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
Doe this in remembrance of me that is these signes shall bee a remembrance of my death when you breake the bread you shall remember the wounding of my body and when you drinke the wine you shall remember the sheading of my blood If wee doe this is remembraunce of Christs bodie which was broken like the bread it is an argument that his bodie is not there because remembrance is not of thinges present but of things absent we remember not but wee see that which is before vs. This might put the Papists in remembrance that Christ is not sacrificed now when we do but remember his sacrifice this is not Christes sacrifice but a remembrance of his sacrifice he was sacrificed before and now it is applied lest his sacrifice should be in vaine This was done once reallie when he offered himselfe vpon the crosse therefore that offering was called a sacrifice because he was sacrificed indeed but this offering is called a Sacrament because it is but a signe of his sacrifice If Christ in this Sacrament were offered indeede then it should bee called a sacrifice as his once offering was but because it is but a remembrance of his sacrifice therefore it is called a Sacrament This is not a sacrifice of Christ but a sacrifice of our selues Lest we shoulde take it to bee a sacrifice of Christ Christ himselfe calleth it a remembrance of his sacrifice Do this in my remembrance Here is our worke as Christ hath done so must we doe so we minister and so you receiue wee can giue you nothing but that which we haue receiued from him as Paul saith Therefore if Christ did not giue his mortall bodie which stood before them and could not profite them nor his glorified bodie which was not glorified then and when it was glorified ascended vp vnto heauen and there abideth how can these iugling Priests make their God againe which made them They can no more turne wine into blood bread into flesh than they can commaund a gnat to become a camell for it is a greater worke to make God than to make the world Therefore as Christ saith When they tell you here is Christ and there is Christ beleeue them not So when they tell you that Christ is in heauen and that Christ is in earth in this place and that place beleeue them not for Elias ascension was a figure of Christes ascension when Elias was ascended yet some sought for his bodie vpon earth so though Christ be ascended yet manie seeke his bodie vpon earth but as they could not finde Elias bodie so these cannot finde Christes bodie although they haue sought three hundred yeares But if his bodie were vpon earth as they say should we handle it and touch it now it is glorified After his resurrection he sayd vnto Marie Touch me not because his bodie was glorified that is not to bee touched with fingers any more but with faith Therefore we reade of none which touched his bodie after it was risen but onely Thomas to settle his faith Thus you see wee neede to suborne no witnesses for euerie word in this Text which they alleadge for Transubstantiation doth make agaynst Transubstantiation whereby if Antichrist doth signifie those which are against Christ you see who may be called Antichrist There is no question in Poperie except Purgatorie the Popes publican and tasker about which the Papistes are at such ciuill warres among themselues as about this Transubstantiation They cannot tell when the chaunge beginneth nor what manner of change it is nor how long the change continueth some hang one way and some another like the Midianites which fought one against another And no maruell though their consciences stagger about it for to shew you the right father of it it was one of the dreames of Innocentius the third in the yeare of our Lorde 1215. so manie yeares passed before Transubstantiation was named and then a Pope set it first on foote so it came out of Rome the grandame of all heresies and for want of scriptures hath bene defended with fire and sword and swallowed mo Martyrs than all the gulfs of the Papall sea beside Now when the doctrines of men goe for scriptures you shal see how many errors rush into the Church for graunt but this to Pope Innocentius as the Papists do that the bread and wine are chaunged into Christes bodie First it wil follow that Christs body is not ascended vp to heauen because it remaineth vpon earth and so one of the articles of our faith shalbe falsified which saith He is ascended into heauen or if he be ascended and descended againe another article will be falsified which saith That hee sitteth at the right hand of his father that is as Peter saith he abideth in heauen Secondly it will follow that Christ hath not a true bodie but a fantasticall bodie because it may bee in manie places at one time for if his bodie be in the Sacrament he must needes haue so many bodies as there bee Sacraments nay hee must haue so many bodies as there be bittes in euerie Sacrament Thirdly it will follow that his bodie is diuided from his soule and consequentlie is a dead bodie because the bread is onely changed into his bodie and not into his soule Fourthly it will follow that the wicked and prophane reprobate may receiue Christ as well as the godlie because they haue a mouth to eate as well as the best Fiftly it will followe that Christes Sacrifice once for all was not sufficient because we must sacrifice him againe and breake his bodie and shed his blood as the Iewes crucified him vpon the Crosse Sixtly it will follow that the bread being turned into the bodie of our Redeemer hath a part of our redemption as well as Christ Seuenthly it wil follow that Christ did eate his owne bodie for all the fathers saie that hee did eate the same Bread which he gaue to his Disciples Lastly it will follow that a Massing Priest shalbe the creator of his Creator because hee makes him which made him All these absurdities are hatched of Transubstantiation Thus when men deuise Articles of their owne while they strike vppon the anuill the sparkes flie in their face and they are like the man which began to build and could not finish it When I see the Papist in so many absurdities for entertaing one errour me thinks hee seemeth like a Collier which is grymed with his owne coales Therefore as in maners we should thinke of of Peters saying Whether is it meete to obey God or men So in doctrines we should thinke whether it be meete to beleeue God or men Thus haue you heard the Author of this Sacrament The Lord Iesus the time when it was instituted in the night that he was betraied the manner how it was instituted after thankesgiuing the end why it was instituted for a remembrance of his death
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
Hee which cannot say with Dauid My heart meditateth a good matter cannot follow with Dauid My tongue is the penne of a ready Writer This is the equitie of God they which are vnwilling to obey are not thought worthy to knowe for what should he doe with his talent which will not vse it He which forbiddes vs to cast pearles before swine doth stay his own hand from casting knowledge to the vngodly they may know so much as shall condemne them but they neuer knowe what will saue them When Christ heard Peter saie Thou art the Sonne of the liuing God Christ answered Flesh and blood hath not taught thee this shewing that carnall men haue not this knowledge This is the word of which Christ saith All men doe not receiue it It is true that the Spirite breatheth where it will but it will breath vpon none but her louers Wisedome is like the daughter of God which hee marrieth to none but to him which loues her and sues for her As Dauid could not vnderstand why the wicked prospered vntill he entered into the sanctuary of GOD and as Aaron might not enter the Sanctuary where GOD did answere vntill he had sanctified himselfe so if we will vnderstand mysteries and heare God himselfe speake wee must put off our sinnes as Moses put off his shooes or else we shall be like images which haue eares can not heare When Paul heard mysteries hee was rapt into the third heauen when GOD would talke with his Church hee saith I will take her aside into the wildernes and then I will speake friendly vnto her so when wee will learne Diuinitie we must goe aside from the world and sequester our sinnes lift vp our mindes aboue the earth or els it will not stay with vs. As the spirit went from Saul when he sinned so when knowledge hath saluted the wicked she bids them farewell like vnto a Martin which will not builde but in faire houses It is said in Iohn 14. 15. When Iesus went to eate the Passeouer hee came to a chamber which was trimmed so the chamber that receiued God the hart which should lodge knowledge must bee trimmed and all the sinfull corners swept or else as Samuell would not come to Saul so Wisedome will not come to that hoste There is an harbinger which goeth alway before the knowledge of God to prepare the house this is loue the bond of perfection They which haue loue saith Iohn knowe GOD but they which haue not loue know not God though they haue neuer so much knowledge beside Vnto good Nathaniell Christ saide Thou shalt see greater things than these but vnto the obstinat Iewes he saide Seeing you shall not see like Hagar which had the wel before her and did not see the water He which cannot saie with Paul We haue the spirit of Christ cannot say with Paul We haue knowledge Holie men were alwayes interpreters of Gods word because a godly minde easeliest pearceth into Gods meaning according to that The pure in heart shall see God and that in Iohn 7. 17. If any man will doe Gods will he shall vnderstand the Doctrine whether it bee of God or no and that in Psalm 111. 19. They which keepe thy precepts haue a good vnderstanding that in 1. Cor. 2. 15. The spirituall man vnderstandeth al things And therfore the feare of the Lord is not onely called the beginning of wisedome but in Pro. 2. 5. it is taken for wisdome it selfe As when Christ taught in the Temple they asked Howe knoweth this man the Scriptures seeing hee neuer learned them So it is a wonder what learning some men haue which haue no learning like Priscilla and Aquilla poore tent-makers which were able to schoole Apollos that great Clerke a man renowmed for his learning What can we say to this but as Christ saide Father so it pleased thee as when Iacob came so soone with the venison and his Father asked him how he came by it so sodainly Iacob answered because the Lord thy God brought it sodaynly to mine hand so the holy righteous men cannot giue any reason why they conceaue the words of God so easily and the wicked doe conceaue them so hardly but that GOD brings the meaning sodainly to their hearts as we read in Luk. 24. 45. When the Disciples were setled in the profession of Christ it is said that Christ opened their vnderstanding and made them vnderstand the Scriptures so sodainly came their knowledge So we read in Prouerbs 1. 23. Wisedome promiseth to the righteous If you will turne at my correction I will powre out my hart vnto you and make you vnderstand my words A Schoolemaster might say to his schollers I will powre out mine hart vnto you but he cannot say as God saith I will make you vnderstand mine heart Therefore if the Queene of Sheba thought the seruants of Salomon happie because they heard his wisdome how happie was Salomon himselfe that serued God which gaue him wisdome Come vnto me saith Christ all ye which are wearie and I will refresh you As Christ hath no comfort but for the wearie so hee hath no wisedome but for the righteous They are his brethren and sisters and father and mother There is a kinde of familiaritie betweene GOD and the righteous that hee makes them of his counsaile as Salomon saith Prouerbes 3. 32. His secrets is with the righteous and Psalme 25. 14. His secrets are reuealed vnto them that feare the Lord. They are like Iohn the beloued Disciple which leaned in his bosome like Moses to whom he shewed himselfe like Simeon that embraced him in his armes like the three disciples which went vp to the Mount to see his glorie So we reade of Abraham Gen. 18. 17. Shall I hide it from Abraham saith God As though this were an offence in God if he should tel the righteous no more then he tels the wicked therefore because Abraham was a good man he told him more than he shewed all the rest As Adams knowledge was perfect so long as his righteousnes was vntainted so the neerer we come to that righteousnes againe the more things come to our knowledge according to that Prouerbes 28. They that seeke the Lord vnderstand al things Such an heart God hath giuen to his seruants like a touchstone or a lampe to goe before them to examine all thinges as they goe in this darke wildernesse least they should take error for trueth euill for good or their owne wil for the wil of God that they which hate euill might be preserued from euill as Dauid was from the bloud of Nabal Nowe because none but the righteous haue this lamp before them you see what a difference there is betweene the knowledge of the godly and the knowledge of the wicked As the windowes of the Temple were
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
many titles to make it more amiable It is called a lanterne to direct vs a medicine to heale vs a guide to conduct vs a bit to restraine vs a sworde to defend vs water to wash vs fire to inflame vs salt to season vs milke to nourish vs wine to reioice vs rayne to refresh vs a treasure to inrich vs and the keye to open and vnlocke heauen gates vnto vs. Thus the worde is named in al things that we should onely desire it in stead of all things And surely therefore the worde is in so small request among vs because wee know not what blessings it bringeth with it It is the word of saluation because it saueth the soule from pyning as the corne which Ioseph sent did Iacobs house from famine So that as Elisha sayd of Iordan wash and be cleansed so may we say of the word Heare it and be saued It is called the worde of life because it reuiueth the spirite as Elishaes bones reuiued the Israelites It is called the worde of reconciliation because it is like a golden chayne to linke GOD and vs together And in regarde hereof it is called a iewell of inestimable price as if all the treasure in Egypt were not wealthy enough to buy it And therfore as Dauid longed for the Well of Bethlehem so must we long and languish for the milke of the worde The Word is resembled to milke in three respects First because it is the onely foode of the faithfull as milke is the onely and proper foode of babes Secondly because it is not hard and intricate but playne and easie to be conceiued as milke is easie to be digested Thirdly because it is sweete and comfortable to the soule as milke is sweete and pleasaunt in taste For the first poynt the Lord chargeth the Israelites to doe whatsoeuer he had commaunded and not to adde or diminish any thing And Iosua Iosiah Ezra and the rest when theâ— would renew the Lordes couenant with the people reade nothing but the lawe to shewe that it was the only rule and square of al their duety and therefore Esay recalleth vs to the lawe and to the testimonie c. and Christ sends vs to search the Scriptures because by them we haue eternall life and therefore the Popish church which nor content with the milke of the Gospell hath broached manie heathen traditions and vnwritten trash doth not feede but choke and poyson her children with them and depriue the Lords people of this foode of life and like cursed Philistines stop vp the wells of water which other haue digged what doe they else but starue and famish so manie Nations For well may their hedge priests like drie Nurses delight and disport the children for a season but when hunger bites when the distressed conscience would bee fed and comforted then they are not able to affoorde them the very crummes from Christs table and therefore wee must needes account the estate of those congregations to bee full of dread and horror which haue not this milke of the word to feede their soules which want a good steward to giue them their meate in due season which like the AEgyptians lye crawling in the darke when other churches enioy most comfortable light Iaacob forsooke the blessed land of Canaan when it had no bread and can we be enamored of those assemblies where there is no soules foode If ye did consider my beloued that ye cannot be nourished vnto eternall life but by the milke of the word ye would rather desire your bodies might be without souls than your churches without preachers I tremble to thinke how oft you haue heard this and yet how little you haue performed it For the second poynt that the doctrine of the Gospel is plaine appeareth when the wise man saith Al the words of his mouth are plaine easie to him that wil vnderstand The testimony of the Lord is sure giueth light to the simple If our Gospel be hid saith the Apostle it is hid vnto them that perish for as the Sunne which was made to lighten all things is most light so the word which was made to cleare all things is most cleare so that if there be no communion betweene light and darknes the word of God be a lanterne vnto our feete a light vnto our pathes then it is euident that the Word hath no darknes in it If we see not all thinges the fault is not in the light but in the eie as Agar could not see the water which yet was before her therfore our aduersaries falsly charge the Scriptures of exceeding hardnes and intricatenes When the spies were returned from Canaanâ— they could not say but that it was a good lande but they sayd it was hard to come by So the Papists must needes confesse that the Scripture is a good Word and yet to disswade the Lordes people from a serious and diligent search of it they bring vp a slaunder and say it hath many obscurities and by-pathes But as Elisha saw the horses and fiery chariots which his enemies could not see So beloued if yee come with a faithfull and a holy heart to the Worde and to the Scripture yee shall see that plainnesse and easinesse in the doctrine which our aduersaries cannot see For the third poynte that the Gospell is the onely comfort and consolation of a faithfull soule The Prophet Ieremie saith Thy wordes were found by mee and I did eate them and thy worde was vnto mee the ioye and reioycing of my heart Thy testimonies haue I taken for an heritage for euer for they are the ioye of my heart As a man will bee glad to be hired to a noble man so Dauid when hee had gotten the milke of the Worde reioyced as much as if hee had been hyred vnto God and therefore in all the storie of the Acts we see ioy and comfort to haue followed the word as Elisha followed Elias and would not leaue him So the wise men reioyced exceedingly when they saw the starre which should leade them to Christ so yee haue matter of great ioy comfort when ye heare the woord preached which shall carrie you to heauen like the chariots which conueyed Iaacob into AEgypt There be many Micols in this land which haue mocked King Dauid for dauncing before the Arke There are many which terme vs heady and foolish men because we come and throng prease thus to a sermon but as Christ said Father forgiue them they knowe not what they doe So God forgiue them they know not what they say for if they did feele the calme of conscience the ioy of heart the consolation of spirite and the exceeding and euerlasting comforts in God which the faithfull possesse and enioye by hearing the word they would account vs not onely fooles but starke mad if al the pleasures or profites or daungers of the world should withdrawe or with-holde vs
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
that is wise saith Salomon is wise to himselfe but he that is ouer wise is wise against himselfe heere you may see that note aboue Ela is a iarring note and alwaies maks a discord in the harmony Christ would not haue vs wise Serpents but as wise as serpents lest they which are like serpents should circumuent vs to be wise to euil is an euil wisedom and there is no such enemie vnto knowledge as the opinion of knowledge for one which is wedded vnto his owne witte wil neuer be counselled of any Therefore how necessarie it is to remember this doctrine and God graunt wee may remember it I cannot tell howe no man can serue GOD vnlesse hee knowe GOD for none doe obey him excepte they which doe knowe him and yet it is saide that there was neuer so much knoweledge and so little goodnes Surely as Christ saide to his Disciples O ye of little faith so he might say to vs O yee of little vnderstanding for there is not too much wisdome but too much ostentation Humilitie is none of our vertues They which should teach others to be wise according to sobrietie passe the bonds of sobrietie themselues euerie man hath a common-weale in his head and trauels to bring foorth newe fashions As the Iewes were not content with such rulers as God had appointed them but would haue a king like the Gentiles As the Papists are not content with such lawes as God hath appointed them but they will haue traditions like the Iewes So the wisedome of this worlde is to deuise better orders better lawes better titles better callings better discipline than God hath deuised himselfe Euery plant saith Christ which my father hath not planted shall bee rooted vp that is euerie title and euerie office and euerie calling which God hath not planted shall be rooted vp to bee wise according to this booke is to bee wise according to sobrietie Therefore seeke the wisedome of Christ for the wisedome of the serpent is turned to a curse the wisedome of the Pharisies is turned to a woe the wisedome of Achitophell is turned to folly the wisedome of Nimrod is turned to confusion the wisedome of the stewarde is turned to expulsion the wisdome of Iezabel is turned to death This is the ende of the deceiuers wisedome of the extortioners wisedome of the vsurers wisedome of the persecutors wisedome of the flatterers wisedome of the sorcerers wisdome of the hypocrites wisedome of the Macheuelians wisedome As Moses serpent deuoured the sorcerers serpent so Gods wisdome shall deuoure mans wisdome Wherefore by the grace of God which is giuen vnto me I say vnto euery one of you with Paule Be wise vnto sobrietie bee not ashamed to seeme ignorant of some things but remember that it is better to seeme ignorant than to bee proude Thus you haue heard what wisedome is now let vs pray vnto God for it Food for new borne babes 1. Pet. 2. 2. As new borne babes disire the sincere milke of the word that ye may grow by it THis Scripture beloued in the Lord containeth an exhortation to inâ—â—re and stirre vp the beleuing Iewes that as God had illightned them with some knowledge of his trueth and sanctified them in some measure with the grace of his spirit so they would proceed grow on and dailie increase more and more in the faith and feare of Iesus Christ like the glorious sunne which still augmenteth and redoubleth his heat and light till it bee come to the middest of heauen where is perfect daie Nowe the meanes whereby we receiue all our grouth and increase in God is the liuelie preaching of the word of trueth And therefore the Apostle by a figuratiue and borrowed kinde of speech earnestly pressing them to thirst to long for the word of God euen the foode of their soules as little infants which are new borne crie for the mothers milke to nourish and sustaine them For there are two birthes mencioned in the Scripture the one fleshly and naturall by propagation from the first Adam whereby originall and our birth-sin as it were a Serpentes poison passeth and transfuseth it selfe into vs the other heauenly and spirituall by renouation from the second Adam which is Iesus Christ whereby grace and holinesse is deriued and brought vnto vs. In this latter and better birth God is our Father to beget vs the Church his spouse our mother to conceiue vs the seede whereby we are bredde and borne againe is the worde of God the Nurses to feede and to weane and to cherish vs are the Ministers of the Gospell and the foode whereby we are nourished and held in life is the milk of the worde as in this place And therefore in as much as children which are newe borne cannot increase in grouth and stature but must needes die and come to dissolution vnlesse they bee continuallie fedde and nourished with wholesome foode it behooueth all the faithfull and godlie who are quickened and reuiued in the life of God as new borne babes to desire the sincere milke of the worde that they may grow by it I thinke we neede not many words to cleare the generall drift and scope of this Scripture as we need not many fingers to pointe at the shining sun Let vs now therefore discend to the particular doctrines which issue and spring from the seuerall branches of this scripture First here is noted a preparation if we wil be bettered and increased by the worde wee must bee as new borne bares Secondlie our affection and duetie when we are newe borne we must desire Thirdly the matter obiect of our desire the milke of the worde Fourthly the qualitie of the milke it must bee sincere Lastly the ende and vse for which we desire it that we may grow thereby For the first point we must be as new borne babes Children wee know are principally commended for simplicitie and harmelesnes and therefore all those which will profite in the schoole of Christ and receiue light and comfort by the preaching of the worde are here taught to become as babes to laie aside all maliciousnesse and to bring holy and sanctified hearts to the hearing of it Suffer the little babes to come vnto mee saith our sauiour and forbid them not for of such is the kingdome of heauen as if we were neuer fit to heare learne of Christ til we be reformed newly changed into little babes againe For the secrets of the Lord as the Psalmist speaketh is with them that feare him to teach vs that as Dauid would admit no vile person into his couÌ„sell So God will admit no sinfull soule into his secretes If any man will doe Gods will saith our Sauiour he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or no because no man can learn this doctrine but he that doth it as no man could learne the Virgins song but they which sang it And Salomon to the
same effect saith The feare of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge as if the first lesson to be wise were to be holie therefore Christ is said to haue expounded all thinges to his Disciples apart to shew that if we will haue Christ to teach vs we must go a part from the world So that as a man slippeth off all his cloathes when he goeth into a bath to wash him So we must slippe off all our sins when we come to the word to feed vs for wisedom will not rest in the defiled soule nor in a bodie that is subiect vnto sinne As the Deuill woulde not dwell but in a house that was swept from godlines so the graces of God will not come vnto the heart which is not cleansed from wickednesse for God will not powre new wine but into new vessels therefore vnles ye haue prepared new hearts look for no new blessings to bee powred on you The Iewes reade the Scriptures daily in their Synagogues to finde Christ but all in vayne because the vaile is not takē away in reading them Euen so doe we preach in vayne and you heare in vaine because the vaile of sinne which is drawne like a Curtaine ouer your harts hideth and eclipseth the glorious light of the Gospell from you And therefore beloued brethren if you will haue the Lord to blesse your hearing and to prosper our preaching you must wash and rince out the dregs of sin that are frozen in you you must purge the leauen of maliciousnes that sowreth your soules you must cast vp your couetousnes your pride and your slothfulnes your partiall preiudice like the serpent which spues vp his poyson when he goes to drinke For this is the cause why there are so many fruitlesse non-proficient hearers because there are so many sinfull and wicked hearers It is sayd of Christ that he did not many great works in his owne countrey for their vnbeliefs sake so it may be sayd that GOD concealeth many great mysteries of faith from vs for our sinnes sake Our wickednesse stops Christs mouth that hee will not speake as the Iewes incredulitie chayned his handes that hee woulde not worke Will an Embroderer teach an other mans seruant his trade if he knowe he will hurt him No more will God teach the Diuels seruants his truth because hee knoweth they will offend him The seed which fell into the thornie groud sprang vp very cherefully for a time that it might seeme to giue great hope of a ioyfull haruest but because thornes grewe vp with it at length they choked it so that vnlesse wee cut vp the thornie sinnes which naturally sprout and spring vp in vs they will ouerthrow all the good plants of holy doctrine that are graffed in vs and therefore the Prophet Ieremie willeth vs to breake vp the fallowe ground and not to sowe among thornes as if the heart must first be sanctified and afterward instructed as yron must first be heated and afterwards be fashioned In regard whereof I beseech you my beloued in the feare and reuerence of Gods blessed name looke to your feete when ye enter into the house of GOD presse not into this marriage feast without a Wedding garment treade not into the holie Sanctuarie to heare the word with an vnsanctified and a defiled and a filthie soule A man will not keepe the Sabbaoth in his working apparell but will put on his richest iewelles and array himselfe in his best attyre and yet wee make it no seruple at all to come vnto the Sabbaoths exercise with a prophane and a wicked and our workie day heart When Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire before the Lord God sayd I will bee honoured in them that draw nigh vnto mee to shewe that the Lord doth then looke for more holines at our hands when by practise of his seruice and the duties of holy religion wee approach to drawe more neere vnto him Wherefore to shut vp this point as the begger in the Gospell cast off his cloake to come to Christ so must we cast off the cloke of our wickednesse when we come to heare We must be as babes if wee will bee Christes pupilles because he reuealeth knowledge wisedome to none but babes And yet wee must not be babes only but newe borne babes which haue a newe soule a newe life newe members new affections imparted to them Whereby wee learne that it is not enough in our regeneration to redresse and reforme some one disordered affection in vs but wee must bee chaunged and new fashioned in euerie part As Saul when the kingly spirite came vpon him was turned as it were into another man So wee when the word begetteth vs a new must be turned and chaunged into other men and therefore they which are implanted into Christ are called new creatures because neither the olde hearn nor the olde hand nor the olde eare nor the olde eye will serue the turne but all must bee 〈◊〉 and newe framed agayne For whatsoeuer is borne of the flesh is flesh If wee will haue it spirit that is fit for Gods worship who is a spirit and will bee worshipped in spirit and truth it must bee borne agayne of the spirit The sense hereof made the Prophet Dauid crye out Create in me a cleane heart O God and renue a right spirit within me and therefore we must not patch and peece vp our hearts for GOD like a beggers cloake which is made of shreds but we must be renewed and thorowly chaunged in the spirite of our mindes When Naaman the leper had washed in Iordan his flesh came agayne like the flesh of a young child If the leprosie of sinne be washed and purged from vs al our affections and all our desires will bee altered and chaunged like the flesh of a child And therefore if wee will fit our selues to bee good hearers wee must not entertaine friendship with any sin As the Adder slippes off her skinne and the Eagle casteth her bill so wee must quite slip our selues of all our lusts when as newe borne babes we come to heare Touch no vncleane thing sayth the Lord because sinne will cling to the conscience like bird-lime to a feather therefore we must not touch it it must not haue a finger of vs. When the Diuell made his reentrie he tooke vnto himselfe seuen other spirites worse then himselfe Thus one diuell brings moe diuels and one sinne pulles on more sinnes as one crow calleth many crowes to a carrion and therefore as the leauen was hid in the meale till all was sowred so let vs neuer rest seasoning our soules till all be sanctified for then wee bee fit to vnderstand euery part of Gods will when we bee in euery part newe borne againe Furthermore this poynt discouereth and descrieth a grosse errour in Poperie concerning the works of nature which are wrought and effected by the