him in another Countrey where he had no sepulcher prouided Herod hoped when the people cryed at his words It is the voyce of God that hee should be worshipped euer after as God but God resisted his pride and before he descended from his throane the wormes so defaced his pompe that none which called him God would be like vnto him so whē women take more paines to dresse themselues then they doe all the day after and pay deerer to maintaine one vice than they neede to learne all vertues they thinke to please men by it but God resisteth their pride and al that see them though they cap and curtsie to them yet they iudge worse of them and thinke that they would not weare these signes of lightnes and pride vnlesse they were light and proud indeede Thus if their apparell condemne them before men how will it condemne them before GOD If sinne did not blinde them would they so deceiue themselues to take the contrary way and thinke that should honor them which disgraceth other But as Balaam was stopped knew not who stopped him so they are resisted and know not who resisteth them Though they doe al to please yet they can please none they please not God for God resisteth them they please not the humble for the humble are contrarie to thē they please not the proud for the proud doe enuie them which striue to bee as proude as they they please not themselues because they cannot bee so proud and braue as they would bee onely they please the diuell because their pride doth intitle him to them Thus much of Gods battailes against the proud Heere Peter leaueth the proud with this brand in their forehead This is the man whom God resisteth then hee turneth to the lowly and comforteth them But he giueth grace to the humble as if hee should say you are like Iohn the beloued Disciple which leaned on Christs bosome Iohn 13. 23. though God resist the proud yet hee will not frowne vpon you but when he resisteth them he wil giue grace vnto you as if hee should say the proud are without grace for God giueth not grace vnto the proud but to the humble according to that to Esay 66. 2. To him will I looke euen to him that is poore of a contrite heart and trembleth at my wordes therefore Learne of me saith Christ to be hūble meek as though the humble and meeke were his schollers Therefore God must needes loue the humble because they are like his sonne they shall haue his best giftes of which hee sayth 2. Cor. 12. 9. My grace is sufficient as if hee should say hee which hath giuen you his grace can he denie you any thing as Christ saith Hee which hath giuen vs his Sonne will he not giue vs all things with him Therefore grace may be called the gift of gifts because all gifts come with grace as the Court goeth with the Queene Therefore feare not to bee humble least you be contemned for all the promises of God are made to humilitie and yet men feare to be humble lest they shuld be contemned Humilitie did not make Iohn contemptible but when he refused the name of a Prophet Christ saith that hee was more then a Prophet Mat. 11. 2. Humilitie did not make Moses contemptible but as he was the mildest man vpon earth so he was the greatest vpon the earth Numb 12. Humilitie did not make Dauid contemptible but when he humbled himselfe hee said vnto Micol I will be more humble yet and lowly in my owne sight yet thou and thy maides shall honour me 2. Sam. 6. 22. As Christ ceased not to be a king because he was like a seruant nor to bee a Lion because he was like a Lamb nor to be God because he was made man nor to bee a Iudge because he was iudged so man dooth not loose his honour by humilitie but he shal be honored for his humilitie as the Son was honoured when he was humbled Luk. 15. 8. Thus humilitie hath found that which pride sought like little Dauid which was least accompted of and yet gotte the victorie yea when no man durst encounter with the Gyant 1. Sam. 17. 28. This is the ladder whereby we must ascend Gen. 28. 12. pride did cast vs downe and humilitie must raise vs vp As the way to heauen is narrowe Mat. 12. 13. so the gate is lowe and he had neede to stoope which entreth in at it therefore be not proud least God oppose himselfe against you but be humble and the grace of God belongeth to you So long as thou art proude and readest this sentence GOD giueth grace to the humble thou mayst say to thy soule Soule thou hast no part herein for grace is the portion of the humble and the dowrie of the meeke and the treasure of the lowlie but to thee it is saide The Lord resisteth the proude as if he should say Auoide Sathan Math. 4. or Departe from mee ye wicked Math 25. 45. Thus you see howe you may haue GOD your friende or your enemie Hee resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble if thou disdaine to learne humilitie of man learne it of GOD who humbled himselfe from heauen to earth to exalte thee from earth to heauen to which Kingdome when the proud shall be shut out the Lord Iesus bring vs for his mercies sake FINIS THE YOVNG MANS TASKE Ecclesiastes 12. 1. Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth IF it be so as they say that none but young men do heare our doctrine then this Text is well chosen for the auditory to teach young men that which if they learne they may say with Dauid I haue more vnderstanding then the auncient Psalm 119. 100. All Scripture is mans duetie and answeres like Iohn Baptist to What shall wee doe In the first of Iohn the second and the twelfth Iohn sayth I write vnto you babes I write vnto you children I write vnto you fathers I write vnto you youngmen I write vnto you old men So the word which is called aflying booke flyeth from one age to another from one sexe to another from one calling to another till like a Iudge it hath giuen euery man his charge Among the rest I may call this Scripture The young mans taske Wherein the Wise man sheweth when is the best time to sow the seede of vertue that it may bring foorth the fruite of life and make a man alway readie to die Let him remember his Creator in the daies of his youth and all his life shall runne in a line the middle like the beginning and the ende like the middle as the Sunne setteth against the place where it rose After Salomon had described man like Martha troubling and toyling himselfe about many things at last hee bringeth him to that one thing necessarie which Christ taught Marie and shewes him that if he had begun there at first he had found that which
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
our sinnes are washed with Christes bloud when our bodies are washed they are taken out of the water againe to signifie how we shall be raised from death to life by the resurrection of Christ and how we should rise from sinne to righteousnesse thus we begin our life with a solemne promise to God before the Church to serue him with our bodies and soules till death vs depart Now let vs remember how we haue kept this promise with the Lord or rather how we haue broken promise with him then we gaue our selues to GOD but since we haue giuen our selues to sinne then wee promised to renounce the world but euer since we haue embraced the world therefore now let vs begin to pay that which we ought so long and pray the Lord which hath instituted this Sacrament as a seale of his mercie to receiue this child into his fauour as we receiue it into his Church to baptize it with his spirit as wee baptize it with water and powre vpon it his grace as we giue it the signe of grace FINIS THE PILGRIMS WISH PHILIP 1. 23. I desire to bee dissolued and to bee with Christ. HEere is Pauls desire to be dissolued and the cause that he might be with Christ wherein first you shal see the difference betweene the faithfull and the wicked how one loatheth this life and the other longeth after it Secondly because the Apostle seemes to desire death you shall see whether any man may wish to die Thirdly because after his dissolution hee hopes to bee with Christ you shall see the diuersitie of iudgements betweene Paul and the Papists which think when they are dead that they shall goe on to Purgatorie Lastlie because the soules which are with Christ cannot walke as they did when they liued vpon the earth you shall heare a little of walking spirits which haue beene so much talked of in the time of poperie and were taken for the soules of them which were dead after wee will speake a little of the Sacrament which yee come to receiue and so commit you to God I desire to be dissolued Before Christes comming when the Kings or Patriarches died it is said that they went to their fathers as we read of Dauid and Salomon c. but after Christs comming when the faithfull die they are said to go to Christ as we read of the penitent thief Luke 23. 43. Not because the Patriarches went not to Christ as well as they but because yet Christ was not ascended to heauen therefore they are not to go to Christ although if they went to heauen they must needes go to Christ because Christ touching his Godhead was alwaies in heauen I desire to be dissolued As the wordly long for Christ to come to them so the faithful long to go to Christ for vnlesse we ascend to him as he descended to vs his descending is in vaine because he came downe that we might go vp he descended to take our flesh we ascende to take his kingdom he descended to be crucified we ascende to be glorified he descended to hell we ascend to heauen that is to ioy to glory to blisse to our father to our Sauiour to our comforter to Angels to Saints to eternall life therefore good cause had Paul to desire to be with Christ that he might be at rest for no doubt it was the sweetest voice that euer the theefe heard in this life when Christ said vnto him This day shalt thou bee with me in Paradise Luke 23. chapt vers 45. Besides as Paul persecuâ—ed before so he was after persecuted himselfe as he tels the Corinthians 2. Cor. 11. 24. I was thrise beaten with rods I was once stoned I suffered thrise shipwrake c. Therefore good cause had Paul to desire to be with Christ that he might be out of trouble Yet he wil not dissolue himself but desireth to be dissolued that is that he which brought him into this world would take him out of the world neither doth he wish or pray or make any petitioÌ„ to God to take away his life but tels him his desire desiring to be dissolued to desire is not to pray but shewes what we approue neither doth he desire so to be dissolued as though he were weary of his labors would suffer no more for Christ but he is content to liue as he saith in the 24. vers Neuertheles for me to abide in the flesh were better for you as if he should say to do you good I am content to suffer euil and stay still from Christ whom I long to be with Seeing then that he wil not dissolue himself nor pray to be dissolued but is content to liue stil why doth he say I desire to be dissolued Onelie to shew what he preferreth in his desire if hee might choose life or death for his owne respect he could be content to leaue friends and riches and pleasures and life and all onely to bee with Christ This seemes to be a good lesson for sickemen when they can liue no longer then to be with Christ were better then to be with the glutton which neuer thought of heauen til he was in hell but Paul was not sicke nor sore when he desired to be dissolued therefore this is not onely for the sicke but for the whole If he had wished to liue stay still in the world no man need to be taught to say after him for yong old desire not to be dissolued but few are content to bee dissolued To a naturall man in this life nothing is so sweete as life it selfe and he which is in loue with this world seldome dyeth quietly vpon his bed but to a minde which misliketh this worlde nothing can come so welcome as death because it takes him out of the world This it is which Paul would haue vs learne that nothing in this world is so pretious or pleasant that for it we should desire to liue or stay from God one hower though all may not wish to die yet all must subscribe to this that death is better then life because it leads to Christ which when Paul had throughlie tasted he was satisfied for all things else and desired to liue no longer that he might bee with Christ heerein appeareth the end of mans life which when he hath obtayned he desireth to liue no longer how great riches and honours and friends soeuer he leaue behind him From the time he knoweth Christ crucified and begins like Enoch to walke with God he cryeth euer after with the Apostle I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ who shall deliuer mee from this bodie of sinne death weare to me aduantage Euen as Simeon reioiced that Christ came to him so the faithfull reioice that they shall go to Christ The necessitie of sinne is so irksome to him which knoweth the vilenesse of sinne that the faithfull man but to doe good would not liue
that day when Christ shall say vnto him as he said to the penitent theefe This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Thus you haue heard the difference betweene the faithfull and the wicked how the one lotheth this life and the other longeth after it Now wee come to our questions Simeon said Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace so Paul saith I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ they doubted not as the Papists doe what should become of them after death for one saith that he goes to Christ the other saith that he goes to peace therefore it seemes that Purgatorie was not yet found when the iust men went to peace This is one of the fruits of a godly life it hath hope saith Salomon in the end in death it warranteth a man of life when the flesh saith feare and the serpent despaire it makes the flesh crouch and the serpent flye the soule reioyce while death is opening the prison doore that she may flie to her countrey from whence she came Therefore what shall I say to Purgatorie if Paul go to Christ Simeon goe to peace Some say that it is in the ayre some say that it is in the earth some vnder the earth some a little aboue hell Thus Nabuchadnezzar cannot assoile his owne dreame You must vnderstand that Purgatorie is like your paynted Sepulchers which are framed more for the liuing then for the dead for you know that the locusts of Rome liue by Trentals and Dirges and Masses for the dead as the Siluersmiths in Ephesus liued by Images and therefore as they were loth that Images should goe downe so they are loth that their Purgatorie should bee quenched for it is the gainfullest lye in all Poperie for out of this lake issue their Masses and Dirges and Trentals for the dead They are sayd for the dead but they make for the liuing For the dead haue no portion of al that is done vnder the sun doe what you will say what you can Masses Dirges or Trentals they haue no portion in it for they haue receiued their reward alreadie and the tree lieth where it fell yet these foolish virgins hope for oyle of the wise virgins and thinke they shall be paied for other mens labours and almes and trentals pilgrimages and Masses as though they neuer read that the iust shall liue by his owne faith that he which beleeueth shal not go to iudgement but passe from death to life that they that die in the Lord rest from their labours how doe they goe presently into Paradise if they stay at Purgatorie and fire torments Hath Christ satisfied for vs must wee now make satisfaction for our selues Whither the glutton and the beggar are gone thither must we all that is to Abrahams bosome or hell fire there are but two kindes of men and therefore but two waies and where then is Purgatorie which the best of the fathers confesseth that he could neuer finde in Scripture Therefore take heed of hell for Purgatorie is but a scarre babe Furthermore when Paul sayth that he shall goe to Christ this seemes to resolue the old question often debated among the simple people once deluded whether the soules of men departed walke after death and appeare vnto men exhorting them to this or that as Gregorie or some counterfeit reporteth in his Dialogues The Apostles before their full groweth might seeme to bee incumbred with this errour because when they saw Christ walking vpon the waters they sayd It is a spirite and when Peter knocked at the doore in the night they sayd to Rhode a Damsell It is his Angel Act. 12. 15. Which errour was drawen from the elusion of Sathan and vulgar opinion receiued from Pythagoras which taught that the soules of men departed did returne into the bodies of other men after death either for correction or for reward if they were good soules then they were preferred to better men if they had been badde soules then they were cast into worse bodies then they had before a fine Philosophicall dreame This deluded Herod when hee heard of Christ he supposed that Iohn Baptist was risen againe whom he had beheaded and the better sort of the people as we reade in Mat. 16. 14. dreamed that Christ was Elias or Iohn Baptist or Ieremie or some of the Prophets risen againe But touching the soule once departed from the body that it returnes not nor can returne into the world many examples and testimonies and reasons the order of our resurrection declareth The soules of the righteous are in the hands of the Lord no man or diuell can take them out of his hands the soules of the wicked are in the hands of the diuell and God will not take them out of his hands and therefore Abraham sayth He which is here cannot come from hence and they which be there cannot come frō thence for then the paines of hell were not euerlasting paynes not the ioyes of heauen euerlasting ioyes but temporal like the paynes and ioyes of this world Therefore it is no soule which walks about How then What is this which I see in the night like such a man and such a man The Diuell which chaungeth himselfe into an Angell of light to deceiue can change himself into the likenes of a man much more that is it which thou seest as Saul sawe Samuel 1. Sam. 28. 8. not Samuel himselfe For could the Witch raise Samuel out of the graue which could not keepe her selfe out of the graue or could the diuell disturbe the Prophet after death Then he should neuer be quiet if the diuell could disturbe him because hee disquieteth the godlie so much while they liue If this apparation bee called Samuel how doth he call it Samuell if it be not Samuel As the Bookes of Caluine are called Caluine as the picture of Beza is called Beza as he which playeth the King vpon a stage is called a King as the golden Myce and Hemerodes which the Philistines layd in the Arke were called Myce and Hemerodes although they were but meere shapes and figures of them so this likenesse of Samuel is called Samuell though it was not Samuel in deede but a counterfeit shape of Samuel For GOD would not answere Saul before by Oracle nor by Priest nor by Prophet and would hee aunswere him by the dead which dooth forbid to aske counsell of the dead No sayth Abraham they haue Moses and the Prophets Luke 16. As if hee should say let them learne of the bookes of the dead for the dead shall not returne vnto them Againe if it had been Samuel himselfe which had taught Saul to worship GOD woulde that holie Prophet haue receiued worship himselfe as this spirit did Againe If it had been Samuel Sauls Schoolemaster which taught him alwayes to repent while hee liued hee would rather haue exhorted him to repentance now
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
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
single vertue and power of our owne free will without the finger and grace of GOD. For whereas the Papists acquite manie of them and cleare them from sinne as if an vnregenerate man by the strength and abilitie of his owne will as it were mounted vpon his owne wings were able to aspire to the accomplishment of holie desires wee see that the Apostle in this place maketh no other account of the vnregenerate then of dead men and therefore that they must bee quickened and new borne againe before they can practise or performe any vitall action in the life of GOD. Christ is resembled to a vine and wee to the braunches for that all the iuice and sappe whereby the braunches spring and liue issueth and ariseth from the roote of the vine so all the grace and goodnesse that is in vs droppeth and distilleth from the riches of the person of Iesus Christ Before GOD blessed Sara she was barren and childlesse so vntill God blesse our hearts they bee wicked and fruitlesse And therefore as an vncleane fountaine cannot sende foorth sweete water nor a bad tree bring foorth good fruite no more can the corrupt and wicked heart of the vnregenerate bud and bring foorth anie good and vertuous actions Thus much of our condition and preparation whereby wee haue learned with how holie and with how sanctified affections wee ought to repaire to the hearing of the worde Now followeth our duetie and affection when wee are newe borne As newe borne babes desire Wee must not bee children in wauering and inconstancie because the Apostle sayth that GOD hath furnished his Church with Pastors and Teachers That we bee no more children wauering and carried about with euery winde of doctrine reeling from faith to faith from religion to religion like a drunken man from wall to wall Nor we must not be children in vnderstanding and knowledge because the same Apostle sayth Brethren be not children in vnderstanding but concerning maliciousnes bee children but in vnderstanding be of a ripe age But wee must bee children in an ardent and burning affectiō in thirsting and longing for the word of God Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousnes for they shall bee filled because God filles the hungrie with good things but the rich and the wealthie he dismisseth emptie The kingdome of God suffereth violence because none can enter at the narrowe gate but such as striue throng and thrust to enter And therefore as when the damme feedes her young euery bird gapeth and struggleth and stretcheth out the necke to receiue the foode So when wee come to heare euery man must reach and stretch out his heart to receiue the word For then indeede the word worketh most effectually in vs when our hearts before are kindled and inflamed with desire of it like waxe which receiueth any stampe after it is heated The Shunamites child which was raised by Elisha so soone as his flesh beganne to waxe warme neesed and opened his eyes and reuiued agayne So when wee waxe warme in the spirite and conceiue a desire and a thirst of the word of GOD it is an vndoubted token that wee are borne agayne that there is breath and a soule within vs and we are not vtterly dead in the life of grace As contrariwise they which haue not a sharpe and hungrie appetite to bee fedde and satisfied with the milke of the word are but dead carcasses and skinnes full of rotten bones so that this Citie which shoulde bee the glorie of the kingdome may well bee tearmed Golgotha The place of dead mens skulles in regard there are so manie thousand soules dead in sinne dead in desire who haue no thirst and hunger for the word of God If they haue a bare reading Minister as children haue a puppit to play with they thinke themselues in a happy state as if Elishaes staffe could raise the dead child without Elisha and the word giue life without a preacher It may bee they can bee content with Micah to accept a Leuite if they light vpon him But who will sende to Hierusalem the schoole of the Prophets as Saul sent to Bethelem to fetch Dauid for his comfort I thinke you know my meaning I would not wish you wait till preachers offer themselues to instruct you but to sende to the schooles of learning to prouide godly able men who may minister the word in due season Balaake because he longed for Balaam went to the vtmost coast of the countrey to meete him The father because he longed for his prodigall sonne ranne to kisse him a great way off Dauid because he longed for the Arke went and brought it vp from Kiriathaim So then indeed we desire the word of God when we will not stay till it come vnto vs but we will preuent it and goe to the vtmost borders of our coūtrey to fetch it home vnto vs. We must desire the milke of the word and we must desire it as babes that is in three respects First they say children so soone as they are borne into the worlde presently crie out for the mothers dugge so must wee so soone as wee feele the grace of God to haue renewed vs while wee are yet hote from the wombe hunger and thirst for the milke of the word If the mother should deferre to giue her childe sucke were it able to liue a moneth or a weeke or a day No more is our faith able to sustaine and support it selfe vnlesse it be presently nourished with the foode of life Christ so soone as he had raysed vp Iairus daughter commanded her meate as if it were in vaine for vs to be quickned by the finger of his power vnles we be fed by the word of his grace and therfore Eden was watered so soone as it was planted to shew that we must be strengthened so soon as we are instructed so that it is a great fault among vs when GOD hath quickned vs with his spirit we perceiue his graces to budde and to blossome in vs that we presently prouide not moysture to nourish and to preserue them We count it a miracle that Elias liued fortie dayes without foode and yet we after many yeares of famine still poste off the feeding of our soules We thinke it alwayes too soone to beginne though we begin then when we are ready to end as the rich man who then went in hand to inlarge his barnes when hee was euen at deaths doore to resigne his life As Christe was then sent for to heale the Rulers daughter when she was ready to departe so manie neuer desire the preachers company till they be ready to die They say that the time is not yet come that the Lords house shoulde bee built not yet time to sanctifie their soules for God not yet time to prouide for the milke of the word And thus we poste off from day to day from yeare to yeare till wee bee arrested by death