haiuest The blessed heart returns ten for one yea a hundred for one as our Sauiour Christ saith Obserue that the chiefest care of a Christian must be to furnish his heart with grace and to plowe it vp with true repentance which counsell is giuen by the wise man miccal 〈◊〉 nitsor libbeca Aboue all things keepe thy heart with diligence The like conucell is giuen by 〈◊〉 thy hart O Ierusalem This also is confirmed by the author to the Hebrues It is Good the heart be established with grace And to confirme it with the words of Christ Take heed vnto your selues that your hearts be not oppressed This course or order is not amisse for the cause goes before the effect Can there be a good life which is the effect before there be a good heart which is the cause not Causaefficiens but Causamaterialis as Chrysostome obserues In ore et corde tuo salutis causa In thy mouth and in thy heart is the cause of thy saluation In thy mouth to confesse it and in thy heart to beleeue it If thou confesse with thy mouth and beleeue with thy heart thou shalt be saued So then to haue good fruit is to haue a good tree A good cause brings forth a good effect for Qualis causa talis effectus Such as the cause is such is the effect And common sence and reason doth teach vs as Aristotle obserues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In euery action the end and the meanes of the end must goe togeather The Smith heats his yron before he beats it The Carpenter lays his foundation before he can erect his building The husbandman plowes his ground before he reaps his haruest And a christian must haue a good hart before he can haue a good life And as it is the ground worke so it is the strength of man both in nature and in grace In nature it is the first that liues and the last that dyes And it is called Cor and hath that name of Cura businesse for it is in continuall worke It is in man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The little world Homo est coeli simulacrum interpres naturae Man is the picture of the heauens and the interpreter of nature in whome is the heart as God is in this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great world Primus motor The first mouer It is no lesse in grace the first that is sanctified and the first that liues in grace and is the castle of man The consideration wherof made Dauid to conclude that that man neede to feare no euill why Samuk-libbo his hart standeth firme And surely it had neede for the Deuill dealeth with the heart of man as the King of Aram dealt with the King of Israell Which shootes neither against small nor great but against the heart the King and strength of man Thus he dealt with Adam insinuating himselfe first into their affections thereby stealing away their halts and so drewe them to sinne Thus he dealt with Iudas for he put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the heart of Iudas And thus he fitst worketh with the hearte and then the other parts of man And as it is the strength of man so it is the salt that seasons our obedience whereby it is made acceptable vnto God for obedience without the heart is like the sacrifice of a dog and the hire of a whore A good worke without the heart is but a glorious sinne Non tamres ipsa quam hominum affectus spectantur Not so much the things themselues as the affections of men are here to bee considered saith Faius Potest quis in paupertate magno in diuitys pusillo animo esse One may haue a franke minde in pouerty and a sparing mind in riches So it is not the worke but the mind Vnum opus sed non vnus affectus It is one and the same worke but not the same minde Thus the Lord regards not so much the worke as the heart and minde of the worker as the Prophet saith This people honoureth me with their lips but their hearts are farre from me And therefore in vaine doe they worship me saith Christ. And as Augustine well obserues Quia non quid faciat homo considerandum est Because we must not so much to consider what it is that a man doth sed quo animo facit but with what minde he doth it If wee doe build onely on the worke wee haue no better euidence to shew for our saluation then the deuils and the reprobates If we relie vpon miracles and casting out of deuils these are the euidences that the false prophets will bring Lord haue wee not done many great workes and cast-out deuils in thy Name yet away from mee I know you not will Christ say Or shall wee build vpon preaching the Gospel supposing that to be a good euidence for our saluation This is the euidence of Iudas and yet hee is gone to his owne place Not the worke then but the heart is that that will stand and goe for currant To shew this the Lord would haue a free-will offering among all the rest of his sacrificet Hereby shewing that the heart must be ioyned with obedience Yea so did the Lord regard the heart that he would not admit of any gift for the building of the Temple but what came from a free will which was but a type of the spirituall Temple To the building whereof euery man is to bring the timber and stones of obedience and that with a good heart And therefore as the author to the Hebrews saith Let vs draw neere vnto God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a true heart that so wee may serue him that wee may please him For God is a consuming fire And as the heart seasons our obedience so in the heart is the euidence of our saluation there sealed by the Spirit of God Our euidence lieth not in any externall thing it lieth not in the ancient calling of husbandrie for Cain miscaried in that nor in strength for Golias could not preuaile thereby nor in the office of a Prophet for that serued not Saul or Balaam nor any kingly dignitie that would not priuiledge Pharaoh nor riches they helped not Diues nor glorious apparell for it did Herod no good nor policie in Achitophel nor beauty in Absalom could giue assurance of saluation Temporale non potest esse causa aeterni No temporall thing can be the cause of that which is eternall In all these can be no euidence of our saluation Nihil est firmum vel stabile in rebus humanis There is nothing stable in humane affaires It remaineth that the heart is the register of our saluation Per fidem facti sumus vnum in Christo. By saith wee are made one with Christ. And the subiect of faith is the heart for with the heart man beleeueth unto saluation The other they are
to the contrary goe and sinne no more Secondly hee pardons both a poena culpa from the fult and punishment we deny not but that the Church may pardon the punishment but not the fault for that is proper onely to God Thirdly he pardons such as he neuer sawe and cannot tell whether they haue repented them of their sinnes or no whereas pardon is to be granted to such as repent them of their sinnes And to fill vp the measure of his iniquitie Mandanius Angelis quarenus animas omnium accedentium Wee commaund the Angels to carry all the soules of them that come to Rome this yeere out of Purgatory into Paradise Et concedimus cruce signatis vt ad eorum vota duas vel tres animas quas vellent è Purgatorio liberarent And wee grant to all those that haue taken vpon them the holy Crosse to deliuer two or three soules at their pleasure out of Purgatory And surely could it bee prooued that the Pope could forgiue sinnes I would presently turne Papist And here let mee acquaint your vnderstanding with the author of these pardons who as I finde was Gregory the first for hee proclaimed that whosoeuer would come to Rome to visite the Temples should haue cleane remission of sinnes Then came Boniface the 8. and made the yeere of Iubile or grace euery hundred yeeres with the like promises Then after him came Clement the sixt and brought it from an hundred yeeres to fiftie with the same promises Plaenariam indulgentiam full remission of all their sinnes apaena et culpa toties quoties But the thing obseruable is this why so great a benefite as this as they say did sleepe so long before it was knowne either it could not be found or they were very vnmercifull to keepe the people in sinne and might haue freed them of the same But now pardons being found note the manner not a iot without money for no penny no pater-noster And here two things must bee looked vnto first that wee keepe the Popes fauour secondly that wee haue large purses or wee may goe without pardons For conclusion the true Church of God is taught that pardons are not to bee bought with gold and siluer but with the blood of Christ. What should I speake of their pilgremages vnto lying vanities their stewes established by authoritie a hell aboue ground where lust the daughter of idlenesse hath accesse to whoredome or their Masses Cloystered Nunnes single life treasons murthers and a world of the like whereby they are abominable to God odious to man and comparable to the deuill Their Religion damnable their practise blood and crueltie and themselues famous for villany Thus then you see the Papist walke not after the word of righteousnesse no holy Scriptures are reiected and in stead thereof is come darkenesse and darkenesse hath bègot ignorance and ignorance hath begot error and his brethren See these prodigious spirits are they which are contemners of God despisers of his word persecuters of his Saints and sacrificers to the deuill I am glad I am rid of them let them goe but God giue vs grace neuer to followe them 〈◊〉 wee home to our selues and see whether wee can finde any among our selues which walke farre wide from the word of righteousnesse And here first I will beginne with the Vsurer whose arte is crueltie and therefore God did prohibite the same as too barbarous and diabolicall to be in the Church of God Therefore when thou lendest money to the poore thou shalt not bee as a vsurer to them Now if you would knowe what vsury is the text saith it is nashak whereof commeth neshek which signifies to bite or gnawe Well saith the vsurer now I see it is lawfull to take vse so that it be not to the hurt of the borrower whereby to bite him But stay a little and hearken vnto God what hee saith more of this by the Prophet he shall liue for euer which hath not giuen vpon vsury where the word tarbith is vsed which is to encrease and it comes of rabah to multiply So that to bee an vsurer is to take more then hee puts forth and to take encrease is to bite there being no more difference betweene nashak and rabah but this rabah is to take encrease and nashak is the nature of it namely to bite So then you see he which taketh increase for his monty is a biter and so doeth Ambrose obserue Such are the benefites that you rich men bestowe you giue out little and require much againe such is your kindnesse that you vndoe them whom yee helpe This is the nature of vsurie The persons to whom they might not lend vpon vsurie were their brethren And by brethren in this place is ment brethren of nation as Paul saith I haue great heauinesse for my brethren that is for the nation of the Iewes And to these it was not lawfull to lend on vsury not one Iewe to another Iewe. Now by the same rule it is nor lawfull for one English man to lend to another and so of other nations But the chiefe ende why God forbids to lend to their brethren was to shew that in the Church this diabolicall arte should not be vsed As for idolaters and enemies to Religion they might lend to such on vsury and for the rooting out of these wicked ones but among themselues it might not be vsed And this statut-law remaineth still vnrepealed The like I might speake of stage-playes drunkennesse pride adultery swearing lying murdering I haue not yet done with this word of righteousnesse Gods word is called righteous first because of the author which is God Holy men spake as they were mooued by the spirit of God and from God that is perfect there is no euill and filthy thing And for this ende the Prophets cryed the mouth of the Lord the mouth of the Lord to shewe that God was the author thereof which may bee prooued thus 1. Est antiquitas the antiquitie which is before all writing as God is before all creatures 2. Hormonia pulcherima the most sweete hermonie and consent betweene Moyses the Prophets and Apostles which though they liued many yeeres differing yet doe they all agree in one thing 3. the true accomplishing of those things spokē of by them 4. the ouerthrow and downefall of those that haue opposed themselues against their sayings all which doe plainly demonstrate that God is the author of them Secondly they are righteous because they are instruments to bring vs vnto righteousnesse The whole Scripture is giuen vs by inspiration and is profitable to teach to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may bee made perfect to euery good worke Now where the effect is holy the cause must needes be righteous Thirdly Gods word must needes be righteous because it teacheth a doctrine which is holy pure righteous c. Is Gods word righteous then well note the blasphemie of
87 2 How the Papists abuse the word of righteousnes from 87 to 100 3 Why the word is righteous 101 to 102 4 Of the workes of righteousnesse and how to doe them 103 to 107 2 In the sowing-time 1 How obedience seemes lost 108 2 Why thereward is not yet 109 3 Great gaine in obedience 111 4 We are to doe good to many 112 5 We are to doe the beast good 113 6 How the wicked sowe 114 7 World make obedience a labour 115 3 In the persons 1 Great men not too good to serue God 118 to 119 2 Poore not too meane to serue God 120 In the haruest time are 1 propertie of the worke 2 the manner of it 1 Generall obeydience euer rewarded 121 to 124 1 In the propertie 1 How obedience bringeth earthly blessings 125 to 127 2 The haruest of assurance of heauen 129 to 134 2 In the manner 1 All we haue is of mercy 135 2 Papists merits 136 to 137 In the consequence are 1 the action Seeke 2 the obiect the Lord. 3 the cause it is Time 1 In the action 1 We must serue God in our owne persons 139 2 That it is a labour to seeke and why 140 2 In the obiect 1 Of the name Iehouah 143 2 To seeke God in his word 145 3 The seuerall seekers 146 to 147 4 To seeke the loue of God 148 to 149 In the compelling cause 3 In the time past in it 1 The longer in sinne more cause to turne to God and why 150 to 154 2 In the time to come 1 Take time while time is and why 154 to 155 2 The continuance in seeking 156 to 157 3 How and when he come 157 4 The metaphor of the raine 158 to 159 5 Raine for teaching 161 6 Raine for abundance 162 A Table of the principall words in this Booke A A meane in words 69 Assurance of heauen here 129 Apology of the world 116 Apologie for the Church 35. 56 Adultery how committed 29 All the lawes to be executed 80 B Bishops lawfull 55. 56 Brokers 30 Blind Magistrates 82 Best good to be done 114 Boldnes of Ministers 77 Blasphemy of Papists 102 C Couetousnesse 26 Corruption of nature 16 Continuance in obedience 191 Ceremonies 39. 40 Custome in sinne 155 Church of England true Church comming of God how 157 Continuance in sinne 156 D Discipline of 3. sorts 38. 39 Death of sinne where 63 Dissembling protestants 113 Drunkennesse 19. 146 Dumbe Magistrates 82 Dead to sinne 63 Deuil cause of sinne 17. 18 Dead in sinne 152 Doctrnie of England pure 36 37 E Exchange 32 Error of Papists 132. 87 Engrosers 13 Earth for man 5. 7. 8. 9 Euill actions 66. 67 F Free will 97 Faith of our owne 75 Faith the nature of it 130 Faith only in this life 131 G Grace the power of it 72 Good to be done to many 112 God no cause of sinne 16 Gaine in obedience 111 Great men serue God 119 Good how to doe it 106 H Hypocrites 12 Heart most regarded 8. 9. 10 Heart to be rent 61 Hurt of euillworks 70 Hope of the godly 110 Haruest of magistrats 123 Ministers people 124 Haruest temporall 125 Haruest of grace 124 Heart in obedience 105 Hospitalitie 123 I Inclosers 24 Idolatry of Papists 95 Infidelity of ingrossers 24 Instruction 81 Iehouah what it is 143 Iustified how 167 K Knowledge of the word 105 Knowledge of sinne 57. 58. Knowledge of good and micked men 72 Knowledge of the heart 75 Kill sin in the heart 63 L Loue of God to he sought 148 Labour to seeke 115 Lookes wanton 29 Long in sinne 154. 155 loeke vp the word 88 to 90 Lawyer a seeker 139 Lawyer little trueth 21 M Mean in words 69 Merits of Papists 93. 136 Mortifie sinne 70 Magistrates to punish sinners 78. 79. 85 Man to worke his saluation out 73 Mercie of God 133 Murmuring 52. 53 Man part with all creatures 4 Mercie of God gause of this crop 115 Mercie of God greater then sinne 154 Merchants falow ground 21 N Nature of faith 35 Nature of the wicked 15 Nature of merits 96 Names cut off 5 O Obedience seemes lost 108 Oppression 22. to 25 Obedience profitable 122 Ordinances of God 141. 142 Obedience rewarded 121. P Pleasure of sinne 18 Profit of sinne 18 Patrons 24. 25 Pride 13. 27 Profit in words 71 Pardons 98 Purgatory 90. 91 Prayer to Saints 95. 96 Plow our selues 76 R Reward not yet 109 Raine the maner of it 159 Raine for teaching 160 Rob-altar seekes 139 Kighteousnesse of sanctification 168 Righteousnesse of iustification 166. S Slanders of the Papists 102 107 Seeke in our own persons 139 Seeking of sinne 146 148 Swearing 27 Subiect of faith in vs 74 Sathan rules the sinner 17 Sleeping magistrates 80 Sowing of the wicked 114 Sorrowe how differs in the good and bad 61 62 T Trueth not to be found 21 22 Trueth in words 67 68 Tongue to be mortified 65 Translation of the word 88 to 90 Time to seeke 150 Theft of engrossers 23 Thankes-giuing 161 Time past 150 Time to come 154 V Vsury 25 100 Vse meanes to saue the sinner 77 Vnwritten verities 97 Vnmercifulnes of the Pope 99 Vlcer of sinne 152 W Workes not perfit 135 Word righteous why 101 Wicked no right to any thing 143 Wicked sinne of purpose 14 Workes of righteonsnesse 103 Word our rule 84 Whoredome 28 In commendation of the Author VErtere si agricolas terrā est nunc laude docendo Virgilius dignus laudibus esse puto Dignum hunc nostrarum quae animarū cura libellum Sit qui nostra docet vertere corda bene Alex. Bradley To my worthy friend his Celestiall Husbandry THe Husbandry which these dead leaues doe bring Thy liuely voyce did once sweetely sing That thy learned and iudicious hearers thought The Celestiall haruest to them had brought Thereby their hearts so did inflame That they desir'd to heare it once againe Io. Ga. THe ground mans heartis Gods word the plow The harrow repentance is to breake it now The seede obedience sowen in our liues The raine Gods grace whereby it also thriues Then vse it and it will bring Thee to heauen there to sing Then now Prayse God for the gaine And the Author for his paine T. H. THE CELESTIALL husbandry RIght Honorable and well beloued in our best be loued I knowe that many haue been the flowers that my brethren the Prophets haue gathered out of the garden of Gods word giuing a fragrant smell in this place so that I know not what flowers to gather to present you withall that formerly yee haue not seene Yet in this my meditation I considered of my worthy Auditors and so fitted my text accordingly Some of them being Iudges and Magistrats that fitly I might speake to them of Iustice. An other part of them being inferiour subiects that also I might speake to them of obedience In a word considering that heere are vsually auditours of all sorts I
are in the state of grace or no. Knowe yee not that Christ is in you except yee be reprobates Me thinkes the same wisedome should bee obserued with the soule as is with the body A man prooues his horse that he be not deceiued a man casteth vp his estate that he prooue not a begger and shall wee not prooue the state of our soules that we bee not damned A man be he neuer so poore will not out of one house till he be sure of another and shall we depart this life and not bee sure of heauen O no. The Mandarins hold it a thing vnfortunate to die before they haue made ready their sepulchres I hope a Christian then should be more wise for his soule to worke out his saluation with feare fearing to depart before hee hath finished the same Therefore let vs liue well as long as wee haue time for neither the Pilot when the shippe is drowned nor the Physition when the sicke man is dead profiteth any thing at all and therefore make your calling and election sure that you may liue in comfort die in peace and rise in glory And thus you haue heard and seene the haruest of grace The next circumstance obiects to our meditation the haruest of glory and here I must confesse I want a head to inuent a heart to conceiue knowledge to vnderstand iudgement to determine memory to retaine and a tongue to expresse What a croppe the haruest of glory is for as it is written Eye hath not seene care hath not heard what God hath prepared for those that loue him Situ altissimum it is high in situation quantitate maximum great in quantity natura purissimum pure in nature luce plenissimum full of light capacitate amplissimum and exceeding large for continuance eternall and for quantitie infinite I may with more peace of conscience to my selfe and greater profit to you shewe you how to come to so great a glory then to tell you what it is The manner THe last branch of this haruest is the manner which is according to merey so saith my text lephi chesed and we may reade and turne it thus to the face of mercy or to the fauour of grace or to the mouth of beneuolence or the fauour of hope all meeting as so many lines in one center shewing that all things temporall and spirituall are of the mercy of God For neither our plowing nor sowing deserueth this haruest but Gods mercy giuing it It is not in him that willeth or in him that runneth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in God which sheweth mercy This is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grace for grace First God giues grace to serue him and then hee giues a second grace as the reward So Augustine on this obserues Ipsa fides gratia est faith it selfe is grace Et vita aterna gratia est progratia And life eternall is grace for grace But is it come to this to bee for all our plowing of repentance and sowing the seede of obedience still of mercy Obserue then that man hath nothing of deseruing and by vertue of merit so doeth Christ tell vs that when we haue done all that we can yet are wee still 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnprofitable And if it please you to take another witnesse you may from the Syriach word battila vnprofitable And thus by the mouth of two witnesses this sentence is firme when all is done wee are vnprofitable Siinutilis est qui fecit omnia c. If hee bee vnprofitable which did all what reward is due to vs then Surely none of the blessed promises of God but a fearfull looking for of iudgement And therefore the Apostle desired not to bee found in the puritie of his owne workes because thereby he could not be saued but in the righteousnesse of Christ. It is manifest therefore that there is no saftie in our workes because the spirit teacheth vs to flee from them as not a sure refuge to trust vnto And to this tends that saying of Iuda where he saith we should looke not for the reward of works but the mercy of God which as it did initiat vs into grace so it must consummate vs to glory The trueth whereof will yet more plainly appeare by this proposition Those works which are not perfit deserue nothing But the workes of the Saints are not perfit Ergo Our workes deserue nothing For how can an euill cause produce a good effect We know that Qualis causa talis effectus Such a cause such effect Man is not so iustified not so sanctified Vt non sit in nob is peccatum That there should bee no sinne in vs and while it is in vs it is a stayne to our workes as a little milke changeth the fountaine of water and a cloud obscureth the light of the Sunne And so what patience without murmuring what faith without doubting what zeale without coldnesse what loue without hatred what charity without couetousnesse what knowledge without ignorance what chastitie without concupiscence and what obedience without defect So saith Esai that our righteousnesse is as a stayned cloth And as Augustine saith Multum boni facit sed non perfectum bonum facit He doth much good but not that which is perfectly good So that wee haue neede to goe to God and aske pardon rather for the sinne in the worke then a reward for the good Then to conclude the Saints reape this haruest Non pro merito not for merit sed pro gratia but for grace I must not let passe now the doctrine of Popery which teacheth a doctrine contrary to this namely that wee are not simply beholding to God but in some sort to our selues as to workes And they make two kindes of workes or merits the one is Meritum de congruo merit of congruity which are preparatiue workes that goe before iustification Such were the works of Cornelius as they say which though they be not meritorious ex debito institiae by due debt of iustice yet do deserue at Gods hands of congruity The other they call Meritum de condigno merits of condignity when the reward is iustly due by debt and such are the works of the Saints But this distinction of workes wee approoue not of For these workes done before iustification though they seeme to haue a shew of goodnesse in themselues yet are they not pleasing to God because the persons are not iustified and his worke that is not iustified is abominable in the sight of God Secondly they are not done in faith and Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne so that these cannot be preparatiue workes Againe for those workes done after sanctification we deny not but that they are pleasing and acceptable to God yet doe they deserue nothing by vertue of their worth as Ambrose saith In respect of others that is other men they are worthy but in respect of the thing
The robbe-Altar that seekes to drinke in the goblets of the Temple and take away the Ministers sheafe that should make him bread and his fleece that should make him clothes Some of the rob-Altars find whole Churches at once and yet not so much as the sweepings will they giue to the minister But let them take heede for the stones will goe neere to choake them one day and the belles ring them a peale to hell and keepe such a shaking in their consciences that they will wish they had neuer swallowed them and then when it is too late begin to evacuate themselues of the same The Vsurer is a seeker not other mens good but his owne profit Hee seekes to lend not to enrich others but himselfe Many a yong gallant is found by the Vsurer to his cost that they could neuer find their inheritance since the Vsurer found them What say you to the Lawyer is hee not a diligent seeker but not of the Lord rather to peruert the Law and to make a poore mans case intricate For it is not for his profit quickly to finish a Cause And often we see after some good Gamaliel hath brought a cause to a period and day of sentence that one Achithophel or other ouerturnes all And before the poore man can bring his cause to an other day of sentence either his dayes or his estate is ended I would some good body would pray to God that hee would either conuert the bad of them or to send them to the deuill for a new-yeeres-gift that we may be rid of them And to adde this petition into the latanie from wicked Lawyers good Lord deliuer vs for the seeke not the Lord but our estates What should I speake of the swearer who seekes for newe oathes the proude person for newe fashions the tradesman for to deceiue the officer for bribes and the like so that as the Apostle saith all seeke their owne but not the Lord. Yet there are a fewe which seeke the wayes of the Lord with Iosia pure in heart with Nathanel vpright in life with Zacharias and shall bee blessed with Abraham These are they which say with Samuel speake Lord for thy seruant heareth and with Esaiah here am I send me Whom this verse concernes Duc me summe Pater altique dominator olympi Quocunque placuerat nulla parenda mora est Assum impiger fac nolle comitabor gemens Lead me great Lord King of eternitie Euen where thou wilt I le not resist thee Change thou my will yet still I vowe subiection Thus the children of God are resolued to seeke the Lord howsoeuer the wicked are bent to seeke their owne Eth Ichouah a word more The Lord that is the loue and fauour of the Lord such a seeking Dauid speakes of Seeke yee my face thy face will we seeke O Lord. This is that the Church prayeth for saying Let him kisse mee with the kisses of his mouth that is shewe me the signes of his loue for it is not the least fauour of God to loue vs and therefore saith Christ. If any man keepe my word my father and I will loue him As if the loue of God were the summum bonum chiefe good and so it is For it is causa causarum the cause of causes and causa cansati the cause of the thing saying of Christ God so loued the world that he gaue his sonne to redeeme it So that Gods loue is the cause of our redemption so the Church sings First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to him that loued vs and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee washed vs. And as it is the cause of all good so it is the life and ground of faith and repentance for wee beleeue and repent not because of the iustice of God but the mercy of God So saith Dauid there is mercy with the Lord therefore wee feare him for that faith without the feeling of Gods loue is carnall securitie and that repentance without the feeling of mercy is desperation And as it is the life and ground of faith and repentance so it is that which makes the conscience at peace with God as saith the Apostle Then being iustified by faith we haue peace with God If a man had Achithophels pollicy Samsons strength Absoloms beautie Felix his honour Salomens wisedome and Belshazzars kingdome yet all would not make peace in the conscience if Gods loue be wanting Make the vse of it thus is it so that we should seeke the loue and fauour of God then miserable is the condition of those that prouoke the Lord to anger God is saide to be a consuming fire fire is a denouring and mercilesse element if it be before vs nothing more comfortable if vpon vs nothing more deuouring nothing more cold then lead if it bee melted nothing more scalding Nothing more mercifull then God but if hee be mooued nothing more fearefull and consuming for as the loue of God is the cause of all happinesse so his wrath is the cause of all confusion Secondly let this worke vpon you as an exhortation to make you seeke this loue and fauour of the Lord. O that you were sicke of loue that prayer might bee your physicke and faith your hand-maide this would bring long life to your dayes and happinesse to your soules if you could once say with the spouse ani te dodi vedodi li 〈◊〉 my well beloued and my well beloued is mine Foelix illa Conscientia in cuius corde c. Happy is the conscience of that man in whose heart this loue of God is for st Deus pro nobis quis contra nos if God be for vs who shall bee against vs. And thus much briefely for the obiect whom we are to seeke namely the Lord. The compelling cause THere is an appointed time for all things saith the wise man which being done in their time are like apples of gold with pictures of siluer A thing so pleasing to God that hee commends it in the dumbe creatures the Storke knoweth her appointed time and the swallowe obserues the season How much more then doth God looke for it at our hands as my text saith ve-gneth and time it is first in regard of the time past and secondly in regard of the time to come First of the time past which is lost and not to bee recouered againe Arte cannot produce it where it is to come nor reduce it when it is gone It was painted like an olde man with long haire before and all bare behind to shewe that wee are to make vse of it when it is before vs. For all the time that God hath giuen thee shall be required at thy handes how thou hast spent it Time is not our owne but the Lords and giuen to vs for his vse therefore doeth God call vpon vs for the spending of this time in his seruice as here in my text for it is time because many
shew of puritie but a vertue and therefore to be countenanced and defended from the prodigious spirits of the world and if I said barking Dogges I sayd but as Dauid did which hunts outward holinesse into Obadiahs caue that it dare not shew it selfe for feare it should be brought vpon a stage or put in verse or to some other vse to make themselues merrie withall Shall this be suffered then religion will be banished ere long and I cannot blame it if it walke in obscuritie already and dare not bee seene But is there neuer an Obadiah in the land nor Hester in the Court nor an Ahimelech at Nob to fauour their profession and protect their persons Non est meae humilitatis diotare vobis yet say as God said to the Iewes Though Israel play the harlot let not Iudah sinne Though the Temporall Magistrate sit still and say nothing yet let not Ecclesiasticall gouernours keepe silence You are the brestplate of defence the helmet of 〈◊〉 and the sword of protection as Tunc iustitia dieitur gladius ex vtraque parte acutus quia hominis defendit corpus ab exterioribus iniuriis animam a spiritu alibus molestiis For the sword of gouernment hath two edges Disciplina ad duo diuiditur ad correctionem et instructionem primum timore sccunaum amore perficitur and happy is that Church where they both doe cut You are the North winde to kill all the vermin and the South to ripen good fruit I meane your authoritie to punish the wicked and cherish the good But I forget my selfe your Lordship is wise as an Angel of God knowing best what to doe Yet giue meleaue not to teach but to pray for you considering your holy profession high place and the weighty causes you are to mannage the manifold euils you may preuent and the great good you may procure And this is all the good I am able to doe desiring the Lord to prosper your godly proceeding to Gods glory and the good of the Church To the same purpose the Lord fill your soule with grace your heart with courage your life with health and your time with length of dayes that after a militarie life ended in grace you may come to liue a 〈◊〉 life in glory Your Lordships to command in all duetie WILLIAM IACKSON To the Worshipfull Companie of Clothworkers William Iackson wisheth grace in this world and glory in the world to come Right Worshipfull IT is no small fauour of God to bee made an instrument of others good which is either by our owne free donations or by disposing of others gifts In the one is manifested our charitie in giuing of our owne and in the other our faithfulnesse in truely performing the will of the dead And to vse the Apostles words What haue we that wee haue not receiued not simply for our owne vse but for the good of others also Therefore that wee may not be found vncharitable we must giue of our owne nor vnfaithfull we must be true in bestowing of others gifts and then we shall bee twice blessed with Iacob and haue a double portion with Beniamin But to bring this home to the doores of your consciences Yea Worshipfull company of Cloth-workers for whome I in particular am bound to pray not so much for your owne donation vnto mee as your faithfull paying of that which others haue giuen for the maintenance of religion Of whom I may say as Dauid did of Ierusalem Many excellent things are spoken of thee thou Citie of God so many excellent things are done by you Yea worthy and worship full Clothworkers with Dorcas you make coates to clothe the naked with the Shunammite you prepare houses for the harbourlesse to dwell in with Obadiah you relieue the Prophets and much more of this nature which to set downe in order would both spend much paper and also a wearinesse to my hand it is sufficient God knowes them and will one day reward the same I speake not this to make you proud but as my duetie to you and to encourage others to the same And so I will conclude with the saying of the Apostle yee haue and doe well yet I beseach you to increase more and more whereby your name may bee more spread on earth and your glory greater enlarged in heauen Your Pensioner WILLIAM IACKSON TO THE READER CHristian reader I am now to salute thy vnderstanding with a few lines of exhortation be thou as willing to embrace them as they are ready to profit thee if vnderstāding be thy tutour and conscience thy lesson And here I desire but two things of thee first to reade with diligence then to marke with iudgement for thou canst haue no sicknes but here is physicke no sore but here is a plaister for it It is like Iacobs ladder one end standing on the earth the other reaching vp to heauen It begins at faith and repentance leading thee along in the path of obedience and so at the length brings thee to glory I would not that any should obiect against the author and so vse the child the worse for the fathers sakc but rather consider that the child may be good though the father be euill I will make no apologie in the behalfe of it for it is able to speake in the defence of it selfe And now I must make an apologie for my selfe why I haue sent this booke forth into the world one cause is in regard I was wronged by euill tongues after I had preached the same wherefore I now send it foorth to make answere for mee A second cause why I send it foorth is this because the matter therein being of great vse and a Sermon is but nine dayes wonder would not haue the funerall so soone therefore I thought good to intreate that fauour of the higher powers to put it in print And now let me intreate thy affections to embrace it and thy diligence to practise it Thus I leaue these fewe lines to thy selfe to be obeyed and thy selfe to the Lord to be glorified Thine if thou be the Lords William Iackson A Table of the parts handled in this Booke In the plow-time are handled 1 the subiect 2 property of the worke 3 propriety of the persōs 1 In the subiect 1 Why man is called earth 5. 6. 7 2 The heart to be looked too and why 8 to 11 3 Wicked sinne of meditation and why 14 to 18 4 The seuerall fallow grounds 19 to 56 2 In the property of the worke 1 The heart is cut by the law 60 to 63 2 The inward thoughts discouered 57 to 60 3 Sinne dies in vs 63 to 73 3 In the proprety 1 Man is to helpe forward his saluation why 73 to 78 2 The magistrates dutie from 78 to 83 In the seed-time are 1 property of the worke Sowe 2 matter to work on Righteousnes 3 the persons You. 1 In the matter 1 The word of righteousnes must rule vs why 84 to
vncleannesse This by our Lord is called adultery whose word wee may take for currant and from this kinde of adultery there are few free Many are restrained from the outward acte partly by outward shame and partly sor seare of pumshment This is a secret kind of adultery which no man ees but God For the heart of man is deepe and who kuowes it ani ithouah choker lib yet I the Lord searcheth the bea rt finding out this socret adultery which there seldome stayes but as Lis minimis verbis interdum maxima crescit Of small wordes sometime ariseth great contention Euen so of inward motion ariseth carnall copulation Ex paruo initio res magna oritur From a small biginning ariseth a great matter Secondly it is committed in the behauiour countenance lookes and attire which is so reckoned by the Lord himselfe Thou hast a whorish behauiour Ne dicatis vos habere animos pudices sihabeatis oculot impudicos saith Augustine Say not that you haue modest and chaste affections if you haue vnchaste and wanton eyes Habitus mentis in corporis statu cernitur The condition of the minde is seene in the state of the bodies as Ambrose obserues There is a liuely example of this of Tamer that attired her selfe in some wanton attire whereby she drew Iuda to sinne whereby it appeares that wanton habit is a load-stone to drawe men to lust Geradas of Lacedemonia being demanded of his hoast what paine adulterers suffered at Sparta made this answere O hospes nemo apud nos fit adulter neque fieripotest O hoast there is none adulterer among vs neither can there be any for we neuer come at any Comedies or any other Playes nor in company with any wanton attired persons Hereby shewing that this wanton gefture is a kinde of adultery Sophocles beholding the beautie and behauiour of one was rebuked of Pericles for it in this manner Praetoris est non solum manus a pecuniae lucro sed etiam occulos a libidino so aspectu continentes habere Not onely the bandes of him that is a Pretor ought to refraine from lucre of money but also the eyes to bee continent from wanton lookes Yet this kinde of adultery is common with vs of this land Such painting the face laying out the breasts frisling abroade the haire and casting aside the eye All which wanton trickes are no lesse then the sinne of adultery De adulterio vultiu meditantur adulterium castitatis By the adulterating of the countenance they meditate the adulterating of chastitie saith Ambrose Thirdly adultery is committed by wanton wordes luxurious songs vnchast speeches and filthy ribaldrie whereby the hearers are infected and their owne lust inflamed All which are condemned by the Apostle and from which he much dehorteth Let no corrupt communication proceeds out of your mouthes And in the 3. Ephesians ver 4. he saith the like Neither filthinesse nor foolish talking nor lesting which are things not comely The last branch of this adultery is carnall copulation the highest steppe of this sinne There is yet another field sowne with the seede of vipers Brokers that liue by extortion lending money vpon pawnes whose customes are monstrous and such as to finde among men improbable and I thinke among Christians impossible Onely I suppose among deuils incarnate the like is to bee found I haue heard them called the deuils nearest kinsemen and so as verely I beleeue it The vermine of the earth the corruption of nature and bred like monsters It is not long time since this viperous generation sprung vp I hope authoritie will take an order to cut them downe before it be long If I shou'd report vnto you their common vsurie you would hardly beleeue me And yet if I should not tell you I should offend What I speake is not by relation but by mine owne experience Their accustomed manner in their trading is after a good pawne deliuered to take for interest eight pence a moneth for a pound their bill of sale which is foure perce to them must bee renued euery moneth so that the vse of twentie shillings comes to thirteene shillings by the yeere So after this reckoning an hundred pound comes to threescore and fine pound in the yeere This is monstrous extortion besides this the Register hath a fee which the borrower payes and commonly they lend but halse the worth and gaine the rest to themselues in the forseit of the pawne Are not these then the vipers of the world goawing off the flesh from the poore mans boanes robbe their estates grinde their saces and sucke their bloods No matuell if there bee so many poore in this land when Salirbury-plaine is come so neere I will not accuse them though I shroudly misdoubt them that they are little better then theeues For what difference is betweene them that breake the house and those that receiue the goods the one sort robbes priuately and the other robbes publikely or as I may say the one by craft and the other by violence and force God concluded that the image-maker and the image-worshipper were both as one and I thinke there is no more difference betweene a thiefe and a Broker then as Seneca saith is betweene a lyer and a flatterer both speake an vntrueth To vse the Logitians rule Whatsoeuer is the cause of a cause is also the cause of the thing caused The Broker makes sale of clothes and the thiese seeing such good sale of clothes makes the more hast to steale as the prouerbe is If there were none to receiue there would be none to steale What makes the thiese to steale so sast Because hee can presently put them off to the Broker and the Broker can as quickly metamorphise them into some other fashion And now tell me whether the broker be not a thiese Yes sure though not equally palpable yet equally culpable theeues Hence came that saying A crafty knaue needes no Broker as if a Broker were worse then a knaue Then iudge you what hee is Some of them are gone to Tyborne a fruit of their calling And I wish the rest to giue ouer or amend lest they follow after There is yet another tough piece of fallow ground and much adoe there will beeto plow it vp because it brings such profit as it doth being as it is This fielde is sowen with no lesse then beaten Satten whether merchants or no I cannot tell but I am sure they are Exchange-walkers that walke there for a bootie to exchange their soules for a little of Mammons inheritance that a man may almost with as much case goe thorow Westminster-hall gate in the Terme time as thorow the Exchange betweene the houres of eleuen and twelue on the Sabbaoth day Is this a time to receiue vineyards fields money and garments Is this a time to talke of your 〈◊〉 to hearken after newes exchange commodities and conferre of worldly matters Surely if it be death to steale
things spoken but to be knowen why are they pronounced but to be heard why are they heard but to be vnderstood Thirdly the Iewes a long time and in the Iewes Christ had not the word in the vulgar tongue ergo not fit to put it now into the vulgar They proue it thus He read the law that the people vnderstood not But it is manifest to the contrary for the text saith They read and the people vnderstood And as for that story of Robin-Hood which they tel vs of inuēted brought forth of the deuils mint that the people vnderstood not Christ when he said Eli eli lamah gnazabthani therefore the people ought not to haue the scriptures translated But the answere is ready first this replie of the people might be more of flouting then of ignorance and to the contrary they haue no proofe Secondly they were Romane officers that put him to death as appeares by the story and they might not understand him because it was Hebrew but the Iewes they vnderstood him But say they did not vnderstand him what is that to proue that the Scripture should not bee turned into the vulgar It is rather an argument to the contrary that they should be translated whereby they might vnderstand them Fourthly holy things must be vsed in an holy tongue ergo they ought not to be translated Now what is the holy tongue Hebrew Greeke and Latine then why did not Christ teach in one of these tongues but in the Syrian tongue And why did the Lord cause the Apostle to speake so many seuerall tongues if they were vnholy And why doth the holy Ghost make mention of tongues that could not be numbred Wherefore wee may conclude that the language is acceptable so the persons be good Lastly the Priest in the time of the Law went in and the people stood without ergo the people must not haue the Scriptures translated But this is quickly answered First this was a type of Christ of his entring into the holy place that is into heauen therefore it concernes not this point Secondly it is not prooued that the Priest spake any thing before them which they vnderstood not But by this time you begin to smile 〈◊〉 these poore arguments which are like ropes of sand which are sooner broken then made It remaineth now to prooue the lawfulnesse of their translation which will appeare by Gods commandement Thou shalt write them vpon the postes of thy house and vpon thy gates And why written for to bee read and why read that they may bee vnderstood So our Lord saith Reade the Scriptures which they could not if they could not haue them in the vulgar tongue The like saith Paul that the Scriptures ought to bee handled to the vnderstanding of the people and not in a strange tongue And that this is no new doctrine obserue the antiquitie of it Ambrose not long after Christ saith It is not meete for beleeuers to heare those things which they vnderstand not Againe the same authour saith Wee come together to 〈◊〉 the Church those things must bee spoken which may be vnderstood So Augustine Why are things spoken but to be heard why are they ponounced but to bee heard why are they heard but to be vnderstood Hereunto tends the saying of Ierome Let therefore the holy Scriptures be alwayes in thy hands and let them bee vncissantly tossed in thy mind Heare then you see neither from the word nor Fathers haue they any warrant for it that the worship of God should be performed in a strange tongue and to rob the people of knowledge The like warrant haue they for pickpurse Purgatory If we well consider the places alleadged for the same and bring them to the ballance of the Sanctuary they will be found too light First they thinke that place of the Apostle to bee vnderstood of Purgatory where he saith Euery mans works shall be tried by fire which they say is the fire of Purgatory and by straw wood and stubble is meant venial sinnes But the true meaning of the Apostle is this By straw and stubble is meant false doctrine and by gold and siluer is meant sound doctrine And so doth Ambrose 〈◊〉 stand it Opus quod ordere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doctrina est The worke that shall burne is euill doctrine not the person but his doctrine shall be tried by the fire Fire therefore in this place is the Spirit of the Lord which by his triall maketh proofe what doctrine is like vnto gold and what is like vnto stubble The neerer the doctrine of God is brought vnto this fire the clearir it is contrariwise the doctrine of mans braine shall vanish away euen as straw is consumed with the fire So then this is not meant of the fire of Purgatory Secondly they bring the saying of Christ to prooue a Purgatory Agree with thine aduersary while thou art in the way with him lest he cast thee into prison verely thou shalt not come out till thou hast paid the vtmost farthing Now here we must vnderstand that by the world to come is meant a time as Matthew makes it plaine in the words following for that which hee meaneth by prison is the same which he meaneth by hell Againe here by the world to come is meant a time ensuing this world So Marke hath it He shall receiue an hundreth fold more and life euerlasting in the world to come Now then the world to come being a time after this life can not then be vnderstood of any Purgatory For they say it indureth but in this world onely But wee acknowledge not so much as a Purgarory in this worlds time And as Augustine obserues on this place Consenti cum aduersario c. Consent with thiue aduersary in the way For when we are passed out of this world Nulla compunctio vel satisfactio remanebit There remaineth no compunction or satisfaction for sinne as the tree falles so it lies meaning by the tree man by the fall death and by the place heauen or hell For tertium locumpenitus ignoramus i me necesse in scripturis sanctis inuenimus The third place beside heauen and hell we are utterly ignorant of wee finde not in Scripture that there is any And to conclude with the saying of the Apostle Euery man shall receiue the things which are done in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bodie whether it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 god or euill If according to the body then what should a Purgatory doe for the body comes not there as they themselues confesse wherfore I cōclude if there be a Purgatory wherin the soule suffers then the reward is not after the bodie but after the soule and so the Apostle is found a lyar But if after the body then there is no Purgatory And so the Pope is found a lyar for so he is for there is no middle place Vt possit
Corpore deposite liberam si scandis in aethram Tunc dem aeternus fies mortalia linquens If quite from earthly drosse thou soare Then shalt thou be a God and dye no more But as yet all our labours are like vnto the husbandmans seede castinto the earth which seemes to rot and vtterly to perish It is reported of Hillary that from the fourteenth yeere of his age to the 84. had serued the Lord in sowing this seede yet it seemed to him lost while he vttered this sentence Goe foorth O my soule goe foorth why art thou afraide why doubtest thou Likewise Iob saide What shall I doe whether shall I turne when the Lord shall-comc to iudgement Thus the godly are subiect to trouble of spirit and vexation of conscience The world sees not the fruite and we perceiue not the fulnesse of our sowing as yet onely here is our comfort our workes are with the Lord and the crowne of righteousnesse shall come hereafter Secondly the husbandman receiues not the benefit of his labours as soone as he hath sowne his seede it is long in growing vppe in ripening and at the length is cut downe and brought into the barne Euen so is it with the godly now they sowe and reape hereafter This world is the seede time the next is the haruest time and so much the wise man shewes saying Cast thy bread vp on the waters and after many dayes thou shalt finde it The like saith the Apostle Paul I haue fought a good fight I haue kept the faith Here is his seēde time the haruest sollowes Hence foorth is laide vp for mee the crowne of righteousnesse In this world the children of God are but in their apprentiship to learne their arte they shall be truely free men onely in heauen this is their time of feare and trembling the haruest of full-ioy and happinesse is hereafter The Church is compared to a vineyard that is first digged then planted groweth bloweth and afterward commeth the liquor Sometime also to a shippe that goes to the Sea and is beaten with the waues tossed with the windes and then at the length comes home full fraughted with Merchandies Also to a building wherein there is much hewing squaring and great paines taking before it be a fit habitation To a fielde that is plowed sowne harrowed growes ripens and then comes the haruest The child of God is a planter a Merchant a builder and a husbandman but the wine is not yet tasted of the shippe is not yet returned the house is not yet inhabited and the seede is not yet in the barne Therefore I say vnto you as the Apostle said to his hearers ye haue neede of patience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that after yee haue done the will of God yee may receiue the promise yet a little and hee that shall come will come Post lacramas risus post exilium Paradisus After weeping comes laughing and after banishment comes Paradise After sowing comes haruest and after obedience comes glory The husbandman comforts himselfe with the presedence of his labours and feedes vpon future hopes His well dunged and manured ground his seasonable tillage and his good seed will surely bring a plentiful haruest in the end more then answerable to his paines The husbandman cannot so much hope for an ensuing crop as the child of God hath an assurance of his future glory His well manured soule with the grace of God his seasonable and good seed of obedience puts him in such an hope and giues him such assurance of a blessed haruest that he will not sell his future estate for a present Monarchy Moyses had rather forgoe his present dignities then loose his future hopes Thirdly it is fitly compared to sowing because as one corne brings foorth many and a little increaieth much so the seede of righteousnesse brings foorth an vnspeakable weight of glory Eye hath not seene care hath not heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man what God hath laid vp for those that loue him so great is the reward as that it cannot be numbred so precious as that it cannot be valued so lasting as that it euer endureth O ioy aboue all ioyes mirth without sorrow life without labour light without darkenesse aglorious reward for so small a worke Here is a blessed increase and yet no vsurie an hundred for tenne yea a thousand for one yet no extortion our seede finite the reward infinite A cup of cold water giuen to a pious vse shall be put in the Chronicles of heauen and rewarded with no lesle then a kingdome Fourthly obserue that out of one hand comes many graines and cornes which are dispersed into many parts of the field So the good childe of God must bee as plentifull in good workes doing good vnto many The seruant is not aboue his Lord. If Christ so sowed wee ought to follow For omnis Christi actio nostra debet esse instructio Euery action of Christ ought to be our instruction who went about doing good vnto all people Among the Iewes none might be a Rabbin till he could speake seuen languages the tree is not accounted a good tree till it bring forth much fruit and who can bee a good Christian till hee bee found fruitfull in good workes A Christian must be like the tree that Clusius reports of calling it the Indian figgetree and Gorobius calleth it the tree of Adams transgression Let it be what it is it groweth vp with one faire body the branches spreading themselues very large reaching downe vnto the earth taking hold thereof and springeth vp againe into little trees that often it comes to passe that the ground is couered and ouerspread for the space of a mile with the ouer spreading branches The Christian is compared in Scripture to a figge tree It seemes that this is the cause of it to teach the childe of God to be as farre spreading with his workes We reade that when Christ fed the people he fed them by multitudes to teach vs to doe good vnto many While wee haue time saith the Apostle let vs doe good vnto all When the ayre hath giuen influence the cloudes sent downe the seasonable deawes of grace and the sunne of righteousnes bestowed his kindly heat then a Christian becomes fruitfull Man is compared to the earth that brings forth herbes of all colours and fashions and of seueral smelles These herbes are as dumbe masters to teach vs our duety to be plentifull in good workes of all sorts as Peter teacheth Ioyne vertue with faith and with vertue knowledge with knowledge temperance with temperance patience with patience godlinesse with godlinesse brotherly kindnes and with brotherly kindnesse loue See what a golden chaine of vertues are here linked together That which was prophesied of vs must bee made true in vs Our roabes namely our workes must bee wrought with diuers collours It must not bee with vs as it
Christi aduentu By consummation and glorification of the Church in the second comming of Christ and vntill then we must seeke the Lord. The last pare the ende VVE are come now by your patience to the last branch of our text And teach you righteousnesse where in obserue 1. the propertie of it Teach 2. the forme of it Rightcousnesse 3. the persons You. The propertie of the worke comes first to be handled Raine This part would bee better vnsoulded by some Phylosopher then by me Raine is impression that commeth of much cold vapour and moist gathered into a body of a cloude drawne out of the earth or waters by the heate of the Sunne into the middle region of the ayre whereby cold it is so knit together that it hangeth vntill either the waight or heate cause it to breake Some thinke the raine and cloudes are not aboue nine miles in height Albertus Magnus saith they are but three miles in height and some thinke that they be but halfe a mile and some againe by Geometricall demonstrations make it aboue fiftie miles to the place where the cloudes and raine are gathered but not to be too curious to seeke for that whereof we haue no neede To conclude sometime they are higher sometime they are lower according to the waight thereof where they breake to the great feare and no lesse danger of man and beast but to come to the true raine here intended Raine the word iorch doth signifie to raine yet a supernaturall showre which makes glad the city of God Gods word is compared to raine and is this raine fo saith the Lord my word shall droppe as the raine Likewise his spirit is compared to raine I will power water on the dry ground And fitly is his word and grace comcompared to raine 1 Raine is called Imber and hath that name of Imbuendo for it springeth and tempereth the earth and maketh it beare fruite Man is compared to earth and the word and grace to raine If this raine be not showred downe vpon this earth it is vnfruitfull therefore to make this earth fruitfull God sends downe the showers of this raine vpon it as the operatiue meanes and working cause to make the hearts of men fruitfull in faith loue and the like and their liues full of good workes And to this belongs the saying of the wise man Arise O North and come O South because in these two places are the signes which concerne the water and the earth as Taurus Virgo and Capricornus which are in the South and be earthly signes The other are Cancer Pisces and Scorpio in the North and bee watery signes Now when the earth of mans heart and the raine of Gods grace doe meete there followes a fruitfull haruest 2 Raine is called Pluuia and hath that name of pluralitate pluralitie of drops and that drop after drop that the earth might receiue it the better A droppe is part of a cloude being broken which destilleth downe droppe after droppe A fit embleme of this supernaturall raine which from one cloude the spirit destilleth into the hearts of men grace after grace and gift after gift Man hath not all the graces of God at the first but by degrees as the Apostle saith We must first haue milke and then strong meate first a lesse grace then a greater and after that full perfection Regeneration is compared to a birth where first the braine is made then the heart after that the liuer then the sinewes arreryes and pipes and lastly the handes and feete And thus is it in the spirituall birth first knowledge and vnderstanding then faith and repentance after peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost and lastly full assurance of all Gods mercies 3 Raine is a maker of peace for often wee see the windes and other elements in an vproare where by the stout Cedars are bowed to the ground Towres and Castles trembling and the waters roaring But now comes a showre of raine from the cloudes and mittigates all this fury Euen so when since the conscience Gods wrath and the terrors of hell accuse vs within and Gog Magog Moab and Ammon I meane wicked men persecute vs without then are wee in great feare and trembling But now comes a showre of grace and mittigates all feares and secures vs from all terrours 4. Raine is Medicus a good Phisition hauing a powerfull efficacie to cleanse the ayre when by infectious fogges and contagious vapours it is corrupted washing away with the showres thereof all the noysome putrifaction euen so when the iudgement and vnderstanding are infected with the filthy fumes of errours and heresies and the trueth almost stifled then commeth a shoure of grace and cleanseth the soule from all these infectious fogges 5. Raine mollifieth the hard earth and makes it more apt for tillage whereby the bowels of the earth are cut with coulters and shares Euen so the hard and obdurate heart of man is made soft and apt to euery good worke by the showres of Gods grace Happie earth whereon this raine falles that is so operatiue and donum omnium donorum maximum A gift farre aboue all other gifts Ioreh of iarah and signifies to teach as well as to raine For while we liue in this world we are in the schoole of Christ and haue need of teaching and the chiefe teacher is the Spirit of God as Christ The comforter whom the Father will send in my Name shall teach you all things outward meanes without this will doe no good For Paulmay plant Apollo may water yet it is God which teacheth by the Spirit or otherwise all is in vaine For Non verbis hominis sit vt intelligatur verbum Dei facit Deus vt intelligatis The wordes of man cannot make man to vnderstand the word of God but it is God that maketh them to vnderstand The outward ministery worketh no grace in the hearts of men It is but a subordinate meanes and causa instrumentalis The instrumentall cause and not causa efficiens The efficient cause Therefore sayth the Apostle Haue you receiued the holy Ghost Intimating thereby that if they wanted the Spirit they could haue no faith for Hoc est opus Dei This is the worke of God Gods assisting grace and the ministery of man must go together else thereis no power in our perishable voyces to effect your consciences Breake away this Analogie and vertuall association of the spirit from the word and you shall bee like those women euer learning but neuer able to come to the knowledge of the trueth Learne then First to follow the counsell of Christ to giue God the things that belong to God and to Cesar that which belongeth to Cesar. If by the ministerie of man you haue gotten some good measure of knowledge faith loue repentance and the like forget not your duetie to the messengers of God Haue them in singular respect for their workes
the question Lord who shall dwell in thine holy hill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answere He that speaketh the trueth a corde sue from his heart Truth is a debt that we owe vnto God vpon a threefold band First ratione creationis by right creation for he that created vs is the God and Father of trueth and we should be the children of trueth 2. Ratione redemptionis By right of redemption for hee that redeemed vs is the way the life and the trueth And therefore all that looke for saluation by him must learne to speake the trueth But Ratione sanctification is by reason of our sanctification for bring sanctified by the spirit of trueth our tongues ought to bed exercised in speaking the trueth The second way or meanes to mortifie our speech is to haue 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 profit in our words So saith the wise man 〈◊〉 lipd of the right eaun there is wisedome found as a well of life and as fined silver euery word must be pondered with salt that it corrupt not it selfe not infect others all our speach must tend to edification The Heathen were wont to say that the two masters or vshers of the world were action and speech But wee are yet to speake of wordes where of O ate saide Verba attendenda 〈◊〉 loquentis The words are to be attended not the mouil of the speaker There fore thou shalt if its profite Here by 〈◊〉 that wee should so speake that there may be some profit in our wordes for euery word that tends not to some good use is an idle word as Ierom defines it An idle word is that that is spoken without edification either of the nearer or of the speaker when our words doe neither minister comfort vnto our consciences nor instructions to others in the way of pietie and godlinesse Such a kinde of speach is to bee mortified Therefore let vs with David set a watch before our mouthes and keeper be doore of our lips that with the said Dauid we may vtter the righteousness and prayses of the Lord and our wordes being gratious may strike some impression into the hearers hearts For as Plato saide Worde without good effect are like water that drowneth the people and doeth itselfe no good Lastly if we will mortifie our speach wee must haue Moderamen in verbis 〈◊〉 means in words as the wise man saith Let thy words be fewe for in many words there cannot want iniquitie Therefore he that restalneth his lippes it wife saith he i fon fraistra fit per plura quod fierl potest pauciora It is in vaine to vse many words when fewer words will conteins the matter So then not to vse vaine tautologies in our speach will be a good meanes to mortifie our tongues A foole saith Salomon is accounted wife when he holdeth his peace and prudent when ke stoppeth his lippes not wise in saying nothing at all but in vsing a meane in wordes Hereunto tend the words of Christ When thou prayest vse few words shewing hereby that multiplicitie of words is a means re draw vs to offend And if Christ will not haue vs to vse many words in prayer then his mind is that we should vse a meane in other things As Salomon saith A wise man will guide his words with discretion and vse knowledge aright And to borrow the words of Cato 〈◊〉 Deo qui sort ratione dcore He is next unto God who knoweth in redson to keepe silence Hereunto sutes the saying of Syrach The wordes of the wise are 〈◊〉 in the balance both for the nature qualitie and quantity of them Thus much for the mortifying of the tongue Lastly in the third place as sinne is to bee mortified in the motion and tongue so likewise in the action If ye liue after-the flesh ye shall die but if ye mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the spirit yee shall liue And as the same Apostle saith The grace of God that brings saluation hath appeared teaching vs to due is all ungodlinesse and vnrighteousaesse and that wee should liue godly in this present world knowing as a Father faith that we must haue remotionemmali aremouing of euill before we can haue substitutionem boni aplacing in of that which is good as God taught the Iewes cease to doe euill learne to doe good As Paul said to the Ephesians so I say vnto you Cast off the old man as Matthew left his calling and Zacheus his bribing so leaue your sinful actions to conclude with Crates Thebanus which could not follow the study of Philosophie because his money was an hinderance vnto him and therefore said Ego pordam to ne tu perdas me I will destroy thine lest thou mayest destroy mee So destroy thine euill deedes lest they destroy thee The reasons to perswade vs to abandon all euill actions are these First our actions doe the greatest hurt and dishonour both to God and man and therefore obserue the Decalogue and you shall finde that in the first table the Lord forbids but one sinne in the heart Thou shalt haue no other Gods before mee and another in words Thou shalt not take my name in vaine But hee forbids two in action first the making and bowing to false Gods And secondly the prophaning of the Sabbath Looke into the second Table and you shall find the like first one sin of the heart Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours oxe c. and another of the tongue Thou shalt not beare false witnesse c. But there are foure of workes or actions forbidden first Thou shalt not disobey thy 〈◊〉 c. Secondly Thou shalt not steale Thirdly Thou shalt not commit adultery Fourthly Thou shalt doe no murder Hereby shewing that God is most dishonoured and man oppressed by outward actions And this is manifest by that of Amos We will make the Ephah small and the shekel great and falsifie the weights by deceit wee will buy the poore for siluer and the needie for shooes and sell the refuse of the wheate These are all outward actions The old saying is true in this Words be but winde blowes be vnkind Euill thoughts and words are blowne away with the ayre but actions leaue an impression behindethem Not their words but their ingrossing of corne doth starue the poore not their thoughts but their hands robbes their states suckes their bloods and grinde their faces Ad as actions doethe most hurt so doe they continue longer then words Euen as the visage of him who passeth by is soone forgotten but if it be pictured the memorie of it continues long So sinne in words is like the same entring in at the one eare and out at the other But sinne in action is a picture dayly to looke vpon witnesse that of leroboam that neuer ceased vntill the kingdome ended Therefore it is good to withstand the beginnings knowing that the end will bring much euill that so there may
ensue a great happinesse according to that true saying of the Poet Virgil Foelix quipotuitrerum cognoscere causas O blessed hee and excellent that knowes the cause of each euent Thus for our conclusion of this branch obserue that such as are truely plowed by the word and Spirit of God are dead tosinne and sinne in them for they that are Ghrists haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Likewise the same Apostle saith If Christ be in you the bodie is dead because of sinne but the spirit is life for righteousnesse sake If you will haue an example of this that further it may be manifested turne your eyes vnto there of the Acts 18. 19. verses Many that beleeued came and confessed and shewed their workes Many also of them that vsed curious arts brought their bookes and burned them before all men and they counted the price of them and found it fifty thousand pieces of siluer If you aske a reason of it it is from the power of grace which is able to subdue the power of Sathan For Sathan sinne the flesh and the world can but make a finite power but wee are protected with an infinite power Greater is hee that is in you then hee which is in the word Therefore whosoeuer is borne of God doth not sinne neo potest peccare neither can sinne O excellent gift as one affirmes being donum omnium donorum maximum A gift excelling all gifts Augustine vpon this hath this obseruation Before the law we do not fight vnder the law we fight and are ouercome vnder grace wee fight and ouercome For wee are more then conquerers in Iesus Christ. It is a thing common with the Physicians to driue and purge out a lesser poyson by a stronger as we dayly see a lesser light extinguished by the greater The Sunne puts out the light of the Moone and the power of Gods grace puts cut the power of sinne Thus when the stronger man gets into the house bindes the master and spoyles him of his goods God is the stronger man his grace is the influence which comes downe from heauen to helpe vs in the midst of our conflicts Much like the elements that helped 〈◊〉 in his battell so that he got the victory whereof Claudian sung O nimium dilecte Deo cuimilitat aether Et coniurati veninut ad classica venti O Gods beloued when power aeriall And winds came armd to helpe when thou doest call Let not slip your consideration without obseruation where sinne liues and thriue there all goodnesse withers and dies Dauid put sorth a question Lord let me know mine age and the number of my dayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I haue to liue So many doe say Lord let me know mine estate whether I belong to thee or no. And now I answere as the Frenchman did the Scots and the Irish which of long time had been at controuersie for a piece of ground to which nation it should belong The controuersie was to bee ended by the said Frenchman in this maner Put said he thereinto Serpents and Snakes If they die it belongeth to Ireland but if they liue it belongeth to Scotlands Thus the contiouersie was ended So in like maner if sinne liues and thriues in you you belong to Sathan but if it wither and die then you belong to God So our Lord teacheth vs Matt. 7. 16. You shall know them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by their fruits Thus here is an end of this branch Lastly the terrene plow makes the earth more fit for the seede Euen so doeth the tearing of the heart by true repentance makes it the more apt to embrace the mercie of God The thid part THus we haue gone thorow the subiect and the propertie of the worke now followes the proprietie of the persons lacaem your committing this worke to euery particular person Obserue that all men are agents in their faith repentance contrition and saluation Plowe vp your falowe ground your owne falowe As God saide to Ierusalem Wash thy heart O Ierusalem and by the Prophet Ioel Scindite corda vestrum Rent your hearts So I say vnto you wash and rent your owne hearts for if you will not lay to your helping hand they are neuer like to bee cleane God in the time of the Lawe commanded that lie which should offer an offering was to put his hand vpon the head of it Heb. 3. 2. Hereby shewing that we must haue a hand with God in euery part and worke of regenetation He that made without thee will not instifie thee without thee He made thee without thy knowledge and doth instifie thee with thy consent Therefore said Christ If you will find seeke If you will receiue then aske For no seeking no finding no asking no receiuing God proclaimes not Ho euery one that is athirst I will bring him water But Ho euery one that is athirst let him come and fetch water Supper is made ready by our Lord all things are prepared at his owne cost and charges and when it was ready hee said not goe carie it to these men but goe bid them come in and eate it Herevnto tend the words of Paul Worke out your saluation with feare and trembling And Peter also saith Make your calling and election sure Sure it is with God not with vs vntill then Worthily doth that sieke person perish that calleth not for the Physician but refuseth him comming of his owne accord vnto him Man by the ordinance of God is appointed an agent for his owne saluation For the subiect of faith repentance and contrition are in vs not in God Indeed God is the efficient cause the word the instrumental cause but our hearts willes and affections the materiall cause that is subiectum conuersionis the subiect of conuersion as the schoolmen define the fanie Delor est in corde Sorrow is in the heart Fuga est in voluntate Flying is in the will and that with purpose not to commit sinne any more Auertio est in corde voluntate a malo ad bonum The turning is in the heart and will from euill vnto that that is good still the subiect is in vs and so we must needes be agents For wee are not like a piece of waxe that receiues no impression but what is put into it being meerely pasaiue but actiue as formerly hath been shewed And to adde the sentence of Aristotle Nemo voleus malus nec inuitus foelix No man is euill with his will nor any man is happie against his will In thy mouth and heart is the cause of saluation saith Chrysostomes that is the 〈◊〉 use and subiect as hath beene sayd And as the subiect is in vs so euery man is best acquainted with his owne heart which other men is not able to know for What man knoweth the things of a man saue the spirit of a man which is in him it is a