moue out of the place wherin he was before we know not what we doe while we open our eares to vaine wordes and shut them against the wordes of eternall life They that are of God saith our Sauiour Christ will heare Gods word Iohn â— And hee concludeth that such as are otherwise affected are not of God 〈◊〉 similitude When a man discourseth of the gold of India of such things which he sawe or readeth of in histories touching the same such as haue a purpose to trauel thither wil diligently harken to that which he shal report but others who neuer look to haue doings there care not what he saith nor will take no heed thereto So when as we preach to men of God of the kingdome of heauen of the treasures which God hath laid vp in store for them that loue him such as haue a desire to goe to heauen to see God face to face to bee partaker of his ioyes will giue eare to the preaching of his holy word but such as haue no mind euer to come thither account not at al of our labour and ministry and make no conscience in hearing our preachings The estate of this people is exceeding daungerous and the contempt of Gods worde is the next â—ore to damnation it selfe The Pâ—almograph touching the most perillous estate and extremitie of the Israelites saith that when their soule abhorred all kind of meat they were next vnto deaths dore As the outward man without outward meate perisheth so the inward man without his inward and spirituall foode decaieth This is another meate then wee are aware of and the want of this exceedeth far the want of other meat Therefore God by the mouth of Amos threatning an intolerable and most fearefull famine hee saith hee will not sende a famine of bread but a famine of the worde of God the breade of eternall life This breade in vertue infinitelie surmounteth all other kindes of breade and delicates whatsoeuer What Nectar and Ambrosia may compare with this Is there any mortal meat that is so restoratiue that it can reduce the dead to life againe it cherisheth and refresheth vs whilest we are aliue but it auaileth vs nothing when wee are deade But the word of God nourisheth our dead soules and raiseth them vp from their dead works to serue the liuing God Ezechiel verie plainely teacheth so much by a liuely demonstration of drie bones Ezech. 37 which the Prophet by the mighty power of the worde brought from death to life againe There is no sinner so obdurate by a long continued habit and custome of sinne and hath lien so long dead as hee stinketh with Lazarus in his coffin and graue through the corruption of his sinnes but he may bee mollified changed and reclaimed finally reuiued and raised vp and restored to the church as Lazarus to his friendes by the heauenlie voice of Christ Let no man therefore proceed so far in extreame impietie as in their great danger of vtter shipwrack in the sea of this world to forsake this anchor hold their onely succour and the hornes of the Altar which they must lay hold vpon Adam after his grieuous and dangerous fall had no small benefit by hearing of the word Gen. 3 I hearde saith he thy voice in the gardeÌ„ for he was comforted with the promise of saluation by our Sauiour Christ the seede of the woman that should breake the serpents head A similitude The ciuill magistrate first of all punisheth a roague and sturdy vagabonde with the whip but the second time more grieuouslie by cutting off his eares but if hee take him hauing lost his eares as a horrible offendor in the highest degree hee putteth him to death So if thou wilt not amend with the Lordes stripes he wil further grieue and vexe thee with Scorpions and if as a runnagate from his presence he findeth thee without eares to listen to his words he will prepare the instrumentes of death to grind thy hairy scalpe Prou. 7 Therefore deere Christian bee in time warned that thou maist be wel armed Call wisdom thy sister and vnderstanding thy kinswoman Seeke for heauenly knowledge as thou seekest for earthlie gold and it shall bee giuen thee So shalt thou not swarue with the prodigall sonne from thy fathers commandements but thy soule shall stil dwell and inherit the land thou shalt be satisfied with the pleÌ„teousnesse of his house as out of a riuer Let vs therefore open the eies of our soules that wee may see our horrible and abhominable ignorance the hellish fiend and furie of our soules Let vs pray with Dauid and say â—sal 13 Open mine eies O lord that I sleepe not in death Giue me vnderstanding I shall search thy lawe yea I shall keepe it with my whole heart â—sal 119 Endue vs more and more with knowledge that thy couÌ„sels may be deere vnto vs sweeter then the hony â—sal 119 or the hony combe Then shall wee enter into thy gates with praise and into thy courts with thanks Our feet shall stande still in thy gates oh Hierusalem we shal walke before thee all the daies of our life Those foure holy beastes which Ezechiel did see were full of eies Ezech. 8 because they were full of the knowledge of God and what saith the scripture They walked before his face Lord giue vs eies we shall walke in all true waies and al false waies we shal vtterly abhor We shal walke before thy face and not take our vagaries with this wandring wight after our wicked pleasures this grace the Lord giue vs for his holy names sake The fift Chapter Of selfe loue pride and presumption another cause of his departure from his father IT appeareth by the proude petition of his portion that he had a great coÌ„ceit opinion of himselfe that hee was enough able without his fathers helpe if he were at his own hand to dispose of himself And this his selfe loue was the beginning of his sinne the breeder of his bane and the roote from whence all his flowing mischiefe sprung Pride and selfe loue Pride and selfe loue the cause all euill A similitâ— is the fountaine of al vice and the enemie of all vertue Trees that are planted in mountaines and high places do soonest loose their leaues and beautifull blossomes through the violence of the winds A man that looketh downe from a steepe high A similitâ— tower hath neede of a staied and well ordereâ— braine or else he may soone be in danger of falling In fishermens nets the frie A similitude and Menowes and smaller fish run thorow when as the greater caÌ„noâ— passâ— the net The proud and great men and Princes of Hierusalem were taken prisoners and by Nabuchadnezzar led into Babilon when the baâ—â— and meaner people generally were enlarged and set at libertie In the mountaine of Geâ—boa Saule his armorbearer and the proud princes of Israell
haire the knots of death and to stand in stead of halters to choake him vp And so hanging by the hairie scalpe betweene heauen and earth vntill he was smitten vnto the ground by Ioab and miserablie finished his accursed life he is left as an example to rebellious children of feare trembling I pray God this example may warne such children that those who tread in the selfe same steps may in time take heed least iustly they bee whipped with the selfe same stripes And if it may be as well remembred as it is ill forgotten it will curble their wilde and wicked affections and keepe them in obedience How they do walke in this mans path imitate his lewdnes if they do not surpasse it it is easie to be seene if you suruay the trickes and fetches which they vse to serue their owne turnes to get to their possession the inheritance and right and substance of their fathers Some are taught to chalenge with boldnes inough their legacie and portion that was left them by their mother Othersome do sue to be ouerseers of their fathers to be tutors ouer them charging them with dotage with the sonnes of Sophocles that they are vnable to manage their matters therfore they do craue the gouernment of their goods and ouersight of their persons Othersome do flatly charge them with iniustice and vnnaturall partialitie that they worke not by a rule leuel proportioÌ„ in the course of their affectioÌ„s in heaping vpon one more theÌ„ on another without iust occasion as if it were vnlawfull for Iacob to loue Ioseph more then al his brethren or for Christ to loue his disciple Iohn more then the other of his fellow disciples But as they are with this prodigall companion troubled and tormented with a greedie worme DisobedieÌ„t children are great â—â—â—ders which maketh them to gape with mouths so wide for their parents substance buzzing like the flies that pestered Pharao his Court and could not bee driuen away but they will still returne seaze and prey vppon them so are they alway of a gadding spirit they are neuer well but when they are ranging and their feet stand vpon thornes vntil they be gone out of their parents house They had rather be companions with vaine and lewd persons who may flatter them in their fondnesse then to be in presence of their carefull pareÌ„ts who may traine them vp in goodnesse They haue lost that eare with Malcus that should heare good counsell and they followe with Absalon such kinde of counsellors as leade them to destruction A similitude Herein they doo resemble the birds of the ayre who albeit they bee neuer so well tended in the cage yet couet they to bee out and to flie abroad skipping too and fro from one twigge vnto another But the birds herein do folow but the instinct of their naturall inclination which God hath giuen vnto them whose naturall habitation is in the aire neuer vsing to light vppon the ground but when hunger and needfull prouision of foode and other necessities driue them thereunto and therefore are excused but lewd children like monsters do putte off nature coursing abroad when nature teacheth them to abide at home and therefore iustly and condignely are accused Doth not nature teach them there to abide most where they haue most cause there to liue where they find greatest loue and not to bereaue them of their comfort and solace in the ende of their life who haue beene vnto them by such infinite troubles and vnspeakeable charges the bginners authors maintainers of their liues A similitude See we not how Spaniâ—ls waite diligently vpon their maisters who do vse to feede them and shall sonnes giue no attendance vpon their deare parents who not onely feede them but do take such cares for them If the loue of parents with all the loue againe that childreÌ„ can shew can neuer be requited take wee heede we turne not thankfulnesse into sinfulnesse and obedience into stubburnnesse and naturall loue into all vngodlie lust He that rendereth â—ill for good euill shall neuer saith the wise man depart out of his house Prou. 15. Christ that desired that the fragments of the â—aues wherewith the people were sufficed in the wildernes should be kept as a grateful remeÌ„brance â—f that kindnes no doubt would haue such maine â—â—d vnspeakable benefits which wee receiue from â—r parents to be in no wise forgotten The sorrows â—hich parents do sustaine for their children be side â—â—e many cares of their well doing as exceeding 〈◊〉 nuÌ„ber are not to be rehearsed which no doubt as sharp arrowes would stick sore vnto their sideâ— and would soone ouercome theÌ„ were there not aâ— inward loue which ouerruled all making them patient and willing to endure them 1. Kin. 4 The tender loâ—â— seated and rooted in their hearts is like the meaâ— that Elisha the man of God did cast into the pottâ— whereby the sowernes bitternes of death whicâ— was in the pot was taken away and their meaâ— made sauorie and sweete vnto them The regaâ— whereof if children were not gracelesse might râ—uish their affections retaine them in obedienâ—â— and keepe them at home and weane them froâ— their wilde and wanton vagaries ietting and iaâ—â—ting like a Post to fro who staieth not in a placâ— alwayes turning vp and downe like an hour-glaâ—â— that is turned euerie houre The fourth Chapter Of the ignorance and want of knowledge of his hapâ—â— estate in his fathers house the grand cause of 〈◊〉 departure from the house vnder which the dangâ—rous effects of our ignorance and the happy fruâ—â— of the knowledge of Gods worde are specified 〈◊〉 expressed THere was no occasion giuen him 〈◊〉 his father why hee should so much 〈◊〉 like to bee in presence with his fathâ—â— Thy destruction O Israel is of thy sâ—â—â— He might haue pleaded iudicially with his soâ—â— as hee did sometimes with the children of Israâ—â— saying in this wise Mich. 6 O my people what haue I done vnto thee or wherein haue I grieued thee testifie agaynst me Could his sonne alledge agaynst him his vnnaturall inclemencie his vnkinde increatie his want of thinges necessarie Coulde hee dispute for his departure from his father as Iacob did for his departure from his vncle when hee speaketh thus I will depart Gen. 30. for Laban his countenance is not towards me now as it was yesterday and three dayes agoe Was hee so seruilelie detained in obsequie as he should so inordinatelie affect this libertie No no let God bee true and euerie man else a lyar that he may be iustified in his sayings Psal 50 and cleare when he is iudged It was his foolishnesse and want of experience being the yonger brother which opened the window vnto all mishappes and violentlie did throwe him into all extremities He was as a blinde man who coulde not iudge of colours as a fleshlie man who conceyueth not the thinges that are
sanctifie them and that was the cause it came speedilie on them 〈◊〉 â—1 The Prophet Esaie declaring the office of Christ in preaching the Gospell sheweth that the subiect of this preaching is to publish Gods readinesse to pardon sinners and his vnwillingnes to take iudgement of them And to make proofe thereof hee compareth them together and maketh his clemencie to be far greater and of longer continuance towardes vs then his iustice For hee restraineth his vengeance and limiteth it to a daie but hee extendeth his mercie infinitelie beyonde it giuing a continuance of time vnto it the space of a yeere For thus the spirit speaketh Isai 54 To preach the acceptable yeere of the Lord and the daie of vengeance of our God The same Prophet in an other place confirmeth the same doctrin most comfortablie vnto vs when in the person of God himselfe hee saith A little while haue I forsaken thee but with great compassion will I gather thee for a moment in mine anger I hid my face from thee for a little season but with euerlasting mercy haue I had compassion on thee saith the Lord thy redeemer The due regard hereof breedeth no admiration but it tendeth exceedinglie to our consolation for this is natural and proper vnto God to be gracious and mercifull it is a strange worke to him as the scriptures say of him to punish and shewe vengeance A similitudâ— Euen as a Painter when he hath elaboratelie finished a picture if so be he be constrained in regard of some faultes which he findeth in it vtterlie to blot out and deface all his worke hee is much grieued for it so when God seeth manie defaults and blemishes in vs who are his workmanship engrauen image vpon whome he hath bestowed such exceeding cost as varnishing vs and adorning vs with liuely colours which must be reformed for which cause he must marre that he hath made and begin his worke anew it cannot but bee grieuous and troublesome vnto him A similitude If thou wouldest place a stone of great waight vppon the roofe of thine house thou hast neede of pullies cables for to reare it but if thou wouldst throw it to the ground thou needest doe nothing but let it fall from thee for it will fall of his accord vnto the grounde for naturallie heauie things doe tend downeward as those that are light do ascend vpwarde It is as naturall with God to shewe mercie to a sinner as it is for a stone that is heauie to fall downewarde for the Sunne to shine for the fire to burne or anie other thing to performe his nature Wherefore thou readest euerie where in the historie of Christ of innumerable mercies which hee shewed vnto many but thou readest not of his punishments inflicted vpon any but only at one time when hee made him a whip â—n 2 and chased out of the temple such impure copesmates as had too abhominably prophaned the temple Was there euer any that intreated his mercy and did not obtaine it He healed graciously Malchus his eare â—â—ke 21 his professed and sworn enemie then one of the furious bloud thirsty souldiours who combined together intending his destruction The murmuring Israelites exasperated the Lord exceedingly against them when as the spies returning from Chanaan their tidings displeased them for they so mutinously muttered against God as they were threatned of him that they should not possesse the inheritance promised them or enter into the lande Yet after that when the people were in armes and prepared vnto battell in the middest of iudgement the Lorde could not vtterlie forget mercie hee is so naturallie disposed to bee mercifull and therefore both in anger and loue hee saieth vnto them Doe not ascende vp Num. 14 for I am not with you least yee fall before your enemies If he had not been with them he would not so graciouslie and louinglie haue warned them that they should not go vp but would haue suffered them to fall vpon the sword and bee a pray vnto their enemies Againe if so be he had beene with them and had not been angry with them he would not haue said so directly vnto them I am not with you He was with them and was not with them He was not with them that they should haue the conquest he was with them that they should not be conquered If the Lord be thus mercifull when men are so sinful it is thereby manifest that hee is soone satisfied The foure beasts which Ezechiel did see in a vision had the faces of a Lion Ezech. 1 also of a man in the right side to signifie vnto vs that as he looketh like a lion vpon a sinner that cannot repent vtterlie to destroy him whilest there is none to helpe him so when a sinner returneth from his sinnes and turneth vnto him he hath the louing and kinde face of a man and intreateth him familiarlie and kindlie as a man This father could not be more forwarde in fauor towardes this his lost sonne then to looke out after him and to cast his eyes about to espie where hee might see him and when he had happily seene him a far off to hic out vnto him to embrace him to fall on his neck and kisse him Al these are good notes of good nature and affections but when they do paâ—ley and talke together the zeale is admirable which he expresseth towards him For he is so soon pleased as no sooner the sonne beginneth to speak but the bowels of the father are so presentlie mooued as hee suffereth him not to vtter all he meditated for before he could come to this clause of his set speech Make me one of thy hired seruauntes the father interrupteth him and breaketh off his speech preuenting him graciouslie with his blessings of goodnes and granting infinitly more then he desired Thy God as so reaâ—â—e to shew â—is sinner â—h mercy The father in great wisedome vsed this great speede because his sonnes estate and neede so required it For when as a sinner through anguish of sinne is in extremity as this sinner was hee hath neede of present comfort to preuent despaire and ready encouragement to allaie the rage and furie of his passions which otherwise woulde bee verie dangerous vnto him For this cause God vseth no delay with such but immediatly vpon the forgiuenes of sinnes hee giueth therewithall the riches of his grace there is no time betwixt them but they come both together The remission of sin and the giftes of grace come together Before we can recouer our bodily health after a great sicknesse it is a long time by little and little and by degrees we leisâ—râ—ly attaine it for the body is not of that moment as the soule therefore there is no such vrgent necessitie of the present health of it for by lingering and time it may do wel enough It is otherwise with the soule which woulde languish with griefe
would be his father and hee should be his sonne hee would cancell his former wickednesse and would not remember his sins any more And no other end doth Augustine make of it â—ugust quaest â—n quaest wheÌ„ he tearmeth the ring Pignus spiritus sancti the pledge and earnest of the holie Ghost The vse of rings hath been very ancient for Moses in Genesis maketh mention of a ring which Iudas gaue to Thamar as a token of his loue Rings serue especiallie to a double purpose First to bee as ornaments of honour A ring an ornament of honour and renowne For which cause in olde times the Romanes when they sent their honourable Embassadours into forraine kingdomes they had rings giuen them in the publike sight and face of the people which serued as testimonials of their honorable callings and of the dignitie and great worship which was layde vpon them It was not then lawfull for anie to weare rings who had them not by publique commission giuen vnto them Of later times a Ring peculiarlie appertayned to the famous order and degree of knighthoode to distinguish them from the confused and common sort of people It was not sufferable in a base borne brat to go bragging with a ring no man might weare any that was not free borne Moreouer it was not permitted to any to haue more then one yea it was infamous verie ridiculous to weare more then one Gracchus noted Naeuius for a wanton fellow of most effeminate behauiour forasmuch as his left hand was so painted and gawdie and daubed with rings It was alwayes the custome to weare the ring vpon the next finger vnto the least vpon the left hande to bee in steade of a Diademe and Coronet vpon the toppe of the hart the fountaine of all vertue for asmuch as a sinewe from thence extendeth it selfe vnto the heart and therefore that the Ring was a signe of vertue this ancient custome sheweth Secondlie rings serued as seales of loue A Ring a seale of loue and pledges of troth plighted each with other In this respect it hath beene the common custome of louers to declare their mutuall loue and good will by their ioynt giuing and receiuing of rings Their agreement of mindes and fitnes of natures by no other ceremonie could bee better shewed then by a ring which euerie one causeth to be made fit before it can be worne for if it be too wide it slippeth off or if it bee too streight it pincheth too much So consorts and companions of our loues must be fit and sutable to vs. For if they bee too loose they will bee too slippery or if they be too streight wee cannot endure them These Rings which passed to and fro betweene louers vsually were engrauen and had seales vpon them Such emblemes and poesies as might seeme to stirre vppe affections the better and continue kindnesse were carued vpon them But vnto such pride and generall excesse are these times of ours come as euerie triobuler and meanest mate will flant it with a ring He is no bodie now adayes who cannot if a massie and waightie ring will doe it out dare a man You shall see such sordide and abiect fellowes carrie ringes vpon their fingers as there is no wise man that knoweth them that doth not iudge that rings are fitter and seemlier for their feete You shall haue a doltish fellow iette vp and downe with a great seale ring who neither knoweth one letter from another neither hath at anie time any letter for to seale But this man howsoeuer he now seemeth base â—n respect of this his former beastly behauior for to weare a ring yet the father not without good disâ—retion adorneth him with it for howsoeuer latelie â—e was in disgrace yet was he at the first of verie great account Hee descended from a noble and princelie pedegree Hee was of the greatest birth and parentage as possiblie could be God not onelie giueth grace vnto a sinner that repenteth him of his sinnes but with his grace restored whatsoeuer he had lost by reason of his sinne He is carefull of our credite estimation and account in the middest of our sorrowes Gen. 32 Gene. 41 as of Iacobs in the middest of his seruice and labours in Mesopotamia of Iosephs in prison and miserie in Egypt of Dauids whilest he was in verie meane estate 1. Sam. 16 1. Sam. 17 when he kept his fathers sheepe whom he tooke from the sheepfold and preferred and extolled vnto the kingdom of Israel Why then doe wee slacke and delay our repentance since we haue so liberall and bountifull a father who so plentifullie rewardeth the good doer Would we that are filthie be rather filthie still then to be made cleane Had we rather be bonde then free seruants then sonnes base then honourable to goe in vilde rayment and appeare abhominable then to bee apparelled richlie and to bee set foorth with a ring honourablie Wherefore goe thou out of the denne of thy sinne since thou seest what blessings God hath in store for thee vppon thy forth comming A similitude The Conie that concheth closely in the burrow though he durst nor stirre or issue out at the noyse and clamour and knocking of the warrener it is not to be maruailed at for hee knoweth well inough that if he springeth out hee shall be entangled and catched with a net which is ouerspred for him and therefore he rather chooseth to bee woaried of the Ferret and to bee torne in peeces by him then to runne himselfe into such certaine danger otherwise But there is no such matter to be feared of thee by thy comming out of the caue of thy sinne wherein thou dost lurk when the Lord calleth thee but be thou wel assured that when thou obeyest the voyce of the Lord and commest vnto him hee will embrace thee with his armes he will kisse thee and receiue thee and bestow his rich graces on thee His shooes But as he doth credit and grace him with a ring as a token of his dignitie that he is the son of God so he prepareth shooes for him that his feet might be as harts feet to run the way of his commaundements that the man of God might bee readie and prouided vnto euerie good worke That the Iewes might be in readinesse to celebrate the Passeouer according to Gods ordinance they were commanded to haue shooes vpon their feete immediately to depart after it was consummated Mark 20 When our sauiour Christ sent out his Disciples to preach the Gospel hee willeth them that they be shod with Sandals The great Doctor of the Gentiles laying out euery parcell of the complete armor of a Christian soldiour who will fight a good fight Ephes 6 giueth him this furniture and munition for his feete charging him that they be shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace By his feete that were couered defended with shooes we may fitly and safely vnderstand