Altar but the Iustice of God shall Binde you from his mercie Though you may repent which if you restore not is impossible and your restitution is improbable yet for the present the Deuill hath Eleuen poynts of the Law against you that is Possession 5. Lastly some 1. Binde 2. The Sacrifie 3. With Cordes 4. To the Altar 5 But not to the Hornes of the Alter These are deficient in a spetiall degree of Deuotion Fayth They haue many good morall vertues but they want that which should make both their vertues and themselues acceptable to God Fayth in his Sonne Iesus Christ. It is a vaine Deuotion whence this is excluded The Law finds no workes righteous But Quod Lex operum minâ—â—do imperat Lâ—x sâ—dei credendo impeâ—rat What the Law of Workes commanded with the threatning the Law of Faith obtaines by beleeuing Affie we then the merites of our blessed Sauiour who is our only Reâ—uâ—e and take fast hold on the Hornes of the Altar Bind the Sacrifice with Cordes euen vnto the Hornâ—â— of the Altar The Summe TO gather these scattered Branches to their Roote now wee haue cast ouer the particulars let vs Summe them The Summe is our Thankefulnesse Binde the Sacrifice with Cordes c. Ingratitude hath been euer held a Monster a preternaturall thing one of those priuations and defâ—ciencies which God neuer made but the deuill thrust in vpon the absence of the positiue and primitiue vertues Here vpon wee call an Ingratefull person an vnnaturall man No man wonders at Dogges and Wolâ—â—â— and Foxes but at Satyres and Centaures and such Monsters in nature all gaze vpon Ebrietie Adulterie Auarice though equally hainous are lesse odious because they haue Nature and Custome on their sides But an Vnthankefull person named we all detest as a soleâ—isme in sense a paradoxe in maners a prodigie in nature To demonstrate this sinne to be so farre from humanitie that the very Beastes abhorre it There is a Stâ—ry of a poore man that went often to a Forrest to gather Stickes where sodainely one day hee heard the voyce of a man in distresse making towards it hee found a rich Neighbour falne into a deepe Pitte and togeather with him an Ape a Lyon and a Serpent hee made his moane being endangerd both of the Pitte and of the Beastes Pittie and Charitie mooued the poore man to helpe the rich and that seldome mooues the rich to helpe the poore Hee lets downe the Corde wherewith hee bound his Stickes and vp comes the Ape Againe hee puts for the man and the Lyon ascendes A third offer hee makes and the Serpent takes the aduantage last hee draweth vp the man who freed by his helpe from instant death promised him a bountious requitall if on the next day he did visit him The poore man affying his word came to him accordingly in a hopefull expectation of reward But now the rich man would not know him hee hath forgotten that euer hee stood in any need of him and impudently denies him any recompence The discomforted poore man is faine to trauell the Forrest againe for his Fuell where the Ape spying him had ready broken with his teeth and nailes Stickes enough for his burden there was his vtmost Gratitude Another day comming the Lyon approcheth him preseâ—ting to him diuers laden Camelles which driuing home and disburdening hee found precious Treasure that enriched him A third time vpon other occasions trauelling the Forrest the Serpenâ— creeping salutes him with a Precious stone in her mouth letting it fall at her sauers feete The intent of the Fable is to demonstrate that Beastes and Serpents condemne Man of Ingratitude You will say this is but a fiction then heare a truth Esay 1. The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his Maisters Scrippe but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider The very Beast looketh to his Maisters hand that feeds him This vice is so horrible that God need not sit to iudge it the Diuell himselfe will condemne it When hee reasoned with God about Iob hee pleades that God had set a Hedge about him and blessed the worke of his hands And therefore implies Doth Iob serue God for naught If hee will be Vnthankefull to a God so kind Satan himselâ—e will censure him It must needes be a horred sinne that the Diuell taxeth and abominates If wee be vnthankefull wee are sure to be condemned for if God would not condemne it the Diuell will An Vâ—gratâ—full man then in some sort is worse then the Diuell Men and Brethren let vs be Thankefull Let our Meditations trauell with Daâ—id in the 148. Psalme first vp into Heauen Euen the very Heauens and heights prayse him And those blessed Angels in his Court sing his Glory Descend we then by the celestiall bodyes and we shall find the Sunne Moone and all the Starres of light praysing him Passe we by the Waters which the Makers decree hath confined there and wee shall heare those Praysing him A litle lower we shall perceiue the Meteors and vpper Elements the Fire and Hayle Snow and Vapour magnifying him euen the Winde and Storme fulfilling his woâ—d Fall we vpon the Center the very Earth wee shall heare the Beastes and Cattle Mountaines and Hilles fruitfull Trees and all Cedars extolling his Name The chirping Birdes sing sweete Psalmes and Carols to their Creators prayse euery Morning when they rise euery Euening ere they goe to rest Not so much as the very Creeping thinges sayth the Psalmist the noysome Dragons and crawling Serpents in the deepes but they doe in a sort blesse their Maker Let not then Man the first fruites of his Creatures for whose seruice all the rest were made be vnthankfull If these much more let all Kinges of the earth and all people Princes and all Iudges of the World Young men and Maydens Old men and Children prayse the Name of the Lord. There are some that Kisse their owne handes for euery good turnes that befalls them God giueth them blessings and their owne witte or strength hath the praise Other receiue them but as due debt as if God were obliged to them But alasse What hast thou O man that is good that thou hast not receiued Thou hast not a ragge to thy backe nor a bitte to thy Belly nor a good haire on thy head nor a good thought in thy heart but God giueth it Our euils are properly our owne Omnia mea mala pâ—re sunt mala et mea sunt Omnia mea bona pure suut bona et mea noâ— sunt All my euills are truly euill and mine owne All my good things are truly good but none of my owne Now is not the Authour of all good good enough to be remembred When the Benefites are gotten must the benefactor be forgotten And shall Thankes waxe old whiles giftes are new Boni siquid habeo a Deo sumpsi non a me proesumpsi Shall we then set the
but Grace and Truth came by Iesus Christ. We haue now found out the Light and blessed be God aboue these fiftie yeares we haue found it That if any should say as Philip to Christ. Ioh. 14. Lord shew vs the Father and it sufficeth vs. To whom Iesus answers Haue I been so long with you and yet hast thou not knowne mee Philip hee that hath seene mee hath seen the Father So if any should say Shew vs the Light and it sufficeth vs. I answere Hast thou been so long in the Light and hast thou not knowne it Art thou one of that Country that Appollonius writes of that can see nothing in the day but all in the night Hath the Light made thee blind If no other the vicissitude of this Exercise Shewes that the Light is among vs. I should trisâ—le time to prooue by arguments to the care a thing so visible to the eye and waste the Light of the day to demonstrate the euidence of this Light being amongst vs. Meditation and Wonder better become this subiect then discourse It is the Blessing of Gods Right hand Prou. 3. Length of dayes is in her Right hand and in her Left hand Riches and Honour sayth Salomon of Wisedome he meant it of Christ. This Light shall procure to a man blessed eternitie All those blessings of the Left hand as Riches and Honour are frayle and mortall Nothing lastes long in this World except a sute at Law But this Light if our selues fault not shall out-shine for countenance and out-last for continuance the Sunne in the Firmament Therefore our Psalmographer ver 15. hauing shewed that The voyce of reioycing and saluation is in the Tabernacles of the righteous hee addes The Right hand of the Lord hath done valiantly yea he doubles and trebbles it The Right hand of the Lord is exalted the right hand of the Lord hath done valiantly This is the God of Lights That had the seuen Starres in his Right hand This Light must enlighten vs to some dueties 1. Reioyce in this Light ver 24. This is the Light-day that the Lord hath made let vs Reioyce and be glad in it Not for a spurt as the Stony ground Math. 13. that with Ioy receiues the Sermon but goes home as stony-hearted as Iudas after the Soppe Nor as the Iewes to whom Iohn Baptist was a burning and a shining Lampe and they for a season reioyced in his light But afterwards neuer rested till they had eclipsed the Sunne on the Crosse and slaine his Morning-starre in the Prison Nor as Children that come abroad to play in the Sunshine and make no more account of it Nor as a people that neuer saw the Sunne steppe out of their doores to gaze vpon it and then turne their backes on it But Reioyce with a solid ioy as they whom God hath brought out of darknesse into his marueylous light 2. Walke worthy of this Light This was St. Pauls request to his Ephesians that they would Walke worthy of the vocation wherewith they are called The Night is past the Light is come let vs therefore cast off the workes of darknesse and put on the armour of Light Be children of the Light As the Light shines on thee let it shine in thee Thou hast small comfort to be in the Light vnlesse the Light be in thee Saith the Prophet to the Church Arise shine for thy light commeth and the glory of the Lord is risen vpon thâ—e As God hath shewed his Light to you So let your Light shine before men that they may see your good workes and gloryfie your Father which is in Heauen There are some that boast their Communion with God against S Iohn reasons Anatura Dei God is Light if we say we haue fellowship with him and walke in darknesse we lye doe not the truth St. Pauls argument is of the same fashion what Communion hath Light with darknesse The holy writte calls all sinnes Opera tencbrarum the workes of darknesse Because 1. They are perpetrated against God who is the Father of Lights Iam. 1. 17. 2. They are suggested by the Deuill who is the Prince of darknesse Eph. 6. 12. 3. They are most vsually committed in the daâ—ke Male agens odit Lucem They that sleepe sleepe in the night and they that be Drunken be Drunken in the night 1. Thess 5. 7. 4. They are the effects of blindnesse of minde and Ignorance is a greeuous inward Darknesse Their fool sh heart was Darkned and hence issued those deadly sinnes Rom. 1. 21. 5. Their reward shall be vtter Darknesse Cast that vnprofitable seruant into vtter Darknesse Mat. 25. 30. And Iud Ver. 13. To them is reserued the blacknesse of darknesse for euer If then God hath shewed thee Light shew not thou the deeds of Darknesse but walke honestly as in the day Rom. 13. 13. 3 Take heed of sore eyes Pleasures lusts and vanities make the eyes sore that are dotingly fastned on them The Vsurer with telling his Gold the haughtiâ— with contemplating his greatnesse the Drunkard with looking at the Wine laughing in the Cup the lustfull with Gazing on his Painted damnations make their eyes so sore that they cannot looke vp and behold this Light 4. Take benefite of this Light whiles it shines It may be clouded as it was in the dayes of Poperie Either this Light may be set to thee or thou be set to it That to thee by Remouing the Candlesticke thou to that by the hand of Death which shall send thee to the Land of forgetfull Darknesse Our Sauiour taught vs this not onely in precept but in practise I must worke the work of him that sent me whiles it is day for the night commeth wherein no man can worke Let vs not doe like some Courtiers that hauing Light allowed them Play it out at Cardes and goe to Bed darkling 5 Lastly helpe to maintaine this Light that it goe not out If you would haue the Lampes of the Sanctuary shine powre in your Oyle Grudge not a litle cost to keeke this Light cleare The Papists haue their Candlemasse they bestow great cost in Lights about a Seruice of Darkenesse Repine not you then at a litle Charges for the euerlasting Lampe of the Gospell Some of you I beare you witnesse doe not Grudge it Goe on and prosper and whiles you make the Church happy make your selues so Wherewith I must now steppe from Heauen to Earth I passe from the For what to the With what God is to be praysed He hath shewed you his Light shew him yours He hath giuen vs an inestimable blessing what shall we returne him What Bind the Sacrifice with Cordes euen to the Hornes of the Alter This is mans Thankfulnesse for Gods Bountifulnesse We will first cast ouer the particulars and then summe them 1. Here is Sacrifice to be offered 2. This Sacrifice must be bound Bind the Sacrifice 3. This Sacrifice must be bound
receauers in the place of the Giuer and worship our selues This is a Sacrilegious theft The stealing of temporall goodes may be requited with restitution but the purloyning of Gods glory can neuer be answered These are subtle Theeues for though Heauen be sure and secure enough from violent robbers yet these by a wylie insidiation enter into it and robbe God of his Honour Other Theeues steale for necessitie and but from their equals men These filch from God his holy right and that out of a scornefull pride It would heere be examined whether England hath any ground in it guilty of this barren Ingratitude If I should fall to discoursing the fauours of GOD rained in such plentifull showers vpon vs our peace plentie tranquilitie and all those giftes of his Left hand togeather with that grace of his Right which blesseth all the rest and without which they were but a Summer without a Spring full of heate but infertile the Gospell you would say Satis haec wee haue heard this often enough Ad nauseam vsque A Sermon of such repetition is but like a sute of the old make Your curious eares are too fine for such recognitions You thinke wee neuer speake of these things but for want of other matter The wonders which God wrought in Egipt by Moseâ— in Canaan by Iosuah were commanded to be proclaimed to all succeeding generations How many Psalmes did this sweet Singer of Israel compose of this subiect How many excellent Sermons did the Prophets preach when they had no other ground or Text but those principles 〈◊〉 did the people sling away from before the Pulpits with Wee haue heard these thinges often enough they are tedious Gods mercies to vs shall vie waight and number with theirs We are if not their paralell yet their second in the fauours of Heauen God hath hedged vs in with his prouidence and compassed vs about with songs of deliuerance We are the Plant of his owne hand he continually waters vs with the sauing shewers of his Gospell Wee need not trauell to our neighbours Cisterns euery man hath his owne Well and such a Wel as yeelds the Water of life if we would bring Buckets with vs Eares of attention and Hearts of retention to draw it out withall What Nation so farre as the World is Christned hath so many learned Diuines Neither is this Learning like a Coale burning to themselues but a bright Lampe shining to vs Euen those reuerend Fathers that sit at the Sterne of the Church and charge their mindes with her greatest troubles are yet continually preaching to some particular Congregation It cannot be denied but the Lord hath shewed vs Light Now where be the Fruites that he must looke for I dare scarcely enter into this search as the Elephant refuseth to drinke in a cleare Water least he should see his owne deformitie I feare to finde the respondencie of the deedes of Darkenesse I know God hath his number amongst vs I hope it is not small God euery day increase it to his glory and the Churches comfort Let mee haue freedome to speake generally Beloued our liues shame vs. If men and Angels should hold their peace our owne open and manifest iniquities will proclaime vs vnthankefull Fraude in our houses Drunkennesse in our streetes Oppression in our feelds Adulterie in corners Iniustice on seates Impietie in our Temples Rapine vpon our Temples deuastation of our Temples at least of the meanes that God hath giuen them These these are the fruites too many of vs returne for Gods mercies Thus thus doe wee adorne the Gospell The greatnesse of Gods kindnesse to vs we striue to match with our vnkindnesse to God He that in his owne person stood for our defence and bore the heate and burden of the day for vs hath this requitalâ— to haue his cause put off to others Wee dare not stand for his glory Could we else brooke his holy dayes profaned holy name abused holy Church despised his â—eâ—â—ants impouerished if we were as kind to him as he is to vs Whereas euery man hath a Charge for Gods glory we put it off from one to another The poore man to the Rich and sayes he should looke to these disorders the Rich man to the Minister the Minister after a hearty dehortation to the Magistrate But still wickednesse holds vp the head and the heate of rebellion is not qualyfied It is storyed of a Certaine King that fighting a desperate Battaile for the recouerie of his Daughter iniuriously stolne from him found ill successe and the day vtterly against him Till by the faythfull vallour of a strange Prince disguised in the habit of a meane Souldiers that pittied his losse and bore loue to his Daugter he recouered both her and victorie The Prince interposing himselfe to hazard of death many wounds for the others redemption Not long after this Prince receiued some wrong concerning his Honour which he deseruedly prized He made his complaint to the King and besought him to giue a just censure of his cause The forgetfull King put him ouer to a Iudge The Prince replyes O King when thou wast lost I endangered my selfe for thy rescue I did not bid another saue thee but I saued thee my self Loe the skarres of those wounds I bore to free thee and thy state from ineuitable ruine And now my sute is before thee dost thou shuffle me off to another Such was our case Sathan had stolne our deare daughter our soule in vaine we labourd a recouerie principalyties and Powers were against vs weakenesse and wretchednesse on our sides Christ the Sunne of God tooke pittie on vs and though hee were an eternall Prince of Peace disguised himselfe in the habite of a common Souldier Induens formam serui putting on him the likenesse of a Seruant vndertooke this Warre against our two strong enemies set himselfe betwixt vs and death bore those woundes which should haue lighted on vs. By no Angell nor Saint by no Gold or precious Minerals did hee redeeme vs but by his owne grieuous sufferings Now his Glory is in question his Name his Honour is abused deare to him as his owne Maiestie Wee stand by and behold it hee appeales to our censure remembers vs of the Wounds Passions Sorrowes hee endured for vs Wee put him off from one to another and let the cause of him that saued vs fall to a losse Who shall plead for our Ingratitude Heauen and earth Sunne and Starres Orbes and Elements Angels and Deuills will cry shame vpon vs. If we aske now as the Wicked will at the latter day Lord When saw wee thee hungry and did not feed thee When naked and did not cloth thee When was thy cause before vs which wee defended not I answere any day euery day When wee heare Swearers wound and teare his holy Name in peeces when wee see Idolaters giue his Honour to Carued or painted Blockes When Ruffians speake contemptibly of his holy rites when his
was multiplyed not by Nâ—turall succession but by Grace So Theodoret. 3. To exercise the Fayth Hope Patience of such as notwithstanding a Promise had their issue delayed But now Isaaâ— prayes God heares Rebecca conceaues she conceaues a double burden a paire of Sonnes strugling in her wombe Her body is no lesse disquieted with this plenty then her minde was before with the lacke of Children Esau and Iacob are borne brethren they are not more neere in birth then different in disposition For Esau was a cunning Hunter a man of the Field but Iacob was a plaine man dwelling in Tents These two are the Subiect of my Discourse wherein I will regard their Nomina Omina Names and Proceedings Their Names Esau and Iacob note their conditions for opposite The one a cunning Hunter the other a Plaine man Of both whom I will be bold to speake literally and liberally literally of their indiuiduall persons liberally as they were figures and significations of future things For herein is not onely regardable a meerâ— Historie but a Mysterie also And as S. Paul applied the true Storie of Isaac the sonne of the free and Ishâ—ael the some of the bondwomâ—â— that by these thinges was another thing meant Gal. 4. 24. So I may conclude of these two Brothers in the same manner ver 29. As then hee that was borne after the Flesh persecuted him that was borne after the Spirit euen so is it now So it is now and so it shall be to the end of the world A Discouerie of the cunning Esauites of our times Genes 25. 27. Esau was a cunning Hunter and a man of the field I Must speake first of the first borne Esau. It is probable hee was called Esau in regard of his manner of birth ver 25. Hee that came out first was redde all ouer like an hayrie Garment and they called his name Esau. Some deriue it from the Hebrew word Quasah which signifieth To make and taken passiuely it implies a Perfect man For he came forth redde and hayrie Redde to betoken his bloody disposition Hayrie to shew his sauage and wilde Nature Other Children are borne with Haire onely on the Head Eye-lids and Browes but hee was hairy all ouer promising extraordinarie crueltie Hee had three names 1. Esau because hee was complete 2. Edom because he was red of complexion or because he coueted the red Pottage 3. Seir that is Hayre You heare his Name listen to his Nature Gods Spirit giues him this Character Hee was a cunning Hunter c. A Name doth not constitute a Nature yet in holy Writ very often the Nature did fulfill the Name and answere it in a future congruence The Character hath two Branches noting his Dition Condition His Condition or Disposition was Hunting his Dition Portion or Segniory was the Field he was a Field-man The first marke of his Character is A cunning Hunter Wherein wee haue expressed his Power Policie His Strength his Sleight his Brawne and his Braine His Might hee was an Hunter His Witte hee was a Cunning Hunter His Strength A Hunter Hunting in it selfe is a delight lawfull and lawdable and may well be argued for from the disposition that God hath put into creatures Hee hath naturally inclined one kind of Beastes to pursue another for mans profite and pleasure Hee hath giuen the Dogge a secret instinct to follow the Hare the Hart the Foxe the Bore as if hee would direct a man by the finger of Nature to exercise those qualities which his diuine Wisedome created in them There is no Creature but may teach a good soule one step toward his Creator The World is a Glasse wherein we may contemplate the eternall power and maiesty of God For the inuisible things of him from the creation of the World are clearely seene being vnderstood by the thinges that are made euen his eternall power and God-head It is that great Booke of so large a Character that a man may runne and read it Yea euen the simplest man that cannot read may yet spell out of this Booke that there is a GOD. Euery Shepheard hath this Calendar euery Plough-man this ABC What that French Poet diuinely sung is thus as sweetly english'd The World 's a Schoole where in a genâ—rall Story God alwayes reades dumbe Lectures of his Glory But to our purpose This practise of Hunting hath in it 1. Recreation 2. Benefite Delight Though man by his rebellion against his Creator forfeited the Charter which he had in the Creatures and hereon Adams punishment was that hee should worke for that Sudore vultus which erst sprung vp naturally beneficis Creatoris Yet this lapse was recouered in Christ to beleeuers and a new Patent was sealed them in his Blood that they may vse them not only ad necessitatem vitae but also in delectationem animi So God giues man not onely Bread and Wine to strengthen his Heart but euen Oyle to refresh his Countenance Let thy Garments bee alwayes Wâ—ite and let thy Head lacke no Oyntment When Salomon had found men pulling on themselues vnnecessary vexations in this world and yet not buying Peace in Heauen with their trouble on Earth hee concludes Then I commended Mirth because a man hath no better thing vnder the Sunne then to Eate and to Drinke and to be Merry for that shall abide with him of his labour the day of his life that God giueth him vnder the Sunne But there is a Liberty the bounds whereof because mens affections cannot keepe it is better their vnderstandings knew not For Melius est nescire centrum quam non tenere circulum I may say of too many as Seneca Nihilfaelicitati eorum deest nisi moderatio eius They haue happinesse enough if they could moderate it Nothing is Magis proprium materiae say Philosophers more proper to matter then to flow nisi a forma sistitur vnles the forme refraine and stay it Nothing is more peculiar to Man then to run out and to erre exorbitantly if Grace direct not Men deale with Recreation as some Trauellers doe with anothers Grounds they begge passage through them in Winter for auoydance of the Miry wayes and so long vse it on sufferance that at last they plead Prescription and hold it by Custome God allowes Delights to succour our infirmitie and we sawcily turne them to habituall Practises Therefore Salomon condemnes it in some as he commendes it in others Reioyce in thy youth and follow thy vanities but know that for all this God will bring thee into Iudgement And our Sauiour denounceth a Vae ridentibus for they that will laugh when they should weepe shall mourne when they might haue reioyced Wee often read Christ weeping neuer laughing taking his creatures for sustentation not for recreation Indeed hee afforded vs this benefite and what wee had lost as it were ex postliminio recouered to vs. But it were strange that Haeres succedens in defuncti locum
Tents intend not a long dwelling in a place They are mouables euer ready to be transferred at the occasion and will of the Inhabiter Hebr. 11. Abraham dwelt intents with Isaac and Iacob the heires with him of the same Promise The reason is added For hee looked for a Citie which hath foundations whose builder and maker is GOD. These Saints studied not to enlarge their barnes as the rich Cosmopolite Luke 12. or to sing Requiems to their soules in the hoped perpetuity of earthly habitations Soule liue thou hast enough laid vp for many yeares Foole he had not enough for that night They had no thought that their houses should continue for euer and their dwelling places to all generations thereuppon calling their lands after their owne names God conuinceth the foolish security of the Iewes to whom hee had promised by the Messias to be purchased an euerlasting royalty in heauen by the Rechabites who built no houses but dwelt in Tents as if they were strangers ready on a short waâ—ning for remouall The Church esteemes Heauen her home this world but a Tent. A Tent which we must all leaue build we as high as Babel as strong as Babilon When wee haue fortified combined feasted death comes with a Voyder and takes away all Dost thou thinke to raigne securely because thou closest thy selfe in Cedar Friends must part Ionas and his gourd Nebuchadnezzar and his pallace the couetous churle and his barns Arise and depart for this is not your rest Though you depart with griefe from Orchards full of fruits grounds full stocked houses dightly furnished purses richly stuffed from musicke wine iunkets sports yet goe you must goe euery man to his owne home Hee that hath seene heauen with the eye of Fath through the glasse of the Scripture slippes off his coate with Ioseph and springs away They that liued thrice our age yet dwelt in Tents as Pilgrims that did not owne this world The shortnesse and weakenesse of our dayes strengthens our reasons to vilipend it The world is the field thy body the Tent heauen thy free-holde The world is full of troubles windes of persecutions storms of menaces cold of vncharitablenesse heate of malice exhalations of prodigious terrours will annoy thee Loue it not Who can affect his owne vexations It is thy through-fare God loues thee better then to let it be thy home Euery misery on earth should turne our loues to heauen God giues this world bitter teats that wee might not sucke too long on it Satan as some doe with rotten nutmegs guildes it ouer and sends it his friends for a token But when they put that spice into their broth it infects their hearts Set thy affections on heauen where thou shalt abide for euer This life is a Tent that a Mansion In my Fathers house there are many mansions This casuall that firme a kingdome that cannot be shaken This troublesome that full of rest This assuredly short that eternall Happy is he that heere esteemes himselfe a Pilgrim in a Tent that hee may bee heereafter a citisen in a stable kingdome 2. Their frugallitie should not passe vnregarded Heere is no ambition of great buildings a Tent will serue How differ our dayes and hearts from those The fashion is now to build great houses to our lands till wee leaue no lands to our houses and the credite of a good house is made not to consist in inward hospitality but in outward walls These punkish out-sides beguile the needy Traueller hee thinkes there cannot be so many roomes in a house and neuer a one to harbour a poore stranger or that from such a multitude of chimneis no meate should be sent to the gates Such a house is like a painted whoore it hath a faire cheek but rotten lungs no breath of charity comes out of it We say frustra fit per plura quod fieri potest per pauciora What needes a house more roomes then there is vse for A lesse house and more hospitablenesse would doe a great deale better Are not many of these glorious buildings set vp in the curse of Iericho the foundation laid in the blood of the eldest the poore the walls reared in the blood of the yoongest the ruine of their owne posterity This was one of the Trauellers obserued faults in England camini mali that we had ill clockes and worse chimneis for they smoaked no charity We see the Precedent the application must teach vs to Deale plainely Here is commended to vs Plainesse in Meaning Demeaning Which instructs vs to a double concord and agreement In Meaning betwixt the heart and the tongue In Demeaning betwixt the tongue and the hand In Meaning THere should be a louing and friendly agreement betweene the heart and the tongue This is the minds herald and should onely proclaime the senders message If the tongue be an ill seruant to the heart the heart will be an ill maister to the tongue and Satan to both There are three kindes of dissimulation held tolerable if not commendable and beyond them noâ—e without sinne 1. When a man dissembles to get himselfe out of danger without any preiudice to another So Dauid fained himselfe madde to escape with life So the good Physician may deceiue his patient by stealing vppon him a potion which he abhorreth intending his recouerie 2. When dissimulation is directly aymed to the instruction and benefite of another So Ioseph caused the money to bee put in his brethrens sackes thereby to worke in them a knowledge of themselues So Christ going to Emaus with the two Disciples made as if he would goe further to try their humanity 3. When some common seruice is thereby performed to the good of the Church Such are those stratagems and policies of warre that carry in them a direct intention of honesty and iustice though of hostillity as Iosuah's whereby he discomfited the men of Ai. Further then these limits no true Israelite no Plaine-Dealing man must venture Plato was of opinion that it was lawfull for Magistrates Hosium vel Ciuium causa mentiri to lie eyther to deceiue an enemy or saue a citisen I might against Plato set Aristotle who sayth expresly that a lie in it selfe is euill and wicked And another Philosopher was wont to say That in two things a man was like vnto God in bestowing benefites and telling the truth Nor will we inferre with Lyranus because there is a Title in the Ciuill Law De dolo malo of euill craft that therefore it is graunted there is a craft not euill But let vs know to the terrour of lyers that the deuill is the father of lying and when hee speaketh a lie hee speaketh of his owne And beyond exception they are the words of euerlasting veritie No lie is of the truth Therefore into that heauenly Hierusalem shall enter none that workes abhomination or maketh a lie A lie must needes be contrary
grain after graine take heed lest thou run not all to chaffe There is a Faith of Saints Gal. 2. Now liue not I but Christ liueth in mee and the life that I liue I liue by the Faith of the Sonne of God And there is a faith of Deuils Iam. 2. Thou beleeuest thou doest well the Deuils beleeue and tremble There is a faith which cannot perish Ioh. 3. Whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not perish And there is a faith that in the time of temptation fals away Luk. 8. The rockie ground receiues the Word and for a while beleeueth but in the time of temptation fall away There is a faith which the world ouercommeth such was the faith of Demas And there is a faith that ouercommeth the world 1. Ioh. 5 This is the victorie whereby wee ouercome the world euen our faith There is a dead idle and infructuous faith Iam. 2. 14. And there is a liuely actiue working faith Gal. 5. Faith worketh by loue Bee sure then that thy faith will endure the toucheuen the fiery tryall 2 Doe not loose such a Legacie as Christ hath bequeathed for want of faith Glorious is the inheritance but where is thy Euidence Flatter not thy soule with hope of this possession without the assurance of faith Christ giues his life for his sheepe What is this to thee that art a Wolfe a Swine a Goate God dresseth his Vineyard pruneth it watereth it is prouident ouer it What 's this to thee that art a thorne and no branch of the Vine Looke thou to be weeded vp and throwne out The bloud of Christ runnes fresh but where is thy pipe of faith to deriue it from his side to thy conscience Say it should showre mercy yet if thou wantest faith all would fall besides thee There would be no more fauour for thee then if there was no Sauiour Let then no miseries of earth much lesse pleasures quench thy faith Satan seeing this sparke of fire kindled in thy heart would blow it out with stormes or worke thee to smother it thy selfe with vanities or to rake it vp in the dead embers of cold security but beleeue against sight and sense As Dauid prophesied that hee should be a King Eo plus habet fides meriti quo minus argumenti Faith shall haue so much the more recompence as it had the lesse argument to induce it Hope IS the sweetest friend that euer kept a distressed soule company it beguiles all the tediousnesse of the way all the miseries of our Pilgrimage Iam mala finissem letho sed eredula vitam Spes fouet melius cras foresemper ait Therefore dum spiro spero sayes the Heathen but dum expiro spero sayes the Christian. The one whilest I liue I hope the other when I dye I hope so Iob I will hope in thee though thou killest â—ee It tels the soule such sweet stories of the succeeding ioyes what comforts there bee in heauen what peace what ioy what triumphes mariage-songs and Halleluiahs there are in that Country whether shee is trauelling that shee goes merrily away with her present burden It holds the head whilst it takes and giues invisible drinke to the thirsty conscience It is a liberty to them that are in prison and the sweetest Physicke to the sicke Saint Paul calles it an Anchor Let the windes blow and the stormes beat and the waues swell yet the Anchor stayes the shippe It breakes through all difficulties and makes way for the soule to follow it It teacheth Abraham to expect fruit from a withered stocke and Ioseph in a dungeon to looke for the Sunne and Starres obeysance It counsels a man as Esdras did the woman that hauing lost her sonne would needs dye languishing in the disconsolate fields Goe thy way into the City to thine husband Mourne not wretch for the losse of some worldly and perishing delight sit not downe and die though the fruit of thy wombe bee swallowed into the earth But goe home to the citie the City of mercy to thine husband euen thy husband Iesus Christ let him comfort thee This is the voyce of hope Though misery be present comfort absent though through the dimme and waterish humor of thy heart thou canst spie no deliuerance yet such is the nature of Hope that futura facta dicit It speakes of future things as if they were present Rom. 8. Wee are saued by hope Yet sic liberati vt adhuc speranda sit haereditas postea possidenda Nunc habemius ius adrem nondum inre Wee haue our inheritance in hope which giues vs the right of the substance though not the substance of the right assurance of the possession though not possession of the thing assured This tels vs that Nemo valde dolebit diu no man should grieue much and long God making our misery aut tolerabilem aut breuem eyther sufferable or short These are the comforts of Hope Now that you may not bee deceyued there is as I sayde before of Faith a thing like Hope which is not it There is a bold and presumptuous Hope an ignorant security and vngrounded perswasion the very illusion of the Diuell who when hee cannot preuaile with downe-right euill cozens with the shadowes of goodnesse that how wickedly and wretchedly soeuer a man shall liue though hee sucke the poisonous dugs of lust though hee surres himselfe warme with poore mens hearts though hee forbids his braines as on couenant one sober houre in the yeaae to thinke of heauen though hee thirst for carowses of bloud though he striues to powder a whole Kingdome with the cornes of death and massacre though hee carries halfe a dozen impropriate Churches on his sacrilegious backe though hee out-thunder heauen with blasphemies though hee trample vnder his profane foote the precious bloud of Gods sonne yet still hee hopes to bee saued by the mercy of God But wee will sooner cast pearles to swine and bread to dogges then the comforts of Sion to such Wee say not Reioyce tremble but tremble without reioycing Wee sing not to them with the Lord is mercy that hee might bee feared but with the Lord is iudgement and vengeance with him is plague and pestilence storme and tempest horrour and anguish indignation and wrath that hee may bee feared Against this Hope wee shut vp the bosome of consolation and the promise of safety by the merites of Christ and so farre as wee are charged the verie gates of euerlasting life There is an Hope sober faithfull well grounded well guarded well assured This is like a house built on a rocke The rocke is Gods promised mercy the building Hope in Christ it is as it were moted or intrenched about with his bloud bulwarked and rampirde with the Sacraments assured by the sweet testimonie of Gods Spirit to the Conscience knowne by the Charity of the Inhabitants for it keeps bread for the hungrie clothes for the naked entertainment for