best legacie they may leaue them As Plut. de garru reporteth of Scylurus the Scythian who had 80. Sonnes who at his death bad his Sonnes to bring him a sheafe of arrowes which he deliuered vnto his Sonnes commanding each of them to breake them in peeces all at once which when not one of them could doe hee himselfe pulling them out one by one easily brake them before their faces shewing them by this parable the truth of that which Salo. teacheth Pro. 18. That a brother vnited to a brother is like an impugnable Citie and their counsailes like the barre of a Pallace which cannot be broken for if their contentions bee such much more their concorde and vnitie But to learne this point I may send you as the Apostle did the Corinthians to the schoole of nature 1. Cor. 11. Nonne ipsa vos natura hoc docet This reciprocall and mutuall concord nature her selfe teacheth vs in the fabrike and structure of the bodie for she hath made most parts 2. or double germana gemella as hands feet eyes eares nostrils signifying hereby that all these for mutuall help not hurt are so distinguished that they might the better succour helpe one the other Now if the hand which God created to helpe one the other neglecting this should hurt one the other or if the feete which were created to beare one anothers burthen leauing this should supplaÌ„t one the other or if the eyes which like Caleb and Iosuah are fellowe spies in the Microcosme and little world of the bodie should not looke for one anothers helpe but looke asquint at the good of each other were not this vnnatural and monstrous in the bodie how much more monstrous is it for vs which are brethren and Christians all members of one bodie to liue in discord and seeke the hurt one of another For the nearer the cause is of coniunction the greater must needes bee the wrong which doth dissipate it The woundes which Brutus his friend gaue to Caesar went nearer his heart then all the stabs of his foes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quoth hee and thou also my sonne Brutus This made Dauid complaine Ps 55. If mine enemie c. So monstrous and barbarous a thing it is to beare enmitie with them especially to whom we owe most loue and affection Wherefore as Salo. sent the sluggard to the Emmet to schoole that hee might learne to laboure Pro. 6. Esay the vngratefull to the Oxe and Asse to learne thankfulnesse Esa 1. Ieremie the neglecter of season to the storke and crane the Turtle and the Swallow to learne the opportunitie of time Iere. 8. and our Sauiour the worldling to the Rauens to learne Gods prouidence and contentation Mat. 6. So may I send the refractarie and contentious persons to behold the frame of the world which preacheth concorde and vnitie vnto man We see the celestiall Orbes and Spheares of heauen though their motions be diuers and their reuolutions thwartingly crossing one another as Eras in pacis quaerimonia saith yet are they euer constant in the first couenant of peace wherein the God of vnitie at first placed them The Elements though in nature contrarie and in operation opposite as drought and moisture colde and heate yet concordi pace ligantur they all conspire together in a friendly temperature for the preseruation of mans bodie The beasts of the field the fishes of the Sea the fowles of the ayre in their proper kinds armentatim pascunt gregatim natant turmatim vâ—lant saith he feede by heards swimme by companies flie by flockes and all to preach concord and vnitie vnto man The verie Serpents bite not one another The rauenous fishes deuoure none of their owne kind the most greedie birds and beasts will not prey vpon their like and shall man more vnnaturall then all other creatures be diuided seeke the spoyle one of another and worse then the Tygers Dragons and Serpents worke the destruction one of another which yet are bound together by God with more bands of amitie then all the rest When God created man he created him alone but vnicum as a thing of vnitie without diuision when all other creatures were made couples twoes Gen. 1. Which one though the Creator made 2. by after creation yet made he these 2. one againe by coniunction of marriage vt sciamus quâm concorditer viuere deberenous Aug. 11. de ciuitate dei cap. 21. that thereby we might knowe how peaceably we should liue together in one minde Wherefore brethren let the sanâ—e minde What shall I say with the Apostle the sâ—â—e minde that was in Christ Iesus Phil. 2. No I dare not I am out of hope of it he was such a louer of men that he laid downe his most precious life and suffered the most ignominious death to saue man his most rebellious enemie But if not the same yet let the like minde be in you Be ye followers of Christ as deare children walke in loue Ephes 5. Nay let but the mind of beasts to them of their owne kinde be in you For where as all motions of enmitie in them be but single and peculiar to their owne nature they all concurre togither in one man as all riuers runne into the sea Man to man is in heade craftie as a Fox in greedinesse like a Wolfe in fiercenesse like a Tyger in tongue as venemous as the Serpent in their euill eye as deadly as the Cockatrice in bloodie hands resembling the crueltie of Lions And whereas the integritie of our forefathers brought forth this Prouerbe Hoâ—o homini Deus This corrupt age hath turned Deus into Lupus from a preseruer of man into a deuourer of man to spoile one the other nay Homo homini Damon to imitate the Diuel one towards another in enuie c. And surely what should more linke our mindes together then the verie name of a Christian if we had spirituall eyes to looke into it We are all borne of one immortall seede in one wombe of the Church growing vp in one bodie to the full stature of Christ as members knit together by one spirit all trauailing to one Chanaan and hope of our calling seruing all one Lord professing all one faith hauing all made the same vowe in Baptisme In rebus tam multis consortium in vitatam inexplicabile dissiaium sayeth one In so many things fellowship and in life no friendship all one bodie and in the members no simpathie in all one spirit and in the affections no harmonie all one hope of heauen and in coheires no simphonie all one Lord and in fellow seruants no vnitie all one faith in opinions no simmetrie all sworne in one Baptisme and in fellow souldiers no symmachie all adopted by one father and among brethren no fraternitie so many ones and no vnitie This of all other is Argumentum maximi monenti saith a father the most inducing motiue and strongest argument that may be vnto loue that
giueth perfect peace ioy and true delights vnto such as faithfully serue him The diuell commandeth to take reuenge God willeth to forgiue tell me now which is most painfull either to forgiue or to seeke vengeance Aske the whoremonger in the midst of the surie of his fornication who profuseth his wealth vndertaketh many labours spendeth many wakefull nights with infamie the detriment of his good name with the losse sometime of his life and without Gods great mercie of his soule also for euer and all to serue his filthy lust whether there be not greater paine and labour in seruing vnchast loue then in leading an honest and chast life Now brethren seeing that sinne is so vnprofitable so hurtfull so dishonest and so full of sorrowe labour and griefe which make a most troublesome life Let vs I beseech you learne hereby to fly from sinne as from a serpent hate it as a deadly poyson shunne the occasions thereof as a contagious pestilence and if at any time through humane frailtie we fall into sinne let vs linger no delayes but presently striue by amendment of life to come out of the snares of the diuell 2. Tim. 2.26 And study euer to intertain the feare of God in our hearts and nourish the same by deuout prayer hearing of the word holy meditations c. Heere we haue seene how euill the state of sinne is but the last state of that man saith Christ is worse then the first 1. in respect of the diuell 2 in regarde of the sinner himselfe and 3. in respect of God 1. in regarde of the diuell because now he handleth them more cruellie whom he hath caught againe and more vigilantly watcheth and obserueth them then before Euen as a man that is detained in prison his keeper seeing him to be an honest man and of noble birth doth not so strictly keepe him nor so strongly fetter him as he doth others whom he mistrusteth but if he breaketh prison and escapeth if againe he be taken his keeper now looketh more narrowly vnto him putteth on him strong yrons watcheth him night and day least hee should practise againe to flie The like doth this hellish Iaylor when the sinner his captiue hath by the grace of God escaped out of his prison if hee be so vnhappie as through carelesse securitie to come againe vnder the captiuitie of the diuel his last estate O fearefull saying shall be worse then the first hee putteth now heauier chaines vpon him he more carefully watcheth him he multiplieth his temptations he laboureth to shut the spirituall doores of the soule that godly meditations and diuine inspirations if it be possible may enter in If he seeth that familiaritie with good men be an occasion to keepe thee from him he diligently bestirreth him to withdrawe thee from the societie of godly men and entiseth thee to sort thy selfe with wicked companie If he perceiue that comming to Sermons withholdeth thee from him he indeauoureth to withdrawe thy loue and desire from comming to Church or else distracteth thy minde with a thousand prophane thoughts that the word of God may take no roote in thy heart but bee vnto thee the sauour of death vnto death 2. Cor. 2.16 And this is it our Sauiour saith he taketh to him 7. other spirits worse then himselfe 2 It is worse in regard of the sinner himselfe because through custome of sinning he commeth into an habite of sinne and so the more vnapt to receiue any godly motions and the more hardly conuerted As one that for theft or any other crime hath oftentimes bin cast into prison at length becommeth shamelesse impudent and as the prouerbe is perfricuit frontem hee hath wiped away all shame and cannot blush so indurate is he in his wicknesse or as a garment that with continuall vse is worne so thinne that it will not hold the mending so many haue so weakened and worne their spirituall powers with long custome of sinning that neither Diuine inspirations nor the admonition of the Preachers may fasten on them any spirituall plaister to cure and amende the ruptures of their soules Valerius saith that the Cretians when they bitterly cursed them whom they hated were wont to vse this forme of execration vt mala consuetudine delectentur that they might be delighted with some wicked custome This seemed but a modest kind of curse sed essicacissimum vltionis euentum reperiunt But the euent proueth it an effectuall kind of reuenge saith he lib. 7. cap. 2. We see a candle or a firebrand but now put out will quickly resume light againe with the least touch of the fire but if it hath bin long extinct it is not so soone kindled so the soule that falleth into sinne if straight it taketh hold of repentance it is more easily conuerted and resumeth againe the light of grace but after it falleth often into the same sinne and through custome is inueterate in wickednesse and hath quite lost the heate of deuotion is hardly restored to his former estate Consider brethren I beseech you if a woman that hath a long time bin detained in prison should there haue a childe the childe being yet young though in a strict filthy and stincking prison playeth reioyceth and is merry because hee neuer knewe what libertie is nor euer proued any other kind of life but the mother with a heauie heart saith O my childe if thou knowest our miserie and hadest tryed my former libertie and selicitie thou wouldest not reioyce but with teares bewaile our wretched estate O sinfull man and woman which art fast tied with the fetters and chaines of vices and yet in this straight prison of sathan dost reioyce as if all things went well with thee And what is the cause hereof surely because long custome of sinne hath now conuerted it in alteram naturam into another nature which maketh thee forget the heauenly good things and lookest only into the present and momentanie pleasures O that thou didst consider what how great the things are which are promised vnto vs in heauen surely al earthly things would then seeme vile vnto thee for all earthly substance without godlinesse is death not life captiuitie not libertie darknesse not light Prauus vsus vix aboletur assidua consuetudo vitium in naturam conuertit Aug. in solilo A wicked vse is hardly abolished a continuall custome conuerteth vice into nature Quo sit imbuta recens seruabit odorem testa diu Saith the Poet. Horace in Epist ad Lol. The Pitcher long wil hold the tast Of that which first was in it cast It is reported of Alexander the great that mightie conqueror of the world that albeit in his manners and gate in going he resembled his Schoolemaister Leonides yet he euer tasted of the vices with which at first he was seasoned Wherefore brethren I exhort you for our Lord Iesus Christs sake who shed his precious bloud for vs that ye will diligently take heede of euill customes least your
we are al by one God Father made one bodie through one spirit to serue one Lord in one faith and consecrated to him by one Baptisme doe hope all for one glorious inheritance wherevnto we are called Ephes 4. Behold how good c. Psal 133. It is both bonum iucundum saith August miscuit vtile dulci he hath mingled pleasantnes to make thee tast with good to make thee sauor this great blessing of the Lord for pleasantnesse he likeneth it to the sweet sauour of Aarons precious oyntment for the profit thereof vnto deaw of Hermon and for the happinesse thereof hee expresseth the promise of blessednesse for there the Lord hath promised his blessing in this life and life for euermore in the heauenly Kingdome Which blessed vertue of concorde as it is required in all Christians if euer they thinke to be partakers of the eternall blessednesse so especially it is coÌ„mended to the wedded estate for nullius reipossessio coniugasi pace possit esse iucundior For they which in this state liue peaceably futurae iam vitae imaginem quandam referunt quae visio pacis appellatur Saith this father as contrariwise they which â—arre among themselues with priuate contentions and strife in this life they here begin their hell and shal tast of a double hel in this life present in the life to come Whosoeuer would aspire to this peace let him craue it of God who only maketh men to be of one minde in an house and at the beginning of his Church gathered together a multitude of the beleeuing in nature discrepant and diuers that they might be one heart one soule Act. 4. And next let euerie one renounce his owne will and iudgement especially the wiues whome God coÌ„mandeth to be subiect vnto their husbands otherwise if they will stifly stand vpon their summum ius their peace and safetie cannot long endure Faelices ter amplius quos irrupta tenet copula c. Hor. lib. 3. This was the Legacie which Christ bequeathed to his children at his departing peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you Io. 14. For this he prayed especially vnto the father Io. 17. That they may be one as thou a father art in me and I in thee If any Prince trauailing into a far countrie should giue vnto his Queene and spouse any precious Iewell as a pledge of his loue and she after his departing should contemne and set light by it were she not worthy to be condemned of monstrous ingratitude but this precious iewel Christ gaue before his departing to his father which we so vilely esteeme that for the least occasion we feare not to violate the same how then shall we bee thought to haue any part with Christ what assurance that we are his children or how should we looke to be partakers of his glory if our wils be so ouer-thwart and crossing to his most holy will and disposition 4 Note that there bee many men now adaies herein rightly resembling the diuels which though they liue in perpetuall strife and enmitie among themselues yet to persecute the godly and innocent they peaceably combine themselues together So Herode Pilate though they were at mortall discorde yet they agreed together to condemne Christ and were made friends Luc. 2. So wicked men though in all other things their natures bee crossing yet conspire they together to doe mischiefe and euen so as this godly peace conserueth and corroborateth the kingdome of Christ so the peruerse peace of the wicked vpholdeth the kingdome of sathan 5 Ex verse 21. We haue this comfortable Doctrine that Christ is stronger then the diuell which is called the strong armed man he hath bruised his head Gen. 3. He hath iudged him Io. 16. He hath taken away his power ouer vs he hath diuided the spoiles he hath spoyled the principalities and powers and made a shew of them openly Col. 2. Sitting at the right hand of the father defendeth our cause against the accuser of the brethren Reue. 12. This God of peace shall shortly treade sathan vnder our feete Rom. 16. Let vs therefore stand fast in the Lord and feare not for greater is he that is in vs then hee that is in the world 1. Io. 4. Non debet timere hostem fortem qui dominum habet fortiorem Chrysost 6 Againe heere is one thing to bee obserued in that he saith when the Diuell keepeth his pallace the things hee possesseth are in peace Heere is shewed the nature of this infernall enemie when once he hath possessed the soule of the sinner he laboureth by all meanes to bring him to securitie that without feeling hee may rest in his sinne and as the prouerbe is in vtramque aurem dormire that if it be possible hee may not feele the pricking and sting of coÌ„science least by repentance hee should escape out of his clawes therefore he endeuoureth to hold him still in this deadly sleepe of sinne And as they that led the Israelites captiue required of them songs and mirth in their heauinesse saying sing vs one of the songs of Sion Psal 137. So the diuell wheÌ„ he hath brought any into the miserable seruitude and captiuitie of sinne seeketh by all meanes to make him sing reioyce play and rest secure in his sinnes that so he might forget the danger and miserie he is in To whom brethren let vs answere as it followeth in the same Psalme how shall we sing the Lords song in a strange land how seeing we are inhabitants of heauen and haue heere no continuing Citie but we seeke one to come Heb. 13. How I say in this our pilgrimage in this place of exile and miserie should we reioyce how should we sing and Iubilate the song of mirth and carnall securitie hauing a conscience clogged with sinne dwelling heere in the Babylon and confusion of sinne when we cal to remembraÌ„ce the celestiall Ierusalem the countrie of the blessed how should we choose but with sighings gronings and teares in heart aspire vnto the same But alas there are many â—o drowned in their sinnes and detained with such tyrannie in the snares of the diuell that in this most wreched state they are secure they reioyce and sing they remember neither the heauenly Ierusalem the countrie of the blessed Saints of God nor thinke vpon their owne vnhappie seruitude and thus the the diuell holdeth them in quiet and peaceable possession O wretched and most cruell peace This felicitie is most bitter griefe Esa 38.17 They shall find this of truth Ierc. 2 1â— That it is both an euill and a bitter thing to forsake the Lord their God For though outwardly they seeme to haue peace with the world and the flesh yet inwardly they haue alwayes most cruell conflicts and restlesse warre with their passions they say peace peace when there is no peace Iere. 6. This craftie enemie dealeth with the sinner as we vse to doe with our gardens or Orchards when