themselues it was the reuenging power of some angrie God for the sinne of somenotorious wretch that was amongest them Seeing therefore neither they nor Ionah praying had appeased the tempest but it was rather increased and no man confessed hee was that sinner they take counsell and agree to find him out by lots Wherein let vs obserue first neuer a one of them is of Dauids spirit who when he saw the people plagued said Lord it is I Euery man excuseth himselfe for euery man would extenuate his owne sinne and diminish it and euery one thinketh his sinne salued when he hath excused himselfe Let Adam bee his owne iudge and hee will say The woman tempted him to sinne and let the woman be her owne iudge and she will say Yonder Serpent perswaded her to it Let euery one be his owne iudge and there will be such posting off of sinne that neuer a one will be found guiltie There is none that will bee so impudent as to say he hath no sinne at all yet fewe that will freely confesse they haue greiously sinned Therefore these here say euery man within himselfe though he be a sinner yet hee is no great sinner None are accounted sinners vnlesse they bee openly detected of some notable and hainous crime If they bee Dicers swearers drunkards brawlers pickers flatterers pro phaners of the Saboath sleepers at Church and such like they be not thought sinners these actions are counted no sins but rather recreations For the multitude count none sinners vnlesse they be theeues traitors open and grosse Idolaters and taken with such like capitall crimes no nor these neither were it not for feare of the law as none among the Iewes but Publicans were counted sinners all the rest were good fellowes and iust men The Papists say Some thoughts affections words and outward actions not agreeing with the Law of God are easily washt away with a little holy-water c. they are not deadly they deserue not the wrath of God they are but veniall Did you euer read of these veniall sinnes in the Scripture But thinke you they haue nothing but Scripture Yes they haue Decrees they haue decretals the Ceremonies whereof obserued these veniall sinnes are soone pardoned and they haue a Pope that can forgiue any sinnes Thus they lesson sinnes thus they abate the price of sinnes and they can buy our sinnes with money or redeeme them with Masses and by a little shorte penance purchase a large and long pardon And as the Mariners euery man thought hee was no great sinner so Ionah thought with himselfe Though I bee a great sinner yet am I not so greious a sinner as these Idolatrous heathens or if hee throughly condemned himselfe yet vnwilling to be knowne such a rebell hee thought it may bee it is most likely they are many I but one peraduenture therefore the lot will not fall vpon mee like a theefe which notwithstanding in his owne heart hee acknowledge himselfe guiltie of that wherewithall hee is charged yet will not confesse vntill the matter bee throughly sifted and so clearely prooued to his owne face in such sort that he cannot for shame though with shame he confesse denie it Therefore if God had not sifted out this sinner the better Ionah would not haue beene knowne the man and the Mariners would still haue contended who was the lesser sinner therefore they consult to cast lots Let vs cast lots They did not vse to cast lots this was no custome among the Mariners but the tempest was so wonderfull that it made them seriously to thinke of God and willing to vse the meanes prescribed by god for the ending of doubt full matters acknowledging that hee ordereth all and the Pro. 18. 18 Pro. 26. 33. lot is the sentence of God by the falling of the lot he reuealeth the truth These like worldlings neuer confesse God but when he commeth in a tempest they will not see his mercie vntill his iustice appeare they will not acknowledge Gods gouernement before he bring on them some iudgement like Pharaos sorcerers who confessed not Gods Maiestie while they liued at ease but when the Lord plagued them then cried out This is the finger of God Exod. 52. Exo. 8. 19 Let vs cast lots that we may know for whose cause this euill is come vpon vs. Why what are they the better when they know him what would they doe with him on whome the lot should fall Surely they supposing or rather clearely seeing this tempest to bee sent from some wrathfull power and that for some one mans sinne amongst them they determined hauing found him to sacrifice him vnto the God that was so offended by him God turneth euill into good but the deuill turneth good vnto euill The Gentiles had a custom in the time of the common plague to sacrifice one for the rest This custome they tooke by imitation of the Iewes in offering beasts of Abraham in offering his son the deuill that father of lyes and schoolemaister of all mischiefe teaching them So the deuill tooke aduantage to doe euill by the seruice of God in mouing the Gentiles to worke abhomination by offering men imitating the Iewes commaunded sacrifices But if they had rightly known the true God they would haue taken their sinnes by the throat and haue sacrificed them Come let vs cast lots The mariners were not so wise to preuent the tempest before it came as they bee diligent to alay the tempest when it may not be layd wee ouertaken with Gods iust iudgements are very carefull alwaies to vse all meanes to bee rid of them But who keepeth a watch of his owne waies and diligently laboureth to keepe himselfe free from that which necessarily draweth on it selfe Gods iudgement who purgeth himselfe of his sinnes least he bee sicke who letteth or fetcheth out his corrupt bloud of pride lust couetousnesse least hee be sore who keepeth a good dyet and maketh his choyse of holy excercises godly companions religious conferences c. But knowe wee hee is not safe that is not sound neither he sound that is intemperate So they cast lots Whether it be lawfull to cast lots it is not euident by this example because they were Gentiles and therefore no president for vs but so farre may wee vse them as the word doth lead vs and no further There are two Goates brought to Aaron that hee might Leuit 16. cast lots to see which Goate should bee killed and which should not these Goates signifie Christ for as hee dyed hee liued againe and as hee was buryed he rose againe Againe Num 34. Iosua 7. the land of Canaan is parted by lots to see what part each Tribe should inhabite Againe that theefe Achan is found out by lots first by his Tribe then by his Family and lastly by his particular person Againe it is said that Saul was chosen king by lots and least any should haue said that it was his good lucke 1. Sam.
10 1. Sam. 9. his good lot or chance to bee King therefore the Lord appointed that he should be annointed before he was chosen by lots Acts 1. Pro 16 33. Againe Matthias is chosen by lots to the Apostleship in stead of Iudas so that it is lawfull in some causes to cast lots so that they doe attribute nothing vnto them and acknowledge that the lot is cast into the lap but the disposition thereof is from the Lord for they must not say that it is their chance fortune or good lucke for so they make an Idole of it and rob God of the honour due vnto him For it was not Saules fortune to be King but Gods mercy it was not Achans chaunce to bee caught but Gods iudgement Lots may be vsed to preuent strife when all other meanes haue beene vsed and sometimes before al other meanes when in wisedome it is thought the besâ— meanes Brethren often and godly at first deuide them inheritance by lots as the Children of Israell deuided the land of Canaan Therefore in the Church of Geneua there is an order that in the time of plague there should bee a house set apart for the sicke to lodge in and least they should bee vncomforted they chuse out a Minister by lots to doe it So they cast lots Now wee are come to put vpour selues to the Court of Lawyers to see if they will doe any thing for God for conscience or for loue viz that they would end mens suites quickly and let the poore Clients haue equitie Some say that Lawyers bee good vntill they bee Counsellers like Lyons which will be gentle vntill their tallons grow bee not offended but amend for malice speakes not I am perswaded that if the lots were cast to see who troubles the ship it would fall vpon the Lawyers be not offended but amend for malice speakes not A poore Client commeth forth accusing one and going home accuseth a hundred for so many seeke to gaine by him so few seeke to further him and so many seeke to hinder him that all his gaine is but labour and losse For a small matter many will come to law to striue for that which with reason might easily bee attained without such contention and others seeke to enrich themselues with contending for a small matter with their neighbours yet in the end loose that they sought and that they had beside and so they contend and striue about a thing commonly till the Lawyer hath gayned more by them then the thing which is in controuersie is worth These are like the Mouse and the Frog which stroue so long about Marsh-ground that at length the Kite came and tooke them both from it Others will come vp to Law about a small matter and therein so intangle themselues that they cannot rid their handes of it vntill it haue almost vndone them like a silly sheepe that is hunting of a flie which runneth from bush to bush and euery bush catcheth a locke of him so that the poore sheepe is threed-bareere hee hath done and hath not a fleece left him to couer himselfe withall So hee runs from Court to Court to sue to complaine to plead till he haue spent his cloke for his coate were it not better to haue cast lots for the coate at first for the law is like a Butlers boxe play still on till all come to the Candlesticke Therefore it is lawfull to end any controuersie in a hard matter to vse this meane Now whether it be lawfull to cast dice if lots may not bee vsed as Solomons wordes Prouerbes 18. 18. The lot causeth contention to cease compared with Heb. 6. 16. proue but in hard matters and waightie causes when the thing is doubtfull and all good meanes are tryed before to auoyd strife that question is decided which none Arguments against dicing Pro. 18. but voluptuous men make question of namely whether dice-play bee a meete exercise for a Christian soule Salomon sayth the lot causeth contention to cease therefore lots are to end strife but these lots make strife for before thou takest the Dice thou knowest thine owne and no man striueth to take it from thee but when thou castest the dice thou doest as it were aske whether thine owne bee thine owne and makest a strife of no strife Art thou not worthy to loose the giftes of God which venturest to loose them when thou needest not Doest thou not deserue to forget thine owne which art so greedy of anothers that thou wouldest haue his liuing for nothing but for turning of a die Esau did not sell his birth right so lightly but he had somewhat for it which refreshed his hunger but God hath giuen thee a liuing and thou spendest it for nothing The Mariners did cast lots to finde out the sinner they did not cast dice to see who should winne as Dicers doe for to whom the lot falles hee taketh all which deserues to loose all as well'as the other and hath no right vnto it by any lawe for God hath not allowed one man to take anothers goods for the tripping of a Die but eyther they must be merited or they must be giuen or they must be bought or else it is vnlawfull vngodly vnconscionable to take them Besides the brawles the cosenages the othes annexed to this game which would not agree with it vnlesse it had been a meete companion for them Thou takest another mans goods for nothing whereas God hath appointed thee to get thy liuing with the sweate of thy browes for thou takest away that which others sweat for and whereas thou shouldest liue by working thou seekest to liue by playing like as the ape which liues by toying Doth any dicer thinke hee doth well Tell mee what thinkest thou for euery sinner doth condemne in his prayer to God that which he excuseth before men if they which are gamesters repent it how can they which are gamesters defend it Thou shouldest do nothing but that thou wouldest haue God finde thee doing if hee shoulde come to iudgement wouldest thou haue him take thee at dice I am sure thou wouldest not haue God see thee so vainely occupied neither canst thou thinke that Christ or his prophets or Apostles or Euangelists were Dicers for no such lots are named in the holy Scripture and yet the Lords day is most prophaned with this exercise cards and dice as though they kept all their vanities to celebrate holy daies what hast thou to alledge for dice now euidence is giuen vp against them hast thou any patron to speake for them but thy vaine pleasure and filthy couetousnesse which are condemned already and therefore haue no voyce by lawe take away these and take away dice. The patron condemnes the clients when one voice condemnes another if the exercise were lawfull such patrons as pleasure and couetousnesse would not speake for it Take thy pleasure therefore in that which is good and the Angels will reioyce with thee if this were
which they planted not at least vnto which they gaue no increase vpon others increase of vertuous children whereby their posteritie is preserued vpon others the free passage of his word which a long time had been obscured by ignorance the mother of deuotion as the shauelings call it but vnder a stepdame of destruction as we perceiue it though he bestowe but some one or two of his blessings vpon vs yet how much are wee bound for these blessings to sing praise and honour and glory vnto him that sitteth vpon the throne and vnto the Lambe for euer But vpon whom hee hath bestowed all these blessings O how strictly by good cause are they bound to magnifie the Lord and to reioyce in God their Sauiour Examine then your owne consciences I beseech you whether God hath bestowed all these blessings vpon you or no and if he haue O what Psal 99. Psal 96. great cause haue you to come before his face with praise to sing loud vnto him with Psalmes to worship to fall downe before him to giue vnto the Lord the glory of his name to bring an offering of thanksgiuing and to enter into his courts with praise And yet who knoweth whether the Lord hath greater blessings for you in store yee may bee sure hee will pull downe the mightie from their seates and exalt the humble and meeke Surely the Lord doth vse vertue as a meane to bring vs to honour and whosoeuer you shall see endued with the vertues of this Text I meane with seeking vnto God with prayer and puritie of life yee may bee sure there is a blessing reserued for him of the Lord yea such a blessing as though his beginning be but small yet his latter ende shall greatly encrease God encrease the loue of these things in our hearts and make vs worthy of Christs blessings which hee hath plentifully in store for vs that after hee hath heaped temporall blessings vpon vs hee would giue vs the blessing of all blessings euen the life of the world to come FINIS Maries Choyce Luke 10. 38. 39. c. 38 Now it came to passe as they went that hee entered into a certaine towne and a certaine woman named Martha receiued him into her house 39 And shee had a sister called Marie which also sate at Iesus feete and heard his preaching 40 But Martha was cumbred about much seruing and came to him and sayd Maister doest thou not care that my sister hath left me to serue alone Bid her therefore that shee helpe me 41 And Iesus answered and said vnto her Martha Martha thou carest and art troubled about many things 42 But one thing is needefull Marie hath chosen the good part which shall not be taken away from her AS Christ had shewed himselfe louing vnto Lazarus and his sisters in raysing him Iohn 11. from the death of the body and then from the death of the soule so doe they heere shew their thankful minds to Christ again the one by receiuing him into her house the other by entertaining him into her heart As hee was God he was receiued of Mary as he was man he was receiued of Martha They both desired to entertaine our Sauiour as Iacob and Esau desired to please their aged Gen. 27 Father but Mary made choyce of the better part and was preferred before her sister as Iacob sped soonest of most daintie venison and preuented his brother of the blessing And although the care of Martha in entertayning of Christ be not to bee misliked yet Maries diligence in hearing his doctrine is of purpose preferred to teach vs that it is much better with Mary to study in the word and first to seeke the kingdome of God then with Mat. 6. 35 Martha to labour in the world and to neglect that heauenly kingdome And yet notwithstanding such is the corruption of this rustie age that our greatest care is to prouide for this present life as the Rich man Luke 12. inlarged his Barnes wherein to put his store for many yeares but wee neuer or very late remember to prouide for the life to come like that other Rich man Luke 16. that neuer thought of heauen till he was tormented in the flames of hell In the 11. of Iohn Christ is sayde to loue the whole Familie and here hee is sayd to come vnto them For whom hee loueth hee cannot chuse but visite like the friendes of Iob that came to comfort him in his great aduersitie Iob. 2. yea and the greater loue hee beareth vnto any the oftner hee will resort vnto them yea hee will come and dwell with them Iohn 14. 23. Like Iacob that came downe into Egypt to his beloued Sonne Ioseph and dwelt in Gen. 47 Gen 45. Goshen But Christ is yet more kinde then Iacob was for hee came not till hee was sent for with horses and chariots but Christ came of his owne accord to this beloued familie Thus doth hee alwayes preuent vs with his blessings before hee was desired hee came into the world hee called his Apostles before they came to him and before hee was requested hee came vnto this noble house O happie house that entertained such a ghest but thrice happie inhabitants to whome such a ghest woulde vouchsafe to come When hee came to the swinish Gadarens they desired him to depart out of their coastes preferring their swine aboue their Sauiour but this godly family Luke 8. receiued him into their houses preferring their God before their golde and the health of their soules before their worldly wealth They receiued him into their house who had not a house wherein to put his head Wherein their hospitalitie is commended and shall certainly bee Mat. 8. 19 rewarded at the dreadfull day for with this and such like workes of mercy the Lord shall answer the sentence of iudgement which is to bee denounced against the wicked that neuer exercised those workes of mercy Let vs learne by their example to bee harberous and giuen to hospitality which is so often commended vnto vs in the Scripture and shall bee so richly rewarded at the last day Those godly Fathers Abraham and Lot entertained Angels in the habite of strangers so wee may daily entertaine Christ Iesus in the habite of a poore Gen. 18 Gen. 19 man of a blind man of a lame man and whatsoeuer is done vnto any of these that are his members hee accounteth and accepteth as done vnto himselfe Now as the vertue of hospitalitie is commendable in all sorts of men so is it more especially commended to the Ministers who are expresly commaunded by the Apostle among other things to bee giuen to hospitalitie 1. Tim 3. 2 Num. 35 Vnto the Leuites in the time of the lawe the Lord appointed cities of refuge to signifie that the Ministers house should bee the poore mans harbour and his store their treasure but the true Ministers of our daies haue no cities of refuge for
good God would prosper them better that vse it but neither winners nor losers are gainers I know not how but there is not so much wonne as lost as though the Deuill did part stakes with them and drawe away with a blacke hand when no man seeth for the winner saith he hath not won halfe so much as the loser hath lost One would thinke that some of them should flow when so many ebbe there is neuer an ebbe without a flowing neuer one looseth but another winneth but at dice. What a cursed thing is this that turnes no man to good which robs others and beggars themselues the schoole of deceit the shop of oathes and the field of vanities Thou doest not onely hazard thy money in this game but venturest thy saluation and castest dice with the Deuill who shall haue thy soule For euery thing that commeth well to a man hee giueth thankes but for that which commeth by dice hee is ashamed to giue thanks which sheweth that in conscience that gaine is euill gotten and that he sought it without God Can this be good when worst men vse it most if it were good the euill would like worse of it then the good but the more a man sauoureth of any goodnesse the more hee begins to abhorre it and his conscience doth accuse him for it as for sin They which doubt whether God doe allow it neede but looke how he doth prosper them that vse it but they trust not in God the termes of their occupation discrie for they call all their casts chances as though they relyed not vpon God but vpon chaunce Therefore if dice make strife without cause if they take away others goods for nothing if wee may not liue by playing but by labour if they which haue beene dicers repent it among their sins if the holy men neuer vsed this recreation but the worst most delight in it if thou wouldest not haue God see thee when thou playest at Dice nor take thee at it when hee comes to iudgement if nothing but pleasure and couetousnesse speake for them if they doe not prosper which take pleasure in it if they trust not vpon God but relie vpon chaunce if thou doest not onely venture thy money but hazard thy soule then the best cast at dice is to cast them quite away And the lot fell vpon Ionah The lot fell vpon Ionah not because he was the greatest sinner of them all for so is the opinion of the common people to censure them worst whom they see most afflicted Luke 13. 1. 2. c. If any one be seene to beare his crosse then many will say This is a wicked man and so thinke well of themselues supposing that God is not bent against them to punish them as well but because Ionah should feele the Heb. 5. 8 1. Pet. 4 17. 18 hand of the Lord both punishing and preseruing him and bee reformed for God correcteth all his 〈◊〉 hee did his Sonne to learne them obedience But if iudgement begin with the house of God what shall become of the vngodly And the lot fell vpon Ionah Now when the sinner that troubled the ship is taken now Ionah can hide himselfe no longer Now hee might also feare to bee sacrificed by the mariners presently For the mariners partly for the paine they had endured partly for the losses they had sustained partly for the danger wherein they remained were no doubt as the shee-Wolues robbed of their whelpes out of measure furious and fully bent to sacrifice him on whome the lot fell to appease the wrathfull God But God stayed and restrained the rage of the mariners and made them afterward willingly to abide the tempest a while and put themselues to more paine to saue him endeuouring by rowing to recouer land For hauing heard of the true God and though they lost their goods hauing found God who is all good shall wee say they destroy him that hath saued vs Shall wee giue him vp to death vnnecessarily that hath brought vs to life and assured vs to raigne with God in all glorie euerlastingly Surely the thankelesse are gracelesse especially they that loue not and shew not forth the labour of loue for their gratious guide to God but therefore wee may see that the hearts of men are in Pro. 20. 1. Psal 33. 15. Ps 106. 40. Isa 3. 10. 6 Ezra 1 14. Isa 3. 24. Ne 11. 1 Ps 105. 1 Sa. 2. 30. Ps 146. 3. the hands of God and hee turneth them which way hee list hee fashioneth their hearts euery one yea euen kings hearts as riuers of water doth hee turne to water and make fruitfull his vine to pittie and to persecute to honour and to shame to loue and hate his people to deliuer their power to the beast Reue. 17. 13. and againe to eate the whores fleshe and to burne her with fire 17. 16. 17. Therefore let vs neuer feare to performe our duties whatsoeuer to whome soeuer for hee formeth the hearts of all who hath promised to honour them that honour him but to make them contemptible that doe despise him Neither let vs put confidence in man nor in Princes for their hearts are riuers of water of them selues fleeting easely as they bee led following But especially let vs not forget chiefly to make praiers supplications intercessions and to giue thankes for all those on the godlinesse or prophanesse of whose hearts the flourishing 1. Tim 2. 1. or defacing of the gospell of Christ Iesus and the chosen of God doth most depend And the lot fell vpon Ionah Now Ionah could not deny he was that sinner vnlesse hee would accuse God of vnrighteous iudgement for the lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposition there of is of the Lord. Now therefore he must needs confesse it The winds thundring the waues tumbling the ship cracking the mariners quaking vpon their gods crying their wares forth casting Ionahs prayers requested to cast lots consulting Ionah kept himselfe close hee would not bee thought that sinner The wind said I will ouer turne thee the water said I will drowne thee the ship said I cannot hold thee the mariners said We cannot helpe thee his prayers said Wee cannot profit thee his conscience within bleeding and God at the doore of his heart knocking and the lots now ready for casting said threatningly For thee the tempest is come thoufugitiue and wee will discouer thee Yet Ionah conceales his sin so much did heabhorre the shame of men of strange men a few men fraile men or the feare of the furie of the fleshe Therefore after the windes had roared and also the waues raged and the ship reeled and the mariners cryed and the lot his conscience and God himselfe threatned him the lot also condemned him and the feare of being sacrificed by sinners to Sathan terrified him so that he foorthwith repented throughly he declared it openly and confessed his sinne freely Such a stir hath God
blessing toward vs is also threefold answerable to the same Frst for seeking hee promiseth he will awake vnto thee Secondly for praying vnto him hee will make the habitation of thy righteousnesse prosperous Thirdly for being pure and vpright Hee will make thy latter ende encrease exceedingly yea though the beginning bee but small First therefore concerning the search it is a worke both in desire and labour to bee ioyned to God In the Psalme this standeth for the burden of the song They Concerning the search called vpon the Lord in the time of their trouble and hee deliuered them It is but Aske and haue seeke and find knocke and it shall bee opened vnto you Sauing that here these things are to bee regarded to wit how by whome and Psa 107. Mat. 6. when we must seeke the Lord. How First faithfully for if yee haue but asmuch as a graine of mustard-seede and say vnto this mountaine Remoue it spall remoue and nothing shall bee impossible vnto you Mat. 17. 20. Eccle. 35. Then next humbly for it is the humble petition that pearceth the skies and that shewed the Publican to depart home to his house more iustified then the boasting Pharisie and they alone that bee humble and meeke find rest for their soules And last of all continually for wee must not faint in Gal. 6 1. Thes 6 well doing because the reward is not promised to him that doeth but to him that continueth to doe But we may long seeke and neuer finde except wee seeke the Father by the Sonne For no man knoweth the 1. Tim. 2 Father but the Sonne and he to whom the Sonne shall disclose him he is the way the truth and the life and no man commeth to the Father but by him There is one God and one mediator betwixt God and man the man Christ Iesus So that if wee sinne we haue an aduocate Iesus Christ the iust and hee is the propitiation for our sins only let vs seeke the Lord while he may be found And to this end the word seeking is vsed in this place that we may learne that as the heauens and the planets and the whole frame of nature were ordayned to finish their course by motions and operation so man as hee was ordained to a most blessed and happy end should attaine thereunto not by sloth and idlenesse but by an earnest seeking of the same The kingdome of heauen is like a treasure which cannot bee found with out seeking and digging It is Mat. 13. 14. like the precious pearle for which the wise Marchant was content not onely to seeke but to sell all that hee had to buy it GOD hath placed vs heere in this world as husbandmen to plough vp the fallowe of our hearts as labourers to worke in the vineyarde as trauellers to seeke a Countrie as souldiers to fight the battell of the Lord against the fleshe the world and the deuill And for this purpose hath hee proposed vnto vs an vntilled lande a vineyarde a triple enemie to fight against that wee might remember that wee must till the ground if wee will reape the fruite that wee must prune the vine if wee will drinke of the grape that wee must fight if wee will ouercome Hee that tilleth the Land sayth Pro. 28. the wiseman shall be satisfied with bread but hee that followeth idlenesse shall bee filled with pouertie Idlenesse is a moth or canker of the minde and the fruites thereof are wicked cogitations euill affections and worse actions Iudg. 1 Pro. 24. corrupt trees without fruit twise dead and pluckt vp by the rootes engendring in the minde a loathing of God and godlinesse Eschue therefore idlenesse I beseech you and by the want ye find in other learne instructions for your selues Be not forgetfull how busie your enemie is if hee find you idle first hee putteth you in minde of some vanitie then offereth opportunitie to practise then hee craueth consent and if ye grant him that hee triumpheth by adding practise he leaueth no meanes vnattempted whereby he may subuert and bring you to perdition To one as to Euah he promiseth the knowledge of good and euil Another Gen. 3 Exod. 7. 22. 1. King 13 1. Cor. 2 he seduceth with lying speeches as he did Pharao the King whom hee deceiued by false Prophets To the Iewes he pretended the temple of the Lord. To the heathen hee sheweth vniuersalities and antiquities And to other particulers hee leaueth no more vnattempted whereby hee may entangle the soule of the simple and wrappe them in the snares of death Flye idlenesse therefore and seeke vertue and the way thereof seeke learning as for a Iewell make diligent search and inquisition after her seeke early and seeke late in the morning sow thy seede and in the euening let not thy hand rest seeke him in the day of trouble and hee will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie him Seeke him there is the commaundement hee will deliuer thee there is the promise and thou shalt glorifie him there is the condition To disobey the commandement is rebellion to distrust his promise is infidelitie to refuse the condition is vile ingratitude Wherefore let vs seeke and seeke earnestly with a feruent spirite and humblenesse of heart and let vs perswade our selues that there is no finding without seeking no opening without knocking The second circumstance to be considered in this point is to whom we must seeke for these thinges Our direction Iam. 1. 27 is made vnto God For euery good and perfect gift is from aboue descending from the father of lights And as for many causes wee are to seeke God and to God alone so especially for these foure First because we haue nothing of our selues nor of any other creature but whatsoeuer we haue we haue it of God for what hast thou that thou hast not receiued in him we liue wee moue and haue our being Art thou wise in thine owne conceit O remember that the wisedome of the world is foolishnesse with God O consider that the naturall man vnderstandeth not the thinges of God 1. Cor. 2 Rom. 1 These thinges are hid from the wise and prudent and are reuealed to babes and sucklings Alas what were man if he were once left to himselfe A map of misery and a sinke of calamitie Alas how were he able to resist the fiery darts of the aduersary who continually goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may deuoure Here yee may note first his malice for he daily accuseth vs before the cheif Iudge of the Kings bench when he cannot preuaile in this court but seeth his billes of accusation repelled then hee remoueth the matter to the court of our owne consciences 2. Pet. 2. Reue. 2 where on the one side he layeth the bookes of the Law and statutes made against sinne on the other side the billes of accusation brought in against vs out of the bookes of the Law
alleadging these strickt places against vs The soule that sinneth shall die the death Cursed is hee that abideth not in euery point of the law to doe it On the other side hee bringeth in our consciences to witnesse against vs and then inferreth this hard conclusion Therefore there is no hope in saluation Then if hee see that wee appeale from iustice to mercie and say At what time soeuer a sinner repenteth the Iudge putteth all his wickednesse out of his remembrance hee dealeth with vs as craftie worldings deale in matters of Lawe who when they see their matters passe against them in higher Courtes bring downe their case into the Countrey to bee decided by the Neighbours who either for their simplicitie cannot or for their fauour dare not iudge of the truth of the matter 1 So our aduersarie though God himselfe doe discharge vs though our conscience doth testifie our innocencie yet hee accuseth in the thirde court before men where hee is bold to powre out his whole venome and poyson of his malice against vs and to forge what lies and slaunders and libels he list because he knoweth they shal be receiued as true 2 Thus hee accuseth Christ Iesus our blessed Lord and Sauiour before Pontius Pilate and caused diuers false and vntrue witnesses to come in against him But if hee were malicious onely to wish our destruction and not mightie to wreake his malice wee should haue little cause to feare but he is mightie therefore he is tearmed a lion the power of darknesse a great Dragon which drewe to the earth the third part of the starres of heauen that is with earthly Luke 11. Ephe 6. Reue. 12. temptation to haue ouerthrowne them which seemed to shine in the church of God as lampes and starres O then how easie is our ouerthrow if the Lord did not hold vs vp which shine not as starres in heauen but creep like wormes on earth 3 Yet if hee were but malicious and mightie it were better with vs but hee is fierce and therefore called a roaring Lion who laying waite for the bloud of the godly stirreth vp bloud-thirstie persecutors to make themselues drunke with the bloud of Saintes as most greiuously hee did from the time of Iohn Baptist to the raigne of Maxentius the space of 294. yeares slaying some by the sword burning other with fire hanging some on the gallowes drowning some in riuers stabbing some with forkes of yron pressing others vnto death with stones deuouring many thousands of the tender lambs of Christs flocke 4 To this malice might and rage is added his subtil policy which he vseth in circumuenting the faithfull he doth not pitch his tents in any one place but walketh about from place to place to spie out his best aduantage in the Iohn 1. night hee soweth tares and in the day hee hindreth the growth thereof 5 He proceedeth after further and addeth to his pollicy industrie hee considereth our natures and dispositions and to what sinnes wee doe most incline and thereunto hee applyeth himselfe sometimes by flattery sometimes by feare sometimes by feeding our humours hee subtilly inticeth vs sometimes by violence hee goeth about to enforce vs sometimes by changing himselfe into an Angell of light hee endeuoureth to betray our soules into his hands and in whatsoeuer estate hee findeth vs hee thereby taketh occasion to lay siege to our soules Thus ye see noted in a word the force of our aduersarie examine now yourselues whether you haue any thing in your selues and you shall find nothing but weaknesse and corruption It is God that giueth strength to the mighty wisedome to the prudent and knowledge to the vnderstanding hee teacheth Dauids hand to fight Psa 144. and his fingers to battle hee giueth strength to his armes to breake abow euen abow of steele wherefore let neither the wise man glorie in his wisedome nor the strong man in his strength but let him that glorieth glorie in the Lord. Secondly wee are to seeke vnto God alone because none is so present as hee for God because hee is Almighty and with his power filleth both heauen and earth is present alwaies with them that feare him and readie to succour them in distresse The Lord is neare to all that call vpon him in truth hee heareth our gronings sighs and knoweth what things are necessarie for vs before wee aske The third reason why we must seeke vnto God is none is so able to helpe as hee but of this I shall haue particular occasion to speake when I come to this point And pray vnto the Almighty The fourth reason why we must seeke Christ alone is because there is none so willing to helpe vs as hee It is a great courage to vs to make suite when wee are perswaded of the willingnesse of him to whome we make suite I pray yee who was euer more carefull for our saluation and more watchfull ouer vs than the Lord who euer put his trust in him and was confounded In this respect hee is called a Father because as the father tendreth his sonne so the Lord doth all those that put their trust in him Can there bee any more willing to helpe vs than Christ whose whole head was sicke and whose heart was heauie for our sakes yea in whose bodie from the sole of the foot to the crowne of the head was nothing but wounds and swellings and sores but alas this was nothing to that hee suffered for our sakes Hee was compassed about with feares and horrours till his sweat was drops of bloud and his bones bruised in the flesh hee was whipped and scourged and chastised with sorrowes till hee cryed out in the bitternesse of his soule O Lord if it bee possible let this cup passe from mee The heauie hand of God was so grieuous vpon him that hee brused his very bones and rent his reynes asunder hee could finde no health in his flesh but was wounded yea wounded to the death euen the most bitter death vppon the Crosse His tender fingers were nayled to the Crosse his face was wrinkled with weeping and wayling his sides imbrued and gored with his owne bloud spurting and gushing fresh from his ribbes the shaddow of death was vpon his eyes O what greife could bee like this or what condemnation could bee so heauie sith there was no wickednesse in his hands sith he was the brightnesse of his fathers glorie and the Sunne of righteousnesse that shined in the world as to see his dayes at an ende to see such throbbing sighs and carefull thoughts without cause of his so deepely ingrauen in the tables of his brest But was this all No my brethren sith his excellencie was such aboue all creatures that the worlde was not worthy to giue him breath it was a greater greife vnto him to see himselfe made a worme and not a man ashame of men and contempt of the people to see his life shut vp in shame and reproches how could