Institution and vse of the Lords supper First Paul sheweth the author of it the Lord Iesus then the time when it was instituted in the night that he was betraied then the manner how he did institute it he tooke bread when he had giuen thanks he brake it and gaue vnto his disciples c. then the end why hee did institute it for a remembrance of his death Touching the Author he which is signified by it was the author of it The Lord Iesus hath bid vs to supper I am not woorthie saith Iohn to loose his shoo so wee are not worthie to wait at his trencher and yet hee will haue vs sit at his table To him belongeth the power to ordaine Sacraments in his Church because he fulfilled the Sacraments of the Law When Christ came the Passeouer creased because he is our Passeouer that is the Lambe by whose blood wee are saued When Christ came Circumcision ceased because he is our circumcision that is the purifier and cleanser of our sinnes Now these two Sacraments are fulfilled he hath appointed two other Sacraments for them in stead of the pascall Lambe which the Iewes did eat hee hath giuen vs another Lambe to eate which Iohn calleth the Lambe of God that is himselfe vpon whome all doe feede whosoeuer doe receiue this Sacrament with an assured faith that Christ died to possesse them of life The breaking of the bread dooth signifie the wounding of the bodie the pouring out of the wine doth signifie the shedding of his blood The eating of the bread and drinking of the wine doth signifie that his flesh and blood doe nourish in vs life eternall as the bread and wine doe nourish the life present In stead of Circumcision which began at Abraham he hath ordeined Baptisme which began at Iohn a more liuely representation of the true circumcision of the heart because it representeth vnto vs the blood of Christ which washeth our soules as the water in baptisme washeth our bodies Touching the time In the night saith Paul therefore this Sacrament is called the Lordes Supper because it was instituted at night when they vsed to sup But what night Euen that night saith Paule when he was betraied that night which he should haue cursed as Iob did the day of his birth if hee had suffered against his will that night when he should haue thought to destroy men as men conspired to destroy him That night saith Paul this Sacrament of grace and peace and life began Euen that night when we betraied him Many nights did he spend in watching and praying for vs and is there a night now for vs to kill and betraie him That was a darke night when men went about to put out the Sunne which brought them light Who can but wonder to see how Christ and they for whom Christ came were occupied at one time when they deuised mischiefe against him and sought all meanes to destroy him then hee consulted how to saue them and instituted the same night this blessed sacrament to conuey all his graces blessings vnto them Euen that night when they betraied him The reason why this action was deferred vntill night is because that was the time appointed by the Law to eate the Passe-ouer which was like a predecessor of this Sacrament The reason why he deferred it vntil his last night was because the Passe-ouer could not be ended before the fulnesse of time and the true Paschall Lambe were come to be slaine in stead of the other Therefore how fitlie did Christ end the Passe-ouer which was a signe of his suffering so presently before his suffering And beside how sweetly did he confirme his Disciples faith when as they should see that the next day performed before their eyes which ouer night both in the Passe-ouer and in the Sacrament was so liuely resembled vnto them If anie man from this doe gather that we ought to eate the Lordes Supper at night as Christ did he must vnderstand that we haue not the same cause to doe so which Christ had because of the Passe-ouer And therefore the Church which hath discretion of times and places hath altered both the time and the place vsing the Temples in sted of the chamber and the morning in sted of the euening for indifferent things are ruled by order and decency Touching the manner He tooke bread and when hee had giuen thankes hee brake it and gaue it vnto them Hee would not eate it nor breake it before he had giuen thankes to God What neede he which was God giue thankes to God but to shewe vs what wee should doe when we eate our selues In all things giue thanks saith Paul whereby we declare that all things come from God but the wicked beleeue easier that God doeth take then that hee doth giue and therefore they neuer praie hartily vnto him for anie thing nor feelingly thanke him for it For which the Lord complaineth saying I haue loued you yet ye say wherein hast thou loued vs Shewing that we are worse then the oxe which knoweth his feeder And if wee acknowledge all things from God yet wee doe like Lot Is it not a little one saith he when he craued to go vnto Zoar as though it were not much which he asked so we mince extenuate the giftes of God before we receiue them and after like them which haue a grace for dinner and none for breakfast as though they had their dinners from God and breakfasts of their owne Our example did not so although it was but bread which hee receiued yet hee was more thankfull for bread then many which burie the foules and fishes and beastes in their bellie for if a count of all were kept for one that praieth Giue vs this day our daily bread a hundred take their bread and meat and sleep too which neuer pray for it After hee had giuen thankes hee brake it and gaue vnto them and saide Take eate for when he had giuen thankes to God then it was sanctified and blessed and lawfull to eate So when thou seruest God then it is lawfull for thee to vse Gods blessinges then thou maiest eate and drinke as Christ did but not before for these thinges were created to serue them which serue God if thou doest not serue him for them thou encrochest vpon Gods blessinges and stealest his creatures which are no more thine then thou art his for the good God created all things for good men as the diuels possessions are reserued for euill men Therefore as Christ would not breake the bread before hee had giuen thankes to the founder so know that there is some thing to be done before thou receiue anie benefite of GOD and presume not to vse his creatures with more libertie than his sonne did which did not eate without giuing thankes nor rise againe without singing a Psalme
speake of daies but asked him how old he was yet he answered of daies to shew that not only his yeares but his daies were fewe Our fathers marueiling to see how sodainlie men are and are not compared life to a dreame in the night to a bubble in the water to a ship in the sea to an arrow which neuer resteth till it fall to a player which speaketh his part vpon the stage and straight he giueth place to another to a man which commeth to the market to buy one thing and sell another and then is gone home againe so the figure of this world passeth away This is our life while we enioy it we loose it as Iacob sayd that his daies had been fewe so wee may say that our daies shall be few Now why hath GOD appoynted such a short time to man in this world Surely least he should deferre to doe good as his manner is for though his life is so short yet he thinks it too long to repent The Prophet saith that our yeares are but threescore and ten as though this were but a little time to liue But why should we liue so long for if our life were but a yeare yet a yeare is more then we vse al the rest is lost for wee deferre till that weeke which we thinke will be last It is sayd of the diuell that he is busie because his time is short but the time of man is shorter and therefore Christ saith In this thy day as though no day could bee called thy daye but this daye and therefore all that thou hast to doe thou must doe this day Consider this all which trauell toward heauen had wee not neede to make hast which must goe such a long iourney in such a short time How can he choose but run which remembreth that euery day runneth away with his life The fourth poynt is our aptnesse to forget death rather then any thing els and therefore Moses praieth the Lord to teach him to number his daies as though they were still slipping out of his minde He which hath numbred our daies must teach vs to number our daies for when Moses prayeth the Lorde to teach him to number his daies he signifieth that he would very faine remember them but still his minde did turne from them and that he could not thinke vpon them longer then he thought on the Lord which taught him to number them such is the rebellion of our nature wee cannot remember that which wee should because we remēber so many things which we should forget How often doth the Scripture cal death to our minds Yet we read how they put the day of death from them would not remember it Salomon bids vs remember that we shal come to iudgement yet we reade how they pleade against the day of iudgement and syllogize to their sinnes That all things shall continue as they be because there hath been no chaunge yet euen so it is with vs as the foole saith in his hart there is no God so we say in our hearts there is no death or at least death will not come before we bee old Of al numbers we cannot skill to number our daies we can number our sheepe our oxen our coyn but we think that our daies are infinite therfore we neuer go about to number thē We can number other mēs daies and yeres think they wil die ere it be long if we see them sick or sore or old but we can not nūber our own When two ships meet on the sea they which are in one ship thinke that the other ship doth saile exceeding fast but that their ship goeth faire and softly or rather stādeth stil although in truth one ship saileth as fast as the other so euery man thinkes that other post and run and flye to the graue but that himselfe standeth stocke still although indeede a yeare with him is no longer then it is with other beside that we are giuen to forget death wee striue to forget it like them which say we may not remember Teach me to number my daies nay teach me to multiplie my daies teach me to remember death nay teach me to prolong death or if I cannot prolong death teach me to forget death that I may sinne without feare for the remembrāce of death maketh a man to sinne fearefully takes away the pleasure of sinne Therefore if ye mark there is a kind of men which cannot abide to heare of death they are sick with the name of it the reason is Achab cannot abide Michaiah because hee neuer prophecied good vnto him but euill so death neuer prophecied good to the wicked but euill for which they cannot abide it Therefore as Pharaoh bad Moses goe out of his sight so they bid death goe out of their sight and say when he comes as Achab said to Eliah Art thou here my enemie whē they should say welcome my frend For as the diuels thought Christ was come to tormēt them so the vngodly think that death comes to tormēt them Is it peace when they see death they doubt it is not peace because they neuer loued the God of peace O that I could bring you into their hearts that yee might see more then tongue can expresse for I doe not thinke that any Epicure or worldling or Nonresident haue any ioy to thinke of death or desire to be dissolued but rather that hee might neuer bee dissolued because death coms to the wicked like a iayler which comes alwaies to hale vnto prison therefore their care is not to remember death that they might apply their hearts to wisedome but to forget death lest they should apply their harts to wisedome and loose their pleasures before the time for he which is not purposed yet to leaue his sinnes would not be troubled with any thought that might make him take his pleasure fearefully least he should leaue sinne before sinne leaue him Therefore the diuell doth neuer teach a man to number his daies because he gains by the forgetfulnes of death but the Lord which would haue a man to applie his heart to wisedome it is he which teacheth vs to number our daies and therfore Moses praieth vnto him because we pray not vnto him as he did to teach vs to number our daies therefore we die like wormes before we be aware So farre we are from that which he shooteth at to apply his heart to wisedome that we are not in the way vnto it that is to remēber that wee shall die The last poynt is the cause why Moses would learne to number his daies that he might apply his heart to wisedome as if he should say vntill men think vpon death they neuer applie their hearts to wisedom but busie themselues with worldly matters as though they were fethering a nest that should neuer be pulled down Wisedom hath alwaies carried that shew of excellencie that the
falslie Mat. 29. 6. Mark 10. 9 Esay 52. 11 2. Iohn 10. Matt. 4. 3. Luke 11. 4. 1. Reg. 11. 1. c. 1. Cor. 7. 39. Gen. 3. 4. Gen. 6. 2. Mat. 22. 11 Wedding garment Note Luk. 14. 21. Iob. 2. 9. 3. 1. Iudg. 14. 2. Chro. 21. 6 2. Sa. 6. 16. Luk. 16. 32. Luk. 14. 20. The duties of mariage Pro. 31. 26. The man and wife like Cock and dam Mariage compounded of two loues Gen. 3. 6. Iudg 16. 17 2. Sa. 13. 15 Mat. 10. 36 Gen. 30. 16. Mat. 17. 19 Mat. 22. 11 Best pollicie in mariage to begin wel They must learn one anothers nature 1. Cor. 9. 20. Ephe. 4. 25. 1. Cor. 11. 19 1. Sa. 20. 20 A sweet example teaching how couples shall neuer fall out Gen. 16. 6. Ephe. 5. 23. The husbands first dutie Vnderstand in his Mariage only Ephe. 5. 25. 1. Cor. 11. 7. Ephe. 5. 28. Leui. 19. 18 1. Sam. 1. 8. Mar. 10. 7. Gen. 21. 1. The husbands secoÌ„d dutie Man and wife are two partners Mar. 10. 8. Rom. 8 32. The husbands last dutie 1. Pet. 3. 7. Husbands must hold their haÌ„ds and wiues their tongues Gen. 21. 11. Psal 133. 1 Deut. 24 9. Mat. 12. 29 Gen. 19. 33. Deut. 23. 2. Gen. 20. 16. Gen. 13. 8. Pro. 12. 4. Gen. 2. 23. Ephe. 5. 19. Col. 3. 16. Pro. 5. 16. 1. Tim. 3. 3â— Of his wife Leu. 19. 28. Deut. 14. 〈◊〉 1. King 18. 28. It is properlyment in mourning for the dead but it doth imply an vnlawfulnesse to hurt our selues Prou. 5. 19. The womans duties Phil. 4. 3. Iob. 2. 9. Rom. 12. 19 2. King 2. 6. Gal. 6. 2. 1. King 21. 5. 1. Kin. 14 4. Gen. 12. 1. Gen. 2. 18. 1. Cor. 1. 27. 1. Pet. 3. 1. Gen. 25. 2. 2. King 5. 8. 2. Kin. 6. 10. Hest. 7. 3. Pro. 5. 18. 1. Sa. 16. 23 Gen. 27. 9. 1. Sa. 25. 3. Gen. 38. 14. Gen. 34. 2. Whye wiues are called huswies Tit. 2. 5. Pro. 7. 12. 2. Reg. 9. 30 Gen. 18. 9. 2. Reg. 9. 30 1. Reg. 2. 36. 37. Husbands should not keep their wiues so strait but â—iues should not think their house their prison but as their paradise where they wold be A wife may not vtter her husbands faultes A wife the contrarie to a husband 2. Sa. 1. 26. Pro. 21. 19. Gen. 19. 26 Gen. 2. 20. Tit. 2. 9. Ephes 5. 23 How farre the wife should obey Gen. 3. 16. Gen. 2. 20. Verse 23. Hest 1. 20. 22. Num. 30. 7. Iudg. 19. 26 Gen. 18. 12 1. Pet. 3. 6. Ephes 5. 24. Iohn 15. 13 The cause why many despise their husbands 1. Tim. 2. 9. 1. Pet. 3. 5. Gen. 3. 21. Ger. 3. 7. Luk. 10. 18. Mat. 14. 6. Their duties to their seruants Esay 6. 6. Reuel 5. 10. Acts 16. 13 18. 8. Luk. 22. 23. Phil. 18. Gen. 29. 27. Iosh 14. 55 Acts 10. 2. Luke 2. 41. Luke 10. 7. Philem. 17. Gen. 2. 2. 2. Sam. 18. 5 Gen. 31. 9. Esay 42. 1. Mat. 12. 18 Psa 8. 6. 1. Cor. 12. 13 Pro. 12. 10. 1. Tim. 5. 8. Pro. 30. 8. Ephes 5. 5. Ephes 6. 4. Deut. 25. 2. The maister must correct his men and the mistresse her maides Gen. 16. 6. Their duties toward their children Gen. 28. 31. Mothers should nurse their children Gen. 21. 7. Exod. 2. 8. Mat. 2. 14. Prou. 22. 6. How children shuld be broght vp 1. Re. 3. 26. Luke 11. 2. Except of kings sons Ioh. 8. 38. Psal 127. 4 1. Sa. 2. 29. Ps 132. 11. Mat. 12. 33 1. Sa. 1. 20. 1. Sa. 13. 24. Three examples of good parents Luke 18. 17 Col. 4. 15. Phil. 1. 8. The name of stepmother expounded and their dutie 1. Sam. 2. 7. Iere. 22. 2. Deu. 14. 17. 24. 17. 26. 12. Mat. 7. 2. Diuorcement the phisick of mariage Mat. 18. 19 Mat. 19. 8. Why Christ would haue no diuorcement but for fornication Mat. 5. 32. Mat. 19. 9. 1. Cor. 7. 10 Note Leu. 20. 10. Mar. 2. 27. Leu. 20. 10. Conclusion A sentence for the maried to thinke vpon 1. Cor. 7. 32. Gen. 41. 4. Ver. 3. 4. 1. Sam. 1. 23 2. Chr. 21. 6 Iob. 9. 28. Gen. 24. 40 2. Chr. 35. 6 1. Sam. 18. 1 Mat. 2. 9. The two breasts of the Church Mat. 9. 20. 2. Chr. 35. 6 The diuision The Author Iohn 1. 27. None but Christ may ordaine Sacraments Iohn 1. 29. Reuel 7. 14. Iohn 1. 29. Gen. 17. 10. Who was therefore called Iohn the Baptist Mat. 3. 1. Reu. 1. 5. Re. 22 14. Time Verse 23. Iob. 3. 3. Why this sacrament was instituted at night Why it was deferred till his last night Why we receiue not the Lordes Supper at night Ver. 23. 24. 1. Thes 5. 18 Note Mal. 1. 2. Esay 1. 5. Gen. 19. 20. Luk. 11 3. Note Mat 26. 30 Gen. 27. Luk. 22. 32. Heb. 2. 16. Ioh. 17. 19. 1. Pe. 2. 24. Ephe. 3. 17. 1. Sa. 17. 15 Ioh. 18. 14. 1. K. 18. 28. Heretikes alleadge scripture like the diuell Mat. 4. 4. Psa 91. 11. Mat. 26. 26 Ioh. 10. 7. 9 Ioh. 15. 1. Note Gen. 3. 3. Arguments against Popish transubstantiation Mat. 22. 34 Mar. 14. 25 1. Cor. 10. 4. Vers 3. 4. Verse 4. Gen. 17. 11. Exod. 12. 3. Exo. 23. 11. Heb. 9â— Exod. 30. Exo. 25. 24. Exod. 17. 16 Mat. 3. 16. Iohn 6. 49. Iohn 1. 33. 1. Cor. 11. 19 Exod. 12. Mat. 26. 26 Iohn 29. Exod. 27. Iohn 6. 68. Iohn 6. 60. Iohn 6. 35. Iohn 6. 63. Aug. vpon the 3. psal Tert. against marcion the 4. booke 4. booke 4. can of sacraments In his first dialogue Vpon the 15. of Mat. Iren. 4. book cap. 34. against ValeÌ„tinus Ad ob Theod Anatheâ—atis 1. Booke of Epi. In that gospell whosoeuer speaketh a word c. Hom. 60. to the people of Antioch To Caesarius the Monke Against Eutiches the Heretike Vpon the Canon lect 40. 1. Booke of the Sacra pa. 4â— Against the captiuity of BabiloÌ„ made by M. Luther Luk. 19. 22. The Papists allegations for the reall presence Exo. 4. 8. 21. Exod. 9. 2. Thes 2. 9. Obiection Answere Mar. 1. 40. Obiection Answere Obiection Answere Luke 8. 9. Mat. 26. 17. Exo. 12. 27. Gen. 17. 13. Gen. 12. 3. Tit. 3. 5. 1. Cor. 6. 11. Luk. 22. 20. Ioh. 3. 36. Mat. 26. 26 Luk. 9. 8. Ioh. 4. 33. Luk. 24. 39. Ioh. 6. 35. Mat. 26. 26 Neither Christs mortall body nor his immortall bodie can be in the Sacrament Dan. 4. 15. Mar. 14. 24. Christ spake not to the bread and wine but to his disciples More in the Lords Supper then bred and wine 1. Cor. 10. 16 A similitude Rom. 8. 32. Dan. 3. 25. A similitude Another similitude Augustine Luk. 11. 27. Luk. 8. 21. Note Iohn 16. 7. Pro. 31. 29. A way to knowe whether Christs body be in the sacrament Ioh. 20. 27. why christ calleth the bread his body Verse 24. If Christs body
THE SERMONS OF MAISTER HENRIE SMITH GATHERED INTO ONE VOLVME Printed according to his corrected Copies in his life time ANCHORA SPEI AT LONDON Printed by Richard Field for Thomas Man dwelling in Pater Noster row at the signe of the Talbot 1593. NOBILISSIMO VIRO GVILIELMO CECILIO EQVITI AVRATO BARONI BVRGHLEIENSI SVMMO ANGLIAE THESAVRARIO ET CANTABRIGIENSIS ACADEMIAE CANCELLARIO HENRICVS SMITHVS HAEC PIGNORA IN GRATI ANIMI TESTIMONIVM CONSECRAVIT THE SEVERAL TEXTS and titles of the Sermons contained in this Booke A Preparatiue to Mariage A treatise of the Lords supper in two Sermons I. Corinthians 11. 23. 24. c. The Lord Iesus in the night that he c. The Examination of Vsurie in two Sermons Psalme 15. 1. 5. Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle c. The benefite of Contentation 1. Timothie 6. 6. Godlinesse is great gaine if a man be c. The affinitie of the Faithfull Luke 1. 19. 20. 21. Then came to him his mother and his c. The Christians Sacrifice Prouerb 23. 26. My Sonne giue me thy heart The true triall of the Spirits 1. Thessalonians 19. 20. 21. 22. Quench not the Spirit c. The Wedding garment Romans 13. 14. Put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ c. The way to walke in Romans 13 13 Let vs walke honestly as in the day c. The pride of Nabuchadnezzar Daniel 4. 26 27. At the end of twelue moneths he c. The fall of Nabuchadnezzar Daniel 4. 28. 29. 30. While the word was in his mouth c. The Restitution of Nabuchadnezzar Daniel 4. 31. 32. 33. 34. And at the end of these daies c. The honour of Humilitie 1. Peter 5. 5. God resâ—steth the proud and giueth c The Young-mans Taske Ecclesiastes 12. 1. Remember thy Creator in the daies of c. The triall of the righteous Psalme 34. 19. Many are the troubles of the righteous c. The Christians practise Romans 12. 2. Be ye changed by the renuing of your c. The Pilgrims Wish Philippians 1. 23. I desire to be dissolued and to be with c. The Godly mans request Psalme 90. 12. Teach vs O Lord to number our daies c. A Glasse for Drunkards in two Sermons Genesis 9. 20. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. And Noah began to be an husband c. The Art of Hearing in two Sermons Luke 8. 18. Take heed how you heare The Heauenly Thrift Luke 8. 18. Whosoeuer hath to him shall be giuen c. The Magistrates Scripture Psalme 82. 76. I haue sayd Ye are Gods but ye shall die c. The Triall of Vanities Eccle. 1. 2. Vanitie of vanities sayth the Preacher The Ladder of Peace 1. Thess 15. 16. 17. 18. Reioice euermore c. The betraying of Christ Math. 27. 1. 2. 3. 4. When the morning was come and the c. The petition of Moses Deut. 3. 23. 24. And I besought the Lord the same c. The Dialogue betweene Paul and Agrippa Act. 26. 27. 28. 29. O King Agrippa beleeuest thou the c. The Humilitie of Paul Rom. 12. 1. 2. I beseech you therefore brethren c. A looking Glasse for Christians Rom. 12. 3. I say through the grace that is giuen c. Foode for new borne babes 1. Pet. 2. 2. As new borne babes desire the sincere c. The banquet of Iobs Children Iob. 1. 4. 5. And his Sonnes went and banqueted c. Satans compassing the Earth Iob. 1. 7. 8. Then the Lord sayd vnto Satan c. A Caueat for Christians 1. Cor. 10. 12. Let him that thinketh he standeth take c. To the Reader BEcause sicknesse hath restrained mee from preaching I am content to doe any good by writing Happie is that author which is instead of other that after his booke is read men need read no moe of that matter I go vpon a Theame which many haue trauersed before me prolixly or cursorily or barrenly If I haue performed by studie any more then the rest let my Reader iudge and giue glorie to him which teacheth by whome he wil What I haue endeuoured my selfe do feele and others know We are ignorant of many things for a few that we vnderstand but I haue bin alway ashamed that my writings shuld weigh lighter for want of paines which is the bane of printing and surfetteth the Reader Now I send thee like a Bee to gather hony out of flowers weeds Euery gardeÌ„ is furnished with others so is ours Read pray and meditate thy profit shall be little in any booke vnlesse thou read alone and vnles thou read all and record after as the Bereans did the sermons of Paul It is one of the births of my fainting therfore take it with a right hand and if thou find any thing that doth make thee better I repent not that others importunitie hath obtained it for thee Farewell As Iacob blessed his sonnes when he left them so now I must leaue my fruit to others I pray God to blesse it that it may bring forth fruit in other and be the sauour of life to all that reade it Thine in Christ H. S. THE EPISTLE TO THE TREATISE OF THE LORDS SVPPER IN the first sermon the aduersary is confuted In the second sermon the Communicants are prepared In both are manie obseruations and the wordes of the Text expounded Now labour for thy selfe as I haue laboured for thee I would haue thee profit somewhat more by this book because it hath weakened mee more then all the rest Farewell The principall contents of this Treatise THe cause of contracts before mariage 1 Three honors giuen of God to mariage 2 Three causes of mariage 9 Whether Ministers may marrie 12 Whether an olde man may marrie a young woman contra 13 Whether Protestants may marrie Papists 31 Whether children may marrie without Parents consent 31 Whether husbands may strike their wiues 44 Whether the vse of mariage be sinne 18 Whether mothers should nurse their Children 63 How children should be brought vp 64 Fiue markes in the choice of a husband or wife 26 The husbands duties 40 The wiues duties 47 Their duties to their seruants 56 Their duties to their children 62 Three examples of good parents 66 Of Stepmothers 67 Of Diuorcement 69 Other obseruations that fall in handling the parts MAriage the first ordinance of God and calling of men fol. 3 Christs first miracle at a mariage 4 Three mariages of Christ 4 By mariage the womans curse turned to two blessings 5 A note of Adams sleepe 6 Another application of the rib whereof was made the woman 7 The day of mariage counted the ioyfullest day in mans life 7 Fornicators like the diuell 12 No bastard prospered but Iephtah 12 A married Fornicator like a Gentleman theefe 13 A wife is the poore mans treasure wherein onely he matcheth the rich 16 Two spies for a wife discretion fancie 17 The wife must not onely be godly but fit 18
the worst like them which call good euill and euill good He praieth Not to be lead into temptation and leadeth himselfe into temptation Surely he doth not feare sinne which doth not shun occasions and hee is worthie to be snared which maketh a trap for himselfe When Salomon the mirror of wisedome the wonder of the world the figure of our Lord by Idolatrous concubines is turned to an Idolater let no man say I shall not be seduced but say how shall I stand where such a Cedar fell The wife must be meet as God sayd Gen. 2. 18. But how is she meet if thou be a christian she a Papist We must marry in the Lord as Paul saith but how doe we marrie in the Lord when we marrie the Lordes enemies Our spouse must be like Christs spouse but Christs spouse is neither harlotte nor heretike nor atheist If she be poore the Lord reproueth not for that if she be weak the Lord reproueth not for that if she be hard fauoured the Lord reproueth not for that all these wants may be dispenced with but none giueth anie dispensation for godlinesse but the diuell Therefore they which take that priuiledge are like them which seeke to witches and are guilty of preferring euil before good This vnequall mariage was the chiefe cause that brought the floud and the first beginning of Giants and monstrous births shewing by their monstrous children what a monstrous thing it is for beleeuers and vnbeleeuers to match together In Matth. 22. Christ sheweth that before parties married they were woont to put on faire and new garments which were called VVedding garmentes a warning vnto all which put on wedding garments to put on truth and holinesse too which so precisely is resembled by that garment more then other It is noted in the fourteenth of Luke that of all them which were inuited to the Lordes banquet and came not onely hee which had married a wife did not desire to be excused but said stoutly I cannot come Shewing how this state dooth occupie a man most and draw him often from the seruice of God and therefore we had not neede to take the worst for the best are combersome enough In the second of Iob it is obserued of the patient man that he did not curse the day of his birth vntill his wife brake foorth into blasphemie shewing that wicked women are able to change the stedfastest man more then all temptations beside Sampson would take a Philistian to wife but he lost his honor his strength and his life by her least any should do the like But what a notable warning is that in the 2. Chro. 21. 6. where the holy Ghost sayth Iehoram walked in the waies of Ahad for he had the daughter of Ahad to wife as though it were a miracle if hee had bene better then he was because his wife was a temptation Miserable is that man which is fettered with a woman that liketh not his Religion shee will be nibling at his praier and at his studie and at his meditations till she haue tyred his deuotions and turned the edge of his soule as Dauid was tired of his malapert Michol she mocked him for his zeale and liked herselfe in her follie Many haue fallen at this stone Therefore as Christ saith Remember Lots wife so when thou marriest remember Iehorams wife and bee not wedded to her which hath not the Wedding garment but let vnitie goe first and let vnion follow after and hope not to cōuert her but feare that she will peruert thee least thou saie after like him which should come to the Lordes banquette I haue married a wife and cannot come Luke 14. 20. Yet the chiefest point is behinde that is our duties The dueties of marriage may be reduced to the dueties of man and wife one towarde another and their dueties towarde their children and their duetie toward their seruants For themselues saith one they must thinke themselues like two birdes the one is the cocke and the other is the dam the cocke flieth abroad to bring in and the dam sitteth vpon the nest to keepe all at home So God hath made the man to trauell abroad and the woman to keepe home and so their nature and their witte and their strength are fitted accordingly for the mans pleasure is most abroad and the womans within In euerie State there is some one vertue which belongeth to that calling more than other as Iustice vnto Magistrates and Knowledge vnto Preachers and Fortitude vnto Souldiers so Loue is the Marriage vertue which signes Musicke to their whole life Wedlocke is made of two loues which I may call the first loue and the after loue As euerie man is taught to loue God before hee be bid to loue his neighbour so they must loue GOD before they can loue one another To shewe the loue which should be betweene man and wife Mariage is called Coniugium which signifieth a knitting or ioyning together shewing that vnlesse there be a ioyning of hearts and a knitting of affections together it is not Mariage in deede but in shew and name and they shal dwel in a house like two poysons in a stomacke and one shall euer be sicke of another Therefore first that they may loue and keepe loue one with another it is necessarie that they both loue God and as their loue increaseth toward him so it shall increase each to other But the man must take heede that his loue toward his wife be not greater than his loue toward God as Adam Sampsons were for all vnlawfull loue will turne to hatred as the loue of Amon did toward Thamar and because Christ hath forbidden it therefore hee will crosse it This made Vriah so fearful least the pleasure of his wife should withdraw his heart from God that he would not goe to his owne house so long as he had cause to mourne and pray although he had a wife which feared God like himselfe that you may see it is no cheape dalliance for the husband to make the wife or the wife to make the husband lesse zealous then they were In Deut. 13. the wife which did draw her husband from God is condemned to die therefore good wiues when their husbands purpose any good should incourage them like Iacobs wife which bade him do according to the word of God and if they see them minded to doe any euill they should stay them like the wife of Pylate which counsayled her husband not to cōdemne Christ For seeing holinesse is called the Wedding garment who shall weare this wedding garmēt if they weare it not which are wedded When one holy hath found another then the holiest seemeth to make the Mariage and his angels come to the feast To passe ouer sleights which seldome prosper vnlesse they haue some warrant The best pollicie in mariage is to
her peace to keepe the peace Therefore they which keepe silence are well said to hold their peace because silence oftentimes dooth keepe the peace when wordes would breake it To her silence and patience she must adde The acceptable obedience which makes a woman rule while she is ruled This is the wiues tribute to her husband for shee is not called his head but he is called her head Great cause hath man to make much of his wife for great and many are her duties to him for Paul saith Wiues submit your selues vnto your husbands as to the Lord. Shewing that shee should regard his will as the Lords will but withall as the Lord commandeth onely that which is good and right so she should obey her husband in good right or else she doth not obey him as the Lord but as the tempter The first subiection of woman began at sinne for when God cursed her for seducing her husband when the Serpent had seduced her he said He shall haue authoritie ouer thee And therefore as the man named all other creatures in signe that they should be subiect to him as a seruant which commeth when his master calleth him by his name so did he name the woman also in token that shee should be subiect to him likewise And therfore Assuerus made a law that euery man should beare rule in his owne house and not the woman because she sinned first therefore she is humbled most euer since the daughters of Sara are bound to call their husbandes Lords as Sara called her husband that is to take them for their Lords for heads and gouernors If ye disdaine to follow Abrahams spouse the apostle biddeth you folow Christs spouse for he saith Let a wife be subiect to her husband as the church is to Christ A greater loue then this saith Christ no man can haue So a better example then this no woman can haue That the wife may yeeld this reuerence to her husband Paul would haue her attire to be modest and orderly for garish apparell hath taught many gossips to disdaine their husbands This is the follie of some men to lay all their pride vpon their wiues they care not how they slouen themselues so their wiues iette like Peacockes But Peter doth commend Sara for her attire and not Abraham shewing that women should braue it no more then men and God made Eues coat of the same cloath that he made Adams They couered themselues with leaues and God derided them but now they couer themselues with pride like Sathan which is fallen down before them like lightning ruffe vpon ruffe lace vpon lace cut vpon cut four twentie orders vntil the woman be not so precious as her apparell that if any man would picture Vanitie he must take a pattern of women or else he cannot draw her likenes As Herodias was worse for her fine dauncing so a woman may haue too many ornaments frisled locks naked brests painting perfume especially a rolling eye are the forerunners of adulterie and hee which hath such a wife hath a fine plague Once women were maried without dowries because they were well nurtured but now if they weighed not more in golde then in godlinesse many should sitte like Nunnes without husbands Thus we haue shadowed the mans dueties to his wife and the womans to her husband After their duties one to another they must learne their duties to their familie One compareth the maister of the house to the Seraphin which came kindled the prophets zeale so he should go from wife to seruants and from seruants to children and kindle thē in the zeale of God longing to teach his knowledge as a Nurse to emptie her brests Another sayth that a maister in his familie hath all the offices of Christ for he must rule and teach and pray rule like a king and teach like a prophet and pray like a Priest To shew how a godly man should behaue himself in his houshold whē the holy Ghost speaketh of the conuersion of any housekeeper lightly he saith That the man beleeued with all his houshold As Peter being conuerted must conuert his brethren so the maister being conuerted must conuert his seruants For therfore God said that he would not hide his counsel from Abraham because he would teach his familie and surely all dutie which is not done of conscience is but ey-seruice and fayleth at most need as Ziba betrayed his mayster when he should haue defended him Therefore before Onesimus was conuerted Paul said he was an vnprofitable seruant but whē hee was conuerted he calleth him more then seruant because such a seruant is better then many seruants Therfore though Laban was wicked himselfe yet hee reioyced that Iacob his seruaunt was godlie because God blessed him better for him Ioshua sayth I and my houshold will serue the Lord. Shewing that maisters should receiue none into their houses but whome they can gouerne as Ioshua did and if any haue crept into their doores then they must put him foorth againe for Dauid sayth I will not suffer a lyar to stay in my house Psal 101. 7. Hee sayth not a swearer nor a theefe but a lyer as if he should say I will rid him out of my doores before he be a swearer and a theefe for a lyer will grow to a swearer and a theefe in a daye as a Dicer groweth to a begger in a night Therefore it is noted of Cornelius that all his houshold serued God himselfe This is reported also of Ioseph and Marie for an example that they went vp euery yeare with all their families to worship at Ierusalem that their children their seruants might learne to know God as well as they These examples be written for housholders as others are for magistrates ministers and soldiors that no calling might seek further then the Scripture for instruction Wherefore as you are maisters now and they your seruants instruct them and train them as if you would shew what maisters they should be hereafter After the care of their soules they must care for their bodies for if the laborer is worthie of his hire which laboureth but a day what is the seruant worth which laboureth euery day Therefore Paul is so earnest with Philemon to make much of Onesimus his seruant that he desireth Philemon to receiue him as he would himselfe Therfore because cruell greedie masters should not vse them too hardly God remembred them in his creation and made euery weeke one day of rest wherein they should be as free as their maisters so God pittieth the labourer from heauen and euery Sabboth lookes downe vpon him from heauen as if he should say one day thy labors shall haue an end and thou shalt rest for euer as thou restedst this day By this we see as Dauid did limit
Ioab that he should not kil Absalon so God hath boūd maisters that they should not oppresse their seruants Shall God respect thine more then thou Art thou made fresher to thy labor by a little rest is not thy seruant made stronger by rest to labour for thee How many beasts and sheepe did Laban lose onely for hardly intreating of a good seruaunt therefore that is the way to lose but not to thriue Hee which counteth his seruant a slaue is in an error for there is difference betweene beleeuing seruants and infidell seruants the infidels were made slaues to the Iewes because God hated them and would humble them but their brethren did serue them like helpers which should be trained by them It is not a base nor vile thing to bee called a seruaunt for our Lord is called a seruaunt which teacheth Christians to vse their seruaunts well for Christes sake seeing they are seruants too and haue one maister Christ As Dauid speaketh of man saying Thou hast made him a little lower then the Angels so I may say of seruaunts that God hath made them a little lower then children not children but the next to children as one would say inferior children or sonnes in law And therefore the housholder is called Pater familias which signifieth a Father of his familie because he should haue a fatherly care ouer his seruants as if they were his children and not vse them onely for their labour like beasts Besides the name of a seruaunt dooth not signifie suffering but doing therfore masters must not exercise their hands vpō them but set their hands to worke and yet as God layeth no more vpon his seruaunts then hee makes them able to beare so men should laie no more vpon their seruaunts then they are able to beare For a good man saith Salomon will be mercifull to his beast and therefore hee will bee more mercifull to his brother That mā is not worthie to be serued which cannot affoord that his seruants should serue God as well as himselfe Giue vnto God that which is Gods and then thou maist take that which is thine He that careth not for his familie saith Paul is worse then an infidell because infidels care for their familie But as Agur praieth Giue me not too much nor too litle but feed me with food conuenient so their care should not be too much nor too little but cōueniēt or else they are worse then infidels to because couetousnes is called Idolatry which is worse then infidelitie for it is lesse rebellion not to honor the king then to set vp another king against him as the Idolatrous do against the king of heauen Next vnto seruants instruction and labors must bee considered their corrections As Paul saith Fathers prouoke not your childrē to wrath So may I say Maisters prouoke not your seruants to wrath that is vse such reproofes and such corrections that you do not prouoke them but moue them that you do not exasperate them but winne them for reuiling wordes and vnreasonable fiercenesse doth more hurt then good And therefore the law of God did charge the maister that he should not inflict aboue fortie stripes vpon his seruant least he should seeme despised in his eyes For while a childe or scholler or seruant doth thinke that he is reproued for loue or beaten with reason it makes him thinke of his fault and is ashamed but when hee seeth that he is rebuked with curses beaten with staues as though they were hated like a dog his heart is hardned against the man which correcteth him and the fault for the which he is corrected and after he becommeth desperate like a horse which turneth vpon the striker and therfore thinke that God euen then chides you whensoeuer you chide in such rage For though there be a fault yet some thinges must be winkt at and some thinges must be forgiuen and some punished with a looke for hee which takes the forfeite of euerie offence shall neuer bee in anie rest but vexe himselfe more then his seruant Further I haue heard experience say that in these punishments it is most meet and acceptable to the offender that the man should correct his men and the woman her maides for a mans nature scorneth to be beaten of a woman and a maides nature is corrupted with the stripes of a man Therefore wee reade that Abraham would not meddle with his mayd but committed her to his wife and said Doe with her as it pleaseth thee as if hee should say It belongeth not to mee but to thee Lastly we put the dutie toward children because they come last to their handes In Latin children are called pignora that is pledges as if I should say a pledge of the husbands loue to the wife and a pledge of the wiues loue toward the husband for there is nothing which doth so knit loue between the man and the wife as the frute of the wombe Therefore when Leah began to conceiue she sayd now my husband will loue me as though the husband did loue for children If a woman haue many defects as Leah had yet this is the mendes which she makes her husband to bring him children which is the right wedding Ring that sealeth and maketh vp the marriage When their father and mother fall out they perke vp betweene thē like litle mediators and with many pretie sportes make truce when other dare not speake to them Therefore now let vs consider what these little ones may challenge of their parents that stand them in stead of Lawyers Before we teach parents to loue their children they had need be taught not to loue them too much for Dauids darling was Dauids traitor and this is the manner of God when a man begins to set any thing in Gods roome and loue it aboue him which gaue it either to take away it or to take away him before hee prouoke him too much therefore if parentes wold haue their children liue they must take heed to loue them too much for the giuer is offended when the gift is more esteemed than he The first duetie is the mothers that is to nurse her childe at her own brestes as Sara did Isaac and therefore Esay ioyneth the nurses name and the mothers name both in one calleth them nursing mothers shewing that mothers should be the nurses So when God those a nurse for Moses he led the hand maid ◠Pharaos daughter to his mother as though God would haue none nurse him but his mother After whē the son of God was born his father thoght none fit to be his nurse but the virgin his mother The earths fountaines are made to giue water and the brestes of women are made to giue suck Euery beast and euery foule is bred of the same that did beare it onely women loue to be mothers but not nurses Therefore if their Children proue
vnnaturall they may say thou followest thy mother for she was vnnaturall first in locking vp her brests from thee and committing thee forth like a Cuckow to be hatched in a Sparrowes nest Hereof it comes that we say He suckt euill from the dug that is as the Nurse is affected in her bodie or in her minde commonly the childe draweth the like infirmitie from her as the egges of a Henne are altered vnder the Hauke yet they which haue no milke can giue no milke But whose breastes haue this perpetuall drought Forsooth it is lyke the goute no beggers may haue it but Citizens or Gentlewomen In the ninth chapter of Hosea thy brestes are named for a curse what lamentable happe haue Gentlewomen to light vpon this curse more then other sure if their breasts be drie as they say they should fast and pray together that this curse migro be remoued from them The next dutie is Catechize a childe in his youth and he will remember it when he is olde This is the right blessing which fathers and mothers giue to their children when they cause God to blesse them too The wrong mother cared not though the childe were deuided but the right mother would not haue it deuided so wicked Parents care not though their children be destroied but godly parents would not haue them destroyed but saued that when they haue dwelt together in earth they may dwell together in heauen As the Midwife frameth the bodie when it is young and tender so the parents must frame the minde while it is greene and flexible for youth is the seed time of vertue They which are called fathers are called by the name of God to warne them that they are in stead of God to their children which teacheth all his sons What example haue children but their parents and sure the prouidence of God doth ease their charge more than they are aware for a childe will learne better of his father than of anie other And therefore wee read of no Schoolemaisters in the scripture but the Parents for when Christ saith to the Iewes If yee be the sonnes of Abraham yee will doe the workes of your Father Abraham he sheweth that sonnes vse to walke in their Fathers steppes whether they bee good or bad It is a maruellous delight to the father and mother when people say that their children are like them but if they be like them in godlinesse it is as great delight to other as to the parents or else we say that they are so like that they are the worse for it Well doth Dauid call children arrowes for if they be wel bred they shoote at their parents enemies and if they be euill bred they shoote at their parents Therefore many fathers want a staffe to stay them in their age because they prepared none before like olde Eli which was corrected himselfe for not correcting his sonnes Are not children called the fruite of their parents Therefore as a good tree is knowne by bringing foorth good fruite so parents should shewe their godlinesse in the education of their children which are their fruite For this cause the Iewes were wont to name their children so whē they were borne that euer after if they did but thinke vppon their names they would put them in mind of that religion which they should professe for they did signifie some thing that they should learne An admonition to such as call their children at all aduentures somtime by the names of dogs euen as they proue after In 1. Kings 2. 2. we haue Dauid instructing his sonnes In Gen. 39. Iacob correcting his sonnes and in Iob. 1. Iob praying for his sonnes These three put together instructing correcting praying make good children and happie parents Once Christ tooke a childe and set him in the midst of his disciples and sayd He which will receiue the kingdome of heauen must receiue it as a little childe shewing that our children should be so innocent so humble and voide of euill that they may be taken for examples of the children of God Therefore in Psalme 127. 4. children are called the heritage of the Lord to shew that they should be trained as though they were not mens children but Gods that they may haue Gods heritage after Thus if you doo your seruants shall be Gods seruants and your children shall be Gods children and your house shall be Gods house like a little Church when others are like a denne of theeues Now I speake to one which is a mother so soone as she is married therefore peraduenture you looke that I should shewe the dutie of stepmothers Their name dooth shewe them their duetie too for a stepmother doth signifie a stedmother that is one mother dieth and another commeth in her stead therefore that your loue may settle to those little ones as it ought you must remember that ye are their stedmother that is in sted of their mother and therefore to loue them and tender them and cherish them as their mother did She must not looke vpon them like Rehoboam who tolde his people that hee would be worse vnto them then his predecessour for then they will turne from her as his subiects did from him but she must come to them as Dauid came to the people after Saules death and sayd Though your master Saul be dead yet I will raigne ouer you so she must say to them though your mother be dead yet will I be a mother so the children will loue her asmuch as their father Further these children are orphanes and therefore you must not onely regarde them as children but as orphane children Now God requireth a greater care ouer widowes and Orphanes than ouer anie other women or children Lastly you must remember that saying As you measure vnto other so it shall be measured vnto you againe that is as you intreate these children so another may come after and intreat your children for he which hath taken away the first mother and sent you can take away the seconde mother and sende a third which shall not be like a stepmother to yours vnlesse you be like a stepmother to these If these duties bee performed in marriage then I neede not speake of Diuorcement which is the rod of mariage and diuideth them which were one flesh as if the bodie and soule were parted asunder But because all performe not their wedlocke vowes therfore hee which appointed mariage hath appointed diuorcement as it were taking our priuilege from vs when we abuse it As God hath ordained remedies for euery disease so he hath ordained a remedie for the disease of mariage The disease of marriage is adulterie and the medicine hereof is diuorcement Moses licensed them to depart for hardnesse of heart but Christ licenseth them to depart for no cause but adulterie If they might be separated for discord some
would make a commoditie of strife but now they are not best to be contentious for this law will hold their noses together till wearines make them leaue strugling like two spaniels which are coupled in a chaine at last they learne to goe together because they may not go asunder As nothing might part friends but If thine eye offend thee pull it out that is if thy friend be a tempter so nothing may dissolue mariage but fornication which is the breach of marriage for marriage is ordained to auoide fornication and therefore if the condition be broken the obligation is void And beside so long as all her children are his children she must needs be his wife because the father and mother are man wife but when her children are not his children she seemes no more to be his wife but the others whose children she beares and therefore to be diuorced from him In all the old Testament we read of no diuorce betweene any which sheweth that they liued chaster then wee yet no doubt this law was better executed amongst them then amongest vs. Such a care God hath had in all ages and callings to prouide for them which liue honestly for diuorcement is not instituted for the carnall but for the chast least they should be tied to a plague while they liue As for the adulterer adultresse he hath assigned death to cut them off least their breath should infect others Thus hee which made mariage did not make it vnseparable for then mariage were a seruitude But as Christ sayth of the Sabboth The Sabboth was made for man that is for the benefit of man and not for the hindrance of man so mariage was made for man that is for the honour of man not for the dishonor of mā but if mariage should turne to fornication and when it is turned to fornication there might be no separatiō then mariage were not for the honor of man but for the trouble greefe dishonor of man Therfore now ye haue heard how diuorcemēt is appointed for a remedie of fornicatiō if any be ashamed of this phisick let thē be more ashamed of the disease Because I haue spoken more then you can remember if you aske me what is most needful to bear away In my opiniō there is one saying of Paul which is the profitablest sentēce in al the scripture for mā wife to meditate often examin whether they find it in themselues as they do in other least their mariage turn to sin which should further them in godlines The vnmaried man careth for the things of the Lord how he may please the Lord but he that is maried careth for the things of the world how hee may please his wife Also The vnmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord how she may be holy but shee that is maried cares for the things of the world how she may please her husbād As though their pleasing of god wer turned al to pleasing one another their carnall loue had eaten their spiritual loue as the lean kine deuourd the fat Therfore it follows in the next words This I speake for your cōmoditie As thogh there were great cōmoditie in remembring this watch-word All men haue not the feeling of Gods word or els such a sentēce might be an anker for the maried to stay thē when any tentatiō goeth about this chaunge which Paul feared euen in them which feared GOD before If thou hast read all this booke and art neuer the better yet catch this flower before thou go out of the garden and peraduenture the sent thereof will bring thee back to smell the rest As the corps of Azael made the passengers to stand so I placed this sentence in the dore of thy passage to make thee stand consider what thou doost before thou marriest For this is the scope and operation of it to cal the mind to a solemne meditation and warne him to liue in mariage as in a temptation which is like to make him woorse then he was as the mariage of Iehoram did if he vse not Iobs preseruatiue to be iealous ouer all his life The allurements of beautie the trouble about riches the charges of children the losses by seruants the vnquietnesse of neighbours crie vnto him that hee is entered into the hardest vocation of all other and therefore they which haue but nine yeares Prentiship to make them good Mercers or Drapers haue nineteene yeares before marriage to learne to be good husbands and wiues as though it were a trade of nothing but mysteries and need of double time ouer all the rest Therfore so often as you thinke vpon this saying thinke whether you be examples of it and it will waken you and chide you and lead you a straight path like the Angell which led the seruant of Abraham Thus haue I chalked the way to prepare you vnto mariage as the Leuites prepared their brethren to the Passe-ouer remember that this day ye are made one and therefore must haue but one will And now the Lord Iesus in whom ye are contracted knit your hearts together that yee may loue one another like Dauid and Ionathan and go before you in this life like the Star which went before the Gentiles that ye may beginne and proceed and end in his glorie To whome be all glorie for euer Amen FINIS A TREATISE OF THE LORDS SVPPER IN two Sermons THE FIRST SERMON 1. Cor. 11. 23. 24. The Lord Iesus in the night that he was betraytooke bread And when he had giuen thanks he brake it and said Take eat this is my bodie which is broken for you this doe ye in remembrance of me THe word and the Sacraments are the two brests wherewith our Mother dooth nurse vs. Seeing euery one receiueth and few vnderstād what they receiue I thought it the necessariest doctrine to preach of the Sacrament which is a witnes of Gods promises a remembrance of Christs death and a seale of our adoption therfore Christ hath not instituted this Sacrament for a fashion in his Church to touch and feele and see as wee gaze vpon pictures in the windowes but as the woman which had the bloodie issue touching the hemme of Christs garment drew vertue from Christ himselfe because shee beleeued so Christ would that wee touching these signes should draw vertue from himselfe that is all the graces which these signes represent Therefore as the Leuites vnder the Law were bound to prepare their brethren before they came to the Passe-ouer So preachers of the Gospel should prepare their brethren before they come to the supper of the Lord. For which purpose I haue chosen this place to the Corinthians which is the clearest and fullest declaration of this Sacrament in all the Scripture The Lord Iesus in the night c. The summe of all these words is the
to shew that Christ is not a corporall meate as the Papists say he sayth hee is a spirituall meate as we say therefore you see that wee doe not eate him corporally no more then our Fathers but that as they did eate him spiritually so do wee for spirituall meate must be eaten spiritually as corporall meate is eaten corporally Agayne for the signes to bee turned into the thing signified by them is vtterly against the nature of a Sacrament and makes it no Sacrament because there is no signe for euerie Sacrament doth consist of a signe and a thing signified the signe is euer an earthlie thing and that which it signifieth is a heauenly thing This shall appeare in al examples As in Paradise there was a very Tree for the signe and Christ the thing signified by it in Circumcision there was a cutting off of the skinne and the cutting off of sinne in the Passe-ouer there was a Lambe Christ in the Sabboth there was a day of rest and eternall rest in the sacrifices there was an offering of some beast and the offering of Christ in the Sanctuarie there was the holie place and heauen in the Propitiatorie there was the golden couering and Christ our couer in the Wildernesse there was a Rocke yeelding water and Christ yeelding his blood in the Apparition there was a Doue and the holy Ghost in the Manna there was bread and Christ in Baptisme there is verie water which washeth vs and Christs blood washing vs so in the Supper of Christ there is verie bread and Wine for the signe and the bodie and blood of Christ for the thing signified or else this Sacrament is against the nature of all other sacraments Againe there must bee a proportion betweene the Passe-ouer and the Lords Supper because this was figured by the other Nowe the Iewes had in their Passe-ouer Breade and Wine and a Lambe So our sauiour Christ instituting his last Supper left Bread and Wine and a Lambe the which name is giuen to himselfe because hee came like a Lambe and died like a Lambe Againe if Christs verie bodie were offered in the sacramēt then it were not a sacrament but a sacrifice which two differ as much as giuing and taking for in a sacrifice we giue and in a sacrament wee receiue and therefore wee say our sacrifice and Christs sacrament Againe euery sacrifice was offered vpon the Altar Now marke the wisedome of the holy-Ghost least we should take this for a Sacrifice hee neuer names Altar when hee speakes of it but The Table of the Lord. Therefore it is no doubt but the diuell hath kept the name of Altar that we might think it a sacrifice Againe if the bread were Christes flesh and the wine his blood as these two are separate one from the other so Christs flesh should be separate from his blood but his bodie is not deuided for then it were a dead bodie Againe that which remaineth doth nourish the bodie relish in the mouth as it did before which could not be but that it is the same food which it was before Againe I would aske whose are this whitenesse and hardnesse and roundnes and coldnesse None of them say that it is the whitenesse and hardnesse and roundnesse and coldnesse of Christs body therefore it must needes bee the whitenesse and hardnesse and roundnesse and coldnesse of the bread or else qualities should stand without substances which is as if one should tell you of a house without a foundation Againe as Christ dwelleth in vs so hee is eaten of vs but hee dwelleth in vs onely by faith Ephe. 3. 17. Therfore he is eaten only by faith Agayne none can bee saued without the communion of the body of Christ but if all should communicate with it corporally then neither infants nor any of our fathers the patriarkes or the prophets should be saued because they receiued it not so Againe Christ sayth not This wine but This cup and therefore by their conclusion not onely the wine should bee turned into blood but the cup too Againe Paul saith They which receiue vnwoorthilie receiue their owne damnation But if it were the flesh of Christ they should rather receiue saluation then damnation because Christ saith Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath life euerlasting Iohn 6. 54. Againe if they would heare an Angell from heauen when Christs bodie was glorified an Angell sayd to the woman Hee is risen and is not here Mat. 28. as if he should say his body is but in one place at once or else he might haue bene there though he was risen Againe why doe they say in receiuing this Sacrament euer since the primitiue Church Lift vp your hearts if they haue al in their mouthes To end this cōtrouersie here wee may say as the Disciples said to Christ Whither shall we go from thee I meane wee neede not to go to any other expositor of Christ then Christ himselfe therefore marke what he saith at first when Christ said that he was the bread of life that al which wold liue must eate him they murmured vntill he expoūded his words how did he expound his words Thus Hee that commeth vnto mee hath eaten and he that beleeueth in mee hath drunke After when hee instituted this Sacramēt in like words they murmured not which they would as before if hee had not resolued thē before that to eat his body and to drinke his blood was nothing but to come to him and beleeue in him After hee had said so they murmured not because they did see some reason in it as it is plainlie said This is my bodie so it is plainlie saide These words are spirite that is they must be vnderstood spirituallie and not literallie But if it be flesh indeed why doe they not satisfie the simple people how they may eate this flesh in Lent when they forbid them to eate any flesh they must needs eate it doubtfully and he which doubteth saith Iames receiueth nothing therefore hee which eateth the masse receiueth nothing I did not alleage the Fathers in my Sermon but if any suspend his assent till they bring in their verdit let him heare thē make confession of their beleefe Augustine saith the Lord doubted not to say This is my bodie when hee gaue onely a signe or Sacrament of his bodie Tertullian saith This is my bodie that is a signe of my bodie Ambrose saith the bread and wine remain still the same thing that they were Theodoret sayth after the consecration the mysticall signs doe not cast off their own nature but abide still in their first substance and forme Origene sayth the bread that is sanctified with the word of God as touching the materiall substance thereof goeth into the bellie and foorth againe like other meats Irenaeus saith that it hath two things in it one
Christe not onelie the benefites of Christ but Christ although not in a popish manner yet we are so ioined vnto him as though wee were but one bodie with him As the spouse dooth not marrie with the landes and goods but with the man himselfe and being partaker of him is made partaker of them so the faithfull doe not onelie marrie with Christes benefites but with Christ himselfe and being partakers of him they are made partakers of his benefites for Christ may not be deuided from his benefites no more then the Sunne from his light It is said The Father gaue vs his Sonne and so the sonne giueth vs himselfe For as the Breade is a signe of his bodie so the giuing of the Bread is a signe of the giuing of his bodie Thus he lieth before vs like a Pellicane which letteth her yoong ones sucke her blood so that wee may say the Lord inuited vs to supper and hee himselfe was our meate But if you aske howe this is I must aunswere It is a mysterie but if I coulde tell it it were no mysterie Yet as it is sayd when three men walked in the midst of the furnace One like the sonne of God walked amongst them So when the faithful receiue the Bread and Wine one like the sonne of God seemeth to come vnto them which fils them with peace and ioy and grace that they maruell what it was which they receiued besides bread and wine For example thou makest a bargaine with thy neighbour for house or land and receyuest in earnest a peece of golde that which thou receiuest is but a peece of golde but now it is a signe of thy bargaine and if thou keepe not touch with him happily it will claspe thee for all that thou art woorth so that which thou receiuest is bread but this bread is a signe of another matter which passeth bread Againe thou hast an obligation in thy hand and I aske thee what hast thou there and thou sayest I haue here an hundred pounds why say I there is nothing but paper inke and waxe Oh but by this sayest thou I wil recouer an hundreth pounds and that is as good So beloued this is as good that vnder these signes you receiue the vertue of Christs body and blood by faith as if you did eate his bodie and drinke his blood indeede which is horrible to thinke that any should deuour their God thinking thereby to worship him neuer any heretike nor Idolater conceiued so grosly of their god before the Papist We reade of a people which did eate men but neuer of any people which did eat their God All the Apostles say that it was needfull that Christ should take our flesh but no Apostle sayth that it is needfull that we should take Christes flesh for all the blessinges of Christ are apprehended by faith nothing is fit to apprehend him whome wee see not but fayth and therefore one of their owne pillars sayd Beleeue and thou hast eaten Faith dooth more in religion then the mouth or else we might say with the woman Blessed are the breasts which gaue thee sucke and so none should be blessed but Marie but Marie was not blessed because Christ was in her bodie but because Christ was in her heart and least this should seeme incredible vnto you because Marie is called blessed among women when Christ heard the women say Blessed are the breasts which gaue thee sucke he replied vnto her Blessed are they which heare the word of God and keepe it these are my brethren and sisters and mother sayth Christ as though the rest were no kin to him in heauen though they were kin in earth Thus if Christ were in thy body and thou shouldest say as this woman Blessed is the bodie that hath thee in it nay would Christ say Blessed is the heart that hath me in it If Marie were no whit better for hauing Christ in her armes nor for hauing her in her bodie howe much better art thou for hauing him in thy bellie where thou canst not see him Must the sunne needs come to vs or else cannot his heate and light profite vs nay it dooth vs more good because it is so farre off so this Sunne is gone from vs that hee might giue more light vnto vs which made him saie It is good for you that I go from you therefore away with this carnall eating of spirituall things Manie daughters haue done vertuously but thou saith Salomon surpassest them all So manie heretikes haue spoken absurdlie but this surpasseth them all that Christ must be applied like phisicke as though his blood could not profite vs vnlesse we did drinke it and swallow it as a potion Is this the Papists vnion with Christ Is this the manner whereby wee are made one flesh with Christ to eate his flesh nay when hee tooke our flesh vnto him and was made man then we were vnited to him in the flesh and not now Christ tooke our flesh we take not his flesh but beleeue that he tooke ours therefore if you would know whether Christs bodie be in the sacrament I say vnto you as Christ said vnto Thomas touch feele and see In visible things God hath appointed our eyes to be iudges for as the spirite discerneth spirituall obiects so sense discerneth of sensible obiects As Christ taught Thomas to iudge of his bodie so may we and so should they therefore if you cannot see his body nor feele his body you may gather by Christes saying to Thomas that hee would not haue you beleeue that it is his body for my bodie saith Christ may be seene and felt And thus Transubstantiation is found a liar Nowe if you aske mee why Christ calleth the signe by the name of the thing it selfe I aske thee againe Mayst thou say when thou seest the picture of the Queene this is the Queene and when thou seest the picture of a Lyon this is a Lyon and may not Christ say when he seeth a thing like his bodie This is my bodie I shewed you before that euery Sacrament is called by the name of the thing which it dooth signifie and therefore why should we stumble at this more then the rest The reason why the signes haue the name of the things is to strike a deeper reuerēce in vs to receiue this sacrament of Christ reuerētly sincerely and holily as if Christ were there preset in body and blood himselfe And surely as hee which defaceth the Queenes seale is conuicted of contempt and treason to her owne person so he which prophaneth these seales of Christ doth not worship Christ but despise him and that contempt shall be required of him as if hee had contemned Christ himselfe This is the reason why Christ calleth the signes of his bodie his bodie to make vs take this Sacrament reuerently because we are apt to contemne it as the Iewes did their Manna It followeth
and the discouerie of Transubstantiation one of the last heresies which Babylon hatched Now they which haue bene Patrons of it before should doe like the father and mother of an idolater that is laie the first hand vpon him to shorten his life Thus I end Thinke what account ye shall giue of that ye haue heard The end of the first Sermon A TREATISE OF THE Lords Supper THE SECOND SERMON 1. Cor. 11. 25. 26. 27. 28. 25 After the same manner also hee tooke the Cuppe when he had supped saying This Cup is the New Testament in my blood this doe as oft as yee drinke it in remembrance of me 26 For as often as yee shall eate this bread and drinke this Cuppe yee shewe the Lords death till he come 27 Wherefore whosoeuer shall eate this bread and drinke the Cuppe of the Lord vnworthily shall be guiltie of the bodie and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a man therefore examine himselfe and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this Cuppe HEere I am to speake of the second seruice as it were at the Lordes table and of that preparation which is lyke the Wedding garment that euerie man must bring to this BaÌ„quet These words are diuersly repeated of the Euangelists Here it is sayd This Cup is the New Testament in my blood In Mathew in Mark it is said This Cup is my blood of the new Testament This is the first meÌ„tion which Christ makes of a Testament as though now his promises deserued the name of a Testament because the seale is set vnto them which before this Sacrament was not sealed but like a bare writing without a singet This word Testament dooth implie a promise and therefore teacheth vs that the Sacrament dooth confirme and strengthen and nourish our faith because it sealeth the promise which we should beleeue Here is to be noted that Christ doth not onely speake of a Testament but hee calleth it a New Testament which words neuer met together before as though the Law were for the olde man to mortifie him and the Gospel for the new man to comfort him againe or as if the olde Testament had so washt her face and chaunged her apparell at Christes comming that one would not thinke it the same but a newe Testament because euen now she was shadowed with a thousand Ceremonies and now they are gone from her like a mist at the Sunne rising As Christ calleth Loue A new Commandement because hee renewed it like a Law worne out of memorie so he calleth the promise of saluation a New Testament because as it was renewed to Sem and after renewed to Abraham and after renewed to Dauid so now hee renewed it againe which should bee alway new and fresh vnto vs. Euery Testament is confirmed with blood the olde Testament was confirmed by the blood of Goates and Bullockes and Rammes but the new Testament is confirmed by the blood of Christ My blood saith Christ is the blood of the new Testament nay This Cup saith Christ is the new Testament You may see then that they may gather as well out of Christs words that the Cup is the new Testament as that the Wine is his blood for Christ sayth This Cup is the new Testament as well as he saith this Wine is my blood or this bread is my bodie Beside when Christ speakes of a new Testament he implieth that the old Testament is fulfilled the sacrifices and Ceremonies of the Lawe did signifie Christ before hee came therefore they are fulfilled in his comming no moe Sacrifices no mo Ceremonies for the truth is come Sacrifices and Ceremonies are honorablie buried with the Priesthood of Aaron let them rest it is not lawfull to violate the sepulchers of the dead and take their bodies out of the earth as the witch would raise Samuel out of his graue Therefore they which retaine ceremonies which should be abrogated reliques of Iudaisme or reliques of Papisme may be said to violate the sepulchers of the dead and disturbe the deceâ—sed like the Witch which presumed to raise Samuel out of his graue This Testament is called a Testament in blood because the Testament and Will of a man is confirmed when the man is dead so Christ confirmed his testament by his death Moses saith that life is in the blood so the blood of Christ is the life of this Testament If Christes blood had not bene shed this testament made vnto vs had bene vnprofitable as the Testament of a Father is vnto his sonne if the father should not die but liue therfore the Apostle saith without shedding of blood there is no remission of sinnes Therefore the Testament or Couenaunt of the remission of our sinnes is called the Testament in blood the blood of Christ is the seale of the Testament which wee haue to shew vnto God for the remission of our sins and the two Sacraments are a seale of that blood to witnesse that it was shed Againe this is a matter regarded in testaments and Willes to the Testament of him that is dead no man addeth or detracteth but as the testator made it so it standeth without alteration so should this testament of Christ and this sacrament of Christ no man should alter it now hee is dead for hee which addeth or detracteth hath a curse in Gods booke Therefore Christ when he instituted this Sacrament commaunded Doo this that is doo as I doo least they should swarue one whit from his owne manner yet how many gaudes haue the Papists added to it that he which had heard Christ say Doe this in remembraunce of me and should see how they handle the matter in their Masse coulde see nothing to remember Christ by but a vayle to hide Christ from him Therefore this Commaundement was repeated againe when hee gaue the Wine Doe this c. As hee commaunded them to eate the Bread in remembraunce of him so hee commaundeth them to drinke the wine in remembraunce of him nay hee speakes more precisely of the wine then of the bread for hee saith of the wine Drinke you all of this which hee saith not of the breade Surely Christ did foresee that some proud heretikes would doe otherwise after him euen as it is come to passe for the Papist doth break this Commandement of Christ as flatly as Saul brake the commaundement of Samuell Samuell commanded him to kill the fat and the leane Saul killed the leane but not the fat so Christ commaundeth to receiue bread and wine they teach to receiue breade but not wine Christ sayth Drinke you all of this they say drink not al of this Christ gaue the bread and wine to all they giue the bread to all and the wine to some their Priests receiue all but the people must content themselues with halfe the Priest eates and drinkes but the people must not drinke for spilling on their cloathes Is
them which breake the lawes of men but to suffer and suffer and euer to suffer all that the diuels would heape vpon vs. Then came the mercie of God for Christ which shedde his bloud like an vmpire betweene God and vs and saide as Esay saide to Hezechia Thou shalt not dye but liue loose him let him goe for hee is mine So we were staied like the widdowes sonne when he was carried to his graue This is the benefite of Christes death and this Sacrament is the remembrance of it and therefore whensoeuer we receiue it this addition commeth with it which is shed for the remission of sinnes our fault was so hainous and greeuous that no ransome could counteruaile it vnlesse God himselfe had suffered for vs. Being in this extremitie neither man nor angel offered his life for vs but the prince himselfe which should haue crucified vs came to be crucified of vs for vs y t we might say with stedfast faith I beleeue the remission of sinnes not the satisfaction of sinnes but the remission of sinnes Marke this distinction against Popish merites of workes or penance Christ hath satisfied and not we we are remitted and not Christ therefore we say in our confession I beleeue the remission of sinnes which I may call the mercifull Article because it is the quintessence and sweetnesse of all the twelue Therefore who but Antichrist durst depraue it If there be a satisfaction for our sinnes by our works or by our pilgrimages or by our masses or by our penance let Christ neuer be called a forgiuer but an exchanger like the Pope which selleth his pardons Wretched creatures which will not receiue the Lord when he comes to their doore Christ saith Take for nothing and they say no we will not take but buy Vile base miserable men disdaine to take grace of God without satisfaction but they will cope with the Lord and giue him so many pilgrimages fast so many daies heare so many masses and paie so manie workes for it vntill they haue done as much good as they haue done euill Our sinnes are infinite and God is infinit but our works are finite in number and measure how can they answere then to that which exceedeth number and measure Therefore be content with Iosephs brethren to take your money againe and say that you haue corne for nothing that is you are saued for nothing or else when you say I beleeue the remission of sinnes you lie vnto God because you doo not beleeue the remission of sinnes but satisfaction for sinnes like the Papists It followeth As often as yee shall eate this bread and drinke this cuppe yee shall shewe the Lords death till he come Here are three inuincible arguments against Popish transubstantiation like the three witnesses vnder which euerie word doth stand First we are sayd to eate bread then it is not flesh but bread Secondly we are saide to shew the Lordes death then it is but a shewe or representation of his death Thirdly it is said vntill hee come if hee be to come then he is not come if he be come how can we say vntill hee come The effect of this verse was shewed in these wordes Doe this in remembrance of me For to say Doe this in remembrance of me and to say So oft as you doe this you shew my death is much at one so that if you call this Sacrament a shewe of Christes death as it is called here then it is not Christ or if you call it a remembraunce of Christ as it is called there yet it is not Christ but a shewe or remembrance of Christ but this is such a shew and remembrance that the next verse saith Whosoeuer receiueth it vnworthily is guiltie of the bodie and bloud of Christ Will yee know who receiueth vnworthely In the nine and twentith verse Paul saith he discerneth not the Lords bodie that is which putteth no difference betweene this bread and other but eateth like a childe the meate which hee knoweth not and after the bread seemeth stones to him and the wine poyson because his conscience telleth him I haue receiued vnwoorthelie before I could say like Dauid My hart is prepared My sheepe saith Christ know my voyce as they discerne Christs wordes so they discerne Christes bodie and therefore so often as they come to the Lordes table they seeme to come into the Lords presence there they greete and kisse and embrace one another with affections which none can know but they that feele like Iohn which leaped in the wombe so soone as Christ came neare him Will yee know beside what it is to bee guiltie of the bodie and blood of Christ euen as Iudas was guiltie for betraying him and Pilate for deliuering him and the Iewes for crucifying him so they are guiltie which receiue this Sacrament vnworthily as Pilate and Caiphas and Iudas were If they be guiltie of Christs death they are guiltie of theyr owne death too as if they had committed two murthers and therefore Paul saith after that many of the Corinthians dyed onely for the vnwoorthie receiuing of this Sacrament As the Worde is the sauour of death to them which receiue it vnworthelie so the Sacrament is the sauour of death to them which receiue it vnworthelie it neuer goeth into their mouth but they are traitors ipso facto may say to Hell this day haue I taken possession of thee because I am guiltie of Christes blood Therefore it followeth immediatlie Let a man examine himselfe before hee eate of this bread or drinke of this wine as if he should say If he which receiueth this Sacrament vnworthely bee guiltie of Christes death like Iudas which hanged himselfe if these signes be receiued to saluation or damnation like the Word the next lesson is to examine your selues before you receiue lest you receiue like the sonne of perdition which swallowed the bread and the Diuell together Therefore Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate that is let him examine first and receiue after for if wee should receiue the bread of the earth reuerentlie how should we receiue the bread of heauen When Iehonadab came to Iehu his chariot hee sayd Is thy heart vpright as my heart is toward thee So when wee come to the Lordes table hee would haue our hearts vpright to him as his heart is to vs for who feasteth his enemies and mockers The golden Ring sitteth highest at our table but the Wedding garment sitteth highest at this table It is safer eating with vnwashen handes than with an vnwashen heart The Iewes were taught to choose the Lambe of the Passe-ouer on the tenth daye of the first moneth in which moneth they came out of Egypt and on the fourteenth daye after they were taught to eate him so they had foure daies respite betweene the choosing and the killing to prepare
and sanctifie themselues for the Passe-ouer which was a signe of the Lords Supper This admonished them that the matter now to be performed was verie waightie and therefore they were deeply to consider it for now was the action and summe of al saluation in handling If they did prepare themselues so before they did receiue the figure of this Sacrament how should wee bee prepared before we receiue the Sacrament it selfe Therefore as Iosiah commaundeth the Leuites to prepare the people so Paul aduiseth the people to prepare themselues that is to examine whether they haue faith and loue and repentance before they come to this feast By this all may see first that Paule would haue euerie laie man skilfull in the scripture that hee be able to examine himselfe by it for this admonition is not to them which minister the Sacrament but to all which receiue the Sacrament And the rule by which we must examine our selues is the lawe which wee should obey therefore if the rule be vnknowen the examination must be vndone Our doctrine must bee examined by the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles our prayers must bee examined by the sixe petitions of Christes prayer our beleefe must bee examined by the twelue Articles of faith our life must be examined by the ten Commaundements of the Law Now hee which hath his Touch-stone maye trie golde from copper but hee which hath it not takes one for the other therefore before Paules Examine you had neede to learne Christes Search Search the Scriptures and they will lighten you to search your selues This is the doctrine with which I will ende and the necessarie poynt for which I chuse this Text to teach you if I could that Christian Arte how to examine your selues Let a man examine himselfe before hee eate Here is first an examination secondly an examination of our selues thirdly an examination before we come to the Sacrament Touching the first here Paul saith Examine your selues but in 2. Corinth 13. hee doubleth his charge Proue your selues and againe at next word Examine your selues as if hee should say this worke must be done when it is done because it is neuer throughly done therefore we must double our examinatiō as Paul doubleth his counsell If a man suspect his enemie hee will trye him with a question if that wil not search him he wil put forth another if that bee spyed hee will moue another like one which putteth diuers keyes into a locke vntill it open So he which examineth must trie and trie prooue and prooue search and search for the angell of darknesse is like an angell of light and we haue no way to discouer him but that of Iohn Trie the spirites God examineth with trials the diuell examineth with temptations the world examineth with persecutions we which are thus examined had neede to examine too If anie man skill not what Examining meaneth the very word Examine is so pregnant that it prompteth vs how we shuld examine for it signifieth to put our selues vnto the Touch-stone as if we would trie gold from copper Therefore one sayth that Examination is the eye of the soule whereby she seeeth her selfe and her safetie and her daunger and her way which she walketh and her pace which she holdeth and the end to which she tendeth she lookes into her glasse and spieth euerie spot in her face how all her graces are stayned then she takes the water of life and washeth her blots away After shee lookes againe and beholdeth all her gifts her fayth feare loue patience meekenesse and marketh how euerie one doth flourish or wither If they fade and decay that she feeleth a consumption then she takes preseruatiues and restoratiues of praier and counsaile and repentance before the sicknesse growe Thus euery day shee letteth downe a bucket into her heart to see what water it bringeth vp lest she should corrupt within and perish sodainlie To heare and read and pray and fast and communicate is a worke of manie but to examine those workes is the fashion of few and therefore Ieremie complaineth No man saith what haue I done as if hee should saie No man examineth himselfe And therefore in all the Scripture it is sayd but of one That hee feared all his workes as though hee durst not thinke nor speake nor doe any thing before he had examined what it was from whence it came and whither it went so the more precious treasure is deeper hid in the ground The second point is to Examine our selues Paul saith Trie all things much more should we trie our selues The good sower doth sow his owne ground but the bad sower dooth so we another mans ground as the diuell did The Disciples of Christ said Maister is it I not Master is it he The Disciples of Iohn asked Master what shall wee doe not Master what shall they doe Wee must obey some and heare others admonish others and loue all but examine our selues That which we applie vnto others the Apostle applieth vnto our selues for when we speak of an examiner we intend one which examineth other when wee speake of an accuser we intend one which accuseth other when we speake of a Iudge wee meane one which iudgeth others but the scripture crieth Examine thy selfe accuse thy selfe iudge thy selfe that is be not curious to search a moat in thy brothers eye but pull out the beame which is in thine owne eye This doth shew that they which sit in Gods chaire to iudge others commonly haue greater faults themselues then they whome they vse to iudge and therefore Christ calleth their fault a beame and the others a moate This made Dauid saie Examine thy heart thy heart is thy owne heart therefore thou must examine whether thou praie whether thou watche whether thou fast and not whether he praie whether hee watch whether he fast as the Pharisie examined the Publicane least thou haue Peters checke when he examined what Iohn should doe Christ said What is that to thee follow thou me Thou art a priuat man and hast a priuate examination therefore let thy question be What haue I done and make thy Anatomie of thy selfe See beloued wee may not beleeue our selues before we haue examined our selues for we are false hearted and the notablest cousiner that deceiueth most for one time that he deceiueth others tenne times deceiueth himselfe Because the flesh is a wilie seruaunt and will lye like Gehezi to his master and face him that it hath not sinned when it commeth from sinne therefore as Elisha examined his seruant so the soule must examine her seruaunt that is man must bee iealous of himselfe and take himselfe for a liar for a flatterer for a dissembler vntill he be throughlie acquainted with himselfe for no man is so often beguiled as by himself by trusting his double heart and taking his own
We will not sinne therefore the heart of the godly is called a contrite heart but the heart the wicked is called a heart that cannot repent Beside as Christ cast out a legion of diuels at once so the godly would be purged of all their sinnes together but the wicked neuer consent to leaue all but as Naaman sayd Let the Lord spare me in this so euer hee excepteth one sinne which is his beloued sin like Herod which reformed many things yet would not leaue his brothers wife They are distinguished in Charitie for ye shall neuer see the wicked loue their enemies and therefore when the Pharisies could not loue their enemies they taught that men might hate their enemies and Christ speaking of Publicans and sinners exhorteth his Disciples not to loue like them because they loued none but their friends They are distinguished in Prayer for the wicked cannot praie therefore Dauid saith They call not vpon the Lord as if they had not the spirite of prayer and therefore Christ calleth their prayers babling for they thinke not of God when they speake vnto him They are distinguished in Patience no hypocrite can beare the Crosse but saith lyke Cain It is heauier than I can suffer but Paul and Silas sing in prison for a faithfull man would haue something to humble him reioyceth to beare his maisters markes because the wounds of a louer are sweete They are distinguished in the vse of aduersitie for this is a proper and peculiar mark of Gods children to profite by affliction and therefore we reade not in all the punishments of the wicked that one of them said like Dauid It is good for mee that I haue bene afflicted They are distinguished in Humilitie for the wicked are not hūbled before the crosse like Pharaoh that neuer sorrowed but when hee suffered but the Apostles learned humilitie of their Maister before their persecution came They are distinguished in their iudgement of the word for to the wicked it seemeth the hardest and simplest vnpleasantest booke that is and therefore Paul saith that it is foolishnes vnto them But to the godly it seemeth the wisest and eloquentest and sweetest and easiest booke of all other as though God did sodainely bring the vnderstanding of it to them as Iacob sayde of his venison according to that Hee that will doe his will shall know his doctrime They are distinguished in their Iudgement of God the wicked are persuaded now and then of Gods mercie for the present time while they feele it as the Iewes praised him alwaies when hee did as they woulde haue him but they cannot persuade themselues that God will be mercifull to them still like Iob which said Though the Lord kill mee yet will I trust in him therefore the hope of the righteous is called hope in death Beside if the wicked loue God it is but for his benefites as Saul loued him for his kingdome And this is alwaies to be noted that in the wicked the feare of hell is greater then is their hope of Heauen but in the faithfull the hope of heauen is greater then their feare of hell They are distinguished in their Delights for the sport of the vngodly is follie like Belshazzers and therefore when they are sicke or troubled they neuer runne to the Word for comfort as though Gods promises pertained not to them but to feasts or tables or tales or musicke as Saul did to the harpe But all the delights of the godlie are like Dauids daunce about the Arke they are neuer merrie but when they are dooing well nor at peace but when their praiers haue ouercome God like Iacob They are distinguished in their opinions of death for the faithfull long to bee dissolued although they might liue euer in continuall prosperitie yet they would not staie so long out of heauen but the wicked would neuer be dissolued because death comes alwaies vnto them like a iailor to hale vnto prison as Ahab sayd to Michaiah That he neuer prophesied good to him Hereby a man shall know whether hee haue faith for if hee doe beleeue the promises hee will be glad to receiue them They are distinguished in their sense of sinne Wicked men feele the lothsomnesse of their vices but none but the faithfull feele the defects of their righteousnesse The naturall man neuer complaineth of his good workes but vaunteth of them but a godly man findeth fault with his praiers and his almes and his watches like Isaiah that sayde his righteousnes was like a menstruous cloth As Christ met the tempter in the wildernesse a place of prayer and fasting and meditation so a godly man meeteth the tempter in his praiers and in his fasts and in his meditations that is he finds some lette or spotte or want in all his deuotions Therefore vnlesse thy righteousnesse mislike thee as well as thy prophanenes know that yet thou art no further than the wicked They are distinguished in their Endes for the children of God propose the glorie of God and leuell all their thoughts and speeches and actions as if they were messengers sent to carrie him presents of honor Thus did Dauid when hee sayd All that is within me praise the Lord. As though himselfe had rather bee without praise then his master but the children of the world set vp their owne glorie for their marke like Nabuchadnezzar which sayd For the honour of my Maiestie Dan. 4. 27. Therfore they speake and looke and walke as if they did say to their tongue and eyes and feet and apparell as Saul said to Samuel Honour me before this people Lastly they are distinguished in Perseuerance for the zeale of the wicked lasteth not and therefore God sayth They are soone turned out of the way but the zeale of the faithful was represented by the fire of the Temple which neuer went out By these differences thou maist see how much thou doost differ from the wicked or whether thou be of their band Then come to the third examination as the diuell tempteth thee to see what thou wilt do for him so thou must tempt thy self and get of thy soule what it would doe for God and what it would suffer for him which hath suffered death for it Therefore here we will set downe certain interrogatories wherof thou shalt examine it First whether thou hast the heart of Ioshua to worship God as boldlie as thou doest though all the world did renounce him and euerie one did mocke thee as they did Noah while he built the Arke Whether thou wouldst not denie Christ as Peter did if thou were in Peters straights and nothing to succour thee but thy policie Whether thou wouldst not steale if thou didst see a bootie as fit as Achan which thou mightest catch vp
and no man spie thee Whether thou wouldst refuse a bribe like Elisha if thou didst meet with one which were as willing and able to giue it as Naaman Whether thou wouldst not deceiue if thou were in such an office as the false Steward whose master referred all vnto him knew not when he kept any thing backe Whether thou wouldst not fulfill thy lust as Dauid did if thou haddest his oportunitie and allurement and mightest doe it without danger of law like a king as Dauid might Whether thou wouldst not tell a lie as Abraham did if it stood vpon thy life which made him twice dissemble that his wife was his sister least he should die for her beautie Finally if it should be said vnto thee as the diuell said to Christ All these will I giue thee if thou will fall downe and worship me that is no more but if thou wilt sinne whether thou wouldest yeeld or no If thou hast sinned thus and thus before I will not say therefore the Lord wil not heare thee but Dauid sayth If I regard wickednesse in my heart the Lord will not heare me that is if for any cause a man purpose and carie a minde to sinne when he is tempted the Lord is so farre from helping him that he wil stand like Baal as though hee did not heare him for he hath a traytors mind as deepe as any which thinkes for a Dukedome I would betray my prince though he neuer playe the traitor in his life Thus you haue heard how to trie spirits and how to discerne a Christian from an hypocrite how to appose your hearts that ye may be sure to iudge rightlie what ye are Now wee come to that examination which is the Epitome or abridgement of all these for memorie is short and all are not of one strength but some runne and some goe and some creepe and all do well so long as they striue to perfection The matters wherof principallie the mind should be examined before the sacrament are these First whether thou haue faith not only to beleeue that Christ died but that he died for thee for as the scripture called him a redeemer so Iob calleth him his Redeemer The second article is whether thou bee in charitie not whether thou loue thē which loue thee but whether thou loue them which hate thee for Christ commandeth vs To loue our enemies The third article is whether thou repent not for thy open grosse sinnes but for thy secret sinnes and pettie sinnes because Christ saith That we must giue account for euerie idle word The fourth article is whether thou resolue not to sinne againe for anie cause but to amend thy euill life not when age commeth or for a spurt but to begin now and last till death for Christ is Alpha and Omega both the beginning and the end as well in our liuing as in our being which hath made no promise to them which begin but to them which perseuere The last article is whether thou canst finde in thy heart to die for Christ as Christ died for thee for we are bid not only to followe him but to beare his Crosse and therefore we are called seruaunts to shew how we should obey and we are called souldiers to shew how we should suffer These are the receiuers articles whereof his conscience must be examined before hee receiue this Sacrament happie is hee which can say All these haue I kept for the Doue was not so welcome to Noah as this man is to Christ But if thou find not these affections within but a neast of vices leaue thine offering at the Altar and returne to thine examination againe for thou art not a fit guest to sup with the Lord vntill thou haue on this Wedding garment How is it then that some regard their other garments more then this Paul sayth Examine your selues and they examine their apparell if they haue new cloathes in the countrie then they are readie to receiue I haue knowne manie kept from the Sacrament a whole yeare together by their maisters for nothing but for want of a new sute to set thē foorth with their fellowes Others respect whether it be a faire daye that they may walke after seruice making that day vpō which they receiue like a scholers Thursdaie which hee loues better then all the daies in the weeke onely because it is his play-day Thus like the Iewes They sitte downe to eate and rise vp to plaie that as Christ calleth the Pharisies praier Babling Matth. 6. 7. so their receiuing may bee called dallying When they haue the Sacrament in their bellie they thinke that all is well as Micah when hee had a Leuite in his house thought that God loued him but as the Leuit did not profit him because he receiued nothing but the Leuit so the bread and wine dooth them no good because they receiue nothing but bread and wine for want of faith Maruell not then if you haue not felt that comfort after the Sacrament which you looked for for it is comfortable to none but to them which prepare their hearts and examine themselues before because it is not the mouth but the heart which receiueth comfort Now it may be that the most which are here haue brought a mouth and not a heart these go away from the Sacrament to despight Christ as Iudas went from the sacrament to betraie him The other goe awaie like one which hath receiued a chearefull countenaunce of the Prince all his thoughts are ioy and the countenance of the Prince is still in his eye As he which hath eaten sweete meate hath a sweete breath so they which haue eaten Christ all their sayings and doings are sweete like a perfume to men and incense to God their peace of conscience and ioy of heart and desire to doe good will tell them whether they haue receiued the bare signes or the thing signified Euerie one which receiueth this Sacrament shall feele himselfe better after it lyke the Apostles or else hee shall finde himselfe worse after it like Iudas Heereby ye shall knowe whether ye haue receiued like the Apostles or like Iudas Thus we haue ended the doctrine of the Lordes Supper Now if you cannot remember all that I haue sayd yet remember the Text that is Examine your selues before you receiue this Sacrament hereafter FINIS THE EXAMINATION OF VSVRIE IN TWO SERMONS To the Reader HEre thou hast the Sermōs which haue bene often desired because of the matter fit for this Citie One saith that he would neuer speake to Vsurers and Bribe-mongers but when they be vpon their death-beds for hee which liueth by sin resolueth to sinne that he may liue But when he goeth to hanging Iudas himselfe will say I haue sinned If I speake not to Vsurers vpon their death-bed yet I speake to Vsurers
knowen what a Kinsman they had and so soone as hee heard that they were come suddenly he brake off his Sermon and slipt away from vs to go and make merrie with them Christ I say seeing this traine laid by Sathan to disgrace him as he doth all his Ministers did not leaue off speaking as they thought he would but as if God had appointed all this to credite and renowne him that which was noysed here to interrupt his doctrine he taketh for an occasion to teach another doctrine that there is a nearer Coniunction betweene Christ and the faithfull then betweene the mother and the sonne which are one flesh Therefore when they say Thy mother and thy brethren are come to speake with thee hee pointeth to his hearers and saith These are my mother and my brethren which heare the word of God and doe it as if hee should saie I haue a Mother indeede which brought me foorth but in respect of them which heare the word of God and doe it she is like a stepmother and these are like a naturall mother With this wise answer hee quieted the Auditors and made them heare him better then they did before For now they thought with themselues what man is this which loueth vs more then his mother his mother called him and yet he would not go from vs his brethren stay for him and he maketh as if he did not know them but saith Who is my mother who are my brethren Thus Christ stood vp as it were in an indignation against Sathan and saide Sathan this Sermon was not begun for thee neither shall it end for thee this worke was not done for my mother neither shall it be left for my mother Thus he caught the diuell with his owne baite and made the people more louing and attentiue towardes him by that which Satan thought to disgrace him He was so armed with the Spirite that let the diuell tempt him or the woman tempt him or princes tempt him all is one Here are two doubtes the first is the difference betweene the Euangelists For Mathew saith that one brought this message Marke and Luke attribute it to mo both may stand for the word which his mother gaue of calling him foorth was receiued of the rest and so passed amongst many till it came to Christ so that one may be sayd to bring this message because one noysed it first and many may be sayd to bring this message because many noysed it after The second doubt is because Christ had no brethren how they said Thy brethren would speake with thee You must vnderstand that they which are heere called Christes brethren were his Cosens by the mothers side that is her sisters children for there were three Maries and these three were sisters Marie the virgin Marie the mother of Iames Marie the daughter of Cleophas whose sonnes these were their names were Iames Ioseph Iudas and Simon and they are called the Lordes brethren because they were kinne vnto him Therefore note that in holie Scripture there be foure sortes of brethren Brethren by nature so Esau and Iacob were called brethren because they had one father and one mother Brethren by nation so all the Iewes are called brethren because they were of one Countrey Brethren by consanguinitie so all are called brethren which are of one familie and so Abraham called Lot his brother and Sarah his sister because they were of one line Brethren by profession so all Christians are called Brethren because they are of one Religion These were Brethren of the third order that is of Consanguinitie because they were of one Familie Now when his Mother and his Brethren were come to see him it is sayd that they could not come neare him for the prease Here were Auditors inough Christ flowed now with Disciples that his mother coulde haue no roome to heare him but after a while it was low water againe When the shepheard was stroken the sheepe were scattered when he preached in the Streetes and in the Temple and in the Fieldes then manie flocked after him but when he preached vpon the Crosse then they left him which sayd they would neuer forsake him then there was as great a prease to see him dye as there was heere to heare him preach and many of these which seemed like Bretheren and Sisters were his betrayers and his accusers and his persecutors so inconstant we are in our zeale more than in any thing else Thus much of their comming and calling to Christ now to the doctrine which lieth in it Heere be two Speakers one sayth Thy Mother and thy Brethren are come to speake with thee the other saith These are my Mother and Brethren which heare the worde of God and doe it The scope of the Euangelist is this First that Christ would not hinder his doctrine for mother or brethren or any kinsman Then to shewe that there is a nearer coniunction between our Sauiour Christ and the Faithfull than betweene the mother and the sonne The first is written for our instruction and the latter is written for our comfort Touching the first he which teacheth vs to honor our father and mother doth not teach vs here to contemne father and mother because hee speakes of another mother for it is said That he was obedient to his parents in Luke 2. This he sheweth when being found in the temple among the Doctors hee left all to goe with his mother because she sought him so he honoured her that hee left all for her This hee shewed againe at his death being vpon the crosse he was not vnmindfull of her for pointing vnto Iohn hee said Behold thy mother and pointing vnto her he said Woman behold thy sonne so he commended her to his beloued Disciple before he dyed Therefore this is not a doctrine of disobedience but a rule how to obey As he taught his Disciples to giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars and to God that which is Gods so hee teacheth vs here to giue vnto parents that which is parents to the Lord that which is the Lordes When God saide Honour thy father and thy mother hee did not giue a commaundement agaynst himselfe and therefore he saith Honour me before hee saith Honour them The first commandement is Honour God and the fift commandement is nour thy Parents least you should honor your Parents before God When Salomon bad his mother aske him anie thing he signified that the mother should be obeied in many things but whē he denied his Mother that one thing which she asked he sheweth that the Mother should not be obeied in al things Whē Christ saide You haue but one Father and one Master he speakes of Faith and Religion shewing that when it concerneth our Faith and Religion we should respect but one Father and one master which is the giuer of our faith and the master of our Religion
Saint Iohn writing to a Ladie which brought vp her children in the feare of God calleth her the elect Ladie shewing that the chiefest honour of Ladies and Lordes and Princes is to be elect of God Saint Luke speaking of certaine Beroeans which receiued the word of God with loue calleth them More noble than the rest shewing that God counteth none noble but such as are of a noble Spirite As Iohn calleth none elect but the vertuous and Luke calleth none noble but the religious so Christ calleth none his kinsmen but the righteous and of those onelie hee saieth These are my Mother and my Brethren which heare the word of God and doe it As Abrahams Children are not counted Children after the flesh but Children after the spirite so Christes Kindred are not counted Kindred after the flesh but kindred after the Spirite for the flesh was not made after the Image of God but the spirit was made after his Image therefore God is not called the Father of bodies but the Father of Spirites Now God which is a Spirite preferreth them which are a kinne to him in the Spirite Therefore Esau was not blessed because hee was of Isaacks flesh but Iacob was blessed because he was of Isaacks Spirite As wee loue in the flesh so Christ loueth in the spirit therefore he calleth none his kinsemen but them which heare the word of God and do it It seemeth that Paule thought of this saying when he said Till Christ be formed in you If Christ be formed in vs as Paule saith then we are Christs mother euerie one which wil haue Christ his sauiour must be Christs mother The virgin asked the angel how she could beare Christ seeing she had not knowen a man Luke Chapter 1. Verse 24. so you may aske how you can beare Christ seeing he is borne alreadie As there is a second comming of Christ so there is a second birth of Christ When we are borne againe then Christ is borne againe the virgin was his mother by the flesh the faithfull are his mother by the spirit the holy Ghost doth conceiue him in them hee was in her wombe and he is in their hearts shee did beare him and they doe beare him shee did nurse him and they do nurse him This is the second birth of Christ As the soule of man may bee called The Temple of the holie Ghost which is the third person so it may be called the wombe of the Sonne which is the second person Before these words it is saide that Christ asked Who are my brethren as if hee should say you thinke that I am affected to my kinsmen as you are but I tell you that I count them my kinsmen which heare the word of God and do it To shewe that Christ loueth vs with an euerlasting Loue hee sheweth that hee doth not loue vs for anie Temporall things but for that which doth endure for euer If Christ loued vs as Isaack loued Esau for venison then we might misse the blessing as Esau did But as Iohn saith He loued in the truth so Christ loueth in the truth To loue in the truth is the true loue euerie loue but this at one time or other hath turned into hatred as the truth ouercommeth falshood Nowe for this loue Christ calleth them by all the names of loue his father and his brethren and his sisters In Rom. 6. they are called his seruants If that be not enough in the fifteēth of Iohn they are called his friends If that be not enough in the third of Marke they are called his kinsmen If that be not enough in the foure twentith of Luke they are called his brethren If that be not enough in Mark 1. they are called his children If that be not enough here they are called his mother If that be not enough in Cantic 5. they are called his Spouse to shewe that hee loued them with all loues the Mothers loue the Brothers loue the Sisters loue the Masters loue and the Friends loue If all these Loues could be put together yet the loue of Christ exceedeth them all and the Mother and the Brother and the Sister and the Childe and the kinsmen and the Friende and the Seruant would not do and suffer so much among them all as Christ hath done and suffered for vs alone Such a loue we kindle in Christ when we heare his word and do it that wee are as deare vnto him as all his kinred together Now as wee are his Mother so should we carrie him in our heartes as his mother did in her armes As wee are his Bretheren so wee should preferre him as Ioseph did Beniamin Genesis Chapter fortie three Verse fortie three As we are his Spouse so should we imbrace him as Isaac did Rebecca if thou be a kinsman do like a kinsman Now wee come to the markes of these kinsmen which I may call the Armes of his house As Christ saith By this all men shall knowe my Disciples if they loue one another so hee saith By this shall all men knowe my kinsmen if they heare the word of God and doe it As there is a kindred by the Fathers side and a kindred by the Mothers side so there is a kindred of Hearers and a kindred of dooers In Matthew it is saide Hee which heareth the Wil of my Father and doth it Here it is saide Hee which heareth the worde of God and dooth it both are one For his word is his will and therefore it is called his will Psalme 119. As he spake there of dooing so hee speaketh here of a certaine rule which hee calleth the worde of God whereby all mens workes must be squared For if I do all the workes that I can to satisfie an others will or mine owne will it auaileth mee nothing with God because I doe it not for GOD. Therefore hee which alwaies before followed his owne will when hee was stricken downe and beganne to repent cried out Lorde what wilt thou haue mee to doe as if hee should say I will doe no more as men woulde haue mee or as the Diuell would haue mee or as the flesh would haue mee but as thou wouldst haue me So Dauid prayed Teach mee O Lord to doe thy will not my will for wee neede not to bee taught to doe our owne will no more than a Cuckoe to sing Cuckoe her owne name Euerie man can goe to hell without a guide Here is the rule nowe if you liue by it then are you kinne to Christ as other kinreds go by birth and marriage so this kinred goes by faith and obedience Hearers are but halfe kin as it were in a farre degree but they that heare and do are called his Mother which is the nearest kinred of all Therfore if you haue the deed then you are kin indeed there is no promise made to hearers nor to speakers nor to readers but all promises are made to beleeuers or
doers If you aske God who shall dwell in the holie Mountaine he saith The man which walketh vprightly Here are none but dooers If you aske Christ who shall enter into the kingdome of heauen he saith Not they which crie Lord Lord though they crie twise Lord but they which do the will of my father here are none but dooers If you aske him againe howe you may come to heauen hee saith Keepe the Commaundements here are none but doers If you aske him againe who are blessed he saith Blessed are they that heare the word of God and do it here are none but doers If you aske an Angell who are blessed he saith Blessed are they which keepe the words of this booke here are none but dooers If you aske Dauid who are blessed he saith The man is blest which keepeth iudgement and doeth righteousnes here are none but doers If you aske Salomon who are blessed hee saith The man is blessed which keepeth the law here are none but doers If you aske Esay who are blessed he saith Hee which doeth this is blessed here are none but doers If you aske Iames who are blessed he saith The doer of the word is blessed in his deede heere are none but dooers Thus blessing and dooing runne together Least any man should looke to be blessed without obedience Christ calleth Loue the greatest commaundement but Salomon calleth Obedience the end of all as though without obedience all were to no end When Michah had got a Leuite into his house Now saith hee I know the Lord will be good vnto mee seeing I haue a Leuite in my house So many thinke when they haue gotten a Preacher into their parish Now the Lorde will be good vnto vs now Christ will loue vs now we are good sonnes seeing we maintain a Preacher amongst vs. But Michah was not blessed for a Leuite nor you for a Preacher but as you would haue vs do as we teach so God woulde haue you doe as you heare for you shalbe no more saued for hearing than we are for speaking When God created the Tree hee commanded it to bring foorth fruite so when he createth Faith he commaundeth it to bring foorth workes and therefore it is called a liuely Faith VVhen our Sauiour woulde prooue him selfe vnto Iohn to be the true Messias indeed he sayd to his Disciples Tell Iohn what things you haue heard and seene Matth. 11. 4. not onely heard but seene So if wee will prooue our selues to be Christes kinsmen indeede we must worke that thing which may be seene as well as heard Iohn was not onely called The voyce of a Crier Luke the seuenth Chapter and two twentieth verse but Aburning Lampe Mathew chap. 3. verse 3. which might be seene so all which are crying voyces must be burning Lampes Iames dooth not say Let me heare thy faith but Let me see thy faith As the Angels put on the shape of men that Abraham might see them so faith must put on works that the world may see it The workes which I do saith Christ beare witnesse of me So the workes which wee doe should beare witnesse of vs. Therefore Christ linketh Faith and Repentance together Repent and beleeue the Gospell Marke the first chapter verse fifteene Therefore I conclude That which Christ hath ioyned let no man separate Marke chap. 10. ver 9. Thus I haue shewed you Christ preaching a great prease hearing his Friends and Kinsfolke interrupting and Christ againe withstanding the interruption By this you may see what a spirite the diuell hath to hinder one Sermon therfore no maruell though he cause so many to be put to silence no maruell though he stand so against a learned Ministerie no maruell though he raise vp such slaunders vpon Preachers no maruell though he write so manie bookes against the Christian Gouernment in the Church no maruel though he make so manie Non-residents no maruel though he ordain so many dumbe Priestes for these make him the God of this world The Diuell is afrayde that one Sermon will conuert vs and we are not moued with twentie So the diuell thinketh better of vs than we are Againe by this you may learne howe to resiste and withstande temptations whether it bee thy father which tempteth thee thy mother which tempteth thee or thy brother which tempteth thee or thy sister which tempteth or thy kinsman which tempteth or Rulers which tempteth or Master which tempteth or wife which tempteth As Christ would not know his mother against his father so thou shouldst not know any father or mother or brother or sister or friend or kinsman or master or childe or wife against God If the mothers sute may be refused sometime a noble mans letter may be refused too Hee that can turne his hinderance to a furtherance as Christ did heere may make vse of euerie thing Againe by this you may learne how to choose your friends As Christ counted none his kinsmen but such as heare the worde of God and doe it so we should make none our familiars but such as Christ counteth his kinsmen Againe you may see the difference betweene Christ and the worlde Christ calleth the godly his kinsmē be they neuer so poore and we scorne to call the poore our kinsmen be they neuer so honest so proude is the seruant aboue his master Againe by this you may see how Christ is to be loued for when hee calleth vs his mother hee sheweth vs the way to loue him as a mother for indeede hee is the mother of his mother and his brethren too Againe by this all vaunting and boasting of Kinred is cut off Glorie not in that thou hast a Gentleman to thy Father glorie not that thou hast a Knight to thy Brother but glorie that thou hast the Lord to thy Brother He which called Abraham his Father fried in Hell because GOD was not his Father If Marie might not bee prowde of such a Sonne as our Sauiour Christ much lesse may you bragge of any friend or Sonne that you haue Againe by this you may know whether you be kinne to Christ As those Priestes were shut out of the Temple which could not count their Genealogie from Aaron so they shall bee excluded out of Heauen which cannot reckon their Pedegree from Christ Heere are the Armes now whereby you may shewe of what House you come If you heare the woord of God and doo it then Christ saith vnto you as hee said vnto them These are my Mother and my Bretheren and my Sisters You women are his Sisters and you men are his Bretheren and if you be Christs Brethren then are you Gods Sonnes and if you be Gods Sonnes then are you his Heyres for all Gods Sonnes are called heires Rom. 8. 7. Lastly by this you may know the Diuels Kinsemen and therefore our Sauiour Christ saith You are of your father the diuell Shewing that the diuel
and the wicked are as neare kinne as Christ and the faithfull Now as Dauid saith Seemeth it a light thing vnto you to be the Sonne of a king seeing I am a poore man and of small reputation So may I saie seemeth it a light thing vnto you to be the sonnes of the king of kings seeing you are poore men and of smal reputation It is counted a great honor to Abraham Isaac Iacob that God was not ashamed to be called their God What an honor then is this that God is not ashamed to be called our Father nay our brother as though we were matched with him If the Israelites had such care to match with the seruants of God what a blessing is this to marrie with the sonne of God Therefore if any affect rich kinsmen or great marriages heere is a greater then Salomon marrie thou him This kinsman of ours is now gone vp into heauen that we may haue a friend in the Court. Ioseph desired the Butler to remember him when hee stood before Pharaoh and hee forgot him though hee had pleasured him But a Theefe desired Christ to remember him when he came into his kingdome and hee receiued him into paradise the same day though he had alwayes offended him to shewe that although wee haue beene as bad as theeues yet we may hope in Christ Therefore now I may conclude you haue heard the word if you goe away and doe it then you are the Mother and Brethren and Sisters of this heauenly King To whome with the Father and the holy spirit be all praise maiestie and dominion now and euermore Amen THE CHRISTIANS SACRIFICE To my late Auditors the congregation of Clement Danes all the good will which I can wish BEloued in Christ Iesus my first fruites I haue nothing but this myte to leaue with you which is the summe of all my Sermons ye haue heard it alreadie and as the Apostle calles the Corinthians his Epistle so ye should be my Sermon that is my Sermon should bee printed in your hearts as this is printed in paper If you haue not giuen your hearts to him which sent for them now thinke that God hath sent for them againe and heare mee writing whom yee cannot heare speaking Take not custome for Religion shunne occasion aswell as sinne seeke the vse of euery thing desire not to haue your Kingdome here And so I leaue you all with Christ whom I haue preached to bring forth the fruite of that seed which is sowne beseeching you for all the loue that you haue of heauē that ye would not count any thing in this world worthie to keepe your hearts from God but thinke of the day when ye shall giue account for euery lesson which ye haue heard and he which hath called you in this prison will glorifie you in his Pallace where ye shall see him to whom ye haue giuen your hearts and enioy that blessing of blessings which makes all the world to worship him The Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which hath begun to draw you to his kingdome neuer leaue you vntill you come vnto it Amen Your late vnworthie seruant for the Lord Henrie Smith THE CHRISTIANS SACRIFICE Prouerbs 23. 26. My Sonne giue me thy heart TO binde all the lessons together which yee haue learned since I came this sentence came to my mind My Sonne giue me thy hart which is the summe of all that yee haue heard and shewes in what chest you should lay vp these treasures in your heart and then giue that heart to God he wil keep all safe A supplication is come as it were frō God to man that man would send God his heart penned by Salomon vnder the name of Wisdome and directed to her sonnes Wisedome intreateth her sonnes that they would giue her their hearts this Wisedome is God we by adoption are his sonnes and our heart is that which Christ calls spirit and truth without hypocrisie Giue me that heart saith God He which giues anie thing to another considers before what he loues giues that which he thinkes will be accepted that he may bee loued for the gift therefore Dauid as though he were at a stand sorrowed that he could not do enough for God breakes forth to him selfe What shall I giue vnto the Lord for all that he hath giuen me The Lord hearing as it were these sighs of his seruants which care studie what they may do to please him comes in their suspence and like a friend which desires nothing but good will answers from heauen My sonne giue me thy heart Vnder which sute he taxeth them beside which are suters alwayes to him and looke still to receiue like the Publicans but neuer cast in their minds what they should giue therefore their tribute is set downe by equall measure vnder the kings seale euerie man must homage his heart Hee which alwayes gaue nowe craues and hee which craued alwayes nowe giues Christ stands at the doore like a poore man and askes not bread nor clothes nor lodging which we should giue to his members but our heart that is euen the continent of all and Gouernour of mannes house which sits on the Bench like a Iudge to giue the charge and teach the tongue to speake the hand to worke the foote to walke the eare to attend the eye to obserue the minde to choose and the flesh to obey That wee must present to God like a burnt Sacrifice wherein all is offered together a wise tongue a diligent hand a warie foot a watchfull eye an attentiue eare an humble minde an obedient flesh put all together and it is but the heart My sonne saith God giuee me thie heart Here thou art the giuer God the petitioner thy heart the gift which he claimeth by the name of a Son should God be a suppliant vnto thee me but that our vnthankfulnesse condemnes vs that for all the things which he hath giuen vs we neuer considered yet what we should giue vnto him before he asketh He is faine to put in his petition like a Suter and say Giue me thy heart Marke what God hath chosen for himself not that which any other shall loose by like the demaunds of them which care for none but themselues but that which being giuen to God mooues vs to giue vnto euerie man his due as Zacheus when hee gaue his heart to Christ parted his goods to the poore and restored to all that which he had gotten by wrong Once God required offerings and sacrifices which men were vnwilling to giue because it was a deare seruice of God but now he saith that the heart is more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices Iacob loued Ioseph more than all his brethren so God loueth the heart more than all her fellowes this myte God will haue for all his benefites which we may best affoord him thy
was receiued himselfe saying He which laboureth in the word is worthie of double honour that is the Preacher after a sort is more to be honoured than the Ruler for Aaron was the elder brother but Moses was the yonger brother therefore if there be any appendix the Magistrate is the appendix for if Aarons Vrim Thumi would haue serued Moses rod and staffe should not haue needed but when the tongue could not perswade the rod did compell and so came in the Magistrate As Paul sheweth the Thessalonians how the Preachers of the Word should be honoured so hee teacheth the Philippians how to honor their teachers saying Receiue him in the Lorde with great gladnesse and make much of such that is shewe your selues so glad of him that hee may bee glad of you Haue you neede to bee taught why Paule would haue you make much of such Because they are like Lampes which consume themselues to giue light to other so they consume themselues to giue light to you because they are like a Henne which clocketh her Chickens together from the Kite so they clocke you together from the Serpent because they are lyke the showte which did beate downe the walles of Iericho so they beate downe the walles of sinne because they are like the fiery piller which went before the Israelites to the Land of Promise so they goe before you to the Lande of Promise because they are like good Andrewe which called his brother to see the Messias so they call you to see the Messias and therefore make much of such If wee shoulde make much of Prophets how much shoulde wee make of Prophecying If wee should loue our Instructors how much should wee loue instruction Symeon keeping in the Temple met with Christ so manie hearing the Worde haue met with knowledge haue met with comfort haue met with peace haue met with saluation but without the Worde neuer any was conuerted to GOD. Therefore whensoeuer the Word is preached euerie one may say to himselfe as the Disciples sayd to the blinde man Be of good comfort hee calleth thee Be of good comfort the Lorde calleth thee but when the word is not preached then euerie man may say to himselfe beware the diuell calleth thee When the Prophets went from Ierusalem then sword and famine and pestilence and all the plagues of God rained vpon them euen as fire came vpon Sodome so soone as Lot was gone out therefore what may those Landes feare which vse their Prophets as the Iewes vsed them which sent them Amos calleth it an euill time wherein the prudent keepe silence Chapt. 5. verse 13. therfore this is an euil time wherein the prudent are silent There be two trades in this Land without which the Realme cannot stand and one is the Queenes souldiers and the other is the Lordes souldiers and the Lords souldiers are handled like the Queenes souldiers for from the Merchant to the porter no calling is so despised so contemned so derided that they may beg for their seruice for their liuing is turned into an almes One saith that Moses is Quis that is the Magistrate is some bodie but Aaron is Quasi quis that is the Minister is no bodie because no bodie is despised lyke him Receiue a Prophete in the name of a Prophet naye Receiue a Prophet in the name of an enemie as Ahab receiued Elias Art thou here mine enemie If Paule had liued in our dayes he would not haue said Despise not the Prophets but persecute not the Prophets for he should haue seen not onely despisers of the Prophets but mockers of them not onely mockers but slanderers of them not onely slanderers but hunters and biters and smiters of them Ioseph was troubled so soone as hee began to feed his Fathers sheepe so the Pastours are troubled so soone as they beginne to feede their fathers sheepe euerie man thinkes to finde friends against them and though there be no lawe to hurt them yet no man feares to accuse them because authoritie doth disfauour them they cannot tell how to preach nor what to say because there bee so manie Ahabs which woulde haue them say that which pleaseth them though it be not true Charme the charmer neuer so sweetely let his song be neuer so pleasant yet many adders are readie to stop their eares stop his mouth like a bird which was smitten in her song of the Archer whom she singeth vnto euen as Saul let his speare flie at Dauid while he played vpon his harpe to solace and comfort and driue the euill spirite from him so while we play vpon Dauids harpe to solace and comfort driue the euill spirite from you many let the dartes of reproach and the arrowes of slaunder flie at vs saying as the woman said to Eliah If thou hadst not beene my childe had not dyed If wee had not bene their peace had not dyed if we had not bene their sports had not dyed if wee had not bene their customes and their titles and their honors had not dyed And why should not Herode and Archelaus dye which sought the death of the childe Why should not any custome or honour or pleasure dye which seeketh the death of religion Alas saith Ieremiah what haue I done that all men should curse mee If wee do but preach the truth you should not hate vs for the truth Now Obadiah had neede to hide the Prophets again to saue them out of prison where is Rahab that shee might conuey away the seruants of God Once Baals prophets were punished but now Christes Prophets are punished once they did aske Where is the Seer that he may teach vs but now they aske where is the Seer that we may take him once they did builde houses for the prophets lyke the Shunamite but now they take their houses from them and thinke they doo God seruice when they make them their wiues their children their seruants beggers once Paul said to Timothie Let no man despise thy youth shewing that preachers should not be despised for their youth but now they despise the yong prophets and the old too How is the double honour turned to single honour nay how is our honour turned to dishonor If I be a Master saith God where is my feare so if we be prophets where is our reuerence doth not the contempt of prophets cry vnto God as well as the blood of Abel When the messengers which were sent vnto the vineyard for fruit were beaten of them which should haue laden them then it is said that the Lord of the vineyard waxed wroth and said that he wold let the vineyarde vnto others which should yeeld him the fruites thereof The meaning hereof is this that when the preachers teachers which Christ sendeth to his Church for fruits are abused persecuted of them whom they call to the banket
we should put on and calleth it by the name of the giuer The Lord Iesus Christ In stead of gluttonie and drunkennesse and strife and chambering and wantonnesse and other patches of the Diuell wherewith man cloatheth himselfe as with a Garment the Apostle giueth him an other Garment which hee calleth Iesus Christ hee doth not oppose vertue to vice as one would thinke when he had sayd Cast off gluttonie he should haue said Put on sobrietie when hee had said Cast off wantonnesse he should haue said Put on continencie when he said Cast off enuie he should haue said Put on loue But in stead of all vertues he commendeth the example of Christ for euerie vertue and opposeth it to euerie vice as if he should say He which thinketh onely to follow Christ needeth not bee led by the hand frō vertue to vertue but his example will teach him what he shall follow and what he shall flie better than all precepts in the world Therfore this is the best thought in euerie action for a man to thinke what Christ would do which was made not onely redemption and saluation to saue vs 〈◊〉 wisdome and example to guide vs. Therfore hee saith Learne of mee and followe mee as though we should thinke before we speake whether hee would speake so and consider before we do whether he would do so and doe all by his example as the Scholler writeth by his coppie or else we do not learne of him but of our selues and then we go awrie like a childe which scribleth without a rule If thou resoluest to speake and doe no otherwise than Christ would speake and doe himself thou shalt be sure to do al things wel because thou followest a straight patterne therefore studie what this meaneth To put on Christ It is a strange speech a strange Garment They which cannot tell like Nicodemus what Christ meaneth when he sayeth that we must be borne againe cannot tell what Paul meaneth when he sayth Put on Christ as if one man should put on another I thinke manie here may go to the Apostle as the Apostles went to Christ and aske of him Maister expound to vs what is the parable This phrase is read in none but Paul which hath written most of iustification by Christ and therefore he vseth all fit phrases to expresse how we should applie Christ vnto vs and in no tearmes hee hath shewed it more liuely than in this phrase Put on Christ for it signifieth that Christ dooth couer vs like a Garment and defend vs also safely like an armour Hee hideth our vnrighteousnesse with his righteousnesse he couereth our disobedience with his obedience hee shadoweth our death with his death that the wrath of God can not finde vs iudgement can not spie vs the curse can not see vs for the Garment which couereth and hideth vs. But as Iacob got the blessing in the name and apparell of Esau his elder brother so in the name and apparell of Christ our elder brother we receiue the blessing and are receiued into fauour like Christ him selfe For God sayth not This is my beloued Sonne which pleaseth me but In whom I am pleased meaning that not onely Christ pleaseth God but we please God in Christ for Christ is our head Therefore as one looking in the face of a man dooth like him straight if hee like his face so God beholding vs in the face of Christ doth loue vs straight because the face dooth please him But Christ is not our head vnlesse we be his members Christ is not our garment vnlesse we put him on as Christ did put on our Garment when he cloathed himself with our flesh and tooke our infirmities and bore our curse so wee must put on his Garment that is his righteousnesse his merites and his death which is as strange a vesture to vs as our flesh was to him and much a doo wee haue to put it on and when it is on there is great cunning to weare it cleanly and comely from soyling and renting that such a precious Garment bee not taken from vs againe Therefore many seeme to weare this Garment which shall be thrust from the banket because they weare it not as those which will say when the Lord shall come to iudgement We haue seene thee in our streetes we haue heard thee in our Sinagogues we haue prophecied we haue cast out Diuels we haue wrought miracles by thy name as though if anie had put him on or borne his markes they were the men which were marked like his seruants therfore who but they shall enter into Heauen Yet Christ saith I know you not there is their reward I know you not as if he should answere You weare not my liuerie you beare not my cognisance for all your shewes therefore depart from me so he put them off because they had not put him on for though they had seene his person and heard of his vertues yet they had no faith to apply his mercies his merits his death and his righteousnesse vnto them without which no man can put on Christ nor weare him Faith is the hand which putteth him on Faith taketh first his righteousnesse and couereth her vnrighteousnes then she taketh his obedience and couereth her disobedience then she taketh his patience and couereth her impatiencie then she taketh his temperancie couereth her intemperancie then she taketh his continencie and couereth her incontinencie then she taketh his costancie and couereth her inconstancie then she taketh his faith and couereth her diffidence then she taketh his humilitie and couereth her pride then shee taketh his loue and couereth her rancour and so taketh one robe after another and tricketh her selfe vntill she haue put on Iesus Christ that is vntill she appeare in the sight of God like Iesus Christ clothed with his merites and graces that God hath no power to bee angrie with her because shee commeth so like his sonne This is to put on Iesus Christ as you shall see more liuely when you haue taken a view of the Garment for we are to speake of Christ the Garment and of our putting it on There be many fashions of apparell but they are too light or too heauie or too sad or too course or too stale and all weare out At last the Apostle found a fashion that surpasseth them all it is neuer out of fashion meete for all seasons fit for all persons such a profitable weed that the more it is worn the fresher it is What fashion haue you seene comparable to this It is not like the clothes of Dauids Ambassadours which couered their vpper parts nor like Sauls armour which tired Dauid when hee should fight with it nor like the counterfait of Ieroboams wife which disguised her selfe to go vnknowen nor like the olde ragges of the Gibeonites which deceiued Iosua nor like the paultrie sute of Micah
he poares and gapes vpon it by little and little the loue of it growes more and more in his heart vntill at last he haue mind on nothing else This was the first dotage of Nabuchadnezzar the second was which I haue built by the might of my power What a vaunt was this to say that he built Babylon when al histories accorde that it was built by Semyramis before Nabuchadnezzar was borne therfore why doth he boast of that which an other did The answere is easie why doe other men so now wee see that euery one doth labour to obscure the fame of others that they may shine alone beare the names themselues especially in great buildings for if they doe but adde or alter any thing in Schooles or Hospitals or Colledges they looke straight to bee counted the founders of them and so the founders of many places are forgotten So it is like that Nabuchadnezzar did adde or alter some thing in this Citie and therfore hee tooke all to himselfe as the fashion hath bin euer since but if none had built it but he had been the founder of it as some would seeme yet this had been a proude and arrogant speech to say which I haue built by the might of my power for it was not he which could build Babel no more then Nemrod could finish Babel but vnles the Lord build the house the builders build in vaine Therefore when he sayth By the might of my power he should haue sayd by the might of Gods power But by this you plainely discerne how hard and difficult a thing it is to hit vpon a right word or a good worke which hath not a good thought to bring it foorth Therefore make the roote sweete or the fruite will bee sower counterfaite as cunningly as you can Lastly when he putteth in for the honour of my maiestie hee sheweth that he was of Absoloms humour who although he had deserued shame yet he would haue fame because hee had no children to keepe his name in remembrance therefore he erected a piller which hee called Absoloms place so many stately houses and places in England beare their names of those Lords or others that do possesse or owe them for the like vanitie Heere Absolom thought to bee buryed as Nabuchadnezzar thought to dwell in his pallace but he was cast into a pit as Nabuchadnezzar was turned into the wildernesse So Shebna made his sepulchre in one Countrie and was buryed in another for why should pride haue the reward of humilitie Humilitie saith Salomon goeth before honour that is to say honour is the reward of humilitie yet Nabuchadnezzar would bee honoured for his pride What had he or Shebna or Absolom done that they should erect such monuments to bee praised after death which were not worthy to be praised in their life before the building Nabuchadnezzar had done nothing worth speaking of for because he liued alwayes like a beast therefore GOD punished him like a beast and did hee deserue now to bee spoken of in all ages for heaping stones together Wee may see that great men are proude of a small matter and they looke to bee praised for euerie thing they doe But looke how GOD ouerthwarteth them for oftentimes in that they looke to make theyr greatest glorie they shame themselues most of all and that which they practise to exalt them doth disgrace them that which they doe to winne them loue getteth them hatred sinne so deceiueth them like the blinde Aramites that they take a cleane contrarie way to their desires as wee may see in the eleauenth of Genesis they which built Babel said they would build it to get them a name but they got shame for they could not finish it when they had begun it but were cōfounded in such sort that they knewe not what they did so sodainly they vnderstoode not what one another said So when Nabuchadnezzar came to himselfe againe he shewed that when hee sought his owne honour honour departed from him and hee was made like a beast but when hee sought Gods honour honour came to him againe and hee was made a King This would pull away many toyes from womens backs if they did cōsider how God maketh them ridiculous by that they weare to make thēselues amiable if they did thinke that the apparell which they clogge on to please the world by the secret iudgement of God did not please but displease they would be ashamed of their attire as Eue was of her nakednesse would they weare such gardes and paint their faces but to please See now how God doth mocke them for they are not liked but disliked and worse thought of for it than they which go in russet coates seeke no praise at all they think am I not braue others thinke is she not proud they think am I not sweete others thinke is she not light yet they dreame that euerie man praiseth them for their brauery as Nabuchadnezzar thought that euery one would honor him for his pallace If their brauerie condemne them before men how will it condemne them before God Therefore when Nabuchadnezzar saith For the honor of my Maiestie he should haue saide for the honour of Gods Maiestie and then this had been recorded for his honour indeed and his house had bin the house of God for as we should speake and studie labour to Gods glorie so we should build also to Gods glorie that our houses may bee like temples as Obadiahs was But few seeke glorie that way they had rather pull downe than build in such sort Thus you haue heard what Nabuchadnezzar spake in secret as though GOD would display the thoughts and pride of such builders These are the meditations of Princes noble men whē they behold their buildings or open their coffers or lookvpon their traine swinging after them they thinke as Nabuchadnezzar thought Is not this great Babel is not this great glorie is not this the traine that maketh me reuerenced in the streets are not these the things which shall make my children rich is not this the house that shall keepe my name and cause me to be remembred and make them which are childrē now speake of me hereafter when they shall passe by and looke vp and see these antikes and knackes ouer their heads they will say oh he which built this was a great man he bare a sway both in court and countrie who but he while he liued Although this king be dead buried yet his pride is escaped come to vs. Nabuchadnezzar hath children yet aliue which build as high as he looke as high as he goe as braue as he spend as vainly as he and are as proud as he although they bee not Kings nor Dukes nor Earles nor Knights nor yet good Squires looke vpon their pallaces and think whether they bee of Nabuchadnezzars brood Is not this great Babel and is not Nabuchadnezzar Lord of it Oh if they might liue to walke in
him in the streetes as they doe at his apes and say there goeth a deepe fellowe he hath more wit in his little finger then the rest in their whole bodie You talke of Sectaries how fast they growe and how fast they breed I warrant you where any Sectary hath one sonne Machauil hath a score and those not the brats but the fatlings of the Land which if they had but a dram of religion for an ounce of their policie they might goe like Saints among men But wee speake to the belly that hath no eares Now let vs see the parts of this kings confession that we may see how his thankfulnes did answere to his sinne before he had robbed God of his honor now as though hee came to make restitution he brings praise thankes and glorie in his mouth First he aduanceth Gods power and saith that his kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome in which wordes he confesseth that God was aboue him because that his kingdome was not an euerlasting Kingdome but a momentanie Kingdome like a sparke which riseth from the fire and falleth to the fire againe Therefore he sheweth what a foole he was to vaunt of his Kingdome as though it were like Gods Kingdome which lasteth for euer Secondly hee magnifieth the power of God and sayth that God doth what he listeth both in heauen and in earth and nothing can hinder him or say vnto him what doest thou Vnder which words he confesieth againe that God was aboue him because hee could not raigne as he listed for when hee thought to liue at his pleasure hee was thrust out at doores and God said not to him what doest thou but Thy kingdome shall depart from thee therefore he sheweth what a foole he was to vaunt of his power as though it had beene like Gods power which cannot bee checked Thirdly hee commendeth the iustice of God and saith that his workes were all truth and his waies were all iudgement Vnder which words he confesseth againe that God was aboue him for his waies were all errors and his workes were all sinnes as the ende prooued Therefore he shewes what a foole he was to vaunt of his workes as though they had been like Gods workes which cannot be blamed therefore hee concludes I Nabuchadnezzar praise and extoll and magnifie the King of heauen When hee lighted vpon the right string marke how he harpes vpon it and doubles it and trebles it like a bonde which is ratified with many wordes of like sense so he ratifieth his bonde to God with many words of like meaning I will praise and extoll and magnifie the King of Heauen as if hee would praise him and more than prayse him They which loue with the heart and repent from the bottome praise praise praie and pray giue and giue serue and serue that is when they haue serued him they are ready to serue him againe Here is a glasse for al the children of pride First looke vpon Nabuchadnezzar you that are great men like Nabuchadnezzar For thus will GOD make his example of great men because they should bee examples to others Many wicked men died in Iurie and scarse a man was by to see their ende but Herode was striken before the people that all might see because hee was a wicked King There were many in Babel as proud as Nabuchadnezzar but none but Nabuchadnezzar was made like a beast because hee was a proud King so God doth stomacke sinne in those that beare his owne person As Princes vse to picke those that are principall and chiefe in rebellion to make them examples of terrour to others which were ringleaders in the treason so God doth bend his shot against the captaines of his enemies like the King of Aram which charged his souldiers that they shoulde fight with none but against Achab the King as it is written in the second Booke of Chronicles the eighteenth chapter and thirtieth verse For as Salomon saith in the nineteenth Chapter of his Prouerbes and fiue and twentieth verse Strike the strong and the rest will beware so Iustice shewed vpon a Ruler or great personage dooth terrifie manie If we could see but one of our Nabuchadnezzars so degraded it would make all the rest better in their office thinke when they sit in their maiesties as Queene Hester did that their power is giuen them for the Church and not against the Church Paul being before Festus and Agrippa wisheth not vnto the King Agrippa more wealth or more honor or more riches but more religion which is the greatest want of Princes and Magistrates They sitte in Gods chayre and are called Gods but are not like God but like Mammon except their names and their crownes peraduenture a Dauid or a Salomon or a Iosua that is a few that remember whose person they beare the rest are like Saul and Herod and Nabuchadnezzar which know not frō whome their kingdomes come Nabuchadnezzar built for his honour and they built for their honour Nabuchadnezzar gathered for his wealth and they gather for their welth Nabuchadnezzar sought after his pleasure and they seeke after their pleasure Nabuchadnezzar vaunted of his power and they vaunt of their power what did Nabuchadnezzar which they do not but repent which they doe not I cannot wish them beastes to doe them good like Nabuchadnezzar because it is a question whether they are worse than beasts already but if we could driue them out of their pallaces to liue like beasts in the wildernesse it were a good riddance for there they shoulde doe lesse harme where now their proude hornes doe gore others their hoof is vp to strike euery one that is better than themselues which maketh many flie into the wildernesse from their house and church and calling lest they should fall into their clutches The Lorde which restored Nabuchadnezzar from the likenesse of a beast restore them to the likenes of men or els fright them like Nabuchadnezzar to runne from their roomes that better may haue their places Thus you see Nabuchadnezzar was made like a beast that he might die like a man for he could neuer learne from whence his kingdome came vntill he had beene apprentice seuen yeares vnto the crosse and when hee perceiued who took his kingdome from him then he perceiued also who gaue his Kingdome to him and learned his thankefulnesse in the wildernesse when al the blessings were gone which he should haue been thankfull for he thought that God was no body vntill he became like no body himselfe and then who but God no power but of him no honor but from him his first honor came from God as well as his last but when he was like a beast which knew not his owner like a babe which knewe not his Father like an Image which knowes not his maker but nowe hee knoweth from whom Kings raigne and hath learned to say thy Kingdome as well as my Kingdome and is like the elders in the Reuelation which cast
that day that pride is borne in the heart of man as the false Prophets were schooled to speake as the King would haue them so their eyes and feete and tongues are bound to speake and looke and walke as the proud heart doth prompt them If GOD were in loue with fashions hee were neuer better serued than in this age for our world is like a pageant where euery mans apparell is better then himself Once Christ said that soft clothing is in Kings courts but now it is crept into euerie house then the rich glutton ietted in purple euerie day but now the poore vnthrift iets as braue as the glutton with so many circumstances about him that if yee could see how pride would walke herselfe if she did weare apparell she would euen goe like manie in the streetes for she could not goe brauer nor looke stouter nor mince finer nor set on moe laces nor make larger cuts nor carrie more trappings about her then our ruffians and wantons doe at this day How far are these fashions altered from those leather coates which God made in Paradise if their bodies did chaunge formes so often as their apparell chaungeth fashions they should haue more snapes then they haue fingers and toes As Ieroboams wife disguised her self that the Prophet might not know her so we may think that they disguise themselues that God might not knowe them nay they disguise their bodies so till they knowe not themselues for the seruant goeth like his master the handmaide like her Mistresse the subiect like the Prince as though he had forgotten his calling and mistooke himselfe like a man in the darke which puts on another mans coate for his owne that is too wide or too side for his bodie so their attires are so vnfit for their bodies so vnmeete for their calling so contrarie to nature that I cannot call them fitter then the monsters of apparell For the Giants were not so monstrous in nature as their attires are in fashion that if they could see their apparell but with the glance of a spirituall eye how monstrous it makes them like Apes and Puppets and Vices they would fling away their attire as Dauid flung away Sauls armour and bee as much ashamed of their clothes as Adam was of his nakednesse Pride hath been the deuiser of all these vanities which now neither shame nor lawes nor preaching can take away therefore had we not need to shew you how God resisteth this vice that careth not for any else Who can tell how this weede groweth seeing wee haue nothing to be proud of but more cause to be ashamed of our selues and flie from the face of God and man too then Adam our father had we were earth we are flesh and we shall bee wormes meate what cause hath earth or flesh or wormes meate to be proud We are borne in sinne we liue in miserie we shal die in corruption what cause hath sinne or miserie or corruption to puffe vs but to humble vs there is nothing good which we are proud of but a wise man is ashamed of the same things whereof we boast It is a wonder to see how a gay coate or a gold ring or a wrought handkerchiefe can braue a mans minde that he thinkes better of himselfe that day when he weareth them then any day els and speakes and walkes and lookes after another fashion then he did before If ye could say as the disciples said Luk. 10. 17. Lord the diuels are subiect vnto vs Yet saith the Lord glorie not in this how manie things doe we glorie in which we should not if wee may not glorie in the gift of miracles Euen as a couetous man is greedie of an halfpenie and an enuious man is angrie for a word so the proud man is proud of a fether Therefore shall not God resist them which glorie in all things but himselfe and should glorie in nothing but in him as he did emulate the loftie Babel so he dooth resist these loftie minds But for Pride the angels which are in hell should be in heauen but for pride we which are in earth should bee in paradise but for pride Nabuchadnezzar which is in the forest should be in his pallace but for pride Pharaoh which lies with the fishes should be with his nobles no sinne hath pulled so many down as this which promised to set them vp Of all the children of pride the Pope is the father which sitteth in the temple of God and is worshipped as God The Lords ministers are called seruants and his ministers are called Lords but for pride the Pharisies would haue receiued Christ as gently as his disciples but for Pride Herod would haue worshipped Christ as humbly as the shepheardes but for pride our men would goe like Abraham and our women like Sara as they would bee called their children but for pride Noble men would come to Church as well as the people but for pride Gentles would abide reproofe as well as seruants but for pride thou wouldest forgiue thy brother and thy brother would forgiue thee and the Lawyers should haue no worke But when thou thinkest of these things Pride comes in and saith Wilt thou goe like a hagler wilt thou follow Sermons wilt thou take the checke wilt thou put vp wrong what will men say that thou art a mome and a cowarde and a foole and no man will reuerence thee but euerie man will contemne abuse thee Thus men are faine to put on the liuerie of pride as they put on the liueries of Noble men to shrowd and defend them from the contempt of the world Who hath not felt these counsailes in his heart which would not beleeue that any pride was in him Yet as Absolon was a worse sonne then Adoniah because Adoniah rebelled against his brother but Absolon rebelled against his father so pride hath worse children than vanitie of apparell Tyrannie in Princes ambition in Nobles rebellion in Subiects disobedience in Children stubbornnesse in seruants name Pride and thou hast named their mother therfore shall not GOD resist pride which hath sowed so many tares in his grounde that scarse a man can say like Dauid I am not high minded Psal 131. 1. Giue me the mindes of all men humbled and there is nothing left to raise strife in the worlde But as Iames saith The heart of man lusteth after enuie so the heart of man lusteth after pride though he haue many hart breakes and pull downes and many times no countenance to shew it yet if a little sparke be put to the tow you shal see how soon this flaxe will flame therefore Salomon saith Eccles 3. 10. that all the troubles that God layeth vpon a man haue this purpose to humble him as though al troubles were little inough to humble pride and that but for pride there were no need almost of our troubles For the auoiding
of this vice GOD suffereth men to fall into other vices which men abhorre and punish as theft and fornication and drunkennes to make them ashamed by these vices which were not ashamed of pride this is an argument that of all sinnes pride is the worst because God suffereth other sinnes to come and shame vs least we should bee proude Agayne Pride hath this propertie and sleight that it mixeth it selfe with our good workes and followeth vertue As from the ashes of a Phoenix ariseth another Phoenix so of the ashes of our good workes ariseth pride When the diuell cannot stay vs from a good worke then he laboureth by all meanes to make vs proud of it and so he staineth our worke and stealeth our reward For though a man doe neuer so much good yet if he be proude of it hee loseth his reward as the Pharisies did therefore the best and the wisest and the holiest men had need to watch this vice for if they take not great heed it will make them proud of their wisedome and of their zeale and of their goodnes Paul was almost puffed vp with reuelations Aron and Miriam began to rebell because they thought themselues as good as Moses and all the fathers of any heresie began their heresie at this a magnificate opinion of themselues and an ouerweening of their owne gifts So pride setteth vpon the best euen as the temper set vpon Christ Agayne a man had need to take heede of pride for she will not keepe counsaile but if he be proud she will tell that he is proud and therefore is called an impudent sinne because she descrieth her selfe in the eye in the speech in the iesture in the looke in the gaâ—e like the drunkard so that a man cannot bee proud and seeme humble Thus God hath tied a iust punishmeÌ„t to this vice that he which entertaineth the vice that he loueth should not auoid the name which he abhorreth but he shall be esteemed proud and called proud of all that know him and many that know him not shall point at him with their fingers in the streetes say there goes a proud fellow which they pronounce of no vice els but the drunkard because these two bewray themselues Thus you see howe the proud resist God now you shall see how GOD resisteth the proud They are so heady that almost none dare resist them but God I will resist them saith God Therefore when hee heard the proud man say in the 14 of Esaiah I will ascend vp into heauen hee answereth himselfe Thou shalt be brought downe to the graue This is hee which resisteth the proud When Hamans wife heard her husband say that Mordecai was against him because he was an Israelite she sayd that her husband should take the soile and Mordecai shoulde preuayle What if she had heard her husband say that the Lord of Mordecai was agaynst him If the seruant bee so terrible who dare encounter with his master God hated Esau and how did Esau prosper though hee was the elder brother yet he missed the birth-right and though his father loued him yet hee could not blesse him because God hated him God was wroth with the Angels and droue them out of heauen God was wroth with Adam and thrust him out of Paradice GOD was wroth with Nabucadnezzar and turned him out of his Pallace God was wroth with Cain and though hee were the first man that was borne of a woman yet God made him a vagabond vpon his owne land GOD was wroth with Saul and though he was the first king that euer was annoynted yet God made his owne hand his executioner GOD was wroth with the olde world and though the earth was naked when they were drowned yet hee regarded nothing but destroyed a world of men together This is he which resisteth the proude what shall wee doe if the world be against vs and the flesh against vs and the diuell against vs and God against vs too which should defend vs In heauen in earth and in the sea he findes vs out And as the displeasure of a king draweth many enemies with it so the displeasure of God setteth all his creatures against vs therefore he is called the Lord of hoasts as though hee came with an armie against vs. When hee fought with the Aramites the Sunne tooke his part when hee fought against the Sodomites the fire tooke his parte when hee fought against the Egyptians the water tooke his parte when he fought against the Murmurers the earth tooke his part when he fought against the Idolaters the Lyons tooke his part when hee fought against the mockers the Beares tooke his part this is hee which resisteth the proud What can hee hope which remembreth that God is set against him and that the Lord of heauen and of earth is his enemie This thought made the Philistines flie say God is come into the hoast No enemie is like this enemie he euer ouercommeth and when hee hath ouercomen he can cast into hell make the diuels torment them againe therefore well might Salomon prophecie Pro. 29. 23. The pride of man shall bring him lowe for God hath ouercome him who brought pride into the world as pride brought him low so Salomon saith it shall bring men low too What a turne is this that that which he tooke like a chayne as Dauid sayth to adorne him doth hang him that which he tooke to exalt him doth debase him that which hee tooke to winne loue getteth hatred that which he tooke to obtaine glory procureth shame as if God did take the sworde out of his hand as Dauid tooke the sworde of Goliah and slewe him with his owne weapon When the Pharisie said he was not like the Publicane Luk. 19. 11. he said true for then he was not like the Publican indeede because the Publican was better than he So when a proude man thinkes best of himselfe then God and men thinke worst of him all his glorie is but like a vapour which clymeth as though it would goe vp to heauen but when it comes to a little height it falles downe againe and neuer ascends more So Adam thought that the faire apple shuld make him like his maker Gen. 3. but God resisted his pride and that apple made him like the Serpent that tempted him with it Absolom thought that rebellion would make him a king 2. Sam. 15. 2. but God resisted his pride and his rebellion hanged him on a tree Nimrod thought that Babel should get him a name Gen. 11. but God resisted his pride the name of his building was called CoÌ„fusioÌ„ euer since Nabuchadnezzar built his pallace for his honor Dan. 4. but God resisted his pride and his pallace spued him out when his seruants remayned in it Shebna builded a sepulcher for his memoriall Esa 22. but GOD resisted his pride and buried
young man to behold as if he should say looke my sonne is this man fit to learne which cannot heare nor see nor speake nor goe Therefore remember thou thy creatour in the dayes of thy youth before this dotage come This then is the leuell of our message to hasten them forward which trauell towards heauen because there is a great space betweene God and vs and much a doe to aspire the toppe of mount Sion but more a doe to aspire the top of the mount of heauen Therefore as Abraham rose early to sacrifice his sonne in the morning so in the morning of thy life sacrifice thy selfe to God and let him which is Alpha in euery thing be Alpha in thy conuersion that is the beginning as well as the ende Because wee are giuen to set the best last that wee may haue a longer time for our sinnes and pleasures like the Iewes in the 1. of Agge 2. which said alway the time was not yet come when they should build the temple Therefore the holy Ghost crieth so often This is the acceptable time this is the day of saluation to day heare his voyce like Rebeccah which taught her sonne the nearest waie to get the blessing When Christ went about to cast out diuels they said that he tormented them before the time so whensoeuer thou goest about to dismisse thy sinnes and pleasures though thou stay till thou bee an olde man yet they will say still that thou dismissest them before the time But then is the time when the diuell saith the time is not yet for the diuell is a lier knoweth that with what liquor our vessels be seasoned at first they will tast of the same euer after whether it be good or bad Therefore as God sueth to haue vs begin at goodnesse so the diuell wooes vs to begin at wickednesse alledging either that wee are not resolued yet to leaue our pleasures or els that God is exceeding mercifull to sinners or else that we shall haue space enough to serue him hereafter So he stands as it were at the ladder foote and keepes vs off with these weapons that wee cannot get vpon the first staffe but one thought or other pulleth vs backe when the foote is in the stirrop ready to ride away from all our sinnes at once Thus wee haue long purposed to serue God and euery man thinketh that hee should be serued but wee cannot accord of the time when to beginne One saith when I am rich an other saith when I am free another saith when I am setled an other saith when I am olde then my pleasure will leaue me and I shall be fitter to fast and pray and sequester my selfe but now I shal be mocked if I be not like others Thus like bad borrowers when our day is past alreadie we craue a longer and a longer and yet a longer til we be arrested with death so the prince of creatures dieth before he considered why hee liued for as no discipline is vsed where Christs discipline is neglected so no time is obserued where Gods time is omitted It is an olde saying Repentance is neuer too late but it is a true saying Repentance is neuer too soone Therefore we are commaunded to runne that wee may obtaine which is the swiftest pace of man The Cherubines were portraited with wings before the place where the Israelites praied to shew how quickly they went about the Lords businesse The Hound which runnes but for the Hare girdes foorth so soone as he sees the Hare start the Hawke which flyeth but for the Partridge taketh her flight so soone as she spyes the Patridge spring so we should followe the woord so soone as it speaketh and come to our Master so soone as hee calleth For God requiring the first borne for his offering and the first fruites for his seruice requireth the first labours of his seruants and as I may say the maidenhead of euery man Therefore so soone as man was created a law was giuen him to shew that hee should liue vnder obedience from the day that hee is borne So soone as he is borne hee is baptized in the name of God to shew that when we cannot runne to Christ we should creepe vnto him and serue him as we can in youth and age so soone as hee beginneth to praye hee saith Thy name be hallowed thy kingdome come thy will be doone before hee aske his dayly bread to shew that wee should seeke the will of God before the food which we liue by much more before the sinnes and pleasures which we perish by so soone as the Lord distributed the Talents he enioyned his seruants to vse them Who is so young which hath not receiued some talēt or other therefore youth cannot excuse him because the talent requires to be asked of euery one which hath it So soone as God had created the man and the woman hee commanded them to increase and multiplie shall we increase and multiplie in the flesh before we encrease and multiplie in the spirit the first thing which God did after hee had created heauen and earth he did separate light from darkenes to shew vs how we should separate good from euill before our good become euill The first lesson that Iohn taught was Repent for the kingdome of heauen is at hand Math. 3. 2. The first lesson that the Disciples taught was Repent too for the kingdome of heauen is at hand Matth. 10. And the first lesson that Christ taught was repent for the kingdome of heauen is at hand Matth. 4. 10. to teach vs what we should do first Repent was the first lesson to yong and old For what can we owe God to morrow which wee are not indebted to day Therefore Dauid prayed Teach mee O Lord to number my dayes not yeares nor my moneths nor my weekes but my dayes shewing that we shall answere for daies as well as yeares for to day as well as to morrow and for our youth as straightly as our age which made him cry Remember not the sinnes of my youth which hee would not haue spoken if God did not marke the sinnes of youth as well as age Therefore he calleth children vnto him as Salomon dooth and saith that hee will teach them the feare of the Lord. For should children honor their father and not honour God It was a sweete comfort when the children went before Christ to his temple and sang there Hosanna to make their fathers ashamed which did not know the Messias when he came when their little children knew him It is written that when Christ heard a young man answer that hee had kept the commaundementes from his youth Christ beganne to loue him which shewes how Christ loueth these timelie beginnings when wee make him our nurse and drawe our first milke from his brests There is not one confession for olde men and another for young men the old man saith not I did beleeue
in God the young man saith not I will beleeue in God but both say I doe beleeue in God for hee which is called I am in the third of Exodus loueth I am and careth not for I was nor I will be When Christ asketh Peter Louest thou me he looketh that Peter should answere him Yea Lord I loue thee and not driue him off as Felix did Paule I will heare thee I will loue thee when I haue a conuenient time For he which will not come when God cals whatsoeuer he say it is impossible that hee should resolue to come heereafter for hee which is euill how should hee resolue to bee good therefore now or neuer now and euer the tree which buddeth not in spring is dead all the yeare when a man is first maried he may vse the matter so to winne his wife vnto him or to estrange her hart for euer when a Pastor commeth first to a place with a small matter he may make the simple people like him or dislike him so long as he staieth when the heire comes to his lands lightly all his tenants beginne to speake well of him or euill of him when a Prince commeth to the crowne by the lawes which hee maketh first the people gesse how he will rule euer after and eyther dispose theyr hearts to loue him or wish his death Therefore the sage and beaten counsaylers aduised Rehoboam when he beganne to raigne Shew thy selfe louing to the people this day and they will be thy seruants for euer As though all the dayes after could not doo so much as the first Such a victorie it is to beginne well as our Prouerbe saith hee which hath begunne well is halfe his waye especiallie it is good for a man to beginne his repentance before he learne to be euill For herein our minds do follow our bodyes If our children bee deformed in their youth we neuer looke to see them well sauored so if the minde be planted in sinne sildome any goodnesse buddeth out of that stocke For vertue must haue a time to growe the seede is sowne in youth which commeth vp in age And if we can say of others when we see a gracelesse boye thou wilt prooue a wag-string if thou liue to bee elder why should wee if we begin as ill as hee thinke that wee shall bee better and better which iudge that he will be worse and worse as the arrowe is directed at the first so it flyeth all the waye ouer or vnder or beside but it neuer findeth the marke vnlesse it bee leuelled right in the hand so they which make an euill beginning forespeake themselues as it were at the first and wander out all their race because when they should haue leuied their life they tooke their aime amisse Therefore happie are they which haue the arrowe in theyr hande and day before them for they neede not wishe to bee yong againe Now kill the serpent in the egge for when he is a serpent he wil kil thee if thou cannot ouercome sinne in the infancie before the roote fasten and the fence bee made about it how wilt thou struggle with the Lion when he seeth his pawes and sinne is become like an olde man so tough and froward that he will not heare As harde as it is to reclaime one of these olde sinners or graunde Papists which are incorporate into poperie and as poyson is setled in a serpent so harde it will bee to reclaime thee when thou wilt beginne to saye it hath beene my custome and I cannot leaue it Trie thy strength but with one of thy sins and see what shifts what excuses what delayes it will find and how it will importune thee to let it alone as the diuell tormented the Childe before hee went out if thou canst not discharge one vice that thou hast accustomed thy selfe vnto when all thy vices are become customes how wilt thou wrastle with them Therefore wee bende the Tree while it is a twigge and breake the Horse while hee is a Colte and teach the Dogge while hee is a whelpe and tame the Eagle while hee is young Youthe is like the daye to doo all our woorkes in For when the night of age commeth then euerie man sayeth I might haue beene learned I might haue beene a teacher I might haue beene like him or him but the haruest was past before I beganne to sowe And Winter is come now my fruite should rype Thus euerie man that is olde saith he cannot doe that which hee thought to doe and crieth with Salomon Catechise the Childe in his youth and he will remember it when he is olde so corrupt him in his youth and he will remember that too This Nabuchadnezzar perceiued and therefore hee chose the towardliest children of the Israelites to traine them vp in idolatrie like the popish Seminaries that they might be his instruments another day If he had let them alone till they had learned the truth first hee thought that they would not take his way therefore hee tooke them before they had any religion to frame them to his religion If idolatours and Papists be so cunning in their generation to poyson their Children betime least they should prooue Christians after what care appertaineth to Christians to season their children in the spring like the vertuous Ladie which Iohn commendeth least they prooue papists and traytours and reprobates when they looke for comfort of them There was nothing which made Rehoboam to choose such young counsailers when hee beganne to raigne but because they were his companions before therefore they became his counsailers after This is the preferment of our sinnes if they haue been our companions in youth in age they will looke to be our counsailers and masters too Therefore the best season to seeke GOD is to seeke him early before the floudes of wrath arise and the heape of sinnes stand vp like a rampired wall betweene GOD and vs. They which seeke mee earlie shall finde mee saith Wisdome in the 8. of Prouerbes but to them which deferre shee saith they shall seeke mee but they shall not finde me 1. Prouerbes because they did not choose the feare of the Lorde that is when good and euill were set before them they did preferre euill before good as a man chooseth that which hee liketh Therefore when they seeke mee saith GOD they shall not finde mee How doe yee say then that yee will seeke GOD when God himselfe saieth that yee shall not finde him Therefore in the 4. of Prouerbes and the 7. Wisedome is called the beginning to teach vs to seeke Wisedome in the beginning For saith Christ If yee seeke the kingdome of heauen first all the rest shall bee cast vpon you hee saith not if you seeke the world first heauen shall bee cast vpon you but if you seeke heauen first worldly things shall be cast vpon you Hee which dooth beleeue this would first seeke the kingdome of heauen for that which
before ye come to the Lords Supper Purge the olde leauen of maliciousnes and wickednesse out of your hearts that is the leauen which you should purge out of your houses Therefore marke what the Apostle writeth to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 11. I beleeue it is a matter which you did neuer consider For this cause many are weake and sicke among you and many sleepe or die For what cause Because they receiued this holy Sacrament vnworthily and vnreuerently before they were prepared with faith and hope and repentance for this cause many are weak and sicke among you and many die Who did euer thinke that his sicknes or his wants or his infirmities did grow for that he receiued the Lords supper vnworthilie Many causes haue bin supposed but this cause was neuer thoght of Haue any of you said in distresses of bodie or minde This is come vnto me because I did receiue the blessed Sacrament of Christ vnworthilie because I came not prepared with that minde as they which beleeue and know God Yet the Apostle which by his diuine spirit knewe the cause of these calamities among the Corinthians dooth depute their strange diseases sodain death to none other cause but to their vnworthie and vnreuerent receiuing of this holy Sacrament Nay hee saith further That hee which eateth and drinketh this Sacrament vnworthilie eateth and drinketh his owne damnation that is he taketh possession of death hell and damnation euen while he eates as the diuell entred into Iudas while he receiued Nowe if your Phisitian should warne you of such a thing that you take it in season in measure or els it is poison wil kil you I suppose you wold obserue the season and measure and take it in such order as he prescribeth as neere as you could if you beleeue him so if yee beleeue the Apostle that you receiue the Sacrament to your damnation if you receiue it vnworthilie I am sure you will not take it vnreuerently or rashly for all the world If I had the words of motion to speak that which might be spoken of this matter it would fright Iudas himselfe that no man would come to this holy banquet without his wedding garment Consider but this how you would come into the presence of God how would you prepare your selues to come before the maker of heauen and earth which searcheth the reynes knoweth euery corner of the heart If euer ye did approach vnto God if euer yee came neere vnto the Lord you neuer came so neere as now when you come to receiue his bodie and blood and are vnited vnto him in one spirituall body and yet peraduenture many come not so prepared so clensed so dressed so trimmed into the presence of God as Hester did into the presence of Assuerus What doe you thinke of these elements what doe you imagine of this bread and wine They are seales What seales Seales of his word seales of Gods promise seales of your adoption If euer you were instructed or comforted out of this book that instruction comfort is confirmed and ratified vnto you now by Christs seale Christ hath not ordained Sacraments in his church for a fashion or dumb shew that you should feele or see or tast but as the woman which had a bloodie flix when she touched the hem of Christs garment hee said that vertue was gone out of him that is all the graces which these signes represent that is all the blessings that Christ Iesus hath purchased vnto man by his death Now because if you receiue this Sacrament rightly you are vnited vnto Christ as the members with the head if euer you did beleeue or loue or repent before this requireth you to beleeue and loue and repent more because now you are Christs body which shewes that ye must obey Christ the head like members of the bodie for the bodie is ruled by the head What haue you now to receiue al these blessings If ye haue not faith how can you lay hold of any promises or merits of Christ to say this is mine If you had a hand to take and a fayth to apprehend now you might eat of that bread which is better then Manna which he that tasteth doth not hunger again after any pleasure in the worlde Heere is enough for Abraham and Abrahams seede Come vnto it all that thirst and it will refresh you Happiâ—r is that man nowe that hath his wedding garment than the rich glutton that fareth deliciously and goeth in purple euerie day Now you are the Lords guests and the Lord himselfe is your feast and this feaste is before you the holiest meat that euer you did eate and the comfortablest meate that euer ye did eate and yet the dangeroust meate that euer you did eate you stand vpon life or death you eate to saluation or damnation there is nothing in this world which you can receiue with greater benefite or with greater perill Adam did not eate the forbidden fruite with greater danger Adam could not tast the tree of life with greater fruite than you may taste and receiue this Sacrament The Arke was a signe of mercie yet Vzziah was slaine for touching the Arke vnreuerentlie Circumcision was a good thing yet Circumcision did not profite the Sichemites but was away to make their enemies slaie them because they were not circumcised for Religion but for lucre so if ye receiue for custome and not for deuotion this Sacrament shall bee to you as Circumcision was to them Therefore take heede how you receiue as they receiued least you meere with a curse when you looke for a blessing If thou remembrest any sin against God or against thy neighbour leaue thine offering at the Altar and be reconciled before thou come into his presence for if stubble come to fire there is no waie but burne now beloued let faith and loue and repentance haue their perfect worke that you may receiue this Sacrament as Christ would haue you rceiue it God grant you as much profit by it as is offered in it so much comfort of it as it hath brought to any whosoeuer haue receiued it faithfully reuerently and worthily before you FINIS THE GODLIE MANS REQVEST PSALM 90. 12. Teach vs O Lord to number our daies that wee may applie our hearts to wisedome THis Psalme was compyled by Moses as ye may see by the title at what time the Spies returned from the land of Canaan and God for the murmuring of the people pronounced that al which were aboue twentie yeares old should die in the wildernes except Caleb and Iosua that encouraged their brethren to goe to Canaan Now when Moses heard the sentence of death pronounced against himselfe and all the Iewes which came out of Egypt except only two Caleb and Iosua that all should die before they came to the land which they sought he prayeth thus for himselfe and the rest Teach vs O Lord to number our daies
A seruant of seruants shall he be as if he should say a seruant and more than a seruant that is of a seruile condition and seruile minde As the Sabbaoth of Sabbaoths signifieth a high Sabbaoth and as the Song of Songs signifieth an excellent Song and as the Holie of holiest signifieth the holiest place and as the Lord of Lords signifieth the chiefest Lord so Vanitie of Vanities signifieth the gretest Vanitie and seruant of seruants signifieth the vilest seruant Seeing then that the Pope taketh this name vnto him and writeth himselfe The seruant of seruants in all his Indulgences as thogh he did ground vpō this curse of Cham it seemeth that the Lord would shew thereby who is like Cham and who is cursed therefore let not vs denie him that which the holy Ghost dooth giue him but as hee taketh Chams name so let him take his curse too Cursed be Canaan c. It was not Canaan which tempted Shem and Iaphet to gaze vpon their fathers nakednesse but it was Cham. How commeth it then that Noah dooth curse Canaan and not Cham In the 22. verse Cham is called the father of Canaan so that Canaan was Chams sonne therefore God not content with the punishment of Cham alone saith Cursed be Canaan also shewing that both Cham and Canaan the father and the children shall bee cursed for this impietie because Cham had shewed himselfe a rebellious childe to Noah God sheweth that his children shall doo the like by him Heere is to bee noted that whereas Cham had elder sonnes then Canaan and Canaan was his yongest yet God for a purpose nameth the yongest in the curse shewing that his wrath should last euen to the yongest and be a great while before it were forgotten Here is to be noted againe that whereas the countrey of Canaan was so fruitfull so blessed a countrey that it was called the land that floweth with milk honny yet vnder the name of Canaan Chams youngest sonne of whome the countrey of Canaan tooke the name God sheweth that the Canaanites shall be cursed in this blessed land as Cain was a vagabond vppon his owne ground to shew that the ioye of heart and peace of conscience commeth from God and nothing else Now the issues which followed vpon this curse doe shew that Noah spake not from the spleen but from the spirite of God For first you read how the Canaanites who came of Canaan were slaine of the Israelites then you reade how the Gibeonites which came of Canaan were made slaues to the Israelites then you reade how the Egyptians and Ethiopians which came of Canaan were taken captiue by the king of Ashur then you reade how Nemrod and his complices that came of Canaan were confounded at Babel when they went about to exalt themselues Beside where as length of daies is a blessing to them which honour their father Cham which dishonoured his father had not one sonne of his line which liued aboue an hundreth yeares so as Isaac said Iacob haue I blessed and hee shallbee blessed so Noah may say Cham haue I cursed and he shall be cursed for he was cursed indeede cursed in himselfe and cursed in his children cursed in heauen and cursed in earth cursed with God and cursed with men for after this he began to bee abhorred and they that came of him Therefore Abraham commaunded his seruant that hee should not choose a wife for his sonne of the Canaanites Isaac giueth the like commaundement to his sonne Iacob because they were a cursed nation and hated of God euer since Noah saide Cursed bee Canaan Thus when Cham saide vnto his brethren Come and I will shew you my father naked he might haue saide Come and I will shew you my selfe accursed If GOD haue such wrath against a scorner think whether thou followest not some sinne worse then scorning Now after Noah had cursed Cham hee blessed his brethren Blessed bee the Lord God of Shem c. Of Shem came the Iewes which had the first blessing and therefore Shem is blessed first of Iaphet came the Gentiles which had the latter blessing and therefore Iaphet is blessed after the forme of Shems blessing is Blessed be the Lord God of Shem c. One which heareth this blessing would thinke that Noah did not blesse Shem but that hee blessed God for he saith not blessed be Shem but blessed bee the Lord God of Shem. This is to signifie that as cursed Canaan came of Cham so the blessed Messias should come of Shem which though he were Shems sonne yet heere hee is called Shems Lord as hee was called Dauids sonne and Dauids Lord. Then to shew that Noah dooth not blesse Shem but God dooth blesse him and Noah prayed that hee might bee blessed as Christ gaue the spirite and Iohn ministred but the water Thirdly to shew that God for blessing vs should be blessed of vs and therefore Noah said Blessed bee the Lord God of Shem c. as if hee should say blessed bee the Lord which blesseth Shem. Further this sheweth the difference betweene Shems blessing and Iaphets blessing that is the Iews and the Gentiles for he saith God perswade Iaphet to dwell in the tents of Shem as though Iaphet were not blessed yet but should bee blessed but he saith of Shem Blessed bee the Lord Gods of Shem as if hee should giue him possession and say take thy blessing for to assure him of Gods blessing he calleth God Shems God As were say my landes or my goods so hee might say my God and my Lorde such a propertie the faithfull haue in God As Paul saith God is not the God of the dead but of the liuing so I may say God is not the God of the wicked but of the righteous and therefore he is called The God of Abraham the God of Isaak and the God of Iacob which were all good and righteous and holy men The next blessing is Iaphets the forme of his blessing is God perswade Iaphet to dwell in the tents of Shem that is God perswade the Gentiles which come of Iaphet to imbrace the Religion of the Iewes which come of Shem. See how God counteth it for a blessing to be in the true Religion and how men should bee perswaded vnto it because it is loue which cannot bee forced this is the first prophecie in scripture of the calling of the Gentiles that is of our calling to Christ And to put vs in minde that we were once out of the couenant and but added to the couenant the name of Iaphet which was the father of the Gentiles dooth signifie perswaded or inlarged as it were added to the Church as though the time were when wee were out of the Church therefore first wee are indebted to our good mediatour which added vs to the kingdome when we were out of the kingdome and then that hee did it by persswasion not by compulsion As Noah prayed God to perswade Iapheth so he
9. 24. that is so seek that thou mayst finde so aske that thou mayst obtaine so knocke that it may bee opened so giue that thou maist doe good so suffer that thou maist haue comfort so heare that thou mayst profite How many haue fasted and watched and prayed more than we and yet lost al their deuotion because they thought not of this rule to doe good in a good sort The Papists so they pray care not how they pray for they thinke it enough to pray and therefore when they haue gone ouer their beads their prayer is done although they neuer thought what they asked But Ieremie saith Cursed be he that doth the busines of the Lorde negligently whether hee heare negligently or pray negligently or receiue negligently or preach negligently The Scribes and Pharisies did fast and watch and pray and heare and reade and giue and doe all that we can doe and yet Christ rewardeth al their works with a woe Woe be vnto you Scribes and Pharisies The Disciple which betraied Christ heard so much as the Disciples that loued Christ yet he had no feeling nor comfort nor profite of all his companie with Christ because he did not vse it as the rest did The Iewes did heare more then all the world beside yet because they tooke no heed to that which they heard therefore they crucified him which came to saue them and became the cursedst people vppon the earth which were the blessedst Nation before therefore the A b c. of a Christian is to learne the Arte of hearing We care how wee sow lest our seed should be lost so let vs care how we heare least Gods seede bee lost There is no seede which groweth so fast as Gods seede if it bee sowne well therefore that I may shewe you that methode of hearing which Christ commendeth heere to his disciples it is necessarie to obserue fiue things First the necessitie of hearing secondly the fruite which commeth by hearing thirdly the kindes of hearers fourthly the danger of hearing amisse fiftly that manner of hearing which will make you remember that which is said and teache you more in a yeare than you haue learned all your life Touching the necessitie of hearing When Christ saith Take heede how you heare hee implieth that all his Disciples should heare nay they which were excommunicate from the prayers and from the councels and from the Sacraments for their sinnes yet were not excommunicate from hearing because they should learne to repent Here that large commaundement of our Sauiour Christ standeth That which I say vnto you I say vnto all therefore it is a general Proclamation Whosoeuer hath an eare to heare let him heare The place implyeth that al should heare though it importeth that al can not heare When the voyce spake from heauen it said nothing but This is my beloued son heare him as thongh all the duties of man were comprised in hearing Whē Christ spake but of one thing which is necessarie he spake of hearing Luke 10. 22. As though it were so necessarie to heare that all necessities should giue place vnto it When men would not heare God spake to the ground Oh earth earth earth heare the word of the Lord Iere 22. 29. shewing that GOD so contemneth them which will not heare that he regardes the earth and the trees and the stones being senselesse creatures aboue them When GOD stroke Zacharias hee made him dumbe but not deafe When GOD stroke Saul hee made him blinde but not deafe When GOD stroke Mephibosheth hee made him lame but not deafe Thus GOD would haue them heare which cannot see nor speake nor goe But there is a diuell which is called the deaffe diuell Marke 9. 25. shewing that the diuell would haue vs deaffe because hee that heareth instruction is in the way to life but Hee which heares not instruction goeth out of the way Prouerbs tenne-seauenteenth To shew the necessitie of hearing the worde which we should heare is called meate in the fifth Chapter and the eleuenth verse of the Epistle to the Hebrues and the want of the Worde is called a famine in the eight chapter of Amos Prophecie and the eleuenth verse as though it were as necessarie for vs to heare as it is to eate Although our heartes are contrarie to the Worde more than to any thing beside yet no man can thinke that this is the Word of GOD but hee thinkes it necessarie to bee heard Besides if Christ bee the Word as Saint Iohn calleth him in the first chapter and fourteenth verse and the Worde is receiued by no other meanes but by hearing onely can anie man then receiue Christ without hearing Let not anie bee thus fonde so vainely to dreame for that were to receiue the Worde without the Worde Therefore as Iohn wept vntill the Booke was opened and so soone as it was opened all the Elders sung so wee shoulde coumpt it the greatest cause of weeping when the worde is taken from vs that wee cannot heare it and the greatest cause of reioycing when it is open to vs that wee may heare without let Thus much of the necessitie of hearing Secondly touching the fruite that commeth by hearing Of all our sences hearing is the sence of learning and therefore Salomon begins his Wisedome with Hearken my sonne Prouer. 1. 8. opening as it were the doore where Wisedome must enter Therefore except in praying temptations neuer trouble a man so much as in hearing which sheweth that these two are the destroyers of the destroyer therefore as the tempter himselfe could not abide to heare the Word when Christ spake so hee cannot abide that wee should heare the Word It must needes bee good for vs which our enemies would keepe from vs. Many hearing the Worde haue met with knowledge haue met with comfort haue met with saluation but without the Worde neuer any was conuerted to GOD. Therefore whensoeuer the Worde is preached euery one may say to himselfe as the Disciples saide to the blinde man Bee of good comfort hee calleth thee bee of good comfort the Lorde calleth thee When Christ heard a woman say Blessed are the breastes which gaue thee sucke Christ replied Blessed are they which heare the Worde of God shewing that his Disciples were more blessed for hearing him than his Mother for bearing him As Isaac gaue Iacob a double blessing so Christ blesseth them againe fo◠in Matthew 16. 17. hee saith Blessed are the eares which heare the things which you heare shewing that the Iewes were more blessed than all the worlde because they had this one blessing to heare the trueth If they be blessed which heare then you come hither for a blessing and hee which is blessed wanteth nothing Euery priuiledge dooth importe some speciall good to him which hath it but it is the priuiledge of man to heare the Worde and therefore the Worde became man because it belongeth onely to man God hath
haunted with an euil spirit yet when he heard Dauid play vpō the Harpe the euill spirit departed frō him so they which heare haue some ease of their sins some peace of conscience some intermission of their feare as Saul had when he heard the Harpe but they which wil not heare haue no intermission of their feare nor of their griefe nor of their sinnes because the euill spirit neuer departeth from them Therefore as all the beasts tremble when the Lyon roareth so let all men hearken when God teacheth The end of the first Sermon The second Sermon IN the ende hereof is prooued that none should preach without due meditation which is a common presumption in these daies and makes the Word and Ministerie despised Now it remaineth that I should teach you so to heare that you may remember that which is sayd and learne more by one Sermon then you reape by tenne Christ calleth none vnto him but them which hunger and thirst as if none were fit to heare the Word but they which hunger after it bring a stomacke with thē It is written of the Hart that when he lifteth vp his eares hee is quicke of hearing heareth euery noise but when he laieth down his eares he is deafe and heareth nothing So it is when you marke and when you mark not They which are quicke of hearing are sure of remembrāce but they which are dull of hearing are short in keeping therefore before I teach you howe to heare giue me leaue againe to say as my Text sayth Take heede how ye heare that both our labors be not lost As there be two spirites so there be two doctrines two wisdomes and two counsels In 1. Timothie 4. 1. There is a doctrine of diuels if you heare that doctrine you hearken to the Diuell as Saul did to a Witch In the fifteenth of Math. there is a doctrine of men which Christ calles Leauen if you hearken to that you shal erre like men because the blind lead the blinde In Gen. 3. there is a counsell of the serpent if you hearken to that you shal perish like Eue. In the 2. Sam. 18. there is a wisdom of Achitophel if you hearkē to that you shall speed like Absolon Of all these Salomon saith Hearken no more to the wordes which make thee to erre But there is another doctrine Act. 13. 12. which is called The doctrine of the Lord of this it is sayd Luk. 8. Whosoeuer hath an eare to heare let him heare Now to shew you how you should heare When Peter Iohn would make the cripple attentiue they said vnto him Looke vpon vs so many to sharpen their attention desire to stand before the preacher that they may look him in the face by this little help Peter sheweth that we had need to vse many helpes to make vs heare well In the thirteenth chapter fifteenth verse of the Prophesie of Ieremie when the Lord speaketh it is saide Heare and giue eare as though we should heare and more than heare This more than heare is to marke and vnderstand and remember and beleeue follow that which we heare Like the Iewes which said All which thou speakest from the Lord we will doe it Exod. 24. So all that which wee speake vnto you from the Lord you should do it Therfore all the commaundements but the last are commaundements of doing And Salomon in the twelfth Chapter of Ecclesiastes and thirteenth verse concludes his doctrine with this which hee calleth the summe of all Feare the Lord and keepe his commandements In the third Chap of Exodus and the fifth verse God teacheth vs how to heare when he speakes to Moses and bids him put off his shooes So we should put off our lusts our thoughts our cares and our fancies and all our businesse when God speaks for he which thinks or doth any thing else when he should doe that which is better though it be good which he doth yet he doth sinne in doing it In the 10 of the Reuelation an Angell teacheth vs how to heare when he willed Iohn to eate the Booke shewing that we should hunger after the word and digest it into euery parte as we digest meate In Math. 15. Christ teacheth vs howe to heare when he saith Heare and vnderstand And againe in Mark 4. when he saith Take heede what ye heare And Esay teacheth you how to heare when he saith Heare for afterwards shewing that more doe heare for the present then for afterwarde because they forget it againe and after a while are neuer the better In 1. Cor. 6. 1. Paul teacheth vs how to heare when he saith Receiue not the grace of God in vaine shewing that many heare cōfort and are not comforted many heare instruction and are not instructed Iames teacheth vs how to heare Cap. 1. 22. when hee saith Be not hearers only but dooers shewing that you should do as you heare as you would haue vs to do as we teach In the 10. of Luke Marie teacheth vs howe to heare when she leaues all to sit at Christs feete and marke his doctrine shewing that wee should not say like the churlish guestes we haue other businesse but that this is our businesse as Christ answered his Parents I must goe about my fathers businesse In Luke 2. the virgine teacheth vs how to heare when she heard the sayings of Anna and Simeon and Christ it is said that she pondered them laid them vp in her heart shewing that our eares shuld be but messengers to the heart for our treasure should be where the heart is as the heart is where the treasure is In the 17. of the Actes the men of Boerea teach vs how to heare when they went home and searched the Scriptures so soone as they had heard Paul preach to see whether Moses and the Prophets did teach the same shewing that the worde is our Touchstone to trie the Doctrines if wee will not crie In the 8. of Luke all the Disciples teach vs how to heare when they noted Christs parable repeated it againe vnto him to know the meaning shewing that we should not onely heare and the preacher onely preach but if you doubt of any thing you should inquire and they should instruct you againe In the third of Luke the Souldiers and the Harlots and the Publicanes teach vs how to heare when they come to require and aske Master what shall we doe shewing that we should come to heare some thing which may incourage vs to this vertue or arme vs against that vice that we goe from hearing to doing as Iohn taught them all these are glasses in the scripture for the hearer to addresse himselfe by before he come to the sermon Beside these other things doe teach vs too As Salomon sayth Go to the Pismire and learne to labour so Christ in the beginning of this Chapter sends vs to the husband-man to learne to heare as he prepareth the
deliuer them to other like an experienst medicine which himselfe hath proued Thus much of preaching nowe to you which heare Thinke that you are gathering Manna and that it is God which speakes vnto you and that you shall giue account for euery lesson which ye heare and therefore record like Marie whē you are gone and the seede which wee sowe shall grow faster then the seed which you sow FINIS THE HEAVENLY THRIFT Whosoeuer hath to him shall bee giuen and whosoeuer hath not from him shall bee taken euen that which it seemeth that hee hath Luke 8. 18. THe next wordes before are take heede howe you heare the reason followes to make vs take heede howe we heare hee saith Whosoeuer hath c. This sentence hath two hands as it were one giueth and the other taketh therfore one calleth it a comfortable saying and a dreadfull saying for it blesseth some and curseth other like Moses which saued the Israelite and slewe the Egyptian Whosoeuer hath to him shalbe giuen there goeth the blessing Whosoeuer hath not from him shall bee taken there runneth the curse Thus looking backe to the words before viz. Take heede how you heare This doctrine commeth vnto vs that he which taketh heed how he heareth sprouteth and flourisheth like a twigge which hath life in it till it come to a tree but hee which taketh no heede how he heareth fadeth and withereth like a stocke which is dead vntill hee hath not onely lost the giftes which hee had but till the spirite doe leaue him too and he seeme as naked to men as Adam did to GOD. The like sentence in the twentie one of Mathew where it is said The kingdom of heauen shall bee taken from you and shall bee giuen to a Nation which will bring foorth the fruites thereof there is a taking from them which bring no fruites and a giuing to them which bring fruites The like is in the 22. of the Reuelat. where it is said Let him which is iust be iust still and let him which is filthie bee filthy still whereby it is meant that the iust shall bee more iust and the filthy shall bee more filthie The like is in the 15. of Iohn 2. where it is saide Euery branch which bringeth no fruite he taketh away but euery branch which bringeth foorth fruite he purgeth that it may bring foorth more fruite The likeis in the 25. of Matthew where this sentence is repeated agayne after the Parable of the Talents as to one seruaunt were committed fiue Talents and to another two and to another one to increase and multiplie and hee which vsed his Talent doubled it and hee which hid his Talent lost it euen so to euery man GOD hath giuen some gifte of Iudgement or tongues or interpretation or counsell to employ and doe good and hee which vseth that gift which God hath giuen him to the profite of others and Gods glorie shall receiue moe giftes of GOD as the seruant which vsed two Talents receiued two more but he which vseth it not but abuseth it as many doe that gifte which he hath shal be taken from him as the odde Talent was from the seruant which had but one shewing that one gifte is too much for the wicked and therefore it shal not stay with him One would thinke it should be sayd Whosoeuer hath not to him shall be giuen and whosoeuer hath from him shall bee taken for God biddeth vs giue to them which want But this is contrarie for he taketh from them which want giueth to them which haue It is sayd that our thoughts are not like Gods thoughtes and so our giftes are not like Gods giftes for he giueth spirituall things and we giue temporall things Temporall things are to be giuen to them which haue not but spirituall things to them which haue Therefore Christ calleth none to receiue his worde and spirite and grace but them which hunger and thirst which is the first possession of heauen When it is saide It shall be giuen GOD sheweth himselfe rich and bountifull because he giueth to them which haue that is hee giueth after he hath giuen for What hath any which hee hath not receiued Therefore none can saie as Esau sayd to Isaac Hast thou but one blessing my Father For he blesseth when he hath blessed as a spring runneth when it hath runne First marke the growthe of Gods giftes in them which vse them how he watereth his seede like a Gardener vntill it spring in the earth and then he watereth it agayne vntill it spring aboue the earth and after hee watereth it agayne vntill it bring foorth fruit vpon the earth therefore GOD is called The Lord of the Haruest because the seede and the blade and the eare and the corne and all doe come from him After you shall see the wan◠and the Eclipse of their giftes which vse them not howe their learning and knowledge and iudgement dooth betray them as strength went from Sampson when hee had lost his hayre till at last they may say like Zedechiah When did the spirite departe from mee When did loue departe from me When did knowledge depart from mee When did my zeale departe from mee The first part of this sentence is like the gratulation to him which vseth this talent in the twēty fiue of Mathew Good and faithfull seruaunt I will make thee Lord ouer much The second part is like the Obiurgation to him which hidde his Talent Naughtie and sloathfull seruant take his Talent from him So GOD beginneth here to separate betweene the sheep and the Goats Iacob shall not be cursed because Esau is cursed Neither shall Esau bee blessed because Iacob is blessed But the Lord Knoweth who are his and who are not and therefore he saith wosoeuer hath and whosoeuer hath not as though he knew them all whosoeuer they bee This Scripture was performed before it was written For when Adam serued GOD God serued him he consulted for a Mansion for him he consulted for meat for him hee consulted for a companion for him vntill Adam rebelled against God wee read of nothing that God did but his workes for Adam sixe dayes together as though he had beene hired to labour for him But when hee left his innocencie then God began to take againe that which he had giuen he lost his wisdome he lost his quietnesse hee lost his libertie hee his glorie hee lost his dwelling like the man which fell amongst theeues Thus while Adam had righteousnesse it might bee sayde of him Whosoeuer hath to him shall bee giuen And when he had not righteousnes it might be sayd of him too From him which hath not shall be taken God is called a Father because he is like a Father which taketh a pleasure to see his sonne thriue and grieueth to see him an vnthrist First he giueth vs a stock to prooue our husbandrie and then if wee thriue with that hee dooth adde more vnto it now a little
Dauid as appeareth in the first booke of Samuel the thirteenth Chapter fourteenth verse As all those whom God set ouer his people in his mercy and not in his anger had some note of excellencie aboue the rest which God chose them by as it were the Magistrates marke the mildest man Numb 12. 3. or the wisest man 1. Reg. 4. 31. or the iustest man Heb. 7. 2. as though if all these had met in one the inquisition should haue staied there and all giue place to him but our vertues are so singled that he which was called the mildest is not called the wisest and hee which was called the wisest is not called the iustest as though God found some defect in his owne election For when hee chose one milde another wise another iust he shewed that hee would haue one which is milde and wise and iust like himselfe that is as I may say a man made euen in print As Paul biddeth to choose widdowes which were widdowes indeed 1. Tim. 5. 3. so we should choose Magistrates which are Magistrates indeed that is such as seem to be sent of God for that purpose as Pharaoh chose Ioseph because he was the fittest in all the Land Gen. 41. 38. Elisha thought that the single spirite was not enough but required that the spirite of Eliah might be doubled vpon him because he was a Prophet which should teach others so we should picke out them which haue a double spirit to be Magistrates because they must gouerne others as God picketh foorth Iosua in Moses roome hee might haue chosen many out of all Israel which had the spirite of widome but he chose Iosua of whom he sayth that hee was full of the spirite of wisedome Deut. 24. 9. shewing that if one bee better than another he should be chosen before the rest because the best haue said Send another Exod. 4. 14. as though none were fit but for want of Angels we are faine to make Magistrates of men Therefore as Samuel went ouer all the sonnes of Ishai to annoint a successour to Saul and put back one after another which thought themselues fit yet there was but one amongst them which pleased God and the Prophet could scarce discerne him so necessarie it is that this choyce bee committed to none but to the godly because he which would haue chosen the best yet liked another before him Therefore there was such a scrutinie amongst the tribes to finde out the man whom God had chosen as Iethro taught Moses to cull out of all the people those which had best courage and feared God and dealt truly and hated couetousnes Therefore a wicked man may not supply the place of God as the Scribes and Pharisies sate in Moses Chaire but as it is said of Iudas Let another take his place so let better take their place for they which are called Gods must be like God If all should be holy as he is holy how much more should they be pure as he is pure wise as he is wise iust as he is iust which beare his name which supplie his person and guide the world vnto good or euill If the race should be to the swift and the battell to the strong then as Saul did exceed all the men of Israel from the shoulders vpward so he which commaunds others should exceede other in giftes of grace that they may know him from the rest and say this is hee for he exceedes the rest in vertue as Saul did in stature like the King of Bees which is fairest of all the hiue Therefore if Pharao would let none but Ioseph gouerne Egypt Pharao shall rise vp against those Kings which care not whom they place ouer their people imitating Rehoboam which made them his companions whome he should haue expelled from his Court 1. King 12. 8. Secondly this extolleth the calling of Magistrates As Iacob honored Iosephs children when he said they should bee called after his name so God honoureth the Magistrates when he giues them his owne name calling them Gods as though there were a kinde of Godhead in them These things pertayne to the wise and they themselues do not alwayes see it yet he which hath a spirituall eye and carries the patterne of GOD in his hart may see another like nesse of God in Magistrates than in common persons As the builders of the Temple had a speciall wisedome and spirit which God gaue them for that worke which they were chosen too so when Samuel had anoynted Dauid hee saith that the spirite of the Lord came vppon Dauid from that day forward as though hee had anoeher spirite after than he had before There is difference betweene Kings inferior Magistrates for the Prince is like a great Image of God the Magistrates are like little Images of God appoynted to rule for God to make lawes for God to reward for GOD to punish for God to speak for God to fight for God to reforme for God and therefore their Battelles are called the Lordes battailes and their Iudgements the Lordes Iudgements and their Throne the Lords Throne and the Kings themselues his Kings to shewe that they are all for God like his hands by some he reacheth mercy by some iustice by some peace by some counsel as Christ distributed the loaues and the fishes by the hands of his Disciples This God requires of all when he cals them Gods to rule as he would rule iudge as he would iudge correct as he would correct reward as hee would reward because it is said that they are instead of the Lord Godâ— that is to doe as he would doo as a Scholler writes by a Copie This is a good studie for Magistrates in all their iudgementes to consider what GOD would doo because they are in steede of God I rule for God I speake for God I iudge for God I reward for God I correct for God then as hee woulde doo and determine so must be my sentence As we should thinke how Christ prayed before we pray and how hee spake before we speake because his actions are our instructions so they should thinke how Christ would iudge before they iudge because Gods lawe is appoynted for their lawe Such a thought must needes leuel the way before them put them in mind of a good iust holy iudgement because God is good iust and holy Thirdly they are called Gods to teach them how they should gouerne Howsoeuer other care for the glory of God the performance of his will the reformation of his Church Princes and Rulers which are Gods themselues are to doe the businesse of God as their owne busines because they are Gods Gods busines is their busines Gods Lawe is their Lawe Gods honour is their honour When the King or Iudge or Magistrate doth seek the Kingdome and glorie of God he should thinke he seeketh his owne
the beginning of his raigne before hee had rebelled a band of men did cleaue to him of whom it is sayd whose hearts God hath touched as though while the Rulers hearts doe stand toward God the peoples hearts should stand toward them and they should carrie them like God to all their desires as it is said of Dauid What soeuer the King did pleased all the people Therefore looking into this Diuine ordinaunce what a power they haue ouer the people which they shoulde neuer haue got from men if GOD had not giuen it them I haue thought it an easie matter to redresse an hundred things which trouble Christendome without reason and none would kicke agaynst it if these Gods would cast downe their Crownes and begin to the rest for all stay vpon them like the alarme which soundeth first to the battell for our experience shewes that there will bee no great good done if the example of the best giue not light vnto the rest Oh woulde that Princely spirite woulde once come vpon them to go before the people which Moses appoynted for the Kings place and not lagge after them like Herod which sayde he would come after the wise men to Christ for if Nicodemus come by night no maruaile though the rest come not at all Thus their name tels them how they should rule and by consequence teacheth how we should obey God calles them Gods therefore he which contemneth them contemneth God God cals them fathers therefore wee must reuerence them like Fathers God cals them Kings Princes Lords Iudges Powers Rulers Gouernours which are names of honor and shall we dishonor them whom GOD doth honour Our first lesson is Feare God the next is Honour the King that is as Paul interpreteth Wee must obey for conscience not against conscience for that were to put a straunger before the King and the King before God which Christ saith haue no power but from God and therefore cannot make themselues Magistrates no more then they can make themselues Gods As none could giue this name but GOD so no man which exalteth himselfe can challenge this honour no more then Simon Magus was great because hee called himselfe a great man But they to whom GOD saith I haue called yee Gods as if he had the naming and appointing of them Euery power is from God for by nature no man can challenge power ouer other but by the Word and therefore euery soule which is subiect to God must be subiect to them for hee which calles them Kings cals vs Subiects this is their patent as the Queene of Sheba sayd to Salomon that God had chosen them kings and set them vpon the throne As he sayd and all things were made so as he saith al things should be Therefore vnles ye heare this I say that ye are Lords Iudges and Magistrates ye are no Lords no Iudges no Magistrates of GOD. And therefore the Pope and his Cleargie to whom God neuer sayd yee are Lords or Iudges or Magistrates are no Lordes no Iudges no Magistrates of GOD but that which the Lorde sayth they are that they are and no more though they put on a triple crowne If they were worthie to bee called as others Pastors Doctors and Teachers wee woulde giue them those titles They which giue them more then the Lord giues them make them proud and insolent and tyrannous more then they which are Lords Iudges and Magistrates indeede But for these vsurped titles and bas-borne honour which they haue encroached from men which puffe them vp and trouble them like Sauls armour they woulde haue intended the duetie of Ministers and Teachers as the Apostles did whereas nowe they are so cumbred and mingled by their vsurping ouer Princes that they are neither good Ministers nor good Magistrates but Linsie wolsie a mingle mangle betweene both nay vtterly falne from both being no shepherds but woolues of whose slaughters all Christian Kingdomes haue been the shambles who seeking a superfluous title they haue for gone all necessarie dueties and but for their formalities a man could not knowe of what profession they are for they neuer preach nor write but to maintaine their kingdome which falles like the Tower of Babel faster then they build Therefore as Naomi sayd Call me no more Naomi which signifieth beautifull but call me Mara which signifieth bitter so they may say Call vs no more Bishops or Pastors or Doctors or Preachers but call vs robbers and sleepers and giants and Pharisies whom we succeed For why should they be called Bishops which doe not watch or Pastors which doe not feede or Doctors which doe not teach or Iustices which doe not Iustice except this bee the reason The Idols were called Gods though they were vnlike God If their bodies had growen as farre out of square since Christs ascension as their titles pompe and honour they might stand in the maine seas and not be drowned for their heads would crowe aboue the water It followeth But yee shall die as a man Heere hee distinguisheth betweene mortall Gods and the immortall God Yee haue seene their glorie now behold their ends They shall all die like others Though they be neuer so rich so goodly so mightie so honourable while their date lasteth yet they may as trulie as Iob call Corruption their father and the worme their mother for the graue shall be the last bed of all flesh As they were borne like men so they shall die like men the same comming in and going out is to all nay if ye respect but the bodie hee might say yee shall die like beastes for Man being in honor saith Dauid may well be compared vnto beasts that perish though hee bee in honour yet he perisheth like the beasts which haue no honour and death will not take his kingdome for a raunsome when GOD dooth but say his time is come When Esay had saide that All flesh was grasse as though hee would correct his speech hee addes and the glorie of it is as the flower of the field As if he should say Some men haue more glorie than other and they are like flowers the other are like grasse no great difference the flower shewes fairer but the grasse stands longer one sieth cuttes both downe like the fatte sheepe and the leane that feede in two pastures but are killed in one slaughter So though the great Man liue in his pallace and the poore man dwelles in his cottage yet both shall meete at the graue and vanish together Euen they which are Lordes and Iudges and Counsailers now are but successors to them which are dead and are neerer to death now than when I beganne to preach of this theame It had been a great Sessions for all other to die but for Magistrates for Princes for Kinges for Emperors to die as they die What a battell is this that leaues no man a liue
Shall the Gods die too Hee giues them their title but he telles them their lot Though their power though their wealth though their honour though their titles though their train though their friends though their case though their pleasures though their diet though their cloathing be not like other yet their ende shall be like other nay their endes are like to bee more fearefull than other For GOD makes him examples of great men as he did of Pharaoh and therefore wee see so many strange and sodaine deathes of Princes more than of other Therefore hee spake heere with the least when hee saide Yee shall die like other for verie fewe of them escape the Swoorde or knife or poyson which other neuer or very seldome feare But if all your subiectes were your friendes yet yee shall dye like them for are yee not colde when Winter comes are yee not withered when ages comes are yee not weake when sickenesse comes and shall yee not goe aswell as the meanest when death comes Therefore bee not proud of thine honour as though it would last alwaies for thou shalt dye and then all thine honour shall forsake thee and another shall rise in thy place as great as thou and when his glasse is run another shall follow him and so another till death haue all Bee not cruell in thine authoritie as though it woulde laste alwaies for thou shalt dye and then thy Authoritie shall dye with thee and they which remayne aliue will sende infinite curses after thee because thy life was as a scourge vnto them Be not secure for thy wealth as though it would last alwaies for thou shalt die and then another shall take thy riches and thou shalt goe to giue account how thou commest by them How many things dooth hee implie when he saith yee shall die This is a Barre in their armes which makes the proudest peacocke laye downe his feathers when hee thinkes vpon it though he pricke them vp againe whereby the holy ghoste woulde haue them learne that nothing will make them liue and rule and deale so well in their thrones as to remember that they shall die and shortlie giue account for all signifying that prosperitie makes vs forgetfull of our endes and that these mortall Gods liue as though they were immortall A hard thing for Princes to remember death they haue no leasure to thinke of it but chop into the earth before they beware like a man which walketh ouer a field couered with snow and sees not his way but when hee thinketh to runne on sodainly falles into a pit euen so they which haue all things at will and swim in pleasure which as a snowe couereth their waie and dazeleth their sight while they thinke to liue on and reioyce still sodainely rush vpon death and make shipwrack in the calme sea Therefore as it is good for them to heare they are Gods so it is meete to knowe they shall die Wherefore ye shall die saith he in the next wordes as if hee would preuent some conceit that they would take of the wordes which hee cast out before hee cooles them quicklie before they swell and deferres not to another time but where he calles them Gods there hee calles them wormes meate lest they should crow betweene the praise and the checke I haue said ye are Gods but ye shall die c. but for this die manie would liue a merrie life and feast and sport and let the world slide but the remembrance of death is like a dampe which puts out all the lightes of pleasure and makes him rub and frounce and whine which thinkes vpon it as if a moate were in his eie O how heauie tidings is this to heare thou shalt die from him which hath life and death in his owne handes when the message is sent to them which raigne like Gods as if he should say Euen you which glister like Angels whom all the world admires and sues and bowes to which are called honourable mightie and gracious Lords I will tell you to what your honour shall come First ye shall wax olde like others then ye shall fall sicke like other then ye shall die like other then ye shall be buried like other then ye shall bee consumd like other then ye shall bee iudged like other euen like the Beggers which crie at your gates one sickens the other sickens one dies the other dies one rots the other rots looke in the graue and shewe me which was Diues and which was Lazarus This is some comfort to the poore that once he shall be like the rich one day he shall bee as wealthie as mightie and as glorious as a King one hower of death will make all alike they which crowed-ouer other and looked downe vpon them like Oakes other shall walke vpon them like worms and they shall be gone as if they hadde neuer beene Where is Alexander that conquered all the worlde and after sought for an other because one woulde not satisfie him Where is Xerxes which coulde not number his Armie for multitude Where is Nemrod which built his nest in the clowdes Where is Sampson which slewe an armie with the iawe of an Asse Where is Constantine Nero Caligula Titus Vespasian Domitian thunderbolts in their times One hundred Princes of Englande are dead and but one aliue the rest are gone to giue account how they ruled here when they sustained the person of God Who would haue thought saith Ieremie that the enemie shoulde haue entred into Ierusalem and spoyled that faire Citie Yet he brake into it and Ierusalem was ransackt like other Who woulde haue thought that Herod which was honoured like a GOD should haue beene deuoured with wormes and sauoured that none could abide him Yet while hee was in his pompe like an Idol sodainelie hee was stroken and all his glorie like the snuffe of a Candell which all men looked vppon euen nowe when it shined and now it so sauors that they tread it vnder foote Who woulde haue thought Iezabel that beautifull temptation shoulde haue beene gnawed with dogs Yet shee was cast vnto dogs not an eare left to season the graue What woulde he thinke that had seene Salomon in his Roialty after seen him in the clay O world vnworthie to be beloued who hath made this proud slaughter Age Sickenes and Death the three sumners which haue no respect of persons made them paie the ransome themselues and bowe to the earth from whence they came there lie the men that were called Gods How soone the flower of this world is faded yesterdaie the tallest Cedar in Libanus to daie like a broken sticke troden vnder foote yesterday the state lieth vppon earth to daie shrouded in earth forsaken forgotten that the poorest wretch would not bee like vnto him which yesterdaie crouched and bowed to his knees Then woe to them which had the names of God and sinnes of men for the mightie shall be mightilie
It is saide that the Disciples prayed continually in the first to the Romans Paul which teacheth vs here to praie without ceasing saith that he himselfe prayed without ceasing As Iacob woulde not let the Angell go before he had blessed him so a Christian should not let God rest before he heare him This is the state that a ChristiaÌ„ should striue to and neuer thinke that hee is sound at the heart till all his thoughts bee a kinde of prayer Now if wee should examine our selues whether we Pray as we should as Paul teacheth vs to examine our selues whether we beleeue as we should I am of opinion that there is no such want in this land as the waÌ„t of praier for it is neglected as though it were neuer commaunded as if there were no God to worship or as if we had no neede of him In the Papists time none were called Beads-men that is men which were bound to pray but the poore men as though none were bounde to pray but poore men but nowe the world goeth as though neither rich nor poore were bounde to pray one would thinke that our deliuerance our of Egipt that our victorie against the Spaniards that the weather which threatneth sicknes that the dearth which threatneth famine should make vs pray and yet it doth not for where is the person which praieth now more thaÌ„ he did before Some are like the fool which saith in his heart there is no God for they pray neuer though Paul say Pray euer Caine was reiected for offering an vnworthie sacrifice 〈…〉 cannot admire but in a circle so they cannot praie but in the church and then they praye when they should heare Some are like the Ephramites which can pronounce euerie word but that which they should so they neuer want wordes but when they speake to God It is straunge to thinke how liuely they are to euerie thing els and how dead they are to praie as many come to Sermons and neuer marke what the Preacher saith vntil he come to this To whome be all praise power and dominion for euer so many praie and neuer marke what they say vntil they come to this Giue vs this day our dailie bread Doost thou thinke that God doth marke that praier which thou doost not marke thy selfe Some come to God as if they did fetch fire a spurt and away like a messenger which is gone before he haue his answere If God wil take a Pater noster of them and heare them for that so it is for they neuer made any other praier in their liues but euen as a child saith Grace so they say Our Father put them out of that and they cannot praie a word no more than the child can make a grace if he be put out of his owne Some are like Nadah and Abihu which neuer looke with what fire their sacrifice is is kindled so they neuer respect with 〈…〉 sometime they praie or maâ—â—ce for reuenge sometime of greedines for riches somtime of lust for pleasure Now as no sacrifice was accepted with God but that which was kindled with the fire which came downe from Heauen so no praier is accepted with God but that which is kindled with some motion from Heauen Their praier neuer ascendeth to Heauen for Abels heart made Abels offering accepted Some are like the builders of Babel which call for one thing when they shoulde call for another so they praie for one thing when they shoulde praie for another when they called for stones they brought them timber when they called for timber they brought them stones so when they call for health God sendes them sicknes when they call for rest God sendes them trouble when they cal for riches God sendes them wants when they call for honor God sendes them shame when they call for ease God sendes them a yoke For it is a iust thing with GOD that they which doo one thing for another should receiue one thing for another Some are like the prodigall sonne which praied but vntill he had gotten his patrimonie and then he forsooke his father which gaue it him so they praie no longer but vntill they haue that which they would haue and then they flie from God as he did from his father and liue like swine in another Countrie till extremitie and penury 〈◊〉 them home again These are the Beadsmen of our age and these are the praiers which wee offer to him which made heauen and earth Wouldest thou regarde his sute which shoulde intreate thee so contemptuouslie as thou intrearest God let vs consider how that praier should obtaine remission of sinne which is sinne it selfe Paul saith Let al which call vpon the name of the Lorde departe from iniquitie as if hee should say the Lord will he are none which praie vnto him but them which depart from iniquitie Salomon saith the praier of the wicked is an abhomination if his best worke be an abhomination what are his worst deedes And the sinner himselfe Therefore hee aduiseth Prepare thy hearte before thou goe into the Temple lest thou offer the Sacrifice of fooles as if hee should say as hee which offereth a present vnto a Prince which the Prince likes not is a foole for his paines This is the cause saith one why God doth not heare our praiers as he did our Fathers because wee pray not with such humilitie and perseuerance as they did Many touched Christ but one drewe vertue out of him so manie praie vnto Christe but fewe draw comfort from him Now if you will knowe what praier is accepted with God Iames saith the praier of the iust auaileth much if it bee feruent hee saith not that the praier of the wicked auaileth anie thing though it bee neuer so feruent but the person must be iust the praier must bee feruent too by this thou knowest then whether thy praier bee accepted with God As God sent downe fire from heauen to consume Eliah his Sacrifice because it pleased him s he will send downe a kind of ioy and lightnes vpon thy heart which shall kindle thee within as the fire kindled Eliahs Sacrifice and sende thee awaie with such a ioie like a Sutor which commeth from the Prince when his petition is graunted this is the ende of euerie praier which is made in Faith as Christ answered the Centurian Be it vnto thee as thou beleeuest So thy heart shall aunswere thee Be it vnto thee as thou beleeuest When we begin to praie we are going from the Diuell and when we ende our praier we are come to God At first manie temptations will hinder thee but with earnestnes thou shalt driue them away Then Make no haste as Salomon saith to get out of the kinges presence For the Lord and thy praier are met together in heauen like Christ and the woman at Iacobs well Seeing then that prayer is such an excellent thing that it
to keep his wickednes in remembrance because hee solde his birth-right for a messe of red pottage So Simon is called the Sorcerer as though GOD would note him for the worst of that name So God knoweth Simon Peter from Simon Magus and Iudas his brother from Iudas his betrayer and therefore as Ieroboam comes in with his trayne after him Ieroboam which made Israel to sinne So Iudas comes in with his trayne after him Iudas which betrayed the Lord For when God sayde I will honour them which honour mee hee signified how hee woulde dishonour them which disnour him and therefore this name is a word of reproach vntill this day and all Traytours are called Iudasses for his sake that the Prophesie might bee fulfilled The names of the wicked shall rot that is they shall be named with lothsomnes and remembred with disdayne as a man passeth by a rotten carrion and stoppeth his nose vntill hee be past it This is the iust wrath of God As Christ promised that Maries good worke shoulde bee spoken of to the worldes ende So hee hath caused Iudas euill worke to bee spoken of vnto the worldes ende too For there were three euilles in one First his practise was impudent because hee offered himselfe to bee a Traytour before he was asked Then it was Couetous because hee was contented to betray his Lord for 30. pence And lastly it was craftie because hee betrayed him with a kisse which is a signe of loue Like this traitour do all other traitours and therefore are all called Iudasses that is impudent and couetous and craftie like their master The next consideration is how Iudas his repentance came vpon him in these wordes When hee sawe that Iesus was condemned c. Peter heard three crowes before he felt any remorse so Iudas saw his Lord apprepended yet he repented not then he saw him accused and yet he repented not then he sawe him mocked yet he repented not then he sawe him buffeted yet he repented not at last he sawe him condemned and then saith Mathew he repented like one which slayeth his friend in his rage and sorroweth when it is past In the sixt of Genesis God is said to repent but GOD repenteth not like men so here the wicked are said to repent but the wicked repent not like the faithfull But as it is said of Esau that he sought repentance so they may bee rather saide to repent than to repent in deede For if Iudas had repented like Peter he should haue been forgiuen like Peter but to shewe that hee did not repent well when he had coÌ„mitted one sinne he addeth another to it for when he had murthered his maister hee murthered himselfe too Therefore if you aske how hee repented I thinke he repented so as most vsurers repent vpon their death-beds There is a shame of sinne guilt of conscience feare of iudgement euen in the reprobate which is a foretaste of hell which the wicked feele euen as peace of conscience ioy in the holy Ghost is a foretaste of heauen which the godly feele before they come thither So Iudas was displeased with the vglines of his trecherie and had a mishapen sorrowe like a Beares whelp but without any conuersion to God or hope of mercie or praier for pardon or purpose to amend Onely hee felt a shame and guilt and anguish in his heart which was rather a punishment of his sinne than a repentance for his sinne and a preparatiue to Hell which he was going vnto for hardnes of heart and despaire of mercie are sinnes punishments for sinne too but true repentaunce is such a sorrow for one sinne as breedeth a dislike of all sinnes and mooueth to pray and resolueth to amende which falleth vpon none but the elect and therefore Paule calleth the heart of the reprobate A heart which cannot repent But if the Papistes doctrine of repentance be true there is nothing wanting in Iudas repentance for in him may bee found all the partes of their repentance For we see in this reprobate contrition of heart confession of mouth and satisfaction of worke which is all the Papistes repentance For contrition it is saide Hee repented For Confession he saith I haue sinned For Satisfaction hee restored his money againe and yet he is Iudas the sonne of perdition and therefore as Christ tolde the Lawyer that one thing was wanting in his obedience so Iudas telleth the Papistes that one thing is wanting in their repentance that is the conuersion of a man to God change of mind when a sinner renounceth himself for shame of his sinne and yeeldeth to righteousnesse with as great loue as euer hee loued wickednes If Iudas had repented so he would rather haue suffered paine like Iob than by vnlawfull meanes ridde himselfe out of paine like Caine which thought to preuent Gods iudgments against him This was not a signe of repentance but a signe of despaire Therefore let euerie one learne this that so long as Gods mercie is greater than mans iniquitie there is no cause to despaire but to hope For why did our Sauiour saue Marie Magdalen which had seuen deuils and spare the theefe which neuer did good but lest as great sinners as they should despaire of mercie if they repented If thou canst knocke his promise bindeth him to open Therefore say not God will not giue but I doe not aske for God is readier to giue then wee to aske The next consideration is how Iudas restored his bribe againe In the first of the Prouerbes 31. Salomon saith The wicked shall bee filled with their owne deuises And in the 14. Chapter 14. verse hee saith They shall be satiat with their owne wayes For Iudas hath sinned so long that now he is wearie of his sinne would restore his bribe againe euen the same daie that he tooke it It was giuen him in the night and in the morning hee brought it backe So soone is the pleasure of sinne ecclipsed Euen nowe his thirtie pence was the sweetest siluer that euer hee fingured and now it is the bitterest money that euer he pursed Therefore let all consider what Abner sayde vnto Ioab Knowest thou not that it will bee bitternes in the latter end 2. Sam. 2. 26. The sting of the Serpent is in his taâ—le so the taile of sin hath the sting that is the ende There is no sinne but it hath three punishmentes which followe it like bondmaides Feare Shame and Guilt Feare of iudgement shame of men and guilt of conscience All these did surprise Iudas at once so studdenlie as Adam spyed his nakednes and though they come after euerie sinne yet they are neuer looked for Gehesi tooke his bribe merrilie but hee did weare it heauilie Iezabel thought that shee had got a Vineyarde for nothing but shee payed more for it than shee woulde giue for all the world So Iudas thought that hee was made for euer when hee
was vndone for euer Heere was the scripture fulfilled The bread of deceit is sweete to a man but his mouth shall be filled with grauell So this gaine of treason was sweete to Iudas but when hee digested it it cracked like grauel in his teeth Who woulde suffer for millions of gold that which Iudas suffereth for thirtie pence and yet manie are contente to sinne for lesse Iudas was a traitour for thirtie pence but a thousand are liars and deceiuers and swearers for a penie If they can get anie thing by lies or oathes or wiles it is like the misterie of their occupation Bee not deceiued the time commeth when you would restore this gaine againe as Iudas did and peraduenture you shall not find the owners where to make restitution How many at the houre of death haue offered their praiers and their supplications and seruice vnto God as Iudas offred his money to the Priests and God woulde not accept it but they dyed as they liued and went from despaire vnto destruction Therefore to day heare his voyce If you will not be so good as Zacheus to restore foure folde for all that you haue gotten by vsurie or briberie or extortion or deceite yet be so good as Iudas to bring againe so much as you haue taken and if you doo it not with Iudas minde but with Zacheus minde it shall be accepted as Zacheus was â— The last consideration is the confession â—â—ich he makes before his death I haue sinned c. Oh Iudas saith one doest thou know that thou hast sinned and diddest not knowe that thou shouldest sinne it is not enough to say I haue sinned So said Saul and Caine and Pharaoh I haue sinned But who saith I will not sinne When sin is past then wee knowe it but if wee did looke to it before then we neede not say I haue sinned for sin is chosen in the darke like bad wares when the faults are not seene Sinne seemes no sinne vntil it come to I haue sinnâ—d that is vntill it be past If Iudas had shewed his repeÌ„tance to God as he shewed it but to men happily his offence might haue founde mercy But he did separate himselfe further from God by his despaire than he was separated before by his treason chose rather to run vnto them which would mock him than vnto him which should succour him Therefore his confession was without remission and though he saide I haue sinned yet God aunsweres not I haue forgiuen to shew that except our repentance be better than his it shal not weigh against one sinne Yet Iudas doth not onelie acknowledge himselfe a sinner which is the most that manie of vs confesse because hee woulde not be counted worse than other but reckoned his sin without an accuser as if one should come forth and 〈◊〉 I haue stolen an horse so he saith I hauâ—◠〈…〉 trayed my maister In what did Iudas sinne in treason then treason is sinne and yet the Papistes counte it a merite as though they should merite by sinne There was neuer any heretike which maintained treason but the Papist Touch not mine annointed saith God nay kill his annointed say they How farre are they from Dauid which would not laie his hand vpon Saul If hee were a man after Gods heart as hee is called then they must be men after the diuels heart After that Iudas had reciued meate of Christ he went about to betray him So after they haue receiued Peace and Plentie and prosperitie of their Prince they goe about to betray her As Dauids enemies longed and saide When will Dauid die and the name of Dauid perish So they long and crie when will Elizabeth die and the name of Elizabeth perish But Elizabeth liueth and they die which seeke her death Iohn cals the Pharisies a generation of Vipers which neuer are borne but their mother dyeth for it How right this fitteth with the papistes for they cannot liue without the death of their mother For the Spaniard which would slaughter them they woulde slaughter the Nurse which cherisheth them Had Zimri Peace saith Iezabel which â—lue his maister So I may say haue they died in peace which would haue slaine their mistresse they which haue not hanged themselues like Iudas haue beene hanged by others like Hammon as though they had beene sent ouer but to visite Tyborn So God hath blessed them that blesse her and cursed them which curse her Therefore some Traitoures haue confessed that they had sinned in betraying the Lords annointed as Iudas confessed that hee had sinned in betraying the Lord himselfe He betraied him as though he had not beene innocent and nowe hee must die he saith I haue betraied innocent bloud Innocent in deede For when he asked his enemies which of them coulde accuse him of sinne they had nothing to answere Innocent in life Innocent in speech and Innocent in thought The infants which be called innocents were not so innocent therefore howe should he bee innocent which betraied the innocentest of all We are taught to be good vnto al but especially to the good but Iudas was naught to all but worst to the best If he had betraied anie he might say I haue sinned because all dissimulation and guile is condemned 1. Pet. 2. 1. But when the innocents are betrayed nay when the innocentest is betraied it seemeth more than sinne because neuer any betraied innocent Christ but Iudas Thus Christ was iustified of his Disciples and his enemies He which betrayed him sayd he was innocent He which condemned him said hee was innocent And the Diuels which made Iudas betray him Pilate condemne him sayde before that hee was the sonne of God and called him holy Thus euery sinner shall bee condemned of himselfe before hee be condemned of God that the Lord may bee iustified when he iudgeth If Iudas coulde haue sayde I beleeue when hee saide I haue sinned God woulde haue aunswered him as Nathan aunswered Dauid Thy sinne is forgiuen But hee confessed and amended not What shall be to them which doe not confesse but defende their sinnes Is not thy sinne worse then Iudas when Iudas saith I haue sinned and thou saist I haue not sinned This is our manner to pleade not guiltie so long as we liue Sinnes and excuses are twinnes borne at a birth one followeth the other Zarah came after Phares out of the wombe Gen. 38. 30. Iudas sayth I haue sinned but wee say I haue not sinned or I haue sinned but a little or I haue sinned against my will so wee minse our sinnes as though they needed no forgiuenes Salomon sayd I am more foolish then anie man but wee would bee counted wiser than anie man Paul called himselfe the greatest sinner but we would be iudged the least sinners so we are ashamed of sinne and yet not ashamed to sinne If we would iudge our selues wee should not be iudged Be not deceiued for sinne doth not ende as it begins When the
and God honoured For after that Iosua had quietly possessed the Lande of Canaan he builded a Tabernacle wherein to call vppon the Lorde not perfect Nowe it followeth in the Text But the Lorde was angrie with mee for your sakes and would not heare me c. So soone as Moses changed his praier God turneth from him and will not heare him So soone we make God to forsake vs if wee doe not according to his will Moses sheweth the cause why God woulde not heare him although he were a great man and in high authority yet he is not ashamed to confesse his fault which hee might haue kept secrete if he would for the people knewe not that he had sinned because the sinne which he committed was not open but secret yea it was but a little repine as in the eleuenth of Numbers the eleuenth verse therefore Moses might haue kept it from them but because hee woulde not iustifie himselfe hee telleth them that the Lorde was angry with him and because hee would not haue the people to iustifie themselues he telleth them it is for their sakes Thus when Moses changeth his prayer God will no longer heare him so wee see that where sin is their prayer is not effectuall so that if wee will hope to receiue by prayer any thing at Gods handes wee must first remooue and take a way the cause of our hinderance which is sinne before wee can receiue the thing wee pray for For here we see that prayer which before pacified the wrath of God which healed Meriam being striken with Leprosie which raised the widdowes Sonne from death to life by which Dauid obtayned victorie which brought downe fire from heauen to consume the Idolaters Sacrifices which brought Ieremiah out of prison and Ionah out of the Fishes belly and made the Sunne to stande stil and the raine to fall from heauen and triumphed ouer all is heere by a little sinne quite ouerthrowne euen like a greate Monarke poysoned with a little Spider But the Lord was angrie with me for your sakes and would not heare me God when Moses had prayed did not graunt his request but was angrie with him but lest Moses should be quite discouraged he straight wayes mitigateth his anger biddeth him be content and speake no more vnto him of that matter God doth not bid him that hee shoulde not praie any more vnto him but that he should pray no more for that thing First God biddeth him to be content as if he should haue said although thou maist not enter into the land yet I will content thee other waies thus God woulde haue vs in what estate soeuer we be to be content with our calling for it is his appointment And seeing he hath in ough to content vs all therefore wee shoulde not murmure nor grudge one at another but be thankfull vnto him because it is his good will and pleasure it shoulde bee so And surelie Moses woulde and was willing that the Iewes should profite by his Doctrine for he hath set it downe in the 20. of Numbers twise and in the 27. 13. in the 32. Deut. 49. and in this place all to the intent to shewe that God is able to content all He is not like to Iacob who when hee had blessed one of his sonnes could not blesse the other but he when hee had blessed the poore blessed the hungry and when hee had blessed the hungrie he blessed them that wept when he had blessed them that wept he blessed them that were reuiled and suffered for Christes sake There is no ende of his blessing because his mercie indureeh for euer God is so mercifull that though we are nor able to praie aright yet he considereth of our praiers and turneth to the best for our good not graunting our request manie times but a better thing than we doe desire of him as when Dauid praied that the Childe gotten in adultery might liue God heard him and did consider of it yet did not graunt his request but a better thing that was that his Sonne Salomon should raigne after him And when our Sauiour Christ praied that that houre might passe ouer him God heard him and did consider of it yet did not grant his request but a better thing that his death should take away the sinnes of the world and here in this place where Moses priaeth God heareth his praier and doth consider of it yet doth not grant his request but a better thing that is that he shall goe into heauenly Canaan Thus wee see that God is so mercifull that hee can scarce punish sinners hee is so louing that often he giueth vs better things than wee can desire who then will offend so merciful and louing a father Let vs seeing God is so merciful vnto vs take heede that we abuse not his mercies lest in so dooing we prouoke him vnto iudgement Now God hath told Moses that he shall not goe into the Land he beginneth to teach him how hee shall doe to see it and biddeth him goe vp into the top of Pisgah and cast his eies Estward and westward and Northward and Southward and behold it c. As a Bird staied with a little string or a strong man in swimming held backe by a small twig so a little sinne staieth this great Captaine that he cannot come within the land of Canaan First God is angry with him enuies him altogether as though hee were not worthy so much as to go vp the mount thus we may see how one of the least sinnes is able to turne from vs all the goodnes all the fauour which God beareth to vs. After God commands Moses to go vp the mount Here Moses obeieth Gods cōmandement but if he had bin like many a murmuring man he would haue denied to go vp the moūt saying what banquet is this to me but a dainty dish set before one forbiddē to eate but Moses had rather die than anger the Lorde againe when he had bid him be content Thus we may learne of Moses to bee content with our calling whether wee haue little or much For God contented Moses as wel with the sight of Canaan as those who possessed it So when GOD hath not ordained vs to see great substance as he hath some of our brethren yet because we should not be discontent he will giue vs as much pleasure at the sight of them in others as though we our selues enioyed them So GOD contenth Moses and he contenteth Iosua for as Iosua came into the land as Moses could not so Moses saw it as Iosua coulde not So I say God contenteth all that Iosua should not enuie Moses nor Moses enuie Iosua And this was the great power of God who although Moses were very old yet was his eie-sight most perfect insomuch that hee could see farther than any of all his company For being vpon the
Mount hee sawe all the land of Gilead vnto Dan and all Nepthalie the land of Ephraim Manasses and all the lande of Iuda vnto the vttermost Sea c. The like to this did neuer any see beeing of the age of Moses who was 120. yeares olde Manie things might Moses haue obiected which might haue hindered him from going vp the Mount For surely it must needes be a griefe to him when he considered that great paine which he had taken in bringing them through the wildernesse and conducting them 40. yeares together and nowe when he had no further to goe but euen ouer Iordaine to be taken a waie then and another which neuer tooke any paines possesse all his labours This I say must bee a great and intollerable thing to fleshe and bloode for when one hath laid a foundation and anothere come and build vpon it surely hee will think himselfe hardly dealt withal Or if one haue drawne a picture head and face and all sauing the legges if one come and drawe the legges and so take his labours hee woulde hardlie take it well You knowe how they which were hired and wrought all the daie long because the had not more than those which began the last houre murmured against the maister of the house Such is our nature and yet notwithstanding all this Moses is content Hee knoweth that God doth him no wrong but is iust and mercifull also He blesseth all alike as Iacobs children were blessed Moses so long as he was vpon the plaine ground could not see the types of heauen but when he was vpon the Mount he saw it before he came to heauen it selfe So let vs euen now seale the Mount as Moses did that we may see and consider these ioyes Which thing shall be to reclaime our heartes from earthly matters As Peter went vp the mount to see Christs glory and Moses went vp the mount to see the lande of promise so let vs ascend from these earthly things to the contemplation of heauenly This should be our iourney till wee come vp to heauen it selfe to clime the hill for we are lowe men of stature like Zacheus who cannot see Christ before we be lifted from the earth so that if we will euer possesse heauen we must pluck our heartes from the earth and then shall we see God nearer than we can possibly if wee keepe our mindes vppon earthlie matters God sheweth himselfe to some nearer to some farther off and to some in parables As the Prophetes sawe God nearer than the Patriarches and the Apostles nearer than the Prophetes As to Abraham hee saide In thy seede Esaiah came nearer and said vnto vs a childe is borne c. Iohn yet came more neare and said Behold the Lamb of God Get thee vp into the top of Pisgah and lift thine eies Westward and Northward Southward and Eastward and beholde it with thine eies for thou shalt not goe ouer this Iordaine Now Moses is in his prospect as Dauid was in his Tower Here he must prepare him selfe to die while hee is looking vpon the land which so long he hath beene in comming to Who woulde not but haue grieued at this That after so long as fourtie yeares trauaile in hope to possesse it should now in the ende bee content with a sight of it and so vanish awaie Yet Moses for all this murmureth not but like Iob taketh it patiently And as hee was vpon the Mount where GOD vanished So heere hee is vpon the Mount and vanisheth away himselfe as it appeareth in Deuteronomie the thirtie foure Chapter and the sixth verse no man knoweth his tombe nor which way hee is gone lest the Iewes shoulde haue worshipped his Reliques as the Papistes doe theirs So good Rulers are taken awaie in a time when death is least suspected As Lot was taken away before the people of Sodom knew as is shewed in the nineteenth Chapter of Genesis and the tenth verse So wee see that when our time is come and our glasse run out that neither our riches nor our wits nor our friends nor any thing that wee haue in this world can cary vs no further No no more than Moses coulde goe ouer this Iordaine But Charge Iosua and incourage him and embolden him for he shall goe before this people and hee shall deuide for inheritance vnto them the land which thou shalt see c. Now Moses fainteth here commeth Iosua a figure of Christ who leadeth the people into Canaan as Christ doth lead them into heauen Moses is no sooner dead but God chooseth another to goe in out before his people And now God chooseth a gouernour See what a man he chooseth O would that God might haue the choosing still for then all gouernours should be such as Iosua for such is our corruption that if we choose our selues that we still choose such as God would not haue chosen and therefore wee had neede to pray to the Lord God as Moses did that hee would appoint a man which may go in out before vs that we be not as sheepe without a shepheard More was spoken touching this point which I haue not noted because I coulde not set it downe in such perfection as it was deliuered But Charge Iosua incourage him and imbolden him c. God would not haue Moses to incourage Iosua words onely but in deeds too and therefore Moses giueth him all the glory he can as Iohn gaue it vnto Christ Charge Iosua incourage him bolden him Heere God woulde haue Iosua incouraged with all the incouragement that may bee as though he coulde neuer bee incouraged enough God had incouraged him himselfe before as in the 21. vers before And I charged Iosua the same time c. And in 27. Deut. Moses setteth him before Eliazar the Priest and he put his hand vpon him and gaue him a charge c. And in 31. Deut. 23. GOD bids him Be strong of a good courage And in 1. Iosua 50. God tels him That there shall not be a man able to withst and him all the dayes of his life For he will be with him and neuer leaue him nor forsake him And againe in the 9. verse hee saith Haue not I commaunded thee not to feare for I will bee with thee whither so euer thou goest And in the 31. of Deut. verse 7. When Moses prepared himselfe to die hee called Iosua bid him Be strong and of a good courage And in 8. Iosua ver 10. the Lorde biddeth him Not to feare when his enemies come vpon him Thus is Iosua incouraged of all and thus should Iosua bee encouraged still But who encourageth Iosua so Nay where is that hee that doth not discourage Iosua Now Iosua is contemned scorned of the vilest And is this to encourage him No Iosua had neede of better incouragemēt than this else Iosua and all the Iosuas in this land will faint
Thou art bound by this commaundement to doe it with all thy strength Therefore when Dauid went about the seruice of God he called al his powers together summoning them like a Cryer All that is within me praise the Lorde If euery parte looke to be glorified of GOD it is reason that euery part should glorifie him for this is all that they pay As euery subiect oweth loyaltie vnto his Prince so euerie member oweth a duety vnto his Creator The heart to loue him the tongue to praise him the eye to marke him the eare to attend him the hand to serue him the foote to followe him and euery parte shoulde serue GOD as it serueth vs Nay more than it serueth vs because wee are bound to loue GOD more than our selues For it is saide Loue God aboue all therefore we must giue more to Gods desire than to our owne desire Christ hath a parte in euery parte Nay euery parte is his parte because hee gaue all for all Shall the hande saye to the heart serue thou him or the heart say to the tongue serue thou him or the tongue say to the eye serue thou him or the eye say to the foote serue thou him Nay if Christ bee the head euery part will serue him for all the bodie is ruled by the head and therefore if hee bee the head euery parte of the bodie will serue him like a head Nowe if you will knowe how euery part may be a sacrifice thus it is When thou canst say with the Virgin Mine heart doth magnifie the Lorde then thine hearte is a sacrifice to God When thou canst saie with Samuell speake Lorde for thy seruant heareth then thine eare is a sacrifice to God When thou canst saie with Dauid Mine eies are euer towarde the Lorde then thine eie is a sacrifice vnto God When thou canst say with Dauid All the daye long I stretch out mine hand to thee then thine handes are a sacrifice to GOD. When thou canst say with Dauid as it appeareth in the 25. Psalme and the twelfth verse My foote standeth in vprightnes then thy feete are a sacrifice to God So at length by following of these examples euerie member is a sacrifice Hee which offereth this sacrifice is freely excused of all sacrifices besides For since Christ sacrificed himselfe God hath required none other sacrifice of Iewes nor Gentiles But that they sacrifice themselues Nowe when God doth require of thee to sacrifice thy bodie he doth but require thee to sacrifice the sinnes of thy body as you may picke out of the next wordes Be chaunged that is chaunge thy thoughts chaunge thy wordes chaunge thy workes Let thy tongue speake no more idelly Let thine eies looke no more to vanitie Let thine eares hearken no more to folly Let thine handes worke no more iniquitie and then thou hast Sacrificed thy bodie This seemes a deare sacrifice to sacrifice the bodie yet thou seest it is but a cheape sacrifice for it is nothing but to sacrifice thy sinnes which woulde Sacrifice thee If GOD had required thee to Sacrifice thy Sonne to him as hee required Abraham Genesis the twentie two Chapter and the second verse Wouldest thou not giue him But nowe he requireth nothing of thee but thy sinnes it is as if he should sue vnto thee for thy shame and thy trouble and thy guilt and thy feare that he might haue all which hurtes thee What wilt thou parte from if thou wilt not part from thine hurte Therefore sacrifice thy bodie and thou hast Sacrificed all that hurts thee Heere Christ is the alter and we the sacrifice and the fire which kindleth it the loue of God and the smoake which goeth vp the cōsumption of our sinnes but a worldly man killed and a spirituall man reuiued and the sacrifice is ended This sacrifice goeth vnder three titles liuing holie and acceptable Euerie one perswades with the Apostle that they shoulde offer it for in it is a holie sacrifice it cannot but please because hee is holy which takes it in that it is a liuing sacrifice it cannot lose them any thing because there is no death nor losse in it as there was in the Iewes sacrifices in that it is an acceptable sacrifice it must needs benefite thē for when the sacrifice is accepted the sacrificer is accepted too as Abel pleased when his sacrifice pleased First it is called a liuing sacrifice because the beasts died when they were sacrificed but men liue when they are sacrificed nay they die vnles they be sacrificed As Abraham did not lose his sonne when he was cōtent to sacrifice him to God so mē do not lose their pleasures when they sacrifice thē to God But as Christ saith He which leaueth father or mother for me shall receiue an hundred folde So he which leaueth any cōfort for God shall receiue an hūdred comforts for it For Gods demands are not onely demands but gifts Hee bids thee sacrifice thy bodie that thou mightest partak the sacrifice of his body Here then is but one Sacrifice for an other one body for another a beggers body for a Kings body Well may he require a liuing sacrifice which hath giuen a dead sacrifice Christ died for vs but hee desireth not our death but our life that we would serue him with our life It is called an holy sacrifice because our bodies are the temples of the holie ghost that is if they are not they shoulde be the Temples of the holy Ghost But as the Iewes abused the Temple of stone so we haue abused the Temple of flesh and there is no waie to make it holy againe but for the holy ghost to dwell in it that is to sacrifice it to God then it is holie because as vertue came out of Christ to heale the womans disease so holynes commeth out of Christ to heale euerye mans sinnes and then they are holie As nothing dooth please vs vnlesse it bee some waie like vs and agreeable to our nature so nothing doth please God but that which is like God therefore because God is holy no sacrifice doth please him but the holie sacrifice therefore holie goeth before acceptable to shewe that our sacrifice is not acceptable vnlesse it be holie Aliniug holy and acceptable sacrifice 3 It is called an acceptable sacrifice because no sacrifice is so accepted as when we offer our selues Therefore Sāuel saith obediēce is better than sacrifice that is it pleaseth God better than sacrifice Now if we must sacrifice to God we should doe as we doe to Princes that is offer that which may be accepted that we may be accepted for our gift or els better vndone than done When Caine had sacrificed to God because his sacrifice was not accepted therefore Moses saith that his countenance was cast downe but if wee sacrifice our bodies our countenance neede not bee cast downe for Paul saith that this sacrifice is accepted All other sacrifices
Antichristes religion yet we bee of Antichristes fashion so long as wee shew foorth the same badge and cognisance you know what I meane This is to iumpe with the world and leape to hell This is not to be in fashion but out of fashion therefore nowe yee shall heare the best fashion It followeth Be you changed by the renewing of your mindes This is the second part of your reasonable seruice The changing and renewing of the minde to the likenesse wherein it was created As before he required you to giue your bodies so here hee requireth you to giue your mindes Outwarde seruice is like a tinckling Cimball though it hath neuer so pleasant a sounde yet it doth not please God because it hath no minde to please him so is the seruice of the eie or the eare or the hand or the foote if the minde be away it may please other like the Cimball but it pleaseth not God The body is a seruant as well as the soule but there is no promise made to the bodilie seruice but to the Spirituall seruice For vnlesse the minde worke the bodie will serue but a while Therefore make cleane within saith Christ Sanctification begins within vntill the minde be renewed the body is neuer sacrificed Therefore now Paul shewes as it were the knife that must kill this sacrifice that is the minde the minde must sacrifice the bodie Be ye chaunged as if he should say Suffer your selues to be chaunged as Noah suffered himselfe to bee couered that is Grien◠not the spirit doe not resist God bee not against your conuersion and GOD wil conuert you God will comfort you God will renew you By this renewing of our minds Paule calleth to our remembrance that once we had a pure minde and that we come the neerer vnto God the neerer we draw to that similitude againe And therefore the Scripture calleth so often for a newe man a newe creature a new heart As ye may reade Psal 51. 10. Dauid praieth the Lorde to create him a new heart not to correct his olde heart but to create him a new heart Shewing that his heart was like an old garment so rotten and tattered that he coulde make no good of it by patching and peecing but must euen cast it off and take a newe Therefore Paul saith Cast off the olde man Not pick him and wash him till hee bee cleane but cast him off and begin a new as Dauid did Wil yee knowe what this renewing is It is the repairing of the Image of God vntill we bee like Adam when hee dwelt in Paradise As there is a whole olde man so there must bee a whole new man the olde man must chaunge with the new man wisedome for wisedome loue for loue feare for feare his worldy wisedome for heauenly wisedome his carnall loue for spirituall loue his seruile feare for Christian feare his idle thoughts for holie thoughts his vaine wordes for holesome wordes his fleshly works for sanctified works If the minde must be so renewed I would know of the Papists where are their pure naturals if our naturals were pure our mindes neede not to bee renewed for it is good to bee pure and euill to change it but because there is no purenes in vs therefore the Apostle would haue vs changed Againe let them tell me why our mindes should bee renewed if we haue free will to doe good if wee list But because our mindes are so corrupted that wee haue no free will to good nor will to doe good neither therefore the Apostle would haue our mindes renewed Thus one word of God hath battered two Castles of Antichrist FINIS A looking Glasse for Christians Rom. 12. 3. I say through the grace that is giuen vnto me to euerie one that is among you that no man presume to vnderstand aboue that which is meete to vnderstand but that he vnderstande according to Sobrietie as God hath dealth to euerie man the measure of faith FIrst of the Preface and then of the counsell In the first verse of this Chapter Paule perswaded the Romanes by the mercie of GOD towardes them heere hee perswadeth them By the grace of GOD towardes him Paul speakes like a man in his deathbed which is set to giue good counsel and goeth from one lesson to another as though hee would speake al with a breath First he counselled them to make their bodies serue God because the bodie is a seruant as well as the soule then he forbad them to fashion themselues to the worlde because no man can serue two contrarie maisters Then he aduised thē to renew their mindes because except the minde be reformed the body will serue but a while And he setteth them to seeke Gods will because the will of man doth seduce him And now to make vp this Testament as it were hee admonisheth them to rest in the knowledge of Gods will and not to search further nor to be proud of their knowledge but to vse their knowledge to humble their pride This lesson may seeme vaine to the Romanes for they were not yet come to be wise and he councelleth thē not to be too wise Paule saith That the Gentiles sought after wisedome but he saith there That the preaching of the Gospell seemed foolishnes vnto them which was wisdom therefore God calleth them a foolish nation because they counted the true wisedome foolishnes and their owne follie wisedome For this cause there was such emulation between the Iew and the Gentile one despised another because they did not accorde what wisedome was although both sought for it Therefore that ye may not only seeke wisdome as the Gentiles did but finde wisedome as Salomon did Paul laieth a foundation for wisedome to stay vpon which he cals Sobrietie Be wise according to Sobrietie which is this By the grace of GOD which is giuen to me Because he speakes to all and his charge is of great moment and they which thinke themselues wise will hardly bee perswaded but that they are wise therefore he comes with authoritie like an ambassadour from GOD and saith By the grace of GOD which is giuen to mee that is by the vertue of mine Apostleship which I haue not receiued from men but from GOD nor from earth but from heauen I charge you that no man among you whether he be learned or vnlearned whether he bee an hearer or a teacher presume to knowe aboue that which is meete to knowe that is make himselfe wiser than he is or boast of the graces which GOD hath giuen him or despise the giftes of God in other or rome beyond his calling or trouble his head with curiosities but that hee bee wise according to sobrietie that is walke within his vocation be humble in his knowledge and vse his gifts to the profite of other as GOD hath giuen to euery man the measure of faith that is remembring that it is a gift of God which hath dealt gifts
from it So much for our food now we come to the qualitie of our foode It must be sincere Sincere both in his sauor and also in effect and operation for as in nourishing our bodie naturally our blood cannot be good if our diet be vnholsome so in feeding our soules spiritually neither our hearts nor affections nor our words nor our workes can be good vnlesse the milke bee wholsome whereupon we feed and therefore as our Sauiour bâ—ds vs take heede what we heare so the Apostle to the like effect giues a caueat to take heede vpon what we feede for there is a pure and fresh doctrine in Ier. 1. 7. and there is a sower and leauened doctrine in Matth. 16. 6. There is a new wine of the Gospel in Matth. 9. 17. there is mixed wine in the cup of Fornicators in Reu. 17. 4. There are wholsome wordes in 2. Tim. 1. 13. and there are corrupt and vnwholsome words Ephes 4. 29. There is a doctrine of God Ioh. 7. 16. and there is a doctrine of Diuels 1. Tim. 4. 1. There is an edifying and a building worde and there is a fretting and a cankred word 2. Tim. 2. 17. As the Prophets children cryed out death in the pot so some places may say death in our foode and hereof it is that we are so often for warned in Scripture to beware of the leauen of the Scribes and Pharisies to take heede of the Prophets which come to vs in sheepes cloathing to beware that no man seduce vs through Philosophie to trie the spirites whether they be of God or no as we must taste our foode before wee digest it to trie our gold before wee treasure it Christ tasted the vineger but would not drinke so when wee taste false doctrine we must reiect it There are many greedy of milke but it is Dragons milke they take great paines to learne but it is to learne the language of Ashdod not the language of Canaan they run to heare but to heare fables and vntruthes Nimrod was as paineful in building of Babel as Salomon in rearing the holy temple Micah entertained a Leuit consecrated his siluer but to an idolatrous worship The Israelites melted their eare-rings but to erect a calfe Iezabel fed a great rout of trencher chaplains but to honor Baal Many desire to haue milke but they wil haue it from dragons poysoned and therefore we are here warned to desire the sincere milke c. For the Lord will not haue the wine of his word to be mingled and mashed with the water of humane inuentions He that hath my word let him speake faithfully what is the chaffe to the Wheat God would not haue one fielde sowed with two kindes of graine to shew vs that hee would not haue one heart filled with two kindes of doctrine Dagon could not stand with the Lords Arke no more can Christs trueth holde any fellowship with the word of error and therefore as the ministers must beware that they make not merchandise of the word of God so must the people also that they drink not any milke but that which is sincere And here ye ought my beloued more carefully to behaue your selues as yee see the diuell more subtilly to assault you and vnder the cloake of zeale and reformation to bring into the Lordes sanctuarie most wicked prophanation As a man will be more warie to trie euery peece of gold when he sees many counterfeit and Flemish angels to flie abroad so when yee see many sortes of doctrine crawling daily like Locusts out of the bottomles pit yee must bee more diligent to taste and trie which is sound and sincere It followeth That ye may grow by it Here is the end of our hearing That we may grow in grace and increase in the faith of righteousnes for the faithfull are called the trees of righteousnes because they must bee alwaies springing liuing stones because they must growe in the building good seruants which must trade and traffique the Lords talents to increase fruitfull branches which must be purged pruned by the hande of the heauenly husbandman Isaac must not alwaies hang on Saraes breast but must be weaned so we must not alwaies be children but grow vp and increase and profite more and more As the star neuer ceased till it came ouer Christ so we must neuer rest walking till wee come to GOD. If we haue faith we must proceede from faith to fayth if we haue loue we must increase and abide in loue if we haue zeale we must endeuour to be consumed with zeale if wee be liberall to the distressed saints of GOD wee must double our liberalitie as Elkana gaue Annah a double portion If we read the Scriptures we must go on and continue in prayer if we giue almes we must step on one foote further and giue them with cheerefulnes and thus as the Eagle continually soareth till she come to the highest so must we still increase till we come to perfection Let vs be led forward vnto perfection as if a faithfull man were like a ship vnder sayle neuer anchoring till he arriue at heauen The greater is our sinne which heare and heare but are neuer the more reformed for our hearing like Pharaohs ill fauored kine which deuoured the fat kine but remained as il fauoured as they were before so many of vs when we haue lugged the breast almost drie after twentie or thirty yeares feeding are as skregged and leane as we were before No man almost among vs is more zealous no maÌ„ more faithfull no man more constant for the truth no man more feruent in religion no man more sanctified no man more diligent in practising nor lesse vitious now then he was one hundred sermons a goe as if wee were night black-rauens which cannot bee washed with all the sope of the Gospel Though wee haue long heard and stil desire to heare yet we doe not grow by our hearing wee are verie dwarfes in Christ scant able to goe little in faith little in loue little in patience little in obedience little in zeal like Zacheus so little that wee cannot see Christ This is an vndoubted euidence that we haue not fleshly but stony hearts which though they bee washed yet they cannot be watred with the sweete showers of the Gospell For is there not in euery tauerne and in euery shop and in euery house and in euery hall as much couetousnes as much briberie as much cosening as much wantonnes as much maliciousnes after this long shine of the word as ther was before Are we not now as slothfull in Gods seruice as dissolute in the practise of Christian dueties as dishonest in our dealing between man and man as proud in our attire as light in our behauiour as hypocritical abroad as sinnefull at home as we were before And what is the reason hereof but that we come to the fountayn rather to
there is of troubles which come from sinne as one heauy messenger came to Iob one after another so now we are not in Paradice but in the wildernesse we must looke for one trouble after another therefore afflictions are called waters because as one waue falleth vpon another so one trouble falleth vpon the head of another As a Beare came to Dauid after a Lyon and a Giant after a Beare and a King after a Giant and Philistines after the King so when they haue fought with pouertie they shall fight with enuie when they haue fought with enuie they shall fight with infamie when they haue fought with infamie they shal fight with sicknes like a labourer which is neuer out of worke This you see the righteous in troubles like the Israelites in exile Now the Lord commeth like Moses to deliuer them aduersitie seeketh out the promise the promise seeketh out fayth fayth seeketh out prayer then God heareth and mercie answereth All this while Christ seemed to sleepe as he did in the shippe nowe hee rebukes the windes and waues and troubles flie before him like a troupe of Woolues before the Shepheard As he asked the adultresse where are thy accusers and she sayd they are gone so he may aske his patients where are your troubles and they may say they are gone the sunne rose and the mists vanished yet saith Dauid God is good to all that are pure in heart that is he remembreth them while he afflicteth them and is preparing an issue while the crosse prepareth them When Christ heard them say he whom thou louest is sicke he answered this sicknes is not to death Ioh. 11. 3. So when it may be sayd he whom God loueth is sicke then it may be sayd this sicknes is not vnto death though it be to the first death yet not to the second Who would thinke when Ionas was in the sea that he should preach at Niniuie who would think wheÌ„ Nabuchadnezzar was in the forrest that he should raigne again in Babel who would think wheÌ„ Ioseph was banished of his brethreÌ„ that his brethreÌ„ shuld seeke vnto him like his seruants who would thinke when Iob scraped his sores vpon the dunghill all his houses were burned all his â—attell stolne all his Children dead that he should be richer then euer he was these are the acts of mercy which make the righteous sing The Lord hath triumphed valiantly This is the priuiledge of the righteous as God saith Ye sons of Iacob are not consumed So they answere againe We are not consumed Therefore Paul saith we are in distresse but we are not forsaken as Christ rose out of his graue so we shall rise out of trouble and when the gold is fined the fire shal hold it no longer WheÌ„ Iesus was in banishment with Mary Ioseph at last the Angel came and said They are dead which sought the childes life so when the daies of our banishment and scarsitie bondage and sicknesse are ended at last tidings shall come that our troubles are dead and then the righteous shall looke vp like Moses when hee was past the sea and see all their enemies all their troubles drowned behinde them then the heart shall daunce like Miriam and sing the song which sounded before Moses The Lorde the Lord is strong mercifull and gratious slow to anger but aboundant in goodnesse and truth And if Dauid had staied at troubles and spoken of nothing but rods the wicked might say as they doe in the 115. Psalme Where is their God and the righteous might coÌ„plaine with Dauid I haue clensed my heart in vaine but as the waters of the sea flow ebbe againe so the waters of afflictioÌ„ flow ebbe again one casteth Moses into the water and another draweth him out of the water There lieth Lazarus at the gate there lieth Ioseph in prison there lyes Ieremie in the dungeon there lies Iob in the Ashes there lyes Iacob in the fields there lies Dauid in the wildernesse there lies Abraham in exile there lies Daniel among the Lions there lies the children in the Furnace at last comes the yeare of Iubile and al the prisoners of the Lorde are set at libertie therefore they are called the prisoners of hope because they may hope to be deliuered c. Therfore God translateth his Crosse from the head to the heart from the heart to the foot from pouertie to sicknesse from sicknesse to labour that wheresoeuer he placeth it we might haue patience knowing that he can remoue it as hee placeth it Then are fulfilled all these sweet scriptures The Lord retaineth not his wrath for euer because mercie pleaseth him Mich. 7. 8. After two dayes he will reuiue vs and the third day he will raise vs vp Ose 6. 2. Surely there is an end and thy hope shall not be cut off Prouer. 23. 18. Heauinesse may endure for a night but ioye will come in the morning Psal 30. 5. He which hath ouercome death and Sathan and the world can easilie ouercome all the troubles in the world rather then Eliah shall starue the Rauens shall feede him rather then Ionah shall drowne the fish shall saue him as when the Glutton did not pitie the Dogs tooke compassion Vntill Dauid saith The Lord will deliuer the righteous and the wicked goe together but now they part one is taken and the other is refused one is deliuered the other is left in prison As Abraham came not to deliuer the Sodomits but to deliuer his brethren so Christ came not to deliuer his enemies but to deliuer his seruants not to deliuer them from troubles but to deliuer theÌ„ out of troubles that they may say as well The Lord hath taken as the Lord hath giuen As Dauid gaue charge to his Souldiers that they should not kill Absolon his sonne though he sent them against Absolon to stay his rebellion so God forbids his crosses to destroye his children though he send them against his children to purge their corruptions As the Angel passed by the houses of the Israelits when he saw the bloud of the lambe vpon their doores so God hath his markes whereby he knoweth whom he should deliuer out of trouble whom he should leaue in trouble to one he saith Take my crosse to another he saith Be thou healed to another he saith Stay till thy time coÌ„meth euerie hard word may be spoken to the godly as wel as the wicked but that deadly word Depart into euerlasting fire Although they seeme to depart here yet then it shall be said come and not depart As Iohn after the voice of thunder heard the voice of harpers so wheÌ„ they haue bin beaten they shal be cherished therefore the trials of the righteous though they be called many troubles yet they are not called euerlasting troubles As Dauid saith here Many
are the troubles of the righteous so in Psalm 32. 10. he sayth Many are the sorowes of the righteous but it followeth the Lord will deliuer them out of all nay saith Salomon when the righteous escape out of trouble the wicked shall come in his stead that is the troubles of the righteous shal shift to the vngodly as the leprosie of Naaman went to Gehezi and therefore the wicked are called the ransome of the iust because they lye in baile for them As one bird chirpeth to another so one plague shal whistle to another and say come and helpe mee to tormēt this sinner for one plague will not serue the Egyptians vntill he be so loden with torments that he crie like Caine My punishment is greater then I can beare The righteous neuer said that their troubles were more or greater or longer then they could beare For God hath promised he will not lay more vpon them then they are able to beare but when they begin to sinke like Peter vpon the Sea then the hande is readie to catch them and straight GOD maketh an issue for theyr troubles As the Viper lept vpon Paul lept off againe so troubles leape vpon the righteous and leape off againe as though they had mistaken the partie and rapt at the wrong doore Therefore Mark the vpright man saith Dauid and beholde the iust for the end of that man is peace Though his beginning be trouble yet his end is peace He will not suffer the righteous to fall for euer he sayth not that he will not suffer him to fall but that he shall not fall for euer that is at last his shackel falleth from him the net breakes the prison openeth and he goes foorth like Lazarus out of his graue to shewe what wonderfull things the Lord hath done for him So Paul after he had spoken of his troubles as thought hee thought vpon this sentence of Dauid repeateth the same of himselfe saying But the Lord deliuered me out of all Therefore one calleth affliction the trance of the righteous because they seeme dead for a while but they wake againe therefore they chalenge their enemies and say Reioyce not against me O mine enemie for though I fall yet I shall rise This should content the righteous to bee deliuered at last as Dauid quieteth himselfe saying By this I know the Lord fauoureth me because mine enemies doe not triumph ouer me not because I haue no enemies or because I haue no troubles which would ouercome me Therefore when he wrote downe Many troubles hee blotteth it as it were with his pen againe as a Merchant raceth his booke when the debt is discharged and in stead of many troubles he putteth in The Lord deliuereth Because he forgiueth all sinnes he is sayd to deliuer from all troubles to shew that wee haue neede of no Sauiour no helper no comforter but him The Lawyer can deliuer his client but from strife the Phisition can deliuer his patient but from sicknesse the Master can deliuer his seruant but from bondage but The Lord sayth Dauid deliuereth out of all As when Moses came to deliuer the Israelites hee would not leaue an hoofe behind him so when the Lord commeth to deliuer the righteous he wil not leaue a trouble behind him but euen as they pray in 25. Psal Deliuer Israel O Lord out of all her troubles so he will answere them B◠thou deliuered out of al thy troubles that is this this and this that trouble that thou thinkest intollerable that trouble which thou thinkest incurable the almightie hath might against all When Iob is tryed not a sore shall sticke vpon him Therefore as Elisha feared not when he saw as many angels as enemies so now you see as many mercies as troubles let the comfort satisfie you which satisfied Paul Feare not for I am with thee thy pardon is comming like the Angell which staid the sword ouer Isaacks head Reade on but a little further and thou shalt heare the voyce which proclaymed warre proclayme peace many troubles in the beginning of the verse and no troubles in the ende What Phisition hath been here The Lord sayth Dauid the Lord was in this place saith Iacob I knew it not So the Lord is in affliction and men know it not he which sayth I put away thine iniquities must say I put away thy infirmitie For there is no Sauiour but one which saith to death I will be thy death As the woman was sicke vntill Christ came so vntill the Lorde come there is nothing but trouble Manie troubles of the righteous but one deliuerer of the righteous manie tortours but one Comforter Troubles come in an hundred wayes like waters through a grate but mercie entreth alwayes at one doore like a pardon which cōmeth only from the Prince therefore sayth GOD In mee is thy helpe Hos 11. 6. I create comfort Esay 65. Marke that he calleth himselfe a creator of comfort that is as there is but one Creator so there is but one Comforter and as hee created all things of nothing so hee createth comfort of nothing that is when all comfort is worne out and no seede of ioy left to raise vp comfort againe then he bringeth comfort out of sorrow as he brought water out of the rocke that wee may say The finger of the Lord hath done this This is the anchor of the righteous As he lookes vpon his troubles the promise commeth in like a messenger from Christ while he is praying and weeping and sayth The Lord will deliuer thee out of all Then hee resolueth like Nehemiah and saith Shall such a man as I flye Shall such a man as I recant If I be faint in the day of aduersitie Salomon saith my strength is small as if hee shoulde say I was neuer strong but did counterfeite like Demas if I want comfort in trouble Salomon sayth A good conscience is a continuall feast As if he should say that I haue not a good conscience if I haue not comfort in the Crosse Therefore I will wayte the Lords leisure because Esay sayth Faith maketh no hast I will not breake his bands because then I am like the Heathen I will not flatter the Iudge because Salomon saith it is vaine I will not betray the cause because GOD hath appoynted it to trye mee I will not offend my brethren because Paul had rather dye than doe so I will not charge my conscience because it can vexe mee more than their bands I will not turne from my profession because I learned it of GOD and vowed to leaue all for it in the daye that I was baptized a Christian Though my friends tempt me like Iobs wife though my flesh flatter mee like Eue though my persecutors would bribe me like Balaac though they which suffer with me should reuolt for feare yet