all in the Lorde The Gods of the Gentiles they haue mouthes and speake not eyes and see not eares and heare not then what can be looked for at their hands But the Lorde is strong and mightic a mercifull God and therefore thorow the Scriptures hee is called a Rocke a Fortresse a strong Tower a Sheeld a horne of saluation a refuge the Lorde of Hoastes with other such like appellations that we might bee assured that our helpe and deliuerance commeth from the Lord. Puttest thou any trust in man whose breath is in his nosthrils Curssed is he that maketh man his strength and flesh his arme Surely Pharaoh and all princes are a broken staffe on which if a man leane it will strike into his hande and pierce it and lay him groueling in the dust It is better therefore to trust in the Lorde then to put anye confidence in Princes Thinkest thou that Angels or Saints or Images can helpe thee O foolish and impious pietie to attribute more vnto the Angels then they dare arrogate vnto themselues The Angell in the Reuelation forbiddeth Iohn to worship him As for the Image we read that to turne the glory of the incorruptible God into the similitude of a corruptible creature is idolatrie Well may I then affirme with Moses curssed be the Image and the Image maker The conclusion therefore of this point is this that we seeke the Lord and his strength euer more that we pray vnto God in humilitie and sinceritie and in full assurance of faith continually who without end is to be sought because without end he is to be beloued The third thing contained in our dutie is what effect this seeking and praying ought to worke in vs comprehended in these wordes If thou be pure and vpright If the clowdes bee full they will powre foorth raine vpon the earth and vnpossible is it that a man that seeketh after God and prayeth to the Almightie should not bring foorth the fruites of a godly life for if the tree be good the fruits cannot be bad and if the head of the water be pure it will send foorth pure waters into the Cesterns Wherefore as good motions are stirred vp by prayer so must they be fostered by practise of life according to that of the Apostle Quenche not the spirit nor greeue the holy one of God by whom yee are sealed to the day of redemption Hee quencheth dearely beloued the spirit which being once lightened with the sparckles of faith and felt Gods motions in his heart dooth neglect to encrease the one to a flame and the other to good workes in his lyfe but with the dogs turneth to his vomit and with the Sow that was washed to her wallowing againe in the mire Therefore beloued loue and seeke the Lord pray to the Almightie be pure and vpright in conuersation flie from sinne as from a serpent for if thou come neere it will bite thee The teeth therof are as the teeth of a Lion to slay the soules of men all iniquitie is as a two edged sword the wounds that it giues cannot be healed I dare not scand as I would vpon these points fearing tediousnes wherfore let this suffice for the former generall part concerning the dutie we owe vnto God Now Gods promises for the performance hereof yeeld vnto vs most plentifull matter of doctrine and consolation First of his iustice that as hee will suffer no sinne vnpunished so he will leaue no good worke vnrewarded but giueth to euery seuerall action his seuerall hyre iust recompence of rewarde Shall the hower come in which all that are in their graues shall heare a voyce come foorth they that haue doone well to the resurrection of life they that haue done euill to the resurrection of condemnation Shall the Lorde search Ierusalem with Lanthorns Shall all foule corners be swept and all pleits and wrinckles be vnfolded Shall the sea graue death and hell giue vp all that is in them and shall all the dead both great and small stand before GOD when the bookes are opened and shall euery man haue praise of God according vnto his deseruing Shall wee then discerne betweene the vessels of honour and of wrath betweene Sheepe and Goates the iust and vniust Finallie shall there bee an infallible generall and incorrupt iudgement wherein the booke of al our offences shall be laide wide open Now God bee mercifull vnto vs bee fauourable O Lord be fauourable But to proceed is it thy nature O Lorde to gather vp the wheat and burne the tares to cut down all frutlesse trees and cast them into the fire yea into a fierie furnace that neuer shall bee quenched into an vtter darknesse where is weeping wayling and gnashing of teeth then bee fauourable O Lord be fauourable Dooth not the Lorde spare Dauid a king and a prophet for murther dooth he not spare the Sichemites for adultery nor Absolon for treason nor Saule for tyrannie nor Elie for negligence nor Achab Ieroboam nor Iezabell for crueltie nor Herod Nabuchadnezar and Lucifer for pride nor Paraoh for incredulitie then be fauourable O Lord bee fauourable to vs in whom almost euery one of these sinnes do dwell remaine Did the Lord for corruption ouerflow the world with water did he burne Sodome for her villanie did he cast Adam and Eue out of Paradise for eating of the forbidden frute did hee stone a poore wretch to death for gathering chips on the Sabaoth day then be fauourable O Lord be fauourable vnto vs. But dooth not the Lord spare the Cedar tree for his height nor the Oake for his strength nor the Poplar for his smoothnes nor the Lawrell for his greennes No verely from the Cedar that is in Lybanon euen to thy Hysope that groweth out of the wall yea euery one that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen down and cast into the fire it is a righteous thing with God to render vengeance to those that disobey him and to destroy such as haue forsaken the law by euerlasting perditiō Behold the Lorde shall come in the great and latter day of iudgement when none shall escape his iudgement seate with clowds shall hee come and euery eye shall see him euen they which pierced him thorow shall also wayle before him being summoned all to appeare moste fearefullye before his imperiall throne of Maiestie then be fauorable O Lord be fauourable Alas with whateies shall we miserable sinners behold him so gloriouslie sitting in his royall kingdom with all his mighty and holy Angels and whole number of Saints sounding with the voice of the archangell trumpet of God causing the heauens to passe away with a noyse and the elements to melt like waxe and the earth to burne with the woorkes thereof yea with what eyes shall wee behold him when we see the Sunne darkened the Moone eclipsed and the starres fall downe from heauen But alas
commaundement hee will deliuer thee there is the promise and thou shalt glorifie him there is the condition To disobey the commaundement is rebellion to distrust the promise is infidelitie to refuse the condition is vile ingratitude Wherefore let vs seeke and seeke earnestlie with a feruent spirit and humblenes of heart and let vs perswade our selues that there is no seeking without finding no opening without knocking The second circumstance to be considered in this point is to whome wee must seeke for these things Our direction is made vnto God For euery good and perfect gift is from aboue descending from the father of lights And as for manie causes we are to seeke to God and to God alone so especiallie for these foure First because wee haue nothing of our selues nor of any other creature but whatsoeuer wee haue wee haue it of God for what hast thou that thou hast not receiued in him wee liue we mooue and haue our beeing Art thou wise in thine owne conceit O remember that the wisdome of the world is foolishnes with God! O consider that the naturall man vnderstandeth not the thinges of God! these things are hid from the wise and prudent and are reuealed to babes and sucklings Alas what were man if hee were once left to himselfe a map of miserie and a sinck of calamitie Alas howe were hee able to resist the fierie dartes of the aduersarie who continually goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom hee may deuoure Heere yee may note first his malice for hee dailye accuseth vs before the cheefe Iudge of the Kings benche when he cannot preuaile in this court but seeth his billes of accusation repelled then hee remooueth the matter to the Court of our owne consciences where on the one side he laieth the bookes of the lawe and statutes made against sinne on the other side the billes of accusation brought in against vs out of the bookes of the lawe alledging these strict places against vs The soule that sinneth shall dye the death Curssed is hee that abideth not in euery pointe of the lawe to doo it On the other side hee bringeth in consciences to witnesse against vs and then inferreth this harde conclusion Therefore there is no hope of saluation Then if hee see that wee appeale from iustice to mercie and say At what time soeuer a sinner repenteth the Iudge putteth all his wickednesse out of his remembrance hee dealeth with vs as craftie worldlings deale in matters of lawe who when they see their matters passe against them in higher Courtes bring downe their case into the countrie to bee decided by the neighbours who either for their simplicitie cannot or for their fauour dare not iudge of the trueth of the matter So our aduersarie though GOD himselfe doo discharge vs though our conscience testifie our innocencie yet hee accuseth in the third Courte before men where hee is bolde to powre out his whole venome and poyson of his malice against vs and to forge what lyes and slaunders and Libels hee list because hee knoweth they shall bee receiued as true Thus hee accused Christ Iesus our blessed Lorde and Sauiour before Poncius Pilate and caused diuers false and vntrue witnesses to come in against him But if hee were malicious onely to wish our destruction and not mightie to wreake his mallice we should haue little cause to feare but hee is mightie therefore hee is termed a Lyon the power of darknes the great Dragon which drew to the earth the third part of the starres of heauen that is with earthlye temptation to haue ouerthrowne them which seemed to shine in the Church of God as Lampes and starres O then how easie is our ouerthrow if the Lord did not hold vs vp which shine not as starres in heauen but creepe like wormes on earth Yet if hee were but malitious and mightie it were better with vs but he is fierce and therefore called a roaring Lyon who laying waite for the bloud of the godly stirreth vp bloud-thirstie persecuters to make themselues drunk with the bloud of the Saints as most grieuouslie hee did from the time of Iohn Baptist to the reigne of Maxentius the space of 294. yeares slaying some by the sworde burning other with fire hanging some on the Gallowes drowning some in Riuers stabing some with forkes of Iron pressing others to death with stones deuouring many thousands of the tender Lambs of Christs flock To this mallice might and rage is added his subtile policie which hee vseth in circumuenting the faithfull he dooth not pitch his tentes in anye one place but walketh about from place to place to spie out his best aduantage in the night hee soweth Tares and in the daye hee hindereth the growth thereof Hee proceedeth after further and added to his pollicie industrie he considereth our natures dispositions to what sinnes wee doe most incline and therevnto hee applyeth himselfe sometimes by flatterie sometimes by feare sometimes by feeding our humours hee subtillie entiseth vs sometimes by violence hee goeth about to enforce vs somtime by changing himselfe into an Angell of light hee endeuoureth to betraye our soules into his hands and in whatsoeuer estate hee findeth vs he thereby taketh occasion to lay siedge to our soules Thus yee see noted in a worde the force of our aduersarie examine nowe your selues whether yee haue anye thing in your selues and you shall find nothing but weakenesse and corruption It is God that giueth strength to the mightie wisdom to the prudent knowledge to the vnderstanding hee teacheth Dauids hand to fight and his fingers to battaile hee giueth strength to his armes to breake a bowe euen a bow of steele wherfore let neither the wise man glory in his wisdom nor the strong man in his strength but let him that glorieth glory only in the Lord. Secondly we are to seeke vnto God alone because none is so present as he for God because hee is almightie and with his power filleth both heauē and earth is present alwaies with them that feare him and readie to succour them in distresse The Lorde is neere to all that call vpon him in truth he heareth our gronings and sighes and knoweth what things are necessary for vs before we aske The third reason why we must seeke vnto God is none is so able to helpe vs as he but of this I shall haue particular occasion to speake when I come to this point and pray to the Almightie The fourth reason why wee must seeke Christ alone is because there is none so willing to helpe vs as he It is a great courage to vs to make sute when we are perswaded of the willingnesse of him to whome we make sute and I pray yee who was euer more carefull for our saluation and more watchfull ouer vs then the Lord who euer put his trust in him and was confounded In this respect he is called a Father because as the father tendreth his sonne so
ye longer then in this place I haue beene accustomed onely remember what the Prophet saith Hee raiseth the needy out of the dust and lifteth the poore out of the mire that he might set him with the Princes euen with the princes of the world Remember the example of Dauid whome the Lord chose and tooke from the Ewes great with young that hee might feede his people in Iaacob and his inheritance in Israell Remember the example of Iob how the Lord turned the captiuitie of Iob as the riuers in the south how he blessed the last dayes of Iob more then the first how he gaue him sheepe and Camels and Oxen and shee Asses in more aboundance then hee had before howe hee encreased him with sonnes and daughters euen to the fourth generation so that hee dyed being olde and full of dayes Remember euen our owne estate for whome the Lorde hath doone great things already as created vs and redeemed vs and sanctified vs and not long since delyuered vs from the gaplng iawes of those that sought to suck our bloud Vppon some hee hath bestowed humilitye whereby their mindes are adorned with vertue honor vppon others whereby their persons are inuested with maiestie vppon others comlinesse whereby the other two are graced vppon others Orchards which they planted not or at least to which they gaue no encrease vppon others encrease of vertuous children whereby their posteritie is preserued vppon others the free passage of his word which along time had beene obscured by ignoraunce the mother of deuotion as the shauelings call it but vnder a stepdame of destruction as wee perceiue it and though hee bestowe but some one or two of his blessings vppon vs yet howe much are wee bounde for these blessings to sing prayse and honour and glorye vnto him that sitteth vppon the throne and vnto the Lambe for euer But vppon whome hee hath bestowed all these blessings O howe strictlye by good cause are they bounde to magnifie the Lord and to reioyce in God theyr Sauiour Examine then your owne consciences I beseech yee whether GOD hath bestowed all these blessings vppon you or no and if he haue O what great cause haue yee to come before his face with prayse to sing lowd vnto him with Psalmes to worship and to fall downe before him to giue vnto the Lorde the glorie of his name to bring an offering of thankes giuing and to enter into his Courts with praise And yet who knoweth whether the Lord hath greater blessings for ye in store yee may be sure hee will pull downe the mightie from their seat and exalt the humble and meeke Surely the Lorde dooth vse vertue as a meane to bring vs to honour and whosoeuer you shall see endued with the vertues of this text I meane with seeking vnto God with prayer and puritie of life yee may bee sure there is a blessing reserued for him of the Lorde yea such a blessing as though his beginning be but small yet his latter end shall greatlie encrease God encrease the loue of these things in our hearts and make vs worthie of Christs blessings which hee hath plentifully in store for vs that after hee hath heaped temporall blessings vpon vs hee would giue vs the blessing of all blessing euen the lyfe of the world to come The time is spent c. let vs end with prayer c. FINIS MARIES CHOISE With prayers written by the same Author By Henrie Smith LONDON â—â—inted by T. Scarlet for Cuthbert Burby 1592. MARIES CHOISE LVKE 10.38 39 c. 38 Now it came to passe as they went that he entered into a certaine towne and a certaine woman named Martha receiued him into her house 39 And she had a sister called Marie which also sate at Iesus feete and heard his preaching 40 But Martha was combered about much seruing and came to him and said Master doest thou not care that my sister hath left me to serue alone bid her therefore that she helpe me 41 And Iesus answered and sayde vnto her Martha Martha thou carest and art troubled about many things 42 But one thing is needfull Marie hath chosen the good part which shall not be taken awaie from her AS Christ had shewed himselfe louing vnto Lazarus and his sisters in raysing him from the death of the body and then from the death of the soule so doe they heere shew their thankful minds to Christ againe the one by receiuing him into hir house and the other by entertaining him into hir heart As he was God hee was receiued of Mary as hee was man hee was receiued of Martha They both desired to entertaine our Sauiour as Iacob and Esau desired to please their aged father but Mary made choise of the better part and was preferred before hir sister as Iacob sped soonest of most daintie Venison and preuented his brother of the blessing And although the care of Martha in the entertaining of Christ be not to be misliked yet Maries diligence in hearing his doctrine is of purpose preferred to teach vs that it is much better with Marie to studie in the worde and first to seeke the kingdom of God then with Martha to labour in the worlde and to neglect that heauenly kingdom And yet notwithstanding such is the corruption of this rustie age that our greatest care is to prouide for this present life as the rich man Luk. 12. that enlarged his barnes wherein to put his store for many yeares but we neuer or very late remember to prouide for the life to come like that other rich man Luk. 16. that neuer thought of heauen till hee was tormented in the flames of hell In the 11. of Iohn Christ is said to loue his whole familie and heere he is said to come vnto them For whom he loueth he cannot choose but visit like the friends of Iob that came to comfort him in his great aduersitie yea and the greater loue hee beareth vnto any the oftner he will resort vnto them yea hee will come and dwell with them Iohn 14.23 Like Iacob that came downe into Egipt to his beloued sonne Ioseph and dwelt in Goshen But Christ is yet more kinde then Iacob was for hee came not till he was sent for with horses and Chariots but Christ came of his owne accord to this beloued familie Thus dooth he alwayes preuent vs with his blessings before hee was desired hee came into the world hee called his Apostles before they came to him and before he was requested he came vnto this noble house O happy house that enterteyned such a guest but thrise happie inhabitants to whome such a guest woulde vouchsafe to come When hee came vnto the swinish Gadarenes they desired him to depart out of their coasts preferring their Swine aboue their Sauiour but this godly family receiued him into their house preferring their God before their golde and the health of their soules before