4. himself Now if man swerue froÌ„ the end for which he was created serue the Deuil the world his filthy lusts and being made for heauen should walke in the path that leads to hell this is to degenerate from his nature and become worse then the very beasts for they stand firme in their places enioyned them by God in their Creation The Bee and the Pismiâ—e are carefull to doe Gods worke hauing no Tutor nor remembrancer But Man the most excellent of all Creatures wallowes in all manner of riot and disorder the Trees beare fruit Flowers send forth sweet odors herbes their secret vertues and the waters post apace to the maine Ocean but Man is senselesse and carlesse to obey his Maker the senselesse being forced contrary to his inclination to mount vpward neuer rests but sinks and descends againe vntill it come to its proper center which is the determined place appointed of God And shall Man that glorious Creature created after the Image of God runne from his end and delight to do euerie thing sauing that which God hath prescribed him to doe The Frogs Flies Lice and Grashoppers being appointed of God to take downe the pride of that stout King were zealous and diligent to obey their Creator And shall Man which hath his heart filled with vnderstanding and iudgement being so many wayes called vpon and put in minde of his dutie yet shall hee swerue and goe awry shall God reioyce and delight himselfe in all the Creatures that he hath made and repent that hee hath made Man which is so carelesse of such a precious Iewell as hee hath committed to him There is nothing in the world should bee so deare vnto man as his soule and yet how wretched are the most of vs wee passe away our soules for trifles We spit at Iudas who sold his Master his Lord and God for thirty peeces of siluer but wee sell away heauen for earth the place of glory and blisse to purchase hell the place of torment Oh consider this and be ashamed all yee that forget God If the soule did die perish with the body then there were not so much care to bee taken of it but seeing the soule is immortall and must for euer liue with GOD or the Deuill how much care should we take to get it saued for with the losse of our soules wee lose GOD the life of our soules in whose presence is fulnesse of Psal 16. ioyes and at whose right hand are pleasures for euermore With the losse of our soules we lose Christ with all his merits the presence and protection of all the Angels and in stead of enioying the societie of the godly Spirits wee are plunged into Hell that loathsome prison that shall neuer bee vnlocked but shall for euer indure the fiercenesse of Gods wrath in that euerlasting burning where shall be weeping and wayling and gnashing of teeth and in stead of hearing of that blessed sentence of approbation Come ye blessed of my Father c. the damned wretches shall heare that terrible sentence of condemnation Depart from mee ye cursed into euerlasting torments prepared for the Deuill and his Angels Euery one of these words shall be pronounced with such power and authoritie that they shall strike those damned wretches euen to the bottome of Hell Goe from me who haue all helpe and comfort all power and might which all the dayes of your liues haue had care to protect and saue you from dangers which haue nourished your bodies withall manner of delights but seeing you haue had no care to glorifie mee I will now take no further care to help you but will glorifie my selfe in your destruction therefore depart from mee yee cursed into euerlasting fire where you shall endure torments remedilesse and endlesse where you shall crie and rore but I will not heare you where you shall bee alwayes burning and frying and yet neuer consumed You shall seeke death and yet neuer find it you shall be tormented Ibi dâ—lor permanet vt affligat natura perdurat vt sentiat quia vtrumque non deficit neâ— poena deficiet Aug. de Ciâ— Dei l. 19. with griping hunger but shall neuer bee satisfied with intolerable thirst which shall neuer bee quenched your Musicke shall bee howling and weeping of damned wretches like your selues but all in vaine you are now accursed because you did abuse the titles of Honour which God gaue you in your life therefore now you shall haue the title of curse you shall be cursed of God whose curse is euerlasting damnation you shall bee cursed of the blessed Angels whose curse shall bee the horrors of your conscience you shal be cursed of the deuils whose curse shall bee the execution of your punishment you shall bee cursed of the damned wretches whose curses shall be the aggrauation of your torments and you shal be plunged into euerlasting fire and bee Mat. 22. 13 bound hand and foote from whence you shall neuer be able to stirre nor moue but shall for euer and euer so long as God is remaine frying and broyling in euerlasting torments which shall burne so violently that the damned shall prize a drop of water aboue all the world but they shall not obtaine it For there the Tormentors are Deuils and will neuer pittie the damneds misery and as they will neuer be weary with tormenting so the torments shall neuer bee ended nor the tormented consumed and therfore it is a misery of all miseries to be alwayes dying and neuer dead The soule also shall bee tormented with the remembrance of pleasures past and mercy refused and now with paines and torments present but vnauoidable and of ioyes lost but now vnrecouerable and thus the Worme of your Conscience shall lie gnawing and fretting you by bringing to your remembrance the cause Omnes gebennae superat cruciatus carere bonis quibus in potestate habuerunt perfrui Chrys of your misery and how easily you might haue escaped these torments but that you had no grace to vse the meanes the consideration hereof shal make you curse God your Creator and curse his iustice because he punishes you so cruelly you shall curse his bountie and liberalitie because he so seuerely prizes it now at so high a rate and you shall curse the vertue of Christs blood which was able to cleanse thousands from their sinnes but now hath no vertue to purge you from your filthinesse and you shall curse the Saints in heaven because you shall see them in glorie when as your selues are in torment and though you yell and cry with the damned rich man for mercy for mercy but alasse the time of mercy then will be past Christ the Iudge will not now be entreated from whose sentence you cannot appeale the soule being once lost there is no place left for mercy A good Father doth bring in a Sinner and his Iudge expostulating each with other Sweet Sauiour saith the Sinner
should I feare I might spend my time to as little purpose as he did that would fashion Plutarch a Coate for the Moone Neither doe I intend in this present discourse by adulation to praise your Worships nor my selfe by ostentation nor my worke by admiration the first I leaue lest my words should impaire your worth the second I conceale because I finde nothing in my selfe that deserues praise and the last I refraine for if my labour can but gaine your fauourable acceptance and that you will be pleased so farre to countenance it as that it may appeare to the world vnder your names I haue that which I desire and then Non ronchos metuam non vani scommata vulgi Censores treticos grammaticasue tribus No gleering scornes I le feare nor spitefull gibes Nor crabbed Criticks nor Grammarian tribes And thus crauing pardon for my boldnesse with a thankfull acknowledgement of your many vndeserued fauours extended towards me I commend you and yours to the protection of the Almightie and this present Discourse to your fauourable censures and my selfe to your seruice and command resting alwayes bound in dutie and euer deuoted in loue From my study at Low Layton in Essex Ianuary 1. 1630. Edmund Cobbes To the godly and well affected Reader BELOVED the chiefest care of euery man in this life should be how hee may glorifie God and saue his soule and there is great reason it should bee so for as he is the fountaine from whence all good things flow so he is the end Rom. 11. 36. Ps 148. 13 Isa 42. 8. 48. 11. vnto which all things tend and as his glory is most excellent and deare vnto himselfe as being the end of all his workes of Creation of Election and redemption Pro. 16. 4. Eph. 1. 5 6 Tit. 2. 11. so also of continuall preseruation of mans life Therefore the Angels those Iohn 11. 4. glorious Creatures out of their zeale to their Creator are swift winged Heralds to diuulge his glory and are restlesse in giuing honour Isa 6. 3. and praise vnto him whose practise the Saints in all ages Reu. 14. 7. 4. 8. haue imitated in glorifying their Creator and in all Rom. 4. 20. their actions haue stil aimed at his glory extolling him in 1 Cor. 6. 20 1 Pet. 4 11. Ier. 13. 16. Psa 116. 5. his greatnesse goodnesse and mercy whose example and practise teacheth vs as to ayme at the glory of our Creator in the first place so in the second place our principall care should be to worke out our saluation with feare and trembling Phil. 2. 12. and to giue all diligence to make our calling and election 2 Pet. 1. 10 sure and the rather because our soules are so precious Ps 49. 8 Eccl. 12. 7. being the gifts of God which being lost could not bee redeemed without an 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. Luk. 13. 24 1 Co. 9. 24. Iohn 6. 27. 1 Pet. 4. 18 infinite price and the benefit of this price could not bee obtained without great paines and labour on our part because of the difficultie and the many enemies that seeke to depriue vs of our saluation in which respect that man which is carelesse of his owne saluation is also mindlesse of Gods glory so by these means he failes and comes short of the end for which he was created If this must be the care of euery godly man then sure our age abounds with many carelesse and negligent men which in stead of honouring God and seeking the saluation of their soules their chiefest care and diligence is to honour and aduance themselues in this world as appeares by their practice proiects which is all for pleasures and profits Isa 22. 13. Hab. 1. 15. in these things they reioyce and are glad greedily seeking after them that they may spend them vpon their Iam. 4. 3. lusts making themselues merry while their time lasts Luk. 12. 19 1 Cor. 15. 32. These men as they dishonor God in seeking for their Eccl. 8. 15. portion in this life as thinking these trāsitory things are the vtmost choyce of Gods reward as they are of their hopes so they cozen themselues as the rich foole did Luk. 12. 21 who laid vp treasures in the world and was not rich toward God so also they 1 Tim. 6. 10. pierce themselues through with many sorrowes by seeking content in that which yeelds none and desiring to hold that which hath no stay till at last they fall into temptation and snares many foolish hurtfull lusts which drowne men in destruction and perdition 1 Tim. 6. 9 The consideration hereof hath moued mee the meanest of the sonnes of Leui out of loue to your saluation to exhort you to seek the Lord while he may be found For I feare that many of vs are so lulled asleepe in the cradle of securitie as that neither the golden Isay 58. 1. Bels of Aaron the thundring trumpet of Isajah the well tuned Cimbals of Dauid nor yet the sweet harmony of the Euangelists can as yet awake vs out of our sinfull securitie and moue vs to turne to the Lord by true and vnfaigned repentance that hee may haue mercie vpon our soules yet for as much as times seasons are in Gods hands Iohn 3. 8. that his Spirit blows where he lists I haue therfore in the strength of my God presumed to present vnto your consideration The Worldlings Looking-glasse wherein hee may clearly see and behold the world and all worldly things to be vaine and vncertain louing none but those which are enemies to Christ and many Rom. 8. 7. times deceiuing them also of their hope and expectation saucing their pleasures with gall and wormwood For worldly prosperity proues dangerous snares to bring men to destruction for when it fawneth most then it hunteth most eagerly after our saluation vnless wee take the better heed Then what is a man profited if he gaine the whole world if hee lose his soule The life of man is short Iob 14. 1. and passeth away like a shadow and that which worldlings enioy they buy at hard rates paying full deare for their momentany pleasures which many times proue full of misery vexation of spirit But yet alas though we see the deceitfulnesse of the world and the misery of it yet we are content to be deceiued therby so to fall at noone dayes when our eyes are open Wee vse to laugh at little Children which runne vp and downe after a feather or some vaine toy till they fall downe and take harme and then wee pitty their folly But when wee see man which should haue reason to guide him to toile so eagerly after these transitory things which at last will deceiue him and steale away his heart from godlinesse how should wee lament his misery Let the consideration hereof moue vs all to consider what a pearle wee
by force Vnnaturall that many doe not spare the liues of their owne parents as may bee seene in Absolon his will was good but the Lord disappointed him The Turks as Histories report doe many times imbrue their hands with the blood of the Parents which begat them And cruell Nero ript vp his mothers belly to gaze vpon the place where hee lay in her wombe Many times the loue of Filius anâ—e dâ—cm patrios inquiâ—t in annos Ouid. Met. lib. 1. I say 3. 1â— Zep. 3. 3. Amos 8. 6. their fathers goods makes them sick of their liues wish theÌ„ faire laid in their graues The loue of mony makes men grinde the face of the poore and to buy them for siluer and the needy for a paire of shooes The loue of money is the cause of whoredome and adultery making men and women to embrace strange flesh and so Pro. 2. 17. forget the Couenant of their God The greedy desire which Shimei had to bring backe his seruants 1 Kin. 2. 44. made him aduenture his life The loue of money hope of reward made Ziba to 2 Sam. 16. 3. slander and falsly accuse Mephilosheth his Masters sonne of treason Money made the souldiers Mat. 28. 12 to report a lie when they watched the Lords sepulchre The loue of money makes a man a theefe to himselfe defrauding his belly and backe of necessaries to increase his wealth now hee that is a theefe to himselfe for whom will hee spare hee careth and carketh for his riches as if they were his owne but hee reapeth no benefit by them as if they were another mans And though hee haue riches in abundance yet he hath such a beggerly mind that hee is still poore to himselfe The loue of a wise yoke of Oxen Luke 14. 18 19. and a Farme were forcible means to keepe off those which were bid to the marriage feast Wee may and ought in duty to loue our wiues well yet wee must take heed they doe not hinder our loue to Christ and that they doe not make vs carelesse to performe holy duties wee may buy Farmes Oxen Merchandice and performe all other actions agreeable to our callings so that we doe not neglect our soules health What is there in the world which a man will not doe for money preferment and yet when he hath it it will doe him little or no good Rather then Esau will want pottage he will sell away his birthright And in the Famine of Samaria men and women would part with any thing for food to preserue their liues their gold and siluer for asses dung and other vnwholesome things Then what is a man profited if he gaine the whole world and lose his soule But yet alas they are so farre from profiting vs as that they hinder vs in the seruice of God and robbe vs of many graces of his spirit wee will therefore for our instruction herein search into the particulars 1. They make vs sluggish lazy and vntoward in the performance of holy duties and to erre from the faith and at last to 1 Tim. 6. 10 forget GOD. This the Lord knew well therefore hee gaue his people a caueat to beware lest they should forget him when Deut. 8. 10 they were full But they vnmindfull of his watch word When they were fat kicked and forsooke Deu. 32. 1â— God which made them and lightly esteemed the rocke of their saluation But according to their pasture Hos 13. 6. so were they filled their hearts were exalted therefore haue they forgotten me saith the Lord. And are not there many among vs as vnthankfull for the Lords mercies which he hath bestowed vpon them which can open their mouthes wide to craue for riches and to prey vpon the things of the world but when they should giue GOD thankes for his mercies sunt multi lapides their tongues are as dead as stones Such are Pondus iners intilis tellus As vngratefull as hard rockes which yeeld no fruit Cages of vncleane birds which being crammed with Gods plenty die in their fatnesse and yeeld forth no notes of Gods praise O foolish Deut. 32. and vnwise people doe you so requite the Lord Hath he opened vnto you the Chabinets of his blessings and doe yee like desperate wretches abuse them to your lusts and his dishonor and like Traitors fight against him with his owne weapons 2. Riches are forcible means to draw away our hearts from GOD and to place them vpon these sordid trumperies that we can spare no time to heare read pray to meditate vpon his mercies to praise him vpoÌ„ his iudgments to feare him For where Mat. 6. 21. our treasure is there is our heart also And so by this meanes we nourish a serpent in our bosomes which will gnaw our Consciences grieue the good Spirit of God hinder our saluation and so make vs to feare any thing more then the losse Arridet mundus vt saeuiat blanditur vt fallat illicit vt occiâ—at extollit vt deprimat of our soules 3. Riches deceiue vs in our hope and expectation perswading vs helpe in time of need and to doe great matters for vs yet when we expect most from them then they will deceiue vs. Did not Achan thinke that the wedge of Gold would haue aduanced him to preferment when as indeed it was the ruine of him and his family Then why Isay 55. doe you lay out your siluer and not for bread and labor without being satisfied Weigh vp therefore your Anchors hoyse vp your sailes for these things wil proue your ruine For hee that trusteth in riches shall fall 4. Riches robbe vs of our faith which is the life of the Hab. 2. 4. Heb. 10. 37 righteous yet for all this the worldling wil trust God no longer then his Corne Wine and Psal 4. 7. Oyle abounds But will place his confidence in the wedge of Gold and say in effect to this glorious Mammon Thou art my hope and confidence the stay of my life and staffe of my age Now that we may not doe these muck-wormes wrong we will examine their practices and I doubt not but wee shall easily draw this confession out of their owne mouthes Doe wee not see how vigilant they are ouer them to preserue them scarce daring to trust themselues with them How niggardly in vsing them that they would bee as willing to part with their right eie as with a penny to any good vse what doth this argue but that they thinke there is some inherent happinesse in them 5. Riches are a great enemy to humility For haue wee not seene many in a meane estate to be courteous meeke gentle but being aduanced they swell with pride against their inferiors and enuy against their superiors and disdaine against their equals contemne those which are better then themselues as churlish Nabal did 1 Sam. 15. Dauid 6. Riches coole
then Pudeat tanto bona velle caduca Manil. l. 4. Oh be asham'd so much your hearts to stay On things so fraile that swiftly passe away Thus much of the former point propounded the vanity and insufficiencie of the world and all worldly things the second followes the excellency of the soule the loue whereof should make vs basely to esteeme of all worldly things and to count them no better then dung in respect of Christ for Riches as we haue heard are transitory and will beguile vs Honours are slippery and will deceiue vs and the world is Moath-eaten and weares away and we our selues are brittle and so shall perish then what is a man profited if he gaine the world and lose his owne soule In which words wee may obserue againe these particulars 1. A comparison of the price with the thing prized the price is amplified by the subiect matter thereof which is the soule 2. By the propinquitie and proprietie it is his owne soule more worth then all the world which must continue when all these transitory things must passe away and that which shal eternally rue the bargaine for what is the earth to heauen and what can the world profit when the soule is plunged in Hell where it can neither mitigate paine nor purchase redemption 2. The irrecouerablenesse of the losse what shall a man giue for the exchange of his soule There is nothing in the world sufficient so precious is the redemption of the soule The Psal 49. 8. words are expressed by a metaphor borrowed from captiue prisoners supprised or taken in warre which were wont to bee redeemed by money or else by exchange of one prisoner for another but if that cruell Pyrat Sathan haue taken vs prisoners we are past hope of recouery there is no redemption then what is a man profited if he gaine the world and lose his owne soule Doct. The note of obseruation which offers it selfe to our consideration is this That men ought not principally to respect this life onely but that their chiefest care and labour should bee to get their soules saued in the day of the Lord. To this we are exhorted by our Sauiour to labour for the Iohn 6. 37. Luk. 13. 24 meate that endureth for euer and to striue to enter in at the Mat. 7. 13. strait Gate Now striuing wee know is an action of labour teaching vs that it requires great paines and diligence for many shall seeke to enter in and shall not bee able And the Apostle exhorts vs to giue all diligence to make our calling and Election sure and hee tels vs of the benefit that will follow If ye doe these things you shall neuer fall This hath been the practise of Gods Children to presse toward Phil. 3. 14. the marke for the high Calling of God in Christ and this is a marke of triall for the Saints if they be risen with Christ to seek Col. 3. 1. Phil. 3. 20. the things which are aboue and to haue their conuersation in heauen And therefore hee would haue as many as bee perfect to bee thus vers 15. minded This is also a point of wisedome which our Sauiour would haue vs learne to make vs friends of the Mammon Luke 16. 9. of vnrighteousnesse and promised a reward to him that Reu. 3. 21. ouercommeth he shall sit with him on his Throne and a Crowne of life to those that continue Reu. 2. 10. faithfull to the death Reason 1 Ground of this truth is Effiieâ—s â— qua 1. In regard of the excellency of the soule which is seene in the worke of Creation for therein all the causes did concurre for the perfecting of it 1. The efficient and supreme cause is God himselfe which he hath reserued to himselfe as his Eccle. 12. 7 owne Royalty 2. The Materiall cause was 2. Materia eâ— qua not the rude Chaos and base slime of the earth as was the body made of neither was it made of the pure Gold of Ophir but as if there were nothing precious enough in heauen and in earth it is said the Lord breathed it out of his mouth 3. The formall cause it was 3. Forma per quam Gen. 1. 27. Eph. 4. 24. made after the Image of God resembling him in Holinesse Wisdome and Righteousnesse 4. The finall cause that it 4. Finis propter quem 1 Cor. 6. 19. might be the temple of God and an habitation for his Spirit 2. The excellency of the soule is seene in the worke of Redemption for the soules sake Christ laid aside his Robes of glory was made man and endured Phil. 2. 7. so much misery shame in his life and so much torment and sorrow at his death and all 1 Pet. 1. 18 to redeeme the soule with no lesse price then the Blood of Act. 20. 28 the Sonne of God 3. The excellency of the soule appeares by Sathans malice who goes about like a roring 1 Pet. 5. 6. Reâ— 12. 7. Lyon seeking to deuour it he hath not such a spight to our wealth our learning cunning or credit though he loue none of those things which are good and comfortable to vs as hee hath to our soules and the graces of Gods Spirit in vs. Was it Iobs wealth he so much enuied or did he sift him because he was a rich man No nothing grieued him so much as to see Iob continue in his vprightnesse therefore hee laboured by all meanes to crosse him in his estate and torment him in his body that he might moue him to despaire or else to blaspheme that thereby hee might destroy his soule so also hee shewes himselfe an aduersary to all Gods Children crossing Zach. 3. 1. them in their suites which they make to God or else defiles their prayers by ming ling hypocrisie and vaine glory with their best sacrifices 4. The excellency of the soule is also seene by the ministery of the Angels which are euer about the godly men to deliuer them from danger and are about their beds in sicknesse and at the day of death like swift Postes to carry their soules into Abrahams bosome Reason 2 2. Ground of this truth is because as the soule is the most excellent part of man so the losse of it is the greatest losse in the world and therefore our Sauiour addes What shall a man giue for the exchange of his soule intimating vnto vs that the world and worldly things are not able to make recompence and satisfaction for the losse of the soule Vse 1 Is the soule so excellent then be exhorted to vse all meanes that it may be saued part with liberty life al rather then thy soule We see worldly men wil endure any trouble and take any paines for to gaine preferment they will hazzard their liues abide hunger and cold take long and tedious iournies and diue into the bowels of the earth to satisfie their longing
desire for the things of this earth which can stand by them no longer then their liues yet saies the Poet Impiger extremâ—s â—urrit Mercator ad Indos If riches may be had in India Turkie or any other places though neuer so dangerous yet the greedy worldling will venture his life rather then he will goe without them The husbandman what pains and care will hee take rising early and going to bed late for the things of this life faring hard and going thin sparing from back and belly to aduance himselfe in the world what tortures and troubles and paines will a sicke man endure for to gaine health he will be contented to haue a legge or an arme cut and lanced to preserve and gain health he wil endure fretting tents and corroding plaisters and depriue himselfe of pleasure nay many times he wil be content the endure the cutting off of his legge arme or other of his members for the preseruing of the health of his body If Naaman can recouer 2 Kin. 5. 17 helpe for his Leprosie hee will spare for no cost Oh how carefull are men for their bodies and states but how carelesse for their soules they will be sure to looke to their estates and make them sure by good aduice from their learned Counsell but for their soules they take little or no care Oh how ought we to break out into teares for the carelesnesse of our owne saluation what a Childhood and youth haue we spent in ignorance and vanitie and how carelesse haue wee beene to serue God and saue our soules Nay what enemies haue wee beene to our owne saluation what filthy and vncleane thoughts haue wee harboured in our hearts what filthy words haue we vttered w th our tongues how often haue we sworne lyed blasphemed God and taken his name in vaine how often haue our hearts disdained and enuied not only our Superiours whom wee should haue honoured but also scorned and despised our Inferiours equals whom we should haue loued and respected as our selues how haue we spent our daies in ignorance of God and of our owne fearfull estate spending our daies in idlenesse pride and all manner of prophanenesse presumption of Gods mercy and turning his grace into wantonnesse grieuing his Spirit and wounding our owne consciences how should the consideration hereof cause vs to powre forth our soules in godly sorrow before the Lord because we haue offended our Maker sinned against our Redeemer grieued the Holy Spirit wronged our Neighbours and so haue deserued damnation and to be cast out from the presence of the Lord for euer and as we haue cause to weepe and mourne for our sinnes and for that wee haue neglected the care of our owne saluation so also we are to mourne and lament to see others so carelesse of their saluation some sell their soules some carelesly lose them 1. Some sell them as Ahab and as some wrangling and corrupt Lawyers which haue Linguam venalem a tongue to bee sould which for a paltrie fee will many times stretch his conscience by maintaining a false cause or marring a good to the vndoing of his Neighbour Mistake me not I speake not of all Lawyers for some are conscionable and iust in their proceedings The couetous man hath Animam venalem a soule to sell for the base thick clay of this world which cannot bee redeemed with all the world So the voluptuous man he sels his soule for pleasure as Esau did his Birth-right esteeming more the pleasures of sinne which last but for a season then the saluation of his soule The proud man hee sells his soule for aduancement as Alexander the sixt for the Popedome GOD he commands vs in the first Commandement to haue no other Gods but him alone yet the proud man will make Honour his god the couetous man the wedge of gold his god the voluptuous man his belly his god The first of Phâ—l 3. 19. Iohannis de Combis compen theol lib. 5. cap. 10. these as one well saith hath his Idoll in the Ayre the second on the earth the third in the water 2. Some lose their soules as the carnall Gospellers who thinke if they be not guilty of the crying sinnes of Sodome nor Gen. 18. 20 Isa 1. 18. of the crimson sinnes of Israel nor of the bitter sinnes of Simon Magus they thinke they are in good case though their liues abound with ignorance and prophanenesse and their soules with manie infirmities their liues with many deformities which they take no notice of Alas poore soules what good will it doe you at the great day of account when man cannot iustly charge with crime when God and your owne conscience knowes you want the wedding garment of faith it is not sufficient to bee cleansed from the one vnlesse ye bee furnished with the other else being weighed in the Dan. 5. 27. ballance of Gods Iustice yâ—e shall be found too light Others lose their soules by trifling away their time like idle people in the market while other are buying they stand gaping after the sinfull vanities of the world and thinke if they doe as their Neighbours do come to Church although it be for fashions sake they are in very good case though all this while their mindes roue and wander after their worldly businesse and so for want of watchfulnesse they betray their soules into Sathans hands and wrap themselues vnder that curse of doing the worke of the Lord negligently Others so liue that vnlesse all be saued it is impossible but they shall be damned because they loue like and continue in their miserable estate of nature being so chained in their sinnes and iniquities that they cannot stir one foot to heauen-ward yet for all this they doe not consider their miserable state and condition that they are slaues to sinne for whosoeuer Iohn 8. 34. Eph. 2. 3. committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne and his seruants ye are to Rom. 6. 16 whom ye obey Nay by nature we are the children of wrath and heires of hell and bound ouer to the curse of the law Gal. 3. 10 Deut. 27. 2 6. and so lyable to all crosses and calamities at our death to be haled by Sathan into Hell This fearefull and miserable condition is farre worse then the bondage of Turkes and BarbariaÌ„s for theirs though it be cruell yet it extends but to the body and cannot hurt the soule the most that Tyrants can doe is but to take away our liues and depriue vs of our liberty but this bondage is spirituall and depriues vs of Gods Image in our soules In the other there may be possibility of escaping that miserable bondage either by feare force or fauour or at least-wise our paines may bee mittigated if not death will set vs free but in this boÌ„dage as we are vnable to set our selues free so wee are vnwilling to be freed and are the greatest enemies to our owne saluation for
SathaÌ„ hauing got possessioÌ„ of vs deales w th vs as the BabyloniaÌ„s did with Zedekiah first put out his eies and then bound him in chaynes so doth Sathan hee puts out the eyes of our vnderstanding and then bindes vs with the chaynes of ignorance hypocrisie hardnesse of heart so that to our vnability wee our selues adde vnwillingnesse to come out and so by hating to be reformed we plunge our selues vnrecouerably vnder the wrath of GOD pleasing our selues in our ignorance blindnesse and hardnesse of heart and so hauing lost the harmony of a good Conscience we vse varietie of obiects to take away tediousnesse and get some Iubal or other to play vpon the Organ to make vs merry with our sinnes In this corporall bondage wee haue a feeling of our misery and so sigh and groane vnder the burthen of it but this bondage is spirituall pleasing and delightfull to our nature so that we are so farre from being weary of it that if any one seek to set vs free out of this slauery we hate him scorne him and deride him and so put backe the meanes of saluation from vs. Brethren what cruelty is this to neglect the meanes of our soules health which was bred and brought vp with vs and which hath spent and wasted her selfe in our seruice to minister strength and reliefe to our bodies and shall not we take care to preserue it and to vse all meanes that it may bee saued God hath shut it vp in our breasts that it may be alwayes in readinesse to supply our wants and shall wee not take care to preserue it from destruction our soules are shut vp in a darke dungeon which is neither lightsome nor pleasaÌ„t but darke and dirtie and full of all manner of vncleannesse and poluted with our originall and actuall sinnes which made the the Apostle cry out O wretched man who shall deliuer me from this Rom. 7. 24 body of death If our soules had tongues to speake for themselues they would crie out against vs for our great cruelty in that wee starue them for want of food and robbe them of heauenly comforts and scarce allow them a good meale in a whole yeare Brethren what food is to the bodie such is the Word of God to the soule now if by chance wee come where any good matter is to bee handled so cruell are many to their soules that they choake and dead them by drunkennesse surfeiting or other vncleanesse or filthy vanity so that their soules take little or no comfort by the Word Sacrament or Christian communication As for the Sabbath day which should be spent holy and religiously vnto God we spend it many of vs most prophanely vngodly as if wee had no part in the Creation of the world nor redemption of it by Iesus Christ For where is the man that bridles his desires to saÌ„ctifie that day as he ought if God should now looke downe from heauen to behold the sonnes of men vpon earth should he not finde many a Master and Father many a Mother and many a Mistris either snorting or lazing vpon their beds prating walking trimming smoothing themselues vpoÌ„ that day on that time which they should haue spent for their soules health And yet alas so carelesse are they of their soules that they thinke that time is lost which is spent for their good Should hee not also finde many a Child many a Seruant nay perhaps many a father many a master drinking swilling gaming and peraduenture whoring vpon this day or at leastwise swearing fighting or quarelling or bargaining or chopping or changing But how few among many of vs should he finde praying reading and meditating vpon the Word of God and his righteous iudgements Men are very carefull for their bodies but very carelesse of their soules But O foolish people will you watch and take care to keepe your Chickens from the Kite your Lambs from the Wolfe your Pigions and Conies from the Vermine and will you take no care for your soules The soule being once lost it is impossible to recouer it againe other losses may be recouered but this cannot If Iob lose his health wealth and Children yet they may bee recouered either by Gods blessing vpon our labours or else by the charitie of friends but if thy soule bee once lost there is no recouery thousand of Rams and ten thousand riuers of Oyle will then do vs no good Saint Chysostom hath well obserued Omnia Deus dâ—dit duplicia animam vero vnam Chry. ad pop Antioch Hom. 22. Nullo remedio sarciri nullo precio redimi potest Chrys Hom. 56. that God in the frame of the body hath giuen man two eyes two eares two hands two feete c. that if one faile the other may supply the want but hee hath giuen him but one soule so that if that bee lost there is no supply to bee had no meanes can repaire it no price can redeeme it all the world cannot recompence it for what would it auaile vs to haue the wisedome and riches of Salomon the strength of Sampson and the beautie of Absolon and to enioy the blessings of the world as long a life as Methushelah liued if at our death Gen. 5. 27. Daretur caro Verminibus anima daemonibus Isodor de Summo bono our flesh shall be made a booty for the Wormes and our soules a prey for the Deuill Oh consider this all you that forget God and are carelesse of your owne saluation GOD hath made man a most glorious creature and therefore all creatures admire serue him the woÌ„der of the world now as nothing is so glorious in earth as man so there is nothing so glorious in man as his soule which man himselfe should admire and by all meanes seeke the welfare of it for this is our glory our life saue this and saue all But oh the carelesnesse of many nay the most of vs all for that which should be our chiefest care wee are lesse carefull our soules are more worth then all the world yet men now so liue as if their soules were of no worth How iustly may we take vp that sad complaint of the Prophet The Ier. 12. 11. whole land is made desolate because no man layeth it to heart all manner of sinnes doe now so abound pride hypocrisie selfe-loue and crueltie prophanenesse and Atheisme haue gotten the vpper hand and men doe so liue that they thinke they haue no soule to saue euery man spends his dayes in pleasure and following his owne delights as if God had sent vs hither for no other end but to sport and play and follow the lusts of our owne hearts Brethren hath God created vs in his owne Image that wee should so vilely and dispitefully deface it hath Christ redeemed vs with such a price to saue our soules and shall wee so negligently and wilfully cast them away the wise-man saith God hath created all things for Pro. 16.
make men vnfit to take care for their soules health Sicknesse is a time to liue by faith and not a time to get faith What a madnesse and miserie were it for the Souldier to haue his Sword and Helmet to seek when the enemy sounds alarum to the battle so what a foolish thing is it to haue the prouision for our soules to seek when death is ready to get in at the window But admit that sicknesse put them in minde of death that they were sure to die to morrow yet many would not be the better for it The Apostle 1 Cor. 15. 32. tels vs of the Epicures of his time that spake of dying to morrow and yet had no grace to prouide for their soules for thus they say Let vs eate and drinke for to morrow we shall die which shewes that grace is not wrought by sicknesse or feare of death but by the power of Gods Spirit Ob. Oh but then we will send for the Minister and hee shall pray for vs. Answ Wilt thou send for them to pray for thee in thy sicknesse whom thou hast scorned despised and dis-regarded in thy life and health as much as euer Pharaoh did Moses and Aaron If they could doe no good vnto thy soule while thou wert in thy health what canst thou thinke they can doe vnto thee now a sick passionate and diseased man doest thou think they can worke faith and repentance in thy heart No they cannot gather Grapes of Thornes nor Figs of Thistles if thy heart be ouergrowne with the weeds of sinne and prophanenesse they can doe thee little good vnlesse thou shew great signes of repentance and hatred of all thy former sinfull life Let no maÌ„ thinke I would depriue the distressed of those meanes God hath appointed to confirme their faith that is not my meaning Ob. Oh but then wee will receiue the Sacrament and then no doubt but it shall goe well with vs. Answ The Sacrament is not a meanes to beget faith but to confirme faith where it is already begotten take heed therefore thou doe not receiue it with vncleane hands and an vnrepentant heart lest it seale vp to thee thy damnation and be vnto thee as the Sop was vnto Iudas Brethren mistake mee not I pray you I doe not condemne nor disallow for any that is sicke to send for the godly learned Minister for to receiue help and comfort from him in the time of distresse no no that is not my meaning the Apostle exhorts those that are sicke to call for the Elders of the Church and to let them pray Iam. 5. 15 16. ouer them he shews the benefit that will follow The prayer of faith shall saue the sicke and if he haue committed sinnes they shall be forgiuen And if hee repent truely of his sinnes the Sacrament shall seale vp and assure him of Christ and his righteousnesse to be imputed vnto him for his saluation But the thing that I aime at is this when as I see prophane men contemne and despise the godly faithfull Ministers in their life health I feare me they deceiue themselues to thinke that the Minister can doe them any good by his owne power and presence no no he can but declare their remission of their sinnes vpon their repentance if then they doe truely repent them of their sinnes and resolue from the bottome of their hearts to lead new liues let them not doubt but they shall receiue much comfort by Gods blessing from them for to this end hath the Lord giuen them the tongue of the learned that they might know how to minister a word of comfort in due season to a wearied Conscience Therefore Brethren if you would haue comfort by them in your sicknesse and at your death make much of them and reuerence them in your liues and let them be deare and precious vnto you and honour them for their workes sake But here may some obiect and say What a stir is here for the saluatioÌ„ of the soule here is more adoe then needs we may prouide for that at our leasure there is no time vnfit to repeÌ„t and turne to the Lord hee is a God of mercy hee will haue mercy vpon our soules whensoeuer we repent and turne to him did he not shew mercie to the Theefe at the last gaspe therefore I doubt not but if I repent in my old age I shall bee saued well enough To which I answere that though no time be vnfit or too late for repentance while wee are here in this life yet manie times we heare of many which are taken out of the world before they thought of repeÌ„tance and late repentance proues seldome good but many times faigned and dissembled like Cain's Esau's and Iudas If the case bee so deare brethren then it is a point of wisedome to looke into it whether it were best policy for vs to take the opportunity of time while it is offered or else post it off to another time wee see that the men of the world are wiser in their generation Froâ—te capilaâ—â— pâ—st est occasio calua let vs learne a point of wisdome of them Aske the Merchant when it is best time to prouide for his Commodities and he will tell you while the Mart lasts Aske the Husbandman when it is time to sow his ground and he will tell you while the season lasteth The dumbe Creatures as the Storke and the Turtle and the Crane know their appointed times but man will not know when it is time to turne vnto GOD that hee may haue mercy vpon his soule and if they doe know the time yet they put it off neglect it though they be often called Today if you will heare his voyce barden not your hearts yet the most of vs like drouzy men sleepe still in sinne and answere the Lord as Saint Austine saith of himselfe saying Lord I had not wherewith to answere thee when thou saidst vnto me Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall giue thee life And thou demonstrating those things to bee true in euerie point which thou spakest vnto mee I being conuinced of the truth had not any answere at all but onely the words and speeches of a loytering sluggard and of a drouzy sleeper Nil nisi tantum verba lenta somnolenta modo ecce modo fine paululum sed modo modo non habebat modum fine paululum in longum ibat Aug. Conf. l. 8. c. 5. By and by and behold anon by and by behold anon had neither measure nor moderation and let me alone held on a long time So doe sinfull men with GOD they by procrastinating the time hazzard their saluation Now if by the Word of God we can conuince the carelesse world in this point for the neglect of the saluation of their soules and dissolue this obiection we hope wee shall not vnprofitably spend our time let vs therefore in the
are like to lose for the gaining of these deceitfull vanities that so at the last wee may be perswaded to labour for the saluation of our soules For is it not better to serue God and to worke out our owne saluation here that we may bee blessed hereafter then for the loue of this base world to bee tormented for euer and euer Is it not better to want these sinfull pleasures then for enioying of them to be turned into Hell For what Gal. 6. 8. shall we reape of the flesh but corruption And what shall we gaine of the Deuill for al our seruice but eternal torments And what shall Psal 37. 35. wee gaine of the world but speedy forgetfulnesse Seeing then the loue of the world is so vaine and deceitfull let vs then labour for heauen and heauenly things and take no thought Rom. 13. 14 for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof minding not so much this present world as that which is to come for this is temporary and must haue an end but that is eternall 2 Cor. 4. 8. and will abide for euer This must bee done Col. 3. 1 2. that thereby wee may approue our sanctification for here wee liue by faith 2 Cor. 5. 7. and therefore our conuersation Phil. 3. 20. must bee sutable This will bring vs present ease Heb. 6. 19. Ioh. 16. 22. for our hope is certaine and cannot deceiue vs. This is the onely way to be approued Rom. 14. 18. of God and to gaine a good report among men This will bring a sure reward at last God himselfe hath pronounced that it shal goe well with the iust Isay 3. 10. for their end shall bee euerlasting Rom. 6. 22. life For the ground of their hope is founded vpon 2 Tim. 1. 12. Tit. 1. 2. Heb. 6. 18. his power that cannot faile on his promise that cannot lye and vpon his Iustice that will not forget Heb. 6. 10. to reward This as it will bring comfort when worldlings are at their wits 2 Cor. 4. 8. ends so also it yeelds an honourable imployment in the meane time while wee exercise our selues in heauenly Col. 3. 2. things For the things Phil. 3. 8. of this life as they are base so they are shamefull and the end of them is death Then what is a man profited if he gaine the whole world and lose his soule Spare no paines then for to gaine thy saluation abandon and cast away all pleasures and delights till thou art perswaded thy name is written in heauen Wee see Luk. 10. 20 worldly men will toyle labour to gaine riches Honour and preferments hope of gaine will make Raine and windie weather seeme faire and pleasant For shame then let not worldlings diligence condemne ours for how shall wee escape if wee neglect so Heb. 2 3. great saluation Christ hath done more for vs and shall wee doe nothing for our selues wee shall lose nothing at the end but gaine exceedingly then it shal not repent vs that wee haue sowne in teares when wee see we shall reape in ioy As we desire to bee members of the new Ierusalem hereafter let vs now labour to haue the assurance sealed vp to our soules by denying the world and all worldly things For the glory of the world is but like a blazing Starre which terrifies the minde by presaging ruine and the pleasures of the world like candide Wormwood which deceiues the taste and imbitters the stomacke Thus farre Christian Reader for thy sake I haue diued into the world and all worldly things if I haue said any thing in this ensuing discourse which may yeeld thee any profit giue God the glorie and me thy friendly censure and helpe Iâ—uate me orationibâ—â— vestris vt sâ—mper possim loqui quae opâ—rtâ—t opere iâ—plere quae loqui Bernard in Cant. me with thy prayers that I may speake those things I ought and practice my selfe what I speake But if in any place I haue erred then I pray correct it gently or passe it ouer with silence or in a friendly manner admonish me thereof and then I haue of thee as much as I desire and then I shall be encouraged to set Pen to Paper againe and publish another Treatise vpon the Parable of the Vncleane Spirit recorded by the Euangelist Matth. 12. 43. Luke 11. 24. in which if God grant life and opportunitie I will shew 1. The manner and the measure of Sathans departure from the soule of mans and then how hee demeaneth himselfe when hee is gone 2. His diligence to gain his former possession with the reasons that induce him thereunto 3. When he hath regained possession how strongly he fortifies himselfe to preuent expulsion Lastly the miserable estate of those which he repossesses how wherein their end is worse then their beginning As also compose a Table for the reading vnderstanding and remembring of the Scriptures and how to reconcile such places as seem to contradict one another to prescribe rules to know when the Scriptures are to bee taken figuratiuely and when literally with the reasons why And to set downe the time when such famous men liued as are mentioned in Scriptures with many other occurrences both profitable and delightfull All which I shall bee willing Cum lectoris nomen feras ne lictoris nomen geras to performe if in this discourse thou wilt performe the part of a Reader that is to Suspend thy iudgement and censure not in haste Before thou iudge the first first read the last But alas there are manie now adayes that can spie a moate in anothers eie that had need to haue a Beame pulled from their owne some there are so curious in their conceits as that they can easier finde two faults in another mans worke then know how to mend one If thou be of that mind friendly Reader I doe not intend to make thee my Iudge My end is not to gain popular applause but to discharge my Conscience and to doe my Countrey good Then accept his will who meaning plaine Doth neither write for praise nor hope of gaine And though it be not so curiously set forth as perhaps thou expectest be content to accept of this answer If it be not so punctuall as it should yet it is as I could for They that are learn'd and haue the gift May make of matters what they will But hee that hath no other shift Must goe the plaine way to the Mill. When the materiall Temple was to bee built euery man could not bring gold and siluer so in this spirituall building euery one hath not the skill of caruing and working curiously yet if I by bringing baser metals or by working plainly may helpe thee in thy spirituall building it shall aboundantly comfort me Come not then to carpe with Momus nor to disdaine with Zoilus nor to sooth with Zantippus if thou doest I shall care as
little for thy censure as I doe for thy selfe Therefore Cum tua non aedas ne carpas munera lector Carpere vel noli nostra vel aede tua Sith that thy works thou doest conceale Good Reader carpe not mine Leaue off to reprehend our workes Or else goe publish thine And though there is no end in making books seeing much reading brings wearisomnesse to the flesh Eccles 12. 12. Yet this wee doe and pleasure take in toile Although wee doe but plow the barren soile And thus hauing beene ouerbold in presuming vpon your patience I will here end cōmend you to God and to the Word of his grace which is able to build you vp further and giue you an inheritance among Act. 20. 32. them which are sanctified And rest Yours alwayes in the Lord EDMVND COBBES THE WORLDLINGS LOOKING-GLASSE VVherein hee may cleerely see what a woefull bargaine he makes if he lose his soule for the gaine of the world Matth. 16. 26. For what is a man profited if he shall gaine the whole world and lose his own soule or what shall a man giue in exchange for his soule THE time of our blessed Sauiours passion being at hand he tells and forewarnes his Disciples of it that thereby he might confirme and strengthen them against the scandall of his Crosse But yet for all this they dreame of an earthly Kingdome and that our Sauiour should restore them to their ancient liberties which in time past their fathers enioyed in the time of Dauid and Salomon and other Kings of Israel but our Sauiour to put them out of this conceit tells them plainly elsewhere that his Kingdome is not of this world and therefore they are not to expect any earthly pompe and state by him for a Vers 21 he must goe to Ierusalem and suffer many things of the Elders and chiefe Priests and Scribes and bee killed c. Peter who loued him dearely and so was more forward to manifest his loue then the rest takes him aside thinking he had spake vnaduisedly that would die when he might liue and began to rebuke him saying Be it farre from thee Lord this shall not bee vnto thee q. d. Thou art the promised Seed of the Woman in whom all the Nations of the world shall bee blessed thou art an innocent man and therefore oughtest not to die thy life is very profitable vnto all men by feeding their bodies curing their diseases teaching and instructing them in the wayes of godlines therefore thou oughtst rather restore the kingdome to Israel and to free vs out of our captiuity But alas Peter thy counsell is carnall thou vnderstands only the things that belong to thy owne ease and quietnesse but not the things which are of God I was sent to seek and to saue the lost sheepe of the house of Israel and am that scape goate which Leu. 16. 10. must beare the iniquities of the people and that Lambe which must take away the sinnes of the world by my death and suffering must offer my selfe as a sacrifice for the redemption of the world and so by death ouercome him which hath the power of death therefore Peter get thee behind me with thy deuillish counsel thou art an offence to me and an aduersary to my fathers wil which hath appointed set me apart to reconcile the world vnto him therefore if thou wilt be my Disciple indeed as thou professest thy self to bee imitate thou mee in my obedience to my Fathers Will learn thou thy duty which now I teach thee and which I will haue all my Disciples to learne If any man will come after mee let him deny himself take vp his crosse and follow me Teaching all those which will giue vp their names vnto him what must bee their practice and whereto they must trust they must renounce their owne wit pollicie and affection and bee content to endure crosses losses and much affliction which they must beare cheerefully and follow their Captaine Christ Iesus in well doing though they haue neuer so many pullers back and hinderances in the way yet they must imitate the Philistins 1 Sam. 6. Kine which bare the Arke of GOD though they were milche and had their Calues at home yet without any turning to the right hand or left they kept on their way to Bethshemesh So the Disciples of Christ which haue giuen vp their names vnto him and doe beare the Arke of his law vpon their shoulders though they haue many allurements of the world the flesh and the Deuill to draw them backe which are as dear vnto them as the calues were vnto the Kine yet for all this they must keepe on their course in the pathe of a holy life and conuersation without turning either to the right hand or left vntill they come to Bethshemesh the house of the Sun for he that puts his hand to the Plough and afterwards lookes backe makes himselfe vnfit for the Kingdome of God Therefore our blessed Sauiour plainly tels his Disciples what their profession would cost them and what they should looke for that is to bee hated of all men for his sake and to endure all manner of crosses and bee content to beare them patiently and weare them as a crown vpon their heads and to cary death alway before them as a seale vpon their fingers Now because the heart of man is full of doubts and out of selfe-loue is readie to call the truth of God in question our blessed Sauiour is carefull to fence his doctrine against all doubts and to preuent all scruples which carnal men can make against the truth thereof as thinking it very harsh to flesh and blood Therefore in the 25 and 26 verses hee answers a secret obiection which some obiectour might reply vpon him in these or the like words That so hee should lose at least the worlds goods and perhaps his life too To the one Christ answers in the verse preceding my Text that to lose life was the way to find it meaning eternall life q. d. for the worst that Tyrants can doe is but to send them to heauen and the desire to saue life by refusing the crosse was the way indeed to lose it to wit eternall life And to the other he answeres in the words of my Text that the gaine of the world is nothing if it be compared with the soules losse which he layes downe in an hypotheticall proposition question wise For what is a man profited if he shall gaine the whole world if he lose his soule Which categorically turned is he that winnes euen a whole world but loseth his owne soule for it gaines not which is confirmed by the latter part of the verse that there is nothing worth the soule nothing equiualent to it which he propounds question-wise also because in this forme a proposition hath most life and power to work vpon the heart and conscience of the hearer For what thing is there
Optat ephipia bos piger optat arare caballus Hor. An horse on backe to beare And so the horse doth wish he were An Oxe the soyle to teare Then what is a man profited if hee gaine the whole world and lise his soule 4. As they cannot giue content so they cannot keepe off pouertie riches haue wings flie away when wee haue most need of them and when they should doe vs most good This was well knowne vnto the Prophet and therfore he cals them deceitfull vanitie Psal 31. 6. 1 Tim. 6. 17. And the Apostle vncertaine riches Yet how many are there which gape after this vncertaine Mammon which is so full of deceit like the Selucian birds which Aues Seleucides nunquam conspiciuntur nisi cum praesidiâ— illarum indigetur flie away when they might best pleasure vs. If any will question this truth wee may for confirmation produce seuentie Kings vpon their oath And Adonibezeck that great Conquerour to be their Compurgatour A Iud. 1. 6 7. liuely example hereof we may see in King Zedekiah which was 2. King 25. forsaken of his riches honour and friends his Children were slaine before his face his eyes put out and himselfe bound in Chaines and afterward miserably ended his dayes in prison Looke vpon Iob yesterday the richest man in the East and to day not worth a groat a Quicquid habes bodiè cras te fortasse relinquet They come and goe as the ebbing flowing of the Sea taking wings and leauing vs naked at their pleasure Iob hath pronounced that the triumphing of the wicked in worldly things is but short and the ioy of an hypocrite but for a moment though his excellency mount vp to the heauens his head reach Iob 20. 5 6 7. vnto the clouds yet hee shall perish for euer and they that haue seene him shall say where is he Then why doe you lay out your siluer and not for bread you labour without being satisfied Riches may bee taken from vs by casualties of fire inundation of water robbery of theeues negligence of seruants suretiship for friends or by many other accidents They are many times a bait to intice others to surprize vs. The statelinesse of Ierusalem Qâ—ae verò exâ—râ—nsecuâ— ed alium transfâ—rri possunt Tull. was such an eye-sore to the King of Babell that he could not be quiet til he was master of it They are many times occasions whereby slanderers oppressours take aduantage against vs to insnare and intrap vs. Naboths Vineyard first moued Iezabel to produce false witnesses against him and at last to take away his life Then what is a man profited if he gaine the whole world and lose his owne soule But suppose Riches would be faithfull and stand to vs euen to the last gaspe of our breath yet they can doe vs no good either for our bodies or our soules They cannot profit our bodies because they cannot preuent diseases nor cure them if they ouertake vs nor giue vs any comfort or patience to endure them It is not the Veluet slipper that can cure the Goute nor a Crowne of Pearle that helpeth the Migram appoplexie Chollicke or the like Stately houses soft beds rich furniture costly tables all these cannot preuent the least sicknes whatsoeuer But they are so farre from helping vs as that they are the cause many times of weakning the strength and of impairing the health which commeth to passe 1 Because riches many times make men wanton and ouer-tender of their bodies by vsing them to too much daintines which in a while custome makes them so necessary that they cannot want them without the impairing of their health Now being depriued of their riches they cannot nourish their bodies in such manner as before they haue done 2. A second cause may bee because riches fil both head and heart with cares to preserue them and feares least wee lose them Hence the Wise man is bold to say That the reuenue Prou. 15. 6. of the wicked is trouble not troublesome in the concrete but trouble it selfe in the abstract And Iob saith That hee Iob 15. 20 24. trauelleth in paine all his dayes which will not suffer him to sleepe and take his rest Without which his health cannot long endure so saith the Preacher The abundance Eccl. 5. 12. of riches will not suffer him to sleepe And the Sonne of Sirach tels vs That the waking after Ecclus 31. 1 2. riches doth pine away the bodie and the care thereof driueth away sleepe Whereupon the Poet was bold to passe his censure What euer wanteth changeable rest Quod caret altorna requie durabile non est Must needes decay when 't is at best 3. Riches prepare the seedes and simples for all sicknesse through idlenesse which is the effect they produce And so for want of stirring and action euill corrupt and noysome humours increase and abound whereby they haue no stomack or appetite to their meate though they haue full tables varietie of dishes And so for want of apperite they can eate nothing and if they doe it is against their stomaches which nourishes many filthy humours which causeth diseases which the poorer sort are free enough from By which it appeares that riches doe neither preserue health nor cure diseases when they are come But rather it may be said That the Hals of the Morborum domicilium est diuitum Aula rich are the harbours where diseases dwell For as wormes soonest breed in soft teÌ„der wood Cankers fret soonest the trees that are fullest of sappe so sicknesse most easily breeds in those bodies which are made tender with ease and wantonnesse therefore being forced to flye to the Physitian vpon euery small occasion many times they make their liues to become a prey vnto them 5. As riches cannot keepe off pouertie so they cannot pacifie a troubled conscience or secure vs from the malice of Sathan but when GOD sets either of them a worke they will not feare the awfull Scepter nor a heape of Gold nor a silken garment As may bee seene in Saul Iudas and Antiochus But when God awakes their sleepie consciences these sweet morsels will bee ready to choake them And then they shall cast their Ezek. 7. 19 siluer in the streets their siluer and Gold shall not bee able to deliuer them in the day of the wrath of the Lord they shall not satisfie their soules nor fill their bowels because it is the stumbling blocke of their iniquitie 6. As they cannot pacifie a troubled Conscience so these terrene things cannot make those merry cheereful which enioy them The truth of this wee haue before seene in Ahab and Haman who were so vexed because they could not haue what they would that the one went sick to bed and the other so filled with discontent that he was ready to eare out his owne heart because things did not sort according to
his desire 7. As they cannot in any degree profit our bodies so they are lesse able to profit our soules They cannot inrich them with spirituall graces They cannot purchase Christ procure for vs the rich Robes of his righteousnesse or purchase vs an obedience answerable to the Law They cannot furnish vs with faith hope repentance They cannot reconcile vs to God for he accepteth not the person Iob 34 19. of Princes and regards not the rich more then the poore for they be all the worke of his hands GOD doth not respect men for their goods but for their Godlines For better is the poore that walketh Pro. 28. 6. in his vprightnesse then hee that peruerteth his wayes though he bee rich They cannot put courage in vs to stand resolutely for Christ and for his cause against Sathan and his seruants but rather they make vs cold in the performance of holy duties of which we shal haue more occasion to speake of in due place 8. As riches cannot profit vs in our soules so they cannot profit vs in the course of our life they cannot keepe off old age the forerunner of death neither can they make vs carefull to prepare our hearts for God at our death and so to submit our will vnto Gods Will Neither can they appease Gods anger restraine the Deuils power but when we are panting and gasping vpon our sick beds all the world will not bribe Death but hee will tell vs hee hath a warrant from GOD to attach vs without baile or mainprice For it is appointed for Heb. 9. all men once to die Which statute being enacted in heauen all the world is not able to reuerse What comfort then shall rich worldlings find in their bags of Luk. 12. 15 Gold seeing their life consists not in their riches Then what shal it profit them to haue their barnes full when as their soules shall be taken from them what good will their money doe them when the Deuils are ready to attache them then shall they lament and say they haue spent their strength in vain For what hope hath the hypocrite though Iob. 27. 8. Quicquid vita dedit tollit cum vita recedit hee hath heaped vp riches when God taketh away his soule How miserable then will the case of rich worldlings bee when as they shall finde that they haue heaped vp the wrath of GOD with their riches and that now as they came naked into the world so they must returne Eccl. 5. 14 15. Then what profiteth it a man that he hath laboured for the winde How much would a man then giue for a good Conscience to haue his peace made vp with God how would he preferre a dramme of grace before a bag of Gold and would be content to part with his Coffers and Treasures to haue a share among the inheritance of the Saints for the rich men shall leaue Ier. 17. 11. their inheritance in the middest of their dayes and their end shall be as a foole But suppose riches could sweeten death and make it lesse painful to vs yet what good can it doe vs when wee are laid in the Graue then they cannot preserue our bodies from corruption no then there will bee no difference betweene the King and the Begger For one heape of dust is not better then another in the darke Chambers of death For as nature maketh no difference between one man and another in the birth so neither doth it distinguish them after their death open the graues and stately monuments and we shall see Kings and Princes and great men turned to dust as wel as poor men Finally the riches of the world caÌ„not stand vs in stead at the day of iudgment for at that day the Lord the iust iudge Psal 62. 12. Rom. 2. 6. will reward euery man according to his workes he will not respect rich men according to the honour which they haue with men but according to the honour which they haue Solae virtutes faciunt beatum Macrob. done to him and comfort to his poore members he will not esteeme men for their wealth but according how they haue vsed it to his glory and the good of their brethren Then they that Pâ—o. 21. 21. haue followed after righteousnesse and mercy shall finde life righteousnesse glory But those which in their life haue beene contentious proud and enuious and haue not obeyed the truth Tribulation and anguish shall bee vpon euerie soule and the riches Rom. 2. 8. which they haue had shall witnesse against them because they haue not vsed them to glorifie their Creator Thus by Gods Iam. 5. 3. mercy we haue traced the rich man through the whole course of his life and death wee haue laid him downe in his graue haue summoned him vp to iudgement and haue found out the inabilitie of riches to profit him in life death and day of iudgement in all which wee haue seene the truth of this point That a man is not profited if he gaine the whole world and lose his soule But alasse riches are so farre from profiting vs as that they are the cause of much euill to soule and body For they that will bee rich fall into temptations 1 Tim. 6. 9. and into many dangerous lusts The loue of money made Balaam aduenture to make a long Numb 24. iourney to go to curse the people of God For hope of reward Dalilah was alâ—ured to betray Sampson her beloued husband Hope of preferment will make Doeg flatter Saul and speake euill of Dauid the beloued of the 1 Sam. 22. 10. 2 Sam. 15. 2. Lord. And Absolon will seeke his Fathers life to gaine his Kingdome If Ioab may but get the chiefe Captainship hee 2 Sam. 10. will make no scruple to kill Amasa And Abimelech will embrue his hands in the blood of Iud. 9. 2. threescore and ten of his brethren to make himselfe way to the Crown The loue of money made Iudas sell his Lord and God for thirty peeces the price of a slaue by which meanes he brought the blood of Christ vpon his soule that it had beene good for him if hee had neuer beene borne The loue of gaine so tipt the tongue of Demetrius that he became a subtill Orator to plead for Idolatry The loue of mony made Gehazie run after Naaman with a lie in his mouth 1 King 21. so for a little mony chaÌ„ge of raiment to sell Gods honor and his masters credit The loue of Naboths Vineyard made Ahab purchase a place of pleasure with the price of the blood of his subiect which procured the bane of him and his familie The Babylonish garment and los 7. 21. wedge of Gold made Achan expose himselfe and all the hoast to the iudgement of God The loue of money will make men cruell and vnnaturall Cruell to Mic. 2. 2. couet fields and to take them
of the Scripture where the man of God may bee instructed in whatsoeuer belongeth to policy Ciuilitie and Christianitie for this life or for the life to come If wee would know our Maker Redeemer and Sanctifier we may see them described in the Scripture in which is contained a salue for euery sore Then those are much to blame which leaue this pure Many striue rather to speake tunably to the care then powerfully to the heart delighting more â—o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 〈…〉 〈◊〉 to p 〈…〉 theiâ— heaâ—erâ— and â—â— charge their dutie before God Pro. 19. 23. fountaine of running water and digge vnto themselues Cisternes that will hold no water such mens maine end is to bee admired for their learning by which they hope to gaine popular applause Now this ambition many times waiteth vpon Gods deare Children which makes them many times sacrifice to their owne nets and to seek theÌ„selues not the Lord Iesus therfore the Lord doth ofteÌ„ depriue them of their hopes and frustrate their expectation and so brings downe the pride of man that thereby hee may make way for his owne glory As then the office of a Preacher is a Calling of great reuerence Reu. 2. 8. God himselfe dignifying them with the title of Angels whose tongues hee hath consecrated to comfort the deiected instruct the ignorant and direct the simple Therefore all those which are called to this high calling should not bee greene plants but well seasoned timber grounded in knowledge and experience that they may be able to maintaine their Masters cause and by sound arguments defend the truth powerfully and perswade to the loue of vertue pithily and not to abuse that learning knowledge God hath giuen them to iangling and contention as many of the Separation haue done who hauing a great desire to bee taken for singular wise men and zealous professors and being puft vp with a vaine opinion conceiued of themselues and of their owne knowledge haue laboured for to sow contention in the Church and to displant good order established whereby it comes to passe that not onely weak ChristiaÌ„s are amazed but also the hearts of many are alienated from obedience to lawful authoritie These men being further wrapt in deuotion then they can wade through with discretion yet vnder the colour of zeale for reformation in the Church they haue disgraced the gouernment as if Gods Spirit inforced them to passe the bounds of Christian modesty Touching those that carpe at the present estate of Church-discipline it lies not in the limits of my Text to say much yet thus much I wil say though many things may seeme to be misliked as not so precisely good to them that look a far off with a sleight imagination yet may very well be tolerated in policie to keepe peace and quietnesse for it is no sure course to goe about to change lawes and to breake downe discipline which is already established to please the itching fancies of those humorous Sectaries which delight in nothing but innouatioÌ„ lest therwith all comelines good order be ouerthrown Dauids resolutioÌ„ is Ps 39. 1 2. worne out of date he said hee would looke to his wayes that he did not sin with his tongue but now a dayes men are falne from Dauids practise to be busie bodies to prie and to looke into matters of State and to censure and carpe at the gouernment of the Church which was so graciously established by that vertuous Princesse of blessed memory Queene ELIZABETH now as glorious a Saint in heauan as euer shined in this our hemisphere and since ratified and confirmed by two learned Kings vpon the examinarion of the learned Clergy confirmed by the Peeres and Nobilitie and subscribed vnto by the Commons by the powerfull authoritie of that honourable Court of Parliament and now many yeares experience bath taught vs to bee peacefull and religious yet for all this they can see Moates in the Church but care not for searching their owne hearts and reforming their crooked manners and so being puft vp with singularitie they thinke they are able to instruct the wisedome of the State without booke when as they cannot learne obedience their owne duty in all the bookes in the world Brethren what meane you to pry into those things which are aboue your reach and cannot be fathomed by your shallow conceits God be thanked the graue Senators which sit at the sterne doe foresee dangers and godly discreetly and prouidently preuent them and so doe preserue and protect vs in peace and quietnesse and so we may long enioy our happinesse if our vnthankfulnesse to God and vndutifulnesse to our Gouernours doe not hinder it Therefore seeing by them wee enioy great quietnesse and that very worthy deedes are done Act. 24. 23. vnto this nation by their prouidence wee ought to acknowledge it with all thankfulnesse wherefore in stead of prying into matters aboue our reach let vs remember that the time will shortly come that we shall be called to giue account of our owne stewardships then wee shall finde that it is better to bee of small learning with humilitie then to bee profoundly learned with a proud minde There is a second branch which springs from this bitter root of vaine glory and popular applause and they are those pragmaticall censurers and curious obseruers of other mens liues and actions that can marke and obserue the slips and infirmities of their brethren to disgrace them but lacke an eye to see their owne filthy conuersation but let vs remember againe that wee must giue account of our owne Stewardship and not of others What can wee spare so much of our short time to prie into others and can finde so little to ransack our owne hearts Surely to bee curious in scanning other mens liues and carelesse of our owne is certainly an argument of an euill minde and a great signe of an vnsanctified heart if thou wilt needes bee prying into other mens conuersations looke into the state of the poore and needy behold their faces pale and wan their cloathes ragged and torne Be thou as Iob was An eye to the blinde feet to the lame and a comfort to the needie this is the way to gaine honour and praise of men when the loynes of the poore shall blesse thee and the Lord will reward thee Possessa onerant amata inquinant amissa cruciant Worldly things when wee haue them they load vs when we loue them they defile vs when wee lose them they vexe vs. at the day of his appearing Thus wee haue diued into the pleasing delights of the world and haue found out their insufficiency to profit vs in life and death come wee now to consider of the world in it self As all worldly things are vaine and insufficient in their vse and vnable in themselues to doe vs good for our soules and our bodies so the world it selfe is momentany and mutable momentany in regard of it selfe as at the first it
for heauenly our labour here may procure vs maintenance and what we want may be supplyed by the Charitie of our friends but no man can redeeme his soule Wee may win the world as Alexander did and yet for all this lose our soules Oh consider this all yee that forget GOD and are carelesse of your saluation we will bee at great cost for the assurance of our lands and for gaine wee will trauell farre and to bee sure of promotion we will endure much toyle and drudgery and shall we take no paines to be assured of heauen the gaine of glory and the saluation of our soules Naturally we are moued to seeke after those things by which wee may escape losse and gaine some good but oh the carelesnes of the most of vs for the saluation of our soules Men study to become learned they labour for friends striue for riches and seeke for promotion because the benefit of theÌ„ is much for mans welfare the want of them is held to be very hurtfull without them men are iudged but miserable yet riches honour are nothing so auaileable for vs here learning and friends cannot make them happy that haue them vnlesse they be assured of the saluation of their soules but alas we are like Balaam wee can wish that our soules may die the death of the righteous but are vnwilling to liue their life we would with Diues fare delicately euery day and yet with Lazarus looke for heauen at our ending Thus we passe our dayes in the sinfull vanities of the world and are carelesse of our owne saluation and so spending our dayes in pleasure suddenly we sink down into hell Oh but may some say God forbid wee should bee so carelesse for our soules as to lose them for the world wee hope we haue more care then so Vnto whom I answere if you be so carefull as you say you are what meanes that rising vp early and going to bed late what toyling carking caring for the world like the bleating lowing of the Amalekites sheep and Oxen what meanes that excessiue care for the belly and backe these cry so loud that men may see that the care of the most is for the world and the least care is for the soule the most precious Iewel we haue But thou that sayest thou art so careful for thy soule let me aske thee a question or two and let thy Conscience answer before God that knows the secrets of thy heart Doe you feele as great thirst after righteousnes as euer at any time you haue felt after drinke to refresh your drie body or as great a desire after Gods Kingdome as the Couetous man hath after money is your principall care night and day how you may please God canst thou sorrow and mourne more for sinne and for the losse of Gods fauour then for the losse of any worldly estate Canst thou put vp wrongs and iniuries done thee patiently and quietly and see Gods hand in them as Dauid did the cursing of Shimei If these things thou doest out of a good Conscience then I say thou art carefull for thy soule But on the contrary art thou a willing seruant of sinne more willing to doe what thy lust leads thee vnto then what God commands Doest thou bestow vpon the world that loue feare ioy delight strength and time which God challengeth and the godly in all ages haue beene carefull to performe and giue vnto him then where is thy care for thy soule doth thy life and couersation agree better with the wil of the Deuill then with the Will of God dost thou take more care paines to fulfil the Will of the flesh and Sathan then in doing what God requireth If thus thou doest for shame neuer say thou takest care for thy soule for the deuils take as much care as thou doest If the righteous can hardly bee saued where shall the prophane sinners appeare if they which haue set their faces towards heauen all the dayes of their life shall scarce be saued what shall become of those that haue set their faces against heauen all their life If wee haue care of our soules as wee ought where is our zeale to God-ward where is our reuerend feare of his Maiesty where is our seruice and obedience wee yeeld vnto our Lord and God where is our very reason that makes vs differ from beasts which by the instinct of Nature follow those things which are profitable to them and shunne those things which are hurtfull yet we hauing direction from the Word of God haue no desire of euerlasting happinesse nor feare of endlesse destruction Ob. Oh but may some say I mean to take care for my soule but as yet I haue no leisure I haue many businesses in hand and within short space I meane to put off my trade and by that time I shall haue got money and then I meane to betake my selfe to a religious course of life A. But doth not God in the first place command thee to seeke his Kingdome which is the greatest principall work and wilt thou seeke that last which hee hath commanded to seeke first Thou sayest thou wilt serue God when thou art rich but how doest thou know that thou shalt haue a heart then to serue God haue not wee seene many rich men haue made their riches their god and so haue withdrawne their hearts from God Againe no Calling must bee a calling from God euery man can finde time to spare out of his Calling to eate drinke sleepe and many times to prate game and the like and canst thou finde time to fill thy belly and no time to prouide for thy soule Oh but may some say I will repent when I am sicke then will I humble my selfe and seek for my soules health for sicknes will put me in minde of death Vnto which I answere suppose thou bee neuer sicke wilt thou neuer take care for thy soule haue wee not heard of many that haue died suddenly and so haue had no time to prepare for their soules health Was not Zimry and Cosby taken in the very act of sinne and so by the hand of Iustice sent to Hell without any time to repent in If old Ely had had his repentance to seeke and the prouision for his soule to get when he fell downe and his neck was broken in what a fearfull case had he beene Doe we not see many in their sicknesse to haue died senselesse like Nabal and it is iust with GOD that Soepe morieâ—s obliui scitur sui qui dum viâ—eret oblitus est Dei. they which haue forgotten him in their life should forget themselues in their death Did not the Israeliâ—es die suddenly with the Quailes in their mouthes and Ananias and Saphira his wife before they were summoned by sicknesse or thought of their soules and how many are there which are taken away by senselesse diseases as the Apoplexie dead Palsie or other diseases which
feare of God set vpon the worke Wee all know that the chiefest care of a Christian should be to glorifie God and saue his soule and to this end wee all know that amendment of our liues is a worke necessarily required without which no man can be assured of his saluation so that here nothing commeth into the question but the time when we ought to take care for the saluation of our soules thou saist the time is to bee deferred hereafter and giuest a reason for it because God is a God of mercie But we say it is to be done presently therefore let vs see which opinion is most conformable to the truth Wee grant that God is a God of mercie to the penitent so he is a God of Iustice to the obstinate and Mercy abused makes way for his Iustice and though God saith St. Gregory hath promised pardon to the penitent yet he hath not promised to morrow to a sinner Times and seasons saith our Sauiour are in Gods hands then what a folly is it for vs to thinke that wee can dispose of the time to come for our owne saluation Christ hath the Keyes of life and death Reu. 1. committed to him to open and shut at his pleasure then how can wee presume hee will open to vs the gate of repentance at our pleasures It is true that God calleth at all houres yet we must not look he wil call vs wheÌ„ we list therfore let vs learn the wisdome which God wold haue to vs learn that is to seeke the Lord while he may Is 55. 6 7. be found to call vpon him while he is neare and to follow that good counsel of the Wise-man to make no tarrying to turne to Eccles. 5. the Lord. A Father hath wel obserued that if gold should bee offered vnto vs none would bee so foolish or negligent as to say I wil not accept of it till to morrow or I will come to you next yeare for it but they will take it presently and admit of no excuse But the redemption Redemptio animae proâ—ittitur nemo festinat Amb. of the soule is promised and profered and where is the man or where is the woman that accepteth of it How truely may that speech of the Father bee applied to our times Men are greedy and carefull for earthly things no man will take time but will take them when they are offered but for spirituall things meÌ„ may think they haue too much or lest peraduenture they feare they may fall from young Saints to become old Caâ—endi opportunitas non est omittenda deuils But suppose our life might be long and that wee shall haue time to repent in our old age and make vp our reconciliation with our God which no man can promise vnto himselfe what will it bee more easie to doe it then than now whilst we haue our health our limbes our sight and hearing no no brethren deceiue not your selues old age is no fit time to begin to repent in and to prouide for our soules for then we shal finde that sinne is increased with the yeares of our age which will make vs more vnfit to seeke for our soules good old age is wilfull and peeuish and will hardly be reclamed and the custome of sinne will take away the sense of sinne and if now it be a hard matter to conquer one or two sinnes what will it bee to fight against a hundred and if it bee so hard a matter to breake and subdue the corruption of one or two yeares sinnes how hard will it be to ouercome the sins of Childhood youth middle age it is a hard thing to leaue that custome which a man hath Cum magnâ— dolore relinquitur quod cum magno amore possidetur Bern. de coena DoÌ„ beene inured vnto all his daies he will be as loath to part with his sins as his sinnes are to part with him who will then be perswaded to beleeue vnlesse hee be a madd man that the offence encreasing the pardon may easily bee obtained The Wiseman Eccles 10. telleth vs that an old inueterate disease troubleth the Physitian and shall we thinke that old sinnes will not be troublesome to get pardoned in old age for then sinnes although they are great and horrible when as they are come into Peccata quamuâ— magna horrenda cum in coâ—suetudinem tenerint aut parna aut nulla esse creduntur Aug. Eâ—ch cap. 17. a custome are thought to be no sinnes or at least very little ones wee see that old men which haue trifled away their dayes in the practice of sinne in their old age begin to bee wilful and peruerse and so hate to be reformed and experience shewes how hard a thing it is to reclame an old Swearer an old Vsurer or an old Lecher how hard a thing it is to reclame one that is dyed in graine in his sinnes and the lust of their vices are so rooted and fixed in the bones and marrow Iob 20. of their soules and so are ready to lie downe with them in the graue But yet suppose for all this thou maist repent in old age yet what a deale of time hast thou lost while thou hast liued in thy sinnes what a deale of comfort mightst thou haue had if thou hadst spent thy time in the practice of Pietie and what a patterne of vertue mightst thou haue beene to young men and to haue caused them by thy example to feare the Lord in the dayes of their youth Againe how vnequall and indiscreet a thing is it to reserue old age for repentance were it not vnsit or very foolish if a man had many great and weighty burthens to be carried a long and tedious iourney and had many strong and lusty Horses to carry them yet should lay all the burdens vpon one and the weakest and poorest horse which is scarce able to goe how foolish a thing were this such is their folly that doe cast the burden of their repentance vpon their old age sparing their youth and middle age and letting them goe empty which were farre more fit then old age which is scarce able to beare it selfe Againe how vniust a thing it is to serue the world the flesh and the deuill with our Summer and best dayes and to offer our old lame and decrepit age vnto God The Lord charged his people that they Deut. 25. should not haue two manner of waights a great and a small to measure by and how dare any man haue two vnequall measures in his liue one so great for the Deuill the flesh and the world as if they were our friends and the other so short for God as if he were our enemy thus we see how vnequall a thing it is and how hard a thing it is to deferre the taking care for our soules vntill sicknes or old age and how difficult then it is to seeke the Lord and to make
vp our peace with him Let vs therefore remember the counsell of the Wiseman to remember our Creator in the dayes of our youth and the rather 1. Because our liues are vncertaine Motiues to to induce vs. therefore they are compared to a Pilgrime to a Weauers shuttle to the flower of the Grasse to smoake to a Vapour to a Bubble to a dreame that is ended before it bee well begun All which shew the shortnesse of our dayes and what need had wee then to spend them in the seruice of God yet for all this many we see are ready to goe out of the world before they knew wherfore they came into it Therefore hee that is well now may be sicke and dead before he is aware Herod was well and in health when he began his flourishing Oration but Act. 21. 23. before the end thereof and his departure from the people the Angell of the Lord smote him and he was eaten vp of wormes by whose fearefull example wee may learne that if wee deferre our repentance but one day yea but one houre death may preuent vs before wee repent for no man can tell what dangers a day or an honre may bring forth 2. Because as we haue shewed before that the longer a man doth defer his repentance the harder it will be for him to repent to leaue and forsake his sin the naile that is driuen fast in w th a haÌ„mer with many strokes is not easily got out So sin the longer wee nourish it in our bosoms the harder at last it wil be to master and the weaker we shall be to ouercome it If a man haue receiued a deadly wound in his body hee will not deferre the cure of it to a yeare or a quarter or a moneth nay a weeke but will take the opportunitie of time Are men so carefull to preserue their bodily life but oh how carelesse are many for their soules which will post off their repentance to their sicknesse or old age But let no man so dangerously aduenture to tempt God as to put all to the successe of the last battle hauing no better weapons then these wherewith so many haue beene foyled 3. If we defer our repentance to the last we may in the meane time be depriued of the meanes by which God vsually worketh faith and repentance that is the preaching of the Word which may be tanslated either nationally or parochially from vs and if we neglect the meanes it is presumption for vs to think that God will worke faith and repentance without the means which being neglected our comforts are abated our faith weakned and the Deuill aduantaged against vs. If therefore we would be assured that our care is good and that wee shall not be depriued of our hope let vs take the opportunity of time while it is offered vnto vs for if it bee offered vs now who knowes whether it shall bee offered vs againe or no and the more pauses and delayes wee make the more vnfit we are to lay hold vpon the meanes hereafter for when Sathan hath so preuailed with men that he can bring them into a custome of sinne by negligence carelesnesse or any thing else what followes but hardnesse of heart and what followes hardnesse of heart but impenitency so we treasure vp Gods wrath against Rom. 2. 4 5 the day of wrath this should carefully be laid to heart of all but especially of those which haue so many lets and hindrances that they can finde no time to take care for their soules If old age make men vnfit to attend a King as Barzillai tels Dauid saying that â— Sam. 19. 35. he was vnfit to doe him seruice how vnfit are all those that deferre the seruing of GOD to their old age in which many haue as little taste and relish in godlinesse as euer he had in his meate 4. We are not sure we shall liue till old age how fearfull a thing theÌ„ is it for vs to defer our conuersion The Israelites perished Num. 11. 33. while the meate was in their mouthes and Iobs Children Iob 1. 18. were slaine while they were banquetting in their brothers house and many we see and heare of are taken away before they are aware happy then are wee if wee can learne wisdome by other mens harms if we could now descend into hell to behold the damned in their torments frying and burning in fire and brimstone If wee should aske them the cause of their misery one would tell vs he made account to repent him of his sinnes make his peace with God when hee was fick but alas he dyed suddenly and now must liue miserably in torments Another he meant to repent him when hee was old but he dyed while hee was young All of them would tell vs in effect that if they were to liue againe they would prepare for their soules presently Well they are gone and past recouery let vs now while we haue time and means opportunitie repent turne vnto the Lord that hee may shew mercie vnto our soules 5. Late repentance is not so acceptable to God as the willing seruice of youth Late repentance is feldome true repentance A good deuout Father disputing this point saith He Ambr. that repenteth and reconcileth himselfe at the last cast and passeth hence I confesse vnto you that we deny not vnto him what hee desireth Non dico saluabitur non dico damnabitur tu verâ— age poenitentiam dum sanuses but I dare not say hee went well hence I doe not presume I doe not promise I doe not say he shall be damned neither doe I say he shall be saued but if thou wilt bee assured and freed from doubt repent while thou art in health so runne that thou mayest obtaine and then thou shalt be sure to bee safe because thou repentedst at that time when thou mightst haue sinned but if thou wilt repent when thou canst sinne no longer thy sinnes haue dismissed thee and not thou them Si aetate prohibitus a peccato desistis debilitati gratias agendum Basil Qui prius a peccatis relinquitur quam ipsa relinquat ea non libere sed quasi ex necessitate condemnat Aug. de vera falsa poenitentia câ— 17. and if a man leaue sinne when age and weaknesse hinder him from following it wee must thanke his weaknesse and not him and it is no thanks to mortifie our sinnes when they are mortified by sicknesse True repentance must be voluntary performed willingly therefore let no man tarry so long in sinne as he can for God requireth the liberty of the wil he that will not take the time that God giues it is iust with God that he should seeke for time which shall be denied Let vs preuent it lest we bee preuented by it wee know in Praefâ—at praeuenire quam praeâ—eniri regard of our time wee haue but a short time to liue and that
for an old man which hath wanted the meanes all the daies of his life may when the means is offered him comfortably lay hold of euerlasting saluation else God would neuer haue enioyned Nunquam peccaâ—ti indicta esset pro peccatis deprecatio si deprecanti non esset remissio concendenda Aug. de fide man to craue the remission of his sinnes if hee had no purpose to grant it 2. This Parable doth fully answere this obiection in shewing that those which were hired at the eleuenth houre came as soone as they were called if they had beene called at the third sixt or ninth houre no doubt but they would haue come therefore this example will not iustifie them that are called at all houres early and late and yet will not come 3. This Parable shewes that the housholder went out early in the morning to hire labourers therefore God expects that we should come in at the first houre and begin our repentance betimes and if wee doe not come when God cals it is questionable whether we shall receiue repentance to come at last And though God haue Qui promisit poenitenti veniam non promisit peccanti poeniâ—entiam Aug. de poenit promised pardon to him that repenteth yet hath hee neuer promised repentance to him that continueth in his sinnes neither is it in any mans power to repent when he will Thus brethren by Gods mercy we haue beaten the presumptuous sinners out of their strong holds what remaines now but that euery one of vs enter into examination of his heart and bewaile the losse of his time mispent and now labour to make vp his peace with God that the Lord may haue mercy vpon his soule else what is a man profited if hee gaine the whole world and lose his soule Seeing the soule is so excellent wee must haue principall care to auoid those euils that may endanger it and to vse those meanes whereby it may be saued The things then which are dangerous to the soule may be couched vnder these two heads as there are two wayes of destroying the body so are there likewise two wayes of destroying the soule The first is positiue by offering violence to it The second priuatiue by withholding the meanes of preseruation of it Sin is that which offers violence to the soule sin is like leauen that will leauen the whole lump like poisoÌ„ that wil corrupt the whole bodie by obscuring the Will and Vnderstanding and by disturbing the faculties of the soule and body The deuill as a strong armed man keepes rule in that soule which is held vnder the slauery of sinne Sinne though it be delightsome in the committing yet it breedeth a worme in the conscience which perpetually vexeth it with endlesse Voluptas transijt peccatum remansit Bern. Citò praeterit quod delectat permanet sine fine quod cruciat Aug. Omne peccatum est mors animae woe and remaineth when the pleasure is gone All the itching delight of sinne is soone at an end but it leaueth bitter foot-steps in the soule euery sinne doth wound and kill the soule We vse to say we wil not buy gold too deare why then are we so foolish as to buy the pleasures of sinne at so high a rate as the losse of our soule When the Fish hath swallowed the Hooke had she not been better without the bait so wheÌ„ our soules are lost how much better had it beene for vs neuer to haue tasted of the pleasures of sinne If then we would haue our soules saued we must bee carefull to expell and cast out sinne by vnfeigned repentance We see men will subdue their appetites and defraud themselues of many things nature desires for bodily health and shall we doe nothing for the saluation of our soules Now then seeing wee haue found a way to remoue our sinne and to obtaine of our Physitian a purgation to cure Cur cessas aggredi quod scias mederi tibi Tertul. de poenit our soares which is repentance then why doe we delay to get that which will bee our cure and why doe not we seeke the Lord while he may be found for else it may happen That hee Qui tempus senectutis expectat ad poenitendum speret misericordiam muâ—niet iudicium Greg. Seminemus dum tempus est vt metâ—mus nauigeâ—us dum mare nauigari potest antiquam sit â—iems quando magnus ille tremen dus dies aduenerit non licebit nauigare Chrys which putteth off his repentance vntill the time of age or day of death in stead of mercy may finde iudgement Therefore let vs sow our seed while it is seed time and set forward to saile while the Sea will serue for it may bee it will bee too late to begin our iourney when the Sunne sets and to hoise vp our sayle when the tempest ariseth to sow our seed when we should reape our corne to repent when we lie a dying and to doe good when we are dead One thing I lament saith a holy Father and I feare another the first is my sinnes the second is Gods iudgements seat bewaile therefore thy sins and lament thy iniquitie so shalt thou shunne those tormenting Vbi nec tortores deficiunt nec torti misere morientur Aug. torments where the tormentors are neuer wearie nor the tormented shall euer dye Therefore while it is called to day harden not thy heart but breake off thy sinne by true repentance Hast thou therefore bin a drunkard now learn sobrietie Hast thou beene intemperate now embrace chastity Hast thou beene malicious now shew charitie Hast thou beene proud now bee humble labour now to get the life of grace into thy soule which must be done by the amendment of thy life and by forsaking of thy sinnes for regeneration beginneth at repentance and repentance at the leauing and forsaking of sinne Trie and examine thy selfe then whether thou hast forsaken sin or no if thou hast not bridled thy tongue from bitter and blasphemous speeches if thou hast not taught thy hands to worke without deceit and brought thy heart to pray without hypocrisie and doe to thy neighbour as thou wouldest haue thy neighbor doe to thee thou hast not yet forsaken thy sinne but remainest still in the gall of bitternesse and so hast neglected thy soules health 2. The second way of losing the soule is by withholding from it the meanes of preseruation Thus those hazzard their saluation that despise and contemne the powerfull preaching of the Word of God and so by putting from them the Word of GOD they iudge themselues vnworthy of eternal Act. 13. 46. life Thus also many hazzard their saluation by neglecting of prayer and are carelesse in the duties of mortification Seeing then the soule is so excellent and may be lost then let it be euery ones care to get it saued in the day of the Lord. To this end labour to keepe faith and a good Conscience
of greater moment then the soule what thing more difficult thē to weane it from the loue of the world Therefore by this vehement speech our Sauiour layes strong battery to the hearts of worldlings to make them sound a retreate from the eager pursuite of these terrene things Thus I haue made the occasion and manner of Christs speech the pathway leading to my text in which I pray obserue these two maine points 1. The worlds vanitie and inability 2. The excellency of the soule These two points by GODS grace shall be the subiect of my ensuing discourse and from thē to deduce this note of obseruation That it is a point of Obseruation the greatest folly to aduenture the losse of the soule for the gaine of the whole world The ground of this truth is plaine Because the world and the Ground or Reason best things which are in it are but meere vanities and fooleries in respect of our heauenly inheritance Though they may make a faire show to them which are blinded with their false conceits and glory and esteeme which they haue among worldly men yet if wee looke vpon them in the glasse of Gods Word we shall find the world in his chiefe beautie and pompe to bee but as a glorious hypocrite faire in shew and false in truth promising much and performing nothing if therefore it were opened with the sharpe knife of truth it would be found both vaine and deceitfull for all that is in the world either it is already past or else it is present or else it is to come That which is past is not now and so we can haue no profit by it And that which is to come is vncertain whether we shal liue to enioy it or no and that which is present is fickle vnstable and wil stand by vs but a while no longer at furthest then our liues last and in that space our comfort and ioy in it may be disturbed by sicknesse crosses losses or many other accidents which made Dauid affirme that man Psa 39. 6. in his best estate is altogether vanitie and that hee walketh as a shadow and disquieteth himselfe in vaine therefore he compares worldly prosperity to a dream Psa 73. 20. which delighteth a man while hee sleepeth but when he awaketh vanisheth away and leaueth nothing behind but sorrow and discontent because their ioyes and hopes are disappointed Intimating vnto vs that the glory and splendor of worldly things are but in shew only and not solid and substantiall in truth Therefore Salomon which had not onely most 2 Chron. 9. 22. wisdome and iudgement rightly to value them and more experience of them then any man because he abounded more in 1 King 3. 13. worldly prosperitie then any man that euer liued for hee 1 King 4. 21. reigned ouer all Kingdomes from the Riuer vnto the Land of the Philistines and vnto the border of Aegypt they brought presents and serued Salomon all the dayes of his life Siluer in 2 Chon 9. 27. his dayes was esteemed but as stones his houshold prouision for one day was thirty measures of fine floure and threescore measures of meale which according to the least account is two hundred thirty two quarters ten fat Oxen and twentie 1 King 4. 22 23. Oxen out of the pastures and one hundred sheepe besides Harts and Robucks and Fallow Deare and fatted Fowle He had fortie thousand stalles of Horses for his Charets and twelue thousand horsmen his pleasures were answerable to his wealth for hee had seuen hundred 1 Kin. 11. 3 Wiues Princes and three hundred Concubines hee had stately houses and pleasant gardens and he liued in health peace and prosperitie hee was loued feared and admired of his subiects for his wisedome iustice for which he was a terrour to his enemies yet for all this see what verdict hee passes Eccles 1. 2. vpon al these prosperities Vanitie of vanities saith the Preacher vanity of vanities all is vanitie Eee 2. 11. And afterwards he concludes that they are not onely vanitie but vexation of spirit That we may the better discrie the vanities of this world and their insufficiencie to profit vs wee will take a view of those things which worldly men doe so admire which though they be manifold in nature yet wee will bring them like dispersed members and couch them vnder these heads Iupiter Saturne Venus or Riches Honour and Pleasure these wander ouer the world while the blessed Sonne of righteousnesse hath no room in the world of darknesse these are now of so religious account as the golden Calfe of Israel was once that men sacrifice to thē and say in their hearts These are thy gods Wee will see if there be any hidden happinesse in them which may so farre moue vs as for the delight of them to aduenture the losse of our soules Wee will begin with riches which all men doe so dote vpon and for which they will take such paines and endure such miserie aduenturing their liues healths liberties and many times stretch their consciences thinking him onely a happy man which hath his cofers full with Diues his barnes stretching Luk. 16. 19 Luk. 12. 18 1 King 4. Dan. 5. and strouting with the worldling his stables full with Salomon his tables ful with Belshazzar his grounds full of Cattle with Iob and his purse full of siluer with Croesus What is there in riches Is there any wisedome holinesse mercy peace and truth what can they doe for vs can they keepe off Gods iudgments preserue our bodies from sicknesse and keep our soules from Hell if they could then it were great reason wee should toyle and labour for them but alas they are vnable and insufficient to doe vs good in any of these particulars If riches could purchase saluation then rich men were the onely happy men they will spare for no cost the hypocrite Micah 6. 6 7. wil part with his burnt offrings Calues of a yeare old thousands of Rammes and tenne thousand riuers of Oyle he wil part with any thing though neuer so deare to him hee will giue his first borne for his transgression and the fruit of his body for the sinne of his soule But ô man it will not be no Psal 49. 7. man can giue a price vnto God so precious is the redemption of the soule Rich men die and goe to Hell so shall all the people that forget God neither Gold or Siluer could redeeme 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. vs but it is the blood of Christ that clenses vs from sinne 2. As riches are vnable to redeeme one soule so they are vnable to helpe and deliuer vs in our greatest extremities therfore the Prophet cals them vaine things which cannot profit 1 Sam. 12. 21. for they are vaine they cannot free vs from danger nor deliuer vs when wee are falne into any extremity nay they bee so far from aiding sinfull men