are no greater Secondly when they are so generall that all sorts are wrapt in them In Sodome there were not Ten good men Gen. 18. but round about from the young to the old they followed wickednesse Gen. 19. and Gen. 6.12 All flesh had corrupted their way vpon the earth Thirdly when it is done openly without shame or feare Esay 3.9 Their countenance testifieth against them they shew their sinnes like Sodome they hide them not like Absolon that Lay with his fathers concubines in the sight of all Israel 2. Sam. 16.22 Fourthly when it refuseth all admonition and reformation and no Preaching can beate it downe like the old world that an hundred yeares together all the while the Arke was in making despised the preaching of Noah and like Babilon Ier. 51.9 We would haue cured Babel but shee could not be healed The sinners of England are of this size Let it be written with a pen of iron and the point of a diamond Ier. 17.1 No sinne so great but it is among vs and that which is greater then the greatest the greatest sinnes are many times either least punished or not at all And the course of sinne is so generall that he begins to be counted very precise that will not sweare and swagger with the worst But if any man cleaue a little more then ordinarie to Religion that scarce sutes with the ciuilitie of our time And our sinnes are so open that I must say with Bernard They are become the fable of the world that if we should not speake of them euery man might call vs the grossest dissemblers of the world Would God the Noahs of our time had left vs any peece of a garment to couer them Neither will they endure reproofe but are iustified and affront the Pulpit that the greatest Bishop in the kingdome shall be censured if he deale with them Yea the torrent of these things is so strong that it seems manifestly to tend to the dissolution of all humane societie Three things maintaine society Religion Iustice and Order Religion is pitifully violated by Atheisme blasphemie heresie horrible profanenes The Stages now in this city wo is me that I should liue to see it tosse the Scripture phrase as commonly as they do their Tobacco in their bawdy houses Iustice is destroyed by oppression rapine briberie extortion partialitie That of the Prophet Esay 59. is verified Iudgement is turned backward Iustice stands aloofe for truth is fallen in the streete and equitie cannot go O the pitie of God! If truth had fallen in the desert it had bene no maruell but that it shall fall in the streete where so many go vp and downe and none to helpe it vp and be so wounded with the fall that it should be lamed no vprightnesse no plaine dealing no truth among men this is lamentable Gouernment and order is profaned by contention by contemning the Magistrate by whoredome incest so domy pride drunkennes These things are too manifest all that are guiltie must make account when they haue run their race that there is a heauen a God whom it wil be a woful thing to lose for the base pleasures of this world And in this passage I value all men alike of what cloth soeuer his coate be made he that layes the foundation with firework must look in the end to be blown vp The great Nobleman that thinkes God hath made him greater then others for no purpose but that he might be bolder to sin then others the wealthy Gentleman that turns towns into sheepe walks sell Benefices for ready mony contriue hospitality into the narrow room of a poore lodging taken vp in the Citie that subuert the strength of the land by vnreasonable renting the tenants the Iudge that takes bribes that iudges for fauour that vpon the bench makes lawes and iustice and religion stoope to his lust the Lawyer that pleads against the right leades Iurie into periurie spends Sabboth after Sabboth among clients openly defying God to his face thereby and protesting that he loues his fee better then Gods ordinance the sharking Officer that receiues bribes spares neither the King nor the subiect but sucks from them both what he can and the Clergie man too that failes either in life or teaching or labours not effectually to feede the flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made him Ouerseer for all that are such as these and all whatsoeuer that lay the foundation of sinne must needs build vpon condemnation And albeit my words may worke no great impression yet afore any man can deny this to be true he must turne Atheist and be certaine that my Text and all Scripture is false and that there is no God nor heauen nor hell torments A hard point to settle in the minde yet if it be not so all that liue in this vngodly sort shall perish eternally For God in the Scripture hath said it and all the holy men from the beginning of the world to this day haue beleeued it 27. The seruants of Christ who by their obedience glorifie his name shall do otherwise whom againe and againe I exhort to go forward in laying hold vpon this eternity let no tediousnesse of time or labour wearie you let not the snares of this present world intrap you but looking on Iesus Christ the author and captaine of our faith runne with patience the race that is set before you that the sence and loue of this present world rob you not of the hope of the world to come Looke vpon those who in all ages haue taken this course the Prophets and Patriarkes Apostles and Christians in times past and as wise and noble spirits as euer liued whom this world could neuer deceiue the pleasures thereof could not surprise them nor all the greatnesse therein transport them they onely attended vpon God and the good which he set before their eyes they trampled vnder their feete all that whatsoeuer it were that could not be vsed with godlinesse They liued iustly soberly charitably chastly vprightly among all men they called vpon God were zealous for his word sought not themselues but the cōmon good of Church and State only inquired how they might glorifie his name that so mercifuly redeemed them with his blood Me thinkes I see them mounting themselues aboue the cloudes and trampling vnder their feet all the vanities of this world and with their hands wafting vs toward them and calling alowd vpon vs to follow them and hasten away that the loue of riches and pleasure and case security intercept vs not They are gone before vs and being crowned liue in the ioyfull society of holy Angels and the blessed Trinitie where the chiefe of their ioy is that they are deliuered from this wretched world O happy life that shall neuer see death nor heare any more the temptations of this wicked world that shall lay all these things at our feet and shew vs him that hath conquered them where all this riches and power and greatnes and abundance and pleasure and euerie worldly ioy shall haue no vse but God himselfe shall be all in all and such as haue renounced these things or cōuerted them to the seruice of God shall for gold haue immortalitie and for the pleasure of sin reape ioy and eternitie with God for euer and that happinesse which the soule of man either most desires or is most capable of The fruition of God shall be their meate and drinke the glorie conferred vpon them shall be their apparell their delight the society of men Angels the ioy of their hart the depth of eternity And now ô Lord our God the mercifull Father of all that seeke thee inspire our hearts put backe the world the diuell and the flesh from vs. Ioyne vs to thy selfe now in this life by grace and then in that life by glorie for Christs sake to whom with the holy Ghost in the vnitie of the Trinitie three persons and one immortall God be rendred all honour and glorie and thankesgiuing now and for euermore Amen FINIS
hand that he can desire yet God by infusing of his life into them giues vs the fruition Mat. 4.4 Man liues not by bread onely but by euery word that comes out of the mouth of God And therefore Dauid sayes Psal 20.7 Some put their trust in chariots horses but we wil remember the name of Iehouah our God As if he should say All the power in the world is nothing if God with hold his life from it And thus we see many times death and misery and want and weaknesse to be in the midst of abundance when life and comfort and peace and strength are found in pouerty Thus the poore mans child growes vp and many a one straitned and scanted with want yet liues in much peace when issue failes posterity misproues among the rich and their houses euer anon are ouerthrowne This is the the first reason why To trust in God 16 The next is He giues vs richly all things to enioy Where as I noted in the beginning foure conditions of the gift of God are affirmed First that he giues vs all things generally either that we haue or that we shall need or can desire In this great variety and plenty that we see all things come from him in this great necessity wherein we neede so many things he denies nothing He giues the king his Royalty the Nobleman his Honour the Captaine his strength the rich man his wealth He giues vs health and pleasure and deliuerance in the time of danger and as Nathan said to Dauid 2. Sam. 12.8 If all this were too little he would yet giue vs more He giues all things Next he giues abundantly richly as becomes the greatnesse of a King Earthly Princes and the greatest that liue are faine to measure their gifts because their store is not infinite but Eph. 2.4 God is rich in mercy We reade of a Duke of Millan that marrying his daughter to a son of England he made a dinner of thirtie courses and at euery course gaue so many gifts to euery guest at the table as there were dishes in the course This was rich royall entertainement but God giues more richly Thirdly he giues freely he exchanges not with vs for any thing that he receiues at our hand againe but he giues that is to say without any desert in vs he conferres freely for He will haue mercie vpon whom he will haue mercie and will shew compassion vpon whom he will shew compassion Exo. 33.19 Therefore wicked and vnworthy men are rich and great and honourable and the heathen that haue not knowne his Name enioy great abundance No man doth so but he that giues most can yet scarce be said to do it freely because though he receiue nothing againe in the same kinde yet he hath thankes and enioyes loue and pleasure from him he gratifies which God in many doth not and if any be thankfull and loue him that also is his gift whereby he preuented and stirred him vp Amor Dei facit nos amabiles Gods loue infused into vs makes vs such as he can loue Fourthly he giues effectually to enioy that no malice or enuie of the diuell or man can take away the benefite of his gift from vs. He giues it and so giues it that he vpholds it to vs against losse and decay and then giues vs comfort in it and strength to it to serue our turne He giueth strength to our bread warmnes to our clothes chearefulnesse to our health and securitie to our plentie But there are yet two things more intended in the words First he giues vs all things to vse and occupie and do good with to our selues and others not to hourd and locke vp liue beside it in basenesse and penurie as if our house should be like the den of a Wolfe nothing but to cram and hide therein whatsoeuer we lay hold on for Solomon saith Eccles 9.7 Go eate thy bread and drinke thy wine with ioy that is as the Chaldee Paraphrast expounds Taste thy bread thy selfe chearefully and helpe the poore Iob saith 31.18 He eate not his meate alone but the poore grew vp with him and the fleece of his sheepe warmed him This man was more then the Iailor of his wealth to carrie the keyes Next the meaning is to enioy that we haue well and vse it lawfully not to bestow it as we list our selus according to the corrupt lusts of our hearts vpon the vanities and excesses of the world but as becometh the stewards of Gods gifts For the rich man in the Gospell Luk. 16.19 was no miser of his goods but spent freely yet for so much as he did it vpon excesse in apparell and meate and pleasures he went to hell for it 17 I cannot leaue this point thus but must needs spend a little more time about it and therefore I humbly beseech this honorable Audience to giue me leaue to deale freely and really When God bestowed this abundance of wealth vpon the land he neuer intended that it should be so abused in prodigalitie and excesse Drinking and dicing and gaming and apparell consume the most part of many a mans estate to say nothing of whordome and suites at law and other actions of prodigalitie Many hundreds sell their land which God gaue them to enioy and destroy their estates to maintaine these things this is it that makes our gallants trudge so fast betweene the Broker and the Vsurer The excesse of apparell is such both in men and women from the Ladie to the milkmaide that it should seeme they imagine God gaue them their riches for nothing but to decke themselues The walles of old Babylon might haue bene kept in repaire with as little cost as our women are and a Ladies head is sometime as rich as her husbands rent day There is as much possible to be said of men I haue little hope to controll it When Luther began to preach against the Popes pardons a friend of his came to him and gaue him this counsell As good hold your tongue the custome is so strong you wil do no good go into your studie and pray Domine miserere nostri and get you no anger The same you may say to me for any hope of reformation that I see And if some little restraint were intended I make a question whether our Ladyes and citizens wiues and some Preachers wiues among them too would forbeare to do as the Dames of Rome did when a motion was made to abridge them a little of their iewels and coaches they flocked together and suffered no man to go into the Senate house till they had let him see their resolution Cato might say his minde but the women would haue their will But the will and resolution of the best subiect in this land be they women or men shall not beare them out against the Almightie who in his word hath controlled this excesse by the Pastors of his Church in all ages condemned it
he must runne that will be crowned the mart time wherein he must occupie his talent that will be a gainer the warfare wherein he must fight valiantly that will be rewarded Iohn 9. The night approches wherin no man can work Thirdly he affirmes that as there is a time a life to come the foundation wherof is to be layed in this life so humilitie of minde and mercie and goodnesse and readinesse in distributing is the way to apprehend it and come vnto it and all rich men thereby haue readie and infallible way vnto saluation So saith S. Iohn 1. Epist 3.14 By this we know we are translated from death to life if we loue our brethren And therefore our Sauiour Luk. 16. bids Make you friends with your riches that they your friends by exhibiting your almes may receiue and make way for you to enter into euerlasting habitations But of all other the 25 of Matthew shewes this most plainely where our blessed Sauiour shall say at the day of iudgement to the godly Come ye blessed c. And this is the reason why almes and mercie and all good workes are so commended in the Scripture and in the Fathers and haue those high titles giuen vnto them because they are the things which God hath appointed vs to walk in for the working out of our saluation 25 For the better vnderstanding of which point and that you may see the venime which the Church of Rome hath put into the doctrine of Almes and all Good works you must note that for the bringing man to heauen and happinesse two things must be done First Gods iustice must be satisfied and the price be paied which man through his sinne owes to God For God hauing giuen the Law for man to keepe entirelie in thought word and deede and man hauing broken this law by his sinne the iustice of God is such that he cannot now be saued till the price be paied for this sinne and a iust and full satisfaction be made to God for the breach of this law the which no man can do by almes or prayers or any good workes but by faith in Christ whose death and obedience alone iustifieth from the law But then secondly when Christ our Sauiour hath reconciled vs to his Father and eleuated vs into a new state that our sinnes are pardoned and obtained for vs the gift of eternall life yet still we must performe the conditions and walke the way prescribed in the Gospell As if the King freely without desert of mine at the mediation of another giue me a place about him and neuer so much right vnto it yet I am bound if I will enioy it to come vnto him and do the things that the place requireth and if he giue me a tree growing in his forrest this his gift tyes me to be at cost to cut it downe and bring it home if I will haue it and when I haue done I cannot brag that by my comming and seruice I merited the place or by my cost in carrying the tree made my selfe worthy of the tree as the Iesuites speake of their workes but onely my deed is the way that leades to the fruition of that which is freely giuen me And there cannot be produced a place in all the Scripture nor a sentence in all the Fathers which extend our works any further or make them exceede the latitude of a meere condition or way whereby we walke to that which not themselues but the bloud of Christ hath deserued The Prophet Dauid was a holy man and mercifull to the poore yet when he comes to the point of meriting Psalme 143. he desires God Not to enter into iudgement with him for no flesh is righteous in his sight And that which might giue an end to this controuersie for euer Apoc. 4.10 we reade the foure and twenty Elders had crownes vpon their heads but yet when they came into the presence of God to worship him They cast them downe before his Throne and cried Thou alone art worthy Againe within the same latitude of our workes the Apostle saith that thereby We lay hold vpon eternall life because as they are the way so they giue confidence and assurance to the conscience and lay through hope the ground of saluation in our minde For as he that keepes the way is sure to come to the end so he that perseueres in the way of a good life is sure to come to eternall life and hath confidence not because he thinkes his workes are worthy or deserue it but because he knowes they are the way 1. Ioh. 3. If our heart condemne vs not we haue confidence toward God Saint Ierome writes of Hilario a holy man that when he died and felt a motion of feare he checkt himselfe Egredere anima mea egredere quid times Septuaginta prope annis servisti Christo iam times March on my soule and set forward willingly why fearest thou these seuentie yeares thou hast serued God and wilt thou be now afraid For as in a clocke the finger makes not the clocke to go but the clocke it and yet it shewes how the clocke goes within So our works And as after a long sicknesse when a man feeles his stomacke come his strength and sleepe to amend and his sits to abate he beginneth to conceiue certaine hope of life euen so our workes are the signes of our election and the forerunners of saluation whereby we lay hold on it by hope and faith and walke toward it This is the Apostles meaning 26 Let vs come to some application of it and so end When the foundation of eternall happinesse is to be laid in this world by liuing godly and such as will enioy heauen must lay hold vpon it in this life they much forget themselues that by liuing in sinne and wickednesse lay the foundation of their owne destruction For Iob saith of euery wicked man 20.11 that His bones shall be filled with his sinne and it shall couch downe with him in the dust and 1. Ioh. 3.8 Let no man deceiue you with vaine words he that doth wickedly is a wicked man and of the diuell Euery man thinkes to haue eternall life and yet few lay any foundation for it If euer it were a time to cry out of sinne this is it wherein the Preachers may say with the Angel in Zach. 1. We haue gone through the world and behold all the world sitteth still and is at rest And it cannot be said of vs as it was of the Amorites that Their wickednesse is not yet complete Gen. 15. For we see sinne to be of that eleuation that there is scarce left any roome for the mercie of God to helpe vs. There are foure things that shew sinne to be complete and nothing wanting but the terrible iudgements of God to be daily looked for First when the sinnes are great like the sinnes of the Gentiles Atheisme whoredome Sodomie bloudshed oppression These are crying sinnes and there