talke with their parents and feele a feruent desire to be soone there euen so we if we remember that in heauen we haue treasures of eternall riches an vndefiled inheritance immortall and incorruptible which is reserued for vs a heauenly father that loueth vs in his welbeloued son our elder brother Iesus Christ in glory the angels holy spirits in ioy and that wee their fellow burgesses haue our portion in all these goods and are euen vpon the point to be really in heauen with them why should we not be rauished with a feruent desire to be lifted vp thether and with S. Paul to say I couet to be dissolued and to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 what letteth vs when wee feele how hardly wee are entreated and what mortall wounds our soules doe daylye receiue by offending God through their corruptions to say with S. Paul Rom. 7.24 O wretched men that we are who shall deliuer vs from this body of death Shall not the very feeling of so grieuous and so many bodily afflictions whereto we are subiect in this strange land cause vs seruently to pray to be deliuered from the same 2. Cor. 5. 1. especially considering that we know as S. Paul saith that when the earthly habitation of this lodge is destroyed wee haue a building in God euen an euerlasting house in the heauens which is not made with mans hand And in this respect we that abide in these earthly dwellinges doe groane vnder our burdens for we desire to bee clothed with our habitation which is in heauen as knowing that remaining vpon earth wee are absent from the Lord for we doe walke in saith and not by sight albeit we trust loue rather to be estranged from this body and to dwell with the Lord. 7 Howbeit attending vntill we may be really there both in body and soule let vs be there in spirit let vs be conuersant in heauen and begin to feele the felicity wherof we shall hereafter haue full and perfect fruition in this conuersation with God with the angels and with the holy spirits let vs more and more learne the language and maners of heauen to the end wee may resemble the angels saints there dwelling When Moses had conuersed with God forty daies vpon the mountaine Exod. 34.29 at his comming downe his face shined and glistered with the heauenly glorye so will it bee with vs by then we haue for twenty or thirty yeares bene conuersant in heauen we shall become heauenlye and spirituall both in worde and deed euen as by experience wee see that when a countryman hath dwelled some twenty or thirty yeares in the Court he forgetteth his country speech and course of life and groweth to be as good a courtier as if he were borne in the Court Our earthly talke and communication our worldly course of life and the corruptions of the flesh that beare but too much swaye in vs doe but ouer manifestlye shew how little we are conuersant in heauen and consequently doe testifie that we account our selues Burgesses of earth and not of heauen That wee may therefore amend let vs continually thinke that heauen is our true countrey that wee are Burgesses thereof that there we haue our parents and blessed brethren the treasures of ioye and glory an immortall and incorruptible enheritance and that we are at the very point of going thither to take possession as in truth wee doe euery houre looke for the time of our departure let this holye meditation make vs to conuerse in heauen and to liue as heauēly people setting our harts vpon our treasure let it euen make vs to forsake the speeche habit fashions and manners of those among whom wee are for a short time strangers that we may enure our selues to the language and holy life of the burgesses of heauen and angels with whom we shall liue for euer Let it withdraw our affections from all that we must leaue at our departure out of this forrain country least otherwise we lose the incomprehensible goods that are prepared for vs in our heauenly and eternal country let it cause vs to renounce al that might detaine vs in this country replenished with misery and calamity that cheerefully we may aspire to our country which aboundeth in ioy glory and al felicity Let it enforce vs to say with Dauid Woe is me that I remaine in Mesech Psal 120.5 and dwell in the tentes of Keder That is to say among barbarous nations that loue not the Burgesses of heauen let the hard vsage of the prince of this world in this strange country make vs to couet to liue among the blessed Cittizens of the kingdome of heauen let all our thoughtes words cōmunication testifie that in spirit we are already there yea let all our works be preparatiues and pathes to lead vs therinto and to these ends let vs ouercome all that might break of or hinder our so happy iourney from earth to heauen 8 We must moreouer remember that we are pilgrimes and trauellers and therefore for the attaining to the place whereto wee are trauelling wee must beware of three points First of turning backe againe Secondly of turning either to the right hand or to the lefte Thirdly of standing still The offending of God and transgressing his commaundementes is a going backe againe for as in walking after his woorde and in his feare wee goe to God to heauen and to euerlasting life so by sinning in liewe of going forwarde wee slippe backe and drawe toward death as we haue before more at large declared We cannot therefore turne backe that is to saye offend God but with this condition that wee shall fall into ruine and euerlasting perdition much like vnto him who flying from his enemies that pursue him in liewe of sauing himselfe in some towne turneth backe towardes them and so putteth himselfe into their handes neither are we without many and mighty enemies that pursue vs and labour to make vs to turne backe by offending God and these must wee fight against Deerely beloued saith the Apostle Saint Peter 1. Pet. 2.11 I beseech you as strangers and pilgrimes abstayne from fleshly lustes which fight against the soule Let vs diligently note that hee heere saith not against our goods to rob vs of them neither against our bodies to murder vs but against our soules to induce thē to offend God so to drawe them into euerlasting damnation And heereof haue we a notable example in the person of Iob Iob. 1. he was a iust man one that feared God and eschewed euill and so walked in the waye to heauen but Satan would withstand him and therefore commenced warre against his soule but how true it is he seemed as if he would haue fought against his goods in causing them to bee taken away against his children in procuring their death and against his body in vexing it most cruelly yet was it properly the soule that he assaulted as himselfe
the vessells of mercie which hee hath prepared to glorie To be short hee teacheth vs that the declaration of his wrath agaynst sinne and consequently of his holynesse and iustice in punishing the same also of his power and authoritie to dispose of his creatures as hee will and lastly of his great mercie to the elect do all serue to the manifesting of the glorie of God As nothing therefore doth better beseeme God than the manifesting of his glorie so for the iustifying of God and the shutting of the passage agaynst all such blasphemies it sufficeth with the Apostle Saint Paul to maintaine that his glorie shineth in his mercie to the elect in his iustice against the vessels of wrath prepared to perdition and in his power and authoritie to dispose of his creatures as hee wyll For such as are not content wyth this reason doo shew themselues to bee enemies to the glorie of God Besides that this phrase of speech which hee heere vseth when hee sayeth Who is it doeth shew that in whatsoeuer God doth for the manifesting of his glorie man is not to murmure or replie especially considering that it was and is the purpose of all Gods workes Prou. 16.4 For hee hath made all things for himselfe sayth Salomon euen the wicked for the daie of his calamitie 15 The same Apostle in another place verie notablie confirmeth the premises saying God hath shut vp all in vnbeleefe Rom. 11.32 that hee might haue mercie on all The purpose of Saint Paule in this place is to shew that the Gentiles were vnbeleeuers euen vntill the resurrection of Iesus Christ and the Iewes after it to the ende that the Gentiles beeing conuerted by the preaching of the Gospell might confesse that hauing so long remayned in vnbeleefe plunged in idolatrie and giuen ouer to all wickednesse Ephe. 2 1◠euen as Saint Paul sayth without Christ without God and without hope It was vndoubtedly a worke of meere wonderfull mercie of God to receiue graft them into the Church by preaching of the Gospell Likewise that the Iewes after their incredulitie which hath now continued aboue fifteene hundred yeeres receiuing the Gospell whensoeuer it shall please God to call them thereto may also confesse that theyr saluation proceedeth neither from the worthines of theyr ancestors neyther from the merites of their works but from the soueraigne and meere mercie of God Beholde here a number both Iewes and Gentiles reprobates vesselles of wrath whome God hath shut vp in rebellion and vnbeleefe in whose iust perdition Gods mercie shal the more shine vpon a small number of his elect If anie man list heereat to take occasion to murmure in that hee cannot comprehend Gods iudgements let him with Dauid remember that they are wonderfull deepe And in lieu of labouring and seeking to finde out the reason of them let him in maintenance of Gods iustice with Saint Paul crie out and saie O the deepnes of the riches Psal 36.7 both of the knowledge and of the wisedome of God! How vnsearchable are his iudgements and his wayes past finding out For who hath knowen the minde of the Lord or who was his Counsellor Or who hath giuen vnto him first Rom. 11.33 and hee shall bee recompenced For of him and thorough him and for him are all thinges to him bee glorie for euer Amen Heere wee see how the Apostle by the tenour of this exclamation beating down the pride rash presumptiō of man teacheth vs to containe our selues in all sobrietie modestie and humilitie in the sight of God to reuerence his iudgements which hee hath sayd to bee incomprehensible In our selues to feele that there is in God a depth of wisedome which swalloweth vp mans vnderstanding to confesse that he is not bound to his creature to acknowledge that it is not possible for vs to comprehend his waies and finally that in this wonderful worke we must glorifie God for euer How horrible therefore are the blasphemies of those that dare accuse God of iniquitie and vniustice because hee openeth not vnto them the treasures of this heauenly wisdome wherby they may vnderstand the reasons of his incomprehensible iudgements workes waies which cannot possibly be found out 14 The prophet Esaie rehearseth that hee receiued from God this commandement Go saie vnto this people ye shall heare in deed but ye shall not vnderstand Esay 6.9 ye shall plainly see and not perceiue Make the heart of this people fat make their eares heauie shut their eies least they see with their eies and heare with their eares and vnderstand with their hearts and conuert and he heale thē This is a commandement that seemeth verie strange for it doth not only foreshew the hardning of the heart of the Iewes and consequently their destruction but also that preaching shall be the occasion to blind them and to harden their hearts Shal we therefore saie that God is the author of their hardnes blindnes sin and destruction that proceed therof God forbid And therefore note what S. Paul said to the vnbeleeuing Iewes It was necessarie the word of God should first haue bene spoken to you Acts 13.46 but seeing ye put it from you and iudge your selues vnworthie of euerlasting life loe we turn to the Gentiles Moreouer wherefore hath God wrought in the harts of some by his holy spirit giuen ouer others to hardnesse of heart and blindnesse True it is that as a iust iudge he hath punished the wickednes of vnbeleeuers in hardning them yet must we ascend to the eternall decree of God who hath elected those whom he would to conuert them giuen ouer the others to be hardned Now albeit thou canst not vnderstand why he hath chosen those rather than the other why he causeth the doctrine of saluation to be preached to some with such efficacie of his holy spirit that thereby they do conuert beleeue but vnto others without any efficacy of his spirit wherby they harden thēselues so increase their condēnatiō also how God hardneth yet is no author of the hardnes of hart either of the sins that thereof doo proceed yet see thou reuerence the incomprehensible iudgements of God and consider what went before this commandement giuen vnto Esaie Esay 6. Hee saith that hee sawe the Lorde sitting vpon an high throane and lifted vp and the lower parts therof filled the temple The Seraphims stood ouer it couering their faces with two wings and crying one to another Holy holy holy Lord God of hoasts the whole world is ful of his glorie This teacheth vs to humble our selues before this holy most holy one and to reuerence the iudgements of this king that sitteth vpon the throne Iohn 12. 42 as most holy and most righteous and in the execution whereof shineth his glorie Whereuppon Saint Iohn hauing alleadged this sentence of Esaie touching the blinding and hardning of the Iewes expresly doeth note that the Prophet spake
the purpose of his creation referring to himselfe his essence life feeling vnderstaÌ„ding He manifestly seeth that among al other cretures ther is not any created for it self but to serue other yet himself being endued with vnderstanding is so folish as to think that he is created not for any greater then himselfe but euen for himselfe onely 3 To the end therefore that we may Amend our liues we must be better aduised and vnderstand wherefore we liue The holy Scripture teacheth vs that there are three principall ends of mans life First that he should glorifie God Secondly that hee should attaine to life euerlasting And thirdly that he should referre euery part of his vocation to the seruice of God But as the knowledge of God is a requisit necessary directioÌ„ of our liues to these three ends so are we especially to exercise employ our liues in the knowledge of God to the end that knowing him we may referre our liues to the ends aforesaid As concerning the first and soueraine dutie which is to glorifie God it consisteth in this That with our mouthes we confesse in our works we doe shew that in our harts we accompt him to be as he is as he declareth himselfe towards vs. This doth S. Peter teach vs where hee saith that We should shew forth both in words and workes 1. Pet. 2.9 The vertues of him that hath called vs out of darknesse into his maruailous light But what are these vertues That hee is a God almightie all good all wise mercifull holy righteous and true As Dauid where he exhorteth all men to praise God for a reason why addeth Psal 117. For his mercy is multiplyed vpon vs and his truth endureth for euer That for the glorifying of God we must in our hearts acknowledge in our words confesse and in our deeds declare him to be the same as hee is it appeareth by the foure principall points wherein the seruice and glorifying of God doth consist and where to the same may be referred namely that we repose our whole confidence in him that we obey him according to his will that we call onely vpon him in all our necessities and that we acknowledge al goodnesse to come from him This ought to be the principall end of our life 4 God hath set open two most large schooles wherein hee reuealeth himselfe vnto vs that we may glorifie him as is aforesaid First the creation of the world Secondly the redemption wrought by Iesus Christ As touching the creation God where hee might haue contented himself with his glory which he had from al eternitie vouchsafed notwithstanding to reueale himselfe to man to the end that he knowing him might confesse and magnifie him He therefore created man to his owne Image and likenesse to the end that by the beames of his brightnesse holinesse righteousnesse and truth together with the dominion vnto him graunted ouer al creatures he might be led to the knowledge of the son of righteousnesse goodnesse holinesse wisedome and power to loue him to put his trust in him to obey his will to call vpon him to acknowledge that all goodnesse proceedeth from him and so to glorifie him And whereas notwithstanding the fall of man God neuerthelesse doth communicate with vs causing vs to feele the wonderfull effects of his goodnesse wisedome and power continually and in all seasons withall Act. 17.21 considering that in him onely we are we liue and wee haue our motion It were a most monstrous case that we should not referre to his glory our knowledge and feeling of him which we gather in the communication of so many his graces whereof he is both author and preseruer 5 Moreouer the creation of man was as it were his triumphant entrie into this godly pallace of the world built only for him to the end that the continual contemplâ—tion of the wisedome goodnesse and power of God shining in the frame of this world might be to him a continuall argument to know and glorifie the creator thereof Rom. 1.19 And this doth Saint Paul note saying What soeuer may bee knowen of God is manifest in man For the inuisible things of him that is his eternall power and Godhead are seene by the creation of the world being considered in his workes There to adding that men by the same neither knowing nor glorifying God as God should bee without excuse Heerein manifestly declaring that the creation and building of the world ought to draw vs in dutie to know and glorifie God And because God principally sheweth his power and wisedome in the heauens the same are many times called the throne and habitation of the highest Esa 66.1 Act 7.48 Psal 19.2 In that sence doth Dauid say The heauenâ— declare the glory of God as most apparently shining in them and proceeding forward in this matter he attributeth to theÌ„ a speech heard and vnderstood throughout the world wherby they preach this glory of God Too great therefore is our ingratitude if making our selues dease we will not heare these heuenly heroulds when they summon vs to acknowledge and glorifie God in them and with them Psal 19.4 6 To this purpose this also is worthie the noting That God where he might haue created the world in one day did neuerthelesse employ sixe dayes distinctly as it were to giue vs leasure to contemplate the worke of euery day Gen. 1. Moreouer that to the creation of euery daies worke himselfe gaue testimonie that it was good What ingratitude is it in vs if we shall not both diligently contemplate his workes and getting a tast of the wisedome and goodnesse of God in the same yeeld vnto him al glory and praise Sith therefore that he hath created vs for his glory and the world to be a mirrour to behold the same also that we can not liue but that continually we must both see and feele in Gods creatures his power wisedome and infinite goodnesse toward vs the principall end of our liues ought in the creation of vs to his image and the framing of the world for our vse to teach vs more and more to know God that we may serue and glorifie him 7 The second point which yeeldeth yet greater knowledge of God and more strictly bindeth vs to glorifie him is the contemplation of our redemption accomplished in Iesus Christ Colos 1.15 and of our regeneration the blessed fruite of the same Christ is called the image of the inuisible God yet not in respect onely of his diuinitie but also of his humanitie What a representation of Gods wisedome doth there shine in the vnion of his humaine nature with his diuinitie that in one person there may be together very God and very man What a testimonie of Gods holinesse is his dislike of sinne and his iustice to punish it sith to exempt vs from the punishment due to our sinnes hee laide the same and with all rigour executed it vpon his
is denyed except we also practise our selues in refusing it and withall take no pleasure when it is offered vs. Yet contrarywise it is seldome seene sayeth Cicero that anie man after some notable exploit or peece of worke forbeareth to craue commendation and glorie In his familiar Epistles as a reward of his labours and himselfe beeing of the same stampe by his Letters desireth a friend of his to write the historie of his dooinges and therein somewhat to his prayse for sayth hee my selfe am also somewhat couetous of glorie Alexander the great estemed Achilles blessed because he had Homer Plutarch in his life Cicero in his Orat. for Archias Plutarch in his lyfe an excellent Poet the recorder of his deeds and glorie Themistocles shewed no lesse ambition when beeing demaunded in what voyce he was most delighted He answered In the same that most commendeth my vertues In concurrence whereof beeing on a time at the famous exercises of Olympus where the people casting theyr eies froÌ„ the wrastlers vpon him as not satisfied with his sight pointed also to him and shewed him to straungers with testimonie of great applause he so liked of that glorie that speaking to his friendes he sayd that that daie hee had reaped the fruit and rewarde of all his paynes and trauayles for Greece We see also euen in little children the draughts beginning of this vainglorie they wyll leape they wyll hoppe vppon one legge they wyll endeauour to reade well they wyll shew theyr writing and will greatly reioyce in praise and commendation Let a man tell them that they bee fayre or wise or that they haue a gaie coate and so foorth they wyll euen bee proude of it To be short there is no man but loueth to bee praised And that is the reason that when a man deserueth to bee reprooued there must bee longe excuses the blame must consist in few wordes and those sweete for feare of offending but in matter of praise and commendation it must bee spoken freely and wyth open throate there shall neede no intreatie to take it in good woorth wee know that wee shall bee welcome and haue free audience yet can wee take no pleasure in such commendations without sacriledge against God in that thereby wee accepte and receiue the glorie to our selues which is due to him onely Neuerthelesse what Christian is there Plut. in his Lacaâ—nicals that hateth to bee praysed and commended The verie Heathen doo heerein shame vs As among others Theopompus who when hee hearde that there were certayne honours decerned vnto him by publyke authoritie in liew of reioycing thereat hee wrote that Time woulde increase honours and wealth and abate such as were superabundant The lyke modestie dyd Socrates shew for when hee heard a certayne discourse of Plato tending highly to his commendations hee cryed out saying Oh what a number of vntruths doeth this young man reporte of me And so would not in anie wise allow of such commendations 10 Christians in duetie ought not onely to ensue this modestie and to reiect such glorie as maye bee attributed to them but aso to declare vnto whome it appertayneth that it may bee giuen where it ought As Saint Peter when hee had cured the lame man and sawe the people meruayle thereat sayde Yee men of Israel why meruaile yee at this Act 3. Or why looke yee so steadfastly an vs as though by our power and godlynesse wee haue made this man goe This myracle hath beene wrought by faith in Iesus Christ and therefore the praise and glorie thereof belongeth to him and not to vs. Paule and Barnabas proceede farther for seeing that for healing a lame man at Listra the Licaonians thought them to bee Gods and woulde haue offered sacrifices vnto them they in great horror rent theyr garments and sharplye reprouing them tolde them that the praise and glorie thereof belonged to God onely and to him must be giuen 11 Of this second point of arrogancie and pride proceedeth such griefe and sorrowe as wee take when wee are defrauded of the honour glorie and reputation which wee pretende and looke for at the handes of others Hester 3 Haman mentioned in the historie of Hester seeing that Mardocheus would not stoope and bowe to doo to him like honour as others did grewe into such wrath and rage that hee practised the death of the sayde Mardocheus together with all the Iewes that dwelled within the hundred and seuen and twentie prouinces of king Assuerus Another most horrible example we haue in the person of Achitophel who beeing taken to bee the wisest and grauest counsellor among the Iewes in his time 2. Sam. 17 seeing that Absalon had preferred the counsaile of Chusay the Arachite before his being vnable to brooke that abasement of his glorie and reputation for despite went and hanged himselfe Pelaretus a Lacedemonian though a Heathen practised a cleane contrarie vertue Plutarch in his Apotheg for seeing himselfe not chosen to bee one of the three hundred this was a dignity of honor at Sparta was so far from grieuing thereat that he made publike demonstration of great contentment and ioy and when the Ephori meruailing thereof demanded his reason Hee tolde them that hee reioyced at the good of the common wealth because he saw there were three hundred better and more worthy to gouerne than him selfe Where shall wee finde one Christian heart that so loueth his common wealth as that hee wyl reioyce to see many preferred before him in dignitie and honour as beeing thereby perswaded that they may bee more vertuous and profitable to the common wealth than himselfe 12 The third kinde of Ambition is vaine boasting or presumption as when a man speaketh or doeth anie thing to the ende to seeme to haue more than hee hath and to be that which he is not Some there are so ambitious foolish in this point that the lesse they haue whereof to bragge the more they boast themselues and so theyr bragges are as testimonies of theyr ignorance want and miserie When the shadowes of our bodies grow great it is a signe that the Sunne beginneth to depart from vs and in like manner it is an argument whereby to proue that vertue decaieth when presumption augmenteth As full vessells make small noise when they yeeld a great sound it is a signe they be emptie euen so vain glorie and much boast is a token of small vertue As also the poor pedlers that haue but theyr packs doo in euerie market shewe all that they haue when the great marchants doo make but some smal shew of the marchandise whereof they haue great plentie so doo these men by their boasting declare themselues to bee deuoyd of that whereof they set the greatest face and so depriue themselues of the glorie that they seeke for and so it falleth out with them in manner as wee ordinaryly see that the shadowe flyeth from those that runne after it and followeth
those that flie frō it Also as the eares of corne that hang theyr heads are ordinarily wel taken and full and those that stand vpright do make vs to thinke that there is little in them so they that walke in humilitie and exalte not themselues neither seeke for glorie are most endued with vertue and other commendable qualities when contrarywise the greate boasters by theyr proude speeches doo shew themselues deuoyde of the same Experience also teacheth that as the vallies are ordinarily fruitfull so the hills the higher they are the more is theyr barrennesse Let these men therefore no longer deceiue both the world and themselues neyther let them bee such fooles as to bee content wyth the false apparance and no effect Let them endeauour to bee in deede that which they would seeme to bee namely wise holie and vertuous otherwise wee may liken them to such as couet rather the name of a king than the kingdome or to bee king in deede Withal let them remember that as such impudencie and boasting is intollerable among men so when it is practised in matter concerning the seruice of God it is no lesse than detestable hypocrisie in his sight 13 We haue alreadie declared that ambition and desire to bee mightie together with such arrogancie and pride as maketh man to glorie of himselfe to reioyce when glory is giuen vnto him and to grieue when it is denied him taken from him or diminished are common faultes and deeply rooted in mens heartes and wythall very dangerous as also is boasting as when a man seeketh to seem to be more thā he is or more than he hath What more is ther now to bee done but that as Iesus Christ exhorteth vs to amend so to the end to obey him wee consider vpon all conuenient meanes to correct and vtterly to mortifie this cursed ambition pride boasting Plutarch of selfe praise Plutarch hath in writing left vnto vs many good rules and aduertisements to helpe vs herein First he willeth vs to beware that wee take no occasion to praise our selues when we heare the commendations of others especially of our equals and inferiours for then doth our ambition naturally desire that they shoulde also speak of vs. As when we see another feed sauorly before vs it maketh our mouthes water to eate with him Or as experience sheweth when another man yauneth we open our mouths yaun with him but we are more inclined to praise our selues when others do report our vertues commendable works for therin are we tickled vntill we laugh again and clawed where it doth itch Likewise if the reporter thereof speaketh soberly or with the least wee can not longer forbeare but as if we meant to reueale some theft and sought to recouer the same wee are straight vrged to tell the rest yea and rather than to loose one iot of our commendation more than all Many times also it chanceth that vnder pretence of praising the vertues of another we cunningly doo slip in shew forth our own As when a man exalting the humilitie and affabilitie of a king or prince reporteth that he gaue him his hand thus thus honoured him pretending therby to let men vnderstand that him selfe is of good estimation and worthie honor And herein do wee Christians many times offend when vnder colour of praising God for his gifts and graces poured vpon vs wee rehearse them to the end our selues may also haue some part of the glory This is a counterset glorie giuen to God that our selues may haue a share therin Some there are that reproue others and sharply rebuke them of their faults and infirmities propounding themselues for examples of the contrarie vertues and this is common with age who therein seek to set a face vpon their owne glorie to the dishonor of others Others we shal also finde who vnder pretence of humility do minister occasion of their own praise so make their humility abait to catch their praise They will abase their giftes graces vertues and commendable actions in the presence of such as knowe them well inough thereby to giue occasion to gainsaie them and so the more amplie to commend them yea they woulde bee loth a man shuld consent to their own speeches These aduertisements might suffice to warne vs to beware of praising our selues To conclude we are to imagine that as it is a griefe and trouble to vs to heare the boasting and proud speeches of others so least we should giue like cause of trouble to others that heare vs and withall incur the reputation of vaineglory wee are to beware of praising our selues These be good aduertisements deliuered by Plutarch But in as much as they tend chiefly to frame a requisite modestie and seemlynesse among men that shunning the obloquy of ambition arrogancie they may purchase the praise due to humilitie and modestie wee wyll stand no longer vppon them but proceede to the consideration of such things as may vtterly vncloath vs of ambition vainglorie and boasting in the sight of God 4 First let vs remember the horrible vengeance that God in old time hath executed vpon the ambitious and proud What a fearefull punishment was inflicted vppon Adam and Eue Gen. 3 when they laboured to bee like vnto God 2. Ephe. 3 Psal 51.7 That by birth wee are the children of wrath conceiued in sinne borne in iniquitie subiect to a thousand both bodily and spirituall corruptions and tribulations bond slaues both to temporall and eternall death and by nature more miserable and wretched than bruite beasts These bee the accursed fruites of this root of ambition which might cause vs to abhorre and detest it What iudgement dyd God execute vppon Haman the enemie of the Iewes Herste 7.10 2. King 11. 2. Sam 18 who was hanged vpon the same gallowes that hee had erected for Mardocheus What reuenge did hee take of Athaliah who hauing murthered all the kings seed for to raigne was her selfe slaine How fearefull and horrible was the death of Absolon who hanging vpon the tree Esay 14. Dan. 4 was stroke thorough and slaine when with his armie hee pursued his father Dauid What iudgment did Esaie denounce agaynst Nabuchadnezzer And as Daniel declareth it was put in execution when after hee had exalted himselfe in pride hee was driuen from among men and eate grasse lyke an oxe for the space of seuen yeeres his bodie beeing watered with the deaw from heauen vntill his haire grew like to the feathers of an Eagle and his nailes like the clawes of birdes Neither must we omit the notable example of Herod who after hee made a plausible Oration and that the people commended him saying It is the voice of God and not of man Act. 12.21 was presently stroken with Gods hand because accepting and allowing of the glorie giuen to himselfe hee gainesaide it not neither gaue it to God and was eaten with wormes and died miserably Let these iudgements and
wherein euery one being a pray vnto Satan runneth and casteth himselfe headlong into death and euerlasting destruction But the end of the ministery tendeth to assemble from this dissipation the elect in Iesus Christ to make them pertakers of that saluation that is in him And this doth the other similitude of the building of the body of Christ confirme for as they which are seperate from Christ our life are in death so the meanes to reuiue and saue them resteth in this that we be builte and engraffed into the body of Christ that we may be saued in him and thereupon doth S. Luke say that by the preaching of the Apostles God did dayly adde to his Church such as should be saued In this sence also are Ministers called Fathers Acts 2.42 engendring children to God because he vouchsafeth so to vse their ministery 1. Cor. 4.15 that they who by nature are the children of the deuill doe become the children of God and heires of euerlasting saluation The principall end therfore of the holy ministery is to withdrawe men from death and destruction Cipri in his Ser. of fall and to make them partakers of saluation and life euerlasting And therfore as S. Ciprian saith The shepheard can receiue no greater hurt then in the hurte of his flocke and this doth S. Paul sufficiently shew in his owne person saying I feare least when I come 2. Cor. 12.20 I shall not finde you such as I would and least my God abase me among you and I shall bewaile many of them which haue sinned alreadye and haue not repented of the vncleannes and fornication and wantonnes which they haue committed 3 And indeede as they which shal be saued by their ministery shal be as S. Paul calleth them their crown Phil. 4.1 glorie ioy in the day of the Lord they that shal win most to righteousnes shal shine as the Starres for euer so contrariwise Dan. 13. 3. the bloud of such as shall perishe through their owne negligence shall be required at their handes as the Lord doth protest by the Prophet Ezechiell saying Sonne of man I haue established thee to be a scoute ouer the house of Israel thou shalt giue eare to the worde of my mouth Ezech. 3.17 and shalt warne them from me When I shall say to the wicked thou shalt surely dye and thou giuest not him warning neither dost admonish him to departe from his wicked way that he may liue the same wicked man shall dye in his iniquitie but his bloud will I require at thy handes Heb. 13.17 Prosper of Contemplatiue life li. 1. God also establisheth Pastors ouer his flocke as the Apostle saith vpon condition to be accomptable vnto him for them in the day of iudgement If he saith a good old father to whom the dispensation of the word is committed be afraide or ashamed to reproue offenders albeit for himselfe he lead a holy life yet shall hee perishe through his silence And so what shall it auaile him not to be punished for his owne sinne when he shal be punished f r the sinnes of others 4 Now to satisfie this end of the saluation of men by the ministery the first principall duty consisteth in preaching the worde of God Rom. 1.16 which S. Paul therfore calleth the power of God to saluation to all that beleeue and this is it that hee teacheth in the sentence before alleadged saying Take heed vnto thy selfe and vnto learning for in doing thus thou shalt saue both thy selfe and those that heare thee The same maye wee also note in the other sentence 1. Tim. 4. 16. where the Lord saith I haue ordained thee a light to the Gentiles that thou maist be a saluation to the ends of the earth Acts 13.47 And truely how are the ministers the light of men to saue them but by preaching Christ also if it be so that we be saued by faith that faith commeth by hearing the word of God likewise that we cannot heare without a preacher It followeth the duty of the minister is to preach so to saue Rom. 10. Marc. 16.15 In this sence doth Christ commaund his Apostles to goe preach throughout the world adding this that he that beleeueth shal be baptised shal be saued for this cause doth S. Peter commaund them to feede the flock of Christ cōmitted vnto thē 1. Pet. 5.2 And S. Paul so earnestly cōmendeth this duty to Timothy and in his person to al Ministers 2. Tim. 4.2 Preach the worde saith he be instant in season and out of season improue rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine yea he adiureth him in the name of God and of our Lord Iesus Christ who shall iudge both the quick and the dead in his apparition and kingdome 2. Tim. 4.1 to employe himselfe in this duetie whereby he declareth that they cannot neglect this dutie but they must hainouslye offend God and feele the vengeance of the soueraigne Shepheard of the sheep whē he shal appeare in iudgement as S. Paul also saith Woe be to me if I preach not The same Apostle saith If any man desireth to be a Bishop 1. Cor. 9.6 1. Tim. 3.1 he desireth an excellent worke But all titles and professions be knowen by the workes proper vnto them as hee is knowen to be a tailor that cutteth out and soweth garmentes he a shoemaker that maketh shoes hee a phisition that imploieth himselfe in curing of sicknesses and so of others And so likewise is a Bishop a Pastor and a Minister knowne in that he preacheth and teacheth the word of God 5 Howbeit as the Phisition who ordeineth a potiō which in liew of health procureth death is not a Phisition but a murderer so is it with the Pastors that doe preach lyes in stead of trueth and the inuentions and traditions of men in stead of Gods word and therfore did Iesus Christ enioyne his Apostles to teache men to obserue all that he had commaunded them Mal. 28.20 and the same doth Ieremy note Ier. 1.6 saying The Lord stretched foorth his hand and touched my lips and said vnto me Beholde I haue put my words in thy mouth The same doth the Lord also teach to Ezechiel saying Sonne of man I haue made thee a watchman ouer the house of Israel Ezech. 3.17 and 33.7 Thou shalt hearken to the woorde of my mouth and shalt warne them from me This duety is very plainely and expresselye by the Lord commended vnto al Prophets and Ministers in that speaking to Moses he saith Deut. 18.18 I wil raise them vp a Prophet like vnto thee from among their brethren and I will put my woordes into his mouth and he shall saye vnto them all that I shall commaund him 1. Cor. 11.23 It is therefore their duety to propound nothing to the Church either in doctrine or for the seruice of God but what they haue
reformed and the goodnesse wisedome and wonderfull iustice of God be reuealed 5 True it is as Saint Peter saith that in the later times there shall come scorners that shall walke after their owne lusts say Where is the promise of his comming 2. Pet 3.3 For since the fathers died all things continue alike from the beginning of the creation And in deed we now see but too many that are not touched with the apprehension either of the kingdome of heauen or of the torments of hell but are possessed with prophane and deuilish spirits that take al to be but fables that is spoken as well of the kingdome of heauen promised to the faithfull as of the tormentes of hell prepared for the wicked And this is a pernitious pollicie of Sathan wherewith he discourageth the faithfull from walking in the feare of God from amending their liues Psal 73 13. from cleansing their harts and as the Prophet saith from washing their hands in innocencie But to the contrary hereof let vs stand stedfast and be wel assured that there is a kingdom of heauen prepared for the children of God and a hell for the disobedient and therfore let vs labour to grow in faith to fructisie in good workes 2. Cor. 15 58 and so to amend our liues as knowing that as S. Paul saith our labour shall not be in vaine in the sight of the Lord. 6 This is the foundation whereupon the Apostle laieth holde to perswade men to repentance and amendement of lyfe God sayth hee Act. 17.30 nothing regarding this time of ignorance now admonisheth all men euerie where to repent because hee hath appoynted a daie in the which hee will iudge the worlde in righteousnesse But how in righteousnesse Euerie man shall as else where it is sayde receiue the thinges that are done in his bodie 2 Cor. 5 10 according as hee hath done whether it bee good or euill and God will render to euerie man according to his workes That is to them which by continuance in well dooing seeke glorie honour and immortalitie Rom. 2.6 eternall life but vnto them that are contentious and disobey the truth and obey vnrighteousnes shall be indignation and wrath 7 Albet we see not this kingdome of heauen Rom. 8. Heb. 11. yet let vs remember that the goods saluation of Gods children consisteth in faith and hope and that as well the one as the other doth appertaine to things to come which we see not so that not to beleeue or hope for more than we see is to be short the abolishment of faith and hope and so consequently the subuerting of the assured foundation of our saluation Let therfore this faith the mother of hope and hope her mothers nurse cause vs patiently to attend the fruition of this kingdom of heauen and our assured attendance for the same make vs to amend our liues Apoc 19.9 T it 2.11 that we may cloath our selues in garmentes beseeming those that purpose to come vnto the marriage and to haue a seat at the banquet of the lambe Iesus Christ The grace of God saith S. Paul that bringeth saluation to al men hath appeared teacheth vs that we should denie vngodlynes and worldly lusts and that we should liue righteously soberly and godly in this present world looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glorie of God which is our sauiour Iesus Christ The same Apostle gaue thanks to God for the Colossians when he heard of their faith and loue for the hopes sake which was laid vp for them in heauen Col. 1.4 1. Iohn 3 And in this sense saith Saint Iohn Welbeloued we are now the children of God but yet it doth not appeare what we shal be and we know that when Iesus Christ shal appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is And euery man that hath this hope in him purgeth himselfe euen as he is pure 8 But to the end the more earnestly to incourage vs to amend our liues in hope of the kingdome of heauen wee are moreouer to apprehend the incomprehensible excellencie of the glorie and ioye that we shall inioy in this kingdome when our bodies being risen againe vncorruptible and immortall like vnto the image of the glorious bodie of Christ reunited to their sanctified souls shall be lifted vp into the house of God our father aboue all heauens wher we shall see the face of God as the Sun in his brightnes shall inioy the fruit of the praiers of Iesus Christ when he said Iohn 17.24 Father I wil that they which thou hast giuen mee bee with me where I am 1 Cor 15.28 that they may see my glorie which thou hast giuen me When Iesus Christ hath rendered the kingdome to God his father then shall God the father the son the holy Ghost be vnto vs all in all yea euen such a fulnes of good and felicitie that as sundrie vessels cast into the sea are so filled with water that they can desire or hold no more so this sea of diuinity being in vs all in all we shall be replenished and satisfied with life glorie and ioy so as we shall not bee able to desire or haue anie more Apoc. 21.18 Euen when wee shall bee truely burgeses of the heauenly and holy Citie that shall be of fine golde like vnto pure Christall the foundations of the walls set with precious stones the twelue gates made of twelue pearles which shal need neither Sun nor Moone to shine therein for the light of God shall illuminate it and the lambe himselfe shall be the candle To be short when we shall be in the fellowship of the Angels shining as the Sunne in his pride and rauished with ioy that shall neuer be taken from vs. A ioy I saie not onely for our owne felicitie but also for the felicitie of all the elect for wee shall loue them all as our selues and so shall reioyce as much for their felicitie as for our owne And this ioy shal be infinitly corroborated by the contemplation as well of the glorie of Iesus Christ whom iustly we shal loue better than our selues as also of the glorious maiestie of God whom we shall loue with our hearts our strength and our mindes 9 If the representation remembrance of this kingdom of heauen doth not kindle our heartes with a feruent desire to attaine thereto and by desiring the same to amend our liues that we may take the path that leadeth to such felicitie the same is an assured testimonie that wee account of our selues as of beastes that looke for no goodnesse after death And on the other side if the apprehension of the fire that neuer shall be quenched of the wormes that shall be alwayes gnawing of the terrible darknes of the weeping and gnashing of teeth through the feeling of the heauy wrath of the liuing God doth not moue our harts to feare to offend