vnnaturall they may say thou followest thy mother for she was vnnaturall first in locking vp her brests from thee and committing thee forth like a Cuckow to be hatched in a Sparrowes nest Hereof it comes that we say He suckt euill from the dug that is as the Nurse is affected in her bodie or in her minde commonly the childe draweth the like infirmitie from her as the egges of a Henne are altered vnder the Hauke yet they which haue no milke can giue no milke But whose breastes haue this perpetuall drought Forsooth it is lyke the goute no beggers may haue it but Citizens or Gentlewomen In the ninth chapter of Hosea thy brestes are named for a curse what lamentable happe haue Gentlewomen to light vpon this curse more then other sure if their breasts be drie as they say they should fast and pray together that this curse migro be remoued from them The next dutie is Catechize a childe in his youth and he will remember it when he is olde This is the right blessing which fathers and mothers giue to their children when they cause God to blesse them too The wrong mother cared not though the childe were deuided but the right mother would not haue it deuided so wicked Parents care not though their children be destroied but godly parents would not haue them destroyed but saued that when they haue dwelt together in earth they may dwell together in heauen As the Midwife frameth the bodie when it is young and tender so the parents must frame the minde while it is greene and flexible for youth is the seed time of vertue They which are called fathers are called by the name of God to warne them that they are in stead of God to their children which teacheth all his sons What example haue children but their parents and sure the prouidence of God doth ease their charge more than they are aware for a childe will learne better of his father than of anie other And therefore wee read of no Schoolemaisters in the scripture but the Parents for when Christ saith to the Iewes If yee be the sonnes of Abraham yee will doe the workes of your Father Abraham he sheweth that sonnes vse to walke in their Fathers steppes whether they bee good or bad It is a maruellous delight to the father and mother when people say that their children are like them but if they be like them in godlinesse it is as great delight to other as to the parents or else we say that they are so like that they are the worse for it Well doth Dauid call children arrowes for if they be wel bred they shoote at their parents enemies and if they be euill bred they shoote at their parents Therefore many fathers want a staffe to stay them in their age because they prepared none before like olde Eli which was corrected himselfe for not correcting his sonnes Are not children called the fruite of their parents Therefore as a good tree is knowne by bringing foorth good fruite so parents should shewe their godlinesse in the education of their children which are their fruite For this cause the Iewes were wont to name their children so whē they were borne that euer after if they did but thinke vppon their names they would put them in mind of that religion which they should professe for they did signifie some thing that they should learne An admonition to such as call their children at all aduentures somtime by the names of dogs euen as they proue after In 1. Kings 2. 2. we haue Dauid instructing his sonnes In Gen. 39. Iacob correcting his sonnes and in Iob. 1. Iob praying for his sonnes These three put together instructing correcting praying make good children and happie parents Once Christ tooke a childe and set him in the midst of his disciples and sayd He which will receiue the kingdome of heauen must receiue it as a little childe shewing that our children should be so innocent so humble and voide of euill that they may be taken for examples of the children of God Therefore in Psalme 127. 4. children are called the heritage of the Lord to shew that they should be trained as though they were not mens children but Gods that they may haue Gods heritage after Thus if you doo your seruants shall be Gods seruants and your children shall be Gods children and your house shall be Gods house like a little Church when others are like a denne of theeues Now I speake to one which is a mother so soone as she is married therefore peraduenture you looke that I should shewe the dutie of stepmothers Their name dooth shewe them their duetie too for a stepmother doth signifie a stedmother that is one mother dieth and another commeth in her stead therefore that your loue may settle to those little ones as it ought you must remember that ye are their stedmother that is in sted of their mother and therefore to loue them and tender them and cherish them as their mother did She must not looke vpon them like Rehoboam who tolde his people that hee would be worse vnto them then his predecessour for then they will turne from her as his subiects did from him but she must come to them as Dauid came to the people after Saules death and sayd Though your master Saul be dead yet I will raigne ouer you so she must say to them though your mother be dead yet will I be a mother so the children will loue her asmuch as their father Further these children are orphanes and therefore you must not onely regarde them as children but as orphane children Now God requireth a greater care ouer widowes and Orphanes than ouer anie other women or children Lastly you must remember that saying As you measure vnto other so it shall be measured vnto you againe that is as you intreate these children so another may come after and intreat your children for he which hath taken away the first mother and sent you can take away the seconde mother and sende a third which shall not be like a stepmother to yours vnlesse you be like a stepmother to these If these duties bee performed in marriage then I neede not speake of Diuorcement which is the rod of mariage and diuideth them which were one flesh as if the bodie and soule were parted asunder But because all performe not their wedlocke vowes therfore hee which appointed mariage hath appointed diuorcement as it were taking our priuilege from vs when we abuse it As God hath ordained remedies for euery disease so he hath ordained a remedie for the disease of mariage The disease of marriage is adulterie and the medicine hereof is diuorcement Moses licensed them to depart for hardnesse of heart but Christ licenseth them to depart for no cause but adulterie If they might be separated for discord some
day It would haue troubled them to watch so long for a good cause but it was fit that the worke of darknes shoulde be done in draknes therefore Christ saith This is the houre of darknesse the houre of darkenes and the power of darknes and the worke of darknes met together When they should rest malice would not suffer them to rest but they became like Owles which watch in the night and cannot sleepe Heere was fulfilled Salomons saying They cannot sleepe before they haue done euill so eagre wee are vpon reuenge more than anie thing else They say that hee cannot stay which rideth vpon the Diuell for malice draweth him and furie spurres him Therefore Zacheus went not so hastely to receiue Christ as his enemies hast to destroy him Nay rather I may say to destroy themselues For as they prayed at Christes death so it came vpon them They sayed his bloud be vpon vs and vpon our children so his bloud is vpon them and vpon their children which haue beene Vagabonds ouer the earth euer since and haue no countrie of their owne for if they be cursed which do the Lords busines negligently they must be cursed too which doe the Diuels busines diligently If men were so hastie in executing Iustice as they were in executing malice so many mē should not be vndone by sutes of Lawe for in one day they could apprehend accuse and examine and condemne and execute him which was Innocent but hee which is iust cānot be quit in one terme nor two nay if he haue right in a yeare it is counted quick dispatch and hee is glad that hee met with such a speedie Lawyer How then when they take a bad cause in hand and prolong it too which keeps their Clients in suspence from day to day and from weeke to weeke in great charge and sinne together I would to GOD that some did not sit in counsaile against good Christiās as these Priests did against Christ but GOD in his mercie dooth daily confounde and bring to nothing the accursed counsailes of the wicked Antichrist and all his rebellious confederates So when the wicked tooke counsaile together wickednesse was the ende of their counsayles for there is nothing woorse to the vngodlie than to meete together for before they meete their wickednes is a little hid like the poyson in a Serpent but when they meete together one setteth on another and the poyson breakes forth into vile speeches and detestable workes and vngodly practises as we see in Tauernes and such like assemblies as this For now they are met together they haue conspired amongst themselues to accuse vnto the Gouernour the most innocent man in the world as if he were the worst man liuing they abused him and mocked him and reuiled him and buffeted him before they brought him to the Gouernor which sheweth that they woulde haue killed him too if they durst without the Gouernour but sin is craftie and therefore they obserue the order of lawe and forme of iudgement lest they should be takē in the snare which they made for him First because Pilate had the authoritie ouer iudgements of death and not they Therefore they are inforced to seeke vnto his iudgement seat to saue themselues from blame and to be deliuered out of trouble if they did vsurpe any thing vpon the Magistrates Office Then because they might not runne vnto the gouernour before daye without suspition of tumult they staide vntill it was morning but so soone as they coulde come they came post hast for the Sunne did no sooner peepe but euen at the verie breake of day they were all readie to flocke vnto the Iudge against him This they did without knowledge but God directed euery thing vnto a right end For it was meete that the Sonne of GOD shoulde bee cleered in a solemne manner by an earthlie Iudge to shewe how wee shalbe cleered by the heauenlie Iudge and therefore as it appeareth in the seuen and twentieth Chapter and foure and twentieth verse of Saint Mathewes Gospell Pilate saide that he found no euill in him before he gaue sentence against him which sheweth that he died not for his owne sinnes but for our sinnes and therefore though they went to the Iudge to saue thēselues from blame yet God sent them to the Iudge that his worde might be fulfilled Lastly this Pilate was a Roman gouernour which ruled for Caesar as Zacheus was a Romane collectour which gathered for Caesar For at that time the Romanes had brought much of the worlde vnto their subiection as since that time they haue brought much of the worlde vnto Idolatry and therefore God would haue his sonne to be iudged by the Romane policie and to be condemned by a Romane Iudge and to be slaine with a Romane death as it were ioyning the Iewes and the Romans in impietie together to shewe that these two Nations shoulde be the odioust people vnto him in all the worlde and how his seruaunts should be crucified there where hee was crucified himselfe for as the Romanes then did crucifie Christ vpon a Crosse so they crucifie him nowe vpon their Altar and resemble the Dragon which when he could not preuaile against Michaell himselfe then hee fought against the woman and her seed that is the Church and her children which are slaine in Rome as the Prophets were in Ierusalem Thus Rome began with the heade and ends with the members So much of the Priests and the Scribes and the Pharisies and the elders Pilate what they did against Christ of whome was fullfilled Dauids praier Lord turne the counsell of Achitophell vnto follie So their counsell was turned vnto follie For as Paule reuiued when he was stoned so Christ rose againe when he was buried to shewe that there is no counsell against God and therefore let all our counsels be for God Now we come to Iudas to aggreuate this tragicall counsell The Euangelist annexeth vnto it the desperate end of the cursedst mā that euer was Three things are speciallie noted of this Traitor his death the cause of his death the confession which hee made before his death His death in the fift verse Hee went hanged himself The cause of his death in the 3. verse For that hee had betrayed his Lord now did see him condemned had no ioy of the money which was giuen vnto him for his Treason His confession in the thirde verse I haue sinned betraying innocent bloude I will speake of euerie worde as they lie for your memorie Therefore first of his Treason When Iudas the traytor before hee was called Iudas the Apostle now he is called Iudas the traitor to distingish him from other of that name lest anie of his name shoulde be defamed for him a brand is set in his forehead like the letter Tau or Caines marke to make him hatefull like a rogue which is burned in the eare so Esau was called Edom which signifieth Redde
the President of Cesarea which came nowe from the Idolatrous Gentiles an obstinate brutish and barbarous man which because he sauoured not the things of God but flesh bloud thought that Paul was beside himselfe when he spake of Christ and said that too much learning had made him mad as some giddy spirites thinke now that they which are zelouser than thēselues know not what they say nor doe and impute all the troubles of the Realme the inuasion of the Spaniards vnto the preaching of the worde the fasts praiers that were exercised about that time like Achab which said that the Prophet troubled Israell when he himselfe was the cause of all their plagues What will not dogs spue out when they are set to vomite When Paul saw such a brutish President he turned his speech from him to Agrippa in whom he did see better tokens of faith thinking to kindle the sparks which he sawe in him thus boldy he sets vpon him O King Agrippa beleeuest thou the Prophets As if he should say If thou beleeuest the Prophets it is easie for thee to beleeue that which I teach out of the Prophets for all that I speake of this Iesus is written in the Prophets and fulfilled in Christ Looke vpon the Prophets and looke vpon him there thou shalt see all that I say that it is no report of mine but that which I haue receiued from good witnes and thou maist heare it of the same if thou doe but read the Prophets therefore before other questions he askes Doest thou beleeue the Prophets Like a wise Schoolemaister which examines his Scholler before he beginne to teach him to know what hee hath learned already and how he vnderstandeth that he may goe forward with him So Paul examines this king when he intended to make him a Schooller of Christ hee askes him what he hath learned already before he teach him farther and posing him he begins at the foundation which is faith saying tell me Doest thou beleeue the Prophets Yet if wee should aske some of you before you come to the Lordes Table doe you beleeue the Scriptures Doe you know Christ Can you giue a reasō of your faith you will think your selues much disgraced to bee Catechised as this king was wee must not aske you with Paul Do you beleeue but say with Paule we know that ye beleeue before we aske you Is this like the childe which Christ set in the midst of his Disciples said that whosoeuer receiued the kingdome of heauen he shoulde receiue it as a childe that is he should humble himselfe and take correction and learne like a child for heauens gate is low and he must stoope that goes in at it The Souldiers and Publicans and harlots had such remorse that they came to Iohn before they were baptized confessing their sinnes and asked Maister what shall we doo They were not ashamed to acknowledge both their sinnes and their ignorance which made Iohn wonder and aske who had taught them as though this should be a strange thing in time to come and so it is if ye be not like Publicans when will yee be like Christians They confessed before they were baptized but we must thinke that you know though you know that we thinke wrong wee must take you for religious though you know we take you amis Shame of face was ordained for sinne but shame is turned from sinne to righteousnes for they which are ashamed of no euill are ashamed of any good this is a bashfull Diuell Now when Paul had asked him he aunswered himselfe Doest thou beleeue I knowe that thou beleeuest Hee askes Agrippa whether hee beleeue and saith hee knoweth that hee doth beleeue What neede he aske that which he knowes Here you may see that we haue neede to suspect our iudgment when wee conceiue not the cause when they which are wiser and holier than our selues doe thus or thus speake thus or thus Let vs remember that the Spirituall man iudgeth all and is iudged of none because no man knowes the counseles of the Spirite but hee which hath it wise men haue large exceptions and it becomes vs to construe their sayinges and doinges better than others should construe ours As the Disciples reuerenced many sayings of Christ when they knew not his meaning so we should rather thinke that we know not the reason then that they speak without reason Christ did know that Peter loued him yet that he might get a confession of him and instruct him farther hee did aske him that which he knew so Paul catechizing Agrippa doth aske him that which he knew to teach him that which hee knew not But why doth Paul say flatly that hee knowes that which no man thought of this king before Either because he did perceiue that Agrippa did beleeue in part and therefore hee reioiced like the Father to see his Son comming towards him So he meetes him in the way and imbraceth him as it were with this commendation I knowe that thou beleeuest that is I knowe thou hast a kinde of faith beleeuest that the Prophets saide truelie as many of the Gentiles did though thou canst not apply it vnto thy selfe So to bring him from faith to faith frō knowledge to knowledge from loue to loue he cōmends those sparkes in him which serued not to bee called faith but almost faith as Agrippa saith Or else he saith I knowe thou beleeuest because he would haue him beleeue Therefore he preuents him and aunsweres for him lest Agrippa should go backe and mislike with his boldenes and saie no I beleeue not the Prophetes as it is like he would haue said if Paul had not spoken mildly to him therefore hee begges the question and answeres him I know that thou beleeuest As when wee will make a man our friend and willing to doe vs a pleasure as though he were willing already and as though we had no doubt of him Doest thou beleeue yea I knowe that thou beleeuest And yet it was but almost beleeue as Agrippa confessed himselfe but if hee had not beleeued this was the way to make him beleeue for this makes many zealous to bee counted zealous many studious valiaunt bountifull to haue a name of more than is in them as if ye marke ye shall see generally to speake well of a man rather than euil doth stir him to vertue incorage him in vertue for no man is so humble but hee leanes to Fame and a good report dooth tickle and please him which deserues it and him which deserues it not Therefore Paul which knewe by long experience what baite was best to catch souls when he cast forth such a strange question anticipates the answere lest Agrippa should answere otherwise than he woulde haue him he will not trust him with such a question but speaks for him I know that thou beleeuest Salomon saith that hee is wise who winneth soules Pro. 11. 30. And so you may see in this
the worst like them which call good euill and euill good He praieth Not to be lead into temptation and leadeth himselfe into temptation Surely he doth not feare sinne which doth not shun occasions and hee is worthie to be snared which maketh a trap for himselfe When Salomon the mirror of wisedome the wonder of the world the figure of our Lord by Idolatrous concubines is turned to an Idolater let no man say I shall not be seduced but say how shall I stand where such a Cedar fell The wife must be meet as God sayd Gen. 2. 18. But how is she meet if thou be a christian she a Papist We must marry in the Lord as Paul saith but how doe we marrie in the Lord when we marrie the Lordes enemies Our spouse must be like Christs spouse but Christs spouse is neither harlotte nor heretike nor atheist If she be poore the Lord reproueth not for that if she be weak the Lord reproueth not for that if she be hard fauoured the Lord reproueth not for that all these wants may be dispenced with but none giueth anie dispensation for godlinesse but the diuell Therefore they which take that priuiledge are like them which seeke to witches and are guilty of preferring euil before good This vnequall mariage was the chiefe cause that brought the floud and the first beginning of Giants and monstrous births shewing by their monstrous children what a monstrous thing it is for beleeuers and vnbeleeuers to match together In Matth. 22. Christ sheweth that before parties married they were woont to put on faire and new garments which were called VVedding garmentes a warning vnto all which put on wedding garments to put on truth and holinesse too which so precisely is resembled by that garment more then other It is noted in the fourteenth of Luke that of all them which were inuited to the Lordes banquet and came not onely hee which had married a wife did not desire to be excused but said stoutly I cannot come Shewing how this state dooth occupie a man most and draw him often from the seruice of God and therefore we had not neede to take the worst for the best are combersome enough In the second of Iob it is obserued of the patient man that he did not curse the day of his birth vntill his wife brake foorth into blasphemie shewing that wicked women are able to change the stedfastest man more then all temptations beside Sampson would take a Philistian to wife but he lost his honor his strength and his life by her least any should do the like But what a notable warning is that in the 2. Chro. 21. 6. where the holy Ghost sayth Iehoram walked in the waies of Ahad for he had the daughter of Ahad to wife as though it were a miracle if hee had bene better then he was because his wife was a temptation Miserable is that man which is fettered with a woman that liketh not his Religion shee will be nibling at his praier and at his studie and at his meditations till she haue tyred his deuotions and turned the edge of his soule as Dauid was tired of his malapert Michol she mocked him for his zeale and liked herselfe in her follie Many haue fallen at this stone Therefore as Christ saith Remember Lots wife so when thou marriest remember Iehorams wife and bee not wedded to her which hath not the Wedding garment but let vnitie goe first and let vnion follow after and hope not to cōuert her but feare that she will peruert thee least thou saie after like him which should come to the Lordes banquette I haue married a wife and cannot come Luke 14. 20. Yet the chiefest point is behinde that is our duties The dueties of marriage may be reduced to the dueties of man and wife one towarde another and their dueties towarde their children and their duetie toward their seruants For themselues saith one they must thinke themselues like two birdes the one is the cocke and the other is the dam the cocke flieth abroad to bring in and the dam sitteth vpon the nest to keepe all at home So God hath made the man to trauell abroad and the woman to keepe home and so their nature and their witte and their strength are fitted accordingly for the mans pleasure is most abroad and the womans within In euerie State there is some one vertue which belongeth to that calling more than other as Iustice vnto Magistrates and Knowledge vnto Preachers and Fortitude vnto Souldiers so Loue is the Marriage vertue which signes Musicke to their whole life Wedlocke is made of two loues which I may call the first loue and the after loue As euerie man is taught to loue God before hee be bid to loue his neighbour so they must loue GOD before they can loue one another To shewe the loue which should be betweene man and wife Mariage is called Coniugium which signifieth a knitting or ioyning together shewing that vnlesse there be a ioyning of hearts and a knitting of affections together it is not Mariage in deede but in shew and name and they shal dwel in a house like two poysons in a stomacke and one shall euer be sicke of another Therefore first that they may loue and keepe loue one with another it is necessarie that they both loue God and as their loue increaseth toward him so it shall increase each to other But the man must take heede that his loue toward his wife be not greater than his loue toward God as Adam Sampsons were for all vnlawfull loue will turne to hatred as the loue of Amon did toward Thamar and because Christ hath forbidden it therefore hee will crosse it This made Vriah so fearful least the pleasure of his wife should withdraw his heart from God that he would not goe to his owne house so long as he had cause to mourne and pray although he had a wife which feared God like himselfe that you may see it is no cheape dalliance for the husband to make the wife or the wife to make the husband lesse zealous then they were In Deut. 13. the wife which did draw her husband from God is condemned to die therefore good wiues when their husbands purpose any good should incourage them like Iacobs wife which bade him do according to the word of God and if they see them minded to doe any euill they should stay them like the wife of Pylate which counsayled her husband not to cōdemne Christ For seeing holinesse is called the Wedding garment who shall weare this wedding garmēt if they weare it not which are wedded When one holy hath found another then the holiest seemeth to make the Mariage and his angels come to the feast To passe ouer sleights which seldome prosper vnlesse they haue some warrant The best pollicie in mariage is to
that is his griefe must be her griefe and whether it be the yoake of pouertie or the yoake of enuie or the yoake of sicknes or the yoake of imprisonment she must submit her neck to beare it patiently with him or els she is not his yoak-fellow but his yoake as though she were inflicted vpon him for a penaltie like to Iobs wife whom the diuell left to torment him when hee tooke away all he had beside The Apostle biddeth to Reioyce with them that reioyce and mourne with them that mourne With whom should the wife reioyce rather then with her husband or with whom should she mourne rather then with her owne flesh I will not leaue thee saith Elisha to Eliah so she should neuer leaue him till death Beare one anothers burthen saith Paul who shall beare one anothers burthen if the wife doe not beare the husbandes burthen Wicked Iezabell comforted her husband in his sicknesse and Ieroboams wife sought for his health though she was as bad as he God did not bid Sarah leaue her father and her country as he bad her husband yet because he bad Abraham leaue his she left hers too shewing that she was content not onely to be his play-fellow but his yoake-fellow too Beside a yoke-fellow she is called a helper to help him in his busines to helpe him in his labours to helpe him in his troubles to helpe him in his sicknesse like a woman Phisition sometime with her strength and sometime with her counsell for sometime as God confoundeth the wise by the foolish and the strong by the weake so he teacheth the wise by the foolish and helpeth the strong by the weake Therefore Peter saith Husbands are wonne by the conuersation of their wiues As if hee should say sometime the weaker vessell is the stronger vessell and Abraham may take coūsell of Sara as Naaman was aduised by his seruant The Shunamites counsell made her husband receiue a Prophet into his house and Hesters counsell made her husband spare the Church so some haue beene better helpers to their husbandes then their husbandes haue beene to them for it pleaseth God to prouoke the wise with the foolish as he did the Iewes with the Gentiles Beside a helper shee is called a Comforter too and therfore the man is bid reioyce in his wife which is as much to say that wiues must be the reioycing of their husbandes euen like Dauids harpe to comfort Saule Therefore it is saide of Rebeccah that she prepared meate for her husband such as he loued so a good wife is knowne when her wordes and deedes and countenances are such as her husband loueth she must not examine whether hee be wise or simple but that shee is his wife and therefore they which are bound must obey as Abigail loued her husband though hee were a foole for the wife is as much despised for taking rule ouer her husband as he for yeelding it vnto her Therefore one saith that a mankinde woman is a monster that is halfe a woman and halfe a man It becomes not the mistresse to be maister no more than it beseemeth the maister to be mistresse but both to saile with their owne winde Lastly we call the wife Huswife that is house-wife not a streete wife like Thamar nor a field-wife like Dinah but a house-wife to shewe that a good wife keepes her house and therefore Paul biddeth Titus to exhort women that they be chaste and keeping at home presently after Chaste he saith keeping at home as thogh home were chastities keeper And therefore Salomon depainting the whore setteth her at the doore now sitting vpon her stalles now walking in the streetes now looking out at the windowes like cursed Iezabel as if shee held foorth the glasse of temptation for Vanitie to gaze vpon But chastitie careth to please but one therefore shee keepes her closet as if shee were still at praier The Angell asked Abraham Where is thy wife Abraham answered Shee is in the Tent. The Angell knew where she was but yet he asked that we might see how women in old time did keep their tents and houses It is recorded of the Shunamite that she did aske her husband leaue to goe vnto the Prophet though she went to a Prophet and went of a good errand and for his cause as much as her owne yet she thought it not meete to go far abroad without her husbands leaue Phidias when he should paynt a woman painted her sitting vnder a Snailes shell signifying that she should go like a snaile which carrieth his house vpon his backe Salomon bad Shimei Go not beyond the riuer so a wife should teach her feete goe not beyonde the doore she must count the walles of her house like the bandes of the riuer which Shimei might not passe if he would please the king For when Adam was away Eue was made a praie if her husband be from her vntill he returne againe she must thinke her selfe a widowe that is separate from man for Vidua doth signifie A viro diuisa that is widowe doth signifie diuided from man therefore now she must haue no fellowship nor companie with men because she is deuided from man As it becommeth her to keepe home so it becommeth her to keepe silence and alway speake the best of her head Other seeke their honour in triumph but she must seek her honour in reuerence for it becommeth not anie woman to set light by her husband nor to publish his infirmities For they say that is an euill bird that defileth her owne nest and if a wife vse her husband so how may the husband vse the wife Because this is the qualitie of that sexe to ouerthwart and vpbraide and sue the preheminence of their husbandes therfore the Philosophers could not tell how to define a wife but called her The contrarie to a husband as though nothing were so crosse and contrarie to a man as a wife This is not scripture but no slaunder to many As Dauid exalted the loue of women aboue all other loues so Salomon mounteth the enuie of women aboue all other enuies stubborn sullen taunting gainsaying outfacing with such a bitter humor that one would think they were molten out of the salt pillar into which Lots wife was transformed We say not al are alike but this sect hath many Disciples Dooth the ribbe that is in mans side fret or gaule him no more then shoulde she which is made of the rib Though a woman be wise and painefull and haue many good parts yet if she bee a shrow her troublsome iarring in the end will make her honest behauiour vnpleasant as her ouer-pinching at last causeth her good huswiferie to bee euill spoken of Therefore although she be a wife yet somtimes she must obserue the seruants lesson Not answering againe and hold
infect it torment it condemne it Will a seruant reach the cup to a stranger when his Master cals for it Or will a man sell his coate if he haue no moe What doost thou reserue for God when thou hast giuen Sathan thy heart Christ hath promised to come and dwell with thee where shall he staie where shall he dine if the chamber be taken vp and the heart let foorth to another Thou art but a Tenant and yet thou takest his house ouer his head and placest in it whom thou wilt as if thou wert Landlord Canst thou possesse another mans goods but he will molest thee and trouble thee vntill he haue his owne and doost thou thinke to keepe that which is Gods and holde it in peace No hee will neuer suffer thee to rest but crie vpon thee daie and night as Moses vexed Pharaoh vntil he let the people goe so thou shalt bee distracted with feares and thoughts as one plague followed another vntill thou let thy heart goe that it may serue God for as if a man should pull out thy heart and take it from thee so greeuous is it to God to keep thy heart from him Therefore let all Sutors haue their answere that thy heart is married alreadie As Isaac answered Esau Iacob haue I blessed and he shalbe blessed so thou maist say God hath my heart and he shall haue it and them that craue it hereafter send them to Christ for it for it is not thine to giue if thou haue giuen it to God alreadie But take heede thy heart do not lye to thy selfe and say it is Gods when it is the worldes like Ieroboams Wife which woulde not seeme to bee Ieroboams Wife By this thou shalt knowe whether thou hast giuen it to him or no if the Heart be gone all will followe As the Sunne riseth first and then the beastes arise from their dennes the Fowles from their neastes and men from their beddes so when the Heart sets forwarde to God all the members will follow after it the tongue will praise him the foote will follow him the eare will attend him the eye will watch him the hand will serue him nothing will staie after the heart but euerie one goes like handmaydes after their mistresse this Christ verifieth saying make cleane within and all will bee cleane therefore the Publican did beat vpon his hart as though hee were angrie with it because it did not waken all the rest shewing that as the Father gaue vs all when hee gaue his son so we giue him all when wee giue our heartes This is the melodie which Paul speaketh of Ephes 5. 19. Make melodie in the Lord in your hearts shewing that there is a consort of all the members when the heart is in tune and that it soundes like a melodie in the eares of God and makes vs reioyce while wee serue him Wee haue example heereof in Christ which said it was meate and drinke vnto him to doo his fathers will and in Dauid which daunced to see the Arke and in the Israelites of whom it is saide that they reioyced when they offered from their heart vnto the Lord. Therefore Salomon pricking out the heart for God spake as though he would set out the pleasantest and fairest easiest way to serue him without any grudging or toyle or wearinesse touch but the first linke and all the rest will follow so set the heart a going and it is like the poize of a clocke which turnes all the wheeles one way such an Oyle is vpon the heart which makes al nimble and currant about it therfore it is almost as easie to speak well and doe well as to thinke well If the heart indite a good matter no maruel though the tongue be the Pen of a readie writer but if the hart be dull all is like a left hand so vnapt and vntoward that it cannot turne it selfe to any good Therfore Gods sutes haue so hard passage in mens counsailes iudgements and Parliaments because they doe not giue him their harts which should be the first offering of all if they woulde giue him their hearts before they sit downe to heare his cause they could not denie him anie thing that is for his honour though it were against their profit but as Christ saieth Not my will but thy will so they would say It is not our Kingdome but thy Kingdome it is not our Church but thy Church therefore not our will but thy will not our law but thy law not our discipline but thy discipline raigne in it and all that giue their hearts subscribe to this the rest say not thy wil but our wil not thy law but our law not thy discipline but our discipline because as the Apostle sayth They seeke their owne glorie and not Christs Phil. 2. 21. This hath bene the rub euer since Antichrist was first resisted Herode could not see how hee should be King if Christ should raigne therfore as the Image-makers cried and stormed when Images should goe downe alleadging that they liued by that craft so if you marke what kind of men they were which did preach and write and labour so hotly against religion it is they that were like to loose some of their dignities or their commodities by it The Scribes and Pharisies resisted Christ more than the people because hee denounced woe to them and misliked that they should bee called Rabbi how hard it is to follow Christ when he saith Leaue all nay if he bid vs leaue any thing for him though we should leaue our selues Matt. 16. 24. The tongue wil not praise because the heart doth not loue the eare doth not heare because the heart doth not minde the hand doth not giue because the heart doth not pitie the foote will not goe because the heart doth not stirre all staie vpon the heart like the Captaine that should giue the onset Thus to shew that hee deserueth all the Lord requireth that which bringeth all Secondly God requireth the Heart shewing that all the things of this worlde are not woorthie of it nor a peece of it nor a thought vnles it be to contemne them as Salomon thought of vanitie for if the heart be the Temple of God hee which giueth it to anie thing else committeth Sacriledge and breaketh that Commaundement Giue vnto GOD that which is Gods Matthewe 22. 21. Thirdly that all should consent so with the heart that wee should speake as if our heart did speake pray as if our heart did pray heare as if our heart did heare giue as if our heart did giue remit as if our heart did remit and counsell as if our heart did counsell as the Apostle sayth Doe all things heartely Col. 3. 23. which if we could keepe nothing that wee doe should trouble vs because nothing is troublesome but that which goeth against the heart Fourthly that wee should
our sinnes are washed with Christes bloud when our bodies are washed they are taken out of the water againe to signifie how we shall be raised from death to life by the resurrection of Christ and how we should rise from sinne to righteousnesse thus we begin our life with a solemne promise to God before the Church to serue him with our bodies and soules till death vs depart Now let vs remember how we haue kept this promise with the Lord or rather how we haue broken promise with him then we gaue our selues to GOD but since we haue giuen our selues to sinne then wee promised to renounce the world but euer since we haue embraced the world therefore now let vs begin to pay that which we ought so long and pray the Lord which hath instituted this Sacrament as a seale of his mercie to receiue this child into his fauour as we receiue it into his Church to baptize it with his spirit as wee baptize it with water and powre vpon it his grace as we giue it the signe of grace FINIS THE PILGRIMS WISH PHILIP 1. 23. I desire to bee dissolued and to bee with Christ. HEere is Pauls desire to be dissolued and the cause that he might be with Christ wherein first you shal see the difference betweene the faithfull and the wicked how one loatheth this life and the other longeth after it Secondly because the Apostle seemes to desire death you shall see whether any man may wish to die Thirdly because after his dissolution hee hopes to bee with Christ you shall see the diuersitie of iudgements betweene Paul and the Papists which think when they are dead that they shall goe on to Purgatorie Lastlie because the soules which are with Christ cannot walke as they did when they liued vpon the earth you shall heare a little of walking spirits which haue beene so much talked of in the time of poperie and were taken for the soules of them which were dead after wee will speake a little of the Sacrament which yee come to receiue and so commit you to God I desire to be dissolued Before Christes comming when the Kings or Patriarches died it is said that they went to their fathers as we read of Dauid and Salomon c. but after Christs comming when the faithfull die they are said to go to Christ as we read of the penitent thief Luke 23. 43. Not because the Patriarches went not to Christ as well as they but because yet Christ was not ascended to heauen therefore they are not to go to Christ although if they went to heauen they must needes go to Christ because Christ touching his Godhead was alwaies in heauen I desire to be dissolued As the wordly long for Christ to come to them so the faithful long to go to Christ for vnlesse we ascend to him as he descended to vs his descending is in vaine because he came downe that we might go vp he descended to take our flesh we ascende to take his kingdom he descended to be crucified we ascende to be glorified he descended to hell we ascend to heauen that is to ioy to glory to blisse to our father to our Sauiour to our comforter to Angels to Saints to eternall life therefore good cause had Paul to desire to be with Christ that he might be at rest for no doubt it was the sweetest voice that euer the theefe heard in this life when Christ said vnto him This day shalt thou bee with me in Paradise Luke 23. chapt vers 45. Besides as Paul persecuâ—ed before so he was after persecuted himselfe as he tels the Corinthians 2. Cor. 11. 24. I was thrise beaten with rods I was once stoned I suffered thrise shipwrake c. Therefore good cause had Paul to desire to be with Christ that he might be out of trouble Yet he wil not dissolue himself but desireth to be dissolued that is that he which brought him into this world would take him out of the world neither doth he wish or pray or make any petitioÌ„ to God to take away his life but tels him his desire desiring to be dissolued to desire is not to pray but shewes what we approue neither doth he desire so to be dissolued as though he were weary of his labors would suffer no more for Christ but he is content to liue as he saith in the 24. vers Neuertheles for me to abide in the flesh were better for you as if he should say to do you good I am content to suffer euil and stay still from Christ whom I long to be with Seeing then that he wil not dissolue himself nor pray to be dissolued but is content to liue stil why doth he say I desire to be dissolued Onelie to shew what he preferreth in his desire if hee might choose life or death for his owne respect he could be content to leaue friends and riches and pleasures and life and all onely to bee with Christ This seemes to be a good lesson for sickemen when they can liue no longer then to be with Christ were better then to be with the glutton which neuer thought of heauen til he was in hell but Paul was not sicke nor sore when he desired to be dissolued therefore this is not onely for the sicke but for the whole If he had wished to liue stay still in the world no man need to be taught to say after him for yong old desire not to be dissolued but few are content to bee dissolued To a naturall man in this life nothing is so sweete as life it selfe and he which is in loue with this world seldome dyeth quietly vpon his bed but to a minde which misliketh this worlde nothing can come so welcome as death because it takes him out of the world This it is which Paul would haue vs learne that nothing in this world is so pretious or pleasant that for it we should desire to liue or stay from God one hower though all may not wish to die yet all must subscribe to this that death is better then life because it leads to Christ which when Paul had throughlie tasted he was satisfied for all things else and desired to liue no longer that he might bee with Christ heerein appeareth the end of mans life which when he hath obtayned he desireth to liue no longer how great riches and honours and friends soeuer he leaue behind him From the time he knoweth Christ crucified and begins like Enoch to walke with God he cryeth euer after with the Apostle I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ who shall deliuer mee from this bodie of sinne death weare to me aduantage Euen as Simeon reioiced that Christ came to him so the faithfull reioice that they shall go to Christ The necessitie of sinne is so irksome to him which knoweth the vilenesse of sinne that the faithfull man but to doe good would not liue
Kingdome and glorie And therefore seeke it and further it as earnestly and diligently as hee would his owne and rule and iudge and speake and punish and counsaile as he would for himselfe Euen as Dauid counted Gods foes his foes and Gods friendes his friendes And Moses persecuted them that were Idolaters against God as he did them which were Traytors to himselfe If this were obserued we should see such a change that diuers which take should giue they which giue should take they which labour should rest they which rest should labour Howe can they pray to God which know that the lawes of God are not obeied that his will is not regarded but the poore vnpitied because of the remissenes in not bridling the insolent It may seeme that in Eliah his answere to Achab it was prophesied who should trouble Israell to the worldes end for speaking to the wicked Magistrate he sayd It is thou which troublest it So the vngodly Rulers and gracelesse striuers against lawful rule in their owne hearts calling themselues Gods not being so called of God are cause of all disorder in euery Common weale Fourthly they are called Gods to encourage them in their office and to teach them that they need not dread the persons of men but GOD dooth that which is iust and good without the ielousie of men so they vpon the Bench and in all causes of Iustice should forget themselues to be men which are lead by the armes betweene fauour and feare and thinke themselues Gods which feare nothing This boldnesse is so necessarie in them which should iudge all a like that in Deut. 3. 28. Moses encourageth Ioshua in Ios 1. 18. the people encourage him in ver 9. God doth encourage him saying that hee will be with him but here he is with him for hearing GOD call them Gods shewes that God is there nay that they are hee which should strike a wonderfull minde into them As a princely spirite came vpon Saul so soon as he hee was king so hearing that they are Gods it should change them make them excell the order of men vntill they resemble God after whom they are named as Salomō studied and prayed till he was wiser than all that he gouerned then they need not blush to reade this testimonie I haue sayd yee are Gods Or else it wil seeme a checke vnto them like the mocke which GOD gaue to Adam when he said that he was become like himselfe As many sit in Gods place and yet neuer knew that the Scripture called them Gods nor why they haue this name no more than Nabal so many play Nabal in their offices and are readier to aske Who is Dauid Who is Christ when his cause comes before them then speake or doe any thing for him but the women goe before them againe like Abigail as though GGD would shame them with the weaker vessell I cannot compare them fitter then with King Agrippa who thought it better to be a Christian almost than altogether This is the Religion of these times they feare nothing more then to be counted too precise but God doth call them more thā precise for he calles them Gods of all men then they should not forget his name Princes and Rulers haue many names of honour but this is the honourablest name in their Titles that they are called Gods other names haue been giuen them of men for reuerence or flatterie but no man could giue them this name but God himselfe Therefore their name is a glasse wherein they may see their duetie how God doth honour them and how they should honour him What am I more than he that God should set me in his owne Chaire and giue me his owne name more than others he hath not done so to all but if they which are called his children are happie they which are called his disciples are happie they which are called his seruants are happie how happie are they whom he calleth Gods It seemes that if GOD could haue called them by a higher name than his owne he would haue called them by some other name but this worde is enough to put them in minde of all that they should doo Thinke that yee are Gods and it will make you ashamed to obey the diuell for then ye are like Gods no more but like sinnefull men and the poorest vassal which serues God in a cottage is liker God than you Are they Gods which oppresse Gods children Nay dooth not he lie which calles them worshipfull or noble If such deserue not their titles how can Antichrist of Rome thinke of his vsurped names and not be abashed Can he sit downe in Gods place and speake against him iudge agaist him decree against him euen in the Temple of God resisting God Againe for another sorte of Gods Doth iniquitie become Gods Doth partialitie become Gods doo bribes become GODS They are greedie Gods Idol Gods bellie Gods and may be tearmed Gods because they are like the God of this worlde which doe but stay like Nabuchadnezzar vntill their iniquities be full that they may bee cast out like beastes as a derision to them they gouerne But they which regarde this honourable testimonie of God as Nehemiah sayd when he was tempted to flie Should such a man as I flie so when they are tempted with bribes should such a man as I take bribes shoulde such a man as I doe wrong should such a man as I be a lyar or a swearer or a scoffer or a drunkard or a gamester or a vsurer or a prophaner vpon whome all eyes are set to take their example and would harken sooner than to God himselfe Then he resolueth to rule according to his name knowing that all the soules which might be wonne by him shall be required of him as the sinnes of Israel were imputed to Ieroboam Thus GOD doth catechize them in their owne names and calles them Gods to teach them their duetie to God All should be godly but they should bee like Gods that is as I may say more then godly or the nexte to GOD in godlynesse If any come betweene them they lose of their honour and would thinke themselues put downe like a guest which is set lower or a Iustice which is turned out of office For so GOD doth humble them and disgrace them which dishonour their calling as he did Saul when the princely Spirite departed from him his sonnes and his daughters and his subiects did fauour Dauid more than him that he could do nothing with them because God did not loue him hee would not let his seruaunts loue him But when Dauid came to the Crowne because he had grace with God he prospered in all that he went about and euer reformed what he would for the Lord as hee saide subdued the people vnto him that is made them incline to his will as wee reade of Saul in
God Nowe if the companie of wise men can so change one that in a shorte time he representeth their speeches qualities how will them nature and their maners alter which are still talking with God like the beloued Disciple which learned on Christes bosome Fiftlie it is such a sweete thing aboue other things that we do for God that in Reue. 7. the Praiers of the Saints are called incense because when they ascend to Heauen God seemes to smell a sweet sauour like incense Sixtly it is such a profitable things that it doth more good than 〈◊〉 for with mine almes I helpe but three or foure but with my praier I helpe thousandes Praier is the rich-mans almes as well as the poore mans For Pharaoh begged for praiers as well as Lazarus begged for cromes Lastlie it is victorious and powerfull that it ouercommeth God himselfe which ouercommeth all things For if we will ouercome our Lord as Iacob did we must ouercome him with praier This God sheweth when he saith to Ieromiah Pray not for this people Shewing that the praier of the righteous is of such force and power that God is faine to forbid them to pray when he would not graunt lest he should be ouer come This Christ sheweth againe when he resembleth his father to the deaffe Iudge and his suppliants to the importunate woman which cryed vpon him and made him hearken to her as if she had compelled him Therefore one compareth prayer vnto Samsons haire As all Sampsons strength lay in his hayre so all our strength lyeth in praier I haue read of many which write that they did learn more by praying than they could by reading And I haue heard some saie that they haue done that by prayer which they could not doe by counsell In the 17. of Exodus we reade that the Iewes preuailed more by prayer than they could by fight Therefore one saith that he which can pray can do all things because hee can ouercome God which helpeth him to do al things And he which can ouercome God can ouercome the diuell too which hindereth all things Whoeuer fell into heresie or into Apostasie or into despaire before hee fell from praier the preseruatiue of the soule If thou hadst beene heere saith Martha my brother had not died So if prayer had beene heere these euils had not happened This is the Holie water which driueth awaie vncleane spirites as Christ sheweth when he speaketh of the Diuell which is not cast out but by fasting and praier This is the Crosse which saueth vs from euill as Christ sheweth when hee teacheth vs to praie as it is wrtten in the 11. Chapter of Luke Deliuer vs from euill This is the oyle which healeth our sicknesse as Iames sheweth in his fifth Chapter verse 15. when hee saith The praier of faith shall saue the sicke It hath such a hand in all thinges that it is like the sanctifier of euery thing it blesseth our thoughts and blesseth our speeches and blesseth our actions As Abraham blessed his seruaunt before hee wente from so prayer blesseth our workes before they goe from vs. Whatsoeuer thou doest before thou haue blessed it with praier thou haste no promise that it shall prosper nor doe good because hee which should blesse it is not made a counsell to it Therefore we shoulde not presume to vse anie of Gods giftes or anie of Gods graces without prayer lest that which is good doe not good but hurt vnto vs. For this cause S. Paule in the 14. to the Romans and the sixth verse teacheth vs to pray before wee eate For this cause Paule prayed before hee iournied For this cause Eliah prayed before hee sacrificed as it appeareth in 1. King 18. 36. For this cause the Israelites praied before they fought and for this cause wee pray before we preach It is a good thing to preach and yet you see wee doe not presume to preach before wee pray because Paule planteth and Apollo watereth but GOD giueth the increase Euen so wee should not presume to giue Almes nor to giue counsell nor to giue helpe before wee haue prayed that it may doe good Nay wee shoulde not presume to exercise our faith nor our repentance nor our obedience without prayer because there is no faith so Perfect but it had neede of Prayer to strengthen it Also there is no loue so perfect but it had neede of praier to confirme it There is no repentance so perfect but it had neede of prayer to continue it There is no obedience so perfect but it had neede of praier to direct it Therefore hee dooth sinne which presumeth to doe anie good worke without praier because hee seemes to doe it by his owne power for that he craueth not assistance from GOD which giueth power to faith to bring forth works as well as he doth to trees to bring foorth fruites or to Phisicke to bring forth health Therefore no vertue hath done so much as praier hath done For all vertues haue had their power from prayer and therefore one saieth that prayer hath done as manie exploites as all vertues beside The Apostle Paule in the 11. to the Hebrews saith that by faith Noah did this and Abraham did this and Dauid did this and Enoch did this but did their faith anie thing without praier For their faith was strengthened by praier and therefore the Disciples praied Christ to strengthen their faith By praier Eliah made the clowdes to fall By prayer Iosua made the Sunne to stande still By praier Elisha raised the dead to life By praier Moses made the enemies to flie By praier Salomon obtained wisedome So that as Paule in the first to Timothie and fourth Chapter saieth of godlinesse Godlinesse is profitable to all things So I may saie of praier Prayer is profitable to all things The Doue coulde finde no rest for the soale of her foote vntill shee returned to the Arke So the sinner when hee can flye no longer nor suffer anie longer nor helpe himselfe anie longer at last he turneth to praier which is like the Citie of refuge where no enemie where no aduersitie and where no temptation hath power to hurte him Lastly as prayer is excellent in respect of GOD to whome onely it is offered so it is excellent in respect of the godlie who onely offer it For as Paule saieth of Faith in the second to the Thessalonians All men haue not faith So I may say of prayer all men haue not the gift of prayer and therefore Zachariah speaketh of a spirit of prayer And when wee pray Paule sayeth That the spirite helpeth our infirmities prayeth in vs as though there were a peculiar spirite for prayer and none could praye but they which had that spirit I haue knowne many wicked men heare and I haue knowne many wicked men studie and I haue knowen many wicked men fast and I haue knowne
same effect saith The feare of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge as if the first lesson to be wise were to be holie therefore Christ is said to haue expounded all thinges to his Disciples apart to shew that if we will haue Christ to teach vs we must go a part from the world So that as a man slippeth off all his cloathes when he goeth into a bath to wash him So we must slippe off all our sins when we come to the word to feed vs for wisedom will not rest in the defiled soule nor in a bodie that is subiect vnto sinne As the Deuill woulde not dwell but in a house that was swept from godlines so the graces of God will not come vnto the heart which is not cleansed from wickednesse for God will not powre new wine but into new vessels therefore vnles ye haue prepared new hearts look for no new blessings to bee powred on you The Iewes reade the Scriptures daily in their Synagogues to finde Christ but all in vayne because the vaile is not takē away in reading them Euen so doe we preach in vayne and you heare in vaine because the vaile of sinne which is drawne like a Curtaine ouer your harts hideth and eclipseth the glorious light of the Gospell from you And therefore beloued brethren if you will haue the Lord to blesse your hearing and to prosper our preaching you must wash and rince out the dregs of sin that are frozen in you you must purge the leauen of maliciousnes that sowreth your soules you must cast vp your couetousnes your pride and your slothfulnes your partiall preiudice like the serpent which spues vp his poyson when he goes to drinke For this is the cause why there are so many fruitlesse non-proficient hearers because there are so many sinfull and wicked hearers It is sayd of Christ that he did not many great works in his owne countrey for their vnbeliefs sake so it may be sayd that GOD concealeth many great mysteries of faith from vs for our sinnes sake Our wickednesse stops Christs mouth that hee will not speake as the Iewes incredulitie chayned his handes that hee woulde not worke Will an Embroderer teach an other mans seruant his trade if he knowe he will hurt him No more will God teach the Diuels seruants his truth because hee knoweth they will offend him The seed which fell into the thornie groud sprang vp very cherefully for a time that it might seeme to giue great hope of a ioyfull haruest but because thornes grewe vp with it at length they choked it so that vnlesse wee cut vp the thornie sinnes which naturally sprout and spring vp in vs they will ouerthrow all the good plants of holy doctrine that are graffed in vs and therefore the Prophet Ieremie willeth vs to breake vp the fallowe ground and not to sowe among thornes as if the heart must first be sanctified and afterward instructed as yron must first be heated and afterwards be fashioned In regard whereof I beseech you my beloued in the feare and reuerence of Gods blessed name looke to your feete when ye enter into the house of GOD presse not into this marriage feast without a Wedding garment treade not into the holie Sanctuarie to heare the word with an vnsanctified and a defiled and a filthie soule A man will not keepe the Sabbaoth in his working apparell but will put on his richest iewelles and array himselfe in his best attyre and yet wee make it no seruple at all to come vnto the Sabbaoths exercise with a prophane and a wicked and our workie day heart When Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire before the Lord God sayd I will bee honoured in them that draw nigh vnto mee to shewe that the Lord doth then looke for more holines at our hands when by practise of his seruice and the duties of holy religion wee approach to drawe more neere vnto him Wherefore to shut vp this point as the begger in the Gospell cast off his cloake to come to Christ so must we cast off the cloke of our wickednesse when we come to heare We must be as babes if wee will bee Christes pupilles because he reuealeth knowledge wisedome to none but babes And yet wee must not be babes only but newe borne babes which haue a newe soule a newe life newe members new affections imparted to them Whereby wee learne that it is not enough in our regeneration to redresse and reforme some one disordered affection in vs but wee must bee chaunged and new fashioned in euerie part As Saul when the kingly spirite came vpon him was turned as it were into another man So wee when the word begetteth vs a new must be turned and chaunged into other men and therefore they which are implanted into Christ are called new creatures because neither the olde hearn nor the olde hand nor the olde eare nor the olde eye will serue the turne but all must bee 〈◊〉 and newe framed agayne For whatsoeuer is borne of the flesh is flesh If wee will haue it spirit that is fit for Gods worship who is a spirit and will bee worshipped in spirit and truth it must bee borne agayne of the spirit The sense hereof made the Prophet Dauid crye out Create in me a cleane heart O God and renue a right spirit within me and therefore we must not patch and peece vp our hearts for GOD like a beggers cloake which is made of shreds but we must be renewed and thorowly chaunged in the spirite of our mindes When Naaman the leper had washed in Iordan his flesh came agayne like the flesh of a young child If the leprosie of sinne be washed and purged from vs al our affections and all our desires will bee altered and chaunged like the flesh of a child And therefore if wee will fit our selues to bee good hearers wee must not entertaine friendship with any sin As the Adder slippes off her skinne and the Eagle casteth her bill so wee must quite slip our selues of all our lusts when as newe borne babes we come to heare Touch no vncleane thing sayth the Lord because sinne will cling to the conscience like bird-lime to a feather therefore we must not touch it it must not haue a finger of vs. When the Diuell made his reentrie he tooke vnto himselfe seuen other spirites worse then himselfe Thus one diuell brings moe diuels and one sinne pulles on more sinnes as one crow calleth many crowes to a carrion and therefore as the leauen was hid in the meale till all was sowred so let vs neuer rest seasoning our soules till all be sanctified for then wee bee fit to vnderstand euery part of Gods will when we bee in euery part newe borne againe Furthermore this poynt discouereth and descrieth a grosse errour in Poperie concerning the works of nature which are wrought and effected by the