to euery good as we are to euill Teach vs to remember our sinnes that thou maiest forget them and let our sorrowe here preuent the sorrowe to come Wee were made like thee let not flesh and bloud turne the image of God to the image of Satan our foes are thy foes let not thine enemies preuaile against thee to take vs from thee but make thy word vnto vs like the starre which led vnto Christ make thy benefites like the pillar which brought to the land of promise make thy crosse like the messenger which compelled guests vnto the banquet that wee may walke before men like examples and alway looke vpon thy sonne how he would speake and doe before we speake or do any thing Keepe vs in that feare of thy Maiestie that we may make conscience of all that we doe and that wee may count no sinne small but leaue our lying and swearing and surfetting and coueting and boasting and flanting and inordinate gaming and wanton sporting because they drawe vs to other sinnes and are forbidden as straightly as other Let not our hearts at any time be so dazled but that in all temptations we may discerne between good and euill between right and wrong between trueth and errour and that we may iudge of all things as they are and not as they seeme to bee let our mindes bee alwaies so occupied that wee may learne some thing of euerie thing and vse all those creatures as meanes and helpes prepared for vs to serue thee Let our affections growe so towarde one another that wee may loue thee asmuch for the prosperitie of other as if it were our owne let our faith and loue and prayer be alway so readie to goe vnto thee for our helpe that in sicknes we may finde patience in prison wee may finde ioy in pouertie wee may find contentment and in all troubles we may finde hope Turne all our ioyes to the ioye of the holy Ghost and all our peace to the peace of conscience and all our feares to the feare of sin that we may loue righteousnesse with as great good will as euer we loued wickednes and goe before other in thankfulnes towards thee as farre as thou goest in mercie towards vs before them taking all that thou sendest as a gift and leauing our pleasures before they leaue vs that our time to come may be a repentance of the time past thinking alway of the ioyes of heauen the paines of hell our owne death and the death of thy sonne for vs. Yet Lord let vs speake once again like Abraham one thing more we will beg at thy hands our resolutions are variable we can not performe our promises to thee therefore settle vs in a constant forme of obedience that we may serue thee from this houre with those dueties which the world the diuell and the flesh woulde haue vs deferre vntill the point of death Lord we are vnworthie to aske any thing for our selues yet thy fauor hath preferred vs to be petitioners for other Therefore wee beseech thee to heare vs for them and them for vs and thy sonne for all Blesse the vniuersall Church with truth with peace and thy holie Discipline Strengthen all them which suffer for thy cause and let them see the spirite of comfort comming towardes them as thy Angels came to thy sonne when he was hungrie Be mercifull vnto all those which lie in anguish of conscience for remorse of their sinnes as thou hast made them examples so teach vs to take example by them that wee may looke vpon thy Gospel to keepe vs from despaire and vpon thy lawe to keep vs from presumption Prosper the armies which fight thy battailes and shew a difference betweene thy seruantes and thy enemies as thou didst betweene the Israelits and the Aegyptians that they which serue thee not may come to thy seruice seeing that no God dooth blesse besides thee Make vs thankefull for our peace whome thou hast set at libertie while thou hast laid our dangers vpon others which mightest haue laide their dangers vpon vs And teach vs to build thy Church in our rest as Salomon builte thy temple in his peace Haue mercie vpon this sinfull Lande which is sicke of long prosperitie Let not thy blessings rise vp against vs but indue vs with grace as thou hast with riches that wee may goe before other nations in religion as wee goe before them in plentie giue vs such harts as thy seruants should haue that thy will may be our will that thy Law may be our Lawe and that we may seeke our kingdome in thy kingdome Giue vnto our Prince a Princely heart vnto our counsellers the spirit of counsel vnto our Iudges the spirite of Iudgement vnto our Ministers the spirite of doctrine vnto our people the spirite of obedience that wee may all retaine that communion here that we may enioy the communion of Saints hereafter Blesse this familie with thy grace and peace that the Rulers thereof may gouerne according to thy word that the seruants obey like the seruants of God and that wee may all be loued of thee Now Lorde wee haue commenced our suite our vnderstanding is weake and our memorie short and wee vnworthie to pray vnto thee more vnworthie to receiue the things which we praye for Therefore we commend our prayers and our selues vnto thy mercie in the name of thy beloued son our louing Sauiour whose righteousnesse pleadeth for our vnrighteousnes Our father which art in heauen c. ruption as though wee were made to sinne indeede or in worde or in thought wee haue broken all thy Commandements that wee might see what good is in euill which hath lefte nothing but guilt and shame and expectation of iudgement while we might haue had peace of conscience ioye of heart and all the graces which come with the holie spirite Some haue been wonne by the word but we would not suffer it to change vs some haue been reformed by thy crosse but wee woulde not suffer it to purge vs some haue been mooued by thy benefites but wee would not suffer them to perswade vs nay we haue giuen consent to the Diuell that wee will abuse all thy gifts so fast as they come and therefore thy blessings make vs proude thy riches couetous thy peace wanton thy meates intemperate thy mercie secure and all thy benefites are weapons to rebell against thee that if thou looke into our hearts thou maist saye our Religion is hypocrisie our zeale enuie our wisedome pollicie our peace securitie our life rebellion our deuotion ends with our prayers and wee liue as though wee had no soules to saue What shall wee answer for that which our conscience condemnes Wee are one daye neerer to death since we rose when we shall giue account how euery day hath been spent and how we haue got those things which other will consume when we are gone And if thou shouldest aske vs now what lust asswaged what affection qualified
him in another Countrey where he had no sepulcher prouided Herod hoped when the people cryed at his words It is the voyce of God that hee should be worshipped euer after as God but God resisted his pride and before he descended from his throane the wormes so defaced his pompe that none which called him God would be like vnto him so whē women take more paines to dresse themselues then they doe all the day after and pay deerer to maintaine one vice than they neede to learne all vertues they thinke to please men by it but God resisteth their pride and al that see them though they cap and curtsie to them yet they iudge worse of them and thinke that they would not weare these signes of lightnes and pride vnlesse they were light and proud indeede Thus if their apparell condemne them before men how will it condemne them before GOD If sinne did not blinde them would they so deceiue themselues to take the contrary way and thinke that should honor them which disgraceth other But as Balaam was stopped knew not who stopped him so they are resisted and know not who resisteth them Though they doe al to please yet they can please none they please not God for God resisteth them they please not the humble for the humble are contrarie to thē they please not the proud for the proud doe enuie them which striue to bee as proude as they they please not themselues because they cannot bee so proud and braue as they would bee onely they please the diuell because their pride doth intitle him to them Thus much of Gods battailes against the proud Heere Peter leaueth the proud with this brand in their forehead This is the man whom God resisteth then hee turneth to the lowly and comforteth them But he giueth grace to the humble as if hee should say you are like Iohn the beloued Disciple which leaned on Christs bosome Iohn 13. 23. though God resist the proud yet hee will not frowne vpon you but when he resisteth them he wil giue grace vnto you as if hee should say the proud are without grace for God giueth not grace vnto the proud but to the humble according to that to Esay 66. 2. To him will I looke euen to him that is poore of a contrite heart and trembleth at my wordes therefore Learne of me saith Christ to be hūble meek as though the humble and meeke were his schollers Therefore God must needes loue the humble because they are like his sonne they shall haue his best giftes of which hee sayth 2. Cor. 12. 9. My grace is sufficient as if hee should say hee which hath giuen you his grace can he denie you any thing as Christ saith Hee which hath giuen vs his Sonne will he not giue vs all things with him Therefore grace may be called the gift of gifts because all gifts come with grace as the Court goeth with the Queene Therefore feare not to bee humble least you be contemned for all the promises of God are made to humilitie and yet men feare to be humble lest they shuld be contemned Humilitie did not make Iohn contemptible but when he refused the name of a Prophet Christ saith that hee was more then a Prophet Mat. 11. 2. Humilitie did not make Moses contemptible but as he was the mildest man vpon earth so he was the greatest vpon the earth Numb 12. Humilitie did not make Dauid contemptible but when he humbled himselfe hee said vnto Micol I will be more humble yet and lowly in my owne sight yet thou and thy maides shall honour me 2. Sam. 6. 22. As Christ ceased not to be a king because he was like a seruant nor to bee a Lion because he was like a Lamb nor to be God because he was made man nor to bee a Iudge because he was iudged so man dooth not loose his honour by humilitie but he shal be honored for his humilitie as the Son was honoured when he was humbled Luk. 15. 8. Thus humilitie hath found that which pride sought like little Dauid which was least accompted of and yet gotte the victorie yea when no man durst encounter with the Gyant 1. Sam. 17. 28. This is the ladder whereby we must ascend Gen. 28. 12. pride did cast vs downe and humilitie must raise vs vp As the way to heauen is narrowe Mat. 12. 13. so the gate is lowe and he had neede to stoope which entreth in at it therefore be not proud least God oppose himselfe against you but be humble and the grace of God belongeth to you So long as thou art proude and readest this sentence GOD giueth grace to the humble thou mayst say to thy soule Soule thou hast no part herein for grace is the portion of the humble and the dowrie of the meeke and the treasure of the lowlie but to thee it is saide The Lord resisteth the proude as if he should say Auoide Sathan Math. 4. or Departe from mee ye wicked Math 25. 45. Thus you see howe you may haue GOD your friende or your enemie Hee resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble if thou disdaine to learne humilitie of man learne it of GOD who humbled himselfe from heauen to earth to exalte thee from earth to heauen to which Kingdome when the proud shall be shut out the Lord Iesus bring vs for his mercies sake FINIS THE YOVNG MANS TASKE Ecclesiastes 12. 1. Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth IF it be so as they say that none but young men do heare our doctrine then this Text is well chosen for the auditory to teach young men that which if they learne they may say with Dauid I haue more vnderstanding then the auncient Psalm 119. 100. All Scripture is mans duetie and answeres like Iohn Baptist to What shall wee doe In the first of Iohn the second and the twelfth Iohn sayth I write vnto you babes I write vnto you children I write vnto you fathers I write vnto you youngmen I write vnto you old men So the word which is called aflying booke flyeth from one age to another from one sexe to another from one calling to another till like a Iudge it hath giuen euery man his charge Among the rest I may call this Scripture The young mans taske Wherein the Wise man sheweth when is the best time to sow the seede of vertue that it may bring foorth the fruite of life and make a man alway readie to die Let him remember his Creator in the daies of his youth and all his life shall runne in a line the middle like the beginning and the ende like the middle as the Sunne setteth against the place where it rose After Salomon had described man like Martha troubling and toyling himselfe about many things at last hee bringeth him to that one thing necessarie which Christ taught Marie and shewes him that if he had begun there at first he had found that which
there is of troubles which come from sinne as one heauy messenger came to Iob one after another so now we are not in Paradice but in the wildernesse we must looke for one trouble after another therefore afflictions are called waters because as one waue falleth vpon another so one trouble falleth vpon the head of another As a Beare came to Dauid after a Lyon and a Giant after a Beare and a King after a Giant and Philistines after the King so when they haue fought with pouertie they shall fight with enuie when they haue fought with enuie they shall fight with infamie when they haue fought with infamie they shal fight with sicknes like a labourer which is neuer out of worke This you see the righteous in troubles like the Israelites in exile Now the Lord commeth like Moses to deliuer them aduersitie seeketh out the promise the promise seeketh out fayth fayth seeketh out prayer then God heareth and mercie answereth All this while Christ seemed to sleepe as he did in the shippe nowe hee rebukes the windes and waues and troubles flie before him like a troupe of Woolues before the Shepheard As he asked the adultresse where are thy accusers and she sayd they are gone so he may aske his patients where are your troubles and they may say they are gone the sunne rose and the mists vanished yet saith Dauid God is good to all that are pure in heart that is he remembreth them while he afflicteth them and is preparing an issue while the crosse prepareth them When Christ heard them say he whom thou louest is sicke he answered this sicknes is not to death Ioh. 11. 3. So when it may be sayd he whom God loueth is sicke then it may be sayd this sicknes is not vnto death though it be to the first death yet not to the second Who would thinke when Ionas was in the sea that he should preach at Niniuie who would think wheÌ„ Nabuchadnezzar was in the forrest that he should raigne again in Babel who would think wheÌ„ Ioseph was banished of his brethreÌ„ that his brethreÌ„ shuld seeke vnto him like his seruants who would thinke when Iob scraped his sores vpon the dunghill all his houses were burned all his â—attell stolne all his Children dead that he should be richer then euer he was these are the acts of mercy which make the righteous sing The Lord hath triumphed valiantly This is the priuiledge of the righteous as God saith Ye sons of Iacob are not consumed So they answere againe We are not consumed Therefore Paul saith we are in distresse but we are not forsaken as Christ rose out of his graue so we shall rise out of trouble and when the gold is fined the fire shal hold it no longer WheÌ„ Iesus was in banishment with Mary Ioseph at last the Angel came and said They are dead which sought the childes life so when the daies of our banishment and scarsitie bondage and sicknesse are ended at last tidings shall come that our troubles are dead and then the righteous shall looke vp like Moses when hee was past the sea and see all their enemies all their troubles drowned behinde them then the heart shall daunce like Miriam and sing the song which sounded before Moses The Lorde the Lord is strong mercifull and gratious slow to anger but aboundant in goodnesse and truth And if Dauid had staied at troubles and spoken of nothing but rods the wicked might say as they doe in the 115. Psalme Where is their God and the righteous might coÌ„plaine with Dauid I haue clensed my heart in vaine but as the waters of the sea flow ebbe againe so the waters of afflictioÌ„ flow ebbe again one casteth Moses into the water and another draweth him out of the water There lieth Lazarus at the gate there lieth Ioseph in prison there lyes Ieremie in the dungeon there lies Iob in the Ashes there lyes Iacob in the fields there lies Dauid in the wildernesse there lies Abraham in exile there lies Daniel among the Lions there lies the children in the Furnace at last comes the yeare of Iubile and al the prisoners of the Lorde are set at libertie therefore they are called the prisoners of hope because they may hope to be deliuered c. Therfore God translateth his Crosse from the head to the heart from the heart to the foot from pouertie to sicknesse from sicknesse to labour that wheresoeuer he placeth it we might haue patience knowing that he can remoue it as hee placeth it Then are fulfilled all these sweet scriptures The Lord retaineth not his wrath for euer because mercie pleaseth him Mich. 7. 8. After two dayes he will reuiue vs and the third day he will raise vs vp Ose 6. 2. Surely there is an end and thy hope shall not be cut off Prouer. 23. 18. Heauinesse may endure for a night but ioye will come in the morning Psal 30. 5. He which hath ouercome death and Sathan and the world can easilie ouercome all the troubles in the world rather then Eliah shall starue the Rauens shall feede him rather then Ionah shall drowne the fish shall saue him as when the Glutton did not pitie the Dogs tooke compassion Vntill Dauid saith The Lord will deliuer the righteous and the wicked goe together but now they part one is taken and the other is refused one is deliuered the other is left in prison As Abraham came not to deliuer the Sodomits but to deliuer his brethren so Christ came not to deliuer his enemies but to deliuer his seruants not to deliuer them from troubles but to deliuer theÌ„ out of troubles that they may say as well The Lord hath taken as the Lord hath giuen As Dauid gaue charge to his Souldiers that they should not kill Absolon his sonne though he sent them against Absolon to stay his rebellion so God forbids his crosses to destroye his children though he send them against his children to purge their corruptions As the Angel passed by the houses of the Israelits when he saw the bloud of the lambe vpon their doores so God hath his markes whereby he knoweth whom he should deliuer out of trouble whom he should leaue in trouble to one he saith Take my crosse to another he saith Be thou healed to another he saith Stay till thy time coÌ„meth euerie hard word may be spoken to the godly as wel as the wicked but that deadly word Depart into euerlasting fire Although they seeme to depart here yet then it shall be said come and not depart As Iohn after the voice of thunder heard the voice of harpers so wheÌ„ they haue bin beaten they shal be cherished therefore the trials of the righteous though they be called many troubles yet they are not called euerlasting troubles As Dauid saith here Many
are the troubles of the righteous so in Psalm 32. 10. he sayth Many are the sorowes of the righteous but it followeth the Lord will deliuer them out of all nay saith Salomon when the righteous escape out of trouble the wicked shall come in his stead that is the troubles of the righteous shal shift to the vngodly as the leprosie of Naaman went to Gehezi and therefore the wicked are called the ransome of the iust because they lye in baile for them As one bird chirpeth to another so one plague shal whistle to another and say come and helpe mee to tormēt this sinner for one plague will not serue the Egyptians vntill he be so loden with torments that he crie like Caine My punishment is greater then I can beare The righteous neuer said that their troubles were more or greater or longer then they could beare For God hath promised he will not lay more vpon them then they are able to beare but when they begin to sinke like Peter vpon the Sea then the hande is readie to catch them and straight GOD maketh an issue for theyr troubles As the Viper lept vpon Paul lept off againe so troubles leape vpon the righteous and leape off againe as though they had mistaken the partie and rapt at the wrong doore Therefore Mark the vpright man saith Dauid and beholde the iust for the end of that man is peace Though his beginning be trouble yet his end is peace He will not suffer the righteous to fall for euer he sayth not that he will not suffer him to fall but that he shall not fall for euer that is at last his shackel falleth from him the net breakes the prison openeth and he goes foorth like Lazarus out of his graue to shewe what wonderfull things the Lord hath done for him So Paul after he had spoken of his troubles as thought hee thought vpon this sentence of Dauid repeateth the same of himselfe saying But the Lord deliuered me out of all Therefore one calleth affliction the trance of the righteous because they seeme dead for a while but they wake againe therefore they chalenge their enemies and say Reioyce not against me O mine enemie for though I fall yet I shall rise This should content the righteous to bee deliuered at last as Dauid quieteth himselfe saying By this I know the Lord fauoureth me because mine enemies doe not triumph ouer me not because I haue no enemies or because I haue no troubles which would ouercome me Therefore when he wrote downe Many troubles hee blotteth it as it were with his pen againe as a Merchant raceth his booke when the debt is discharged and in stead of many troubles he putteth in The Lord deliuereth Because he forgiueth all sinnes he is sayd to deliuer from all troubles to shew that wee haue neede of no Sauiour no helper no comforter but him The Lawyer can deliuer his client but from strife the Phisition can deliuer his patient but from sicknesse the Master can deliuer his seruant but from bondage but The Lord sayth Dauid deliuereth out of all As when Moses came to deliuer the Israelites hee would not leaue an hoofe behind him so when the Lord commeth to deliuer the righteous he wil not leaue a trouble behind him but euen as they pray in 25. Psal Deliuer Israel O Lord out of all her troubles so he will answere them B◠thou deliuered out of al thy troubles that is this this and this that trouble that thou thinkest intollerable that trouble which thou thinkest incurable the almightie hath might against all When Iob is tryed not a sore shall sticke vpon him Therefore as Elisha feared not when he saw as many angels as enemies so now you see as many mercies as troubles let the comfort satisfie you which satisfied Paul Feare not for I am with thee thy pardon is comming like the Angell which staid the sword ouer Isaacks head Reade on but a little further and thou shalt heare the voyce which proclaymed warre proclayme peace many troubles in the beginning of the verse and no troubles in the ende What Phisition hath been here The Lord sayth Dauid the Lord was in this place saith Iacob I knew it not So the Lord is in affliction and men know it not he which sayth I put away thine iniquities must say I put away thy infirmitie For there is no Sauiour but one which saith to death I will be thy death As the woman was sicke vntill Christ came so vntill the Lorde come there is nothing but trouble Manie troubles of the righteous but one deliuerer of the righteous manie tortours but one Comforter Troubles come in an hundred wayes like waters through a grate but mercie entreth alwayes at one doore like a pardon which cōmeth only from the Prince therefore sayth GOD In mee is thy helpe Hos 11. 6. I create comfort Esay 65. Marke that he calleth himselfe a creator of comfort that is as there is but one Creator so there is but one Comforter and as hee created all things of nothing so hee createth comfort of nothing that is when all comfort is worne out and no seede of ioy left to raise vp comfort againe then he bringeth comfort out of sorrow as he brought water out of the rocke that wee may say The finger of the Lord hath done this This is the anchor of the righteous As he lookes vpon his troubles the promise commeth in like a messenger from Christ while he is praying and weeping and sayth The Lord will deliuer thee out of all Then hee resolueth like Nehemiah and saith Shall such a man as I flye Shall such a man as I recant If I be faint in the day of aduersitie Salomon saith my strength is small as if hee shoulde say I was neuer strong but did counterfeite like Demas if I want comfort in trouble Salomon sayth A good conscience is a continuall feast As if he should say that I haue not a good conscience if I haue not comfort in the Crosse Therefore I will wayte the Lords leisure because Esay sayth Faith maketh no hast I will not breake his bands because then I am like the Heathen I will not flatter the Iudge because Salomon saith it is vaine I will not betray the cause because GOD hath appoynted it to trye mee I will not offend my brethren because Paul had rather dye than doe so I will not charge my conscience because it can vexe mee more than their bands I will not turne from my profession because I learned it of GOD and vowed to leaue all for it in the daye that I was baptized a Christian Though my friends tempt me like Iobs wife though my flesh flatter mee like Eue though my persecutors would bribe me like Balaac though they which suffer with me should reuolt for feare yet
our sinnes are washed with Christes bloud when our bodies are washed they are taken out of the water againe to signifie how we shall be raised from death to life by the resurrection of Christ and how we should rise from sinne to righteousnesse thus we begin our life with a solemne promise to God before the Church to serue him with our bodies and soules till death vs depart Now let vs remember how we haue kept this promise with the Lord or rather how we haue broken promise with him then we gaue our selues to GOD but since we haue giuen our selues to sinne then wee promised to renounce the world but euer since we haue embraced the world therefore now let vs begin to pay that which we ought so long and pray the Lord which hath instituted this Sacrament as a seale of his mercie to receiue this child into his fauour as we receiue it into his Church to baptize it with his spirit as wee baptize it with water and powre vpon it his grace as we giue it the signe of grace FINIS THE PILGRIMS WISH PHILIP 1. 23. I desire to bee dissolued and to bee with Christ. HEere is Pauls desire to be dissolued and the cause that he might be with Christ wherein first you shal see the difference betweene the faithfull and the wicked how one loatheth this life and the other longeth after it Secondly because the Apostle seemes to desire death you shall see whether any man may wish to die Thirdly because after his dissolution hee hopes to bee with Christ you shall see the diuersitie of iudgements betweene Paul and the Papists which think when they are dead that they shall goe on to Purgatorie Lastlie because the soules which are with Christ cannot walke as they did when they liued vpon the earth you shall heare a little of walking spirits which haue beene so much talked of in the time of poperie and were taken for the soules of them which were dead after wee will speake a little of the Sacrament which yee come to receiue and so commit you to God I desire to be dissolued Before Christes comming when the Kings or Patriarches died it is said that they went to their fathers as we read of Dauid and Salomon c. but after Christs comming when the faithfull die they are said to go to Christ as we read of the penitent thief Luke 23. 43. Not because the Patriarches went not to Christ as well as they but because yet Christ was not ascended to heauen therefore they are not to go to Christ although if they went to heauen they must needes go to Christ because Christ touching his Godhead was alwaies in heauen I desire to be dissolued As the wordly long for Christ to come to them so the faithful long to go to Christ for vnlesse we ascend to him as he descended to vs his descending is in vaine because he came downe that we might go vp he descended to take our flesh we ascende to take his kingdom he descended to be crucified we ascende to be glorified he descended to hell we ascend to heauen that is to ioy to glory to blisse to our father to our Sauiour to our comforter to Angels to Saints to eternall life therefore good cause had Paul to desire to be with Christ that he might be at rest for no doubt it was the sweetest voice that euer the theefe heard in this life when Christ said vnto him This day shalt thou bee with me in Paradise Luke 23. chapt vers 45. Besides as Paul persecuâ—ed before so he was after persecuted himselfe as he tels the Corinthians 2. Cor. 11. 24. I was thrise beaten with rods I was once stoned I suffered thrise shipwrake c. Therefore good cause had Paul to desire to be with Christ that he might be out of trouble Yet he wil not dissolue himself but desireth to be dissolued that is that he which brought him into this world would take him out of the world neither doth he wish or pray or make any petitioÌ„ to God to take away his life but tels him his desire desiring to be dissolued to desire is not to pray but shewes what we approue neither doth he desire so to be dissolued as though he were weary of his labors would suffer no more for Christ but he is content to liue as he saith in the 24. vers Neuertheles for me to abide in the flesh were better for you as if he should say to do you good I am content to suffer euil and stay still from Christ whom I long to be with Seeing then that he wil not dissolue himself nor pray to be dissolued but is content to liue stil why doth he say I desire to be dissolued Onelie to shew what he preferreth in his desire if hee might choose life or death for his owne respect he could be content to leaue friends and riches and pleasures and life and all onely to bee with Christ This seemes to be a good lesson for sickemen when they can liue no longer then to be with Christ were better then to be with the glutton which neuer thought of heauen til he was in hell but Paul was not sicke nor sore when he desired to be dissolued therefore this is not onely for the sicke but for the whole If he had wished to liue stay still in the world no man need to be taught to say after him for yong old desire not to be dissolued but few are content to bee dissolued To a naturall man in this life nothing is so sweete as life it selfe and he which is in loue with this world seldome dyeth quietly vpon his bed but to a minde which misliketh this worlde nothing can come so welcome as death because it takes him out of the world This it is which Paul would haue vs learne that nothing in this world is so pretious or pleasant that for it we should desire to liue or stay from God one hower though all may not wish to die yet all must subscribe to this that death is better then life because it leads to Christ which when Paul had throughlie tasted he was satisfied for all things else and desired to liue no longer that he might bee with Christ heerein appeareth the end of mans life which when he hath obtayned he desireth to liue no longer how great riches and honours and friends soeuer he leaue behind him From the time he knoweth Christ crucified and begins like Enoch to walke with God he cryeth euer after with the Apostle I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ who shall deliuer mee from this bodie of sinne death weare to me aduantage Euen as Simeon reioiced that Christ came to him so the faithfull reioice that they shall go to Christ The necessitie of sinne is so irksome to him which knoweth the vilenesse of sinne that the faithfull man but to doe good would not liue
drunkenes hath made him like a beast euery man abhorreth him like a beast as they did Nabuchadnezzar the spirit flyeth from him least he should greiue it his friends goe awaie least he should shame them and no vertues dare come neere least he should defile them How many things flie out when wine goes in How is it then that hee which loueth himselfe can be so cruell to himselfe that he should loue his life and shorten his life that he should loue his health and destroy his health that hee should loue his strength and weaken his strength that hee shoulde loue his wealth and consume his wealth that he should loue his credite and cracke his credite that hee should loue his vnderstanding and ouerturne his vnderstanding that he should loue his beautie and deforme his beautie The Poets neede fayne no more that men are transformed into beasts for if they were liuing now they should see men like beasts some like Lyons some like Wolues some like Foxes some like Beares some like Swine who is the beast when the beasts satisfie nature and man satisfieth appetite when the beasts keepe measure and man exceedes measure when the beasts are sound labouring and man found surfetting who is the beast I haue read of a bird which hath the face of a man but is so cruell of nature that sometime for hunger shee will set vpon a man and slaye him after when shee comes for thirst vnto the water to drinke seeing the face in the water like the face of him whom shee deuoured for griefe that shee hath killed one like her selfe takes such sorrowe that shee neuer eateth nor drinketh after but beates and frets and pines her selfe to death What wilt thou doe then which hast not slaine one like thy selfe but thy selfe thy verie selfe with a cup of wine and murtherest so many graces vertues in an houre As Esau solde his lande and liuing for a messe of pottage so the drunkard selleth his sense and wit and memorie and credite for a cuppe of wine Thou hast not murthered thy brother like Caine but thou hast murthered thy selfe like Iudas as the Rechabites abstained from wine as Ionadab bad them obtayned the blessing which God had appoynted to the Israelites so let vs take heed least they which we account Idolaters whilest they fast and watch and obtayne the blessing that GOD hath appoynted for vs get away the blessing while wee sit downe to eare and 〈◊〉 to play Therefore as Christ sayd Remember Lots wise so I say remember Lot one houre of drunkennesse did him more hurt the â—all his enemies in Sodome Remember Noah one houre of drunkennesse discouered that which was hid sixe hundred yeares Ten times more might bee sayd agaynst this vice but if I haue sayd enough to make you abhorre it I haue sayde as much as I would Some goe about to excuse Noah because hee was an olde man and therefore might soone bee taken cup-shot some because the Wines were hotter in those Countries then they are with vs some because of his change of drinkes which had not wonted himselfe to wine before some because as most men delight in that which by great labour they haue brought to passe of themfelues so no maruel though Noah had a longing to his owne grapes following herein the example of a curious Cooke which dooth sip and sip his broth to taste whether it bee well seasoned that he may amend it if he can or amend the next but as the flye by often dallying with the candle at last scorcheth her wings with the flame so taking he was taken and at last was drunke yet this is imputed to him for his fault that he was drunke as the punishment which followes doth witnes Such is the prouidence of God that his mercie might bee glorified in all he hath concluded all vnder sinne and suffered the best to fall that no man might trust in his owne strength and that we seeing their repeÌ„tance may learne to rise againe how grieuous so euer our sinnes bee If we haue been Idolaters if adulterers if persecutors if murmurers if murtherers if blasphemers if drunkards Aron and Moses and Lot and Abraham Dauid and Salomon and Peter and Paul and Noah haue been the like who raigne now in the kingdome of Christ with his Angels and so may we if we repent like them These examples saith Paul are not written for our imitation but for our admonition Thus you haue seene Noah sober and Noah drunken whereby wee may see that a man may bee drunk with his own wine he may surfet with his owne meates he may lust with his owne wife he may offend with his owne gifts his owne honor may make him proud his owne riches may make him couetous his owne strength may make him venturous his owne wit may make him contentious therefore as the childe pluckes out the sting before hee takes the honey so let euery man before hee receiue the gifts of God sit downe and looke what baites what snares what temptations sathan hath hid in them and when hee hath taken out the sting then eate the honey and he shall vse the blessings of Christ as Christ did himselfe FINIS A GLASSE FOR DRVNKARDS 22 And when Cham the father of Canaan saw the nakednesse of his father he told his two brethren without 23 Then tooke Shem and Iaphet a garment and put it vpon both their shoulders and went backward and couered the nakednesse of their father with their faces backward so they sawe not their fathers nakednesse 24 Then Noah awoke from his wine and knewe what his younger sonne had done vnto him 25 And sayd Cursed be Canaan a seruant of seruants shall he be vnto his brethren 26 He sayd moreouer Blessed be the Lord God of Shem and let Canaan be his seruant 27 God perswade Iaphet that he may dwell in the tents of Shem and let Canaan be his seruant c. YOu haue here the Storie of Noah and his sonnes As Noah did well and euill so he had good sonnes and euill but as his vertues were more notorious then his vices so GOD blessed him more then he crossed him for he had two good sonnes and but one euill sonne his good sonnes were Shem and Iaphet his wicked sonne was ChaÌ„ his good sonnes were blessed his wicked son was cursed First of the father and then of his sonnes In Noah first you see his husbandrie and then his drunkennesse and after his nakednesse In Cham first you see his mockerie and after his curse in Shem and Iaphet first you see their reuerence and after their blessing Of Noahs drunkennesse and his husbandrie we haue spoken now a word of his nakednesse Drinking of the wine he was drunke and was vncouered in the midst of his tent c. It is sayd that drunken porters keepe open gates so when Noah was drunken he set all open as wine went in so wit went out as wit went out so his cloathes
Dauid as appeareth in the first booke of Samuel the thirteenth Chapter fourteenth verse As all those whom God set ouer his people in his mercy and not in his anger had some note of excellencie aboue the rest which God chose them by as it were the Magistrates marke the mildest man Numb 12. 3. or the wisest man 1. Reg. 4. 31. or the iustest man Heb. 7. 2. as though if all these had met in one the inquisition should haue staied there and all giue place to him but our vertues are so singled that he which was called the mildest is not called the wisest and hee which was called the wisest is not called the iustest as though God found some defect in his owne election For when hee chose one milde another wise another iust he shewed that hee would haue one which is milde and wise and iust like himselfe that is as I may say a man made euen in print As Paul biddeth to choose widdowes which were widdowes indeed 1. Tim. 5. 3. so we should choose Magistrates which are Magistrates indeed that is such as seem to be sent of God for that purpose as Pharaoh chose Ioseph because he was the fittest in all the Land Gen. 41. 38. Elisha thought that the single spirite was not enough but required that the spirite of Eliah might be doubled vpon him because he was a Prophet which should teach others so we should picke out them which haue a double spirit to be Magistrates because they must gouerne others as God picketh foorth Iosua in Moses roome hee might haue chosen many out of all Israel which had the spirite of widome but he chose Iosua of whom he sayth that hee was full of the spirite of wisedome Deut. 24. 9. shewing that if one bee better than another he should be chosen before the rest because the best haue said Send another Exod. 4. 14. as though none were fit but for want of Angels we are faine to make Magistrates of men Therefore as Samuel went ouer all the sonnes of Ishai to annoint a successour to Saul and put back one after another which thought themselues fit yet there was but one amongst them which pleased God and the Prophet could scarce discerne him so necessarie it is that this choyce bee committed to none but to the godly because he which would haue chosen the best yet liked another before him Therefore there was such a scrutinie amongst the tribes to finde out the man whom God had chosen as Iethro taught Moses to cull out of all the people those which had best courage and feared God and dealt truly and hated couetousnes Therefore a wicked man may not supply the place of God as the Scribes and Pharisies sate in Moses Chaire but as it is said of Iudas Let another take his place so let better take their place for they which are called Gods must be like God If all should be holy as he is holy how much more should they be pure as he is pure wise as he is wise iust as he is iust which beare his name which supplie his person and guide the world vnto good or euill If the race should be to the swift and the battell to the strong then as Saul did exceed all the men of Israel from the shoulders vpward so he which commaunds others should exceede other in giftes of grace that they may know him from the rest and say this is hee for he exceedes the rest in vertue as Saul did in stature like the King of Bees which is fairest of all the hiue Therefore if Pharao would let none but Ioseph gouerne Egypt Pharao shall rise vp against those Kings which care not whom they place ouer their people imitating Rehoboam which made them his companions whome he should haue expelled from his Court 1. King 12. 8. Secondly this extolleth the calling of Magistrates As Iacob honored Iosephs children when he said they should bee called after his name so God honoureth the Magistrates when he giues them his owne name calling them Gods as though there were a kinde of Godhead in them These things pertayne to the wise and they themselues do not alwayes see it yet he which hath a spirituall eye and carries the patterne of GOD in his hart may see another like nesse of God in Magistrates than in common persons As the builders of the Temple had a speciall wisedome and spirit which God gaue them for that worke which they were chosen too so when Samuel had anoynted Dauid hee saith that the spirite of the Lord came vppon Dauid from that day forward as though hee had anoeher spirite after than he had before There is difference betweene Kings inferior Magistrates for the Prince is like a great Image of God the Magistrates are like little Images of God appoynted to rule for God to make lawes for God to reward for GOD to punish for God to speak for God to fight for God to reforme for God and therefore their Battelles are called the Lordes battailes and their Iudgements the Lordes Iudgements and their Throne the Lords Throne and the Kings themselues his Kings to shewe that they are all for God like his hands by some he reacheth mercy by some iustice by some peace by some counsel as Christ distributed the loaues and the fishes by the hands of his Disciples This God requires of all when he cals them Gods to rule as he would rule iudge as he would iudge correct as he would correct reward as hee would reward because it is said that they are instead of the Lord Godâ— that is to doe as he would doo as a Scholler writes by a Copie This is a good studie for Magistrates in all their iudgementes to consider what GOD would doo because they are in steede of God I rule for God I speake for God I iudge for God I reward for God I correct for God then as hee woulde doo and determine so must be my sentence As we should thinke how Christ prayed before we pray and how hee spake before we speake because his actions are our instructions so they should thinke how Christ would iudge before they iudge because Gods lawe is appoynted for their lawe Such a thought must needes leuel the way before them put them in mind of a good iust holy iudgement because God is good iust and holy Thirdly they are called Gods to teach them how they should gouerne Howsoeuer other care for the glory of God the performance of his will the reformation of his Church Princes and Rulers which are Gods themselues are to doe the businesse of God as their owne busines because they are Gods Gods busines is their busines Gods Lawe is their Lawe Gods honour is their honour When the King or Iudge or Magistrate doth seek the Kingdome and glorie of God he should thinke he seeketh his owne
to keep his wickednes in remembrance because hee solde his birth-right for a messe of red pottage So Simon is called the Sorcerer as though GOD would note him for the worst of that name So God knoweth Simon Peter from Simon Magus and Iudas his brother from Iudas his betrayer and therefore as Ieroboam comes in with his trayne after him Ieroboam which made Israel to sinne So Iudas comes in with his trayne after him Iudas which betrayed the Lord For when God sayde I will honour them which honour mee hee signified how hee woulde dishonour them which disnour him and therefore this name is a word of reproach vntill this day and all Traytours are called Iudasses for his sake that the Prophesie might bee fulfilled The names of the wicked shall rot that is they shall be named with lothsomnes and remembred with disdayne as a man passeth by a rotten carrion and stoppeth his nose vntill hee be past it This is the iust wrath of God As Christ promised that Maries good worke shoulde bee spoken of to the worldes ende So hee hath caused Iudas euill worke to bee spoken of vnto the worldes ende too For there were three euilles in one First his practise was impudent because hee offered himselfe to bee a Traytour before he was asked Then it was Couetous because hee was contented to betray his Lord for 30. pence And lastly it was craftie because hee betrayed him with a kisse which is a signe of loue Like this traitour do all other traitours and therefore are all called Iudasses that is impudent and couetous and craftie like their master The next consideration is how Iudas his repentance came vpon him in these wordes When hee sawe that Iesus was condemned c. Peter heard three crowes before he felt any remorse so Iudas saw his Lord apprepended yet he repented not then he saw him accused and yet he repented not then he sawe him mocked yet he repented not then he sawe him buffeted yet he repented not at last he sawe him condemned and then saith Mathew he repented like one which slayeth his friend in his rage and sorroweth when it is past In the sixt of Genesis God is said to repent but GOD repenteth not like men so here the wicked are said to repent but the wicked repent not like the faithfull But as it is said of Esau that he sought repentance so they may bee rather saide to repent than to repent in deede For if Iudas had repented like Peter he should haue been forgiuen like Peter but to shewe that hee did not repent well when he had coÌ„mitted one sinne he addeth another to it for when he had murthered his maister hee murthered himselfe too Therefore if you aske how hee repented I thinke he repented so as most vsurers repent vpon their death-beds There is a shame of sinne guilt of conscience feare of iudgement euen in the reprobate which is a foretaste of hell which the wicked feele euen as peace of conscience ioy in the holy Ghost is a foretaste of heauen which the godly feele before they come thither So Iudas was displeased with the vglines of his trecherie and had a mishapen sorrowe like a Beares whelp but without any conuersion to God or hope of mercie or praier for pardon or purpose to amend Onely hee felt a shame and guilt and anguish in his heart which was rather a punishment of his sinne than a repentance for his sinne and a preparatiue to Hell which he was going vnto for hardnes of heart and despaire of mercie are sinnes punishments for sinne too but true repentaunce is such a sorrow for one sinne as breedeth a dislike of all sinnes and mooueth to pray and resolueth to amende which falleth vpon none but the elect and therefore Paule calleth the heart of the reprobate A heart which cannot repent But if the Papistes doctrine of repentance be true there is nothing wanting in Iudas repentance for in him may bee found all the partes of their repentance For we see in this reprobate contrition of heart confession of mouth and satisfaction of worke which is all the Papistes repentance For contrition it is saide Hee repented For Confession he saith I haue sinned For Satisfaction hee restored his money againe and yet he is Iudas the sonne of perdition and therefore as Christ tolde the Lawyer that one thing was wanting in his obedience so Iudas telleth the Papistes that one thing is wanting in their repentance that is the conuersion of a man to God change of mind when a sinner renounceth himself for shame of his sinne and yeeldeth to righteousnesse with as great loue as euer hee loued wickednes If Iudas had repented so he would rather haue suffered paine like Iob than by vnlawfull meanes ridde himselfe out of paine like Caine which thought to preuent Gods iudgments against him This was not a signe of repentance but a signe of despaire Therefore let euerie one learne this that so long as Gods mercie is greater than mans iniquitie there is no cause to despaire but to hope For why did our Sauiour saue Marie Magdalen which had seuen deuils and spare the theefe which neuer did good but lest as great sinners as they should despaire of mercie if they repented If thou canst knocke his promise bindeth him to open Therefore say not God will not giue but I doe not aske for God is readier to giue then wee to aske The next consideration is how Iudas restored his bribe againe In the first of the Prouerbes 31. Salomon saith The wicked shall bee filled with their owne deuises And in the 14. Chapter 14. verse hee saith They shall be satiat with their owne wayes For Iudas hath sinned so long that now he is wearie of his sinne would restore his bribe againe euen the same daie that he tooke it It was giuen him in the night and in the morning hee brought it backe So soone is the pleasure of sinne ecclipsed Euen nowe his thirtie pence was the sweetest siluer that euer hee fingured and now it is the bitterest money that euer he pursed Therefore let all consider what Abner sayde vnto Ioab Knowest thou not that it will bee bitternes in the latter end 2. Sam. 2. 26. The sting of the Serpent is in his taâ—le so the taile of sin hath the sting that is the ende There is no sinne but it hath three punishmentes which followe it like bondmaides Feare Shame and Guilt Feare of iudgement shame of men and guilt of conscience All these did surprise Iudas at once so studdenlie as Adam spyed his nakednes and though they come after euerie sinne yet they are neuer looked for Gehesi tooke his bribe merrilie but hee did weare it heauilie Iezabel thought that shee had got a Vineyarde for nothing but shee payed more for it than shee woulde giue for all the world So Iudas thought that hee was made for euer when hee
and so shall the people be left without a guide to goe in and out before them and then shall they be readie and a fit pray for the Wolfe Well we see that Iosua here is better incouraged and it is not without a cause that God would haue Iosua thus incouraged For if hee had an eare at euerie mans mouth hee would rather wish to die with Moses vpon the mount than take in hand to bring such wicked Caines into the lande of Canaan That which olde Ieâ—hro taught Moses that a gouernour had neede to be a man of courage heere he findeth true for nothing more burteth Iustice than feare Therefore a Magistrate had need to be such a one as shall not feare the face of any whatsoeuer which caused Moses to speake so ofteÌ„ to Iosua bidding him to bee of good courage And to that end God commaundeth Moses againe and againe to incourage him vsing these three words Charge incourage and imbolden him as the cock crowed thrise that if Peter were sleepe the first and the second time yet he might at last awake him Now it resteth that I shoulde incourage Iosua which succeedeth me But how should I begin to incourage him or where shoulde I begin shall I tell him that he shall liue now at ease and in security No. Why how should I incourage Iosua shall I tell him you will loue him and follow him and that hee shall finde you willing and forward in euery good action If I promise it shall I not lie If I become bounden for you shall I not forfeit I feare yes Why how then should I incourrage Iosua shall I tell him all will speake wel of him or shall I tell him none will slaunder him No. For if he be as righteous as Christ yet some of the Scribes and Pharisies will seeke to persecute him If hee will liue in quietnes he must not vtter all the Counsell of God though God commaund him Nor he must not reprooue some sinnes for then he shall be thought to enuie against some persons Nor he must not keepe company with the godlie for then shal he be accounted a partaker No he must not denie the company of the wicked for then he shall be accounted a Precisian a Puritane and I knowe not what But thou wilt saye what then is there no comfort for Iosua I answer yes And that is it may be after some 3. or 4. yeares labour and trauaile he shall winne some 2. or 3. vnto Christe which shall extinguish al griefe For God will one day reward him for his labour glorifie him in heauen But if Iosua should bee in trouble as he cannot almost otherwise choose if hee keepe a good conscience and reprooue the mightie vnder his charge then he shall see most of the great ones wil quite forsake him which now seeme to fauour him they wil see him persecuted like Christ and stand a farre off like Pilate and wash their handes as though they were innocent when it is in their power and authoritie to amend it If he stand out like a valiant souldier preuaile then all will draw vnto him But if hee faint for lack of strength although he weepe like Peter yet none will pitie him Therefore stand you to him both in prosperity aduersitie Loue him obey him in all righteousnes as the Iewes did their Iosua and heere I deliuer you vnto him with my loue leaue and good will I giue him my possession my labors my twelue moneths trauailes And here because I woulde not keepe you ouerlong like as Iosua kept the people before his death with an exhortation to feare God or as one friend holdeth another by the hand being loth to part I wil make an end beseeching you as Iosua besought the people of Israel that you will henceforward feare the Lord serue him in truth and put away all enuie and vngodlines that it may not be said they haue returned with the dog to his vomit or with the swine to their puddle but that you may go on forward in all goodnes seruing the Lord in spirite and trueth Then shall the God of heaueÌ„ blesse prosper you in all temporall graces and in the end glorifie you in the kingdome of heauen to the which the Lord for his mercies sake bringe you all Amen This was the last Sermon that Henry Smith made at Clement Danes FINIS The Dialogue betweene Paul and Agrippa Acts. 26. 27. O King Agrippa beleeuest thou the Prophets I know that thou beleeuest Then Agrippa said vnto Paule Almost thou perswadest me to become a Christian Then Paule saide I would to God that not onely thou but also all that heare me this daie were both almost and altogether such as I am except these bands IN this Dialogue betweene Agrippa the King and Paule the Apostle first you shall heare what Paule saith then you shall heare what Agrippa aunsweres after you shal heare what Paul replies In Agrippa you shall see what we are In Paule you shall see what we should be For the king shewes that hee is almost a Christian and the Apostle shewes that he should be altogether a Christian This is the summe of their confession First Paule begins and speakes as though he would teach vs a way to win sinners euery word is a motiue and shewes that hee which fisheth for soules had neede to haue many nets and obserue time and place and calling and fit al words before in his minde lest he lose his bait For vnlesse he seeke the vantage and get the vpper ground of sinne before he incouÌ„ter it is liker to giue him the foile as the Diuels did to the Exorcists than to be driuen out by him Therefore as Iacob came to Esaâ— with seuen curtesies to prepare his heart and turne his wrath before they met together so Paul vseth as it were three preambles before he imbrace this King First with a reuerent title O King Agrippa Secondly with a profitable question Doest thou beleeue the Prophets Thirdly with a fauorable preuention I knowe that thou beleeuest With these three congies he closeth so with King Agrippa that he could not start out of his circle the holie spirit so placed euery word when he ment to doe good that it was not possible to correct them so they hit in their speeches which haue that proÌ„pter and seeke not themselues but woulde faine speak that which might touch the hart win the hearer to God O King Agrippa I note here a questioÌ„ an obiectioÌ„ as though he were opponent correspondent too for he askes the question answers himselfe O King doest thou beleeue Now Agrippa should say I or no Paul takes the word out of his mouth lest he should say no hee answers for him I know thou beleeuest This is his preparatiue to Agrippa before hee come with that hard lesson to be a Christian altogether Before Paul had to deale with Festus
neuer brought Agrippa to altogether Therefore they which fishe for soul 〈◊〉 must take Paules net and remember what God saith to Ieremie 15. 19. Let them bee conuerted vnto thee But be not thou conuerted vnto them for then thou shalt neuer conuert them Signifiing that our constancie in goodnes shall induce others to turne from their wickednes and make him which is but almost come to altogether This is the substance of Paules replie that it is not enough to be a Christian almost that is to haue a kinde of religion a little knowledge a little faith a cold zeale a flattering holines like the touch of the hem but we must march to perfection and doe his will vpon earth as it is in heauen and contend to be holie as hee is holie This is religion saith Iames to keepe thy selfe vnspotted like a glasse which is still wiped To this end saith Paul 2. Tim. 3. The Scripture doth teache and reproue and instruct and comfort That the man of God might bee absolute And in the 1. to the Ephe. 41. To this ende wee were elected that wee might be holie and without blame And Rom. 1. He describes our iourney from faith to faith not from faith to distrust As Dauid describes the waie of the righteous Psal 840. 7. From vertue to vertue as a trauailer goes from towne to towne till he come to his Inne What a foolish thing were it for the Scribe to stay there whē our Lord telles him Thou art not farre from the kingdome of heauen for therefore Christ telleth him that he is not farre from heauen to incourage him lest he should giue ouer before he come to it So if yee staie at almost and repente in some sort as Esau did when hee wept you may hunt for the blessing as Esau did and goe without it for God is not mocked but God is mocked if colours and shewes will serue When GOD said Seeke my face mine heart aunswered said Dauid I will seeke thy face Psalme 27. 8. So wee must aunswere the Lorde to that which he asketh and not when hee biddes vs seeke his face seeke his backe when he requireth al giue him halfe God asketh Art thou a Christian and thou aunsweres O Lord I am almost a Christian What niggardlie aunswere is this to him which deserueth a thousande times more than the best can giue If thy maister aske thee art thou my seruant wilt thou aunswere him I am almost thy seruant If the Prince aske thee Art thou my subiect wilt thou aunswere I am almost thy subiect If thy father aske thee art thou my sonne wilt thou answere I am almost thy sonne If thou art but almost his son then he is but almost thy father And so it is with God a son or no sonne halfe a sonne is a bastard How doest thou know God to be thy God but as thou art his seruant How doest thou knowe God to be thy father but as thou art his son By thy loue thou shalt know Gods loue for according to thy minde towards him is his minde of thee whereby thou maist truelie iudge whether he fauour thee or hate thee and no way else God loueth nothing almost therefore he doth not loue almost Therefore loue as thou maist be loued or else thy loue is lost Thou must seeke as thou maist finde or else thy labour is lost They shall seeke and finde me saith God because they shall seeke with all their hearts as in Ieremie 29. Chapter and the 13. verse as though they should not finde him though they sought him vnlesse the sought him with all their hearts Naaman is not onelie commaunded to wash himselfe in Iordan but to washe himselfe seuen times and then he shall bee healed So man is not onely commaunded to obey God but to obey him while hee liues and then he shall be saued Be faithfull saith the Angell vnto death and then I will giue thee the Crowne of life Reuel 2 10. When Saul was commanded to kill the Idolatrous beasts he was commaunded to kil all and because he spared some God reiected him Yet God hath more mercie on beasts than on sins Would he haue the beasts of sinners die their vices liue No saith Christ Make cleane within that is leaue no filth behind Whensoeuer Christ cast out one deuill we read that he cast out al euē the legion together so when thou castest out one vice cast out all for one is not worthier than another The Prophet doth teach vs to power out our sins like water which leaueth no taste or colour or sent behinde There is a whole old man and there must be a whole newe man The old man must change with the new man wisedome for wisedome loue for loue feare for feare his worldlie wisedome for heauenlie wisedome his carnall loue for spirituall loue his seruile feare for Christian feare his idle thoughts for holy thoughtes his vaine wordes for wholesome wordes his fleshlye workes for righteous workes This is a Christian altogether as if he were cast in a newe mould As a Painter woulde drawe a beautifull picture which should bee fairer than all women in the worlde hee would marke the speciall grace of euerie one and make one beautie of all so we must make vp a Christian and take modestie from him faith from him loue from him patience from him zeale from him and humility from him vntill it be like the Image of Christ This is the building of a Christian First his foundation is laide and then his walles and then his roofe and then a Christian like Adam in Paradise God made all things good therefore if we bee but almost good all thinges are better than wee The wicked man speaketh out of the corruption of his fleshlie heart and shall not the righteous speake of the aboundance of his spirituall heart Hee which is merrie would be merrier if he knew how He which is enuious would looke sterner if he could He which is proud would goe brauer if hee had it and all if wee could bee worse wee would but let them amend which looke to die For what kinde of man should hee bee which must beare the Image of God be the Temple of the holie Ghost and inherite the kingdome of heauen Who is fit for these things saith Paul Nay who is fit for these things Do ye know no enough in riches nor pleasure nor sinne and thinke that you haue enough of religion before yee haue any The good are knowne because none but they which are good striue to be better Wee are inuited to a banquet shall we go but halfe the way vnto it Were it not better that the fig-tree had borne fruites than leaues that the Virgins had carried oyle than lamps So is it not better for vs to be vessels of gold that come to the Lords table than like the image in Daniel part of gold part of siluer part of brasse part of iron part of clay
ounces and workes by number a Sicle or an Omer or an Epha but that yee abound in all knowledge and all zeale and let them bee luke-warme which will be spued out Except my bands yet Paule excepteth somthing not his knowledge nor his zeale but his bands Not altogether as I am but altogether as I am except these bands He excepteth nothing but his troubles Charity had rather suffer than other should suffer as Dauid prayed God to turne his wrath from the Israelites vpon him Now if yee aske me who can loue his neighbour as himselfe Heere is one that had rather suffer himselfe than Agrippa should suffer he would haue him partaker in all his good but not in his troubles As I am except these bandes Paul glories in his bands and shewes his chaynes like his Ensignes these are the markes of Christ this is the cognisance of my Lord his sweete yoake and easie burden But he wisheth faith to them without a burden the battaile is to the strong the Crosse is not to be wished for but to be borne Thus the spirit of wisdome hath set vs an example how men are wonne to the trueth and led forward by little and little with lenitie and softnes putting difference betweene them which know not the trueth and them which resist the trueth Paul did not speak so to Elimas the Sorcerer which withstood the truth Act. 13. 16. But set his eyes vppon him said O full of all subtiltie and mischiefe the childe of the Diuell and enemie of all righteousnes Neither did Peter speak so to Simon Magus Act. 8. 23. But as Salomon saith A wise man knoweth the time and place and as Paule saith the Spirituall man discerneth all things so he knoweth when to be soft and when to be rough They which resist the truth as Elimas and labour to keepe the Rulers from it as Elimas did Sergius Paulus the Deputie of Cyprus and many like him now must not bee intreated like Agrippa which is comming to the truth but as Elimas was Hee which hath Pauls Spirit knoweth how to handle both in their kind Though we may not discouer the nakednesse of some yet wee may not hide the nakednesse of other An humble heart is a good Schoolmaister both to apply comfort and reproofe Now the Lord Iesus which hath made you Christians almost make you Christians altogether FINIS The humilitie of Paul Rom. 12. 1. 2. verse I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that ye giue vp your bodies a liuing Sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God which is your reasonable seruing of God And fashion not your selues like vnto this World but be you changed by the renuing of your minde that ye may prooue what is the good wil of God and acceptable and perfect PAul an Apostle to the Gētiles writing to the Romanes which were Gentiles after he had shewed what God had done for them in receiuing them into his couenant which were out of his couenaunt and making them his people which were not his people that the Gentiles might triumph nowe ouer the Iewes as much as the Iewes triumphed ouer the Gentiles because the Iewes were reiected and the Gentiles receiued in their place Nowe hee sheweth what they should doe for God Giue your bodies a Sacrifice to him that is as Christ gaue himselfe for you so you must giue your selues to him as he was sacrificed for you so you must bee sacrificed for him not your sheepe nor your Oxen nor your Goates but your selues You must be the Sacrifice this Sacrifice Paul calleth a liuing and holy and acceptable sacrifice a liuing sacrifice because the Iewes sacrifices were dead sacrifices an holie sacrifice because they might sacrifice beastes and not be holy but they cannot Sacrifice themselues but they must needs be holy An acceptable Sacrifice before the sacrifices of beasts did not please God vnlesse they did sacrifice themselues too But if they sacrifice themselues it doth please God though they doe not sacrifice beasts It is true that God did require this sacrifice of the Iewes as well as the Gentiles for in Deu. the tenth Chapter and the sixteenth verse he saith Circumcise your heartes in the first of Samuel the 15. Chap. and 22. ver he saith Obedience is better than sacrifice which shews that euen then God did require the sacrifice of the bodie more than of beasts but although God did require this of the Iewes also that they shoulde sacrifice their bodie◠too yet Paul signifies that God requireth larger of the Gentiles because a Christ saith we haue a greater light The Gospell is a greater benefite than the law and therefore our thankfulnes should be greater than theirs First here is an exhortation to sacrifice our bodies to God Then an explication what this sacrifice is It is your reasonable seruice and not fashioning your selues to the World and the renuing of your mindes to the image of GOD in which they were created Then follow two reasons to perswade one drawn from the mercies of God I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God The other drawn from the fruit of our regeneration that ye may proue what that good and acceptable and perfect will of God is The exhortation is to sacrifice our selues to God It seemes that the Iewes grudged to sacrifice their beaster therefore Paule thought that the Gentiles would grudge to sacrifice themselues and therefore marke how he prepared himselfe for them Brethren I heseech you by the mercies of GOD. This is his preparatiue First hee calles them Brethren which shewes his affection to all Christians which after Christ were called brethren Secondly our adoption by Christ which makes vs brethren Thirdlie the dutie which we owne one to an other as if we were brethren The Apostles do not vse this name so lightly as we as you may see here for Paul made it a preamble to perswade the Romans to godlines So Abraham made it a mediatour to keepe peace betweene Lot and him Are we not brethren saith Abraham as if hee shoulde say shall brethren fall out for trifles like infidels This was enough to pacifie Lot for Abraham to put him in minde that they were brethren when hee hearde the name of brethren straight his heart yeelded and the strife was ended so this should bee the Lawyer to end quarrels betweene Christians to cal to mind that they are brethren And they which haue spent all at lawe wisht that they had taken this Lawyer to thinke with Lot whether it were meete for brethren to striue like enemies with such reuerence then they did vse the name of brethren but nowe there is no reuerence in naming of GOD For manie speak of him when they do not think of him and many neuer speake of him but whē they sweare by him When he had called them brethren then he beseecheth them Brethren I beseech you This is the Apostles stile If God did humble himselfe for
man much more should mā humble himselfe for men therefore though Paul speake of a matter wherein he might commaunde as he saith to Philemon I might commaund thee yet as he did rather beseech him so he doth rather beseech them Marke the subtiltie of wisedome as I may call it As the serpent did vse pollicie to tempt so the Preacher may vse pollicie to conuert and so Paule won Agrippa to beleeue by perswading him that he did beleeue It was Pauls Office to teach the Romans but it was Pauls pollicie to beseech the Romans vntill compulsion need gentlenes is better than bitternesse Lenitie deserues to goe first and correction hath no place if perswasion wil serue I beseech you brethren we doe not vse to intreat and beseech but for our profite but Paul did beseech them for their profite Wee would haue other humble themselues to vs but Paul humbled himselfe to his inferiours to make them humble themselues to God Here the Preachers may take example of the Preacher of the Gentiles the louing phrase is the Apostles phrase and hee which beseecheth shall perswade easier than hee which thundereth Many haue beene drawn with the cordes of loue which coulde neuer bee haled with the chaines of iron God is loue and his Ministers must speake like loue or else they doe not speake like Paul he which fisheth for soules and doth not take his Net shall fish all daie as Peter fished all night and catch nothing Although a temperate Preacher be a wise Preacher and this be our pollicie to intreat and beseech you like Paul yet you should not looke to be intreated like the guestes which woulde not come but to bee compelled like the guests which came to the banquet For you must be intreated to your profit It is no reason that Christ should pay and pray the seruant praieth but the maister commaundeth Yet Paul hath not done his preparatiue hee is loth that his suite shoulde take the repulse and therefore he vseth a Mediatour vnto them and beseecheth them by the mercies of God I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God mercie is a louing soliciter and worthy to be heard because it heareth againe God doth intreate vs by the same Mediatour that we intreat God we intreate God for his mercie and God intreateth vs for his mercie So that mercie is like a signe betweene vs which calleth God to heare vs and vs to heare him What will not a good subiect doo for a mercifull Prince Many sweet things are in the worde of God but the name of mercy is the sweetest word in all the scriptures which made Dauid harpe vpon it 26. times in one Psalme sixe and twentie times he repeats this in the hundred thirtie and sixt Psalme For his mercie endureth for euer It was such a cheerefull note in his eares when he stroke vpon mercie that like a bird which is taught to record when he had sung it hee sang it againe and when hee had sung it againe he recorded it againe and made it the burden of his song For his mercie endureth for euer Like a Nightingale which when she is in a pleasant vaine quauers and capers and trebles vpon it so did Dauid vpon his mercie For his mercie endureth for euer But heere Paule speakes in the plural number not by the mercie but by the mercies of God There is a plurality of Gods mercies his lesser mercies in his corporall blessinges and his greater mercies in his spirituall blessinges his temperall mercies in earth and his euerlasting mercies in heauen his preuenting mercies in deliuering vs from sinne and his following mercies in pardoning of our sinne Howe many sinnes came with Adam and howe many curses came with sinne so manie mercies came with Christ to answere thē both Therefore when Paule coulde not number them for multitude hee was faine to laie them downe together in the grosse summe and in a word called them mercies as if hee should saie I cannot number the mercies of God but the lesse I can number them the more they are Thus much why Paul calleth them brethren and why he beseecheth them and why hee remembreth them of Gods mercies Now he hath prepared the way he commenceth his suite that they woulde giue their bodies to God hee speakes not heere of the soule though he would haue them giue their soules too As you may see in the next verse but he speakes heere of the bodie to shewe that the bodie is a seruant to God as well as the soule both are too little and therefore one is not enough And therefore Paul saith Glorifie GOD in your bodies and in your soules too but here he speakes the rather of the bodie to shewe that their battaile will be with the fleshe and that the fleshe will be vnwilling to this Sacrifice as Christ saith the spirit is willing but the flesh is fraile That is the fleshe will not afforde anie thing to GOD though he do neuer so much for her yet she is like churlish Naball which will doe nothing againe Therefore the Apostle vrgeth so to giue the body as if he should say drawe forwarde that which he draweth backeward and let the conuersion beginne where sinne hath his roote if you can winne the fleshe which is like Nabal the soule will come like Abigail and bring her traine with her Now to shew how we should giue our bodies to God the Apostle saith giue your bodies a Sacrifice to God That is you must giue your bodies to God as if you did Sacrifice them The Lawe appointed a Sacrifice in which all the members were offered together So yee must giue your members to God for the bodie is all all is but partes of the bodie therfore if you must giue your bodies you must geue eie eare tongue hand and feete vnto him For the heart sayth Paule doth but beleeue because it is not enough to beleeue therefore hee addeth the mouth doth confesse as it is as necessary to confesse vnto Saluation as to beleeue vnto Iustification So it is as necessary to sacrifice the tongue as the heart What then is the tongue enough Nay sayth Christ hee which hath an eare to heare let him heare Is the eare enough Nay saith Dauid Lift vp your handes to his Sanctuarie Is the hand enough Nay saith Salomon Let thine eyes beholde the right Is the eye enough Nay saith Salomon Remoue thy foote from euill So the worde passeth like a Collectour from one member to another to gather tribute for GOD vntill the body haue paied as well as the soule Therefore in Deut. 6. 5. GOD commaundeth not onely Thou shalt loue the Lord with all thy soule with all thy mind but with all thy strength that is if thou canst doe any thing for him with the strength of thyne hand or the strength of thyne eie or the strength of thine eare or any part else
First heere is to bee noted that amongst the blessings of Iob his children are reckoned first so soone as the holy Ghost was past his spirituall blessings which he mentioneth in the first verse of all before all his other blessings landes and houses and goods and cattell and friends and seruants hee speakes of his children as the chiefest treasure which Iob had next vnto his vertues although hee was counted the greatest man for riches and cattels and all things else in all the east parts 3. verse Therefore the Diuell when hee had taken away all his other riches tooke away his children last of al trying him as it were by degrees as if he should say I haue a greater plague for him yet if the loosing of his goods and stealing of his cattell and burning of his houses and slaying of his seruauntes will not moue him yet I know what will rowse him when his children are all feasting together I will raise a mighty wind and blow downe the house vppon their heads and kill euery sonne daughter which he hath at a clap Indeed this newes frighted him forest as appeareth in the 20. verse his patience was so great that when they brought him word of his oxen camels and asses and sheepe he neuer shrinked we doe not reade that he made any answer as though he cared not for thē but whē he heard that his deare children seuen sonnes and three daughters after he had brought thē vp to ripe yeares were slaine all at once then the story saith that he rose vp from his seat and rent his garments and shaued his head and fell downe to the ground and cryed Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne againe So euen the diuell knoweth what a man loueth and what a blessing it is to haue children therefore when God commaunded the man and the woman to increase and multiply it is saide before that God blessed them Gen. 1. 28. which was the first blessing that was giuen to man which is called a blessing The blessing of children Againe when God spake the same words to Noah his sonnes it is said before that God blessed Noah his sons Gen. 9. 4. so children came still vnder the name of blessing Thus God himself sheweth that children are his gifts to make you thankfull for them and carefull of them as Iob was And therefore some men haue more riches and some lesse some none because it is the blessing of God as Salomon saith which maketh rich Pro. 10. 22. so some men haue many children some few some none because it is the blessing of God as Dauid saith which sendeth children Psal 128. But this is the difference betweene temporall blessings and spirituall blessings that spirituall blessings are simplie good and therefore doe all men good that enioy them as faith and loue and patiēce can neuer hurt a man but better him and temporall blessings are as he which hath them to good man riches are good honors are good health is good libertie is good because he doth good with them but to an euil man they are euill because they make him worse and he doth euill with them as Ieroboam had not done so much hurt if he had not been in such honour Therefore we pray for health and wealth and honour and rest and libertie and life with a caution If it bee Gods will As Christ praied for the remouing of his crosse because we knowe not whether they be good or euill whether they will make vs better or worse or whether wee shall doe good with them or hurt Thus when Iob had his cattell and his houses and his friends and his seruants and his children about him hee was like the man of whom Dauid speakes The righteous man shall flourish like a palme tree Psalm 91. 13. Therefore the diuell sayd that God had made an hedge about Iob. vers 10. As an hedge goeth round about a garden so Gods blessings went round about Iob according to that Psal 33. 10. Him which trusteth in the Lord mercie shall embrace on euery side Thus Iob was endowed with children but how his children were affected we cannot define so well as of their father because the holie Ghost saith nothing of them but that they banquetted which doth sound as though he noted a disparagement betweene Iob and his sonnes as there was betweene Ely and his sonnes for oftentimes a godly father hath vntoward children which make him watch and fast and pray weepe when they little think while they themselues ruffle and sweare and banquet and game till pouertie fall on their purses as the house fell vpon their heads so it seemes that Iobs sonnes were secure vpon their fathers holines as many are vpon their fathers husbandrie which thinke the olde man hath enough for vs we need not care to get or saue so they might thinke Our father sacrificeth for vs wee may feast and be merrie his deuotion will serue for vs he is an olde man let him pray and GOD will heare him One Lot is enough in an house but if Iob had bred vp his sonnes so God would not haue commended him but rebuked him as he did Ely Therfore this is not spoken against Iobs sons that they banquetted as it is spoken against the Israelites that they sate them downe to eate and rose vp to play For first it is not like that hee which was so cōmēded of God that he said No man was like him vpon the earth vers 8. would not teach his children in their youth as he prayed for them after Agayne if they had been Epicures and Libertines and beazlers GOD would not haue heard his prayer for them no more then he would heare Samuels prayer for Saul Agayne if they had despised that GOD which their father worshipped hee would neuer haue sayd as hee saith It may bee that my sonnes haue blasphemed God as though some fault might scape them by ignorance or rashnes but he would haue sayd My sonnes are blasphemers and therefore I must punish them For that which the lawe sayd against blasphemers after that Iob vnderstoode by the lawe of conscience written in his heart as Paul sayth Rom. 2. 15. Agayne if they had vsed theyr feasts for theyr lusts like them which say Let vs eate and drinke for to morrowe wee shall dye it had beene vayne for Iob to speake to them of sanctification for they would not haue sanctified themselues at his bidding But it is sayde that before Iob offered sacrifice for them they were sanctified that is they considered the faults which they had committed and repented for them and reconciled themselues then Iob sacrificed for them Again if their feasts had been surfetings and disorders like our Wakes and Reuels Iob should haue forbidden their feasts not praied God to pardon their sinnes which they committed in feasting suffer them to sinne still for that were to mock God
astonish me because the Iudges sonne is my aduocate the diuel doth not amaze me because the Angels pitch about me The graue doth not grieue me because it was my Lords bed Oh that Gods mercy to me might mooue other to loue him for the lesse I can expresse it the more it is The Prophets and Apostles are my fore-runners euery man is gone before me or else he will follow after mee if it please God to receiue me into heauen before them which haue serued him better I owe more thankefulnes vnto him And because I haue deferred my repentance till this houre whereby my saluation is cut off if I should die sodainly Lo how my God in his merciful prouidence to preuent my destruction calleth me by a lingering sicknes which staieth till I be ready and prepareth mee to my end like a preacher and makes me by wholesome paines weary of this beloued worlde least I should depart vnwilling like them whose death is their damnation So he loueth me while he beateth me that his stripes are plasters to salue me therefore who shall loue him if I despise him This is my whole office now to strengthen my body with my heart and be contented as God hath appointed vntill I can glorifie him or vntil he glorifie me If I liue I liue to sacrifice and if I die I die a â—acrifice for his mercy is aboue mine iniquitie Therefore if I should feare death it were a signe that I had not faith nor hope as I professed but that I doubted of Gods truth in his promise whether he will forgiue his penitent sinner or no. It is my father let him doe what seemeth good in his sight Come Lord Iesus for thy seruant commeth I am willing helpe my vnwillingnes Thus the faythful departe in another sort with such peace and ioy round about them that all which see wish that their soules may followe theirs A Letter written to ones friend in his sicknes BEloued I maruel not that you haue paine for you are sicke but I maruel that you couer it not for offence because the wisdome of a man is to bite in his griefe alwaies to shew more comfort in God than pain in suffering Now God calleth to repetitions to see whether you haue learned more constancie than others if sicknes be sharpe make it not sharper with frowardnes but know this is a great fauour to vs when we die by sicknes which maketh vs ready for him that calleth vs â—ow you haue nothing to think vpon but God you cannot think vpon him without ioy your griefe passeth but your ioy will neuer passe Tell me patient how many stripes is heauen worth Is my friend onely sicke it the world or his fayth weaker than others You haue alwayes prayed Thy will be done now are you offended that Gods wil is done How hath the faithful man forgotten that all things euen death turne to the best to them that loue God Teach the happy O Lord to see his happines through troubles Euery pain is a preuention of the paines of hell and euery ease in paine is a fore-taste of the ease and peace and ioyes in heauen Therfore remember your own comforts to others before and be not impatient when there is most neede of patience but as you haue euer taught vs to liue so nowe giue vs an example to die and deceiue Satan as Iob did FINIS ReuereÌ„dum Couerdalum excipio Eccle. 9 9. Gen. 2. 18. Exo. 22. 16. Deu. 22. 28. Why contracts goe before mariage Mat. 1. 18. * That is betweene y e contract the mariage Luke 1. 27. 42. 49. c. What mariage is The parts of the treatise Heb. 13. 4. The excellencie of mariage Act. 7. 53. Heb. 2. 2. Gen. 2. 22. Mariage the first ordinance of God Gen. 3. 15. Luke 1. 25. Deu 32. 2. Christes first miracle at a Mariage Ioh. 2. 8. Mat. 22. 2. Verse 11. Cant. 5. 9. Three mariages of Christ Reue. 19. 7. Reu. 21. 9. Reu. 17. 1. By mariage the womans curse turned into two blessings Gen. 3. 16. Gen. 1. 28. Ioh. 16. 11. 1. Tim. 2. 15 * For those paines wil trie her faith Note Gen. 2. 22. A note of Adams sleepe Gen. 2. 21. 1. Cor. 15. 22. 45. Eph. 5. 14. Ioh. 14. 6. A note of Adams sleepe Gen. 27. 3. A note of Adams rib Gen. 2. 22. Eph. 5. 23. The Fathers obseruation Pro. 14. 14. Thus Adam doth Gen. 2. Gen. 29. 20. Three causes of mariage Gen. 2. 7. Gen. 1. 28. Why mariage is called Matrimony This is signified in Deu. 23. 1. Prou. 5. 18. Mal. 2. 15. The second cause 1. Cor. 7. 8. Papists stewes 2. Sa. 16. 22 Mal. 2. 15. Deu. 17. 17. 1. Tim. 3. 2. Gen. 4. 23. Mat. 9. 5. Prou. 2. 16. Gen. 36. 25. Fornicators like the diuell Mat. 13. 22. Psa 128. 4. Gen. 1. 28. Bastards Iudg. 11. 1. They might be saued but they had the marke of the curse Leu. 20. 10. Deu. 22. 22. Maried fornicators Mariage of Ministers 1. Cor. 7. 9. Heb. 13. 4. 1. Cor. 7. 1. Tim. 3. 2. 1. Cor. 7. 6. 1. Cor. 7. 17. Gen. 2. 18. Mat. 19. 11. 1. Tim. 4. 3. Rom. 3. 8. * Be not thou vain and these words will not be offensiue Heb. 13. 4. 1. Cor. 7. 8. Leuit. 12. 4. 5. c. 1. Cor. 7. 5. The third cause Gen. 2. Eccl. 4. 10. Pro. 19. 6. Pro. 27. 10. 1. Sam. 14. 7 A wife is the poore mans riches Prou. 21. 9. 1. Sa. 16. 14 The choise Deut. 1. 23. 4. Two spies for a wife Zach. 5. 7. 1. Reg. 3. 9. Gen. 24. 12. Godly fitte Ephe. 5. 29. Cant. 6. 8. Psal 45. 9. 1. Sa. 16. 7. 1. Cor. 13. 13. A fit wife The ceremonie is not approued but the inuention declared 1. Sa. 2. 35. The saying of a godly man Gen. 2. 18. 2. Cor. 6. 14. Gen. 2. 22. Phil. 4. 3. Ezec. 16. 44 Fiue rules in the choise of a good wife Psal. 11. 26 Pro. 10. 7. Mar. 14. 9. Luke 6. 26. Iohn 15. 19 Iohn 8. 46. Luke 16. Eccle 8. 7. Esay 3. 9. Acts 3. 2. Gen. 24. 65. To Adam first and to Moses after Maids must speake 〈…〉 Mat. 12. 34 Mat. 12. 36 Pro. 18. 7. Pro. 17. 23. Eccl. 12. 10. Pro 19. 15. Nu. 19. 15. Luk. 16. 19. Mar. 1. 6. 2. King 1. 8. 1 The. 5. 22 Rom. 12. 2. 1. Reg. 12. 8. Pro. 1. 11. Psal 6. 8. Gen. 24. 50. Parents consent in Mariage Exod. 20. Gen. 2. 22. Exod. 22. Num. 30. 6. Deut. 7. 3. 1. Cor. 7. 38. Iob. 1. 3. 10. Gen. 29. 18. 1 Sam. 18. 17. â— Gen 28. 6. Gen. 34. 9. Gen. 24. 51. 52. 53. Iudg. 14 2. Mariage with Papists c. Gen. 24. 3. Exo. 34. 16. Gen. 28. 1. Mal. 2. 11. Ezra 9. 12. Gen. 34. 14. The similitude holds in their saying not in their meaning for they spake truely but they ment