immoueable to wind or weather he needs not the shelter of mountaines for he shall stand like Mount Sion that a hideth fast for euer They that despise him shall find him a Rocke also if they fall on it they shall be broken if it fall on them it will grind them to powder He is a Stone the Stone the head-stone of the corner cut out of the Quarrey of heauen without hands Of whome we are made liuing stones He is strong without all things all things weake without him trust in him and you shall haue no need to flie to rockes and mountaines For What The benefit that they would haue the Rockes and the Mountaines doe them is to Fall on them hide them Whence we deriue three obseruations 1. Despaire is euer wishing for death often impatiently snatching at it in this world but when the last day comes so greedily longing for it that to be sure of it they desire the mountaines to dispatch them Death by the wicked is now most feared death at the last shall be the thing most wished They shall desire death and shall not find it They that sit in the warme nest of riches hatching vp their brood of lusts quake at the hearing of death There are some feare to die others not so much to die as to be dead The former are cowardly the other vnbeleeuing soules Some feare both to whom nothing in life then life is more desireable But when thâ—s last extremitie comes mâ—…ricupiunt they desire to die And that death like a merciles executioner might not haue too many strokes at their liues they begge helpe of the Mountaines that they might be throughly dispatched at once without need of a second blow Cain at his arraignement for his brother would needs liue God grants it as if it were too much fauour for him to die But hee yeelds it for a curse as if he heard his prayers in anger He liues but banished from God carrying his hell in his bosome and the brand of vengeance in his forehead God reiects him the earth repines at him and men abhorre him Loe now Cain would die himselfe now wisheth the death he feared and no man dares pleasure him with a murther As Nero in the like case Nec amicâ—…m nec mimicum hâ—…beo I haue neyther friend nor enemie or as Sauâ—… found in his Armour-bearer not a will to kill him though he had a will to be killed by him Death these reprobates feared and onely death is now desired They cry to the mountaines Fall on vs. 2 Obserue that rockes and mountaines are farre lighter then sinne Zachary compares it to a Talent of lead Esay cals it a Burden Such a waight bore our Sauiour that he groned vnder it I am pressed vnder you as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaues The wicked that like Babel-builders thinke to aspiâ—…e to heauen by multiplying of earth would bee glad if â—…umulitumuli their bodies might be buried vnder their heapes of wealth where their soules had beene buryed long before But what is a load of earth a mountaine huger then Aetna vnder which Iupiter was sayd subter fulminare Gigantes what is the whole massie bodie of the earth to the waight of sinne Thinke of it ye Theomachor that striue in your rebellions imponere Pelioâ—… Ossae ye rapacious couetous that load your selues with thicke clay you lay heauie burdens on the poore heauier on your owne consciences Sin may seeme light for a season as a packe made vp but not assayed with one of your fingers when Sathan shall lay it on you it will breake your backes You beare it now like corke and feathers at that day you shall iudge it heauier then rockes and mountaines Now in contempt of law and Gospell honestie and conscience earth and heauen they call to pride ambition blasphemie ebrietie luxurie oppression Fall on vs and couer vs wearing pride as a chaine and couering themselues with crueltie as with a garment Siâ—… lyes at the dore and they haue no sense to take it vp The deuill puts his shoulders vnder the waight and thus supported they feele it not But when Gods iustice shall reproue them and set their sinnes in order before their 〈◊〉 yea impose them on their weake and yeelding consciences howe different will their cry be 〈◊〉 fâ—…ll 〈◊〉 â—…ockes couer vs. The swearer saying to these heauie creatures you are lighter then my oathes the â—…uetous you are not so ponderous as my oppressions the adulterer the whole earth is a gentle pressure â—…o the burden of my lustes Custome in sinne obstupefies a â—…sense and still like that Romaine Milo his strength eâ—…creasing with his burden he that first carried sinne a wanton Calfe can at last beare it a goaring Oxe Menlocke vp their iniquities as the vsurer his money in a Chest where the light of reproofe may not finde them out They packe all their iniquities vpon Hâ—… that will beare them for none but His. Or reserue them to an houres repentance setting them a day of cancelling but they breake it as if their last breath could dispell and scatter them all into ayre But alas sinnes then are found heauiest of all and here like malefactors pressing to death they cry out for more waight the accession of rockes and mountaines to dispatch them Loath they are to come before the Iudge therefore would be pressed to death by these ponderous and massy creatures The mountaines haue not beene more barren then they of goodnes the rockes not so hard as their hearts The crosse of Christ hath beene held too heauy repentance too troublesome a guest for their houses faith and obedience haue beene cast off as poore friends all godlynes too waightie now rockes and hils are light Christs yoke was not for their shoulders Satans must His law might not be borne it was so heauy his wrath must be borne and that is heauyer Oh then thrice blessed they whose sinnes God bindeth vp in a bundle and sinkes them in the whirlepoole of forgetfulnes that they may neuer be imposed for they are too heauy to be borne 3. Obserue that before these wicked were Lords of nations and Countreys for they are said to be Princes Captaines Conquerors rich men now they would be glad of one to hide them Of all their dominions they begge but the barrenest parcell a rocke or mountaine and that to doe them a poore office to conceale them How much doth mans auarice and ambition couet here how little contents him hereafter In death the wickedest Potentate must be content with a graue after death he would be content with a graue still yea glad if in the bottome of a mountaine he might be hidden Heare this ye couetous that ioyne house to house and land to land by disioyning the societies of men as if you would leaue the whole earth to your babes Excutit natura redeuntem sicut intrantem Nature shall
the whole If he spare not the Holy of holyes then much lesse the rest Ezek. 9. When God had comanded Slay vtterly old young maides and children he addes withall And begin at my Sanctuary If God begin at his Sanctuary he will not faile to end with the rest if that shall not scape being profaned how much lesse houses built for riot disorder pride ambition If the Temple of praiers then surely the dens of theeues For loe I begin to bring euil on the citie which is called by my name shall ye go vnpunished sayth God to the Heathen If the sacredst things defiled by Idolatry shall be subuerted neuer thinke that your faire houses shall stand when they are made couerts of oppressions and convents of superstition when the better things are not fauoured the worst haue small hope So Peter reasons If Iudgment shall beginne at the house of God what shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospell If the strong Cedars in Lebanon be rooted vp woe to the rotten-rooted poplars If the dragons taile swoope starres from heauen what shall become of squalid earthy vapours The Temple was one of the worlds greatest wonders as curious a workemanship as sixe and thirtie yeares could make it it wanted not the art of man yea the blessing of heauen was added to it Yet now loe Etiam periere ruinae this goodly building by sin was brought to ruine yea euen the very ruines are perished Shall then your Forts and Pallaces worldlinges Paradises full of rapine emptie of charitie stand against all weathers and stormes of iudgement No stone shall fall after stone and ruine shall one day tell the passengers as GOD threatned of Ierusalem Here stood a goodly Manner a sumptuous edifice a royall Pallace Or if they fall not downe in themselues they shall fall to the owners whose iniquities haue defiled them God punisheth by certaine degrees first he rents the vaile then rents away the Temple As by Dauids hand he first rent Saules garment and then rent away his kingdome God at first toucheth men lightly in their goods quiet health if these stirre not to repentance he proceeds against the whole Know yee not that ye are the Temple of God If you set vp in this Temple Idoles lusts and euill affections God first rents the vaile toucheth you with some gentle afflictions but if you still continue to make this Temple a denne of theeues the Temple it selfe will be destroyed You haue heard the first myracle the renting of the vaile As the Iewes were wont to rend their garments when they heard blasphemie against God so it may seeme the Temple tore his garments rent his vaile in pieces when it heard those execrable blasphemies against the Sonne of God 2. Myracle The earth did quake The Philosophers haue giuen diuers naturall causes of earth-quakes as by hote and dry exhalations shut vp in the bowels of the earth and labouring for vent resisted by the earths solidnes there ensueth terrae motus a shaking of the earth c. But this was an extraordinary earth-quake for it hapned exactly at the very instant of Christs death It might bee to set forth the glory of the new Testament and to vindicate it from inferioritie to the olde The law was both giuen and renewed with an earthquake Giuen Exod. 19. to the hand of Moses The whole mount quaked greatly As at the giuing mount Sinai so at the renewing mount Horeb quaked As Eliah stood vppon the Mount there passed by a strong wind and after the wind an Earth-quake So when the Lord of the Gospell dyed the earth shooke that the ministration of righteousnesse might not be lesse glorious then the ministration of death This myracle shall giue vs a threefolde instruction 1. To consider the fiercenesse of Gods wrath against sinnes and sinners For God by shaking the earth did no lesse then threaten the vtter subuersion of those desperate and bloudie wretches Corah and his confederates were swallowed vp of the earth for rebelling against Moses the Lords seruant Of much how sorer punishment were these worthy that had crucified not the seruant but the Son of God! If the mercies of God had not bin greater then their iniquities they had not escaped By this we see how able God is to punish sinners he shewes what he can doe it is his mercie that hee forbeares Some of these were to be conuerted therefore concussi non excussi moued not remoued shaken but not destroied Ostendisti populo grauia saith the Psalmist Thou hast shewed thy people hard things Shewed not imposed shooke the rod not laid it on This forbearance of God should lead vs on to repentance if not it is but the forerunner of vengeance Though nowe by mouing the earth he scare and spare these Iewes yet after the earth spued them out as an offence to her stomacke O obstinate hearts that quake not when the sencelesse ground quakes that beares so vnprofitable a burden Cannot the earth admonish thee it shall deuour thee Si non mâ—…nebit mouebit If the almighties hand stirring it hath not stird thee to repentance a Sextons hand shall couer thee with moulds a weake shaker shall doe it Thinke when God moues the earth he preacheth to thy soule if thy heart so little in comparison of that great vast bodie will not tremble know God hath one thing that shall shake thee to peices death 2. The nature of sinne is here considerable so heauie that it makes the very earth to quake The Iewes sinnes were such a burden that the earth could not beare them without trembling The earth is fixed and standeth fast sayth the Psalmist as the Center of the world it is strange that to bee moued euen so strange is the cause that moues it It must needs bee a monstrous waight of iniquitie that totters the earth on her foundations But why is the earth so quiet now Doe not innumerable wretches daily crucifie Christ by their oathes blasphemies and rebellions in his head by their persecutions oppressions in his members Is not his word derided his Sacraments despised his good creatures abused Why doth not the earth shrinke and shake at these horred impieties Be still he that holds his hand from myracles wil not hold it from plagues They are for borne not forgiuen God keepes silence but hee sleepeth not the earth may spare them but Desolation in a moment shall swallow them To the Iewes the earth moued and they stood still to these the earth shall stand still and themselues shall be moued 3. There is nothing on the earth that is not moueable if the earth it selfe be moueable God hath laid the foundations of the earth that it should not be moued Yet so that hee who laid it can shake it If the earth then whatsoeuer is built vpon it The earth shall be burnt sayth Peter What alone no the earth
facilitate quanta faelicitate with as much easynes as happynes Desinunt ista non pereunt mors intermittit vitam non eripit Our bodies are left for a time but perish not death may discontinue life not conclude it Intermittitâ—… non interimitur it may be paused cannot be destroyed 2. Obserue that all the dead doe not rise but Many and those Saints The generall resurrection is reserued to the last day this a pledge or earnest of it Now who shall rise with this comfort none but Saints as here Christ takes no other company from the graues but Saints The dead in Christ shall rise first Christ is called The first borne from the dead He hath risen and his shall next follow him Euerie man in his owne order Christ the first fruits afterward they that are Christs at his comming Wormes and corruption shall not hinder he that sayd To Corruption thou art my mother and to the wormes you are my brethren and sisters sayd also I know that my Redeemer liueth and one day with these eyes I shall behold him The wicked shall also be raised though with horrour to looke vpon him whom they haue pierced But as Christ did here so will he at the last single out the Saints to beare him companie 3. This sheweth the true operation of Christs death in all men We are all dead in our sins as these bodies were in their graues now when Christs death becomes effectuall to our soules we rise againe and become new creatures From the graue of this world we come into the Church the holy Citie But thou complainest of the deadnes of thy hart it is well thou complainest there is some life or thou couldst not feele the deadnesse The houre is comming now is when the dead shall heare the voice of the Sonne of God and they that heare it shall liue If this word hath raysed thee from death and wrought spirituall life in thy heart thou shalt perceiue it by thy breathing words glorifying God by thy mouing in the waies to the workes of obedience 4 Obserue that these Saints which arose are sayd to haue Slept The death of the godly is often called a Sleepe So it is sayd of the Patriarches and Kings of Iudah they slept with their fathers So Paul saith they sleep in Christ. The Coffin is a couch In quo molliùs dormit qui benè in vita laborauit wherein hee takes good rest that hath wrought hard in the worke of his saluation before he went to bed Foelix somnus cum requie requies cum voluptate voluptas â—…um aeternitate It is a sweete sleepe that hath peace with rest rest with pleasure pleasure with euerlastingnes So the godly sleepe till the Sound of a Trumpet shall waken them and then eternall glory shall receiue them 5. Lastly obserue that Ierusalem is called the Holy citie though she were at this time a sinke of sinne and a debaushed harlot Either as some thinke that she is called holy because she was once holy So Rahab is called the harlot because she was a harlot Simon is termed the Leper for that hee was a leper and Mathew the Publican for that he was a Publican Or els she was called holy for the couenants sake in regard of the Temple sacrifices seruice of God and of the elect people of God that were in it Whence we may inferre how vnlawfull it is to separate from a Church because it hath some corruptions Is apostate Ierusalem that hath crucified her Sauiour called still the holy Citie and must England that departeth in nothing from the faith and doctrine of her Sauiour for some scarce discernible Imperfections be reiected as a foedifragous strumpet But there be wicked persons in it what then Shee may be still a holy Cittie Recedatur ab iniquitate non ab iniquis Let vs depart from sinne we cannot runne from sinners Thus we haue considered the Miracles let vs now looke into the causes wherefore they were wrought These may be reduced into fiue In respect of The Sufferer dying The Creatures obeying The Iewes persecuting The Women beholding The Disciples forsaking 1. In regard of Christ to testifie not onely his Innocencie but his Maiestie His Innocencie that hee was as Pilates wife acknowledged a Iust man His Maiestie as the Centurion confessed Seeing the earth quake and the things that were done Truely this was the Sonne of God He seemed a worme no man the contempt and derision of the people forsaken of his confidence in the midst of all God will not leaue him without witnesses but raiseth vp senseles creatures as Preachers of his deitie Est aterni filius qui illic pendet mortuus He that hangs there dead on the Crosse is the Sonne of the eternall God Rather then the children of God shall want witnesses of their integritie God will worke myracles for their testimonie 2. In regard of the Creatures to shew their Obedience to their Creator they are not wanting to him that gaue being to them These demonstrate it was their Lord that suffered and that they were ready to execute vengeance on his murderers The heauen that was darke would haue rained fire on them the earth that quaked shooke them to peeces the rockes that rent tumbled on them and the graues that opened to let out other prisoners haue swallowed them quicke They all waited but his command to performe this revengefull execution Who shall now dare to persecute Christ in his members The stones are thy enemies the earth gapes for thee hell it selfe enlargeth her iawes if the Lord but hisse to them they are suddenly in an vprore against thee Goe on in your malice ye raging persecutors you cannot wrong Christ no not in his very members but you pull the fists of all creatures in heauen earth and hell about your eares flies from the aire beasts from the earth poison from sustenance thunder from the clouds yea at last also though now they helpe you the very deuils from hell against you All creatures shoote their malignancie at them that shoot theirs at Christ. 3. In respect of the Iewes his enemies to shame and confound them The rockes and graues are moued at his passion not they Lapides tremunt homines fremunt The stones rent the huge earth quakes with feare the Iewes rage with malice We see how difficult it is to mollifie a hard heart harder then to remoue a mountaine raise the dead cleaue a rocke shake the whole earth It is a great mryacle to conuert a wicked man greater then rending of rockes Moses rod stroke a Rocke thrice and did it ministers haue stroke mens rocky harts three hundreth times and cannot The graues sooner open then the sepulchers of sinne and darkenes the vast earth sooner quakes then mens hearts at Gods iudgements 4. In respect of the women that stood by that their faith might be confirmed For seeing him on the Crosse at their mercie
gratious God hath made vs able Ministers of the New Testament not of the letter but of the Spirit for the letter killeth but the spirit giueth life The proper office of the Law was to threaten terrifie condemne Lex non damnans est ficta pictalex sayth Luther That law that doth not condemne is a fained and a painted law But the power of the Gospell is to conuert and saue The Lord hath annointed me sayth the Prophet in the person of Christ to preach good tydings vnto the meeke to bind vp the broken-hearted to proclaime libertie to the captiâ—…es and the acceptable yeare of the Lord to comfort all that mourne The law was called the Ministration of death but the Gospell like Iohn Baptist points vs to Christ a Sauiour Behold the Lambâ—… of God tâ—…king away the sinne of the world The law menaced death but the Gospell assures vs There is no damnation to them which are in Christ. When the law like a sterne Seriant arresteth thee Pay that thou owest the Gospell produceth an acquitâ—…ance â—…ealed in the bloud of Iesus and sayes to thy faith All is payed Quod lex operum minando imperâ—…t lex fidei credendo impetrâ—…t What the law of workes commanded threatning the new law of fayth obtaineth by beleeuing 2. The Gospell is also more glorious and that both in regard of the Countenance and Continuance For beautie more glorious because it is more honourable to be the messenger of mercie and life then to be the minister of terrour and death A deathsman is accounted base but their feete are beautifull that bring tydings of peace and pardon If the ministration of condemnation be glorie much more doth the ministration of righteousnes exceede in glorie For Continuance Moses glory is done away but the glory of Moses his Lord remaines for euer The law was giuen by Moses but grace and truth came by Christ Iesus The type is vanished banished but the substance abideth euer When that which is perfect comes that which is in part is done away There was a second Testament to succeed the first but after the second shall succeed none So that if any man shall wilfully and finally euacuate to himselfe the vertue of this new Couenant there remaineth no more sacrifice for his sinnes Therfore the Apostle concludes If that which is done away was glorious much more that which remaineth is glorious The bloud of Christ doth mystically run fresh to the end of the world therefore the Gospell must be preached that this bloud may be applied The Gospell is that Star that must bring vs to Christ therfore shall shine till our soules come to him in glory The very subiect of the Gospell is euerlasting life therfore it shall not leaue vs till it hath brought vs thither 2 This Vntill giues matter of exhortation instructing vs to waite with patience for this blessed tyme to be content to stay for Gods Vntill It is a sweet mixture of ioy in trouble the certaine hope of future â—…ase Thou art captiued thou shalt be freed thou art persecuted shalt triumph thou art fought against shalt raigne thou art derided but thou shalt shine in glory Onely quietly expect this Vntill Yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry But Vntill this recompense of reward comes ye haue neede of patience Labour not a violent extrication of thy selfe abide and waite Till we all meete in the vnitie of fayth c. We are got through the gate let vs now enter the Citie werein we shall find fiâ—…e principall Passages or Streets What aâ—…ting â—…ting Who We yea we All all the Saints Wherin In Vnitie that vnitie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whereof Of the Faith knowledge of Gods Sonne Whereunto To a perfect man Vnto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ. What Meeâ—…e The meeting of friends is eâ—…er comfortable When the brethrâ—…n heard of vs they came to meete vs as farre as Appiâ—… forum whom when Paul saw he thanked God and toâ—…ke courage They haue sullen and tetricall spirits whom the sight of good friends cannot cheare Fraternum verè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ecâ—… quâ—…m bonum c. Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in vnitie Some things are good but not pleasant as afflictions they are not sweet yet proâ—…table It was good for me that I haue beâ—…e afflicted that I might learne thâ—… statutes Other things are pleasant but not good The wicked take delight in sinne which sâ—…ayeth the soule But this is both Bonum and Iuâ—…undum good and pleasant also There is a threefold meeting of the godly 1 In this life with their soules in their bodies 2 After death of their soules without bodies 3 At the last day of both together in glory 1. In this life and here the communis terminus of their meeting is Gods house Where alwayes Christ himselfe is one of the number Wheresoeuer two or three of you be gathered together in my name I will be in the midst of you But to haue his blessed societie we must not only bring our bodyes but our minds with them Quomodo erit Christus in medio nostrum â—…i nobiscum non erimus How should Christ be with vs if we be not with our selues Plus valet consonantia voluntatum quâ—…m vocum The harmonie of our voyces is not so pleasing to God as of our hearts This is the happiest meeting in this world The denyall of this comfort made the soule of Dauid sicke cast downe disquieted within him And his reuiuall was that he might goe vnto the altar of God vnto God his exceeding ioy Indeede the vngodly thinke not thus they are more delighted with the tabernacles of Meshek and the tauernes of Kâ—…der In the 2. of Luke when Ioseph Mary had lost Iesus comming from Ierusalem they sought him among their kinsfolke and acquaintance But they found him not till they came to Ierusalem there he was in the Temple The children of God when they seeke Christ find him not in the world among their kinred friends in the flesh but in Domo Dei in the house of God It is dangerous to be absent from these holy meetings least we misse of our Sauiours companie God did not promise to meete thee here thou vsurer at the Banke thou drunkard at the alehouse thou sluggard on thy vnseasonable couch but at the Church Christ comes to appeare to vs and we are gone some about our farmes of couetousnes others about carnall pleasures In vaine we seeke God if not in his right Vbi where he hath promised to be found Fugienti bonum consortium obuenit corruptum corrumpens sodalitium He that eschewes Christian meetings shall be met withall either by the Deuill when he is lazy or by the Deuils friends when he is busie 2. When death
whose bowels neuer knew the softnes of such a nature exposed to all the tyrannie of their hands and tongs hands that like cruell Chirurgions searched euery part of his blessed body tongues that ranne nimbly through all the passages of obloquie till they had ouertaken reproch it selfe and cast it on him His body at the full will of the tormenters and his soule not without intolerable terrors as they might iudge by strange speech that came from him My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Doth man triumph ouer him and doth God forsake him This might breed in their hearts a suspition either that hee was a deceiuer or else vtterly cut off To stifle this doubt in the very birth hee shakes the earth and rends the rockes that as they knew him dying Hominem vâ—…rum so they might perceaue him doing these myracles not Hominem merum but the euerliuing God These wonders blow the sparke of their faith almost dying with Christ and roote in their hearts a deepe and infallible perswasion of their Sauiour Something there is to keepe the faith of the elect from quenching though Satan raigne on it showres of discomforts Though no obiect greets the eye of flesh but discouragement yet there is a secret Spâ—…it within that will neuer suffer the faith to faile 5. In regard of the Disciples to shame and conuince them for leauing him Christ had said before Luk. 19. Si hitacerent loquerentur lapides If these speaking of his Disciples should hold their peace the stones would immediatly cry out Loe this saying is here come to passe the Disciples hold their peace the stones speake they forsake Christ the rockes proclaime him Such a shame is it for Apostles and ministers of Christ to hold their peace that if they be silent the very stones shall preach against them The walles windowes pauements of Churches shall cry out against such Pastors that vndertake the office of a sheep-heard and feed Christ his flocke with nothing but ayre And euen you that come to heare if no remorse can be put into your hearts at the relation of our Sauiours death if you haue no feeling of his sorrowes no apprehension of these mysteries no repentance of your sinnes no emendation of your liues know that the very seates whereon you sit the walles of your Temples the very stones you tread on shall beare witnesse against you Now the Lord Iesus that at his death brake the Rockes by the vertue of his death breake our rocky hearts that being mollified in this life they may be glorified in the life to come Grant this O Father for thy mercies sake O Christ for thy merits sake O holy Spirit for thy names sake To whom three persons one onely wise and eternall God be glory and prayse for euer Amen THE FOOLE And His Sport PROV 14. 9. Fooles make a mocke at sinne THE Prouerbes of Salomon are so many select aphorismes or diuinely morall Sayes without any mutuall dependance one vpon another Therefore to studie a coherence were to force a marriage betweene vnwilling parties The words read spend themselues on a description of two things the Foole and his Sport The Foole is the wicked man his Sport pastime or babble is Sinne. Mocking is the medium or connexion that brings together the Foole and Sinne thus he makes himselfe merry they meete in mocking The foole makes a mocke at sinne Fooles The foole is the wicked an ignorant heart is alwayes a sinfull heart and a man without knowledge is a man without grace So Thamar to Ammon vnder his rauishing hands Doe not this folly If thou doest it Thou shalt be as one of the Fooles in Israell Ignorance cannot excusare a toto wilfull not a tanto Christ shall come in flaming fire rendring vengeance to them that knowe not God The state of these Fooles is fearefull Like hooded Hawkes they are easily carryed by the Infernall Falconer to hell Their lights are out how shall their house scape robbing These Fooles haue a knowledge but it is to doe euill They haue also a knowledge of good but not scientiam approbationis they know but they refuse it So God iustly quites them for though hee knowe them ad scientiam he will not know them ad approbationem But giues them a Discedite nescio vos I know you not depart from me ye workers of iniquitie A man may be a Foole two wayes by knowing too Little Much. 1. By knowing too little when hee knoweth not those things whereof he cannot be ignorant and doe well I determined not to know any thing among you saue Iesus Christ and him crucified But euery man sayth hee knowes Christ. If men knew Christ his loue in dying for them they would loue him aboue all thinges how doe they know him that loue their money aboue him Nemo verè nouit Christum qui non verè amat Christum No man knowes Christ truely that loues him not syncerely If men knew Christ that he should be Iudge of quicke and dead durst they liue so lewdly Non nouit Christum qui non odit peccatum Hee neuer knew Christ that doth not hate iniquitie Some attribute too much to themselues as if they would haue a share with Christ in their owne saluation Nesciunt Christum seipsos they are ignorant of both Christ and themselues Others lay too much on Christ all the burden of their sinnes which they can with all possible voracitie swallow downe and blasphemie vomite vp againe vpon him But they know not Christ who thus seeke to diuide Aquam a sanguine his bloud from his water and they shall faile of iustification in heauen that refuse sanctification vpon earth 2. By knowing too much when a man presumes to know more then he ought His knowledge is apt to be pursie and grosse and must be kept low Mind not high things sayth the Apostle Festus slandered Paul that much learning had made him madde Indeed it might haue done if Paul had bin as proud of his learning as Festus was of his honour This is the knowledge that puffeth vp It troubles the braine like vndigested meate in the stomach or like the scumme that seeths into the broth To auoyd this follie Paul fortbids vs to be wise in our owne conceites Whereof I find wo readings Be not wise in your selues and Be not wise to your selues Not in your selues coniure not your witte into the circle of your owne secret profit Wee account the simple Fooles God accounts the crafty Fooles He that thinkes himselfe wise is a Foole ipso facto It was a modest speech that fell from the Philosopher Si quando fatuo delectari volo non est mihi longè quaerendus me video Therfore Christ pronounced his Woes to the Pharises his doctrines to the people The first entrie to wisedome is Scire quod nescias to know thy ignorance Sobrietie is the measure for knowledge as the
Gomer was for Manna Curiositie is the rennet that turnes our milke into curds Not to your selues Let thy fountaines be dispersed abroad sayth the wisest king communicate thy knowledge Math. 5. Christians must be like lights that wast themselues for the good of those in Gods house Scire tuum nihil est nisi te scire hoc sciat alter Hee that will be wise onely to himselfe takes the ready way to turne foole Non licet habere priuatam ne priuemur eâ The closer we keepe our knowledge the likelier wee are to loose it Standing water soone puddles the gifts of the mind if they be not imployed will be empaired Euery wicked man is a foole by comparing their properties 1. It is a Fooles propertie Futuranon prospicere to haue no foresight of future things So hee may haue from hand to mouth he sings care-away So the grashopper sings in haruest when the Ant labours and begges at Christmasse when the Ant sings The wicked takes as litle care what shall become of his soule as the naturall foole what shall become of his body Modo Potiar sayth the Epicure Let me haue pleasure now It is better to a liuing dogge then to a dead Lyon They doe not in faire weather repaire their house against stormes nor in time of peace prouide spirituall armour against the day of warre They watch not therefore the day of the Lord shall come vpon them as a theefe in the night and spoyle them of all their pleasures The maine busines of their soule is not thought of nor dreame they of an Audite till they be called by death away to their reckoning 2. It is a Fooles propertie to affect things hurtfull to himselfe Ludit cum spinis he loues to be playing with thornes Neither yet Quod nocuit docuâ—…t hath that which hurt him taught him caution but hee more desperately desires his owne mischiefe The wicked doe strongly appropriate to themselues this qualitie Cum illis ludunt quae illis laedunt they loue to dally with their owne vexation who else would do at on the world and houer like waspes about the galley-pot till for one licke of the honey they be drownd in it What is your ambition O ye world-affecters sayth August but to be affected of the world what doe you seeke but per multa pericula peruenire ad plura per plurima ad pessima but through many dangers to find more through easier to find the worst of all Like that doating Venetian for one kisse of that painted harlot to liue her perpetuall slaue The world was therefore called the Fooles Paradise there he thinkes to find heauen and there he sells it to the deuill Noxia quaerunt improbi they hast as a bird to the snare the deuill doth but hold vanitie as a sharpe weapon against them and they run full brest vpon it They need no enemies let them alone and they will kill themselues So the enuious pines away his owne marrow the adulterer poysons his owne bloud the prodigall lauisheth his owne estate the drunkard drownds his owne vitall spirits Wicked men make warre vpon themselues with the engines of death 3. It is a Fooles propertie to preferre trifles and toyes before matters of worth and waight The foole will not giue his bable for the kings Exchequour The wicked preferres bodyes of dust and ashes to their soules of eternall substance this sinne corrupted and time-spent world to the perfect and permanent ioyes of heauen short pleasures to euerlasting happines a puffe of fame before a solid waight of glory What follie can be more pitiable then to forsake corne for acornes a state of immortalitie for an apple as Adam did a birthright with all the priuiledges for a messe of pottage belly-cheare as Esau did a kingdome on earth yea in heauen too for asses as Saul did all portion in Christ for bacon as the Gergesites did a royaltie in heauen for a poore Farme on earth as the bidden guest did This is the worldlings follie Villa bones vxor c. Mundus cura caro caelum clausere vocalis To esteeme grace and glory lesse then Farmes oxen wiues manna then onions mecrie then vanitie God then Idols They may be fitly paralelld with the Prodigall Hee forsooke 1. His Fathers house for a strange countrey these the Church Gods house for the world a place wherein they should be strangers and wherein I am sure they shall not be long dwellers 2. His Fathers inheritance for a bag of money so these will not tarrie for their heritagein heauen but take the bags which Mammon thrusts into their hands on the present Who but a Foole will refuse the assured reuersion of some great Lordship though expectant on the expiration of three liues for a ready summe of money not enough to buy the least sticke on the ground This iâ—… the worldlings folly rather to take a piece ofâ—… p-coine in hand then to trust God for the inualuable masse of glory 3. He forsakes his louing friends for harlots creatures of spoile and rapine so these the company of Saints For the Sonnes of Beliall those that sing praises for those that roare blasphemies 4. Lastly the bread in his Fathers house for huskes of beanes so these leaue Christ the true bread of life for the draffe which the swine of this world puddle in Here is their Folly to fasten on transient delights and to neglect the pleasures at the right hand of God for euermore 4. It is a Fooles propertie to runne on his course with precipitation Yet can he not out-runne the wicked whose driuing is like Iehu's the son of Nimshi he driueth as if he were mad As if he had receiued that commission salute no man by the way The wise man seeth the plague and hideth himselfe but the foole runneth on and is punished He goes he runnes he flies as if God that rides vpon the wings of the wind should not ouertake him Hee may passe a pace for he is benefited by the way which is smooth without rubbes and downe a hill for hell is a bottome Facilis descensus Auerni Hast might be good if the may were good and good speed added to it But this is Cursus celerrimus praeteruiam He needs not run so fast for numquamserò ad id venitur a quo nunquam receditur the foole may come soone enough to that place from whence he must neuer returne Thus you see the respondencie of the spirituall to the naturall Foole in their qualities Truly the wicked man is a Foole so Salomon expounds the one by the other Eccl. 7. Be not ouermuch wicked neither be thou foolish why shouldst thou die before thy time Fooles Obserue this is plurally and indefinitely spoken The number is not small Stultâ—…rum plena sunt omnia Christs flocke is little but Satans kingdome is of large bounds Plurima possima vile thinges are euer most plentifull Wisedome flies
our land is ours our garment ours our money seruant beast ours and that he is a theefe who robs vs of these But all the men in the world cannot warrant vs our Saluation but onely Iesus Christ. Therefore that we may haue assurance that all these are ours and that wee shall neuer answere for euery bit of bread we haue eaten and for euery drop of wine we haue drunke that our possessions are our owne our gold robes rents revenues are our owne let vs be Christs Whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the World or life or death or thinges present or thinges to come all are yours and ye are Christ's and Christ is Gods Be sure of saluation and be sure of all For he that spared not his owne sonne but deliuered him vp for vs all how shall he not with him also freely giue vs all things To whom My saluation not others onely but Mine A man and a Christian are two creatures he may bee a man that hath reason and outward blessings he is onely a Christian that hath faith and part in the saluation of Christ. God is plentifull saluation but it is not ordinary to find a Cui to whom Much of heauen is lost for lacke of a hand to apprehend it All passengers in this world presume they are going to heauen but we may guesse by the throng that the greater part take the broader way Christ leauing the earth in respect of his bodily presence left there his Gospell to apply to mens soules the vertue of his death and passion Ministers preach this Gospell people heare this Gospell all boast of this Gospell yet himselfe foretels that when he comes againe he shall scarce find faith vppon earth No doubt he shall find Christians enow but scarce faith Saluation is common as St. Iude speaketh When I gaue all diligence to write vnto you of the common saluation but few make it proper to themselues That God is my saluation and thy saluation this is the comfort When. In the time present I am Sum non sufficit quòd ere It is comfort to Israell in captiuitie that God sayes Ero tua redemptio I will redeeme thee But the assurance that quiets the conscience is this I am thy saluation As God said to Abraham feare not I am with thee Deferred hope faints the heart Whatsoeuer God forbeare to assure vs O pray we him not to delay this Lord say to our soules I am your saluation To conclude it is saluation our Prophet desires that God would seale him vp for his childe then certifie him of it He requests not Riches he knew that man may be better fed then taught that wealth doth but franke men vp to death He that preferres Riches before his soule doth but sell the horse to buy the saddle or kill a good horse to catch a hare He begs not honour many haue leapt from the high throne to the low pitte The greatest commander on earth hath not a foote of ground in heauen except hee can get it by entitling himselfe to Christ. He desires not Pleasures he knowes there are as great miseries beyond prosperitie as on this side it And that all vanitie is but the indulgence of the present time a minute begins continues ends it for it endures but the acting knowes no solace in the memorie In the fairest garden of delights there is somewhat quod in ipsis floribus angat that stings in the midst of all vaine contents In a word it is not momentany variable apt to eyther change or chance that hee desires but eternall saluation He seekes like Mary that better part which shall neuer be taken from him The wise mans minde is euer aboue the moone saith Seneca let the world make neuer so great a noise as if it all ran vppon Coaches and all those full of roarers yet all peace is there It is not sublunary vnder the wheele of changeable mortalitie that he wishes but saluation To be saued is simply the best plot beate your braines and breake your sleepes and wast your marrowes to be wealthy to be worthy for riches for honours plot studie contriue be as politicke as you can and then kisse the childe of your owne braines hugge your inuentions applaud your wittes doat vpon your aduancements or aduantagements yet all these are but dreames When you awake you shall confesse that to make sure your saluation was the best plot and no studie shall yeeld you comfort but what hath bin spent about it What should wee then doe but worke and pray worke sayth Paul Worke vp your saluation with feare and trembling and then pray with our Prophet Lord say to our soules thou art our saluation with comfort and reioycing THE SOVLES REFVGE 1. PET. 4. 19. Let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their soules to him in well doing as vnto a faithfull Creator ATRVE Christians life is one daie of three meales and euery meale hath in it two Courses His first meale is Nascâ—… renasci to be borne a sinner to bee new-borne a Saint I was borne in iniquitie and in firme did my mother conceive me there is one Course Except a man be borne againe he cannot see the kingdome of God there is the other Course His second meale is Benè agere malè pati to doe well and to suffer ill Doe good vnto all but especially to those that are of the houshold of Faith ther 's one Course of Doing c All that liue godly in Christ Iâ—…sus shall suffer persecution there 's the other Course of Suffering His third meale is Morâ—… viuere to die a temporall death to liue an eternall life The first is his Break-fast and herein he is naturally Natus daâ—… borne in sinne and condemned for sinne spiritually 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 borne againe in righteousnesse and iustified from sinne The last is his Supper wherein there is one bitter dish Death Statutum est omnibus semel mâ—…ri It is appoynted to all men to die once Omnibus semel plorisque bis to all once to many twice for there is a second death And that is truely a dâ—…th because it is mors vita the death of life the other rather a life for it is mors mâ—…rtis the death of death after which mors non erit vltra there shall be no more death Therefore rise that you may not fall rise now by a righteous life least you fall into an euerlasting death If the soule will not now rise the bodie shall one day bee raised and goe with the soule to Iudgement The second Course is incomparably sweet vinere post mortem to liue after death I say after death for a man mâ—…st die that hee may liue So that a good supper brings a good sleepe hee that liues well shall sleepe well Hee that now apprehends mercie mercie shall hereafter comprehend him Mercie is the vltimus 〈◊〉 no hope beâ—…nd
and Luxurie let him take heed lest he meet with a wind that shall take off his Charriot-wheeles as Pharaoh was punished drowne horses and chariots Riders not in the Red-Sea but in that infernall Lake vvhence there is no redemption Let all these Riders beware lest hee that rides on the wings of vengeance with a sword drawne in his hand that will eate flesh and drinke bloud that will make such haste in the pursute of his enemies that he will not bait or refresh himselfe by the way lest this God before they haue repented ouertake them Gird thy sword vpon thy thigh O most mighty and in thy maiestie ride prosperously c. and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things Then shall the Lord remember the children of Edom in the day of Ierusalem and reward them as they serued vs. Loe now the end of these Riders There are the workers of iniquitie fallen they are cast downe and shall not be able to rise Zach. 10. The riders on horses shall be confounded 2. For vs though passion possesse our bodies let patience possesse our soules The law of our Profession bindes vs to a warfare patiendo vincimus our troubles shall end our victory is eternall Heare Dauids triumph Psalm 18. I haue wounded them that they were not able to rise they are fallen vnder my feete Thou hast subdued vnder mee those that rose vp against mee Thou hast also giuen me the neck of mine enemies c. They haue wounds for their woundes and the treaders downe of the poore are troden down by the poore The Lord will subdue those to vs that would haue subdued vs to themselues and though for a short time they rode ouer our heads yet now at last wee shall euerlastingly tread vpon their necks Loe then the reward of humble patience and confident hope Speramus et Superamus Our God is not as their God euen our enemies beeing iudges Psal. 20. Some put their trust in Chariots and some in horses But no Chariot hath strength to oppose nor horse swiftnesse to escape when God pursues They are brought downe and fallen we are risen stand vpright Their trust hath deceiued them downe they fall and neuer to rise Our God hath helped vs wee are risen not for a breathing space but to stand vpright for euer Tentations persecutions oppressions crosses infamies bondage death are but the way wherein our blessed Sauiour went before vs and many Saints followed him Behold them with the eyes of faith now mounted aboue the clowds trampling all the vanities of this world vnder their glorified feet standing on the battlements of heauen and wafting vs to them with the hands of encouragement They bid vs fight and wee shall conquer suffer and we shall raigne And as the Lord Iesus that once suffered a reprochfull death at the hands of his enemies now sits at the right hand of the Maiestie in the highest places farre aboue all Principalities and Powers Thrones and Dominations till his enemies bee made his footestoole So one day they that in their haughty pride mercilesse oppressions rode ouer our heads shall then lie vnder our feete Through thee will wee push downe our enemies through thy Name will wee tread them vnder that rise vp against vs. At what time yonder glorious skie Coelum stellatum which is now our seeling ouer our heads shall be but a pauement vnder our feet To which glory he that made vs by his Word and bought vs by the bloud of his Sonne seale vs vp by his blessed Spirit Amen THE VICTORIE OF PATIENCE With the expiration of Malice PSALME 66. 12. VVe went through fire and through water but thou broughtest vs out into a wealthy place I DID not in the former Sermon draw out the oppressing cruelty of these Persecutours to the vtmost scope and period of their malice nor extend their impium imperium to the furthest limit and determination therof There is yet one glimpse of their stinking candle before the snuffe goes out one groane ere their malice expire We went through fire and water The Papists when they heare these words went through fire and water startle and cry out Purgatory direct proofes for Purgatory With as good reason as Sedulius on that dreame of Pharaohs Officer Gen. 40. 10. A vine was before me and in the vine were three branches sayes that the Vine signifies St. Francis and the three branches the three Orders deriued from him And as a Pope on that of Samuel Behold to obey is better thâ—…n sacrifice and stubbornnesse is as Idolatry inferres that not to obey the Apostolike See of Rome was Idolatry by the witnesse of Samuel Or as one writes of St. Fraâ—…cis that because it is said Vnlesse you become as little children you cannot enter into the kingdom of heauen he commanded one Massaeus to tumble round like a little childe that he might enter Or as when the contention was betwixt the Seruices of Amâ—…se and Gregorie which should take place by the common consent both the Masse-bookes were layd on the Altar of S. Peter expecting some decision of that doubt by reuelation The Church dores being opened in the morning Gregories Missal-booke was rent and torne into many pieces but Ambroses lay whole and open vpon the Altar Which euent in a sober exposition would haue signified the Masse of Gregory cancelled and abolished and that of Ambrose authenticall and allowed But the wise Pope Adrian expounds it thus that the renting and scattering of Gregories Missall intended that it should be dispersed ouer all the Christian world and onely receiued as Canonical Or as that simple Fryer that finding Maria in the Scripture vsed plurally for Seas cryed out in the ostentation of his lucky witte that he had found in the olde Testament the name of Maria for the Virgin Mary But I purpose not to waste time in this place and among such hearers in the confutation of this ridiculous folly Resting my selfe on the iudgement of a vvorthie learned man in our Church that Purgatory is nothing else but a Mythologie a morall vse of strange fables As when Pius the second had fent abroad his Indulgencies to all that would take Armes against the Turke the Turke wrote to him to call in his Epigrams againe Or as Bellarmine excused Prudentiuâ—… when hee appoints certaine holy-dayes in hell that hee did but poetize So all their fabulous discourse of Purgatory is but Epigrams poetry a more serious kinde of iest Wherein they laugh among themselues how they couzen the world and fill the Popes coffers Who for his aduantage Ens non esse facit non ens fore So that if Roffensis gather out of this place that in Purgatory there is great store of water Wee went through fire and water We may oppose against him Sir Thomas More who proues from Zachary 9. that there is no water at all I haue sent forth
shall be done to thee thy reward shall returne vpon thine owne head So the Lord to Mount Seir Ezek. 35. As thou didst reioyce at the inheritance of the house of Israel when it was desolate So will I doe vnto thee thou shalt be desolate O Mount Seir. Yea verse 14. When the whole earth reioyceth I will make thee desolate Prou. 1. Wisedome cryeth fooles laugh therefore saith she I will also laugh at your calamiâ—…y I will mocke when your feare commeth This is verse 31. to bee filled with their owne deuices to eate the fruite of their owne way to reape of their owne sowing Thus was Gods Law Eye for eye tooth for tooth Lex talionis Bloud for bloud So â—…bels bloud spilt on the earth cryes for the bloud of Cain that runs in his murtherous veines Nature is offended and must be pacified and no pacification can wash the Lambe from bloud but their bloud that shed it Iustice must cause them that haue sowed bloud to reape bloud The example of Adoni-bezek is most obseruable Iudges 1. Iudah and Simeon warring against the Cananites surprised Adoni-bezek and cut off his thumbes and his great toes And Adoni-bezek said Three score and ten Kings hauing their thumbes and their great toes cut off gathered their meate vnder my Table as I haue done so God hath requited me Thus is wickednesse recompensed suo genere in it owne kind So often the transgressor is against the transgressor the theefe robs the theefe Proditor is proditor As in Rome many vnchristened Emperours and many christned Popes by bloud and treason got the Soueraignty and by bloud and treason lost it Euill men drinke of their owne brewing are scourged with their owne rod drowned in the pit which they digged for others As Haman was hanged on his owne Gallowes Perillus tormented in his owne Engine Nec enim lex iustior vllâ—… est Quà m necis artifices arte perire sua Thus they reape in kind Now In Proportion The Punishment is apted to the qualitie of the Sinne. Adam at first did eate in wantonnesse Adam shall therefore eate in paine He excuseth his offence with a bold forehead therefore in the sweat of his forehead he shall eate his bread The womans eye lusted therefore in her eye teares She longed then against Grace she shall long now against Nature She ouer-ruled her husband before he shall ouer-rule her now Man hath the preeminence and her desire shall bee subiect to him Should be though in all it is not but lightly when Eue ouer-rules Adam the Deuill is in the businesse To trace along the passages of holy Scriptures in this point about Proportion The ambition of Babel-builders was punished with ridiculousnesse Chaâ—… offending against naturall reuerence was damned to seruitude As it was but an easie iudgement vpon Hâ—…ricus 5. Emperour of Germanie that had deposed his naturall Father to haue no naturall Sonne Sodome was burned with fire vnnaturall that had burned with lusts vnnaturall Lots wife abusing her sense lost her sense became a senselesse Pillar She would looke backe therefore she shall not looke forward she turned before therefore now shall not stirre 〈◊〉 ibi reâ—…sit Thus Absolons folly was the recompence of Dauids adultery He had slaine Vriah with the sword and the sword shall not depart from his house Salomon deuides Gods Kingdome his owne Kingdome shall be deuided Because Pharaoh drowned the male children of the Hebrewes in â—…iuer himselfe and his Aegyptian Host shall be drowned in a Red Sea Diues would not giue Lazarus a crumme Lazarus shall not bring Diues a droppe Desider 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui non dedit micam There is fit Proportion betwixt a crumme of bread and a droppe of water The tongue of that Rich man that had consumed so much belly-cheere and turned downe so many tunnes of wine shall not now procure one pot of water not a handfull not a droppe In his tongue he sinned in his tongue hee is tormâ—…d Iudas was the instrument of his Masters death Iudas shall bee the instrument of his owne death Insolent 〈◊〉 vowed to enprison conquered Tamberlaine in a cage of yron and to carry him vp and downe the world in triumph But Tamberlaine conquering that Turke triumphed ouer him iust in the same fashion Those two monsters of the age Pope Alexander 6. and his darling Borgias that had bathed their hands in so much bloud were at last by the errour of a cup-bearer poysoned themselues out of those very bottles wherewith they would haue poisoned the Cardinalls Behold the Proportion punishments respondent to the sinnes Here is sufficient cause to make the wicked tremble God hath proportioned out a iudgement for their sins Man by his wickednesse cuts out a garment of confusion for his owne backe I know that this kind of punishing is not alwayes executed in this world Gods temporall Iudgements are like our Quarter Sessions kept here and there Some much yea most is reserued for another world If all sinne were punished here we should looke no further But Tophet is ordained of old the pile thereof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lord like a streame of brimstone doth kindle it If no sinne were punished here man would not beleeue Gods power But some is So that a man shall say Verily there is a reward for the righteous Uerily there is a God that iudgeth in the earth Thinke of that lower future place ye wicked and the heauy Proportion that must there be measured you Here you haue sowne in your Seed-time there you must reape your haruest Let the Idolater thinke of this hee hath thrust God out of his throne God will thrust him out of his Kingdome The drunkard that abuseth so â—…uch wine must there want a little water The Vsurer shall be there bound faster with the bonds of torment then hee hath formerly bound poore men with his obligations The Couetous that had no pitie shall not be pitied Hee shall haue iudgement without mercy that hath shewed no mercy The Lustfull shall burne with a new fire The Malicious shall finde no further cause of enuie Uaeridentibus they that laughed shall now weepe and that as Rachel for their ioyes neuer to bee comforted Hee that soweth iniquity shall reape vanity I list not to enter discourse of those infernall horrors I may say with the Poet if I had a hundred tongues and a voyce of yron Non Omnia pâ—…narum percurrere nomina posâ—… I could not run through the names of those endlesse torments It is a fearefull place God send vs al neuer to know more of it then by heresay Where Spirits are the tormentors Damnation the fire the breath of an offended God the bellowes shrieking and gnashing of teeth the musike the effect of impatient furie And all these terrours perfected by their eternity we commonly say in misery If it were not for hope the heart would burst here is no hope and
honour as to be Denisons of this Citie whereof once made free how contemptibly they will looke at the vaine endeuors of worldly men Thinke Beloued yea knowe how sweet soeuer the gaines of this lower Citie be it is yet far short of the gaines of heauen And you will one day say There is no Citie to the Citie of GOD. Where shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying nor any more paine Death with all his Apparitors that cite the whole vvorld to his Court sorrow crying paine shall be no more They shall persecute you from Citie to Citie saith Christ till at last we come to this Citie and then out of their reach O that this clay of ours should come to such honour Well may we suffer it to endure the Worlds tyrannie and to be afflicted by the Citizens thereof alas wee are but Prentises and they will vse vs hardly till our yeres be out When that day comes we shall be free possessors of this Citie You heare now the gate and the Citie what should you doe but enter Passe through the gate of grace a holy sanctified life and you shall not faile of the City of glorie Whither once entred you shall sing as it is in the Psalme Sicut audiâ—…imus ita et vidimus As we haue heard so haue we seene in the Citie of our God VVee see that now which was preached to vs yea and tenne thousand times more then euer could be vttered You shall say to Christ as the Queene of Sheba to Salomon I heard much of thy glory but behold the one halfe was not told me You saw Ierusalem before in a Mappe now you shall walke through the streets and obserue the towres and bulwarkes fully contemplate the glorie But my discourse shall giue way to your meditation The ioyes are boundlesse endlesse the Lord make vs free of this Citie Amen SPIRITVALL EYE-SALVE OR THE BENEFIT of Illumination EPHES. 1. 18. The eyes of your vnderstanding beeing enlightned that â—…ou may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance is in the Saints THE speciall grace that heere Paul prayes for his Ephesians is Illumination wherein is described to vs an Eye Obiect The eye is spirituall the obiect celestiall The Instrument isâ—…gracious the spectacle glorious The eye inlightned there is the organ the hope of Gods calling and the rich inheritance of the glorified Saints there is the obiect The Eye is described by the Situation Qualification The Site is the Understanding the Qualification is Inlightned The Eye Is the most excellent organ of sense Saint Augustine applies Seeing to all the senses Heare and see touch and see and the Psalmist hath Taste and see how gracious the Lord is Other senses discerne onely things neere them this remote and distant obiects Some say the roundnesse of the Eye resembles the Vnity of the Deity which is one and perfect and the triangular sight the Trinity of persons This is too curious happy is that intellectuall eye whose obiect is the blessed Vnity in Trinity and Trinity in Vnity whose delight is good yea God In a cleare eye the looker sees his owne image so God in a sanctified vnderstanding sees a limited resemblance of his infinite selfe And as some Physicians say that if looking in a sicke mans eyes they see their image there is hope of life but the want of this resultance is held an argument of instant death whereby they giue themselues a prognosticke signe whether the Patient will dye of that sicknesse or recouer it by the reflection of his eyes But it is certaine if Gods image be not in the vnderstanding instat mors animae the soule is in danger if it shine there there is comfort of life yea life of comfort Hence it is that the God of this world doth so striue to blind the minds of them that beleeue not ne imago Dei c. that the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ who is the Image of GOD should not shine vnto them God hath set two liddes to defend the corporall eye from annoyances So hee hath giuen the vnderstanding duas palpebâ—… Faith and hope to shelter it For the eye is not more tender to the body then the vnderstanding is to the soule And therefore Satan seekes by all meanes to hurt it eyther by offering it violent blowes which the shield of Faith beares off or by throwing dusts into it gifts blinde the eyes which the other lidde of hope for better riches keeps out The Situation Of this spirituall eye is in the Soule God framing mans soule planted in it two faculties the Superior that is the Vnderstanding which perceiueth and iudgeth the Inferiour that is the will which being enformed of the other accordingly followes or flies chuseth or refuseth The Scripture fauouring the simplest capacity compares these two powers of the soule to two knowne parts of the body The vnderstanding to the Eye the Affections to the Foote the eye directing the foote walking Euery man is naturally borne blinde and lame as Zedekiah captiuated to the King of Babylon first they put out his eyes and then they lamed his feete with fetters of brasse So is euery man by nature and therefore easily made a slaue to the king of infernall Babylon if the mercy of Christ should not redeeme him This consideration reacheth foorth to vs two vses the one of Instruction the other of Reprehension 1. This teacheth vs to desire in the first place the Inlightning of our eyes and then after the strengthening of our feete So that sweet Prophet ordereth his prayers Psal. 25. First Shew me thy wayes O Lord teach mee thy paths Then Lead me in thy truth First cleare my eyes then enable my feete Psal. 119. Make mee to vnderstand the way of thy precepts And then I will runne the way of thy Commandements Hee that would saile safely must get a good Pilot before good rowers Swift horses without a skilfull waggoner endanger more Hee that labours for feet before he hath eyes takes a preposterous course for of the two the lame is more likely to come to his iourneyes end then the blind Could hee runne as swift as Hazael and outstrip the young Hart on the mountaines yet being blinde he would hardly hitte the way to Heauen There is but one way thither by-paths innumerable it is a thousand to one against him that he misseth the right If he be set into it yet there are so many blockes rubbes obstacles put before him by the Deuill and the world that hee can no more goe into the true way then he could discerne it from the false But if a man hath eyes there is hope he will creepe to heauen though on lame feet Hee sees where Ierusalem stands and hath direction for the way as trauellers in scroles from such a village to such a city c. so the word of God
man to my horse So these worldlings looke to their bodies let who will take care of their soules But when this night comes with what a price would they purchase againe their Soules so morgag'd to the deuill for a little vanitie Now curare non volunt then recuperare non valent With what studious and artificiall cost is the body adorned whiles the beggerly soule lyes in totterd ragges The flesh is pleased with the purest flowre of the Wheat and reddest bloud of the grape the soule is famished The body is allowed libertie euen to licentiousnesse the Soule is vnder Satans locke and key shackled with the fetters of ignorance and impietie At this nights terrour to what bondage hunger cold calamitie would they not subiect their bodies to free their soules out of that friendlesse and endlesse prison Why cannot men thinke of this before it be too late It will sound harshly in thine eare O thou riotous or auarous worldling when this Passing-bell rings Thy soule shall be required If the Prince should confiscate thy goods which thou louest so dearly this newes would strike cold to thy heart but here thy soule is confiscate The deuill prizeth this most he sayes as the King of Sodome to Abraham Da mihi animas caetera sumetibi Giue me the Soule take the rest to thy selfe Of whom Of thee that hadst so prouided for thy soule in another place for though earth be a dungeon in regard of heauen yet is it a Paradise in respect of hell This world was his selected and affected home and from thence shall death plucke him out by the eares If this newes of the Soules requiring had come to a faithfull Christian hee would haue welcommed it and iudged it onely the voice of the Feast-maker finding him in the humble roome of this base earth Friend sitte vp higher Or that voice of heauen that spake to Iohn Come vp hither Sit no longer in the vale of teares but ascend the mountaine of glory A trumpet calling him to Mount Tabor where he shall be transfigured for euer This time would be to him the non vltra of his ioyes and desires he fought all his combate for this that he might receiue the end of his faith the saluation of his soule Hee is content to liue here till God call him but his desire is to be dissolued and to be with Christ. Bonus vitam habet in patientia mortem in desiderio Hee is patient to liue but vvilling to die To him the day of death is better then the day of his birth Iob cursed the day of his birth And Ieremie said Let not the day wherein my Mother bare me be blessed But blessed is the houre of death So saith the Spirit blessed are they that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours Both Philosophers and Poets could so commend the happinesse of this time that they thought no good man truly happy till it saluted him Dicique beatus Ante obitum nemo supremaque funera debet The Ethnikes ignorant of a better life future honour'd this with great solemnities and kept prodigall feasts on their Birth-dayes as Herod when he was serued vvith the Baptists head for his second course But the Christians were wont to celebrate the funeralls of the Martyrs as if we did then onely begin truely to liue when we die For though the soule is gotten when man is made yet it is as it were borne when he dies his body beeing the wombe and death the Midwife that deliuers it to glorious perfection The good man may then well say Mors mihi munus erit with a Poet or rather Death shall be my aduantage with an Apostle His happiest houre is when In manus tuas Domine he can say Into thy hands Lord I cōmend my soule For Anima nō amittitur sed praemittitur But this Of thee is terrible Thou that neuer preparedst for death were at a league with hell securely rocked asleep in the cradle of thy Barne that didst put farre away from thee the euill day giuen it a charge de non instando thou that cryedst Peace peace on thee shall come sudden destruction thou that saidst Soule be merry to sorrow shall Thy soule be required Thou that neuer esteemedst thy soule so deare as thy wealth but didst set that after thy stables which might haue been equal to Angels Thy soule Thou that wert loth to heare of death as hauing no hope of future bliss that wouldest not giue thy possession on earth for thy expectation in heauen as that French Cardinall that said He would not giue his part in Paris for his part in Paradise Of thee shall a soule be required This poynt is sharpe and makes vp his miserie Hovv Required The originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They shall require it This is such a requiring as cannot be withstood GOD requires thy obedience thou deniest it the poore require thy charitie thou deniest it the World requires thy equitie thou deniest it But when thy soule shall be required there must be no denying of that it cannot be withheld Who shall require this soule Not God he required it in thy life to sanctifie it and saue it thou wouldest not harken to him now hee vvill none of it What should God doewith a drunken profane couetous polluted sensuall soule He offerd it the Gospell it would not belieue the bloud of Christ it would not wash and be cleane it is foule and nastie God requires it not Or if he require it it is to iudge and condemne it not to reserue and keepe it Recusabit Deus iam oblatum quod negabas illi requisitum God will refuse thy soule now offred which thou deniedst him vvhiles hee desired Not heauen those chrystalline walks are not for muddy feete nor shall lust-infected eyes looke within those holy dores In no wise shall enter into that City any thing that defileth or worketh abomination There is a roome without for such Chap. 22. 15. a black roome for blacke workes What should a worldling doe in heauen his heart so full of enuie and couetice would not brooke anothers felicitie If there be no gold there he cares not for comming at it But he shal be fitted for as he requires not heauen so heauen requires not him It will spare him no place not that it wants roome to receiue him but because his heart wants roome to desire it The vnrighteous shall not inherite the kingdome of God But because this generall menace doth not terrifie him read his particular name in the bill of inditement ver 10. Nor the Couetous Heauen is for men of an heauenly conuersation It was but Nebuchadnezzars dreame Dan. 2. GOD will not set a golden head vpon earthen feet giue the glory of heauen to him that loues nothing but the basenesse of this world The Angels require it not those celestiall Porters that carry the soules
to enioy for euer and euer Now yet further to encourage our going let vs thinke vpon our company Foure sweet associates go with vs in our Iourny good Christians good Angels good works our most good Sauiour Iesus Christ. 1. Good Christians accompany vs euen to our death If thou go to the Temple they will go with thee Many people shall say Come and let us go vp to the Mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob If thou say Come let vs build vp the walles of Ierusalem they will answer Let vs rise vp and build So when Ioshua protested to Israel do what you will but as for mee and my house we will serue the Lord they ecchoed to him God forbid that we should for sake the Lord to serue other gods we also will serue the Lord. Thou canst not say with Elias I am left alone there be seuen thousand and thousand thoâ—…sands that neuer bowed their knee to Baal 2. Good Angels beare vs company to death in our guarding after death in our carrying vp to heauen Angelis mandauit He hath giuen his Angels charge over vs There are malicious deuils against vs but there are powerfull Angels with vs. That great Maiestie whom wee all adore hath giuen them this commission Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heires of saluation An Angell counsels Hagar to returne to her Mistresse an Angell accompanies Iacob in his iourney an Angell feeds Elias an Angell pluckes Lot out of Sodome Gaudent Angeli te conuersum illorum sociari consortijs The Angels reioyce at our conuersion that so their number might haue a completion 3. Good workes beare vs company Good Angels associate vs to deliuer their charge good workes to receiue their reward Though none of our actions bee meritorious yet are none transient none lost They are gone before vs to the Courts of ioy and when wee come they shall welcome our entrance Virtutis miseris dulce sodalitium What misery soeuer perplexeth our voyage vertue and a good conscience are excellent company 4. Lastly Iesus Christ beares vs company Hee is both Via and Conuiator the way and companion in the way When the two Disciples went to Emaus Iesus himselfe drew neere and went with them If any man go to Emaus which Bernard interpreteth to be Thirsting after good aduice he shall be sure of Christs company If any man entreate Iesus to goe a mile he will go with him twaine None can complaine the want of company whiles his Sauiour goes along with him Truely our fellowship is with the Father and with his Sonne Iesus Christ. There we finde two Persons of the blessed Trinity our Associates the Father and the Sonne now the Holy Ghost is not wanting The grace of the Lord Iesus Christ and the loue of God and the communion or fellowship of the Holy Ghost be with you all Amen Goe we then comfortably forward and God will bring vs to our desired Hauen But Pauci intrant pauciores ambulant paucissimi perâ—…nt Few enter the way fewer walke in the way fewest of all come to the end of the way their saluation Men thinke the way to heauen broader then it is But straite is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth vnto life and few there bee that finde it All say they are going to glory but the greater number take the wrong way A man somewhat thicke-sighted when he is to passe ouer a narrow bridge puts on spectacles to make it seeme broader but so his eyes beguile his feete and he fals into the brooke Thus are many drowned in the whirle-poole of sinne by viewing the passage to heauen onely with the Spectacles of flesh and bloud They thinke the bridge broad so topple in Happy eyes that well guide the feete and happy feet that neuer rest going till they enter the gates of heauen Thus much for the Pasport now we come to The Certificate Thy faith hath made thee whole Wherein Christ doth comfort and encourage the Leper First he comforts him that his faith was the meanes to restore health to his body then thereby hee encourageth him that this faith encreased would also bring saluation to his soule I might here obserue that as faith is onely perceiued of God so it is principally commended of God The Leper glorified God and that with a loud voyce there was his thankfulnesse he fell downe at Christs feet there was his humblenesse The eares of men heard his gratitude the eyes of men saw his humility but they neither heard nor saw his faith But how then saith Saint Iames Shew mee thy faith Himselfe answeres By thy workes It cannot be seene in habitu in the very being yet may easily be knowne in habente that such a person hath it No man can see the winde as it is in the proper essence yet by the full sailes of the ship one may perceiue which way the winde stands The sap of the tree is not visible yet by the testimony of leaues and fruites we know it to be in the tree Now Christ sees not as man sees man lookes vpon the externall witnesses of his gratitude and humility but Christ to that sap of faith in the heart which sent forth those fruits Thy faith hath saued thee The words distribute themselues into two principall and essentiall parts The Meanes Thy faith Effects Hath made thee whole The meanes is partly Demonstratiue Faith partly Relatiue Thy faith The Quality and the Propriety the Quality of the meanes it is Faith the Propriety it is not anothers but Thy faith Faith This is the demonstratiue quality of the meanes of his healing But what was this Faith 1. There is a faith that beleeues veritatem historiae the truth of Gods word This we call an Historicall Faith but it was not this faith King Agrippa beleeuest thou the Prophets I know that thou beleeuest 2. There is a faith that beleeues Certitudinem Promissi the certainety of Gods promises that verily is perswaded God will bee so good as his word that he will not breake his couenant with Israel nor suffer his faithfulnesse to faile vnto Dauid yet applyes not this to it selfe but it was not this faith 3. There is a faith that beleeues Potestatem Dicentis the Maiestie and Omnipotencie of him that speakes so the deuill that God is able to turne Stones into brâ—…d so the Papist that he can turne bread into flesh and cause one circumscribed body to supply millions of remote places at once But it was not this faith 4. There is a faith beleeues se moturam Montes that it is able to remoue Mountaines a miraculous faith which though it were specially giuen to the Apostles In my name shall they cast out deuils take vp Serpents cure the sicke by imposition of hands say to a Tree
was a Priest For it was imposed on the Priest first to offer for his owne sinnes and then the sinnes of the people which had beene needlesse if the Priest had not beene guiltie of sinne and liable to condemnation The iustification of Dauid seemes to rise higher Psal. 17. Thou hast tryed me and shalt find nothing What! hath God tryed him the searcher of the hearts that sees into all the inward cabbins and hidden concaues of the soule and shall he find nothing not great impieties not lesse infirmities nothing This phrase seemes generall yet is not totally exclusiue nothing against Saul no trecherie or iniustice against the Lords annointed So it is by Euthymius and must bee restrictiuely considered Otherwise Dauid had many sinnes originall I was conceiued in sinne actuall and publicke in slaying not a Philistine but an Israelite an Israelite his subiect his honest and worthy subiect and that by the sword of the vncircumcised and yet more by a wile sending for him home and making him drunke And to ripen this blister he adulterizeth with his wife he hath had many wiues robbes his poore neighbour of his singular comfort onely wife These were apparant vniustifiable impieties which makes him fall to a Psalme of mercy Haue mercy vpon me O Lord haue mercy vpon me heale my soule for I haue sinned against thee These were knowne to the world no doubt diuers others were knowne to his owne heart and yet more which neither the world nor his owne heart knew who can tell how oft he offendeth O cleanse thou me from my secret faults Yet in the matter of Saule thou canst find nothing As Bishop Latimer once said in his Sermon before King Edw. 6. For sedition me thinkes for ought I know if I may so speake I should not need Christ. Dauid was no traitour but Dauid was an adulterer He was in many personall faults an offender but as a subiect he was a good subiect as a King an excellent Prince No lesse is the praise of Iob a perfect and vpright man none like him in the earth Which yet is not to be taken for a positiue but comparatiue commendation There was none like him in that part of the earth and he was perfect in regard of those vitious times Heare himselfe speake How shall a man be iust with God and ver 28. I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent Let then the Pelagian drinke neuer so deepe in this iustifying cup of their owne righteousnes and let the Papist as deeply pledge him yet perfection is reserued for another world when we shall meete to a perfect man Here we may haue it partially there gradually here so much as belongs Ad viam to our way Phil. 3. Let vs as many as are perfect be thus minded there onely that is proper Ad patriam to our countrey ver 12. not as though we were already perfect but following after c. Let vs 1. be humble in acknowledging our owne wants and sinnes who cannot to God contending with vs answere one of a thousand Nec millessimae nec minimae parti sayth Bern. 2. Labour to perfection in forgetting those things which are behind and reading forth vnto those things which are before 3. Comfort our endeuouring hearts with this sweete encouragement we shall one day meete to a perfect man To the measure of the stature The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before translated Age is now better by our New and according to Beza Stature If any will here ground that in heauen we shall liue in that measure of Christs age and stature wherein he dyed I subscribe not but am silent It is not safe wading without a bottome Onely thus much there shall be nothing wanting to make our glory perfect and whether you conceaue the 33 yeare of a mans age to be the beauty and compleat perfection I dispute not This implies a spirituall stature whereunto euery Saint must grow Whence inferre 1. That we must grow vp so fast as we can in this life ioyning to faith vertue to vertue knowledge c. We must encrease our talents enlarge our graces shoote vp in talenesse grow vp to this stature For Gods familie admits no dwarfes stunted profession was neuer found If the sappe of grace be in a plant it will shoote out in boughes of good wordes and fruit of good workes alwayes expected the winter of an afflicted conscience If a table and consumption take our graces they had neuer good lungs the true breath of Gods Spirit in them 2. God will so ripen our Christian endeuours that though we come short on earth we shall haue a full measure in heauen We haue a great measure of comfort here but withall a large proportion of distresse there we shall haue a full measure heapen and shaken and thrust together and yet running ouer without the least bitternesse to distast it This is a high and a happie measure Regard not what measure of outward things thou hast so thou get this measure Trouble not thy selfe with many things this one is sufficient the better part the greater measure neuer to be lost or lessned Open both thine eyes of Reason and Faith and see first the litle helpe that lyes in great worldly riches As the partrich sitteth on eggs and hatcheth them not so he that getteth riches and not by right shall leaue them in the 〈◊〉 of his dayes and at his end shall be a fâ—…e A bird that steales young ones from other birds and tenderly nourisheth them is mocked for her motherly kindnes when they are fligge Euen now shee had many running after her by and by they giue her the slip are all gone pleasures delights riches are hatched and brooded by the wicked as their owne But when God at whose command they are calls them away they take them to their heeles like fugitiues they are gone and no officer can bring them backe The rich man may shut vp his wealth for a season but as a bird in a cage if it spye a hole open it is gone and flyes farre enough beyond recouerie towring like an Eagle euen vp toward heauen were thy measure neuer so ample as full as his Barnes Luke 12. yet but a night a peece of a night all is gone The first borne of death shall deuoure his strength sayth Bildad and it shall bring him to the King of terrors what helpe is in weaknes neuer talke of helping thee with fine floure and the best grapes the richest excrements of wormes silken garments thou wilt one day say this is no succour No that is succour which will help thee in anguish of thy soule and distresse of thy consience calme the troubles of thy spirit and heale the wounds of thy broken heart when the horrour of death and terrours of sinne sharpened with a keene edge of Gods Iustice shall beseege thee now let the thing be praysed
Now therefore Put on as the elect of God holy and beloued bowels of mercies kindnes humblenes of minde c. As you claime any portion in those gracious blessings Election Sanctification and the loue of God as you would haue the sweet testimonie of the Spirit that you are sealed vp to the day of Redemption Put on mercie kindnes meeknes long suffering let them be as robes to couer you all ouer Yea bowels of mercies let them be as tender and inward to you as your most vitall parts Lay forbearance and forgiuenes as deare friends in your bosomes Depart from iniquitie for the high way of the vpright is to depart from euill and he that keepth his way preserueth his soule And above all these things put on Charitie which is the bond of perfectnesse Walke in loue And as many as walke according to this rule peace be on them and mercie and vppon the Israell of God Amen LOVES COPIE OR The best Precedent of Charitie EPHE 5. 2. As Christ loued vs. WE distinguished the whole verse into a Canon and a Crucifixe The Canon consisted of a Precept and a Precedent Loue is the Subiect and it is both commanded and commended Commanded in the Charge which you haue heard Commended in the Example which you shall heare I determined my speach with the Precept Walke in loue The Precedent or Patterne remaines to be propounded and expounded As Christ loued vs. Every word is emphaticall and there be foure signifying foure seuerall natures Here 1 As is a word of 1 Qualitie 2 Christ 2 Maiestie 3 Loued 3 Mercie 4 Vs 4 Miserie Two of these words be Vincula or Media that ioyne and vnite other things Sicut and Dilexit As and Loued As directs our loue to God and Man by the exemplified rule of Christ louing vs. Walke in loue to others As Christ loued vs. Loued is that blessed reconciling nature whereby Gods good Greatnes descends to our bad basenesse and the Iust giues to the vniust Saluation For what other nature but Mercie could reconcile so high Maiestie and so low Miserie As According to Zanchius his obseruation on this place is a note of Qualitie not Equalitie of Similitude not of Comparison We must loue others As Christ loued vs As for the manner not for the measure His loue was strong as Death for to the death hee loued vs. It was a bright cleare fire many maters could not quench it yea water and bloud could not put it out God so loued the World so freely so fatherly so fully as no tongue can tell no heart thinke The loue of Christ passeth knowledge To thinke of equalling this loue would be an impossible presumption Our loue is inconstant weake a mingled and often a mangled loue mingled with selfe loue and mangled with the wounding affections of the world Our loue is faine his strong ours ficle his constant ours limited his infinite Yet wee must follow him so fast as we can and so farre as wee may Walking in loue as he loued vs. His Walking in loue was strange and admirable hee tooke large steps from heauen to earth and from earth to heauen As Bernard on that speech of the Church concerning her Beloued Behold hee commeth leaping vpon the mountaines skipping vpon the hils He leaps from heauen to the Virgins wombe from the wombe to a manger from the manger to Egypt from Egypt to Iudah from thence to the Temple from the Temple vp to the Crosse from the Crosse downe to the graue from the graue vp to the earth and from the earth vp to the highest glory And he shall yet haue another leap from the right hand of his Father to iudge quicke and dead These were great iumpes large paces of loue When he made but one stride from the clouds to the cradle and another from the Cradle to the crosse and a third from the crosse to the crowne To come from the bosome of his immortall father to the wombe of his mortall mother was a great step From the lowest hell or depth of his humiliation to the highest heauen or top of his exaltation was a large pace We cannot take such large steps nor make such strides These leaps are beyond our agilitie our abilitie Yet we must follow him in loue stepping so farre as we can and walking so fast as we may Follow we carefully and chearfully though non passibus aequis The Father that takes his yong son into the field with bowes shafts and bids him shoot after him doth not expect that the child should shoote so farre as he but so farre as he can Though we cannot reach Christs marke yet If there be a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath not according to that he hath not Now this particle As is not barely similitudinary but hath a greater latitude and serues To Confine the Measure of our Imitation Define Matter Refine Manner 1. This Sicut Confines Our imitation and limits it to that circumference which the present rule or compasse giues it We may not follow Christ in all things but in this thing Loue As he loued vs. Our imitation hath a limitation that it may not exorbitantly start out of the circle There are speciall workes which God reserues to himselfe and wherein he did neuer commaund or commend mans following but rather strikes it downe as presumption His Power his Maiestie his Wisedome his Myracles cannot without a contumacious ambition be aymed at When Lucifer aspired to be like God in Maiestie he was throwne out of heauen When Adam contended to be like God in knowledge he was cast out of Paradise When Nebuchadnezzar arrogated to be like God in Power he was expulsed his kingdome When Simon Magus mounted to be like God in working Miracles and to flie in the ayre he was hurld downe and broke his necke God must not be imitated in his Finger in his Arme in his Braine in his Face but in his Bowels Not in the Finger of his Myracles nor in the Arme of his Power nor in the Braine of his Wisedome nor in the Face of his Maiestie but in the Bowels of his Mercy Be ye mercifull as your heauenly Father is mercifull And sayth Paul Put on the Bowels of mercy as Christ put them on Forbeare forgiue Walke in Loue As hee loued vs. Neither Angell nor Man did euer or shall euer offend in coueting to be like God in Loue Grace Mercy Goodnes So that this Sicut excludes his Myracles and directs vs to his Morralls Walke in Loue 〈◊〉 c. 2. This Sicut Defines What our Loue should be As Christ was to vs. Now his loue to vs had an infinite extention and is past the skill of men or Angels to describe Yet because this is the perfect Copy of our imitation and the infallible Rule whereby we must square our Charitie I must according to my shallow power wade a litle
into this infinite and boundles Sea I will onely note foure sweete streames of life in his Loue. It was Holy Sine Merits Hearty Mode Kind Despectâ—… Constant Defectâ—… 1. Holy The Loue of Iesus to vs was Sancta sanctificans dilectio a Loue holy formaliter in itselfe and holy effectiuè in making those holy on whom it was set He gaue himselfe to vs and for vs and gaue vs a faith to receiue and embrace him Sine quo nec dilâ—…cti nec diligentes fuissemus Without whom wee neither could haue receiued loue nor returned loue Now his loue did not only extend to our bodyes health but to our soules blisse So he loued vs that he saued vs. Our loue should likewise be holy whole desiring not onely our brothers externall welfare but much more his internall his eternall blessednes He that pitties not a famished body deserues iustly the name of an vnmercifull man but he that coÌ„passionates not an afflicted conscience hath much more a hard heart It is an vsual speech of compassion to a distressed man Alas poore Soule but this same alas poore Soule is for the most part mistakeÌ„ Neither the pittier nor the pittied imagins the soule pittiable Very humanitie teacheth a man to behold an execution of theeues traytours with griefe that men to satisfie their malicious or couetous affections should cut off their owne liues with so infamous a death But who commiserates the endangered Soule that must then ventor and enter on an eternall life or death The story of Hagar with her Son Ishmael is set downe by so heauenly a pen that a man cannot read it without tears She is cast out of Abrahams house with her child that might call her Master father Bread water is put on her shoulder and she wanders into the wildernes a poore reliefe for so long a iourney to which there was set no date of returning Soone was the water spent in the bottle the child cries for drinke to her that had it not and lifts vp pittiful eyes euery glance whereof was enough to wound her soule vents the sighes of a dry panting heart but there is no water to be had except the teares that ran from a sorrowful mothers eyes could quench the thirst Downe she layes the child vnder a shrubbe and went as heauy as euer mother parted from her onely son and sate her downe vpon the earth as if she desired it for a present receptacle of her griefe of her selfe a good way off saith the Text as it were a bow-shoâ—…e that the shrickes yellings dying groanes of the child might not reach her eares crying out Let me not see the death of the child Die she knew he must but as if the beholding it would rent her heart and wound her soule she denyes those windowes so sad a spectacle Let mee not see the death of the child So she lift vp her voyce and wept Neuer was Hagar so pittifull to her Sonne Ishmael as the Church is to euery Christian. If any sonne of her wombe wil wander out of Abrahams familie the House of Faith into the wildernes of this world and prodigally part with his owne mercy for the gawdy transient vanities thereof She followes with intreaties to him and to heauen for him If he will not returne she is loath to see his death she turnes her backe vpon him and weeps He that can with dry eyes and vnrelenting heart behold a mans Soule ready to perish hath not so much passion and compassion as that Egiptian bond-woman 2. Hearty The loue of Christ to vs was hearty not consisting of shewes and signes and courtly complements but of actuall reall royall bounties He did not dissemble liue to vs when he dyed for vs. Exhibitio operis probatio amoris He pleaded by the truest and vndenyable argument demonstration I loue you wherein I giue my Life for you Tot ora quot vulnera tot verba quot verbera So many wounds so many words to speake actually his loue euery stripe he bore gaue sufficient testimony of his affection His exceeding rich gift shewes his exceeding rich loue This heartines must be in our Loue both to our Creator and to his Image 1. To God so he chalengeth thy loue to be conditioned with thy Heart with all thy heart And this saith Christ is Primum Maximum mandâ—…tum the First and the greatest Commandement The first Quasi virtualiter centinens reliqua as mainely comprehending all the rest For he that loues God with all his heart will neither Idolatrize nor blaspheme nor profane his Sabboths no nor wrong his creatures The greatest as requiring the greatest perfection of our loue This then must be a hearty loue not slow not idle but must shew it selfe Et properando operando in ready diligence in fruitfull working obedience There are many â—…otent to loue God alitle because he blesseth them much So Saul loued him for his kingdome These loue God Pro seipsis not Prae seipsis For themselues not before themselues They will giue him homage but not fealtie the calues of their lippes but not the calues of their stals If they feast him with venison part of their Imparked Riches which is deere to them yet it shall be but rascall deere the trash of their substance they will not feast him with the heart that is the best deere in their Parke 2. To man whom thou art bound to loue as thy selfe where say some As is but a Tam not a Tâ—…ntum As thy selfe not As much as thy selfe As for the maner not for the measure But this is certaine true loue begins at home and he cannot loue another soundly that primarily loues not himselfe And he that loues himselfe with a good heart with the same heart will loue his brother In quâ—… seipsum proptâ—…r quod seipsum In that maner for that cause that he loues himselfe This then coÌ„mands the same loue if not the same degree of loue to thy brother that thou bearest to thy selfe This hearty loue is hardly found More is protested now then in former times but lesse done It is wittilyob serued that the old maner of saluting was to take shake one another by the hand now we locke armes ioyne breasts but not hearts That old hand full was better then this new armefull Our cringes and complementall bowings promise great humilitic but the smootherd venime of pride â—…es within We haue low lookes and loftie thoughts There are enough of those Which speake peace to their neighbours but mischiefe is in their hearts Whose smooth habites doe so palliate and ornamentally couer their poyson as if they did preserue mud in Chrystall The Romaynes vsually painted Friendship with her hand on her heart as if she promised to send no messenger out of the gate of her lips but him that goes on the hearts arrand Now we haue studied both textures of words and pretextures of
heale the bones which the Lord hath broken But his mother other friends stands by seeing sighing weeping Alas what doe those teares but euerease his sorrow might hee not iustly say with Paul What meane ye to weepe to breake mine heart Of whom then shall he expect comfort Of his Apostles Alas they betake them to their heeles Feare of their owne danger drownes their copassion of his miserie He might say with Iob Miserable comforters are ye all Of whom then The Iewes are his enemies and vie vnmercifullnes with deuils There is no other refuge but his Father No euen his Father is angry he that once said This is my beloued Son in whom I am well pleased is now incensâ—…d He hides his face from him but layes his hand heauy vpon him buffets him with anguish Thus Solus patitur he gaue himselfe only himselfe for our redemptioÌ„ To whom To God and that is the fourth circumstance To whom should he offer this sacrifice of expiation but to him that was offended and that is God Against thee thee onely haue I sinned and done this euill in thy sight Father I haue sinned against heauen and in thy sight All sinnes are committed against him his iustice is displeased and must be satisfied To God for God is angry with what and whom with sinne and vs and vs for sinne In his iust anger he must smite but whom In Christ was no sinne Now shall God doe like Annas or Ananias If I haue spoken euill sayth Christ beare witnesse of the euill but if well why smitest thou me So Paul to Ananias God will smite thee thou whited wall for Sittest thou to Iudge me after the Law and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the Law So Abraham pleads to God shall not the Iudge of all the earth doe right Especially right to his Sonne and to that Son which glorified him on earth and whom he hath now glorified in heauen We must fetch the answere from Daniels Prophecie The Messiah shall he cut off but not for himselfe Not for himselfe For whom then For solution hereof we must steppe to the first point and there we shall finde For Whom For vs. He tooke vpon himour person he became suretie for vs. And loe now the course of Iustice may proceed against him He that will become a Suertie and take on him the debt must be content to pay it Hence that innocent Lambe must be made a Sacrifice and he that know no 〈◊〉 in himselfe must be made sin for vs that we might be made the righteousnes of God in him Seauen times in three verses doth the Prophet Esay inculcate this We Our vs. Wee were all sicke greeuously sicke euerie sinne was a mortall disease Quot Vitia tot febres He healeth our infirmities sayth the Prophet he was our Phisician a great Physician Magnus Venit medicus quia magnus iacebat agrotus The whole world was sicke to death therfore needed a powerfull Physician So was he and tooke a strange course for our Cure Which was not by giuing vs physicke but by taking our Physicke for vs. Other patients drink the prescribed potion but our Physician drunke the potion himselfe and so recouered vs. For vs. Ambr. Pro me doluit qui pro se nihil habuit quod doleret He suffered for me that had no cause to suffer for himselfe O Domine Iesu doles non tua sed vulnera mea So monstrous were our sinnes that the hand of the euerlasting Iustice was ready to strike vs with a fatall and finall blow Christ in his owne person steppes betweene the stroke and vs and bore that a while that would haue sunke vs for euer Nos immortalitate malè vsi sumus vt moreremur Christus mortalitate benè vsus est vt viueremus We abused the immortality we had to our death Christ vsed the mortality he had not to our life Dilexit nos he loued vs such vs that were his vtter enemies Here then was loue without limitation beyond imitation Vnspeakable mercy sayes Bernard that the king of eternall glory should yeeld himselfe to be crucified Protam despicatissimo vernaculo immò vermiculo for so poore a wretch yea a worme and that not a louing worme not a liuing worme for we both hated him and his and were dead in sinnes and trespasses Yea for All vs indefinitely none excepted that will apprehend it faithfully The mixture of Moses Perfume is thus sweetly allegorized God coÌ„mands him to put in so much frankincense as Galbanum and so much Galbanum as frankincense Christs Sacrifice was so sweetly temperd as much bloud was shed for the peasant in the field as for the Prince in the Court The offer of saluation is generall whosoeuer among you â—…areth God and worketh rightousnes to him is the word of this saluation sent As there is no exemption of the greatest from misery so no exception of the least from mercie Hee that will not beleeue and amend shall be condemned be he neuer so rich he that doth be hee neuer so poore shall be saued This one point of the Crucifixe For vs requires more punctuall meditation Whatsoeuer we leaue vnsaid we must not huddle vp this For indeed this brings the Texthome to vs euen into our consciences speakes effectually to vs all to me that speake and to you that heare with that Prophets application Thou art the man Wee are they for whose cause our blessed Sauiour was crucified For vs he endured those greeuous pangs for vs that we might neuer tast them Therefore say we with that Father Toto nobis figatur in corde qui totus pro nobis fixus in cruce Let him be fixed wholy in our hearts who was wholy for vs fastned on the Crosse. We shall consider the vses we are to make of this by the ends for which Christ performed this It serues to Saue vs. It serues to Moue vs. It serues to Mortifie vs. 1. To saue vs. This was his purpose performanceâ—…l he did all he suffered was to redeeme vs. By his stripes we are healed by his Sweat we refreshed by his sorrows we reioyced by his death wee saued For euen that day which was to him Dies Luctus the heauiest day that euer man bore was to vs Diessalutis the accepted time the day of saluation The day was euill in respect of our sinnes his sufferings but eventually in regard of what he payed and what he purchased a good day the best day a day of ioy and Iubilation But if this Saluation be wrought for vs it must be applied to vs yea to euery one of vs. For that some receiue more profite by his passion then others is not his fault that did vndergoe 〈◊〉 but theirs that doe not vndertake it to apply it to their own coscienceâ—… But we must not only beleeue this Text in grosse but let euery
in the heart but howsoeuer shield thy head loose not thy hope of saluation thy faith in Iesus Christ. Homo qui habet se habet totum inse said the Philosopher He that hath himselfe hath all in himselfe But ille habet se qui habet Christum ille habet Christum qui habet fidem He hath himselfe that hath Christ and he hath Christ that hath faith Whatsoeuer you loose loose not this though you loose your loues though you loose your liues keepe the faith I will trust in thee though thou kill me saith Iob. I haue kept the faith saith Paul though I beare in my bodie the markes of the Lord Iesus If insatiate death be let alone to cutte vs into pieces with the sword to grind vs into the mawes of beastes to burne vs in the fire to ashes yet so long as our head Christ is safe he hath the Serpents attractiue power to draw vs to him Father I will that they whom thou hast giuen me be with me where I am The more we are cut off the more we are vnited death whiles it striues to take vs from him sends vs to him Keepe faith in the Head With what mind soeuer Seneca wrote it I know to good vse I may speake it Malo mihi successum deesse quam-fidem I rather want successe then faith Fidem qui perdidit nil habet vltra quod perdat He that hath lost his faith hath nothing els to loose But it is the Lord that preserues the head O God the strength of my saluation thou hast couered my â—…ead in the day of battell 2. The next Policie in Serpents is to stop their â—…ares against the noyse of the charmers This is one of the similitudes which the Psalmist giues betweene the wicked and Serpents Their poison is like the poison of a Serpent they are like the deafe adder that stoppeth hor â—…are Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers charming never so Wisely This charming as they write was invented in the Easterne countreyes where they were pesterd with abundance of serpents Which musicke the Serpent hearing wisely distrusting his owne strength thinkes it the surest course to stop his â—…ares This he doth by couching one â—…are close to the ground and covering the other with his voluminous tayle The incantations of this world are as often sung to vs as those charmes to the Serpents but we are not so wise as Serpents to avoyd them Sometimes a Siren sings vs the charmes of lust and thus a weake woman overcomes him that overcame the strong Lyon Lenam non potuit potuit superare Leaenam Quem fera non valuit vincere vicit hera Sayes the Epigrammatist He goeth after her straight way though her houseâ—… the way to hell going downe to the chambers of death Sometimes Satan comes to vs like a gold-finch and whistles vs a note of vsurie to the tune of ten in the hundred we are caught presently and fall a dancing after his pipe Sometimes like Alecto he charmes vs a Madrigall of revenge for private wrongs instantly we are caught with malice destruction sits in our lookes Not seldome hee comes to a man with a drunken caroll lay thy peny to mine and we will to the wine he is taken suddenly he runs to it though he reeles from it He sings the slothfull a Dormi securè and hee will sleepe though his damnation sleepeth not Yea there are not wanting that let him sing a song of blasphemie they will sweare with him Let him begin to raile they will libell with him Let his incantation bee treason and they will answere him in gunpowder Yea let him charme with a Charme a witlesse senceles sorcerie and if a tooth akes or a hog grones they will admit it admire it Of such follie the very serpents shall condemne vs. But as open â—…ar'd as men are to these incantations of the Deuill and sinne let the musicall bells of Aaron be rung the sweet songs of Sion sung they will not listen they will not be charmed with all our cunning So that wee shall be faint to send them to the Iudgment seate of God with this scrole on their forheads Noluerunt incantari Lord wee haue done our best but this people would not be charmed 3. Their third Policie They flie mens societie as knowne enemies and rather chuse a wildernes seeking peace among bryers and thornes And may they not herein teach vs with Moses rather to chuse affliction in a wildernes with the people of God then to enioy the pleasure of sin for a season Much hath bin and may be said to lessen mens dotage to the world and yet one word I must adde Non quia vos nostra sperem prece posse moveri Did euer any of you know what the peace of conscience and ioy of the holy Ghost is whiles that comfort and iubilation dwelt in your heart I aske you how the world stood in your sight Stood it not like a deformed witch deuils sucking on her breasts a shoale of vgly sinnes sitting like screechowles on her head bloud and massacres besmearing her face lies blasphemies periuries waiting at her backe extortion and oppression hanging on her armes wickednes and wretchednesse filling both her hands the cryes grones and imprecations of widowes and orphans sounding in her eares heauen thundring vengance on her head and the enlarged gates of the infernall pitte yawning to entertaine her Is this your Paramour O ye worldlings Is this the beautie you hazard a soule to get O munde immunde euill fauoured world that thou shouldst haue so many louers Ecceruinosus est mundus siâ—… amatur quidsi perfectus esset Quid forâ—…osus faceret quùm deformis sic adoratur If the world beeing ruinous so pleaseth men what would it doe if it were sound and perfect If it were faire and beauteous how would wee dote on it that thus loue it deformed But how rare a man is hee Qui nihil habet commune cum seculo that hath no communion with this world That retires himselfe like the Serpent and doth not intricate his mind in these worldly snares who does not watch with enuie nor trauell with auarice nor clime with ambition nor sleepe with lust vnder his pillow But for all this Vincet amor mundi money and wealth must be had though men refuse no way on the left hand to get it We may charge them Nummos propter Deum expendere to lay out their wealth for Gods sake but they will Deum propter nummos colere worship God for their wealths sake We say let the world waite vpon religion they say let religion waite vpon the world You talke of heauen a kingdome but Tutius hâ—… câ—…lum quod brâ—…uis â—…ca tenet That heauen is surest thinke they that lies in their coffers As those two Gyants bound Mars in chaines and then sacrificed to him so men first coffer vp their
skip out of the way of righteousnes at euery dog that reproachfully barkes at it nor at euery Siren that temptingly would call it aside The Deuill with all his force of terror or error cannot seduce it Constancie it is euer trauelling though through many hindrances It hath a heauy load of flesh to burden it and make euery step tedious yet it goes Cares for family troubles of contentious neighbours frowning of great aduersaries malicious turbulencie of the world all offer to stay it but it goes on As if it had receiued the Apostles Commission Salute none of these Remora's by the way it resteth not till it see the saluation of God The Lord deliuers the feete from falling that it may walke before God in the light of the living 3 We must not returne backe to Herod Why not to Herod He was a fit type of the Deuill and they that are recouered and escaped from him should not fall backe into his clutches The Deuill is like Herod both for his subtletie and crueltie The Herods were all dissemblers all cruell There was Herod Ascalonita Herod Antipas and Herod Agrippa all cruell in the butchering of Gods Saints Ascalonita necat pueros Antipa Iohannem Agrippa Iacobum mittitque in carcere Petrum Ascalonite makes an earnest shew of zeale to Christ but he desired not subijcerese Christ◅ sedsib◅ Christum not to become subiect to Christ but to make Christ the sub iect of his furie Antipas seemed to loue Iohn the Baptist but he suffers a dancing foote to kicke off his head The crueltie of the other Herod was monstrous He slew all those whom hee could suspect to issue from the line of Dauid all the Infants of Bethlem vnder two yeares old at one slaughter Hee slew his kinred his sister his wife his sonne Hee cut the throates of many noble Iewes whiles he lay on his death bed Yea made it in his will that so soone as euer the breath was out of his body all the sonnes of the nobler Iewes shut vp into a safe place should be instantly slaine to beare him company By this meanes hee resolued that some should lament his death which otherwise would haue bin the cause of great ioy A wretched Testament and fit for such a deuill to make That Deuill wee are charged not to returne to exceeds this both in subtletie and crueltie euen as much as a father may his Sonne Herod was not so perfect a Master of his art The wise men deceiued Herod hee must be a wise man indeed that ouer-reaches Satan Herod was a bungler to him he trusted to instruments to destroy Christ the Deuill lookes to that busines himselfe Hee can transforme himselfe into an Angel of light and rather then not draw men to hell hee will dissemble a loue to heauen He will speake good that he may worke euill and confesse the truth that therby hee may procure credit to greater falshood He can stoope to the reprobate like a tame horse till they get vp and ride him but when he hath them on his backe he runs post with them to hell When he hath thus excercised his policie wil he spare his power when his Foxes part is done hee begins his Lyons Bloud massacre destruction are his softest embraces horror and amazement are the pleasures of his Court kill kill burne burne is the language of his tongue to those miserable wretches which must euer be burning neuer consumed euer killing and neuer die Oh then let vs neuer returne to Herod nor venture on his mercie The poore bird that hath escaped the hawkes talons is carefull to auoyd his walke The strayed Lambe falne into the wolfes caue and deliuered by the Shephard will no more straggle out of the flocke If the Lord Iesus hath sought and brought vs to himselfe by the Starre of his Gospell let vs no more goe backe to Herod flying the workes of darknes and seruing the liuing God with an vpright heart Indeed they that are truely freed from his seruitude will neuer more become his vassalls Many seeme escaped that are not If the adulterer returne like the Hogge to the mire and the drunkard like the Dog to his vomit it is likely that they loue Herod well for they goe backe to him The minister may desire to offer them vp a liuing sacrifice to the Lord but like wild beasts they breake the rope and will not bee sacrificed But wee being deliuered by Christ out of the hands of our enemies must serue him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life 4. Wee must goe to our owne Countrey In this world wee are but strangers though perhaps we thinke too well of these vanities yet they are but forraine things wee haue another home We may be rauished with this earth as Peter with Tabor Bonum hic it is good being here but if wee looke vp to that heauen which is our Countrey Mundi calcamus inutile pondus Behold the very outside is faire the outmost walls are beautified with glorious lights euerie one as a world for greatnes so a heauen for goodlinesse All those spangles bee as radiant stones full of Lustre pure gold to the drosse of earthly things What may wee then thinke there is within Yea whatsoeuer the wicked thinke yet this world is but the through-fare and it is not their home neither though indeede they haue their portion in this life It is sayd of Iudas going to hell that he went to his owne place therefore that and not this is their owne countrey as sure as they thinke themselues of this world In heauen there is all life no death in hell all death no life on earth men both liue and die passing through it as the wildernes either to Egipt or Canaan This earth as it is betweene both so it prepares vs for both and sends euery one to their owne countrey eternall ioy or euerlasting sorrow Hee that here dies to sinne shall hereafter liue in heauen he that liues in sinne shall hereafter die in hell All soiourne either with GOD feeding on his graces or with Satan surfe◅ing on his iniquities They that will haue Sathan for their host in transgression shall afterwards be his guests in perdition But they that obey God as theyr master shall also haue him their father and that for euer Contemne we then this world what though we haue many sorrows here a still succession of miseries we are not at home What stranger looks for kind vsage amongst his enemies As well might the captiue Iewes expect quiet among the Babilonians Thou art sure of a countrey wherein is peace In that heauen the wicked haue no part though here much pleasure When thou considerest this truely thou wouldst not change portions with them Let it be cōfort sufficient since we cannot haue both that we haue by many degrees the better Their owne countrey Heauen is our owne countrey 1. Ours ordained for vs by
power to keepe a man That he should liue still for eâ—…r and not see â—…rruption Meâ—…ushalem liued nine hundred sixtie and nine yeares yet he was the Sonne of Eâ—…ch who was the sonne of â—…ared who was the sonne of 〈◊〉 who was the sonne of Cainan who was the sonne of 〈◊〉 who was the sonne of Seth who was the sonne of Aâ—… who was the sonne of dust The best constitutions that communicate in the sanguine of the Rose and Snow of the Lilly haue this parentage they are the sonnes and daughters of dust This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iâ—… not 〈◊〉 to the Poles nor are these dayes measured by the Sunne in his Zodiacke all is pitched aboue the Wheele of changeable mortalitie It is Eternitie that fils the Right hand of Wisedome Length of dayes Dayes for the Claritie Length for the Eternitie Dayes Mans life in this world is called a Day a short day a sharpe day Short for instat vesper it is not sooner morning but it is presently night The Sunne of life quickly sets after it is once risen Sharpe for miserie is borne with life brought vp with life and to the good dies with life to the wicked remaines in death Like Hippocratâ—… twinnes inseparable in their beginning processe end So that aged Patriarch to Pharao My dayes haue beene few and euill So. Iob. Man is of few dayes and many troubles Animal â—…vi breuissimi solicitâ—…dinis infinitae And Paul cals it the euill day It is somewhat to comfort that though it be sharpe Euill yet it is but short a Day Redeeme the time for the dayes are euill But howsoeuer Semper mali dies in seculo yet semper boni dies in Domino as Augustine sweetly Though the world hath alwayes euill dayes yet God hath alwayes good dayes And this Day shall haue no night Nox non erit illic There shall be no night The Sunne that inlightens it cannot be ecclipsed That cittie hath no need of the Sunne neyther of the Moone to shine in it for the Glorie of God doth lighten it and the Lambe is the light of it No clouds shall draw a vaile of obscuritie ouer it Here the light of the Sunne darkens the Moone and the Moone obscures the luster of the Starres Sometimes halfe the earth is in light the rest in darkenesse But in these Dayes Albeit there is one glorie of the SVNNE another of the MOONE and another of the STARRES and one starre differeth from another starre in glory yet the light of one increaseth the light of another and the glorie of one is the glory of all Dispar est gloâ—… 〈◊〉 sed 〈◊〉 Latitia omnium So in summe here we liue but a short day Giue vs this day our dayly bread But in that world wee shall haue Daies those good dayes and great dayes dayes of eternall length for they shall haue no night Length As the glorie is cleare for the Countenance so it is long for the Continuance Nullus erit defectus nullus â—…erminus There shall be 〈◊〉 charitâ—… chara â—…rnitas Gods eternall decree to chuse vâ—… in Christ had no beginning but it shall haue an end when the elect are taken vp to glory The possession of this decreed Inheritance shall haue a beginning but no end Wee shall eâ—…er be with the Lord. Gods mercie in both hath neither beginning nor end for it is from euerlasting to euerlasting Here then is both the Countenance it is a cleare day and the Continuance it is of length the very same Length that Euerlastingnesse it selfe Hezekiahs day was a long day when The shadow of the sunne went tenne degrees backward in the diall of Abâ—… Iosuah had a long day when the Sunne stood still in Gibeon and the Moone in the valley of 〈◊〉 And there was no day like that before it or after it But both these dayes had their nights and the long forbearing sunne at last did set Here the dayes are so long that it shall neuer be night You see the clearenesse and the length both are expressed Dan. 12. They that be â—…ise shall shine as the firmament and they that turne many to righteousâ—…es as the starres there is the Claritie and that for euer and euer there is the Eternitie There is nothing made perfectly happy but by Eternitie as nothing but eternitie can make perfect misery Were thy life a continued scene of pleasures on whose stage griefe durst nâ—…uer set his vnwelcome foote were the spoyle of Noahs Arke the cates of thy table hadst thou king Salomons wardrobe and treasurie Did the west Indie send thee all her gold and the East her spices and all these lying by thee whiles a late succession of yeares without carâ—… snowes white vpon thy head thou weâ—… euer indulgent to thy selfe and health to thee Yet suddenly there comes an impartiall Purseuant death and hee hath a charge to take thee away 〈◊〉 de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bathing thy selfe in thy delights Alas what iâ—… 〈◊〉 thy glory but a short play fâ—…ll of mirth till the last act and that goes off in a tragedie Couldest thou not haue made death more welcome if hee had found thee lying on a padde of straw feeding on crâ—…s and water gruell Is not thy paine the more troublesome because thou wast well Doth not the end of these temporary ioyes aâ—…ict thee more then if they had neuer beene Onely then eternitie can giue perfection to pleasure which because thiâ—… world cannot afford let vs reckon of it as it is a meeâ—…e Through 〈◊〉 and desiâ—… our Home whâ—… we shall be happy for 〈◊〉 In her Left hand riches and honour The gift of the right hand is large and eternall of the left short and 〈◊〉 Yet you see I am short in the long part giue mee leaue to bee long in the short part Herein wee haue many things considerable 1. That Riches and Hâ—…r are Godâ—… gifts 2. That all are not so but some and therefore it is necessary for vs to learne whether God gaue vnto vs that riches and honour which we haue 3. That albeit they are his gifts yet but the gifts of his left hand 4 That wealth and worship are for the most part companions for both those gifâ—… lie in one and the same hand 1. Riches and honour are Godâ—… gifts therefore iâ—… themselues not euill Sunt Dei 〈◊〉 â—…rgo iâ—… se bona Saith Augustine Ne pâ—…tentur â—…a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bâ—…na 〈◊〉 â—…lis That they may not be thought euill they are giuen to good men that they may not be thought the best good they are giuen also to euill men A rich man may be a good man and a poore man may be wicked Christ sanctified 〈◊〉 as well as 〈◊〉 and that in his 〈◊〉 Life Death 1. In his Birth hee sanctified Pouertiâ—… when hiâ—… chamber of presence was a Stable his crâ—…dle a manger his royall robes course ragges Hee sanctified
heauen hic affuit inde non defuit Humana natura assumpta est Diuina non consumpta est Hee tooke Humanitie he lost not his Diuinitie He abideth Mariae Pater the Father of Mary who is made Mariae Filius the Sonne of Mary To vs a child is borne to vs a sonne is giuen Whereon Emissenus Natus qui sentiret occasum datus qni resciret exordium Hee was borne that should feele death hee was giuen that was from euerlasting and could not die Natus qui matre esset iunior datus quo nec Pater esset antiquior He that was borne was younger then his mother hee that was giuen was as eternall as his father He was Sonne to both God and Mary Non alter ex Patre alter ex Virgine sed aliter ex Patre aliter ex virgine As the flowers are said to haue Solem in coelo patrem solum in terra matrem so Christ hath a father in heauen without a mother a mother on earth without a father Here is then the wonder of his Humanitie The euerlasting Father is become a litle child He that spreads out the heauens is wrapd in swadling clouts Hee that is the Word becomes an Infant not able to speake The Sonne of God calls himselfe the Sonne of man His Humilitie If your vnderstandings can reach the depth of this bottome take it at one view The Sonne of God calls himselfe the Sonne of man The omnipotent Creator becomes an impotent creature As himselfe sayth Greater loue hath no man then this that a man lay downe his life for his friends So greater humilitie neuer was then this that God should be made man It is the voyce of Pride in man I will bee like God but the action of Humilitie in God I will be man Proud Nebuchadnezzar sayes Ero similis altissimo I will be like the Highest meeke Christ sayth Ero similis infimo I will be like the lowest hee put on him the the forme of a seruant yea hee was a despised Worme God spoke it in derision of sinfull man Behold hee is become as one of vs but now we may say God is become as one of vs. There the lowest aspires to bee the Highest here the Highest vouchsafes to be the lowest Alexander a sonne of man would make himselfe the sonne of God Christ the Sonne of God makes himselfe the sonne of man God in whose presence is fullnesse of ioy becomes a man full of sorroâ—…es Eternall rest betakes himselfe to vnrest hauing whilst hee liued i passiue action and when hee dyed actiue passion The LORD ouer all things and Heire of the world vndertakes ignominie and pouertie Ignominie the King of glory is become the shame of men Pouertie Pauper in nativitate pauperior in vita pauperrimus in cruce Poore in his Birth for borne in another mans stable poore in his Life fed at another mans table poore in his Death buried in another mans sepulcher There are sayth Bernard some that are humbled but not humble others that are humble not humbled and a third sort that are both humbled and humble Pharaoh was humbled and cast downe but not humble smitten with subuersion not moued with submission Gothfrey of Boloigne was not humbled yet humble for in the very heate and height of his honour he refused to be crowned in Ierusalem with a Crowne of gold because Christ his master had bin in that place crowned with a crowne of thornes Others are both humbled and humble When he slew them they sought him they returned and enquired early after GOD. Our Sauiour Christ was Passiuely humbled hee was made lower then the Angels by suffering death the Lord did breake him Actiuely he humbled himselfe he made himselfe of no reputation and tooke vpon him the forme of a seruant he humbled himselfe Habitually hee was humbled Learne of me for I am meeke and lowly in heart Let this obseruation lesson vs two dueties 1. Esteeme wee not the worse but the better of Christ that hee made himselfe the Sonne of man Let him not lose any part of his honour because hee abased himselfe for vs. Hee that tooke our flesh is also over all GOD blessed for ever Amen There is more in him then humanitie not alia persona but alia natura not another person but another nature Though hee bee verus homo hee is not merus homo And euen that Man that was crucified on a crosse and layed in a graue is more high then the heauens more holy then the Angels Stephen saw this very Sonne of man standing on the right hand of God The bloud of this Sonne of man giues saluation and to whome it doth not this Sonne of man shall adiudge them to condemnation Vnder this name and forme of Humilitie our Sauiour apposed his Disciples Whome do men say that I the Sonne of Man am Peter answeres for himselfe and the Apostles whatsoeuer the people thought Thou art Christ the Sonne of the living God He cals himselfe the Sonne of man Peter cals him the Sonne of God The Iewes see him onely a stâ—…mbling blocke and the Greekes foolishnesse but Christians see him the Power of God and the Wisedome of God The wicked behold him without forme or comelynesse or beauty to desire him but the faithfull behold him crowned with a Crowne his face shining as the Sunne in his glory Therefore Quantò minorem se fecit in humilitate tantò maiorem exhibuit in bonitate Quanto pro me vilior tanto mihi charior The lower hee brought himselfe in humilitie the higher hee magnified his mercie By so much as hee was made the baser for vs by so much let him be the dearer to vs. Obserue it O man quia limus es non sis superbus quia Deo iunctus non sis ingratus because thou art dust of thy selfe be not proud because thou art made immortall by Christ be not vnthankefull Condemned world that despisest him appearing as a silly man The Iewes expected an externall pompe in the Messias Can hee not come downe from the Crosse how should this man saue vs They consider not that hee who wanted a Rest for his head Bread for his followers fed some thousands of them with a few loaues that hee which wanted a pillow giues rest to all beleeuing soules that hee could but would not come downe from the crosse that the deare price of their redemption might be payed Many still haue such Iewish hearts what beleeue on a crucified man But Paul determines to know nothing but this Iesus Christ and him crucified They can be content to dwell with him on mount Tabor but not to follow him to mount Caluary They cleaue to him so long as hee giues them bread but forsake him when himselfe cryes for drinke Oderunt pannos tuos O Christ they like well
occîdit peccatum he killed sinne In loue he seekes vs in wisedome he saues vs here was Amare sapere This sweet and comfortable note I must leaue to your meditations my speech must end his sauing though of his saluation there be no end Paruum est seruare bonos it is a small thing to saue those that are in no danger of spilling therefore lastly looke to the Obiect The lost There Ecce Potestatem behold his power He is that strongest man that vnbound vs from the fetters of sin and Sathan Fortissimus for caetera excellit caetera expellit he excels the rest he expels the rest He had need be powerfull that redeemes so weake man from the hands of so strong enemies Magnus venit medicus quia magnus iacebat aegrotus The whole world was sicke there had need be a great Physician for there was a great Patient Loe where wretchednes lies at the foot of Goodnesse ecce miserum ante misericordem What but infinite Miserie should be the fit obiect of infinite Mercie Here was then the purpose of Christs comming to seeke the lost to recall wanderers to heale the sicke to cleanse the Leprous to reuiue the dead to saue sinners He came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance He leaues the nintie nine in the Wildernesse to seeke the lost sheepe Whether it bee meant of the iust Angels in Heauen as Ambrose Chrysostome Hilary Euthymius thinke Or those that thought theÌ„selues iust as Bucer and Ludolphus the Scribes and Pharises that presumed they needed no repentance He embraceth Publicans and sinners that confesse themselues sicke and lacking a Physician sinfull wretches and needing a Sauiour Those worldlings in the Gospell haue better cheare at home what care they for Christs supper It is the dry ground that thinkes well of raine the hungry soule that is glad of sustenance The mercie of God falls most welcome on the broken spirit They that feele themselues miserable and that they stand in need of euery droppe of his sauing bloud to those it runnes fresh and sweet They that feele themselues lost are found They are least of all lost that thinke themselues most lost they are nearest to their health that are most sensible of their sicknesse These hee seekes these he saues to these Nascens se dedit in socium conâ—…escens in cibum moriens in pretium regnans in praemium In his birth he became their companion in his life their food in his death their redemption in his glory their Saluation Lost but where was man lost There are diuerse loosing places 1. A garden of delights and there the first man lost himselfe and all vs in a Garden therefore our Sauiour found vs againe We were Lost in a garden of rest we are found in a garden of trouble The serpent could neuer take the hare he was too light footed for him till hee found him sleeping in a garden of sweet flowers vnder which the serpent lay hidden Whilst man not onely surfeits on pleasures but sleepes in them Satan that old serpent wounds him to death 2. A wildernesse is a place able to loose vs and that 's this world a wide and wilde forrest many lost in it Wee read of a rich man Luk. 12. that lost himselfe in one corner of this wildernesse his very barnes strange to be lost in a barne And yet how many loose themselues in a lesse roome their Counting house The vsurer hath there lost his soule and no man can find it It is so long wrapped vp among his bonds till Satan take the forfeit The depopulator takes a larger field to loose his soule in and to make sure worke that grace may neuer find it he hedges and ditches it in 3. Another loosing place is a Labyrinth or Maze In the Orchard of this world the God of it hath made a Labyrinth which St. Iohn describes The lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life The entrance hereinto is easie as you haue seene in that Embleme of Suretiship the Horne a man goes gently in at the Butte end but comes hardly out at the Buckall the comming forth is difficult It is so full of crooked meanders windings and turnings out of one sinne into another from consent to delight from delight to custome from custome to impenitencie that in this Labyrinth men soone grow to a maze and know not how to be extricated Labyrinthus quasi labor intus the wicked wearie themselues in the wayes of destruction Lust of the flesh lust of the eyes pride of life Haec trâ—…a pro trino Numine mundus habet This is the trinitie the world worships Lust of the flesh The adulterer looseth himselfe in the forbidden bed Inter mammillas perditur he is lost betweene the brests of a Harlot He that seekes for him must as the Pursuivant for the Seminary not forbeare the Mistresses bed to find him Lust of the eyes Ahab casts a couetous eye at Naboths vineyard Dauid a lustfull eye at Bathsheba The eye is the pulse of the soule as Physicians iudge of the heart by the pulse so wee by the eye A rolling eye a rouing heart The good eye keepes minute-time and strikes when iâ—… should the lustfull crotchet-time and so puts all out of tune Pride hath lost as many as any her fellow Deuils They say shee was borne in heauen and being cast downe wandred vpon earth where a woman tooke her in and there shee hath dwelt euer since Indeed Esay 3. the shop of pride is the womans wardrobe in this wardrobe many soules both of women and men too are lost The common studie is new fashions but it is an ill fashion thus to loose the soule If we would get out of this maze we must as God warned the Wisemen depart another way Out of lust we must wind forth by Chastitie out of couetousnesse by Charitie out of Pride by Humilitie Penitence is the clew to guide vs forth howsoeuer wee came in we must goe out by Repentance 4. A fourth loosing place is the multitude of new and strange wayes wherein men wander as Saul after his Asses and are lost There is a way to Rome a way to Amsterdam a way to the sillinesse of ignorance a way to the fullennesse of arrogancie None of all these is the way to Sion In the multitude of wayes multitude of soules loose themselues 5. Lastly some are lost in the darke vault of ignorance applauding themselues in their blindnes and like Bats refusing the Sun-shine They haue an Altar but it is Ignoto Deo to an vnknowne God Like the Hoast of the King of Syria they are blind and lost betwixt Dothan and Samaria They may grope as the Sodomites for the dore of heauen but let not the Pope make them beleeue that they can find it blind-fold Ignorance is not Gods Starre-chamber of light but the Deuils vault of darkenes By that doctrine
shall manumit and set free our soules from the prison of the body there shal be a second meeting Many haue come from east from west farre remote in place and haue met with Abraham and Isaac and the holy Patriarches which liued long before them in this world in the kingdome of heauen So already in Mount Sion are the Spirits of iust men made perfect The purer part is then glorified and meets with the triumphant Church in blisse This meeting exceeds the former in comfort 1. In respect that our miseries are past our conflict is ended teares are wiped from our eyes The very release from calamitie is not a litle felicitie So Austin meditates of this place negatiuely Non est ibi mors non luctus c. There is no death nor dearth no pining nor repining no sorrow nor sadnes neither teares nor feares defect nor lothing No glory is had on earth without grudging emulation in this place there is no enuie Non erit aliqua inuidia disparis claritatis quum regnabit in omnibus vnitas charitatis None sâ—…all malice anothers glorious clearnesse when in all shall be one gratious dearenesse God shall then giue rest to our desires In our first meeting we haue Desiderium quietis in this second Quietem desiderij Here we haue a desire of rest there we shall haue rest of desire 2. In regard that we shall see God behold him whose glory filleth all in all This is great happinesse for in his presence is the fullnesse of ioy at his right hand are pleasures for euer We shall not only meete with the spirits of iust men made perfect but also with him that made them iust and perfect Iesus the mediatour of the new couenant euen God himselfe 3 Our last meeting which is called the Generall assembly and Church of the first borne written in heauen is the great meeting at the end of the world When our re-vnited bodies soules shall possesse perfect glory and raigne with our Sauiour for euer When as no mountayne or rocke shall shelter the wicked from doome terrour so no corruption detayne one bone or dust of vs from glory We shal be caught vp together in the cloudes to meet the Lord in the ayre and so shall we be euer with the Lord. Who We. There is a time when the elect shall meete in one vniuersalitie Though now weare scattered all ouer the broad face of the earth dispersed and distressed yet we shall meet There is now a Communion of Saints 1. As of all the members with the Head all haue interest in Christ. For he is not a garden flower priuate to few but the Rose of Sharon and the Lillie of the valleys common to the reach of all faythfull hands So Iude calls this our common saluation 2. So of one member with another euen of the Church triumphant with this militant They sing Hosanna's for vs we Halleluia's for them they pray to God for vs we prayse God for them For the excellent graces they had on earth and for their present glory in heauen We meete now in our affections to solace one another and serue our God there is a mutuall sympathie betweene the parts If one member suffer all suffer with it But this meeting shal be voyd of passion and therfore needlesse of compassion though loue shall remaine for euer This Instruction is full of comfort We part here with our parents children kinred friends death breakes off our societie yet there shall be a day of meeting Comfort one another with these wordes Hast thou lost a wife brother child you shall one day meete though not with a carnall distinction of sexe or corrupt relation which earth afforded No man carries earth to heauen with him the same body but transfigured purified glorified There shall be loue hereafter not the offals of it A wife shall be knowne not as a wife there is no marriage but the Lambes Thou shalt reioyce in thy glorified brother not as thy brother according to the flesh but as glorified It is enough that this meeting shall affoord more ioy then we haue knowledge to expresse This giues thee consolation dying with griefe thou leauest those thou dearely louest Yet first thou art going to one whose loue is greater then Ionathans that gaue his life to redeeme thee And well pondering the matter thou art content to forsake all to desire a dissolution that thou mayest be with Christ. Yet this is not all thou shalt againe meet those whom thou now departest from and that with greater ioy then thou hast left in present sorow This comforts vs all if it be a pleasure for friends to meet on earth where Satan is still scattering his troubles of dissention what is it to meete in heauen where our peace is free from distraction from destruction where if there be any memorie of past things meminisse iunabit it shall rather delight vs to thinke of the miseries gone and without feare of returning It is some delight to the merchant to sitte by a quiet fire and discourse the escaped perills of wrackes and stormes Remoue then your eyes from this earth whether you be rich for whom it is more hard or poore for whom it is easier and know it is better liuing in heauen together then on earth together So then run your race that in the end you may meet with this blessed societie the Congregation of Saints in glory We yea All we In this world we must neuer looke to see an vniuersall Church but at that generall day we shall All meete In heauen there are none but good in hell none but bad on earth both good and bad mingled together I confesse that the Church militant is the Suburbes of heauen yea called the Kingdome of heauen because the King of heauen gouernes it by his celestiall lawes but still it is but heauen vpon earth In Gods floore there is chaffe mixed with the wheat in his field cockle with corne in his net rubbish with fish in his house vessells of wrath with those of honour The Church is like the moone somtimes increasing somtimes decreasing but when it is at the full not without some spottes Now this mixture of the vngodly is suffred for two causes either that themselues may be conuerted or that others by them may be excercised Omnis malus aut ideo viuit vt corrigatur aut ideo vt per illum bonus excerceatur 1. For their owne emendation that they may be conuerted to embrace that good which they haue hated So Saul a persecutor becomes Paul a professor Mary Magdalen turpissima meretrix fit sanctissima mulier a putrified sinner a purified Saint Zacheus that had made many rich men poore will now make many poore men rich when he had payed euery man his owne and that now he iudged their owne which he had fraudulently got from them Behold halfe my goods