is the Church How precious therefore both to Priest and people should this Hammer and Fire bee in a true account thereof within their soules Of Good-deeds SVCH are good workes as are and are done according to the will of GOD reuealed For the rule of wel-doing is not our wils who are but seruants but the Will of GOD who is our Maister whose will is Iust and the Rule of Iustice GOD being able to will nothing but right and good seeing Hee is Wisedome Truth and Goodnesse it selfe And a thing may be according to His Will and yet not be done of him that does it according to it A good deed is ill done if it bee not done for maner as wel as for matter according to the Will of GOD. For if a man do that that is good and thinke it is euill that man doth sinne Not onely because hee thinkes that euill which is not euill but also because he iudging it to bee euill yet doth it Euen as a man may lye when he speakes the truth if he thinke that is a lye which hee speaketh when hee speakes it Againe if a man do that whereof he doubteth and is not perswaded of the lawfulnesse thereof hee sinnes For whatsoeuer is not of Faith is sinne And finally though a man do a thing that is good yet if hee do it not to GODS Glory but for his owne or for base respects and not in way of obedience to GODS Commandements hee questionlesse commits a sinne A good man onely can do a good deed For an euill tree cannot bring forth good fruite and a corrupt fountaine can send forth no wholesome water Good deeds are necessary to saluation as the way to the Kingdome but not as the cause of reigning They are not the causes of saluation but the workes and testimonies of them that are to bee saued And they are not the matter nor forme of faith but they are true effects vndoubted tokens and vnseparable companions of true Faith and of true Charity if well performed For Faith and Charity are not idle and vnfruitfull but labourious and full of goodnesse And though our wel-doing be no cause of our Blessednesse yet it shall not want a reward but as wee doe abound therein in this world so shall we exceed in glory in the world to come The more wee flourish in fruit in this life the more wee shall flourish in felicity in the life to come But some haue beene heard to say they can do no good deeds they haue no riches they are but poore These are deceiued thou hast not a penny hast thou a prayer Thou hast no goods to giue hast thou good counsell Thou canst do no deeds of comfort hast thou any words of comfort Thou hast no bread hast thou a blessing Thy legs are lame thou canst not go well thy hands are lame thou canst not worke well hast thou a good tongue canst thou speake well There is no man so poore but he may benefite his neighbour one way or an other If any way it is a good deed if hee do it well And GOD accepts any thing a cup of cold water if there be no better the widdowes Mite euen any thing haire to the building of the Tabernacle a pin to the dressing of his Bride And suppose a man do a good deed to a wicked man yet if hee do it not for his wickednesse but either because he is a man or that hee may win him vnto goodnesse or shew himselfe a follower of GOD who is kind vnto His enemies and doth good euen to the wicked surely hee doth a good and shall not loose his reward And say that a man should bee kinde vnto some hypocrite thinking him to bee a Saint because hee could not discerne his simulations being so cunningly carried yet shall the benefactor bee rewarded of GOD Who regards his affection and seeth his heart and will recompense him according to his loue and not according to the condition of the party which did not deserue it If a mans benesicence proceeds of benevolence and bee performed in the name of CHRIST to the glory of GOD it shall neuer want a recompence For GOD is not not iniust to forget the labour of our loue and as men sow so shall they reape as they brue so shall they drinke Our gifts shall bee recompensed with glory our paines with pleasures our labours with life Do well and haue well Liue well and die well Hee that doth well to the Seruant for the Maisters sake shall be sure to receiue a reward from the Maister Himselfe It shall neuer be said that hee that was kind and louing to the Childe is vnkindly and hardly dealt with of the Father Let vs not therefore bee weary of wel-doing for in due season wee shall reape if wee faint not Of the knowledge of God ALL Men affect knowledge by a certaine instinct of nature How vnmanly a vice then is it to affect the ignorance of GOD our Maker Ruler and Redeemer Whose Nature Beauty and Perfection doth more excell all the world then all the world excels the meanest creature that is in it Wee study to know the nature and perfection of things that are by farre lesse worthy to be knowne Yea sometimes wee will search into things forbidden and sometimes take paines to know that which is not worthy of those paines Except wee know GOD how shall wee take Him alone to bee our GOD and not defile our selues with idols Vnlesse wee know Him how shall we loue Him how can we trust in Him how can wee serue Him Do men loue that they know not Will a man serue hee knowes not whom Will a man make account of that the worth or vse whereof is vnknowne vnto him Or will a man acknowledge and beleeue in one hee knowes not Wee are spirituall Priests and Princes is it for a Priest to bee ignorant of his GOD Doth it become a King to bee ignorant of the KING of Kings who set the Crowne on his head and put the Scepter into his hand Euen beasts and birds know their owners keepers feeders and is it a seeemely thing for man whom GOD hath made their Lord to bee ignorant of Him by whom they liue and moue and haue their being and long of Whose mercies it is that they are not consumed To know GOD rightly is a note of GODS people They shall all know Mee from the least of them euen to the greatest of them saith the LORD and an infallible argument of blessednesse This is life Eternall that they know thee the onely true GOD and IESVS CHRIST whom Thou hast sent who is very GOD blessed for euer On the contrary affected ignorance of GOD is the brand of wicked men who say vnto GOD Depart from vs for wee desire not the knowledge of Thy Waies This ignorance exposeth a man to the iudgements of GOD whose wrath is kindled by this sinne The LORD hath a controuersy with the inhabitants
are the diuels harbingers for hee lodges not but where they haue taken vp his lodging for him There are some vse to minish their sinnes either they are not great or they are not many Sure it is that the smallest sinne that can bee beeing the offence of the greatest Maiesty deserueth death and therefore is great enough to destroy the soule and though there were but one yet that were one too many For one foote of a bird taken or one wing belimmed may cost her her life One hole in a Ship may sinke her One bullet may kill as well as twenty The smallest sin is in it nature mortall yea the omission of the smallest duety which the Law of GOD requireth deserueth eternall death For cursed is euery one which continueth not in All Things which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them If the smallest curse of GOD bee too great to suffer then the smallest sinne against GOD is too great to doe As I therefore desire to escape all curses so will I by the grace of GOD bee carefull to auoide all causes and will neuer count that little which might make mee sustaine so great a losse as is the forfeite of my soule Of the Gospell THE Gospell is good newes from heauen of remission of sins reconciliation to GOD redemption from hell death and condemnation and of resurrection to life and glory by the merites of our LORD and SAVIOVR IESVS CHRIST O happy newes O ioyfull tydings What newes more welcome to prisoners then of a Goale-deliuery What more pleasing to malefactours then to heare of their Princes pardon What would a blind man more willingly heare of then that his eie-sight shall bee restored to him Or what better tydings can bee brought to a man sea-beaten and spent with labour then that hee shall most certainely obtaine an hauen where hee shall most safely rest free from the malice of Pirates and fury of all foule weather Yet for all this the Gospell with many findes but poore acceptance It is because men haue no thorough feeling of their miseries they feele no misery and therefore affect no change What cares a clunch for learning or good manners that blesseth himselfe in his rudenesse and inciuility What cares a man for meate that feeles no hunger What doe you talke to him of cloathes that feeles no cold nor nakednesse The lacke of things causeth estimation the sense of lacke When men haue beene worne with warres how pleasing is the newes of a true and constant peace When a man feeles his disease and sees death staring in his eyes O how welcome is the Physition How welcome should hee bee that would bring him newes of a medicine which hee might easily haue that would cure him and set him vp againe When Sea-men haue beene long at Sea and spent their victuals and water euen a pound of bread would bee worth a pound in siluer and a little fresh water how welcome would it bee vnto them And if men would but duely consider of their captiuity slauery miseries and necessities into which they are driuen by sinne and wherein they are inwrapped they would bee glad to heare of deliuerance And beautifull should be the feete of those which shall bring vnto them glad tydings of peace I will therefore examine my selfe by the Law that I may bee brought to esteeme of the Gospell I will mediate of my slauery which I am brought to by transgressing the Law that I may duely respect the liberty which is Preached in the Gospell Mine owne bitternesse shall make mee delight in this Sweetnesse and mine owne vngraciousnesse in this so great a Grace Of the Law and the Gospell THE Law saith doe this and thou shalt liue The Gospell saith Beleeue in the Lord IESVS and thou shalt be saued In the Law there is seuerity but in the Gospell mercy In the Law there is reserued no repentance but by the sentence thereof hee that sins must die But the Gospell admits repentance and promiseth life to him that turneth vnto GOD. The Law terrifies but the Gospell pacifies The Law discouers sin but the Gospell couers it The Law requires a mans owne iustice but the Gospell Preacheth pardon in the iustice of another to wit of CHRIST The Law is written after a sort in the hearts of all men Pagans and Christians but the Gospell is not so generally knowne to all And the Gospell was not first and then the Law But the Law was first and then the Gospell To finde out my sinnes I will veiw the Law but to reade my saluation I will looke into the Gospell To despaire of my selfe I will weigh the Law but to hope in CHRIST I will receiue the Gospell If I were disposed to stand vpon my good deeds I would sticke to the Law but being desirous of mercy I will flye to the Gospell If I would stand vpon my iustice I wold plead the Law but crauing Grace I go to the Gospell Yet this will I doe because the Law is the rule of good workes I will endeuour to keepe it with care and conscience Yet euery day will I pray and say GOD bee mercifull to mee a sinner Of Good and Euill GOOD is more ancient then euill Sanctity is elder then sinne vice is yonger then Vertue There was first an Angell then a diuell First a Man then a sinner First a True-man then a thiefe In good no man can bee too much in euill no man can bee too little Hee that would encrease in good let him thinke hee hath yet too little Hee that would decrease in euill let him remember still hee hath too much The way to learne vertue is to vnlearne vice Hee taketh the ready course to become good which repenteth of his euils And Hee onely will proue a Saint which feelingly confesses himselfe to bee a sinner Of the Church Vniuersall THE Holy Catholique Church is the Corporation or Communion of Saints Triumphant in Heauen and Militant on earth This is the Mysticall Body of CHRIST who is the onely Head thereof by whose SPIRIT euery Member thereof is animated as euery part of the naturall body is animated of the soule And from which Head euery true mysticall Member deriueth all Spirituall life sense and motion And as the Moone receiueth her light from the Sunne so doth the Church receiue all her brightnesse both of grace and glory from IESVS CHRIST This Church is the Vine of GODS delight the Spouse of CHRIST His Faire One His Wel-Beloued GODS House and Citty the LORD and Keeper whereof is GOD the Wall His omnipotent Grace and gracious Omnipotency the Watch-towers are His Prouidence and Omniscience Her Ensignes or Armes are Faith Righteousnesse Peace Charity and ioy in the Holy GHOST Her foundation is the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles Her Gate is CHRIST Her Religion is the seruice of the blessed TRINITY Her Citizens are all poenitent and true Beleeuers and all the Saints of GOD. This is the
LORD Thy loue vnto vs redeemeth vs from our bondage saueth vs from hell treadeth downe our enemies protects and directs vs in the world and safely brings vs into the Land of Promise the Land of the Liuing where wee shall see Thy Face and enioy the ioyes of blisse for euermore O LORD Thy loue is life Thy fauour is felicity LORD let the light of Thy countenance shine vpon mee and grant mee Thy loue which Thou bearest vnto those whom Thou louest euer and leauest neuer Of Mans loue to God LOVE of GOD doth knit fast the heart vnto Him makes it delight in Him and to bee contented with Him What cause hath man to loue Him it is not hard to conceiue seeing Hee is altogether good in Himselfe and the cause of all good in and to him Are wee liue wee vnderstand wee Wee must ascribe it vnto GOD. Are wee men or are wee good men Haue wee Grace or expect we Glory The praise belongs to Him The measure of our loue should bee vnmeasureable and the end endlesse The heart wherewith wee loue Him should not bee halfe nor hollow but such as Hee made in vs whole and vndiuided simple and not double How equall is it that man should loue His GOD seeing it is the substance of His Law and seeing he is so much obliged to Him for the tokens of His loue to Him How needfull is it seeing otherwise hee cannot loue his neighbour in Him no nor performe any Act or Office of Religion pleasingly in His sight And how comfortable seeing it is the worke of GODS SPIRIT in him and an vndoubted effect and token of GODS loue to Him and of his faith in GOD And yet it is a wonder to see how rare this duety is amongst vs. How sildome doe wee thinke of GOD or of His seruice What capitall and foule enormities are euery where heaped vp against Him How vsuall is it with men to turne His Grace into wantonnesse How doe the pleasures and cares of the world depriue Him of our hearts How common is the contempt of His holy Ordinances How great is the profanation of His holy Day How customably is His fearefull and glorious Name vainely vsed And how wantonly doe men deale with His sacred Word What little zeale and courage is there in vs for His Glory Alas wee talke of loue but demonstrate little The heart of the louer is rather where it loues then where it liues a man cannot but obey his Lord whom hee deerely loueth and will make much of any thing that belongs to that hee loues But our hearts are buried in the earth wee are euer rooting in the ground wee haue cast off the yoke of GODS Commandements wee are frozen in our dregges and make account of any thing rather then that which concernes His Honour which doth discouer our hypocrisie and witnesseth against vs that wee are louers of pleasures profite preferments of any thing rather then of Him Yet is there nothing able to doe vs so much good as Hee Nothing so worthy of our loue as Hee Nothing to which wee are so much indebted as to Him Nothing wherein wee can finde so much comfort in the loue thereof as in the loue of Him Nothing so well able to rauish our hearts with the delight thereof as Hee is And no man so regardfull of our loue as Hee is and yet standeth not in neede of vs at all nor of our loue Wee desire His loue to vs why then should we not remonstrate ours to Him Wee would haue our children and seruants loue vs it is reason therefore that wee should bestow our loue on Him being our Louing LORD and gracious FATHER in IESVS CHRIST Of the Loue of Christ CHRIST is our LORD and SAVIOVR therefore wee ought to loue Him as men in loue redeemed by Him and receiued into His seruice Hee loues Him as his LORD that willingly submits his soule vnto His Scepter and offers himselfe to bee ruled by His Lawes Hee loues Him as his SAVIOVR that relies vpon His Merites seekes to Him for His Grace and resteth in those meanes of life and godlinesse which Hee hath ordained in His Church CHRIST is the Husband of His people and therefore to bee beloued of them as of His Wife And those loue Him as their Husband that wed not their hearts to any other that keepe their soules chaste for Him that delight to bee vnder His shadow and which in their hearts say with the Spouse in the Canticles Stay mee with flagons and comfort mee with apples set mee as a Seale on Thine heart and as a Signet vpon Thine Arme Thy Loue is better then wine If euer our loue was deserued of any then of CHRIST IESVS Who became man to bring vs into grace with GOD Who was poore to make vs rich Who humbled Himselfe to exalt vs Who came downe from heauen to fetch vs from hell to heauen Who both liued and dyed for vs that wee might escape eternall death and might obtaine Eternall Life And finally because perfection procureth fauour and beauty is the Load-stone vnto loue Wee must needs bestow our loue on Him in whom is nothing but perfection nothing but beauty In Him are all the Treasures of Wisedome and Knowledge hidden In Him is the fulnesse of the God-head Bodily Hee is Fairer then the sonnes of men Grace is diffused in His Lips GOD hath annointed Him with the Oile of Gladnesse aboue His Fellowes Hee is White and Ruddy the chiefest of ten thousand wholly delectable LORD IESVS tie mine heart fast to Thee by loue seuer it from all earthly things euen from it selfe that it may be wedded wholly and solely vnto Thee vnto Thee and vnto none but Thee and that for euer Of Selfe-loue CHRITY beginnes at home It is naturall for a man to loue himselfe Hee that loues not himselfe is vnfit to loue another Or how can hee take care of another that is carelesse of himselfe True selfe-loue is a furtherer of all vertues specially of temperance and such other as concerne our selues For hee that loues himselfe truely wils well and does well vnto himselfe and embraces those vertues gladly by which hee may be mended There is a blind and foolish selfe-loue too too common in the world You shall haue some rauished with the admiration of themselues they are the Mountaines all others are but Mole-hils all their Geese are Swans all their vertues are ten-foote long and all their actions are good because they are theirs all is spoken in Print that is spoke by them they see not their wants but imagine they haue that they haue not So they swimme they care not though all doe sinke so they may haue they care not though all besides doe want they will forgiue and flatter themselues in most grieuous vices excusing themselues extenuating their faults and contemning all the admonitions of others And finally their praises of others is very sparing almost nothing but they can speake bigly of
themselues and thinke nothing well done but what they do themselues This is a pernicious and fearefull sinne the madnesse of the minde the impediment of all vertues the shame of Religion and the cause of all enormites He that loues himselfe aright loues himselfe Holily that is in GOD for GOD and vnder GOD and Iustly that hee may bee righteous and that by selfe-loue hee proues not himselfe injust And Discreetely not ouerweening himselfe but with wisedome be hauing himselfe towards all as is requisite for him The good man that loues himselfe as hee should wisheth well vnto himselfe doth good vnto himselfe agreeth with himselfe dwelleth with himselfe with willingnesse reioyceth with himselfe where there is cause of ioy and sorroweth with himselfe when there is matter of sorrow and in briefe doth earnestly couet and labour his owne peace inward outward and eternall On the contrary a wicked and profane Athiest Epicure and Worldling doe not truely loue themselues but rather hate and hurt themselues with intemperance worldly cares and other vices they study not to garnish their soules with spirituall vertues but follow riches pleasures and preferments which to wicked men are neuer good but euer hurtfull Neither do they agree well together within themselues because their appetite and sensuall part doth striue against their reasons and either they euer labour of a stupifyed or with a vexed and vnquiet spirit And hence it is also that sensuall and euill liuers as drunkards whoore-mongers spend-thriftes and such like persons loue not to be alone and like not priuacie and retired thoughts but frequent Ale-houses Tauernes Plaies and seeke out voluptuous and boon companions such as themselues because they loue not themselues delight not in themselues agree not with their consciences but are vexed with the remembrance of their vices and iniquities disquieted with the feare of punishment and pinched with the gripes of an accusing and tumultuous conscience Briefly men truely good do onely truely loue themselues but euill men do not loue themselues at all but either hate or loue amisse Of loue to our Neighbour A GOOD Christian hath two things in him to be beloued Grace and Nature As hee is a man we ought to loue him but as hee is a good man wee ought to loue him the more Hee that hates a man loues not his Maker he that hates a Christian loues not his Maister He that hates either Man or Christian is neither Christian nor Man but a diuell incarnate Some boast of their loue to GOD which shew no loue to man for GOD This boasting is vaine and false for he that loues GOD will loue His Image And certes he that loues not the childe cares as little for the father But our neighbour is vngodly gracelesse roytous and voruly Yet must we loue him if not because he is good yet that hee may be good if not the man yet the man-head if not the manners yet the man Gold is good though drosse bee naught Wheate may not be throwne away because of chaffe neither will we hate our bodies because there are deformities or diseases in them Neither will all loue serue the turne but we ought to loue our neighbour in truth not falsely in deed not verbally in the faith not against it in that that is iust and not vnrighteously in iudgement and not vndiscreetely in measure vnder GOD and not aboue Him and constantly not for a start as if some ague-fit were on vs. There is very much loue in the world such as it is but very little Christian Charity For this seekes the good of her neighbour and not his goods This loues to giue and not to pull away This beareth much for beareth much and reioyceth in the truth This loues a man not for his greatnesse but for his Graces not for his birth but for his New-birth not for his honour but for his Holinesse not for his wealth but for his Wisedome and finally for CHRIST and in CHRIST for CHRIST because CHRIST doth loue him and bids vs loue Him and in CHRIST either because he is CHRISTS or that he may become CHRISTS But this is the condemnation of men that the Church and Her Children are come amongst them but men loue the world more then the Church and sinners more then Saints Of louing and of being loued IT is better to loue then to be loued for Action is more excellent then Passion and the praise of vertue consists in action To giue is more gracious then to take Now in louing there is a gift in being loued there is a taking Honesty is better then Commodity Now to loue is a point of Honesty to be beloued is a matter of Commodity GOD delights more in the loue wherewith he doth loue then in the loue wherewith he is loued And mothers naturally reioyce more to loue their children then to be loued of their children and like better to do good to them then to receiue good from them Besides a man may bee loued of a man with Christian loue and yet be but an hypocrite but a man cannot loue with Christian loue but he must needes be a Christian A man may be loued of his neighbour for GOD and yet neither loue GOD nor be loued of GOD but a man cannot loue his neighbour for GOD but hee doth much more loue GOD and is most certainely beloued of GOD. And finally it is no paine but rather pleasure a gaine but no grace to be beloued but to loue a good thing well is grace yea oftentimes a man must sweate and striue with great contention so auerse and tortuous are our hearts by sinne before he can fasten his affections and fixe his loue on spirituall things which are most worthy of his loue and remoue it from those things that are rather to be loathed and forsaken as noysome and pernicious to him True friendship stands in true mutuall loue where loue failes there friendship fals But that a man may proue a friend vnto another it is necessary that he be a friend vnto himselfe For how shall he will well do well agree well or dwell well with another that failes in these things towrds himselfe But this as touching loue is worthy obseruation that those that do good turnes vnto others do more loue them to whom they do them then these that do receiue them do loue those that do them Prouided that they do their good turnes out of sincerity not for by-respects CHRIST loues vs better then we loue him Parents loue their children more then their children loue them Tutors loue their Pupils more then they their Tutors Hee that receiues a benefite is as it were the worke and creature of his Benefactour Now the worke-man loues the worke more then the worke doth loue the workeman The creature is deerer to the Creator then Hee to it and the cause loues the effect more then it the cause The Vsurer is vnworthy the name of Benefactour because he loues his Debtor for gaine
seeking rather to benefite himselfe in his Debtor then his Debtor in him And to speake properly as he is an Vsurer he loues him not for loue seekes not her owne good but the good of him whom hee loues Now the Vsurer seekes his owne good onely and leaues his debtor to looke to himselfe shewing him onely a little outward indulgence for a time vntill hee may haue his debt paid him againe with vantage But indeed to gaine loue and to be counted a Benefactour is not any way more easily attain'd to then by doing good turnes vnto men freely seasonably vnasked and in secresie but some cannot do a man a good turne but they must cackle so long and so loud that all the world may take notice of it which argues that they regard fame more then friendship and to walke vpon the tongues of men rather then to liue within the breasts of their friends and followers Of Faith Hope and Charity FAITH Hope and Charity are three notable giftes of GOD without the which it is impossible for any man to bee saued though no man shall bee saued for them A man shall bee saued in them but not for them for that which merites our saluation for vs that is redemption from all sinne and sorrow and fruition of Eternall Glory that I say is not any thing in vs but something without vs It is not quality gift or grace infused but the Iustice of CHRIST imputed Faith beleeueth Hope expecteth the thing beleeued and Charity Ioues it linkes the soule vnto it Faith is as the mother Hope and Charity are her two daughters Because I beleeue therefore I hope and as I beleeue so I loue Faith beleeueth that GOD is true and faithfull in His Word Hope waiteth whiles Hee shew Himselfe to be so Faith be getteth hope hope being begotten preserueth faith Faith beholds and holds fast the Word of Promise Hope lookes after the thing that is promised in that Word Loue vnites the heart both to the Word and to the thing that is promised in it Hope is the waiting for a good to come but Faith beleeueth things past present and to come I beleeue that CHRIST was borne of a Virgin that Hee now sitteth at the right Hand of His FATHER and that Hee shall come hereafter to iudge the world Faith taketh CHRIST and worketh by Charity Charity worketh not by Faith as an instrument but arises from Faith as from the fountaine whereout it flowes Christian Faith beholdeth CHRIST in the Word and Sacraments But Christian Charity ties the soule not onely vnto CHRIST but also vnto all His Members in and for His Name Loue is not caused by hope but hope rather caused by loue for because a man doth loue GOD therefore hee doth expect and tarry and that with desire and longing till he do enioy Him to his fill And if hee did not loue Him he would not desire and hope to see Him but rather feare and grieue Finally Faith Hope and Charity are three excellent vertues but Charity is in two respects the chiefest First because Charity is profitable to our Neighbours whereas our Faith and Hope doth them no good at all were it not for Charity Secondly the loue whereby wee loue CHRIST and His Members now shall be continued and perfited in the world to come but whereas now we do by faith beleeue and by hope expect and desire to see the face of CHRIST hereafter Then when we do see and enioy Him this faith and this hope are at an end and whereas heere in this life wee walke by faith and not by sight and feeling in the life to come wee shall see face to face and know as wee are knowne and want no feeling nor sight of that that is pleasing and solacious to the soule And whereas men hope for that they see not how can they hope for that they see But GOD shall bee seene of His Saints in the world to come and their sight shall rauish them with His loue their corporall and intellectuall eyes then glorifyed being as doores or windowes to let in His Loue into their heartes which will most willingly entertaine Him and rest vpon Him as vpon their Center and sole Contenter Of Gods Word GODS Word is a Fire It must be warily meddled with If thou wilt not suffer It to burne vp thy lusts It will burne vp thee if It consume not the sinne It shall consume the sinner Art thou a cold It is fire to warme thee Art thou drossy It is fire to purge thee Art thou in darkenesse It is a fire to enlighten thee Is thine heart voide of zeale to GOD or loue to Man It is a fire to enflame thee Art thou frozen vpon thy dregs or art thou so hardned that no impression can be made vpon thee It is a fire to thaw and melt thee This Word shall be destruction to him that will receiue no instruction from It It will proue his desolation that makes it not his consolation It will condemne thee if thou wilt not suffer It to controule thee and if It shalt not helpe thee It shall vndoubtedly hurt thee This Word is an Hammer if It soften not a man and make him tender It will harden him and make him tough If It beate not downe the sinne it will knocke downe the sinner And if the hereticke will not be beaten with It from his heresies It will beate him downe one day thither from whence all heresies spring An hammer hurts not the aire or water which yeelds vnto it readily but breakes and bruises that that makes resistance Hee that resists the Word shall bee broken but hee that yeelds vnto it shall receiue no hurt Hee that would surely breake a thing with an hammer must not onely moue the hammer to it with strength but hee must so lay the thing that it slide slip or shrinke not from the blow so they that indeed would haue their hearts softned their proud hearts battered or any lust contused let them apply the Word of GOD vnto them closely and not leap or shrinke aside when it is ministred and fitted to them And what Minister soeuer brings with him this Fire this Hammer entertaine It vse It apply thy selfe vnto It. If the Fire if the Hammer be the same If it be GODs receiue it with the same affection though the men be not the same that bring it The Hammer is not the worse for him that holds it nor the Fire for him that brings it The Minister is to be receiued and honoured for the Word and not It for him In briefe the Smith can do nothing without his Hammer and Fire Ministers are Smiths and men naturally are like yron vnwrought or vnformed or rather indeed ill-wrought and ill-formed The Word that is the Law and Gospell is the Fire and Hammer by which through diuine assistance they worke them fashion them and make them fit instruments and vessels for the seruice of GOD in His House which