the same rule wee 〈◊〉 both the Sluggard temporall and the Sluggard spirituall So that there is the 〈◊〉 of the bodie and the pouertie of the soulâ— â—â—dily pouerty is bodily want and that is when a man wanteth such necessaries as belong to this life as health and food and apparelâ— and money and lodging and houshould 〈◊〉 and sufficient to pay euery man his 〈◊〉 And of this bodily pouertie there bee also two kinds some belonging to the godly and some to the wicked for both good and bad haue oftentimes their part in these wantes So that good men and honest men may 〈◊〉 poore and yet good and honest still for goodnes and honeâ—tie goeth not by riches for oftentimes worldly riches are meanes to the wicked to make them worse and 〈◊〉 hauing wealth to corrupt themselues and others authoritie to doe violence and health makes them lustie to doe mischiefe Neither doe dishonestie and wickednes alwaies goâ— by pouertie and want though these thinges be counted the onely euils of this life yet we see sometime they are meanes to good men to make them better as pouertie to bridle lust basenes to humble them and incumbrances to driue them to God and to teach them to succour others by which we may see that the pouertie of Laâ—arus is better then the riches of Diues The sickenes of a wise man with his wisedome is better then the health of a foole with his follie And what goods soeuer a man hath he cannot bee a good man so long as hee himselfe is euill and if a man may be tearmed a good man for hauing riches then a foole may bee tearmed a wise man when hee hath on a wise mans gowne The Scriptures speake much in the commendation of godly poore men and preferreth them before vngodly rich men as there is cause ye see your calling sayth the Apostle to the Corinthians How that not many wisemen after the flesh not many mightie not many noble are called but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weake thinges of the world to confound the mightie things and vile things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen c. To shewe of what personâ— for the most part Gods Church doth consist now what greater preferment then to be chosen of God and who are counted more foolish and more weake and more vile and more despised in the world then the poore especially whom God hath chosen and set his marke vpon Among other great matters which Christ sent to Iohn to shew the power of Christ this was one thing of speciall note that the poore receiued the Gospell which was as great a work as much to be reioyced at as that the halt did walke or that the leapers were cleÌ„sed or that the deafe did hâ—are The rich were most bouÌ„d to receiue the Gospel but the poore receiued it it was as much as if he had said the poore are become rich the rich are poore for the gospel is true riches Salomon sayth Better is the poore man that walketh in his vprightnes then a rich man that peruerteth his wâ—â—es to shewe that a poore man may bee an vpright man and an vpright man may be a poore man and yet is to be preferred before the wicked rich man And in an other place hee sayth Better is a poore and a wise child then an old a foolish King which wilâ—â—â— more be admonished to shew that wisedome and lowlines doe not alwaies goe by yeares and riches though the riches of a king and that some mens pouertie is more blessed then some mens riches and as the poore which are godly are more blessed then the vngodly rich so are they in more account with the Lord and alwaies more deare vnto him And therefore hath the Lord laid downe so many charges in his worde concerning the poore which are as so many letters sent vnto the rich in their behalfe Remoue not the bounds of the fatherles sayth the Lord for he that is more mightie will surely defend them And againe â—ob not the poore because they are poore neither oppresse the afficted in iâ—dgement for the Lord will c. To shewe that the poore haue as good frends to stand by theÌ„ as the rich for the Lord himselfe doth promise to take their part especially as S. Paul saith If they feare God be of the houshold of faith And not without special cause in his singular wisdome hath his maiestie so ordained that there shall alwaies be some poore mingled amoÌ„g the rich in this life one reason is thereby to trie the rich mens charitie as appeareth by the Lords owne testimonie because there shall be euer some poore in the land therefore I command thee saying Thou shalt open thy hand vnto thy brother that is thou shalt bee liberal and not close-fisted vnto thy brother to thy needie and to thy poore in thy laude calling them our poore and our needie c. As if they were of our familie and charge to be prouided for by vs. And to this doth the Son of God the Lord Iesus also giue witnes The poore saith he you shall alwaies haue with you but me you shall not haue meaning in bodily presence and looke what 〈◊〉 would doe for me doe it for them to shew that if the poore were wanting the rich should not haue whereupon to exercise the works of liberalitie and christian compassion Another reason why there are poore in the world aswell as rich is that by such a differeÌ„ce Gods bountifull liberalitie might appeare to the rich as he would haue the liberalitie of the rich appeare to the poore God could haue made all alike and enriched all alike if it pleased him but hee sawe this inequalitie to bee more for his glorie wherein appeareth so many singular arguments of his vnspeakable wisdome and power and mercie and goodnes towards all men and all his creatures For if al were head where were the comelines of the bodie And what doth shew the height of the mountaine but the valley that lieth vnder it And if the rich consider well of the worke of God in this poynt they shall finde great cause to loue the poore and not to disdaine them We see how proude and insolent many are if they get vp a gorgious house ouer their heads or a veluet coate vpon their backes or a golde chaine about their necks and as for their poore neighbours they count them but as peasants and slaues in respect of themselues But alas poore soules what is it that setteth out the brauerie of their building but the poore cottage that standeth by it And in what estimation would their veluets and silkes bee had if some did not weare frize and goe plainly apparelled And againe if none were vnlearned then who would reuerence the learned or what account would there be
of Artes and Scicoces if the knowledge of them were equallie giuen to euery one And where doth wisdome shine most in her glorious beautie but in the middest of fooles Therefore men should leaue admiring of themselues and despising of others which come short of them whether it be in the riches of the bodie or in the riches of the minde and learne to praise the wisedome and goodnes of the giuer and disposer of them and in all humblenes of minde vse them to the glorie of the giuer and the benefite of their brethren And further how could the rich liue without the poore and baser sort of people whom God hath made their seruants to supplie their wants For as it is not meete the ploughman should weare the Crowne so is it as vnfit for the King to holde the plough And therefore as in the bodie naturall God placed diuers members and all differing one from an other that one might be seruiceable to an other so in the bodie politicall he hath in no lesse wisedome made diuers degrees estates of men that one might be seruiceable helpfull vnto another And thus wee see that for diuers causes the Lord will haue the poore still amongst the rich and that good men haue bin in pouertie aswell as bad and yet the Loâ—â—â— hath still supplied their wants and not 〈◊〉 them to lacke what he sawe good for 〈◊〉 neither wil he but wil either giue them bread or abate their hunger or giue such a blesing with their little portion that it shal go as faâ—â—e and content them aswell as if it were greâ—â—â— and withall makes them rich in the heauenly graces of his spirite wherein many very 〈◊〉 rich men of the world are both bare and barren As there be good poore men so be there also wicked poore men which are become poore and miserable through their owne negligence and slothfulnes such are they 〈◊〉 Salomon speaketh vnto in my text And to such persons pouertie is both a reproch of men and a iudgement of God for as it is no shame to suffer but to suffer for euill doing so it is no shame to bee poore but to become poore through our owne negligence and wilfulnes Of those that beare the burthen of pouertie in that sort there be some in the Church and some in the common wealth of Church men that bee in pouertie some are of the popish and antichristian Church and some of the christian Churches In the popish church there are a companie of idle Monkes and 〈◊〉 ers and hedge priests and cloisterers which professe wilfull pouertie making the worlds beleeue that it is a step to happines and a degree of christian perfection and if that be â—â—ue what need the Sluggard care for such a iudgement Nay then it is no iudgement at all but a blessing and a happines and so by that reckoning the Sluggard were a blessed and a happie man and the Sluggards life were the onely happy life that could bee deuised in this world but that cannot bee for here wee see pouertie and necessitie set vpon the Sluggard to punish him for his slothfulnes In our christian Church also we haue seene some both in the ministerie and otherwise who liued in good estate and yet afterward through their couetousnes and ambition haue fallen into great decay for when they were not content with that which was conuenient for them but still would haue more it hath happened oftentimes to them as it did to the dogge that hauing a piece of meate in his mouth would snatch at the shadowe of the meate in the water and so when he thought to haue both hee lost both In the scriptures there are diuers causes of pouertie set downe and pouertie is made a punishment for diuers kindes of offenders and is a whip for the backe of many fooles it is a whippe for the Sluggards backe that in time will whip him to death if he repent not for Salomon saith The disire of the Sluggard â—layeth him for his hands refusâ— to worâ—e It is also a scourge for the wasting vnthriâ—t and prodigall spender as may appeare in the example of the prodigall sonne who hauing spent all was driuen to feed among the swine When it hath scourged the vnthrift it will also serue to scourge the niggard that knoweth not how to vse his goods as appeareth by the parable of him that hid his talent and therefore had all taken from him in the ende to shew that it is not the best way to thriue for a man to liue to himselfe And Salomon sayth There is that scattereth and is more encreased but hee that speaketh more then is right shall surely come to pouertie The liberall person saâ—â—h he shall haue plentie and he that watereth shall haue raine When it hath punished the niggard and the myser it shall also punish the â—â—uell man the oppressour for it is set down by Salomon as a definitiue sentence against him in this manner He that oppresseth the poore to enritch himselfe and to giue to the rich shall surely come to pouertie And the Prophet Esay as one in the same coÌ„mission confirmeth the sentence and goeth a little further and faith Wâ—e hee to thee that spoylest and wast not spoiâ—â— for when thou shalt cease spoiling of others thâ—â— shalt he spoiled by others and when thou hast deals wickedly against others then others shall dealâ— wickedly against thee The trueth whereof iâ— not hard to bee seene in some that haue gotten vp by prises and many that haue liued by vsurie brokerage promooting bribing extorting cousoning and such like meanes As it punisheth the cruell oppressour so will it also punish those which are rash and prophane in their affaires as Esau who without any more adoe when hee was hungrie solde away his birthright for a messe of pottage and when it was gone cried to haue it againe but could not get it The sentence is recorded by salomon thus The thoughts of the diligent dee surely bring abundance but who soeuer is hastie commeth surely to pouertie Which is also verified in many sureties which haue in a vaineglorious heate passed their wordes neither regarding for whom nor for what and after warde haue repented them too late and surely this is a point not vnfit for noble men and great gentlemen to consider of whome God hath blessed both with great liuings and also beautified with a liberall and free heart lest being as many are attended vpon and haunted by hungrie horse leaches and fawning parasites they impeach their estate and honour before they bee aware As it punisheth the rash and headie foole so doth it also helpe to plague fornicatours and adulterous fooles as may appeare by that wofull complaint of such as haue beene brought into the fooles paradise by the alluring baâ—tes of harlots And therefore Salomon that great man of experience aduiseth all that feare God to keepe their way farre
hee must needes knowe wherefore the Pismire serueth and what she should do in the world And the Pismire on the other side meruaileth what the idle Sluggard doth in the world It is no meruaile though the Sluggard cannot away with the Pismire of all other things for many idle schollers cannot away with the schoole nor their schoolemaster no more can the Sluggard well digest the sight of the Pismire because he is put to schoole with her to learne wisedome For he counteth it as a kinde of disgrace to his person to be set to schoole at an Ant-heape or at any body els but so it pleaseth the Lord wee see to pull downe the pride of men and by the vile and base things of this world as S. Paul sayth to confound the mightie What say many now adaies They skorne to learne their duetie at the preachers hand or to bee catechised they will not so much bee abased and disgraced when the Lord knoweth they be as blind as beetles in their duetie both to God and man But if men be so proude that they will not be taught by the preacher of the word nor bee subiect to the ministerie of their pastors the Lord knoweth a way to humble them well enough He can turne them out into the fielde amongst the Ants and flyes and grashoppers that they may see what manner of schollers they are when such tutors are set to teach them their lesson As he turned Nabuchadnezzar out of his pallace into the wildernes from men to beasts vntill amongst the beasts he had learned to know himselfe And thus we may see that the poore Pismire can in no wise be wanting if it be for nothing els but to teach the Sluggard wisedome Behold her waies and be wise Here wee are further taught that wee ought to beholde the creatures with due consideration of their natures and the wonderfull workes of God in them and that we ought so to behold them as to bee the better for beholding them and not to bee as most are idle gazers vpon them or vaine and curious disputers of them to no purpose but for ostentatioÌ„ of learning or wit c. It is good to be a naturall Philosopher but it is better to bee a christian Philosopher withall that is when by beholding and learning the natures of the creatures we are drawne neerer to the Creator and taught to know our selues and our duetie to God better then we did For this is true wisedome and true wisedome is true Philosophie Therefore the Sluggard being sent to the Pismire to behold her waies so to get wisedome what els is he taught but to become a right Philosopher So that a man may learne Philosophie in the fieldes by an Ant-heape if he hath the spirit of God yea as good as any Aristotle can teach him in the schooles and better too for he goeth no further then the causes of things and teacheth meÌ„ to rest there saying Foelix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas that is Happines standeth in the knowledge of naturall things and the naturall causes of naturall things But Christians haue learned out of the booke of God to goe one step beyond Aristotle and all that are but meere naturals and that is not onely to search out the causes and qualities of the creatures wherein indeede Salomon did excell for he disputed of all things from the Hyssoppe that springs out of the wall to the Cedar in Lebanus but then further to make vse of the same and out of euery thing to learne something whereby they may either correct their manners or bee more confirmed in the prouidence of God or bee stirred vp to the doing of their dutie to God and man or to be more humbled in themselues or to magnifie the name of God for his wisedome for his power and for his goodnes c. Such a Philosopher was Dauid When I behold thy heauens sayth he euen the workes of thy fingers the Moone and the Starres which thou hast ordained what is man say I that thou art mindfull of him or the sonne of man that thou visitest him There is no creature of God in the world but that man may learne somewhat out of the same and profite by it to the amendment of his life The reason is because all the creatures of God doe serue their Creator in that course and kind wherein they were first created only men are the sinners in this world and haue forsaken their first estate and are become vnkind against their Creator If we speake of dutifulnes to our superiours wee may learne it of the oxe and the asse for The oxe knoweth his owner sayth Esay and the asse his masters cribbe but Israel hath not knowne my people hath not vnderstand If we speake of louingnes kindnes betweene man and wife euery man may learne it of the Hind and the Roe for Salomon willeth the husband and the wife to loue together as the louing hind and pleasant roe to shew that there is not amongst all so much loue and kindnes as they may learne of the beast If any man will bragge of his diligence and paineâ— taking the Pismire is more painfull then he Again The conies are not mightie yet they build in rockes The grashoppers haue no King yet gâ—e forth all by bands The spider takes hold with her hands and is in Kings palaces Againe the Prophet Ieremie sayth that the storke the turtle the crane and the swallowe are skilfull in theâ— appointed times but man knoweth not the indgements of the Lord. The dogge is in his kinde more thankfull then man is The sea keepeth his tides of ebbing and flowing iust at the day and houre appoynted that a man may be bold to build vpon his comming to shame those that promise much but performe nothing and to shewe that vnconstant men of their word may be taught by the sea As they goe beyond vs in glorifying their Creator so doe they also farre excell vs in many naturall gifts or qualities of the bodie which make meÌ„ forget themselues The Horse in strength The Roe in swiftnes The Lion in courage The Eagle in sight The Dogge in winding These and â—â—ny moe besides these doe excell man in the naturall faculties and qualities of the bodie And therefore to conclude this poynt what cause is there that we should bee so proude of our selues or any thing that wee haue or can doe seeing as all the creatures in their kinde doe excell vs glorifying their Creator better then wee doe yea and are appoynted as tutors and schoolemasters to teach vs our dueties Lastly we may learne from hence not to coÌ„temne and disdaine but with great reuerence and in the feare of God to vse all the creatures of God both for that they serue so notably to set forth the glorie of the Creator and also for that they are appointed to teach men their duties Of Lecturers some reade
should not thinke it a matter of libertie God hath commanded vs to redeeme the time that is to raunsome the time that we haue lost with some losse of pleasure and profite and ease that wee might not alwaies be behind hand like bankeroupts in religion But we sell away the time and trueth and al in stead of redeeming it And is not this worse prophanenes then that of Esaw for he sold his birthright for hunger wee sell away ours for a winke of sleepe or a game at bowles or cards or tables or any thing els Nay wee are more base-minded then Iudas for he would not sell Christ vnder 30. pence wee are content to let him go for 30. halfepence or three halfepence or a peniworth of pleasure or profite We are commanded to preach in season and out of season and yet some thinke they are not bound to heare so often but thinke that wee ought to wait and attend their leisure whereas indeed if we come at any time they should leaue all and come and heare in season out of season as they account it The Israelites were commended for gathering Manna in the morning because if they tarried till the sunne was vp it did melt If the sunne be vp once I meane if hot persecution come that wee can not nor dare not goe to heare the Word and will not heare it now while wee may in the coole of the day shall not the Pismire stand vp in iudgement against vs condemne vs Our Sauiour Christ sayd I must worke the works of him that sent me while it is day the night commeth when no man can worke Then it were best for vs to heare the word of God while it is day for we haue more neede then he had that is while wee haue peace for the night commeth it is to be feared when no mqÌ„ can heare and as the night succeedâ—th the day so persecution commonly succeedeth peace to scoâ—re off the ruft that men gather in time of peace Some vse this as a reason to hinder reformation and going forward in religion for say they the time may come when we shall be called to account for putting downe Images for desacing idolatrie and superstition and for going to sermons c. The feare of these men that doe thus reason is like the hope of Esaw if it bee not the very same for Esaw sayd The daies of mourning for my father Isaac will coâ—â— shortly and then I will kill my brother Iacob So say they the daies of mourning for Queene Elizabeth will come one day and then we may be called to an account for al the idolatrie that we haue defaced and for all the profession that wee haue made of the Gospell But as Iacob needed not feare Esaw so long as his father Isaac liued so thankes be to God wee neede not feare the threatnings of such ill affected men so long as our mother Elizabeth raigneth The Lord prolong her daies as the daies of heauen if it be his blessed will to the vtter rooting out of all idolatriâ— and impietie and to the further aduancement of his Gospel And happie are we that haue such golden opportunitie As Salomon therfore builded the Temple in his rest so God giue vs grace to build his Church in our peace Our Sauiour the Lord Iesus did not teach vs to reason so Yet if he had been of worldlings mindes he would haue sayd The night coâ—â—â—th when no man can workâ— yea the night commeth when I shall answere that which I haue done therefore it is best to let all aâ—â—ne saue one But he frameth his argument cleane contrarie I must doe the workes of him that sâ—â—t me while it is day for the night commeth when no man can works And if these daies should alter what then Yet then shall wee hauâ— comfort in the obedience of our faith And a good conscience sayth Salomon in the daies of affliction is a continuall feast Therefore in these matters let vs bee resolute with Hâ—ster who knowing the goodnes of her cause sayd If I pâ—rish I perish so say we If I lose I lose if I answere I answere I must looke to lose more then this and to answere for more then this but I shall lose nothing by it in the end Therefore now while wee may let vs bee gathering store of knowledge and comfort or els the Pismire shall condemne vs For she 〈…〉 goâ—ernor nor ruler gathereth her 〈◊〉 c. Wee haue both guides c. God make vs wise to take the benefit of them whilâ— we haue them Iosâ—ph being warned before hand of a dearth that should come vpon the land of Egypt made prouision before the dearth came so would we doe also to saue our bodies but the soule which is the most precious thing yea the Ladie and mistris of the bodie as though she were dead and liued not in vs is not regarded no mâ—n makes any prouisioÌ„ for her although the Prophet Amos hath told vs that we must look â—or a famme and that of the word of the Lord in so much as men shall goe from sea to sea that is from one part of the world to another and shall not finde it Ioseph prouiâ—â—â—g in time of plentie had to serue his turne and to comfort many moe withal in time of scarcitie and what did Ioseph lose by that So if we prouide foode for our soules now in time of plentie we shall haue comfort in store both for our selues and many others when scarcitie come or when persecution come or when temptations come or when olde age come or wheâ— sicknes come or when death come or when al come and what shall we lose by that 〈◊〉 sayd The word of God was his comfort in his afflâ—ction or els he had perished So let vs say for we may bee sure of it if the word of God bee not our comfort when affliction come or wheÌ„ sicknes or death or persecution come we â—hal perish we shall despayre and goe to hell And how shall it bee our comfort then if we prouide not store of it now while we may Therefore let vs prouide and gather and lay vp now as much as we can all will be little enough if not too little for as there is a time of 〈◊〉 so there will be a time of spending and we cannot gather so much doe what wee caâ— as we shall spend But seeing as wee are now come to 〈◊〉 with the spiritual Sluggard who hath as much neede to bee to wsed as any other that he may be awakened indeed we will take this coursâ— first I wil shew what must be gathered for the soule secondly when it is to be gathered But what is it that wee must gather in summer which cannot be had in winter The Pismire telleth vs it is meate or food that is matter of nourishment for the 〈◊〉 to feed vpoâ— and to preseâ—ue
now a breaking downe of the wall a plucking vp of the hedge and a laying waste of the vine in England to be thought vpon O sluggard if not to be looked for Hath not the Lord tolde vs of his purpose and determination herein againe and againe And are we not rather worse then better for all that Now if these things come to passe wee our selues shall bee iudges whether the Lord hath done vs any wrong or no. Now consider further with thy selfe O sluggard what priueledge hath England more then Israel had How much is the Lord beholding to vs more then to them surely neither to them nor to vs nor to any was euer the Lord beholding for if a man be righteous he is righteous for himself saith Iob. But what promise or warrant haue wee more then they had or any Church from the beginning of the world Hath there not been in nature a continuall intercourse and change of winter and sommer of night and of daye of fayre weather and of â—owle wether of colde and of heate of the spring and the fall And hast thou not obserued the like in the state of grace Surely if thou haddest not closed vp thy eyes of purpose O thou sluggard thou couldest not châ—se but see the Lordes worke therein Well yet thou canst not denye but that there haue beene many alterations and sundry changes in the worlde and thy selfe sometime betweene waking and sleeping but without any feeling wilt sitte and tell of them and what thou hast seene in thy time which shall bee sufficient to condemne thee for it is more then a dreame that thou speakest of But if thou wilt now besides thy owne drousie experience a little listen vnto the word of God and praye vnto God that hee may open thy eyes thou shalt see that which yet thou diddest neuer so much as dreame of like the seruant of Elisha which sawe 〈◊〉 mountaines couered with heauenly souldiers when the Lord opened his eyes which before hee sawe not Marke it well I saye and thou shalt see both how often the Lorde hath turned and as it were wheeled about his Church and the cause thereof to be still the Churches iniquitie And thou shalt see if not confesse that the continuall starting of men from GOD hath broken the course of his grace which otherwise had been continualâ—â— The truth whereof may appeare almost from the beginning of the world For first when the true worship of God was in the cursed of spring of Caine almost vtterly decayed 〈◊〉 Lord restored it againe in the dayes of Seth and his sonne Enos that it might thriue and florish in the world Now it was summer time with them but how long did it last Surely not long for scarce eight generations were passed when all the posteritie of them whom God had separated for his owne children did mingle themselues with the sonnes and daughters of men at their pleasure without the feare of GOD throwing themselues in such wise into all manner of wickednes that hauing defiled themselues and the whole world with their abhominations the Lorde brought a floud vppon them to destroye them all that they which had drowned themselues in sinne might bee also drowned in water and so they were twise drowned and now was winter come When the Church was brought to eyght persons it seemed then so purged that the little seede which remained should of it selfe bring forth nothing but pure holines and yet anon after it diminished almost by the fourth parte Afterwarde the Lorde renewed his couenant with Abraham and his seede for whome hee wrought many wonderfull thinges for first with a mightie hand and stretched out arme hee brought them out of Aegypt then hee led them through the red sea then hee fed them with breade from heauen then hee destroyed many Kinges for their sakes and made their very name famous and fearâ—full full whatsoeuer it came and thus they weâ—â— going towards the land of promise now 〈◊〉 would not of such happie beginnings 〈◊〉 iudged that there should haue ensued a coâ—â—â— nuance of a happie state Notwithstanding the very same people in whose deliuerancâ— the Lord had shewed so manifest a proofe 〈◊〉 his power and mercie did not cease continâ—ally to prouoke the Lord with their impatiâ—â—â— murmurings and vnkinde rebellions vntill by fearefull and horrible iudgements they were all destroyed in the wildernes At length the children of them tooke possession of the saidâ— land but yet such a possession as well neere in 600. yeares after had no stabilitie because they themselues through their owne falsenes and inconstancie did continually trouble it and still by shaking off the yoke of God they procured new mischiefes to theÌ„selues Moses had tolde them before how it would come to passe that when they were fatte and full they would lift vp the heele and forget the Lord And what dooth the storie of the Iudges rehearse but continuall backslidings When 〈◊〉 kingdome of Dauid was erected there seemed a more certaine and grounded state of a church to haue bin established for a long continuance But that lamentable slaughter of the pestileÌ„ce which for three daies space raged most moâ—sterously in the worlde did greatly abate 〈◊〉 felicitie When Salomon came to the Crowne summer came againe to the Church for God gaue him great peace on euery side and in his rest he builded the Temple of the Lord in Ierusalem But by and by after the death of Salomon the bodie of the realme was diuided and the torne members ceased not afterward to bite one another And both the kingdomes I meane of Israel and Iudah were miserably turmoyled by forraine warres Shall wee say that this came vnto them by fortune and chaunce Nay rather they themselues through their sins enforced hastened the vengeance of God for euen when they seemed most innocent namely while Dauid goeth through with nuÌ„bring of them because it was the peculiar fault of one man yet the holie storie sayth plainlie that God was wroth with them all At length followed that great euersion little differing from vtter destruction when al the whole nation was led captiue to Babilon but after 70. yeres they were restored home againe which ioyfull returne was vnto them another birth Notwithstanding so soone as they were returned home straight waies forgetting so great a benefite they degenerated againe into sundrie kinds of naughtines Some defiled themselues with heathen mariages some defrauded the Lord of his tenths and first fruites othersome neglecting the building of the Temple were whollie occupied in making of braue houses and bestowed excessiue cost thereon whiâ—â—â—oule vnthankfulnes of theirs was such as euerie man must confesse the Sluggard and all that it ought not to escape vnpunished Neither did it escape for after that the Lorde brought them in subiection to the Romanes who burned their Temple and made hauockâ— of all When Christ the Prince of
peace and author of all good things shewed himselfe to the world men might sensiblie haue felt how certaine and well grounded the felicitie of his eternall kingdome is if they would haue suffered him to rest among them but the worlde was neuer shaken with more cruell tempeâ—â— of warre nor neuer drowned in so deep a sinke of manifolde euils But what was the cause Surely when Christ was borne there was singular peace and quietnes euery where Aboâ—â— 40. yeares after his Gospell was spred througâ— diuers costes of the world After it was published farre and neere suddenly things began to be on a turmoyle euery where And whereof came so sudden alteration but that God 〈◊〉 the contempt and refusall of his Gospell waâ— now bent to be reuenged of so great vnthankfulnes and that most iustly For when Kings and their people had despised the peace which God offered them was it not right and reasoâ— that they should bee set together by the eares that one of them might wound another to thâ— death And what can continue in order amongst them who refuse to submit themselues to God I speake not onely of the open enemies which haue wilfully striuen against the wholesome doctrine of godlines but also of them that haue professed themselues Christians For how coldly and disdainfully haue many of them how falsely and dissemblingly like Iudas haue othersome kissed Christ It is not vnknowne that Ierusalem was once the fountaine from whence saluation flowed into the vttermost bounds of the earth but at the comming of Christ it retained scarce a thinne shadowe of the ancient worthines and within a while after it not onely lost that that remained but was vtterly cast downe also and made a waste wildernesse which made the Lord Iesus shed teares when he looked vpon the citie What is the reason that no man trauaileth in seeking out the cause of so monsterous a ruine but that the desperate wickednes of that nation doth openly crye out that the same was the cause thereof Rome was neuer plagued with so manie cruell slaughters in so short a time as it hath beene since the Gospell came thither But what was the cause thereof Open thy eyes sluggard and thou shalt see the cause plaine enough that when God brought the medicine of his Gospel thither as the vttermost remedie against so many deadly diseases of lawles lust wicked partakings and intollerable tyrannie which raigned in that citie they like persons that had sworne their own destruction proudly reiected it and ceased not to fall from worse to worse The very selfe same thing wee may obserue in this our age both in the kingdom of France and elsewhere For when the Church was as it were newe borne againe and had a glorious beginning like the rising of the Sunne it hath been seene soone after to slide downe and carried backe againe And yet before the Lorde layde those fearefull punishments vpon them of ciuill dissentions and of bloudie massacres accompanied with many horrible mischiefes moe the Gospell was seene diuers and sundry waies euery where filthilie abused in so much that the sudden turning vp of things that happened is not so greatly to bee wondered at as Gods long sufferance in bearing with the prodigious wickednes of our time And in England amongst so many thousands as to outward appearaÌ„ce had very gladlie denied the Pope and professed themselues Gospellers how fewe I pray you doe fall to amendment of their vices Nay rather what do the greater part pretend but that when the yoke of superstition was shakeÌ„ off they might more licentiously giue themselues to all carnall libertie And albeit they confesse the doctrine of the Gospell to bee true yet where is there one among many that submitteth his necke vnto the yoke and discipline thereof That Christ shall be abased for their aduancement they are content That he shall be pinched with pouertie and penurie to make them rich they are content That Christ shall bee betrayed for them if not by them too they are also content That Christ shall be whipped for them and imprisoned for them and buffered for them and mocked at for them and crucified for them they are very well content and like it well but that Christ shall be the King of their soules and rule them and ceÌ„sure them and order them by his owne lawes and ordinances they will none of that because that is against our pleasure and against our profite and against our honours and dignities Like the young man in the Gospell that would doe any thing that Christ bad him sauing selling away his goods for the vse of the poore but that he could not abide because he was rich and it was not for his profite Now then what is to be looked for or likely to ensue but a most sharpe punishment answerable to such wicked wilfull contempts And if any thing be to be wondered at here is the wonder that considering our great vnthankfulnes any part of the worke remaineth which God hath begun And to conclude this poynt wee see how the Lord hath tossed and turned his Church from time to time how he hath from the beginning of the worlde both summered it and wintered it eased it and pinched it pardonedâ— it and plagued it for the abuse of his grace and contempt of his wordeâ— wee see the print of his steppes in all plaâ—â—â—â— before the floud and since the floud in Israel and in Iudah and in Ierusalem and in Rome and in Chanaan which is now Turkey and in France and in Scotland and in Germanie and in England too which hath been ouerrunne sometime by the Danes and sometime by the Normanes and somtime by the Britaines and now inhabited with Englishmen that can scarce tel of whom or whence they came And in England we knowe what changes and alterations haue happened one while Poperie another while the Gospell now peace and anoâ— persecution and like the sea our peace still ebbing and flowing but neuer certaine and now more enuied and threatned then â—uer it was This we see I say and this may the sluggard see if he will awake And seeing â—his course which God hath continually thus taken what reason hath the sluggard to lye still snorting and sleeping in his sinnes as he doth both in the Court and countrey in the cities villages and in euery place els as he doth And what reason hast thou oh sluggard to dreame still of a drie summer as it is in the Prouerbe and not to thinke of a winter aswell as of a summer What charter hast thou 〈◊〉 then thy fellowes that are gone before thee 〈◊〉 thou better then they I tell thee nay the Lord Iesus tels thee thou art not better whatsoeuer thou art but worse Except thou repent 〈◊〉 shalt likewise perish Thinke no longer therefore with thy selfe that thou shalt neuer be awakened for by all likelihoods and probable coniectures a winter will come with such stormes
dwelt in 〈◊〉 sinnes But if we doe consider how long God hath forborne vs and swallowed vp our siâ—nes in his mercies this woulde make our 〈◊〉 hearts to relent except we were past all goodnes To consider I say how long the Lorâ—â— hath spared vs when he might often most 〈◊〉 haue punished vs how hee hath euery â—oâ—ning renewed his mercies with vs when 〈◊〉 might haue consumed vs in our sinnes how long wee haue disobeyed him and proâ—oked his maiestie to wrath except wee were despâ—rate and giuen vp to a reprobate minde these things would wring bitter teares from 〈◊〉 eyes He hath wooed vs and besought vs this 36. yeares by his worde to bee â—â—conciled â—â—to him and still we prouoke him Then let the sluggish Magistrates consider of this How long will they neglect the glorie of God to set vp their owne How long by their euill examples shall the people stumble and fall into 〈◊〉 How long shall the poore crye out for iustice How long will they continue in discountenauncing of good men and good causes and many fowle faultes moe would be considered of them how long they haue continued This is also for the slouthfull minister to thinke vpon How long will they keepe the doore of Heauen shut For if they had preached diligently and faithfullie it had been impossible for poperie to haue crept into so many mindes as it hath done How long will they betraye Gods cause and let the people perish for want of instruction So to the Adulterer also how long shall the Lorde beare thy filthines and how long wilt thou abuse thy body and thy â—oule in his sight as thou doest And how long will the Vsurer eate vp the Lordes people as oâ—e eateth bread and grinde the faces of the poore like a milstone This must also come to the quarreller and malicious person to be considered of how long will they 〈◊〉 in their hatred byting one of another is there no end of their malice will their rash iudging and condemning one of another neuer come to an ende This is also spoken to Parents how long shall the Lord call vpon you to bring vp your children in the feare of his name How long will you suffer them to liue so wantonly and so loosely as yee doe How long shall they goe vp and downe the streetes with such filthie songes othes and ribaldies in their mouthes to bewraie their filthie educatioâ— withall Consider of this question also yoâ— that bee seruants How long shall the worlde complaine of your idle and vnfaithfull seruice When will you begin to adorne the doctâ—inâ— of the Gospell with your good conuersation This is also for vnthriftie gentlemeÌ„ that speâ—â— their daâ—es in play and â—iotting How long will you bee vnfaithfull 〈◊〉 how long shall the Lord waite for your conuersion Thiâ— is also to occupiers which liue by false othes by false waights and false lights false 〈◊〉 how long shall the Lord daunce your atâ—â—ndance for the reformation of these abominâ—tions There be many moâ— that are also to coÌ„sider of this poynt but that which the Lord speaketh to one he speaketh to euery one 〈◊〉 long wilt thou sleepe O sluggard Though 〈◊〉 woman of Samaria dallied and iested long 〈◊〉 the words of the Lord Iesus yet at the last 〈◊〉 Christ tolde her what she did and she perâ—â—iued him to be the Messias indeede she beleeued and ranne into the citie and called her neighbours to come and see Christ hath tolde vs all that we haue done and al that we ought to doe and yet we beleeue not his words but put them off with scoffes and iestâ— and those that would goe to Christ wee doe not further them but hinder them Now if wee continue at this stay shall not the woman of Samariâ— condemne vs In the 18. of Luke the 4. and 5. verses we reade of a wicked Iudge which feared neither God nor man yet when a poore woman was importunate with him at the last he heard her The Lord by his ministers poore men I confesse hath been importunate with vs to heare his suite and to reforme our selues by his word which is not for his good but for our owne as he sayth in Deut. Oh that there were such a heart in my people to heare me and obey me that it might goe well with them their children But yet we heare him not Now if we still shall giue him the deafe eare hardening our hearts when wee should heare his voyce shall wee not showe our selues worse then he that feared neither God nor man When Christ forbad the diuell to torment and vexe a man he trembled at his word and obeyed his commandement There be many that deuise with themselues how to molest and vexe the children and seruants of God for professing the truth and discharging a good conscience The Lord Iesus hath often forbidden them crying to them as he did to Saul Saul Saul why persecutest thou me thou doest but kicke against the pricke and yet they still persist in their purpose By which it should seeme that they haue lesse â—eare of God in them then the diuell himselfe and if they still continue so shall not the veriâ— diuels of hell condenme them When the Lord spake the word the flyes and the lice came and were obedient to his commaundement GOD hath spoken many words to vs and yet wee obey not therefore they also shal condemne vs. When God spake the grashoppers came and caterpillers innumerable vpon the land of Egypt and when he spake the worde they went away too There bee many caterpillers come amongst vs before they were called and all the wordes in the world will not driue them away againe therefore the caterpillers of Egypt shall condemne the caterpillers of England in the day of iudgement Though Peter did three times denie his master yet at the last when Christ looked vpon him he remembred himselfe and went out and wept bitterly Wee haue oftner then three times denied our master Christ hath both looked vpon vs and spoken vnto vs but yet we remember not our selues nay we are so farre from weeping and grieuing at the matter that we rather reioyce laugh it out Therefore if we stil so continue what weeping and wailing will there bee at the last For it is sayd in the Gospell Woe be to them that laugh and reioyce now for they shall weepe and lament When God had both warned Pharaoh to let Israel goe and plagued him for detayning of them still at length he asked him this questioÌ„ How long wilt thou refuse to humble thy selfe before me So the Lord hath warned vs often to let our sinnes goe and hath also in some measure plagued vs for keeping them still Now he asketh vs also the same question How long will you refuse to humble your selues before the Lord which argueth that we are growne as hard as desperate as Pharaoh was which is also
crieth still Yet a little sleepe a little slumber and a little folding of the hands to sleepe therefore now let him hearken vnto his iudgement The Sluggards iudgment The seuenth Sermon 11 Therefore thy pouertie commeth as one that traâ—â—â—leth by the way and thy necessitie like an armed man HEre is now the Sluggards iudgement and the fruite of idlenes and negligence The wicked man sayth Dauid trauelleth of mischiefe and bringeth forth a lye And the Sluggard sayth Salomon trauelleth of idlenes bringeth forth pouertie and necessitie two twinnes borne both at a burden but such ill fauoured ones that euery one is out of loue with them so soone as they are borne A poore and a neâ—die birth without beautie or comelines oâ— shape or strength or any thing to liue vpon oâ— his owne And surely a fit birth for the Sluggard to begge withall The sluggard and the sluggards birth are faine to liue vpon other mens labours and yet are still poore and necdie like Pharaohs seuen leane kine which â—â—uoured seuen fat kine and yet were leane now that was but a dreame but this is a trueth And nâ—â—â—â—uaile for it is iust and 〈…〉 which will not sowe in sommer for feare of a shower should beg in winter when showers doe fall And he that will not worke when he may and is able must bee put from his meate when he would eate Therefore thy pouertie commeth c. As if he should say thou art the cause of thy owne pouertie thy selfe which is more then the sluggard would willingly confesse For by nature we would be rich and idle too and when 〈◊〉 are most dissolute and careles yet then 〈◊〉 looke to bee relieued aswell as if they had â—â—uer been the cause of their owne pouertie 〈◊〉 prophane reprobates which looke to cometo heauen aswell as any bodie and yet care not for the ordinarie meanes which God hath appoynted to bring men thither by By this then wee may see what a hard matter it is for flesh and bloud to see what is the crue cause of Gods hand vpon men especiaâ—â—â— when the fault is in our selues for selfe-loue is blinde And though we bee-plagued through our owne default yet commonly we think not so but wee make that the cause which is not the cause sometime most wickedly accusing the Lord of harde dealing against vs who is most iust in all his waies and holie in all his workes sometime crying out vpon the hardnes of the weather and vnseasonablenes of the yeare sometimes condemming others for waÌ„â— of charitie and compassion as is to bee seene when any dearth or scarcitio commeth vpon vs sometime with one thing and sometime with another but as for our selues we can neuer intende it to search out the cause there but still put it off from our selues though indeede our owne sinnes haue moued the Lord to deale in this and that sort against vs. Wherein we shew our selues to be the right children of Adam 〈◊〉 for so playd they when the Lord came to examine them about the eating of the foâ—bidden fruite Adam layeth his fault vpon his wife and his wife puts it off to the â—erpent but neither of 〈◊〉 would be knowne 〈◊〉 in t in fa 〈◊〉 So when any plague or calamitie came vpon the heathen they cried out against the Christians and â—ayd that they were the cause of 〈◊〉 which indeede was 〈…〉 for â—od plagued the heathen because they 〈◊〉 the Christians By which wee may see 〈◊〉 heathenish tricke this is among 〈◊〉 to blame othâ—râ— fâ—â— that which themselues are the causers of like Achab who said that Eliah troubled Israel when it was himselfe that troubled Israel as Eliâ—â— truely told him Though Achab be dead yâ—â— his peeuish and peruerse opinion still liueth amongst vs and the wicked keepe it fast and pleade hard for it as though it were Achabs legacie beqâ—eathed vnto them which no man may take from them For when any bee fallen into decay and proued bankeroupts as many are through their owne follie as some by vnâ— aduised suretiship some by play and gaming some by feasting some by negligence some by cousening and other vngoâ—ly practises Then they crie out vpon the preachers or against the preaching of the worde or againâ—â— the professors of the Gospell or against their creditors like dâ—gges which barke at the Moone when it giueth 〈◊〉 and nâ—ueâ— did hurt them more then Eliah did hurt Achab when perhaps he tolde him of his faâ—â—â— and bad him looke to his soule And being thus bewitched and besottâ—d they sleepe 〈◊〉 out in all securitie and brauerie â—hrowding themselues vnder false pretences and vaine â—llegations as lâ—nas did vnder the hatchâ—â— when both himselfe and the wholeship were readie to petish with him And so doe wiâ—â— ked men lye still in their vnthriftines and idlenes and vaine life when they bee readi◠〈◊〉 â—ink themselues and many others with 〈◊〉 Therefore the Lord doth here pul out the sluggard and set both his sinne and the fruit thereof before his face and telleth him plainly that himselfe is the cause of his owne pouertie and miserie and none but himselfe Againe wee are to note that God doth not say â—â—â—plie pouertie shall come vpon thee but he sayth Thy pouertie teaching vs thereby to distinguish of pouertie and the causes thereof for sometimes good men are in pouertie aswell as bad Christ was poore in the world buâ— his pouertie was to make vs rich Iob was striken with pouertie yet a good man fearing God and painfull to doe any good that he could to all men but his pouertie was sent him to make triâ—ll of his patience and to set forth the riches of Gods spirit in him which els could not haue so well appeared Lazarus was poore but his pouertie was to trie the rich mans charitie withall and to make the hard hearâ—â—dnes of rich gluttons to appeare And as the blindâ— mâ—n in the Gospell was made blinde neither for his owne sinne nor his parents sinne but that the worke of God might bee made manifest in him so some are made poore neither through their owne fault nor through their paâ—ents fault but that the work of God might appeare in them as it did in Iob and that in otherâ— either the worke of God or els the work of the diuell may bee made manifest while sâ—me shew compassion in relieuing the poore and others shut vp all compassion from the poore All men shall dye but not all of one disease Many haue suffered but not al foâ— one cause some haue suffered as cuill doers and some for well doing and true it is that not the death but the cause makes a martyr Therefore to make this poynt more plaine wee will consider of two things First how many kinds of pouertie there be Secondly what be the true causes of the saâ—â— Of pouertie then we will make two 〈◊〉 according to the parts of man consisting of body and soule as by