had the money in his house Diogenes refused all and craued nothing but the benefit of the Sunne which Alexander Quintus Curtius in the life of Alexander kept from him by standing betweene him and it And when newes was brought vnto Zeno and certaine other that their Ships Goods and Merchandize were lost they reioyced because it was a cause to make them apply themselues to their studies which yeelded them farre greater content Philoxenes hauing purchased a farme whereby hee might liue the better at ease quitted it againe and returned to Athens saying These goods shall not lose mee but I them Therefore Seneca writing to a friend of his said that if he had not lost his riches it might be they might haue lost him Which made Aristides Curius and many other to liue in poore conditions If heathen men by natures light learned such contentment what a shame is it for vs which haue the word of God for our light yet to be so carking and caring for the things of this life For if Gold and Siluer were sent vs wee should hardly find a man that would send it back againe for Quis nisi mentis inops oblatum respuit aurum Wee count him a foole that despises money when it is offered him But if wee would consider that all things we haue we hold them from God as borrowed goods Then we would bee content to let him haue them againe without griefe and giue him thanks for the time we haue had them lest we should bee conuicted of ingratitude But alas the lacke of experience not knowing how to apply our selues to our present estate causeth vs to wrap our selues in a number of passions and torments Wee must therefore striue to know the truth of Gods prouidence that we may not bee dismaide if God doe depriue vs of these earthly blessings It is written of Antiochus that when the Romanes had gotten from him the greatest part of his Kingdome he did not murmure and repine as many of vs would haue done but said he was much beholding to them that had eased him of so much care Philip King of Macedon vpon a time being fallen vpon the sands and seeing the marke and print of his body said Lord what a little plat of the world is nature contented with and yet we couet the world What a shame is it for vs that the heathen should condemne our greedy desires What would they haue done said if they might haue had as much meanes and opportunities as wee haue to get knowledge and to know what the Lord required at our hands Let vs repent of our former repining and let vs returne vnto the Lord with all our hearts and be content to be gouerned by him in all things for there can be no true comfort in any thing in this world for else it may hap vnto vs as it did vnto Dinah who while she wandred to feed her fancies vpon the daughters of a strange Countrey she lost her Virginity among the sons of the country so while wee seeke to fill our mindes with the profits of the world we may lose our sinceritie 1 Tim. 1. 19. and make ship-wrack of a good conscience and so bee forced to goe away as Thamar out of her brother Ammons Chamber with her garment rent So those worldlings which sometimes with Demas followed Paul but now embrace the world are forced many times to goe away with their garments rent and torne And no maruell for if they will venture through the thornes and bushes of worldly cares to get worldly promotion it is no maruell if their zeale be abated and quenched their courage for the performance of holy things cooled their faith blasted their knowledge withered their humility defaced and the whole grament of piety rent in pieces For if with Siserah we looke for any rest in Iaels tent we shall be sure to bee made fast so if we look for any sound comfort in the world we shall be sure to speed as ill as Siserah did 't is a thousaÌ„d to one but our sinceritie and pietie will be nayled to the earth before wee be aware And so by longing after the pottage of the world we lose our birth-right as Esau did Therefore seeing Gods loue or hatred is not knowne by the hauing or want of these outward things therefore let vs desire the Lord to weane our hearts from the things of the world and to giue vs quiet mindes and thankfull hearts But Lord though we are full of impatience and doubting of thy Prouidence Mercy and Goodnesse and so ready to forget what thou hast done for vs all our dayes yet we pray thee forget not thy selfe but continue a God still to doe vs good and if want come then to keep our faith firme and strong in thy Prouidence if sicknesse aduersity come keepe our patience entire if riches and preferment come keepe our zeale vnquenced Remember wee pray thee whereof wee bee made from the earth we come on the earth wee liue delighting in earthly things and at last vnto the earth wee shall returne againe Therefore seeing heauenly things cannot come from so vile a matter and our earthly nature cannot bee changed but by thy heauenly Spirit we pray thee rouze vp our dead affections and make vs to place our hearts onely vpon thee giue vs grace to vse and imploy our riches to thy honour and to purchase vnto our selues the meanes of grace with them that so we passing the time of our pilgrimage in thy feare we may die in thy fauour rest in thy peace and rise againe by thy power which grant vnto vs for the Lord Iesus sake And thus much for the first point propounded riches and their insufficiency to profit vs for our soules and our bodies in life and in death The second followes which is Honours and Preferments Tul. in Tusâ— quest Honour according as the wise heathens define it is a vnion of the praises of good men which iudge of vertue without partialitie What is Honour if it be not sanctified but thraldome and bondage the beginning of danger and the occasion of death and so turnes to the ruine of many How many are there which haue striued to enter in at the gate of Honour which haue beene trod vnder foot as the Miâ—e in the street Those which gape after honour may fitly be compared to those which climbe Nut trees some breake their necks with climbing and other their teeth with cracking Did not 2. Sam. 18. 9. Absolon by climbing so high make his owne haire his halter and Haman by his ambitious Esth 7. 9. thoughts raise himselfe fifty cubits high vpon a stately gallows which he had prepared for Mordechai Act. 12. and when Herod thought to deifie himselfe he was quickly brought vnder by the base wormes And do we not see many break their teeth with cracking these Nuts Did not Achan thinke to aduance himselfe by the accursed things but he
will bee ready to cozen or steale away something from them So let vs watch ouer our riches lest they steale away our hearts from godlinesse dull and dead our affections vnto holy and religious duties or hinder vs in our spirituall voyage to the Land of Canaan or split our earthly vessels vpon the craggie Rocks of presumption or carnall security Thus if wee watch ouer our hearts our riches shall not be our ruine Vse 4 Seeing riches are so vnable to profit vs Then be exhorted in the last place to cast away couetousnesse and let euery man bee content with his owne estate And not repine against Gods prouidence thereby wee shall shew our selues vnthankfull for mercies receiued because we doe not abound in the things of the world as others doe But let vs wisely consider with our selues not so much what others haue as what is fit for vs to haue and what wee haue deserued at Gods hands that he should preferre vs before others Why should wee desire more when as wee haue already more then we deserue The consideration hereof should teach the Children God as to bee content with their owne portion so not to enuy the prosperity of the wicked because God giues them a larger allowance shall our eye bee euill because his is good If we haue food and rayment let vs 1 Tim 6. 8 be therewith content And if God giue vs store of these earthly things take we heed wee doe not set our hearts vpon them Then wee shall bee willing to leaue them when God cals for them and when they take wings and flie away we shall looke after them with a quiet minde as Iob 31. 25. 1. 21. Blessed is that pouerty which vnites our hearts to God Iob did because he did not set his heart vpon his riches when his substance was great therefore he was not grieued when they were taken away but in his greatest losses praises the Lord hauing learned patience and contentednesse as well when he wanted as when hee abounded If God haue giuen vs the comforts of his Spirit the assurance of saluation then let vs learne to bee dieted by him which knowes how ready we are to surfeit vpon these vnwholesome viands which produce such obnoxious humours And let vs know that what wee want in earth shall be supplyed in heauen The Lord will not suffer vs to want those things which in his wisdome he knows to be fit for vs. Therefore Dauid saith Nothing is wanting to them Ps 34. 9. 10 that feare him for the Lord forsaketh not his Saints they shall bee preserued for euermore Therefore psa 37. 28. let vs labour to be content with any estate which God hath chalked out for vs by his prouidence But alas what a lamentable thing it is to see many which professe themselues the Children of God to be so worldly minded that if things goe not according to their minde they will be ready to cal the truth of Gods prouidence in question as appeares by their distrustfull 2 Kin. 6. 33. speeches as if they were borne for no other end then to bee bond-slaues to the world And so by cumbering their mindes with the cares thereof which are in their owne nature so heauy a loade that they hinder them in the pursuit of blessednesse What a burden of torments doth the couetous desire bring with it a disease like to the dropsie the more it hath the more it would Alway thirsty as the Serpent Dipsas which will neuer bee satisfied till it burst If a couetous man might haue his desire and Mydas Aurum cuncta prâ—ecor fiant quae câ—rpore tangam Palin in Tau wish were now to bee obtained the couetous man would haue the deuill all and thus by this meanes he would wrap himself in all misery by neglecting his soules health Brethren what were you borne to bee drudges to the world and so to spend your dayes in seruitude No no you were born to be the Lords free men and to serue him with ioy and gladnesse and not to be slaues to your riches Salomon leuied tribute vpon bondmen and Vassailes and not vpon the Israelites the Lords owne people So let the world leuy her bond-seruice vpon the spirituall Amorites Hittites I meane vpon earth-wormes Vsurers and the like Let them be her drudges and not the true Israel of God which haue him for their Shepherd which will take Psal 23. 5. care they shall want nothing Therefore let vs cast our care vpon God and make our request knowne vnto him which is able to helpe vs and will not faile vs nor sorsake vs If God feed the Rauens shall we think he will let vs and our children want And if we doe want any necessary thing then let vs examine our hearts what may bee the cause haue we serued God as we ought and depended vpon his prouidence if we haue failed in any part how shall we thinke that he will take care of vs Let vs repent for our negligence herein and humble our soules vnder the hand of God and be content to endure hardnesse and scarcitie because we haue sinned against our Maker and haue valued these trifles aboue the glory of God and our owne saluation Learne we then to bee content with our estates and conditions and to praise God and if hee giue vs nothing but bread or feed vs with scarcitie yet let vs know he deales more freely with vs then hee hath done with many which haue better deserued them then wee that haue eate the bread of care and quenched their thirst with the water of affliction Let vs remember Exiguum natura desiderat nature is content with a little Food Rayment was as much as Iacob desired Agur craued Gen. 28. 20. Pro. 30. 1 Tim. 6. 8. but food coÌ„uenient which if God grant vs we ought to be coÌ„tent not to seek after great things here seeing we must leaue them when we die And if the body bee not dieted with moderation it will proue a stubborne seruant to the soule making it fit for nothing but thorny cogitations which are the greatest enemies to grace or good exercises The wise heathen could teach vs moderations in these Si ad naturam viuis nunquam eris pauper si ad opinionem nunquam diueâ— Epist 161. What the wise heathen thought of riches things Seneca that Christian Ethnick as Erasmus stiles him hath a witty saying of Epicurus If thou liuest saith he according to nature thou shalt neuer bee poore but if according to opinion thou shalt neuer be rich They feared lest these earthly things would steale away their hearts from their studies in Philosophie therefore they despised these base and mundane trifles Annacreon hauing a huge masse of money sent him by Policrates could neuer rest till he was rid of it againe therefore he sent it backe againe saying That he neuer liued in such feare as hee did while he
yet the more is the pitie many men and women otherwise well affected thinke it an Ornament to their Children to be skilled in this wanton science whereby they may be inticed and allured to all manner of filthinesse which mans nature of it selfe is ready to embrace and needs no allurements Therefore I conclude that all leud wanton and lasciuious dancing is not onely vnlawfull but also a great meanes to encrease much wantonnesse and filthinesse For our feet were not giuen vs to trip like Rammes skip like Goates leape like madde men but that being bought with a price we should glorifie GOD in our mortall bodies Oh but may some say this is too great precisenesse doth not Salomon say There is a time to dance therefore it is not so vnlawfull as you would make vs beleeue Vnto which I answer Salomon doth not meane by this place that there is any time for a filthy and prophane mixt dancing of men and women together but that dancing he speakes of is reioycing of the heart in praising GOD as may appeare by the context There is a time to mourne and a time to dance that is as there is a time to mourne for our sins so there is a time to dance or reioyce for the vnspeakeable mercies shewed vnto vs in Iesus Christ in the pardoning of our sinnes But I would not so be vnderstood as if I discommended all dancing for then I should seeme to crosse the practice of the Lords people in ancient 2 Sam. 6. time for Dauid danced before the Arke praising God and when the Israelites were Exod. 15. passed ouer the red Sea they danced and praised God Indeed if our dancing were like theirs we might very lawfully dance also they danced for ioy and thanksgiuing to GOD but many of vs for vaine glory to please our selues but that wee may put a period to this point we doubt not but that men women may lawfully dance for the recreation and health of their bodies and to expresse their reioycing and cheere the minde prouided that each sexe modestly and sparingly dance by themselues without any filthy gestures or vnbeseeming behauiour The next delight where men vse to please themselues is in Cock-fighting Beare-baiting Bull-baiting and the like Alas what a misery is this to sport our selues to torment and vexe the poore Creatures which are subdued vnder vanity for our sinnes They were not put vnder our feet to that end that we should triumph in their misery and if we wrong them God that taketh it as done to himselfe will punish it for doe not we see that men thinke themselues wronged in their cattell and are vsed to reuenge their wrongs as Dauid did the wrongs of his seruants by Hanun Now these Creatures are Gods seruants and in their kind doe set forth the glory of God therefore wee are not to take pleasure to see them rend and teare and hurt and maime one another for this is to imitate the Deuill who reioices in the misery of mankind Let the consideration hereof moue Butchers and Drouers to vse more mercy towards the poore Creatures then many of them doe For if we loue God wee must needes loue that which hee loues and approues now hee loues the creatures for in his sight they were very good and he doth not hate the workes of his hands And thus wee haue made a search into pleasures in generall and haue examined them in particular wherein wee haue discouered some filthy sinfull pleasures not worthy to bee once heard of among those which professe themselues to be the children of the most High And as we haue laid open the diseases so we haue prescribed Antidotes as preseruatiues against them not doubting but the Christian Reader by Gods blessing may reape some benefit We will now proceed and shew how these benefits may be vsed so that God may haue the honour and these pleasures may be blessed vnto vs. Which that they may be so wee must know that there are three cōditions on our part to bee obserued and kept 1. That we labour for the grace of iustification and reconciliation vnto God by faith in Iesus Christ for till wee are at peace with him we can haue no comfort in our pleasures 2. If we would haue these pleasures lawfull sanctified vnto vs wee must take heed we doe not ouer-value thē in our iudgment nor set our hearts and delights vpon them which are the Lords peculiars but bee content to esteeme them as drosse and dung in respect of Christ 3. We must take heed that these pleasures be moderated and kept within due bounds we must bee carefull to referre them to a right end and that is the glory of GOD and our own saluation else if wee set our hearts vpon them God may iustly and yet mercifully afflict vs with his heauy hand and lay vpon our bodies sicknesse vpon our conscience terror vpon our reputation disgrace that thereby he may scrue vp our hearts from grouelling vpon the earth Therefore let vs learne wisedome to watch ouer our pleasures lest they incroach vpon those times wherein God is to bee worshipped and when we are to performe holy and religious duties Those then offend which prophane the Lords day by spending it about their owne pleasures though pethaps lawfull and warrantable at another time so also they offend which pamper their bellies vpon this day whereby they are more fit to sleepe then to performe any holy action Thus wee haue shewed how pleasures are good in their owne nature and how they become good vnto vs it remaines now to shew how they become pul-backs to hinder vs in our spirituall race and to steale away our hearts from godlinesse The pleasures of this life are the chiefe baits with which Sathan and the world vse to steale away our hearts from God and the practice of godlinesse for whē men become louers of pleasures thē they begin to be carelesse negligent in the pursuite of vertue and haue no minde or heart to any godly exercise but are wholy circumuented caried away with these sinfull and vaine delights which make the mind dull and carelesse of good actions now the reason why they are so dangerous are 1. In regard of their nature quite opposite to grace they striue to cherish and aduance that which true pietie labours to root out 2. In regard of our pronenesse to embrace them for wee are for the most part carnall and so loue and affect those things which please the outward man and hauing once attained them we doe too much delight in them Vse 1 Are pleasures such dangerous baits to draw our hearts from grace 1. Then this may checke all those which resolue to proue their hearts with pleasures as Salomon did And therfore Eccles 2. 1. they set their hearts vpon the tenters stretch them this way and that way for the inuenting of varietie to please themselues 2. All those which suffer themselues to bee
short time full of misery many of vs haue spunne a long thred and so haue set our feet within the gates of death and many of vs haue trod in the path of old age in which the Almond flourishes many of our haires are turned white to the haruest of death Old age is honourable if it be found in the wayes of righteousnesse but if old men be found in the wayes of sinne ignorance and prophanenesse oh how dishonorable are those gray hayres what an old man a swearer an old man a Drunkard an old man a Gamester an old man a Lyar an old man a Whoremaster an old man an ignorant man oh what a shame is this Brethren the Israelites were commanded to gather twice so Ex. 16. 22. much Manna the day before their Sabbath as they did any day in the weeke before and should not the gray hoare head that lookes euery day for his last day of mortalitie and his Sabbath of rest should not hee I say labour to get twice so much knowledge pray twice so much read twice so much and ponder in his heart the workes of the Lord of mercy and of Iustice and grow in the graces of Gods Spirit that they Tit. 2. 7. may shew themselues patternes of all goodnesse for young men to imitate the dayes of mans life are threescore yeares and ten sayes Moses the Man of Psal 19. God but oh the carelesnesse of many which haue passed this age and though death stand at the doore yet they will not beleeue it It is said of Ephraim that gray hayres were vpon him yet he knew it not he had Hos 7. 9. markes of death vpon his face and hayre yet would still bee young and what was said of Ephraim may iustly bee said of many old men in our dayes whose windowes grow dimme whose sight faile and they bend downward to their long home and yet they consider not their latter end therefore they fall Lam. 1. 9. miserably and many die fearfully Oh consider this all yee that forget God! oh how soure and stinking are the dregs of sinne and prophanenesse of old men in the sight of God! as old men are to repent betime so are young men they are to remember their Creator in the dayes Eccles. 1. 2. of their youth for it is needfull to begin betimes because they haue much worke to doe and they haue no lease of their liues time and tide stayeth not therefore all of vs while it is called to day hearkē and obey for betweene old men yong men there is little difference old men goe to death and death comes to young men therefore as all men must die all must labour to get their soules saued For it is a iust thing with Iustum est vt a Deo contemnatur moriens qui Deum omnipotentem contemp sit viuens God that he should contemne that man in his death which contemned God Almighty in his life therefore let vs not deferre this needfull worke but presently set vpon it while wee haue time and while it is called to day for it may bee to morrow may be too late Gods mercy being abused he is a consuming fire and therefore it will be a most fearfull thing to fall into his hands Ob. Oh but God is a God of mercie and he shewed mercy vnto the Theefe at the last houre and therefore I doubt not but he will also shew mercy vnto me A. It is true indeed God is a God of mercy full of compassion and his tender mercies Ps 145. 8 9 Eph. 2. 4. are ouer all his workes yea hee is rich in mercy and therefore thou thinkst his mercy will bee as great to thee as it was to the Theefe vpon the Crosse This was a rare example of Christs mercy and cannot be applied to any particular man because the promises of mercy doe ioyne the meanes and end together Therefore we cannot deny but that as God is mercifull so also he is iust and Iustice and Mercy cannot dispence one with another God deales with man as Physitians deale with their Patients wee see many learned Physitians sometimes giue ouer their Patients not for that they want skill but because they see them incurable so thou that posts off and defers thy repentance and care for the saluation of thy soule till the last gaspe if thou bee damned it is not because the Lord wants mercy but because thou art dead in thy sinnes and past recouery and so the mercy of the Lord can doe thee no good thou remainest in thy impenitency hardnesse of heart and vnbeliefe The Apostle tels the beleeuing Romanes that God is able to graft the Iewes into the true Oliue plant againe if they doe not continue in their vnbeliefe Intimating vnto vs that God is not able to shew mercy vnto vnbeleeuing and vnrepentant Rom. 11. 23 wretches so long as they continue in vnbelife See therefore what thou art like to gaine by this rare exāple of the Lords mercie shewed vnto the theefe vpon the Crosse But because this is the strong hold wherein many desperate wretches hide themselues wee will therefore by the light of Gods Word diue into this example and weigh euery circumstance in it and what we discouer we will plainely set downe and shew what rockes and shelues lye in this harbour and how dangerous it is to cast Anchor here hauing found out the danger wee will hang out a bloody Flagge which may threaten death and destruction to all that seeke to harbour vpon this sandy foundation Tell me not therfore of the Theefe vpon the Crosse for of two theeues one was damned though hee saw the repentance of his fellow heard Christs gratious promise yet for all this he repented not Why doe we not bring him for a patterne and apply it to our selues and say Might not this be our case which haue put off our repentence vnto the last Here is a Theefe against a Theefe the one is saued and the other damned that this theefe was saued was a miracle miracles were no miracles if they were common Wee haue of this rare mercy of GOD one example that no man should despaire and but one example that no man should presume 1. This is a rare example without any promise of God if that thou canst shew a promise that thou shalt repent at the last houre of thy life but if thou canst not then thou promisest that to thy selfe which God neuer promised to giue thee 2. Againe this was a worke of wonder and euery way miraculous for Christ was hereby pleased to honour the ignominy of his Crosse and to manifest his power in his greatest humiliation his cruell enemies raged and blasphemed his stripes and wounds shewed him to be but a mortall and despised man and his Disciples despairing after so many miracles whether he were the promised Messiah or no therfore our blessed Sauiour to manifest his power and
for an old man which hath wanted the meanes all the daies of his life may when the means is offered him comfortably lay hold of euerlasting saluation else God would neuer haue enioyned Nunquam peccaâ—ti indicta esset pro peccatis deprecatio si deprecanti non esset remissio concendenda Aug. de fide man to craue the remission of his sinnes if hee had no purpose to grant it 2. This Parable doth fully answere this obiection in shewing that those which were hired at the eleuenth houre came as soone as they were called if they had beene called at the third sixt or ninth houre no doubt but they would haue come therefore this example will not iustifie them that are called at all houres early and late and yet will not come 3. This Parable shewes that the housholder went out early in the morning to hire labourers therefore God expects that we should come in at the first houre and begin our repentance betimes and if wee doe not come when God cals it is questionable whether we shall receiue repentance to come at last And though God haue Qui promisit poenitenti veniam non promisit peccanti poeniâ—entiam Aug. de poenit promised pardon to him that repenteth yet hath hee neuer promised repentance to him that continueth in his sinnes neither is it in any mans power to repent when he will Thus brethren by Gods mercy we haue beaten the presumptuous sinners out of their strong holds what remaines now but that euery one of vs enter into examination of his heart and bewaile the losse of his time mispent and now labour to make vp his peace with God that the Lord may haue mercy vpon his soule else what is a man profited if hee gaine the whole world and lose his soule Seeing the soule is so excellent wee must haue principall care to auoid those euils that may endanger it and to vse those meanes whereby it may be saued The things then which are dangerous to the soule may be couched vnder these two heads as there are two wayes of destroying the body so are there likewise two wayes of destroying the soule The first is positiue by offering violence to it The second priuatiue by withholding the meanes of preseruation of it Sin is that which offers violence to the soule sin is like leauen that will leauen the whole lump like poisoÌ„ that wil corrupt the whole bodie by obscuring the Will and Vnderstanding and by disturbing the faculties of the soule and body The deuill as a strong armed man keepes rule in that soule which is held vnder the slauery of sinne Sinne though it be delightsome in the committing yet it breedeth a worme in the conscience which perpetually vexeth it with endlesse Voluptas transijt peccatum remansit Bern. Citò praeterit quod delectat permanet sine fine quod cruciat Aug. Omne peccatum est mors animae woe and remaineth when the pleasure is gone All the itching delight of sinne is soone at an end but it leaueth bitter foot-steps in the soule euery sinne doth wound and kill the soule We vse to say we wil not buy gold too deare why then are we so foolish as to buy the pleasures of sinne at so high a rate as the losse of our soule When the Fish hath swallowed the Hooke had she not been better without the bait so wheÌ„ our soules are lost how much better had it beene for vs neuer to haue tasted of the pleasures of sinne If then we would haue our soules saued we must bee carefull to expell and cast out sinne by vnfeigned repentance We see men will subdue their appetites and defraud themselues of many things nature desires for bodily health and shall we doe nothing for the saluation of our soules Now then seeing wee haue found a way to remoue our sinne and to obtaine of our Physitian a purgation to cure Cur cessas aggredi quod scias mederi tibi Tertul. de poenit our soares which is repentance then why doe we delay to get that which will bee our cure and why doe not we seeke the Lord while he may be found for else it may happen That hee Qui tempus senectutis expectat ad poenitendum speret misericordiam muâ—niet iudicium Greg. Seminemus dum tempus est vt metâ—mus nauigeâ—us dum mare nauigari potest antiquam sit â—iems quando magnus ille tremen dus dies aduenerit non licebit nauigare Chrys which putteth off his repentance vntill the time of age or day of death in stead of mercy may finde iudgement Therefore let vs sow our seed while it is seed time and set forward to saile while the Sea will serue for it may bee it will bee too late to begin our iourney when the Sunne sets and to hoise vp our sayle when the tempest ariseth to sow our seed when we should reape our corne to repent when we lie a dying and to doe good when we are dead One thing I lament saith a holy Father and I feare another the first is my sinnes the second is Gods iudgements seat bewaile therefore thy sins and lament thy iniquitie so shalt thou shunne those tormenting Vbi nec tortores deficiunt nec torti misere morientur Aug. torments where the tormentors are neuer wearie nor the tormented shall euer dye Therefore while it is called to day harden not thy heart but breake off thy sinne by true repentance Hast thou therefore bin a drunkard now learn sobrietie Hast thou beene intemperate now embrace chastity Hast thou beene malicious now shew charitie Hast thou beene proud now bee humble labour now to get the life of grace into thy soule which must be done by the amendment of thy life and by forsaking of thy sinnes for regeneration beginneth at repentance and repentance at the leauing and forsaking of sinne Trie and examine thy selfe then whether thou hast forsaken sin or no if thou hast not bridled thy tongue from bitter and blasphemous speeches if thou hast not taught thy hands to worke without deceit and brought thy heart to pray without hypocrisie and doe to thy neighbour as thou wouldest haue thy neighbor doe to thee thou hast not yet forsaken thy sinne but remainest still in the gall of bitternesse and so hast neglected thy soules health 2. The second way of losing the soule is by withholding from it the meanes of preseruation Thus those hazzard their saluation that despise and contemne the powerfull preaching of the Word of God and so by putting from them the Word of GOD they iudge themselues vnworthy of eternal Act. 13. 46. life Thus also many hazzard their saluation by neglecting of prayer and are carelesse in the duties of mortification Seeing then the soule is so excellent and may be lost then let it be euery ones care to get it saued in the day of the Lord. To this end labour to keepe faith and a good Conscience
by force Vnnaturall that many doe not spare the liues of their owne parents as may bee seene in Absolon his will was good but the Lord disappointed him The Turks as Histories report doe many times imbrue their hands with the blood of the Parents which begat them And cruell Nero ript vp his mothers belly to gaze vpon the place where hee lay in her wombe Many times the loue of Filius anâ—e dâ—cm patrios inquiâ—t in annos Ouid. Met. lib. 1. I say 3. 1â— Zep. 3. 3. Amos 8. 6. their fathers goods makes them sick of their liues wish theÌ„ faire laid in their graues The loue of mony makes men grinde the face of the poore and to buy them for siluer and the needy for a paire of shooes The loue of money is the cause of whoredome and adultery making men and women to embrace strange flesh and so Pro. 2. 17. forget the Couenant of their God The greedy desire which Shimei had to bring backe his seruants 1 Kin. 2. 44. made him aduenture his life The loue of money hope of reward made Ziba to 2 Sam. 16. 3. slander and falsly accuse Mephilosheth his Masters sonne of treason Money made the souldiers Mat. 28. 12 to report a lie when they watched the Lords sepulchre The loue of money makes a man a theefe to himselfe defrauding his belly and backe of necessaries to increase his wealth now hee that is a theefe to himselfe for whom will hee spare hee careth and carketh for his riches as if they were his owne but hee reapeth no benefit by them as if they were another mans And though hee haue riches in abundance yet he hath such a beggerly mind that hee is still poore to himselfe The loue of a wise yoke of Oxen Luke 14. 18 19. and a Farme were forcible means to keepe off those which were bid to the marriage feast Wee may and ought in duty to loue our wiues well yet wee must take heed they doe not hinder our loue to Christ and that they doe not make vs carelesse to performe holy duties wee may buy Farmes Oxen Merchandice and performe all other actions agreeable to our callings so that we doe not neglect our soules health What is there in the world which a man will not doe for money preferment and yet when he hath it it will doe him little or no good Rather then Esau will want pottage he will sell away his birthright And in the Famine of Samaria men and women would part with any thing for food to preserue their liues their gold and siluer for asses dung and other vnwholesome things Then what is a man profited if he gaine the whole world and lose his soule But yet alas they are so farre from profiting vs as that they hinder vs in the seruice of God and robbe vs of many graces of his spirit wee will therefore for our instruction herein search into the particulars 1. They make vs sluggish lazy and vntoward in the performance of holy duties and to erre from the faith and at last to 1 Tim. 6. 10 forget GOD. This the Lord knew well therefore hee gaue his people a caueat to beware lest they should forget him when Deut. 8. 10 they were full But they vnmindfull of his watch word When they were fat kicked and forsooke Deu. 32. 1â— God which made them and lightly esteemed the rocke of their saluation But according to their pasture Hos 13. 6. so were they filled their hearts were exalted therefore haue they forgotten me saith the Lord. And are not there many among vs as vnthankfull for the Lords mercies which he hath bestowed vpon them which can open their mouthes wide to craue for riches and to prey vpon the things of the world but when they should giue GOD thankes for his mercies sunt multi lapides their tongues are as dead as stones Such are Pondus iners intilis tellus As vngratefull as hard rockes which yeeld no fruit Cages of vncleane birds which being crammed with Gods plenty die in their fatnesse and yeeld forth no notes of Gods praise O foolish Deut. 32. and vnwise people doe you so requite the Lord Hath he opened vnto you the Chabinets of his blessings and doe yee like desperate wretches abuse them to your lusts and his dishonor and like Traitors fight against him with his owne weapons 2. Riches are forcible means to draw away our hearts from GOD and to place them vpon these sordid trumperies that we can spare no time to heare read pray to meditate vpon his mercies to praise him vpoÌ„ his iudgments to feare him For where Mat. 6. 21. our treasure is there is our heart also And so by this meanes we nourish a serpent in our bosomes which will gnaw our Consciences grieue the good Spirit of God hinder our saluation and so make vs to feare any thing more then the losse Arridet mundus vt saeuiat blanditur vt fallat illicit vt occiâ—at extollit vt deprimat of our soules 3. Riches deceiue vs in our hope and expectation perswading vs helpe in time of need and to doe great matters for vs yet when we expect most from them then they will deceiue vs. Did not Achan thinke that the wedge of Gold would haue aduanced him to preferment when as indeed it was the ruine of him and his family Then why Isay 55. doe you lay out your siluer and not for bread and labor without being satisfied Weigh vp therefore your Anchors hoyse vp your sailes for these things wil proue your ruine For hee that trusteth in riches shall fall 4. Riches robbe vs of our faith which is the life of the Hab. 2. 4. Heb. 10. 37 righteous yet for all this the worldling wil trust God no longer then his Corne Wine and Psal 4. 7. Oyle abounds But will place his confidence in the wedge of Gold and say in effect to this glorious Mammon Thou art my hope and confidence the stay of my life and staffe of my age Now that we may not doe these muck-wormes wrong we will examine their practices and I doubt not but wee shall easily draw this confession out of their owne mouthes Doe wee not see how vigilant they are ouer them to preserue them scarce daring to trust themselues with them How niggardly in vsing them that they would bee as willing to part with their right eie as with a penny to any good vse what doth this argue but that they thinke there is some inherent happinesse in them 5. Riches are a great enemy to humility For haue wee not seene many in a meane estate to be courteous meeke gentle but being aduanced they swell with pride against their inferiors and enuy against their superiors and disdaine against their equals contemne those which are better then themselues as churlish Nabal did 1 Sam. 15. Dauid 6. Riches coole
then the least degree of grace Money is but as drugs as a lenatiue oyntmeÌ„t to mitigate asswage the swellings diseases of the body they caÌ„not remoue the Carbuncle or disease they may mitigate the paine a while but the roote remaines still so though they are good blessings yet they are not absolutely good they are but the blessings of Gods left hand coÌ„mon as well the blessings of Esau as Iacob no maÌ„ can know loue or hatred by them and are more freely bestowed vpon the wicked then vpon the godly Esau flourished in state and honour with foure hundred seruingmen at his heeles when Iacob was faine to creep crouch to him with termes of honour in his mouth to gaine his fauour Pharaoh in Maiesty and honour dominered ouer Gods people while Moses and Aaron the beloued of the Lord are humble petitioners vnto him for the peoples libertie The Scribes and Pharisees like great Rabbins sate in Moses Chaire when Christ and his Disciples are scorned and contemned as base persons wheÌ„ Christ had not a place to put his head in then Herod had his pallace and places of delight Esau and Ismael spent their time in pleasures while Isaac and Iacob spend their time in painfull labours Diues was clothed in purple and fared deliciously euery day when Lazarus the beloued of the Lord was pinched with hunger and pained with soares Riches are such vnto a man as a man is vnto himselfe a good man is not the worse for Diuitiâ— sunt vt illius animus est qui ea possides qui bene vtiscit ea bona sunt illi qui non rectè vtitur mala Ter. in Heaut Diuitiâ— dantur benis vt ne putentur malâ— malis ne putâ—ntur bona multis ne putentur magna Aug. in Hag. Ille qui non habet neÌ„ ambiat qui habet non superbiat Aug. in Psal 62. the want of them nor a wicked man the better for the enioying of them as rich men are not to be esteemed lesse in the fauour of GOD for their riches if they vse them well so godly poore men are not to be despised for their pouertie GOD therefore as a wise disposer of them giues them to the godly lest they might be thought euil things hee giues them to the wicked also lest they might bee thought good things hee giues them vnto many lest they should bee thought great blessings therefore he that hath not these worldly blessings let him not couetously gapeafter them and he that hath them let him not be proud of them For what is a man profited if he gaine the whole world and lose his soule Vse 1 Are riches so vnprofitable and so vnable to doe vs good for our bodies or soules without Gods blessing vpon them then this may serue to check the vaine conceit of manie which thinke themselues happy because their Corne Wine and Oyle abounds although they haue many times purchased them at hard rates Examine then thy conscience how thou hast got thy siluer whether by Gods blessing vpon thy honest labours or else by cruelty fraud vsury or the like if thou hast then timely make restitution to the owners repent thee of thy vnrighteous dealing or else one day or other thou shalt finde that this base pelfe will be as troublesome to thee as euer it was to Achan Iudas or the like For hee that getteth riches Ier. 17. 11. not by right shall leaue them in the midst of his dayes and at his end shall bee a foole If thou hast got thy riches squarely and with a good Conscience take heed they bee not as a logge in thy way to hinder thee of thy happinesse for we cannot serue God and riches He will not suffer 1 Sam. 3. 2. one Altar to serue for himselfe and Dagon too though the Philistins vsed great labour to bring it to passe So God will not endure to haue the Idoll of Mammon which worldlings adore to lodge in that heart which he hath reserued for himselfe and which doth so much dishonour him in his truth mercy and prouidence and doth so much mischiefe vnto his children for while it delighteth the eyes Occulos delectat aures demulcet sed mentem inquinat Amb. de Cain Abel cap. 5. tickleth the eares it makes an incision into the soule Wee may as I said before in some measure bee carefull for the things of this life but wee must take heed we be not ouer-careful which many times is accompanied with distrust in Gods prouidence as if times seasons and meanes were not in his hands and as if hee were not able to giue successe to our labours vnlesse wee torment and vexe our selues and neglect his seruice to take care of our owne But of this we shall haue fitter occasion to speake of in another place Vse 2 Are riches so vnable to profit and so deceitfull then this serues to discouer the corruptioÌ„s of our times which out of a loue which they beare to Hunc â—abe beatum non quem vulgus vocâ—t sed cui omne bonum in animo est Seneca this base earth doe so magnifie it as to account wicked men happy though they be branded with as many vitious qualities as euer was Commodus Nero Caligula and Heliogabolus For money will make a stigmaticall Thraso fex populi the verie scumme of the people to be esteemed though hee haue nothing to commend him but his Coyn which perhaps his father or himselfe hath got with bribery vsury or other vnlawfull practises by which meanes hee hath leaped to preferment and so by his golden couer he hides a masse of ill and stinking humors Which made a leud fellow once say If my Father were a haÌ„gman and my mother a Harlot and my selfe no better yet if I haue money I am liked well enough and am neuer branded with their misdeedes for there is no vice that wealth doth not smother If a rich man be as proud as Tarquin as cruell as Nero as churlish as Nabal and Timon and as couetous as Diues yet all these vices are couered with a golden mantle So that Auri sacra fames quid non What cannot Gold bring to passe It can dimne the sight put spirit into a Coward and gaine estimation of the world If proud Herod doe but make an Oration in his fine Robes the people will admire him thinke he is a god The rude multitude looke at nothing but the outward picture which makes them many times erre in their iudgement and extoll an ignorant asse for his gay coat and Crownes in his Purse whereby it comes to passe that great places are possest of men of slender iudgement which haue not one dramme of worthinesse to commend them but wealth worldly fame though such be aduanced by the courtesie of wise men simplicitie of fooles yet let them not flatter themselues for they are not more honourable in the sight of God which
desire for the things of this earth which can stand by them no longer then their liues yet saies the Poet Impiger extremâ—s â—urrit Mercator ad Indos If riches may be had in India Turkie or any other places though neuer so dangerous yet the greedy worldling will venture his life rather then he will goe without them The husbandman what pains and care will hee take rising early and going to bed late for the things of this life faring hard and going thin sparing from back and belly to aduance himselfe in the world what tortures and troubles and paines will a sicke man endure for to gaine health he will be contented to haue a legge or an arme cut and lanced to preserve and gain health he wil endure fretting tents and corroding plaisters and depriue himselfe of pleasure nay many times he wil be content the endure the cutting off of his legge arme or other of his members for the preseruing of the health of his body If Naaman can recouer 2 Kin. 5. 17 helpe for his Leprosie hee will spare for no cost Oh how carefull are men for their bodies and states but how carelesse for their soules they will be sure to looke to their estates and make them sure by good aduice from their learned Counsell but for their soules they take little or no care Oh how ought we to break out into teares for the carelesnesse of our owne saluation what a Childhood and youth haue we spent in ignorance and vanitie and how carelesse haue wee beene to serue God and saue our soules Nay what enemies haue wee beene to our owne saluation what filthy and vncleane thoughts haue wee harboured in our hearts what filthy words haue we vttered w th our tongues how often haue we sworne lyed blasphemed God and taken his name in vaine how often haue our hearts disdained and enuied not only our Superiours whom wee should haue honoured but also scorned and despised our Inferiours equals whom we should haue loued and respected as our selues how haue we spent our daies in ignorance of God and of our owne fearfull estate spending our daies in idlenesse pride and all manner of prophanenesse presumption of Gods mercy and turning his grace into wantonnesse grieuing his Spirit and wounding our owne consciences how should the consideration hereof cause vs to powre forth our soules in godly sorrow before the Lord because we haue offended our Maker sinned against our Redeemer grieued the Holy Spirit wronged our Neighbours and so haue deserued damnation and to be cast out from the presence of the Lord for euer and as we haue cause to weepe and mourne for our sinnes and for that wee haue neglected the care of our owne saluation so also we are to mourne and lament to see others so carelesse of their saluation some sell their soules some carelesly lose them 1. Some sell them as Ahab and as some wrangling and corrupt Lawyers which haue Linguam venalem a tongue to bee sould which for a paltrie fee will many times stretch his conscience by maintaining a false cause or marring a good to the vndoing of his Neighbour Mistake me not I speake not of all Lawyers for some are conscionable and iust in their proceedings The couetous man hath Animam venalem a soule to sell for the base thick clay of this world which cannot bee redeemed with all the world So the voluptuous man he sels his soule for pleasure as Esau did his Birth-right esteeming more the pleasures of sinne which last but for a season then the saluation of his soule The proud man hee sells his soule for aduancement as Alexander the sixt for the Popedome GOD he commands vs in the first Commandement to haue no other Gods but him alone yet the proud man will make Honour his god the couetous man the wedge of gold his god the voluptuous man his belly his god The first of Phâ—l 3. 19. Iohannis de Combis compen theol lib. 5. cap. 10. these as one well saith hath his Idoll in the Ayre the second on the earth the third in the water 2. Some lose their soules as the carnall Gospellers who thinke if they be not guilty of the crying sinnes of Sodome nor Gen. 18. 20 Isa 1. 18. of the crimson sinnes of Israel nor of the bitter sinnes of Simon Magus they thinke they are in good case though their liues abound with ignorance and prophanenesse and their soules with manie infirmities their liues with many deformities which they take no notice of Alas poore soules what good will it doe you at the great day of account when man cannot iustly charge with crime when God and your owne conscience knowes you want the wedding garment of faith it is not sufficient to bee cleansed from the one vnlesse ye bee furnished with the other else being weighed in the Dan. 5. 27. ballance of Gods Iustice yâ—e shall be found too light Others lose their soules by trifling away their time like idle people in the market while other are buying they stand gaping after the sinfull vanities of the world and thinke if they doe as their Neighbours do come to Church although it be for fashions sake they are in very good case though all this while their mindes roue and wander after their worldly businesse and so for want of watchfulnesse they betray their soules into Sathans hands and wrap themselues vnder that curse of doing the worke of the Lord negligently Others so liue that vnlesse all be saued it is impossible but they shall be damned because they loue like and continue in their miserable estate of nature being so chained in their sinnes and iniquities that they cannot stir one foot to heauen-ward yet for all this they doe not consider their miserable state and condition that they are slaues to sinne for whosoeuer Iohn 8. 34. Eph. 2. 3. committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne and his seruants ye are to Rom. 6. 16 whom ye obey Nay by nature we are the children of wrath and heires of hell and bound ouer to the curse of the law Gal. 3. 10 Deut. 27. 2 6. and so lyable to all crosses and calamities at our death to be haled by Sathan into Hell This fearefull and miserable condition is farre worse then the bondage of Turkes and BarbariaÌ„s for theirs though it be cruell yet it extends but to the body and cannot hurt the soule the most that Tyrants can doe is but to take away our liues and depriue vs of our liberty but this bondage is spirituall and depriues vs of Gods Image in our soules In the other there may be possibility of escaping that miserable bondage either by feare force or fauour or at least-wise our paines may bee mittigated if not death will set vs free but in this boÌ„dage as we are vnable to set our selues free so wee are vnwilling to be freed and are the greatest enemies to our owne saluation for
remember now thy Passion True saith the Iudge but yet now there is no place for compassion Yet Iesus let me come to thee No for in thy life time thou saidst depart from me Yet Iesus hast thou but one blessing giue me a blessing before I part No thou art vnder the curse therefore goe from me ye cursed But Lord since we are accursed let vs feele no other punishments then thy curse No as you haue burned with the fire of lusts so now you shal burne with the fire of Hell But who is able to endure this Isay 33. 11. euerlasting burning therefore sweet Iesus let it not continue long Yes as you would haue sinned for euer so shall this fire last for euer therefore goe yee cursed into euerlasting fire But Lord seeing wee must goe away with a curse yet giue vs some comfortable companions which may refresh and comfort vs in this flame No but as you were of your father the Deuill so goe yee into that flame prepared for him and his Angels from whence yee shall neuer depart till you haue paid the vttermost farthing which you will neuer bee able to doe Hell is a great deepe without Infernus ab inferendo dictus est bottome out of which there is no redemption In earthly prisons and dungeons there may be some possibility of escape as we read of many that were condemned to die by the tyranny of Gog and Magog the Turke and Pope and yet haue escaped but out of hell neuer any escaped The party which Mat. 13. 22 intruded himselfe into the wedding feast and had not on his wedding garment was bound hand and foote and cast into vtter darkenesse If a man were bound hand and foot with a thousand Cords crosse one another this way and that way as the wit of man might conceiue so to hamper and fetter a man as that he were neuer able to stirre or moue much lesse able to loose and set free himselfe were not such a man in a miserable case but if this mā so bound should be cast into a Well or Pit a thousand mile deep what hope could such a man haue of euer comming out So they that are once in Hell shall neuer come out thence for Betweene you and vs Luk. 16. 29 saith Father Abraham is a great gulfe set so that it is impossible to come out thence Now this Gulfe is the eternall Decree of God and it is past the skill of men Angels and deuils to giue Dan. 12. 2 ease to a tormented soule or purchase their libertie for their Worme neuer dyeth and their Mat. 9. 24. 2 Thes 1. 9. perdition is euerlasting and Saint Iude saith that they shall suffer eternall fire and as the Reu. 20. 10. Mercie of the Lord endures for euer so doth the Iustice of the Lord endure from euerlasting to euerlasting world without end Ob. Oh but may some say Is not God vniust to punish mortall man which hath liued not aboue 20. 30. 40. 60 or 80. yeares and hath endured a great deale of misery in this world is hee not then vniust to punish him eternally in the world to come A. Vnto which I answere Oh man who art thou that replyest Rom. 9. 20. against God It is iust with the most holy righteous glorious God to punish man for euer for these reasons 1. If we consider the infinite Holinesse and Puritie of GOD that is offended the intolerable indignitie that hath beene offered to his sacred Maiestie he may iustly punish man with eternall torments 2. If man should liue euer he would sinne euer and despite and offer violence to the sacred Maiesty of the Lord and lade him with his sinnes as a Cart is pressed with Sheaues 3. It is iust with God to punish sinners so long as they continue sinfull but the damned in hell remaine sinfull therefore it is iust with God to punish them with eternall torments for sinne is like Oyle and the Iustice of God like fire and we see by experience that so long as the Oyle lasts the fire will burne so as long as the damned remain sinfull so long they shall bee tormented now in hell as we shewed before the damned doe continually blaspheme and sinne against God therefore their torments shall bee endlesse for euer and euer Now let the greedy worldling Extrema gaudia sequuntur perpetuae lament◠tell mee what a match hee makes to gaine the world and lose his soule which is more worth then ten thousand worlds and which cannot bee ransomed againe at any rate If gold and siluer and the riches of the world could redeeme the soule then sure the Deuill would haue made sure worke for himselfe but alas it cannot be obtained he cannot purchase his redemption but at last shall bee cast into that fiery lake and shall bee tormented day and night for euer and euer Brethren if the torments of Hell be so fearefull and so painfull as we haue heard and so impossible to come out of them the Deuill being the Gaoler and being armed with the purpose and decree of God that it is impossible to escape Those he possessed in our Sauiours time how hard a matter was it to make him let goe his hold so loath he was to lose those he held captiue by permission how much more carefull will he bee now to hold the damned vnder the fiercenesse of Gods wrath for euer How then may we wonder at the folly and madnesse of many of vs that so wilfully cast away our soules What adoe haue wee to win and perswade men from their wickednesse which is the high way to lose their soules Some cast away their soules to satisfie their drunkennesse some by blasphemous oathes some by griping and greedy couetousnesse some one way some another in so much that God may thunder from heauen against the deafe sinners of our times and say as once hee did to Israel Why will ye die why will ye cast away your soules And yet for all this we will not amend Christ may lay loade vpon our Consciences as once hee did vpon Iudas and tell vs that if we lose our soules it had beene better for vs we had neuer beene borne but for all this neither his Word nor his Iudgements can stay vs from walking in those sinfull courses which lead to hell We loue the way to hell better then the way to heauen and wee preferre the pleasures of sin before the ioyes of heauen We are carefull for the world lest we should want but for the soule we make no question for the body wee take care and vpon euery light occasion doe distrust and fall to shifts fearing wee shall want but for our soules we perswade our selues that all is well with them albeit they want all the meanes of saluation and wee our selues liue in our corruption vnreformed many wayes there are to make supply for the body in earthly things but one way
make men vnfit to take care for their soules health Sicknesse is a time to liue by faith and not a time to get faith What a madnesse and miserie were it for the Souldier to haue his Sword and Helmet to seek when the enemy sounds alarum to the battle so what a foolish thing is it to haue the prouision for our soules to seek when death is ready to get in at the window But admit that sicknesse put them in minde of death that they were sure to die to morrow yet many would not be the better for it The Apostle 1 Cor. 15. 32. tels vs of the Epicures of his time that spake of dying to morrow and yet had no grace to prouide for their soules for thus they say Let vs eate and drinke for to morrow we shall die which shewes that grace is not wrought by sicknesse or feare of death but by the power of Gods Spirit Ob. Oh but then we will send for the Minister and hee shall pray for vs. Answ Wilt thou send for them to pray for thee in thy sicknesse whom thou hast scorned despised and dis-regarded in thy life and health as much as euer Pharaoh did Moses and Aaron If they could doe no good vnto thy soule while thou wert in thy health what canst thou thinke they can doe vnto thee now a sick passionate and diseased man doest thou think they can worke faith and repentance in thy heart No they cannot gather Grapes of Thornes nor Figs of Thistles if thy heart be ouergrowne with the weeds of sinne and prophanenesse they can doe thee little good vnlesse thou shew great signes of repentance and hatred of all thy former sinfull life Let no maÌ„ thinke I would depriue the distressed of those meanes God hath appointed to confirme their faith that is not my meaning Ob. Oh but then wee will receiue the Sacrament and then no doubt but it shall goe well with vs. Answ The Sacrament is not a meanes to beget faith but to confirme faith where it is already begotten take heed therefore thou doe not receiue it with vncleane hands and an vnrepentant heart lest it seale vp to thee thy damnation and be vnto thee as the Sop was vnto Iudas Brethren mistake mee not I pray you I doe not condemne nor disallow for any that is sicke to send for the godly learned Minister for to receiue help and comfort from him in the time of distresse no no that is not my meaning the Apostle exhorts those that are sicke to call for the Elders of the Church and to let them pray Iam. 5. 15 16. ouer them he shews the benefit that will follow The prayer of faith shall saue the sicke and if he haue committed sinnes they shall be forgiuen And if hee repent truely of his sinnes the Sacrament shall seale vp and assure him of Christ and his righteousnesse to be imputed vnto him for his saluation But the thing that I aime at is this when as I see prophane men contemne and despise the godly faithfull Ministers in their life health I feare me they deceiue themselues to thinke that the Minister can doe them any good by his owne power and presence no no he can but declare their remission of their sinnes vpon their repentance if then they doe truely repent them of their sinnes and resolue from the bottome of their hearts to lead new liues let them not doubt but they shall receiue much comfort by Gods blessing from them for to this end hath the Lord giuen them the tongue of the learned that they might know how to minister a word of comfort in due season to a wearied Conscience Therefore Brethren if you would haue comfort by them in your sicknesse and at your death make much of them and reuerence them in your liues and let them be deare and precious vnto you and honour them for their workes sake But here may some obiect and say What a stir is here for the saluatioÌ„ of the soule here is more adoe then needs we may prouide for that at our leasure there is no time vnfit to repeÌ„t and turne to the Lord hee is a God of mercy hee will haue mercy vpon our soules whensoeuer we repent and turne to him did he not shew mercie to the Theefe at the last gaspe therefore I doubt not but if I repent in my old age I shall bee saued well enough To which I answere that though no time be vnfit or too late for repentance while wee are here in this life yet manie times we heare of many which are taken out of the world before they thought of repeÌ„tance and late repentance proues seldome good but many times faigned and dissembled like Cain's Esau's and Iudas If the case bee so deare brethren then it is a point of wisedome to looke into it whether it were best policy for vs to take the opportunity of time while it is offered or else post it off to another time wee see that the men of the world are wiser in their generation Froâ—te capilaâ—â— pâ—st est occasio calua let vs learne a point of wisdome of them Aske the Merchant when it is best time to prouide for his Commodities and he will tell you while the Mart lasts Aske the Husbandman when it is time to sow his ground and he will tell you while the season lasteth The dumbe Creatures as the Storke and the Turtle and the Crane know their appointed times but man will not know when it is time to turne vnto GOD that hee may haue mercy vpon his soule and if they doe know the time yet they put it off neglect it though they be often called Today if you will heare his voyce barden not your hearts yet the most of vs like drouzy men sleepe still in sinne and answere the Lord as Saint Austine saith of himselfe saying Lord I had not wherewith to answere thee when thou saidst vnto me Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall giue thee life And thou demonstrating those things to bee true in euerie point which thou spakest vnto mee I being conuinced of the truth had not any answere at all but onely the words and speeches of a loytering sluggard and of a drouzy sleeper Nil nisi tantum verba lenta somnolenta modo ecce modo fine paululum sed modo modo non habebat modum fine paululum in longum ibat Aug. Conf. l. 8. c. 5. By and by and behold anon by and by behold anon had neither measure nor moderation and let me alone held on a long time So doe sinfull men with GOD they by procrastinating the time hazzard their saluation Now if by the Word of God we can conuince the carelesse world in this point for the neglect of the saluation of their soules and dissolue this obiection we hope wee shall not vnprofitably spend our time let vs therefore in the