keepers of Christ f Mat. 28.4 that they became like dead men Mat. 28.4 But yet so cheered of these blessed seekers of Christ that he expelled all feare from them saying Be not afraid Thirdly how it is that we ought to feare For there is one Feare which t 1. Ioh. 4.18 perfect loue casteth out 1. Ioh. 4.18 And another feare which u Pro. 15 33. bringeth in the loue of God Pro. 15.33 This wee must embrace not that This because it is like the feare of a louing wife which x August in Psal 19 quo quanto ardentius diligit tanto diligentius cauet offendere saith Saint Augustine The more ardently shee loues her husband the more diligently she takes heed of offending him Therefore Dauid calleth it a Psal 19.9 Castus timor Ps 19.9 Chast feare b August in Psal 19. exposit 2. Gratis amans saith Augustine non puniri timens ab eo quem tremit sed separari ab eo quem diligit Louing freely and fearing louingly not so much least she be punished of him whom she dreades as least she be diuided froÌ„ him whom she loues Hence it is that by Feare is signified all Gods worship seruice Dauid calling to all Gods seruants intituleth them c Psal 66.16 such as feare God Psalm 66.16 Abraham when hee would signifie Abimelech and his seruants to be without religion said d Gen. 20.11 Surely I thought the feare of God was not in this place Gen. 20.11.11 When Iacob and Laban made a couenant Laban sware by his Idolls e Gen. 31.54 but Iacob sware by the Feare of his father Isaac Genes 31.54 So true it is that one saith Vbi non est metus non est religio Where feare is wanting Religion is absent And f Tertul. li. de penitent Timor hominis Dei honor est Mans feare is Gods honour For this cause Feare is compared to a Porter A good Porter will keepe out rogues and varlets out of his Lords house so doth Feare thrust vices out of the soule g Eccle. 1.26 The feare of the Lord driueth out sinne Eccl. 1.26 Herein it is like to Iosiah which signifieth the fire of the Lord. Hee put downe the high places cut down the groues demolished Baals altars sacrificed his Priests and like a fire burned and consumed all the peoples abhominations h 2. King 23.5 2. Kings 23.5 So Feare like a spirituall fire both burnes vp our stubble of vitious qualities and warmes the heart inwardly with a zeale of Gods glory and like the good huswife sweeps cleane our heart that it may be an holy Temple for the Lord. Againe A good Porter will let in all his Lords friendes that his house may be furnished with guests So doth Feare i Eccle. 1.21 Shee filleth her house with alâ— things desireable Eccl. 1.21 And therefore when Dauid had some worthie matter to relate he chose for his auditors k Psal 66.16 Such as feare God Psal 66.16 l Aug. in Psal 65. Dei timor aperiat aures vt sit quod intret qua intret Aug. ibid. Non est quibus narretur saith Saint Augustine vbs Dei timor non est Where feare hath made no passage there wordes can haue â—o entrance but let feare once open the eare and there will be matter to enter and entrance for matter To conclude A good Porâ—er will retaine vigilancie for feare the thiefe enter in spoyle the house So true Feare euer wakes least the â—ule by negligence be betrayed For m Eccl. 27 3 if a man holde him not sure in the Feare of the Lord his house will soone be ouerthrowne Eccles 27.3 Hence Saint Ierome n Hieron ad Fabiolam Timor virâ—utum custos est Securitas ad lapsum facilis Feare is vertues Guardian whilst securitie makes shipwracke of goodnes With this feare then let vs feare alwayes for it is the part of an Atheist at any time to want it I say at any time For o Pro. 28.14 He is blessed that feareth alwayes Prou. 28.14 Not that feareth sometime but alwayes There be three estates of a Christian in this life and Feare must be waÌ„ting to none of them Time cum arisent gragratia time cum abierit time cum denuo reuertetur Bern super Contâ—c ser 54. There is the estate of grace the estate of a lapse the estate of recouery In the estate of grace we must feare God for his goodnes p Rom. 11 20 Through vnbeliefe they are broken off and thou standest fast by faith Be not high minded but Feare Ro. 11.20 In the estate of a lapse God must be feared for his Iustice q Luc. 23.40 Fearest not thou seeing thou art in the estate of condemnation Luk. 23.40 In the estate of recouerie wee must feare God for his mercie r Psal 130 4 If thou marke our iniquities who may abide it but there is mercie with thee that thou mayest be feared Psal 130.4 In the estate of grace Feare saith Bern Å¿ Bern super Cantic ser 54. ne non digne opereris ex ea Least thou turne grace into wantonnes t Mat. 25.18 Least thou be like the sloathfull seruant that buried his talent in a napkin Matt. 25.18 Doest thou not burie thy talent when thou hast learning and riches and yet helpest neither the poore nor the ignorant Or least thou be like the vniust Steward u Luc. 16.1 who was accused to his maister that hee had wasted his goods Luc. 16.1 Do we not wast Gods goods when gifts are giuen vs to edifie withall and wee gaine nothing by them either to our selues or others Againe in the estate of a lapse Feare saith Bern. x Bern vt supra Quia dereliquit te custodia tua Because thy Guardian hath left thee Thou art exposed like a young Moyses to the mercies of the vnsatiable gulfe The good Spirit hath left thee and thou art in the hands of an euill vexing spirit If thy state be not to be feared what is Thirdlie in the estate of recouerie Feare saith Bern. y Ibid. Quia recidere quam incidere est deterius The second fall is worse then the first z Repudiam nam mari dicunt Tert. de poenitent Many that haue made shipwracke of goods bid shippe and Sea farewell how much more should a man feare a second shipwracke of his goodnes Say God hath pardoned thee once Say twice Say many times wilt thou continue in sinne that grace may abound God forbid No reason saith I ertullian a Nemo idcirco deterior siâ— quia deus melior est Ibid. that man should be worse because God is better redundantia clementiae caelestis libidinâ—m faciat humanae temeritatis and the abundance of heauenlie beneuolence should bring forth store of presumptuous impudencie Say not of thy sinnes as the drunkard of his wines b Pro. 23.25
THE DEVOVT SOVLES SEARCH With the happie issue of Comfort found IN A SERMON Preached at Paules Crosse Ian. 14. 1610. By Thomas Myriell Preacher of the word of God at Barnet Bonus es domine animae quaerenti te Si quaerenti quanto magis inuenienti Si tam dulcis est memoria qualis erit praesentia Bern. LONDON Printed by T. C. For Iohn Budge and are to be sold at his shoppe at the great South dore of Poules 1610. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN God the Lord Byshop of Bath and Wells my very good Lord heauenlie grace and earthlie peace RIGHT Reuerend Father in God my very good Lord. THere is no such motiue to giue life nor meanes to preserue life in the affection of loue as loue it selfe Neither is anie thing so kindely to mans nature or so naturall to mankinde as to loue when one is beloued Therefore euen hee which is loue it selfe takes this course hee loues vs first that wee may loue him first and last Quid tam populare quam gratia saieth that generous Byshop Fauour and grace as we affect and desire nothing more So nothing so much affecteth and delighteth vs. Hence my Lord it is that as by dutie I must not but honor so by affection I cannot but loue your Lordship my selfe in particular hauiÌ„g receiued as good cause to doe this as you giue to others in generall iust reason to doe that Your Lordships promise that you would remember mee doth make me vowe neuer to forget you Your kinde affection in wishing you might do me good did me much good presently as soone as you wished it And certes I no wayes doubt such is your Lordships loue and respect with God himself in heauen and his vice-gerent vice-regeÌ„t in earth such your dignitie and eminencie in the Church and Court that anie reasonable matter is or can be so difficult that your Lordship may wish for it and yet not haue it I know your Lordship looke for no requitall and indeed I can make none Yet if I should not so much as once shew some willingnes I should more then make shewe of great vnworthinesse Aeschines a poore scholler to Socrates when hee saw manie of his companions bestow great gifts on their maister himselfe grieuing hee could not be a companion with them in giuing rewards as hee was in receiuing Learning thus said Nihil dignum te quod dare tibi possim inuenio Et hoc vno modo pauperem me esse sentio Itaque dono tibi quod vnum habeo meipsum Hoc munus rogo qualecunque est boni consulas cogiteâ—que alios cum multum tibi darent plus sibi reliquisse I can finde nothing to giue you which is anie way worthie of you and heerein onely I finde my selfe to be poore Therefore loe euen all that I haue I giue you that is My selfe This gift I desire you be it neuer so simple to take in good worth and to reckon of others that though they gaue much to you yet they kept more for theÌ„selues To whom Socrates made this answere Quidni tu mihi magnum munus dederis nisi forte paruo te aestimas Habebo itaque curae vt te melioreÌ„ tibi reddam quà m accepi Without doubt thou hast giuen me a great gift vnlesse thou accountest thy selfe little worth I will therefore endeuour that I may restore thee againe vnto thy selfe better worth then I tooke thee at the first The like gift my Lord I a poore Aeschines doe most willingly bequeath to your Lordship that because I verelie hope that with graue and wise Socrates you will ere long restore mee to my selfe againe now scarcely apud me through an Ocean of worldlie crosses much better then you now find me And for a pledge of this gift I beseech your Lordship to accept this rude sermon and to giue it your countenance to grace it and protection to defend it And then I doubt not but as it was once carefully attended from my mouth by honorable and religious hearers since earnestly requested from my hands by worshipful and deare friends So now much more it will be thankfully receiued in the hearts of all deuout Christians not because it is any longer mine but for that it is become whollie your Lordships And so humblie crauing pardon of your Lo for my boldnes I cease further to trouble you euer resting your Lordships humbly to be commanded Thomas Myriell TO THE READER DEare Christian Reader for deare I reade thee if thou be a Christian To thee I trust I need not Apologize for Printing this Sermon If it profit spoken it cannot but profit written For other if any complaine a Eccl. 12.12 There is no end of making many bookes I answere it is meant of many books made to no end But for a Sermon there is great reason as to make it out of a book in the pulpit so to make it into a booke in the Presse Euery good thing the more coÌ„mon the more commodious And it is no lesse griefe to the spirituall father to see that his ofspring bred of his braine and brought forth by his breath should die as soone as it begins to liue theÌ„ it is for the naturall mother to behold one and the selfe same day to be vnto her child dies natalis and dies fatalis a day of birth and a day of death And surely wee liue in an age where all knowledge abounds saue the true experimentall and practicall knowledge of Christ and therefore wee had need now with the Prophets of old to b Isa 28.10 adde praecept vpon praecept by speaking and line vnto line in writting These reasons with the importunitie of many friends haue made me yeeld to the publishing heereof Vse it and enioy it in the Lord in whom and to whome I leaue thee euer resting c August ad licent epist 41. Seruus tuus per ipsum conseruus sub ipso Thomas Myriell THE DEVOVT SOVLES SEARCH Mark 16.6 But he said vnto them Be not afraid Ye seeke Iesus of Nazareth which was crucified he is risen he is not heere behold the place where they put him THough the wisest of the Sonnes of men had not saide it yet the experience of the sonnes of men had long since prooued it that a Can. 8.6 Loue is as strong as death Cant. 8.6 As strong saith Augustine in a double respect b Siue quia nemo eam vincit sicut mortem siue quia in hac vita vsque ad mottem est meosura charitatis August ad Hieron Epist 29. Either because no man ouercomes loue no more then death or else because the measure of loue extendeth euen vnto death so as the partie louing shrinketh not at the sharpest sting of death to expresse his affection to the partie beloued Nay if we say loue is stroÌ„ger then death we say no more then reason will defend which telleth vs Death may extinguish life but
doth this commend absolutely because so many seek him dissolutely For it is certaine some corruptly seek the true Iesus Some carefully pursue a false Iesus While the true Iesus was on earth some sought him corruptly viz. for the cure of their bodies rather theÌ„ the sauing of their soules to behold his miracles rather then to admire his vertues to fill their mouths with bread rather then their hearts with faith and to catch him in his words rather theÌ„ to be catched by his word The 9. leapers cried after him to be cleÌ„sed but neuer returnd to giue him thaÌ„ks t Luk. 17.17 Herode u Lu. 23.8 desired to see a miracle presently sent him back to Pilate to be crucified Luc. 23.8 The Capernaits x Ioh. 6.60 eat of the loaues were filled afterwards murmured and forsooke him Ioh 6.60 The Pharisies and Sadduces had all their questions answered and then y Mat. 26.5 gathered a Councell to put him to death Matth. 26.3 Thus the true Iesus was corruptly sought That Iesus which holy Ignatius saith is z Igna. Epist ad Roman vita fidelium life to the faithfull in the bitterest death and which as Bernard saith is a Bern super Canuc Ser. 15. mel in ore in aure melos in coâ—de iubilus honie in the mouth melodie in the eare ioy and ionisance in the hart sought after for corrupt and sinister respects no whit profiteth the greedie seekers Some againe carefully pursue a false Iesus proposing to their minde safetie in that thing which they most affect and reposing in their hearts a confidence therein Yea almost euery kingdome in the world almost euery citie in a kingdome almost euery man in a citie hath a false Iesus in whom he delighteth and in whom he seuerely restes The Turkes Iesus is their brainsicke prophet Mahemet in him they place their faith of him they hope for saluation To his bountie they impute the largenesse of their empire the fertilitie of their soile and to his right hand b Lactan. Institut lib. 2. cap. 7. quicquid est propter quod furta latrocinia homicidia quotidie saeuiunt whatsoeuer it is for purchasing whereof thefts robberies murders are euery day among them outragious and whole cities and townes ouerthrowne and demolished as LactaÌ„tius once said of the superstitious heathen The Romanists Iesus is the Pope For of him they expect all which is onely to be receiued from the true Iesus of Nazareth which was cruâ—ified Remission of sinnes imputation of righteousnes validitie of merits inheritance of glorie they think to receiue from him which alas hath it not for himselfe Hath it not which is more hath lesse meanes to haue it then any as being most contrarie to Christ of all Christ hath an high title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The King of Kings and Lord of Lords c Reu. 19.21 Reu. 19.21 yet an humble carriage d Phil. 2.8 He tooke on him the form of a seruaÌ„t Phi. 2.8 CoÌ„trary the pope hath an huÌ„ble title Seruus seruorum Dei the seruant of the seruants of God but a most pompous and pontificall cariage far exceeding the mightiest monarchs Christ refused soueraigntie three times contrarie the Pope takes 3. soueraignties at once The scriptures say of Christ that he is deus homo both God man the Canonists say of the Pope that he is nec deus nec homo neither god nor man I know not theÌ„ what to make of him but verie Antichrist To come to our selues Who is it but hath a Iesus by himselfe The couetous mans Iesus is his money Did not the rich man hope for saluation in his riches when he said e Luc. 12.19 Soule thou hast much goods laid vp in store for many years eate drinke and take thine ease Luk. 12.19 So the gluttons God is his belly Paul calls it so Phil. 3.19 f Phil. 3.19 Whose God is their bellie whose glorie is to their shame which minde earthly things So the ambitious mans God is honour the lasciuious mans God is pleasure as the heathen saith of a man in loue if he hath what he loueth g Plautus id habet pro cibo it is meate drinke to him So I may say of euery mans delight which his minde and heart is set vpon id habet pro deo it is a Iesus vnto him For there is no man in the world but as by nature he desires his owne safetie so by religion he chuseth his owne Sauiour religion with men of the world being nothing else h Lactant. Instit lib. 2. cap. 7. quam quod cupiditas humane miratar but that which a mans fancie is in loue withall So true it is which that graue and iudicious Father Saint Augustine hath obserued i August de ciuit dei lib. 14. cap. 4. Beatus vult esse homo etiam non sic viuendo vt possit esse Man would be blessed and happie though he so liues as he neuer treades the right way too it Amongst these many vaine seekers of Iesus I may most fitly insert the sert of Iesuites who because they would make the world beâ—eeue that they none but they had found Iesus they haue taken away his name from al others and appropriated it to themselues k Verbum cauponantes Iesum vendentes Ignat. ad Trallian In the meane time they play the merchants with the word and the Indaffas with Iesus And whilst they thus seeme to haue gotten Iesus from all others it is come to passe that they haue lost Christ froÌ„ theÌ„selues Let holy Ign tius the Martyr speake against their Ignatius â—arola l Ignatibid Qui inim alio nomine appellatur praeter islud hic non est dei Whosoeuer is called by any other name then the name of a Christian is â—one of Gods Some therefore call them not Iesuites but Iebusites and I thinke not without verie good cause For as they of Ierusalem set vp a company of blind and lame Iebusites on the walls of their citie in disgrace of Dauid m 2. Sam. 156 when he came vnto them m 2. Sam. 3.6 Sam. 5.6 So they of Rome haue set vp these Iebusites â—lind through ignorance of the truth lame through peruersenes in life on the walls of the city of God vp to the height of preferment in the Church in disgrace of Christ and all his annointed Kings But no doubt as Dauid fetched downe those base people because his n 2. Sam. 5.8 soule hated them Christ will one day plucke downe this proud Sect and disperse them with the breath of his mouth and dispatch them with the sword of the spirit But I hast to the third degree Yee seeke Iesus of Nazareth Neither doeth this commend more then the former For thus some haue sought him without profit in the Gespell thus some seeke him all for profit in the world Read how vnprofitably
some haue thus sought him Ioh. 18.5 whē they had sought out the most cursed death and were seeking the most blessed persō for that death they meeting with him he demāded of them Whom seeke yee They vailing all their villanie vnder a smooth answere said Iesus of Nazareth And whereas others which had sought him so before hearing his sweete words were ouercome with them in soule went backe to the Priests with this answere o Ioh. 7.46 Neuer man spake as this man Ioh. 7.46 These mē now seeking him and hearing his powerfull words were ouerthrowne by them in bodie p Ioh. 18.6 They went backeward and fell to the groūd Ioh. 18.6 O the power of the Maiestie of Christ hidden in the vaile of our flesh q August in Ioh. Tract Quid indicaturas faciet qui iudicādus hoc fecit What thinke you wil he doe saith Augustine whē he comes to iudge the world that thus could doe whē he was to be iudged in the world What wil he do raigning as a king the thus did doe dying as a captiue Now to this inquisition none in the world in my iudgement is so like as the inquisitiō of Spaine For ther Iesus of Nazareth is stil sought to be put to death and crucified in his mēbers They seeke not Chrystum crucifixum but Christianos crucifigendos not Christ crucified but to crucifie Christiās Wherein the now Antichristian popes of Rome exceed in crucltie the former heathē Emperours of Rome for what was Traianes counsaile to Plinie r Tertull. apologet capit Hoc genus inquirendos non esse oblatos vero puniri oportere That this kind of mē namely christiās shuld not be inquired after when they were close out onely thē punished when they were offered But this most bloodie inquisition will not tarrie til poore christiās be brought but like a cruell mōster clad in a Lisanders Lion-fox-skinne coare hunts them out by craft rootes them out by crueltie Againe thus some seeke him all for profit in the world whilst they seeke indeed Iesum Nazarenum but not crucifixum that is as ſ Ludolo de vit Chri. par 2. cap. 7◠ex Chrisost one interprets it Iesum floridum but not Iesum flagellatum a Iesus crowned with flowers but not crowned with thornes That can take the sweet bread in the passeouer but not the sower hearbes That with Peter hold it good bein gwith him in mount Tabor where he was trāsfigured but denie him and forsake him in mount Caluerie where he was transfigured That will be religious so long as they may gaine either reputation o◠aduantage in the world thereby but bid religion and God farewell when profit and commoditie is not annexed thereto Such ambodexters there be now adaies t Bern super Cant. Serm. 16. qui veterem hominem non exuerunt sed nouo palliant saith Bernard which haue not put off the old man with his Iustes but couered him with the new man as with a cloake God commanded his people that they should not plow with an oxe and an asse together nor weare a garment of linsi-wolsie but I thinke linsiwolsie was neuer more worne then in this age it being growne from a qualitie to a habite For who is it but in seruing God seekes especially to serue himselfe For gaine and outward respects may men preach and more practise religion viderit vtilitas is now the onely moderatour of our spirituall edifying and men grow rich in deuotion so farre forth as they grow rich by deuotion To come therefore to the fourth degree Yee seeke Iesus of Nazareth which was crucified Onely this is absolutely good and the rest no further thē they tend to this This onely purchaseth matter of true securitie and herein alone is iust cause of reioycing Herein alone because u Gal. 6.16 God forbid that I should glorie saue in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ x Chrysost in Matt. hom 55. Vellem cum Paulo posse dicere saith Saint Chrysostome I would we could say also with Paul Whereby the world is crucified to me and I vnto the world Gal. 6.16 This crosse of Christ which to the Iewes is a scandall to the Centiles follie is to the faithfull both of Iewes and Gentiles the power of God to saluation being like Iacobs ladder the onely way for vs to climbe vp into heauen y Tertul. aducrs Iudaeos Vt quod perierat olim per lignum in Adam id restitueretur per lignū Christi That we which perished by that which the first Adam plucked from the tree might againe be restored by the second Adam who was fastened to the tree z Bern in die S. An. dreae Ser. 1. Non est siluestris arbor saith Bernard It is no barren tree this same tree of the crosse but a tree that bare such fruit as whosoeuer tastes of it shall be sure to liue for euer Though it were a Angust de tem p. serm 138. mortifera Christo yet it was Salutifera Christionā saith August a bitter tree to Christ yet the tree of life to a Christian Hence sprang the great reioycing and glorying of the fathers in the crosse b Chrysost in Matt. hom 55. Gloria nostra caput origo beatitudinis libertas corona crux est saith Saint Chrysostome The crosse it is our glorie the head and fountaine of our happinesse our libertie from death and crowne in life And this saith he let vs chāt out at all times but then most when the heathens are by vs. Hence came that auncient ceremonie of signing with the crosse so much distasted by some of our brethren For when as the Gentiles accounted it foolishnes the Christians to make them ashamed purposely gloried in it the more And indeed the Church saith Bern thinkes nothing more glorious to her selfe then to carrie the disgrace of her Lord. c Nihil sibi gloriosus purat quam portare ignominiam domini Bern. Super Cant. Serm. 25. Grata ignominia crucis ei qui crucifixo ingratus non est No doubt to him wil ye shame of ye crosse be gratefull to whō he which indured the shame of the crosse is gratious Not that they gloried in a simple woddē crosse as they of Rome doe No it was the vertue and efficacie of Christs death vpon the crosse which they so much gloried in This saith Chrysostome d Hoc caput certa bonorum omniū est quod deus proprio filio non peper cit vt fugitiuo seruos sanaret Chrysost in Matth. hom 51. is the fountaine of all good things that God spared not his onely sonne to redeeme his vnworthie seruants e Idem in Matt. hom 55. Passio certe domini nostrae beatitudinis caput est It is not the wodden crosse no it is the Lords passion that is the fountaine of our happinesse Nor secondly that they imputed any vertue to the transient crosse when it is made in