time when God spake from heauen Euen while the words were in the Kings mouth as though he should say God answered before he looked for it when he thought God had been as farre from him as he was all the yeare before Thus God lay as it were in the skowte to watch when he spake treason and to apprehend him vpon it O Nabuchadnezzar thou hast vanted this twelue months since I warned thee I made as though I heard not but suffered thee to doe and speake thy pleasure and vauntest thou still Surely thou shalt scape me no longer I will not heare one word more against my honour So he cutteth him off while the words were in his mouth and pronounceth the word of iudgement against him The first note in this verse is the time when God spake from Heauen Pride sayth Salomon goeth before the fall so when pride had spoken then Iudgement spake euen while the proud word was in his mouth See how God shewes that these brags offended him and therefore he iudges while he speaks How short is the triumph of the wicked When they beginne to crowe God stoppeth their breath and iudgement seaseth vpon them when they thinke no danger neere them So when Baltazar was in his mirth with his Nobles the fearfull hand wrote his doome vpon the wall and presently his mirth was changed into sadnesse that he became as one that was strooken with a palsie so while Herod vanted himselfe and the people honoured him like a God the Angell of God smote him vpon his throane and immediatly he was deuoured of wormes in the face of them which honoured him while the Philistines were triumphing and banquetting Sampson pulled the Temple vpon their head so while the men of Ziklag were feasting and dancing Dauid came vpon them and slew them when the Israelites were at their Manna and Quailes euen while the meat saith Dauid was yet in their mouths God tooke away their liues when Iobs children were making merrie one with another the winde came and blew down the house while the old world was marrying giuing in mariage the floud came and drowned them while the Steward was recounting with himselfe and thinking that his Master Knewe not what policie was in his heart suddenly his Lorde called him to account while the churle was musing of his barnes full of corne and saying to himselfe be merrie my soule that night his soule was taken from him so while we sinne think nothing of it our sinnes mount vp to heauen and stand at the barre and call for vengeance against vs how soone Abels blood cryed for vengeance of Cain We cannot sin so quickly but God seeth vs as quickly Howe many haue beene strooken while the oath hath been in their mouthes as Ieroboam was striken while he stroke that they might see why they were strooken and yet al this wil not keep vs from swearing Though a man sinne often steale his sins as it were without punishment yet at last he is taken napping euen while the wickednes is in his hand and his day is sette when he shall pay for all whether it be after twelue moneths or twelue yeeres when it commeth it will seeme too soone Therefore once agayne let this bee in stead of Daniels warning if God did take so straight account of Nabuchadnezzar how he had profited by his dreame what account will hee take of vs how we haue profited by Nabuchadnezzars punishment Here I ende THE FALL OF KING Nabuchadnezzar DAN 4. 28. c. 28 While the worde was in his mouth a voice came from heauen saying O King Nabuchadnezzar to thee be it spoken thy Kingdome is departed from thee 29 And they shall driue thee from men and thy dwelling shall be with the bâ—astes of the field they shall make thee to eate grasse with the Oxen and seuen times shall passe ouer thee vntill thou knowest that the most highest God beareth rule ouer the kingdome of men and giueth it to whomsoeuer he will 30 The very same houre was this thing fulfilled vpon Nabuchadnezzar and he was driuen from men and did eate grasse as the Oxen and his body was wet with the deawe of heauen till his haires were growne as Egles feathers and his nailes as birds clawes FRom the 26. verse to the ende of this Chapter is laid down the pride fall and restitution of Nabuchadnezzar The two first verses are like a banner of his Pride which shew him in his ruffling as it were in the ayre before he knew God or himselfe The three next verses are the discouerie of his shame which shewe him in his miserie as it were groueling on the ground after God had cooled his courage The foure last verses are the celebration of his recouerie which shew him in holines as it were rapt into heauen singing with the Saints for ioye that GOD had brought him vnto his knowledge though it were through shame trouble losse of all that he had seuen yeres together Of his pride wee haue heard alreadie yet because we are friends to vices as we are to meÌ„ so loÌ„g as they prosper and flourish but when they decay and fall then we shrinke away and are ashamed of theÌ„ so it may be if ye could see pride take a fall though yee loue her well yet yee would forsake her like a banquerout when ye see that she can pleasure you no longer Therfore ye shall see Nabuchadnezzar vpon his feete againe before you behelde him vpon his knees that when ye see what a king he was in his galleries after find his seruaÌ„ts in his pallace and his subiects in his throane and himselfe like a beast in the wildernesse God may giue you hearts to thinke a little of this sinne what it is which cost so deare and is so common now in euery house as it was then in the kings court After twelue moneths saith Daniel that is twelue moneths after God had warned this king by dreames and by Daniel to repent his sinnes he was strouting in his galleries and thought what sin should be next as though he had neuer heard of dreame or Prophet By this computation of sin wherein the moneths are obserued so exactly how longe Nabuchadnezzar rebelled after he was warned Daniel shewes what reckoning GOD keepes of our moneths and weeks and daies which he giues vs to repent as he did Nabuchadnezzar and what an account wee shall make of theÌ„ as Nabuchadnezzar did though we count no more of our age then the childe dooth of his youth and haue doone no more of our taske at twentie then when we were but tenne nor at thirty then when we were but twenty nor at fortie then when we were thirtie yet we shall giue account of mo hours in the day of iudgement and it shall be heauier to the old then to the young to you which haue the worde then to them which want it and there is great ods betweene Nabuchadnezzar vs for he
he is vaine which makes euerie man deferre his repentance vntill the verie houre come that sinne maketh preparation to leaue him and then fainting hee is vnwilling to depart because he is not readie Therfore I haue chosen this sentence which speakes of nothing but vanitie to shew how wee take the waie to miserie for the waie to happines and turne the day of saluation to the day of vanitie Let euerie man thinke as I goe in this matter why he should loue that which Salomon repented if he think Salomon happier after he repented thaÌ„ he was before This verse is the summe or contentes of all this booke and therefore Salomon beginnes with it and ends with it as if he should saie First this is the matter which I will prooue and after this is the matter which I haue proued now you see whether I tolde you true that All is vanitie I may call it Salomons Theame or the faâ—dle of vanities which when he hath bound in a bundle he bids vs caste it into the fire for after hee hath done with them in his last chapter and thirteenth verse as though hee would haue no more thought of them he turnes away from them as if hee had buried them goes to another matter saying Now let vs heare the end of all Feare God and keeep his commaundements for this is the whole dutie of man as though hee were exceeding glad that after so many daungers through the rout of vanitie yet GOD let him see the hauen of rest and brought him to the right end and set him vpon shoare where hee might see his vanities as Moses looked back vpon his enemies saw them drowned behind him The whole narration doth shew that Salomon wrote this book after his fall When he had the experience of vanities and seene the folly of the world what euill comes of pleasure and what fruite groweth of sinne he was bold to say Vanitie of vanities c. which he auoucheth with such protestation as though he would iustifie it against many aduersaries For all the world is in loue with that which he calles vanitie Therefore hee puts to his name in the middest of his sentence as if hee would defend it against all commers if any man ask who broched this strange doctrine the Preacher saith SalomoÌ„ To testifie his heartie conuersion to God he cals himselfe a Preacher in the witnes of his vnfained repentance as if God had said vnto him Thou being conuerted conuert thy brethren and be a Preacher as thou art a King so when we are conuerted wee should become Preachers vnto other and shew some fruits of our calling as Salomon left this book for a monument to all ages of his conuersioÌ„ Therefore they which write that Salomon dyed in his sinne and that such a famous instrument of God went to the damned doe great wrong to the worthie King which giues them such an example to repent and would correct their rash iudgement if they considered First that he was the cleerest figure of Christ except Melchisedec which passed all Kings in prosperitie and all men in wisedome Secondly that hee was inspired by the Holie Ghost like the prophets to bee one of the pennes of God to write his holy word the word of saluation which was not fit for a reprobate Thirdlie that GOD promised to his father that hee would not take his spirit and his mercie from him as he did froÌ„ Saule nor forsake him as he did Saule but correct him in another sort Fourthlie that GOD is said to loue him therefore as Paule concludes that Iacob was elected because God saith Iacob haue I loued So we may conclude that Salomon was elected because God saith Salomon haue I loued Fiftly that in Luke 13. 28. Al the Prophets of God are said to be in heauen and therefore Salomon being an holie Prophet must beholden to be in heauen To shew that he was a holy prophet in 2. Pet. 3 2. Peter calleth all the Prophets which wrote the Scripture Holie Prophets Lastly we may gather out of the seauenth Chapter of this booke and the thirtieth verse and out of the 5. of the Prouerbes and the fourteenth verse that Salomon had left his concubines and vanities before he wrote this booke Therefore to say that the figure of Christ the penne of the holie Scripture the man whom God loued the wisest man that euer was and one of the holie prophets died a reprobate is presumption against the Word impietie against God and wrong to the dead Although because of his grieuous fal in Idolatrie and vncleannesse GOD left him in disgrace and makes no mention of his repentance where hee speakes of his death that they which stand may take heed lest they fall and see how easie it is to slip by the exaÌ„ple of him which was wiser than they Salomon being wicked and yet saued was a figure of the Church whose sinnes are forgiuen Thus hauing found as it were the Mine now let vs digge for the treasure Vanitie of vanities c. This is Salomons conclusion when hee had gone through the whole world tried all thinges like a spye sent into a straunge country as if he were now come home from his pilgrimage they gather about him to inquire what he hath heard and seene abroad and what he thinks of the world and these things which are so loued among men like a man in admiratioÌ„ of that which he had seen and not able to expresse particularly one after another hee contracts his newes into aword you aske me what I haue seene and what I haue heard Vanitie saith Salomon what els Vanitie of vanities and what els All is vanitie This is the history of my voyage I haue seen nothing but vanitie ouer the world Carrie this for the newes from the Preacher vanitie of vanities Al is vanitie as if hee should say Vanitie and greater Vanitie and more than Vanitie so the further hee did goe the more Vanitie hee did see and the nearer he looked the greater it seemed till at the last he could see nothing but vanitie When he was come to this that he did see all things vaine vpon which men set their heartes he was moued with compassion and could be silent no longer but needes hee must write to them which seeke felicitie as he did in transitorie things to warne them that they seek it not any longer in these foolish things which haue no stability nor contentation but flie from them to The feare of God which hath the promises of this life and the life to come Therefore he beginnes with All is vanitie as if he should say Loue not the world nor the things of the world For I haue tryed that there is no certaintie in them Thus hee withdraweth them First from the wrong way and then sets them in the right way to happines which he defineth at last to Feare
cause wee reade of none but wicked Lamech before the floud that had more wiues then one whome Iouinian calleth a monster because he made two ribbes of one And another saith that the name of his second wife doth signifie a shadowe because she was not a wife but the shadow of a wife For this cause the Scripture neuer biddeth man to loue his wiues but to loue his wife and saith They shall be two in one flesh not three nor foure but onely two For this cause king Salomon calleth the whorish woman a strange woman to shew that she should be a stranger vnto vs and we should be strange to her For this cause children which are borne in mariage are called Liberi which signifieth free borne and they which are borne out of mariage are called Bastardes that is base borne like the Mule which is ingendred of an Asse and a Mare Therefore adulterers are likened to the diuell which sowed another mans ground other sowe for a haruest but they sowe that which they dare not reape Therefore children borne in wedlocke are counted Gods blessing because they come by vertue of that blessing Increase and multiplie But before Adam and Eue were maried God neuer sayd Increase shewing that he did curse and not blesse such increase Therefore we reade not in all the Scripture of one Bastard that cam to any good but only Iephtah and to shewe that no inheritance did belong to them in heauen they had no inheritance in earth neither were counted of the congregation as other were Deut. Chap. 23. verse 2. Now because Mariage was appointed for a remedie against fornication therefore the law of God inflicted a sorer punishment vpon him which did commit vncleannes after mariage then vpon him which was not maried because he sinned although he had the remedie of sinne like a rich theefe which stealeth and hath no need Now if mariage be a remedie against the sinne of fornication then vnlesse Ministers may committe the sinne of fornication it seemes that they may vse the remedie as well as other for as it is better for one man to marie then to burne so it is better for all men to marie then to burne and therfore Paul saith Mariage is honourable amongst all men And againe For the auoiding of fornication let euerie man haue his wife And as though he did foresee that some would except the Minister in time to come in the first Epistle of Timothie the third Chapter and second verse he speaketh more precisely of the Ministers wife then of any other saying Let him be the husband of one wife And least ye should say that by one wife he meaneth one Benefice like the Papists he expoūdeth himselfe in the fourth verse and saith that hee must bee one that can rule his house well and his children Sure God would not haue these children to be bastardes and therefore it is like that he alloweth the Minister a wife Therefore Paul said well that he had no commandement for Virginitie for Virginitie cannot be commaunded because it is a speciall gift but not a speciall gift to Ministers and therefore they are not to be bound more then other A peculiar gift may not be made a generall rule because none can vse it but they which haue it And therefore in 1. Cor. 7. 17. he saith As God hath distributed to euery man so let him walke That is if he haue not the gift of continencie he is bound to marrie therfore Paule commandeth in the seuenth verse whether he be minister or other If they can not abstaine let them marrie as though they tempted God if they married not The Lawe was generall It is not good for man to be alone exempting one order of men no more then another And againe Christ speaking of chastitie saith All men cannot receiue this thing Therefore vnlesse we knowe that this order of men can receiue this thing Christ forbids to bynde them more then other and therefore as the Priests were married that taught the Law so Christ chose Apostles that were married to preach the Gospel Therefore the doctrine of Papists is the doctrine of deuils for Paul calleth the forbidding of marriage the doctrine of deuils a fit title for all their bookes Lastly if marriage be a remedie against sinne then Marriage it selfe is no sinne for if marriage it selfe were a sinne we might not marrie for anie cause because we must not do the least euill that the greatest good may come of it and if marriage be not a sin then the duties of marriage are not sinne that is the secret of marriage is not euill and therefore Paule saith not onely Marriage is honourable but the bed is honourable that is euen the action of marriage is as lawfull as marriage Besides Paule saith Let the husband giue vnto the wise due beneuolence Here is a commaundement to yeeld this dutie that which is commaunded is lawfull and not to do it is a breach of the commaundement Therfore marriage was instituted before any sinne was to shew that there is no sinne in it if it be not abused but because this is rare therefore after women were deliuered God appoynted them to be purified shewing that some staine or other doth creepe into this action which had need to be repented and therefore when they praied Paul would not haue them come together least their prayers should be hindered The third cause is to auoyd the inconuenience of solitarinesse signified in these words It is not good for man to be alone as though he had said this life would be miserable and irksome and vnpleasant to man if the Lord had not giuen him a wife to companie his troubles If it be not good for man to be alone then it is good for man to haue a fellow therfore as God created a paire of all other kinds so he created a paire of this kinde We say that one is none because he cannot be fewer then one he cannot be lesser then one he cannot be weaker then one and therfore the wise man saith Woe to him which is alone that is he which is alone shall haue woe Thoughts and cares and feares will come to him because he hath none to comfort him as theeues steale in when the house is emptie like a Turtle which hath lost his mate like one legge when the other is cutte off like one wing when the other is clipte so had the man bene if the woman had not bene ioyned to him therefore for mutuall societie God coupled two together that the infinite troubles which lie vppon vs in this world might be eased with the comfort and help one of another and that the poore in the worlde might haue some comfort as well as the rich for The poore man saith Salomon is forsaken of his
earthly and the other heauenly Cyril saith our Sacraments auouch not the eating of a man Cyprian saith the Lord calleth bread made of many graines his bodie and called wine made of many grapes his blood Athanasius sayth Christ made mention of his ascension into heauē that he might withdraw his Disciples from corporall and fleshly eating Chrysostome sayth God giueth vs things spirituall vnder things visible and naturall And againe being sanctified it is deliuered from the name of bread and is exalted to the name of the Lords body although the nature of the bread still remaine And because they beleeue that the Pope cannot erre Pope Gelasius setteth too his hand and sayth with the rest Neyther the substaunce of the bread nor nature of the wine cease to be more then they were before Tell vs Papist do not these Fathers speake as plaine as we Canst thou auouch Transubstantiation more flatlie then they denie it How had this heresie bene chased if the diuel had hatched it in their time Thus the Scriptures on the one side and the Fathers on the other side did so trouble three Archpapists Biel Tonstal and Fisher that Gabriel Biel sayth how the bodie of Christ is in the Sacrament is not found in the Canon of the Bible Tonstall saith It had bene better to leaue euerie man to his owne coniecture as they were before the Councell of Laterane than to bring in such a question Fisher saith No man can proue by the words of the Gospell that any Priest in these dayes dooth consecrate the verie bodie and blood of Christ Here is fulfilled Out of thine owne mouth I will condemne thee But we will not carrie the matter so because a Iudge must haue two eares therefore now let them speake Because they cannot tell how the bread wine should bee turned into flesh and blood and yet appeare bread and wine still they say it is a myracle but how doe they prooue it If they contende it is a myracle they must shewe vs a signe for euerie myracle may be seene like all the myracles of Moses and Christ and the Apostles and therefore a myracle is called a signe because it may be seene like a signe and the word signifieth a wonder And the Iewes crauing a myracle sayd Shew vs a myracle as though they were taught to iudge of myracles by sight All which doth shew that a myracle may be seene but here no myracle is seene Againe a myracle especially in the time of the Gospell is an extraordinarie thing but they make this an ordinarie thing for if the bread and wine be turned into flesh blood then myracles are as common as Sacraments and so because they haue Masse euerie day they should worke myracles euerie day Lastly this seemeth strange that Augustin whom they so much honour gathered all the myracles which are written in the scripture and yet amongst all speaks not of this therefore then it was counted no myracle but Paule speakes of lying myracles and this is one of them If they say that Christ can turne bread and wine into his bodie and therefore hee doth First they must proue that he wil for they can doe many things themselues which they doe not because they will not therefore it is an old answere that from Can to Will no Argument followeth The Leper did not say vnto Christ If thou cāst thou wilt but If thou wilt thou canst But the question which they think cannot be answered like their inuincible Nauies is this If the bread be not his bodie why doth he call it his bodie Resolue this knot and all is cleare Marke then and we will loose it as well as we can He saith This is my bodie as he saith after which is broken for you Why his bodie was not broken before he suffered how did he say then which is broken before it was broken There is no sense of it but this the bread was broken and signified that his body should be broken Now as the breaking of the bread did signifie the breaking of his bodie so the bread must needes signifie his bodie but as his bodie was not broken indeede when the bread was broken so the bread could not be his bodie indeed for then his body should haue bin broken when the bread was broken Yet let them obiect what they can If say they the bread and wine bee not changed into his bodie and blood why doth hee speake so darkly hee might haue spoken plainer I answere though this seeme darke to Papists yet it was not darke to the Apostles they vnderstood his meaning well inough and all the rest for 1215. yeares after Christ before Transubstantiation was spoken of If the Apostles had not vnderstood his meaning they would not sticke to aske him as their manner was vntill they were acquainted with Christs phrase whensoeuer they doubted vpon any of his speeches they were wont to come vnto him and say Master what is the meaning but they were vsed to such phrases for it was Christes manner to teach by similitudes shewing one thing by another which is the plainest manner of teaching and most vsed in holie scripture especially in the types and shadowes of this Sacrament For example Christ calleth the Lambe the Passeouer in place whereof this Sacrament succeeded and therefore presentlie after they had eaten the Passe-ouer Christ instituted this Sacrament to be vsed for it Christ I say called the Lambe the Passe-ouer and yet the Passe-ouer was this an angel passed ouer the houses of the Israelites and stroke the Egyptians this was not a Lambe and yet because the Lambe was a signe of this Passe-ouer as the bread and wine is of Christes bodie therefore Christ called the Lambe the Passeouer as hee calleth the bread and wine his bodie Againe Circumcision is called the Couenant and yet Circumcision was nothing but the cutting away of a skinne but the Couenant is In Abrahams seede all Nations shall be blessed I will be their God and they shall be my people I will defend and saue them they shall serue and worship me This is not Circumcision and yet as though circumcision were the couenant it selfe it is called the couenant because it signifieth the Couenant so bread and wine are called Christes bodie because they signifie Christs bodie Againe Baptisme is called Regeneration and yet Baptisme is a dipping of our bodies in water but regeneration is the renuing of the minde to the image wherein it was created This is not Baptisme and yet as though Baptisme were Regeneration it selfe it is called Regeneration because it signifieth Regeneration so the bread and wine are called Christs bodie because they signifie Christs bodie Againe the Cup is called the new Testament and yet the Cup is but a peece of mettall filled with wine but the new Testament is He which
Doe this in remembrance of me that is these signes shall bee a remembrance of my death when you breake the bread you shall remember the wounding of my body and when you drinke the wine you shall remember the sheading of my blood If wee doe this is remembraunce of Christs bodie which was broken like the bread it is an argument that his bodie is not there because remembrance is not of thinges present but of things absent we remember not but wee see that which is before vs. This might put the Papists in remembrance that Christ is not sacrificed now when we do but remember his sacrifice this is not Christes sacrifice but a remembrance of his sacrifice he was sacrificed before and now it is applied lest his sacrifice should be in vaine This was done once reallie when he offered himselfe vpon the crosse therefore that offering was called a sacrifice because he was sacrificed indeed but this offering is called a Sacrament because it is but a signe of his sacrifice If Christ in this Sacrament were offered indeede then it should bee called a sacrifice as his once offering was but because it is but a remembrance of his sacrifice therefore it is called a Sacrament This is not a sacrifice of Christ but a sacrifice of our selues Lest we shoulde take it to bee a sacrifice of Christ Christ himselfe calleth it a remembrance of his sacrifice Do this in my remembrance Here is our worke as Christ hath done so must we doe so we minister and so you receiue wee can giue you nothing but that which we haue receiued from him as Paul saith Therefore if Christ did not giue his mortall bodie which stood before them and could not profite them nor his glorified bodie which was not glorified then and when it was glorified ascended vp vnto heauen and there abideth how can these iugling Priests make their God againe which made them They can no more turne wine into blood bread into flesh than they can commaund a gnat to become a camell for it is a greater worke to make God than to make the world Therefore as Christ saith When they tell you here is Christ and there is Christ beleeue them not So when they tell you that Christ is in heauen and that Christ is in earth in this place and that place beleeue them not for Elias ascension was a figure of Christes ascension when Elias was ascended yet some sought for his bodie vpon earth so though Christ be ascended yet manie seeke his bodie vpon earth but as they could not finde Elias bodie so these cannot finde Christes bodie although they haue sought three hundred yeares But if his bodie were vpon earth as they say should we handle it and touch it now it is glorified After his resurrection he sayd vnto Marie Touch me not because his bodie was glorified that is not to bee touched with fingers any more but with faith Therefore we reade of none which touched his bodie after it was risen but onely Thomas to settle his faith Thus you see wee neede to suborne no witnesses for euerie word in this Text which they alleadge for Transubstantiation doth make agaynst Transubstantiation whereby if Antichrist doth signifie those which are against Christ you see who may be called Antichrist There is no question in Poperie except Purgatorie the Popes publican and tasker about which the Papistes are at such ciuill warres among themselues as about this Transubstantiation They cannot tell when the chaunge beginneth nor what manner of change it is nor how long the change continueth some hang one way and some another like the Midianites which fought one against another And no maruell though their consciences stagger about it for to shew you the right father of it it was one of the dreames of Innocentius the third in the yeare of our Lorde 1215. so manie yeares passed before Transubstantiation was named and then a Pope set it first on foote so it came out of Rome the grandame of all heresies and for want of scriptures hath bene defended with fire and sword and swallowed mo Martyrs than all the gulfs of the Papall sea beside Now when the doctrines of men goe for scriptures you shal see how many errors rush into the Church for graunt but this to Pope Innocentius as the Papists do that the bread and wine are chaunged into Christes bodie First it wil follow that Christs body is not ascended vp to heauen because it remaineth vpon earth and so one of the articles of our faith shalbe falsified which saith He is ascended into heauen or if he be ascended and descended againe another article will be falsified which saith That hee sitteth at the right hand of his father that is as Peter saith he abideth in heauen Secondly it will follow that Christ hath not a true bodie but a fantasticall bodie because it may bee in manie places at one time for if his bodie be in the Sacrament he must needes haue so many bodies as there bee Sacraments nay hee must haue so many bodies as there be bittes in euerie Sacrament Thirdly it will follow that his bodie is diuided from his soule and consequentlie is a dead bodie because the bread is onely changed into his bodie and not into his soule Fourthly it will follow that the wicked and prophane reprobate may receiue Christ as well as the godlie because they haue a mouth to eate as well as the best Fiftly it will followe that Christes Sacrifice once for all was not sufficient because we must sacrifice him againe and breake his bodie and shed his blood as the Iewes crucified him vpon the Crosse Sixtly it will follow that the bread being turned into the bodie of our Redeemer hath a part of our redemption as well as Christ Seuenthly it wil follow that Christ did eate his owne bodie for all the fathers saie that hee did eate the same Bread which he gaue to his Disciples Lastly it will follow that a Massing Priest shalbe the creator of his Creator because hee makes him which made him All these absurdities are hatched of Transubstantiation Thus when men deuise Articles of their owne while they strike vppon the anuill the sparkes flie in their face and they are like the man which began to build and could not finish it When I see the Papist in so many absurdities for entertaing one errour me thinks hee seemeth like a Collier which is grymed with his owne coales Therefore as in maners we should thinke of of Peters saying Whether is it meete to obey God or men So in doctrines we should thinke whether it be meete to beleeue God or men Thus haue you heard the Author of this Sacrament The Lord Iesus the time when it was instituted in the night that he was betraied the manner how it was instituted after thankesgiuing the end why it was instituted for a remembrance of his death
which challenged Nabuchadnezzar for twelue moneths since he was warned may challenge vs of twelue yeeres since we were warned yet we looke not for so great punishment as fell vpon Nabuchadnezzar for twelue moneths Daniel names there twelue moneths as though hee would speake of a great matter and shewes how worthie Nabuchadnezzar was to be punished because he might haue reformed his life since he was warned for there were 12. moneths betweene his dreames and his punishment But that yeere wherein he had so many warnings teachings was as vaine as the rest and vainer then the yeres before for now he should haue been a mourner like the King of Niniuie when Ionas threatned destruction vnto them But like a victor of a countrie returned from battell to solemnize his triuÌ„ph first he decked his pallace as braue as himselfe and then he walkes his stations in it and when he hath set al things before him which might make him forget God and like a serpent that would burst vnles he discharged some of his poyson he breaketh out and sayde Is not this great Babel which I haue built by the might of my power for the honour of my maiestie wherein obserue first what a glorious opinion this vaine King had of his vaine buildings Secondly how that he names himselfe the founder of them as though hee had done all without an helpe Thirdly that in all his works he sought nothing but vain-glorie as hee witnesseth against himselfe saying which I haue built for the honour of my maiestie not for the honour of Gods maiestie but for the honour of my maiestie So first that which he should haue contemned as Christ did the beautie of the Temple he admired it nothing seemed so glorious to him as that which made him shamefull to God Secondly that citie which was built by Semiramis he arrogateth to himselfe and neuer ioyned the chiefe workmaster with him but saith which I haue built by the might of my power when he should haue said by the might of Gods power for vnles God build the house the builder saith Dauid buildeth but in vaine Lastly that which hee should haue built for the honour of GOD as the man built a chamber for the Prophet hee builded for his honour as our Nabuchadnezzars doe Therefore when all his pleasures were prepared like a feast and he came to sit downe at the bâ—ket it hapned to him as to the churle in the Gospell after he had filled his barnes when hee came to sing in his heart Be merrie my soule that night his soule was takeÌ„ from him and the diuels made merrie with it in hell so he had fethered his neast and began to crow vpon his roost Is not this great Babel c. As if he shuld say Now Nabuchadnezzar make thee merie that houre his honor was taken from him for a voyce came downe from heauen like the terrible hand which wrote vpon the wall when Baltasar sate at his banquet dasht his pride vpon such a rocke that within an houre all his pomp and pleasures and treasures suffered such a shipwracke that his fall was more admired of all than his glorie and buildings were admired of himselfe Thus all the ioy and pleasures and glory of pride are spoken with a breath and stopt with another You haue heard what the voice spake from earth now ye shal heare what the voice souÌ„ds from heauen These three verses following declare this Kings fall when and howe and from whom it was While the words were yet c. there is the time A voice c. there is the Iudge O king c. there is the arraignement Thy kingdom c. there is the iudgement He was driuen from men liued with beasts in che wildernes till his haires were grown like Eagles fethers There is the execution and maner of his punishment First of the time while c. As Daniel obserued the time when Nabuchadnezzar sinned so he obserueth the time when Nabuchadnezzar is punished as if God had lien in waite to catche him in his words and take him at the trippe euen as he watched Lots wife when shee looked backe and transformed her into a piller of os salte so soone as she looked behind her So now the Lord lay as it were in the scout to watch wheÌ„ Nabuchadnezzar spake treason and to apprehend him vpon it O Nabuchadnezzar thou hast vanted these twelue moneths since I warned thee and I made as though I heard not but suffered thee to doe and speake thy pleasure and vauntest thou still Surely thou shalt escape me no longer I will not heare a word more against mine honour So hee cut him off while the wordes were in his mouth and propoundeth the wordes of iudgement against him If you marke the time when the voice spake from heauen you may see three wisedomes of God First God takes him in his fault that he might see his fault as Ieroboam was striken when he stroke the Prophet that he might know why he was striken Then he takes him sodainly because hee contemneth his warning as the fire came vpon Sodome while they contemned Lots warning Thirdly God takes him where he is pleasantest and lustiest and safest in his pallace which was like a Castle as he took Herod when his gard stood by him that he might see that nothing can garde him from God but God must gard him from danger or else Princes bee no safer than subiects so though a man sin often and steale his sins as it were without punishment yet at the last he is tooke napping while the wickednesse is in his hand as the Iewes were while the quailes were in their mouthes and his day is set when hee shall pay for all whether it bee after 12. moneths or 12. yeeres whensoeuer it commeth it wil seem too soon Vengeance doth stay till sin be ripe watch the time when they are most occupied then iudgement steps forth like the Angel to stop Balaam in his way because the punishment is more grieuous terrible wheÌ„ they look not for it for the worst that is wish like Balaam to die the death of the righteous therefore God will crosse them in that though they prosper alwayes before yet their ends shall be a kinde of iudgement vpon all their life a prophesie of torment for all men to see what become of the wicked after death that they may feare to be like vnto them As when we see some fall down vnder the table while they sit swilling at the Wine some striken dumbe in the pulpit while they preach vntruths eueÌ„ as the Philistines were slain while they feasted and as Herod was shamed while he vanted and as Ieroboam was striken while he stroke What doth this teach vs but that our sinnes depart from vs so soon as they are done vnto the Iudge there they accuse vs as Cains murther cried out against
thou wilt see the shame of it look vpon Haman hanging vpon his own gallowes If thou wilt see the end of it looke vpon the Glutton frying in hell These are the pictures of sinne which GOD hath set for a terror before vs like the piller of salt or Achans Sepulchre to speake to vs. Take heed by those when I haue warned you as I warned them I will punish you as I punished them This is the Epitaph as it were which God ingraueth vpon Nabuchadnezzars Sepulchre Be thou an example to Kings and Rulers for all the children of pride to beware how they set themselues agaynst him who aduaunced them Thus hee which sets vp can pull downe Did not I sende thee dreames to warne thee Did not I sende a Prophet to warne thee If eyther of them woulde haue serued thou mightest haue ruled still and walked in thy galleries and feasted in thy pallace and iudged vpon thy throane and dyed a King but now thy kingdome is departed from thee Who would bee like Nabuchadnezzar now he is like a beast If this heathen was thus challenged for his warning which had heard but one Prophet we may tremble to thinke what wee shall answere for our warnings which haue been threatned as often as the Israelites and yet prouoked the Lord while he serueth vs like those which curse the sunne while it shineth vpon them Thus haue you seene the fall of pride Euen now he sayd Is not this great Babel Now he may say Is not this vnhappie Babel euen he sayd which I haue built by the might of my power and now hee may say which I haue built by the vanitie of my pride euen now he sayd for the honour of my maiestie now hee may say for the ruine of my kingdome yet after this he rose againe and came to himself and receiued his kingdome and honoured him which punished him so but the time will preuent me to speak of his restitution therefore here I ende FINIS THE RESTITVTION OF NABVCHADNEZZAR Dan. 4. 31. c. 31 And at the ende of these dayes I Nabuchadnezzar lift vp mine eyes vnto heauen and mine vnderstanding was restored vnto me and I gaue thankes vnto the most high and I praised and honoured him that liueth for euer whose power is an euerlasting power and his kingdome is from generation to generation 32 And all the inhabitants are reputed as nothing and according to his will he worketh in the armie of heauen and in the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hande or say vnto him Why doest thou so 33 At the same time I had my vnderstanding restored vnto mee and I returned to the honour of my kingdome my glorie and my beautie was restored vnto mee and my counsellors and my Princes sought vnto mee and I was established in my kingdome and my glorie was augmented toward me 34 Now therefore I Nabuchadnezzar praise and extoll and magnifie the king of heauen whose workes are all trueth and his wayes iudgement and those that walke in pride he is able to abase NOw wee are come to his Restitution first Nabuchadnezzar was humbled as God humbleth his enemies now he is humbled as GOD humbleth his children that although he had more honour than he had before yet he is not proud of it as he was before but cryeth with the Prophet Dauid Not vnto me O Lord not vnto me but vnto thy name giue the glorie So he which sayd not only with heart but almost with mouth too there is no God now with heart and mouth honoureth none but God His pride and his fall Daniel declared but when hee came to his restitution hee makes Nabuchadnezzar to speake himselfe and giue thankes in his owne person like a witnesse brought in to testifie the trueth of this wonderfull storie When the Prophet had shewed how this King vaunted and how he was debased for it presently after he had spoken it he calles in as it were the King himselfe to witnesse his report and declare how he was raised agayne like a man which hauing receiued grace from a Prince or great person is brought in before him to giue thankes for his fauour receiued and then is dismissed In these verses two things shewe themselues at the first view that is Nabuchadnezzars Restitution and his thankfulnesse in his Restitution First he shewes the time when he was restored in these words At the end of these daies then hee shewes the manner how hee was restored in these wordes I Nabuchadnezzar lift vp mine eyes to heauen and mine vnderstanding was restored to me In his thankfulnes first he extolleth Gods power in setting him vp and pulling him downe and raising him agayne then he commēdeth Gods iustice and trueth which deserues to be praised for his iudgements as much as for his mercie as though he reioyced that God had made him like a beast that he might dye like a man At the end of these dayes As Daniel noted the time of his pride when hee walked in his pallace to shewe how pride growes out of buildings and wealth and apparell and such rootes so he noteth the time of his fall while the wordes were in his mouth to shewe that he was punished for his pride and ignorance that he might knowe where to begin his conuersion and abate his pride and when he had taken away the cause then God would take away the punishment so likewise he noteth the time of his Restitution At the ende of these dayes that is after seauen yeares were expired to shewe how long the sicknesse of pride is in curing and to shewe how euerie thing was fulfilled which was prophesied euen to the poynt of time for it was tolde him by Daniel that he should be like a beast seuē yeares therefore Nabuchadnezzar is prompt as it were to confesse the trueth and sayth as the Prophet sayth At the ende of these dayes that is at the ende of seauen yeares I Nabuchadnezzar was restored to my kingdome as Daniel tolde me Yet another note is set vpon this beast least wee should thinke that God only regarded the season and thinke seuen yeares punishment enough for such a sinne He saith not barely that his vnderstanding and honour were restored vnto him when seuen yeares were ended but that they were restored vnto him when hee began to lift vp his eyes vnto heauen to shewe that this blessing came from aboue and that hee which had humbled him had restored him agayne as if hee should saye to all that are cast down with sicknesse or pouertie or infamie or any trouble whatsoeuer in bodie or minde hee which hath humbled you will raise you as hee hath done mee but you must looke vp vnto heauen and lift vp your hearts vnto him and then your vnderstanding and comfort and wealth and pleasure health and libertie and good name and all shall returne vnto you agayne like Iobs sheepe and cammels and oxen in
giue examples and the sonne of GOD humbleth himselfe from heauen to earth and yet we contemne the example of Kings of the earth and the example of the King of heauen The time was when Adam digged and delued when Dauid kept sheepe and all the house of Iacob were called men occupied about cattell but as they for this were abhominable to the Egyptians as Moses saith in the same verse so they which doe like them are abhorred of their brethren they which liue by them scorne them for their worke which would be chastened themselues because they worke not There was no Arte nor Science which was so much set by in former times and is now profitable to the common-wealth bringing lesse profit vnto it self that may so iustly complaine of her fall without cause and her despight from them which liue by her as this painfull Science of husbandrie that it is marueil that any man will take paine for the rest to be contemned for his labour and be a scorne for the rest which might hunger and starue if he did not labour for them more then they do themselues No maruel then though many in the poore countries murmure complaine that other cannot liue by them and they cannot liue themselues but it is maruell if their complaint doe not growe in time of rebell on and pull other as lowe as themselues for why should the greatest payne yeeld the least profit yet this is their ease for if you marke you shal see that the husband-man doth bate the price of his fruits so soon as the dearth is past though he rayseth it a little while the dearth lasteth but they which raise the price of their wares with him seldome fall againe but make men pay as deere when the dearth is past as if it were a dearth stil Thus a plentiful yeere doth damage him and a hard yeere dooth vantage them So this painefull man is faiâ—e to liue poorely fare meanely goe barely house homely rise early labour dayly sell cheape and buy deere that I may truely say that no man deserueth his liuing better no man fulfilleth the law neerer that is thou shalt gette thy liuing in the sweate of thy browes then this poore sonne of Adam which pickes his crums out of the earth therfore he should not be mocked for his labor which hath vexation enough though all men spake well of him in my opinion if any deserue to be loued for his innocencie or for his trueth or his paine or the good which he brings to the common wealth this Realme is not so much beholding to any sorte of men but those that feede the soule as those which feede the body that is those that labour the earth yet you see how they liue like drudges as though they were your seruants to prouide foode for you and after to bring it to your doores as the beasts serue them so they serue you as though you were another kinde of men I cannot thinke vpon their miserie but my thoughts tels me that it is a great part of our vnthankfulnesse that we neuer consider what an easie life and liuing God hath giuen vnto vs in respect of them If the Apostles rule were kept they which doe not worke should not eate but now they which do not work eate most and the husband-men which worke eate not but are like Bees which prepare foode for other and pyne themselues Let vs consider this for they had not one lawe and wee another but the same curse which was denounced vpon Adam was denounced vpon all his children that euery man should get his liuing in the sweat of his browes Although I knowe there bee diuers workes and diuers gifts and diuers callings to worke in yet alwayes prouided they which doe not worke should not eat for in the sweat of thy browes that is in labor and trauel thou king and thou Iudge and thou Prelate and thou Land-lord and thou Gentleman shalt gette thy liuing as Adam thy Father did or else thou doest auoyde the curse and a greater curse shall follow that is they which wil not sweat in earth shall sweate in hell Adam had foode as wel as thou and so had Noah and more then thou vnlesse thou hadst all for they had all and yet they might not be idle because their handes were not giuen them for nothing Some worke with their penne some with their tongues some with their fingers as nature hath made nothing idle so God would haue no man idle but that he which is a Magistrate should do the work of a Magistrate hee which is a Iudge should doe the worke of a Iudge he which is a Captaine should doe the worke of a Captaine he which is a Minister should doe the worke of a Minister as when Noah was called an husband-man he did the worke of an husband-man This contempt of the Countrey doth threaten danger to the land as much as any thing els in our daies vnles their burthen bee eased and their estimation qualified in some part to their paines Thinking that you haue not heard of this theame before seeing the wordes of my Texte did lie for it thus much haue I spoken to put you in mind how easily you liue in respect of them to certifie your mindes towards our poore brethren which in deede seeme too base in our eyes and are scorned for their labours as much as we should be for our idlenes Then saith Moses Noah began to bee an husbandman In that it is here sayd that Noah began it doth not disproue that he gaue not himselfe to husbandrie before but it importeth that Noah began to set vp husbandrie againe after the floud before any other so this good man recomforted with the experience of Gods fauour which had exempted him his seede out of all the world and reioycing to see the face of the earth againe after the waters were gone though then an olde man and weake he was yet he returneth to his labour afresh and scorned not to till and plant for all his possessions as though hee were an husbandman such a lowlines is alwaies ioyned with the feare of GOD that they that are humbled with Religion doe not thinke themselues too good to doe any good thing Heere note by the way that none of Noahs sonnes are sayde to begin this worke but Noah himselfe the olde man the hoary head and carefull Father begins to teach the rest and shewes his sonnes the waye how they should prouide for their sonnes and how all the world after should liue by labour and trauell till they returne to dust so the olde man whom age dispenseth withall to take his ease is more willing to prouide for the wants of his children then they are which are bound to labour for themselues and their parents to as the Storke doth feede the damme when she is olde because the damme fed her when she was young what a shame is this to Shem and Iapheth
draw than to drinke rather to heare than to bee bettered and sanctified and increased by our hearing One sort heareth not at all like Eutichus which was sleeping when Paul was preaching another sort forgets all as Nabuchadnezzar did his dreame the most sort remembers all but will make no practise of it as a Carpenter which shoulde square all by rule and sticks it at his backe and workes all by aime But assuredly my beloued it were better you neuer heard then thus in despight of God to abuse your hearing If I had not spoken vnto them sayth Christ they shoulde haue had no sin but now haue they no cloake for their sinne What cloake can yee haue when God offereth grace and ye wilfully refuse it As meat the more a man receiueth the more it distempereth if it be not digested so the more yee learne and the more yee heare the greater is your sin if ye grow not by it if the seruant which hid his talent in a napkin was so handled what shalbe done to them which suffer their talent to perish And therefore euery man must beware how he heareth euery man must take heede that he receiue not the grace of God in vaine that he desire the milke of the word to bee bettered and increased by it Wherefore whosoener thou bee that heareth this and will heare other search thy conscience whether thou be growne in any vertue since thou heardest the last sermon consider what sinne thou haddest the last Sabboath which thou hast not this Sabboath If thou finde no change then the Word hath not had his working in thee thou art not inereased by the food which thou receiuedst Will not a man be angry to set his childe to schoole and finde him alwaies at his A B C. or the first principles of sanctification So will God be displeased if wee be negligent and slacke and neuer take out his lessons but stand at a stay I know many of you will giue me the hearing of this as you haue done many of my brethren heretofore but as the worme stroke Ionahs guord and it died in the morning so by the next morning a greedy worme of couetousnes or the like sinne wil haue perished all If it doe so knowe the Iudge standeth before the doore ready euery houre to summon you by death to make your appearaunce at the barre of iustice and to giue vp your account for euery talent yea for euery lesson that ye haue learned and left vnpractised As for you if any of you walke in dutifull obedience to the word I beseech you in the feare of God and in the bowels and loue of Iesus Christ that yee will abounde and increase yet more and more and contend by all meanes to put in practise exercise those things that yee heare that so at length when yee be ripe for the sickle and the great day of haruest be come ye may be gathered as good corne into the Lords garner and be inuested in the holy heauens with that blessed kingdome which God hath prouided for them that serue and feare him Amen FINIS THE BANQVET of Jobs Children IOB 1. 4. 5. verses 4 And his sons went and banquetted in their houses euery one his daye and sent and called their three sisters to eate and drinke with them 5 And when the daies of their banquetting were gone about Iob sent and sanctified them and rose vp early in the morning and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all For Iob thought it may bee that my sonnes haue sinned and blasphemed God in their hearts Thus did Iob euery day THis booke is a story of patient Iob to shew how God can deale with all and how they shoulde receiue all thinges at his hand seeing the most innocent man in the world when God should try him was brought so low that the Diuel had power to lay vpon him what torment he would death onely excepted and yet he stoode to it with such constancy that he saith though the Lord kill mee yet will I trust in him the thirteenth Chapter of Iob and fifteenth verse Such power was giuen vnto his faith and loue and patience that they ouercame the Diuell which saide that if hee might haue leaue to plague him hee would make him blaspheme God to his face verse 11. Therefore God would haue this victory to bee recorded for all such as are sicke or sore or needy or oppressed that whatsoeuer paine we suffer wee may remember that Iobs paine was sharper than this and yet it coulde not make him so impatient but when like a man hee was offended with his torments like an holy man he was more offended with himselfe and angrie with his anger Therefore at last God returned to him and remoued his troubles and made his end more honourable than his beginning as if he shuld say Thus it shal be done to the man which is not offended with my chastisementes Now to our purpose in the first verse of this Chapter the holy Ghost sheweth what a good man Iob was saying that hee was an vpright and iust man one that feared God and eschewed euill In the second verse he sheweth what store of children Iob had saying hee had seauen sonnes and three daughters In the third verse hee sheweth what store of riches Iob had saying his substance was seuen thousand sheepe and three thousand Camels and fiue hundred yoke of Oxen and fiue hundred Asses c. In the fourth verse hee returneth againe to his children shewing how they were occupied before the winde came and blewe the house vpon their heads saying his sonnes went and banquetted in their houses euery one his daye and called their three sisters to eate and drinke with them In the fift verse hee commeth againe to Iob and shewes a proofe of his vertues which he commended him for before saying that when his sonnes had banquetted hee sent for them and sanctified them and rose vp earely c. So if ye aske what his sonnes did the holy Ghost saith that they banquetted If yee aske where he saith in their owne houses If ye aske when he saith euery one kept his daye If yee aske who were the guests hee saith that one inuited another and the other inuited him againe and they called their sisters to them and so they made merrie together If yee aske what father Iob did the story saith that after euery feast first he sent for his sonnes and then he sanctified them and then hee sacrificed for them the reason is added because Iob thought It may be that may sonnes haue sinned and blasphemed God in their hearts his zeale in this action is declared by three circumstances First that he rose vp early in the morning Secondly that he offered so many sacrifices as he had sonnes Thirdly that he perfourmed this offering euery day while their feast lasted Of euery circumstance a little because some had rather heare many thinges then learne one
what passion expelled what sin repented what good performed since we began to receiue thy benefites this day wee must confesse against our selues that all our works words thoughts haue been the seruice of the world the flesh and the diuell we haue offended thee and contemned thee all the day and at night wee pray vnto thee Father forgiue vs all our sins which haue dishonored thee while thou diddest serue vs run from thee while thou didst call vs and forgotten thee whilest thou didst feede vs so thou sparest vs so we sleepe and to morrow we sinne againe this is the course of al our pilgrimage to leaue that which thou commandest and doe that which thou forbiddest Therefore thou mightest iustly forsake vs as we forsake thee and condemne vs whose conscience condemnes our selues but who can measure thy goodnesse which giuest all and forgiuest all Though we are sinfull yet thou louest vs though wee knocke not yet thou openest though we aske not yet thou giuest what should wee haue if wee did serue thee which hast done all these things for thine enemies Therefore thou which hast giuen vs al things for thy seruice O Lord giue vs a heart to serue thee let this be the houre of our conuersion let not euill ouercome good let not thine enemie haue his will but giue vs strength to resist patience to endure and constancie to perseuere vnto the end Instruct vs by thy word guide vs by thy spirite mollifie vs by thy grace humble vs by thy corrections winne vs by thy benefites reconcile our nature to thy will and teach vs to make profite of euery thing that wee may see thee in all things and all things in thee because O most mercifull father we walk between thy mercie and iustice through many temptations gouerne our steps with such discretion that the hope of mercie may preuent dispaire the feare of iustice may keepe vs from presumption that in mirth wee bee not vaine in knowledge we be not proude in zeale we bee not bitter but as the tree bringeth foorth first leaues then blossomes and then fruit so first wee may bring foorth good thoughts then good speeches and after a good life to the honor of thy name the good of thy children the saluation of our soules remembring the time when we shall sleepe in the graue and the day when wee shall awake to iudgement Now the time is come O Lord which thou hast appointed for rest and without thee wee can neither wake nor sleepe which hast made the day and night and rulest both therefore into thy hands we commend our soules and bodies that thou hast bought that they may serue thee restore them O Lorde to their first Image and keepe them to thy seruice and resigne vs not to our selues againe but finish thy work that we may euery day come neerer and neerer to thy kingdome till we hate the way to hell as much as hell it selfe and euery cogitation and speech and action be so many steps to heauen For thy names sake for thy promise sake for thy sonnes sake O Lord wee lift vp our hearts hands voyce vnto thee in his name which suffered for sinne and sinned not Our Father c. A Prayer for a sicke man ALmightie God and all mercifull Father which art the Phisition of our bodies and soules in thy hands are life and death thou bringest to the graue and pullest backe againe we came into this world vpon condition to forsake it whensoeuer thou wouldest call vs and now the Somners are come thy â—etters hold me and none can loose me but he which bound me I am sicke in bodie and soule but he hath stroken me which in iudgment sheweth mercie I deserued to dye so soone as I came to life but thou hast preserued me till now and shall this mercie bee in vaine as though wee were preserued for nothing Who can praise thee in the graue I haue done thee no seruice since I was borne but my goodnesse is to come and shall I dye before I begin to liue but Lord thou knowest what is best of all and if thou conuert me I shall be conuerted in an houre and as thou acceptedst the will of Dauid as well as the act of Salomon so thou wilt accept my desire to serue thee as well as if I did liue to glorifie thee The spirit is willing but the flesh is fraile and as I did liue sinfullie whensoeuer thy spirite was from mee so I shall dye vnwillingly vnlesse thy spirite prepare mee therefore deare father giue mee that minde which a sicke man should haue and increase my patience with my payne and call vnto my remembrance all which I haue heard or read or felt or meditated to strengthen mee in this houre of my triall that I which neuer taught any good while I liued maye nowe teach other how to dye and to beare theyr sicknes patiently apply vnto me all the mercies and merites of thy beloued sonne as if he had dyed for me alone Be not from me when the enemie comes but when the tempter is busiest let thy spirite bee busiest too and if it please thee to loose me out of this prison wheÌ„ I shal leaue my earth to earth let thine Angel carrie vp my soule to heauen as they did Lazarus and place me in one of those mansions which thy sonne is gone to prepare for me This is my mediator which hath reconciled me and thee when thou didst abhorre mee for my sinnes and thou didst send him from heauen to vs to shew that thou art bound to heare him for vs. Therfore in him I come vnto thee in him I call vpon thee O my redeemer my preseruer and my sauiour to thee be all prayse with thy father and the holy spirite for euer Amen What shall stay me from my Father my brother and my Comforter A comfortable speech taken from a godly Preacher lying vpon his death-bed written for the sicke I Owe to God a death as his Sonne died for me Euer since I was borne I haue been sailing to this hauen and gathering patience to comfort this houre therefore shal I be one of those guestes nowe that would not come to the banquet wheÌ„ they were inuited what hurt is in going to Paradise I shal loose nothing but the sence of euil and anon I shall haue greater ioyes then I feele paines For my head is in heauen already to assure mee that my soule and body shall follow after O death where is thy sting why should I feare that which I would not escape because my chiefest happinesse is behinde and I cannot haue it vnles I go vnto it I would go through hell to heauen and therefore If I martch but through death I suffer lesse then I would suffer for God My paines doe not dismay mee because I trauaile to bring forth eternall life my sinnes doe not fright me because I haue Christ my redeemer the iudge doth not
Thou art bound by this commaundement to doe it with all thy strength Therefore when Dauid went about the seruice of God he called al his powers together summoning them like a Cryer All that is within me praise the Lorde If euery parte looke to be glorified of GOD it is reason that euery part should glorifie him for this is all that they pay As euery subiect oweth loyaltie vnto his Prince so euerie member oweth a duety vnto his Creator The heart to loue him the tongue to praise him the eye to marke him the eare to attend him the hand to serue him the foote to followe him and euery parte shoulde serue GOD as it serueth vs Nay more than it serueth vs because wee are bound to loue GOD more than our selues For it is saide Loue God aboue all therefore we must giue more to Gods desire than to our owne desire Christ hath a parte in euery parte Nay euery parte is his parte because hee gaue all for all Shall the hande saye to the heart serue thou him or the heart say to the tongue serue thou him or the tongue say to the eye serue thou him or the eye say to the foote serue thou him Nay if Christ bee the head euery part will serue him for all the bodie is ruled by the head and therefore if hee bee the head euery parte of the bodie will serue him like a head Nowe if you will knowe how euery part may be a sacrifice thus it is When thou canst say with the Virgin Mine heart doth magnifie the Lorde then thine hearte is a sacrifice to God When thou canst saie with Samuell speake Lorde for thy seruant heareth then thine eare is a sacrifice to God When thou canst saie with Dauid Mine eies are euer towarde the Lorde then thine eie is a sacrifice vnto God When thou canst say with Dauid All the daye long I stretch out mine hand to thee then thine handes are a sacrifice to GOD. When thou canst say with Dauid as it appeareth in the 25. Psalme and the twelfth verse My foote standeth in vprightnes then thy feete are a sacrifice to God So at length by following of these examples euerie member is a sacrifice Hee which offereth this sacrifice is freely excused of all sacrifices besides For since Christ sacrificed himselfe God hath required none other sacrifice of Iewes nor Gentiles But that they sacrifice themselues Nowe when God doth require of thee to sacrifice thy bodie he doth but require thee to sacrifice the sinnes of thy body as you may picke out of the next wordes Be chaunged that is chaunge thy thoughts chaunge thy wordes chaunge thy workes Let thy tongue speake no more idelly Let thine eies looke no more to vanitie Let thine eares hearken no more to folly Let thine handes worke no more iniquitie and then thou hast Sacrificed thy bodie This seemes a deare sacrifice to sacrifice the bodie yet thou seest it is but a cheape sacrifice for it is nothing but to sacrifice thy sinnes which woulde Sacrifice thee If GOD had required thee to Sacrifice thy Sonne to him as hee required Abraham Genesis the twentie two Chapter and the second verse Wouldest thou not giue him But nowe he requireth nothing of thee but thy sinnes it is as if he should sue vnto thee for thy shame and thy trouble and thy guilt and thy feare that he might haue all which hurtes thee What wilt thou parte from if thou wilt not part from thine hurte Therefore sacrifice thy bodie and thou hast Sacrificed all that hurts thee Heere Christ is the alter and we the sacrifice and the fire which kindleth it the loue of God and the smoake which goeth vp the cōsumption of our sinnes but a worldly man killed and a spirituall man reuiued and the sacrifice is ended This sacrifice goeth vnder three titles liuing holie and acceptable Euerie one perswades with the Apostle that they shoulde offer it for in it is a holie sacrifice it cannot but please because hee is holy which takes it in that it is a liuing sacrifice it cannot lose them any thing because there is no death nor losse in it as there was in the Iewes sacrifices in that it is an acceptable sacrifice it must needs benefite thē for when the sacrifice is accepted the sacrificer is accepted too as Abel pleased when his sacrifice pleased First it is called a liuing sacrifice because the beasts died when they were sacrificed but men liue when they are sacrificed nay they die vnles they be sacrificed As Abraham did not lose his sonne when he was cōtent to sacrifice him to God so mē do not lose their pleasures when they sacrifice thē to God But as Christ saith He which leaueth father or mother for me shall receiue an hundred folde So he which leaueth any cōfort for God shall receiue an hūdred comforts for it For Gods demands are not onely demands but gifts Hee bids thee sacrifice thy bodie that thou mightest partak the sacrifice of his body Here then is but one Sacrifice for an other one body for another a beggers body for a Kings body Well may he require a liuing sacrifice which hath giuen a dead sacrifice Christ died for vs but hee desireth not our death but our life that we would serue him with our life It is called an holy sacrifice because our bodies are the temples of the holie ghost that is if they are not they shoulde be the Temples of the holy Ghost But as the Iewes abused the Temple of stone so we haue abused the Temple of flesh and there is no waie to make it holy againe but for the holy ghost to dwell in it that is to sacrifice it to God then it is holie because as vertue came out of Christ to heale the womans disease so holynes commeth out of Christ to heale euerye mans sinnes and then they are holie As nothing dooth please vs vnlesse it bee some waie like vs and agreeable to our nature so nothing doth please God but that which is like God therefore because God is holy no sacrifice doth please him but the holie sacrifice therefore holie goeth before acceptable to shewe that our sacrifice is not acceptable vnlesse it be holie Aliniug holy and acceptable sacrifice 3 It is called an acceptable sacrifice because no sacrifice is so accepted as when we offer our selues Therefore Sāuel saith obediēce is better than sacrifice that is it pleaseth God better than sacrifice Now if we must sacrifice to God we should doe as we doe to Princes that is offer that which may be accepted that we may be accepted for our gift or els better vndone than done When Caine had sacrificed to God because his sacrifice was not accepted therefore Moses saith that his countenance was cast downe but if wee sacrifice our bodies our countenance neede not bee cast downe for Paul saith that this sacrifice is accepted All other sacrifices
were kindled with the fire of the Temple but this Sacrifice is like the sacrifice of Eliah which God kindled himself with fire from heauen and therefore this must needes bee acceptable which man doth not only offer but God himselfe doth offer When the Apostle endes our Sacrifice with this clause acceptable hee meaneth that this should be the leuell of all our thoughtes that whatsoeuer we thinke or speake or do bee acceptable and liking vnto God As Dauid thought to builde the Temple but would not builde it when Nathan tolde him that God woulde not haue him builde it As Ananias would not baptize Saul but did baptize him whē he vnderstood that God wold haue him baptized As Ioseph would not take Mary to wife so long as he thought God did disalow his marriage but did marry her when the Angell told him that he should marry her so a good man will doe nothing before he doe consult with Gods worde all that hee doth hee approueth vnto God before hee doe it if it bee not his Worde and Will then hee turneth backe as if the winde and weather were against him alwayes refourming his owne will to Gods will that his thoughtes and wordes and workes may bee acceptable If reason teach vs this that when wee offer vnto God wee must giue him an acceptable sacrifice an acceptable honour an acceptable seruice then why doe we not giue him that which he asketh for he knoweth what is acceptable to him If he aske the first fruits we must not offer him the last fruites for the first is acceptable So if he appoint his discipline we may not set vp our discipline for that is not acceptable to him but to vs. Now Paul shewes what this Sacrifice is it is your reasonable seruice of GOD lest they should grudge to sacrifice their bodies hee sheweth that he meaneth but the sins of their bodies For this sacrifice saith Paul is your seruice your reasonable seruice He calleth it a reasonable seruice because it is not in ceremonies like the Iewes seruice but in spirit as Peter saith thē because it is that seruice which euery mans reason and conscience doth tell him that he oweth vnto God wherefore it may well be called a reasonable seruice because it is so reasonable Therefore if we will not serue God thus that is as our reason teacheth vs Then we serue him not like mē but like beasts voide of reason whome God may be sayd to rule but they cannot be sayd to obey because they are ruled perforce All thinges doe yeeld a seruice to God but all things doe not yeeld a reasonable seruice which he requireth of man here was no reason why Christ shoulde serue vs but there is greate cause why we should serue Christ because he serued vs without cause so that I may saie Christ requireth but a reasonable sacrifice for an vnreasonable sacrifice a liuing sacrifice for a dead sacrifice a cheape sacrifice for a precious sacrifice counting vs as it were like the poore widdowe of whome he is content to take a mite because wee are needie thus much of our reasonable seruice The law of this seruice is laid down in these wordes Fashion not your selues to the world the world followeth the world but I saith Christ to his Disciples haue chosen you out of the world therfore do not you follow the world The world is taken sometime for heauen earth and sea which are partes of the world sometime for the men of the world sometime for the elect in the worlde but most commonly it is taken for the wicked in the worlde because the wicked are most common like a man which by often faulting is growne to an euill name so the world which doth not signifie euill of it selfe yet is taken for euill because it is accustomed to do euill and therefore the Deuill is called the God of this world because the worldes fashions are the Deuils fashions Therefore fashion not your selues vnto the world lest you bee in the Diuels fashion Then you must not pranke vppe your selues like Plaiers for this is the fashiō of the world then you must not respect persons more than iustice for this is the fashion of the worlde Then you must not flatter to Please for this is the fashion of the world Then you must not deceiue to grow rich for this is the fashion of the world then you must not seeke reuenge for euery word for this is the fashion of the world then you must not take scorne to bee tolde of your faultes for this is the fashion of the world then you must not giue almes to be seene for this is the fashion of the world then you must not obey for feare of the law for this is the fashion of the world then you must not receiue the sacrament for order for this is the fashion of the worlde then you must not come to church for custom for this is the fashion of the worlde then you must not make religion but a table talke for this is the fashion of the world then you must not turne with the time for this is the fashion of the world then you must not deferre to doe good till you die for this is the fashion of the worlde The worlde is a badde patterne to followe because as the flesh followeth the deuill so the worlde followeth the fleshe Therefore saie no more wee must doe as the worlde doth but rather we must not doe as the world doth You say you go so because it is the fashion God saith goe not so because it is the fashion If you come but in the fashion you shall bee in the abuse There is no man that weareth the cutters fashion but he is a cutter none which cutteth his haire like them which are proud but he is proud none that coloureth her face like them which are wanton but shee is wanton none which sweareth like them which lie but hee will lie as well as sweare Therefore make not your life of the worldes fashion the wedding garment was of an other fashion than all the rest therefore if thou fashionest they selfe like the rest thou hast not on thee the wedding garment for this was nothing like vnto the reste Christes garment was of another manner of fashion differing from the worlde so thy life must bee of another fashion than the worldes or else as the fashion of the worlde passeth away so thou shalt passe and perish with it God doth not like the fashion of the worlde and surelie he liketh as ill the fashion of Idolatrie or the fashion of Antichrist as the fashion of the worlde He which biddeth vs to refraine from euerie shewe of euill would haue vs refraine from the shewe of Idolatrie and the shewe of Heresie for these are the greatest euils But if we bee not Idolatours yet we haue the shewe of Idolatry If wee bee not of