spoken Be of good cheere This same But is like a happy oare that turnes our vessell from the rocks of despaire and lands it at the hauen of comfort But c. Thou Thou onely without helpe or succour of either man or Angell that art able to saue with a few as well as with many that art A man of vvarre Exod. 15. and commest armed against thine enemies with a speare of wrath and a sword of vengeance Thou of whose greatnesse there is no end no limits no determination Thou O Lord without any partner either to share thy glory or our thanks Thou broughtest vs out Thou of thy owne goodnesse so well as by thy ovvne greatnesse hast deliuered vs. No merite of ours procured or deserued this mercy at thy hands but our freedome comes onely by thy Maiestie of thy mercy Here were no armes of flesh nor Armies of Angels in this worke of our Redemption but Thou hast brought vs out that vvee might praise thy Name Therefore wee say Blesse the Lord O our soules O Lord thou art very great thou art clothed vvith honour and maiesty Eduxisti Broughtest out Great workes become a great God Opera testantur de me saith our Sauiour My workes beare witnesse of mee I heale the sicke cleanse the Leprous giue sight to the blinde raise the dead cast out deuils Will you not belieue O ye carnall eyes vnlesse you see will you trust your fiue senses aboue the foure Gospels vers 5. Come then and see the workes of God See workes not a fancie speculation or deceiuing shadow but reall visible acted accomplished workes Eduxists Sensus assensus Let demonstration conuince you the Snare is broken and we are deliuered The Lord workes potenter and patenter There is not onely manifold mercy but manifest mercy in his doings He brought vs out When the vngodly see vs so low brought that persecutors ride ouer our heads they are ready to say Where is now their Gâ—…d Behold hîc est Deus our God is heere where there was need of him opus Deo a work fit for the Deity to performe Misery had wrapped and entangled vs the wicked hands had ty'd vs as the Philistines did Samson with the bands of death Here then was Dignus vindice nodus a knot worthy the finger of God to vntie He looked downe from the height of his Sanctuary from heauen did the Lord behold the earth For what purpose To heare the groning of the prisoner to loose those that are appointed to death Behold the waters went ouer our soule yet we were not drowned Malice had doomed vs to the Fire but our comfort is Nihil potestatis in nos habuâ—…sse ignem that the fire had not power ouer vs. They trode vs vnder their cruell insultations but the Lord hath lifted vs vp The Lord of Hosts was with vs the God of Iacob was our refuge Vs. To this act of God if we tye the Subiect wherein hee workes and knit to Eduxisti Nos which I called verbum solitudinis a word of former wretchednesse and calamitie we shall finde our misery a fit obiect for GODS mercy Especially if you set the others malice against our meeknesse their wickednesse against our weakenesse the persons whom God deliuers the persons from whom will greatly commend the mercy of our deliuerance It is a pleasure to God to haue his strength perfected in our infirmitie When the danger is most violent in it own nature and our sense then is his helping arme most welcome Esa. 17. In the day of griefe and of desperate sorrow the haruest shall be great a plentifull croppe of ioy Qui Deus est noster Deus est salutis He that is our God is the God of saluation and vnto God the Lord belong the issues from death He delights to haue vs say in this deepe extremity Eduxisti Thou hast brought vs out When Ionas was taken vp by the Mariners put from the succour of the Shippe no helpe in any Rockes nor mercy in the waters neither means nor desire to escape by swimming for he yeelds himselfe into the iaws of death with as mortified affection as if a lumpe of lead had beene throwne into the sea a man would haue thought that saluation it selfe could not haue saued Ionas Yet Ionas shall not die Here is now a deliuery fit for God a cure for the almightie hand to vndertake Mans extremity is Gods opportunity Distressed desire is importunate It is time that thou haue mercy vpon vs yea the time is come But if God doe not presently answere we are ready to pant out a groane of despaire The time is past If our importunity preuaile not wee thinke all opportunity is gone But God sayes Tempus nondum venit the time is not yet God waites the maturity of the danger the more to increase his honour As Alexander cheared himselfe when hee should fight with men and beasts haughty enemies and huge Elephants Tandem par animo meo periculum video I see at last a danger somewhat equall to my minde Will you heare when this time is come Iohn 11. Martha tells Christ Master if thou hadst beene heere my brother had not died Christ knevv this before vers 15. Lazarus is dead and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there that you might belieue Obserue the different thoughts of God and man Martha is sorry Christ is glad She thought that the time of helpe was past Christ thought that the time was not opportune till now Iairus his seruant comes and tels him Thy daughter is dead trouble the master no further This was the word Christ expected to heare And now he sayes Be not afraid onely beleeue Heare the Israelites desperate complaint The waters of the Sea roare before their faces the wheeles of the Chariots rattle behinde their backs hereon they cry to Moses Were there no graues in Egypt that thou hast brought vs hither to die Now saith Moses Feare not stand still and see the saluation of God From that hath beene spoken and that which follows we may obserue two workes of Gods mercy Which consist Remouendo Promouendo the one remouing avvay much euill the other preferring to much good Eduxisti shewes his kindenesse in freeing vs from calamity In locum opulentum his goodnesse in exalting vs to dignity The former is an act of deliuerance the latter of aduancement So there is Terminus à quo from whence vvee are freed and Terminus ad quem to which vvee are exalted For the former wee haue God heere Educentem bringing out of trouble Sometime wee finde GOD Ducentem leading guiding directing Wilt not thou O Lord goe forth vvith our hoastes And Hee ledde them through the wildernesse by the hand of Moses and Aaron Sometimes Inducentem vers 11. Thou broughtest vs into the net thou hast laid affliction vpon our loynes Sometimes Adducentem Thou O Lord hast brought vs home to thy selfe
others vertues and good actions with praise It is the argument of a sullen and proud disposition not to commend them that do well Yet there is no ointment so sweet but there will bee some dead flies to corrupt it There bee certaine dogs that will barke at the Moone Critickes that spend the larger part of their time seeking knots in a bulrush The Snow is not so white but there is an Anaxagoras to make it blacke It was Gods commendation of Iob that there was none like him in the earth he had no fellow yet the deuill pickes quarrels and inuenteth slanders against him Traducers of their brethren I call not Damones but Damonis agunt I do not say they are deuils but they do the worke of deuils This mischiefe of deprauing hath also infected the Church Many a Preacher thinkes his owne glory eclipsed if the next Orbe be lightned with a brighter Starre Hence they fall to faulting and inueighing as if there were no way to build vp their owne credites but by the ruins of anothers disgrace God doth otherwise The Lord commended the vniust Steward because he had done wisely Though he had many faults yet Christ praiseth him for what was worthy praise his policy S. Paul found grosse errours in the Corinthians In this I praise you not that you come together not for the better but for the worse But wherein they did well he commends them ver 2. I praise you brethren that you remember me in all things Thus Ezekiel commends Daniel a Prophet of his owne time and thought it not any derogation from himselfe Behold Art thou wiser then Daniel As Salomon saith of beggers A poore man oppressing the poore is like a sweeping raine which leaueth no food behind it So a Minister disparaging a Minister is a breach whereby the deuill comes out and many soules go into hell Now to the words Arise go thy way thy faith hath made thee whole The verse may be distinguished into a Pasport and a Certificate Arise go thy way there is the Pasport Thy faith hath made thee whole there is the Certificate Hee giues him first a Dismission leaue to depart then a Testimonie or Assurance both to certifie the Church actually that he was cleansed of his leprosie but especially to certifie his owne conscience that he was conuerted and that the faith of his soule brought health to his body In the Pasport or Dismission there are two words considerable Surge and Vade Arise Goe Surge ad incipiendum vade ad perficiendum First let vs speake of them secundum sonum then secundum sensum First according to the Historie then according to Mysterie Allegories are tolerable when they be profitable Nor can it be much from the Text by occasion of those two words spoken to the eares of the Lepers body to instruct your soules how to Arise from the Seate of Custome the couch of sinne and to Goe on in the way of saluation Arise The Leper casts himselfe downe and Christ bids him arise Humility is the Gentleman Vsher to Glory God that sends away the rich empty from his gates loues to fill the hungry with good things The ayre passeth by the full vessell and onely filleth that is emptie This is the difference betweene the poore and beggers both agree in not hauing differ in crauing The proud are Pauperes Spiritus the humble are pauperes spiritu Blessed are not the poore spirits but the poore in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of heauen Such as felt their wants sought and besought God for supply Euery Valley shall be filled and euery Mountaine be brought low The lowly minde shall be exalted the high-towring ambitious shall be throwne downe How should God say to the Marchant that glories in his wealth to the Vsurer that admireth his moneyes to the Gallant that wonders that his good cloathes do not preferre him Arise alas they are vp already they were neuer down A dwarfe in a great throng seeming low on his knees was bidden by the Prince to stand vp alas he was before at his highest God cannot be so mistaken as to encourage their standing vp who neuer yet had the manners to cast themselues downe Descendite vt ascendatis ad Deum cecidistis enim ascendendo contra euâ—… Descend that yee may rise vp to God for you haue fallen by rising vp against God He that is a Mountebanke must leuell himselfe euen with the ground if humblenesse hath once throwne him downe and brought him on his knees he shall heare the Patron and patterne of humblenesse comforting him with a Surge Arise The guest that sets himselfe downe at the lower end of the Table shall heare the Feast-maker kindly remoue him Friend sit vp higher If Hester fall at Asuerus feete hee will take her by the hand and bid her arise When Peter fell downe at Iesus knees saying Depart from me I am a sinfull man O Lord He presently was raised vp with Feare not from henceforth thou shalt catch men Zacheus is gotten vp on high to see Iesus see him hee may with his eye of flesh but he must descend that hee may see him with his eye of faith Come downe Zacheus this day is saluation come to thy house Descend to the ground that thou maist be raised aboue the clouds Pride euen in good things Non ditio sed perditio is no argument of possession but destruction The haughtie-minded lookes alwaies beyond the marke and offers to shoote further then hee lookes but euer falls two bowes short humility and discretion who is heard to say with Paul Quorum ego sum primus I am the chiefe of sinners such an humble confession scarce heard of But Christ had giuen him a Surge on his former humbling Arise and beare my name before Gentiles and Kings c. Let vs all thus cast our selues downe in humility that the Lord may say to vs in mercy Arise Gâ—…e This was the word of Dismission wherewith Christ sends him away Though he were healed therein had his hearts desire what could he expect more of Christ why is he not gone No he has not yet his Vade hee will not go till he is bidden Hee found such sweetnesse in the Lord Iesus that could you blame him though he were loth to depart From another mans house we say after some small tarrying Let vs saue our credites and go before we are bidden but from the Lord let vs not depart without a dismission The hearts of the people were so set on Christ that hee was faine to send them often away Mat. 14. 22. Hee sent the multitudes away Math. 15. 39. Hee sent the people away As Simeon that Swanne which sung his owne funerall Nunc dimittis Lord now thou lettest thy seruant depart in peace This makes to the shame of their faces that without other cause then of wearinesse waywardnesse or wantonnesse will not tarry for their
written on a monument equall to a Colossus yet be ignominious written on the Hospitall-gates yet goe to hell written on his own house yet another come to possesse it All these are but writings in the dnst or vpon the vvaters where the characters perish so soone as they are made They no more proue a man happy then the foole could proue Pontius Pilate a Saint because his name was written in the Creed But they that be written in heauen are sure to inherite it Now to apply all this vsefully to our selues some perhaps would be satisfied how wee may know our names written in heauen It is certaine that no eye hath looked into Gods booke yet himselfe hath allowed certaine arguments and proofes whereby wee haue more then a coniecturall knowledge The principall is the Testimonie of Gods Spirit concurring with our spirit Rom. 8. 16. But of this I haue liberally spoken in some later passages of this booke together with the most pregnant signes of our election Here therefore I am straightned to insert onely some there omitted effects Which are these foure If our hearts be on Gods booke If the poore be in our booke If wee well order the booke of our conscience Lastly if we can write our selues holy in earth then be bold we are vvritten happy in heauen 1. If our heart be on Gods booke and this wee shall find è conuerso if Gods booke be in our heart Mary laid vp Christs words in her heart It must not lye like loose corne on the floore subiect to the pecking vp of euery fowle but it is ground by meditation digested by faith manet alto corde repostum God saies My sonne giue thy heart to me doe thou pray My Father first giue thy selfe to my heart I aske not whether this booke lyes in thy study but whether the study of it lyes in thy heart The life of the Scriptures is not in verborum folijs sed in medulla cordis not in the letters and leaues but in the inwards of the heart It is not lectio nor relectio but dilectio not reading but leading a life answerable that assures vs. If we syncerely loue this booke wee are certainly in Gods booke Mary zealously louing Christs word is said to chuse the better part that shall neuer be taken from her 2. If the poore be in thy booke and this is reciprocall then thou art in their booke and the conclusion is infallible thou art in the booke of Life For the relieued poore by their prayers entertaine or make way for thy entertainement into euerlasting habitations And Christ at the last day calls them to himselfe that haue beene charitable to his members Come yee blessed receiue the kingdome prepared for you Your works haue not merited this kingdome for it was prepared for you but as that vvas prepared for you so your charitie hath prepared you for it Come and take it Let not thy left hand knowe vvhat thy right hand doth Doe thou write it in the dust the poore will write it in their hearts GOD findes it in their prayers their prayers preuaile for thy mercie mercy writes thy name in heauen Thy prayers and thy almes are come vp for a memoriall before God Therefore Cast thy bread vpon the waters drowne it in those watry eyes it is not lost in that Riuer like Peter thou throwest in an angle bringest vp siluer enough to make thee blessed Via coeli est pauper si non vis errare incipe erogare The poore is the high-way to heauen if thou wouldest not wander in thy iourney shew mercy Non potes habere nisi quòd acceperis non potes non habere quod dederis Thou canst haue nothing vnlesse thou receiue it thou canst keepe nothing vnlesse thou giue it Him that the poore writes not charitable on earth nor doth God write saueable in heauen 3. If thy name be written Christian in the booke of thy Conscience this is a speciall argument of thy registring in heauen For if our heart condemne vs not vvee haue boldnesse and confidence towards God Ang. VVhat if mans ignorance and vnmercifull ielousie blot thee out of the booke of his credite Si de libro vinentium nunquam propria deleat conscientia so long as thy owne conscience doth not blot thee forth the booke of blessednesse If the good spoken of vs be not found in our conscience that glory is our shame If the euill spoken of vs be not found in our conscience that shame is our glory Therefore it is that Hugo calls the cōscience Librum signatum et clausum in die Indicij aperiendum a booke shut and sealed onely at the Resurrection to be opened Conscientiam magis quà m famam attende falls saepe poterit fama conscientiae nunquam Looke to thy Conscience more then to thy credite fame may often be deceiued conscience neuer The beames that play vpon the water are shot from the Sunne in heauen the peace and ioy that danceth in the conscience comes from the Sonne of righteousnes the Lord Iesus If a hearty laughter dimple the cheeke there is a smooth and quiet mind within Vpon the wall there is a writing a man sitting with his backe to the wall how should hee read it but let a looking-glasse be set before him it vvill reflect it to his eyes he shall read it by the resultance The writing our names in heauen is hid yet in the glasse of a good conscience it is presented to our eye of faith and the soule reades it For it is impossible to haue a good conscience on earth except a man be written in heauen 4. If the booke of Sanctification haue our names written then surely the booke of Glorification hath them and they shall neuer be blotted out For God hath chosen vs in Christ before the foundation of the vvorld that wee should be holy and vvithout blame before him in loue Now as we may reason from the cause to the effect so certainely from the effect to the cause Election is the cause Holinesse the effect as therefore euery one written in heauen shall be holy on earth so euery one holy on earth is written in heauen This sanctitie is manifested in our obedience vvhich must be Ad totum I had respect to all thy commandements Per totum I haue enclined my heart to keepe thy statutes Alway euen to the end De tote to keepe thy precepts with my whole heart In Rome the Patres conscripti were distinguished by their robes and they of the Liuery in London haue a peculiar habite by themselues to differ from the rest of the Company Is thy name enrolled in that Legend of Saints thy liuery will witnes it thy conuersation is in heauen A Senator relating to his sonne the great honours decreed to a number of Souldiers whose names vvere written in a booke the sonne was importunate to see that booke The father shewes him the
them Vnto them were committed the oracles of God They were first dâ—…positarij then oeconomi dispensers For out of Sion shall goe forth the Law and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem He sheweth his word vnto Iacob his statutes vnto Israel he hath not dealt so with any Nation So Christ to the Samaritan woman Saluation is of the Iewes Now as this crediting facit ad honorem persona cui confidimus Ambr. makes to the honour of the person whom we credit This was a great credit to the Iewes so it brings them to a strict account exigendum cum vsâ—…is as in the Talents God lookes for his owne with vsury Some of them kept them in their hands but not in their hearts alijs magis profuâ—…ura quà m ipsis Erasm. for the benefit of other more then of themselues Now this booke is the Touchstone or tryall of our workes whatsoeuer wee haue eyther thought said or done is eyther with or against this Law of God How we wrangle heere to iustifie many things which there will not abide the tryall How many arguments doth a contentious man produce to countenance his wrangling Law-suites Defensio iuris Intentio legis retardatio iniuriarum The defending of his right the purpose of the Law the keeping backe of iniuries forbeare one wrong and prouoke more and Correctio iniustorum the punishing of euill doers and be not these smooth colours who can now say Peccasti in litigando thou hast done ill in going to law but still we reckon vvithout our Oast thou thinkest thy penny good siluer as the foole thought his peble a diamond bring it to the test There is vtterly a fault among you because ye goe to law one with another Whether vvill God iudge thee according to thine owne humour or according to this precept Alas he vvill then try thee Secundum legem suam non secundum legem tuam after his law not after thy lust It is opus carnis and will not abide tentationem ignis Contention strife variance are works of the flesh they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God Hell fire wil confute alreasons So among others an angry word calls on a challenge they haue plausible reasons for it Their credit lyes vpon it and better lose life then reputation If being wronged they chalenge not or being chalenged they answere not the vvorld condemnes them cowards So they fight not so much against anothers life as against their owne reproach This were somewhat if it were tam bene quà m magnè propositum if the proiect were as Christian as it is Romane Now they must go to the field pray embrace forgiue then fight and kill But is this the Law that God vvil iudge by no that Law is Thou shalt not kill But perhaps they purpose not to kill yet saith God Returne not euil for euil how doth this agree with thy color humor Yet more peremptorily Aâ—…enge not your selues but giue place vnto wrath For vengeance is mine sayth the Lord. Will you steale this from him in a glorious theft hazard your soule more then your body thrusting one vpon an enemies sword the other on Gods sword Will you meet together in so bloudy a designe wherein vterque letaliter peccat saepe alter aeternaliter perit both sinne deadly often one or both perish eternally Thus your pretences may blanch it ouer with the name of honour but the law you must be tried by will finde it homicide For Vsury how is it bedawbed with arguments probabilities patronages examples Bookes haue been written to iustifie it But none of these is that law wherby the Vsurer must be iudged They doe not onely reason thus I must giue to the poore therefore I must take vsury of the rich an argument of Stand-gate hole I may robbe some that I may giue to others But they defend it by Scripture If thou lend money to the poore thou shalt not lay vpon him vsury Not on the poore therefore they inferre vvee may lay it on the rich Robbe not the poore because hee is poore faith Salomon therefore wee may robbe the rich because he is rich and can spare it Is not this a goodly strong argument So because it is said Exo. 22. 22. Ye shall not afflict the widow or fatherlesse child it must needes follow that they may trouble a woman maried or a child that hath a father There are infinite excuses but the Law of triall is Thou shalt not lend vpon vsury studie an answere to that question As much may be said for Impropriations what shall become of all our legal pleas our Alienations Prohibitions Customs Fines all fine excuses when Christ shal set the sacrilegious before him and read this Law Thou shalt not robbe God of his tythes and offerings VVhere now are all reasons and excuses This spirituall Court will admit of no corrupt customes no deuices Mee thou hast robbed by me thou shalt be condemned Lord enter not into iudgement with vs who shall be iustified in thy sight We cannot answere ex millibus vnum one of a thousand Helpe vs O thou Iudge and Sauiour let thy mercy as Iesus help vs against thy Iustice as Iudge VVe must come vnder probation defend vs from reprobation and let vs find approbation not for our workes but thy mercies O blessed Redeemer Amen Lastly others are to be iudged by the Gospell and this certainly bindeth our conscience heâ—…e for it shall iudge vs hereafter He that beleeueth not on Christ is condemned Now the Gospel requires of vs two things Faith and Obedience Faith Repent and beleeue the Gospel Obedience Ye haue obeyed from the heart that forme of doctrine Which obedience must be Prompta yee haue obeyed voluntaria from the heart discreta that true forme of doctrine Lyran. Indeed Obedientia Euangelica est ipsa fides Many thinke they are not bound to beleeue the Gospel but by this they shall be iudged True it is that all are not bound to it they to whom Christ neuer spoke was neuer spoken haue an excuse not of euery sinne but of this sinne that they haue not beleeued on Christ. It is obiected The Law bound all therefore the Gospel bindes all No for the Law was giuen to mans nature so though the knowledge was lost by mans default yet the bond remaines on Gods part The Gospel was neuer giuen to mans nature but after the fall and is aboue nature Adam was the roote of mankind in respect of nature not in respect of grace When God gaue the Law to him hee bound him and all his posterity to keepe it When he gaue the Promise to him faith to beleeue it hee did not withall giue it to all mankind Neither if Adam had afterwards falne from faith should all mankind haue falne with him The first Adam was not the roote of the Promise but the second But now to our selues we must
Such a charming power said a worthy Diuine hath the musicke of money and wealth and such fittes it workes in a mans heart First it takes him from peacefull setlednes and from great content in his litle and puts him into dumps a miserable carking thoughtfullnes how to scrape together much dirt Next when he hath it and begins with delight to sucke on the dugges of the world his purse his barnes and all his but his heart full hee fals to dancing and singing requiems Soule take thine â—…ase eate drinke and be merry Then shall his table standfull of the best dishes his cup of the purest wine his backe with the richest robes and he conceites a kinde of immortalitie in his coffers he denies himselfe no satietie no surquedrie But at last the worldes bedlaâ—…-musicke puts him into frenziâ—… hee growes rampant Runnes into oppressions extortions depopulations rapes whordomes murders massacres spares not bloud or friendship authoritie nor vâ—…ssalage widow nor orphan Prince nor subiect Nec 〈◊〉 nec Arâ—… neither poore mans coâ—…tage nor Churches altar Yea if the Common wealth had but one throate as Nero wish ed of Rome he would cut it O the vnpacifiable madnes that this worlds musicke puts those into which will dance after his Pipe For this cause saith our Apostle continue in the Charitie thou hast begun Walke in loue Ye did run well who did hinder you Doth wealth keepe you from charitie This perswasion commeth not of him that calleth you God neuer meant when he gaue you riches that you should then begin to be couetous He did not for this purpose shew new mercie to you that you should take away your old mercies from his There are other that seeme to end in Loue who neuer all their dayes walked in this heauenly path They haue a will lying by them wherein they haue bequeathed a certaine legacie to the poore something to such a Church or such an Hospitall But this will is not of force till the testator be dead so that a man may say though the will be ready yet to will is not ready with theÌ„ for God shall not haue it so long as they can keepe it These can wish with Balaam to dye Christians but they must liue Pagans Hauing raised thousands out of their sacrilegious and inhospitable Impropriations they can bestow the dead hope of a litle mite on the Church In memoriall whereof the heyre must procure an annuall recitation besides the monumentall sculpture on the Tombe Be his life neuer so blacke and more tenebrous then the vaults of lust yet said a Reuerend Diuine he shall find a blacke prophet for a blacke cloake that with a blacke mouth shall commend him for whiter then snow and lillies Though his vnrepented oppressions vnrestored extortions and bloud-drawing vsuries haue sent his soule to the infernall dungeon of Sathan whose parishioner he was all his life yet money may get him cannonizd a Saint at Rome and robe him with spotles integritie and innocence So diuerse among them that liued More LatronuÌ„ yet in death affected Cultum martyrum Hence Epitaphs and funerall orations shall commend a mans charitie who neuer all his dayes walked two steps in Loue. But it is in vaine to write a mans charitie in a repaired window when his tyrannous life is written in the bloudy and indeleble characters of many poore mens ruine and ouerthrow Nor can the narrow plaster of a little poore beneuolence hide and couer the multitude of gaping wounds made by extortion and vnmercifulnes No God hates the Sacrifice of robberie their drinke offerings of bloud will I not offer said Dauid The oblation that is made vp of the earnings of the poore is an abomination offending Gods eye and prouoking his hand First restore the lands and goods of others iniuriously or vsuriously gotten let not an vniust peny lie rotting on thy heape and heart and then build Hospitals repaire ruin'd holy places produce the fruits of mercie walke in Loue. Otherwise it is not smooth marble and engrauen brasse with a commending epitaph that can any more preserue the name from rotten putrefaction then the carcase But for all that the memorie shall stinke aboue ground as the body doth vnder it It is a desperate hazard that a wicked man by a charitable will shal make amends for all whereas commonly an vsurers Testament is but a Testimonie of his lewd life There is small hope that they end in charitie who would neuer walke in Loue. There bee others that cannot walke in Loue through a double defect either of eyes or of feete Some haue Feet but want eyes Eyes but want feet 1. Some haue the feet of affections but they lacke eyes and so cannot descry the true and perfect way of Loue. Indeed no man can find it without God Shew me thy wayes O Lord teach me thy pathes For it is he that directs sinners wandrers to the way These want him that should Leade them by the way that they should goe They thinke that by building vp a ladder of good workes their soules shall on meritorious rounds climbe vp to heauen They cannot distinguish betweene Viam regni and causamregnandi They suppose if they releeue Seminaries fast Lents keepe their numbredorisons pro digally sacrifice their blouds in treasons for that Romaine Harlot this is via dilectionis the way of Loue. So the silly seruant biddeÌ„ to open the gates set his shoulders to them but with all his might could not stir them whereas another comes with the key easily vnlocks theÌ„ These men so confideÌ„t in their good workes do but set their shoulders to heauen-gates alas without comfort for it is the key of faith that only opeÌ„s them These haue nimble feete forward affections harts workeable to charitie and would Walke in Loue if they had eyes Therfore Let vs prayfor them Cause them to know the way O Lord wherein they should walke 2. Other haue eyes but they want feete they vnderstand the way of loue but they haue no affection to walke in it They know that false measures forsworne valuations adulterate wares smooth-checked circumuentions painted cosenages malicious repinings denied succours are all against Loue. Noscunt poscunt They know them but they will vse them They know that humblenes kindnes meekenes patience remission compassion giuing and forgiuing actuall comforts are the fruits of Loue. Norunt nolunt They know it but they will none of it These know but walke not in Loue. It is fabled that a great king gaue to one of his subiects of his owne meere fauour a goodly citie happily replenished with all treasures and pleasures He does not onely freely giue it but directes him the way which keeping hee should not misse it The reioyced subiect soone enters on his iourney and rests not till hee comes within sight of the Citie Thus neare it he spies a great company of men digging in the ground to whom approching hee found
doat on it that so kisse it being a deformed stigmaticke How greedily would they gather the flowers who will not forbeare the thornes They that so admire it being transient and temporall how would they bee enamoured on it if it were eternall But the world passeth and God abideth They shall perish but thou remainest they all shall waxe old as doth a garment and as a vesture shalt thou fold them vp and they shall bee changed but thou art The Samâ—… and thy yeares shall not faile Therefore trust not in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God And then they that trust in the Lord shall be as Mâ—…unt Sion which cannot be remoued but abideth for euer Iesus Christ the Saâ—… yesterday and to day and for euer 2. This perswades vs to an imitation of Christs Constancie Let the stablenes of his mercie to vs worke a stablenes of our loue to him And howsoeuer like the lower Orbes we haue a naturall motion of our owne from good to euill yet let vs suffer the higher power to moue vs supernaturally from euill to good There is in vs indeed a reluctant flesh a Law in our members warring against the Law of our minde So August confesseth Nec planè nolebam nec planè volebam And Egâ—… eraâ—… qui volebam ego qui nolebam I neither fully granted nor plainely denied and it was I my selfe that both would and would not But our ripenesse of Christianitie must ouergrow fluctuant thoughts Irresolution and vnsteddines is hatefull and vnlike to our master Christ who is euer The Same A double minded man is vnstable in all his wayes The inconstant man is a stranger in his owne house all his purposes are but guests his heart is the Inne if they lodge there for a night it is all they are gone in the morning Many motions come crowding together vpon him and like a great prease at a narrow dore whiles all striue none enter The Epigrammatist wittily Omnia cùm facias miraris cur facias nil Posthume rem solam qui facit ille facit He that will haue an oare for euery mans boate shall haue none left to row his owne They sayth Melancton that will know aliquid in omnibus shall indéed know nihil in toto Their admiration or dotage of a thing is extreame for the time but it is a wonder if it out-liue the age of a wonder which is allowed but nine dayes They are angry with Time and say the times are dead because they produce no more innouations Their inquiry of all things is not Quà m bonum but Quà m novum They are almost wearie of the Sun for continuall shining Continuance is a sufficient quarrell against the best things and the Manna of heauen is loathed because it is common This is not to be alwayes the same but neuer the same and whiles they would bee euery thing they are nothing but like the worme Plinie writes of multipoda that hath many feete yet is of slow pace A while you shall haue him in England louing the simple truth anone in Rome groueling before an Image soone after he leaps to Amsterdam and yet must he still be turning till there be nothing left but to turne Turke To winter an opinion is too tedious he hath bin many things what hee will be you shall scarce know till he is nothing But the God of Constancie would haue his to be constant Stedfast in your faith to him Colos. 1. Continue in the faith grounded and setled and be not moued away from the hope of the Gospell Stedfast in your faithfulnesse to man promising and not disappoynting Doe not aliud stantes aliud sedâ—…tes least your changing with God teach God to change with you Nemo potest tibi Christum â—…uferre â—…isi tâ—… illi auferas No man can turne Christ from thee vnles thou turne thy selfe from Christ. For Iesus Christ the same yesterday c. We come now to the Circumference wherein is a distinction of three times Past Present Future Tempora mutantur the times change the Circumference wheeles about but the Center is the same for euer We must resolue this Triplicitie into a Triplicitie Christ is the same according to these three distinct termes three distinct wayes Obiectiuè in his Word Subiectiuè in his Power Effectiuè in his gratious Operation Obiectiuely Iesus Christ is the same in his word and that Yesterday in Preordination To day in Incarnation For euer in Application Yesterday in Preordination So Saint Peter in his Sermon tels the Iewes that he was deliuered by the determinate counsell and foreknowledge of God And in his Epistle that he was verily preordained before the foundation of the world Reuel 13. He is called the Lambe slaine from the foundation of the world Prius prâ—…fuit quamfuit His Prophets did foretell him the Types did prefigure him God himselfe did promise him Râ—…tus or do Dei the decree of God is constant Much comfort I must here leaue to your meditation If God preordained a Sauiour for man before he had eyther made man or man mar'd himselfe as Paul to Timothie he hath saued vs according to his own purpose aâ—…d grace which was giuen vs in Christ Iesus before the world began then surely he meant that nothing should separate vs from his eternall loue in that Sauiour Quos 〈◊〉 increatos redeâ—…it perditos non deseret redemptos Whom he chose before they were created and when they were lost redeemed he will not forsake being sanctified To day in Incarnation When the fulnesse of the time was come God sent forth his Sonne made of a Woman The word was made flesh which was sayth Emissenus Non deposita sed sepositâ—… maiestate Thus he became younger then-his Mother that is as eternall as his Father He was Yesterday God before all worlds he is now made man in the World Sanguinem quâ—…m pro matre â—…btulit antea de sanguine matris accepit The bloud that he shed for his Mother hee had from his Mother The same Eusebius on the 9. of Esay acutely Vnto vs a child is borne vnto vs a Sonne is giuen He was Datus ex Diuinitate natus ex virgine Datus est qui erat natus est qui non erat He was Giuen of the Deitie Borne of the virgin He that was giuen was before he as borne was before Donum dedit Deus â—…quale sibi God gaue a gift equall to himselfe So he is the same yesterday and to day obiectiuely in his Word Idom qui velatus in veteri reuâ—…latus in none In illo praedictus in isto praedicatus Yesterday prefigured in the Law to day the same manifested in the Gospell For euer in Operation He doth continually by his Spirit apply to our consciences the vertue of his death and passion As many as receiue him to them giues â—…e power to become the Sonnes of God
master of Requests in heauen haue all our suites wee are sure either to receiue what wee aske or what wee should aske It is extensa a hand put forth and stretched out Stretched out not to receiue but to giue The Prophet speakes of Rulers that stretch out their hands for bribes and cry Giue yee but the Lords hand is put forth to offer good things All day long haue I stretched forth my hands to a disobedient people Indeed God hath a hand and woe to the man against whom it is stretched Homer sayth that all the Gods could not ward a blow of Iupiters hand His hands are not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hands that cannot be sufficiently preised but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hands that cannot be resisted It is a heauy hand when it lights vpon men in anger It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God When reuolting Israell fell to serue Baal and Ashtaroth Whethersoeuer they went out the hand of the Lord was against them for euill When the men of Ashdod were smitten with Emerods it is said the hand of the Lord was heauie vpon them So Dauid in his grieuous miserie Thine arrowes sticke fast in me thy hand presseth mesore It is not this hand that God here stretcheth out Bernard sayth God hath two hands Fortitudo and Latitudo A hand of strength Qua defendit potenter wherewith he protects his friends and confounds his enemies A hand of Bountie Qua tribuit affluenter wherby he disperseth and disposeth the larges of his gifts This is the hand here put forth manus regalis and giues munus regale a royall hand full of reall mercies let vs humbly kisse it It is expansa not a shut hand but open Thou openest thy hand and fillest all things liuing with plenteousnesse God giues richly sayth Paul Man is poore because hee is a creature the very namâ—… of creature inferres pouertie it implies a receiuing of all Quid habes quod non accepisti The Creator hath the possession of all and the disposition of all at his own pleasure Euery good gift and euery perfect gift is from aboue and commeth downe from the Father of Lights Bread in the Lords prayer is called Ours Giue vs this day our daily bread but ne putetur a nobis dicimus da nobis lest we should imagine it our owne from our selues we are taught daily to begge it of our father in heauen whose it is It is the Lords hand that barreth the gates of our cities that filleth our garners with plentie that sets peace about our walles and prosperitie in our pallaces that blesseth our goings out and commings in euen all the workes of our hands But what speake I of temporall things the gifts of his lest hand in comparison of length of dayes euerlasting ioyes the treasures of his right Repentance humilitie charitie and the Lady of all graces Faith come from his hand and are the faire gifts of God Ipsum velle credore Deus operatur in homine The first will to beleeue is wrought in man by God If any aske Cur illi ita suadeatur vt persuadeatur illi autem non ita Why doth this man beleeue another remaine in infidelitie Hic digitus Dei the hand of God hath bin here working faith in the soule of him that beleeueth All comes from this hand of mercy Quisquis tibi enumerat merita sua quid tibi enumerat nisi muneratua He that reckons to God his merites what doth he reckon but Gods mercies Quae bo na mea dona tua those that are my goods as Gods gifts 2. Though hands be here attributed to God yet it is but by way of metaphore not literally and in a true proprietie of speech To conceiue GOD to bee as man with humane dimensions was the heresie of the Anthro pomorphites and hee that thus grossely thinkes of God sayth Ierome makes an Idol of God in his heart But herein God stoopes to the qualitie of our vnderstandings ascribing to himselfe anger and displeasure as it were passions to the impassible whereas Nec Deus affectu capitur nec tangitur irâ—… they are not passions but perfections God hath a mouth by which he teacheth man wisedome he hath feet by which he walketh on the earth his footestoole he hath hands by which he giueth food to all flesh he hath none of these organically as men haue but in the varietie of effects which he produceth So Bernard Per effectum haec habet non per naturam 3. Obserue that in the left hand there is a double benefite Riches and Honour in the right but a single one Length of dayes yet this one farre transcends both the other For if we should restraine it to this world long life is a great blessing and more valuable then wealth and worship But taking it as it is meant for eternitie For this life is but a span long a span then now scarce the length of a finger as Psal. 23. I will dwell in the house of the Lord for euer originally to length of dayes but fitly traÌ„slated For euer the left hand is as far exceeded by the right as short mortalitie is by euerlastingnesse Aged Israel to his grand-children Ephraim Manasseh two sonnes of Ioseph when the father had placed the first borne Manasseh to his right hand and Ephraim the younger to his left hee crossing his hands layd the right vpon Ephraim and the left vpon Manasseh When Ioseph would haue remoued his hands he refused I know it my sonne I know it Manasseh also shall become a people and he also shall be great but truely his younger brother shall be greater then he The Lord doth blesse many Manassehs with his left hand in riches and honours but blessed be that Ephraim to whom his right hand is commended Lord let others enioy the treasures of thy left hand but lay thy right vpon our soules 4. I conclude Since the Lord out of both his hands powres and showres vpon vs these mercies what should we doe but be thankfull Shall wee receiue benefites by heapes and is the incense of our gratitude of so thinne a smoake Et capitur minimo thuris honore Deus All these blessings seeme to say to man Take and take heed Accipe redde caue Receiue returne beware Take warmth from me sayth apparell heat from me fâ—…yth fire strength from me sayth bread Restore thankfullnesse to the Giuer Or else beware lest the fire burne thee water drowne thee aire choake thee lest all giue destruction that should giue comfort Receiue in the name of God Returne in the Praise of God or Beware in the feare of God To whom for the blessings of both his hands be glory ascribed from all lips and hearts for euer and euer Amen THE LOST ARE FOVND LVK. 19. 10. For the Sonne of man is come to seeke and to saue that
I haue belieued when the life shall witnesse the contrary thy lips affirme but thy works deny As our Sauiour said Opera testantur de me my workes beare witnesse of me that I am Christ so thou must say Opera testantur de me my works beare witnesse of me that I am a Christian. Thou shalt be saued for thy faith not for thy works but for such a faith as is without works thou shalt neuer be saued Works are disioyned A iustificando non a iustificato from the act of iustifying not from the person iustified If this Iudge for his owne merits giue vs saluation wee must shew him the faire copy of our conuersation Quicquid Christus operatur pro nobis operatur in nobis Whatsoeuer Christ vvorkes for vs he also workes in vs. If he hath freed vs from the damnation of sinne he hath also freed vs from the dominion of sinne Albeit in our iustification Fiet nobis secundum fidem nostram Be it vnto vs according to our Faith yet in saluation Reddetur vnicuique secundum operasua Euery man shall bee rewarded according to his workes Let not that which is a word of comfort to vs be a bill of inditement against vs. 4. The Sentence As there be two sorts of men to be sentenced so there is a double sentence one of Absolution the other of Damnation With Absolution our Sauiour begins in action with that let vs begin in meditation He begins with fauour O he is ready to shew mercy and comes slowly to wrath and iudgement In the Absolution are considerable foure circumstances A Calling a Commending a Reply and an Answere First the calling is set downe Math. 25. 34. Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world In which gracious speech wee may perceiue sixe gradations 1. Amabilis vocatio Come This was the voyce of Christ generally to all in the day of Grace is particularly to the Elect in the day of Glory Now he calls more then vvill come then he will not call all that would come Now he giues many Venite's Come to me all that labour If any man thirst let him come to me and drinke The Spirit and Bride say Come and let him that heareth say Come and let him that is athirst come Send not others but come your selues Come to no others eyther Saints or Angels but come to me Let vs take heed of that Discedite quia nolâ—…stis venire Depart from me good reason for you would not come vnto mee You declined my call when I was humbled Is not this the Carpenters Sonne I vvill decline you now I am exalted None of those men that were called shall tast of my supper But such as haue obediently heard his Come in holines shall also graciously heare his second Come in happinesse 2. Suâ—…is Benedictio Ye Blessed Neuer man was is or shall be but desires secundum sensum suum after his own sense to be blessed saith Aristotle though the most haue sought it out of the right vbi vvhere it vvas not to bee found In Christ onely it is found vvho is indeed the Father of blessednesse Mat. 3. 3. Blessed are the poore in spirit The first vvord of the first lesson of Christs first Sermon is Blessed So he beginnes so there he continues so here he concludes Come ye blessed a vvord able to make a man blessed 3. Patris dilectio Of my Father to be blessed of God is to be surely blessed Parents doe vvell in blessing their children Princes in blessing their people here 's the difference Benedicunt but not Beatificant they may wish them blessed but not make them blessed But saith God to Abraham In blessing I will blesse thee I haue blessed him and he shall be blessed All blessednes springs from that fountaine the Lord hath blessed vs and requires vs to blesse him who is ouer all God blessed for euer Amen This the vniuersall song of all creatures giues him Blessing honour c. 4. Foelicitatis Possessio Inherite Inheritance is of Birth not industry the younger brother is often of more desert then the elder yet cannot this make him his Fathers Heyre This is of Inheritance therefore not of merit It differs from an earthly Inheritance in three things 1. In that the Testator must be dead and the successor liuing in this God the Testator is euer liuing and his heyres before they can fully possesse it must bee dead Ambr. A temporall inheritance diuided is diminished one is of so much land shortned as is to another shared The heires heere are without number of all nations kinred and languages yet though the inheritance be imparted it is not empaired Tanta singulis quanta omnibus Euery one hath as â—…ch as any one Ardens 3. The partition of an earthly inheritance breeds among the coheyres enuy grudging but in this the ioy of one is the ioy of all Dispar gloria singulorum tamen communis laetitia omnium Aug. One starre may excell another starre in glory but none shall enuy another in glory There shall be no repining at anothers more glorious clearenesse where remaines in all one gracious dearenesse Inherite 5. Haereditatis Perfectio a kingdom The top of mans desires is a kingdom nil nisi Regna placent Yet if they be earthly kingdoms they will not satisfie Alexander is not content with his vniuersall Monarchy But here is a kingdom will satisfie you will say there are many Kings but one kingdome therfore not roome enough yes for the bounds of the least are not narrower then heauen it selfe 6. Regni Paratio Prepared for you Not merited in your times but prepared before all times It had no beginning in respect of Gods intention it shall haue no end in respect of your possession Gods decree to giue it vs had no beginning but shall haue an end our fruition of it shal haue a beginning but no end Gods mercy in both hath neither beginning nor end but is from euerlasting to euerlasting Had the Lord such care to prouide a kingdom for his children before they were then sure hee will giue it them at the appointed time So certaine are they of blessednesse that it is prepared for them from the foundation of the world For you not for all there is no vniuersall election God decrees not all to bee saued Then Christ should haue said thus Inherit the kingdome Paratum omnibus Datum vobis prepared for all and giuen to you but he saith Prepared for you therefore not purposed to all Seeing there is so good cheare prepared for vs let vs prepared for vs let vs prepare our selues for that like some dainty guest who knowing there is such delicate fare behinde keepes his stomacke for it Let vs disdaine the course diet of this world that dangers vs to the dropsie of couetice or the surfets of ryot We vse to fast on
the Eeues that vve may feast on the Holy-dayes let vs here abstaine from the table of sinne that wee may heereafter banket in the Kingdome of Heauen This is matter of comfort to vs heere the world condemns the godly therefore they shall haue a time of absoluing When that Generall Session comes then looke vp and lift vp your heads for your redemption draweth nye There is no mercy to be had in this vvorld for the wicked themselues are accusers witnesses iudges but at that day a poore mans case will be heard Therefore the poore committeth himselfe vnto thee for thou art the helper of the fatherlesse Christ vvill take the cause into his own hand The soules vnder the Altar cry with a loud voyce How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not iudge and auenge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth Yes it is fit euery one should haue a day of hearing This is theirs that shall be ours The righteous shall reioyce when hee seeth the vengeance Reioyce yes they haue no charity to vs on earth vve must haue no charity to them in hell 2. The Commendation followes the calling Mat. 25. 35. For I was hungry and ye gaue me meate I was thirsty and ye gaue mee drinke c. Christ witnesseth their faith from the effects they brought foorth fruits of mercy Thus it is euident that not according to the internall habite of faith and charity but according to the externall acts proceeding from them is the reward bestowed Christ before iustified them by their faith apprehending his merits now hee iustifies them by testimony of that faith arising from their vvorkes The point Christ insists in is their workes of mercy which are sixe visito poto cibo redimo tego colligo fratres Giuing them meat drinke harbour clothing visitation in sicknesse redemption from bondage Where obserue that the maine point Christ will scanne at the last is the point of mercy Not how wise nor how learned nor how iust but how mercifull Ambr. Now if a Scholler standing for preferment knew directly that one question vvherein hee should be opposed he would study a full and ready answer to it We all know that one and maine question wherein Christ vvill examine vs vvhat vvorkes of mercy haue we done if we haue gotten no demonstration of mercy vve are vvorthily condemned Now their mercy is commended partly in respect of the obiect and partly in respect of the act For the obiect it is done to Christ happy mercy that is done to the Lord Iesus it shall neuer passe vnrewarded Ioash forgot the kindnesse of Iehoiada but the King of heauen will remember all the good done vnto him Sayes that good malefactor Lord remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome I will not forget thee answeres Iesus To day thou shalt be with me in Paradise I was hungry and ye fedme I and me saith Christ. In regard of the act the thing they distribute and contribute is not bare vvords but actuall mercies food clothing c. This is the effect of a true faith not a verball but a reall working faith A faith not like that the Psalmist seemes to mention though in another sense I belieued ideo locutus sum and therefore I spake but such as the Apostle speakes of I belieued ideo operatus sum and therefore I wrought a faith working by loue It is easie to mistake Saint Paul Rom. 14. 22. Hast thou faith haue it to thy selfe before God vnlesse vve expound him by S. Iames Iam. 2. 18. Hast thou faith shew thy faith by thy workes If vve vvill be the children of Abraham who is the Father of them that belieue wee must bee so by Sara vvho is the mother of them that obey They that vvill be trees of righteousnesse in Gods garden must not bee like the fig-tree in the Gospell that had onely leaues no fruit but like the tree that brings forth her fruit in due season Or like Aarons rod that of a dead sticke hauing life and sappe put into it presently bare Almonds fruit no leaues spoken of Some giue words enow contrary to Moses who was a man of few vvords The Papists vvill rather loose a penny then a Paternoster these vvill giue ten Paternosters before one penny They giue the words of Nepthali pleasant words but no meate As if the poore were like Ephraim fed with the wind Or as if their word were verbum Domini the word of God that men might liue by it Salomon sayes Wisedome is good with an inheritance so good counsell is good vvith an almes If a famished man begge bread of thee and thou onely fallest to instruct his soule but deniest food to his body hee may reply as Hushai said to Absolon of Achitophels counsell The counsell that Achitophel hath giuen is good but not at this time Martial demands of Caius a small piece of siluer Quod vel donanti non graue Caius blamed him for his idle profession of Poetry counselled him to study the Lavv that vvould enrich him To him Martial Quod peto da mihi tu non peto consilium Giue me that I aske thee I doe not aske thee counsell Many are like S. Peters fish it had money in the mouth but not a hand to giue it Or like Diues his dogs they can licke a poore man vvith their tongues else giue him no reliefe Diogenes a witty begger would vsually walke in a place where earthen Statues were erected in honour of some that died for their country To them he would pray to them reach out his hand bow and beg being asked the reason he answered Nihil aliud quà m repulsam meditor I thinke of nothing but a repulse and deniall Wee haue many such liuing Statues meere Idols that haue mouthes and speake not eyes and pity not hands and giue not the poore are sure of nothing but a repulse 3. The reply or question vpon this commendation made by the Saints Math. 25. 37. Then shall the righteous answere him Lord when saw we thee an hungred and fedde thee or thirstie and gaue thee drinke c. This is no deniall of that truth Christ hath auouched But 1. to magnifie Christs mercy who takes these workes as done to himselfe which are done for his sake Let no couetous Churle plead he wants subiects vpon whom to exercise his mercy Pauper vbique iacet which way can he walke and not behold one hungry another thirsty c 2. To testifie their humilitie that albeit these things are true yet they acknowledge no merite in them they haue not done so much of these as they ought Besides they might haue an after-consideration of their sinnes past which valued with their good works they find one to out-weigh a thousand The Papists ostent their merits on earth the Saints dare not doe so euen ready for heauen but cast downe their crownes before the Throne saying
his soule to Satan Though hee comes to Church and sits out a Sermon let him knowe that his mind is then bound to his obligations and he creepes into the Temple for the same end the Serpent crope into Paradise Wretched men that are bound to his mercy for like a coÌ„mon hackney Iade he will not beare them one houre past his day But let him know God is not mocked If there be any Oppressor that comes to Church in the shape of Knight or Gentleman thinks to couer all his exactions of his poore Tenants all his vvringings of his neighbours vvith going three or foure miles to a Sermon let him know that God is not mocked He preferres Mercy before Sacrifice and would not haue thy profession countenance thy euill deeds but thy good deeds coÌ„mend thy profession Baldwin an Archbishop of Canterbury bosted ofteÌ„ that he neuer eate flesh in his life To whom a poore leane widow replied that he said false for he had eaten vp her flesh He demaunds how Shee replies by taking away her Cow Neuer pretend your earnest zeale fasting or praying or trauelling to Sermons when you deuoure widdowes houses enclose Commons and so eate vp the very flesh of the poore If there be any that allowes sometimes the Church his body when the Pope alwaies hath his heart who though he be in Domo Dei in Gods house is Pro Domo Antichristi is for Antichrists kitchin Or that keepes a Lady at home that will not come two furlongs to Church whereas our Lady trauelld as farre as Ierusalem Luke 2. Who must needs be a Papist because her Grannam vvas so and growes sicke if you but talke of the Communion And all this to saue his Lands on earth though he lose his Land in Paradise Let him know God is not mocked If there be any here that hath giuen no Religion yet a full perswaded place in his heart but because he sees diuerse shadowes resolues on no substance And is like the Batte that hath both wings and teeth and so is neither a bird nor a beast His mind being like a puffe of wind betweene two religions as that betweene two dores euer whistling Protestants he sayes belieue well Puritans say well and Papists doe well but till they all agree in one he will be none of them all To quite him in his owne fantasie let him then take from the one good faith from the other good words and from the last good works and he may be made a very good Christian. But vvhy then comes he to Church By the meer command of the positiue Lavv as hee comes to the Assises vvhen he is vvarned of a Iurie But let him not be deceiued God is not mocked If there be any luxurious that serues God in the Temple his flesh in the Chamber Any couetous that as if his soule was diuisible striues to serue two masters though he doth it diuersly God with his arte the world with his heart If any blasphemer that here sings Psalmes and abroad howles oathes and curses If any man among you seeme to be religious and bridleth not his tongue but deceiueth his owne heart this mans religion is in vaine If any seem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wheÌ„ they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seruers of the Lord vvhen they are obseruers of the time Let them know to their horror Non deluditur Deus God is not mocked Gold cannot hide a rotten post from GODS eye If men will be Humiles sine despectu and Pauperes fine defectu he sees it Hypocrisie is like a burning feuer which drinkes feruent heate out of cold drinke The Hypocrite is nothing else but a player on this worlds stage the villaines part is his and all his care is to play it handsomely and cleanly He maliceth any man that would take his part from him not vnlike to him that being requested to lend his clothes to represent a part in a Comedie answered no he would haue no body play the foole in his clothes but himselfe Hee thinkes to coozen all the world with the opinion of his purity but there is one aboue sees him God is not mocked I haue ended the Caution let vs come to the Reason For whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall he also reape wherein obserue The Manner Matter In the Manner there is a twofold generality of the Thing Person There is a Whatsoeuer and a Whosoeuer for the vvhole speech is indefinite The Person is indefinite A Man any man Euery man This is the first Generality For Country be he Iew or Gentile Turke or Christian. For degree high or low Prince or subiect the greatest Lord and the basest Groome For estate be they rich or poore the wealthiest Burger and the wretchedst Begger For Sexe be they male or female For condition be they bond or free What a man any man sowes that c. The Thing is indefinite Whatsoeuer This is the other Generality Be it good or euill blessing or cursing charity or iniury equity or iniquity truth or hypocrisie deceit or honesty Whatsoeuer a man soweth c. Euill is of the flesh and vers 8. Hee that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption And chap. 5. 21. The workes of the flesh are manifest adultery c. they which sow such seed shall not inherit the kingdome of God Good is of the Spirit and he which soweth to the Spirit shall of the spirit reape life euerlasting chap. 5. 22. The fruit of the spirit is loue ioy peace c. And To those that walke after this spirit there is no condemnation Whatsoeuer There are no more sorts of men but good and euill nor more sorts of ends then Poena et Praemum Reward and punishment Therefore Whatsoeuer whosoeuer soweth the same shall he also reape You see the manner In the matter we must also consider two things A Seeding Haruest Whatsoeuer a man soweth in his Seed-time that shall he also reape in his haruest They that sowe grace shall reape glory they that sowe corruption must reape confusion To beginne with the wicked he that sowes euill shall reape euill he that soweth malum culpae the euill of sinne shall reape malum poenâ—… the euill of punishment So Eliphaz told Iob that hee had seene Iob 4 8. They that plow iniquity and sow wickednesse reape the same And that eyther in Kinde or Qualitie Proportion or Quantitie In Kind the very same that he did to others shall be done to him or in Proportion a measure answerable to it So he shall reape vvhat he hath sowne in Quality or in Quantity eyther in Portion the same or in proportion the like In Kinde The Prophet cursing Edom and Babel saith thus Psal. 137. O daughter of Babylon happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast serued vs. The originall is That recompenseth to thee Thy Deâ—…de which thou didst to vs. So Sion reioyceth ouer Edom Obad. As thou hast done it
yet the heart must hold The wretchednesse is it cannot burst Poena gehennales torquent non extorquent puniunt non finiunt corpora It is called by Augustine Mors sine morte sinis sine fine defectus sine defectu But some will say Your Text speakes of Proportion how can eternall vengeance bee proportionable to a momentany offence Yes first an infinite God is offended and a finite man is the offender Because he cannot be capable of an infinite wrath at once he must haue it in eternity the short dimensions of his Essence must haue a long extention of his punishment what wants in place must be supplied in time Christ indeed suffered enough in a short time because he was infinite man cannot doe so and therefore must be for euer in suffering Secondly he that delights in sinne desires it may alwayes continue and velle peccatum est peccatum so that an infinite desire must needs haue an infinite punishment Qui moritur sine poenitentia si semper viueret semper peccaret He that dies without repentance if he should euer liue would euer sinne So Gregor It is Gods iust iudgement Vt nunquam mortuâ—…s careâ—…t supplicio qui nunquam vâ—…uus voluit carere peccato That he dead should haue eternall punishment who liuing would haue beene eternally wicked Vt nullus detur inâ—…quo terminus vltionis qui quamdâ—… valuiâ—… habere noluit terminum criminis That no end should be allowed to his vengeance that would haue allowed himselfe no end of wickednes As the good man if he should euer liue would euer doe well If thou wilt therefore offend in aeterno tuo God must punish iâ—… aeterno suo Thy iniustice would put no date to thy sins Gods Iustice shall set no date to thy sufferings Thus ye haue plowed wickednesse and ye haue reaped iniquity You see the wickeds Seeding and Haruest God keepe vs from sowing such seed that we may neuer reape such a crop The godly haue also their Seeding and their Hâ—…uest All their sowing may be distinguished Into Pietie towards God Charity towards men For Pietie They sowe in Faith and God will blesse that Seede it shall grow vp to heauen for it is sowne in the side of Iesus Christ who is in heauen He that beleeueth on God there is the seed shall haue euerlasting life there is the Haruest Qui credit quod non videt videbit quod credit Hee that beleeues what he doth not see there 's the Seed shall one day see what he hath beleeued there is the Haruest They sow in obedience this is also a blessed Seed that will not faile to prosper wheresoeuer it is cast If ye keep my Commandements there 's the Seed ye shall abide in my Loue there 's the Haruest Rom. 6. Ye are the seruants to God and haue your fruite vnto holinesse there 's the sowing and the end euerlasting life there 's the Reaping Obedientia in terris regnabit in coelis He that serues God on earth and sowes the seed of Obedience shall in heauen reape the haruest of a kingdome They sowe in Repentance and this seed must needes grow vp to blessednesse Psalm 126. They that sowe in teares shall reape in ioy Hee that goeth forth and weepeth bearing precious seed there 's the sowing shall doubtles come againe with reioycing bringing his sheaues with him there 's the Haruest Many Saints haue now reaped this croppe in heauen that sowed their seed in teares Dauid Marie Magdalen Peter as if they had made the Prouerbe No comming to heauen with dry eyes Thus nature and God differ in their proceedings To haue a good crop on earth we desire a faire Seed-time but heere a wet time of sowing shall bring the best Haruest in the Barne of heauen Blessed are they that mourne there 's the seeding for they shall be comforted there 's the Haruest Lastly they sowe in renouncing of the world and adherence to Christ and they reape a great Haruest Behold saith Peter to Christ we haue forsaken all and followed thee there 's the Seeding What shall wee haue therefore what You shall sit on twelue thrones iudging the â—…vvelue tribes of Israel all that you haue lost shall bee centupled to you and you shall inherit euerlasting life ther 's the Haruest Sow to your selues in righteousnesse and reape in mercy For Charitie He that sowes this seed shall be sure of a plentifull crop Whosoeuer shall giue to drinke to one of these little ones a cup of cold water onely a little refreshing in the name of a Disciple verily I say vnto you he shall in no wise lose his reward But if he that giueth a little shall be thus recompenced then He that soweth bountifully shall reape bountifully Therefore sparse abroad with a full hand like a Seeds-man in a broad field without feare Doth any thinke he shall lose by his charitie No worldling when he sowes his seed thinkes hee shall lose his seed he hopes for amendment at haruest Darest thou trust the ground and not God Sure God is a better pay-master then the earth Grace doth giue a larger recompence then nature Below thou may est receiue forty graines for one but in heauen by the promise of Christ a hundreth fold a measure heapen and shaken and thrust together and yet running ouer Blessed is he that considereth the poore there 's the Seeding the Lord shall deliuer him in the time of trouble there 's the Haruest Is this all No Math. 25. Ye fedde me when I was hungry and gaue me drinke thirsty comforted me in misery there 's the sowing Veni beati Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you there 's the Haruest I shut vp this point with the Apostles Blessing Now hee that ministreth seede to the sower both minister bread for your food and multiply your seed sown and increase the fruits of your righteousnesse God send you a good Haruest I conclude Whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall he also reape O that this Text might be true vpon all vs at this time The Lord hath sowne the seede of his Gospell O that he might reape your soules to his glory But shall we hope for that which the Prophets found not I haue laboured in vaine I haue spent my strength for nought saith Esay Nor the Apostles I haue fished all night and caught nothing saith Peter No nor Christ himselfe who spake as neuer man spake Yet himselfe telleth vs Math. 13. that of foure sorts of ground wherein the seed was sowne three were barren and returned no fruit Alas how much seed is sowne among thornes rockes and high-way grounds you come to receiue this seed but it fructifies not You bring forth hedge-fruit like the Heathen scarce so good We heare often and as often forget Yet still Beloued this Text shall be true God hath sowne and he will reape sowne his
of the Saints as they did the soule of Lazarus into the bosome of Abraham haue no commission for this mans soule This rich man might be wheeled and whirled in a Coach or perhaps Pope-like be borne on mens shoulders but the poore begger vvhose hope is in heauen though his body on earth that could neither stand goe nor sitte is now carried in the highest state by the very Angels when the other dying hath no better attendance then deuils And so if you aske who then require his soule sith neither God nor heauē nor the blessed Angels wil receiue it why deuills they that haue right to it by Gods iust decree for his vniust obedience Gods iustice so appoints it for his sinnes haue so caused it Sathan chalengeth his due his officers require it Thou hast offended oh miserable Cosmopolite against thy great Soueraignes Law Crowne and Maiestie now all thou hast is confiscate thy goods thy body thy soule Thou whose whole desires were set to scrape all together shalt now find all scattered asunder thy close congestion meets with a vvide dispersion Euery one claimes his owne the vvorld thy riches the wormes thy carkase the deuill thy soule Lust hath transported thine eyes blasphemie thy tongue pride thy foote oppression thy hand couetousnesse thy heart now Satan requires thy soule Not to giue it ease rest or supply to the defects of thy insatiate desires no dabit in cruciatum he shal deliuer it ouer to torment When. This night In this darke Quando lie hid two fearefull extremities Sadnesse and Suddennesse It is not onely said In the night but in This night 1. In the Night this aggrauates the horror of his iudgement The night is a sad and vncomfortable time therefore misery is compared to the Night and ioy said to come in the Morning Pray that your flight be not in the night saith Christ to the Iewes as if the dismall time would make desperate their sorow The night presents to the fantasie which then lies most patient of such impressions many deceiuing and affrightfull imaginations Well then may a true not fantasied terror worke strongly on this wretches heart whiles the night helps it forward All sicknesse is generally stronger by night then by day this very circumstance of season then aggrauates his miserie making at once his greefe stronger himselfe vveaker But what if wee looke further then the literall sense and conceiue by this night the darknesse of his soule Such a blindnesse as he brings on himselfe though the day of the Gospell be broke round about him The cause of night to a man is the interposition of the earth betwixt him and the Sunne This worldling hath placed the earth the thicke and grosse body of riches betweene his eyes and the Sunne of righteousnesse And so shine the Sunne neuer so cleare it is still night with him There is light enough without him but there is darknesse too much within him And then darkenesse must to darkenesse inward to outward as Christ calls it vtter darkenesse He would not see whiles he might hee shall not see when he would Though hee shall for euer haue fire enough yet it shall giue him no light except it bee a little glimmering to shew him the torments of others and others the torments of himselfe 2. This night the sadnesse is yet encreased by the sodainnesse It will be fearefull not onely to bee surprised in the night but in that night when hee doth not dreame of any such matter when there is no feare nor suspition of apprehension His case is as with a man that hauing rested with a pleasing slumber and beene fedde with a golden dreame suddenly waking findes his house flaming about his eares his wife and children dying in the fire robbers ransacking his coffers and transporting his goods all louers forsaking no friend pitying when the very thrusting in of an arme might deliuer him This rich man was long asleepe and beene delighted with prety wanton dreames of enlarged barnes and plentifull haruests as all worldly pleasures are but waking dreames now he starts vp on the hearing of this Soule-knell and perceiues all was but a dreame and that indeed hee is euerlastingly wretched The suddennes encreaseth the misery The rich man hath no time to dispose his goods how shall he doe with his soule If in his health wealth peace strength succoured with all the helps of nature of opportunity preaching of the Gospell counsell of ministers comfort of friends he would not worke out his saluation what shall hee doe when extreame pangs deny capablenesse to receiue them and shortnesse of his time preuents their approaching to him He hath a huge bottome of sinne to vnrauell by repentance which he hath beene many years winding vp by disobedience now a great worke and a little time doe not well agree This sudden call is fearefull This night shall thy soule be required Yet before I part from this point let me giue you two notes 1. There is mercy in God that it is hac nocte this night not this houre not this moment Hac nocte vvas suddaine but hoc momento had beene more sudden and that this larger exhibition of time is allowed was Gods meere mercy against the worldlings merit He that spared Niniueh many forties of yeares will yet allow her forty daies He that forbore this wretch many daies receiuing no fruit worth his expectation will yet adde a few houres God in the midst of iustice remembers mercie much time he had receiued and abused yet he shall haue a little more When the Lords hand is lifted vp to strike him yet he giues him some lucida interualla monitionis warning before he lets it downe But let not the worldling presume on this sometimes not an houre not a minute is granted Sword Palsie Apoplexie Impostume makes quicke dispatch and there is no space giuen to cry for mercy But what if a paucity of houres be permitted ancient wounds are not cured in haste the plaister must lie long vpon them There was one man so saued to take away desperation and but one so saued to barre presumption Conuersion at the eleuenth houre is a wonder at the twelfth a miracle All theeues doe not goe from the gallhouse to glory because one did no more then al Asses speak because God opened the mouth of one Flatter not thy selfe with hope of time Nemo sibi promittat quod non promittit Euangelium Let no man promise himselfe a larger patent then the Gospell hath sealed to him 2. The day of the wicked turnes at last to a night After the day of vanity comes the night of iudgment Now is the time when the rich mans Sunne sets his light and his delight is taken from him His last sand is runne out the clocke hath ended his latest minute his night is come His day of pleasure was short his night of sorrow is euerlasting Extremum gaudij luctus occupat Vexation treads on the
own hearts lie still Thus often our Lecturer shall preach we will giue the hearing when we list Thus many Ministers come to a Parish with their bones full of marrow veynes full of bloud but all is soone spent and the people neuer the better We ring but you doe not rise 3. The third Bell is the Meane and this is Suspiria gemitusque morientium the cryes grones of the dying Anothers Passing-bell is thy warning-bell Death snatcheth here and there about vs thousands on our left tenne thousands on our right yet as if we had a Supersedeas or Protection against it we neither relent nor repent Our securitie is argued of the more madnesse because we haue so common motions and monitions of death Yet Nonerimus memores esse necesse mori How horrible is it to be drunke in a charnell house As Christ spake Let the dead bury the dead So we bring to the Church dead bodies with deader soules Forma fauor populi feruor inuenilis opesque Surripuere tibi noscere quid sit homo We confesse our selues mortall yet we liue as if death had no quarrell against vs. This Bell is the Meane but it is too meane to wake vs. 4. The fourth Bell is the Counter-tenor vox pauperum the cry of the poore This bell rings loud either to vs for mercy or against vs for crueltie Let vs know that if it cannot waken vs it shal waken God aganst vs. Their cryes are entred into the eares of the Lord of Sabbaoth Set not thy soule in danger of the peoples curse by inhauncings ingrossings oppressions c. But thou sayest they are wicked men that will curse and God will not heare the wishes of the wicked I answere it is often seene that the curse of the vndone waster lights vpon the head of the vndooing Vsurer The imprecation of one euill man may fall vpon another God so suffers it not because he cursed thee but because thou hast deserued this curse Let this Bell make Oppressors arise to shew mercy that God may rise to shewe them mercy Otherwise the poore man is ready to pray Arise O Lord in thine anger lift vp thy selfe because of the rage of our enemies awake for vs to the iudgement thou hast commanded Yea though they pray not for it God will doe it For the oppression of the poore for the sighing of the needy now will I arise saith the Lord. I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at it If this Bel sound mournfully to thee for bread to the hungry arise to this sound as that neighbor rose at midnight to relieue his importunate friend If it cannot waken thy couetous soule to shew mercy to Christ tempore suo in his time of need nor will Christ arise to shew mercy to thee tempore tuo in thy time of need 5. The last Bell is the Tenor the Bow-bell able to waken all the Citie But though that materiall Bell can teach vs when it is time to goe to bedde yet this mysticall bell cannot teach vs the time to arise This is the abuse of the creatures The rust of the gold cryes against the hoorder the stone out of the wall against the Oppressor the corne and wine against the Epicure This is a roring and a groning Bell. The whole creature grones and trauells in paine vnder vs. This is the creatures ordinary Sermon Accipe redde caue vse vs without abusing return thankfulnesse without dissembling or looke for vengeance without sparing They seeme to cry vnto vs We desire not to be spared but not to be abused Necessitati subseruire non recusamus sed luxui we would satisfie your naturall necessity not intemperate riot We are the nocent creatures that cause their innocencie to become miserable And but that the Diuine prouidence restraines them it is maruell that they break not their league with vs and with their hornes and hoofes and other artillery of nature make warre vpon vs as their vnrighteous and tyrannicall Lords Let some of these Bells waken vs lest as God once protested against Israel that seeing they would not when it was offered therefore they should neuer enter into his rest so a renuntiation come out against vs If any will be filthy let them be filthy still if they will not arise they shal lie still for euer If this peale cannot effect it yet God hath foure things more to rouze vs. 1. A Goad that pricks the skin and smarts the flesh Affliction he hath Crosses and Curses those gall these deepely wound they are able to make any but a Pharaoh arise It was affliction that waken'd Dauid It is good for me that I was troubled The Leprosie brought Naaman to the Prophet the Prophet brought him to God It is strange if bloudy sides put not sense into vs. Yet such was the obduracy of Israel Thou hast stricken them but they haue not sorrowed thou hast consumed them yet they refused to returne Insensible hearts The people turneth not to him that smiteth them neyther doe they seeke the Lord of Hosts Hast thou beene wounded and wilt thou not be wakened beware lest God speake to thy soule as in another sense Christ did to Peter Sleepe on now and take thy rest 2. Hee hath to rouze vs Thunder of heauier Iudgements perhaps the light scratches which some aduerse thornes make are slightly reckoned scarce change countenance for them But he sleepes soundly whom thunder cannot wake Humanas motura tonitrua mentes When God thundred that menace in the cares of Niniueh it waked them Let Absolon fire Ioabs barley fields and he shal make him rise Shake the foundations of the Prison and the sterne layler will rise a conuerted Christian Sirs what shall I doe to be saued This thundring of iudgements should cleanse our ayre awaken our sleepy mindes purge our vncleane hearts If the Lyon roare who will not feare If the Lord thunder what man will not be afraid 3. He hath an Ordnance to shoot off Death Statutum est omnibus mori It is a Statute-Law of heauen an Ordinance from the Court of Iustice Euery man shall die When this Canon is discharged at thy paper-walls then let thy soule rise or neuer The shooting off this Ordinance made Belshazzar stagger before hee was drunke His knees smote one against another when that fatall hand wrote his destiny on the wall Indeed most doe slumber on the Couch of health they are quiet no sicknesse stirs them they are at a couenant with the graue Sed cito finitam datur istam cernere vitam Praeceps mortis iter Death makes a headlong progresse This Ordinance carries death in the mouth it is an euen hand that shootes one that will neuer misse the marke let this rouze vs. 4. God hath a Trumpet to sound The Lord shall descend from heauen with a shout with the voyce of the Archangell and with the Trumpe of God
the better mistres and worthy of more seruants alas glad to be shrowded in holes your Greatnes now wisheth it selfe so litle that it might not be seene You insatiate couetous that neuer ceased ioyning house to house land to land and possessing whole countryes yet whined for lacke of elbow-roome loe you shall at this day be glad of a hole a darke hollow caue in a rocke for your parlour or more glad if you might be dissolued into nothing They said We haue described the Persons What they were let vs see what they did They said They open their lips to confesse the invincible and inevitable power of Christ. whence derive we two obseruations 1. The sense of present miserie takes away Atheisme Before their mouthes were either shut by silence or opened by blasphemies possessed either with a dumbe or a roring deuill God was not in all their thoughtes or if in their thoughts not in their lips or if in their lips but to his dishonour not named but in their oathes Now loe they speake and make a desperate acknowledgment of that power they erst derided The day of iudgment when it comes shall find no Atheist What those degenerate creatures would not beleeue they shall see they would not acknowledge their maker they shall find their Iudge and cry to the mountaines Fall one vs c. Consider this ye that forget God lest you be torne in pieces when there is none to deliuer you You may forget him during your short pleasure you shall remember him for euer in torture Proceed to speake of him wickedly and like enemies to take his Name in vaine you shall one day fall low before his footestoole not with a voluntary but enforced reuerence You that haue denied God on earth the first voice that shall come from your lips shall be a hopelesse acknowledgment of his maiestie 2. The saying that comes from them is desperate whence note that in Gods iust punishment Desperation is the reward of Presumption They that erst feared two little shall now feare too much Before they thought not of Gods Iustice now they shall not conceiue his Mercie Consciences that are without remorse are not without horror It is the kindnes which presumptuous sinne doth the heart to make it at last despaire of forgiuenes They say Behold God accuseth not they accuse themselues God loues to haue a sinner accuse himselfe and therefore sets his deputie in the brest of man which though it be a neuter when the act is doing is an aduersary afterwards The conscience is like the poise of a clocke the poise being downe all motion ceaseth the wheeles stirre not wound vp all is set on going Whiles conscience is downe there is no noise or moouing in the heart all is quiet but when it is wound vp by the iustice of God it sets all the wheeles on working tongue to confesse eyes to weepe hands to wring brest to be beaten heart to ake voice to cry and that where mercie steps not in a fatall cry to the hils Fall on vs and hide vs. Sinne and iudgment for sinne make the most cruell men cowardly Tyrants whose frownes haue beene death oppressors that haue made their poore Tenants quake at their lookes now tremble themselues would change firmnes with an aspine leafe They that care not for the act of sinne shall care for the punishment Tumidi faciendo timidi patiendo Nero that could not be tired in cutting throtes is soone weary of his owne torment They that haue made others weepe shall desperately howle themselues Cain that durst kill the fourth part of the world at a blow euen his owne brother dares afterwards not looke a man in the face lest he should be slayne Who durst be more impudently bold with God then Iudas when he betrayed his onely Sonne to murderers yet after the treason who more cowardly then Iudas he becomes his owne hangman The curse that followes sinne makes Presumption it selfe to shudder But what madnes is it not to complaine till too late If our foresight were but halfe as sharpe as our sense we should not dare to sinne The issue of wickednes would appeare a thousand times more horrible then the act is pleasant Let this teach vs now to thinke of the Iustice of God as well as his mercie that herafter we may thinke of his mercie as well as his Iustice. The mercie of God is abused to encourage lewdnes and wretched men by Christs merits are emboldned to committe that for which he dyed but so men may runne with mercie in their mouthes to hell They that in life will giue no obedience to the law shall in death haue no benefite by by the Gospell When they gaue themselues ouer to lying swaring coueting c. they were wont to cry Mercie mercie now loe they feele what those sinnes are and cry nothing but Iustice Iustice they cannot thinke on mercie They that haue abused mercie must be quitted with vengance The good now sing With thee O Lord is mercie therefore thou shalt be feared The reprobates sing at last with thee O Lord is iudgment with thee is storme and tempest indignation wrath confusion and vengence and therefore art thou feared These necessary occurrences thus considered let vs passe to their Inuocation wherein is exemplified their Error Here we must obserue To what For what they call To what They are Mountaines and rockes vnreasonable yea insensible creatures whence we may deduce two inferences a negatiue and an affirmatiue 1. Negatiuely it is cleare that they haue no acquaintance with God therefore know not how to direct their prayers vnto him If their trust had beene in God they needed not to fly to the Mâ—…aines So Dauid sweetly Psal. 11. Ia the Lord put I my trust how then say you to my soule Flie as a bird to your mountaine It is Gods charge Call vpon me in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me But Rom. 10. How shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued Or beleeue in him they haue not knowne and how should they know him but by his word Alas those mutuall passages and entercourse of meanes they haue euer barred themselues They would neither suffer God to trouble them by his word nor would they offer to trouble him by their prayers They will not call vpon him nor will they heare him calling vpon them Therefore as those that neuer were in the companie of God they know not how to addresse themselues to him but rather to rockes and mountaines As extremity discerneth friends Verè amat qui miserum amat so it distinguisheth a man in himselfe A suddaine disturbance giues a great try all of a Christians disposition For as in a naturall man at such an affrightment all the bloud runs to the heart to guard the part that is principall so in a good man at such an instance all the powers
and faculties run to the soule to saue that which is principall The bloud and spirits striue to saue the life of the bodie faith hope to saue the life of the soule So that at the suddaine assault of some daunger a man shall best iudge of his owne heart It may bee at other times a dissembler for mans heart is false who can know it yet at such time it will manifest it selfe and cannot deceiue If God hath beene our familiar friend and accustomed helper danger doth not sooner salute vs then we salute him by our prayers The first thought of our hearts is Iesus Christ the first voyce of our lips is Peters on the sea in such an extremitie Lord saue mee our faith is reposed on his wonted mercy and protection Wee know whom we haue beleeued Daniell cals on GOD ere hee fals to the Lions this stoppes their mouthes The wicked in such miserie are either heauie and heartlesse as Nabal whose heart dyed within him and he became as a stone Or desperate as Iulian throwing his bloud vp into the ayre with a blasphemous confession Or sottish as these here running to the mountaines vnprofitable vnpossible helpes When the blow of vengeance strikes the couetous he runs to his counting house if his bagges can giue him no succour he is distracted If any broken reed bee their confidence in these ouerwhelming woes they catch drowning hold of that so they and their hopes perish together There are some whose tongues are so poysoned with blasphemie that in an vnexpected accident the very first breath of their lips is a curse or an oath As if they would sweare away destruction which euery vngodly speech drawes on neerer If these men hadde beene acquainted with God in faire weather they would not forget him in a storme But they that will haue no familiaritie with God in peace shall haue him to seeke in extremitie When therefore some sudden perill hath threatned thee with terrour note seriously how thou art affected Though the danger came vnlook'd for let it not passe vnthought of but as thou blessest God for deliuery so examine the good or ill disposednesse of thine owne heart If thou find thy selfe couragious and heauenly minded on thy confidence in God take at once assurance of thy faith and Gods mercie Hee that nowe stood by thee will neuer leaue thee If otherwise lament thy sinnes which darken thy soules way to the mercie-seate and beseech Iesus Christ to store thy heart with better comforts If thy treasure be in heauen and thy soule hath beene vsed to trauell often thither when danger comes it knowes the way so well that it cannot misse it 2. Affirmatiuely this presents a soule amazed with feare and follie They call to the Mountaines that can neither heare nor answere When the world was destroyed with water men climbed vp to the tops of the Mountaines when it shall be dissolued with fire they will desire the holes of the rockes and to lie vnder the hils The mountaines are but swellings of the earth and the rockes are surd things that haue no eares can they heare or if they heare can they answere or if they answere can they saue when the graues must vomite vp their dead shall the rockes conceale the liuing Those fiue Kings could not be hid in the caue of Makkedah from Ioshua and shall any caue hide from Iesus Whiles guilt and feare consult of refuge how vaine shifts they imagine Adam would hide his disobedience in the bushes Saul his rebellion in the crowd of the people So the hood-wink'd foole seeing no body thinkes no body sees him Helplesse euasions when Adoniah heard the trumpets sounding at Salomons coronation he quaked and fled to the hornes of the Altar When the vngodly shall heare the Archangels Trumpe proclaiming the coronation of Christ they haue no Sanctuarie they neuer loued it in all their liues but flie to the rockes and mountaines The graue is a darke and priuatiue place yet as a prisoner that comes out of a sordid and stinking dungeon into the open ayre for his triall in a desperate cause had rather keepe the prison still So these reprobates newly raysed from the earth cry to it to receiue them againe glad to remaine though not on the face of it with pleasure in the bowels of it with rottenesse and solitude rather then in the open light to come before the iudgement seat of Christ. The graue is a drowne-bed to hell They suddainly start out of their sleepe and meet with gastly amasednesse at the mouth of their sepulchers beholding on the one side sins accusing on another side hellish fiends vexing an anguish'd conscience burning within heauen earth without aboue them the countenance of an angry Iudge below them a lake of vnquenchable fire round about howling and bitter lamentations no maruell then if at the worlds end they be at their wittes end and cry to the mountaines Fall on vs. Let all this declare to men the vanitie of their worldly hopes God is the Preseruer of men not hils rocks The rich man is brought in vpon a Premunire can his gold acquit him in this Starre-chamber The Epicure thinkes to drowne sorrow in lustie wines the oppressor mistrusts not the power of his owne hand the proud refugeth his troubled heart in his trunkes the lustfull in his punkes what is this but running to rockes and mountaines Thus madly doe men commit two errors Ier. 2. They forsake the creator which would neuer forsake them and adhere to the creatures which can neuer helpe them O Lord the hope of Israell all that forsake thee shall be ashamed and all that depâ—…t from thee shall be written in the earth Nowe at this day perhaps they would seeke to the Lord but they are answered Goâ—… to the gods whom ye haue serued Loe then of these gods they shall be wearie as in the 2. of Esay where these very words of my Text are deliuerd ver 19. They shall goe into the holes of the rockes c. it is immediatly added In that day a man shall cast his Idols of siluer and his Idols of gold which he made for himselfe to worship 〈◊〉 the moules and to the battes Euen the spirituall Idolater the Couetous shall throw his Images golden or siluer shrines for the Diana of his auarice his damned coyne to combustion with a vae Woe vnto it it hath lost my soule As the sicke stomacke lothes the meate whereof it surfetted Well let vs leaue inuocation to these Rockes worldly refuges and remember that there is one to be called on who is onely able to defend vs a spirituall holy and happy Rocke Iesus Christ. Dauid often cals God his Rocke and his refuge A rocke that beares vp the pillars of the world Their Rocke is not as our Rocke euen our enemies themselues being iudges He that builds his house of assurance on this rocke shall stand
euery good and faithfull Seruant the vaile is taken away and Christ sayes enter thou into the ioy of the Lord. 2. By this meanes we haue in this world a free accesse to the Throne of grace by our prayers the vaile and separation of sinne and wrath is rent asunder by Christ and a cleare way made for our supplications The Propitiatory and Mercie-seate the Cherubims of glory shadowing it the very presence of God were within the Holyest and the people might not approach it but stood without a farre off Our Sauiour hath torne away this vaile and opened our petitions a free passage to the Seate of mercie in heauen Hauing such an high Priest ouer the house of God sayth Paul immediately after the clearing our way through the vaile Let vs draw neare with a true-heart in full assurance of faith c. Wee see howe farre our prerogatiue excelles that of the Iewes They were seruants we are sonnes and cry Abba Father they had Priests we are Priests they had a barre to vs that vaile is rent away Let vs therefore come boldly vnto the Throne of grace that we may obtaine mercie and find grace to helpe in time of neede This is singular comfort that poore subiects may bee sure of accesse to the King with their petitions yea more bee heard in all their desires yea most of all haue an Aduocate at the Kinges right hand to plead their cause But then remember the Psalmists caution If I regard wickednesse in my heart the Lord will not heare mee Let the seruants of Baal cry neuer so loudly if lewdly their prayers are not heard To the cryes of vnfaithfull sinners the vaile is vp still and like a thicke cloud reuerberates beats backe their orisons that they cannot ascend to the Throne of grace Onely faith makes a free passage and a cleare conscience hath a cleare voyce that can peirce heauen 3. The breaking downe of this vaile did make the Holyest and the other part of the temple all one Whereby was signified that of two was made one Iewes and Gentiles one Church He is our peace who hath made both one and hath broken downe the middle wall of partition betweene vs. So that now those the Iewes called dogges eat the bread of the children yea they are the children and Iaphet is perswaded to dwell in the tents of Sem. She is also Beloued that was hated euen the Church of the Gentiles is the Spouse of Christ. The vaile that hindred Paul cals the Law of commandements contained in ordinances this he abolished for to make in himselfe of twaine one new man Heauen gate is no wider open to a Iew then to a Grecian In Christ Iesus neither circumcision auaileth any thing nor vncircumcision but a new creature And as many as walke according to this rule peace be on them and mercie and vpon the Israel of God The Sum of the Gospell as of the world is not confined to lighten Iudea onely but shines vniuersally There is not one priuiledge wherein the Gentile hath not as franke a share as the Iew the sonnes of Hagar are adopted the sonnes of God and the free Ierusalem aboue is the mother of vs all All this did our blessed Sauiour worke for vs by renting the vaile That he might reconcile both vnto God in one body by the crosse hauing slaine the enmitie therby Oh then let vs keepe the vnitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace Christ hath made vs at one let vs not make our selues twaine The vaile is rent why set we vp new schismes in doctrine iarres in conuersation The bill of diuorcement is cancelled let vs loue our husband Christ and for his sake euery man his brother Let vs set vp no more vailes least we doe it with the curse of building more Iericho's There is no bond so sure as Religions no ligaments so strong as faith and a good conscience Wretched man that breakest these tâ—…es and rentest thy selfe from them to whome thou art by Christ vnited A mothers yea a Fathers blessing forsakes thee and thou buildest vp a new vaile which thou must looke for no more Christs to come rent asunder 4. The renting of the vaile teacheth vs that when men sinne rebelliously against God no prerogatiue shall doe them good The Temple was one of their principallest priuiledges their glory their crowne The Temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord. It was a figure of the Church militant as Solomon the builder was a figure of Christ. For this Temples sake God often spared them So Daniel prayes Cause thy face to shine vpon thy Sanctuary that is desolate Yet when they fall away from God and crucifie their Messias this prerogatiue helpes not For here Gods owne hand rents the vaile and after giues the whole fabricke a spoyle to the Gentiles If ye will not heare if ye will not lay it to heart I will send a curse vpon you I will curse your blessings yea I haue cursed them already because you doe not lay it to heart It lies in mans sinne to make God curse his very blessings and to punish the nocent in the innocent creatures We see the way how wee may loose Temples and peace and Gospell and all priuiledges by running the courses of disobedience Who can number the blessings we haue enioyed by the Gospell Let vs beware least our vngracious and vngratefull liues robbe vs not of that with all the appertinent comforts They that haue trauelled the Belgicke Prouinces can witnesse the miserable footsteps of warre and the tyrannie of desolation Churches and Cities haue no more monuments but the ruined foundations to testifie that they were Sin made way for bloud and massacre Idolatrie puld downe those wals which otherwise the most sacrilegious hand should haue forborne If there had beene no enemie to rase them they would haue falne alone rather then couered so blasphemous impietie vnder their guiltie roofes Peace is within our walles prosperitie within our palaces blessed for euer be our God of peace for it Yet we haue a subtle aduersarie Sacriledge that incroacheth sore vpon vs and hath taken many of Gods houses in possession We cannot say They haue burnt vp all the Synagogues in the land but they haue done very wickedly to the Lords Sanctuaries The wals stand and it is well if in many places they do so but there is not a Leuite to feede the people alas how can there when there is nothing left to feede a Leuite Couetousnes would do as much hurt with vs as warre hath done with our neighbours it would but I trust in the Lord Iesus it shall not Though they haue rent away Gods right Tithes and offrings they shall neuer rent away Gods Truth and Gospell rent themselues from it indeede they are likely to do 5. Lastly The Vaile was rent By renting the part God did threaten the subuersion of
whose bowels neuer knew the softnes of such a nature exposed to all the tyrannie of their hands and tongs hands that like cruell Chirurgions searched euery part of his blessed body tongues that ranne nimbly through all the passages of obloquie till they had ouertaken reproch it selfe and cast it on him His body at the full will of the tormenters and his soule not without intolerable terrors as they might iudge by strange speech that came from him My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Doth man triumph ouer him and doth God forsake him This might breed in their hearts a suspition either that hee was a deceiuer or else vtterly cut off To stifle this doubt in the very birth hee shakes the earth and rends the rockes that as they knew him dying Hominem vâ—…rum so they might perceaue him doing these myracles not Hominem merum but the euerliuing God These wonders blow the sparke of their faith almost dying with Christ and roote in their hearts a deepe and infallible perswasion of their Sauiour Something there is to keepe the faith of the elect from quenching though Satan raigne on it showres of discomforts Though no obiect greets the eye of flesh but discouragement yet there is a secret Spâ—…it within that will neuer suffer the faith to faile 5. In regard of the Disciples to shame and conuince them for leauing him Christ had said before Luk. 19. Si hitacerent loquerentur lapides If these speaking of his Disciples should hold their peace the stones would immediatly cry out Loe this saying is here come to passe the Disciples hold their peace the stones speake they forsake Christ the rockes proclaime him Such a shame is it for Apostles and ministers of Christ to hold their peace that if they be silent the very stones shall preach against them The walles windowes pauements of Churches shall cry out against such Pastors that vndertake the office of a sheep-heard and feed Christ his flocke with nothing but ayre And euen you that come to heare if no remorse can be put into your hearts at the relation of our Sauiours death if you haue no feeling of his sorrowes no apprehension of these mysteries no repentance of your sinnes no emendation of your liues know that the very seates whereon you sit the walles of your Temples the very stones you tread on shall beare witnesse against you Now the Lord Iesus that at his death brake the Rockes by the vertue of his death breake our rocky hearts that being mollified in this life they may be glorified in the life to come Grant this O Father for thy mercies sake O Christ for thy merits sake O holy Spirit for thy names sake To whom three persons one onely wise and eternall God be glory and prayse for euer Amen THE FOOLE And His Sport PROV 14. 9. Fooles make a mocke at sinne THE Prouerbes of Salomon are so many select aphorismes or diuinely morall Sayes without any mutuall dependance one vpon another Therefore to studie a coherence were to force a marriage betweene vnwilling parties The words read spend themselues on a description of two things the Foole and his Sport The Foole is the wicked man his Sport pastime or babble is Sinne. Mocking is the medium or connexion that brings together the Foole and Sinne thus he makes himselfe merry they meete in mocking The foole makes a mocke at sinne Fooles The foole is the wicked an ignorant heart is alwayes a sinfull heart and a man without knowledge is a man without grace So Thamar to Ammon vnder his rauishing hands Doe not this folly If thou doest it Thou shalt be as one of the Fooles in Israell Ignorance cannot excusare a toto wilfull not a tanto Christ shall come in flaming fire rendring vengeance to them that knowe not God The state of these Fooles is fearefull Like hooded Hawkes they are easily carryed by the Infernall Falconer to hell Their lights are out how shall their house scape robbing These Fooles haue a knowledge but it is to doe euill They haue also a knowledge of good but not scientiam approbationis they know but they refuse it So God iustly quites them for though hee knowe them ad scientiam he will not know them ad approbationem But giues them a Discedite nescio vos I know you not depart from me ye workers of iniquitie A man may be a Foole two wayes by knowing too Little Much. 1. By knowing too little when hee knoweth not those things whereof he cannot be ignorant and doe well I determined not to know any thing among you saue Iesus Christ and him crucified But euery man sayth hee knowes Christ. If men knew Christ his loue in dying for them they would loue him aboue all thinges how doe they know him that loue their money aboue him Nemo verè nouit Christum qui non verè amat Christum No man knowes Christ truely that loues him not syncerely If men knew Christ that he should be Iudge of quicke and dead durst they liue so lewdly Non nouit Christum qui non odit peccatum Hee neuer knew Christ that doth not hate iniquitie Some attribute too much to themselues as if they would haue a share with Christ in their owne saluation Nesciunt Christum seipsos they are ignorant of both Christ and themselues Others lay too much on Christ all the burden of their sinnes which they can with all possible voracitie swallow downe and blasphemie vomite vp againe vpon him But they know not Christ who thus seeke to diuide Aquam a sanguine his bloud from his water and they shall faile of iustification in heauen that refuse sanctification vpon earth 2. By knowing too much when a man presumes to know more then he ought His knowledge is apt to be pursie and grosse and must be kept low Mind not high things sayth the Apostle Festus slandered Paul that much learning had made him madde Indeed it might haue done if Paul had bin as proud of his learning as Festus was of his honour This is the knowledge that puffeth vp It troubles the braine like vndigested meate in the stomach or like the scumme that seeths into the broth To auoyd this follie Paul fortbids vs to be wise in our owne conceites Whereof I find wo readings Be not wise in your selues and Be not wise to your selues Not in your selues coniure not your witte into the circle of your owne secret profit Wee account the simple Fooles God accounts the crafty Fooles He that thinkes himselfe wise is a Foole ipso facto It was a modest speech that fell from the Philosopher Si quando fatuo delectari volo non est mihi longè quaerendus me video Therfore Christ pronounced his Woes to the Pharises his doctrines to the people The first entrie to wisedome is Scire quod nescias to know thy ignorance Sobrietie is the measure for knowledge as the
Now therefore Put on as the elect of God holy and beloued bowels of mercies kindnes humblenes of minde c. As you claime any portion in those gracious blessings Election Sanctification and the loue of God as you would haue the sweet testimonie of the Spirit that you are sealed vp to the day of Redemption Put on mercie kindnes meeknes long suffering let them be as robes to couer you all ouer Yea bowels of mercies let them be as tender and inward to you as your most vitall parts Lay forbearance and forgiuenes as deare friends in your bosomes Depart from iniquitie for the high way of the vpright is to depart from euill and he that keepth his way preserueth his soule And above all these things put on Charitie which is the bond of perfectnesse Walke in loue And as many as walke according to this rule peace be on them and mercie and vppon the Israell of God Amen LOVES COPIE OR The best Precedent of Charitie EPHE 5. 2. As Christ loued vs. WE distinguished the whole verse into a Canon and a Crucifixe The Canon consisted of a Precept and a Precedent Loue is the Subiect and it is both commanded and commended Commanded in the Charge which you haue heard Commended in the Example which you shall heare I determined my speach with the Precept Walke in loue The Precedent or Patterne remaines to be propounded and expounded As Christ loued vs. Every word is emphaticall and there be foure signifying foure seuerall natures Here 1 As is a word of 1 Qualitie 2 Christ 2 Maiestie 3 Loued 3 Mercie 4 Vs 4 Miserie Two of these words be Vincula or Media that ioyne and vnite other things Sicut and Dilexit As and Loued As directs our loue to God and Man by the exemplified rule of Christ louing vs. Walke in loue to others As Christ loued vs. Loued is that blessed reconciling nature whereby Gods good Greatnes descends to our bad basenesse and the Iust giues to the vniust Saluation For what other nature but Mercie could reconcile so high Maiestie and so low Miserie As According to Zanchius his obseruation on this place is a note of Qualitie not Equalitie of Similitude not of Comparison We must loue others As Christ loued vs As for the manner not for the measure His loue was strong as Death for to the death hee loued vs. It was a bright cleare fire many maters could not quench it yea water and bloud could not put it out God so loued the World so freely so fatherly so fully as no tongue can tell no heart thinke The loue of Christ passeth knowledge To thinke of equalling this loue would be an impossible presumption Our loue is inconstant weake a mingled and often a mangled loue mingled with selfe loue and mangled with the wounding affections of the world Our loue is faine his strong ours ficle his constant ours limited his infinite Yet wee must follow him so fast as we can and so farre as wee may Walking in loue as he loued vs. His Walking in loue was strange and admirable hee tooke large steps from heauen to earth and from earth to heauen As Bernard on that speech of the Church concerning her Beloued Behold hee commeth leaping vpon the mountaines skipping vpon the hils He leaps from heauen to the Virgins wombe from the wombe to a manger from the manger to Egypt from Egypt to Iudah from thence to the Temple from the Temple vp to the Crosse from the Crosse downe to the graue from the graue vp to the earth and from the earth vp to the highest glory And he shall yet haue another leap from the right hand of his Father to iudge quicke and dead These were great iumpes large paces of loue When he made but one stride from the clouds to the cradle and another from the Cradle to the crosse and a third from the crosse to the crowne To come from the bosome of his immortall father to the wombe of his mortall mother was a great step From the lowest hell or depth of his humiliation to the highest heauen or top of his exaltation was a large pace We cannot take such large steps nor make such strides These leaps are beyond our agilitie our abilitie Yet we must follow him in loue stepping so farre as we can and walking so fast as we may Follow we carefully and chearfully though non passibus aequis The Father that takes his yong son into the field with bowes shafts and bids him shoot after him doth not expect that the child should shoote so farre as he but so farre as he can Though we cannot reach Christs marke yet If there be a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath not according to that he hath not Now this particle As is not barely similitudinary but hath a greater latitude and serues To Confine the Measure of our Imitation Define Matter Refine Manner 1. This Sicut Confines Our imitation and limits it to that circumference which the present rule or compasse giues it We may not follow Christ in all things but in this thing Loue As he loued vs. Our imitation hath a limitation that it may not exorbitantly start out of the circle There are speciall workes which God reserues to himselfe and wherein he did neuer commaund or commend mans following but rather strikes it downe as presumption His Power his Maiestie his Wisedome his Myracles cannot without a contumacious ambition be aymed at When Lucifer aspired to be like God in Maiestie he was throwne out of heauen When Adam contended to be like God in knowledge he was cast out of Paradise When Nebuchadnezzar arrogated to be like God in Power he was expulsed his kingdome When Simon Magus mounted to be like God in working Miracles and to flie in the ayre he was hurld downe and broke his necke God must not be imitated in his Finger in his Arme in his Braine in his Face but in his Bowels Not in the Finger of his Myracles nor in the Arme of his Power nor in the Braine of his Wisedome nor in the Face of his Maiestie but in the Bowels of his Mercy Be ye mercifull as your heauenly Father is mercifull And sayth Paul Put on the Bowels of mercy as Christ put them on Forbeare forgiue Walke in Loue As hee loued vs. Neither Angell nor Man did euer or shall euer offend in coueting to be like God in Loue Grace Mercy Goodnes So that this Sicut excludes his Myracles and directs vs to his Morralls Walke in Loue 〈◊〉 c. 2. This Sicut Defines What our Loue should be As Christ was to vs. Now his loue to vs had an infinite extention and is past the skill of men or Angels to describe Yet because this is the perfect Copy of our imitation and the infallible Rule whereby we must square our Charitie I must according to my shallow power wade a litle
manners to shrowd dishonestie But one ounce of reall charitie is worth a whole talent of verball He loues vs best that does for vs most Many Politicians and the whole world now runnes on the wheeles of policie vse their louers as ladders their friends as scaffolds When a house is to be erected they first set vp scaffolds by which they build it vp the house finished downe pull they the scaffolds and throw them into the fire When the couetous or ambitious man hath his turne serued by others either for his aduancing or aduantaging for gaine or glory he puts them off with neglect and contempt The house is built what care they for the scaffold The feate is wrought let the wise and honest helpers be prison'd or poison'd sinke or swimme stand or perish Nay it is well if they helpe not those downe that helped them vp 3. Kind The Apostle makes Kindnesse one essentiall part of our loue deriuing it from Christs example who was Kind to vs both in giuing vs much good and forgiuing vs much euill And God commendeth yea commandeth the inseparable neighbourhood of godlinesse and brotherly kindnesse Adde to your godlinesse brotherly kindnes For there is no piety towards God where there is no kindnesse to our brother Now Christs kindnes to vs consisted in 2. excellent effects Corrigendo Porrigendo 1. In correcting our errours dirâ—…cting and amending our liues Non minima pars dilectionis est reprehendere dilectâ—…m It is no small part of kindnesse to reproue him thou louest Therefore God sayth Thâ—… shalt reproue thy brother and not hate him in thy heart A louing man will chide his erring friend and he that does not hates him in his heart Sic vigilet tolerantia vt non dormiat disciplina So let patience watch that discipline sleepe not This was Dauids desire Let the righteous smite me it shall be a kindnes and let him reproue â—…e it shall be an excellent oyle which shall not breake my head Our Sauiour tooke this course but he was pittifull in it not breaking the bruised reâ—…d nor quenching the smoking flaxe He was not transported with passion but moued with tender compassion and mercifull affection He was moued with compassion toward the people seeing them as sheepe without a shepheard As a Father pittieth his children so the Lord pittieth them that feare him And children are Vicera parentum saith Ierome the very bowels of the parents Therefore his bowels earned within him when he saw the weakly blind led by the wilfully blind and he instructed them It is no small mercy in a Father to correct his erring child This is one office of loue almost quite forgotten in the world Our eyes and eares are conscious of many horridsinnes whereof we make also our soules guiltie by our silence Like Cameleons we turne to the colour of our companie Oppressions that draw bloud of the Common-wealth moue vs not Oaths that totter the battlements of heauen wake vs not O where is our kindnesse whilst wee doe not reproue we approue these iniquities He is conscious of secret societie that forbeareth to resist open iniquitie Thou sayest it is for loues sake thou sparest reprehension why if thou loue thy friend thou wilt gently rebuke his faults If thou loue thy friend neuer so dearly yet thou oughtst to loue truth more dearly Let not then the truth of loue preiudice the loue of truth 2. In 〈◊〉 reaching â—…orth to vs his ample mercies Giuing â—…ichly â—…l things to enioy Where the Apostle describes Gods bountie that he Giues Freely Fully Vniuersally Effectually 1. Freely he giues without exchange hee receiues nothing for that he giues Vngodly men haue honor wealth health peace plentie their bellies are filled with his treasure and they doe not so much as returne him thankes His Sunne shines his raine fals on the vniust and ingratefull mans ground Man when hee giues respicit recipit gratitudinem both expects and accepts thankes and a returne of loue God hath not so much as thankes For the good they are indeed gratefull but this Gratia grati is Gratia gratificantis God giues them this grace to be thankefull and they may blesse him that he stirres them vp to blesse him 2. Fully and richly as becomes the greatest King A Duke at the wedding Feast of his daughter caused to â—…e brought in thirtie Courses and at euery Course gaue so many gifts to each guest at the Table as were Dishes in the Course And I haue read of a Queene that feasted her guests with wines brewed with dissolued precious stories that euery draught was valued at a hundred crownes Here was royall entertainment but this was but one Feast Such bountie continued would quickly consume the finite meanes of any earthly Prince Onely God is rich in mercie his treasurie fils all the world without emptying yea empairing or abating it selfe 3. Vniuersally all things The king hath his Crowne the great man his honour the mightie his strength the rich his wealth the learned his knowledge the meane man his peace all at his Gift He opens his hand wide he sparseth abroad his blessings and filles all thinges liuing with his plenteousnesse 4. Effectually he settles these gifts vpon vs. As he gaue them without others so others without him shall neuer be able to take them away As he created so he conserueth the vertues strength in bread and warmth in cloathes and giues wine and oyle their effectiue chearfulnesse Be â—…ou so kind as this holy and heauenly patterne not ayming at the measure which is inimitable but leuelling at the maner which is charitable Like Iob who vsed not to eate his morsels alone neither to deny his bread to the hungry nor the fleece of his flocke to the cold and naked Let thy stocke of kindnes be liberall though thy stocke of wealth bee stinted Giue Omni petenti though not Omnia petenti as that Father excellently 4. Constant. For with Christ is no variablenes no shadow of change But Whom he once loues he loues for euer Ficklenesse is for a Laban whose countenance will turne away from Iacob and his affection fall off with his profite I haue read of two intire friends well deseruing for their vertues that when the one was promoted to great wealth and dignitie the other neglected in obscuritie the preferred though he could not diuide his honour yet shared his wealth to his old companion Things so altered that this honourd friend was falsely accused of treacherie and by the blow of suspition throwne downe to misery the other for his nowe obserued goodnes raised vp to a high place where now he requites his deiected friend with the same courtesie as if their minds had coÌ„sented contended to make that equall which their states made different O for one dramme of this immutable Loue in the world Honours change manners wee will not know those in the
is the Lord himself annointed And here all tongues grow dumbe admiratio sealeth vp euery lippe This is a depth beyond sounding You may perhaps drowsily heare this and coldly be affected with it but let me say Principalities and Powers Angels and Seraphins stood amazed at it We see the Ascent shall we bring downe againe this consideration by as many stayres 1. Consider him Almightie God taking vpon him Mans nature this is the first steppe downe wards The word was made flesh and dwelt among vs. And God sent forth his Sonne made of a woman And this was done Naturam suscipiendo nostram non mutando suam by putting on our nature not by putting off his owne Homo Deo accessit non Deus a serecessit He is both God and man yet but one Christ one not by confusion of substance but by vnitie of person Now in that this Eternall God became man he suffered more then man can suffer either liuing or dead That man should be turned into a beast into a worme into dust into nothing is not so great a disparagement as that the glorious God should become man He that thought it not robbery to bee equall with God was made in the likenesse of man Hee that is more excellent then the Angels became lower then the Angels that hee might aduance vs as high as the Angels Euen the brightnesse of Gods glorie takes on him the basenesse of our nature and hee that layd the foundations of the earth and made the world is now in the world made himselfe This is the first descending degree 2. The second stayre brings him yet lower He is made man but what Man Let him be vniuersall Monarch of the world and haue fealtie and homage acknowledged to him from all kings and Emperors as his viceroyes Let him walke vpon Crownes and scepters and let Princes attend on his Court and here was some Maiestie that might a little become the Son of God No such matter Indust formam serui He tooke vpon him the forme of a seruant He instructs vs to humilitie by his owne example The Sonne of man came not to be ministred vnto but to minister O Israel thou hast made me to serue with thy sinnes He gaue himselfe for a Minister not for a Master ad seruitutem non ad dominationem He that is Gods Sonne is made mans seruant Proudly blind blindly poore man that thou shouldest haue such a seruant as the Sonne of thy maker This is the second steppe downewards 3. This is not low enough yet I am a worme no man sayth the Psalmist in his Person Yea the shame of men and contempt of the people He is called Psal. 24. the King of glory Be yee open yee euerlasting doores and the King of glorie shall come in But Esa. 53. He is despised and reiected of men we hid as it were our faces from him he was despised and wee esteemed him not O the pittie of God that those two should come so neare together the King of glory and the shame of men Quo celsior maiestas eò miserior humilitas Thus sayth the Apo stle hee made himselfe of no reputation Hee that requires all honour as properly due to him makes himselfe not of little but of no reputation Here was deiection yea here was reiection Let him be layd in his poore cradle the Bethlemites reiect him the manger must serue no roome for him in the Inne Yea Hee came to his owne and his owne receiued him not All Israel is to hote for him hee is glad to flie into Egypt for protection Come hee to Ierusalem which he had honourd with his presence instructed with his Sermons amazed with his myracles wet and bedewed with his teares they reiect him I would and ye would not Comes he to his kindred they deride traduce him as if they were ashamed of his alliāce Comes he to his Disciples They goe backe will walke no more with him Will yet his Apostles tarry with him So they say ver 6. 8. Lord to whom shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall life Yet at last one betrayes him another forsweares him all forsake him Iesus is left alone in the middest of his enemies Can malice yet adde some further aggrauation to his contempt Yes they crucifie him with malefactors The qualitie of his companie is made to encrease his dishonour In medio Latronum tanquam Latronum immanissimus In the middest of theeues as it were the Prince of theeues sayth Luther He that thought it no robbery to be equall to the most holy God is made equall to theeues and murderers yea tanquam Dux as it were a Captaine amongst them This is the third step 4. But wee must goe yet lower Behold now the deepest stayre and the greatest reiection Affligit me Deus the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger It pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put 〈◊〉 to griefe No burden seemes heauy when the comforts of God helpe to beare it When God will giue solace vexation makes but idle offers and assaults But now to the reiection of all the former the Lord turnes his backe vpon him as a stranger the Lord wounds him as an enemie He cryes out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me How could the Sunne and starres heauen and earth stand whiles their maker thus complained The former degree was deepe he was crucified with euill doers reckoned amongst the wicked Yet theeues fared better in death then he We find no irrisio no insultation no taunts no invectiues against thē They had nothing vpon them but paine hee both contempt torment If scorne and derision can vexe his good soule he shall haue it in peales of ordinance shotte against him Euen the basest enemies shall giue it Iewes Souldiours Persecutors yea suffering malefactors spare not to flowte him His bloud cānot appease them with out his reproch But yet the disciples are but weake men the Iewes but cruell persecutors the Deuils but malicious enemies all these doe but their kind but the lowest degree is God forgets him and in his feeling hee is forsaken of the highest Weigh all these circumstances and you shall truely behold the Person that gaue himselfe for vs. What We come to the Action Dedit Giuing is the argument of a free disposition Ioh. 10. I Lay downe my life No man taketh it from me but I lay it downe of my selfe I haue power to lay it downe and I haue power to take it againe He that giues life to vs gaue vp his owne life for vs. Hee did not sell set let or lend but giue Oblatus est quia ipse voluit He was offered because he would be offered No hand could cut that stone from the quarrey of heauen no violence pull him from the bosome of his Father but Sua misericordia his owne mercie he gaue
propitiate for sinne that were themselues guilty of sinne and by nature lyable to condemnation Wretched Idolaters that thrust this honour on them against their wils how would they abhorre such sacrilegious glory Not the riches of this world We were not redeemed with corruptible things as siluer and gold Were the riches of the old world brought together to the riches of the new world were all the minerall veines of the earth emptied of their purest mettals this pay would not be currant with God It will cost more to redeeme soules They that trust in their wealth and boast in the multitude of their riches Yet cannot by any meanes redeeme their brother nor Giue to God a ransome for him The seruant cannot redeeme the Lord. God made a man master of these things hee is then more precious then his slaues Not the bloud of Bulls or Goates Hebr. 9. Alas those legal sacrifices were but dumbe shewes of this tragedie the meere figures of this oblation mystically presenting to their faith that Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world This Lambe was prefigured in the sacrifices of the law now presented in the sacraments of the Gospell slaine indeed from the begining of the world Who had power Prodesse to profit vs before hee had Esse a being himselfe None of these would serue Whom Gaue he then Seipsum Himselfe who was both God and man that so participating of both natures our mortalitie and Gods Immortalitie he might be a perfect Mediator Apparuit igitur inter mortales peccatores immortalem iustum mortalis cum hominibus iustus cum Deo He came betweene mortall men and immortall God mortall with men and iust with God As man he suffered as God hee satisfied as God and man he saued He gaue himselfe Se Totum Himselfe Wholy Solum Onely 1. All himselfe his whole Person soule and body Godhead and manhood Though the deitie could not suffer yet in regard of the personall vnion of these two naturs in one Christ his very passion is attributed in some sort to the Godhead So Act. 20. It is called the bloud of God And 1. Cor. 2. 8. The Lord of glory is said to be crucified The Schooles distinction here makes al plaine He gaue Totum Christum though not Totum Christi All Christ though not All of Christ. Home non valuit Deus non voluit As God alone he wold not as man alone he could not make this satisfaction for vs. The Deitie is impassible yet was it impossible without this Deitie for the great worke of our saluation to be wrought If any aske how the manhoode could suffer without violence to the God-head being vnited in one Person let him vnderstand it by a familiar comparison The Sunne-beames shine on a tree the axe cuts downe this tree yet can it not hurt the beames of the Sunne So the God-head still remaines vnharmed though the axe of death did for a while fell downe the man-hood Corpus passum est dolore gladio Anima dolore non gladio Diuinitas nec dolore nec gladio His bodie suffered both sorrow and the sword his soule sorrow not the sword his Deitie neither sorrow nor the sword Deitas in dolente non in dolore The God-head was in the Person pained yet not in the paine 2. Himselfe onely and that without a Partner Comforter 1. Without a Partner that might share either his glory or our thankes of both which he is iustly iealous Christi passio adiutore non eguit The sufferings of our Sauiour need no helpe Vpon good cause therefore we abhorre that doctrine of the Papists that our offences are expiated by the passions of the Saints No not the blessed Virgin hath performed any part of our iustificatiō payed any farthing of our debts So sings the Quire of Rome Sancta virgo Dorothea tua nos virtute bea cor in nobis novum crea Wherin there is pretty rime petty reason but great blasphemie as if the Virgin Dorothy were able to create a new heart within vs. No but the bloud of Iesus Christ clenseth vs from all sinne His bloud and his onely O blessed Sauiour euery drop of thy bloud is able to redeeme a beleeuing world What then need we the helpe of men How is Christ a perfect Sauiour if any act of our redemption be left to the performance of Saint or Angell No our soules must die if the bloud of Iesus cannot saue them And whatsoeuer wittie errour may dispute for the merits of Saints the distressed conscience cries Christ and none but Christ. They may sitte at Tables and discourse enter the Schooles and argue get vp into the Pulpits and preach that the workes of good men is the Churches treasure giuen by indulgence and can giue indulgence and that they will doe the soule good But lie we vppon our death-beds panting for breath driuen to the push tost with tumultuous waues of afflictions anguished with sorrow of spirit then we sing another song Christ Christ alone Iesus and onely Iesus Mercie mercie pardon comfort for our Sauiours sake Neither is there saluation in any other for there is none other Name vnder heauen giuen among men whereby we must be saued 2. Without a Comforter he was so farre from hauing a sharer in his Passion that he had none in compassion that at least might any wayes ease his sorrowes It is but a poore comfort of calamitie Pittie yet euen that was wanting Is it nothing to you all yee that passe by Is it so sore a sorrow to Christ and is it nothing to you a matter not worth your regard your pittie Man naturally desires and expects if he cannot be deliuered eased yet to be pittied Haue pittie vpon me haue pittie vpon me O ye my friends for the hand of God hath touched me Christ might make that request of Iob but hee had it not there was none to comfort him none to pittie him It is yet a little mixture of refreshing if others be touched with a sense of our miserie that in their hearts they wish vs well and would giue vs ease if they could but Christ hath in his sorest pangs not so much as a Comforter The Martyrs haue fought valiantly vnder the banner of Christ because hee was with them to comfort them But when himselfe suffers no reliefe is permitted The most grieuous torments find some mitigation in the supply of friends and comforters Christ after his monomachie or single combate with the deuill in the desart had Angels to attend him In his agonie in the garden an Angell was sent to cofort him But when he came to the maine act of our redemption not an Angell must be seene None of those glorious spirits may looke through the windowes of heauen to giue him any ease And if they would haue relieued him they could not Who can lift vp where the Lord wil cast downe What Chirurgion can
the eyes of Doues by the riuers of water washed with milke â—…d fitly set as a precious stone in the foile of a Ring A white doue is a pleasing sight but not like a white soule 2. Chastitie Nescit aduâ—…erij flaâ—…am inteâ—…erata Columba The Doue knowes not the luxurious pollution of an adulterate bed Who euer saw Doue sicke of that lustfull disease Happie bodie that hath such continencie and blessed soule which shall be presented a pure virgin to Iesus Christ. They are virgines and follow the Lambe whether sâ—…euer he goeth 3. Fruitfulnesse Most moneths in the yeare they bring forth young The faithfull are in this respect Doues for faith is euer pregnant of good workes trauels with them and on all occasions brings them forth 4. Amitie They loue their owne mates not changing till death giue one of them a bill of diuorce Gâ—…mit â—…urtur the turtle groanes when hee hath lost his mate Nature teacheth them what Reason aboue nature and Grace aboue Reason teacheth vs to reioyce with the wiues of our youth 5. Vnitie They liue feed flie by companies Many of them can agree quietly in one house Euen teaching vs how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in vnitie That as we haue one hopâ—… so to haue one heart Therefore the holy Ghost came downe in the likenesse of a Doue of all birds and it was the Doue that would not leaue Noahs Arke But these are but circumstances my Câ—…nter is their Innocence Columba simplex est animal felle caret rostro non lâ—…dit Other fowles haue their talons and beakes whereby they gripe and deuoure like vsurers and oppressors in a Common-wealth The Doue hath no such weapon to vse no such heart to vse it They write that she hath no gall and so free from the bitternesse of anger Talem Columbam audiâ—…imus non talem hominem We haue heard of such a Doue not of such a Man Who can say he hath innocent hands and a simple heart Indeed none perfectly in Gods sight yet some haue had and may haue this in part by the witnesse of their owne consciences Samuel could chalenge the Israelites to accuse him Whose â—…xe haue I taken Whom haue I defrauded Of whose hâ—…d haâ—…e I receiued any bribe And Iob sweetly My heart shall not condemne me for my dayes If I haue lift vp my hand against the fatherles let it be broken If I reioyced at the destruction of him that hated me For that is true Innocence sayth Augustine quae nec inimico nocet that hurts not our verie enemie If my land cry against me or the furrowes thereof complaine Let thistles grow in stead of wheat and cockles in stead of barley How few amongst vs dare thus plead So Dauid O Lord thou knowest mine innocencâ—… O blessed testimonie This is Munus aâ—…eneus a wall of brasse about a man In 〈◊〉 sperâ—…re bonum nisi innocens nâ—… potest To hope for good in the middest of euils no man can but the Innocent He goes fearlesse of danger though not secure Impauidum ferient ruinae Neâ—… suspectus est paâ—… quod se non 〈◊〉 fecisse He cannot looke to suffer that wrong which he knowes hee hath not done Innocence sayth Chrysoft is free in seruitude safe in danger ioyfull in bonds Cum humiliatur erigitur â—…um pugnat vincit cum occiditur coronatur When it is cast downe it is raysed vp when it fights it conquers when it is killed it is crowned This is that â—…elesnes which must be ioyned with the Serpents Wisedome So Paul to his Romans I would hâ—…ue you wise vnto that which is good and simple concerning euill This is an excellent mixture sayth Gregor Vt simplicitatem 〈◊〉 astâ—…ia serpentis instrueret vt serpentis astutâ—… simplicitas coluâ—…â—…emperaret That the wisedome of the Serpent might instruct the simplicity of the Doue that the Doues simplicitie might temper the Serpents policie So â—…eda on the first of Iob. Iob is sayd to be simple and vpright simple in innocencie vpright in discreet equitie Simplex quia alijs non lâ—…dit rectus quia se ab alijs non corrumpi 〈◊〉 Simple in that he did not hurt others vpright in that he suffered not himselfe to be corrupted by others Non mulâ—…ùm distat in vitio aut decipere aus decipiposse There is small difference in that vice which either deceiues or may be deceiued The one is weakenesse the other wickednesse This is that grace to which the gates of heauen stand open Innocence But alas where shall the robbers and workers of violence appeare What shall become of the vsurer No creature in heauen or earth shall testifie his innocencie But the sighes cryes and grones of vndone parents of beggard widdowes and Orphanes shall witnesse the contrary All his money like Hempe seede is sowed with curses and euery obligation is written on earth with inke and bloud and in hell with bloud and fire What shall become of the Encloser of Commons Who shall plead his innocence Hedges ditches fields and townes the weeping of the poore the very lowings of beastes shall witnesse against him Where shall fraud cosenage racking of rents iniurie periurie mischiefe appeare You may conceale your craft from the eyes of man defraud the minister beguile your neighbour impouerish the Common-wealth vnperceiued vnpunished but know that the Lord will not hold you innocent I conclude Make you the picture of Innocencie and hang it in your houses but especially draw it in the table of your hearts Let it bee a Virgin faire and louely without any spot of wrong to blemish her beautie Let her garments be white as snow and yet not so white as her conscience Let the teares of compassion drop from her eyes and an Angell holding a bottle to catch them Let her weepe not so much for her owne afflictions as for the wickednes of her afflicters Let the wayes be milke where she sets her foote and let not the earth complaine of her pressure Let the Sun offer her his beames the clouds their raine the ground her fruits euery creature his vertue Let the poore blesse her yea let her very enemies be forced to prayse her Let the world be sommoned to accuse her of wrong and let none be found to witnesse it Let peace lie in her lappe and Integritie betweene her brests Let religion kisse her lippes and all Lawes reuerence her Patience possesse her heart and humilitie sit in her eyes Let all Christians make her the precedent of their liues and studie the doctrine that her mouth teacheth Let the Angels of heauen be her guardians and the mercie of God a shield of defence vnto her Let her tread vpon iniurie and stampe the Deuill and violence vnder her feete Let her greatest aduersaries Oppression and Hypocrisie flie from her presence Let rapine malice extortion depopulation fraud and wrong be as farre
remoued from her as hell is from heauen Let the hand of mercie dry her eyes and wipe away her teares Let those glorious spirits lift her vp to the place of rest Let heauen adde to her beautie Immortalitie set her in a throne of ioy and Eternitie crowne her with glorie Whether may all her children follow her through the bloud and merites of that most innocent Lambe Iesus Christ. Amen THE WAY HOME MATTH 2. 12. And being warned of God in a dreame that they should not returne to Herod they departed into their owne Countrey another way WHen these Wise men had presented to Christ their gifts which indeed he first gaue them for the earth is his and the fulnesse thereof yet he rewardes them They emptied their Treasures of Gold Myrrhe and Frankincense and he filled the treasure of their hearts with heauenly graces For their Gold he returnes them pure wisedome They were called Wise men before but their wisedome was infernall downewards to hell perhaps consulting with Deuils Now he giues them Wisedome from aboue pure and refined as gold For their Frankincense he purgeth them of their former superstitious Idolatries from sacrificings to Satan and instructs them to whom frankincense is due and all other offerings of pietie to their Creator and Sauiour For their Myrrhe he giues them Charitie a true loue to him that so truely loued them and for his sake a loue to others They made then a blessed exchange with Christ when for Gold Frankincense Myrrhe they receiued Wisedome Devotion Charitie Now to testifie how highly the Lord fauoured them he speakes to them in a dreame and reveales his mind for the safety of his Sonne that they should not returne to Herode And to witnesse how truely they serued the Lord they gaue obedience They departed into their owne countrey another way The whole may be distinguished into An Informing into a word Performing worke God giues the word the Magi doe the worke God doth informe and they performe Hee instructeth and they execute He giues direction they obedience His word informance instruction direction is He warned them in a dreame that they should not returne to Herod Their worke performance pliable obedience They departed into their countrey another way In the direction or monition Informing are considerable these three circumstances The Men Wise men Magicians Maner In a dreame Matter That they should not returne to Herod The Persons to whom God gaue this admonition are expressely called Wise men Some say they were also Great men If so then was this reuelation made Potentibus Petentibus 1. To great men It is the opinion of some that these magi were kings that the Euangelist in calling them wise men gaue them a more honourable title then if hee had called them kings So Ludolphus sayes that Magus was in those dayes more noble then Magnus But wee must know who they are that thus stile them Fryers Iesuites such as can by no meanes endure the superiority of Princes That are Derisores hominum maxime potentū Hereon some of them haue mooted strange problemes able to fill whole volumes An Sacerdotes Regibus praeferendi Whether Priests be not aboue kings But still the conclusion is against Princes Some more moderate on that side haue confessed them not Reges but Regulos litle kings petit Princes Like those one thirtie kings that conspired against Iosuah Or those fifty that met at Troy There is a kind of king in France whom the common people call Le Roy Dlynetot But that these were but three in number and kings in power it may be painted in a popish window is not in Catholickes bible therefore needs not be in a Christians creed 2. Howsoeuer these Magi were Potentes or no they were Petentes Though they were great men yet they humbly seeke the greatest of men yea the great God Iesus And behold gratiously the Lord offers himselfe to their search according to his infallible promise that he will be found out of al that seeke him Dedit aspicientibus intellectum qui praestitit signum quod fecit intelligi fecit inquiri So he offers himselfe to all faithful searchers But we cannot find him we seeke vnles he find vs first that came to seeke to saue that which was lost We seeke in vaine vnles we seeke him wee seeke him in vaine vnles he find vs. Nos ad se quarendum suscitat-se ad inveniendum porrigit He stirres vp our hearts to seeke him offers himselfe to be found There was neuer faithfull hart sought the Lord Iesus but he found him whom his soule loued His patience might be excercised his fidelity tried his desires extended by Gods hiding himselfe for a season In the night of obscurity security ignorance he may misse him ver 1. Though hee enquire among the deepest Philosophers honestest worldlings ver 2. he may not find him But. ver 3. the watchmen wil bring him to him yea ver 4. Christ himselfe wil appeare in gratious mercy He may say for a while as the Poet of Anchises Quaregio Christum quis habet locus Illius ergo Venimus Where is Christ in what countrey may I find him But the Lord Iesus will reueale himselfe yea meete him halfe way as the mercifull father mette his vnthrifty Sonne when he returned Wee shall conclude with ioy We haue found the Messias euen him of whom Moses in the Law and the prophets did write Iesus of Nazareth You heare the Persons to whom this admonition was giuen the next Circumstance is The Maner In a dreame I might here enter into a cloudy and confused discourse of Dreames till I brought you all asleepe But I loue not to fetch any bowtes when there is a neerer way Herein I may say with Augustine I would to God I could discerne betweene dreames Some are Naturall Preternaturall Supernaturall 1. Naturall and such arise either from Complexion Affection 1. From complexion or constitution The Sanguine hath merry dreames the melācholy sorrowful dreames the Cholericke dreames of fire and such turbulent thoughts the Phlegmaticke of raine of flouds and such warry obiects And as these elementall humours do abound in a man the dreames haue a stronger force and more violent perturbation 2. From Affection what a man most desires hee soonest dreames of Omnia quae sensu voluuntur vota diurno Tempore nocturno reddit amica quies Venator defessa toro dum membra reponit Mens tamen ad siluas sua lustra redit Gaudet amans furto permutat nauit a merces Et vigil elapsas quarit a◅arus opes So Augustine S◅ nascitur ex studi◅s praeteritis what man desires in the day he dreames in the night The hunters mind is in the forrest whiles his wearied bones are reposed on a soft bed The souldiour dreames of batteries assault◅ encounters the Lawyer of quirkes and demurres the citizen of trickes and frauds
skip out of the way of righteousnes at euery dog that reproachfully barkes at it nor at euery Siren that temptingly would call it aside The Deuill with all his force of terror or error cannot seduce it Constancie it is euer trauelling though through many hindrances It hath a heauy load of flesh to burden it and make euery step tedious yet it goes Cares for family troubles of contentious neighbours frowning of great aduersaries malicious turbulencie of the world all offer to stay it but it goes on As if it had receiued the Apostles Commission Salute none of these Remora's by the way it resteth not till it see the saluation of God The Lord deliuers the feete from falling that it may walke before God in the light of the living 3 We must not returne backe to Herod Why not to Herod He was a fit type of the Deuill and they that are recouered and escaped from him should not fall backe into his clutches The Deuill is like Herod both for his subtletie and crueltie The Herods were all dissemblers all cruell There was Herod Ascalonita Herod Antipas and Herod Agrippa all cruell in the butchering of Gods Saints Ascalonita necat pueros Antipa Iohannem Agrippa Iacobum mittitque in carcere Petrum Ascalonite makes an earnest shew of zeale to Christ but he desired not subijcerese Christ◅ sedsib◅ Christum not to become subiect to Christ but to make Christ the sub iect of his furie Antipas seemed to loue Iohn the Baptist but he suffers a dancing foote to kicke off his head The crueltie of the other Herod was monstrous He slew all those whom hee could suspect to issue from the line of Dauid all the Infants of Bethlem vnder two yeares old at one slaughter Hee slew his kinred his sister his wife his sonne Hee cut the throates of many noble Iewes whiles he lay on his death bed Yea made it in his will that so soone as euer the breath was out of his body all the sonnes of the nobler Iewes shut vp into a safe place should be instantly slaine to beare him company By this meanes hee resolued that some should lament his death which otherwise would haue bin the cause of great ioy A wretched Testament and fit for such a deuill to make That Deuill wee are charged not to returne to exceeds this both in subtletie and crueltie euen as much as a father may his Sonne Herod was not so perfect a Master of his art The wise men deceiued Herod hee must be a wise man indeed that ouer-reaches Satan Herod was a bungler to him he trusted to instruments to destroy Christ the Deuill lookes to that busines himselfe Hee can transforme himselfe into an Angel of light and rather then not draw men to hell hee will dissemble a loue to heauen He will speake good that he may worke euill and confesse the truth that therby hee may procure credit to greater falshood He can stoope to the reprobate like a tame horse till they get vp and ride him but when he hath them on his backe he runs post with them to hell When he hath thus excercised his policie wil he spare his power when his Foxes part is done hee begins his Lyons Bloud massacre destruction are his softest embraces horror and amazement are the pleasures of his Court kill kill burne burne is the language of his tongue to those miserable wretches which must euer be burning neuer consumed euer killing and neuer die Oh then let vs neuer returne to Herod nor venture on his mercie The poore bird that hath escaped the hawkes talons is carefull to auoyd his walke The strayed Lambe falne into the wolfes caue and deliuered by the Shephard will no more straggle out of the flocke If the Lord Iesus hath sought and brought vs to himselfe by the Starre of his Gospell let vs no more goe backe to Herod flying the workes of darknes and seruing the liuing God with an vpright heart Indeed they that are truely freed from his seruitude will neuer more become his vassalls Many seeme escaped that are not If the adulterer returne like the Hogge to the mire and the drunkard like the Dog to his vomit it is likely that they loue Herod well for they goe backe to him The minister may desire to offer them vp a liuing sacrifice to the Lord but like wild beasts they breake the rope and will not bee sacrificed But wee being deliuered by Christ out of the hands of our enemies must serue him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life 4. Wee must goe to our owne Countrey In this world wee are but strangers though perhaps we thinke too well of these vanities yet they are but forraine things wee haue another home We may be rauished with this earth as Peter with Tabor Bonum hic it is good being here but if wee looke vp to that heauen which is our Countrey Mundi calcamus inutile pondus Behold the very outside is faire the outmost walls are beautified with glorious lights euerie one as a world for greatnes so a heauen for goodlinesse All those spangles bee as radiant stones full of Lustre pure gold to the drosse of earthly things What may wee then thinke there is within Yea whatsoeuer the wicked thinke yet this world is but the through-fare and it is not their home neither though indeede they haue their portion in this life It is sayd of Iudas going to hell that he went to his owne place therefore that and not this is their owne countrey as sure as they thinke themselues of this world In heauen there is all life no death in hell all death no life on earth men both liue and die passing through it as the wildernes either to Egipt or Canaan This earth as it is betweene both so it prepares vs for both and sends euery one to their owne countrey eternall ioy or euerlasting sorrow Hee that here dies to sinne shall hereafter liue in heauen he that liues in sinne shall hereafter die in hell All soiourne either with GOD feeding on his graces or with Satan surfe◅ing on his iniquities They that will haue Sathan for their host in transgression shall afterwards be his guests in perdition But they that obey God as theyr master shall also haue him their father and that for euer Contemne we then this world what though we haue many sorrows here a still succession of miseries we are not at home What stranger looks for kind vsage amongst his enemies As well might the captiue Iewes expect quiet among the Babilonians Thou art sure of a countrey wherein is peace In that heauen the wicked haue no part though here much pleasure When thou considerest this truely thou wouldst not change portions with them Let it be cōfort sufficient since we cannot haue both that we haue by many degrees the better Their owne countrey Heauen is our owne countrey 1. Ours ordained for vs by
God the Father Come ye blessed of my Father inherite ye the kingdome 2. Ours purchased for vs by God the Son We haue boldnes to enter into the Holyest by the bloud of Iesus 3. Ours sealed to vs by God the holy Ghost The Spirit of God seales vs vp to the day of redemption The Spirit it selfe beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God Ours thus though we are not yet fully entred into it Habemus ius ad rem nondum in re Wee are heires to it though now we be but wards Our minoritie bids binds vs to be as seruants The heire as long as he is a child differs nothing from a seruant though he be Lord of all When we come to full yeares a perfect growth in godlynes in mensuram staturae adulti Christs to the measure of the stature of the fullnesse of Christ we shall haue a plenary possession It is ours already not in re but in spe as Aug. Our common Law distinguisheth betweene two maner of freeholds A freehold in deede when a man hath made his entry vpon lands and is thereof really seised A freehold in law when a man hath right to possessions but hath not made his actuall entry So is this Countrey ours ours Tenore iuris though not yet iure tenoris ours in the inheritance of the possession though not in the possession of the inheritance To this countrey our countrey let vs trauell and that we may do it the better 5. The last circumstance shewes vs how Another way we must change the whole course of our inordinate conuersation and walke another way euen the Kings high-way to Paradise Immutatio viâ—… emendatio vitae The changing of the way is the amending of our life Repentance must teach vs to tread a new path To man truely penitent Optimus portus est mutatio consiâ—…y The best hauen is the change of his life not to turne againe by the same way that he came Thus must we renounce our owne wils old wayes and being made new creatures take new paths So Gregory o We departed from our countrey by pride disobedience doting on visible delights and pleasing the lusts of the flesh we must therefore returne by humiluâ—…e obedience contemning the world and condemning the flesh Quia Paradisi gaudijs per delectationem recessimus ad hâ—…c per poenitentiam tanquà m per nouam viam reuocaâ—…ur We that departed from Paradise by sinne must returne thether by a new way Repentance Hast thou walked in lust take another way by puritie and chastitie Didst thou trauell with pride there is another way to heauen humilitie Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Wert thou giuen to auarice there is a new way to heauen by charitie Ye haue fed me hungry c. therefore come ye blessed Didst thou trudge with contention and molesting thy neighbours with sutes this is the way to Westminster hall there is another way to heauen Blessed are the peace makers for they shall be called the children of God Didst thou trade in vsurie this is the way to the Exchange thou must exchange this way if thou wilt come to glory Hast thou forredged with oppression Thou must with Zaccheus seeke out another way If I haue taken any thing from any man by false dealing I restore him fourefold Let the drunken epicure malicious repiner seditious incendiary dissembling hypocrite vniust oppressor leaue their wretched pathes seeke another way to happines God giue vs all grace to find this way of Repentance that wee may come at last to our owne Countrey peace and rest with Iesus Christ. Amen SEMPER IDEM OR The Immutable mercie Of Iesus Christ. HEBR. 13. 8. Iesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for euer BY the name of Iehouah was God knowne to Israel from the time of the first mission of Moses to them and their manumission out of Egypt and not before For sayth God to Moses I appeared vnto Abraham and vnto Isaac and vnto Iacob by the Name of God Almightie but by my Name IEHOVAH was I not knowne to them This I Am is an eternall word comprehending three times that was that is and is to come Now to testifie the equalitie of the Sonne to the Father the Scripture giues the same Eternitie to Iesus that it doth to Iehouah He is called Alpha and Omega Primus nouissimus the First and the Last which is which was and which is to come Reuel 1. and here the same yesterday and to day and for euer Therefore he was not onely Christus Dei the Annointed of God but Christus Deus God himselfe Annointed Seeing that Eternitie which hath neither beginning nor ending is only peculiar and proper to God The words may be distinguished into a Center CircuÌ„ference Mediate Line referring the one to the other The immoueable Center is Iesus Christ. The Circumference that runs round about him here is Eternitie Yesterday to day for euer The Mediate line referring them is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same Iesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for euer The Center is Iesus Christ. Iesus was his proper Name Christ his appellatiue Iesus a name of his nature Christ of his Office and dignitie as Diuines speake Iesus a Name of all sweetnes Mel in ora Melos in aâ—…re iubilus in corde A reconciler a Redeemer a Sauiour When the conscience wrastles with Law Sin Death nothing but horror and despaire without Iesus He is the way the Truth and the Life without him Error Meâ—…dacium Mors. Si scribas non placet nisi legam ibi Iesum saith Bernard If thou writest to me thy letter doth not please me vnles I read there Iesus If thou conferrest thy discourse is not sweet without the name of Iesus The blessed restorer of all of more then all that Adam lost for we haue gotten more by his regenerating grace then we lost by Adams degenerating Sinne. Christ is the Name of his Office being appointed and annointed of God a King a Priest a Prophet This Iesus Christ is our Sauiour of whose names I forbeare further discourse being vnable though I had the tongue of Angels to speake ought worthy â—…anto Nomine Tanto Numine All that can be said is but a litle but I must say but a litle in all But of all names giuen to our Redeemer still Iesus is the sweetest Oâ—…er sayth Bern. are names of Maiestie Iesus is a name of mercie The Word of God the Sonne of God the Christ of GOD are titles of Glory Iesus a Sauiour is a title of grace mercie redemption This Iesus Christ is the Center of this Text and not onely of this but of the whole Scripture The Summe of Diuinitie is the Scripture the Summe of the Scripture is the Gospell the Summe of the Gospell is Iesus Christ. In a word Nihil
was lost THE first word is Causall and puts vs in mind of some reference In briefe the dependance is this Litle Zacheus became great in Gods fauour he was ver 2. a Publican a chiefe Publican a rich Publican Yet he hath a desire to see Iesus and Iesus hath a purpose to see him A figtree shall helpe him to the sight of Christ Christ to the sight of him Our Sauiour calls him downe it is fit they should come downe in humilitie that entertaine Christ and bids himselfe to his house to dinner He is made Zacheus his gest for temporall food and Zacheus is made his guest for euerlasting cheare This day is saluation come to this house ver 9. This mercy is not without the Pharises grudging ver 7. When they saw it they all murmured saying That hee was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner Murmuring is betweene secret backbiting and open railing a smotherd malice which can nether beevtterly concealed nor dare bee openly vented The cause of their murmuring was that hee was become a guest to a sinner as if the Sunne of righteousnesse could bee corrupted in shining on a Dunghill of sinne No whiles hee did associate the bad hee made them good feeding them spiritually that fed him corporally Hee did not consent to their sinne but correct it not infecting himselfe but affecting their soules and effecting their blisse A man may accompany those whom hee desires to make better or them to make him better And that the mouth of all wickednesse might be stopped our Sauiour sayes that his comming into the world was not onely to call home Zacheus but euen many such Publicans For the Sonne of man is come to seeke and to saue c. Wee are thus gotten ouer the threshold For let vs now looke into the house and suruay euery chamber and roome in it The foundation of this comfortable scripture is Iesus Christ and the building may bee distinguished into fiue seuerall Parlours all richly hung and adorned with the graces and mercies of God and the midst thereof paued with loue for the daughters of Ierusalem CHRIST is the Buttresse or corner stone and in him consider here His Humilitie The Sonne of man Veritie Is come Pittie To seeke Pietie To saue Power That which was lost 1. The Sonne of man Ecce Humilitatem Hee that is the Sonne of eternall God cals himselfe the Sonne of mortall man 2. Is come Ecce veritatem What God had promised his Seruants prophecied his Types prefigured he hath now performed They all foretold in their kinds that he should come he makes all good he Is come 3. To seeke Ecce compassionem He knew that we were vtterly gone that we had Nec valentis oculum nec volentis animum neither an eye able nor a mind willing to seeke him in Pittie he seekes vs. 4. To saue Ecce Pietatem He seekes vs not in ruinam to our destruction as we deserued but in salutem to our saluation as he desired Amissos quaerit quaesitos invenit inventos seruat He seekes them that were lost hee finds them he seekes he saues them he finds To saue 5. The lost Ecce Potestatem He is not onely able to strengthen vs weake nor to recouer vs sicke nor to fetch vs home offring our selues to bee brought but when we had neither will nor power to procure this yea when wee had a reluctancie against this for wee were his enemies and hated him he did recall vs gone reviue vs dead seeke and saue vs that were lost You see the Chambers how they lie in order let mee keepe your thoughts in this house of Mercie a while wherein may all our soules dwell for euer In survaying the Roomes it is fit wee should begin with the lowermost and thither the Text aptly first leads vs. The Sonne of Man Christ is called a Sonne in three respects 1. In regard of his Deitie the Sonne of God begotten of him from all eternitie coequall and coessentiall to him 2. In respect of his flesh the Son of Mary naturally borne of her 3. He cals himselfe the Sonne of Man in regard that he tooke on him mans nature and vndertooke the performance of mans redemption Man like vs in all things sinne onely excepted So that in this circumstance two things are considerable in Christ the one necessarily involved in the other His Humanitie Humilitie His Humanitie When the fulnesse of time was come God sent his Sonne made of a Woman Ex muliere non in muliere as Gorran notes against Valentinus whose heresie was that Christ passed through the Virgin as water through a Conduit-pipe But this Preposition Ex signifies a pre-existent matter as a house is made of tymber stones bread of wheat wine of grapes Christ had therefore the materials of his bodie from the virgin Mary though not his Formale principium for the holy Ghost was agent in this wonderfull conception Neither is this a thing impossible to God though wonderfull to Man that this Christ should be the Son of Mary without man As it was possible to God in the first creation to make a Woman out of a Man without the helpe of a Woman so in this new creation to make a Man out of a Woman without the helpe of a man There is the same reason of possibilitie It is as easie to bring fire from a steele without a flint as from a flint without a steele But he that could dare essentiam nihilo can raise a nature ex aliquo God had foure diuerse manners of creating humane creatures 1. The first man Adam was made of no man but immediately created of God 2. The second that was Eue was made not of a woman but of a man alone 3. The third sort all men and women else are begotten of man and woman 4. Christ the last sort was of a different maner from all these 1. not of no precedent flesh as Adam 2. Not of a man without a woman as Eue. 3. Not of man and woman as all we 4. But after a new way of a woman without a man We are all in this sort opposed to Adam Christ to Eue Adam was made of neither man nor woman wee of both man and woman Eue of a man without a woman Christ of a woman without a man Now as this was a great worke of God so it is a great wonder to man Three miracles here Deum nasci virginem parere fidem haec credere That the Sonne of God should become the Sonne of woman a great myracle That a virgin should beare a child and yet before at after the birth remaine still a virgin a great myracle That the faith of man should beleeue all this Maximum miraculum this is the greatest wonder of all Thus you haue Diuinitie assuming Humanitie a great mystery God manifested in the flesh In mundum venit qui mundum condidit he comes downe to earth but hee leaues not
hee thinkes of Preachers as the Deuill sayd of CHRIST that we come to torment him before his time Well then Reioyce sayth GOD Let thy heart cheare thee in the dayes of thy youth But ironice hee mockes when hee sayes so Now quod Deus loquitur ridens tu lege lacrymans What God speakes laughing doe thou read lamenting If God once laughes itis high time for vs to weepe They will not heare God when he preacheth in their health God will not heare them when they pray in their sicknes They would not hearken to him in the Pulpit nor hee to them on their death bed 6. God speakes by his Spirit This spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit c. Perhaps this is that voyce behind vs as it were whispering to our thoughts This is the way walke in it This is that speaking Spirit It is not yee that speake but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you It is this Spirit that speakes for vs and speakes to vs and speakes in vs. It is the Churches prayer Let him kisse mee with the kisses of his mouth Sanctus Spiritus osculum Patris The holy Ghost is the kisse of God the Father Whom God kisseth he loueth Now by all these wayes doth God speake peace to our consciences and say to our soules that hee is our Saluation 1. Hee may speake with his owne voyce and thus he gaue assurance to Abraham Feare not I am thy shield thy exceeding great reward If God speake comfort let hell roare horrour 2. Hee may speake by his workes actuall mercies to vs demonstrate that we are in his fauour and shall not be condemned By this I know thou fauourest mee because mine enemie doth not triumph ouer mee 3. Hee may speake by his sonne Come to mee all that labour and are heauie laden and I will ease you 4. He may speake by his Scripture this is Gods Epistle to vs and his letters Patent wherein are granted to vs all the priuiledges of saluation An vniuersall Siquis Whosoeuer beleeues and is Baptised shall be saued 5. He may speake by his Ministers to whom he hath giuen the Ministerie of reconciliation 6. He doth speake this by his spirit he sendeth forth the spirit of his sonne into our hearts crying Abba Father By all these voyces God sayes to his elect I am your saluation To my Soule Many heare God speaking comfort to the corporall care that heare him not speaking this to the soule They heare him but they feele him not The best assurance is from feeling Come neare let mee feele thee my Sonne sayd Isaacto Iacob let me feele thee my Father say wee to God The thronging Iewes heard Christ but Zacheus that beleeuing Publican felt Christ. This day is saluation come to thy house My Soule There is no vexation to the vexation of the soule so no consolation to the consolation of the soule Dauid in this Psalme calls it his Darling Rescue my soule from their destructions my Darling from the Lyons The same Prophet complained of a great vnrest when his soule was disquieted within him Ionas of a grieuous sicknesse when his soule fainted Ioseph had a cruell bondage when The yron entred his soule So no comfort to the comfort of the soule In the multitude of my thoughts within me Thy comforts haue refreshed my soule The wicked heare tell of Gods mercies communitur audimus verbum salutis but God speakes not to their soules Therefore they cannot say with Mary My soule reioyceth This ioy when God speakes peace to the soule is ineffabile gaudium a iubilation of the heart which a man can neither recitare nor reticere neither suppresse nor expresse It giues end to all â—…arres doubts and differences ouercomes the world non-sutes the deuill and makes a man keepe Hilary Terme all his life To my Soule Mine I might here examine whose this Mea is who is the owner of this my A prophet a king a man after Gods owne heart that confessed himselfe the beloued of God that knew the Lord would neuer forsake him holy happy Dauid ownes this meae hee knowes the Lord loues him yet desires to know it more Dic animae Mea say to My soule But let this teach vs to make much of this My. Luther sayes there is great diuinitie in pronounes The Assurance that GOD will saue some is a fayth incident to Deuills The very Reprobates may beleeue that there is a booke of Election but GOD neuer told them that their names were written there The hungry begger at the Feast-house gate smells good cheare but the Master doth not say this is prouided for thee It is small comfort to the harbourlesse wretch to passe through a goodly Citie and see many glorious buildings When hee cannot say Haec mea domus I haue a place here The beautie of that excellent Citie Ierusalem built with Saphyres Emeralds Chrysolites and such precious stones the foundation and walls whereof are perfect gold affords a soule no comfort vnlesse hee can say mea ciuitas I haue a Mansion in it The all sufficient merits of Christ doe thee no good vnlesse tua pars portio hee bee thy Sauiour Happy soule that can say with the Psalmist O Lord thou art my portion Let vs all haue oyle in our Lampes lest if wee bee then to buy beg or borow wee be shut out of doores like the fooles not worthy of entrance Pray Lord say vnto my soule I am thy saluation I am thy saluation The Petition is ended I will but looke into the Benediction wherein I should consider these foure circumstances Quis quid Cui quando Who What to Whom When. Who. The Lord to the Lord Dauid prayes He hath made a good choice for there is saluation in none other Thou hast destroyed thy selfe but in me is thy helpe The world failes the flesh fals the Deuill kils onely the Lord saues What. Saluation a speciall good thing euery mans desire who would not bee saued Euery man would goe to heauen though perhaps hee runnes a course directly to hell Beatus vult homo esse etiam non sic viuendo vt possit esse Man would be blessed though he takes the course to be cursed I will giue thee a Lordship saith God to Esau. I will giue thee a kingdome sayth God to Saul I will giue thee an Apostleship sayth God to Iudas But I will be thy saluation he sayes to Dauid and to none but Saints Indeed this voyce comes from heauen comes vnto earth but onely through the mediator betwixt heauen and earth Iesus Christ. Hee is the alone Sauiour Worldlings possesse many things but haue right to nothing because not right to him that is the heire of all thinges Christ. The soule is the perfection of the bodie Reason of the Soule Religion of reason Faith of Religion Christ of faith A man can warrant vs vpon earth that
It is not the death but the cause that giues the honour of Martyrdome Indeed there is no man that suffers contrary to the will of God but many suffer not Secundùm not according to the will of GOD. In his concealed will he allowes the sufferings of the Reprobates this is his iust iudgement They are smitten but for their faults Moerent merentur they lament and deserue to lament When the Adulterer is wounded for his lust he cannot thinke himselfe a patient secundum beneplacitum Dei according to the will of God When the vsurer is fetch'd ouer for his extortion the depopulator for his enclosing the slanderer for his libelling all these suffer but not for conscience toward God not according to his will They onely are said to suffer according to his will that suffer first innocently then patiently 1. Innocently for the wicked suffer mali malè sed meritò Euill men beare euill things but after their deserts The Pope hath made many Saints from this kind of suffering Straw-saints such as Garnet was If they be first drench'd at Tyber and after hang'd at Tyburne Martyres sunt they can be no lesse then Martyrs Not seldome their names are put into the Rubricke but they stand there in those red letters for nothing els but to remember their red bloudie actions They may pretend some shew of religion as if for cause thereof they suffered but it is not a meene but a mixt cause not for faith but for faction not for truth but for treason It is obserued that as the Physitians say none die of an ague nor without an ague so none of them suffer for the Romish religion nor without the Romish religion Therfore as Aristides dying of the bite of a Weasell exceedingly lamented that it was not a Lyoâ—…so these Seminaries may greatly lament that they die not for the Lyon of Iudah but for the Weasell of Roe Not secundum voluntatem Dei but secundum voluptatem Antichrists not according to the will of Christ but according to the lust of Antichrist But hee can make them amends with Sainting them men shall kneele to them pray to them climbe to heauen by the ladder of their merites Alas poore Saints the Pope sends them to heauen but how if they were in hell before May wee not say of them as Augustine did of Aristotle woe vnto them they are praysed and prayed vnto where they are not and condemned where they are Vnlesse as the vision was to Ormus that among the Apostles and Martyrs there was a vacant place left in heauen which sayth he was reserued for a Priest in England called Thomas Becket and this reuelation was full twelue years before Becket dyed So except the Pope can make them Saints before they die I feare his authoritie can doe little afterwards Yet indeed the Pope is a great Saint-maker and hath helped abundance of men to heauen For he sent them thither through the fire for the cause of Christ he condemned cursed burnt them to ashes and thus spight of his teeth he hath helped to make them martyrs and Saints For our selues if wee suffer any wrong of men let vs be sure we haue not deserued it Our Innocence cómends our suffering for this is according to the good will and pleasure of God 2. Patiently a murmuring mind evacuates the vertue of thy sufferings For what glory is it if when ye bee buffetted for your faults ye shall take it patiently but if when ye doe well and suffer for it ye then take it patiently this is acceptable to God Let me therefore helpe your patience by two considerations 1. What Christ our head suffered for vs bitter words and more bitter wounds Obserue him Looke to Iesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the ioy that was set before him endured the crosse and despised the shame So let vs run with patience the race that is set before vs. If we cannot endure an angry word from our brothers mouth how would we suffer boyling lead boyling coales as the Martyrs did How to be crucified as our Lord Iesus was What would we doe then Shew me now one dram of this patience Among gallants a word and a blow among ciuill men a word and a writ The backe of Patience can beare no load But ought not Christ first to suffer these things and then to enter into his glory First he was crowned with thornes then crowned with honours Caput spinosum in terris si sit gloriosum in coelis That head must first weare a wreath of sorrow on earth that shall weare a wreath of ioy in heauen Hereunto are we called because Christ suffered for vs leauing vs an example that we should follow his steps 2. That all this is according to the will of God Our blowes come at least mediately from the hand of God And this hand is guided with prouidence temperd with loue Distressed worldlings cry out it was my owne folly that ran me into this danger or the malice of mine enemy vndid me or surfeit on such meat made me sicke So the cur bites the stone which could neuer haue hurt him but from the hand that threw it Looke vp to the first mouer O mad man and discharge the meanes The Instrument may be vniust in thy wrongs but the cause is iust from him that inflicted it What rod soeuer beats thee consider it according to the will of God and be patient His hand sets theirs on worke I hope thou wilt not dispute with thy maker The medicine of thy passion is composed by God himselfe no euils nor deuils shall put in one dram more then his allowance no man nor Angell can abate one scruple The impatient man wants eyther wisedome or obedience Wisedome if he be ignorant from whom his crosses come obedience if he knowes it and is not patient This is the Integritie of the Suffering now followes The Comfort of this Integritie Let him commit the keeping of his soule to God Euery man cannot with this confidence but qui patitur propter Deum recurrit ad Deum He that suffers for Christs testimonie is confident of Gods mercie Let vs come therefore vnto the throne of grace boldly that we may obtaine mercie and find grace to helpe in the time of need Here let vs obserue three circumstances Quis Quid Cui Who What to Whom Who They that suffer according to the will of God Felicitie thinkes it hath no neede of God But God is more daintie of spirituall comforts then to giue them to such as are confident in worldly comforts The Balme of the Spirit shall not be sophisticated or mixed veneno mundi with the poyson of this world Giue strong drinke to the heauie sayth Salomon God will not giue his consolations to those that are drunke with prosperitie mad-merry with the world but his wine to the heauy heart He will comfort them that mourne Let them that
but the goates are not written in his booke The foundation of God standeth sure hauing the seale the Lord knoweth them that are his It is a goodly thing to be famous and remarkable in the world Est pulchrum digito monstrari dicier hic est It is a goodly thing to bee sayd this is the man whom the world honours but perhaps this is not he whom God honours He that suffers and does according to the will of God the Lord will take that man into his bosoâ—… Such honour haue all his Saints It is no great matter for men to be knowne to kings and nobles if the Lord know them not nothing to ride in the second Coach as Ioseph to be next to the Prince if they bee strangers to the Court of heauen Therefore let vs all lay hold on well-doing that we may haue comfort in well-dying Wee desire to shut vp our last scene of life with In manus tuas Domine commendo spiritum meum Lord Into thy handes I commend my spirit Behold while we liue GOD sayes to vs In manus tuas homo commendo spiritum meum Man into thy hands I commend my spirit As we vse Gods Spirit in life God will vse our Spirit at death If we open the doores of our hearts to his Spirit he will open the doores of heauen to our Spirit If we feast him with a supper of Grace he will feast vs with a supper of Glory If wee grieue his Spirit he will grieue all the veines of our hearts When such shall say Lord into thy handes wee commend our soules no sayth God I will none of your Spirit for you would none of my Spirit You shut him out when hee would haue entred your hearts hee shall shut you out when you would enter heauen Let vs therefore here vse Gods Spirit kindly that hereafter hee may so vse our spirits Let vs in life entertaine him with Faith that in death he may embrace vs with mercy So Lord into thy handes wee commend our soules keepe and receiue them O thou faithful Creator and God of truth through Iesus CHRIST Amen FINIS a 2 Cor. 3. 9. b Mal. 4. 2. c Iohn 1. 8. d Ioh. 1. 17. Heb. 3. 6. e Paraeus f Ioh. 6. 44. g Can. 1. 4. h Psal. 143. 10. i 2. Kin. 25. 7. k Acts 3. 2. Ber. l Heb. 11. 6. m Rom. 8. 24. n Iohn 5. 24. o Phil. 3. 20. 1 p Psal. 87. 2. q Math. 4. 8. r Deu. 34. 4. 2 s Ioh. 14. 2. t Gen. 30. 8. u Psal. 36. 6. x Ion. 3. 3. y Psal. 106. 28. a Heb. 9. 14. b Mat. 22. 32. c Psal. 49. 11. d Mat. 24. 2. 3 4 e Reu. 21. 27. 5. 6. f Rom. 4. 25. 7. Aug. g Iohn 3. 16. h Psal. 87. 2. i Psa. 78. 60. k Psal. 107. 34. l 2. Pet. 3. 10. m Mat. 7. 27. n 1. Pet. 2. 6. o Psal. 30. 8. p Amos 6. 1. q Esa. 21. 11. r 1. King 20. 23. s Ierem. 3. 6. t Luk. 12. 19. u Esay 40. 4. x Luk. 23. 30. a Psal. 125. 1. b Sen. c Iohn 14. 2. d Esay 2. 2. e Psal. 149. 9. f Mat. 5. 14. g Psal. 48. 2. h Rom. 2. 24. i 1. Pet. 2. 12. k Exod. 10. 23. l Iud. 6. 37. m Psal. 4. 6. n Reu. 2. 17. Sen. Greg. o Iob. 31. 24. p Dan. 4. 30. Ambr. Aug. q Gal. 4. 29. r Rom. 5. 1. s 1. Iohn 3. 2. t Ioh 16. 22. Aug. u Psal. 84. 10. x Mat. 17. 2. y Psal. 84. 1. a Mat. 25. 23. b Psal. 2. 6. c Reu. 14. 1. d Acts 8. 32. e Psal. 121. 4. f Psal. 97. 5 8. g Psal. 114. 4. h Psal 78. 68. i Psal. 132. 13. k Psal. 48. 4. c l Gene. 19. 20. m Gen. 4. 17. n Gene. 11. 4. o Psal. 127. 1. p Iere. 22. 15. q Acts 12. 23 r Psal. 122. 3. s Psal. 101. 8. t Mat. 10. 23. u Luk. 13. 23. x Rom. 8. 29. y Rom. 7. 9. a Mat 10. 16. b Luke 12. 32 c Esay 1. 9. d Esay 6. 13. e Esay 17. 6. f Esay 24. 13. g Mich. 7. 1. h Iere. 3. 14. i Amos 3. 12 k Gene. 6. 12. l Esay 8. 18. m Ioh. 7. 51. n 2 Tim. 4. 16 o Act. 19. 34. p Reu. 13. 16. q 1. Kin. 20. 27. r Rom. 9. 27. s Reue. 3. 1. t 2. Esdr. 5. 23. u Luk. 13. 14. x 2. Esd. 7. 6. Aug. a Reu. 18. 2. b Gal. 4. 26. c Psal. 2 6. d Ephes. 2. 2. e 2. Tim. 2. 19. f 1. Ich. 2. 16. Greg. g Hebr. 11. 10. h Iud. ver 14. i Psal. 49. 13. Aug. k 2. Cor. 5. 19. l 1. Iohn 5. 29. m Mat. 24. 51. a Hebr. 1. 6. b Rom. 8. 29. c Rom. 13. 4. d 2. Cor. 5. 20. e 1. Thes. 4. 3. f Mat. 6. 32. g Mat. 5. 34. h Rom. 6. 23. n Luk. 10. 16. o Mark 11. 17. p Mala. 3. 8. q Act. 8. 19. r Gala. 5. 22. s Ioh. 6. 63. Theodoret. t Prou. 20. 25. u 2. Chr. 26. 19. x Psal. 80. 13. y Iudg. 7. 22. a Iudg. 4. 9. b 1. King 21. 19 c Ier. 5. 29. 1 Sam. 5. 11. Exod. 12. 31. Aug. e Mark 12. 17. Aug. f Psal. 116. 12. g Psal. 51. 15. h Luk. 10. 39. i Gal. 1. 2. k Eph. 3. 14. l Act. 7. 60. m Luk. 6. 38. n 1. Cor. 8. 5. o Psal. 82 6. p Rom. 13. 1. q Ioh. 19. 11. r Rom. 13. 2. s Acts 17. 18. t Acts 14. 11. u Psal. 106. 28. x 1. Cor. 8. 4. y Psal. 135. 17. a 1. Thes. 1. 9. b 2. Cor. 4. 4. c Iohn 16. 11. d Rom. 16. 20. e Eph. 4. 27. f 〈◊〉 Cor. 6. 13. g Esa. 2. 20. * 1. Tim 6. 16. h Psal 104. 3. i Gal. 2. 20. k Col. 3. 3. l Ver. 4. m Prou. 23. 5. n Luk. 6. 25. o Mat. 27. 53. p Gene. 22. 14. q Heb. 7. 2. r Gala. 5. 12. s 2. Cor. 13. 11. t Gala. 4. 25. u Reu. 21. 2. x Gala. 4. 26 Hugo Card. y Psal. 132. 13. a 1. Pet. 2. 9. b Esay 5. 2. c Eph. 4. 3. d 1. Tim. 3. 15. e Psal. 122. 5. f Reue. 3. 7. g Iam. 1. 18. Phil. 3. 20. Ambr. h Ephe. 1. 3. i Iob 4. 19. k Iohn 17. 24. Plato l Gen. 12. 1. m Iere. 22. 29. n Hebr. 13. 14 Damasc. o Gene. 18. 8. Caluin p Gen. 18. 2. q Luk. 24. 4. r Iude. ver 6. s Col. 1. 20. t Esa. 6. 2. Greg. u Eph. 3. 10. x 1. Tim. 3. 16. a Mat. 24. 36. b Acts 1. 24. c Psal. 103. 20. d 2. Thes. 1. 7. 2. Kings 19. 35. e Reu. 12. 8. f Hos. 12. 9. g Gen. 19. 22. h Exod. 32. 10. i 2. Pet. 2. 4. k Mat. 18. 10. l Heb. 2. 16. m Greg. n Gene. 48. 16. o Exo. 14. 19. p Mal. 3.
suffer commit c. What. The Soule and the keeping thereof The Soule is a very precious thing it had need of a good keeper For what is a man profited if he shall gaine the whole world and loose his owne soule We trust the Lawyer to keepe our Inheritance the Physitian to keepe our body the coffer to keepe our money shepheards to keepe our flockes but the Soule had need of a better keeper Howsoeuer it goes with thy libertie with thy loue with thy land with thy life be sure to looke well to thy soule that lost all is lost The bodie is not safe where the Soule is in hazard Non-anima pro corpore sed corpus pro anima factum est The soule is not made for the bodie but the bodie for the Soule He that neglects the better let him looke neuer so well to the worse shall loose both He that looks well to the keeping of the better though he somwhat neglect the worst shal saue both The Body is the instrument of the soule it acts what the other directs so it is the externall actuall and instrumentall offender Satan will come with a Habeus corpus for it But I am perswaded if hee take the Body hee will not leaue the Soule behind him To whom To God he is the best Keeper Adam had his Saluation in his owne hands hee could not keepe it Esau had his Birth-right in his owne hands hee could not keepe it The Prodigall had his Patrimonie in his owne hands he could not keepe it If our Soule were left in our own hands we could not keepe it The world is a false keeper let the soule runne to ryot hee will goe with it The Deuill is a Churlish keeper he labours to keepe the soule from saluatiō The Body is a brittle inconstant keeper euery sicknes opens the doore and lets it out God onely is the sure keeper Your life is hid with Christ in God This was Dauids confidence Thou art my hiding place thou shalt keepe mee The Iewells giuen to thy little children thou wilt not trust them with but keepe them thy selfe O Lord keepe thou our onely one doe thou Rescue our soule from destructions our Darling from the Lyons Trust vs not with our owne soules wee shall passe them away for an Apple as Adam did for a morsell of meate as Esau did for the loue of a harlot as that Prodigall did Lord doe thou keepe our Soules Now the Christian patient must commit the keeping of his Soule to God both in Life Death 1. Liuing the Soule hath three places of being In the body from the Lord in the Lord from the body in the body with the Lord. The two last are referred to our saluation in heauen either in part when the Soule is glorified alone or totally when both are crowned together Now the soule must be euen here in the Lords keeping or else it is lost If God let goe his hold it sinkes It came from God it returnes to God it cannot be well one moment without God It is not in the right vbi except the Lord be with it It is sine sua domo if sine suo Domino Here be foure sorts of men reprouable 1. They that trust not God with their soules nor themselues but relie it only vpon other men 2. They that will not trust God with their soules nor others but onely keepe it themselues 3. They that will trust neither God with their soules nor others nor keepe it it themselues 4. They that will neither trust others with their soules nor themselues but only God yet without his warrant that he will keepe it 1. They that trust their soules simplie on the care of others they are either Papists or prophane Protestants The Papist trusts Antichrist with his soule he 's like to haue it well kept If Masses Asses can keepe it for so the Iesuites terme their secular Priests it shall not bee lost The deuill fights against the soule the Pope interposeth an armoury of Agnus Dei's sprinklings crossings amulets prayers to Saints But surely if this Armour were of proofe S. Paul forgot himselfe in both these places where he describes that Panoply or whole armour of God He speakes of a plate of righteousnesse for the breast shooes of patience for the feete the shield of Faith the helmet of saluation the sword of the Spirit To the Thessalonians indeed hee somewhat varies the pieces of armour but in neither place doth he mention Crosses Crucifixes aspersions vnctions c. Or they will trust the Saints in heauen with their soules Sancta virgo Dorothea tua nos virtute bea cor in nobis nouum crea What that Prophet desired of God they as if they were Ioth to trouble the Lord about it and could haue it neerer hand beg of their Saint Dorothy to create a new heart within them Such a rithme haue they to the Virgin Mary Virgo mater maris stella Fons hortorum verbi cella ne nos pestis aut procella peccatores obruant But the Saints are deafe non audiunt They would pray them to forbeare such prayers they abhorre such superstitious worship They that were so iealous of Gods honour on earth would be loth to robbe him of it in heauen So our carnall professors onely trust the Minister with their soule as if God had imposed on him that charge which the Prophet gaue to Ahab keepe this man if by any meanes he be missing then shall thy life be for his life But indeed if he doe his duty in admonishing If thou warne the wicked of his way to turne from it if he do not turne from his way he shall die in his iniquitie but thou hast deliuered thy soule 2. They that will not trust others with their soule but keepe it themselues They wrapit warme in the nest of their own presumptuous merits as if good workes should hatch it vp to heauen But the soule that is thus kept will be lost He that wil goe to heauen by his own righteousnes and climbers by no other ladder then his owne Iust workes shall neuer come there The best Saints that haue had the most good workes durst not trust their soules with them I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not hereby iustified In many things we sin all All in many things many in all things And the most learned Papists whatsoeuer they haue said in their disputations reserue this truth in their hearts otherwise speaking in their deaths then they did in their liues Now non merita mea sed misericordia tua not my merits but thy mercies O Lord. All our life is either vnprofitable or damnable therfore O man what remaines Nisi vt in tota vita tua deplores totam vitam tuā but that during al thy life thou shouldest lament al thy life workes cannot keepe vs but grace let them boast of perfection we cry for
pardon they for merits we for mercies they for iustifying workes of their own we only for our sweet Sauiour Iesus Christ. 3. They that will neither trust others with their soule not keepe it theÌ„selues but either do sell it for ready money as Esau sold his Birthright Iudas 〈◊〉 Iesus Or pawne it for a good bribe some large teÌ„ptation of profit pleasure or honor they will not sell it out-right but morgage it for a while with a purpose that seâ—…dome speeds to redeeme it Or loose it walking negligently through the streets of this great Citie the world their soule is gone they are not aware of it Or giue away their soule as do the enuious and desperate haue nothing in lieu of it but terrors without horrors within they serue the deuills turne for nothing 4. They that will trust God with their soule but haue no warraÌ„t that God will keep it They lay al the burtheÌ„ vpon the shoulders of Christ meddle no more with the matter As if God would bring them to heaueÌ„ euen whilst they pursue the way to hel or keep that soule for the body when the body had quite giuen away the soule He neuer promised to saue a man against his will As he doth saue vs by his Son so he comands vs. to worke vp our saluation with feare trembling He that lies still in the myrie pitt of his sin trusts to heauen for helpe out without his owne concurring endeuour may hap to lie there still 2. Dying there is no comfort but to trust the soule with God So Dauid Lord into thy hands I commit my spirit So Steuen Lord Iesus receiue my spirit with these words our Lord Iesus himselfe gaue vp the Ghost It is iustice to restore whence we receiue It is not presumption but faith to trust God with thy spirit The soule of the king the soule of the beggar all one to him Dauid a king Lazarus a beggar God receiues both their soules From giuing vp the Ghost the highest is not exempted from giuing it into the hands of God the poorest is not excepted There is no comfort like this when riches bring aut nequam aut nequicquam either no comfort or discomfort when the wardrobe furniture iunkets wine offend thee when thy money cannot defend thee when thy doctors feed themselues at thy cost cannot feed thee when wife childreÌ„ friends stand weeping about thee where is thy helpe thy hope all the world hath not a dramme of comfort for thee this sweetens all Lord into thy hands I commend my soule Thou hast redeemed me O thou God of truth Our Spirit is our dearest iewell howle and lament if thou thinke thy soule is lost But let thy faith know that is neuer lost which is committed to Gods keeping Spiritum emittis non amittis Duriùs seponitur sed melius reponitur That soule must needs passe quietly through the gates of death which is in the keeping of God Woe were vs if the Lord did not keepe it for vs whiles we haue it much more when we restore it While our soule dwels in our breast it is subiect to manifold miseries to manifest sinnes temptations passions misdeedes distemper vs in heauen it is free from all these Let the soule be once in the hands of God nec dolore pro peccato nec peccato prae dolore torquetur it is neither disquieted with sorrow for sinne nor with sinne which is beyond all sorrow There may be trouble in the wildernesse in the land of promise there is all peace Then may we sing Our soule is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the foulers the snare is broken and wee are escaped Inuadit Satanas euadit Christianus It is there aboue the reach of the deuill There is no euill admitted into the citie of heauen to wrastle with the citizens thereof Death is ready at hand about vs we carry deaths enow within vs we know we shall die we know not how soone it can neuer preuent vs or come too early if our soules bee in the keeping of God Man was not so happy when God gaue his soule to him as he is when he returnes it to God Giue it cheerefully and then like a faythfull Creator that thou giuest to him in short paine hee will giue thee backe with endlese ioy And so we come fittly from the Comfort of our Integritie The Boldnesse of this Comfort As vnto a faithfull Creator Wherein our confidence is heartned by a double argument the one drawne ex maiestate the other ex Misericordia from Maiestie from mercie His greatnes a Creator his goodnes a Faithfull Creator 1. Creator not a stranger to thee but he that made the. It is naturall to man to loue the worke of his owne hands Pigmalion dotes vpon the stone which himselfe had carued But much more naturall to loue his owne Images his children the walking Pictures of himselfe the diuided pieces of his owne body God loues vs as our Creator because his owne hands haue fashioned vs. But creauit vermiculos hee also made the wormes yeeld it and therefore non odit vermiculos hee hates not the very wormes Creauit Diabolum hee made the deuill no God made him an Angell hee made himselfe a deuill God loues him vt naturam as he is a nature hates him vt Diabolum as he is a corrupted nature an euill a deuil But we are not onely his creatures the workmanship of his hands but his children so Adam is called The sonne of God His owne Image fecit hominem in similitudinem suam he made man after his likenes in his Image We are more then opus Dei the meere worke of God for Imago Dei the very Image and similitude of God We may therefore be bold to commend our soules to God as a faithfull Creator Diuerse men haue that for their God which neuer was their Creator The proud man makes his Honour his god the couetous makes his gold his God the voluptuous makes his belly his God now whereas God not onely charged in the first Precept Thou shalt haue no other Gods before me but added further in the next Thou shalt not make to thee any Image or Similitude of any thing whether in heauen aboue or earth beneath or water vnder the earth c. These three sinnes seeme to crosse God in these three interdicted places For the proud man hath his Idol as it were in the aire the couetous man hath his Idol in the earth the drunken Epicure hath his Idol in the water Let them take their Gods to themselues let no Rachel that hath married Iacob steale away Labans Idols Our Creator is in heauen boldly giue thy soule to him who should better haue it then he that made it 2. The other argument of our comfort is that he is Fidelis a Faithfull Creator He is faithfull to thee how vnfaithfull soeuer thou hast beene