slauishly to please the diuell so wretchedly to delight in the world so brutishly as many men doe this is worse then all wormes worse then all fires worse then all lakes worse then all weeping worse then hell it selfe Whereas on the other side to serue God to please God to delight in God to reioyce and solace thy soule in the Lord which hath alwaies giuen thee and will alwaies giue thee the desires of thy heart this is better then all treasures better thed all crownes better then all kingdomes better then al immortalitie better then heauen it selfe This this it is which shall bring thee out of one paradise into another paradise Out of one paradise in this life where thou dost ioyfully and cheerefully serue God into another paradise in the life to come where thou shalt be honourably and royally serued of God Out of one paradise in this life where thou doest comfort thy heart and delight thy selfe iâ— the Lord into another paradise in the life to come where he shal blesse thee and he shall giue thee the desires of thy heart Through the tender mercies of Iesus Christ to whome with the father and the holy Ghost bee all honour and glorie power and praise dignity and dominion now and euermore Amen FINIS THE POVVER OF PRAIER A SERMON PREACHED in the Cathedrall Church of Exeter in August 1596. BY THOMAS PLAYFERE Professor of Diuinity for the Lady MARGARET in Cambridge Printed at London by Iohn Legatt Printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge 1617. To the Queenes most Excellent Maiesty REligion dread and deare Soueraigne Gloriosa in deum pietas honorihus regiis immobile est fundamentum Cyrillus ad Theodos. derecta fide is an vnmoueable foundation of highest authority and honour O then how blessed are all wee how sure and vnmoueable is our peace and ioy God hauing blessed vs with a King who in religion and learning excelleth all aliue and his Maiesty with a Queene in due proportion answerable to himselfe Wherefore as it is our duty to ioyne both in our dayly prayers so neyther would I separate you in my humble endeauours For the present felicitie and glorie of this Realme resteth wholly in his Maiesty but the future hope to haue these infinite blessings continued vpon vs and all our posterity euen vnto the worlds end ariseth from you both in respect of that most happie royall issue you haue had already and which if it please God you may hereafter Which as it will be our greatest securitie and comfort so that it may bee no danger to your Maiesties health especially that which your Highnesse now goeth withall we shall continually and importunately pray and beseech at Gods hands And what the power of Prayer is this short sermon which I presume to offer vnot your sacred Maiestie doth in some sort shewe Your Maiesties most deuoted and obedient subiect Thomas Playfere THE POWER OF Prayer THE TEXT Aske and it shall be giuen you seeke and you shall finde knocke and it shall bee opened vâ—to you Math. 7.7 BEfore I come to the particular intreaty of this text it will not be amisse as I take it generally to obserue some few things Our Sauiour saies not here as to one Aske thou seeke thou knocke thou but as to many Aske Seâ—ke knocke For it is Our father though it be I beleeue A sparke of fire in the fire keepes fire by it selfe of it selfe goes out A droppe of water in the sea is safe being alone is soone dryed vp Euen so in priuate prayer that small sparke of zeale which is in vs may quickely bee put out and that little droppe of deuotion which is in vs may quickly bee dried vp but in publike praier it is not so Whereupon Daniel a 2.17 requesteth his Companions Sidrach Misach and Abednago to pray with him Yea Ioel b 1.14 aduiseth them to gather a solemne assembly and to cal the elders all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the Lord to offer vp prayers vnto God A three-fold cord is not easily broken c Eccles. 4.12 Now what is praier else but a cord wherewith we bind Gods hands when he is ready to smite vs for our sinnes Euen as Esay complaining to God d 64.7 There is none that calleth vpon thy name none that riseth vp to take hold of thee to hold thy hands and bind them fast with the cord of praier But if a two-fold cord or a three-fold cord cannot easily be broken wheras two or three of Daniels companions are gathered together in the name of Christ then much more a hundred fold cord or a thousand-fold cord cannot easily be broken when as not onely two or three of vs haue agreed vpon a petition in earth but euen Ioels solemne assembly such a solemne assembly as here is many hundreds yea many thousands of the faithfull are gathered togither in the house of the Lord to offer vp praier vnto God Such a strong cord of praier as this is so wel twisted by so many must needes most forcibly draw downe from heauen infinit graces for vs. And therefore our Sauiour saies here not as to one but as to many Aske seeke knocke So likewise it is not said here as in the time present that by and by we obtaine the thing we pray for but as in the time to come And it shall bee giuen you and you shall finde and it shal be opened vnto you For as Laban kept Iacob a long while from his youngest daughter whome he loued best that his loue might be more increased continually so God oftentimes holdeth vs a while in suspeÌ„ce that he may the more sharpen our appetite and inflame our e Vt accendantur desideria Martial Epist. ad Tolâ—st Quo anobis auidius desideratur eo de nobis suauius laetatur desire Because saies Gregory The more earnestly hee is desired of vs the more sweetely he is delighted inâ—â— vs. Wherefore as a marchant being about to put money into a bagge perceyuing the bagge will scarce hold all the money first stretches out the bag before hee put in the money after the same sort in this case dealeth God with vs. God knowing that those blessings wherewith vpon our prayers he purposes to inrich vs are so great that our hearts as yet are not capable of them stayes a while till afterwards when our hearts are more inlarged and stretched out like a wide bagge we may then receyue them when we are fitter for them Whereupon the princely Prophet sayes Lord I cry vnto thee in the day of time thou hearest not also in the night time yet this is not to be thought folly in g Psal. 22.2 Ita Septuagint interpretantur me Some perhaps would thinke it a great point of folly for a man to cal and cry vnto him who stops his eares and seemes not to heare Neuerthelesse this folly of the faithfull is wiser then all the
also heare vs before we crie and will helpe vs. And that which is most admirable of all though it were a thing which once he purposed neuer to giue vs yet if we aske it he will reuerse repeale his owne sentence to pleasure vs. God once repented him that hee had made man and said I will destroy man whom I haue made from the face of the earth yet when Noah had built an altar and praied to God b Gen. 8.22 The Lord smelled a fauour of rest and said in his heart I will not henceforth curse the earth any more for mans cause God once was so displeased with his people that he said flatly c Noâ— addam vltra vt liberim vos I tel you truly I will deliuer you no more Yet wheÌ„ they asked a deliuerer of him his verie soule was grieued within him for the misery of Israel and he gaue them Iephte to deliuer them from their enemies d Iudg. 10.16 God once sent Nathan with this message to Dauid As the Lord liueth the man that hath done this thing shall surely die yet when Dauid had asked forgiuenesse and saide Haue mercy vpon me O Lord after thy great goodnesse according to the multitude of thy mercies doe away mine offences God sent the same prophet with a contrarie message e 2. Sam. 12.13 The Lord hath taken away thy sinne thou shalt not die God once sent Esay with this message to Ezechias Set thy house in order for thou shalt die and not liue yet when Ezechias had turned him toward the wal and wept and praied said O Lord remember howe I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart God sent the same prophet with a contrarie message f 2. Reg. 20â—6 Thus saith the Lord I haue heard thy praiers and thy teâ—â—â—â— and now behold thou shalt liue and not die Then did the king reioyâ— in thy strength O Lord exceeding glad was hee of thy saluation For thou didst graunt him his owne desire and didst not deny him the request of his lips Hee asked life of thee and thou gauest him a longer life euen fifteene yeeres longer As also here thou doest promise vs both for this life and for all temporall things concerning this yea though it bee a thing which once thou hadst purposed neuer to giue vs Aske and it shall be giuen you Yea not onely God will giue you temporall things but also you shall find spirituall things Yet the Church sayes g Can. 3.1 I sought him whome my soule loued I sought him and I found him not But the reason goes before because shee fought him in her bed she sought him not with her heart My soule looeth him sayes she yet at that time her heart loued her bed better Therefore sayes Augustine h Quarite quod quaritis sed non vbi quaritis Seeks what you seeke but seeke not where you seeke Seeke Christ that 's a good what Seeke what you seeke But seeke him not in bed That is an il where But seeke not where you seeke Moses found Christ not in a soft bed but in a bramble bush So that the bed is no fitte place to finde him in who had not where to rest himselfe But go into the garden among the humble bushes and there you shall finde him not sleeping but sweating droppes of blood for your redemption and calling you to him i Math. 11.29 Come vnto mee all you that labour not you that lye a bed and are secure but you that labour and are heauy laden and I will refresh you Take my yoke vpon you and you shall finde rest for your soules If you seeke rest with your hearts with your soules you shall find rest for your soules and that rest also which is not to be found in the bed of pleasure but in the yoke of Christ. If thou seekest for this spirituall rest as for siluer and search for it as for treasures k Prou. 2.5 then shalt thou vnderstand the feare of the Lord find the knowledge of God Therefore seeke the Lord not in the bed of sensuality but where he may be found And seeke the Lord while hee may bee found l Esay 55.6 Or rather indeed though not in what place soeuer yet at what time so euer wee sinners seeke we shall be sure to finde him that sayes I am found of them that sought mee not m Esa. 65.1 So that no 〈◊〉 seeking God shall returne with a Non oâ—t inuentus but we that haue erred and 〈◊〉 ed like lost sheepe shall find him or â—â—â—ther we shall bee found of him before we seeke him And that which is most wonderfull of all we shall not onely finde oftentimes before wee seeke but also we shall finde much more then wee seeke That good Centurion n Math. 8.8 sought only one word Dis verbu 〈…〉 sayes he but he found more Christ vttered not onely one word whereby his seruant was healed But also very many words wherein hee gaue him selfe a most singular praise and commendation for his faith Dymas the thiefe on the right hand o Luk. 23.42 sought onely to bee reâ—â—mbâ—ed when Christ should come into his kingdome but he found more What takest thou of beeing remembred sayes Christ as though thou shouldest be farre â—â—mme out of my sight Tush man I will doe more for theâ— then so Thou hast not onely bee remembred but thou shalt be with me And why saies thou wheÌ„ I come into my kingdome as though it would be a long while first This very day shalt thou be with me in my kingdom this day thou shalt be with mee in Paradise That needy man in the Gospel p Luk. 11 19 sought onely to borrow three loaues but he fouÌ„d more God his good friend bad him welcom at midnight and did not only lend him but frankely and freely giue him not onely three loaues but as many as he needed Hee gaue him as many as he needed 〈◊〉 q 2. Cro. 1.1 sought onely wisedome but he found more Seeing he sought first the kingdom of God and the righteousnesse thereof all other things besides were added vnto him Wherefore if any man want wisdome or any such spirituall thing let him with Sâ—lomon seeke it for God and hee shal finde it Yea we shall finde infinitely about measure more then we seeke or can deuise to seeke of him that saies Seeke and ye shall find Yea not onely you shall finde spirituall things but also it shal be opened vnto you thatâ— for eternall things yet we read that some began to knocke saying r Luc. 12.24 Lord Lord open vnto vs and it was not opened vnto them But the reason is euident elsewhere Because they did not knock with their hands They had I grant Lampes in their haÌ„ds but they had not oyle in their lampes So that all their knocking 〈◊〉 but as a sounding brasse or as a
pâ—tius vnum minutuâ—â— voluntatem meâ—â—◠〈◊〉 dabo illâ—â— ad voluâ—tatem illius qui tantus tantillum tantis beneficiis praeuâ—niâ— qui tâ—tâ— se totum me comparaâ—it Berâ— serm de Quadruplici Debito p. 100. that hauing nothing to offer but the widowes â— mites nay a great 〈◊〉 les then 2. mites I mean my bodie my soule or rather I haue but onlie one 〈◊〉 to offer only my good wil which I 〈◊〉 henceforth conforme to his wil whâ— being rich becâ—me poore for me and 〈◊〉 his bodie soule to redeem my bodie soule from death But now seing 〈…〉 almost as often sinned wilfully as either of ignorance or infirmitie what manner of men ought we to be in humbling our selues vnder Gods mightie hand f 1. Pet. 5.6 in iudging condemning our selues g 1 Cor. 11.31 in repenting as hartely as wee sinned haynously in washing our bed watring our couch wiâ—h our teares Euen this our Prophet sheweth also very good euideÌ„ce for this same doctrine els where Haue mercy vpon me O Lord saies he after thy great goodnes according to the multitude of thy mercies doe away mine offences Wash me throughly froÌ„ my wickednes cleanse me froÌ„ my sin 66 Psal. 52.2 The goodnes of God is alwaies like it selfe neither great nor little but absolutely infinite Therfore it is neuer a whitthe greater for our couÌ„ting it not little nor neuer a whit the lesse for our couÌ„ting is not great but though wee count it great yet it is stil as litle as it should be though we count it little yet it is still as great as it can bee So that the Psalmist in tearming Gods goodnes great setteth foorth the greatnesse rather of his owne badnes then of Gods goodnes confessing his owne sinne indeede to bee great and so consequently Gods goodnesse likewise to bee great but yet in this respect only not because it can take any encrease of greatnes into it selfe but because it can giue increase of gladnes to him who for a great sin is almost ouerwhelmed with as great a griefe The same may be saide of Gods mercies that they are neither many nor fewe but as his goodnes is incoÌ„prehensible so his mercies are innumerable Neuerthelesse the Prophet sticks not to say According to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences As if hee should haue said According to thy mercies doe away the multitude of mine offences The multitude then to speake properly is not of Gods mercies but of mine offeÌ„ces yet seeing the mercies of God are as many as all mine offences nay a great manie moâ—e then all the offences of al the world therfore hee mentions a multitude of Gods mercies Because nothing can asswage the multitude of sorrowes which arise in my heart h Psal. 94.19 for the multitude of my offences but the multitude of Gods mercies The multitude of mine offences 〈◊〉 king indeede as on Gods behalfe a multitude of mercies so on my behalfe multitude of teares And therfore he 〈…〉 wash me throughly or as it is in the latin translation 67 Amplius laua me wash me yet more Wash me and wash me and yet more againe againe wash me throughly from my wickednes cleanse me from my sin For euen as a vessel that hath bin tainted with poison or some infections liquor will not be cleane with once washing but must be often scalded throughly washed before it will be sweet so hauing heretofore possessed my vessell in impuritie i 1 Thes. 4.4 though I now wash me with niter and take mâ—e much I sope yet mine own vncleannes is â—â—ill marked before thee k Ier. 2.22 onely thou O Lord canst wash me throughlie who â—n grieued throughlie because I haue beene throughlie defiled And indeed though I cannot wash my selfe throughlie yet I am sure thou hast washt me thoroughlie because I haue repented me thoroughlie I haue mingled my drinke with weeping l Psal. 102.10 and my teares haue bin my meate day night m Psal. 42.4 nay Euerie night I wash my bed and water my Couch with my teares It is a cleare case then that a great act of sin must be bewailed with a great act of repentance For the raising of Lazaâ—â—s which hath been dead foure daies requireth the greatest growing and â—â—â—ping the greater sinne as of the Priest or voluÌ„tary or such like requireth the greater sacrifice if I haue coÌ„mitted great wickednes except I shew great repentance I cannot obtaine great mercie if I haue bin throughly defiled except I be throughly washed I cannot be throughly 〈◊〉 And therefore the holy Prophet that â—e may obtaine great mercy that he â—ay be throughlie washed saith here Eâ—â—rie night I wash my bed and water my coâ—ch with my teares To returne then where I left and so 〈◊〉 make an end S. Austins two compâ—risons of 〈…〉 of teares and of a floude of teares may seeme to some verie incredible much more these three amplifications of the Prophet Dauid Especially if we read these words as I haue noted they are in the Hebrew Euerie night I cause my bed to swim and I melt my couch with my teares But howsoeuer they may seeme to be they are I graunt very hyperbolicall yet so as the meaning of them is plain â—â—ough As if he should haue said I do◠〈◊〉 indeed cause my bed to swim in showâ—â—â— of teares neither doe I melt my Couch with floudes of teares but yet if euer anie man had done so or if it were possible any man could do so then my repentance is so great my tears so aboundant 〈◊〉 I thinke verily whosoeuer is one I 〈◊〉 be an other which should cause my bâ—d to swim my couch to melt seeing â— Eueâ—iâ— night I wash my bed water my couch with my teares Therefore they which can gather no good meaâ—ing out of these words do consider neither how â—â—â—â—efull the wrath indignatioÌ„ of God is 〈…〉 how horrible is the sense of sin 〈…〉 n Relata adse magnitudine aâ—is alicui quaÌ„ quidamâ— eques Romanus dum vixit celauerat culcitram emi cubicularem in cius anxime sic hi iussit of whome I spake before hearing of them talk in hiâ— court what a huge sum of money a certaine Knight in 〈◊〉 owed at his death 〈◊〉 that all his goodâ— were to be solde to make paymentâ— of his debts coÌ„maunded the master of 〈◊〉 wardrobe to buy for him that â—ed wherein this knight vsed to lie For sais he 68 Et praeceptum muraÌ„tibus hanc rationem reddidit Habenda est ad sâ—mmum culcitra in qua ille cum caâ—â—um deberes dormire pâ—tuit Macrob. Satur. l. 2. c. 4 if I cannot sleepe soundly in that bed wherin he could sleepe that owed so much theÌ„ surelie I shal sleepe in none If this famous Emperor thought it a matter almost vnpossible for him to sleepe quietly
not S. Peter saying but thus vnto him Eneas Iesus Christ maketh thee whole arise and trusse vp thy couch so restores him that immediately he arose i Act. 9.33.34 What hapned to S. Paul who was pressed out of measure passing strength so that hee altogether doubted euen of life Did not the Lord wheÌ„ he had receiued the senteÌ„ce of death in himself deliuer him froÌ„ this great danger k 2 Cor. â— 8.9 What hapned to S. Pauls fellow-souldier Epaphroditus who was sick no doubt sicke very neare vnto death Did not the Lord shew mercy on him giue him health againe to the great ioy of the Philippians and generall good of all the Church l Phil. 2.27 what hapned to holy Dauid in this place who saith of himselfe O Lord I am weak my bones are vexed my soule also is sore troubled I am wearie of my groanings euerie night I wash my bed water my couch with my teares Did not the Lord finding him in this miserable pickle plight deliuer his soule from death his eies from teares his feet from falling m Psal. 116. â— So that in thankefull ioifull maner hee triumpheth saith the Lord hath heard the voyce of my weeping the Lord hath heard my petitioÌ„ the Lord wil receiue my praier Euen as S. Paul sayth He hath deliuered vs from so great a deathâ— doth deliuer vs in whom also we trust that yet hee will deliuer vs n 2. Cor. 1.10 O faithful deare louing Lord He hath deliuered he doth deliuer he will deliuer He neuer yet hath forsaken he neuer doth forsake he neuer will forsake those that put their trust in him For tel me my good brother if thou canst tell any thing tell me did Christ so miraculously restore Iob restore Ezachas restore the man sick of the palsey restore the bedred man restore Eâ—â—as restore S. Paul restore Epaphroditus restore king Dauid to their former health can he not restore thee Did hee restore the most of these wheÌ„ he was crucified vpon earth and can he not restore thee now â—e is crowned in heauen Is his arme now shorter and his power lesser then it was then where I maruell where is the CenturioÌ„s faith Christ said then I haue not fouÌ„d so great faith in all Israel o Math. 8.10 now if he were among vs he might say I haue not fouÌ„d so great faith in all the world The Centurion beleeued though Christ came not vnder the roof of his house but spake the word only his seruant might be healed wel enough dost thou think Christ cannot heale thee except he come in person stand by thy bed side take thee by the hand rayse thee vp For shame away with such infidelitie This is a thousaÌ„d times worse then all the sicknes of thy body Nay rather assure thy selfe if God say but the word thou shalt soon recouer haue thy health better then euer thou hâ—dst liue many happy ioyfull daies after Therefore mind thou onely that which belongeth to thee that which belongeth to God meddle not with it but leaue it wholy vnto him It is thy part to bewaile thy former sins in bewayling them to water thy couch with thy teares to cry to the Lord for mercy forgiuenes to resolue with thy selfe stedfastly hereafter if it please God to giue thee thy health againe to lead a new life This belongs to thee therfore this thou must meditate of imploy thy self about day night but whether thou shalt recouer or not recouer that belongeth to God That rests altogether in Gods pleasur wil. if thou dost recouer thou hast thy desire Or rather perhaps not thy desire Seeing the holiest and best men of all incline neither this way not that way but wholly resign themselues as in all other things so especially in this case to Gods will p Non mea sed tua voluntas fiat Or if they determinately desire any thing it is for the most part to be dissolued to be with Christ q Phil. 1. â—2 30 but suppose thou desâ—â—e to recouer and recouer indeed Then as thou obtainest thy desire so theâ— must performe thy promise the promise thou madest when thy body was grieued with sicknesse and paine when thy soule was oppressed with heauines wheÌ„ thou 〈◊〉 redst thy couch with thy tears And what was that promise Namely as I saide before that if it pleased God to giue thee health againe thou wouldest loue him more sincerely serue him more obedientlie teÌ„der his glory more dearelie follow thy calling more faithfully then thou hast done If thou hast offended him with pride to humble thy selfe hereafter if with dissolutenes to be sober hereafter if with couetousnesse to bee liberall hereafter if with conuersing with the vngodly to abandoÌ„ their company hereafter to say as it is in the Psalme Depart from me yee workers of iniquity for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping This if thou conscionablie coÌ„stantlie perform then in a good houre as we say and in a happy time thou didst recouer But suppose thou desire to recouer yet neither thy selfe see any likelihood nor God seâ— it good thou shouldst recouer TheÌ„ harty repentance and watering thy couch with thy teares is most of all necessary That the feare of death may not affright thee but beeing truly penitent at thy departure thou maiest be sure to depart in peace r Luk. 2.29 And so God granting not thy wil but his wil may indeed grant both thy wil his wil. Thy will which is not simply to recouer but coÌ„ditionally if God wil his wil which is not to haue thee lie languishing any longer in this warfare but to triumph for euer in heaueÌ„ s Aliquando sancti non recipiendo quod petunt magis exaudiuntur quam exandirentur si illud reciperent Plus enim nâ—â— recipiendo beatus Paulus exaâ—ditus est quam si illud recepisset pro quo sicut ipse ais ter do minum rogaue rat Exauditus est igitur ne exaudiretur Non enim nisi bonum Apostolus quarebat quamuis illud non bonum sibi esse non intelligâ—bat Extuditus est igiâ—ur recipiendo â—â—num ne exaâ—diretur recipiendo non bonuÌ„ Qui enim sibi bonuÌ„ non quarit dum se sib bonum quarere â—utat si id recipiat quod quaâ—it non exauditur si non recipit exauditur Deus igitur qui non aliud nisi quaretis affectuÌ„ considerat bonuÌ„ eicreddit quissebonum quarere credit etiam si sibi non sit bonum quod quarit Emisse hom inlilanqs maioribus p. 138. O blessed teares are these which are recompensed with such high happines such inestimable commodities As namely freedome from all sins past present to come deliuerance from all the miseries and trouble of this wofull world consuÌ„mation of holines of humblenes of purity of
Lords death til he 〈◊〉 Till he come Declaring hereby that when he is come his death shall bee shewed an other way Namely by his wounds which alwaies he sheweth to his 〈◊〉 Euen as we sing in that heauenly Hymne or Psalme The humble suit of a sinner Whose bloâ—dy wouâ—dâ— are yet to see though not with mortall eye yet doe thy Saints behold them all and so I trust shall I. O how vnspeakeably doe â—he Saints 〈◊〉 how gloriously also shall we triumph when we shall see Christ in his kingdome and behold those blessed wounds of his whereby he hath purchased so many and so great good things for vs This is the new wine which we shall drinke This is the Eucharist of the Angels the food of the Elect the spirit 〈…〉 of the Saints For wheresoeuer the dead bodie is thither shall the eagles refer And we that with eagles wings flie vp by faith into heauen shall euer resort to this dead bodie and we shal vnsatiably desire to feede our eyes and our soules with the sight of Christ who was once dead and euen now hath in his bodie those skarres which continue the memorie of his death that in all eternitie it may neuer be forgotten Thus these heauenly wounds of Christ delight and comfort his friends As the cities of refuge which saue the sinner as the holes of the rock which defend the doue as the shadow of the iuniper tree which reuiueth the wearied as the doore of the Arke which preserueth the world as the lure of the â—oule which calleth home the Shulamite as the pot of Manna which nourisheth the Israelite as the well of Iacob which refresheth the thirstie as the poole of Bethesda which healeth the sicke as the armes of the shepheard which gather his lambs as the wings of the eagle which beare vp her birds So doe the hands and side of Christ comfort his friends As if our Sauiour should say thus to euery one of his friends Can a mother forget her child and not haue compassion on the son of her wombe though they should forget yet would not I forget thee Behold I haue grauen thee vpon the palmes of my hands Here I haue still in my hands that price of thy redemption which I paid for thee so that no man can take thee out of my hands Yea I haue written and sealed thy saluation in my side A speare is the penne my blood is the inke my body is the pâ—per Here thou maist see the bowels of my compassion thorough the wounds of my passion Assure thy selfe therfore assure thy selfe of my loue of my good will of my fauour for euer Make no doubt of it If thou doubt any thing Put thy finger here and see my hands and put forth thy hand and put it into my side and be not faithlesse but faithful So much for the fourth cause which is to comfort his friends You see then blessed Christians you see how these causes of Christs wounds differ one from an other The first cause to approoue his resurrection was but neither is nor shall bee The second cause to appease his Father was and is but shall not be The third cause to confound his enemies neither was nor is but shall be The fourth cause to comfort his friends both was and is and shall be So that Christs wounds did serue to approoue his resurrection onely between his resurrection and his ascension doe serue to appease his Father onely between his ascension and his second comming shall serue to confound his enemies onely at the day of iudgement did doe and shall serue to comfort his friends for euer Wherfore though wee be neuer so great sinners yet let vs neuer despaire of the grace and mercie of Christ. His hands are still stretched out to embrace vs his side is alwaies open to receiue vs. Therefore let vs creepe low and come humbly to him that wee may with the woman in the Gospel touch but the hemme of his garment nay that we may with S. Iohn leane vpon his blessed bosome yea that we may with S. Thomas in this place put our fingers into his hands and our hands into his side And euen as Constantine the great vsed to kisse that eye of Paphnutius which was boared out in Maximinus time and the Iayler in the Acts washed S. Pauls stripes and vvoundâ— so let vs kisse the Sonne least he bee angry and honour his holy vvounds vvich are the precious 〈◊〉 vvherevvith he hath healed vs and restored vs to euerlasting life To the vvhich vve beseech thee O good Lord to bring vs not for our ovvne deferrs or merits but for the tender bovvels of Christ Iesus loue and mercie tovvard vs to vvhom vvith the Father and the holy Ghost bee all honour and praise both novv and for euermore Amen FINIS MATTH 5. V. 19. He that both doeth and teacheth the same shall be called great in the kingdome of heauen BEloued in our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ It is a verie monstrous thing that any man should haue more tongues then handâ— For God hath giuen vs two hands and but one tongue that we might doe much and say but little Yet many say so much and do so little as though they had two tongues and but one hand nay three tongues and neuer a hand Insomuch as that may be aptly applied to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Pandulphus said to some in his time You say much but you doe little you say well but you doe ill againe you doe little but you say much you doe ill but you say well Such as these which do either worse then they teach or else lesse then they teach teaching others to doe well and to do much but doing no whit themselues may be resembled to diuerse things To a wherstone which being blunt it selfe makes a knife sharpe To a painter which being deformed himselfe makes a picture faire To a signe which beeing weather-beaten and hanging without it selfe directs passengers into the Inne To a bell which beeing deafe and hearing not it selfe calls the people into the Church to heare To a nightingale which beeing restles and sitting vpon a thorne her selfe brings others by her singing into a sweete sleâ—pe To a goldsmith which beeing beggerly and hauing not one peice of plate to vse himselfe hath store for others which he shewes and sells in his shoppe Lastly to a ridiculous actor in the citie of Smyrna which pronouncing ô coelum O heauen pointed with his finger toward the ground which when Polemo the cheifest man in the place sawe he could abide to stay no longer but went from the company in a chase saying This â—oole hath made a solecisme with his haâ—â—â— hee hath spoken false Latine wâ—â—â— his hand Such are all they which teach one thing and do another which teach well and doe ill They are like a blunt wheâ—stone a deformed painter a weather-beaten signe a deafe bell a restles nightingale a beggerly
for himselfe Wherefore as in a ballance if there be any ods in the sâ—ales wee take out of that which is the heauier and put it into that which is the lighter till there be no difference betwixt them So here wee must wey these matters well that wee our selues may be iust weight neither too heauy for our owne misery not too light for Christs mercy Thus did Dauid when hee said to God Hide mee vnder the shadow of thy wings What are Gods wings His Mercy and his Iustice. What are the shadow of his wings Our loue and our feare Our loue is the shadow of his mercy which is his right wing Our feare is the shadow of his Iustice which is his left wing Now seeing hee that is hid vnder the right wing onely may presume because hee hath no feare and hee that is hid vnder the left wing onely may despaire because he hath no loue therefore sayth Dauid Hide me O Lord vnder the shadow not of one wing but of both thy wings That I may neuer despaire while I alwaies loue thy mercy and reioyce for Christ that I may neuer presume while I alwayes feare thy iustice and weepe for my selfe A Quaile the very same Bird which was the Israelites meate in the wildernesse as he flies ouer the sea feeling himselfe begin to be weary lights by the way into the sea Then lying at one side he layes downe one wing vpon the water and holds vp the other wing towards heauen Lest hee should presume to take too long a flight at the first hee weâ—s one wing Lest hee should despaire of taking a new flight afterwards hee keepes the other wing drie Thus must a Christian man doe When hee layes downe the wing of feare vpon the water to weepe for himselfe then hee must hold vp the wing of loue toward heauen to reioyce for Christ. That his two wings may be answerable to Gods two wings That as God hath two wings the one of Mercie the other of Iustice so hee may haue two wings the one of ioy for Christ the other of sorrow for himselfe Sem Iâ—pheth Noahs godly and dutifull children when they saw their father otherwise then hee should be went backeward and couered him They went backeward that they might not see him themselues they couered him that others might not see him Christ hanging naked vpon the Crosse was the shame of men and the outcast of the people Therefore wee that are the children of God must goe backeward by abhorring them that crucified Christ and yet wee must couer him and hide him euen in our very hearts by remembring and honouring his death and resurrection Lest wee should presume wee must goe backeward for feare and yet lest we should despaire wee must couer him for loue That as God hideth vs vnder the shadow of his wings which are loue and feare loue the shadow of his mercy and feare the shadow of his iustice so we may hide God vnder the shadow of our wings which are ioy and sorrow ioy the shadow of our loue and sorrow the shadow of our feare ioy for Christ and sorrow for our selues To this strange kinde of going backeward the Psalmist alludeth when hee saith to God Thou hast made my feete like Hindes feete A Hinde goeth not still forward in one way but as an auncient father speaketh hee iumpes crosse out of one way into another Saltum habet transuersum Right so a Christians feete must be like Hindes feet He must iumpe crosse from himselfe to Christ and then backe againe from Christ to himselfe Would you see such a Hinde Then mark how Iob footes it That he might not despaire he iumpes crosse from himselfe to Christ and saith a Chap. 33.9 I am cleane without sinne I am Innocent and there is none iniquitie in mee Heere is the mercy of Christ. But that hee might not presume hee iumpes backe againe from Christ to himselfe and saith b Chap. 6.2 O that my griefe were well weighed and that my miseries were laid together in the balance Here is the misery of man Thus must we weigh the mercie of Christ and the misery of man together in the balance and besure as I said before wee make the scales euen and when we weigh the reasons why wee should not weepe for Christ then we must weigh the reasons also why we should weepe for our selues So wee shall find for great cause of ioy in Christ great cause of sorrow in our selues for greater cause of ioy in Christ greater cause of sorrow in our selues for greatest cause of ioy in Christ greatest cause of sorrow in our selues for that which is more then all to make vs ioyfull in Christ that which is more then all to make vs sorrowfull in our selues The righteousnesse of Christ is the death of Death Great cause of ioy in Christ. If Debora reioyced when Barack put Sisera to flight haue not wee as great cause to reioyce seeing Christ hath put death to flight The sinne of man is the life of death Great cause of sorrow in our selues If Anna wept for her barrennesse haue not wee as great cause to weepe seeing wee can conceiue nothing but sorrow and bring forth iniquity vnto death The righteousnesse of Christ is the death of the Diuell Great cause of ioy in Christ. If Iudith reioyced when shee did cut off the head of Holofernes haue not wee great cause to reioyce seeing Christ hath cut off the head of the Diuell The sinne of man is the life of the diuell Greater cause of sorrow in our selues If Thamar wept being defloured by her brother haue not wee greater cause to weepe seeing we commit spirituall incest and adultery daily with the diuell The righteousnesse of Christ is the life of himselfe Greatest cause of ioy in Christ. If Sara laughed when shee heard shee should haue a quicke childe in her dead wombe is not this the greatest cause of laughter which can be vnto vs that Christ liued in death and was most free among the dead and could not see corruption in the graue The sinne of man is the death of himselfe Greatest cause of sorrow in our selues If Agar wept being turned out of Abrahams house is not this the greatest cause of weeping which can be vnto vs that our life is no life because we neuer cease from sinning while wee are heere pilgrimes and strangers exiled and banished out of our fathers house in heauen The righteousnesse of Christ is the life of man This is more then all to make vs ioyfull in Christ. If Queene Ester did reioyce as King Iames doth at this day whom God for his mercies sake euer saue and preserue and let all the people say Amen because he deliuered his people from thraldome and destruction can any thing in the world then make vs more ioyfull then this that we being cursed in our selues are blessed in Christ being embased in our selues are exalted in Christ being
〈◊〉 tho◠〈◊〉 forgiue him Therefore as I am boâ—â—dâ— to forgiue my brother in deâ—d though hee doâ— not â—â—ke me forgiuenes but I am not bound to goe to him and tell him I forgiue him except he first come to 〈◊〉 and tell me He repents but if he doe 〈◊〉 then am I boâ—nd also to tell him I forgiue him so the Lord though in the gracious degree of his fatherly adoption he haue sealed vp the remission of all our sinnes yet he doth not open the bagge shewâ— the treasures of his mercie 〈…〉 ward in it till he see vs become new 〈◊〉 For then he hath bound himselfe by his loâ—ing promise and hath giuen vs his word that he will forgiue vs our sinne At what time soeuer a sinner repenteth saith â—e z Ezec. 18.21 and watereth his Couch with his teares I will remember his iniquities no more Naaman the Syrian was willed 〈◊〉 wash himselfe seauen times in 〈◊〉 52 2. Reg. 5.10 VVhy seuen times was not 〈◊〉 time enough Yes surely For him it was enough but not for vs. For that was done rather for our example then for his benefite Seeing his malady was onely a leprosie but our soule is leprous with sinne And therefore if hee for one leprosie washt himselfe seauen times how much more ought wee euery time we sin to be sorry for it and if wee doe not wash our selues seauen times for one sinne yet at the least wise to wash our selues seauen times for seauen sinnes seeing the most iust of vs all as Salomon witnesseth a Prou. 24.16 may seauen times fall in one day Or rather many men in the world haue not onely seauen deadly sinnes but euen seauen diuels in them b Luk. 8.2 which they can no waies wash out but by bitter weeping and watering their couch with their teares To the angel of Ephesus thusâ— saith the spirit 53 Reu. 2.5 Remember from whence thou art fallen and repent and doe the first workes or else I will remooue thy candle sticke out of his place So that if wee let our sinne stand still our candle-sticke shall be remoued but if we would haue our candle sticke stand still our sinne must be remoued We must repent and doe the first workes not those which wee must repent of but those which wee are fallen from Wonderfull are the words of the Apostle God hath committed the worde of reconciliation vnto vs therefore wee are Christs embassadoâ—rs and God entreating you as it were by vs wee beseech you in the name of Christ that you would be recoÌ„ciled to God 54 2 Cor. 5.20 What may some man say were not the Corinthians reconciled alreadie wherefore then is the Apostle so earnest about nothing I but they doe not vnderstand the Apostle which make this obiection Hee knew wel enough they were reconciled before But he knew as well the best of vs all can not stande in Gods fauour one minute of an hower without a good mediatour For since our first reconciliation to God we haue so often offended his maiestie that if wee doe not plie him with humble supplications and daily petitions and hearty repentance and vnfained teares he and wee cannot possibly bee friends And therefore the Apostle calles vpon the Corinthians so earnestly and cries to them and saies Take heede Feare God Offend him not Yee can gette nothing by falling out with him But in case you haue beene ouertaken with any sinne c Gal. 6.1 ye haue an aduocate with the father d 1 Ioh. 2.1 Fly vnto him for succour If you be wise bee reconciled to God as soone as you can God entreateth you O mercifull Lord doest thou sue seeke to vs and is there any thing in the world that wee can pleasure thee in can our goodnesse reach vnto thee e Psalm 16.2 and doest thou entreat vs yee saies hee God entreateth you and we his ambassadours in the name of Iesus Christ beseech you that you would be reconciled to God Be reconciled â—o God and though you haue offended him neuer so much hee will bee reconciled to you Assure your selues you may lay your life of it hee will presently turne vnto you if you in true repentance will turne vnto him and water your couch with your teares For so this our Prophet did no sooner confesse his fault but Nathan proclaimed his pardon 55 2. Sam. 12 13. Whereupon hee himselfe also hath these wordes 56 Psal. 32.5 I saide I will confesse my wickednesse vnto the Lord thou forgauest the iniquity of my sin As the Lionesse hauing bin false to the Lyon by going to a Libard and the Storke coÌ„forting with any other besides her owne mate wash themselues before they dare returneÌ„ home in like manner the prophet here before he can be reconciled to God after this great breach by adulterie and murther f 2 Sam. 11.4 and 15. is faine to wash his bed and to water his couch with his teares But here a question may arise If the faithfull be subiect neither to eternal condemnation when they doe sinne not yet to final impenetency when they haue sinned what neede they at all either auoide sinne for which they shall not be condemned or else hasten their repentance of which they shall not bee depriued This question consisteth of two parts The one touching condemnation the other touching impenitency To the former part I say as before Though there be sin in them yet there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus g Rom 8.1 But how this is no thankes to them that sin thereby making themselues guilty of sin as much as in them lieth subiect also to condemnation for the same but onely to God who wrappeth vp all the sinnes of his children in the bowels of his deare sonne that they appeare not in his sight to condemne them either in this world or in the world to come As Shew went backwarde and couered his fathers nakednes h Gen. 9.23 so God casteth our sinnes behind his backe and doth not impute them to vs. Howbeit though condemnation neede not be feared yet there are reasons enough besides to perswade all those to hate sinne that loue God One is because God doth vsually withdraw the outward signs of his â—â—â—our from them which forget their duty towards him The whole booke of Iob is proofe sufficient Especially in one place i Iob. 7.20 he saith I haue sinned what shall I do vnto thee O thou preseruer of men why hast thou set me as a marke against thee so that I am a burden to my selfe And Dauid k Psal. 44.24 Why standest thou so farre off O Lord and hidest thy selfe in the needfull time of trouble For as Ioseph made himselfe strange to his Brethren and spake vnto them roughly l Gen. 42.7.3 though he loued them wel enough euen so the Lord though he take not his mercie from his children yet
teares VVe reade of three that Christ raised from death â—aâ—rus daughter the widowes sonne and Lazarus g De tota hanc Alegoria vide Aug. ser. 44 de Verbis Domini Tract 49. in Iohannem Erasmâ—m etiam in concionâ— de Miserecordia dei Feâ—rum in Iohan c 11. Hanc approbat Cal vinus in Luc verse 11. his verbis Scimus inuâ—uem 〈◊〉 quem Christus a morte suscitauit speciem esse spiritualis vita quam nobis restituit For raising vp of Iairus daughter 57 Mat. 38. deinceps many weeping and wailing greatly for her he came to the house and went in where shee lay and suffered but a very few to goe in with him and tooke her by the hand and said vnto her Maiden arise and straight way shee arose and walked charge was giuen that this should not bee tolde abroâ—de Fos raising vp the widowes sonne 58 Ioh. 11.33 et deincep much people of the citie weeping with his mother for him who was now caried out of the gate to be buried he went and touched the coffin and said Young man arise and he that was dead sat vp and began to speake and he deliuered him to his mother and the rumor hereof went forth through out all Iudea For raysing vp Lazarus 50 Luc 7.12 et deincep when he saw Mâ—ry weepe and the Iewes also weepe which came with her he groaned in the spirit he was troubled in himselfe he vnderstanding he had bin dead and buried foure daies wept for him hee groned againe he came to the graue hee caused the graue stone to be taken away hee lifted vp his eies to his father hee prayed very feruently hee cryed with a lowed voice Lazarus come foorth then hee that was dead came foorth bound hand and foote with hands and his face was bound with a napkin and Iesus saide vnto them Loose him and let him goe Now these three sorts of corses are three sorts of sinners (60) Ista tria genera mortuâ—rum sunt tria genera peccatorum â—ug ser. Iayrus daughter lying dead in her fathers house resembleth them that sinne by inward consent the widowes sonne being carried out of the gate of the citie them that sinne by outward act (44) de verbis Domini Lazarus hauing beene dead and buried foure daies them that sinne by continuall custome h Resuscitauit filium Archisy â—agogi ad huc in domo iacentem resuscitauit iuuenâ—m filium viduae extra portam ciuitatis elatuÌ„ resâ—scitauit Lazarum sepultum quatri duanum Au. Tractatu 49. in Iohan The first was dead but one houres the second but one day the third foure daies The young maiden lay in a bed the young man in a coffinâ— Lazarus in a graue For the first Christ touched her hand for the second he touched the coffin for the third he touched nothing Before their raysing vp because the maiden figured those that sinne not so much in acte as in consent hee touched her hand which had beene 〈◊〉 great instrument of any acte because the young man had sinne in aâ—â— but not in custome into which he might haue fallen if he had liued longer he touched the coffin which kept him from custome because Lazarus smelled hauing beene dead now foure daies the first day by conceiuing sinne the second by consenting to sinne the third by acting sinne the fourth by continuing in sin i Prima est quasi 〈◊〉 delecâ—atiâ—â—is 〈…〉 Aug. serm 44. Christ touched him not at all At the raising of the first few were present and they were charged also to make no words of it that the maiden might be lesse shamed which had sinned for the most part but in consent at the raising of the second much people of the citie were present and the thing was noised abroad farre and neare that the young man might be more ashamed which had sinned also in acte at the raising of the third a huge number of Iewes were present which saw his face bound with a napkin to testifie the extreame confusion and shame that couered his face and they 〈◊〉 him themselues and let him 〈◊〉 beeing eye-witnesses of his seruitude and slauerie which had sinned so 〈◊〉 by custome After their raising vp 〈◊〉 daughter strait-way arose walked because for her that had stept aside but by consenting to sinne it was easie to recouer and to arise and forthwith to walk in the way of Gods commaundements the widowes son sat vp began to spâ—â—â—e was deliuered to his mother because for him that had actually committed sinne it was a harder matter to recouer and therefore by little and little hee came to it k Residet enim qui peccare desâ—â—eâ—â—â—rigit se ad 〈…〉 lioris 〈◊〉 qui 〈◊〉 suam 〈…〉 dei misericordiam 〈…〉 tri qui pâ—eactis remediis restituitur Ecclesiae Ecommunioni rase vbi supra first sitting vp by raising vp himselfe to a purpose of amendement 〈◊〉 beginning to speake by confessing his owne misery and acknowledging Gods mercy Lastly being deliuered to his mother by returning to the bosome of the holy Church and enioying the remission of his sinnes Lazarus came foorth bound hande and foote with bâ—â—dâ—â— because for him that had a stone laide vpon him l Moles illaimposita sepulchro ipsa est vis dura consu etudinis quam premitur anima nec resurge re nec respirare permittur Aug ser. 44. and had made his heart as hard a graue stone or as a nether milstone by making a custome and as it were a trade of sinne it was a matter vnpossible to 〈◊〉 thinking to recouer onely the omnipotent power of Christ coulde bringe 〈◊〉 foorth bound hand and foote and breake these handes asunder and restore 〈◊〉 againe to the liberty of the soâ—â—â—â— of God For you must knowe 61 Ex Epiphanio Catalogo dogmatum Manuhai that thirtie yeares old he was when he was raised vp and thirty yeares more hee liued after he had beene raysed vp So that halfe his life he spent in sinne the other halfe in repentance of sinne But I haue a litle forgot myselfe Yet it will be no great faulte Right Honourable and beloued in our Lord if it will please you to pardon it I should haue obserued to you in the first place how Christ was earnestly requested to raise vp the first n Mark 5.23 but raysed vp the two last of his owne accord o Luk. 7.13 Ioh. 11.11 and contrariwise how for the two first their friends onely wept p Mar. 5.38 Luk. 7.13 but for the last besides his sisters and friends Christ also wept exceedingly q Ioh. 11.35 These are verie important matters and properly belonging to the point in hand For seeing the young maiden by sinning in consent had lesse offended Christ he would not haue troubled himselfe about her but vpon intreatie of others but the two last the one an actuall the other a customable sinner
in his bed which was so deepely in debt what would he haue said If Christ who was born in his time had bin bred in his hart o Gal. 4.19 I meane if hee had seene by the light of Godâ— word that no debts are comparable to sins And therefore if that poâ—â— Knight could hardly sleepe in his bâ—dde then that seruaÌ„t which oâ—eth his mâ—steâ— ten thousand 〈◊〉 p Math. 18.24 as alas which of vs all beloued if we remember our 〈◊〉 well is not guiltie of so many sinnes caâ— hardly take any rest This if the Emperour had knowne hee would rather 〈◊〉 bought Dauids couch that he might 〈◊〉 haue slept for bewailing his sinnes then this banckrupts bed that hee might haue slept notwithstanding all his caâ—es For these these euen our sinnes these are the debts which so trouble and toâ—mâ—â— the soule that a man 〈◊〉 better haue 〈◊〉 common wealthes in his head yeâ— the caâ—es of all the woâ—ld in his head thâ—◠〈◊〉 disquieted distracted with the 〈…〉 Christians if we be in good health Let vs be thankfull to God 〈◊〉 it let vs account it a special blessing with out which all worldly blessings are 〈◊〉 thing let vs vse it as all other good 〈◊〉 of God to his glory the good of 〈◊〉 other If contrariwise it please the Lord 〈◊〉 any time to visite vs with sicknesse 〈…〉 not in this case despaire neither But 〈◊〉 whatsoeuer other causes we may coceine let vs ingeÌ„iouslie acknowledge one cause of our sicknes to be our sinnes For if we would preuent the iudgemeÌ„ts of god by timelie repentaÌ„ce iudge our selues we should not be iudged of the Lord. But because men wil not wheÌ„ they are in health thinke of him that giueth health therefore oftentimes they are sick now and then also fal asleepe q 1. Cor. 11.30 For euen as maâ—â—facters which wil not by gentle means confesse their heinous crimes are by racking or such like tortures enforced to coÌ„fesse so when grieuous sinners can see no time to repent God in his iustice or rather indeede in his great mercie doth as it were racke them vpoÌ„ their couch with sicknesse bodily pains that they may be constrained to confesse their sinnes so may be freede of two sickenesses their bodies sickenes and their soules sicknes both at once O happie happie men are they which when they are yong remember their Creator before they be old r Eccles. 12.1 when they are in health confesse their sins forsake theÌ„ before they be sick s Prou. 28.13 And yet good louing brother if thou happen to be sick be not in any case as I said before be not altogither discouraged by it But in the next place remeÌ„ber that thy sickenes is nothing els but Gods fatherly visitation to do thee good especially to mooue thee to repentance Listen a little Harken I say Doest thou not heare him rapping aloud and knocking hard at the dore of thy hard hart saying to thee whosoeuer thou art Maiden arise Young man arise Lazarus arise and come forth Awake therfore awake thou that sleepest t Eph. 5.14 and stand vp from death Christ shall giue thee life Say with the spirituall spouse In my bed by night sought him whome my soule loueth u Cant 3.1 Saie with this our Prophet Did I not remember thee vpon my bed meditate of thee in the night season x Psal. 63.7 Looke not still to haue pillowes sowed vnder 〈◊〉 elbowes neither bolster vp thy selfe anâ—â— longer in thy sinnes y Ezec. 13.18 Lie not vpon thy beds of â—â—orie neither stretch thy selfe vpoÌ„ thy couch z Amos. 6.4 but euery night 〈◊〉 thy bed water thy couch with thy tearesâ— Behold saies thy heauenly husband a Reuel 3.20 I stand at the dore and knocke if anie 〈◊〉 heare my voice and open the dore 〈◊〉 come in vnto him wil sâ—p with 〈◊〉 be with me And again b Cant. 2.5 OpeÌ„ 〈◊〉 my sister my loue my doue mine vndefiled for my head is full of dewe and my locks with the drops of the night Wherfore seeing Christ knockes so loud at the dore of my heart for repentance knocke thou as loud at the dore of his mercy for pardon seeing he would so fain haue thee turn vnto him heare his voice be thou as willing to cal vpoÌ„ his name that he may heare thy voice seeing he is so forward to sup with thee by receiuing thy prayers be thou as desirous to sup with him by obtaining the benefit of his passioÌ„ euen the remission of thy sinnes And as he saies to thy soule Open vnto mee my sister my loue my doue mine vndefiled so be thou bold by faith to turn the same words vpoÌ„ him again say Open vnto me my brother my loue my doue mine vndefiled for my head iâ—ful of deâ— my locks with the drops of the night And why is my head fâ—ll of dewe and my locks with the dropâ— of the night Because euery night I wash my bed water my couch c. Then deare christian brother then thy sicknes shall not be vnto death but for the glory of god c Iob. 11.4 For God will turn all thy bed in thy sicknes d Psal. 41.3 And so wheras before it was a bedde of sicknes hee will turne it into a bed of health whereas a bed of paine and griefe into a bed of rest coÌ„fort wheras a bed of teares repeÌ„ntance into a bed of ioifull deliueraÌ„ce RemeÌ„ber thy selfe wel At least wise as well as thou canst well enough what happened to Iob who was sick sore all his body ouer had not â— couch neither to lie on but was â—ain to lie on a dunghil Did not al this turne to his great good when as the Lord did blesse his latter end much more then his beginning e Iob. 42.10 What happened to Ezâ—chiâ—â— who had seÌ„tence of death gon out against himâ— Did not he lying sick in his bed turn him toward the wal weep got the seÌ„teÌ„ce of death reuersed 15 yeares more added to his life f Esa. 38.6 What hapned to the maÌ„ sick of a palsey who was let down through the â—yling bed and al in the midst 〈◊〉 Iesus Did not Christ with one 〈…〉 instant heale him so that he tooke vp his bed departed to his own house praising god g Luk. 5.25 what hapned to the man which had bin sicke 38. yeares and was not able to steppe downe into the poole Did not Christ saying but Rise take vp thy bed walk cure him so that presently he was made whole tooke vp his bed walked h Ioh. 58 9 What hapned to Eâ—câ—s who was sick of the palsey as one of these two that that I spake of last had kept his bed S. yeares as the other of them Did
with a garment dipt in blood can not be angry either with him or with vs but when we are dead in sinne quickneth vs together in him by whose grace we are saued and raised vs vp and maketh vs for his sake sit in the heauenly places aboue Marcus Seruilius a valiant Romane who had fought three and twenty combates of life and death in his owne person and had alwaies slaine as many of his enemies as challeng'd him man to man when as the people of Rome resisted Paulus Emilius triumph Plutarch in Paulo Aâ—melio fine stood vp and made an oration in his behalfe In the midst whereof he cast open his gowne and shewed before them the infinite skarves and cutâ— he had receiued vpon his breast The sight of which so preuailed with the people that they all agreed in one and graunted Emilius triumph After the same fashion Christ hath spoiled â—â—â—â—cipalities and powers and hath made a shew of them openly and hath triumphed ouer them in his crosse yeâ— and yet now beareth about in his bodie the markes and tokens of this triumph that a finall agreement and attonement being made betweene God and vs by his onely mediation and meanes we also may be more then conquerours in him that loueth vs and may euery one of vs say with Saint Paul Now thanks be vnto God which alwaies maketh vs to triumph in Christ. Among other ornaments of the Sanctuarie there was a golden censer full of holes by which the sweete odours fumed forth when Aaron once a yeare burnt incense therin No other high Priest doe we acknowledge but Christ the true Aaron Heb. â— 4 who hath not entred into any Sanctuarie made with hands but into heauen it selfe And his golden censer is his own body which through the wounds that are in it as through chinks or holes suâ—eth forth alwaies a pleasing and a sweete â—auour in the nosthrils of his father The signe of the couenant which God made with Noah was a rainebowe in the cloud And indeede that is a sure token vnto vs that the world shall neuer be drowned againe with a generall flood of water Gen. 9 16. as it was in Noahs time But the rainebowe which assureth vs we shall neuer be drowned in the pit of euerlasting perdition is no such thing Why may some man say what is it Mane it is the blood of Christ which maketh as it wâ—re a rainebow in his side For the other rainebow is but a transitorie signe which shall passe away with the cloudes and with the world But this rainebowe whereof the other is but a shadow shall continue for euer in the sight of God as the author to the Hebrewes sai's that Christ is entred into heauen vt appareat nunc vultui Dei pro nobis to appeare now in the fight of God for vs. Therefore S. Iohn in the Reuelation witnesseth that he sawe a doore open in heauen aud a rainebow round about the throne of God Hee sawe a doore open in heauen to teach vs that we can haue no accesse vnto the Father but by Christ neither yet by Christ simply but as he is crucified and hath set open a doore in his side for vs to enter by him He sawe a rainebowe round about the throne of God to teach vs that the throne of God would be altogether a throne of iustice a throne of wrath a throne of anger and indignation were it not that the blood of Christ spinning out as I may say still liuely and freshly in the sight of his father maketh a rainbowe round about his throne putteth him in minde of his couenant appeaseth his displeasure and so maketh his throne to all vs that loue him Gen. 30.37 a throne of grace a throne of compassion a throne of fauour and mercie in Christ. We read that Iacob pilled certaine rods which beeing laid in the watering troughes before the sheepe made them bring forth such lambes as afterward fell to his own share So likewise if we sinne wee haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes The marke of the roddes in his wounds laid open in the sight of God ingendreth and breedeth in him a loue and a liking toward vs so that he conceiueth well of vs and seuereth vs as good sheepe from the goates and in the blood of the lambe is pleased and appeased and satisfied for our sinnes This blood is the blood of sprinkling Heb. 12.24 which speaketh better things then that of Abel For Abels blood vpon earth cryed out once for vengeance but Christs blood in heauen cries continually for mercie One deepe calleth another because of the noise of the water pipes Christs woundes are the watering troughs and the water-pipes by which all graces flowe vnto vs. So that one deepe calleth an other because of the noise of the water pipes because the wounds of Christ make a continuall noise in the eares of his father and the depth of the extreame misery which he was in vpon earth calleth for the depth of Gods bottomlesse and infinite mercy in heauen Thus these holy wounds of Christ pacifie and appease his father For now Moyses standing in the gappe sues for pardon the poore creeple lying at the beautifull gate begg's an almes Ezechias spreading open his letters makes his supplication Salomon stretching out his hands offers vp his prayer Epaminondas being wounded mooues Agâ—sipolis to saue Pelopidas Seruilius discouering his wounds perswades the people to grant Emilius triumph Aaron burning incense in his golden censer perfumeth the whole Sanctuarie Noah pointing to his rainebowe putteth God in mind of his promise Iacob laying forth his roddes make most of the lambes his owne Abel holding vp his blood cals and cries for mercie Christ shewing his hands and his side appeaseth his father As if our Sauiour should say thus vnto his Father O my louing father looke vpon the face of thine annointed looke vpon the hands looke vpon the side of thine annointed The hands of thine anointed how cruelly they are mangled the side of thine annointed bow wofully it is wounded Behold and see if there be any sorrowe like to my sorrow These hands can signifie what exceeding sorrow I haue suffered this side can shew that I haue humbled my selfe and haue been obedient vnto death euen vnto the death of the crosse Therefore O my deare father Put thy finger here and see my hands and put forth thy hand and put it into my side and as thou art not faithlesse but faithfull so be not mercilesse but mercifull for my sake and pitifull to thy people So much for the second cause which is to appease his Father The third cause why Christ hath his wounds yet to be seene in his bodie is to confound his enemies When Saint Paul the Apostle before his conuersion persecuted the Church of God Christ called to him from heauen and said Saul Saul why persecutest thou
King Iames should bee brought to a happie ende that oftentimes in many mens hearings hee protested hee had rather die then be any way negligent herein Which as some thinke by all likelihood came indeede so to passe To wit that too earnest study and paines about the translation hastened his death and brought it on sooner Now as he liued so in his profession in his writings in his translating as though all the floods of many waters had neuer comn ' neare him euen so also he died During the short time of his sickenesse hee carried himselfe as alwaies before humbly mildly quietly constantly One of his louing friends standing by his bed and saying M. Liuely I pray God you may haue patience and hope and especially faith vnto the ende He lifting vp his hands said heartily and cheerefully Amen Little he vsed to speake and more he could not say for the paine and impediment of his squinsey Which though it made a speedie ende of him as the apoplexy did of the good Emperour Valentinian yet how could any death be sodaine to him whose whole life was nothing els but a meditation of death and whom the Lord whensoeuer he came might finde doing his dutie Wherefore no reason wee should lament his departure out of this world He liued blessedly he died blessedly in the Lord. Rather you Reuerend and learned Vniuersitie-men lament for this that you haue lost so famous a Professour and so worthy a writer Lament you translatours beeing now depriued of him who no lesse by his owne merit and desert then by the priuiledge of his place was to order and ouersee all your trauailes Lament you poore orphans 〈◊〉 poore children of you which he left 〈◊〉 him as Christ 〈◊〉 left eleuen Disciples bereâ—â—â—â— of your kinde and deare Father destitute of necessaries for your maiâ—â—enance to seeke of all helpe and 〈◊〉 but onely as poore folkes vse to speak such as God and good friends shal proâ—ide Lâ—â—ent lament all of you of the Toâ—ne as well as of the Vâ—â—â—ersitie because our Schoole hath lost sâ—ch a singular ornament of this age because our Churches haue lost such a faithfull and syncere seruant of Christ. Questionlesse as it should seeme by the taking away of this man almightie God is greatly angry with vs all for our sinnes Christ Iesus our Master as though he meant no more to care for vs seemeth to lie fast a sleepe in the ship while we most miserably in the flood of many waters are tormoiled and tossed Wherfore let vs in time crie aloud and awake him with our prayers Or rather indeede he is not a sleepe but awake alreadie We haue awaked him not with our prayers but with our sinnes Our sinnes haue cried vp to heauen And the Lord beeing awaked as a gyant comes forth against vs and as a mighty man refreshed with wine For not onely those are waters which are in the chanell or in the sea but as waters are here vnderstood euen those fires are waters those fires I say which very lately awaked vs at midnight and affrighted vs at noone day which raged on the South-side and anone after on the North-side of the Towne It was but a fewe mens losse but it was all mens warning And what shall we make nothing of this The plague the small pocks and the squinsey that one kind of disease deuoureth vp the Townesmen â—n other the schollers This is now the tenth course of Schollers which within this month hath beene brought foorth to buriall not one of them dying of the plague whereas heretofore if one or two schollers haue died in a whole year out of all Colledges it hath beene accounted a great matter This and such like grieuous iudgements beloued doe plainely declare that the Lord beeing awaked with the cry of our sinnes is greiuously displeased and offended at vs. Wherefore let vs nowe at the length in the name of God rowse vp our selues and awake out of our deadly sinnes Let this that our holy brother did so sodainly in a manner fall asleepe be a loud O yes as it were to awake vs all Let euerie one of vs amend one iudge one accuse one condemne one that we be not all condemned of the Lord. Let euery one of vs I beseech you crie vp to heauen for mercie and say â—ith Dauid I haue sinned and done wickedly Or with Ionas Take me for I know that for my sake this great tempest is vpon you Then our most mercifull father shall blesse vs all as he hath done this holy Saint both in our life and in our death by the pardoning of our offences couering all our sinnes with the bowels and blood of Christ. And though in this world we be euer subiect to a flood of many waters yet hee shall drawe vs still out of many waters as hee did Moses Surely in the floode of many waters no more then they did to Ionas they shall not come neare vs. Neither onely shall we be safe in the flood of death but also in the flood of the day of iudgement For that also is a flood and a terrible fearefull one too To wit not of water but of fire As it was in the dayes of Noah so shall it be at the comming of the son of man In the first flood they which had not an arke ranne vp to the toppes of houses to the toppes of trees to the toppes of mountaines because they desired to hold vp their heads aboue the still rising raging water In the second they which are not found in Christ shall say to the mountaines Fall vpon vs and to the Caues Cauer vs and hide vs from the wrath of the Lambe Then they shall be glad to creepe into euerie holâ— and corner that they may auoide the bâ—rning of fire But we that confesse our sinnes and forsake the same shall lift our heads to no other mountaine but to Christ from whom commeth our saluation we shall desire to be couered with no other rocke but onely with that out of which came the blood and water of life For neuer did Noahs flood so clean wash away all wicked men from the face of the earth as the blood of Christ shall purge vs from all our sinnes and present vs blamelesse before the face of our father onely if we be faithfull vnto death For then the next thing is felicity and the crowne of life Which God for his mercie sake graunt vs all that as we make no doubt but this our holy brother now triumpheth with Christ so all and euery one of vs after we haue waded through this world as a flood of many waters may inherit that kingdome of glory which our louing Lord Iesus hath purchased for vs with his deare blood to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory now and for euermore Amen FINIS A SERMON PREACHED at Whitehall before the KING on Twesday after Lâ— Sunday 1604. 2. COR. 3.18 But all we
hee chastiseth their iniquities with rods and their sinnes with scourges m Psal. 89.33 An other is because the faithfull sinning loose the inwarde feeling of Gods fauour As Iob testifieth in these wordes Thou writest bitter thinges against mee and thou wilt consume me with the sinnes of my youth n Iob. 13 26 And Dauid O giue mee the comfort of thy helpe agâ—ine and establish mee with thy free spirit o Psal. 51.12 Hee wanted not Gods helpe nor his spirit but yet he was so discouraged and cast down in his own conscience that hee felt not the comfortable taste of Gods helpe nor the blessed freedome of his spirit And euen so generally the godly sinning though they quench not the Spirite altogether p 1 Thes. 5 19 yet by grieuing it they felt such a desolation in their soules as if they were quite cast out of fauour with God To the latter part of this question I aunswere that the sinnes of the godly are therefore with repentance because the graces of God are without repentance q Rom. 11.29 And as it is vnpossible that they which sinn in despight of the spirit should bee renewed by repentance r Heb. 6.6 so it is vnpossible that they should not bee renewed by repentance which sinne of infirmity as all the faithfull doe For though the flesh haue the vpper hand one while enforcing theÌ„ to sinne yet the spirit will get the masterie another while making them heartilie sorrie for their sinne Neuerthelesse great reason is it they should not abuse the patience of God mouing them to repentance s Rom. 2.4 but rather that they should insâ—antly stir vp this gift of God in them t 2 Tim. 1.6 to which they are sure at leÌ„gth the course motion of Gods spirit will bring them For first what a horrible thing is it either for God to withdraw his fatherly and fauourable countenance from vs or for vs to haue a hell as it were in our owne consciences both which as I haue alreadie shewed doe necessarily follow sinne Besides seeing all the good wee get by sin is repentance and griefe farre better it is to beginne by times to repent and so forthwith to enioy the comfortable feeling of Gods mercifull pardon then by deferring our repentance still to bee tormented with the horrour of our guiltie conscience Moreouer the ende is not a barre against the meanes but rather a great furtherer and setter of them on forward We being therefore sure we shall repent at the last ought neuer a whit the lesse to vse the meanes as soone as we can by ceasing to doe ill and learning to doe well u Esa. 1.17 Euen as S. Paul though he knew certainely hee should not perish in that shipwracke yet he vsed the best meanes hee could to saue his life x Acts 27.44 Lastly this is one maine difference betweene the wicked and the godly that they hauing theyr consciences feared with a 〈◊〉 yron y 1. Tim. 4.2 and being past feeling z Eph 4.19 gâ—â— on still in sinning without any senâ—â— of sinne a Câ—nsuetudo peccandi tollit sensum peccati Aug. but these hauing their senses exercised to discerne betweene good and euill b Heb. 5.14 neuer rest if they bee hurt with the sting of sinne till they bee estsooneâ— salued and healed by Gods mercy For as the Swallow perceyuing himselfe almost blinde presently seeketh out the herbe Chelidonia c Celandine and the Hart feeling himselfe shot with an arrow sticking in him forthwith runneth to the herbe Dictamus d Dittany right so doe the godly Take Ezechias for an example of a Swallowe All that is in mine house haue they seene there is nothing among my treasures that I haue not shewed them e 2. Reg. 20.15 There he is blinde For the more treasures the King of Babels ambassadours sawe the more was Ezechias blinded with ambition in shewing them Like a Crane or a Swallowe so did I chatter I did mourne as a done I shall walke weakely all my yeares in the bitternesse of my soule f Esa. 38. i 4. i 5 Here is the Chelidonia For this bitternesse of his soule doth cure the blindnes of his soule Take Iob for an example of a Hart. The arrowes of the almighty are in mee the venome whereof doth drinke vp my spirit and the terrors of God fight against me g Iob. 6.4 There hee is shot For if he had not bin stroken before with the arrowes of his owne wickednes he should neuer haue binne stroken thus with the arrowes of Gods correction I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes h Iob. 42.6 Here is the Dictamus For this abhorring of himselfe is a recouering of himselfe and the sooner hee repents in dust ashes the sooner is hee freed from all his sinnes from al the punishments due to the same But now some man may further obiect and say He is not yet fully satisfied for this latter part because talke as long as wee will all these inconueniences which come as hath bin declared by perseuering in sinne are either no bridle at all or else not so strong a bridle to restraine men from sinne as if they bee perswaded they may by sinning quite cleane loose all iustifying grace and so may be finally impenitent when they dy But hee which will put foorth this doubt must remember that the children of God are led by the spirit of God i Rom. 8.14 And the spirit though not in the same degree yet in the same sort worketh in all those that haue beene are or shall be sanctified k 2. Cor. 4.13 Euudem spiritum Who as they serue God not for any seâ—uile feare of loosing their faith or of dying in impenitency or such like but only for pure loue of his maiesty so they can neither will nor choose but beeing bitten with sin they must needes in their soules consciences feele the smart of it Therfore S. Paul saith The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary one to the other so that yee cannot doe the same thinges that yee would l Gal. 5.17 For if the faithfull would doe Gods will in earth as it is in heauen and serue him as obediently and as perfectly as the good angels doe they can not because still in them the flesh lusâ—eth against the spirit and so againe if they would sinne with full consent or with an obstinate purpose to continue in sinne as the euill angelâ— doe they cannot doe this neither because still in them the spirit lusteth against the flesh Which spirit though it may for a time bee shutte vp as it were yet it will finde meanes well enough at length to shew it selfe Thus Elibu saith The spirit within me compelleth me Behold my bellieis as wine which hath no vent and like the new bottles that burst Therefore