her peace to keepe the peace Therefore they which keepe silence are well said to hold their peace because silence oftentimes dooth keepe the peace when wordes would breake it To her silence and patience she must adde The acceptable obedience which makes a woman rule while she is ruled This is the wiues tribute to her husband for shee is not called his head but he is called her head Great cause hath man to make much of his wife for great and many are her duties to him for Paul saith Wiues submit your selues vnto your husbands as to the Lord. Shewing that shee should regard his will as the Lords will but withall as the Lord commandeth onely that which is good and right so she should obey her husband in good right or else she doth not obey him as the Lord but as the tempter The first subiection of woman began at sinne for when God cursed her for seducing her husband when the Serpent had seduced her he said He shall haue authoritie ouer thee And therefore as the man named all other creatures in signe that they should be subiect to him as a seruant which commeth when his master calleth him by his name so did he name the woman also in token that shee should be subiect to him likewise And therfore Assuerus made a law that euery man should beare rule in his owne house and not the woman because she sinned first therefore she is humbled most euer since the daughters of Sara are bound to call their husbandes Lords as Sara called her husband that is to take them for their Lords for heads and gouernors If ye disdaine to follow Abrahams spouse the apostle biddeth you folow Christs spouse for he saith Let a wife be subiect to her husband as the church is to Christ A greater loue then this saith Christ no man can haue So a better example then this no woman can haue That the wife may yeeld this reuerence to her husband Paul would haue her attire to be modest and orderly for garish apparell hath taught many gossips to disdaine their husbands This is the follie of some men to lay all their pride vpon their wiues they care not how they slouen themselues so their wiues iette like Peacockes But Peter doth commend Sara for her attire and not Abraham shewing that women should braue it no more then men and God made Eues coat of the same cloath that he made Adams They couered themselues with leaues and God derided them but now they couer themselues with pride like Sathan which is fallen down before them like lightning ruffe vpon ruffe lace vpon lace cut vpon cut four twentie orders vntil the woman be not so precious as her apparell that if any man would picture Vanitie he must take a pattern of women or else he cannot draw her likenes As Herodias was worse for her fine dauncing so a woman may haue too many ornaments frisled locks naked brests painting perfume especially a rolling eye are the forerunners of adulterie and hee which hath such a wife hath a fine plague Once women were maried without dowries because they were well nurtured but now if they weighed not more in golde then in godlinesse many should sitte like Nunnes without husbands Thus we haue shadowed the mans dueties to his wife and the womans to her husband After their duties one to another they must learne their duties to their familie One compareth the maister of the house to the Seraphin which came kindled the prophets zeale so he should go from wife to seruants and from seruants to children and kindle thē in the zeale of God longing to teach his knowledge as a Nurse to emptie her brests Another sayth that a maister in his familie hath all the offices of Christ for he must rule and teach and pray rule like a king and teach like a prophet and pray like a Priest To shew how a godly man should behaue himself in his houshold whē the holy Ghost speaketh of the conuersion of any housekeeper lightly he saith That the man beleeued with all his houshold As Peter being conuerted must conuert his brethren so the maister being conuerted must conuert his seruants For therfore God said that he would not hide his counsel from Abraham because he would teach his familie and surely all dutie which is not done of conscience is but ey-seruice and fayleth at most need as Ziba betrayed his mayster when he should haue defended him Therefore before Onesimus was conuerted Paul said he was an vnprofitable seruant but whē hee was conuerted he calleth him more then seruant because such a seruant is better then many seruants Therfore though Laban was wicked himselfe yet hee reioyced that Iacob his seruaunt was godlie because God blessed him better for him Ioshua sayth I and my houshold will serue the Lord. Shewing that maisters should receiue none into their houses but whome they can gouerne as Ioshua did and if any haue crept into their doores then they must put him foorth againe for Dauid sayth I will not suffer a lyar to stay in my house Psal 101. 7. Hee sayth not a swearer nor a theefe but a lyer as if he should say I will rid him out of my doores before he be a swearer and a theefe for a lyer will grow to a swearer and a theefe in a daye as a Dicer groweth to a begger in a night Therefore it is noted of Cornelius that all his houshold serued God himselfe This is reported also of Ioseph and Marie for an example that they went vp euery yeare with all their families to worship at Ierusalem that their children their seruants might learne to know God as well as they These examples be written for housholders as others are for magistrates ministers and soldiors that no calling might seek further then the Scripture for instruction Wherefore as you are maisters now and they your seruants instruct them and train them as if you would shew what maisters they should be hereafter After the care of their soules they must care for their bodies for if the laborer is worthie of his hire which laboureth but a day what is the seruant worth which laboureth euery day Therefore Paul is so earnest with Philemon to make much of Onesimus his seruant that he desireth Philemon to receiue him as he would himselfe Therfore because cruell greedie masters should not vse them too hardly God remembred them in his creation and made euery weeke one day of rest wherein they should be as free as their maisters so God pittieth the labourer from heauen and euery Sabboth lookes downe vpon him from heauen as if he should say one day thy labors shall haue an end and thou shalt rest for euer as thou restedst this day By this we see as Dauid did limit
this day but thus it standes God hath sent vnto vs for our hearts and wee answere him as the husbands of the vineyard when he sent for fruites or as Nabal answered Dauid when he sent for food Who is Dauid or who is the Lord that I should take my heart from pleasure and sin and giue it vnto him Thus we demurre vpon the cause when we should giue whether we should giue or no and aske the flesh and our lusts and our pleasures and if the diuell will not giue his assent then wee returne an excuse it is not mine to giue or if thou canst get the diuels good will I will not stand or let sinne and pleasure haue it for a while and when they haue done with it then God shall haue it Thus euery thing which should be thrown out hath a place in our heart and he which should bee receiued in can haue no roome there though hee would open the doores of heauen if we would open the doores of our hearts that the King of glorie might come in What shall become of those hearts when he which craues them now shall iudge them hereafter Then shall they stand like Esau and see them blessed like Iacob which gaue their hearts and crie themselues as hee did to his father Isaac Hast thou not reserued a blessing for vs What a heauie heart will it bee then when it may not ioy any longer here and the ioyes of Heauen are shut agaynst it and hee which desired it will not haue it because it comes like the foolish Virgins when the doores of mercie are shut Thus ye haue heard what God requires for all that hee hath giuen you and how all your seruices are lost vntill you bring it What shall I wish you now before my departure I wish you would giue all your hearts to God while I speake that yee might haue a Kingdome for them Send for your hearts where they are wandering one from the Banke another from the Tauerne another from the Shop another frō the Theaters call them home and giue them all vnto God and see how hee will welcome them as the Father imbraceth his Sonne If your hearts were with God durst the Diuell fetch them durst those sinnes come at them Euen as Dina was defloured when she strayed from home so is the heart when it straieth from God Therefore call the members together and let them fast like a quest of twelue men vntill they consent vppon lawe before anie moe Tearmes passe to giue God his right and let him take the heart which hee wooeth which hee would marrie which hee would endowe with all his goods and make it the heyre of the crowne When you pray let your heart pray when you heare let your heart heare when you giue let your heart giue whatsoeuer you doe set the heart to doe it and if it be not so perfect as it should bee yet it shalbe accepted for the friend that giues it Now if you cannot command your hearts to turne vnto God because the diuell pleades custome and the flesh will not agree to leaue her possessions then remember what Christ saith When ye giue almes let not your left hand know what the right hand doth so the flesh must not knowe what the spirite doth Thou must not make thy lusts of counsel but as Abraham when hee was bid to offer his sonne rose vp betime and left his wife at home and neuer made Sarah priuie lest she should stop him being more tender ouer her childe like women than the father is so thou must giue thy heart to God before the flesh heare of it for if Abigaile had consulted with Nabal whether she shuld haue supplied Dauid with victuals or no when he sent the miser would neuer haue giuen his consent which scolded so soone as he heard of it therefore she went alone and gaue that which hee asked and neuer tolde her husband what shee would doe lest hee should hinder her which sought her welfare and his too so wee should steale our harts from the world as the world stole them from vs and transport them to God when the flesh is a sleepe I haue but one daye more to teach you all that you must learne of me therefore I would holde you heere vntill you assent to giue all your hearts to God If ye giue them not now where haue I cast the seede and how haue ye heard all this yeare If ye will giue them now ye shall bee adopted this daye the sonnes of God and I shall leaue you in the bosome of Christ which will giue you heauen for your hearts The Lord Iesu graunt that my wordes bee not the sauour of death vnto my soule here but that you may goe in strength thereof through prosperitie and aduersitie till you heare that comfort from heauen Come ye blessed and receiue the inheritance prepared for you FINIS THE TRVE TRIAL OF THE SPIRITES To the Reader TWo things we are apt to forget Gods benefites and our sinnes for the first the Lord saith I haue loued you and they say Wherein hast thou loued vs For the second hee saith Ye haue despised me and they say Wherein haue we despised thee THE TRVE TRIAL OF THE SPIRITES 1. Thess 5. 19 c. 19 Quench not the spirit 20 Despise not prophecying 21 Trie all things and keepe that which is good 22 Abstaine from all appearance of euill AT the last time which I spake of these wordes In all things giue thanks Quench not the Spirit Touching the first I shewed you that it is an easier thing to obtaine of God than to bee thankfull to him for moe haue gone away speeders than haue gone away thankers Then how the wicked are beholding to God as well as the iust and therfore it is sayd that the Sunne doth shine vpon the iust and the vniust Then how Iacob came not so barely to Laban when he brought nothing with him but his staffe in his hand as man commeth into this worlde without strength or staffe to sustaine him which made the Apostle to aske What haue you which you haue not receiued Therefore to teach man to be thankfull vnto his maker hee was not made in Paradise the place of ioy and happines but being made out of Paradise hee was brought into Paradise to shew how all his ioy and happines came from God and not from nature that he might know where to bestow his thankes Therefore Dauid to perswade all men vnto thankfulnesse saith It is a good and pleasant thing to be thankfull If he had sayd no more but good all which loue goodnesse were bound to be thankful but when he saith not onely good but pleasant too all which loue pleasure are bounde to be thankfull and therefore as Peters mother in lawe so soone as Christ healed her of a feauer rose vp immediatly to
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
to shew that Christ is not a corporall meate as the Papists say he sayth hee is a spirituall meate as we say therefore you see that wee doe not eate him corporally no more then our Fathers but that as they did eate him spiritually so do wee for spirituall meate must be eaten spiritually as corporall meate is eaten corporally Agayne for the signes to bee turned into the thing signified by them is vtterly against the nature of a Sacrament and makes it no Sacrament because there is no signe for euerie Sacrament doth consist of a signe and a thing signified the signe is euer an earthlie thing and that which it signifieth is a heauenly thing This shall appeare in al examples As in Paradise there was a very Tree for the signe and Christ the thing signified by it in Circumcision there was a cutting off of the skinne and the cutting off of sinne in the Passe-ouer there was a Lambe Christ in the Sabboth there was a day of rest and eternall rest in the sacrifices there was an offering of some beast and the offering of Christ in the Sanctuarie there was the holie place and heauen in the Propitiatorie there was the golden couering and Christ our couer in the Wildernesse there was a Rocke yeelding water and Christ yeelding his blood in the Apparition there was a Doue and the holy Ghost in the Manna there was bread and Christ in Baptisme there is verie water which washeth vs and Christs blood washing vs so in the Supper of Christ there is verie bread and Wine for the signe and the bodie and blood of Christ for the thing signified or else this Sacrament is against the nature of all other sacraments Againe there must bee a proportion betweene the Passe-ouer and the Lords Supper because this was figured by the other Nowe the Iewes had in their Passe-ouer Breade and Wine and a Lambe So our sauiour Christ instituting his last Supper left Bread and Wine and a Lambe the which name is giuen to himselfe because hee came like a Lambe and died like a Lambe Againe if Christs verie bodie were offered in the sacramēt then it were not a sacrament but a sacrifice which two differ as much as giuing and taking for in a sacrifice we giue and in a sacrament wee receiue and therefore wee say our sacrifice and Christs sacrament Againe euery sacrifice was offered vpon the Altar Now marke the wisedome of the holy-Ghost least we should take this for a Sacrifice hee neuer names Altar when hee speakes of it but The Table of the Lord. Therefore it is no doubt but the diuell hath kept the name of Altar that we might think it a sacrifice Againe if the bread were Christes flesh and the wine his blood as these two are separate one from the other so Christs flesh should be separate from his blood but his bodie is not deuided for then it were a dead bodie Againe that which remaineth doth nourish the bodie relish in the mouth as it did before which could not be but that it is the same food which it was before Againe I would aske whose are this whitenesse and hardnesse and roundnes and coldnesse None of them say that it is the whitenesse and hardnesse and roundnesse and coldnesse of Christs body therefore it must needes bee the whitenesse and hardnesse and roundnesse and coldnesse of the bread or else qualities should stand without substances which is as if one should tell you of a house without a foundation Againe as Christ dwelleth in vs so hee is eaten of vs but hee dwelleth in vs onely by faith Ephe. 3. 17. Therfore he is eaten only by faith Agayne none can bee saued without the communion of the body of Christ but if all should communicate with it corporally then neither infants nor any of our fathers the patriarkes or the prophets should be saued because they receiued it not so Againe Christ sayth not This wine but This cup and therefore by their conclusion not onely the wine should bee turned into blood but the cup too Againe Paul saith They which receiue vnwoorthilie receiue their owne damnation But if it were the flesh of Christ they should rather receiue saluation then damnation because Christ saith Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath life euerlasting Iohn 6. 54. Againe if they would heare an Angell from heauen when Christs bodie was glorified an Angell sayd to the woman Hee is risen and is not here Mat. 28. as if he should say his body is but in one place at once or else he might haue bene there though he was risen Againe why doe they say in receiuing this Sacrament euer since the primitiue Church Lift vp your hearts if they haue al in their mouthes To end this cōtrouersie here wee may say as the Disciples said to Christ Whither shall we go from thee I meane wee neede not to go to any other expositor of Christ then Christ himselfe therefore marke what he saith at first when Christ said that he was the bread of life that al which wold liue must eate him they murmured vntill he expoūded his words how did he expound his words Thus Hee that commeth vnto mee hath eaten and he that beleeueth in mee hath drunke After when hee instituted this Sacramēt in like words they murmured not which they would as before if hee had not resolued thē before that to eat his body and to drinke his blood was nothing but to come to him and beleeue in him After hee had said so they murmured not because they did see some reason in it as it is plainlie said This is my bodie so it is plainlie saide These words are spirite that is they must be vnderstood spirituallie and not literallie But if it be flesh indeed why doe they not satisfie the simple people how they may eate this flesh in Lent when they forbid them to eate any flesh they must needs eate it doubtfully and he which doubteth saith Iames receiueth nothing therefore hee which eateth the masse receiueth nothing I did not alleage the Fathers in my Sermon but if any suspend his assent till they bring in their verdit let him heare thē make confession of their beleefe Augustine saith the Lord doubted not to say This is my bodie when hee gaue onely a signe or Sacrament of his bodie Tertullian saith This is my bodie that is a signe of my bodie Ambrose saith the bread and wine remain still the same thing that they were Theodoret sayth after the consecration the mysticall signs doe not cast off their own nature but abide still in their first substance and forme Origene sayth the bread that is sanctified with the word of God as touching the materiall substance thereof goeth into the bellie and foorth againe like other meats Irenaeus saith that it hath two things in it one
in their gaines but not in their losses So one takes all the paines and abideth all the venture and the other that takes no paines reapeth halfe the profit This Vsurie is forbidde in 2. Thess chap. 3. vers 10. where it is said Hee which will not worke let him not eate Some will not take Vsurie but if he be a Labourer or a Mason or a Carpenter which borroweth of him he will couenant with him for so manie daies worke he shall labour with him so many daies or so many weekes for nomoney but the loane of money This vsurie is condemned in Luke 10. 7. where it is sayd The labourer is worthie of his hire Some will not take vsurie but if you haue not present money to pay for their wares they will set a high price of them for the forbearing of the time and so they doe not only sell their wares but they sell time too that is they doe not onely sell their owne but they sell Gods owne Therefore one saith of these when he selleth the day he selleth the light and when he selleth the night he selleth rest therefore when hee would haue the light of heauen and the rest of Paradice it shalbe said vnto him that he hath sold both alreadie For he solde light when hee solde the day and he solde rest when he solde the night and therfore now he can haue neither light nor rest Hereafter let not the Londoners say that they giue time but that they sell time There be other Vsurers which wil not lend themselues but giue leaue to their wiues and they play like hucksters that is euerie moneth a peny for a shilling which is one hundreth for another in the yeare But that I was informed of them since this Sermon was preached I had left out our capitall Vsurers which will not lend anie money because they dare not require so much gaine as they would haue but if you would borrow an hundred pound they wil giue you wares worth threescore pound and you shall answere them an hundred pounde for it These are the Vsurers generall which lurke about the Citie like Rattes and Wesels and Fulmers of whome may bee saide the same which is saide of the diuels They seeke whom they may deuoure There be other cousins to Vsurers which are not counted Vsurers such as take money for that which they should giue freely such as take as much for a counterfeite as for the best such as take a fee of a Client and do him no pleasure such as take money for Masses and Dirges and Trentals and Pardons and such like drugges which doo no more good than fire out of the chimney This is a kinde of vsurie and deceipt beside which one daie they will cast away as Iudas did his thirtie pence Now haue you heard the kindes of Vsurie you shall heare the Arguments which are deuised for Vsurie Sinne is neuer compleat vntill it be excused this is the vantage which the diuell getteth by euery sinne whensoeuer hee can fasten any temptation vppon vs we giue him a sinne for it an excuse to boot as Adam our father did First he sinned and then hee excused so first we sinne and then we excuse first a Vsurer and then an excuser Therfore euerie Vsurer will defende vsurie with his tongue though he condemne it with his conscience If the Image-makers of Ephesus had not liued by Images they would haue spoken for Images no more than the rest for none stood for Images but the Image-makers so if the Vsurers did not liue by vsurie they woulde speake for vsurie no more than the rest for none standes for vsurie but Vsurers It is an easie matter if a man be disposed to speake something for euerie vice as some defend the stewes some defend Nonresidencie some defend swearing by my faith some defend bowling vpon the Sabaoth and some defend Vsurie but will you pleade for Baal saith Ioash that is Will you plead for sinne which will pleade against you A sinne is a sinne when it is defended nay a sinne is two sinnes when it is defended for Hee which breaketh one of the least Commaundements saith Christ and teacheth others to doo so is the least in the Kingdome of Heauen A Squire of lowe degree is a Squire of no degree so the least in the Kingdome of Heauen is none of the Kingdome of Heauen Who then is the least in the Kingdome of Heauen not hee which breaketh the least of the Commaundements but hee which teacheth others to do so that is he which by defending and excusing and mincing and extenuating his sinne incourageth others to sinne too To defend Vsurie they distinguish vpon it as they distinguish of lying As they say there is a pernicious lye and an officious lye and a merrie lye and a godlie lye so they saie there is the Merchants vsurie and the Strangers vsurie and the Widowes vsurie and the Orphans vsurie and the poore mans vsurie and the byting vsurie and the charitable vsurie and the necessarie vsurie As God said Ye shall dye and the Woman saide peraduenture yee shall dye and the Serpent saide ye shall not dye so there be three opinions of vsurie Some say like God thou shalt dye they thinke that Vsurie is vtterlie vnlawfull because God hath vtterlye forbid it some saye like to the Woman peraduenture thou shalt dye they doubt whether Vsurie bee vtterlye vnlawfull or no because it is so much tollerated some saie like the Serpent thou shalt not dye they thinke that Vsurie is lawfull because it is gainfull as Saul thought that the Idolaters beastes should not be killed because they were fatte But as hee was commanded to kill the fatte beastes as well as the leane so wee are commaunded to kill fat sinnes as well as leane sinnes gainful sinnes as well as prodigall sinnes They which plead for Vsurie obiect these Arguments First they say God doth allow some kinde of Vsurie for in Deut. 23. it is said Of a straunger thou maist take Vsurie I perceiue no scripture speaketh for Vsurers Of a stranger saith God thou maiest take Vsurie but thou takest vsurie of thy brother therefore this condemneth thee because thou vsest thy brother like a stranger Here stranger doth signifie the Iewes enemies whome they were commaunded to destroy therefore marke how much this maketh against vsurie which they obiect for vsurie God doth not license the Iewes to take vsurie of any but their enemies whom they might kill They might not be Vsurers vnto anie but to them of whome they might be destroyers whome they might slaie of them onely they might take vsurie shewing that Vsurie is a kind of punishment and such a kinde of punishment as if we are to kill a man it were a verie fitte punishment for him and therefore the Iewes might take vsurie of none but them whom they might kill I hope vsurers will alleadge this Scripture
riches by vsurie To begin with the punishment not onely Gods law but euen the Cannon law doth so condemne vsurie that first it doth excommunicate him from the Church as though he had no communion with Saints Secondlie it dooth detaine him from the sacraments as though he had no communion with Christ Thirdlie it dooth depriue him of his Sepulchre and wil not suffer him to be buried as though hee were not worthie to lie in the earth but to lie in hell Lastlie it maketh his will to be no will as though his goods were not his owne For nothing is ours but that which wee haue rightlie got and therefore we say It is mine by right as though it were not ours vnlesse it be ours by right This is the iudgement of mans law Now you shall heare the iudgement of Gods law A Vsurer dooth receiue two incomes one of the borrower and another of the reuenger of the borrower he lookes for gaine but of the reuenger he lookes for punishment Therfore all the Scripture prophecieth euill vnto him as Michaiah did to Achab Salomon saith He which encreaseth his riches by Vsurie gathereth for them which will be mercifull to the poore As if hee should saie when he hath loden himselfe like a Cart hee shall be vnloden like a Cart againe and they shall inherit his monie for whom he did neuer gather it For he which is vnmercifull to the poore meaneth not to gather for them which will bee mercifull to the poore But Salomon saith That they shall be his heires which will be mercifull as hee was vnmercifull Now marke whether this prophesie of Salomon be true I know not how many in this Cittie doe encrease by vsurie but this prophesie seemeth to be verified of many for it is noted that the riches lands of Aldermen and Merchants and other in London do not last so long nor indure so well as the riches and lands of other in the countrie and that their children doe not prooue so well as others nor come to that place in the Common weele which for their wealth their parents looked that they should come to I can giue no reason for it but the reason of Salomon Hee which increaseth by Vsurie gathereth for them which will bee mercifull to the poore That is their riches shall go from their heires to Gods heires according to that The riches of the sinner is layd vp for the righteous that is the righteous shall enioie that which the wicked gathereth All riches are vncertaine but the riches which are euill gotten are most vncertaine They may be called moueable goods for they are verie moueable like the clowdes which neuer rest till they fall as they climed God sayth that he will smite the Vsurer with his fist not with the palme of his hand but with his fist which giueth a greater blow As his handes were shut against the poore so Gods handes shall be shutte against him that his punishment may be like his sinne But if you will heare their finall sentence Dauid saith heere That they shall not dwell in Gods Temple nor rest in his holie mountaine Then we will seeke no more punishments for this punishment is all punishments If they shall not come to heauen whose then shall those riches be Nay whose then shall the honour be when that day commeth If hee shall not rest in heauen then he shall rest in hell where no rest is Then saith one the Vsurer shall crie vnto his children Cursed bee you my Children because you were the cause of these torments for least you should be poore I was an Vsurer and robbed other to leaue riches vnto you To whom the children shall replie againe nay cursed be you father for you were the cause of our torments for if you had not left vs other mens goods we had not kept other mens goods Thus when they are cursed of God they shall curse one another curse the Lord for condemning them curse their sinnes for accusing them curse their Parents for begetting them and curse themselues because they cannot helpe themselues As they which are blessed doe nothing but blesse so they which are accursed do nothing but curse This is the second vsurie which the Vsurer shall receiue of God after hee hath receiued vsurie of men then the name of Vsurie shalbe fulfilled as it signifieth biting so when it hath bitten other it shall bite the Vsurer too and neuer rest biting then they shall wish that they could restore againe as Zacheus did and shall not restore because their money is gone Therefore if Christ be come to your hearts as he came to Zacheus house restore now as Zacheus did and escape this iudgement This is the end of the Vsurer and his money if they stay together till death yet at last there shalbe a diuision The diuell shall take his soule the earth shall take his bodie the strangers shal take his goods the mourners shall reioyce vnder their blacks and say Wickednesse is come to the graue Therefore if thou wouldest not be counted an vsurer then refrain to be a vsurer now for they which are vsurers now shalbe counted Vsurers then Thus you haue heard the Vsurers payment Now if you will know whether it be vnlawful to giue vsurie as it is vnlawfull to take vsurie I wish that you could resolue your selues that I might not speake of it for I haue heard some Preachers say that there be some truths which they would be loath to preach and so there be some truthes which I would be loath to preach because manie heare by halues and some for malice or ignorance will take thinges otherwise then they are spoken yet because I haue promised I wil speak somthing of it Well then may we neither take vsurie nor giue vsurie I know that Ieremie saith I haue not lent vpon vsurie to others neither haue others lent vpon vsurie to mee as though both were vnlawfull not onely to take vsurie but to giue vsurie But thereby Ieremie doth signifie that hee was no medler in the worlde whereby they should enuie him like other men and therefore hee cleareth himselfe chieflie from Vsurie because Vsurers were most enuied And to shewe that hee was not an Vsurer he saith that he was not a borrower which is more lawfull than to be a Vsurer like a man which saith I doe neither hate him nor know him Why it was lawfull to know him but to proue that he did not hate him hee saith hee doeth not know him So Ieremie to proue that hee had not lent vpon vsurie doeth saie that hee neuer borrowed vpon Vsurie which manie will doe that will not lende The best Expositors giue this sence of it I knowe beside that Christ did cast foorth the buyers out of the Temple as wel as the sellers But that was not for buying but for buying in the Temple where they should not buy but
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
he sought without trouble and been happier many yeares since than he is now Therefore to them which are young Salomon shewes what a vantage they haue aboue the aged like a ship which seeing another ship sinke before her lookes about her pulles downe her sayle turneth her course and escapes the sands which would swallow her as they had done the other So they which are young neede not trie the snares and allurements of the worlde or the issues and effectes of sinne which olde men haue tried before them but take the tryall and experience of others and goe a neerer way to obtaine their wished desires That is this sayth Salomon If thou wouldest haue any setled peace or heartie ioye in this vaine or transitorie worlde which thou hast beene seeking all the time since thou wert borne thou must Remember thy Creator which did make thee which hath elected thee which hath redeemed thee which daylie preserueth thee which will for euer glorifie thee and as the kinde remembrance of a friende doth recreate the minde so to thinke and meditate vpon GOD will supply thy thoughts dispell thy griefes and make thee cheerefull as the sight of the Arke comforted Dauid for ioye and comfort and pleasure is whereas God is as light and cheerefulnes and beautie is whereas the Sunne is Nowe if thou wouldest haue this ioy and comfort pleasure to bee long and wouldest escape those thousand miseries vexations and vanities which Salomon by many weary and tedious tryals sought to make naked before thee yet held all but vanitie when hee had founde the way thou must Remember thy Creator in the daies of thy youth at the first spring time and then thy happynesse shall bee as long as thy life and all thy thoughts while thou remainest on earth a foretaste of the glorie of Heauen This is the summe of Salomons counsaile Salomon findes man seeking happinesse out of the way as Esau hunted long for a blessing and yet went without it he pities to see him seeke and not finde to runne and not obtaine therefore he setteth him in the way like a guide sent from heauen which often had strayed himselfe before and being now recouered to his right way stands like a mark of knowledge in the turnings that leade vnto blinde by-waies to direct all those that passe by that they may followe the readie path that leadeth to eternall happinesse And because the Trauailour marcheth cheerefully which knoweth his way before he setteth foorth therefore from the first setting forth euen from the time of youth when a man beginneth to runne his pilgrimage Salomon tels him how he shall therein prepare himselfe to walke and sets him in a faire high way wherein is no turning either to the right hand or the left which he calleth the remembrance of GOD. As if he should say Walke with God as Enoch did and remember well that he which shall be thy Iudge doth see all that thou doest and heareth thee at euerie worde and this thought shall keepe thee in the way at all times like the clowde and piller of fire which went before the Children of Israel aswell by day as night when they trauailed in the wildernes In the next chapter before and the ninth verse Salomon sayd Reioyce O young man in thy youth now he hath chaunged his note to Remember O young man in thy youth No more Reioyce but Remember Salomon mocked before and shewed what they did remember here he shewes what they should remember least anie Libertine should misconster him and say Salomon taught vs to reioyce Salomon gaue vs leaue to sinne Salomon said doe as ye list for you are yong men and haue a priuiledge to bee lasciuious and vaine he recants with a breath and denyes forthwith his word euen where he spake it What sayd I Reioyce O young man in thy youth I would say Remember O young man in thy youth So God mockes vs while wee sinne like Michaiah which bad Achab fight agaynst Aram and then forbad him againe so hee bids them reioyce and forbids them agayne Reioyce not in thy youth but repent in thy youth One would thinke that Salomon should haue giuen this Memorandum rather to olde men then to young men let them repent which looke to dye Oh saith Ieremie it is good for a man to beare the yoake in his youth if it be good to suffer in youth it is better to learne in youth Therefore if Dauid wisht that his tongue might cleaue to the roofe of his mouth if hee forgot Ierusalem what are they worthie which forget GOD the King of Ierusalem Can a childe forget his father Is not GOD our Father therefore who is too young to remember him seeing the childe doth knowe his father As the deepest wounds had neede to be first tented so the vnstablest mindes haue neede to bee first confirmed In this extremitie is youth as Salomon shewes them before hee teacheth them For in the last verse of the former chapter he calleth youth vanitie as if he would speake all euill in a word and say that youth is euen the age of sinne Therfore when he had shewed young men their sollie vnder the name of vanitie like a good Tutor he taketh them to schoole and teacheth them their dutie Remember thy Creator as though all sinne were the forgetfulnesse of God and all our obedience came from this remembrance that God created vs after his owne image in righteousnesse and holinesse to serue him here for a while and after to inherit the ioyes which he hath himselfe Which if we did remember doubles it would make vs ashamed to thinke and speake and doe as wee are woont For what man dooth remember his Creator or why he was created while he sweareth and forsweareth and maketh his trade of sinne as though there were no God to iudge nor hell to punish This is because the remembrance of God which would wake sinners is so chased from men for feare it should curbe them of their pleasures that they dare not thinke of him but striue to forget him that they may sinne without feare Therefore he becommeth a Schoolemaster for God and calleth children vnto him before they be corrupted to teach them this one lesson for the guide of their life Remember thy Creator To which he draweth them as it were with two cordes the short slight of their youth and the infinite infirmities of age To shew how soone our youth is gone which we thinke will neuer haue ende Salomon doth not reckon it by yeares but by dayes in the dayes of thy youth so the Scripture numbers our life by dayes and houres and minutes to teach vs to make vse of al our time and euery day to thinke vpon the ende Yet least they should post ouer this remembrance vnto age which is the generall daye that all set to repent after this verse Salomon brings in the old man deafe and blinde and lame and stammering for the
young man to behold as if he should say looke my sonne is this man fit to learne which cannot heare nor see nor speake nor goe Therefore remember thou thy creatour in the dayes of thy youth before this dotage come This then is the leuell of our message to hasten them forward which trauell towards heauen because there is a great space betweene God and vs and much a doe to aspire the toppe of mount Sion but more a doe to aspire the top of the mount of heauen Therefore as Abraham rose early to sacrifice his sonne in the morning so in the morning of thy life sacrifice thy selfe to God and let him which is Alpha in euery thing be Alpha in thy conuersion that is the beginning as well as the ende Because wee are giuen to set the best last that wee may haue a longer time for our sinnes and pleasures like the Iewes in the 1. of Agge 2. which said alway the time was not yet come when they should build the temple Therefore the holy Ghost crieth so often This is the acceptable time this is the day of saluation to day heare his voyce like Rebeccah which taught her sonne the nearest waie to get the blessing When Christ went about to cast out diuels they said that he tormented them before the time so whensoeuer thou goest about to dismisse thy sinnes and pleasures though thou stay till thou bee an olde man yet they will say still that thou dismissest them before the time But then is the time when the diuell saith the time is not yet for the diuell is a lier knoweth that with what liquor our vessels be seasoned at first they will tast of the same euer after whether it be good or bad Therefore as God sueth to haue vs begin at goodnesse so the diuell wooes vs to begin at wickednesse alledging either that wee are not resolued yet to leaue our pleasures or els that God is exceeding mercifull to sinners or else that we shall haue space enough to serue him hereafter So he stands as it were at the ladder foote and keepes vs off with these weapons that wee cannot get vpon the first staffe but one thought or other pulleth vs backe when the foote is in the stirrop ready to ride away from all our sinnes at once Thus wee haue long purposed to serue God and euery man thinketh that hee should be serued but wee cannot accord of the time when to beginne One saith when I am rich an other saith when I am free another saith when I am setled an other saith when I am olde then my pleasure will leaue me and I shall be fitter to fast and pray and sequester my selfe but now I shal be mocked if I be not like others Thus like bad borrowers when our day is past alreadie we craue a longer and a longer and yet a longer til we be arrested with death so the prince of creatures dieth before he considered why hee liued for as no discipline is vsed where Christs discipline is neglected so no time is obserued where Gods time is omitted It is an olde saying Repentance is neuer too late but it is a true saying Repentance is neuer too soone Therefore we are commaunded to runne that wee may obtaine which is the swiftest pace of man The Cherubines were portraited with wings before the place where the Israelites praied to shew how quickly they went about the Lords businesse The Hound which runnes but for the Hare girdes foorth so soone as he sees the Hare start the Hawke which flyeth but for the Partridge taketh her flight so soone as she spyes the Patridge spring so we should followe the woord so soone as it speaketh and come to our Master so soone as hee calleth For God requiring the first borne for his offering and the first fruites for his seruice requireth the first labours of his seruants and as I may say the maidenhead of euery man Therefore so soone as man was created a law was giuen him to shew that hee should liue vnder obedience from the day that hee is borne So soone as he is borne hee is baptized in the name of God to shew that when we cannot runne to Christ we should creepe vnto him and serue him as we can in youth and age so soone as hee beginneth to praye hee saith Thy name be hallowed thy kingdome come thy will be doone before hee aske his dayly bread to shew that wee should seeke the will of God before the food which we liue by much more before the sinnes and pleasures which we perish by so soone as the Lord distributed the Talents he enioyned his seruants to vse them Who is so young which hath not receiued some talēt or other therefore youth cannot excuse him because the talent requires to be asked of euery one which hath it So soone as God had created the man and the woman hee commanded them to increase and multiplie shall we increase and multiplie in the flesh before we encrease and multiplie in the spirit the first thing which God did after hee had created heauen and earth he did separate light from darkenes to shew vs how we should separate good from euill before our good become euill The first lesson that Iohn taught was Repent for the kingdome of heauen is at hand Math. 3. 2. The first lesson that the Disciples taught was Repent too for the kingdome of heauen is at hand Matth. 10. And the first lesson that Christ taught was repent for the kingdome of heauen is at hand Matth. 4. 10. to teach vs what we should do first Repent was the first lesson to yong and old For what can we owe God to morrow which wee are not indebted to day Therefore Dauid prayed Teach mee O Lord to number my dayes not yeares nor my moneths nor my weekes but my dayes shewing that we shall answere for daies as well as yeares for to day as well as to morrow and for our youth as straightly as our age which made him cry Remember not the sinnes of my youth which hee would not haue spoken if God did not marke the sinnes of youth as well as age Therefore he calleth children vnto him as Salomon dooth and saith that hee will teach them the feare of the Lord. For should children honor their father and not honour God It was a sweete comfort when the children went before Christ to his temple and sang there Hosanna to make their fathers ashamed which did not know the Messias when he came when their little children knew him It is written that when Christ heard a young man answer that hee had kept the commaundementes from his youth Christ beganne to loue him which shewes how Christ loueth these timelie beginnings when wee make him our nurse and drawe our first milke from his brests There is not one confession for olde men and another for young men the old man saith not I did beleeue
haue to liue wil make vs applie our harts to that which is good The first point is that as euery one had a day to come into this world so he shal haue a day to goe out of this world When Moses had spoken of some which liued 700. yeeres and other which liued 800. yeeres and other which liued 900. yeeres shewing that some had a longer time and some a shortet yet he speakes this of all mortuus est at last comes in mortuus est that is he died which is the Epitaph of euery man We are not lodged in a castell but in an Inne where wee are but guests and therefore Peter cals vs strangers We are not Citizens of the earth but Citizens of Heauen and therefore the Apostle saith we haue here no abiding City but we look for one to come As Christ saith my kingdom is not of this world so we may say My dwelling is not in this world but the soule soareth vpward whence she came the body stoopeth downward whence it came as the tabernacles of the Iews were made to remoue so our tabernacles are made to remoue Euery man is a tenant at wil ther is nothing sure in life but deth as he which wrote this is gone so I which preach it you which heare it one comming in one going out is to all Although this is daily seene yet it had need be prooued nay euery man had need to die to make him beleeue that he shall die When Adam Eue became subiect to death because of their sin to teach them to think on death so soon as they were thrust out of paradise God clothed them with the skins of dead beastes which shewed them that now they were cloathed with death and that as the beastes were dead whose skins they wore so they should die also therefore Dauid saith Man being in honour became like the beasts which perish when he saith that hee did become like the beasts which perish he implieth that man should not perish like the beasts but when he did like a beast hee died like a beast From that day euery man might say with Iob Corruption was my father and the worme was my mother For the rich glutton is lockt in his graue as fast as poore Lazarus Therfore God speaking of kings saith I said ye are Gods but ye shal die like men If kings must die like men then the expectation of men is death therefore when this king was readie to die he said to Salomon that he should go the way of all the earth calling death the way of all the earth to which Esay be ares witnesse crying all flesh is grasse that is it falleth and is cut downe like grasse In paradise we might liue or die in the world we liue must die in heauen she shall liue and not die Before sinne nothing could change vs now euery thing doth change vs. For when winter comes wee are cold when age comes wee are withered when sicknesse comes we are weak to shew that when death comes we shal die The clothes which were vpon our backs the sun which sets ouer our heads the graues which lie vnder our feete the meate which goes into our mouthes câ—ie vnto vs that we shall we are and sade and die like the fishes and foules and beasts which euen now were liuing in their elements and now are dead in our dishes Euery thing euerie day suffers some eclipse and nothing stands at a stay but one creature calles to another let vs leaue this world Our fathers summoned vs and we shall summon our children to the graue first wee wax olde then wee wax drie then wee wax weake then wee wax sicke so wee melt away by drops at last as we caried other so other cary vs vnto the graue this is the last bed which euery man shal sleep in we must returne to our mothers wombe Therefore Iacob called his life but a pilgrimage therfore Paul called his life but a race therfore Dauid calleth him selfe but a worme a pilgrimage hath an end a race hath a stop a worme is but troden vnder foote and dead straight so in a houre we are and are not heere we are now and anon we are separated to morrow one sickneth and the next day another sickneth and all that be here neuer meet againe we may well be called earthen vessels for we are soone broken a spider is able to choake vs a pin is able to kill vs all of vs are borne one way and die a hundred waies As Eliah stood in the doore of the caâ—e when God passed by so wee stand in the passages of this world readie to go out whensoeuer God shall cal We loose first our infancie then our childhood then our youth at last as we came in the roomes of other so other come into our roomes If all our daies were as long as the day of Iosua when the sun stood still in the midst of heauen yet it will be night at last our sun shal set like other It is not long that we grow but when we begin to fall we are like the ice which thaweth sooner then it froze so these little worlds are destroied first and at last the great world shal be destroied too for all which was made for vs shall perish with vs. What do you learne when you thinke of this but that which Moses saith to applie your hearts to wisdome death commeth after life and yet it guides the whole life like the sterne of a ship but for death there would be no rule but euery mans lust should be his law he is like a King which frighteth a far oft though he defer his sessions and stay the execution yet the verie feare that he will come makes the proudest peacock lay downe his feathers and is like a dampe which puts out all the lights of pleasure The second note is that the time of man is set his bounds appointed which he cannot passe therfore Moses praieth the Lord that he would teach him to number his daies as though there were a number of our daies Therefore God is called Palmoni which signifieth a secret number because he knoweth the number of our daies which is secret to vs. As it was said to Balthasar God hath numbred thy kingdome so it may be said to all God hath numbred thy life To this Job beareth witnes saying Are not his daies determined thou hast appoynted his bounds which he cannot passe Again Ieremie saith they could not stand because the day of their destruction was come As there is a day of destruction and a day of death so there is a day of birth a day of marriage a day of honour a day of deliuerance according to that the determinatioÌ„ is made that is God hath determined all things As God appointed a time when
speake of daies but asked him how old he was yet he answered of daies to shew that not only his yeares but his daies were fewe Our fathers marueiling to see how sodainlie men are and are not compared life to a dreame in the night to a bubble in the water to a ship in the sea to an arrow which neuer resteth till it fall to a player which speaketh his part vpon the stage and straight he giueth place to another to a man which commeth to the market to buy one thing and sell another and then is gone home againe so the figure of this world passeth away This is our life while we enioy it we loose it as Iacob sayd that his daies had been fewe so wee may say that our daies shall be few Now why hath GOD appoynted such a short time to man in this world Surely least he should deferre to doe good as his manner is for though his life is so short yet he thinks it too long to repent The Prophet saith that our yeares are but threescore and ten as though this were but a little time to liue But why should we liue so long for if our life were but a yeare yet a yeare is more then we vse al the rest is lost for wee deferre till that weeke which we thinke will be last It is sayd of the diuell that he is busie because his time is short but the time of man is shorter and therefore Christ saith In this thy day as though no day could bee called thy daye but this daye and therefore all that thou hast to doe thou must doe this day Consider this all which trauell toward heauen had wee not neede to make hast which must goe such a long iourney in such a short time How can he choose but run which remembreth that euery day runneth away with his life The fourth poynt is our aptnesse to forget death rather then any thing els and therefore Moses praieth the Lord to teach him to number his daies as though they were still slipping out of his minde He which hath numbred our daies must teach vs to number our daies for when Moses prayeth the Lorde to teach him to number his daies he signifieth that he would very faine remember them but still his minde did turne from them and that he could not thinke vpon them longer then he thought on the Lord which taught him to number them such is the rebellion of our nature wee cannot remember that which wee should because we remēber so many things which we should forget How often doth the Scripture cal death to our minds Yet we read how they put the day of death from them would not remember it Salomon bids vs remember that we shal come to iudgement yet we reade how they pleade against the day of iudgement and syllogize to their sinnes That all things shall continue as they be because there hath been no chaunge yet euen so it is with vs as the foole saith in his hart there is no God so we say in our hearts there is no death or at least death will not come before we bee old Of al numbers we cannot skill to number our daies we can number our sheepe our oxen our coyn but we think that our daies are infinite therfore we neuer go about to number thē We can number other mēs daies and yeres think they wil die ere it be long if we see them sick or sore or old but we can not nūber our own When two ships meet on the sea they which are in one ship thinke that the other ship doth saile exceeding fast but that their ship goeth faire and softly or rather stādeth stil although in truth one ship saileth as fast as the other so euery man thinkes that other post and run and flye to the graue but that himselfe standeth stocke still although indeede a yeare with him is no longer then it is with other beside that we are giuen to forget death wee striue to forget it like them which say we may not remember Teach me to number my daies nay teach me to multiplie my daies teach me to remember death nay teach me to prolong death or if I cannot prolong death teach me to forget death that I may sinne without feare for the remembrāce of death maketh a man to sinne fearefully takes away the pleasure of sinne Therefore if ye mark there is a kind of men which cannot abide to heare of death they are sick with the name of it the reason is Achab cannot abide Michaiah because hee neuer prophecied good vnto him but euill so death neuer prophecied good to the wicked but euill for which they cannot abide it Therefore as Pharaoh bad Moses goe out of his sight so they bid death goe out of their sight and say when he comes as Achab said to Eliah Art thou here my enemie whē they should say welcome my frend For as the diuels thought Christ was come to tormēt them so the vngodly think that death comes to tormēt them Is it peace when they see death they doubt it is not peace because they neuer loued the God of peace O that I could bring you into their hearts that yee might see more then tongue can expresse for I doe not thinke that any Epicure or worldling or Nonresident haue any ioy to thinke of death or desire to be dissolued but rather that hee might neuer bee dissolued because death coms to the wicked like a iayler which comes alwaies to hale vnto prison therefore their care is not to remember death that they might apply their hearts to wisedome but to forget death lest they should apply their harts to wisedome and loose their pleasures before the time for he which is not purposed yet to leaue his sinnes would not be troubled with any thought that might make him take his pleasure fearefully least he should leaue sinne before sinne leaue him Therefore the diuell doth neuer teach a man to number his daies because he gains by the forgetfulnes of death but the Lord which would haue a man to applie his heart to wisedome it is he which teacheth vs to number our daies and therfore Moses praieth vnto him because we pray not vnto him as he did to teach vs to number our daies therefore we die like wormes before we be aware So farre we are from that which he shooteth at to apply his heart to wisedome that we are not in the way vnto it that is to remēber that wee shall die The last poynt is the cause why Moses would learne to number his daies that he might apply his heart to wisedome as if he should say vntill men think vpon death they neuer applie their hearts to wisedom but busie themselues with worldly matters as though they were fethering a nest that should neuer be pulled down Wisedom hath alwaies carried that shew of excellencie that the
doe as they doe if they did but thinke that these speeches and deeds should come to iudgement As the bird guideth her flight with her traine so the life of man is best directed by a continuall recourse vnto his end The thoght of death hath made many sinnes auoid like the diuel when Christ alleaged Scripture it is like a strainer all the thoughts and speeches and actions which come through it are clensed and purified like a cloth which commeth out of the water Seeing then that so much fruit growes of one stalk which is the numbring of our daies let vs consider what an haruest we haue lost which happily before this day neuer prayed with Moses that the Lord wold teach vs to number our dayes What if we had died in the dayes of our ignoraunce like Iudas which hanged himselfe before he could see the Passion or Resurrection or ascension of Christ But God hath cared for vs more then we haue cared for our selues We should haue numbred our dayes and sinnes too but alas howe many dayes haue wee spent and yet neuer thought why any day was giuen vs But as the olde yeere went and a newe yeere came so we thought that a new would follow that and so we think that another will come after this and so they thought which are dead already This is not to number our dayes but to prouoke GOD to shorten our daies there are few here which haue not seen twentie years now if we had but euery yeare learned one vertue since we were borne we might by this time haue been like Saints among men but the time is yet to come when we must applie our hearts to wisdome To riches pleasures we haue applyed our harts and our eyes and our eares and our handes too but to wisdome we haue not applyed our hearts There may be many causes but there shuld be no cause if wee had numbred our dayes For surely if a man could perswade himselfe that this is his last day as it may be he would not deferre his repentance vntill to morrow If he could think that this is his last meale that euer he shall eate hee would not surfet if he could beleeue that the words which he doth speake to day should be the last that euer he should speake he would not offend with his tongue if hee could be perswaded that this sermon should be the last sermon that euer he should heare he would heare it better then euer he heard any yet Yet breath is in the bodie and the heart may applie it selfe and the eye may applie it selfe and the eare may applie it selfe and the hand may applie it selfe Worke while it is light I can but teach you with words as Iohn Baptized with water As Moses prayed the Lord to teach him to number his dayes so you must pray the Lord to teach you to number your dayes And now I lead you to number your dayes It may bee that thou hast but twenty years to serue God wilt thou not liue twenty yeares like a Christian that thou maiest liue a thousand yeares like an Angel It may bee that thou hast but tenne yeeres to serue him wilt thou not serue tenne yeares for heauen which wouldst serue twenty yeares for a farme It may be that thou hast but fiue yeares to serue God wilt thou spend fiue yeares wel to redeeme all thy yeares for fiue Yet GOD doth knowe whether many here haue so long to repent for all the yeares which they haue spent in sinne If thou were borne but to day thy iourney is not an hundred yeares If thou be a man halfe thy time is spent already if thou be an olde man then thou art drawing to thy Inne and thy race is but a breath therfore as Christ said vnto his Disciples when he found them sleeping Could ye not watch one houre So I say to my selfe and to you can we not pray can we not suffer a little while He which is tyred can crawle a little way a little farther one steppe more for a kingdome For this cause God wold not haue men know whē they shall die because they should make readie at all times hauing no more certaintie of one houre than another Therefore our Sauiour saith watch because you know not when the Lord will come to take you or to iudge you Happy are they which hear the word and keepe it Thus you see that death is the last vpon earth that the time of man is set that his race is short that he thinkes not of it that if he did remember it it would make him applie his minde to good as he doth to euill and nowe I ende as I began The Lord teach vs to number our dayes that wee may applie our hearts to wisedome Amen FINIS A LOOKING-GLASSE for Drunkards Gen. 9. 20. 21. 20 Noah also began to be an husbandman and planted a vineyard 21 And he drunke of the Wine and was drunken and was vncouered in the midst of his Tent. FIrst we are to speake of Noah then of Cham his wicked sonne after of Shem and Iapheth his good sons In Noah first of that which he did wel thē of his sin In Cham first of his sinne and then of his curse In his brethren first of their reuerence and then of their blessing Nowe wee will speake of the Father and after of his Children Then sayth Moses Noah began to bee an husbandman This is the first name which is giuen to Noah after the flood hee is called an Husband-man and the first worke which is mentioned was the planting of a Vineyard One would thinke when all men were drowned with the flood and none left aliue to possesse the earth but Noah and his sonnes that he should haue found him selfe something els to doe than to plant Vineyards and that the holy Ghost should haue intituled him king of the world and not an husband-man of the earth seeing there bee no such men as Noah was which had more in his hand than any king hath in the world or shall haue to the worlds end but hereby the holy Ghost would shew that God doth not respect kings for their titles nor men for their riches as we doe and therefore he nameth Noah after the worke which he did not after the possessions which he had an husbandman It seemeth that there was great diuersitie between their age and ours For if we should see nowe a King goe to plough a Noble man driue the teame a Gentleman keepe sheepe he should be scorned for his labour more than Noah was for his drunkennes yet when we reade how this Monarch of the world thought no scorne to play the husband-man wee consider nor his Princely calling nor his auncient yeares nor his large possessions to commend his industrie or modestie or lowlie minde therein which may teach vs humilitie though we learne to disdaine husbandrie of whom will we learne to be humble if Kings
tormented All their friends and subiects and seruants forsake them because they goe to prison to trie the mercie of hell and take what the spirites of darkenes will heape vpon them there lie many of the men which were called Gods and thus endes the pilgrimage of Kings Princes and Rulers This is our life while we enioy it we lose it like the Sunne which flies swifter than an Arrowe and yet no man perceiues that it moues Hee which lasted nine hundred yeares could not holde out one houre longer and what hath hee now more than a childe which liued but a yeare Where are they which founded this goodlie Cittie which possessed these faire houses and walked these pleasant fieldes which erected these stately Temples which kneeled in these seates which preached out of this place but thirtie yeares agoe Is not earth turned to earth and shall not our Sunne set like theirs when the night comes yet wee cannot beleeue that death will finde out vs as he hath found out them though all men die yet euery man dreames I shall scape or at the least I shall liue till I bee olde This is strange men cannot thinke that God will doe againe that which hee dooth dailie or that he will deale with them as he deales with other tell one of vs that all other shall die we beleeue it tell one of vs we shall die and we beleeue it sooner of all than of one though we bee sore though wee bee weake though we be sicke though wee bee elder than those whome wee follow to the ground So they thought which lie in this mould vnder your feete as you doe If wisedome or riches or fauour could haue intreated death those which haue liued before vs would haue kept our possessions from vs but death would take no bale wee are all Tenants at will and we must leaue this Cottage whensoeuer the Landlord will put an other in our roome at a yeares at a moneths at a weekes at a daies at an houres warning or lesse the cloathes which we weare vpon our backes the graues which are vnder our feete the Sunne which sets ouer our heades and the meates which go into our mouthes doe crie vnto vs that we shall weare and set and die like the beastes and fowles fishes which now are dead in our dishes and but euen now were liuing in the Elements Our Fathers haue summoned vs and wee must summon our children to the graue Euerie thing euerie daie suffers some Eclipse nothing standeth at a stay but one creature cals to another Let vs leaue this world While wee play our Pageants vpon this stage of short continuance euerie man hath a part some longer and some shorter and while the Actors are at it sodainelie death steps vpon the stage like a hauke which separates one of the Doues from the flight he shootes his dart where it lights there fals one of the Actors dead before thē and makes al the rest agāst they muse and mourne and burie him and then to the sport againe While they sing play and daunce death comes againe strikes another there he lies they mourne him and burie him as they did the former and play againe so one after another till the plaiers bee vanished like the accusers which came before Christ and Death is the last vpon the stage so the figure of this worlde passeth away Many which stand heere may lie here or elswhere within this twelue moneth But thou thinkest It is not I and hee thinketh It is not he but he which thinkes so commeth soonest to it If I could make you beleeue that ye haue but a yeare to liue and that all which heare mee this day shall come to the barre before this daie tweluemoneth returne againe ye would prepare your selues to die and leaue your sinnes behinde you and depart Christians out of the Church with a minde to do all that God wil haue you that when the tweluemoneth is ended ye might liue with Angels in heauen and escape that fierie lake where the Glutton begs but a drop of water to coole the tip of his tongue and it will not bee graunted him least it should ease him But nowe wee know not whether we shall liue a weeke to an end we will doe nothing that he bids vs but abide the venture and trie the marker what God wil giue for sinne so one is taken after another and because we are not ready we go against our will like Lots wife out of Sodom This is our fashion to see the best last till we can neither forsake our sin nor hope of mercie Thus I haue proclaimed to all Kings Princes Iudges Counsellors and Magistrates that which Esay foretold to one Set thy things in order for thou shalt die Yet 15. yeeres were behind when the Prophet warned him to set al things in order But I cānot promise you 15. yeeres for many Princes do not raigne so long for one that doth That which Esay spake to one God here pronounceth of all yee shall die therefore the message is sent to you and when ye think of your honour think of your end These 2. notes that ye are Gods and that yee shall die the holy Ghost thought enough to teach you how to liue and how to rule And that wee may bee all like Gods hereafter let vs prepare before the accompt for none are in heauen but they that left the world before it left them Therefore let vs praie that GOD would keepe vs in remembrance of his iudgements that the subtiltie of sinne neuer steale our hearts from him but that we may count this life a respite to repent before the Iudge sit to deuide betweene the sheepe and the goates when we shall giue account of all his instructions corrections and benefites euen of this seede which hath beene sowne since yee came in how yee haue receiued his worde this houre FINIS The Triall of Vanitie Eccles 1. 2. Vanitie of vanities saith the Preacher Vanitie of vanities All is vanitie THis booke begins with All is vanitie and endes with Feare God and keepe his commandements If that sentence were knit to this which Salomon keepeth to the end as the hauen of rest after the turmoyles of vanitie it is like that which Christe sayde to Martha Thou art troubled about many things but one thing is necessarie That which troubleth vs Salomon calles Vanitie That which is necessarie hee calles the Feare of GOD from that to this should be euerie mans pilgrimage in this worlde we begin at Vanitie and neuer know perfectly that we are vaine vntill wee repent with Salomon Therefore this is his first greeting and lesson to all after his conuersion to warne them that All is vanitie as if God had said to him as he saide to Ezechiel Cause Ierusalem to know her abhominations as though men did not knowe their sinnes how vaine they are as Eliphaz saieth He beleeueth not that
and so shall the people be left without a guide to goe in and out before them and then shall they be readie and a fit pray for the Wolfe Well we see that Iosua here is better incouraged and it is not without a cause that God would haue Iosua thus incouraged For if hee had an eare at euerie mans mouth hee would rather wish to die with Moses vpon the mount than take in hand to bring such wicked Caines into the lande of Canaan That which olde Ieâ—hro taught Moses that a gouernour had neede to be a man of courage heere he findeth true for nothing more burteth Iustice than feare Therefore a Magistrate had need to be such a one as shall not feare the face of any whatsoeuer which caused Moses to speake so ofteÌ„ to Iosua bidding him to bee of good courage And to that end God commaundeth Moses againe and againe to incourage him vsing these three words Charge incourage and imbolden him as the cock crowed thrise that if Peter were sleepe the first and the second time yet he might at last awake him Now it resteth that I shoulde incourage Iosua which succeedeth me But how should I begin to incourage him or where shoulde I begin shall I tell him that he shall liue now at ease and in security No. Why how should I incourage Iosua shall I tell him you will loue him and follow him and that hee shall finde you willing and forward in euery good action If I promise it shall I not lie If I become bounden for you shall I not forfeit I feare yes Why how then should I incourrage Iosua shall I tell him all will speake wel of him or shall I tell him none will slaunder him No. For if he be as righteous as Christ yet some of the Scribes and Pharisies will seeke to persecute him If hee will liue in quietnes he must not vtter all the Counsell of God though God commaund him Nor he must not reprooue some sinnes for then he shall be thought to enuie against some persons Nor he must not keepe company with the godlie for then shal he be accounted a partaker No he must not denie the company of the wicked for then he shall be accounted a Precisian a Puritane and I knowe not what But thou wilt saye what then is there no comfort for Iosua I answer yes And that is it may be after some 3. or 4. yeares labour and trauaile he shall winne some 2. or 3. vnto Christe which shall extinguish al griefe For God will one day reward him for his labour glorifie him in heauen But if Iosua should bee in trouble as he cannot almost otherwise choose if hee keepe a good conscience and reprooue the mightie vnder his charge then he shall see most of the great ones wil quite forsake him which now seeme to fauour him they wil see him persecuted like Christ and stand a farre off like Pilate and wash their handes as though they were innocent when it is in their power and authoritie to amend it If he stand out like a valiant souldier preuaile then all will draw vnto him But if hee faint for lack of strength although he weepe like Peter yet none will pitie him Therefore stand you to him both in prosperity aduersitie Loue him obey him in all righteousnes as the Iewes did their Iosua and heere I deliuer you vnto him with my loue leaue and good will I giue him my possession my labors my twelue moneths trauailes And here because I woulde not keepe you ouerlong like as Iosua kept the people before his death with an exhortation to feare God or as one friend holdeth another by the hand being loth to part I wil make an end beseeching you as Iosua besought the people of Israel that you will henceforward feare the Lord serue him in truth and put away all enuie and vngodlines that it may not be said they haue returned with the dog to his vomit or with the swine to their puddle but that you may go on forward in all goodnes seruing the Lord in spirite and trueth Then shall the God of heaueÌ„ blesse prosper you in all temporall graces and in the end glorifie you in the kingdome of heauen to the which the Lord for his mercies sake bringe you all Amen This was the last Sermon that Henry Smith made at Clement Danes FINIS The Dialogue betweene Paul and Agrippa Acts. 26. 27. O King Agrippa beleeuest thou the Prophets I know that thou beleeuest Then Agrippa said vnto Paule Almost thou perswadest me to become a Christian Then Paule saide I would to God that not onely thou but also all that heare me this daie were both almost and altogether such as I am except these bands IN this Dialogue betweene Agrippa the King and Paule the Apostle first you shall heare what Paule saith then you shall heare what Agrippa aunsweres after you shal heare what Paul replies In Agrippa you shall see what we are In Paule you shall see what we should be For the king shewes that hee is almost a Christian and the Apostle shewes that he should be altogether a Christian This is the summe of their confession First Paule begins and speakes as though he would teach vs a way to win sinners euery word is a motiue and shewes that hee which fisheth for soules had neede to haue many nets and obserue time and place and calling and fit al words before in his minde lest he lose his bait For vnlesse he seeke the vantage and get the vpper ground of sinne before he incouÌ„ter it is liker to giue him the foile as the Diuels did to the Exorcists than to be driuen out by him Therefore as Iacob came to Esaâ— with seuen curtesies to prepare his heart and turne his wrath before they met together so Paul vseth as it were three preambles before he imbrace this King First with a reuerent title O King Agrippa Secondly with a profitable question Doest thou beleeue the Prophets Thirdly with a fauorable preuention I knowe that thou beleeuest With these three congies he closeth so with King Agrippa that he could not start out of his circle the holie spirit so placed euery word when he ment to doe good that it was not possible to correct them so they hit in their speeches which haue that proÌ„pter and seeke not themselues but woulde faine speak that which might touch the hart win the hearer to God O King Agrippa I note here a questioÌ„ an obiectioÌ„ as though he were opponent correspondent too for he askes the question answers himselfe O King doest thou beleeue Now Agrippa should say I or no Paul takes the word out of his mouth lest he should say no hee answers for him I know thou beleeuest This is his preparatiue to Agrippa before hee come with that hard lesson to be a Christian altogether Before Paul had to deale with Festus