followeth that all the rest might bee cast vpon him as when Salomon desired wisdome before honour God gaue him wisdome and honour too because he sought the best first There was a poole in Iurie where the sicke and Leprous laye for at one time of the daye the Angell came and stirred the water and then he which stept in first was healed of his disease hee which stept in first was healed saith Iohn none but hee which stept in first so he which taketh time is sure but he which foresloweth time oftener faileth then speedeth For when golden opportunitie is past no time will fit for her If Elias would bee serued before the widdow when shee had but a little cruse of Oyle which was not enough to serue her selfe will God be serued after Elias will God bee serued after thee Nay after the flesh and after the diuell Thou maist reade in the 19. of Leuit. and the 13. that GOD would not haue the labourers hire staie in thy hands all night but would haue thee pay him before thou sleepe If God would not haue the labourers due stay in thy hands one night how darest thou keepe his due from him day and night so many dayes and nights and weekes and moneths and yeares together where is the morning sacrifice which God requireth nay where is the euening sacrifice which God requireth the glomy morning hath ouercast the whole day doest thou thinke it enough if thou do not sit in the chaire of scorners or if thou do not staÌ„d in the waie of sinners hee which standeth stayeth not he which sitteth taketh his ease but he which walketh goeth his way Yet he which walketh in the way of sinners though hee neither sit nor stand is not of the blessed number But hee which neither sitteth nor standeth nor walketh is blessed saith Dauid Psalm 1. ver 1. Alas then why doe we sit if they which stande are accurssed and they which walke are not blessed Christ saieth First seeke the kingdome of God and wee say first let mee burie my father first let me bid my friendes farewell and so many things first So long in burying our Father and bidding our friends farewell that is the riches and honours and pleasures of this worlde that there is no time left to seeke the kingdome but followe mee is turned to followe vs Christ must followe our sinnes and come after our pleasures or else he shall not be serued at al. When we were Children we deferred tyll we were men when we are men we deferre tyll wee bee olde men when wee are olde men wee deferre tyll death in all our lyfe wee finde no leasure to liue well but flit from sinne to sin from wicked thoughts to wicked speeches from wicked speeches to wicked deedes as the flie skippeth from scab to scab vntill wee bee cast so farre behinde that we haue no courage to goe forward or else straied so far out of our way that wee care not to seeke it againe Therefore I cannot say to you as Christ saide First seeke the kingdome of heauen for then you should haue sought it long agoe but now I must say with the Apostle Redeeme the time and at last Seeke the kingdome of heauen For it is to be feared that as little flies when many came together plagued and destroyed the Egyptians so short houres but many in sinne and securitie will steale away our whole life and deceiue our repentance while wee liue like beasts longer then Nabuchadnezzar There be not many Lots but many linger like Lot loth to depart vntill they see the fire burne If the Angell had not snatched him awaie Lot had perished with Sodome for his delaye There be not fiue foolish Virgins and fiue wise but fiue for one knock when the doore is shut There bee not many Simeons but many as old as Simeon which neuer yet imbraced Christ in their hearts They thought to repent before they were so olde yet now they doate for age they are not olde enough to repent yet Naye I answere many Masters of Israell Maiors Aldermen Sheriffes Iustices Baâ—liffes Constables Gentlemen know no more what it is to be borne againe than Nicodemus which came by night line after line sermon after sermon and the Black more like himselfe All their tearms are vacations all their religion promises and all their promises hypocrises In stead of catechising their children as Salomon teacheth them they catechise them to hunt hawke to ride and vaute to ruffle sweare to game and daunce as they were catechised themselues least the childe should prooue better than his father and then he is qualified like a Gentleman Is this to seeke the kingdome of heauen first or last or not at all Woe to the securitie woe to the stubbornnesse woe to the drousinesse of this age The theefe commeth at midnight and we sleep till the dawning of the day we let in sathan before wee bid him auoyd we sell our birthright before it come to our hands we seek for oyle when our lampes should burne this daye passeth like yesterday and to morrowe we will spend like this day So hee which should haue the first fruites can get no fruites because we mar the ground before we sowe it Consider this ye which might haue known a thousand things more than yee doo if yee had begun when Salomon taught you God will not alway knocke at the doore Christ will not alway clocke like an Henne Iohn will not alway crie in the wildernesse but mercy is in the foreward and iudgement in the rereward They which can saye now We haue a prophet shall say We had a prophet but wee entertained him like the Gergesites so God sent him awaie from vs like Ionah to the Niniuites when the Israelites despised him Yet Wisedome cryeth in the streetes Let euerie Ioseph store vp before the famine come for he which promiseth thee pardon when thou doost returne dooth not promise that to morrowe thou shalt returne Repentance is a gift and a gift must be taken when it is offered The time past is gone and thou canst not recall that to repent in the time to com is vncertaine thou canst not assure that to repent in the present time is onely thine and thou maiest repent in that but anone that will be gone too Therefore as Samuell began to serue God in his minoritie as Timothie read the Scriptures in his childhood and Iohn grewe in spirit as hee rypened in yeares so whether thou be olde or yong thy repentance caÌ„not come too soone because thy sinne is gone before If thou lackest a spurre to make thee runne see how euerie day runneth awaye with thy life youth commeth vpon childhood age commeth vpon youth death commeth vpon age with such a swift saile that if all our minutes were spent in mortifying our selues yet our glasse would bee runne out before wee had purged halfe our corruptions All these examples sentences and Prouerbs and
minister vnto him so we so soone as Christ hath done any thing for vs should rise vp immediatly to serue him And as Annah when she had receiued a sonne from God did consecrate him to God againe so whatsoeuer wee receiue of God wee must giue it to God againe that is vse it to his glorie and make it one of our meanes to serue him for all things which wee receiue in this life are giuen vnto vs lest we should want any means to serue God Then because the Apostle requireth Thankes for all things I shewed you that hee is not thankfull before God which thankes him onely for his benefites but he is thankfull indeede which thankes him for his chastisement It may be while the Lord giueth many will say Blessed be the name of the Lord. But when the Lord taketh who wil say Blessed bee the name of the Lorde When the Lord did take Iob sayd Blessed be the name of the Lord. There is one example then of Pauls doctrine which in all things gaue thankes The Prophet Dauid saith Thy staffe and thy rodde haue comforted me there is another example of Paules doctrine which gaue thankes vnto God for his rod for an obedient childe doth not only kisse the hand which giueth but the rod which beateth After speaking of these wordes Quench not the Spirite I shewed you that Spirit doth signifie the giftes and the motions of the Spirite The Spirite in the third of Matthew is likened to fire and therefore Paul saith well Quench not the Spirite because fire may bee quenched Heere I tooke occasion to speake of zeale which is the fire of the spirit shewing you that God is pleased with zeale as men are pleased with loue but as Christ did baptize with fire so Iohn did baptize with water and as the holy Ghost descended with fire so he did descend with winde that cooleth fire shewing that our zeale should be a temperat zeale as our Maisters was Esaiah was commaunded to crie but not to roare the Iewes might not gather too much Manna no more than they might gather too little As there is a measure in knowledge so there is a measure in zeale that is Be zealous according to discretion as Paule saith Be wise according to sobrietie The Disciples were commended for their zeale when they left all to followe Christ but Christ reprooued them for their zeale when they would pray for fire from heauen to consume the Samaritanes Therefore zeale and discretion vnited together are like vnto the two lyons which supported the Throane of Salomon and hee which hath them both is like Moses for his mildnesse like Phineas for his feruencie therefore as wine is tempered with water so let discretion temper zeale But I neede not bring water to quēch that fire which is out alreadie I would rather I could say of you You are too zealous as Paule told the Athenians they were too superstitious But our sicknesse is not a hot sicknesse but a colde sicknesse the hot bodie is distempered but the colde bodie is dead Zeale was neuer infamous before our dayes the Papists are commended if they be zealous but the Protestant if he be zealous is held in derision Then I shewed you how the spirit is quenched as a man doth quench his reason with ouermuch wine and therefore we say when the wine is in the wit is out because before he seemes to haue reason and now he seemes to haue none so our zeale and our faith and our loue are quenched with sinne Euerie vaine thought and euery idle word and euery wicked deed is like so many drops to quench the Spirit of God Some quench it with the busines of this world some quench it with the lustes of the flesh some quench it with the cares of the minde some quench it with long delayes that is not plying the motion when it commeth but crossing the good thought with bad thoughts and doing a thing when the Spirite sayth Doo it not as Achab went to battell after he was forbidden Sometime a man shall feele him selfe stirred to a good worke as though hee were led to it by the hand and againe he shall be frighted from some euill thing as though he were reprooued in his eare then if hee resist hee shall straight feele the spirit going out of him and heare a voyce pronouncing him guiltie and hee shall hardly recouer his peace againe Therefore Paule saith Grieue not the Spirite shewing that the spirite is often grieued before it be quenched and that when a man begins to grieue and checke and persecute the spirit lightly he neuer ceasseth vntill he haue quenched it that is vntill he seeme to haue no spirit at all but walketh like a lumpe of flesh After Quench not the Spirite followeth Despise not prophecying In the ende of this Epistle Paule speaketh like a father which is come to the ende of his life who because he hath but a while to speake heapeth his Lessons together which he would haue his sons remember when he is gone so Paul as though he were set to giue good counsel and had not leasure to speake that he would sendeth the Thessalonians a briefe of his minde which their meditation should after amplifie expound vnto them His first aduice is Quench not the Spirite that is when a good motion commeth welcome it like a frend and crosse it not with thy lusts The second admonition teacheth how the first should be kept Despise not prophecying and the spirite will not quench because prophesying doth kindle it The third admonition teacheth how to make fruite of the second Trie the doctrines of them which prophecie and thou shalt not beleeue errour for truth but hold the best The fourth admonition is the summe of all and it commeth last because it is longest in learning that is Abstaine from all appearance of euill This is the summe of all for he which can abstaine not onely from euill but from the appearance of euill is so perfect as a man can be in this sinfull life put all these together and it is as if Paule should say Quench not the spirite by despising of prophesying neither despise prophesying because all do no prophecie alike but rather when you heare some preach one way and some another when you see some follow him and others follow him do you trie the doctrines by the Scripture as the men of Beroea did and chuse that which is best and soundest and truest hauing alway such an eye to the truth that you abstaine from all appearance of error so iealous the holy ghost would haue vs of our faith that we set no article vpon our religion but that which is an vndoubted truth As Moses did nothing in the Tabernacle but that which was shewed in his patterne It seemes that there were some among the Thessalonians as there be among vs which did forsake all
our sinnes are washed with Christes bloud when our bodies are washed they are taken out of the water againe to signifie how we shall be raised from death to life by the resurrection of Christ and how we should rise from sinne to righteousnesse thus we begin our life with a solemne promise to God before the Church to serue him with our bodies and soules till death vs depart Now let vs remember how we haue kept this promise with the Lord or rather how we haue broken promise with him then we gaue our selues to GOD but since we haue giuen our selues to sinne then wee promised to renounce the world but euer since we haue embraced the world therefore now let vs begin to pay that which we ought so long and pray the Lord which hath instituted this Sacrament as a seale of his mercie to receiue this child into his fauour as we receiue it into his Church to baptize it with his spirit as wee baptize it with water and powre vpon it his grace as we giue it the signe of grace FINIS THE PILGRIMS WISH PHILIP 1. 23. I desire to bee dissolued and to bee with Christ. HEere is Pauls desire to be dissolued and the cause that he might be with Christ wherein first you shal see the difference betweene the faithfull and the wicked how one loatheth this life and the other longeth after it Secondly because the Apostle seemes to desire death you shall see whether any man may wish to die Thirdly because after his dissolution hee hopes to bee with Christ you shall see the diuersitie of iudgements betweene Paul and the Papists which think when they are dead that they shall goe on to Purgatorie Lastlie because the soules which are with Christ cannot walke as they did when they liued vpon the earth you shall heare a little of walking spirits which haue beene so much talked of in the time of poperie and were taken for the soules of them which were dead after wee will speake a little of the Sacrament which yee come to receiue and so commit you to God I desire to be dissolued Before Christes comming when the Kings or Patriarches died it is said that they went to their fathers as we read of Dauid and Salomon c. but after Christs comming when the faithfull die they are said to go to Christ as we read of the penitent thief Luke 23. 43. Not because the Patriarches went not to Christ as well as they but because yet Christ was not ascended to heauen therefore they are not to go to Christ although if they went to heauen they must needes go to Christ because Christ touching his Godhead was alwaies in heauen I desire to be dissolued As the wordly long for Christ to come to them so the faithful long to go to Christ for vnlesse we ascend to him as he descended to vs his descending is in vaine because he came downe that we might go vp he descended to take our flesh we ascende to take his kingdom he descended to be crucified we ascende to be glorified he descended to hell we ascend to heauen that is to ioy to glory to blisse to our father to our Sauiour to our comforter to Angels to Saints to eternall life therefore good cause had Paul to desire to be with Christ that he might be at rest for no doubt it was the sweetest voice that euer the theefe heard in this life when Christ said vnto him This day shalt thou bee with me in Paradise Luke 23. chapt vers 45. Besides as Paul persecuâ—ed before so he was after persecuted himselfe as he tels the Corinthians 2. Cor. 11. 24. I was thrise beaten with rods I was once stoned I suffered thrise shipwrake c. Therefore good cause had Paul to desire to be with Christ that he might be out of trouble Yet he wil not dissolue himself but desireth to be dissolued that is that he which brought him into this world would take him out of the world neither doth he wish or pray or make any petitioÌ„ to God to take away his life but tels him his desire desiring to be dissolued to desire is not to pray but shewes what we approue neither doth he desire so to be dissolued as though he were weary of his labors would suffer no more for Christ but he is content to liue as he saith in the 24. vers Neuertheles for me to abide in the flesh were better for you as if he should say to do you good I am content to suffer euil and stay still from Christ whom I long to be with Seeing then that he wil not dissolue himself nor pray to be dissolued but is content to liue stil why doth he say I desire to be dissolued Onelie to shew what he preferreth in his desire if hee might choose life or death for his owne respect he could be content to leaue friends and riches and pleasures and life and all onely to bee with Christ This seemes to be a good lesson for sickemen when they can liue no longer then to be with Christ were better then to be with the glutton which neuer thought of heauen til he was in hell but Paul was not sicke nor sore when he desired to be dissolued therefore this is not onely for the sicke but for the whole If he had wished to liue stay still in the world no man need to be taught to say after him for yong old desire not to be dissolued but few are content to bee dissolued To a naturall man in this life nothing is so sweete as life it selfe and he which is in loue with this world seldome dyeth quietly vpon his bed but to a minde which misliketh this worlde nothing can come so welcome as death because it takes him out of the world This it is which Paul would haue vs learne that nothing in this world is so pretious or pleasant that for it we should desire to liue or stay from God one hower though all may not wish to die yet all must subscribe to this that death is better then life because it leads to Christ which when Paul had throughlie tasted he was satisfied for all things else and desired to liue no longer that he might bee with Christ heerein appeareth the end of mans life which when he hath obtayned he desireth to liue no longer how great riches and honours and friends soeuer he leaue behind him From the time he knoweth Christ crucified and begins like Enoch to walke with God he cryeth euer after with the Apostle I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ who shall deliuer mee from this bodie of sinne death weare to me aduantage Euen as Simeon reioiced that Christ came to him so the faithfull reioice that they shall go to Christ The necessitie of sinne is so irksome to him which knoweth the vilenesse of sinne that the faithfull man but to doe good would not liue
out of heauen no not one hower This made the Martyres so willing to abide any kinde of death that tyrannie could deuise to be rid of their sinfull bands and this corruptible burthen which presseth downe the soule that looks after Christ like his disciples when he ascended to heauen All is trouble and wearines and vanitie to the godly mind whether he eate or drinke or sleepe he counteth it a seruitude vnto the flesh and wisheth with Dauid to be rid from these necessities so the knowledge and loue of God maketh a man forget his owne flesh maketh him despice the whole world taketh away the difference from life and death changeth his nature which hee could neuer ouercome and teacheth him to renounce his deere selfe and say though he should die Not my will but thy will bee done All this appeareth in this example what operation is in the knowledge and loue of Christ it made the world irksome vnto Paul which all men naturally desire it made death pleasant vnto him which all men naturally abhorre although they bee wearie of their life and haue no pleasure from morning to night yet it will not please them to change which they needes must they neuer loath but loue their miseries I will not dye one houre to liue for euer Doe not the wicked themselues prophecie by their feare of death a worse condition of some dreadfull iudgement after this life prepared for sinners and all that contemne GOD when none but they stande in such feare of death Why dooth one wish for it and another tremble to heare of it If it were but a sleepe no man would feare it at all for who feareth to take his rest when the night approacheth If it did take away sence and feeling and make men trees or stones no man would feare it at all for who would feare strokes if hee could feele no more then a stone or who would care for any thing if he had no sence of anything would any man tremble so to bee as the dead creatures which haue no sence of euill They must needes be in better case than the happiest man in this life which is not without the sence of euill Therefore this feare of death which you see in all but the faithfull dooth presage some strange torment some heauie change and sharpe punishment to those men which they begin to tast alreadie before they dye like the spirite which persecuted Saul before his end They desire not to be dissolued but they feare to bee dissolued they goe not to Christ but their departure is an euerlasting departure from Christ to the damned to the diuels to hell without either end or ease or patience to endure it Thus you see that no man is willing to die before his conscience bee quieted towarde God and that he can catch some hope of a better life after this life He which knowes that he shall go to Christ it is impossible that he should die vnwillingly but he which can not hope for a better world must needs leaue this world grudginglie and feare death more then all the terrors of life He had rather to be sicke and cold and hungry and want and beg then go with death because he knoweth what he suffereth here but hee knoweth not what he shall suffer hereafter Therefore he which is not willing to be dissolued hath not â—earned Christ yet as Paul did for no man esteeme this life when he begins to taste of the next but then the loue of the world doth fall from him like the mantle of Elias when he was rapt into heauen The Apostle had seene many good things in his daies and was neuer satisfied willing to be dissolued but thirsted still and no water could quench his thirst vntill hee dranke of the water of life and then hee thirsted no more so nothing can fill the soule which was made for God but God alone Riches and honors pleasures did not make Simeon willing to die but the sight of Christ happie are the eyes which see him for they are as willing to die as Simeon was So soone as Iohn Baptist did see our Sauiour and knew that it was hee hee debased himselfe as if hee had beene nobodie and would not bee accounted of but sought to loose the opinion of the people that Christ might haue all although he was a Prophet and more than a Prophet and not a greater amongst the sonnes of women So when Paul had seene his Sauiour hee forgot all that he loued all that hee desired and all that hee possessed no ioye no glorie no life now but to die All thinges must yeelde to the Sonne and bee content with Iohn that hee increase and wee decrease This is our glorie and life that hee liueth in glorie It is enough saith Iacob for me that Ioseph my sonne liueth it is enough for vs that Iesus our Sauiour reigneth If the head be crowned all the bodie is more honoured therefore let vs glorie that Christ is glorified and reioyce as much that hee is ascended as our fathers reioyced that he descended for where the head is there the body must needes be I desire to be dissolued he calleth his death not a destruction but a dissolution for three causes First he departeth from this life and hath no more societie with them that liue vpon the earth Secondly his soule departeth from the bodie vntill the day of resurrection then she findeth her owne bodie agayne and they reioyce like friends which are met together Thirdly he departeth from this vale of miserie into the paradise of ioy and all felicitie to liue and reigne with God for euer in assurance whereof he saith that he shall bee with Christ so that death is the way to Christ As the Doue found no rest vntill she came to the Arke so the faithfull find no rest till they come to Christ they goe through the wildernesse like other men Vntill the Iewes arriued at Canaan all their life was spent in sinfull Egypt or in the dreadfull desert during the time of their iourney they had no setled rest or continuing pleasure Peace beginneth when the battell endeth there is the prerogatiue of the dead least death should bee too fearefull to vs. The best of Gods blessings are behind that is euerlasting life and the way to it is death thou art going to ioye therefore looke not for it vntill thou come to thy iourneys ende If Canaan the land of peace the land of plentie the land of pleasure bee in the wildernesse stay heere march no further whither doe you goe like the Pilgrims of Israel if Canaan be in the wildernesse But Paul lookes for the crowne at the gole he is not with Christ but trusts to bee with Christ he is not in heauen but he hopes to come to heauen and this hope led him through the wildernesse that he murmured not like the Israelities but only longed for
this cloake of Shem and Iaphet and not onely they but others too for if any speake of corruption in Rulers or briberie in Iudges or Simonie in Bishops or non-residencie in Pastors he is said to discouer his fathers nakednesse like Cham but as we may not reueale all sinnes least the vncircumcised reioyce so wee may not couer some sinnes least the vncircumcised encrease For if some mens drunkennesse were not reprooued they would bee drunken still and make a common weale of drunkards therefore they which will bee conuerted first let them prooue themselues fathers as Noah was and after let them amend as Noah did and they which couer them let them distinguish betweene Noah and Cham and betweene errour and obstinacie For some Christ appointeth admonition for others reprehension for others Excommunication and for others correction therefore euerie mans nakednesse must not bee couered as Noahs was wee will couer the first drunkennesse as Shem and Iaphet did if they will repent as Noah did and bee drunken no more But shall wee followe them like a blinde mans Boye to stay them so often as they fall when they say that they stumble not though they lye on the ground This is not the cloake of reuerence but the cloake of flatterie Therefore as Christ said Let the dead burie the dead So I may say let the wicked couer the wicked the Wolues are not the Lambes fathers but the Lambes Butchers therfore if they would bee couered let them speake to their Children to couer them for this is our rule They which sin openly reprooue openly that the rest may feare 1. Tim. 5. 20. Thus you haue heard what the badde Sonne did and what the good sonnes did now wee come to Noah againe Then Noah awoake and knew what his yonger sonne had done vnto him and said vnto him Cursed be Canaan a seruant of seruants shall he be vnto his brethren He said moreouer Blessed be the Lord God of Shem and let Canaan bee his seruant c. First he sheweth how Noah commeth to himselfe then how he knew what his sonnes had done vnto him then how he curseth one and blesseth another As his sonnes were ashamed of his nakednes when he was drunken so now he is sober he is ashamed of it himselfe therefore he is said to awake from his wine as though hee had beene a sleepe for The drunkard saith Salomon is as one that sleepeth Prouerbs 23. 34. When the belly is full the boanes are at rest so when Noah was full his thoughts were at rest therefore beeing as it were lulled a sheepe with ouermuch wine hee may be said to awake Here Moses would exhort all them that sleepe with Noah to awake with Noah Noah was once intemperate and many follow him in that Noah was but once intemperate and few follow him in that Dauid was once incontinent and many follow him in that Dauid was but once incontinent and few follow him in that Peter was once vnfaithfull and many follow him in that Peter was but once vnfaithfull and few follow him in that This the difference betweene the faithfull and the wicked both fall and but one riseth againe It followeth He knew what his yonger sonne had done vnto him either by the spirit of God which suggested him or els by some other that tould him for a drunken man dooth not remember what is said or done and therefore the drunkard saith I was beaten but when I awaked I knew it not Pro. 23. 35. Therfore when Lot was drunken his daughters laye with him and it is said Gen. 19. 33. that he perceiued not when they lay downe nor when they rose vp therefore Noah knew either by the spirit which informed him or by others which told him Now as Moses declaring Chams sinne called him the father of Canaan so Noah repeating his sinne againe called him his younger sonne He disdaineth to name him but calleth him a younger sonne to aggrauate his fault because we will suffer our elder sonnes to bee more familiar with vs but of the younger wee looke for more reuerence or else because parents are woont to make more of the youngest and dandle them as Iacob did Beniamin and so hee might say My yonger sonne which for his yeares should haue shewed mee most duetie and for my affection should haue borne mee most loue my younger sonne hath sought my dishonour and not content to scorne mee himselfe hath published my shame and as much as in him lay prouoked his brethren to scorne me too Of whome is a man so often deceaued as of his neerest friend Lightly the younger sonne is better than the elder as Ioseph was better than his elder brethren Dauid was better than his elder brethren Abell was better than his elder brother Isaac was better than his elder brother Iacob was better than his elder brother but here the youngest is worst so neither vertue nor vice goeth by age Now as Christ when he awoke rebuked the windes and comforted his Disciples so Noah when he awoke cursed the scorner and blessed the other Moses doth not set downe his wordes of choller but bringeth him in speaking by the spirite of prophecie what should come vpon all his sonnes It is like that the good Patriarch had bewailed his owne sinne before and now hauing repented and got pardon for it he commeth forth like a proclaymer of Gods iudgement and thundreth against this mocker What a griefe was this to the father to bee constrained to condemne his owne sonne and with his own mouth to pronounce him banished from the Church of God for though Cham had not the nature of a sonne yet Noah had not lost the nature of a father and he saw what a small number was left vpon earth like Adams children for to replenish the whole world againe therefore it grieued him to curse his sonne as much as it reioyced his sonne to scorne him Yet as Abraham would sacrifice his sonne rather then displease GOD so Noah did curse his sonne rather then he would displease GOD shewing that wee should not spare our owne bowels when God would haue them punished but doe as the fathers and mothers of Idolaters and blasphemers did in the law who brought the first stone to presse their sonnes to death shewing that as the sonne of God died for them so their sonnes should die for God if they would not serue him Now the curse goeth foorth Cursed be Canaan that is cursed be scorners cursed be all they wich dishonour their father and mother A seruant of seruants shall hee be this is the first mention of seruants in all the scripture man was not made to serue but to rule but sinne maketh them serue which should rule therefore as you saw sinne bring in the first nakednes so you see sinne bringing in the first seruant A seruant of seruants shall he bee This curse is denounced with great vehemencie for he saith not simplie A seruant shall he be but
and then a little vntill at last the inheritance come too As they which trie a vessell first put water into it to see whether it will holde water then they commit wine vnto it so first God giueth vs one grace if wee vse that wel then he giueth another another and another according to that He which is found faithfull in a little shall bee made Lorde ouer much My Father sayth Christ is an husbandman Iohn 15. shewing that as wee dresse the ground that it may bring foorth fruite so God dresseth vs that we may bring foorth fruite All commeth not at once but as the body groweth so the spirite groweth first good thoughts and then good speeches and then good workes as the blade followeth the seede and the eare the blade and the corne the eare Looke howe in our first generation one thing comes after another so it is in our second generation As the child springeth in the mothers wombe from a gellie vnto milke and from milke to blood and from blood to flesh and she knoweth not how it groweth till it come foorth so the spirite groweth in vs and we see not how it groweth but that it is growen Fayth calleth to loue and loue calleth to obedience and obedience calleth to constancie and one grace is the foundation of another Therefore Paul sayth Whome hee predestinated them he called whom he called them he iustified whom hee iustified them he glorified Thus as the rich easily growe richer so the good easily growe better hee which hath power to aske hath power to receiue for it is sayde Aske and you shall receiue hee which hath power to seeke hath power to finde for it is said Seeke and you shall finde he which hath power to knocke hath power to enter for it is sayde Knocke and it shall be opened vnto you As Gods riches are infinite so he is neuer wearie of giuing when a man serueth God at last it commeth to this that God delighteth as it were to doe him good as it is sayd Ieremiah 32. and Micah 7. I will delight to doe them good Now when it commeth to this passe that God hath a delight to doe a man good then Aske what thou wilt sayth Salomon to his Mother and I will not say thee nay so Aske what thou wilt and GOD will not say thee nay He which hath the Sonne may haue the Father hee that hath the Wedding garment may haue the Wedding feast he which hath the spirite of Elisha may haue the spirite of Eliah he which commeth vnto Christ may make Christ come vnto him as when the Sonne came toward the Father the Father met him in the way shewing that God is as ready to giue as wee to aske When Dauid did well Nathan sayd vnto him The Lord hath giuen thee this and this and this and if that had not been enough hee would haue giuen thee such and such things shewing vs that the cause why wee haue not such and such things is for that we are not thankefull for these and these thinges When the Eunuch beleeued he said what letteth me to be baptized so when thou beleeuest thou mayst say What letteth me to be loued what letteach me to be blessed What letteth mee to be saued And as Philip said Nothing so Christ saith Nothing but Bee it vnto thee as thou beleeuest From that day righteousnesse standeth ouer their heades as the Sunne did ouer Iosua and they renewe their vertues as the Eagle reneweth her youth Therefore when Isaac had said Iaacob haue I blessed he addeth and he shall be blessed as if he should say he beginneth to be blessed now but hee shall bee more blessed so they which are blessed of God shall be more blessed rising and rising like the Sunne vntill it come to the height When God hath begun to blesse he saith as hee said to Abraham What shall I hide from him What shall I keepe from him As though one of his giftes did binde him to giue another therefore his mercies are called euerlasting mercies because when they begin they haue no end So soone as hee had mooued Salomon to pray for wisdome he gaue him wisedome so soone as he had moued Abraham to goe from his Countrey hee began to guide him so soone as he had moued Gedeon to fight he began to strengthen him Gods mercies are resembled to raine first it raines small drops and after fall great drops and the small are signes of the great First you see Elisha with a single spirit and after you see him with a double spirite first you see Paule sitting at Gamaliels feete and afterward you see him preaching in Moses Chaire first you see Timothie a student and after you see him an Euangelist First you see Cornelius praying and after you see Peter instructing first you see Dauid repenting and after you see Nathan comforting first ye see the Disciples worshipping and after you see the holy Ghost descending first you see the Wisemen seeking Christ and after you see them together with Christ first you see the Sonne comming toward the Father and after you see the Father comming toward the Sonne first you see the Eunuch reading and after you see him vnderstanding and after you see him beleeuing and after you see him baptised Moste notable is the example of Nathaniel so soone as he beleeued Christ remembred this promise and said Beleeuest thou for this thou shalt see greater things than these so hee gaue more to him which had some That which he said to Nathaniel he saith to all which are like Nathaniel Beleeuest thou this Sermon thou shalt heare other Sermons than this repentest thou for this example thou shalt see other examples than this louest thou for one benefite thou shalt receiue moe benefites than one honourest thou God for his giftes vpon others thou shalt feele his giftes vpon thy selfe for Hee which keepeth Israel dooth not sleepe but watch What dooth he watch He watcheth who seeketh for comfort and who looketh for wisdome and who prayeth for faith and who intreateth for patience that hee may giue aboundantly to him which desires feruentlie If hee see one pray like Cornelius he sendeth another to strengthen him like Peter if he see one studie like the Eunuch he sendeth another to instruct him like Philip if hee see one mourne like Dauid hee sendeth another to comfort him like Nathan if hee see one willing like Esay he sendeth another to able him like the Seraphim if he see one that thinketh well hee teacheth him to speake well if hee see one that speaketh well hee teacheth him to doe well if hee see one doe well he teacheth him to continue well if hee see one meeke like Moses hee maketh him wise like Salomon if he see one wise like Salomon hee maketh him righteous like Abraham if he see one righteous like Abraham he maketh him patient like Iob if hee see one patient like Iob he maketh him penitent
with the wicked therefore their gifts are not like the tree planted by the waters side but like the Chaffe which the winde bloweth away Nay saith Dauid themselues are like Chaffe which the winde bloweth away If they bee Chaffe then their fruite is Chaffe The Gluttons table was for the vngodly but the Lords table was for the holy Therfore he which had not the Wedding garment had not the wedding feast For if the Lord would cast pearles vnto Swine why doth he forbid vs to doe so Therfore it is not said Be it vnto thee as thou desirest lest all should looke to receiue but Be it vnto thee as thou beleeuest that all might care to Beleeue It is not said to them which seeke not yee shall find but Seeke and you shall find How should they Enter which haue not a hand to knocke at the doore How should they Receiue which haue not a tongue to aske the giuer How should they haue wisedome which haue not the feare of the Lorde which is the beginning of wisedome Thus as Iames saith Shew me thy faith and I will shew thee my faith So God faith shewe mee thy loue and I will shew thee my loue as Christ was knowne at Emaus by breaking of bread so you may knowe him heere by dealing his giftes It is said when Ioseph feasted his brethren Beniamins messe had fiue times more than any of his brethren because Ioseph loued him more than the rest so the mercy and graces of God will shew to whome his affection standeth If you see Christ leaning on a mans breast as Iohn did on Christs breast then may you say this is a beloued Disciple For as Lidia perswaded Paule and Silas to come to her house saying If you iudge me to bee faithfull come to my house so you may iudge them to be faithfull to whose house the Lord commeth If you aske Salomon to whome the Lord giueth wisedome and knowledge hee answereth To a man which is good in his sight Eccles the second Chapter and twentie sixe verse shewing that those men are gracious in Gods sight as Ioseph was in Pharaohs Contrariwise if you see God flying from a man as Dauid fled from Saul that is withdrawing his spirite as the Master did his Talent then you may saie this is not a faithfull seruant to his Master for if he had vsed his Talent well the Lord would increase it as hee promised but because he doth abuse it therefore the Lorde dooth withdrawe it againe as he threatned To some God giueth and neuer recalleth againe to some he giueth and after taketh it from them As some Angels went vp the ladder and some went downe so some mens gifts increase and some decrease To the Ephesians the fourth Chapter you haue GOD giuing In Matthew 21. you haue him taking In Genes 1. you haue God blessing In Genes 4. you haue God cursing In Acts 26. you haue God opening eyes In Esay 6. you haue God shutting eyes In Dan. 2. you haue God making wise In Esa 44. you haue God making fooles In Iohn 15. you haue God dressing trees In Matthew 3. you haue God hewing downe trees When one sea floweth another â—bbeth When one starre riseth another setteth When light is in Goshen darknesse is in Aegypt When Mordecai groweth into fauour Haman groweth out of fauour When Beniamin beginneth Rachel endeth Thus wee are rising or setting getting or spending winning or loosing growing or fading vntill wee arriue at Heauen or Hell As Elisha his spirite was doubled so Saules spirit departed As the Gentiles become beleeuers so the Iewes become infidels As Saule becommeth an Apostle so Iudas becommeth an Apostata As Iohn groweth in the spirite so Ioash decaieth in the spirite As Zacheus turneth from the world so Demas turneth to the world As Lidias heart is opened so Pharaohs heart is hardened Euen as the thornes burne while the Vines fructifie When Ishbosheth was a sleepe vpon his bed Baanab and Rechab came and tooke away his life So while men sleepe and do no good God commeth and taketh away their gifts It was neuer said Sampson hath lost his strength vntill he harkened vnto Dahiah It was neuer said Saul hath lost his spirit vntill hee harkened not to Samuell It was neuer said Take his Talent from him vntill he hid it in the ground One sinne openeth the doore for many vertues to goe out While Iaacob staied with Laban Labans cattell increased because God blessed him for Iaacobs sake but when Iaacob went from him many of Labans sheepe went with him and he grewe poore againe so while the loue of righteousnesâ—e is with thee to husband thy knowledge and wisdome like Iaacob thou shalt thriue in graces and one daye shall teach another but when that steward departeth from thee then looke that thy wisedome and knowledge and iudgement should decrease as fast as the widowes oyle increased the world will winne the flesh and the flesh will winne the spirit and one sinne will crie to another as the Moabites did at the riuer Now Moab to the spoyle now sinnes to your spoyle then thy knowledge shall flie as though it were afraide to bee taken captiue of ignorance thy loue shall not abide thy hatred thy humilitie shall not abide thy pride thy temperaunce shall not abide thy concupisence As thou seest the leaues fall from the trees in a boystrous winde so thy graces shall drop away one after another as though thou were in a consumption As the Arke would not staye with the Philistines so the grace of GOD will not staie with sinners but flieth from them like persecutors Dauid was not so readie to flie from Saule but the spirite was as readie to flie from him too This must come vppon all which sinne like Sampson their strength must departe from them vntill they learne like Nabuchadnezzar from whence it came This sentence is such a meditation that hee which would preach it to the quicke had neede to haue an eie in all mens hearts to see how one vertue dieth after another vntill the soule die too As there is a fall of leaues and an Eclipse of the sunne and a consumption of the bodie so there is a fall of giftes and an Eclipse of knowledge a consumption of the spirit It is straunge to see how wisdome and knowledge and iudgement doe shun the wicked as though they were afraid to be defiled As Barach would not goe vnles Deborah would go with him so knowledge will not stay vnles vertue will stay with her To this Ieremy poynted when he mocked the Iewes for saying Knowledge shall not depart from the priest nor counsel from the wise nor the word from the prophet to this Esay pointed when he saith The wisdome of the wise men shal perish and the vnderstanding of the prudent shall be hid as if he should say one day Christ will tell you that Whosoeuer hath not from him c. And
when you heare that saying then remember these examples how he hath fulfilled it before After come the apostles and they shew some hardened some bewitched some blinded Paule tels how Demas fel away and Iohn sheweth how many fel away Thus the Prophets and Apostles on either side and Christ in the mids hold vp this threatning as if it were a pit which all are falling into The soule of man is called the temple of the holy Ghost As God pulled downe his temple when it became a den of theeues so he forsaketh the temple of the soule taketh his graces with him as frō a diuorsed spouse when it lusteth after other loues With any Talent he giueth this charge Vse increase it vntill I come being left at last the commeth againe to see what we haue done The seede was sowen this yeere the Lord cals for fruite none will come the next yeere the next after and none comes at last the curse goeth foorth Neuer fruit grow vpon thee more Then as the figtree began to wither so his giftes begin to paire as if a worme were still gnawing at them his knowledge leeseth his relish like the Iewes Manna his iudgement rustes like a sworde which is not vsed his zeale trembleth as though it were in a Palsie his faith withereth as though it were blasted and the image of death is vpon all his religion After this he thinketh like Sampson to pray as he did and speake as he did and hath no power but wondereth like zedekias how the spirit is gone from him Now when the good spirit is gone then commeth the spirit of blindenesse and the spirit of errour and the spirite of feare and all to seduce the spirite of man After this by little and little first he falles into error then he comes vnto heresie at last hee plungeth into dispaire after this if he enquire God will not suffer him to learne if he read God will not suffer him to vnderstand if he heare God will not suffer him to remember if hee pray God seemeth vnto him like Baal which could not heare at last hee beholdeth his wretchednes as Adam looked vpon his nakednes and mourneth for his gifts as Rachel wept for her children because they were not All this commeth to passe that the Scripture might bee fulfilled Whosoeuer hath not from him shall be taken that which he seemeth to haue As the ship sinketh vpon the Sea while the merchant sporteth vpon the Land and makes him a banquerout when he thinketh that his goods are comming in so while wee are secure and the heart spendeth and the eare bringeth not in by little and little the stocke decaieth and moe become banquerouts in Religion than in all trades beside When a man sinneth he thinketh with himselfe I will doe this no more after another sinne promiseth as much profite as that and hee saith againe I will doe this no more presently another sinne promiseth as much profite as that and hee saith againe I will doe this and no more There goeth strength and there commeth a wound so the soule bleedeth to death and knoweth not her sicknesse till she be at the last gaspe Euen as a man vndresseth himselfe to bed first hee casteth off his cloake and then his coate and then his dublet so when GOD rifleth our hearts he pulleth away one feather after another first he wounds his faith after he strikes his loue then he blindeth his knowledge thē he shall haue no delight to heare the word after he shall growe to hate the Preachers of the word at last he shall euen hate the word it selfe This is the bleeding of the soule or the spiritual consumption when graces drop away as the haires fall from an hoarie head before death Let Achitophel be a spectacle for all to feare he was counted a wise man and a deepe Councellor yet because it was the wisedome of the flesh the storie saith that GOD turned his wisedome into follie and that he might seeme foolish as he was in deede God made him to hang himselfe whereby his follie was more notorious then his wisedome But most notable is the example of persecuting Saul when he began to fall he ran headlong First he fell in hatred of Dauid then he fell in hatred of GOD after God fell in hatred of him Anon the spirit departed from him At last hee sought for helpe at Witches which he had condemned before This is the propertie of sin to spurre a man forward vntill he commit that which he condemneth himselfe that he may be tormented of his owne conscience Now if I might applie this scripture as Christ sayth are there no mo sinners but they vpon whom the Tower of Shilo fell So I may say is the Talent taken from none but from him which hid it in the ground Nay Saul was but a type of many which should loose the spirit Sampson was but a type of manie which should lose their strength Demas was but a type of many which shoulde imbrace the world as Dauid cryeth How are the mightie ouerthrowne So wee may mourne and say how are the zealous cooled how are the diligent tired They which should season others are become like the white of an egge which hath no taste once they seemed to haue fruite but now they are not hanged with leaues As God cryed vnto Adam Adam where art thou so they may cry Zeale where art thou Learning where art thou Conscience where art thou Loue where art thou They which shined like the Sun when they rose seeme now to be eclipsed of their light The world hath won the flesh the flesh hath won the spirit and Iordaine is turned backe As God tooke heat from the fire when it would burne his Children so he taketh knowledge from the learned when they turne it to euill Now when they see such ruines of their gifts with what heart can they thinke I am the tree whom Christ accurseth or I am the seruant of whom it is sayd Take his Talent from him Therefore I say to you as Christ sayd remember Lots wife as her bodie was turned into salt so your wisedome may turne into follie your knowledge may turne into ignorance your vnderstanding may turne into blindnesse your zeale may turne into coldnes therefore let al which haue a Talent take heede how they vse it Three thinges I note in these words then end First Christ saith not It shall be taken from them which haue but from them which seeme to haue Lest they which stande should feare to fall Paul saith not Let him which standeth take heed lest he fall but let him which thinketh he standeth so lest they which haue the Spirit shuld feare Christ saith It shall bee taken from them which seeme to haue Marke how warilie the Scripture speaketh for this speech doth shew that many shall fall and yet it doth shew that none shall fall but they which seem to stand that none shall lose
the beginning of his raigne before hee had rebelled a band of men did cleaue to him of whom it is sayd whose hearts God hath touched as though while the Rulers hearts doe stand toward God the peoples hearts should stand toward them and they should carrie them like God to all their desires as it is said of Dauid What soeuer the King did pleased all the people Therefore looking into this Diuine ordinaunce what a power they haue ouer the people which they shoulde neuer haue got from men if GOD had not giuen it them I haue thought it an easie matter to redresse an hundred things which trouble Christendome without reason and none would kicke agaynst it if these Gods would cast downe their Crownes and begin to the rest for all stay vpon them like the alarme which soundeth first to the battell for our experience shewes that there will bee no great good done if the example of the best giue not light vnto the rest Oh woulde that Princely spirite woulde once come vpon them to go before the people which Moses appoynted for the Kings place and not lagge after them like Herod which sayde he would come after the wise men to Christ for if Nicodemus come by night no maruaile though the rest come not at all Thus their name tels them how they should rule and by consequence teacheth how we should obey God calles them Gods therefore he which contemneth them contemneth God God cals them fathers therefore wee must reuerence them like Fathers God cals them Kings Princes Lords Iudges Powers Rulers Gouernours which are names of honor and shall we dishonor them whom GOD doth honour Our first lesson is Feare God the next is Honour the King that is as Paul interpreteth Wee must obey for conscience not against conscience for that were to put a straunger before the King and the King before God which Christ saith haue no power but from God and therefore cannot make themselues Magistrates no more then they can make themselues Gods As none could giue this name but GOD so no man which exalteth himselfe can challenge this honour no more then Simon Magus was great because hee called himselfe a great man But they to whom GOD saith I haue called yee Gods as if he had the naming and appointing of them Euery power is from God for by nature no man can challenge power ouer other but by the Word and therefore euery soule which is subiect to God must be subiect to them for hee which calles them Kings cals vs Subiects this is their patent as the Queene of Sheba sayd to Salomon that God had chosen them kings and set them vpon the throne As he sayd and all things were made so as he saith al things should be Therefore vnles ye heare this I say that ye are Lords Iudges and Magistrates ye are no Lords no Iudges no Magistrates of GOD. And therefore the Pope and his Cleargie to whom God neuer sayd yee are Lords or Iudges or Magistrates are no Lordes no Iudges no Magistrates of GOD but that which the Lorde sayth they are that they are and no more though they put on a triple crowne If they were worthie to bee called as others Pastors Doctors and Teachers wee woulde giue them those titles They which giue them more then the Lord giues them make them proud and insolent and tyrannous more then they which are Lords Iudges and Magistrates indeede But for these vsurped titles and bas-borne honour which they haue encroached from men which puffe them vp and trouble them like Sauls armour they woulde haue intended the duetie of Ministers and Teachers as the Apostles did whereas nowe they are so cumbred and mingled by their vsurping ouer Princes that they are neither good Ministers nor good Magistrates but Linsie wolsie a mingle mangle betweene both nay vtterly falne from both being no shepherds but woolues of whose slaughters all Christian Kingdomes haue been the shambles who seeking a superfluous title they haue for gone all necessarie dueties and but for their formalities a man could not knowe of what profession they are for they neuer preach nor write but to maintaine their kingdome which falles like the Tower of Babel faster then they build Therefore as Naomi sayd Call me no more Naomi which signifieth beautifull but call me Mara which signifieth bitter so they may say Call vs no more Bishops or Pastors or Doctors or Preachers but call vs robbers and sleepers and giants and Pharisies whom we succeed For why should they be called Bishops which doe not watch or Pastors which doe not feede or Doctors which doe not teach or Iustices which doe not Iustice except this bee the reason The Idols were called Gods though they were vnlike God If their bodies had growen as farre out of square since Christs ascension as their titles pompe and honour they might stand in the maine seas and not be drowned for their heads would crowe aboue the water It followeth But yee shall die as a man Heere hee distinguisheth betweene mortall Gods and the immortall God Yee haue seene their glorie now behold their ends They shall all die like others Though they be neuer so rich so goodly so mightie so honourable while their date lasteth yet they may as trulie as Iob call Corruption their father and the worme their mother for the graue shall be the last bed of all flesh As they were borne like men so they shall die like men the same comming in and going out is to all nay if ye respect but the bodie hee might say yee shall die like beastes for Man being in honor saith Dauid may well be compared vnto beasts that perish though hee bee in honour yet he perisheth like the beasts which haue no honour and death will not take his kingdome for a raunsome when GOD dooth but say his time is come When Esay had saide that All flesh was grasse as though hee would correct his speech hee addes and the glorie of it is as the flower of the field As if he should say Some men haue more glorie than other and they are like flowers the other are like grasse no great difference the flower shewes fairer but the grasse stands longer one sieth cuttes both downe like the fatte sheepe and the leane that feede in two pastures but are killed in one slaughter So though the great Man liue in his pallace and the poore man dwelles in his cottage yet both shall meete at the graue and vanish together Euen they which are Lordes and Iudges and Counsailers now are but successors to them which are dead and are neerer to death now than when I beganne to preach of this theame It had been a great Sessions for all other to die but for Magistrates for Princes for Kinges for Emperors to die as they die What a battell is this that leaues no man a liue
same effect saith The feare of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge as if the first lesson to be wise were to be holie therefore Christ is said to haue expounded all thinges to his Disciples apart to shew that if we will haue Christ to teach vs we must go a part from the world So that as a man slippeth off all his cloathes when he goeth into a bath to wash him So we must slippe off all our sins when we come to the word to feed vs for wisedom will not rest in the defiled soule nor in a bodie that is subiect vnto sinne As the Deuill woulde not dwell but in a house that was swept from godlines so the graces of God will not come vnto the heart which is not cleansed from wickednesse for God will not powre new wine but into new vessels therefore vnles ye haue prepared new hearts look for no new blessings to bee powred on you The Iewes reade the Scriptures daily in their Synagogues to finde Christ but all in vayne because the vaile is not takē away in reading them Euen so doe we preach in vayne and you heare in vaine because the vaile of sinne which is drawne like a Curtaine ouer your harts hideth and eclipseth the glorious light of the Gospell from you And therefore beloued brethren if you will haue the Lord to blesse your hearing and to prosper our preaching you must wash and rince out the dregs of sin that are frozen in you you must purge the leauen of maliciousnes that sowreth your soules you must cast vp your couetousnes your pride and your slothfulnes your partiall preiudice like the serpent which spues vp his poyson when he goes to drinke For this is the cause why there are so many fruitlesse non-proficient hearers because there are so many sinfull and wicked hearers It is sayd of Christ that he did not many great works in his owne countrey for their vnbeliefs sake so it may be sayd that GOD concealeth many great mysteries of faith from vs for our sinnes sake Our wickednesse stops Christs mouth that hee will not speake as the Iewes incredulitie chayned his handes that hee woulde not worke Will an Embroderer teach an other mans seruant his trade if he knowe he will hurt him No more will God teach the Diuels seruants his truth because hee knoweth they will offend him The seed which fell into the thornie groud sprang vp very cherefully for a time that it might seeme to giue great hope of a ioyfull haruest but because thornes grewe vp with it at length they choked it so that vnlesse wee cut vp the thornie sinnes which naturally sprout and spring vp in vs they will ouerthrow all the good plants of holy doctrine that are graffed in vs and therefore the Prophet Ieremie willeth vs to breake vp the fallowe ground and not to sowe among thornes as if the heart must first be sanctified and afterward instructed as yron must first be heated and afterwards be fashioned In regard whereof I beseech you my beloued in the feare and reuerence of Gods blessed name looke to your feete when ye enter into the house of GOD presse not into this marriage feast without a Wedding garment treade not into the holie Sanctuarie to heare the word with an vnsanctified and a defiled and a filthie soule A man will not keepe the Sabbaoth in his working apparell but will put on his richest iewelles and array himselfe in his best attyre and yet wee make it no seruple at all to come vnto the Sabbaoths exercise with a prophane and a wicked and our workie day heart When Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire before the Lord God sayd I will bee honoured in them that draw nigh vnto mee to shewe that the Lord doth then looke for more holines at our hands when by practise of his seruice and the duties of holy religion wee approach to drawe more neere vnto him Wherefore to shut vp this point as the begger in the Gospell cast off his cloake to come to Christ so must we cast off the cloke of our wickednesse when we come to heare We must be as babes if wee will bee Christes pupilles because he reuealeth knowledge wisedome to none but babes And yet wee must not be babes only but newe borne babes which haue a newe soule a newe life newe members new affections imparted to them Whereby wee learne that it is not enough in our regeneration to redresse and reforme some one disordered affection in vs but wee must bee chaunged and new fashioned in euerie part As Saul when the kingly spirite came vpon him was turned as it were into another man So wee when the word begetteth vs a new must be turned and chaunged into other men and therefore they which are implanted into Christ are called new creatures because neither the olde hearn nor the olde hand nor the olde eare nor the olde eye will serue the turne but all must bee 〈◊〉 and newe framed agayne For whatsoeuer is borne of the flesh is flesh If wee will haue it spirit that is fit for Gods worship who is a spirit and will bee worshipped in spirit and truth it must bee borne agayne of the spirit The sense hereof made the Prophet Dauid crye out Create in me a cleane heart O God and renue a right spirit within me and therefore we must not patch and peece vp our hearts for GOD like a beggers cloake which is made of shreds but we must be renewed and thorowly chaunged in the spirite of our mindes When Naaman the leper had washed in Iordan his flesh came agayne like the flesh of a young child If the leprosie of sinne be washed and purged from vs al our affections and all our desires will bee altered and chaunged like the flesh of a child And therefore if wee will fit our selues to bee good hearers wee must not entertaine friendship with any sin As the Adder slippes off her skinne and the Eagle casteth her bill so wee must quite slip our selues of all our lusts when as newe borne babes we come to heare Touch no vncleane thing sayth the Lord because sinne will cling to the conscience like bird-lime to a feather therefore we must not touch it it must not haue a finger of vs. When the Diuell made his reentrie he tooke vnto himselfe seuen other spirites worse then himselfe Thus one diuell brings moe diuels and one sinne pulles on more sinnes as one crow calleth many crowes to a carrion and therefore as the leauen was hid in the meale till all was sowred so let vs neuer rest seasoning our soules till all be sanctified for then wee bee fit to vnderstand euery part of Gods will when we bee in euery part newe borne againe Furthermore this poynt discouereth and descrieth a grosse errour in Poperie concerning the works of nature which are wrought and effected by the
single vertue and power of our owne free will without the finger and grace of GOD. For whereas the Papists acquite manie of them and cleare them from sinne as if an vnregenerate man by the strength and abilitie of his owne will as it were mounted vpon his owne wings were able to aspire to the accomplishment of holie desires wee see that the Apostle in this place maketh no other account of the vnregenerate then of dead men and therefore that they must bee quickened and new borne againe before they can practise or performe any vitall action in the life of GOD. Christ is resembled to a vine and wee to the braunches for that all the iuice and sappe whereby the braunches spring and liue issueth and ariseth from the roote of the vine so all the grace and goodnesse that is in vs droppeth and distilleth from the riches of the person of Iesus Christ Before GOD blessed Sara she was barren and childlesse so vntill God blesse our hearts they bee wicked and fruitlesse And therefore as an vncleane fountaine cannot sende foorth sweete water nor a bad tree bring foorth good fruite no more can the corrupt and wicked heart of the vnregenerate bud and bring foorth anie good and vertuous actions Thus much of our condition and preparation whereby wee haue learned with how holie and with how sanctified affections wee ought to repaire to the hearing of the worde Now followeth our duetie and affection when wee are newe borne As newe borne babes desire Wee must not bee children in wauering and inconstancie because the Apostle sayth that GOD hath furnished his Church with Pastors and Teachers That we bee no more children wauering and carried about with euery winde of doctrine reeling from faith to faith from religion to religion like a drunken man from wall to wall Nor we must not be children in vnderstanding and knowledge because the same Apostle sayth Brethren be not children in vnderstanding but concerning maliciousnes bee children but in vnderstanding be of a ripe age But wee must bee children in an ardent and burning affectiō in thirsting and longing for the word of God Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousnes for they shall bee filled because God filles the hungrie with good things but the rich and the wealthie he dismisseth emptie The kingdome of God suffereth violence because none can enter at the narrowe gate but such as striue throng and thrust to enter And therefore as when the damme feedes her young euery bird gapeth and struggleth and stretcheth out the necke to receiue the foode So when wee come to heare euery man must reach and stretch out his heart to receiue the word For then indeede the word worketh most effectually in vs when our hearts before are kindled and inflamed with desire of it like waxe which receiueth any stampe after it is heated The Shunamites child which was raised by Elisha so soone as his flesh beganne to waxe warme neesed and opened his eyes and reuiued agayne So when wee waxe warme in the spirite and conceiue a desire and a thirst of the word of GOD it is an vndoubted token that wee are borne agayne that there is breath and a soule within vs and we are not vtterly dead in the life of grace As contrariwise they which haue not a sharpe and hungrie appetite to bee fedde and satisfied with the milke of the word are but dead carcasses and skinnes full of rotten bones so that this Citie which shoulde bee the glorie of the kingdome may well bee tearmed Golgotha The place of dead mens skulles in regard there are so manie thousand soules dead in sinne dead in desire who haue no thirst and hunger for the word of God If they haue a bare reading Minister as children haue a puppit to play with they thinke themselues in a happy state as if Elishaes staffe could raise the dead child without Elisha and the word giue life without a preacher It may bee they can bee content with Micah to accept a Leuite if they light vpon him But who will sende to Hierusalem the schoole of the Prophets as Saul sent to Bethelem to fetch Dauid for his comfort I thinke you know my meaning I would not wish you wait till preachers offer themselues to instruct you but to sende to the schooles of learning to prouide godly able men who may minister the word in due season Balaake because he longed for Balaam went to the vtmost coast of the countrey to meete him The father because he longed for his prodigall sonne ranne to kisse him a great way off Dauid because he longed for the Arke went and brought it vp from Kiriathaim So then indeed we desire the word of God when we will not stay till it come vnto vs but we will preuent it and goe to the vtmost borders of our coūtrey to fetch it home vnto vs. We must desire the milke of the word and we must desire it as babes that is in three respects First they say children so soone as they are borne into the worlde presently crie out for the mothers dugge so must wee so soone as wee feele the grace of God to haue renewed vs while wee are yet hote from the wombe hunger and thirst for the milke of the word If the mother should deferre to giue her childe sucke were it able to liue a moneth or a weeke or a day No more is our faith able to sustaine and support it selfe vnlesse it be presently nourished with the foode of life Christ so soone as he had raysed vp Iairus daughter commanded her meate as if it were in vaine for vs to be quickned by the finger of his power vnles we be fed by the word of his grace and therfore Eden was watered so soone as it was planted to shew that we must be strengthened so soon as we are instructed so that it is a great fault among vs when GOD hath quickned vs with his spirit we perceiue his graces to budde and to blossome in vs that we presently prouide not moysture to nourish and to preserue them We count it a miracle that Elias liued fortie dayes without foode and yet we after many yeares of famine still poste off the feeding of our soules We thinke it alwayes too soone to beginne though we begin then when we are ready to end as the rich man who then went in hand to inlarge his barnes when hee was euen at deaths doore to resigne his life As Christe was then sent for to heale the Rulers daughter when she was ready to departe so manie neuer desire the preachers company till they be ready to die They say that the time is not yet come that the Lords house shoulde bee built not yet time to sanctifie their soules for God not yet time to prouide for the milke of the word And thus we poste off from day to day from yeare to yeare till wee bee arrested by death
was vndone for euer Heere was the scripture fulfilled The bread of deceit is sweete to a man but his mouth shall be filled with grauell So this gaine of treason was sweete to Iudas but when hee digested it it cracked like grauel in his teeth Who woulde suffer for millions of gold that which Iudas suffereth for thirtie pence and yet manie are contente to sinne for lesse Iudas was a traitour for thirtie pence but a thousand are liars and deceiuers and swearers for a penie If they can get anie thing by lies or oathes or wiles it is like the misterie of their occupation Bee not deceiued the time commeth when you would restore this gaine againe as Iudas did and peraduenture you shall not find the owners where to make restitution How many at the houre of death haue offered their praiers and their supplications and seruice vnto God as Iudas offred his money to the Priests and God woulde not accept it but they dyed as they liued and went from despaire vnto destruction Therefore to day heare his voyce If you will not be so good as Zacheus to restore foure folde for all that you haue gotten by vsurie or briberie or extortion or deceite yet be so good as Iudas to bring againe so much as you haue taken and if you doo it not with Iudas minde but with Zacheus minde it shall be accepted as Zacheus was â— The last consideration is the confession â—â—ich he makes before his death I haue sinned c. Oh Iudas saith one doest thou know that thou hast sinned and diddest not knowe that thou shouldest sinne it is not enough to say I haue sinned So said Saul and Caine and Pharaoh I haue sinned But who saith I will not sinne When sin is past then wee knowe it but if wee did looke to it before then we neede not say I haue sinned for sin is chosen in the darke like bad wares when the faults are not seene Sinne seemes no sinne vntil it come to I haue sinnâ—d that is vntill it be past If Iudas had shewed his repeÌ„tance to God as he shewed it but to men happily his offence might haue founde mercy But he did separate himselfe further from God by his despaire than he was separated before by his treason chose rather to run vnto them which would mock him than vnto him which should succour him Therefore his confession was without remission and though he saide I haue sinned yet God aunsweres not I haue forgiuen to shew that except our repentance be better than his it shal not weigh against one sinne Yet Iudas doth not onelie acknowledge himselfe a sinner which is the most that manie of vs confesse because hee woulde not be counted worse than other but reckoned his sin without an accuser as if one should come forth and 〈◊〉 I haue stolen an horse so he saith I hauâ—◠〈…〉 trayed my maister In what did Iudas sinne in treason then treason is sinne and yet the Papistes counte it a merite as though they should merite by sinne There was neuer any heretike which maintained treason but the Papist Touch not mine annointed saith God nay kill his annointed say they How farre are they from Dauid which would not laie his hand vpon Saul If hee were a man after Gods heart as hee is called then they must be men after the diuels heart After that Iudas had reciued meate of Christ he went about to betray him So after they haue receiued Peace and Plentie and prosperitie of their Prince they goe about to betray her As Dauids enemies longed and saide When will Dauid die and the name of Dauid perish So they long and crie when will Elizabeth die and the name of Elizabeth perish But Elizabeth liueth and they die which seeke her death Iohn cals the Pharisies a generation of Vipers which neuer are borne but their mother dyeth for it How right this fitteth with the papistes for they cannot liue without the death of their mother For the Spaniard which would slaughter them they woulde slaughter the Nurse which cherisheth them Had Zimri Peace saith Iezabel which â—lue his maister So I may say haue they died in peace which would haue slaine their mistresse they which haue not hanged themselues like Iudas haue beene hanged by others like Hammon as though they had beene sent ouer but to visite Tyborn So God hath blessed them that blesse her and cursed them which curse her Therefore some Traitoures haue confessed that they had sinned in betraying the Lords annointed as Iudas confessed that hee had sinned in betraying the Lord himselfe He betraied him as though he had not beene innocent and nowe hee must die he saith I haue betraied innocent bloud Innocent in deede For when he asked his enemies which of them coulde accuse him of sinne they had nothing to answere Innocent in life Innocent in speech and Innocent in thought The infants which be called innocents were not so innocent therefore howe should he bee innocent which betraied the innocentest of all We are taught to be good vnto al but especially to the good but Iudas was naught to all but worst to the best If he had betraied anie he might say I haue sinned because all dissimulation and guile is condemned 1. Pet. 2. 1. But when the innocents are betrayed nay when the innocentest is betraied it seemeth more than sinne because neuer any betraied innocent Christ but Iudas Thus Christ was iustified of his Disciples and his enemies He which betrayed him sayd he was innocent He which condemned him said hee was innocent And the Diuels which made Iudas betray him Pilate condemne him sayde before that hee was the sonne of God and called him holy Thus euery sinner shall bee condemned of himselfe before hee be condemned of God that the Lord may bee iustified when he iudgeth If Iudas coulde haue sayde I beleeue when hee saide I haue sinned God woulde haue aunswered him as Nathan aunswered Dauid Thy sinne is forgiuen But hee confessed and amended not What shall be to them which doe not confesse but defende their sinnes Is not thy sinne worse then Iudas when Iudas saith I haue sinned and thou saist I haue not sinned This is our manner to pleade not guiltie so long as we liue Sinnes and excuses are twinnes borne at a birth one followeth the other Zarah came after Phares out of the wombe Gen. 38. 30. Iudas sayth I haue sinned but wee say I haue not sinned or I haue sinned but a little or I haue sinned against my will so wee minse our sinnes as though they needed no forgiuenes Salomon sayd I am more foolish then anie man but wee would bee counted wiser than anie man Paul called himselfe the greatest sinner but we would be iudged the least sinners so we are ashamed of sinne and yet not ashamed to sinne If we would iudge our selues wee should not be iudged Be not deceiued for sinne doth not ende as it begins When the
terrours of Iudas come vppon the soule the tongue cannot hide his sinne for despaire and horror will not bee smothered But hee which hath Sauls spirite haunting him will rage as Saul did There is a warning conscience a gnawing conscience The warning conscience commeth before sinne The gnawing conscience followeth after sinne The warning conscience is often lulled a sleepe but the gnawing conscience wakeneth her againe If there bee anie hell in this world they which feele the worme of conscience gnawing vpon their hearts may truely say that they haue felt the torments of hell Who can expresse that mans horror but himselfe Nay what horrors are they which he cannot expresse himselfe Sorrowes are met in his soule as at a feast feare thought anguish deuide his soule betweene them All the furies of hell leape vpon his heart like a stage Thought calleth to Feare Feare whistleth to horror horror beckeneth to despaire and faith come and helpe mee to torment this sinner One saith that shee commeth from this sinne and another saith that shee commeth from that sinne so he goeth through a thousand deaths cannot die Irons are laid vpon his bodie like a prisoner Al his lightes are put out at once hee hath no soule fit to be comforted Thus he lieth as it were vpon the racke sayth that he beares the world vpon his shoulders and that no man suffereth that which he suffereth So let him lye saith God without ease vntil he confesse repent call for mercie This is the goodlie waye which the Serpent sayde would make you Gods and made him a diuel Therefore at last learne the sleight of Sathan in this wretched traytor His subtilties are wel called the depth of Sathan for is so deepe that few can soūd him Now he lets Iudas see his sinne before he hid it from him Vntil he had sinned hee made as though it were no sinne but with promises and bribes mufled his face and couered the vilenesse of his fact lest shame should keepe him frō it But whē he had done he made it seeme as vile as hee could to make him despaire for it All his baites are made of this fashion that the sinne is done before the punishment bee considered Let vs not looke for Iudas to come out of hell to warne vs for this is written for our learning therefore Be as wise as Serpentes that the Serpent may not deceiue you The Petition of Moses to God The Text Deut. 3. Chap. 23. 24 verse And I besought the Lord the same time saying O Lord God thou hast begunne to shew thy seruant thy greatnes and thy mightie hand for where is there a God in heauen or earth that can doe like thy workes and like thy power HEere Moses teacheth vs howe to pray hee beginneth first and telleth God that he hath begunne to shewe him fauour well might Moses so say for hee was no sooner borne but the Lorde beganne to shewe him his greatnesse in sauing him when he was cast into the Riuer and deliuering him vnto a Kings daughter to be brought vp and after by his mightie prouidence bringing him to his mother to be nursed If all that the Lorde hath done for him till this time be considered hee had great cause to say O Lorde thou hast begun to shewe thy seruaut thy greatnes Heerein Moses in some part sheweth himselfe thankefull for that hee hath receiued trusting thereby to intreat GOD to continue his benefits and louing-kindnes towards him which is a thing that pleaseth God for which of vs hauing a friend at whose hands wee had receiued a benefite heretofore if we should stand in neede of him againe woulde not saie vnto him Sir you haue beene my friend heretofore and many waies good vnto mee the consideration whereof at this time hath imboldened mee to come vnto you againe Who is it but will account this a thankfull fellow and saye see it is a good deede to doo for one which sheweth himselfe so thankfull Euen so Moses commeth to God he is not like one who sitting in his doore and seeth one day by daye come by him and salute him and yet taketh no acquaintance so that if he stand in need of him either hee knoweth not where he dwelleth or els because he is not acquainted with him he is abashed to aske any thing of him Moses is not such a one but hee is acquainted with the Lorde who so often passed by him and therefore he now sayth Thou hast begun O Lord thou hast begun to shewe thy seruaunt thy greatnesse and thy mightie hand Of this is already spokē what this greatnes and mightie hand which God shewed to Moses was we haue alreadie heard namely that mightie deliuerance which the Lorde euen from his birth to this time had sent him in the time of neede For where is there a God in heauen or in earth that canne doo like thy woorkes or like thy power Here Moses challengeth all the Idoll Gods and telleth them that amongst them all there is not one of them that can doo like his God So God when he is opposed and set against his enemies is then most glorious and confoundeth them all Now Moses procedeth in his prayer saying I praye thee let mee goe ouer and see the good land that is beyond Iordan that goodly mountaine Lebanon But the Lord was angrye with mee for your sakes and would not heare mee and the Lord said vnto me Let is suffise thee or bee content speake no more vnto me of this matter Get thee vp into the top of Pisgah c. Heerein is foure things to be considered First the prayer of Moses in these wordes I pray thee c. Then the answere of God for his prayer then the mitigating of his anger set downe in these wordes Let it suffise thee or be content c. Speak no more vnto mee of this matter Then the promise which God maketh vnto Moses that hee shall see the land of Canaan though not possesse it First for the prayer of Moses set down in these wordes I pray thee let mee goe ouer and see the good Land c. Here Moses prayeth like one of vs who are alwayes crauing but neuer haue respect to the will of God to say Thy will bee done Christ hath not taught vs to aske Our dayly bread before he taught vs to say Thy will be done and therefore Christ when he went to pray after hee had prayed that if it were possible that houre might passe from him Yet after remembring how hee had taught his Disciples before returned againe and saide Neuerthelesse not that I will but that thou wilt bee done And our prayer made after this sort is the cause many time why wee are not hearde therefore let vs hereafter learne in our prayers to pray that Gods will may bee doone What this Mountaine Lebanon is surely Moses meaneth the place where the Temple shoulde bee built