but for that which endureth vnto euerlasting life then truely the Pastors that feede our soules with spirituall and eternall foode are more to be loued then they which giue vs bodily bread Alexander the great did highly reuerence and affect his scholemaster Aristotle and said that he was no lesse bound to him then to his Father Eras Apotheg lib. 4. for as from his Father he receiued the beginning of his life so from his scholemaister he tooke the beginning liuing well How much rather should we affect loue our faithful ministers from whom we receaue our beginning to liue well according to God whereby to attaine to life euerlasting Galat. 4.14 The Galathians shewed a maruelous loue and affection to Saint Paul as he himselfe witnesseth saying that they receiued him as an Angell of God yea euen as Christ himselfe testifiyng also that if possible they could they would euen haue pulled out their eyes to haue giuen them to him 2 Of this affection and loue is engendred a certaine respect and reuerence toward them 1. Cor. 4.1 Tit. 1.7 2. Cor. 5.20 1. Cor. 3.9 2. Cor. 3.6 the rather in consideration of their charge whereto God hath called them in that they are the Stewards of the secretes and misteryes of carnall saluation Gods Embassadors for Christ bringing the message of our attonement with God coadiutors or labourers with God in the saluation of men Ministers of the new couenaunt not of the letter but of the spirite These so honourable tytles and most excellent offices in the sight of God doe sufficiently and plainely declare what respect and reuerence the Church ought to beare vnto them Also Luke 10.16 that who so despiseth them despiseth Christ in them as himself protesteth and are vnthankfull for the benefites and blessings that God offereth by them but especially they are to be loued regarded when they doe faithfully and diligently behaue themselues in their charge according as their tytles doe admonishe and binde them And in this respect doth the holy Apostle Saint Paul so earnestly exhorte the Thessalonians to this duetye saying Bretheren 1. Thes 5.12 we beseech you that ye know that is to say that ye loue and reuerence those which labour among you and are ouer you in the Lord and admonishe you that yee haue them in singular loue for their workes sake The same doth he also signifie in his Epistle written to the Philippians For hauing touched the vertues of Epaphroditus Phil. 2.29 he exhorteth them to receiue him in the Lord with all ioye and to esteeme of all that are such Besides that in so dooing the Pastors will be the better affected to their flocke taking the greater care for their good and saluation and employ themselues therto the more cheerefullye as the Apostle Saint Paul writing to the Corinthians saith of Titus namely that when hee remembred their obedience 2. Cor. 7. 15. and that they had receiued him with feare and trembling his affection was the more encreased toward them 3 The second principal point of the duty of the church to her pastors consisteth in subiection obedience vnto them The Apostle writing to the beleeuing Hebrues commandeth thē to obey their Pastors Heb. 13.17 to submit themseues to them his reason For they watch for your soules as they that must giue accompts that they may doe it with ioy and not with griefe for that is vnprofitable for you This subiection and obedience consisteth especially in three points First in diligent hearing of Sermons communicating in the holy sacraments and assisting at publike praiers Secondly in bringing forth fruit and shewing the effects of these sacred exercises Thirdly in receiuing the admonitions reprehensions and exhortations of the worde in all humilitie and modestie In the second book cap. 3.4.5 8. But seeing we haue sufficiently before treated of these points especially of the two first we will not any more insist vpon them in this place onely we will adde this briefe aduertisement that as they that sit at a table doe eate chewe and disgest their foode so they that heare the word of God ought to listen vnto it meditate vpon it print it in their hartes that so they may receiue the nourishment signified by the worde and duetie to feede commended to the Shepheards of Christs flock And as in meate we are not somuch to seek lickorousnes as health so must it be in the preaching of the worde for Ecclesiasticall assemblies be not like to common playes whereto men resorte for plesure but in sermons we are to loke for that which is helthsome for the soule and as in a banquet if any dishe chaunce to be ouersaulted or otherwise it is not well dressed the same doth not so offend vs that therefore we can eate but little of the rest that is well seasoned so if in sermons we heare any sentence or word not so fitly applied as it wer to be wished we must not for that leaue to make our profite of the rest that is wel deuoutly spoken S. Paul confesseth that himselfe hath no eloquence neither alluring speeches in his preachings and thereof addeth one notable reason saying That your faith may not be in the wisedome of men but in the power of God 1. Cor. 2.3 And indeed when a man filleth out but a little wine into an excellent wrought and grauen cup men regarde more the cup thē the wine when contrariwise if most excellent wine be brought in a simple cup they consider and commend the wine rather then the cup euen so is it with the treasure of the Gospell presented in a cup either of earth or of golde as S. Paul saith because mans curiositie hath more respect to the pot 2. Cor. 4.7 the mouth or the eloquence then to the treasure 4 Such as haue no taste of the sermon that is not stuffed with humaine eloquence doe shew that they haue no appetite and consequently that they are inwardly out of frame and this breedeth great greefe and heauinesse to many faithfull Ministers as contrariwise such as shewe themselues desirous to heare the worde of their Pastors are a great encouragement to them to proceede the more cheerefully and doe euen as it were bring wordes into their mouthes as we see by experience that the sucking of the childe bringeth in milke into the mothers brest Moreuer as it is in vaine to call the Phisition and to heare his counsell when wee list not to take the medicine that he doth prescribe so they that heare the sermons and doe not put the wordes in practise in steade of reaping profite shall incurre the greater damnation for as hee that hauing bene two or three yeeres at schoole and hath not profited is worthie to be taken away so they that haue bene many yeeres in the schoole of Christ and heard his worde yet doe not amende neither increase in faith and loue doe worthily deserue to be depriued
and cheerefull in the seruice of God 1. Ioh. 2.20.27 of the effect heereof is the name of oyle and oyntment giuen vnto him How then can wee saie that we are annointed with the spirite of Christ so long as we doo not amend our slacknesse in the seruice of God growing forward in strength and disposition to imploy our selues cheerfully therein Luke 3.16 11 To conclude hee is called Fire for two considerations First because it is hee that refineth burneth and consumeth our vicious lusts which are as the superfluities and excrementes of our soules and on the other side it is hee that kindleth our heartes in the loue of God and feruent desire to serue and honor him But if we perceiue no effects of this fire of the holie Ghost in vs â—ourning consuming our vice and corruption that by amending our liues wee may growe in purenesse and holynes With what conscience can wee saie that the spirite of Christ is in vs As this spirit cannot be dead neither can it bring forth vicious or corrupt fruit Likewise if wee increase not in zeale and loue to God this want of the operation of the holy Ghost is an assured testimonie of that hee is not in vs Exod. 8.19 21.18 Luke 11.20 Luke 1.66 because wee feele not his fire heating vs in the loue of God Finally the holy Ghost is called the finger and hand of God because that by him hee exerciseth his vertue and that by his inspiration wee are regenerate into heauenly life that wee may no more bee driuen or lead by our selues but bee gouerned by his motion and operation If therefore wee denie not our owne wisedome and the affections of our flesh and so suffer our selues to bee guided and lead by the hand of the holy spirite wee doo wrongfully challenge the name of Christians and boast of the spirite of Christ dwelling in vs. Thus this name Christ aduertising vs that hee hath receiued the holie spirite to make vs partakers thereof according to the measure to euerie one ordained ought to bee vnto vs a mightie inducement and sharpe spurre to mooue vs to amendement of lyfe 12 This vnction of the holy spirite dyd our Lorde Iesus Christ receiue to the end to exercise three offices requisite to our saluation namely to be our king our Priest and our Prophet And this also to represent vnto vs how deeply this name Christ bindeth vs to amend our liues First for the office of king Iohn 18.36 If his kingdome be not of this world as himselfe confessed before Pilat but spiritual we are to correct our false imaginations that leade vs to seeke the world in his kingdome as looking that hee shoulde giue to his seruants great riches honorable offices and other carnall commodities For it is the part of the princes of this world to present earthly kingdoms to those that reuerence them Math. 4.9 but as for our king Iesus Christ hee willeth vs to seeke all the felicitie that hee promiseth in heauen And therefore when wee are persecuted or otherwise afflicted wee must correct this false opinion of thinking our selues miserable or that our king hath no care of vs For contrarywise afflictions should make vs to lifte vp our heartes to heauen the dwelling of our king where hee hath layed vp the treasures ioyes and glorie of his kingdome Secondly sith hee is our king that hee may raigne in vs wee are warned to forsake the worlde sinne and the deuill his enemies so that hee onely raigning in vs mortifying sinne may make vs to denie the world and strengthen vs against Sathan Let not sinne sayth Saint Paul raigne in you Rom. 6.13 Iohn 16.33 Rom. 16.20 Luke 1 74 to obey the lusts thereof And Iesus Christ sayth Bee of good cheere for I haue ouercome the world And the Apostle promiseth vs that God will tread downe sathan vnder our feet Thus this king hauing deliuered vs out of the handes of our enemies bindeth vs as Zacharie sayth Without feare to serue him in righteousnes and holynes all the dayes of our lyfe and so to amend Let vs also remember that the scepter of a good pastor is deliuered vnto him blessedly to guide his sheepe that shall heare his voyce Psalme 2. and by amendement followe him As also hee hath an iron rodde to bruse as a potters vessell all such as shall rebell against him Let vs therefore amend and renounce euerie thing whereat this king may be displeased that we may bee happily gouerned by the sheepehooke of our good shepheard and not brused wyth the iron rodde of this iust king that breaketh those that wythout amendement of lyfe doo continue in vnbeleefe and obstinate in their sinne The kingdome of Sathan from which Christ hath redeemed vs doth consist in darknesse infidelitie and bad conscience and all vice silthynesse and corruption Contrariwise the kingdom of Iesus Christ consisteth in light in knowledge of the true God and his sonne Iesus Christ in faith loue holynes patience and other like vertues These are the true effectes of the spirituall kingdome of Iesus Christ We must therefore effectually shew that wee are transported from the kingdome of Sathan to the kingdome of Iesus Christ But how By amending our liues and growing more and more in faith loue patience and holynesse to bee short in all good workes and vertues required in the subiects of this spirituall king Iesus Christ 13 The second office of Christ is to be our high Priest who offered himselfe a sacrifice vnto God that by his death hee myght satisfie his iustice and so reconcile vs to him Who is there then among vs that representing to himselfe that it is the welbeloued sonne of God and the prince of glorie that giueth himselfe not to a common death but euen to the shamefull and cursed death of the crosse together with the apprehension and feeling of the wrath and terrible indignation of God ingendering in his bodie horrible terrour and mortall anguish in his soule And all this for his enemyes by nature the children of wrath poore sinners and the bond men of Sathan What man is there I saie that meditating vpon these things shall not bee euen rauished in admiration of his incomprehensible loue towardes vs which loue Saint Paul doeth at large and verie often make mention of Is it possible that this name Christ Rom. 5 Ephes 2 representing vnto vs this priest thus offering himselfe in such a sacrifice for vs poore and abhominable sinners and consequently the apprehension of his incomprehensible loue towards vs should not rauish and force our verie soules to loue him wyth all our heartes our mindes and our strength and through feruent loue to obey his commandement of amendement and to abhorre to thinke saie or doo anie thing that may displease this Christ our high Priest 1. Cor. 16. 22 If anie man sayth the Apostle Saint Paul loue not the Lord Iesus Christ let him bee had
is eyther naught or tendeth to euyll The reason to beguile and deceiue the lybertie to riotous licentiousnesse and other wantonnesse the eyes to see and beholde vanitie the heart to couet and thirst thereafter the handes to beate to strike and oppresse the feete to runne after sinne and wickednesse the tongue to backbite lie and blaspheme to bee short all the members are instrumentes of iniquitie Rom. 6.19 as Saint Paul tearmeth them 3 Heereby maye euerie man whatsoeuer hee bee perceiue and knowe that Christes exhortation saying Amend your liues stretcheth verie farre Also that manye are the vices that we are to amende especiallye considering howe Saint Paul admonisheth vs Rom. 8.13 Ehe 4.22 Col. 3.9 Math. 16.24 not to mortifie two or three members of this bodie of sin but the whole body as also to put of the olde man and as Iesus Christ saith to denie our selues In the deduction of this matter we will therefore deale somtimes with the names of the vertues which we are to put in practise and sometimes of the vices that wee are to shunne according as the names doo import some generalitie or do best fit our intent So shall euerie one vnderstand that the amenment of lyfe consisteth in the deniall of vice and contrariwise in the aduancement of vertue Of Loue and Charitie in generall Chap. 9. WE will begin with loue which hath two respects The first is to God Math. 22. 1. Iohn 4.19 Ephe. 2.4 Rom. 5.8 Iohn 3.16 as it is commanded that wee shoulde loue him with all our heart with all our strength and with all our mind The second to our neighbour whome wee ought to loue as our selues As for our loue to God the same as Saint Iohn saith proceedeth of his loue to vs We loue him because he first loued vs. He loued vs euen when we were dead in sinne when we were his enemies yea hee so loued vs that he gaue his onely begotten and welbeloued sonne to die for vs. This his incomprehensible loue toward vs doth therefore bind vs most feruently to loue him And in deed as a colde stone by liyng three or foure houres in the warme Sunne gathereth heate so this loue of God shining vpon our soules should kindle them in his loue 1. Ioh. 4.16 1. Ioh. 4.7 Iohn 13.33 August vpon Iohns gospel 1. Cor. 13 As for loue toward our neighbor we are the rather to desire it and to put it in practise because it is the marke of Gods children the disciples of Iesus Christ And therefore sayth Saint Iohn God is loue and he that loueth is borne of God and knoweth God And as all Gods children are the disciples of Christ Heereby also sayth Iesus Christ shall men know that ye are my disciples if ye loue one another as I haue loued you They that are not my disciples saith Saint Augustine in the person of Christ doo notwithstanding participate in many other my benefites They haue not only nature life sense reason and common preseruation among al mankind but also the gift of tongues the sacramentes prophesie knowledge faith to worke miracles distribution of their goods to the poore yea euen the giuing of their bodies to fire but because they haue no loue they are as sounding brasse and tinkling cimbals they are nothing It is not therefore by these my benefits Augustine in praise of charitie which euen they that are not my Disciples may also haue that men shall know you to be my Disciples but onely in this that ye loue one another Likewise a man may receiue the sacraments and yet be wicked but no man can haue loue and be wicked Not without reason therefore doth Saint Paul writing to the Galathians say Neither circumcision auaileth anything neither vncircumcision Cal 5.6 but faith which worketh by loue In which sentence the Apostle sheweth that in the kingdome of Christ the matter wherein we doe most testifie our faith which is of greatest accompt and whereto wee are especially to apply and giue our selues is loue Augustine in praise of charitie which also Saint Augustine calleth the fountaine of all goodnesse as couetousnesse is the roote of all euill 2 That this loue may be pure and true Augustine in his confessions Prosper in his sentences of Augustine it must so proceed from our loue of God that we may loue our neighbour in respect of that loue which we beare to God For as Saint Augustine saith we loue not God so much as we should if we loue any thing but him which we loue not for the loue of him and therefore in another place he saith Blessed is he that loueth God and his friend in God and his enemie for the loue of God Hereby are we to gather three points First that albeit some heathen may seeme to haue done workes of great charitie and loue yet was the same no true or liuely charitie which is proper and peculier to the children of God for they only doe know and loue God and their neighbours for Gods sake And indeed loue ought to proceed from a pure hart as both Paul and Peter doth teach By faith our harts are purified 1. Tim. 1.5 1. Pet. 1.22 Act. 15.9 None therefore but the faithfull haue true loue which proceedeth not from the loue of themselues but from their loue to God Secondly it appeareth in this that in vaine we boast that we loue God if wee loue not our neighbour for his sake This is it that Saint Iohn noteth saying If any man say I loue God and yet hate his brother the same is a lier For he that loueth not his brother whom he seeth 1. Ioh. 4.20 Rom 13 10 how can he loue God whom he seeth not And this commandement haue wee of him that he which loueth God loueth his brother also Thirdly hereby we vnderstand the truth of the saying of Saint Paul that Loue is the fulfilling of the law For if we cannot loue God vnlesse wee loue our neighbour neither our neighbour vnlesse our loue to him proceed of our loue towards God It must needes follow that louing our neighbour we also loue God and so fulfill the law which is comprehended in this That wee loue both God and our neighbour 3 The better that we may yet vnderstand what our loue ought to be we are diligently to note the commandement of God that we should loue our neighbor as our selfe and explane this duty by two very naturall and iust rules which necessarily doe ensue The first by this auncient prouerbe common euen among the heathen Lampridius in the life of Alexander Seuerus Do no otherwise by another then we would be done vnto Alexander Seuerus an Emperour endued with many excellent vertues had this sentence ordinarily in his mouth thereby reprouing such as wronged or iniuried others Yea in publishing any sentence of condemnation against transgressors he caused the same to be added as the ground thereof Doe no
more able to with and temptations and a line of three twists is not so soone broken They are 〈◊〉 each to helpe vp other if either of them happen to 〈…〉 or sinne Wis 4. â— Two are better sayeth the same Salomon 〈…〉 they haue better wages for their labour And if they 〈…〉 will 〈◊〉 vp the other but wo vnto him that is alone for if he 〈…〉 lift him vp They ought also each to perâ—â—â—â—◠〈…〉 to relieue the poore diligently to frequent 〈◊〉 to vse prayers and supplications and praise and thankesgiuings to the Lord to comfort each other in the time of affliction to be short either to exhort other to walke in the feare of God 〈◊〉 in all duties and exercises beseeming the children of God In this mâ—nner did that holy woman Elizeus hottesse exhort her husband to prepare a chamber for the prophet to lodge in Saint Paul also sayth 2. King 4 1â— 1. Cor. â—4 â—â— That women desirous to learne should question with theyr husbandes at home Whereby he sheweth that the husband ought to bee so instructed as hee maie bee readie to instruct his wyfe at home And in deede a heathen Philosopher in this sense sayth verie well Plutarch in the rules of marriage That the husband after the example of the Bee should euerie where gather euerie good instruction that he might be able to impart it to his wife and by hauing communication acquaint her therewith Thus sayeth hee maye the mindes of women well taught be wonne from vanitie to vertue 7 Other duties there are which be common both to the husband the wife as among the rest such as proceed of the vnion of marryage wherof God in the institution thereof sayde They are one flesh And Iesus Christ confyrmed saying Two shall bee one 〈◊〉 And therfore in Saint Marke hee addeth They are no more two but one flesh Gen 2.24 Math. 19. 5 Marke 10.8 And in deede if Eue being created of one of the ribbes of Adam was as parte of himselfe then is the wife also a parte of her husband and as the one halfe of himselfe And of this vnâ—â—â— and coniunction proceedeth the mutuall loue betweene man and wife For no man sayth Saint Paule hateth his owne flesh but loueth and cherisheth it And speaking to husbandes hee sayeth Husbandes loue your wiues Ephes 5.15 Titus 2.4 Eccle. 25.1 And writing to Titus hee commaundeth him to exhort the elder women to teach the younger to bee modest and to loue theyr husbandes Three thinges sayth Wisedome doo reioyce thee and with them am I beautifyed before God and men Vnitie of brethren loue of neighbours a man and wife that agree together But syth the foundation of this mutuall loue is the vnity of marriage wherby the husband and the wife are made one flesh the husbande as the head the wife as the bodie It followeth that this loue must bee stedfast not variable and that the vnion of marriage continue notwithstanding whatsoeuer befall either the husband or the wife Notwithstanding whatsoeuer complexions I saie natures infyrmities may appeare whatsoeuer sicknesse losse of goods iniuries griefes or other inconueniences that may arise yet so long as the foundation of loue that is the vnion of marriage doth continue so long must loue and affection remaine God commandeth vs to loue our neighbors as our selues because they be of our flesh Albeit therefore that hee contemne hate offend or wrong vs albeit he bee our enemie and in respect of himselfe deserueth not that wee should loue him yet because hee is of our flesh the foundation of loue remayning wee must loue him As also our sauiour Iesus Christ sayth Loue your enemies blesse those that curse you Mat. 5.44 doo good to those that hate you and praie for those that molest and persecute you Howe much rather ought they to put this in practise who by the bonde of marryage are made one flesh The rather because the vnion betweene man and wife is without comparison more straight and bindeth them each to loue other much more than the coniunction whereby man is vnited vnto his neighbour 8 But this is the mischiefe that in many their loue is not grounded vpon the vnion of marriage but vpon beautie riches other carnal and worldly considerations subiect to chang alteration and losse This corruption that respecteth beautie is olde and noted to bee among the causes of the floud The sonnes of God sayth Moses seeing the daughters of men were faire lusted after them Gen. 6. 2 toke them in marriage But in deed it is monie that maketh loue and riches ingender affection witnesse the experience of our daies Yet such loue resembleth onely a fire of straw which is but a blaze and is soone out vnles it be continued with great wood or other lyke substance Loue growing of beautie riches lust or anie other lyke slight vncertain and fraile grounds is soone lost and vanished vnlesse it be maintained with the consideration of this vnion of two in one flesh and the vertues thereto adioyned and therefore must euerie man thinke vpon this vnion in marriage that he may inioy nourish continue the loue that therof procedeth the rather because such loue is the nurse of coÌ„cord that maketh marriage happy As contrariwise the want of this loue is the fountaine of strife quarelling debate and other like afflictions that conuert the paradise of marriage into a hell Augustine of baptisme of children Dissention between man and wife saith S Augustine is the trouble and ouerthrow of the householde They that will auoid such strife must therefore loue each other and especially they must haue care heereof when they are first married For as a vessell made of two peeces glewed together may at the first be easily broken but in time groweth strong so is it also wyth two persons that are glewed or ioyned together by the bond of marriage 9 This loue the mother of peace will ingender a care and dutie each to support other and so to practise the same which Saint Paul requireth in all beleeuers Ephes 4.31 that is To be gentle one to another friendly and each to forgiue other euen as God hath forgiuen vs through Christ Let the husband thinke that he hath married a daughter of Adam with all her infyrmities and likewise let the woman thinke that she hath not married an Angell but a child of Adam with his corruptions And so let them both resolue to beare that that cannot be soone amended Let not the bodie complaine of the head albeit it haue but one eie neither the head of the bodie albeit it be croked or mishapen Such defaultes doo neuer break vnion and loue betweene the head and the bodie neyther must the infirmities of the husband or the wife infringe the loue that procedeth of the vnion in marriage If the husband be giuen to brauling or the wife to chiding let them both beware
this commaundement is the more to bee noted because it is often repeated in the holy Scripture Now by this word Honor is signified the loue reuerence dutie obedience subiection entertainment and necessarie assistance that children owe to their parents As concerning the loue the summarie of the second Table comprehended in these wordes Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe doe manifestly confirme it For who can bee a neerer neighbour for the children to loue then the parents Besides that they are not to be loued onely as neighbours proceeding of Adam and Eue but also as fathers and mothers And therefore what an ingratitude is it not to loue those of whom next after God they haue their life and being together with many great and continuall benefites toward them Also the loue that parents doe beare to their children besides so many their labours sorrowes troubles and vexations should binde them reciprocally to loue them The sunne shining a while vpon the colde stones doth so heate them that they yeelde some warmth so albeit that children be as hard and colde as stones yet the experience and the dayly feeling of the loue of their parents towards them ought mightily to enflame their hartes to loue them againe Take away the beame from the sunne said a good old father and it wil not shine the springs from the riuer and it will drie vp the bough from the tree and it will wither the member from the body it will rot And so take from children their dutie to their parents and they are no longer children but brethren and companions with those vnto whom Iesus Christ said Yee are the children of the Deuill Plut. in his Agotheg of the Grecians 2 This loue ought especially to appeare in a certain care affection and desire to reioyce and content our parents For as we reade to this purpose Epaminondas said that of all the good and felicitie that euer happened him he neuer so much delighted in any as in his victorie ouer the Lacedemonians at Leuctria where he wonne the fielde while his father and mother yet liued Such was his loue to them that his singular contentation consisted in the pleasure that they would conceiue in the victorie of their sonne And that this his contentment consisted onely in his loue to his parents and not in couetize of vaine-glorie we may gather by his commendations published by Iustin who saith Iustin lib. 6. that it was a hard choise to discerne whether hee were an honester man or a better Captaine That in the exercise of any publike office hee neuer sought himselfe but the good of his countrie That he was not couetous either of glorie or of money These are notable commendations in a heathen Captaine God graunt that Christians may follow him and deserue the like His example doth declare that children ought so to loue their parents that their affection may tend to liue vertuously euen to reioyce them and to eschue euill least they should grieue them Prou. 10.1 And this is it that Salomon admonisheth saying A wise sonne maketh a glad father but a foolish sonne is an heauinesse to his mother Againe A foolish sonne is a griefe vnto his father and an heauinesse to her that bare him Prou. 17.25 3 This band of loue of parents should take place not onely toward such as are gentle and louing but also as Saint Peter saith 1. Pet. 2.18 of the duties of seruants to their masters euen toward such as bee rigorous For if wee ought to loue all the children of Adam euen those whome wee know not or our enemies and persecutors how much rather our parents albeit they should intreate vs roughly with rigour either in word or deede And indeede the principal cause still abideth namely that they bee our father and mother This ought children well to note to the ende that patiently bearing their reprehensions reproofes and in generall whatsoeuer their troublesome and sharpe affections they may still continue and declare their childe-like affection and loue And to that purpose remember the labour greefe anguish weeping sorrow and other troublesome cares that parentes doe abide for their children 4 This loue must be accompanied with reuerence and respect And to say the truth Mat 23.2 albeit the name of father belongeth properly vnto God as Iesus Christ said You haue but one father euen him that is in heauen Yet doth hee so impart it to those that haue begotten vs that they being called fathers doe beare the title and Image of God And this is it that bindeth children to respect and honor them and to testifie the same by their outwarde reuerence The Lacedemonians did so carefully accustome their children hereto that we reade of a good personage who had such respect to parents Plu. in his Lacon Apotheg that being demaunded wherfore at Sparta the young men did rise vp when their elders came in place hee aunswered To the ende that by honoring age they may learne and accustome themselues to reuerence their parentes Of this reuerence we haue a notable example in Salomon 1. King 2.19 He vnderstanding that his mother Bathseeba was comming to speake with him arose from his seat came to meet her bowed before her and set her vpon his right hand Neither could his greatnesse neither his Royal estate priuiledge him from this respect and honor due to his mother To this purpose we also reade a notable historie which may serue for an exposition of this matter As a certaine gouernour of Creet came with his father to the Philosopher Taurus finding there but one stoole readie Aul. Gellius lib. 2. c. 2. the father woulde haue had his sonne as a Romaine Magistrate to sit down but the Philosopher willed him as the father to sit downe and calling for another seate for the sonne said When the sonne doth execute his magistracie or publike office hee is greater then his father and must beare himselfe as a Magistrate not as a sonne But when he is out of place or execution of his office he must how highly soeuer he be aduaunced haue a respect and yeelde reuerence to his father But many times it falleth out otherwise For many children when they come to honor or wealth doe so despise their parentes if they bee of meaner calling then themselues that hardly they will acknowledge or call them father as if they were ashamed of them Decius the sonne of the Romaine Emperour Decius Valer. Max. l. 4 most liuely represented mans inclination to this vice and sought in his owne person to preuent it For when his father on a time saide that hee would inuest his sonne in the Diademe Imperiall his sonne refused it saying I feare least being Emperour I forget that I am a sonne Rather will I continue an obedient sonne then being an Emperour to neglect and forget the due honour that the sonne oweth to his Father Let my father commaunde and let my
no reputation took on him the forme of a seruant and was made like vnto man was found in shape as a man He humbled himselfe became obedient vnto death euē vnto the death of the crosse And therefore in obedience to parents children are to lay off all greatnes and excellencie whatsoeuer and to submit themselues to any rebuke yea euen to the shamefulest death rather then by contempt or disobedience to offend their parents And least any man should reply that ther is great difference between God the father and fathers according to the flesh Luk. 2.51 S. Luke noteth that Iesus Christ was subiect to his mother and to his supposed father Ioseph What greatnes then may there bee in children that should exempt them frō obedience to their parents sith Iesus Christ the prince of glory the king of kings and Lord of Lords because subiect and obedient to a poore man his putatiue father and to a mother of simple and meane calling 8 This obedience doth S. Paul commend vnto vs saying Col. 3.20 Ephe. 6.1 Children obey your parents in all things Adding this reason for that is acceptable to the Lord. And in that he saith in an other place It is right He taketh from children all reply For is there any child that will denie that he is not bound to do that which is right or that which is pleasing or acceptable vnto God Moses saith Leuit. 19.3 Euery of you shall stand in awe of his father and mother And in truth he that loueth his father and his mother feareth their displeasure As contrariwise he that reiecteth their precepts admonitions or reprehensions and so shaketh off the yoke of obedience subiection that obstinatly he may set himself to work wickednes sheweth that he despiseth the image of God that they beare treadeth vnder foot then authoritie ouer him Such children or rather monsters in nature are to looke for no other but Gods horrible iudgement against thē Prou. 30.17 And Salomon saith The eye that meeketh his father despiseth the instruction of his mother the Rauens of the vally shall picke it out and the young Eagles shall eate it Neither would God permit that such impietie shoulde escape without an expresse decree to put to death such children If any man saith Moses hath a sonne that is stubborne disobedient Deut. 21.18 which will not harken vnto the voice of his father vnto the voice of his mother they haue chastened him he would not obey them then shal his father and his mother take him bring him out vnto the elders of his Citie and vnto the gate of the place where hee dwelleth and shall say vnto the elders of his Citie This our sonne is stubborne and disobedient he wil not obey our admonitiō he is a riotor a drunkerd Then all the men of his Cittie shall stone him with stones vnto death so shalt thou take away euill from among you that all Israell may here it feare Behold how God by cōmanding that disobedient children should be rooted out willeth that all children should feare to disobey their parents least they might incur the like punishment For surely the disobedience of children is an assured token that God will roote them out As wee reade of the sonnes of Hely the high priest 1. Sam 2.25 who when their father reproued them for their iniquitie did not obey his voice because it is expresly set downe the Lord purposed to destroy them The very heathen haue euermore highly cōmended reuerence obedience vnto parents Among the rest The Lacedemonians published a law wherby it was lawfull for parents to make whom they would Plut. in Licur euen straungers their heires Therby to induce children to reuerence and obey their parentes 9 Yet must this subiection obedience be holy and not repugnant to the seruice of God So as obedience to parents be no disobedience to God Ephe. 6.1 And this doth S. Paul note saying Children obey your parents in the Lord that is to say according to the Lord or for the Lords sake therfore if parents cōmand any thing contrary to Gods glory or the saluation of the soul the children are in duty to practise the instruction of the Apostles Act. 4.19 who said Is it right in the sight of God that we obey you rather then him The law is comprehended in two Tables the summarie wherof doth import that we loue God and our neighbor But the loue of God goeth before Iesus Christ calleth it the first gretest commandement And therfore saith Mat. 22.38 Mat 10.37 He that loueth father or mother more then me is not worthie of me Gods cōmandement of obedience to parents doeth not abolish all difference betweene good euill neither bindeth children to disobey God the parents authoritie cannot priueledge their children to cōmit sin The well ordered child will alwaies agree with the law to abstaine from whatsoeuer is therein prohibited neither will he obey such cōmandements of his earthly father as are contrary to his heauenly father Yet are childrē in duty to loue honor obey their parents whatsoeuer euen Idolaters and wicked For as the loue of nature is not abolished by the wickednes of men for they still abide men so wicked Idolatrous parents remaining parents doe retaine the right of parents Prosper sentences out of Augustine and such are to be honored yea euen to command bee obeyed so long as they cōmand nothing prohibited by the heauēly father We must saith S. August so loue men that wee loue not their vices For to loue that which they are is one thing to hate that which they doe is another 10 Yet doth this word Honor cōprehend an other dutie of children to their parents That is to comfort them in their aduersities to relieue their want and to helpe and serue them in whatsoeuer they need at their childrēs hands neither shal they herein perform any more thē the payment of part of their debts whereto they are bound in cōsideration of the benefits that they first receiued from their parents This is the duty wherto S. Paul expresly exhorteth them saying If any widow haue children or childrē of her children let thē learne first to shew godlines toward their own house Tim. 54. to recompence their kindred for that is an honest thing acceptable before God Herein did Ioseph performe the duty of a child to his father brethrē Gen. 45.9 To whom when he greeued himselfe he saide make hast and get ye vp to my father and say vnto him thus saieth thy sonne Ioseph God hath made me Lord ouer all Egypt come therefore vnto me and make no tarying and thou shalt inhabite the land of Gosham shal the neere vnto me Thou thy children the children of thy children I wil relieue thee least thou shouldest perish for hunger thou
of such a benefite of God and according to the threatning of Amos to endure such a famine not of bread but of the worde Amos 8.11 that the strongest and most lustie seeking after it but not finding it may perishe 5 Now it resteth that we speak of the third parte signified in the worde Honor which is the assistaunce of the Pastour and this is to be practised especially in two sortes First the Church is in dutie to prouide that her Ministers may haue conuenient mainteynance least they should be withdrawne from their charge by labouring for the sustenance of their family True it is that S. Act. 20.34 Paul did sometimes labour with his handes for his liuing but it was when the Churches had no meanes to prouide for him by reason of persecution or else when he perceiued that by receiuing his maintenance from the Church there was some back-sliding in the preaching of the Gospel as at Corinth For when some false Apostles preached there without reward Saint Paul would be no president for them to receiue maintenance from the Church as himselfe writeth vnto them saying We haue not vsed this power 1. Cor. 9.12 namely to take hyer of the Church but suffer all things that we should not hinder the Gospell of Christ 2 Cor. 11.9 but otherwise hee vsually tooke of the Churches wherwith to liue as himselfe saith that hee euen robbed them and tooke wages to doe the Corinthians seruice 6 Likewise albeit himselfe tooke nothing of them yet doth he at large tel them their duties to their Pastors Who saith he 1. Cor. 9.7 doth go a warfare any time at his owne cost Who planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruite thereof or who feedeth a flocke and eateth not of the milke of the flocke doth not the lâ—we say the same For it is written in the law of Moses thou shalt not mussell vp the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne doth God care for Oxen or saith he it not for our sakes For our sakes no doubt it is written that hee which eareth should eare in hope Gal. 6 6. and that hee which thrasheth in hope should be partaker of his hope And heereof he addeth a notable reason If wee haue sowen vnto you spiritual things is it a great thing if we reap your carnal things Know ye not that they which minister about the holy thinges eate of the thinges of the Temple and they which waite at the aulter are partakers with the aulter So also hath the Lord ordeined that they which preach the Gospell should liue of the Gospell It seemeth that among the Galathians some had small care of this duetie for where S. Paul saith Let him that is taught make him that teacheth him partaker in all his goods he addeth Be ye not deceiued God is not mocked for whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall he also reape Here the Apostle sheweth that as the Church is bound to prouide for the maintenance of her Pastors so by such employment of her goods she receiueth not onely this incomprehensible benefite of instruction to saluation but also a reward in the life to come and they which make no accompt of this dutie and of Gods promises shall as contemners of him feele his vengeance Likewise as the Church is the house of God and the kingdome of Christ so they that bestow their goods vpon the maintenance of the holy ministerye without the which this house kingdome cannot subsist do offer a sacrifice of a most excelleÌ„t sweet sauour in the presence of the Lord. Prouision therfore for the Pastors whether by the magistrate or by the contribution of the flock is a most necessary and profitable duty of the church 7 The second and principall assistance that the Church oweth to the Pastors is earnestly and continuallye to praye to God for them for as Christ coÌ„mandeth vs to pray to the Lord of the hâ—uest to send workemen into his haruest Mat. 9. â—8 so is it our duty when hee hath giuen vs faithful Pastors to pray vnto him firste to preseâ—ue them in health and long life for the good and edification his Church secondly by his holy spirite to guide them that they may faithfully and with fruit employ themselues in their ministerye The rather is the Church bound to this dutie because it cannot otherwise expect any great fruit from man And indeed Sainâ— Paul an Apostle endued with most excellent giftes doth neuertheâ—esse desire the Churches incessantly to make supplications for him namely writing to the Ephesians he requireth theÌ„ to pray to God for him that he may open his mouth boldely to publishe the secrets of the Gospell that therein he may speake boldely as hee ought to speake The same doth he also require of the Colossians praying also for vs Colos 4. â— that God may open vnto vs the doore of vtterance to speake the misterie of Christ wherfore I am also in bonds that I may vtter it as it becommeth me to speake Writing also to the Thessalonians he saith Brethren 2. Thes 3.1 pray for vs that the worde of the Lord may haue free passage and be glorified euen as with you Rom. 15.30 and that wee maye be deliuered from vnreasonable and euill men for all men haue not faith Writing to the Romains he proceedeth further saying Brethren I beseech you for our Lord Iesus Christs sake and for the loue of the spirite that ye would striue with me by praiers to God for me That I may be deliuered from them which are disobedient in Iudea and that my seruice which I haue to doe at Ierusalem may be accepted of the Saints If so excellent an Apostle doth plainely confesse that hee cannot open his mouth to preach the worde that he cannot auoide the crosses and assaultes of the wicked or that he can doe nothing that may be acceptable to the Saints without the assistance and blessing of God If hee acknowledge that to obtain these graces he standeth in need of the praiers of the Church and if in so many places so instanly he desireth her employment heerin what good may we expect in the ministery of our Pastors euen of those that be most apt and faithfull vnlesse feruently and continually we doe praye vnto God for them Most men haue small minde of the dutie and importance of these praiers yet is this negligence and ingratitude many times punished in the most dangerous faults of the Pastors which turn to the great preiudice of the Church besides that God also in his iust iudgement taking to himselfe the faithfull Ministers or transporting them elsewhere doth either giue vs hyrelinges or wholye depriueth the Church of the holy ministery To the end therefore that according to the exhortation of Iesus Christ wee maye amend let vs acknowledge how precious the spirituall heauenly and eternall giftes that we receiue by the ministery of our Pastors are And what an excellent charge
owne and welbeloued Sonne Iesus Christ What mercy goodnesse and loue shineth in this redemption That he so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne to the end that all that beleeue in him might not perish Ioh. 3.16 1. Ioh. 4.9 but haue life euerlasting What a seale of his truth in that notwithstanding the ingratitude and vnworthinesse of the world he yet in his appointed time sent the seed of the woman promised to our forefathers Gen. 3.15 to breake the Serpents head To be briefe what power shewed he in this redemption wrought by Iesus Christ Gal. 4.4 wherein he surmounted and ouercame the deuill sinne death and hell But what doth such an image of God so expressely represented before our eyes in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ accomplishing our redemption shoot at but to giue vs to vnderstand and earnestly to feele the wisedome holinesse righteousnesse mercy truth goodnesse loue and power of God the father of Iesus Christ That we might loue him put our trust in him cleane vnto him call vpon him acknowledging him to be the inexpuiseable fountaine of al goodnesse and so glorifie him And the rather because by this meanes we are reclaimed from death and euerlasting damnation we bee made the children of God through the same Iesus Christ and inheritors of his kingdome and glory Rightly therefore doe we say that the ende of our redemption shoulde tend to encrease our knowledge of God that we may glorifie him That it is the dutie whereto Saint Paul exhorteth vs saying You are bought for a price 1. Cor. 6.20 therfore glorifie God in your body in your spirit for they are Gods Also in another place Eph. 1.6 God hath chosē vs to him throgh Iesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace 8 Ther is yet another consideration When Christ gaue sight to the blind raised the dead healed the sicke wrought other like miracles Mat. 9.8 Luk. 13.13 the same were so many testimonies seales of his diuinitie consequently arguments to induce men to glorifie him As he himselfe saith speaking of the sicknes of Lazarus This sicknes is not vnto death but for the glory of God Ioh. 11.4 that the sonne might be glorified therby For his raising frō death was a testimony of his diuine power But we al are naturally as concerning the soul dead in sin blind sicke of a hūdred diseases And as the soule is more excellēt thē the body so the illuminating restoring to life curing of the diseases of the soule are miracles more excellētly representing the deuine power grace then those of the body Of necessity therefore these miracles being performed in vs through faith in Iesus Christ do bind vs to glorifie him And how By effectual demonstration that where we were blind sicke dead in spirit we are now illuminated cured raised againe to life And indeed the motions affections holy works of Gods children being assured testimonies that in soule they be illuminated risen againe are the true meanes to glorifie God Contrariwise if we walk as men yet blind in the darknes of ignorance as men sicke polluted in vice corruption as men yet dead in sin We doo so much as in vs lieth abolish the miracles of Iesus Christ consequently his glory In this respect Saint Peter saith Haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles 1. Pet. 2 1◠that they which speake euill of you as of euill doers may by your good works which they shall see glorifie God in the day of the visitation Mat. 5.16 And in the same sence saith Iesus Christ Let your light so shine before men that seing your good works they may glorify God your father 9 But what argument is this to glorifie God in our holy conuersation good works Because as we haue before said shewed the same be testimonies effects of our spiritual resurrection consequently of Gods power goodnes mercy toward vs. Wherupon the ignorant seing that we who in the time of our ignorāce were dead in sin giuen ouer to all vice corruption since we were illuminated in the truth of the Gospell haue by this spiritual resurrection declared such an alteration in vs that now we are contrariwise become as it were new creatures walking in purenes holines loue may also glorifie God in two sorts First in this miraculous alteration that they see in vs as being a worke truely proceeding of the power and goodnes of God Secondly in this that by such miracles they be moued to allowe and embrace the same religion which we professe as being conuict that it is truely of God not of man Psal 65.1 To conclude where Dauid crieth out O God praise waiteth for thee in Sion He manifestly declareth vnto vs that they which be regenerate through the redemption in Iesus Christ are burgeses of Sion and members of the Church bound to praise God And also that we frustrate God of his dutie and expectation Psal 119 175 if we refer not out whole liues to his glory saying with Dauid O Lord let my soule liue that I may praise thee 10 The secōd principal end of our life should tend to attaine to life euer lasting John 3.16.17 And indeed In as much as God hath sent his Son into the world that the world through him might be saued that he so loued the world that he hath giuē his only begottē son to the end that al that beleue in him might not perish but haue life euerlasting It thereby appeareth that as the end of our redemption accomplished in Iesus Christ is the sauing of the elect so we that beleeue in him shoulde in all the course of our liues aime at this To bee saued by him Otherwyse wee doo so much as in vs lieth reuerse that excellent and wonderfull work of our redemption God hath created man without comparison more excellent than beasts yet if man be not saued nor attaineth to life euerlasting hee is much more miserable than the brute beast which passing ouer this life a great deale more easilye than man after death feeleth no euill and contrariwise the man which aimeth not at this lyfe euerlasting after all his calamities both bodily and ghostly tribulations in this life at his death entereth into incomprehensible and eternall torments If man who naturally desireth felicitie could comprehend the felicitie of such as attaine to the kingdom of heauen likewise the miserie and woe of those who at their decease doo passe into euerlasting death the very horror of the death of these wretches together with the soueraigne felicitie of the blessed would make him earnestly to couet after life euerlasting to esteeme this incomprehensible felicitie to be one of the principall endes of his lyfe Such therefore as doo neuer propound the kingdome of
deed if any man giue alms to the end to be seene of men euerie one will confesse that his deed is nought worth If a minister preach Gods word onely to get reputation not simply for the saluation of soules he prophaneth his vocation In like manner the marchant in his trafique seeking not to serue God by seruing of men but to enrich himselfe peruerteth his vocation the course of his lyfe because he liueth not to serue God but to serue himselfe 16 Why will some man saie Hath not God commanded euerie man to labour in his vocation for the maintaining of his family It is true but wee do misconster this ordinance of God For his meaning is that euery man should haue this end to serue God by the seruing of men And in reward and recompence of the seruice that wee doo him hee ordaineth that the artificer shall receiue the reward of his labour as from the hand of God whom he serueth by seruing of men and so may haue wherewith to maintaine his family That the marchant should sell his commodities for more than it cost wherein the surplussage is the reward that God paieth him for his seruice Likewise that the seruant man or woman shall receiue food some wages for seruice don to God in seruing of men Who so therefore maketh not this the end of his vocation namely to serue God by seruing of man he doth not referre his life to the right end and so prophaneth and peruerteth the same 17 Heerein doo we greatly wrong our selues for if we liued to serue God in our vocation besides that this seruice done to God should be rewarded in this life it would also bee a path waie to attain to the inheritance of heauen as Saint Paul teacheth vs saying The seruants that faithfully serue their masters doo serue the Lord Christ Col. 3.24 and therefore shall receiue of the Lord the rewarde of the inheritance of heauen As also the same Apostle sayth Through bearing of children the woman shall be saued 1. Tim. 2.15 if she continue in faith loue and holynes with modestie The poore woman bearing her fruite bringing it forth and noursing her little one abideth much paine sorrow and anguish But if shee thinke that God who vouchsafeth to continue the world by generation hath called her to this vocation that her whole ende in all the seruice that shee doth to the lyttle babe how vile and filthie so euer doo aime at the seruice of God by seruing the childe let her bee of good courage for by such seruing of God in her vocation she shall bee saued and shall receiue great reward in the euerlasting inheritance Yet not that this seruice in her vocation is anie merit but onely a path wherethrough God leadeth her to the possession of the celestiall inheritance and a worke which shall not be without reward in the lyfe euerlasting 18 It is also a great consolation to all those that are called to anie base or vile office in this worlde because if they consider that in seruing man they serue God their vocation cannot bee base or vile in the sight of God His maiesty is so great that there is no vile or contemptible office or calling in his house And therefore if a poore seruant when shee sweepes the house and doeth other businesse that seemeth base doth thinke with her selfe that God hath called her to that vocation and that seruing her master or mistres she serueth God she shall reape great contentation and is to expect a reward farre greater without comparison than any mortall man is able to giue For as God is great so doth hee greatly esteeme of seruice done vnto him And such is the excellencie of his children that they are not to imploie themselues in the seruice of men were it not that they hope for better rewarde than from men His will therfore is that in seruing of men they should looke for reward not from men onely but also from God considering that by seruing of men they doo serue God And thus so long as wee direct the ende of our liues in this sort to serue God by seruing of men wee shall neuer neede to doubt or to take care for the maintainance of our bodies in this lyfe but maye wholye repose our selues vpon so good a master whome wee serue And in deede if the seruant that faithfully serueth his master is not to care for his necessities but looketh and that iustly that the master whome he serueth should prouide for the same should not we doo God great iniurie and dishonor if referring our whole liues to his honour we should feare that he would suffer vs to starue 19 Moreouer if wee had perfectly learned that the end of our liues shoulde tende to serue God by seruing of men that one lesson woulde subuert all fraude deceit extorsion and vnlawfull trafiques For by deceiuing thy neighbour and wrongfull incroching of his goods into thy handes canst thou serue thy neighbour or God who cannot aduow but doth detest all such iniquitie No but contrarywise the iniurie done to thy neighbour proueth that in hew of seruing of God by seeking to serue thy selfe thou seruest the deuill who will returne but a wofull rewarde to his seruantes 20 By the premises wee perceiue the daunger of this fourth folly and how pernitious it is not to know wherefore we doo liue To the end therefore to Amend our liues let vs bee better aduised hereafter and learne first that the principall ende of our liues shuld tend to increase in the knowledge of God that knowing him we may glorifie him to our selues obtain life euerlasting Next that euerie man in his vocation haue this intent To serue God by seruing of men and so to fulfil the summe of the law which importeth that we loue God with our whole heart and our neghbour in God and for the loue of God The fifth Folly To iudge of mans felicitie or miserie by the outward apparance Chap. 6. THe fifth folly resteth In iudging a mans felicitie or miserie by the outward apparance This folly is so much the rather to be noted as it is more common euen in the children of God and the rather to bee reiected as it is the more pernitious The Prophet and author of the 73. Psalme confesseth that himselfe was ouertaken with this folly esteeming the wicked by reason of their prosperitie to haue beene blessed and contrarywise such as walked in purenesse and holynesse drinking vp tribulations in abundaunce as water to haue beene accursed Yea hee acknowledgeth that the outward prosperitie of the wicked and the afflictions of the righteous dyd so trouble him that his feete had almost slipped to ioyne with the wicked that hee thought there had beene no prouidence in God and that therefore it was lost labour to serue him in holynesse But afterward hee plainely confesseth that this was an extreame folly that hee was almost become a brute
vnderstandeth not this worke of God hee is the more diligently to meditate vpon this Psalme which as the inscription importeth is a Canticle for the Sabaoth wherein Dauid sheweth that we are to rest from all other cogitations that with quiet mindes we may meditate vpon this doctrine Entring as in another place he saith into the Sanctuarie of God in his word considering the accursed end of the wicked that liue in pleasures and prosper in wicked consciences Whome God hath set in slipperie places and caused to sall headlong Psal 73. how suddenly they are destroyed and horribly consumed As a dreame when one awaketh whē thou raisest vs vp thou shalt make their image dispised Wherupon he concludeth that it is good to be alwaies with God and to be guided by his counsell with assurance that hee will receiue vs into glorie And therefore with him let vs saie Whome haue I in heauen but thee And I haue desired none in earth with thee For loe they that withdraw themselues from thee shal perish thou shalt destroye all them that goe a whoring from thee But as for me it is good for me to draw neere to God hee is my comfort I haue put my trust in the Lord that I may declare all thy workes Let vs therefore repose our selues in this onely wisedome to beleeue in him that knoweth bothe the outside and the inside thinges present and thinges to come who onely is our competent iudge and faithfull witnesse and cannot lye Beholde how without leaning to the outwarde shew we may conclude that the sinner in all his prosperitie is accursed and the faithfull in affliction blessed likewise how the contrarie opinion is like vnto chaines and strong roopes to draw men to liue as the wicked and prophane persons 1. Cor. 15.18 Thus by consideration of the premises breaking a sunder these cursed roopes and chaines wee may bee encouraged to perseuere in good workes as knowing that our labours shall not bee in vaine before the Lord. Of the sixt folly Rather to beleeue our enemies then our friends Chap. 7. AS it is a great folly to Repose more confidence in man then in God as is afore shewed so is this also a most inexcusable folly Rather to beleeue our enemies then our friendes Eccle. 37.11 In Ecclesiasticus wee reade this notable aduertisement Aske no counsell for holinesse of him that feareth not God neither of iustice of him that hath no iustice neither of a woman touching her of whome shee is iealous neither of a cowarde in matters of warre neither of a marchaunt concerning exchaundge nor of a byer for the sale nor of an enuious man concerning thankefulnesse neither of the vnmercifull touching kindenesse nor of the slouthfull for anye labour nor of an hireling for the finishing of a worke nor of an Idle seruaunt for much busines Harken not I saye to anye of these in any matter of counsell If it be a folly to aske counsell of the man that is not so much our enemie as his owne friende in anie thing that may concerne his owne person or action What a folly is it to follow the counsell of our enemies that labour onely after our destruction Of such enemies there are three principals Who all are so much the more daungerous because they dwell in vs and round about vs and to whome naturally wee are much enclined to giue credite The first is selfe loue or after the vsuall phrase of the Scripture our flesh the second the worlde and the third the deuill 2 As concerning the first Eph. 4.21 Most certaine it is that all the lustes of our flesh are so many enemies seeking to seduce vs as faith Saint Paul and fighting against our saluation The same saith Saint Peter also 1 Pet. 2.11 where hee sheweth how our carnall lustes doe fight against our soules Rom. 8. This enemie saith Saint Paule is so daungerous and pernitious that hee engendereth death and damnation in vs Iam. 1.14 and therefore hee threteneth vs that if wee beleeue this enemie wee shall die Saint Iames likewise compareth these lustes to a wicked mother that conceiueth and bringeth foorth iniquitie and consequently death All which notwithstanding we grow so foolish and sencelesse as to giue eare and credit to our flesh rather then to God whose loue towardes vs is most certaine and incomprehensible But I pray you whereto doth our flesh counsell vs Onely to couet ritches and to obtaine the same by any meanes whatsoeuer to aspire to preheminence and excellencie aboue all others to follow the pleasures and lustes thereof 1. Tim. 6. with other like affections Yet doe wee know that God condemneth all these wicked and damnable counsels Mat. 20.26.27 Mat. 23.12 1 Pet. 5.5 Luk. 21.34 Heb. 13.4 Colos 3.5 Eph. 4.22 Rom. 8.13 Mat. 16.24 declaring that Couetousnesse is the roote of all euill Also that Such as couet to bee rich fall into temptations and snares and into many foolish and noysome lustes which drowne men in perdition and destruction Protesting that they that will bee first shall be last and hee that exalteth himselfe shall bee brought low That hee resisteth the proude but giueth grace to the humble Exhorting vs to take heede that our heartes bee not ouercome with surfeating and drunkennesse pronouncing woe against whoremoungers and adulterers To be briefe that in many places he admonishing vs to mortifie this our flesh to put it off to denye it as an enemye that giueth vs deadly and damnable counsell 3 Neuerthelesse let euery man examine his owne conscience and consider the common course of men and so iudge whether euery one in generall seeketh not to become riche to grow into credit and to be exalted aboue his fellowes Whether they doe not loue and hunt after the commodities and lustes of the flesh Whether they enuie not such as get before them To bee briefe whether they giue not more credit to the counsell of the flesh then of God Experience is but ouer euident The onely example and plaine confession of Saint Augustine Augustine in his meditations Cap 4. a man endued with great wisedome and holinesse shall at this time suffice Hee speaking of couetousnesse ambition pride pleasure and other the lustes and affections of the flesh sayth thus I haue a whole armie of traytors within mee who vnder colour of friendshippe are mine enemies And yet beholde with them haue I liued from my youth vp them haue I pleased them haue I beleeued They bee the friendes whome I made much off the master whom I obeyed the Lordes whome I serued the domesticall seruants with whome I was conuersant the councelours whome I trusted If therefore it bee such a folly to beleeue our enemies let vs heereafter bee more circomspect and wiser Let vs no longer credite this enemye which doeth so possesse vs that he is euen our selfe But let vs beleeue God our true and perfect friend as knowing assuredly that all
speaking vnto vs but because God speaketh by them and therefore whosoeuer despiseth or resisteth them when they preach the worde of God hee doth despise and reiect God in them 6 The premises doo sufficiently shew in what reuerence wee are to holde the ministerie of the worde what a blessing it is to enioye it how earnestly and diligently wee shoulde frequent sermons especially in consideration of the benefites which wee reape by them as illumination reconcilement to God and participation of saluation and lyfe euerlasting For this cause doth the Deuill our auncient enemie labour to diuert men heerefrom and to bring them out of taste saying vnto some If God woulde speake vnto vs either by himselfe or by his holie Angelles wee woulde verie willingly beleeue and obeye him alledging to others That they can reade Gods word in their houses that they haue verie good bookes and that they can heare no better instructions in the sermons of men than in the preachinges of Iesus Christ written by the Euangelists neither anie better doctrine than in the writings of the Prophets Apostles But hereto we aunswere that our selues are also in duetie to read the holy Scriptures as hereafter we will more at large declare In the meane time it is abhominable rashnes and presumption in man to seeke to alledge reasons against the expresse declaration of the will of God Albeit we should not vnderstand for what cause God would speake vnto vs by the ministery of men or that thereby he would bring vs to saluation yet might it become vs to humble our selues in his sight and without replying to obey his commandements ordinances as certainly beleeuing that to his elect hee appointeth nothing but in his wisdome goodnes to his owne glorie and to their felicitie and saluation And in deed first euer since the fall of Adam men haue bin so estranged from God by reason of sin and their own corruptioÌ„ that they cannot abide the presence of God especially when he speaketh to them And therefore this was in olde time a common saying Iud. 13.22 We shal die for we haue seene God Likewise the people of Israel hearing God speaking vnto theÌ„ in mount Sinay Exod. 20.19 sayd vnto Moses Speake thou vnto vs and wee will heare thee but let not the Lord speake least we die And God accepting this confession of their infirmitie together with their demaund saide vnto Moses They haue sayd well and therefore I will heereafter speake vnto them by the ministerie of men Deut. 18.17 raising them vp Prophets and putting my words in their mouthes This experience of the people of Israel that they were not able to heare God speaking vnto them theyr demand that hee would speake to them by men the approbation thereof and Gods promise to send them prophets do declare that it is an intollerable presumption if in stead of vsing the ministerie of men we wil needs haue God himselfe to speake vnto vs. 7 Neuertheles albeit God would not offer himselfe in such maiestie as to terrifie men when he speaketh vnto theÌ„ yet may we note sundrie notable reasons that moue him to vse the ministerie of men First it is a good proofe of our humilitie obedience in that he is content we should be taught and brought to saluation by the ministrie of men that be like vnto our selues sometime our inferiors for so will God haue the glory of our faith and saluation to himself but if himself shuld speak vnto vs or send his Angels some might say It is no maruell though men obey for who will not beleeue God when himselfe speaketh vnto vs Who dare disobey him But sith they bee men and many times of lowe degree yea euen such as want the perswasiue wordes of mannes wisedome 1. Cor. 2.4 â— as Saint Paul confesseth of himselfe then as hee also addeth Faith must bee from God and not from man And therefore is it not requisite that the holye Ghost shoulde perswade vs that when vve heare men speaking vnto vs wee heare God speaking by them and so doo receiue their worde not as the woordes of men but as the worde of God In this sense doth he also say that the pastors doo beare the treasure of the heauenly doctrine as it were in earthen vessels to the end to trie our humilitie and faith 2. Cor. 4.7 whether without respect of the base and meane estate of the men wee can finde in our hearts to esteeme of and accept the heauenly treasure which they present vnto vs. Secondly is it not a great honour that God doth to man when from among men hee chooseth some to bee his embassadors as it were his owne mouth to preach and proclaime his will together with the mysteries of our saluation and to beare witnesse of his great mercie goodnesse and loue towardes vs and of that eternall glorie which he hath prepared for vs in heauen 8 Thirdly the establishment of preaching is an excellent conuenient meane to maintaine loue vnion and truth among men If there were no preaching but onely priuate reading of Gods word we shuld presently find a horrible confusion in the doctrine when euery one shall expound the holy Scripture after his owne sense vnderstanding As also by experience we doo but too plainly see that they which contemne preaching doo finally fall into diuerse opinions and errours Heereto had S. Paul especiall regard when he writ to the Ephesians There is one bodie and one spirite Ephes 4. â—4 euen as yee are called in one hope of your vocation There is one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and father of all which is aboue all and thorough al in al. But vnto euerie one of vs is giuen grace according to the measure of the gifte of Christ Wherefore hee sayth when he ascended vp on high hee led captiuitie captiue and gaue giftes vnto men Hee gaue vnto some to bee Apostles others to bee Prophets others to be Euangelists and others to be pastours and doctors for the gathering together of the saints for the worke of the ministerie and for the edification of the body of Christ till we all meet together in the vnitie of faith knowledge of the son of God vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnes of Christ that we henceforth be no more children wauering and carried about with euerie winde of doctrine but let vs follow the truth in loue and in all things grow vp into him which is the head that is Iesus Christ by whom all the bodie being coupled and knit together by euerie ioynt receiueth increase of the bodie vnto the edifying of it selfe in loue through the grace that is ministred according to the measure of euerie member 9 By this discourse the Apostle Saint Paule doeth manifestlye declare that this gathering together of the Saintes this building vp of the bodie of Christ our full growing vp in him that is
reason of the hope of our saluation wee may feele within vs the efficacie of this doctrine making vs to renounce the earth the world and the flesh that through true and liuely faith wee may aspire to the inioying of the heauenly glorie and finally attaine thereunto through our Lord Iesus Christ That we ought to put in practise the word of God Chap. 8. NOw as we vnderstand that in dutie we are to ioyne with the Church of Christ carefully to frequent Sermons deuoutly to communicate in the holy Sacraments namely in the Supper zealously to assist at common praiers feruently to exercise our selues in priuate praier and diligently to reade Gods word so the principall end and purpose of all these duties doth import that we should order our liues according to the will of God and thereafter put in effect and practise as well whatsoeuer wee learne in the worde and Sacramentes as also euerye thing which in our praiers we beg at Gods hand For as medicines doo minister health to none but those that take them whose nature also is strong and wel prepared to receiue their operations so is it requisite that they which heare and reade Gods word should receiue and apply it to themselues and praie vnto God to prepare them and by his holie spirite so to dispose their harts that the doctrine and exhortations may worke their operation in them And in deed if the end of all sciences as an ancient philosopher teacheth consist not in the knowledge but in the practise the same ought especially to take place in Christian religion and doctrine Hee that studieth ciuill law or Phisicke is not straight satisfied with the knowledge that he hath gotten but proceedeth to practise One becommeth an aduocate a counseller or a president the other spendeth his time in the cure of diseases They that haue learned the arte of sewing of cordwainrie of draperie and so foorth yet are not reputed taylers cordwainers or drapers vnlesse they doo in act exercise those sciences which is in deede the purpose of theyr apprentishippe in like manner let vs neuer looke to bee Christians or Gods children notwithstanding wee haue learned the manner thereof vnlesse wee also performe the woorkes of Christians and of the children of God Blessed are they sayeth Iesus Christe that heare the worde of God Luke 11.28 Rom. 2.13 Iam. 1.22 and keepe it Agayne The hearers of the lawe are not righteous before God but the dooers of the lawe shall bee iustifyed Wee must therefore as Saint Iames saith bee doers of the lawe and not hearers only otherwise we shall deceiue our selues And in deede as the holy Scripture is full of exhortations to obedience to the will of God and Amendement of lyfe so it importeth not onely that wee shoulde knowe that wee must amend but also that wee amend really and in deede Luke 16.6 The figge tree that bare no fruite was threatened to bee cut downe a Sunne without light Iam. 2.17 is but a painted Sunne a coale without heate is dead a bodie without motion liueth not euen so saith without woorkes is dead and the Christian that bringeth not foorth the fruites of the spirite of Christ belongeth not to Christ and so is no Christian After we haue shorne our heads and our beardes Rom. 8 before we come foorth wee looke in the glasse whether it bee well how much rather ought wee after wee haue heard the Sermon the end whereof tendeth to amend our liues immediatly to looke vppon and peruse our soules to the ende to see whether our corruptions and vices beeing cut downe and mortifyed the same bee cleere and pure in the sight of God For as a certayne Philosopher in olde sayde The vse of the bath and of the worde that purgeth not is vayne and vnprofytable and therefore sayth the Apostle Saint Paule Yee haue not so learned Christ if so bee ye haue hearde him and haue beene taught by him and the truth is in him That yee cast off concerning the conuersation in time past the olde man which is corrupt through the deceiueable lustes Ephe. 3.20.21 22.23.24 and bee renewed thorough the spirite of your minde and put on the newe man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holynesse Still labouring that in the ende wee maye bee founde irreprehensible without spot wrinckle or blemish and that the image of God maye bee restored and shine in vs. This is it that wee are now to intreate of 2 Heere haue wee worke inough cut out For what is man become by the transgression of Adam Euen the verie same as the Apostle Saint Paule describeth him saying There is none righteous no not one there is none that vnderstandeth there is none seeketh God they are all gone out of the waie they haue beene made altogether vnprofytable Rom. 3.10 there is none that doeth good no not one Their throate is an open sepulchre they haue vsed theyr tongues to deceite the poison of Aspes is vnder theyr lippes whose mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse Destruction and calamitie are in their wayes and the waie of peace haue they not knowen the feare of God is not before their eies True it is that some sparkes of the image of God doo yet remayne in man but verie fewe small and of no strength which also wee doo quench or at the least so abuse that man is neuer more deuoyde of reason than when hee suffereth himselfe to bee lead by reason and of those sparkes he is to looke for no profite but that thorough them hee shall bee made the more inexcusable in the daie of the Lorde Manye beastes and fowles doo in vertue goe beyonde man The Doue in simplicitie the Ant or Emet in diligence and industrie Esa 1. the Storke in kindnesse the Dogge in loue and fidelitie the Oxe and the Asse in memorie and acknowledging of benefites the Lambe in meeknesse the Lyon in magnanimitie the Cocke in wakefulnesse and lyberalitie the Serpent in wisedome generally all in sobrietie and contentment But in vice man passeth them all For hee is more traiterous and cruell than a woolfe more craftie and subtill than a Foxe more proude than a Peacocke more voluptuous and vnthankefull than a Hogge more daungerous than an Aspick Moreouer al vices and wickednesse whatsoeuer that resteth particuler and seuerall in sundrie beastes are altogether or for the most parte in one man For wee shall see one man both couetous proude craftie cruell enuious vnthankefull and a theefe To bee short as many members vnited make one bodie Rom. 6.6 so the holie Apostle Saint Paule tearmeth this heaping of vices in man the bodie of sinne euerie vice beeing as it were a member to that bodie It is sayde that in a sheepe euerie thing returneth to profite and commoditie the flesh for foode the wooll for clothing the sinnewes for strings for musicall instrumentes and so foorth But contrarywise euerie thing that is in man
otherwise to another then thou wouldest be done vnto To be short he had such a liking and so hartely embraced this sentence that he caused the same to be written and engrauen in his imperial pallace and in many publique works The other rule resteth in this which Iesus Christ commaundeth saying Mat. 7.21 Whatsoeuer yee would that men should doe to you euen so doe yee to them Now the loue of our selues importeth that men shoulde not only forbeare doing of vs hurt but also that they should do vs good Draco Licurgus Solon and other lawgiuers haue written and set foorth many good lawes whereby to maintaine man in equitie and vpright dealing many Philosophers haue written good bookes for the framing of the manners of men Yet all their great volumes their long discourses and the multitude of their lawes haue alwaies had great imperfections and tended as it were to the ordering but of the outward man and so in parte to make men hypocrites because they could neuer attaine to the knowledge of true Christian loue But God in one onely short sentence saying Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe hath comprehended the whole dutie of man one towarde another that they may liue together in al equitie peace loue and felicitie And thus may these two naturall rules Doe no otherwise to another then thou wouldest be doone vnto and Doe as yee woulde be doone vnto be sufficient commentaries vpon all Christian pollicie In this sence did Saint Paule iustly call this loue Col 3.14 the bond of all perfection And indeed if we would loue one another as our selues and declare our loue by these two naturall rules then should there bee among vs neither fraud iniurie wrong nor deceitfull dealing Then should all ambition pride couetousnesse enuie hatred euill speaking and other like passions cease We should see nothing but equitie peace concord 1. Cor. 13.4 loue reliefe and mutuall assistance And these fruites of loue doth Saint Paul note saying Loue suffereth long it is bountifull loue enuieth not loue doth not boast it selfe it is not puffed vp It disdaineth not it seeketh not her owne thinges it is not prouoked to anger it thinketh none euill It reioyceth not in iniquitie but reioyceth in the truth It suffereth all thinges it beleeueth all thinges It hopeth all thinges it endureth all things To be short if wee practise this loue we shall euen in this life beginne to tast the blessed estate of the kingdome of heauen whereto being lifted vp wee shall loue one another as our selues and reioyce at our neighbours good as at our owne Let vs alwaies therefore remember this commaundement that we loue our neighbour as our selues and hartely let vs endeuour to shew it by the practise of these two rules still harkening to nature who crieth saying Doe no otherwise to another then thou wouldest bee doone vnto And Doe as thou wouldest be done by 4 We are also farther to consider 1 Pet. 1.22 1 Pet. 4 8. that this loue must not bee colde but seruent not slacke but earnest and vehement as Saint Peter admonisheth vs. And that it may bee such it is requisite first that we hold nothing so deare or so precious as to bee alwayes readie to employ our selues for our neighbour yea euen to the spending of our liues Iohn 3.16 after the example of the loue that Iesus Christ shewed vnto vs as Saint Iohn sayth Hereby haue we knowen his loue that he gaue his life for vs. So are wee also to giue our liues for our brethren Secondly the heate and seruencie of our loue and charitie ought to bee such as might suâ—mount any thinge that shoulde quaile it as ingratitude hatred iniurie or vnworthienesse of our neighbours And indeede if wee must loue our neighbour for the loue of God If the Image God in him doth thereto binde vs. If being parcell of our flesh wee ought thereto to bee affected then notwithstanding whatsoeuer vnworthienesse bee in him yet God must not loose his right his image is not vtterly defaced Neither is that coniunction wherewith God bindeth vs together taken away Luk. 10.29 Therefore doth Iesus Christ by the parable of the Samaritan teach vs that euery one knowen vnknowen straunger yea euen an enemie as were the Samaritans to the Iewes is our neighbour whome wee must loue as our selues And so did Iesus Christ Mat. 5.43 correcting the false glose of the Pharisies expound it saying You haue heard that it hath beene saide Thou shalt loue thy neighbour and hate thine enemie But I saye vnto you loue your enemies And which is more hee willeth that wee shoulde testifie this loue not with our lippes only but also in deedes and workes by blessing those that curse vs by doing well to those that hate vs and by praying for those that molest and persecute vs. Exod. 23.4.5 5 This did Moses in his daies teach saying If thou meetest thy enemies Oxe or his Asse going astray thou shalt bring him to him againe Againe If thou see thy enemies Asse lying vnder his burden leaue thy busines that he may not rise alone yea leaue thy busines help him vp 1. Cor. 9.9 Or as others doe expound it See thou dost not forsake him vntill his master hath first forsaken him Careth God for beastes saith S. Paul That he should thus commend them to vs. Is it not rather hereby to shew vs what we are to doe to the person of our enemie sith we are bound to such a dutie to his Oxe or his Asse Rom. 12 20. as Saint Paul teacheth vs saying If thy enemie hungereth giue him meate If he thirst giue him drinke And because the practise hereof is very difficult Iesus Christ himselfe Mat. 5.45 the rather to induce vs to this dutie protesteth that In so doing we shall be the Children of his heauenly father who maketh his sunne to shine vpon both good and bad Mat. 5 46. and causeth his raine to fall vpon the righteous and the vnrighteous Hereby we gather that if our charitie be boundâ—d onely to our friendes and that we extend not the same euen to our enemies it is not the charitie of the children of God but as Iesus Christ addeth of publicans and infidels Also in workes and deedes if we shew not the loue that wee beare to our enemies it is in vaine for vs to protest that wee wish them no more hurt then to our selues or that wee loue them or wish as well to them as to our selues The holy historie expressely noteth that Absalom vsed no hard words to his brother Ammon who had defouled Thamar the said Absalons sister Yet loued he him not neither wished his good but in his hart nourished cruell hatred against him which hee finally declared by proâ—â—â—â—â—g him trayterously to bee murthered And thus it appeareth that speaking neither well nor ill betokeneth hatred and mallice For loue can not but both speake wel and do well euen to
her enemies 6 This loue is the rather to bee esteemed and commended because the giftes of speaking with tongues working of miracles prophecying and such like are nothing without loue Yea which is more then al those gifts euen faith hope shal haue an end but loue as Saint Paul saith abideth for euer Albeit therefore that by faith and hope we be made heires of wonderfull ioy and felicitie yet is the effect and fruite of loue greater in this respect that thereby the ioy of our perticuler felicitie obtained by faith shall be infinitly doubled and encreased for euery of the electes sakes whom we shall then loue as our selues and whose felicitie will be vnto vs as great a comfort as our owne Thus wee see what loue is required at our hands and how much wee are to esteeme it Now if wee would examine our selues and trie our loue with the same which God requireth at our hands as is afore shewed we shal find that it cometh very short And indeed what man loueth his neighbour as himselfe and that for the loue of God Who doth not many times by his neighbour otherwise then himself would be done by Who dealeth with another as he would be delt by Who is resolued to giue his life for his brethren Who loueth his enemies as himselfe and in hart praieth for them If loue as is aforesaid suffereth long if it enuieth not if it seeketh not her owne if it thinketh none euil if the patience therof be such as that it endureth sustereth al things 1. Cor. 13 Then doth it sufficiently appeare that we do wrongfully boast our selues to be the children of God because his character cannot bee seene in vs which is loue or that in purpose to amend we doe not mislike our owne corruption When therefore we heare the holy Ghost say Amend your liues Let vs be assured that he doth admonish vs so to encrease in this loue that wee may loue God with all our harts and our neighbours as our selues and that to the same end these two naturall rules may continually sound in our eares and that our consciences by the same examining all our wordes and workes may bee our iudge to condemne whatsoeuer we shall peraduenture doe to others which we would not should be done to our selues and to reproue our want of loue when we do not that to him that we would haue done to our selues that so in amending whatsoeuer it shall find in vs not conformable to this loue we may dayly encrease therin and thereby more and more get printed in vs the Character of Gods children and of the true Disciples of Iesus Christ And now let vs proceed to another examination of our loue Of Almos and relieuing of the poore Chap 10. AMong other the testimonies of our loue and charitie the due reliefe of the poore is not the least And indeed in vaine doe we boast of charitie vnlesse we practise the same by relieuing the poore in their necessities Who so hath this worlds goods 1. Ioh. 3.17 saith Saint Iohn and seeth his brother haue neede and shutteth vp his compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him Whereto hee addeth My children let vs not loue in word neither in tongue onely but indeed and in truth This dutie of loue did the Apostles of Iesus Christ so hartely commend that finding themselues to agree in the doctrine of the Gospell with S. Paul Gal. 2.10 2. Cor. 8.9 they commended nothing vnto him but to remember the poore And thereof was himselfe also very carefull as he doth affirme in his Epistle to the Galathians and did effectually shew the same in his second to the Corinthians As also it is not amisse to note that the last iudgement and sentence of felicitie or miserie shall bee pronounced in part vpon the performance or neglect of this dutie to the poore in affliction Mat. 25. 2 This reliefe of the poore is commonly tearmed Almes which word signifieth pitie and compassion The rather to teach vs that this reliefe must proceede of compassion through the feeling of their afflictions And this doth Esay declare saying If thou openest thy hart to the hungerie and satisfiest the needy soule thy light shall shine in darkenesse and thy darkenesse shall bee as the none day The word which the Prophet heere vseth Esa 58.10 signifieth as much as if wee should say if thou pullest forth thy heart to giue to him that hungreth therby teaching vs that true Almes importeth the opening communication of our harts by feeling the necessitie of others and therefore doth S. Augustine say Augustine his first booke of visit the sicke c. 3. 1. Cor. 13.3 that if our reliefe ministred to the poore proceedeth not of loue and compassion it neuer ascendeth into the presence of God Hereto may we also refer this sentence of S. Paul If we giue al that we haue to the poor haue no loue it profiteth not Yea saith a good auncient father In hart to take compassion of the poore is more then to giue them our goods for hee that giueth importeth externall things but hee that taketh compassion openeth and giueth his owne hart This compassion proceedeth of the vnion that God hath made betweene vs in that we all discending from Adam are as it were one body and one flesh As Esay exhorting vs to this compassion doth say Hide not thy self from thy owne flesh Esay 58.7 Heb. 1â— 3â— Which the Apostle also confirmeth saying Remember them that are in bondes as if ye were bound with them them that are in affliction as if ye were also afflicted in the body And indeed as Saint Paul saith This vnion should breede such a feeling of the weale or woe of the members of this body that wee should reioyce for the prosperitie of the one 1. Cor. 12.26 Rom. 12 15. 1. Cor. 12.25 1. Ioh. 3.17 and be sorrie for the miserie of the other and as in another place he saith that wee should weepe with them that weepe Otherwise as hee addeth there is no coniunction in the body but deuision partialitie And in that sence Saint Iohn denieth that ther is any loue in him who seeing the want and necessitie of his brother closeth vp his bowels by the bowels signifieng the compassion and mercy wherewith he should be moued at the sight of the pouertie of his brethren Iesus Christ also to assure vs that he will take compassion of vs whom we are persecuted for his name saith Act. 9 5. Zach. 2 8 Deut 32 10. that he is persecuted in vs that are the members of his body Yea he protesteth that who so toucheth vs toucheth the apple of his eye Therby declaring that as the apple of the eye is so tender that it may not be touched but with great griefe so the coniunction betweene him vs is such Psal 17.8 that he seeleth our afflictions therof taketh great
then to be occasion of offence to our neighbors 1. Cor. 8.13 by our plesures to bring destruction vpon those for whom Iesus Christ hath dyed And as to the end to represent the corrupt world as it were in a table we haue alredy shadowed out men and women dancing so by inserting thereinto players and gamesters at Cardes Dice we shall more liuely demonstrate the world and shew that such as giue themselues to gaming are indeed of the world not truly of the church of Christ And as by lots the souldiers parted the garments of Iesus Christ so may we wel say that these games at Dice Cards are the meanes to part between the world the Deuil many of those who professing reformed religion are addicted thereunto 9 But in as much as Iesus Christ admonisheth vs to Amend our liues and to repent our former transgressions let vs stedfastly resolue hereafter to abstaine and not to bee carried awaie with the taunts of gamesters that scorne our simplicitie because we will not play with them Let vs remember the aunswere of a heathen Xenophanes who at a feast being called dasterd for that he would not play at Dice wisely replyed I am indeede a dasterd and fearefull in all dishonest causes Let therefore his censure who tearmed these thinges dishonest together with his constancie against the taunts of gamesters be vnto vs Christians an instruction and example constantly to refraine from such games And the better to confirme vs herein let vs also thinke vpon the wordes of Saint Cyprian Let vs sayth he be Christians not players at Cardes and Dice Let vs poure forth our mony vpon the table of the Lord wher Christ sitteth as president and the Angels do see vs. In hew of loosing them folishly let vs distribute our goods to the poor Yea let vs commit them to the custodie of Iesus Christ For these games saith he are daungerous worthie of death and replenished with folly They containe no truth but a quaguâ—yre of all falsehood periurie Let vs pull away our hands from such pastimes and in our harts turne off and take away the darkenesse wherewith Satan blindeth vs let our hands be cleane and not defiled in doing honour to the Deuil Let vs flie from the enemie that pursueth vs and spend our time in the learning of true wisdome and instruction in the doctrine of the Gospell Yea let vs lift vp pure hands to Câ—rist and to the ende wee may please God let vs neuer looke vpon Cardes or Dice So beit Thus doth Saint Cyprian conclude his treatise against players at Cardes and Dice Of Enuie Chap. 20. NOw let vs speake of Enuie the sister and inseperable companion of couetousnesse and ambition Wisd 1.24 Augustine of Christ Doctrine which likewise proceedeth of a foolish wicked selfe loue As it is written in the booke of wisedome Thorow Enuie of the Deuill death came into the world Which Saint Augustine also confirmeth saying Enuie is a deuelish vice whereof the Deuill is vnpardonably guiltie in the sight of God For in the sentence of the Deuils damnation it is not saide that he had committed adulterie or theft but that hee had enuyed the state of man created to the image of God Againe Petrarck of the remedies of fortune whereas all other vices doe breede some pleasure and contentment albeit but false and wretched Onely Enuie engendereth nothing but sorrow feedeth vpon mischiefe grieueth at others good and in it selfe alreadie hath that euill which it wisheth to others Aug. In a certaine Sermon And indeede Enuie is a passion in the soule yeelding sorrow and heauinesse for such benefites as other haue that may bee desireable amiable or commendable and thereof ensueth a hatred of their felicitie and prosperitie If they be our betters because we be not so good as they If our inferiours least they should grow equall with vs Plut. of curiositie If our equals for feare they shoulde get before vs. 2 Concerning the first We ordinarily see that they which are endued with the greatest vertues and exalted into highest prosperitie are subiect to Enuie as Aristotle saith That Enuie is the enemie that assaulteth vertue and others prosperitie Plut. of Enuie and hatred Also as there is no shadow where there is no sunne so where there is no prosperitie there is no Enuie We doe Enuie saith Plutarch such as prosper and therefore as they that are tender sighted doe finde themselues grieued with euery light and bright obiect so is it with the enuious in euery the prosperitie of others Whereupon he compareth enuious persons to Cantharides a certaine greene and venimous worme or a Flie that vsually feedeth vpon wheate when it waxeth ripe and roses in their pride for so doth the enuious man he taketh against those that be honest Cicero to Heren lib. 4. greeueth at the encrease of other mens vertue Cicero also saith that Enuie as a companion to vertue do still prosâ—cute the good And therefore Seneca aptly saith Seneca of maners It is more easie for a poore man to shunne contempt then for a rich man to auoide Enuie 3 Enuie vseth onely one point of discretion and temperance which is this That seldome or neuerâ—â—t medleth with those whose greatnesse and excellencie doe take from the enuious all hope of attaining to the like degree Aristo in his Rhet. lib. 2. And this doth Aristotle note saying Enuie for the most part seaseth vpon that which it may best ouertake or out goe and that in this consideration men neuer Enuie the dead Plut. of Enuie and hatred neither such as in greatnesse do without comparison exceede them Father as Plutarch saith those that in age doe farre out goe them And in that sence it is written that Enuie is many times extinguished by the greatnes and excellencie of other mens prosperitie And for example hee addeth saying No man enuied Alexander the great or Cirus when they had attained the tipe of their deuises For as the sunne beating directly vpon the crowne of the head yeeldeth but a small shadow so they that are in eminencie farre aboue vs doe purchase small Enuie against them And therefore hee very properly compareth enuie vnto smoke which so long as the fire is but small maketh a great shew but so soone as it staineth vanisheth away or at the least appeareth nothing so plainely as at the first 4 As for those that be equall in degree it is an old-saying that the earthen potter enuieth the potter Eras in his Chiliads whether for gaine or for reputatation and honor this doth another prouerbe note saying The neighbours eye is alwaies an enemie and enuieth For surely men cannot abide that others of their owne callings should bee better thought of or come to be greater then themselues Gen. 4. As Cain enuied Abell Gen. 30.1 because the sacrifice of Abell was more acceptable in the sight of
to seeme greater then they are and confirmed his speech by this authoritie of a Poet saying The neighbours fieldes are euermore with corne much better sped Ouid. Their stockes in milke more plentifull how euer they be fed 9 The feeling of this sorrow anguish heauines and torment bred in the hart by enuie might make vs to loath and detest it Yet is there farther occasion Rom. 13.10 Col. 3.14 1. Ioh. 4.7 Ioh. 13 35. 1. Cor. 13. There is nothing more repugnant to Charitie which notwithstanding is as Saint Paul saith The fulfilling of the law The bond of perfectnes The true marke of the children of God As Iesus Christ also saith Herein shall men know that yee are my Disciples if yee loue one another euen as I haue loued you Loue sayth Saint Paule Enuieth not She reioyceth not in vnrighteousnes but reioyceth in the truth And contrariwise The enuious man mourneth and afflictions as is aforesaid Nazianz. in his first book of diuinitie Chrisostome on Mathew Hom. 41. therin resembling slies that light vpon wounds and cleuing to the same do there at sucke their sustenance Or as the Dorre who naturally lurking in dung taketh her food thereof so doth the enuious man grow fat in other mens calamities Can there then be any thing more repugnant to charitie and this vnion of the members of Christes body which as Saint Paul saith Causeth them to haue the same care one for another So that if one member suffer Cor. 12.25 all suffer with it if one bee had in honour all the rest reioyce with it And therfore it is a shame to vs Christians that we do not vnderstand it and the rather because euen the heathen doe instruct vs Plut. of Enuie and hatred as among others Plutarch who saith Hatred and Enuie are directlye opposite to loue which reioyceth in other mens felicitie 10 Likewise as enuie is repugnant to loue so is thee contrarie to the peace and concord that should dwell among the children of God Iam. 3.14 16. In this sence doth S. Iames tearme her bytter thereby vnderstanding that she is a poyson of a Cankered will conuerting all to bitternesse whereupon doe ensue contention and debate and therefore he addeth For where enuying and strife is there is sedition and all manner of euill workes Plutarch also saith Enuie and Ielouzie are passions which euermore doe engender vsuall and daungerous enmitie Plut. of profit to be taken of enemies And so it is the more pernitious in respect that as the same Author saith ordynarily it followeth such as deale in matters of estate wherein contention and enuie are most hurtfull Hereupon saith Antisthenes Laertius It is in vaine to cleanse Wheate from Chasse and to purge an armie of vnprofitable souldiers vnlesse wee also purge the common wealth of all enuious persons and banish them from among vs. 11 Moreouer as enuie ordinarily accompanieth hatred which Saint Iohn placeth in the degrees of murder 1. Ioh. 3 15. So doth it beare such sway in some that it plungeth them headlong in murder al horrible wickednes Who moued the deuil to vrge man to eate of the forbidden fruit wherby to throw him downe to draw him with himselfe into euerlasting death Wisd 2.24 The booke of Wisedome as is aforesaid testifieth that it was enuie What caused Cayn so cruelly to murder his brother Abell Eunie as the holy Scripture plainely noteth God warneth him to forbeare yet hee went forward And indeed as Chrisostom saith Gen. 4.5 Cain enuying his brother cold not disgest the hatred that he had coÌ„ceaued but the more that God warned him 1. Sam. 18. the more did his sorow anguish hatred encrease which driue him to shed his brothers bloud Who stirred vp Saul so often and by so many deuises to attempt to seeke to kill Dauid Yea when he had so often misled with his owne mouth acknowledged his wrong yet to pursue him so obstinately to the death Euen that accursed enuie that was first engendered of this Gen. 37. that the daughters of Israell in their song Saule hath slaine his thousand and Dauid his tenne thousand preferred Dauid before him and afterward encreased by Samuels anointing him to be King What moued the sonnes of Iacob to resolue vpon Iosephs death and when they had defiled his coate with bloud to send it to their father whereby to vexe him with most cruell and mortall sorrow and heauinesse and lastly to sell him to the Ismaelites to carie him into Egypt so to seperate him from the Church consequently to abandon his body to tribulation and his soule to destruction The sole enuie that they had conceiued against him for the priuate affection that Iacob bare vnto him Mat. 21.15 which afterward was encreased through his dreames To bee short What induced the high Priests and Scribes Mat. 27.18 at the hands of Iudas a traitor to his Lord and Master to buy Iesus Christ to deliuer him into the hands of Pilate so obstinately to pursue him to the death So euident was their enuie that Pilate himselfe as S. Mathew noteth knew that for enuie they had deliuered him In this sence doth Paule Gal. 5.21 speaking of the frutes of the flesh ioyne murder with enuie as the cursed frute thereof 12 To conclude Plut. of Enuie and hatred what a villanous abhominable vice is enuie saith Plutarch considering that many can confesse that they hate him whom they doe not enuie Sooner will they acknowledge themselues to be possessed with wrath feare hatred Chrisostome vpon Mathew or some other like passion and vice then confesse any enuie as testifieng therby that enuy is the most villanous detestable disease that can come to the soule Chrisostome doth aptly describe the Original of this disease saying He that enuieth pâ—rchaseth to himselfe reproch and honor to him that is enuied For as ambition is the mother nurse of enuie so is there nothing more contrarie to ambition then the acknowledgement that a man is enuious considering that enuie is a confession that the enuied is endued with greater vertue prosperitie or some other excellencie then he that enuieth 13 In as much therfore as enuie engendreth so many tormenâ—s vexations in our harts that nothing is more contrarie to loue that it breedeth hatred strife debate that it draweth men to commit murder and other horrible transgressions To be short that euen among men it is so detestable that they will rather colour it with other vices then acknowledge it Let vs to the end according to the admonition of Iesus Christ to amend our liues refraine al selfe loue and consequently all enuie Let euery man bee content with that estate and condition whereto God hath called him faithfully imploy himselfe therin euer waiting the blessing of the Lord without enuying others prosperitie Let vs remember that the enuious man pretendeth to
thing familiar doth sufficiently testify that our vsuall conference is most coÌ„monlie replenished with discourses of the faultes infyrmities of our neighbors Our tongues that should be courteous and inclined to charytie and compassion are for the most part serpent lyke full of poyson Yet in as much as euerie man in his owne sight doth sufficiently perceiue and knowe that such rehearsalls and discourses vppon others mennes escapes and imperfections are but slaunders and backbitinges diuerse and sundrie men doo seeke to couer them wyth the cloake of zeale loue and compassion And this hypocrisie doeth Saint Bernarde verie aptlye represent vnto vs. Some there are sayeth hee Bern. on the Cant Ser. â— whose stomackes beeing glutted wyth the faultes and infirmities of theyr brethren and neighbours when they meane to vnburden the same doo shroude theyr mallice and hatred vnder the cloake of fayned respect and shew After a sore sigh wyth greate grauitie delyberation and a heauie countenance they wyll spire forth theyr backbiting and slaunderous speeches And such backbitinges and slaunderous speeches sayth hee are so much the more dangerous because the hearers are thereby occasioned to imagine and conceiue that the same proceedeth neyther of enuie nor euill wyll but of meere sorrow and compassion I am sorrie sayth the backbiter and the rather because I loue him that I cannot get him to amende Another wyll saye I haue long knowen this or that yet woulde not I raise the speech but sith it is now knowen abroade I may not in anie wise conceale the truth for the matter is so and so Thus doeth Saint Barnarde most liuelie painte out the hypocrisie of many euill speakers But Moses teacheth vs howe wee shoulde reprooue it Reprooue thy neighbour sayeth hee but raise no reporte of him Leuit â— â— To reproue and admonish our neighbour is truly a worke of charitie but it is backbiting to raise anie reporte of him by publishing and blowing abroade his infyrmities The admonition and aduertisement of our neighbours faultes and imperfections must be deliuered either to themselues according to the rule of Iesus Christ If thy brother trespasse against thee Math. 18. â—â— go and tell him betweene him and thee or vnto those that haue right and authoritie to correct and reproue Gen. â—â—â— Whereof wee haue an example in Ioseph who shewed his father of the euill reporte and dooings of his brethren But to reporte them to others is backbiting and slandering because it tendeth onely to defamation This disease of backbiting is so much the more pernitious as that wee cannot auoyde it also that the wound thereof is daungerous A man may better beware of such as steale his goods than of the backbiter that taketh away his good name As the good name is to bee much more esteemed than siluer so the wounde of defamation is almost incurable For as when a wound is cured there yet remayneth a scar so against a slander howsoeuer a man purge iustify himself yet will ther stil remain an euill opinion at the least in some And this dyd Diogenes signifie Plutarch in his Apotheg when beeing demaunded what beast bit sorest hee aunswered Among tame beasts the flatterer among wilde the backbiter In asmuch therfore as according to the exhortation of Iesus Christ we are to amend our liues let vs beware Whensoeuer wee talke of the faultes and infyrmities of our neighbours let vs thinke with our selues To what ende is this speech And in our consciences finding that it tendeth onely to defame him and to take away his good name let vs passe condemnation in the sight of God and sâ—y that we are backbiters Psalm 10â— â— 1. Cor. 6.10 1. Cor. 4. â— VVithall let vs then also remember the saying of Dauid Him that in secrete slaundereth his neighbour will I cut off Also the sentence pronounced by Saint Paule who sayth Backbiters and slaunderers shall not inherite the kingdome of heauen Lykewise the admonition of the same Apostle who wylieth vs to holde them as excommunicate persons to forbeare eating drinking and all familiar conuersation wyth them Let vs remember that backbiters by Saint Paule and others are marked wyth a fearing yron as men who by the iust vengeaunce of God are giuen ouer into a reprobate sense To bee short let vs remember what Saint Iames sayth Rom. 1.30 Iames 1.20 Gen. â— â—2 If anie man among you seemeth religious and refraineth not his tongue this mans religion is in vaine Wherefore as Cham the father of the Cananites hauing seen the shame of his father Noah in liew of couering it hauing shewed it to his brethren was accursed both he and his posterity by the mouth of his owne father so they who knowing the frailtie faultes and infyrmities and consequently the shame and reproach of theyr brethren 1. Pet. 4.8 where they ought in charitie to couer the same doo neuerthelesse by backbiting and euill speaking saie them open doo wel deserue to be accursed with Chain and called Canaanites S. Peter hauing exhorted vs to be sober vigilant in prayer addeth But aboue all thinges haue feruent loue for loue couereth the multitude of sinnes Whereby hee declareth that it is a matter of such importance to couer the infyrmities of our neighbours by loue that hee seemeth to preferre it before sobrietie and praier vnto GOD which hee had before mentioned Secondly that it is not enough to shew this loue by couering two or three infirmities but we must couer euen the multitude of them Thirdly that for the discharge of this duetie wee must haue not some small loue but a vehement loue yea such a loue as may be able to surmount enuy hatred ambition and all such other vices as naturally doo prouoke vs to this cursed backbiting 11 VVe suppose that so long as our backbiting and slanders do breed vs no braules or quarrelling they bee not hurtfull and so wee despise all Gods threatnings But wee doo much deceiue our selues if wee imagine that God as we maketh no account of backbiting and so suppose that his deferring of vengeance is a quite taking awaie of his threatnings Our backbitings are inrouled in the booke of his prouidence readie to bee laide open before vs in the daie of iudgement as Dauid expresly teacheth saying Thou giuest thy mouth to euill and with thy tongue thou forgest deceit Psame 15.19 Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother and slanderest thy mothers sonne These things hast thou done and I held my tongue and so thou thoughtest that in deede I was like thee but I will reproue thee and set them in order before thee O consider this yee that forget God least I teare you in peeces and there bee none that can deliuer you Surely it is straunge that all such threatnings should not make vs euen to cut out our longs with our owne teeth rather than to apply them to backbiting and slandering 12 It is lykewise a harde
thy houshold and all that is thine Being aduanced to such honor he forgot not neither dispised his poore father besides that albeit his brethren had so wickedly entreated him yet he forgot that iniury and vndertoke to feed them Hereto had relation Christs commending of his mother whē he said behold thy mother hee accordingly performed the duty of a child to her and toke her home vnto him Iohn 19 27. We also read that when a certaine father was condemned to be famished in prison his daughter came daylie to visit him and because she was narowly serched least shee should bring him any food hauing no other meanes to help him she suckled him with her brests Valerius Max. wheervpon because her father liued longer then was expected she was watched and being knowen how shee had relieued him they gaue him to his daughters piety and deliuered him out of prison 11 This duetie did the Grecians name by a name deriued from the Storckes who feede and nourish their dammes when they are impotent through age so are vnto vs as misterisses to teach vs to acknowledge the good that wee haue receiued from them that brought vs into this world and bred vs vp Such therefore as being able doe refuse to supply and relieue the necessities of their parents so shew themselues deuoide of naturall affection must bee sent to schoole among the Storckes that of them they may learne to yeelde due reuerence to their parentes And of these is the number at this day too great yea and such that it is growne to a common speech that one father or mother can bee content to relieue a dozen children but a dosen children will not feede one father or mother But if of necessitie they be put to doe it it is with great difficulty such strife as may iustly minister occasiō of grief and sorrow vnto both father and mother A certaine Cinical Philosopher writing to his wife about his new borne sonne promiseth so to teach him Crates that he will returne him vnto her not a dogge alter the name of their sect but a Storcke that should relieue her in her age But the children of our daies are more hard to receiue this instructiō the rather cōsidering the inhumanity that appeareth in many notwithstanding they be taught their duties in the schoole not of a Cynicall philosopher but of God himselfe in his Church 12 But as in many children couetousnes choaketh all feeling of this duty toward parents So Satan transforming himselfe into an Angel of light euen long since induced the Iewes to defeate their parents of this reliefe assistance vnder the colour of the seruice honor of God Mark 7.9 In this respect doth Iesus Christ obiect vnto thē that they taught that euery gift by the children offered vnto God should profit the parents but he bitterly reproueth thē for it protesting that it is the tradition of men that reuearseth the commandement of God And herein he declareth first that this commandement Honor thy father and mother comprehendeth also the dutie to relieue helpe them in their necessities Secondly that refusing to relieue the want of their parents euē vnder colour of offering vnto God that which they ought to giue vnto them they do quite abolish this cōmandement Thirdly by conferring Gods ordinance to put to death all those that shall curse either father or mother with this cōmandement to honor them in relieuing their necessities he sheweth that despising of parents in their necessity and not relieuing them is as a cursing of them and consequently a transgression that deserueth death 13 To cōclude to the end to inuite childrē to honor their parents as is afore shewed God addeth this promise Ephe. 6 2. That thy dais may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee And Saint Paul doth note that it is the first commaundement with promise For albeit there be a promise added to the second yet is the same common vnto the whole law But this is peculiar and especiall to all such childrē as honor their parents for herein hath God declared how highly hee commendeth the obedience and honour that children yeelde to them And the same haue the Heathen also noted as among others Menander an auncient Poet who saith Of honor vnto parents due the hope of happy life ensue But the Lord spake to the Israelities properly of the land that hee had promised them for an inheritance which should be vnto them as a testimonie and seale of his goodnesse and loue toward them It is therefore as if he should haue said To the end that liuing vpon the earth thou maiest long enioye the earnest penye of my goodnesse and grace toward thee But now seeing the whole earth is blessed to the faithfull the promise of long life vpon the earth is vnto vs also a blessing of God First because we can not liue long without participating in many and great benefits of God euen in respect of the preseruation of this present life Secondly because the faithfull may the longer employ themselues to serue and glorifie God In consideration whereof we see what the Church in olde time saide Psal 115.17 The dead praise not the Lord neither any that goe downe into the place of silence But we will praise the Lord from hence foorth and for euer The same doth Ezechia king of Iuda also note in his cantikle Esay 38.19 The lyuing the liuing he shall confesse thee as I doe this day The father to the children shall declare thy truth 14 In as much therefore as long life is promised as a blessing God doth continue it to obedient children so long as it is a blessing vnto them And hereupon doth Saint Paule ioyne together these two sentences That it may goe well with thee Ephe. 6.3 and that thou maiest liue long vpon the earth As also when God taketh away such obedient children before they be olde yea before they come vnto mans state whether it bee least malice shoulde corrupt their harts or to preuent some great calamities wherin they might paraduenture be entangled or vpon whatsoeuer other considerations to receiue them into a better life he doth faithfully performe his promise vnto such children because hee dealeth better then promise with them But as contrariwise this promise threatneth such children as will not honor their parents with short life So doe experience declare that many such children are of short and wretched life But if contrariwise such disobedient children do chance to liue long so farre is such long life from being vnto them a blessing that to the contrary it is an enforcement and encrease of woe because they enlarge their iust condemnation so as they had beene better to haue dyed in their youth But how euer it be God so disposeth hereof that by the effects we may perceiue that they which honor their parents are blessed and the others accursed 15
of Israell cannot stand before their enemies Because they bee execrable And then he addeth I will not be with you any more except yee destroy the excommunicate from among you Here do we see which also is manifestly noted in the beginning of the historie that albeit Acan onely tooke of the thing excommunicate yet was his offence imputed to all the people the wrath of God was kindled not against Acan only but also against all Israell to conclude that the punishment and execution of Acan was the only meanes to appease that wrath as it is expresly set downe Iosu 5.25 that after Acan was put to death The Lord turned from his fierce wrath 40 Another excellent mirror and example of this doctrine we haue in the historie of Ionas He only offended God in seeking to flie from the presence of the Lord to Tarsus to the end shipped himselfe But God raised a tempest a testimony of his wrath Ionas not against him onely but against all that were in the ship who al were in danger of drowning They sought to saue themselues by casting their goods into the sea But it was in vaine Then finding Ionas guiltie the motiue of this tempest they made toward the shore to preserue both him and themselues but God withstood thē Lastly the only meanes to saue their ship themselues was by casting Ionas into the sea Which being done the tēpest suddenly ceased 41 If vpon the committing of some manslaughter or some other notorious crime in some Towne or Cittie the Lord by sending an Earthquake should threaten to subuert the same vntill the offender were punished men would take better heede And therefore this first reason ought earnestly to touch the harts of Magistrates to make them to punish the offences transgressions of their subiects considering that otherwise they maintaine the wrath of God kindled against their whole nation There shal not be saith the Lord by the mouth of Moses any recōpēce for the blud that hath bin shed but by the blud of him that hath shed it And therefore hee doth expressely forbid the iudges not to take any rewarde for the life of the murtherer who is wicked and deserueth death but commaundeth that he bee put also to death Numb 35.33 For sayeth hee Bloud defileth the land cannot be clensed but by the death of the murtherer And therefore as when fire hath taken a house men vse to pull it downe to cast it to the earth least it should fire also the neighbours houses So must the magistrate pluck downe and punish the trensgressor least the heate of Gods wrath be kindled consume al the people The transgression offence of one subiect is as a cācre or gangrene to the whole body of man for if the disease which hath infected but one mēber be not taken away it consumeth the whol body negligēce therfore dissimulatiō or bearing with vice and transgressions is no mercy or clemencie but crueltie and fellonie against the subiectes because it kindleth the wrath of God against them 42 The other reason propounded by the Lord importeth that by the punishment of sin transgression the subiectes shall feare to commit like iniquities And in that cōsideratiō is the punishment of transgressors vsually in all countries publike to the end that others may vnderstand in themselues find that vpon their committing of the like wickednesse they shall in like maner bee punished and therefore may feare to offend And is not this also the meaning of Gods iudgements and punishments executed vpon transgressors in this life euen that others should feare shun sin least they also should fall into the like punishment The Apostle Saint Paul 1. Cor. 10.6 speaking of the sundrye punishments inflicted vpon the children of Israel in the wildernesse expressely saith These are examples vnto vs to the intent that we should not lust after euill things as they also lusted That wee should not commit fornication as some of them committed fornication and fell in one day three and twentie thousand That we should not tempt Christ as some of them tempted him and were destroyed of Serpents Neither murmure as some of them murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer Now all these thinges came vnto them as ensamples and were written to admonish vs vpon whom the ends of the world are come Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heede least he fall 43 This also is the fruit and purpose of Ecclesiasticall censures which are performed in excommunication 1. Cor. 5. as Saint Paul sheweth saying The incestuous person excommunicate least as a little Leauen sowreth the whole lump so the tollerating of the incestuous person should by his ensample corrupt the whole Church And therefore in conclusion of this purpose hee saith Put away from among you that wicked man Deut. 135 17 7.10 21 21. And this sentence and commaundement is also many times directed to the magistrate namely that hee put away the sinne or the sinner from among the people by punishing him according to his offence It is therfore the magistrates dutie to punish the transgressions of men to the ende that others may feare to commit the like iniquitie· And indeede what will become of that Towne or prouince Esay 11. wherein sinne and wickednesse is not punished If as Esay saith men be each to other as Tigers Lyons Beares Wolues and Serpents what peace or tranquilitie can there bee among the people if men bee not restrained from wickednesse by the exemplarie punishment of transgressors And indeede as Saint Augustine sayth Aug. against Petilian lib. 2. cap. 23. Albeit the feare of punishment breedeth not the comfort of a good conscience yet doeth it at the least restraine the wicked desyres inclosed in the secrets of the thought And as it is the better parte that is induced to this dutie by loue so is it the greater part that came to it by feare 44 Yet is there another consideration Saint Paul exhorting vs not to requite euill with euill but to giue place vnto wrath Rom. 12.19 addeth this reason Vengeance is Gods and hee will repaie it Rom. 13. And in the next Chapter he declareth that God hath ordayned the superior powers and magistrates as his vicars lieutenants deliuering to them the swoord to execute vengeance in his name If the magistrate therefore doth not imploy his swoord and power to the punishing of the wicked hee wrongeth those that keepe themselues within the compasse of Gods commandement and doo depende vpon his promise that hee wyll reuenge the iniuries that they doo beare and withall so farre as in him lyeth he doth bring vpon the maiestie of God a great reproch as if hee were not eyther true or almightie to fulfyll his promise or to take reuenge of those that wrong others To conclude hee giueth occasion to such as be iniured to defend themselues to render
peruerse permit no murtherers or periured persons to liue that hee vpholde the Church feed the poore establish iust men in publike offices retaine ancient wise and discreet counsellers that in anie wise hee apply not himselfe to the superstitions of deuiners magitians and pythonicall spirites that he deferre his displeasure and defend his Countrie from his enemies with magnanimity and iustice that he repose his whole confidence in God that hee bee not puffed vp in prosperitie and with patience beare aduersitie that hee maintayne the Catholike faith and suffer not anie wickednes in his children that he allot certaine houres to praier vnto God and eate not but in due season for woe be to the earth where the gouernors doo arise early to eate These things sayth Saint Augustine doo minister prosperitie in this lyfe and doo leade the king to a better dominion euen to the celestiall and eternall kingdome Seeing therfore that our Lorde Iesus Christ exhorteth vs to amend our liues let all magistrates examining themselues by that which hath bin before spoken concerning their duties determine aduise themselues to amend such faultes as may be in them that they may imploy themselues to gouerne theyr subiects more and more in vertue wisedome and holynesse to the glorie of God and the benefit and saluation of themselues and their sayd subiects Of the dutie of Subiects to their Magistrates Chap. 7. NOw let vs proceede to the duetie of subiectes to their Magistrates As in the fifth commandement of the Lawe the word Father signifyeth all superiours that haue charge conduct and gouernment of others and consequently all Magistrates so the word Honour includeth all duties and offices wherein the subiects are bound to the superior powers And this doth Saint Peter confirme 1 Pet. 2.17 saying Honour the king Where this word Honor doth especially import loue reuerence subiection obedience assistance to conclude praiers and supplications for them As touching the first point that is to loue them God commaundeth it in his lawe for the summe of the second Table thereof importeth that wee loue our neighbour as our selues And if all men bee our neighbours how much rather the Magistrates who in the fiftth commandement are signified by the worde Father the rather to admonish vs that we ought to loue them as our fathers and in deed they be many times tearmed fathers of the people Moreouer if the image of God that resteth vppon all the children of Adam doth binde vs to loue them howe much rather are wee to loue those who besides the image common to all the rest of Adams brood haue yet one particular and most excellent portion therof in that they are as it were Gods lieutenants to gouerne his people and of the same doo beare the title of God I haue sayde yee are Gods and the children of the highest sayth the prophet Dauid Psalm 82.6 Agayne God sitteth in the assemblie of Gods he iudgeth in the midst of the Gods 2 This consideration bindeth vs to loue them albeit they discharge not their duties to theyr subiects For theyr faulte taketh not awaie the Image or priuiledge of God The king sayth Saint Augustine beareth the image of God and must therefore be honoured and loued If not in respect of his person yet for his calling and office howe much rather then shoulde the people loue theyr magistrats when they shew themselues to be the seruants of God for our good and as their office requireth to draw vs to liue a quiet and peaceable lyfe in all godlynes and honestie and so to make vs happie For were it not a monstrous and vnnaturall matter not to loue those by whose handes care wisedome power and authoritie God vouchsafeth to establish and preserue vs in a blessed estate both of bodie and soule 3 This image and title of God which they doo beare doth also admonish vs to reuerence and regarde them both in heart and minde in worde and worke For surely he that despiseth them despiseth God in them And that is one cause why hee forbyddeth backbiting of them saying Thou shalt not speake euill of the Iudge neither shalt thou curse the prince of thy people Exod. 22.28 And because many doo presume to murmure and backbite them as imagining that they shall neuer knowe of it Salomon warneth vs not to deceiue our selues in that point saying Curse not the king no not in thy thought for the foules of heauen shall carrie the voice Besides Preach 10.20 albeit the same bee kept secret from man yet God that heareth it wyll reuenge the wrong done to his maiestie Saint Peter and Saint Iude doo declare 2. Pet. 2.10 Iude. 8. that euen in theyr time there were some that contemned the superiour powers and dominions proude persons giuen ouer to theyr owne sense euen such as dyd not abhorre to reproue and controll authoritie And some there be in these our daies that shew themselues to haue bene their schollers for they maintaine that a faythfull man the childe of God cannot exercise the office of a magistrate especially as concerning the vse of the swoorde agaynst transgressours Doo not such men tread this holy ordinance of God vnder foote when they affyrme that superior power beseemeth none but the wicked and vnbeleeuers 4 Besides the loue and reuerence due vnto Magistrates we are also to yeeld vnto them subiection and obedience as Saint Paule admonisheth vs saying Let euerie soule bee subiect to the higher powers Rom. 13.1 for there is no power but of God and the powers that be are ordained of God Whereupon hee also inferreth and that iustly that whosoeuer resisteth the magistrate resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall bring vpon themselues iudgement The same Apostle writing to Titus Titus 3.1 sayth Put them in remembrance that they be subiect to principalities and powers and that they obey their gouernours And surely sith God hath printed in the person of the Magistrate the characters of his image and maiestie wee haue greate reason to beware of offending him And this wee reade of the people of Israel in the behalfe of Iosua That the Lord did magnifie him in the sight of all Israel and they feared him as they had done Moses all the daies of his life Iosua 4.14 This feare of offending the magistrate is grounded vpon two reasons first vpon the authoritie and power that God giueth him to punish such as are rebellious as the Apostle sayth If thou doest euill feare the magistrate for hee beareth not the swoorde for naught Rom. 13. 4. but is the minister of God to take vengeance on him that doth euill Secondly because albeit hee were not armed with this power yet we ought to feare God who commaundeth vs to be obedient to the Magistrate and to bee subiect vnto him And this doth Saint Peter note saying Submit your selues vnto all manner ordinance of man 1. Pet. 2.3 Rom. 13. 5. for the Lordes
dutie in this point departed from Nazareth and came to Bethleem to be enrouled True it is that Kinges and Princes ought neuerthelesse to be as moderate and stayed in these matters as their estates may beare and remember this saying that taxes and tributes are as the bloud of the people also in case they haue no measure but tyrannously do oppresse their subieâ—â—s heerin the States of the Countrey are to put vp their complaintes in defence of the right and libertie of those whom God hath deliuered into their charge and so much as in them lyeth oppose themselues as also in all other tyrannous oppressions of the people But as for priuate persons it is not lawfull for them so much as to murmure or to alleadge that the taxes or tributes are excessiue either that the Magistrates doe abuse them but they must thinke that sometimes they complaine wrongfully and without cause in that they know not either the greatnes of the Magistrates charges neither wherin he imploreth that which is gathered of the people Also that albeit there were some exces or abuse yet that it is not properly for the people to take account thereof but for God who misliking with the oppression of his people and the corruption of the Magistrate can and will take vengeance of the same and therfore let those likewise who vnder like pretence doe priuiledge themselues to defraude the Magistrate of his right thinke and consider what account they may giue vnto God and to this purpose may we referre that which S. Paul saith of the subiection and obedience due to the superiour powers namly that we must yeeld iâ— not because of wrath and punishment onely but also for conscience sake Rom. 13. 5. thereby declaring that albeit the fraud be not reueaâ—ed to man and so punished yet that God doth see and will punish it also that our conscience knowing it accuseth and condemneth vs for it in the sight of God 10 Some there haue beene neither are our dayes free from them that haue beleeued and vpholden that the faithfull and children of God are called to such liberty that they ought not to be subiect to superiour powers neither to paye taxes tributes or other like charges S. Augustine in his fourth exposition of the propose to the Rom. trop 72. But S. Augustine very fitlye answereth such persons saying that by this sentence of S. Paul Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers we are admonished that no man by his conuersion to Christianitie is so called to libertie by the Lord that therefore he should grow proude thereof or thinke him selfe in the course of this life freed from his obedience due to the superiour powers to whom the Lord hath deliuered the gouernement in temporall affaires for albeit we be called to this heauenly kingdome wherein there shal be no principalities or powers yet so long as we trauaâ—â—e vpon this way which leadeth vs to the possession therof wherin al powers shal be abolished we must be ordered according to the coÌ„duct of humaine affaires and yeelde all obedience not so much to man as to God who hath so coÌ„manded vs. Mat. 21.21 Likewise where Christ saith Giue vnto Caesar that is Caesars and to God that that belongeth to God he doth sufficiently declare that there is a good harmony coÌ„currence between the spirituall kingdome of God and the poâ—â—tiquegouernmeÌ„t of man 1. Pet. 2 13. Rom. 13. â— that the one subuerteth not the other but each helpeth other to perfourme the will of God For as the obedience yeelded to the Magistrate is of no value in the sight of God vnlesse it proceede as S. Peter saith of our loue toward God or that as Saint Paul willeth 1. Tim. 2. 2. it be conioyned with a good conscience so in respect of mans infirmitye the office of a Magistrate dooth greatlye conduce to this that the Church be maintayned in peace iustice and godlynesse as the same Apostle doth teach whereupon this rule is to be obserued that all faithfull for heere wee treat onely of their dueties ought to yeeld all dutie and obedience to all Magistrates euen to the vnbeleeuers how much rather when they beleeue in euery thing that is not repugnant to the will and pleasure of almightie God 1. Pet. 2.13 and the saluation of the soule Did not the Apostle Saint Peter speake to the beleeuing Iewes when he commaunded them to be subiect to all ordinances of man euen for Gods sake whether to the King as the superior or to the gouernours as sent by him Titus 3.1 The holy Apostle S. Paul writeth to Tytus to exhorte the congregation to be subiect to principalities and powers and in another place he speaketh more generally saying Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers Rom. 13â— 1. The Romish clergie exempteth themselues but Saint Paul in saying Let euery soule exempteth none from this subiection no were he euen an Apostle And this doth our Sauiour Iesus Christ himselfe also most plainely declare Mat. 17.27 where he commaundeth the Apostle Saint Peter as is aforesaide to pay tribute for them both neither was that which he did any new matter as the answere of Saint Peter to the Customer did declare namelye that Christ did vsuallye pay it And therefore they that did rise in Germany in the yeere of our Lord God 1525. pretending to free themselues from taxes tributs and other subiection due to their superiours were greatly deceiued and seduced for were they in woâ—ser estate then were the beleeuing bondmen whom the Apostle Saint Paul commaunded to be subiect to their maisters and to yeeld vnto them al obedience seruing them in feare and trembling in simplâ—â—â—tye of hart as vnto Christ euen albeit as the Apostle Saint Peter saith they were bitter vnto them Eph. 6.5 And where the Apostle 〈…〉 this duetye saying Least the name of God and the gâ—spell should be blasphemed he doth very euidentlye and plaâ—â—â—lye dâ—clare Col. 3.22 tâ—â—t they which teach this exemption from the subiection due vâ—â—o the Magistrate doe teach men to giue occasion to blâ—â—pheme and dishonour the name of God and to speake euill of the Gospell as if the pure woorde and sincere doctrine of Iesus Christ did â—â—bucâ—â—e and ouerthrowe all publique order and ciuile gouernement with disobedience 1. Pet. 2.18 1 Tim. â— 1. and taught no other thing but the libertye of the fleshe and vaine lustes thereof 1. Tim. 2.1 11 The fourth dutie of subiects to the Magistrates is the same which S. Paul teacheth when he saith I exhorte therefore that first of all supplications praiers intercessions and giuing of thankes be made for all men for Kings and for all that are in authoritie that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in al godlynes and honesty This end and purpose of their charge doth already teach vs how far we are bound to this dutie to pray vnto God for them
as God hath chosen vs from among so many others like vnto vs euen before the foundation of the worlde to an incomprehensible and eternall glory and felicitie Eph. 1.5 what might be the orignall and foundation that his free loue Eph. 1.5 his mercye his incomprehensible goodnes and the onely good pleasure of his will as S. Paul also saith That euen God himselfe hath chosen vs and predestinated to adopt vs to himselfe through Iesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his will If therfore we would diligently meditate and ponder that the cause that we are preserued from the horrible condemnation of the reprobate which dayly by our sinnes we doe deserue and assured of the possession of life and euerlasting glory without any our desert proceedeth of the only election of God grounded vpon his goodnes loue grace mercy and good pleasure how should it possibly be but that the remēbrance of our election should induce vs first to humble our selues in the sight of God Eph. 2. 3. and acknowledge that by nature we were the children of wrath as well as others as also that in vs there was neither worthinesse or merit that might moue God to elect vs but that only of his meer goodnes mercy loue he elected vs to life euerlasting Secondly this feeling of his loue and mercy toward vs shining in our election ought to kindle our harts and soules in the loue of God that they might euen burne in feruent loue toward him We loue God saith S. Iohn because hee firste loued vs. 1. Iohn 4.19 If the Sunne in his force shining vpon a stone can so heate the said stone that a man shal not be able to touch it with his hād how much rather shal we if we meditate vpon this loue toward vs in our election albeit we were as colde as marble be warmed and kindled to loue him with all our harts with all our strength and with all our mindes as himselfe hath also commaunded vs. Bernard in a tract of the loue of God 10 The cause saith S Bernard why we should loue him is God himselfe and the measure is to loue him beyond measure hee declareth that the diuinity in it selfe considered is worthye that we should loue it beyond measure how much then must we loue God when he communicateth to vs his loue goodnes mercy in electing vs to life euerlasting but if we loue God in such maner as our election that leadeth vs to his loue toward vs doth binde and admonishe vs we ought to studye to amend our liues in keeping his commandements as Iesus Christ requireth at our hands saying If ye loue me Luke 14.15 keepe my commaundements As also it is our duety to loue that which he loueth and willeth vs to loue and to hate that which he hateth and willeth vs to hate and this is the root of our bond to loue our neighbour for the loue of God and contrariwise not to loue the world Iames 4.4 because as the Apostle saith The loue of the world is enmity with God And for this cause must we also denye our selues and the flesh Rom. 8.7 because the affections thereof are repugnant to God yea euen for this must we be ready to forsake father mother Luke 14 26. goods and life it selfe for the loue of God for otherwise we are not worthy to be his 11 As in this loue to God and in all that we haue shewed to depend thereof the true amendment of life doth consist so doth it sufficiently appeare that there is not any more liuely or vehement argument to induce vs to amendment then the meditation and remembrance of our election and consequentlye of the loue of God towards vs which shineth in the same and this doth the Apostle Saint Paul writing to the Romains expressely confirme for in the 9.10 and 11. Chapters hauing at large entreated vpon predestination hee thereof doth in the beginning of the twelfth gather this vehement exhortation to amendment of life Rom. 12.1 I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that ye giue vp your bodyes a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable to God which is your reasonable seruing of God And fashion not your selues like vnto this worlde but be ye changed by the renewing of your minde that ye may proue what is the good will of God acceptable and perfect He heere raiseth them vp to the consideration of the great mercies of God shining in their election to saluation thereby to giue them to vnderstand how deepelye it bindeth and should induce them to amendment of life So often therefore as we finde our selues slacke in the seruice of God or attempted to offend him let vs thinke vpon our election and the loue and mercye of God the spring and originall of the same that so we may be moued to loue God and to shew forth this loue by a carefull and continuall amendment of our liues 12 Moreouer the remembrance of our election ought to stirre vs vp incessantly to praise God First for the incomprehensible riches of the life and glory wherto we are elected Secondly by the apprehension of the horrible and eternall damnation of the reprobate wherefro election onely hath saued and preserued vs. The remembrance therfore of so great so wonderfull and meere incomprehensible a benefite thus doubly considered ought to rauish our soules and open our mouthes night day infinitly and vncessantly to praise God Besides if we consider the cursed state of the reprobate and meditate vpon the fire alwaies burning the woorme perpetually gnawing the darknes that shal be without end to be short the lamentations and gnashing of teeth proceeding of their anguish that shal be the wofull fruit of their sins the iust reward of their iniquities who can but detest the offending of God Men vse openly to execute the guiltye to the ende that others by the apprehension of their punishment may feare to commit the like transgressions let then the representation of the so wofull estate of the vessels of wrath burning in hell fire make vs to feare to commit any thing wherby to deserue like punishment 13 Again the knowledge of our election ought in vs to engender a stedfast assurance that we cannot perish My sheepe saith Iesus Christ Iohn 10.27 heare my voice and follow me and I giue vnto them life uerlasting None shall take them from me My father who hath giuen them vnto me is greater then them all and none is able to take them out of my Fathers hand Iohn 6.37 I and my Father are one Againe All that the father giueth me shal come vnto me and him that commeth to me I cast not away And this assurance is grounded first vpon the foreknowledge of God for he cannot be deceaued in the foreknowledge of that that is to come As indeed all is present in his sight yea euen more assuredly then are to vs those things that we
heereof wee haue examples and assured pledges in his deliuery of his people Exod. 14. whom he led dry foote through the sea Dan. 3. Dan. 6. in the three Hebrew Princes in the burning furnace and in Daniel in the Lyons denne 19 Finally he is called the Father of eternity thereby to teach vs that it is he that poureth forth his blessings vpon vs all the dayes of our liues and will continue vnto vs the fruition of the same with wonderfull encrease eternally and infinitely in his kingdome and glory and hereof to assure vs Mat. 28.20 1. Thes 4.16 he hath promised to be with vs euen vnto the end of the worlde And S. Paul saith that he will then lift vs vp into heauen into the house of God his father there to abide with Iesus Christ the immortall King 2. Tim. 1.10 who through his Gospel hath brought vs to light life and immortalitie This eternitye of ioy and glory should binde vs greatly to loue Iesus Christ to obey him and to put our whole confidence in him considering that it is he by whom we are by whome we shall continue to be and be for euer blessed Let therefore these tytles wonderfull Counsailor strong and mighty God Prince of peace Father of eternity be alwaies in our sight and in our mindes to the end that as Iesus Christ to whome they be giuen doth commaund vs to amend so we diligently amēding our liues may finally by a happy path replenished with all blessings proceeding from the wisedome power and goodnes of Iesus Christ attaine to the fruition of the wonderfull and perpetually perdurable felicity which this wonderfull and father of eternity shall giue vs to enioy continually and without end The sixt cause of amendment deriued of these two names Iesus Christ. Chap. 6. THe angel of God being sent vnto Ioseph when the virgine was conceiued Mat. 1.21 declared vnto him that she should bring forth a sonne and commaunded him to name him Iesus and for a reason of this name added That he should saue his people from their sinnes according whereto as also to shew that he is our Sauiour the angel that declared his natiuitie to the Shepheards said vnto them Luke 2.11 This day is borne the Sauiour which is Christ As therefore it is this Christ that commandeth vs to amend so the consideration of these two names may stand vs in great stead to moue vs to yeeld vnto him al obedience and so to amend our liues First this name Iesus signifying a Sauiour admonisheth vs that by nature we are lost and that there is no other saluation for vs but in him onely as it is written Act. 4.12 that There is no other name vnder heauen giuen vnto man whereby we must be saued This onely tytle therefore of Sauiour doth already binde vs to acknowledge that we are not our owne but his that hath saued vs from euerlasting destruction and that in that consideration we are bound to deny our selues that we may liue 1. Cor. 19. not to our selues neither after our discretion and will but according to the good pleasure of our Sauiour so that not liuing to our selues but he liuing in vs we may amend our liues 2 But let vs moreouer consider what manner of destruction this is wherefro he hath saued vs it is from the fire of hell from the curse and wrath of God from darkenesse from the woorme that will euer be gnawing and from the sorrowes that engender eternall weeping and gnashing of teeth this is a merueilous enforcement of our duetye to amend And indeede if thou fallest into a deep riuer in apparant danger of drowning if any man should cast thee a rope or himselfe leap into the water to saue thy life thou canst not sufficientlye confesse and acknowledge thy selfe his debtor to doe him pleasure and seruice all the dayes of thy life But we were not onely in danger of falling into hell but were already fallen euen from our infancy and dayly through our sinnes fell deeper and deeper yet Christ cast vs not in a rope to pull vs vp and saue vs but threw himselfe into our sea of woe into our hel to be shorte into horrible death wherein wee were drowned to plucke vs foorth with what affection then ought we to say vnto him Lord we are more then bound to loue honor serue please and obey thee in all that we may with our whole hearts all the dayes of our life Ionas being in the bottome of the sea in the Whales bellie protested that being deliuered hee would sacrifice to the Lord a Song of thankesgiuing Ionas 2.10 that hee would paye vnto him his vowes namely besides his prayses that he would no more disobey God but readyly and willingly would obeye him as in effect he well shewed when being againe commaunded to go to Niniuie he went boldely and spake freelye in the name of God Now if we could feele according as we ought that our sinnes doe dayly cast vs into the bottome not of the sea but of hell and that by them not a fish but the deuill doth swallow vs vp what protestations would we make to Iesus Christ to holde our liues and saluations of him in case he would vouchsafe to plucke vs out of this pit and gulfe of death how feruently would we vow to praise him and to renounce all rebellion and disobedience and to amend our liues Being therefore by such a Sauiour drawen out of such a gulf of death are we not bound to perfourme such vowes and by amendment of life to correct our passed disobedience with Ionas and to become ready and willing to doe whatsoeuer he shall commaund vs If thou beest vpon a scaffold ready to bee beheaded for thy drunkennesse or adulterye and thereupon hast a pardon and thy life saued vpon condition thou fallest no more thereinto how hartily wilt thou promise with thy hand subscribe and with thy tung swear that thou wilt neuer more cōmit adultery or drunkennes that thou wilt abhorre all tauerns and drunkards all whores and bauds and to be short amend thy life Now Iesus Christ hath saued thee not from an apparant danger of death but euen from death it self and not from the death of body but from euerlasting death And what doth he require of thee he cōmandeth thee to amend thy life art thou not bound so to do shuldst thou not feele thy hart euen open to promise and sweare to amend and to shun al occasions that might procure thee to displease and offend him 3. How often doth the Lord represent to his people of Israel their deliuery out of Egipt thereby to make them to vnderstand how much they are bound to loue him and to keep his commaundements as a preface at the publishing of his law hee maketh this protestation I am the Lord thy God that hath brought thee out of the land of Egipt out of the house of bondage And in another
mightily to moue vs to amendement First when by the kingdome of heauen is signified the blessed estate and incomprehensible felycitie that wee shall inioy in heauen therein are wee taught that our estate is farre different from the estate of bruite beastes who by their death are reduced to naught For as for men when they die all is not death with them but they that beleeuing in Iesus Christ haue amended their liues shal depart into a life replenished with all glorie ioy and incomprehensible eternall felicity heere signified by the kingdome of heauen as contrariwise they that remaine hardned in theyr euill doinges shall for euer bee tormented with the fire of Gods wrath Dan. 12. Many saith Daniel that sleepe in the dust shall awake some to life eternall and others to eternall reproch and infamie Iohn 5.28 This sentence doth Iesus Christ confirme saying The houre shall come that all that are in the graues shal heare the voice of the sonne of man and shall come foorth euen they that haue done good to the resurrection of life they that haue done euil to the resurrection of condemnation And to this end shall Iesus Christ come to iudge the world that the childrē of God that haue amended their liues may be exalted into the fruition of the kingdome of heauen contrariwise the disobedient swallowed vp with the deuill his Angels in hell That we may the better feel the efficacie of this reason For the kingdom of heauen is at hand we are vndoubtedly to beleeue it is in deed an article of our faith that Iesus Christ shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead And in this respect S. Paul writing to Timothie 1. Tim. 4.4 saith I summon thee before God before the Lord Iesus Christ who in his appearance and kingdome shall iudge the quicke the dead Acts. 17.31 As also the same Apostle in another place saith God hath ordained a daie when he shall iudge all the world in righteousnes This was an old resolute point of the Iews religion as it appeareth by these sentences of Iesus Christ The men of Niniue shall rise in the day of iudgement to condemne this generation Math. 12.41 Math. 10.15 Againe If it shall be more easie for Sodom in the daie of iudgement than for those townes that woulde not receiue the Gospel These threatnings wold haue bin of smal waight with the Iewes had they not bin perswaded that there was a daye of iudgement wherein the children of God should be receiued in to the kingdome of heauen and the vnbeleeuers and obdurate in wickednes cast into euerlasting death 3 To the end the rather to confirme vs in the expectation of this daie of iudgement so much to be desired and so blessed for those that do amend their liues but so terrible to the rebellious obstinate Math. 25.31 S. Mathew representeth vnto vs the form therof saying Whē the son of man shall come in his glorie all the angels with him then shal he sit vpon the throne of his glorie and he shal separate the sheep from the goats and he shall set the sheep on his right hand the goats on his left to thē on his right hand he shal say Come ye blessed of my father inherite the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world And to them on the left hand hee shall saie Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fyre which is prepared for the deuill and his Angels and they shal go into euerlasting paines and the righteous into euerlasting life Let vs therefore bee fully resolued that the daie will come that such as haue amended theyr liues increasing in faith working in loue and fructifying in good workes shall bee gathered into the fruition of the kingdome of heauen and the others into euerlasting fyre And in deede sith it is so sayth Saint Augustine that all thinges before prophesied in the holy Scriptures August in his Epist 42. to Mandarens haue come to passe and beene fulfilled in theyr season as the floud the bondage of the seede of Abraham in Egypt and theyr deliuerie the captiuitie of Babylon and the returne from the same the comming of Christ in the flesh and all that concerned his passion his resurrection and ascension into heauen his promise to send the holy Ghost to the Apostles the calling of the Gentiles other like matters what reason haue we to doubt of this day of iudgement which hath bin foreshewed in so many passages of the holy Scripture 4 Neither can we anie way doubt thereof if we haue anie reason or vnderstanding For if we beleeue that there is a God which all nations in the world doo confesse we must also beleeue that hee is righteous if he be righteous hee will reward the righteous that amend their liues punish the disobedient that are giuen to wickednes But this reward or punishment is not performed in this life but in part and that verie seldome as both the Prophet manifestly declareth in the 71. psalme and experience doth dayly teach It followeth therefore that after this life there is another wherin the righteous haue their reward euen the fruition of the kingdome of heauen and the disobedient shal be punished with euerlasting torments This discourse doth S. Paul confirme in expresse words for he seeing the persecutions of the faithful 2. Thes 1.5 and their grieuous afflictions least they should be shaken with some opinion that there were no prouidence or iustice in God he vpholdeth to the contrarie doth shew that the persecutions afflictions that they suffered were a manifest demonstration of the iust iudgment of God To the end saith he that ye may be accounted worthie the kingdome of God for the which ye do also suffer For it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you that are troubled rest with vs. But when shal that be Euen when the Lord Iesus shal shew himselfe from heauen with his mightie Angels In flaming fire rendering vengeance to thē that do not know God which obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ which shall be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glorie of his power when he shall come to be glorified in his Saincts to be made maruellous in all them that beleeue If then it bee a righteous thing with him to recōpence tribulation as is aforesayd to those that trouble vs euen vs I say that are pore vpon earth how much more righteous will it be with him most horribly eternally to punish those that haue persecuted euen the person of Iesus Christ the welbeloued sonne of God In this sense is this daie called the daie of the restoration of al thinges because the disorder and confusion that seemeth now to be in the gouernment of the world Act. 3 21. shall bee then
reformed and the goodnesse wisedome and wonderfull iustice of God be reuealed 5 True it is as Saint Peter saith that in the later times there shall come scorners that shall walke after their owne lusts say Where is the promise of his comming 2. Pet 3.3 For since the fathers died all things continue alike from the beginning of the creation And in deed we now see but too many that are not touched with the apprehension either of the kingdome of heauen or of the torments of hell but are possessed with prophane and deuilish spirits that take al to be but fables that is spoken as well of the kingdome of heauen promised to the faithfull as of the tormentes of hell prepared for the wicked And this is a pernitious pollicie of Sathan wherewith he discourageth the faithfull from walking in the feare of God from amending their liues Psal 73 13. from cleansing their harts and as the Prophet saith from washing their hands in innocencie But to the contrary hereof let vs stand stedfast and be wel assured that there is a kingdom of heauen prepared for the children of God and a hell for the disobedient and therfore let vs labour to grow in faith to fructisie in good workes 2. Cor. 15 58 and so to amend our liues as knowing that as S. Paul saith our labour shall not be in vaine in the sight of the Lord. 6 This is the foundation whereupon the Apostle laieth holde to perswade men to repentance and amendement of lyfe God sayth hee Act. 17.30 nothing regarding this time of ignorance now admonisheth all men euerie where to repent because hee hath appoynted a daie in the which hee will iudge the worlde in righteousnesse But how in righteousnesse Euerie man shall as else where it is sayde receiue the thinges that are done in his bodie 2 Cor. 5 10 according as hee hath done whether it bee good or euill and God will render to euerie man according to his workes That is to them which by continuance in well dooing seeke glorie honour and immortalitie Rom. 2.6 eternall life but vnto them that are contentious and disobey the truth and obey vnrighteousnes shall be indignation and wrath 7 Albet we see not this kingdome of heauen Rom. 8. Heb. 11. yet let vs remember that the goods saluation of Gods children consisteth in faith and hope and that as well the one as the other doth appertaine to things to come which we see not so that not to beleeue or hope for more than we see is to be short the abolishment of faith and hope and so consequently the subuerting of the assured foundation of our saluation Let therfore this faith the mother of hope and hope her mothers nurse cause vs patiently to attend the fruition of this kingdom of heauen and our assured attendance for the same make vs to amend our liues Apoc 19.9 T it 2.11 that we may cloath our selues in garmentes beseeming those that purpose to come vnto the marriage and to haue a seat at the banquet of the lambe Iesus Christ The grace of God saith S. Paul that bringeth saluation to al men hath appeared teacheth vs that we should denie vngodlynes and worldly lusts and that we should liue righteously soberly and godly in this present world looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glorie of God which is our sauiour Iesus Christ The same Apostle gaue thanks to God for the Colossians when he heard of their faith and loue for the hopes sake which was laid vp for them in heauen Col. 1.4 1. Iohn 3 And in this sense saith Saint Iohn Welbeloued we are now the children of God but yet it doth not appeare what we shal be and we know that when Iesus Christ shal appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is And euery man that hath this hope in him purgeth himselfe euen as he is pure 8 But to the end the more earnestly to incourage vs to amend our liues in hope of the kingdome of heauen wee are moreouer to apprehend the incomprehensible excellencie of the glorie and ioye that we shall inioy in this kingdome when our bodies being risen againe vncorruptible and immortall like vnto the image of the glorious bodie of Christ reunited to their sanctified souls shall be lifted vp into the house of God our father aboue all heauens wher we shall see the face of God as the Sun in his brightnes shall inioy the fruit of the praiers of Iesus Christ when he said Iohn 17.24 Father I wil that they which thou hast giuen mee bee with me where I am 1 Cor 15.28 that they may see my glorie which thou hast giuen me When Iesus Christ hath rendered the kingdome to God his father then shall God the father the son the holy Ghost be vnto vs all in all yea euen such a fulnes of good and felicitie that as sundrie vessels cast into the sea are so filled with water that they can desire or hold no more so this sea of diuinity being in vs all in all we shall be replenished and satisfied with life glorie and ioy so as we shall not bee able to desire or haue anie more Apoc. 21.18 Euen when wee shall bee truely burgeses of the heauenly and holy Citie that shall be of fine golde like vnto pure Christall the foundations of the walls set with precious stones the twelue gates made of twelue pearles which shal need neither Sun nor Moone to shine therein for the light of God shall illuminate it and the lambe himselfe shall be the candle To be short when we shall be in the fellowship of the Angels shining as the Sunne in his pride and rauished with ioy that shall neuer be taken from vs. A ioy I saie not onely for our owne felicitie but also for the felicitie of all the elect for wee shall loue them all as our selues and so shall reioyce as much for their felicitie as for our owne And this ioy shal be infinitly corroborated by the contemplation as well of the glorie of Iesus Christ whom iustly we shal loue better than our selues as also of the glorious maiestie of God whom we shall loue with our hearts our strength and our mindes 9 If the representation remembrance of this kingdom of heauen doth not kindle our heartes with a feruent desire to attaine thereto and by desiring the same to amend our liues that we may take the path that leadeth to such felicitie the same is an assured testimonie that wee account of our selues as of beastes that looke for no goodnesse after death And on the other side if the apprehension of the fire that neuer shall be quenched of the wormes that shall be alwayes gnawing of the terrible darknes of the weeping and gnashing of teeth through the feeling of the heauy wrath of the liuing God doth not moue our harts to feare to offend
greater thē he is able to beare vpon Iudas who feeling his cōdemnation for the auoiding of the apprehension of death killed himselfe vpon Esau hauing sold his birthright for a messe of red pottage wept because he see no remedy for his mithap vpon those who apprehēding the cōming of Christ to be their iudge do cry to the rocks and mountains saying Fall vpon vs and hide vs from the wrath of the lambe In breefe vpon al those that seeking after death death shall flye from them to the end that dying they may liue and liuing they may alwaies dye On the other side let vs beholde a faithfull man the childe of God in his soule possessed of this kingdome of heauen assured that the righteousnes of Christ shal be imputed vnto him wherby he shal vndoubtedly be iustified in the sight of God feeling peace and quietnesse in conscience and replenished with spirituall ioy is there any man that is not vtterly desperate or besides himselfe that will not accompt such a one to be blessed and the other accursed let vs therefore haue alwaies the state of this kingdom of heauen in our view that abhorring our vice and corruption we may tremble at all motions to offend God and so constantly resisting the world the flesh and the deuil wee may endeuour more and more to amend that in our soules wee may retayne this blessed kingdome which consisteth in righteousnes peace and ioy of the holy Ghost The eleuenth cause of amendment taken of the kingdome of heauen signifying the Ministery Chap. 11. WE haue before declared that by the kingdome of heauen is signified also the holy Ministery this kingdom of heauen and holy ministery doe represent vnto vs many notable reasons that doe binde vs ought to make vs affectionate to amendement First the same which Iesus Christ himselfe saith to his Apostles Luke 20.16 is spoken and ment by all faithfull Pastors Hee that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and in this same sence doth S. Paul testifie of the Thessalonians When ye receiued of vs the word of the preaching of God ye receiued it not as the word of men 1. Thes 2.13 but as it is indeed the worde of God 2 When we go to hear a Sermon we are to think with our selues that we are going to heare God speake vnto vs by the mouth of a man and therfore let vs in all humility reuerence and faith hearken vnto him and let vs beleeue that hee declareth vnto vs these things which we ought to beleeue to be saued which we ought to do in obedience to the wil of God and for the amendmēt of our liues let vs be desirous to know it attentiue to heare it readye to beleeue it to yeeld to God all obedience let vs thinke that we cannot despise that which in the Sermon is preached vnto vs but we must also therby declare that we doe not beleeue either that it is God that speaketh or that the doctrine is true and as it were a great impiety Mat. 10.14 Mark 6.11 and horrible incredulity euen to thinke it so the iudgement that he wil execute against the contemners of his word shal be most fearful Whosoeuer saith Iesus Christ wil not receiue heare your words Gen. 19. whē you depart his house or the town shake of the dust of your feete for a witnes against them whereby I say vnto you it shal be easier for Sodom and Gomorra in the daye of iudgement then for that towne Let vs represent to our view this fire falling from heauen burning and consuming the towne of Sodome Gomorrha and others there about with all the men women and children Mela. Chron. lib. 2 Egesippus l. 4 c. 18 young olde and all then cattel euen the verie towns and conuerting the Cities thereof into a stinking and polluted lake for the compasse of eight Dutch leagues with other notable testimonies of Gods wrath And let the contemplation heereof make all such to quake for feare as despise and contemne God when he speaketh to them by the mouths of his seruants the ministers 3 When our Lord Iesus Christ by breathing vpon them had inspired the Apostles with the holy Ghost Iohn 20.22 Acts 13.46 hee also gaue vnto them and to all faithfull pastours power by preaching of the worde to binde the vnbeleeuers and to vnbinde such as conuerting themselues should truly beleeue in Iesus Christ Whereupon Saint Paul beholding the stubbornnes of the Iewes who obstinatly reiected the doctrine of the Gospell he bound them with protestation that he was free from theyr bloud that forsaking them in the bonds of their incredulity vnder the power of Sathan he went to preach to the Gentiles Now if we see an offender bound fettred brought before this Iudge and thence carried to the fyre who wil not take compassion and horrour thereat How then are men so senselesse and dull as in theyr incredulitie and obstinacie in euill dooing not to apprehend the bondes of theyr sinnes whereof Sathan hath taken hold to pull them into eternall fire 4 Moreouer if the simple ignoraunt and such nations as neuer heard the preaching of Gods worde by offending God doo make themselues worthie of death and eternall damnation What excuse may they pretend in the iudgement of God to whom he hath reuealed his will by the preaching of holy doctrine in case in sted of amendement they remaine obstinate in euill dooing Luke 12.47 The seruant sayth Iesus Christ that knoweth his masters will and doth it not shall bee more grieuously punished than hee that knew it not For as we haue before declared so it is not simple transgression but euen contempt and misprision agaynst the maiestie of God If beeing vppon thy iourney thou knowest not the right way and some man comming by sheweth it vnto thee art thou not well worthie to go astraie and loose thy selfe if voluntarily and wittingly thou takest another cleane contrarie But what doo the ministers of the word in theyr sermons Doo they not shewe the waie to heauen to the end that men may take and follow the same Or doo they not declare in how many sorts men by straying amisse doo take the path to hell with the remedyes howe to retire and turne backe therefro 5 But doo the ministers of the word thinke it inough to say Beholde yonder is heauen or the ware to heauen walke therein Do they not also shew what benefites wee haue receiued of the Lord for the which wee are bound to loue serue and worship him and withal to amend How oft doth Moses and other of the Prophets propound the great benefite of the peoples deliuerance out of Egypt thereby to induce them to obedience But especially howe many earnest exhortations to amendement doo the Apostles gather in propounding the incomprehensible benefit of our redemption wrought by Iesus Christ Is it not then an intollerable ingratitude to denie to
thou not remember what Iesus Christ pronounced That it had beene better for thee that a milstone had beene hanged about thy necke Luke 17. 2. and thou haddest beene cast into the sea then to haue offended euen the least of these Thus doe wee see how mightely the communion in the holy Supper of the Lord should moue our hearts to deny euery thinge that beseemeth not the children of God and members of the Church of Christ and more and more to endeuour to amende our liues Luke â—â— 19 1. Cor. 11.26 18 This holy Supper is also instituted to the end to celebrate it in the remembrance of Iesus Christ or as S. Paul saith to shew forth his death That is not only to report put men in mind that Christ is dead but also to represent vnto vs that he that dyed is the sonne of God and prince of glory Secondly that hee hath suffred not a simple death but euen such a death as was accursed in the law conioined with the terrible wrath of God Thirdly that he dyed not for the righteous and his frends but for sinners his enemies as our selues are all of vs by nature the Children of wrath Ephes 2.3 Can we then thus shew forth the death of Iesus Christ with our mouthes praise his great goodnesse mercie and loue towards vs which shineth therein yet in our workes prophane denie as it were euen spite him by liuing as men for whom Christ hath not dyed so in effect shew that sin liueth raigneth in vs which by the death of Christ whome we preach shold be mortified Let vs rather in eating the bread drinking the wine which lead vs to the death of Iesus Christ so relish and tast therein his goodnes and loue that our heartes may open our mouthes to declare this his death and that our hands and feet that is to say our works may agree herewith to the end in a holie harm onie to testifie by amendment of life the feeling of this in comprehensible benefite of his death whereof hee maketh vs pertakers in his holy supper to his praise and glorie 1 Cor. 10.17 19 Finally as loue is the fulfilling of the law and the marke of Gods children so is there nothing that can more mightely induce vs thereto then the vse of this holy supper And in deede as Saint Paule saith We that are many are but one bread one bodie for we are all partakers of one bread The bread made of many kernels is but one bread so we that communicate in the bread of the holy supper are but one bodie vnder one heade Iesus Christ There must therefore bee amonge vs such an vnion in thoughts minds and works such a feeling of the benefit of ioy and of the tribulation in sorrow such reliefe and support such equitie right such peace loue such help and succour as if there were but one liuing soule amonge vs all 1. Cor. 12.12 And this is it whereto S. Paule exhorteth vs saying As the body is one hath many members all the members of the body which is one though they be many yet are but one body so is Christ that is to say the Church vnited vnto the head Iesus Christ Neither is there as he saith in the same Chapter any deuision in a bodie but all the members haue like care one for another in somuch that if one of the members do suffer all the rest of the members do suffer with it and if one of the members be honoured all the rest do reioyce with it then he addeth Ye are the body of Christ the members thereof ech for your parts This seale therefore of our vnion should make vs to remember that which before was touched in the Chapter of charity or loue euen that we should not doe that to others which wee would not shoulde bee done to our selues also that we should so doe to others as we would be done vnto And as a great part of our amendement consisteth in the practise of theâ—e two rules so so often as wee do eate of the breade of the holy Supper let vs remember that that seale of our vnion doth bind vs to amend in any thing that dependeth vpon loue wherein consisteth the fulfillinge of the law as is aforesaid 20 Common prayers are also one part of the ministery And in the same ought euery one with hart and mind to accompany the mouth of the minister as if the whole congregation spake vnto God in him And what doe wee require in them Is it not that hee would vouchsafe to worke in vs all that he requireth of vs that wee may obey and please him Hereof then it followeth that the smale amendement that appeareth in vs is a manifest testimony that wee suffer the minister to speake alone to God and in our hartes haue no feeling of any desite or feruent affection to obtayne those graces that hee craueth of God for vs and consequently that we are ouertaken with hypocrisie and prophanation of the holy prayers Let vs therefore remember that we doe speak to God by the mouth of the minister and that we doe especially desire that hee would giue vs grace to amende that as our petition admonisheth vs of our obligation so being hearde wee may shew the fruit of our praiers in the amendment of our liues 21 To conclude the exercise of ecclesiasticall discipline is also a dependance of the holy ministerie And the principall ende thereof tendeth that euery member of the Church shold walke in the feare of God and that if any one goe astray he should bee brought backe into the way of saluation This doth euen already shew vs that wee are most desperately wicked if besides the documents exhortations reprehensions publicke admonitions we also despise reiect such as perticularly may be made vnto vs by those persons to whome God hath committed the care of our saluation by laying that burden vpon them When a man goeth astray in some forrest is it not a comfort to him to bee tould of his errour and taught the right way And when a man falleth into a ditch ready to be drowned is he not to thank him that pulleth him forth and saueth his life Surely this is the end and as it were the whole summe of this ecclesiastical discipline And because there bee some so hardened in wickednes that they dispise all admonitions and exhortations Iesus Christ hath giuen the Church authority to binde them denouncinge them to bee heathen and publicans that is men that haue no communion in the Church of Christ And this is it that he teacheth Mat. 18. 15. saying If thy brother trespasse against thee goe and tell him his fault betweene him thee alone If hee heare thee thou hast wonre thy brother But if he heare thee not take yet with thee one or two that by the mouth of two or three witnesses euery