first vnder Adam by birth the secoÌ„d vnder Christ by grace (q) Rom. 5.12.19.21 for as by one man sinne entred into the world and death by sinne and so death went ouer all men for as much as all men haue sinned so by the obedience of one are many made righteous that as sinne had raigned vnto death so might grace also raigne by righteousnesse vnto eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord by originall sinne then which is corruption ingendred in our first conception whereby euery facultie both of body and soule is prone and disposed to iniquitie Euery one man is Ben-oni the sonne of sorrowe but through the Grace of God in Christ Iesus who was borne and died for the redemption and iustification of the world euery man that truely beleeueth is a Beniamin the Sonne of Gods right hand Beniamin shall rauin as a wolfe c. The wolfe according to the phrase of the scripture is the embleme of fower things Tyrannie Fraudulencie Hypocrisie and Courage for the first our Sauiour saith vnto his disciples (r) Mat. 10.10 Behold I send you forth like sheepe among wolues these wolues are bloodie tyrants enemies of the Crosse of Christ which like the wolues of Africa that all night long barke at the moone doe continually blaspheme that sacred name at the sound whereof all Kings ought to bowe such were the Romane Emperours successiuely from Tiberius vnto the raigne of Constantine the great and the first Christian that swayed the Imperiall scepter and therefore their Succession in regard of Crueltie and Tyrannie is resembled in one of those visions which Saint Iohn sawe (s) Apoc. 17.3 by a scarlet coloured Beast full of names of blasphemie which had seauen heades and ten hornes and such a wolfe at this day is the Turke who not onely with his tongue striueth to pierce the side of Christ by calling him in derision the crucified God but also by his Sword maketh hauocke of the poore members of Christ Iesus But shall Beniamin be such a wolfe shall his posteritie be giuen to tyrannie no for then should the wordes of Iacob tend to the disgrace of Beniamin is indeed they doe to the coÌ„trary for there is no man so odious and so much subiect to hatred as is he that is a Tyrannicall wolfe such rauenous Beasts are hatefull both to God and man God saith the Psalmist abhorreth the blood-thirstie and cruell man And therefore (t) 1. Reg. 22 34. Hee couers him with shame and cuttes him off for euer The woluish kings Ahab and Herode and the woluish Queenes Iezabel Athalia which all of them imbrued their hands in the blood of Innocencie were by the Hand of GOD put to violent and shamefull deathes (t) 1. Reg. 22 34. An Arrowe shot from the bowe of an Aramite (u) Acts. 12.23 a Worme (x) 2. Reg. 11 16. the Sworde (y) 2. Reg. 9.35 and Dogges reuenged the blood of the guiltlesse which had bene by them vniustly shed Thus doth the rigour of punishment from heauen plainlie demonstrate how hatefull the Tyrannicall Wolfe is in the Eyes of him who is Compassionate and Mercifull our heauenly FATHER Seeing then that all men are commanded to be mercifull as the Father in heauen is mercifull Oh let euerie one that hopeth to finde Mercie beware of being a wolfe in crueltie and striue to be like vnto Christ a Lambe in meekenesse and innocencie But alas Experience proueth that for one Lambe that is chosen there be many wolues that shall be reiected for their crueltie We may know them by their works Oppression of the fatherles the widow Extortion the grinding of the poore mans face the selling of the Needie for shoes art brandes and markes of their woluish profession The eyes of these wolues though for a time they swell with fatnes yet wheÌ„ the day of slaughter comes they shal surely be sacrâ—fices of wrath because God hates abhorres them neither are they lesse odious vnto men for who is it that will not reioice wheÌ„ a TyraÌ„t dies euen as the (z) 1. Sam. 18 6. women of Israel did sing play vpon instrumeÌ„ts when Goliah was slaine so the people reioyce when a woluish Giant dies because by his death they one deliuered froÌ„ oppressioÌ„ wroÌ„g The Romanes did not onely reioyce at the death of Nero Caligula and the rest of their imperious Wolues but did also insulte euer their dead bodies haling them along the streetes of Rome and hanging them vpon Gibbets as the fittest meate for rauenous foules Hence it comes to passe that Tyrants like Dyonisius dare neuer goe abroad without A strong Guarde because they knowe that Crueltie causeth hatred and the hatred of the people raiseth reuengefull Rebellions and insurrections Secondly the Wolfe is the Embleme of fraudulencie and therefore the Prophet Zephaniah calleth vniust Iudges such as oppresse the innocent and let the guiltie goe free Wolues saying a) Zeph. 3.3 Her Iudges are as Wolues in the euening which leaue not the bones till the morrowe Neither doth hee miscal them For this name is sutable to the disposition of such as will be corrupted with bribes Some Iudges and some Lawyers being weighed will be surely found to bee deceitfull vpon the weightes And these are they which by their subtletie and fraud deuoure the afflicted and eate vp the poore from among men If in this respect Beniamin had bene compared by Iacob to a Wolfe then could wee thinke no otherwise but that both he and his posteritie were Cursed creatures because b) Psal 32.2 They onely are blessed to whome the Lorde hath not imputed sinne and in whose spirite there is no guile But this is not Iacobs meaning For in these wordes hee blesseth Beniamin And so likewise doth Moses saying c) Deut. 32.12 The beloued of the Lorde shall dwell in safetie by him the Lorde shall couer him all the day long and dwell betweene his shoulders Now then if either Beniamin or his children had bene like vnto Wolues in fraudulencie Moses before his death would neuer haue bestowed such a Blessing vpon them The fraudulent and the Tyrannicall wolfe are like Samsons Foxes tyed together by the tailes for in the aime end of their cruell deceitfull actions they agree are combine together like brethren in euill to preye vpon the poore and so eate vp the innocent and the harmelesse man Thirdlie the Wolfe is the figure of Hypocrisie and so wee may gather out of the wordes of our Sauiour saying d) Mat. 7.15 Beware of False Prophets which come vnto you in Sheepes cloathing but inwardly they are Rauening wolues An Hypocrite is A whited wall a painted Sepuleher and a Wolfe in a Sheepe skin Though he haue a countenance which promiseth goodnes yet is he stonie-hearted Though he make a glorious shewe of Sanctitie yet is his minde full of corruption And though hee seeme to bee clad with meekenes and innocencie
would not suffer an vngratefull person either to beare rule or remaine in their Citie because as the same Author affirmeth (e) Xenoph. Impudencie is the companion of Ingratitude which Impudencie conducteth men to all filthinesse I can compare such persons as are vnthankfull to God to nothing so fitlie as to a certaine Birde called by Catullus Caprimulgus which vseth in the Night to sucke the vdders of Goates and by her vnluckie beake to mortifie them and make the Goates blind such are all vngratefull persons that for a benefit receiued from God requite and recompence him with obliuion and neglect but so did not Leah For she as a signe of her thankfull heart calleth her sonne Iudah saying Now will I praise the Lorde Iacob hauing in his former speeches reproued Reuben for incest and cursed Symeon and Leui for crueltie now changeth his phrase and stile turning his maledictions into benedictions when hee speaketh to Iudah (f) Gen. 38.18 Iudah had committed incest with his daughter in law Thamar as well as Reuben with Bilha and Iudahs hand was in the spoyle of the Sichemites as well as Simeons and Leuies yet Iacob passeth ouer his offences maketh no mention of them the reason is because of his Confession and Charitie for though his sinne with Thamar was hainous yet he confessed it and no doubt was sorie for it (g) Gen. 38.26 for he said shee is more righteous thē I for she hath done this because I gaue her not vnto Shelah my sonne So he lay with her no more Here he acknowledgeth his vnrighteousnes which is the first steppe of repentance and abstaines from the company of Thamar as being sorrie for that which was past which is the second step to Grace his confession with his contrition caused Iacob to burie his fault in the graue of Obliuion Againe his Charitie and Compassion was shewed towardes Ioseph who being by his malicious brethren cast into a pitte there to be starued to death was saued by the aduise of Iudah who saide vnto his other brethren (h) Gen. 37.27 Come and let vs sell him to the Ismaelites and let not our hand bee vpon him for hee is our Brother and our Flesh Though it was crueltie in Iudah to sell Ioseph and make him a bond-slaue yet it is the rather to bee pardoned because it was done out of pitie and compassion to auoide a greater mischiefe The Chaldee Paraphrast in steede of these wordes Iudah thy Brethren shall praise thee readeth Thou hast confessed and wast not ashamed Now what it was that Iudah confessed I cannot coniecture vnlesse it be his sinne with Thamar and the selling of Ioseph to the Ismaelites the storie whereof it may bee hee tolde his Father (i) Gen. 45 after his returne out of Aegipt the better to perswade him that Ioseph was aliue and therefore Iocob doth not onely not vpbraid him for his sinnes but also bestoweth Commendation vpon him as a Blessing Iudah thy brethren shall praise thee or as it is in the hebrewe Iudah thou shalt be called Iudah or Praise the first blessing then that Iacob bestoweth vpon Iudah is Glorie his tribe must be more glorious then any of the other tribes of Israel first in regard of the kingdome secondly in regard of Messiah all Israel shall praise the tribe of Iudah because the two kingly Prophets were of that families Dauid and Salomon and ail the world shall honour Iudah because the light of the gentiles and the glorie of the people of Israel came from the loines of Iudah (k) 2. Cor. 10.18 Praise is a Blessing if it be from God but Praise is dangerous if it come from men that are not the instruments of God as Iacob was the first of these may be called Gods praise the second the Diuels praise Gods praise is that of which the Apostle speaketh saying (l) 1. Cor. 4. When the Lord shall come then shall euery one haue praise of God this Praise is the godly mans Cordial wherewith he is comforted when the blackemouthed world backebites him when his good name is impeached and when the things that hee hath well done are brought into slander by euill tongues this was our Sauiours Cordiall when the Iewes called him a friend of publicans and sinners this was Iohn Baptists Cordiall when the Iewes said hee had the diuell this was Peters Cordiall when the Iewes mocked him and the rest of the Apostles and said they (m) Act. 2.13 are full of new wine and this was Pauls Cordiall when the scoffing Athenians tearmed him a Babler the more righteous a man is the lesse praise hee is to expect in this world and therefore the children of God are taught onely to looke for praise from Christ and with a noble courage to contemne the praise that commeth from men which for the most part is counterfaite and vaine it is not materiall if the World be euill tongued if wee can but truely say with Saint Paul (n) 2. Cor. 1 12. Our glorie is this the testimonie of our conscience and with Iob Loe my witnesse is in the heauen and my record is on high S. Augustine saith that p all mortall men desire to be praised and no maruell seeing man is according to the Image of God and God will haue his praises to be most highly celebrated but seeing this is thus a Vertuous man when hee heareth himselfe commended and praised must vse a double remedie lest he be puffed vp with vaine glorie first let him reioyce on the behalfe of his neighbours because they be so appointed by God and inspired by his spirit as they will praise and allowe of those things which they shall thinke worthie to be praised which benefit of God is not common secondly what praise soeuer is giuen vnto him let him turne all that vpon God himselfe who is the author of all good things taking speciall heed that he be not desirous out of a vaineglorious humour to be praised of men The second kind of praise is the diuels praise who as he is a lyar from the beginning so is his praise euer fained and adulterate this is Flatterie the foode of Follie and the Spurre of vaineglorie wherewith when the eare is infected the soule is soone peruerted as it appeared in Herod Antiochus Philip the Macedonian Alexander the great Dyonisius of Sicilie Sylla Crassus Nero and diuerse others who by this (q) Psal 141.5 oilie language were inspired with arrogancie selfe-loue and vaineglorie it is reported of r Oros. lib. 6. hist cap. 22. Augustus Caesar and Tiberius that they were both deadly enemies of flatterers and contemners of this precious Balme humane praise insomuch that they would not endure to be called Lords by their owne children if they were so wise to discouer the vanitie hereof liuing in darkenesse much more ought we that are the children of light to detest this Sweet poyson against which this is the most Soueraigne Antidote If
by whom hee guideth and conducteth the faithfull In this text of Scripture then by the Scepter and Lawegiuer is not meant the Iurisdiction of the Pope of Rome for that is almost departed and abolished by the brightnesse of the Truth but another more excellent and heauenly gouernment of the Word and the Spirit which shall neuer faile in the Church of God till the glorious appearance of our Shiloh Christ Iesus First the Word is the Scepter whereby all the faithfull must bee ruled (p) Ioh. 10.17 Orig. Hom. 3 in Cantic my sheepe saith Christ heare my voice and hee that is my Disciple abideth in my word Iesus Christ saith Origen appeareth alwaies in the mountaines and in the hilles therefore wee must neuer seeke him but in the mountaines of the Lawe and Prophets and in the hilles of the Gospell And this word is the Rule of faith the Mystresse of vertue and the Scepter of the true Church Concerning which the Psalmist saith The Scepter of thy Kingdome is a right Scepter Secondly the holy Ghost is the Lawegiuer and our Comforter of him our Sauiour thus speaketh (q) Ioh. 16.13 when he is come which is the spirit of Truth he will lead you into all Truth for hee shall not speake of himselfe but whatsoeuer hee shall heare shall hee speake and he will shew you things to come According to his directions must we frame our liues and vpoÌ„ his grounds must we build our faith as Constantine the Emperour said to the Fathers in the Nicene Synode Wee haue the doctrine of the holy Ghost written therefore laying aside all contention let vs out of the diuine inspired Scripture take the resolution of those things which we seeke for But to this Scepter and this Lawgiuer hee that pretendeth to be the Vicar of Christ will neuer subiect himselfe no hee is so farre from submission that hee equalizeth his owne traditions to the word of God and taketh vpon him like the holy Ghost to bind the consciences of men by his owne decrees and constitutions this is not to be the Vicar of Christ but to exalt himselfe euer both aboue the spiritual Scepter the eternall Lawegiuer both which notwithstanding his ambition and tyrannie shall neuer depart from Iudah till Shiloh come Lastly as the posteritie of Iudah did inioy these temporall blessings great store of wine and aboundance of milke euen so the familie of Christ spiritually is plentifully fed with wine and milke insomuch that it may bee said of Christians as it was by Iacob prophecied of the Iewes Euery one of them does bind his Asse-foale vnto the vine and his Asses colt vnto the best vine they wash their garments in wine and their clokes in the blood of grapes their eyes are red with wine and their teeth white with milke This Vine is Christ whose father is the husbandman This Wine is Grace this Milke is his word the foode of the soule wherwith such as be of the houshold of Faith are fedde and nourished to eternall life and this Wine Milke is both bestowed and prepared by Christ as it is in the Canticles (r) Cant. 5. I am come into my garden my sister my spouse I haue gathered my myrrhe with my spice I haue eaten my honie combe with my hony I haue drunk my wine with my milke likewise in Isay (s) Isaiah 55 1. ho euery one that is thirstie come ye to the waters ye that haue no mony come buy and eat come I say buy wine and milke without siluer and without mony and in Ioel [t] Ioel. 3.18 the mountaines shall drop downe newe wine and the hils shall flowe with milke all this is fulfilled in such as bee spiritually of the Tribe of Iudah or true beleeuers for the Milke of Gods word is their restoratiue and the Wine of his grace their cordiall with which whosoeuer is once fed hee will neuer hunger or thirst againe and therefore as Christ saide eate ô my friends drinke and be merry ô my welbeloued so say I eate eate this milke drinke this wine that is heare his word with zeale and reuerence and practise it in your liues and conuersations receiue this grace which is freely offred you in Christ Iesus and doe not presumptuously continue in sin that grace may abound this if you doe then be merry my welbeloued for your reward is in heauen but if as the Israelites loathed Manna you make light of this heauenly foode preferring to it Esaus Red Pottage and the fleshpots of Aegypt then be assured that Death is in the Pot for by this neglect of his word and this contempt of his grace ye shall like Esau loose your blessing and be debard like the rebellious Israelites from entring into the land of Promise THE FIFTH SERMON OF ZEBVLVN Gen. 4.13 Zebulun shall dwell by the Sea side and he shall be a hauen for Shippes and his border shall be vnto Zidon ZEbulun was the sixt sonne that Leah bare vnto Iacob and his name being interpreted is a Dwelling for vpon her deliuerie shee said (a) Gen. 30.20 God hath endued mee with a good dowrie now will mine husband dwell with mee because I haue borne him sixe sonnes and shee called his name Zâ—bulun in this name Leah first acknowledgeth that there can be no perfect and strong Bond of Loue and liking betwixt a man and his wife except God tie it by his meanes Riches and Beautie are bonds but they are but like vnto the greene cordes and new ropes wherwith Delilah bound Sampson (b) Iudg. 16.12 for they are soone broken euen as a threed of tow when it feeleth fire Beautie is but Natures priuiledge and a short Tyrannie saith the Philosopher beautie is like grasse that withereth with the wind and like a flower in suÌ„mer which soone decaieth if then beautie be the onely bond of loue the heate of that loue will be quenched when the lustre of the face fadeth and when the pleasant forme is blasted with sicknes or spoiled with the wrincles of age riches likewise may for a time continue friendship betwixt the man and his wife but because commonly men that marrie for wealth bee like Midas (c) Crysomanes mad for gold therefore when they haue obtained their desire they make so small account of their wiues that I may say of them as Augustus the Emperour said of Herod the great who hauing a desire to kil Christ (d) Mat. 2.16 sent and slew all the male children that were in Bethlehem and in all the coastes thereof from two yeares old and vnder for more assurance amongst these he slew aâ— infant of his owne Phil lib. de Tempo Macr. lib. 2. Satur. cap. 4. for that as Philo noteth he was descended by the mothers side of the line of Iudah vpoÌ„ the report of which cruell massacre Macrobius writeth that Augustus saide he had rather be Herods swine then his sonne for that he being
guided by his owne reason and left to the powers of his corrupt nature the proper guise of such a one is not onely Not to vnderstand the things of the spirit of God but also Not to be able to perceiue them for there is in him a naturall impotencie and weakenesse towards God and all good things as then the strongest man is but as chaffe before the winde in respect of bodily strength so likewise in regard of spirituall power and abilitie (o) Ioh. 6.44 No man can come vnto Christ vnlesse the father drawe him (p) Ioh. â—5 5 without Christ wee can doe nothing (q) Phil. 2.13 it is God that worketh in vs both the will and the deed (r) Ierem. 0.23 for the way of man is not in himselfe neither is it in man to walke and to direct his steppes [s] Aug. de lib. arbit God is the author of merit saith Augustine who applieth the will to the worke and the worke to the will seeing then that the naturall man wanteth freedome of will in the choise of that which is good it cannot otherwise be but he must needes be ouercome and be made the bond-slaue of Sathan and the seruant of sinne But our Sauiour saith (t) Ioh. 8.36 if the sonne shall make you free then are you free indeed be like then whosoeuer is regenerate hath freedome of will being redeemed by grace both from the thraldome of the diuell and sinne and consequently he Ouercommeth and is not ouercome I answere granting indeed that after a man is regenerate and borne anew of the water and the spirit he hath some freedome of will because in the new birth his will being instructed by the holy spirit doth willingly consent to Gods will and worketh with God for the attainement of saluation this is proued out of S. Pauls wordes to the Philippians saying (u) Philip. 2.12 Worke your saluation with feare and trembling but this freedome in this life is not perfect if it were as it shall be in the life to come when the whole Image of God shall be renewed in man then should our reason be euer sound our affections staid and setled and our will most iust but wee finde the contrarie for there is ciuill warre in our selues the flesh rebels and fightes against the spirit and wee are daily ouercome by the temptations of the diuell it was Saint Pauls case and it is ours who saith (x) Rom. 7 1â—.19.2â—.21.22.23 for I knowe that in me that is in my flâ—â—h dwelleth no good thing for to will is present with me but I finde no mâ—anes to performe that which is good for I doe not the good thing which I would but the euill which I would not tâ—at doâ—â— now if I doe that I would not it is no more I that doe it but the sinne that dwelleth in me I finde then by the lawe that when I would doe good euill is present with me for I delight in the law of God concerning the inward man but I see another law iâ— my members rebelling against the law of my minde and leading me captiue vnto the law of sinne which is in my members hence wee may learne our weaknesse and in S. Paul as in a looking glasse behold our imperfections No man is so iust but he is forced by the rage of concupiscence or lust to be the captiue of sin sometimes yet here is our comfort that nothing done by infirmitie of concupiscence without consent of the inward man can make the regenerate man guiltie before God because the grace of GOD in IESVS CHRIST doth discharge and quitte him in Gods sight without which hee were a miserable and an vnhappie man As the Apostle confesseth of himselfe saying y] Rom. 7.24 Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee from the bodie of this death Secondlie as the Gadites were ouerthrowne by an Host of men so the children of God are often foyled and ouercome by the euill-spirites the enemies of our saluation this falleth out by the ordinance of GOD to humble Man and to make him confesse his owne vnworthynes If a man should neuer fall before his spirituall enemies hee would presume that his perseuerance in Righteousnes grewe from his owne inhaerent Iustice And therevpon like the Angell of the church of Laodicea boast z) Apo. 3.17 that hee was rich and increased with goods and had neede of nothing And therefore GOD in his great Wisedome permitteth the Diuell oftentimes to get the vpper-hand and to ouercome his Children that by this meanes in feeling their owne weakenesse they may be brought to humilitie and that he in raising them vp againe may declare his powerfull grace and mercie As then it was said of the Angell of Laodicea by CHRIST Thou art wretched and miserable and poore and blinde and naked So it may bee saide of all Mankinde For there is no man so happie in Grace so rich in the spirite so quicke-sighted in vnderstanding and so cloathed with the rayments of Righteousnesse but that hee had neede to Buy Golde of GOD tryed by the Fire that hee may bee made Rich and white Raymentes that hee may bee cloathed and Eye-salue that hee may see It was a confident protestation of Peter saying vnto Christ (a) Mat. 26.33.34 Though all men should be offended by thee yet will I neuer be offended but yet the sequele proued the wordes of Christ to be true who replyed thus Verily I say vnto thee that this night before the cocke crow thou shalt denie me thrice (b) Mat. 26.75 for he denied our Sauiour with swearing cursing 3. times heaping sin vpon sinne drawing iniquitie with cart-ropes thus did God for a time suffer him to be ouercome of Sathan to huÌ„ble him so that afterward he should not presume vpon his own streÌ„gth but acknowledge his weaknes and attribute the gift of Perseuerance to Gods grace alone As then the Apostle said so say I let him that standeth take heede least he fal beware of presumption though wee be now the children of God yet wee knowe not what wee shall be If wee resist Sathan and vanquish him to day yet let vs not like the proud Pharisiâ— say within our selues we are not like vnto other men but more holy and more righteous for if wee doe the diuell and his host shall ouercome vs to morrow that we may be humbled God reiecteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble If then we be lowly in our owne eyes God will strengthen vs with his grace thereby make vs able to withstand the aduersarie but if we iustifie our selues like insolent hypocrites and trust in our inherent righteousnes he will checke our hauâ—ie hearts by suffering the Tempter to ouercome vs. Thirdlie as God did not onely suffer but also ordaine that the Gadites should be ouerthrowne to teach them by prayer to craue his helpe against their aduersaries not to relie vpon