swallowes eies be sore the olde bird fetcheth the hearbe Celandine and applyeth it to the yong ones eyes healeth them q Vrsi cùm Mandragorae mala gustavere formicas lambunt Beares against the evill of mandrakes doe vse the benefite of Emmets These and many like examples hath Plini◠set downe lib. 8. cap. 27. Erasmus hath added this conclusion Nullum est animal quod non intelligat sua remedia c. There is no liuing creature but knoweth well how to remedy his owne diseases Man only only man is of no vnderstanding hee knoweth not any remedy for any griefe either of his body or mind Man that is borne of a woman saith Iob 14.1 is full of troubles At land or at sea by day or by night troubles wait vpon him That which is vnsavorie shall it be eaten without salt or is there any tast in the white of an egge Languishing Iob maketh this question chap. 6.6 O then what delight can wee take to liue since our griefes and miseries were they well weighed laid together in the ballance would bee heavier then the sands of the Sea Iob. 6.4 The arrowes of the Almightie are in vs their venim hath even drunke vp our spirits Miserable men that such should bee our lot And yet behold much more miserable are we if we be not called to grace in this pilgrimage for so after this life wee shall bee nothing but prayes for Sathan nothing but firebrands of Hell He that hath a heart to consider let him consider how subiect he is to miseries and then be he proud if he can A second note to moue vs to Humilitie is this even to consider whence we haue those good things which we doe enioy Meate to nourish vs we haue it from the Lord. Apparell to cloath vs we haue it from the Lord. The Sunne to comfort vs the Moone to pleasure vs we haue them from the Lord. Life for our being riches honour and whatsoever else for our well being all commeth from the Lord. This is the reason which St Paule vsed to beate downe pride in the Corinthians what hast thou saith he that thou hast not receaued 1. Cor. 4.7 Art thou rich it is not of thy selfe the Lord giueth saith Iob. 1.12 hee can take away Art thou in estimation in this world it is not of thy selfe The Lord setteth vp saith Hannah 1. Sam. 2.7 and hee can pull thee downe Hast thou cunning or skill in any thing whatsoever it is not of thy selfe God teacheth handycrafts-men to worke himselfe saith so to Moses Exod. 31.3 and he cā againe make them vnskilfull He can and will take away thy riches be they never so great he can and will pull thee downe be thou never so high he can and will make thee vnskilfull be thou never so cunning or will doe vnto thee more then so if for any his gifts and graces thou be puffed vp swell in pride Art thou steward of much little cause hast thou to bee proud thine account shall bee for much If thou haue fiue talents Mat. 25.20 thy Lord will looke for the increase of fiue if thou haue more riches then others knowe that they are bestowed vpon thee to relieue and succour those that want thou maist not lay them vp in store for thy selfe for many yeares Luk. 12.19.20 For how knowest thou ô foole whether this night they will fetch away thy soule from thee And thē whose shal those things be which thou hast prouided And thus whether we consider our estate as it is by nature or the fountaine from which all good things which we enioy doe proceed wee may in some measure bee moved to imbrace humilitie For so shall we be taught though we giue almes yet not to blow a trumpet though we fast twice a weeke yet to make no words of it though we haue done many good deeds yet to forget them all Then shall wee bee able to make for our Lord borders of gold guilt with silver that is we shall be rich inwardly howsoever our outward appearance is then shall wee bee willing to strow our best garments our most flourishing branches at our Saviours feet then shall we be ready speedily to cast downe our crownes yea our very selues before the Throne of the Lambe And our Lord and Saviour this Lambe of God as he is able will also be willing ready to lift vs vp and will giue vs a resting place where no night shall be there shall we need neither candle nor light of Sunne for hee will giue vs light make vs to raigne for evermore Even so bee it Lord Iesus To God the father the sonne and the holy Ghost bee all praise power Maiestie and dominion for evermore THE SECOND SERMON ON THE EPISTLE OF SAINT IAMES CHAP. 4. VERS 10. Cast downe your selues before the Lord and he will lift you vp REturne and cause others to returne away from your wicked waies cast from you all your sinnes wherewith you haue transgressed and make you a new heart and a new spirit for why will you die O house of Israel When the Lord spake so by his Prophet Ezech. 18.31 in effect hee spake thus repent or be damned amend your liues or be damned consider it well and you shall find no meane If they then then we much more now and now if ever had need vnfainedly to repent amend our liues Hereto haue we beene invited you cannot forget it by a late pretended invasion but then a Psa 107◠6 we cried vnto the LORD in our troubles he delivered vs out of our distresse Hereto haue we as lately beene summoned and this you may remember by a grievous sicknesse by a farre scattered plague by a present death eating vp our brethren almost in every place of this land but then wee cryed out vnto the LORD in our troubles and he delivered vs out of our distresse O that we would therefore praise the LORD for his goodnesse and declare the wonders that he hath done for vs. But what Are we now amēded haue these two messengers of the Lord turned vs from our vngodlinesse I would I could say they had to me it seemeth that they haue rather strēgthened vs in our iniquities For they which were ignorant are ignorant still they which were vniust are vniust still they which were filthy are filthy still yea they which seemed religious like so many b 2. Tim. 4.10 Damases haue embraced this present world Thus haue all as it were made a c Esai 28.15 league with death and a covenaunt with the graue perswading themselues that albeit there come a sword there come a plague there come the worst that may come through the land yet shall there no evill come at them Now therefore hath the LORD sent a third messenger to trie whether thereby he can stirre vs vp to this repentance and amendment of our liues Al of you haue heard of it
EIGHT SERMONS PVBLIKELY PREACHED IN THE VNIVERSITY OF OXFORD the second at St Peters in the East the rest at St Maries Church Begunne in the yeare 1595. Decemb. XIIII NOW FIRST PVBLISHED BY SEBASTIAN BENEFIELD Doctor and Professour of Divinity for the Lady MARGARET ROM 1.16 I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ for it is the power of God vnto salvation to every one that beleeveth AT OXFORD Printed by Ioseph Barnes 1614. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE THOMAS LORD ELLESMERE LORD HIGH CHANCELLOR OF ENGLAND AND THE MVCH HONOVRED CHANCELLOR OF THE VNIVERSITIE OF OXFORD RIGHT HONOVRABLE THese Sermons the first fruits of my labours in the Ministery preached many yeares since in the publique assemblies of this famous Vniuersity do now at length adventure to go into the Country to see what entertainement they can finde there There they doubt not of respect if they may be graced with the countenance of some worthy patronage It is my part to seeke it for them And of whom shall I rather seeke it then of your HONOVR They were studyed penned and delivered in that renowned Academie whereof now when they are published your HONOVR is the chiefe ruler To your HONOVR therfore do they of right belong Receiue them much-Honoured Lord into your protection shield them against the tongues of railers They will say Is this the myrrh the incense the gold are these the pearles we looked he should bring to the building of the Tabernacle I reply that Goats haire Ex. 35.23 and the skins of Rammes and Badgers are welcome to that worke and doe wish that some willing offering of theirs may further it If it be demaunded why at this time I offer so simple a present to your Honourable view My answere is I do it to testifie that dutifull observance thankfulnesse which I owe vnto your HONOVR We Schollers of all others must acknowledge our selues obliged to your HONOVR Many as well in this as in that other Vniversity might bury their bones in their cloysters did not your HONOVR daily send them forth to labour God graunt they all proue labourers in the vineyard of the Lord. Mat. 9.38 For mine owne particular your Honourable countenance was of late most ready to settle me in the Divinity Lecture for the Lady MARGARET and was within these few weekes as forward to advance me to a higher preferment but it pleased God otherwise to dispose of that This your Honours more then credible benignity towards one whom your HONOVR never saw can I forget It s impossible My right hand should deserue to loose her cunning Psa 137.5 would shee not take her first opportunity to write of so great bounty For this cause at this time is this poore talent of mine presented to your HONOVR Accept it Honourable Lord as the sincere testimony of my thankefull heart and vouchsafe me still your Honourable favour God Almighty showre downe plentifully of his best blessings vpon your HONOVR and make you happy and blessed in all your waies and after fulnesse of age and felicity in this world crowne he you with everlasting glorie in the Highest Heavens From my Study in Corpus Christi College in Oxford Iuly 2. 1614. YOVR HONOVRS most bounden in all duty and service SEBASTIAN BENEFIELD THREE SERMONS ON LVKE CHAP. 9. VERS 23. And he said vnto all if any man will come after me let him deny himselfe and take vp his crosse dayly and follow me THE righteous a Ierem. 23.5 branch raised vnto David by the Lord God of Israel of whō it was foretold that he should come like a b Mal. 3.2 3 4 purging fire and like fullers sope and should be ready to sit downe to try fine the silver even the sonnes of Levi as also to fift Iudah Ierusalem yea all that would be his that their sacrifices and workes might bee as purified gold acceptable to the Lord as in old time having descended from the highest heavens well content in flesh to be c Esai 53.5 wounded for our transgressions and broken for our iniquities even then when he d Esai 53.4 carried our sorrowes was by divers diversly reputed Some thought of him as of e Mat. 16.14 Iohn Baptist of others he was taken for Elias and there wanted not such as said he was Ieremy or one of the old Prophets risen againe but asking his disciples f Vers 15. whom say yee that I am he heard otherwise g Vers 16. Thou art that CHRIST the sonne of the living God And knowing that his disciples howsoever they were well assured that he was that King and Priest promised to our forefathers and foreordained by the almighty to saue mankinde were notwithstanding ignorant of the meanes of mans redēption and salvation and so were ignorantly by a common error of their time deceived looking for an earthly kingdom in him whose h Psal 45.6 scepter is a scepter of righteousnesse he taught them in a few words what estate condition both of his kingdome and priesthood should be looked for even that al our salvation must wholy depend vpon the merit of his death and vertue of his resurrection and so much he signified vnto them in the former verse the 22. vers of this chapter saying The sonne of man must suffer many things and be reproved of the elders and of the High Priests and Scribes and be slaine and the thirde day rise againe Having thus instructed them he delivereth a new doctrine in these words of my text whereby all are taught what must be done by them who are willing to be partakers of that salvation which he for his followers hath deserved Which place is so much the more worthy our memory and due consideration because small fruit may redound vnto vs from all that is delivered concerning Christ the whole worke of our redēption except we throughly vnderstand the meanes by which we may be made his disciples For to them onely belong al the promises of his kingdome and the inheritance thereof Our Saviour therefore being vnwilling that any thing should be hidden from vs which might direct vs in the pathway to our salvation hath said vnto all if any man will come after me let him deny himselfe and take vp his crosse dayly and follow me The occasion of these words although omitted by this Evangelist is notwithstanding expressed by S. Matthew in the 22. ver of his 16. chapt by S. Marke ch 8. ver 32. where we read how that Peter offended at the former words of Christ wherein he mentioned his owne death began to advise him to the contrary and i Math. 16.22 tooke him aside and rebuked him Thē Christ turning backe reproved Peter saying get thee behinde me Sathan thou art an offence vnto me because thou vnderstandest not the things that are of God but the things that are of men And because he knew that this was a common fault to all his disciples
haue a poore widdowes mite for others how little soever we haue for our selues then should we haue contented minds waited vpon with a thousand blessings we should haue in readinesse for the curing of every wound a Chirurgion for the preventing of every disease a Physician for the ending of everie strife a lawyer for the satisfying of every doubt a preacher for asswaging of every griefe a comforter and all this within our selues so should we like Daniel Dan. 1.12 thriue with water and pulse as well as others do with their wine and iunkets And so I come to the second sort of lifters vp which in the pride of their hearts doe pretend a glory and praise in those gifts and graces which they haue received from the Lord. A little wormewoode is of force sufficient to make bitter a great vessell and a little leaven maketh sowre the whole lump As is this wormewood or this leaven so is pride A little of it is of force enough to corrupt and depraue even an Angels life For be he what he may be that arrogateth any thing to himselfe he cannot choose but put some trust therein his trust therein be it never so little must needs breed in him some distrust in God whom thereby he shall alien and estrange from himselfe and when once the fountaine of all goodnesse of light of life it selfe is departed from him how can that man bee but wretched but wicked but accursed If a marchant and a friend of yours after his long travail to the farthest parts either of the East or West Indies returning home with great riches should in his owne country haven before your eies suffer shipwracke loose al I know you would pity his estate Meditate here a while and thinke whether you haue not as great cause to pity your selues You your selues haue been travailers a long time in a strange country farre from your home much farther then either of the Indies and manie of you haue laden your selues I doubt it not with great riches with the precious riches of knowledge of honesty and of Godlie living and you seeme to be cloathed with sincerity integrity and purity of faith loue and other affections as if all were pure white about you and are even ready to enter the haven of the celestiall Ierusalem now if any of you thus furnished with the abundance of Gods blessings shall thereby exalt and lift vp himselfe and thinke in his heart with the prowd Pharisee that he is not g Luk. 18.11 as other men are I may boldly say that that mā hath made shipwracke of all and is now as much to be pitied himselfe as erst himselfe would haue pitied that marchant If you should be set vpon a pinnacle or vpon the ridge of an house and then would not looke to your footing could you be thought lesse then desperate Such is your estate it hath pleased God many waies to blesse you all all of you must needes confesse as much Such his blessings are vnto you as so manie ridges of houses or tops of pinnacles whereon he hath set you to walke though spiritually but your immodest and prowd vsage of thē argueth your carelesse looking to your footings For could you but enter the examination of your owne harts it would easily be graunted me that the Magistrate taketh a pride in his authority the Gentleman in his parentage the Rich man in his wealth the strong man in his strength the learned in his knowledge the preacher in his preaching yea and every man in every good thing he hath or doth So ready are wee sacrilegiously to attribute to our selues the praise of Gods blessings due to him alone imitating herein those Angels which for so doing were cast downe frō Heaven and are now reserved in everlasting chaines vnder darknes vnto the iudgement of that great day Iude 1.6 and Nebuchadnezzar who for so doing was expelled his palace and made to eate grasse with the beasts of the forrest Dan. 4.32 and Pharaoh who for so doing was brought out of his kingdome and lodged in the red sea among the fishes Exod. 14.28 No sinne hath pulled downe so many as this which promiseth to set vs vp The first sinne that conquered man will be the last and worst sinne for vs to conquer Were it not for this the Pharisees would haue received Christ as meekely as the disciples did our mighty ones would come to church as well as the people do our elders would abide reproofe as well as their inferiours do our yong ones and ancients too of our owne coate would leaue swearing as well as any doe then would our men content themselues to go like Abraham and our women like Sarah then would they not make this their worke as one hath lately and too truely said so soone as they rise in the morning to put a pedlars shop vpon their backs and colour their faces pricke their ruffes and frisle their haire and then saith he their daies work is done as though their office were to paint a faire image every morning and at night to blot it out againe Hence it is that flesh blood putteth such confidence in it selfe Naked we are yet vaunt we our selues as though we were gorgeously apparelled weak we are yet think we with Nimrod to build a tower to Heaven ready are we to renounce Christ yea dayly in deed we do renounce him yet stoutly we protest with h Mat 26.35 Peter that we wil die with him rather then forsake him Thus whilst every one speaketh pleasing words vnto himself saith I will reigne or I shall not be removed or who shall ascend aboue me yea though he speake nothing but in his heart receiveth the applause of the people as surely as he liveth hee shall bee cast downe to the ground The Alarum hath sounded vnto him already from aboue though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the eagle I will bring thee downe from thence saith the LORD Ier. 49.16 He casteth downe the prowd and exalteth the humble and meeke this one sentence is observed to be repeated at the least 19. times in the old and new Testaments and all to teach vs how detestable a thing pride is in the sight of God Absalom slue his brother Amnon and did many more things wickedly and all that while was he spared but when once in the pride of his heart he sought to be king God resisted him hanged him on a tree 2. Sam. 18.9 Shebna had his purposes to betray the Church and to provide for himselfe against al dangers all that while was he spared but whē once in the pride of his heart he built a sepulcher for his memoriall God resisted him and made him to be buried in another country Es 22.18 Herod he killed Iames imprisoned Peter and much more did he as wickedly and all that while was he spared but whē once in the pride of heart he accepted the immoderate applause of
that in your naturall bodies if the foote bee hurt the hand is ready to lay a plaister to it Why should it bee otherwise in this our spiritual body Can your hearts suffer you seeing the poore in this time of dearth crying out vnto you at your dores and in the streets for reliefe to yeeld them no succour Bee not loath to lend vnto the Lord for hee will repay it Prov. 19.17 Learne counsell of the wise man He telleth you that whosoever giueth vnto the poore shall never lacke but hee that hideth his face from the poore shall haue many curses Proverb 28.27 Our Saviour then commanding vs to take vp our own crosses doth not forbid vs to pitie such as are to be pitied but signifieth vnto vs that the crosse which wee are to take vp is such a crosse as God in his good pleasure shall lay vpon vs thereby is made our owne Shall there bee any evill in the citie the Lord hath not done it saith Amos. 3.6 Howsoever wee are fed with the bread of affliction wee must still acknowledge God 〈◊〉 be the author thereof our sinnes mouing him thereto Miriam spake against her brother Moses the servant of the Lord. * Num. 12.2 God said a crosse vpon her for it shee was made leprous like sâ—â—â—e Num. 12.10 Baasha hee walked in the way of Ieroboam and made the people of Israel to sinne and with their sinnes provoked the highest God Behold his crosse for it Hee that dieth of Baashaes stocke in the citie him shall the dogges eate and that man of him which dieth in the fields shall the foules of the aire eate 1. King 16.4 Å¿ 2. Chro. 2.6 IEHORAM walked in the way of the king of ISRAEL as the house of Ahab had done before him â—â—e t Vers 4. slew all his brethren with the sword See God had a crosse for him in readines for he u Vers 14. smote his people his children his wiues and all his substance with a great plague yea he smote Iehorams owne bowels with an incurable disease so that in processe of time x Vers 19. after the end of two yeares they miserably gushed out 2. Chron. 21.18 What is man that he should be cleane or hee that is borne of a woman that he should be iust Iob. 15.14 God hath found no y Iob 15.15 stedfastnesse in his saints yea the heauens are not cleane in his sight z Vers 16. how much more is man abominable and filthie which drinketh iniquitie like water he is altogether sinfull sinfull in his conception sinfull in his birth in every deed word and thought wholly sinfull And can we so sinfull by our sin provoking to wrath our good God thinke to escape our due crosses let vs beleeue St Paule he telleth vs that all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution 2. Tim. 3.12 Yet behold she that hath beene so oft a Apoc. 17.6 drunken with the blood of the saynts martyrs of Iesus teacheth her followers to vndertake new crosses which are not laid vpon them by Gods finger Some must bring down theÌ„selues with needles fastings others must vowe pilgrimages full of dangers many must make choyce to liue poore hermites in an hermitage such as keepe theÌ„selues within the walls of their cloysters must watch much lodge hardly even vpon the grownd often scourge themselues All which they doe not with-out pretence for every one must take vp his owne crosse St. Austin in his 50 Epist written to Bonifacius speaketh of three kindes of deaths wherewith the Donatistes willingly desired to be killed or rather killed themselues * Ad PaganoruÌ„ celeberrimas solennitates ingeÌ„tia turbarum DonatistaruÌ„ agmina veniebant non vt idola frangeâ—ent sed vt interficerentur à cultoribus idolâ—rum Some of them would make request to the worshipers and keepers of Idols to destroy them * Quidam etiaÌ„ se trucidandos armatis viatoribus ingerebant percussuros eos se nisi ab eis perimerentur terribiliter comminantes others would offer themselues to armed men lying by the high waies side to be slaine of of them and there wanted not such among them * Per abrupta praecipitia per aquas flammas occidere se ipsos quotidianus illis ludus fuit as delighted to cast themselues down headlong from high places into the water and into the fire This these did with like pretence Everie one must take vp his owne crosse In these our daies the Anabaptistes desire to haue crosses laid vpon them without iust cause and before God layth them on there shoulders they are willing to forsake wife children substance and countrie to to oppose themselues to manifest dangers A b Gualter in Matth. homil 209. ad c. 16. Vidi ego mulierem quae cum multis annis cum maritâ— honeste vixisseâ— hoc furore percitam relictis septem liberis quidem minimo natu adhuc lactente ad Anabaptistas profugisse nec aliam sui facti excusationem praetexuisse quam quòd Christus nos ad Crucem vocat zealous preacher of late yeares of Zurich saith that himselfe saw a woman which after that shee had lived many yeares honestly with her husband and among her neighbours instructed by the Anabaptists ran away from her husband and forsooke her seven little children nothing pitying the youngest although a sucking child and when she was asked why so vnlike a mother shee left her children shee had that pretence which the rest of the Anabaptists haue Every one must take vp his owne crosse Monks Donatists and Anabaptists all account themselues blessed for their voluntary taking vp of their owne crosses The searchers out of naturall causes doe teach that in many senselesse things there is a secret friendship so that the one is much the better for the presence of the other Pliny saith that the Elme florisheth if it be set by a vine Lib. 16. cap. 17 that Rue groweth best being planted vnder a fig-tree Lib. 19. c. 8. and the Heliotropium spreadeth her leaues at the presence of the Sunne Lib. 22. cap. 21. All which will not bee of so good liking if these their naturall loues be remoued from them the Elme will scarse thriue the Rue will hang downe her tops the Heliotropium will close her leaues againe Me thinks that zeal is not of a farre vnlike condition If it be ioined with a good cause how gratious is it in the eies of the Lord The zeale of Phinâ—has manifested in his killing Zimrie and Cozbi was of force to turne away the anger of the Lord from the children of Israel Numb 25.11 The zeale of Hezekiah breaking in peices the brasen serpent set vp by Gods word when it was abused vnto Idolatrie was a sweet smelling sacrifice the Lord was with him for it and he prospered in all things that he tooke in hand 2. King 18.7 The zeale of Moses commanding the
an end and thine hope shall not be cut of Prov. 23.18 Heavinesse may endure for a night but ioy shall come in the morning Psal 30.5 q Ps 107.8 O that we would therefore Praise the LORD for his goodnesse and declare the wonders that he hath done doth for vs. Rather then Eliah shall starue the ravens shall feed him 1. King 17.6 Rather then Ionah shall be drowned the fish shall saue him Ion. 1.17 and if the glutton will not the dogs shall pity Lazarus Luk. 16.21 For as David charged his souldiers not to kill Absolon his sonne although he sent them against him to stay his rebellion 2. Sam. 18.5 So God forbiddeth his crosses to destroy his children though he send them against his children to purge their corruptions In regard thereof P. Martyr vpon the 4. verse of the 5. chapter to the Romanes likeneth vs r Nos sumus tanquam quaedam aro mata quorum odor nisi ea contuderis noÌ„ sentitur Sumus veluti lapides Pyritides qui noÌ„ exeruat vim eam quam habent ad comburenduÌ„ nisi cum premuntur digitis to certaine spices whose sweet smels cannot be perceived except they be bruised and to the Marchasite which cannot exercise that force which it hath of burning vnlesse you presse it betweene your fingers If that which hath already beene spoken bee not of force to work in vs willingnes patience at such times as crosses are vpon vs let vs enter into a due consideration of Gods providence without which no afflictions can come neere vs. And what are we that may dare to say why hath God done this If Å¿ Mat. 6.29 Luk. 12.27 Solomon in all his maiestie could not make himselfe so braue as the Lilyes of the field if we cannot adde t Luk. 12.25 one cubite to our stature not change the colour of one u Mat. 5.36 haire if no x Mat. 10.29 sparrow lights vpon the ground without the foresight of God if no water falleth from the clowds without his ordinaÌ„ce if the very y Psal 56.8 teares which trickle downe our cheekes be numbred in his bottle how is it that we dare repine when wee are afflicted finding fault with our ill lucke or hard fortune The scripture teacheth vs that all things howsoever many of them seeme casuall and contingent to our weake conceits are notwithstanding determined and regular in the course of providence z See my first Lecture vpon Amos 1. p. 11. The fish that came to devour Ionas may seeme to haue arrived in that place by chance yet the Scripture saith the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow Ionas Ion. 1.17 The storme it selfe which droue the Pilots to this streight may like wise seeme centingent to the glimse of carnall eies yet the prophet saith I know that for my sake this great tempest is vpoÌ„ you Ion. 1.12 The fish which Peter tooke might seeme to haue come to the angle by chance yet hee brought in his mouth the tribute which Peter paid for his LORD and himselfe Mat. 17.27 By the diversitie of opinions among the brethren touching the manner of dispatching Ioseph out of the way we may gather that the selling of him in Egypt was but accidentall and only agreed vpon by reason of the fit arrival of the MarchaÌ„ts while they were disputing and debating what they were best to doe yet saith Ioseph to his brethren you sent mee not hether but God Gen. 45.8 What may seeme more contingent in our eies then by the glancing of an arrow from the commoÌ„ mark to kill a traveller that passeth by the way yet God himselfe is said to haue delivered the man into the hands of the shooter Exod 21.13 Some may thinke it hard fortune that Ahab was so strangely made away because the Scripture telleth that a certaine man hauing bent his bowe and let slip his arrow at hap hazard without aime at any certaine marke a 1. Kin. 22.34 stroke the King but here you shall find no lucke nor chance at all otherwise then in respect of vs for the the shooter did no more then was denounced to the King by Micheas from Gods owne mouth before the battell was begunne 1. King 22.17 What in the world can be more casuall then lottery yet Solomon teacheth that when the lots are cast into the lap the providence of God disposeth them Prov. 16.33 The Prophet saith that evils shall light heavily vpon our necks whose originall or cause we shal not vnderstand Esay 47.11 yet howsoever in respect of vs our knowledge they may seeme casuall contingent in Gods good providence they are absolutely necessarie The consideration hereof made Iob even then blesse God when newes was brought him of the losse of his sonnes and al his substance The LORD hath giuen and the Lord hath taken it blessed be the name of the Lord Iob 1.21 The like consideration made David forbid Abishai to hurt Shimei though Shimei came out from Bahurim cursing and casting stones at David and all his servants and crying come forth come forth thou man of blood and thou man of Belial yet David said vnto Abishai Behold my sonne which came out of mine owne bowels seeketh my life then how much more may this sonne of Iemini suffer him to curse for the Lord hath bidden him 2. Sam. 16.11 Our Saviour respected the same when hee said vnto Pilate thou couldst haue no power at all against me except it were giuen thee from aboue Ioh. 19.11 Hence it was that the Macedonians in great triall of affliction had their ioy abounding 2. Cor. 8.2 And for the same cause the Apostles reioiced in their tribulations Rom. 5.3 Why then doe not we with like consideration of Gods providence blesse God when we are punished Why doe wee not glory and reioice in our tribulations Happely you wil say that they are evill and therefore make a question how wee may glory in them I must needs grant that they are evill and death sergeants farre to be remoued from the godly For God shall wipe away all teares from the eies of his Saints Rev. 7.17 Yet must I ad that they are evil in their nature only eâ—iâ— to the reprobate but to the elect by Gods mercy good and profitable For wee knowe that all things worke together for the best vnto them that loue God even to them that are called of purpose Rom. 8.28 Neque enim pij patiuntur ad noxam sed ad triumphuÌ„ saith P. Martyr Rom. 5.3 The godly are not afflicted for their hurt but for their triumph And therefore hee compareth afflictions to the red sea wherein Pharoah was drowned but Israel saued they make the wicked oft times desperate when the godly are confirmed in a most sure hope by them They are the Lords instruments by which he tryeth our hearts as the fining pot is for silver and the fornace for gold Prov. 17.3 By them hee chastneth vs that we
heare them Num. 12.2 And if Sarah laugh but within her selfe God will see her Gen. 18.13 Hell and destruction are before the Lord saith Solomon Prov. 15.11 how much more the heart of the sonnes of men Ad to this what the Prophet Esai hath chap. 40. vers 12. God hath measured the waters in his fist he hath counted heaven with his spanne hee hath comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure hee hath weighed the mountains in a weight and the hils in a balance Can their deeds then yea can their thoughts be hid from so powerfull a God Is it not because man of whose censure they stand more in awe theÌ„ of Gods wrath is not able to discrie their wickednesse which they haue so secretly wrought O! then they are deceaued For towne couÌ„try howleth and cryeth out too much overladen and wearied with adulterous Shichemites tyranous Sauls negligent Elies cruell Ahabs proud Herods incredulous Pharaohs here ambition there covetousnesse every where glutony and excesse One mole or freckle in the face offends more then many and great spots and scarres in the other parts of the body Men in authoritie all I meane that are better then others either for birth or calling are as the face of the commoÌ„wealth One small escape in them hurts more then many great grievous faults in the inferiours and therefore one was bold to compare theÌ„ to a booke after whose patterne others are printed if the first draught haue faults all the books printed thereby must needs be faulty but if there bee no fault in the first all the rest will haue the fewer Whosoever openeth a well or diggeth a pit and covereth it not and an oxe or an asse fall therein l Exod. 21.34 the owner of the pit shal make it good saith God by his servant Exod. 21.33 Hath anie of vs by bad living caused his inferiour his weake brother to sin O! let vs not be deafe beloved in the Lord. That maÌ„ whosoever he be hath opened a well and digged a pit which he hath not covered into which because his neighbour hath fallen and so perished he must look to make answer for it his blood shal be required at his hands Thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed it is the Lordes commandement Levit. 19.19 What is this militant church wherein we liue but Gods field whose husbandry yea are 1. Cor. 3.9 Whosoever in this field sitting either in Aarons seat or Moses chaire shall say but not doe shall say good things but doe the contrary shall in word sow wheat but in example cast abroad the troublesome seed of cockle and darnell hee it is that soweth mingled seed in Gods field and such are they whom the author of the booke of wisedome aimeth at chap. 6.6 When hee saith that mighty men shall be mightily tormented In the second place instruction is here to be had for such as are either by birth or calling worse then other men They seeing themselues so addicted by nature to follow others in duety ought to take speciall heed whom they follow For all may not be followed Aske counsaile of the wise man he will perswade with you by no meanes to follow gâ—uttons sleepers and drunkards for the glutton shall be poore and the sleeper shal be cloathed with ragges Prov. 23.21 As for the drunkard he shal haue no want of m Prov. 23.29 wo sorrow strife murmuring wouÌ„ds without cause and rednesse of the eies he shall be bitten as with a n Vers 32. serpent and hurt as with a cockatrice he shall be as one that sleepeth in the middest of the sea or on the toppe of the mast Prov. 23.34 Aske counsell of S. Paule and hee will perswade with you by no meanes to follow fornicators idolaters adulterers covetous persons and the like for such shall not inherit the kingdome of God 1. Cor. 6.10 Aske counsell of the LORD himselfe and he will perswade with you by no meanes to follow the o Levit. 18.3 doings of the land of Egypt or the manners of the land of Canaan For if you commit such abominations the land shall spue you out Levit. 18.28 O p Psal 1.1 walke not in the counsell of the wicked nor stand yee in the way of sinners nor sit yee in the seate of the scornfull for such may not be blessed You know who hath said it Assured I am that in Noahs arke among his three sonnes there was one cursed Ham that in Isaac's house of 2. sonnes one Esau was reiected that in Iacobs house among twelue brethren one only Ioseph was innocent that in Christs house among twelue Apostles there was a treacherous Iudas neither may I deny but that at this day among many Magistrates Preachers and Masters there are some licentious Magistrates some bad living Preachers some too too wicked Masters But what is that to vs We must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ to receiue according to our own deeds For so may we read 2. Cor. 5.10 The licentious life of the Magistrate shall not quite the subiect if he disobey the lawes the wickednesse of the Master may not excuse the servant if he be vngracious the bad living preacher is no cause to saue my soule if I be vngodly For God himselfe telleth vs that that soule that sinneth shal die the death Ezech. 18.4 And thus from the generall imitation I come to that which best beseemeth Christians Follow me The Lyon hath roared who will not be afraid The LORD God hath spoken who can but prophecie Amos 3.8 Ever worthy is his Maiestie to be revereÌ„ced whose voice nothing be it aboue or beneath in heaven or in earth sensible or insensible ought to disobey q Esai 1.2 Heare then ô heavens and hearken ô earth and therefore heare and harken both men women for the LORD hath said follow me Else whom will ye follow Is not he the way to guide you Follow him and he wil leade you in the pathes of righteousnesse Pro. 4.11 Is not he the truth to giue you light Follow him and the sunne of iustice shall arise vnto you Malac. 4.2 Is not he the life to feede you Follow him and you shall go in and out and finde pasture Iohn 10.9 He is the way in example for he hath given an example that wee should do even as he hath done Iohn 13.15 He is the truth in promises for his covenant he will not breake nor alter the thing that is gone out of his lips Psal 89.34 He is the life in rewarde for howsoever the wages of sinne is death yet the gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our LORD Rom. 6.23 This our LORD the way the truth and the life in his iourney towardes heaven began betime for at r Luk. 2.42 twelue yeares of age he went about his Å¿ Vers 49. fathers businesse and he kept the right way for he boldly said who can
receaue evill Iob. 2.10 God hath promised and hee cannot but performe that whosoever calleth vpon his name giueth care to his voice as to the only shepheard of his soule good things shall betide him in this world and his soule shall liue Ier. 38.20 his plants shall prosper his counsels shall take effect his corne and oyle shall multiplie he q Deut 15.6 28 12. shall lend to many but shall not borrow himselfe his children like so many oliue branches r Psal 128.3 shal enclose his table round about If this cannot perswade you and what godly heart can it not perswade to forsake those your wicked helpers and to rely only on the Lord then heare farther God hath promised he cannot but performe that whosoever will not giue care to his voice but will relieue himselfe by the practises of cunning men witches coniurers and the like preferring Belial before Christ the Prince of darknesse before the ever-shining morning starre errour because it pleaseth before truth because it smarteth may ſ Deut. 28.38 sow his field but shall never reape it for the grashoppers shall destroy it may t Vers 39. plant his vineyard and dresse it but shall never drinke of the wine nor gather the grapes for the wormes shall eate it may haue u Vers 40. oliue trees in all his coasts but shall not annoint himselfe with the oyle for his oliues shall fall may x Vers 41. beget sonnes and daughters but shall not haue them for they shall goe into captivitie The Lords still-stretched-out hand shall smite such a one with a y Vers 22. consumption with a fever with a burning ague with fervent heate with a sword with blasting with mildew all these shall pursue him till hee perish z Vers 23. the Heaven that is over his head shall be brasse and the earth that is vnder him shall be yron You that haue knowne it may remember you that haue not knowne it may learne that in the 28. of Deut. from the 15 verse to the 68. there are besides those which I haue recited many other as grievous plagues assuredly allotted to all such as disobeying the Lords voice shall rely vpon such helplesse helps as I haue already mentioned We read 2. Chron. 16.12 that King Asa was punished with death for no other cause but because in his sicknes he sought for help at the Phisitians not of the Lord and can we be so senselesse as to thinke when for recovering of our lost goods or of our healths wee seeke to Sathans instruments that we shall escape vnpunished If Ahaziah consult with Beelzebub the God of Ekron about the recovering of his health the Lord wil send him word that he shall not come downe from his bed but shall there die the death 2. King 1.4 If Saule aske counsaile of a witch the archers shall wound him and his owne a 1. Chro. 10.4 sword shall kill him 1. Chron. 10.13 If Manasseh vse them that haue familiar spirits God wil send him such evils that who so heareth of it both his eares shall tingle 2. King 21.12 If this cannot perswade you and what godly heart cannot this perswade to forsake those your wicked helpers and to rely only on the Lord as you haue heard what dome abideth you for running to such helpers heare also how such may bee deciphered vnto you out of the holy Scriptures Would yee knowe how to cal them yee may tearme them rebels against the light Iob. 24.13 brethren to dragons Iob. 30.29 snares of a fowler in all their waies snares for the vngodly Hos 9.8 if thou list to scanne their descent they are the seed not of Iudah but of that cursed father of Canaan their fathers are Amorites and their mothers Hittites Ezec. 16.45 If their alliance Samaria is their elder sister Ezech. 16.46 If the lot of their inheritance it shall be a never-ending kingdome but full of weeping and gnashing of teeth Mat. 8.12 where their table shall bee a table of Devils 1. Cor. 10.21 their diet worse then that Coliquintida 2. King 4.40 their mirth folded vp in the pride of a smoake Esay 9.18 So is it not for nothing that witches may not be suffered to liue The charge is giuen against them Exod. 22.18 The Prophet Ieremy hauing roundly glanced at their faults foretels their fall that they shall surely bee consumed with famine and with the sword chap. 14. ver 15. with famine for their disquiet with the sword for their execution And c. 50. v. 35. he saith there shal be slaughter vpon the Chaldeans a slaughter vpon the southsayers the rather because they are the vengeance of the Lord the vengeance of his Temple Ch. 51. v. 11. The like favour for all the world is to be found at the hands of Ezechiel chap. 13.9 where hee denounceth against all glosing Prophets which see vanitie divine lies that the scourge of God shall be for ever vpon them that they shall not bee in the assembly of Gods people that they shall not be written in the writings of the house of Israel in the booke of life that they shall not enter into the land of Israel that heavenly Ierusalem Of like severitie is that sentence pronoūced by the Prophet Esay chap. 47. Where willing the Babylonians to repaire to their sooth-sayers to their astrologers to their starre-gazers to their Prognosticators for all these names hee there vseth verse 12.13 And to make triall whether they can finde profit or strength among them he speaketh to them in the 14. vers thus Behold they shall be as stubble the fire shall burne them they shall not deliver their owne liues from the power of the flame yea they shal be so consumed with the flaming fire as that there shall not be anie thing remaining no not to much as one coale to warme at nor anie light to sit by Considering then your owne lots and this their portion can yee hope for anie helpe at their hands Iudge vprightly you shall finde that neither their leaues are delightfull nor their blossoms gracefull nor their fruits restoratiue yea you must confesse that they are but so manie broken reedes full of splinters whereto if you leane you may wound your hands you may pierce your hands you shall never helpe your selues By this I doubt not but it appeareth what affiance may bee had in all worldly helps of what sort soever Now would I perswade you that all true helpe is to be sought for at the hande of the God of Iacob For it is he the Lorde none but he since all worldly helps are vaine it is he the Lord that will lift you vp And of this shall yee be well perswaded if yee meditate vpon Gods presence vpon his liberality vpon his ability vpon his willingnesse for as he is most present with you most liberall to you most able to helpe you when you stand in need so also