indignity can it bee to men to honour their Politicall Mother Hee that honours an absolute Potentate aright whether King or Queene honours the power and authority which is Diuine and not Humane and honours the person for the Power not the Power for the person Bee the person good or bad the Power is good it is of GOD And it may fall out that an euill man may bee a good Monarch But whatsoeuer the Monarch is the Monarchy the Monarches power is euer good and neuer bad For there is no power but of GOD and the powers that be are ordained of GOD Whosoeuer therefore resisteth the Power resisteth the ordinance of GOD. And they that resist shall receiue to themselues condemnation Let euery soule therefore bee subiect vnto the higher Powers and not because of wrath onely but euen for conscience sake Of Death DEATH is not euill but to an euill man for to the godly death is good to the wicked death is euill to him it is the dore of life to this it is the entrance into hell The sting of death is sinne pull out this sting repent of sinne and death can do hurt but good Flye from sinne and death cannot be fearefull The sooner the Saint dies the sooner hee comes to his Crowne The longer a man liues the more time he spends vpon the Seas the sooner a man dies that dies well the sooner he comes into the hauen Hee dies well that liues well a bad death cannot follow a good life He liues and dies well that liues and dies in the faith and feare of IESVS CHRIST who is Rest to him that trauels Health to him that is sicke Refreshment to him that is weary and Life to him that dyeth eitheir for Him or in Him Death is not euill but an euill death This euill death no man dyeth which dyeth either In or For the seruice of CHRIST IESVS Of the Immortality of the Soule THE soule saith Austen is a created Substance Inuisible incorporeall Immortall being like to GOD that made it It is possible that the sould should be destroyed as it was for the Sunne to stand still for the sea to stand diuided for the fire not to burne the three children but this is not by the nature thereof but in regard of the power of GOD who is able if Hee pleased to turne the whole world into nothing as Hee once made it of nothing But indeed the soule of a man shall neuer die shall neuer bee dissolued as is the body but continueth whole and firme for euer For the proofe hereof I suppose it the surest way for euery man to fortifie himselfe with the vndoubted testimonies of holy Writ The Spirit saith Ecclesiastes returnes to GOD that gaue it The soule of the poore beggar was in ioy but the soule of the rich Epicure was in torment after their bodily death CHRIST said to the Thiefe now a dying This day shalt thou bee with Mee in Paradise And to His FATHER Into Thine hands I commend my Spirit Steuen being now ready to depart prayed LORD IESVS receiue my spirit Saint Paul saith Wee loue rather to remoue out of the body and to dwell with the LORD And againe I desire to bee dissolued and to bee with CHRIST By which it is most certaine that the soule doth liue after the body is dead But what though the soule shall liue for euer if it liue in paine as the soules of the damned do Surely it were better not to be then to be tormented and out of ease Therefore let vs die before wee die and leaue our sinnes before wee leaue the world If our soules do die to sinne in this life they shall not die by sinne in the life to come If they liue to GOD by grace in this world they shall liue with GOD in glory in the world to come The world is mortall but the soule of man is immortall Why should that that is immortall bee pind on that that is mortall Why should the soule that cannot die be buried in the loue of those things that cannot but die and come to nothing The body is mortall the soule is immortall why should wee make more account of That then This Why should we desire a good body and care not though wee haue a naughty soule If we neglect our soule we shall not saue our body if we forget out soules we forget our selues The soule was not made for the body but the body for the soule The soule therefore shoule be preferred to the body but he which neglects the chiefest and sets most by the meanest corrupteth both and condemnes himselfe But he that looketh well to his soule though hee be more carelesse of the body yet he shall not proue vnlucky for in tendring the safety of his soule hee shall saue his body also Of the Resurrection of the Body THERE is a resurrection of the iust and iniust the iust shall rise to iudge the iniust to be iudged the iust shall be absolued the iniust shall be condemned Euen that body that fell the selfe-same shall rise againe by GODs Omnipotency For euen they that sleepe in the dust shall rise that must rise againe that fell this mortall must put on Immortality I shall see GOD in my flesh saith Iob mine eyes shall behold Him and none other for mee If there were no resurrection then is not CHRIST risen againe for in Him we all dyed in Him we are all raised vp from death and this we haue in Soe the day shall come when we shall haue it in Re. Neither is there any reason that another body and not the same which serued CHRIST and suffered iniuries for Him should be giuen vnto a man but it is host iust that the same body which was burnt or butchered for CHRIST should be glorified of CHRIST and that a man should receiue his reward and rest in that body in which he performed his seruice The body restored shall be a true body and not a Spirit For Gloria non tollit naturam sed extollit Glory doth not destroy but perfite Nature All defects deformities weakenesses and imperfections shall be remoued and all fulnesse feature fauour strength and perfections shall be giuen it And whereas many fall in their infancy children of a spanne long yet it is not to be imagined that they shall be raised vp of such a stature but in the stature of a man and yet the same body euen as the body of an old man for substance is the same it was in his youth or child-hood though enlarged and otherwise disposed And al-be-it it shall rise a spirituall body yet it followeth not that it shall be a Spirit no more then it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a soule when it fell because it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an animall or soule-body naturall body but it is a naturall body now because it is nourished and preserued by naturall meanes as food rayment sleepe physicke recreation labour A
Hee is a Surgion If thou beest sicke Hee is a Physition If thou burne Hee is a Fountaine If thou beest cold Hee is a Fire If thou beest a sinner Hee is Sanctity If thou beest laden with iniquity Hee is Iustice If thou wantest helpe Hee is a Succour If thou beest weake Hee is Strength If thou beest weary Hee is a Shadow If thou fearest death Hee is Life If thou hatest darkenesse Hee is Light If thou wouldst see GOD Hee is thy Glasse If thou wouldst haue accesse to GOD Hee is the Way If thou wouldst enter into heauen Hee is the Dore the Key the Keeper O LORD how sweete is Thy Name How pleasing is Thy Seruice How easie is Thy Yoke In truth he is worthy death who refuseth to liue to Thee Hee is a foole that is not wise to Thee Hee is iust nothing that would bee something out of Thee It is meete that hee should wither that will not grow in Thee Hee deserues to perish wandring that will not walke in Thee Misery bee his end that seekes not Blisse in Thee Death bee his Destiny that seekes not life in Thee And Hell his heritage that seekes not Heauen in Thee Thou mad'st all things for thy Selfe Hee that will bee some-thing to himselfe nothing to Thee amongst all things hee beginnes to bee nothing and of things euill hee deserues the worst Keepe mee therefore in Thy loue that I may not leaue Thee Preserue mee in Thy Breast and doe not loose mee If I leaue Thee I loose Thee in loosing Thee I loose my soule my selfe and all things with mee Of the Holy Ghost THE third Person of the blessed Trinity is called the Holy SPIRIT because Hee hallowes vs and being Himselfe Spired doth also inspire good things into vs. The scholler learnes quickely when the Holy GHOST is his Teacher The eye sees distinctly when the Holy GHOST doth enlighten it A man iudgeth truely when Hee doth direct him and liueth holily when Hee doth dispose him The SPIRIT is but one In Person yet seuen yea seuenty times seuen in His gracious Operations Hee hath Wisedome for thee against thy folly Vnderstanding against thy dulnesse Counsell against thy giddinesse Courage against thy cowardice Cheerefulnes against thy sluggishnesse Tendernesse against thy hardnesse Comfort against thy feares Light against thy darkenesse Truth against thy lies Humility against thy pride Faith against thy dissidence Hope against thy desperation and Charity against thy cruelty Hee is giuen vnto men for saluation when their heart returnes vnto GOD for succour when in our agonies Hee relieues our infirmitie for solace when Hee whispers into our hearts that we are GODS Children and for heate when Hee kindles in our soules the zeale of GOD and Charity to our neighbour for CHRIST His sake Thinke wee well it is of Him Will wee well It is by Him Affect wee well It is His worke Or liue wee well It is by His direction Hee lightens our mind giudes our reason strengthens our memory moues our will and rules our affections But because a man sees Him not therefore shall hee deny his Essence or his Presence Thou seest not Aire the Wind thine Heart thy Braines thy Soule The operations of the Aire doth shew it the noise and whirling of the Wind doth proue it the panting of the heart doth expresse it the thoughts and imaginations of the Braines doth declare them and life sense and motion doth shew thy soule is in thee Euen so spirituall motions and an holy conuersation doth argue the presence and presidence of the SPIRIT in vs. The Holy GHOST appeared in a Doue and in fiery tongues Hee dwels in them that are innocent meek and constant and whom Hee fils Hee makes them seruent and likewise eloquent Hee inflames their hearts with the heauenly fire of an holy zeale and makes them speake the praises of GOD Hee therefore hath the Holy GHOST who with his mildenesse and simplicity quenches not his zeale nor with bitternesse of zeale looses not his mildensse but harboureth both together in a discreet pious and peaceable Spirit Of the Holy and Indiuiduall Trinity THREE are better then One but here Three are One and One is Three and hee that hath One hath All and hee that wants One wants All. What One is All are What One hath None lackes All Three are one GOD all Three haue one LORDSHIP Amongst Them there is distinction but not diuision a plurality of Persons but a singularity of Nature Consubstantiall Coëternall and Co-aequall To bee busy in inquisition about the TRINITY is wicked curiosity to bleeue It soberly is faithfull security but to see It as It is is perfect and full felicity Nature cannot match this Mystery therefore the similitudes vsed to expresse It must bee warily considered and not strained too farre As that of the Sunne and Fire which haue three things motion light and heate of the Iewish Ephah a measure of three bushels of the Soule which is furnished with Memory Vnderstanding and Will of Water in the Spring Riuer and Pond or of the Finger Hand and Arme. Then here there can bee no where more dangerous crring nor more painefull seeking not more profitable finding It shall not grieue mee if I doubt to aske It shall not shame mee if I faile to learne O Verity Charity Eternity O Blessed and Blessing TRINITY Holy Holy Holy LORD GOD of Hosts Heauen and Earth are full the Maiesty of Thy Glory Whiles I thinke of Three I shut vp my thoughts in One and whilst I muse on One mine eies are dazeled with the sight of Three It is my misery that I am a stranger from Thee I shall bee happy when I shall bee with Thee see Thee and enioy Thee Of Christ OVr blessed LORD and Sauiour is called IESVS CHRIST The former Name is Hebrew the latter Greeke the one signifying a SAVIOVR the other ANNOINTED for Hee is both to Iew and Gentle an Annointed Sauiour Annointed with the oile of gladnesse aboue his fellowes to be a King Priest and Prophet vnto his Body His Person is but one but his Natures are two One Diuine and Vncreated the other Humane and Created Hee must bee man that Hee might bee able to die Hee must bee GOD that his death might bee Meritorious Hee must bee Man for man had finned and Man must therefore suffer Hee must bee GOD that in suffering Hee might ouercome and that dying Hee might raise Himselfe to life Man indeed could suffer but GOD alone could vanquish and ouercome O inestimable fauour GOD would become Man that wee men might bee reconciled vnto GOD. The Sonne of GOD was made the sonne of Man that the sonnes of men might bee made the sonnes of GOD. Hee became a Seruant to make vs free Hee would bee inglorious that wee might bee glorious and being LORD of Life Hee would suffer death that wee which had deserued death might haue by Him eternall Life LORD IESVS whom haue I to intercede for mee with
are the diuels harbingers for hee lodges not but where they haue taken vp his lodging for him There are some vse to minish their sinnes either they are not great or they are not many Sure it is that the smallest sinne that can bee beeing the offence of the greatest Maiesty deserueth death and therefore is great enough to destroy the soule and though there were but one yet that were one too many For one foote of a bird taken or one wing belimmed may cost her her life One hole in a Ship may sinke her One bullet may kill as well as twenty The smallest sin is in it nature mortall yea the omission of the smallest duety which the Law of GOD requireth deserueth eternall death For cursed is euery one which continueth not in All Things which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them If the smallest curse of GOD bee too great to suffer then the smallest sinne against GOD is too great to doe As I therefore desire to escape all curses so will I by the grace of GOD bee carefull to auoide all causes and will neuer count that little which might make mee sustaine so great a losse as is the forfeite of my soule Of the Gospell THE Gospell is good newes from heauen of remission of sins reconciliation to GOD redemption from hell death and condemnation and of resurrection to life and glory by the merites of our LORD and SAVIOVR IESVS CHRIST O happy newes O ioyfull tydings What newes more welcome to prisoners then of a Goale-deliuery What more pleasing to malefactours then to heare of their Princes pardon What would a blind man more willingly heare of then that his eie-sight shall bee restored to him Or what better tydings can bee brought to a man sea-beaten and spent with labour then that hee shall most certainely obtaine an hauen where hee shall most safely rest free from the malice of Pirates and fury of all foule weather Yet for all this the Gospell with many findes but poore acceptance It is because men haue no thorough feeling of their miseries they feele no misery and therefore affect no change What cares a clunch for learning or good manners that blesseth himselfe in his rudenesse and inciuility What cares a man for meate that feeles no hunger What doe you talke to him of cloathes that feeles no cold nor nakednesse The lacke of things causeth estimation the sense of lacke When men haue beene worne with warres how pleasing is the newes of a true and constant peace When a man feeles his disease and sees death staring in his eyes O how welcome is the Physition How welcome should hee bee that would bring him newes of a medicine which hee might easily haue that would cure him and set him vp againe When Sea-men haue beene long at Sea and spent their victuals and water euen a pound of bread would bee worth a pound in siluer and a little fresh water how welcome would it bee vnto them And if men would but duely consider of their captiuity slauery miseries and necessities into which they are driuen by sinne and wherein they are inwrapped they would bee glad to heare of deliuerance And beautifull should be the feete of those which shall bring vnto them glad tydings of peace I will therefore examine my selfe by the Law that I may bee brought to esteeme of the Gospell I will mediate of my slauery which I am brought to by transgressing the Law that I may duely respect the liberty which is Preached in the Gospell Mine owne bitternesse shall make mee delight in this Sweetnesse and mine owne vngraciousnesse in this so great a Grace Of the Law and the Gospell THE Law saith doe this and thou shalt liue The Gospell saith Beleeue in the Lord IESVS and thou shalt be saued In the Law there is seuerity but in the Gospell mercy In the Law there is reserued no repentance but by the sentence thereof hee that sins must die But the Gospell admits repentance and promiseth life to him that turneth vnto GOD. The Law terrifies but the Gospell pacifies The Law discouers sin but the Gospell couers it The Law requires a mans owne iustice but the Gospell Preacheth pardon in the iustice of another to wit of CHRIST The Law is written after a sort in the hearts of all men Pagans and Christians but the Gospell is not so generally knowne to all And the Gospell was not first and then the Law But the Law was first and then the Gospell To finde out my sinnes I will veiw the Law but to reade my saluation I will looke into the Gospell To despaire of my selfe I will weigh the Law but to hope in CHRIST I will receiue the Gospell If I were disposed to stand vpon my good deeds I would sticke to the Law but being desirous of mercy I will flye to the Gospell If I would stand vpon my iustice I wold plead the Law but crauing Grace I go to the Gospell Yet this will I doe because the Law is the rule of good workes I will endeuour to keepe it with care and conscience Yet euery day will I pray and say GOD bee mercifull to mee a sinner Of Good and Euill GOOD is more ancient then euill Sanctity is elder then sinne vice is yonger then Vertue There was first an Angell then a diuell First a Man then a sinner First a True-man then a thiefe In good no man can bee too much in euill no man can bee too little Hee that would encrease in good let him thinke hee hath yet too little Hee that would decrease in euill let him remember still hee hath too much The way to learne vertue is to vnlearne vice Hee taketh the ready course to become good which repenteth of his euils And Hee onely will proue a Saint which feelingly confesses himselfe to bee a sinner Of the Church Vniuersall THE Holy Catholique Church is the Corporation or Communion of Saints Triumphant in Heauen and Militant on earth This is the Mysticall Body of CHRIST who is the onely Head thereof by whose SPIRIT euery Member thereof is animated as euery part of the naturall body is animated of the soule And from which Head euery true mysticall Member deriueth all Spirituall life sense and motion And as the Moone receiueth her light from the Sunne so doth the Church receiue all her brightnesse both of grace and glory from IESVS CHRIST This Church is the Vine of GODS delight the Spouse of CHRIST His Faire One His Wel-Beloued GODS House and Citty the LORD and Keeper whereof is GOD the Wall His omnipotent Grace and gracious Omnipotency the Watch-towers are His Prouidence and Omniscience Her Ensignes or Armes are Faith Righteousnesse Peace Charity and ioy in the Holy GHOST Her foundation is the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles Her Gate is CHRIST Her Religion is the seruice of the blessed TRINITY Her Citizens are all poenitent and true Beleeuers and all the Saints of GOD. This is the
yet his desire and endeuour should bee euer to liue and loue as one not of this world but redeemed from the world Many are Christians in name not so in deed for they that are CHRISTS do crucify the flesh and fleshly desires and are not ruled by their flesh but gouerned by His SPIRIT In vaine is hee called Christian that is in nothing like to CHRIST What will it pleasure a man to be reputed that hee is not Hee is indeed a Christian that resembles CHRIST his Maister that sheweth mercy to the miserable that feeleth the smart of others that being iniured breakes not forth vnto reuenge that can liue inglorious for the glory to bee reuealed that preferreth heauen to earth and GOD to Mammon that counts it his meate and drinke and pleasure to doe the Will of his Father that takes vp his Crosse in this life and beares it with patience and which iudges him onely happy in his death which dyeth either in CHRIST or for CHRIST CHRIST endured the Crosse before Hee obtained the Crowne and suffered Shame before Hee entred into His Glory O Christian thou art a delicate Souldier if thou thinkest to winne the field without fighting or to triumph without troubles For the whole life of a Christian if hee liue according to the Gospell is labour toyle trouble crosses Martyrdome Of the Ministers of Christ ALL the Apostles had equall power What Peter was all were what Peter could all could There was indeed amongst them disparity of gifts inequality in yeares difference in conditions but an identity of power an equality of authority all being equally partakers of one and the selfe-same Office of one and the selfe-same Power These had authority ouer nature to sure it ouer diuels to subdue them ouer all men to conuert them To these CHRIST IESVS gaue power to worke mighty wonders to bind and to loose to open and shut the dores of heauen These hee sent into the world as the Sunne his beames as the Rose her sweete smels and as the Fire his sparkles that as the Sunne appeareth in his beames as the Rose is perceiued in his smels and as the Fire is seene in his sparkes so the potency of CHRIST might be acknowledged in their Vertues and His Maiestie discerned in their Ministery These were the Planters of GODS Vine-yard the Architects of His Temple the Fathers of His Church the Champions of the Faith and Trumpetters of the Gospell who with their siluer-sounding blasts made the Vallies sing the Mountaines ring and fil'd the eares of all These were men of mercy such as had obtained mercy shewed mercy and by whom GOD wrought his works of mercy They neither liued to themselues nor dyed but vnto Him that dyed for them and for His sake also euen for vs receiuing light from the Father of Lights and spending themselues like Lampes in giuing light vnto others Successors to these are all faithfull Bishops and Priests who are not Maisters of the Church but Ministers not Lords but Seruants not Authours of the Faith but Preachers not Makers of the Truth but Keepers To whom is committed the word of reconciliation the dispensation of the Mysteries of GOD the power of remitting and retaining sinnes the care of the Churches and the keeping of the Faith These simply as they are Ecclesiasticall persons haue no secular power and authority for if the Maister then the seruant must also say My Kingdome is not of this world CHRIST came not to make them Princes but Priests Not Monarkes but Ministers Hee gaue them the keyes of heauen and not of Citties or Kingdomes Hee committed the Word vnto them but not the Sword and gaue them authority to deale with mens soules but not with their States or Substance Now to make a true Minister it is requisite that he haue a true Power a true Mission for otherwise he runnes vnsent and rules but not by CHRIST And that hee Preach the Truth or else hee abuses his Power This is a most reuerent and holy calling not instituted by man nor Angell nor any other creature but by IESVS CHRIST the Head and Husband of the Church And they that are thereof had neede to haue a thousand eies because they liue not to themselues onely but to the people also And they are as a Beacon vpon a Hill a Citty vpon a Mountaine a Candle vpon a Table all mens eies are fixed on them By teaching and liuing well they teach the people to beleeue and liue well but by liuing ill they teach GOD how to condemne them And in truth a good life is a good Sermon and oftentimes an ill Pastor destroyes as much with his ill life as hee buildeth vp with his good doctrine Of men no man is better then a Christian and of Christians no man is better then a good Priest But hee that is vicious is like a peece of dung with a Diamond in it and as the water in Baptisme which is profitable to others but perishes it selfe But yet GOD may worke effectually by the Ministery of wicked men for their power and calling is His and their wickednesse is their owne that is holy though they bee vnholy Their authority is not the better for their godlinesse nor the worse for their vngodlinesse The light is not polluted though it passe by polluted places or persons neither is the soule corrupted though it should bee in a corrupted body so neither is the power and authority of the Minister stained though hee bee full of staines himselfe And as water whether it run through a pipe of Wood or Stone or Siluer doth good vnto the ground so the Word and Sacraments are auaileable to the Receiuers whatsoeuer the Minister be that giues them Neither are wee to respect riches age greatnesse of gifts noblenesse of birth in a Minister as if hee were to bee contemned when these things are wanting but wee are to regard especially his place and power for the power varies not with the man neither is the Word and Sacraments of greater respect for any personall respects in the Minister Water hath the properties and effects of water whether brought in an earthen Pitcher or a cup of gold or siluer And though the more excellent gifts a Minister hath the better it is yet his power is not thereby greater or more excellent but still it is the same as a Diamond is whether set in gold or siluer Or as the authority of a Iustice is the same whether hee haue more wisedome godlinesse and insight in the Law or a lesser measure of the same And of all faithfull and true Ministers of CHRIST it may bee said how different soeuer in their Age Wealth Birth Breeding Gifts They are the Dispensers of the Secrets of GOD and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Co-workers with Him For without them Hee will not saue men and without Him they cannot saue men I say He will not for who that contemnes the Baptisme of man is Baptized with the Holy GHOST
Whom doth GOD admit into heauen which is not admitted by the Minister into the Church To whom will GOD giue His Sonne for foode to his hungry soule but to him that receiues Him in the Sacrament Whose sinnes are loosed in heauen but hee that is loosed by the Minister on earth Who is wedded vnto CHRIST IESVS as a Virgine but hee that is prepared and fitted for Him by the Minister Or who is receiued of GOD as an holy liuing and accceptable sacrifice but hee that is as it were tyed to the hornes of the Altar and presented of the Priest perfect in IESVS CHRIST And if it happen that a man bee saued without the Ministery of man say it is a rare and extraordinary fauour and a thing whereof no man should dare to presume least by presuming vpon extraordinary grace and contemning the ordinarie meanes a man doe iustly for presuming depriue himselfe of grace as by his negligence hee depriued himselfe of the meanes of grace But yet there are which meanely esteeme of the Priest-hood because they spie vices in Priests But it were wisedome to distinguish betweene a man and his manners betweene a Priest and his vices and equity not to contemne all for some It were better to make much of the euill for them that are good rather then for them that are euill to contemne the good For it is better to do good vnto the euill though vndeserued then to depriue good men of the good which they doe deserue And hee is a very Cham that will blaze or sport at the nakednesse or infirmities of his Father Arise ô LORD and looke vpon Thy Seruants Let Thy Priests bee cloathed with Righteousnesse And praise yee the LORD all ye Seruants of the LORD yee that stand in the house of the LORD Praise the LORD yee sonnes of Aaron Praise the LORD yee house of Leui All yee that serue the LORD praise the LORD Holinesse becommeth His House for euer Of the Scriptures or Word of God THE Scriptures containe sufficient matter for a mans direction to eternall life They are the rule of faith and the measure of good manners Wouldst thou know what to beleeue They will instruct thee Wouldst thou know how to liue They will teach thee Wouldst thou discerne thine errours They will enlighten thee Wouldst thou amend thy life They will perswade thee Wouldst thou finde comfort They will affoord it thee Thou art blind but They are Light Thou art diseased but They are Sound Thou art euill but They are Good Thou art deceitfull but They are Faithfull For thy wants there is in Them a supply for thy superfluities They haue a remedy The ignorance of the Scriptures is the ignorance of CHRIST Neither can hee know GOD that is ignorant of his Word GODS Word a Meate Drinke and Physicke or the soule Yet as these things hurt the body rather then helpe it if they bee not well entertained so is it with the Word Yet the hurt lies not in the Word which is good but in the heart which is naught The Sunne shining vpon a bed of Roses makes it smell well but vpon a dunghill it makes it stinke The fault is not in the Sunne but in the dunghill To some the Word is the sauour of life to others it is the sauour of death the more they heare the worse they are but this is through their owne corruption Raine falling on a medow makes it flourish but on a flint it doth but wet it And water which quencheth fire inflameth lime And such the Word appeareth by reason of the diuerse obiects whereon it worketh The waters of Marah being bitter were made sweete by a Tree throwne into them The waters of Iericho being vnwholesome and the soile sterile were healed and corrected after Elishah had cast his salt into them So are mens hearts amended by the Word applyed to them and of bitter are made sweete of barren fruitfull by the blessing of GOD vpon it And as Ionathan recouered his sight and strength by the hony which hee tasted of in his faintnesse So the children of GOD are comforted and refreshed by the good Word of GOD which they receiue with hunger into their soules This Word is in it selfe the same though it bee not brought by the same men or in the same language to vs as gold is gold whether it be giuen a man in a purse of veluet or a pouch of leather and the selfe-same man may bee clad either in silke or home-spun russet It skils not therefore so much who brings it as if hee bring it Wee will take money out of a slouens hands Elias will eate his meate though a Rauen bring it And thirsty Sampson will take his drinke out of the iaw-bone of an Asse The light is not the worse because it stands vpon a wodden candlesticke nor learning any whit the lesse to bee respected because it is couered vnder a threed-bare gowne Well howsoeuer the Word comes or whosoeuer brings it it shall bee welcome to mee so long as it is the Word of GOD and not the fables of men It is mine appointed food I will receiue it whether it come in a platter of wood or in plate of siluer or whether the Cooke that drest it be vertuous or ill disposed Of Hearers IT is good to take heed not onely what wee heare but how As it is not amisse for a man to consider what he eates and drinkes as in what fashion Some times death is in the pot and poyson mixed in the cup. I would be loath to let venome in at mine eares or let-them swallow poyson And though a man should receiue that that is good if hee receiue it not well it will rather do him hurt then good Euen good food doth sometimes turne to bad humours though the fault bee not in the foode but in the feeder And workes though externally good yet if they bee not well performed will proue but little beneficiall to the worker There are some that like the Athenians haue their eares open onely for nouelties Some come to heare and not to learne some regard delight and not profite and words rather then matter some wil giue a man the hearing but they will beleeue no more thenlikes their humors And many shew themselues Censurers not Schollers Some are pleased with the voyce and delight in great sounds but whatsoeuer the sense be it is not of so great request Yee shall haue many quarrell with the Preacher his speech is plaine his voyce low he hath no good action his wordes stuck like burres in his throate Hee whips his Auditors hee is too full of the Fathers hee meddles too much with Controuersies hee railes vpon the Parish hee is an easy Diuine it was a plaine Sermon hee Preaches nothing but Law or hee is meale-mouthed hee Preaches his hearers a sleepe hee sings Placentia hee is loath to offend Or hee is neuer well but when hee is inueighing hee speakes daggers and hee aimed
in Thee in Thee alone in nothing else I doe long and looke to see the face of GOD in the Land of the Liuing But it is because Thou art mine and I am Thine and Thine I desire to be and none but Thine for euer and euer For this hope is not a mans but a Christians Thou art the author of it not Alam It is of Faith not from the flesh Wee haue it not by generation but by Regeneration Neither can any man be possessour of it longer then hee continueth Thine euen Thine and none but Thine ruled of thy Spirit and not ouer-ruled of his flesh Of holy Charity LOVE is an vniting affection by which the heart is knit vnto the thing beloued and by which the knot is continued knit and not dissolued For as hatred looseth so loue bindeth that diuideth but this vniteth that causeth abhomnation but this delectation that contempt but this contentment Loue that is good hath for his obiect good As euill either true or seeming is the obiect of hatred so a true or seeming good is the obiect of loue A true loue is fixed on a thing that is truely good This is a rare and excellent vertue that which appeaseth GOD to man and reconcileth man to GOD that which made the Sonne of GOD come downe to men and the sonnes of men go vp to GOD that which ties GOD to vs and our hearts to Him Knowledge is in the soule as a Candle in a darke roome yet without Charity the greatest Clearke is but an empty bladder or like a vaste house full of light but voide of treasure hee may haue Learning but hee wanteth Grace This holy affection makes the poore man very rich and the want thereof makes a rich man very poore With it a man is as an Angell Without it hee is euen as bad or little better then a diuell This is the soule of all learning the condiment of all vertues the roote of all good actions the ornament of all Christians the keeper of true peace the mother of true obedience and that without the which a man hath nothing is nothing A man may haue wealth as Nabal wit as Achitophel beauty as Absolom honour as Haman strength as Goliah the Sacraments as Iudas and yet be wicked and cast away for euer But a man cannot but be good whose loue is sincere and good And as soone shall the diuell bee saued as a charitable man condemned But who is this charitable man indeed Euen hee that loueth GOD in CHRIST and euery good Christian for CHRIST His sake Many will boast of loue as many brauadoes will bragge of wealth they haue not If to for sweare and sweare idly if to profane the Saboath and to contemne sacred Persons Places Offices Acts and Exercises If to be stout and sturdy to superious If to brow-beate stabbe quarrell raile threaten and reuenge If to paint the face and die the haire to weare a long locke or to abuse our neighbours wife daughter or seruant if to robbe purloine embezle or beguile If to oppresse and grinde the faces of poore people If to bee idle and vnprofitable If glutting glouring pranking lying slandering flattering and euill speaking If these bee charity the world is full of charity and such charitable persons are rife as the frogs of Aegypt which would venture into the Kings Court But if these bee not as indeed they are not then may wee iustly complaine and say There is men enough but few louers much enormity but little Charity Some commend Charity but shew none and thinke they haue it when no fruite thereof appeareth Charity needs none of their prayses but they stand in neede to bee praysed by Charity which loues onely to be commended of her children It is true Charity it selfe is not seene but it is manifested by her operations as the heart by panting as the winde by blowing as the Aire by drying or as the spirit and iuice of a tree by the apple And it is as impossible for Charity to bee in the soule without signes and friuts as for fire to bee without heate or for water not to wet them that touch it or for the soule to bee in the body and yet to shew no vertue or comfort thereof vnto the body Of Gods Loue to Man THERE is no man liuing which as a creature is not loued of GOD the great Creator which appeareth in that Hee is said to be the SAVIOVR of All and to cause the Sunne to shine and the raine to fall euen on the wicked Hee loueth Humanity but hateth impiety the Man-head is beloued but malice in it is detested Hee likes well of the Nature but dislikes the sinne That which is His Hee loues but that which marres His Hee hates His owne Image Hee loues but the deformities therof made by man are altogether displeasing in his sight Now when all men had transgressed and by transgression had made themselues the children of death it pleased Him to passe by fome being tyed to none and some others to chuse in loue vnto Eternall Life But what loued Hee now The men and not their manners their nature now vnder great corruption but not corruption it selfe Their persons not their preuarications And why loued Hee them What moued Him to make that difference Surely nothing but His owne good Will Meēre mercy in Him no merite at all in them His free Dignation and no dignity or deserts of theirs His free fauour to them and no fore-seene faith in them But GOD that had nothing to loue in a sinner but his Humanity in a true Saint hath also Christianity then Nature but now Nature and Grace too In Generation the Humane Nature in Regeneration a certaine Diuine Nature If the diuell hate all men but especially all Saints then wee may be sure that GOD loues all men but especially all holy men And if the diuell hate and pine at the graces of GOD in men then questionlesse GOD loues all His graces in whomsoeuer Hee findes them O the riches of the loue of GOD vnto His chosen O inexplicable kindnesse O irrecompenfable fauour What is man that Thou shouldst regard him or the son of man a worme a wretch the childe of death that Thou shouldest cast thine eies vpon Him When all were fallen and had deserued nothing but wrath but woe but death eternall wrath eternall woe eternall death Thy mercy Thy mercy not at all deserued pittyed some but diddest passe by others as amiable and as miserable as the other O how vnspeakeable is Thy loue to Thine How admirable art Thou in all Thy waies Euen Thine enemies hast Thou receiued vnto mercy Thou hast punished their sinnes in the Flesh of Thine owne Sonne and in Whom Thou dost Crowne them with grace and glory O GOD Thy Loue brought the Israelites out of Aegypt ouerwelmed their persecutors guided them in the wildernesse trod downe the Nations for them and brought them into the land of Canaan Euen so ô
LORD Thy loue vnto vs redeemeth vs from our bondage saueth vs from hell treadeth downe our enemies protects and directs vs in the world and safely brings vs into the Land of Promise the Land of the Liuing where wee shall see Thy Face and enioy the ioyes of blisse for euermore O LORD Thy loue is life Thy fauour is felicity LORD let the light of Thy countenance shine vpon mee and grant mee Thy loue which Thou bearest vnto those whom Thou louest euer and leauest neuer Of Mans loue to God LOVE of GOD doth knit fast the heart vnto Him makes it delight in Him and to bee contented with Him What cause hath man to loue Him it is not hard to conceiue seeing Hee is altogether good in Himselfe and the cause of all good in and to him Are wee liue wee vnderstand wee Wee must ascribe it vnto GOD. Are wee men or are wee good men Haue wee Grace or expect we Glory The praise belongs to Him The measure of our loue should bee vnmeasureable and the end endlesse The heart wherewith wee loue Him should not bee halfe nor hollow but such as Hee made in vs whole and vndiuided simple and not double How equall is it that man should loue His GOD seeing it is the substance of His Law and seeing he is so much obliged to Him for the tokens of His loue to Him How needfull is it seeing otherwise hee cannot loue his neighbour in Him no nor performe any Act or Office of Religion pleasingly in His sight And how comfortable seeing it is the worke of GODS SPIRIT in him and an vndoubted effect and token of GODS loue to Him and of his faith in GOD And yet it is a wonder to see how rare this duety is amongst vs. How sildome doe wee thinke of GOD or of His seruice What capitall and foule enormities are euery where heaped vp against Him How vsuall is it with men to turne His Grace into wantonnesse How doe the pleasures and cares of the world depriue Him of our hearts How common is the contempt of His holy Ordinances How great is the profanation of His holy Day How customably is His fearefull and glorious Name vainely vsed And how wantonly doe men deale with His sacred Word What little zeale and courage is there in vs for His Glory Alas wee talke of loue but demonstrate little The heart of the louer is rather where it loues then where it liues a man cannot but obey his Lord whom hee deerely loueth and will make much of any thing that belongs to that hee loues But our hearts are buried in the earth wee are euer rooting in the ground wee haue cast off the yoke of GODS Commandements wee are frozen in our dregges and make account of any thing rather then that which concernes His Honour which doth discouer our hypocrisie and witnesseth against vs that wee are louers of pleasures profite preferments of any thing rather then of Him Yet is there nothing able to doe vs so much good as Hee Nothing so worthy of our loue as Hee Nothing to which wee are so much indebted as to Him Nothing wherein wee can finde so much comfort in the loue thereof as in the loue of Him Nothing so well able to rauish our hearts with the delight thereof as Hee is And no man so regardfull of our loue as Hee is and yet standeth not in neede of vs at all nor of our loue Wee desire His loue to vs why then should we not remonstrate ours to Him Wee would haue our children and seruants loue vs it is reason therefore that wee should bestow our loue on Him being our Louing LORD and gracious FATHER in IESVS CHRIST Of the Loue of Christ CHRIST is our LORD and SAVIOVR therefore wee ought to loue Him as men in loue redeemed by Him and receiued into His seruice Hee loues Him as his LORD that willingly submits his soule vnto His Scepter and offers himselfe to bee ruled by His Lawes Hee loues Him as his SAVIOVR that relies vpon His Merites seekes to Him for His Grace and resteth in those meanes of life and godlinesse which Hee hath ordained in His Church CHRIST is the Husband of His people and therefore to bee beloued of them as of His Wife And those loue Him as their Husband that wed not their hearts to any other that keepe their soules chaste for Him that delight to bee vnder His shadow and which in their hearts say with the Spouse in the Canticles Stay mee with flagons and comfort mee with apples set mee as a Seale on Thine heart and as a Signet vpon Thine Arme Thy Loue is better then wine If euer our loue was deserued of any then of CHRIST IESVS Who became man to bring vs into grace with GOD Who was poore to make vs rich Who humbled Himselfe to exalt vs Who came downe from heauen to fetch vs from hell to heauen Who both liued and dyed for vs that wee might escape eternall death and might obtaine Eternall Life And finally because perfection procureth fauour and beauty is the Load-stone vnto loue Wee must needs bestow our loue on Him in whom is nothing but perfection nothing but beauty In Him are all the Treasures of Wisedome and Knowledge hidden In Him is the fulnesse of the God-head Bodily Hee is Fairer then the sonnes of men Grace is diffused in His Lips GOD hath annointed Him with the Oile of Gladnesse aboue His Fellowes Hee is White and Ruddy the chiefest of ten thousand wholly delectable LORD IESVS tie mine heart fast to Thee by loue seuer it from all earthly things euen from it selfe that it may be wedded wholly and solely vnto Thee vnto Thee and vnto none but Thee and that for euer Of Selfe-loue CHRITY beginnes at home It is naturall for a man to loue himselfe Hee that loues not himselfe is vnfit to loue another Or how can hee take care of another that is carelesse of himselfe True selfe-loue is a furtherer of all vertues specially of temperance and such other as concerne our selues For hee that loues himselfe truely wils well and does well vnto himselfe and embraces those vertues gladly by which hee may be mended There is a blind and foolish selfe-loue too too common in the world You shall haue some rauished with the admiration of themselues they are the Mountaines all others are but Mole-hils all their Geese are Swans all their vertues are ten-foote long and all their actions are good because they are theirs all is spoken in Print that is spoke by them they see not their wants but imagine they haue that they haue not So they swimme they care not though all doe sinke so they may haue they care not though all besides doe want they will forgiue and flatter themselues in most grieuous vices excusing themselues extenuating their faults and contemning all the admonitions of others And finally their praises of others is very sparing almost nothing but they can speake bigly of
made Saints dead men are made aliue From it all manner of vertues spring and with it are nourished And were it not for it the whole world and euen the Church it selfe would be worse then a wildernesse and turned into Sodom and Gomorrah But as it is in vaine to sow Seed in the fire aire or water or any where but in the earth which is in the middle of the world and that it may prosper well the ground must be quiet not troubled or tossed nor continually troden on and both it and the seed to be cast into it must be pure and good not mingled or corrupt So it is bootlesse to sow the Word in the eares onely or in the eyes or vnderstanding and memory or indeed any where if not in the heart which is in the midst of a man And that it may thriue and flourish the heart must be quiet and not disturbed or tossed with the stormes and tempests of fleshly passions It must be cleansed of noysome and stinking weeds It must not be troden vnder foote and continually walkt vpon by wordlly cares carnall desires and foolish fansies which keepe a great coile and are alwaies trotting vp and downe in worldings belly-gods and naturall men and the seed must be sowne purely and not mingled with the tares and darnell of heresies and errours A Ship cannot saile without Sea-roome and seed cannot thriue without Earth-roome No more can the Word without Heart-roome If the ground receiue not the seed into it and cherish it and giue it scope to roote it selfe in it the seed cannot prosper and come to perfection So the Word of GOD thriues not except the heart receiue it meekely cherish it louingly and giue it roome to roote it selfe throughly Drunkennesse and gluttony doe drowne this Seed couetousnesse and worldly cares do choke it vnchaste desires do scortch and burne it rage and contumacy repell it hatred and malice pinch and bite it hardnesse of heart and double mindednesse will not suffer it to roote well Euery man would haue his ground good yea what is there that a man would not haue to be good his wife his childe his seruant his friend his fellow his apparell his house his horse his dogge hee would haue all good and shall himselfe be naught Shall the heart which is the onely seed-plot of the Word which is able to saue his soule shall it be euill and suffred to be euill and ouergrowne with euill weedes Why is it that the raine falling and the Sunne shining vpon a well ordered Garden makes it sweete and flourishing but vpon some other peece of ground and it brings out nothing but Mosse and Weedes The fault is in the ground not in the Sunne or Raine So one man is benefited by the Word it takes well and bringeth forth fruites in him and another doth not reap any good by it it proueth not in him by reason of his vncapablenesse and wicked lusts that will not giue way vnto it but makes him to resist it and rebell against it A man may set or sow in our fields whiles wee sleepe or though wee would not But the Minister cannot sow the Word of GOD in our hearts if wee snort in sin if wee bee regardlesse of the Word and will not receiue it Seed may bee pickt out of the ground and eaten of birds whether a man will or no his corne may bee burnt his plants may be stollen or puld vp and broken downe though hee would not But wee and the Word that is sowne or grafted in vs cannot bee separated against our wils our Bibles may bee taken from vs by force but the Word ingrafted in vs cannot bee taken from vs against our will the birds of hell cannot steale it from vs and pick it out except we our selues be willing if euer wee and it do part wee must thanke our selues Seed sowne in the ground after a time comes vp and flourishes for a time but at length it decayes and withers For this is the nature of seed it is partly turned into the ground and turnes the ground partly into it It turnes and is turned it suckes and drawes to it a certaine nurriture out of the ground at length shootes out growes vp and increaseth a certaine space then in processe of time it decayeth and at length dyeth But the Word doth otherwise For the Word being sowne in the heart that entertaines it taketh thriueth comes vp and beareth fruite It is not turned but it turneth the heart It is not corrupted but rather corrupteth and killeth the euill qualities that are within vs It it is no whit turned into man but it rather turnes a man into it and workes him to it will It suckes no nourishment from man but it affoords strength and comfort vnto man and it neuer decayeth of it selfe It dies not neither can it bee by any meanes rooted vp or taken from vs but by our wils Wee yeelding consent thereto If euer it faile and die if it bee parched and dryed vp it is long of vs and not of it There is no plant which time killeth Nature hath appointed it a time to liue and a time to die be the ground neuer so good the yeares neuer so seasonable the heauens neuer so benigne yet it must decay and die But if the Word be planted in a good and honest heart it cannot be rooted out nor perish except the ground proue barren and naught except a man do waxe weary of the Plant vnlesse a man would be ridde of it it will not away but will grow vp with him and will saue his soule by the blessing of GOD. This Seed is at this day scattered in all places amongst vs yet it takes but badly in the most The Seed is good but the ground as it seemes is for the most part naught That is the onely good ground which receiues it gladly giues it free passage willingly and brings sorth the fruites thereof patiently Men neuer more delighted in goodly Gardens and Orchards in variety of fruites and flowers then at this day But without doubt there is none of all their Seedes or Sets comparable to this For this brings fruites of all kindes that are good Fruits of which a man cannot surfet Fruits without which a man is more miserable than a very beast Fruites for the which a man shall bee crowned with life eternall Fruites which themselues are fruitfull one fruite bringeth forth another without the corruption losse or lessening of it selfe And whereas all their feedes are not able to saue the body from death this Seed is able to saue the soule from hell and to giue a man assurance that his dead body also shall be raised vp from death to life Their seeds and their plants and flowers do replenish and beautifie their grounds but this Seed and the fruites there of doe fill and garnish the soule Those if they prosper doe commend the soyle but this if it thriue doth commend the
change our selues which GOD forbid wee shall still embrace and follow it but if wee receiue it for the fauour of men for honours riches credite or because wee would not bee out of the fashion then when these things shall bee separated from the faith and when the confessours of it shall bee dishonoured impouerished disgraced imprisoned Martyred then then wee shall renounce it and giue it our vnfriendly fare-well For our heart will cleaue to the things it takes delight in and will follow no thing longer then those things do follow for which it followed it I doubt not but that some which knew our Religion to bee the truth would haue openly acknowledged it and not haue renounced it in those Marian daies but that they receiued and profest it before not because it was true and holy but because preferment ease and liberty went with it and the sword was for it and when they saw the sword turned against it and fire threatned they turned likewise and set fire on their faith A belly-god will alwaies forsake GOD for his belly The shewes of Hypocrites trencher-friends are but as the light of Meteors the guilt of pot-sheards the paint of harlots and themselues as vapours summer-birds or houses of reed which will endure neither wind nor fire or much like whoores which will shew loue whiles a man hath mony meanes to content their humours but these things and their loue must die together Of Humility and Pride VVEE need not define humility but rather shew it It is an excellent vertue and very comely for vs that are wormes ashes shadowes Mee thinkes the pollutions of our birth the miseries of our life and the putrefaction of vs ensuing death being well considered should make vs truely humble But besides hee whom GOD will honour must bee humble For GOD resisteth the proud but giueth grace to the humble A Bucket is not filled except it bee let downe low in to the Well An house is not strongly mounted vnlesse the foundation bee laid low A Tree sends downe his rootes low that hee may shoot vp his branches high Mountaines are dry and barren when the Vallyes are well watered and very fertile Trees stoope most that are most fruitfull The dore of Life is straite and low a man must stoop and not swell with pride or else he cannot enter This pride is a miserable vice loathed of all men except the proud yea neither can one proud man endure another There was neuer any pride safe though neuer so strongly garded For deuouring all things to vphold her selfe she depriues her selfe of loue and is bereaued of all meanes which may defend it Pride will haue a fall Pride was bread in heauen but shee was throwne out quickely and was neuer so happy as to bee receiued in againe Other vices striue onely to be but pride would corrupt vertues and good workes that they might not bee If a man do good deeds and be proud of them he hath lost his praise If he haue Nobility beauty strength riches credite learning wit valour grauity humanity virginity and be proud thereof hee hath lost the grace of all these things and his reward with GOD. Euagrius being asked what was a proud heart answered it was vertues fanne a cisterne without water and an Inne of Theeues There are some so ambitious of promotion that they cannot tarry oportunity but will forcibly clime vp though sometimes it be to their greater fall Some when they are got vp themselues pull vp the ladder after them that no man shall come vp after except they list Some so they be vppermost themselues are well content with any but loue not any should be aboue them Some perceiuing a man to haue some singular parts in him farre beyond their owne will to their vtmost keepe him vnder fearing least his light should put out theirs or that if hee were any body they should be as no body It is not vnvsuall with sundry sorts of men by their dyet and rich apparell and faire appearances to â—â—guile the world One to be counted a better man then he is will ruffle it out in brauery Another will be a Subsidie-man to shift a while with his Creditors or to be reputed some body being no body Another to draw eyes vnto him will turne Pea-cocke and in colours put downe the Rainebow Pambo spying a certaine woman flaunting it in very sumptuous apparell fell a weeping and being asked why he wept so much answered for two causes one the destruction of this woman an other because I quoth he which professe my selfe a Christian do not so much study to please GOD by innocency of life as this woman desires to please men with her vanity Another will vent his pride in ragges hunting after the praise of men being great or rich but sicke of vaine glory thirsting to be reputed humble and contemning the world because he keeps not state as men commonly will Antisthenes may glory more in his worme coate then a modest man will in costly garments For pride lies in the heart and can shew it selfe as well in ragges as in roabes Diogenes seeing certaine yong men of Rhodes very richly clad with laughter said this is nothing but pride Afterwards seeing the Lacedemonians in ill apparell This is quoth hee another kind of pride The man saw that pride did not alwaies shew it selfe in brauery and garish appaparel but sometimes also in very beggery and base aray whiles a rich man being vaine-glorious will affect to go in course or base apparell thereby hawking after the praise of men Others because they would appeare more louely then they are are wont to paint their faces being either ashamed or weary of the faces that GOD and Nature lent them It is true nature may be corrected but that nature must be plaistered that I finde not The sinnefull soule may be amended and refined but that a new face should be giuen it when the old manners and dispositions are retained and that a man would make a glorious profession where he shakes not off his inward rebellions this is nothing but hypocrisie and vaine glory So a man hauing a bad complexion of body or colour of face may lawfully by Art or Industry alter it if he can and make it better but to lay a plaister on his face to lit and paint his skin or haire that he may seeme better coloured then he is indeed his complexion being nothing bettered but rather waxing worser this is very vanity nothing but pride and cousenage Phillip King of Macedony had made one of Antipaters friends a Iudge but vnderstanding he did vse to die his head and beard hee displaced him againe saying there was no reason why he should be trusted in an Office seeing he was not trusty in his haire It being likely that he that would vse deceite in colouring his haire where there was no great gaine to be gotten would much more vse deciept in his Office where deceipt sometimes
brings great commodity I haue heard a fellow say sometimes he cares not for any man he feares no mans displeasure What doth this discouer but pride and folly foolish pride and proud folly There is no man almost but he may do the best man good or the greatest harme Hath not a flye choakt a man was not a raskall the death of the great French King And yet the fellow feares no body cares for no body When pride is in the wit is out They say when they spleene swels the body pines and whiles a caske is full of winde it is voide of wine So we may truely say the soule prospers not vertue is in truth a stranger whiles the heart doth swell with pride and abounds with arrogancy and selfe-conceitednesse In one word there are none better then the humble there are none worse then are the proud and as honor followes the humble so perdition waites vpon the proud Of Hearing and Speaking IT is good counsell which Saint Iames doth giue Be swift to heare and slow to speake GOD hath giuen a man two eares but one tongue thereby teaching vs to heare more and to speake lesse The eares Hee hath made open without a couer but Hee hath inclosed the tongue within a double fence the lips and the teeth thereby shewing that we should be quicke and swift to heare and slow to speake GOD hath giuen a tongue to euery beast that is voide of reason but the faculty of speaking onely vnto man to whom Hee hath giuen an vnderstanding spirit whereby Hee would instruct vs that reason should rule our wordes and that our tongues should not runne before our wits And Hee hath made our eares Erect to heare heauenly things and not hanging downe like Blood-hounds as if they had beene made to heare earthly things or lies and errours which come out of hell it selfe The eare serues to learne with the tongue serues to teach with a man learnes not with his tongue nor teaches with his eares There is a time saith Salomon to keepe silence and a time to speake A fooles bolt is soone shot but a wise man will consider what he speakes whereof when where why how and before whom And his words vttered in season are like Apples of Gold with pictures of Siluer their inside is better then their outside but both good Some speake very much not because they haue the Art of speaking but because they want the skill to hold their peace He that knowes not how to hold his tongue knowes not how to vse his tongue Hee is the onely skilfull man that knowes when to speake and when to hold his peace Either a man should not speake or speake to purpose Either he should be silent or his words should be better worth then silence Three things are very commendable in a man Wisedome in the minde a certaine Manly modesty in the countenance and a well gouerned silence in the speech Simonides and Xenocrates were wont to say that they neuer repented them of their silence but that they were sorry sometimes for their speeches If men did well consider that life and death is in the power of the tongue and that in many words there cannot want iniquity and that an account must one day bee giuen of euery idle word certainely they would not so abuse their tongues as they doe to swearing and lying to taunts and slanders to cursing and rayling to wantonnesse and vanity neither would they bee so vnreuerent in the House of GOD as they vse by babling whispering seeing they shold come thither to pray and not to prate to vse their eares and not to abuse their tongues Nothing is ours longer then wee vse it well Our tongues are not ours if wee doe abuse them but our enemies for whom wee vse them when wee do abuse them An euill tongue comes from an euill heart For were the heart good the tongue could not bee naught A messenger which a man sends to his neighbour may lie or reuile and speake euill and deliuer a false errand whether the man that sent him will or no or though hee thinke not of it or meane cleane contrary but a mans owne tongue which is the messenger or interpreter of the heart can say no other then the heart doth bid it Euill must bee minted in the heart before it bee vttered in the tongue A good heart causeth a good tongue and a naughty heart a naughty tongue Of painting the face IF that which is most ancient be best then the face that one is borne with is better then it that is borrowed Nature is more ancient then Art and Art is allowed to helpe Nature but not to hurt it to mend it but not to marre it for perfection but not for perdition but this artificiall facing doth corrupt the naturall colour of it Indeed GOD hath giuen a man oile for his countenance as Hee hath done wine for his heart to refresh and cheere it but this is by refection and not by plaister-worke by comforting and not by dawbing and couering by mending and helping the naturall colour and not by marring or hiding it with an artificiall lit What a miserable vanity is it in a man or woman beholding in a glasse their borrowed face their bought complexion to please themselues with a face that is not their owne And what is the cause they paint Without doubt nothing but pride of heart disdaining to bee behind their neighbour discontentment with the worke of GOD and vaine glory or a foolish affectation of the praise of men This kind of people are very hypocrites seeming one thing and being another desiring to bee that in shew which they cannot bee in substance and coueting to be iudged that they are not They are very grosse Deceiuers for they study to delude men with shewes seeking hereby to bee counted more louely creatures then they are affecting that men should account that naturall which is but artificiall I may truely say they are deceiuers of Themselues for if they thinke they doe well to paint they are deceiued if they thinke it honest and iust to beguile men and to make them account them more delicate and amiable then they are in truth they are deceiued if they thinke it meete that that should bee counted GODS worke which is their owne they are deceiued If they thinke that they shall not one day giue account vnto CHRIST of idle deeds such as this is as well as of idle words they are deceiued if they thinke that GOD regards not such trifles but leaues them to their free election herein they are deceiued Now they that deceiue themselues who shall they be trusted with A man that is taken of himselfe is in a worse taking then he that is caught of another This selfe-deceiuer is a double sinner he siones in that hee is deceiued hee sinnes againe in that he doth deceiue himselfe To bee murdered of an other is not a sin in him that is
murdered but for a man to be deceiued in what hee is forbidden is a sinne it were better to bee murdered then so to bee deceiued For there the body is but killed but here the soule her selfe is endangered Now how vnhappy is the danger how grieuous is the sin when a man is meerely of himselfe indangered It is a misery of miseries for a man to bee slaine with his owne sword with his owne hand and long of his owne will Besides this painting is very scandalous and of ill report for any man therefore to vse it is to thwart the precept of the Holy GHOST in Saint Paul who saith vnto the Phillippians in this wise Whatsoeuer things are true but a painted face is a false face Whatsoeuer things are venerable but who esteemes a painted face venerable which is venereous rather then venerable Whatsoeuer things are iust but will any man of iudgement say that to paint the face is a point of iustice Who dare say it is according to the will of GOD which is the rule of iustice Doth the Law of GOD command it Doth true reason teach it Doth Lawes of men eioyne it Whatsoeuer things are chaste and pure but is painting of the face a point of chastity which is so commonly vsed amongst impure whoores and curtezans Is that pure that proceeds out of the impurity of the soule and which is of deceipt and tends vnto deceipt It that chaste which is vsed to wooe mens eyes vnto it Whatsoeuer things are louely but will any man out of a well informed iudgement say that this kinde of painting is worthy loue or that a painted face is worthy to be fansied Whatsoeuer things are of good report If there bee any vertue if there bee any praise think on these things But I hope to paint the face to weare an artificiall colour or complexion is no vertue neither is it of good report amongst the vertuous I read that Iezabel did practise it but I find not that any holy Matrone or religious Virgine euer vsed it And it may perhaps of some be praised but doubtlesse not of such as are iudicious but of them rather hated and discommended A painted face is the deuils Looking-glasse there hee stands peering and toying as an Ape in a looking-glasse ioying to behold himselfe therein for in it he may reade pride vanity and vaine-glory Painting is an enemy to blushing which is vertues colour And indeed how vnworthy are they to bee credited in things of moment that are so false in their haire or colour ouer which age and sicknesse and many accidents doe tyrannize yea and where their deceipt is easily discerned And whereas the passions and conditions of a man and his age is some thing discouered by the face this painting hindereth a mans iudgment herein so that if they were as well able to colour the eyes as they are their haire and faces a man could discerne little or nothing in such kind of people In briefe these painters are sometimes iniurious to those that are naturally faire and louely and no painters partly in that these are thought sometimes to bee painted because of the common vse of painting and partly in that these artificial creatures steal away the praise from the naturall beauty by reason of their Art when it is not espyed whereas were it not for their cunning they would not bee deemed equall to the other It is great pitty that this outlandish vanity is in so much request and practise with vs as it is Of Prayer PRAYING is the begging of things needfull as the remouing of some euill and the conferring of some good When we heare GOD speakes to vs When we pray we speak to GOD. Some wish for this and some for that But I wish for my selfe For if I haue my selfe I lacke nothing but if I lacke my selfe I haue nothing Some say Who will shew vs any good But I say with Dauid LORD lift thou vp the light of Thy Conntenane vpon mee cast mee not away from Thy presence and take not Thine Holy SPIRIT from mee For where His SPIRIT is there is Life but where it is not there is nothing but death And he that hath His Grace hath all but he that hath it not wants all How euer people thinke of themselues I for my part will thinke my selfe to bee the greatest sinner for I know more sinnes and imperfections in my selfe then in any man else and therefore I will not boast with the Pharisee but beate my breast and say with the Publican GOD be merciful to me a sinner Amongst beggars not the neediest or honestest but sometimes the strongest and loudest runnes away with all the almes But GOD sees the secrets and knowes the necessities of all His Suppliants and bestowes His fauours on them that are most humble and poorest in spirit not respecting strength of sides loudnesse of voyce or shew of violence and importunity but intention of Spirit deuotion of affection the loud cries of the heart and inward vehemency inward and substantiall violence and importunity Some pray they may keep their goods some their credite others their friends or children I will pray that I may keepe my selfe for if I keepe my selfe I haue something but if I loose my selfe I am nothing yes some thing worse then nothing Some say they are turmoyled with their sins which they cannot be rid of but still they come againe like the fits of an ague Their course is to pray with feruency and continuance When Moyses prayed the Israelites preuailed When Christians pray their flesh is foyled It is good for them to resolue resolutely to decree the leauing extinguishing of thē and further to auoide occasions which are as matches to giue fire to them or as bellowes to blow them vp Thirdly duely and daily to weigh the danger and vilenesse of them fourthly to meditate well of the excellency and cōmodity of those vertues that are contrary finally in no wise to forget but to remēber to pray earnestly for GODS assistance It is more easy to driue the deuill out of the body then to coniure his messenger the flesh or any fleshly lust out of the scule when it hath once taken possession of it Onely GOD can take the strong man binde him and cast him out and GOD will not do it except Hee be entreated It is strange to see how earnestly men will begge for mony meate drinke cloathes of men but yet forget to begge spirituall Graces of GOD. It appeares they begge them not because they are for the most part rude sensuall impious idle and very enormious Now if they did as feelingly and as instantly begge grace of GOD as they do outward things of men certainely GOD who is farre more mercifull and open-handed then the kindest men would not could notedeny them but would heare their cries Men being sicke pray earnestly for health being ready to bee vndone pray heartily to bee deliuered but are not so earnest
from Him and though shee brought Him into the world yet Hee redeemed her out of the world Some out of vanity will call her the Queene of heauen shee is in truth a Saint in heauen shining in heauenly glory more then any Queene or Empresse in earthly here below yet shee is not the Queene of heauen For her Son receiued not his Royalty of her neither hath Hee inuested her with any other Royalty then such as Hee hath bestowed on all whom Hee hath loued and washed from their sinnes whom Hee hath made Kings and Priests to GOD. It is the pleasure of some to call her our Lady a Title which shee knowes belongs not to her though perhaps endowed with greater grace and glory then any other Saint besides For CHRIST IESVS is our onely LORD and hers as well as ours and as Hee receiued not His Lordship from her so Hee hath not bestowed it on her Hee is the onely Head and Husband of the Catholique Church Militant and Triumphant whereof His mother is not a Mistresse but a Member and which hath indeed a LORD but not a Lady This onely will I adde he that speakes or onely thinkes a thought dishonourable of the Mother it is pitty hee should receiue any honour by her SON Of the Incarnation of Christ THE WORD was made Flesh Hee that was true GOD became also true Man without diuision of Person or confusion of Natures assuming that Hee had not and continuing what Hee was Being Creator Hee became a creature that wee creatures might be brought into fauour with our great Creator Being GOD Hee was made Man that what wee had lost by man wee might recouer by Him that was GOD and Man Being GOD Hee tooke the nature of man vpon Him and marryed our flesh vnto His Deity that man which was for his adultery separated frō his GOD might by Him who was truely Flesh be marryed and ioyned anew vnto his GOD. It was miraculous that a Virgin chast shold bring forth a Sonne but not to be doubted of considering Gods Omnipotēce For He that could make the world of nothing Hee that was able to take Adā out of the earth He that could giue Sarah a child in her old age He that made Aarons rod bud He was as able doubtlesse to make the wombe of a virgin fruitfull For with him nothing is impossible if he doe but speake the word it is done It is strange that God should bee man that a virgine should be a mother that the mother should bee daughter to her owne sonne and that a mortall and weake woman should conceiue bring forth the immortall and Almighty God But let vs turne vp our eyes to God and grant that he is able to doe that which wee are not able fully to comprehend In things of wonder we must ascribe the reason of worke to the power of the worker In a word our Sauiour by his Incarnation hath honoured both sexes Mans in taking of his shape and Womans by being conceiued borne brought vp by a Woman And so amends hath beene made in that Sexe For as a Woman brought sinne into to the world so a Woman also brought forth and brought vp that SAVIOVR by whom alone wee are deliuered from our sinnes As by a Woman came Sinne Sicknesse Sorrow Bondage Errour Death So in a Woman came a Sauiour for Sinners a Physitian for the Sicke a Comforter of the Heauy-hearted a Redeemer for Captiues a Guide for Straglers and euen Light and Life it selfe for them that sit in darknesse and in the shadowe of Death Of Miracles A Miracle is some extraordinary thing done by the power of God aboue the course of nature such as was the creatio of the world of nothing the diuiding of the red sea the standing of the Sunne in the dayes of Iosua the Mother-hood of that vntouched Maiden the turning of Water into Wine and such like Some things may bee aboue nature as the conuersion of a sinner or true saith in Christ which is aboue created and corrupted nature and yet no miracle being common ordinary and vsuall in the Church Some things are strange and wonderfull yet no miracles because there are naturall causes of them though perhappes not certainly discerned alwayes nor of all as Comets Earth quakes Eclipses excepting that Eclipse of the Sunne at the Crucifixion of Christ which to see it was ashamed and amazed so it is maruailous but not miraculous that the Crocodile should eate and not moue his neatheriaw that the Salamander should indure the fire vnburnt that Pismires shold prouide for Winter that the King amongst the Bees should onely want a sting that a Worme should worke out Silke and that a Spider should draw a Webbe out of his owne bowels to intangle the Flies with Furthermore some things are strange and beyond nature yet not miraculous not truely miracles because they are done by the power and assistance of the Diuell as are many things said and done by such are possessed of Diuels Miracles were wrought in the Primitiue Church very often till the Christian Faith was sufficiently confirmed but now hauing beene so aboundantly confirmed so generally beleeued hee were himself a very wonderment that will not now beleeue it without a wonder And because that Antichrist shall come with his lying wonders that is either not true but appearing to bee true or truely tending to maintaine his lies and errors therefore we must take heed of wonders that we be not by new wonders misled and drawne away from the old way For his wonders serue not to confirme the faith but to try the faithfull This is a Lesson neuer to be forgotten No signe no wonder no miracle must withdraw vs from Christ and his faith but and if any Man or Angell should preach otherwise then we finde written in the holy Scriptures or shall presume to adde to substract from or to change the faith receiued wee are to hold him as accursed If there arise among you a Prophet or a dreamer of dreames saith Moses and giue thee a signe or a wonder and the signe wonder which he hath told thee come to passe saying Let vs goe after other Gods which thou hast not knowne and let vs serue them What then Thou shalt not quoth he giue eare to the words of the Prophet or dreamer of dreames Why so For the LORD your GOD proueth you to know whether you loue the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soules Of Marriage MArriage is the Coniunction of but one man and but one woman for if it were lawfull to haue two wiues at once our Sauiour would not haue said that hee that puts away his wife except for adultery and marries another commits adultery The Man and his Wife are a matrimoniall Creature the Man is as the soule and the Woman is as the body The Man as Soule is to animate and rule the Woman as body is to be animated and ruled
soule-body because it is gouerned of the soule so it is called then a spirituall body because it shall be at the Spirits command and shall bee more pure and subtill and fuller of agility then it is in this world and shall not haue need of such naturall and bodily helpes to succour and sustaine it In a word all glorified bodies shall haue a temper of elementary qualities brought to such an equality that heate shall not ouercome moysture nor this that but there shall be peace for euer without discord and contention There is nothing goes from these bodies nothing is put to them there is no defect no superfluity no aliment no excrement their temperature is altogether invariable Neither may it seeme harsh to any that these our bodies shall be raised vp againe For GOD that knowes their frame and is thoroughly acquainted with their substance is Omnipotent and Eternall and can most easily do it If an Image or Statue were broken in peeces yet so long as the worke-man that made it liues and whiles his skill lasteth his memory and fancie faile not and matter wanteth not there is hope it may be made againe as good as euer But GOD our Maker is One and the Same for euer and both can and will performe all his Promises made in His Word The howre shall come in which all that are in the graues shall heare His Voyce the voyce of the Son of man and they shall come forth that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life but they that haue done euill vnto the resurrection of condemnation O that my soule might rise from sinne in this world that my body might rise from death to Life and Glory in the world to come Of the last Judgement VVEE must all appeare before the iudgement seate of CHRIST Hee shall iudge the world that was iudged of the world Hee shall condemne sinners who was Himselfe condemned for a sinner Hee will recompense to euery one according as his deeds haue beene and no man shall escape His Power Faire words can not deceiue Him gifts cannot corrupt Him intreaty cannot moue Him fig-leaues cannot delude Him But as men haue brued so shall they drinke euen as they haue baked so shall they eate They that haue done well shall speed well but they that haue followed reprobate and wicked courses shall be condemned The more Grace men haue shewed the more Glory they shall receiue and the more men haue sinned the more smart they must suffer O that wee could say with Saint Ierome As oft as I thinke of that day I tremble all ouer For whether I eate or drinke or whatsoeuer else I do me thinkes I heare that terrible Trumpet sounding in mine eares Surgite mortui venite ad iudicium Arise yee dead and come to iudgement O that we would iudge our selues in this world that we might escape the fearefull iudgement of the wicked in the world to come Of Life Eternall THEY that haue serued GOD aright in this world shall liue eternally with GOD in the world to come They that haue liued vnto CHRIST and haue dyed in the faith and feare of CHRIST shall be raised by the Power of CHRIST and shall enioy His face for euer to their vnspeakeable comfort and contentment and as men haue excel'd in grace so they shall exceed in glory It is more easy to tell what shall not be in that life then what shall be There shall be no mourning nor misery no want nor weakenesse no sinne nor sorrow no wearinesse nor weeping no death nor dolour no hunger nor thirst no ach nor anguish no diseases nor discontentments no troubles nor tentations But what shall bee there who is able to expresse No eye hath seene no eare hath heard no heart hath yet conceiued What are the good things which GOD hath prepared for those that loue Him There is supreme Felicity perfite Liberty true Charity sweete Eternity immortall Happinesse and happy Immortality Eternal Security and secure Eternity There GOD shall be seene without end loued without loathing and praysed without wearines There is whatsoeuer is desired and nothing is desired which is not there Thy food is not thy rayment nor it thy light nor these thy mony but there God will be all in all to all his children They shall possesse him and he them for euer and for euer For that life shall see no death those ioyes shall haue no end that state shal neuer sustaine a change This life this state these ioyes God of his mercy grant vs for Christ Iesus sake To whom with the holy Ghost be ascribed all honor praise power might and maiesty now and euermore Amen Trin-vni Deo Gloria â—or 3. 18 Mat. 12. 5 Luk. 8. 2 * Or rather Baptisme and the LORDS Supper An. Dom. 1346. Further Adam sinned but we all are punisht but now if the father eate the sowre grapes the sonnes teeth shall not be set an edge * I meane it not as if any of them were either gracious or glorious in the same degree with her