distance How many stars bee there in the skie How many drops of water in the sea Or how many graines of sand vpon the earth If all the men in the world kings or philosophers who haue not onely essence but also life sense and reason cannot without matter precedent make one drop of water one stone or one candle How can these creatures of such incomprehensible greatnes as are the heauens of such wonderfull brightnes as are the Sunne the Moone and the starres and so abundant as are both lande and sea hauing not so much as essence giue to themselues essence yea and such essence as they now haue Yet speaking onely of essence common sense doth also denie that Let vs therefore conclude that there is a God almightie who being of himselfe from all eternitie in his time hath of nothing created both heauen and earth according as Moses hath affirmed saying Gen. 1.1 In the beginning God made heauen and earth 16 Moreouer experience teacheth that the heauens haue their motions But whence come those motions euen motions of such incomprehensible swiftnes that as we see by daily practise the Sunne in foure and twentie houres compasseth the whole earth and consequently in one houre runneth two hundred sixtie Dutch miles Besides the heauen where the Sunne hath his abode is from the earth 1202700. leagues How many leagues then doeth hee dayly runne in his owne heauen A matter incomprehensible to mannes capacitie But euerie motion especially in thinges that haue essence onelie and no lyfe doeth of necessitie presuppose a moouer that causeth the motion And this doo wee plainelye see in the Earth in Starres in Water c. which haue no motion but from others The motion therfore of the heauens doo euidently testifie that there is a God who being of himselfe immoueable giueth motion to all his creatures But who disposed the wonderfull order which we find to be in all creatures that haue but essence onely that an inferior heauen should be comprehended in a greater and that againe in an other greater and so consequently of the rest Who placed the Sun the Moone and the Stars in their heauens and places Who formed and continueth the double motion of the Sunne in all seasons from East to West from one pole to another Who so established the foure elements vnder the heauens that the region of fire enuironeth the aire the aire the water and the water the earth The nature of contrarieties is one to destroie another as the water to quench the fire and the fire to drie vp the water yet are these four elements kept in such accord that of the same being mixed and vnited together all bodily creatures are formed and doo consist not consuming or disordering one of another It must their needs be that there is a God the creator preseruer and conducter of the elements 18 Who guideth the course of the heauens in so certaine inuariable a measure that a man may foretell at what houre a hundred yeres hence the Moone or Sunne shall bee eclipsed Who placed the heauie lumpe of the earth as a center to the world hanged it in the aire What handes do withholde the sea which lyeth higher than the earth from drowning the same Can this wisedome conduct and power which doo thus shine in these workes be found in anie thing that was not to place it selfe in essence and so to direct guide and maintaine it selfe Had these creatures had their essence from all eternitie yet coulde that which had onely essence without life sense or reason haue established such an order course and consent to bee briefe this worke of such incomprehensible wisedome and power Wee must therefore confesse that anie thing that hath onely essence considered as is aforesayd doth exclime against the Atheists and crie out that there is a God the author of the same as Dauid saith Psal 19 1 The heauens declare the glorie of God and the firmament sheweth his handie worke Againe The pillers of the earth sayth Hanna the mother of Samuel Sam. 2.8 are the Lordes and hee hath set the earth vpon them Psal 104 9 And Dauid saith But God hath set the sea a bound which it shall not passe neither shall it returne to couer the earth As also Iob doth more at large declare Iob. 3â— 19 As for those creatures which haue Vegetatiue life as hearbs and all plants the same are also so many vnreproueable witnesses that there is a God No man can giue that which he hath not but the earth hath onely essence and no life Likewise the Sun which warmeth the earth the raine that watereth it or the seed whereof the plant doth come The life therfore of hearbes and plants doth loudly testifie that there is a God the author of the same Againe whence came such diuersitie of hearbs plaâ—ts in one self ground So many kindes of trees some fruitfull some vnfruitfull And among the trees that beare fruit so many sundrie sortes as apples peares cheries plums c. Also among apple trees so many kindes of apples among peare trees so many sortes of peares likewyse of chery trees plum trees and all others that beare fruit Each sort notwithstanding either of apples peares or cheries c. bearing some diuersitie in forme colour and sauour or tast The lyke in hearbes Come into a medow looke vppon a garden howe manie kindes of hearbes shall you see of seuerall formes colours tastes or smels And whereof proceede all these hearbes and trees theyr leaues and fruit their shape colour and smell and their seuerall properties vertues They proceed neither from the earth from the sunne from the raine no neither from the seed The eie seeth it the capacitie knoweth it The whole therfore proceedeth from God And in deed sow in one selfe ground one selfe hearbe vnder one selfe forme and let it be watered with one selfe water yet do no other kinde of hearbes spring vp But some wil saie that it is of the seed that the life and diuersitie of hearbes trees flowers and fruites doth proceed Yet keepe the seed out of either the earth the sunne or the raine and it wil lie dead and bring forth nothing And open the seed therein peraduenture may you discerne some small sprout hauing essence yet wanting both life forme of hearb colour or fauour thereof It must needs then haue some other originall than from the seed onely And whence but euen from God Againe what is the cause that one kinde of seede still bringeth forth one kinde of hearbe with all the stems leaues colour sauour propertie and vertue a like Haue these small sprouts which haue onely essence vnderstanding also to agree to bring forth hearbes alike Are they able to doo it either to giue that which they haue not If not then some other must imploy his power and wisdome and that is God as it is written Gen. 1.11 In the beginning of the world hee ordained that euerie
strengthned theÌ„selues to wickednes saying Rom. 2.4 Psal 94 Tush God seeth not Is it not a manifest deniall of God to imagine him to be blind But as he addeth Is it not an extreame folly to thinke that he that formed the light and gaue sight to the eie seeth not but is blind Or he that formed the hart of man so knoweth the depth thereof doth not also see the workes of the same 6 Behold how wherfore we feare man more than God confessing God with our lips we deny him in our works which truly is a mere folly And in deed naturally we most feare him that hath most power and meanes to execute his threats him whose threatnings are most dangerous hurtfull to conclude euen him whose threatnings are not in vain but most certaine Any one wil sooner feare the threatning of a man than of a childe of a magistrate than of a priuate person the losse of life than the penaltie of some portion of money the threatninges of a sober man than the scolding speeches of a foolish and hairbraind woman But is not God more able than man to execute his threatnings All creature are at his commandement to do his will euen Angels men or deuils The aire through corruption to infect the sea to ouer whelm vs the land to swallow vs vp and the beasts to deuour vs. Wanteth he arrows in his quiuer to shoot forth at men With how many strange horrible plagues did he smite the Egyptians What water pooles found he wheÌ„ all the world was so drowned that the waters stood fifteen cubites aboue the highest mountains in the world Exod. 5.9.10 Ge. 1.7 Let vs read the 26. of Leuit. the 28. of Deut. there note with how many sorts of plagues calamities he can wil punish such as rebell against his commandements neither can anie counsell or strength withstand him Act. 17.26 Contrariwise what power hath man to hurt sith that in God he liueth he moueth hath his being What may hee doo against his will without whose power he cannot stir one finger liue one moment or haue anie being 7 Secondly how farre may mans threatnings extend Euen to the losse of goods and those bodies that are subiect to death But God hath power ouer all soules and therefore Iesus Christ admonisheth vs not to feare those that kill the bodie and no more Luk. 12.4 but feare him sayth he who when he hath killed hath power to cast into hell yea I saie feare him Neither can man afflict but for a time but Gods punishments are euerlasting and without end The threatnings of man are many times light and vaine yea and soone altered and reuersed but as God is righteous and true so his threatnings are euermore put in execution either in this world or in the world to come vnlesse we preuent them by Amendement of Life Nahum 1 The mightie God saith the Prophet Nahum is ielous and the Lord reuengeth and hath wrath at his commandement The Lord will take vengeance of his aduersaries and reserueth wrath for his enemies The Lord is slow to anger but he is great in power and will not surely cleere the wicked The Lord hath his waie in the whirle wind in the storme the clouds are the dust of his feete He rebuketh the sea and he drieth it and hee dryeth vp all the riuers Bashan is wasted and Carmel and the flower of Libanon is wasted The mountaines tremble for him and the hils melt the earth is burned at his sight yea the world and all that dwell therein Who caÌ„ stand before his wrath or who can abide in the fiercenes of his wrath His wrath is powred out like fire and the rockes are broken by him If the power and will of God be such in the execution of his threatnings euen threatnings not against the body only but also against the soule then in reproofe of this folly to feare man more than God doth the Prophet Esay iustly say Esa 2.22 Cease you from the man whose breath is in his nostrels for Whreein is he to be esteemed Againe Esa â—1 12 Who art thou that thou shouldest feare a mortall man and the sonne of man which shall be made as grasse and forgettest the Lorde thy maker that hath spread out the heauens and laide the foundations of the earth The rather therefore to amend our liues let vs hereafter bee better aduised in fearing God more than man so esteeming more of God than of man or rather not esteeming man but in God withall let vs remember that those men haue reason to feare man that feare not God more than man 8 The third proofe consisteth in this That we repose more trust in man than in God And this folly proceedeth from three originall springs First wee are so brutish that as beastes apprehend no more than is before their eies so wee beleeue no more than wee see We see that men haue meanes to helpe vs but we see not God neither knowe his power And this is the cause that we trust more to man that promiseth our sustenance than to God who promiseth to prouide for vs Mat. 6.26 neuer to forsake vs yea than to God who sendeth vs the schoole of soules hearbes flowers of them to learne that man being farre more excellent and precious in the sight of God ought wholy to rest vpon him for his sustenance and life 9 Secondly we are so addicted to the flesh that we accompt nothing to be a blessing but what delighteth the flesh And so when men do promise things fit and commodious for the same we trust to them more then to God who promising many blessings assistance and reliefe doth not alwaies fulfill those promises after the lustes of the flesh but to the good of the spirite and saluation of the soule Thus albeit he performeth to vs more then it seemeth he hath promised namely spirituall and eternall gifts in stead of carnall and temporall yet can not our flesh comprehend that hee hath fulfilled his promises Thus when in sickenes pouerty or prison man promiseth recouery assistance or deliuery we trust more in him then God who in his word maketh the like promises For flesh knoweth no other reliefe succour or deliuerie then that which is bodily which God often times changeth into spirituall and euerlasting more excelent in deed yet lesse knowne to man 10 The third cause resteth in the time of performance of promises God in his wisedome doth sometimes vse long delaies as flesh doth imagin in the performance of his promises Wherupon man naturally whot impatient beholding that which he esteemeth neerer and more redy at hand trusteth more to man then to God Rom. 5.4 Hereto we may add that as S. Paul saith Experience engendreth hope And therfore as man findeth helpe and reliefe in men who being of abilitie doe also loue him And on the
loose an infinit and eternall felicitie 6 Moreouer let vs eschue shunne al occasions that might induce vs hereunto namely such coÌ„panie as is addicted to the same For as S. Augu. saith his prouocations are least August of the singularitie of Cleargie that neuer coÌ„meth among lusts plesures for as the man shal hardly scape free from blacking or meal that coÌ„uerseth with millers or colliers so shal he hardly escape plesures that hanteth with those that are giuen to follow their lusts and pleasures And as green wood laid vpon the fire albeit at the first it resisteth yet in the end doeth burne and is consumed so is it with him that frequenteth those that giue themselues to lusts pleasures albeit at the beginning he resisteth the euill and for a while falleth not thereinto yet by continuall hant he finally falleth in with them Furthermore let vs shun Idlenes the mother and nurse of all mischiefe namely of pleasure according to the saying of olde Cato that by doing nothing men learn to doo euill and this doo we vndoubtedly finde to be most verified in the pleasures of the flesh For as still and standing waters are easily corrupted so are idle persons Besides there is nothing more repugnant to the true repentance of Gods children either to our griefe heauinesse and sorrowing for our sinnes than pleasure For as it is vnnaturall to kindle fire with water so is it vnpossible for pleasure to breede in a penitent heart that sorroweth for sinne The Lorde of hoastes sayth the Prophet Esaie in that daie did call you to weeping and mourning Esay 22.12 to baldnes and girding with sackcloth And beholde ioye and gladnesse slaying of oxen and killing of sheepe eating flesh and drinking wine and saying Let vs eate and drinke for to morrowe wee shall die Whereunto hee addeth this horrible and fearefull threatning And the Lorde of hoastes hath declared vnto mee Surelie this iniquitie shall not bee purged from you vntill yee die 7 The sole consideration of the affliction and calamitie of our brethren might also suffice to make vs to forsake al lustes pleasures 2. Cor. 12.25 remembring what Saint Paule sayth That the members haue the same care one for another if one member suffer all members suffer with it They therefore that with sorrowe feele not the afflictions of theyr brethren but giue themselues to pleasures and delightes doo manifestly declare that they bee no members of the bodie and so are to looke for the curse by the Prophet Amos pronounced agaynst those who liuing at ease doo giue themselues to the pleasures and lusts of the flesh Amos 6.1 and doo not mourne for the afflictions of Ioseph Likewise when the holy Ghost calleth vs to a solempne acknowledgement of the feeling of our sinnes Ioel 2.12.16 hee exhorteth vs to fasting weeping and sorrow adding that the new married ought to come forth of his closet the bride out of her marriage chamber They therefore that giue themselues to lusts and pleasures doo sufficiently declare that they haue no feeling sorrow or griefe either for the afflictions of theyr brethren or for theyr owne sinnes yea which is worse that they stand in no feare of offending God Plutarch reporteth that when Agesilaus was demanded what good the lawes of Lycurgus had done to Sparta Plutarch in his Apotheg hee answered that they had engendered contempt of pleasures vnderstanding thereby a soueraigne benefite to the common wealth If the lawes of a mortall man were of such efficacie with the people that had no knowledge of God what a shame and confusion may it breed with vs Christians when the laws of the great and heauenly lawe-giuer are not of force with vs to abolish and root out this plague of lust plesure out of the Christian church The same Agesilaus hauing refused a present of sundrie pleasures offered him by the Thasiens Plut. in his Lacon Apo. and lastly by their importunity being forced to take it commanded it to bee distributed among the Helots who were his seruants not much better than bond men amongst the Lacedemonians and yeelding a reason for it sayd that it beseemed not the professors of vertue to vse plesure how much lesse may it beseeme Christians euen the children of God to giue themselues thereto Agis the last king of the Lacedemonians was in his youth giuen to all lustes and pleasures but beeing established ruler of the land Erasmus in his Apotheg lib. 1. hee quite gaue them ouer and shewed such an example of temperance and sobrietie that the vse of pleasures quayling among his subiects they also addicted themselues to sobrietie euen so wee Christians albeit before the knowledge of the truth wee wallowed in the lusts of the flesh yet beeing nowe raised to this honour and estate to bee made kings and priests yea euen the children of God ought now to bee the more estraunged from all lusts and pleasures to the ende that after our example all others may renounce the same and imitate our sobrietie Rom. 13.14 And to conclude to this dutie doth Saint Pauls exhortation that we should take no care for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it inuite vs. 8 As before wee haue spoken of ambition couetousnesse Heb. 11 and pleasure so that wee may the rather detest these three plagues of our soules we are still to looke vppon the example of Moses who as the Apostle to the Hebrues doth note by faith ouercame these three mightie temptations First Ambition when hee refused the honor and glorie to bee called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter secondly Couetousnesse in accounting rebuke for Christe to bee greater riches than all the tresures in Egypt lastly pleasure in chosing affliction with Gods people rather than the pleasures of sinne for a short space Of Dronkennesse Chap. 16 NOw will wee particularly speake of the two principall kinds of voluptuousnesse namely dronkennesse and fornication As concerning dronkennesse it is an ancient and peâ—â—â—tious vice deeply rooted in some and in some countries almost past remedy The Grecians in old time were noted to bee mightily giuen therto and forced each other to drinke by a certaine measure Plutarch in the banquet of the 7. sages as Plutarch noteth alleadging to that purpose the authority of Homer yea they woulde haue no companie wyth those that woulde not frame themselues thereto and thereof grew the prouerbe which to this daie in theyr speech signifieth Either drinke or be gone Plinie writeth that in his time dronkennesse bare such swaie in Italy Plut. Simp. l. 4. 5. 6 that they would force theyr mares vnreasonablye to drinke wine Which is worse the Tartarians Persians and Grecians in theyr principall triumphs dyd celebrate dronkennesse Mithridates presumed to propound a reward to him that coulde drinke most and carrie it awaie when hee had ouercome the rest in drinking These examples do shew that the older that dronkennesse is the more haue