for himselfe Wherefore as in a ballance if there be any ods in the sâ—ales wee take out of that which is the heauier and put it into that which is the lighter till there be no difference betwixt them So here wee must wey these matters well that wee our selues may be iust weight neither too heauy for our owne misery not too light for Christs mercy Thus did Dauid when hee said to God Hide mee vnder the shadow of thy wings What are Gods wings His Mercy and his Iustice. What are the shadow of his wings Our loue and our feare Our loue is the shadow of his mercy which is his right wing Our feare is the shadow of his Iustice which is his left wing Now seeing hee that is hid vnder the right wing onely may presume because hee hath no feare and hee that is hid vnder the left wing onely may despaire because he hath no loue therefore sayth Dauid Hide me O Lord vnder the shadow not of one wing but of both thy wings That I may neuer despaire while I alwaies loue thy mercy and reioyce for Christ that I may neuer presume while I alwayes feare thy iustice and weepe for my selfe A Quaile the very same Bird which was the Israelites meate in the wildernesse as he flies ouer the sea feeling himselfe begin to be weary lights by the way into the sea Then lying at one side he layes downe one wing vpon the water and holds vp the other wing towards heauen Lest hee should presume to take too long a flight at the first hee weâ—s one wing Lest hee should despaire of taking a new flight afterwards hee keepes the other wing drie Thus must a Christian man doe When hee layes downe the wing of feare vpon the water to weepe for himselfe then hee must hold vp the wing of loue toward heauen to reioyce for Christ. That his two wings may be answerable to Gods two wings That as God hath two wings the one of Mercie the other of Iustice so hee may haue two wings the one of ioy for Christ the other of sorrow for himselfe Sem Iâ—pheth Noahs godly and dutifull children when they saw their father otherwise then hee should be went backeward and couered him They went backeward that they might not see him themselues they couered him that others might not see him Christ hanging naked vpon the Crosse was the shame of men and the outcast of the people Therefore wee that are the children of God must goe backeward by abhorring them that crucified Christ and yet wee must couer him and hide him euen in our very hearts by remembring and honouring his death and resurrection Lest wee should presume wee must goe backeward for feare and yet lest we should despaire wee must couer him for loue That as God hideth vs vnder the shadow of his wings which are loue and feare loue the shadow of his mercy and feare the shadow of his iustice so we may hide God vnder the shadow of our wings which are ioy and sorrow ioy the shadow of our loue and sorrow the shadow of our feare ioy for Christ and sorrow for our selues To this strange kinde of going backeward the Psalmist alludeth when hee saith to God Thou hast made my feete like Hindes feete A Hinde goeth not still forward in one way but as an auncient father speaketh hee iumpes crosse out of one way into another Saltum habet transuersum Right so a Christians feete must be like Hindes feet He must iumpe crosse from himselfe to Christ and then backe againe from Christ to himselfe Would you see such a Hinde Then mark how Iob footes it That he might not despaire he iumpes crosse from himselfe to Christ and saith a Chap. 33.9 I am cleane without sinne I am Innocent and there is none iniquitie in mee Heere is the mercy of Christ. But that hee might not presume hee iumpes backe againe from Christ to himselfe and saith b Chap. 6.2 O that my griefe were well weighed and that my miseries were laid together in the balance Here is the misery of man Thus must we weigh the mercie of Christ and the misery of man together in the balance and besure as I said before wee make the scales euen and when we weigh the reasons why wee should not weepe for Christ then we must weigh the reasons also why we should weepe for our selues So wee shall find for great cause of ioy in Christ great cause of sorrow in our selues for greater cause of ioy in Christ greater cause of sorrow in our selues for greatest cause of ioy in Christ greatest cause of sorrow in our selues for that which is more then all to make vs ioyfull in Christ that which is more then all to make vs sorrowfull in our selues The righteousnesse of Christ is the death of Death Great cause of ioy in Christ. If Debora reioyced when Barack put Sisera to flight haue not wee as great cause to reioyce seeing Christ hath put death to flight The sinne of man is the life of death Great cause of sorrow in our selues If Anna wept for her barrennesse haue not wee as great cause to weepe seeing wee can conceiue nothing but sorrow and bring forth iniquity vnto death The righteousnesse of Christ is the death of the Diuell Great cause of ioy in Christ. If Iudith reioyced when shee did cut off the head of Holofernes haue not wee great cause to reioyce seeing Christ hath cut off the head of the Diuell The sinne of man is the life of the diuell Greater cause of sorrow in our selues If Thamar wept being defloured by her brother haue not wee greater cause to weepe seeing we commit spirituall incest and adultery daily with the diuell The righteousnesse of Christ is the life of himselfe Greatest cause of ioy in Christ. If Sara laughed when shee heard shee should haue a quicke childe in her dead wombe is not this the greatest cause of laughter which can be vnto vs that Christ liued in death and was most free among the dead and could not see corruption in the graue The sinne of man is the death of himselfe Greatest cause of sorrow in our selues If Agar wept being turned out of Abrahams house is not this the greatest cause of weeping which can be vnto vs that our life is no life because we neuer cease from sinning while wee are heere pilgrimes and strangers exiled and banished out of our fathers house in heauen The righteousnesse of Christ is the life of man This is more then all to make vs ioyfull in Christ. If Queene Ester did reioyce as King Iames doth at this day whom God for his mercies sake euer saue and preserue and let all the people say Amen because he deliuered his people from thraldome and destruction can any thing in the world then make vs more ioyfull then this that we being cursed in our selues are blessed in Christ being embased in our selues are exalted in Christ being
vnspeakably more by all of them yea by euery one of theÌ„ than hee can be by himself And therfore again seeing himself so deere vnto them he for his part likewise as a hot burning cole is set on fire and inflamed with loue and the more he seeth any other excell him in glory the more doth hee reioyce and is gladder of his glory then his owne But now when hee lifteth vp his eyes to the glorious Trinitie and seeth how the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost doe eternally and perfectly loue and like and enioy one another in surpassing sweetnesse and content then all his affections are swallowed vp in loue all his spirits are rauisht in delight all his desires are imparadized in pleasure Insomuch as if on the one side were laid the loue of Christ as he is man and of all the Saints Angels among themselues and on the other side the loue which the least glorified body in heauen beholding the blessed Trinity breatheth out to God this loue would without all comparison excell exceed that as far as light doth darknes or as heauen doth the earth Wherefore for man to see God for Iacob to be called Israel for him that hath beene a seruant to become a sonne for him that hath kept the law to inioy the testament is the highest degree to perfection yea it is the very perfection of perfection it selfe The onely perfect life the onely high honour the onely godly pleasure the onely Christian treasure The prize of the high calling of God in CHRIST IESVS Seeing then blessed brethren seeing wee fight not as they that beate the aire (a) â— Cor. 9.26 but our reward is so great so exceeding great in heauen (b) Mat. 5.12 therefore as Iacob wrestled all the night long and neuer gaue ouer till about the breaking of the day he was called Israel * Gen. 32.24 so let vs wrestle all the night long of this life (c) Mat. 13.35 and neuer giue ouer till the day breake and the shadowes flie away (d) Cant. 4.6 and we come to the maruellous light and sight of God And like as the same Iacob said to the Angell I will not let thee goe except thou blesse me (e) Gen. 32.26 euen so let euery true Israelite say to Christ I tooke hold of him and left him not (f) Cant. 3.4 O Lord Iesus who would leaue thee or who would let thee goe Or rather who would not hold thee fast which strengthenest him that holdeth thee fast and makest him perseuere that is strengthened and crownest him that perseuereth and makest him perfect that is crowned Therefore I will hold thee fast will not let thee go except thou blesse me that is indeed I will neuer let thee goe because thou dost neuer blesse but only those that alwaies hold thee fast Hold fast then and stand fast good beloued once againe I say Hold fast that which you haue that no man take your crowne from you (g) Reu. 3.11 Stand fast in that liberty whereby Christ hath made you free and be not any more entangled with the yoke of bondage (h) Gal. 5.2 But so run so run as yee may attaine (i) 1 Cor. 9.24 As yee may attaine How k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nilus in Parane circa med is that Mary faithfully patiently constantly vnto the end A shame it would be a vile shame for vs if it should be said of vs not you doe runne well but you did runne well l Gal. 5.7 Fâ—e vpon it Hauing beene hitherto brought vp in skarlet shall we now imbrace the dung m Lam. 4.5 Shall wee be like those antikes or monsters which are halfe men and halfe beasts (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nyssenus l. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Illa actio Chimara est qua initium habet à ratione finem a sensualitate Cum igitur sâ—e agitur humano capiti ceruicem pictor depingit equinam Innocen de 〈◊〉 c. 6. Operare igitur perseueranter ne vt Horatius aiâ— Desinat in piscem mulier formosa supâ—rne Nebrissensis Hom. 2. in fine Shall wee be like Nabuchadnezzars image which had a head of gold and feete of clay o Dan. 3.33 Shall wee begin in the Spirit and end in the flesh (p) Gal. 3.3 God forbid God for his mercy sake keepe vs from such fearefull falling from him Nay rather let vs remember that Ioseph signifieth encreasing and Arimathea signifieth getting the reward (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theop. in c. 15. Mar. To teach vs that if wee would be like to Ioseph of Arimathea wee must alwaies increase and goe on till wee get the reward The other Ioseph also had a coate reaching downe to his feete (r) Aquila inter pretatus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est tunicam talarem Hier. in Quest. Heb. in Genesin Ioseph tyrum ecclesiae praetendens vestiâ— suae habitu persâ—uerentiam certaminis habere nâ—s admonet 〈◊〉 longitudo vsque ad talos euiâ— peruenit Tanquam diceretur Antequam iter perficias noli in vita lacescere Ausberius in cap. 2. Apocal. to teach vs that wee must not haue scarlet about our head and dung about our feete not gold about our head and clay about our feete but that when we put on the Lord Iesus we must put on such a scarlet robe of righteousnesse such a golden garment of grace such a vesture of a godly vertuous life such a coate of holy and heauenly conuersation as may reach to the feet as may continue to the end considering our Sauiour hath said he that perseuereth vnto the end shal be saued And againe be faithfull vnto death and I will giue thee the crowne of life This crowne of life is promised to al those which make a good beginning but performed onely to those which make a good ending Non campo capitur sed fine corona Pro Sapientia in exitu canitur Quia laudari penitus ante-actae vitae prudentia non merebitur nisi bono fine claudatur Saluia ad eccles lib. 4. And they which run in a race run all yet one onely that is he which holdeth out to the end receiueth the prize (t 1 Cor. 9.24 And none are saued but such as are marked in their fore-heads with the letter 〈◊〉 which is the note of perseuerance and perfection v Eze. 9.6 And if we would be conformable to the crosse of Christ the liuely picture of all perfection we must be like vnto it not only in the depth of faith and in the height of hope and in the bredth of charity but also in the length of perseuerance x Eph. 3.18 because all the depth height and bredth of the crosse is nothing without the length and so all the faith hope and charity of a Christian is to no purpose without continuance in them euen vnto the end Wherefore my good brethren yet
possibilitie and performance I also among the rest haue taken occasion humbly to dedicate vnto your Maiesty such a poore present as I had in a readinesse Assuring myselfe that as none are more familiar with God then godly Kings so no treâ—tises can bee more welcome to godly Kings then such as may draw them into greatest familiaritie with God And I doubt not but that your Highnes hauing hitherto had your hearts desires giuen you because you haue delighted in the Lord will hereafter if it bee possible much more delight in the Lord that he may yet giue you more desires of your heart Nay I am so farre from doubting of this that I dare be bold to conclude with the Psalmist The King shall reioyce in thy strength Psal. 21.11 O Lord exceeding glad shall hee bee of thy saluation Thou hast giuen him his hearts desire and hast not denied him the request of his lippes For thou shalt preuent him with the blessings of goodnes shalt set a crowne of pure gold vpon his head His honour is great in thy saluation glory and great worship shalt thou lay vpon him For thou shalt giue him euerlasting felicitie and make him glad with the ioy of thy countenance And why because the King putteth his trust in the Lord and in the mercie of the most high he shall not miscarie Your Maiesties most humble deuoted and obedient subiect THOMAS PLAYFERE THE TEXT Delight thy selfe in the Lord he shall giue thee the desires of the heart PSAL. 37. VER 4. SAint Iohn saies in one place Loue not the World nor the things of this World if any man loue the World the loue of God is not in him So may I say delight not in the world nor in the thinges of this world if any man delight himselfe in the world hee cannot delight himselfe in the Lord Therfore sayth Martial an auncient Bishop a Quid ad nos delectatio mundâ—â— Epist ad Tolos c. 18. What haue wee to doe with the delight of the World You may call it as you will pleasure if you will pastime if you will mirth if you will gladnesse if you will ioy if you wil but in Gods Dictionarie it hath no such name In the holy Scripture it in other wise called It is called Adams goodly apple which being eaten depriued him of Paradise Esaus red broth which being supt vp bereaued him of his birth-right Ionathans sweet honey combe which being but tasted was like to cost him his life the whore of Babylons golden cup which filled her full of all abhominations the traytour Iudas sugred sop which made a way for the diuell to enter into him the prodigall childs wash of 〈◊〉 which he most miserably swilled vp with the swine This is all the delight of the world called in Gods dictionarie which is the holy Scripture It is called Adams apple Esaus broth Ionathans combe Babylons cuppe Iudaâ—s sop the prodigall childs swill So that all this delight is no delight Or suppose it were yet certâ—â—â—ly it shall not giue thee the desires of thy heart Nay it shall bee so farre from â—â—â—â—â—ding thee those ioyes which thy 〈◊〉 most desireth that it shal bring thâ—e those torments which thy heart most abhoâ—â—reth It may saith Chrysostome b Voluptate ad tempus fruere affligere in eternum delight thee perhaps for a while but 〈…〉 torment thee for euer As any solide body though it haue neuer so fayre a colour as crimson or carnation or purple or skarlet or violet or such like yet alwayes the shadow of it is blacke so any earthly thing though it haue neuer so fayre a shew yet alwaies the shadow of it is black and the delight thou takest in it shall proue to bee grieuous in the end Therfore Philo calleth it a sweete bitter thing As that little booke in the Reuelation was sweet in the mouth but bitter in the bellie so all worldly delight is a sweet bitter thing sweet in the beginning but bitter in the ending Which they of Ierusalem had experience of For being giuen to transitorie pleasure they are d LameÌ„ 3.15 sayde to be made drunken with wormewood Now we know that drunkennesse is sweete but wormewood is bitter And such a sweet bitter thing such a drunkennesse of wormewood is all the drunken delight of the world So that as one said e Ruth 1.10 Call me not Naomie but call me Mara call me not sweet but call mee bitter so must we call worldly delight not Naomie but Mara because it is nothing so much Naomie sweete and pleasant at the first as it is Mara and Amara bitter loathsome at the last Like to a song of the Syrenâ— which are mentioned in the Prophecie of f Chap. 13. v. 22. Esay A Syren is a monster of the sea the head whereof resemblâ—â—â— a virgin but the feete a fish And such a monster is all worldly delight the 〈◊〉 whereof the beginningâ— allureth 〈◊〉 amiable virgin but the feete the 〈◊〉 deuooreth vs as a rauenous fish Tâ—â—â—fore aâ— Vlisses sâ—ooâ— his eares and 〈◊〉 himselfe to the most of the ship 〈…〉 might not heare the Syrens song 〈…〉 we stoppe our eares and 〈…〉 the voyce of these charming 〈◊〉 charm they and sing they neuer 〈…〉 ly yea we must binde our sel 〈…〉 mast of the shippe that is to the 〈◊〉 of Christ g Side Vlysse illo refert fabula quod cum arboris religatio de periculo liberauit quanto magis crutis arbor c. Ambr serm 55. euery one of vs saying 〈◊〉 our heauenly Vlysses God forbid that I should delight in any thing but is the crosse of Christ by which the 〈…〉 crucified vnto me and I vnto the 〈◊〉 For the world and all worldly 〈…〉 likened to a hedgehogge h Esa. 14.23 A 〈…〉 hog seemes to bee but a poore 〈…〉 ture not likely to doe any 〈…〉 yet indued it is full of bristles or prickâ—â—â— wherby it may annoy a maÌ„ very 〈◊〉 So worldly delight seeme to bee little or nothing dangerous at the first yet afterward as with bristles or pricks it peaceth through the very conscience with vntollerable paines Therefore wee must deale with this delight as a man would handle a hedge hogge The safest way to handle a hedge hogge is to take him by the heele So must we deale with this delight As Iacob tooke Esau that rough hedge hogge by the hele in like sort wee must take worldly delights not by the head but by the heele considering not the beginning but the ending of it that so wee may neuer be deceiued by it For though it haue a faire shewe at the first yet it hath a blacke shadowe at the last though it be sweet at the first yet it is bitter at the last though it bee drunkennes at the first yet it is worm wood at the last though it bee Naomie at the first yet it is Mara at the last though
it bee a song at the first yet it is a SyreÌ„ at the last though it be a silly hedge hogge at the first yet it is a sharpe prickle at the last Wherefore delight not thy selfe in the world for it shal not giue thee the desires of thy hart but Delight thy selfe in the Lord and he shall giue thee the desires of thy heart Here is a precept here is a 〈◊〉 A precept in these wordsâ— Delight thy 〈◊〉 in the Lord. First delight then 〈…〉 ly in the Lord. A promise in these 〈◊〉 And he shall giue thee the desires of thy 〈◊〉 First And hee shall giue thee then the 〈◊〉 lastly of the heart Delight thy self 〈◊〉 Lord and hee shall giue thee the desires of thy heart First Delight Well saies 〈◊〉 i Spiritus est hilaris et exhiâ—ararat participes sui The spirit of God as it is a cheereâ—â—â—â— thing it selfe so it maketh all them â—â—â—â—full which are partakers of it Indeâ—dâ— the wicked continually mourne and 〈◊〉 There was a great 〈◊〉 in Egypt 〈◊〉 in euery house among them theâ—â— waâ— some one or other of their first 〈◊〉 dead But the voice of ioy and gladâ—â—sse is in the tabernacles of the righteoâ—â— k Psal. 118. â—5 They euermore delight in the Lord I reach l Aelianus in varia histo l. 3. cap. 14. of one Leonides a captaine who perceiuing his souldiers left their 〈◊〉 vpon the citie wallâ—â— and did nothing all the day long but â—â—affe and 〈…〉 houses neere adioyning 〈…〉 that the alehouses should 〈…〉 from that place where they shood 〈…〉 vp close by the walles That seeing the souldiers would neuer keep out of them at the least wise that they might watch as well as drinke in them So because pleasure we must needes haue and we cannot be kept from it God hath appointed that wee should take Delight enough and yet serue him neuer a whit the lesse For it is no part of Gods meaning when thou enterest into his sweete seruice that thou shouldest abandon all delight but onely that thou shouldest change the cause of thy delight That whereas before thou diddest delight in the seruice of sinne now thou shouldesâ— delight as much or rather indeede a thousand times moer in the seruice of the Lord. It was not Gods will that Isaak should bee sacrificed but onely the ramme And so God would haue vs sacrifice onely the ramme that is all rammish and rancke delight of the world But as for Isaack he must be preserued still kept aliue Isaack in whome Abraham did see the day of Christ and reioyced Isaack that is all spirituall laughter all ghostly ioy all heauenly delight For as no man might come into the court of Ashuerus which was clothed in sackecloath m Ester 4 2. so no man may come in to the court of our king which is clothed in sackecloth and hath not on the wedding garment of ioy and delight in the Lord. Which is the cause why Christ calleth the assemblies of the faithful Quires of Camdes n Choros castrorum Can. 6.12 A quire singes a Campe fights How then may these two agree together Very well in the godly For the godly when they fight most stoutly against the enemie then they sing most merily vnto the Lord. Whereupon Gregorie saith o Dauid salcantem plus sâ—upco quam pugnautem Moral l. 27. c. 27. I admire king Dauid a great deale more when I see him in the quire then when I see him in the campe when I see him singing as the sweete singer of Israel theÌ„ when I see him fighting as the worthy warriour of Israel For fighting with others he did ouercome all others but singing and delighting himselfe he did ouercome himselfe Euen as his sonne Salomon saies for him speaking to Christ. Turne away thine eyes from me for they doe ouercome me for they wounde my heart they make me sicke for loue p Can. 4.6 When Dauid fought with others he ouercame others hee wounded others he made others sicke but when he daunced before the Arke and delighted himselfe he was ouercome himselfe hee was wounded himselfe hee was sicke himselfe But feare you nothing I warrant you this sicknesse will doe him no harme I will play stil sayes he that others may still play vpon me q Ludam inquit vt illud 21 Bonus ludus quo Michol irascitur deus delectatur Greg. Mag. For it is a good sport when God is delighted though Michol be displeased So that of Dauids sicknesse we may say as Christ saide of Lazarus sicknesse This sicknesse is not vnto death but for the glory of God r Ioh. 41.4 And therefore it is for the glory of God because it is for the loue of God For Dauid is sicke no otherwise for loue of the sonne of God then God is sicke himselfe for loue of the sonne of Dauid This is my beloued soâ—â—e saies he in whome I am delighted s Math. 17.5 This is my beloued sonne there he is in loue In whome I am delighted there he is sicke for loue Which is the cause why he commaundeth vs also to be delighted in his loue t Prou. 5.19 For as a double desire is loues so a double loue is delight And therfore he sayes not simply loue him but be delighted in his loue Delight thy selfe in the Lord and he shall giue thee the desires of thy heart Delight Then Thy selfe I would hate mine owne soule sayes Bernard if I found it any where else then in the Lord and in his loue u AnimaÌ„ meam odio haberem si eam alibi quam in domino in cius amore inuenirem De amore dei c. 3. So that it is not enough for thee to delight but thou must delight thy selfe that is thy soule Saying with the blessed Virgine My soule doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit reioyceth in God my Sauiour Otherwise as Diues did see Lazarus a farre off lying in Abrahams bosome beeing himselfe all the while tormented in hell and hauing not so much as one drop of water to coole his tongue so euen in laughing the soule may be sorrowfull x Prou. 14 13 The wretched soule of a sinner may see the face a farre off laughing and lying as I may say in Abrahams bosome beeing it selfe all the while tormented as it were in hell and hauing not so much as one drop of delight to asswage the sorrowes of it And like as Sampsons lyon had great store of honey in him but tasted no sweetnesse of it euen so if thou reioyce in the face and not in the heart y 2. Cor. 5.12 thou mayest well perhaps haue great store of honey in thee to delight others but thou canst neuer taste the sweetnesse of it to delight thy selfe Therefore sayes the princely Prophet O taste and see how sweete the Lord is It is not enough for thee to see it a farre off and not
in it so the Lord onely hath all manner of good things al manner of true delights in him Therefore the Church hauing first bestowed the greatest part of Salomons song altogether in commendation of the beautie and comelinesse of Christ at length concludeth thus Thy mouth is as sweet things and thou art wholly delectable how faire art thou how pleasant art thou O my loue in pleasures So that when I seeke my loue my Lord then I seeke a delight and a light that passeth all lights which no eye hath seene I seeke a sound and an harmonie that passeth al harmonies which no eare hath heard I seeke a sent and asauour that passeth all sauours which nosense hath smelt I seeke a rellish and a tast that passeth al taste which no tongue hath tasted I seeke a contentment and a pleasure that passeth all pleasures which no body hath felt Nay I cannot hold my heart for my ioy yea I cannnot hold my ioy for my heart to think that he which is my Lord is now become my father and so that he which was offended with me for my sins sake is now reconciled to mee for his sonnes sake To think that the high Maiesty of God will one day raise me out of the dost and so that I which am now a poore worme vpon earth shall hereafter bee a glorious Saint in heauen This this makes mee delight my selfe in the Lord saying O thou that art the delight of my delight the life of my life the soule of my soule I delight my selfe in thee I liue onely for thee I offer my selfe vnto thee wholly to the wholly one to thee one onely to thee r Totum toti vnum vni vnicum vnico onely For suppose now as S. Iohn speaketh the whole world were full of bookes and al the creatures in the world were writers all the grasse piles vpon the earth were pennes and all the waters in the sea were yoke yet I assure you faithfully all these bookes all these writers all these pennes all this yoke would not bee sufficient to describe the very least pert either of the goodnes of the Lord in himselfe or of the louing kindnesse of the Lord towards thee Wherefore Delight thy selfe in the Lord and he shall giue thee the desires of the heart Thus much for the precept in these words Delight thy selfe in the Lord. The promise followeth First And hee shall giue thee Well saies Leo Loue is the greatest reward of loue that either can be or can be desired s Dilectionis nulla maior expetenda est remuncratio quam ipsa dilectio Ser. 7. de ieiu So that though there were no other reward promised thee for delighting in the Lord but onely the delight it selfe it were sufficient For the benefit is not Gods but wholly thine God is neuer a whit the better for thy delighting thy selfe in him If thou bee righteous what dost thou giue him what doth bee receiue at thy hands t Iob. 32.7 Thy delight may perhaps reach to the saints which are in the earth but it can neuer reach to the Saints which are in heauen and much lesse can it reach to God which is the Lord of heauen u Psal. 16.2 Nay I will say more If thou shouldest giue God whole riuers full of oyle and whole houses full of gold for neuer so little a drop of this delight it would be nothing Thy gift wold be nothing to his gift thy oyle and golde would be nothing to his oyle and gladnes yet behold the bountifulnesse and liberalitie of the Lord. He â—ires thee and giues thee wages not to doe himselfe good but to doe thy selfe good And here he promiseth to reward his owne mercies as if they were thine owne merits And as though the benefit were not thine but wholly his so hee changeth the words and for thou shalt giue him saies He shall giue thee But this he doth as Augustine testifieth x Non erroris amoris sed amoris errore De ciuit dei lib. 22. cap. 6. Not by the loue of errour but by the errour of loue For the loue of errour is mans Rhetoricke it is a figure which man often vseth Hâ—manum est errare y It is mans property to erre But the errour of loue is Gods Rhetoricke it is a figure which God often vseth Diuinum est amare z It is Gods property to loue Especially it is a diuine thing to loue so dearely as God loueth vs. Who though he do not loue to erre yet he doth erre for loue Counting and calling that which is onely our commodity his owne commodity So Christ is said a Can. 2.16 to be fed amongst the lylies The lylies of the fields are the milions of the angels b Lilia agroruÌ„ millia angelorum or of al those which lead a pure an angelicall life These indeed Christ feedeth He feedeth them on the greene pastures and leadeth them forth by the waters of comfort Yea not onely be feedeth them but also by this figure the error of loue he is said to be fed with them Because though he for his part haue little neede I wis to be feede yet it is as great a pleasure to him to feede them as if hee were fedde himselfe among them c Si vidisti quod pasci illi sit pascere vide esiam nuÌ„c ne forte e conuerso nascere sit ei pasci Barnard Cant. serm 71 So likewise he saies If any man open the doore I will suppe with him and be with me d Reu. 3.20 Wee indeede suppe with Christ. Generally whensoeuer he giues vs grace to feele in our affections the rauishing ioyes of the spirit And when he saies I haue eaten my bonie combe with my hony I haue drunken my wine with my milke eate you also O my friends drinke and make you merry O my well beloued But more especially wee suppe with Christ when hee calls vs to the holy Communion and biddes vs to the Lords Supper For then he staies vs with flagons and comforts vs with e Cant. 3.20 apples with apples and flagons with bread and wine with his owne deere body and his owne pretious bloud Thus do wee sup with Christ. Bâ—t how doth Christ suppe with vs Is it possible possible that he which shall neuer hunger or thirst any more possible that be which is fulnesse it selfe in whom all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily dwelleth Is it possible I say that hee should stand without knocking at the doore as a begger to get a meales meat of vs Yea sure doubt you not It is possible enough By a certaine Figure I weene you call it the errour of loue that 's it by this figure the errour of loue it is a very possible thing nay it is a verie easie thing to doe yea it is a very great pleasure to him to doe it Behold saies hee I stand at the dâ—re and
knocke if any man beare my voyce and open the dore I will come in vnto him will suppe with him and hee with me Well then how doth Christ suppe with vs Christ suppes with vs when we entertaine him as Marie did with the salt teares of repeÌ„tance and griefe and as Lot did with the sweet bread of syncerity and truth For the salt teares of our repentance are the onely drinke which Christ will drinke with vs. And the sweet breade of our syncerity is the onely bread which Christ will eate with vs. But what meat hath hee to his breade I haue a meate sayes hee which you know not of My meat is to doe the will of him that sent mee In the volume of thy booke it is written of mee that I should doe thy will O my God it is my delight it is meate and drinke to mee to doe it And as it is meate to him to doe it himselfe so is it meate to him to see vs doe it Then doth hee suppe with vs. And this is the first seruice But what hath he for a second course A dish of apples gathered of the tree of life For toward the latter end of the supper when they come to their fruit a Christian sayes to Christ f Can. 7.13 Omnia poma vetera noua Vulgata trans O my Welbeloued I haue kept for thee all manner of apples both old and new Contrition humiliation denying of thy selfe mortification of the old man these are olde apples Sobriety innocency holines of life viuification of the new man these are new apples And when a Christian feasts and feedes Christ with such diuers dainty fruits of righteousnesse then he saies to him O my welbeloued I haue kept for thee all manner of apples both old and new But what musick hath he now We must needs haue some musicke Christ cannot sup without musicke Drinke bread meate apples wil make him but a slender supper except we mend it all the better with musicke This must be the very best part of the supper For a consort of musitians at a banquet is as a signet of Carbuncle set in gold and as the signet of an Eâ—rod well trimmed with gold so is the melodie of â—usicke in a pleasant g Ecclesiasticus cap. 32. vers 5. banquet Therefore when Christ suppes with vs we must be sure he haue musicke We must welcome him and cheare him vp with Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songes singing with a grace making melodie in our hearts to God Thus doth Christ sup with vs. Col. 3.16 But now to return to the main point againe from which wee haue a little digressed aâ— elsewhere by the errour of loue Christ is said to be fedde among the lylies whereas indeed onely he feedeth the lylies to sup with vs wheras indeed only we sup with him so here by the same figure he is said to reap coÌ„modity by thy delight wheras indeed only the coÌ„modity is thine all the commodity al the benefit is onely thine Yet to see the admirable loue of God he sayes not Thou shalt giue him but He shall giue thee Delight thy selfe in the Lord he shall giue thee desires of the heart and hee shall giue thee Then The desires He that loues to desire God h Qui amas deâ—iderare desiderat amare De amore Dei c 3. vide Gregorium Moral l. 18. c. 28. sayes Bernard must also desire to loue God Then he shall haue neither saciety nor yet anxiety Neyther saciety because he loues to desire nor yet anxiety because he desires to loue Thus doth the Church Let him kisse mee sayes shee i Cant. 1.1 with the kisses of his mouth Let him not smite me but kisse me not once but ofteÌ„ not with the kisses of his feet but of his mouth not of any of his Prophets mouthes but of his own mouth Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth Here are many desires Here indeed shee loues to desire k Psa. 119.20 Concupiuit defiderare Ps. 119.20 But it followeth For thy loue is better then wine The person is suddenly changed Before it was more strangely in the third person Let him his mouth Now it is more familiarly in the second person For thy loue For thy loue is better then wine Here is but one loue Here onely she desires to loue For as the curtaines of the tabernacle were coupled and tyed together with taches and strings so that one curtaine did draw another and all the curtaines did draw together to couer nothing else but the tabernacle l Exod. 26.6 after the same sort the desires of the godly are coupled and tyed together so that one desire drawes another and all their desires draw together to make them couet nothing else but God And euen as Iacob when hee held the Angel in his armes stood vpon one foote and halted vpon the other foote m Gen. 32.31 so he that embraceth God can doe nothing with that halting foote which before carried him to the desire of the world but standeth onely vpon that sound foote which now carrieth him wholly to the desire of God And like as all the streetes of Ierusalem sing Halleluiah n Tob. 13.18 so all the desires of them that are delighted in God are referred to God There are many streetes in Ierusalem yet there is but one Halleluia which is sung in all those streetes In like sorte there are many desires in a godly man yet there is but one thing God onely which is desired in all these desires For these desires as the kisses of Christ come all from one loue these desires as the curtaines of the tabernable are all tyed together with one string these desires as the goings of Iacob stand all vpon one foote these desires as the streets of Ierusalem sing all one Halleluia So that if thou look into his desires that delighteth in the Lord thou shalt see no iniquitie no contradiction in them But if thou looke into his desires that delighteth in sinne thou shalt say with the Psalmist I see iniquitie Psal. 55.10 and contradiction in the citie For as Manasses was against Ephraim and Ephraim against Manasses and both of them against o Esa. 9.21 Iuda so the desires of the wicked are contrarie to God to themselues All their desires are contrarie to all Gods desires Manasses and Ephraim are both against Iuda There 's iniquitie Some of their desires are contrarie to other some of their desires Manasses is against Ephraim and Ephraim is against Manasses There 's contradiction Therefore the desires of the wicked beeing so contrary to God and to themselues their desires are not giuen to them but they are giuen to their desires p Rom. 1.24 Because though they loue to desire God yet they doe not desire to loue God Though they care not how much God doth for them yet they care not
my selfe to die that thou mayest liue I doe draw thee with the destruction of a man euen with bands of loue So that the Theefe who saw his owne wounds and death in Christs body did see also Christs sauing health and life in his owne body As Alcuinus saith writing vpon the sixth of Iohn o Assumpsit vitae mortem vt mors acciperet vitam When â—he liuing Lord died then the dying â—heefe liued Notably saith the Prophet p Lam. 4.21 The breath of our nostrils Christ the Lord is taken in our sinnes to whom we said wee shall liue in thy shadow If Christ be the breath of our nostrils then he is our life And againe if wee liue in his shadow then wee liue in his death For where there is breath in a shadow there there is life in death Now as the ouer-shadowing of the holy Ghost was the life of Christ so the ouer-shadowing of Christ is the life of man And as Peters shadow gaue health to the sicke so Christs shadow giues life to the dead yea a thousand times rather Christs than Peters For as Elias his spirit was doubleâ— vpon Elizeus because Elias being aliue restored some to life but Elizeus as Ierome saith being dead raised vp one from the dead q Mortuus mortuum suscitauit so Peters spirit was doubled vpon Christ because Peter being aliue was a physitian to the liuing but Christ as Chrysostome saith being dead was a Physitian to the dead r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or rather indeede in this comparison there is no comparison But as Peters spirit was a shadow to Christs spirit so Peters shadow was nothing to Christs death Ezekias seeing the shadow of the Sunne goe tenne degrees backe in the Diall was assured by this signe that he should recouer of his sicknesse s Esa. 38.8 Sick Ezechias may signifie all mankinde which is sicke by reason of sinne But this is an vnfallible signe we shall recouer because the Sunne hath gone ten degrees back in the diall The Sunne of righteousnes Iesus Christ hath for our sake made himselfe lower by maâ—y degrees in the earth My father is greater then â— There hee is gone backe tenne degrees below his Father Thou hast made him lower then the Angels There hee is gone backe ten degrees below the Angels I am a worme and no man There he is gone backe ten degrees below men A liue dogge is better then a dead Lyon t Eccle. 9.4 There he is gone back ten degrees below wormes For hee was not counted so good as a liue worme but was buried in the earth as a dead Lyon to be meate for the wormes if it had bin possible for this holy one to see corruption But blessed O blessed be our Lord Christ being in the forme of God was buried in the graue and so was made lower then his Father nay lower then Angels nay lower then Men nay lower then wormes that we being now no better then wormes might be crowned in heauen and so might be made higher then wormes yea higher then men yea higher then Angels yea partakers of the same life and kingdome with Christ. Pliny reporteth v L. 36. c. 10. that there was a Diall set in Campus Martius to note the shadowes of the sun which agreeing very well at the first afterwards for thirty yeares together did not agree with the sun All the time of those thirty yea three and thirty yeares that Christ liued in his humiliation here vpon earth you might haue seene such a Diall In which time the shadow of the Diall did not agree with the shining of the Sun But thankes be to God all the better for vs. When the Sunne went backward ten degrees in the diall then Ezechias went forward fifteene degrees in his life He liued fifteene yeares longer And so the going of this Sunne Iesus Christ ten degrees backeward hath healed all our sicknesse and set vs a thousand degrees forward and infinitely aduanced vs by his death to euerlasting life For Christ is that louing Rachel which dies her selfe in Childe-birth to bring forth her sonne Beniamin aliue Christ is that righteous Adam which by the bloudy sweat of his browes hath earned for vs the bread of life Christ is that iust Noah which shutting vp himselfe in his Arke as in a sepulcher saueth all that come to him aliue Christ is that tender Pellican which wounding his owne breast doth with his bloud restore againe his yong ones to life And euen as when many birds are caught in a net if a Pellican or any other great bird that is among them get out all the rest that are little ones follow after semblably Christ as a great bird hauing broken through the net of death all we escape with him So that wee may say with the Psalmist Our soule is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowler the snare is broken we are deliuered Arnobius vpon these words in the Psalme x Psal. 138. Despise not the worke of thine owne hands writeth thus Wee are the worke of thine owne hands seeing wee are thy workemanshippe y Eph. 2.10 Ipsius summus sactura conditi in Christo. Quantum ad substantiam fecit quantum ad gratiam condidit Tertul. aduer Mar l. 5. non longè à fine Now because the worke of thy hands was destroyed by the work of our hands therefore were thy hands nailed to the crosse for our sinnes That those hands of thine might repaire againe the worke of thy hands by the tree of the crosse which was destroyed by the tree of concupiscence Thus farre Arnobius Whereby we may gather that the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and euill is euill that is death but the fruit of the tree of life that is of the crosse of Christ is life When Alexander had throwne downe the walles of Thebes Phryne a harlot promised that she would at her owne charges repaire them againe so that the Citizens would suffer this title to bee grauen vpon the gate Alexander hath throwne them downe but Phryne hath raised them vp z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutar. The case is quite contrary here Eue hath ouerthrowne not onely Thebes but euen all mankinde Christ hath at his owne cost and charges repaired and built vs vp againe Therefore wee must graue this title vpon the Crosse of Christ Eue hath throwne vs downe but Christ hath raised vs vp Eues tree of knowledge of good and euill hath throwne vs downe but Christs tree of life hath raised vs vp Nay I will be bold to say yet more What is that Marry this That as far as the tree of life excelleth the tree of knowledge of good and euill so farre the crosse of Christ excelleth the tree of life I know well many will muse maruell much what I meane to say so And some perhaps will scarce beleeue it is true which I say Neuerthelesse most Christian
excellent so admirable perfection is not now required at our hands Yet this by your good leaue fauor I wil be bold to say that we can neuer be perfect Christians indeed and run toward the marke aright except at the least wise wee haue that in resolution which they did put in execution Except if need require (d) 1 Pâ—â— 1.6 wee that are faithfull can finde in our hearts to do that and to suffer that for hatred of the spirituall Babylon and for loue of our heauenly Lord which Zopyrus an infidell did suffered for hatred of the earthly Babylon and for loue of a mortall king Except wee can be content not onely to be white lillies by liuing purely and patiently in those afflictions and crosses whereof our miserable life is full which is in some sort a kinde of martyrdome (e) Est quaedam sanguinis effusio afflictio Bernard Non putemus effusionem sanguinis tantum esse Martyriam Semper martyrium est Caesarius Arelatensis 〈◊〉 21. Sine fâ—rro Martyres esse possumus â—i patientiam in animo veraciter consernemus Gregor Omnis piorum vita testimonium reddiâ— Deo Cypr. de dupl martyriâ— â—initio vide loc but also to be red roses by dying constantly and ioyfully for the truth if the good pleasure of God should so appoint it (*) 1 Pet. 3.17 and by making our garments red in the bloud of grapes (f) Gen. 49.11 which is the most perfect martyrdom and commeth neerest of all to the Marke (g) Duplex est species Martyrij vna quando quis pro Christo â—cciditur alia quando caro pro deo maceratur Primo dabitur corona de rosis secunda de lilijs Hier. Erat anâ—e ecclesia operibus fratrum candida nunc facta est in Martyrum cruâ—re purpurea Cypr. l. 2. Epist. 6. pag. 44. that so Christ may rightly say to his Church here amongst vs Thy plants are as an orchard of Pomegranets Tell me wherefore saith Dauid againe speaking of the oath of God h Psal. 105.10 Hee appointed the same vnto Iacob for a law and vnto Israel for an euerlasting testament but onely to teach vs that for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus is the sixt and last degree to perfection for Iacob and Israel are two seuerall names yet they signifie but one singular man Neuerthelesse in a diuers respect because Iacob is he that supplanteth or wrastâ—eth Israel is he that seeth or beholdeth God (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 initio Now Iacob supplanting or wrastling is a subiect or seruant Israel seeing or beholding God is a friend or a sonne This is confirmed by Buruch k Baruch 3.36 saying GOD hath found out the way of knowledge and hath giuen it vnto Iacob his seruant and vnto Israel his beloued So that Iacob is onely a faithfull seruant but Israel is a beloued son Therfore there is appointed vnto Iacob a law but vnto Israel an euerlasting testament Seeing a law (l) Lex Vulg. or a statute (m) Kâ—ab He. or a decree (n) Gâ—ezarah Caldaic or a precept (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuagint properly belongs to Iacob as subiect or a seruant but a testament (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuagint or a couenant (q) Berith He. or an agreement (r) â—â—iam Ca. or an accord Pactium Vulgata properly belongs to Israel a friend or a sonne For as long as Iacob wrastleth with many great imperfections spirituall aduersaries of this life he must as a faithfull subiect or seruant of God keepe the law of wrastling appointed vnto him to wit that he minde but one thing and Forget that which is behinde and endeuour himselfe to that which is before and follow hard toward the marke but when Israell hath once ouercome all his worldly and ghostly enemies t 2 Tim. 2.5 and is become a perfect man in Christ and seeth the Lord in the life to come then he shall as a beloued friend or childe of God possesse that inheritance which the father hath by his euerlasting testament written with the bloud of Iesus Christ u Heb. 13.20 appointed vnto him to wit euerlasting life eternall glory ioy in the holy Ghost the kingdome of heauen The Prize of the high calling God in Christ Iesus O happy happy man art thou and thrice happy man art thou who whosoeuer thou art which with Iacob doest wrestle and keepe the law as a faithfull seruant for no other end but onely this that with Israell thou maist see and enioy the euerlasting testament as a beloued sonne For when wee shall see God wee shall see and what shall we see That which no mortall eye hath seene that wee shall see Wee shall see our owne selues sitting and shining at the right hand of the throne of maiesty We shall see all our deare friends which wee haue not seene this many a day embracing â—â— and welcomming vs into Christs kingdome Wee shall see all the noble army of Martyrs of Apostles of Prophets of Patriarks shouting day night singing out the praises of the Lord. Wee shall see all the inuincible hoast of Angels of Archangels of Principalities of Dominations reuerently attending vpon the King of glory We shal see the King himselfe Christ Iesus disparkling and displaying those beames of beauty which are the heauens wonder and all the Angels blisse If there were now amongst vs one as faire as euer Absolom was who would not be glad to behold him But suppose some one were ten times as faire as Absolom how then would men looke and gaze vpon him I but if another were a hundred times as faire as Absolom what a matter of admiration would that make Put the case then some one should now step forth and shew himselfe a thousand times fairer then euer Absolom was what wondring what maruelling would there be amongst vs how would our eyes be dazled how would our very mindes bee amazed at this sight Well all this is but a counterfeit but a shadow in respect of the bright blazing beauty of our spirituall spouse For Christ Iesus is ten times fairer yea a hundred times fairer yea a thousand times fairer yea ten hundred thousand times fairer then all the children of men So that if the whole beauty not onely of all men but euen of all this inferior globe were put together in one yet it would not be any way comparable not onely to Christs glory but not so much as to the least glorified body in heaueÌ„ And yet al this is but the outside of heauen al this we shal see with our bodily eye The inside and the insight is much more glorious For the best glorified body seeing innumerable Saints Angels more highly exalted then he is hath his ioy doubled and trebled and beyond all measure multiplied when he considereth that he is loued
haue it as Diues did or to haue it in thee and not to taste it as the lyon did but thou must as well haue it as see it and as wel tast it as haue it O taste and see saies hee how sweete the Lord is For so indeede Christ giueth his Church not onely a sight but also a taste of his sweetnesse A sight is where he saies thus 2. Can. 7.12 Wee will rise vp earely and goe into the vineyard and see whether the vine haue budded forth the small grapes and whether the Pomegrannets flourish There is a sight of the vine A taste is where he saies thus 1. Can. 8.2 I will bring thee into the wineseller cause thee to drinke spiced wine and new wine of the Pomegrannets There is a taste of the wine The Church not onely goes into the vineyard and sees the wine but also goes into the wineseller and tasts the wine But yet thou must goe further then this before that thou canst come to thy selfe For there are diuers degrees of tastes Orus Apollo The Egyptians in their Hyroglyphickes when they would describe an vnperfect taste paint meate in the teeth when a more perfect taste the beginning of the throat Such an vnperfect tast had the Israelites of the sweetnesse of God God was most sweet vnto them when he gaue them quailes to eate Yet while the meate was but in their teeth the wrath of God was kindled against them b Num. 11.33 There is the meate in the teeth an vnperfect taste But the spouse of Christ hath a more perfect taste of the sweetnesse of God For likening him to an apple tree she saies I delight to sit vnder his shadow and his fruit is sweete vnto my throate Can. 2.3 There is the beginning of the throat a more perfect tast But notwithstanding all this thou art not yet come to thy selfe Therefore this taste must not content thee because this taste cannot delight thee For thy delight must not sticke in thy teeth or in thy throat d Non est strepitus oris sed iubilus cordis non sonuS labiorum sed motuS gaudiorum concordia voluntatuÌ„ non consonantia vocum but as a cordiall thing it must goe downe to thy very heart That thou maiest say with the Psalmist My heart and my flesh not my flesh onely but my heart and my flesh reioyce in the liuing God e Psal. 84.3 â— And againe Praise the Lord O my soule and all that is within mee praise his holy name f Psal. 103.11 Now thou art come to thy selfe For that which is within thee is thy selfe and all that is within thee is all thy selfe So that thy selfe all thy selfe is delighted in the Lord when as that which is within thee and all that is within thee prayse his holy name O how happy art thou when thou knowest this Iubile this ioyfulnesse g Cum scis iubilationem Psal. 89 15 when thou hast a secret sense and an inward feeling of it when euery motion of thy mind is an influence of Gods spirit when thy will his woâ—dplay together as Isaack and Rebecca did For then surely thou dost builde to thy selfe desolate places h Greg. Moral Iob. 3.14 Desolate places I say that all other things may be silent to thy soule nay that thy very soule may be silent to it selfe yea that there may be silence in heauen i Reu. 8.1 answerable to the silence of thy soule when thou doest delight thy selfe in the Lord. Delight thy selfe in the Lord and hee shall giue thee the desires of thy heart Thy selfe Lastly In the Lord. Gregorie sayes thus k Gustu incircumscripti luminis anima pascitur supra se elata ad seipsam relabi dedignitur The mind of man is fed with the infinit light and loue of God and so being lifted vp far aboue it selfe doth now disdaine to stoope downe so low as to it self And therfore doth not delight it self in it selfe but delights it selfe in the Lord. Herupon a father saies O lord grant that I may know k Nouerim me nouerim te my selfe and know thee That knowing my selfe and thee I may loath my selfe in my selfe and delight my selfe onely in thee Truth indeed O man so thou oughtest to doe sayes God For if thou didst know thy selfe and me then thou wouldest displease thy selfe and please mee But because thou knowest neyther thy selfe nor me therefore thou dost please thy selfe and displease me But the time shall come when thou shalt neither please thy selfe nor me Not me because thou hast sinned not thy selfe because thou shalt bee burned So that then thou shalt please none but the Diuell both because thou hast sinned as hee did in heauen and also because thou shalt be burned as he is in hell Therefore he that delights himselfe in himselfe delights not himselfe but onely the Diuell in himselfe Whereas on the other side he onely delights himselfe which not onely delights himselfe but addes also In the Lord. and so delights himselfe in vertue delights himselfe in godlines delights himselfe in God himselfe This Christ signifieth when speaking of his Spouse hee sayes l Deliciis affluens innixa super dilectum suum Can. 8.2 Who is shee which commeth out of the wildernesse abounding in delights leaning vpon her welbeloued Hee that leanes vpon himselfe can neuer abound in delights but hee alone aboundeth in delights which leaneth vpon his welbeloued So did S. Paul I haue laboured more then they all sayes hee There he aboundeth in delights Yet not I but the grace of God which is in me There he leaneth vpon his welbeloued And againe I can doe all thinges saies he There he aboundeth in delights In him that strengthneth mee There he leaneth vpon his welbeloued In one word when as he sayes He that would reioyce glorie let him reioyce and glorie in the Lord It is all one as if hee should haue sayde Hee that would abound in delights let him leane vpon his welbeloued Let him delight himselfe in the Lord. Let the Saints m In latitia letentur Psal. 68.3 reioyce in ioy let them delight in delight He that delights in an earthly thing delights in vanity he delights not in delight But he onely delights in delight which makes God onely the ground of his delight According to that of Prosper n Aeterna exultatio est quae bon laetatur aterno That alone is eternall delight which is grounded vpon the eternall good Vpon him that is onely good and sayth to Moses o Exod. 33.19 I will in my selfe shew thee all good Euery thing that is honest euery thing that is profitable euery thing that is pleasant is only to be found p Quare vnum bonum in quo sunt omnia bona sufficit Aug. Med. in the Lord. As that Manna q Sap. 16.20 had all manner of good tasts
Lord. Delight thy selfe in the Lord. O remember for the loue of God remember this worthy sentence of an auncient father f Omnis creatura vilâ—scat vt creator in corde dulcescat Let all creatures seeme vile vnto thee saies hee that onely thy creatour may seeme sweete vnto thee Armenia a noble lady beeing bidden to king Cyrus wedding went thither with her husband At night when they were returned home her husband asked her how she liked the Bridegroome whether shee thought him to be a fayre and beautifull prince or no Truth sayes shee I know not For all the while I was forth I cast mine eyes vpon none other but vpon thy selfe So basely did this noble lady esteem of king Cyrus beauty who was the Monarch of the world in respect of that entire good will affection she bare to her husband which was so great that her eies could neuer be from him And so must we set God alwayes before our eyes and nâ—â— once looke aside or bee enamoured with any gaud of worldly glory but despise euery blaze of beauty whatsoeuer thâ—t may draw vs from beholding our heauenly husband and delighting only in him which is fayrer then the children of men Saint Paul being rapt vp to the third heauen knows not whether it were with the bodie or without the body And because we should marke it well once he 〈◊〉 it downe twice That he was rapt vp to the third Heauen he is sure that hee â—eard words which no man can vtter he 〈◊〉 sure that hee was exceeding delighted in the Lord he is sore But whither his body were with him or no he knows not So much did he forget and neglect euen his owne body which is so neere and so deare a thing in comparison of that incomparable delight which then he tooke in the Lord. S. Peter seeing but a glimpse of Christs glory vpon Mount Tabor stood so astonished and amazed with it that hee was in a sort besides himselfe whan he was at that time beside Christ. Master sayes he i 〈…〉 ood for vs to be here As if he should 〈…〉 e sayd Now farewell Galilie and all my goods farewell fellow Disciples and all my friends farewell wife and al the world so I may inioy this heauenly sight and bee continually thus delighted in the Lord. Holy Ignatiâ—â— going to his Martyrdom was so strangely rauished with this delight that he burst out into these words Nay come fires come beasts come breaking of all my bones come racking of my whole body come all the torments of the Diuel together vpon mee come what can come in the whole earth or in hell either so that I may enioy Iesus Christ may be continually delighted in the Lord. And so must thou deare brother insult ouer all creatures and exsult only in thy 〈◊〉 Thou must contemne all beautie as Armenta did yea thine owne bodie as Paul did yea all the world as Peter did yea thy very life as Ignatius did and bee content to doe any thing though it were to bee torne and pulled in a thousand peeces or for a time if it were possible to suffer all the paines which the fiends and furies of hel can inflict vpon thee so as in the end thou maiest delight â—â—ther the Lord in thy selfe or thy self 〈…〉 Lord. Then then He shall giue thee and not He shall giue thee onely but The desires also and not The desires onely but Of thy heart also Then he shall giue thee the desires of thy heart And againe I say He shall giue thee and againe I say The desires and againe I say Of thy heart Then he shall giue thee the desires of thy heart Then though thou hast a long time plaied the vnthrift and wasted all the goods in the world yet if with the lost childe thou returne home againe to thy fathers house he shall grant theâ— thy hearts desire and receiue thee with minstrelsie dauncing and all manner of festiuall ioy that plenty of bread which nourisheth euery hired seruant in his house shall much more feede thee which art his louing childe vnto euerlasting life Then though all the leekes and onyons of Egypt which is the world haue failed thee yet if with Israel thou depend onely vpon God he shall distill the dewe of his grace into thy heart and lay aside a chosen raine for thee and cause thee to drinke of the sweete christal streames of his pleasure and giue thee to eate of that hidden heauenly Manna which no man knoweth but he that receiueth it Then though all the clothes and couerings in the world cannot keep thee warme yet if with Dauid thou be a man according to Gods owne heart he shall send thee that misticall Abishag which shall comfort thy heart and make thee hot and feruent in spirit which shall renue thy strength and make thee young againe and lusâ—y as an Eagle Then though thou haue a long time lost thy labour in seruing Laban which is the world yet if with Iacob thou returne home againe to thy fathers house God shall meete the by the way and as the Prophet Osey speaketh he shall allure thee as thy paramour and leade thee into the wildernes and there speak according to thine owne heart friendly louingly vnto thee And euen as louers are oftentimes disposed for the nonce to take a fall one of another the stronger of the weaker so God shall wrestle a fall with thee as he did with Iacob and yeelde so much in loue to thee as that he shal suffer thee to giue him the fall and to preuaile against him Iesus what exceeding loue is this why we are not euen nowe in the name of God inflamed with the loue of God and wholly rauished with delight in the Lord At least wise I maruell what a mischiefe many base minded worldlings meane that they had rather feed vpoÌ„ the huskes of hogges then the bread of man that they had rather eate the onyons of Egipt then the Manna of heauen that they had rather lie a cold frozzen shiuring in sin then be reuiued and cherished by Abishag that they had rather take vnsupportable paine to serue Laban then take vnspeakeable pleasure to serue God By vpoÌ„ it what a vile folly is this what a starke madnes is this what is this els but to be euen bodily tormeÌ„ted wheras they might be most spiritually delighted what is this els both to goe out of one hel into another hell wheras they might goe out of one heauen into another heauen For why do you beloued why doe you tell me so much of I know not what of a worme that neuer dieth of a fire that neuer is quenched of a lake that burneth with Brimstone of weeping gnashing of teeth Thus I tel you good christians and I tell you truely and God in heauen heares what I say though you heare me not I tell you as loud as euer I can that to serue sinne so
in his bed which was so deepely in debt what would he haue said If Christ who was born in his time had bin bred in his hart o Gal. 4.19 I meane if hee had seene by the light of Godâ— word that no debts are comparable to sins And therefore if that poâ—â— Knight could hardly sleepe in his bâ—dde then that seruaÌ„t which oâ—eth his mâ—steâ— ten thousand 〈◊〉 p Math. 18.24 as alas which of vs all beloued if we remember our 〈◊〉 well is not guiltie of so many sinnes caâ— hardly take any rest This if the Emperour had knowne hee would rather 〈◊〉 bought Dauids couch that he might 〈◊〉 haue slept for bewailing his sinnes then this banckrupts bed that hee might haue slept notwithstanding all his caâ—es For these these euen our sinnes these are the debts which so trouble and toâ—mâ—â— the soule that a man 〈◊〉 better haue 〈◊〉 common wealthes in his head yeâ— the caâ—es of all the woâ—ld in his head thâ—◠〈◊〉 disquieted distracted with the 〈…〉 Christians if we be in good health Let vs be thankfull to God 〈◊〉 it let vs account it a special blessing with out which all worldly blessings are 〈◊〉 thing let vs vse it as all other good 〈◊〉 of God to his glory the good of 〈◊〉 other If contrariwise it please the Lord 〈◊〉 any time to visite vs with sicknesse 〈…〉 not in this case despaire neither But 〈◊〉 whatsoeuer other causes we may coceine let vs ingeÌ„iouslie acknowledge one cause of our sicknes to be our sinnes For if we would preuent the iudgemeÌ„ts of god by timelie repentaÌ„ce iudge our selues we should not be iudged of the Lord. But because men wil not wheÌ„ they are in health thinke of him that giueth health therefore oftentimes they are sick now and then also fal asleepe q 1. Cor. 11.30 For euen as maâ—â—facters which wil not by gentle means confesse their heinous crimes are by racking or such like tortures enforced to coÌ„fesse so when grieuous sinners can see no time to repent God in his iustice or rather indeede in his great mercie doth as it were racke them vpoÌ„ their couch with sicknesse bodily pains that they may be constrained to confesse their sinnes so may be freede of two sickenesses their bodies sickenes and their soules sicknes both at once O happie happie men are they which when they are yong remember their Creator before they be old r Eccles. 12.1 when they are in health confesse their sins forsake theÌ„ before they be sick s Prou. 28.13 And yet good louing brother if thou happen to be sick be not in any case as I said before be not altogither discouraged by it But in the next place remeÌ„ber that thy sickenes is nothing els but Gods fatherly visitation to do thee good especially to mooue thee to repentance Listen a little Harken I say Doest thou not heare him rapping aloud and knocking hard at the dore of thy hard hart saying to thee whosoeuer thou art Maiden arise Young man arise Lazarus arise and come forth Awake therfore awake thou that sleepest t Eph. 5.14 and stand vp from death Christ shall giue thee life Say with the spirituall spouse In my bed by night sought him whome my soule loueth u Cant 3.1 Saie with this our Prophet Did I not remember thee vpon my bed meditate of thee in the night season x Psal. 63.7 Looke not still to haue pillowes sowed vnder 〈◊〉 elbowes neither bolster vp thy selfe anâ—â— longer in thy sinnes y Ezec. 13.18 Lie not vpon thy beds of â—â—orie neither stretch thy selfe vpoÌ„ thy couch z Amos. 6.4 but euery night 〈◊〉 thy bed water thy couch with thy tearesâ— Behold saies thy heauenly husband a Reuel 3.20 I stand at the dore and knocke if anie 〈◊〉 heare my voice and open the dore 〈◊〉 come in vnto him wil sâ—p with 〈◊〉 be with me And again b Cant. 2.5 OpeÌ„ 〈◊〉 my sister my loue my doue mine vndefiled for my head is full of dewe and my locks with the drops of the night Wherfore seeing Christ knockes so loud at the dore of my heart for repentance knocke thou as loud at the dore of his mercy for pardon seeing he would so fain haue thee turn vnto him heare his voice be thou as willing to cal vpoÌ„ his name that he may heare thy voice seeing he is so forward to sup with thee by receiuing thy prayers be thou as desirous to sup with him by obtaining the benefit of his passioÌ„ euen the remission of thy sinnes And as he saies to thy soule Open vnto mee my sister my loue my doue mine vndefiled so be thou bold by faith to turn the same words vpoÌ„ him again say Open vnto me my brother my loue my doue mine vndefiled for my head iâ—ful of deâ— my locks with the drops of the night And why is my head fâ—ll of dewe and my locks with the dropâ— of the night Because euery night I wash my bed water my couch c. Then deare christian brother then thy sicknes shall not be vnto death but for the glory of god c Iob. 11.4 For God will turn all thy bed in thy sicknes d Psal. 41.3 And so wheras before it was a bedde of sicknes hee will turne it into a bed of health whereas a bed of paine and griefe into a bed of rest coÌ„fort wheras a bed of teares repeÌ„ntance into a bed of ioifull deliueraÌ„ce RemeÌ„ber thy selfe wel At least wise as well as thou canst well enough what happened to Iob who was sick sore all his body ouer had not â— couch neither to lie on but was â—ain to lie on a dunghil Did not al this turne to his great good when as the Lord did blesse his latter end much more then his beginning e Iob. 42.10 What happened to Ezâ—chiâ—â— who had seÌ„tence of death gon out against himâ— Did not he lying sick in his bed turn him toward the wal weep got the seÌ„teÌ„ce of death reuersed 15 yeares more added to his life f Esa. 38.6 What hapned to the maÌ„ sick of a palsey who was let down through the â—yling bed and al in the midst 〈◊〉 Iesus Did not Christ with one 〈…〉 instant heale him so that he tooke vp his bed departed to his own house praising god g Luk. 5.25 what hapned to the man which had bin sicke 38. yeares and was not able to steppe downe into the poole Did not Christ saying but Rise take vp thy bed walk cure him so that presently he was made whole tooke vp his bed walked h Ioh. 58 9 What hapned to Eâ—câ—s who was sick of the palsey as one of these two that that I spake of last had kept his bed S. yeares as the other of them Did
Lords death til he 〈◊〉 Till he come Declaring hereby that when he is come his death shall bee shewed an other way Namely by his wounds which alwaies he sheweth to his 〈◊〉 Euen as we sing in that heauenly Hymne or Psalme The humble suit of a sinner Whose bloâ—dy wouâ—dâ— are yet to see though not with mortall eye yet doe thy Saints behold them all and so I trust shall I. O how vnspeakeably doe â—he Saints 〈◊〉 how gloriously also shall we triumph when we shall see Christ in his kingdome and behold those blessed wounds of his whereby he hath purchased so many and so great good things for vs This is the new wine which we shall drinke This is the Eucharist of the Angels the food of the Elect the spirit 〈…〉 of the Saints For wheresoeuer the dead bodie is thither shall the eagles refer And we that with eagles wings flie vp by faith into heauen shall euer resort to this dead bodie and we shal vnsatiably desire to feede our eyes and our soules with the sight of Christ who was once dead and euen now hath in his bodie those skarres which continue the memorie of his death that in all eternitie it may neuer be forgotten Thus these heauenly wounds of Christ delight and comfort his friends As the cities of refuge which saue the sinner as the holes of the rock which defend the doue as the shadow of the iuniper tree which reuiueth the wearied as the doore of the Arke which preserueth the world as the lure of the â—oule which calleth home the Shulamite as the pot of Manna which nourisheth the Israelite as the well of Iacob which refresheth the thirstie as the poole of Bethesda which healeth the sicke as the armes of the shepheard which gather his lambs as the wings of the eagle which beare vp her birds So doe the hands and side of Christ comfort his friends As if our Sauiour should say thus to euery one of his friends Can a mother forget her child and not haue compassion on the son of her wombe though they should forget yet would not I forget thee Behold I haue grauen thee vpon the palmes of my hands Here I haue still in my hands that price of thy redemption which I paid for thee so that no man can take thee out of my hands Yea I haue written and sealed thy saluation in my side A speare is the penne my blood is the inke my body is the pâ—per Here thou maist see the bowels of my compassion thorough the wounds of my passion Assure thy selfe therfore assure thy selfe of my loue of my good will of my fauour for euer Make no doubt of it If thou doubt any thing Put thy finger here and see my hands and put forth thy hand and put it into my side and be not faithlesse but faithful So much for the fourth cause which is to comfort his friends You see then blessed Christians you see how these causes of Christs wounds differ one from an other The first cause to approoue his resurrection was but neither is nor shall bee The second cause to appease his Father was and is but shall not be The third cause to confound his enemies neither was nor is but shall be The fourth cause to comfort his friends both was and is and shall be So that Christs wounds did serue to approoue his resurrection onely between his resurrection and his ascension doe serue to appease his Father onely between his ascension and his second comming shall serue to confound his enemies onely at the day of iudgement did doe and shall serue to comfort his friends for euer Wherfore though wee be neuer so great sinners yet let vs neuer despaire of the grace and mercie of Christ. His hands are still stretched out to embrace vs his side is alwaies open to receiue vs. Therefore let vs creepe low and come humbly to him that wee may with the woman in the Gospel touch but the hemme of his garment nay that we may with S. Iohn leane vpon his blessed bosome yea that we may with S. Thomas in this place put our fingers into his hands and our hands into his side And euen as Constantine the great vsed to kisse that eye of Paphnutius which was boared out in Maximinus time and the Iayler in the Acts washed S. Pauls stripes and vvoundâ— so let vs kisse the Sonne least he bee angry and honour his holy vvounds vvich are the precious 〈◊〉 vvherevvith he hath healed vs and restored vs to euerlasting life To the vvhich vve beseech thee O good Lord to bring vs not for our ovvne deferrs or merits but for the tender bovvels of Christ Iesus loue and mercie tovvard vs to vvhom vvith the Father and the holy Ghost bee all honour and praise both novv and for euermore Amen FINIS MATTH 5. V. 19. He that both doeth and teacheth the same shall be called great in the kingdome of heauen BEloued in our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ It is a verie monstrous thing that any man should haue more tongues then handâ— For God hath giuen vs two hands and but one tongue that we might doe much and say but little Yet many say so much and do so little as though they had two tongues and but one hand nay three tongues and neuer a hand Insomuch as that may be aptly applied to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Pandulphus said to some in his time You say much but you doe little you say well but you doe ill againe you doe little but you say much you doe ill but you say well Such as these which do either worse then they teach or else lesse then they teach teaching others to doe well and to do much but doing no whit themselues may be resembled to diuerse things To a wherstone which being blunt it selfe makes a knife sharpe To a painter which being deformed himselfe makes a picture faire To a signe which beeing weather-beaten and hanging without it selfe directs passengers into the Inne To a bell which beeing deafe and hearing not it selfe calls the people into the Church to heare To a nightingale which beeing restles and sitting vpon a thorne her selfe brings others by her singing into a sweete sleâ—pe To a goldsmith which beeing beggerly and hauing not one peice of plate to vse himselfe hath store for others which he shewes and sells in his shoppe Lastly to a ridiculous actor in the citie of Smyrna which pronouncing ô coelum O heauen pointed with his finger toward the ground which when Polemo the cheifest man in the place sawe he could abide to stay no longer but went from the company in a chase saying This â—oole hath made a solecisme with his haâ—â—â— hee hath spoken false Latine wâ—â—â— his hand Such are all they which teach one thing and do another which teach well and doe ill They are like a blunt wheâ—stone a deformed painter a weather-beaten signe a deafe bell a restles nightingale a beggerly
Lillie and you shall soone perceiue Marke saies our Sauiour z Matth. 5.24 how the lillies of the field doe growe they labour not neither doe they spinne yee doe I say vnto you that euen Salomon in all his royaltie was not cloathed like one of these Now if God so cloath the flowers of the field which growe to day and to morrow are cast into the ouen how much more shall he cloath Dauids enemies with shame but vpon himselfe make his crowne flourish For euen as in Salomons Temple fiue candlesticks at the right side and fiue at the left standing before the Oracle and being made for matter of pure gold for forme with branches and flowers did well nigh dazil the eyes of any that entered into the Temple a 1 Reg. 7. â—9 so the Lord here giues his word that the Kings crowne shall euer flourish in the house of our God disparkling and displaying those rayes of Maiestie those beames of beautie which shall amaze the world and be a wonder as well to Angels as to men Wherefore as I said euen nowe of his enemies shame that it should be threefold so here I repeat the same againe of his crownes flourishing His crowne shall flourish in his owne conscience in the world in the day of iudgement Touching his owne conscience the blessed Apostle calleth the Philippians his ioy and a crowne b Phil. 4.1 And to the Thessalonians hee writeth thus What c 1. Thes. 2.19.20 is our hope or ioy or crowne of reioycing Are not euen you it in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his comming yes yee are our glorie and ioy Now if this precious vessell of honour reioyced in nothing so much as in the testimonie of his conscience that in simplicitie and godly purenesse and not in fleshly wisedome but by the grace of God hee had his conuersation in the world the power of Gods spirit working still most mightily by his ministerie to the conuersion of the world to Christ how much more shall the Lords anointed haue his conscience crowned with flourishing ioy with comfort with content with heauenly peace when he shall remember that not onely for matters of religion and Gods true seruice hee hath beene and still is with Saint Paul profitable to the Church but also is a strong bulwark and a tower of defence to maintaine euen the outward felicitie and prosperitie of Gods people yea the very particular right wealth life of euery one of them all this I say and a 100 things more when he considereth what a great and a glorious instrument he hath beene euery way of Gods glory O Lord God what a heauen shall he haue in his heart what a sweet paradise of pleasure in his soule what security what assurance of Christs loue what a confident and vndaunted hope of eternall glory what a flourishing crowne of reioycing shall he haue men in his very conscience vpon himselfe shall his crowne flourish Touching the world our holy Prophet speaking to God though in the third person yet of himselfe saies Thou hast preuented him with liberall blessings and hast set a crown of pure gold vpon his head His honour is great in thy salvation glory and great worship hast thou laid vpon him Now that crowne which is of gold yea of pure gold must needes be very flourishing euen in the viewe and face of the world Neither is this to be vnderstood of Dauids person onely but euen of his posterity in all ages to come How was he himselfe crowned with conquests and victories ouer his enemies How was his sonne Salomon crowned with riches with wisedome with same glory iâ— the whole world which flourishing of 〈◊〉 soone as of a noble branch graced in a â—â—â—ner the â—etie rooâ—e of Dauid himselfe For as his worthiâ— sonne teacheth Childrens children are the â—ed one of the elders c. Prou 17.6 and the glory of the children â—re their fathers Therefore as children may â—ustly glorie of the renowne of their fathers vertue and honour so the excellent father is in a sort crowned with happinesse in this world when he sees his childrens children like to grow vp and flourish after him But vpon himselfe shall his crowne flourish Lastly touching the day of iudgement then then shall all the righteous flourish when as hauing beene faithfull vnto the death they shall receiue the crowne of life A crowne as S. Peter calleth it immortall and vndefiled 1. Pet. 1.4 and that fadeth not away Denying that euer it fadeth away he affirmeth that it euer flourisheth I would here be bold if I might doe it without offence as I hope I may to shew you one goodly cluster of grapeâ— of vhe land of Canaan a land flowing with milke and honie whether you are now going before you enter into it D. Thomas Bodleius qui plurâ—mis pulcherrimis libris Oxoniensem bibliothecam instruxit A worthie and verâ—â—us gentleman whom I neede not name in this place because no doubt many ages will name him and renowne him hereafter giueth for his armes three crownes with this posey Quarta perennis erit As if he should say these three crownes which I beare in my coat are but the difference of my house and gentry but Quarta perennis erit the fourth crowne which I look for in heauen shall be euerlasting and immortall That â—ourth though it bee but one crowne yet shall be worth all those three crowns yea three thousand more such as these are The fourth shall be eternall Now if he and we that are such aâ— he no question is faithfull to God and loyal to the chosen seruant of God may well hope for a most flourishing incorruptible crowne of glory then much more may Dauâ—d himselfe reioyce in God his Sauiour and say Quinta aut sexta perennis erit The fift or the fixt shall bee eterâ—all This crowne which God of his grace with his owne right hand and his holy arme 〈…〉 vpon mine head is indeede thankes and praise hee giuen vote the sâ—me God a very flourishing crowne flourishing in mine owne conscience flourishing in the world both for my person and for my posteritie But it is nothing in respect of that flourishing crowne which I shall receiue at the day of iudgement For the g Psal. â— â—2 iust shall flourish like a palme tree and shal grow like â— Cedar in Lebanon Such as hee planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God And then indeede shall this bountifull promise of God be most fully performed But vpon himselfe shall his crowne flourish As for his enemies I shall cloath them with shame but vpon himselfe shall his crowne flourish To drawe then to an â—ode it may seeme very strange that Dauid had any enemies Yet oâ—â— of these words As for his enemies I shall cloath them with shame it may be well gathered that some he had What had Dauid meeke Dauid Lord
vpon you shall your crowne flourish Which the Lord of his mercy grant I most humbly beseech him for Iesus Christs sake that as Dauids crowne euer flourished till the first comming of Christ so our gracious Kings crowne may euer flourish till the second comming of Christ and then that afterward for euer his royall Maiestie may be royally crowned with eternall life thorough the same our deare Sauiour Iesus Christ To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost bee all honour and glory power and praise dignitie and dominion now and euermore Amen FINIS A SERMON PREACHED before the Kings Maiestie that day he entred into Oxford at Woodstockâ— August 27. 1605. LVK. 8.15 But that which fell in good ground are they which with a good and a very good heart heare the word and keepe it and bring forth to fruit with patience IN this Parable of the sower are 4. grounds mentioned Whereof three are badde and onely one good Namely they which with a good and a very good heart heare the word and keep it and bring forth fruite with patience Almightie God powreth out his benefites no lesse plentiously then continually vpon vs yet wee can make no requitall our goodnesse cannot reach to God The onely thing that we can doe for him is to loue and honour his word Whereupon King Dauid thought it a death vnto him Psal. 132. that beeing banished from his people he could not goâ— vp to the house of the Lord with the voice of ioy and gladnesse among such as keepe holy day And on the other side he said I reioyced when they said vnto me We will goe vp into the house of the Lord. Esa. 2.3 The Prophet Esay likewise foretelling what alacriâ—ie and good will should be in the Gentiles after they were conuerted to Christ saith thus It shall be in the last dayes that many people shall goe and say Come and let vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs his wayes and we will walke in his pathes Looke how it is in the health of the body Chrysost. hom 4. in Gen. and so it is in the state of the soule If a man haue a good appetite and a stomacke to his meate t' is a signe he is well in health in like sort if a man bee content to follow Christ for the loaues to fil his bellie and care not for the food of his soule questionlesse all is not well betweene God and him but if he haue a longing and a hungring desire of the word then indeede his heart is vpright in the sight of God For as S. Auâ—â—eâ— noteth well August tract 4â— in Iohan. Si sermo meus caperetur caperet Nun sie est sermo Dei sie esse debet fidelibus sicut pisâ—i hamus Tum capit quando capitur Nec sit captis iniuria Ad salurem enim non ad perniciem capiuntur Heb. 13.17 if the word of God be taken by vs it will take vs. Seeing the word of God so is and so ought to be vnto the faithfull as a hooke is to fish Then it takes when it is taken Neither are they which are taken hurt by it For they are not caught to bee kil'd but to be drawne out of the damnation of this world and to be translated to the libertie and glorie of the children of God Wherefore as fishers take most delight in angling when they see the fish bite quickly and greedily so if you would put life into your Preachers which are called fishers of men that they may preach the word with ioy not with griefe you must shewe by your countenance by your attention by your reuerence by all your outward behauiour that you desire nâ—â—â—ng so much as to bite at this sweete baite that so you may be drawne by the Father to Christ. For they onely are good ground as we haue it here which with a good and a very good heart heare the word and keepe it and bring forth fruit with patience Here are three properties of good ground set downe All opposite to the three bad grounds mentioned before First they that are good ground heare the word with a good heart contrarie to the ground on the high wayes side which when they haue heard let the deuil take the word out of their hearts so they heare not with a good heart Secondly they keepe the word with a very good heart contrarie to the stonie ground which for a while receiue the word with ioy but in time of temptation they fall away and so they keepe not the word with a verie good heart Thirdly they bring foorth fruit with patience contrarie to the thornie ground which after their departure are choaked with cares and bring no fruit and so doe not as it is said here that the good ground doth bring forth fruit with patience But that which fell in good ground are they which with a good and a very good heart heare the word and keepe it and bring forth fruit with patience The first propertie of the good ground is this that they heare the word with a good heart The two Disciples going to Emaus Luk. 24. when Christ was departed from them said thus one to another Did not our hearts burne within vs when he talked with vs by the way opened to vs the Scripture O Beloued now you are busied in hearing the word Christ talketh to you and you are in the right way to heauen Therefore that wee may heare with a good heart we must feele in our hearts that burning of which the Disciples say Did not our hearts burne within vs when he talked with vs by the way For so the Spirituall spouse confesseth of her selfe Caâ—t 5.4 My beloued put his hand to the hole of the doore and my heart was affectioned towards him And againes My soule melted when my beloued spake Now Christ puts his hand to the hole of the doore desiring himselfe to enter and vs to repent now our beloued speaketh to vs out of his word So that we cannot be good ground except our heart be affectioned and our soule melt towards him When the blessed Virgin saluted her cousin Elizabeth Luk. 1.44 she felt the babe spring in her wombe for ioy Certainely Beloued you haue euery one of you a babe in your hearts euen the child Iesus which is formed and fashioned in you This babe we must feele euen to skip spring in our hearts for ioy if we would assure our selues that wee be good ground and heare with a good heart Neither must we only reioyce but also feare Serue the Lord with gladnesse and reioyce before him with trembling Psal. 2. saies the Psalmist We read that when the Almightie vttered his voice Ezek. 5.24 the foure beasts whereby are meant the Angels let fall their wings Where are then our plumes of pride our feathers whereby wee flie so
it Therefore the soule of thy soule is faith So that if we would know what is a faithfull man we must define Him not by his naturall soule as he is resonable but by the soule of his soule which is his faith And when we easily answer the obiection that a flood may come neere a faithfull mans goods neere his bodie neere his reasonable soule but to his faith that is to Him it can neuer come neere For if you speake of the life and essence of him that it is faith the Prophet also witnesseth Abacuck The iust shall liue by faith Gal. 2.20 And the Apostle Now I liue not but Christ liueth in me but that I liue I liue by faith in the sonne of God who loued mee and gaue himselfe for me And he that was wiser then all the Philosophers determineth this point thus The summe of the matter when yee haue heard all is this Eccles. 12.23 Feare God and keepe his commandements for this is all of man All of man what 's that All of man which will hold out against all floods of many waters For the goods of man may be gotten away by forged cauillation the bodie of man may be weakened by sickenesse the soule of man and the faculties thereof as memorie witte and such like may be impaired by age but faith in Christ the feare of God a care to keepe his commaundements is all of man which no floods either in life or in death can ouer-whelme All of man wherein man ought to imploy himselfe while he is aliue and without which man is but vanitie when he is dead but with which man both in life and death is most blessed For if this be the summe of all then of any thing but this there is no reckoning at all to be made Matth. 16.18 I haue praied for thee saith our Sauiour that thy faith should not faile and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against thee For loue is strong as death Can. 8.7 iealousie is cruell as the graue the coales thereof are fierie coales and a vehement flame Much water cannot quench loue neither can the floods drowne it Euen as Paul also glorieth Rom. 8. that nothing can separate him from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus Wherefore seeing the godly man is so inuincible that neither the gates of hell nor the flood-gates of many waters can preuaile against him Surely in the flood of many waters they shall not come neere him In the last place must be considered the asseueration Surely For if both liuing and dying my felicity be most certaine in Christ and yet I knowe not so much what comfort can I gather thereby Now in all aduersities this is my greatest ioy that the fauour of God which is most constant in it selfe is fully assured also to me For I know that my reedeemer liueth And if I be iudged I know I shall be found righteous And I know whome I haue beleeued and I am sure In one word I am Surely perswaded that neither life nor death nor any thing els can separate vs froÌ„ Christ. Nay in all the flood of waters wee shall be more then conquerours Rom. 8.37 They shall not come neere to conquer vs. But rather we shall conquer them Yea that which is strangest of all Surely we shall be more then conquerers ouer them Though an hoast of men were laid against me Psal. â—7 3 yet shall not my heart be afraid and though there rose vp warre against me yet will I put my trust in it Not in him as it is ill translated in the English but in it that is In the verie warre it selfe I will not feare Nay I will be of good hope Yea Surely in the very warre will I hope and trust For euen as a building made arch-wise the more waight is laide vpon it the more strong still it is so the more force and strength is brought against me the greater triumph victorie I shall haue Therefore I will not be afraid of tenne thousand of the people Psal. 3.7 that haue set themselues against me round about For a thousand of them shall fall at my side and ten thousand at my right hand but they shall not come neere mee The Arke in the flood was not drowned Gen. 7.18 as other things were but floated vpon the waters Yea the higher the waters encreased the higher Surely for that did the Arke still arise Likewise the redde sea did not hinder the Israelites passage Exod. 14.22 but opened an easie way to them Yea Surely it was moreouer as a wall to backe them against all their enemies The words of Saint Iames are verie plaine Iam. 1.2 My brethren count it exceeding ioy when you fall into diuers temptations Tentation of it selfe doth vexe and disquiet a man But to the godly it is a ioy As we read els where That they which are iustified by faith haue peace nay haue easie accesse to God and great ioy in tribulations But the Apostle adding Rom. 5. that this ioy is not common or ordinarie but Surely exceeding ioy raiseth vp the amplification as high as may be Whereunto S. Paul also accordeth We are afflicted on euery side 2. Cor. 4 9. yet we are not in distresse in pouertie but not ouercome of pouertie wee are persecuted but not forsaken cast down but we perish not Here he prooueth directly that the flood commeth not neere the faithfull But where is the Surely It followeth in the same epistle As dying and behold we liue as chastened and yet not killed 2. Cor. 6.20 as sorrowing and yet alwaies reioycing as poore and yet making others rich as hauing nothing and yet possessing all things O the securitie and felicitie of the faithfull For his faith maketh life of death ioy of sorrowe riches of pouertie What shall I say more or what would you haue me say more then as the Apostle saies It makes all things of nothing As hauing nothing saies he and yet possessing all things But the special thing to be noted iâ— this sentence is As dying and behold we liue For they import that death is no death but As it were death an image or a shadowe of death beeing indeede life and Surely a better life and more immortall then we had here Therefore he saies Behold we liue to shewe that by death the faithfull liue a life wherein there is some great specialty and excellencie worthy indeed to be beholded regarded As if he should say Behold we liue Behold we liue a more happie life then euer we liued in our life Saint Augustin often commeÌ„deth the saying of his master S. Ambrose when he was readie to die Speaking to Stilico and others about his bed I haue not liued so among you Non ita vixi inter vos ve me pudeaâ— vinerenet mori timeâ— quia bonum dominumâ—â—o 〈◊〉 Pontius in fine vitae eius saith he