Saboths Sacraments word Ministers are vilipended our selues standing by with a guiltie silence Oh which of vs hath not beene Guiltie of this Ingratitude It was the exprobation of Athens that shee suffred those men to die in exile ignominie obliuion that with their vertuous endeauours had reared her vp on the Pillars of Fame Miltiades Aristides Solon Phocion Vbi vixerunt Vbi iacent Where liued they where lye they Their worthy Actes gaue glory to that Citie and that Cittie couerd them with the inglorious dust of obscuritie So the Lord Iesus had made vs liue that were dead and we doe what we can to let his lining name dye amongst vs. The Grecians had a Prouerbe amongst them against them Pro meritis male tractarunt Agamemnona Graâ—i Agamemnon for the Honour of Greece had done great seruice to the conquest and subuersion oâ— Troy And when he came home was Slaine by his owne Wife Clitemnestra by the helpe of Aegistus the adulterer Christ loued vs as his Wife endowed vs with all his owne Riches Conquers Troy for vs subdues all our Enemies and returning home when he expects to finde peace and kind entertainment in our hearts we fall to vexing and wounding him forsaking his loue and cleauing to the world in a Cursed Adulterie So Dulcem pro meritis tractamus acerrime Christum So bitterly doe we requite our sweete Sauiour for his mercies Scipio had made Rome Lady of Affricke And comming home with Triumph ouer that and Hanibal the Senate banished him into a bace village where dying he commanded this sculpture to be engrauen on his Tombe Ingrata Patria ne ossa quidem mea habes Vnthankfull Countrey thou hast not so much as my very bones Many and mightie deliuerances hath the Lord giuen vs. From furious Amalâ—kites that came with a Nauy as they bragg'd able to fetch away our Land in Turues From an angry and raging Pestilence that turned the popular Streetes of this Cittie into solitude From a Treason wherein men conspired with Deuils for Hell was brought vp to their coniurations and a whole brewing of that salt Sulphure was tunn'd vp in Barrels for vs to drinke Behold and kisse the feete of his Mercie wee are deliuered by Iesus Christ from all these miseries and mischiefes Oh let vs not voluntarily call vpon ourselues a worse then all these our owne Vnthankefulnesse Let not Christ say Ingratâ— Anglia ne ossa quidem mea habes Vnthankefull England thou hast not so much as my bones the prints and sensible impressions of these fauours in thy memorie Thou hast shut thy Sauiour out of thy minde and buried him in neglectfull obliuion Take heed least in a iust quittance hee exclude thee from his thoughts and forget to do thee any more good Least he take away his Name his Glory his Light his Gospell from thee and bestow it on those vnchristned borders where now his great Maiestie is not adored How iustly might hee leaue vs in our former wretchednesse There is a pretty Fable the morall of it will profitably fitte our present Discourse A Serpent accidentally inclosed betwixt two great Stones that hee could no way es extricate himselfe made his moane to a man passing by to deliuer him The man with much force remooued the Stone and set him free The Serpent now feeling his libertie thus bespake his deliuerer I confesse you haue done mee a kindnesse in helping me out being almost famished But now I am out my hunger is so violent that I must needes take the benefite of my fortune and deuoure you The man vrged his Ingratitude but to no purpose for the Serpent would eate him Instantly hee spied an Asse comming and desired the Serpent to put it to his iudgement The Serpent was contented knowing that the Asse durst not but condemne the man for his prey least hee endangered himselfe The case was pleaded on both sides the Man vrging his kindnesse the Serpent his hunger But the Asse gaue iudgement on the Serpents side who is now ready to set on the Man Hereupon flyes by an Eagle to whom the Man appealed for Iudgement in this controuersie The Eagle hearing the cause debated demanded of the Serpent if hee could haue freed himselfe without the mans ayde The Serpent answered affirmatiuely and sayd it was onely his policie by this tricke to get the Man within his reach The Eagle desires to see the place the Man shewes it The Eagle bids the Serpent goe into the hole againe for more certaine demonstration The Serpent doth so and the Man remooues the other Stone as it was before and reincloseth the Serpent The Eagle now bids the Serpent deliuer himselfe Hee replied hee could not Then quoth the Eagle this is my iudgement The next time the Man lets thee foorth doe thou take him for thy prey and eate him It cannot be denyed but wee were once surer in Satans hold then this Serpent is imagin'd to be betweene the Stones The Man Christ Iesus in pittie redeemed vs and gaue vs libertie Wee are no sooner out but we fall to deuoure him to make his poore members his poore Ministers our Prey to wound his Name with Blasphemies to steale his Goods with Sacriledge and to giue his Honour either to other Creatures or to our owne Wittesâ— as if we could haue deliuered our selues Let any be Iudge but the Asse our owne flesh blood and we are sure to be condemned for Ingratitude But if Christ should in his Iustice put vs againe into our former hole leaue vs in the power of Satan Who would not say with the Eagle The next time hee sets vs free let vs take him for our bootie and deuoâ—â—e our Redeemer It is recorded of Alexander an Emperour famoused for his liberalitie and of Iulius Caesar no lesse commended for his patience that the former would neuer giue nor the other forgiue an Ingratefull person Wretched were wee if the Lord should with-hold from vs either of these Mercies If he should shut vp the Flud-gates of his Bountie and cease giuing or locke vp the Treasure-house of his Mercie and leaue forgiuing If hee should neither Donare bona sua nor Condonare mala nostra woe vnto vs Wee might curse our Births or rather our Ingratitude Wee hope still God will be mercifull to vs for Christ his sake So God of vs hee hopes wee will be obedient to him for Christ his sake Petimusque damusque vicissim As wee expect God should saue vs for the merites of his Sonne So God expectes wee should serue him for the merites of his Sonne If the bitter sufferings and heart-blood of Iesus cannot get of vs the forbearance of Iniquitie How shall it get for vs the forgiuenesse of Iniquitie As wee intreat God for his Mercie to bee good to vs So God intreats vs for his Mercie to bee good to him and therein most good to our selues O let that Goodnesse that reconciles vs both preuaile with vs both With God to blesse vs
saith St. Paul Many in Title many in Opinion Some are Lords and Gods ex authoritate so are Kings and Magistrates God standeth in the congregation of Lords he is Iudge among the Gods Others will so stile themselues ex vsurpatione as the Canonists say of their Pope Dominus Deus noster Papa Our Lord God the Pope But he is but a Lord and God in a blind and tetrycall Opinion The Lord is onely Almighty able to doe more by his absolute power then he will by his actuall Able for potent not impotent workes He cannot lie he cannot die Diciter omnipotens faciendo quod vult non patiendo quod non vult He is called Almightie in doing what he pleaseth not in suffering what he pleaseth not This is his Greatnesse As his Mercie directs vs to loue him so let his Maiestie instruct vs to feare him I will briefly touch both these affections but Loue shall goe formost LOVE OVr God is Good and good to vs let vs therefore loue him 1. It is an Affection that God principally requires 2. It is a Nature wherein alone we can answere God For the former God requires not thy Wisedome to direct him nor thy Strength to assist him nor thy Wealth to enrich him nor thy Dignitie to aduance him but onely thy Loue. Loue him with all thy heart For the second Man cannot indeed answere God well in any other thing When God iudgeth vs wee must not iudge him againe When hee reprooues vs wee must not iustifie our selues If he be angry wee must answere him in patience if hee commaunde in obedience But when God loues vs wee must answere him in the same nature though not in the same measure and loue him againe Wee may not giue God word for word wee dare not offer him blow for blow wee can not requite him good turne for good turne yet wee may can must giue him Loue for Loue. Nam cum amat Deus non aliud vult quà m amari Now because euery man sets his foote vpon the freehold of Loue and sayes it is mine let vs aske for his Euidence whereby he holdes it We call an Euidence a Deed and Deedes are the best demonstration of our right in Loue. If thou loue God for his owne sake shew it by thy deedes of Pietie If thou loue Man for Gods sake shew it by thy deedes of Charitie The roote of Loue is in the Heart but it sendes foorth Veines into the Hands and giues them an actiue and nimble dexteritie to good Workes If you loue mee sayth Christ keepe my Commandements If you loue man shew your Compassion to him Obedience to our Creator Mercie to his Image testifie our Loues Hee that wants these Euidences these Deedes when that busie Informer the Diuell sues him will be vnhappily vanquished FEARE LEt vs pà sse from Loue to Feare we must Loue our good God we must Feare our great Lord. It is obiected against this passage of vnion that perfect loue casteth out feare It is answered that feare brings in perfect loue as the Needle drawes in the Thread And it is not possible that true Loue should be without good Feare that is a filiall Reuerence For slauish feare be it as farre from your hearts as it shall be from my discourse Now this Feare is a most due and proper affection and I may say the fittest of all to be towards God Indeed God requires our Loue but we must thinke that then God stoupes low and bowes himselfe downe to be loued of vs. For there is such an infinite inequalitie betwixt God and vs that without his sweet dignation and descending to vs there could be no fitnesse of this affection But looke we vp to that infinite glory of our great Lord looke we downe on the vilenesse of our selues sinfull dust and we will say that by reason of the disproportion betweene vs nothing is so sutable for our basenesse to giue so high a God as Feare Therefore Comeye Children hearken vnto me I will teach you the feare of the Lord. Feare the Lord all ye his Seruants as well as Loue the Lord all ye his Saints Now this Feare hath as many Chalengers as Loue had When this Booke is held out euery mans lippes are readie to kisse it and to say and sweare that they feare the Lord. Loue had the Testimonie Charytie and Feare must haue his Seruice Psal. 2. Serue the Lord with feare It is mans necessitated condition to be a Seruant Happy they that can truly call Christ Maister Yee call mee Lord and Maister and ye say well for so I am Hee that serues the Flesh serues his fellow And a Beggar mounted on the backe of Honour rides post to the Diuell This is a cholericke Maister so fickle that at euery turne he is ready to turne thee out of dores Wee may say of him as of the Spaniard Hee is a bad Seruant but a worse Maister Hee that serues the World serues his Seruant as if Chams curse was lighted on him Seruus seruorum a Drudge to Slaues a Slaue to Drudges He that serues the Diuell serues his Enemie and this is a miserable seruice Sure it was a lamentable preposterous sight that Salomon saw Eccle. 10. I haue seene Seruants vpon Horses and Princes walking as Seruants vpon the Earth And Agur numbers it among those foure things whereby the World is disquieted A Seruant when he raigneth and a Foole when he is filled with Meate an odious woman when she is marryed and a handmaid that is heire to her Mistres Iudge then how horryble it is that men should set as the Sauages of Calecut the Diuell or his two Ingles the world and the flesh in the Throne whiles they place God in the foote-stoole Or that in this Common-wealth of man Reason which is the Queene or the Princes the better powers graces of the Soule should stoupe to so base a Slaue as sensuall lust Delight is not seemely for a foole much lesse for a Seruant to haue rule ouer Princes St. Basil not without passion did enuie the Diuells happynesse Who had neither Created vs nor redeemed vs nor preserueth vs but violently Labours our destruction that yet he should haue more seruants then God that made vs then Iesus Christ that with his owne precious Blood and grieuous sufferings bought vs. Well hee is happy that can truly say with Dauid I am thy Seruant O Lord I am thy Seruant and the Sonne of thy Handmayde This Seruice is true Honour for so Kings and Princes yea the blessed Angels of heauen are thy fellowes God is Good that we may loue him the Lord is Great that wee may Feare him Wee haue heard both seuerally let vs consider them ioyntly and therein the securitie of our owne happinesse It is a blessed confirmation when both these the Goodnesse and the Greatnesse of GOD meete vpon vs. His Greatnesse that hee is able his
resemblance of the Trinity vncreate For as there the Sonne is begotten of the Father and the holy Ghost proceedes from them both so heere a true faith begets a constant hope and from them proceedes Charity Thus is Gods Temple built in our hearts sayth August The foundation whereof is Faith Hope the erection of the wals Charity the perfection of the roofe In the godly all these three are vnited together cannot bee sundred Wee beleeue in Gods mercy wee hope for his mercy and we loue him for his mercy Faith sayes there are good things prepared Hope sayes they are prepared for me Charity sayes I endevour to walke worthy of them So that what good Faith beleeues shall bee Hope expects for her selfe and Charity aymes at the way to get it by keeping the commandements Faith apprehends both reward and punishment Hope onely lookes for good things for our selues Charity desires the glory of God and the good of all our Brethren The second degree giues way to the third last best the Superlatiue But the greatest of these is Charity Time will not afforde mee to answere all the obiections which subtill wits haue inconsequently deduced from these words Neyther were it to other purpose then to write Iliades after Homer they haue been so soundly and satisfyingly answered already I will only mention two and but report a responsiue Solution 1 The principall promises are made to beleeuers Whosoeuer beleeues and is baptized shall bee saued So no lesse a promise is made to Louers Rom. 8. All things shall worke together to the best to those that loue God c. God sayth the Psalmist is neere to those that call vpon him Hee is close by all those that suffer for him but he is within those that loue him Heere is Prope â—uxta Intus This same Intra within is of the highest degree 1. Ioh. 4. God is loue and hee that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and God in him O vnspeakable felicity 2 If Charity be greater then faith then is not man iustified by faith onely Inconsequent illation Saint Paul commends not loue for the vertue of Iustification it may fayle in that particular action yet receiue no impeachment to the excellency of it By demonstration A Prince doth excell a peasant shall any man therefore inferre that hee can plow better or haue more skill in tillage A Philosopher doth excell a Mechanicke though he cannot grinde so well as a Miller or lim so cunningly as a Painter A man is better then a beast who but a mad-man will therefore conclude that hee can runne faster then a horse draw more then an oxe or carry a greater burden then an Elephant Though he fayle in these particular arts yet none will deny but hee is better then a beast The truth is that in FÃ ith stands originally our fellowship with God Into that hand he powreth the riches of his mercy for salvation and were the actions of Charity neuer so great and foolishly thought meritorious yet if not the effects of a true sauing Faith they are lost and a man may for his Charitie goe to the Deuill And though they would plead from the forme of the last iudgement Math. 25. that God accepts men to life for their deeds of Charitie feeding clothing releeuing Yet the Scripture fully testifies that God neither accepts these nor our selues for these further then they are the effects of a true faith Our persons being first iustified by faith in Christ then God will crowne our works Yet a Christian must worke for no nudifidian so well as no nullifidian shall be admitted into heauen Therefore sayth the Apostle Faith worketh by loue For Faith is able to iustifie of it selfe not to vorke of it selfe The hand alone can receiue an Almes but cannot cut a peece of wood without an axe or some instrument Faith is the Christians hand and can without helpe receyue Gods giuen grace into the heart but to produce the fruits of obedience and to vorke the actuall duties required it must haue an instâ—ument adde Loue to it and it worketh by loue So that the one is our Iustification before God and the other our Testification before men Wherein then consists this high transcendency of Charity In two priviledges incommunicable to Faith and Hope Latitude and Perpetuity 1. For Latitude Loue is the greatest Faith and Hope are restrayned within the limits of our particular persons The iust man liues by his owne faith and hopes good to himselfe but Loue is like the Vine which God brought out of Egypt and cast out the heathen to plant it which couereth the mountaines with the shadow of the boughes spreads the branches vnto the sea and the riuers It is like the Sunne in the skie that throwes his comfortable beames vpon all and forbeares not to warme euen that earth that beareth weeds Loue extends to earth heauen In heauen it affecteth God the Maker and mover the Angels as our Guardians the triumphant Saints for their pious sanctitie On earth it imbraceth those that feare the Lord especially it wisheth conversion to those that do not it counsels the rich it comforts the poore it reverenceth superiors respecteth inferiors doth good to friends no evill to foes wisheth well to all This is the latitude of Charity The property of faith is to receyue into it selfe the property of loue to lay out it selfe to others So that faith hath but narrow limits but the extent of Loue is vniversall not bounded with the world Faith beleeues for thy selfe but Charity deriues driues the effects of thy faith to others Thy faith relieues thy self thy charity thy brother 2. For perpetvity and continuance Faith laies hold on Gods gracious promise for everlasting salvation Hope expects this with patience but when God shal fulfil his word vs with ioy then Faith shall be at an end hope at an end but Loue shal remain between God vs an everlasting bond Therefore sayth the Apostle Now abideth faith c. Now. Now three then one and that is Charity When wee haue possession of those pleasures which we hoped and beleeued what longer vse is there of Faith or Hope But our loues shall not end with our liues Wee shall euerlastingly loue our our Maker Saviour Sanctifier Angels Saints where no discontent shall breed any iarre in our Halleluiahs If the vse of loue bee so comfortable on earth what may wee thinke it will be in heaven Thus sayth Chrysost Onely loue is eternall Now Faith and Hope hold vp the hands of Charity as Aaron and Hur helde vp the hands of Moses but then their vse and office shall cease Tunc non erit spes quando erit spes Hope shall not bee when the thing hoped is Hope shall bring in possession possession shall thrust out Hope Therefore sayth Augustine is Charity greater Et si non propter eminentiam tamen propter permanentiam If not for the excellency yet for
Esauites and setled vs both in the fruition of the Gospell and peace with it But in meane time God did punish their persidious machinations as hee will doe Periurie and Treason wheresouer hee finde them For hee will naile vpon the Head of the Periurer his Oath trayterously broken IN all these circumstances it appeareth that though Esau was subtile to take Beastes hee had no cunning to hunt out his owne Saluation From all which scattered Stones brought togeather let mee raise this building of Instruction The wisest for the World are most commonly Fooles for Celestiall blessings Wicked men can Sentire quae sunt carnis not Sapere quae sunt spiritus Sauour things of the Flesh not of the Spâ—rit The Prophet Ieremy compounds both these and shewes how Wisedome and Folly may concurre in one man Ier. 4. They are Wise to doe euill but to doe good they haue no knowledge Let them Warre they haue their Stratagems Let them plot in Peace they haue their Policies Hunting they haue Nettes Fowling Ginnes Fishing Baites not so much as euen in Husbandry but the professors haue their reaches they know which way the Market goes which way it will goe Your Tradesmen haue their Mysteries Misteries indeed for the mysterie of Iniquitie is in them they haue a stocke of good Wordes to put off a stocke of badde Wares in their particular qualities they are able to schoole Machiuell But draw them from their Center Earth and out of their Circumference Worldly policies and you haue not more simple Fooles They haue no acquaintance with Gods Statutes and therefore no maruell if they misiudge Vices for Vertues as Zebul told Gaal that hee mistooke Vmbras montium pro capitibus hominum A man may easily run his soule vpon the rockes of Rebellion whiles he neither lookes to the Card of Conscience nor regardes the Compasse of Fayth A man of the Field WEe haue taken the first branch of his Character the maine proportion of his Picture Hee was a cunning Hunter There is another colour added Hee was a man of the Fielde But because I take it for no other then an explanation of the former attribute an exposition of the Proposition sauing it hath a little larger extent I doe no more but name it Wee doe not thinke because hee is called A man of the Field that therefore hee was a Husbandman but as the Septuagint call him A Field-man in regard that hee was continually conuersant in the Field There was his sport there was his heart Therefore ver 28. did Isaac loue Esau because he did eate of his Venison Hee loued his Venison not his Conditions Some would read it thus Because Venison was in his mouth and so turnes his Hunting into a Metaphore as if by insinuation hee wound himselfe into the fauour of Isaac But the other reading is better sauing that by the way wee may giue a reprehension to such Mouth-hunters If you would know who they are they are the Flatterers Of whom wee may say as Huntsmen of their Dogges They are Well-mouth'd or rather Ill-mouthd For an ordinary Dogges byting doth not ranckle so sore as their licking Of all Dogges they are best likened to Spanyels but that they haue a more venemous tongue They will fawne and fleere and leape vp and kisse their Maisters hand but all this while they doe but hunt him and if they can spring him once you shall heare them quest instantly and either present them to the Falcon or worrey and prey on them themselues perhaps not so much for their flesh as for their Fethers For they loue not Dominos but Dominorum not their Maisters Good but their Maisters Goods The golden Asse got into sumptuous Trappinges thinkes hee hath as many Friends as hee hath Beastes comming about him One commendes his Snoute for sayrer then the Lyons an other his Skinne for richer then the Leopards an other his Foote for swifter then the Harts a fourth his Teeth for whiter and more precious then the Elephants a last his Breath for sweeter then the Ciuet-beastes And it is wonder if some doe not make him beleeue hee hath Hornes and those stronger then Bulles and more vertuous then the Vnicornes All this while they doe but hunt him for his Trappings vncase him and you shall haue them baffle and kicke him This doth Salomon insinuate Prou. 19. Riches gather many Friends But the Poore is seperated from his Neighbours Hee sayes not the Rich man but Riches It is the Money not the Man they hunt The Great-one bristles vp himselfe and conceats himselfe higher by the head then all the rest and is proud of many Friends Alas these Dogges dâ—e but hunt the Bird of Paradise for his Fethers These Waspes doe but hoouer about the Gally-pot because there is Hony in it The proud Flie sitting vpon the Charriot-wheele which hurried with violence huff'd vp the Sand gaue out that it was shee which made all that glorious dust The Asse carrying the Egiptian Goddesse â—well'd with an opinion that all those crouches cryings and obeysances were made to him But it is the Case not the Carcase they gape for So may the chased Stagge boast how many Hounds hee hath attending him They attende indeed as Rauens a dying Beast Acteon found the kind truth of their attendance They runne away as Spiders from a decaying House or as the Cuckoe they sing a scuruie note for a moneth in Summer and are gone in Iune or Iuly sure enough before the Fall These Hunters are gone let them goe For they haue brought mee a litle from the strictnesse and directnesse of my intended speach But as a Physitian comming to curâ— doth sometimes receiue some of his Patients infection So I haue been led to hunt a litle wide to find out these cunning Hunters Bee pleas'd to obserue two generall Notes and then I will come to the Application 1. These two Brethren were borne togeather were brought vp togeather yet how great difference was there in their composition of Bodyes in their disposition of Mindes in their euents of Life or as they say in their Fortunes 1. For Bodyes One was rough and Hairy the other was smooth and Plaine This is seldome seene in Children begot and borne of the same Parents but seldomâ— or neuer in two borne at one birth And wee may goe so farre with the Physiognomer to say That Complexion though not guides yet inclines the inwarde Disposition 2. For Disposition of Minde this Text shewes a wide and opposite difference Esau was a cunning Hunter a man of the Field But Iacob a plaine man dwelling in Tents And Gregory obserues from this example the remotenesse or contrarietie of Worldlings Holy mens delights Men of the World hunt after the pleasures of the World as Esau Men of Grace giue themselues to the contemplation and studie of Vertue as Iacob 3. For Euents or Successe in this World there was such Distance as greater could not be imagined For it
Tents intend not a long dwelling in a place They are mouables euer ready to be transferred at the occasion and will of the Inhabiter Hebr. 11. Abraham dwelt intents with Isaac and Iacob the heires with him of the same Promise The reason is added For hee looked for a Citie which hath foundations whose builder and maker is GOD. These Saints studied not to enlarge their barnes as the rich Cosmopolite Luke 12. or to sing Requiems to their soules in the hoped perpetuity of earthly habitations Soule liue thou hast enough laid vp for many yeares Foole he had not enough for that night They had no thought that their houses should continue for euer and their dwelling places to all generations thereuppon calling their lands after their owne names God conuinceth the foolish security of the Iewes to whom hee had promised by the Messias to be purchased an euerlasting royalty in heauen by the Rechabites who built no houses but dwelt in Tents as if they were strangers ready on a short waâ—ning for remouall The Church esteemes Heauen her home this world but a Tent. A Tent which we must all leaue build we as high as Babel as strong as Babilon When wee haue fortified combined feasted death comes with a Voyder and takes away all Dost thou thinke to raigne securely because thou closest thy selfe in Cedar Friends must part Ionas and his gourd Nebuchadnezzar and his pallace the couetous churle and his barns Arise and depart for this is not your rest Though you depart with griefe from Orchards full of fruits grounds full stocked houses dightly furnished purses richly stuffed from musicke wine iunkets sports yet goe you must goe euery man to his owne home Hee that hath seene heauen with the eye of Fath through the glasse of the Scripture slippes off his coate with Ioseph and springs away They that liued thrice our age yet dwelt in Tents as Pilgrims that did not owne this world The shortnesse and weakenesse of our dayes strengthens our reasons to vilipend it The world is the field thy body the Tent heauen thy free-holde The world is full of troubles windes of persecutions storms of menaces cold of vncharitablenesse heate of malice exhalations of prodigious terrours will annoy thee Loue it not Who can affect his owne vexations It is thy through-fare God loues thee better then to let it be thy home Euery misery on earth should turne our loues to heauen God giues this world bitter teats that wee might not sucke too long on it Satan as some doe with rotten nutmegs guildes it ouer and sends it his friends for a token But when they put that spice into their broth it infects their hearts Set thy affections on heauen where thou shalt abide for euer This life is a Tent that a Mansion In my Fathers house there are many mansions This casuall that firme a kingdome that cannot be shaken This troublesome that full of rest This assuredly short that eternall Happy is he that heere esteemes himselfe a Pilgrim in a Tent that hee may bee heereafter a citisen in a stable kingdome 2. Their frugallitie should not passe vnregarded Heere is no ambition of great buildings a Tent will serue How differ our dayes and hearts from those The fashion is now to build great houses to our lands till wee leaue no lands to our houses and the credite of a good house is made not to consist in inward hospitality but in outward walls These punkish out-sides beguile the needy Traueller hee thinkes there cannot be so many roomes in a house and neuer a one to harbour a poore stranger or that from such a multitude of chimneis no meate should be sent to the gates Such a house is like a painted whoore it hath a faire cheek but rotten lungs no breath of charity comes out of it We say frustra fit per plura quod fieri potest per pauciora What needes a house more roomes then there is vse for A lesse house and more hospitablenesse would doe a great deale better Are not many of these glorious buildings set vp in the curse of Iericho the foundation laid in the blood of the eldest the poore the walls reared in the blood of the yoongest the ruine of their owne posterity This was one of the Trauellers obserued faults in England camini mali that we had ill clockes and worse chimneis for they smoaked no charity We see the Precedent the application must teach vs to Deale plainely Here is commended to vs Plainesse in Meaning Demeaning Which instructs vs to a double concord and agreement In Meaning betwixt the heart and the tongue In Demeaning betwixt the tongue and the hand In Meaning THere should be a louing and friendly agreement betweene the heart and the tongue This is the minds herald and should onely proclaime the senders message If the tongue be an ill seruant to the heart the heart will be an ill maister to the tongue and Satan to both There are three kindes of dissimulation held tolerable if not commendable and beyond them noâ—e without sinne 1. When a man dissembles to get himselfe out of danger without any preiudice to another So Dauid fained himselfe madde to escape with life So the good Physician may deceiue his patient by stealing vppon him a potion which he abhorreth intending his recouerie 2. When dissimulation is directly aymed to the instruction and benefite of another So Ioseph caused the money to bee put in his brethrens sackes thereby to worke in them a knowledge of themselues So Christ going to Emaus with the two Disciples made as if he would goe further to try their humanity 3. When some common seruice is thereby performed to the good of the Church Such are those stratagems and policies of warre that carry in them a direct intention of honesty and iustice though of hostillity as Iosuah's whereby he discomfited the men of Ai. Further then these limits no true Israelite no Plaine-Dealing man must venture Plato was of opinion that it was lawfull for Magistrates Hosium vel Ciuium causa mentiri to lie eyther to deceiue an enemy or saue a citisen I might against Plato set Aristotle who sayth expresly that a lie in it selfe is euill and wicked And another Philosopher was wont to say That in two things a man was like vnto God in bestowing benefites and telling the truth Nor will we inferre with Lyranus because there is a Title in the Ciuill Law De dolo malo of euill craft that therefore it is graunted there is a craft not euill But let vs know to the terrour of lyers that the deuill is the father of lying and when hee speaketh a lie hee speaketh of his owne And beyond exception they are the words of euerlasting veritie No lie is of the truth Therefore into that heauenly Hierusalem shall enter none that workes abhomination or maketh a lie A lie must needes be contrary
strangers To this Hope wee open the dores of the kingdome of Heauen and so farre as the Commission of the Keyes Ieades vs wee vnlocke the gates of eternall life and allow entrance Wee call this the Blessed Hope Charitie IS an excellent vertue and therefore rare if euer in this contentious age wherein Fratrum quoque gratia rara est the vnfained loue of brothers is strange Wo is mee before I am come to define what loue is I am falne into a declamation against the want of it what is heere chiefly commended is chiefly contemned as if wee had no need of mutuall succour nor could spare a roome in our hearts to entertaine Charitie lest wee should expell our old loued guests fraud malice and ambition Loue hath two proper obiects the one immediate and principall the other mediate and limitted The proper and immediate obiect of our Loue is God This is the great Commandement Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule with all thy strength As if hee would not leaue out the â—east sinew or string of the heart the least faculty or power of the soule the least organ or action of the strength So Bern. With all the heart that is affectionately With all the Soule that is wisely With all the strength that is constantly Let the zeale of thy heart inflame thy loue to God let the wisedome of thy soule guide it let the strength of thy might confirm it All the affection of the heart all the election of the soule all the administration of the body The Soule iudgeth the Will prosecutes the strength executes God can brooke no riualles no diuision betwixt him and Mammon betwixt him and Melchom betwixt him and Baal betwixt him and Belial Causa diligeâ—di Deum Deus est modus sine modo The cause and motiue to loue God is God the manner is without measure Minus amatte qui aliquid amat praeterte quod non amat propter te Hee poorely loues God that loues any thing besides him which hee doth not loue for him The subordinate obiect of loue is man and his loue is the effect of the former cause and an actuall demonstration of the other inward affection Waters comming from the sea boyle through the veines of the earth till they become springs and those springs riuers and those riuers runne backe to the sea againe All mans loue must be carried in the streame of Gods loue Blessed is hee that loues Amicum in Domino inimicum pro Domino his friend in the Lord his enemy for the Lord. Rom. 13. Owe nothing to any man but this that yee loue one another Other debts once truely payde are no more due but this debt the more we pay it the more wee owe it and wee still doe acknowledge our selues debters to all when wee are cleare with all proverbially I owe him nothing but loue The communication of this riches doth not impouerish the proprietary the more hee spends of his stocke the more hee hath There is that scattereth and yet encreaseth But hee that will hoord the treasure of his Charity shall grow poore empty and bankerout There is that withholdeth more then is meet but it tendeth vnto pouerty Loue is the abridgement of the Law the new precept of the Gospell Luther cals it the shortest and the longest Diuinitie short for the forme of words long yea euerlasting for the vse and practise for Charity shal neuer cease Thus for the first degree of compariion Positiuely The second is Comparatiue where though it be sayd Vertues and great men must not bee compared yet we may without offence bring them to a holy conference els how shall wee perceyue the Apostles intended scope the transcendency of Charity I will therefore first conferre Faith with Hope and then with them both Charity The distinction betweene Faith and Hope is nice and must warily bee discouered I will reduce the differences into three respects of Order Office and Obiect For Order Paul giues Faith the precedencie Hebr. 11. Faith is the ground of things hoped for Faith alwayes goes before Hope followes after and may in some sort bee sayde to bee the daughter of Faith For it is as impossible for a man to Hope for that which hee beleeues not as for a Painter to drawe a picture in the ayre Indeed more is beleeued then is hoped for but nothing is hoped for which is not beleeued So that on necessity in respect of order Faith must precede Hope For Office Faith is the Christians Logicke Hope his Rhetorike Faith perceiues what is to bee done Hope giues alacritie to the doing it Faith guides adviseth rectifieth Hope couragiously encounters with all adversaries Therefore Faith is compared to a Doctor in the Schooles Hope to a Captaine in the warres Faith discernes the truth Hope fights against impatience heauinesse of Spirit infirmitie deiectednesse desperation Divines haue alluded the difference betweene Faith and Hope in Divinity to that betweene wisedome and valour in Philosophie Valour without wisedome is rashnesse wisedome without valour is cowardice Faith without Hope is knowledge without valour to resist Sathan Hope without Faith is rash presumption and an vndiscreet daring You see their different Office For Obiect Faithes object is the absolute word and infallible promise of God Hopes obiect is the thing promised Fides intuetur verbum rei Spes verò rem verbi Faith lookes to the word of the thing Hope to the thing of the word So that Faith hath for the obiect the Truth of God Hope the Goodnâ—sse of God Faith is of things both good and bad Hope of good things onely A man beleeues there is a hell as truely as he beleeues there is a heaven but he feares the one and hopes onely for the other Faith hath obiected to it things past present future Past it beleeues Christ dead for our sinnes and risen againe for our Iustification Present that hee now sits at the right hand of his Father in heauen Future that hee shall come to iudge quicke and dead Hope onely respects and expects things to come For a man cannot hope for that which hee hath You see how in some sense Hope excels Faith For there is a faith in the Deuils they beleeue the truth of God the certainety of the Scriptures they acknowledge Christ the Iudge of quicke and dead therefore cry Why tormentest thou vs before the time They haue faith ioyned with a Popish preparatory good worke Feare the Deuils beleeue and tremble yea they pray they beseech Christ not to send them into the deepes what then want they Hope a confident expectation of the mercy of God this they can neuer haue They beleeue they cannot hope This is the life of Christians and the want makes Devils If it were not for this hope wee of all men were most miserable Charity differs from them both These three divine graces are a created Trinity and haue some glimmering