or ill motion is his whether wee lift vp our hands to prayer or murder but the prauity and corruption of these is none of his Is any part of body or power of soule depraued This commeth not from him that calleth vs. What is then the cause of sinne I answere properly nothing it hath indeed a deficient cause but no efficient cause It is a defect priuation or orbity of that God made the thing it self he neuer made Will you aske what is the cause of sickenesse I answere the destitution of health If what 's the cause of darknes the absence of the Sunne if of blindnesse the deficiency of seeing What is the cause of silence no cause there are causes of speech organs ayre c. take away these what followes but silence you see the light who euer saw darkenesse you heare speech who euer heard silence Man forsooke grace sinne came in at the backe-dore It is a bastard brought into Gods house by stealth Woe to them that shall roote their filthinesse in the deity If they bee seduced to cry Lord thou hast deceiued vs. No destruction is of thy selfe O Israel in mee is thy 〈◊〉 We haue all gotten this sinne from Adam Mulier quam tu c. The woman which Thou gauest me as if GOD had giuen him a woman to tempt him Haec est ruina maxima Deum putare causam ruinae This is the greatest destruction that can be to charge God with the cause of our destruction No O Father of heauen be thou iustified and the faces of all men ashamed Let vs looke home to our owne flesh from thence it commeth that destroyeth Me me adsum qui feci The Lord put not onely this confession in our mouthes but this feeling in our hearts that all our euill commeth from our selues all our good from Iesus Christ. Of him that called you He hath called you to liberty will you intangle your selues in new bondage who pitties him that being redeemed from prison wilfully recasts himselfe into it Or that saued from the fire will runne into it againe Art thou Titio ereptus and yet hast a mind to be burned He hath called you not to the ceremonies but to their Antitype not to those legall Lambes but to that Euangelicall Lambe of God that taketh away the sins of the world Will you be directed by Lampes when the Sunne is risen no hee hath called you to the truth and comforts of the Gospell obey that call And then he that hath perswaded you to vertue by calling you to grace shall crowne you with eternall glory Now one argument whereby the Apostle deterres them from blending Iudaisme with Christianity is deriued from the danger of corrupting the doctrine of the Gospell A little Leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe One ceremony of the legall rites obserued with an opinion of necessity sowreth all that sweetnesse of redemption that commeth by Christ. This Diuine Aphorisme may thus logically be resolued into a Predicate Subiect and Copula The Predicate leauen the Subiect lumpe the Copula leaueneth Or thus there is a thing Actiue Leauen Factiue sowreth Passiue the lumpe But because the whole speech is allegoricall let vs first open the metaphor with the key of proper analogie and then take out the treasure such obseruations as may be naturally deduced from it Most properly our Apostle by leauen vnderstands false doctrine and by lumpe the truth of the Gospell so the sense is this one heresie infects a masse of truth Or if we restraine it to persons by leauen he meaneth false Teachers and by lumpe the Church of Galatia and so a teacher of the bondage to the Law sowres the liberty of the Gospell Behold I Paul say vnto you that if ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing Or if yet we will looke vpon it with more generall view we may by leauen vnderstand sinne by lumpe man by leauening Infection Here are three respondences and all worthily considerable First taking leauen for false Doctrine so we find in the new Testament foure sorts of leauens Math. 16. Beware of the leauen of the Pharises and of the Sadduces there bee two of them the Pharisaicall and the Sadducean leauens Mark 8. Beware of the leauen of Herod there 's the third The fourth is my Text the leauen of mingling Mosaicall ordinances with Christs Institutions It will not bee amisse to take a transient view of these Leauens for though former times had the originals wee haâ—…e the Counterpaines we haue paralell leauens 1. To begin with the Pharises to these I may well liken our Seminaries one egge is not liker another Euen a Iesuite wrote in good earnest Non malè comparari Pharisaeos Catholicis Papists are fitly compared to the Pharises Whether he spake it ignorantly or vnwittingly or purposely I am sure Caiphas neuer spoke truer when he meant it not Shall we take a little paines to confer them The Pharises had corrupted yea in a manner annulled the Law of God by their Traditions and for this Christ complaines against them Now for the Papists this was one of their Tridentine decrees With the same reuerence and deuotion doc we receiue and respect Traditions that wee doe the bookes of the olde and new Testaments Shut thine eyes and heare both speake and then for a wager vvhich is the Pharise which the Seminary Indeed to some traditions we giue locum but locum suum a place but their owne place They must neuer dare to take the wall of the Scripture Again the Pharises corrupted the good Text with their lewd Glosses The law was that no Leper might come into the Temple their traditionall Glosse was that if hee were let downe through the roofe this was no offence As that drunkard that hauing for sworne going to a certaine Tauerne yet being carried thither euery day on mens shoulders thought hee had not broken his oath Their Sabbath dayes iourney was a thousand Cubits their Glosse vnderstood this without the walls and walking all day through the city no sinne The Papists are not behinde them in their foule interpretations not shaming to call that sacred Writ a nose of waxe formable to any construction Paul subscribes his two Epistles to the Thessalonians thus Missa fuit ex Athenis a Papist cryes out strait Here 's a plaine text for the Masse Psal. 8. Omnia subiecisti pedibus eius Thou hast put all things vnder his feete This is spoken of the beasts subiection to man their Glosse construes it of mens subiection to the Pope So Esa. 49. They shall bow downe to thee with their face toward the earth and licke vp the dust of thy feete Here saith their Glosse is a plaine proofe for kissing the Popes feet Our Sauiour sayes Except ye become as little children ye shall not enter the kingdome of heauen Heereupon Saint Francis commands one Massaeus to tumble round on the earth like a little childe that he might
is no Contention so violent and raging as that is enflamed by erroneous Religion Cyprian writes of Nouatus that he would not so much as allow his owne Father bread whiles hee liued nor vouchsafe him buriall being dead that he spurned his owne wife and killed his owne childe within her bodie O the vnmatchable crueltie that some mens religion if I may so call it hath embloudied them to What treasons conspiracies massacres did or durst euer shew their blacke faces in the light of the Sunne like to those of Papists all vizarded vnder pretended Religion The Pope hath a Canon called Nos sanctorum Predecessorum c. Wee obseruing the statutes of our holy Predecessors doe absolue those that are bound by fidelity and oath to persons excommunicated from their oathes and doe forbid them to keepe their fealtie towards them Quousque ipsi ad satisfactionem veniant till they come to yeeld satisfaction What malicious stratagems against suspended Princes haue not beene kindled from this fire Against what nation hath not this Canon shot the furie Yea the more to embolden subiects to such pernicious attempts the Pope makes them beleeue that the very Apostles take their partes For so it is manifest by the forme of Gregories sentence that he commandeth S. Peter and S Paul as if they were his bailifs errant to execute the writtes of his pontificall and priuatiue authoritie Malice in humour is like fire in straw quickly vp and quickly out but taking hold of conscience like fire in steele Quod tardè acquisiuit diù retinet what was long in getting will be longer in keeping Religion is the greatest enemie to religion the false to the true Fauos etiam vespae faciunt waspes also make combes though in stead of honey wee find gun-powder Of dissension among professours of the Gospell Christ is not authour he neuer gaue fire to burne his Church Yet he hath his hand in it There must be heresies among you that they which are approued may be made manifest He drawes good out of euill and makes a good Shall of the euill must so raising a vertue from a necessitie From contentions begot by Sathan hee so sweetly workes that the profession of his but darkely glowing before shall be made to shine brightly In Q. Maries time when persecution wrung the Church Martyrdome gaue a manifest approbation of many vnknowne Saints The vertues of diuers had bin lesse noted if this fiery triall had not put them to it Gods glory and power are more perspicuous in strengthening his against their enemies then if they had none Christ came not to send this fire yet hee wisely tempers it to our good 2. There may be Dissention betwixt the wicked and the wicked and hereof also is Satan authour He sets his owne together by the eares like cockes of the game to make him sport Hereupon hee raised these great Heathen warres that in them millions of soules might goe downe to people his lower kingdome Hereupon hee drawes ruffian into the field against ruffian and then laughes at their vainely spilt bloud All the contentions quarrels whereby one euill neighbour vexeth another all slaunders scoldings reproches calumnies are his owne damned fires Thus sometimes the vngodly massacre the vngodly oppressours deuoure oppressours I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians and they shall fight euerie one against his brother and euerie one against his neighbour Citie against citie and kingdome against kingdome The Pharises against the Sadduces the Turke against the Pope the Transgressour against the transgressour Couetousnes shall be against prodigalitie basenes against pride temeritie against dastardie The drunkard spils the drunkard the theefe robbes the theefe Proditorisproditor the Traytour shal be betrayed and the cosener shall be cheated They shall eate euerie man the flesh of his owne arme Manasseh Ephraim and Ephraim Manasseh It is vnpossible that any true peace should be amongst the wicked whiles they want the soalder that should glew them together faith Agreement in euill is not peace but conspiracie Wicked mens combining themselues may be a faction no vnitie no amitie for they haue but metum noxam conscientia prosoedere terrour and guilt of conscience for their league But some may question doth not Satan in setting reprobates against reprobates ouerthrow his owne kingdome I answere 1. The Deuill is politicke and will not diuide his subiects when by their holding together hee may diuide the Church So the Pharises though they hate the Sadduces and the Herodians that despise them both shall all ioyne forces shake and take hands against Christ. Papists are enemies to Truth Schismaticks to Peace yet both the Church which suffers as her Sauiour did in medio iniâ—…orum in the midst of aduersaries not onely to her now but at other times also to themselues Herod and Pâ—…te were of enemies reconciled friends that their vnited rancours might meete against Iesus The Iewes and the Lystrians so diuersely religion'd the deuill can make agree to stone Paul Thus Satan holds them vnder colours and pay whiles they can doe him any seruice but when they can no longer vexe others hee falls to vexing of them and enrageth their thirst to one anothers bloud when they haue done quaffing the bloud of the Saints 2. The Deuill in raising seditions and tumults among his owne intends not the destruction but erection of his kingdome Perhaps his forces on earth are weakned but his Territories in hell are replenished wherein he takes himselfe to raigne most surely For Satan during a mans life knowes not certainely whether he belongs to God or to him Predestination is too mysticall and secret a booke for his condemned eyes to looke into and repentance hath often stepped in betwixt old age and death frustrating the hopes of Satan Therefore he hastens a wicked man with what speed he can to hell for till he came within those smoakie gates Satan is not sure of him he may start out of his clutches For this cause he precipitates witches with much suddennesse to their ends whom one would thinke hee should let liue that they might doe more mischiefe No such is his malicious policie he would be sure of some and rather take one soule in present then hazard all on the vaine hope of more gaines 3. There is a Dissention betweene the wicked and godly nor yet is Christ the proper and immediate cause of this For Rom. 12. If it be possible as much as lieth in you liue peaceably with all men 4. There is an Emnitie betwixt Grace and Wickednes a continuall combate betweene sanctitie and sin and this is the Fire that Christ came to send Hee is to some a liuing stone whereupon they are built to life to others a stone of offence whereat they stumble to death Now because the locall seate of holines on earth is in the hearts of the Saints of wickednes in the Deuill and his Iustruments therefore it followes that the
the Eeues that vve may feast on the Holy-dayes let vs here abstaine from the table of sinne that wee may heereafter banket in the Kingdome of Heauen This is matter of comfort to vs heere the world condemns the godly therefore they shall haue a time of absoluing When that Generall Session comes then looke vp and lift vp your heads for your redemption draweth nye There is no mercy to be had in this vvorld for the wicked themselues are accusers witnesses iudges but at that day a poore mans case will be heard Therefore the poore committeth himselfe vnto thee for thou art the helper of the fatherlesse Christ vvill take the cause into his own hand The soules vnder the Altar cry with a loud voyce How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not iudge and auenge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth Yes it is fit euery one should haue a day of hearing This is theirs that shall be ours The righteous shall reioyce when hee seeth the vengeance Reioyce yes they haue no charity to vs on earth vve must haue no charity to them in hell 2. The Commendation followes the calling Mat. 25. 35. For I was hungry and ye gaue me meate I was thirsty and ye gaue mee drinke c. Christ witnesseth their faith from the effects they brought foorth fruits of mercy Thus it is euident that not according to the internall habite of faith and charity but according to the externall acts proceeding from them is the reward bestowed Christ before iustified them by their faith apprehending his merits now hee iustifies them by testimony of that faith arising from their vvorkes The point Christ insists in is their workes of mercy which are sixe visito poto cibo redimo tego colligo fratres Giuing them meat drinke harbour clothing visitation in sicknesse redemption from bondage Where obserue that the maine point Christ will scanne at the last is the point of mercy Not how wise nor how learned nor how iust but how mercifull Ambr. Now if a Scholler standing for preferment knew directly that one question vvherein hee should be opposed he would study a full and ready answer to it We all know that one and maine question wherein Christ vvill examine vs vvhat vvorkes of mercy haue we done if we haue gotten no demonstration of mercy vve are vvorthily condemned Now their mercy is commended partly in respect of the obiect and partly in respect of the act For the obiect it is done to Christ happy mercy that is done to the Lord Iesus it shall neuer passe vnrewarded Ioash forgot the kindnesse of Iehoiada but the King of heauen will remember all the good done vnto him Sayes that good malefactor Lord remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome I will not forget thee answeres Iesus To day thou shalt be with me in Paradise I was hungry and ye fedme I and me saith Christ. In regard of the act the thing they distribute and contribute is not bare vvords but actuall mercies food clothing c. This is the effect of a true faith not a verball but a reall working faith A faith not like that the Psalmist seemes to mention though in another sense I belieued ideo locutus sum and therefore I spake but such as the Apostle speakes of I belieued ideo operatus sum and therefore I wrought a faith working by loue It is easie to mistake Saint Paul Rom. 14. 22. Hast thou faith haue it to thy selfe before God vnlesse vve expound him by S. Iames Iam. 2. 18. Hast thou faith shew thy faith by thy workes If vve vvill be the children of Abraham who is the Father of them that belieue wee must bee so by Sara vvho is the mother of them that obey They that vvill be trees of righteousnesse in Gods garden must not bee like the fig-tree in the Gospell that had onely leaues no fruit but like the tree that brings forth her fruit in due season Or like Aarons rod that of a dead sticke hauing life and sappe put into it presently bare Almonds fruit no leaues spoken of Some giue words enow contrary to Moses who was a man of few vvords The Papists vvill rather loose a penny then a Paternoster these vvill giue ten Paternosters before one penny They giue the words of Nepthali pleasant words but no meate As if the poore were like Ephraim fed with the wind Or as if their word were verbum Domini the word of God that men might liue by it Salomon sayes Wisedome is good with an inheritance so good counsell is good vvith an almes If a famished man begge bread of thee and thou onely fallest to instruct his soule but deniest food to his body hee may reply as Hushai said to Absolon of Achitophels counsell The counsell that Achitophel hath giuen is good but not at this time Martial demands of Caius a small piece of siluer Quod vel donanti non graue Caius blamed him for his idle profession of Poetry counselled him to study the Lavv that vvould enrich him To him Martial Quod peto da mihi tu non peto consilium Giue me that I aske thee I doe not aske thee counsell Many are like S. Peters fish it had money in the mouth but not a hand to giue it Or like Diues his dogs they can licke a poore man vvith their tongues else giue him no reliefe Diogenes a witty begger would vsually walke in a place where earthen Statues were erected in honour of some that died for their country To them he would pray to them reach out his hand bow and beg being asked the reason he answered Nihil aliud quà m repulsam meditor I thinke of nothing but a repulse and deniall Wee haue many such liuing Statues meere Idols that haue mouthes and speake not eyes and pity not hands and giue not the poore are sure of nothing but a repulse 3. The reply or question vpon this commendation made by the Saints Math. 25. 37. Then shall the righteous answere him Lord when saw we thee an hungred and fedde thee or thirstie and gaue thee drinke c. This is no deniall of that truth Christ hath auouched But 1. to magnifie Christs mercy who takes these workes as done to himselfe which are done for his sake Let no couetous Churle plead he wants subiects vpon whom to exercise his mercy Pauper vbique iacet which way can he walke and not behold one hungry another thirsty c 2. To testifie their humilitie that albeit these things are true yet they acknowledge no merite in them they haue not done so much of these as they ought Besides they might haue an after-consideration of their sinnes past which valued with their good works they find one to out-weigh a thousand The Papists ostent their merits on earth the Saints dare not doe so euen ready for heauen but cast downe their crownes before the Throne saying
of the earth but they conceale the true cause whereof their owne soules are conscious their vncharitablenesse The earth hath neuer been so frozen as their consciences nor is the ground so fruitlesse of plenty as they of pitie This is not mala terra bona gens but mala gens bona terra vve haue bad minds good materialls The earth hath not scanted her fruits but our concealings haue beene close our enhancings rauenous our transportations lauish The Lord sends graine and the diuell sends garners The imprecations of the poore shall follow these ◅iders and the eares of God shall attend their cries There is the proud Gallant that comes foorth like a May-morning decked with all the glory of Art and his adorned Lady in her owne imagination a second Flora and these are Riders too but closer riders the world with them runnes vpon wheeles and they hastning to ouertake it out-runne it Their great reuenues will not hold out with the yeere the furniture on their backs exceedes their rent-day Hence they are faine to wring the poore spundges of the Country to quench the burning heat of the City Therefore say the Countrey-men that their Carts are neuer worse employed then when they do seruice to Coaches There is the fraudulent Tradesman that rides no further then betweene the Bursse and the shop on the backe of a quick-spirited hobby call'd Cheating and whereas greatnesse presseth the poore to death with their weight this man trips vp their heels with his cunning They haue one God at the Church another at their shops and they will fill their coffers though they fester their consciences This Rider laughes men in the face whiles he treads on their hearts his tongue knowes no other pace but a false gallop The bribe-groping Officer in what Court soeuer his dition lies is an oppressing Rider they that would haue their suites granted must subiect their necks to his feete and let him ride ouer them He confutes the old allegory of Iustice that is vsually drawne blind for he will see to doe a Petitioner ease by the light of his angels Nothing can vnlocke his lips but a golden key This Riders horse like that proud Emperors must be shod with siluer and the poore man must buy of him and that at a deare rate his owne treading on I come to him last whom I haue not least cause to think vpon the Church-defrauder that rides vpon a vvinged horse as if he would flie to the diuell called Sacriledge He may appeare in the shape of a Protestant but he is the most absolute Recusant for he refuseth to pay God his owne He weares the Name of Christ for the same purpose the Papists weare the Crosse onely for a charme These are the Merchants of soules the Pyrats of Gods Ship the Church the vnderminers of Religion that are still practising traines to blow it vp They will not pay their Leuites their Leuites must pay them They will not part with their Cures whereof they haue the donation but vpon purchase But it is no wonder if they sell the Cures that haue first sold their soules The charitable man dreames of building Churches but starts to thinke that these men will pull them downe againe There is yet one other Rid◅r though he spurres post must not passe by me vn-noted the Truth-hating Iesuite that comes trotting into England on a redde horse like Murder dyp't and dy'd in the bloud of soules and if he can reach it in the bloud of bodies too Neither doth he thirst so much after ordinary bloud that runnes in common veines as after the bloud-Royall There is no discase saith one that may so properly be called the Kings-euill He is the diuells make-bate and his cheefe Officer to set Princes together by the eares He sittes like the Rauen on a dead bough and when the Lyon and Leopard come forth to fight he sounds out a poynt of wa◅re hoping which soeuer falls his carkase shall serue him for a prey to feed on His maine study is to fill the Schooles with clamours the Church with errors the Churchyard with corpses and all Christan states with Tragedies The Seminaries were once like that strange weed Tobaccho at the first comming vp but here and there one entertain'd in some Great mans house now you may find them smoking in euery cottage The haue deseruingly encreased the disgrace of that Religion so that now in the common censure A Papist is but a new word for a Traytor They receiued their errand at Tyber and they deliuer it at Tyburne There are many other Riders so properly ranking thēselues in this number and assuming this name which for modesties sake I bury in silence Considering that Quaedam vitia nominata d◅centur some sinnes are taught by reprouing their names But I perceiue a preuention I haue not time enough to end our miserie much lesse to enter the speech of our mercy The iourney they make vs take through fire and vvater requires a more punctuall tractation then your patience will now admit Two short vses shall send away our Oppressors with feare our selues with ioy 1. For them let all these tyrannous Riders know that there is one rides after them a great one a iust one euen he that rides on the vvings of the wind and the cloudes are the dust of his feete He that hath a bridle for these Senacheribs and strikes a s◅affle through their iawes and turnes their violence with more ease then the wind doth a fane on the house-top Then a horse shall be but a vaine thing to saue a man saith the Psalmist Horse and Master shall fall together Then the couetous Nimrod that rode on the blacke beast Oppression shal be thundred down from his proud height and the Iade that carried him shall dash out his braines and lye heauier then a thousand talents of lead on his conscience His oppression shall damne himselfe as before it did damnifie others It was to them a momentany vexation it shall be to him an eternall pressure of torment Then the bloud-drawing Vsurer that rode so furiously on his Iade Extortion shall if timely deprecation and restitution stay him not runne full butt against the gates of hell and breake his necke And hee that at the barres of temporall Iudgements cryed out for nothing but Iustice Iustice and had it shall now cry lowder for mercy mercy and goe without it And let the Cormorant that rides euer on the back of Engrossing whose soule is like Erisicthons bowels in the Poet Quodque vrbibus esse Quodque satis poterat populo non sufficit vni that starues men to feed vermine know that there is a Pursuiuant flies after him that shall giue him an eternall arrest and make him leaue both Horreum and hordeum his barne and his barley to goe to a place where is no food but fire and anguish And the lofty Gallant that rides ouer the poore vvith his Coaches and Caroches drawn by two wilde horses Pride
res agitur c. When the next house is on fire thy cause is in question God hath smitten Israel that Iudah might feare Though Israel play the Harlot yet let not Iudah offend Ephraim is ioyned to Idols let him alone When the plague knocks at thy neighbours dore it tells thee I am not farre off Gods iudgement on the Galileans and men in Silâ—…e is thus applied by Christ to draw others to repentance lest they likewise perish But what if thousands fall on the worldlings right hand ten thousands about him he dreames of no danger his own gold giues him more content then all this terror The Deuill hath hood-wink'd him with gaine and so carries him quietly like a hooded hawke on his fist without baiting to hell This Sermon is lost also 3. By crosses on himselfe and this Sermon comes a little neerer to him for it concernes his feeling The first was obiected to his eare the second to his eye this last to his sense But as the first Sermon hee would not heare the next not see so this he will not feele hee is stricken but he hath not sorrowed He imputes all to his ill lucke that hee loseth the game of his worldly desires he lookes no more vp to heauen then if there was none God is not in all his thoughts All these Sermons are lost But now God will be heard He said he spoke home a word and a blow He will be vnderstood though not stood vnder Uociferat vulnerat per dictum per ictum This is such a Sermon as shall not passe without consideration So he preached to Pharaoh by frogs flies locusts murraine darknesse but when neyther by Moses vocall nor by these actuall lectures he would be melted the last Sermon is a Red Sea that drownes him and his armie The Tree is bared manured watered spared in expectancie of fruits but when none comes the last sermon is the Axe it must be hewnâ—… downe and cast into the fire This kinde of argument is vnanswerable and cannot be euaded When God giues the Word innumerable are the Preachers if the lower voyces will not be heard death shall be fear'd God knocks long by his Prophets yea stands at the dore himselfe we will not open But when this Preacher comes he opens the dore himselfe and will not be denied entrance All the day long haue I stretched forth my hands vnto thee manum misericordiae the hand of his mercy it is not embraced Now therefore he stretcheth out manum Iustitiae the hand of his Iustice and this cannot be auoided All that long Day is past and novv the worldlings Night comes This night shall they require thy soule The Rich man must heare this Sermon there is no remedy But GOD said Wee are come from the Dooer to The Sufferer or Patient And his title is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou foole What If this had come from a poore Tenants mouth it had beene held a petty kinde of blasphemy Is the rich man onely held the wise man at all parts and doth God change his title with such a contradiction Is the worlds gold become drosse the rich Idoll a foole It is euen a maxime in common acceptation He is wise that is rich Diues and Sapiens are voces conuertibiles Rich and wise are conuertible termes imagin'd to signifie one thing When the rich man speakes all the people giue bare-headed silence and attention As if no argument could euince such a necessity as the chiefe Priests to Iudas Tantum dabo So much vvill I giue thee Tantus valor in quatuor syllabis Such force is there in foure syllables and but two words It is not only eloquence but enchantment and they that vse it preuaile like Sorcerers vnlesse perhaps they light vpon multis è millibus vnum a Peter Thou and thy money be damned together If he that can plead by the strongest arguments be the wisest man how doth God call the Rich man Foole If a man should trauell through all conditions of the World what gates would not open to the rich mans knocke In the Church surely Religion should haue the strongest force yet riches thrusts in her head euen vnder Religions arme and speakes her mind Money once brought the greatest Preacher of the Gospell euen the Author of the Gospell Christ himselfe to be iudged before an earthly Tribunall Now the Seruant is not greater then his Lord no wonder if money playes the rex still and disposeth places to men of the greatest worldly not the best heauenly gifts For a gift prospereth which way soeuer it goeth It were somewhat tolerable if money did only hinder vs from what we should haue but it vvrings from vs also what we haue In the Courts of Iustice Law should rule yet often money ouer-rules law and Court too It is a lamentable complaint in the Prophecy of Esay Iudgement is turned away backward and Iustice standeth a farre off for truth is fallen in the street and equity cannot enter If there must be contention iudgement should goe forward and is it turned backward Iustice should lay a close eare to the cause of the distressed and must it stand a farre off Truth is fallen in the street O the mercy of God! in the street Had it fallen in the wildernesse it had beene lesse strange but in the street where euery body passeth by and no body take it vp miserable iniquity Equity cannot enter what not equity Are they not called Courts of Equity and must that which giues them denomination bee kept out Now all this peruersion euersion of Iustice is made by money This turneth Iudgement to wormewood poisons a good cause or at least into vineger as wine that stands long becomes sowre And you are beholding to that Lawyer that will restituere rem get you your right though he doth it cunctando by delayes There is many one of whom that old verse may be inuerted Talis homo nobis cunctando diminuit rem In the warres valour beares a great stroke yet not so great as money That Macedonian Monarch was wont to say He would neuer feare to surprise that City whose gates were but wide enough for an asse laden with gold to enter How many Forts Castles Cities Kingdomes hath that blowne vp before euer gunpowder was inuented I need name no more What quality beares vp so braue a head but money giues it the checke-mate It answereth all things saith Salomon A feast is made for laughter and wine maketh merry but Money answereth all things By all this it appears that Riches is the greatest wisdome but wee must take out a writte Ad melius inquirendum If wealth be witte what meanes Christ here to call the Rich man Foole yes good reason God hath made foolish the wisedome of this world If God calls him so he gets little to haue the world esteeme him otherwise Not hee that commendeth himselfe nor
whom the world commendeth is approued but whom the Lord commendeth An ounce of credit with God is worth a talent of mens praises Frustra commendatur in terris qui condemnatur in coelis The world commends but God condemnes which of these iudgements shall stand I might heere inferre doctrinally that all Couetous men be fooles and that in his censure that cannot deceiue not be deceiued but I should preuent the issue of this Text to say and shew this now I therefore content my selfe to say it now to shew it anon It may be cauill'd that Follie is rather a defect in the vnderstanding Couetousnes in the affections For so they distinguish the soule into the intellectuall and affectionate part How then is this attribution of foole proper to the worldling The truth is that the offence of the will affections doth mostly proceed from the former error of the mind Our desire feare loue hatred reflecting on euill obiects arise from the deceiued vnderstanding So there is a double errour in the couetous mans mind that makes him a foole 1. He conceiues not the sufficiencie of Gods helpe and therefore leaues him that will neuer leaue his Hee thinkes Gods treasury too empty to content him he sees not his glory and therefore will not trust him on bare promises The good man sweetens his most bitter miseries with this comfort The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance But all Gods wealth cannot satisfie him O nimis auarus est cui Deus non sufficit He is vnmeasurably couetous whom God himselfe cannot satisfie Heere is one argument of his folly 2. Hauing left God who rested on would not haue left him hee adheres to the world which cannot helpe him The minde of man like the Elephant must haue somewhat to leane vpon and when the Oliue Fig tree Vine are refused he must put his trust vnder the shadow of the Bramble When the Israelites had forsaken the King of Heauen they make to themselues a Queene of heauen Moses is gone vp make vs gods which shall goe before vs. Admiratur mundum reijciens Dominum He falls off from God and falls in with the world Here be both the parts of his folly He hath committed two euils for saken the fountaine of liuing waters and hewed himselfe a broken cesterne We see the Patient let vs come to The Passion or suffering This is the point of warre which my Text sounds like a Trumpet against all worldlings This night shal thy soule be required of thee Fauour them in this and they thinke all well but in this of all they must not be fauoured This suffering is aggrauated by foure circumstances Quid. What the Soule A quo of whom of thee Quomodo how shall be required Qando when this night What. The Soule thy soule not thy Barnes nor thy croppe neither the continent nor content not thy gods which thou holdest deare not thy body vvhich thou prizest dearer but thy soule which should bee to thee dearest of all Imagine the whole conuexe of heauen for thy Barne and that were one large enough and all the riches of the world thy graine and that were crop sufficient yet put all these into one ballance and thy soule into the other and thy soule out-waighes out-values the world What is the whole world worth to him that loseth his soule The Soule is of a precious nature One in substance like the Sunne yet of diuers operations It is confined in the body not refined by the body but is often most actiue when her layler is most dull Shee is a carefull hous-wife disposing all well at home conseruing all formes and mustring them to her owne seruiceable vse The senses discerne the out-side the circumstance the huske of things she the inside the vertue the marrow resoluing effects into causes compounding comparing contemplating things in their highest sublimity Fire turnes coales into fire the body concocts meat into bloud but the soule conuerts body into spirits reducing their purest formes within her dimensiue lines In mans composition there is a shadow of the Trinity For to make vp one man there is an elementary body a diuine soule and a firmamentall spirit Here is the difference In God there are three persons in one essence in vs three essences in one person So in the Soule there is a trinity of powers vegetable sensitiue rationall the former would onely be the second be and be well the third be be well and befor euer well O excellent nature in whose cabinet ten thousand formes may sit at once which giues agitation to the body without whom it would fall downe a dead and inanimate lumpe of clay This Soule shall be required Thy Soule which vnderstands what delight is and conceiues a tickling pleasure in these couetous desires But to satisfie thy soule thou wouldst not be so greedy of abundance for a little serues the body If it haue food to sustaine it garments to hide it harbour to shelter it liberty to refresh it it is contented And satietie of these things doth not reficere sed interficere comfort but confound it Too much meat surfets the body too much apparell wearies it too much wine drownes it onely Quod conuenit conseruat It is then the soule that requires this plenitude and therefore from this plenitude shall the Soule be required Thy Soule which is not made of a perishing nature as the body but of an euerlasting substance And hath by the eternity therof a capablenes of moreioy or moresorrow it must be euer in heauen or euerin hell This night must this Soule receiue her doome thy Soule shall be required That Soule which shall be the bodies perpetuall companion sauing a short diuorce by the hand of death in the graue but afterwards ordained to an euerlasting re-vnion Whereas all worldly goods being once broken off by death can neuer againe be recouered The soule shall returne to the body but riches to neyther and this Soule must be required This is a losse a crosse beyond all that the worldlings imagination can giue being to How differ the vvickeds thoughts dying from their thoughts liuing In the daies of their peace they forget to get for the soule any good Eyther it must rest it selfe on these inferiour props or despaire of refuge The eye is not scanted of lustfull obiects the eare of melodious sounds the palate of well rellishing viands But the soules eye is not fastned on heauen nor her eares on the Word of God her taste sauours not the bread of life she is neither brought to touch nor to smell on Christs Vesture Animas habent quasi inanimata vivunt regarding their flesh as that pamperd Romane did his and their soules as he esteemed his horse who being a spruce neat and fatte Epicure riding on a leane scragling Iade was asked by the Censors the reason His answer was Ego curo meipsum statius verò equum I looke to my selfe but my
communicate with it in something Prodigality is lesse noxious then Auarice because it hath this coÌ„mon with liberalitie to giue which the other hath not Fiery zeale is dangerous by this Paul persecuted Christ by this the Iewes crucified Christ. But profane coldnesse is worse because it is further from the meane which is zeale in religion By these wretches lewdnes among vs the Romish aduersaries take aduantage to slander our Religion They say our Profession is a doctrine of liberty that we preach for faith and against works but Wisedom is iustified of â—…er children Thus we preach Tribulation and anguish vpon euery soule of man that doth euill but glory and peace to euery man that worketh good And euery man that hath hope in Christ purifieth himselfe And this is Pure religion and vndefiled before God to visite the fatherlesse and widowes in their affliction and to keepe our selues vnspotted from the World Our faith is not an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imagined in the braine but an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seene in our life We teach that Iustification and Sanctification are inseparable friends If men wil not be reformed wee conceale not from them Gods renuntiation If any man will be filthy let him be filthy still Our dissolute conuersation cannot annihilate the truth of our doctrine Howsoeuer the Samaritan not the Iewe relieued the wounded man yet the Iewes religion vvas true and not the Samaritans How polluted soeuer vvee are yet their hands are not cleane enough to take vp stones against vs. If they reioyce and tryumph in mens wickednesse they professe imitation of the deuill in a cursed mirth Good Christians haue learn'd to mourne for abominations not to laugh at them To returne to those dissolute wretches they sing not with the Church a Tenebo tâ—… Domine I held him and I would not let him goe all their delight is in a Nunc dimittis they are glad to be gone It were not amisse if we were well ridde of them being thus incorrigible Purge out therefore the old leuen that ye may be a new lumpe What leuen the Apostle there meanes he declares ver 13. Put away from among your selues that vvicked person When Ionah was cast out of the Ship the Sea ceased from her raging when Zimri was slaine the plague stayed when Baal was destroyed Israel had peace If these cursed Levens of Superstition Atheisme and Profanenesse were purged how sweet a lumpe would the Church of England be Wee cannot hope it yet let vs pray for it Miserere Deus cleanse vs from these levens for the merits of thy Sonne our blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ. 4. There is a fourth Leuen to which Saint Paul hath principall respect in this place and that is the mixing of Law with Gospell I meane Ceremoniall and legall rites with the truth of Iesus Christ. This leven might well die in forgetfulnesse and haue moulded away if there had not beene a late generation of Thraskites to deuoure it as bread They must abstaine from Swines flesh and from bloud and that vpon conscience to the Ceremoniall law But he that thus abstaines from bloud and flesh the flesh and bloud of Christ shall doe him no good What is this but to licke vp the Galatians vomit to swallow that hard and indigestible leven which Saint Paul tooke so much paines about to get out of their stomacks But let it sleepe with them in the dust it is dead and buried let vs not disquiet the graue to reuiue it Now to the second way of considering these words taking leven personally for Leueners false Teachers indeed Heretikes I will onely note two things one of doctrine another of discipline For doctrine out of my Text that they sowre the whole lumpe for discipline that therefore the Church should restraine and correct them The leven of Heresie spreads farre Their word will eate as doth a canker or a Gangrene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an Option or Election of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make choice A laudable word at first among Philosophers taken for a right forme of learning In Diuinitie it is a word of disgrace and intends a stubborne deuiation from the receiued Truth It is more then Error Aug. Errare possum Haereticus esse non possum I may erre I cannot be an Heretike Qui sua pestifer a dogmata defendere persistunt hâ—…retici sunt They that wilfully goe on to maintaine their pestilent opinions are Heretikes It hath the right property of a Gangrene it frets as it goes vires acquirit eundo Heresies in the soule are like vlcera depascentia in the body they eate vp the parts about them Of this God is the deficient cause who suffers it 1. In respect of the wicked that their iust condemnation might not be hindered For this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should bâ—…leeue a lye 2. In regard of the faithfull that their tentation might assure them Gods There must be heresies or schismes that they which are approued may be made manifest among you With this premonition God prepared Israel that when a false Prophet or Dreamer should come vnto them God doth proue you to know whether you will loue the Lord with all your heart For this cause are Heresies Vt fides habendo tentationem haberet etiam probationem that faith admitting a triall might receiue an approuall Of this Satan is the efficient cause the father of lyes neuer lou'd the Father of Truth Wicked and peruerse men are the instrumentall causes they are so ouer-vvise that the curdle of their wit procures a breaking out into faction Cùm discipuli veritatis non erunt magistri erroris sunt Refusing to be the scholers of Truth they become the Schoolemasters of errour So the precedent cause in such is selfe-loue the cause that growes out of the other and neerer to the maine effect or rather defect is discoÌ„tent If the Church forget theÌ„m in dealing her legacies of preferment they will teare her bowels for it If their mother pleaseth not their humours with an expected indulgence they will be so bold as kick her sides Pride steps in for a third cause vnlesse I forget her place for shee disdaines an inferiour roome and yet of all sinnes as none presumes higher so none is thrust lower euen to the bottomlesse pit Saint Iohn doth witnesse thus much of Diotrephes I wrote vnto the Church but Diotrephes who loueth to haue the preheminence among them receiueth vs not He is called by Beda Haeresiarcha superbus Hypocrisie must needs be admitted for a fourth motiue to heresie Applause must be had if not by beeing good yet by seeming so Omnes haeretici sunt hypocritâ—… saith Ierom Euery heretike is an hypocrite Like Vipers they neuer come to light but with some rupture to the vvombe of their mother Thus heresie creepes in at a little hole but infects infests the whole house
remittentis not natura transgressionis the mercy of the forgiuer not the qualitie of the sin that maketh it veniall All transgressions are mortall in themselues and by repentance all veniall in Christ. The least sinne legally considered is mortall the greatest sin Euangelically considered is pardonable This difference we approoue yea wee say that small sinnes are more easily pardoned and great sinnes when they are remitted are more hardly remitted For certainly offenders are more or lesse punished accoding to the qualitie of the offence An eye with an eye but bloud with bloud and life with life Yet still say we not that a sinne is in it owne nature veniall For euen the least is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the transgression of the Law It is for the doctrine of Rome to lessen sinne and to extenuate punishment and that for two reasons First that they might please the people with some liberty and next that hereby they might build vp their Purgatory For they assigne mortall sinnes to hell and veniall to that purging fire They offer herein a double wrong both to their owne modestie and to Gods mercy To their owne modestie for they extenuate their faults in sinning to Gods mercy for they disparage his goodnesse in forgiuing They affirme that sinnes of omission weakenesse forgetfulnesse and ignorance be Praeter legem Dei but not contra legem Dei that they be Besides the Law of God not Against the law of God This doctrine like the lippes of that strange woman drop as an hony-combe and are smooth as oyle But their end is bitter as worme-wood sharpe as a two-edged sword This is a dangerous delusion for hence they come so to neglect those lesse sinnes that Peccata minima be at last thought Nulla As they haue certaine Orders among them Fryers Minorites Fryers Minim's and then Nullani Nullans So sinne bates and dwindles from a Minorite or lesse sinne to a Minim or least sinne and from a Minim to a Nullan to be no sinne at all Thus Incipit esse licitum quod folet esse publicum The commonnesse takes away the haynousnesse from being generally practised it comes to be vniuersally allowed Euery sinne is committed against God Against thee thee onely haue I sinned Looke vpon the infinite Maiestie offended and by that iudge the quality of thy offence There be sinnes of weaknesse sinnes of ignorance and sinnes of malice Those of weakenesse are said to be committed against God the Father whose speciall attribute is Power Those of Ignorance against God the Sonne whose speciall attribute is wisedome Those of malice against God the Holy Ghost whose speciall attribute is loue Whether then they be of weakenesse of ignorance or of malice they offend either the Power of God or the Wisedome of God or the Loue of God therefore acknowledge Secundum magnitudinem Dei magnitudinem peccati confesse the least sinne great and bad that hath offended a Maiestie so Great and Good 2. Minima plurima sinnes lesse haynous are the most numerous Many littles make a mickle Small droppes of raine commonly cause the greatest flouds Quò minus violentum eò magis perpetuum the lesse violence the longer continuance The drisling sleete that falls as it were in a mist fills the chanels they swell the riuers the ouercharged riuers send foorth their superfluous waters ouer the conteyning bankes now the medowes are polluted the Corne-fields spoyled the Cattell drowned yea euen houses and townes and inhabitants endangered and firme continents buried vnder a deluge of waters Many little sands gather'd to an heape faile not to swallow a great Vessell De paruis grandis aceruus erit You haue Eagles Hawkes Kites and such great fowles of rapine flying alwaies alone but the sparrowes and pidgeons that deuour the graine by innumerable troupes There were not more grieuous plagues to the Egyptians then came by the contemptiblest creatures as frogges lice flyes locusts by reason of the monstrous swarmes couering the face of the earth and darkning the Land and deuouring the fruit of the whole Country Yea euen killing the people that there was no remedie found for their life Thus great destruction ariseth from little causes therefore Non contemnenda quia parua sed metuenda quia multa Let vs not despise our sinnes because they are little but feare them because they are many saith Augustine The smal drops of sinne continually falling haue drowned many soules As they haue been our Armes to fight against GOD so God will make them his Armies to confound vs. Timenda ruina multitudinis etsi non magnitudinis Let vs feare them for their number though we slight them for their nature A pace is but a little space of ground yet a thousand paces make a mile and many miles bring to hell Si negligis quia non pessima caueas quia plurima If they be not the worst they are the most and is it not all to one purpose vvhether one Goliah or a thousand Philistims ouercome thee The bird brings so many little strawes as makes vp her nest the reprobate so many little sticks as makes vp his owne burning pile Augustine saith there is in Sinne both weight and number Et si non timeas quando expendis time quando numeras Iudge them by tale and not by waight Put a wanton speech a loose gesture into the balance though Christ found it heauy euery soule shall for whom he did not beare it yet it is censured vix culpa a little faulting a little failing so little that vvere it lesse it were nothing But now leaue thy Geometry come to Arithmetike beginne to number thy vvanton works and vnchristian gestures and carnall thoughts now loe they come in by troupes and heards thicker then the frogges into Egypt miraris numerum thou standest amazed at their number and now cryest Miserere mei Deus Lord haue mercy on me a most wretched sinner Yet when thy recognition hath done the best and thy memory represented those swarmes of sinnes to thy conscience thy view is as farre short as will be thine answer neither can extend ad millesimam vel minimam partem Thou hast not seene one of a thousand Who can vnderstand his errors O Lord cleanse thou mee from my secret faults Thus it is not Trutina but ScrutinuÌ„ that will teach thee the danger of these little sinnes Thou didst neuer stâ—…ale thy neighbours goods by breaking into his house therefore pleadest not guiltie to that Law Thou shalt not steale Examine thou shalt find past from thee so many couetous wishes as make vp a robberie Thou art no swearer yet through the dore of thy lips haue scaped out so many idle words as being put together will make vp a blasphemie Thou neuer madest the member of Christ a member of a harlot by vncleannesse yet thou hast giuen indulgence to as many lustfull thoughts and desires as beeing summed will make vp a great adultery I feare that many who
you are now ashamed or at last in vengeance let them be ashamed that transgresse without a cause Let this teach vs how to iudge rightly of sinne that driues vs from the face of God But doth not the glory of the Lord fill all the earth Whither then shall they goe from his face whither fly from his presence we shall find the Prophet concluding in that Psalme that there is neither heauen nor hell nor vttermost part of the sea nor day nor night light nor darknes that can hide vs from his face Our sitting lying downe rising vp the words of our tongues wayes of our feete thoughts of our hart our reines bones and mothers wombes wherein we lay in our first informitie are well knowne to him Let vs not flatter our selues as if we would plucke out the eye of knowledge God hideth his face he will neuer see vs. For there is neither couch in chamber nor vault in the ground neither bottomes of mountaines nor holes of rockes neither secret friend nor more secret conscience neither heauen nor hell that can conceale vs. Of him that sitteth Christ now sittes in glory Whiles he was on earth how little rested he He dearly earned that voice before he heard it Sitte thou at my right hand now behold he sittes Good rest is the reward of good labour the weeke of our dayes spent we shall haue an eternall Sabboth enter into Gods rest Apoc. 14. rest from our labours Hast thou laboured thou shalt haue ease hast thou trauelled in the wayes of grace thou shalt sitte on the seate of glory On the throne Christ at this day shall appeare in his true Maiestie on earth he would not be crowned the reason of his refusall was my Kingdome is not of this world now he sittes in his Throne He hath a Kingdome here but it is secret in the conscience then it shall be conspicuous sitting in his Throne His maiestie hath beene despised but now Bring those mine enemies that would not haue me raigne ouer them and slay them before me Thus differs Christs first comming and his second Then in humilitie now in glory then with poore shepheards now with mightie Angells then the contempt of nations now the terror of the world then crowned with thornes now with maiestie then iudged by one man now iudging all men then in a cratch now in a Throne You see his All-knowledge now for his Almightines From the wrath The wrath of Christ is his Iustice Attribuitur ira Deo per effectum As man offended seekes reuenge so when God executes iudgment it is called his wrath But passion in vs perfection in him He hath long beene prouoked giue him now leaue to stricke You that made so light to trample his bloud vnder your sensuall feet shall now find what his wrath is Let vs now thinke of this wrath that we may escape it The commination of hell doth not lesse commend Gods prouidence then the promise of heauen Nisi inâ—…ntata esset gehenna oâ—…es in gehennam Câ—…beremur Now or neuer is this wrath to be escaped therefore Kisse the Son least he be angry and so ye perish from the way if his wrath be kindled yea but a little Blessed are all they that put their trustin him Of the Lambe Christ was called a Lambe in his passion so here in his comming to iudgment not that he should suffer any more but to shew that the same Lambe that was slaine shall giue sentence on his murderers The Father iudgeth no man but hath committed all iudgment vnto the Sonne And hath giuen him authoritie to execute iudgment because he is the sonne of man It shall aggrauat their vexation that the Lambe who offred his bloud for their redemption shall now censure them for despising He that would haue beene their mediatour to pray for them their aduocate to plead for them must nowe bee their Iudge to sentence them The Lambe that saueth the sheepe on the right hande shall cast off the goats on the left The Lambe they haue contemned by this Lambe they shall be condemned Woefull men whome the wrath of the Lambe lights on for he shall giue them an Ite maledicti What shall then become of them but to knocke at the gates of heauen whiles those gates are standing and crie for euer to God but to no purpose I haue no will to end with a terrour yet no time to sweeten your thoughts with those comforts which fayth might sucke from this last word the Lambe I say no more the godly shall find him a Lambe indeede as willing now to saue them as before to suffer for them He hath purchased promised and prepared a kingdome they shall Raigne mith him that sittes on the Throne and with the Lambe for euermore To whom be eternall glory Amen MAIESTIE IN MISERIE OR The power of Christ euen dying MATH 27. 51. And behold the vaile of the Temple was rent in twaine from the top to the bottome and the earth did quake and the rockes rent and the graues were opened and many bodies of Saints which slept arose IN the lowest depth of Christs humiliation GOD neuer left him without some euident and eminent testimony of his diuine power He hangs here on the crosse dying yea dead his enemies insulting ouer him whereis now his God If he be able to saue vs let him saue himselfe He beares not onely the wrath of God but euen the reproch of men Yet euen now shall his Diuinitie appeare and breake like a glorious Sunne through these clouds of miserie he rents the vaile shakes the earth breakes the stones raiseth the dead These two verses stand gloriously adorned with foure myracles 1. The vaile of the Temple was rent in twaine You will say perhaps the substance of it was not so strong but an easie force might rend it But ver 50. Christ was dead before or dyed at that very instant It was aboue nature that a dying yea a dead man crucified in so remote a place from it should rend the vaile within the Temple 2. The earth did quake Say the vaile was of lesse substance yet the huge bodie of the earth will trie a mans strength In vaine should silly man contend with that which shall deuoure him He cannot moue the earth the earth shall remoue him from walking aliue on it to lie dead in it Behold the power of Christ Terram mouet hee makes the vast bodie of the earth to tremble 3. The rockes rent Will any yet say naturall causes can shake the earth then let their malicious cauill bee choaked with this third myracle beyond exception he breakes the stones not little stones but huge massie rockes 4. Lastly to stop the mouth of all aduersaries to his diuine power he rayseth vp the dead Suscitare mortuos esepulchro is onely proper to God No man can giue a ransome to God for his brother that hee should liue for euer and
so shalt thou withstand more Thinke the easiest tentations a Porcpose before a tempest smoake before fire signes and prodigies of a fearefull conflict to come There remaines nothing now to be considered but the Bellowes that helpe to maintaine this fire The Bellowes Are double Passiue and Actiue Some blow because they cannot others because they will not auoid it 1. The Passiue Bellowes are the godly for they must haue no peace with wickednesse No fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darkenesse We must loue their persons and pray for them as Christ for his crucifiers But if they will not be conuerted if they cannot be suppressed we may desire either their conuersion or confusion as God willes none to perish as a creature but as a sinfull creature not of his owne making but of their owne marring So we must hate not virum but vitium reprouing and condemning euill works both by our lips and liues though our good conuersation be the passiue Bellowes to blow this fire 2. The Actiue are the wicked who doe profoundly hate the good in regard of both their actions and their persons To this their owne forwardnesse is helped by the deuils instigation If thou blow the sparke it shall burne if thou spitte vpon it it shall be quenched and both these come out of thy mouth But all men loue good naturally No not all for some haue not onely extinguished the flames of religion but euen the very sparkes of nature in their hearts But some wicked men haue loued the godly True but not for their actions not for their persons not of their owne natures But 1. either because God snafles the horses and mules and curbes the malicious rage of Tyrants Or 2. conuerts them to the faith and obedience of his truth as he tooke Saul from his raging crueltie and made him readie to die for him whose seruants he would haue killed so turning a Wolfe into a Lambe Or 3. els they loue the good for some benefit by them and therein they loue not them so much as themselues in them So Ahashuerosh loued Hester for her beautie Nebuchadnezzâ—… Daniel for his wisedome 〈◊〉 Ioseph because his house prospered by him and for this cause did the former Pharaoh affect him But otherwise with bloud-red eyes and faces sparkling fire they behold vs as Haman did Mordecai They plot like Machiauels raile like Rabshace's and conspire like Absolons These are the Deuils Bellowes here to blow quarrels among men and shall be his bellowes in hell to blow the fire of their eternall torments A man that is great both in wealth and wickednesse cannot be without these bellowes Intelligencers Informers Tale-bearers Let these seditious spirits vnderstand their employment they are the Deuils bellowes and when their seruice is done they shall be throwne into the fire I conclude All this trouble and calamitie shall be but vpon the earth so sayth our Sauiour I came to send fire on the earth In heauen shall be no distraction to breake our peace We should be too well affected to the world if it had this priuiledge and exemption but in vaine we seeke it where it is not to be found In heauen onely we shall find it in heauen onely let vs seeke it Here we may haue desideriuâ—… pacis but there onely pacem desiderij here the desires of peace there peace of our desires Now then the Peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding keepe your harts and minds through Christ Iesus Amen THE CHRISTIANS WALKE OR The Kings high-way of Charitie EPHES. Chap. 5. Ver. 2. Walke in loue as Christ also hath loued vs and hath giuen himselfe for vs an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweete smelling sauour OVR blessed Sauiour is set forth in the Gospell not onely a Sacrifice for sin but also a direction to vertue He calleth himselfe the Truth and the Way the truth in regard of his good learning the way in respect of his good life His Actions are our Instructions so well as his Passion our Saluation He taught vs both Faciendo and Patiendo both in doing and in dying Both sweetly propounded and compounded in this verse Actiuely he loued vs Passiuely he gaue himselfe for vs. And so is both an ensample for vertue and an offering for sinne He gaue himselfe that his Passion might saue vs he loued vs that his Actions might direct vs. Walke in loue as Christ c. We may distinguish the whole verse into a sacred Canon Crucifixe The Canon teacheth vs What the Crucifixe How In the Canon we shall find A Precept It is partly Exhortatory Precedent Exemplary The Precept Walke in loue the Precedent or Patterne As Christ loued vs. The Precept holy the Patterne heauenly Christ bids vs doe nothing to others but what himselfe hath done to vs we cannot find fault with our example The Crucifixe hath one maine stocke He gaue himselfe for vs. And two branches not vnlike that crossepeece whereunto his two hands were nailed 1. An offering or Sacrifice 2. Of a sweete smelling sauour to God To begin with the Canon the method leads vs first to the Precept which shall take vp my discourse for this time Walke in loue Here is 1. The Way prescribed 2. Our Course incited The way is Loue our Course Walking Loue is the Way And that an excellent way to heauen Our Apostle ends his 12. Chapter of the 1. Corin. in the description of many spirituall gifts Apostleship Prophecying Teaching Working of Myracles healing speaking with toâ—…gues All excellent gifts and yet concludes Ver. 31. â—…ut couet earnestly the best gifts And yet shew I vnto you a more excellent Way Now that excellent more excellent Way was Charitie and he takes a whole succeeding Chapter to demonstrate it which he spends wholy in the prayse and prelation of Loue. I hope no man when I call Loue a Way to God will vnderstand it for a iustifying way Faith alone leaning on the merits of Christ doth bring vs into that high Chamber of Presence Loue is not a Cause to iustifie but a Way for the iustified There is difference betwixt a Cause and a Way Faith is Causa iustificandi Loue is Via iustificatâ—… They that are iustified by faith must walke in Charitie For Faith worketh and walketh by loue Faith and loue are the braine and the heart of the Soule so knit together in a mutuall harmonie and correspondence that without their perfect vnion the whole Christian man cannot mooue with power nor feele with tendernesse nor breath with true life Loue then is a path for holy feete to walke in It is A Cleare Way A Neare Way A Sociable Way Cleare There be no rubbes in Loue. Nec retia tendit nec laedere intendit It neither does nor desires anothers harme it commits no euill nay it thinkes no euill sayth our Apostle For passiue rubbes it passeth ouer an offence It may be moued with violence cannot be remoued
He commeth leaping vpon the mountaines skipping vpon the hils He comes with willingnesse and celeritie no humane resistance could hinder him not the hillockes of our lesser infirmities not the mountaines of our grosser iniquities could stay his mercifull pace towards vs. He gaue his life who could bereaue him of it To all the high Priestes armed forces he gaue but a verball encounter I am he and they retire and fall backward His very breath disperst them all Hee could as easily haue commanded fire from heauen to consume them or vapours from the earth to choake them He that controlles Deuils could easily haue quailed men More then twelue Legions of Angels were at his becke and euery Angell able to conquor a Legion of men Hee giues them leaue to take him yea power to kill him from himselfe is that power which apprehends himselfe Euen whiles he stands before Pilate scorned yet tels him Thou couldst haue no power against me nisi datam desuper vnlesse it were giuen thee from aboue His owne strength leads him not his aduersaries He could haue beene freed but he would not Constraint had abated his merite he will deserue though he die The losse of his life was necessary yet was it also voluntary Quod amittitur necessarium est quod emittitur voluntarium Therefore he gaue vp the Ghost In spight of all the world hee might haue kept his soule within his bodie he would not The world should haue bin burnt to cinders and all creatures on earth resolued to their originall dust before he could haue beene enforced Man could not take away his Spirit therefore he gaue it Otherwise if his Passion had beene onely Operis and not voluntatis materiall and not formall it could not haue beene meritorious or afforded satisfaction for vs. For that is onely done well that is done of our will But it is obiected out of Hebr. 5. that hee offered vp prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death Hence some blasphemers say that Christ was a coward in fearing the naturall death of the bodie If hee had so feared it hee needed not to haue tasted it Christ indeed did naturally feare death otherwise he had not bin so affected as an ordinary man Yet he willingly suffered death otherwise he had not beene so well affected as an ordinary Martyre But he prayes thrice Let this cuppasse Diuines vsually distinguish here the Sententiaries thus That there was in Christ a double humane or created will the one voluntas vt natura a naturall will the other voluntas vt ratio a reasonable will Christ according to his naturall will trembled at the pangs of death and this without sinne for Nature abhorreth all destructiue things But in regard of his rationall will he willingly submits himselfe to drinke that cup. Not as I will O Father but as thou wilt Aman sayth Aquinas will not naturally endure the lancing of any member yet by his reasonable will he consents to it for the good of the whole bodie reason masters sense and cutting or cauterizing is endured So Christ by the strength of his naturall wil feared death but by his Reason perceiuing that the cutting wounding crucifying of the Head would bring health to the whole Bodie of his Church and either he must bleed on the Crosse or we must all burne in hell behold now he willingly and chearfully giues himselfe an offering and Sacrifice to God for vs. But was it a meere temporall death that our Sauiour feared No he saw the fierce wrath of his Father and therefore feared Many resolute men haue not shrunke at a little diuers Martyrs haue endured strange torments with magnanimitie But now when he that gaue them strength quakes at death shall wee say he was a Coward Alas that which would haue ouerwhelmed man would not haue made him shrinke that which he feared no mortall man but himselfe euer felt Yet hee feared The despaire of many thousand men was not so much as for him to feare He saw that which none saw the anger of an infinite God He perfectly appre hended the cause of feare our Sinne and torment He saw the bottome of the Cup how bitter and dreggish euery drop of that viall was He truely vnderstood the burden which we make light of Men feare not Hell because they know it not If they could see through the opened gates the insufferable horrors of that pit trembling quaking would run like an ague through their bones This insupportable lode he saw that the spunge of vengeance must be wrung out to him and hee must sucke it vp to the last and least drop Euery talent of our iniquities must be laid vpon him till as a cart he be loden with sheaues And with all this pressure hee must mount his Chariot of death the Crosse and there beare it till the appeased God gaue way to a Consummatum est It is finished The Philosopher could say that Sapiens miser magis est miser quà m stultus miser a wise man miserable is more miserable then a foole miserable because he vnderstands his miserie So that our Sauiours pangs were aggrauated by the fulnesse of his knowledge No maruell then if he might iustly take Dauids words out of his mouth Thy terrors haue I suffered with a troubled minde This thought drew from him those teares of bloud His eyes had formerly wept for our misdoings his whole bodie now weepes not afaint dew but hee swett out solid drops of bloud The thornes soourges nailes fetched bloud from him but not with such paine as this Sweat Outward violence drew on those these the extremitie of his troubled thought Here then was his cause of feare He saw our euerlasting destruction if he suffered not he saw the horrors which hee must suffer to ransome vs. Hinc illae lachrymae hence those grons teares cryes and sweat yet his loue conquerd all By nature he could willingly haue auoided this cup for loues sake to vs he tooke it in a willing hand So he had purposed so he hath performed And now to testifie his loue sayth my Text he freely Gaue. Whom Himselfe This is the third circumstance the Gift Himselfe Not an Angell for an Angell cannot sufficiently mediate betweene an immortall nature offended and a mortall nature corrupted The glorious Angels are blessed but finite and limited and therefore vnable to this expiation They cannot bee so sensibly touched with the feeling of our infirmities as hee that was in our owne nature in all poynts tempted like as we are sin onely excepted Not Saints for they haue no more oyle then will serue their owne Lampes They haue enough for themselues not of themselues all of Christ but none to spare Fooles cry Giue vs of your cyle They answere Not so least there be not enough for vs and you but goe ye rather to them that sell and buy for your selues They could not
afflicting obiects of shame and tyrannie Those â—…ares which to delight the high Quorillers of heauen sing their 〈◊〉 notes must be wearied with the taunts and 〈◊〉 of blasphemie And all this for vs not onely to satisfie those sinnes which our Senses haue committed but to mortifie those senses and preseâ—…e them from those sinnes That our eyes may be no more full of adulteries nor throw couetous lookes on the goods of our brethren That our â—…ares may no more giue so wide admission and welcome entrance to lewd reports the incantations of Sathan That sinne in all our senses might be done to death the poison exhausted the sense purified 4. In all members Looke on that blessed Body conceiued by the Holy Ghost and borne of a pure Virgin it is all ouer scourged martyred tortured manacled mangled What place can you find free Caput Angelicâ—… spiritibus tremebundum densitatâ—… spinarum pungitur facies pulchraprâ—… filijs hominum Iudâ—…orum spâ—…t is detâ—…rpatur Oculi 〈◊〉 sole in 〈◊〉 caligantur c. To begin at his head that head which the Angels reuerence is crowned with thornes That face which is fairer them the sonnes of men must be odiously spit on by the filthy Iewes His hands that made the heauens are extended fastned to a crosse The feet which tread vpon the neckes of his and our enemies feele the like smart And the mouth must be buffeâ—…ed which spake as neuer man spake Still all this for vs. His head bled for the wicked imaginations of our heads His face was besmeared with spittle because we had spit impudent blasphemies against heauen His lips were afflicted that our lips might henceforth yeeld sauoury speeches His feet did bleed that our feet might not be swift to shed bloud All his members suffered for the sinnes of all our members and that our members might be no more ser uants to sin but seruants to righteousnes vnto holines CoÌ„spâ—…i voluit vt nos Lauaret velari voluit vt velamen ignorantia a mentibus nostris 〈◊〉 in capite percuti vt corpori sanitatem restitueret Hee would be polluted with their spettle that hee might wash vs hee would bee blindfolded that he might take the vaile of ignorance from our eyes He suffered the head to be wounded that hee might renew health to all the body Sixe times we read that Christ shed his bloud First when he was circumcised at eight dayes old his bloud was spilt 2. In his agonie in the garden where he swett drops of bloud 3. In his scourging when the merciles tormentors fetch'd bloud from his holy sides 4. When he was crowned with thornes those sharpe prickles raked and harrowed his blessed head and drew forth bloud 5. In his crucifying when his hands feet were pierced bloud gushed out 6. Lastly after his death One of the souldiours with a speare pierced his side and forthwith came there out bloud and water All his members bled to shew that he bled for all his members Not one drop of this bloud was shed for himselfe all for vs for his enemies persecutors crucifiers our selues But what shall become of vs if all this cannot mortifie vs How shall we liue with Christ if with Christ wee bee not dead Dead in deed vnto sinne but liuing vnto righteousnesse As Elisha reuiued the Shunamites child hee lay vpon it put his mouth vpon the childes mouth and his eyes vpon his eyes and his hands vpon his hands and stretched himselfe vpon the child and the flesh of the child waxed warme So the Lord Iesus to recouer vs that were dead in our sinnes and trespasses spreads and applies his whole Passion to vs layes his mouth of blessing vpon our mouth of blasphemie his eyes of holinesse vpon our eyes of lust his hands of mercie vpon our hands of crueltie and stretcheth his gratious selfe vpon our wretched selues till we begin to waxe warme to get life and the holy Spirit returnes into vs. 5. In his Soule All this was but the out-side of his Passion Now is my Soule troubled and what shall I say Father saue me from this houre but for this cause came I vnto this houre The paine of the bodie is but the bodie of paine the very soule of sorrow is the sorrow of the soule All the outward afflictions were but gentle prickings in regard of that his soule suffered The spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmitie but a wounded spirit who can beare He had a heart within that suffered vnseene vnknowne anguish This paine drew from him those strong cryes those bitter teares He had often sent forth the cryes of compassion of passion and complaint not till now He had wept the teares of pittie the teares of loue but neuer before the teares of anguish When the Sonne of God thus cryes thus weepes here is more then the bodie distressed the soule is agonized Still all this for vs. His Soule was in our soules stead what would they haue felt if they had bin in the stead of his All for vs to satisfaction to emendation For thy drunkennesse and powring downe strong drinks he drunke vineger For thy intemperate gluttonie he fasted For thy sloth he did exercise himselfe to continuall paines Thou sleepest secure thy Sauiour is then waking watching praying Thy armes are inured to lustfull embracings hee for this embraceth the rough Crosse. Thou deckest thy selfe with proud habiliments he is humble and lowly for it Thou ridest in pompe he iourneys on foote Thou wallowest on thy downe beds thy Sauiour hath not a pillow Thou surfeiâ—…est and he sweats it out a bloudâ—… sweat Thou fillest and swellest thy selfe with a 〈◊〉 of wickednes behold incision is made in the Head for thee thy Sauiour bleeds to death Now iudge whether this point For vs hath not deriued a neere application of this Text to our owne consciences Since then Christ did all this for thee and me pray then with August O Dâ—… Iesâ—… da cordi 〈◊〉 tâ—… deâ—…derare 〈◊〉 qâ—…rere quâ—…rendo inuenâ—… iâ—…enien do 〈◊〉 amâ—…do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 redempta 〈◊〉 â—…rare Lord giue me a heart to desire thee desiring to seeke thee seeking to find thee finding to loue thee louing no more to offend thee There are two maine parts of this Crucifixe yet to handle I must onely name them being sorry that it is still my hap to trouble you with prolixitie of speech 6. The next is the Manner An offering and Sacrifice His whole life was an Offering his death a Sacrifice He gaue himselfe often for vs an Eucharisticall oblation once an explatorâ—… Sacrifice In the former hee did for vs all that we should doe in the latter hee suffered for vs all that we should suffer Who his owne selfe bare our sins in his owne 〈◊〉 on the tree Some of the Hebrewes haue affirmed that in the fire which consumed the legall Sacrifices there alwayes appeared the face of a Lyon
wealth then worship it Or if they suffer it to passe their locke key yet they bind it in strong chains and charmes of vsurie to a plentifull returne Enough is a language they will neuer learne till they come to hell where their bodies shall haue enough earth their soules enough fire There are foure aduerbs of quantitie Parum Nihil Nimis Satis Litle nothing Two much Enough The last that is the best is seldome found The poore haue Litle the beggar nothing the rich two much but Cui satis who hath Enough Though they haue too much all is too little nothing is enough Quid satis est si Roma parum What is enough if all Rome bee too little sayd the Poet. But the world it selfe could not bee enough to such Aestuat infoelix angusto limite mundi The couetous man may habere quod voluit nunquam quod vult hee may enioy what hee desired neuer what hee desireth for his desires are infinite So their abundance which God gaue them to helpe others out of distresse plungeth themselues into destruction as Pharaohs Chariot drew his master into the sea In the Massilian sea sayth Bernard scarce one ship of foure is cast away but in the sea of this world scarce one soule of foure escapes 4. Their next Policie When they swimme though their bodies bee plunged downe yet they still keepe their head aboue the water And this lesson of their wisdome I would direct to the Riotous as I did the former to the Couetous Which vitious affections though in themselues opposite for the covetous thinke Prodigum Prodigium the Spender a wonder and the prodigall thinke Parcum Porcum the niggard a hogge yet either of them both may light his candle at the lampe of the Serpents wisedome and learne a vertue they haue not Though you swimme in a full sea of delights yet bee sure to keepe your heads vp for feare of drowning It is naturall to most sensitâ—…e creaâ—…res to beare vp their heads aboue the flouds yet in the streame of pleasures foolish man commonly sinkes If I had authoritie I would here bid Gluttonie Drunkennesse stand forth heare themselues condemned by a Serpent If the belly haue any 〈◊〉 let it heares not suffer the head of the body â—…ch 〈◊〉 the head of the soule Reason to be drowned in a puddlâ—… of riot Multafercula multos 〈◊〉 Many dishes many diseases Gluttony was euer a friend to 〈◊〉 But for the throaâ—…s indulgence Paracelsus for all his Mercurie had dyed a beggar Intemperance lies most commonly sicke on a downe bedde not on a padde of straw Ay me's and grones are soonest heard in rich mens houses Gowtes Pleurisies dropsies feuers surfets are but the consequents of epicurisme Quâ—… nisi diuitibus nequeunt contingâ—…re 〈◊〉 A Diuine Poet morrally We seeme ambitious Gods whole worke t' vndoâ—… Of nothing he made vs and we striue two To bring our selues to nothing backe and we Doe what we can to do 't as soone as he We complaine of the shortnes of our liues yet take the course to make them shorter Neither is the corporall head onely thus intoxicate and the senses drowned in these deluges of ryot but Reason the head of the Soule and Grace the head of Reason is ouer whelmed Rarum 〈◊〉 â—…ine vitio 〈◊〉 convitio Reuellers and Reuilers are wonted companions When the belly is made a Crassus the tongue is turned into a Cesar and taxeth all the world Great feasts are not without great danger They serue not to suff ce nature but to nourish corruption Luk. 2. Ioseph and Mary went vp to Ierusalem to the feast with Iesus but there they lost Iesus Twelue yeares they could keepe him but at a feast they lost him So easily is Christ lost at a feast And it is remarkable there ver 46. that in the Temple they found him againe Iesus Christ is often lost at a banket but he is euer found in the temple Iude speakes of some that feast without feare They suspect not the losse of Christ at a banket But Iob feared his children at a feast It may be my sonnes haue sinned and cursed God in their hearts Let vs suspect these riotous meetings lest wee doe not only swimme but sinke Let vs be like the Deere who are euer most fearefull at their best feeding d Let vs walke hâ—…nestly as iâ—… the dâ—…y not in riâ—…ting and drunkennesse that were to feast the world not in chambering and wantâ—…esse that were tâ—… feast the flesh not in strife and enuying that were to feast the deuill I know therebe some that care not what be sayd against eating so you meddle not with their drinke Who cry ouâ—… like that German at a great Tourneament at Court when al the specâ—…ors were pleased Valeant Lâ—…di 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 farewell that sport where there is no drinking I will say no more to them but that the Serpents heâ—…d keepes the vpper hand of the waters but dâ—…nke gâ—…ts the vpper hand of their heads How 〈◊〉 is this Sobrij serpentes 〈◊〉 homines Sober serpents and drunken men The Serpent is here brought to tâ—…ch vâ—… wisedome and to bee sober is to be wise The Philosophâ—…r so deriues wisedome in his Ethick's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…st quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or as another quia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. The fift instance of their wisedoâ—… propounded to our imitation is vigilancie They â—…eepe litle and then lâ—…ast when they suspect the 〈◊〉 of danger A prâ—…dent woâ—… ouâ—… following See that ye walke circâ—…spectly not 〈◊〉 foâ—…les but as wise Carry your eyes in your ownâ—… heads noâ—… Like those 〈◊〉 in a boxe Nor likâ—… a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prince that is not suffered to see but through 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spectâ—…es Be watchfâ—…l saith our Sâ—…iour yoâ—… 〈◊〉 not whâ—… houre your master will come 1. Pet. 5. 8. Bâ—… 〈◊〉 bâ—… vigilâ—…nt because your aduersaâ—…y the Deuil aâ—… a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom he â—…ay deuoure Thâ—…se are two mâ—…ine motiues to watchfullnes First our Landlord is ready to come for his rent Secondly our enemy is ready to assault ouâ—… for t And let me adde the Tenâ—… we dwell in is so weake and ruinous that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 readie to drop downe about our eares Hee that dwellâ—… in a rotten 〈◊〉 house dares scarce sleepe in a tempestuous night Our bodies are earthly decayed or at least decaying Tabernacles euerie little disease like a storme totters vs. They were indeed at first strong cities but we then by sinne made them forts of rebells Whereupon our oâ—…ended Liege sent his Sariant death to arrest vs of high treason And though for his mercies sake in Christ he pardoned our sinnes yet he suffers vs no more to haue such strong houses but le ts vs dwell in thack'd cottages paper walles mortall bodies Haue wee not then cause to watch least our house whose foundation is in the dust
skip out of the way of righteousnes at euery dog that reproachfully barkes at it nor at euery Siren that temptingly would call it aside The Deuill with all his force of terror or error cannot seduce it Constancie it is euer trauelling though through many hindrances It hath a heauy load of flesh to burden it and make euery step tedious yet it goes Cares for family troubles of contentious neighbours frowning of great aduersaries malicious turbulencie of the world all offer to stay it but it goes on As if it had receiued the Apostles Commission Salute none of these Remora's by the way it resteth not till it see the saluation of God The Lord deliuers the feete from falling that it may walke before God in the light of the living 3 We must not returne backe to Herod Why not to Herod He was a fit type of the Deuill and they that are recouered and escaped from him should not fall backe into his clutches The Deuill is like Herod both for his subtletie and crueltie The Herods were all dissemblers all cruell There was Herod Ascalonita Herod Antipas and Herod Agrippa all cruell in the butchering of Gods Saints Ascalonita necat pueros Antipa Iohannem Agrippa Iacobum mittitque in carcere Petrum Ascalonite makes an earnest shew of zeale to Christ but he desired not subijcerese Christ◅ sedsib◅ Christum not to become subiect to Christ but to make Christ the sub iect of his furie Antipas seemed to loue Iohn the Baptist but he suffers a dancing foote to kicke off his head The crueltie of the other Herod was monstrous He slew all those whom hee could suspect to issue from the line of Dauid all the Infants of Bethlem vnder two yeares old at one slaughter Hee slew his kinred his sister his wife his sonne Hee cut the throates of many noble Iewes whiles he lay on his death bed Yea made it in his will that so soone as euer the breath was out of his body all the sonnes of the nobler Iewes shut vp into a safe place should be instantly slaine to beare him company By this meanes hee resolued that some should lament his death which otherwise would haue bin the cause of great ioy A wretched Testament and fit for such a deuill to make That Deuill wee are charged not to returne to exceeds this both in subtletie and crueltie euen as much as a father may his Sonne Herod was not so perfect a Master of his art The wise men deceiued Herod hee must be a wise man indeed that ouer-reaches Satan Herod was a bungler to him he trusted to instruments to destroy Christ the Deuill lookes to that busines himselfe Hee can transforme himselfe into an Angel of light and rather then not draw men to hell hee will dissemble a loue to heauen He will speake good that he may worke euill and confesse the truth that therby hee may procure credit to greater falshood He can stoope to the reprobate like a tame horse till they get vp and ride him but when he hath them on his backe he runs post with them to hell When he hath thus excercised his policie wil he spare his power when his Foxes part is done hee begins his Lyons Bloud massacre destruction are his softest embraces horror and amazement are the pleasures of his Court kill kill burne burne is the language of his tongue to those miserable wretches which must euer be burning neuer consumed euer killing and neuer die Oh then let vs neuer returne to Herod nor venture on his mercie The poore bird that hath escaped the hawkes talons is carefull to auoyd his walke The strayed Lambe falne into the wolfes caue and deliuered by the Shephard will no more straggle out of the flocke If the Lord Iesus hath sought and brought vs to himselfe by the Starre of his Gospell let vs no more goe backe to Herod flying the workes of darknes and seruing the liuing God with an vpright heart Indeed they that are truely freed from his seruitude will neuer more become his vassalls Many seeme escaped that are not If the adulterer returne like the Hogge to the mire and the drunkard like the Dog to his vomit it is likely that they loue Herod well for they goe backe to him The minister may desire to offer them vp a liuing sacrifice to the Lord but like wild beasts they breake the rope and will not bee sacrificed But wee being deliuered by Christ out of the hands of our enemies must serue him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life 4. Wee must goe to our owne Countrey In this world wee are but strangers though perhaps we thinke too well of these vanities yet they are but forraine things wee haue another home We may be rauished with this earth as Peter with Tabor Bonum hic it is good being here but if wee looke vp to that heauen which is our Countrey Mundi calcamus inutile pondus Behold the very outside is faire the outmost walls are beautified with glorious lights euerie one as a world for greatnes so a heauen for goodlinesse All those spangles bee as radiant stones full of Lustre pure gold to the drosse of earthly things What may wee then thinke there is within Yea whatsoeuer the wicked thinke yet this world is but the through-fare and it is not their home neither though indeede they haue their portion in this life It is sayd of Iudas going to hell that he went to his owne place therefore that and not this is their owne countrey as sure as they thinke themselues of this world In heauen there is all life no death in hell all death no life on earth men both liue and die passing through it as the wildernes either to Egipt or Canaan This earth as it is betweene both so it prepares vs for both and sends euery one to their owne countrey eternall ioy or euerlasting sorrow Hee that here dies to sinne shall hereafter liue in heauen he that liues in sinne shall hereafter die in hell All soiourne either with GOD feeding on his graces or with Satan surfe◅ing on his iniquities They that will haue Sathan for their host in transgression shall afterwards be his guests in perdition But they that obey God as theyr master shall also haue him their father and that for euer Contemne we then this world what though we haue many sorrows here a still succession of miseries we are not at home What stranger looks for kind vsage amongst his enemies As well might the captiue Iewes expect quiet among the Babilonians Thou art sure of a countrey wherein is peace In that heauen the wicked haue no part though here much pleasure When thou considerest this truely thou wouldst not change portions with them Let it be cōfort sufficient since we cannot haue both that we haue by many degrees the better Their owne countrey Heauen is our owne countrey 1. Ours ordained for vs by
twinkle and fall at last to blind connivence It is a wretched thing when Iustice is made a Hackney that may bee back'd for money and put on with golden spurs euen to the desired iourneys end of iniurie and iniquitie If the partie be innocent let his cause be sentenced for his innocencies sake if guiltie let not gold buy out his punishment If the cause bee doubtfull the Iudge shall see it worse when he hath blinded his eyes with Bribes But the will of the giuer doth transferre right of the gift to the receiuer No for it is not a voluntary will But as a man is willing to giue his purse to the theife rather then venture his life or limbe so the poore man giues his Bribes rather then hazard his cause Thou sayest the theefe hath no right to the purse so giuen God sayth nor thou to the Bribe And this is sinfull in a Iusticer though he passe true Iudgment on the cause but much more accursed when for this he will condemne the cause he should allow or allow the cause he should condemne To iustifie the wicked and condemne the innocent is alike abhomination to the Lord. Farre be from our soules this wickednes that the eare which should be open to complaints is thus stopped vp with the eare-waxe of partialitie Alas poore truth that shee must now bee put to the charges of a golden eare-picke or shâ—… cannot be heard But to shew that these riches are not of Gods giuing his anger is hoâ—…e against them Fire shall consume the Tabernacles of Briberie The houses or tabernacles the â—…hambers hals offices studies Benches a Fire shall consume them They may stand for a while but the indignation of the Lord is kindled and if it once begin to burne all the waters in the South are not able to quench it These Riches then come not of Gods blessing but I pray that Gods blessing may bee yours though you want those Riches Time that seuere moderator chargeth me silence and I rather chuse abruptly to breake off my discourse then immodestly to abuse your tryed patience The Lord send vs the gifts of his Left hand at his owne good pleasure but neuer denie vs the blessings of his Right for Iesus Christ his sake Amen The second Sermon PROV 3. 16. Length of dayes is in her right hand and in her left hand riches and honour WE are looking into the left hand of Wisedome and there haue found 1. that Riches and Honour are GODS gifts 2. That euery mans riches and honour are not so that the mouth of wickednes might be stopped Therefore to satisfie our owne consciences that they are Gods blessings to vs I obserued that they must be 1. honestly gotten 2. iustly disposed and that by rendring sincerely that which is due 1. to God 2. to Man 3. to our selues Duties to others ended my former discourse I must now beginne at Our selues The third act of disposing our Riches well when God hath his portion and Man his portion is to take the thirds to our selues It is Gods will that with the wealth he hath giuen thee thou shouldest refresh and consolate thy selfe Thou preparest a table before mee thou annointest my head with oyle my cup runneth ouer Wherefore hath God spred a table before thee but that thou shouldest eate Wherfore giuen thee a cup running ouer but that thou shouldest drinke If thou haue wine make thy heart glad if oile let thy face shine if bread strengthen thy spirits Weare thy owne wooll and drinke the milke of thy owne flockes It is a blessing which the Lord giues to those that feare him Thou shalt eate the labour of thine owne hands happie shalt thou be and it shall be well with thee But a curse to the wicked that they shall plant vineyards and not taste the fruit thereof The riches that God truely giues man truely enioyes Euery man to whom God hath giuen riches and wealth and hath giuen him power to eate thereof and to take his portion and to reioyce in his labour this is the gift of God Now a man may take from himselfe this comfort in abusing his wealth and this many wayes especially foure to Superstition Malice Ryot Miserie 1. By spending them vpon workes of Superstition to the dishonour of God And this is a high degree of ingratitude When God hath giuen them a sword to defend themselues and they turne the poynt of it vpon his owne brest So God gaue Israell sheepe and oxen and they offer them vp to Baall Many in England are beholding to God for great reuenewes lands and Lordships and they therewith maintaine Iesuites and Seminaries his professed enemies These vse their riches as the Israelites did their eare-rings and iewels God gaue them for their owne ornament and they turne them to an Idoll 2. By malice in abusing them to vnnecessary quarrels contentions of Law to the hindrance of Gods peace and their neighbours welfare When men will put out one of their owne eyes to put out both their neighbours Nay both their owne for one of his Thus what they get by the happines of forraine peace they spend in ciuill warres How vnnaturall is it for one hand thus to beate and wound another Eyther of them gets a shell You know who goes away with the meate 3. By ryot Quicquid dant dant vel veneri vel ventri They spend more vpon the Tauerne then vpon the Tabernacle at the house of playes then at the house of prayse more vpon their owne hounds then vpon Gods poore children Iulius Caesar seeing women carrie little Dogs vnder their armes asked if they had no children God asketh you that giue your bread to dogs if he hath no children for your charitie But they answere all as the wicked in the 12. Psalme Our tongues are our owne They stop the mouth of all exhortation to frugall courses with It is my owne a man may spend his owne as hee list I wast none of your goods and what hath friend in priuate or preacher in publicke to doe with it But they shall find one day that they were but Stewards that these Riches were but intrusted to them and they shall giue a strict account Nothing is properly a mans owne but Peccata sua his sinnes Thy sinnes are thine owne thy riches Gods 4. By miserable niggardice in forbearing to take his owne portion and so becometh his owne consumption No maruell if such a miser starue others when hee famisheth himselfe Such a one is the worst vermine the land beares another vermine seekes but to feed it selfe but he hoording vp his graine feedes many thousands of them Let him beware least they also at last deuoure himselfe As that Germane Bishop that hauing great store of corne in a grieuous famine refused to sell it to the poore and suffered the Rattes to eate it But by the â—…ust iudgement of God the Mise and Rats which he fed with his
onely runne but so runne that you may obtaine Schismatickes runne but they runne out of the Church they loue the truth but not in peace Secure people runne but they run beside the church they loue peace but not in truth Others follow the truth in peace but not for the truth Dum quaerunt cam non quaerunt ipsam They saile in their Sic they misse this same Well Prosunt alijs sibi neutiquam They doe good to others but not well to themselues But wee haue almost lost both Bonum and Bene Good and Well It is an ill disiunction that our fathers had so good workes and wanted our faith and wee haue the true faith but want their workes This Well is the very forme of a good worke and Forma dat esse rei it can not be good without it Let mee take here iust cause to reproue two sorts of people 1. Some there are that trust God with their soules and destroy their owne bodies But God will take no charge of the soule but in well doing Those virgins that would kill themselues to preuent rauishments are reproued by iust censure Satius incertum adulterium in futuro quà m certum homicidium in praesenti Better an vncertaine adulterie to be endured then a certaine selfe-murther to be acted How can they hope for Gods hand of mercie that lay on themselues a hand of crueltie Rhasis in the Maccabees falling vpon his owne sword and throwing himselfe downe from the wall yet committed himselfe to Gods keeping calling vpon the Lord of life and spirit c. The Text sayes twice with little credite to the owne Iudgement that it was done Manfully But it was magnè potius quà m benè factum done with desperate valour with more venture then wisedome temeritie then honesty This was that the Deuill left out when he cited Scripture to Christ In all thy wayes he made that a parenthesis which was essentiall to the Text. This the originall testified Psal. 91. 11. Custodient in vijs tuis but this was none of his wayes downe from the pinacle to shew the people a tumbling tricke and to breake his necke So the Deuill labours to secure men of Gods prouidence generally though they be quite out of the way He bids men be confident that God will keepe their soules howsoeuer they walke so vnder colour of Gods protection he brings them to destruction Hee tels a man of predestination that he is sure of an eternall election to life therefore may liue at his owne pleasure so from Gods decree drawes encouragement to a secure life He tels him of Iustification that he is acquitted by the bloud of Christ so emboldens him on the backe of presumption to ride post to Hell whereas Predestination Iustification are onely made knowne to vs by well-doing 2. It is impossible for a man of an ill life to hope that God will keepe his soule Hee that liues ill and hopes well teacheth his ignorance to deceiue his wickednesse and them both to deceiue his soule Your iniquities haue separated betweene you and your God But separate your selues from the vncleane thing and I will receiue you Take away the barre your sinnes breake off the partition by repentance then I will keepe you saith God Commit your soules to the Lordes trust in well-doing or not at all If Christ had come downe from the pinacle headlong and not by the staires he had neglected the way and so beene out of the compasse of Gods promise to keepe him It is an ouer-bold presumption to charge God to keepe thy soule whilest thou doest wilfully loose it Wilt thou clippe the wings of thy soule and then bid it flie to God It is all one as if thou shouldest cut off a mans legge and then send him on an arrand Our presumption is able to tie vp Gods armes that he cannot helpe vs. Hee that will walke in prophanesse and commit his soule to God is like him that throwes himselfe into a deepe pit to trie whether God will helpe him out and saue him from drowning Man is timorous where he should bee bold and bold where he should be timorous God bids vs cast our care vpon him for this life Take no thought for your life what you shall eate or what you shall drinke or wherewith you shall be clothed your heauenly Father knowes yee haue need of all these things Yet wee dare not trust God without a pawne vnlesse wee haue bread we thinke wee shall starue Here we feare where wee ought not God tells vs the bread of heauen must feed our spirits more necessary to maintaine life in the soule then is bread to preserue life in the body we neuer hunger after this yet presume we haue sound soules and trust God to keepe them Here wee doe not feare where wee ought Wee are so sottish that wee dare trust God with the soule the more precious part without well doing the meanes to haue it saued yet dare not trust him with our bodyes vnlesse we can see our barnes full or at lest our cupbords But in vaine thou committest thy soule to God except thou obeyest God There is still a Commaundement with the promise if thou keepe not the precept thou hast no interest in the promise If thou wilt not performe thy part God is discharged of his part if thou refuse to doe well hee will not keepe thy Soule The protection of God extends not to vs in lewd courses we are then out of our way and the Deuill may take vs vp as Vagabonds If thou doe well shalt thou not be accepted if thou doe euill sinne lieth at the doore If thou doe euill Sinne is thy keeper not God There was a Temple called the Temple of Trust God will not be to them a Temple of Trust that had no trust in their Temples It is a good thing to haue God keepe the soule but the wicked cannot haue this hope He that hath money layes it vp in his coffers or if he sends it abroad like a sterne laylor he suffers it not to goe without a keeper sound bonds He that hath lands makes strong conueyances to his desired heires that they may bee kept If children he prouides to haue them safely kept He keepes his goods from the theefe his chickens from the kite his lambe from the wolfe his fawne from the hound his doue from the vermine yet he keeps not his soule from the Deuill O wretched man that must die and knowes not what shall become of his soule The world would haue it but hee knowes it must not himselfe would keepe it but hee knowes he cannot Sathan would haue it and he knowes not whether he shall he would haue God take it and he knowes not whether he will O miserable man that must part with his soule he knowes not whether We see what it is to lead an euill life and to bee a stranger to God He knowes his sheepe
putting oyle into it but this makes it burne more And as it is with some that thirstily drink harish and ill-brewed drinks haue not their heate hereby allayed but inflamed So this vvorldlings hote eagernesse of riches is not cooled but fired by his abundance 4. That which makes a man easie to hit makes also his wound greeuous The Poet tells vs that when Codrus his house burnes a little cottage in the Forrest he stands by and warmes himselfe at the flame hee knowes that a fewe sticks straw and clay with a little labour can rebuild him as good a Tabernacle But if this accident light vpon the Vsurers house distraction seizeth him withall he cryes out of this Chamber and that chest of his Closet and Cabinet of his bonds morgages money and plate and is so much the more impatient as hee had more to lose In a vvord here is all the difference betwixt the rich and poore the poore man would be rich while he liues and the rich would be poore when he dies For it is small greefe to leaue hunger cold distresse bondage hard lodging and harder fare but to forsake full Barnes full purses musike wine iunkets soft beds beautious vvomen and these lust-tickling delights and to goe vvith death to the Land of forgetfulnesse this is the terrour I end then as Paul concludes his counsell to rich men Lay vp for your selues a good foundation against the time to come that you may lay hold on eternall Life THE BAD LEAVEN OR THE CONTAGION OF SINNE GALAT. 5. 9. A little Leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe THIS Epistle was written with St. Pauls owne hand chap. 6. 11. Ye see how large a letter I haue written vnto you with my owne hand It is for quality excellent for quantitie large Hee wrote not so long an Epistle to any other Church with his owne hand Indeed he wrote a letter to Philemon with his owne hand vers 19. I Paul haue written it with mine own hand but it was short He wrote longer Epistles to the Romanes and Corinthians but not with his owne hand but by Scribes Wee haue cause therefore to regard it more as his pains were greater in writing so let our diligence bee greater in obseruing The maine purpose of it is to discouer 1. That ill coniunction of Moses and Christ the ceremonies of the Law with the sanctimony of the Gospell 2. The free Grace and Iustification by the bloud of Christ without the workes of the Law In this the Galatians had receiued a beginning but now had admitted a recidiuation For this cause the Apostle chides vers 7. Yee did runne well who did hinder you that you should not obey the Trueth Where there is a Concession and a Conuiction a step and a stop The Concession or Step ye did runne well The Conuiction or Stop Who did hinder you that you should not obey the truth In the former he compares Christianity to a race all men must first be viatores in this valley of teares before they can be Assessâ—…res and sit with Christ in his kingdome of glory Onely as it agrees with a Race in many things as labor it 's no idle thing to be a Christian shortnesse it is a Race the perplexity is recompenced vvith the breuity continuance the runner must hold out the last steppe if he will obtaine the prize So there are some differences 1. In other races many runne onely one winnes the goale but in this all that runne faithfully shal raigne triumphantly Though they cannot runne so fast as others nor so farre as others yet euen they that came at the eleuenth houre into the Vineyard receiued they penny so well as they that came at the third For the Lord regards not Quantum but ex quanto not how much but how well What euer houre they are called let them spend the aftertime in a zealous diligence 2. In other races one hinders another but in this iourney one helpes another The more the merrier no enuy or grudging eyther in the way or the goale Dispar gloria singulorum sed communis latitia omnium There may bee different glory of some yet there is a common ioy of all Euery good man is a spurre to his brother Peter and Iohn ranne to Christs Sepulcher Iohn out-ran Peter vnto the graue Peter out-went Iohn into the graue But we run together vnto Christs Throne some come before some after all meet in the Communion of Saints 3. In other races the runner obtaines a prize that shall perish all the runners heere get an incorruptible crowne They runne for a little prize a little praise we for eternall glory Runne wee then cheerefully behold a kingdome lyes at the stake God giue vs all eyes of faith to see it and hearts of obedience to runne to it through the power of Iesus Christ. In the latter the Apostle may seeme to put a superfluous question Who did hinder you For there are many aduersaries As first Satan the General of that damned crue that hinder our passage to heauen Paul excuseth himselfe to the Thessalonians Wee would haue come vnto you once and againe but Satan hindered vs. Zach. 3. Ioshua the high Priest stood before the Angell of the Lord and Satan stood at his right hand to resist him Where God hath his Church Satan hath his chappell So also wicked men such as haue taken the Deuils oath of Allegiance What the Deuill cannot doe immediately by himselfe hee does mediately by his Instruments To erre Humanum is the weakenes of a man but to seduce diabolicum is the part of a Deuill It is ill to play the woman worse to play the beast worst of all to play the Deuill But what speciall hinderers the Apostle meanes wee shall haue precise occasion in some future passages to demonstrate Onely I must not omit that the Apostle giues a direct resolution by way of negation vers 8. This perswasion comâ—…eth not of him that calleth you God is no wayes the Author of error and sin He that wils the death of no sinner will not lead him into the wayes of destruction Indeed he suffes Satan to temptal but to a diuerse purpose the good to try them the reprobate to destroy them The temptations of the godly are for their instruction of the wicked for their destruction Iames tells vs that euery good gift comes downe from the Father of lights is it euill it commeth not from God The Apostle telling the Ephesians of lusts blindnesse wantonnesse obstinacy concludes piercingly Non sic didicistis Christum Yee haue not so learned Iesus Christ. Art thou peruerted thou neuer learnedst this of Christ. Let no man say when hee is tempted I am tempted of God for God tempteth no man In him we liue moue and haue our being A Gentile Poet sung it a Christian Apostle sanctified it all the creatures in heauen and earth cry Amen vnto it Life is his whether we liue well