Sabboth day With a number more hath God to call to account for euery one must answere for himselfe The fornicator for taking of filthie pleasure O sonne remember thou hast taken thy pleasure take thy punishment The careles Prelate for murthering so many thousand soules The Landlorde for getting money from his poore Tenants by racking of his rentes see the rest all they shall come like a verie sheepe when the Trumpet shal sound and the heauen and earth shâ—l come to iudgement against them when the heauens shall vanish like a scrole and the earth shall consume like fire and all the creatures standing against them The rockes shall cleaue a sunder and the mountaines shake and the foundation of the earth shall tremble and they shall say to the mountaines couer vs fall vpon vs and hide vs from the presence of his anger and wrath whome wee haue not cared for to offend but they shall not be couered hid but then they shall goe the blacke way to the snakes and serpents to bee tormented of deuils for euer O paine vnspeakeable and yet the more I expresse it the more horrible it is when you thinke of a torment passing all tormentes and yet a torment passing all that yet this torment is greater then them and passing them all Imagine you see a sinner going to hell and his somner gape at him his acquaintance looke at him the Angels shoute at him and the Saintes laugh at him and the deuils raile at him and many looke him in the face and they that said they would liue and die with him forsake him and leaue him to pay all the scores Then Iudas woulde restore his bribes Esau would cast vp his pottage Achan woulde cast downe his golde and Gehezi woulde refuse his giftes Nabuchadnezzar would be humbler Balam would be faithfull and the Prodigall sonne would be tame Me thinkes I see Achan running about where shall I hide my golde that I haue stolne that it might not be seene nor stand to appeare for a witnes against me And Iudas running to the high Priests saying hold take againe your money I will none of it I haue betraied the innocent bloud And Esau crying for the blessing when it is too late hauing sold his birthright for a messe of pottage Woe woe woe that euer we were borne O where is that Diues that would beleeue this before hee felt the fire in hell or that woulde beleeue the poorest Lazarus in the worlde to bee better then himselfe before that dreadfull day come when they cannot helpe it if they woulde neuer so faine when repentance is too late Herod shall then wish that he were Iohn Baptist. Pharaoh woulde wishe that hee were Moses and Saul would wish that hee had beene Dauid Nabuchadnezzar that he had beene Daniel Hammon to haue beene Mardocheus Esau would wish to bee Iacob and Balam woulde wish hee might die the death of the righteous then hee will say I will giue more then Ezekias crie more then Esau fast more then Moses pray more then Daniell weepe more then Mary Magdalen suffer more stripes then Paul abide more imprisonment then Michai abide more crueltie then any mortall man woulde doe that it migh bee Ite goe ye cursed might become yee blessed Yea I would giue all the goods in the worlde that I might escape this dreadfull day of wrath and iudgement and that I might not stand amongst the goe O that I might liue a begger al my life and a Leaper O that I might indure all plagues and sores from the top of the head to the sole of the foote sustaine all sicknes and griefes that I might escape this iudgement The guiltie conscience cannot abide this day The sillie sheepe when shee is taken will not bleate but you may carrie her and doe what you will with her and she will bee subiect but the swine if shee be once taken shee will roare and crie and thinkes shee is neuer taken but to bee slaine So of all things the guiltie conscience cannot abide to heare of this day for they knowe that when they heare of it they heare of their owne condemnation I thinke if there were a generall collection made through the whole worlde that there might bee no iudgement day then God woulde bee so rich that all the world would goe a begging and bee as a waste wildernes Then the couetous Iudge woulde bring forth his bribes then the craftie Lawyer woulde fetch out his bagges the Vsurer would giue his gaine and the idle seruant would dig vp his talent againe make a double thereof But al the mony in the world vvil not serue for one sin but the Iudge must answere for his bribes hee that hath money must answere how he came by it iust condemnation must come vpon euery soule of them then shall the sinner bee euer dying and neuer deade like the Salamander that is euer in the fire and neuer consumed But if you come there you may say as the Queene of Saba said of King Salomon I beleeued the report that I heard of thee in mine owne countrie but the one halfe of thy wisedome was not tolde mee If you came there to see what is done you may say Now I beleeue the report that was told me in mine owne countrie concerning this place but the one halfe as now I feele I haue not heard of now chuse you whether you will reioyce or remember whether you wil stande amongst you blessed or amongst you cursed whether you will enter while the gate is open or knocke in vaine when the gate is shut whether you wil seek the Lord whilest he may be found or be found of him when you would not be sought beeing run into the bushes with Adam to hide your selues whether you wil take your heauen now here or your hell then there or through tribulation to enter into the kingdome of God and thus to take your hell now here or your heauen then there in the life to come with the blessed Saints Angels so that heereafter you may lead a new life putting on Iesus Christ and his righteousnesse FINIS THE SINFVLL MANS SEARCH Iob. 8. 5. 6. 7. 5 If thou wilt early seeke vnto God and pray vnto the Almightie 6 If thou be pure and vpright then surely hee will awake vnto thee and make the habitation of thy righteousnesse prosperous 7 And though thy beginning be but small yet thy latter end shall greatly increase IN a sicke and euill affected bodie dearelie beloued wee vsuallie see preparatiues ministred that the maladies maie bee made more fit and pliable to receiue wholsome medicines The like yea and greater regard ought we to haue of our soules which being not crasie onlie or light ly affected with sinne but sicke euen vnto death had neede to be prepared with threats and exhortations comforts and consolatioÌ„s one way or other that they may be made fit not to receiue the preparatiue but the perfection of happie
vertue honor vpon others wherby their persons are inuested with maiesty vpon others comlines whereby the other two are graced vpon others orchards which they planted not or at least vnto which they gaue no increase vpon others increase of vertuous children whereby their posteritie is preserued vpon others the free passage of his word which a long time had beene obscured by ignorance the mother of deuotion as the shauelings call it but vnder a stepdame of destructiō as we perceiue it though he bestow but som one or two of his blessings vpon vs yet how much are wee bound for these blessings to sing praise honor and glory vnto him that sitteth vpon the throne and vnto the Lambe for euer But vpon whom hee hath bestowed all these blessings O how strictly by good cause are they bound to magnifie the Lorde and to reioice in God their Sauiour Examine then your owne consciences I beseech yee whether God hath bestowed all these blessings vpon you or no and if he haue O what great cause haue yee to come before his face with praise to sing lowde vnto him with Psalmes to worship to fal downe before him to giue vnto the Lorde the glory of his name to bring an offering of thanksgiuing and to enter into his courts with praise And yet who knoweth whether the Lord hath greater blessings for ye in store ye may bee sure hee will pul downe the mightie from their seate and exalt the humble and meeke Surely the Lorde doth vse vertue as a meane to bring vs to honor and whosoeuer you shall see endued with the vertues of this texte I meane with seeking vnto God with praier and puritie of life ye maybee sure there is a blessing reserued for him of the Lorde yea such a blessing as though his beginning bee but small yet his latter end shal greatly increase God increase the loue of these thinges in our hearts and make vs worthy of Christs blessinges which he hath plentifullie in store for vs that after hee hath heaped temporall blessings vpon vs hee would giue vs the blessing of all blessings euen the life of the world to come FINIS MARIES CHOICE Luke 10. 38. 39 c. 38 Now it came to passe as they went that hee entred into a certaine towne and a certaine woman named Martha receiued him into her house 39 And she had a sister called Mary which also sate at Iesus feet and heard his preaching 40 But Martha was cumbred about much seruing and came to him and saide Maister doest thou not care that my sister hath left mee to serue alone bid her therefore that she helpe me 41 And Iesus answered and said vnto her Martha Martha thou carest and art troubled about many things 42 But one thing is needefull Mary hath chosen the good part which shall not be taken away from her AS Christ had shewed himselfe louing vnto Lazarus and his sisters in raising him from the death of the bodie and then from the death of the soule so doe they heere shewe their thankefull mindes to Christ againe the one by receiuing him into her house and the other by entertaining him into her heart As hee was God he was receiued of Mary as he was man he was receiued of Martha They both desired to entertaine our Sauiour as Iacob and Esau desired to please their aged father but Mary made choise of the better part and was preferred before her sister as Iacob sped soonest of most dainty venison and preuented his brother of the blessing And although the care of Martha in entertaining of Christ be not to bee misliked yet Maries diligence in hearing his doctrine is of purpose preferred to teach vs that it is much better with Marie to study in the worde and first to seeke the kingdome of God than with Martha to labour in the worlde and to neglect that heauenlie kingdome And yet notwithstanding such is the corruption of this rusty age that our greatest care is to prouide for this present life as the rich man Luke 12. that inlarged his barnes wherein to put his store for many yeares but wee neuer or verie late remember to prouide for the life to come like that other rich man Luke 16. that neuer thought of heauen till hee was tormented in the flames of hell In the 11. of Iohn Christ is said to loue the whole familie and here he is saide to come vnto them For whome hee loueth hee cannot choose but visite like the friendes of Iob that came to comfort him in his great aduersitie yea and the greater loue he beareth vnto any the oftner hee wil resort vnto them yea he will come and dwell with them Ioh. 14. 23. Like Iacob that came downe into Egypt to his beloued sonne Ioseph and dwelt in Goshen But Christ is yet more kind then Iacob was for he came not till hee was sent for with horses and Chariots but Christ came of his owne accord to this beloued familie Thus doth hee alwaies preuent vs with his blessings before he was desired he came into the world he called his Apostles before they came to him and before hee was requested hee came vnto this noble house O happie house that entertained such a guest but thrice happie inhabitants to whome such a guest would vouchsafe to come When hee came to the swinish Gadarens they desired him to departe out of their coastes preferring their swine aboue their Sauiour but this godlie familie receiued them into their house preferring their God before their golde and the health of their soules before their worldlie wealth They receiued him into their house who had not a house wherein to put his head Wherein their hospitalitie is commended and shall certainly bee rewarded at the dreadfull day for with this and such like workes of mercy the Lorde shall answere the sentence of iudgement which is to bee denounced against the wicked that neuer exercised those workes of mercie Let vs learne by their example to bee harborous and giuen to hospitalitie which is so often commended vnto vs in the Scripture and shall bee so richly rewarded at the last day Those godly Fathers Abraham and Lot entertayned Angels in the habite of staungers so wee may dayly entertayne Christ Iesus in the habite of a poore man of a blinde man of a lame man and whatsoeuer is done vnto anie of these that are his members hee accounteth and accepteth as done vnto himselfe Nowe as the vertue of hospitalitie is commendable in all sortes of men so is it more especiallie commended to the Ministers who are expreslie commaunded by the Apostle among other thinges to bee giuen to hospitalitie Vnto the Leuites in the time of the lawe the Lord appoynted cities of refuge to signifie that the Ministers house shuld be the poore mans harbour and his store their treasurie but the true Ministers of our dayes haue no cities of refuge for others
with his own bloud spurting and gushing fresh from his ribs the shadowe of death was vpon his eies O what griefe could be like to this or what condemnation could be so heauie sith there was no wickednes in his handes sith he was the brightnesse of his fathers glorie and the sunne of righteousnes that shined in the worlde as to see his daies at an end to see such throbbing sighs and carefull thoughts without cause of his so deeply ingrauen in the tables of his breast But was this all no my brethren sith his excellencie was such aboue al creatures that the world was not worthy to giue him breath it was a greater griefe vnto him to see himselfe made a worme and not a man a shame of men and contempt of the people to see his life shut vp in shame and reproches howe could it but shake his bones out of ioynt and make his heart melt in the middest of his bowels who was euer so full of woe and brought so low in the dust of death vpon whom did the malice of Sathan euer get so great a conquest This though it were exceeding yet it was not all no it was but a taste of griefe in comparison of the rest beholde therefore if your wearie eyes will suffer you to behold the depth of all miseries yet behind the sinne that he hated hee must take vpon his owne bodie and beare the wrath of his father powred out against it This is the fulnesse of al paynes that compassed him rounde about which no tongue is able to vtter or heart conceiue the anger of the father burneth in him euen to the bottome of hel and deepe sinke of confusion it wrapped him in the chaines of eternall death it crucified him and threw him downe into the bottomlesse pit of calamity and made his soule by weeping and vvailing to melt into these bitter teares trickling from his eyes O God my God why hast thou for saken me O that my head vvere a vvel of waters and a fountaine of teares that I might weep day night at the remembrance hereof but least I linger too long about one flowre vvhile I haue many to gather I vvill conclude this point thus in a worde Sith Christ hath suffered these and an infinite number such like torments for our sakes it is blasphemous once to dreame or imagine anie to bee more willing to helpe vs than hee nay he is more readie to heare our prayers than we to offer them vnto him insomuch as he complayneth by the Prophet Esay I haue beene found of them which sought me not al the day long haue I stretched out my hand vnto a rebellious people which walked in away that was not good euen after their own imaginations And vnto Ierusalem hee saith O Ierusalem Ierusalem how often would I haue gathered thee together as the henne gathereth her chickens but you would not Wherefore to ende this pointe Seeke for knowledge as for a treasure and for wisedome as for the wedge of gold of Ophir No mention shall be made in comparison of it of Corall Gabish or that pretious Onix For wisedome is more precious then pearles But aboue al things seeke it where it may be found and where is the place of vnderstanding Surely man knoweth not the path thereof the deep saith It is not in me the sea saith It is not in me death and destruction say We haue heard the same thereof with our eares all creatures say it is not with vs but God vnderstandeth the way thereof and vnto man he saith The feare of the Lorde is the beginning of wisedome and to depart from euill is vnderstanding The thirde circumstance is when wee must seeke vnto God and holy Dauid answereth Early euen in a time when hee may be founde Let vs redeeme the day which we haue foreslowed so many dayes wherein wee haue so long hardned our hearts let vs take vp this daie and make it the daie of our repentance let vs make it a daie of newnes of life as it is the first daie of the new yeere let euen this moment be the last of a sinfull life and the first daie to godlines And as the wise man saith Make no long tarrying to turne vnto the Lorde and put not off from day to day for suddainely shall the Lords wrath breake and in thy security thou shalt be destroied and shalt perish in the time of vengeance Art thou a Magistrate placed in high roome and authoritie and seated in the throne of dignitie then vse not this thy might to wrong and oppression grinde not the faces of the poore swell not with pride despising his lowe estate Sel not thy righteousnesse for siluer preferring the marchants of Babylon before the citizens of Ierusalem Art thou a priuate labouring man Doe thy duetie trulie be subiect and liue in dread to displease the good magistrate Art thou olde and hast consumed the flowre of thy youth in wantonnesse breake off thy course and frame thy selfe to sobrietie giue the water no passage no not a little for if it haue neuer so little issue it will ouerflowe thee and if thou doe slacke the raines neuer so little thy sinnes will carrie thee like a wilde horse thorow brambles and bushes and will leaue no soundnes in thy flesh worke this reformation in thy selfe betimes euen to daie euen this first daie of the newe yeere If you wil heare my voice harden not your hearts Art thou young and doest begin to flourish like the yong palme tree O consider that the onely way to retaine the blossoms of thy beautie and to keepe thy flowre from withering and thy leafe from fading away is to seeke early vnto God and to apply thy minde to vnderstanding to preuent the morning vvatches and to giue thy bodie to bee moistened of the morning dew For beside the good houres that are vvell imploied in some good studie and holie exercise earlie rising bringeth health to thy body and increaseth the number of thy daies Seeke therefore and seeke earlie consecrate your selues Nazarites vnto the Lord touch no vncleane thing giue no prouocation to the flesh Striue with the cocke in watchfulnesse and rise with the chirping of the birdes sacrifice your bodie a sweete smelling sacrifice vnto the Lord. This sacrifice is like a sacrifice of fine flowre it is like the fat taken from the peace offring yea it is better than any sacrifice it is like the flowre of roses in the spring of the yeere and as the lillies in the springs of water and as the branches of Frankincense in the time of Summer and as a vessell of masty golde beset with rich stones as a faire Oliue that is fruitfull and as the tree that groweth vp to the cloudes Hauing spoken of the Search it followeth that I speake of the manner how it is to bee made In prayer by these wordes If thou pray vnto the Almightie I shewed
for they haue none for themselues they haue not where with to relieue the wants of others for they haue not to relieue their owne When Martha had thus entertayned Christ as hee was man into her house Marie began to entertayne him as hee was GOD into her heart she sate at his feete to heare his preaching for no sooner was Christ come into the house but that hee tooke occasion to teach and instruct the family and instead of bodilie foode which they bestowed vppon him to giue vnto them the food of the soule Thus doth he alwayes shew himselfe a thankfull guest into what house soeuer he entreth he leaueth better things behind him than he findeth he loues not to be in Zachees debt for his dinner for instead thereof hee bringeth saluation to his house neither doth he leaue his suppervnpaid for here for in stead thereof he bestoweth vpon them an heauenly sermon This should be the exercise of faythfull Ministers when they are inuited to great feasts that as they are called the salt of the earth which serueth to season the meates to make them sauorie and preserue them from putrifaction so they shoulde season the table talke with some godly conference to minister grace vnto the hearers Ephe. 4. 29. These sisters were godly women and both earnest fauorers of Iesus Christ and yet in the manner of their deuotion there is such difference that the worldlie affection of the one may in some sort be misliked in respect of the godly exercise and practise of the other Martha is sore incumbred with much seruing where a little seruice had bin sufficient but Mary is attentiue to heare the word of God which neuer can be heard sufficiently Mary sitteth to heare the word as Christ vsed to sit when he preached the word to shew that the word is to be preached and heard with a quiet minde In a still night euerie voyce is heard and when the bodie is quiet the minde most commonly is quiet also But Martha is troubled with other affaires and therefore vnfit to heare the word as the ground that is surcharged with stones or ouergrowne with weedes and thornes is vnfit to receiue the seede or yeeld any fruite to him that tilleth it As often therefore as we come to heare the word of God we must not come with distracted minds wee must not trouble our selues with the cares of this life which as our Sauiour saith are thornes to choake the word and to make it vnfruitefull For Moses was vnfit to talke with God till he had put off his shooes and the blind man vnfit to come to Christ till hee had throwne away his cloake so wee must thinke our selues vnfit to heare the worde and vnapt for euerie heauenly exercise till wee haue put off our shooes that is our worldly cogitations and affections and till we haue cast away our cloake that is all lets and impediments which might hinder vs from profiting in our profession When our mindes are quiet we are fit to deale with heauenly matters therefore the Doctors conferred sitting in the Temple and God delighteth to deale with vs when we are most priuate he appeared to Abraham sitting in the doore of his Tent. The holy Ghost came downe vpon the Apostles and filled all the house where they were sitting The Eunuch sitting in his chariot was called and conuerted by Philips preaching Marie sate at Iesus feete yet sate she not sleeping as many sit at the Preachers feete but she sate at Christ his feete and heard his word As Paul was brought vp at the feete of Gamaliel and was perfectly instructed in the law of the fathers Her humility is commended in that she sate at Iesus feet to shew that the word is to be heard with all humilitie her diligence and earnestnes appeareth in that shee would not departe to helpe her sister to signifie that the hearing of the word must be preferred before all worldly busines Her diligence and humilitie serueth to condemne our negligence contempt of Christ and his word we do not sit at Christ his feete nay wee rather set Christ at our feete when we are so negligent in hearing of his word Wee are as slowe to come to the Church as the Rauen vvas to come to the Arke and as loath to spend any time in the seruice of God as Pharaoli vvas loath to let the Israelites goe to serue the Lorde If a commoditie were to bee seene whereout some profit might arise how carefull would vvee be to procure it what paines woulde we take to get it Absolon was not more desirous of a kingdome than the rich men of our time are desirous of golden gaine But if it bee a matter of cost or trouble if they cannot heare the worde preached without some hinderāce to their worldly busines and some extraordinary charge to their purse then like the Gadarenes they are content to take their leaue of Christ and his worde and had rather lose that heauenlie pearle than they would part from their worldly pelfe Thus in Christ wee haue the patterne of a good pastour and in Marie the patterne of a good hearer Let ministers learne by his example to take all occasions to preach the worde to be instant in season and out of season and let Christians learne by her example first to seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnes and then to prouide for the things of this life While Marie was carefull for the foode of the soule Martha was curious to prouide foode for the bodie her greatest care was to entertaine Christ to make him good cheere to testifie her thankefull minde vnto him that had done so great thinges for them hee had raised her brother Lazarus from death to life therefore he was worthy to bee well entertained If Elias deserued to bee well dealt withall at the hande of his hostesse whose sonne he had restored to life or Elisa deserued such entertainement for her sonnes reuiuing then surelie our Sauiour Christ was worthie to bee welcome hether where he had raised Lazarus out of his graue wherein hee had lien by the space of foure daies before It was well done therefore of Martha to shew her thankefull minde vnto Christ but it was not wel done at that time to shew her selfe thankefull in that manner it was then time to heare the worde for at that time Christ preached the worde it vvas no time for her to spend that time in other affaires and to neglect the greatest affaire the meanes of her owne saluation It was not vnlawfull for Martha to labour no more than it was vnlawfull for Peter to sleepe but when Christ was preaching it was no time for her to bee so busie in seruing no more than it was time for Peter to sleepe when Christ willed him so earnestly to watch and praie When Christ preached out of Simons shippe to the people that