a stinking smell chases away Doues so the noysome smell of sinne puts to flight the Angell that is appointed to defend vs. And so Iosephus writes De tello Iudaico Li. 7. c. 12. that when Ierusalem was to be besieged of the Romanes in which siege it was destroyed before Vespasian came with his traine there was a voyce of Angels heard therein crying Migremus hinc let vs depart hence Cypâ—ian therefore saies pithily Hoc sunt peccata lapsis Ser. 5. de lapsis quod grando frugibus quod turbidum sydus arboribuâ— quod armentis pestilens vastitas quod nauigijs saeua tempestas sinne to the offender is as haile to corne as a scorching starre to trées as a murraine to beasts as a fierce tempest to ships For sin destroyes the fruite of all good worke corrupts the powers of the soule and brings man wholly to destruction If a Marchant after long and perillous sayling from the Indies bring home gold siluer and many pretious commodities and the next day after his returne doe hazard all his wealth at one cast of the dice and so loose it who wil not call him both foolish and wretched but in the same case and farre worse is he that will leese the good things which he hath alreadie wrought for the pleasure of sinne and by suffering it to raigne in his mortall body If then we will not be diuorced and diuided from God if we will not be a prey to all our spirituall enemies if we will not chase away the holy Angels of God which are the ministring spirits to the heires of saluation Heb. 2.14 if we will not haue our former good déedes forgotten and vnrewarded let vs not suffer sinne to rule manage and gouerne vs but let vs set before vs the example of Lysimachus the King of Macedonia Plut. in lib. de â—â—enda bona valetudine who waging warre among the Scythians being enforced by extreame thirst to yéeld both himselfe and his hoast to his enemies after he had dranke cold water he burst out into these words Good God! for how short a pleasure how great a kingdome haue I lost so let euery sinner say when the pleasure of sin is past O what an heauenly kingdome haue I lost for short pleasures sake let him sincerely say thus and be truly sorrie and rise by vnfained repentance and not throwe his soule againe into the like danger by suffering sinne to haue the vpper hand and to raigne in his mortall body For there is almost no sinner but if he be demaunded why hee committeth sinne hée will alleadge pleasure and delectation for a reason Call the drunkard to an account he will speake of the strength and pleasantnes of his liquour Call the vnchast to an account hée will speake of the Syrens Song and alluring baite of incontinencie Call the couetous and gréedie to an account and he will speake of the cordiall glittering and tentation of money Call the proud and ambitious to an account and he will speake of the tickling and prouocation of honour and reputation Call the malitious reuenger to an account and he will speake of the delitiousnesse of reuenge and how it is swéeter then life it selfe to tread downe and to subdue an Enemie Thus pleasure tempts a sinner to commit iniquitie but what is the end and sequele of this delight What but this that the pleasure of sinne which in the beginning is as swéet as the honey combe in the end becomes as bitter as gall and wormewood When sinne is permitted to raigne and hath the reines loosed vnto it then at last commeth the worme of conscience then commeth the iudgement of God which the vngodly cannot escape Pro 2â— 1 â—sâ—â— â—7 â—0 1 â—o 3 2â— then the wicked flee wâ—en none pursues them then the wicked are as a tumbling sea which cannot rest then the conscience hath no tranquility and peace for destruction and vnhappinesse are in the waies of the obstinate and obdurate sinner and the way of peace haue they not knowne and because they haue eaten the sowre grape of iniquiâ—ie their teeth are set on edge and tâ—ey cannot discerne and taste Iâ—r 31 3â— how good and gratious the Lord is Behold â—osepâ—s brethren when they went first into Egypt and had endured some vexation they presently reâ—embred the sinne which they had committed twentie yeares before against their brother Iosep Gen. 42.11 saying We iusâ—ly suffâ—r this 〈◊〉 wâ—â—â—â—â—ed agâ—inst our Brother We thâ—â— wâ—llowed in sinne shall feare the ratling oâ—â— leafe shall thinke euery bush to be a tormeâ—ter shal imagiâ—e that the flashes of lightniâ—g shall presently consume him This is that which the Psalmist saies Behoâ—d hee shâ—ll trauell with wickedneâ— Psa 14.1 for he hath concâ—iued misch efe but he shall bring forth a lye he hath made a pit and digged it and is fâ—llen into the pit that he made Vpon which Saint â—hrâ—sâ—stomâ— saith that the trauell of a sinner is not like the trauell of a woman with childe for a woman though she endure extreame paines in her trauell yet for ioy that a man is borne into the world shee â—emembers her sorrowes no more but â—he â—rauell of a sinner is like the hatching of the viper wherein the young broode gnaweth out the damnes belly though there be delâ—gâ—t and pleasure in the conception nourishment and bringing forth of wickednesse yet when the sinner be holds the vgly and deformed childe of sinne he is touched with â—nguish and remorce of conscience And so Saint Austen speakes truly Vo uisti Dominâ— Confes l. 1. c. 1. uaâ—st vt omnis animus mordinatus sibi ipsi sit â—aeâ— O Lord it is thy will and to it comes to pâ—sse that euery inordinate aâ—d sinfull minde should be a puâ—ishment to it selfe Therefore since the raigning of sinne in our mortall bodies doth cause the sting and worme of conscience at the last let it not suffer it to raigne in our mortall bodies neither giue our selues ouer to vngodlinesse to commit sinne euen with gréedines that wee may enioy that peace with God and quietnes of minde Pro. 19.13.15 which is a continuall feast and most daintie banquet more to be desired and embraced then all the gold and treasures of the rich Indies Thus we haue seene good and bad life and death cursing and blessing and who will now doubt what to chuse and what to refuse But as when the swéetnes profit of meat is commended to one that is hungrie the comfort of drink is declared to the thirsty this is no remedie but rather a greater griefe to the hungrie and thirstie except a way be shewed them how they may satisfie their néeds so all the exhortation to good works commendation of them shal be vneffectual and rather meat and drinke shall be shewed to the hungry thirsty then leaue giuen them to eate drink if it doo not appeare what good works
acceptable to God that procéede from Faith Heb 11.6 without which none can please God Nay they alone doe know what good works are and are able to doe them who doe belieue in Christ whereas all other are both blind in knowing and vnable in performing any manner of thing that is good And the Apostle stayes not heere but hee addes These things are good and profitable vnto men In which words hee yeeldes the reason why he commands Tituâ— to teach and affirme these things in his Church to wit because they are things true and good and right and honest and comely and profitable And withall hee intimates and signifies that whatsoeuer other things are deliuered they are not to be esteemed because they are vnprofitable and vnfruitfull as on the contrarie all that is commendable and praise-worthy 1. Tim. 4.8 that auaileth to saluation and promoteth godlinesse which is profitable to all things and which hath the promise of the life present and of that that is to come Now that this exhortation of the blessed Apostle may bee the better perceiued and performed of vs let his words be diligently considered Good worke saith he are good or conuenient or comely or such as â—eseeme Christians Mal. 1.6 For why A father must be honored and a Lord Master must be obeyed but GOD is our Father wee are his sonnes by grace and Adoption in CHRIST and God is our Lord and Redéemer who ransomed vs from the thraldome of the spirituall Pharaoh Aegypt of sin by the death pretious bloud of his most dearely beloued Sonne CHRIST IESVS Since then our sanctification is the will of God our heauenly Father 1. Thess 4.3 it is his pleasure that we should liue godly shall wee not obey his will commaÌ„dement In great horses prepared for the warres it is chiefely regarded that they be flexible and easie to be turned with the bridle For what is it worth if an horse runne a faire race either out of the way or else not as the rider wil but as himselfe will So in the faithfull true Christians ordained for the spirituall warres of Christ no vertue and good qualitie is more required then prompt and ready obedience to submit our wills to the Lords will We are by nature fléeting and running after all vanitie and wickednes and therein wee are like to water and wee must be stayed as the water is And how is that The water is very hardly staied and scarce stayed with it owne bondes because naturally it floweth abroade but it may well bee limitted and bounded by some other thing and kept from continuall fleeting So our nature that flits still after the transitorie vanities of this world is very daÌ„gerously bounded by our owne will For it so flowes continuallie aâ—ter concupiscences pleasures but it is best stayed onely by the will of God after whose similitude and likenesse it was at first created The Smith when he prepares any worke thinkes on him for whom he prepares it that hee may fit it after the breadth and length proportion prescribed vnto him For if either he forget the form deliuered him or else doe willingly despise it he must néedes erre in the performance of the worke in like manner we must alwaies carefully retaine in memorie and obediently practise the will and commandement of God or else wee shall erre in the actions of our calling Who knowes not 1. Cor. 12.27 that Christ is the head and the faithfull are the members Let vs therefore be sound members not sicke of the palsie For as the partes of the bodie that are attainted with the Palsie doe not mooue as the head directs so those Christians are holden of the palsie of soule that do not mooue as CHRIST the head commaundes but as perfect sound parts of the bodie are easily moued as the sense reason of the head doth lead So sound true Christians are moste readie to accomplish those things which Christ the head enioynes Are not also our good workes due vnto God and must wee not doe them to declare our thankfulnes towardes him of whome wee haue receiued so manie and so great Blessings both temporall and eternall Wee are debters not to the flesh to liue after the flesh Rom. 8.12 For if we liue after the flesh wee shall die but if wee mortifie the deedes of the bodie by the spirit we shal liue Luk. 1.74.5 And why hath the Lord deliuered vs out of the hands of our enemies but that we should serue him wtout feare all the dayes of our life in holines and righteousnes before him We are iustified we are the sonnes of God we are the holy temple of the Lorde we are made in CHRIST Kings Priests we are anointed by the holy Ghost and to what purpose haue we obtained this dignitie not that we should liue as wee list but that being clothed with the righteousnes of the newe man we should with minde mouth life profession and practise set foorth the praise of God For how caÌ„ iustification saÌ„ctification be sundered If we be good Trées wee will bring foorth good fruits if we be the sonnes of God Mat. 7 17 Rom. 8.14 1. Io. 3.9 we will be led by the spirit of God if we be borne of God we will not coÌ„mit sinne with delite gréedines but on the contrarie we will studie to liue holilie for the séed of God abideth in vs that is the holy spirit of God which is called holy because he works holines in vs by his vertue and operation as by a certain séede we are regenerate made new men We must remember that we are enrolled soldiours in Christs Campe to fight his battels against the Flesh the World Sathan Let vs therefore not receiue the grace of God in vaine let vs hold fast the Faith let vs fight a good fight let vs finish our course let vs seeke to please him that hath chosen vs to be Soldiours A good soldiour must bee obedient faithfull obedient to execute his commandement Faithfull to sticke to his Captaine in all daÌ„gers Scipio Major pointing at his soldiours that hee had in Sicilie said that there was not one of them Plut. in Rom. Apoph that would not ascend into a tower and from thence cast himselfe headâ—ong into the Sea if hée did command it Bapt. Tulgosius l. 1. c. 1. rerum memorab And one remembers an exaÌ„ple of such obedience For when the â—aâ—le of Campania was Ambassador to the Prince of the Assasines in Syâ—iâ— the Prince to shew the great obedience of his people shewed the the Earle certaine men that stood on the top of a tower and called one by name coÌ„manding him to leape downe from the tower the fellow immediately obeied the commandement and died with the fall and the Earle could hardly refraine the Prince from commaunding the rest also to doe the like Shall there bee
sweate of our browes And to cast off this oldnesse and corruption we must fight many skirmishes we must ouercome many temptations we must beare many tribulations Secondly we séeke eternall glorie not a Consulship of one yeare And the afflictions of this life are not worthy to be compared with the glorie that shal be reuealed vnto vs. Rom. 8.18 Who would not liue a poore and a priuate life ten yeares that he might be sure to abound in glorie and riches fiftie yeares 1. Cor. 9.25 Shall wee murmure then to brooke the short afflictions of this fading life that we may liue nay raigne for euer in glorie euerlasting All those that striue for a Maistery abstaine from all things they doe withdrawe from their bodie meate drinke and cloathes and annoynt themselues with oyle that they may striue and struggle naked nimble and giue their aduersarie no occasion to hold them for the flesh annointed with oyle is very hardly holden So wée must cast away the immoderate care for meate and cloathes and we must be annoynted with the oyle of Faith Loue and Mercie that earthly things hinder vs not and that Sathan get no opportunitie to lay hold on vs for he layes holde on vs by meanes of our sinnes And they that annoynt their bodies doe this to receiue a crowne that perisheth and to winne praise short fraile momentanie and vaine but we to receiue glorie endles incorruptible sound and stable At Rome the way to the Consulship was to be popular to deserue well of the Common-wealth and to bestowe manie priuate benefites But our way to heauenly glorie is holines vprightnes innocencie of life continuall worshipping of God and sincere loue of our neighbour For the grace of God that bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared and teacheth vs that we should denie vngodlines worldly lusts Tit. 2.11 12. and that we should liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world Soberly and temperately in respect of our selues righteously and iustly in respect of our neighbors and godly holily in respect of the seruice and worship of GOD. This is the way to Gods kingdome which Christ expressed in one word when he saide that Wee must seeke the kingdome of God and his Righteousnes For it is not enough to séeke Gods kingdome or to wish for it but we must séeke and labour to performe that Righteousnes that is pleasing to God The pennie of immortalitie is not giuen to Loyterers in the market-place but to those that labour in the Lords vineyard Lastly it is Heauen to which we goe Matt. 11.12 and in which we séeke to raigne with GOD. But the Kingdome of God suffereth violence and they that take it must take it violently and perforce Wilt thou knowe the waye to Heauen Hebr. 11.36.37 Aske of them that haue walked in that way They will tell thée that they haue bene tried by mockings and scourgings by bondes and prisonments that they were stoned they were hewen asunder they were tempted they were slaine with the sworde they wandred vp and downe in Wildernesses and mountaines and dennes and caues of the earth clothed in sheepes-skinnes and goates skinnes being destitute afflicted and tormented He that will goe to the Indies to trafficke doth not refuse the labour of sayling He that will be cured of a grieuous disease reiecteth not a bitter medicine Hee that will buy a Farme first thinkes of the price So he that séekes for the kingdome of GOD must séeke and first thinke of his Righteousnes which is the way vnto it and of the Merites of CHRIST which are the price thereof and of a liuely and effectuall Faith whereby wée are made partakers of the glorie to come As for worldly cares what doe they auaile vs Nay how much doe they hinder vs Saint Basil sayes Epist 64. as a polluted glasse can receiue no impression of Images and visages so the soule possessed of worldly cares is not capable of the Illumination of the holie Ghost And Saint Austin sayes excellently Amor rerum terrenarum est viscus spiritualium pennarum that the loue of earthly things is the Birdlime of our spirituall feathers Let euery worldling knowe that spirituall things are onely néedefull and that Christ saith to euery one as to Martha Martha Martha thou carest Luk. 10.41.42 and art troubled about many things but one thing is needefull Mary hath chosen the good part which shall not be taken away from her Can the globe of the earth be mingled with the globe of the heauen how then can the soule containe the carefull loue of celestiall and earthly things Diuine thoughts flie from a soule that is forestalled with worldly desires Bâ—r. 〈◊〉 77 â—â—cat Nec misceri poterunt vana veris aeterna caducis spiritualia carnâ—â—buâ— summa imis neither can vanitie be ioyned and confounded with truth things eternall spirituall and high with things transitorie carnall and base so as at one time we may conceiue and perceiue things aboue and things beneath We sée how the Iuy doth claspe about the trée spreads it selfe and mounts vpward by the helpe thereof but at last it sucks and drawes away the iuyce and moysture of the trée and causes it to wither so excessiue care and pensiue care for worldly things doth loade the minde and choake the soule and make them vnable to aspire to heauenly felicitie Therfore we must imitate the custom of hawkers and hunters for hawkers are woont to couer their hawkes heads with hoods and suffer not their eyes to wander hither and thither least striuing to flie after the things which they desire naturally they be not so héedfull to their preie when time and occasion shall serue and hunters doe tie and couple their dogges that their sent may be sound and perfect for the game which they shall hunt So must we doe We must containe our mindes in the loue of God and in the care of heauenly things and not permit our affections to straie aside to the anxieties and distrustfull cares of this world Heauen is the preie which mans soule must follow this it must desire this it must take by violence this it must be carefull of and on this it must bestowe her chiefe desire and studie If it flie or runne out to other things it will not care for eternall things Therefore let vs remember the exhortation of the blessed Apostle Paul Col. 3.1.2 Seeke those things which are aboue where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God set your affections on things which are aboue and not on things which are on the earth If we must séeke first the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse then those are to be reprehended who chiefly séeke search and hunt after the good things of this world and the delights and ioyes thereof pampering the fraile and sinfull body and neglecting the soule which is the mistresse and gouernesse of the body and neuer dieth It is
recorded in histories that the Phylosopher Heraclitus did alway wéepe for the miseries and calamities of men and that the Phylosopher Democritus did alway laugh at the follies and vanities of men If Heraclitus and Democritus were now aliue they should haue as great cause to lament the woes and to deride the follies which men procure to themselues and which they embrace as they had in the daies wherein they liued In the Poets time men refused wholesome counsell to embrace vertue chiefly and to seeke after it aboue riches and honours and they gladly consented to that corrupt lesson of the couetous chuffe O ciues ciues quaerenda pecunia primùm Horat. Epist l. 1. Epist 1. Virtus post nummos Wherein he taught that monie and coyne is first to be sought and vertuous manners and conditions afterward Are not these fashions of this age We purchase land we build houses we prouide the best foode and apparell that we can we hâ—â—t for promotion honor and dignitie but what câ—re is there for the eternall habitation and for the felicitie and good estate of the soule Neither onely in our health and youth doe we so but euen in our old yeares and in our sicknes we retaine the same custome For when we are sicke we attempt all courses and labour by all meanes of physicke to recouer health Ecclus. 38 1.2.4 and herein we doe well for physicke is from the highest and herbes and plaisters are ordained of God Ietròs gà r anèr pollôn antáxios allon Homer And therefore the learned Physitian is to be honoured for necessities sake * séeing he is to be preferred before many other men For he oftentimes restoreth health preserueth health cureth not onely apparent maladies but inward infirmities and sometimes staieth the soule in the body when it is readie to flie to breake out of it as it were out of a prison This is much but it is but the Physicke of the body and he that doth it is but a Physitian of the body Mat. 9.2 Isay 53.4 Christ is the Physitian of the soule that cureth the diseases of our mindes that bare our infirmities that sits in heauen yet heales those that are diseased on earth that is Isid de suÌ„ bono lib. 1. cap. 14. Non tantùm ostensor vulneris sed sanator not onely a searcher and declarer of the wound but also a healer and saluer thereof As Physitians of the bodie doe sometimes cure by things like and sometimes by things dislike as heate by cold things and coldnes by hoate things so Christ the Physitian of soules comming downe from heauen and finding mankind attainted with so great and many infirmities Lib. 2â— â— he partly healed vs by things like saith Gregory and partly by things contrarie For he came to man in the flesh of man but he came to sinners in perfect righteousnesse and he agréed with vs in truth of humane nature but disagréed from vs in righteousnes and innocencie Magnus per totum munaum iacebat aegrotus saith Saint Austin a great Patient laye sicke throughout the whole world that is all mankind was subiect to many anguishes and griefes of bodie and soule and therefore Christ the great Physitian came by whose stripes we were healed O admirable matter and full of loue and commiseration Quòd fusus est sanguis medici factus est medicamentum phrenetici that the blood of the Physitian was shed and made the medicine to heale the Phrensie of sinners Therefore since the physick of the soule so far eclipseth the dignitie of the physicke of the body and the infirmities of the body procéede and issue from the inward corruption of the soule as from a fountaine let vs first labour to be reconciled to the Lord Ecclus. 38 9.10.11.12 c. 2. King 23.2.3 2. Chron. 16.12 and séeke to appease his anger by repentance and prayer as good King Hezekiah did let vs not repose more confidence in the Physitian of body then in the power and goodnes of God as Ala did and let vs not persist in the customarie error to seeke the Physitian before we séeke God and to respect the state of the body more then the state of the soule For whither it be not fitter to begin with the Diuine and end with the Physitian then to begin as the common vsage is with the Physitian and at last perhaps when all strength and memorie failes to come to the Diuine let all iudge that can iudge and that heare Christs commaundement Seeke first the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things shall be ministred vnto you If we must séeke first the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse then those are to be reprehended that are so much addicted and wedded to worldly gaine and commoditie that they regard not to haue their children and seruants instructed in the knowledge of Christ and of his word If our people be sick we repaire to the Physitian if they breake a bone we goe to the Surgion if naturall loue and affection moue vs we prouide nourishment cloathes and liuings for them that they may maintaine themselues in decent sort All this is but for this life which is as vnconstant as a shadowe as fugitiue as a dreame as brittle as glasse as short as a span yea as one sand of the sea-shore in comparison of the whole earth if it be compared with eternitie and shall we not be carefull to procure our children and families to be instructed in the doctrine of our Sauiour Christ whereby their vices my be reformed and they may liue as becommeth those that carrie the name of Christ and whereby they may possesse heauen for euer with Christ Some thinke euery sermon too long and all time lost that is bestowed in diligent repairing to the house of God and therefore are vnwilling to giue the seuenth day according to Gods ordinance to the worship of God though they haue sixe daies allotted to the workes of mans necessitie They will ride then confer then meditate then vpon their worldly busines or if they haue no earnest busines to exercise them they will rather passe the time or to say truth léese the time in play pastime ioyes trifles and vanities then spend the Lords day in the Lords seruice Let none be so prophane to thinke that Time lost that is employde on Gods seruice If an vnworthy seruant of Christ shall not be beleeued yet belieue Dauid a man after Gods owne heart and inspired of the Lorde who thus describes the blessednes of the man that deliteth in the law of the Lord and meditates therein day and night Psal 1.1.2 c. Namely that he shall be like a trée planted by the riuer of waters that will bring foorth her fruite in due season whose leafe shall not fade so whatsoeuer hee shall doe shall prosper But the wicked contemners of Gods lawes shall be as the chaffe which the winde driueth away they shall
not stand in the Iudgement nor in the assemblie of the Righteous for their way shall vtterlie perish If an vnworthie seruant of Christ shall not be belieued yet belieue GOD himselfe who made this promise to the olde Israelites Exod. 34 24. I will cast our the Nations before thee â—â—d enlarge thy Coasts so that no man shall desire thy Land when thou shalt come vp to appeere before the Lord thy God thrise in the yâ—â—re The Israelites were to ascend thrise yearely out of all Iewry vnto the temple of Ieâ—uâ—alem leauing at home onely their wiues and small children and manie of the Tribes wâ—â—â— distant from the Temple the iourney of saâ—â—â—aâ—es God doth promise that by their ascending they should receiue no damage in their House-holde affaires and that no enemie or thiefe should spoyle their land or possessions in their absence This is a type for vs and written for our learning that we may know that GOD will haue care that we shall not be damaged in teÌ„porall things if we care to serue him and to labour for the bread that perisheth not At a word if an vnworthy seruant of Christ shall not be belieued yet belieue our Sauiour CHRIST himselfe who sayes here without any ambiguitie Seeke first the kingdome of God and his Righteousnes and all these things shall be ministred vnto you Finally if we must seeke first the kingdome of God and his Righteousnes those are to be reprehended that vndertake their daylie workes and businesses without commending their labours and endeuors to the blessed protection and benediction of God by prayer and supplication What can the most ingenious or industrious man performe of himselfe without the blessing of God Psal 127.1.2 Except the Lord build the house they labor in vaine that build it Except the Lord keepe the Citie the Keeper waketh in vaine It is in vaine to rise early and to lye downe late and to eate the bread of sorrow For it is the Lord that surely giueth rest to his beloued For that we depend not vpon God wee flée not to God wee pray not to God Am. 5.11 Zeph. 1.13 Agg. 1.6 Is not this the cause that many sowe much and reape little build houses other dwell in them plant Orchyards and eate not of the fruites eate but haue not enough drinke but are not filled cloath themselues but are not warme earne wages but lay it vp in a broken and bottomlesse Bagge Say not I cannot come to the church to praier euery day before I goe forth to my labour I am not learned it is for clergie men to be so diligent in prayers Although thou canst not come to the church yet hast thou not a priuate deuotion and prayers to powre foorth in thy house and on the way in the field and in thy labour Although thou be vnlearned yet art thou not able to vtter the Lords praier and in a word or two to beg mercy of God Althogh thou be no clerke yet art thou not subiect to manifold temptations aswell as clergie men They that trauell through vnwholsom countreys and infectious aires take preseruatiues to be safe from hurte those that know their enemies lie in wayt for them in euery corner carry still some weapon to defend themselues And shall not a Christian arme himselfe with the Armor of praier and defend himselfe with the preseruatiue of godly meditations since Sathan séekes by the venome of sinne to infect all our actions and layes a bayt to entrap vs in our meate in our drinke and in our garments and in our spéeches and in all our dooings Wherefore whatsoeuer we shall doe in word or déede Col. 3.17 let vs do all in the Name of the Lorde IESVS praying heartily to GOD the Father for the obtaining of his holy Spirit mercifull protection 1. Tim. 4.5 that all his Creatures may be sanctified vnto vs by his word praier and that whatsoeuer wee shall enterprise or attempt may redound to the glory of God the profite of our Neighbours and our owne saluation How comfortable is the promise Aske and it shall be giuen you seeke Matth. 7.7.8 and yee shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you For whosoeuer asketh receiueth and hee that seeketh findeth to him that knocketh it shal be opened How gratious is God Psal 145.8 Isay 65.24 to heare the requests of all those that call vpon him faithfully for he hath saide Yea before they call I wil answere and while they speake I will heare How can it be that the prayer of the Righteous should not preuaile much Rom. 8.26 and pierce the cloudes since Christ maketh intercession for vs at the right hand of God and thogh we know not what to pray as we ought yet the Spirite it selfe maketh request for vs Luk. 18.1 1 Tim. 2.8 with sighs which cannot be expressed O then let vs pray alwayes not wax faint O then let vs lift vp pure haÌ„ds euery where without wrath vr doubting O then let Prayer be the salte to season all our actions and the Doue to bring vs the oliue leafe that is the messenger to fetch down from Heauen the fauour and louing mercie of God vpon vs Gen. 8.11 and whither we goe foorth of our houses let vs pray and whither we returne home let vs pray Hieron in Epist Nec priùs corpuscalum requiescat quà m animam pascat and let not our body rest before it féede the soule with this celestiall foode To conclude and to binde vp all as it were in one little bundle let vs often and seriously consider the vanitie and fléeting mutabilitie of this life and of all the Pride and Pompe thereof and the vnspeakeable ioyes and perpetuitie of the Kingdome of God and then this exhortation and precept of our Lord and Maister CHRIST IESVS which containes the whole summe of a Christian mans dutie and may be in stead of a thousand Sermons will neuer slip out of our hearts wherein hée sayes But seeke yee first the Kingdome of God and his Righteousnes and all these things shall be ministred vnto you A WHIP FOR LOYTERERS Matth. 20.6 And hee went about the eleuenth houre and found others standing idle and saide vnto them Why stand yee heere all the day idle IN that none receiued the penny in the euening but such as laboured longer or lesse time in the vineyard we are taught that none of discretion age yéeres shall receiue the recoÌ„pence of the reward the ioyes of Heauen but such as in this present worlde labour diligently in their calling and endeuor to bring forth the fruits of such good workes as are commanded in the word of God procéed from a true Faith and serue for the honoring and glorifying of Gods holy name But as none shall be crowned in the kingdom of glory that hath not finished his course in the Kingdome of grace that is in the vineyard
they haue séene the beautie and brauerie of this world not to be bewitched and beguiled therwith but thereby to climbe vp as it were by staires and steps to the contemplation of the happines of that other world As it is reported of Fulgentius when he fled the persecution of the Arrians and soiourned at Rome and when he sawe the glorie of the citie and Senate of Rome that he spake thus to the companions of his exile How beautifull may the heauenly Ierusalem be if earthly Rome doe so shine and if in this world there be giuen such dignitie and honour to those that loue vanitie and errour what honour and glory shall be giuen in heauen to the Saints that loue veritie and vertue It is too apparant how gréedily we doe gape after earthly treasure and fading riches which is either lost by shipwracke or cōsumed by fire or stolne by théeues or taken away by fraude and oppression or corrupted and empaired by rust canker and long space of time or at last left behind in death But how backward and vnwilling are we to labour for the riches and wealth that neuer decaieth Wherein we forget why God hath placed the mettals which we so much estéem in the bowels and entrailes of the earth and hath displayed the face and cope of heauen where the true treasure is stored vp namely because we should not so gréedily séeke and search for the one but thirst and long after the other Neither hath he onely laid open the heauen to our view and fight that we might alway remember the maker thereof and for what place we were ordained after the race of mortalitie is finished but whereas other creatures are so formed that they bend downward to the earth God hath giuen to men a shape erected and lifted vp toward heauen that they may more easily contemplate heauenly and spirituall things When Anaxagoras was asked for what purpose he thought himselfe to be borne he said It was to behold the Heauen and Sunne Which spéech though otherwise men haue much admired Instit l. 3. c. 9. yet Lactantius laughed at it affirming that he brake foorth into these words not knowing what true answere to yéeld and that if a man indéed with wisedome indéed should be demanded why he was borne he would answere presently that he was created to serue God his Creator Psal 19.1 Rom. 1.20 But with Lactantius fauor doth not the Maiestie of God cléerely shine in the outward beautie of the heauen and doth not the heauen declare and proclaime his glorie and doth not God as it were stretch out his hand to lift vs vp from groueling on the ground to behold the fairenes of his worke and thereby also to extoll his power wisedome goodnes and mercy Wherefore we must blush to beare a crooked minde in a straight body and to suffer our soule to wallowe in dirte and drosse of the earth whose conuersation should be in heauen and which was created for heauenly and diuine things Heauen then is the pennie giuen for working in the Lords vineyard and that we may be diligēt in that working let vs fixe our minds in the consideration of the celestiall and new Ierusalem where that pennie of immortalitie shall be deliuered vs whose Ruler King is the sacred Trinitie whose lawe is perfect charitie whose walls are of Iasper and the citie pure gold like to cleere glasse Reu. 21.18.21 Reu. 22.1.2 Heb. 12.22 1. Cor. 13.12.13 1. Pet. 2.24 whose gats are pearles and euery gate is of one pearle whose inhabitants are Angels the Spirits of iust perfect men where is the pure riuer of water of life the tree of life and where all vnperfect things shall be done away we shal no more see darkely through a glasse but cleerely face to face shall knowe God as we are knowne Of all which good things Christ Iesus the Shepheard Bishop of our soules who his owne selfe bare our sinnes on his body on the tree that we being dead to sinne should liue in righteousnesse and by whose stripes we were healed make vs euerlasting beholders possessors for his endles incomprehensible goodnes and mercies sake that at last as the marriner after surging stormes quietly arriues in the harbor and the patient after drinking of a bitter medicine obtaines health and the souldiour after brunts in the battell is rewarded by his Captaine so we diligently continually walking in our calling and in the narrow way to life may in the end be partakers of the end of this way which is endles ioy blessednesse and may rest in the kingdome of Christ with the Patriarks Prophets Apostles Martyrs and Saints of all ages Amen HYPOCRISIE VNMASKED Matt. 22. 11. Then the King came in to see the guests and sawe there a man which had not on a wedding garment 12. And he said vnto him Friend how camest thou in hither hast not on a wedding garment And he was speechles 13. Then said the king to the seruants bind him hand and foote take him away and cast him into vtter darkenes there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth THe name of a Christian is deriued from Christ our Sauiour signifieth a scholler of Christ one that followes the precepts life of Christ and one that hath fellowship with Christ and is engraft into Christ But as the Apostle saith of the Iewes Rom. 9.16 that all they are not Israell that are of Israell so it may be said truely that all are not Christians in déede that beare the Name of Christ For there are two sorts of Christians the one appearing and séeming the other right and true They are onely seeming Christians that are baptized and are of the outward congregation and professe Christ yet without true conuersion and repentance that is they are dissembling Hypocrites and christians but in tongue Of these séeming Christians our Sauiour saith Many are called but few chosen Matt. 20.16 They are right and true christians who are not only baptized and professe the Faith of Christ but also are indued with a liuely Faith doe declare the same by fruits of Repentance and by faith are made the members of Christ and partakers of his anointing that is by Faith and the holy Ghost 1. Ioh. 2.27 who is signified by the name of annoynting true christians are ioyned to Christ and engraft into him euen as a branch is fastned to the stocke and a member knit to the head whereby wee are made partakers of his iuyce and of his life and being truely made one with him do bring forth fruits worthy of our calling All true Christians are appearing christians For Christ saith Mat. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen Iam. 2.18 And S. Iames saith Shew me thy faith out of thy works and I will shewe thee my faith
by my workes But on the contrarie all appearing christians are not true christiās For to many that will say Lord Matt. 7.22 Lord haue we not by thy name prophecied by thy name cast out diuels by thy name don manie great works Christ wil thus professe I neuer knewe you depart from me yee that worke iniquitie So that the visible outward Church in this world hath good and bad hath worthy vnworthy hath elect and reprobate Matt. 13.24 Mat. 13.47 Mat. 13.3 For it is the fielde wherein there growes wheate tares and it is the draw-net which cast into the sea gathereth of all kindes of things and it is the receiuer of the séede of Gods word which sowne fell foure wayes some by the way side some vpon stony groūd some among thornes some in good ground And all this is plainely set foorth by our Sauiour in the parable of them that were called vnto the marriage Of which parable partly out of the words of Christ partly out of the circumstance of the time persons when and to whō they were spoken we may gather this to be the sense meaning The King that made a mariage for his Sonne is God the Father The Kings Sonne is Christ The mariage is the blessednes of heauen which the elect after this life shall for euer enioy with Christ The first worthier sorte that were called are the Iewes The seruāts whom the King sent are the prophets The calling to the marriage is the drawing to faith and repentāce This calling the Iews despised being giuē to the loue of earthly things many of them chiefly the rulers of the people contumeliously entreated the prophets slew them Therfore God destroied them by his hoasts warriors that is by the armies of the Romans First vnder the cōducting of Vespasian after of Titus his sonne and hée burnt vp Ierusalem their Citie with fire Afterwards reiecting the Iewes God sent the Apostles vnto the Gentiles and called thē into the place room of the Iews in whose stéed they were are and shall be vnto the ende of the world as wel good as bad that is as well elect as reprobate of whō the one are of euill made good by the holy Ghost the other are left in their natural wickednes The marriage garmēt is true holines which is of 2. sorts th' one is the holinesse of Christs sacrifice imputed vnto vs by Faith the other is an holines wrought in our mindes by the sanctification of the holie Ghost which shews it selfe by holines of life Whosoeuer are not clothed which this wedding garment shal be throwne out from the marriage into vtter darknes that is into the eternall torments of Hell and that shall bee done by the Seruants that is Gods holie Angels Therefore beeing all inuited and called to the marriage of the Kings Sonne that is to the fruition and participation of the ioyes of heauen Wée must neither contemne and refuse the abundant mercie of God that so louingly bids vs either by addicting our selues whollie to the vanitie and mucke of this world or by despising of Gods Messengers who are sent to inuite vs neither must wee presume to approach without the marriage garment making onely a bare profession naked shew without any sinceritie For though we spin Hypocrisie with neuer so small a thréede so that the eyes of man cannot discerne it yet when the King of heauen whose eyes are ten thousand times more bright then the Sunne shall come in to sée the Guests hée will pull off the vizard from the masked dissembler and discouer the counterfeiter and as the Hypocrite pretends onely loue amitie to Christs religion and entends far otherwise with his heart So the King shall Ironically and colourably call him Friend but a painted friēd and therefore hée shall say How camest thou in hither and hast not on a Wedding garmēt Binde him hand and foote Take him away and cast him into vtter darknes Wherefore that wee may examine our selues our soules and consciences the better whether wée are arrayed with the Wedding garment or not and that we may labour and pray that we may be more and more apparelled therewith whereby we may neuer be cast out of the presence of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and that we may know how to professe CHRIST aright For it is a most important matter and to professe is not enough except wee professe aright it shall be vnfolded First what the Wedding garment is without which wee cannot be partakers of Heauenly blessednes secondly what Hypocrisie is and how detestable and odious it is in the sight of God The Wedding garment is Iustification 1 What the Wedding garmēt is and Sanctification or Faith good workes or to belieue well and to liue well All this is but true holinesse which is of two sorts Namely the righteousnes of Christs sacrifice imputed to vs by Faith and inherent righteousnes wrought in vs and brought into vs by the holy Ghost So that this garment is of two colours partly red partly white It is red by reason of Christs blood shead on the Crosse for the purging of our soules and this is our Iustification and Righteousnes before God It is white by reason of holy harmeles cōuersation which shines before the world this is the putting on of the new man Christ Iesus the washing of our robes the makīg of them white in the bloud of the lambe our sāctification holines in the eyes of men Iustificatiō is attained by Faith sanctification brīgeth forth good works iustificatiō cānot be wtout faith faith cānot be wtout good works iustification therfore holines are inseparable companions where the one is there is also the other They agrée in the efficient cause For God is the Author and worker of them both by the merit of Christ They agree in the instrument which is Faith for faith receiues Iustification and Faith brings foorth sanctification they agrée in the scope ende that is our eternall life but iustificatiō as the cause sāctification as the way therfore the Apostle saith Eph. 2.10 that we are Gods workmāship created in Christ Iesus vnto good works which god hath ordained that we should walk in them What then is this true faith by which we are iustified before God accounted righteous absolued frō the guiltines of all our sins Rom. 11. reputed as holy as if wee had neuer sinned had our selues fulfilled all the cōmandements of God Faith is the means helpe instrumēt whereby a sinner doth apprehēd Christ which all his benefits Eph. 3.17 Luk. 2.11 doth applie them particularly to himself is ioyned to Christ doth liue in Christ This faith is liuely effectuall both in respect of our affections in respect of our actions It is liuely in respect of our affectiōs for it works in
wee attaine to the Kingdome of Heauen Neither can anie attaine to Eternitie vnles he walke in the way of good works And that our works may be good indéede and acceptable vnto God it sufficeth not that they be onely done in outward shew as Gods law prescribeth but there must be an inward sinceritie of minde procéeding from faith and purging the heart and there must be an assured perswasion that that we doe pleaseth the Lorde For Whatsoeuer is not of Faith is sinne Rom. â—4 23 Act. 13.9 that is Whatsoeuer wee vndertake with a doubtfull conscience whether it please God or not and whether God command it or not is sinne Lastly that a worke may bee good it must haue respect to Gods glorie alone as to the principall ende thereof For the hypocriticall Pharisee gaue Almes and the Publican gaue Almes after his Iustification but the Almes of the Pharise was odious to God because he gaue to be séene of â—en the Publicans almes was pleasing not so much for that it was commanded as for that it proceeded from sinceritie and faith and tended to Gods honour Therefore because the Lawe of God doth chieftie respect the fountaine of sinceritie Matt. 2â— 37. whence a regard to Gods glory must procéed the vnregenerate though their works séeme neuer so glorious outwardly yet because they doe not that well that is of it selfe good that is they do it not of faith to Gods honor their workes are not good but dead Gen. 3.7 and are like Adams fig-leaues that couer the inward corruption Ioâ— 14.4 Tâ—â— 1. â—5 For how can cleannes procéed from vncleannes And vnto them that are defiled vnbelieuing nothing is pure but euen their mindes and consciences are defiled But the man regenerate because he hath recouered by faith some parte of sinceritie of minde according to the measure of sinceritie recouered he is fitte to performe good workes S. Cyprian excellently declares the matter by a similitude De â—â—â—gularitâ—â—e Câ—â—ricâ—â—â— A Bishop saith hee that consecrateth a Church and confirmeth children is not then consecrated a Bishop when he doth those things yea except he were before that time consecrated a Bishop those things were vnprofitable and childish foolish toyous Euen so a ChristiaÌ„ being consecrated and saÌ„ctified by his faith hée doth good workes but hée is not first sanctified or made a Christian for these good works for this onely pertaines to Faith Yea except hee belieued befâ—re hee did good workes they should be vnprofitable wicked damnable sinnes Wherefore the marriage garment is Faith and good workes without faith there is no saluation without good workes there is no true faith Iam. 2.14 For so S. Iames saith What auaileth it though a man saith he hath Faith wheÌ„ he hath no works caÌ„ that faith sâ—ue him As though the Apostle should say Faith cannot bee without workes more then the Sunne can be without brightnes and a costly Ointment without smell and a liuing bodie without a soule therefore it is a painted Sunne that hath no brightnes a vile oyntment that smells not sweetly and a dead carkase that hath no soule and an idle vnprofitable faith Nay no faith at all that is destitute of good works Bern. ser 12. de Resurrect Domini Sicut corporis huius vitam ex motâ— suo coonoâ—â—â—â—nâ—â— â—ta fidei vitam ex â—onis opâ—ribus As we know that our body liueth because it mooues so wée know that our faith liueth because it bringeth foorth good works as the soule is the life of the body wherby it is moued hath féeling so the life of faith is loue wherby it worketh In Psal And therfore Austen saies fitly Sic docet me vt agam non vt tantummodo sciaÌ„ quid agere debeam God teacheth me so to do that I should not onely know what I ought to do For as it is said of Christ that he knew no ill by which we conceiue that he did no ill so that man may truely be said to know good that doth good 2. What Hypocrisie is the vnmasking thereof Hitherto the true profession of CHRIST which is the wedding garment hath bene set foorth vnto vs now let vs take a view of Hypocrisie and fained friendes that come to the marriage without the mariage robe to whom the King will say Friend how camest thou in hither hast not on a Wedding garment What then is Hypocrisie Hypocrisie is dissimulation for the originall worde signifieth a couering and concealing of Iudgement when a man shewes one thing indéede and an other thing in the iudgement and eies of men And properly an hypocrit is he that plaies his part in a stage-play But in coÌ„mon vse in diuinitie hypocrites are that like stage-players wil séeme to be other theÌ„ they are in very déed And therefore Austin saith Tracta de ser domini in monte In serm de ieiunio That Whosoeuer desireth to seeme that hee is not is an Hypocrite For he fayneth that he is righteous and is not such a one in deede And Chrysostome sayes more plainly He is an hipocrite that is a stage-player that takes vpon him on a stage the person of another for as a seruaÌ„t ofteÌ„times represeÌ„ts a Maister and a priuate person a Prince so they counterfeite on the Theater and stage of this life that beare another thing in their heart Matt. 23.4.5.6.7.16.23.24 25.27 then they pretend before the world But none can painte out an Hypocrite in more liuely colours then Christ our Sauiour hath done when hee saith that Hypocrites binde heauy burthens grieuous to be borne and lay them on mens shoulders but they themselues will not mooue them with one of their fingers and that Hypocrites do all their workes to be séene of men For so the Hypocritical Scribes and Pharisees made their Phylacteries broade and the fringes of their garments long loued the chiefe places at Feasts and the chiefe seates in the Assemblies and gréeting in the Market and to be called of men Rabbj Rabbj and accounted the golde greater then the Temple that sanctified the golde the oblation greater then the Altar that sanctified the oblation and that Hypocrites straine out a Gnatte swallowe a Camell tithe Mynt and Annise and Cummine and leaue the weightier matters of the Lawe as Iudgement and Mercie and Fidelitie and that they make cleane the vtter side of the Cuppe and of the Platter but inwardly they are full of briberie and excesse And the hypocrites are like to whited tombes which appeare beautifull outward but are within full of dead mens bones and all filthines One father saies Greg. li. 8. Morall that hypocrisie is the cloaking of a secret vice vnder the shew of vertue and that the life of an hypocrite is nothing else but quaedam visio phantasmaâ—is the shewe of an imaginarie matter which appeares something and is nothing Id. Ibid.
it is cut downe and withereth the time of our life is threescore yeeres ten and if they be of strength fourscore yeeres yet their streÌ„gth is but labour sorrow for it is cut off quickly we flee away Note what the great Apostle doctor of the GeÌ„â—iles Paul saith Ephes 6.12.13 We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against Principalities against powers and against the worldly gouernours the Princes of the darknes of this world against spirituall wickednesses which are the high places And therefore he addes presently For this cause take vnto you the whole armor of God that yee may be able to resist in the euill day and hauing finished all things stand fast Euen so doth Peter in this present place declaring vnto vs the couÌ„terwaites of Sathan and exhorting vs diligently to beware take héed of them And therefore he saith Besober and watch for yuur aduersarie c. In which words the holy Apostle doth thrée things first he exhortes vs vnto a continuall care for our saluation which care consisteth in Sobrietie vigilancie or watchfulnes in these words Be sober watch secoÌ„dly he addes a reason of his exhortation and therein is contained a description of our grand-enemie Sathan in these words For your aduersarie the Diuell as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whoÌ„ he may deuoure Thirdly he shewes what we must doe in this case in these wordes Whom resist stedfast in the faith 1. We must continually care for our saluation First then the Apostle commends vnto vs a perpetual care and studie for the sauing and health of our soules And because he hath an eye and respect to warfare he vseth a double metaphore borrowed spéech from the things that are requisite and necessarie in Earth Warfare and Militarie discipline The first borrowed phrase is this Be sober that is vse temperaÌ„cie in all your actioÌ„s For as surfeting druÌ„kennes makes the body vnapt for worldly busines So they that drowne their soules in the sinke of earthly delights pleasures they caÌ„not desire follow the kingdome of heauen And as the worldly souldior that stuffes crains himselfe too full with meate and drinke cannot readily nimbly resist his bodily enemie So CHRISTS souldior that liues intemperately cannot withstand the enemies of his soule as he ought to doe And therefore the Apostle sayes Be sober When Peter saith Be sober hee saith no other then that which Christ saith Take heede to your selues Luk. 21.34.35.39 least at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfetting drunkennes and cares of this life least that day come on you at vnawares For as a Snare shall it come on all them that dwel on the face of the whole earth watch therefore pray continually that yee may bee counted worthie to escape all these things that shal come to passe that yee may stand before the Sonne of man When Pâ—ter saith be sober he saith no other theÌ„ that which Paul saith It is now time that wee should arise froÌ„ sleepe for now is our saluation neerer theÌ„ when wee belieued it the night is past Rom 13 11.12.1â— the day is at hand let vs therefore cast away the works of darknes let vs put on the armor of light so that we walke honestly as in the day not in gluttony druÌ„kennes neither in chaÌ„bering wantonnes nor in strife and enuie WheÌ„ Peter saith 1. Thess 5.5.9.7.8 Be sober it is no other then that which Paul saith againe Yee are all the childreÌ„ of light the childreÌ„ of the day we are not of the night neither of darknes therefore let vs not sleepe as doe other but let vs watch and be sober for they that sleepe sleepe in the night they that be druÌ„ken are druÌ„ken in the night but let vs which are of the dai be sober WheÌ„ Peter saith Ephes 4.22.23.24 be sober it is no other theÌ„ that which Paul saith againe cast off concerning the coÌ„uersation in time past that old maÌ„ which is corrupt through the deceiuable lusts be renued in the spirite of your minde put on the new man which after God is created vnto righteousnes true holines And what is teÌ„peraÌ„cie or sobrietie It is a vertue that moderates the desires of meat drink that we may neither by excesse hinder meditation prayer the labors of our calling nor yet on the other side hurte our bodily health by too much abstineÌ„ce Therefore else-where our Apostle saith Be sober watching in praier For what atteÌ„tion â— Pet. 4.7 or intention caÌ„ druÌ„kards vse in praier how caÌ„ they muse thinke deuoutly of God godly things S Basil saith truely DrunkeÌ„nes chaseth away the gifts of the no yâ— Spirit smoke driueth away Bees druÌ„kennes driuet away the gifts of the holy Ghost And the Hathenish Poet saith well Corpus onustum Hesternis vitijs animum quoque praegnauat vnà Horat. ser l. 2. sat 2. Atque affigit humi diuinae particulam aurae When the body is surcharged with excessiue diet it burdens the minde also and fasteneth to the earth that portion of the diuine breath Drunkennesse saith Austin is a flattering Diuell a sweet poyson a pleasant sinne In sermons quod which whosoeuer hath hath nor himselfe which whosoeuer commits not so much commits sinne as is altogheter made sinne Drunkennesse is the bewitching Circe that metamorphoseth turneth men into Swine Dogs and Lyons Apes discouering and setting on fire the vices that were before secret and drawing foorth into the light of the Sunne those qualities of the minde which were lurking in close caues and cabbines Then the vnchast professeth and publisheth his disease then the wanton refraines Sen. ep 8 nor tongue nor hand then appeares the pride of the insolent the crueltie of the vnmercifull the enuie of the malignant Omne vitium grassatur prodit Euery vâ—ce then rageth and rusheth foorth And who becomes not a Beast in his Drunkennesse when he knowes not himselfe nor others hée cannot speake plainely intelligiblie he speakes to no purpose hee rowles his eyes he staggars and réeles hee vtters and vomits his owne secrets and shame hée féeles the swimming of the head he imagineth one candle to be two and that the very house whirleth round about him he findes that of the Poet verified in himself â—agnuÌ„ hec vitium est vinc Plautus in Pseudolo Pedes captat primuâ— luctator dolosus est That the great faulte of immoderatie drinking of wine is this that like a craftie wrestler it first seekes to trippe vp the héeles Drunkennesse makes men worse then beasts For beasts will not by compulsion take more meate or drinke then their neede craueth And therefore Drunkards those that enforce others to drinke excessiuely are in this respect to be iudged worse then Asses and worse then Dogs saith S. Chrysostome Hom. 58.
lyes And are not drunkards that depriue themselues of reason and common sense that abuse the good creatures of God that deâ—â— their soules and bodies with vices and prepare themselues to be as spunges to receiue all iniquitie are they not comprehended vnder the name of vncleane persons and dogs If any say that these are but probabilities and collections then behold those most cléere places where the holy Ghost saith by the mouth of the Apostle 1. Cor. 6.10 Gal. 5.21 that drunkards shall not inherite the kingdom of God and that drunkennes and gluttonie are manifest workes of the flesh and that they which do such things shall not inherite the kingdome of God The second Metaphor borrowed spéech which the Apostle vseth in his exhortation is likewise taken from earthly souldiers and warfare when he saith and watch If the souldiour that lieth in field against his enemie be not watchfull but careles and sléepie how soone may his foes preuent and circumuent him so if they that are enrolled souldiours in Christs band to fight his battels vnder his banner be remisse drousie and negligent the enemies of their soules may soone ouerthrowe and destroy them It is necessarie therefore for vs to watch And why must we watch We must watch for the comming of Christ our Lord and Maister for so he commaunds saying Watch therefore for ye know not what houre your Maister will come If this be sure that if the good man of the house knew Matt. 24.42.43.44 at what watch the theefe would come he would surely watch not suffer his house to be digged through therfore be ye also readie for in the houre that ye thinke not will the Sonne of man come And againe Let your loynes be girded about Luk. 12. â—5 36 and your lights burning and ye your selues like vnto men that waite for their Maister when he will returne from the wedding that when he commeth knocketh they may open vnto him immediately And why must we watch for Christs comming because it will be suddaine for the day of the Lord shall come euen as a theefe in the night 1. Thess 5.2.3 for when they shall say peace and safetie then shall come vpon them sudden destruction as the trauell vpon a woman with childe they shall not escape And whereto must we watch we must watch to righteousnes godlines vertue good works for so the Apostle S. Paul doth admonish vs saying awake to liue righteously sinne not 1. Cor. 15.34 As if he had said sin is like the Aspe for as that Serpent when it stings any it brings them into a drousines and they die sléeping so they that are hurt with the sting of sinne fall into a drousie forgetfulnes of God godlines and except the Lord touch their hearts with repentance they senselesly sléepe vp into the second death Ephes 5.14 Awake therefore thou that sleepest and stand vp from the death of sinne and Christ shall giue thee light And why must we watch we must watch least Sathan sowe tares among the good séede of Gods word and take it away out of our hearts and choake it with the thornes of cares and voluptuous liuing Matt. 13.34.25 For Christ saith expressely That the kingdome of God is like vnto a man which sowed good seede in his field but while man slept there came his enemie and sowed tares among the wheate and went his way Briefly wherein must we watch we must watch in praier for so our Sauiour taught his disciples Matt. 26.41 Luk. 21.36 saying Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation And again Watch therefore and pray continually that ye may be counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to passe and that ye may stand before the sonne of man And so Saint Paul commaunds continue saith he in prayer Col. 4.2 and watch in the same with thanksgiuing And iustly might he commaund vs to pray continually for what else is praier to the soule but that which the kéele is to the ship the foundation to the house and the moisture to the tree and the sinewes and ioynts to the body Take the kéele away and the ship is dissolued take the ground-worke away and the edifice falles take the moisture from the trée and there comes no fruit take away the sinewes and cut the ioynts of the bodie and the members will not hange together and take away prayer from the soule and it is exposed as a preie to euery Enemie Praier to the Christian is as a sword to the traueller that chaseth away the théefe and the bowe of the hunter that kils the sauage beast and the fortresse and bulwarke that defends the cittie and castle for the wicked spirits are put to flight when they see our soules armed with supplication and the enemies that as gréedie beasts would deuoure our soules are driuen off by the spirituall arrowes of zealous praier and the castle of the soule is protected by praier and thereby made inexpugnable Chrys de diuersis and therefore if praier be taken from the soule perinde est ac si piscem ex aqua traxeris vt illi vita aqua ita anima preccs it is as though a fish were drawne out of the water As water is life to the fish so prayer is life to the soule Art thou in tranquillitie pray to God that thy tranquillitie may be permanent Dost thou sée a gréeuous storme comming pray to God that he would auert it and turne it into calmenes Art thou heard thanke God for hearing thée Art thou not heard perseuere that thou maiest be heard For although God defer for a little space yet he doth it not of hatred towards thée neither for that he reiects thée but by deferring he keepes thee the longer by him Chrys de profectu euangelij as fathers are woont not to grant presentlâ— to their children whoÌ„ they loue entirely â—he things which they desire but to put them off with some delay that they may tarrie the longer with them and desire it the more feruently and estéeme it the more regardfully when it is graunted Wherefore since prayer is so profitable and necessarie for vs let none passe away the time ordained for prayer in sléepe and trifling and in worldly cares and musings or in vttering the words of prayer coldly and negligently and with a roauing and wandring minde onely vsing his lips but let vs powre foorth our praiers before the Lord with attentiue mindes and carefull hearts Cyprian saith well Let the minde muse on nothing else then that which it praieth for And againe How canst thou desire to be heard of God when thou hearest not thy selfe Vis esse deum memorem tui cum tu ipse memor tui non sis Wilt thou haue God to remember thee when thou remembrest not thy selfe Bernard also hath a memorable sentence I offer saith he great iniurie to God when I pray
out he tempted Christ himselfe nay he often tempted him for it is said that the Diuell departed from him for a little season If this be done in the gréene trée what shall be come in the drie He that tempted Christ our Maister will also tempt his seruants either not to doe good or if they doe good to be proud of well doing and so through pride to poyson their vertuous actions that as the moth is bred in the garment and eates the garment and as the worme ariseth on the hearbe consumes the hearbe so the haughtie conceit and reputation which they haue imagined of their owne workes may cause them to loose the things which they haue wrought 2. Chron. 6.30 and not to receiue the reward It is he that though he cannot see the thoughts of the heart for that is proper to God alone yet because he searches out the affectioÌ„s of the minde by our spéeches and gestures and outward behauiour and constitution and complexion of body he labours busily to steale the hearts of men from God 2. Sam. 15. as Absolom did the hearts of the Subiects from his father Dauid As the Cole takes fire when it is put to it for that it was apt fit to take fire so sathaÌ„ notes the inclination and tempts accordingly some to Anger some to wantonnes some to gluttony some to pride some to contention some to couetousnes if resistance be not made the flame followes that bellowes the motioÌ„ breaks out into performance Aug. super Gen. li. 10. And yet oftentimes Sathan is deceiued by the outward lineaments of the bodie and the coniectures that hee gathers therevpon for if he could sée the inward Faith Constancie and other qualities of the minde there are manie whom he would not tempt and if he could haue seene the admirable patience of Iob he would neuer haue bene so often foyled and discomfited But when hee hath ensnared and bound anie in the Fetters of sinne as the Poet sayes of Mezentius the Tyrant Mortuae quinetiam iungebat corpora vinis Viâ—gil Aeneid 8. Componens manibusque manus atque oribus orae That hée ioyned dead bodies with liuely bodies laying hand to hand and mouth to mouth to the ende the dead should defile and corrupt the liuing So this cruell Tyrant and torturer of soules linkes the liuing soule to the loue of the world and the pleasures of sinne as to a rotten carkasse that at the last also the soule may be holden of eternall death It is he that knowes that we are born anew of the immortall seede of Gods worde and therefore he endeuors either to steale the worde out of our hearts Luk. 8.12 that it may not be rooted or hée withdrawes vs from the Loue hearing reading of it or else hee procures hatred slaunder against the minister that his person may make vs to loth the word It is he that traÌ„sfigureth himselfe into an angell of light not in regard of his substaÌ„ce 2. Cor. 11.14 for he is stil an angell of darknes but in regard of his colouring counterfeiting For by his glozes shifts superstitions hée will faine himselfe to be an angell of glorie sent from God out of heauen and will perswade men to obey his counsels It is he that alledgeth Scripture to seduce soules the rather and pretendeth pietie vnder the bare shew of Gods word but he bewraies hiÌ„selfe to be a subtle sophister For as Procrastes the Tyrant of the citie Corydallus dealt with his guests making them alwayes fit for his bed for if they were too long he cutte them shorter if they were too shorte he lengthened them with pieces of their owne bodies So Sathan in whose steppes also the Heretikes of all Ages haue walked applies scripture to his wicked purpose either omitting parte thereof if it serue not his Argument or else adding somewhat theretâ— and interpreting and wresting it to a wrong sense So hee cited Scripture in the tentation of GHRIST when hee set him on a pinacle of the Temple and saide vnto him Matt. 4.6 If thou bee the Sonne of God cast thy selfe downe For it is written that he will giue his Angels charge ouer thee and with their handes they shall lifte thee vp least at any time thou shouldest dash thy foote against a stone He produceth indéed a place of the Psalme Psal 91.11 as though God promised that his Angells should safegard and defend his children euen when they do despise the meanes that he hath ordained and when they prooue whether God will or can saue them without those meanes whereas God promiseth succour only to them that walke in their wayes which God hath set downe vnto them and therefore do obediently vse the meanes which God hath ordained For this cause he abridgeth or rather mangleth the Word and leaues out these words in all thy waves whereas hee should thus haue produced the intier Scripture Hee shall giue his Angells charge ouer thee to keepe thee in all thy waves And therefore when the diuell abuseth Scriptures in tempting of vs the safest way is to oppose Scriptures againe vnto him as CHRIST did Because it is certaine that God doth not contradict himselfe in scripture and therefore the Diuell citeth scripture in a false sence when hee alledgeth it to perswade vs to that which is repugnant to the manifest word of God It is he that is the spirituall Pharaoh that studieth how to stay all the male chidren of the Israelites Exo. 1.16 in the very byrth That is he goeth about to choake smoother eueÌ„ a good thought as soone as it ariseth in the minde that it may not growe to full age and ripenes It is hee that is the mightie Nimrod and Hunter of soules Luc. Flor. de gest Roman li. 1. cap. 7. and that famous Robber that séekes for the worthiest booties preyes and strikes off the heads of the Poppies with Tarquinius Superbus Robbers and Thieues goe not thither where there is hay and strawe but where there is Golde and siluer saith S. Chrysostome Chrysost hom 4 in Isai so Sathan bends all his might and maine to the sacking destroying of the best of all And as it is séene among Saylers that they which haue an emptie shippe feare not the assaulte of Pyrates who come not to sinke or take a shippe that carries no wealth but they feare Pyrates that haue a shippe fraught with Marchandize and riches because Pirates couet to come where there is golde siluer and precious stones so Sathan doth not so much pursue a sinner that is deuoide of vertue and godlines as the holy Chrysos homil 9. de Ozia godly and righteous that possesse the true Treasure And as Pyrates doe not set vpon the ship that is sailing foorth of the Harborough when they know it is vnfurnished of substaÌ„ce but then they endeuor by all assayes to apprehend it when it returnes home to
make a statue thereof as good as the matter would permit so saith he a wise man and why not a Christian endued with vertue will shew it in riches if he be rich in pouertie if he be poore in authoritie if he be a Magistrate in health or sicknes according to his place quamcunque fortunam acceperit aliquid ex ca memorabile efficiet in whatsoeuer state he liue he will doe some praiseworthy thing therein On the other side as good workes are good and profitable so euill workes are dangerous and vnprofitable Psal 5.6 Rom. 2.25 2. Tim. 2.6 Eph. 4.30 For euill déedes are displeasing to God that hates all the workes of iniquitie Euill déedes disgrace our profession and Gods glory what lies in vs. Euill deedes make vs the slaues and vassals of Sathan and by them he dominéers ouer vs. Euill deedes hinder all spirituall exercises Deut. 28. for by them faith faints the conscience is hurt praier ceases and the holy spirit of God is greeued Euill déedes doe procure and pull on vs punishments both publike and priuate as warres famines pestilence and the like At a word euill deeds do merite eternall torments after this life For they that doe commit euill works haue no parte in Christs Kingdome Gal. 5.21 1. Cor. 6.10 neither shall possesse it And is it so Is death the stipend and wages of iniquitie What exhortation then is fitter then that of the holie Apostle Let not sinne therefore raigne in our mortall bodie that we should obey it in the lusts thereof That is Rom. 6.23 let vs not fréeze in the dregges of vngodlinesse Let vs not wallow welter in the puddle of wickednes Rom. 6 1â— Let vs compare and examine our liues and doings by the rule line of Gods lawes and statutes and where we finde our faultines and imperfection and who will be able to say My heart is cleane Since the righteous falles seuen times in a day therefore let vs hartily repent for the same and beséech God the Father to forgiue our offenses for the merites and Passion of his dearely beloued Sonne CHRIST IESVS Let the swearer and blasphemous person forsake his Oathes and vaine prophaning of Gods sacred name Let the abuser of the Sabbath and neglecter of Prayer and Sermons and Sacraments reclaime himselfe sanctifie the Lords Sabbath Let the enuious and malicious person lay aside his hatred and spitefulnes Let the couetous and gréedie mizer forsake his inordinate loue of money which is the roote of all euill Let the drunkard abstaine from drunkennes the fornicator from vncleannes and the hypocrite from counterfeiting and the lyer from slaunderous vncharitable reports and the brawler conteÌ„der from strife and dâ—ssention To be short let the ignorant of the mysteries of their saluatioÌ„ seeke to be filled with the knowledge of Christ spiritual vnderstaÌ„ding And let the breaker offender of Gods Lawes perswade himselfe that it is sufficient to haue speÌ„t the time past in waÌ„tonnes lusts concupiscences abhominable traÌ„sgressions and let him not suffer sinne to raigne swaye longer in his mortall bodie CHRIST our high Priest Heb. 7.26 that offered a full perfect sufficient sacrifice for our Redemption was holie innoceÌ„t vndefiled separate froÌ„ sinners higher then the HeaueÌ„s And this our holie high Priest hath saÌ„ctified vs by his Sacrifice that we should also be holy innocent vndefiled For Heb. 2.11 He that saÌ„ctifieth they which are saÌ„ctified are all of one And CHRIST gaue himselfe for vs that he might redeeme vs from all iniquitie Tit. 2.14 purge vs to bee a peculiar people vnto himselfe zealous of good workes Therefore we ought also as being sanctified by Christ our redeemer as being members of so worthy an head as being made conformable to so excellent an Image wée ought also to loath detest and abhorre sinne iniquitie Fâ—â—e from siâ—ne as froÌ„ a serpent for if thou coÌ„mest too néere it it wil bite thee Ecclus 21.2.3 the teeth thereof are as the teeth of a Lyon to slay the soules of men All iniquity is as a two edged sword the woundes therefore cannot bee healed saith the Wise man Consider how pestilentiall how horrible how fowle a thing sinne is and tell whether it bee a fit guest to be harbored lodged of vs or not What is it that makes a separation betwéene God and our sillie soules but sinne Hearken what the Lord saith by his holy Prophet Beholde Isai 59.1.2 the Lords hand is not shortned that it caÌ„not saue neither is his Eare heaâ—e â—hat it cannot heare but your iniquities haue separated betweene you your God and your sinnes hauâ— hid his Face from you that hee will not heare And how vn speakeable a losse is it to be separated and diuorced from GOD As almost euery one offers wrong to a Widowe because shee wants a protector So euery vncleane spirite and euery creature riseth vp against the soule that is a widow Psal 70.10.11 that is depriued of the GRACE OF GOD And the spirituall Foes that seeke such a soule take counsell together and say God hath forsaken that Soule Persecute and take it for there is none to deliuer it The Shippe that hath lost her Mast and Rudder and Gouernor yeeldes to the flawes and flouds is driuen hither and thither and tossed by euery Tempest and at last is dashed against a Rocke and is broken in pieces and the Citie that is besieged of most cruell enemies hauing no Walles nor Bulwarkes to defend it and no Garrison nor strength of Soldiours to protect it but the Citizens that are in it are in hostilitie and ciuile discord this cittie must néeds be sacked and ransacked Euen so the wretched soule destitute of the loue and fauour of God it is exposed to innumerable flouds of teÌ„ptations and is néere to shipwrack it is as a prey readie to bee torne and rent by her enemies Sathan the world and the Flesh and it is cast foorth by the very bodie that it quickeneth to vncleane spirites to be deuoured When the King remooues his Court all the Kings houshold and all the Courtiers depart with him and we say that the Court is remoued Ezek. 18.14 So when God departs from the soule all the Angels that are Gardians to the soule celestiall Courtiers depart also from it and the very good works which were formerly done are forgotten and doe léese their reward For so saith the Prophet If the righteous man turne away from his righteousnes and commit iniquitie and doe according to all the abhominations that the wicked man doth shall he liue all his righteousnesse that he hath done shall not be mentioned but in his transgression that he hath committed and in his sinne that he hath sinned in them shall he die Of the departing of this heauenly Court Saint Basin thus saies In Psa 33 Like as smoke driues away Bees and
him Iam. 4.4 for the amitie of the world is the enimitie of God and whosoeuer will be a friend of the world maketh himselfe the enemie of God Let vs remember that wee are in the latter end of the world And therefore they that haue wiues 1 Cor. 7.29.30.31 must be aâ— though they had none and they that weepe as though they wept not and they that reioyce as though they reioyced not and they that buy as though they possessed not and they that vse this world as though they vsed it not for the fashion of this world goeth away that is let vs not fixe and tie our affections on earthly things Heb. 13. â—4 For we haue hâ—ere no continuing Citie but wee seeke one to come but let vs hunger and thâ—rst after â—ighteousnessâ— that we may be filled with eternall blessednesse through our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus Amen KNOW THIS THAT GOD WILL bring thee to iudgement Luk. 21.36 Watch therfore and pray continually that ye may be counted worthie to escape all these things that shall come to passe and that ye may stand before the Sonne of man WHen our Sauiour had shewed the terriblenesse of that last and great day wherein hee will come to iudge all flesh and to giue to euery one after his doings hee exhorts all men to haue these things in continuall remembrance that they may attaine to eternall blessednes escape euerlasting wretchednes For they that are drawne from sinne neither by the loue of God nor the desire of heauenly blessings nor by the embracing and following of vertue yet if they giue héede to that they heare they must néedes be terrified and consequently something refrained from euill by the expectation and looking for of this dreadfull iudgemâ—nt And therefore our Sauiour propounds this as a meaneâ— to reclaime obdurate and obstinate offenders and concludes the fearefull description of the day of doome with this admonition Watch therfore and pray continually that ye may be counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to passe and that wee may stand before the Sonne of man And that which in this Euangelist is spoken briefely in Saint Matthew is expounded and amplified more largely where Christ saith Watch therefore Matt. 24.42 c. for ye knowe not what houre your Maister will come Of this be sure that if the good man of the house knewe at what watch the theefe would come hee would surely watch and not suffer his house to be digged through therefore be yee also readie for in the houre that yee thinke not will the sonne of man come Who then is a faithfull seruant and wise whom his Maister hath made ruler ouer his household to giue them meate in season Blessed is that seruant whom his Maister when he commeth shall finde so doing Verily I say vnto you he shall make him ruler ouer all his goods But if that euill seruant shall say in his heart my Maister doth deferre his comming begin to smite his fellowes and to eate and to drinke with the drunken that seruants Maister will come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an houre that he is not ware of and will cut him off and giue him his portion with hypocrites there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Likewise our Sauiour saith in S. Marke Take heede watch and pray Mar. 13.33.34 c. for ye know not when the time is For the Sonne of man is as a man going into a strange countrey and leaueth his house and giueth authoritie to his seruants and to â—uery man his worke and commandeth the porter to watch Watch yee therefore for yee know not when the Maister of the house will come at euen or at midnight at the cocke crowing or in the dawning least if he come suddenly he should finde you sleeping And those things that I say vnto you I say vnto all men Watch. Now to the end we may be the more prepared and the more watchfull and the more earnest in praier let vs weigh with our selues first the dreadfulnes of the last iudgement secondly why the day thereof is not knowne thirdly whereunto the expectation and remembrance thereof is profitable 1. The dreadfulnes of the last iudgement The fearefulnes of the last iudgement the Lord describes in the foregoing words when he saith Then there shall be signes in the Sunne and in the Moone and in the Starres and vpon the earth trouble among the nations with perplexitie the sea and the waters shall roare and mens hearts shall faile them for feare and for looking after those things which shall come on the world Luk. 21.25.26.27 for the powers of heauen shall be shaken and then shall they see the Sonne of man come in a cloud with power and great glorie Thus also it is expressed in Saint Matthew Matt. 24. â—9 30.31 And immediately after the tribulation of those daies shall the Sunne be darkened and the Moone shall not giue her light and the Starres shall fall from heauen and the powers of heauen shall be shaken And then shall appeare the signe of the Sonne of man in heauen and then shall all the kinreds of the earth mourne and they shall see the Sonne of man come in the clouds of heauen with power and great glorie And he shall send his Angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together his elect from the fower windes and from the one end of the heauens vnto the other The substance of Christs words is this that then all Elements and heauenly bodies shall both suffer strangely in themselues to affright the wicked and shall also work strangely on the wicked by casting vpon them diuerse torments as well of soule as of body and that all Creatures aboue and beneath shall be cryers and trumpetters to summon men before that horrible Tribunall seate which because they haue contemned therefore they haue persisted still in all vngodlines How the Sun shall be darkened the Moone shall not giue her light and the starres shall fall from heauen and the powers of heauen shall be shaken and the sea and floods shall roare in such ghastly sort that men shall be readie to yeeld vp the ghost through feare and anguish At this time we cannoâ— coniecture but the euent it selfe will declare and though the manner thereof be not knowne to vs yet to God it is well knowne But howsoeuer it shall be because the vse of the scripture is by the darkening of the Sunne Moone and Starres and by the like things as Christ héere foretels to discipher and signifie the extreame stormes and tempests of Gods wrath vengeance therefore those threatning predictions in the old Prophets may be applied to the last day of Iudgement in which they prophesie that the world shal be in such anguish perplexitie as that men shal thinke the Sun to be darkened the Moone to be bloodie the Sars
your ioy shall not be Fléeting and transitorie like the worldly ioye but true solide and permanent The world must needes be quickly depriued of their ioyes because they seeke them and repose them in fickle and fading things But I am the ioye and comfort of beléeuers and therefore their ioy is perpetuall because I am perpetuall Rom. 6.9 For though I shall bee Crucified yet I will rise the third day and die no more Death hath no more dominion ouer me Therefore it is not sorrow indeede which is turned into eternall ioy Nor it is not ioy indéede which is turned into eternall sorrow Therefore the wicked are not blessed which reioyce in this world in the world to come shall for euer be sorrie wéepe and howle Neither are the godly miserable that in this life are sorrie wéepe and lament but in the world to come shall reioyce for euer therefore faint not in tribulation knowing this that though your outward man perish yet your inward man is renewed daily 2. Cor. 2.10 Iam. 1.2.12 and account it excéeding ioy when ye fall into diuerse tentations for blessed is the man that endureth tentation for when he is tried he shall receiue the crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them that loue him And this is the summe and substance of Christs words to his disciples Neither did Christ speake this onely for his Apostles that they should sorrowe and lament in this life and that their sorrowe should be turned into gladnes but it is to be applied to all Christians who shall weepe and lament and be diuersely troubled as long as they carrie about this body oâ— death Who hath not heard of the tribulation of Iacoâ— of Ioseph of Dauid of â—oâ— of the rest of the Saints recorded and mentioned in holy scriptures And why were they afflicted it was that their faith and godlines might be tried and exercised as being the elect people of God and those that should be crowned in the world to come But we read not of the affliction of Esau and other that were reiected and not beloued of God G n. 15.16 for they were suffered to fill out the measure of their iniquitie The time is come saith Saint Peter that iudgement must begin at the house of God 1. Pet. 4.17.18 If it first begin at vs what shall the end be of them which obey not the Gospell of God And if the righteous scarcely be saued where shall the vngodly and sinner appeare It is the lote of euery creature Rom. 8.22 not onely of those that haue the first fruites of the Spirit vnto the day of the last redemption what to doe not to reioyce but * Sustenázein caì sunodinein to groane and trauell in paine and not to be pinched with sleight paine but with such smart as frets and consumes the heart with carefulnes and anxietie If all creatures why then the godly must be héere pressed also vntill being fréed from the continuall miseries of this present life they openly behold the fruit of their faith For the faithfull that are regenerate in Christ when they are entered into the kingdome of heauen and that blessed life they are like to women that haue brought foorth children but they are like to women great with child and trauelling with child while they are held captines in the prison of the flesh and doe aspire vnto that blessed state that now lieth hidden vnder hope Fiftly saies Gregorie Lib. 21. â— 4. Moral in Iob. the righteous are refrained from the swéetnes of transitorie delight as the stire which shall liue vnder labour is kept vnder the yoke but that which shall be for the shambles is fed in frée pastures As fruitfull trées are shaken and broken and despoiled when their fruits are gathered yet those trees are suffered to growe longest contrarily vnfruitfull trées are not so vexed and broken but they are sooner cut downe and cast into the fire as the physitian will not permit the sicke person in whom there is some hope of recouerie to take whatsoeuer he desires but he forbids nothing and restraines nothing from those that are desperately sicke as paâ—ents doe chastice the children of whom they haue expectation of good proofe and whom they correct for them they prouide inheritance but the incorrigible and forlorne they leaue to themselues and depriue them of their possessions so for the most part they which shall perish eternally are pampered héere with the good things of this world and doe enioy their pleasurable desires but those whom the Lord hath ordained to life immortall they are heere shaken and bruised and afflicted and exercised and bereaued of many good things which the world desireth It is written of Demonax the Philosopher that when one of his acquaintance did lament immoderately for his dead sonne and would not be comforted he surely promised to rise vp his sonne to life againe if among all men he could name thrée vnto him that either had neuer lamented the death of any friend or neuer had felt any aduersitie But when the fellowe had carried his thoughts on all which he knew and could finde no one such man Demonax replied Why doest thou then so vexe and disq â—et thy selfe as though thou hadst suffered some rare and vnaccustomed thing In our afflictioÌ„ let vs also make enquirie whether euer any thrée were discharged and acquited of all sorrowe and trouble and if we finde it as we shall finde it to be the portion allotted to all the godly and to all Christs disciples to wéepe and lament and be sorrie in this world what reason haue we to looke for a priuiledge and immunitie And héerein we must behold the example of our Maister Christ and walke in his steps 1. Pet. 2.20 c. for heereunto were we called that as Christ suffered for vs and when he did no sinne neither was there guile found in his mouth yet when he was reuiled reuiled not againe when he suffered he threatned not but committed it to him that iudgeth righteously so forasmuch as Christ bare our sinnes in his body on the trée that we being dead to sinne should liue in righteousnes and since by his stripes we were healed for we were as shéepe going astray but are now returned vnto the shepheard and Bishop of our soules when we doe well yet we must suffer wrong and take it patiently for this is acceptable to God Although this be the portion of the godly to wéepe and lament in this world Psal 112.4 yet there springs vp to the righteous ioy in their trouble and light in their darkenes For God is the father of mercies 2. Cor. 1.3.4 and the God of all comfort faith Saint Paul which comforteth vs in all our tribulation He saith not in one or two tribulations but in all our tribulations Rom. 15.5 Therfore the scripture calleth God the God of patience and consolation because he engrafts patience in
to proclaime that whosoeuer would lend him monie should in short space receiue againe not onely the principall summe and that interest which the lawe tollerates but far more namely twise as much nay an 0. sold there would be none when he should heare of this proclamation that would not presently lend to that Prince as much monie as he had and if he had none that would not sell away his possessions and so procure monie that he might obtaine that extraordinarie munificence and recompence of the Prince But if perhaps the Potentates promise and proclamation should not mooue some but that they would kéepe their monies by them at home and not lend them they must of necessitie either be iustly censured of follie in neglecting of such great gaine or be conuinced of distrustfulnes in not yéelding credit to so royall promises Wherefore saith Salomon since God doth not take away our â—iches but preserue them kéepe them for vs and doth recompence them againe with large and ample vsurie nay doth promise for temporall and transitorie wealth eternall and neuer perishing what excuse can those make or what pardon can those looke for that refuse to lend to the Lord and that regard not the most liberall recompence which God bestowes on them that shew mercie and compassion vpon the poore and miserable And this is the force and meaning of this prouerb of Salomon which of it selfe is sufficient to stir vp tractable and flexible minds to performe the workes of mercie on the afflicted But for that good things cannot be spoken too often nor dilated too plainely and in this last age of the world loue wareth cold as it did before the destruction of Ierusalem Matt 24. according to the words of our Sauiour it will not be impertinent to amplifie this Argument somewhat more For that which we finde in the swellings and infirmities that sticke déepely in our bodies namely that there must be long time much labour and discretion vsed in applying remedies that they may be remooued without endangering the life the same we may perceiue in couetousnes and other vices and diseases of the soule For the gréedie loue of worldly things hath taken such roote in the mindes of many that it cannot be cured by one or two exhortations but manifold admonition must be vsed that at last by often compassing with the armies of godly perswasions and by lowd blowing the trumpets of seuere threatning and by bearing the Arke of the word of the Lord the strong holds and fortresses of couetousnes may be battered and demolished like the wals of Ierico Iosh 6. Plin. i. 32. c. 4. Some write of the Narmensian field that it is the drier for raine and the moister for drouth and therfore Cicero iested thereupon saying that in that place Raine did cause dust and sun-shining dirt so there is a generation of people that will bend contrarie to the force of exhortation and rowe against the streame of perswasion and waxe worse worse for admonition But though dogs bite those Matt. 7.6 that cast holy things vnto them and swine turne backe and rent those that throwe pearles before them and though some stop the eare to the charmer like the deafe Adder Psal 58.5.6 that will not heare the Enchanters voyce charme he neuer so cunningly Matt. 11.16.19 and though some are those stubborne sinners that will neither lament when they heare wéeping nor daunce when they heare piping that is that regard neither the sharpe manaces of the lawe nor the swéet comforts of the Gospell yet wisedome is iustified of all her children and they that are endued with the grace of Gods spirit will hearken to the statutes and voyce of the Lord and will say with the holy Prophet when they are reprooued Heale vs ô Lord Ier. 17.14 31.18 and we shall be whole saue vs and we shall be saued conuert vs and we shall be conuerted The forme of Diogenes supplication when he begd Lâ—â—r l. 6. was this If thou hast before this time giuen to any giue also to me but if thou neuer gauest to any begin now with me whereby he meant that he was in the case of other beggars and therefore desired that he that gaue to euery one would also giue to Diogenes and that it was time for him that was so niggish as to giue to none at length to begin to giue somewhat The same supplication of beggars may be vsed in our age and therefore that we may either learne at length to lend to the Lord and amend our backwardnes or else perseuere in liberalitie and haue the good worke confirmed which is alreadie begun in vs it shall be declared first why we 〈◊〉 giue to the poore secondly to what poore 〈◊〉 must giue thirdly how and after what manner we must giue First why we must giue We must haue compassion on the distressed to declare that we haue loue and who knowes not that euery Christian must entertaine loue and charitie For if the most excellent things are to be embraced as they are indéed what is more excellent then loue They that speake with the tongues of men and Angels 1. Cor. 13.1.2.3.8 and haue not loue are as sounding brasse or a tinckling cymball they that haue the gift of Prophesie and know all secrets and all knowledge yea that haue all faith so that they can remooue mountaines and haue not loue they are nothing they that féede the poore with all their goods and giue their bodies that they be burned and haue not loue it profiteth them nothing When prophecying shall be abolished and tongues cease and knowledge vanish away and when faith and hope shall be determined and ended namely when our soules shall come to that blessed life then loue shall still remaine for loue doth neuer fall away Can there be any vertue comparable to loue that is the soule and life of other vertues and that suruiues and liues after other vertues doe cease and are abolished He that hath mercie on the poore makes it manifest that he hath loue and that he loues 1. Ioh. 3.18 not in word and tongue onely but in déed and truth For to say that we loue our brethren and yet not to giue to their necessities is that cold charitie which Saint Iames reprehends Iam. 2.15.16 when he saies If a brother or a sister be naked and destitute of daily foode and one of you say vnto them depart in peace warme your selues and fill your bellies notwithstanding ye giue theÌ„ not those things which are needfull to the body what helpeth it This colourable loue is like faith without workes and a painted fire without warmth and a counterfait streame without moistnes and a tree full of leaues without any fruit Therefore to shew that we are not void of so rare and excellent a vertue as loue is we must haue mercie on the poore Againe we must shew mercy on the poore
heauie loding sinckes the vessell but by a moderate loding it hath prosperous sailing so if we fill our houses with too much vnnecessarie store the inuasion of an vnexpected matter may drowne the boate but if we lay vp what is méete and bestowe the ouerplus on the poore though a vehement whirlewind blow vpon vs yet we shall passe through the waues and not leese all Hoord not vp then too much least thou leese euen that is necessarie And that thou maiest accomplish these things the better ponder earnestly that of the wise sonne of Syrach My sonne Ecclus. 14.11 Aug. in enchir doe good to thy selfe of that thou hast As if he should say He that will proceed aright in giuing of almes must begin from himselfe and bestow it first vpon himselfe for almes is the worke of mercy and if mercie be fit for other is it not for thee If we must loue our neighbour as our selues we must first loue our selues in the feare of the Lord and with godly and Christian charitie as we ought to doe and then secondarily loue our brethren by the same Rule For charitie begins from it selfe and none can so loue his neighbour as he ought to doe except he first earnestly loue himselfe and wish well to himselfe Vâ—â—enâ—â—s 〈◊〉 â—â—è 〈…〉 For that which the Philosopher spake of the good man may be much more rightly spoken of the godly man namely that he is the greatest selfelouer that is he loues himselfe most and first with the true loue commanded and allowed of God Are we commanded then to loue our enemies and to pray for our enemies and to blesse and doe good to our enemies and shall we not loue our selues and séeke to doe good to our selues Shall we take remorse on those that are shut vp in prison and visite them and shall we be regardles of our sillie soule and cruell towards it that is fettered by sinne like a captiue in the chaines of this mortall bodie and neuer visite it and consider in what state it is Shall we féede the hungrie giue drinke to the thirstie cloath the naked and shall we not labour to haue our soules fed with the heauenly Manna of Gods word and refreshed with the swéete water of the fountaine of life and apparelled with the robe of Christs righteousnes by a liuely faith that it may appeare holy and vnspotted in the sight of God Shall we comfort the distrefied with aduersitie giuing them kinde spéeches and shall we not speake kindly to our owne â—â—les and rehearse and relaie vnto them the manifold and maruellous merceies of God Shall we haue more care of our bodies that they may be in health quiet and good liking nay shall we haue more care of the bodies of others that they want not thinges requisite for this life which is so fading and fickle then we haue of our soules that were bought not with siluer and gold or corruptible things but with the inestimable price of Christs blood that immaculate lambe of God that they may be partakers of the eternall and vnchangeable life Wherefore that we may giue bountifully to those that want and as we ought to giue let vs be first compassionate charitable and tender harted towards our owne selues and let vs be carefull not to pollute that which the pretious blood of Christ hath purified and let vs labour to gouerne our vnderstanding and our will and our desire as we ought to doe and because our frailtie is such that we must néedes fall often while we liue in this world let vs beséech our heauenly father so to enlighten our vnderstanding and so to subiect our willes to his holy pleasure and so to moderate our desires that we growing in grace and in the knowledge of God and his Christ our Redéemer may liue godly and circumspectly in this world waiting for the blessed hope of eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen A GHEST FOR THE SOVLE Col. 3.16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you plenteously in all wisedome THe Gospell describing the perillous slipperie state of maÌ„s life in this world proposeth the parable of the vncleane spirit Matt. 12.43.44.45 which being cast out of his hold after many consultations at last entereth into the same person out of whom he was expelled if he finde him emptie and idle And we must diligently marke this For whereas Adam by his fall brought death into the world and corrupted the whole nature of man and therby we are prone and enclined to all euill and vngodlines we are deliuered from this pollution and miserie by our Sauiour Christ Iesus Notwithstanding Sathan retaines his disposition and we retaine ours For Sathan seekes and hunts and allures and laies counterwaits to deuoure vs and we are careleâ—â— and negligent and secure and many times pull â—â—to vs occasions to doe euill And what comes to pâ—pâ— The last end is worse then the beginning for to the Lord is woont to punish our contempt negligence and vnthankfulnes We see then that it sufficeth not to be once fréed from the spirituall tyrannie and thraldome of Sathan but we must striue and endeuour not to looke backe to Sodome and not to defile our garments when they are washed in the blood of the Lambe It is God alone that doth preserue vs from fo doing and therefore we daily pray vnto him That he would not leade vs into tentation And albeit it is God alone that doth defend vs from backsliding yet he hath also left vs a meanes and helpe of this defence and preseruation in which our selues may exercise our selues Of this S. Paul entreates in this passage saying Let the word of Christ dwell in you plenteously in all wisedome As though he should thus say the word of God is the bréeder of faith in your harts and by faith you apprehend Christ his merits and so consequently are saued therefore lay a sure and setled ground worke in this word of God for if you heare the word and surely kéepe iâ— it wil cause you to growe from grace to grace from vertue to vertue from good worke â—o good worke till ye come to the full age of perfite men in Christ This is large commendation of the word of God The cerâ—enâ—◠〈◊〉 â—uiâ—◠〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 of God but say some we would willingly knowe how we may be assured that the scripture hath vndoubtedly procéeded from God and hath béene endited by the holy Ghost to the end we may giue the more reuerence vnto it and the rather receiue it Let vs then consider the implacable and irâ—econciliable hatred of Sathan and the world wherwith they pursue the doctrine of the scripture whereas they tolerate other doctrines though neuer so absurde and impious and the vtter downefal of the persecutors and haters thereof for not one of those cruell Romane Emperours that raised the tenne first persecutions in the primitiue Church escaped a miserable end and the
the plough that manureth the Church of God and the one thing necessarie to saluation and the nest into which Christ gathers his chickens and couers them vnder the wings of his mercifull promises and the yoke Matt. 11.29 which euery one must vndergoe that will be the disciple of our Sauiour It is this word 1. Pet. 1.23 Io. 15.5 that regenerates and begets vs anew with an incorruptible séede and that clenseth vs from our pollution and that as a christall mirrour and looking glasse not onely shewes vs our spots Iâ—m 1.23.25 Ier. 15.16 Io. â—5 4 Io. 15.7 Heb. 4.12 but also affoords vs water to clense and wash them away and that replenisheth the hearts of the faithfull with vnspeakable ioy and that ioynes vs with Christ inseparably and that makes vs obtaine all things of God and that is liuely and mightie in operation and sharper then any two edged sword and entereth thorow euen vnto the diuiding asunder of the soule and the spirit and of the ioynts and the marrowe and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart The summe of all is this the word of God teacheth vs the knowledge of God and the word of God is the foode and nourishment of our soules and the word of God is the spirituall armour to beate downe our inuisible enemies and the word of God will make vs absolute and entire if we receiue it aright If this be true then Gods word is most vsefull and behoofefull vnto vs and it is requisite that it dwell plenteously in vs. But it is most true for that Gods law doth teach vs the true seruice and worship of God the Psalmist doth witnes when he saith Psal 19.7.8.9 The law of the Lord is perfite conuerting the soule the testimonie of the Lord is sure and giueth wisedome vnto the simple the statutes of the Lord are right and reioyce the heart the commandement of the Lord is pure and giueth light vnto the eyes the feare of the Lord is cleane and endureth for euer the iudgements of the Lord are truth they are righteous altogether They that are enclosed in a darke Labyrinth and intricate roome of many turnings hope in vaine to get foorth without light so being in endles windings of sinne error and ignorance of this life we cannot escape out without the light and guidance of the word of God And therefore Saint Peter cals it a sure word which if we followe we shall neuer stray we haue saith he a most sure word of the Prophets 2. Pet. 1.19 to the which ye doe well that ye take heede as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place As though he had said we are compassed about with a night of wickednes and infirmities and we are tossed as in a sea of surging calamities and therefore as marriners direct their course by the North starre least they wander out of the straight course and fall among sands and rocks so we must leuell and aime all our thoughts words actions after the prescription appointmeÌ„t of Gods word Origine makes an opprouable gradation Homil. 3. in exod man saith he that is reasonable though he be voyd of skill and learning yet if he be compared with other creatures that lacke reason and spéech he will seeme eloquent But if he be compared with learned and eloquent men replenished with all wisedome he will séeme vneloquent and dumbe But if a man consider the holy scripture and the diuine wisedome contained therein and weigh with himselfe how great and vnsearchable that learning is he will confesse himselfe to be more bruite and dumbe before God then beastes are before men That is as farre as a man by naturall wisedome excéedes a beast and as far as a man by Art and humane learning exceedes naturall wisedome so far doth the déepe knowledge of the word of God surpasse all humane Arts and learning whatsoeuer That the word of God is the Mannâ— and foode of our soules Saint Peter sheweth As new borne babes saith he desire that sincere milke of the word 2. Pet. 2.2 that ye may grow thereby Heb. 5.13 â—4 And likewise Saint Paul saith Euery one that vseth milke is vnexpert in the word of righteousnes for he is a babe But strong meate belongeth to them that are of age which through long custome haue their wits exercised to discerne both good and euill Which spéech an ancient Father séemes thus to expound and amplifie Orig. 〈◊〉 8. in Lew. not onely sayth he vnresonable Creatures doe know their proper and peculiar meates for the Lyon vseth one and the Goate another and the Oxe another and the birde another but in men also there are differences in the desire and appetite of foode He that hath an able and strong body receiues hard meate and presumes to eate of any thing and the Babe though not able to speake yet by proofe shewes that it desires but milke Thus euery Creature is delighted with proper and competent meate And so it fares in the sustenance of the soule which is the word of God euery one is not nourished with the selfe-same part of the word one is nourished with milke that is with plaine and easie doctrine of morall exhortations and rudiments of Christianitie and another takes the profounder mysteries and hidden secrets How plentifull a storehouse then is the word of God that hath fit foode for euery soule Some will say if the word be the foode of our soule why is it then so darke in many places as that the vulgar sort cannot any way comprehend the sense and the learned themselues striue for the true interpretation whereas foode should be easie to be perceiued and easie to be receiued The answere is that the scripture is cléere for the fundamentall points of the doctrine of saluation as the Articles of the faith Psal 119.105 and the commandements And therefore it is called a lanterne for those whose hearts the Lord doth open and it is said by Salomon Pro. 8.9 That all the words of God are plaine to them that will vnderstand and straight to them that will finde knowledge In these points it is darke onely to them that perish 2. Cor. 4.3 4 as the Apostle saith If the Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost in whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes that is of the Infidels that the glorious Gospell of Christ which is the Image of God should not shine vnto them Howbeit also some things in the scriptures are not manifest to the very elect and why partly that they should not trust to their owne wit but should pray to God for the vnderstanding of them partly that they should be stird vp to a more diligent search and meditation on them partly that they should the more estéeme of the ministerie which is Gods ordinance for the explanation of the holy scriptures For though the Ministers of
them but a Christian may doe otherwise and farre more by the working of the Spirit that blesseth the studie of the scriptures nam ligneum vas acceptum poteris aliquando reddere aureum for thereby thou mayest make that a golden vessell which thou receiuedst a wooden vessell Who will now call into question the profite that the scripture brings to them that loue it reade it heare it and thinke vpon it And how brazen are his browes that dares to affirme Bellar. tom 1. l. 1. c. 16. that the translation of the scripture into vulgar languages is neither necessarie nor much profitable but ofttimes hurtfull and therefore the reading of them is not to be permitted to any but to such as shall be licensed thereunto by their Ordinarie Ioh. 5.49 If Christ commend and commaund the searching of the scriptures if the Eunuch of Canaâ—ce be neuer to be forgotten Act. 8.28 Act. 16.11 for busie perusing of the word of God if the noble Beraeans did well in receiuing the word with all readines and searching the scriptures daily whether those things were so Act. 18.24.26 if Apollos Aquila and Priscillâ— were diligent readers and expounders of the things of the Lord if he that spake as he was inspired of God Psal 1.2 pronounce the man blessed that meditates on Gods law day and night they that will debarre men from reading and hearing of Gods word must be contented to be ranked in the number of those on whom the man of God doth cast a view Isa 5.20 when he saith Woe vnto them that speake good of euill and euill of good which put darkenes for light and light for darkenes that put bitter for swéete and sweete for sowre Doth not the wiseman shew how necessarie the scripture and the exposition thereof is for the people in that he writes that where there is no vision Prou. 29.18 that is declaration of Gods word the people decay doth not Christ shew that the not knowing of the scriptures is the mother of error Matt. 22.19 when he saith that the Saduces beléeued not the Resurrection and were wrapt in ignorance because they knew not the scriptures Doth not the holy Apostle cleerely beate downe the maintenance of ignorance 1. Thes 5.20 1. Tim. 4.13 when he commaunds not to despise prophesie that is the exposition of the word of God and when he chargeth the Minister to apply reading exhortation and doctrine Doth it not manifestly appeare that the scriptures were read of Ezra to the people in their knowne tongue Noh 8.18 9.3 Luk. 21.22 and likewise of Christ himselfe in that vpon the reading and expounding of a place of the Prophet when Christ had said this day is the scripture fulfilled in your eares they all bare him witnes wondred at the gratious words which proceeded out of his mouth and likewise of the Apostles Act. 2.11 13.15 who preached to the Greekes and other nations not in the Hebrewe tongue but in the Greeke tongue and in that tongue that was vnderstood of the hearers But that in old times the common people were commaunded to reade the scriptures and to read them in that tongue that they vnderstood Deut. 6.6.7.8.9 it is most euident by that place where it is said Heare O Israel these words which I commaund thee this day shall be in thine heart and thou shalt rehearse them continually vnto thy children and shalt talke of them when thou tarriest in thine house and as thou walkest by the way and when thou lyest downe and when thou risest vp and thou shalt binde them for a signe vpon thine hand and they shall be as frontlets betwéene thine eyes also thou shalt write them vpon the postes of thine house and vpon thy gates Cor. Agrip de â—an scient Incapite Ieiunij One saith that is was decréed in the first Nicem Counsell that no Christian should want a Bible in his house Augustine speakes thus to his people Let it not suffice that you heare the scriptures read in the Church but also in your owne houses either reade them your selues or séeke some to reade them Chrysostom speakes thus to his hearers In Ioan. Hom. 9 〈◊〉 â—pâ—â— Coâ—os I admonish and desire you to get you Bookes heare this all ye secular men get you Bibles which are medicines for your soules If you will haue nought else get you euen the newe Testament the Apostle the Acts that are continuall and diligent teachers Origen speakes thus In Isai hom 2. Would God that all of vs would doe that is written Search the scriptures Ierome speakes thus of the companie of women that were conuersant with Paule at Bethleem In epitaph Paula It was lawfull for none of them to be ignorant of the Psalmes and not to learne somewhat euery day out of the holy scriptures Despir sancto c. 1. Basil speakes thus As much as humane nature can beare we may be like to God and the likenes cannot be without knowledge and this knowledge consisteth of doctrine and the beginning of doctrine is speech and the parts of speech are syllables and sounds As if he had said Except men know sounds and syllables they cannot perceiue the speech except men perceâ—ue the speech they cannot apprehend the doctrine except men apprehend the doctrine they cannot be like to God Iulian that most wicked Emperour obiected to Christians Cyrill contra Iuliad lib. 6. In fuâ—â—â— Orat. â—e sâ—r Gorg. That their women were spitefull in the scriptures and Nazianzen witnesseth of his sister Gorgonia that she was excellently exercised in the old and new Testament If women if the common people if euery fort were commaunded to reade and search and did reade and search the scriptures who are to be exempted from this dutie If Moses wish Num. 11.29 Psal 1.9.10 1. Thes 4.1 that all the Lords people had knowledge and could prophecie if Paul wish to all Gods people daily and large encrease of knowledge to call ignorance the Mother of Deuotion is that heresie that called Ignoarnce of the truth knowledge (a) Iâ—en l. 2. c. 19. For Ignorance is the Mother of all errors (b) Concil Tol. 4. c. 24. and not to knowe the scripture is not to knowe Christ (c) Hier. distinct 38. fi iuxtra and they which knowe not those things which pertaine to the Lord are not knowne of the Lord (d) Greg. in pastoral l. 1. c. 1. and it is the greatest torment and paine to the Diuels to see any to apply the word of God and studiously to seeke out the knowledge of Gods lawe and the mysteries of the scripture this is the flame and fire wherein they burne for they possesse all those that lye in Ignorance (e) Orig. in Numb hom 27. and as the body cannot liue except it breath so the soule cannot liue except she knowe her Creator for not to knowe God is the death
of the Lord are with them that feare him and he will not admit the sinfull soule into the mysteries contained in his holy word If we will haue our hearing of the word to prosper we must remoue the curtaine of wickednes from our hearts 2. Cor. 3.15 else we shall heare without profite as the Iewes reade the lawe and vnderstand it not because the vaile is not taken from them If we will be rightly instructed and sanctified by hearing the word and bring foorth acceptable fruit we must breake vp the fallowe ground Ier. 4.4 and not sowe among thornes for if the good séede fall among thornie sinnes that naturally sprout and spring vp in vs they will choake all the good plants of holy doctrine that are graffed in our hearts If we will approach néere to God by hearing the word we must not bring a prophane and a wicked heart Leu. 10.3 as Nadab and â—bihu offered strange fire before the Lord for God will be honored in them that drawe nigh vnto him If we will growe in grace by our entrance into the Lords house we must looke to our feete how much more to our hearts when we come thither Matt. 22.11 and we must not thrust into the marriage feast not arraied in the marriage robe that is we must not presume to heare the word of God with a polluted vncleane and vnsanctified heart An honest and vertuous heart rinsed and clensed from the dregs of iniquitie makes vs chéerefull and forward and desirous to heare the word of God And as hunger is the best sawe for meate so the desire of the word is the best motiue and prouocation to the hearing thereof and where that desire is there the words of the Psalmist shall be heard How swéete are thy promises vnto my mouth Psal 119.103 yea more then hony vnto my mouth To be hungry for meate declares good health of bodie so to long for the word of God Hom. 2. in Isai argueth good constitution of soule saith Saint Chrysostome And why doe many get so little good by hearing It is because the honest and good heart is not in them that brings foorth the true desire of hearing When Diogenes was repelled of â—nâ—sthâ—nes he put his head vnder his staffe and said beate me Laerâ— l. 6. as long as thou wilt for thou shalt finde no staffe so hard that may driue me away from thee as long as thou speakest any thing that I may learne If our desire of diuine wisedome were answerable to Diâ—genes his desire of humane wisedome no labour no paines no busines should plucke vs backe from hearing of the word But therefore doe we neglect to heare because we desire not to heare and therefore we desire not to heare because we know not the true benefite of hearing and haue not the good heart that should excite vs to séeke it out For as the things which we behold a far off are represented bigger to our view then they are indéed and those things seeme big which are néere vnto vs so to a sinner that loues earthly things all things pertaining to God because they are farre from his eye and the whole knowledge of diuine matters appeares small contemptible and the ioyes commodities only of this world séeme fairer desirable because they are néere to his eye from this blindnes proposterous iudgement springs that difference betwéene corporall foode set on the table and spirituall foode deliuered in preaching For when we are inuited to a banquet we doe not refuâ—e as if we wanted not meate but when we are inuited to heare the word we oftentimes refuse as if we néeded no preaching When we sit at table we would gladly be serued with the best meate and care not before whom the course meate be set but in hearing the word as in the reprehension of some vice that chiefely makes for the soules health we remoue the best from vs and shift it off to other saying this toucheth him or him not me When we sit at table we would be first but when we shall heare the word we care not if we be last When we sit at table scarce any banquet séemes too long but when we heare the word almost euery sermon is tedious Lastly at table we eate often and almost daily the same foode without disdaine but in hearing the word we can scarse heare one spéech twise vttered without loathing And what is the cause of all this but for that our stomackes are queasie and our appetites decaied towards heauenly things Wherefore as the blinde Bartimaeus cast away his cloake Mar. 10. â—0 when he should come to Christ to receiue his sight of bodie so we must cast off our rags of sinne when we come to the word to receiue knowledge and our inward sight of minde For the feare of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge Pro. 1.7 Gods graces will not come to the heart nor remaine in the heart that is not clensed from wickednes if we will haue Christ to teach vs Mar. 4.34 as he expounded all things to his disciples apart we must also goe apart from iniquitie and the loue of the things of the world and we must earnestly beg that honest and good heart of him that seeth and ruleth all hearts that our soules being made vndefiled Virgines Reu. 14.3 may sing the Virgines song which none can learne but such as sing it Next we must heare and kéepe and retaine the word in our hearts that it may dwell in vs plenteously He that puts bread or any other meate into his mouth first chewes it and then conuaies it into his stomack so when we haue heard Gods word we must meditate on that we haue heard and we must consider what was spoken and how it was spoken and to what purpose it was spoken There is much adoe to kéepe the word when it is heard for the flesh and the diuell fight against the Spirit that séekes by the preaching of the word to be a new ghest in our soules 2. King 9.20 But as Iehu was knowne by his furious marching so an honest and good heart is knowne by zeale and earnestnes to finish a good purpose in hearing and keeping Gods word that it may dwell in vs. And as Iaakob when he wrestled with the Angell said I will not let thee goe Gen. 32.26 except thou blesse me so a true Israelite will say when he heares the word I will sixe it in my heart and I will not let it depart till it reforme my minde and bring foorth fruit Neither auailes it ought to heare the word except the heart kéepe it and faith engraue it deepely in the soule What did it profit Adam Gen. 3.11 to heare the commandement to abstaine from the trée of knowledge of good and euill when he neither beléeued nor kept it What did it profite Loâ—s wife to heare that commandement Gen. 19.17 Escape
for thy life looke not behind thée neither tarrie thou in all the plaine escape into the mountaine lest thou be destroyed when she disobediently retained it not in her heart Psal 95.7.8.9 What did it profite the children of Israel to heare the voyce of the Lord when they kept it not but hardened their hearts and tempted God and prooued him though they had seene his worke For they that are thirstie must drawe nigh to the waters and must encline their eares and must come to the Lord if they will haue their soules to liue and will be partakers of Gods euerlasting couenant euen of the sure mercies of Dauid and then they shall sée Isai 55.1.3.10.11 that as the raine commeth downe and the snow from heauen and watereth the earth and maketh it to bring foorth and bud and returneth not againe thither from whence it came so the word of God that goeth out of his mouth shall not returne voyde but shall accomplish that which God will and shall prosper in the thing whereto it is sent What did it profite the hearers of the old Prophets Ier. 6.8 7.24.25.26 to haue their eares beaten on with an externall sound when they would not be instructed and when they would not obey nor incline their eares nor walke in the waies which God commanded but went after the counsels and stubburnenes of their wicked heart and went backward and not forward and hardened their necke and did worse then their fathers Mar. 6.20 What did it profit Herod to heare Iohn gladly and to reuerence him and to doe many things by his preaching when as he imprinted not the word in his heart nor kept it Heb. 4.2 and therefore it profited not because it was not mixed with faith What did it profite Felix to heare Paul of the faith in Christ Act. 24.24.25 and to tremble when he heard him dispute of righteousnes and temperancie and of the iudgement to come when the word of God had no rooting in his heart and his affection thereunto was but as a sudden flash of lightning in the darkenes which comes quickly and vanisheth quickly For as the blessed Virgine Luk. 2.33.51 not onely maruelled at the things which were spoken of Iesus but also kept all those sayings in her hart so when we heare the word of God we must not onely receiue it with outward cares but we must giue it accesse into the closet of our hearts and kéepe it Iam. 1.21 Luk. 10.23.24 and graffe it there if we will haue it to saue our soules It is a step to blessednes to heare the Gospell preached for blessed are our eyes which sée that which many Prophets and Kings haue desired to sée and haue not seene and to heare those things which we heare and haue not heard them but he is indéed blessed not that heares the word onely Luk. 14.35 but that heareth and kéepeth it Therefore to teach how profitable a thing it is to heare the word and kéepe it Christ makes it a marke and cognizance of his elect that when the name of God is declared vnto them Reu. 1.3 Ioh. 17.6 they kéepe his word And that we may learne that it sufficeth not to heare except we heare and kéepe both Christ and the disciple whom he loued Luk. 9.44 Matt. 13.9 Reu. 2.7.11.17 13.9 that in his last supper leaned on his breast when they proposed things againe and againe to be pondered they required their words to be marked and charged that he that hath eares should heare that is that eares and hearts should ioyne together in receiuing and holding the word of God For though the word be still salt yet when it is not well kept Luk. 14.35 it becomes as salt that hath lost his sauour and preserues not the soule from putrifying in sinne and wickednes through want of faith in the receiuer Ezek. 3.1 Ezekiel was commaunded to eate the roule and booke that was shewed vnto him to teach vs that we shall heare Gods word in vaine vnles we retaine it and delight in it For as meate that is receiued into the stomach if it be presently discharged out it nourisheth not the body nor is turned into the substance thereof so the word doth the soule no good when it is heard onely and not kept and digested and chewed and conuerted vnto the soules nourishment When a trée is planted it can beare no fruit if it be shaken and ouerthrowne with stormes and windes no more can the word bring foorth fruit when it is planted in the heart if it be not kept sure but suffered to be shaken with the winde of euery tentation Ioh. 4.14 It is not enough to come to the well but if we will neuer thirst we must drinke of the water which Christ giues vs. For as he saith I am come into my garden Cant. 5.1 I gathered my mirre with my spice I ate mine hony-combe with my hony I dranke my wine with my milke so he saith also O friends drinke and make you merry O welbeloued that is as Christ in his kingdome of grace like a delicious Paradise and garden into which we enter by the preaching of the word hath prepared a spirituall banquet so he liberally inuites all men to the participation thereof which is obtained by holding fast and kéeping of his word and gospell Wherefore since it is not enough to admire the foode of our soules and to call it Man Ex. 16.16 that is what is this except we gather it as we ought and kéepe it as we ought and eate it as we ought Let vs beséech God the giuer of euery good and perfect gift to endue vs with the honest and good heart which heareth the word and kéepeth it that Gods word may euermore remaine in vs. 1. Cor. 3.7 For neither is he that planteth any thing neither he that watereth but God that giueth the encrease Except the Lord build the house Psal 127.1 they labour in vaine that build it except the Lord kéepe the citie the kéeper watcheth in vaine Therefore Austin and Gregorie say agréeably thereunto Aug. tract 3. in ep Ioan. Greg. l. 11. c 5. Mor. in Iob. Omnia Eeclesiae magisteria forinsecus sonant cathedram habet in caelo qui intus docet Mutum est os omne quod loquitur si Deus interius in corde non clamet qui etiam aspirat verba quae audiuntur that is all the teaching of the Church founds without he that teacheth within hath his seate in heauen Euery mouth that speakes is dumbe vnles God crye within in the heart who also giues life to the words which are heard The third propertie of the good hearer is to bring foorth fruit with patience The graine of wheate will being foorth none other fruit but fruit of his owne nature and sort so the Gospell and word of Christ when it is sowne on the good heart that
miracle that Christs glory might be the greater and that the Iews might the sooner receiue him for the Messias Christs doctrine was more heauenly then Iohns for Christ taught as one hauing authoritie and not as the Pharises and other Doctors of the Lawe Ioh. 7.46 The Iewes themselues confessed that neuer man spake as Christ spake And a principall Pharisie could not but say Ioh. 3.2 None could do these miracles that thou doest except God were with him What then is the reason that they neglect and despise Christ and send this solemne honourable and noble Ambassage to Iohn euen from Ierusalem their Metrapolitane Citie Was it because Christ did sharpely taxe and reprehend their life But Iohn did it more sharpely speaking thus to the Pharises Matt. 3.7 O generations of Vipers who hath forewarned you to flee from the anger to come Surely this was the onely cause for that they reputed Christ vilde and a Carpenters sonne but they accounted Iohn a noble man and the sonne of a noble man whose father was Zachariah the Priest and his citie was in Iudah whereas they supposed that Christ was borne in Nazareth a base and simple citie in Galile Ioh. 1.46.47 and therefore Nathaniel otherwise a iust man and a true Israelite without guile said Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth The Iewes respected after the fashion of the world externall nobilitie and they had rather acknowledge Iohn for the Messias that was honorably descended then Christ who was borne in humilitie whether we respect the place of his birth or the place of his education or the state and condition of his mother and supposed father Ioseph For carnal and worldly men are most acute and sharpe eyed in perceiuing handling and discerning of worldly things and businesses but they are blind and ignorant in spirituall matters And therefore well writes Saint Basill As the sight of an Owle preuailes in the night Hom. ◠hexae◠but when the sunne shines it is much dazeled and dulled so the minde of men wise in the things of this world seemes to be most acute and quicke to discerne vaine things but to be dull and darke to perceiue the true light indeed Howsoeuer it were and howsoeuer the Iewes were blinded with an ouerwéening opinion of Iohns excellencie yea howsoeuer Iohn were extolled of Christ himselfe that cannot lye nor be deceiued Matt. 11.11 when he was commended for the greatest Prophet that arose among men borne of women yet this Iohn so noble so excellent so temperate so sincere so commended how humbly did he estéeme of himselfe and what was his answere to the Ambassadors Ioh. 1 26.2◠I baptise saith he with water but there is one among you whom yee know not he it is that commeth after me which was before me whose shoe latchet I am not worthy to vnloose This was the humilitie of Iohn the Baptist There is a memorable historie recorded of the seuen wisemen of Greece how modestly they shifted the name and reputation of wisedome from one to the other on this manner Val. Max. l. 4. c. 1. One had bought the draught of fishers that drew their net in the Milesian coast there arose a controuersie by reason that a golden Delpian table of great weight was drawne to land the fishermen affirming that they had solde the fishes that should be taken and the fellow saying that he had bought the fortune of the draught the case being brought before the whole people of the citie for the noueltie of the matter and for the value of the table it pleased them to aske counsell of Apollo of Delphos to whom the golden table should be adiudged Apollo answered that it should be giuen to him that surpassed others in wisedome in this oracle Hos sophie panton protos touto tripod an dô Then the Messias with one consent gaue the table to Thales Thales gaue it to Bias Bias to Pittacus and he presently to another and after from one to another of all the seuen it came last of all to Solon who bestowed vpon Apollo himselfe both the title and the reward of the greatest wisedome And thus it appeares that the better euerie one is the more humble euery one is and the more he estéemes other better then himselfe The fuller the vessell is the baser sound it yéeldes but the emptier it is the lowder it rings The higher the Sunne is in the heauen the lesser shadowes he makes and the lower he is the greater shadowes doe fal from bodies Sound and full eggs doe sinke in water but rotten and putrified and emptie doe float and swim When the bird will mount vpward in flight she bends downe her head towards the earth that she may rise the higher which she doth not when she walkes on the ground Wood that in burning yéeldes the greatest smoake doth giue the smallest heate The bough whereon fruit hanges and the eare ful of corne bend downeward to the earth but the bough and eare that are voyde of fruit doe stand vpright Euen so they that are destitute of true vertue and of good workes make most ostentation but the soule that is replenished with vertue and godlines beholds the earth that is mans frailtie and earthly condition from which ariseth the cause of humbling our selues And euery one must confesse Gen. 18.27 as Abraham did talking with God that he is dust and ashes not onely in respect of the body which is most manifest but also in respect of the soule and thereby truely abase and humble himselfe For as ashes are vild and of no reputation so the soule by sinne is vild and abhominable before God As ashes are scattered with each blast of winde so man of himselfe cannot resist a small tentation but he often fals at the vttering of a small spéech As ashes cannot returne to the former matter and substance of which it was made so a sinner cannot returne to the state of saluation from which he fell but by the grace and mercie of God The consideration of this is néedfull for vs for to estéeme too well of our selues and to be willing to be thought that we are not and to be vnwilling to be thought that we are is a disease incident to most men Which disease of man Socrates fitly expressed when he said Stob. ser 21. That if vpon the stage any should commaund all shoemakers to stand vp shoemakers onely would stand vp likewise if carpenters or weauers or other particular craftesmen were to stand vp these onely would stand vp but if wise men and iust men were commaunded to stand vp all present would straightway stand vp because all are willing to be accounted such And therefore since selfe-loue and selfe-liking is an hereditarie sicknes in vs it is behoofefull for vs to obserue what remedies may cure this daungerous infirmitie Surely whatsoeuer we consider whether the things without vs or the things within vs or the things beneath
of the Armour or by the railing and reuiling of the Gyant himselfe but he held on with Heroicall fortitude and flew the monster As Dauid fought against Goliah and ouercame him by constant resolution so we are to fight against the vgly monster of wickednes and if we purpose to vanquish it Eph. 6.11.13 we must take to vs the whole Armour of God and stand fast Behold Noah that continued so iust and vpright in his time that the vniuersall deluge of iniquitie which had ouerwhelmed all flesh Gen. 6.6.9 and caused God to repent and be sorrie that he had made man that is to disauowe him to be his Creature could not pollute him Gen. 39. Behold Ioseph that could not be entrapped in the net of incontinencie by any alluring entisements and wanton dalliances and fond prouocations of his vnchast misteries Est 3.2 5.9 Behold Mordecai the magnanimous Iew that would not fawne on the proud Haman nor flatter him in his eminencie nor reuerence him either by bowing the knée or standing vp or mouing for him but preserued in his disdayning of him or rather of his haughtines and pride because he was an Agagite of the stocke of the Amalekites Deut. 25.18.19 whose memorie was to be rased out from vnder heauen for that they cruelly slew the wearie Israelites when they came out of Egypt Behold Daniel and the thrée young men his fellowes of which they so constantly resisted Idolatrie that they regarded neither the maiestie and power of the commaunding Monarch Dan. 3.18 nor the hatred and despight of their accusing enemies nor the firie heate of the flaming furnace and Daniel was so farre off from forsaking his religion that when the king had decréed that whosoeuer should aske any petition of any God or man for thirtie daies saue of the king he should be cast into the denne of Lyons assoone as he vnderstood of this degrée Dan. 6.10 he went into his house and his window being open in his chamber toward Ierusalem he knéeled vpon his knées thrée times a day and prayed and praised his God as he did aforetime So much did he dislike the practise of some politike temporisers that will euer apply themselues to the time and neuer rowe against the streame or bend against the tempest but will direct the course of their ship according to the blast of winde and will turne too and fro in any sort that they may arriue in the harborough which they haue conceited in their imagination Behold the blind man to whom Christ gaue sight how constant and firme he was in confessing that Christ was a Prophet and not a sinner for else said he He could not haue bene heard of God Ioh. 9.17.31 and opened mine eyes Behold the boldnes of Peter and Iohn who though they were straitly forbidden to preach any more in Iesus name yet they stoutly and couragiously answered the Counsell on this wise Act. 4.18 5.29.40.41 We ought rather to obey God then men Behold the Baptist how setled he abode in reproouing vice vngodlines Matt. 14. and how he had rather yéeld his head to be striken off then excuse the incest of tyrannous Herod Behold both Ioseph of Arimathea the noble Counsailour that retired not from his beléeuing and cleauing to Christ Mar. 15.43 when he was crucified and did hang vpon the crosse betwéene two malefactors but went in boldly vnto Pilate and asked the body of Iesus and those religious and deuout women that as they had ministred to our Sauiour in his life time of their substaÌ„ce despised the scoffing of the vnbeleeuing Iewes Matt. â—7 55 Luk. 24.1 so they forsooke him not in his last passion wheÌ„ the soule was separated froÌ„ the body but prepared odours for his buriall Behold how Nicodemus persisted in his loue to Christ and his doctrine Ioh. 3.2 Ioh 7.51 Ioh. 19.39 so that from comming secretly to him in the night he proceeded to defending of him in the open councell and from that to his manifest honouring of his buriall as though his knowledge and profession of the Gospell were as the morning light that goeth on by degrées til it shine cleerly Pro. 4 18. Mar. 8.24.25 Reu. 3.2 Reu. 2.13 Reu. 3.8.10 and like the sight of the blind man who first perceiued men walking as trées after sawe euidently Behold the Minister of the Epâ—esine Church who though for the name of Christ he were burthened yet he had patience and though he laboured yet he fainted not and the Minister of Pergaâ—â—us who kept the name Christ denied not the faith euen in the daies of bloudie persecution and the Minister of the Church of Philadelphia who retained alwaies some strength denied not Christ but kept the word of patience Behold the Martyrs that haue most couragiously endured torturing death for the profession of the faith of Christ Iesus Reu. 12.11 loued not their liues vnto the death nay accounted it the highest dignitie to spend their blood in and for the testimonie of Christ Niceph. Caâ—â—est l. 8. c. 36. As among infinite others it is memorable of Viâ—hâ—zanes the Eunuch of Sapores the Persian king whose instructor at first and after faithfull seruant he was that when by the kings commaundement he was to be brought foorth to punishment for that he professed the doctrine of Christ as a recompence of his many benefites bestowed on the king and his perpetuall loyaltie to the com-monwealth he desired that this one thing might be granted to him that it might not be reported and rumored that he was put to death as a Traitor or one that had bene disloyal to the kings house and that a Cryer might publikely testifie that Vsthazanes was slaine for no other cause but for that he did onely embrace Christian religion and therefore would not adore the Sun or exhibite diuine worship vnto it Which thing hauing obtained he died most quietly and reioyced that he had turned off a scandale and imputation from the Christian profession and that he was vouchsafed the honour to die vnder the name of a disciple of Christ Iesus Behold the most excellent professor of Christ Saint Paul that gaue vs this counsell to persist in well doing how firme he was in discharging his calling for preaching the Gospell to the Nations In his farewell to the Elders of the Ephesine Church he said And now behold Act. 20 2â—.23.24 I goe bound in the spirit to Ierusalem and know not what things shall come vnto me there saue that the holy Ghost witnesseth in euery citie that bands and afflictions abide me but I pas not at all neither is my life deare vnto my selfe so that I may fulfill my course with ioy and the ministration which I haue receiued of the Lord Iesus to testifie the Gospell of the grace of God No prediction of dangers could appall him for while he tarried in Caesarea
eares that they should not heare yea they made their hearts as an adamant stone least they should heare the law and the words which the Lord of hoasts sent in his spirit by the ministerie of the Prophets There is no stone so hard as the Diamond yet the disobedient were as hard as the Diamond Let not vs Christians equall their hardnesse and let not vs be found harder then the Diamond so that the spéech of an auncient Father may be appropriated to vs when hee sayes that the Diamond though most hard Cyp. de dâ—p martyriâ— yet it is mollified and maistered with the blood of an hee Goate but that we doe not east aside our hardnesse nor as yet are softened by the blood of Christ who was the true scape goate Leu. 16.21 shadowed out in the types of the olde sacrifices vpon which Aaron was to put his hands and to confesse ouer him all the iniquities and trespasses and sinnes of the children of Israel and to send him away by the hand of a man appointed into the wildernesse and which was a true figure of Iesus Christ that beareth the sinnes of the people Moses strake the rocke with his rod Isai 53.4 Psal 78 2â—.2 and the waters gushed out so let the remembrance of Christes sufferings and the infinite benefites that wee receiue thereby pierce our hearts and draw forth teares of true repentance and of amendment of life Psal 78.8.9.10.11 For as the Israelites were a rebellious generation a generation that fet not their heart aright and whose spirit was not faithfull to GOD and the children of Ephraim being armed and shooting with the bowe turned backe in the day of battell and kept not the couenant of God but refused to walke in his law because they forgot his Acts and his wonderfull workes that hée had shewed them so what truer reason can be giuen of rebellion against Gods ordinances but our forgetting of Gods incomprehensible loue Rom. 8.32 Ioh. 3.16 who spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him for vs all to death and that so loued the world that hée gaue his onely begotten Sonne that whoseuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Shall wee so long exhilerate and encourage our spirituall foes by wallowing in the filthinesse of sinne and giue them occasion to say in their hearts O our soules reioyce Psa 35.25 wee haue deuoured them And shall wée not by our conuersion procure ioy to the holy Angels of GOD Luk. 15.7 that reioyce more for one sinner that conuerteth then for ninety and nine iust men that neede none amendment of life Let vs dash the young children of Babylon against the stones that is Psa 137.9 let vs destroy the broode of sinne in the cradle and infancie before it wholly possesse vs and let vs spéedily driue away the tentations and enticements to wickednes that wee may say with the man of God Psâ—l 18.37.38 We haue pursued our enemies and taken them and haue not turned againe till we haue consumed them â—e haue wounded them and they were not able to rise they are fallen vnder our feete Let vs beware how sinne take roote in vs for as inueterate maladies of the body craue long and sharpe curing and as cloath often and deepely dipped in the fatte hardly or neuer leeseth his colour so the inâ—eterate vices of the soule are not easily remooued and the corruption of the minde that becomes an habite cannot be washed away without much adoe Ier. 3.23 Can the blacke Moore change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may they also doe good that are accustomed to euill saith the Lord by his holy Prophet Let vs breake the bands of Sathan and escape out of his snare wherin he would hold vs at his pleasure and let vs not suffer him to deale with vs as the childe deales with the bird which he tieth with a threede by the foote permitting it sometimes to skip fréely but then pulling it backe when it thinkes to escape so let not Sathan tie vs by the vse and custome of iniquitie that though we séeme likely sometimes to flie from him yet he may drawe vs backe because we are fettered in the traps of sinne Let vs auoid and shun the baite of wickednes with the warie fish least if we swallow downe the baite the hooke also catch vs and then our ghostly Enemie leade vs hither and thither as the fisher drawes and carries the ensnared fish according as himselfe desireth At a word 〈◊〉 not the tumults of our sinfull desires breede in vs a spirituall deafeneâ— that we cannot heare the distinct and piercing sound of the word of God that doth admonish vs Heb. 12.1 To cast away euery thing that prâ—sseth downe and the sinne that hangeth so fast on as the dwellers by some places of the Riuer Nâ—us in Egypt Cic. in sâ—m Scip. called Catadupae can heare no sound because they haue gotten a deafenes by the continual rumbling of the Riuer that rusheth downe from high mountaines but let vs beseech God to open our eares both inwardly and outwardly that we may abandon vngodlines learne to doe well and pray vnfainedly vnto the Lord Psal 69.14.15.16 that he would deliuer vs out of the mire that we sinke not and that he would deliuer vs from them that hate vs and from the déepe waters and that the water floud may not drawe vs nor the deepe swallowe vs vp nor the pit shut her mouth vpon vs and that the Lord would heare vs For his louing â—iâ—dnes is good and turne vnto vs according to the multitude of his tender mercies Contrarily to them that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse to them that haue taken vp the crosse of Christ and follow him to them that sigh vnder the burthen of iniquitie to them that are desirous to remooue hence and to dwell with the Lord to them that loue prayer the word and all good workes this spéech of the Apostle is to be proposed Let vs not be wearie of well doing for in due season we shall reape if we faint not Hast thou begun to renounce sinne and to embrace righteousnesse Let not the old Prouerbe be verified of thee 2 Pet. 2.20.21.22 The Dogge is returned to his owne vomite and the Sow that was washed to the wallowing in the miâ—e For if thou after thou hast escaped from the filthinesse of the world through the acknowledging of the Lord and of the Sauiour Iesus Christ art yet entangled therein and ouercome the latter end is worse then the beginning for it had béene better for thée not to haue acknowledged the way of righteousnesse then after thou hast acknowledged it to turne from the holy commaundement giuen vnto thée As the Scripture doeth witnesse that Christ should not surcease in the progresse of Mediatorship Math. 12.20 Luk. 1.74 75. till â—ee brought iudgement into victorie that is till hee shewed