of Samos Policrates the mighty Prince of the Samians who had fortune a long time so obsequious that his hope was alwaies the apprehension of the thing desired Vota enim nuncupabantur simul soluebantur cuius velle posse in aequo positum videbatur saith a Writer whose wishes and vowes were together made and performed whose will and atchiuements seemed to be both alike who when hee would make proofe of his fortune cast a Iewell of great value into the sea which in short time he receiued againe being found of his Cooke in the belly of a fish which his Cater had vnwittingly bought in the market yet hee miserably dyed for being taken in the warre by King Darius hee was hanged on the top of a Mountaine and left to bee deuoured of the foules of the aire Cyrus Cyrus King of Persia who diuided the riuer Ganges wherein one of his Souldiers was drowned into 400 and 60 Channels was at last taken by Thomiris Queene of the Masegetes and his head cast into a barrell of mans bloud The mighty Xerxes who ouerturned Mountaines and couered the sea with his Shippes this flower quickly faded for hee became contemptible to his owne seruants and at last was slaine by Artabanus one of his owne Captaines What should I speake of King Darius Darius who being vanquished of Alexander was bound in chaines and fetters of gold and drawne in a Chariot about the Citty Thara where hauing receiued many woūds miserably dyed What of Alexander the Great which after so many victories so many triumphes and almost all the whole world subiected vnto him was at last by Cassander the sonne of Antipater poysoned And almost infinite more recorded in histories Lucan Fertque resertque vices habent mortalia casum Amb. lib. 1. hexa whose miserable fall proued true this of the Apostle The glory of this world vanisheth as the flower of the grasse Hodie saith Ambrose videas adolescentem validum pubescentis aetatis virtute florentem Thou maist see to day a yong man strong flourishing in the vigour of his youth with a liuely hue and fresh colour the next day hee meeteth thee with his face color changed Plerosque enim aut labor frangit aut inopia macerat aut cruditas vexat aut vina corrumpunt aut senectus debilitat aut luxuria decolorat aut morbi fatigant For most men saith he either labour doth breake or penury maketh leane or cruditie vexeth or wine corrupteth or old age enfeebleth or riot discoloureth or sickenesse weareth out such is the miserable condition of our mortall life Pharaoh was in the morning flourishing Exod. 14. but ere the euening made meate for fishes Dan. 5. Balthazar King of Babylon in the middest of his wines and banquettings was stricken with suddaine horror and the next night slaine of his enemies Dan. 4. Nabuchadonozor now glorious in his Palace but presently after cast out among brute beasts Hest 7. Haman had in hope euen deuoured the Israelites but shortly after was hanged on a tree Acts 12. Herod was honoured as a God but in a moment consumed of wormes and many more such examples in holy Scripture One example more I cannot omit Niceph. lib. 18. cap. 22. recorded by Nicephorus Theodorus the Physition a man wise and prudent who being sent of Mauritius the Emperour vnto Chaganus a most mighty Captaine about a composition of peace and finding him very obstinate vttered this historie vnto him Sesostris King of Egypt through his many conquests being drunken with the wine of pride and ambition caused a Chariot to be made adorned with gold and precious stones which hee caused to be drawne by foure of his conquered Kings And beholding one of them neuer auerting his eyes from the motion of the wheele demanded of him his conceite in so doing who answered that in the wheele hee considered the wonderfull change and vncertainty of worldly things the inconstancy of humane prosperity which is now aloft and presently downe againe vp and downe like a wheele in his motion The tyrant heereby calling to minde the frailty of humane glory restored these Kings to their former liberty Chaganus smiling at this History confirmed to Theodorus the propounded conditions of peace If then the goods of fortune be so instable if nothing vnder the Sunne is durable if all things in this world are subiect to corruption O then how are our mindes bewitched how is our vnderstanding blinded that forsaking God the vnchangeable and eternall good wee will follow the fading shewes of this deceitfull world Consider againe how vaine futile and lesse then nothing the things are before the eyes of God which this world so greatly admireth and desireth seeing the Spirit of God the most wise ponderer of things compareth them to the flower and the grasse The Prophet Esay incultateth and beateth this lesson into our eares comparing not onely mans life but also the riches and glory of this world vnto the grasse and flower I heard a voyce saying vnto me Esay 40.6 Cry and I said what shall I cry All flesh is grasse and the grace thereof is as the flower of the field The Princely Prophet also falling into the consideration of the fraile and wretched conditiō of man vseth the same comparison Ps 103.15 saying The dayes of man are but as grasse as a flower of the field so flourisheth hee Salomon also painting out the vncertaintie of the riches of the world saith Wilt thou cast thine eyes vpō that which is nothing Prou. 23.5 for riches taketh her to her wings as an Eagle and flyeth into heauen What a folly then is it to account them happy which swim in worldly prosperity It is euen as if seeing a man in a goodly bed serued with all dainties and with sweete musicke should thinke him much blessed when yet the intollerable paine of the Gout will suffer him to take no rest nor pleasure day nor night VER 12. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation c. HERE is the Apostles conclusion of the whole doctrine of the Crosse which is taken from the reward of patience which is blessednesse The diuision In which conclusion these things are to bee considered which in order are here set downe 1 When it shall be giuen when they are tryed 2 Whereunto it is compared to a Crowne of life 3 The certainty thereof because it is God which promiseth it and not man that oftentimes deceiueth and is changeable 4 To whom it shall bee giuen to such as loue God The reward promised is heere noted vnder the word Blessed which is the greatest reward that may happen vnto any man for Beatitudo est status omnium bonorum aggregatione perfectissimus Blessednesse is a state most perfect of all good things heaped together The wise men of this world doe greatly erre which place their felicity in bodily pleasures riches honours c. For blessed indeed is
heat of prosperity but keepeth still the same minde the same constancy the same tenor of of vertue Simile And euen as the skilfull sea-faring man is not daunted with euery storme nor giueth ouer for a contrary winde but laboureth with perseuerance against the winde vntill he commeth to the hauen And as the hound followeth the Hare through brambles thornes hedges vntill he catch her So we must not giue ouer our purpose of wel-doing for any aduersity difficulty or temptation but with perseuerance to ouercome the troublesome stormes and waues of this world vntill we come to the safe hauen and port of euerlasting life 1. Cor. 9. So runne that yee may obtaine Simile The wicked contrarywise may be likened to a rotten worme-eaten apple which falleth from the Tree before it bee ripe when the sound grow fast vntill they come to maturity So they that are putrified and worme-eaten through custome of sinne fall away from a good purpose through want of perseuerance with a little winde of temptation Hee is as the chaffe which the winde scattereth away from the face of the earth Psal 1.5 Who euer continued in wel-doing and found not the mercy of the Lord Mar. 16. Ioh. 20. Mary Magdalen perseuered at the Sepulchre and the Lord first apeared vnto her The woman of Canaan perseuered in prayer vnto the Lord Math. 15. and ceased not at so many repulses and therfore heard these words O woman great is thy faith bee it vnto thee euen as thou wilt The importunate friend in the Gospell who knocked at his friends dore crauing to borrow three loaues Luk. 11. obtained that by perseuerance which for friendship he could not To conclude the people continued with the Lord three daies in the Desart and our Sauiour rewarded this their perseuerance with a notable miracle whereby both their bodies were fed and which is more their faith also confirmed O brethren that wee would perseuer thus in prayer and in our good purposes in hearing the word in meditation of heauenly things c. O that they which spend whole daies and nights in play cards dice and filthy pleasures would spend but one day with the Lord in prayer godly meditation c. How farre greater would their gaine bee then what they get by vaine pleasures But what say I one day I would to God they would bestow but one houre in a day in this duty great surely then would bee the profite they should get thereby c. And thus through perseuerance patience hath her perfect worke in vs it followeth that yee may bee perfect and entire lacking nothing Here the word perfect signifieth stable constant persisting to the end in the profession of the Gospell For God vseth patience as an instrument and meane to make vs perfect Now in that some in Scripture are called iust and perfect men Math. 2. Luk. 2. Math. 5. Math. 19. Perfection two waies taken as Ioseph and Zacharias be yee perfect as your heauenly Father is perfect Wee must vnderstand that perfection is two waies taken either absolutely or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in respect of some other thing The absolute perfection is such which can not bee encreased but is so full and absolute as nothing may be added vnto it In this degree of perfection no man in this infirmity and weaknesse of nature is perfect the iust falleth seuen times a day and therefore the very Apostles prayed the Lord to encrease their faith Luk. 17. And the Apostle speaketh of himselfe and of all the Saints of God in this life Rom. 7.18 For I know that in mee that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing for to will is present but I finde no meanes to performe that which is good That wee might vnderstand that in the most perfect dwelleth the body of sinne as he saith againe O wretched man that I am Rom. 7.24 who shall deliuer mee from the body of this death For the second which is in deed the perfection of Gods children it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 certae cuiusdem rei respectu tantum onely in respect of some certaine thing so was Ioseph Iob Zacharias called iust or perfect men not because they were absolutely perfect but because they had attained to the perfection of sundry vertues as farre forth as of men this life might be attained Thus the godly are called perfect either in comparison of the wicked in respect of whom Gods children are holy and in comparison of them perfect Or because the measure of their gifts and graces and the vertues to which they aspire by the imputation of Christs perfection are reputed perfect and made acceptable vnto God Wee are now therefore in the way where wee are tending towards perfection and shall at last obtaine the same in our Country and as all our righteousnesse is of faith so as our faith doth increase in vs so doth also our righteousnesse and perfection What this perfection is in this life the Apostle notably explaneth Phil. 3.12.13 Not as though I had already attained to it either were already perfect but one thing I doe I forget that which is behind and endenour my selfe to that which is before This the Apostle teacheth by an elegant Simile taken from runners in a race But what do these valiant runners in a race In dies vlterius They forget that which is behind That is first they neuer looke backe nor regard how many paces they haue runne but what yet remaineth farther for them to runne that with an vnwearied course they may hasten to finish it going still farther neuer declining from the marke and goale vntill they haue attained the same Secondly they indeuour to that which is before they haue their eyes and minde intent and fixed vpon the marke to which they runne and will by no meanes diuert either minde or eyes from the same Herein consisteth our Christian perfection in this life and therefore hee addeth Let vs therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded The vse beloued wee should make hereof is The Vse that seeing by patitience vnder the crosse and afflictions of this life we increase in godlinesse and grow towards perfection and this our aspiring towards perfection and growth in godlinesse is by the imputation of Christs perfection accepted and accounted for perfection before God O then let this moue vs to hold fast this exhortation of the Apostle Brethren count it exceediug ioy when yee fall into diuers temptations Knowing that the trying of your faith bringeth forth patience And let patience haue her perfect worke that yee may bee perfect and entire lacking nothing The third Sermon 5 If any lack wisedome let him aske of God which giueth to all men liberally and reproacheth no man and it shall be giuen him 6 But let him aske in faith and wauer not for hee that wauereth is like a waue of the sea tost of the winde and
the Temple whose Garners are full and plentious with all manner of store Hee is heere commanded to reioyce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his humiliation and abiection As then the crosse and afflictions are profitable to the poore who are thereby exalted so is this doctrine also very profitable to the rich for he is taught thereby not to be proud Ne nimium fortunae blandienti credat that hee trust not too much flattering Fortune seeing that his riches are vnstable the fire may consume them the rust may fret them the mothes may eate them the thiefe may steale them or at least when hee dyeth will hee or nill he hee must forsake them When God then taketh from the rich these deceitfull baites of the world when hee turneth their wealth into want their mirth into misery their plenty into penury their happines into heauinesse they are exhorted here by the Apostle to reioyce seeing the occasion of many sinnes Arist lib. 3. Polit. Plato lib. de legibus Hieron Greg. Propert. Auro pulsa fides Auro venalia iura Aurum lex sequitur mox sine lege pudor which commonly riches ministreth are taken away Is not the world full of examples that riches are the cause of tyranny insolencie arrogancy and intollerable pride Aristotle saith Pecunia seditionem essicit malignitatem And Plato Diuites ac bonos esse impossibile as if it were impossible for riches and goodnesse to dwell together And Saint Hierom saith Prouerbium hoc verum est omnis diues iniquus aut iniquihaeres And Gregory vbi aurum ibi vitium Where there is store of gold there is store of vice much gold and little goodnesse And doth not the Scripture witnesse the same 1. Tim. 6.10.11 They that will bee rich fall into tentation and snares and into many foolish and noysome lusts which drowne men in perdition and destruction for the desire of money is the roote of all euill c And our Sauiour himselfe That a rich man shall hardly enter into the Kingdome of heauen Math. 19 Math. 13. And he compareth riches vnto Thornes which choake vp the good Seed And the Apostles exhortation pertaineth not onely vnto them which gape by all meanes soeuer to hoard vp riches but also vnto all such as are puffed vp with honour nobility wisedome or any other externall things When the rich man then is humbled by losse of goods spoyle of wealth decrease of riches hee is exhorted to reioyce in as much as the occasion of much euill yea perchance of the destruction of his soule is taken away This then is the Apostles doctrine that seeeing in euery estate of this life in pouerty and riches in high and low estate many occasions of impatience are ministred the onely remedy then is in all the alterations of Fortune in all the changes of this world to beare our selues patient vnder the crosse Afflictions profitable to poore and rich And thus yee see how afflictions are profitable both to poore and rich Out of which I obserue two most excellent Doctrines First that wee consider how preposterous and vaine the confidence in riches is which in a moment fadeth and cannot protect vs from diseases nor defend vs from death nor helpe vs at the pinch of our extreamest necessity Diues cum moritur non sumet secum omnia neque descendet cum eo gloria eius The rich when hee dyeth shall not carry his goods with him neither shall his pompe follow him Two dreadfull examples wee haue hereof in holy Scripture One of him who when he had heaped vp much riches heatd this voyce Luk. 12. O foole Luk. 16. this night will they fetch away thy soule from thee The other being in the midst of hellish flames one drop of warer was denyed him To these may be added the churlish Naball 1. Sam. 25. who after his royall and princely feastings refused to giue a little bread vnto Dauid and was stricken with sudden death and Dauid enioyed both his wife and riches So Pharaoh Antiochus and Herod after a few dayes pleasure in this life left all their riches and in a moment descended into hell How needfull then is it to hearken vnto this counsell of the Apostle 1. Tim. 6.17 Charge them that are rich in this world that they bee not high-minded Propert. Non vllas portabis opes Acherontis ad vndas and that they trust not in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God which giueth vs aboundantly all things to enioy Secondly wee are heere taught that the wisedome of this world deceiueth and is filthily deceiued which iudgeth their state to bee wretched most miserable which for Christ his sake are depriued of riches and honours whereas the spirit of God pronounceth such happy and blessed Blessed are yee 1. Pet. 3. if yee suffer for righteousnesse sake Consider the examples of the Saints of God as of Moses who preferred the rebuke of Christ before all the treasure of Egypt Heb. 11. And of Paul who counted all things as dung that hee might winne Christ Phil. 3. And in deed to loose riches what is it else but to bee ridde of most sharpe thornes and to bee eased of a heauy burthen which stoppeth the entring of eternall life Obiect But heere some may obiect that when Saint Iames willeth the brother of low degree to reioyce c. and the rich when he is made low and humbled hee is contrary to other places of Scripture as Ierem. 9. Phil. 4. where wee are commanded to reioyce onely in the Lord. Solut. Christian Religion teacheth vs that all things happen vnto vs from God who disposeth all things by his eternall Prouidence which who so holdeth then in low degree to reioyce when wee are brought low what is it else but to reioyce in the Lord Next the Apostle addeth a reason of this his exhortation The reason For as the flower of the grasse he passeth away This reason hee taketh from the nature of riches and worldly prosperity which is inconstant momentany and vaine for the successe of worldly prosperity hee compareth vnto flowers then which nothing may bee imagined more glorious to behold but the glory thereof is most brittle and fading for with the heate of the Sun they vanish and wither so that the flower which flourisheth at Sunne-rising and pleaseth the eyes with the gratefull colour and delighteth the smell with the sweete fauour thereof ere Sunne-set fade and perish Like vnto this is the felicity of rich men now stately in their purple shining in their gold glittering in pearle garded with a great traine honoured as a God among men but shortly after when fortune changeth her countenance despoyled of all their goods wandring in exile pining in prison and if none of these happen vnto them yet death with stealing steps will arrest them and depriue them of all their pompe Histories are full of these examples Policrates Prince
as to effeminate ioyfull and delicate men the bait of lechery and vaine-glory to Stoicall sterne and angry men the baite of wrath and pride c. And which is most to bee feared he worketh not this by himselfe onely but also by his seruants and instruments And euen as a Prince or noble-man riding a Hunting or Hauking hath many hunters and seruants that accompany him and whatsoeuer is taken in hunting is ascribed all vnto the Prince The deuill hath his agents So the deuill hath his gard hath his hunters to take soules For what else shall wee call the whoorish woman Note this the fraudulent friend the alluring companion him that keepeth a house of play and baudry but the diuels Huntsmen for so the Lord himselfe calleth them Ier. 5. There are found among my people wicked persons that lay waite as hee that setteth snares they haue made a pit to catch men What remaineth then brethren but that we hearken to the counsell of the blessed Apostle 1. Pet. 5.8 Bee sober and watch for your aduersary the denill as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom hee may deuoure Yee had need to bee very carefull and vigilant for yee haue to do with a most vigilant enemy which compasseth you with a greedy desire to hurt you seeking not onely whom hee may wound but also kill and deuoure Simile If any Souldier or Marriner should fall into the hand of the Turke and bee carried vnto Constantinople though he would greatly feare to fall into the hands of so cruell an enemy of the name of Christ yet hee hath some hope of redemption for siluer and gold may redeeme him but if hee fall into the hands of the Lystrigons or Canibals which as soone as they haue taken men presently deuoure them aliue What hope then remaineth O man created after the image of God that thou mightest enioy eternall blessednesse take heed of this cruell enemy which as a bloudy beast destroyeth and deuoureth men trust him not enter into no friendship with him there is no hope of fauour to be expected at his hands The third kind of temptation is presumptionis of presumption whereby man tempteth God as when men abuse Gods patience and suffering to a security of sinning flattering and deceiuing themselues in the mercy of God and finall repentance Ephes 4. and in the meane time wallow in their wickednesse sin with greedinesse saying I haue sinned Eccles 5. and what euill hath happened vnto me The Lord hath mercy in store for vs all hee will receiue me whensoeuer I come I will repent at the houre of death and I shall doe well enough c. This is a presumptuous tempting of God an abusing as Paul saith of the riches of Gods goodnesse patience and long-suffering and those doe Thesaurizare sibi iram in diem irae Rom. 2. Heape vp vnto themselues wrath vnto the day of wrath Here let vs learne brethren how dangerous a thing it is to deferre repentance and while wee haue time not to turne vnto the Lord Surely it is a fearefull thing for a sinner to passe the whole race of his life in pleasure and to protract repentance to the last minute of our life A wise man repaireth and couereth his house in Summer least he be anoyed with the stormes of Winter The prouident Saylor when the sea is calme and the weather faire prepareth all things necessary against a tempest least being preuented with a storme he laboureth in vaine The breach in a Citty-wall in time of peace and not in the brunts of battell is to be repaired And Alexander is reported to haue disgraded a Knight because he was then preparing his armour when hee should encounter with his enemies So shold we betimes while opportunity serueth prouide vs of things necessary for our iourney towards our Country I meane repentance and amendment of life without which wee shall neuer attaine to our wished end For if we be slack herein and do foolishly deferre it till the future time death may preuēt vs while we are a preparing Augustine Cum vult improbus homo non potest quia quando potuit noluit ideo per malum velle perdidit bonū posse Non facile inueniuntur in aduersitate praesidia quae non fucrunt in pace quaesita Luk. 14 31. and cast vs into eternall torments Truely saith Augustine when the wicked would he cannot because when he could he would not and therefore through the euill of his will he lost the good of his power And in an other place Succours are not easily found in aduersity which were not sought in time of peace Our Sauiours example of the King teacheth vs this What King saith he going to fight with another King sitteth not downe first and taketh counsell whether hee bee able with tenne thousand to meete him that commeth against him with twenty thousand O thou vnhappy and foolish sinfull man which wagest warre with the highest King euen the King of Kings whose beck all things obey by whose prouidence all things are gouerned whom the Angels do serue whom the deuils do feare whose power is greater then heauen and earth can comprehend who hath the keies of life and death in his hands What is this thy vaine confidence vpon what counsell rebellest thou against thy God Dost thou trust vnto the health of thy body and a long life O vaine man thou trustest then to a broken reede which by the sinne of thy first parents is brused and crased with a thousand chinckes of infirmities and laid open vnto death why dost thou not then craue of him the conditions of peace why takest thou not truce with him why with all humility dost thou not conuert vnto him with true repentance craue pardon for thy sinnes while hee is yet farre off Wee reade of Alexander Alexand. that mighty Monarch of the world when hee besieged any rebellious Citty at length he would hang forth a Candle burning before the gates of the Citie and proclaimed that if before the same was out they would render the Citie hee would receiue them into fauour if not they might know that there was no hope of mercy While then the Lord calleth vs and offereth his mercy vnto vs ô let vs come by repentance least when it is too late the dore of mercy bee shut and it happen to vs as it did vnto Esau who found no place of repentance Heb. 12. though hee sought it with teares Woe bee vnto them which onely with their life giue ouer their sinnes which will then repent when they can sin no longer Peccata tunc te dimiserunt Augustine non tu illa saith Augustine Then thy sinnes haue left thee and not thou them And againe When I come to old age thou wilt say then I will repent Quare hoc fragilitas humana presumat cum diem vnum in potestate sua non habeat Augustine Wherefore doth humane frailty
hearts are carried away with diuers affections Ecles 2.10 So that this of Salomon may be verified in them Whatsoeuer mine eyes desired I with-held it not from them I with-drew not my heart from any ioy Those idle hearers our Sauiour likeneth vnto seed sowen among thornes stones Math. 13. or in the high-way Simile And are not many like vnto away in which if there lie any mony or thing of value it stayeth not long there but is taken vp of trauellours but if it be a clout or some vile thing it is let alone there is none that taketh it vp So scurrile things vnhonest speeches filthy songs wee receiue into our hearts and fixe in our memory as things very precious but the diuine and pretious iewell of Gods word is straightway forgotten the deuill catcheth it away and why because wee are like the high-way wee are hearers and not doers What shall I say Simile Hee that heares the word and doth it nor is like vnto him that carrieth his aduersary with him which will accuse him and deliuer him to the Iudge to be condemned The word which I haue spoken shall iudge you in the last day Iohn 12. Mat. 5.25 Againe agree with thine aduersary quickely whiles thou art in the way with him least thine aduersarie deliuer thee to the Iudge and the Iudge deliuer thee to the Sergeant and thou bee cast into prisou Will you know what an aduersary the word of God is to the wicked How the word of God reproueth it crosseth all their desires it standeth by and reproueth them to their faces it telleth the wicked that their palate is infected their taste corrupted the sweet seemeth bitter vnto them and bitter sweet it telleth them that they are like vnto swine which haue no smelling and therefore they willingly wallow in the mire which if they had in them a spirituall nose a sound iudgement they could not endure their owne stinke by reason of the filthinesse of their swinish liues It telleth them that they are neere vnto death and must giue account vnto God for the least sin they commit and that if God doth not punish them in this life hee hath reserued them to the more seuere punishment in the world to come It telleth them that no sin shall escape vnpunished nor no vertue be defrauded of a reward It denounceth woe woe woe vnto them if they repent not betime woe bee vnto them in their life woe vnto them in their death and woe be vnro them after death O what a terrible litigator is this brethren agree with this aduersary betime while thou art in the way of this life Bee yee doers of the word and not hearers onely Contend not with it striue not with it repine nor at it for thou shalt neuer ouercome it For a while happily you may plead excuses extenuate your sinnes sed tandem tandem causa cadetis but at length your cause shall faile and bee ouerthrowne and thy conscience it selfe being illuminated and better informed by reason shall one day condemne thee and deliuer thee into hell neuer to come out from thence so great is the summe of thy debts which thou shalt neuer bee able to pay Our Sauiour ioyning the hearing and doing of the Word together Math. 7.24 saith Whosoeuer heareth the word and doth it is like vnto a wise man which hath buth builded his house vpon a rocke c. bee yee therefore doers of the word and not hearers onely c. Many can boast that they haue heard a Sermon this day or that day yet diminish they nothing of their pride and other vanities neither haue they left their boyling malice their swelling hatred their cursed coueteousuesse their fleshly pleasures neither abate they any thing of their wanton banquets their riotous feasts neither stay they their bribing hands their slanderous mouthes their blasphemous tongues their lying lippes neither refraine they from pestilent vsury cruell oppression violent extorsion fraudulent dealing with their neighbours Therefore saith the Apostle Bee yee doers of the word not hearers onely The third sort are these which heare the word with all diligence and haue a care to practise the same and endeuour to square their liues by the line thereof these onely are pronounced blessed by the mouth of Christ himselfe Luk. 11. Blessed are they which heare the word of God and keepe it and shewing whom hee counteth for his brethren hee saith that they are his mother and his brethren Luke 8. which not onely heare but do the word of God And If yee know these things Iohn 13. happy are yee if yee do them Wee all make profession of Christ and say wee haue faith when wee neuer go about to bring in tune our iarring liues to this vnison Faith indeed is the foundation saith the Apostle but where is our Christian building 1. Cor. 3. O build vpon it build vpon it bee yee doers of the word This then shall bee my counsell and request to you all euen for Christs sake and so I will conclude I beseech you be attentiue Yee Gentlemen Gentlemē build vpon this your faith in Christ the workes of clemency iustice and liberality that yee may bee indeed such as your names do import this is the first I would haue you to build vpon your faith Oppresse not your poore Tenants with vnreasonable rents and heauy fines Esay 3.15 What haue yee to do that yee beat my people in peeces and grinde the faces of the poore saith the Lord euen the Lord of Hostes Giue one part of your substance vnto God another to the poore and with the rest vphold an honest estate and calling this is the second Be humble not proud of Gentility and riches but remember yee must all die returne naked into the earth and giue account to the supreme Iudge for all your actions let this be the third so shall you not bee hearers onely c. Yee Marchants Marchāts build you also three things vpon your faith in Christ Play not the vsurers and prostitute not your mony to vnlawfull gaine this is the first Doe not adulterate or falsifie your mony or wares let this be the second Deut. 25. Haue not in your houses two weights and two measures one to buy with and another to sell with for this is abhomination to the Lord let this be third so shall you not bee hearers onely c. Yee Yong-men doe not impinguate and pamper vp your flesh Yong men least like an vntamed horse it doth recalcitrare lift vp the heele against you but chastice the same with fasting imbrace sobriety let this bee the first stone you lay vpon the foundation of your faith Inure and exercise your selues in the wholsome discipline of learning least idlenesse effeminate your mindes and sathan make it a seed-plot of al vices which like Pthisicorum Febris a feuer hectick will cleaue euer after to your bones and
depart onely with your life Adeo à teneris assuescere magnum so much preuaileth an euill custome taken in youth Haue alwaies in minde this counsell of the Spirit of God Eccle. 12.1 Remēber thy Maker in the daies of thy youth while the euill daies come not nor the yeares approach wherein thou shalt say I haue no pleasure in them let this be the second Flie euil company as from a noysome pestilence Flye euill company which that yee may the better do be sometimes alone and meditate with your selues that youth soone vanisheth you must one day die and giue account for your whole life past let this be the third which if yee doe Yee shall not bee idle hearers but doers of the word Woemen Yee women build you also these three things vpon your faith in Christ Keepe inuiolated your matrimoniall chastity traine vp your children in the feare of God be honest in your apparell in your gesture in your words and workes and bee obedient to your husbands which if you doe notwithstanding the cares and troubles which wedded estate bringeth with it yee shall one day enioy the incorruptible crowne of glory being doers of the word and not hearers onely Yee Poore-men Ye poore whose vocation affoordeth nothing in this world but cares labours and sorrowes and conflicts with penury build you also these three vertues vpon your faith vse patience in aduersities hope that at length you shall bee deliuered giue thankes vnto God in all euents and accidents of this life which if you do yee shall one day with poore Lazarus exchange your sorrowes for neuer-failing ioy being doers of the word and not hearers onely Yee sinfull men and women despaire not of Gods mercy Yee sinfull men and women but without delay build these 3 things vpon your faith in Christ True sorrow and contrition of heart for your sinfull liues sure hope of pardon at Gods hands and amendment of life in the study of all good workes for that you haue displeased God offended your neighbour and most hurted your owne soules so shall not your sinnes separate betwixt God and you being doers of the word and not hearers onely Hauing before insisted at large vpon the Apostles admonition I will now proceed with the reasons The first is taken from the detriment which commeth vnto them which ioyne not practise with their hearing The reasons They deceiue themselues Non enim stertentibus prouenit regnum coelorum sed laborantibus Augustine sed vigilantibus The Kingdome of heauen is not giuen to the carelesse sleepy sluggard but to such as labour to such as watch And this labour as he saith againe to the louing sonnes and good seruants seemeth not onely not hard and onerous sed suauis leuis but sweete and light as our Lord witnesseth My yoke is easie Mat. 11.30 and my burden light It is an old prouerbe Amanti nil difficile crcdenti nil non possibile Nothing is hard to him that loueth and nothing impossible to him that beleeueth Surely it is a wonderfull thing if we consider the loue of God towards vs which seeketh by threatnings promises and rewards to induce vs to the practise of his Word and obedience to his Lawes which yet by all these meanes will not yeeld vnto him When yet if there were in vs but scintilla germanae pietatis One sparke of true piety wee would verily reioyce that any occasion were offered vnto vs whereby wee might declare our gratitude loue and obedience to so louing a God For whatsoeuer hee commandeth vs for our good hee commandeth it Vt ansam habeat nobis gratificandi that hee might take occasion saith a Father to do vs good But wee vnthankefull wretches Surdis auribus praeterimus passe by with a deafe eare and yet are we not ashamed of so great vnthankefulnesse but what get wee by this Surely the Apostle heere telleth vs Wee deceiue our selues Nobis hic seritur Bernard nobis metitur our sowing and haruest is to our selues Cyprianus Et quid tā amentiae simile imo ipsa amentia stolidius quam in rebus serijs quae non de lana caprina sed nostra vel salute vel pernitie sempiternaagant tam esse socordes ac stupidos Many can saith he againe verbis crepitare Euangelium prattle of the Gospell but haue no care to practise the same But whom deceiue they but themselues And what can bee more like to madnesse yea more foolish then madnesse it selfe then in things of so great importance which concerne our saluation or damnation to be so lumpish and blockish Many now adaies of the Layitie will challenge to themselues great knowledge yea and thinke themselues not in the milde spirit of Dauid but in a proud conceit of themselues to bee wiser then their teachers whose hearts are yet puffed vp with pride whose mindes are set on mischiefe whose feet are swift to swift to shed innocent bloud whose hands are full of briberies whose heads are full pestered with couetous desires whose liues are stained with vsury and oppression whose bodies are wearied and wasted with fleshly pleasures rauished with inordinate desires choaked with cares entised with delights carryed away with vanities Is this my brethren to heare the word what is this else but to deceiue our selues O my brethren wee which thus deceiue our selues shall neuer bee able to deceiue God Bee not deceiued Gal. 6.7 God is not mocked for whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall hee also reape Simile Should not he seeme a foole which would sow his ground with nettles cockle and darnel and expect a plentifull haruest of wheate Hee that soweth no good thing shall hee reape any good thing Shall not he that soweth in the flesh of the flesh reape corruption and he that soweth in the Spirit of the Spirit reape life eternall Surely then these idle hearers to whom the word is but diuersorium otij and haue no care to leade their liues by the line of Gods Lawes what doe they else but deceiue themselues Brethren wee all hope to bee saued wee all make profession of the hope of eternall life but do we not deceiue our selues whiles we looke for the inheritance of sonnes and our degenerate liues acknowledge not God for our Father Let vs not my sweete brethren thus abuse the long patience of our louing God and so inhaunce our condemnation at that dreadfull day Some of vs hee hath waited for which adde sin vpon sinne forty yeares others fifty others sixty with wonderfull patience inuiting vs to repentance Why is our life giuen vs by God the Authour of Life but that it should serue and obey the Giuer thereof For hee hath not giuen vs life and necessary aids of life that is the seruice and obedience of all his creatures to this end that abusing his gifts wee should prouoke and kindle his wrath against vs or should let loose the raines of