this vengeance of God keepe vs in feare of this plague and poison euen as such as are put to execution are so many iudges and heralds pronouncing sentence of death agaynst all those that commit the like crimes as they are executed for And in deed the holy Ghost crieth out and testifieth 1. Pet. 5.5 Math. 20.27 Math. 23.12 that God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the lowly Againe He that will be first among you saith Christ shal be minister he that exalteth himselfe shal be brought low If man therefore couet to be exalted God is his aduersarie if vpon arrogaÌ„cie he attributeth to himself the glorie due to God he must loke that God will be his enemie as he doth protest saying I will not giue my glorie to another Esay 42.8 It falleth out with the ambitious as Ouâ—d writeth of Iearus who taking vpon him to flie with wings made of wax when he came neere the Sunne his wings melted with the heat thereof and he fell into the sea which of his name is yet called the IeariaÌ„ sea euen so the ambitious the higher they rise in glory the more they approch the heat of Gods wrath and so doo melt and fall into the gulfe of eternall confusion The man that taketh vpon him to climbe a tree the higher hee goeth and the neerer hee commeth to the toppe the greater is his danger As he that is condemned to be hanged hath no liking of the ladder because he knoweth that the higher hee climbeth the neerer he is to his death and therefore could bee content the ladder should be either broken or burned if he might haue his desire euen so ought we to detest this ambition and pride and indeuor to denie and to mortifie the same as knowing that to desire greatnes is to desire mishap and that pride arrogancie is the highest step wherefrom man is cast headlong into vtter ruine 15 Surely it is maruellous that men shoulde so delight in these vices Bern. of Consider li. 1 which doo but torment them euen in this life confounde those that haue them in possession Oh ambition saith S. Barnard the crosse of ambitious men how dost thou torment mankinde Thou pleasest all men yet is there nothing more mightie in torment or more grieuous in trouble And truely if we could cut off these vices of ambition and pride our mindes woulde sure growe content and quiet we should not thus consume in enuie care and a number of other passions which trouble and molest our minds we should not sel our liberty become slaues vpon an vncertain hope of dominion neither ingage our consciences to the deuill for kingdomes Moreouer as poison put into good and sound meate maketh it mortal so pride taking occasion of Gods graces to boast it selfe August vpon the 58. psal doth by such sacriledge turne vs vnto destruction Arrogancie as S. Augustin saith is a deadly sin because that the farther that man procedeth in vertue the greater is his temptation wherby he looseth all that he had profited August in his booke of Nature grace All other sins saith he in an other place are to be feared in misdeedes but arrogancie most in good And truly as man hath no cause to boast of his wickednes miserie Chriso in his 29. hom vpon Iohn so in his vertues doth his pride grow take increase nourishment causing him many times the more vertue hee is indued with the more to be proud And therefore Chrisostome compareth it to a worme that breedeth in the wood eateth it also to rust which growing out of yron consumeth it Whereupon he addeth that vainglory arrogancy are full of thorns that choak vp vertue a beast that hath many armed heads against those that are possessed of him Many are of opinion that yong vipers do kil their dams in their birth such is our corruption that it causeth pride to spring out of vertue withal this wicked child to be the deuourer of his dam. We are therfore so to resist other corruptioÌ„s that still we must reserue the principall to fight against this wickednesse which groweth vp in vertue and poisoning the good giftes which we receiue of God doeth ouerthrowe that man who otherwise is holy wise and endued with vertue 10 To these purposes we must imagine that there is nothing lesse conuenient to man than ambition pride and arrogancie Let man saith Saint Augustine for whom the sonne of God humbled and abased himselfe August vpon the 18. psalme be ashamed to striue to be mightie and high minded Seeing that man seeking to bee higher than hee was is fallen from the height where hee was placed reason requireth that now he humble and abase himselfe contenting himselfe to bee lowe in his owne sight that hee may recouer his losse and bee mightie in him that humbled himselfe for him Esay 24.23 If the Moone as Esaie sayth shall bee abashed and the Sunne ashamed when the Lord of hoasts shall raigne in mount Sion and in Ierusalem and when glory shall be before his auncient men shall wee poore sinners clothed in iniquitie and replenished with infection of sinne lift vp our heads in the presence of Gods maiestie Shal not wee rather be as it were swallowed vp in the gulfe of shame and reproch To vs belongeth open shame Dan. 9.7 saith Daniel If the brightnesse of the Sunne dimmeth the light of the Starres shall not the Sunne of Gods glorie vtterly extinguish all excellencie and glorie of man 17 Againe let vs waigh our bodily miseries the vice and corruption of our soules in briefe all our iniquities against whatsoeuer may in vs be excellent honorable or wherein wee doo boast and surely the counterpoise will waie downe our pride and replenish our countenances with confusion shame Let vs set our ignorance against our knowledge the vertue that we want agaynst that which we haue our sinnes against our righteousnesse and our corruption against our holynesse so shall we soone quench all arrogancie and presumption Let vs not compare with the deuils in exalting our selues but with the Angels in humbling our mindes It is thought that the peacocke so full of faire feathers hauing only two foule feet standing proudly in the circle and contemplation of his beautifull trains so soon as he seeth his feet which he thinketh to be foule straight humbleth himselfe and abateth seeketh to hide his feathers how much rather ought we by the feeling sight and apprehension of many our foule feet and corrupt peruerse passions that raigne in vs to humble our selues and to abate our pride ingendered of a few feathers which haue only some smal beginning and apparance of beautie Moreouer the more plentifully that almightie God bestoweth his blessinges and graces vpon vs the more are we bound to doo him homage in referring them to his glorie Heb. 1.16 and not make of our selues Idols by sacrificing to
neuer haue beene annoyed with heate or colde that doe so molest him Moreouer this vse of garmentes doeth testifie vnto vs. Gods goodnesse and mercie towardes vs in that hee ministreth wherewith to releeue our necessities and so bindeth vs more and more to praise him To make therefore our garmentes a pompe and shew whereby to bee honored and glorified is the reuersing of the vse of them and manifest sacriledge against God Yet is this corruption so common that there is none no not the little children but will boast of gay garments Let vs therefore that haue more wit then children euen vs I say especially that are instructed in Gods word and know the originall and vse of garmentes in liew of seeking glorie in the same learne by them to humble our selues and to render all thankes and prayses to God to whome it appertaineth 8 For a third remedie let vs remember what a folly yea what an extreame iniquitie it is to take more care for garmentes for the bodie then for ornaments for the soule For as the bodie being of more valew then the garment wee will sell or pawne foorth the garment for to feede the bodie so ought wee to leaue all affecton to beautifie our bodies the better to tende to the adorning of our soules And hereto doth Saint Peter exhort vs 1. Pet. 1 3. saying Let not the womans apparell be outward with broydered heare or golde put about or in putting on of apparell but let the hid man of the hart be vncorrupt with a meeke and quiet spirit which is before God a thing much set by The same doth S. Paule also confirme saying Let women araie themselues in comely apparell with shamefastnesse and modestie 1. Tim. 2.9 not broidered haire or golde or pearle or costly apparell but as becommeth women that professe the feare of God with good workes If wee dwel in a borrowed house looking weekly when we must depart wee wyll neuer trouble our selues wyth anie cost or fitting of it as wee woulde doo if wee were sure to remayn in it all the daies of our liues And what is the bodie but a house lent vnto the soule from whence it looketh dayly to departe What reason haue wee then so to care for adorning the bodie which shortly must rot and perish so to neglect the soul which is immortal Men commonly doo care to be more honestly appareled when they are to meet at some banquet or marriage or to come before some honourable personages than ordinarily when they conuerse wyth inferiours Now wee as concerning our bodies doo conuerse wyth men lyke vnto our selues but as concerning our soule with God and his angels to whome it is lifted vp now by faith but at death really Is it not therefore repugnant to all order and reason to care more for the beautifying of the bodie than for adorning of the soule 9 Some man wyll saie Why albeit we beautifie our bodyes yet doo wee thinke vpon the adorning of the soule But this is a mere abuse for it is an olde saying that the great care to prouide for the bodie is an euident token of the neglect and small affection to adorne the soule Who can saie that hee is loth to burne his house when hee layeth burning coales hard by a stacke of strawe Naturally wee are inclined to ambition and pride and what is all this pompe prouision for the bodie but wood and straw kindled by the fyre of our Ambition Humilitie modestie charitie chastitie and holinesse are the chiefe ornamentes of our soules and is there anie thing more contrarie to these vertues than Ambition pride crueltie lust and prophane liuing which all doo appeare in these pompes and ornamentes for the bodie Well may wee confesse that there bee some more proude in theyr paltrie peltes than many in theyr sumptuous apparell When Antisthenes ware a turnde cloake Socrates tolde him that hee discerned his vaineglorie and ambition through the rentes of his cloake Contrariwise queene Heste rprotested before God that shee tooke no more pride in her most rich apparell The last book of Hest 14.6 than in base and defouled clothes But we speake of that which is common with men as experience sheweth For in deede wee shall finde few in whome ambition or desire to bee thought rich or noble or among women to appeare fayre is not the verie originall foutnaine of theyr sumptuous apparell pompe and beautifieng of the bodie 10 Some will reply did God create golde siluer silke and such like to no vse We confesse he created them to vse but not to abuse of his liberalitie to take occasion to praise him but not to extoll our selues And truely it is a great abusing of Gods creatures when we employ them to maintain our pride and ambition and in liew of reseruing al honour and praise to him that is the giuer of them to minister offence to our neighbours Againe it followeth not that the vse of silke and golde permitted to Kinges Princes and people of like calling should equally bee permitted and commanded for euerye Marchaunt and Artificer Princes may without reprehension or blemish of pride weare that which Marchaunts and Artificers cannot vse without note of pride and presumption True it is that the more modestly that any shall vse it the more commendable it is But it were but a trouble to pollicie and conscience without reason or ground to submit all person of whatsoeuer calling to Marchaunts attire as also it is not conuenient to abase Marchaunts into poore Artificers apparell 11 Yet is there another point to be considered God as to another purpose is afore said hath made men not Lordes but stewards of his goods with condition that they shall giue accompt of the same And in that respect it is lawfull for men of honour and calling honourably to cloth themselues so long as they also reserue meanes and clothe the poore members of Christ And indeede this sentence which he will pronounce in the day of iudgement Depart from me ye cursed into eternal fire Mat. 25. for I was naked and ye clothed me not c. might make those to tremble whose superfluitie and excesse in apparell would wel suffice to cloth the poore members of Iesus Christ But this sparingnes is an euident signe of incredulitie as Saint Iames noteth Iam. 2.15 tearming it to be a testimonie of a dead faith when we cloth not those that bee naked The silke ribbands and lace that couer the cloth the edgings passements and purles added to stuffe of it selfe curious enough the ringes enriched with precious stones the golde the siluer and pearle wherewith the bodies are decked vp shal in the day of iudgement arise against those that take no pitie of the poore that lay vpon straw went woolward and quaking for colde for want of garments Let those that dispence with such sumpteousnes and excesse examine their owne consciences whether they doe to others as they would be
of the deuill Col. 1.15 neither by smiting the first borne of Egipt but by giuing himselfe euen the first borne of euery creature to death for vs. It were therfore a two-folde rebellion not to amend our liues and so to obey him who being as S. Paul saith the sauiour of all men 1. Tim. 4.10 as concerning the bodily life but especially of the faithful in respect of eternall saluation hath a two-folde right and authoritye to command vs. And the premises doth S. Augustine confirme by an excellent confession and praier that hee maketh to God saying I know Aug. in his Medita c. 39. O Lord that I owe to thee my self because thou hast created me yea more then my selfe because that being made man for me thou hast redeemed me euen so much the rather as thou 〈◊〉 greater then he for whom thou hast giuen thy selfe But in as much as I haue nothing more then my selfe also that I cannot giue to thee that which I haue without thy selfe take me and draw me vnto thee that I may be thine in following and louing thee as I am thine in being created and redeemed by thee 4 Moreouer in thaâ— in our beleefe we doe confesse that we doe beleeue in Iesus Christ our Lord wee doe also by that tytle acknowledge in him a two-folde authoritie to commaund vs and consequently in our selues a twofolde obligation to obey him For as beeing both God and man in respect of his diuinitie hee is Lord ouer all creatures so hauing redeemed vs by his death hee is our Lord and wee that doo beleeue in him are his peculyar people and seruantes And therefore it were a double disobedience in vs if we as his creatures shoulde not obey the Lorde of all and as his peculyar people and proper purchase bee wholy subiect to him that is more particularly Lorde ouer vs. Iesus Christ is also called King of Kings and consequently king of the whole world yet is hee also particularly king ouer his Church And in deed 1. Tim. 6.15 Psalm 2 as wee reade that the yron scepter is giuen to him to raigne and rule ouer all nations and kingdomes of the earth so is hee particularly established king ouer 〈…〉 heere a twofolde authoritie in Christ which doth doubly binde vs to amend by obeying of him who beeing Lord of the whole world is particularly and more excellently king ouer the Burgeses of Sion and the members of his Church 5 All thâ—se names and titles Iehoua Creator Redeemer Sauiour Lord and king attributed to him that commaundeth to amend being well considered as is afore shewed doth teach vs what authoritie hee hath to commaund vs and how deeplie wee are bounde to obey him as his creatures children subiectes and seruantes and wholy to consecrate vnto him all whatsoeuer wee are haue knowe or can doo in his seruice wythout whome we neyther haue neyther are neyther doo or knowe anie thing Let vs therefore acknowledge that wee are not in our owne power to liue at our owne pleasures but doo appertaine vnto Iesus Christ and must practise the same which the Apostle Saint Paul sayth of himselfe I liue yet not I but Iesus Christ liueth in mee Galat. 2 20 1. Cor. 6.19 Let vs remember what the same Apostle sayth You are not your owne for yee are bought with a price therfore glorifie God in your bodies and in your spirites for they are Gods We are therefore bound as our sauiour Iesus Christ admoniseth vs to denie our selues that is to saie our owne sense and wisedome and to followe his also our owne will Math 16.24 Luke 9.23 Rom. 12.2 that wee may will that which hee willeth And heereto also doeth Saint Paul exhort vs saying Bee ye changed by the renuing of your minde that ye may proue what is the good wil of God and acceptable and perfect 6 There bee two sorts of seruants and bondmen the one borne at their masters houses the others purchased by their masters Neither of these may liue after his owne will sense or vnderstanding but as it shall please theyr master and Lord. Now are we borne the seruants of Christ for he created vs all and besides he hath also redeemed and purchased vs that wee may belong more particularly to him As the master therefore of those seruantes that are borne in his house or whome he purchaseth doo pretend that they doo him wrong when they spend anie time either to theyr owne particular profite or in the seruice of others so maye Iesus Christ and much more iustly complaine of vs that are his two folde seruants namely by birth and by purchase if wee imploy euen neuer so lyttle of our liues to serue and please our selues the world or the deuill our enemies and this must needes redounde to a double sacriledge and twofolde prophanation of that which by double reason ought to bee dedicated and consecrated to him who with double authoritie doth command vs to amend The second cause of Amendement drawen from the name Holy attributed to Iesus Christ wherein is handled Election Reprobation and Gods prouidence Chap. 2. THE Prophet Esaie rehearseth that hee sawe the Lord sitting vpon his throane Isay 6.3 and the Seraphims aboue him crying one to another Holy holy is the Lord of hoasts Heere dyd they speake of Iesus Christ Iohn 12.41 as Saint Iohn in his Gospell doth affirme who also reporting another vision which himselfe sawe sayeth There were foure beasts which cryed night and daie wythout ceasing Holy holy holy is the Lord God almightie Apoc. 4.8 This title Holy thus thrice repeated among other thinges doth teach vs that he is souerainly good righteous merciful wise mightie and true euen so excellently and perfectly that in these and other lyke diuine properties he is most holy and in them holdeth nothing in common wyth other creatures And in deed if in man there bee anie goodnesse righteousnesse wisedome or truth hee hath them not of himselfe but from God Neither hath hee thereof anie more but small droppes or sparkes and the same are but graces happened and accidents or qualities as they saie in schooles so that euen without them hee is neuerthelesse a man But as concerning God hee hath all these properties of himselfe they bee in him perfect and infinite yea they are in such sorte his essence that to denie his righteousnesse wisedome power mercie and goodnesse is to denie God Marke therefore how rightly he is called Holy holy holy 2 It is no maruel that this and all that proceedeth herefro doth passe mans vnderstanding for it exceedeth euen the capacitie of the Angels And this doth Esaie in this vision testifie saying The Seraphims couered their faces with two wings Esay 6. â— as not able to abide the brightnesse of this holynesse But the more incomprehensible that it is the more doth it admonish vs diuersely and in many sortes to amend And indeed among the most dangerous pernitious