of the Pharisies wherin is hypocrisie God giue vs grace to take héede and to beware of hypocrites which would séeme to be that they are not and hate to be that they séeme AS sticks and wood do nourish and maintaine the fire but the fire doth waste and consume them So a man that is flattered by smooth dissemblers and hypocrites doth maintaine his flatterers for the most part but in the end they wil deuour and vtterly vndoo him When men in old time did feine that one Acteon was torne in péeces and deuoured of his owne dogs which he kept and daily fed They ment verily that whosoeuer will please and delight themselues with parasites flatterers hypocrites and dissemblers and be at cost to féede maintaine them at the length shall be deuoured and swallowed vp of them And yet it is a world to see that neither the flatterers nor the flattered the deceiuers nor the deceiued will see and consider their wretched and miserable ends which are as cleere as the sun light at noone day The flattered shal be deuoured of his own dog the flatterer And the flatterer himselfe shal be a pray to sathan that cruell cur and hound of hell Thus that vngodly crue and rabble of scribes pharisies and hypocrites do for temporall and momentanie trifles lose great and most excellent things They exchange and forsake heauen for earth their soules for their bodies or rather that their bodies may be pampered héere for a short time for at the length soules and bodies must fare alike They gréeue the spirit to please the flesh they abandon vertue and imbrace vice and to be short they giue their backs vnto God and their faces vnto the world they vtterly forsake him to be in league and loue with it The holy Ghost by Salomon doth foretell their ende The end of their ioy is sorrow saith he And that of Ecclesiastes must euer be true Vanitie of vanities and all things are vanitie EVen as the birdes and foules of the aire that they may escape the nets and snares of the foulers are woont to flie vp on high so we to auoid the infinite snares of innumerable temptations must flie to God and lift vp our selues from the corruptions lyeng vanities and deceitfull sleights of the world And euen as those biâ—ds and foules which fall to the ground to take the foulers baits are taken themselues Euen so those men which do relie vpon the suggestions and inchantments of the deuill world and flesh and are taken in their traps do die a most miserable and as it may wel be called an immortal death For though they do escape such an end and death in this worlde as their desarts do craue yet besides the death of nature they shall taste of the death of hell which is endlesse easelesse and remedilesse Let vs therefore whiles it is to day lift and stir vp our selues and flie vnto God with our harts and mindes that we fall not into the nets and traps of our enimies I know it is an excéeding hard thing to giue ouer thine acquaintance with this world wherein thou art bred and brought vp euen as it is hard to bring an infant to forsake the brests that haue giuen him sucke The childe will loue his nurse for hir dugs sake though hir selfe be whoorish So we are readie to loue the world for the vaine pleasures and delights thereof though the world indéed be a very strumpet I wish that all would and I pray God that all may if it be his will euen steale and as it were priuily conuey themselues from their vanities euill cogitations naughtie deuises and whatsoeuer sinne they vse and take pleasure in if it be but one hower of a daie and I doubt not but by little and little they would learne to hate sinne renounce the diuell and despise the world And where as now men and women old and yoong do bestow all the houres of daies and nights about the vanities and deceiueable pleasures of the world and flesh yea yea and to serue sathan to they would not bestow one twinckling of an eie in so bad and dangerous a seruice EVen as fire when it breaketh out of compasse and order is more perilous in old buildings than in new houses So misdeamenor couetousnes lecherie pride dronkennes and blasphemie is more offensiue and doth more harme in old age then in gréene youth For an old man as in yéeres and experience he is beyond them that are yoong and gréene headed so he ought in life and example aswell as in counsel to instruct others For when an old man falleth into folly he hurteth himselfe greatly with his sin and other more with his example That he is corrupted bréedeth his owne woe and great trouble of minde and conscience to the church of God AS a marchant that is expert and skilfull in his profession and facultie will not open nor shew his rich wares and costly marchandise vnto those whom he well knoweth will not buie them which do come vnto his shop or warehouse either as curious persons or as crafty spies and subtle searchers not with any purpose to buie but to do some euill and calleth vnto him onely those whom he knoweth to be very willing and desirous to buie Euen so the Lord his maner is not to open his heauenly mysteries and the déep secrets of his sacred and most holy word vnto them whom he perceiueth and séeth plainly to séeke after them vainly and curiously or with a wicked minde and corrupted purpose to search them out to the end they may tread and trample them vnder their féete and doth call them onely to the true knowledge of his lawes and ordinances and doth instruct and teach them whom he is sure will both profit themselues and others thereby Giue not that which is holy saith Christ vnto dogs neither cast ye pearles before swine When Herod was very desirous that Christ standing before him would shew some miracle Christ would not onely not do any miracle or woonder but also not vouchsafe him one word for answere And when the Iewes said we would sée a sign of thée he answered A wicked adulterous generation séeketh a signe but no signe shal be giuen vnto it but the signe of Ionas the prophet But before his disciples and others that were with them he did shew many and great woonders when they did not aske for any But the Iewes did aske and went without bicause they had no minde to be conuerted either by his words or works but onely to sée his miracles and to heare his words to the end if they could to trap him and to quarrell with him If thou wouldst profit therefore by the word of God when thou doest read or heare it bring with thée faith and humilitie for God resisteth the proud and giueth grace vnto the humble and lowly AS that drie skin which a snake doth cast to renew
vexat censura columbas that is It doth fauour rauening kites and pinch nip in the head innocent doues and yet no fault in the law but in the corrupted lawyer S. 101. P. 46. 47. When a man is in prosperitie in all welth and no want infinite numbers of all degrees will make great and large shewes of much loue and friendship towards him but if the winde turne and take away his wealth renoume authoritie câ—edite health and libertie and he be fallen into any disgrace the same winde that did blow away these things will blow away all his friends such friends are at large painted out S. 102. P. â—7 Nothing doth more trie a friend then the bearing of a friends burden When a man is in prosperitie it is hard for him to discerne whether those that pretend friendship to him loue him or his riches most But old experience hath euer prooued that a man hath many friends for his wealths sake but verie few for his owne sake S. 103. P. 47. 48. Man hath no such enimie as his sinnes be they bring and pull vpon him all maner calamities in this life and will bring damnation vpon his soule and bodie in the world to come if he earnestly repent not speedily forsake them S. 104. P. 48. Wheâ— the Lord punisheth and scourgeth his children as though he had vtterly forsaken them then is he most mindfull of his mercy yea he chasteneth to that ende that he may shew mercy S. 105. P 48. 49. The Lords iustice will haue punishment and his promise will haue mercie S. 105. P. 49. Extreame troubles bitter afflictions and manifold pinching and nipping calamities do make a sound and perfect triall of true christianitie vnfained holines and voluntary patiente S. 106 P. 49. To preserue the health of the soule the bodie must be pinched and kept in subiection vnto the spirit the lusts of the flesh and the vnruly affections must be tamed and kept within the compasse of reason and obedience vnto the spirit that they exceede not the limits of modestie S. 107. P. 50. In times past good christians were geatly greeued and would shed many bitter teares to heare and see iniurie and wrong done vnto God his name dishonored but wrongs done to themselues they would take beare very patiently but now in these daies of ours we will with all rage and furie reuenge the least wrong done to our selues but whatsoeuer is done against the Lord doth neuer once trouble or greeue vs S. 108. P. 50. There be many very mischieuous men in these dangerous times which haue in them great pride and very much subtlety mingled togither And these men wil faine a lowlines and crouch greatly to deceiue others and to aduance themselues they work wo to many how humble soeuer they seem to be there is no good thing in them Mortified men that are truelie humbled are more greeued to heare vaine idle and blasphemous speeches then with any violent tortures that can be offered and done to their liues and bodies S. 109. P. 50. 51. That common wealth is in great danger and the people in much miserie where wicked and vngodly men are put in authoritie there vicious men are supported and incouraged but such as are vertuous and feare the Lord they go to wracke hauocke is made of them S. 110. P. 51. 52. When vngodly men oppresse their neighbours and do harme them in their bodies goods or names then do they hurt themselues most for they touch others but in things of the bodie but they kill their owne soules S. 111. P. 52. The seruants of God do profit very much by cruell persecutions and tyrannicall dealings of their enimies and thinke themselues happie that they are thought woorthie to suffer any thing for Christs sake S. 112. P. 52. The more that an humble and faithfull christian shall read or heare the worde of God and the neerer in vnderstanding and knowledge that he shal com vnto the mysteries secrets of God conteined in his word and with the greater purity of mind strength of faith and light of the grace of God he shal looke into them the more profound the deeper the more diuine and heauenly and the more comfortable to his soule shall he finde them S. 113. P. 53. A man is neuer farther short of the true knowledge of the will and meaning of God in his word then when he thinketh with his own wits and cunning to vnderstand it best S. 114. P. 54. The cleere and bright light of the word of God is very comfortable to such as feare him and loue his name but vnto the vngodly it is very offensiue S. 115. P. 54. The hart of man being inflamed with a true and sincere loue of God will giue no place to those daÌ„gerous temptations which are continually houering and flieng about it but being without that loue and being slothfull and idle in holy things and godlie exercises it wil be obuious and wide open to all maner of mischiefes and will be a receptacle of all wickednes and abhominations S. 116. P. 54. 55. The peace and vnitie of the church of Christ is by all possible meanes to be preserued and by the example of Christ we must do euen that we need not to do rather then disturbe the vnitie of the church the breakers of that peace are most wicked men S. 117. P. 55. There be many in these daies which are not ashamed to saie that the church of England is not the church of Christ bicause they can finde no comfort in it The reason why they finde no comfort in it is declared S. 118. P. 56. Man without the light of grace and the assistance of Gods most holie spirit can neuer attaine to the arriuing at the hauen of eternall glory S. 119. P. 56. They that be in authoritie and are to laie their hands vpon men to call them into the ministerie are to take heede that they be men very fit for that function and high calling If they do not they are condemned by Christ his owne example yea the foules of the aire do condemne them S. 120. P. 56. Though Christ Iesus our sauiour touching his manhood be in heauen at the right hand of maiestie power yet the eies of his mercy are stil euen to the end of the world vpon his seruants to defend and preserue them from their enimies and on the otherside they with the eies of their faith do still behold him and call to him for helpe in the perilous times of troubles and dangers S. 121. P. 57. To retaine and holde a fashion or likenes of vertue without the substance of it is nothing else but meere hypocrisie S. 122. P. 58. They that do counterfeit holines haue none are compared to swans whose feathers are white and flesh blacke S. 123. P. 58. Godly men that are truely regenerated and well seasoned with the spirit of grace though they be bred and
and doth chasten him that he may helpe and heale the wounds and sores of his soule The Lord himselfe doth say I kill and I make aliue I wound and I make whole And in the mouth of Amos the prophet God hath these words to the Israelites You onely haue I knowen of all the families of the earth therefore will I visite all your iniquities that is I will be reuenged and will punish all your sinnes For in the scripture somtime to visite is to punish As in the Psalm 89. If they breake my statutes and kéepe not my commandements then wil I visite their transgressions with the rod and their iniquitie with strokes yet my louing kindnes will I not take from him neither will I falsifie my truth c. As if the Lord should say If he offend I will punish him and haue mercie vpon him The Lords iustice will haue punishment and his promise will haue mercie This is to our euerlasting comfort that the Lords chastenings are to his children his mercie EVen as in a sea mooued and tossed with great waues and mightie surges the pilots skill and wisedome is throughly tried and his manlines and courage perfectly séene Euen so a man that is godly without dissembling and religious without hypocrisie in the middest of terrible tempests of great troubles when he is throwen vp and hurled downe tossed héere and crusshed there in a thousand stormes of dangers then declareth his patience his spirituall courage and his vnmooueable constancie in vertue and true holines The princely prophet Dauid being woonderfully afflicted did beare most patiently and tooke very quietly the shamelesse reproches of Shemei leauing vnto vs an euerlasting monument of an vnfained and voluntarie patience Yet when Dauid had gotten the victorie of his enimies through the Lords mightie and stretched out hand he tooke a great and dangerous fall in causing the people to be numbred wherein he offended God most highly and brought a fearfull plague vpon them yet repenting he found mercy and forgiuenes of his gréeuous and intolerable sinnes Héere may we see the benefit and commoditie that commeth by the meanes of troubles and calamities and that the Lord hath mercy vpon vs euen then when he séemeth to shew no mercie but onely to deale in iudgement AS when one part of a man that is sicke is not capable of the remedie wherewith he may be holpen we are woont to applie the same remedie to another part as if one be greeued with extreme ache of the head we are woont to strike a veine of the arme bicause the head will not abide phlebotomie or blood letting So that we may helpe and heale many diseases of the soule we must kéepe the bodie in subiection to the spirit and tame the lusts of the flesh and labour to bridle our affections and to keepe them within the compasse of reason sobrietie and temperance AS a water pot or a violl full of liquor if suddenly it be ouerthrowen doth shed and scatter the liquor So a deuout and godlie hart abounding with teares being mooued and troubled with sorrow bicause of the iniuries dishonor wrongs and blasphemies committed against the Lord doth presently powre out great abundance and as it were mightie streames of salt and bitter teares The sinnes of the Iewes committed against God did draw out of the hart of Christ great store of teares and sent them trickling downe his cheekes and the prophet Dauid his eies gushed out and did run ouer with water to sée the wickednes of the vngodly And Peters denying of Christ when he came to himselfe made him wéepe bitterly We are to too eager and forward to reuenge euery little wrong done to our selues but iniuries done against the Lord do neuer once mooue vs but we ought to be gréeued with his wrongs and beare patiently our owne EVen as wilde beasts being about to inuade and to set vpon their praie will stoupe lowe and bende themselues that they may fall and rush vpon it with the greater force and more violence euen so proude and mischieuous men being slie and subtle sometimes will crouch and beare themselues verie lowlie that vnder the colour of dissembled vertue they may supplant and deceiue the simple and godly honest man aduaunce themselues and worke mischiefe to others The holie Ghost by the prophet doth signifie so much when he speaking of the proud man saith He will crouch and bowe that he may get the vpper hand of the poore These are dangerous men their steps are not to be followed True and single harted christians must and wil imbrace true and vnfained humility and lowlines of hart They imitate him that saith Learne of me for I am humble and lowly in hart They are euer ready most easilie to pardon and forgiue detractions and slanders giuen out against their liues iniuries and wrongs offered and don to their innocency obloquies and false reports diuised and caste abroad to blemish their good names and to staine their credits And on the other side they bée euer bold and earnest in reproouing of sinne as spéeches that bée vaine and idle rather offending then profiting the hearers blasphemie and whatsoeuer may prouoke the almightie to displeasure and anger These iniuries committed against the Lorde do gréeue their harts a thousand times more then any violent or tyrannicall torture that can be offered vnto their bodies and liues They make them waile wéepe sigh and sob I speake of good Christians the number of them is small the Lorde increase it and make it greater Amen AS the wings of eagles with their stripe or blowe do marthe wings and breake the feathers of other birds So the mightie and great men of the Iewes with their tyrannicall crueltie and most hellish impietie were wont to draw to destruction and to drag to death the weaker sort and such as were innocent and tendered the glory and praise of God As the scripture in many places doth declare Manasses as it is written shed innocent bloud excéeding much till he replenished Ierusalem from corner to corner And Christ himself beholding Ierusalem with a pitifull voice saide O Ierusalem Ierusalem thou that killest the prophets and stonest to death those that are sent vnto thee c. And Stephen the martyr of Christ as Luke maketh mention in the Acts saith to the Iewes Which of the prophets haue not your forefathers persecuted and haue killed them that foretold of the comming of that iust And in the Epistle to the Hebrewes the apostle saith they were stoned they were hewen a sunder they were tempted they were slaine with the sworde they wandred vp and downe in shéepe skins and goate skins being destitute afflicted and tormented Thus was it then I would to God there were not the like nowe euen among some that professe the name of Christ and his Gospel now as though they would die in his quarrell and spend all
it then hath it woonderful effects and indéede that is the knowledge that all Christians ought to séeke for and to desire For to desire to haue knowledge onely that thou maiest knowe is nothing else but curiositie and to desire to knowe that thou maiest be knowen to know much is méere vanitie and to desire to know that therby thou maiest attaine to worldly wealth promotion and dignifie what is it else but filthy lucre but to desire knowledge that therby thou maiest be touched mightily inflamed with an vnfained loue of God and thy neighbor and that thou maiest mooue and stir vp others to the same is an excellent vertue THe bodie of man that it may not rebell against the spirit must be restrained and kept short of many things that it will craue otherwise it will be very vnruly if with measure kéeping and abstinence it be not tamed and kept vnder therefore as the Apostle saith it must be crucified with the lusts and concupiscences of the same For euen as from a fierce and firie horse which will in no wise be ruled nor obey his rider men are woont to withdrawe such strong féede and fine prouender as will make him ouer hote and to too fierce and in stéede thereof to giue him chaffe and bare straw Euen so from the bodie of man when it is an enimy to the spirit and by reason of too much daintie fare and varietie of delicate chéere groweth to be wanton and rebellious against reason must plentie of fine féede and nourishing meates be taken and harder and leaner chéere must be very sparingly ministred vnto it that when by such meanes it is subdued and chastened it may willingly yéeld obedience vnto the soule and spirit The holy Apostle of Christ himselfe did so I do chasten my bodie saith he and kéepe it vnder least whiles I preach to others I my selfe should be a castaway And indéede when the body of man is tamed and kept in subiection then doth the spirit stir vp it selfe more fréely to the obedience of God and séeketh after the diuine and holy mysteries of his word with greater zeale and feruencie For as the same Apostle saith Although our outward man be corrupted yet that which is within is renewed day by day For as enimies in a siege will yéelde themselues to their aduersaries when for want of foode they are like to be famished so the flesh and sensualitie of man being bitter enimies vnto the soule if pampering and daintie and full féeding be taken away will submit themselues and will stoupe vnto the soule and spirit When the disciples of Christ demanded of him why they could not cast out a certaine euill and wicked spirit he answered them that that kinde of spirit was not to be cast out but onely by praier and fasting Meaning that the Lord had reserued vnto himselfe the casting out of that spirit who must besought vnto by faithfull feruent and most earnest praier and bicause he would haue the whole man in that holy exercise of praier to serue him and bicause the bodie should be no impediment or hinderance vnto the power and force of praier but in all humilitie should most willingly ioine with the soule and spirit in that seruice of God and so iointly togither should crie mightily vnto the Lorde to obtaine their suite Christ woulde haue the bodie tamed and humbled with fasting And in the mouth of his holy prophet Ioel he willeth the people to turne vnto him in fasting wéeping and mourning and that with their whole harts without all hypocrisie And therefore Christ saith When ye fast be not sad as hypocrites are c. But the king of Niniue did easily sée and perceiue that neither fasting praying nor any other exercise would preuaile with God vnlesse men would forsake their sinnes and giue ouer their iniquities And therefore he straightly charged that euery man should turne from the euill they had vsed And so the Lord grant we may do and then our other exercises of praying and fasting and such like wil be acceptable to God otherwise they be friuolous vaine and hypocriticall PLinie in his eighteth booke doth report that Bucephalus the horse of Alexander the great when he had not on the braue and princely furniture which was prouided for Alexander himselfe he would suffer any other man as well as Alexander to ride him but being furnished and made readie with the kings furniture he would suffer no man but Alexander himselfe to take his backe So very many men all the while they are poore obscure and in base estate they will indure euery man and will faine a good will and great diligence towards all men and to euery one they will shew a singular mildnes and kinde courtesie being to sée to most mild and courteous Catoes but inwardly very tyrannicall and cruell Neroes They couer and kéepe close within the secret folds and priuie corners of their manifold dissimulations wrath hatred malice enuie and all impietie but once being inriched full of worldly wealth and aduanced to honor and dignitie in the world and lifted vp into the place and set in the seate of authoritie then they despise and scorne all men saue onely those to whom by the lawe of soueraigntie they are bound to be subiect and to obey Then they vnhood themselues and do bewray their secret will and do discouer their cankered and manifold nature which lay hid so close in the wrinkles of their hypocrisie and deceit that it could not be séene then do they most openly shew their pride and crueltie which they had long couered with a goodly mantle and faire cloke of humilitie and lowlines It is the Lords manner and vse to cast downe and to bring lowe all such proude vaine forgetfull and vnthankfull persons to aduance and to exalt all those which in true humilitie and lowlines of hart and minde in pietie patience and in the practising of all vertues do serue honor loue and obey him The Lord neither regardeth the riches of the vngodly nor the poore and beggerly estate of his faithfull children and chosen seruants Of the wicked Dauid saith Thon hast cast them downe Lord c. and of his owne he saith The iust man shall florish like a palme trée and as a Cedar of Libanus shall he be multiplied And againe The righteous shall be in an euerlasting remembrance Men that were godly learned in old time when they perceiued that man forgetting his originall and the foule matter of his beginning would waxe insolent and growe proud they would expresse and signifie him by a crocodile and an egge For the crocodile is a creature of an incredible bignes and yet hath his beginning of a very small and little egge and is knowen onely to Egypt and to those countries which are watered with the riuer Nilus and in this thing is very admirable that no liuing creature that hath so small a
noble and honorable parents bragging onelie of their nobilitie and chalenging their honour but despising their vertues shewe themselues wicked loose and leude of life He that is not nobled for some woorthy acts of his owne nor renowmed by reason of some famous vertues knowne and found to be in himselfe what honour may he looke for séeing there is nothing in himselfe that is good but onely a vaine and proud challenging of the excellencie woorthines of other men Christ calleth the proude bragging Pharisies the generation of vipers And when they boasted that they had Abraham to their father he saide Ye are of your father the deuil And when the Iewes resembled the Amorrheans and Cetheans and imitated their sins and iniquities the Lord saith That Amorrhaeus is their father and Cethaea their mother So that these places last cited do plainly shew that somtimes the holy Ghost doth call sonnes not of nature but of imitation and likenes bicause the Iewes did the déeds of the diuell Christ saith the diuell is their father And when they so followed the steps of the Amorrheans and Cetheans that for the likenes of their iniquities and abhominations they did séeme euen to bée bred and borne of them and had like condemnation with them bicause they had the same sinnes the Lord saith that Amorrhaeus and Cethaea be their parents EVen as Aesops Iay being clad with the faire feathers of other birds did vainly take vnto himselfe a beautie but being discouered and stript of all for a reward was throughly scorned and was turned into his old blacke gowne when euery bird had taken from him hir owne feather So they that make their boast of the noble acts of others and do vaunt themselues of the dignitie of their predecessors and do vsurpe vnto themselues the nobilitie of ancestors themselues being naked of all vertue and vtterly void euen of common honestie temperance and sobrietie are constrained many times with great ignominie shame to put off other mens vestures and with no small disgrace to forgo their vsurped honors It is a thing far more honorable and woorthier commendation that a man florish and be famous with his owne vertues and iust deserts than to borrow his praise and honor of others Men are very fitly though not naturally called the sonnes of them whose déedes they do and whose vices or vertues they imitate If ye be the sonnes of Abraham said Christ to the Iewes boasting and glorying of their originall then do the déedes of Abraham They were indéede by nature the children of Abraham but by imitation they were the brats of Amorrhaeus and Cethaea If thou wilt be counted the sonne or daughter of a noble honest and good man then do noble acts thy selfe lead an honest life and do good works And following the steps of Christ thou shalt be a christian otherwise looke whose maners and waies thou walkest in his sonne or daughter art thou rightly called ECclesiasticus saith that pride is the beginning of all sinne And indéede it is that centre in the sphere of mans life whereout do go lines to the circumference of iniquitie For a proud man hath no righteousnes no equitie he hath no liking of any vertue he scorneth and despiseth all all are his inferiors and he superior to all in his owne conceit Euen as in a thrashing place chaffe is séene aboue the wheate not bicause it is the better but bicause it is the lighter and wheras it is the viler and of the lesse valure yet notwithstanding it getteth the higher and woorthier place Euen so in this life a proud and vaine man is exalted aboue the humble and lowly not for any woorthines iust desert or true vertue that is in him but for his vanitie and a false opinion that he hath conceiued of himselfe And whereas he is of very little or no valure yet he putteth out himselfe before others which are far beyond him in vertue wisedome and nobilitie But the lowly though the woorthier and more excellent man doth euer humble himselfe not bicause he is of lesse valure but bicause he hath in him greater weight of wisedome vnderstanding and true nobilitie Wheat the weightier sounder and better it is the lower place it desireth and séeketh the humble man the wiser and more gratious that he is the more pleasure and delight he hath in christian humilitie and lowlines But the proud man being lighter then the winde lifteth vp and extolleth himselfe aboue all things Whereupon it commeth to passe that he peruerteth all the lawes of God and man for that souerainty sake which he falsely imagineth to belong vnto himselfe Tobias that vertuous charitable and wise man did earnestly disswade his son from all pride and did perswade him to humilitie and lowlines Suffer not pride saith he in any wise to dominéere o◠to beare a swaie in thy vnderstanding nor in the words of thy mouth And Ecclesiasticus counselleth euerie man greatly to humble his spirit And saith That pride is odious before God and men and the holie apostle saith What hast thou that thou hast not receiued And if thou hast receiued it why boastest thou as though thou hadst not receiued it There is an old and true saying almost in all mens mouthes that is Pride will haue a fall and the same is very strongly confirmed by Christ himselfe who saith He that exalteth himselfe shall be brought lowe and he that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted Augustine saith that pride deceiued angels and that much more it will deceiue men and therefore to be shunned And Ambrose saith it made of angels diuels And no doubt it is the originall of all euils and the ruine of all vertues where it is maintained WE sée somtimes two men about to go into some sumptuous and stately hall or house through a very lowe and narrow doore the one stouping and bending himselfe doth passe through and go in without harme the other stout not stouping nor bending at all but preasing in with great force hurteth his head and falleth backward Such a stately and princely place is the kingdome of heauen the habitation of the saints of God whose way is very straight as Christ himselfe doth affirme and the doore thereof is so lowe and narrow that he compareth it with the eie of a néedle That man that humbleth himselfe and stoupeth lowe doth enter into that most stately and princely house of the king of heauen but he that is puffed vp with pride and swelled with insolencie cannot get in at that gate he falleth to the ground his pride doth throw him backward Augustine speaking of heauen saith it is a very high countrie but the way to it lieth very lowe And so much would the Lord and king of the house signifie when he biddeth all learne of him bicause he is méeke and lowly in hart And when he called a little childe vnto him and set him in the
naked vpon the crosse Before Christ did appéere in the flesh pouertie might haue séemed verie bitter and full of ignominie vnto men but after that the Emperour of heauen and earth had taken pouertie vpon himselfe and also touching himselfe said The foxes haue holes and the foules of the aire haue nestes but the sonne of man hath not where to laie his head Who doth not now sée that Christian pouertie in the seruants of God doth well become them and is honorable and that it is a true badge of Christian nobilitie IF a king should haue a certaine house fast lockte and close shut vp full of gold precious stones and costly iewels and would promise all those treasures to one that should open the same and would offer vnto thée two keies one of pure gold hanging at a costly string made of silke and golden threads but that would not open the same locke that thou mightest go into the house and the other of iron rustie and ill fauoured to sée to hanging at a thong of leather or whipcorde the which notwithstanding would open the doore and let thée in that thou mightest choose which of these keies thou wouldest were it not better and more profitable for thée to choose the old rustie iron keie then the keie of gold Yes no doubt The golden one indéed is more precious but what auaileth that when it will not open the doore and bring thee to the treasures The iron one is the viler but yet it is the better Such a king is our God and such an house is that heauenly habitation of his saints wherein are inestimable treasures endlesse ioies and vnspeakable good things which are woorthier and more excellent then man is able to expresse For so saith the holie Ghost No eie hath séene nor eare heard nor hart of man conceiued those thinge which the Lorde hath prepared for them that loue him All which heauenlie treasures God hath promised to all them that shal enter into his holie hill or house of saints The golden keie which the most part of this world do choose and trust to that they may enter into heauen is worldly wealth and aboundance of riches ioyned with couetousnes which will neuer open the Lords house where are kept his celestiall and inestimable treasures But that key doth rather open a foule and vile house of this world which is full of all filthines and abominations The iron keie is spirituall pouertie against the which the kingdome of heauen is neuer shut but standeth euer wide open to all them that bring with them that key so saith Christ himselfe Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Let vs therefore make no account of the golden key but let vs for Christ and his kingdom forsake and despise the deceitfull riches of this world which are desired and sought for far and neare by sea and land with dangers and losse of the bodies and soules of many thousands as though men could bribe God for their sinnes and purchase heauen with their worldly trifles and let vs without murmuring and grudging with all patience of hart and minde beare and imbrace pouertie and all those crosses and afflictions which vnto the world séeme bitter and intolerable of which kind very many do happen in the life of man Let vs earnestly séeke after the riches of the Lords kingdome and euerlasting life for they be stable and permanent let vs not set our harts and affections on this world for it waxeth olde rotten it staggereth is ruinous and readie to fall Iob speaking of rich men which do deliâ—iously pamper themselues euery day saith They leade their daies in pleasures and in the twinckling of an eie they go down into hel And Dauid saith They shall leaue their riches for others c. And Salomon saith Thy riches shal do thée no good in the day of vengeance And in the booke of Wisedome What hath pride profited thée and what good hath thy bragging of riches brought vnto thée all these things are gone away like a shadow and as a messenger running before EVen as a firebrand drawen from the fire and lying still waxeth cold and by little and little dieth and is extinct but being mooued and put to the fire burneth and flameth Euen so an idle life doth by little and little extinguish vertue but being well exercised it doth kindle and increase the same Therfore is it said in the booke of Iob Man is borne to labour And Ecclesiasticus saith that idlenes hath taught much mischiefe This mooued the Apostle to will Timothie to watch and to labour in all things And the same Apostle saith that euerie one shall receiue his owne hire or reward according to his labour Lawyers do say that inheritance is had with the burden thereof Séeing then that we be Gods heires and the fellow heires of Christ as the Apostle affirmeth it must néedes be that we come not â—â— our inheritance not with idlenes but loden with great and â—â—auie burdens of aduersities and tribulations and with sore â—â—â—our and gréeuous grones vnder the weight of the same If wâ— shall giue our selues to ease and shall séeke after rest in this lâ—â—â— and so slumber in securitie and idlenes our enimie the diuell â—ill surely deceiue vs. For whiles men slept saith the Eâ—…ist the enimie came and did sowe darnell vpon the wheate Christ himselfe doth highly condemne idlenes when he saith Why stand ye héere all the day long idle And a little after Call the workmen saith he to take their hire Idle persons are not called to take hire but they which haue laboured And they are called from their labours to rest from pouertie to heauenly riches and from their calamities to euerlasting pleasures Yea euen when they be dead then are they blessed and rest from their labours the spirit saith so and therefore it is most certaine and true When Tobias slept there fell out of a swallowes nest doong vpon his eies which made him blinde and wâ—iles we do sléepe and slumber in slothfulnes and idle securitie without being vertuously and godly exercised there creepe out of the nests of our harts most wicked and pestilent cogitations which do blinde and numbe our vnderstanding and carrie vs into most dangerous disobedience and rebellion against the Lord. MEn in these our dangerous daies are very close harted merciles towards the poore afflicted members of Christ And though they hear their cries sée their poore bodies readie to die at their doores in stréetes and in prison yet vntill they perceiue that there is no way but present death with themselues they will impart no part of their goodes and wealth vnto them Such men are like vnto beasts which are not eaten vntill they be dead and boiled or rosted For vntill death hath them in his pot and there boile them after his maner the
thing that is right For he that instructeth others with wholesome doctrine and doth so staine and blemish himselfe with vile and naughtie vâ—â—es that his life and doctrine be opposite and cleane contrary the one to the other so that it is séene and perceiued of all that there is no agréement betwéene them he is like vnto a sieue or a boulter wherewith meale is sifted or boulted which sendeth foorth the finest floure and best of the wheate and kéepeth the bran and woorst to it selfe The Lord coupleth togither in the priestes of the old law Doctrine and Truth regarding both their teaching and liuing He is a true and trustie teacher which doth himselfe that same that he teacheth The disciples of the Pharysies could espie so much though they loued it not when they said to Christ We know that thou art true and that thou teachest the way of God truely They confesse though with a wicked purpose that he did not onelie teach but also liue after the truth Wherein all christians ought to imitate Christ WHen in mans body the hart doth not impart vnto the members the vitall spirits but the arteries are stopt and shut vp and the blood forsaketh the veines it is a signe of death That man is either already dead or else he will die shortly Euen so when kings and princes of the earth are tyrannicall towards their loyall subiects withdrawing from them pittie mercy loue and liberalitie it threatneth and doth prognosticate the ruine of their kingdomes But through the mercy clemencie and loue of princes their kingdomes do mightily florish and the princes themselues do inioy great tranquillitie securitie and peace God put thankfulnes into the harts of all the true and faithfull subiects of England and else where within hir Maiesties dominions for our most gratious dread soueraigne Quéene Elizabeth for certainly that saieng of Salomon in his Prouerbes was neuer more truely verified in anie king or Quéene since the foundation of England then it hath béene in hir highnes Mercie and truth do kéepe the king and with clemency the kings throne is strengthened and established So all the worlde must be faine to saie Mercie and truth do kéepe good Quéene Elizabeth and clemencie doth strengthen hir throne Hir highnes doth that same that Artaxerxes speaketh of himselfe in the booke of Ester When saith he I did rule and gouerne many nations and had brought the whole world vnder my dominion I would not abuse the greatnes of my power but would gouerne my subiects with clemencie and lenitie All the world must néedes confesse the same of hir Maiestie towards all hir subiects Hir seate hath alwaies béene inuironed and compassed about with mercy which as Hieronimus saith doth lift man vp to Godward All the world is not able to lay to hir highnes charge so much as one dram of crueltie which as the same author affirmeth doth cast man downe to hell ward Euen as among the pretie swéete Bées that Bée onely which leadeth and ruleth all the rest either hath no sting or at the least doth not vse it So clemencie and mercy agréeth with none more in al the world then with a prince God giue grace to all hir Maiesties subiects so loyally louingly obediently and faithfullie to beare and behaue themselues that the mighty God of Israell may affoorde vs hir Maiesties life happy raigne chearefull countenance many yéeres Amen For in the chéerefulnes of hir countenuance is life INgratitude is a thing that the Lord could neuer abide It is a scorching winde that drieth vp the fountaines of piety and the streames of grace Whereas euery thing that is weighty and heauie tendeth and preaseth downward yet notwithstanding the cloudes that are full of water and swelled with moisture do ascend vpward bicause the sunne taketh them from the earth and with his force draweth them vp on high Which being lifted vp in the aire are gathered togither and thickened and so do couer and hide the brightnes of the sunne by whose helpe and attraction they were taken and caried vp but notwithstanding their malice they being dispersed and scattered abroad the sun that conquerer and ouercommer of darknes thrusteth through his beams breaketh the cloudes and giueth light with his shine Euen so the Israelites when they lay in Egypt a long time in obscuritie thraldome bondage and slauerie to Pharao and his people and were euen nailed as it were to the earth of all contempt and crueltie were then taken vp and set in great and high dignitie by the sunne of righteousnes but afterward they went about to obscure and extinguish the brightnes and light of God himself by whose benefit they had gotten that honor and dignitie which they had aâ—d without whom they were nothing but bond slaues of miserie and wretchednes but séeing they were like foule blacke cloudes they were dispersed scattered and vanished away And the glorie of Christ against their wils in spite of them togither with the brightnes of his name did break out and shine abroad and giue light throughout all the world I would to God that this ingratitude and vnthankfulnes had neuer a corner in England nor in any English hart it hath pleased the almightie by his faithfull seruant Elizabeth by his owne grace Quéene of England to deliuer our countrie from no lesse bondage thraldome and seruitude than he did the Israelites by Moses and Aaron and yet we finde to too manie that haue béen bred in England and owe their liues to hir highnes to murmure no lesse against hir happines than the Israelites did against the lords seruants Moses and Aaron The seruitude and slauerie of the Israelites was not greater nor woorse vnder Pharao that tyrant in Egypt than the bondage of England was vnder the Pope neither ought we to be lesse thankfull for our deliuerie from the slauerie of Rome than they should haue béen if they had well remembred themselues from the slauerie of Egypt We read in the booke of Wisdome that the hope of the vnthankfull man shall waste and consume like winters ice c. And tâ—…e Dauid the prophet saith O my soule praise the Lord and forget not all his benefits The Lord grant that we neuer forget any of the Lords benefits and that we may euer be thankfull to his diuine maiestie for the great benefit that he hath bestowed vpon England in his most faithfull seruant Elizabeth by his owne prouidence and appointment our most gratious Quéene and soueraigne whose life health and happines O Lord continue long Amen Amen Amen EVen as a moth or worme doth not bréede in the Cedar being a goodly and odoriferous trée alwaies fresh and florishing the wood whereof doth not rot So enuie is not bred in the hart of a wise and vertuous man but in the minde of a man that is wicked and vngodly and is gréeued and tormented at the happines and welfare of other men
very good king and setteth down a very plaine paterne a most liuely picture of his vertue that such a man as walketh in an vndefiled way to wit whose life is vnreprooueable shall serue him and be to him a courtier and a counseller and voweth that no man of pride no vaine person nor speaker of euill things shall dwel in his house nor kéepe within his court As if he should say I will diligently inquire and search who they be which in any land countrie and kingdome are faithfull and do loue righteousnes and by their counsell with I be instructed and the familiaritie of them will I vse but all vngodly proud blasphemous lying deceitfull and wicked persons of all sorts will I vtterly expulse out of my house and driue and thrust them out of my court and will suffer them to finde no rest within my kingdome God grant that all good godly Christian princes may follow the steps and example of king Dauid in this and all other his princely vertues and holy exercises Amen IT is the part and dutie of euery good Christian that whatsoeuer he doth in word or déede he do all in the name of the Lord Iesus that is to the glorie of God and in an affiance and confidence that he hath in the name of God that he wil protect defend blesse prosper and preserue him in doing of the same and so to giue vp his hart minde will worke and all vnto God before he do attempt the doing and performance of the same There be very many that do some dédes which to sée to are very good works but not the lesse they kéepe their harts mindes and wils diuided and separated far from God Those things to wit their harts mindes wils and purposes they steale from the Lord and do bestow them vpon the world they regard not God they séeke onely to please men in the action of vertue they haue no respect vnto vertue it selfe but onely and barely to the shew and shape or likenes of vertue Such men are like vnto painters which haue a greater regarde to the colours and shadowes of images and pictures than vnto the substance of the same and contemning the inward parts they bestow all the wit skill and cunning they haue in expressing and painting out a bare shadow and outside of the thing and the more they deceiue the eies of them that behold it the more excellent men are they iudged But the Lord requireth at our hands first fruits that is our harts mindes wils desires and all that is in vs and that we should euen offer vp and consecrate vnto him our selues euen our bodies a quicke aâ—â—â—iuing sacrifice holy and pleasing God which is our reasonable seruice of God And when the Apostle willeth vs or rather beséecheth vs that we giue our bodies a liuely sacrifice holy and acceptable to God and calleth the same our reasonable seruice of God he meaneth that the offering of dead calues and vnreasonable beasts as in times past the Iewes offered vnto him wil not please God now neither that the Lord will accept and take in good part any seruice or sacrifice that we shall bring and lay before him either in words or works so long as we loue sinne and harbour iniquitie in our harts mindes and members The Lord will receiue no sacrifice nor seruice of those that be strangers vnto him but onely of those which are graffed in Christ Iesu and are now become in him new creatures in whom there is a newnes a righteousnes and holines of life in whom all old foule filthie and vngodly conuersation is past And therefore the Apostle saith to the Ephesians Be ye renewed in the spirit of your minde and put ye on the new man and to the Colossians he giueth counsell that they destroy the olde man with all his trash and put on the new man and most louingly he beseecheth the Romanes saying Let vs walke in newnes of life But bicause this newnes cannot be wrought in vs without the grace and holy spirit of God Dauid the prophet doth mightily crie vnto the Lord and saith O God create a new hart within me and renew a right spirit within my bowels or inward parts The Lord requireth of vs a lambe that is innocencie humilitie and méekenes and he would haue vs to offer vnto him a yoong pigeon or a turtle doue that is true contrition and puritie of hart and minde for those swéete birds do vse mourning in stéed of singing and are pretie and fine paterns of puritie and innocencie The Lord will not take receiue nor accept barking curre dogs that is railing raging cursing lying slandering blaspheming or any such vngodly persons neither their offerings sacrifices nor praiers when they come and bring and lay them before him no more than he did the sacrifice of Caine. The roring and cruell lion the rauening wolfe the foule and dirtie swine the blinde mole or want that is the tyrannicall and mercilesse man the oppressor piller and poller of his brethren the man that is méere naturall and carnall the man that is blinde and ignorant in spirituall and heauenly things they are neither sacrifices nor sacrificers that God will or is woont to take any pleasure in as he doth abhorre the vices so for the vices sake he doth detest the vessels vntill such time as they be purged and clensed of such foule and filthie matter If there were no other but onely Salomon to tell vs that the Lord requireth and calleth for our harts it is great reason that we should beléeue the Lord at one word and at one message when so louingly and fatherly he saith My sonne giue me thy hart The Lord helpe vs and grant that we may giue him our harts and whatsoeuer else of the inward and outward man Amen HEliotropium the herbe of the sunne so called bicause it windeth it selfe about with the sunne in the morning very early it beholdeth the rising thereof and all the day it euen followeth the course of the sunne euer turning the leaues towards the same but the roote it neuer changeth stirreth nor mooueth it hath that still fast fixed within the earth So very many will séeme to follow the sunne of righteousnes Christ Iesus but it is onely in leaues and outward shewes for their rootes that is their harts are far and fast within the earth where indéede their treasure is according to that which Christ himselfe doth say Where thy treasure is there is thy hart also Such men will lift vp their hands eies and voices towards heauen and God and with such goodly gréene leaues will make a faire florish and a beautfull shew but their harts and affections are surely set vpon earthly vaine vile and transitorie things and are as far from God as heauen and earth are distant one from the other They shew vnto the Lord onely bare and fruitlesse leaues
to attende vpon his pleasure and to waite on his will he would haue vs not in part but wholy to giue them vnto him and without the hart he will receiue and take in good part at our hands and lips nothing But we on the otherside giue nothing lesse to God then our harts What is it that cannot and may not command our harts and haue them at pleasure sooner then Christ Iesus that with the death of his owne hart gaue life to our bodies and soules If the worlde do but a little smile vpon vs and giue vs but an alluring looke and a faire though a false word we will by and by follow it and bestow vpon it all our attendance If the diuell himselfe can make vs beléeue that we shall either haue profite or pleasure by doing his wil our harts mindes wils and all are readier for him then for Iesus Christ O matchles yea monstrous madnes they that séeke our destruction can sooner with a pleasant looke then Christ with the giuing of his life for vs haue vs at commandement Christ would haue vs to mortifie our earthly members as fornication vncleannes inordinate affections euill concupiscence and couetousnes which is idolatrie But who doth not nourish pamper and cherish all these The Lord woulde haue our conuersation in heauen but we are altogither earthly and carnally minded The Lord would haue our féete to stand within the gates of Ierusalem but we loue rather to be trampling the stréetes of Egypt Babylon and Sodom The holie ghost would haue vs to fight a good fight to finish our course after the will of God and to kéepe the faith not onely in words but also in life and déedes Indéed we are apt and ready to fight for worldly promotion honor dignitie reuenues and riches but for heauen and heauenly things we will neuer striue take no paines nor once trouble our selues we will haue i◠with ease and all maner of pleasure or else not at all farewell it The courses we take héere in this life are very bad and the end vnlesse we repent is like to be woorst of all And whiles we haue no care to kéepe good consciences it is vnpossible for vs to kéepe faith Let stande before vs Christ and sathan the one pointing vs to heauen and eternall felicitie but the way to it ful of troubles gréefes and sorrowes the other pointing to hell but the way to it ful of delicates pleasures and daintie delights and let God call and the diuell call and I speake it with gréefe of hart the diuell is like to haue the greater number to follow him for those short pleasures and Christ but a fewe to follow him bicause they must go loden with crosses Daily experience doth teach vs no lesse when all our actions are carnall haue onely but a little outward shew and no taste at all of true godlines nor so much as any rellish of the spirit and loue of Christ Some will abstaine from the committing of many grosse sins now and then and yet not that I feare greatly in any true and sincere loue to God but either for feare of shame and punishment in this worlde or else feare of vengeance in the world to come which both are vnprofitable for the Lord hath no pleasure in forced seruice he will haue it voluntarie with the hart and procéeding of loue not of a seruile feare otherwise it shall be numbred with the rest of our sinnes This doth greatly condemne vs that though we do not such things our selues yet we can without trouble of conscience gréefe of hart or vexation of minde sée and heare the Lords name blasphemed his saboth vnhalowed idolatrie committed parents dishonored whooredome theft murder and couetousnes commonly vsed and all the lawes of God vtterly contemned and it shall neuer offend the greatest number so much as a thorne in a foote or a blaine vpon a finger What other thing is this but to forsake God in the plaine field and to be afeard to serue him in truth and sinceritie least we should thereby purchase mans displeasure Vnlesse therefore we learne to serue him better in more truth with greater zeale and singlenes of hart we haue nothing else to looke for but that he will forsake vs both in this worlde leauing vs destitute of his assistance that our enimies may pray vpon vs and also in the world to come in giuing out against vs his malediction curse wo and sentence of death The Lord make vs new creatures and giue an vnfained loue of himselfe déepe roote in our harts drawing after it a chéerefull obedience to his sacred word and the selfe same to our brethren wherwith we loue our selues so that all be in God that we may escape dangers in both the worlds that when death that inexorable executioner shall do his office we may arriue at the safe and happy hauen of Gods euerlasting kingdome purchased and paide for by Christ and kept in store for all those that beléeue aright and shall liue and die in him But alas the most part of vs as yet vntill it shall please the almightie to inrich vs be like proud beggers which not being woorth one farthing will boast of great wealth So many brag of great holines but haue none and of great faith as though they could remooue mountaines out of their places and yet know not what true faith is How fearful a saieng is that of Christ When the sonne of man shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead do you thinke that he shal finde any faith vpon the earth As if he should saie he shall finde very little howsoeuer now all perswade themselues that they be faithfull inough The Lorde amende vs for we haue receiued great and infinite good things from the Lords hand both for our bodies and soules but in giuing thanks we are like to the nine leapers mentioned in the Gospell which neuer turned backe to thanke God for their healing The Lord hath poured vpon vs infinite dewes of his swéet and blessed word and yet still we continue to be those drie trées to whom his curse cutting down and casting into the fire belongeth The Lord grant that with all spéede we may turne from our sinnes to righteousnes and holynes of life that God may turne his anger from vs and his fauor towards vs Amen MArcus Antoninus with an oration that he made vpon the death of Caesar is said to haue greatly delighted the people of Rome and that he mooued very many of them to shed great store of bitter teares when he put them in remembrance of the great benefits which they had frō time to time receiued of Caesar withal did shew them Caesars garment wherin his enimies Cassius Brutus had slaine him all full of blood whereat they were so mightily mooued that they expulsed the homicides out of the citie so that they durst not if they woulde liue any
man which the holy Ghost the author of all light and the onely light it selfe hath chosen to be his owne seate and holy habitation Error cannot flowe from the fountaine of wisdome neither is it possible that a line of wickednes should be drawne from the one a centre of all goodnes the fruits of death cannot growe out of the tree of life these are vnpossible things And on the other side where the holy spirit of grace and might hath not place and possession there is no good thing to be found bicause the author of goodnes is not there S. 170. P. 87. and 88. Calamitie patiently borne doth availe very much for the aduancing of the praise of true vertue and vnfained holines S. 171. P. 88 It is mans onely safetie to keepe himselfe neare vnto God for when he shaketh off the gouernment of Gods word and with his sins and iniquities diuideth himselfe from the Lord then commeth his danger he cannot but fall into the hands of sathan hell and destruction S. 172. P. 88. Sorrowes troubles afflictions and vexations are in the children of God the armour and badges of Christ S. 173. P. 89. Howsoeuer God dealeth with men yet he is all one there is no change nor any shadow of change in him the change is in our selues not in the Lord. When we liuing in his feare faith and loue do inioy the light of his countenance his blessing spirituall and temporal if at any time he turne his face from vs and shall take away the comforts of our soules bodies it is bicause we are changed not he S. 174. P. 89. Man must be verie carefull and haue in himselfe at the least a desire that something may be in him to mooue the Lord to grant that vnto him that he craueth or looketh for at his hand as if he will haue the Lord to be mercifull he must vse mercy towards others if he would haue him to be a good father to him he must shew himself an obedient child c. S. 175. P. 89. 90. 91. Diuers and sundry names giuen to Christ to expresse his nature and his disposition toward man S. 175. P. 91. Though a man be neuer so barren bad without any good thing in him yet if the word of the Lord once take hold of his hart and finde any rooting there it will draw him by degrees to the nature of it selfe and make him very fruitfull S. 176. P. 91. A man may boldly inueigh against the sinnes of others when he hath amended his owne amisses and very likely he shall be salt to others when himselfe is seasoned S. 177. P. 92. Although vertue and godlines seeme vnto the wicked very bitter and vnâ—auorie and all vice and naughtines sweeâ—e and well sauoring they are very vnwilling that the gardens of their harts should be weeded euill things drawne out of them or that any good should be planted in them yet the ministers of the word must still do their office and dutie S. 178. P. 93. 94. The holy ghost doth â—â—e to call men and women the sonnes and daughters of them whose maners and conditions they follow not of their naturall parents when they follow not their footesteps S 179. P. 94. Men very honorablie borne and comming of honorable parents being themselues naked that is without vertues and honorable actes do iustly deserue the losse of their titles honor and dignitie and whiles they degenerate from their noble parents of whose honor they brag they are fitly and rightlie compared to Aesops â—ay S. 180. P. 95. Euen as in a threshing place chaffe will be aboue wheat not bicause it is the better but bicause it is the lighter so amongst men they that be vaine and haue nothing in them but pride vainglory and a false opinion of themselues will thrust foorth themselues before those that haue a far greater weight of vertue and iust deserts then they haue but on the otherside the humble man will euer take the lowest place and be well contented with the least account in this world S. 181. P. 96. Whosoeuer will enter the gate to go into that most stately and princely house of the kingdome of heauen must bowe down humble himselfe and stoupe lowe otherwise he breake his head be driuen backward and neuer get in for pride is pestilent sicknes it deuideth a man from God from himselfe and from his neighbour and doth disperse and distract him into infinite euils and innumerable vices S. 182. P. 97. Rioting excesse and fulnes of meate and drinke doth make mens bodies vnapt to all good and holy exercises and very prone and apt to all sinne and wickednes S. 183. P. 98. A cable rope being singled into threads whereof it was made may be drawn through the eie of a needle and a rich man diuiding his riches as God hath appointed and commanded him may enter into the kingdom of heauen S. 184. 105. P 98. 99. A rustie iron key hanging at a whip coard or at a thong of leather which will open the doore and let a man go into an house where is gold and great riches is better then a kâ—iâ— of golde tied to a string or lace of silke and siluer which will not open the locke S. 186. P. 100. 101. Idlenes is a schoolemaster and a teacher of all mischiefes and doth extinguish all vertues in man but godlie and holy exercises are very profitable do much good increase vertue in all that vse them S. 187. P. 102. Vngodly rich men haue a vaile or couering before their eies birde lime in their wings and fetters about their feete that they cannot see the kingdome of God they cannot mooue one feather of a wing towardes heauen nor set one foote before another towards euerlasting life and yet they be merie now but their sorrow is not far off S. 188. P. 102. 103. 104. The higher that proud and vaine men do clymbe the fowler the more mischieuous is their fall Vanitie pompe and pride are very bad and naughtie feathers which christians ought not to suffer to growe in their wings but to pull them out and to cast them into the dust S. 189. P. 104. What difference soeuer is amoÌ„g men now whiles they liue in the world death at the length hauing don his office will make them all so equall and alike that the dust of princes and poore men of rich men beggers of the learned and vnlearned of those that are wise and of the foolish being all mingled togither they can no more be discerned and knowne one from another then the ashes of one tree can be deuided from the ashes of another being both burnt togither in one furnace S. 190. P. 104. 105. Very many in this world being without the feare of God do liue in great pompe al pleasures fulnes of great riches and wealth at will and are highly esteemed during their life whose woes and sorrowes do then begin
froth of gold doth differ from gold it selfe S. 215. P. 123. 124. They that with their hypocrisie do steale the praises commendations of men without any iust desert they either lose them before they die or not long after for the truth will out it will not be hid for euer The glorie of this worlde is buried with mens bodies when they be dead and posterities do forget it To be truely glorious is to despise the glory of this world S. 214. P. 125. 126. Singlenes of hart and true christian simplicitie is best seene and made most euident in troubles and afflictions S. 215. P. 126. 127. Sorrow and griefe shut vp and pestered in mans hart and no way vttered is verie dangerous and deadly weeping mourning and sighing doth lighten and ease the hart S. 216. P. 127. The reprobates and castawaies that be tormented in hell do confesse that the pompe and glorie of this world is transitorie and that it is a vaine thing for man to set his hart vpon Let christians therefore whiles it is to day that is whiles they liue heere vpon the earth set their harts and mindes vpon God heauen heauenly things not vpon this world or ought that belongeth to it let them either confesse heere in their life time that all those things be vaine which the world doth affoord vnto man or else they must confesse it in hell where and when it will be too late S. 218. P. 128. All they that with the eies of faith do behold the ioies and pleasures of heauen laid vp and kept in store for the saints of God in the world to come although they sit heere in the princely seates of all dignitie honor delights or whatsoeuer may hee had in this world yet will they vnfainedly desire to bee dissolued to remooue out of this world and to go to dwell with the Lorde Iesus S. 219. Pag. 129. Men being thirstie do earnestly desire water but their thirst being quenched they turne their backs vpon the fountaine where they found water so men distressed will crie and seeke after God but being eased they will forget him and turne their backs to him S. 220. P. 130. The knowledge and vnderstanding of the word and will of God doth not by and by worke an hungring and thirsting to leade a vertuous and a godly life in all those whom it hath instructed and most perfectly taught what they should do and how they ought to liue He that wil speake good things and will not do them is like an instrument that delighteth other men but not it selfe To what end a man should desire knowledge if he will desire to haue it aright S. 221. P. 131. 132. and 133. Mans bodie must not bee pampered but kept in subiection to the spirit otherwise it will be vnrulie and very vnapt to feare and serue the Lord S. 222. P. 134. Manie men when they be poore and in meane estate will be very lowly but once inriched and aduanced they forget both God and man as in such men honors change maners so were it very well if maners might change honors S. 223. P. 135. There be in this world two principall and chiefe fishers the one is Christ the other is the diuell Christ fisheth for men to saue them the diuell fisheth for men to destroie them The diuell catcheth far moe than Christ the reason is bicause his baite is more agreeable to the corrupted nature of man than Christs baite is but happie are they that take Christs baite and not the diuels S. 224. P. 136. 137. 138. Sathan is a subtle fisher and doth not by and by deale very roughlye with those of whom he maketh a sure account but doth suffer them a little to play and to sport them selues with his hooke in their mouthes vntill at the length they cannot escape S. 225. Pag. 139. and 140. They be most dangerous people that can keepe no counsell nor secrets S. 226. P. 140. 141. and 142. Verie manie will make a shew of vertue that haue no delight in vertue it selfe Such men are fitly compared to painters whose delight is more in colours than in the substance S. 227. P. 142. Very manie will follow Christ with their lips whose harts do neuer come neare him in words they will be with God but in deedes with the diuell S. 228. P. 144. Christ is said to make a feast and to eate at the conuersion of a sinner S. 229. Pag. 14â— and 146. Idlenes doth breede and cherish all wickednes and abhomination in man and doth not become a Christian S. 230. P. 147. The iudgements of God that hang ouer our heads for our vnthankfulnes S. 231. Pag. 147. c. When man in troubles seeketh for comfort from the world he seeketh for life in the house of death S. 229. P. 145. The world with a smiling looke and the diuell with a faire word can sooner haue at commandement to follow them and to do their wils the greatest number than Christ can with his death and the promise of his kingdome S. 231. P. 148. Man is the deerest purchase that euer was made in heauen or earth the like price and cost was neuer bestowed vpon any creatures as vpon man S. 231. P. 148. The goodnes of Christ considered there was neuer any creatures dealt so vnkindlie with him as man doth ibidem When Christ calleth vs to do good then we run headlong to do all maner of euill ibidem It will profite man nothing to abstaine from the committing of sinne if he loue it in his hart and doth it rather for feare of shame here or condemnation in the world to come than drawen with the loue of God ibidem Pag. 151. The people of Rome were mightily mooued with an oration made by Marcus Antoninus vpon the death of Caesar and expulsed the homicides out of the citie but when we heare of the death of Christ and knowe the cause of his death to be our sinnes yet we will not expulse sinne out of our selues they shed teares when they heard what Caesar had done for them but we can heare what Christ did for vs without one teare or anie griefe of hart S. 232. P. 152. Caesar was more beholden to the Romans than Christ is to the most part of the world S. 232. P. 153. The cause of the destruction of Sodom Gomorrhe and that the same sinnes be now very rife S. 232 P. 154. Very many will confesse that God in times past did most iustly punish the sinnes of men but the same confessors will do the like without either feare or loue of God S. 232. P. 154. The examples of Gods iudgements vpon others do no whit moue the vngodly in these daies S. 232. P. 155. and 156. Men in these daies are woorse than some of those Iewes which crucified Christ S. 232. P. 156. They that wil not profit any thing by hearing the worde preached nor will suffer no drops nor dewes of grace to