that man which is not taken with the baite of worldly pleasure nor turned into the way of destruction Blessed is he that hath not walked in the way of sinners Psal 1.5 yea ten times blessed is he whose burthen is borne here with patience and so tied vnto the anchor of faith as it weanes him from this present world and winnes him to breath onely for the world to come Then medicina est non poena then is this burthen physicke to salue our soules and not continuall paine to torment them Aug. in psal 103. Chrysosto Then is this burthen pedagogus a schoolemaster to traine vs in true doctrine and teach vs in the way of life Which who so wanteth may rightly suspect himselfe seeing the Lord speaking to the Angell of Laodicea saith Reu. 3.19 Whom I loue I rebuke Christ must passe by the crosse vnto glorie and all that will liue godly must endure crosses Wherfore saith Salomon the wise Prou. 3.1 My sonne refuse not the chastening of the Lord neither be grieued at his correction for the Lord correcteth him whom he loueth euen as the father the childe in whom he delighteth Is God a Father then when he correcteth and sheweth he most loue when he beates Aug. in psal 91. Quid si te flagellat modo propterea quia tibi non seruat ignem sempeternum Quid si illum dimittit quia auditurus est Ite in ignem What if God thy Father whippeth and scourgeth thee in this life is it not because he prepareth thee for a better inheritance and not preserues thee for euerlasting fire And what if he letteth him or another man go scot-free and escape is it not because he giues him his portion of pleasure and profit in this life and shall therefore heare that fearefull sentence Go yee cursed into euerlasting fire O then blessed is he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil which shaketh off the world and the pleasure therof neither putteth any confidence in the things of this life but placeth all his hope trust and affiance vpon God alone his maker Sauiour and redeemer And so much for the first point why man is thus burthened The second is what brought this burthen vpon man and that is in a word Sinne. For Adam sinning caused the earth to be cursed lost his dignitie ouer the creatures became subiect to sicknesse and death and made himselfe and his posteritie obnoxious vnto destruction For this cause saith our Sauiour Christ vnto the man that had lien sicke eight and thirtie yeares Behold thou art made whole sinne no more least a worse thing happen vnto thee noting unto vs that sicknesse is laid vpon vs for our sinne For this cause labour and paine was laid vpon Adam and his posteritie and most grieuous paines in childbirth vpon the woman Gen. 3. For this cause hath God added to this burthen fearefulnesse consumption burning agues enemies yea saith God if ye will not obey me then will I punish you seauen times more according to your sins Leuit. 26.16.17.18 namely with weaknesse drought barrennesse and famine And if ye will not yet obey me saith God I will bring seauen times more plagues vpon you according to your sinnes as the sword plagues wilde beasts And if ye will not yet obey me then wil I chastise you seauen times more according to your sinnes you shall eate the flesh of your sonnes and daughters your places shall be destroied and your carkasses shall be burnt your Cities shall be desolate your sanctuarie brought to nought and your land turned into a wildernesse I will scatter you among the Heathen and draw a sword after you I will send a faintnesse into your hearts and the sound of a leafe shaken shall chase you you shall fall and no man shall pursue you ye shall perish and your enemies shall eate you vp Thus the Lord ariseth in that Chapter from seauen times to seauen times threatning most fearefull punishments and that by a thundring gradation and all for sinne Gen. 4.14 For this cause is added vnto this burthen horror of conscience madnesse blindnesse and astonishment of heart yea what is not added to this burthen and all for sinne If thou wilt not keepe my commandements saith God then all these curses shall come vpon thee and ouertake thee Cursed shalt thou be in the towne and cursed also in the field cursed shall thy basket be and thy dough cursed cursed shall be the fruite of thy land the increase of thy kine and the flockes of thy sheepe cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in and cursed when thou goest out The Lord shall send vpon thee cursing trouble and shame in all which thou settest thy hand vnto vntill thou bee destroyed and perishest quickly because of the wickednesse of thy workes And if for all this thou wilt not keepe his law then will hee make thy plagues wonderfull the plagues of thy seede He will bring vpon thee all the diseases of Egipt and euery sicknesse and euery plague will he heape vpon thee with many other fearefull threatninges forespoken in the booke of the scriptures Thesialonians 1.1 cap. 8.9 Yea for this cause doth he adde to this burden euerlasting destruction when the Lord Iesus shal shew himselfe from heauen with his mightie Angels in flaming fire rendering vengance vnto them that do not knovv God and will obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ which shall be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presēce of the Lord and from the glorie of his power Dam infelix homo a domino recedit à carne molestias à monte augustias vndique premitur anxietatibus vrgetur infirmitatibus polluitur passionibus graue pondus seipsum portat Greg. 8. mora Cap. 21. while man vnhappie man recoyles from the seruice of his God he is molested by the flesh vexed by the spirit yea both body and soule are nothing but a burden to heauy too heauy to bee borne yet foolish mā hoped by disobeying God to haue bettered himselfe But anima versa reuersa in tergum ventrem latera sentit quodomnia sunt dura Aug. Confess 6. Turning and returning from backe to belly searching the heart the sides the intrales found all out of quiet and nothing to his expectation And why Basilius As smoake driueth away the Bee from the hiue so surfeiting drunkennesse and other sinnes chase away Gods spirit and all other spirituall graces which are the onely comfortes of the soule Iosephus reporterh that a little before that Hierusalem was beseiged by Titus the doores of the sanctuarie suddenly opened and a great noyse was hearde saying migremus hinc Iosephus lib. 7.12 let vs go hence To note vnto vs that neither God nor his Angels will make aboad where sin hath once obtained dominion and preheminēce For anima peccatoris magis fet at cor am deo quam putridum carnis cadauer The sinfull soule
army of 200000 men because after a few yeares not one of them should remaine or be aliue O si possemus in tale ascendere speculum de quo vniuersam terram sub nostris pedibus cerneremus iam tibi ostenderem totius orbis â—uinam Hieron ad Heliodor O that wee might ascend to such a hill from wheÌ„ce we might behold all the whole world vnder our feete then would I quickely shew vnto thee the ruines of the same Then would I shew vnto thee nations against nations wars imprisomeÌ„ts tortures banishments and not only the ruine of Xerxes army but the death destruction of all the men in the world not long after to come to passe Esay 40. For all flesh is grasse Flos apparuimus qui non eramus quasi flos ariscimus qui temporaliter apparebamus Gregory We seemed to be what wee were not as a flower we wither which are here but for a time now may wee thinke ourselues to be iolly fellowes but by and by we shal be turned vnto dust and then is the peasant equall with the prince Nazinauz Therefore let vs in EnglaÌ„d enpironed now with enemies make God alone our shield with Dauid Psal 91.2 yea our rocke and defense Psal 18. Let vs pray vnto him he is our King and he must heare vs. Psal 5.3 For if the woman could answeare Adrian the Emperour when her suite was put off with non est mihi Otium I am not at leasure Ergo imperare noli King 2.6 therefore be no longer King then saith she whereat he turning vnto her gaue her audieÌ„ce Psal 91.12 How much more will God that commaÌ„deth vs to pray vnto him be willing and readie to here our prayers Elizeus prayed and saw the army of God pitched round about him And Iacob had the host of God to meete him for his protection For the Angell of the Lord shall pitch his tentes about thee and carrie thee in their hands least thou be hurt if thou wilt put thy trust in him And therefore cast vpon the Lord. And thus much for the first ground whereupon the most part do cast their anker Psal 94.6 The second is the world where on the couetous luxurious idle shifting man doth put his trust For the couetous boasteth of his riches trusteth in them saying vnto his soule take thy rest For thou hast many goods layd vp Bernard Theis sayle mare rubrum the red sea and fetch about to the riuer Ganges which compasseth the land of Euâ—la where are bred the carbuncle the Smaragde and the golden mountaines whereunto by reason of griffens and dragons and mightie monsters it is almost vnpossible to attaine Psal 4. Yet man aduentures for it quarit vt acquirat acquirit vt perdat perdat vt doleat Basill He seeks by all meanes to get he gets to loose he leeseth to vexe and torment himself O yee sonnes of men how long will ye seeke after vanitie How long will ye huÌ„t after gold a net to catch our soules the hooke of death and the baite of sin How long will ye seeke after riches the cause of warres the discord of brethren that makes kinsmen forget nature citizens maintaine sicophantes and the high way theeues Who is the father of lies the coyner of false accusations and the author of periury Are they not riches and the desire of gold what made Ahab to slay his subiect Achan to steale forbidden goods and Iudas to betray his Maister was it not the desire of gold and riches O remember that couetousnes is carrid vpon a chariot the foure wheeles wherof are pusillanimitas in humanitas contemptus dei obliuio mortis Barnard faint heartednesse inhumanitie contempt of God and forgetfulnesse of death The coach horsses that draw the chariot are tenacitas and rapacitas holdfast and rauening The waggoner is desire of hauing and the whippes that scourdge forwardes these horsses are desire to gette and feare to loosse And yet what hast thou gote by all this paines but a Cittie of paper a runnagate seruant a sword to peirce thy soule and euerlasting distruction as did Diues that for his riches was carried in to hell But thou that by euill meanes thus castest after the world forgettest that God is the giuer of all riches who is the giuer of all thinges in Citie in feild in cattle and corne and what not Wherefore least this be added vnto the heape of thy offences forsake the world and cast upon the Lord and he will prouide for thee But heere steps in the idle and delicious man obiecting for himselfe and his ease saying What then neede we for to labour if God be the giuer of all things But this man must know that when the scriptures speake acknowledging to Gods prayse that he giueth all things yet they debarre not froÌ„ him the means which God appointed Thus when the psalmist speaketh Psal 103.9 that the faithfull man who trusteth in God shall haue riches and treasure he vseth the word Hoon which properly signifith goodes and riches which are gotten by great indeuour to admonish vs that riches are be stowed vpon vs by those means which God hath ordained froÌ„ aboue of which sort are labor paines care and such like For man is borne to labour He goeth out vnto his worke and to his labour vntill the euening and without labour nothing can prosper Howbeit both labor thirst sleepe and all must be done according to the Phisitions rule name-in a meane But heere the idle man will take vp Christ his speech for his warant saying Take no thought for thy life what to eate nor for your body what you shall put on The Rauens neither sow nor reape yet God feedeth them and how much is man better then fowles But we must know that Christ forbiddeth not heere labour and ordinary meanes for prouision Luke 12.15 but giueth vs in charge not to give ouer our selues to a coueteous care of this life nor labor sed mens suffoca ta cura damnatur Chrysosto not labour but a minde choaked with care is condemned Labor est exercendus but sollicitudo est tollenda Hieron labor is to be vsed but ouer much care to bee refused For labour is commanded Gen. 3.19 In the sweate of thy face thou shalt eate thy bread vntill thou returne vnto the earth Whereby we finde condemned the idle begger vnto whoÌ„e God hath afforded parts fitte for labour The robber the theife the belly God and the Fryar the cousiner the shifter and all that liue by their wits without calling For these liue vpoÌ„ other mens labour not vpon the sweate of their owne browes solliciti esse vetamur laborare autem iubemur Chrysost For labour est naturae sollicitudo est culpae weare forbidden indeed to be two carefull but we are coÌ„manded to labor Tho Aqui. For labour is of
THE ARTE OF CHRISTIAN SAYLINGE OR A comfortable treatis written on these words of the Prophet Dauid in the 55. Psal 22. 23. verses Cast thy burthen vpon the Lord and he shall nourish thee he will not suffer the righteous to fall for euer and thou O God shalt throw them downe into the pit of corruption LONDON Printed for Iohn Harison dwelling in paternoster row at the signe of the gilden Vnicorne and Bible and are there to be sould 1602. To the right worshipfull Maister Oliuer Cromwell Esquire health honor and happinesse THe Poets hane prognosticated of an age which they epithite marmorum durum steely stonie harde and rockie Math. 24. Tim. 2.3 The scriptures haue prophicied of a time wher in Charitie should wax cold men should be couetous and louers of themselues And experience hath proued these to be the dayes of vsurie Simonie deceit oppression theft and want of charitie yet Genes 18. Abraham was full of hospitalitie Genes 1â— Lot receiued strangers Cleomenes and Polomaeus had the surnames of benefactors Alex. aâ— The Barbarians had pittie on the seabeaten trauilers Alex. 1. And Iob would not let the stranger lodge in the streete but sette open his doores to him that wente by the way Acts. 28. Yea saith he if I restrained the poore of their desire caused the eyes of the widdow to faile eate my morsels alone and not fede the fatherlesse Iob. 31. If I with held the hirelings wages got goods by oppression or let the naked perish for want of clothing then let thistles grow in stead of wheate cockle instead of barly my arme fall from my shoulder and bee broken from the bone But the Mimicke could tell that bona comparat praesidia miserecordia the mercifull shall finde mercie Esay 58. The liberall shall haue plentie and the waterer raine Martianus said that true riches were sua indigen tibus largiri to feede the hungry lodge the wanderer and cloth the naked Oze 6. God desired Christ blessed and the Saints practised mercy Maâ—h 5. Iohn's sermons were all for loue Peters coÌ„mendations for hospitalitie Timothes charge for good workes Eccles 44. Moses cowncels for pittie Paules exhortations for loue and charitie Ier. com in Now theÌ„ right worshipful this small treatis of christian sayling prest forth to try the surges of censuring seas Gal. 3. hath presumed vpon your patronage the true supporter of pouertie to protect it against the prating assalts of the peuish pirat Peter 1.4 Being imboldened therunto by your loue to learning hospicality to straÌ„gers Tim. 1.6 beneficeÌ„ce to neighbors piety to kindred pitty to the pore bounty vnto al Dentron 10 Rom. 1.2 Co. 3. whose beginnings it blesseth whose proceedings it praiseth whose coÌ„tinuance it confirmeth vnto the day of your arriuall in the heauenly hauen of eternall happinesse Your worships to commande IOHN HVLL The preface vnto the Christian Reader MAn in this life may not vnfuly bee resembled vnto a shippe vpon the sea for her swiftnes in sayling facilitie in breaking easinesse in hindring similitude in bearing hazard in loosing and ioy in arriuing Cor. 9.24 For it passeth swiftly compared to a race called stadium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lucian in Caronte because it lasted but the holding of Hercules To a bubble 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 August because as some bubbles no sooner rise but fall others stay a little longer so doth man To a mist to a clowde to a post for nil aliud est presetis vitoe teÌ„pus quem cursus ad morteÌ„ Seneca Epist 59. the time of this life is nothing els but a continuall posting vnto death tunc cu crescimus vita decresdit euen then when our bodies are increasing our life is decreasing not vnlike Ionasâ— gâ—ard quickely cume and quickely gone Thee-phrastus complained os the breuitie of mans life The Indians could not shew an olde man Quintilian made it but a day the Psalmist but a watch in the night Pindarus but a dreame Sophocles but a breath Demetrius but the very pricke of time let vs then remember our selues and consider vita quaÌ„ sit puncto minus hostis quam sit malus antiquius quaÌ„ falsae voluptates How this life is most short the Diuell most cruell pleasure most vaine honour most deceit full and riches most pestilent but for those that saile for heauen the promises are most coÌ„fortable performances most admirable and all good without compaire whose King is diuinitie whose law is charitie and whose end is eternitis Acts. 5. Wherfore let vs hast vnto our hauen Secondly it is brittell and soone broken Varanius like flame soone kindled like a sparke soone quencht and like a reede soone broosed Val. Max. lib. 9 12â— Ananias and Saphira died suddenly being rebuked Galcion while he was barbing Philemon while he was laughing Plin. 7.53 Sophocles ioying Hely sorrowing Domitius after eating AnacreoÌ„ drinking Laertius Cleanthes fasting Attila bleeding Perseus watching and Bithon sleeping Verely the earth beares not any thing more fraile then feele man not a misse compared vnto a ship qui dum prospero vento velis plenis pla cido maricursum peragit saepe insperato ac repente frangitur that while the winde blowes fairly and she sayles merily is ouertaken by mischance and broken suddenly Let vs therefore be alwayse in a reddines it is Christs commandement the Poets cownsell reasons rule watch saith Christ Math. 27. viue memor mortis saith the Poet liue mindfull of death for saith reason Make. 25. Fata maneÌ„t oÌ„nâ—s oÌ„nes expectat auarus portitor vt turbae vix satis vna ratis mus Persiuis Tendimus huc oÌ„nes metaÌ„ propera ad vnaÌ„ omnia sub legesmors vocat atra suas Chilo Vid ad liuium All men must dye were they as strong as Sampson rich as Diues faire as Absolon wise as Salomon zelus as Elias godly as Dauid and old as Adam But when where or how to day or to morrow by sea or by land by fire or by sworde who can tell Mille modis lethi miseros mors vna fatigat Death hath a thowsand wayes to seaze vpon By sudden death as vpon Pindarus by poyson as vpon Socrates Leuit. 10. by strang fire as vpon Hadab and Abing Exod. 14. by water as vpon Pharoh and his host by earth as vpon Chorah and his company Numb 17. By the halter as Achitophell by the sworde as Saule Luke 2.17 and therefore let vs bee readie Luke 1.31 Thirdly as the shippe is hindered by contrarie windes ouermuch loading and vnskilfull ayming from arriuing at the wished hauen so is man by vaine pride inordinate loue foolish feare heauy sin blinde ignorance and an vnbeleeuing heart stayed from attaining his desired hauen For pride and vaine glory blew the Angells from heauen made shipwracke of Adam Acts. 12.
and a loaden asse that cannot goe and therfore must needes be hindered Sam. 1. â—7 Purge theÌ„ this filth cast away this vaile and disburdeÌ„ thy shippe The auncient gamesters would wrestle naked Dauid would not fight in Saules harness and hee that vseth masteries abstaineth from all thinges that may hinder him Cor. 1.9.25 Behold Christ came to beare thy burden vnload thy vessell and ease thy shippe He was made the son of man that thou mightst be the child of God he was layed in swadling bands that thou mightst be loosed froÌ„ the bonds of sin He was wrapped in ragged clowts that that thou mightst be cloathed with his righteousnesse innocency He was poore that thou mightst he rich A stranger that thou mighst be sure of an heauenly citie Hee payed tribute that thou mighst he free from the trihute of hell Hee was debased that thou mightst be exalted accursed that thou mightst be iustified condemned that thou mightst be saued Died that thou mightst liue and calles for euery one tbat is weary and heauy loaden to come vnto him and he will ease them The third hinderer is vnskilfulnesse in the carde ignorance in ayming and rudenesse in guiding Math. 11.28 for by this meanes he may roaue at random misse the hauen and hinder his iourny Iudg. 16. Blinde Sampson cannot finde the Pillars vnlesse he be guided Acts. 9. nor Saule Damascus vnlesse he be directed but if the blind leade the blind both fall into to the ditch and may be drowned Not vnlike vnto this temporall blindenesse is the spirituall darkenesse of ignorance and infidilitie For the ignorant goe they know not whether they walke in darknesse they are very fooles they are like the blind Sirians they rowe among ther enemies and there voyage is distruction Iohn 12 Seeke then for knowledge Christ is the light Prou. bee skilfull in the carde his word is the lanther Iob. 4. walke not in darkenesse Christ is the way drowne not in error his worde is the truth Iohn 8 To know God is life euerlasting Ignoratiô scripturarum est ignoratio Christâ— Iohn 12. to be vnskilfull in the scriptures is to be ignorant of Christ These are Iacobs ladder Dauids key and will leade thee into all truth without these thou art like the Sodomites looking for Lots house the Iewes see king for Christ the Pilot rouing at the hauen but cannot hitte it Iohn 17. For the scriptures are our sword ballaÌ„ce rule square dore that opens to vs the knowledge of God and conducts vs to euerlasting happinesse Iohn 14. Notwithstanding albeit the scripture be a candle that burneth most brightly and the sun that shineth most clearely yet they are not so vnto the blind the hid the dead but only vnto him whose darknes is inlightned whose eares are vnstopped and whose eies are opened to heare to see to beleeue the worde of truth The Isralites hard the thunder but saw not God the two disciples hard saw Christ but knew not Iesus before their eies were opened Infidility is a stoÌ„e that must be remoued a cloud that must be dispersed a death that must be quickened He that is troubled with this disease hath hands without feeling eares without hearing eyes without seeing Aug. O then let vs aske seeke and knocke for faith Iohn 1.5.9 For faith is the inlightning of the mind the victorie ouer the world the gate wherby God enters into our harts it is the star that leads the wisemeÌ„ to Christ the woman to her groat and the Prodigall child to his father Math. 2. It is the light by which we walk Luke 15. the life by which we liue the sheild be which we are defended the Cinosura be which we sayle without this we shoot besides the butte Cor. 2.5 run beside the goale and row beside the hauen Forthly as Noes Arke receiued al kind of creatures Gennes 7. the ship beareth al sorts of burdens so doth man all manner of miserie Eurip. For what is life but violence griefe the body but a sepulchre the figure but fetters birth but earth and to liue but to die Homer cals man vnhappy Antiphanes death stipendary NazinanzeÌ„ a race of vnstabilitie borne to laboure and brought vp to miserie euen pleasure breedes paine welth woe singing sighing so that Menander prefers all creatures before man for happines whose ioy is but sorrow whose mirth is but griefe whose whole life but wretched miserie our coÌ„fort is in God our goodnes Christ our captaine and heauen our happie hauen Fiftly as the ship is in continuall danger of waues windes gulfes or rockes so is maÌ„s life of sin sickenes miserie and misfortune both sea and land water and earth all are full of mischefe paine trouble ill harme hurt in such sorts as the poets add these Epithits to the sea and say ling teÌ„pestuous boistrus froward dangerous as they that saile the sea can well recount the dangers of the same Colas 3. Gal. 5. Acts. 27. But tent ines more strang titles giue the scriptures vnto man as inordinate vncleane couitous wrathful angrie malitious cursed proud seditious drunken hating murderous yea what not So that as a ship in daunger of drowning must be helped by vnloading stopping pumping or anchoring so must man in this perilous world When Pauls sbip was in hazard by tempest they lightened the burden eased the vessell and cast out the very tackling And when thy ship is in daunger and loaden with the cares of the world feare of death and pleasure of sin thy remedy is to ease it by faith repentance and good workes which Abraham Dauid Peter and the rest did Secondly the leaking shipe must be mended and thy sinfull soule amended The water will drowne the ship and sin will smite thy soul water must be kept out by stopping and sin by risisting for euery assent the soule giues to Sathan sin the world and the flesh is like a fearefull rift in a crased vessell Sinnes resemble great waues and close rifts some being great and manifest others close and secret The first like mightie waues wil swallow vs vp quickely the second like hidden rifts will sinke vs suddenly Sathan suggested Eue delighted Adam consented and all were drowned Tecum prius ergo voluta haec anime ante tubas galeatum sero duelli paenitet Genes 3. Iuuen. 8. VVhen the stead is stolne it will be to late to shut the doore when the house is burnt to poure on water and vvhen the battle is done to put on harnesse Stop sin in the thought refist it in the entrance it is a serpent bruse it on the head a cocatrise kill it in the egge and a wolfe distroy it in the litter Sin is thy enemie looke vnto thy waies a thiefe looke vnto the doores a Dalila looke vnto thy soule thy senses are thy porters beware they be not beguiled Be thy sins
heart are prone to euill euermore Gen. 6.5 Yet cast this burden likewise vpon the Lord and say with Dauid Misericordia Domini plena est terra The earth is full of the goodnes louing kindnes of the Lord and with Augustine Plus vult ille misereri quà m nos a miseria liberari The Lord is more willing to shew mercie then we are to receiue it And when vice shall inuade thee with Qua cautela huc recedes thou art now in the custodie of sinne and fettered with the bonds of iniquitie if thou wouldest breake prison or vnloose thy fetters thou must first binde the strong man Mat. 12.14 But alas thou art weake Phil. 2.30 and not able so much as to wil thou art dead in thy sinnes Ephe. 2.1 and how wilt thou deliuer thy selfe then cast this burden also vpon the Lord and say with Nehemias Nehemi 4.20 The Lord shal fight for vs. And with Paul Ro. 8.31 If God bee with vs who can be against vs And with Dauid Psal 3.6 The Lord is my saluation therefore I will not be afraid for ten thousand that beset mee round about Though that heauen denies thee with Quo titulo introitum vindicas Alas thou art flesh for what is of the flesh is flesh Iohn 3.6 but flesh and bloud cannot inherit the kingdome of heauen 1. Cor. 15 Yet mayest thou cast this burden vpon the Lord and say with Bernard Puto iam spernere me non poterit Christus os de ossibus meis caro de carne mea I know that Christ my redeemer will not now reiect me that so dearely bought mee who for this cause became bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh that he might bring me vnto his heauenly Paradise And though hell and sinne do make challenge to thee with Quo iure exitum aduocas descend to hell for he that committeth sinne is of the diuell 1. Ioh. 3.8 but thou art altogether sinfull take therefore the broad way that leades vnto hell Mat. 7.13 behold the Angels defie thee heauē denies thee vertue reiects thee vice retaines thee and the diuell will haue thee yet cast this burden likewise vpon the Lord and say Nihil odisti eorum quae fecisti Wisd 11 thou hatest nothing that thou hast made But behold saith God all soules are mine and therefore take me that am the worke of thy owne handes And thus we are led by the title of this Psalme to tune Dauids Harpe vnto Christs musike being like vnto the loade-star that in the darke night cōducts the wandring traueller to his wished hauen so this the wearied Christian vnto the hauen of his sure deliuerance For albeit the browne diuell penury oppresse thee and the blacke diuell of persecution pursue thee though the world bee encamped about thee and the heauens bee banded against thee yet this will leade thee vnto the true deliuerer which is the Lord thy God thy true saluation Basil vpon this text compares man vnto a true penitentiary cloathed in sackcloth and apparelled with a garment of hayre going into Gods house weeping but returning from his presence laughing going heauily burdened but returning altogether eased Yet Augustine◠comming more nigh the letter compares man in this world to a loadē ship sayling vpon the boistrous seas drawing the warrant of his cōparison first from the word hashlecke which signifieth cast as the Marriner that casts his anker Secondly frō mote of mute fluctuatio a fluctibus The Septuagints translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth procella a storme by sea from whence comes salum which Ennius makes salus and signifieth the sea Thirdly from Beer whereof commeth the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 puteus a wel with water And thus compared the text affordeth vs these three partes First a casting or lying at anker from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 racta sicut anchoram in mari Lyrain Peter 1.5 cast as an anker is cast in the sea The second thing is his arriuing in the hauen from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He will not suffer the righteous to fall for euer videris fluctuari in mari isto sed excipit te portus Aug. Thou seemest to be dāgerously tossed in this sea but the hauen that receiues thee yea portus tranquillissimus Cassidori the most calme and blessed hauen that will neuer deceiue thee Thirdly the shipwrack from veattah Elohim Thou O God shalt bring them in puteum submersionis Aug. into the pit of drowning or destruction to teach vs that sayle here in this world of calamitie to cast sure vpon the ground of Gods prouidence that we may arriue in the world to come in the hauen of happinesse lest we perish with the wicked for neglectance Because this world est vallis media inter coelum et infernum quasi inter montem vitae montē mortis A valley placed in the middest betweene heauen and hell as betweene the mountaine of life and the mountaine of death And because this world is via peccati vmbra mortis in qua pyrata diabolus recte gradientibus retia deceptionis expandit Aug. vol 1. serm 13. It is the way of sin and the shaddow of death wherein the diuell the arch-pyrate sets his nets of murdering deceites to entrap them that would walke in the wayes of Gods commaundements And thus much of the introduction and interpretation of this scripture Now to the parts as they lie in order And first of our ankering contayned in these words Cast thy burden vpon the Lord and hee shall nourish thee This clause affords vnto vs these three things First the ankers that we must cast and they are two prayer and affiance The second is the ship that must bee stayed by these ankers and that is lehabhka thy burden thy burdened and wearied life The third is the ground whereunto these ankers must bee fastened or wherevpon they must bee cast and that is two-fold First a generall ground and that is God Secondly a more particular and that is his prouidence Cast thy burden vpon the Lord and he shall nourish thee Now to the first which is our ankering Selucus beeing expelled out of Babylon returning by the helpe of Ptolomy with a band of souldiers as hee made haste vnto the Citie stumbled and stumbling hurt his foote whereat his friends somewhat agrieued reauing vp the stone found a ring that was hidden vnder it in which ring was engrauen the similitude and forme of an Anker which they interpreting supposed it to portend captiuity But hee being of another spirit cryed out vnto them with a lowd voyce Bono animo estote omnes nam quā terram calcamus retenturi sumus possessuri Be of good cheere my friends and fellowes for this ground whereon we now tread as aliants and exiles wee shall assuredly possesse as heires and owners And thus that
Anker which they construed to signifie captiuity hee interpreted to pretend conquest and security In which sence Plutarch vseth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for an anker signifying security making it with Lucian the very rescue of defence And the Egyptian Hieroglyphickes when they would describe vnto vs true safety or safegard they painted a ship and an anker noting vnto vs that if aduersity beset vs in this world as a tempest sets vpon a shippe in the sea yet there was an Anker a readie refuge to stay vs from drowning Now then seeing man with his burden is compared vnto a ship with his loade and wee must assure our selues that heere we shall finde a sea therefore let vs prouide for our selues a steady Anker lest wee bee suddenly inuaded with a storme of boysterous calamitie and so perish in our slothfull securitie for nauigamus in hac vita quasi per quoddam marâ— vbi ventus est procellâ—… non desunt tentationum Aug. tract in Iohn 14. We sayle in this life as it were thorow a sea wherein there are both windes of aduersity and stormes of temptations Here being but two seas to passe mortuum and rubrum the dead sea and the redde sea The first is mare pacaetum a sea calme without surges and the saylers heerein are worldlings therefore called calme because dead and therefore dead because the saylers herein are already smitten with death being slayne by sin and murdered by iniquity for sin is gladius serpens venenum a sword that wounds the soule a serpent that stings the conscience and poyson that kils Christ the true life of the soule The second is turbidum a rough troublesome sea and the marriners herein are the louers of God red with the bloud of the Saynts For heere funditur ater vbique cruor crudelis vbique luctus vbique pauor plurima mortis imago Cor. Tac. in Ner. persecut Here is shed euery where the bloud of Christians here is heard in all places the lamentation of Saints here is feare and the image of death seene and seazing vpon the liues of holy men and Gods seruants These are the two wayes whereby the deuill assaults sets vpon men in this world persuasione vt molliat persecutione vt frangat Greg. by perswasion to winne and vanquish man by fayre meanes as hee set vpon Christ Mat. 4.8,9 offring him all the kingdomes of the world and the glory of them if he would worship him Iob. 2.7 or by persecution to break bend him with foule meanes as he inuaded Iob smiting him with sore boyles froÌ„ the sole of his foot to the crowne of his head to coÌ„pel him to blaspheme God and forsake his Creator Quid igitur facies Excita Iefum dic Magister perimus Aug. 49 tract vpon Iohn What is now to bee done in this case Euen that which the Disciples did when the tempest arose in the sea and the shippe was couered with waues They came vnto Christ Mat. 8.25 and awoke him saying Master saue vs we perish This is that anker which the Emblemists paint tied vnto a strong rope with this title or mot Tutum te littore sistam Claudius Paradin I will place thee safe vpon the shore Signifying vnto vs that our hope of saluation being fastened vpon our Sauiour Christ Iesus who is our surest safegard and sauing refuge whereunto we must continually flie in all our troubles and aduersities it will bring vs vnto the hauen of safe deliuerance and quiet happinesse This anker wee are put in minde to haue in continuall readinesse if by no other name yet by this that wee are called saylers whose condition is so perilous and estate so dangerous as Anacarsis could not tell whether he should account them inter viuos vel mortuos among the liuing or the dead And if we will needs haue theÌ„ to be numbred amoÌ„gst the liuing yet the farthest they are from death is but spissitudo tabularum nauticarum the thicknesse of a three inched boord a most brickle lamentable case yet were we happy if our vessell wherein wee fayle in this world were thus strong as is the marriners boate But alas it is much more fraile and fickle being compared sometimes vnto a flower Iob. 14. vita in carne flos in foeno Greg. Am. vpon Luke as the flower in the grasse so is this life in the flesh sometimes to a shaddow sometimes to a reede yea sometimes to vanitie it selfe Psa 144. Notwithstanding the enemies that daily assault our vessell are much more mighty enuious then those things which are obnoxius to the sailers ship albeit they be ignis aqua and hostes Bernard fire water and enemies then the which in their fury there is no earthly thing more dangerous for here is concupiscentia cogitatio opera concupisceÌ„ce thoughts words and wicked works like fire to burne it water to drowne it and enemies to destroy it Fire but it is the wild fire of coÌ„cupiscence which Saint Paul cals for the trouble Rom. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the hurt it brings with it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 flat sinne and Saint Iames compares it Ia. 1.14 for the subtilnesse of it vnto a teÌ„pter and for the cruelnesse of it vnto a fowler because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it tempts drawes vs from that which is good and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it snares and ouertakes vs before wee be aware And Saint Iohn makes a threefold kind thereof 1. Ioh. 2.16 First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life yea this fire is so much more dangerous then the elementary fire by how much it is more secrete and vnknowne Wherefore Dauid calleth it a hidden fire crying out Who vnderstandeth his faults and costing the anker of prayer for his deliueraÌ„ce calleth vpon God Psal 19.13 saying O cleanse me from my secret faults To second this there comes the water of actuall sinne sometimes like vnto a boystrous sea wherein one waue ouertakes another so is the sinne of thought sometimes followed by the sin of words sometimes both thoughts words are accoÌ„panied with wicked works otherwhiles this water of actuall sin enters our ship by drops and makes a great flood within our soules for Aug. de guttis minutis flumina implentur and humor per rimas influens nauem confundit great floods arise of little drops water issuing in by small riftes drownes and sinkes the ship O therefore sayth the wise man Ecclesi adde not sin vnto sin for this is but to adde fire vnto fire when we would haue the first fire to be quenched and water vnto water when we would haue the first water dryed If we would know how this water of sin sokes in by little
and little into our rifty soules Isidore makes it manifest vnto thee Suggestio parit cogitationem cogitatio delectationem delectatio consensum consensus actionem actio consuetudinem consuetudo necesiitatē necessitas malam mortem mala mors dānationem damnatio poenam aeternam in Gehenna First there is offred a suggestion a suggestion ingenders a thought or cogitation cogitation breedes delight delight begets consent and consent brings foorth the action one action must haue another and many actions turne vnto custome custome cannot be left and so it produceth necessitie necessity that must not be repēted of and so it brings vs to an euill death an euill death that drawes vs to damnation and damnation to the eternall paines of hell And thus sinne entring in by a little hole yet stings to death and what doth it aduantage thee whether thou bee smitten with a broade sword that makes an apparant wound or stabbed with a small poinyard that makes but a small breach seeing thou art assured to die as well by the one as the other Wherefore let this be a caueat for vs to take heede of all sinnes for if they be great the world will condemne vs if small either the poyson thereof will kill vs or the number of them will destroy vs. But least the fire should loose her nature so not consume this shippe and the water should forget her moisture so not drowne it the enemie will set his hand to destroy it euen the enemy which is called the Diuell with his great army of Angels and powers vnder whose banner doe fight men and spirits the flesh and the world For there is a neuer ending warre betweene him and vs. The Herauld whereof was God himselfe who sowed this dissention and proclaimed this warre saying veepah Ashith benecah Gen. 3.15 I will put enmitie betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seed and her seed 1. Pet. 5.8 Hence hee is called our aduersarie and that no small one but that great red Dragon euen that Dragon that fought in heauen Apocal. 12. the olde Serpent and Satan which deceiueth all the world who set vpon God in heauen Adam in paradise and Christ in the wildernesse and will neuer leaue vs which alas haue neither force to resist him nor wit to discerne him Bernard 7 serm de aduent domini Si discernere volumus inter bonum malum decipimur si tentamus facere bonum deficimur si conamur resistere malo deijcimur If we would discerne betweene good and euill we are deceiued If we go about to do good we quickly faint and if we indeuour to resist sinne we are easily ouercome A fight most vnfit and warre most vnequal he strong we weake he full of experience we altogither vnexpert he subtill we simple he valiant and we full of cowardnesse Onely this remaines to keepe vs from destroying in this dangerous battell namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to let downe and cast this holy anchor fall to prayer and call vpon our God For vt nauem ancora sic oratio vitam firmam reddit As the anchor staies the shippe and keepes it steadie against winde and weather so doth prayer maintaine the Christian from perishing by the temptations of Satan and inuasions of the wicked world For the Diuell is compared by Saint Peter vnto a Lyon and saith Gaudentius Merula As a Lyon is discomfited at the sight of a Cocke and at his crowing betakes him vnto his heeles so doth Satan that murthering Lyon both stand in feare when the godly man appeareth and flies away when he betakes him vnto his praiers The Diuell is a venemous Serpent and saith Isidore Mustela bellatura cum Serpente primo rutam comedit cuius virtute odore contra venenum se munit sic ad bellum secura procedit The Weafell going to fight with the Serpent first eates Rue the smell and vertue whereof armes and defendes her against the force of the poyson and then she goes boldly vnto the battell So must we who are continually inuironed and daily besieged by Satan and his army first arme our selues with prayer which will defend vs against Satans temptations and then may we be bold to encounter the enemy according to Christ his precept and practise who prayed himselfe saying O my Father Mat. 26.41 and likewise commaunded the same vnto his Disciples saying Watch and pray least ye enter into temptation For a prayer is sacrificium Deo demonibus flagellum and oranti subsidium a sacrifice to God a scourge for the Diuels and a refuge and a rescue for him that prayeth First a sacrifice vnto God which Saint Paul calleth the sacrifice of praise Heb. 13.15 that is the fruit of their lippes which confesse Gods name This is that munus that gift which Christ commanded the Leper to offer vnto the Priest Tertul. aduers Mars lib. 4. namely orationem gratiarum actiones saith Tertullian prayer and giuing of thankes For sicut Thimiama bene confectum delectat hominem odorantem sic oratio iusti suauis est ante Deum Chrysto As sweete perfume much delights the smell so is the prayer of the righteous man much pleasing in the nostrels of God The altar whereon we offer this sacrifice is Altare coeleste our faith which Ambrose calleth an heauenly altar whereon our prayers being offered Christ saith Chrysostome receiues them and purifying them commends them vnto his father vnto whom for Christ his sake they are acceptable Wherefore he that offereth vnto God sacrificium orationis must diligently obserue three things Bernard Epist ad frat de mont Dei Quis Cui Quid. First who is he that offereth and he must be pauper spiritu the poore in spirit Secondly to whom and that is to God vnto whom he must sursum cor lift vp his heart Thirdly what he must offer and that is a right qualified prayer proceeding from true saith and feruent loue and then God wil receiue thy sacrifice and the Diuels will bee much tormented with it which is the second benefit which followeth heartie and earnest prayer Bernard For per orationem vincuntur demonia the Diuels are cast out and subdued by prayer By this was the Lunaticke person deliuered frō that tormenting Diuell which oftentimes cast him into the fire and oftentimes into the water because this kinde goeth not out but by prayer and fasting Mat. 17.21 Neither is this all that we receiue by prayer but we are defended also by it from all assaults and temptations Ambrose For it is bonum scutum quo omnia spicula aduersarij repelluntur that good shield whereby all the dartes of the aduersarie are repelled It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Christian mans physicke against all spirituall diseases Theodoret If we be in medijs aquis in the middest of the waters this is our safest deliuerance and as it was vnto Ionas Ionas 3.2 who being in
smelleth more filthily in the nostrels of God then the rankest carrion in the nose of man O therefore beware of the inticements of Sathan the allurements of sinne and stoupe neither to their lure nor offer to tast vpon their baite porris ac coepis simile est peccatum Greg morall 11. cap. 16. sin is like vnto garlicke and onions that breeds loathing vnto the smeller and weeping vnto the eater I am saith the penitent soule in the tauerne of vanitie and I tasted the cup of iniquitie haustum felicitatis obtulit but poculum mortis propinauit there was mel in ore but it fel in ventre appaâ—…uit in palato vinum but in stomacho experientiae absinthium vera mors in olla Beda exhor 13.5 There was offered me a cup of felicitie but sin began vnto me in a cup of mortalitie it seemed in my mouth to be as sweete as honie but I felt it in my belly as bitter as gall I hoped to haue taken a cup of delight but behold in the bottome there were drugges of loathsome confusion It seemed in my pallate to be pleasaÌ„t wine But I proued it in my stomach to bebitter wormwood and to say the truth there was eueÌ„ death it selfe in the cup. Neither are wee to expect any thing else of sin then death seeing the greatest reward that sin can afforde vs is death and destruction Rom. 6.21 vAnd thus much for the second point Now followeth the third which is the remedy against this burden that is twofold the one to giue a remoue vnto sin and the other to cast they burden vpon the Lord. For the first Sinne is like a leauen that will leauen the whole lumpe like a poyson that will corrupt the whole body like a plague that will infect the whole house yea it is ignis ardens a burning fire that will consume the whole Cittie Now if we would not haue the whole lumpe to be leauened we must take away the leaueÌ„ nor the body to be corrupted we must send away the poyson nor the house to be infected we must chase away the plague nor the Citie to be burned we must quench out the fire nor the man to be destroyed we mustremoue the sin For quantum peccandi materiam sustuleris tantum extinguetur quantum adieceris tantum accendetur Maâ—… Heremita The more thou shalt detract from the matter of sin the more thou shalt diminish it seeing the cause being â—aken away the effect likewise will decay For as Theotimus if he had obeyed the Phisicians counsell in abstaining from vncleaÌ„nes he had saued his eyes Ambrosius in Luke so man had saued both body and soule had he abstained from sin and iniquitie Sin is like â—nto a flegmaticke stomacke si euomuerit releuatur If it vomites it is eased because it disgorgeth that which most heauily did molest it The vomite of our sinfull soules is confession of our sinnes vnto God and the best way to keepe our soules from corrupting is to vse the diet of abstinene from sin and iniquitie Thus much was insinuated by Iohn Baptist vnto the Iewes and by Christ vnto his disciples willing them to preach repentance for the kingdome of God is at hand Now then seeing thou hast found the way to remoue thy sin and obtained of thy Phisician a purgation to purge thy iniquitie which is repentance cur cessas aggredi quod scias mederi tibi cervus sagitta transfixus scit sibi Dictamno mederi Tertulliaus lib depaenitent why doest thou delay to assay that which will be thy cure The Hart no sooner peirced with the dart but presently runnes to heale her selfe with Dittinie The swallow if her young ones chance to haue their sight put out by any mischance flies presently for swallowort to redeeme their sight The Lord counselleth thee to seeke for him while he may be founde For it may be qui tempus senectutis expectat ad poenitendum dum speret miserecordiam inveniet iudicium Gregorius That he who boasteth of his repentance vntil the time of age or the day of death instead of mercie may finde iudgmeÌ„t wherefore Chrysost seminemus dum est tempus vt metamus nauigemus dum mare nauigari potest antequam sit hyemps quando magnus ille tremendus dies aduenerit non licebit nauigare let vs sow our seede while it is seede time and set forward to saile while the sea will serue For it may be it wil be too late to begin our iorney when the sunne setts Numb 25. to hoyst vp saile when the tempest ariseth to sow our seede when we should reape our corne to repent when we lie a dying and to do good when we are dead Remember that Zimry and Gozby were apprehenhed in the very acte of their iniquitie and suddenly were destroyed Actes 5. And Ananias and Saphyra were taken in the very moment of their sin and without repentance perished yea saith Augustine spiritus reprobus repente in morte rapietur á corpore The reprobate and sinfull soule shall be suddenly taken from the body in the moment of death and carried with vnspeakeable feare before the tribunall of the greate iudge of heauen and earth Then shall the soule in the remembrance of her sinnes seeke of flye away from them and request but truce respite of one howre to be seperated from their sight and coÌ„pany but shall not obtaine it For they will answeare opera tua sumus et tecâ—m ibimus we are thy sinnes the worke of that hands and heart and we will goe with thee euen to the iudgement seate of God there to accuse and for euer to condemne thee Luke 16.2 Thus happened it vnto the rich man in the Gospell who being euen now in pleasure and delight and not regarding repentaunce was not long after smitten dead and caried to hell fire for euer to be burned This made that holy father Gregorie Nazinzin to say One thing I lament and I feare an other the first is my sins and the second is gods iudgment seate with hell fire Basill O therefore saith Basill bewaile euer thy sinnes and lament for thy iniquitie Aug. Flie flie those destroying torments vbi nec tortores desiciunt nec torti misere morientur where the tormenters are neuer wearie nor the tormented shall euer die Where is death with outextinction and burning without coÌ„sumption Wherefore while it is to day harden not thy heart but cast off thy sinne and remoue thy iniquitie by true repentance for thy transgression Thus much for the first remedy and that is to giue a remoue vnto thy sin Now followeth the second which is to cast thy burthen vpon the Lord which is to lay it downe in the bosome lap of God and that must be done by prayer and affiance Thus did Dauid Psal 6. First he cryed my soule is soare troubled theÌ„ hee prayeth returne O Lord which prayer