his disciples but not this He bore with the vnbeleefe of Thomas and of the rest suffered theyr pride and ambition when they stroue who should be the greatest when they called for fire from heauen to cōsume the Samaritans and to be reuenged of thē hee gently reproued them When they enuied at others for casting out deuils in his Name he did not so greatly rebuke them The couetousnes of Iudas nay his treason Christ did freendly forwarne him of Peter denied him and forswore him and yet he restored him The beastlines of lust he which feedeth among the Lillies could neuer abide in his company And therefore his loue was especially bent vnto the Euangelist Saint Iohn for his purity and virginitie Hee is the seruant of the deuill whose minde doth onely runne vpon beastly cogitations And the Apostle Gala. 5. doth pronounce of them that they that are so carried away shall neuer enter into the kingdom of heauen This sinne is the fire of hell the matter whereof is gluttony filthines the flame shame the smoake that ascendeth therehence and euerlasting torments the ende and the reward thereof VVhen the deuill tempted our Sauiour Christ hee did not once offer to intangle him by this meanes knowing how farre it was from his nature and how much he did detest it the deuill was not so grosse but he assaulted him with finer conceits Thys sin destroyeth the body shortneth the life defaceth vertue and is the manifest breach of Gods lawe All other sinnes defile the soule but this defileth both soule bodie Your bodies are the temple of God and hee that defileth the temple of God him shall God destroy 1. Cor. 6. Thou canst not auoyde Gods seuere iudgement if thou doost impudentlie abuse the Temple of God But nowe thys cursed plague hath spredde it selfe ouer all the worlde Lots daughters are counted most infamous but I feare mee there are some which are more woorthy of shame which in the sight of the worlde are counted chast They required onely to preserue seede of theyr Father but many wiues follow lust too greedily more then to haue children beside many other shameful behauiours vnknowne to the world wherof their conscience no doubt doth accuse thē Let them call for mercy and forgiuenesse and endeuour chastity without the which none shall see God The female among beasts hauing conceaued doe neuer suffer the male to come neere them Thus the vnreasonable creatures teach vs that make great account of Christianitie to be sober temperate and chast God forbid that all should so be affected and they that are so ouertaken may learne to amend for shame of themselues and feare of eternal punishment This sin is ouer-come by flying from it Remedies of lust as the Apostle counselleth 1. Corin. 6.18 Fly fornication All other sinnes are ouercome by fighting this only by flying It is not good to fight with that enemy which taketh strength by thy presence Howe shall that King fight with his enemie that hath traytours in his army And when we fight against riot whoredome our own body and sinfull flesh is ready to take part against vs. Another remedy of thys sin is the remembrance of hel fire wherein lewd persons shall bee tormented It is a harde thing to resist thy tentation but more hard to endure hell torments But as the greater fire ouercommeth the lesser so let hell fire put out the flame of fleshly lust A third remedy is repentance with a ful and resolute endeuour of all amendment A fourth remedy is the practise of al good workes walking in an honest vocation preyer and fasting Fire is quenched by water by humble teares all fleshlie lusts are washed and wiped away This sinne as all other sinnes is not in our power to refraine or ouercome the Lord therefore giue vs his grace and of his goodnes alter the power of our wicked nature And that wee cannot doe the Lorde will bring to passe in our behalfe if wee earnestly seeke his helpe by prayer and that comfort and strength which Paul had the same shal we haue My grace is sufficient for thee To these helps may other also bee added to keepe our selues as much as may be out of the companie of Women according to that verse Carpit enim vires paulatim vritque videndo famina Againe to settle our selues to studie and earnest meditation to vse our selues to hard fare and hard lodging Sine cerere et Baccho friget Venus And this is it which the Apostle speaketh of 1. Cor. 9.27 I beate downe my bodie and bring it into subiection By this prodigall sonne wee are taught into how great misery a foolish and selfe-willed man or woman is brought vnto by following their owne vnbrideled will He was wealthy sounde and in especiall account in his fathers house but euery one seeth into howe great pouerty and miserie hee is brought in following his owne swinge and sway hee lost all that euer hee had and of a wealthy man and in high degree became most vnhappy and of base account being pinched with pouerty for his aboundance hauing rags for his robes and beeing inforced to eate huskes vvith Swine which before could away with nothing but delicates and dainties VVe see also vvhat is his reward which forsaketh the Lord as also what his practise is that is left vnto himselfe becomming worse worse and falling from one sin into another Marke also howe the number of sins increase daily vntill they haue altogether ouer-whelmed vs. We learne also vvhat a horrible iudgement and miserable condition remaineth to him whom GOD giueth ouer and vvho is thus left to himselfe On the contrary what a great ioy comfort it is to be vnder Gods direction and tuition the which onely keepeth vs from sinne from danger and from eternall death They that are not vnder Gods guiding and vnder his safegarde howe great are theyr miseries and into howe manie inconueniences doe they fall howe manie mischiefes and calamities doe light vppon them Thys prodigall Sonne lost all spent his goods riotouslie among harlots and beeing driuen to great pouertie was almost starued to death by famine And heere-hence followeth the fourth matter worthie of noting and remembrance to wit what ensued in those daies after he had spent all There followed a famine miserable scarcetie Now when he had spent all there arose a great dearth throughout the Land Now. c. and hee began to bee in necessitie This is the end of riotous maisterfull youth which quickly consume all and come vnto great miseries if not lamentable ends Wherefore it is the duty of the parents to bring vp theyr chyldren in the instruction information of the Lord Ephe. 6.4 And if their education proue well and their children bee of good gouernment so much they haue got and gained as also they are to giue GOD thankes that hath giuen so good successe But if the contrary fall out this crosse and
whore keepeth thy tokens and presenteth them to thine eyes to drawe thee into her loue againe Leuit. 8. Not onely the flesh of the heiffer but his skin and entrailes were cast out into an vncleane place Deut. 7. God coÌ„maunded his people to ouerthrow the Altars of the Cananites to breake theyr Images to cut down their groues to burne all the ornaments of theyr Idols that there might no token of idolatry nor any remeÌ„brance be left Iehu tooke order that all Bals priests euery mother sonne should be slaine Exo. 33. Moses made the people to drink vp the ashes of their golden Calfe Many retaine the loue of the world and the reliques of sinne and are very loath nay they wil not leaue them at all theyr auncient euill custome remaines wherby it commeth to passe that miserably they fall into the manifold inconueniences great dangers of their former sinnes Hee that flyeth not occasions cannot auoyd sinne and hee that loueth danger shall perrish therein This is that which our Sauiour Christ warneth Mat 18.9 It is better to enter into the kingdome of heauen halt lame then hauing two hands or two feete to be sent into hell fire God commaunded King Saul to destroy Amalec and to spare no liuing creature that was in his land but hee saued Agag the king of the Amalekites aliue spared the Oxen and sheepe aliue therfore was hee cast out of his kingdome and came to a miserable end 1. Sam. 15. Why did God commaund the oxen and sheepe to be slaine they were harmlesse creatures The reason is because they were the goods of those that were euill and serued for their vse So must we kill extinguish not onely sin but the occasions of sinne that serue therevnto and that draw vs to the same by fresh remâ—brance prouoke vs to the performance thereof King Dauid prayed god that he would remooue from him the way of iniquitie And Psal 1. he pronounceth him blessed that hath not stood in the way of sinners And Salomon in his prouerbs chap. 4.14 giueth a charge Enter not into the way of the wicked and walke not in the way of euill men auoyd it and goe not by turne from it and passe by A holy Father S. Ambrose dooth vvell note the prophets speech in that he rather saith Remoue the way of iniquitie then remoue the iniquity it selfe and because many should haue auoyded the sinne it selfe if they had not entred into the way thereof We read not of any great sin that wise king Salomon committed beside the multitude of his wiues and his idolatry for the which his posterity was depriued of the greatest part of his kingdom But surdy he had neuer falne into idolatry if hee had auoyded the occasions thereof and withstoode the bewitching temptations of his idolatrous wiues He married outlandish wiues of idolatrous Nations and as hee doted vpon the women so he could not auoid their strange inticements The occasions were so great inforcements thereunto that his wisedome could not preuent it Which occasions had they not beene so forcible God would neuer haue giuen that forwarning as he did in his lawe Deut. 7.17 Neyther shal he take him many wiues least his hart turne away from the law of GOD 1. Kings 11.4 Not onely the King but the people also vvere debarred from marrying with idolatrous nations least they should entice them to idolatry as the daughters of Moab by this meanes brought them to theyr shame Numb 25.1.2 and were the death of three and twenty thousand of the Israelites 1. Cor. 10.8 Then goeth he and taketh to him seuen spirits worse then himselfe The deuils crueltie The second thing in his wofull returne was his crueltie seeking the vtter destruction of him whom hee recouereth and hath drawne into his snares And how should not hee be vtterlie destroyed which hath so great a company to come against him Who when hee had enough and more then hee could doe of himselfe to be deliuered but of one vnclean spirit in what distresse lamentable estate shall he be when seuen such vncleane spirits enter possession within him and seuen worse then the former The number of seauen is taken for an vncertaine number for he bringeth manie more and sometimes a whole legion come together These spirits are worse then him selfe because the latter sinnes are far worse then the former Thys is a foule blotte of ingratitude in him or her that falleth once and twice and againe and often into his former iniquities which hee hath by Gods grace so greatly detested yea and vowed the contrary But as no man pittieth him who hath taken losse vpon the seas if hee aduenture againe and suffer shypwracke beeing in a manner brought to vtter pouertie before so none lightly vvill haue compassion on them vvho are nowe cast away through theyr owne folly and negligence whom no vvarning will serue to take heed of their future miseries Thus beeing iustlie forsaken of all pitty and compassion the deuill he vvill be sure to shewe them none But as GOD and the Angels of heauen delight at the saluation of a finner so the deuill reioyceth at nothing more then at theyr destruction for thys is his bootie and his pray and his chiefest tryumph Aâ— nothing delighteth God so much as mercie so nothing delighteth the deuill so much as crueltie And to shewe foorth his cruell disposition and nature herein hee is well resembled to the most cruell beastes that are As to a Dragon Reuel 13. that great Dragon to a Serpent whose poyson and sting is most deadly Gene. 3. To a roaring Lyon who with open mouth seeketh to deuoure 1. Pet. 5.8 Hee knoweth that himselfe alone is able to work the destruction of any whom God forsaketh but hee thinks hee cannot sufficiently performe his rage and fury vnlesse hee bring companie enow as though he should make an end consume the sinner all at once His chiefest mischiefe is in accusing vs before God he tempteth vs to sin when we haue committed it he leaues vs to our selues to Gods displeasure looking still for our finall destruction which if wee be not made pertakers of Gods mercie shall then appeare when the soule parteth from the body and when it shall be brought to the tribunall seat of Gods iudgement there to giue account 2. Cor. 5. Reu. 13.10 And they enter in dwell there And. c. They that are fallne from the grace of God are twice more subiect to the deuils rage â—â—en they were before and now he hath greater libertie then euer hee had and takes more surer hold So that it is in a manner impossible to throw him out but if wee may obtaine that he may be throwne out yet doth he leaue behind him seuen worse then himselfe This shall prooue to be a iust punishment for our negligence and God giueth them vp to sathans crueltie who thus deserue to be forsaken The deuill is sayde to
in token of a thankfull mind for that good which I haue alreadie receiued by your publique painfulnesse both by priuate meditation and publique practise for the which the Lorde be praysed I haue made bolde to present this Booke vnto your Lordship not so much for patronage and protection which also I desire as in reuerend sort once againe to exhort you and to drawe you on to be mindfull of vs of the ministery and to remember my humble request heerein Concerning the Reader he may perswade himselfe that that doctrine shall most preuaile with his auditory that standeth vppon diversities of instructions leading the minde onward with a kinde of vâ—riâ—â—y delight And therefore I haue taken principall choyce in this sort as you see to set forth these parables with as 〈◊〉 apt notes as I could being furthâ—â—ed heerein by Gods help and assistance Wherein if there be any thing to be liked it is Gods dooing if there be any fault it is mine owne God grant that we all of the ministerie especially may proue to be wise virgins and that such as your selfe vvhich haue receiued fiue talents may well remember that these two twinnes vvere bone both together at one the selfe same time Honores et Onera Your Lordships as vnknowne yet praying God to prosper your labors to his glory and the good of the Ministerie S. I. Memoriae Mater Methodus ⋆ The seuerall deuisions of euery particuler Parable Of the vncleane Spirit Luke 11.24 This Parable may be deuided into these three parts following 1. First all of vs are subiect to the manifold temptations of the deuill who preuaileth in some more thou iâ— whersome 2. Secondly there is a tâ—â—â— when the deuill goeth out of vs eyther by Gods secrete grace or good counsell or true and vnfained repentance 3. Thirdly his wofull returne in them that are not watchfull and doe not theyr best endeuour to keepe him out when they are once free from his thraldome and slauery Psalm 125.5 Of the prodigall Sonne Luke 15.11 ¶ This parable setteth foorth vnto vs these foure things 1. The excellent estate of man beeing furnished with Gods blessings and graces in a plentifull measure vnder the description of the prodigall sonne hauing receaued all his patrimony 2. The decayed estate of man being left vnto himselfe and so falling from God and prouoking gods displeasure by his manifold offences and daily and continuall sinnes thereby working his owne woe and destruction 3. The restored estate of man through the mercy of GOD expressed in the great kindnes of the Father that went out to meete his sonne As also in the death and passion of Iesus Christ expressed by the killing of the fatte Calfe the best rayment the Ring and shooes and royall feast Whereof the prodigall Sonne is made pertaker by faith and repentance 4. Lastlie we ought to be so farre from repining and grudging at the saluation of sinners and theyr accepting into fauour that wee ought rather to reioyce beholding Gods great mercie and gracious and vnspeakable goodnes heerein All vvhich matters are set foorth by the declaration of diuers particuler circumstances as the Text doth afford The Parable of the Rich man and Lazarus Luke 16.19.20 c. ¶ In this Parable are set downe these fiue considerations following 1. First the example of a wicked worldling very loose and carelesse setting light by GOD and despising his poore neighbour 2. Secondlie the patterne of a godlie man submitting himselfe to Gods will in all his distresse and waiting for comfort and deliuerance according to Gods good will and pleasure 3. Thirdly the ioyfull estate of the godly after death beeing full of vnspeakable comfort and glory 4. Fourthly the lamentable estate of the wicked after death Wisd 5. 5. Lastly the Word of God beeing deliuered by the Prophets Christ and the Apostles is reuerently to be heard dutifully to bee obeyed vvhich to our great good calleth vs vnto repentance and newnesse of life The Parable of the wounded man that came downe from Ierusalem to Iericho ⸪ Luke 10.25 ¶ Many apply this Parable to the decayed estate of man and howe hee is restored but by the circumstances of the text it seemeth rather to be wrested For heere is set downe a comparison betwixt mentall religion and outward profession the notable triall whereof is seene in the workes of charitie This parable may be deuided into these three parts 1. The deceauable opinion of Man that thinketh religion dooth consist rather in the knowledge of Gods will then in the workes of charitie I am chap. 1 27. Mat. chap. 5 20. 3. That heathen people as also those of a contrary religion excell true professors in the practise of good workes And so much the more because they put the hope of theyr saluation in theyr good deedes looking for a reward not of mercy but of desert The Priest and the Leuite went by and the Samaritane shewed mercie and of those tenne that were healed of the leprocie onelie one returned to giue thankes and hee was a Samaritan The vse and application of the Parable in the commaundement of our Sauiour Christ inioyning exhorting vs vnto the workes of charitie ¶ An other deuision of this parable ¶ This Parable may bee referred to these three heads 1. The vnmercifull disposition of most men and vvomen giuen too much to selfe loue 2. That there be fewe that haue care of the poore and of the misery of them that are distressed and that haue any fellowe feeling 1. Cor. chap. 12. verse 25 26 27 28. 3. That as it is Gods commaundement so there is nothing more acceptable to god and more commendable before men then to doe good to those that stande in neede Which is an especiall fruite of faith Of the vnmercifull Seruaunt that would not forgiue his fellowe Math. 18.21 ¶ In which example or parable these foure matters are to be examined 1. An exhortation to the mutuall forgiuenes of offences from the example of God daily forgiuing those that are far vnworthie 2. The ingratitude of the world toward God and theyr vnmercifull disposition toward theyr neighbour 3. The punishment of their ingratitude and cruell behauiour 4. The vse and application of the Parable ⧠The Parable of the faithfull seruant Math. 24.45 ¶ This Parable standeth vppon a twofolde description The first is of a painfull Minister whose properties are to be faithful wise looking for his Maisters comming And whose reward is that he shall be blessed that is founde so dooing As also that hee shall be made Ruler ouer all his Maisters goods The second is of a negligent Minister whose properties are that presuming of his Maisters long stay he waxeth altogether carelesse of his dutie And also behauing himselfe very vndiscreetly giueth himselfe to all licentiousnesse Whose punishment is that his expectation shall be deceaued and his hope suddenlie cut off Furthermore that his portion shall be with the hypocrites The greeuousnesse of which
to allure and to prouoke vs he commeth neere vnto vs and feeleth our affections and inclinations and offreth matters to our sences If wee be giuen to drunkennes he will intice vs by the pleasantnes of the wine and the sweetnesse of the drinke If vnto gluttony he will entice vs with plenty of meate and belly-cheere If possessed by the lustes of the flesh he will tempt vs with the beautie of women who haue no care of theyr chastitie and make small account of theyr honestie and good name If vnto anie of these or the like motions and temptations wee giue our consent then hath the deuill what he would and so will hee vse meanes to proceed fâ—rther so will hee take aduantage against vs by watching and prying into the corruption of our owne nature and so becomming daily and continually our domesticall foe And although wee may keepe our selues in neuer so warily and restraine our selues and haue an eye vnto our own inclinations yet if we be too hard for him one way hee will venture vpon vs another way hee will neuer leaue but stil be tempting of vs. And therefore our life is truely said to be a warfare that wee might alwaies stand in a readines to fight against these temptations to be alwaies practised in auoiding that which is euill When one temptation vvill not take place our enemy tryeth another as an inuincible fighter that is still prepared vnto the combat One temptation followeth in the necke of another either in matters which concerne the body and outward affayres or such as pertaine to the spirit and minde of man and to the estate of another life Therefore vvhen one temptation is past and the trouble ended we must not thinke to rest vnmolested as flesh blood naturally perswadeth it selfe we must not be lulled in the cradle of security but we must alwayes prepare our selues to a newe fresh assault to be ready to incounter with euery new temptation And this is the cause why many are ouer-come by temptations because they promise peace and safetie vnto themselues in this life because they are alwayes vnprouided and neuer looke for the worst neuer looke to preuent temptations Beeing altogether ignorant of the deuils diligence who is ready at all assaies and looketh after euery occasion But wee in this matter are altogether as carelesse as they that are recouered from some great and dangerous sicknesse vvee thinke vvee shall not fall into the same or the like againe Howbeit we must knowe that temptations are more rife with vs then sicknesses and the dangers of the one farre greater then the other Most men and wemens mindes hee inforceth to grosse and shamefull sinnes The vncleane Spirit and foule faults whose harts by custome hee hath fully possessed and who lye open to his assaults And aboue all other his ordinary temptation is by adultery whoredome vncleannes and wantonnesse and therefore he is truly termed in this place to be the vncleane Spirit Hee is called an vncleane spirit not onely because he hath lost his purity and his innocencie wherein hee was first created but also because hee delights in all vncleannesse is an vtter enemy to all holines Knowing well our inclination and howe prone our corrupt nature flesh blood is to this sinne he maketh vs to fight against our selues while hee standeth by to behold the conquest According to that the Apostle Saint Peter giueth vs warning of saying Deerely beloued I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims to abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the soule It is not barely sayd the Spirit but the vncleane Spirit to put a difference betwixt it and the Spirit of God which is mentioned without any addition Gal. 5. 6. Rom. 8. Esay 41. An euill spirit possessed Saul The deuill is sayd to be vncleane principally in respect of his vncleane qualities because he prouoketh vs to vncleanenesse making vs to fall from goodnes that hee may draw vs to eternall torments But how subtle craftie how powerfull and maisterfull soeuer his temptations be 2. There is a time when hee goeth out yet there is a time when he goeth out of vs though it be much against his wil. By good counsell much is brought to passe vvhich is the meanes which GOD vseth to bring some into the way againe Theyr owne conscience also testifying vnto them howe farre they goe astray and mouing them to forsake the deuill and all his workes But the cheefest meanes whereby he is throwne out is the conuerting grace of God which doth not onely minister good thoughts good wishes and good desires but giueth sufficient effect and power thereunto making vs able to throw out the deuill and to resist him The effect of this grace is that it prouoketh vs to true repentance vvhich doth not consist in the shedding of teares so much as in the conuersion of the hart the amendement of our life and conuersation All this notwithstanding how soeuer he be throwne out like a male-content he neuer resteth but seekes to enter in againe being ful loth to be long without his Mansion and dwelling place The force of Christ his redemption doth principally work this exile and banishment of the deuill his daily intercession in the behalfe of the godly doth worke it more and more Where by the way wee haue a notable instruction to consider how miserable the estate of mankinde is by nature that he is the habitation resting place of the deuill and of the vncleane spirit Neyther is it true onely in this or that man but in all the posterity of Adam And this is the glory renowne of our naturall or rather corrupt integrity that both in body in soule the deuill raigneth in vs. By howe much the more therefore haue we cause to extoll the vnspeakable mercy of God who of filthy and lothsome stables of the deuill maketh vs temples to himselfe consecrat places for his holy spirit to rest in Only diligent carefulnes is heere required that we continually remember how great a benefit we haue receaued in that we are freed from so troublesome a guest and so deadly an enemie And now haue we time to consider Gods goodnes to continue therein and to behold the great dangers we were in and to learne to auoide them and to detest the deuils malice and mischieuous working to make a vow with our selues not to be ouercome and ruled by him By good counsell hee may be throwne out and yet no sufficient discharge but as he will thrust in againe so will he easily be admitted Some doe vtterly refuse good counsaile and cannot abide to heare it and hate them that bring it shew their good will herein And they that shew themselues tractable for a while may giue consent and also haue a purpose to order themselues there-after and yet the deuill can alter all and make them stoope againe and they that were at defiance
deuill take new possession after hee hath beene throwne out and so throw vs out of Gods fauour and remoue vs from our happines wherein wee were newly placed Surely it may be well said of vs the last state of that man shall be worse then the first Our great vnconstancy and weak frailty and vile corruption and most infected dispotions does heerein shew them selues in that solemnly professing our repentance for any bad behauiour and vowing to the Lord and with our selues that no more wee will doe so yet contrary both to promise and to purpose we fall againe into the selfe same offence and sinne And if the Lorde should neuer receaue vs againe after such a transgression we had but what iustly and greatly we deserued Yet Gods mercy is more not to embolden any to wickednes and impiety but to comfort them that are inwardly greeued with their great frailties Wherefore with desire to stand all possible endeuour against such second falls let vs heare yet what the Lord saith if in our great weaknes we doe fall I meane into the same offence again after repentance For we see the prophets in euery place exhort men to repentance not which had once offēded but which with an obstinate cōtempt of God had not staied to run into all kind of wickednes which after a shew of repētance yet returned to their sinfull course again the prophet Ieremy of all other is full of places if you list to read any Againe the Lord in his law would haue daily sacrifices offred somtime in the name of the whole people somtime in the name of a priuate person as well for offences cōmitted by ignorance as for voluntary transgressions and falls which assuredly should not haue been done except there had been mercy euen for second falls For the Lord would not deceaue his people with vaine figures In the 78. Psalm we very plainly see that God was entreated to forgiue most hipocriticall obstinate sinnes And now in the time of his Gospel his goodnes is not straited or deminished but euen now also more plainly it is proclaimed to the world that at what time so euer a sinner sorroweth from his hart there is pardon with the Lord without exception against often cōmitting of the same offence When the Lord inioyneth vs to forgiue our brethren seauenty times feauen times doth he meane new offences only such as they neuer committed against vs before or he meaneth all whatsoeuer or how often so euer fallen into to by their frailty And if so doth he require more mercy of man then he the God of mercy wil shew or shal the creature excell the Creator in any goodnes God forbid See it therefore and be with comfort most assured of it that if we sin not seauen times but seauenty times seauen times against his Maiestie and euen in the same thing and so often with weeping eyes and sobbing soule fall at his feete for mercy for so great frailty there is mercy with him and pardon to true repentance But take heede we turne not the grace of God into wantonnes presumption Beware presumption For if I seeke and suck out loosenes and liberty out of this doctrine be sure I sauour it to death and not vnto life And what know I whether euer I shall haue grace truly to repent what so boldly and presumptuously I haue dared to commit When the Apostle saith If any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes doe ye think we may tie this to only such sinns as were neuer committed before without a very plaine and great iniury to that place of Scripture No no we cannot therefore a true ground of comfort euen for sinns often fallen into so that frailty and not loosenes be the cause Reade the ninth of Daniel and see if he confesse not sinne often committed and as it were in a continued course and yet despaireth not of mercy What meaneth that article of our faith I beleeue the forgiuenes of sins shall we glose vpon it thus that is of such sinnes as I neuer committed but once Surely if we doe it must be said cursed be the glose that corrupteth the text For that article comprizeth all sinne before baptisme and after baptisme before repentance and after repentance euer through the course of my life in this world whatsoeuer it is how often so euer I haue slided into it through frailty yet God giuing me true repentance for it I beleeue the forgiuenes of it Yea it is that spirituall comfort that cannot be spoken of sufficiently neyther can wee enter into the depth or heigth thereof to wit that GOD would haue his children so sure of the pardon of their sinnes euen of all their sins without exception whereof he giueth them a dislike and true abborring as that he would haue it an article of their faith so that they should not be sound Christians if they beleeued it not Lastly euen the petition in the Lords prayer craning daily forgiuenes of daily trespasses dare you restaine it to trespasses committed onely before repentance and exempt all second falls after such repentance and purpose to amend the Lord forbid And therefore take it also with the former as a sure proofe of pardon also for these offences Onely let mee admonish you which I cannot too often speake of beware presumption beware loosenes beware negligence and haue due care to auoide these second falls And say not God is mercifull and therefore I will sin Ro 6.1 For as he is gracious to a sorowful sinner so is he dreadful to a presumptuous offender and frailty shall find mercy when boldnes shall finde iudgement and wrath for euer The godly although they fall through the infirmity and weakenes of the flesh yet they doe not giue their consent to sin but by mourning striue against it being sorry they cannot haue the better hand being ashamed of themselues So that they may truly say with the Apostle Ro. 7. The euill which I would not doe that doe I. And if Manasses after so many abhominations found fauour with God as his effectuall prayer doth testifie why should the godly mind be cast away in despaire And though it seeme somewhat impertinent to this purpose let vs beholde the estate of King Solomon beeing so rarely endued with wisedome the knowledge of Gods seruice yet fell away by idolatry of whom some doubt whether he were condemned Yet that it was not so these reasons briefly set downe Reasons to prooue why Solomon was not cōdemned may perswade vs. First that he was a figure of Christ Secondly considering his most excellent prayer which hee made at the dedication of the temple a note of Gods spirit inhabiting in him which also did worthily shew it self in his most rare wisedome Thirdly for his repentance testified in his booke called Ecclesiastes Fourthly because God loued him 2. Sa. 12.24
As it is saide of Esau and Iacob God hated the one and loued the other Ro. 9.13 and whom God loueth he loueth to the end Ioh. 13 1. Also the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Ro. 11.29 Fiftly for Gods promise Ps 89. My mercy will I keepe for him for euermore my louing kindnes will I not take from him My couenant wil I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips No reason therefore there is for any of vs to despaire of Gods grace and goodnes if there be any sparke of grace left within vs in the meane time let vs take heed that we quench not the spirit and bring sorrow to our selues and danger to our soules Howbeit the most bad nature of mankinde is such and we become such greeuous offenders and so carelesse with all of our owne saluation and so wholy giuen vp to the world and to the vanities pleasures therof that vnlesse the Lord by his surpassing wonderfull mercy should turne vs vnto repentance by more great vehement and weighty helps of his grace then commonly are to be seene and more mightily graciously should mollifie our hard and stony harts and breake and tame our euill dispositions and bring vnder our froward and stubborn wills to the obedience of his most holy will surely we should neuer continue in a good course but fall away from God and from our owne saluation Seeing therefore it is so hard to be wone to God let vs take heede how we fall away from God and if we haue offended be forgiuen and often forgiuen let vs remember the warning Christ gaue to the woman taken in adultery Goe thy wayes and sinne no more Shimei that cursed Dauid and had his pardon graunted him on that condition he should not goe out of Ierusalem forgetting his promise that stood vpon so waighty a condition as the hazzard of his life through a small occasion for couetousnes to recouer his seruant that was gone frō him lost his life without any more fauour or hope of mercy At which time also his former wickednēs was brought to his remembrance his punishment pronoūced to be so much the iuster for that So let vs lay this example to our hart take heede of the least occasions of sin least after wee haue repented vowed amendement we be taken tardy in our owne negligence and forgetfulnes and all our former wickednes layd to our charge and no fauour mercie any more to be graunted Remember Lots wife 2. Pet. 2.19 For of whom soeuer a man is ouercome euen vnto the same is he in bondage And if we after wee haue escaped from the filthinesse of the worlde through the knowledge of the Lord and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ are yet intangled againe therein and ouercome our latter end shall be worse then our beginning psalm 125.5 The Lorde will be good to those that are true of hart and as for such as turne backe vnto theyr owne wickednes the Lord will leade them forth with the euill dooers If any with-draw himselfe saith the Lord my soule shall haue no pleasure in him Let vs often remember that warning with due cōsideration which I haue already spoken vnto you of Sin no more least a worse thing come vnto thee 2. Cor. 2.11 Beware of often sliding Gen 38 26 Psal 68 21 66 16 Wisd 1.2 to 6. especially let vs take heed that we adde not sin vnto sin least we meet with that worse thing that is least wee die in our sin and be damned for euer 2. Pet. 3.17 Ye therefore beloued seeing ye know these things before beware least ye be also plucked away with the euill conuersation of the wicked fall from your own stedfastnes But grow in grace in the knowledge of our Lord Sauiour Iesus Christ to whom be glory both now and for euermore Amen Deo soli omnis laus sit et gloria et gratia in secula Of the Prodigall Sonne LVKE 15.11 Hee said moreouer A certaine man had two sonnes And the younger of them said to his Father Father giue mee the portion of the goods that falleth to me So hee deuided to them his substance c. AFter that the vncleane spirit was driuen out of the prodigall sonne and that he had left his lewde life hee returned not to his owne euill custome againe neyther did he giue the deuill a second entrance Wee read not that Dauid Mary Magdalen and Peter sinned anie more as they had done For why the remembrance of theyr former sinnes made them more watchful and wary 2. Cor. 2.11 Gen. 38.26 This parable dooth liuely represent vnto vs our excellent our decayed and our restored estate Our excellent estate in Adam in whom our patrimony was giuen vs in most large and liberall sort we being endued with holines and righteousnes being created after the image of God beeing furnished and adorned vvith all heauenlie gifts and graces and beeing furthered with all temporall blessings fit and conuenient for this life Our decaied estate through his wilful disobedience and manifold offences through our originall corruption and actuall deprauation our euill inclinations our disordered life behauiour and conuersation Our restored estate in our conuersion to GOD in true and vnfained repentance in a holy life and godly obedience as also especially in Gods great bountifulnes and mercy in calling vs in giuing vs repentance mollifying our hard harts by his heauenly grace and by his worde instructing vs daily in the course of godlines and especially by his powerful working in vs framing vs there-vnto and inabling vs to performe what soeuer is agreeable to his holy will and lawe whereby wee are dailie more and more acceptable vnto him Againe it sheweth vs what we are beeing left vnto our selues how easily wee are giuen to fall away from GOD. Nothing doth sooner bring vs to the knowledge of God and of our selues then our owne rod and misery Furthermore we see the happie estate of affliction in that it is a meane to bring vs to repentance and to the fauour of GOD. Lastly heere appeareth Gods great bountifulnes and infinite mercie toward sinners wayting for our repentance and reioycing at our conuersion and beeing more ready to forgiue then we to aske pardon Wherein this is a great comfort vnto vs that the infinite multitude of sinnes cannot remooue his mercy from vs. But to follow the text more naturally and in such order as it is layde downe before vs let vs consider these obseruations First that hauing receaued his patrimonie he went from his fathers house Secondly not onely frō his fathers house but into a farre country Thirdly what he did there He spent his patrimony riotously and wastfully Fourthly vvhat insued in those dayes There followed a famine Fiftlie the miserable estate of a sinner vnder the condition of the prodigal sonne feeding swine Sixtly the effectual conuersion of a sinner where-hence
it proceedeth namely from affliction the knowledge and feeling of his owne misery Seuenthly how Christ is our present Aduocate in our distresse and misery when we call vpon him earnestly and vnfainedly and in truth and sincerity Because through the humble sure of Christ the prodigall son obtained mercie Eyghtly the infinite mercy of GOD which is not ouercome by the multitude of our sinnes to remoue all despaire Ninthly the great solemnity that God and all the holy Angels doe make at the conuersion of a sinner Lastly an incouragement to them that liue well that they may continue in well dooing and be godly stil As also an instruction to them not to murmure at Gods works but rather to reuerence them and to reioyce that it hath pleased him to deale so graciously with sinners and to call them home that went so far astray Whereby vvee are further taught not rashly to iudge of any but to hope the best and in charitie to pray for their amendment There is no parable in the gospell more full of comfort consolation Whereby I am perswaded that there is no such greeuous sinner nor hainous offender vvhich would not turn vnto God if he consider in this example gods goodnes boūtifulnes and the entire loue of so mercifull a Father which of his own gracious accord went out to meete his prodigall sonne and to receiue him without any shew of deniall contrary to the custome of earthly Fathers vvhich fret and fume and are hardly drawne to such mercy How kindly doth he embrace him array him put a ring on his finger kill the fatted calfe for him make merry reioyce for him And howe farre of hee was frō casting in his teeth his former euill life that he maketh no mention thereof but rather findeth fault vvith the elder brother that repined thereat seeking to satis-fie and appease him The younger sonne not in age but in manners not in yeeres but in want of wisdome whereby he is the more easily inclined and drawne vnto bad wayes Some aged men are but young in theyr wordes gesture and conuersation and these the prophet Esay 65. calleth young men of an hundred yeeres old Some are young men concerning their time yet are aged men in good behauiour as Ioseph Dauid Samuell Daniell Iohn Baptist According to that the Lord said vnto Moses Numb 11. Gather vnto me seuenty men whom thou knowest to be auncient in discretion giuen to be vertuous and godly well disposed The foolishnes and lightnes of a sinner is heere set forth in that he is termed a young man For for the most part they know but little and haue experience but of a fewe matters they are vnskilfull in theyr owne affayres and stand in great neede of counsell If this prodigall Sonne left his Fathers house Foolishnes and sought his owne decay and destruction it was through his owne folly where-with hee was ouer-ruled and headlong carried away As fore-cast is more worth then great maintenaunce so is wisedome the disposer the continuer of great wealth Children consider no more then that which is before theyr eyes neyther doe they fore-cast things to come Deut. 32. O that they were wise then woulde they vnderstand this they would consider theyr latter end And our Sauiour Christ saith Luke 19. O that they had known the time of theyr visitation at the least in thys theyr day The Apostle Saint Paule wisheth euery where vnto the faithfull that they bee filled with the knowledge of God For it is no meruaile if God be forsaken of them to whom hee is not knowne which neyther heare the worde of God nor haue it nor make any care or regard thereof The prodigall sonne vnderstood not the great blessings that vvere in his Fathers house but afterward affliction gaue him to vnderstand when he felt the want thereof So we leaue God fall into sinne Blindnes because we know not the mischiefes that flow from thence Were it not that the Hawkes eyes were hidde and his feete tyed hee would mount aloft into the skies so if the eyes of our minde were not blinded with worldlie pleasures and vanities wee should sure be lifted vp with heauenly thoughts to despise these earthly delights For all the commodities and pleasures of this life haue but a short time of continuance Phil. 3. Sinners continuing in theyr sinfull race are inwardly blinded that they cannot see the light of God nor finde the way to come out of theyr lothsome darknesse For although there be many sins some of weaknes and some of malice yet ignorance is the roote of all For when we know not whether there be a God or a deuill heauen or hell ioyes or torments no meruaile if wee wilfully runne into all wickednesse All vvhich if the sinner did well knovve and beleeue hee would not so easily offend as he doth at least-wise hee would not fall into so many and so great and dangerous sins as he doth and that daily No man sinneth but hee that seeth not what hee looseth by sinning Therefore let vs pray with the prophet psalme 12. Lord lighten mine eyes that I fall not in death And psalm 118. Giue mee vnderstanding and I will search thy law yea I will keepe it with my whole hart Let vs desire true knowledge that we doe not leaue GOD that wee may remaine with him and be in his house be content to be ruled by him keepe his commaundements Not onely ignorance of Gods goodnes blessings gyfts and graces doth turne vs away from God Confidence in his owne wisedom but also the confidence in our owne strength our owne selfe will and our owne selfe-loue No perswasions can alter a young mans mind and a wilful sinner vntill he haue fully tryed his own way Beyond all measure they trust too much to themselues to their own strength and wisdome policy and fetches thinking themselues to be of such good gouernment that they know well enough how to order to dispose their owne matters And this selfe wisdom is the cause that many forsake god Therefore the Lord saith Reuel 3. Thou sayest I am rich and want nothing and knowest not that thou art miserable and poore and blind and naked But how little wee are able to doe without Gods helpe and grace shall be shewed hereafter Peter was bold and presumed saying Though all men be offended yet will not I be offended who because he trusted too much to his owne strength was ouer-come by a filly maid Mat. 26. So also Dauid heerein confesseth his owne fault Psal 29. I sayde in my prosperitie I shall neuer be remooued and presently after Thou turnedst away thy face from me and I was troubled And hauing full tryall in himselfe hee reproueth them which put not theyr trust in God Psal 52.8 Loe this is the man that tooke not God for his strength but trusted vnto the multitude of his riches and strengthned himselfe in his wickednes But
him rest frō all his enemies then did he commit adultery and murder Heere wee may learne to take dislike against the riches honours and prosperous estate of this world For for want of wisedome and through negligence great danger commeth at vnawares In the Mountaines of Gilboa King Saul and his sonnes were slaine and in the honours and prosperitie of the world vertue dooth oftentimes take a fall Prosperity at the first shew appeareth most sweet and pleasant but bringeth there-withall great dangers to the soule if they be not wisely preuented In prosperitie therefore thinke of aduersity so the thought of alteration change shal breed wisedome and moderation The pride of prosperitie cast downe this prodigall Son into extreame misery Haman was happy when he was in fauour with the King but in his greatest iolity his destruction vvas then most neere The same fell out to Pharao and Senacharib the one beeing drowned in the Red-sea the other beeing stabd in by his owne sonnes But when this prodigall Sonne had this libertie let vs see what hee did and how hee imployed himselfe He tooke his iourny into a far country Farre away hee thought not himselfe farre enough But who willed him to depart who put him out of the house Into a farre Country His Father sent him out into banishment neyther vvilled him to go out of his house but he himselfe no body denying him of his ovvne accord or rather through his owne lightnesse hee went away and left his Fathers house So the sinner of his owne accord dooth leaue the gouernment of his heauenly Father doth make a voluntary separation Will. refusing the direction of Gods word the counsell of the godly of their faithfull friendes yea spurning against the secret warning of their owne conscience No doubt many about his Father gaue him counsel to the contrary but they could not turne his mind all meanes were assaied but nothing woulde serue the turne nor beate backe the humor of his licentious libertie his stubborne will coulde not be tamed his minde must needes bee fulfilled Vnder this parable the lawlesse affections of many young men are sette downe For this prodigall sonne liueth yet and will do vntill the worlds end But if they wil needs goe and will needes haue their swinge and sway if they will needes run their race they haue theyr time euen such a time that god doth leaue them to themselues For God doth not for sake any till hee be first forsaken And if we will needs goe be it known vnto vs that we runne vpon our manifest hazzard danger For who can tell whether in this disordered course he shal come to mischiefe or to some miserable end or whether God will shew him mercy that he may cal himselfe to better remēbrance As we read Eccles. 11. Reioyce ô young man c. God worketh with those that flie from him diuers wayes eyther by secrete crosses and afflictions or by open punishments miserable ends 1. Tim. 5.24 or els by granting vnto some the gracious gift of repentance Hee runneth far that neuer returnes as indeede many are so desperatly bent that they neuer returne But into this prodigall sonne God poured such abundance of his mercy that it had his issue in plentifull teares and he became a new man And so happy was his conuersion that his Father had great ioy thereof expressing the same in diuers comfortable tokens Out of this example we may gather that the cause of sin is our owne will not God or the deuill yea our owne sinfull flesh how soeuer many can make blind excuses for theyr owne euill life The first beginning of all euill is to turne away from God The children of men saith the Prophet psal 62.9 are deceitfull vpon the weights For in one ballance they put their pleasures and profits in another they place GOD and heauenly considerations making the one to weigh a great deale lighter then the other making more account of earthlie things then of God whom we should loue aboue all with all our hart and with all our soule All that God hath done for thē they consider not and they altogether neglect Your sinnes saith the prophet Esay haue made a separation betwixt you and your God A false ballance is an abhomination vnto god prou 11 1. This prodigall sonne as a man of no experience went rashly to worke Rashnes neyther did he consider what good things hee enioyed in his Fathers house nor what he lost nor yet howe great danger hee did vnder-take He little considered the manifold inconueniences that fall out in this life Hee that is too rash shall afterward repent Man sinneth in hast because hee cannot a little refraine his wilful affection before he do dulie and wisely consider the end of sin the euil successe therof But if we could refraine our selues and not rush on so hastily little considering the danger of our soules vvee would not run on into such head-long sin Therfore Dauid said psal 118. I considered my waies turned my feete vnto thy testimonies The Bethulians were too rash to yeeld themselues to Holofernes if God did not helpe them within fiue daies As oft as thé people of Israell came to Moses before he would giue them an aunswere he asked counsel of God O that we would take this course as oft as the desire of reuenge honour or lust should prouoke our mindes not to giue any of these any aunswere vntill we had asked counsell of god but wee aunswere hastily rashly not considering god nor his commaundements so runne into diuers mischiefes and dangers Iosua rashly beleeuing the Gibeonites was deceaued Good aduisement must goe before good deeds much more before euill deeds The virgine Mary before shee aunswered the Angell did wisely consider what manner of salutation that should be A foolish Nation Deut. 32. without counsel wisedome doth not consider nor forecast their latter end Dauid too hastily beleeuing Sheba his lying tale did great wrong to Mephibosheth contrary to his couenaunt VVhen the woman taken in adultery vvas brought before our sauiour Christ he made a stay before he spake his mind When Achab was throughly bent to warre the prophet Micheas warned him hee should not doe it hee tooke not his warning but the King was one of the first that died nay the onely man and none but he that perished For the King of Aram made proclamation on fight neyther against small nor great saue onely against the King of Israell And when the King was smitten the battel was ended 1. Reg. 22.34.36 So the sinner which is as it were bewitched and too much giuen to any sinne no warning of Preachers nor counsell of friends shall vvithdraw him frō sin or bring him to amendement vntill his owne rod hath made him smart or his own deserued destruction hath made an vtter end of him As also on the contrary side there be bad companions to perswade him
intent being denied shee defamed him and prouoked her husbands great displeasure against him that hee was thrown into prison But how great an inconuenience it is to goe farre from GOD What it is to depart from God this example of the prodigall sonne doth shewe who leauing his fathers house founde nothing else but famine and misery VVhat found Hagar beeing out of Abrahams house but vvant and sorrow Gen. 16. They that forsake the Lord shall haue great trouble The Chickens that are in dangers of the Kite so long as they flock about the Henne are safe but when they goe stragling they are caught vp So they that make the Lorde their refuge are guided by him they are in safetie but when they depart from him goe far away the deuill goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may deuoure 1. Pet. 5. VVhen Caine went away from god there was no more account made of him then of a vagabond and odious person Gen. 4.14 Behold saith hee to God thou hast cast me out this day frō the earth and from thy face shall I be hid and shal be a vagabond and a runagate vpon the earth and who soeuer findeth me shall sley mee This is the dangerous fearefull estate of them which committing sin depart from God But among many inconueniences and dangers these that follow are woorthy the noting First they that depart from God make but little account of him which is the chiefest good and from whom al blessings gifts and graces doe proceede For great things when they are a farre off from our sight doe seeme but small The great maiestie of God to idle negligent beholders seemeth a matter of small account whereby the maiestie of GOD is neuer awhit the more diminished but our corruption and naughty nature is made the more apparant They that sell wares forswear thēselues for a little gaine making more account of a little siluer then of Gods commandement And because our loue is more set vppon these worldly and transitory thinges then vpon God therefore is God so slenderlie regarded The Apostle S. Paule because hee made so slender account of this world therefore he truly said I account all things but dung and when hee maketh mention of God hee speaketh with great reuerence Tit. 2.13 Looking saith he for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the mightie GOD. Hebr. 12.29 Our God is euen a consuming fire So likewise in the psalmes The Lord is a great god aboue all gods psalm 89.6 to 10. Great is the Lord our god and there is not end of his greatnesse psalme 47.2 Hee is the great King vpon all the earth verse 8. God raigneth ouer the heathen God fitteth vpon his holy mountaine psalme 144.5 and 146. And how is it that we make so light account of god but that we prefer the least thinges in the world before him Secondly as the further thou art from the Sunne the greater is thy shadow so the further thou departest from GOD the more art thou intangled with the cares pleasures of this world which vanish away like a shadow and therefore may vvell be compared thereunto They which hunt after honour greedily seeke after riches they for the most part neuer catch thys shadow neither are they pertakers of their desires but followe after apparant deceits and such matters vvhich in time to come shall yeeld no helpe Therefore the Prophet psalm 4. cryeth out Why doe you seeke after vanitie and followe after leasing Thirdly the Sunne when it departeth from any coast or Country leaueth the place cold barren and vnfruitfull contrariwise when with his cheerefull beames he doth cherrish the ground all things begin to prosper and to bud forth so when the sunne of our righteousnes Christ our Lord doth cheerfully shine into our harts and soules with his heauenly and comfortable presence he maketh vs to bring forth good fruites and such good works as shall be acceptable vnto him For his holy Spirit and grace where it lighteth is wonderfull fruitfull And that hart of man or woman which vvanteth the heate of Gods Spirit cannot bring forth any worke to eternall life the seed that is cast into such an vnprofitable ground will com to nothing When the King doth come to any towne all things abound and there is great plentie but when hee departeth there are as many wants as there were before so when Gods presence doth rest in our harts and soules wee are prepared to euergy good worke but when he is absent the doore is open to all vice and wickednes Fourthly as the Sunne when it shineth doth comfort all creatures and when it is gone there is nothing else but darknes so when GOD is present we are cheerefull and ioyfull and when he is absent wee are sad and heauy In the Land of Egipt there was most thicke darknes that it might be felt but in the land of Goshen where the Israelites were there was light So where the wicked are there is nothing but darknesse they sit in darknes and in the shaddow of death They which forsake God fall into the danger of the deuill the prince of darknesse and as farre as the heauen is from the earth so great difference is there betwixt the grace of God and our sinfull disposition The fift and last inconuenience of a sinner separated from God is that when he is debarred of his mercy he is presently subiect to his anger and to his wrath He that is farthest from Gods fauour is neerest to his punishment As may bee seene in the prophet Ionas who flying from God was cast into the sea He fled from God when hee commanded him and fell into his punishment when he thought least thereof If thy sonne fall sicke at thy house thou maist haue many helps to restore him againe but if he be sicke in a strange country hee is destitute of thy helpe neyther canst thou doe him any good The farther we are from heauen the more subiect are we to the danger of hell A weake and frayle sinner although hee often fall may be recouered and the godlie vvhich pertaine to GOD and are vnder his gouernment they fall not finallie but rise againe but they which are past grace which are hardned in wickednesse and multiply sinne for the most part doe perrish for euer VVhereof there are tvvo notable examples recorded in Scripture the one of Peter the other of Iudas the traytour Peter denied the Lord thrice but because he repented in hart hee was not cast away but receaued vnto mercy Psal 37.32 Pro. 24.15 But Iudas went far from God and had rather be found among the enemies of Christ then in his company No maruell therefore though he died in his sinnes and because hee went so farre astray therefore did hee fall into so great mischiefe as afterward was apparant If thou hast gone away from the Lorde endeuour all thou canst to returne vnto him againe which thou
we may grow in dislike of theÌ„ which is a token of his fatherly goodnesse Hoseâ— 2. The foolish man hath said in his hart I wil goe after my louers which giue me my bread and my water my wooll and my flaxe But the Lord in merty saith I will hedge thy way with thornes that thou shalt not finde thy pathes Though she follow after her louers yet shall shee not come at them though she seeke them yet shall shee not come nigh them Then shall she say I will goe and returne to my first husband Now she did not know that I gaâ—â— her her corne and wine therefore will I returne and take away my corne in the time thereof and my wine in the season thereof and will recouer my wooll my flaxe lent to couer her shame And nowe will discouer her lâ—w dnesle in the fight of her louers no man shall deliuer her out of my hand I will also cause all her mirth to cease Afterward I will allure 〈◊〉 and bring her into the wildernesse and speake freendly vnto her What place of Scripture more significant to set forth this matter in hand The Lord â—ath hedged vvith thornes the way of that foulâ— that departeth from him as this prodigalb sunne is pinched with famine penury that went from his fathers house Wherefore he resolueth to goe to his former friendes where he was farre better before as this pindig all sonne comparing his former alâ—â—â—dance with this preâ—ent want went and remined The dog when her is hungry looketh vp to his maister waiting when â—eo will cast him somwhat to care and been a full begins to play the wanton so for these transitory things of this world we cal to God and when our turne is seued then eâ—ther we play rioâ—â—or goe wandâ—ing from God How profitable therefore in follow affliction and labour which make vs returne againe The great famine hunger which the sonnet of Iacob felt was the cause that they founde out their great friend Ioseph and that their Father might receiue great ioy for the recouery of his lost sonne and that they should confesse their fault say Worthly â—â—o we suffer these things which sinned against our brother did not consider him in his misery Gene. 42. As thys prâ—dâ—gâ—ll some returned 〈◊〉 his Father so his father first did giue him this grace that he might returne opening the eyes of his mind and soule that hee might knowe his offenceâ— and hate the sin considering the great misery that should far vpon him if he did it noâ— This made him lift vp his soule to God as Nabuchadnezzer did after his seauemyâ—râ—s banishment among the wilde beâ—stes Then he rose and find I wil goe to my Father calling his former life to remeÌ„branâ—â— sorrowling therefore purposing afterward most fled fastly to amend For they that resâ—â—ue to continue in sinne are not yet â—lsem Awake from sinne thou that sâ—eâ—pest and â—â—llâ— west in sinne and stand vp froÌ„ death 〈…〉 He wisely consideâ—eth all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ces I am his somâ—e they are but hirelings I do not onely hunger but am almost farm sâ—ed they haue plenty I am one and they many though I haue offended yet my father is pittifull My former life hath not beene so bad but by Gods grace I may amend come into sauour againe Which is well wooâ—â—y the noâ—ng for many see theyr saâ—lâ—e are sorry and repent them and yet through the want of the hope of Gods mercy and forgiuenes fall into despane It had beene no coÌ„fort to say I perish with â—aâ—â—â—e vnlesse hee had raised vp himselfe to thinkâ— howe many hirelings were in his Fathers house whoÌ„ he fed to the full so great was his bounty and goodnesse Iohn Bapâ—â—st threatned hell torments to sinners but yet raised them vp with comfort of forgiuenes hope of Gods mercy Behold sâ—â—th he the lamb or god which takeâ—â— away the sins of the world Peter wheÌ„ he had sharply rebuked the Iewes for Christes death doth exhort euery one to repentance and to be baptized Acts. 2. Paul being sâ—â—â—â—en blind was willed to rise to goe into the city there he should know what he should do Acts. 9. After Peter had forswoâ—ne Christ wept bitterly he heard of this comfort Tel Pâ—ter also that christ is risen Mar. 16.7 Two things are heere apparant the acknowledgement of sinne and the mercie of God feare and hope Both come from God by the one he casteth vs downe by the other he raiseth vs vp againe Considering the hirelings this whetteth on his miserie and moueth vnto repentance in that his estate is farre worse then the hirelings I had almost said then any mans else Preferriâ—â— the worst before himselfe and desiring but the lowest roome in the house of God aâ— the prophet Dauid mourneth that hâ— coâ—ld not com into gods presence seeing the sparrowe buildeth her nest by thy Altarâ—â—o Lord Hee thinketh himselfe vnworthy to aspire to a high roome Many of Gods children haue spirituall and temporall comfort enough and I want am like to perâ—ish There are many in godâ— house which serue God rather for feare of punishment then for the loue of GOD. But bâ—tter it is to bee a seruaunt in Gods â—â—â—se then to bee a Prince in the worlde The greatest part seeke after goods and riâ—â—â—â— do iâ—â—â—â—race but Lord graunt vs thy 〈◊〉 thy fauour and thy grace psal to And if GOD be so gracious and bountiful to them that serue him for feare how much more tender care will hee haue ouer his owne children whose hope hee will not make voyde not leaue their good deedes vnrewarded I will rise and goe to my Father In that he saith he wil rise he sheweth that he was falne seeing none can rise but they that are falne In that he saith he will goe vnto his father he thereby confesseth hee went farre away from him Calling him his Father hee maketh it euident that since his departure hee hath beene in the hand of a Tyrant Heereby wee also perceiue that a sinner can finde no comfort refuge but from him whom he hath offended Finding no rest but rather great dangers in that course of life for the choyce whereof hee forsooke God now he decreeth to return to God in whom onely is his lyfe and his hope The soule beeing made to the Image of GOD can be satis-fied with nothing but God Therefore the prophet Dauid saith What haue I in heauen or earth that I desire in coÌ„parison of thee If a ghâ—tton haue a little meate set before him he sayth What is this for mee In like sort the prophet saith psaâ— 16. All things in the world are nothing to him I shall be satis-fied when he shal appearâ— in his glory perfect beauty But wherefore doe wee desire so much the goods of this world and hauing obtained them why doe wee sette so little by them because aboue all these the
in the same crosse Eph. 2. He hath quickned vs which were dead in trespasses and sinnes wherein in tyme past wee walked according to the course of this world after the prince that ruleth in the ayre euen the spirit that nowe worketh in the children of disobedience Among whom we also haue had our conuersation in time past in the lustes of our flesh in fulfilling the will of the flesh and of the minde and were by nature the children of wrath as vvell as others But God which is rich in mercy through his great loue where-with he loued vs euen when we were dead in sinnes hath quickned vs together in Christ by whose grace ye are saued And hath raised vs vp Wee which were without Christ and were aliants from the common wealth of Israell and strangers from the couenaunt of promise and had no hope and were without God in the vvorld and were once a farre off by the blood of Christ are now made neere For he is our peace betwixt GOD the Father vs in him we haue the peace of conscience and boldnes towards God as wee read 1. Iohn 3.20.21 If our hart condemne vs God is greater thē our hart knoweth all things Beloued if our hart condemne vs not then haue we boldnesse towards God And what soeuer wee aske we receiue of him because wee keepe his commaundements and doe those thinges which are pleasing in his sight Now therfore wee are no more strangers and forrainers but Cittizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God For through him we haue an entrance vnto the Father So that now we may reioyce in God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom we haue now receiued the attonement Then beeing iustified by faith Ro. 5. we haue peace toward GOD through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom also wee haue accesse to God our Father who onely hath brought vs into his presence arrayed vs with his owne garment of holines and innocencie Heb. 10.22 Let vs draw neere with a true hart in assurance of fayth sprinckled in our harts from an euill conscience washed in our bodies with pure water chap. 4.16 and let vs go boldly vnto the throne of grace that we may receaue mercy and finde grace to helpe in time of neede Through this comfort that most vn godly King Manasses after the view and sight of his former iniquities hope of mercy forgiuenes was incouraged to com to god as his father Thou are the most high Lord saith he of great cōpassion long suffering and most mercifull repentest for mans miseries Thou ô Lord according to thy great goodnes hast promised repentance and forgiuenes to thē that sin against thee for thy infinite mercies hast appoynted repentance vnto sinners that they may bee saued Thou therfore ô Lord that art the God of the iust hast no appoynted repentance to the iust as to Abraham Isaac and Iacob which haue not finned against thee in like sort as I haue doone but thou hast appoynted repentance to mee that am a sinner for I haue finned aboue the nūber of the sand of the sea My transgressions ô lord are multiplyed my transgressions are exceeding many and I am not worthy to behold and see the height of the heauens for the multitude of mine vnrighteousnes I haue prouoked thy wrath done euill before thee I did not thy wil neither kept I thy commaundements I haue set vp abhominations haue multiplyed offences Now therfore I bow the knee of my hart beseeching thee of grace And so foorth most excellently as appereth in his prayer set down after the 2. booke of Chronicles Peter went out and wept bitterly Mary Magdalen washed Christ his feete vvith teares and wiped them with the hayre of her head The Publicane would not cast vp his eyes to heauen Manasses boweth the knees of his hart beseeching grace the prodigall sonne calling himselfe to remembrance and humbling himselfe by repentance and in great hope of pardon and forgiuenes approcheth vnto GOD saying Father I haue finned against heauen and before thee The name of Father is a cōfortable name therefore hath Christ placed it in the beginning of that daylie prayer which he hath taught his disciples Our father which art in heauen c. that they might the more boldly cherfully come before him and what can the father deny the son who taketh pleasure in dooing his child good See also how merciful the lord is who being offended doth not disdaine to be called a father of great sinners who haue mightily dishonoured him I haue finned hee humbly confesseth his fault neither dooth he excuse himselfe as Adam and Eue did neyther doth hee lay the faulte eyther vpon his corrupt nature or the deuils inticement or euil company counsell or euill examples in the world which might prouoke him therevnto but onely vpon himselfe For when we sin it is more our own fault then other mens for we are not compeld there-unto Wherefore Dauid beholding the destruction of his people saith O Lord it is I that haue finned but these sheepe what haue they done This confession of sinne dooth GOD require of a sinner although hee know all hee looketh for the voyce of thy confession For by the mouth man confesseth vnto saluation The sinner accusing himselfe dooth preuent the accuser and doth prouoke Gods mercy Father I haue sinned not as other men but my sins are more then the haires of my head I haue finned against heauen as the prophet calleth the heauen and the earth to witnes against the Israelites I will not go about to cleere my selfe but I will plainely confesle that I am vnwoorthy of all fauour These thoughts came not vnto him by the course of his naturall wit and worldly reason but through the grace of God which altered his minde and by the force of faith which made him mount aboue all earthly considerations For if hee had followed his owne naturall reason he woulde haue saide I did not vnderstand wherein I offended neyther haue I done these things of set purpose but foolishlie was I led away through ill company and bad counsell and therefore there is cause why I should be pardoned Which course of he had followed he might rather haue prouoked his Fathers displeasure then drawne him vnto mercy Before an earthly Iudge our confession dooth condemne vs but before God it is the meanes to procure our saluation The Lord saith Ezech. 18 My wayes are not as your wayes neyther are my thoughts as your thoughts Dauid Manasses Mary Magdalen Peter the publican and the thiefe did humbly confesse that theyr offences were greater then theyr punishment and therefore they obtained mercy whereof Caine Saule and Achab and other missed because proudly and not humbly they asked gods mercy I haue sinned against heauen because I haue made more account of earthly and corruptible matters then of heauenly as if a man should more highly esteem the seruant
and not your garment so likewise allthe Prophets The first degree therefore is to call himselfe to better remembrance A second degree is to compare together the losse the gaine the good things we haue lost the euill which we haue falne into therefore he sayd Howe many hirelings are in my Fathers house c. The third degree in to rise and to raise himselfe vp and with a stedfast purpose to returne vnto God to confesse thy sinnes as this prodigall sonne did effectually And when hee was yet a great way off his Father saw him had compassion on him The eyght matter worthy of our consideration in this parable is the infinite mercie of God which is not ouercome by the multitude of our sinnes to remoue all despaire vvhere-into we are most easily readie to fall Behold a patterne of the gracious mercifulnesse of God who hauing iust cause to be angry yet when he saw this lost son turned his anger into pitty and compassion The Vulture seeth a carkasse a far of then flyeth vnto it then ceazeth vppon it and lastly feedeth therâ—on Christ saw this prodigall sonne a farre off in the region of sinne for health and saluation is farre from sinners vntill it please GOD to make it neere Hee saw him with the eyes of pittie and compassion as he looked vpon Peter after he had thrice denied him God dooth not looke when wee will returne vnto him but rather doth preuent vs with his mercy and grace Therefore it is no doubt but that when wee doe repent GOD dooth receiue vs into his fauour And if men which by nature are desirous of reuenge which stand too much vppon theyr owne authoritie yet through a fatherly kinde of affection forgiue the great offences of theyr sonnes yea of theyr owne accord vvill endeuour to seeke after them shall wee thinke that God is or will be more hard to vs whose goodnes is infinite which far surpasseth all the kindnes that an earthly father can shew Esa 65.24 Before they cry I wil heare them psal 32.5 I saide I will confesse vnto the Lord my vnrighteousnes thou forgauest the iniquitie of my sinne It is the mercy of the Lord that wee are not vtterly consumed as the prophet Iere. speaketh When he was a farre of that is when he first purposed to return vnto the Lord. So soone as hee had a minde to be made whole euen before hee made his moane vnto Christ or knew what Christ was this most louing and gentle Father friend and Sauiour made him whole and bad him sin no more least a worse thing might befall him And here is fulfilled that which God speaketh by the prophet Esay chap. 65. It shall be that ere euer they call I shall aunswere them and while they are yet but thinking howe to speake I shall heare them He did behold him as Dauid desired psalm 25.17 Looke vpon mine aduersitie and misery and forgiue mee all my sin God hath great care ouer the godly euen when they goe astray from him neyther dooth he straight-way cast them off The prodigall sonne coulde not returne nor once conceiue so holy a desire vnlesse God had looked vppon him with a most gracious aspect 2. Cor. 3.5 The image represented in the glasse cannot lift vp the eyes vnlesse he whose image it is doe first looke vp Therefore that thou must lyft vp thy eyes to heauen thou hadst neede that God whose image thou art shoulde first looke down vpon thee from heauen and cast the eyes of his mercy vppon thee that thereby thou maist be drawne to lyft vp the eyes of thy minde to him that looketh vpon thee For vnlesse hee doe first by a speciall influence looke vppon thee thou canst neyther looke vpon him nor be conuerted vnto him Thou canst not rise and goe vnto him vnlesse he mooue thee and leade thee or inforce and drawe thee As our Sauiour saith No man commeth vnto me vnlesse my heauenly father draw him Ioh. 6. Wherefore the spouse in the Canticles acknowledging his secret power most friendly operation prayeth saying chap. 1. Draw mee after thee wee will runne after the sauour of thy sweet oyniments If thou doost not draw mee I cannot come after thee So the prophet Eze. chap. 2.2 When God commaunded him to stand vpon his feete the spirit entred into him set him vpon his feete for vnlesse the Spirit of the Lord had holpen him hee could not haue flood by himselfe Lam. 5.21 Turn thou vs vnto thee ô Lord and we shall be turned So fist he be held Peter and after he wept bitterly The psal 104. speaketh of God ver 32. The earth shal tremble at the looke of him if he doe but touch the hills they shall smoake This is he which bringeth the lost sheep into his fold who onely doth heale our infirmities and hath mercy on our iniquities This is he onely of whoÌ„ Iob speaketh chap. 27. God hath mollified my hart and the Almighty hath put my soule in bitternes God onely doth giue repentance For as Saint Paule saith It is the gift of God 2. Tim. 2.25 When he willeth vs to instruct with meeknes them that are contrary minded proouing if God at anie time will giue them repentance that they may know the truth So that the mercy of God is necessary not onely in the worke of repentance but before wee doe repent According to that in the psalm Thy mercy ô Lord shall preuent me All our endeuours are not sufficient to iustifie vs 〈◊〉 to reconcile vs vnto the lord Iustification but that which is wanting in vs the Lord most bountifully dooth supply Some vvorkeâ— pâ—â—â—yning vnto our iustify cation are onely vvrought of God yet must not we be dile but doe our best endeuour For as that body is dead vvhich hath not motion and stirring so that fayth is not so effectuall which wanteth good works Some vvorkes of GOD goe before our instification vvhich doe not requite eythâ—r our consent or our helpe and furtherance Of vvhich sort are Predestination Election and Calling to knocke at the doore of our conscience by his secrete and most gracious inspirations Betwixt these wherby our iustify cation is begunne ended there are other middle works concurrent as Fayth Hope Charitie Repentance Practise of a godly life which require also our endeuour The free gift of Gods grace and an abilitie to perâ—â—â—â—â— good-vvorks is onely Gods gyft which be doth most largely graunt to them which are obedient to his holy calling When he was a farre off his father sawe him and had compassion on him therefore the forgiuenes of our sinnes and our iustify cation is onely ascribed to his mercie And that thou mayst perceiue howe ready God is to forgiue finners to help to fauour them therefore it followeth in the Text. He ran and fell on his neclâ—e and kissed him In his foreknowledge â—unning and embracing him his great clemencie and mercy is
O Lord breake all our stubborne harts and make vs to sigh grone vnder the most heauy burden and waight of sin who are maruailously loden yet thinke our selues in great ease and at great libertie Make an end of thy sin and looke vp to God who will ease thee For when thou night and day doost thinke vpon nothing else and doost set thy selfe to nothing else but to offend and displease God he dailie hourely heaping vpon thee a thousand meanes of his mercy waiteth for thy returne and daily looketh for thy happy repentance The happy remēbrance whereof did make this prodigall sonne to say Father I haue sinned against heauen before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy son Great sinnes great griefe but a short confession and this is a waightie poynt of repentance when with the sence the feeling and remorce of sinne is ioyned both sadnesse and shamefastnesse And where there is not this sadnesse and shamefastnes the sinner can neuer returne to goodnes Therefore there must goe before repentance a holy anger and inward griefe and discontentment that wee haue displeased God For following our owne wayes we grow to great forgetfulnes but returning vnto God then are we brought to true remembrance Truly did the Apostle S. Paule speak 1. Cor. 15.9 I am not worthy to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the Church of God ioyfully remembring gods mercy and his own happy returne For the more graciously the lord doth visit a sinner with his mercy the more deeply doth it sink into the hart of a true penitent sinner the more doth he hūble himselfe before God the more greeuously doth he accuse his owne wicked nature and disposition The more cleerly that he doth perceiue Gods mercy and compassion and doth behold his maiestie holines comparing there-vnto his own vn worthines ingratitude frowardnes and his most sinfull inclination the more doth he detest the same the more plainly doth hee confesse his fault All vvhich matters when the prophet Esay did euidently behold hee cryed out of himselfe chap. 6.5 saying Woe is me for I am vndone because I am a man of polluted lyps Iob also 42.5 saith I haue heard of thee by hearing of the eare but now my eye seeth thee Therefore I abhor my selfe and repent in dust ashes When the Apostle Saint Paule savve so much in him-selfe Rom. chap. 7. he cryed out O vvretched shooes on his feete Heere commeth the ninth matter to be intreated of namely the great solemnitie that God all the holy Angels do make at the conuersion of a sinner His Father doth not speake any thundering words of crueltie nor threaten to beate him or to cast him off nor to cast him in the teeth with his bounteous goodnes shewed vnto him neyther doth he lay vnto him his going away nor burden him with his gluttony or other abhominable poynts of lyuing he remembreth none of all this geare he doth so greatly reioyce that he hath got his Sonne againe The Son thought himselfe vnworthy the title or name of his son yet the father restoreth him to his old state and degree againe The sonne doth vtterly condemne himselfe and the father doth absolue and quit him The sonne did cast himselfe downe to be a seruaunt and the father setteth him perfectly againe in his old state dignitie Him that had cast him selfe into the bond seruice of abhominable maisters that is the filthy pleasures of the body him did his father vouchsafe to embrace in his armes to him that had deserued to bee scourged vvith many a sore stripe is giuen a kisse for a token of perfect loue and attonement Happy is that sinner whō the Lord vouchsafeth to kisse and embrace because he confessed his sins and refused the name of a sonne for that in his conscience he knew himselfe faulty there was brought forth the best robe and restored vnto him How-soeuer hee hath behaued himselfe saith his Father my son he was he hath beene dead and nowe is he called to life againe For sin is the death of the soule and hee runneth toward death which leaueth and forsaketh the Authour of life Hee leaueth and forsaketh the Authour of life whosoeuer is in loue with the things of this world for the worldly pleasures are farre wide from Gods schooling And such a one is reuiued againe as dooth repent and reforme his sinfull life He was lost without any hope euer to be recouered againe if he had be one left to himselfe howbeit he was found and gotten againe To depart away from the fathers house is to perrish for out of the same house there is no health The Father speaketh not to the Son but to the seruaunts he that repents prayes for Gods goodnes receiueth no aunswere Nowe when I passed by thee and looked vppon thee behold thy time was as the time of loue and I spredde my skirts ouer thee and couered thy filthines yea I sware vnto thee and entred into a couenaunt with thee saith the Lord God thou becammest mine Then washed I thee vvith water c. Thus doth our heauenly father not onely forgiue our sinnes in burying putting quite out the remembrance of them but also hee restoreth vnto vs those gyfts which we had lost As he dooth depriue vs of them and take them away punishing our vnthankfulnesse thereby and driuing vs to shame by the reproch of our nakednes Now by these tokens of Gods loue the true and effectuall forgiuenes of our sinnes is signified The father willeth the seruants to bring forth the best robe and giueth no time of delay for in this case delay breedes danger When a sinner in this sort dooth recount his manifold offences Despayre and is vexed with the torment of conscience it is high time to yeeld help for feare least through despayre he be cast away There is no stay betwixt forgiuenes of our sins and Gods grace and fauour The health of the body is not recouered but by little and little because the matter is not of so great waight but the distressed estate of the soule must be releeued with all speede that may conueniently be offred and affoorded When the body is sicke wee are meruailous diligent to haue health yea if it bee but the head-ache we can suffer no delay seeking for helpe and calling for Phisitions according as our power and abilitie vvill stretch So after our sinne committed we shoulde be as hasty to rise and to repent Repentance but heerein euery little excuse stayeth vs backe and wee are content to delay thys time of our conuersion a great deale longer then we should so much the more beeing intangled in wordly affaires and altogether drowned in forgetfulnes In so dooing thou loosest the practise of good workes and art troubled for want of the peace and quietnes of conscience Againe thou knowest not hovve suddainelie thy lyfe shall be taken from thee The humble
fed vpoÌ„ Onions Garlick but in the Desert they fared most daintily so this prodigal son before he came to his father fed vpon husks but being returned hath his part of the fat calfe It is worthy the noting to see howe in the beginning of our conuersion it pleaseth God to graunt aboundance of ioy as he did to this prodigall sonne and to the Israelites going out of Egipt This God doth in great mercy considering the great frailty of them who newly haue returned For they stand in neede of speciall helpe and comfort Who although they be returned by Gods especiall appointment sustainâ— many labous and endure many tentations as the people of Israell did in the Desert Yet in all these labours and trialls they are not forsaken of the Lord but at last they haue the vpper hand as the Israelites had of the Canaâ—nites Many thinke a vertuous life is painfull and a vicious life most pleasanâ— but the difference is in the end For the end of the vertuous life is ioy in another woâ—ld how troublesom so euer it hath beene in this world but the end of a vicâ—ous life is most lâ—mentable wheÌ„ these short ioyes aâ—â— soone out off The beginning of our conuersion and the end of our perfection God doth crowne with greatest ioy Fruite trees when they begin to bud haue a flourishing shew and when they yeeld their fruite then are they most accounted of In some God doth magnifie his mercy in others he rewardeth their good deedes When God by his secret grace doth espouse himselfe to the soule of any man or woman because hee receaueth the sâ—me poore and naked of his owne cost he maketh a bountifull feast neither doth he order the matter after the deserts of that soule which is espoused vnto him but according to his owne wealth and aboundance hauing all from him selfe nothing from that Therefore it is said in the Canticles My sister is but a little one and hath no breasts The parents loue their children but especially the yong ones they carry in their armes tender them most So God is most tender ouer them that are newly conuerted vnto him and beareth much with their infirmities and helpeth them forward and stayeth them as a nurse doth her children Therefore Christ did not onely louingly and mercifully receaue the publicanes and sinners that repented but was conuersant with them and did eate with them He that found his lost sheepe laid it on his shoulders with ioy and when he caâ—h home he called together his friends and his neighbours saying vnto them Reioyce with me for I haue found my sheepe which was lost So the woman when she had found her groate that she lost called had friends neighbours saying Reioyce with me for I haue found the peece which I had lost The prodigall Sonne sayde I will rise and goe to my Father and say vnto him Father I haue finned against heauen and before thee and am no more woorthy to be called thy Sonne make mee as one of thy hired seruants So he arose and came to his Father and when he was yet a great way off his Father saw him and had compassion and ranne and fell on his necke and kissed him Then the Father said to his seruaunts Bring foorth the best robe and put it on him and put a ring on his handes and shooes on his feete And bring the farte calfe and kill him and let vs eate and be merry For this my sonne was dead and is aliue againe and hee was lost But he is found for the Scripture ternâ—eth them dead that are giuen vp to finde and they are risen from the dead which râ—pent and amend And they beganne to be meâ—ry at so happy a change For I say vnto you that ioy shall bee in heauen for one sinner that â—onuerteth more then for ninety and nine iust men which thinke they need none amendmenâ— of life Yea there shall be joy in the presence of the Angels of God for one sinner that conuerteth But now let vs behold the murmuring of the Pharises whom this elder grudging sonne doth represent and howe Christ playeth the aduocate pleadeth for sinners taketh their part which is the last thing to be spoken of and wherein the whole parable is conclude Now the elder brother was in the fielde and when hee came and drewe neere to the house hee heard melody and dauncing And called one of his seruants and asked what those thinges meant And he saidâ— vnto him Thy brother is come and thy Father hath killed the fatted calfe because he hath receaued him safe found Then he was angry and would not goe in therefore came his Faâ—her out and entreated him 〈…〉 In this last consideration in contained a great encouragement to them that liue well that they may continue in well doing and be godly still As we reade Re. 22.11 He that is righteous let him be righteous still and he that is Holy let him be holy still Behold I come shortly and my reward is with mee to giue vnto euery one as his worke shall be Sonne saith this Father thou art euer with me and all that I haue is thine Also heere is contained an instruction vnto the godly not to murmure at Gods workes but rather to reuerence them and to â—eioyce that it hath pleased him to deale so graciously with sinners to call them home that went so far astray Whereby we are further taught not rashly to iudge of any but to hope the best and in charity to pray for their amendment Ia 6 2â— Ga 6.1 â— As we are willed to mourne with them that mouâ—â—e so also are we counsailed to reioyce in all christian sort with them that reioyce and not to repine and grudge at any thing that good is Especially wee should reioyce and be gâ—â—d one with another at the conuersion of a sinner as the Apostles reioyced at the conuersion of the Gentiles Acts 11 18. When they heard these things they held their peace and glorified God saying Then hath God also graunted to the Gentiles repentance vnto life The Pharisies through the pride and high conceite of their own worthines and disdaine of sinners could not reioyce at the conuersion of sinners or that any sauour should be shewed them Our Sauiour Christ sitting at table in the house of a Pharise and Mary Magdalen standing behind him and wiping his feete with the haires of her head the Pharise which bad him thought this with himselfe If this man were a propher he would surely haue knowne who and what manner of woman this is which toucheth him for she is a sinner To whom Christ aunswered by way of a parable that many sinnes were forgiuen her because she loued much because she turned from her vaine loue and turned to the Lord with all her heart Math. 20. The maister of the vineyard when he was to pay the labourers their hire gave vnto them that came in last as much
them selues with the chiefe oyntments but no man is sorry for the afflictions of Ioseph And this rich man in his iolity had no regard of poore Lazarus But that the rich man and all his house should be vtterly ashamed and left without excuse see what followeth Yea and the doggs came and licked his sores When the Prophet Balaam did wickedly God opened the mouth of his Asse hee rode on to giue him vnderstanding and these doggs that had better fare to tast licked Lazarus sores to reach their maister mercy O cruell people more mercilesse then dogges which commonly hunt the poore from the doore yet nowe they were pittifull to condemne their maisters great vnkindnes and to make them if they had any grace to blush for shame The property of dogs is to barke and bite at strangers and to driue them away But heere the kind nature of doggs ouercame the hard harts of men and they are more gentle and louing then men that should haue shewed mercy The rich man was cloathed in soft and costly rayment fed with dainties to the full and is laide vpon his beds of downe But the poore man pines with famine is pincht with cold and a meruaile it is that hee liueth among his great wants and as the other lay easily vppon his soft bed so the poore man had no other lodging then the bare ground But as they were vnlike in life so were they far vnlike in death as the euent of the history doth prooue We all die and as water we passe away the rich and poore the noble and base the learned and vnlearned all are subiect to death and when death commeth that makes a newe alteration For many that haue beene most miserable in this world after death haue a ioyfull estate and many that did flourish in this worlde after death see all thinges changed quite contrary And it was so that the begger died and was caried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome Lazarus dieth as though hee were forsaken of God and man and the rich man lyueth yet longer to enioy his pleasure Yet a little while and surely but a little while although in the sight of the world his life be long This is the third principall consideration in this History setting foorth the ioyfull estate of the godly after death beeing full of vnspeakeable comfort and glory The godly greatly desire to bee vnburdened of this miserable life wherein they are daily in daunger to loose eternall life for the best may fall Philip. 1.21 And when this life is ended all sinnes and sorrowes haue an ende also God calleth the sinner to repentance that hee may enioy heauen Doest thou not knowe that Gods bountifulnes and patience leadeth thee to repentance If thou dooest not knowe so much thou heapest vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath The deuill dooth greedily wayte for the death of a sinner fearing least while he liueth he may repent although hee seeme neuer so desperate But when the sinner dyeth in his sinne the deuills reioyce saying Now thou art ours and hast lost euerlasting life for euer thou art ours and no man can deliuer thee or take thee out of our hands Then shall hee see heauen shutte vppe against him and GODS displeasure to take full place and him selfe to be in most lamentable misery and past all hope of remedy VVherefore nowe bethinke thy selfe novve craue mercy and forgiuenesse at GODS handes novve shedde aboundance of teares for this is the time of grace this is the acceptable time this is the day of saluation And if ye haue the grace to to heare and vnderstande and to fore-see your ovvne misery harden not your harts from God harden not your hearts vnto your owne destruction The order of the narration of the History is to bee considered for vvhen the Euangelist speaketh of them being aliue hee pâ—â—ferreth the rich man before Lazarus For in this life the rich are of chiefest account in chiefest places in bankers and iudgement seates in honour and dignity who but they But in speaking of them being dead Lazarus is first mentioned for before the wicked rich the godly poore are preferred in another life The glory of the godly begins in their death as the glory of the wicked doth end in their death The misery of Lazarus is ended in his death for hee whom no man regarded in his life the Angels tooke him vppe after death And who would haue thought that this poore wretch being so despised shold be so accepted of God but the wayes of God doe far differ from the waies of men neither are his thoughts as our thoughts Esay 55. But to see howe God doth honour the godly in their death let vs marke what followeth And was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome And c. Whereby we vnderstand that the Angels are present at the death of the godly to performe theyr charge appointed vnto them Heb. 1 14. Psal 91 11. O happy soule which heere was visited of none but of dogs nowe not one Angell but many Angels come to do it seruice So that the deuill hath no power ouer the soules of the godly but ouer the vessels appointed vnto wrath A bay or bosome is a hauen place free from turbulent waues the world is the maine sea and heauen the hauen of rest And he that in life could finde no comfort after death was carried into Abrahams bosome that man of great compassion and hospitalitie Or rather because Abraham was the Father of the faithfull hee is there placed where Abraham is or more neere where Christ our head is there shall the godly faithfull Christ his members be Iohn 14.1.2 And although heere is no mention made of Lazarus buriall wee must not therefore suppose that he was cast foorth to the foules of the ayre or the beastes of the field for no doubt he was laid in Christian buriall but his buriall is not remembred because it was not performed vvith pompe solemnitie as the rich mans buriall was which was the last of all the Rich mans pride and brauery And what good can a pompous buriall doe to miserable soules that are damned in hell world for the world passeth away and the lusts thereof but he that fulfilleth the will of God abideth for euer It is appointed to all men to die and after death commeth iudgement Heb. 9.27 And no otherwise likely it was but that this Rich man had his doome and iudgement before he vvas sent to hell For after his death and buriall was hee condemned and forsaken of God and vtterly depriued of all ioy and comfort And beeing in hell in torments hee lyft vp his eyes And c. and sawe Abraham a farre of and Lazarus in his bosome VVhat did his pompous buriall doe him any good as the rich men take great care for theyr glorious funeralls but as for poore Lazarus there was no mention made of his buriall But better were it for
rich men to haue a rich soule to God then after theyr worldly braueries to be throwne down into hell Hee went not downe to hell to see vvhat there was done but to feele that which was intollerable and to abide such misery that neuer should haue end And why was it he came to his goods aright but hee did not dispose them as God commaunded Hee was no thiefe nor Vsurer but onely vnmercifull and therefore found no mercie If he were so greeuously punished for not vsing his owne goods well what shall become of thieues Vsurers which deceaue other men of theyr goods and doe vniustly detaine them Hellish torments can no more bee conceaued then heauenly ioyes both beeing infinite And as in hope wee haue some taste and feeling of heauenly ioyes so is it sufficient to knowe these endlesse vvoes in grosse and after a sort though confusedly so farre foorth as may serue to keepe vs in Gods feare And though we cannot enter into the depth of these matters let vs leaue of to be curious meditate on those things which are most necessary In thys example we learne that the wicked throgh the feeling of their misery are meruallously vexed and are desirous of some comfort Yet all hope being cut of they feele a double torment First the remembrance of theyr manifold and hainous sinnes is a continuall torment vnto them Secondly the consideration of the ioyes of the godly increaseth their griefe farre more comparing their vnspeakable ioyes with their endlesse and vnsufferable miseries This rich mans sorrowes therfore were mightily increased The rich mans woes increased first by seeing Lazarus in so good case and himselfe in such endlesse woes Secondly beholding how vnrecouerable his state vvas for out of hell there is no redemption Thirdly how cōfortlesse hee was in that hee required but one drop of water to coole his tongue and could not haue it although he earnestly requested the same hauing the least comfort denied him that was vnmercifull in small matters And lastly in fearing the damnation of his bretheren which were yet aliue and were like to drinke of the same cup. In vaine doth he looke vpon him after death which was vnmercifull to him in his life He doth not behold him with the eyes of his body but with the eyes of his mind his vnderstanding was now opened which in his life time was shut The Wise man counselleth that we should not turne away our eyes from the poore least the Lord turne away his face from vs. And as the Mold-warpe so is the rich man blind all his life and cannot see himselfe nor God but is altogether busied about earthly considerations And as the Moldwarpe is said to open his eies at the time of death so these rich men at the time of death can say Vanity of vanities vanity of vanities and all is but vanitie After death they can say What hath pride profited vs or the pompe of riches Wisd 5. It is well spoken but it is considered and thought vppon too late Hee sawe Abraham a farre of for saluation is farre from the wicked psalm 118. So farre of was the Rich man from Lazarus as the grace of God from sinne vertue from vice heauen from hell Hee that lay at the rich mans gate is in great glory farre aboue him and hee that in this lyfe wanted no comfort now wanteth no misery To this agreeth that of Salomon pro. 14.19 The euill shall bowe before the good and the wicked at the gates of the righteous Diues liued in this world in plesure Lazarus in labour and sorrow but now is Lazarus exalted hee tormented As the Lord saith by the prophet Esay 65.13 Behold my seruaunts shall eate ye shal be hungry my seruants shall drink ye shal be thirsty my seruants shal reioyce and yee shall be ashamed Behold my seruaunts shall sing for ioy of heart and yee shall cry for sorrovve of heart and shall howle for vexation of minde Lazarus in this life begged of the rich man but the rich man after begged of the poore man and as the rich man heard him not so was not he heard As wee reade Prou. 21.13 He that stoppeth his eare at the crying of the poore hee shall also cry and not be heard As it was a paine to the poore man to lie before the rich mans gate hee in penury and the rich man serued so plentifullie so was it a paine to the rich man to see Lazarus in such great glory and himselfe in such great misery and vnspeakable torments For as God when hee cast Adam out of Paradice placed him not farre from thence that hee might daily beholde from what a blessed place hee was banished so did GOD set before the eyes of the rich man the happy estate of Lazarus that he should be vexed so much the more Wisd 5. Then shall the righteous stand in great boldnesle before the face of such as haue for mented him And they shall change theyr mindes and sigh for griefe of mind and thy within themselues This is he whō we sometimes had in derision and in a parable of reproch Wee fooles thought his life madnes and his end without honour Howe is he counted among the chyldren of God is portion is among the Saints It is not sayd heere The diuersity of torments that the rich man vvas in torment but in torments for manifold are the torments of hell The vvant of Gods most comfortable presence vvhich no doubt the damned doe desire if not for the loue of Gods goodnes yet for theyr owne ease and infinite refreshing The outward torments of the body expressed by the fire in respect of which our fire is but a painted fire The worme of a gnawing and byting conscience Most ouglie darknes worse then the darknes of Egypt A most beastly stinke with infinite other torments whereof the least is most intollerable or more then can be suffered or deuised in this life Euen against nature they shall desire not to be and wish they had neuer been borne There shal be no power able to deliuer them from thence and the remembrance thereof from time to time shal most greeuously torment their minds These paines endlesse and comfortlesse shall make them die vvhich cannot die VVherefore considering these torments there should be nothing so hard in this life which God did cōmaund but wee should Then hee cryed and said Father Abraham haue mercy on mee and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water coole my tongue For I am tormented in this flame What great increase of sorrow was this that he should desire to haue comfort frō Lazarus yet could haue none He cryed and made a great lamentation because his paine was so exceeding great Now he calleth him Father Abraham whom hee would not follow in his life time againe he calleth him father too late repenteth too late See what it is to
boast of the name of a Christian and not to shewe the practise thereof in our life conuersation For not euery one that can say Lorde Lorde shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but hee that dooth the will of my Father which is in heauen Math. 7.21.22 Many shall say in that day Lord Lord. And hee shall say vnto them I know yee not Depart from me yee that worke iniquitie The foolish Virgins Math. 25.11 could say Lord Lord open to vs But he aunswered and said Verily I knowe you not And they that sayd Lord when sawe wee thee a hungry or naked To them it shal be sayd Inasmuch as yee did it not to the poore for my sake yee did it not to mee knowing that I committed and commended the poore vnto you in my steed The poore yee haue alwaies with you but mee shall ye not haue alwaies Then also shall they heare that dolefull doome sentence and iudgement Depart from me yee cursed into euerlasting fire Math. 25.41 Father Abraham haue mercy on me He called for mercy too late as also he was farre vnworthy of mercy which would take no pitty and compassion of his poore neyghbour And he shall haue iudgement without mercy that sheweth no mercy Math. chap. 18. Heere-hence wee may gather two profitable instructions The first is to shewe mercy to our poore neighbour if vve will looke for mercy at Gods hands Secondly to call for mercy and forgiuenes and pardon of our sinnes in this life and not to deferre it vntill the last howre or at least wise till after death To defer it to the last howre is to hazzardous and venterous when as we may sooner misse theÌ„ to haue our request graunted the other that is after death is altogether vaine and vnprofitable He that would not shewe mercy to his fellowe seruant that ought him but a hundred pence was greeueously punished Ecclus. 28.2 Forgiue thy neighbour the hurt that he hath done to thee so shall thy sinnes bee forgiuen thee also when thou prayest What measure thou metest the same shall be measured to thee Endeuour therefore what thou canst to be mercifull to the poore calling thy selfe to rememberance how greatly thou standest in neede of mercy from God As for this rich mans too late repentance hee was not so wise as Dauid psal 50. Heare ô Lord and haue mercy vpon me Lord be thou my helper for what profit is there when I goe downe to the pitte and out of hell there is no redemption And therefore earnestly and humbly hee prayeth for mercy in his lyfe time before the eternall barres doe close him in Neither did this rich man repent that hee had offended God but beeing in excessiue paine he called for release vvhen as then none would bee granted Follow the Wise mans counsell Eccles. 9.10 All that thy hand shall finde to doe doe it with all thy power for there is neither worke nor inuention not knowledge nor vvisedome in the graue whether thou goest O Lord in death who wil remember thee and in hell whose tale shall be heard So long as a great peece of timber is caried vppon the water so long it seemeth light but when it is cast vppon the Land then he that before could moue it with his hand cannot now doe it with all the force of his body Likewise so long as wee liue the burden of sin seemeth light as though wee had no burden at all but when death Gods messenger hath cited vs to appeare before the court of his tribunall seate then doe our sinnes appeare in theyr collours shewing themselues to be infinite and the burden of them intollerable And vvee which woulde not fore-see these eternall punishments shall then be thrust dovvne among the damned for euer to feele them My sinnes saith Dauid are gone ouer my head and are like a burden too heauy for me to beare psalm 40. My sinnes haue taken such holde vpon mee that I am not able to looke vp yea they are moe in number then the haires of my head my hart hath failed mee O Lord let it be thy plesure to deliuer mee make hast ô Lord to helpe mee Set the 50. psalme before thee for a patterne to follow and let thy hart shed forth teares aboundantly And then shalt thou finde that comfort which Christ promiseth Math. 11.28 Come vnto me all yee that are weary and laden and I vvill ease you And howe comfortable this easing shall be looke vppon the historie of the prodigall sonne Luke 15. Thys foolish rich man would not lay downe his burden in his life time after death is was bound of so fast that he could not shake it of But why did he speake to Abraham not to Lazarus Because hee iudged him after his owne disposition that hee would not forget to reuenge whereas vvith the godly there is no such qualitie euen in thys life much lesse in another Thinking thys with himselfe If I in my great prosperity had no care of him surely hee will haue as little care of me neither will he come vnto me Therefore he maketh his request vnto Abraham supposing that hee knewe not what was happened But let vs heare what his request vvas Send Lazarus that hee may dip the typ of his finger in water coole my tongue for I am tormented in this flame Alas what could a droppe of water comfort him and should he not by and by againe be in as great torment And what was the torment of the tongue to the vnspeakable paines of all the rest of the body Iust are the iudgements of God and hee recoâ—â—penceth accordingly For he that denied small matters was enforced to craue euen the least helpe which neuerthelesse according to his desert was denied him Let no man despise the poore for God can make the richest man poore in a moment The sonnes of Iacob came afterward into the hands of Ioseph Despise no body whom before they hated vnto the death contemned and despised Thou mayest stand in need of his helpe whom now thou dost scorne For so it may fall out that GOD may appoint him to doe thee good Saul deadly persecuted Dauid God deliuered Saul into his hands twice and had not the godly hart of Dauid had more pitty the cruelty of Saul had iustly deserued death Simei that cursed Dauid and thought hee should neuer returne any more to raigne was faine to cast himselfe downe as it were at his feete to craue mercy Haman was enforced to doe Mardocheus great honour whom before hee could not abide to looke vpon And this hapneth to many VVherefore if thou beest placed in high authority doe not exalt thy selfe too high for he whom thou contemnest may be in higher estate then thy selfe and may requit thee againe VVhere there is mention made of the rich mans tongue wee must vnderstand that the soule hath no tongue nor hands nor fingers Tongue but this is rather to be vnderstoode in
taketh away his neighbours liuing slaieth him and hee that defraudeth the laborer of his hire is a blood-shedder Deuâ— 4.10 to 16. Ecclus. 7.20.21 33.29 Le. 19.13 It is no maruel that that is called the life of man without the which hee cannot liue and in taking away that which should be his liuing although hee liue a free a fort yet is hee through forrow hare broken as a man halfe dead And for aâ—e the poore the widdowes the Orphants and the afflicted dealt withall in this life But now our Sauiour exhorteth vnto charâ—tie and mercy as in the wordes following And by chaunce there came downe Priest a certaine priest that way and when he sawe him he passed by on the other side And it chaunced that a certaine priest was going a iourny which lay the very same way and whereas for the very order and profession of priest-hoode vvhich he had taken him vnto hee ought cheefelie aboue others to haue fulfilled the commaundement of GOD yet notwithstanding himselfe beeing a Ievve saw one that was a Iewe and beeing himselfe a man of Ierusalem sawe one of Ierusalem spoyled wounded and lying halfe dead yet passed by no whit mooued with any drop of pietie and compassion And although the Iewes by the priuiledge of adoption were seperated from all other Nations that they should be Gods holy inheritance yet such was their barbarous vnciuill hethenish contempt one of another as though there had beene no acquaintance no fellow ship among theÌ„ as though they had not beene people of one and the selfe same Nation Therefore our Sauiour Christ doth heere in this Parable desenbe theyr cruell neglect of charitable affection whereof theyr owne consciences did pronounce them to be guiltie The couetousnes of this world hath offred violence vnto iustice she being thus disgraced hath ascended vp into heauen so that it is hardly or not at all to bee seene on the earth They that shoulde be most bountifull are for the most part too hard-harted and they that haue theyr liuings to be good to the poore beeing blinded by couetousnes dissemblingly passe by the poore neither will they take notice of theÌ„ neyther will they enter into any feeling affection or inward consideration of theyr miseries the Lord make them to remember themselues that they may learne to be mercifull For they are the seruants ministers of him that is most mercifull and who causeth his raine to fall as well vppon the vniust as the iust God gaue no possession to the Leuites because he was theyr inheritance whereby is signified that he that then left the priests without any earthly possession would also haue it so nowe that their harts should be be estranged from the loue of thys world and earthly possessions and from the greedie desire of wealth looking for no more then that which shoulde serue their turne Therefore If the Minister serue God and imploy his vocation diligently let him not feare seeing the Lord is his portion The Lord commaunded the people of Israell to allot out Cities to the Leuites Numb 35.2 which he did to this intent that they should not be intangled in worldly busines Pharao gaue inheritance vnto the priests when all the Egyptians were inforced to sell theyr land for foode the priests were spared But now in these daies the Ministers liuings are so curiold and theyr maintenaunce for the most part so poore and bare that they are in a manner inforced with Saint Paule to make Tents to seeke wayes how they may liue there are so many Church-robbers euery where And likewise also a Leuit Leuite when hee was come neere to the place went and looked on him and passed by on the other side A Leuite also passing by the same way at whose hand a man might iustly haue looked for the due obseruing and keeping of Gods commaundement because he beeing a man dedicated to the Temple was a minister of Gods holy seruice and therefore ought to haue beene a man of deuotion yet shewed small token thereof For this man euen as the other had doone though hee sawe the wounded man vvell enough yet passed forth on his way and did no helps at all to his brother countriman of the same City that himselfe was of And such as the priest was such also was the Leuite the inferiour taking example of the better There was no pitty no compassion no bowels of mercy in any of them both According to that of the prophet Ieremie chap. 8.10 Euery one from the least to the greatest is giuen to couetousnesse from the prophet euen to the priest Full little were they exercised in almes deedes and in the workes of charitie which should haue giuen good example vnto others Then a certaine Samaritane as he iournied Samaritane came neere vnto him and when hee saw him he had compassion on him The Samaritanes were not of the Iewes but strangers and idolaters For when Salmanasar the King of the Assyrians had caried away capture the tenne tribes of Israel for theyr manifolde offences out of Samaria into Assyria the king least the land should be wast placed diuers people of diuers nations there to inherite to inhabit Who not knowing GOD but worshipping idols and at the beginning of their dwelling not searing the Lord the Lorde sent Lyons among them which slewe them Which thing when it came to Salmanasers cares the King of the Assyrians taking counsell with his Princes and Nobles hee sent thether one of the priestes vvhich he had brought from Samaria to teach them how they should feare the Lord. By whoÌ„ they hauing heard the Law of Moses with a certaine reuerence beganne to worship God yet so that they serued theyr idols also These did the Iewes hate they were despised of them whom they called Samaritans to whom they obiected that they had deuils because vnder idols they worshipped deuils And this thing 〈◊〉 lay de vnto our Sauiour in great reproch that he was a Samaritane and had aedeuill Then a certaine Samaritane Hecre we are fully taught not only who is our neighbour but how we must bestow ourâ—d mes and in what measure First the Samaritane seeing the vvounded mand was moâ—ued with compassions therfore the reis required in vs an affection of mercy where bis we shold thinke other mens distresses to pertaiâ—e euen to our selues The minde mst hee throughly affected and induell with this quality according to that of the Apostle Heb. 13.3 Be mindfull of them that are â—ound as though ye were in bands with them For Paule saith that there are certaine wicked men without naturall affection Rom. 1.30 After the priest and the Leuite came the Samaritane who espying the man that had beene robbed and lay halfe aliue halfe dead and maruelling what the matter was hee drew necre vnto him and perceauing the exes come misery of the man was moued with petty compassion toward this Iewe whereas himselfe was
the Samaritane shewed himselfe the better man For the priest and the Leuit being of the same nation should haue had compassion on the wounded Iewe but they did nothing lesse passing by and regarding not Heere also we learne how few there be that haue mercy on their poore neighbors when of three there was but one that had compassion And such are our times which in steede of mercy exercise cruelty towarde our neighbours Then among three yet there was some mercy found but nowe you shall scarce finde one among a hundred which remembreth releeueth the estate of the poore and distressed as daily experience sheweth Nowe a man may see a great company of poore Lazarus people lie at the church dores all the company passe by neither is there one among twenty that wil turne his eyes vnto the poore so farve off are they from comforting them eyther in words or deedes And most lamentable it is that there be many poore housholders that are eshamed to shew their distresse yet is their estate well knowne of the rich wealthy neighbors which can scarcely find in their harts to talke of them or to be sorry for their necessity And if they be requested to shew releefe to giue somwhat their eares are shut vp and their stony harts cannot relent to heare their pittious moane but as though they heard nothing they dissemble all But if thou wilt not hearken vnto my words haue som regard to gods word Pro. 21 13. Hee that stoppeth his eare at the cry of the poore hee shall also cry and not be heard The which thing the most patient Iob considering with a mercifull heart maketh manifest his godly disposition as a patterne of mercy vnto all chap. 31 16. If I restrained the poore of their desire or haue caused the eyes of the widdow to faile or haue eaten my morsels alone the fatherlesse hath not eaten therof for from my youth he hath growne vp with me as with a father and from my mothers a wombe I haue beene a guide vnto her if I haue seene any perish for want of cloathing or any poore without couering if hi◠〈◊〉 haue not blessed me because heâ— wiâ—â— warmed vvith the fleece of my sheepe If I haue lift vp my hand against the â—â—aâ—hedesse when I sawe that I might helpe him in the gate Let my arme fall from my shoulder my arme be broken from the bone Thirdly we are taught by this example to shew charity and mercy not niggardly but in alarge and plentifull measure for God regardeth a cheerefull giuer This Samaritane had not onely compassion but went to him poured oyle into his wounds bound them vp brought him to an Inne prayed the Host to haue care of him and left money in his Hosts hands Compare this example to the rich man who would not refresh poore Lazarus at his gate yea Lazarus found more mercy of his dogges then of him for they licked his sores But as the one found fauour with God so the other no doubt feeleth eternall torments VVhat is a slender releefe to him which standeth in neede of great succour bring him into thy house and supply his wants if thou wilt not bring him into thy house goe to the poore where they are and shew thy almes as God hath enriched thee This Samaritane was no penny-father no niggard his hands were not shut but most liberally and plentifully did he releeue the wounded man Let this Samaritane be thy example and be it knowne vnto thee that whatsoeuer thou be slowest on the poore thou giuest into the hand of Christ which will recompence it with aduantage For many are his blessings which he hath and may heereafter bestow vpon vs in respect both of our body soule Pinch not thy selfe therefore which surely thou doest when thou dost not help the poore By this Samaritane also we are taught not to be ouer-squemish in beholding the sores wounds of the poore as many too daintily turne their eyes away stop their noses This Samaritane hee handled the poore mans wounds and bound them vp Christ humbled himselfe and healed euery disease among the people and refused not their company Fiftly in giuing our almes we must not consider his Countrey or personage his qualities or deserts that thereby we should with-draw our hand from doing good but onely we must remember he or she is our neighbour as also we must haue an eye to their great wants necessities Many are not willing to giue almes but to their kindred such as they know other some fall into the examination of the liues of the poore whether they be of good or euil behauiour This sheweth mercy not to one of his owne nation but to an enemy Refraine not therefore thy liberality from thy neighbor in his necessity although he haue spoken very badly of thee although he be thy enemy Yea let him be a stranger whoÌ„ thou neuer sawest in thy life before yet coÌ„sider that he is thy neighbour that he is made according to the image likenes of God let that be thy looking glasse help his miserable estate It is the duty of iustice to enquire into other mens faults but the property of mercy is to haue compassion Last of all heereby we are warned not onley to be inwardly affected but also to put to our helping hand Many rich people will take pitty but there-with-all they haue many dolaies and diuers excuses Which now of these three thinkest thou was neighbour vnto him that fell among the theeues And he said He that shewed mercy on him Then said Iesus vnto him Goe doe thou likewise Now Christ coÌ„meth to the application of the parable to answer this learned Doctor And this is the conclusion of the parable where our Sauiour reserueth the waÌ„ightiest matter to the last Shewing that not onely he is our neighbour which may doe vs good but he also that standeth in neede of our helpe Whom we must help not onely in words passionate speeches but also in coÌ„fortable releefe which is acceptable both before God man The more mercifull that any one is the neerer doth he come to the nature of God Delay not thy mercy put so acceptable a work in practise be not slow goe doe thou likewise Titus the Emperor would say that he lost a day when in that day hee had not done one good turne to some man or other Iesus commended this Doctor that he had made a right answer a true mouing him there-with-all that his life should be like and answerable vnto his words that he shold be willing rather to be like to the Samaritane then to the priest or the Leuite who as men liuing to the behoofe of themselues and no more had little or no regard of any other but the Samaritane where by birth and kinde hee was enemie vnto the Iew in charity and loue became his neighbour All the vniuersall progeny
are willed neuer to faint in so godly a worke of charitie Luke 17.4 and alwaies to frame our selues to be mildly and mercifully disposed and that our mindes and harts should be free cleere from hatred and malice This is one sort of forgiuenes all desire of reuenge set apart to loue him that hath offended thee to requite an euill turne with a good althogh wee thinke hardly of him according to his desert Many abuse this doctrine of patience and forgiuenes caring not what hurt they doe because we are bound to forgiue But in this place is meant that they should be sorry for theyr fault confesse and aske forgiuenes Yet many are so stubborne that they will not acknowledge their iniuries but adde now vnto the old how-beit in this case also wee are commaunded to forgiue Another kinde of forgiuenesse it when we so receiue him to mercy that hath offended vs that we thinke well of him are fully perswaded that the remembrance of his sin is forgiuen before God Which is not onely spoken of priuate iniuries but of all other offences Therfore he willeth that they that are fallen should be releeued by our mercifull endeuours This doctrine is very necessary because by nature we are for the most part too austere and sathan sets vs on to this cruell seueritie that they that cannot be forgiuen should be driuen to sadnesse and despaire But heere a question may be made if wee may beleeue others vpon their words wheÌ„ as often-times they breake Where-vnto we answer that when such through theyr leuity inconstancie abuse our patience yet asking forgiuenes wee ought to pardon them with this wisedome that after wee take heede of them and pray to God to mend them acknowledging theyr manifold weakenes and beeing sorry for theÌ„ And because it is a thing in a manner vnpossible to flesh and blood and most hard 〈…〉 drawne to mercy and forgiuenesse especially when the often faults of our brâ—â—heâ— are to be indured that wee are wearied with their manifolde offences therefore the Lord vseth a most fit parable to this purpose Teaching them that are intractable which cannot be intreated in this case that they prouide but badly in theyr owne behalfe because they shal find the like measure at Gods hands This similitude standeth in three comparisons that is the Maister is compared to the seruaunt a great summe to a small debt and Gods wonderfull and vnspeakable mercy to our extreame crueltie All which declare that we farre more grieuously offend God then any brother or enemy or mortall man can offend vs. The seruaunt therefore fell downe The seruant c. and besought him saying Maister appease thy anger toward me c. Heere is the patterne of true instification which requireth that wee shoulde acknowledge our vnwoorthinesse and flie vnto Christ our Mediatour The one is tryall of our repentance the other reacheth 〈◊〉 the height of fayth whereby wee assure our â—â—â—nes of forgiuenes through Christ his merrites Then that seruaunts Maister had compassion and loosed him and forgaue him the debt Heere is declared the order and manner of free iustification namelie that GOD doth freely forgiue vs our sinnes and iustifie vs that is hee reputeth vs as iust and dooth discharge vs from the guilt of sinne for his Sonnes sake and dooth impute vnto vs the righteousnesse merrites and deserts of his Sonne as though we had perfectly in our persons fulfilled the law of God Concerning forgiuenes it is either Ecclesiasticall or ciuill Ecclesiasticall when in the publique congregation by the comfortable tydings of the Gospell eyther priuately or generally we receiue the comfort of forgiuenesse of sinnes Or vvhen vppon the peculiar and particular confession of some one or more with publique prayer the Minister pronounceth pardon Ciuill forgiuenesse is vvhen among our selues we forgiue one another not bearing hatred in our harts for wrongs committed nor yet thirsting after reuenge Some will say we must forgiue one another therefore we must not defende our selues nor seeke redresse But there is a difference betwixt a lawfull defence and priuate reuenge God hath appointed the Magistrate to doe right and equitie After which sort a Christian may defende himselfe as Paule did appealing vnto Caesar Acts. 15. But priuate reuenge which is a desire to hurt proceeding from a wrathful minde is heere forbidden As it is written Rom. 12. Vengeance is mine I wil repay saith the Lord. And sutes of law in matters of extremitie as that must be the last refuge wheÌ„ nothing else will preuaile these sutes of law I say with a godly mind may be followed with charitie Alwaies reseruing our selues to equitie to neighborhood not caring to sit downe by a little losse so that we may recouer our own in any good and indifferent sort But heere it was necessary to be spoken to preuent an obiection that seeing his maister willed him to be sold his wife and children and all that he had payment to be made that some gather here-hence that satisfaction may be made for our sinnes by our part and through our endeuours But the prophet Esay in his 53. chapter declareth other-wise Therefore all of vs being debters in this case are inforced to flie vnto Gods mercy and to craue the release of this our great debt which wee can neuer satisfie Neither doth God alwayes shewe his seueritie at the beginning that wee being compelled should seek for release yea rather by his free mercy offred vnto vs hee dooth preuent vs in this case but onelie in this parable is declared that if God should deale with vs in extremetie what shoulde become of vs. As also if he should exactly require of vs that which wee are indebted vnto him how needfull it were for vs to fall downe vpon our knees and to sue for fauour For this is the onely hope of helpe that sinners haue Therefore the prophet Dauid being oppressed with the great waight and burden of his sinnes cryeth out psalme 143. Enter not into iudgement with thy seruaunt ô Lord for in my sight shall no man liuing be iustified But when the seruaunt was departed he found one of his felowes 2. The ingratitude of the world which owed him an hundred pence and he layde hands on him and tooke him by the throat saying Pay mee that thou owest Heere followeth the crueltie of an vnmercifull hart which shortly after was reuenged vpon it selfe And heere is declared the second matter woorthy of noting in this parable which is the ingratitude of the worlde towards God and theyr vnmercifull disposition towards theyr neighbour VVho woulde haue beene to forgetfull as suddenly when the greatnes of his Maisters benefite was so fresh in his remembrance that his hart could be so cruell toward his fellow seruaunt For surely if any of vs all coulde remember Gods great mercy toward our selues and howe deeply wee are indebted to God we should neuer find in our hartâ—