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
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
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
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