man when he is a thirstie tarrieth but for drinke and when hee hungereth abideth but for meate and then drinketh and eateth naturally Euen so is the Faithfull euer a thirst and an hungered after the will of God and tarrieth but for an occasion and whensoeuer an occasion is giuen hee worketh naturally the will of God 2 As the vnbelieuers declare their vnbeliefe by the working of the euill spirit in them outwardly the fruites of the flesh Euen so the belieuers declare their Faith by the working in them outwardly the fruites of the spirite 3 Like as when we heare a Musition play sweetely or a painter picture curiously we do not inquire what countrymen they are or whether they bee borne of noble parentage or no but diligently hearken to the Musicke and marke and view well the picture So a Faithfull and carefull hearer of the word must not so much regard the state and condition of the Preacher as diligently to marke the good things that he teacheth and so to practise them in his life and behauiour Fall of man through his owne pride AS we see a child who whilst he runneth vp and down to shew his new cloathes hee stumbleth euen vpon his cloathes and catcheth a Fall and seeing himselfe downe and his cloathes soyled and arayed in the dust he cryeth lowder at his Fall then hee crowed before at his new Coate So God hath put many excellent graces vpon thee thou crowest at the sight of them as Nebuchadnezzer did at the sight of his Pallace and like a foole thou art in admiration of thy selfe till thou stumblest euen vpon thine owne giftes and when thou art downe thou which before didst crow like a foole doest then crie like a child especially because thou seest thy excellent graces euen thy coate of diuers colours stayned and foyled with thy Fall Psa 75.6 7. The Famine of the soule LIke as when God sendeth a Famine that wee hardly find wherewithall to sustaine our liues then our condition is miserable Euen so much more daungerous and greater is the Famine of the soule when God taketh away from any people the sincere Preachers of his word Amo. 8.11 12. Feare of God 1 AS Ioseph did dreame that the Sunne and Moone did bowe vnto him So must the whole world Feare and stand in awe of Gods maiestie Gen. 37 9. 2 As Iacob told his vnckle Laban that except the Feare of Isaac had beene with him meaning the Feare of God who was Isaacs Feare he would haue sent him away emptie Euen so it is with vs all except Gods Feare remaine and continue with vs though the Lord hath deserued neuer so much at our hands yet we like vnthankfull Labans would send him emptie away and robbe him of the praise of all his blessings and graces bestowed vpon vs. Gene. 31.42 Pro. 1.7 14.27 Exod. 20.20 Gene. 42.18 Gods Face is fearefull to the wicked AS the Face of an earthly Iudge which can but kill the body is most fearefull and terrible vnto that partie which is brought before him for his wicked fact Euen so the Face and sentence of the eternall and heauenly Iudge of Iudges will bee most terrible against the wicked who after he hath killed can cast both body and soule into hell fire and from whose countenance flyeth away both the heauens and the earth Math. 10.28 Reue. 20.11 Friends vnprofitable AS the stumpe of a tooth is vnprofitable to eate withal So they in whom there is no faith nor credite to be reposed are Friendes vnfit and vnprofitable for a man in the day of trouble Prou. 25.19 A Friend forsaken AS a vessell how profitable so euer it hath beene to the owner and how necessarie for his turne yet when it is broken it is throwne away and regarded no longer Euen so such is the state of a man forsaken of those whose Friend he hath beene so long as he was able to stand them in stead Psal 31.12 Such a Father such a Sonne AS Vipers broode destroyeth them that breed them So generally the children of them that murthered the Prophets and shewed crueltie to the saints of God fulfill the measure of their fathers and are vnmercifully bent against all those that seeke their life and saluation Math. 3.7 23.33 A dead Faith 1 LIke as he that falleth into a Riuer if he neither moue hands armes nor legs is quickly drowned and sinketh downe dead to the bottom but if he swim escapeth aliue So he that trusteth to a dead Faith which because it hath no good effects and bringeth forth no liuely fruites as an holy loue to God man pietie patience pitie mercie compassion and such like vertues he must needes be drowned in vtter destruction and sincke downe into the bottomlesse gulfe and pit of hell but he that moueth his hands his feete to do the deeds of a true right Faith which worketh by loue and shall be a dooer of the word and not an hearer onely he shall escape safe out of all dangers and shall arriue at the happie hauen of eternall happinesse and euerlasting life through Christ Iesus Iam. 2.14 c. Gal. 5.6 Iam. 1.22 2 Like as if a man say to one that is hungry fill thy belly and giueth him nothing this shall not be true charitie So likewise if a man say he beleeueth bringeth forth no workes of Faith this shall not be true faith but a certaine dead thing set out with the name of Faith wherof no man hath to bragge vnlesse he will openly incurre reprehention seeing that the cause is vnderstood by the effects Iam. 2 15 16. Spirituall Fornication AS they that forsake their husbands and giue themselues ouer to straungers doo so become common Whoores Euen so such is the state of those which leaue God and the truth which sometime they professed and commit Idolatrie and cleaue to superstitions Ezech. 23.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. Fasting when needfull 1 AS men accused in times past with longe hanging beardes with vncombred hayre with blacke array were wont humbly to abate themselues to the end to procure the mercy of the Iudge So likewise when we are accused for our sinnes before the iudgement of God when either pestilence or famine or war begin to range abroad or if any calamitie otherwise seeme to hang ouer our coūtrie then it behoueth vs both for his glorie and for common edification and also is profitable and healthfull for vs that wee should in pitious array humble our selues in Fasting and prayer before his maiestie and so craue to escape his seueritie Ioel. 2.25 2 As bridles are necessarie for wilde horses So likewise is Fasting sometimes for a Christian to tame the fleshe 3 As some men naturally are continually out of measure and inclined to one extremitie or other which are both naught and many there haue beene which haue alwayes continued but too licentious So also some there haue beene so superstitious in Fasting and abstinence that they
to such as can find him yet if we can by no meanes find him what shall the vnderstanding hereof profit vs nothing at all 1. Cor. 28.10 Esa 55.6 Christ to be found by hearing the word preached and read 1 LIke as if one haue a Moyne of Copper Tinne or Leade he vseth great paine and diligence to come by the same but if it proue a veine of Siluer or Gold then the owner thereof setteth Pyoners on worke who with great care courage and comfort labour night and day in hope to be greatly enriched thereby and albeit the veine sinke downe verie deepe and proue most hard and difficult to winne yet do they not cease or slacken their labor but rather adde so much the more diligence in hope that their gaines will double their paines when the Moyne is once wonne for this they holde as a rule infallible that the lower any mettal doth lie in the earth the better and more gainful it prooues in substance Euen so it is in the studie of the Scriptures and in hearing the same read and preached the more paines and diligence one vseth therin the more increase of sound knowledge wisedom comfort is gotten in the ende being that most rich and vnvaluable Moyne wherein all the treasures of wisedome and vnderstanding are to be found conteining and comprehending all the counsels and commaundements of the Lord c. 1. Chro. 28.10 Pro. 3.13 14 26. 8.18.19 Ioh. 30.31 Mat. 7.7 8. Children dying before they be baptized are not damned 1 AS by Circumcision which was a cutting off of the the fore-skin the Children of the Hebrewes were brought vnto God were sealed vp with the Seale of his Couenaunt and receiued into his Church to the great comfort and ioy of the Parents which were certified by the same that God was not only their God but also the God of their posteritie and seede and yet if any thing had happened vnto them afore they could bee circumsized they mistrusted not but that GOD would by the vertue of his Testament saue them So by Baptisme the Children of Christians are brought vnto Christ are sealed vp with the Seale of the people of God receiued into his Church as members of his sonne Iesus Christ and fellow-heires with him of his heauenly Kingdome which thing vnto the faithfull parents must be a heauenly comfort For by it they are certified and assured that their sinnes be not only washed away with the bloud of our Sauiour Iesus Christ but also the sinnes of their posteritie and Children But if it be not the pleasure of God that the fathers and mothers should see their Children aliue for to offer and present them vnto him by Baptisme yet there is no cause why they should thinke that they should be damned because the grace of is not bound to the Sacraments For if there were some good man among the Turkes or else among the Idolaters and Infidels which had the knowledge of the Gospell and a true faith in our Sauiour Christ and yet could by no maner of means come by the Sacrament of Baptisme or be baptized yet no man ought so much as to thinke that such a one for want of a little water should be damned seeing he hath the chiefe and principall that is to say a true iustifying faith else the water should haue more vertue and efficacie then the bloud of our Sauiour Iesus Christ or at least as much and the Minister that should minister the outward Baptisme should be of as much power as Iesus Christ himselfe 2 Like as the Water and Minister can do nothing without the spirit and bloud of our Sauior Christ So it should follow if Children be damned that die before they be baptized that Iesus Christ his spirit and bloud should be able to do nothing without the water and Minister And so by this means our Sauior Christ and his Spirit should be as subiect vnto the Minister and Water as the Water and Minister should be subiect vnto Christ and his holy spirit and so consequently his grace and mercie should be alligated and bound vnto corruptible elements and made subiect vnto men Whereby it should come to passe that Iesus Christ should be no more true God nor yet true Sauiour 3 As the fleshly Children of Abraham and such as came of his flesh which departed this life before the eight day of Circumcision were not damned but by the vertue of the promise and couenant of God were saued So also after the same maner the spirituall Children of Abraham that is to say the Infants of all the Christians are not condemned if they decease before Baptisme but are saued by the efficacie of the promise of God and by inuisible Baptisme wherewith our Sauiour Christ Baptizeth them who by his death and precious bloud hath redeemed them Cares of this world coole the loue and desire of heauenly things 1 AS the Sea that the winde hath laine sore vpon is yet tossed and troubled after the winde is laid and the tempest gone Euen so mans mans minde lately comne out of the businesse and Cares of the world still casteth and studieth the same things and panteth after them and cannot after this come straight to it selfe and so to meditate and exercise spirituall matters Math. 13.22 Luk. 8.14 2 Like as when a Riuer or Fountaine is troubled there can no water be taken or drawne out of them but such as is full of mudde Euen so when the minde is troubled and choked with the ouer carefull and vnquiet sauour of the mire and dyrt of this peeuish world there can neither holy prayers nor any godly exercises be found there The breach of Gods Commaundements 1 AS many worldly men deale with their Creditors who will hardly let slip one houre or day but will take the aduantage and forfeiture of their Bondes and Obligations without any more delay Euen so if our good God and mercifull Father should deale as precisely and stricktly with vs in taking aduantage of the Bonds forfeytures and penalties wherein wee daily fall into by breach of his Commandements many wayes then our estate should be most miserable Iob. 9.2 3. 2 As euill debters when their day of payment draweth neare and when their Creditors are at hand to demaund the same doo seeke to hide themselues and to shunne their Creditors presence So likewise the most part of the world bee so carelesse in keeping that couenant vowe and promise which they made to God at their Baptisme that euen wilfully they throw themselues indebted vnto GOD and thrall vnto Satan some by one sinne and some by an other through violating and breaking of Gods Commaundements that when by sicknesse or death they are summoned to render an account of their bayliwicke then they wish that the mountaines would fall vpon them to hide them from the presence of God but all in vaine Esa 2.19 Hose 10.8 Luk. 23.30 Reue. 6.16 Luk. 16.2 Christ is not a Redeemer but
the Lords helpe he deferreth not to helpe vs because hee Loueth vs. Gene. 34.19 5 Like as when Iosephs brethren came to Egypt to buy Corne Ioseph knew them and spake roughly vnto them and bare them in hand that they came as spies So the Lord dealeth with his children many times when they come to him for such things as they want hee knoweth them well but maketh himselfe straunge vnto them and speaketh roughly vnto them by seeming to denie their request yea sometimes by increasing their sorrow and affliction as Iacob striuing with the Angell for a blessing receiued a blow on his thigh more then he looked for Gene. 42.7 Gene. 32.24 25.32 6 Euen as it was said of Ioseph that he tooke Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes now all this while Ioseph knew his brethren but they knewe not him for if they had knowne it had beene their brother Ioseph which Loued him no doubt they would haue borne any thing at his hands So likewise if we knew our troubles to come from our Father which Loueth vs wee would willingly beare any thing at his hands Gene. 42.8 7 Like as when Beniamin must goe then Iacob thought he had beene robbed of all his children but hee found Ioseph Simeon and Beniamin and all againe at the last So Gods children in the end find all when they thinke they haue lost all 8 As they went home hue and crie came after them for Iosephs cup which was in pollicie conueyed into their brother Beniamins sacke search was made they thought themselues cleare But when it was found in Beniamins sacke they were worse appaide then they were before whereupon Beniamin must stay by the reckoning and answere the matter this passed all the rest Euen so doth the Lord many times find out sinne by vs when we thinke all is well and then things goe worse and worse with vs as wee thinke and yet still the feare is greater then the hurt for God Loueth vs. Gene. 44.1 c. 9 Like as Iudah hereupon drew neare to Ioseph and said Let me speake but one word in the eares of my Lord and so tels him a long storie of the whole matter from the beginning to the ending as though Ioseph all this while had knowne nothing of the matter So wee oftentimes in the griefe of our hearts powre foorth many things and great complaints which the Lord knoweth well enough 10 Euen as after many trials it is said that Ioseph could no longer refraine before all that stood by but cried Haue foorth euery man from me Which being done he wept and cried so that all heard him both of the Egyptians and Pharaohs house and at last his Loue brake foorth like the morning light ouerfloweth after long restraint as a streame whose course is stopped ouerfloweth the bankes and so he vttereth himselfe asking if his Father were aliue But his brethren could not answere him for they were astonished at his presence Full little did they thinke that Ioseph had beene so heare them they did not once dreame of any such matter or of any such man Euen so the hand of God is many times in tempering of afflictions to the godly in Loue for their good when they thinke full little vppon it Gene. 45.1 c. 11 As Ioseph said to his brethren I am your brother whom yee sold into Egypt come neare I pray you vnto me be not sad nor grieued with your selues that you sold me for it was Gods dooing for your preseruation Afterward they and their Father and all his house came vp and had Egypt to inhabite Euen so after the like manner after many trials God dealeth with his children hee vttereth himselfe vnto them and puts them in good remembrance of their iniuries done to his Maiestie hee freely forgiueth them and giueth them the inheritance at the last which is more then they deserue and more then they desired and more then they looked for by which they are assured of Gods great Loue and fauour vnto them Therfore let vs be content with patience to beare what triall so euer our louing God and mercifull Father shall thinke good to lay vpon vs. 12 As Iehoram said to Iehu when he marched in his furie Commest thou peaceably As if hee should say if thou commest peaceably march as furiously as thou wilt So let vs say to our God O Lord commest thou fauourably and in Loue against vs Then come as terribly as thou wilt Shoote thine arrowes and spend them all vpon vs beate vs to pouder take all away and in this life doo with vs what thou wilt so thou doest assure vs of thy fauour 2. King 9.20 22. 13 As the birth of the child into the world swalloweth vp all the pangs and paines of the Mother in forgetfulnesse which went before the birth So likewise we if after our manifold afflictions and sorrowes for Christ his sake we bring foorth the assurance of Gods fauour here and of eternal life hereafter being dead let forgetfulnesse deuour and consume all the rest Law of God 1 AS some marke by the way side may well direct vs and shew vs which way to take So the Law of God may well leade vs and not teach vs the way that wee must take and walke in but it cannot giue vs strength and courage to goe through if we be wearie neither enable vs to come to the place whither we would goe 2 As a Physition and Surgeon comming to a sick man to heale him openeth the veine and taketh away bloud from him not to the ende to make him to die but as a remedie appointed for the recouerie of his health and safetie Euen so the Law pearceth our Impostume and sometimes maketh a great hole in it but neither to the ende to kill vs nor to hurt vs but to bring vs into a good order to the end we may bee the more easily healed Rom. 10.4 Gal. 3.24 3 As a chaste Virgine soiourning and dwelling with harlots in the stewes who although shee be chast her selfe yet can shee not win those to chastitie with whom shee is conuersant but preuaileth nothing and so is weake Euen so the Law although of it selfe it bee good holy and iust yet in carnall men it dooth nothing lesse then make them good and so it is weake and feeble And so likewise the Gospell as it is written in Paper and Parchment and is preached by mans voice is weake in those that be void of Gods spirit but it is the power of God to saluation onely to those that beleeue Rom. 7.12 Rom. 8.3 Rom. 1.16 4 As a pleasure or good turne may bee said to be the cause of ingratitude and prosperitie the cause of enuie but yet improperly Euen so the Law because it bringeth transgression and wrong doing and that not of it selfe but by our fault for it requireth obedience but it findeth vs doing amisse and so it is the cause of transgression but improperly Rom.