Another sits dallying with the delights of lust vnder a green bush a third is borough'd in the ground mining and intrenching himselfe in the quest of riches Alas how should the deaw of grace fall vpon these Thou wouldst not shelter thy ground from the clouds lest it grow barren oh then keep not thy soule from the raine of heauen You haue heard how the raine is come now heare how it is made welcome The good groūd drinkes it nay drinkes it in Imbibit The comparison stands thus The thirsty Land drinkes vp the raine greedily which the cloudes poure vpon it You would wonder what becomes of it you may finde it in your fruites When your Vines hang full of clusters your Gardens stand thicke with flowers your Medowes with grasse your fields with corne you will say the earth hath been beholden to the heauen That hath rained moisture this hath drunke it in we see it in our fruits The Lord sayth I will heare the heauens and they shall heare the earth and the earth shall heare the corne and the wine and the oyle and they shall heare Iezreel The fruits of corne wine oyle witnesse that the earth hath heard them that heauen hath heard the earth and that the Lord hath heard the heauen The heauens giue influence to the ground the ground sappe to the plants the plants nourishment to vs the Lord a blessing to all The Lord watereth the hills from the chambers the earth is satisfied with the fruit of the workes Hee causeth the grasse to growe for the cattell and herbe for the seruice of man Wine to make glad his heart and oyle to make his face shine and bread to strengthen mans heart c. With such thirsty appetite and no lesse happy successe doth the good soule swallow the dew of grace If you perceiue not when the faithfull take it you may see they haue it for their fruits testifie it It is a most euident demonstration that they haue bin beholding to the Gospell they haue a sanctified life Drinkes it in There bee very many great Drinkers in the world The maine drunkennesse that giues denomination to all the rest is that throte-drunkennesse whereof the Prophet Vae fortibus ad potandum These are they that will not drinke this mysticall wine in the Church so willingly as bee drunk in the tap-house Wine-worshippers that are at it on their knees protesting from the bottomes of their hearts to the bottome of the cups if the health be not pledged actum est de amicitia farewell friendship I haue read of a streete in Rome called vicus sobrius sober street Find such a street in any Citie or populous towne in England and some good man wil put it in the Chronicle It hath beene sayd that the Germanes are great drinkers and therefore to Carowse is giuen to be deriued from them the word being originally to Gar-rowse which is to drinke off all Gar signifying totum so the Germanes are called by themselues Germanni quasi toti homines as if a Germane were All-man according to another denomination of their Country Allmanie And so wee are growne to thinke him that can tipple soundly a tall man nay all-man from top to toe But if England plyes her liquor so fast as shee begins Germany is like to loose her Charter I haue heard how the Iesuits out-stripp'd the Franciscans Indeed Saint Francis at the first meeting sawe sixe thousand Fryers Ignatius because he could not begin his order with so many made vp the number in Diuels The Germanes had of vs both priority and number for drunkards Our English beggars first got the fashion but because their number was short and it was like that the Nation would be disgrac'd it was agreed to make it vp in Gallants No maruell if the Lord for this threaten vs with the rod of famine and to scourge vs with that most smarting string of his whippe God hath layd himselfe faire in his bow already and is ready to draw this arrow vp to the head and send it singing into our bosomes Ferro saeuior fames it is one of Gods sorest iudgements Beasts and Sword kill quickly and the Plague is not long in dispatching vs but Dearth is a lingring death Lament 4. They that be slaine with the sword are better then they that be slaine with hunger for these pine away stricken through for want of the fruits of the field We see how our seasons are changed because we can finde no season to repentance Our Springs haue bin graues rather then cradles our Summers haue not shot vp but withered our grasse our Autumnes haue taken away the flockes of our sheepe And for our latest Haruest wee haue had cause to inuert the words of our Sauiour Luke 10. Hee sayth the Haruest is great but the Labourers are few pray ye therefore the Lord to send forth more Labourers into his haruest But wee might haue sayd the Labourers are many and the haruest is small pray ye therfore the Lord to send a greater haruest for the Labourers God hath thus as it were pulled the Cup from the Drunkards lippes and since hee will know no measure the Lord wil stint him If there will bee no voluntary there shall be an enforced fast Wee haue other great drinkers besides What say you to those that Drinke vp whole townes vnpeople countreys depopulate villages inclose fields that Pharise-like swallow vp poore mens houses drink their goods though mingled with teares of damme and young ones mother children Are not these horrible drinkers Sure God will one day hold the Cup of vengeance to their lippes and bid them drinke their fils The Proud-man is a great drinker It is not his belly but his back that is the drunkard He pincheth the poore rackes out the other fine enhanceth the rent spends his owne meanes and what he can finger besides vpon clothes If his rent-day make euen with his Silkeman Mercer Taylor he is well And his white Madam drinkes deeper then he The walls of the Citie are kept in reparation with easier cost then a Ladies face and the appurtenances to her head The Ambitious is a deepe drinker O hee hath a dry thirst vpon him He loues the wine of promotion extremely Put a whole monopoly into the cup and he will carouse it off There is a time when other drunkards giue ouer for asleeping-while this drinker hath neuer enough Your grimme Vsurer is a monstrous drinker you shall seldome see him drunke at 's owne cost yet he hath vow'd not to be sober til his Doomesdaye His braines and his gowne are lin'd with foxe hee is euer afoxing It may be some infernall spirit hath put loue-pouder in his drinke for hee dotes vpon the deuill extremely Let him take heed hee shall one day drinke his owne obligations and they wil choke him The Rob-altar is a huge drinker Hee loues like Belshazzar to drinke only in the goblets of the Temple Wo vnto
mercy it receiueth blessing from God All is an Allegory The Earth is Man the Raine Gods Word the herbes are Graces and the Blessing is a sweet retribution and accumulation of mercie The Earth IS the best ground that lyes betwixt heauen and earth Man the noblest part of this world the worthiest creature that hath earth for the pauement and heauen for the seeling the Creators Image and as some read his Shadow which moues as the body doth whose it is When the body puts forth an arme the shadow shewes an arme c so man in his actions and courses depends vpon the disposition of God as his all-powerfull Maker and Mouer The blessed Deity which hath in it a Trinity of most equall and eternall Persons is the first and best of all beings the holy Angels next a Ioue tertius Aiax man next them Ardens conceateth vpon Marke 16. in the Apostles commission Goe ye into all the World and preach the Gospell to euery Creature that by this Euery Creature is meant Man For to liuelesse senselesse or reason-lesse things God neuer enioyned to preach the Gospell But man is called Euery creature because hee hath a participation of the best in all creatures Stones haue a being not life plants haue a being and life not sense beasts haue a being life and sense but not vnderstanding Angels haue both being life sense and vnderstanding Man participates with all these in their best He hath a being with stones life with plants sense with beasts vnderstanding with Angels a sweet abstract or compendium of all creatures perfections Let not all this make man proud Euen this word Earth though here vsed in a spiritual sense puts him in minde that this excellent man is a mortall creature Earth must bee earth hot earth to colde earth that earth which hath now a life in it to that earth which hath no life in it Therefore I will say from the Prophet O earth earth earth heare the word of the Lord. Bestow not too much paines in adorning this perishable earth thy flesh the earth thou must be careful of and which God here waters from heauen with his holy deawes is thy heart thy conscience I could willingly steppe out a little to chide those that neglecting Gods Earth the Soule fall to trimming with a curious superstition the Earths earth clay and lome a body of corruption painted til it shine like a Lilly like it in whitenesse not in humility the candor of beautie for the Lilly growes lowe Lilium conuallium a flower of the vallies and bottomes a little slime done ouer with a past-boord rottennesse hidde vnder golden leaues stench lapp'd vp in a bundle of silkes and by reason of poison suck'd from sinne and hell worthy of no better attribute then glorious damnation Is there no sicknesse is there no disgrace is there no old age is there no death that you make so much of this earth Or doe you desperately resolue to dote on it liuing as if you neuer hoped to finde it againe being dead Feare not you shall meet with it againe perhaps when you would not God hath struck as gallant as you can make or thinke your selues with sodaine sore and sure iudgements Beleeue it his hand is his owne His arme was neuer yet broken luxate or manacled Woe worth them that haue put Pride and Couetousnesse fellow-commoners among vs for they out-eate vs all and staâ—ue the whole house of our Land Couetise would be charitable but there is that other summe to make vp Pride would giue or at least forbeare to extort but there is a ruffe of the new fashion to bee bought Dignity a caroch or strange apparell is to be purchas'd and who but the poore tenants must pay for it vpon whom they once so accoutred afterward looke betwixt scorne and anger and goe as if they were shut vp in wainscote Sed vitate viros cultum formasque professos Quique suas ponunt in statione comas Such a one will not giue lest his white hand should touch the poore beggars who perhaps hath a hand cleaner then his I meane from aspersions of bloud rapine iniury briberie lust and filthinesse He cannot intend to pray for he is called to dinner iust when his last locke is hung to his minde O the monstrous curiositie of tricking vp this earth of earth yet from the Courtier to the Carter from the Lady to the Inkle-beggar there is this excesse and going beyond their calling But I haue strayed out of my way to cut off a lappe of Prides garment I conclude this Earth with this caution Respice aspice prospice Looke back what thou wast behold what thou art consider what thou must be Recole primordia attende media prâ—â—uideto nouissima Haec pudorem adducunt illa dolorem ingerunt ista timorem incutiunt Call to mind former things see the present foresee the last The first will breede in thee shame the other griefe these feare Remember thou wert taken out of the earth behold thy strength of life subiect to diseases manifold manifest sensible ones foresee that thou must dye this earth must to earth againe But the Earth here meant is a diuine spirituall immortall nature called Earth by a Metaphor incapable of suffering terrene fragilitie This is Gods Earth and that in a high and mysticall sense though proper enough Indeed Domini terra the earth is the Lords and the fulnesâ—e thereof sayth the Psalmist But he hath not such respect to the Earth he made as to this Earth for whom he made it This is Terra sigillata earth that he hath sealed and sanctified for himselfe by setting his stampe and impression vpon it Now the good mans heart is compared to Earth for diuerse reasons 1. For humilitie Humus quasi humilis The Earth is the lowest of all elements and the center of the world The godly heart is not so low in situation but so lowly in it owne estimation God is sayd to hang the earth vpon nothing Ioâ— 26. He stretcheth out the North ouer the empty place and hangeth the Earth vpon nothing that it might wholly depend on himselfe So a true Christian heart in regard of it selfe is founded vpon nothing hath an humble vilipending and disprising of it owne worth that it may ex toto ex tuto wholly and safely rely on God O man of earth why exaltest thou thy selfe this is the way to preuent and frustrate the exaltation of God Keepe thy selfe lowly as the Earth reiect all opinion of thy owne worth and thou shalt one day ouer-top the cloudes The Earth is thy mother that brought thee forth when thou wert not a stage that carries thee whiles thou art a tombe that receiues thee when thou art not It giues thee originall harbour sepulchre Like a kind mother shee beares her off-spring on her backe and her brood is her perpetuall burden till she receiue them again into the same womb from
Sauiour and ours hee cannot be vnlesse the Lord make vs his 4. Lastly the Lord giues vs Faith and so we shall receiue a happines by this beleeued Sauiour better then euer our first creation gaue vs a kingdome a kingdome of life an eternall kingdome of life that can neuer be taken from vs. Thus wee are still receiuers and God is the giuer Wee receiue blessing from God Blessing THis word is of a great latitude What good is there which will not be brought within this compasse This blessing hath a double extent There is Beatitudo viae and Beatitudo Patriae A blessing of the way and a blessing of the Countrey one of grace the other of glory The former is either outward or inward 1 Outward Psal. 132. I will abundantly blesse her proutsion I will satisfie her poore with bread Deut. 28. Blessed in the field blessed in the citie The fruits of thy body of thy ground of thy cattell shall be blessed Thy basket thy store thy going out and comming in shall be blessed Which things doe often come to the godly euen on earth and that in abundance For as all haue not riches that exceedingly loue them so many haue them that doe not much care for them Wealth is like a woman the more courted the further off 2 Inward The godly on earth is as it were in the suburbs of heauen whose kingdome consists not in meate and drinke but righteousnesse peace of conscience and ioy of the holy Ghost Could his life bee as full of sorrowes as euer Lazarus was full of sores yet he is blessed The Sunne-shine of mercie is still vpon him and the blessing of GOD makes him rich Let the ayre thunder and the earth quake and hell roare yet He that walketh vprightly walketh surely Qui vadit plane vadit sane I haue read it storied of a young Virgin that at a great Princes hands had the choise of three vessels One whereof should be freely giuen her euen that she should chuse The first was a vessell of gold richly wrought and set with precious stones and on it written Who chooseth me shall haue what he deserueth The second was of siluer superscribed thus Who chuseth me shall haue what nature desireth The third was of lead whose motto was this Who chuseth me shall haue what God hath disposed The former pleased her eye well but not her vnderstanding It offred what she deserued She knew that was iust nothing therefore refused it The second considered offred what Nature desires Shee thought that could bee no solide good for Nature desires such things as please the carnall lust This shee also refused The third had a course outside but the sentence pleased her wel offering what God had disposed So she faithfully put her selfe vpon Gods ordinance and chose that This Virginis mans soule The golden vessell is the worlds riches contentfâ—ll to an auarous eye Too many chuse this but being open'd it was full of dead mens bones and a fooles bable To testifie them fooles which cleaue to the world and at last all their hopes shall bee rewarded with a bable Neither is this all Though their inward thought be that their houses shall continue for euer yet they shal be layd in the graue like sheep and death shall feed on them The siluer-vessell is the lusts of the flesh those fond and vaine delights which concupiscence seeks So saith the Motto It giues what nature desireth but corrupt nature affects nothing but what giues coÌ„placency to the flesh This vessell open'd was full of wild fire and an iron whip God shall scourge the lustfull here with the whip of iudgements diseases of body infamy of name ouerthrow of estate vexation of conscience And Satan shall hereafter burne them in wild fire such flames as can neuer bee quenched The leaden vessell is as the sense sentence declares it the blessing of God The chuser of it shall haue what God hath disposed for him Blessed soule that makes this election for opened it was found full of gold and most precious iewels euery one more worth then a world the immortall graces of Gods Spirit The Virgin chose this and she was married to the Kings sonne Chuse this vessell O my soule and Iesus Christ the king of heauen shall marry thee No matter though it seeme lead without glister not with earthly vanities it is rich within the wealth thereof cannot be valued though all the Arithmeticians of the world goe about to summe it There bee many that say who will shewe vs anie good Lord lift thou vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs. This blessing hath yet a further extent to the blessednesse of our Countrey when wee shall heare it Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world For si sic bonus es sequentibus te qualis futurus es consequentibus If thou Lord be so good to those that follow thee what wilt thou be to those that finde thee If there be such blessing in this world what shall that be in the life to come If the first fruites of our inheritance and the earnest of the spirit bee so graciously sweete here surely when that infinite masse of glory shall be broken vp and communicated to vs we shall be wonderfully rauished When that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall bee done away This is beat a vita in fonte sayth Aug. a blessed life indeed Aeterna sine successione distributa sine diminutione communis sine inuidia sufficiens sine indigentia iucunda sine tristitia beata sine omni miseria Thou wilt shewe mee the path of life in thy presence is the fulnesse of ioy at thy right hand there are pleasures for euermore No tongue can declare this blessing happy heart that shall feele it whose glorified eye shall one day behold all and ten thousand times more then we haue spoken Who shall say as it is in the Psalme Sicut 〈◊〉 it a vidimus as we haue heard so wee haue seene in the Citie of our God As we haue heard it preached on earth we now finde it true in heauen though the Citie we enioy farre excell the mappe we sawe Well this is Gods blessing and he will giue it to the good ground Labour we then to bee fruitfull Gardens and to abound with gracious herbes that God may in this world showre vpon vs the deawes of his mercie and after this life transplant vs to his heauenly Paradise Let not the pleasures of sinne the lusts of the wanton flesh the riches snares cares of the world nor all those transient delights whose taste is only in the sense the operation in the conscience that tickle men for an houre and wound them for euer nor all those vaine desires of carnall complacency which shall one day bee layd vpon Gods cold earth intercept vs to the priuation of
tythes must they also nimme away the shreddes must they needes shrinke the whole cloth enough to apparell the Church as the cheating Taylor did to a dozen of buttons Hauing full gorged themselues with the parsonages must they picke the bones of the Vicaredges too Well sayth S. August Multi in hac vita manducant quod postea apud inferos digerunt Many deuoure that in this life which they shall digest in hell These are the Church-briers which let alone wil at last bring as famous a Church as any Christendome hath to beggerie Politicke men begin a pace alreadie to with-hold their children from Schooles and Vniuersities Any profession els better likes them as knowing they may liue well in whatsoeuer calling saue in the ministery The time was that Christ threw the buyers and sellers out of the Temple but now the buyers and sellers haue throwne him out of the Temple Yea they wil throw the church out of the church if they bee not stayed But some may say to me as one aduised Luther when he began to preach against the Popes vsurpation and tyrannie You had as good hold your peace This wickednesse is so powerfull that you will neuer preuaile against it Get you to your study and say Lord haue mercy on vs and procure your selfe no ill will But be it good will or be it ill will we come hither to speake the truth in our consciences And if these Church-thornes will continue their wickednesse bee it vnto them as they haue deserued If they will needs go to hell let them go we cannot helpe it let them perish I had purposed the discouery of more Brambles but the time forbids it I would to God we were well freed from those I haue taxed THE END Of Thornes THE FIFT SERMON ESA. 9. 18. Wickednesse burneth as the fire it shall deuoure the Bryers and Thornes and shall kindle in the thickets of the Forrest and they shal mount vp like the lifting vp of smoke GREG. lib. 4. Dialog Ad magnam iudicantis iustitiam pertinet vt nunquam mortui careant supplicio qui nunquam viui voluerunt carere peccato LONDON Printed by George Purslowe for Iohn Budge and are to be solde at his shop at the great South-dore of Pauls and at Brittaines Burse 1616. THE END Of THORNES THE FIFT SERMON HEB. Chap. 6. Vers. 8. But that which beareth thornes and bryers is reiected and is nigh vnto cursing whose end is to be burned OVr sinnes are thornes to others some wounding with their direct blowes others with their wipes all with their examples Man only hath not felt their blowes our Sauior also so found them when hee was faine for our sakes to set his naked breast his naked heart his naked soule against them They say the Nightingale sleepes with her breast against a thorne to auoide the Serpent Christ was content to bee wounded euen to sleepe to death with thornes that hee might deliuer vs from that deuouring serpent the great infernall Dragon His head was not onely raked and harrowed with materiall thornes Caput Angelicis spiritibus tremebundum coronatur spinis That head which the Angelical spirits adore and tremble at was crowned with thornes But these mysâ—call thornes our iniquities with fiercer blowes drew bloud of his soule They doe in a sort still Heb. 6. 6. They crucifie to themselues the Sonne of God a fresh and put him to an open shame Not in himselfe for they cannot but can them no thankes they would if they could and to themselues they doe it Wretched men will you not yet let Iesus Christ alone and be at rest will you still offer violence to your blessed Sauiour and labour to pull him downe from his throne to his Crosse from his peaceful glorie at the right hand of his Father to more sufferings You condemne the mercilesse Souldiers that platted a crowne of thornes and put it on his innocent head Sinfull wretch condemne thy selfe Thy sinnes were those thornes and farre sharper Thy oppressions wrongings and wringings of his poore brethren offer him the violence of new wounds thy oathes thy fraudes thy pride scratch him like bryers Heare him complaining from heauen Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee These Thornes grow on earth yet they pricke Iesus Christ in heauen Oh wee little know the price of a sin that thus play the executioners with the Lord of life Thinke thinke Christ felt your sinnes as sharpe thornes Lastly you finde them thornes your selues if Christ did not for you When God shall enliuen and make quicke the sense of your nummed consciences you shall confesse your owne sinnes â—ruell thornes to your soules 2. Cor. 12. A thorne in your flesh that shall buffet you with terror For a while men are insensible of their iniquities Christ Math. 13. 22. calls the riches of this world thornes which choke the good seede of the Gospell The common opinion of the world is that they are goodly fine and smooth things furres to keepe them warme oyle to cheare their faces and wine to their hearts of a silken softnesse to their affections But Christ saith they are thorns stinging and choking thornes And the couetous conscience shall one day perceiue in them Triplicem puncturam a threefold pricking Laboris in acquisitione they are gotten with trouble Timoris in possessione they are kept vvith feare Doloris in amissione they are lost with griefe Men commonly deale with their sinnes as hedgers do when they go to plash thorny bushes they put on tyning gloues that the Thornes may not pricke them So these harden their hearts that their owne thornes may giue them no compunction But all vanities are but like the fooles laughter which Salomon compares to the crackling of thornes vnder a pâ—t they make a noise and suddenly go out But sinne neuer parts with the wicked without leauing a sting behind it Luther saith there are two fiends that torment men in this world and they are sinne and a bad conscience The latter followes the former or if you will the former wounds the latter for sinne is the thorne and the conscience the subiect it strikes This thorne often pricks deepe to the very heart Acts 2. to the very bones Psal. 38. There is no rest in my bones because of my sinne Vis nunquam esse tristis bene viue Nunquam securus est reus animus Wouldest thou neuer be sorrowfull liue well A guilty mind cannot be securely quiet An euill mind is haunted and vexed with the thornes of his owne conscience Sinne to the affections whiles it is doing is oleum vngens supple oyle Sinne to the conscience when it is done is tribulus pungens a pricking thorne What extreame contraries doe often wicked conceits runne into In their time of securitie they cannot be brought to think sinne to be sinne At last desperately they thinke it such a sinne that it cannot be forgiuen At first they are delighted with the
A DIVINE HERBALL Together with A Forrest of THORNES In FIVE SERMONS 1. The Garden of Graces 2. The prayse of Fertilitie 3. The Contemplation of the Herbes 4. The Forrest of Thornes 5. The end of Thornes By THO. ADAMS ESAY 55. 11. My word sayth the Lord shall not returne to me void but shall prosper in the thing wherto I sent it AVGVST de benedict IACO ESAV Simul pluit Dominus super segetes super spinas sed segeti pluit ad horreum spinis ad ignem tamen vna est pluvia LONDON Printed by George Purslowe for Iohn Budge and are to be solde at his shop at the great South-dore of Pauls and at Brittaines Burse 1616. TO THE RIGHT Honourable WILLIAM Earle of Pembroke Lord Chamberlaine of his Maiesties household and one of his Maiesties most honourable Priuie Councel and Knight of the most noble order of the Garter The most noble embracer and encourager of GOODNESSE Right Honourable I Am bolde to present to your Honour a short contemplation of those Herbes cut in rough pieces which grow really and plentifully in your owne Garden and giue so good nourishment to your vertues delightfull taste to the Church and odoriferous sauour to all that like the Vine in Iothams Parable they cheare the heart of both God man Your Honour I â—now cannot dislike that in sight which you so preserue in sense and for a happy reward doth and shall preserue you You are zealously honour'd of all those that know goodnesse and haue dayly as many prayers as the earth Saints Into this number I haue hopâ—fully presuming thrust myselfe as loth to bee hindmost in that acknowledgement which is so nobly deserued and so ioyfully rendred of al tongues dedicating to your Honour some publicke deuotions that can neuer forget you in my priuate I will not thinke of adding one Herbe to your store I onely desire to remember your Honour what hand planted them what dew waters them what influence conserues and enspheares a sweet prouident ayre about them and when gay weedes that shoote vp like Ionas gourd in a night shall wither in an houre for moriuntur quomodo oriuntur Your Herbe of Grace shall flourish be prays'd both ob eminentiam and permanentiam and at last bee transported into that heauenly Paradise whence it receiues the originary roote and being Your Honour will excuse mee for coupling to a Diuine Herball a Forrest of Thornes by a true obseruation in both materiall and mystical Gardens though a Poet records it Terra salutiferas herbas eadernque nocentes Nutrit et vrticae proxima soepe rosa est Your Honour will loue the light better because the darke night followes so neare it That your Sunne may neuer set your noble Garden neuer wither that your honours may bee still multiplied with our most Royall and Religious King on earth and with the King of Kings in heauen is faithfully prayed for by Your Honours humbly deuoted THO. ADAMS To my worthy friend Tho. Adams on his HERBALL THe Herbes which these dead leaues now bring Thy liuing voice did sweetly sing That thy transported Hearers thought A PARADISE before them brought As if their inward eyes had seene Another EDEN fresh and greene How they will smell or taste thus sent Will be perceiu'd in the euent I stay no censures for my part May they grow greene still in my hart VV. B. R. S. His good-speede to the Herball TRuely thou dost the world disclose which growes Promiscuous here a Thorne there a Rose So shall blacke vices vgly face adde grace Vnto the vertue which shines next in place So when a stinging Thorne shall wound is found An Herbe to heale the Soule and make it sound To the diuine Author of the diuine Herball his true friend dedicateth this small Encomium of that which his pen dispaires to prayse HAd ADAM liu'd till this decayed age And seene an HERBALL so Diuine and Sage He would haue sayd that no succeeding man Might doe for Adam that which Adams can For while he till'd his Garden his darke mind In all that compasse no Herbe-Grace could find This man hath found it and herein is blest Adam was good my Adam's still is best W. R. D. of Physicke To the prayse of the Herball THe Ground Gods Image his word the Raine His Christ the Sunne neuer ecclips'd againe The Cloudes his Ministeriall instruments His Mercy the all-working influence From these a Garden of sweete Herbes doth grow With such a Spring as shall no Autumne know I. STOKES GReat Persons loue a GARDEN for delight To please their nosthrils or content their sight The poore mans state likes it to feast withall Physicians for the vertues medicinall For Odour Ornament and med'cinal worth A sweeter HERBALL neuer yet came forth Cecinit The. Parny A DIVINE HERBALL OR GARDEN Of GRACES HEB. Chap. 6. Vers. 7. 8. For the earth which drinketh in the raine that commeth oft vpon it and bringeth forth herbes meet for them by whom it is dressed receiueth blessing from God But that which beareth thornes and bryars is reiected and is nigh vnto cursing whose end is to be burned I Presume heere is no Atheist to heare and denie The Gospell is the power of God to saluation I hope here is no Libertine if there be let him heare also It is the power of God to confusion It is a double-edged Sword and giues vel vitam vel vindiâ—tam either instruction or destruction It is Fire that doth melt waxe to repentance and harden clay to vengeance It is here a Raine or Deaw falling on the ground of mans heart causing one soyle to bee fertile in good workes another to abound with weedes of impiety For it returneth not backe to him that sent it in vaine That it conuayes grace to vs and returnes our fruitfull gratitude to God is a high and happy mercy That it offers grace to the wicked and by their corrupt natures occasions greater impietie is a heauy but holy iudgement Not to trauell farre for Diuision heere lyes Earth before vs. And as I haue seene in some places of this Iland one hedge parts a fruitfull medow and a barren heath so of this Earth Man the same substance for natures constitution clay of the same heape in the creating hand of the Potter for matter masse and stuffe none made de meliore luto though in respect of Eternities Ordination some vessels of honour of disshonour others here be two kindes a good and a bad soyle the one a Garden the other a desart the former an inclosure of sweet herbes excellent graces the latter a wild and sauage Forrest of Bryars and thornes scratching and wounding offences For the better ground we wil consider 1. The operatiue meanes or working cause of the fertility the raine that commeth often vpon it 2. The thankefull returning of expected fruite it bringeth forth herbes meete for them by whom it is dressed 3. The reward of
whence she deliuered them She shall bee yet more kinde to thee if her basenesse can teach thee humility and keepe thee from being more proud of other things then thou canst with any reason be of thy Parentage Few are proud of their soules and none but fooles can bee proud of their bodies seeing here is all the difference betwixt him that walkes and his floore he walkes on Liuing Earth treads vpon dead earth and shall at last bee as dead as his pauement Many are the fauours that the earth doth vs yet amongst them all there is none greater then the schooling vs to humility and working in vs a true acknowledgement of our owne vilenesse and so directing vs to heauen to find that aboue which she cannot giue vs below 2. For Patience The Earth is called Terra quia teritur and this is the naturall earth For they distinguish it into 3. sorts Terra quam terimus terra quam gerimus terra quam quaerimus which is the glorious land of Promise That earth is cut and wounded with culters and shares yet is patient to suffer it and returnes fruits to those that ploughed it The good heart is thus rent with vexations and broken with sorrowes yet offers the other cheeke to the smiter endureth all with a magnanimous patience assured of that victory which comes by suffering Vincit qui patitur Neither is this all it returns mercy for iniury prayers for persecutions and blesseth them that cursed it The Plowers plowed vpon my backe they made long their furrowes They rewarded mee euill for good to the spoyling of my soule Yet when they were sicke my cloathing was sackecloth I humbled my soule with fasting I was heauy as one that mourned for his friend or brother and my prayer returned into mine owne bosome When the heart of our Sauiour was thus ploughed vp with a speare it ran streames of mercie reall mercie which his vocall tongue interpreted Father forgiue them they know not what they doe His bloud Heb. 12. had a voice a mercifull voice and spake better things then the bloud of Abel That cryed from the cauerns of the earth for reuenge this from the Crosse in the sweet tune of compassion and forgiuenesse It is a strong argument of a heart rich in grace to wrappe and embrace his iniurer in the armes of loue as the earth quietly receiues those dead to buriall who liuing tore vp her bowels 3. For faithful Constancie The Earth is called Solum because it stands alone depending on nothing but the Makers hand One generation passeth away and another generation commeth but the earth abideth for euer Shee often changeth her burden without any sensible mutation of her selfe Thy faithfulnesse is to all generations thou hâ—st established the Earth and it standeth The Hebrew is To generation and generation inferring that times and men and the sonnes of men posterity after posterity passe away but the Earth whereon and whereout they passe abideth The parts thereof haue been altered and violent Earth-quakes begot in the owne bowels haue totterd it But God hath layd the foundations of the earth the Originall is founded it vpon her bases that it should not be remoued for euer the body of it is immoueable Such a constant soliditie is in the faithfull heart that should it thunder Buls from Rome and bolts from heauen Impauâ—dum ferient ruinae â— Indeede God hath sometimes bent an angry brow against his owne deare ones and then no maruell if they shudder if the bones of Dauid tremble and the teeth of Hezekiah chatter But God will not be long angry with his and the balances at first putting in of the euenest weights may be a little swayed not without some shew of inequality which yet after a little motion settle themselues in a iust poyse So the first terrour hath moued the godly not remoued them they return to themselues and rest in a resolued peace Lord doe what thou wilt if thou kill mee I will trust in thee Let vs heare it from him that had it from the Lord. Psal. 112. Surely he shall not be moued for euer the righteous shall bee in euerlasting remembrance He shall not be afraide of euill tydings his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. His heart is established c. Oh sweet description of a constant soule They giue diuerse causes of Earth-quakes Aristotle among the rest admits the ecclipse of the Sun for one the interposition of the Moones body hindring some places from his heate I know not how certaine this is in Philosophie â—n Diuinity it is most true that onely the ecclipse of our Sunne IESVS CHRIST raiseth Earth-quakes in our hearts when that inconstant and euer-changing body of the Moone the world steppes betwixt our Sunne and vs and keepes vs from the kindly vitall heate of his fauour then O then the earth of our heart quakes and we feele a terrour in our bones and bowels as if the busie hand of death were searching them But no ecclipse lasts long especially not this our Sunne will shine on vs againe we shall stand sure euen as mount Sion which cannot be remoued but abideth for euer 4. For Charitie The Earth brings forth food for all creatures that liue on it Greene herbe for the cattell oyle and wine for man The vallyes stand thicke with corne the Mower filleth his sythe and the binder vp of sheaues his bosome A good man is so full of charitie he releeues all without improuidence to himselfe He giues plentifully that all may haue some not indiscreetly that some haue all On the Earth stand many glorious Cities and goodly buildings faire monuments of her beauty and adornation The sanctified soule in an happy respondencie hath manifold workes of charitie manifest deedes of piety that sweetly become the Faith which he professeth 5. For Riches The Earth is but poore without the surface of it especially when squalid winter hath bemired it seemes poore and barren but within it is full of rich mines ores of gold and quarries of precious minerals For medals and mettals it is abundantly wealthy The sanctified heart may seeme poore to the worlds eye which only beholds and iudgeth the rinde and huske and thinkes there is no treasure in the Cabinet because it is couered with leather But within hee is full of golden mines and rich ores the inuisible graces of faith feare loue hope patience holinesse sweeter then the spices of the East Indies and richer then the gold of the West Omnis decor filiae Sion ab intus The Kings Daughter is all glorious within It is not the superficiall skinne but the internall beautie that moues the King of heauen to bee enamoured of vs and to say Thou art all faire my Loue there is no spot in thee 6. Lastly for Fertilitie The Earth is fruitfull when the ayre hath giuen influence the Clouds showred downe seasonable deawes and the Sunne bestowed his kindly heate
loe the thankfull earth returnes fruites and that in abundance The Christian soule hauing receiued such holy operations inspirations and sanctifying motions from aboue is neuer found without a gratefull fertility Yea as the Earth to man so man to God returnes a blessed vsurie tenne for one nay sometimes 30. sometimes 60. sometimes an hundred fold But the succeeding doctrine will challenge this demonstration I haue been somewhat copious in the first word the breuity of the rest shall recompence it The operatiue cause that worketh the good earth to this fruitfulnesse is a heauenly Raine that falls oft vpon it and the earth doth drinke it vp Wherein is obseruable that the raine doth come that it is welcome God sends it plenteously and man entertaines it louingly It comes oft and he drinkes it vp Gods loue to man is declared in the comming in the welcomming mans loue to God In the former we will consider 1. The matter 2. The manner The matter that commeth is Raine The manner consists in 3 respects 1. There is mercy It commeth It is not constrained deserued pulled downe from heauen It commeth 2. Frequencie it commeth often there is no scanting of this mercy it flowes abundantly as if the windowes of heauen were opened Often 3. Direction of it right vpon this earth It falls not neere it nor besides it but vpon it To begin with the Raine GOds Word is often compared to Raine or Deaw Moses beginnes his Song with My doctrine shall drop as the raine my speech shal distill as the deaw as the small raine vpon the tender herbe and as the showers vpon the grasse Therfore in the first verse he calls to the earth to heare his voice Man is the Earth and his Doctrine the Raine Mica 2. Prophecie yee not the originall word is Drop ye not c. Amos 7. 16. Thou sayest Prophecy not against Israel drop not thy word against the house of Isaac Ezek. 21. Sonne of man set thy face toward Ierusalem and drop thy word toward the holy places The Metaphore is vsuall wherein stands the comparison In 6. concurrences 1. It is the property of Raine to coole heate Experience tels vs that a sweltring feruour of the ayre which almost fryes vs is allayed by a moderate shower sent from the clouds The burning heate of sinne in vs and of Gods anger for sinne against vs is quenched by the Gospell It cooles our intemperate heate of malice anger ambition auarice lust which are burning sins 2. Another effect of Raine is Thirst quenched The drie earth parched with heate opens it selfe in refts and cranies as if it would deuoure the cloudes for moisture The Christian soule thirsts after righteousnesse is drie at heart till he can haue the Gospell a showre of this mercy from heauen quencheth his thirst he is satisfied Whosoeuer drinketh of the water that I shal giue him shal neuer thirst but it shall bee in him a well of water springing vp into euerlasting life 3. Raine doth allay the windes When the ayre is in an vprore and the stoutest Cedars crouch to the ground before a violent blast euen Towers and Cities tremble a showre of raine sent from the cloudes mitigates this fury When the Potentates of the world Tyrants little better then Diuels Gog and Magog Moab and Ammon Turkey Rome Hell storme against vs God quiets all our feares secures vs from al their terrours by a gracious raine droppes of mercie in the neuer-fayling promises of the Gospell 4. Raine hath a powerfull efficacy to cleanse the ayre When infectious fogges and contagious vapours haue filled it full of corruption the distilling showres wash away the noysome putrifaction We know that too often filthy fumes of errors and heresies surge vp in a land that the soule of faith is almost stifled and the vncleannesse of corrupt doctrine gets a predominant place the Lord then droppes his word from heauen the pure Raine of his holy Gospell cleanseth away this putrifaction and giues new life to the almost smothered truth Wo to them then that would depriue mens soules of the Gospell and with-hold the Truth in vnrighteousnesse When they locke vp the gates of grace as Christ reproued the Lawyers and labour to make the heauens brasse they must needes also make the Earth iron How should the earth of mans heart bring forth fruits when the raine is with-held from it No maruell if their ayre be poyson'd 5. Raine hath yet another working to mollifie a hard matter The parched and heat-hardned earth is made soft by the deawes of heauen O how hard and obdurate is the heart of man till this raineâ—falls on it Is the heart couetous no teares from distressed eyes can melt a peny out of it Is it malicious no supplications can begge forbearance of the least wrong Is it giuen to drunkennesse you may melt his body into a dropsie before his heart into sobrietie Is it ambitious you may as well treat with Lucifer about humiliation Is it factious a Quire of Angels cannot sing him into peace No means on earth can soften the heart whether you annoint it with the supple balmes of entreaties or thunder against it the bolts of menaces or beate it with the hammer of mortall blowes Behold GOD showres this raine of the Gospell from heauen and it is sodainely softned One Sermon may pricke him at the heart one droppe of a Sauiours bloud distilled on it by the Spirit in the preaching of the Word melts him like waxe The Drunkard is made sober the Adulterer chaste Zaccheus mercifull and raging Paul as tame as a Lambe They that haue erst serued the Diuell with an eager appetite and were hurried by him with a voluntary precipitation haue all their chaines eaten off by this Aqua fortis one droppe of this raine hath broken their fetters and now all the powers of hell cannot preuaile against them There is a Legend I had as good say a tale of an Hermite that heard as he imagin'd all the Diuels of hell on the other side of the wall lifting and blowing and groning as if they were a remouing the world The Hermite desires to see them admitted behold they were all lifting at a feather and could not stirre it The application may serue yeeld the fable idle Satan and his Armies Spirits Lusts Vanities Sinnes that erst could tosse and blow a man vp and downe like a feather and did not sooner present a wickednesse to his sight but he was more ready for action then they for instigation now they cannot stirre him they may sooner remoue the world from the pillars then him from the grace and mercy of God The deaw of heauen hath watred him and made him grow and the power of hell shall not supplant him The raine of mercie hath softned his heart and the heat of sinne shall neuer harden it 6 Lastly Raine is one principall subordinate cause that all things fructifie This holy deaw is the operatiue meanes
cor All his affections haue a low obiect not out of humilitie but base deiection His hope desire loue ioy are set on these inferiour things and like a Mole he digs still downewards till he come to his Center his owne place Hell Telluris inutile pondus 2 For coldnesse Experience teacheth that the earth is cold coldnes is a natural quality pertinent to it though accidentally there be bred in it fierie vapours The wicked man hath a cold heart frozen vp in the dregs of iniquitie though there be an vnnaturall heat sometimes flaming in him the fire of lust and malice tormenting his bowels but this is no kindly heate to warme his conscience That is deriued from the fire of the Temple that neuer goes out and only giuen by Iesus Christ that baptizeth with the holy Ghost and with fire 3 For foulenesse The squalid earth for we speake not heere of any good ground is called Lutulenta terra miery and noysome yet is it neate and cleane in comparison of a sinne-contaminated soule The body was taken from the earth not the Soule the body shall resolue to the earth not the soule yet the polluted soule is more sordid then either a leprous body or a muddy earth In the eye of GOD there is no beautie so acceptable no foulenesse so detestable as the soules The Doue carried the prayse of beautie from the Peacocke by the Eagles iudgement that though the Peacocke liuing had the fayrer plumes yet dead he hath but a blacke liuer Gods iudgement of all mens fairenesse is by the liuer the cleanesse of the heart in his eye-sight 4 For obscuritie and darkenesse the earth is called a place of blacke darkenesse the land of forgetfulnesse So Iob and Dauid tearme it The wicked Soule is full of darkenesse thicknesse of sight caecitie of vnderstanding not seeing the glorious libertie of the Sonnes of God Our Gospell is hid to those that are lost Whose minds the god of this world hath blinded There is in them Hebetudo mentis which is acutae rationis obtusio carnalis intemperantiae crassis sensibus inducta They are so vtterly ignorant of heauen that as it is in the Prouerbe ne pictum quidem viderunt they haue not seene it so much as in the mappe or picture As to men shut vp in the low cauernes of the earth not so much as the sunne and starres and the lights of heauens lower parts haue appeared Tolerabilior est poena viuere non posse quam nescire Ignorance is a heauier punishment then death sayth the Philosopher Darkenes is their desire because their deeds are euill Perhaps at last after a long dotage on their darke delight earth they come to heare of a better richer countrey and then take onely with them the Lanterne of Nature to find it But so erepto lumine can delabrum querunt Hauing lost the light they grope for the Candlesticke A man that comes into his house at midnight sees nothing amisse in the day-light he finds many things misplac'd Nature is but a darke Lanterne when by it we endeuour to ransacke the conscience Onely the light of grace can demonstrate all the sluttish and incurious misorders in our soules 5 The maine resemblance betweene an euill ground and worse man consists in the ill fruites that they both produce bryers and thornes and such not onely vnhelpefull but hurtfull vices This is the principal analogie which our Apostle intends the pith and marow of this reference But before we come to a particular anatomizing of this Subiect some obseruable doctrines fall profitably to our instruction Obserue therfore 1 The word of God will worke some way It fals not vpon any ground in vaine but will produce herbes or weeds It is such Physicke as will either cure or kill It mollifies one makes another more hard Some hearts it pricks others it terrifies though conuerts not as it made Foelix tremble None euer heard it but they are either better or worse by it We preach Christ crucified vnto the Iewes a stumbling blocke vnto the Gentiles foolishnesse But vnto them which are called both of Iewes and Greeks the power of GOD and the wisedome of God In this Epistle it is called a double-edged sword c. It is either a conuerting or conuincing power sealing receiuers to redemption contemners to reiection The word which I haue preached shall iudge you in the latter day If this doctrine were considerately digested in hearers hearts what a zealous preparation would it worke in their soules It would bring vs to these seats with other minds if we remembred that wee returne not backe to our owne doores the very same wee came out but either somewhat better or much worse Sergius Paulus was turned Elimas obdurated at one Sermon After our Sauiours heauenly Sermon Iohn 6. Some went backe and walked no more with him that Christ bespake his Apostles Will ye also goe away Others stucke more close Lord to whom shall we goe Thou hast the words of eternall life The Prophet Esay speakes fully to this purpose As the raine commeth downe and returneth not backe but watereth the earth and maketh it bring forth and bud that it may giue seede to the sower and bread to the eater So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth it shall not returne vnto mee voyd but it shall accomplish that which I please and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it The word that we haue preached shall either saue you or iudge you It shall be either a copy of your pardon or a bill of your inditement at the last day Iohn Baptist cals the Gospell a Fan that will distinguish betweene true and false children betweene Wheate and Chaffe It will make knowne the faithfulnesse of those that with honest harts embrace it and scatter hypocrites like chaffe by reason of their insolid leuity Simeon so prophecied to Mary the Virgin of her Son That he should be the fall and the rising the reparation and ruine of many and whiles he is set for a signe Which shall bee spoken against by this meanes the thoughts of many hearts shall be reuealed The word is like fire that hath a double operation vpon the seuerall subiects it works stubble or gold It fires the one and fines the other Some hearts it enflames with zeale to it other it sets on fire to quench impugne persecute it It is to conuersion if beleeued to confusion if despised Lo Christ himselfe preaching some faithfully entertaine others reiect as the Gergesens that had rather haue their hogges saued then their soules 2. That thornes are produced the fault is not in the good Raine but the ill ground What could I sayth God haue done more to my Vineyard I haue done inough to make it beare good grapes Wherefore then or from what cause brings it forth wild grapes The earth desires the influence
of heauen and showres from the cloudes to make it fruitfull It is granted the Sunne shines the dewes fall The Garden hereupon brings forth herbes the desart thornes If these blessings of heauen were the proper cause of the weeds why hath not then the good ground such cursed effects The euerlasting lampe of heauen sends forth his sauing rayes and the sacred deawes of the Gospell fall on the pure and vncleane heart There it is requited with a fertile obedience here with an impious ingratitude Let not the mercy of God be blamed for this mans miserie Perditio ex se God hath done enough to saue him S. Augustine directly to this purpose Simul pluit Dominus super segetes super spinas Sed segeti pluit ad horreum spinis ad ignem tamen vna est plâ—uia GOD at once raines vpon the herbes and the thornes Vpon the herbs or good seed to shoot it vp for his barne for himselfe vpon the thornes to fit them for the fire yet is it one and the same raine This shall couer the faces of Libertines with â—uerlasting confusion who are euermore rubbing their owne filthinesse on Gods puritie and charging him as the authour of their sinnes If the Diuels in hell should speake what could they say more wee haue falne from our happinesse and God caused it Reprobate thoughts Men haue spilt bloud defiled forbidden beds strucke at Princes with treasons ruin'd countries with depopulations filled the earth with rapes and shot at heauen with blasphemies and lay their damnation on their Maker deriuing from his purpose excuses of their wickednesse The ineuitable decree of Gods counsell is charged the thought of that hath made them carelesse so with good food they poison themselues Willing fooles racke not your beleefe with impossibilities Behold God is so farre from authorizing your sinnes and falls that he raines on yoâ— the holy deawes of his word to mollifie your hearts Iustifying himselfe by this proffered meanes of your saluation that he would not the death of a sinner O but his hidden will is to damne vs. Mad men that forsake that signed will written in tables published with trumpets commanded with blessings cursings promises menaces to which euery soule stands bound and fall to prying into those vnsearchable mysteries couered with a curtaine of holy secrecy not to be drawne aside till the day comes wherein we shall know as we are knowne Cease aspiring man to roote thy wickdnesse in heauen and to draw in God as an accessary to thy profanenesse God would haue thee saued but thou wilt beare thorns and briars though thou endangerest thy selfe to cursing Is this the requitall for his mercy Are all his kindnesses to thee thus taken That when he hath done so much to bring thee to heauen thou wilt taxe him for casting thee to hel when he hath so laboured to make thee good thou wilt lay to his charge thy owne voluntary badnesse No iustifie God and magnifie his mercie Accuse thine owne corrupt heart that turnes so good and alimentall food into offensiue crudities Say Heauen is good but thy ground is naught Fatnesse and iuyce hath been bestowed on thee but thou hast yeelded pestilent and noysome fruits Lay not the fault on heauen but on the natiue corruption of thy owne heart that hath decocted the goodnesse of God into venome 3. This obseruation shall make way and giue place to another That the ground is very vnthankfull which answeres the kindnes of heauen in rayning on it with bryars and thornes Wretched man that receiues so blessed deawes from the fountaine of mercie and returnes an vngratefull wickednesse Vnthankefull it is as failing in both these essentiall parts of Gratitude acknowledging and requiting a benefite and so guilty both of falshood and iniustice Say the wicked did confesse Gods mercies yet where 's their obedience True thankfulnesse is called Gratiarum actio non dictio Whiles for holy deawes they render vnholy weedes this disobedience is the greatest Ingratitude The silence of our tongues the not opening our lippes to let our mouth shew forth his prayse is a grieuous vnthankfulnesse He is of an euill disposition that conceales or dissembles a benefite This is one branch of Ingratitude but our speech hitherto keepes but lowe water let vs rise vp to view the mountenous billows of that ingratitude here taxed a reall actual sensuall senselesse vnthankfulnesse if it bee not a degree beyond it and vnthankfulnesse too poore a word to expresse it Meere ingratitude returnes nothing for good but this sinne returnes euill for good Silence in acknowledging is too short we must thinke of a contumacious and contumelious retribution God after his mercifull raine lookes for some herbs of Grace when he walks down into his Garden to see whether the Vine flourished and the Pomegranates budded And behold weedes stinking weedes stinging weedes thornes and bryars Here is Ingratitude in ful proportion wiith all the dimensions of his vgly stigmaiticke forme This is that wickednes which brings the ground here to reiection malediction combustion Obserue further that 4. Wicked men proue commonly so much the worse as they might haue been better and diuert the means of their conuersion to their confusion The more raine of the Gospell they receiue the more abundantly they thrust forth the thornes of iniquities The rootes of these bryars are surely earthed in their hearts and do boyle out at the warme deaws of the Word It fares with them as with a man of a surfeted stomach the more good meate he eates the more hee increaseth his corruption The former crudities vndigested vnegested hauing the greater force turne the good nutriment into themselues There is such an antipathie betwixt the good word of God and the heart of a reprobate that the more it wrastles to bring him to heauen the more he wrastles against it that hee might be damned Tully mentions a Countrey wherein a great drought and heat maketh abundance of mire and dirt but store of raine causeth dust It is here experimentally true the plentifull raine of Gods blessed word is answered with the dusty and sandy barrennesse of mens euill liues So the Sunne shining vpon vncleane dung-hils is said to cause a greater stench yet no wise man blames the beames of the Sunne but the filthinesse of those putrified heapes for such offence The Sunne of righteousnesse hath sent downe the glorious rayes of his Gospell among vsâ— the wicked hereupon steame out the more noysome and stenchfull fruites Vpon whom shal the accusation light Gods comfortable heate of mercie or our putrid and ranke iniquities Sometimes the Sunnes heat working vpon a muddy and baneful obiect breeds horrid serpents No wonder then if this raine of the Gospel ingender in reprobate minds weeds and prickles The Cicones haue a riuer that doth harden the bowels and make the entrals stony a strange operation in them that drink it But if the water of life do harden the hearts of Pharaohs
receiues blessing of God receiues it presently receiues it at once But here of the euill ground it is nigh vnto cursing it is not presently cursed but nigh vnto it There is some pawse and delay some lucida interualla misericordiae The whole viall of wrath is not poured on at once But first there is a despising or reiection to let the wicked see how hatefull their vices are in Gods sight If this serue not they are not sodainely cursed but there is a breathing time and a mercifull space betweene that and cursing and betweene cursing and burning So slowly doth GOD proceed to iudgement so little haste he makes to the execution of his vengeance Hee is speedy to deliuer to saue to giue his blessing but hee hath leaden feet when he comes to strike The vse of this to our selues is that the patient forbearance of God may leade vs to repentance Romans the second and the fourth The Prophet Ioel bids vs Rent our hearts and fall to weeping and mourning Because the Lord is mercifull and slow to anger Gods long-suffering is as a hand reached out that points vs to repentance Such is his goodnesse that when all his terrors and menace are set in their places yet hee makes roome for Repentance whensoeuer it comes And though they bee as ready to strike as Abrahams hand was to Isaacs sacrifice yet Repentance tanquam vox Angeli shall stay them O blessed Repentance how sweet and amiable art thou yet how few loue thee The great man that thinkes he may securely be wicked because he is honourably great and dares affront the Pulpit though the greatest Bishop in the land were preaching in it cares not for repentance The wealthy Gentleman that can bung vp Hospitality into a Diogenes tubbe nestle himselfe warme in a City-chamber whiles Owles and Dawes parlour themselues in his countrey-manors that as it is storied of that Iew for the vse of his money takes his rent in bloud the heart-bloud of his racked Tenants cares not for Repentance The countrey Nabal that hoords his graine and with it lockes vp his soule in a Garner that the Sunne of Gods blessing may not come at it that starues the poore his family himselfe cares not for Repentance The auarous Citizens whom the glad Diuell can neuer find without a false measure in one hand and a cozening waight in the other that haue trickes in their sconces to ouer-reach the diuell himselfe but that like a cunning Fenser he that taught them all their trickes kept one to himselfe to cheate them of their soules care not for repentance The muffled Lawyer that hath no sense left aliue but his feeling and waighs all causes by the poyse of gold that talkes against others right and his owne conscience that leades Iurie into peâ—iury with his fraudulent circumuentions cares not for repentance The sharking Officer that like Menelaus an Armenian Archer in the wars betwixt Constantius and Magnentius can shoot three arrowes at once at one loose wherewith hee wounds not one but three at the least the Prince whom hee serues the person whom hee drawes bloud of and the body of the Common-wealth cares not for repentance I neede not speake of the Church-robber the Vsurer the Drunkard the Proud the vncleane adulterer no man can think that they care for repentance O but they all purpose to repent Spare them a while they are but new set into the Ouen not yet fully baked in their hot vanities let them foke a little in their pleasures and at last they will returne They are as an Ouen heated by the Baker Repentance is an ascent of foure steps many get vp three of them but climbe not to the fourth and best 1. Some there are that purpose to amend their liues But purpose without performance is like a Cloud without raine not vnlike Hercules Clubbe in the Tragedy of a great bulke but the stuffing is mosse and rubbish If the tree bee fairely blossom'd and naked of fruite it may speed as the Figge-tree in the Gospell be curseo or at least it is as the euill ground here nigh vnto cursing Many that purposed to repent are now in hell as the fiue foolish Virgins that intended to goe in with the Bridegroome but before the time their lights dropp'd out One sayd that hell is like to bee full of good purposes but heauen of good workes If a bare Intention would serue Gods Church on earth would bee fuller of Saints and his Court in heauen fuller of soules Ignorance and Sloth adulterating bring forth this lanke brood this abortiue embrion Purpose Such a man is like an ill debtor who will not pay God his due of deuotion till hee is old and then hee cannot pay for want of time mony space and grace to repent We make in these daies our purposes like our Eeues and our performances like the holy-daies seruants work hard vpoÌ„ the Eeues that they may haue the more liberty to play vpon the Holy-dayes so we are earnest and labour hard on our purposes but are idle and play vpon our performances But Resolution without action is a golden couch to a leaden Iewell 2. The second round of this Ladder is Preparation Some there are that will prepare almost set themselues in a readinesse for their iourney to heauen yet neuer set one steppe forward Preparation is indeed as necessary as the dore is to the house but as idle if there be no house to the dore It may as Iohn the Baptist did for Christ prepare the way of the Lord into our hearts and it may be as vaite as the Apothecaries Beast which hee promised his Patient would helpe him of all diseases but before morning it had eaten vp it selfe Preparation is a necessary antecedent to all great workes Amos 4. Prepare to meet thy God O Israel But a man may prepare meate and not feede prepare meate and not eate Prepaeration does well if reparation followes A man may climbe both these rounds and yet fall short of the true height of Repentance 3. The third stairre is a Beginning to abstaine from some horrid iniquities and as it were an entring into a new path but not going one step in it without a voluntary reuolting But Beginning is nothing to perfection Some begin in the spirit and end in the flesh that sâ—lute Christ in the market place take acquaintance of him in the street but neuer bid him home to their houses It is vox praetereuntium derisoria the speech of them that passe by This man began to build A house but begun is not fit to dwell in and shall wee thinke that Gods Spirit will dwell in an inchoate habitacle and not likely to be finished The Apostle sayth It had been better for them not to haue knowne the way of righteousness then after they haue knowne it to turne from the holy commandement deliuered vnto them 4 The fourth Round onely pleaseth God and
this blessing Let vs not be hunting after sports as Esau for venison and loose our blessing lest wee cry howle rore when it is too late to recouer it Thinke oh thinke there is a heauen a GOD a IESVS a kingdome of glory society of Angels communion of Saints ioy peace happinesse and eternity of all these which it will bee a fearefull thing to loose for the base pleasures and short delights of this world O great God of all and sweete Father of thy chosen poure vpon vs thy holy deawes of grace make our soules to stand thicke with sanctified herbes that we may receiue thy blessing That honouring thee in the day of Grace we may bee hononoured by thee in the day of Glory Grant this for thy loued Sonne and our louing Sauiour euen IESVS CHRIST his sake Amen THE FORREST Of Thornes THE FOVRTH SERMON EZEK 28. 24. There shal be no more a pricking Bryar vnto the house of Israel nor any grieuing Thorne of all that are round about them Terra salutifferas herbas eadem que nocentes Nutrit vrticae proxima saepe rosa est LONDON Printed by George Purslowe for Iohn Budge and are to be solde at his shop at the great South-dore of Pauls and at Brittaines Burse 1616. THE FORREST Of THORNES THE FOVRTH SERMON HEB. Chap. 6. Vers. 8. But that which beareth thornes and bryers is reiected and is nigh vnto cursing whose end is to be burned THis verse begins with a word of Dsiunction But. The Raine of grace falls vpon the good ground it returneth berbes it receiueth blessing But that which beareth thorns and bryers is reiected and is nigh vnto cursing c. It is vndeniably true that S. Paul knew no Purgatory otherwise he that shunned not to declare to men all the counsell of God would not in a voluntary silence haue omitted this mysterie He deliuers two sorts of Grounds the good and the bad the one blessed the other neere vnto cursing Hee knew no meane either betwixt good and euill men or betwixt reward and punishment blessing and cursing It seemes that Christ himâ—elfe was ignorant of that point which the Papists know so soundly and beleeue so roundly For he sayes In Gods Field whatsoeuer growes is either corne or cockle for the one whereof a Barne is prouided for the other vnquenchable Fire A third sort betweene herbes and weedes had either the Master or the Seruant knowne they would haue acknowledged This first word of the Text But is a strong engine set to the wals of Purgatory to ouer-turne them and ouer-burne them with the fire of hell For they are imaginary pales that diuide hell and Purgatorie take away your conceit and they are both one all is hell For surely hell was raked when Purgatory was found and it is nothing els but a larder to the Popes Kitchin What fancie soeuer founded it their wittes are foundred that labour to maintaine it For they cannot tell vs vel quid sit vel vbi what it is nor where it is They cauill with vs for want of vnity and consent in iudgement Yet Bellarmine recites eight seuerall opinions amongst them about the place And concludes at last that it must remaine among those secrets Quae suo tempore aperientur nobis which shall bee vnfolded to vs in their times Some thinke the torments of it to consist in fire others in water some that the afflicters are Angels other that they are Deuils So they teach omni modo that which is nullo modo and because it is vbique is therefore nullibi Howsoeuer it being the Popes peculiar and in his power to command the Angels to fetch out whom hee list mee thinks the Popes are strangely vnmercifull that in all this time none of them hath made a generall Gaole-deliuerie But our Purgatorie is the blood of Iesus Christ which clenseth vs from sinne And they that haue no portion in this blood shall be reiected are nigh vnto cursing and their end is to be burned The barren or rather euil-fruited ground is the ground of my discourse and according to the common distinction of Euill here is a double euill in the Text. Vnum quod malus facit alterum quod malus patitur An euill which the wicked man doth and an euill which he suffers an euill that is sinne and an euill that is punishment for sinne In the former the wicked are agents in the latter patients The one euill is done by them the other vpon them They offend Gods iustice and GOD in his iustice offends them They haue loued cursing and cursing shall be vnto them they desired not blessing and it is farre from them They produce Thornes and the end of thornes is to bee burned The first and worst euill for the other though euill to them is good in Gods good Iustice is sinne Herein 1. the wicked are compared to bad ground 2. their iniquities to thornes and bryers 3. and the manner how so ill weeds arise from this ground is said to be bearing The earth that beareth thornes c. Here first obserue 1 The different word the Apostle vseth For the good earth hee sayes it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bringing forth herbes For the euill it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bearing not bringing forth As if good workes were brought forth like children not without paine and trauell euill workes but cast out like froth or skimme as easily vented as inuented Therefore the earth is said ebullire to bubble or boile out such things as meere excretions Our prouerbe sayes An ill weed growes apace Herbes grow not without preparing the ground planting and watring them by seasonable deawes and diligence Weeds are common it is hard to set the foote besides them The basest things are euer most plentifull Plurima pessima I haue read of a kind of mouse that breeds sixe score young ones in one nest Whereas the off-spring of the Lyonesse or Elephant is but single You shall find your furrowes full of Cockle and daâ—â—ell though you neuer sew them The earth sayth the Philosopher is now an own mother to weeds and naturally breeds and feeds them but a stepmother to good herbes Man by a procliuitie of his own naturall inclination is apt to produce thornes and bryers but ere hee can bring forth herbes Graces God must take paines with him No husbandman so labours his ground as God our hearts Happy earth that yeelds him an expected haruest But that which beareth Thornes is neere to be cursed and burned 2 Obserue that a wicked man is compared to bad earth and that fitly in 5. respects 1 For basenesse The earth is the heauiest of all Elements and doth naturally sinke downewards as if it had no rest but in the center which it selfe is A wicked man is base-minded and sinkes with a dull and ponderous declination not regarding the things aboue but these below He hath commune with men sursum os but with beasts deorsum