Word and will reape his Glory His glory eyther in your instruction or destruction conuersion or conuiction life or death O why should that be to your horror that is meant to your comforts Turne not that to your desolation which God sends to your consolation Pray you then with me euery one to the Lord that this seed now sowne may bring forth fruit in vs all in some thirty in some sixty in some a hundred fold To the glory of his holy name and the eternall saluation of our soules through Iesus Christ. Amen HEAVEN-GATE OR THE PASSAGE TO PARADISE REVELAT 22. 14. in fine And may enter in through the Gates into the Citie IF we supply these words with the first word of the verse Blessed wee shall make a perfect sentence of perfect comfort Blessed are they that doe his commandements that they may haueright to the tree of life And may enter in through the gates into the Citie In the whole there be Premises Promises The Premises qualifie vs we must be such as are Blessed and who are they Qui praestant mandata that doe his commandements The Promises crowne vs and these are two 1. That wee may haue right to the tree of life euen that which Reu. 2. is in the middest of the Paradise of God From whence the Angell with a flaming sword shall keep all the reprobate 2. Et per portas ingrediantur ciuitatem And may enter in through the gates into the City When without shall be dogs and scorners c. whosoeuer loueth and maketh a lie To the last words of the verse I haue bound bounded my discourse Wherein I finde three points readily offering themselues to be considered Motus Motion Enter in Modus Manner Through the gates Terminus Place Into the Citie So there is a threefold circumstance Quid. What an Entrance Qua. How through the gates Quò Whither into the Citie The Motion Enter in They are blessed that enter in Perseuerance onely makes happy Our labours must not cease till wee can with Stephen see these Gates open and our Sauiour offering to take vs by the hand and welcome our entrance We know who hath taught vs that onely continuers to the end shall be saued It is obseruable that in the holy Spirits letters sent to those seuen Churches in the second and third chapters of this Booke all the promises runne to Perseuerers Uincenti dabitur To him that ouercomes shall it be giuen Nec paranti ad praliim nec pugnanti ad sanguinem multo minus tergiuersanti ad peccatum sed vincenti ad victoriam Nor to him that prepares to fight nor to him that resists to bloud much lesse to him that shewes his back in cowardice but to him that ouercomes to conquest Demas seeing this warre ranne away fell backe to the security of the world Saul made himselfe ready to this battell but he durst not fight glory and lusts carried him away Iudas stood a bowt or two but the High Priests money made him giue ouer and the Deuill tooke him captiue But Paul fought out this combat euen to victorie though he bore in his body the markes of the Lord Iesus I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith Therefore now there is laid vp for me a crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue mee This is a good life saith Bern. Mala pati et bona facere et fic vsque ad mortem perseuerare To suffer euill to doe good and so to continue to the end Some came into the Vineyard in the morning some at noone others later none receiued the Penny but they that stayed till night Augustine affirmes this to be almost all the contents of the Lords Prayer Hallowed be thy Name thy kingdome come thy will be done Wherein wee desire that his Name may alwaies be sanctified his Kingdome alwaies propagated his will alwaies obeyed Indeed this grace perfects all graces Wee beleeue in vaine if our faith hold not out to the end Weeloue in vaine if our charitie grow cold at last We pray in vaine if our zeale growes faint VVee striue in vaine at the strait gate if not till we enter Venire adreligionem est vera deuotio sed non religiose viuere vera damnatio To come to the truth of religion is true deuotion not to liue religiously is true damnation Man is naturally like a horse that loueth short iourneyes and there are few that hold out Whence it comes that the last are often first and the first last Know ye not that they which runne in a race run all but one receiueth the prize He that hath a good horse can goe faster vp a hill then downe a hill He that hath a good faith doth as quickly ascend the Mount Sion as the wicked descend to the valley of Hinnon If men would as strongly erect themselues vpwards as they direct their courses downewards they might goe to heauen with lesse trouble then they doe goe to hell But he that at euery sleppe lookes at euery stoppe and numbers his perils with his paces either turnes aside faintly or turnes back cowardly They that goe wandring wondring on their iourney are at the gates of Samaria when they should enter the gates of Ierusalem God saith I will not leaue yòu Heb. 13. Will you then leaue GOD One told Socrates that he would faine goe to Olympus but he distrusted his sufficiencie for the length of the iourney Socrates told him Thou walkest euery day little or much continue this walke forward thy way and a few dayes shall bring thee to Olympus Euery day euery man takes some paines let him bestow that measure of paines in trauclling to heauen and the further he goes the more heart he gets till at last he enter through the gates into the Citie Bernard calls Perseuerance the onely daughter of the highest King the perfection of vertues the storehouse of good works a vertue without which no man shall see God There is a last enemy to be destroyed Death we must hold out to the conquest euen of this last aduersary Which if it conquer vs by the Sting of our Sinne shal send vs to the dores of hell if we conquer it by our Faith it shal send vs to the gates of this Citie Heauen Lauda nauigantem cum peruenerit ad portum All the voyage is lost through the perilous Sea of this world if we suffer shipwracke in the Hauen and lose our reward there where we should land to receiue it What get we if we keepe Satan short of ruling vs with his force many houres when at our last houre hee shall snatch our blisse from vs The runner speeds all the way but when he comes at the races end to the goale he stretcheth forth his hand to catch the prize Be sure of thy last step to put forth the hand of faith then most strongly Ne perdatur
mouth of Christ. Let mee conclude with that sigh from his soule Could ye not watch with me one houre It will not bee long ere the glasse be runne the houre out Iudas is at hand iudgement is not farre off then may you sleepe and take your rest This day is neerer you now then when you first entred the Church Twice haue the blasted eares eat vp the full corne twice haue the leane kine deuoured the fatte Pharaohs dreame is doubled for the certainty and expedition Yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry If wee shall haue comfort in this day when it is come wee must long for it before it doe come What comfort shall the Vsurer haue hee desires not this day for then the Angell sweares there shall bee no more time and his profession is to sell time He sels it deare very costly to anothers purse but most costly to his owne soule Such as bribe for Offices farme Monopolies contract an vsurious rent for life doe they desire it Woe vnto you that desire the day of the Lord to what end is it for you the day of the Lord is darkenesse and not light The soule groaning vnder sinne desires it Who shall deliuer me from the body of this death The suffering soule may desire it Come Lord Iesus The faithfull Spouse wedded to Christ desires this comming of her Husband she is now espoused that is the plenary consummation of the marriage Let vs be glad and reioyce and giue honour to him for the marriage of the Lambe is come and the Bride hath made her selfe ready Blessed are they that bee called to this marriage supper To the vngodly it will be a fearefull day Ignis vbique ferox ruptis regnabit habenis there shall follow an vniuersall dissolution Downewards goe Satan his angels and reprobates howling and shriking gnashing of teeth the effect of a most impatient fury to be bound hand and foote with euerlasting chaines of darkenesse Where fire shall torture yet giue no light wormes gnaw the heart yet neuer gnaw in sunder the strings eternall paines punire non finire corpora Small sorrowes grow great with continuance but O misery of miseries to haue torments vniuersall and withall eternall not to be endured yet not to be ended Vpwards goes Christ the blessed Angels and Saints singing with melodie as neuer mortall eare heard The onely song which that Quire sung audible to man was that which the Shepheards heard Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace good will towards men Yet Christ was then comming to suffer what may we thinke are those Halleluiahs euerlastingly chanted in the Courts of Heauen we know not yet we may know one speciall note which an vniuersall Quire of all nations kinred and tongues Angels Elders All shall sing Blessing and glory and wisedome and thankesgiuing and honour and power and might bee vnto our God for euer and euer Amen To the spirits of iust men made perfect The Citizens of heâ—…uen are of two sorts by Creation or Adoption Created and naturall Citizens are the Angels Adopted are Men. Of these be two kindes some Assumed and others Assigned The Assigned such as are decreed in their times to be Citizens said before to bee written in heauen The Assumed such as are already possessed of it here Spirits of iust men made perfect But how then is the Apostles meaning cleared How are the militant on earth said to be come vnto these iust spirits in heauen Yes wee haue a Communion with them participating in Spe what they possesse in Re. Now we are no more strangers and forreiners but fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of GOD. Onely our apprentiship of the flesh is not yet out but they haue their freedome But as wee haue all an vnion with Christ so a Communion vvith Christians the combatant on earth with the triumphant in heauen Spirits this word hath diuerse acceptions It is taken 1. Pro animo for the Mind Luke 10. 21. Iesus reioyced in spirit 1. Chron. 5. 26. God stirred vp the spirit of the King of Assyria 2. Pro sede rationis et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Cor. 2. 11. What man knowes the things of man saue the spirit of man which is within him 3. Pro Affectuvel Afflatu for the motion of the mind whether good or bad Luke 9. 55. Ye know not what maner spirit ye are of So there is called the spirit of lust the spirit of pride c. 4. Pro donis spiritus sancti for the gifts of Gods Spirit Act. 8. 15. Peter and Iohn prayed for the disciples at Samaria that they might receiue the holy Spirit meaning the graces of the holy Spirit Gala. 3. 2. Receiued yee the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of faith 5. Pro efficacia Euangelij for the effectuall working of the Gospel and so it is opposed to the letter 2. Cor. 3. 6. The letter killeth but the Spirit giueth life 6. Pro spiritualibus exercitijs for spirituall exercises Gala. 6. 8. He that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reape euerlasting life Iohn 4. 23. True worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit truth 7. Pro regenerata parte for the regenerate part of a Christian and so it is opposed to the flesh Gala. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit lusteth against the flesh 8. Lastly Pro anima immortalâ—… for the immortall soule Eccl. 12. 7. Dust shall returne to the earth as it was and the spirit shall returne to God who gaue it This spirit did Steuen commend into the hands of Christ. Act. 7. 59. And Christ into the hands of his Father Math. 27. 50. yielding vp the spirit Thus it is taken here Spirits he doth not say bodies they lie in the dust vnder the hope of a better resurrection Spirits Wee find here what becomes of good mens soules when they forsake their bodies they are in the heauenly Citie There are many idle opinions what becomes of mans soule in death Some haue thought that the soules then though they die not yet are still kept within the body as it were asleepe vntill the last day But the Scripture speakes expresly the contrary for Diues his soule was in hell and Lazarus his soule in Abrahams bosome I saw vnder the Altar the soules of them that were slaine for the Word of God Some haue imagined a transmigration of soules forsakeÌ„ of their owne bodies into other bodies Herod seemes to be of this opinion when newes was brought him concerning the fame of Iesus he said to his seruants This is Iohn the Baptist he is risen from the dead He thought that the soule of Iohn was put into the body of Iesus It is alleaged that Nebuchadnezzar liuing and feeding with beasts vntill seuen times were passed ouer him had lost his owne soule and the soule
and acceptable to God by addition of our prauity becomes euill Thus the best actions of an vniustified person are so leuened with his owne corruption that God abhorres them Your new Moones and your appointed Feasts my soule hateth they are a trouble to me I am weary to beare them when ye make many prayers I will not heare you What is the reason Your hands are full of bloud Euen sacrifices and supplications good seruices in their owne nature are made displeasing by the leuen of sinne He that killeth an Oxe is as if he slue a man he that sacrificeth a Lambe as if hee cut off a dogs neck Sacrifices God commanded and often commended yet victimae impiorum the oblations of the wicked are abominated Non speciosalaus in ore peccatorum Praise becommeth not the mouth of a sinner Euery vnregenerate man Claudicat in rectis halts in the straitest path Omnia naturalia bona polluta omnia supernaturalia amissa His portion of naturall good is defiled but of supernaturall good all share is vanished Peccaui was Dauids voice after his sinfull Arithmeticke the same was Iudas his voice after his damned treason Similis sonus non sinus there was the same sound but not the same heart Esau wept as much after the losse of the blessing as Peter after the denyall of his Master Similes lacrimae non animae like teares but vnlike soules The Pharise went to Church so well as the Publican but the Publican came home rather iustified then the Pharise The Pharises threw bounteously into the Treasury the poore widow two Mites yet Christ commends the poorer gift for the richer charity That worke which seemes the same In identitate operis yet differs much Ratione agentis in respect of the workers Many Heathen excelled vs in morall vertues yet the ignorance of Christ did shut heauen against them Vae tibi Aristoteles laudaris vbi non es damnaris vbi es Woe to thee O Aristotle who art commended where thou art not and condemned where thou art yea euen in a iustified mans workes though pure from the Spirit yet passing through his hands there is some tang of this leuen enough to keepe them from being meritorious Looke then well both to the iustification of thy person and the sanctification of thy workes Thou indeed confessest sinne to be damnable but it would grieue thee to go to hell for thy good deeds Though a man should giue all his goods to the poore yet wanting Faith and Loue he may for his charity go to the deuill Pray then that thy defects may bee supplyed by Christ Who gaue himselfe a sacrifice for vs to God of a sweet smelling sauour perfuming vs with the pleasant odour of his merits 3. By Leuen sowred we make rellishable bread for the vse of man so by the vngodly's most cursed sinnes God will aduance his glory Will Pharaoh harden his heart I will get me honour vpon him saith God That Leuen of malice which so wred the soules of those Brethren against poore Ioseph the Lord made vse of to his glory From that vngracious practice hee raised a pedegree of blessings Otherwise there had beene no prouision in Aegypt no bread to spare for Israel no wonders wrought by Moses no Manna from heauen no Law from Sinai no possession of Canaan So from the vnnaturallest murther that euer the Sunne beheld yea which the Sunne durst not looke vpon God glorified himselfe in sauing vs. The Oppressor impouerisheth the righteous God sees and suffers and from his villany effectuates their good by taking away those snares to saue their soules The Lord will glorifie himselfe in the vessels of destruction and the grones in hell shall honour his Iustice so well as the songs in heauen honour his mercy How much better is it to glorifie God in faithfulnesse that will preserue thee then in wickednesse which will destroy thee 4. A man cannot Liue by bread only much worse by Leuen No man can liue for euer by his righteousnesse and good works much lesse by his sinnes Sinne is no nourishment to the soule vnles as some Mithridates-like haue so inured their bodies to poison that Venenum nutrit euen venime doth batten them so others their soules to sinne that they cannot keepe life without it And indeed we say of some things that they nourish sicknesse and feed death Omne simile nutrit simile inward corruption is fed maintained by outward action Couetice in Iudas is nourished by filching his masters money Murder in Ioab is hartned and hardned with bloud Theft is fatted with booties pride with gay rags vsury battens by extortion Sacriledge by Church-robbing Pascitur Libido conuiuijs nutritur delicijs vino accenditur ebrietate flammatur Banketting is the diet of lust Wantonnesse her Nurse Wine kindles a heate in her bloud and Drunkennesse is the powder that sets her on fire Thus sinne feeds vpon this leuen but with the same successe that Israel vpon quailes they fatted their carkasses but made them leane soules Though this leuen passe the swallow yet stickes in the stomach sinne may be deuoured but lies heauy on the conscience Bread of deceit is sweet to a man but his mouth shall be filled with grauell It may be sweet in his mouth but it is the gall of Aspes in his bowels Putrid meate is apt to breed and feed wormes so this Leuen the worme of conscience when they once come to feele it worke then ready to cry This is my death vnlesse God giue them a good vomite of repentance to put it off their soules and the sober dyet of sanctification to amend and rectifie their liues 5. Lastly Sinne and leuen are fitly compared for their sowrenesse There is a Leuen sharpe and sowre but sanatiue The Kingdome of heauen is like vnto leuen But this leuen here is farre sowrer yet hath nothing but death in it It is sowre to God sowre to Angels sowre to Saints sowre to the sinner Sinne is sowrer then any Leuen 1. Sowre to God who hates nothing but sinne He made man and man made sinne Hee loues his owne creature but he hates mans creature Sinne is sowrer to him then the deuill For Non odit peccatum Diaboli cansa sed Diabolum peccati causa He hates not sinne for the deuils sake but the deuill for sinnes sake It is so sowre to him that for one sinne hâ—…e plagued a world of men how will he plague one man for a world of sinne So sowre that he could rellish no man for it till hee had killed it in the sides of Iesus Christ. We are all so sowre that but for this sweetning and perfume we could neuer haue beene endured The Scripture for our vnderstanding ascribes senses to God and we finde euery sense displeased with sinne 1. It is offensiue to his smelling He tels the Iewes that their sinnes did stinke in his nosthrils So did the old World offend him that he washed
him from walking to standing from standing to sitting stil and this is limen inferni the very threshold of hell Wee iudge of sinne as of the Sunne little because far off yet indeed it is bigger then the earth The neerer wee come to the sense of iniquity the greater it appeares Was it such a sinne for Adam to eate a forbidden Apple Yes the greatnes is remonstrable in the euent it brought destruction vpon himselfe and his posterity Is it such a haynous offence for Dauid to know the number of his people Doe not Princes make good their Muster-books by such a Quare and numeration The plague witnessed the greatnesse of it and himselfe cryes Peccaui I haue done wickedly Looke on the least sin in Satans false glasse and it seemes contemptible behold it in the true glasse of Gods Law and it appeares abhominable The Deuill stands betwixt wicked men and their sinnes all their life but placeth their sinnes betwixt heauen and themselues in death writes them in Text letters on the Curtaines that their amazed soules cannot chuse but read them Thus he that led them liuing by sin to presumption now driues them dying by sinne to desperation Satan seemes modest and will bee contented vvith a little when hee can get no more he will play at small game before he sit out Wilt thou not cut throats yet quarrell and appoint fields not so yet hate thine enemies not professe hatred yet watch occasions to hinder his good if thou wilt not iniure his estate yet at least scandalize his good name He will take little rather then nothing The Israelites in the Desart had no rich and costly sacrifices to offer to Baal Peor They had not such store of beasts but the oblations to God tooke them vp I cannot see what they should haue fit for this sacrifice to Baal except Manna and water too good for the Deuill but hee â—…s content with this Yet it is euident that they committed Idolatry Neyther be yee Idolaters as were some of them as it is written The people sate downe to eate and drinke and rose vp to play Rather then want their custome Satan will take such as they had Will Naaman worship God yet let him worship Rimmon too no hee will not doe so yet let him bow to Rimmon no nor so much yet let him bow before Rimmon the Deuill is glad of this where he can get no more Thus Pharaoh minceth and limits with Moses concerning the dismission of Israel Gods charge was Let my people goe three daies iourney in the wildernesse to celebrate a feast to the Lord. Now marke how Pharaoh would compound it First Sacrifice to God in this land no saith Moses wee must goe into the wildernesse Then saith Pharaoh If there be no remedy Goe and goe to the wildernesse and sacrifice to your God but goe not farre nay wee must goe three dayes iourney Then Pharaoh Goe ye the men but leaue your children behinde you nay we must goe old and young sons and daughters Then Pharaoh Goe ye men women and children so farre as your feet can measure in three dayes but your flocks and your heards shall be stayd nay we will not leaue a hoofe behinde vs. So when the Deuill perceiues no remedy hee falls to indenting with niggardly grants and allowances Somwhat hath some sauor giue him at least a thought a word a looke as Lots wife and it something pleaseth him Among the Heathen they vsed to ioyne together Epula and Sacrificia with solemne sacrifices to their gods solemne bankets among themselues So the Apostle deliuers the custome of the Moabites 1. Cor. 10. 7. In the midst of their Idolatry they sate downe to eate drinke So the Psalmist writes of that cursed commixtion of Israel with Moab that they had Idolatrous feasts They ioyned themselues to Baal-Peor and did eate the sacrifices of the dead One nation had a custome in these superstious feasts to sacrifice to their Idol Capita some Noble mens heads according as it fell to their lots together with their hearts and their liuers It came to the turne of the Kings speciall fauourite thus to lose his life the King resoluing both to keep the custome yet to saue his friend obiected that God was no murderer nor delighted in the bloud of men That if he were a God he was certainely good and goodnesse stood not in the desire of his owne creatures destruction Therefore in stead of the mans head he offered the head of an onyon and for bloud heart and liuers of men all these of birds or beasts The Deuill must be pleased with this hee saw that this little homage was some acknowledgement of his soueraignty Satan can hold a mans soule in by a little as a bird that hangs in the net by a claw Perhaps shame feare keepes some from eruption into scandalous things the appearance is vizarded the affection is not mortified Like an Eunuch he doth not beget palpable grosse turpitudes yet hath a lust itch and concupiscence this little serues the Deuils turne Satan would keepe away the light of the Truth from a man well he is so seated that hee will haue it by knowledge he seemes to cast out Satan Yet if he can but insinuate into his affection this little cord will pull him in againe with ease Must he lose the Sconce of thy vnderstanding Let him hold the Cittadell of thy desires this little gate will let him in at his pleasure I draw to conclusion let this teach vs all to make a scrutiny in our soules and seriously to repent of this little leuen Little in quantity great in quality little in estimation powerfull in operation Little in the sight of men iudging by outward appearance great in the sight of God iudging in truth Lot said of the City of Zoar Is it not a little one and my soule shall liue thou sayest of thy sinne Is it not a little one and why should my soule die A little Posterne opened may betray the greatest City Ionathan tasted but a little honey on the top of his wand and hardly he escaped death for it A little leauen makes the head heauy and the heart sicke Eschevv this little if thou wouldst be great in heauen For whosoeuer shall breake one of these least Commandements hee shall bee called least in the kingdome of heauen Minimus that is indeed Nullus the least there because he shall not be there at all Let no tang of corruption come to thy least part if thou desirest to preserue body and soule blamelesse to the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ. Repentance must be to all dead workes sanctification takes liberty in no sinne Nullum peccatum retinendum spe remissionis No euill must be reserued vnder the hope of forgiuenesse God gaue a Law but no dispensation for any breach of it his Generall rules haue no exceptions vnlesse it please the Diuine Oracle
gratious God hath made vs able Ministers of the New Testament not of the letter but of the Spirit for the letter killeth but the spirit giueth life The proper office of the Law was to threaten terrifie condemne Lex non damnans est ficta pictalex sayth Luther That law that doth not condemne is a fained and a painted law But the power of the Gospell is to conuert and saue The Lord hath annointed me sayth the Prophet in the person of Christ to preach good tydings vnto the meeke to bind vp the broken-hearted to proclaime libertie to the captiâ—…es and the acceptable yeare of the Lord to comfort all that mourne The law was called the Ministration of death but the Gospell like Iohn Baptist points vs to Christ a Sauiour Behold the Lambâ—… of God tâ—…king away the sinne of the world The law menaced death but the Gospell assures vs There is no damnation to them which are in Christ. When the law like a sterne Seriant arresteth thee Pay that thou owest the Gospell produceth an acquitâ—…ance â—…ealed in the bloud of Iesus and sayes to thy faith All is payed Quod lex operum minando imperâ—…t lex fidei credendo impetrâ—…t What the law of workes commanded threatning the new law of fayth obtaineth by beleeuing 2. The Gospell is also more glorious and that both in regard of the Countenance and Continuance For beautie more glorious because it is more honourable to be the messenger of mercie and life then to be the minister of terrour and death A deathsman is accounted base but their feete are beautifull that bring tydings of peace and pardon If the ministration of condemnation be glorie much more doth the ministration of righteousnes exceede in glorie For Continuance Moses glory is done away but the glory of Moses his Lord remaines for euer The law was giuen by Moses but grace and truth came by Christ Iesus The type is vanished banished but the substance abideth euer When that which is perfect comes that which is in part is done away There was a second Testament to succeed the first but after the second shall succeed none So that if any man shall wilfully and finally euacuate to himselfe the vertue of this new Couenant there remaineth no more sacrifice for his sinnes Therfore the Apostle concludes If that which is done away was glorious much more that which remaineth is glorious The bloud of Christ doth mystically run fresh to the end of the world therefore the Gospell must be preached that this bloud may be applied The Gospell is that Star that must bring vs to Christ therfore shall shine till our soules come to him in glory The very subiect of the Gospell is euerlasting life therfore it shall not leaue vs till it hath brought vs thither 2 This Vntill giues matter of exhortation instructing vs to waite with patience for this blessed tyme to be content to stay for Gods Vntill It is a sweet mixture of ioy in trouble the certaine hope of future â—…ase Thou art captiued thou shalt be freed thou art persecuted shalt triumph thou art fought against shalt raigne thou art derided but thou shalt shine in glory Onely quietly expect this Vntill Yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry But Vntill this recompense of reward comes ye haue neede of patience Labour not a violent extrication of thy selfe abide and waite Till we all meete in the vnitie of fayth c. We are got through the gate let vs now enter the Citie werein we shall find fiâ—…e principall Passages or Streets What aâ—…ting â—…ting Who We yea we All all the Saints Wherin In Vnitie that vnitie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whereof Of the Faith knowledge of Gods Sonne Whereunto To a perfect man Vnto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ. What Meeâ—…e The meeting of friends is eâ—…er comfortable When the brethrâ—…n heard of vs they came to meete vs as farre as Appiâ—… forum whom when Paul saw he thanked God and toâ—…ke courage They haue sullen and tetricall spirits whom the sight of good friends cannot cheare Fraternum verè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ecâ—… quâ—…m bonum c. Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in vnitie Some things are good but not pleasant as afflictions they are not sweet yet proâ—…table It was good for me that I haue beâ—…e afflicted that I might learne thâ—… statutes Other things are pleasant but not good The wicked take delight in sinne which sâ—…ayeth the soule But this is both Bonum and Iuâ—…undum good and pleasant also There is a threefold meeting of the godly 1 In this life with their soules in their bodies 2 After death of their soules without bodies 3 At the last day of both together in glory 1. In this life and here the communis terminus of their meeting is Gods house Where alwayes Christ himselfe is one of the number Wheresoeuer two or three of you be gathered together in my name I will be in the midst of you But to haue his blessed societie we must not only bring our bodyes but our minds with them Quomodo erit Christus in medio nostrum â—…i nobiscum non erimus How should Christ be with vs if we be not with our selues Plus valet consonantia voluntatum quâ—…m vocum The harmonie of our voyces is not so pleasing to God as of our hearts This is the happiest meeting in this world The denyall of this comfort made the soule of Dauid sicke cast downe disquieted within him And his reuiuall was that he might goe vnto the altar of God vnto God his exceeding ioy Indeede the vngodly thinke not thus they are more delighted with the tabernacles of Meshek and the tauernes of Kâ—…der In the 2. of Luke when Ioseph Mary had lost Iesus comming from Ierusalem they sought him among their kinsfolke and acquaintance But they found him not till they came to Ierusalem there he was in the Temple The children of God when they seeke Christ find him not in the world among their kinred friends in the flesh but in Domo Dei in the house of God It is dangerous to be absent from these holy meetings least we misse of our Sauiours companie God did not promise to meete thee here thou vsurer at the Banke thou drunkard at the alehouse thou sluggard on thy vnseasonable couch but at the Church Christ comes to appeare to vs and we are gone some about our farmes of couetousnes others about carnall pleasures In vaine we seeke God if not in his right Vbi where he hath promised to be found Fugienti bonum consortium obuenit corruptum corrumpens sodalitium He that eschewes Christian meetings shall be met withall either by the Deuill when he is lazy or by the Deuils friends when he is busie 2. When death
whose bowels neuer knew the softnes of such a nature exposed to all the tyrannie of their hands and tongs hands that like cruell Chirurgions searched euery part of his blessed body tongues that ranne nimbly through all the passages of obloquie till they had ouertaken reproch it selfe and cast it on him His body at the full will of the tormenters and his soule not without intolerable terrors as they might iudge by strange speech that came from him My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Doth man triumph ouer him and doth God forsake him This might breed in their hearts a suspition either that hee was a deceiuer or else vtterly cut off To stifle this doubt in the very birth hee shakes the earth and rends the rockes that as they knew him dying Hominem vâ—…rum so they might perceaue him doing these myracles not Hominem merum but the euerliuing God These wonders blow the sparke of their faith almost dying with Christ and roote in their hearts a deepe and infallible perswasion of their Sauiour Something there is to keepe the faith of the elect from quenching though Satan raigne on it showres of discomforts Though no obiect greets the eye of flesh but discouragement yet there is a secret Spâ—…it within that will neuer suffer the faith to faile 5. In regard of the Disciples to shame and conuince them for leauing him Christ had said before Luk. 19. Si hitacerent loquerentur lapides If these speaking of his Disciples should hold their peace the stones would immediatly cry out Loe this saying is here come to passe the Disciples hold their peace the stones speake they forsake Christ the rockes proclaime him Such a shame is it for Apostles and ministers of Christ to hold their peace that if they be silent the very stones shall preach against them The walles windowes pauements of Churches shall cry out against such Pastors that vndertake the office of a sheep-heard and feed Christ his flocke with nothing but ayre And euen you that come to heare if no remorse can be put into your hearts at the relation of our Sauiours death if you haue no feeling of his sorrowes no apprehension of these mysteries no repentance of your sinnes no emendation of your liues know that the very seates whereon you sit the walles of your Temples the very stones you tread on shall beare witnesse against you Now the Lord Iesus that at his death brake the Rockes by the vertue of his death breake our rocky hearts that being mollified in this life they may be glorified in the life to come Grant this O Father for thy mercies sake O Christ for thy merits sake O holy Spirit for thy names sake To whom three persons one onely wise and eternall God be glory and prayse for euer Amen THE FOOLE And His Sport PROV 14. 9. Fooles make a mocke at sinne THE Prouerbes of Salomon are so many select aphorismes or diuinely morall Sayes without any mutuall dependance one vpon another Therefore to studie a coherence were to force a marriage betweene vnwilling parties The words read spend themselues on a description of two things the Foole and his Sport The Foole is the wicked man his Sport pastime or babble is Sinne. Mocking is the medium or connexion that brings together the Foole and Sinne thus he makes himselfe merry they meete in mocking The foole makes a mocke at sinne Fooles The foole is the wicked an ignorant heart is alwayes a sinfull heart and a man without knowledge is a man without grace So Thamar to Ammon vnder his rauishing hands Doe not this folly If thou doest it Thou shalt be as one of the Fooles in Israell Ignorance cannot excusare a toto wilfull not a tanto Christ shall come in flaming fire rendring vengeance to them that knowe not God The state of these Fooles is fearefull Like hooded Hawkes they are easily carryed by the Infernall Falconer to hell Their lights are out how shall their house scape robbing These Fooles haue a knowledge but it is to doe euill They haue also a knowledge of good but not scientiam approbationis they know but they refuse it So God iustly quites them for though hee knowe them ad scientiam he will not know them ad approbationem But giues them a Discedite nescio vos I know you not depart from me ye workers of iniquitie A man may be a Foole two wayes by knowing too Little Much. 1. By knowing too little when hee knoweth not those things whereof he cannot be ignorant and doe well I determined not to know any thing among you saue Iesus Christ and him crucified But euery man sayth hee knowes Christ. If men knew Christ his loue in dying for them they would loue him aboue all thinges how doe they know him that loue their money aboue him Nemo verè nouit Christum qui non verè amat Christum No man knowes Christ truely that loues him not syncerely If men knew Christ that he should be Iudge of quicke and dead durst they liue so lewdly Non nouit Christum qui non odit peccatum Hee neuer knew Christ that doth not hate iniquitie Some attribute too much to themselues as if they would haue a share with Christ in their owne saluation Nesciunt Christum seipsos they are ignorant of both Christ and themselues Others lay too much on Christ all the burden of their sinnes which they can with all possible voracitie swallow downe and blasphemie vomite vp againe vpon him But they know not Christ who thus seeke to diuide Aquam a sanguine his bloud from his water and they shall faile of iustification in heauen that refuse sanctification vpon earth 2. By knowing too much when a man presumes to know more then he ought His knowledge is apt to be pursie and grosse and must be kept low Mind not high things sayth the Apostle Festus slandered Paul that much learning had made him madde Indeed it might haue done if Paul had bin as proud of his learning as Festus was of his honour This is the knowledge that puffeth vp It troubles the braine like vndigested meate in the stomach or like the scumme that seeths into the broth To auoyd this follie Paul fortbids vs to be wise in our owne conceites Whereof I find wo readings Be not wise in your selues and Be not wise to your selues Not in your selues coniure not your witte into the circle of your owne secret profit Wee account the simple Fooles God accounts the crafty Fooles He that thinkes himselfe wise is a Foole ipso facto It was a modest speech that fell from the Philosopher Si quando fatuo delectari volo non est mihi longè quaerendus me video Therfore Christ pronounced his Woes to the Pharises his doctrines to the people The first entrie to wisedome is Scire quod nescias to know thy ignorance Sobrietie is the measure for knowledge as the
is no Contention so violent and raging as that is enflamed by erroneous Religion Cyprian writes of Nouatus that he would not so much as allow his owne Father bread whiles hee liued nor vouchsafe him buriall being dead that he spurned his owne wife and killed his owne childe within her bodie O the vnmatchable crueltie that some mens religion if I may so call it hath embloudied them to What treasons conspiracies massacres did or durst euer shew their blacke faces in the light of the Sunne like to those of Papists all vizarded vnder pretended Religion The Pope hath a Canon called Nos sanctorum Predecessorum c. Wee obseruing the statutes of our holy Predecessors doe absolue those that are bound by fidelity and oath to persons excommunicated from their oathes and doe forbid them to keepe their fealtie towards them Quousque ipsi ad satisfactionem veniant till they come to yeeld satisfaction What malicious stratagems against suspended Princes haue not beene kindled from this fire Against what nation hath not this Canon shot the furie Yea the more to embolden subiects to such pernicious attempts the Pope makes them beleeue that the very Apostles take their partes For so it is manifest by the forme of Gregories sentence that he commandeth S. Peter and S Paul as if they were his bailifs errant to execute the writtes of his pontificall and priuatiue authoritie Malice in humour is like fire in straw quickly vp and quickly out but taking hold of conscience like fire in steele Quod tardè acquisiuit diù retinet what was long in getting will be longer in keeping Religion is the greatest enemie to religion the false to the true Fauos etiam vespae faciunt waspes also make combes though in stead of honey wee find gun-powder Of dissension among professours of the Gospell Christ is not authour he neuer gaue fire to burne his Church Yet he hath his hand in it There must be heresies among you that they which are approued may be made manifest He drawes good out of euill and makes a good Shall of the euill must so raising a vertue from a necessitie From contentions begot by Sathan hee so sweetly workes that the profession of his but darkely glowing before shall be made to shine brightly In Q. Maries time when persecution wrung the Church Martyrdome gaue a manifest approbation of many vnknowne Saints The vertues of diuers had bin lesse noted if this fiery triall had not put them to it Gods glory and power are more perspicuous in strengthening his against their enemies then if they had none Christ came not to send this fire yet hee wisely tempers it to our good 2. There may be Dissention betwixt the wicked and the wicked and hereof also is Satan authour He sets his owne together by the eares like cockes of the game to make him sport Hereupon hee raised these great Heathen warres that in them millions of soules might goe downe to people his lower kingdome Hereupon hee drawes ruffian into the field against ruffian and then laughes at their vainely spilt bloud All the contentions quarrels whereby one euill neighbour vexeth another all slaunders scoldings reproches calumnies are his owne damned fires Thus sometimes the vngodly massacre the vngodly oppressours deuoure oppressours I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians and they shall fight euerie one against his brother and euerie one against his neighbour Citie against citie and kingdome against kingdome The Pharises against the Sadduces the Turke against the Pope the Transgressour against the transgressour Couetousnes shall be against prodigalitie basenes against pride temeritie against dastardie The drunkard spils the drunkard the theefe robbes the theefe Proditorisproditor the Traytour shal be betrayed and the cosener shall be cheated They shall eate euerie man the flesh of his owne arme Manasseh Ephraim and Ephraim Manasseh It is vnpossible that any true peace should be amongst the wicked whiles they want the soalder that should glew them together faith Agreement in euill is not peace but conspiracie Wicked mens combining themselues may be a faction no vnitie no amitie for they haue but metum noxam conscientia prosoedere terrour and guilt of conscience for their league But some may question doth not Satan in setting reprobates against reprobates ouerthrow his owne kingdome I answere 1. The Deuill is politicke and will not diuide his subiects when by their holding together hee may diuide the Church So the Pharises though they hate the Sadduces and the Herodians that despise them both shall all ioyne forces shake and take hands against Christ. Papists are enemies to Truth Schismaticks to Peace yet both the Church which suffers as her Sauiour did in medio iniâ—…orum in the midst of aduersaries not onely to her now but at other times also to themselues Herod and Pâ—…te were of enemies reconciled friends that their vnited rancours might meete against Iesus The Iewes and the Lystrians so diuersely religion'd the deuill can make agree to stone Paul Thus Satan holds them vnder colours and pay whiles they can doe him any seruice but when they can no longer vexe others hee falls to vexing of them and enrageth their thirst to one anothers bloud when they haue done quaffing the bloud of the Saints 2. The Deuill in raising seditions and tumults among his owne intends not the destruction but erection of his kingdome Perhaps his forces on earth are weakned but his Territories in hell are replenished wherein he takes himselfe to raigne most surely For Satan during a mans life knowes not certainely whether he belongs to God or to him Predestination is too mysticall and secret a booke for his condemned eyes to looke into and repentance hath often stepped in betwixt old age and death frustrating the hopes of Satan Therefore he hastens a wicked man with what speed he can to hell for till he came within those smoakie gates Satan is not sure of him he may start out of his clutches For this cause he precipitates witches with much suddennesse to their ends whom one would thinke hee should let liue that they might doe more mischiefe No such is his malicious policie he would be sure of some and rather take one soule in present then hazard all on the vaine hope of more gaines 3. There is a Dissention betweene the wicked and godly nor yet is Christ the proper and immediate cause of this For Rom. 12. If it be possible as much as lieth in you liue peaceably with all men 4. There is an Emnitie betwixt Grace and Wickednes a continuall combate betweene sanctitie and sin and this is the Fire that Christ came to send Hee is to some a liuing stone whereupon they are built to life to others a stone of offence whereat they stumble to death Now because the locall seate of holines on earth is in the hearts of the Saints of wickednes in the Deuill and his Iustruments therefore it followes that the
periudice But the poyson of the wicked dum alios inficit seipsos interficit Whilest it infects others kills themselues His owne iniquities shall take the wicked himselfe Their owne wickednesse like poyson hath in themselues these three direfull effects It makes them Swell Swill Burst 1. It makes them swell with pride and blowes vp the heart as a bladder with a quill Quis est Dauid Who is Dauid and who is the Sonne of Iesse Yea Quis est Dominus Who is the Almightie that wee should serue him Thus the Spider a poysonous vermine Climes vp to the roofe of the kings pallace If he be in prosperitie nothing can hold him to a man Be hee but a Thistle he sends to the king of Lebanon for his daughter to be his Sonnes wife Though he be but a dwarfe in comparison he would swell to a son of Anak Sinne hath puff'd him vp he forgets his maker The Lord hath fed him to the full he rebells against him We haue then good cause to pray with our Church In the time of our wealth good Lord deliuer vs. 2. It makes them swill the poyson of sinne is such a burning heate within them that they must still bee drinking And the deuill their Physician holds them to a dyet-drinke they shall not haue the water of the Sanctuary that would coole them but the harsh harish ill-brewd drinke of damnation They shall tast nothing but sinne more poyson still Which is so farre from quenching their thirst that it enflames it Totis exquirit in agris Quas modo poscit aquas sitiens in corde venenum So a man puts out the Lampe by powring in more oyle and extinguisheth the fire by laying on fewel This may for a small time allay the heate as cold drinke to a burning feuer So Ahabs feruor was a litle delayed with a draught of wine out of Naboths vinyard But Satan holds his guests to one kind of lycour and that 's ranke poyson the mudde of sinne and wickednesse He allowes them no other watring place but this Puddle-wharfe 3. It makes them burst here be the three sore effects of sinne in the soule as of poyson in the body Frst it makes a man swell then it makes him drinke lastly it it bursts him Iudas is houen with couetousnes hee drinkes the money of treason and then he bursts Rumpuntur viscera Iudae he burst out This is the catastrophe of a wicked life Then when lust hath conceiued it bringeth forth sinne and sinne when it is finished bringethforth forth death To others You see how fatall the poyson of the wicked is to themselues It doth not onely rumperese but corrumpere alios burst themselues but corrupt others It depriues their owne good it depraues others good The hurt is doth to others consists in Correptione Corruptione in outward harming in inward defiling them Outwardly Their Poyson breakes forth in the iniuries of all about them They spare neither forreiner nor neighbour There be litle snakes in Babilon that bite only forreiners and not inhabitants Pliny writes of Scorpions in the hill Caria that when they sting onely wound the naturall borne people of the Countrey but extraneos leuiter mordere but bite strangers gently or not at all These like fooles not onely strike them that are nearest but betweene their poyson in ruinam omnium to the ouerthrow of all Such a one cannot sleepe except he haue done mischiefe nay hee dyes if others doe not dye by him Et si non aliqua nocuâ—…sset mortuus esset A mans Land cannot scape the poyson of the depopulator nor his estate the poyson of the vsurer nor his children the rauisher nor his peace the contender nor his name the slanderer If their poyson cannot preuaile ad interitum hominis they will spend it ad interitum nominis If they cannot murder they will murmure They are the Deuills bandogs as one calls Parsons the Popes Cerbâ—…rus If they cannot come to bite they will barke If their sting cannot reach their mouth shall sputter out their venime Yea some of them doe not onely this mischiefe whiles they liue but etiam mortui euen dead As Herod that caused the noble Sonnes of the Iewes to be slaine post mortem suam after his death They write of some serpents that their poyson can doe no hurt except it bee shot from the liue bodies of them but these leaue behind them a still euill-working poyson As wee say of a charitable man that hee doth good after hee is dead his almes maintaine many poore soules on earth when his soule is in heauen Et quamvis ipse sepultus alit So these wicked sinne perpetually euen dead The incloser of commons sinneth after he is dead euen so long as the poore are depriued of that benefite He that hath robbed the Church of a tenth so leaues it to his heire sinnes after he is dead euen so long as God is made to loose his right Moriente serpente moritur venenum but here moriente homine viuit peccatum As one sayd of a Lawyer that resoluing not to be forgotten hee made his will so full of intricate quirkes that his executors if for nothing else yet for very vexation of law might haue cause to remember him Ieroboams sinne of Idolatrie out liued him The vniust decrees of a partiall Iudge may out liue him euen so long as the adiudged inheritance remaines with the wrongfull possessor The decrees of diuerse Popes as in curtalling the Sacrament forbidding marriage c. are their still liuing sinnes though themselues be dead and rotten Inwardly Their poyson doth most hurt by Infection their companie is as dangerous as the plague a man cannot come neere them but hee shall bee contaminated Like the weed called Gosses they make the ground barren wheresoeuer they grow Their Poyson is got Per Contactum Contractum Compactum Conspectum 1. By touching he that toucheth pitch shall be defiled It is dangerous to sport and dally with them dum ludunt laedunt He casteth firebrands and arrowes and death and sayth Am I not in sport As Solomon sayth Their very mercies are cruell so their very iest is killing earnest 2. By companying with them they hurt by sporting but worse by sorting Cast in thy lot among vs let vs all haue one purse They that will quarter themselues with the wicked must drinke of their poyson If you aske how happes it that their infection is not smâ—…lt Bernard answers Vbi omnes sâ—…rdent vnius minimè sentitur one is not smelt where all stinke 3. By Confederacie which is yet a higher degree of receiuing their poyson The first was alight dallying with their humours the next a societie with them in some drunken riots and disorders but this third is a conspiracie with them in their pernicious and deadly plotts Thus a Seminary comes from Rome and whistles together a number of traytors he brought poison
our land is ours our garment ours our money seruant beast ours and that he is a theefe who robs vs of these But all the men in the world cannot warrant vs our Saluation but onely Iesus Christ. Therefore that we may haue assurance that all these are ours and that wee shall neuer answere for euery bit of bread we haue eaten and for euery drop of wine we haue drunke that our possessions are our owne our gold robes rents revenues are our owne let vs be Christs Whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the World or life or death or thinges present or thinges to come all are yours and ye are Christ's and Christ is Gods Be sure of saluation and be sure of all For he that spared not his owne sonne but deliuered him vp for vs all how shall he not with him also freely giue vs all things To whom My saluation not others onely but Mine A man and a Christian are two creatures he may bee a man that hath reason and outward blessings he is onely a Christian that hath faith and part in the saluation of Christ. God is plentifull saluation but it is not ordinary to find a Cui to whom Much of heauen is lost for lacke of a hand to apprehend it All passengers in this world presume they are going to heauen but we may guesse by the throng that the greater part take the broader way Christ leauing the earth in respect of his bodily presence left there his Gospell to apply to mens soules the vertue of his death and passion Ministers preach this Gospell people heare this Gospell all boast of this Gospell yet himselfe foretels that when he comes againe he shall scarce find faith vppon earth No doubt he shall find Christians enow but scarce faith Saluation is common as St. Iude speaketh When I gaue all diligence to write vnto you of the common saluation but few make it proper to themselues That God is my saluation and thy saluation this is the comfort When. In the time present I am Sum non sufficit quòd ere It is comfort to Israell in captiuitie that God sayes Ero tua redemptio I will redeeme thee But the assurance that quiets the conscience is this I am thy saluation As God said to Abraham feare not I am with thee Deferred hope faints the heart Whatsoeuer God forbeare to assure vs O pray we him not to delay this Lord say to our soules I am your saluation To conclude it is saluation our Prophet desires that God would seale him vp for his childe then certifie him of it He requests not Riches he knew that man may be better fed then taught that wealth doth but franke men vp to death He that preferres Riches before his soule doth but sell the horse to buy the saddle or kill a good horse to catch a hare He begs not honour many haue leapt from the high throne to the low pitte The greatest commander on earth hath not a foote of ground in heauen except hee can get it by entitling himselfe to Christ. He desires not Pleasures he knowes there are as great miseries beyond prosperitie as on this side it And that all vanitie is but the indulgence of the present time a minute begins continues ends it for it endures but the acting knowes no solace in the memorie In the fairest garden of delights there is somewhat quod in ipsis floribus angat that stings in the midst of all vaine contents In a word it is not momentany variable apt to eyther change or chance that hee desires but eternall saluation He seekes like Mary that better part which shall neuer be taken from him The wise mans minde is euer aboue the moone saith Seneca let the world make neuer so great a noise as if it all ran vppon Coaches and all those full of roarers yet all peace is there It is not sublunary vnder the wheele of changeable mortalitie that he wishes but saluation To be saued is simply the best plot beate your braines and breake your sleepes and wast your marrowes to be wealthy to be worthy for riches for honours plot studie contriue be as politicke as you can and then kisse the childe of your owne braines hugge your inuentions applaud your wittes doat vpon your aduancements or aduantagements yet all these are but dreames When you awake you shall confesse that to make sure your saluation was the best plot and no studie shall yeeld you comfort but what hath bin spent about it What should wee then doe but worke and pray worke sayth Paul Worke vp your saluation with feare and trembling and then pray with our Prophet Lord say to our soules thou art our saluation with comfort and reioycing THE SOVLES REFVGE 1. PET. 4. 19. Let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their soules to him in well doing as vnto a faithfull Creator ATRVE Christians life is one daie of three meales and euery meale hath in it two Courses His first meale is Nascâ—… renasci to be borne a sinner to bee new-borne a Saint I was borne in iniquitie and in firme did my mother conceive me there is one Course Except a man be borne againe he cannot see the kingdome of God there is the other Course His second meale is Benè agere malè pati to doe well and to suffer ill Doe good vnto all but especially to those that are of the houshold of Faith ther 's one Course of Doing c All that liue godly in Christ Iâ—…sus shall suffer persecution there 's the other Course of Suffering His third meale is Morâ—… viuere to die a temporall death to liue an eternall life The first is his Break-fast and herein he is naturally Natus daâ—… borne in sinne and condemned for sinne spiritually 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 borne againe in righteousnesse and iustified from sinne The last is his Supper wherein there is one bitter dish Death Statutum est omnibus semel mâ—…ri It is appoynted to all men to die once Omnibus semel plorisque bis to all once to many twice for there is a second death And that is truely a dâ—…th because it is mors vita the death of life the other rather a life for it is mors mâ—…rtis the death of death after which mors non erit vltra there shall be no more death Therefore rise that you may not fall rise now by a righteous life least you fall into an euerlasting death If the soule will not now rise the bodie shall one day bee raised and goe with the soule to Iudgement The second Course is incomparably sweet vinere post mortem to liue after death I say after death for a man mâ—…st die that hee may liue So that a good supper brings a good sleepe hee that liues well shall sleepe well Hee that now apprehends mercie mercie shall hereafter comprehend him Mercie is the vltimus 〈◊〉 no hope beâ—…nd
A Crucifixe Ephe. 5. 2. He hath giuen himselfe for vs an offering The good Politician directed Math. 10. 16. Be wise as Serpents The way home Math. 2. 12. And being warned of God in a dreame Semper Idem Hebr. 13. 8. Iesus Christ the same yesterday Gods bounty Prou. 3. 16. Length of dayes is in her right hand The lost are found Luke 19. 10. For the Sonne of man is come to seeke A Generation of Serpents Psal. 58. 4. Their poyson is like the poyson of Serpents Heauen made sure Psal. 35. 3. Say vnto my soule I am thy saluation The Soules refuge 1. Pet. 4. 19. Let them that suffer according The end of the Contents THE HAPPINES OF THE CHVRCH HEBR. 12. Ver. 22. But ye are come vnto Mount Sion and to the Citie of the liuing GOD the heauenly Ierusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels 23. To the generall assembly and Church of the first borne which are written in heauen and to God the Iudge of all and to the spirits of iust men made perfect 24. And to Iesus the Mediator of the new Couenant and to the bloud of sprinkling that speaketh better things then that of Abel THEY that make comparisons alteram partem deprimunt vt res alterius emineant debase the one part that they may aduance the honour of the other Our Apostle abates the glory of the Law that he may giue more glory where it is more deserued to the Gospell For if the ministration of condemnation be glory much more doth the ministration of righteousnesse exceede in glory The summe of the comparison is spent in these three generalls 1. There were Omnia terrena et externa all things outward and sauouring of earth ver 18. A Mount that might still be touched c. Here all Interna et coelestia spirituall and heauenly 2. There are all Obscura et caliginosa darke and difficult Blacknesse darknes c. Here all Clara et illustria cleare and conspicuous therfore the Prophet called Christ Solem Iustitiae The Sun of Righteousnesse and Iohn Baptist stiled him That light which lightens euery one comming into the world 3. There all were Terribilia fearefull and amazing not onely to the people ver 19. who intreated that the Word should not bee spoken to them any more But euen to Moses ver 21. So terrible was the sight that Moses said I exceedingly feare and quake Here all Amabilia et laeta louely as Rachel delightfull as Musike the Gospel is called the Message of peace Our Apostle therefore preacheth a double quantity in the Gospell Magnitudinem Gloriae multitudinem gratiae the greatnes of Glory to worke in vs reuerence the multitude of Grace to worke in vs loue obedience The Law was giuen by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Christ Iesus The excellency of Christ aboue Moses is exemplified in the third Chapter of this Epistle Moses verily was faithfull in all Gods house as a seruant But Christ as a Sonne ouer his owne house c. To the words the parts are generally two the Accesse and the Obiect First for the Accesse Yee are come What on your own feet without a Guide No Accessistis hoc est fide Euangelica perducti estis Yee are come that is yee are brought by the faith of the Gospel There is one that brings you God euery person in the blessed Trinity It is Opus Patris No man can come except the Father draw him Opus Filij Draw me we will runne after thee Opus spiritus sancti Let thy good spirit lead me into the Land of righteousnes Man is by nature in Zedechias case blind and lame Blind Non inuenisset viam nisi via inuenisset eum vnlesse the vvay had found him he could neuer haue found the way Lame he may know that the Temple of heauen hath a beautiful gate Grace but cannot come thither till God brings him loo sen his stupified ioynts and put into his hand the Almes of mercy This done he may enter into the Temple walking and leaping and praising GOD. Thus first he giues the Soule eyes vnderstanding then feet gracious affections and now expects that he should come God hath not so done all for thee that thou shouldest doe nothing for thy selfe A Deo sine te factus à te fine Deo infectus A Christo sine te refectus non à te fine Christo nec à Christo sine te perfectus God did create thee without thy selfe thou didst lose thy selfe without God without thy selfe Christ did redeeme thee but neither thy selfe without Christ nor Christ without thy selfe shall perfect thee Potest Dominus inueniri adueniri non praeueniri There may be a finding of God a comming to God but no preuenting of God Haue faith Hee that commeth to God must belieue and that of thine owne for there is no comming on anothers foote Thus that we might come to Christ Christ came to vs. Non de coelo merita nostra sed peccata traxerunt Not our merits but our maladies drew that great Physician from heauen to vs. Yee are not comming but come it is rather a time perfectly past then expectantly future Which plainely demonstrates that this is a description of the Church in her militant estate so well as triumphant Indeed either hath a relation to other a communion to other and the inestimable priuiledges of them both are wrapped vp together The connexion of Glory to Grace is so infallible that they often change names Heauen is called the kingdome of Holinesse and Holinesse is called the kingdome of Heauen Yee are saued by hope and Hee that belieueth hath euerlasting life and is passed from death to life So sure as if they were already in Heauen So Paul Our conuersation is in heauen from vvhence wee looke for our Sauiour Iesus Christ. The obiect or place of our arriual is described by many excellent and honourable titles First it is called a Mount but is there so much happinesse in that Feriunt summos fulgura montes the highest Mountaines are most danger'd to the violences of Heauen ver 18. There was a Mount burning with fire This is no Mountaine of danger or terror but Sion safe pleasant delightfull Sion the ioy of the whole earth the beloued of GOD the Iohn that leaned on the bosome of Christ. The Lord loues the gates of Sion better then all the dwellings of Iacob But though a Mount though Mount Sion yet it might be a solitary and vnfrecuented Hill like that whereunto the Diuell tooke Christ and shewed him the kingdomes of the world vvhere a man can onely see glory not enioy it Or like that mount Nebo or top of Pisgah whereon Moses might onely stand and behold the Land of Canaan Not so but on this Mount there stands a City a populous Citie and full of buildings like that wherein Christ
shall weepe Satan is a killing master his wages is hell fire But all in grace is liuing and enliuing Idols are dead and neuer were aliue men are aliue but shall bee dead pleasures are neyther aliue nor dead Deuils are both aliue and dead for they shall liue a dying life and dye a liuing death Onely the liuing God giues euerlasting life Ierusalem This is the appellation of the Citie As Canaan was a figure of heauen either of them called the Land of Promise so locall Ierusalem is a type of this mysticall Citie There are many conceits concerning the denomination of Ierusalem Hierom thinks that the former part of the word comes from the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holy because Ierusalem is called the holy Citie But then there should bee a mixture of two seuerall languages Greek and Hebrew to the making vp of the word The Hebrewes deriue it better they say Sem called it Salem Peace and Abraham Iireh The place where he attempted the sacrifice of his sonne he called Iehouah-Iireh The Lord will see Thus put together it is Ierusalem visiopacis This is more probable then from the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Ierom or from Iebus as Pererius This is euident from the 76. Psalme ver 2. In Salem is his Tabernacle and his dwelling place in Sion So that Salem Sion were both in one place The Iewes haue a Tradition that in one and the same place Cain and Abel offred in the same place Noah comming out of the Arke sacrificed in the same place Abraham offered Isaac in the same place stood Areunah's threshing floore which Dauid bought in the same place Melchisedek the Priest dwelt in the same place Salomon built the Temple and our Lord Iesus Christ was crucified But to let goe ambiguities Ierusalem is a City of Peace This is plaine Melchisedek was King of Salem that is King of Peace Gods Church is a Church of peace That of Plato ouer his dore is worth our remembrance Nemo nisi veritatis et pacis studiosus â—…trabit Let none enter but such as loue peace and truth Saint Paul is bold to his Galathians I would to God they were euen cut off that trouble you Contra rationem nemo sobrius contra Scripturas nemo Christianus contra Ecclesiam nemo pacificus senserit No sober man speakes against reason no Christian against the Scriptures no peaceable man against the Church Hee that is not a man of peace is not a man of GOD. Peace is the effect of patience if men would beare iniuries and offer none all would be peace It is the greatest honour for a man to suffer himselfe conquered in that wherin he should yeeld Be of one mind liue in peace and the God of loue and peace be with you A iust reward if we haue one mind and liue in loue and peace the God of loue and peace shall be with vs. Heauenly This Citie is on earth but not of earth This is not terrestriall Ierusalem She is in bondage with her children She was not onely then vnder the Romane seruitude literally but according to Pauls meaning allegorically shee could not attaine the liberty of the Spirit but abideth vnder the wrath of God and horrour of conscience But this Ierusalem is heauenly I saw the holy City new Ierusalem comming downe from God out of heauen prepared as a Bride adorned for her husband Now it is called Heauenly in three respects Of Birth of Conuersation of Inheritance Ortus coelestis quoad originem progressus coelestis quoad conuersationem finis coelestis quoad translationem Here is all heauenly Ierusalem that is aboue is free the mother of vs all In hoc quòd dicitur sursum originis altitudo quòd Ierusalem pacis multitudo quòd libera libertatis magnitudo quòd mater faecunditatis amplitudo quòd nostrum omnium charitatis latitudo The Church in the Creede hath three properties Holy Catholike knit in a communion The word Aboue intimates she is Holy the word Mother that shee is knit in a communion the word Of all that she is Catholike Ierusalem is a type of the Catholike Church in Election Collection Dilection First for Election The Lord hath chosen Sion That out of all Cities this out of all Nations Ye are a chosen generation a peculiar people enclosed from the Commons of this world Gods owne appropriation 2. For Collection that was walled with stone this hedged in with grace God planted a vineyard in a very fruitfull hill and he fenced it It is well mounded and the Citizens of it linked together with the Bond of peace 3. For dilection Beautifull for situation the Palace of the great King the Sanctuary of his holy worship his Presence-chamber the pillar and ground of the truth There was the seate of Dauid here the Throne of the Sonne of Dauid that openeth and no man shutteth that shutteth and no man openeth A heauenly Citie 1. In respect of her Birth and beginning heauenly For the Lord of heauen hath begate her of immortall seed by the word of truth Art thou a Christian behold thy honourable birth and beginning Was it an honourable stile Troianus origine Caesar Then much more Coelestis origine sanctus Euery Saint is by his originall heauenly Beare thy selfe nobly thou hast a celestiall generation 2. In respect of growth and continuance heauenly Our conuersation is in heauen Wee liue on earth yet saith the Apostle our conuersation is expresly in heauen Our affections are so set on it that wee scarce looke vpon this world wee so runne to our treasure there that wee forget to be rich here but like the Saints cast our money at our feet Act. 4. Corpore ambulantes in terris corde habitantes in coelis Our bodies walke on earth our hearts dwell in heauen To the hating and despising world vvee answere Nil nobis cum Mundo nil vobis cum Coelo Wee haue small share in this world you haue lesse in the world to come 3. In respect of the End Ideo dicitur coelestis quia coelum sedes eius Our soules are neuer quiet till they come to their wished home Thus hath GOD blessed vs with all spirituall blessings in heauenly places The Church in her worst part is below in her best aboue Earth is Patria loci but heauen Patria iuris As Irishmen are dwellers in Ireland but Denisons of England We dwell in houses of clay vvhose foundation is in the dust but are ruled by the Lawes of that supernall Citie Father my will is that those thou hast giuen mee may be with mee where I am Amator mortuus est in corpore proprio viâ—…us in alieno A Louer is dead in his owne body aliue in anothers Animus velut pondere amore fertur quocunque fertur saith August Loue waighes and swayes the soule whither soeuer it be carried Exi
are blotted out non secundum rei veritatem sed hominum opinionem not according to the truth of the thing but according to mens opinion It is vsuall in the Scriptures to say a thing is done quando innotescat fieri when it is declared to bee done Hypocrites haue a simulation of outward sanctitie so that men in charity iudge them to be written in heauen But when those glistering starres appeare to be onely Ignes fatui foolish meteors and fall from the firmament of the Church then we say they are blotted out The written ex existentiâ by a perfect being neuer lost but ex apparentiâ by a dissembled appearance may Some God so writes In se vt simpliciter habituri vitam that they haue life simply in themselues though not of themselues Others hee so writes vt habeant non in se sed in sua causa from which falling they are said to be obliterated Aquin. 3. Augustine sayes wee must not so take it that God first writes and then dasheth out For if a Pilate could say Quod scripsi scripsi what I haue written I haue written and it shall stand Shall God say Quod scripsi expungam what I haue written I will wipe out and it stall not stand They are written then Secundum spem ipsorum qui ibi se scriptos putabant according to their owne hope that presumed their names there And are blotted out Quando ipsis constet illos non ibi fuisse when it is manifest to themselues that their names neuer had any such honour of inscription This euen that Psalme strengthens whence they fetch their opposition Let them bee blotted out of the booke of the liuing and let them not be written among the rightâ—…ous So that to bee blotted out of that booke is indeed neuer to bewritten there To bee wiped out in the end is but a declaration that such were not written in the beginning But how then shall wee iustifie Moses his desire If thou wilt forgiue their sinne faire and good but if not blot me I pray thee out of thy booke which thou hast written Did Moses wish an impossibility Some opinionate that this was not the booke of life that Moses meant but they erre 1. Some by this vnderstand the booke of the Law as if this were his meaning If thou destroy the people to whom thou hast giuen the Law let not my name be mentioned as the Law giuer But it is answered 1. that the booke of the Law was not yet written and he could not desire blotting forth of a booke that was not 2. This was in Moses his power when he wrote the Law to leaue out his owne name he needed not to trouble God about it 3. He opposeth the greatest losse he could sustaine against the greatest benefit the people could obtaine but this was no great losse to bee blotted out of that booke 4. Moses speakes of a booke that God had written but the booke of the Law sauing onely the Decalogue Moses wrote himselfe 2. Ierome vnderstands this desire of Moses for death in this life Perire in praesentem non in perpetuum But if he conceiues no more then a temporall death Gods answere confutes it Whosoeuer hath sinned against mee him will I blot out ver 33. Onely sinners are raced out of this booke but from the booke of terrene life both sinners and iust come to be blotted for good and bad are subiect to temporall death 3. Caietan vnderstands it De libro Principatus in hac vita to be the booke of Soueraignty because it is decreed by God as in a booke quòd isti vel illi principentur that this or that man should haue the dominion But God answeres onely sinners are raced out of the booke but in the booke of gouernment are bad Kings so well as good And for that booke Ezek. 13. 9. as if he wished no more but not to be counted of Israel or haue his name among the Patriarchs and Prophets If Israel had perished the booke of his Couenant with Israel had also perished So for that booke of Iasher Iosh. 10. 13. it is thought to be lost therefore no great matter to be put out of it It must needs bee then the booke of life and how could Moses wish a racing out of that booke Some say that by sinne a man may come to be blotted out of that booke wherein he thought himselfe written But if it could not be done without sinne this construction were to make Moses Petere peccare mortaliter to beg power to sinne mortally that hee might bee blotted out Neyther doth God for vnrighteousnesse race out any but indeed they race out themselues Some take it to be a parabolicall speech to shew the intention of his desire As Rachel said to Iacob Giue mee children or else I die Yet she had rather liue and haue no children then haue children and presently dye As if one should say Do this or else kill me yet he had rather haue the thing omitted then himselfe killed Tostat. But this were to make Moses speake one thing meane another whereas he desired it from his heart Others thinke Moses spake affirmatiuely after this sense that if God would not pardon the peoples sinne it would follow that himselfe should be blotted out Rupert But this had been against the iustice of God that one should be damned for the sinne of another Againe this had conuinced Moses of wauering and doubtfulnesse of his saluation but the faithfull haue confidence that though thousands should perish yet they are sure of eternall blisse Some say Moses wished this after the disposition of the inferiour part of his soule and not in voluntate rationem superiorem sequente not in that will which is gouerned by reason They exemplifie it in Christ who desired the cup to passe from him yet simpliciter vellet pati simply he would suffer But there is great difference in the example 1. Christ eschewes death Moses ensues death the obiect of their desires was vnlike 2. Christ by his office was to beare the sinne and punishment of his people Moses was neuer called to such a mediatorship 3. Christ prayeth there as a man for as God hee prayeth not but is prayed to There is Duplex affectus Mentis Sensus Christ in the affection of his minde was willing to suffer but in his affection of Sense he desired the cup to passe So that in Christ to escape death was a naturall desire in Moses to wish death yea an eternall death was a contranaturall desire it proceeded not from the sensuall part but from his inward feeling and meditation Others thinke hee prayed quia turbatus erat being troubled not considering at that instant whether that was possible that he begged â—…x impetu passionis saith Lyranus vehementia fuisse abreptum vt loquatur quasi ecstaticus saith Caluin But this accuseth him of rashnesse for it is fit he that prayeth should bee
personam Iudicis quisquis amici induit He hath put off the person of a Iudge that puts on the person of a friend The good Iudge neither hath his right hand filled with loue nor his left with hatred the scole of Iustice is not swayed Indeed tamdiu Iudex quamdiu Iustus he is so long a Iudge as he is iust Nomen quod ab â—…quitate sumitur per praeuaricationem admittitur Zeleucus was commended that when according to his Law for adultery which tooke froÌ„ the offender both his eyes his sonne was deprehended in that fact put out one of his owne eyes and one of his sonnes Duo lumina cacantur iuxta legem duo supersunt iuxta misericordiam Two eyes are lost according to iustice and two remaine according to mercy A maruelous temper Inter iustum Iudicem misericordiem Patrem betweene a iust Iudge and a kind Father But GOD is so iust that because sin would let him saue none of vs hee slew his Sonne to saue all of vs. God commendeth his loue to vs in that vvhile wee were yet sinners Christ died for vs. God commends his loue indeed he might iustly commend it and to vs by this token that being rebels he bought vs with the bloud of his own Sonne He will euer continue so iust in punishing traytors in crowning his faithfull subiects Iudex damnatur cùm nocens absoluitur Sen. He that iustifies the guilty transferres the guilt to himselfe But Shall not the Iudge of all the earth doe right Yes we haue all sinned but Thou continuest holy O thou vvorship of Israel 5. Aequitas Sententiae the equity of Sentence it shal be giuen vpon good testimonie Ambrose saies It is not the part of a Iudge to condemne any man without an accuser Christ did not cast away Iudas though hee knew him a theefe because he was not accused When that adulteresse was left alone before Christ he said Woman where are thine accusers Hath no man condemned thee She said No man Lord. Then said Iesus Neither doe I condemne thee goe and sinne no more But here shall be no want of accusers their owne conscience all the creatures all the Elements Angels men diuells shall accuse then Christ shall iudge Heu miser sic deprehensus quò fugias Latere erit impossibile apparere intolerabile Whither wilt thou flie O wretch thus accused To lie hidden it wil be impossible to appeare insufferable Euery man shall receiue the things done in his body according to that hee hath done whether it be good or euill The same neither more nor lesse but iust waight The wicked wrought their pleasure while God did suffer therefore God will worke his pleasure while they suffer Of all both good and euill Elect and Reprobates men and Angels but of these in a different manner To shew how this shall be done I must lead your attentions orderly through fiue passages a Citation Separation Probation Sentence and Retribution 1. The Citation there is a summons sent out to make all appeare before Christs Tribunall This citing is done by the voice of Christ. All that are in the graues shall heare his voyce and shall come forth The power of this voice is vnspeakeable to empty earth sea ayre heauen and hell and presently to fill earth ayre heauen and hell To empty all vpon his summons and to fill all vpon his Sentence Therefore it is compared to a Trumpet the lowdest of all musicall instruments The Trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised Uerè vox tubâ—… terribilis cui omnia obediunt elementa Petras scindit Inferos aperit portas aereas frangit vinculae mortis dirumpit et de profundâ—… abyssi animas liberatis corporibus assignat A terrible voice that shall shake the world rend the rocks breake the mountaines dissolue the bonds of death burst down the gates of hell and vnite all spirits to their owne bodies There shall be no concealing no keeping backe from this voice Now Christ calls Come vnto me all that labour yet you wil not come vnto me that you might haue life Then he shall call Come you that must labour in torments and be laden for euer then they must come to receiue the doome of death Now awake thou that sleepest Christ shall giue thee light but they will not rise At that day awake thou wicked that art dead and Christ shall send thee to darknesse and then they must rise This is that generall day that shall congregate all they shall come from the foure winds and corners of the world to make an vniuersall apparance But if this be the voice of Christ how is it then said the Archangel shall sound the Trumpet of collection Hee shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet and they shall gather all together The Lord shall descend from heauen with a shout with the voice of the Archangel and with the trumpe of God I answere the voice is originally Christs ministerially the Angels As now he speakes to vs by men so at that day by Angels O what a glory of our Sauiour shall then appeare vvhen he is set on his Throne before so full a Court as all the reasonable creatures GOD euer made Uideat nosiam in sanctimonia vt tunc videamus eum in gaudio Let him now behold vs in holinesse that then we may behold him in happinesse 2. The Separation wee haue thus brought all together now we must separate one from another The forme hereof is giuen by Christ himselfe Before hâ—…m shall be gathered all Nations and he shall separate them one from another as a Shepheard diuideth his sheepe from the goates This full and finall separation is reserued for Christ and not performed till that day For Siâ—…ite crescere Let them grow both together corne and tares vntill the haruest This world is the floore fan while you will there will be some chaffe fish neuer so discreetly you shall meet with some sturdy dogge-fish that will rend the nette In Heauen are none but Saints in Hell none but reprobates on earth they are both promiscuously blended together Do you wonder that the Lambes cannot liue in quiet consider the number of goates among them Ezek. 34. 18. They eate vp the good pasture and tread downe the residue with their feet they drinke of the fountaines and foule the residue with their feet My flocke are faine to eate that they haue troden and to drinke that they haue fouled with their feet But GOD shall iudge and separate ver 20. Behold I euen I will iudge betweene the fatte cattell and the leane cattell Because they haue thrust with side and shoulder and push'd all the diseased vvith their hornes therefore I will saue my flocke and they shal no more be a prey and I will iudge betweene cattell and cattell The goates will annoy till they be quite separated Too many among vs haue
these goatish conditions they climbe vp ambitiously to the mountres of preferment like goates they pill and barke the Common-wealth like goates they lust after women as hote as goates they trouble the vvaters of Israel the peace of the Church like goates they tread vnder feet Gods blessings like goates they smell of impietie as ranke as goates and therefore they must be separated as goates We haue all from Adam the nature of the goate let vs weepe away and keepe away such goatish qualities And let vs put on the properties of sheepe which Christ Iohn 10. giues to be three Audire obedire sequi to heare Christs word to obey Christs wil to follow Christs steps Search thy soule for these brands and markes of a sheepe or else thou wilt prooue a goate Hast thou fidem agni the faith of a Lambe reposed in the Lambe of God Hast thou innocentiam agni the innocence of a Lambe free from wrong Vellus agni the fleece of a Lambe to warme the poore humilitatem agni the humblenesse of a Lambe a stranger to pride patientiam agni the patience of a Lambe ready to lay downe thy life for Christ then thou shalt haue gloriam agni the reward of a Lambe assured saluation in heauen Thus the goates and the sheepe be like in externall fashion they feed both in one pasture lie both in one fold all their life time but Christ will put them asunder at the last day Like two trauellers that goe together to one Towne take vp one Inne feed together at one boord sleepe together in one bedde but in the morning their wayes part The sheepe and goates eate together drinke together sleepe together rot together but at this day there shall be a separation The goates may deceiue man both in life and death they may be taken for sheepe but Christ can discerne betweene cattell and cattell God iudgeth by the Liuer man by the Liuery If the Liuer be rotten looke the flesh neuer so faire the good market-man will not buy it If Christ finde not the hart sound he vvill none of the carkasse 3. The Probation euery man must vndergoe his tryall From the prison of the graue they are set before the Iudge and there suffer discussion or tryall There are certaine bookes to be opened for this probation some rolles or Records filled vp in the Court of Heauen There is Liber praeceptorum secundum quem liber conscientiae ex quo iudicamur Quicquid praecipitur scriptum in illo quicquid delinquitur in isto Here is Diuina scientia humana conscientia met together Wee may forget our sinnes but God keepes a true Register If the sufferings of the Saints be recorded then sure their violences by whom they suffer are not forgotten Now the book of the Law whereby men are iudged containes three leaues Nature the Law written and the Gospell Some must be tryed by the first onely some by the first and second others by all three First that some shall be iudged onely by the Law of Nature it is cleare As many as haue sinned without the Law shall perish without the Law Here two things are considerable two things one what this Law of nature is the other whether the breach of it be sufficient to condemne 1. It is a knowledge of certaine principles tending to liue well and of conclusions thence necessarily inferred agreeable with the eternall rule of Truth planted by God in man and teaching him to worship his maker Thus Melancthon defines it The matter of it is Principles with conclusions directing to a good life Parents are to be honoured this is a principle engraffed therefore I must honour my Parents this is a conclusion deducted The forme of it is an accordance with the rule of truth Gods morall Law for the Law naturall is the summary abridgement of the Law morall The Author of it is God who hath written it in mans heart Ambros. Deus omnium Creator singulorum pectoribus infudit The end is that it might be a testimony of that Diuine prouidence whereby God now ruleth and of that Iustice whereby he will iudge men This agrees with the Apostles definitioÌ„ Rom. 2. 15. Which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their conscience bearing witnesse and their thoughts excusing or accusing The worke there 's the matter of it of the Law there 's the forme written there 's the Author that imprints it the conscience accusing or excusing there 's the end In this inward testimony arising from nature are these two principall things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a comprehension of practicall principles and naturall discerning between iust and vniust And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conscience chideing for chusing euill and approuing for doing good The one makes the proposition the other the assumption 2. The other point to be discussed is vvhether the breach of this Law doth condemne Some obiect that it is quite blotted out of man therefore cannot bind him No question it is much obscured in respect both of intellectuall and effectuall faculties For vnderstanding it gropeth ifhaply it might feele after God Adam had the knowledge of good by experience of euill onely by contemplation but falling he had also an experimentall knowledge of euill For affection mans will is so peruerse that when as naturally he desires to be happy yet hee wiilingly commits those things against his first intendment that make him most vnhappy As a thiefe steales to keepe himselfe from famine and so from misery thus Ne miser fit malus fit ideo miserior quia malus Lest hee should be wretched he becomes wicked and is so much the more wretched by beeing wicked Beatus vult esse hâ—…mo etiam non sic viuendo vt possit esse Man seekes for blessednesse in all places but where it is Yea custome brings this will to contempt of sinne Peccata quamuis hoâ—…renda cùm in consuâ—…tudinem venerint creduntur parua aut nulla Aug. Sinnes horrid and vncouth at first become triuiall and familiar by practice Thus is this naturall light dimmed and ouercast by the corruption of prosperous lusts yet ne ipsa quidem delet iniquitas sinne doth not quite race it out 1. Because there are certaine principles reuiuing in the most dissolute As the desire of happinesse and euery one would attaine that end though they erre in the meanes Yea they know that euill is to bee auoided which appeares in that they would not haue any wrong offered to themselues These generall rules all know albeit in the particular applications they are blinded Hence it came that some grosse sinnes were not condemned of them as robbery among the Germans lust of males among the Grecians Rom. 1. 27. Indeed God did punish malitiam per duritiem yet still remaine some sparkes and cold sinders of that primary and originall fire 2. That the light of nature is not quite extinct appeares by the force and working of the conscience
vpon good cause for who but he can so well plead his own righteousnes whereby he hath iustified vs Therefore the Apostle calls him there our Propitiation he that wil be our Aduocate must also be our Propitiation no Saints or Angels can be a Propitiation for vs therefore no Saints or Angels can be our Aduocates Augustine sayes that if S. Iohn had offered himselfe to this office he had not been Apostolus sed Antichristus We obiect further Christs promise Whatsoeuer you shall aske the Father in my Name he will giue it you Not in Maries or Peters but in my Name Bellarmine answers that there may be a Mediator between disagreeing parties three waies 1. By declaring who hath the wrong and so there is no controuersie for all agree that GOD is the party grieued 2. By paying the Creditor for the Debter so Christ is alone Mediator 3. By desiring the Creditor to forgiue the Debter and in this sense he saies Angels and Saints are Mediators But this distinction is no other then Bellarmines mincing who indeed seemes to be ashamed of the blasphemous phrases in their Missals As Maria mater gratiae Sancte Petre miserere mei salua me c. These saith he are our words but not our meanings that Mary or Peter should conferre grace on vs in this life or glory in the life to come Yet both their Schoole and Practice speakes more For Aquin sayes our prayers are effectuall by the merits of Saints that Christs intercession is gotten by the patronage of Apostles by the interuention of Martyrs by the bloud of Becket and merits of all Saints And the practice of the people is to hold Angels and Saints immediate Mediators able to satisfie and saue But as one hath well obserued if euery Saint in the Popes Calender be receiued as a Mediator we shall worship vnknowne men as the Athenians did vnknown gods For the best Papists doubt whether there were euer any S. George or S. Christopher But say they The Virgin is a knowne Saint she can and may by the right of a Mother command her Sonne Christ. Their whole Church sings O foelix puerpera nostra pâ—…ans scelera inre matris impera And Maria consolatio infirmorum redemptio captiuorum liberatio damnatorum salus uniuersorum They haue giuen so much to the Mother that they haue left nothing for the Sonne Ozorius the Iesuite saies Caput gratiae Christus Maria colluÌ„ Christ is the Head of grace but Mary is the Neck no grace can come from the head but it must passe through the necke They inuocate her their Aduocate but of Christs mediation the medium or better halfe is taken from him as if he were still a child in subiection to his Mother But as he is Mariae filius so he is Mariae Dominus the Sonne and the Lord of his Mother Therefore the first words that we read Christ euer spake to his Parents were rough and by way of reproofe According to Saint Luke these were his first How is it that yee sought mee Wist yee not that I must be about my Fathers busines According to Saint Iohn more sharply Woman vvhat haue I to doe vvith thee Quanquà m locuta est iure matris tamen duriter respondet Where was then their Monstra te esse Matrem Though at the commaund of his Mother he spake yet hee spake roughly Whereas Gods kingdome consists of his Iustice and Mercy the Papists attribute the greatest part which is his Mercy to Mary making her as one noted the Lady high Chancelour Christ as it were the Lord chiefe Iustice. As we appeale from the Kings-Bench barre to the Chancerie so a Papist may appeale from the Tribunall of God to the Court of our Lady So they make her Domina fac totum when one flatteringly wrote of Pope Adrian Traiectum plantauit Louanium rigauit Caesar autem incrementum dedit Traiectum planted Louaine watered but the Pope gaue the increase one wittily vnderwrites Deus interim nihil fecit God did nothing the while So if Mary be the comfort of the weake the redeemer of captiues the deliuerer of the damned the saluation of all the Aduocate of the poore the Patronesse of the rich then sure Christ hath nothing to doe No beloued Abraham is ignorant of vs the blessed Virgin knowes vs not but the Lord Iesus is our Redeemer Prayer is not a labour of the lippes onely but an inward groning of the spirit a powring out of the soule before God Now Saints and Angels vnderstand not the heart it is the righteous God that tryeth the heart and the reynes Christ is the master of all Requests in the Court of Heauen there needs no porter nor waiter It is but praying Lord Iesus come vnto me and he presently answeres I am with thee Heare mee O Christ for it is easie to thy power and vsuall to thy mercie and agreèable to thy promise O blessed Mediator of the new Couenant heare vs. To the bloud of sprinkling Aspersionis Hebraico more pro asperso Two things are implyed in the two words Sacrificium and Beneficium Bloud there is the sacrifice of Sprinkling there is the benefite To the bloud To speake properly it is the death of Christ that satisfies the Iustice of God for our sinnes and that is the true materiall cause of our redemption Yet is this frequently ascribed to his bloud The bloud of Christ purgeth the Conscience from dead works Out of his pierced side came forth bloud and water As God wrote nothing in vaine so what he hath often repeated hee would haue seriously considered Non leuiter praetereat lectura nostra quod tam frequenter insculpsit Scriptura sacra There are some reasons why our saluation is ascribed to CHRISTS bloud 1. Because in the bloud is the life Flesh with the bloud therof which is the life therof you shall not eat Leu. 17. 14. The soule of a beast is in the bloud and in the bloud is the life of euery reasonable creature on earth The effusion thereof doth exhaust the vitall spirits and death followes In Christs bloud was his life the shedding of that was his death that death by the losse of that bloud is our redemption 2. Because this bloud answeres to the types of the legall sacrifices This our Apostle exemplifies in a large conference The first Testament was not dedicated without bloud Moses sprinkling the booke and all the people sayd This is the bloud of the Testament Almost all things are by the Law purged by bloud and without shedding of bloud is no remission No reconciliation no remission without bloud All directed vs to this Lambe of GOD whose bloud onely vindicates vs from eternall condemnation Not that the bloud of a meere man could thus merite but of that man who is also God therefore it is called the Bloud of God 3. Because bloud is fitter for applyment to the heart of man who
this dutie Of Trauellers Captiues sick-men sea-men others subiect to the manifold varieties of life For Trauellers They wander in the Wildernesse in a solitary way hungry and thirstie their soule fainting in them They cry vnto the Lord in their trouble and he deliuers them out of their distresses For Captiues They sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death fast bound in affliction and yron Their prayers find a way out of the prison to God and God deliuers them out of the prison to liberty For Sick Because of their transgression they are afflicted their soule abhorreth all manner of meat and they draw neere vnto the gates of death The strength of their prayers recouers the strength of their bodies For Mariners They reele to and fro staggering like a drunken man and are at their wits end They by their prayers appease the vvrath of God and hee appeaseth the wrath of the vvaues and winds Now the burden of the Song to all these deliuerances is this O that men vvould therfore praise the Lord for his goodnesse and for his wonderfull works to the children of men And because these foure dangers are short of the innumerable calamities incident to mans life therefore in the end of the Psalme much misery is heaped vp and the Lord is the scatterer dissoluer of that heape that all flesh might sing Saluation is of the Lord. And because these mercies are infinite so that vvhat Christian may not say with Dauid Thy goodnesse hath followed mee all the dayes of my life Therefore I infer with Paul In all things giue thanks So our Psalmist My mouth shall be filled with thy praise all the day long What is meant by All the day saith Augustine but a praise without intermission As no houre slips by thee without occasion let none slippe from thee without manifestation of gratitude I will praise thee saith he O Lord In prosperis quia consolaris in aduersis quia corrigis In a prosperous estate because thou dost blesse me in affliction because thou doost correct me Fecisti refecisti perfecisti Thou madest mee when I was not restoredst me when I vvas lost supplyest my wants forgiuest my sinnes and crownest my perseuerance But as Quò acerbior miseria eò acceptior misericordia the more grieuous the miserie the more gracious the mercy So the richer benefite requires the hartier thanks Great deliuerances should not haue small gratitude vvhere much is giuen there is not a little required To tell you what God hath done for vs thereby to excite thankfulnesse would be to lose my selfe in the gates of my Text. I told you this was the ground and module of the Psalme But I know your curious eares care not so much for plaine-song you expect I should runne vpon Diuision Heare but the next generall point and I come to your desire reseruing what I haue more to say of this to my farewell and last application I come from the Debt to be paid to his Resolution to pay it I will goe into thy house I will pay c. Though he be not instantly Soluendo he is Resoluendo He is not like those Debters that haue neither meanes nor meaning to pay But though he wants actuall he hath votall retribution Though hee cannot so soone come to the place where this payment is to be made yet hee hath already paid it in his heâ—…rt I will goe I will pay Here then is the Debters Resolution There is in the godly a purpose of heart to serue the Lord. This is the child of a sanctified spirit borne not without the throbs and throwes of true penitence Not a transient and perishing flower like Ionah's Gourd Filius noctis oriens moriens but the sound fruit which the sap of grace in the heart sends forth Luke 15. VVhen the Prodigall Sonne came to himselfe saith the Text as if he had been formerly out of his wits his first speech was I will arise and goe to my Father and will say vnto him Father I haue sinned And what he purposed he performed he arose and went I know there are many that intend much but doe nothing and that earth is full of good purposes but heauen onely full of good works and that the tree gloriously leaued with intentions without fruit was cursed And that a lewd heart may be so farre sinitten and conuinced at a Sermon as to will a forsaking of some sinne VVhich thoughts are but swimming notions and vanishing motions embrions or abortiue births But this Resolution hath a stronger force it is the effect of a mature and deliberate iudgement wrought by Gods Spirit grounded on a voluntary deuotion not without true sanctification though it cannot without some interposition of time and meanes come to performe that act which it intends It is the harbinger of a holy life the little clowd like a hand that Eliah's seruant saw pointing to the future showres of deuotion Well this is but the beginning and you know many beginne that doe not accomplish but what shall become of them that neuer begin If he doth little that purposeth and performes not what hope is there of them that vvill not purpose It is hard to make an Vsnrer leaue his extortion the vncleane his lusts the swearer his dishallowed speeches when neither of them saith so much as I vvill leaue them The habite of godlinesse is farre off when to vvill is not present we despaire of their performance in whom cannot be wrought a purpose But to you of whom there is more hope that say vve will praise the Lord forget not to adde Dauids execution to Dauids intention God loues the present tense better then the future a Facto more then a Faciam Let him that is President ouer vs be a precedent for vs. Hebr. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold I come not I will come but I do come to doe â—…y will O GOD. You haue heard the matter and manner of the Song the Substance is Gratitude the Forme a Resolution to giue it To set it in some Diuision or Method That euery present soule may beare his part heere be three straines or staires and graduall ascents vp which our contemplations must mount with Dauids actions 1. An entrance into Gods house I will goe into thy house It is well that Dauid will bring thither his praises himselfe But many enter Gods house that haue no businesse there that both come and returne empty-hearted that neither bring to God deuotion nor carry from God consolation 2. Therefore the next straine giues his zeale he vvill not come empty-handed but with burnt offerings Manifold and manifest arguments of his harty affection Manifest because burnt offerings reall visible actuall and accomplished works Manifold because not one singular oblation but plurally offerings vvithout pinching his deuotion 3. But yet diuerse haue offered Sacrifices and burnt sacrifices that stunke like Balaams in Gods nosthrils tendring
this same Ite maledictâ—… Goe yee cursed is a fearefull and vnanswerable argument Thus flesh and bloud speedes when it will deale with God on termes of disputation If Gods owne reason Thou shalt not do this be not stronger then all ours now it shal be one day Let no man deceiue you with vaine wordes for for these things the wrath of God shall come vpon the children of disobedience Be not deceiued As euery particular Sinne hath the particular colour so there are generall pretexts for generall sinnes whereby many soules are deceiued I find this doctrine though plaine so necessary that I must be bold to pursue it You may easily forgiue all good faults There are seuen generall pleas for sinne 1. Predestination is pleaded If I be written to life I may doe this for many are saued that haue done vvorse If not were my life neuer so strict hell appointed is not to be auoided These men looke to the toppe of the Ladder but not to the foote God ordaines not men to iump to Heauen but to climbe thither by prescribed degrees Non per saltum sed scansum Qui ordinauit finem ordinauit media ad finem He that decreed the end decreed also the meanes that conduce to it If thou take liberty to sin this is none of the way Peter describes the rounds of this ladder faith vertue knowledge teÌ„perance patience godlines charity Thou ruÌ„nest a coÌ„trary course in the wild paths of vnbeleefe profanenes ignorance riot impatience impietie malice this is none of the way These are the rounds of a Ladder that goes downeward to hell Gods predestination est multis causa standi nemini labendi helps many to stand pusheth none downe Looke thou to the vvay let God alone with the end Belieue repent amend and thou hast Gods promise to be saued Be not deceiued God is not mocked 2. It is Gods will I should doe this vvickednesse hee saw it and might haue preuented it It is vniust to damne a man for that he willâ—… him to doe Answ. This is a blasphemous and most sacrilegious â—…uill Where did God euer will thee to lie to sweare to oppresse to adulterize His will is his word and where findest thou his word commanding sin And shall Gods prescience make him guilty of thy euill Then must thy memory make thee guilty of other mens euill As thou by thy memory dost not cause those things to haue been done that are past So God by his foreknowledge doth not cause those things to be done which are to come 3. Ignorance is pleaded I knew not the deed to bee euill or if euil not so dangerous Indeed Ignorance may make a sinne Minus not Nullum a lesse sinne but not no sinne I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in vnbeleefe saith our Apostle And Peccata scientium peccatis ignorantium praepoâ—…ntur The sinnes of them that know are more haynous then the sins of them that know not But if thou hadst no other sin thy ignorance is enough to condemne thee for thou art bound to know 〈◊〉 ea que sunt Domini nesciunt a Domino nesciuâ—… They that will not know the Lord the Lord will not know them But I speake to you that may know your ignorance is affected Some of you haue not the knowledge of God I speake this to your shame Mulâ—… vt liberiùs peccarent libenter ignorant Many that they may sinne the more securely are ignorant wilfully Thus you may goe blindfold to hell Be not deceiued God is not mocked 4. A fourth saith I haue many good deeds to weigh with my euils Indeed I am an Vsurer an Adulterer a Swearer but I keepe a good house I giue almes and I will doe more when I am dead Indeed these are good workes Bona accipientibus non facientibus Good to the receiuers not to the Giuers So a man may be borne for the good of many not for his owne They write that the Pyramides of Egypt was built for that great Pharaohs Tombe but the Red Sea disappointed him Many thinke by good workes to build vp a heauen for themselues but leading vnsanctified liues hell preuents their purpose And such a man as robbes many hundreds to relieue some may at last for his charity goe to the Deuill The Papists indeed stand extremely for building Abbies Colledges for Iesuites and augmenting the reuenues of Monasteries that Masses and Dirige's may bee sung for their soules they giue full absolution to such a man and seale him a generall acquittance of all his sinnes They make the besotted Laity especially some rich Burger belieue that without any more adoe it is impossible for a man to bee damned that liues in such a Profession and which is strange here they equiuocate truely so long as a man liues in it but if he dyes in it there is the danger But wee know the poison must be iustified or else the worke is not sanctified Be not deceiued GOD is not mocked 5. But say some God is mercifull Comfortable truth else woe woe to miserable man But shall God shew mercy to those that abuse his mercy Hee will not be so mercifull to thee as to be vniust to himselfe God will be iust goe thou on and perish God shewed mercy to the relenting not to the railing theefe Wouldst thou haue him mercifull to thee that art vnmercifull to him to thy selfe Misericordia amplectenti non tergiuer santidatur They that will lead a wicked life sub spe misericordiae in hope of mercy shall meet with a fearefull death sub terrore Iustitiae in the horror of Iustice. Kisse the mercy of God abuse it not Where is Praesumptio veniae will follow Consumptio poenâ—… a presuming of fauour shall bee punished with a consuming wrath Be not deceiued c. 6. Others alledge Christ died for our sinnes and his satisfaction is of infinite price This is the dore of hope from which the profanest wretch is angry to be driuen The most presumptuous sinner flatters his soule with this comfort as if the gates of Heauen were now set open and hee might enter with all his iniquities on his backe Indeed there is no want in Christ but is there none in thee In him is plenteous redemption but how if in thee there bee scarce fayth whatsoeuer Christ is what arâ—… thou God so loued the world that hee gaue his onely beâ—…otten Sonne Hee did not let or lend or sell but giue not an Angell nor a seruant but a Sonne not anothers but his owne not his adoptiue but naturall his begotten Sonne not one of many but his onely begotten Sonne Many degrees of loue but what of all this That whosoeuer beleeueth on him should not perish but haue euerlasting life But thou hast no faith therefore no priuiledge by this gift I am the good shepheard saith Christ. Why I giue my life but for whom for my sheepe Not for lustfull goates or
honour as to be Denisons of this Citie whereof once made free how contemptibly they will looke at the vaine endeuors of worldly men Thinke Beloued yea knowe how sweet soeuer the gaines of this lower Citie be it is yet far short of the gaines of heauen And you will one day say There is no Citie to the Citie of GOD. Where shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying nor any more paine Death with all his Apparitors that cite the whole vvorld to his Court sorrow crying paine shall be no more They shall persecute you from Citie to Citie saith Christ till at last we come to this Citie and then out of their reach O that this clay of ours should come to such honour Well may we suffer it to endure the Worlds tyrannie and to be afflicted by the Citizens thereof alas wee are but Prentises and they will vse vs hardly till our yeres be out When that day comes we shall be free possessors of this Citie You heare now the gate and the Citie what should you doe but enter Passe through the gate of grace a holy sanctified life and you shall not faile of the City of glorie Whither once entred you shall sing as it is in the Psalme Sicut audiâ—…imus ita et vidimus As we haue heard so haue we seene in the Citie of our God VVee see that now which was preached to vs yea and tenne thousand times more then euer could be vttered You shall say to Christ as the Queene of Sheba to Salomon I heard much of thy glory but behold the one halfe was not told me You saw Ierusalem before in a Mappe now you shall walke through the streets and obserue the towres and bulwarkes fully contemplate the glorie But my discourse shall giue way to your meditation The ioyes are boundlesse endlesse the Lord make vs free of this Citie Amen SPIRITVALL EYE-SALVE OR THE BENEFIT of Illumination EPHES. 1. 18. The eyes of your vnderstanding beeing enlightned that â—…ou may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance is in the Saints THE speciall grace that heere Paul prayes for his Ephesians is Illumination wherein is described to vs an Eye Obiect The eye is spirituall the obiect celestiall The Instrument isâ—…gracious the spectacle glorious The eye inlightned there is the organ the hope of Gods calling and the rich inheritance of the glorified Saints there is the obiect The Eye is described by the Situation Qualification The Site is the Understanding the Qualification is Inlightned The Eye Is the most excellent organ of sense Saint Augustine applies Seeing to all the senses Heare and see touch and see and the Psalmist hath Taste and see how gracious the Lord is Other senses discerne onely things neere them this remote and distant obiects Some say the roundnesse of the Eye resembles the Vnity of the Deity which is one and perfect and the triangular sight the Trinity of persons This is too curious happy is that intellectuall eye whose obiect is the blessed Vnity in Trinity and Trinity in Vnity whose delight is good yea God In a cleare eye the looker sees his owne image so God in a sanctified vnderstanding sees a limited resemblance of his infinite selfe And as some Physicians say that if looking in a sicke mans eyes they see their image there is hope of life but the want of this resultance is held an argument of instant death whereby they giue themselues a prognosticke signe whether the Patient will dye of that sicknesse or recouer it by the reflection of his eyes But it is certaine if Gods image be not in the vnderstanding instat mors animae the soule is in danger if it shine there there is comfort of life yea life of comfort Hence it is that the God of this world doth so striue to blind the minds of them that beleeue not ne imago Dei c. that the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ who is the Image of GOD should not shine vnto them God hath set two liddes to defend the corporall eye from annoyances So hee hath giuen the vnderstanding duas palpebâ—… Faith and hope to shelter it For the eye is not more tender to the body then the vnderstanding is to the soule And therefore Satan seekes by all meanes to hurt it eyther by offering it violent blowes which the shield of Faith beares off or by throwing dusts into it gifts blinde the eyes which the other lidde of hope for better riches keeps out The Situation Of this spirituall eye is in the Soule God framing mans soule planted in it two faculties the Superior that is the Vnderstanding which perceiueth and iudgeth the Inferiour that is the will which being enformed of the other accordingly followes or flies chuseth or refuseth The Scripture fauouring the simplest capacity compares these two powers of the soule to two knowne parts of the body The vnderstanding to the Eye the Affections to the Foote the eye directing the foote walking Euery man is naturally borne blinde and lame as Zedekiah captiuated to the King of Babylon first they put out his eyes and then they lamed his feete with fetters of brasse So is euery man by nature and therefore easily made a slaue to the king of infernall Babylon if the mercy of Christ should not redeeme him This consideration reacheth foorth to vs two vses the one of Instruction the other of Reprehension 1. This teacheth vs to desire in the first place the Inlightning of our eyes and then after the strengthening of our feete So that sweet Prophet ordereth his prayers Psal. 25. First Shew me thy wayes O Lord teach mee thy paths Then Lead me in thy truth First cleare my eyes then enable my feete Psal. 119. Make mee to vnderstand the way of thy precepts And then I will runne the way of thy Commandements Hee that would saile safely must get a good Pilot before good rowers Swift horses without a skilfull waggoner endanger more Hee that labours for feet before he hath eyes takes a preposterous course for of the two the lame is more likely to come to his iourneyes end then the blind Could hee runne as swift as Hazael and outstrip the young Hart on the mountaines yet being blinde he would hardly hitte the way to Heauen There is but one way thither by-paths innumerable it is a thousand to one against him that he misseth the right If he be set into it yet there are so many blockes rubbes obstacles put before him by the Deuill and the world that hee can no more goe into the true way then he could discerne it from the false But if a man hath eyes there is hope he will creepe to heauen though on lame feet Hee sees where Ierusalem stands and hath direction for the way as trauellers in scroles from such a village to such a city c. so the word of God
forth to him For his ground brought forth plentifully So deepe a draught haue the wicked often drunk in the common cup of blessings Their Bull gendreth and faileth not their Cow calueth and casteth not They spend their dayes in wealth Yea will you heare yet a larger exhibition They are not in trouble as other men neyther are they plagued like others There they haue exemption from misery Their eyes stand out for fatnesse they haue more then heart could wish There they haue accumulation of felicity Secondly we haue him caring what to doe vers 17. He had so much gaine so much graine that his roomes could not answere the capacity of his heart What shall I doe because I haue no roome where to bestow my fruits Care is the inseparable companion of aboundance Vnâ recipiuntur diuitiae solicitudo They to whom is giuen most wealth are most giuen to carking sharking and solicitous thoughtfulnesse with a little inuersion of our Sauiours meaning Where is much giuen there is much yea more required Those hearts whom the world hath done most to satisfie are least of all satisfied still they require more and perplexe themselues to get it A reasonable man would thinke that they who possesse abundant riches should not be possessed with abundant cares But care not for to morrow saith Christ. Cuius enim diei spatium te visurum nescis quam ob causam illius solicitudine torqueris Why shouldst thou disquiet thy selfe with thought of prouisioÌ„ for that day whose euening thou art not sure to see Thirdly wee haue his resolution which in his purpose hath a double succession though no successe for their disposed order and places This will I doe vers 18. what 1. I will pull downe my barnes and build greater and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods He thinks of no roome in visceribus pauperum in the bowels of the poore which the Lord hath proposed to him a fit receptacle of his superfluity He mindes not to build an hospitall or to repaire a Church eyther in cultum Christi or culturam Christiani to the worship of Christ or education of orphanes or consolation of distressed soules but onely respects Horreum suum and Hordeum suum his Barne and his barley The want of roome troubles him his haruest was so great that he is crop-sicke The stomake of his Barne is too little to hold that surfet of corne he intends it and therfore in anger he will pull it downe and make it answerable to his owne desires 2. This hee takes as granted and vpon the new building of his Barne he builds his rest ver 19. Then I will say to my soule Soule thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeeres take thine ease eate drinke and be merry He dreames his belly full and now his pipes goe he sings requâ—…em and lullabies his spirit in the cradle of his barne This sweet newes hee whispers to his soule Though he had wearied his body with incessant toyles and made it a gally-slaue to his imperious affection yet his soule had beene especially disquieted and therefore hee promiseth his soule some ease In this indulgent promise there is a Preface and a Solace 1. The Preface assures his soule much goods and many yeares multas diuitias multos annos He knew that a scant and sparing proffer would not satisfie his boundlesse desires there must be shew of an abundant impletion It is not enough to haue an ample rocke or distaâ—…e of wealth vnlesse a longeuall time be afforded to spinne it out Philoxenus his wish coupled with his pleasant viands a long throat Crane-like to prorogue his delight for shortnesse doth somewhat abate sweetnesse Rex horae a king of one houre can scarce warme his throne it keeps a Christmass-lord flat that he knowes his end If this man had bin his own Lord how excellent an estate would hee haue assured himselfe His Farme should haue been so large and his lease so long that I doubt whether Adam in Paradise had a greater Lordship or Metbushalem a longer life The last of his desires is of the longest size giue him much goods and much time abundance of ioyes and abundance of dayes and you hitte or fitte the length of his foote 2. The Solace is a daunce of foure paces Take thine ease eate drinke and be merry The full belly loues an easie Chaire he must needs ioyne with his laborious surfets the vacation of sleepe He hath taken great paines to bring death vpon him and now standing at his dore it heares him talke of ease He promiseth himselfe that which he trauells to destroy life and euen now ends what he threatens to begin So worldlings weary and weare out their liues to hoord wealth and when wealth comes health goes they would giue all for life O fooles in continuall quest of riches to hunt themselues out of breath and then be glad to restore all at once for recouerie The next pace is Eate his bones must not onely be pleased but his belly It is somewhat yet that this man resolues at last no more to pinch his guts therefore what before he was in their debt he will pay them with the vsury of surfets He purposeth to make himselfe of a thinne starueling a fatte Epicure and so to translate Parcum into Porcum The third pace is Drinke where gluttony is bid vvelcome there is no shutting out of drunkennesse You shall not take a Nabal but he plyes his gobblet as well as his trencher And this is a ready course to retire himselfe from his former vexation to drowne his cares in Wine The last pace is a Leualto Be merry When hee hath got iunkets in his belly and vvines in his braine what should he doe but leape dance reuell be merry be mad After feasting must follow iesting Heere be all the foure passages he sleepes care away he eates care away he drinks care away and now he sings care away His pipes be full and they must needes squeak though the name of the good yea the name of GOD be dishonoured But to such a mad-merry scoffer might well be applied that verse which was sounded in the eare of a great Rimer dying Desine ludere temerè nitere properè surgere de puluere Leaue playing fall to praying it is but sorry iesting with death Thus his dance was like Sardanapalus Ede bibe lude Eate drinke and be merry but there is one thing marres all his sport the bringing of his soule to iudgement He promiseth a merry life and a long life but death sayes nay to both He gratifies his soule ratifies his state but couzens himselfe in all It may be said of him as King Iohn of the fatte Stagge dying See how easily he hath liued yet he neuer heard Masse This was the sweet but the sowre followes Qui gaudebit cum mundo non regnabit cum Christo. He reioyceth with the World but
I giue to the poore The theefe after a long lewd life hath a short happy death and goes from the Crosse to Paradise If these had bene rooted vp at the first Gods Garner had wanted much good wheat He that is now cockle may proue good corne 2. For the excercise of the godly For the reprobate doe not onely fill vp the measure of their sinnes that so not beleeuing the truth they might be damned for their vnrighteousnes making their condemnation both iust and great But they serue also for instruments to exercise the faith and patience of the Saints Babilon is a flaile to bruise the nations at last it selfe shall be threshed They are but the rubbish where with the vessells of honour are scowred the vessell made bright the scowring stuffe is throwne to the dunghill They are Apothecaries to make vs bitter potions for the recouerie of our spirituall health but so that they cannot put in one dramme more then their allowance and when they come to be payd for their bills they find the sum totall their owne vengance They are like shepheards dogges that serue to hunt the lambes of Christ to the sheepfolds of peace but their teeth are beaten out that they cannot worry vs. Frâ—…mit lupus tremit agnus the wolfe rageth and the Lambe quaketh but feare not little flocke he is greater that is with you then all they that are against you Illorum malitia est veâ—…ra militia their malice is your warfare but in all you shall conquer They shall make you better not worse Hence let vs learne 1. Not to flie from the Church because there are some wicked men in it Non propter malos boni sunt deserendâ—… sed propter bonos mali sunt tolerandi Forsake not the good because of the euill but suffer the euill because of the good when we can brooke no imperfection in the Church know then Diabolum nos tumeâ—…acere superbia that the Deuill doth blow vs vp with pride sayth Caluin I hold the Church saith Augustin full of both wheat and chaffe I better whom I can whom I cannot I suffer Fugio paleam ne hoc sine non aream ne nihil sim. I auoid the chaffe least I become chaffe I keepe the floore least I become nothing We sinne all in many things and many in all things let vs flie from all sinnes not from all sinners for then we must goe out of the world out of our selues But I beleeue the holy catholicke Church I beleeue it though through the shadowe of infirmities I cannot see it Intelligit fides quae non vides If it was perspicuous to sence there was no place to faith no vse or excercise of beleeuing But here we walke by faith not by sight All the glory of the Kings daughter is Intus within Psal. 45. shee is glorious within wretched are they that forsake her and when they speake of her blesse themselues that they are fled out of Babel Blind fooles that will not know Ierusalem from Babel Their fault is the more hainous for two causes 1. They seemed our most zealous professors and a lewd seruant is easilyer brook'd then an vndutifull sonne 2. They know so much that their owne conscience tells them Ignorance cannot excuse their separation An ignorant iniurie is in more hope both of amends and mercie All their hote vrging was our purging not from our vices but our good order which when they could not effect they purged themselues out of our companie And their very malice did vs good for I am sure we haue beene euer since the cleaner They send vs word of many vnreformed vncensured euills among vs for which they separate It cannot be denyed it cannot be auoided but that among so many millions of men there will be some lepers but what must their vncleannes needs infect all Certè nullius crimen inficit nescientem Let me not participate of their sinne not shunne the Church because they are in it yea I am commanded to come though they be there If a man will come vnworthy the sinne is his but if I come not because he comes the sinne is mine God sayes to the wicked guest How cammest thou in hither not to the prepared How came you in with such a guest His fault cannot dispense with my dutie nor shall my dutie be charged with his fault But our euills are innumerable I would to God they were lesse yet I am sure the Gospell is faire though our liues be fowle Our profession is good though many mens conuersation be full of euill And yet the number of our euills is somewhat abated by their absence we cannot complaine of all euills whiles we want them To the vncleane they say all things are euill yet they are content to take some euill from vs. They will eate victualls yea and eate them vp as if for anger rather then hunger They will purse vp our moneys take advantages of their forfeted bonds and plead a prouidence in it their owne prouidence they meane and so though not pray with vs yet pray vpon vs. If all our things be euill I perceaue they loue some of our euill Let them goe they from vs not vs from our selues But rather 2. Seeing there are wolues among the Lambes let vs be wise to saue our selues and patient to suffer others The good are for thy comfort the wicked for thy excercise let thy life be good to the consolation of the one and conuiction of the other Non valdè laudabile est bonum esse cum bonis sed bonum esse cum malis For as it is a wretched fault not to be good among the good so it is a worthy prayse to be good among the euill Let your light so shine that others may glorifie God for your good and be ashamed of their owne euill You are the light of the world if there be any dimnesse in your shining the whole Countrey is full of snuffers In the Temple were golden snuffers we haue not many of those to make vs burne brighter but base stinking ones that would rather put vs out 3. Let vs abhorre wicked societies knowing that they shall be conuented againe in hell There must be some acquaintance with them must be no familiarity A meare commerce with them is not vtterly in it selfe vnlawfull but dangerous Factum licitum prohibetur propter vicinitatem illiciti Thou hadst better lose a good bargaine at a worldlings hand then purchase some of his wickednesse The second Chariot of Egypt taught Ioseph to sware by the life of Pharaâ—…h Let them see thy good life heare thy gratious words thy true detestation and wise reprehension of their wickednesse Gods seruants would haue all serue their master that they might haue the more companie with them to heauen But let thy delight be with the Saints on earth and with those that excell in vertue Let vs meete now in synceritie
the better mistres and worthy of more seruants alas glad to be shrowded in holes your Greatnes now wisheth it selfe so litle that it might not be seene You insatiate couetous that neuer ceased ioyning house to house land to land and possessing whole countryes yet whined for lacke of elbow-roome loe you shall at this day be glad of a hole a darke hollow caue in a rocke for your parlour or more glad if you might be dissolued into nothing They said We haue described the Persons What they were let vs see what they did They said They open their lips to confesse the invincible and inevitable power of Christ. whence derive we two obseruations 1. The sense of present miserie takes away Atheisme Before their mouthes were either shut by silence or opened by blasphemies possessed either with a dumbe or a roring deuill God was not in all their thoughtes or if in their thoughts not in their lips or if in their lips but to his dishonour not named but in their oathes Now loe they speake and make a desperate acknowledgment of that power they erst derided The day of iudgment when it comes shall find no Atheist What those degenerate creatures would not beleeue they shall see they would not acknowledge their maker they shall find their Iudge and cry to the mountaines Fall one vs c. Consider this ye that forget God lest you be torne in pieces when there is none to deliuer you You may forget him during your short pleasure you shall remember him for euer in torture Proceed to speake of him wickedly and like enemies to take his Name in vaine you shall one day fall low before his footestoole not with a voluntary but enforced reuerence You that haue denied God on earth the first voice that shall come from your lips shall be a hopelesse acknowledgment of his maiestie 2. The saying that comes from them is desperate whence note that in Gods iust punishment Desperation is the reward of Presumption They that erst feared two little shall now feare too much Before they thought not of Gods Iustice now they shall not conceiue his Mercie Consciences that are without remorse are not without horror It is the kindnes which presumptuous sinne doth the heart to make it at last despaire of forgiuenes They say Behold God accuseth not they accuse themselues God loues to haue a sinner accuse himselfe and therefore sets his deputie in the brest of man which though it be a neuter when the act is doing is an aduersary afterwards The conscience is like the poise of a clocke the poise being downe all motion ceaseth the wheeles stirre not wound vp all is set on going Whiles conscience is downe there is no noise or moouing in the heart all is quiet but when it is wound vp by the iustice of God it sets all the wheeles on working tongue to confesse eyes to weepe hands to wring brest to be beaten heart to ake voice to cry and that where mercie steps not in a fatall cry to the hils Fall on vs and hide vs. Sinne and iudgment for sinne make the most cruell men cowardly Tyrants whose frownes haue beene death oppressors that haue made their poore Tenants quake at their lookes now tremble themselues would change firmnes with an aspine leafe They that care not for the act of sinne shall care for the punishment Tumidi faciendo timidi patiendo Nero that could not be tired in cutting throtes is soone weary of his owne torment They that haue made others weepe shall desperately howle themselues Cain that durst kill the fourth part of the world at a blow euen his owne brother dares afterwards not looke a man in the face lest he should be slayne Who durst be more impudently bold with God then Iudas when he betrayed his onely Sonne to murderers yet after the treason who more cowardly then Iudas he becomes his owne hangman The curse that followes sinne makes Presumption it selfe to shudder But what madnes is it not to complaine till too late If our foresight were but halfe as sharpe as our sense we should not dare to sinne The issue of wickednes would appeare a thousand times more horrible then the act is pleasant Let this teach vs now to thinke of the Iustice of God as well as his mercie that herafter we may thinke of his mercie as well as his Iustice. The mercie of God is abused to encourage lewdnes and wretched men by Christs merits are emboldned to committe that for which he dyed but so men may runne with mercie in their mouthes to hell They that in life will giue no obedience to the law shall in death haue no benefite by by the Gospell When they gaue themselues ouer to lying swaring coueting c. they were wont to cry Mercie mercie now loe they feele what those sinnes are and cry nothing but Iustice Iustice they cannot thinke on mercie They that haue abused mercie must be quitted with vengance The good now sing With thee O Lord is mercie therefore thou shalt be feared The reprobates sing at last with thee O Lord is iudgment with thee is storme and tempest indignation wrath confusion and vengence and therefore art thou feared These necessary occurrences thus considered let vs passe to their Inuocation wherein is exemplified their Error Here we must obserue To what For what they call To what They are Mountaines and rockes vnreasonable yea insensible creatures whence we may deduce two inferences a negatiue and an affirmatiue 1. Negatiuely it is cleare that they haue no acquaintance with God therefore know not how to direct their prayers vnto him If their trust had beene in God they needed not to fly to the Mâ—…aines So Dauid sweetly Psal. 11. Ia the Lord put I my trust how then say you to my soule Flie as a bird to your mountaine It is Gods charge Call vpon me in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me But Rom. 10. How shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued Or beleeue in him they haue not knowne and how should they know him but by his word Alas those mutuall passages and entercourse of meanes they haue euer barred themselues They would neither suffer God to trouble them by his word nor would they offer to trouble him by their prayers They will not call vpon him nor will they heare him calling vpon them Therefore as those that neuer were in the companie of God they know not how to addresse themselues to him but rather to rockes and mountaines As extremity discerneth friends Verè amat qui miserum amat so it distinguisheth a man in himselfe A suddaine disturbance giues a great try all of a Christians disposition For as in a naturall man at such an affrightment all the bloud runs to the heart to guard the part that is principall so in a good man at such an instance all the powers
immoueable to wind or weather he needs not the shelter of mountaines for he shall stand like Mount Sion that a hideth fast for euer They that despise him shall find him a Rocke also if they fall on it they shall be broken if it fall on them it will grind them to powder He is a Stone the Stone the head-stone of the corner cut out of the Quarrey of heauen without hands Of whome we are made liuing stones He is strong without all things all things weake without him trust in him and you shall haue no need to flie to rockes and mountaines For What The benefit that they would haue the Rockes and the Mountaines doe them is to Fall on them hide them Whence we deriue three obseruations 1. Despaire is euer wishing for death often impatiently snatching at it in this world but when the last day comes so greedily longing for it that to be sure of it they desire the mountaines to dispatch them Death by the wicked is now most feared death at the last shall be the thing most wished They shall desire death and shall not find it They that sit in the warme nest of riches hatching vp their brood of lusts quake at the hearing of death There are some feare to die others not so much to die as to be dead The former are cowardly the other vnbeleeuing soules Some feare both to whom nothing in life then life is more desireable But when thâ—s last extremitie comes mâ—…ricupiunt they desire to die And that death like a merciles executioner might not haue too many strokes at their liues they begge helpe of the Mountaines that they might be throughly dispatched at once without need of a second blow Cain at his arraignement for his brother would needs liue God grants it as if it were too much fauour for him to die But hee yeelds it for a curse as if he heard his prayers in anger He liues but banished from God carrying his hell in his bosome and the brand of vengeance in his forehead God reiects him the earth repines at him and men abhorre him Loe now Cain would die himselfe now wisheth the death he feared and no man dares pleasure him with a murther As Nero in the like case Nec amicâ—…m nec mimicum hâ—…beo I haue neyther friend nor enemie or as Sauâ—… found in his Armour-bearer not a will to kill him though he had a will to be killed by him Death these reprobates feared and onely death is now desired They cry to the mountaines Fall on vs. 2 Obserue that rockes and mountaines are farre lighter then sinne Zachary compares it to a Talent of lead Esay cals it a Burden Such a waight bore our Sauiour that he groned vnder it I am pressed vnder you as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaues The wicked that like Babel-builders thinke to aspiâ—…e to heauen by multiplying of earth would bee glad if â—…umulitumuli their bodies might be buried vnder their heapes of wealth where their soules had beene buryed long before But what is a load of earth a mountaine huger then Aetna vnder which Iupiter was sayd subter fulminare Gigantes what is the whole massie bodie of the earth to the waight of sinne Thinke of it ye Theomachor that striue in your rebellions imponere Pelioâ—… Ossae ye rapacious couetous that load your selues with thicke clay you lay heauie burdens on the poore heauier on your owne consciences Sin may seeme light for a season as a packe made vp but not assayed with one of your fingers when Sathan shall lay it on you it will breake your backes You beare it now like corke and feathers at that day you shall iudge it heauier then rockes and mountaines Now in contempt of law and Gospell honestie and conscience earth and heauen they call to pride ambition blasphemie ebrietie luxurie oppression Fall on vs and couer vs wearing pride as a chaine and couering themselues with crueltie as with a garment Siâ—… lyes at the dore and they haue no sense to take it vp The deuill puts his shoulders vnder the waight and thus supported they feele it not But when Gods iustice shall reproue them and set their sinnes in order before their 〈◊〉 yea impose them on their weake and yeelding consciences howe different will their cry be 〈◊〉 fâ—…ll 〈◊〉 â—…ockes couer vs. The swearer saying to these heauie creatures you are lighter then my oathes the â—…uetous you are not so ponderous as my oppressions the adulterer the whole earth is a gentle pressure â—…o the burden of my lustes Custome in sinne obstupefies a â—…sense and still like that Romaine Milo his strength eâ—…creasing with his burden he that first carried sinne a wanton Calfe can at last beare it a goaring Oxe Menlocke vp their iniquities as the vsurer his money in a Chest where the light of reproofe may not finde them out They packe all their iniquities vpon Hâ—… that will beare them for none but His. Or reserue them to an houres repentance setting them a day of cancelling but they breake it as if their last breath could dispell and scatter them all into ayre But alas sinnes then are found heauiest of all and here like malefactors pressing to death they cry out for more waight the accession of rockes and mountaines to dispatch them Loath they are to come before the Iudge therefore would be pressed to death by these ponderous and massy creatures The mountaines haue not beene more barren then they of goodnes the rockes not so hard as their hearts The crosse of Christ hath beene held too heauy repentance too troublesome a guest for their houses faith and obedience haue beene cast off as poore friends all godlynes too waightie now rockes and hils are light Christs yoke was not for their shoulders Satans must His law might not be borne it was so heauy his wrath must be borne and that is heauyer Oh then thrice blessed they whose sinnes God bindeth vp in a bundle and sinkes them in the whirlepoole of forgetfulnes that they may neuer be imposed for they are too heauy to be borne 3. Obserue that before these wicked were Lords of nations and Countreys for they are said to be Princes Captaines Conquerors rich men now they would be glad of one to hide them Of all their dominions they begge but the barrenest parcell a rocke or mountaine and that to doe them a poore office to conceale them How much doth mans auarice and ambition couet here how little contents him hereafter In death the wickedest Potentate must be content with a graue after death he would be content with a graue still yea glad if in the bottome of a mountaine he might be hidden Heare this ye couetous that ioyne house to house and land to land by disioyning the societies of men as if you would leaue the whole earth to your babes Excutit natura redeuntem sicut intrantem Nature shall
as strictly examine your going out as it did your coÌ„ming in Nonne telluris tres tantum cubiti te expectant doe not only three cubites of ground allotte themselues to receiue you Onely a graue remaynes and all you that boast of your great lands shall at that day say haec terrâ—… mea and terra tua this is all my land this is all thy land euen so much roome as thy dusts will take vp all the remainder of mighty Hercules will scarce fill a little pitcher A litle quantitie of ground hath nature proportion'd thee distst thou possesse as much as euer the Tempter shewed Christ. When certaine Philosophers intentiuely beheld the Tombe of Alexander sayth one Heri fecit ex auro thesaurum bodie aurum ex eo facit thesaurum Yesterday he treasured vp gold to day gold treasures vp him Another Yesterday the world did not content him to day ten cubites containe him Socrates carried Alcibiades bragging of his lands to a mappe of the world and bad him demonstrate them Alcibiades could not find them for alas Athens it selfe was but a small and scarce discernable point A wiser man spake otherwise of his lands O Ager quà m multorum fuisti eris nunc meus postea mescio cuius O Land how many mens hast thou beene and shalt be now mine and herafter I know not whose So litle ground contents vs when we are dead But when the wicked shall rise againe would it not serue them still with all their hearts Had they not rather lie in rottennesse then combustion Were not a cold graue more welcome then a hote furnace Yes rather had they be dead without sense then aliue in torment Now they beg not a cittie though a little one as Zoar not a house though poore and bleake as Codrus his not an open ayre though sharpe and irkesome scorched with the Indian Sunne or frossen with the Russian cold there is no hope of these fauours Giue them but a mountaine to fall on them and a rocke to hide them and they are highly pleased Here is a strange alteration for the wicked When they shall goe from a glorious mansion to a loathsome dungeon from the table of surfet to the table of vengeance from fawning obseruants to afflicting spirits from a bed of downe to a bed of fire from soft linnen and silken couerings to wish a rocke for their pillow and a mountaine for their couerlet Nay and yet they that commanded so farre on earth cannot command this peece of earth to doe them such a kindnesse They could in the dayes of their pride speake imperiously enough this land is mine this towne is mine as Naball sayd Shall I take my meate and my drinke c. but nowe they feele it was none of theirs not one hole must shelter them not one hillocke doe them seruice Nothing helpes when God will smite mountaines and rockes are no defence when God pursues Doest thou thinke to raigne because thou cloathest thy selfe in Cedar What is Cedar against thunder GOD hath a hand that can strike through Forts Rockes and Bulwarkes The seuenfold wals of Babilon cannot defend the Tyrant within them The heauens melt at the presence of the Lord if he touch the mountaines they smoake for it The of-spring of the reuiued world offer to build a Tower whose toppe might reach to Heauen What securitie could be in it Are not thinges nearer to heauen more subiect to the violences of Heauen lightning thunder and those higher inflammations Feriunt summos fulgura montes In se magna ruunt summisque negatum est stare diù God soone made it a monument of their follie and his power He giues confusion of their voyces and their worke at once When God raigned from heauen that greatest showre that euer the earth did or shall sustaine you knowe their shifts They thinke to ouer-climbe the iudgement and being got vp to the highest mountaines looke downe with some hope on the swimming valleys When the water began to ascend vp to their refuged hils and the place of their hope became an Iland loe now they hitch vp higher to the toppes of the tallest trees till at last the waters ouertake them halfe dead with hunger and horror The mountaines could not saue them in that day of water nor shall the mountaines in this day of fire It is not then the defence of forts or ports the secrecie of caues or graues the bottome-burroughes of hils or vaultie dens of rockes not a league with all the elements of the world beastes of the earth stones of the street that can secure them Be hidden they cannot what should they then wish but death they that once trembled to die doe nowe more quake to liue they would bee glad of a riddance and kisse the instrument of their annihilation They would prise and embrace it as the best happynes that euer saluted them if like beasts they might perish to nothing Here they enuie the storke stagge rauen oake for long life and chide nature for their owne shortnesse But at this day they would change with any flower though the continuance thereof were not so much as Ionah's Gourds and thinke not to be was to be happy The pangs of the first death are pleasures in respect of the second But what hope is there of their securitie or refuge in mountaines when ver 14. The very heauen shall depart a sâ—…rowle that is rolled vp together and euerie mountaine and Iland shall be moued out of their places Heauen is expansum tanquam linteum diducta laâ—…ina but shall then be folded vp like a garment whose beautie is not seene or rolled together like a volume whose large contents are as it were abridged not that the matter of the world shall be quite abolished For as we say now of grace Adolet non abolet naturam gratia so we may say of glorie Perficit non perdit mundum gloria Corruption shal be taken away not all the matter that was corrupted But if all things be thus narrowly searched how shall the vngodly hope to lye hidden We haue now considered the horror of the Reprobates let vs looke to the Iudge from whom they desire to be hidden From the presence of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the lambe In whom we find an omniscience and an omnipotence which circumstances the time allowes me but to mention First for his all knowing Wisdome From the face It was euer the fashion of guiltines to flie from the presence of God Adam had no sooner sinned but he thrusts his head in a bush Sins ineuitable effect is Shame Though impudence beare it our for a time Ier. 6. They were not ashamed when they had committed abomination yet they shall one day beare the reproch of their sinnes and be ashamed yea euen confounded Shame must come either first to repentance Rom. 6. what fruit had you then in those things wherof
facilitate quanta faelicitate with as much easynes as happynes Desinunt ista non pereunt mors intermittit vitam non eripit Our bodies are left for a time but perish not death may discontinue life not conclude it Intermittitâ—… non interimitur it may be paused cannot be destroyed 2. Obserue that all the dead doe not rise but Many and those Saints The generall resurrection is reserued to the last day this a pledge or earnest of it Now who shall rise with this comfort none but Saints as here Christ takes no other company from the graues but Saints The dead in Christ shall rise first Christ is called The first borne from the dead He hath risen and his shall next follow him Euerie man in his owne order Christ the first fruits afterward they that are Christs at his comming Wormes and corruption shall not hinder he that sayd To Corruption thou art my mother and to the wormes you are my brethren and sisters sayd also I know that my Redeemer liueth and one day with these eyes I shall behold him The wicked shall also be raised though with horrour to looke vpon him whom they haue pierced But as Christ did here so will he at the last single out the Saints to beare him companie 3. This sheweth the true operation of Christs death in all men We are all dead in our sins as these bodies were in their graues now when Christs death becomes effectuall to our soules we rise againe and become new creatures From the graue of this world we come into the Church the holy Citie But thou complainest of the deadnes of thy hart it is well thou complainest there is some life or thou couldst not feele the deadnesse The houre is comming now is when the dead shall heare the voice of the Sonne of God and they that heare it shall liue If this word hath raysed thee from death and wrought spirituall life in thy heart thou shalt perceiue it by thy breathing words glorifying God by thy mouing in the waies to the workes of obedience 4 Obserue that these Saints which arose are sayd to haue Slept The death of the godly is often called a Sleepe So it is sayd of the Patriarches and Kings of Iudah they slept with their fathers So Paul saith they sleep in Christ. The Coffin is a couch In quo molliùs dormit qui benè in vita laborauit wherein hee takes good rest that hath wrought hard in the worke of his saluation before he went to bed Foelix somnus cum requie requies cum voluptate voluptas â—…um aeternitate It is a sweete sleepe that hath peace with rest rest with pleasure pleasure with euerlastingnes So the godly sleepe till the Sound of a Trumpet shall waken them and then eternall glory shall receiue them 5. Lastly obserue that Ierusalem is called the Holy citie though she were at this time a sinke of sinne and a debaushed harlot Either as some thinke that she is called holy because she was once holy So Rahab is called the harlot because she was a harlot Simon is termed the Leper for that hee was a leper and Mathew the Publican for that he was a Publican Or els she was called holy for the couenants sake in regard of the Temple sacrifices seruice of God and of the elect people of God that were in it Whence we may inferre how vnlawfull it is to separate from a Church because it hath some corruptions Is apostate Ierusalem that hath crucified her Sauiour called still the holy Citie and must England that departeth in nothing from the faith and doctrine of her Sauiour for some scarce discernible Imperfections be reiected as a foedifragous strumpet But there be wicked persons in it what then Shee may be still a holy Cittie Recedatur ab iniquitate non ab iniquis Let vs depart from sinne we cannot runne from sinners Thus we haue considered the Miracles let vs now looke into the causes wherefore they were wrought These may be reduced into fiue In respect of The Sufferer dying The Creatures obeying The Iewes persecuting The Women beholding The Disciples forsaking 1. In regard of Christ to testifie not onely his Innocencie but his Maiestie His Innocencie that hee was as Pilates wife acknowledged a Iust man His Maiestie as the Centurion confessed Seeing the earth quake and the things that were done Truely this was the Sonne of God He seemed a worme no man the contempt and derision of the people forsaken of his confidence in the midst of all God will not leaue him without witnesses but raiseth vp senseles creatures as Preachers of his deitie Est aterni filius qui illic pendet mortuus He that hangs there dead on the Crosse is the Sonne of the eternall God Rather then the children of God shall want witnesses of their integritie God will worke myracles for their testimonie 2. In regard of the Creatures to shew their Obedience to their Creator they are not wanting to him that gaue being to them These demonstrate it was their Lord that suffered and that they were ready to execute vengeance on his murderers The heauen that was darke would haue rained fire on them the earth that quaked shooke them to peeces the rockes that rent tumbled on them and the graues that opened to let out other prisoners haue swallowed them quicke They all waited but his command to performe this revengefull execution Who shall now dare to persecute Christ in his members The stones are thy enemies the earth gapes for thee hell it selfe enlargeth her iawes if the Lord but hisse to them they are suddenly in an vprore against thee Goe on in your malice ye raging persecutors you cannot wrong Christ no not in his very members but you pull the fists of all creatures in heauen earth and hell about your eares flies from the aire beasts from the earth poison from sustenance thunder from the clouds yea at last also though now they helpe you the very deuils from hell against you All creatures shoote their malignancie at them that shoot theirs at Christ. 3. In respect of the Iewes his enemies to shame and confound them The rockes and graues are moued at his passion not they Lapides tremunt homines fremunt The stones rent the huge earth quakes with feare the Iewes rage with malice We see how difficult it is to mollifie a hard heart harder then to remoue a mountaine raise the dead cleaue a rocke shake the whole earth It is a great mryacle to conuert a wicked man greater then rending of rockes Moses rod stroke a Rocke thrice and did it ministers haue stroke mens rocky harts three hundreth times and cannot The graues sooner open then the sepulchers of sinne and darkenes the vast earth sooner quakes then mens hearts at Gods iudgements 4. In respect of the women that stood by that their faith might be confirmed For seeing him on the Crosse at their mercie
Such a charming power said a worthy Diuine hath the musicke of money and wealth and such fittes it workes in a mans heart First it takes him from peacefull setlednes and from great content in his litle and puts him into dumps a miserable carking thoughtfullnes how to scrape together much dirt Next when he hath it and begins with delight to sucke on the dugges of the world his purse his barnes and all his but his heart full hee fals to dancing and singing requiems Soule take thine â—…ase eate drinke and be merry Then shall his table standfull of the best dishes his cup of the purest wine his backe with the richest robes and he conceites a kinde of immortalitie in his coffers he denies himselfe no satietie no surquedrie But at last the worldes bedlaâ—…-musicke puts him into frenziâ—… hee growes rampant Runnes into oppressions extortions depopulations rapes whordomes murders massacres spares not bloud or friendship authoritie nor vâ—…ssalage widow nor orphan Prince nor subiect Nec 〈◊〉 nec Arâ—… neither poore mans coâ—…tage nor Churches altar Yea if the Common wealth had but one throate as Nero wish ed of Rome he would cut it O the vnpacifiable madnes that this worlds musicke puts those into which will dance after his Pipe For this cause saith our Apostle continue in the Charitie thou hast begun Walke in loue Ye did run well who did hinder you Doth wealth keepe you from charitie This perswasion commeth not of him that calleth you God neuer meant when he gaue you riches that you should then begin to be couetous He did not for this purpose shew new mercie to you that you should take away your old mercies from his There are other that seeme to end in Loue who neuer all their dayes walked in this heauenly path They haue a will lying by them wherein they haue bequeathed a certaine legacie to the poore something to such a Church or such an Hospitall But this will is not of force till the testator be dead so that a man may say though the will be ready yet to will is not ready with theÌ„ for God shall not haue it so long as they can keepe it These can wish with Balaam to dye Christians but they must liue Pagans Hauing raised thousands out of their sacrilegious and inhospitable Impropriations they can bestow the dead hope of a litle mite on the Church In memoriall whereof the heyre must procure an annuall recitation besides the monumentall sculpture on the Tombe Be his life neuer so blacke and more tenebrous then the vaults of lust yet said a Reuerend Diuine he shall find a blacke prophet for a blacke cloake that with a blacke mouth shall commend him for whiter then snow and lillies Though his vnrepented oppressions vnrestored extortions and bloud-drawing vsuries haue sent his soule to the infernall dungeon of Sathan whose parishioner he was all his life yet money may get him cannonizd a Saint at Rome and robe him with spotles integritie and innocence So diuerse among them that liued More LatronuÌ„ yet in death affected Cultum martyrum Hence Epitaphs and funerall orations shall commend a mans charitie who neuer all his dayes walked two steps in Loue. But it is in vaine to write a mans charitie in a repaired window when his tyrannous life is written in the bloudy and indeleble characters of many poore mens ruine and ouerthrow Nor can the narrow plaster of a little poore beneuolence hide and couer the multitude of gaping wounds made by extortion and vnmercifulnes No God hates the Sacrifice of robberie their drinke offerings of bloud will I not offer said Dauid The oblation that is made vp of the earnings of the poore is an abomination offending Gods eye and prouoking his hand First restore the lands and goods of others iniuriously or vsuriously gotten let not an vniust peny lie rotting on thy heape and heart and then build Hospitals repaire ruin'd holy places produce the fruits of mercie walke in Loue. Otherwise it is not smooth marble and engrauen brasse with a commending epitaph that can any more preserue the name from rotten putrefaction then the carcase But for all that the memorie shall stinke aboue ground as the body doth vnder it It is a desperate hazard that a wicked man by a charitable will shal make amends for all whereas commonly an vsurers Testament is but a Testimonie of his lewd life There is small hope that they end in charitie who would neuer walke in Loue. There bee others that cannot walke in Loue through a double defect either of eyes or of feete Some haue Feet but want eyes Eyes but want feet 1. Some haue the feet of affections but they lacke eyes and so cannot descry the true and perfect way of Loue. Indeed no man can find it without God Shew me thy wayes O Lord teach me thy pathes For it is he that directs sinners wandrers to the way These want him that should Leade them by the way that they should goe They thinke that by building vp a ladder of good workes their soules shall on meritorious rounds climbe vp to heauen They cannot distinguish betweene Viam regni and causamregnandi They suppose if they releeue Seminaries fast Lents keepe their numbredorisons pro digally sacrifice their blouds in treasons for that Romaine Harlot this is via dilectionis the way of Loue. So the silly seruant biddeÌ„ to open the gates set his shoulders to them but with all his might could not stir them whereas another comes with the key easily vnlocks theÌ„ These men so confideÌ„t in their good workes do but set their shoulders to heauen-gates alas without comfort for it is the key of faith that only opeÌ„s them These haue nimble feete forward affections harts workeable to charitie and would Walke in Loue if they had eyes Therfore Let vs prayfor them Cause them to know the way O Lord wherein they should walke 2. Other haue eyes but they want feete they vnderstand the way of loue but they haue no affection to walke in it They know that false measures forsworne valuations adulterate wares smooth-checked circumuentions painted cosenages malicious repinings denied succours are all against Loue. Noscunt poscunt They know them but they will vse them They know that humblenes kindnes meekenes patience remission compassion giuing and forgiuing actuall comforts are the fruits of Loue. Norunt nolunt They know it but they will none of it These know but walke not in Loue. It is fabled that a great king gaue to one of his subiects of his owne meere fauour a goodly citie happily replenished with all treasures and pleasures He does not onely freely giue it but directes him the way which keeping hee should not misse it The reioyced subiect soone enters on his iourney and rests not till hee comes within sight of the Citie Thus neare it he spies a great company of men digging in the ground to whom approching hee found
them casting vp white and red earth in abundance Wherewith his amazed eyes growing soone enamoured he desires a participation of their riches They refuse to ioyne him in their gaines vnlesse he wil ioyne himselfe in their paines Hereupon he fals to toyling digging deluing til some of the earth fals so hea uie vpon him that it lames him and he is able to goe no further There he dies in the sight of that Citie to which he could not goe for want of feet looseth a certaine substantial gift for an vncertain shadow of vaine hope You can easily apply it God of his gracious fauour not for our deserts giues man his creature a glorious Citie euen that whose foundations are of Iasper Saphyre and Emerald c. He doth more directes him the way to it Goe on this way Walke in loue He begins to trauell and comes within the sight of heauen but by the way he spies worldlings toyling in the earth and scraping together white and red clay siluer and gold the riches of this world Hereof desirous he is not suffered to partake except hee also partake of their couetousnes and corrupt fashions Now Mammon sets him on worke to digge out his owne damnation where after a while this gay earth comes tumbling fo fast vpon him that his feet be maimed his affections to heauen lost and he dyes short of that glorious Citie which the king of heauen purchased with his owne bloud and gaue him Thinke of this ye worldlings and seeing you know what it is to be charitable put your feet in this way Walke in Loue. There be yet others whose whole course is euery step out of the way to God who is Loue and they must walke in Loue that come vnto him 1. There is a path of Lust they erre damnably that call this the way of Loue. They turne a spirituall grace into a carnall vice and whereas Charitie and Chastity are of nearer allyance then sound these debauched tongues call vncleanesse Loue. Adulterie is a cursed way though a much coursed way for a whore is the high-way to the Deuill 2. There is a path of malice and they that trauell it are bound for the Enemie Their euill eye is vexed at Gods goodnes and their hands of desolation would vndoe his mercies Other mens health is their sicknes others weale their woe The Iesuites and their bloudy Proselyts are pilgrims in this way We know by experience the scope of their walkes Their malice was strong as Sauire in saxa but they would turne Ierusalem in aceruum Lapidum into a heape of stones Yea such was their rage that Nil reliqui fecerunt Vt non ipsis elementis fieret iniuria they spared not to let the elements know the madnesse of their violence They could not draw fire from heauen their betters could not do it in the dayes of Christ on earth therefore they seeke it they digge it from hell Flectere cùm nequeunt Superos Acheronta movebunt Here was a malicious walking 3. There is a counterfeit path the Travellers make as if they walked in loue but their loue is dissimulation It is not dilectio vera true love which S. Ioh. speakes of nor dilectio mera as Luther not a plaine-hearted loue They will cosen you vnseene and then like the whore in the Proverbes wipe their mouthes and it was not they Their art is Alios pellere aut tollere to giue others a wipe or a wound Iudas-like they salute those with a kisse against whome they intend most treason 4. There is a way directly crosse to loue which neither obeyes God for loue keepes the commandements nor comforts man for loue hath compassion on the distressed These haue feete swift enough but swift to shed bloud Destruction and miserie are in their wayes They are in Zedechiahs case both their eyes are put out and their feete lamed with the captiue chaines of Satan so easily carried downe to his infernall Babilon These are they that devoure a man and his heritage Therefore Christ calles their riches not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things without them as if they had swallowed them down into their bowels The phrase is vsed by Iob He hath swallowed downe riches he shall vomit them vp againe God shall cast them out of his belly When this vomit is given them you shall see strange stuffe come from them Here the raw and vndigested gobbets of vsurie there the mangled morsels of bloudy oppressions here fiue or sixe impropriate Churches there thousand acres of decayed tillage here a whole casket of bribes there whole houses and patrimonies of vndone orphans here an Inclosure of commons there a vastation of proper and sanctified things Rip vp their conscie nces and this is the stuffing of their hearts These walke crosse to the Crosse of Christ as Paul sayth they are Enemies cursed walkers Whereupon we may conclude with Bernard Periculosa tempora iam non instant sed extant the dangerous times are not comming but come vpon vs. The cold frost of indevotion is so generall that many haue benūmed ioynts they cannot walke in loue Others so stiffe and obdurate that they will meete all that walke in this way and with their turbulent malice striue to iustle them out of it Therefore David prayes Preserue me from the violent men that haue purposed to ouerthrowe my goings Let vs then vpon this great cause vse that deprecation in our Let any From pride vain-glory hypocrisie from envy hatred malice all vncharitablenes Good Lord deliver vs. I am loth to giue you a bitter farewell or to conconclude with a menace I see I cannot by the times leaue drinke to you any deeper in this cup of Charity I will touch it once againe and let every present soule that loues heauen pledge me Walke in loue The way to life everlasting is loue and hee that keepes the way is sure to come to the end We knowe that we haue passed from death to life because we loue the brethren For this are the workes of mercie charity piety and pitty so much commended in the Scriptures by the Fathers with so high titles because they are the appoynted way wherein we must walke and whereby we must worke vp our owne salvation Therefore the Apostle claps in the necke of good workes laying vp in store for themselues a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternall life Thereby wee lay the ground of saluation in our consciences and take assured hold of eternall life He that goes on in loue shall come home to life This comforts vs not in a presumption of merite but in confident knowledge that this is the way to glory wherein when we find our selues Walking wee are sure we are going to heauen and sing in the wayes of the Lord Great is the glory of the Lord.
into this infinite and boundles Sea I will onely note foure sweete streames of life in his Loue. It was Holy Sine Merits Hearty Mode Kind Despectâ—… Constant Defectâ—… 1. Holy The Loue of Iesus to vs was Sancta sanctificans dilectio a Loue holy formaliter in itselfe and holy effectiuè in making those holy on whom it was set He gaue himselfe to vs and for vs and gaue vs a faith to receiue and embrace him Sine quo nec dilâ—…cti nec diligentes fuissemus Without whom wee neither could haue receiued loue nor returned loue Now his loue did not only extend to our bodyes health but to our soules blisse So he loued vs that he saued vs. Our loue should likewise be holy whole desiring not onely our brothers externall welfare but much more his internall his eternall blessednes He that pitties not a famished body deserues iustly the name of an vnmercifull man but he that coÌ„passionates not an afflicted conscience hath much more a hard heart It is an vsual speech of compassion to a distressed man Alas poore Soule but this same alas poore Soule is for the most part mistakeÌ„ Neither the pittier nor the pittied imagins the soule pittiable Very humanitie teacheth a man to behold an execution of theeues traytours with griefe that men to satisfie their malicious or couetous affections should cut off their owne liues with so infamous a death But who commiserates the endangered Soule that must then ventor and enter on an eternall life or death The story of Hagar with her Son Ishmael is set downe by so heauenly a pen that a man cannot read it without tears She is cast out of Abrahams house with her child that might call her Master father Bread water is put on her shoulder and she wanders into the wildernes a poore reliefe for so long a iourney to which there was set no date of returning Soone was the water spent in the bottle the child cries for drinke to her that had it not and lifts vp pittiful eyes euery glance whereof was enough to wound her soule vents the sighes of a dry panting heart but there is no water to be had except the teares that ran from a sorrowful mothers eyes could quench the thirst Downe she layes the child vnder a shrubbe and went as heauy as euer mother parted from her onely son and sate her downe vpon the earth as if she desired it for a present receptacle of her griefe of her selfe a good way off saith the Text as it were a bow-shoâ—…e that the shrickes yellings dying groanes of the child might not reach her eares crying out Let me not see the death of the child Die she knew he must but as if the beholding it would rent her heart and wound her soule she denyes those windowes so sad a spectacle Let mee not see the death of the child So she lift vp her voyce and wept Neuer was Hagar so pittifull to her Sonne Ishmael as the Church is to euery Christian. If any sonne of her wombe wil wander out of Abrahams familie the House of Faith into the wildernes of this world and prodigally part with his owne mercy for the gawdy transient vanities thereof She followes with intreaties to him and to heauen for him If he will not returne she is loath to see his death she turnes her backe vpon him and weeps He that can with dry eyes and vnrelenting heart behold a mans Soule ready to perish hath not so much passion and compassion as that Egiptian bond-woman 2. Hearty The loue of Christ to vs was hearty not consisting of shewes and signes and courtly complements but of actuall reall royall bounties He did not dissemble liue to vs when he dyed for vs. Exhibitio operis probatio amoris He pleaded by the truest and vndenyable argument demonstration I loue you wherein I giue my Life for you Tot ora quot vulnera tot verba quot verbera So many wounds so many words to speake actually his loue euery stripe he bore gaue sufficient testimony of his affection His exceeding rich gift shewes his exceeding rich loue This heartines must be in our Loue both to our Creator and to his Image 1. To God so he chalengeth thy loue to be conditioned with thy Heart with all thy heart And this saith Christ is Primum Maximum mandâ—…tum the First and the greatest Commandement The first Quasi virtualiter centinens reliqua as mainely comprehending all the rest For he that loues God with all his heart will neither Idolatrize nor blaspheme nor profane his Sabboths no nor wrong his creatures The greatest as requiring the greatest perfection of our loue This then must be a hearty loue not slow not idle but must shew it selfe Et properando operando in ready diligence in fruitfull working obedience There are many â—…otent to loue God alitle because he blesseth them much So Saul loued him for his kingdome These loue God Pro seipsis not Prae seipsis For themselues not before themselues They will giue him homage but not fealtie the calues of their lippes but not the calues of their stals If they feast him with venison part of their Imparked Riches which is deere to them yet it shall be but rascall deere the trash of their substance they will not feast him with the heart that is the best deere in their Parke 2. To man whom thou art bound to loue as thy selfe where say some As is but a Tam not a Tâ—…ntum As thy selfe not As much as thy selfe As for the maner not for the measure But this is certaine true loue begins at home and he cannot loue another soundly that primarily loues not himselfe And he that loues himselfe with a good heart with the same heart will loue his brother In quâ—… seipsum proptâ—…r quod seipsum In that maner for that cause that he loues himselfe This then coÌ„mands the same loue if not the same degree of loue to thy brother that thou bearest to thy selfe This hearty loue is hardly found More is protested now then in former times but lesse done It is wittilyob serued that the old maner of saluting was to take shake one another by the hand now we locke armes ioyne breasts but not hearts That old hand full was better then this new armefull Our cringes and complementall bowings promise great humilitic but the smootherd venime of pride â—…es within We haue low lookes and loftie thoughts There are enough of those Which speake peace to their neighbours but mischiefe is in their hearts Whose smooth habites doe so palliate and ornamentally couer their poyson as if they did preserue mud in Chrystall The Romaynes vsually painted Friendship with her hand on her heart as if she promised to send no messenger out of the gate of her lips but him that goes on the hearts arrand Now we haue studied both textures of words and pretextures of
afflicting obiects of shame and tyrannie Those â—…ares which to delight the high Quorillers of heauen sing their 〈◊〉 notes must be wearied with the taunts and 〈◊〉 of blasphemie And all this for vs not onely to satisfie those sinnes which our Senses haue committed but to mortifie those senses and preseâ—…e them from those sinnes That our eyes may be no more full of adulteries nor throw couetous lookes on the goods of our brethren That our â—…ares may no more giue so wide admission and welcome entrance to lewd reports the incantations of Sathan That sinne in all our senses might be done to death the poison exhausted the sense purified 4. In all members Looke on that blessed Body conceiued by the Holy Ghost and borne of a pure Virgin it is all ouer scourged martyred tortured manacled mangled What place can you find free Caput Angelicâ—… spiritibus tremebundum densitatâ—… spinarum pungitur facies pulchraprâ—… filijs hominum Iudâ—…orum spâ—…t is detâ—…rpatur Oculi 〈◊〉 sole in 〈◊〉 caligantur c. To begin at his head that head which the Angels reuerence is crowned with thornes That face which is fairer them the sonnes of men must be odiously spit on by the filthy Iewes His hands that made the heauens are extended fastned to a crosse The feet which tread vpon the neckes of his and our enemies feele the like smart And the mouth must be buffeâ—…ed which spake as neuer man spake Still all this for vs. His head bled for the wicked imaginations of our heads His face was besmeared with spittle because we had spit impudent blasphemies against heauen His lips were afflicted that our lips might henceforth yeeld sauoury speeches His feet did bleed that our feet might not be swift to shed bloud All his members suffered for the sinnes of all our members and that our members might be no more ser uants to sin but seruants to righteousnes vnto holines CoÌ„spâ—…i voluit vt nos Lauaret velari voluit vt velamen ignorantia a mentibus nostris 〈◊〉 in capite percuti vt corpori sanitatem restitueret Hee would be polluted with their spettle that hee might wash vs hee would bee blindfolded that he might take the vaile of ignorance from our eyes He suffered the head to be wounded that hee might renew health to all the body Sixe times we read that Christ shed his bloud First when he was circumcised at eight dayes old his bloud was spilt 2. In his agonie in the garden where he swett drops of bloud 3. In his scourging when the merciles tormentors fetch'd bloud from his holy sides 4. When he was crowned with thornes those sharpe prickles raked and harrowed his blessed head and drew forth bloud 5. In his crucifying when his hands feet were pierced bloud gushed out 6. Lastly after his death One of the souldiours with a speare pierced his side and forthwith came there out bloud and water All his members bled to shew that he bled for all his members Not one drop of this bloud was shed for himselfe all for vs for his enemies persecutors crucifiers our selues But what shall become of vs if all this cannot mortifie vs How shall we liue with Christ if with Christ wee bee not dead Dead in deed vnto sinne but liuing vnto righteousnesse As Elisha reuiued the Shunamites child hee lay vpon it put his mouth vpon the childes mouth and his eyes vpon his eyes and his hands vpon his hands and stretched himselfe vpon the child and the flesh of the child waxed warme So the Lord Iesus to recouer vs that were dead in our sinnes and trespasses spreads and applies his whole Passion to vs layes his mouth of blessing vpon our mouth of blasphemie his eyes of holinesse vpon our eyes of lust his hands of mercie vpon our hands of crueltie and stretcheth his gratious selfe vpon our wretched selues till we begin to waxe warme to get life and the holy Spirit returnes into vs. 5. In his Soule All this was but the out-side of his Passion Now is my Soule troubled and what shall I say Father saue me from this houre but for this cause came I vnto this houre The paine of the bodie is but the bodie of paine the very soule of sorrow is the sorrow of the soule All the outward afflictions were but gentle prickings in regard of that his soule suffered The spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmitie but a wounded spirit who can beare He had a heart within that suffered vnseene vnknowne anguish This paine drew from him those strong cryes those bitter teares He had often sent forth the cryes of compassion of passion and complaint not till now He had wept the teares of pittie the teares of loue but neuer before the teares of anguish When the Sonne of God thus cryes thus weepes here is more then the bodie distressed the soule is agonized Still all this for vs. His Soule was in our soules stead what would they haue felt if they had bin in the stead of his All for vs to satisfaction to emendation For thy drunkennesse and powring downe strong drinks he drunke vineger For thy intemperate gluttonie he fasted For thy sloth he did exercise himselfe to continuall paines Thou sleepest secure thy Sauiour is then waking watching praying Thy armes are inured to lustfull embracings hee for this embraceth the rough Crosse. Thou deckest thy selfe with proud habiliments he is humble and lowly for it Thou ridest in pompe he iourneys on foote Thou wallowest on thy downe beds thy Sauiour hath not a pillow Thou surfeiâ—…est and he sweats it out a bloudâ—… sweat Thou fillest and swellest thy selfe with a 〈◊〉 of wickednes behold incision is made in the Head for thee thy Sauiour bleeds to death Now iudge whether this point For vs hath not deriued a neere application of this Text to our owne consciences Since then Christ did all this for thee and me pray then with August O Dâ—… Iesâ—… da cordi 〈◊〉 tâ—… deâ—…derare 〈◊〉 qâ—…rere quâ—…rendo inuenâ—… iâ—…enien do 〈◊〉 amâ—…do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 redempta 〈◊〉 â—…rare Lord giue me a heart to desire thee desiring to seeke thee seeking to find thee finding to loue thee louing no more to offend thee There are two maine parts of this Crucifixe yet to handle I must onely name them being sorry that it is still my hap to trouble you with prolixitie of speech 6. The next is the Manner An offering and Sacrifice His whole life was an Offering his death a Sacrifice He gaue himselfe often for vs an Eucharisticall oblation once an explatorâ—… Sacrifice In the former hee did for vs all that we should doe in the latter hee suffered for vs all that we should suffer Who his owne selfe bare our sins in his owne 〈◊〉 on the tree Some of the Hebrewes haue affirmed that in the fire which consumed the legall Sacrifices there alwayes appeared the face of a Lyon
in the heart but howsoeuer shield thy head loose not thy hope of saluation thy faith in Iesus Christ. Homo qui habet se habet totum inse said the Philosopher He that hath himselfe hath all in himselfe But ille habet se qui habet Christum ille habet Christum qui habet fidem He hath himselfe that hath Christ and he hath Christ that hath faith Whatsoeuer you loose loose not this though you loose your loues though you loose your liues keepe the faith I will trust in thee though thou kill me saith Iob. I haue kept the faith saith Paul though I beare in my bodie the markes of the Lord Iesus If insatiate death be let alone to cutte vs into pieces with the sword to grind vs into the mawes of beastes to burne vs in the fire to ashes yet so long as our head Christ is safe he hath the Serpents attractiue power to draw vs to him Father I will that they whom thou hast giuen me be with me where I am The more we are cut off the more we are vnited death whiles it striues to take vs from him sends vs to him Keepe faith in the Head With what mind soeuer Seneca wrote it I know to good vse I may speake it Malo mihi successum deesse quam-fidem I rather want successe then faith Fidem qui perdidit nil habet vltra quod perdat He that hath lost his faith hath nothing els to loose But it is the Lord that preserues the head O God the strength of my saluation thou hast couered my â—…ead in the day of battell 2. The next Policie in Serpents is to stop their â—…ares against the noyse of the charmers This is one of the similitudes which the Psalmist giues betweene the wicked and Serpents Their poison is like the poison of a Serpent they are like the deafe adder that stoppeth hor â—…are Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers charming never so Wisely This charming as they write was invented in the Easterne countreyes where they were pesterd with abundance of serpents Which musicke the Serpent hearing wisely distrusting his owne strength thinkes it the surest course to stop his â—…ares This he doth by couching one â—…are close to the ground and covering the other with his voluminous tayle The incantations of this world are as often sung to vs as those charmes to the Serpents but we are not so wise as Serpents to avoyd them Sometimes a Siren sings vs the charmes of lust and thus a weake woman overcomes him that overcame the strong Lyon Lenam non potuit potuit superare Leaenam Quem fera non valuit vincere vicit hera Sayes the Epigrammatist He goeth after her straight way though her houseâ—… the way to hell going downe to the chambers of death Sometimes Satan comes to vs like a gold-finch and whistles vs a note of vsurie to the tune of ten in the hundred we are caught presently and fall a dancing after his pipe Sometimes like Alecto he charmes vs a Madrigall of revenge for private wrongs instantly we are caught with malice destruction sits in our lookes Not seldome hee comes to a man with a drunken caroll lay thy peny to mine and we will to the wine he is taken suddenly he runs to it though he reeles from it He sings the slothfull a Dormi securè and hee will sleepe though his damnation sleepeth not Yea there are not wanting that let him sing a song of blasphemie they will sweare with him Let him begin to raile they will libell with him Let his incantation bee treason and they will answere him in gunpowder Yea let him charme with a Charme a witlesse senceles sorcerie and if a tooth akes or a hog grones they will admit it admire it Of such follie the very serpents shall condemne vs. But as open â—…ar'd as men are to these incantations of the Deuill and sinne let the musicall bells of Aaron be rung the sweet songs of Sion sung they will not listen they will not be charmed with all our cunning So that wee shall be faint to send them to the Iudgment seate of God with this scrole on their forheads Noluerunt incantari Lord wee haue done our best but this people would not be charmed 3. Their third Policie They flie mens societie as knowne enemies and rather chuse a wildernes seeking peace among bryers and thornes And may they not herein teach vs with Moses rather to chuse affliction in a wildernes with the people of God then to enioy the pleasure of sin for a season Much hath bin and may be said to lessen mens dotage to the world and yet one word I must adde Non quia vos nostra sperem prece posse moveri Did euer any of you know what the peace of conscience and ioy of the holy Ghost is whiles that comfort and iubilation dwelt in your heart I aske you how the world stood in your sight Stood it not like a deformed witch deuils sucking on her breasts a shoale of vgly sinnes sitting like screechowles on her head bloud and massacres besmearing her face lies blasphemies periuries waiting at her backe extortion and oppression hanging on her armes wickednes and wretchednesse filling both her hands the cryes grones and imprecations of widowes and orphans sounding in her eares heauen thundring vengance on her head and the enlarged gates of the infernall pitte yawning to entertaine her Is this your Paramour O ye worldlings Is this the beautie you hazard a soule to get O munde immunde euill fauoured world that thou shouldst haue so many louers Ecceruinosus est mundus siâ—… amatur quidsi perfectus esset Quid forâ—…osus faceret quùm deformis sic adoratur If the world beeing ruinous so pleaseth men what would it doe if it were sound and perfect If it were faire and beauteous how would wee dote on it that thus loue it deformed But how rare a man is hee Qui nihil habet commune cum seculo that hath no communion with this world That retires himselfe like the Serpent and doth not intricate his mind in these worldly snares who does not watch with enuie nor trauell with auarice nor clime with ambition nor sleepe with lust vnder his pillow But for all this Vincet amor mundi money and wealth must be had though men refuse no way on the left hand to get it We may charge them Nummos propter Deum expendere to lay out their wealth for Gods sake but they will Deum propter nummos colere worship God for their wealths sake We say let the world waite vpon religion they say let religion waite vpon the world You talke of heauen a kingdome but Tutius hâ—… câ—…lum quod brâ—…uis â—…ca tenet That heauen is surest thinke they that lies in their coffers As those two Gyants bound Mars in chaines and then sacrificed to him so men first coffer vp their
fall and the fall thereof be great Shall wee still continue sine â—…etu perhaps sine motu dormitantes It is a fashion in the world to let Leases for three liues as the Diuine Poet sweetly So short is life that euerie Tenant striues In a torne house or field to haue three liues But God lets none for more then one life and this expired there is no hope to renew the lease He suffers a man sometimes to dwell in his Tâ—…nement threescâ—…re and ten yeeres sometimes fourescore till the house be ready to drop downe like mellow fruite But he secures none for a moneth for a moment Other farmers know the date of their leases and expiration of the yeares man is meerely a Tenant at will and is thrust often sedibus adibus at lesse then an houres warning We haue then cause to watch I sleepe but mine heart waketh sayth the Church If temptation doe take vs napping yet let our hearts wake Simon Dormis Sleepâ—…st thou â—…eter Indeed there is a time for all things and sometimes sleepe and rest is Dabile and Laudabile necessary and profitable But now Simon when thy Lord is ready to be giuen vp into the hands of his enemies when the houre and power of darknesse is instant when the great worke of saluation is to be wrought Simon sleepest thou Thou that hast promised to suffer with me canst thou not watch with me Quomodo morieris qui spâ—…ctare expectare nonpotes Beloued let vs all watch that Iesus who was then when Peter slept ready to suffer is now though we all sleepe ready to iudge quicke and dead 6. The last generall point of Wisedome we will learne from them is this As they once a yeare slippe off their old coate and renew themselues so let vs cast off the old man and the garment spotted of the flesh more speck led with lusts then the skin of any Serpent and be renewed in our mind to serue God in the holynesse of truth The Grecians haue a fabulous reason of this renouation of serpents Once mankind stroue earnestly with the Gods by supplication for Perpetuall youth It was granted and the rich trâ—…sure being lapped vp was layd vpon an Asse to be carried among men The silly beast being sore thirstie came to a fountaine to drinke the keeper of this fountaine was a Serpent who would not suffer the Asse to drinke vnles hee would giue him his burden The Asse both ready to faint for thirst and willing to be lighted of his lode condiscended Hereby the Serpent got from man perpetuall youth Indeed the serpent changeth his age for youth and man his youth for age And the Asse for his punishment is more tormented with thirst then any other beast The serpent may thus get the start of a man for this world but when he dyes he dies for eâ—…er life neuer returnes But wee shall put off not the skinne but this mortall body and so be clothed with imâ—…ortalitie and eternall life aboue we shall be young againe in heauen Only death adds t' our strength nor are we growne In stature to be men till we are none Let this answer the Poet. Anguibus exuitur tenui cum pelle vetustas Cur nos angust a conditione suâ—…us Why do serpents repaire themselues and man decay The answere is easie and comfortable when there shall be new heauens and new earth wee shall haue new bodies They haue here new bodies and we old bodies but there we shall haue new bodies when they are no bodies But to our purpose They write that the Serpent gets him to some narrow passage as betweene two stickes so slips off his skinne And this is called Spâ—…lium serpentis or vâ—…rnatio serpentis If wee would cast off our old coate which is corrupt according to deceitfull lusts wee must passe through a narrow gate as it were two trees faith and repentance Heauen is called new Ierusalem you cannot creepe through those new dores with your old sinnes on your backes Be no Gibeonites God will not bee cossened with your old Garments Put them off sayth Paul put them off and cast them away they are not worthy mending None are made of Satans slaues Gods sonnes but they must put off their old liuerie which they wore in the Deuils seruice the cognisance of Mammon Let him that is in Christ be a new creature Old things are passed away behold all things are become new I saw sayth S. Iohn Nouum Coelum c. a new heauen and new earth For whom prouided for new creatures Enuie this ye worldlings but striue not in your lower pompes to equall it Could you change robes with Salomon and dominions with Alexander you could not match it But quake at your doome ye wicked Topâ—… is ordâ—…ed of old Old hell for old sinners But which way might a man turne his eyes to behold this Renouation Nil â—…i vidâ—… nil nâ—…ui audio The hand is old it extorts the tongue is olde it sweares Our vsuries are still on foote to hunt the poore our gluttonies looke not leaner our drunkennesse is thirstie still our securitie is not waked Old Idoles are in our inward and better temples Our iniquities are so old and ripe that they are not only albâ—… ad messem white to the haruest but euen sicca ad ignem dry for the fire Not onely Serpents but diuers other creatures haue their turnes of renewing The Eagle reneweth her bill sayth the Prophet our Grand-mother earth becomes new and to all her vegetatiue children the Spring giues a renouation Onely we her vngracious Sons remaine old still But how shall we expect hereafter new glorified bodies vnlesse wee will haue here new sanctified soules In Christ Iesus neither Circumcision auaileth any thiâ—…g nor 〈◊〉 but a new creature And as many as wâ—…lke according to this rule peace be on them and mercie and vpon the Israell of God I haue taught you according to my poore meditations some Wisedoâ—… from the Serpent Augustine giues 6. or 7. other instances worthy your obseruation and imitation which I must pesse ouer in silence The 〈◊〉 chalengeth some piece of my discourse for I dare not giue you the Raynes and let you goe without the Curbe And yet I shall hold you a little longer from it for as I haue shewed you some good in Serpents that you may follow it so I must shew you some euill in them that you may eschew it The vicious and obnoxious affections of Serpents haue more followers then their vertues These instances are of the same number with the former 1. The Serpent though creeping on the dust hath a loftie spirit reaching not onely at men but euen at the birds of the aire And here hee is the Ambitious mans embleme He was bred out of the dust yet he catcheth aâ—… Lordships and honours ransackes the Citie forredges thâ—… Countrey scowres it through the Church but
skip out of the way of righteousnes at euery dog that reproachfully barkes at it nor at euery Siren that temptingly would call it aside The Deuill with all his force of terror or error cannot seduce it Constancie it is euer trauelling though through many hindrances It hath a heauy load of flesh to burden it and make euery step tedious yet it goes Cares for family troubles of contentious neighbours frowning of great aduersaries malicious turbulencie of the world all offer to stay it but it goes on As if it had receiued the Apostles Commission Salute none of these Remora's by the way it resteth not till it see the saluation of God The Lord deliuers the feete from falling that it may walke before God in the light of the living 3 We must not returne backe to Herod Why not to Herod He was a fit type of the Deuill and they that are recouered and escaped from him should not fall backe into his clutches The Deuill is like Herod both for his subtletie and crueltie The Herods were all dissemblers all cruell There was Herod Ascalonita Herod Antipas and Herod Agrippa all cruell in the butchering of Gods Saints Ascalonita necat pueros Antipa Iohannem Agrippa Iacobum mittitque in carcere Petrum Ascalonite makes an earnest shew of zeale to Christ but he desired not subijcerese Christ◅ sedsib◅ Christum not to become subiect to Christ but to make Christ the sub iect of his furie Antipas seemed to loue Iohn the Baptist but he suffers a dancing foote to kicke off his head The crueltie of the other Herod was monstrous He slew all those whom hee could suspect to issue from the line of Dauid all the Infants of Bethlem vnder two yeares old at one slaughter Hee slew his kinred his sister his wife his sonne Hee cut the throates of many noble Iewes whiles he lay on his death bed Yea made it in his will that so soone as euer the breath was out of his body all the sonnes of the nobler Iewes shut vp into a safe place should be instantly slaine to beare him company By this meanes hee resolued that some should lament his death which otherwise would haue bin the cause of great ioy A wretched Testament and fit for such a deuill to make That Deuill wee are charged not to returne to exceeds this both in subtletie and crueltie euen as much as a father may his Sonne Herod was not so perfect a Master of his art The wise men deceiued Herod hee must be a wise man indeed that ouer-reaches Satan Herod was a bungler to him he trusted to instruments to destroy Christ the Deuill lookes to that busines himselfe Hee can transforme himselfe into an Angel of light and rather then not draw men to hell hee will dissemble a loue to heauen He will speake good that he may worke euill and confesse the truth that therby hee may procure credit to greater falshood He can stoope to the reprobate like a tame horse till they get vp and ride him but when he hath them on his backe he runs post with them to hell When he hath thus excercised his policie wil he spare his power when his Foxes part is done hee begins his Lyons Bloud massacre destruction are his softest embraces horror and amazement are the pleasures of his Court kill kill burne burne is the language of his tongue to those miserable wretches which must euer be burning neuer consumed euer killing and neuer die Oh then let vs neuer returne to Herod nor venture on his mercie The poore bird that hath escaped the hawkes talons is carefull to auoyd his walke The strayed Lambe falne into the wolfes caue and deliuered by the Shephard will no more straggle out of the flocke If the Lord Iesus hath sought and brought vs to himselfe by the Starre of his Gospell let vs no more goe backe to Herod flying the workes of darknes and seruing the liuing God with an vpright heart Indeed they that are truely freed from his seruitude will neuer more become his vassalls Many seeme escaped that are not If the adulterer returne like the Hogge to the mire and the drunkard like the Dog to his vomit it is likely that they loue Herod well for they goe backe to him The minister may desire to offer them vp a liuing sacrifice to the Lord but like wild beasts they breake the rope and will not bee sacrificed But wee being deliuered by Christ out of the hands of our enemies must serue him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life 4. Wee must goe to our owne Countrey In this world wee are but strangers though perhaps we thinke too well of these vanities yet they are but forraine things wee haue another home We may be rauished with this earth as Peter with Tabor Bonum hic it is good being here but if wee looke vp to that heauen which is our Countrey Mundi calcamus inutile pondus Behold the very outside is faire the outmost walls are beautified with glorious lights euerie one as a world for greatnes so a heauen for goodlinesse All those spangles bee as radiant stones full of Lustre pure gold to the drosse of earthly things What may wee then thinke there is within Yea whatsoeuer the wicked thinke yet this world is but the through-fare and it is not their home neither though indeede they haue their portion in this life It is sayd of Iudas going to hell that he went to his owne place therefore that and not this is their owne countrey as sure as they thinke themselues of this world In heauen there is all life no death in hell all death no life on earth men both liue and die passing through it as the wildernes either to Egipt or Canaan This earth as it is betweene both so it prepares vs for both and sends euery one to their owne countrey eternall ioy or euerlasting sorrow Hee that here dies to sinne shall hereafter liue in heauen he that liues in sinne shall hereafter die in hell All soiourne either with GOD feeding on his graces or with Satan surfe◅ing on his iniquities They that will haue Sathan for their host in transgression shall afterwards be his guests in perdition But they that obey God as theyr master shall also haue him their father and that for euer Contemne we then this world what though we haue many sorrows here a still succession of miseries we are not at home What stranger looks for kind vsage amongst his enemies As well might the captiue Iewes expect quiet among the Babilonians Thou art sure of a countrey wherein is peace In that heauen the wicked haue no part though here much pleasure When thou considerest this truely thou wouldst not change portions with them Let it be cōfort sufficient since we cannot haue both that we haue by many degrees the better Their owne countrey Heauen is our owne countrey 1. Ours ordained for vs by
power to keepe a man That he should liue still for eâ—…r and not see â—…rruption Meâ—…ushalem liued nine hundred sixtie and nine yeares yet he was the Sonne of Eâ—…ch who was the sonne of â—…ared who was the sonne of 〈◊〉 who was the sonne of Cainan who was the sonne of 〈◊〉 who was the sonne of Seth who was the sonne of Aâ—… who was the sonne of dust The best constitutions that communicate in the sanguine of the Rose and Snow of the Lilly haue this parentage they are the sonnes and daughters of dust This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iâ—… not 〈◊〉 to the Poles nor are these dayes measured by the Sunne in his Zodiacke all is pitched aboue the Wheele of changeable mortalitie It is Eternitie that fils the Right hand of Wisedome Length of dayes Dayes for the Claritie Length for the Eternitie Dayes Mans life in this world is called a Day a short day a sharpe day Short for instat vesper it is not sooner morning but it is presently night The Sunne of life quickly sets after it is once risen Sharpe for miserie is borne with life brought vp with life and to the good dies with life to the wicked remaines in death Like Hippocratâ—… twinnes inseparable in their beginning processe end So that aged Patriarch to Pharao My dayes haue beene few and euill So. Iob. Man is of few dayes and many troubles Animal â—…vi breuissimi solicitâ—…dinis infinitae And Paul cals it the euill day It is somewhat to comfort that though it be sharpe Euill yet it is but short a Day Redeeme the time for the dayes are euill But howsoeuer Semper mali dies in seculo yet semper boni dies in Domino as Augustine sweetly Though the world hath alwayes euill dayes yet God hath alwayes good dayes And this Day shall haue no night Nox non erit illic There shall be no night The Sunne that inlightens it cannot be ecclipsed That cittie hath no need of the Sunne neyther of the Moone to shine in it for the Glorie of God doth lighten it and the Lambe is the light of it No clouds shall draw a vaile of obscuritie ouer it Here the light of the Sunne darkens the Moone and the Moone obscures the luster of the Starres Sometimes halfe the earth is in light the rest in darkenesse But in these Dayes Albeit there is one glorie of the SVNNE another of the MOONE and another of the STARRES and one starre differeth from another starre in glory yet the light of one increaseth the light of another and the glorie of one is the glory of all Dispar est gloâ—… 〈◊〉 sed 〈◊〉 Latitia omnium So in summe here we liue but a short day Giue vs this day our dayly bread But in that world wee shall haue Daies those good dayes and great dayes dayes of eternall length for they shall haue no night Length As the glorie is cleare for the Countenance so it is long for the Continuance Nullus erit defectus nullus â—…erminus There shall be 〈◊〉 charitâ—… chara â—…rnitas Gods eternall decree to chuse vâ—… in Christ had no beginning but it shall haue an end when the elect are taken vp to glory The possession of this decreed Inheritance shall haue a beginning but no end Wee shall eâ—…er be with the Lord. Gods mercie in both hath neither beginning nor end for it is from euerlasting to euerlasting Here then is both the Countenance it is a cleare day and the Continuance it is of length the very same Length that Euerlastingnesse it selfe Hezekiahs day was a long day when The shadow of the sunne went tenne degrees backward in the diall of Abâ—… Iosuah had a long day when the Sunne stood still in Gibeon and the Moone in the valley of 〈◊〉 And there was no day like that before it or after it But both these dayes had their nights and the long forbearing sunne at last did set Here the dayes are so long that it shall neuer be night You see the clearenesse and the length both are expressed Dan. 12. They that be â—…ise shall shine as the firmament and they that turne many to righteousâ—…es as the starres there is the Claritie and that for euer and euer there is the Eternitie There is nothing made perfectly happy but by Eternitie as nothing but eternitie can make perfect misery Were thy life a continued scene of pleasures on whose stage griefe durst nâ—…uer set his vnwelcome foote were the spoyle of Noahs Arke the cates of thy table hadst thou king Salomons wardrobe and treasurie Did the west Indie send thee all her gold and the East her spices and all these lying by thee whiles a late succession of yeares without carâ—… snowes white vpon thy head thou weâ—… euer indulgent to thy selfe and health to thee Yet suddenly there comes an impartiall Purseuant death and hee hath a charge to take thee away 〈◊〉 de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bathing thy selfe in thy delights Alas what iâ—… 〈◊〉 thy glory but a short play fâ—…ll of mirth till the last act and that goes off in a tragedie Couldest thou not haue made death more welcome if hee had found thee lying on a padde of straw feeding on crâ—…s and water gruell Is not thy paine the more troublesome because thou wast well Doth not the end of these temporary ioyes aâ—…ict thee more then if they had neuer beene Onely then eternitie can giue perfection to pleasure which because thiâ—… world cannot afford let vs reckon of it as it is a meeâ—…e Through 〈◊〉 and desiâ—… our Home whâ—… we shall be happy for 〈◊〉 In her Left hand riches and honour The gift of the right hand is large and eternall of the left short and 〈◊〉 Yet you see I am short in the long part giue mee leaue to bee long in the short part Herein wee haue many things considerable 1. That Riches and Hâ—…r are Godâ—… gifts 2. That all are not so but some and therefore it is necessary for vs to learne whether God gaue vnto vs that riches and honour which we haue 3. That albeit they are his gifts yet but the gifts of his left hand 4 That wealth and worship are for the most part companions for both those gifâ—… lie in one and the same hand 1. Riches and honour are Godâ—… gifts therefore iâ—… themselues not euill Sunt Dei 〈◊〉 â—…rgo iâ—… se bona Saith Augustine Ne pâ—…tentur â—…a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bâ—…na 〈◊〉 â—…lis That they may not be thought euill they are giuen to good men that they may not be thought the best good they are giuen also to euill men A rich man may be a good man and a poore man may be wicked Christ sanctified 〈◊〉 as well as 〈◊〉 and that in his 〈◊〉 Life Death 1. In his Birth hee sanctified Pouertiâ—… when hiâ—… chamber of presence was a Stable his crâ—…dle a manger his royall robes course ragges Hee sanctified
heauen hic affuit inde non defuit Humana natura assumpta est Diuina non consumpta est Hee tooke Humanitie he lost not his Diuinitie He abideth Mariae Pater the Father of Mary who is made Mariae Filius the Sonne of Mary To vs a child is borne to vs a sonne is giuen Whereon Emissenus Natus qui sentiret occasum datus qni resciret exordium Hee was borne that should feele death hee was giuen that was from euerlasting and could not die Natus qui matre esset iunior datus quo nec Pater esset antiquior He that was borne was younger then his mother hee that was giuen was as eternall as his father He was Sonne to both God and Mary Non alter ex Patre alter ex Virgine sed aliter ex Patre aliter ex virgine As the flowers are said to haue Solem in coelo patrem solum in terra matrem so Christ hath a father in heauen without a mother a mother on earth without a father Here is then the wonder of his Humanitie The euerlasting Father is become a litle child He that spreads out the heauens is wrapd in swadling clouts Hee that is the Word becomes an Infant not able to speake The Sonne of God calls himselfe the Sonne of man His Humilitie If your vnderstandings can reach the depth of this bottome take it at one view The Sonne of God calls himselfe the Sonne of man The omnipotent Creator becomes an impotent creature As himselfe sayth Greater loue hath no man then this that a man lay downe his life for his friends So greater humilitie neuer was then this that God should be made man It is the voyce of Pride in man I will bee like God but the action of Humilitie in God I will be man Proud Nebuchadnezzar sayes Ero similis altissimo I will be like the Highest meeke Christ sayth Ero similis infimo I will be like the lowest hee put on him the the forme of a seruant yea hee was a despised Worme God spoke it in derision of sinfull man Behold hee is become as one of vs but now we may say God is become as one of vs. There the lowest aspires to bee the Highest here the Highest vouchsafes to be the lowest Alexander a sonne of man would make himselfe the sonne of God Christ the Sonne of God makes himselfe the sonne of man God in whose presence is fullnesse of ioy becomes a man full of sorroâ—…es Eternall rest betakes himselfe to vnrest hauing whilst hee liued i passiue action and when hee dyed actiue passion The LORD ouer all things and Heire of the world vndertakes ignominie and pouertie Ignominie the King of glory is become the shame of men Pouertie Pauper in nativitate pauperior in vita pauperrimus in cruce Poore in his Birth for borne in another mans stable poore in his Life fed at another mans table poore in his Death buried in another mans sepulcher There are sayth Bernard some that are humbled but not humble others that are humble not humbled and a third sort that are both humbled and humble Pharaoh was humbled and cast downe but not humble smitten with subuersion not moued with submission Gothfrey of Boloigne was not humbled yet humble for in the very heate and height of his honour he refused to be crowned in Ierusalem with a Crowne of gold because Christ his master had bin in that place crowned with a crowne of thornes Others are both humbled and humble When he slew them they sought him they returned and enquired early after GOD. Our Sauiour Christ was Passiuely humbled hee was made lower then the Angels by suffering death the Lord did breake him Actiuely he humbled himselfe he made himselfe of no reputation and tooke vpon him the forme of a seruant he humbled himselfe Habitually hee was humbled Learne of me for I am meeke and lowly in heart Let this obseruation lesson vs two dueties 1. Esteeme wee not the worse but the better of Christ that hee made himselfe the Sonne of man Let him not lose any part of his honour because hee abased himselfe for vs. Hee that tooke our flesh is also over all GOD blessed for ever Amen There is more in him then humanitie not alia persona but alia natura not another person but another nature Though hee bee verus homo hee is not merus homo And euen that Man that was crucified on a crosse and layed in a graue is more high then the heauens more holy then the Angels Stephen saw this very Sonne of man standing on the right hand of God The bloud of this Sonne of man giues saluation and to whome it doth not this Sonne of man shall adiudge them to condemnation Vnder this name and forme of Humilitie our Sauiour apposed his Disciples Whome do men say that I the Sonne of Man am Peter answeres for himselfe and the Apostles whatsoeuer the people thought Thou art Christ the Sonne of the living God He cals himselfe the Sonne of man Peter cals him the Sonne of God The Iewes see him onely a stâ—…mbling blocke and the Greekes foolishnesse but Christians see him the Power of God and the Wisedome of God The wicked behold him without forme or comelynesse or beauty to desire him but the faithfull behold him crowned with a Crowne his face shining as the Sunne in his glory Therefore Quantò minorem se fecit in humilitate tantò maiorem exhibuit in bonitate Quanto pro me vilior tanto mihi charior The lower hee brought himselfe in humilitie the higher hee magnified his mercie By so much as hee was made the baser for vs by so much let him be the dearer to vs. Obserue it O man quia limus es non sis superbus quia Deo iunctus non sis ingratus because thou art dust of thy selfe be not proud because thou art made immortall by Christ be not vnthankefull Condemned world that despisest him appearing as a silly man The Iewes expected an externall pompe in the Messias Can hee not come downe from the Crosse how should this man saue vs They consider not that hee who wanted a Rest for his head Bread for his followers fed some thousands of them with a few loaues that hee which wanted a pillow giues rest to all beleeuing soules that hee could but would not come downe from the crosse that the deare price of their redemption might be payed Many still haue such Iewish hearts what beleeue on a crucified man But Paul determines to know nothing but this Iesus Christ and him crucified They can be content to dwell with him on mount Tabor but not to follow him to mount Caluary They cleaue to him so long as hee giues them bread but forsake him when himselfe cryes for drinke Oderunt pannos tuos O Christ they like well
per cas Come a litle way to him that came so farre to thee Philip tells Nathanael wee haue found the Messias Nathanael obiects Can any good thing come out of Nazareth Come and see sayth Philip. And straitwayes Iesus saw Nathanael comming Christ hath sent many Preachers to inuite vs to saluation Wee aske Vbi where they say Come and see but we will not come Christ cannot see vs comming Mundus cura caro three mischieuous hindrers we come not Christ himselfe calls yet You will not come vnto mee that you might haue life He comes amongst vs Christians ad suos Hee came to his ownâ—… and his owne receiued him not Wee say of such things as are vnlike they come not neere one another many clothes lie on a heape together yet because of their different colours wee say they come not neare one to another But of things that are alike wee say they come nigh one another Our comming neare to Christ is not in place but in grace Not in place for so the wicked is neere to God Whether shall I flie from thy presence But in grace and qualitie being holy as he is holy Indeed hee must first draw vs before we can come Draw mee wee will runne after thee Hee first drawes vs by grace then wee runne after him by repentance To seeke Hee is come to what purpose Ecce compassionem to seeke All the dayes of his flesh vpon earth hee went about seeking soules Hee went to Samaria to seeke the woman to Bethany to seeke Mary to Capernaum to seeke the Centurion to Iericho to seeke Zacheus O what is a man and the Sonne of man that the Sonne of God should thus hunt after him Wee sought not him The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seeke after God Behold he seekes vs. We would not call vpon him he sends Ambassadors to beseech vs. Wee pray you in Christs stead be ye reconcised to God Indeede we cannot seeke him till he first find vs. Oportuit viam inuenire errantes errantes enim nequeunt inuenire viam If the Way had not found vs we should neuer haue found the Way I oe his mercie Non solum redeuntem suscipit sed perditum quarit How ioyfull will hee be to find vs that is thus carefull to seeke vs Let this teach vs not to hide our selues from him Wretched men guiltie of their owne eternall losse that will not bee found of Christ when hee seekes them How shall they at the last day stand with confidence before him that at this day runne from him If we will not be found to bee sanctified wee cannot be found to be glorified Paul desires to be found in Christ in Christ found for without Christ euer lost Those that thou gauest me I haue kept and none of them is lost but the sonne of perdition Woe to that man when Christ shall returne with a Non inuentus What can the shepheard doe but seeke nolunt inueniri they will not be found What the charmer but charme Nolunt incantari they will not bee charmed What the Sutour but wooe nolunt desponsari they will not bee espoused to Christ. What the Ambassador but beseech Nolunt exorari they will not be intreated What then remaines He that will be vniust let him bee vniust still and hee that will bee filthy let him bee filthy still If wee will not be found of him when hee seekes vs hee will not bee found of vs when wee seeke him They shall seeke me early but they shall not find me Quaesitus contemnet qui quarens contemnitur Hee was despised when hee sought and will despise when hee is sought to Three vicious sorts of men are here culpable 1. Some sculke when Christ seekes If there be any bush in Paradise Adam will thrust his head into it If there be any hole of pretence Saul will there borough his rebellion If Geheâ—…i can shadow his briberie with a lie Elisha shall not find him When the Sunne shines euerie bird comes forth onely the owle will not bee found These birds of darknesse cannot abide the light because their deeds are euill Thus they play at All hid with God but how foolishly Like that beaste that hauing thrust his head in a bush and seeing no body thinkes no body sees him But they shall find at last that not holes of Mountaines nor caues of rockes can conceale them 2. Others play at fast and loose with God as a man behind a tree one while seene another while hid In the day of prosperitie they are hidden onely in affliction they come out of their holes As some beasts are driuen out of their boroughes by pouring in scalding water or as Absolon fetch'd Ioab by setting on fire his Barley fields These are found on the Sunday but lost all the weeke Like the Deuill they stand among the Sonnes of God yet deuoure the seruants of God As Saul at one time prophecied with the Prophets and at another time massacred them Christ cals them to a banket of prosperitie they cry Hîc sumus We are here but if Satan in their opinioÌ„ offer them better cheare Tibi sumus We are for thee 3. Others being lost and hearing the seekers voyce goe further from him These are Wolues not sheepe The sheepe heares his voice and comes the Wolfe heares it and flies The nearer saluation comes to them the further they runne from it Because England tenders them the Gospell they will runne as farre as Rome for damnation Christ came to seeke the lost sheepe Luk. 15. he found it he layd it on his shoulders and he reioyced In his life he seekes the sinner till hee finde him In his death hee layes him on his shoulders bearing his sinnes in his bodie on the Crosse. In his resurrection he reioyced for him In his ascension he opens the dores of heauen brings him home Venit invenit hee comes to seeke and he seekes to saue which is the next poynt To saue Ecce Pietatem Behold his goodnesse Herod sought Christ ad interitum to kill him Christ seekes vs ad salutem to saue vs. This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation that Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners Yeeld to be found if thou wilt yeeld to be saued There is nothing but good meant thee in this seeking Vidimus testamur c. We haue seene and doe testifie that the Father sent the Sonne to be the Sauiour of the world The Fishermens riddle was Those we could not find we kept those we found we lost But Christes course is otherwise Whom he finds he saues whom he finds not are lost for euer It was a Poeticall speech Amare sapere vix conceditur dijs To loue and to bee wise seldome meete They are met in Christ he did loue vs suscepit naturam he became man he was wise
occîdit peccatum he killed sinne In loue he seekes vs in wisedome he saues vs here was Amare sapere This sweet and comfortable note I must leaue to your meditations my speech must end his sauing though of his saluation there be no end Paruum est seruare bonos it is a small thing to saue those that are in no danger of spilling therefore lastly looke to the Obiect The lost There Ecce Potestatem behold his power He is that strongest man that vnbound vs from the fetters of sin and Sathan Fortissimus for caetera excellit caetera expellit he excels the rest he expels the rest He had need be powerfull that redeemes so weake man from the hands of so strong enemies Magnus venit medicus quia magnus iacebat aegrotus The whole world was sicke there had need be a great Physician for there was a great Patient Loe where wretchednes lies at the foot of Goodnesse ecce miserum ante misericordem What but infinite Miserie should be the fit obiect of infinite Mercie Here was then the purpose of Christs comming to seeke the lost to recall wanderers to heale the sicke to cleanse the Leprous to reuiue the dead to saue sinners He came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance He leaues the nintie nine in the Wildernesse to seeke the lost sheepe Whether it bee meant of the iust Angels in Heauen as Ambrose Chrysostome Hilary Euthymius thinke Or those that thought theÌ„selues iust as Bucer and Ludolphus the Scribes and Pharises that presumed they needed no repentance He embraceth Publicans and sinners that confesse themselues sicke and lacking a Physician sinfull wretches and needing a Sauiour Those worldlings in the Gospell haue better cheare at home what care they for Christs supper It is the dry ground that thinkes well of raine the hungry soule that is glad of sustenance The mercie of God falls most welcome on the broken spirit They that feele themselues miserable and that they stand in need of euery droppe of his sauing bloud to those it runnes fresh and sweet They that feele themselues lost are found They are least of all lost that thinke themselues most lost they are nearest to their health that are most sensible of their sicknesse These hee seekes these he saues to these Nascens se dedit in socium conâ—…escens in cibum moriens in pretium regnans in praemium In his birth he became their companion in his life their food in his death their redemption in his glory their Saluation Lost but where was man lost There are diuerse loosing places 1. A garden of delights and there the first man lost himselfe and all vs in a Garden therefore our Sauiour found vs againe We were Lost in a garden of rest we are found in a garden of trouble The serpent could neuer take the hare he was too light footed for him till hee found him sleeping in a garden of sweet flowers vnder which the serpent lay hidden Whilst man not onely surfeits on pleasures but sleepes in them Satan that old serpent wounds him to death 2. A wildernesse is a place able to loose vs and that 's this world a wide and wilde forrest many lost in it Wee read of a rich man Luk. 12. that lost himselfe in one corner of this wildernesse his very barnes strange to be lost in a barne And yet how many loose themselues in a lesse roome their Counting house The vsurer hath there lost his soule and no man can find it It is so long wrapped vp among his bonds till Satan take the forfeit The depopulator takes a larger field to loose his soule in and to make sure worke that grace may neuer find it he hedges and ditches it in 3. Another loosing place is a Labyrinth or Maze In the Orchard of this world the God of it hath made a Labyrinth which St. Iohn describes The lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life The entrance hereinto is easie as you haue seene in that Embleme of Suretiship the Horne a man goes gently in at the Butte end but comes hardly out at the Buckall the comming forth is difficult It is so full of crooked meanders windings and turnings out of one sinne into another from consent to delight from delight to custome from custome to impenitencie that in this Labyrinth men soone grow to a maze and know not how to be extricated Labyrinthus quasi labor intus the wicked wearie themselues in the wayes of destruction Lust of the flesh lust of the eyes pride of life Haec trâ—…a pro trino Numine mundus habet This is the trinitie the world worships Lust of the flesh The adulterer looseth himselfe in the forbidden bed Inter mammillas perditur he is lost betweene the brests of a Harlot He that seekes for him must as the Pursuivant for the Seminary not forbeare the Mistresses bed to find him Lust of the eyes Ahab casts a couetous eye at Naboths vineyard Dauid a lustfull eye at Bathsheba The eye is the pulse of the soule as Physicians iudge of the heart by the pulse so wee by the eye A rolling eye a rouing heart The good eye keepes minute-time and strikes when iâ—… should the lustfull crotchet-time and so puts all out of tune Pride hath lost as many as any her fellow Deuils They say shee was borne in heauen and being cast downe wandred vpon earth where a woman tooke her in and there shee hath dwelt euer since Indeed Esay 3. the shop of pride is the womans wardrobe in this wardrobe many soules both of women and men too are lost The common studie is new fashions but it is an ill fashion thus to loose the soule If we would get out of this maze we must as God warned the Wisemen depart another way Out of lust we must wind forth by Chastitie out of couetousnesse by Charitie out of Pride by Humilitie Penitence is the clew to guide vs forth howsoeuer wee came in we must goe out by Repentance 4. A fourth loosing place is the multitude of new and strange wayes wherein men wander as Saul after his Asses and are lost There is a way to Rome a way to Amsterdam a way to the sillinesse of ignorance a way to the fullennesse of arrogancie None of all these is the way to Sion In the multitude of wayes multitude of soules loose themselues 5. Lastly some are lost in the darke vault of ignorance applauding themselues in their blindnes and like Bats refusing the Sun-shine They haue an Altar but it is Ignoto Deo to an vnknowne God Like the Hoast of the King of Syria they are blind and lost betwixt Dothan and Samaria They may grope as the Sodomites for the dore of heauen but let not the Pope make them beleeue that they can find it blind-fold Ignorance is not Gods Starre-chamber of light but the Deuils vault of darkenes By that doctrine
panis thou wantest bread God is thy bread of life We want a pillow God is our resting place We may be Sine veste non sine fide sine cibo non sine Christo sine Domo non sine Domino Without apparell not without faith without meate not without Christ without a house neuer without the Lord. What state can there be wherein the stay of this heauenly assurance giues vs not peace and ioy Are we clapt vp in a darke and desolate Dungeon there the light of the Sunne cannot enter the light of mercie not be kept out What restrained bodie that hath the assurance of this eternall peace will not pittie the darknes of the prophane mans libertie or rather the libertie of his darkenesse No wals can keepe out an infinite Spirit no darkenes can be vncomfortable where the Father of lights and the Sunne of righteousnesse shineth The presence of glorious Angels is much but of the most glorious God is enough Are we cast out in exile our backes to our natiue home all the worlds our way Whether can we goe from God Whether shall I goe from thy face or whether shall I flie from thy presence If I ascend c. That exile would be strange that could separate vs from God I speake not of those poore and common comforts that in all Lands and coasts it is his Sunne that shines his elements of earth or water that beares vs his aire we breath But of that speciall priuiledge that his gracious presence is euer with vs that no sea is so broad as to deuide vs from his fauour that wheresoeuer we feed he is our host wheresoeuer we rest the wings of his blessed prouidence are stretched ouer vs. Let my soule be sure of this though the whole world be traytors to me Doth the world despise vs We haue sufficient recompence that God esteemes vs. How vnworthy is that man of Gods fauour that cannot goe away contented with it without the worlds Doth it hate vs much God hates it more That is not euer worthie which man honours but that is euer base which God despises Without question the world would bee our friend if God were our enemie The sweetnes of both cannot bee enioyed let it content vs wee haue the best It may be pouertie puts pale leannes into our cheeks God makes the world fat but withall puts leannesse into the soule We decay in these temporall vanities but we thriue in eternall riches The good man laughes at destruction and dearth Doth sicknes throw vs on our weary beds It is impossible any man should miscarry that hath God for his Physitian So Martha confessed to Iesus Lord if thou hadst beene here my brother had not dyed Thy bodie is weake thy soule is strengthened dust and ashes is sicke but thy eternall substance is the better for it It is good for me that I haue beene afflicted that I might learne thy statutes Lastly doth the ineuitable hand of death strike thee Egredere anima mea egredere Goe forth my soule with ioy and assurance thou hast a promise to be receiued in peace Happie dissolution that parts the soule from the bodie that it may knit them both to the Lord. Death like the proud Philistine comes marching out in his hydeous shape daring the whole Hoast of Israell to match him with an equall combatant The Atheist dares not die for feare non esse that hee shall not be at all the couetous vsurer dares not die for feare male esse to be damned the doubtfull conscience dares not die because he knowes not an sit an non sit an damnatus sit whether he shall be or be damned or not bee at all Onely the resolued Christian dares die because he is assured of his election he knows he shall be happie and so lifts vp pleasant eyes to heauen the infallible place of his eternall rest He dares encounter with this last enemie trample on him with the foote of disdaine and triumphantly sing ouer him O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victorie He conquers in being conquered and all because God hath sayd to his Soule I am thy Saluation The poore Papist must not beleeue this such an assurance to him were Apocryphall yea hereticall He must lie on his death-bed call vpon what Saint or Angell he list but must not dare to beleeue hee shall goe to heauen O vncomfortable doctrine able to loose the soule What can follow but feares without and terrours within distrustfull sighes and heart-breaking grones Goe away he must with death but whither he knows not It would be presumption to be confident of heauen How should Purgatory stand or the Popes kitchin haue a Larder to maintaine it if men might be sure of their saluation Herefore they bequeath so great summes for masses and Dirge's and Trentals to bee sung or sayd for them after they are dead that their soules may at the last be had to heauen though first for a while they be reezed in Purgatory If this be all the comfort their Priests Iesuites and Confessors can giue them they may well say to them as Iob to his friends Miserable comforters are ye all But he that hath Stephens eyes hath also Pauls heart and the Saints tongue He that with Stephens eyes can see that Sonne of man standing on the right hand of God as if his armes were open to wel-come and embrace him must needs with Paul desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ and with the Saints cry Come Lord how long Amen euen so come Lord Iesus Thus much for the matter of the Assurance let vs now come to the manner Dic Animae Say vnto my soule Say but is God a man hath he a tongue how doth Dauid desire him to speake That God who made the eare shall not he heare he that made the eye shall not â—…e see he that made the tongue shall not he speake He that sees without eyes and heares without eares and walkes without feete and workes without hands can speake without a tongue Now God may be sayd to speake diuerse wayes 1. God hath spoken to some-by his owne voice To Adam vocem audiuerunt they heard the voyce of God c. To Israel The Lord spake vnto you out of the midst of the fire ye heard the voyce of the words but saw no similitude onely you heard a voyce To Christ I here came a voyce from heauen saying I haue both glorified it and I will glorifie it This S. Peter testifies There came a voyce from the excellent glory This is my beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased 2. To omit visions and dreames and cloudes and Cherubins and Angells vrim and thummim God speakes also by his workes The heauens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handie worke Mâ—…nus loquuntur his workes haue a tongue Opera testantur de me
suffer commit c. What. The Soule and the keeping thereof The Soule is a very precious thing it had need of a good keeper For what is a man profited if he shall gaine the whole world and loose his owne soule We trust the Lawyer to keepe our Inheritance the Physitian to keepe our body the coffer to keepe our money shepheards to keepe our flockes but the Soule had need of a better keeper Howsoeuer it goes with thy libertie with thy loue with thy land with thy life be sure to looke well to thy soule that lost all is lost The bodie is not safe where the Soule is in hazard Non-anima pro corpore sed corpus pro anima factum est The soule is not made for the bodie but the bodie for the Soule He that neglects the better let him looke neuer so well to the worse shall loose both He that looks well to the keeping of the better though he somwhat neglect the worst shal saue both The Body is the instrument of the soule it acts what the other directs so it is the externall actuall and instrumentall offender Satan will come with a Habeus corpus for it But I am perswaded if hee take the Body hee will not leaue the Soule behind him To whom To God he is the best Keeper Adam had his Saluation in his owne hands hee could not keepe it Esau had his Birth-right in his owne hands hee could not keepe it The Prodigall had his Patrimonie in his owne hands he could not keepe it If our Soule were left in our own hands we could not keepe it The world is a false keeper let the soule runne to ryot hee will goe with it The Deuill is a Churlish keeper he labours to keepe the soule from saluatiō The Body is a brittle inconstant keeper euery sicknes opens the doore and lets it out God onely is the sure keeper Your life is hid with Christ in God This was Dauids confidence Thou art my hiding place thou shalt keepe mee The Iewells giuen to thy little children thou wilt not trust them with but keepe them thy selfe O Lord keepe thou our onely one doe thou Rescue our soule from destructions our Darling from the Lyons Trust vs not with our owne soules wee shall passe them away for an Apple as Adam did for a morsell of meate as Esau did for the loue of a harlot as that Prodigall did Lord doe thou keepe our Soules Now the Christian patient must commit the keeping of his Soule to God both in Life Death 1. Liuing the Soule hath three places of being In the body from the Lord in the Lord from the body in the body with the Lord. The two last are referred to our saluation in heauen either in part when the Soule is glorified alone or totally when both are crowned together Now the soule must be euen here in the Lords keeping or else it is lost If God let goe his hold it sinkes It came from God it returnes to God it cannot be well one moment without God It is not in the right vbi except the Lord be with it It is sine sua domo if sine suo Domino Here be foure sorts of men reprouable 1. They that trust not God with their soules nor themselues but relie it only vpon other men 2. They that will not trust God with their soules nor others but onely keepe it themselues 3. They that will trust neither God with their soules nor others nor keepe it it themselues 4. They that will neither trust others with their soules nor themselues but only God yet without his warrant that he will keepe it 1. They that trust their soules simplie on the care of others they are either Papists or prophane Protestants The Papist trusts Antichrist with his soule he 's like to haue it well kept If Masses Asses can keepe it for so the Iesuites terme their secular Priests it shall not bee lost The deuill fights against the soule the Pope interposeth an armoury of Agnus Dei's sprinklings crossings amulets prayers to Saints But surely if this Armour were of proofe S. Paul forgot himselfe in both these places where he describes that Panoply or whole armour of God He speakes of a plate of righteousnesse for the breast shooes of patience for the feete the shield of Faith the helmet of saluation the sword of the Spirit To the Thessalonians indeed hee somewhat varies the pieces of armour but in neither place doth he mention Crosses Crucifixes aspersions vnctions c. Or they will trust the Saints in heauen with their soules Sancta virgo Dorothea tua nos virtute bea cor in nobis nouum crea What that Prophet desired of God they as if they were Ioth to trouble the Lord about it and could haue it neerer hand beg of their Saint Dorothy to create a new heart within them Such a rithme haue they to the Virgin Mary Virgo mater maris stella Fons hortorum verbi cella ne nos pestis aut procella peccatores obruant But the Saints are deafe non audiunt They would pray them to forbeare such prayers they abhorre such superstitious worship They that were so iealous of Gods honour on earth would be loth to robbe him of it in heauen So our carnall professors onely trust the Minister with their soule as if God had imposed on him that charge which the Prophet gaue to Ahab keepe this man if by any meanes he be missing then shall thy life be for his life But indeed if he doe his duty in admonishing If thou warne the wicked of his way to turne from it if he do not turne from his way he shall die in his iniquitie but thou hast deliuered thy soule 2. They that will not trust others with their soule but keepe it themselues They wrapit warme in the nest of their own presumptuous merits as if good workes should hatch it vp to heauen But the soule that is thus kept will be lost He that wil goe to heauen by his own righteousnes and climbers by no other ladder then his owne Iust workes shall neuer come there The best Saints that haue had the most good workes durst not trust their soules with them I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not hereby iustified In many things we sin all All in many things many in all things And the most learned Papists whatsoeuer they haue said in their disputations reserue this truth in their hearts otherwise speaking in their deaths then they did in their liues Now non merita mea sed misericordia tua not my merits but thy mercies O Lord. All our life is either vnprofitable or damnable therfore O man what remaines Nisi vt in tota vita tua deplores totam vitam tuā but that during al thy life thou shouldest lament al thy life workes cannot keepe vs but grace let them boast of perfection we cry for
but the goates are not written in his booke The foundation of God standeth sure hauing the seale the Lord knoweth them that are his It is a goodly thing to be famous and remarkable in the world Est pulchrum digito monstrari dicier hic est It is a goodly thing to bee sayd this is the man whom the world honours but perhaps this is not he whom God honours He that suffers and does according to the will of God the Lord will take that man into his bosoâ—… Such honour haue all his Saints It is no great matter for men to be knowne to kings and nobles if the Lord know them not nothing to ride in the second Coach as Ioseph to be next to the Prince if they bee strangers to the Court of heauen Therefore let vs all lay hold on well-doing that we may haue comfort in well-dying Wee desire to shut vp our last scene of life with In manus tuas Domine commendo spiritum meum Lord Into thy handes I commend my spirit Behold while we liue GOD sayes to vs In manus tuas homo commendo spiritum meum Man into thy hands I commend my spirit As we vse Gods Spirit in life God will vse our Spirit at death If we open the doores of our hearts to his Spirit he will open the doores of heauen to our Spirit If we feast him with a supper of Grace he will feast vs with a supper of Glory If wee grieue his Spirit he will grieue all the veines of our hearts When such shall say Lord into thy handes wee commend our soules no sayth God I will none of your Spirit for you would none of my Spirit You shut him out when hee would haue entred your hearts hee shall shut you out when you would enter heauen Let vs therefore here vse Gods Spirit kindly that hereafter hee may so vse our spirits Let vs in life entertaine him with Faith that in death he may embrace vs with mercy So Lord into thy handes wee commend our soules keepe and receiue them O thou faithful Creator and God of truth through Iesus CHRIST Amen FINIS a 2 Cor. 3. 9. b Mal. 4. 2. c Iohn 1. 8. d Ioh. 1. 17. Heb. 3. 6. e Paraeus f Ioh. 6. 44. g Can. 1. 4. h Psal. 143. 10. i 2. Kin. 25. 7. k Acts 3. 2. Ber. l Heb. 11. 6. m Rom. 8. 24. n Iohn 5. 24. o Phil. 3. 20. 1 p Psal. 87. 2. q Math. 4. 8. r Deu. 34. 4. 2 s Ioh. 14. 2. t Gen. 30. 8. u Psal. 36. 6. x Ion. 3. 3. y Psal. 106. 28. a Heb. 9. 14. b Mat. 22. 32. c Psal. 49. 11. d Mat. 24. 2. 3 4 e Reu. 21. 27. 5. 6. f Rom. 4. 25. 7. Aug. g Iohn 3. 16. h Psal. 87. 2. i Psa. 78. 60. k Psal. 107. 34. l 2. Pet. 3. 10. m Mat. 7. 27. n 1. Pet. 2. 6. o Psal. 30. 8. p Amos 6. 1. q Esa. 21. 11. r 1. King 20. 23. s Ierem. 3. 6. t Luk. 12. 19. u Esay 40. 4. x Luk. 23. 30. a Psal. 125. 1. b Sen. c Iohn 14. 2. d Esay 2. 2. e Psal. 149. 9. f Mat. 5. 14. g Psal. 48. 2. h Rom. 2. 24. i 1. Pet. 2. 12. k Exod. 10. 23. l Iud. 6. 37. m Psal. 4. 6. n Reu. 2. 17. Sen. Greg. o Iob. 31. 24. p Dan. 4. 30. Ambr. Aug. q Gal. 4. 29. r Rom. 5. 1. s 1. Iohn 3. 2. t Ioh 16. 22. Aug. u Psal. 84. 10. x Mat. 17. 2. y Psal. 84. 1. a Mat. 25. 23. b Psal. 2. 6. c Reu. 14. 1. d Acts 8. 32. e Psal. 121. 4. f Psal. 97. 5 8. g Psal. 114. 4. h Psal 78. 68. i Psal. 132. 13. k Psal. 48. 4. c l Gene. 19. 20. m Gen. 4. 17. n Gene. 11. 4. o Psal. 127. 1. p Iere. 22. 15. q Acts 12. 23 r Psal. 122. 3. s Psal. 101. 8. t Mat. 10. 23. u Luk. 13. 23. x Rom. 8. 29. y Rom. 7. 9. a Mat 10. 16. b Luke 12. 32 c Esay 1. 9. d Esay 6. 13. e Esay 17. 6. f Esay 24. 13. g Mich. 7. 1. h Iere. 3. 14. i Amos 3. 12 k Gene. 6. 12. l Esay 8. 18. m Ioh. 7. 51. n 2 Tim. 4. 16 o Act. 19. 34. p Reu. 13. 16. q 1. Kin. 20. 27. r Rom. 9. 27. s Reue. 3. 1. t 2. Esdr. 5. 23. u Luk. 13. 14. x 2. Esd. 7. 6. Aug. a Reu. 18. 2. b Gal. 4. 26. c Psal. 2 6. d Ephes. 2. 2. e 2. Tim. 2. 19. f 1. Ich. 2. 16. Greg. g Hebr. 11. 10. h Iud. ver 14. i Psal. 49. 13. Aug. k 2. Cor. 5. 19. l 1. Iohn 5. 29. m Mat. 24. 51. a Hebr. 1. 6. b Rom. 8. 29. c Rom. 13. 4. d 2. Cor. 5. 20. e 1. Thes. 4. 3. f Mat. 6. 32. g Mat. 5. 34. h Rom. 6. 23. n Luk. 10. 16. o Mark 11. 17. p Mala. 3. 8. q Act. 8. 19. r Gala. 5. 22. s Ioh. 6. 63. Theodoret. t Prou. 20. 25. u 2. Chr. 26. 19. x Psal. 80. 13. y Iudg. 7. 22. a Iudg. 4. 9. b 1. King 21. 19 c Ier. 5. 29. 1 Sam. 5. 11. Exod. 12. 31. Aug. e Mark 12. 17. Aug. f Psal. 116. 12. g Psal. 51. 15. h Luk. 10. 39. i Gal. 1. 2. k Eph. 3. 14. l Act. 7. 60. m Luk. 6. 38. n 1. Cor. 8. 5. o Psal. 82 6. p Rom. 13. 1. q Ioh. 19. 11. r Rom. 13. 2. s Acts 17. 18. t Acts 14. 11. u Psal. 106. 28. x 1. Cor. 8. 4. y Psal. 135. 17. a 1. Thes. 1. 9. b 2. Cor. 4. 4. c Iohn 16. 11. d Rom. 16. 20. e Eph. 4. 27. f 〈◊〉 Cor. 6. 13. g Esa. 2. 20. * 1. Tim 6. 16. h Psal 104. 3. i Gal. 2. 20. k Col. 3. 3. l Ver. 4. m Prou. 23. 5. n Luk. 6. 25. o Mat. 27. 53. p Gene. 22. 14. q Heb. 7. 2. r Gala. 5. 12. s 2. Cor. 13. 11. t Gala. 4. 25. u Reu. 21. 2. x Gala. 4. 26 Hugo Card. y Psal. 132. 13. a 1. Pet. 2. 9. b Esay 5. 2. c Eph. 4. 3. d 1. Tim. 3. 15. e Psal. 122. 5. f Reue. 3. 7. g Iam. 1. 18. Phil. 3. 20. Ambr. h Ephe. 1. 3. i Iob 4. 19. k Iohn 17. 24. Plato l Gen. 12. 1. m Iere. 22. 29. n Hebr. 13. 14 Damasc. o Gene. 18. 8. Caluin p Gen. 18. 2. q Luk. 24. 4. r Iude. ver 6. s Col. 1. 20. t Esa. 6. 2. Greg. u Eph. 3. 10. x 1. Tim. 3. 16. a Mat. 24. 36. b Acts 1. 24. c Psal. 103. 20. d 2. Thes. 1. 7. 2. Kings 19. 35. e Reu. 12. 8. f Hos. 12. 9. g Gen. 19. 22. h Exod. 32. 10. i 2. Pet. 2. 4. k Mat. 18. 10. l Heb. 2. 16. m Greg. n Gene. 48. 16. o Exo. 14. 19. p Mal. 3.
this world our second is a gate into the world to come There is some paine in both For this vvorld but little ioy after the paine for the other after short sorrow eternall glory Sanctification Is the second gate Make your calling and election sure saith Peter by a holy life For so an Entrance shall be ministred vnto you abundantly into the euerlasting kingdome of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. But there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoeuer worketh abomination or maketh a lie Therfore Paul prayes the God of Peace to sanctifie vs wholly Holinesse is the way to Happinesse Grace the gate of Glory But some may obiect frō that of Paul that this Sanctification must be totall and perfect but who can come so furnished to the gate therefore who can enter the Citie I answer There is required onely Sanctificatio viae non Patria such a Sanctitie as the gate can afford though farre short of that within the Citie The Schoole distinguisheth vvell It must be communiter in toto vniuersaliter in singulis partibus but not totaliter et perfectè This Sanctification must be communicated to the whole man and vniuersally propagated to euery part though it haue in no place of man a totall perfection Indeed Nullum peccatum retinendum est spe remissionis No sinne is to be cherished in hope of mercy But wee must striue for euery grace vve haue not and for the encrease of euery grace wee haue Quaerendum quod deest bonum indulgendum quod adest Let vs make much of that we possesse and still seek for more striuing to the marke And yet when all is done Profectio haec non Perfectio est Wee haue made a good steppe forward but are not come to our full home But stil Lord be mercifull to me a sinner And Enter not into iudgement with vs. Now sith this gate stands in our owne Heart giue me leaue to describe it and that briefely by The Properties The properties are 2. It is Lovve Parts Little Lowe Heauen is well called a Building not made with hands for it differs both in Matter and Forme from earthly edifices For matter it is Eternall not momentany for maner fabricked without hands Great Mannors on earth haue large answerable Porches Heauen must needes be spacious when a little starre fixed in a farre lower Orbe exceedes the earth in quantitie yet hath it a lowe gate not a lofty comming in They must stoope then that will enter here He hath filled the bungry with good things and the rich hee hath sent empty away The rich in their owne conceits and proud of their owne worth shall be sent empty from this gate Zaccheus climes vp into a Sycamore tree to behold Iesus but when Iesus beheld him got vp so high he said Come downe Zaccheus Luke 19. Make haste and come downe Whosoeuer will entertaine Iesus must come down The haughtie Nebuchadnezzar that thinks with his head to knock out the starres in heauen must stoope at this gate or hee cannot enter Be you neuer so lofty you must bend Gods honour must be preferred before your honours It is no discredite to your Worships to vvorship GOD. Little Christ calls it a narrow gate They must be little that enter little in their owne eyes slender in the opinion of themselues Whosoeuer shall not receiue the kingdome of God as a little child he shall not enter therin Samuel to Saul When thou wast little in thine own sight wast thou not made the Head of the Tribes of Israel When Iesse had made all his Sonnes passe before Samuel he asked him if none remained yet Iesse answeres Yes a little one tending the flockes Fetch that little one saith Samuel for wee will not sit downe till he come That little one was hee Sayes the Angell to Esdras 2. Esdras 7. A citie is built and set vpon a broad field full of all good things Yet the Entrance thereof is narrow This is spatiosa speciosa Ciuitas A citie beautifull and roomthy yet it hath but a narrovv wicket a little Gate Alas how will the surfeted Epicure do to enter whose gluttonous body is so deformed that it moues like a great Tunne vpon two pots What hope hath an Impropriator with foure or fiue Churches on his backe to passe this little gate The bribing Officer hath a swolne hand it will not enter and the gowtie Vsurer cannot thrust in his foote The factious Schismaticke hath too bigge a head the swearer such forked blasphemies in his mouth that here is no entrance Pride hath no more hope to get into the gates of that Citie aboue then there is hope to cast it out the gates of this City below Much good do 't with earthly Courts for it must not come into the Courts of Heauen Thinke O sinners you cannot goe with these oppressions with these oathes frauds bribes vsuries with these wickednesses into the gates of this Citie You must shift them off or they will shut you out You heare the Properties the Parts are now to bee considered and these are foure The foundation the two sides and the roofe The Foundation is Faith One of the sides Patience The other Innocence The Roofe Charitie Faith Is the foundation Coloss. 1. Be ye grounded and setled in the Faith Credendo fundatur saith Augustine It is grounded in faith All other graces are as it were built on this foundation Credimus quōd speramus quod credimus speramus diligimus quod credimus speramus diligimus operamur What we hope wee beleeue what wee beleeue and hope we loue what we beleeue hope and loue wee endeuour to attaine So all is built on Faith Hope on faith Nulla spes increditi it is impossible to hope for that wee beleeue not to be Charity on faith why should a man giue all to the poore vnlesse hee belieued an abundant recompence Repentance on faith why else suffer we contrition for sin if we beleeued not remission of sinne Temperance on faith why forbeare wee the pleasing vanities of the world but that we belieue the transcendent ioyes of eternity whereof these harlots would robbe vs Patience on faith why would we endure such calamities with willing quietnesse and subiection if wee belieued not an euerlasting peace and rest to come All obedience on faith that God would accept it in Iesus Christ. If all bee built on faith I may call it the basis and foundation of this Gate Without faith it is impossible to please God for hee that commeth to God must belieue that he is and that hee is a rewarder of them that diligently seeke him Faith is the passage-way to God not one of that holy ensuing Legend entred the City of life without this He that hath faith shall enter yea hee is entred Iohn 5. He hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but
is passed from death to life Patience Is one of the Pillars Hebr. 10. Ye haue need of Patience that when you haue done the will of God yee might receiue the Promise That when you haue suffered before the gates ye may enter the Citie There bee three Enemies that assault the soule before shee enter the gates a Lyon a Leopard and a Foxe The Lion is the Deuill who roareth with hideous cryes and bloudy iawes The Leopard is the world which hath a gay spotted hide but if it take vs within the clutches it deuoures vs. The Foxe is our Concupiscence bred in vs which craftily spoyles our grapes our young vines our tender graces Patience hath therfore an armed Souldier with her called Christian Fortitude to giue repulse to all these encounters And what he cannot conquer feriendo by smiting she conquers ferendo by suffering Uincit etiam dum patitur She ouercomes euen while shee suffers Patience meekely beares wrongs done to our owne person Fortitude encounters couragiously wrongs done to the Person of Christ. She will not yeeld to sinne though she die She hath the spirit of Esther to withstand things that dishonour God If I perish I perish Innocence Is the other Pillar As Patience teacheth vs to beare wrongs so Innocence to doe none Patience giues vs a Shield but Innocence denyes vs a sword Our selues we may defend others we must not offend Innocence is such a vertue Quae cùm alijs non nocet nec sibi nocet Which as it wrongs not others so nor itselfe Hee that hurts himselfe is not innocent The Prodigall is no mans foe but his owne saith the prouerbe but because hee is his owne foe he is not innocent Triumphus Innocentiae est non peccare vbi potest It is the triumph of Innocence not to offend where it may No testimony is more sweet to the conscience then this Remember O Lord how I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart So Iob My heart shall not condemne me for my dayes Blessed soule thus comforted it smiles at the frownes of earth and dares stand the thunder Though there bee no Innocency but reioyceth to stand in the sight of Mercy Yet thus in the middest of iniuries it cheeres it selfe O Lord thou knowest my innocence The wicked couer themselues with violence as with a garment therefore confusion shall couer them as a cloake But Blessed are the meeke for they shall inherit the earth That part of the earth they liue in shall afford them quiet and their part in heauen hath no disquiet in it Si amoueanâ—… admouentur in locum à quo non remouentur in aeternum If they be mooued they are moued to a place from whence they shall neuer be remoued I will wash mine hands in Innocency so will I compasse thine Altar O Lord. If Innocence must leade vs to the Altar on earth sure that must bee our gate to the glory of heauen Charity Is the Roofe Diligendo perficitur loâ—… makes vp the building Now abideth faith hope and charity but the greatest of these is charity It is a grace of the loueliest Countenance and longest Continuance For Countenance it is amiable all loue it The poore respect not thy faith so much as thy charity For Continuance faith and hope takes their leaues of vs in death but charity brings vs to heauen-dore vshers vs in to glory I know not what to say more in thy praise O charity then vt Deum de coelo traheres hominem ad coelum eleuares Then that thou didst bring downe God from heauen to earth and dost lift vp man from earth to heauen Great is thy vertue that by thee God should be humbled to man by thee man should be exalted to God You haue the Gates described Let vs draw a short conclusion from these two former circumstances and then enter the Citie The Summe There is no entrance to the Citie but by the Gates no passage to Glory but by Grace The wall of this Citie is said to be great and high High no climbing ouer Great no breaking through So Christ saith No theefe can breake through and steale Therefore through the gates or no way Corruption doth not inherit incorruption This corrupted man must bee regenerate that hee may bee saued must be sanctified that he may be glorified Babel-builders may offer faire for hâ—…uen but not come neer it the Gyants of our time I meane the monstrous sinners may imponere Pelion Ossae lay rebellion vpon presumption treason vpon rebellion blasphemy vpon all as if they would sinke heauen with their loud and lewd ordinance and plucke God out of his Throne but hell gapes in expectation of them This Gate is kept as the gate of Paradise with a flaming sword of Iustice to keepe out Idolaters Adulterers theeues couetous drunkards reuilers extortioners and other dogges of the same litter from the kingdome of God Some trust to open these gates with golden keyes but bribery is rather a key to vnlocke the gates of hell Let Rome sell what she list and warrant it like the Seller in the Prouerbs It is good it is good Yet it is naught but were it good God neuer promised to stand to the Popes bargaines Others haue dream't of no other gate but their owne righteousnesse Poore soules they cannot finde the gate because they stand in their owne light Others thinke to passe through the gates of other mens merits as well one bird may flie with another birds wings For all those hote promises of the workes of Saints for their ready money they may blow their nailes in hell Onely grace is the gate Per portam Ecclesiae intramus ad portam Paradisi Wee must bee true members of the Church or the dore of life will be shut against vs. Heauen is a glorious place therefore reserued for gracious men Admittuntur ad spiritus iustorum non nisi iusti To those spirits of iust men made perfect must be admitted none saue they that are iustified Kings are there the Companie none of base and ignoble liues can be accepted Heauen is the great White Hall the Court of the high King none are entertained but Albi such as are washed white in the bloud of Christ and keepe white their owne innocence Vngracious offenders looke for no dwelling in this glory You that haue so little loue to the gates are not worthy the Citie If you will not passe through the gates of holinesse in this life you must not enter the Citie of happinesse in the life to come Thus wee haue passed the gates and are now come to The Citie Now if I had beene with Paul rapt vp to the third heauen or had the Angels Reed wherewith he measured the wall I might say something to the description of this Citie But how can darkenesse speake of that light or the base