewe that all which are of God will make much of Prophets for Gods sake Therefore women are forbidden to take vpon them to prophecie lest that noble calling should become vile and despised by such vnskilfull handlers of it Therfore when the Prophet Elisha would sende for Naaman the leaper to come vnto him these were his wordes Naaman shall know that there is a Prophet in Israel as though all the glorie of Israel were chieflie in this that they had Prophets and other had none as if one Parish should triūph ouer another because they haue a preacher and the other haue none Therefore when this Prophet was dead Ioash the King came vnto his coarse and wept ouer his face and cryed O my Father my Father the Chariot of Israel and horsemen of the same shewing that the Chariots and horses and souldiers doe not so safegarde a Citie as the Prophets which teach it and praye for it Therefore when God would marke the Israelites with a name of greatest reproach hee calleth them A people which rebuke their Priests as if he should say vsurpers of the Priests office for they rebuke their Priests which are appointed to rebuke them How ioyfull and glad was Lydea when she could drawe Paul and Sylas to her house If you thinke me to be faithfull sayth shee come to my house shewing that neuer any guests were so welcome to her house before How tender was the Shunamite ouer Elisha that she built an house to welcome him and to keep him with her thinking all the places in her house too bad for him she built him a new roome to make him staie with her How much did the Galatians make of Paul that he saith they would pull out their owne eyes to doe him good So once a Prophet was esteemed like a Prophet And hath he bid you despise them now which bad you to honour them before No Paule chargeth vs to receiue our teachers as hee
wordes wanton gestures and daintie fare with manie other pleasures doe becken vnto sinne and if there bee no wine why hanges the bushes and if there be no wantonnesse why is there anie wanton or vnseemely or vngodly attyre Let vs not walke in gluttonie and drunkennesse neither in chambering and wantonnesses nor in strife and enuying It is hard to say which of these sins is most in the world happily some will say I haue bene no glutton no drunkard no whoremonger no murtherer no false image worshipper c. but who can come forth and saie hee is free from strife for strife hath compassed the whole worlde strife in Countrey strife in Citie strife in the Court strife in the Common-weale strife in the Church who can say that he is free frō strife or that he hath not iniured his brother surely that man shall stand alone for it wil light vpon none but Christ I can but exhort you with the Apostle that you would not walke in strife and enuying therefore put away these among the rest for he that hath not put off these hath not put on Christ and if he hath not put on Christ hee is then no Christian Enuie is a sinne and it punisheth it self like gluttonie for it fretteth the heart shortneth the life and eateth the flesh as a fire consumeth the wood it is the mother of strife and a great worker in the Court this is it which brought labour and sicknesse and death into the worlde euen the enuie of the serpent and the diuell and it will condemne thee in thy conscience if thou bee an enuious man Nothing resembleth God more than loue for GOD is loue so if thou hast loue thou resemblest God But if thou hast enuie and art an aduersarie thou resemblest the diuell for thou canst not come neerer the diuell any way than to bee enuious As the dust commeth with the winde so the diuell commeth with enuie and hee that is possessed with enuie is possessed with the diuell Why doth the Apostle say in the third chapter of his Epistle to the Colossians Aboue all things put on loue Because loue is best of all Why doth he call loue the band of perfection Because it bindeth all vertues together If loue be the band of perfection to bind al vertues together then enuie is the band of impietie to binde all sinnes together therefore if we must cast off all but loue wee must cast off enuie Thou canst not come to the kingdome of peace without loue The kingdome of Satan is at peace and shall not Gods kingdome be at peace Shall we be at peace with the flesh the world and the diuell and bee at variance with God and at strife one with another Fire is cruell wrath is raging but who can stand before enuie Prouerbs 27. And if none can stand before enuie how can enuy stand before God If thou canst not forgiue him that dooth offend thee thou prayest against thy selfe and askest vengeance vpon thee therefore the Apostle exhorteth thee not to let the Sunne go downe vpon thy wrath Ephes 5. 26. Charitie enuieth not saith Paul therefore see thou haue charitie lest thou bee counted an enuious person The beastes of the field are armed with hornes with hoofes with tuskes and such like to take reuenge but nature hath left nothing for man to put him in mind of reuenge and yet man aboue al other creatures is most desirous of reuengment for he hateth his owne life therefore it is against nature to enuie Iohn sayth he that hateth his brother is a manslaier and loueth not God neither knoweth God if an enuious man sayth he say he loueth God he is a lyar because he hateth his image if he say he knoweth God he is a lyar how canst thou loue God and hate good men how canst thou loue learning when thou hatest the learned so doth the enuious man all both good and bad therefore this is the worst sinne because it commeth neerest the sinne against the holy Ghost Consider therefore whom thou hatest euen thy image The diuell was appoynted to hate man and not man to hate man and if thou hatest a good man thou hatest God if thou hatest an euil man thou hatest one like thy selfe and if thou hatest one like thy selfe thou hatest thine owne soule therefore as S. Paul sayth Haue peace with all men Canst thou not hate the sinne and loue the person as the Phisition hateth the disease and yet loueth the diseased As a great manie of Bees can lodge together in a hiue so a legion of diuels can nestle together in one man but many although they cannot liue asunder yet they cannot liue together Wherefore now consider the pedigree of peace God is the God of peace the holy Ghost is the Spirit of peace the Angels are the messengers of peace the ministers are the preachers of peace and the Magistrate is the defender of peace shall wee then that haue the God of peace the Spirit of peace the messengers of peace the preachers of peace the magistrates of peace as I may say the Queene of peace bee at enuie and warre one with another Meruaile not though I am so long vpon this sinne for there is none of you that heare me this day but you can giue mee sufficient matter to speake hereof Then can I want words when ye bring matter Shal I not wrastle and seeke to ouerthrowe this giant which challengeth euery man As no man finding a Serpent leaueth him before hee bee dead so let vs slaughter this monster while he is vnder the axe that he neuer rise anie more Consider of the wrong thou doest to thy self when thou enuiest another for the stroake of enuie redounds vnto thee It were better thou didst gratulate them with good things as good men haue done and doe daylie but in stead of imitating their vertues or commending their gifts wee enuie them and maligne them and so their ioye is our sorrow But the enuious man doth pay for his spite for it requoyles vpon himselfe and enuie is punished with enuie and hatred also with hatred for hee which hateth all shall bee hated of all Thus hee is tormented for another as Herode tormented himselfe for Christ the Iewes troubled themselues for Paul for enuie is as gall to the heart as prickes to the stomack and as a canker in the mouth and euer vexeth thee as the euill spirit of Saul vexed him Loue is so contrary to enuie as that it hath more ioy of others welfare then enuie hath of his owne Therefore an enuious man may bee compared to Cain who when hee killed his brother Abel was so troubled that hee said Whosoeuer findeth me shall kill me The couetous man though hee will not communicate his owne goods yet he would haue others to communicate their goods the proud man although hee bee proud himselfe yet he would haue others to be humble but the enuious man careth not who
doth any good As the Eagle doth account them bastards that cannot abide to looke vpon the Sunne so Christ doth account them bastards which will not take him to bee an example of lowlinesse Euery creature doeth impart his good vnto man but the enuious man he hath separated himselfe from dooing good to any euen as an Apostata Euerie vice is the contrarie of some vertue as intemperance to moderation incontinence to chastitie pride to humilitie but enuie is contrarie to all This is the cognisance of the diuell for God saith By this shal men know that you are my disciples if you loue one another so the Diuell hee saith By this shall men knowe that you are my Disciples if you enuie and hate one another The proud the prodigall the couetous the lasciuious they are loued of some but the enuious man is hated of all And this sinne is so lothsome vnto him that hee cannot abide it in any but in himselfe Therefore if wee loue our selues let vs loue our neighbours for nothing doth more please God than loue so that if the blacke Moore could be cleane here is water inough to wash him But the flesh of man is more strong then all these reasons God hath put enmitie betweene vs and the Serpent and the Serpent hath put enmitie betweene man and man When Ioseph had laden his brethren full of corne and sent them away he bade them not to fall out by the way so I would this lesson when we haue plentie of all things and are full had deepe impression in our hear is that we forget it not Fall not out by the waye FINIS To the Reader WHereas these Sermons of Nabuchadnezzar haue heretofore been printed by an vnperfect Copie and by meanes thereof haue passed through the handes of diuers hauing in some places the minde of the Author obscured in other some the sentences vnskilfully patched together whereby the Authors discredit might bee furthered and the sale of the Sermons haue been hindered Now as I haue caused them to be examined by the best Copies and to bee corrected accordingly so I thought good to certifie thee of the same that the wants which were in the first impression might not cause thee to suspect this impression also and so discourage thee from acquainting thy selfe with the excellent Instructions offered in these Treatises THE PRIDE OF Nabuchadnezzar Dan. 4. 26. 26 At the end of twelue moneths he walked in the royall pallace of Babel 27 And the king spake and sayd Is not this great Babel that I haue built for the house of my kingdome by the might of my power and for the honour of my maiestie I Haue chosen this storie of Nabuchadnezzar wherein is laide downe his Pride his Fall and his Restitution This Nabuchadnezzar was a wicked King and therefore God warned him by a dreame and by Daniel to amend his life but all would not serue hee made many shewes but hee reuolted againe therefore at the last GOD gaue him ouer for a time and he became like a beast vntill he acknowledged his power to come from God A warning to all rulers to put them in remembrance that one ruler is aboue which must bee serued of them all or else all their buildings and treasures and guard will not shield them from iudgement when the stroake commeth no more than they could saue Nabuchadaezzar At the end of twelue moneths saith Daniel this king walked in his royall pallace The Prophet sheweth that hee had deserued this punishment before and that his dreame which he had did tell him that his kingdome should depart from him for his Pride yet this respite of twelue moneths was granted him like the fortie dayes which were granted to the Niniuites to trie what hee would doe vpon his warnings and whether hee would repent as the Niniuites did therefore the holy Ghost sheweth how the time ranne and how he liued after as if he should say If he will returne yet and be warned by the dreames or by the Prophets which I sent him I will stay my hand and his kingdome shal not depart from him But here he sheweth that he forgot his dreame like a dreame and was more desirous to knowe what it meant than to bee warned by it The twelue months ranne moneth after moneth yet Nabuchadnezzar is all one Now his dreames are gone he thinketh that all is ended therefore hee getteth him vp into his pallace amiddest his delights to beake himselfe as it were in the sunne of all his pleasures where indeede hee hastened God to take away all his pleasures and delightes from him when hee should haue repented as the Prophet Daniel willed him and ripped vp his sinnes and bewailed his wicked life and poured foorth teares and preuented his iudgement with prayer vpon his knees then was hee stalking in his galleries and thinking what sinne should bee next to fill vp the number of his rebellions that GOD might not spare him when he iudged so the wicked will not suffer the prophesies of God against them to be in vaine but they will put GOD in minde of their punishments and sinne till the punishment doe come vppon them to fulfill the threatnings due vnto them Some thinke that Nabuchadnezzar walked vppon the roofe of his pallace from whence hee might see all partes of the Citie round about him like the mountaine whither the tempter led our Sauiour Christ to shew him the beauty of the world This the Prophet Daniel would signifie that the King liued in ease as he liued before and pleased himselfe in vanitie still for all his warnings and turned his time of repentance to sinne againe Therefore God would deferre the time no longer but cut him downe like the barren and fruitlesse figge tree to teach vs to take mercie when it is offered and repent while wee haue time and space and that if GOD speake vnto vs but once to lay it vp in our hearts for euer not looking or expecting to be spoken to againe because GOD is not bound to admonish or giue vs any warning at all One woulde haue thought that Nabuchadnezzar woulde haue remembred his warning while hee had liued which had such a strange and fearefull Dreame and after that another dreame being no lesse strange and fearefull than the former dreame to confirme it and after such a Prophet to expound it and the exposition of it threatning such a miserable ruine and downfall vnto himselfe One would haue thought and beleeued that he could neuer haue forgotten it or put it out of his remembrance although he had liued vnto this day But like a wonder which lasteth not aboue nine dayes so is the repentance of them which sinne by custome for when sinne is rooted it sticketh fast and will hardly be weeded out though GOD should send vs dreames though he should shewe vs visions though he should raise vp Prophets Daniel himselfe cannot make this blacke Moore white which alwaies hath been black before
And this we may see in our selues for why haue we neede to heare so often of repentance more then of anything else but that it is such a thing as we cannot frame our selues vnto If we bee warned of any thing but of sinne one warning will serue But we are so incorporate and inured to sinne that a thousand sermons will not serue so custome hath made sinne stronger in many than the word of God Well remember or consider or applie it how he will after twelue moneths God wil come take account of his dreames and of his Prophets which he sent him to see what he hath profited by them Although he hath leaden feete which are long in comming yet hee hath yron hands which when he commeth will strike home Now the twelue moneths are expired God comes findes Nabuchadnezzar vpon his towres when hee should haue cast himselfe downe to the ground and thought vpon his dreame and Daniel and so haue humbled his pride hee was pearched vpon his roost and there he begins to crowe of his wealth Is not this great Babel which I haue built for the house of my kingdome by the might of my power and for the honour of my maiestie See how the man standeth in admiration of his vanitie like a vsurer which doateth of his money as though hee had deserued immortall fame for spending his money vainely Is not this great Babel c. he should rather haue saide Is not this Nabuchadnezzars follie which hee hath built for a mocke to his name and an impeachment to his wisdome for men to say when they passe by look how our King hath bestowed his reuenues heere lie our subsidies tributes in this stone wall But Nabuchadnezzar thinkes that euerie one will praise him for his follie Therefore like a woman when shee is pricked vp in her brauerie thinkes that all doe admyre her and hath as goodly an opinion of her selfe as the Pecocke hath of his feathers and frameth all her lookes and gestures and speeches accordingly so when Nabuchadnezzar sate in his Pallace and sawe such shewes about him now saith Pride thou must frame thy lookes and gestures and speeches accordingly or else the Kings Pallace will be brauer than the King himselfe so hee beginneth to exalt his minde higher than his pallace and to looke and speake stouter than hee did before The temptation was no sooner in his heart but the words were in his mouth and hee pleased himselfe therein so well that he could not refraine being alone but as a foole admyres himselfe in a glasse so when hee was alone and no bodie with him hee strouted alone and bragged by himselfe to thinke what a iolly fellow he was and how men began to talke of his buildings By this we may see how wealth and honours change manners and how a gay coate or a great band or a gold ring can braue a mans mind and make him looke and speake after another manner then hee is accustomed when they are from him It is a wonderfull thing to see what power these pettie vaine toyes haue ouer the minde to alter and change a man sodainelie to make him thinke better of himselfe that day hee weares them than anie other daye besides Is not this great Babel which I haue built for the house of the kingdome by the might of my power for the honour of my maiestie Before the holy Ghost laieth downe Nabuchadnezzars words marke how hee commeth vnto them The King spake and sayd Spake sayd was not one enough but hee must say spake and sayd This doubling of the words sheweth that hee spake with a premeditate pride from his heart roote which passed not whether it were a sin or no come what will come of it The holy Ghost doth bring other speeches with He sayd and no more but here he saith Spake and sayd as though he spake twise not as he spake at other times but like a man at defiance which woulde not recall any word but if he could say more he would say more to anger Did I call it great Babel I may call it great Babel Did I say that I built it I will say that I built it Did I adde for the honour of my maiestie let it goe for the honour of my maiestie Thus hee spake and sayde as though he would bee constant in his pride although hee were constant in no other thing Is not this great Babel which I haue built for the house of the kingdome by the might of my power and for the honor of my maiestie Three things I note in this saying First what a glorious opinion Nabuchadnezzar had of his vaine building out of these words Is not this great Babel The second out of these words which I haue built by the might of my power wherein he tearmeth himselfe the founder of it as if he had done all without a helper The third is that in all his worke hee sought nothing but vaine-glory out of these words for the honour of my Maiestie These three sinnes Nabuchadnezzar doth bewraie in one bragge and in all these three we are so like that the beasts were not so like him when 〈◊〉 became like a beast First we haue not so wonderfull an opinion of GOD or of his word or of heauen as wee haue of our owne acts although we be neuer able to do halfe that Nabuchadnezzar did Secondlie this is our manner to attribute all to our selues whatsoeuer it be riches honour health or knowledge as though all came by labour or policie or arte or literature if wee cannot drawe it to one of these then we think it fortune although we vnderstand not what fortune is If wee did count our selues beholding vnto God for them then we would finde some time to be thankfull vnto him Lastly when we ouer-view these matters this is our solace and comfort to thinke these are the things which make mee famous and spoken of and pointed at and then we end as though it were inough to bee poynted at Is not this great Babel That which one loues seemes greater and more precious aboue all which he loueth not although they be better than it so did these buildings seeme to Nabuchadnezzar One would not thinke that a house were a matter to make a king proude although it were neuer so faire stone wals are not so precious that he should repose al his honour vpon lime and morter But this is a iust thing with God that vaine hope vaine prosperitie vaine comfort and vaine glory that may deceiue them when they trust vnto it therefore as the faithfull soule looketh vp to GOD or vpon the word or vp to heauen and sayth to it selfe is not this my hope is not this my ioy is not this my inheritaunce So the carnall man when hee looketh vpon his buildings or his grounds or his money sayth to himselfe is not this my ioye is not this my life is not this my comfort So while
downe their crownes before the Lambe Such a schoolemaster is affliction to teach that which Prophets and Angels cannot teach For the Prophet and his dreame had tolde him as much before yet he could neuer say the Lord hath giuen before he did see how the Lord had taken they say a friend is neuer knowne before hee bee lost so when God fled then Nabuchadnezzar followed but when God called then Nabuchadnezzar contemned when he hath all things he is vnthankfull and when he hath nothing hee beginneth to be thankefull So wee must learne Gods loue out of his wrath and spel his goodnes out of his iustice therefore we preach iudgement vnto you to make you flie vnto mercie wee denounce the law against you to make you loue the gospel we shew you hell to make you seeke heauen Because we are all like Pharaoh his sorcerers though we receiue neuer so much yet we neuer say the finger of GOD hath done this but when he begins to plague vs then we cry the finger of God hath done this therefore if we will not be inuited it is good to be compelled to conclude he which made Nabuchadnezzar a King when he was like a beast is hee which makes them rich which were poore and he which makes them free which were bounden and hee which makes them beloued which were hated and hee which makes them wise which were rude and hee which makes them whole which were sicke they must staie a time seuen dayes or seuen weekes or seuen moneths or seuen yeares as Nabuchadnezzar did and when they are ready for it it will come sodainly as the Angels came to refresh Christ so soone as he was hungry yet a little while a little longer comfort is on foote and that goodnesse which is comming will come as the sunne which was rising is risen for as Nabuchadnezzar saide mine honor was restored to mee so I am sure many here may say my right was restored to mee my libertie was restored to mee my health was restored to mee my good name was restored to me in lesse time than Nabuchadnezzars honour was and what then Therefore I Nabuchadnezzar prayse and extoll and magnifie the King of heauen whose workes are all trueth and his waies iudgement and those that walke in pride hee is able to abase This is the conclusion of all Gods benefites they which doe not prayse and extoll the King of heauen are worse than Nabuchadnezzar Therefore let all which sayd in their harts like Nabuchadnezzar is not this the house which I haue built is not this the land which I haue purchased is not this the monie which I haue gathered are not these the children which I haue be gotten say now with Nabuchadnezzar for all I praise and extoll and magnifie the King of heauen which can take all againe as hee did from Nabuchadnezzar Thus you haue seen pride and humilitie one pulling Nabuchadnezzar out of his throne the other lifting him vnto his throne whereby they which stand may take heed lest they fall and they which are fallen may learne to rise againe FINIS A DISSWASION FROM PRIDE AND AN exhortation to Humilitie 1. PET. 5. 5. God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble SAint Peter teaching euerie man his dutie how one should behaue himselfe to another exhorteth al mē to bee humble abstayne from pride as though Humilitie were the bond of all duties like a list which holdeth men in a compasse pride were the makebate ouer all the world to which Salomon giueth witnes Prou. 13. 10. saying Onely by pryde man maketh contention because pride maketh euery one thinke better of himselfe then of others whereby he scorneth to giue place to the other and therefore when neither partie wil yeeld as Abraham did to Lot how should there be any peace Thus pride doth breake the peace and humilitie doth set it againe therefore to toll men from pride to humilitie as it were from the concubin to the right wife the Apostle sheweth how God is affected to pride and what minde he beareth to humilitie God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble as if he should whisper men in the eares say take heed how you companie with pride or giue entertainment to her for she is not Caesars friend the king counteth her his enemie all that take her part she hath been suspected euer since the Angels rebelled in heauen and Adam sought to bee equal with God therfore his maiestie hath a stich against her as Salomon had to Shemei would not haue her fauorites come in his court vnlesse they hold downe their mace stoope when they enter But if you can get in with humilitie and weare the colours of lowlines then you may goe boldly and stand in the Kings sight and step to his chamber of presence and put vp your petitions and come to honor For humilitie is very gracious with him and so neere of his counsell that as Dauid and Salomon say he committeth all his secrets to her This is Peters meaning that the humble shall finde grace with God and men as wee read of Dauid and Iohn Baptist according to that in the first Psal vers 4. All things which hee doth shall prosper but the proude shall bee troubled and crossed and when they would doe best they shall doe worst when they would grace themselues they shall shame themselues and God will be to them like the spirit of Saul which tormented him wheresoeuer hee went This sentence is repeated againe Iames 4. 6. the like sentence to this is in Prouerbes 3. 34. where he sayth with the Scornefull he scorneth but he giueth grace to the humble the like sentence is againe in the 16. of Prouerbs 18. where he sayth Pryde goeth before destruction and in the 15. of Prou. 33. before honour goeth humilitie The like sentence is againe in the 29. of the Prou. vers 23. where he saith the pryde of man shall bring him lowe but the humble in spirit shall enioy glorie The like sentence is againe in the first of Luke 46 where the Virgin sings He hath put downe the mightie from their seate and hath exalted the humble and meeke that as it were by two or three witnesses pryde might bee condemned and humilitie acquited One is to GOD like Iacob of whom hee sayth Iacob haue I loued the other is to God like Esau of whom he sayth Esau haue I hated Iacob loued Esau because hee loued venison but Rebecca loued Iacob because he was loued of God So the proud are in the Kings Court because they seeke honour but the humble are in Gods court because they contemne honour as he sayth in the third of the Prouer. ver 34. with the froward he will shew himselfe froward So he threatneth here that with the proude he will shewe himselfe proud that is if they chalenge he wil defend if they
as Cham displayed his nakednesse as if he would say come and see the strength of man Hee which was counted so righteous hee which beleeued the threatning like Lot when the rest mocked he to whom al the foules of the ayre and the beastes of the earth flocked in couples as they came to Adam He which was reserued to declare the iudgemeÌ„ts of God and to begin the world againe Noah the example of sobrietie the example of moderation is ouercome with drinke as if hee had neuer been the man How easily how quicâ—ly the iust the wise the prudent hath lost his sence his memorie his reason as though he had neuer been the man And how hard it is to auoyd sinne when occasion is at hand and pleasant opportunitie tempteth to sinne It is easier for the bird to go by the net than to breake the net so it is easier for a man to auoyde temptations then to ouercome temptations Therefore God forbad Balaam not only to curse the people as Balaac would haue him but he forbad him to goe with Balaacs seruants knowing that if he went with them and sawe the pompe of the court and heard the King himselfe speake vnto him and felt the tickling reward it would straine his conscience and make him doubt whether he should curse or blesse Peter but warming himselfe at Caiphas fire was ouercome by a silly damsell to doo that which hee neuer thought euen to forsweare his Lord God therefore Daniel would not eate of the Kings meate least hee should bee tempted to the Kings will shewing vs that there is no way to escape sinne but to auoyd occasion Therefore Dauid prayeth Turne away mine eyes from vanitie as though his eyes would draw his heart as the baite tilleth on the hooke Noah thought to drink he thought not to be drunke but as hee which commeth to the fielde to sound the Trumpet is slaine as soone as he which commeth to fight so the same wine distempereth Noah which hath distempered so many since Where he thought to take his reward taste the fruite of his owne hands God set an euerlasting blot vpon him which sticks fast till this day like a bar in his armes so long as the name of Noath is spoken of that we cannot reade of his vertue but wee must reade of his sinne whereby euerie man is warned to receiue the gifts of God reuerently to vse them soberly and to sanctifie himselfe before he reach forth his hand vnto them that they may comfort and profite vs with that secret blessing that God hath hid in them or else euery thing the best gifts of God may hurt vs as this pleasant wine stayned and confounded the great Patriarch when hee delighted too much in it which hee might haue drunke as Christ did at the last Supper and this disgrace had neuer beene written in his storie but God would haue a fearefull example like the piller of Salt to stand before those beasts whose onely strife is to make triall who can quaffe deepest and shew all their valiantnesse in wine Because there is such warning before vs now we haue the drunkard in schooling I will spend the time that is left to shew you the deformity of this sin if any heare me which haue bin ouertaken with it let him not maruel why he cannot loue his enemies which loueth such an enemy as this which leadeth til he reeleth duls him till hee bee a foole and stealeth away his sence wit his memory his health his credit his friends and when shee hath stripped him as bare as Noah then shee exposeth him like Noah to Cham all that see him do mocke him it is wonder almost that any man should be drunke that hath seene a drunkard before swelling and pussing and foming and spuing and groueling like a beast for who would be like a beast for all the world Looke vpon the drunkard when his eies stare his mouth driuels his tongue faulters his face flames his handes tremble hys feete reele how vglie how monstrous how loathsome doth he seeme to thee so loathsome dost thou seeme to others when thou art in like taking And how loathsome then doost thou seeme to God Therfore the first law which Adam receiued of God was abstinence which if hee had kept he had kept all vertues beside but intemperancie lost all In abstinence the law came to Moses he fasted when he receiued it to shew that they which receiue the word of God receiue it soberly A temperate man seldome sinneth because the flesh which dooth tempt is mortified least it should tempt but when the handmaid is aboue the mistres and a man hath lost the Image of God and scarce retayneth the image of man all his thoughts and speeches and actions must needs be sinne and nothing but sinne because sobrietie the bond of vertue is broken which kept all together When didst thou want discretion to consider When didst thou want patience to forgiue When didst thou waÌ„t coÌ„tinencie to refraine When didst thou want hart to pray but when sobrietie is fled away and intemperancie filled her roome If shame let to sinne it casteth out sinne if feare let to sinne it casteth out feare if loue let to sinne it expulseth loue if knowledge let to sinne it expulseth knowledge like a couetous Land-lord which would haue all to himselfe and dwell alone There is no sinne but hath some shew of vertue onely the sinne of drunkennes is like nothing but sinne there is no sin but although it hurt the soule it beautifieth the body or promiseth profite or pleasure or glory or something to his seruants onely drunkennesse is so impudent that it descryeth it selfe so vnthankful that it maketh no recompence so noysome that it consumeth the body which many sinnes spare least they should appeare to bee sinnes Euery sinne defileth a man but drunkennesse makes him like a beast euery sinne defaceth a man but drunkennesse taketh away the image of a man euery sinne robbeth a man of some vertue but drunkennesse stealeth away all vertues at once euery sinne deserueth punishment but drunkennesse vpbraids a man while the wine 〈◊〉 in his stomacke and though hee would dissemble his drunkennesse yet hee is not able to set a countenance of it but the childe descryeth him the foole knowes that he is drunke because his face bewraieth him like the leprosie which burst out of the forehead so worthily hath he lost the opinion of sobrietie which hath lost it selfe His sonne thinkes himselfe more maister now than his father his seruant makes him a foole his children leades him like a childe his wife vseth him like a seruant and although his drunkennes leaueth him when he hath slept yet no man seckes to him for counsell after no man regards his word no man reckons of his iudgment no man is perswaded by his counsell no man accounts of his learning no man hath any glorie to accompany with him but so soone as
with the wicked therefore their gifts are not like the tree planted by the waters side but like the Chaffe which the winde bloweth away Nay saith Dauid themselues are like Chaffe which the winde bloweth away If they bee Chaffe then their fruite is Chaffe The Gluttons table was for the vngodly but the Lords table was for the holy Therfore he which had not the Wedding garment had not the wedding feast For if the Lord would cast pearles vnto Swine why doth he forbid vs to doe so Therfore it is not said Be it vnto thee as thou desirest lest all should looke to receiue but Be it vnto thee as thou beleeuest that all might care to Beleeue It is not said to them which seeke not yee shall find but Seeke and you shall find How should they Enter which haue not a hand to knocke at the doore How should they Receiue which haue not a tongue to aske the giuer How should they haue wisedome which haue not the feare of the Lorde which is the beginning of wisedome Thus as Iames saith Shew me thy faith and I will shew thee my faith So God faith shewe mee thy loue and I will shew thee my loue as Christ was knowne at Emaus by breaking of bread so you may knowe him heere by dealing his giftes It is said when Ioseph feasted his brethren Beniamins messe had fiue times more than any of his brethren because Ioseph loued him more than the rest so the mercy and graces of God will shew to whome his affection standeth If you see Christ leaning on a mans breast as Iohn did on Christs breast then may you say this is a beloued Disciple For as Lidia perswaded Paule and Silas to come to her house saying If you iudge me to bee faithfull come to my house so you may iudge them to be faithfull to whose house the Lord commeth If you aske Salomon to whome the Lord giueth wisedome and knowledge hee answereth To a man which is good in his sight Eccles the second Chapter and twentie sixe verse shewing that those men are gracious in Gods sight as Ioseph was in Pharaohs Contrariwise if you see God flying from a man as Dauid fled from Saul that is withdrawing his spirite as the Master did his Talent then you may saie this is not a faithfull seruant to his Master for if he had vsed his Talent well the Lord would increase it as hee promised but because he doth abuse it therefore the Lorde dooth withdrawe it againe as he threatned To some God giueth and neuer recalleth againe to some he giueth and after taketh it from them As some Angels went vp the ladder and some went downe so some mens gifts increase and some decrease To the Ephesians the fourth Chapter you haue GOD giuing In Matthew 21. you haue him taking In Genes 1. you haue God blessing In Genes 4. you haue God cursing In Acts 26. you haue God opening eyes In Esay 6. you haue God shutting eyes In Dan. 2. you haue God making wise In Esa 44. you haue God making fooles In Iohn 15. you haue God dressing trees In Matthew 3. you haue God hewing downe trees When one sea floweth another â—bbeth When one starre riseth another setteth When light is in Goshen darknesse is in Aegypt When Mordecai groweth into fauour Haman groweth out of fauour When Beniamin beginneth Rachel endeth Thus wee are rising or setting getting or spending winning or loosing growing or fading vntill wee arriue at Heauen or Hell As Elisha his spirite was doubled so Saules spirit departed As the Gentiles become beleeuers so the Iewes become infidels As Saule becommeth an Apostle so Iudas becommeth an Apostata As Iohn groweth in the spirite so Ioash decaieth in the spirite As Zacheus turneth from the world so Demas turneth to the world As Lidias heart is opened so Pharaohs heart is hardened Euen as the thornes burne while the Vines fructifie When Ishbosheth was a sleepe vpon his bed Baanab and Rechab came and tooke away his life So while men sleepe and do no good God commeth and taketh away their gifts It was neuer said Sampson hath lost his strength vntill he harkened vnto Dahiah It was neuer said Saul hath lost his spirit vntill hee harkened not to Samuell It was neuer said Take his Talent from him vntill he hid it in the ground One sinne openeth the doore for many vertues to goe out While Iaacob staied with Laban Labans cattell increased because God blessed him for Iaacobs sake but when Iaacob went from him many of Labans sheepe went with him and he grewe poore againe so while the loue of righteousnesâ—e is with thee to husband thy knowledge and wisdome like Iaacob thou shalt thriue in graces and one daye shall teach another but when that steward departeth from thee then looke that thy wisedome and knowledge and iudgement should decrease as fast as the widowes oyle increased the world will winne the flesh and the flesh will winne the spirit and one sinne will crie to another as the Moabites did at the riuer Now Moab to the spoyle now sinnes to your spoyle then thy knowledge shall flie as though it were afraide to bee taken captiue of ignorance thy loue shall not abide thy hatred thy humilitie shall not abide thy pride thy temperaunce shall not abide thy concupisence As thou seest the leaues fall from the trees in a boystrous winde so thy graces shall drop away one after another as though thou were in a consumption As the Arke would not staye with the Philistines so the grace of GOD will not staie with sinners but flieth from them like persecutors Dauid was not so readie to flie from Saule but the spirite was as readie to flie from him too This must come vppon all which sinne like Sampson their strength must departe from them vntill they learne like Nabuchadnezzar from whence it came This sentence is such a meditation that hee which would preach it to the quicke had neede to haue an eie in all mens hearts to see how one vertue dieth after another vntill the soule die too As there is a fall of leaues and an Eclipse of the sunne and a consumption of the bodie so there is a fall of giftes and an Eclipse of knowledge a consumption of the spirit It is straunge to see how wisdome and knowledge and iudgement doe shun the wicked as though they were afraid to be defiled As Barach would not goe vnles Deborah would go with him so knowledge will not stay vnles vertue will stay with her To this Ieremy poynted when he mocked the Iewes for saying Knowledge shall not depart from the priest nor counsel from the wise nor the word from the prophet to this Esay pointed when he saith The wisdome of the wise men shal perish and the vnderstanding of the prudent shall be hid as if he should say one day Christ will tell you that Whosoeuer hath not from him c. And
to keep his wickednes in remembrance because hee solde his birth-right for a messe of red pottage So Simon is called the Sorcerer as though GOD would note him for the worst of that name So God knoweth Simon Peter from Simon Magus and Iudas his brother from Iudas his betrayer and therefore as Ieroboam comes in with his trayne after him Ieroboam which made Israel to sinne So Iudas comes in with his trayne after him Iudas which betrayed the Lord For when God sayde I will honour them which honour mee hee signified how hee woulde dishonour them which disnour him and therefore this name is a word of reproach vntill this day and all Traytours are called Iudasses for his sake that the Prophesie might bee fulfilled The names of the wicked shall rot that is they shall be named with lothsomnes and remembred with disdayne as a man passeth by a rotten carrion and stoppeth his nose vntill hee be past it This is the iust wrath of God As Christ promised that Maries good worke shoulde bee spoken of to the worldes ende So hee hath caused Iudas euill worke to bee spoken of vnto the worldes ende too For there were three euilles in one First his practise was impudent because hee offered himselfe to bee a Traytour before he was asked Then it was Couetous because hee was contented to betray his Lord for 30. pence And lastly it was craftie because hee betrayed him with a kisse which is a signe of loue Like this traitour do all other traitours and therefore are all called Iudasses that is impudent and couetous and craftie like their master The next consideration is how Iudas his repentance came vpon him in these wordes When hee sawe that Iesus was condemned c. Peter heard three crowes before he felt any remorse so Iudas saw his Lord apprepended yet he repented not then he saw him accused and yet he repented not then he sawe him mocked yet he repented not then he sawe him buffeted yet he repented not at last he sawe him condemned and then saith Mathew he repented like one which slayeth his friend in his rage and sorroweth when it is past In the sixt of Genesis God is said to repent but GOD repenteth not like men so here the wicked are said to repent but the wicked repent not like the faithfull But as it is said of Esau that he sought repentance so they may bee rather saide to repent than to repent in deede For if Iudas had repented like Peter he should haue been forgiuen like Peter but to shewe that hee did not repent well when he had coÌ„mitted one sinne he addeth another to it for when he had murthered his maister hee murthered himselfe too Therefore if you aske how hee repented I thinke he repented so as most vsurers repent vpon their death-beds There is a shame of sinne guilt of conscience feare of iudgement euen in the reprobate which is a foretaste of hell which the wicked feele euen as peace of conscience ioy in the holy Ghost is a foretaste of heauen which the godly feele before they come thither So Iudas was displeased with the vglines of his trecherie and had a mishapen sorrowe like a Beares whelp but without any conuersion to God or hope of mercie or praier for pardon or purpose to amend Onely hee felt a shame and guilt and anguish in his heart which was rather a punishment of his sinne than a repentance for his sinne and a preparatiue to Hell which he was going vnto for hardnes of heart and despaire of mercie are sinnes punishments for sinne too but true repentaunce is such a sorrow for one sinne as breedeth a dislike of all sinnes and mooueth to pray and resolueth to amende which falleth vpon none but the elect and therefore Paule calleth the heart of the reprobate A heart which cannot repent But if the Papistes doctrine of repentance be true there is nothing wanting in Iudas repentance for in him may bee found all the partes of their repentance For we see in this reprobate contrition of heart confession of mouth and satisfaction of worke which is all the Papistes repentance For contrition it is saide Hee repented For Confession he saith I haue sinned For Satisfaction hee restored his money againe and yet he is Iudas the sonne of perdition and therefore as Christ tolde the Lawyer that one thing was wanting in his obedience so Iudas telleth the Papistes that one thing is wanting in their repentance that is the conuersion of a man to God change of mind when a sinner renounceth himself for shame of his sinne and yeeldeth to righteousnesse with as great loue as euer hee loued wickednes If Iudas had repented so he would rather haue suffered paine like Iob than by vnlawfull meanes ridde himselfe out of paine like Caine which thought to preuent Gods iudgments against him This was not a signe of repentance but a signe of despaire Therefore let euerie one learne this that so long as Gods mercie is greater than mans iniquitie there is no cause to despaire but to hope For why did our Sauiour saue Marie Magdalen which had seuen deuils and spare the theefe which neuer did good but lest as great sinners as they should despaire of mercie if they repented If thou canst knocke his promise bindeth him to open Therefore say not God will not giue but I doe not aske for God is readier to giue then wee to aske The next consideration is how Iudas restored his bribe againe In the first of the Prouerbes 31. Salomon saith The wicked shall bee filled with their owne deuises And in the 14. Chapter 14. verse hee saith They shall be satiat with their owne wayes For Iudas hath sinned so long that now he is wearie of his sinne would restore his bribe againe euen the same daie that he tooke it It was giuen him in the night and in the morning hee brought it backe So soone is the pleasure of sinne ecclipsed Euen nowe his thirtie pence was the sweetest siluer that euer hee fingured and now it is the bitterest money that euer he pursed Therefore let all consider what Abner sayde vnto Ioab Knowest thou not that it will bee bitternes in the latter end 2. Sam. 2. 26. The sting of the Serpent is in his taâ—le so the taile of sin hath the sting that is the ende There is no sinne but it hath three punishmentes which followe it like bondmaides Feare Shame and Guilt Feare of iudgement shame of men and guilt of conscience All these did surprise Iudas at once so studdenlie as Adam spyed his nakednes and though they come after euerie sinne yet they are neuer looked for Gehesi tooke his bribe merrilie but hee did weare it heauilie Iezabel thought that shee had got a Vineyarde for nothing but shee payed more for it than shee woulde giue for all the world So Iudas thought that hee was made for euer when hee
the President of Cesarea which came nowe from the Idolatrous Gentiles an obstinate brutish and barbarous man which because he sauoured not the things of God but flesh bloud thought that Paul was beside himselfe when he spake of Christ and said that too much learning had made him mad as some giddy spirites thinke now that they which are zelouser than thēselues know not what they say nor doe and impute all the troubles of the Realme the inuasion of the Spaniards vnto the preaching of the worde the fasts praiers that were exercised about that time like Achab which said that the Prophet troubled Israell when he himselfe was the cause of all their plagues What will not dogs spue out when they are set to vomite When Paul saw such a brutish President he turned his speech from him to Agrippa in whom he did see better tokens of faith thinking to kindle the sparks which he sawe in him thus boldy he sets vpon him O King Agrippa beleeuest thou the Prophets As if he should say If thou beleeuest the Prophets it is easie for thee to beleeue that which I teach out of the Prophets for all that I speake of this Iesus is written in the Prophets and fulfilled in Christ Looke vpon the Prophets and looke vpon him there thou shalt see all that I say that it is no report of mine but that which I haue receiued from good witnes and thou maist heare it of the same if thou doe but read the Prophets therefore before other questions he askes Doest thou beleeue the Prophets Like a wise Schoolemaister which examines his Scholler before he beginne to teach him to know what hee hath learned already and how he vnderstandeth that he may goe forward with him So Paul examines this king when he intended to make him a Schooller of Christ hee askes him what he hath learned already before he teach him farther and posing him he begins at the foundation which is faith saying tell me Doest thou beleeue the Prophets Yet if wee should aske some of you before you come to the Lordes Table doe you beleeue the Scriptures Doe you know Christ Can you giue a reasō of your faith you will think your selues much disgraced to bee Catechised as this king was wee must not aske you with Paul Do you beleeue but say with Paule we know that ye beleeue before we aske you Is this like the childe which Christ set in the midst of his Disciples said that whosoeuer receiued the kingdome of heauen he shoulde receiue it as a childe that is he should humble himselfe and take correction and learne like a child for heauens gate is low and he must stoope that goes in at it The Souldiers and Publicans and harlots had such remorse that they came to Iohn before they were baptized confessing their sinnes and asked Maister what shall we doo They were not ashamed to acknowledge both their sinnes and their ignorance which made Iohn wonder and aske who had taught them as though this should be a strange thing in time to come and so it is if ye be not like Publicans when will yee be like Christians They confessed before they were baptized but we must thinke that you know though you know that we thinke wrong wee must take you for religious though you know we take you amis Shame of face was ordained for sinne but shame is turned from sinne to righteousnes for they which are ashamed of no euill are ashamed of any good this is a bashfull Diuell Now when Paul had asked him he aunswered himselfe Doest thou beleeue I knowe that thou beleeuest Hee askes Agrippa whether hee beleeue and saith hee knoweth that hee doth beleeue What neede he aske that which he knowes Here you may see that we haue neede to suspect our iudgment when wee conceiue not the cause when they which are wiser and holier than our selues doe thus or thus speake thus or thus Let vs remember that the Spirituall man iudgeth all and is iudged of none because no man knowes the counseles of the Spirite but hee which hath it wise men haue large exceptions and it becomes vs to construe their sayinges and doinges better than others should construe ours As the Disciples reuerenced many sayings of Christ when they knew not his meaning so we should rather thinke that we know not the reason then that they speak without reason Christ did know that Peter loued him yet that he might get a confession of him and instruct him farther hee did aske him that which he knew so Paul catechizing Agrippa doth aske him that which he knew to teach him that which hee knew not But why doth Paul say flatly that hee knowes that which no man thought of this king before Either because he did perceiue that Agrippa did beleeue in part and therefore hee reioiced like the Father to see his Son comming towards him So he meetes him in the way and imbraceth him as it were with this commendation I knowe that thou beleeuest that is I knowe thou hast a kinde of faith beleeuest that the Prophets saide truelie as many of the Gentiles did though thou canst not apply it vnto thy selfe So to bring him from faith to faith frō knowledge to knowledge from loue to loue he cōmends those sparkes in him which serued not to bee called faith but almost faith as Agrippa saith Or else he saith I knowe thou beleeuest because he would haue him beleeue Therefore he preuents him and aunsweres for him lest Agrippa should go backe and mislike with his boldenes and saie no I beleeue not the Prophetes as it is like he would haue said if Paul had not spoken mildly to him therefore hee begges the question and answeres him I know that thou beleeuest As when wee will make a man our friend and willing to doe vs a pleasure as though he were willing already and as though we had no doubt of him Doest thou beleeue yea I knowe that thou beleeuest And yet it was but almost beleeue as Agrippa confessed himselfe but if hee had not beleeued this was the way to make him beleeue for this makes many zealous to bee counted zealous many studious valiaunt bountifull to haue a name of more than is in them as if ye marke ye shall see generally to speake well of a man rather than euil doth stir him to vertue incorage him in vertue for no man is so humble but hee leanes to Fame and a good report dooth tickle and please him which deserues it and him which deserues it not Therefore Paul which knewe by long experience what baite was best to catch souls when he cast forth such a strange question anticipates the answere lest Agrippa should answere otherwise than he woulde haue him he will not trust him with such a question but speaks for him I know that thou beleeuest Salomon saith that hee is wise who winneth soules Pro. 11. 30. And so you may see in this