the name Three things I note wherefore the diuell may be sayd to compasse the earth First because he tempteth all men Secondly because he tempteth to all sinnes Thirdly because he tempteth by all meanes So whosoeuer sinneth wherein soeuer he offendeth whereby soeuer he is allured the sinne and the sinner and the baite are compassed and contriued by this Archpolitique which calles himself a Cōpasser Many haue their names for naught because they doe nothing for thē like Labans images which were called Gods though they were but blocks but the diuell deserues his names he is not called a tempter and a lyar and a slaunderer and an accuser and a deceiuer and a murtherer a compasser in vaine like S. George which is alwaies on horseback and neuer rides but he would doe more thē by his office he is bound to Other are called officers because they haue an office but he is called an enemy because he sheweth his enuy Other are called Iusticers because they should doe iustice but he is called a tempter because he practiseth temptations Other are called Pastors because they should feede but he is called a deuourer because he doth deuour we cal him a Compasser because that he doth compasse Euer since he fel frō heauen he hath liued like Caine which cannot rest in a place but is a rūnagate ouer the earth from doore to doore from man to man begging for sinnes as the starued soule begs for bread He should haue dwelt in heauen and not bin compassing the earth hee should haue sung with the Angels not been quarelling with men but he hath changed his calling and is become a compasser that is to lay fetters vpō men as GOD hath fettered him least they should ascend to the place from whence he is fallen Therefore in this the Lyer spake truth whē he said I come from compassing the earth as if hee should say to God I come from the slaughter of thy seruants not to aske forgiuenes for all the soules which he hath slaine alreadie but to get a commission that GOD would make him Knight Marshall ouer the world to slay and kill as many as hee hated like the bramble which set it selfe on fire first and then fiered all the wood Peter describing the diuels walke saith that he goeth about The diuel saith that he goeth a compassing Peter puts in seeking whom hee may deuoure the diuell leaues out deuour and sayth no more but that he compasseth This circular walke is peculiar to the diuell and therfore may be called the diuels circuite All other creatures go forward but the diuell goeth about which may well bee applied to the craftie diuell because to goe about is commonly takē to vndermine when he meaneth he will destroy you then we say he will compasse you so when the diuell compasseth then beware lest he deuour For the diuell goeth about men as the Fowler goeth about the lark to snare her as the theefe goeth about the house to robbe it as the yuie goeth about the oake to kil it The diuels walk is a siege which goeth about but to find an issue to goe in for he goeth about but vntil he can get in to be a possessor He is cōtent to be a compasser The first name the diuell hath in Scripture is a Serpent he is a Serpent so are his waies like a Serpent which windeth himself like a circle As GOD is sayd to make an hedge about men so here the diuel is said to make an hedg about men but this is an hedge of temptations and that is an hedge against temptatiōs As Dauid saith the Angels compasse vs so might hee say the diuels compasse vs Sathan compasseth and man is compassed Sathan is like the circumference and man is as it were the Centre that is temptations goe round about him and he dwelleth in the middest of them Thus much of Compassing now what he doth compasse I come from Compassing the earth This is the diuels pilgrimage from one ende of the earth to the other then to the other againe and then backe againe like a wandring Marchant which seeketh his trafficke where hee can speed cheapest I haue heard of some trauellers which haue gone about the earth but I neuer heard of any that had seene all parts of the earth but this olde Pilgrime Satan which hath been in heauen and in paradise and in the earth and in the sea and in hell and yet hath not done his walke but like the Sunne which courseth about the earth euery day so there is no day but Satan seeth euery man vpon earth as a compasse hath no end so hee makes no ende of compassing Because he is such a compasser of the world therefore Paul calleth him The God of this word not a peece of the world as Englād or Ireland or France or Germanie or Spayne but of the world that is of all the countries and cities and townes and villages and houses The Pope talkes of his kingdome how many Prouinces are vnder his dominiō but the diuels circuit is greater then the Popes one would thinke that he could neuer tend halfe his flocke because he is Vicar of so great a Monarchie and yet he is neuer non-resident You may see his steppes euery where so brim and fresh as though they were printed in ashes If God make you see your country naked your Temples desolate your Cities ruined your houses spoyled you will say the Spanyards haue been heere so when you see your mindes corrupted your hearts hardened your willes peruerted your charitie cooled your Iudges bribers your Rulers persecutors your Lawyers brablers your Marchants vsurers your Landlords extortioners your Patrones symonists your Pastors loyterers you may say the diuell hath been here Seeing then these weedes growe in euery ground you may beare the diuel witnesse that he doth compasse all the earth If a man loue his friend he will say I will goe an hundred miles to doe him good but if the diuel hate a man he wil goe a thousand miles to doe him hurt The diuel doth not goe his progresse like a King only for delight but all the way as he goeth Peter saith He seeketh whom he may deuoure The diuel goeth a visiting he will teach the sicke how they shall recouer their health hee will whisper the poore how they shall come by riches he will tell the captiues how they shall redeeme their libertie but to deuoure is the ende of his visitation Therefore Peter called him a Lyon and said that he went about and told vs that he sought as he went at last he saith to deuour there he ends shewing that deuouring is his ende Now you shall heare whom hee compasseth and to what he compasseth and how he compasseth When it is said that the diuell compasseth the earth it is meant that he compasseth the men of the earth out of which I gather first of all creatures he compasseth men secondly that he compasseth all
beleeueth in the Sonne shall be saued This is not a Cup and yet as though the Cup were the new Testament it selfe it is called the new Testament because it signifieth the new Testament so the bread and wine are called Christes body because they signifie Christs bodie They which knewe that the Lambe is not the Passe-ouer though Christ called it the Passe ouer that Circumcision is not the Couenant though God calleth it the Couenant that Baptisme is not Regeneration though it be called Regeneration that the Cuppe is not the newe Testament though Christ called it the newe Testament could they not as well vnderstand that the bread wine were not Christs bodie though Christ called them his bodie As they vnderstood these speeches so they vnderstood this speech therefore they which say that the bread and wine are Christes bodie because Christ saith This is my bodie may as well say that the Lambe is the Passe-ouer because Christ calleth it the Passe-ouer that Baptisme is Regeneration because Paule calleth it Regeneration that the Cup is the new Testament because Christ calleth it the newe Testament If euerie Sacrament was called by the thing which it signified and yet neuer anie Sacrament was taken for the thing it selfe what reason haue they to take this Sacrament for the thing it selfe more than all the rest It is the consent of all Writers that a Sacrament is a signe therefore not the thing signified no more than the bush at the doore is the wine in the seller If I call the Prince a Phoenix the Vniuersitie a Fountaine the Court a Peacocke the Cittie a Sea the Countrey an Hermite why can the Papistes vnderstand mee and not vnderstand Christ What a darke and straunge and intricate and incredible speech had this bene for them to vnderstand groslie and literallie Would they thinke that they did eate Christs bodie when his bodie stood before them and he had told them before that his bodie was like their bodie Nay this would haue required moe wordes and made them come againe with Master what is the meaning for they were not so instructed yet before the resurrection to beleeue euerie thing without questioning if it were contrarie to sense and reason but as they asked who had giuen him anie meate when he said that he had meate they could see none so they would haue asked what meate is this which we see not How can euery one of vs eat his body yet he hath but one bodie that body is whole when we eat it Loe he standeth before vs saith that his body is like vnto ours yet he takes bread breaks it giues it vnto vs to eat when we eate it This is my body yet his body standeth before vs stil If his body be like ours as he saith how can it be eaten be there for ours cannot Thus they wold haue questioned if they had not bene vsed to such phrases but as they could vnderstand him when he called himself a stone a rock a doore a window a vine so they pickt out his meaning when hee sayd that bread was his bodie for hee had told them before that hee was the bread of eternall life Now the bread of eternall life is not eaten with teeth for the bodie cannot eate spiritually no more then the soule can eate corporally and therefore hee is such a bread as is eaten with faith and so himselfe saith in the Gospell of Iohn Marke this eating by faith and all the strife is ended Flesh and blood indeede neede not faith to chew them for the teeth can chew them well inough Therefore if the bread and wine were the bodie of Christ then we neede not faith to eate it but all which haue teeth might eate Christs bodie yea the Myce might eate it as well as men for they eate the same bread that wee doe as well after it is consecrated as before If this be not inough to batter the ruines of this vpstart Heresie I will come to Interrogatories and see whether they haue learned it by roate or by reason If they grounde their Transubstantiation vpon these wordes of Christ This is my bodie which hee spake to his Disciples I aske them whether they receiue that bodie which was mortall or that bodie which is glorified because one of these bodies they must needes receiue either his mortall bodie or his glorified bodie If they say that it is his mortall bodie the mortall bodie will not profite them for you see that mortall foode is but for this mortal life neither hath Christ a mortall bodie now to communicate vnto them because it is changed to an immortall bodie therefore they cannot receiue the mortall bodie because Christ hath not a mortall bodie to giue vnto them If they saye that they receiue his glorified bodie then they must flie from this Text for at that time Christ had not any glorified bodie When this Sacrament was instituted and Christ sayde This is my bodie his bodie was not glorified because the Sacrament was instituted before his death and his body was glorified after his resurrection Therefore if they receiue the same body which the Apostles receiued as they say they doe they cannot receiue a glorified bodie because then Christ had not a glorified bodie to communicate vnto them Thus the rockes and sandes are of both sides them they receiue a bodie neither mortall nor immortall if Christ hath any such body iudge you Here they stande like a foole which cannot tell on his tale Nabuchadnezzar dreamed a dreame and knew not what it meant Beside I aske them to whom Christ spake when he said This is my bodie Marke sayth hee spake to them that is to his Disciples well then if these wordes This is my bodie were not spoken to the signes but to the persons not to the bread and wine but to the Receiuers as the words which follow Doe this in remembrance of mee if these wordes were not spoken to the bread and wine then it is plaine that they doe not change the nature of the Bread and Wine If the nature of them be not altered then the substance remaineth and then wee receiue no other substance with them because two substances can not be in one place What then is there nothing in the sacrament but bread and wine like a hungry nunscion Nay wee say not that the sacrament is nothing but a bare signe or that you receiue no more then you see for Christ saith that it is his body and Paul saith that it is the communion of Christs body and blood Therefore there is more in sacramentall Bread then in common bread though the nature be not changed yet the vse is chaunged it dooth not onely nourish the body as it did before but also it bringeth a Breade with it which nourisheth the soule for as sure as wee receiue breade so sure wee receiue
knowen what a Kinsman they had and so soone as hee heard that they were come suddenly he brake off his Sermon and slipt away from vs to go and make merrie with them Christ I say seeing this traine laid by Sathan to disgrace him as he doth all his Ministers did not leaue off speaking as they thought he would but as if God had appointed all this to credite and renowne him that which was noysed here to interrupt his doctrine he taketh for an occasion to teach another doctrine that there is a nearer Coniunction betweene Christ and the faithfull then betweene the mother and the sonne which are one flesh Therefore when they say Thy mother and thy brethren are come to speake with thee hee pointeth to his hearers and saith These are my mother and my brethren which heare the word of God and doe it as if hee should saie I haue a Mother indeede which brought me foorth but in respect of them which heare the word of God and doe it she is like a stepmother and these are like a naturall mother With this wise answer hee quieted the Auditors and made them heare him better then they did before For now they thought with themselues what man is this which loueth vs more then his mother his mother called him and yet he would not go from vs his brethren stay for him and he maketh as if he did not know them but saith Who is my mother who are my brethren Thus Christ stood vp as it were in an indignation against Sathan and saide Sathan this Sermon was not begun for thee neither shall it end for thee this worke was not done for my mother neither shall it be left for my mother Thus he caught the diuell with his owne baite and made the people more louing and attentiue towardes him by that which Satan thought to disgrace him He was so armed with the Spirite that let the diuell tempt him or the woman tempt him or princes tempt him all is one Here are two doubtes the first is the difference betweene the Euangelists For Mathew saith that one brought this message Marke and Luke attribute it to mo both may stand for the word which his mother gaue of calling him foorth was receiued of the rest and so passed amongst many till it came to Christ so that one may be sayd to bring this message because one noysed it first and many may be sayd to bring this message because many noysed it after The second doubt is because Christ had no brethren how they said Thy brethren would speake with thee You must vnderstand that they which are heere called Christes brethren were his Cosens by the mothers side that is her sisters children for there were three Maries and these three were sisters Marie the virgin Marie the mother of Iames Marie the daughter of Cleophas whose sonnes these were their names were Iames Ioseph Iudas and Simon and they are called the Lordes brethren because they were kinne vnto him Therefore note that in holie Scripture there be foure sortes of brethren Brethren by nature so Esau and Iacob were called brethren because they had one father and one mother Brethren by nation so all the Iewes are called brethren because they were of one Countrey Brethren by consanguinitie so all are called brethren which are of one familie and so Abraham called Lot his brother and Sarah his sister because they were of one line Brethren by profession so all Christians are called Brethren because they are of one Religion These were Brethren of the third order that is of Consanguinitie because they were of one Familie Now when his Mother and his Brethren were come to see him it is sayd that they could not come neare him for the prease Here were Auditors inough Christ flowed now with Disciples that his mother coulde haue no roome to heare him but after a while it was low water againe When the shepheard was stroken the sheepe were scattered when he preached in the Streetes and in the Temple and in the Fieldes then manie flocked after him but when he preached vpon the Crosse then they left him which sayd they would neuer forsake him then there was as great a prease to see him dye as there was heere to heare him preach and many of these which seemed like Bretheren and Sisters were his betrayers and his accusers and his persecutors so inconstant we are in our zeale more than in any thing else Thus much of their comming and calling to Christ now to the doctrine which lieth in it Heere be two Speakers one sayth Thy Mother and thy Brethren are come to speake with thee the other saith These are my Mother and Brethren which heare the worde of God and doe it The scope of the Euangelist is this First that Christ would not hinder his doctrine for mother or brethren or any kinsman Then to shewe that there is a nearer coniunction between our Sauiour Christ and the Faithfull than betweene the mother and the sonne The first is written for our instruction and the latter is written for our comfort Touching the first he which teacheth vs to honor our father and mother doth not teach vs here to contemne father and mother because hee speakes of another mother for it is said That he was obedient to his parents in Luke 2. This he sheweth when being found in the temple among the Doctors hee left all to goe with his mother because she sought him so he honoured her that hee left all for her This hee shewed againe at his death being vpon the crosse he was not vnmindfull of her for pointing vnto Iohn hee said Behold thy mother and pointing vnto her he said Woman behold thy sonne so he commended her to his beloued Disciple before he dyed Therefore this is not a doctrine of disobedience but a rule how to obey As he taught his Disciples to giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars and to God that which is Gods so hee teacheth vs here to giue vnto parents that which is parents to the Lord that which is the Lordes When God saide Honour thy father and thy mother hee did not giue a commaundement agaynst himselfe and therefore he saith Honour me before hee saith Honour them The first commandement is Honour God and the fift commandement is nour thy Parents least you should honor your Parents before God When Salomon bad his mother aske him anie thing he signified that the mother should be obeied in many things but whē he denied his Mother that one thing which she asked he sheweth that the Mother should not be obeied in al things Whē Christ saide You haue but one Father and one Master he speakes of Faith and Religion shewing that when it concerneth our Faith and Religion we should respect but one Father and one master which is the giuer of our faith and the master of our Religion
giue examples and the sonne of GOD humbleth himselfe from heauen to earth and yet we contemne the example of Kings of the earth and the example of the King of heauen The time was when Adam digged and delued when Dauid kept sheepe and all the house of Iacob were called men occupied about cattell but as they for this were abhominable to the Egyptians as Moses saith in the same verse so they which doe like them are abhorred of their brethren they which liue by them scorne them for their worke which would be chastened themselues because they worke not There was no Arte nor Science which was so much set by in former times and is now profitable to the common-wealth bringing lesse profit vnto it self that may so iustly complaine of her fall without cause and her despight from them which liue by her as this painfull Science of husbandrie that it is marueil that any man will take paine for the rest to be contemned for his labour and be a scorne for the rest which might hunger and starue if he did not labour for them more then they do themselues No maruel then though many in the poore countries murmure complaine that other cannot liue by them and they cannot liue themselues but it is maruell if their complaint doe not growe in time of rebell on and pull other as lowe as themselues for why should the greatest payne yeeld the least profit yet this is their ease for if you marke you shal see that the husband-man doth bate the price of his fruits so soon as the dearth is past though he rayseth it a little while the dearth lasteth but they which raise the price of their wares with him seldome fall againe but make men pay as deere when the dearth is past as if it were a dearth stil Thus a plentiful yeere doth damage him and a hard yeere dooth vantage them So this painefull man is faiâ—e to liue poorely fare meanely goe barely house homely rise early labour dayly sell cheape and buy deere that I may truely say that no man deserueth his liuing better no man fulfilleth the law neerer that is thou shalt gette thy liuing in the sweate of thy browes then this poore sonne of Adam which pickes his crums out of the earth therfore he should not be mocked for his labor which hath vexation enough though all men spake well of him in my opinion if any deserue to be loued for his innocencie or for his trueth or his paine or the good which he brings to the common wealth this Realme is not so much beholding to any sorte of men but those that feede the soule as those which feede the body that is those that labour the earth yet you see how they liue like drudges as though they were your seruants to prouide foode for you and after to bring it to your doores as the beasts serue them so they serue you as though you were another kinde of men I cannot thinke vpon their miserie but my thoughts tels me that it is a great part of our vnthankfulnesse that we neuer consider what an easie life and liuing God hath giuen vnto vs in respect of them If the Apostles rule were kept they which doe not worke should not eate but now they which do not work eate most and the husband-men which worke eate not but are like Bees which prepare foode for other and pyne themselues Let vs consider this for they had not one lawe and wee another but the same curse which was denounced vpon Adam was denounced vpon all his children that euery man should get his liuing in the sweat of his browes Although I knowe there bee diuers workes and diuers gifts and diuers callings to worke in yet alwayes prouided they which doe not worke should not eat for in the sweat of thy browes that is in labor and trauel thou king and thou Iudge and thou Prelate and thou Land-lord and thou Gentleman shalt gette thy liuing as Adam thy Father did or else thou doest auoyde the curse and a greater curse shall follow that is they which wil not sweat in earth shall sweate in hell Adam had foode as wel as thou and so had Noah and more then thou vnlesse thou hadst all for they had all and yet they might not be idle because their handes were not giuen them for nothing Some worke with their penne some with their tongues some with their fingers as nature hath made nothing idle so God would haue no man idle but that he which is a Magistrate should do the work of a Magistrate hee which is a Iudge should doe the worke of a Iudge he which is a Captaine should doe the worke of a Captaine he which is a Minister should doe the worke of a Minister as when Noah was called an husband-man he did the worke of an husband-man This contempt of the Countrey doth threaten danger to the land as much as any thing els in our daies vnles their burthen bee eased and their estimation qualified in some part to their paines Thinking that you haue not heard of this theame before seeing the wordes of my Texte did lie for it thus much haue I spoken to put you in mind how easily you liue in respect of them to certifie your mindes towards our poore brethren which in deede seeme too base in our eyes and are scorned for their labours as much as we should be for our idlenes Then saith Moses Noah began to bee an husbandman In that it is here sayd that Noah began it doth not disproue that he gaue not himselfe to husbandrie before but it importeth that Noah began to set vp husbandrie againe after the floud before any other so this good man recomforted with the experience of Gods fauour which had exempted him his seede out of all the world and reioycing to see the face of the earth againe after the waters were gone though then an olde man and weake he was yet he returneth to his labour afresh and scorned not to till and plant for all his possessions as though hee were an husbandman such a lowlines is alwaies ioyned with the feare of GOD that they that are humbled with Religion doe not thinke themselues too good to doe any good thing Heere note by the way that none of Noahs sonnes are sayde to begin this worke but Noah himselfe the olde man the hoary head and carefull Father begins to teach the rest and shewes his sonnes the waye how they should prouide for their sonnes and how all the world after should liue by labour and trauell till they returne to dust so the olde man whom age dispenseth withall to take his ease is more willing to prouide for the wants of his children then they are which are bound to labour for themselues and their parents to as the Storke doth feede the damme when she is olde because the damme fed her when she was young what a shame is this to Shem and Iapheth
A seruant of seruants shall he be as if he should say a seruant and more than a seruant that is of a seruile condition and seruile minde As the Sabbaoth of Sabbaoths signifieth a high Sabbaoth and as the Song of Songs signifieth an excellent Song and as the Holie of holiest signifieth the holiest place and as the Lord of Lords signifieth the chiefest Lord so Vanitie of Vanities signifieth the gretest Vanitie and seruant of seruants signifieth the vilest seruant Seeing then that the Pope taketh this name vnto him and writeth himselfe The seruant of seruants in all his Indulgences as thogh he did ground vpō this curse of Cham it seemeth that the Lord would shew thereby who is like Cham and who is cursed therefore let not vs denie him that which the holy Ghost dooth giue him but as hee taketh Chams name so let him take his curse too Cursed be Canaan c. It was not Canaan which tempted Shem and Iaphet to gaze vpon their fathers nakednesse but it was Cham. How commeth it then that Noah dooth curse Canaan and not Cham In the 22. verse Cham is called the father of Canaan so that Canaan was Chams sonne therefore God not content with the punishment of Cham alone saith Cursed be Canaan also shewing that both Cham and Canaan the father and the children shall bee cursed for this impietie because Cham had shewed himselfe a rebellious childe to Noah God sheweth that his children shall doo the like by him Heere is to bee noted that whereas Cham had elder sonnes then Canaan and Canaan was his yongest yet God for a purpose nameth the yongest in the curse shewing that his wrath should last euen to the yongest and be a great while before it were forgotten Here is to be noted againe that whereas the countrey of Canaan was so fruitfull so blessed a countrey that it was called the land that floweth with milk honny yet vnder the name of Canaan Chams youngest sonne of whome the countrey of Canaan tooke the name God sheweth that the Canaanites shall be cursed in this blessed land as Cain was a vagabond vppon his owne ground to shew that the ioye of heart and peace of conscience commeth from God and nothing else Now the issues which followed vpon this curse doe shew that Noah spake not from the spleen but from the spirite of God For first you read how the Canaanites who came of Canaan were slaine of the Israelites then you reade how the Gibeonites which came of Canaan were made slaues to the Israelites then you reade how the Egyptians and Ethiopians which came of Canaan were taken captiue by the king of Ashur then you reade how Nemrod and his complices that came of Canaan were confounded at Babel when they went about to exalt themselues Beside where as length of daies is a blessing to them which honour their father Cham which dishonoured his father had not one sonne of his line which liued aboue an hundreth yeares so as Isaac said Iacob haue I blessed and hee shallbee blessed so Noah may say Cham haue I cursed and he shall be cursed for he was cursed indeede cursed in himselfe and cursed in his children cursed in heauen and cursed in earth cursed with God and cursed with men for after this he began to bee abhorred and they that came of him Therefore Abraham commaunded his seruant that hee should not choose a wife for his sonne of the Canaanites Isaac giueth the like commaundement to his sonne Iacob because they were a cursed nation and hated of God euer since Noah saide Cursed bee Canaan Thus when Cham saide vnto his brethren Come and I will shew you my father naked he might haue saide Come and I will shew you my selfe accursed If GOD haue such wrath against a scorner think whether thou followest not some sinne worse then scorning Now after Noah had cursed Cham hee blessed his brethren Blessed bee the Lord God of Shem c. Of Shem came the Iewes which had the first blessing and therefore Shem is blessed first of Iaphet came the Gentiles which had the latter blessing and therefore Iaphet is blessed after the forme of Shems blessing is Blessed be the Lord God of Shem c. One which heareth this blessing would thinke that Noah did not blesse Shem but that hee blessed God for he saith not blessed be Shem but blessed bee the Lord God of Shem. This is to signifie that as cursed Canaan came of Cham so the blessed Messias should come of Shem which though he were Shems sonne yet heere hee is called Shems Lord as hee was called Dauids sonne and Dauids Lord. Then to shew that Noah dooth not blesse Shem but God dooth blesse him and Noah prayed that hee might bee blessed as Christ gaue the spirite and Iohn ministred but the water Thirdly to shew that God for blessing vs should be blessed of vs and therefore Noah said Blessed bee the Lord God of Shem c. as if hee should say blessed bee the Lord which blesseth Shem. Further this sheweth the difference betweene Shems blessing and Iaphets blessing that is the Iews and the Gentiles for he saith God perswade Iaphet to dwell in the tents of Shem as though Iaphet were not blessed yet but should bee blessed but he saith of Shem Blessed bee the Lord Gods of Shem as if hee should giue him possession and say take thy blessing for to assure him of Gods blessing he calleth God Shems God As were say my landes or my goods so hee might say my God and my Lorde such a propertie the faithfull haue in God As Paul saith God is not the God of the dead but of the liuing so I may say God is not the God of the wicked but of the righteous and therefore he is called The God of Abraham the God of Isaak and the God of Iacob which were all good and righteous and holy men The next blessing is Iaphets the forme of his blessing is God perswade Iaphet to dwell in the tents of Shem that is God perswade the Gentiles which come of Iaphet to imbrace the Religion of the Iewes which come of Shem. See how God counteth it for a blessing to be in the true Religion and how men should bee perswaded vnto it because it is loue which cannot bee forced this is the first prophecie in scripture of the calling of the Gentiles that is of our calling to Christ And to put vs in minde that we were once out of the couenant and but added to the couenant the name of Iaphet which was the father of the Gentiles dooth signifie perswaded or inlarged as it were added to the Church as though the time were when wee were out of the Church therefore first wee are indebted to our good mediatour which added vs to the kingdome when we were out of the kingdome and then that hee did it by persswasion not by compulsion As Noah prayed God to perswade Iapheth so he
and then a little vntill at last the inheritance come too As they which trie a vessell first put water into it to see whether it will holde water then they commit wine vnto it so first God giueth vs one grace if wee vse that wel then he giueth another another and another according to that He which is found faithfull in a little shall bee made Lorde ouer much My Father sayth Christ is an husbandman Iohn 15. shewing that as wee dresse the ground that it may bring foorth fruite so God dresseth vs that we may bring foorth fruite All commeth not at once but as the body groweth so the spirite groweth first good thoughts and then good speeches and then good workes as the blade followeth the seede and the eare the blade and the corne the eare Looke howe in our first generation one thing comes after another so it is in our second generation As the child springeth in the mothers wombe from a gellie vnto milke and from milke to blood and from blood to flesh and she knoweth not how it groweth till it come foorth so the spirite groweth in vs and we see not how it groweth but that it is growen Fayth calleth to loue and loue calleth to obedience and obedience calleth to constancie and one grace is the foundation of another Therefore Paul sayth Whome hee predestinated them he called whom he called them he iustified whom hee iustified them he glorified Thus as the rich easily growe richer so the good easily growe better hee which hath power to aske hath power to receiue for it is sayde Aske and you shall receiue hee which hath power to seeke hath power to finde for it is said Seeke and you shall finde he which hath power to knocke hath power to enter for it is sayde Knocke and it shall be opened vnto you As Gods riches are infinite so he is neuer wearie of giuing when a man serueth God at last it commeth to this that God delighteth as it were to doe him good as it is sayd Ieremiah 32. and Micah 7. I will delight to doe them good Now when it commeth to this passe that God hath a delight to doe a man good then Aske what thou wilt sayth Salomon to his Mother and I will not say thee nay so Aske what thou wilt and GOD will not say thee nay He which hath the Sonne may haue the Father hee that hath the Wedding garment may haue the Wedding feast he which hath the spirite of Elisha may haue the spirite of Eliah he which commeth vnto Christ may make Christ come vnto him as when the Sonne came toward the Father the Father met him in the way shewing that God is as ready to giue as wee to aske When Dauid did well Nathan sayd vnto him The Lord hath giuen thee this and this and this and if that had not been enough hee would haue giuen thee such and such things shewing vs that the cause why wee haue not such and such things is for that we are not thankefull for these and these thinges When the Eunuch beleeued he said what letteth me to be baptized so when thou beleeuest thou mayst say What letteth me to be loued what letteach me to be blessed What letteth mee to be saued And as Philip said Nothing so Christ saith Nothing but Bee it vnto thee as thou beleeuest From that day righteousnesse standeth ouer their heades as the Sunne did ouer Iosua and they renewe their vertues as the Eagle reneweth her youth Therefore when Isaac had said Iaacob haue I blessed he addeth and he shall be blessed as if he should say he beginneth to be blessed now but hee shall bee more blessed so they which are blessed of God shall be more blessed rising and rising like the Sunne vntill it come to the height When God hath begun to blesse he saith as hee said to Abraham What shall I hide from him What shall I keepe from him As though one of his giftes did binde him to giue another therefore his mercies are called euerlasting mercies because when they begin they haue no end So soone as hee had mooued Salomon to pray for wisdome he gaue him wisedome so soone as he had moued Abraham to goe from his Countrey hee began to guide him so soone as he had moued Gedeon to fight he began to strengthen him Gods mercies are resembled to raine first it raines small drops and after fall great drops and the small are signes of the great First you see Elisha with a single spirit and after you see him with a double spirite first you see Paule sitting at Gamaliels feete and afterward you see him preaching in Moses Chaire first you see Timothie a student and after you see him an Euangelist First you see Cornelius praying and after you see Peter instructing first you see Dauid repenting and after you see Nathan comforting first ye see the Disciples worshipping and after you see the holy Ghost descending first you see the Wisemen seeking Christ and after you see them together with Christ first you see the Sonne comming toward the Father and after you see the Father comming toward the Sonne first you see the Eunuch reading and after you see him vnderstanding and after you see him beleeuing and after you see him baptised Moste notable is the example of Nathaniel so soone as he beleeued Christ remembred this promise and said Beleeuest thou for this thou shalt see greater things than these so hee gaue more to him which had some That which he said to Nathaniel he saith to all which are like Nathaniel Beleeuest thou this Sermon thou shalt heare other Sermons than this repentest thou for this example thou shalt see other examples than this louest thou for one benefite thou shalt receiue moe benefites than one honourest thou God for his giftes vpon others thou shalt feele his giftes vpon thy selfe for Hee which keepeth Israel dooth not sleepe but watch What dooth he watch He watcheth who seeketh for comfort and who looketh for wisdome and who prayeth for faith and who intreateth for patience that hee may giue aboundantly to him which desires feruentlie If hee see one pray like Cornelius he sendeth another to strengthen him like Peter if he see one studie like the Eunuch he sendeth another to instruct him like Philip if hee see one mourne like Dauid hee sendeth another to comfort him like Nathan if hee see one willing like Esay he sendeth another to able him like the Seraphim if he see one that thinketh well hee teacheth him to speake well if hee see one that speaketh well hee teacheth him to doe well if hee see one doe well he teacheth him to continue well if hee see one meeke like Moses hee maketh him wise like Salomon if he see one wise like Salomon hee maketh him righteous like Abraham if he see one righteous like Abraham he maketh him patient like Iob if hee see one patient like Iob he maketh him penitent
if ye haue tried the pleasures of vanitie alreadie as I knowe ye haue whether yee may readilie say with Saint Paule What profit haue we of these things whereof we are ashamed no profit but shame and griefe and guilt a dreadful expectation of iudgement As Salomon cals folly the inheritaunce of follie so vanitie is the inheritaunce of vanitie Ten times Laban changed Iacobs wages but ten thousand times sinne hath changed your wages and deceiued you with other successe than you looked for like Shebna which built his Sepulchre in one Countrey and was buried in the other and yet how many changes are behinde you knowe not for if you did you woulde make inquisition now and banish them at first for whensoeuer ye goe about to cast them out they will say still like the Diuels that thou tormentest them before the time It seemes that manie are touched with compassion of this therfore repriue their vanities and slack the execution as though they were affraid to offend the Diuell euen we perhaps are in the trace of vanitie hunting with Salomon to finde that which we loue and finde it not because we seeke it out of the way What is the remedy So runne saith Paul that ye may obtaine you haue tried the euil way to happines now try the good way and then that which yee loue nowe shall not onely seeme vaine but Vanitie of Vanities that ye wil maruaile how ye could loue them so long and would not bee in that dotage of thē again for all the world Vntill these earthlie things seeme vaine no heauenlie things shal seeme precious therefore lose no more time the daie comes when Vanitie of vanities shall be turned to miserie of miseries and All is vanitie to All is miserie There is a certain place called Hel where God keepes generall Sessions there Iustice shall sit to examine vanity who hath embraced her and who hath forsaken her God and he which made his pleasure of sinne so soone as he heares this doome Depart from me yee wicked shall goe downe by a blacke waie with many a sigh and 〈◊〉 from God from the Angels from the Saints from ioie from glory from blisse with the fiends of hell to 〈…〉 Pallace of darkenes with the Princes of horror at the table of vengeance in the 〈◊〉 of calamitie with the crowne of death vpon his head he which tempted him to sinne shall plague him for sinning vntil he crie like Gam My punishment is greater than I can beare for all the griefes and feares and cares and troubles which fed vppon him while he liued shall meete in an houre and exceede them so farre that he suffers for all and maruaile how any torment can bee left for other What faith or feare haue they that go dauncing leaping to this fire as it were to a banquet like a foole which runneth to the stocks How happie were it for men as we liue in these daies if there were no iudgment at all What will we answere when he which made Salomon to write this shall aske why we would not beleeue it what shall we say when he which came from his kingdom to bring vs vnto it demaunds why we did turne the day of saluation vnto the date of vanitie if ye cannot excuse it here how will ye defend it there we were borne in vanitie and we liue in vanitie but wee would not die in vanitie because no man lookes for any good of his sinnes after he is past this world therefore let vs remember that whither the vaine men are gone thither vaine men shall goe There be not two endes for sinners but one what a wofull bargaine will it seeme then to remember that thou didst sell they soule for vanitie If any thing wil reclaime vs this wil◠be a terrour in our heartes to thinke that we shal giue account vnto him which will measure to vs as much miserie as wee haue taken vanitie therefore as Abner saide to Ioab knowest thou not that it will be bitternes in the latter ende So let euery man consider with himselfe though his vanities be swee◠now yet they will bee bitter in the ende As Ammon after hee had fulfilled his lust did hate Thamar which defied her more than he loued her before so when the sport is past and Death lookes vs in the face wee shall hate our vanities more than wee loue 〈…〉 All this 〈◊〉 conclude that our Sauiour said to Martha but one thing is necessarie Which God graunt wee may choose for his sonne Iesus Christ and then wee haue learned this lesson FINIS The Ladder of Peace Reioyce euer more pray continually in all things giue thankes WHen I spake last of these words I shewed you how the Apostle commēdeth vnto vs three vertues of greater price than the three presents which the wisemen brought vnto Christ the first is Reioice euermore the second is pray continually the third in all things giue thankes All three are of one last for wee must reioice continually because he saith reioyce euermore and we must pray continually because he saith pray continually and wee must giue thankes continually because he saith in all things giue thanks These are the three things which one saith Al men doe and no man doth because euerie man doth them and scarce one doth them as hee should Therefore the Apostle to shewe vs how we should doo them well doth put continually vnto them as though continuance were the perfection of al vertues I chose this scripture for a consolation to them which are afflicted in conscience which is commonly the disease of the innocentest soule for they thinke that they doo wel to mourne continually and Paul saith Reioice continually and therefore I will speake a little more of these wordes than I did before If you marke it it may well be called The Ladder of Peace for it stands vpon three steps and euery step is a step from trouble to peace from sorrow to ioy for hee which can Reioyce is past his griefe he which can pray is passing from his griefe he which can giue thankes hath obtained his desire A man cannot reioyce mourne a man cannot pray and despaire a man cannot giue thankes and bee offended therefore keepe still vpon one of these three steps and you shall neuer sorrow too much If thou canst not reioyce as if thy paine were past then giue thankes because thy paine is profitable if thou canst not thinke that thy payne is worth thankes then pray that thou maist haue patience to beare it and it is vnpossible that in praying or thanking or reioycing that any greefe should want patience enough to beare it But when you forget to reioyce in the Lord then you begin to muse and after to feare and after to distrust and at last to despayre and then euery thought seemes to be a sinne against the holy Ghost How many sinnes doth the afflicted conscience
of this vice GOD suffereth men to fall into other vices which men abhorre and punish as theft and fornication and drunkennes to make them ashamed by these vices which were not ashamed of pride this is an argument that of all sinnes pride is the worst because God suffereth other sinnes to come and shame vs least we should bee proude Agayne Pride hath this propertie and sleight that it mixeth it selfe with our good workes and followeth vertue As from the ashes of a Phoenix ariseth another Phoenix so of the ashes of our good workes ariseth pride When the diuell cannot stay vs from a good worke then he laboureth by all meanes to make vs proud of it and so he staineth our worke and stealeth our reward For though a man doe neuer so much good yet if he be proude of it hee loseth his reward as the Pharisies did therefore the best and the wisest and the holiest men had need to watch this vice for if they take not great heed it will make them proud of their wisedome and of their zeale and of their goodnes Paul was almost puffed vp with reuelations Aron and Miriam began to rebell because they thought themselues as good as Moses and all the fathers of any heresie began their heresie at this a magnificate opinion of themselues and an ouerweening of their owne gifts So pride setteth vpon the best euen as the temper set vpon Christ Agayne a man had need to take heede of pride for she will not keepe counsaile but if he be proud she will tell that he is proud and therefore is called an impudent sinne because she descrieth her selfe in the eye in the speech in the iesture in the looke in the gaâ—e like the drunkard so that a man cannot bee proud and seeme humble Thus God hath tied a iust punishmeÌ„t to this vice that he which entertaineth the vice that he loueth should not auoid the name which he abhorreth but he shall be esteemed proud and called proud of all that know him and many that know him not shall point at him with their fingers in the streetes say there goes a proud fellow which they pronounce of no vice els but the drunkard because these two bewray themselues Thus you see howe the proud resist God now you shall see how GOD resisteth the proud They are so heady that almost none dare resist them but God I will resist them saith God Therefore when hee heard the proud man say in the 14 of Esaiah I will ascend vp into heauen hee answereth himselfe Thou shalt be brought downe to the graue This is hee which resisteth the proud When Hamans wife heard her husband say that Mordecai was against him because he was an Israelite she sayd that her husband should take the soile and Mordecai shoulde preuayle What if she had heard her husband say that the Lord of Mordecai was agaynst him If the seruant bee so terrible who dare encounter with his master God hated Esau and how did Esau prosper though hee was the elder brother yet he missed the birth-right and though his father loued him yet hee could not blesse him because God hated him God was wroth with the Angels and droue them out of heauen God was wroth with Adam and thrust him out of Paradice GOD was wroth with Nabucadnezzar and turned him out of his Pallace God was wroth with Cain and though hee were the first man that was borne of a woman yet God made him a vagabond vpon his owne land GOD was wroth with Saul and though he was the first king that euer was annoynted yet God made his owne hand his executioner GOD was wroth with the olde world and though the earth was naked when they were drowned yet hee regarded nothing but destroyed a world of men together This is he which resisteth the proude what shall wee doe if the world be against vs and the flesh against vs and the diuell against vs and God against vs too which should defend vs In heauen in earth and in the sea he findes vs out And as the displeasure of a king draweth many enemies with it so the displeasure of God setteth all his creatures against vs therefore he is called the Lord of hoasts as though hee came with an armie against vs. When hee fought with the Aramites the Sunne tooke his part when hee fought against the Sodomites the fire tooke his parte when hee fought against the Egyptians the water tooke his parte when he fought against the Murmurers the earth tooke his part when he fought against the Idolaters the Lyons tooke his part when hee fought against the mockers the Beares tooke his part this is hee which resisteth the proud What can hee hope which remembreth that God is set against him and that the Lord of heauen and of earth is his enemie This thought made the Philistines flie say God is come into the hoast No enemie is like this enemie he euer ouercommeth and when hee hath ouercomen he can cast into hell make the diuels torment them againe therefore well might Salomon prophecie Pro. 29. 23. The pride of man shall bring him lowe for God hath ouercome him who brought pride into the world as pride brought him low so Salomon saith it shall bring men low too What a turne is this that that which he tooke like a chayne as Dauid sayth to adorne him doth hang him that which he tooke to exalt him doth debase him that which hee tooke to winne loue getteth hatred that which he tooke to obtaine glory procureth shame as if God did take the sworde out of his hand as Dauid tooke the sworde of Goliah and slewe him with his owne weapon When the Pharisie said he was not like the Publicane Luk. 19. 11. he said true for then he was not like the Publican indeede because the Publican was better than he So when a proude man thinkes best of himselfe then God and men thinke worst of him all his glorie is but like a vapour which clymeth as though it would goe vp to heauen but when it comes to a little height it falles downe againe and neuer ascends more So Adam thought that the faire apple shuld make him like his maker Gen. 3. but God resisted his pride and that apple made him like the Serpent that tempted him with it Absolom thought that rebellion would make him a king 2. Sam. 15. 2. but God resisted his pride and his rebellion hanged him on a tree Nimrod thought that Babel should get him a name Gen. 11. but God resisted his pride the name of his building was called CoÌ„fusioÌ„ euer since Nabuchadnezzar built his pallace for his honor Dan. 4. but God resisted his pride and his pallace spued him out when his seruants remayned in it Shebna builded a sepulcher for his memoriall Esa 22. but GOD resisted his pride and buried
him in another Countrey where he had no sepulcher prouided Herod hoped when the people cryed at his words It is the voyce of God that hee should be worshipped euer after as God but God resisted his pride and before he descended from his throane the wormes so defaced his pompe that none which called him God would be like vnto him so whē women take more paines to dresse themselues then they doe all the day after and pay deerer to maintaine one vice than they neede to learne all vertues they thinke to please men by it but God resisteth their pride and al that see them though they cap and curtsie to them yet they iudge worse of them and thinke that they would not weare these signes of lightnes and pride vnlesse they were light and proud indeede Thus if their apparell condemne them before men how will it condemne them before GOD If sinne did not blinde them would they so deceiue themselues to take the contrary way and thinke that should honor them which disgraceth other But as Balaam was stopped knew not who stopped him so they are resisted and know not who resisteth them Though they doe al to please yet they can please none they please not God for God resisteth them they please not the humble for the humble are contrarie to thē they please not the proud for the proud doe enuie them which striue to bee as proude as they they please not themselues because they cannot bee so proud and braue as they would bee onely they please the diuell because their pride doth intitle him to them Thus much of Gods battailes against the proud Heere Peter leaueth the proud with this brand in their forehead This is the man whom God resisteth then hee turneth to the lowly and comforteth them But he giueth grace to the humble as if hee should say you are like Iohn the beloued Disciple which leaned on Christs bosome Iohn 13. 23. though God resist the proud yet hee will not frowne vpon you but when he resisteth them he wil giue grace vnto you as if hee should say the proud are without grace for God giueth not grace vnto the proud but to the humble according to that to Esay 66. 2. To him will I looke euen to him that is poore of a contrite heart and trembleth at my wordes therefore Learne of me saith Christ to be hūble meek as though the humble and meeke were his schollers Therefore God must needes loue the humble because they are like his sonne they shall haue his best giftes of which hee sayth 2. Cor. 12. 9. My grace is sufficient as if hee should say hee which hath giuen you his grace can he denie you any thing as Christ saith Hee which hath giuen vs his Sonne will he not giue vs all things with him Therefore grace may be called the gift of gifts because all gifts come with grace as the Court goeth with the Queene Therefore feare not to bee humble least you be contemned for all the promises of God are made to humilitie and yet men feare to be humble lest they shuld be contemned Humilitie did not make Iohn contemptible but when he refused the name of a Prophet Christ saith that hee was more then a Prophet Mat. 11. 2. Humilitie did not make Moses contemptible but as he was the mildest man vpon earth so he was the greatest vpon the earth Numb 12. Humilitie did not make Dauid contemptible but when he humbled himselfe hee said vnto Micol I will be more humble yet and lowly in my owne sight yet thou and thy maides shall honour me 2. Sam. 6. 22. As Christ ceased not to be a king because he was like a seruant nor to bee a Lion because he was like a Lamb nor to be God because he was made man nor to bee a Iudge because he was iudged so man dooth not loose his honour by humilitie but he shal be honored for his humilitie as the Son was honoured when he was humbled Luk. 15. 8. Thus humilitie hath found that which pride sought like little Dauid which was least accompted of and yet gotte the victorie yea when no man durst encounter with the Gyant 1. Sam. 17. 28. This is the ladder whereby we must ascend Gen. 28. 12. pride did cast vs downe and humilitie must raise vs vp As the way to heauen is narrowe Mat. 12. 13. so the gate is lowe and he had neede to stoope which entreth in at it therefore be not proud least God oppose himselfe against you but be humble and the grace of God belongeth to you So long as thou art proude and readest this sentence GOD giueth grace to the humble thou mayst say to thy soule Soule thou hast no part herein for grace is the portion of the humble and the dowrie of the meeke and the treasure of the lowlie but to thee it is saide The Lord resisteth the proude as if he should say Auoide Sathan Math. 4. or Departe from mee ye wicked Math 25. 45. Thus you see howe you may haue GOD your friende or your enemie Hee resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble if thou disdaine to learne humilitie of man learne it of GOD who humbled himselfe from heauen to earth to exalte thee from earth to heauen to which Kingdome when the proud shall be shut out the Lord Iesus bring vs for his mercies sake FINIS THE YOVNG MANS TASKE Ecclesiastes 12. 1. Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth IF it be so as they say that none but young men do heare our doctrine then this Text is well chosen for the auditory to teach young men that which if they learne they may say with Dauid I haue more vnderstanding then the auncient Psalm 119. 100. All Scripture is mans duetie and answeres like Iohn Baptist to What shall wee doe In the first of Iohn the second and the twelfth Iohn sayth I write vnto you babes I write vnto you children I write vnto you fathers I write vnto you youngmen I write vnto you old men So the word which is called aflying booke flyeth from one age to another from one sexe to another from one calling to another till like a Iudge it hath giuen euery man his charge Among the rest I may call this Scripture The young mans taske Wherein the Wise man sheweth when is the best time to sow the seede of vertue that it may bring foorth the fruite of life and make a man alway readie to die Let him remember his Creator in the daies of his youth and all his life shall runne in a line the middle like the beginning and the ende like the middle as the Sunne setteth against the place where it rose After Salomon had described man like Martha troubling and toyling himselfe about many things at last hee bringeth him to that one thing necessarie which Christ taught Marie and shewes him that if he had begun there at first he had found that which