hee brought forth almost a Christian Shall we nowe behold our face in Agrippaes Glasse whether wee bee altogether like Paule or almost like Agrippa or like Festus not at all Christians or no Christians or what kind of Christians are wee There bee many degrees vppon earth but this is the highest degree There be many names of honour but this is the honourablest name there bee many professours of men but this is the best profession to be a Christian that is the Sonne of GOD the fellowe of Angels the heire of heauen yet whether we should be Christians or Christians almost or Christians altogether is a question which troubleth euery man and when altogether is approoued for best yet wee choose almost before it There is some thing alwaies behinde like the eye which looked to Sodome as an Owle peeps at the Sunne out of a barne but dares not come to it so we peepe at Religion and will not come neere it but stande a loofe off pinking and winking as though we were more afraid of GOD than the diuell For selfe-loue and regarde of persons and feare of lawes and sway of time more are afraide to be too holie than too prophane because holinesse is worse intreated than prophanesse Goe away and sinne no more because thou art healed Nay goe away and sinne againe because thou art healed As Naaman intreated for one sinne that he might stand before the Idoll when his Lorde leaned vppon his shoulder So this sinne and that sinne will not let vs passe the compasse of almost lest we should haue a perfect reward God would haue nothing so perfect as a Christian for whome he hath giuen his welbeloued Sonne his spirit his Lawe and his prophets That the man of God may be perfect as Paule saith Yet euery thing growes vntill it be perfect the builder buildes till it bee an house The Tailour soweth till it be a garment The painter paints till it be a picture Onely the Christian leaues off before he attaine to bee a Christian and makes a full period at almost That which GOD would haue to be perfectest of all hee had rather haue vnperfect than perfect halfe than all a little wealth a little rest a little honor and a little pleasure seems nothing but a little faith is enough although it be neuer so small a mite We haue a waight of al kinde of mettals a touchstone for gold a measure for grame and we will not take one iot lesse than measure of any man onely wee cut GOD of his waight and measure and waigh our seruice in halfe ballances This I will doe and this I will not doe God shall haue one part and the the world shall haue another part and the flesh shall haue another part and the diuell shall haue another part Thus wee haue brought GOD to his stint aske while hee will hee shall haue no more but almost Almost zealous almost faithfull almost righteous as though almost were better than altogether that is the counterfeite than the truth the shadow than the bodie Paul saith that the Athenians were too religious in worshipping an Idoll Act. 17. 22. But where doth Paul find that excesse in worshipping God we are not too diligent but too negligent where we should be diligent Iames speakeing of our sinnes cals them the superfluity of our maliciousnes whereby he sheweth that though our wickednes be a superfluous and vaine thing yet it ouerfloweth and exceedeth the bankes But Christ speaking of his Disciples progresse in righteousnesse calles them all by this name O ye of little faith c. So he may say of little loue of little zeale c. for all our vertues are little ones and the waters of life are at such an ebbe that the least temptation may wade ouer them and not be drowned God hath a controuersie with vs as he saith with Israell and this is it wee were borne when wisedome cried in the streetes and yet she may call vs fooles and say How long wilt thou hate knowledge Pro. 1. For what could God doe more vnto this vineyard that he hath not done Thirtie yeares we haue been dressing and pruning and watering and yet what is in Ierusalem more than in Samaria In th Vineyarde than in the Mountaines which were neuer tilled nor dressed Howe long shall hee dresse a barraine figge tree which is dead at the roote Our Church is in a consumption her heads are sicke her members weake her Phisitians fearefull From little to little our zeale is come to the last gaspe readie to take her leaue of all because shee see not that wee loue religion but chase it from vs. Her enimies are placed about her shee growes amongest thornes shee is fed with checkes shee mourneth in a corner shee speakes on a reed Her garments are clipt Her friendes dare not defend her for her enimies What shall I saye Wee had rather bee whole sinners than halfe Christians White is counted no coulour so zeale is counted no vertue But meere hypocrisie is counted true Christianitie and true Christianitie is counted by hypocrisie Our wealth is in an Epha our zeale is in a Gomer Our sinne like an Oake our faith like a Mustard seede They which haue no religion are counted honest men for they count it as easie a mater to be a Christian as to saie the Lordes prayer the Apostles Creede the tenne Commaundementes and goe to the church this is countrie Diuinitie this is Citie Diuinitie and I may say Saint Clements Diuinitie He which can sweare that the Pope is Antichrist and that flesh is good on Fridaies is a protestant at least a Christian euerie inche hee hath zeale knowledge and religion in Folio This is the rampier in our daies like a Lion in the passages Almost standeth in the waie before wee can come to altogether and they which wil goe beyond Almost are counted curious factious precise phantasticall as though Almost were more than altogether and altogether were not so much as almost If his righteousnes exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisies which is but Hypocrisie he shal be punished for his righteousnes as if it were a fault as Caine persecuted Abell because his sacrifice was better than his Our sauiour saith Learne of me to be hūble zealous and righteous But now we must learne of other and set a crooked paterne before vs lest we goe too straight We may preach like Iohn as in Matthew 3. Bring forth fruites But wee may not preach like Christ Bring foorth much fruites Iohn 15. For that is counted an vnreasonable seruice of God If we giue him the seauenth daie the seauenth part the tenthes or tithes of our life and of our thoughtes and of our speeches and of our workes it is enough so wee define Altogether out of measure Thus wee dodge with GOD and drawe backe from our promise which we made in baptisme as though hee were not worthie of such a goodly creature to haue
begin well for as boords well ioined at the first sit close euer after but if they square at the first they warpe more and more So they which are well ioined are well maried but they which offend their loue before it be setled fade euerie day like a Marigold which closeth her flower as the sunne goeth down til they hate one another more then they loued at first To begin this concord well it is necessarie to learne one anothers nature and one anothers affections and one anothers infirmities because ye must be helpers and ye cannot helpe vnlesse you know the disease All the iarres almost which doe trouble this band doe rise of this that one dooth not hit the measure of the others heart to applie themselues to eithers nature whereby it commeth to passe that neyther can refrain when either is offended but one sharpeneth another when they had neede to be calmed Therefore they must learn of Paul to fashion themselues one to the other if they would win one another and if any iarre doe arise one sayth in no wise deuide beds for it for then the sunne goeth-down vpon their wrath and the meanes of reconcilement is taken away Giue passions no times for if some mans anger stand but at night it turneth to malice which is vncurable The Apostle sayth that there will bee offences in the church so sure there wilbe many offenses in mariage but as he saith these are trials who haue faith so these are but tryals who are good husbands who are good wiues His anger must be such a mood as if he did chide with himselfe and their strife as it were a sauce made of purpose to sharpē their loue when it waxeth vnpleasaunt like Ionathans arrowes which were not shot to hurt but to giue warning Knowing once a couple which were both cholerick and yet neuer fel out I asked the man how they did order the matter that their infirmitie did not make them discord He answered me when her fit is vpon her I yeeld to her as Abraham did to Sara and when my fit is vpon me she yeelds to me and so we neuer striue together but asunder Me thought it was a good example to commend vnto all married folkes for euery one hath his frenzie and loueth them that can beare his infirmitie Whom will a woman suffer if she will not suffer her husband and whose defects will a man beare if he will not beare hers which beareth his Thus much of their duties in generall now to their seuerall offices The man may spell his dutie out of his name for he is called the Head to shew that as the eye and the tongue and the eare are in the head to direct the whole body so the man should be stored with wisdome and vnderstanding knowledge and discretion to direct his whole family for it is not right that the worse should rule the better but the better should rule the worse as the best rules all The husband saith that his wife must obey him because he is her better therefore if hee let her bee better than himselfe he seemes to free her from her obedience and binde himselfe to obey her His first duetie is called Harting that is hartie affection As they are hand fasted so they must be heart-fasted for the eye and the tongue and the hand will be her enemies if the heart be not her friend As Christ draweth all the commaundements to loue so I may drawe all their dueties to loue which is the hearts gift to the bride at her marriage First he must choose his loue then he must loue his choise this is the oyle which maketh all things easie In Salomons song which is nothing else but a description of Christ the Bridegrome and the Church his spouse one calleth the other Loue to shew that though both doe not honour alike yet both should loue alike which the man may doe without subiection The man is to his wife in the place of Christ to his Church therefore the Apostle requireth such an affection of him towardes his Spouse as Christ beareth towarde his Spouse for he saith Husbandes loue your wiues as Christ loued his Congregation that is with a holie loue and with a heartie loue and with a cōstant loue as the Church would be loued of Christ Will not a man loue his glorie Why Paul calleth the woman the glorie of the man for her reuerence makes him to be reuerenced and her praise makes him to be praised Therefore hee which loueth not his wife loueth his shame because she is his glorie Eph. 5. 28. Paul saith Hee which loueth his wife loueth himselfe for thereby he enioyeth peace and comfort and helpe to himselfe in all his affaires therefore in the same verse Paul counselleth husbands to loue their wiues as their bodies And after in the 33. verse as though it were too litle to loue them as their bodies he saith Let euerie one loue his wife as himselfe that is as his bodie and soule too For if God commaunded men to loue their neighbours as themselues much more are they bound to loue their wiues as themselues which are their next neighbors As Elkanah did not loue his wife lesse for her barrennesse but said Am not I better vnto thee then tenne sonnes as though hee fauoured her more for that which she thought her selfe despised So a good husband will not take occasion to loue his wife lesse for her infirmities but comfort her more for them as this man did that she may beare with his infirmities too When Christ saith that a man should leaue father and mother and cleaue to his wife hee signifieth how Christ left his father for his spouse and that man doth not loue his wife so much as he should vntil he affect her more then euer he did his father or mother Therfore when God bad Abraham forsake all his kinred yet he bad him not forsake his wife as though the other sometime might be forsaken for God but the wife must be kept for God like a charge which bindeth for tearme of life His next dutie to loue is a fruit of his loue that is to let all things be common betweene them which were priuat before The man wife are partners like two oares in a boate therefore he must diuide offices and affaires and goods with her causing her to be feared and reuerenced and obeyed of her children and seruants like himselfe for she is an vnder officer in his Commonweale and therefore shee must bee assisted and borne out like his deputie as the Prince standeth with his magistrates for his owne quiet because they are the legs which beare him vp To shew this communitie betweene husband and wife he is to maintaine her as he dooth himselfe because Christ sayth They are no more two but one Therefore when hee mayntaineth her hee
We will not sinne therefore the heart of the godly is called a contrite heart but the heart the wicked is called a heart that cannot repent Beside as Christ cast out a legion of diuels at once so the godly would be purged of all their sinnes together but the wicked neuer consent to leaue all but as Naaman sayd Let the Lord spare me in this so euer hee excepteth one sinne which is his beloued sin like Herod which reformed many things yet would not leaue his brothers wife They are distinguished in Charitie for ye shall neuer see the wicked loue their enemies and therefore when the Pharisies could not loue their enemies they taught that men might hate their enemies and Christ speaking of Publicans and sinners exhorteth his Disciples not to loue like them because they loued none but their friends They are distinguished in Prayer for the wicked cannot praie therefore Dauid saith They call not vpon the Lord as if they had not the spirite of prayer and therefore Christ calleth their prayers babling for they thinke not of God when they speake vnto him They are distinguished in Patience no hypocrite can beare the Crosse but saith lyke Cain It is heauier than I can suffer but Paul and Silas sing in prison for a faithfull man would haue something to humble him reioyceth to beare his maisters markes because the wounds of a louer are sweete They are distinguished in the vse of aduersitie for this is a proper and peculiar mark of Gods children to profite by affliction and therefore we reade not in all the punishments of the wicked that one of them said like Dauid It is good for mee that I haue bene afflicted They are distinguished in Humilitie for the wicked are not hūbled before the crosse like Pharaoh that neuer sorrowed but when hee suffered but the Apostles learned humilitie of their Maister before their persecution came They are distinguished in their iudgement of the word for to the wicked it seemeth the hardest and simplest vnpleasantest booke that is and therefore Paul saith that it is foolishnes vnto them But to the godly it seemeth the wisest and eloquentest and sweetest and easiest booke of all other as though God did sodainely bring the vnderstanding of it to them as Iacob sayde of his venison according to that Hee that will doe his will shall know his doctrime They are distinguished in their Iudgement of God the wicked are persuaded now and then of Gods mercie for the present time while they feele it as the Iewes praised him alwaies when hee did as they woulde haue him but they cannot persuade themselues that God will be mercifull to them still like Iob which said Though the Lord kill mee yet will I trust in him therefore the hope of the righteous is called hope in death Beside if the wicked loue God it is but for his benefites as Saul loued him for his kingdome And this is alwaies to be noted that in the wicked the feare of hell is greater then is their hope of Heauen but in the faithfull the hope of heauen is greater then their feare of hell They are distinguished in their Delights for the sport of the vngodly is follie like Belshazzers and therefore when they are sicke or troubled they neuer runne to the Word for comfort as though Gods promises pertained not to them but to feasts or tables or tales or musicke as Saul did to the harpe But all the delights of the godlie are like Dauids daunce about the Arke they are neuer merrie but when they are dooing well nor at peace but when their praiers haue ouercome God like Iacob They are distinguished in their opinions of death for the faithfull long to bee dissolued although they might liue euer in continuall prosperitie yet they would not staie so long out of heauen but the wicked would neuer be dissolued because death comes alwaies vnto them like a iailor to hale vnto prison as Ahab sayd to Michaiah That he neuer prophesied good to him Hereby a man shall know whether hee haue faith for if hee doe beleeue the promises hee will be glad to receiue them They are distinguished in their sense of sinne Wicked men feele the lothsomnesse of their vices but none but the faithfull feele the defects of their righteousnesse The naturall man neuer complaineth of his good workes but vaunteth of them but a godly man findeth fault with his praiers and his almes and his watches like Isaiah that sayde his righteousnes was like a menstruous cloth As Christ met the tempter in the wildernesse a place of prayer and fasting and meditation so a godly man meeteth the tempter in his praiers and in his fasts and in his meditations that is he finds some lette or spotte or want in all his deuotions Therefore vnlesse thy righteousnesse mislike thee as well as thy prophanenes know that yet thou art no further than the wicked They are distinguished in their Endes for the children of God propose the glorie of God and leuell all their thoughts and speeches and actions as if they were messengers sent to carrie him presents of honor Thus did Dauid when hee sayd All that is within me praise the Lord. As though himselfe had rather bee without praise then his master but the children of the world set vp their owne glorie for their marke like Nabuchadnezzar which sayd For the honour of my Maiestie Dan. 4. 27. Therfore they speake and looke and walke as if they did say to their tongue and eyes and feet and apparell as Saul said to Samuel Honour me before this people Lastly they are distinguished in Perseuerance for the zeale of the wicked lasteth not and therefore God sayth They are soone turned out of the way but the zeale of the faithful was represented by the fire of the Temple which neuer went out By these differences thou maist see how much thou doost differ from the wicked or whether thou be of their band Then come to the third examination as the diuell tempteth thee to see what thou wilt do for him so thou must tempt thy self and get of thy soule what it would doe for God and what it would suffer for him which hath suffered death for it Therefore here we will set downe certain interrogatories wherof thou shalt examine it First whether thou hast the heart of Ioshua to worship God as boldlie as thou doest though all the world did renounce him and euerie one did mocke thee as they did Noah while he built the Arke Whether thou wouldst not denie Christ as Peter did if thou were in Peters straights and nothing to succour thee but thy policie Whether thou wouldst not steale if thou didst see a bootie as fit as Achan which thou mightest catch vp
they are but troubles not plagues nor cursses nor torments but like the trauels of a woman when the birth is ripe shee is deliuered and straight shee forgetteth all her paynes for ioye that a man child is borne into the world So the seruants of God trauell but till the fruits be ripe When the new man is borne their trauels are ended and they forget all their troubles because one is borne into the worlde like the sonne of God This is the difference between the afflictions of the righteous and the vngodly When GOD doth visite the wicked his punishments are called plagues and curses and destructions the plagues of Egypt the curse of Cain the destruction of Sodome But when he doth visite the righteous his punishments are called corrections chastisements and rods which proceed froÌ„ a father not to destroy vs but to trie vs and purge vs instruct vs therefore when we are afflicted one sayth that God letteth vs blood to saue our liues for our liues are rancke and must be lopped As Iacob was blessed and halted both at one time so a man may bee blessed and afflicted together Afflictions do not hinder our happinesse but our happinesse commeth by affliction as Iacobs blessing came with halting and as peace is procured by warre Therefore blessed are ye sayth Christ when men persecute you as though they were blessed euen while they were persecuted Therefore this must not dismay vs that the scripture sayth Many are the troubles of the righteous but rather reioyce vs hecause we beare the markes of the righteous Daniel complayneth not of his sicknesse but of his sinnes Who shall fight the Lords battailes but the Lordes seruaunts Therefore when Dauid spake of many troubles he pointed to the righteous as if he should say this is your share the rodde is made for the Childe Christ called the Crosse his cup. The seruant is beloued that drinkes of his Maisters cup Therefore Christ teacheth it to the righteous and bids none but his disciples take the Crosse euerie man which hath his heauen here dooth labour and sweate for his liuing and shal not they which haue their hell heere suffer more then they which haue their heauen heere All men are subiect to dangers and losses and sicknesse But all that beleeue in Christ sayth Paul shall suffâ—â— persecution That is more then dangers or losses or sicknesse which the wicked suffer for the worlde will not persecute her children but shee will persecute Gods Children therefore this church is called the militant church because it is alwayes in warfare Therefore the Gospell is called the worde of the Crosse as though it came to crosse vs Therefore Paul describing the way to heauen draweth by this line by many tribulations the Crosse way is the way to heauen and the righteous walke in it Therefore the Children of God are not only called labourers to shew what they should doe for God but they are called Souldiers to shew what they should suffer for GOD. The seruant is not aboue his master but if Christ should suffer and we should rest the seruant were aboue his Master The prophesie must be fulfilled I will put enmitie betweene the seede of the woman and the seede of the Serpent but if there be no war betweene the children of God and the children of the world the prophesie is not fulfilled Therefore Esau and Iacob had no sooner life but they began to struggle one with another before they came out of their mothers wombe Therfore Abraham was banished so soone as he receiued the promise Therefore Abell was enuied of his brother so soone as he was accepted of God The righteous man was alwayes like Lot among the Sodomites and like Sampson among the Philistines sette a worke by his enemies As Christ was no sooner borne but Herod sought his life so the new man is no sooner borne of the spirit but the serpent is ready to deuour him his brethren to banish him and hell to swallow him In all the worlde hee hath no friend but hee which made the world This is the state of the church militant she is like the Arke floating vpon the waters like a Lilly growing among thornes like the bush which burned with fire and was not consumed so the citie of God is alwayes besieged but neuer ruined Christians and persecutions close together like Christ and his Crosse As Christ was made to beare his owne crosse so they are made to holde their cheekes to the nippers their faces to be buffeted their backes to bee scourged their eyes to be pulled out their peace is persecution their rest labour their riches pouertie their glorie reproches their libertie imprisonment although they bee the sonnes of God the brethren of Christ the onely heires of heauen yet because they suffer their hell heere they must bee contented to be subiect to their enemies to bee abiects to their kinsmen to be hated of most to bee contemned of all to be persecuted ouer the earth a very hauen and receptacle of all troubles Yet as Christ was the sonne of God though his life was nothing but persecution so the righteous are the sonnes of God for all these troubles This is like a bayte in their iourney to thinke as the Samaritan told his hoast if thou spend any more I wil recompence thee wheÌ„ I come So Christ will mende their wages when he commeth Why shuld not God trie his friends as well as wee trie our friends the same afflictions saith Peter are accomplished in others naye greater afflictions are borne of other which woulde make vs dispayre like Caine Christ was consecrated by afflictions therefore we cannot be consecrated without afflictions who would not go to heauen with Eliah though it were in a whirlewind if our troubles be light and few it is because we are weake tender therefore God doth respect our feeblenes layeth no more vpon vs because wee are not able to beare more It is not a signe that we are righteous because our troubles are few but because our troubles are few it is rather a signe that wee are not righteous because Many are the troubles of the righteous For they must bee made examples of patience they must suffer their hell here they must be squared for the temple therefore they must haue manye strokes to make them fitte God is not like a Waspe which when shee hath stoong once cannot sting againe but there is a generation of crosses and a pluralitie of troubles When Dauid spake of trouble hee spake of troopes and heapes and stars and sands and therefore he saith Many as though hee were faine to lay them downe in the grosse sum because he could not reckon them By many tribulations saith Paul but how many he could not number For except our sinnes there is not such plenty of any thing in the world as
speake of daies but asked him how old he was yet he answered of daies to shew that not only his yeares but his daies were fewe Our fathers marueiling to see how sodainlie men are and are not compared life to a dreame in the night to a bubble in the water to a ship in the sea to an arrow which neuer resteth till it fall to a player which speaketh his part vpon the stage and straight he giueth place to another to a man which commeth to the market to buy one thing and sell another and then is gone home againe so the figure of this world passeth away This is our life while we enioy it we loose it as Iacob sayd that his daies had been fewe so wee may say that our daies shall be few Now why hath GOD appoynted such a short time to man in this world Surely least he should deferre to doe good as his manner is for though his life is so short yet he thinks it too long to repent The Prophet saith that our yeares are but threescore and ten as though this were but a little time to liue But why should we liue so long for if our life were but a yeare yet a yeare is more then we vse al the rest is lost for wee deferre till that weeke which we thinke will be last It is sayd of the diuell that he is busie because his time is short but the time of man is shorter and therefore Christ saith In this thy day as though no day could bee called thy daye but this daye and therefore all that thou hast to doe thou must doe this day Consider this all which trauell toward heauen had wee not neede to make hast which must goe such a long iourney in such a short time How can he choose but run which remembreth that euery day runneth away with his life The fourth poynt is our aptnesse to forget death rather then any thing els and therefore Moses praieth the Lord to teach him to number his daies as though they were still slipping out of his minde He which hath numbred our daies must teach vs to number our daies for when Moses prayeth the Lorde to teach him to number his daies he signifieth that he would very faine remember them but still his minde did turne from them and that he could not thinke vpon them longer then he thought on the Lord which taught him to number them such is the rebellion of our nature wee cannot remember that which wee should because we remēber so many things which we should forget How often doth the Scripture cal death to our minds Yet we read how they put the day of death from them would not remember it Salomon bids vs remember that we shal come to iudgement yet we reade how they pleade against the day of iudgement and syllogize to their sinnes That all things shall continue as they be because there hath been no chaunge yet euen so it is with vs as the foole saith in his hart there is no God so we say in our hearts there is no death or at least death will not come before we bee old Of al numbers we cannot skill to number our daies we can number our sheepe our oxen our coyn but we think that our daies are infinite therfore we neuer go about to number thē We can number other mēs daies and yeres think they wil die ere it be long if we see them sick or sore or old but we can not nūber our own When two ships meet on the sea they which are in one ship thinke that the other ship doth saile exceeding fast but that their ship goeth faire and softly or rather stādeth stil although in truth one ship saileth as fast as the other so euery man thinkes that other post and run and flye to the graue but that himselfe standeth stocke still although indeede a yeare with him is no longer then it is with other beside that we are giuen to forget death wee striue to forget it like them which say we may not remember Teach me to number my daies nay teach me to multiplie my daies teach me to remember death nay teach me to prolong death or if I cannot prolong death teach me to forget death that I may sinne without feare for the remembrāce of death maketh a man to sinne fearefully takes away the pleasure of sinne Therefore if ye mark there is a kind of men which cannot abide to heare of death they are sick with the name of it the reason is Achab cannot abide Michaiah because hee neuer prophecied good vnto him but euill so death neuer prophecied good to the wicked but euill for which they cannot abide it Therefore as Pharaoh bad Moses goe out of his sight so they bid death goe out of their sight and say when he comes as Achab said to Eliah Art thou here my enemie whē they should say welcome my frend For as the diuels thought Christ was come to tormēt them so the vngodly think that death comes to tormēt them Is it peace when they see death they doubt it is not peace because they neuer loued the God of peace O that I could bring you into their hearts that yee might see more then tongue can expresse for I doe not thinke that any Epicure or worldling or Nonresident haue any ioy to thinke of death or desire to be dissolued but rather that hee might neuer bee dissolued because death coms to the wicked like a iayler which comes alwaies to hale vnto prison therefore their care is not to remember death that they might apply their hearts to wisedome but to forget death lest they should apply their harts to wisedome and loose their pleasures before the time for he which is not purposed yet to leaue his sinnes would not be troubled with any thought that might make him take his pleasure fearefully least he should leaue sinne before sinne leaue him Therefore the diuell doth neuer teach a man to number his daies because he gains by the forgetfulnes of death but the Lord which would haue a man to applie his heart to wisedome it is he which teacheth vs to number our daies and therfore Moses praieth vnto him because we pray not vnto him as he did to teach vs to number our daies therefore we die like wormes before we be aware So farre we are from that which he shooteth at to apply his heart to wisedome that we are not in the way vnto it that is to remēber that wee shall die The last poynt is the cause why Moses would learne to number his daies that he might apply his heart to wisedome as if he should say vntill men think vpon death they neuer applie their hearts to wisedom but busie themselues with worldly matters as though they were fethering a nest that should neuer be pulled down Wisedom hath alwaies carried that shew of excellencie that the
as Cham displayed his nakednesse as if he would say come and see the strength of man Hee which was counted so righteous hee which beleeued the threatning like Lot when the rest mocked he to whom al the foules of the ayre and the beastes of the earth flocked in couples as they came to Adam He which was reserued to declare the iudgemeÌ„ts of God and to begin the world againe Noah the example of sobrietie the example of moderation is ouercome with drinke as if hee had neuer been the man How easily how quicâ—ly the iust the wise the prudent hath lost his sence his memorie his reason as though he had neuer been the man And how hard it is to auoyd sinne when occasion is at hand and pleasant opportunitie tempteth to sinne It is easier for the bird to go by the net than to breake the net so it is easier for a man to auoyde temptations then to ouercome temptations Therefore God forbad Balaam not only to curse the people as Balaac would haue him but he forbad him to goe with Balaacs seruants knowing that if he went with them and sawe the pompe of the court and heard the King himselfe speake vnto him and felt the tickling reward it would straine his conscience and make him doubt whether he should curse or blesse Peter but warming himselfe at Caiphas fire was ouercome by a silly damsell to doo that which hee neuer thought euen to forsweare his Lord God therefore Daniel would not eate of the Kings meate least hee should bee tempted to the Kings will shewing vs that there is no way to escape sinne but to auoyd occasion Therefore Dauid prayeth Turne away mine eyes from vanitie as though his eyes would draw his heart as the baite tilleth on the hooke Noah thought to drink he thought not to be drunke but as hee which commeth to the fielde to sound the Trumpet is slaine as soone as he which commeth to fight so the same wine distempereth Noah which hath distempered so many since Where he thought to take his reward taste the fruite of his owne hands God set an euerlasting blot vpon him which sticks fast till this day like a bar in his armes so long as the name of Noath is spoken of that we cannot reade of his vertue but wee must reade of his sinne whereby euerie man is warned to receiue the gifts of God reuerently to vse them soberly and to sanctifie himselfe before he reach forth his hand vnto them that they may comfort and profite vs with that secret blessing that God hath hid in them or else euery thing the best gifts of God may hurt vs as this pleasant wine stayned and confounded the great Patriarch when hee delighted too much in it which hee might haue drunke as Christ did at the last Supper and this disgrace had neuer beene written in his storie but God would haue a fearefull example like the piller of Salt to stand before those beasts whose onely strife is to make triall who can quaffe deepest and shew all their valiantnesse in wine Because there is such warning before vs now we haue the drunkard in schooling I will spend the time that is left to shew you the deformity of this sin if any heare me which haue bin ouertaken with it let him not maruel why he cannot loue his enemies which loueth such an enemy as this which leadeth til he reeleth duls him till hee bee a foole and stealeth away his sence wit his memory his health his credit his friends and when shee hath stripped him as bare as Noah then shee exposeth him like Noah to Cham all that see him do mocke him it is wonder almost that any man should be drunke that hath seene a drunkard before swelling and pussing and foming and spuing and groueling like a beast for who would be like a beast for all the world Looke vpon the drunkard when his eies stare his mouth driuels his tongue faulters his face flames his handes tremble hys feete reele how vglie how monstrous how loathsome doth he seeme to thee so loathsome dost thou seeme to others when thou art in like taking And how loathsome then doost thou seeme to God Therfore the first law which Adam receiued of God was abstinence which if hee had kept he had kept all vertues beside but intemperancie lost all In abstinence the law came to Moses he fasted when he receiued it to shew that they which receiue the word of God receiue it soberly A temperate man seldome sinneth because the flesh which dooth tempt is mortified least it should tempt but when the handmaid is aboue the mistres and a man hath lost the Image of God and scarce retayneth the image of man all his thoughts and speeches and actions must needs be sinne and nothing but sinne because sobrietie the bond of vertue is broken which kept all together When didst thou want discretion to consider When didst thou want patience to forgiue When didst thou waÌ„t coÌ„tinencie to refraine When didst thou want hart to pray but when sobrietie is fled away and intemperancie filled her roome If shame let to sinne it casteth out sinne if feare let to sinne it casteth out feare if loue let to sinne it expulseth loue if knowledge let to sinne it expulseth knowledge like a couetous Land-lord which would haue all to himselfe and dwell alone There is no sinne but hath some shew of vertue onely the sinne of drunkennes is like nothing but sinne there is no sin but although it hurt the soule it beautifieth the body or promiseth profite or pleasure or glory or something to his seruants onely drunkennesse is so impudent that it descryeth it selfe so vnthankful that it maketh no recompence so noysome that it consumeth the body which many sinnes spare least they should appeare to bee sinnes Euery sinne defileth a man but drunkennesse makes him like a beast euery sinne defaceth a man but drunkennesse taketh away the image of a man euery sinne robbeth a man of some vertue but drunkennesse stealeth away all vertues at once euery sinne deserueth punishment but drunkennesse vpbraids a man while the wine 〈◊〉 in his stomacke and though hee would dissemble his drunkennesse yet hee is not able to set a countenance of it but the childe descryeth him the foole knowes that he is drunke because his face bewraieth him like the leprosie which burst out of the forehead so worthily hath he lost the opinion of sobrietie which hath lost it selfe His sonne thinkes himselfe more maister now than his father his seruant makes him a foole his children leades him like a childe his wife vseth him like a seruant and although his drunkennes leaueth him when he hath slept yet no man seckes to him for counsell after no man regards his word no man reckons of his iudgment no man is perswaded by his counsell no man accounts of his learning no man hath any glorie to accompany with him but so soone as
men and by consequence that he compasseth good men The diuell is like an Archer and man is his marke and temptations are his arrowes As Peter is called a fisher of mē so the diuell may be called a hunter of men for of all creatures his enuie is onely to men because man was made to serue GOD and inherite the ioyes which hee hath lost therefore he is called no slear but a manslear When there are no men vpon earth then the diuell will compasse the earth no more Secondly he assaulteth all men like Ismael which was against al. It is said of Saul and Dauid Saul hath slaine his thousand and Dauid his tenne thousand but if you put in Satan you may set vp the number and say Satan hath slaine his hundred thousand As there is a legion of men so there is a legion of diuels that as they said Peters angell so they may say Peters diuell for Christ would not haue called Peter Satan if Satan had not backed him as death killeth all so the diuell tempteth all when hee hath Eue hee hunteth for Adam when he hath Adam he hunteth for Caine as the father was tempted so must the sonnes as the mother was tempted so must her daughters Euery man but Christ may say I haue been ouercome but Christ himselfe cannot say I haue not been tempted In the Spanish Inquisition the Protestants are examined but the Papists slip by but in the diuels Inquisitiō Papist and Protestant and Atheist and Puritane all are examined He is not a captaine of forties nor of fifties nor of sixties nor of hundreds but hee is Generall ouer all which fight not vnder Christs banner he possessed the two Gergesites which were men he possessed Mary which was a woman he possessed the mās son which was a child Nimrod is called a mightie Hunter which killed beasts but this is a mighty hunter which killed Nimrod himself God keep vs out of his chase Thirdly he warreth against the righteous euē because they are righteous as God makes the barren fruitfull the fruitfull to beare more fruite so the diuell would haue them serue him which serue him not and they which serue him to serue him more therfore as the Grāt encoūtred with Dauid so the diuel encoūtred with Dauid and with Dauids Lord he which gaue him leaue here to tempt Iob was after tēpted himselfe although the net brake and the bird escaped yet as he tempted Christ thrise together and as he desired to sift Peter more then other so they that follow Christ and are like Peter are sifted more then other For this viper is like the viper which seased vpon Paul Among many which stood by the fire the viper chose out Paul and lighted vpon him before all the rest so if one bee holier then another this viper will battaile with him and there is great reason why the godly are tempted more then the wicked because the wicked are his seruants and doe tempt others As he tempteth all men so he tempteth to all sinnes for hell and the diuell are alike therefore as hel is neuer filled with sinners so the diuell is neuer filled with sinnes and therfore when he had made Peter deny his master once he made him deny him twise and when he had made him denie him twise hee made him deny him thrise For this cause our sinnes are counted amongst those things which are infinite because the diuell and our flesh meet together euery day to ingender newe sinnes All the diuels riches is in baytes hee hath a packe full of othes for euery one which will sweare a pack full of lyes for euery one which will deceiue a pack full of excuses for euery one which will dissemble As he dooth goe through the streetes into euery shoppe he casts a short measure or a false balance as hee passeth by the Tauernes hee sets dissention betwixt friends as he passeth by euerie Inne hee casts a payre of Cardes and a payre of Dice and a payre of Tables as hee passeth by the Courtes and findes the Lawyers at the barre hee casts among them false euidences forged writings and counterfeite seales Thus in euery place where he comes like a foggie mist he leaues an euill sauour behinde him The murmuring of Moses the dissimulation of Abraham the idolatrie of Aaron the incest of Lot the dronkennes of Noah the adulterie of Dauid the flight of Ionah the deniall of Peter name Satan thou hast named the very spawne of all sinnes which with his taile plucked downe the starres from heauen How many hate their enemies friends too and yet imbrace this enemie because he kisseth when he betrayeth as though he would not betray Auarice saith I will make thee amiable tyrannie saith I will make thee dreadfull sloth saith I will make thee beautifull vanitie saith I will make thee merrie prodigalitie sayth I will make thee beloued So the poore sinner stands distract how he may follow all sins at once seeking grapes of thistles and roses of thornes As he tempteth to all sinnes so he tempteth by all meanes for the name of a compasser doth import a cunning tempter There is craft in compassing the Hunter maketh a raile about the Deere as though he would gard thē when he meaneth to take some of them the Fowler goeth about the bird as if he did not see her when he comes to snare her If men haue so many sleights to compasse their matters how can the compasser himselfe hold his fingers if the Serpents seed be so subtil what doe you thinke of the old serpent who hath been learning his trade euer since the creation If mens trades may be called crafts the diuels trade may be called craft Herod is called a fox but this fox taught him his subtiltie this is he that prepared flatterers for Rehoboam which prepared lyers for Ahab which prepared concubines for Salomō which prepared Sorcerers for Pharao which prepared witches for Saul which prepared wine for Benhadab which prepared gold for Achan which prepared a ship for Ionas which prepared a rope for Haman he goeth not about for nothing But this is the first tricke of his compassing he marks how euery man is inclined what he loues what he hateth what he feares what he wants when he hath the measure of his foot then he fits him Aske what you will heere is he which offered the whole world What shall Ionah stay for want of a ship nay here is a ship go flie from the Lord shall Esau stay for want of broth nay here is a messe of broth go and sell thy birth-right shal Iudas stay for want of thirty pence nay here are thirtie pence goe and betray thy master shall Pilate stay for want of an halter nay here is an halter goe and hang thy selfe The Tyrant shall not want a flatterer the and Apostles as they followed Christ lest following that which they repented wee sustaine or suffer that which they