Lords death til he 〈◊〉 Till he come Declaring hereby that when he is come his death shall bee shewed an other way Namely by his wounds which alwaies he sheweth to his 〈◊〉 Euen as we sing in that heauenly Hymne or Psalme The humble suit of a sinner Whose bloâ—dy wouâ—dâ— are yet to see though not with mortall eye yet doe thy Saints behold them all and so I trust shall I. O how vnspeakeably doe â—he Saints 〈◊〉 how gloriously also shall we triumph when we shall see Christ in his kingdome and behold those blessed wounds of his whereby he hath purchased so many and so great good things for vs This is the new wine which we shall drinke This is the Eucharist of the Angels the food of the Elect the spirit 〈…〉 of the Saints For wheresoeuer the dead bodie is thither shall the eagles refer And we that with eagles wings flie vp by faith into heauen shall euer resort to this dead bodie and we shal vnsatiably desire to feede our eyes and our soules with the sight of Christ who was once dead and euen now hath in his bodie those skarres which continue the memorie of his death that in all eternitie it may neuer be forgotten Thus these heauenly wounds of Christ delight and comfort his friends As the cities of refuge which saue the sinner as the holes of the rock which defend the doue as the shadow of the iuniper tree which reuiueth the wearied as the doore of the Arke which preserueth the world as the lure of the â—oule which calleth home the Shulamite as the pot of Manna which nourisheth the Israelite as the well of Iacob which refresheth the thirstie as the poole of Bethesda which healeth the sicke as the armes of the shepheard which gather his lambs as the wings of the eagle which beare vp her birds So doe the hands and side of Christ comfort his friends As if our Sauiour should say thus to euery one of his friends Can a mother forget her child and not haue compassion on the son of her wombe though they should forget yet would not I forget thee Behold I haue grauen thee vpon the palmes of my hands Here I haue still in my hands that price of thy redemption which I paid for thee so that no man can take thee out of my hands Yea I haue written and sealed thy saluation in my side A speare is the penne my blood is the inke my body is the pâ—per Here thou maist see the bowels of my compassion thorough the wounds of my passion Assure thy selfe therfore assure thy selfe of my loue of my good will of my fauour for euer Make no doubt of it If thou doubt any thing Put thy finger here and see my hands and put forth thy hand and put it into my side and be not faithlesse but faithful So much for the fourth cause which is to comfort his friends You see then blessed Christians you see how these causes of Christs wounds differ one from an other The first cause to approoue his resurrection was but neither is nor shall bee The second cause to appease his Father was and is but shall not be The third cause to confound his enemies neither was nor is but shall be The fourth cause to comfort his friends both was and is and shall be So that Christs wounds did serue to approoue his resurrection onely between his resurrection and his ascension doe serue to appease his Father onely between his ascension and his second comming shall serue to confound his enemies onely at the day of iudgement did doe and shall serue to comfort his friends for euer Wherfore though wee be neuer so great sinners yet let vs neuer despaire of the grace and mercie of Christ. His hands are still stretched out to embrace vs his side is alwaies open to receiue vs. Therefore let vs creepe low and come humbly to him that wee may with the woman in the Gospel touch but the hemme of his garment nay that we may with S. Iohn leane vpon his blessed bosome yea that we may with S. Thomas in this place put our fingers into his hands and our hands into his side And euen as Constantine the great vsed to kisse that eye of Paphnutius which was boared out in Maximinus time and the Iayler in the Acts washed S. Pauls stripes and vvoundâ— so let vs kisse the Sonne least he bee angry and honour his holy vvounds vvich are the precious 〈◊〉 vvherevvith he hath healed vs and restored vs to euerlasting life To the vvhich vve beseech thee O good Lord to bring vs not for our ovvne deferrs or merits but for the tender bovvels of Christ Iesus loue and mercie tovvard vs to vvhom vvith the Father and the holy Ghost bee all honour and praise both novv and for euermore Amen FINIS MATTH 5. V. 19. He that both doeth and teacheth the same shall be called great in the kingdome of heauen BEloued in our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ It is a verie monstrous thing that any man should haue more tongues then handâ— For God hath giuen vs two hands and but one tongue that we might doe much and say but little Yet many say so much and do so little as though they had two tongues and but one hand nay three tongues and neuer a hand Insomuch as that may be aptly applied to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Pandulphus said to some in his time You say much but you doe little you say well but you doe ill againe you doe little but you say much you doe ill but you say well Such as these which do either worse then they teach or else lesse then they teach teaching others to doe well and to do much but doing no whit themselues may be resembled to diuerse things To a wherstone which being blunt it selfe makes a knife sharpe To a painter which being deformed himselfe makes a picture faire To a signe which beeing weather-beaten and hanging without it selfe directs passengers into the Inne To a bell which beeing deafe and hearing not it selfe calls the people into the Church to heare To a nightingale which beeing restles and sitting vpon a thorne her selfe brings others by her singing into a sweete sleâ—pe To a goldsmith which beeing beggerly and hauing not one peice of plate to vse himselfe hath store for others which he shewes and sells in his shoppe Lastly to a ridiculous actor in the citie of Smyrna which pronouncing ô coelum O heauen pointed with his finger toward the ground which when Polemo the cheifest man in the place sawe he could abide to stay no longer but went from the company in a chase saying This â—oole hath made a solecisme with his haâ—â—â— hee hath spoken false Latine wâ—â—â— his hand Such are all they which teach one thing and do another which teach well and doe ill They are like a blunt wheâ—stone a deformed painter a weather-beaten signe a deafe bell a restles nightingale a beggerly
the flowers that hee did smell the pearles which he did look vpon the gold that he did tread vpon all these serued for his delight and ioy Afterward when sentence had proceeded against the man that hee should haue sorrow about the fruit of the earth against the woman that she should haue sorrow about the fruit of her wombe yet it pleased God to asswage and sweeten these our sorrowes with diuers singular comforts as first we haue the holy spirit who is the onely comforter Next a good conscience which is a continuall feast Then the holy scripture which is as it were another paradise Lastly an vnfalued faith by which we haue peace with GOD. Therefore Athenagoras o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 t. de Resur mor. sayeâ— well I count that they haue no spirit no conscience no scripture no faith in them which yeeld to too much griefe And Hierome yet more vehemently p Detestande sunt istae lachrymae quae non habent modum I do from my heart detest all excessiue sorrow seeing it is a very hell vpon earth and an entrance euen in this life into that wofull place where there is nothing but weeping and gnashing of teeth Wherefore immoderate weeping is condemned in nature which teacheth all things in reason which teacheth all men in religion which teacheth all Christians That wee must not weepe too much Thus much of weeping too much which is the first part WEEPE NOT. WEEPE NOT FOR MEE BVT WEEPE FOR YOVR SELVES NOW a little of weeping too little which is the second part But weepe They to whom Christ here speaketh offended in the excesse Therefore hee beginneth thus weepe not But I may well shift the words and begin thus But weep For we offend commonly in the want of weeping seldome in the excesse The reason is because we lacke loue which being three fold towards our selues towards our neighbour towards God the greatest worke of loue towards our selues is Repentance towards our neighbour is Preaching towards God is Prayer And all these require some teares So that it wee weepe so little as that we weepe not at all wee weepe too little Which we must not doe For first touching Repentance one sayes truly q Hoc ipso sunt maiores tumores quò minores dolores The lesser our sorrowes are the greater are our sins But on the other side the heads of dragons are broken in the waters r Psa 74.13 that is very strong and vile sinnes are weakened and washt away with teares That obligation which was against vs s Coloss. 2.14 before it had been fastned to the crosse of Christ was ingrossed in parchmeÌ„t Now it is but scribled in paper So that if wee blur it daily with weeping vpon it our teares will be like aqua fortis to take out the hand-writing quite and cleane that God shall neither reade nor see our sins When Alexander had reade a long and tedious Epistle written to him by Antipater wherein were diuers accusations against his mother Olympias What saies he me thinkes Antipater knoweth not that one little teare of a mother will easily blot out many Epistles * Ignorare videtur Antipater quòd vna matriâ— lachryma multas delebit â—â—istolas And certainely the teares not onely of Gods mother but euen of euery child of God wil much more easily blot out the memory of many sinnes though they were before like the sinnes of Iuda written with a pen of yron and grauen with the poynt of a Diamond * Ierem. 17.1 Therefore sayth Alcuinus t Lauandum est cor poenitentia lachrymis we must wash our hearts in the troubled poole of Bethesda u Iohn 5.2 in the troubled teares of repentance For as in a well except there be some water in it we cannot easily see the baggage that lieth in the bottom so in the depth of the heart without teares we cannot see our sinnes Teares make our sins not seene and seene Not seene to God and seene to vs. God not seeing them forgiues them and vve seeing them amend them Pliny vvriteth that the teares of vine-branches doe cure the leprosie x l. 23. initio And so the teares of those vine-branches vvhich are grafted into the true vine doe cure the leprosie of sinne S. Austin witnesseth that the Eagle feeling his vvings heauy plungeth them in a fountaine and so reneweth his strength y Commen in Psal. 103. After the same sort a Christian feeling the heauy burthen of his sins batheth himselfe in a fountaine of teares and so vvashing off the old man vvhich is the body of sinne is made young againe and lustie as an Eagle That sinful vvoman z Luke 7.44 because shee loued much therefore shee vvashed Christs feete vvith her teareâ— A strange sight I haue oftentimes seene the heauen vvash the earth but I neuer before saw the earth vvash the heauen yet here I see it An earthly and a sinfull woman washeth the heauenly feet of Christ. But because shee washt Christs feete with her teares therefore Christ crowned her head with his mercies The prodigall childe had no sooner returned home by vveeping crosse as vve say and cryed peccani but straight-wayes he was receiued Lo yee what force there is in three syllable a Quantum valent tres syllabae Ambrosius For God hearing a sinner in true contrition vtter but this one word of three syllables peccani I haue sinned b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost. Hom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is so in a manner charmed and inchaunted with it that he hath no power ouer himselfe he cannot but grant remission Saint Peter likewise though he were an old man in years yet he vvas a very child a prodigall child in weeping And as his faith vvas so great that he lept into a sea of vvaters to come to Christ so his repentance vvas so great that he lept into a sea of teares vvhen he vvent from Christ. Hee wept so bitterly as Clemens Romanus testifieth that there vvere gutters and furrowes in his face made vvith those teares vvhich trickled downe his cheekes And therefore sayes Cyril c Locum flendâ— recepit quem negando perdiderat in Leuiticum lib. 16. he recouered that place by bevvailing his offence vvhich he had lost by denying his master For sayth Nazianzen d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God is more mercifull then man can bee sinnfull if he vvill be sorrowfull Wherefore vve may see by these examples of the sinfull vvoman of the prodigall child of S. Peter that weeping doth especially recommend our repentance that we may purchase our pardon Touching Preaching the voyce of a Preacher ought to be the voyce of a cryer which should not pipe to make the people daunce but mourne to make them weepe Hence it is that in the old law e Leuit. 21.20 none that was blinde or had any blemish in his eye might serue at the Altar
glory and credit to Christ then vvas the creation of the vvhole vvorld q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—ecume in c. 2. ad Heb. For if God had created a thousand worlde man had defaced them euery one with his sin But to saue if it be but one poore soule and to redeeme it from the pit of hell this indeed is the omnipotent power of the crosse of Christ. Sweet Sauiour I humbly embrace and kisse the wounds of thy hands and feet I esteeme more of thine Hysope thy Reed thy Spunge thy Speare then of any Princely Diademe I boast my selfe and am more proud of thy thornes and nailes then of all pearles and iewels I account thy crosse more splendent and glorious then any royall crowne tush what talke I of a crowne then the very golden sun-beams in their greatest beauty brightnesse This is that triumph vvhereby Christ caused vs to triumph in himselfe and to bee more then Conquerours r 2 Cor. 2.4 vvhen as the goodnesse and the sweetnes of Christ did triumph ouer all impietie and malice s Cum de impietate malitia suauitas piâ—asque triumphauit Cyp. And therfore if the women met Dauid playing and singing Saul hath slaine his thousand and Dauid his ten thousand how much more then ought all the sonâ— and daughters of Ierusalem all Christian men and women to meet Christ playing vpon the harpe and singing that new song to the lambe with the foure and twenty elders Thou art worthy to receiue glory and honour and power because thou wast killed and yet thou hast killed and slaine not onely a thousand or ten thousand but euen all thine and our enemies and hast redeemed vs thy friends to God by thy bloud There is a time to weepe and a time to laugh a time to mourne and a time to daunce t Eccle. 3. v. 4. Why art thou then so heauie O my soule and why art thou so disquieted within me What man plucke vp a good heart trust in God thinke vpon the honourable passion and gladsome resurrection of Christ And then though thou wert neuer so much afflicted yet euen in the fiery furnace of affliction reioyce with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious Dance now not as Herodias did but as Dauid did Leape vp in affection as high as heauen where thou shalt heare one rapt vp to the third heauen saying to himselfe God forbid that I should reioyce reioyce in any thing but in the crosse of Christ and to vs Reioyce in the Lord alwaies and againe I say reioyce And againe and againe I say reioyce and reioyce alwayes in the Lord. Especially at this time For if when the matter was in doubt and no man almost knew to what passe these troubles would sort in the end and very few in the Church no not the Apostles but only the Virgin Mary did vnderstand and beleeue the resurrection of Christ yet then our Sauiour said Weepe not for mee how much more now ought vvee not to vveepe but to reioyce seeing our Lord hath so mightily declared himselfe to be the sonne of God u Rom. 1.4 by raising vp his owne selfe from the dead And if vvee might not weepe when Iacob went ouer Iordan with nothing but his staffe in his hand x Gen. 31.18 then much more now ought wee to lift vp our hearts in great ioy to God and say O Lord we are not worthy of the least of all thy mercies for our blessed Redeemer went ouer Iordan with nothing but his crosse which is his Iacobs staffe * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Damascen l. 4. cap. 88. vpon his shoulder but now hee is returned againe with two great troupes O what a great troupe what a goodly flocke is here We with all the Militant Church are one flocke of Christ And the other flocke is the triumphant Church in Heauen with whom wee must continually reioyce for the victory and the saluation which Christ hath shewed vs this day For though on Good Friday towards euening the skie was redde all ouer coloured and distained with the bloud of Christ y Math. 16.2 yet laudes bee to our Lord O praised bee GOD that was a good signe this day it is faire weather The winter is now past the raine is changed and gone the flowers appeare in the earth the time of the singing of birds is come and the voyce of the Turtle is heard in our Land z Cant. 2.11 And what saith the Turtle Euen as it is here Weepe not for mee Weepe not for mee but weepe for your selues but weepe for your selues Pindarus reporteth there was an opinion of the Citie of Rhodes that gold rained downe vpon it a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ode T. If euer gold did raine downe from heauen vpon any Citie I thinke it is rather this Citie then Rhodes not onely for aboundance of gold and worldly riches wherewith it is replenished but also much more for infinite spirituall gifts and golden graceâ— of God O London London excellent things are spoken of thee O thou Citie of God! It is spoken of thee that thou employest a great part of thy wealth to the reliefe of poore Orphans of poore Souldiers of poore Schollers It is spoken of thee that thou dost reuerence religion and loue the truth more then any part of this Realme doth besides It is spoken of thee that none are more obedient none more ready then thou art both with body and goods to defend the state It is spoken of thee that thou art so famous in all forraine â—ountries that as Athens was called the Greece of Greece b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athenaeus l. 5. so London is called the England of England And wee may almost as well say that all England is in London as that all London is in England These are excellent things I assure you beloued excellent things indeed Wherefore wee which haue receiued so many singular graces of God should aboue all other be thankefull for them And not onely one or some few but euen all of vs should bring forth good fruits answerable to such great mercies Well would to God it were so But certainly it is not so Certainly all among vs all are not pure corne there are many tares all are not good fishes there are many bad all are not wise virgins there are many foolish all are not sheepe there are many goates Yet to inueigh particularly against the sinnes of this citie which should make vs weep for our selues I thinke it not greatly conuenient at this time Onely I beseech you that we may trie and examine our selues that wee may enter into our owne consciences euery one of vs humbly bowing the knees of his heart and saying in this sort O Lord Iesus how haue I bestowed all those talents of gold which thou hast giuen me how haue I required thee for all thy kindnesse towards me what hath my whole life beene else but a continuall warting
possibilitie and performance I also among the rest haue taken occasion humbly to dedicate vnto your Maiesty such a poore present as I had in a readinesse Assuring myselfe that as none are more familiar with God then godly Kings so no treâ—tises can bee more welcome to godly Kings then such as may draw them into greatest familiaritie with God And I doubt not but that your Highnes hauing hitherto had your hearts desires giuen you because you haue delighted in the Lord will hereafter if it bee possible much more delight in the Lord that he may yet giue you more desires of your heart Nay I am so farre from doubting of this that I dare be bold to conclude with the Psalmist The King shall reioyce in thy strength Psal. 21.11 O Lord exceeding glad shall hee bee of thy saluation Thou hast giuen him his hearts desire and hast not denied him the request of his lippes For thou shalt preuent him with the blessings of goodnes shalt set a crowne of pure gold vpon his head His honour is great in thy saluation glory and great worship shalt thou lay vpon him For thou shalt giue him euerlasting felicitie and make him glad with the ioy of thy countenance And why because the King putteth his trust in the Lord and in the mercie of the most high he shall not miscarie Your Maiesties most humble deuoted and obedient subiect THOMAS PLAYFERE THE TEXT Delight thy selfe in the Lord he shall giue thee the desires of the heart PSAL. 37. VER 4. SAint Iohn saies in one place Loue not the World nor the things of this World if any man loue the World the loue of God is not in him So may I say delight not in the world nor in the thinges of this world if any man delight himselfe in the world hee cannot delight himselfe in the Lord Therfore sayth Martial an auncient Bishop a Quid ad nos delectatio mundâ—â— Epist ad Tolos c. 18. What haue wee to doe with the delight of the World You may call it as you will pleasure if you will pastime if you will mirth if you will gladnesse if you will ioy if you wil but in Gods Dictionarie it hath no such name In the holy Scripture it in other wise called It is called Adams goodly apple which being eaten depriued him of Paradise Esaus red broth which being supt vp bereaued him of his birth-right Ionathans sweet honey combe which being but tasted was like to cost him his life the whore of Babylons golden cup which filled her full of all abhominations the traytour Iudas sugred sop which made a way for the diuell to enter into him the prodigall childs wash of 〈◊〉 which he most miserably swilled vp with the swine This is all the delight of the world called in Gods dictionarie which is the holy Scripture It is called Adams apple Esaus broth Ionathans combe Babylons cuppe Iudaâ—s sop the prodigall childs swill So that all this delight is no delight Or suppose it were yet certâ—â—â—ly it shall not giue thee the desires of thy heart Nay it shall bee so farre from â—â—â—â—â—ding thee those ioyes which thy 〈◊〉 most desireth that it shal bring thâ—e those torments which thy heart most abhoâ—â—reth It may saith Chrysostome b Voluptate ad tempus fruere affligere in eternum delight thee perhaps for a while but 〈…〉 torment thee for euer As any solide body though it haue neuer so fayre a colour as crimson or carnation or purple or skarlet or violet or such like yet alwayes the shadow of it is blacke so any earthly thing though it haue neuer so fayre a shew yet alwaies the shadow of it is black and the delight thou takest in it shall proue to bee grieuous in the end Therfore Philo calleth it a sweete bitter thing As that little booke in the Reuelation was sweet in the mouth but bitter in the bellie so all worldly delight is a sweet bitter thing sweet in the beginning but bitter in the ending Which they of Ierusalem had experience of For being giuen to transitorie pleasure they are d LameÌ„ 3.15 sayde to be made drunken with wormewood Now we know that drunkennesse is sweete but wormewood is bitter And such a sweet bitter thing such a drunkennesse of wormewood is all the drunken delight of the world So that as one said e Ruth 1.10 Call me not Naomie but call me Mara call me not sweet but call mee bitter so must we call worldly delight not Naomie but Mara because it is nothing so much Naomie sweete and pleasant at the first as it is Mara and Amara bitter loathsome at the last Like to a song of the Syrenâ— which are mentioned in the Prophecie of f Chap. 13. v. 22. Esay A Syren is a monster of the sea the head whereof resemblâ—â—â— a virgin but the feete a fish And such a monster is all worldly delight the 〈◊〉 whereof the beginningâ— allureth 〈◊〉 amiable virgin but the feete the 〈◊〉 deuooreth vs as a rauenous fish Tâ—â—â—fore aâ— Vlisses sâ—ooâ— his eares and 〈◊〉 himselfe to the most of the ship 〈…〉 might not heare the Syrens song 〈…〉 we stoppe our eares and 〈…〉 the voyce of these charming 〈◊〉 charm they and sing they neuer 〈…〉 ly yea we must binde our sel 〈…〉 mast of the shippe that is to the 〈◊〉 of Christ g Side Vlysse illo refert fabula quod cum arboris religatio de periculo liberauit quanto magis crutis arbor c. Ambr serm 55. euery one of vs saying 〈◊〉 our heauenly Vlysses God forbid that I should delight in any thing but is the crosse of Christ by which the 〈…〉 crucified vnto me and I vnto the 〈◊〉 For the world and all worldly 〈…〉 likened to a hedgehogge h Esa. 14.23 A 〈…〉 hog seemes to bee but a poore 〈…〉 ture not likely to doe any 〈…〉 yet indued it is full of bristles or prickâ—â—â— wherby it may annoy a maÌ„ very 〈◊〉 So worldly delight seeme to bee little or nothing dangerous at the first yet afterward as with bristles or pricks it peaceth through the very conscience with vntollerable paines Therefore wee must deale with this delight as a man would handle a hedge hogge The safest way to handle a hedge hogge is to take him by the heele So must we deale with this delight As Iacob tooke Esau that rough hedge hogge by the hele in like sort wee must take worldly delights not by the head but by the heele considering not the beginning but the ending of it that so wee may neuer be deceiued by it For though it haue a faire shewe at the first yet it hath a blacke shadowe at the last though it be sweet at the first yet it is bitter at the last though it bee drunkennes at the first yet it is worm wood at the last though it bee Naomie at the first yet it is Mara at the last though
also heare vs before we crie and will helpe vs. And that which is most admirable of all though it were a thing which once he purposed neuer to giue vs yet if we aske it he will reuerse repeale his owne sentence to pleasure vs. God once repented him that hee had made man and said I will destroy man whom I haue made from the face of the earth yet when Noah had built an altar and praied to God b Gen. 8.22 The Lord smelled a fauour of rest and said in his heart I will not henceforth curse the earth any more for mans cause God once was so displeased with his people that he said flatly c Noâ— addam vltra vt liberim vos I tel you truly I will deliuer you no more Yet wheÌ„ they asked a deliuerer of him his verie soule was grieued within him for the misery of Israel and he gaue them Iephte to deliuer them from their enemies d Iudg. 10.16 God once sent Nathan with this message to Dauid As the Lord liueth the man that hath done this thing shall surely die yet when Dauid had asked forgiuenesse and saide Haue mercy vpon me O Lord after thy great goodnesse according to the multitude of thy mercies doe away mine offences God sent the same prophet with a contrarie message e 2. Sam. 12.13 The Lord hath taken away thy sinne thou shalt not die God once sent Esay with this message to Ezechias Set thy house in order for thou shalt die and not liue yet when Ezechias had turned him toward the wal and wept and praied said O Lord remember howe I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart God sent the same prophet with a contrarie message f 2. Reg. 20â—6 Thus saith the Lord I haue heard thy praiers and thy teâ—â—â—â— and now behold thou shalt liue and not die Then did the king reioyâ— in thy strength O Lord exceeding glad was hee of thy saluation For thou didst graunt him his owne desire and didst not deny him the request of his lips Hee asked life of thee and thou gauest him a longer life euen fifteene yeeres longer As also here thou doest promise vs both for this life and for all temporall things concerning this yea though it bee a thing which once thou hadst purposed neuer to giue vs Aske and it shall be giuen you Yea not onely God will giue you temporall things but also you shall find spirituall things Yet the Church sayes g Can. 3.1 I sought him whome my soule loued I sought him and I found him not But the reason goes before because shee fought him in her bed she sought him not with her heart My soule looeth him sayes she yet at that time her heart loued her bed better Therefore sayes Augustine h Quarite quod quaritis sed non vbi quaritis Seeks what you seeke but seeke not where you seeke Seeke Christ that 's a good what Seeke what you seeke But seeke him not in bed That is an il where But seeke not where you seeke Moses found Christ not in a soft bed but in a bramble bush So that the bed is no fitte place to finde him in who had not where to rest himselfe But go into the garden among the humble bushes and there you shall finde him not sleeping but sweating droppes of blood for your redemption and calling you to him i Math. 11.29 Come vnto mee all you that labour not you that lye a bed and are secure but you that labour and are heauy laden and I will refresh you Take my yoke vpon you and you shall finde rest for your soules If you seeke rest with your hearts with your soules you shall find rest for your soules and that rest also which is not to be found in the bed of pleasure but in the yoke of Christ. If thou seekest for this spirituall rest as for siluer and search for it as for treasures k Prou. 2.5 then shalt thou vnderstand the feare of the Lord find the knowledge of God Therefore seeke the Lord not in the bed of sensuality but where he may be found And seeke the Lord while hee may bee found l Esay 55.6 Or rather indeed though not in what place soeuer yet at what time so euer wee sinners seeke we shall be sure to finde him that sayes I am found of them that sought mee not m Esa. 65.1 So that no 〈◊〉 seeking God shall returne with a Non oâ—t inuentus but we that haue erred and 〈◊〉 ed like lost sheepe shall find him or â—â—â—ther we shall bee found of him before we seeke him And that which is most wonderfull of all we shall not onely finde oftentimes before wee seeke but also we shall finde much more then wee seeke That good Centurion n Math. 8.8 sought only one word Dis verbu 〈…〉 sayes he but he found more Christ vttered not onely one word whereby his seruant was healed But also very many words wherein hee gaue him selfe a most singular praise and commendation for his faith Dymas the thiefe on the right hand o Luk. 23.42 sought onely to bee reâ—â—mbâ—ed when Christ should come into his kingdome but he found more What takest thou of beeing remembred sayes Christ as though thou shouldest be farre â—â—mme out of my sight Tush man I will doe more for theâ— then so Thou hast not onely bee remembred but thou shalt be with me And why saies thou wheÌ„ I come into my kingdome as though it would be a long while first This very day shalt thou be with me in my kingdom this day thou shalt be with mee in Paradise That needy man in the Gospel p Luk. 11 19 sought onely to borrow three loaues but he fouÌ„d more God his good friend bad him welcom at midnight and did not only lend him but frankely and freely giue him not onely three loaues but as many as he needed Hee gaue him as many as he needed 〈◊〉 q 2. Cro. 1.1 sought onely wisedome but he found more Seeing he sought first the kingdom of God and the righteousnesse thereof all other things besides were added vnto him Wherefore if any man want wisdome or any such spirituall thing let him with Sâ—lomon seeke it for God and hee shal finde it Yea we shall finde infinitely about measure more then we seeke or can deuise to seeke of him that saies Seeke and ye shall find Yea not onely you shall finde spirituall things but also it shal be opened vnto you thatâ— for eternall things yet we read that some began to knocke saying r Luc. 12.24 Lord Lord open vnto vs and it was not opened vnto them But the reason is euident elsewhere Because they did not knock with their hands They had I grant Lampes in their haÌ„ds but they had not oyle in their lampes So that all their knocking 〈◊〉 but as a sounding brasse or as a
〈◊〉 tho◠〈◊〉 forgiue him Therefore as I am boâ—â—dâ— to forgiue my brother in deâ—d though hee doâ— not â—â—ke me forgiuenes but I am not bound to goe to him and tell him I forgiue him except he first come to 〈◊〉 and tell me He repents but if he doe 〈◊〉 then am I boâ—nd also to tell him I forgiue him so the Lord though in the gracious degree of his fatherly adoption he haue sealed vp the remission of all our sinnes yet he doth not open the bagge shewâ— the treasures of his mercie 〈…〉 ward in it till he see vs become new 〈◊〉 For then he hath bound himselfe by his loâ—ing promise and hath giuen vs his word that he will forgiue vs our sinne At what time soeuer a sinner repenteth saith â—e z Ezec. 18.21 and watereth his Couch with his teares I will remember his iniquities no more Naaman the Syrian was willed 〈◊〉 wash himselfe seauen times in 〈◊〉 52 2. Reg. 5.10 VVhy seuen times was not 〈◊〉 time enough Yes surely For him it was enough but not for vs. For that was done rather for our example then for his benefite Seeing his malady was onely a leprosie but our soule is leprous with sinne And therefore if hee for one leprosie washt himselfe seauen times how much more ought wee euery time we sin to be sorry for it and if wee doe not wash our selues seauen times for one sinne yet at the least wise to wash our selues seauen times for seauen sinnes seeing the most iust of vs all as Salomon witnesseth a Prou. 24.16 may seauen times fall in one day Or rather many men in the world haue not onely seauen deadly sinnes but euen seauen diuels in them b Luk. 8.2 which they can no waies wash out but by bitter weeping and watering their couch with their teares To the angel of Ephesus thusâ— saith the spirit 53 Reu. 2.5 Remember from whence thou art fallen and repent and doe the first workes or else I will remooue thy candle sticke out of his place So that if wee let our sinne stand still our candle-sticke shall be remoued but if we would haue our candle sticke stand still our sinne must be remoued We must repent and doe the first workes not those which wee must repent of but those which wee are fallen from Wonderfull are the words of the Apostle God hath committed the worde of reconciliation vnto vs therefore wee are Christs embassadoâ—rs and God entreating you as it were by vs wee beseech you in the name of Christ that you would be recoÌ„ciled to God 54 2 Cor. 5.20 What may some man say were not the Corinthians reconciled alreadie wherefore then is the Apostle so earnest about nothing I but they doe not vnderstand the Apostle which make this obiection Hee knew wel enough they were reconciled before But he knew as well the best of vs all can not stande in Gods fauour one minute of an hower without a good mediatour For since our first reconciliation to God we haue so often offended his maiestie that if wee doe not plie him with humble supplications and daily petitions and hearty repentance and vnfained teares he and wee cannot possibly bee friends And therefore the Apostle calles vpon the Corinthians so earnestly and cries to them and saies Take heede Feare God Offend him not Yee can gette nothing by falling out with him But in case you haue beene ouertaken with any sinne c Gal. 6.1 ye haue an aduocate with the father d 1 Ioh. 2.1 Fly vnto him for succour If you be wise bee reconciled to God as soone as you can God entreateth you O mercifull Lord doest thou sue seeke to vs and is there any thing in the world that wee can pleasure thee in can our goodnesse reach vnto thee e Psalm 16.2 and doest thou entreat vs yee saies hee God entreateth you and we his ambassadours in the name of Iesus Christ beseech you that you would be reconciled to God Be reconciled â—o God and though you haue offended him neuer so much hee will bee reconciled to you Assure your selues you may lay your life of it hee will presently turne vnto you if you in true repentance will turne vnto him and water your couch with your teares For so this our Prophet did no sooner confesse his fault but Nathan proclaimed his pardon 55 2. Sam. 12 13. Whereupon hee himselfe also hath these wordes 56 Psal. 32.5 I saide I will confesse my wickednesse vnto the Lord thou forgauest the iniquity of my sin As the Lionesse hauing bin false to the Lyon by going to a Libard and the Storke coÌ„forting with any other besides her owne mate wash themselues before they dare returneÌ„ home in like manner the prophet here before he can be reconciled to God after this great breach by adulterie and murther f 2 Sam. 11.4 and 15. is faine to wash his bed and to water his couch with his teares But here a question may arise If the faithfull be subiect neither to eternal condemnation when they doe sinne not yet to final impenetency when they haue sinned what neede they at all either auoide sinne for which they shall not be condemned or else hasten their repentance of which they shall not bee depriued This question consisteth of two parts The one touching condemnation the other touching impenitency To the former part I say as before Though there be sin in them yet there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus g Rom 8.1 But how this is no thankes to them that sin thereby making themselues guilty of sin as much as in them lieth subiect also to condemnation for the same but onely to God who wrappeth vp all the sinnes of his children in the bowels of his deare sonne that they appeare not in his sight to condemne them either in this world or in the world to come As Shew went backwarde and couered his fathers nakednes h Gen. 9.23 so God casteth our sinnes behind his backe and doth not impute them to vs. Howbeit though condemnation neede not be feared yet there are reasons enough besides to perswade all those to hate sinne that loue God One is because God doth vsually withdraw the outward signs of his â—â—â—our from them which forget their duty towards him The whole booke of Iob is proofe sufficient Especially in one place i Iob. 7.20 he saith I haue sinned what shall I do vnto thee O thou preseruer of men why hast thou set me as a marke against thee so that I am a burden to my selfe And Dauid k Psal. 44.24 Why standest thou so farre off O Lord and hidest thy selfe in the needfull time of trouble For as Ioseph made himselfe strange to his Brethren and spake vnto them roughly l Gen. 42.7.3 though he loued them wel enough euen so the Lord though he take not his mercie from his children yet
pâ—tius vnum minutuâ—â— voluntatem meâ—â—◠〈◊〉 dabo illâ—â— ad voluâ—tatem illius qui tantus tantillum tantis beneficiis praeuâ—niâ— qui tâ—tâ— se totum me comparaâ—it Berâ— serm de Quadruplici Debito p. 100. that hauing nothing to offer but the widowes â— mites nay a great 〈◊〉 les then 2. mites I mean my bodie my soule or rather I haue but onlie one 〈◊〉 to offer only my good wil which I 〈◊〉 henceforth conforme to his wil whâ— being rich becâ—me poore for me and 〈◊〉 his bodie soule to redeem my bodie soule from death But now seing 〈…〉 almost as often sinned wilfully as either of ignorance or infirmitie what manner of men ought we to be in humbling our selues vnder Gods mightie hand f 1. Pet. 5.6 in iudging condemning our selues g 1 Cor. 11.31 in repenting as hartely as wee sinned haynously in washing our bed watring our couch wiâ—h our teares Euen this our Prophet sheweth also very good euideÌ„ce for this same doctrine els where Haue mercy vpon me O Lord saies he after thy great goodnes according to the multitude of thy mercies doe away mine offences Wash me throughly froÌ„ my wickednes cleanse me froÌ„ my sin 66 Psal. 52.2 The goodnes of God is alwaies like it selfe neither great nor little but absolutely infinite Therfore it is neuer a whitthe greater for our couÌ„ting it not little nor neuer a whit the lesse for our couÌ„ting is not great but though wee count it great yet it is stil as litle as it should be though we count it little yet it is still as great as it can bee So that the Psalmist in tearming Gods goodnes great setteth foorth the greatnesse rather of his owne badnes then of Gods goodnes confessing his owne sinne indeede to bee great and so consequently Gods goodnesse likewise to bee great but yet in this respect only not because it can take any encrease of greatnes into it selfe but because it can giue increase of gladnes to him who for a great sin is almost ouerwhelmed with as great a griefe The same may be saide of Gods mercies that they are neither many nor fewe but as his goodnes is incoÌ„prehensible so his mercies are innumerable Neuerthelesse the Prophet sticks not to say According to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences As if hee should haue said According to thy mercies doe away the multitude of mine offences The multitude then to speake properly is not of Gods mercies but of mine offeÌ„ces yet seeing the mercies of God are as many as all mine offences nay a great manie moâ—e then all the offences of al the world therfore hee mentions a multitude of Gods mercies Because nothing can asswage the multitude of sorrowes which arise in my heart h Psal. 94.19 for the multitude of my offences but the multitude of Gods mercies The multitude of mine offences 〈◊〉 king indeede as on Gods behalfe a multitude of mercies so on my behalfe multitude of teares And therfore he 〈…〉 wash me throughly or as it is in the latin translation 67 Amplius laua me wash me yet more Wash me and wash me and yet more againe againe wash me throughly from my wickednes cleanse me from my sin For euen as a vessel that hath bin tainted with poison or some infections liquor will not be cleane with once washing but must be often scalded throughly washed before it will be sweet so hauing heretofore possessed my vessell in impuritie i 1 Thes. 4.4 though I now wash me with niter and take mâ—e much I sope yet mine own vncleannes is â—â—ill marked before thee k Ier. 2.22 onely thou O Lord canst wash me throughlie who â—n grieued throughlie because I haue beene throughlie defiled And indeed though I cannot wash my selfe throughlie yet I am sure thou hast washt me thoroughlie because I haue repented me thoroughlie I haue mingled my drinke with weeping l Psal. 102.10 and my teares haue bin my meate day night m Psal. 42.4 nay Euerie night I wash my bed and water my Couch with my teares It is a cleare case then that a great act of sin must be bewailed with a great act of repentance For the raising of Lazaâ—â—s which hath been dead foure daies requireth the greatest growing and â—â—â—ping the greater sinne as of the Priest or voluÌ„tary or such like requireth the greater sacrifice if I haue coÌ„mitted great wickednes except I shew great repentance I cannot obtaine great mercie if I haue bin throughly defiled except I be throughly washed I cannot be throughly 〈◊〉 And therefore the holy Prophet that â—e may obtaine great mercy that he â—ay be throughlie washed saith here Eâ—â—rie night I wash my bed and water my coâ—ch with my teares To returne then where I left and so 〈◊〉 make an end S. Austins two compâ—risons of 〈…〉 of teares and of a floude of teares may seeme to some verie incredible much more these three amplifications of the Prophet Dauid Especially if we read these words as I haue noted they are in the Hebrew Euerie night I cause my bed to swim and I melt my couch with my teares But howsoeuer they may seeme to be they are I graunt very hyperbolicall yet so as the meaning of them is plain â—â—ough As if he should haue said I do◠〈◊〉 indeed cause my bed to swim in showâ—â—â— of teares neither doe I melt my Couch with floudes of teares but yet if euer anie man had done so or if it were possible any man could do so then my repentance is so great my tears so aboundant 〈◊〉 I thinke verily whosoeuer is one I 〈◊〉 be an other which should cause my bâ—d to swim my couch to melt seeing â— Eueâ—iâ— night I wash my bed water my couch with my teares Therefore they which can gather no good meaâ—ing out of these words do consider neither how â—â—â—â—efull the wrath indignatioÌ„ of God is 〈…〉 how horrible is the sense of sin 〈…〉 n Relata adse magnitudine aâ—is alicui quaÌ„ quidamâ— eques Romanus dum vixit celauerat culcitram emi cubicularem in cius anxime sic hi iussit of whome I spake before hearing of them talk in hiâ— court what a huge sum of money a certaine Knight in 〈◊〉 owed at his death 〈◊〉 that all his goodâ— were to be solde to make paymentâ— of his debts coÌ„maunded the master of 〈◊〉 wardrobe to buy for him that â—ed wherein this knight vsed to lie For sais he 68 Et praeceptum muraÌ„tibus hanc rationem reddidit Habenda est ad sâ—mmum culcitra in qua ille cum caâ—â—um deberes dormire pâ—tuit Macrob. Satur. l. 2. c. 4 if I cannot sleepe soundly in that bed wherin he could sleepe that owed so much theÌ„ surelie I shal sleepe in none If this famous Emperor thought it a matter almost vnpossible for him to sleepe quietly
in his bed which was so deepely in debt what would he haue said If Christ who was born in his time had bin bred in his hart o Gal. 4.19 I meane if hee had seene by the light of Godâ— word that no debts are comparable to sins And therefore if that poâ—â— Knight could hardly sleepe in his bâ—dde then that seruaÌ„t which oâ—eth his mâ—steâ— ten thousand 〈◊〉 p Math. 18.24 as alas which of vs all beloued if we remember our 〈◊〉 well is not guiltie of so many sinnes caâ— hardly take any rest This if the Emperour had knowne hee would rather 〈◊〉 bought Dauids couch that he might 〈◊〉 haue slept for bewailing his sinnes then this banckrupts bed that hee might haue slept notwithstanding all his caâ—es For these these euen our sinnes these are the debts which so trouble and toâ—mâ—â— the soule that a man 〈◊〉 better haue 〈◊〉 common wealthes in his head yeâ— the caâ—es of all the woâ—ld in his head thâ—◠〈◊〉 disquieted distracted with the 〈…〉 Christians if we be in good health Let vs be thankfull to God 〈◊〉 it let vs account it a special blessing with out which all worldly blessings are 〈◊〉 thing let vs vse it as all other good 〈◊〉 of God to his glory the good of 〈◊〉 other If contrariwise it please the Lord 〈◊〉 any time to visite vs with sicknesse 〈…〉 not in this case despaire neither But 〈◊〉 whatsoeuer other causes we may coceine let vs ingeÌ„iouslie acknowledge one cause of our sicknes to be our sinnes For if we would preuent the iudgemeÌ„ts of god by timelie repentaÌ„ce iudge our selues we should not be iudged of the Lord. But because men wil not wheÌ„ they are in health thinke of him that giueth health therefore oftentimes they are sick now and then also fal asleepe q 1. Cor. 11.30 For euen as maâ—â—facters which wil not by gentle means confesse their heinous crimes are by racking or such like tortures enforced to coÌ„fesse so when grieuous sinners can see no time to repent God in his iustice or rather indeede in his great mercie doth as it were racke them vpoÌ„ their couch with sicknesse bodily pains that they may be constrained to confesse their sinnes so may be freede of two sickenesses their bodies sickenes and their soules sicknes both at once O happie happie men are they which when they are yong remember their Creator before they be old r Eccles. 12.1 when they are in health confesse their sins forsake theÌ„ before they be sick s Prou. 28.13 And yet good louing brother if thou happen to be sick be not in any case as I said before be not altogither discouraged by it But in the next place remeÌ„ber that thy sickenes is nothing els but Gods fatherly visitation to do thee good especially to mooue thee to repentance Listen a little Harken I say Doest thou not heare him rapping aloud and knocking hard at the dore of thy hard hart saying to thee whosoeuer thou art Maiden arise Young man arise Lazarus arise and come forth Awake therfore awake thou that sleepest t Eph. 5.14 and stand vp from death Christ shall giue thee life Say with the spirituall spouse In my bed by night sought him whome my soule loueth u Cant 3.1 Saie with this our Prophet Did I not remember thee vpon my bed meditate of thee in the night season x Psal. 63.7 Looke not still to haue pillowes sowed vnder 〈◊〉 elbowes neither bolster vp thy selfe anâ—â— longer in thy sinnes y Ezec. 13.18 Lie not vpon thy beds of â—â—orie neither stretch thy selfe vpoÌ„ thy couch z Amos. 6.4 but euery night 〈◊〉 thy bed water thy couch with thy tearesâ— Behold saies thy heauenly husband a Reuel 3.20 I stand at the dore and knocke if anie 〈◊〉 heare my voice and open the dore 〈◊〉 come in vnto him wil sâ—p with 〈◊〉 be with me And again b Cant. 2.5 OpeÌ„ 〈◊〉 my sister my loue my doue mine vndefiled for my head is full of dewe and my locks with the drops of the night Wherfore seeing Christ knockes so loud at the dore of my heart for repentance knocke thou as loud at the dore of his mercy for pardon seeing he would so fain haue thee turn vnto him heare his voice be thou as willing to cal vpoÌ„ his name that he may heare thy voice seeing he is so forward to sup with thee by receiuing thy prayers be thou as desirous to sup with him by obtaining the benefit of his passioÌ„ euen the remission of thy sinnes And as he saies to thy soule Open vnto mee my sister my loue my doue mine vndefiled so be thou bold by faith to turn the same words vpoÌ„ him again say Open vnto me my brother my loue my doue mine vndefiled for my head iâ—ful of deâ— my locks with the drops of the night And why is my head fâ—ll of dewe and my locks with the dropâ— of the night Because euery night I wash my bed water my couch c. Then deare christian brother then thy sicknes shall not be vnto death but for the glory of god c Iob. 11.4 For God will turn all thy bed in thy sicknes d Psal. 41.3 And so wheras before it was a bedde of sicknes hee will turne it into a bed of health whereas a bed of paine and griefe into a bed of rest coÌ„fort wheras a bed of teares repeÌ„ntance into a bed of ioifull deliueraÌ„ce RemeÌ„ber thy selfe wel At least wise as well as thou canst well enough what happened to Iob who was sick sore all his body ouer had not â— couch neither to lie on but was â—ain to lie on a dunghil Did not al this turne to his great good when as the Lord did blesse his latter end much more then his beginning e Iob. 42.10 What happened to Ezâ—chiâ—â— who had seÌ„tence of death gon out against himâ— Did not he lying sick in his bed turn him toward the wal weep got the seÌ„teÌ„ce of death reuersed 15 yeares more added to his life f Esa. 38.6 What hapned to the maÌ„ sick of a palsey who was let down through the â—yling bed and al in the midst 〈◊〉 Iesus Did not Christ with one 〈…〉 instant heale him so that he tooke vp his bed departed to his own house praising god g Luk. 5.25 what hapned to the man which had bin sicke 38. yeares and was not able to steppe downe into the poole Did not Christ saying but Rise take vp thy bed walk cure him so that presently he was made whole tooke vp his bed walked h Ioh. 58 9 What hapned to Eâ—câ—s who was sick of the palsey as one of these two that that I spake of last had kept his bed S. yeares as the other of them Did
not S. Peter saying but thus vnto him Eneas Iesus Christ maketh thee whole arise and trusse vp thy couch so restores him that immediately he arose i Act. 9.33.34 What hapned to S. Paul who was pressed out of measure passing strength so that hee altogether doubted euen of life Did not the Lord wheÌ„ he had receiued the senteÌ„ce of death in himself deliuer him froÌ„ this great danger k 2 Cor. â— 8.9 What hapned to S. Pauls fellow-souldier Epaphroditus who was sick no doubt sicke very neare vnto death Did not the Lord shew mercy on him giue him health againe to the great ioy of the Philippians and generall good of all the Church l Phil. 2.27 what hapned to holy Dauid in this place who saith of himselfe O Lord I am weak my bones are vexed my soule also is sore troubled I am wearie of my groanings euerie night I wash my bed water my couch with my teares Did not the Lord finding him in this miserable pickle plight deliuer his soule from death his eies from teares his feet from falling m Psal. 116. â— So that in thankefull ioifull maner hee triumpheth saith the Lord hath heard the voyce of my weeping the Lord hath heard my petitioÌ„ the Lord wil receiue my praier Euen as S. Paul sayth He hath deliuered vs from so great a deathâ— doth deliuer vs in whom also we trust that yet hee will deliuer vs n 2. Cor. 1.10 O faithful deare louing Lord He hath deliuered he doth deliuer he will deliuer He neuer yet hath forsaken he neuer doth forsake he neuer will forsake those that put their trust in him For tel me my good brother if thou canst tell any thing tell me did Christ so miraculously restore Iob restore Ezachas restore the man sick of the palsey restore the bedred man restore Eâ—â—as restore S. Paul restore Epaphroditus restore king Dauid to their former health can he not restore thee Did hee restore the most of these wheÌ„ he was crucified vpon earth and can he not restore thee now â—e is crowned in heauen Is his arme now shorter and his power lesser then it was then where I maruell where is the CenturioÌ„s faith Christ said then I haue not fouÌ„d so great faith in all Israel o Math. 8.10 now if he were among vs he might say I haue not fouÌ„d so great faith in all the world The Centurion beleeued though Christ came not vnder the roof of his house but spake the word only his seruant might be healed wel enough dost thou think Christ cannot heale thee except he come in person stand by thy bed side take thee by the hand rayse thee vp For shame away with such infidelitie This is a thousaÌ„d times worse then all the sicknes of thy body Nay rather assure thy selfe if God say but the word thou shalt soon recouer haue thy health better then euer thou hâ—dst liue many happy ioyfull daies after Therefore mind thou onely that which belongeth to thee that which belongeth to God meddle not with it but leaue it wholy vnto him It is thy part to bewaile thy former sins in bewayling them to water thy couch with thy teares to cry to the Lord for mercy forgiuenes to resolue with thy selfe stedfastly hereafter if it please God to giue thee thy health againe to lead a new life This belongs to thee therfore this thou must meditate of imploy thy self about day night but whether thou shalt recouer or not recouer that belongeth to God That rests altogether in Gods pleasur wil. if thou dost recouer thou hast thy desire Or rather perhaps not thy desire Seeing the holiest and best men of all incline neither this way not that way but wholly resign themselues as in all other things so especially in this case to Gods will p Non mea sed tua voluntas fiat Or if they determinately desire any thing it is for the most part to be dissolued to be with Christ q Phil. 1. â—2 30 but suppose thou desâ—â—e to recouer and recouer indeed Then as thou obtainest thy desire so theâ— must performe thy promise the promise thou madest when thy body was grieued with sicknesse and paine when thy soule was oppressed with heauines wheÌ„ thou 〈◊〉 redst thy couch with thy tears And what was that promise Namely as I saide before that if it pleased God to giue thee health againe thou wouldest loue him more sincerely serue him more obedientlie teÌ„der his glory more dearelie follow thy calling more faithfully then thou hast done If thou hast offended him with pride to humble thy selfe hereafter if with dissolutenes to be sober hereafter if with couetousnesse to bee liberall hereafter if with conuersing with the vngodly to abandoÌ„ their company hereafter to say as it is in the Psalme Depart from me yee workers of iniquity for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping This if thou conscionablie coÌ„stantlie perform then in a good houre as we say and in a happy time thou didst recouer But suppose thou desire to recouer yet neither thy selfe see any likelihood nor God seâ— it good thou shouldst recouer TheÌ„ harty repentance and watering thy couch with thy teares is most of all necessary That the feare of death may not affright thee but beeing truly penitent at thy departure thou maiest be sure to depart in peace r Luk. 2.29 And so God granting not thy wil but his wil may indeed grant both thy wil his wil. Thy will which is not simply to recouer but coÌ„ditionally if God wil his wil which is not to haue thee lie languishing any longer in this warfare but to triumph for euer in heaueÌ„ s Aliquando sancti non recipiendo quod petunt magis exaudiuntur quam exandirentur si illud reciperent Plus enim nâ—â— recipiendo beatus Paulus exaâ—ditus est quam si illud recepisset pro quo sicut ipse ais ter do minum rogaue rat Exauditus est igitur ne exaudiretur Non enim nisi bonum Apostolus quarebat quamuis illud non bonum sibi esse non intelligâ—bat Extuditus est igiâ—ur recipiendo â—â—num ne exaâ—diretur recipiendo non bonuÌ„ Qui enim sibi bonuÌ„ non quarit dum se sib bonum quarere â—utat si id recipiat quod quaâ—it non exauditur si non recipit exauditur Deus igitur qui non aliud nisi quaretis affectuÌ„ considerat bonuÌ„ eicreddit quissebonum quarere credit etiam si sibi non sit bonum quod quarit Emisse hom inlilanqs maioribus p. 138. O blessed teares are these which are recompensed with such high happines such inestimable commodities As namely freedome from all sins past present to come deliuerance from all the miseries and trouble of this wofull world consuÌ„mation of holines of humblenes of purity of
of this meate and drinke forty daies vnto Oreb the mount of God 1. Reg. 19.6 Could such a small pittance of bread and water of it selfe sustaine him so long No marrie What was the matter then The word that proceeded out of Gods mouth had appointed so that one cruse of water should suffice him all that time Whereby we see that man is not filled with drinking onely Man liueth not by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Fourthly Commentar in c. Reg. 1. saith the Prophet Yea cloth you but you are not warme Peter Martyr sheweth that clothing doth keepe the bodie warme two waies By keeping in the naturall heat of the bodie and by keeping out the accidentall cold of the ayre Now though this be the propertie of cloathing yet God as it pleaseth him can suspend the effect of it Whereupon he saith I will take a way my corne in the time thereof and my wine in the season thereof Hos. 2.9 and I wil deliuer my wooll and my flaxe Signifying that euen when the corne is come to the ripenesse and the wine now readie to be drunken God will depriue them of it But especially we must marke that he sai's I will deliâ—es my wooll and my flaxe Liberabo lanam meam c linum meum whereby 〈◊〉 teacheth vs that God hath as it weâ—â— if I may so say bound all his creatâ—â—â—â— prentises to vs to preserue vs and serue vs if we serue him But in case we serue him not then the creatures are deliuered and are bound no more to serue vs. The wool and the flax contrary to their nature will not serue our turne if we contrarie to grace rebell against God Whereas Iohn Baptist hauing a garment of Camels haire and a girdle of leather about his loynes was well enough This leather serued him to as good vse as flaxe and the Camels haire kept him as warme as wool Man therefore is not warme by cloathing onely but by vertue of God annexed to the clothing Man liueth not by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Lastly saith the Prophet Hee that earneth wages putteth the wages 〈◊〉 a broken bagge We see in the world many men haue great fees great offices great reuenues and yet can scarse keep themselues out of debt Other some haue but very small wages and yet â—aintaine themselues well inough and â—elpe their poore friends also Onely the word that proceedeth out of Gods mouth makes this difference As we may see in Iudas Who indeed earned wages but seeing it was the wages of vnrighteousnesse therefore it run out of the bagge as fast as it was put in For first when he had it he could not hold it in his hands but brought it backe againe saying Matth. 27.5 I haue sinned in betraying innocent blood Then himselfe went and made away himselfe and that which is feareful but once to name or mention all his bowells gushed out There is a broken bagge But the Patriarch Iacob earning wages verie hardly to wit seruing fourteene yeares for his vncles daughters and sixe years for his lambs in all twentie yeares in the ende filled his bagge full And though Laban changed his wages ten times yet he could not one time change that blessing of god which was alwaies vpon him And though he allotted his nephew only the spotted lambs which commonly were verie fewe to his wages yet the word proceeding so out of Gods mouth this prooued an infinite gaine vnto him Wherupon the blessed Patriarke humbleth himselfe in truâ— humility and thankfulnesse to God Gen. 3â— 10 and saith O Lord I am not worthie of the least of al thy mercies for with my staffe came I ouer this Iordan but now doe I returne with two troups O that we had such good soules such thankefull hearts in vs as that euery one of vs would in like sort confesse and acknowledge his owne vnworthinesse and the wonderfull worth and wealth of Gods mercie O Lord sai's he I am not worthy of the least or I am lesser then the least of all thy mercies He makes no mention of his owne paines and trauailes though they had beene very great in that long seruice but onely of the mercies of God These were the only cause that his bagge was so full Wherefore man filleth not his bagge by earning wages onely but by the mercies of God Man liueth not by bread onely but by euery word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God This teacheth vs that whether we sow or eate or drinke or cloath vs or earne wages we must do all to the gloâ—ie of God And all we doe to the glorie of God when we referre the glory of all we doe to God Not sacrificing to our own yarne as the Prophet speaketh or kissing our owne hand but kissing the sonne and offring vp to him only the sacrifices of praise and thanksgiuing at whose hand we receiue all good things For it is not our painfull sowing that giues vs a plentifull crop not our eating that feedeth vs not our drinking that satisfieth vs not our clothes that warme vs not our earning wages that filleth our bagge but the good word that proceedeth out of Gods mouth which blessed all these things vnto vs. Therefore as we must not begin any of these without gracesaying so must we not end any of them without thanksgiuing And thus much for the second place of Scripture which is a commentarie vpon the text Man liueth not by bread onely but by euery word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God To make good vse then of all that hath beene spoken I shall desire you to obserue foure points First that God can worke great matters with small meanes Thus saith our Lord When I brake the fiue loâ—â—es among fiue thousands Mat. â— â—â— how many baskets full of broken meate tooke ye vp they said vnto him Twelue And when I brake seauen among fowre thousand how many baskets of the leauings of broken meate tooke ye vp and they said Seauen Certainely there is no reason in the world that seauen loaues should satisfie fowre thousand and much lesse that fiue loaues fiue thousand But Christ hauing giuen thanks and blessed the bread did that by the might of the word proceeding out of his mouth which by the naturall power and condition of the bread could neuer haue beene done Therefore also he repeateth it and questioneth with his disciples about it That by their confession and report all the Church afterwards might beleâ—â—e that God can worke great matters with small means that Man liueth not by bread onely but by euery word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God Secondly that God can work strong matters with weake meanes What a strong violent matter is it to pull the soule of any one sinner out of the bottome of hell and out of the â—awes of destruction yet this
God doth But how doth he it This strong matter howe doth he worke it By the weakest means that may be Wee haue this treasure saith the Apostle 2. Cor 6.7 in earthen vessells that the excelleÌ„cy of that power might be of God and not of vs. O marueilous words That the excellencie of that power might be of God and not of vs. For if Angels were sent to preach vnto vs it might be thought that the conuersion of sinners consisted in the excellencie of the Angels ministrie not in the power of Gods word Now simple and sinnefull men such as our selues are no better then earthen vessels bringing such a treasure vnto vs the excellencie of this worke must needs be wholly ascribed to God And as it is in spirituall foode so it is in corporall It is not the teacher but the doctrine taught or raâ—her not the doctrine â—arâ—ly taught neither but the diuine operation of Gods spirit working with the word which coÌ„uerteth the soule And so it is not the bread onely but the blessing of Gods grace vpon the bread which sustaineth our life Thus God can worke strong matters with weake meanes and Maâ— liueth not by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Thirdly that God can worke some matters with no meanes When King Asa sawe himselfe ouer pressed with the multitude of his enemies 2. Chr. 14.11 he praied thâ—â— to God O Lord it is all one with thee to saue with many or with no power If he had said with many or with a small power it would haue beene plaine But with many or with no power is verie wonderfull Or rather it is no wonder at all seeing it is spoken of God with whom it is a very ordinary matter to saue not onely as well with a small or a weak power as with a great or a strong power but also as well with no power as with some power It is a good carpenter who hauing crooked and rough timber put into his hands can hew it and make it fit for the building Onely the creator of all it is which can worke hauing no matter at all to worke vpon The ordinarie meanes for plants and hearbs to growe by is raine Yet God prouided for Adam plants and herbes before euer it had rained Gen. 2.5 The vsuall meanes for light is the sunne Howbeit God created light before he made the sunne Gen. 1.3 Light the first day the sunne the fourth day We see then that God is tied to no meanes God can saue with no power as wel as with some power God can giue vs hearbs with no raine as wel as with some raine God can giue vs light without any sunne as well as with the sunne God can feede vs if it please him as well with no bread as with bread Therefore God can worke some matters with no meanes and so Man liueth not by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Fourthly that God can worke othersome matters with contrarie meanes He can not onely shewe vs light without any sunne 1. Cor. 4.6 but also bring light out of darkenesse So our Sauiour when hee went about to cure him that was borne blind Iohn 9.6 tempered spittle and clay and put it vpon his eyes This plaister seemes more likely to put out his eyes which sees then to cure his eyes who is blind Yet this is the power of the word proceeding out of Gods mouth So the Prophet Elizeus 2. Reg. 4.40 when colloquintida was put into the pot by casting in a little meale into it made of tanke poyson a wholesome broth So when the Israelites wanted bread in the desert God sent them Manna from heauen Moses said vnto them This is the bread which the Lord hath giuen you to eate Exod. 16.25 Many things here were contrary to nature One thing especially that the dew which made the manna fell in the morning whereas other dew vseth to fall in the euening and ascend in the morning Therefore Moses putteth Israel in mind of this strange miracle afterward Deut. 8.3 God made thee hungry and fed thee with Mannâ— saith hee which thou knewest not neither did thy fathers knowe it that hee might teach them that man liueth not by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth a man liue Christs answer then to the tempter is as if hee should haue said I want now bread in the desart as long agoe the Israelites wanted it But God by his word prouided for them Therefore I need not incroach vpon vnlawfull meanes but depending still vpon his prouidence I shal neuer want For God can worke great matters with small meanes strong matters with weake meanes many matters with no meanes and some matters with contrary means So that Man liueth not by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God And yet this is no doctrine of idlenesse and securitie neither As we must not by diffidence or distrust in God vse vnlawfull meanes so we must not by presuming vpon God neglect lawfull meanes That we be not too distrustfull we are sent to the lillie and yet that we be not too negligent we are sent to the ant S. Paul knewe right well Act. â—7 neither he nor any of his company should bee cast away in that shipwracke yet for all that he did not lay him downe vpon a pillowe and sleepe but hee vsed all good meanes for the safety of the companie Hee cast out the wheat and the tackling of the ship he loosed the râ—dder bands and hoysed vp the main saile And when the ship was splitted he perswaded some by bords and other by other peices of the ship to swim safe to land Then was a fire in Winsor towne The more to blame were they yesternight which when they might â—â—â—e done good stood by still and looked on As though it were a disparagement or rather it were not a very honourable part for any to help in a common daunger Or as though the fire which was kindled by negligence should haue beene extinguished with negligence also Yea rather the Lord did by this fire chastise the negligence of some that he might stirre vp the diligence of all No lesse blame worthie was the whole towne which standing so neere the royal presence of the Kings Maiestie and the Queenes Maiestie yet was vtterly vnprouided of all helpe in this case No buckets no hookes no ladders no axes could be gotten â—o carpenters could bee heard of which might haue done most good at such a time So that if the mightie and mercifull word proceeding out of the mouth of God had not helped in necessity and time of neede suddainly caulming and stilling the wind euen at that very instant which had beene busie all the day before no question it had growne to a farre greater dammage
and danger But I am ill aduised to meddle with these things I make no doubt but order will be taken though I hold my peace that hereafter the towne for all such casualties be better prouided Therefoâ—e here I ende God for his mercie sake grant that neither by too much presuming confidence we may neglect the lawfull meanes nor yet by too much distrusting diffidence wee may vse vnlawfull meanes but that depending vpon thy prouidence O Lord we may diligently follow the workes of our calling and so continually receiue a blessing from thee thorough Iesus Christ to whome with the Father and the holy Ghost be all praise and glorie now and euermore Amen FINIS A SERMON PREACHED at Hampton Court before the Kings Maiestie the 23. day of Septem 1604. 2. COR. 4.17 The momentarie lightnes of our affliction worketh vs a surpassing exceeding eternall waight of glory 2. Pet. 3. SAint Peter foretelleth that some should peruerâ— S. Pauls Epistles to their owne dâ—â—naâ—ion Such are they of the Church of Rome Among other places of S. Pauls Epistles they doe notably peruert this For out of that the Apostle saith Affliction worketh glory they endeauour to conclude that the patience of the Saints and other their vertues merit euerlasting life But first the word To worke is very generall and signifieth not onely causes properly so named but also any antecedent though it be but an adiunct or an accident Againe the Apostles words elsewhere are these Rom. 8.18 I suppose that the afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glorie which shall be reuealed Wherefore they might haue done well to choose some indifferent construction which would haue reconciled both these places together rather then to embrace such an exposition of the one as doth iustle nay quite thrust out the other S. Bernard doth thus saying Via regni non causa regnandi that good workes are not any cause meriting a kingdome but onely a way directing to a kingdome For seeing they are no cause neither haue any correspondence or proportion in them in respect of the glorie to come therefore the Apostle saith The afflictions of this life are not worthy the glory that will be reuealed And yet againe because the possessing of our soules in patience is a way directly tending to the saluation both of our soules bodies therefore hee saith The momentarie lightnesse of our afflicton worketh vs a surpassing exceeding eternall weight of glory To which our Sauiour subscribeth in these words The gate is straight and the way narrowe which leadeth vnto life This straightnesse therefore and narrownesse of affliction is not a cause which deserueth but a gate or a way which leadeth vnto lâ—â—e So in an other place we haue that by many tribulations wee must enter into the kingdome of heauen Not by many tribulations no nor by any tribulations we must merit heauen but by many tribulations as by a gate or way wee must enter into the kingdome of heauen And in this sense S. Paul sayes The momentarie lightnesse of our affliction worketh vs a surpassing exceeding eternall waight of glory But now though this sentence doe not confirme any Popish error yet it doth excellently comfort any distressed and afflicted For it exhorteth vs to be patient in all afflictions and that for foure reasons The two first drawn from the nature of our affliction the two last from the nature of that glorie which shal be the reward of our affliction The first is because our affliction is momentarie the second because our affliction is light the third because our glorie shall be eternall yea surpassing eternal the fourth because our glorie shall bee weightie exceeding waightie And therefore hee saith The momentarie lightnesse of our affliction worketh vs a surpassing exceeding eternall waight of glorie I need not here make any Apologie for my selfe not yet render any reason why I discourse of pouertie before the rich of affliction before those that are euery way flourishing Mv L. Almner Bishop Waâ—â—on vpon these words The poore manâ— dayes are alwayes euill Prou. 1â— 15 This point was cleared so reuerently and so learnedly of late in this high presence that I am sure it must needes bee yet well remembred Certainely though ye haue not beene afflicted heretofore neither are at this time yet beeing men yet may be hereafter Wherefore it is not amisse that we all learne the doctrine of patience in tribulation Partly that we may be more thankefull to God if hitherto we haue not beene afflicted and plagued like other men Partly that if any time of affliction happen hereafter as any greife any losse any sicknes or such like we may be prepared aforehand and as it were armed with patience to endure it For the momentarie lightnesse of our affliction worketh vs a surpassing exceeding eternall wâ—ight of glory First our affliction is momentary 〈◊〉 sai's Eucherius Nihil est magnum re quod breue tempore Nothing is of great â—mportance which is of small coÌ„tinuance Now our whole life is very short What is our life Iam 4.14 saith S. Iames It is a vapour which for a time appeareth but anon after vanisheth away Therefore saith the Prophet Psal. 56. â— O Lord thou knowest my life as it is in the Septuagint but as it is in the Hebrewe Thou knowest my flitting And therefore seeing our whole life is but a vapour or a flitting certenly our afflictions which are all comprised within the compasse of this life must needes be much more momentary All affliction as the Apostle writeth Heb. 12.11 for the preseÌ„t seemeth not to be ioyous but greiuous but afterward it bringeth forth the quiet fruits of righteousnesse to them that are exercised thereby He saith not that affliction is but that it seemeth to be So that affliction seemeth to be one thing and is indeede an other It seemeth to be greiuous it is indeed ioyous it seemeth to be troublesome it is indeede comfortable it seemeth to be long and tedious it is indeede momentary and short Euen as God himselfe determineth this matter for a moment Esa 54 8. saith he in mine anger for a little season haue I hid my face from you but in euerlasting mercy will I turne vnto you againe That we should not doubt of this doctrine he redoubles the promise for a moment for little season Psal. 30.6 Therefore the Princely Prophet say's plainly Heauines may endure for a night but ioy commeth in the morning As the two Angels then that came to Lot log'd with him for a night Gen. 19.2 and when they had dispatch't their errand went away in the morning so afflictions which are the Angels or the messengers of God God sendeth afflictions to doe an errand vnto vs to tell vs we forget God we forget our selues wee are too proud too selfe conceited and such like and when they haue said as they were bod then presently they are gone