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
it and this is thâ—… time for it the next is of Iustice. The middle meale betweene both thâ—…se is our Dinner and that consists patiendo malum and faciendo bonum in doing good and suffering euill And on these two Courses my Text spâ—…nds it selfe First they that suffer according to the witt of God ther 's the Passion Secondly they may trust God with their soules in well doing ther 's the Action More particularly in the words wee may consider fiue Graduall Circumstances 1. The Sufferance of the Saints They that suffer 2. The Integritie of this Sufferance According to the will of God 3. The Comfort of this Integritie May commit their soules to God 4. The Boldnesse of this Comfort As vnto a faithfull Creator 5. The Caution of this Boldnesse In well doing 1. The Sufferance of the Saints They that suffer All men suffer Man is borne vnto trouble as the sparkes she vpward This life is well compared to a throng in a narrow passage hee that is first out finds ease he that is in the midst is in the worst place and case for he is hemm'd in with troubles the hind-most driues out both the former and if he haue not the greatest part in suffering euill lightly hee hath the greatest share in doing it Outward things happen alike to good and bad There is one euent to the cleane and to the vncleane to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not to him that sweareth and to him that feareth an oath They are both trauellers in the through-fare of this world both lodge in one Inne both haue the same prouision perhaps the wicked haue the better cheare but in the morning their wayes part There are common euils as there are common goods Pouertie sicknesse death spares not the greatest health wealth prosperitie is not denied to the meanest All haue three Mansâ—…ns 1. This earth there as in Noâ—…s Arke are the cleane and vncleane righteous and wicked promiscuously confused 2. The Graue this is a common house a very Pest-house where all lie together vnder the Surgerie of death It is a cheape and vniuersall house wee pay no rent for it 3. But after all are come to this place there is then a way of parting Est locus bis partes vbi se via findit in ambas Some goe to hell others to heauen They shall come forth they that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life and they that haue done euill vnto the resurrection of damnation Some to immortall honour others to immortall horrour God giues not all outward prosperitie to the wicked least they should ascribe it to their owne wittes or worths least they should sacrifice to their net and burne incense to their dragge Nor all affliction to the good least they should fall to some sinister and vnwarrantable courses The rod of the wicked shall not rest vppon the lot of the righteous least the righteous put forth their hands to iniquitie There is a mixture of good and euill prosperitie and aduersitie haue their vicissitudes Praesentis vita nec prosperitas innocentiam testatur nec acerbitas miseram animam indicat Neither doe the crosses of this world witnesse a mans guiltinesse nor the blessings of the world his innocence But the good haue a larger share in sufferings then the reprobates Impius non percutitur nisi a Domino not ab Iâ—…s None strikes the wicked but God but all the wicked strike and vexe vs. This world like the earth is a meere stepdame to good herbes an owne mother to weeds no maruell if shee starues vs all is too little for her owne children Omnes patiuntur plurimâ—… quidam patiuntur omnia All suffer many kinds of miseries many suffer all kinds of miseries Christiâ—… est 〈◊〉 it is the part of a Christian to suffeâ—… wheresoeuer he is let him expect it Adam was see vpon in Paradise Iob in the dunghill Iob fortior in stâ—…oore quà m Adam in Paradise Iob was more strong to resist temptations in the miserable dust then was Adâ—… in that glorious Garden The Iewes were commanded to eate fowre herbes with their sweete Passeouer bitternes euer treads on the heeles of pleasure Iacob hath a Sonne and looseth his Wife Beniamin is borne Rachel dies Our Lady comming from that great Feast lost her sonne Iesus three dayes Seauen dayes shee had eaten sweet bread here followed three dayes sowre bread for it Good things are to be taken with much thankfulnes euill with much patience Let this teach vs two duties First to prepare for euils before they come next to make them welcome when they are come So they shall neither meet vs with feare nor leaue vs with sorrow 1. Preparation to suffer is specially necessary Sudden crosses find weake soules secure leaue them miserable make them desperate Expectatum malum lâ—…uiùs mordet A looked for euill smarts more gently Repentina bona sunt suauiora sed repentina mala sunt grauiora Vnexpected ioyes are more gracious but vnexpected euils are more grieuous Mischiefes come most commonly without warning They doe not allow as Ionas did to Niniueh forty dayes respite not so much as an Hac noste this night which was allowed to the worldling This night shall they fetch away thy soule from thee Happy man that giues himselfe warning hee that conceites what may be armes himselfe against what must be Thou art in health eatest digestest sleepest Quid si morboso iaceant tua membra cubili What if sicknesse shall cast thee down on thy weary couch Though riches allow thee meate for thy stomach what if sicknes allow thee not stomach to thy meate How if the very smell if the very thought of thy best dishes should offend thee How if after many tossed sides and â—…fted places nullo poteris requâ—…escere lecto thou couldst find no corner to giue thee ease How couldst thou take this distemper Thou art rich thy throat tasts it thy belly feeles it thy backe weares it how if from no feare of want thou shouldst come to no want of feare to care for to morrowes prouision with extreame sweat of browes not to earne bread enough to keepe life and soule together nakednesse exposing thy body to the violences of heauen scorching heate of the Sunne cold stormes of the ayre How couldest thou brooke the difference Inter tantam refectionem talem defectionem betweene that abundant opulencie and this distitute penurie Thou art at home in peace singing in thy owne vineyards thou sittest in a shocke secure whilest thy reapers fell downe the humble corne at thy foote and fil thy barnes What if for religion thou shouldst be sent to exile where thou mayest weepe with Israel to thy deriding enemies demanding a Song of Sion How shall I sing the song of ioy in a strange land How canst thou digest the iniuries and brooke the contempt of strangers These be good thoughts to prearme our soules nothing
for this doth vexe and sting the most obstinate soule By this Cain was driuen to confesse the monstrousnesse of his sinne 3. The practice of naturall men euinceth it who by force of nature performed some things agreeable to equity The Gentiles hauing not the Law doe by nature the things contained in the Law The very Gentiles had many excellent politicke Lawes and positiue constitutions This seemes to cleare the meaning of Plato's two assertions Legem esse inuentionem veritatis that was the Law of Nature Legem esse imitationem veritatis such were the positiue decrees grounded vpon the other But what precepts doth this Law containe and what remnants of it doth man retaine The Law of nature commands man to liue religiously to God aboue him iustly to man with him soberly to things vnder him To deale iustly with men nature giues him two rules one affirmatiue What thou wouldest haue others to doe to thee so doe to them the other negatiue Quod â—…ibi fieri non vis alteri ne feceris Do not that to others which thou wouldst not haue them doe to thee Euen nature Instructs a man how to rule his affections So Tullie Animus imperat corpori vt Rex ciuibus ratio libidmi vt seruis dominus The minde gouernes the body as a King raignes ouer his subiects the reason lust as a master ouer his seruants Whence had hee this but from nature There is vis rationis orationis adorationis By the vertue of reason man loues man by the power of discourse man regards himselfe by the power of worship man respects God If wee should examine the particular commandements 1. They acknowledged one God Tâ—…lly protested that when he wrote seriously he mentioned but one God and he did but ludere play the Poet when he spake of more Moses called this God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Plato 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Numa Pompilius iudged it vnlawfull to ascribe any forme to God inuisible 3. They durst indeed play with their puppets imaginary gods Uenus and Cupid c. But for the Deity O may not the reuerence of his vnknowne name condemne vs They cry out Great is their Diana this vindicates them from vilipending the name If they had knowne a greater God they would haue giuen greater reuerence to his Name 4. Diuers of the Gentiles had their Sabbaoths mingled with strange superstitions but they were taught by nature to set apart some time for worship 5. They commanded and commended honour to Parents Solon ordaining no law for Parricides answered there were none so vnnaturall for to attempt it 6. That murder was held abominable appeares by their punishing it according to Gods Law with death 7. That Adultery was odious it is manifest by Pharaoh Why saidst thou She is my sister so I might haue taken her to me to wife By Abimelech to Abraham What haue I offended thee that thou hast brought on mee and my kingdome a great sinne By Abimelech to Isaac What is this thou hast done vnto vs one might haue lyen with thy Wife and thou shouldest haue brought guiltines vpon vs. 8. Theft some punished with death other with double restitution Cato being asked Quid foenerari what it was to practise vsury answered Quid hominem â—…ccidere the same that to kill a man 9. They so hated and auoided falshood and lying that they would not suffer a man to be witnesse against his enemy 10. They thought it vnlawfull to couet other mens goods One of them said Concupiscere alienâ—… sit à me alienatâ—… But now their naturall knowledge being so obscured shall yet the Law of nature condemn yes for the inuisible things of God might be vnderstood by the things that are made so that they are without excuse God could not bee apprehended by them any other way then by nature yet sinning against him they are without excuse Powre out thy fury vpon the heathen that know thee not and vpon the kingdomes that haue not called on thy name He shall come in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God By this shall many millions of men be condemned Inexcusabilis oft omnis peccator vel reatâ—… originis Originall guilt makes vs inexcusable without voluntary additament Ignorantia â—…ius qui â—…oluit intelligere est peccantis culpa Ignorantia eius qui noâ—… potuit intelligere est peccati pâ—…na In virisque non est iusta â—…xcusatio sed est iusta damâ—…atio His Ignorance that would not vnderstand is the wickednesse of sinne his ignorance that could not vnderstand is the punishment of sinne Doth not this latter excuse Yes a Tanto but not a Toto from so much guiltines but not from all guiltines Ignorance can be no plea for all are bound to know it serues not a malefactors turne to plead Ignorâ—…tiam iuris that hee knew not the Law of his Prince which he hath broken I know that simple nescience is minoris culpae but not nullae a lesse fault not no fault The knowing seruant disobedient shall haue many stripes the ignorant is not spared though lesse punished To the ignorant are two wants knowledge and a good will but hee that sinnes wittingly hath but one want onely a good will Hee that failes on knowledge hath voluntatem facti peccati a will both to the deed and to the sinne He that failes in ignorance hath onely voluntatem facti non peccati a will of the deed not of the sinne though the deed be a sinne Perer. Ignorantia duplex vna quae est causa culpae altera cuius causa culpa est There is an ignorance that is the cause of sinne and there is a sinne that is the cause of ignorance No ignorant hath his sinne mitigated but Is solùm qui non habuit vnde discere saith August He onely that had no meanes of learning For Christ is a iust Iudge and would not condemne without fault We haue all good meanes of knowledge GOD keepe vs from the condemnation of ignorance The next booke is the Law that others shall be iudged by this it is cleare without question As many as haue sinned in the Law shall be iudged by the Law The Iewes shall be thus iudged rather then the Gentiles who had not the Law written The Law of Moses did onely bind the Hebrewes the Prophets were not commanded to publish it to the Gentiles Paul calls the times before Christ the times of ignorance and the Gospell a mystery kept secret since the world began Now to obiect first that the Iewish Merchants taught other Nations the Law is vaine for they were generally more apt discere religionem alienam quà m docere suam to learne false religions then to teach the true And many of them did not euen by their owne types and sacrifices perfectly vnderstand the sacrifice of Christ. Then to say their bookes were manifest is false for the Iewes kept
serued well enough with looking on And their vtmost dutie but to bring their bodies a little further liuing then they shall be brought dead for then perhaps they shall come to the Church-yard now they will bring them to Church Deuotion and they are almost strangers and so much as they know of it they dishonour by their acquaintance Their burnt offerings are nothing else but a number of eyes at vtmost lift vp to heauen their heart hath another center They bring as many sinnes vvith them euery day to Church as they haue beene all their liues in committing Their hands are not washed from aspersions of lust and bloud their eyes are full of vvhoredome their lips of slander their affections of couetousnes their wits of cheating their soules of impiety If there were no Saints in the Church how could they hope the roofe would not fall on their guilty heads But I wil leaue them to the Lords reproofe Iere. 7. Will ye steale murther commit adultery and sweare falsely and come and stand before mee in this house staring mee in the face as if you were innocent Behold euen I haue seene it saith the Lord. 3. There is yet a last-sort that will come into Gods house and bring with them burnt offerings a shew of externall deuotion but they will not pay their Vowes Distresse vvarre captiuitie calamitie famine sicknes brings downe the most elate and lofty spirits It turnes the proud Gallants fether into a kerchefe pulls the wine from the lippes of the drunkard ties vp the tongue of the svvearer whom thunder could not adiure to silence makes the Adulterer lothe the place of his sinne the bed And though the Vsurer stuffe his pillow with nothing but his bonds and morgages softer and sweeter in his opinion then Downe or fethers yet his head vvill not leaue aking This misery doth so sting terrifie and put sense into the dead flesh of the nummed conscience that all worldly delights being found like plummeâ—…s of lead tied about a man while he is exposed in this Sea so farre from helping him to swimme that they sinke him rather the eye lookes about for another shore and finds none but God To this so long forgotten God the heart beginnes to addresse a messenger and that is Prayer God the vvicked see must be called on but they knowe not how They haue beene so meere strangers to him that they cannot tell how to salute him Like beggers that are blind they are forced to beg but they see not of whom Or if their eyes are so farre open Vident quasi è longinquo salutem sed interiacente pelago vident quò eundum non quà They see health a farre off as it were beyond the Sea they see whither they would goe but not which way If any inferior thing or created proppe could vphold them God should not be sollicited If friends wil if Physike will if money will if all the delicate obiects for any sense will ease or appease their griefe they will not seek to heauen Yea if Beelzebub the God of Ekron can cure them they will not trouble the GOD of Israel But all lower pleasures to one thus sick is but like a sweet harmonie of musike to a deafe man There is no hope of comfort but from aboue the clowds Health prosperity is but as a Coach to carry our desires to heauen but sicknes is the post-horse Onely this Sub poena can bring vs to put vp a supplication in the high Court of Requests and Mercie Now loe they pray they beseech they sigh they weepe they bleed and lastly they vow What vow they Either some new act to be done or some old act to be left vndone Now the drunkard vowes abstinence the lustfull vowes continence the swearer vowes to leaue his blasphemy the Incloser vowes to throwe open his taken in commons the proud vow to leaue their gawdy vanitie the vvorldling vowes to be charitable and to relieue the poore And perhaps at such a pinch or dead lift one Vsurer in a thousand yeeres may vow to forsake his vsury and to restore all that he hath so gotten Now they say Lord remoue from me this malady this extremity and I will hereafter serue thee better loue thee more belieue thy Gospell relieue thy poore giue something to an Hospitall or doe some such act as may testifie my thankfulnes Well God heares and grants health comes strength is recouered the danger is ouer they are well Now vbi vota Where be their vowes Alas we rise from our beds of sicknes and leaue our vowes behind vs. Aegrotus surgit sed pia vota iacent Physicians haue a rule among themselues concerning their Patients Take whiles they be in paine For whatsoeuer they promise sick when they are well they vvill not performe it So God had need to take what deuotion hee can get at our hands in our misery for when prosperitie returnes we forget our vowes You haue often heard that old verse Dâ—…mon languebat tunc monachus esse volebat Daemon connâ—…luit daemon vt ante suit And as wittily Englished The Diuell was sicke the diuell a Monke would be The Diuell was well the diuell of Monke was he The morall of it sutes full to our present purpose It is reported of Constantinople that a terrible Earthquake had ouer throwne many houses slaine much people Hereupon the remaining Inhabitants affrighted fel deuoutly to their prayers and vowes priuately in their chambers publikely in their Churches the poore were relieued iustice administred their liues much amended But afterwards when God held his hand they held their tongues hee forbore plaguing and they forbore praying the rod ceased and their pietie withall they forgot their vowes When the Lord hath striken vs by famine in withholding the raine froÌ„ vs or in powring down too much too fast vpon vs Or by a greeuous plague turning our popular streets into a Desart we straight growe penitent Zeale carries vp our cryes to heauen wee pray wee sigh we weepe Sorrow sits in our eyes deuotion on our lips God hath at that time more hearty prayers in an houre then ordinarily in a yeere But as the Poet spake Nocte pluit tota redeunt spectacula manè The Lord no sooner takes off the burden of misery but we also shake of the burden off pietie we forget our vowes O the mercy of God that such forgetfulnesse should possesse Christian hearts This was vnthankfull Israels fault Psalm 106. They soone forgot his workes they forgate yea soone they made haste to forget so the Originall is They made haste they forgate Like men that in sleep shake death by the hand but when they are awake will not know him It is storied of a rich Merchant that in a great storme at Sea vowed to Iupiter if he would saue him and his vessell to giue him a Hecatombe The storme ceaseth and he bethinkes himselfe that a Hecatombe was vnreasonable he resolues on seuen Oxen.
deale of righteousnesse Whosoeuer shall keepe the whole Law and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all Hee hath broken Tâ—…tam Legem though not Totum Legis I speake not heere of the absolutely dissolutely wicked whose life is like Elreds raign Praua in principio peior in medio pessima in vltimo bad in the beginning worse in the midst worst of all in the end But of those that haue some good measure of grace and stand in the state of adoption yet may admitte of Pauls prayer to be sanctified throughout And vpon good reason for there is an vniuersall corruption therfore should be an vniuersall sanctification That young man that professeth himselfe to haue kept the Commandements and Christ began to loue him yet there was a little leuen spoyled all Couetousnesse Vnum restat one thing was vvanting Sell that thou hast and giue to the poore No he was costiue and could not abide such a purge Herod though he heard many Sermons of Iohns preaching gladly and it is some good thing to heare Sermons with ioy yet the leuen of Herodias marred all Let him that is taught in the word communicate vnto him that teacheth him in all his goods This was the Apostles Canon an ordinance that will kill where it lights yet a world of arguments hath beene inuented to stoppe it vp We will giue of charity but any thing of duty yes of duty Well we will giue somewhat of duty but part of all yes part of all Put out this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and wee will compound with you though we take away a talent of your duties wee will returne a mite of beneuolence I will tell you a tale a Seignior came with his seruant to one of our Ladies Images no matter which for they doe not scant her of number hee threw in an angell of gold the humble picture in gratitude made a curtsie to him The seruant obseruing and wondring at her Ladiships plausible carriage purposed with himselfe to giue somewhat too that he might haue a curtsie So hee puts into the basen sixe pence and withall takes out his masters angell the Image makes curtsie and seemes to thanke him still It is common with this City to take away the Cleargies angell and to lay downe sixe pence in the stead yet looke they for curtsie too but I thinke no honest man will giue them thankes This little leauen vndoes all goodnesse You shall walke in all the wayes which the Lord your God commands you All put out in omnibus in All and wee vvill say something to it But as Deus remittit omnia peccata aut nulla God forgiues all sinnes or none so we must faithfully resolue against all sinnes or we repent of none As is Gods remission such must be our contrition Euery man is an Adam a good conscience his Paradise lust the forbidden fruit one lust is able to turne him out of all his comforts Hast thou kept thy hands from iniury yet if thy tongue haue offended thou shalt bee iudged of thy idle words Suppose thou hast preserued Castitatem linguae sobriety of speech yet if any man offend not in word the same is a perfect man but thy thoughts haue welcommed a pleasing lust those thoughts haue leuend thy soule For God will not onely bring euery worke into iudgement but euery secret thought whether it be good or euill Men haue brought that opinion into a prouerbe Thought is free no thy Thought is Gods bond-slaue As thou canst not thinke a good thought but by his suggestion so nor an euill thought but by his permission If but thy thought harbour this leuen the whole lumpe is sowred Actions men see thy thoughts onely God and thy selfe Ille liber inter accusatores quem propria non accusat conscientia That man needes feare no accusers that is freed from the condemnation of his owne conscience There are sixe motiues that inferre and inforce a caution of little sinnes Little sinnes are dangerous because they are Mortalia they are deadly Plurima they are numerous Insensibilia not easily felt Materialia maximoruÌ„ they are the materials or seeds of grosse sins Maximas inficiunt virtutes they leuen the best vertues Facilius perdunt they more cunningly destroy the soule 1. Minima mortalia euen the least offence is mortall in it owne nature culpable of transgression and liable to malediction The wages of sinne is death It was a strange glosse of Haymo vpon that Text Hoc non de omnibus peccatis intelligendum est sed de criminalibus This is not meant of all sinnes but onely of such as are criminall such saith he as S. Iohn speakes of There is a sinne vnto death I say not that thou shouldst pray for it So S. Pauls indefinite speech of all sinnes he restraines to S. Iohns particular sense of one sinne that sinne which shall neuer be forgiuen against the Holy Ghost For otherwise if St. Iohn should intend it of all criminall sins then it would follow that we should not pray for heretikes adulterers homicides which were directly crosse to the rule of charitie Certainly Paul in that generall rule admitted of no exception it is an Aphorisme wherein no sober iudgement can find distinction The Apostle thought of no veniall when he called all mortall The wages of sinne not of this or that sinne as sacriledge robbery blasphemy c. but of sinne any sinne euery sinne though men deeme it triuiall they shall find it mortall is death I know there is a iust distinction of sinnes of greater lesse Puritie and equality of all transgressions is an idle dreame It was a worse murder to kill Zachariah at the Altar then Uriah in the field To steale Sacra de Sacro holy things out of a holy place is worse theft then to steale profana de profano common things out of a profane place The difference of the punishments manifests a difference of the sinnes As in heauen one starre excells another starre in glory so in hell one firebrand exceeds another in burning though all feele the fire hote enough Christ tells the Pharises that they make their Proselite two-fold more the child of hell then themselues Tolerabilius erit Sodomae It shall be more tolerable for Sodom in the day of Iudgement then for Capernaum and yet the Sodomites were then in hell They that deuoure widowes houses vnder the colour of long prayers shall receiue greater damnation As they haue been more wicked they shall be more wretched This distinction of sinnes vvee take vp and iustifie yea we dare goe further and say there are some sinnes mortall and some veniall but not in their owne nature The difference is not ratione Peccatorum sed Peccantium not in respect of the sinnes but of the Sinners To the faithfull and penitent all sinnes are veniall to the vnbeleeuers and impenitent all sinnes are mortall It is misericordia
reason of a man and Religion of a Christian keepe it from eruption Thou art resolued neuer to thinke highly of thine owne worth yet thou hast the seed of pride within thee thou art naturally as Luther said borne with a Pope in thy belly there 's the materiall to be too well affected to thy owne doings It is impossible thou thinkst for thee to be made an vsurer now thou hast no money yet thou hast the seede of vsury within thee and Crescit amor nummi quantum ipsa pecunia crescit all the sons of Adam loue earth too well Who shall euer perswade thee to bow downe before an Idoll yet a dainty feast perswades thee to worship thine owne belly this is no Idolatry It was but a little Cloud that Eliahs seruant saw rising out of the sea like a mans hand yet it portended a great showre Sin seemes at first like a little cloud but it prognosticates a deluge of ensuing wickednes The carelesse Gallant by many trifles often fetch'd runs so far in the Mercers bookes vnawares that he cannot endure to heare of a reckoning These little arrerages taken vp on trust runs our soules so deepe into Gods debt that if the bloud of Christ doe not pay it though we be sold wife and children and all we possesse non habenius vnde we can neuer discharge it 5. Minima peccata maximas in ficiunt virtutes a little sinne infects a great deale of righteousnesse The Leprosie infected the garments and the very walls of the house but Sinne hath infected wood and wooll and wals earth ayre beasts plants planets and stucke a scarre on the chrystall brow of nature it selfe For wee know that the whole creation groneth and trauelleth in paine together vntill now If the great world grone for mans sinne shall not the little world man grone for his owne sinne Send a little temptation in at the eare or eye it will not rest working till it runne like poyson to the heart Dauid let in a little leuen at his eye it quickly wrought to his heart gangrened to adultery to bloud hardly cured A little Coliquintida spoyles all the broth a spotte in the face blemisheth all the beauty Naaman the Syrian is plentifully commended He was captaine of the host a great man with his master and honorable because the Lord by him had giuen deliuerance to Syria he was also a mighty man of valour but he was a Leper This same But marres all But he was a Leper So in the soule one vice disgraceth a great deale of vertue When hee was cured and conuerted by Elisha first he 's charitable offers gold garments but he excepts bowing in the house of Rimmon he is deuout and begs earth for sacrifice but excepts Rimmon he is religious and promiseth to offer to none but the Lord but he excepts Rimmon This little leuen this But Rimmon sowred all Dead flies cause the oyntment of the Apothecary to send forth a stinking sauour The Apothecaries vnction is a thing praised in the Scriptures compounded of many excellent simples made not so much for medicine as for Odour yet the flies of death putrifie it So doth a little folly him that is in reputation for Wisedome and Honor. When one commended Alexander for his noble acts and famous atchieuements another obiected against him that he killed Calisthenes He was valiant and successefull in the warres true but he kill'd Calisthenes Hee ouercame the great Darius so but he kill'd Calisthenes Hee made himselfe master of the world grant it but still hee killed Calisthenes His meaning was that this one vniust fact poysoned all his valorous deeds Beware of sinne which may thus leuen the whole lumpe of our soule Indeed we must all sinne and euery sinne sowres but to the faithfull and repentant Christian it shall not be damnable There is no damnation to them that are in Iesus Christ. There is in al corruption to most affliction to none damnation that are in Christ. Our leuen hath sowred vs but we are made sweet againe by the all-perfuming bloud of our blessed Sauiour 6. Minima peccata facilius destruunt the least sins are the most fatall to mens destruction Anima est tota in toto so that if the toe akes the head feeles the eye le ts fall a teare the very heart mournes So let but the eye lust the soule is in danger to be lost Mors per fenestras faith the Prophet Death comes in at the windowes then enters into the Palaces to cut off the children without and the young men 〈◊〉 the streets Is it but an vncleane thought Mors in illâ as the children of the Prophets cryed Mors in ollâ there is death in it and for it A dramme of poyson diffuseth it selfe to all parts till it strangle the vitall spirits and turne out the soule from her Tenement How great a matter a little fire kindleth It is all one whether a man bee killed with the pricke of a little thorne or with the he wing of a broad sword so he bee killed Wee haue seene a whole arme impostumated with a little pricke in the finger if Satan can but wound our heele as the Poets faigne of Achilles he vvill make shift to kill vs there euen from the heele to send death to the heart Therefore Christ cals Hatred murder a wanton eye adultery besides the possibility of act they are the same in the intention of heart The hornet is a little flye yet it stings deadly I know that heauier sinnes shall haue a heauier waight of punishment yet is the least heauy enough to sinke the soule to the bottomlesse pitte Greater fury of iniquity shall haue the hotter fire but O let vs neuer feele the heat of one A little leake sinkes a great vessell Pope Marcelline being accused for Idolatry answered for himselfe I did but cast a few graines of Incense into the fire that was little or nothing Yes it was manifest offering to Idols is that nothing Christ would not obey Satan in his minimis hee would not answer his desire in the smallest sute he could request of turning stones into bread euen vvhiles hee was so hungry as forty daies fasting could make him Teaohing vs to deny Satan in his best motions lest custome of hauing them granted make him so impudent as to take no repulse in his greatest temptations This is the Deuils method of working as it is in the first Psalme Blessed is the man that hath not walked c. First he gets a man to walke a turne or two with him in sinne as it were to conferre and debate the matter After some walking lest he should be weary he preuailes with him to stand in the way of sinners after admission of the thought to commission of the act Lastly hee perswades him for his ease to fit downe in the seate of the scornefull falling to despise God and deride all goodnesse Thus hee brings
him from walking to standing from standing to sitting stil and this is limen inferni the very threshold of hell Wee iudge of sinne as of the Sunne little because far off yet indeed it is bigger then the earth The neerer wee come to the sense of iniquity the greater it appeares Was it such a sinne for Adam to eate a forbidden Apple Yes the greatnes is remonstrable in the euent it brought destruction vpon himselfe and his posterity Is it such a haynous offence for Dauid to know the number of his people Doe not Princes make good their Muster-books by such a Quare and numeration The plague witnessed the greatnesse of it and himselfe cryes Peccaui I haue done wickedly Looke on the least sin in Satans false glasse and it seemes contemptible behold it in the true glasse of Gods Law and it appeares abhominable The Deuill stands betwixt wicked men and their sinnes all their life but placeth their sinnes betwixt heauen and themselues in death writes them in Text letters on the Curtaines that their amazed soules cannot chuse but read them Thus he that led them liuing by sin to presumption now driues them dying by sinne to desperation Satan seemes modest and will bee contented vvith a little when hee can get no more he will play at small game before he sit out Wilt thou not cut throats yet quarrell and appoint fields not so yet hate thine enemies not professe hatred yet watch occasions to hinder his good if thou wilt not iniure his estate yet at least scandalize his good name He will take little rather then nothing The Israelites in the Desart had no rich and costly sacrifices to offer to Baal Peor They had not such store of beasts but the oblations to God tooke them vp I cannot see what they should haue fit for this sacrifice to Baal except Manna and water too good for the Deuill but hee â—…s content with this Yet it is euident that they committed Idolatry Neyther be yee Idolaters as were some of them as it is written The people sate downe to eate and drinke and rose vp to play Rather then want their custome Satan will take such as they had Will Naaman worship God yet let him worship Rimmon too no hee will not doe so yet let him bow to Rimmon no nor so much yet let him bow before Rimmon the Deuill is glad of this where he can get no more Thus Pharaoh minceth and limits with Moses concerning the dismission of Israel Gods charge was Let my people goe three daies iourney in the wildernesse to celebrate a feast to the Lord. Now marke how Pharaoh would compound it First Sacrifice to God in this land no saith Moses wee must goe into the wildernesse Then saith Pharaoh If there be no remedy Goe and goe to the wildernesse and sacrifice to your God but goe not farre nay wee must goe three dayes iourney Then Pharaoh Goe ye the men but leaue your children behinde you nay we must goe old and young sons and daughters Then Pharaoh Goe ye men women and children so farre as your feet can measure in three dayes but your flocks and your heards shall be stayd nay we will not leaue a hoofe behinde vs. So when the Deuill perceiues no remedy hee falls to indenting with niggardly grants and allowances Somwhat hath some sauor giue him at least a thought a word a looke as Lots wife and it something pleaseth him Among the Heathen they vsed to ioyne together Epula and Sacrificia with solemne sacrifices to their gods solemne bankets among themselues So the Apostle deliuers the custome of the Moabites 1. Cor. 10. 7. In the midst of their Idolatry they sate downe to eate drinke So the Psalmist writes of that cursed commixtion of Israel with Moab that they had Idolatrous feasts They ioyned themselues to Baal-Peor and did eate the sacrifices of the dead One nation had a custome in these superstious feasts to sacrifice to their Idol Capita some Noble mens heads according as it fell to their lots together with their hearts and their liuers It came to the turne of the Kings speciall fauourite thus to lose his life the King resoluing both to keep the custome yet to saue his friend obiected that God was no murderer nor delighted in the bloud of men That if he were a God he was certainely good and goodnesse stood not in the desire of his owne creatures destruction Therefore in stead of the mans head he offered the head of an onyon and for bloud heart and liuers of men all these of birds or beasts The Deuill must be pleased with this hee saw that this little homage was some acknowledgement of his soueraignty Satan can hold a mans soule in by a little as a bird that hangs in the net by a claw Perhaps shame feare keepes some from eruption into scandalous things the appearance is vizarded the affection is not mortified Like an Eunuch he doth not beget palpable grosse turpitudes yet hath a lust itch and concupiscence this little serues the Deuils turne Satan would keepe away the light of the Truth from a man well he is so seated that hee will haue it by knowledge he seemes to cast out Satan Yet if he can but insinuate into his affection this little cord will pull him in againe with ease Must he lose the Sconce of thy vnderstanding Let him hold the Cittadell of thy desires this little gate will let him in at his pleasure I draw to conclusion let this teach vs all to make a scrutiny in our soules and seriously to repent of this little leuen Little in quantity great in quality little in estimation powerfull in operation Little in the sight of men iudging by outward appearance great in the sight of God iudging in truth Lot said of the City of Zoar Is it not a little one and my soule shall liue thou sayest of thy sinne Is it not a little one and why should my soule die A little Posterne opened may betray the greatest City Ionathan tasted but a little honey on the top of his wand and hardly he escaped death for it A little leauen makes the head heauy and the heart sicke Eschevv this little if thou wouldst be great in heauen For whosoeuer shall breake one of these least Commandements hee shall bee called least in the kingdome of heauen Minimus that is indeed Nullus the least there because he shall not be there at all Let no tang of corruption come to thy least part if thou desirest to preserue body and soule blamelesse to the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ. Repentance must be to all dead workes sanctification takes liberty in no sinne Nullum peccatum retinendum spe remissionis No euill must be reserued vnder the hope of forgiuenesse God gaue a Law but no dispensation for any breach of it his Generall rules haue no exceptions vnlesse it please the Diuine Oracle
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
how wise a king hath read his destinie Pride will haue a fall 2. The next is Prodigalitie and because hee takes himselfe for the true Charitie hee must be second at least This is a young Gallant and the horse he rides on is Luxurie Hee goes a thundring pace that you would not think it possible to ouertake him but before he is got a quarter of the way hee is spent all spent ready to begge of those that begd of him 3. Enuie will be next a leane meager thing full of malicious mettle but hath almost no flesh The horse he rides on is Malcontent He would in his iourney first cut some thousand throates or powder a whole kingdome blow vp a State and then set on to heauen But the hangman sets vp a Galowse in his way wherat he runs full butt and breakes his necke 4. Then comes sneaking out Coâ—…eteousnes a hunger-staru'd vsurer that sells wheat and eates beanes many men are in his debt and he is most in his owne debt for he neuer payd his belly and backe a quarter of their dues He rides on a thinne hobbling Iade called vnconscionablenes which for want of a worse stable hee lodgeth in his owne heart He promiseth his soule to bring her to heauen but tarrying to enlarge his barnes he lost opportunitie and the prize of saluation and so fell two bowes short Fayth and Repentance 5. Lust hath gotten on Loues cloke and will venture to runne A leprous wretch and riding on a trotting beast a hee-goate was almost shaken to pieces Diseases doe so crampe him that hee is faine to sit downe with Vae misero and without the helpe of a good Doctor or a Surgion he is like neuer to see a comfortable end of his iourney 6. Hypocrisie is glad that he is next to Charitie and presumes that they two are brother and sister Hee is hors'd on a halting hackney for he does but borrow him called Dissimulation As he goes hee is offring euerie man his hand but it is still emptie Hee leanes on Charities shoulder and protests great loue to her but when shee tryes him to borrow a little money of him for some mercifull purpose he pleads he hath not enough to serue him to his iourneys end He goes forward like an Angell but his trusted horse throws him and discouers him a Deuill 7 The last named but first and onely that comes to the prize at the goales end is Charitie She is an humble vertue not mounted as the other racers but goes on foote She spares from her owne belly to relieue those poore Pilgrims that trauell with her to Heauen She hath two Virgins that beare her companie Innocence and Patience She does no hurt to others shee suffers much of others yet was shee neuer heard to curse Her language is blessing and shee shall for euer inherite it Three celestiall Graces Glory Immortalitie and Eternitie hold out a Crowne to her And when Faith and Hope haue lifted her vp to heauen they take their leaues of her and the bosome of euerlasting Mercie receiues her A CRVCIFIXE OR A Sermon vpon the Passion EPHES. 5. 2. He hath giuen himselfe for vs an offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet swelling sauour THis latter part of the verse is a faire and liuely Crucifixe cut by the hand of a most exquisite caruer not to amaze our corporall lights with a peece of wood brasse or stone curiously engrauen to the encrease of a carnall deuotion But to present to the eye of the conscience the grieuous Passion and gracious compassion of our Sauiour Iesus Christ Who gaue himselfe for vs c. This Crucifixe presents to our eye seauen considerable Circumstances Who Christ. What Gaue. Whom Himselfe To whom To God For whom For vs. After what manner An offering Sacrifice Of what effect Of a sweet sauour The poynts you see lie as readie for our discourse as the way did from Bethanie to Ierusalem onely fayle not my speech nor your attention till we come to the Iourneys end Who. The Person that giues is Christ the qualitie of his person doth highly commend his exeeding loue to vs. We will ascend to this consideration by 4. staires or degrees and descend by 4. other Both in going vp and comming downe we shall perceiue the admirable loue of the giuer Ascendently 1. We will consider him Hominem a man Behold the man saith Pilate We may tarry and wonder at his lowest degree that a man should giue himselfe for man For scarcely for a righteous man will one die But this man gaue himselfe for vnrighteous man to die not an ordinary but a greevous death exposing himselfe to the wrath of God to the tyrranie of men and Devils It would pittie our hearts to see a poore dumbe beast so terrified how much more Hominem a man the Image of God! 2 The second degree giues him hominem innocentem an Innocent man Pilate could say I haue found no fault in this man No nor yet Herod No nor the Devill who would haue beene right glad of such an advantage So Pilates Wife sent her husband word Haue thou nothing to do with that iust man So the Person is not onely a man but a iust man that gaue himselfe to endure such horrors for vs. If wee pittie the death of malefactors how should our compassion be to one Innocent 3. In the third degree he is not onely Homo a man and Iustus homo a good man but also Magnus homo a great man royally descended from the auntient Patriarches and Kinges of Iudah Pilate had so written his Title and he would answere not alter it Quod scripsi scripsi And what was that Iesus of Nazereth the King of the Iewes Now as is the Person so is the Passion the more noble the giuer the more excellent the gift That so high a King would suffer such contempt and obloquie to be cast vpon him when the least part of his disgrace had beene too much for a man of meane condition That a Man a Good man a Great man bore such calumnie such calamitie for our sakes here was an vnmatchable an vnspeakable loue 4. This is enough but this is not all there is yet a higher degree in this Ascent we are not come to our full Quantus It is this he was Plus quam homo more then man not onely maximus hominum but mator hominibus the greatest of men yea greater then all men Not mere filius hominis but verè filius Dei he was more then the Sonne of man euen the Sonne of God As the Centurion acknowledged Truely this man was the Sonne of God Here be all the foure staires vpwardes a Man a Harmeles man a Princely man and yet more then man euen God himselfe Salomon was a great king but here is a Greater then Salomon Salomon was Christus Domini but here is Christus Dominus he was the annointed of the Lord but this
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
for the most part inseparable companions Eccle. 6. God giues to a man Riches and Honour First Riches and then Honour for it is lightly found so much Riches so much Honour and reputation is measured by the Acre I haue wealth enough saith the worldling Luke 12. I will turne Gentleman take my ease eate drinke and be merry Riches are the staires whereby men climbe vp into the height of dignitie the fortification that defends it the food it liues vppon the oyle that keeps the lampe of Honour from going out Honour is a bare robe if Riches doe not lace and flourish it and Riches a dull Lumpe till Honour giue a Soule to quicken it Fiftly then Honour and Riches Wealth and Worship doe beare one another companie 4. Lastly obserue that though riches and honour be Gods gifts yet they are but the gifts of his left hand therefore it necessarily followes that euery wise man will first seeke the blessings of the Right First seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnes and these things shall be added to you Godlinesse is the best Riches Riches the worst let vs striue for the former without condition for the other if they fall in our way let vs stoope to take them vp if not let vs neuer couet them It is no Wisedome to refuse Gods kindnesse that offers wealth nor pietie to scratch for it when God withholds it When the Lord hath set thee vp as high as Haman in the Court of Ahasuerus or promoted thee to ride with Ioseph in the second Chariot of Egypt were thy stocke of Cattell exceeding Iobs seauen thousand sheepe three thousand Camels fiue hundred yoke of Oxen did thy Wardrobe put downe Salomons and thy cup-bord of plate Belshazzars when the vessels of Gods temple were the ornature Yet all these are but the gifts of Wisedomes left hand and the possessors may be vnder the malediction of God and goe downe to damnation If it were true that sanctior qui ditior that goods could make a man good I would not blame mens kissing the left hand and sucking out Riches and Honour But alas what antidote against the terrour of conscience can bee chym'd from gold What charme is there in braue apparell to keepe off the rigour of Sathan Quod tibi praestat opes non tibi praestat opem That which makes thee wealthy cannot make thee happie Ionas had a Gourd that was to him an Arbour he sate vnder it secure but suddenly there was a worme that bitte it and it dyed Compare secretly in your hearts your riches to that Gourd your pleasure to the greenesse of it your pompe attendance vanities to the leaues of it your suddaine encrease of wealth to the growing and shooting vp of it But withall forget not the Worme and the Wind the Worme that shall kill your roote is Death and the Wind that shall blow vpon you is calamitie There is a greater defect in this wealth and worshippe then their vncertaintie Non mâ—…do fallacia quia dubia verùm insidiosa quia dulcia They are not onely deceitfull through their ticklenesse but dangerous through their lushoâ—…snesse Men are apt to surfeit on this luxurient abundance it is a baâ—…e to securitie a baud to wantonnes Here is the maine difference betweene the gifts of Gods right hand and of his left He giues reall blessings with the left but he doth not settle them vpon vs he promiseth 〈◊〉 perpetuitie but with the graces of his right he giues assurance of euerlastingnes Christ calles Riches the riches of deceitfulnesse but grace the better part that shall neuer be taken away Dauid compares the wealthy to a flourishing tree that is soone withered but Faith stablisheth a man like Mount Sion neuer to be remoued He that thinkes hee sittes surest in his seate of Riches let him take heed least he fall When a great man boasted of his abundance sayth Paulus Emilius one of his friends told him that the anger of God could not long forbeare so great prosperitie How many rich Marchants haue suddenly lost all How many Noblemen sold all How many wealthy heires spent all Few Sundayes passe ouer our heads without Collections for Ship-wrackes fires and other casualties Demonstratiue proofes that prosperitie is inconstant riches casuall And for honour wee read that Belâ—…sarius an honourable Peere of the Empire was forced in his old age to beg from dore to dore obulum date Bel sario Fredericke a great Emperour was so low brought that he sâ—…ed to be made but the Sexton of a Church O then let vs not adhere to these left hand blessings but first seeke length of dayes eternall ioyes neuer to be lost A man may enioy the other without fault the sinne consisteth praeferendo vel conferendo either in preferring Riches or in comparing them with faith and a good conscience Vtere caducis fruere aeternis Thou must necessarily vse these transient things onely enioy and rest vppon the euerlasting comforts of Iesus Christ. When God hath assured to a Christian spirit the inheritance of Heauen he ioyfully pilgrims it through this world if wealth and worship salute him by the way he refuseth not their companie but they shall not stray him out of his path nor transport his affections for his heart is where his hope is his loue is where his Lord is euen with Iesus his Redeemer at the right hand of God Now this mans very Riches are blessed to him for as from the hand of God hee hath them so from the hand of God hee hath to enioy good in them Whereas to some sayth Salomon I haue seene Riches kept for the ownâ—…s thereof to their hurt to this man they shall worke to the best blessing his condition in this life and enlarging his dition in heauen as the wise man sweetly The blessing of the Lord it maketh rich and hee addeth no sorrow with it Thus in particular if we conferre the right hand with the left we shall generally learne 1. That both Gods hands are giuing it is enough if man giue with one hand but the Lord settes both his handes a doling his Almes of mercie Nemo tuarum vnam vincet vtraque manu No man can doe so much with both handes as GOD with one hand with one finger Hee hath Manum plenam extensam expansam hand full not emptie so full that it can neuer be emptied with giuing Innumerable are the drops in the sea yet if one be taken out it hath though insensibly so much the lesse but Gods goodnesse can suffer no diminution for it is infinite Men are sparing in their bountie because the more they giue the lesse they haue but Gods hand is euer full though it euer disperse and the filling of many cisternes is no abatement to his euer running fountaine Our prayers therfore are well directed thether for blessings whence though we receiue neuer so much wee leaue no lesse behind Let this
thy robes of glory but not thy rags of pouertie They loue him whiles the people cry Hosanna but shrinke backe when they cry Crucifie him All pleaseth them but the Crosse all the faire way of delights they will accompany him but at the Crosse they part They would share with him in his kingdome but they will none of his vassalage The Lyon in a Fable had many attendants and he prouided for them good cheare They like well of this and are proud of their master to whom all the other beastes gaue awe and obedience But it chanced that the Lyon fell into the daunger of the Dragon who had got him downe readie to deuoure him His followers seeing this quickly betake them to their heeles and fell euery beast to his old trade of rapine Onely the poore Lambe stood bleating by and though hee coulde not helpe would not forsake his Lord At last the Lyon gets the victory and treads the Dragon vnder his feet to death Then he punisheth those revolting traytors with deserued destruction and sets the Lambe by his owne side The great Lyon of Iudah feeds many of the Iewes and at this day profane wretches whilest his bountie lasts Christ and none but Christ. But when the Red Dragon hath got him vnder nailed him to the crosse Crucified him dead away goe these runnagates no more peny no more Paternoster If affliction come for Christ his cause they know where to find a kinder Master Backe to the world one to his fraud and hee will ouer-reach others with the sinne of deceitfulnesse though himselfe be ouer-reached with the deceitfulnesse of sinne Another to his vsurie and hee chymically proiects money out of the poores bowels A third to his couetousnesse and hee had rather that the very frame of the world should fall then the price of corne A fourth to his Idols and hee hopes for cakes from the Queene of heauen as if the King of heauen was not able to giue bread If the Lord pinch them with distresse they runne to Rome for succour expecting that from a blocke which they would not tarry to obtaine from the God of mercie Then they cry like the Israelites Vp make vs gods to goe before vs for as for this Moses wee know not what is become of him But at last this Lyon conquers the Dragon ouercomes Sathan his damnation what shall he then say to those Rebelles that would not haue him raigne ouer them But Bring those mine enemies and slay them before me But the poore and pure innocent Lambs that suffer with him shall raigne with him Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the kingdome of heauen 〈◊〉 The other vse is St. Pauls Let the same minde be in you which was in Christ Iesus What mind is that Humilitie Ver. 7. He that thought it no robberie to bee equall with God humbled himselfe to become Man we should haue found it no robberie to be equall with Deuils and shall we be proud What an intolerable disproportion is this to behold Humilem Deum superbum hominem an humble God and a proud man Who can indure to see a Prince on foot his vassall mounted Shall the Sonne of God be thus humble for vs shall not we be humble for our selues For our selues I say that deserue to be cast downe among the lowest for our selues that we may be exalted He that here cals himselfe the Sonne of man is now glorified they that humbly acknowledge themselues to be the Sonnes of men that is mortall shal be made the Sonnes of God that is immortall In the first of King 19. There was a mightie strong winde that rent the mountaines and brake the rockes but God was not in the Wind the Lord will not rest in the turbulent spirit puffed vp with the wind of vaine-glory There was an earth-quake but God was not in the earth-quake He will not dwell in a couetous heart buryed in the furrowes of the earth and cares of the world There was a Fire but the Lord was not in the fire Hee will not rest in a cholericke angry soule full of combustion and furious heate There was a still soft voyce and the Lord came with it In a milde and humble spirit the God of heauen and earth will dwell The high and loftie One that inhabiteth eternitie will dwell in the contrite and humble soule It is a sweet mixture of Greatnesse and Goodnesse Vt dum nihil in honore sublimius nihil in humilitate submissius When the highest in dignitie are the lowest in courtesie Augustine called himselfe Minimum non solùm omnium Apostolorum sed etiam Episcoporum the least not onely of all the Apostles but of all the Bishops wheras he was the most illuminate doctor and best Bishop of his times Paul thought himselfe not worthy to be called an Apostle and behold he is called The Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not Paul but The Apostle Abraham that esteemed himselfe dust and ashes is honoured to bee the Father of all them that beleeue Dauid sits content at his sheepe-folds the Lord makes him King ouer his Israell But as Humilitie like the Bee gathers Honey out of ranke Weeds very sinnes mouing to repentance So Pride like the Spider suckes poyson out of the fairest flowers the best graces and is corrupted with insolence Vna superbia destruit omnia Onely Pride ouerthrowes all It thrust proud Nabuchadnezzar out of mens societie proud Saul out of his kingdome proud Adam out of Paradise proud Haman out of the Court proud Lucifer out of heauen Pride had her beginning among the Angels that fell her continuance in earth her end in hell Poore man how ill it becomes thee to be proud when God himselfe is humble Is come We vnderstand the person let vs come to his Comming And herein Ecce veritatem behold his Truth Did God promise a Sonne of a virgin Emanuell a Sauiour He is as good as his word Venit he is come Did the sacrificed bloud of so many Buls Goates and Lambes prefigure the expiatory bloud of the Lambe of God to be shed Ecce agnus Dei Behold that Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Is the Seed of the woman promised to breake the head of the serpent Behold he breakes the heauens and comes downe to doe it For this purpose the Sonne of God was manifested that he might destroy the workes of the Deuill Did God ingage his word for a Redeemer to purge our sinnes Call his name Iesus for he shall saue his people from their sinnes Against vnbeleeuing Atheists and mis-beleeuing Iewes here is sufficient conviction But I speake to Christians that beleeue he is come Hac fide credite venturum esse qua creditis venisse Beleeue that he will come againe with the same faith wherewith you beleeue he is come alreadie Doe not curtall Gods
man should dye by the corruption of the aire from the cocatrice then the cocatrice by the resultance of it owne similitude from the glasse As the harlot will sooner peruert a man then he shall conuert the harlot Indeed they say if they first see vs they kill vs if we first see them they die So if we first see the damnation of a Courtezan we saue our selues if they first see wound vs we dye of it 6. There 's the Catterpillar you all know this to be the Couetous I confesse that other Serpents are also fit emblemes of the couetous as the Toad that eats sparingly of the very earth for feare it should be all wasted no food left for her The Germane Painters to signifie Couetousnes doe picture an old woman sitting vpon a toade Or the Earth-worme these wormes eate vp the fatt of the earth toades eate vp those wormes and dragons eate vp those toades So lightly pettie vsurers eate vp the fatte of the Countrey great oppressors deuoure those litle extortioners and at last the great red dragon swallowes those oppressors But here I especially liken them to Catterpillars Pline sayth that litle wormes bred in the green leaues of plants proue in three dayes catterpillars eate vp those plants The Countrey breeds these couetous wretches and they deuour her He writes also that Catterpillars are bred by a dew incrassated and thicked by the heate of the Sun It is the warmth of prospertie that breedes and feeds our vsurers Others say that they come of butterflies egs the which heate of the Sunne hatcheth working so fit a passiue matter to the forme of a catterpillar So commonly your vsurer hatcheth his riches out of the Butterflies egs laid abroad by prodigall young gallaÌ„ts The Scripture calls them great deuourers Eracam vix pascit hortus vnam A whole couÌ„trey wil not content one auarous catterpillar At last the catterpillars perish of theÌ„selues as ours do wilfully through famine are transformed into a bare emptie bagge or case If they perish in summer out of their rind being broken comes forth a butterfly Iust as wee see often from the ruines of a dead vsurer that was a Catterpillar springs a prodigall Heire that is a painted Butterflie 7. We haue also the Aspeâ—… that 's the traitours Seminary Lucan writes that the originall of Aspes was Affrica and that merchants translated them into Europe Sed quis erit nobis Lucripudor Inde petuntur Huc Lybicae mâ—…tes fecâ—…mus Aspida merces But what is our gaine sayth hee We haue made the Aspos a merchandice So these our Aspes are bred in Italie and ship'd ouer into England as a precious merchandice They speake themselues so gentle that a sucking child may play 〈◊〉 the holâ—… of these Aspes but wee haue found their boroughs the holes of treason and their vaults the vaults of gunpowder There is feud betwixt the Ichneumon and the Aspe they oft fight if the Aspe bite first the Ichneumon dyes if the Ichneumon first the Aspe dyes Let vs strike them with punishment lest they strike vs with death These Aspes kill many soules in our Land Aspidis mersu Loesum dormire fatentur In mortem antidotum nec valuisse ferunt If the be witched people once receiue their poyson they sleepe to death and no helpe preuailes for they will not come to Church to be cured 8. There is also the Lyzard the Embleme of the Slothfull As is also the Slow-worme or the serpentine Tortoice They write of the Lyzard that hauing laid egges shee forgets the very place where shee laid them She will lie still till you cut her in pieces and then the forepart runns away vpon two Legs and the hinder part on other two liuing apart till they meete againe and then are naturally â—…onioyned If the Lazy will follow the qualities let them take the name of Lisards 9. There is also the Sea-Serpent and that 's the Pirate a theefe crosse to all kind of theeues For other theeues first fall to robberie and then are cast into prison but he first casts himselfe into a prison and then falls to robberie In a litle vessell a very iayle with a large graue round about it he does all mischeefe At last when he growes great he ruines himselfe They write of a Sea-dragon that growes to a huge vastnesse but then the winds take him vp into the aire and by a violent agitation shake his body to pieces A noble part of Gods prouidence to tame that himselfe which his creatures cannot 10. There is the Stellion and that is the Extortioner Extortion and Cossenage is prouerbially called Crimen Stellionatus the sinne of Stellature When the Stellion hath cast his skinne hee greedily deuoures it againe which sayth Theophrastus hee doth in enuie because he vnderstands that it is a noble remedie against the falling sicknes So in malice it lines the guts with that couered the backe eats that in summer wherewith it was clothed in winter It destroyes the honey of Bees Stellio saepe fauos ignotus adedit So the extortioner spoiles the hiues deuours al the honey of pooremens gathering It is a beast full of spottes Aptumque colori Nomen habet varijs stellatus corpore guttis The spots that sticke vpon an Extortioner are more innumerable Cosonage is called Stellature It were wel if such Extortioners were serued as Budaus relates a historie of two Tribunes Qui per Stellaturas militibus multum abstulissent whom the Emperor commaunded to be stoned to death 11. The last is the great Serpent of all Draco the deuill who is called the Great red Dragon In idolatrous times and places dragons haue beene worshiped The common distinction is Angneb 〈◊〉 Serpentes terrarum Dracones Templorum Snakes of the water serpents of the earth dragons of the Temple There are too many wicked worldlings that still worship this God of the world the red Dragon The dragons haunt principally trees of frankincense Satan loues to haue men sacrifice to him he tempted the son of God to fall downe worship him Nothing but the smoke of Styrax can driue away dragons not holy water not crossings but onely faith in the Lord Iesus can put the deuil to flight Serpens serpentem deâ—…rando fit Draco The diuel at first was but a Serpent now by deuouring many millios of these serpeÌ„ts the wicked he is become a Dragon I should here shew you two things 1. The remedie to draw out this poyson and to cure the soule which is onely Sanguis medici the bloud of our Phisician As Moses lifted vp the serpent in the wilder nesse so was Christ lifted vp us a serpent that what eye of fayth soeuer lookes on him he may be healed of the sting of those fiery serpents and haue the damnable poyson of sinne drawne out 2. That our next course is Repentance for our sinnes That as the oile of Scorpions is the best remedie
panis thou wantest bread God is thy bread of life We want a pillow God is our resting place We may be Sine veste non sine fide sine cibo non sine Christo sine Domo non sine Domino Without apparell not without faith without meate not without Christ without a house neuer without the Lord. What state can there be wherein the stay of this heauenly assurance giues vs not peace and ioy Are we clapt vp in a darke and desolate Dungeon there the light of the Sunne cannot enter the light of mercie not be kept out What restrained bodie that hath the assurance of this eternall peace will not pittie the darknes of the prophane mans libertie or rather the libertie of his darkenesse No wals can keepe out an infinite Spirit no darkenes can be vncomfortable where the Father of lights and the Sunne of righteousnesse shineth The presence of glorious Angels is much but of the most glorious God is enough Are we cast out in exile our backes to our natiue home all the worlds our way Whether can we goe from God Whether shall I goe from thy face or whether shall I flie from thy presence If I ascend c. That exile would be strange that could separate vs from God I speake not of those poore and common comforts that in all Lands and coasts it is his Sunne that shines his elements of earth or water that beares vs his aire we breath But of that speciall priuiledge that his gracious presence is euer with vs that no sea is so broad as to deuide vs from his fauour that wheresoeuer we feed he is our host wheresoeuer we rest the wings of his blessed prouidence are stretched ouer vs. Let my soule be sure of this though the whole world be traytors to me Doth the world despise vs We haue sufficient recompence that God esteemes vs. How vnworthy is that man of Gods fauour that cannot goe away contented with it without the worlds Doth it hate vs much God hates it more That is not euer worthie which man honours but that is euer base which God despises Without question the world would bee our friend if God were our enemie The sweetnes of both cannot bee enioyed let it content vs wee haue the best It may be pouertie puts pale leannes into our cheeks God makes the world fat but withall puts leannesse into the soule We decay in these temporall vanities but we thriue in eternall riches The good man laughes at destruction and dearth Doth sicknes throw vs on our weary beds It is impossible any man should miscarry that hath God for his Physitian So Martha confessed to Iesus Lord if thou hadst beene here my brother had not dyed Thy bodie is weake thy soule is strengthened dust and ashes is sicke but thy eternall substance is the better for it It is good for me that I haue beene afflicted that I might learne thy statutes Lastly doth the ineuitable hand of death strike thee Egredere anima mea egredere Goe forth my soule with ioy and assurance thou hast a promise to be receiued in peace Happie dissolution that parts the soule from the bodie that it may knit them both to the Lord. Death like the proud Philistine comes marching out in his hydeous shape daring the whole Hoast of Israell to match him with an equall combatant The Atheist dares not die for feare non esse that hee shall not be at all the couetous vsurer dares not die for feare male esse to be damned the doubtfull conscience dares not die because he knowes not an sit an non sit an damnatus sit whether he shall be or be damned or not bee at all Onely the resolued Christian dares die because he is assured of his election he knows he shall be happie and so lifts vp pleasant eyes to heauen the infallible place of his eternall rest He dares encounter with this last enemie trample on him with the foote of disdaine and triumphantly sing ouer him O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victorie He conquers in being conquered and all because God hath sayd to his Soule I am thy Saluation The poore Papist must not beleeue this such an assurance to him were Apocryphall yea hereticall He must lie on his death-bed call vpon what Saint or Angell he list but must not dare to beleeue hee shall goe to heauen O vncomfortable doctrine able to loose the soule What can follow but feares without and terrours within distrustfull sighes and heart-breaking grones Goe away he must with death but whither he knows not It would be presumption to be confident of heauen How should Purgatory stand or the Popes kitchin haue a Larder to maintaine it if men might be sure of their saluation Herefore they bequeath so great summes for masses and Dirge's and Trentals to bee sung or sayd for them after they are dead that their soules may at the last be had to heauen though first for a while they be reezed in Purgatory If this be all the comfort their Priests Iesuites and Confessors can giue them they may well say to them as Iob to his friends Miserable comforters are ye all But he that hath Stephens eyes hath also Pauls heart and the Saints tongue He that with Stephens eyes can see that Sonne of man standing on the right hand of God as if his armes were open to wel-come and embrace him must needs with Paul desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ and with the Saints cry Come Lord how long Amen euen so come Lord Iesus Thus much for the matter of the Assurance let vs now come to the manner Dic Animae Say vnto my soule Say but is God a man hath he a tongue how doth Dauid desire him to speake That God who made the eare shall not he heare he that made the eye shall not â—…e see he that made the tongue shall not he speake He that sees without eyes and heares without eares and walkes without feete and workes without hands can speake without a tongue Now God may be sayd to speake diuerse wayes 1. God hath spoken to some-by his owne voice To Adam vocem audiuerunt they heard the voyce of God c. To Israel The Lord spake vnto you out of the midst of the fire ye heard the voyce of the words but saw no similitude onely you heard a voyce To Christ I here came a voyce from heauen saying I haue both glorified it and I will glorifie it This S. Peter testifies There came a voyce from the excellent glory This is my beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased 2. To omit visions and dreames and cloudes and Cherubins and Angells vrim and thummim God speakes also by his workes The heauens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handie worke Mâ—…nus loquuntur his workes haue a tongue Opera testantur de me
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