euill will persecute the good and the good may not partake of the vices of the bad What agreement hath the temple of God with Idols Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the vncleane thing and I will receiue you Out of the Egypt of this world hath God called his Sonnes We are forbidden all fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of of darkenes not altogether with the workers For then wee must needs goe out of the world It is commanded Ierem 15. that the precious be separated from the vile yet so that they may returne to the good though the good may not turne to them It is good for the good to sunder themselues from the incorrigible wicked as being the first stayre of the ladder that leaues the earth and sets the first step of our iourney to heauen God in his eternall decree separated the elect from the Reprobate in his Vocation he sequesters them from nature and sinne When hee executes particular iudgement hee takes Israell from the Tabernacles of Corah when he will giue the generall he will seuer the Sheepe from the Goates Christ then who is the Prince of Peace causeth not quarrels betweene man and man as they are creatures but betwixt goodnesse and euill as they are contrarie natures That the sonnes of Beliall hate the sonnes of God Christ is not the cause but the occasion For when the Gospell separates vs from the world the world then bends his malicious forces against vs. So that Peace in sinne Ver. 51. Christ came not to send but Peace of conscience Phil. 4. The peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding c. Which because the wicked will not embrace therfore Fiue in one house shall be diuided the Father against the Sonne and the Sâ—…nne against the Father c. The Gospell doth not otherwise worke this diuision then the Law is sayd to make sinne because it made sinne knowne Or the Sunne is sayd to cause mothes because it causeth their appearance Let Paul continue a Pharise and the Pharises will loue him conuert he to a Christian and they will hate him Whiles we liue after the world we haue peace with the world none with God when we are turned to Christ we haue peace with God none with the world This ground laid we will consider for the better exposition of the words fiue circumstances The Fire Fewell Kindlers Smoake Bellowes Wherein we shall find Christs willing and the fires kindling Who wils goodnesse to his chosen which he is sure will enrage the wicked to their persecution The cause thus giuen the fire is left to be kindled by others For though Non sine Deo patimur yet non a Deo petimur The instruments of our afflictioÌ„ will be found vngodly who though they plead we haue done the will of the Lord shall goe to hell for their labour The Fire Is discord debate contention anger and hatred against the godly Euery man is composed of foure elementall humours whereof one is Choler resembled to Fire In whom this Choler is most adust puissant they are vsually most hote furious fiery But I speake here of nature for grace can alter nature and purge this corruption Regeneration is the best physicke to purge Choler Many medicines hath Philosophie prescribed against this spirituall disease but in vaine The Philosophers seruant could scoffe his Maister He inueighes against anger writes volumes against it ipse mihi irascitur and yet he is angry with me Onely grace can more then giue rules giue power to master this madnesse Fire and Contention haue some resemblances 1. Debate is like Fire for as that of all elements so this of all passions is most violent The earth is huge yet we walke quietly on it it suffers our ploughes to rend vp the entrals of it to teach vs patience The aire is copious yet admits our respiration The waters boystrous yet sayle we vpon them against them But Fire especially getting the vpper hand is vnmercifully raging it left nothing behind to witnesse the former happynes of Sodome The worlds last destruction shall be by Fire and God vseth that of all elements to expresse the very torments of hell adding Brimstone to it To this is the anger of God likened Our God is euen a consuming fire So doth debate exceede all passions flouds of correction can quench the turbulent an fiery spitit which is set on fire of hell Onely one extreame may driue out another as we hold our burnt finger to the fire by a new heat to extract the former So the fire of grace onely must draw out the Fire of debate or send it to the euerlasting fire to purge it 2. Contention is like Fire for both burne so long as there is any exustible matter to contend against Only herein it transcends fire for fire begets not matter but consumes it debate begets matter but not consumes it For the wicked study cause of contention as Benhadad against Ahab 1. king 20. So when the Pope could find no iust exception against Fredericke the Emperour he quarrell'd with him for holding the wrong stirrop when the great Prelate should mount his palfrey and thought he might easily mistake for Emperours are not vsed to hold stirrops yet hee was persecuted almost to excommunication for it It is wofull dwelling amongst debatefull men whose soules hate peace that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without naturall affection which Paul makes a reprobates marke striking all that stand in their way and not ceasing to burne till all matter cease to feede them Salomon discribes such with a firie comparison First ver 17. he cals him a Busi-body he passeth by and meddleth with strife belonging not to him he thrusts himselfe into impertinent busines and is like one that taketh a dog by the eares which hee can neither hold nor well let goe ver 18. He notes his politicke villanie As a mad-man who casteth firebrands arrowes and death and saith Am I not insport he scattereth abroad mortall mischiefes vnder the colour of iest And ver 20. lest the fire should goe out hee administers fewell himselfe Where no wood is there the fire goeth out ver 21. when he hath kindled this flame hee striues to spread and disperse it and is as coales to burning coales and wood to the fire The words of a tale-bearer are wounds and they goe downe into the innermost parts of the belly They penetrate and cruciate the most tender and sensible places 3. As a litle sparke growes to a great flame so a small debate often proues a great rent Behold how great a matter a litle fire kindleth The wind at first a small vapour yet gets such strength in going that it ouer-turnes trees and towers A back-biting tongue hath pulled downe strong citties and ouerthrowne the houses of great men Warre is compared to fire
thy prisoners out of the pitte wherein is no water Set then the frost against the raine and you may goe in Purgatory dry-shod If there be nothing left but fire I make no question but there is not a sparke difference betwixt Purgatory and Hell I should narrow vp the scope and liberty of Gods spirit if I should heere tie my discourse to the letter Wee went through fire and through water It is an effect of our persecution and may thus be resolued we were by their malice driuen to great extremity Fire and water are two elements which they say haue no mercy yet eyther of them more then our oppressors The time was that a red Sea diuided the waters and gaue dry passage to the children of Israel and of God Whereof the Psalmist heere sings vers 6. Hee turned the Sea into dry land they vvent through the floud on foote there did wee reioyce in him And the fire in an Ouen whose heate was septupled touched not those three seruants of the Lord. But these more incensed and insensible creatures haue no mercy nor can they inuent a cruelty which they forbeare to execute Some translations haue it Wee went into fire and into water which extends their persecution to our deaths and comprehends the latitude of mortall martyrdome And thus vnderstood the next words of the deliuerance Thou broughtest vs out into a wealthy place must bee meant of our glory in heauen But the euident circumstances following deny that interpretation therefore I adhere to the last and best Translation Wee went through fire and through water Wherein two things may seeme to be imported and imparted to our consideration 1. We went They went so conueniently as they might and so conscionably as they durst from the hands of their persecutors 2. The hard exigents they were driuen to when to passe through fire and water was but a lesse euill compared with that they eschewed Per mare mactantes fugimus per saxa per ignes 1. From the former obserue that it may be lawfull in time of persecution to flie This was granted yea in some respects enioyned by Christ. But must be warily vnderstood and the rule in a word may bee this When our suffering may stand the Church of God in better stead then our flying we must then lose our liues to saue Gods honour and our owne soules To deny God this fealtie and tribute of our blouds when his glory hath vse of such a seruice at our hands is not onely to deny him that is his owne by many deare titles of creation which was ex spiritu oris by the breath of his mouth and of redemption which was ex sanguine cordis by the bloud of his heart But to withdraw this iustly required testimony is to betray and crucifie him and scarce inferior to their periury whose false witnesse condemned him In this we restore to God his talent with profit not only our owne soule he gaue vs but as many more as our example workes vpon and winnes to him When the people admired the great bounty of Iohn called Eleemosynarius he answered them O brethren I haue not yet shed my bloud for you as I ought to doe for my masters sake and testimony In the early morning of the world did Abel dedicate Martyrdome without example and the Lord did approue it by accepting Abels sacrifice and Abel for a sacrifice I haue read that a worthy Martyr of ours Dr. Rowland Taylor wrote first with inke after with his bloud that it is not enough to professe the Gospell of Christ ad ignem exclusiue but we must cleaue to it ad ignem inclusiuè This was an honor that Christ accepted presently after his birth the Holocaust or Heccatomb of many innocent infants murdered and martyred for his sake So that suffering for Iesus is a thing to which he promiseth an ample reward No man shall for sake parents or friends or inheritance or liuing or life for my sake but hee shall haue in exchange a hundred fold so much comfort in this life and in the world to come life euerlasting But all times and occasions yeeld not warrant for such a seruice Much lesse can the Seminaries dying in England for treason arrogate to themselues the glory of Martyrdome though a vicious affectation of it hath hartned and hardned them to such a prodigality of their blouds They come not to maintaine the verity of Scriptures but the vanity of Traditions the entangling perplexities of Schoolemen the obscure tetricall and contradictory assertions of Popes who commands them to steale that with their liues which not onely is in inuolued beeing but in future contingence whatsoeuer the Romane Church that is the Pope shall heereafter constitute or declare 2. From the latter words Through fire and water obserue that the children of God must not expect a gentle and soft entertainment in this world but hard exigents when to flie from their enemies they are faine to passe through fire and water Affliction for the Gospell is called by Paul the markes of the Lord Iesus The world often sets a man as those three seruants of God were set in Daniels Prophecie On the one side a harmony of sweet musike the Cornet Flute c. on the other side a burning furnace hette aboue ordinary seuen times Worship the Idoll and enioy the delight of musicke not worship it and be cast into the fiery ouen Ioyne with the world in his vngodly customes and the world will loue feast tickle your eares with musicke Separate your selues and it will hate you Ioh. 15. If you were of the world the world would loue his owne but because I haue chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you Thou shalt bee like Abrahams Ramme tyed in a bush of thornes from which thou canst not extricate thy selfe till thou be made a sacrifice I haue read that Caligula the Tyrant being dead there were found in his Closet Duo libelli one called a sword the other a dagger wherein many were by name prick'd for death and destin'd to it in the Emperours bloudy intention Presumptuous enemies so cast lots on a Nation before they haue it and talke of diuiding a spoyle ere they come at it Iudg. 5. Haue they not sped haue they not diuided the prey So the proud aduersary in that wonderfull yeare 88. that came with an Inuincible Nauy and implacable fury the Ensignes of whose shippes weâ—…e victoria victoria brought ready with them instruments of torture as if the Land of peace and mercy had in it no such engines of cruelty and swallowed downe an abundant hope of our desolation They threw at dice for our wiues and daughters lands and vineyards houses and heritages shires and kingdome They purposed to driue vs through fire and water but fire and water was their destruction Fire broke the sinewes of their combination and the waues deuoured both their hopes
as strictly examine your going out as it did your coÌ„ming in Nonne telluris tres tantum cubiti te expectant doe not only three cubites of ground allotte themselues to receiue you Onely a graue remaynes and all you that boast of your great lands shall at that day say haec terrâ—… mea and terra tua this is all my land this is all thy land euen so much roome as thy dusts will take vp all the remainder of mighty Hercules will scarce fill a little pitcher A litle quantitie of ground hath nature proportion'd thee distst thou possesse as much as euer the Tempter shewed Christ. When certaine Philosophers intentiuely beheld the Tombe of Alexander sayth one Heri fecit ex auro thesaurum bodie aurum ex eo facit thesaurum Yesterday he treasured vp gold to day gold treasures vp him Another Yesterday the world did not content him to day ten cubites containe him Socrates carried Alcibiades bragging of his lands to a mappe of the world and bad him demonstrate them Alcibiades could not find them for alas Athens it selfe was but a small and scarce discernable point A wiser man spake otherwise of his lands O Ager quà m multorum fuisti eris nunc meus postea mescio cuius O Land how many mens hast thou beene and shalt be now mine and herafter I know not whose So litle ground contents vs when we are dead But when the wicked shall rise againe would it not serue them still with all their hearts Had they not rather lie in rottennesse then combustion Were not a cold graue more welcome then a hote furnace Yes rather had they be dead without sense then aliue in torment Now they beg not a cittie though a little one as Zoar not a house though poore and bleake as Codrus his not an open ayre though sharpe and irkesome scorched with the Indian Sunne or frossen with the Russian cold there is no hope of these fauours Giue them but a mountaine to fall on them and a rocke to hide them and they are highly pleased Here is a strange alteration for the wicked When they shall goe from a glorious mansion to a loathsome dungeon from the table of surfet to the table of vengeance from fawning obseruants to afflicting spirits from a bed of downe to a bed of fire from soft linnen and silken couerings to wish a rocke for their pillow and a mountaine for their couerlet Nay and yet they that commanded so farre on earth cannot command this peece of earth to doe them such a kindnesse They could in the dayes of their pride speake imperiously enough this land is mine this towne is mine as Naball sayd Shall I take my meate and my drinke c. but nowe they feele it was none of theirs not one hole must shelter them not one hillocke doe them seruice Nothing helpes when God will smite mountaines and rockes are no defence when God pursues Doest thou thinke to raigne because thou cloathest thy selfe in Cedar What is Cedar against thunder GOD hath a hand that can strike through Forts Rockes and Bulwarkes The seuenfold wals of Babilon cannot defend the Tyrant within them The heauens melt at the presence of the Lord if he touch the mountaines they smoake for it The of-spring of the reuiued world offer to build a Tower whose toppe might reach to Heauen What securitie could be in it Are not thinges nearer to heauen more subiect to the violences of Heauen lightning thunder and those higher inflammations Feriunt summos fulgura montes In se magna ruunt summisque negatum est stare diù God soone made it a monument of their follie and his power He giues confusion of their voyces and their worke at once When God raigned from heauen that greatest showre that euer the earth did or shall sustaine you knowe their shifts They thinke to ouer-climbe the iudgement and being got vp to the highest mountaines looke downe with some hope on the swimming valleys When the water began to ascend vp to their refuged hils and the place of their hope became an Iland loe now they hitch vp higher to the toppes of the tallest trees till at last the waters ouertake them halfe dead with hunger and horror The mountaines could not saue them in that day of water nor shall the mountaines in this day of fire It is not then the defence of forts or ports the secrecie of caues or graues the bottome-burroughes of hils or vaultie dens of rockes not a league with all the elements of the world beastes of the earth stones of the street that can secure them Be hidden they cannot what should they then wish but death they that once trembled to die doe nowe more quake to liue they would bee glad of a riddance and kisse the instrument of their annihilation They would prise and embrace it as the best happynes that euer saluted them if like beasts they might perish to nothing Here they enuie the storke stagge rauen oake for long life and chide nature for their owne shortnesse But at this day they would change with any flower though the continuance thereof were not so much as Ionah's Gourds and thinke not to be was to be happy The pangs of the first death are pleasures in respect of the second But what hope is there of their securitie or refuge in mountaines when ver 14. The very heauen shall depart a sâ—…rowle that is rolled vp together and euerie mountaine and Iland shall be moued out of their places Heauen is expansum tanquam linteum diducta laâ—…ina but shall then be folded vp like a garment whose beautie is not seene or rolled together like a volume whose large contents are as it were abridged not that the matter of the world shall be quite abolished For as we say now of grace Adolet non abolet naturam gratia so we may say of glorie Perficit non perdit mundum gloria Corruption shal be taken away not all the matter that was corrupted But if all things be thus narrowly searched how shall the vngodly hope to lye hidden We haue now considered the horror of the Reprobates let vs looke to the Iudge from whom they desire to be hidden From the presence of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the lambe In whom we find an omniscience and an omnipotence which circumstances the time allowes me but to mention First for his all knowing Wisdome From the face It was euer the fashion of guiltines to flie from the presence of God Adam had no sooner sinned but he thrusts his head in a bush Sins ineuitable effect is Shame Though impudence beare it our for a time Ier. 6. They were not ashamed when they had committed abomination yet they shall one day beare the reproch of their sinnes and be ashamed yea euen confounded Shame must come either first to repentance Rom. 6. what fruit had you then in those things wherof
that is called by my Name as I haue done to Shiloh It lies in the power of sinne to make the most blessed places accursed God turnes a fruitfull land into barrennesse for the wickednesse of the inhabitants that dwell therein Ciuitatis euersio morum non murorum casus The ruine of a Citie is not the breach of the walls but the apostacie of manners Were our Fences stronger then the seuen-folde walls of Babylon the sinnes within would hurle downe the Bulwarkes without If there be Prauilegium among vs there is no Priuilegium for vs. This Sion then stands not on earthly foundations for at the generall dissolution the earth with all the workes in it Cities Castles Townes Towres shall be burnt vp If it were built on a saâ—…dy foundation when the raine the flouds and windes shall conspire against it it would fall and the fall of it would be great But Sion is built on Christ Behold I say in Sion a chiefe corner stone elect and precious he that beleeueth on him shall not be confounded This is conspicuous by the Antithesis of Mount Sion with the Gospell to Mount Sinai with the Law The Apostlecals that montem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a mount that might be touched if this had beene vpon earth it had also beene contrectabilis touchable but it is onely spirituall Hee alludes to Gods Prophesies and Promises Euangelium proditurum de monte Sion that the Gospel should come out of Mount Sion This is manifest to those that will consider and conferre these places Obad. vers 21. Esa. 2. 3. Mie 4. 2. Come let vs goe vp to the Mount of the Lord for out of Sion shall goe forth the Law and the word of God from Ierusalem Esa. 59. 20. with Rom. 11. 26. There shall come out of Sion the Deliuerer and shall turne away vngodlinesse from Iacob Sinai gaue thraldome by Moses Sion giues freedome and saluation by Iesus These two words giue vs two comforts of grace Fortitudinem quia mons Beatitudinem quia mons Sion Securitie because it is a mountaine Felicity because it is Mount Sion 1. Heere is considerable the validity and strength of grace that comes by Christ we are not built in a valley but on a mount A mountaine hath euer beene held the place of safety I said in my prosperity I shall neuer be moued What is his reason Lord thou of thy fauour hast made my mountaine so strong But alas what are all the mountaines of the earth to mount Sion Woe to them that trust in the mountaines of Samaria The prophane Edomite stands on his mountain and derides the iudgement of God The Syrians thought God only Deum montium a God of the mountaines It was vpon the high mountaine that Israel played the harlot Many sit on their mountains and giue defiance to heauen The couetous mans mountaine is his riches there he thinkes himselfe safe Soule rest thou hast much goods layd vp for many yeares The ambitious mans mountaine is his honour and who dares finde fault with so promontorious a celsitude yes Euery mountaine shall be brought low Sensualitie is the voluptuous mans mountaine there he refugeth himselfe against all reproofes But when the iudgements of God shall come vpon the earth in vaine they shal cry to the mountaines Fallon vs and to the hills Couer vs. As neyther against the waters in the former Deluge so nor against the fire in the latter dissolution shall the mountaines defend onely this Mount Sion shall saue vs. The mountaine of worldly confidence hath not more strength of defending against the assaults of men then danger of exposing to the violences of heauen Heere is the difference betwixt the worldlings building and the Christians 1. They thinke themselues onely to build high aspiring to an equality with mountaines and as low builders poore deiected and reiected creatures But indeed they build low for all sublunary things are low buildings onely he that builds on this Mount Sion builds high and sure when all oppositions and aduersary forces haue done their worst he stands firme like Mount Sion which cannot be remoued but abideth fast for euer The Wise mans mind is euer aboue the Moone yea aboue the Sun What turbulencies soeuer be in the world all is peace there In my Fathers house there are many mansions In domo it is a house not a Tabernacle Of my Father for if he hath afforded such a house for his enemies how glorious is that he hath reserued for himselfe and his friends Patris mei saith Christ My Father your Father is able to giue you a cottage for your short life My Father giues a house for euer There are Mansions à manendo not moueable tents but mansions Many enow for all none shall be troubled for want of elbow-roome Therefore let all Mountaines stoope to this The mountaine of the Lord shall be established in the top of mountaines and shall be exalted aboue the hills and all Nations shal flowe vnto it This is Gods Mountaine who hath chosen of all Nations Israel of all Tribes Iuda of all Cities Ierusalem of all Temples that of Salomon of all Mountaines Mount Sion 2. The worldlings thinke this Mountaine is but a dreame because they cannot see it nor touch it But our Apostle sayes it is intrectabilis it cannot be touched with earthly fingers no profane feet must tread in those holy Courts Naturall mens vnderstandings are led by their senses Plus oculo quà m oraculo they will belieue no further then they see Giue mee good cheare sayes the Epicure this I can see and taste and tell not me of your spirituall banket in heauen Giue me good liquour sayes the Drunkard the bloud of the grape this giues colorem saporem odorem colour to the eye sauour to the palate odour to the sent heauen hath no Nectar like this Giue me honour saith the Ambitious which may aduaunce me that from this Mountaine of preferment I may ouerlooke the inferiour world and behold vassals prostrate to my Celsitude this I can feele and see tel not me of your inuisible kingdome and Such honour haue all his Saints Giue mee gorgeous apparell sayes the proud this vvill make me admir'd giue me admission among the great ones tell not me of our Robe of Glory Giue me gold saies the Couetous this I can see it is my Sunne by day and my Moone by night I can spend my time delightfully in telling feeling treasuring this neuer tell me of your treasure in heauen Well if there be no remedy but Sense must be your Religion and this world your God take your choise these grosse palpable things trust you in these Mountaines but Lord giue vs this Mount Sion which our Lord Iesus Christ hath established for vs. Now sith we are built vpon a Mountaine let vs know that we are conspicuous all the world takes notice of vs. The faithfull
of God but it appeares not yet what we shall be Hast thou heere much peace there is more here wee haue desiderium pacis there pacem desiderij Heere a desire of peace there the peace of our desires Hast thou heere some ioy there is more now ioy with sorrow checker-worke white and blacke roses but thornes with them then ioy with safety safety with eternity such ioy as shall neuer be taken from vs. There Rex veritas Lex charitas pax foelicitas vita aeternitas If one day in lower Sion be better then a thousand daies in the tents of wickednesse then one day in vpper Sion is better then a thousand yeeres in this valley of teares If Peter was so rauished with Mount Tabor where onely Christ was transfigured what is he with this Mount Sion where all are glorified How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord If Gods Tabernacles be so louely what is his mansion If there bee such ioy in the remission of sinne what is there in the abolition of sinne If there bee now such sweet peace in thy heart such musicke in thy conscience what mayst thou thinke there is in heauen But because non capimus illa illa capiant nos we cannot comprehend those pleasures let those pleasures comprehend vs. Good seruant the ioy is too great to enter into thee therfore enter thou into the ioy of thy Lord. This Mount Sion did God giue to Christ and Christ to vs. God to his Sonne Yet haue I set my King vpon my holy hill of Sion The Sonne to vs A Lambe stood on Mount Sion and with him 144. thousand c. A Lambe in figure slaine from the foundation of the world A Lambe in fact led like a Lambe to the slaughter standeth sits not idle nor lies asleepe hee that kepeth Israel neyther slumbers nor sleepes whereon not as the two beasts his opposites that rise out of the earth and Sea but on a Mount What Mount not Sinai but Sion Other mountaines quake at his presence The hils melted like waxe at the presence of the Lord. But Sion heard and was glad and the daughters of Iuda reioyced Other mountains in homage to this haue skipped and danced about it The mountaines skipped like Rams and the little hils like Lambes He stands therefore is willing to defend on a Mount therefore able to defend on Mount Sion therefore ready to defend because hee is in the middest of his owne and sees his Church round about him So that though all the red Dragons on earth and blacke Deuils in hell rage against vs yet the Lambe on Mount Sion will defend vs. There now hee stands calling vs by grace there we shall one day behold him calling vs to glory vntill hee giue this glory to vs yea then and euer let vs giue all glory to the Lambe that stands on Mount Sion This is the place which the Lord chose and loues He refused the Tabernacle of Ioseph and chose not the Tribe of Ephraim But chose the Tribe of Iudah the Mount Sion which he loued This praise did inherit and inhabite Sion The Lord hath chosen Sion he hath desired it for his habitation This is my rest for euer heere will I dwell for I haue desired it Let the precedent of Gods affection worke in all our hearts a zeale to Sion The Lord that chose Sion chuse vs to Sion he that desired it his habitation make it the habitation of our desires It is his rest let it be ours that we may rest with him Here will I dwell saith he let vs all pray to dwell there Though it bee a hill a high hill though paines and toyle in getting vp yet let vs ascend for aboue there is eternall ioy The City of the liuing God the heauenly Ierusalem I come from the Situation to the Citie you heare where it is heare now what it is A City in a Mountaine Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the City of our God in the Mountaine of his holinesse Beautifull for situation the ioy of the whole earth is Mount Sion on the sides of the North the City of the great King God is knowne in her Palaces for a sure refuge Heere be foure circumstances 1. Quae sit not a Village but a City 2. Cuius not mans but Gods not a faigned but the liuing Gods 3. Qualis not earthly but heauenly 4. Quo nomine not Sodome or Samaria but the City of peace Ierusalem The Citie The Church may be compared to a Citie for three resemblances of Safety Vnitie Paucity 1. For safety Cities haue euer bene held the securest places So Lot said of little Zoar Let me escape thither my soul shall liue Cain fearing the execution of his curse built him a Citie for refuge and called it Enoch The motiue that caused those wicked to build a City was security lest we be scattered abroad vpon the face of the whole earth The Israelites had their Cities of refuge and a Law of their protection Num. 35. 27. But there is no Citie of sure refuge but this Citie of the liuing God It is ordinary with men to put too much trust like Israel in their walled Cities Except the Lord keep the Citie the watchman waketh but in vaine Shalt thou raigne because thou closest thy selfe in Cedar Thou thinkest thy selfe secure because an inhabitant of this famous London No thou liuest in an Iland therefore in danger of the Sea in a Christian Iland therefore in danger of the Turke in a Protestant Iland therefore in danger of the Pope in a chiefe City of this Iland therefore in danger of the diuell The Citie is perilous for pride the more spectators the more acclamations the larger the Theater the lowder the applause The solemne assembly in Cesaria puffed vp ambitious Herod to his owne destruction The people showted Vox Dei but the wormes confuted their flattery his folly Simon Magus ventured that flight in a Citie to which in an obscure Village he had neither been tempted nor would haue attempted And whether quicke commings in of money make not this Citie vnsafe to many soules miserable experience hath euinced Praeceps locum princeps damnum suddaine profit is capitall losse But suppose men care not so much for the safety of their soules are their bodies secure Thieues homicides fires deny it But if they scape all these fires yet not the last fire Your buckets may quench other fires not this no milke nor vineger can extinguish that wild fire As in the dayes of Noah a Doue could not set downe her foote for water so nor at this day for fire Let this meditation like a fortunate storme driue you to harbour the weakenesse of all Cities in the world to the safety of the Citie of God 2. For vnitie Familiarity hath the name Quasi eiusdem familiae as it were of the same
couer'd with waues but Christs rebuke quieted all and there followed a great calme Heere are cruell Nimrods riding ouer innocent heads as they would ouer fallow lands and dangerous passages through fire and water but the storme is soone ended or rather the passengers are landed Thou broughtest vs out into a wealthy place So that this straine of Dauids musicke or Psalmodie consists of two notes one mournefull the other mirthfull the one a touch of distresse the other of redresse which directs our course to an obseruation of Miseâ—…e Mercie of grieuous misery of gracious Mercy There is desolation and Consolation in one verse a deepe deiection as laid vnder the feete of beasts a high erection brought out into a wealthy place In both these straines God hath his stroke he is a principall in this Consort He is brought in for an Actor Author an Actor in the Persecution an Author in the deliuerance Thou causest c. Thou broughtest c. In the one he is a causing worker in the other a sole-working cause In the one he is ioyned with company in the other he workes alone He hath a finger in the former his whole hand in the latter We must begin with the Miserie before wee come to the Mercie If there were no trouble wee should not know the worth of a deliuerance The passion of the Saints is giuen by the hearty and ponderous description for very grieuous yet it is written in the forehead of the Text The Lord caused it Thou causedst men to ride c. Heereupon some wicked Libertine may offer to rubbe his filthinesse vpon Gods purity and to plead an authenticall deriuation of all his villany against the Saints from the Lords warrant He caused it Wee answere to the iustification of Truth it selfe that God doth ordaine and order euery persecution that striketh his children without any allowance to the instrument that giues the blow God workes in the same action with others not after the same manner In the affliction of Iob were three Agents God Satan and the Sabeans The Diuell works on his body the Sabeans on his goods yet Iob confesseth a third party The Lord giues and the Lord takes away Here Oppressors trample on the godly and God is said to cause it He causeth affliction for triall so ver 10. and 11. Thou hast tried vs c. they vvorke it for malice neither can God be accused nor they excused In a sinfull action there be two things the Materiall and the Formall part which we commonly distinguish into the act and defect The Materiall part is of GOD from whom is all Motion the Formall is from the prauitie of the agent Persecutors could not accuse vs maliciously if GOD gaue not motion to their tongues nor strike vs wrongfully if he denied strength to their hands Thought sight desire speech strength motion are Gods good gifts to turne all these to his dishonour is the wicked persons fault God hath another intent then man hath euen in mans worke The Chaldeans steale Iobs wealth to enrich themselues the Diuell afflicts his body in his hatred to mankind God suffers all this for the triall of his patience Man for couetousnesse the diuell for malice God for probation of the afflicted's constancie and aduancing his owne glory In the giuing of Christ to death as Augustine obserues the Father gaue the Sonne the Sonne gaue himselfe Iudas betrayed him and the Iewes crucified him In one and the same tradition God is to be blessed and man condemned Quia in re vna quam fecerunt causa non vna ob quam fecerunt Because in that same thing they all did there vvas not the same cause vvhy they all did it Gods end was loue Iudas his auarice the Ievves malice The couetous Extortioner taketh away the goods of his neighbour that robber spoyleth He could haue no tongue to plead nor wit to circumuent nor hands to carry away without God from him hee hath those creatures that notion and motion But to peruert all these to damnifie others and to damne himselfe ariseth from his owne auarous and rancorous prauity His intent is wicked yet not without Gods wisedom to raise profit from it Perhaps the oppressed had too good a liking to the World and beganne to admit a little confidence in their wealth the Lord hath benefited them in taking away these snares to saue their soules Yet without toleration countenance or helpe to the wicked The Vsurer hath done thee good by making thee poore in purse helped thee to the riches of grace yet he goes to hell for his labour They that doe GOD seruice against their wills shall haue but shrewd wages It cannot be denied but the diuell did God seruice in trying Iob winnowing Peter buffetting Paul executing Iudas yet shall not all this ease the least torment of his damnation For triall here are these oppressors suffred to ride ouer the godly's heads and to driue them through fire and vvater when these haue like furnaces purged them from drosse corruption themselues shall be burnt For it is vsuall with God when he hath done beating his children to throw the rodde into the fire Babylon a long time shall be the Lords Hammer to bruise the Nations at last it selfe shal be bruised Iudas did an act that redounds to Gods eternal honour and our blessed saluation yet was his wages the gallhouse All these hammers axes rods sawes swords instruments when they haue done those offices they neuer meant shall for those they haue meant be throwne to confusion I will now leaue Gods iustice to himselfe and come to the iniustice of these Oppressors and the passion of the sufferers And because the qualitie of these latter shal adde some aggrauation to the cruell malice of the former I will first set before your eyes the Martyrs The Psalme beeing written by Dauid and the suffrers spoken of in the first person plurall We Vs and Our it followes that it was both Dauid and such as Dauid was beloued of God holy Saints And whom doth the vvorld thinke to ride ouer but Saints Psal. 44. 22. Who should be appointed to the slaughter but Sheepe The Wolfe will not prey on the Fox he 's too crafty nor on the Elephant he 's too mighty nor on a dogge he 's too equall but on the silly Lambe that can neither run to scape nor fight to conquer They write of a Bird that is the Crocodiles toothpicker and feedes on the fragments left in his teeth whiles the serpent lyes a sunning vvhich when the vnthankfull Crocodile would deuoure God hath set so sharpe a prick on the top of the Birds head that he dares not shut his iawes till it be gone And they speake of a little Fish that goes bristling by the Pike or any other rauenous water-creature and they dare not for his pricks thornes touch him Those whom Nature or Art strength or sleight haue made inexposable to easie ruine may passe vnmolested The
and Luxurie let him take heed lest he meet with a wind that shall take off his Charriot-wheeles as Pharaoh was punished drowne horses and chariots Riders not in the Red-Sea but in that infernall Lake vvhence there is no redemption Let all these Riders beware lest hee that rides on the wings of vengeance with a sword drawne in his hand that will eate flesh and drinke bloud that will make such haste in the pursute of his enemies that he will not bait or refresh himselfe by the way lest this God before they haue repented ouertake them Gird thy sword vpon thy thigh O most mighty and in thy maiestie ride prosperously c. and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things Then shall the Lord remember the children of Edom in the day of Ierusalem and reward them as they serued vs. Loe now the end of these Riders There are the workers of iniquitie fallen they are cast downe and shall not be able to rise Zach. 10. The riders on horses shall be confounded 2. For vs though passion possesse our bodies let patience possesse our soules The law of our Profession bindes vs to a warfare patiendo vincimus our troubles shall end our victory is eternall Heare Dauids triumph Psalm 18. I haue wounded them that they were not able to rise they are fallen vnder my feete Thou hast subdued vnder mee those that rose vp against mee Thou hast also giuen me the neck of mine enemies c. They haue wounds for their woundes and the treaders downe of the poore are troden down by the poore The Lord will subdue those to vs that would haue subdued vs to themselues and though for a short time they rode ouer our heads yet now at last wee shall euerlastingly tread vpon their necks Loe then the reward of humble patience and confident hope Speramus et Superamus Our God is not as their God euen our enemies beeing iudges Psal. 20. Some put their trust in Chariots and some in horses But no Chariot hath strength to oppose nor horse swiftnesse to escape when God pursues They are brought downe and fallen we are risen stand vpright Their trust hath deceiued them downe they fall and neuer to rise Our God hath helped vs wee are risen not for a breathing space but to stand vpright for euer Tentations persecutions oppressions crosses infamies bondage death are but the way wherein our blessed Sauiour went before vs and many Saints followed him Behold them with the eyes of faith now mounted aboue the clowds trampling all the vanities of this world vnder their glorified feet standing on the battlements of heauen and wafting vs to them with the hands of encouragement They bid vs fight and wee shall conquer suffer and we shall raigne And as the Lord Iesus that once suffered a reprochfull death at the hands of his enemies now sits at the right hand of the Maiestie in the highest places farre aboue all Principalities and Powers Thrones and Dominations till his enemies bee made his footestoole So one day they that in their haughty pride mercilesse oppressions rode ouer our heads shall then lie vnder our feete Through thee will wee push downe our enemies through thy Name will wee tread them vnder that rise vp against vs. At what time yonder glorious skie Coelum stellatum which is now our seeling ouer our heads shall be but a pauement vnder our feet To which glory he that made vs by his Word and bought vs by the bloud of his Sonne seale vs vp by his blessed Spirit Amen THE VICTORIE OF PATIENCE With the expiration of Malice PSALME 66. 12. VVe went through fire and through water but thou broughtest vs out into a wealthy place I DID not in the former Sermon draw out the oppressing cruelty of these Persecutours to the vtmost scope and period of their malice nor extend their impium imperium to the furthest limit and determination therof There is yet one glimpse of their stinking candle before the snuffe goes out one groane ere their malice expire We went through fire and water The Papists when they heare these words went through fire and water startle and cry out Purgatory direct proofes for Purgatory With as good reason as Sedulius on that dreame of Pharaohs Officer Gen. 40. 10. A vine was before me and in the vine were three branches sayes that the Vine signifies St. Francis and the three branches the three Orders deriued from him And as a Pope on that of Samuel Behold to obey is better thâ—…n sacrifice and stubbornnesse is as Idolatry inferres that not to obey the Apostolike See of Rome was Idolatry by the witnesse of Samuel Or as one writes of St. Fraâ—…cis that because it is said Vnlesse you become as little children you cannot enter into the kingdom of heauen he commanded one Massaeus to tumble round like a little childe that he might enter Or as when the contention was betwixt the Seruices of Amâ—…se and Gregorie which should take place by the common consent both the Masse-bookes were layd on the Altar of S. Peter expecting some decision of that doubt by reuelation The Church dores being opened in the morning Gregories Missal-booke was rent and torne into many pieces but Ambroses lay whole and open vpon the Altar Which euent in a sober exposition would haue signified the Masse of Gregory cancelled and abolished and that of Ambrose authenticall and allowed But the wise Pope Adrian expounds it thus that the renting and scattering of Gregories Missall intended that it should be dispersed ouer all the Christian world and onely receiued as Canonical Or as that simple Fryer that finding Maria in the Scripture vsed plurally for Seas cryed out in the ostentation of his lucky witte that he had found in the olde Testament the name of Maria for the Virgin Mary But I purpose not to waste time in this place and among such hearers in the confutation of this ridiculous folly Resting my selfe on the iudgement of a vvorthie learned man in our Church that Purgatory is nothing else but a Mythologie a morall vse of strange fables As when Pius the second had fent abroad his Indulgencies to all that would take Armes against the Turke the Turke wrote to him to call in his Epigrams againe Or as Bellarmine excused Prudentiuâ—… when hee appoints certaine holy-dayes in hell that hee did but poetize So all their fabulous discourse of Purgatory is but Epigrams poetry a more serious kinde of iest Wherein they laugh among themselues how they couzen the world and fill the Popes coffers Who for his aduantage Ens non esse facit non ens fore So that if Roffensis gather out of this place that in Purgatory there is great store of water Wee went through fire and water We may oppose against him Sir Thomas More who proues from Zachary 9. that there is no water at all I haue sent forth
themselues The godly at last shall be as mighty men Zach. 10. 5. treading downe their enemies in the myre of the streets in the battell and they shall fight because the Lord is with them The grieuousnesse of these afflictions must teach vs two vsefull lessons Patience Prayer 1. Patience Acts. 5. The Apostles departed from the presence of the Councell reioycing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Christ. A true Christian reioyceth in his tribulation especially when it is for his Sauiours sake and takes greater pleasure in his yron fetters then a proud Courtier doth of his golden chaine Reu. 14. Blessed are they that dye in the Lord. But if it be so blessed a thing to dye in the Lord what is it to die for the Lord Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints It was Hardings inuectiue against our reuerend learned and precious Iewell that Protestants were worse then the Deuill for whereas bread and water and the crosse could scarre away Deuils Princes could be rid of them by no meanes but Fire To whom that excellent Bishop answeres that though it pleased his malicious humour to make but a ieast of the bloud of Gods Saints yet it was no more ignominie for Lambes to suffer what Christ suffered then it was praise and credit for wolues to betray him as Iudas did Our patience is our crowne and others conuersion Eusebius from Clement reporteth that when a wicked accuser had brought S. Iames to condemnation seeing his Christian fortitude hee was touched in conscience confessed himself a Christian and so was taken to execution with him Where earnestly beseeching S. Iames to forgiue him he after a little pawse kissed him and said Peace be to thee brother and they were beheaded together O blessed Patience which not onely gets honour to our selues but brings other to saluation and in all glorifies God 2. Prayer This was the Apostles refuge in the time of affliction Act. 4. 24. Bernard in a Fiction doth excellently expresse this necessity enforce this duty He supposeth the kings of Babylon and Ierusalem by whom hee meanes the world and the Church to bee at warre one against the other During this hostility a souldier of Ierusalem was fled to the Castle of Iustice. Siege was laid to this Castle and a multitude of enemies enuironed and entrenched it round There lyes neere this Souldier a faint-hearted coward called Feare this speakes nothing but discomfort and when Hope would step in to speak some courage Feare thrusts her out of dores Whilst these two opposites feare and hope stand debating the Christian Souldier resolues to appeale to the direction of sacred Wisedome who was chiefe Councellor to the Captaine of the Castle Iustice. Heare Wisedome speake Dost thou not know faith she that the God whom wee serue is able to deliuer vs Is he not the Lord of hostes euen the Lord mighty in battell we will dispatch a messenger to him with information of our necessity Feare replies What messenger Darkenesse is on the face of the world our walls are begirt with an armed troupe which are not onely strong as Lyons but also watchfull as Dragons What messenger can eyther scape through such an hoast or finde the way into so remote a Countrey Wisedome calls for Hope and chargeth her with all speed to dispatch away her olde messenger Hope calls to Prayer and sayes Lo heere a messenger speedy ready trusty knowing the way Ready you can not sooner call her then she comes Speedy shee flies faster then Eagles as fast as Angels Trusty what embassage soeuer you put in her tongue shee deliuers with faithfull secrecie She knowes the way to the Court of Mercie and shee will neuer faint till shee come to the chamber of the royall Presence Prayer hath her message away she flies borne on the sure and swift wings of faith and zeale Wisedome hauing giuen her a charge and Hope a blessing Finding the gate shut she knockes and cryes Open ye gates of righteousnes and be ye open ye euerlasting dores of glory that I may enter and deliuer to the King of Ierusalem my petition Iesus Christ heares her knock opens the gate of mercy attends her suite promiseth her infallible comfort and redresse Backe returnes Prayer laden with the newes of consolation she hath a promise and she deliuers it into the hand of Faith that were our enemies more innumerable then the Locusts in Egypt and more strong then the Gyants the sonnes of Anak yet Power and Mercie shall fight for vs and we shall be deliuered Passe wee then through fire and vvater through all dangers and difficulties yet we haue a messenger holy happy accessible acceptable to God that neuer comes backe without comfort Prayer And here fitly I will end our Misery come to Gods Mercy Desolation hath held vs long but our consolation is eternall But thou broughtest vs out into a wealthy place The Song you see is compounded like Musike it hath acutum and graue high and low sharp and flat Thou causedst men to ride ouer vs. But thou broughtest vs out Sorrow and ioy trouble and peace sowre and sweet come by vicissitudes Inuicem cedunt dolor et voluptas This discord in Musike hurts not but graceth the song Whiles greefe and pleasure keepe this alteration in our life they at once both exercise our patience and make more vvelcome our ioyes If you looke for the happinesse of the wicked you shall find it in primis at the beginning but if you would learne what becomes of the righteous intelliges in nouissimis you shall know it at last Marke the vpright man and behold the iust for the end of that man is peace We were sore oppressed but thou broughtest vs out into a wealthy place Euery word is sweetly significant and amplifies Gods mercie to vs. Foure especially are remarkable the Deliuerer the Deliuerance the Deliuered and their felicitie or blessed aduancement So there is in the Deliuerer aliquid Celsitudinis Thou Deliuerie Certitudinis Broughtst out Deliuered Solitudinis vs Happines Plenitudinis Into a vvealthy place There is highnesse and lownesse surenesse and fulnesse The Deliuerer is great the Deliuerance certaine the Distressed grieuous their exaltation glorious There is yet a first word that like a key vnlocks this golden gate of mercy a veruntamen But This is vox respirationis a gaspe that fetcheth back againe the very life of comfort But thou broughtest c. We were fearfully endangered into the hands of our enemies they rode and trode vpon vs and droue vs through hard perplexities But thou c. If there had beene a full point or period at our miserie if those gulfs of persecution had quite swallowed vs all our light of comfort had beene thus smothered and extinguished we might haue cryed Perijt spes nostra yea perijt salus nostra our hope our help is quite gone He had mocked vs that vvould haue
spoken Be of good cheere This same But is like a happy oare that turnes our vessell from the rocks of despaire and lands it at the hauen of comfort But c. Thou Thou onely without helpe or succour of either man or Angell that art able to saue with a few as well as with many that art A man of vvarre Exod. 15. and commest armed against thine enemies with a speare of wrath and a sword of vengeance Thou of whose greatnesse there is no end no limits no determination Thou O Lord without any partner either to share thy glory or our thanks Thou broughtest vs out Thou of thy owne goodnesse so well as by thy ovvne greatnesse hast deliuered vs. No merite of ours procured or deserued this mercy at thy hands but our freedome comes onely by thy Maiestie of thy mercy Here were no armes of flesh nor Armies of Angels in this worke of our Redemption but Thou hast brought vs out that vvee might praise thy Name Therefore wee say Blesse the Lord O our soules O Lord thou art very great thou art clothed vvith honour and maiesty Eduxisti Broughtest out Great workes become a great God Opera testantur de me saith our Sauiour My workes beare witnesse of mee I heale the sicke cleanse the Leprous giue sight to the blinde raise the dead cast out deuils Will you not belieue O ye carnall eyes vnlesse you see will you trust your fiue senses aboue the foure Gospels vers 5. Come then and see the workes of God See workes not a fancie speculation or deceiuing shadow but reall visible acted accomplished workes Eduxists Sensus assensus Let demonstration conuince you the Snare is broken and we are deliuered The Lord workes potenter and patenter There is not onely manifold mercy but manifest mercy in his doings He brought vs out When the vngodly see vs so low brought that persecutors ride ouer our heads they are ready to say Where is now their Gâ—…d Behold hîc est Deus our God is heere where there was need of him opus Deo a work fit for the Deity to performe Misery had wrapped and entangled vs the wicked hands had ty'd vs as the Philistines did Samson with the bands of death Here then was Dignus vindice nodus a knot worthy the finger of God to vntie He looked downe from the height of his Sanctuary from heauen did the Lord behold the earth For what purpose To heare the groning of the prisoner to loose those that are appointed to death Behold the waters went ouer our soule yet we were not drowned Malice had doomed vs to the Fire but our comfort is Nihil potestatis in nos habuâ—…sse ignem that the fire had not power ouer vs. They trode vs vnder their cruell insultations but the Lord hath lifted vs vp The Lord of Hosts was with vs the God of Iacob was our refuge Vs. To this act of God if we tye the Subiect wherein hee workes and knit to Eduxisti Nos which I called verbum solitudinis a word of former wretchednesse and calamitie we shall finde our misery a fit obiect for GODS mercy Especially if you set the others malice against our meeknesse their wickednesse against our weakenesse the persons whom God deliuers the persons from whom will greatly commend the mercy of our deliuerance It is a pleasure to God to haue his strength perfected in our infirmitie When the danger is most violent in it own nature and our sense then is his helping arme most welcome Esa. 17. In the day of griefe and of desperate sorrow the haruest shall be great a plentifull croppe of ioy Qui Deus est noster Deus est salutis He that is our God is the God of saluation and vnto God the Lord belong the issues from death He delights to haue vs say in this deepe extremity Eduxisti Thou hast brought vs out When Ionas was taken vp by the Mariners put from the succour of the Shippe no helpe in any Rockes nor mercy in the waters neither means nor desire to escape by swimming for he yeelds himselfe into the iaws of death with as mortified affection as if a lumpe of lead had beene throwne into the sea a man would haue thought that saluation it selfe could not haue saued Ionas Yet Ionas shall not die Here is now a deliuery fit for God a cure for the almightie hand to vndertake Mans extremity is Gods opportunity Distressed desire is importunate It is time that thou haue mercy vpon vs yea the time is come But if God doe not presently answere we are ready to pant out a groane of despaire The time is past If our importunity preuaile not wee thinke all opportunity is gone But God sayes Tempus nondum venit the time is not yet God waites the maturity of the danger the more to increase his honour As Alexander cheared himselfe when hee should fight with men and beasts haughty enemies and huge Elephants Tandem par animo meo periculum video I see at last a danger somewhat equall to my minde Will you heare when this time is come Iohn 11. Martha tells Christ Master if thou hadst beene heere my brother had not died Christ knevv this before vers 15. Lazarus is dead and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there that you might belieue Obserue the different thoughts of God and man Martha is sorry Christ is glad She thought that the time of helpe was past Christ thought that the time was not opportune till now Iairus his seruant comes and tels him Thy daughter is dead trouble the master no further This was the word Christ expected to heare And now he sayes Be not afraid onely beleeue Heare the Israelites desperate complaint The waters of the Sea roare before their faces the wheeles of the Chariots rattle behinde their backs hereon they cry to Moses Were there no graues in Egypt that thou hast brought vs hither to die Now saith Moses Feare not stand still and see the saluation of God From that hath beene spoken and that which follows we may obserue two workes of Gods mercy Which consist Remouendo Promouendo the one remouing avvay much euill the other preferring to much good Eduxisti shewes his kindenesse in freeing vs from calamity In locum opulentum his goodnesse in exalting vs to dignity The former is an act of deliuerance the latter of aduancement So there is Terminus à quo from whence vvee are freed and Terminus ad quem to which vvee are exalted For the former wee haue God heere Educentem bringing out of trouble Sometime wee finde GOD Ducentem leading guiding directing Wilt not thou O Lord goe forth vvith our hoastes And Hee ledde them through the wildernesse by the hand of Moses and Aaron Sometimes Inducentem vers 11. Thou broughtest vs into the net thou hast laid affliction vpon our loynes Sometimes Adducentem Thou O Lord hast brought vs home to thy selfe
is the root of pride Diuitiarum vermis superbia saith S. Augustine When the summe of prosperity heates the dunghill of riches there is engendred the snake of pride Wealth is but a quill to blow vp the bladder of high-mindednesse Saint Paul knew this inseparable consequence when hee charged Timothy to Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded And doe we thinke that the heat of malice will be slaked by riches no it is fired rather into combustion and now bursts forth into a flame what before was forced to lye suppressed in the embers of tâ—…e heart Is any man the more continent for his abundance No. Stat quaeuis multo meretrix mercabilis auro whores are led to hell with golden threds Riches is a warm nest where lust securely sits to hatch all her vncleane brood From fulnesse of bread the Sodomites fall to vnnaturall wantonnesse Ceres et Liber pinguescunt Venerem Oppression is not abated by multiplication of riches but rather Longiorem magis strenuam reddit manum giues it a longer and stronger arme For as the poore cannot withstand so the rich will not restraine the tyranny of great oppressors They couet fields and take them by violence how Because their hand hath power For Punishment what security is in money Doth the Deuill balke a Lorldly house as if hee were afraid to come in Dares he not tempt a rich man to lewdnes Let experience witnes whether he dare not bring the highest Gallant both to sin shame Let his food be neuer so delicate he will be a guest at his table and perhaps thrust in one dish to his feast drunkennes Be his attendance neuer so complete yet Satan will waite on him too Wealth is no charme to coniure away the Deuill such an amulet the Popes holy-water are both of a force Inward vexations forbeare not their stings in awe of riches An euill conscience dares perplexe a Saul in his Throne and a Iudas vvith his purse full of money Can a silken sleeue keepe a broken arme from aking Then may full Barnes keepe an euill conscience from vexing And doth hell fire fauour the Rich mans limbes more then the poores Hath hee any seruant there to fanne cold ayre vpon his tormented ioynts Nay the namelesse Diues goes from soft linen to sheetes of fire from purple robes to flames of the same colour purple flames from delicate morsels to want a droppe of water Herod though a King on earth when he comes to that smokie vault hath not a cushion to sitte on more then the meanest Parasite in his Court. So poore a defence are they for an oppressed Soule 2. Nor from the body can riches remoue any plague The lightning from heauen may consume vs though we be clad in gold the vapours of earth choke vs though perfumes are still in our nostrills and poison burst vs though we haue the most virtuall Antidotes What iudgement is the poore subiect to from which the rich is exempted Their feet do as soone stumble and their bones are as quickly broken Consumptions Feuers Gowtes Dropsyes Pleurisies Palseys Surfets are houshold guests in rich mens families and but meere strangers in cottages They are the effects of superfluous fare and idlenes and keepe their Ordinary at rich mens tables Anguish lies oftner on a Downe-bed then on a pallet diseases waite vpon luxurie as close as luxurie vpon wealth These frogs dare leape into King Pharaohs chamber and forbeare not the most sumptuous pallace But money can buy medicines yet what sicke man would not wish that hee had no money on condition that he had no maladie Labour and moderate diet are the poore mans friends preserue him from the acquaintance of Master Doctor or the surfeted bills of his Apothecarie Though our worldling heere promiseth out of his abundance meat drinke and mirth yet his bodie growes sicke and his soule sadde he was before carelesse and hee is now curelesse all his vvealth cannot retaine his health when God will take it away 3. But what shall we say to the Estate Euills to that are pouertie hunger thirst wearinesse seruillitie Wee hope wealth can stop the invasion of these miseries Nothing lesse it rather mounts a man as a Wrastler does his combatant that it may giue him the greater fall Riches are but a sheeld of Waxe against a sword of power The larger state the fairest marke for misfortune to shoote at Eagles catch not after flies nor will the Hercules of ambition lift vp his clubbe but against these Giants There is not in pouertie that matter for a Great mans couetous fire to worke vpon If Naboth had had no Vineyard to preiudice the command of Ahabs Lordship hee had saued both his peace and life Violent winds blow through a hollow willow or ouer a poore shrubbe and let them stand whiles they rend a peeces Oaks and great Cedars that oppose their great bodies to the furious blasts The tempests of oppressing power meddle not with the contemptible quiet of poore Labourers but shake vp rich men by the very rootes that their blasted fortunes may be fit timber for their owne building Who stands so like an eye-sore in the tyrannous â—…ight of Ambition as the wealthy Imprisonment restraint banishment confiscation fining and confining are Greatnesses Intelligencers instruments and staires to climbe vp by into rich mens possessions Wealth hath foure hindrances from dooing good to the State 1. God vsually punisheth our ouer-louing of riches with their losse He thinks them vnworthy to be riualls with himselfe for all height and strength of loue is his due So that the ready way to lose wealth is to loue it Et delectatio perdet 2. The greatnesse of state or of affection to it opens the way to ruine A full and large saile giues vantage to a Tempest this pulled downe the danger of the gust and of shipwracke by it is eluded and it passeth by vvith onely waues roring as if it was angry for being thus preuented He that walks on plaine ground either doth not fall or riseth againe with little hurt He that climbes high towres is in more danger of falling and if he fall of breaking his necke 3. We see the most rich Worldlings liue the most miserably slaued to that vvealth whereof they keepe the key vnder their girdles Esuriunt in popina as we say they starue in a Cookes shoppe A man would thinke that if wealth could doe any good it could surely do this good keepe the owner from want hunger sorow care No euen these euills riches doe not auoide but rather force on him Whereof is a man couetous but of riches when these riches come you thinke he is cured of his couetousnesse no he is more couetous Though he hath receiued desiderium animi yet he keeps still animum desiderij The desires of his mind granted abolish not his mind of desires So a man might striue to extinguish the Lampe by
and faculties run to the soule to saue that which is principall The bloud and spirits striue to saue the life of the bodie faith hope to saue the life of the soule So that at the suddaine assault of some daunger a man shall best iudge of his owne heart It may bee at other times a dissembler for mans heart is false who can know it yet at such time it will manifest it selfe and cannot deceiue If God hath beene our familiar friend and accustomed helper danger doth not sooner salute vs then we salute him by our prayers The first thought of our hearts is Iesus Christ the first voyce of our lips is Peters on the sea in such an extremitie Lord saue mee our faith is reposed on his wonted mercy and protection Wee know whom we haue beleeued Daniell cals on GOD ere hee fals to the Lions this stoppes their mouthes The wicked in such miserie are either heauie and heartlesse as Nabal whose heart dyed within him and he became as a stone Or desperate as Iulian throwing his bloud vp into the ayre with a blasphemous confession Or sottish as these here running to the mountaines vnprofitable vnpossible helpes When the blow of vengeance strikes the couetous he runs to his counting house if his bagges can giue him no succour he is distracted If any broken reed bee their confidence in these ouerwhelming woes they catch drowning hold of that so they and their hopes perish together There are some whose tongues are so poysoned with blasphemie that in an vnexpected accident the very first breath of their lips is a curse or an oath As if they would sweare away destruction which euery vngodly speech drawes on neerer If these men hadde beene acquainted with God in faire weather they would not forget him in a storme But they that will haue no familiaritie with God in peace shall haue him to seeke in extremitie When therefore some sudden perill hath threatned thee with terrour note seriously how thou art affected Though the danger came vnlook'd for let it not passe vnthought of but as thou blessest God for deliuery so examine the good or ill disposednesse of thine owne heart If thou find thy selfe couragious and heauenly minded on thy confidence in God take at once assurance of thy faith and Gods mercie Hee that nowe stood by thee will neuer leaue thee If otherwise lament thy sinnes which darken thy soules way to the mercie-seate and beseech Iesus Christ to store thy heart with better comforts If thy treasure be in heauen and thy soule hath beene vsed to trauell often thither when danger comes it knowes the way so well that it cannot misse it 2. Affirmatiuely this presents a soule amazed with feare and follie They call to the Mountaines that can neither heare nor answere When the world was destroyed with water men climbed vp to the tops of the Mountaines when it shall be dissolued with fire they will desire the holes of the rockes and to lie vnder the hils The mountaines are but swellings of the earth and the rockes are surd things that haue no eares can they heare or if they heare can they answere or if they answere can they saue when the graues must vomite vp their dead shall the rockes conceale the liuing Those fiue Kings could not be hid in the caue of Makkedah from Ioshua and shall any caue hide from Iesus Whiles guilt and feare consult of refuge how vaine shifts they imagine Adam would hide his disobedience in the bushes Saul his rebellion in the crowd of the people So the hood-wink'd foole seeing no body thinkes no body sees him Helplesse euasions when Adoniah heard the trumpets sounding at Salomons coronation he quaked and fled to the hornes of the Altar When the vngodly shall heare the Archangels Trumpe proclaiming the coronation of Christ they haue no Sanctuarie they neuer loued it in all their liues but flie to the rockes and mountaines The graue is a darke and priuatiue place yet as a prisoner that comes out of a sordid and stinking dungeon into the open ayre for his triall in a desperate cause had rather keepe the prison still So these reprobates newly raysed from the earth cry to it to receiue them againe glad to remaine though not on the face of it with pleasure in the bowels of it with rottenesse and solitude rather then in the open light to come before the iudgement seat of Christ. The graue is a drowne-bed to hell They suddainly start out of their sleepe and meet with gastly amasednesse at the mouth of their sepulchers beholding on the one side sins accusing on another side hellish fiends vexing an anguish'd conscience burning within heauen earth without aboue them the countenance of an angry Iudge below them a lake of vnquenchable fire round about howling and bitter lamentations no maruell then if at the worlds end they be at their wittes end and cry to the mountaines Fall on vs. Let all this declare to men the vanitie of their worldly hopes God is the Preseruer of men not hils rocks The rich man is brought in vpon a Premunire can his gold acquit him in this Starre-chamber The Epicure thinkes to drowne sorrow in lustie wines the oppressor mistrusts not the power of his owne hand the proud refugeth his troubled heart in his trunkes the lustfull in his punkes what is this but running to rockes and mountaines Thus madly doe men commit two errors Ier. 2. They forsake the creator which would neuer forsake them and adhere to the creatures which can neuer helpe them O Lord the hope of Israell all that forsake thee shall be ashamed and all that depâ—…t from thee shall be written in the earth Nowe at this day perhaps they would seeke to the Lord but they are answered Goâ—… to the gods whom ye haue serued Loe then of these gods they shall be wearie as in the 2. of Esay where these very words of my Text are deliuerd ver 19. They shall goe into the holes of the rockes c. it is immediatly added In that day a man shall cast his Idols of siluer and his Idols of gold which he made for himselfe to worship 〈◊〉 the moules and to the battes Euen the spirituall Idolater the Couetous shall throw his Images golden or siluer shrines for the Diana of his auarice his damned coyne to combustion with a vae Woe vnto it it hath lost my soule As the sicke stomacke lothes the meate whereof it surfetted Well let vs leaue inuocation to these Rockes worldly refuges and remember that there is one to be called on who is onely able to defend vs a spirituall holy and happy Rocke Iesus Christ. Dauid often cals God his Rocke and his refuge A rocke that beares vp the pillars of the world Their Rocke is not as our Rocke euen our enemies themselues being iudges He that builds his house of assurance on this rocke shall stand
fall into the hands of the liuing God It is then wretchedly done thou Foole to iest at sinne that angers God who is able to anger all the vaines of thy heart for it 6. Sinne which was punished euen in heauen Angeli detruduntur propter peecatum 2. Pet. 2. God spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them downe to hell It could bring downe Angels from heauen to hell how much more men from earth to hell If it could corrupt such glorious natures what power hath it against dust and ashes Art thou better or dearer then the Angelles were Dost thou flowt at that which condemned them Goe thy wayes make thy selfe merry with thy sinnes mocke at that which threw downe Angels Vnles God giue thee repentance and another minde thou shalt speed as the lost Angels did For God may as easilie cast thee from earth as he did them from heauen 7. Sinne which God so loathed that hee could not saue his owne elect because of it but by killing his owne Sonne It is such a disease that nothing but the bloud of the Sonne of God could cure it He cured vs by taking the receits himselfe which we should haue taken He is first cast into a Sweat such a sweat as neuer man but he felt when the bubbles were droppes of bloud Would not sweating serue he comes to incision they pierce his hands his feete his sides and set life it selfe abroach Hee must take a potion too as bitter as their malice could make it compounded of vineger gall And lastly he must take a stranger and stronger medicine then all the rest he must die for our sinnes Behold his harmles hands pierced for the sinnes our harmefull hands had committed His vndefiled feete that neuer stood in the wayes of euill nailed for the errors of our pathes Hee is spitted on to purge away our vncleannesse clad in scornefull Robes to couer our wickednesse whipped that we might escape euerlasting scourges He would thirst that our soules might be satisfied the Eternall would die that we might not die eternally He is content to beare all his Fathers wrath that no pang of that burden might be imposed vppon vs and seeme as forsaken a while that we by him might be receiued for euer Behold his side become bloudie his heart dry his face pale his armes stiffe after that the streame of bloud had ran downe to his wounded feet O thinke if euer man felt sorrow like him or if he felt any sorrow but for Sinne. Now is that Sinne to be laughed at that cost so much torment Did the pressure of it lie so heauie on the Sonne of God and doth a son of man make light of it Did it wring from him sweat and bloud and teares and vnconceiueable groanes of an afflicted spirit and dost thou O foole iest at it Alas that which put our infinite Redeemer God and man so hard to it must needs swallow vp and confound thee poore sinfull wretch It pressed him so farre that he cryed out to the amasement of earth and heauen My God My God why hast thou forsaken me Shall he cry for them and shal we laugh at them Thou mockest at thy oppressions oathes sacriledges lusts frauds for these hee groaned Thou scornest his Gospell preached he wept for thy scorne Thou knowest not O foole the price of a Sinne thou must doe if thy Sauiour did not for thee If he suffred not this for thee thou must suffer it for thy selfe Passio aeterna erit in te si passio Aeterni non erat pro te An eternall passion shall be vpon thee if the Eternals passion were not for thee Looke on thy Sauiour and make not a mocke at Sinne. 8 Lastly Sinne shall be punished with Death you know what death is the wages of it not onely the first but the second death Inexpressible are those torments when a reprobate would giue all the pleasures that eâ—…er he enioyed for one drop of water to coole his tongue Where there shall be vnquencheable fire to burne not to giue light saue a glimmering ad ag grauationem vt videant vnde doleant non ad consulâ—…ionem ne videant vnde gandeant to shew them the torments of others and others the torments of themselues But I cease vrging this terrour and had rather win you by the loue of God then by his wrath and Iustice. Neither neede I a stronger argument to disswade you from sinne then by his passion that dyed for vs being enemies For if the agonie anguish and heart-bloud of Iesus Christ shed for our sinnes will not moue vs to repentance we are in a desperate case Now therefore I fitly leaue Pauls adiuration so sweetely tempered in your bosomes commending that to your consciences and your consciences to God I beseech yâ—… brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto GOD. THE FIRE OF CONTENTION OR The trouble that followes the Gospell Lvk. 12. 49. I come to send fire on the earth and what will I if it be alreadie kindled BEfore I run vpon Diuision and yet Diuision is the subiect of my Text and for methods sake I must vse some diuision in my discourse I must let you vnderstand what this Fire is that is sent and how innocent our Sauiour is that sendeth it 1. There may be Dessention betwixt the good and the good and hereof is the Deuill the author It is the Enemie that sowes those Tares This is one of the abominations that the Lord abhorreth A false witnes that speaketh lies and him that soweth discord among brethren God is neuer the immediate cause of that which he abominates If any man seeme to be contentious we haue no such custome neither the Churches of God To cleare Christ and his Gospell from causing this the tenour of all Scriptures admonisheth vs with Saint Peter Be ye all of one mind hauing compassion one of another loue as brethren be pitifull be courteous Vnitie is the badge of Christianitie wee are all the members of one bodie The eye cannot say to the hands I haue no need of you c. We are all stones of one building therefore must not iarre one with another least we ruine the whole house Christ sayth that a kingdome diuided cannot stand The Souldiours would not diuide the vnseamed coate of Christ farre bee it from vs to rent his bodie There are three grounds of loue vertue pleasure profite Vertue all consent to be the surest and best That then which is grounded on the best vertue is the best vnitie and this is Faith Loue issuing from Faith is a bond able to tie God to man man to God and therefore man to man This knot is tyed so fast that the powers of hell cannot vndoe it All other vnities but the Communion of Saints may be broken There is no peace so indissoluble as the peace of faith So contrarily there
Numb 21. A fire is gone out of Heshbon and a flame from the citie of Sihon it hath consumed Ar of Moab and the Lords of the high places of Arnon But contention runs like wild-fire so furious a pace that nothing but bloud can extinguish it 4. As fire is prouerbially sayd to be an ill master but a good seruant so Anger where it is a Lord of rule is a Lord of mis-rule but where it is subdued to reason or rather sanctified to grace it is a good seruant That anger is holy that is zealous for the glory of God This is Diuision a raging fire and able whether it take hold of ciuilitie or religion of Burse or Church to ouerthrow the common good of both For ciuilitie the breaking of relatiues is the ruine of substantiues We stand not of our selues but vpon reference Want of iustice in magistrates of instruction in gouernours of obedience in subiects of charitie in neighbours destroyes the common wealth Some gather thus much from the fift Commandement by good consequence Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy dayes may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giueth thee For if Princes rule well and subiects obey well if masters command right and seruants doe right if Parents instruct children in the feare of God and children obey parents in that feare this happy harmonie shall preserue the land If this relation and reciprocall dutie be neglected all runs to ruine and the blessing of long life shall be with-drawne For it is not fit they should haue long life that rebell against those from whom they had and by whom they hold their life Begin with the least ascendently The ouerthrow of a house is Diuision When the husband and wife draw not euenly in the yoke when the one brings fire the other hath no water to-quench it when the children are refractarie the seruants wasters there must needes be a decay of this familie Whereof consists a Citie but of many housholds If the particulars be ruinated what will become of the generall When the members are gone where is the Bodie If the Magistrates are vniust the people disobedient if one profession quarrell with another and denie mutualitie the head refusing to giue guidance the eyes their sight the feete to walke the hands to worke the body of that Citie dissolues The dissolution of cities and townes must needs ruin the Kingdome When the members fell out with the stomach that it deuoured all and tooke noe paines hereon the eye would not see for it nor the hand worke for it nor the foote walke for it c. so the stomach wanting meate the eyes hands feet and all members faint and languish Tributes subsidies are but the dues and duties of the members to the Prince who as the stomach returnes all to their welfare and benefite Dissention in religion doth no lesse hurt doth more It diuides a house Here. Ver. 52. Fiue in one house shall be diuided two against three and three against two And Math. 10. A mans foes shall be they of his owne household It diuidesa citie How many cities haue beene destroyed by their owne mutinous distractions whome forraigne inuasions could not subdue It diuides a Kingdome whereof Fraunce hath long beene a bleeding witnesse neither hath England beene insensible Ac velut in magno populo cùm saepe coorta est Seditio saeuitque animis ignobile vulgus Iámque faces saxa volant furor arma ministrat It ouerthrowes propinquitie the mutuall succour of lending borrowing giuing relieuing is lost Yea it ouerturnes Nature it selfe setting children at variance against their owne parents There are three very neare Superiour equall inferiour Parent wife children yet we must separate from them rather then from Iesus Christ. Yea it is enough to extirpate all Regem legem grâ—…gem Prince law and people No wonder then if the busie deuill seekes so studiously to kindle this fire So Eusebius obserues The subtle Serpent when persecutions gaue the Church breathing space began to vexe her with her owne diuisions The Fewell Whereon this fire workes is the good Profession of the godly So the rulers against Daniell in causa Dei sui because of his Religion Psal. 59. The mightie are gathered against me not for my transgression nor for my sin O Lord. They persecuted vs not because they find euill in vs but because they cannot find euill in vs. They runne and prepare themselues against me without my fault Without fault it is fault enough in their iudgement because we serue the Lord. They speake euill of vs because we runne not with them to the same excesse of riot If we will not communicate with their vicious customes we shall participate of their raging cruelties Against Israel yea because it is Israel doe they consult Come let vs cut off them from being a Nation that the name of Israell may bee no more in remembrance For this cause was the Babilonian fire kindled against those three seruants of God and the same cause moued mysticall Babylon to burne our Martyrs in England If they would haue turned to Idols and Images the fire hadde beene put out We would not could not yeeld to their superstitions therefore the Fire burned But that which is the occasion of euill cannot be perfectly good Indeed that simplie and of it selfe causeth euill is euill it selfe But that may be good which indirectly and by consequence in mans corrupt nature occasioneth it The Gospell and integritie of professing it is not the efficient but accidentall cause or rather properly no cause but an occasion of this feud The bright Sun shining on mudde and filth is said to cause stench yet is not the Sun the true cause but the former putrefaction of the subiect reflected on when a corrupt vapour comes into the firie region it is soone enflamed Their rancorous filth had lyne quiet as mucke in a dunghill had not the Sun of the Gospell shone on it and stirred it now howsoeuer the Gospell is not the direct cause of this yet surely the occasion For Athens is quiet enough till Paul comes and till Christ is borne Ierusalem is husht in peace Many parishes sticke not to say we had rest and securitie enough before but now since preaching came in and the Pulpets haue beene warmed there is nothing but disturbation and vnquietnes How else could this Text be true that Christ came to send fire on the earth The deluge of sinne was vniuersall and the waters of iniquitie stood vntroubled and all was a Mare mortuum but when Christ puts fire to this water no maruell if they wrastle The deuill stirres not till God rowse him as the wild boare sleepes till he bee hunted Let darknesse couer mens impieties and their slumber is vnmolested produce them to the light and they cannot endure it The vlcerous side full of dead flesh feeles not till you touch the quicke But let
ten Tribes come to Iudah not Iudah goe to them Ishbosheth to Dauid not Dauid to Ishbosheth The Gospell must be preached though hell breake out into opposition and we must keepe faith a good conscience though persecutors print in our sides the markes of the Lord Iesus 3. That the fruit of the Gospell is so farre from allowing carnall peace that it giues Dissention It hath euer beene the destinie of the Gospell to bring commotion trouble and warres though no doctrine teacheth so much peace Math. 10. I came not to sâ—…nd peace but a sword Not that the Gospell of it selfe causeth warres for it maketh peace betweene God and man man and man man and his inward soule but it ouerturneth the tables of the money-changers spoileth the Banke of vsurers will not let Herod keepe his Herodias barres Demetrius of his idolatrous shrines puls the cup from the mouth of the drunkard denounceth confusion to the oppressor vnuizardeth painted hypocrisie and discouers the vgly face of fraud to the world therefore it hath enemies euen to the effusion of bloud and endeuourd extirpation of all that professe it So that partly this proceeds from our owne corruption that cannot endure the light because our deedes are euill and partly from the malice of Sathan who by the growth of the Gospell looseth his Iurisdiction For looke how much ground Christianitie gettes that bloudie infernall Turke looseth So that neither can the Deuill so vncontrollably lead men to quiet damnation neither can the euill heart bee so securely euill For the Gospell informes the vnderstanding the vnderstanding tels the conscience and the conscience will not spare to tell men their wickednesse Though Gods hand forbeares to strike outwardly the conscience smites inwardly and the former vniust peace is broken by a new iust war Men shall by this meanes know hell before they salute it and discerne themselues in that broad way that leads to damnation Safe they may be they cannot be secure Thus the Gospell begets all maner of enemies forraine ciuill domesticall Forraigne the Deuill who now makes apparant his hornes as if it were high time to bestirre himselfe Hee sees he cannot lead soules to his blacke kingdome in a twine-threed as hee was wont without reluctancie he must clap irons vpon them and bind them with his strongest tentations Ciuill the world which erst ticed vs on as a baite doth the fish not knowing that there is a hooke so neere the iawes wee tooke it for a kind and familiar friend but now it is descried and described for a very aduersary Domesticall thy owne bosome is disquieted and thou must muster vp all the forces of thy soule to take the Traytour that lurkes within thee thy owne flesh This is a neare and a deare enemie yet we must fight against it and that with a will to subdue it denying our selues and forsaking our delighted lusts and pleasures The godly must be faine to sit like the Nightingale with a thorne against their brest If they scape conflicts abroad they are sure to haue them at home and if forraigne and profest aduersaries should giue ouer their inuasions yet this domesticall rebell lust must with great trouble be subdued After which spirituall combate our comfort is that in the end the victorie shall be ours It shall not haue rule ouer them that feare God neither shall they be burnt with the flames thereof Hence we learne fiue vsefull lessons 1. That we haue neede of Patience seeing we know that the law of our Profession binds vs to a warfare and it is decreed vpon that all that will liue godly in Christ shall suffer persecution When Fire which was the God of the Chaldeans had deuoured all the other wooden deitie Canopis set vpon him a Caldron full of water whose bottome was full of holes artificially stopt with waxe which when it felt the heat of that furious Idol melted and gaue way to the water to fall downe vpon it and quench it The water of our patience must onely extinguish this Fire nothing but our teares moderation and sufferance can abate it But this patience hath no further latitude then our proper respect for in the cause of the Lord wee must must be iealous and zealous Meam iniuriâ—…m patienter tuli iniuriam contra Sponsam Christi ferre non potui Our owne iniuries wee must bury in forgetfulnes but wrongs to the Truth of God and Gospell of Iesus Christ we must striue to oppose and appease Patience is intollerable when the honour of God is in dangerous question Otherwise we must consider that by troubles God doth trie and exercise our patience Ideo Deus misit in terram bonam separationem vt malâ—…m rumperet coniunctionem Therfore God sent on earth a good separation that he might dissolue an euill coniunction 2. That wee must not shrinke from our profession though we know it to be the fewell that maintains this fire Daniell leaues not his God though he be shewed the Lyons nor those three seruants their integritie and abomination of the Idoll though the heat of the fire be septupled Let the Pope spue out his execrations interdictions and maledictions for his holie mouth is full of curses yet keepe wee our faith it is better to haue the Pope curse vs then God His curse is but like Domitians thunder if you giue care to the crackes and noyse it seemes a terrible and hideous matter but if you consider the causes and effects it is a ridiculous iest Reuolt not from the Gospell from thy faith and innocencie and though he curse the Lord will blesse Balaam could say Quomodo maledicam ei cui non maledixit Dominus How shall I curse him whom the Lord hath not cursed Rash and headlong iudgement hurts not the person de quo temerè iudicatur against whom it is denounced but him that so indiscreetly iudgeth Qui conantur per iram aliena coereere gra uiora committunt To correct other mens errors in anger is to commit a greater error then theirs Let not the thunders of malignant opposers disharten thy zeale The iust shall liue by faith but if any man draw backe my soule shall haue no pleasure in him 3. That we thinke not much of the troublous fires that are thus sent to waite vpon the Gospell He that gaue vs that blessed Couenant meant not that wee should sticke at these conditions It is enough to haue this Passeouer though we eate it with sower herbes to enioy the Lillie though among thornes Let the Iewes fret and Deuils run mad and many giue ground to these persecutions yet say we with Peter Master whether shall we goe from thee thou hast the words of eternall life He is vnworthy of Gods fauour that cannot goe away contented with it vnlesse he may also enioy the fauour of the world It is enough to haue the promise of a Crowne albeit we climbe to it by the Crosse. The ancient Christians vsed to
consequence for priuate ends 1. First he begets in a mans minde a dislike of the word for it selfe This man esteemes preaching but follie he sees no good it doth to haue one pratling an houre or two in a Pulpit He is a parishioner to two parishes to the Congregation he liues with Quoad corpus to the Synagogue of Satan Quoad animam 1. Cor. 1. The preaching of the Crosse is to them that perish foolishnes but vnto vs which are saued it is the power of God It is horrible when man dust and ashes meere follie shall censure the Wisedome of God Let them haue their wils be it in their account follie yet it pleaseth God by the foolishnes of preaching to saue them that beleeue And without this they must liue in errour and die in terrour hell fire will make them change their opinions 2. Others are wrought to hate it onely for second and simister respects The Masters of that Damosell Act. 16. Possessed with a spirit of diuination seeing the hope of their gaines gone brought Paul and Silas to scourging and neuer left them till they saw them in prison When Demetrius perceiued the ruine not so much of the Ephesian Diana as of his owne Diana gaine and commoditie in making of siluer shrines he sets all Ephesus in a tumult The losse of profite or pleasure by the Gospell is ground enough of malice and madnesse against it Cannot a tyrant be bloudie cannot an oppressor depopulate an vsurer make benefite of his money a swearer braue with blasphemies a drunkard keepe his tavern-session but the Pulpets must ring of it Downe shall that Gospell come if they can subiect it that will not let them runne to hell vntroubled Non turbant Evangelium â—…um ab Evangelio non turbentur let them alone and they will let you alone But if you fight against their sins with the sword of the Spirit they will haue you by the eares and salute you with the sword of death You see the fires that the Deuill Kindleth It is obiected 1. Satan knowes that hee can do nothing but by the permission of God Ans. Therefore not knowing Gods secret will who are elect who reprobate hee laboures to destroy all And if he perceiue that God more especially loues any haue at them to chuse If he can but bruise their heeles O hee thinkes hee hath wrought a great spight to God 2. He knowes that though with his taile he can draw stars from heauen discouer the hypocrisie of great Professors yet he cannot wipe the name of one soule out of the booke of life which the Lambe hath written there Answ. It is the Devils nature to sinne against his owne knowledge Contra scientiam peccabit qui contra conscientiam peccavit 3. He knowes he shall receiue the greater damnation and the more aggravated torments And the Devill that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire brimstone where the beast the false prophet are shall be tormented day night for ever ever Ans. He sins alwaies with purposed malice of heart proudly against God and blasphemously agaynst the holy Ghost though he receiue the smart himselfe We perceiue now the Fire the Fewell and the Kindler let vs looke to The Smoke There goes lightly a Smoke before this Fire Reu. 9. He opened the bottomlesse pit and there arose a smoke out of the pit as the smoake of a great fornace and the Sunne and the ayre were darkened by reason of the smoake of the pit And there came out of the smoke Locusts vpon the earth When we see smoke wee conclude their is fire Christ will not quench the smoking flaxe for the smoke without shewes a sparke of faith within When Abraham saw the smoke of the countrey going vp as the smoake of a fornace He knew that the fire was begun in Sodom This smoke is the signe of persecution ensuing and it is either Publique or Priuate Publique is two fold 1. The threatning of Tyrants this smoke came out of the mouth of Saul Act. 9. And Saul yet breathing out threatnings Such were the Romish vaunts of the Spanish ships but God quenched that fire in water and it was but a smoke Hee that could forbid the fire to burne can also forbid the smoke to become a 〈◊〉 Onely the massacre at Paris was a fire without a smoke vnles it be smoke enough as indeed it is for Papists to liue among Protestants 2. Securitie is a publique Smoke when men cry Peace peace this is the smoake of warre The carelesse liues of the old world and Sodom were portentuous smoakes of their enkindled destruction Our secure and dead-harted conuersations are arguments of the like to vs. God both auert that and conuert vs. We feast reuel daunce sin and sing like swannes the prognostickes of our owne funerals We are not circumspect to looke vp on those which watch vs with the keene eyes ofmalice our sleepâ—… giues themhope our selues danger Neglect of defence hartens on a very coward enemie Our comfort only is He that keepeth Israel doth not sluÌ„ber nor sleepe The priuate Smoke particularly laid to a Christian is a gentler more soft teÌ„tation But if this Smoke preuaile not Satan coms with a fiery trial Ifhe cannot peruert Io seph with his tempting mistres a kind smoke he will trie what a Iayle can doe If the deuill can draw thee to his purpose with a twine threed what needes he a Cable rope If Sampson can be bound with greene withes the Philistines need not seeke for iron chaines But Sathan knows that some will not like Adam and Esau be wonne with trifles that some will sticke to Christ whiles the weather is faire and there is peace with the Gospell yet in time of persecution start away When he comes with tempests and flouds then the house not built on a rocke fals If our foundation be straw and stubble we know this fire will consume it but if gold it shall rather purge and purifie it He will not goe about that can passe the next way If a soft puffe can turne thee from Christ Sathan will spare his blustring tempests if a smoake can doe it the fire shall be forborne If Ioâ—… could haue beene brought to his bow with killing his cattell seruants children perhaps his bodie had beene fauour'd So that after gentle temptations looke for stormes as thou wouldst after smoake fire Inure thy heart therefore to vanquish the least that thou mayst foile the greatest let the former giue thee exercise against these latter as with wooden Wasters men learne to play at the sharpe Be thy confidence in him that euer enabled thee and affie his promise that will not suffer thee to be tempted aboue thy strength Onely handle this weapon with more heedfull cunning and when thou perceiuest the dallyings of the Deuill play not with his baites Corrupt not thy conscience with a little gaine
per cas Come a litle way to him that came so farre to thee Philip tells Nathanael wee haue found the Messias Nathanael obiects Can any good thing come out of Nazareth Come and see sayth Philip. And straitwayes Iesus saw Nathanael comming Christ hath sent many Preachers to inuite vs to saluation Wee aske Vbi where they say Come and see but we will not come Christ cannot see vs comming Mundus cura caro three mischieuous hindrers we come not Christ himselfe calls yet You will not come vnto mee that you might haue life He comes amongst vs Christians ad suos Hee came to his ownâ—… and his owne receiued him not Wee say of such things as are vnlike they come not neere one another many clothes lie on a heape together yet because of their different colours wee say they come not neare one to another But of things that are alike wee say they come nigh one another Our comming neare to Christ is not in place but in grace Not in place for so the wicked is neere to God Whether shall I flie from thy presence But in grace and qualitie being holy as he is holy Indeed hee must first draw vs before we can come Draw mee wee will runne after thee Hee first drawes vs by grace then wee runne after him by repentance To seeke Hee is come to what purpose Ecce compassionem to seeke All the dayes of his flesh vpon earth hee went about seeking soules Hee went to Samaria to seeke the woman to Bethany to seeke Mary to Capernaum to seeke the Centurion to Iericho to seeke Zacheus O what is a man and the Sonne of man that the Sonne of God should thus hunt after him Wee sought not him The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seeke after God Behold he seekes vs. We would not call vpon him he sends Ambassadors to beseech vs. Wee pray you in Christs stead be ye reconcised to God Indeede we cannot seeke him till he first find vs. Oportuit viam inuenire errantes errantes enim nequeunt inuenire viam If the Way had not found vs we should neuer haue found the Way I oe his mercie Non solum redeuntem suscipit sed perditum quarit How ioyfull will hee be to find vs that is thus carefull to seeke vs Let this teach vs not to hide our selues from him Wretched men guiltie of their owne eternall losse that will not bee found of Christ when hee seekes them How shall they at the last day stand with confidence before him that at this day runne from him If we will not be found to bee sanctified wee cannot be found to be glorified Paul desires to be found in Christ in Christ found for without Christ euer lost Those that thou gauest me I haue kept and none of them is lost but the sonne of perdition Woe to that man when Christ shall returne with a Non inuentus What can the shepheard doe but seeke nolunt inueniri they will not be found What the charmer but charme Nolunt incantari they will not bee charmed What the Sutour but wooe nolunt desponsari they will not bee espoused to Christ. What the Ambassador but beseech Nolunt exorari they will not be intreated What then remaines He that will be vniust let him bee vniust still and hee that will bee filthy let him bee filthy still If wee will not be found of him when hee seekes vs hee will not bee found of vs when wee seeke him They shall seeke me early but they shall not find me Quaesitus contemnet qui quarens contemnitur Hee was despised when hee sought and will despise when hee is sought to Three vicious sorts of men are here culpable 1. Some sculke when Christ seekes If there be any bush in Paradise Adam will thrust his head into it If there be any hole of pretence Saul will there borough his rebellion If Geheâ—…i can shadow his briberie with a lie Elisha shall not find him When the Sunne shines euerie bird comes forth onely the owle will not bee found These birds of darknesse cannot abide the light because their deeds are euill Thus they play at All hid with God but how foolishly Like that beaste that hauing thrust his head in a bush and seeing no body thinkes no body sees him But they shall find at last that not holes of Mountaines nor caues of rockes can conceale them 2. Others play at fast and loose with God as a man behind a tree one while seene another while hid In the day of prosperitie they are hidden onely in affliction they come out of their holes As some beasts are driuen out of their boroughes by pouring in scalding water or as Absolon fetch'd Ioab by setting on fire his Barley fields These are found on the Sunday but lost all the weeke Like the Deuill they stand among the Sonnes of God yet deuoure the seruants of God As Saul at one time prophecied with the Prophets and at another time massacred them Christ cals them to a banket of prosperitie they cry Hîc sumus We are here but if Satan in their opinioÌ„ offer them better cheare Tibi sumus We are for thee 3. Others being lost and hearing the seekers voyce goe further from him These are Wolues not sheepe The sheepe heares his voice and comes the Wolfe heares it and flies The nearer saluation comes to them the further they runne from it Because England tenders them the Gospell they will runne as farre as Rome for damnation Christ came to seeke the lost sheepe Luk. 15. he found it he layd it on his shoulders and he reioyced In his life he seekes the sinner till hee finde him In his death hee layes him on his shoulders bearing his sinnes in his bodie on the Crosse. In his resurrection he reioyced for him In his ascension he opens the dores of heauen brings him home Venit invenit hee comes to seeke and he seekes to saue which is the next poynt To saue Ecce Pietatem Behold his goodnesse Herod sought Christ ad interitum to kill him Christ seekes vs ad salutem to saue vs. This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation that Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners Yeeld to be found if thou wilt yeeld to be saued There is nothing but good meant thee in this seeking Vidimus testamur c. We haue seene and doe testifie that the Father sent the Sonne to be the Sauiour of the world The Fishermens riddle was Those we could not find we kept those we found we lost But Christes course is otherwise Whom he finds he saues whom he finds not are lost for euer It was a Poeticall speech Amare sapere vix conceditur dijs To loue and to bee wise seldome meete They are met in Christ he did loue vs suscepit naturam he became man he was wise
pardon they for merits we for mercies they for iustifying workes of their own we only for our sweet Sauiour Iesus Christ. 3. They that will neither trust others with their soule not keepe it theÌ„selues but either do sell it for ready money as Esau sold his Birthright Iudas 〈◊〉 Iesus Or pawne it for a good bribe some large teÌ„ptation of profit pleasure or honor they will not sell it out-right but morgage it for a while with a purpose that seâ—…dome speeds to redeeme it Or loose it walking negligently through the streets of this great Citie the world their soule is gone they are not aware of it Or giue away their soule as do the enuious and desperate haue nothing in lieu of it but terrors without horrors within they serue the deuills turne for nothing 4. They that will trust God with their soule but haue no warraÌ„t that God will keep it They lay al the burtheÌ„ vpon the shoulders of Christ meddle no more with the matter As if God would bring them to heaueÌ„ euen whilst they pursue the way to hel or keep that soule for the body when the body had quite giuen away the soule He neuer promised to saue a man against his will As he doth saue vs by his Son so he comands vs. to worke vp our saluation with feare trembling He that lies still in the myrie pitt of his sin trusts to heauen for helpe out without his owne concurring endeuour may hap to lie there still 2. Dying there is no comfort but to trust the soule with God So Dauid Lord into thy hands I commit my spirit So Steuen Lord Iesus receiue my spirit with these words our Lord Iesus himselfe gaue vp the Ghost It is iustice to restore whence we receiue It is not presumption but faith to trust God with thy spirit The soule of the king the soule of the beggar all one to him Dauid a king Lazarus a beggar God receiues both their soules From giuing vp the Ghost the highest is not exempted from giuing it into the hands of God the poorest is not excepted There is no comfort like this when riches bring aut nequam aut nequicquam either no comfort or discomfort when the wardrobe furniture iunkets wine offend thee when thy money cannot defend thee when thy doctors feed themselues at thy cost cannot feed thee when wife childreÌ„ friends stand weeping about thee where is thy helpe thy hope all the world hath not a dramme of comfort for thee this sweetens all Lord into thy hands I commend my soule Thou hast redeemed me O thou God of truth Our Spirit is our dearest iewell howle and lament if thou thinke thy soule is lost But let thy faith know that is neuer lost which is committed to Gods keeping Spiritum emittis non amittis Duriùs seponitur sed melius reponitur That soule must needs passe quietly through the gates of death which is in the keeping of God Woe were vs if the Lord did not keepe it for vs whiles we haue it much more when we restore it While our soule dwels in our breast it is subiect to manifold miseries to manifest sinnes temptations passions misdeedes distemper vs in heauen it is free from all these Let the soule be once in the hands of God nec dolore pro peccato nec peccato prae dolore torquetur it is neither disquieted with sorrow for sinne nor with sinne which is beyond all sorrow There may be trouble in the wildernesse in the land of promise there is all peace Then may we sing Our soule is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the foulers the snare is broken and wee are escaped Inuadit Satanas euadit Christianus It is there aboue the reach of the deuill There is no euill admitted into the citie of heauen to wrastle with the citizens thereof Death is ready at hand about vs we carry deaths enow within vs we know we shall die we know not how soone it can neuer preuent vs or come too early if our soules bee in the keeping of God Man was not so happy when God gaue his soule to him as he is when he returnes it to God Giue it cheerefully and then like a faythfull Creator that thou giuest to him in short paine hee will giue thee backe with endlese ioy And so we come fittly from the Comfort of our Integritie The Boldnesse of this Comfort As vnto a faithfull Creator Wherein our confidence is heartned by a double argument the one drawne ex maiestate the other ex Misericordia from Maiestie from mercie His greatnes a Creator his goodnes a Faithfull Creator 1. Creator not a stranger to thee but he that made the. It is naturall to man to loue the worke of his owne hands Pigmalion dotes vpon the stone which himselfe had carued But much more naturall to loue his owne Images his children the walking Pictures of himselfe the diuided pieces of his owne body God loues vs as our Creator because his owne hands haue fashioned vs. But creauit vermiculos hee also made the wormes yeeld it and therefore non odit vermiculos hee hates not the very wormes Creauit Diabolum hee made the deuill no God made him an Angell hee made himselfe a deuill God loues him vt naturam as he is a nature hates him vt Diabolum as he is a corrupted nature an euill a deuil But we are not onely his creatures the workmanship of his hands but his children so Adam is called The sonne of God His owne Image fecit hominem in similitudinem suam he made man after his likenes in his Image We are more then opus Dei the meere worke of God for Imago Dei the very Image and similitude of God We may therefore be bold to commend our soules to God as a faithfull Creator Diuerse men haue that for their God which neuer was their Creator The proud man makes his Honour his god the couetous makes his gold his God the voluptuous makes his belly his God now whereas God not onely charged in the first Precept Thou shalt haue no other Gods before me but added further in the next Thou shalt not make to thee any Image or Similitude of any thing whether in heauen aboue or earth beneath or water vnder the earth c. These three sinnes seeme to crosse God in these three interdicted places For the proud man hath his Idol as it were in the aire the couetous man hath his Idol in the earth the drunken Epicure hath his Idol in the water Let them take their Gods to themselues let no Rachel that hath married Iacob steale away Labans Idols Our Creator is in heauen boldly giue thy soule to him who should better haue it then he that made it 2. The other argument of our comfort is that he is Fidelis a Faithfull Creator He is faithfull to thee how vnfaithfull soeuer thou hast beene