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
THE SERMONS OF MAISTER HENRIE SMITH GATHERED INTO ONE VOLVME Printed according to his corrected Copies in his life time ANCHORA SPEI AT LONDON Printed by Richard Field for Thomas Man dwelling in Pater Noster row at the signe of the Talbot 1593. NOBILISSIMO VIRO GVILIELMO CECILIO EQVITI AVRATO BARONI BVRGHLEIENSI SVMMO ANGLIAE THESAVRARIO ET CANTABRIGIENSIS ACADEMIAE CANCELLARIO HENRICVS SMITHVS HAEC PIGNORA IN GRATI ANIMI TESTIMONIVM CONSECRAVIT THE SEVERAL TEXTS and titles of the Sermons contained in this Booke A Preparatiue to Mariage A treatise of the Lords supper in two Sermons I. Corinthians 11. 23. 24. c. The Lord Iesus in the night that he c. The Examination of Vsurie in two Sermons Psalme 15. 1. 5. Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle c. The benefite of Contentation 1. Timothie 6. 6. Godlinesse is great gaine if a man be c. The affinitie of the Faithfull Luke 1. 19. 20. 21. Then came to him his mother and his c. The Christians Sacrifice Prouerb 23. 26. My Sonne giue me thy heart The true triall of the Spirits 1. Thessalonians 19. 20. 21. 22. Quench not the Spirit c. The Wedding garment Romans 13. 14. Put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ c. The way to walke in Romans 13 13 Let vs walke honestly as in the day c. The pride of Nabuchadnezzar Daniel 4. 26 27. At the end of twelue moneths he c. The fall of Nabuchadnezzar Daniel 4. 28. 29. 30. While the word was in his mouth c. The Restitution of Nabuchadnezzar Daniel 4. 31. 32. 33. 34. And at the end of these daies c. The honour of Humilitie 1. Peter 5. 5. God resâ—steth the proud and giueth c The Young-mans Taske Ecclesiastes 12. 1. Remember thy Creator in the daies of c. The triall of the righteous Psalme 34. 19. Many are the troubles of the righteous c. The Christians practise Romans 12. 2. Be ye changed by the renuing of your c. The Pilgrims Wish Philippians 1. 23. I desire to be dissolued and to be with c. The Godly mans request Psalme 90. 12. Teach vs O Lord to number our daies c. A Glasse for Drunkards in two Sermons Genesis 9. 20. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. And Noah began to be an husband c. The Art of Hearing in two Sermons Luke 8. 18. Take heed how you heare The Heauenly Thrift Luke 8. 18. Whosoeuer hath to him shall be giuen c. The Magistrates Scripture Psalme 82. 76. I haue sayd Ye are Gods but ye shall die c. The Triall of Vanities Eccle. 1. 2. Vanitie of vanities sayth the Preacher The Ladder of Peace 1. Thess 15. 16. 17. 18. Reioice euermore c. The betraying of Christ Math. 27. 1. 2. 3. 4. When the morning was come and the c. The petition of Moses Deut. 3. 23. 24. And I besought the Lord the same c. The Dialogue betweene Paul and Agrippa Act. 26. 27. 28. 29. O King Agrippa beleeuest thou the c. The Humilitie of Paul Rom. 12. 1. 2. I beseech you therefore brethren c. A looking Glasse for Christians Rom. 12. 3. I say through the grace that is giuen c. Foode for new borne babes 1. Pet. 2. 2. As new borne babes desire the sincere c. The banquet of Iobs Children Iob. 1. 4. 5. And his Sonnes went and banqueted c. Satans compassing the Earth Iob. 1. 7. 8. Then the Lord sayd vnto Satan c. A Caueat for Christians 1. Cor. 10. 12. Let him that thinketh he standeth take c. To the Reader BEcause sicknesse hath restrained mee from preaching I am content to doe any good by writing Happie is that author which is instead of other that after his booke is read men need read no moe of that matter I go vpon a Theame which many haue trauersed before me prolixly or cursorily or barrenly If I haue performed by studie any more then the rest let my Reader iudge and giue glorie to him which teacheth by whome he wil What I haue endeuoured my selfe do feele and others know We are ignorant of many things for a few that we vnderstand but I haue bin alway ashamed that my writings shuld weigh lighter for want of paines which is the bane of printing and surfetteth the Reader Now I send thee like a Bee to gather hony out of flowers weeds Euery gardeÌ„ is furnished with others so is ours Read pray and meditate thy profit shall be little in any booke vnlesse thou read alone and vnles thou read all and record after as the Bereans did the sermons of Paul It is one of the births of my fainting therfore take it with a right hand and if thou find any thing that doth make thee better I repent not that others importunitie hath obtained it for thee Farewell As Iacob blessed his sonnes when he left them so now I must leaue my fruit to others I pray God to blesse it that it may bring forth fruit in other and be the sauour of life to all that reade it Thine in Christ H. S. THE EPISTLE TO THE TREATISE OF THE LORDS SVPPER IN the first sermon the aduersary is confuted In the second sermon the Communicants are prepared In both are manie obseruations and the wordes of the Text expounded Now labour for thy selfe as I haue laboured for thee I would haue thee profit somewhat more by this book because it hath weakened mee more then all the rest Farewell The principall contents of this Treatise THe cause of contracts before mariage 1 Three honors giuen of God to mariage 2 Three causes of mariage 9 Whether Ministers may marrie 12 Whether an olde man may marrie a young woman contra 13 Whether Protestants may marrie Papists 31 Whether children may marrie without Parents consent 31 Whether husbands may strike their wiues 44 Whether the vse of mariage be sinne 18 Whether mothers should nurse their Children 63 How children should be brought vp 64 Fiue markes in the choice of a husband or wife 26 The husbands duties 40 The wiues duties 47 Their duties to their seruants 56 Their duties to their children 62 Three examples of good parents 66 Of Stepmothers 67 Of Diuorcement 69 Other obseruations that fall in handling the parts MAriage the first ordinance of God and calling of men fol. 3 Christs first miracle at a mariage 4 Three mariages of Christ 4 By mariage the womans curse turned to two blessings 5 A note of Adams sleepe 6 Another application of the rib whereof was made the woman 7 The day of mariage counted the ioyfullest day in mans life 7 Fornicators like the diuell 12 No bastard prospered but Iephtah 12 A married Fornicator like a Gentleman theefe 13 A wife is the poore mans treasure wherein onely he matcheth the rich 16 Two spies for a wife discretion fancie 17 The wife must not onely be godly but fit 18
them which breake the lawes of men but to suffer and suffer and euer to suffer all that the diuels would heape vpon vs. Then came the mercie of God for Christ which shedde his bloud like an vmpire betweene God and vs and saide as Esay saide to Hezechia Thou shalt not dye but liue loose him let him goe for hee is mine So we were staied like the widdowes sonne when he was carried to his graue This is the benefite of Christes death and this Sacrament is the remembrance of it and therefore whensoeuer we receiue it this addition commeth with it which is shed for the remission of sinnes our fault was so hainous and greeuous that no ransome could counteruaile it vnlesse God himselfe had suffered for vs. Being in this extremitie neither man nor angel offered his life for vs but the prince himselfe which should haue crucified vs came to be crucified of vs for vs y t we might say with stedfast faith I beleeue the remission of sinnes not the satisfaction of sinnes but the remission of sinnes Marke this distinction against Popish merites of workes or penance Christ hath satisfied and not we we are remitted and not Christ therefore we say in our confession I beleeue the remission of sinnes which I may call the mercifull Article because it is the quintessence and sweetnesse of all the twelue Therefore who but Antichrist durst depraue it If there be a satisfaction for our sinnes by our works or by our pilgrimages or by our masses or by our penance let Christ neuer be called a forgiuer but an exchanger like the Pope which selleth his pardons Wretched creatures which will not receiue the Lord when he comes to their doore Christ saith Take for nothing and they say no we will not take but buy Vile base miserable men disdaine to take grace of God without satisfaction but they will cope with the Lord and giue him so many pilgrimages fast so many daies heare so many masses and paie so manie workes for it vntill they haue done as much good as they haue done euill Our sinnes are infinite and God is infinit but our works are finite in number and measure how can they answere then to that which exceedeth number and measure Therefore be content with Iosephs brethren to take your money againe and say that you haue corne for nothing that is you are saued for nothing or else when you say I beleeue the remission of sinnes you lie vnto God because you doo not beleeue the remission of sinnes but satisfaction for sinnes like the Papists It followeth As often as yee shall eate this bread and drinke this cuppe yee shall shewe the Lords death till he come Here are three inuincible arguments against Popish transubstantiation like the three witnesses vnder which euerie word doth stand First we are sayd to eate bread then it is not flesh but bread Secondly we are saide to shew the Lordes death then it is but a shewe or representation of his death Thirdly it is said vntill hee come if hee be to come then he is not come if he be come how can we say vntill hee come The effect of this verse was shewed in these wordes Doe this in remembrance of me For to say Doe this in remembrance of me and to say So oft as you doe this you shew my death is much at one so that if you call this Sacrament a shewe of Christes death as it is called here then it is not Christ or if you call it a remembraunce of Christ as it is called there yet it is not Christ but a shewe or remembrance of Christ but this is such a shew and remembrance that the next verse saith Whosoeuer receiueth it vnworthily is guiltie of the bodie and bloud of Christ Will yee know who receiueth vnworthely In the nine and twentith verse Paul saith he discerneth not the Lords bodie that is which putteth no difference betweene this bread and other but eateth like a childe the meate which hee knoweth not and after the bread seemeth stones to him and the wine poyson because his conscience telleth him I haue receiued vnwoorthelie before I could say like Dauid My hart is prepared My sheepe saith Christ know my voyce as they discerne Christs wordes so they discerne Christes bodie and therefore so often as they come to the Lordes table they seeme to come into the Lords presence there they greete and kisse and embrace one another with affections which none can know but they that feele like Iohn which leaped in the wombe so soone as Christ came neare him Will yee know beside what it is to bee guiltie of the bodie and blood of Christ euen as Iudas was guiltie for betraying him and Pilate for deliuering him and the Iewes for crucifying him so they are guiltie which receiue this Sacrament vnworthily as Pilate and Caiphas and Iudas were If they be guiltie of Christs death they are guiltie of theyr owne death too as if they had committed two murthers and therefore Paul saith after that many of the Corinthians dyed onely for the vnwoorthie receiuing of this Sacrament As the Worde is the sauour of death to them which receiue it vnworthelie so the Sacrament is the sauour of death to them which receiue it vnworthelie it neuer goeth into their mouth but they are traitors ipso facto may say to Hell this day haue I taken possession of thee because I am guiltie of Christes blood Therefore it followeth immediatlie Let a man examine himselfe before hee eate of this bread or drinke of this wine as if he should say If he which receiueth this Sacrament vnworthely bee guiltie of Christes death like Iudas which hanged himselfe if these signes be receiued to saluation or damnation like the Word the next lesson is to examine your selues before you receiue lest you receiue like the sonne of perdition which swallowed the bread and the Diuell together Therefore Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate that is let him examine first and receiue after for if wee should receiue the bread of the earth reuerentlie how should we receiue the bread of heauen When Iehonadab came to Iehu his chariot hee sayd Is thy heart vpright as my heart is toward thee So when wee come to the Lordes table hee would haue our hearts vpright to him as his heart is to vs for who feasteth his enemies and mockers The golden Ring sitteth highest at our table but the Wedding garment sitteth highest at this table It is safer eating with vnwashen handes than with an vnwashen heart The Iewes were taught to choose the Lambe of the Passe-ouer on the tenth daye of the first moneth in which moneth they came out of Egypt and on the fourteenth daye after they were taught to eate him so they had foure daies respite betweene the choosing and the killing to prepare
him so soon as he slew his brother I know thy works saith God he may say I knowe thy works thy thoughts too for Iudas could not goe so closely about his trechery but that Christ did know when the thought entred into his hart and heard when he conferred also with the Scribes and saw likewise when he tooke the bribe though he kept a time to punish him as he saith Psalm 37. ver 2. When I see a conuenient time then wil I execute iudgement Now the time was come when this King should bee made an example vnto all other Kings after him to amend their liues and reforme their Realmes when as the Prophet commeth from God vnto them to tell them what they should doe When Dreame and Daniel had done what they could now God cals foorth his Iudgements and bids them see what they can do and commaunds them to chase Nabuchadnezzar vntill he haue lost his kingdome vntill he be driuen out of his pallace vntill he be fled into the wildernes vntill he be degenerate like a beast vntill his subiects seruants pages make their sport gaze and wonder at him like a foole which goeth vnto the stockes or a trespasser which is gazed at vpon the pillorie so the king was debased when God heard him but vaunt of his buildings Therefore let vs take heede and be carefull after what sort we speake and what wordes slip from vs lest GOD take vs in our lies or oaths or slanders or ribauldrie as hee tooke Nabuchadnezzar when his tongue walked without a bit for if he had supposed that God had been so neare and that he would haue answered him as he did he would haue held his peace and layd his hand vpon his mouth rather than pay so deare for a vain word which did him no good when it was spoken The second note is of the Iudge A voyce came downe from heauen the controuling voice came down from heauen God is most offended with our sinne for Nabuchadnezzar might haue spoken more than this before any other man and no man could controll him because he was king and kings delight in greater vanities than buildings yet no man saith Why doest thou so because Salomon saith He which repeateth a matter separateth the Prince that is he which tels Princes their faults maketh them his enemies therefore since Iohn Baptist dyed onely God is left to reprooue almost all that sinne by authoritie yet there is one in heauen hath an eare and a tongue and checketh the king as boldly as euer the king checketh his subiects When the voice from earth spake vainly the voice from heauen spake iudgement Here is the king of heauen against the king of earth the voice of GOD against the voice of man a diuine wrath warring with a humane pride the fire is kindled woe to the stubble The Lorde of hoasts is in armes against the Lord of Babel and beginnes to lay handes on him and to thrust him out of his throane First he rattles him like a thunder O King Nabuchadnezzar as if he should say for all thou art a king thou shalt see whether another bee aboue thee Now gard thy person now defend thy honour for he whom thou hast despised threatneth to take thy kingdome from thee goe nowe and walke in thy galleries fetch one turne more before thou bee turned out of doore and walke with the beastes in the forrest Now he comes to the arraignement and cals him to the barre O king Nabuchadnezzar to thee be it spoken He was neuer called king with lesse reuerence nor had such paie for sinne in all his raigne God giues him his title and he tels him his lot he cals him king but without a kingdom as if he said late king of Babel holde vp thy hande Here a king is arraigned in his owne kingdome and no euidence giuen against him but as though hee had witnessed against himselfe as all sinners doe God condemneth him out of his owne mouth and to open his eares he calleth him by his owne name O king Nabuchadnezzar as the prisoner is called when he holds vp his hand at the barre Then he pronounceth the iudgement To thee be it spoken to thee which aduancest thy selfe like God to thee which wouldst not take heed by thy dreame to thee which wouldst not bee warned by the Prophet to thee which diddest all for thine own honor Now hearken to thy iudgement Thy kingdome is departed from thee thou shalt bee driuen out of thy pallace they which should honor thee shall expulse thee thou shalt raigne with the beastes in the desarte there shall be thy dwelling seuen yeares goe now and stalke in the woods as thou diddest in thy pallaces and when thou art among the Lyons and Wolues and Beares looke vnto Babel which thou hast built How dooth this speech differ from Nabuchadnezzars speeche his wordes were but wordes but Gods wordes were He spake and it was done For in the same houre that which was spoken was done saith Daniel whatsoeuer the voyce threatneth vnto our sinnes or vnto the sinner shal be done at first or last To Nabuchadnezzar it was said Thy kingdome shall bee taken from thee To vs it is said Thy life shall bee taken from thee To him it was said Thou shalt be thrust forth into the desart To vs it is said Thou shalt bee throwne forth into darkenes To him it was said Thou shalt be like beasts To vs it is said Thou shalt be like the damned Shall not the voice spoken to vs be remembred with God as well as the threatning menaced to him This voice came from heauen and therefore it spake home not like them which glide by the faultes of Princes whisper behinde their backes as though they would reproue them if they durst but for feare lest the prince or counsellor or iudge or magistrate should take it as he meanes it think that he aimes at them which makes them speake in parables as though they would cast a vayle ouer their reproofe and eate their message before they haue spoken it The holy Ghost teacheth vs here to reproue so that whosoeuer sinneth may knowe that thou speakest to him Hee which speaketh from Heauen as the voyce did must speak like Iohn Baptist among the Publicans harlots and souldiers as though he went from one to another and saide this is spoken to thee this is spoken to thee this is spoken to thee For vnlesse wee come neere these mortall Gods and proud Nabuchadnezzars as neer as Elias came to Achab whē he said It is thou that troublest Israel they wil poast it ouer and thinke that thou speakest not to them vntill thou speakest plainly as the voice spake from heauen To thee be it spoken And they will reforme the matter or else God shew some iudgement vpon them as he did heere vpon this great king Nabuchadnezzar Now the decree goeth foorth that Nabuchadnezzar shall be King no
will prouoke him he will resist them if they will clime higher then their compasse he will pull them lower then their will Peter speaks of the proud as if they did chalenge God like champions prouoke him like rebels that vnles he did resist them they would goe about to depriue him of his rule as Corah Dathan and Abiram vndermined Moses For so the proud man sayth I will be like the highest and if he could aboue the highest too This is the creature which was taken out of the dust and so soone as he was made he opposeth himselfe against that maiestie which the Angels adore the throanes worship the diuels feare and the heauens obey How many sins are in this sinfull world and yet as Salomon sayth of the good wife Prou. 31. 29. Many daughters haue done vertuously but thou surmountest them all So I may say of pryde many sinnes haue done wickedly but thou surmountest them all for the wrathfull man the prodigall man the laciuious man the surfeting man the slothfull man is rather an enemy to himselfe then to God The enuious man the couetous man the deceiptful man the vngrateful man is rather an enemy to men then to God but the proud man sets himself against God because he doth against his lawes he maketh himselfe equall with God because he doth all without God and craues no helpe of him he exalteth himselfe aboue God because he will haue his owne wil though it be contrary to Gods wil. As the humble man saith Not vnto vs Lord not vnto vs but thy name giue the glorie Psal 115. 1. so the proud man saith not vnto him not vnto him but vnto vs giue the glorie like vnto Herod which tooke the name of God and was honored of all but the wormes and they shewed that he was not a God but a man Actes 12. 21. Therefore the proud men may be called Gods enemies because as the couetous pull riches from men so the proud pull honor from God Beside the proud man hath no cause to be proud as other sinners haue the couetous for riches the ambitious for honor the voluptuous for plesure the enuious for wrong the slothful for ease but the proud man hath no cause to be proud but pride it selfe which saith like Pharaoh I will not obey Exod. 5. 2. Therefore God is specially said to resist the proud because the proud resist him Heere is heauen against earth the creator against the creature the father against the sonne the Lord against the seruant the Prince against the subiect who is like to winne the fielde If the Lord iustifie saith Paul who shall condemne so if the Lord resist who shall defend If his lawe come with thunder and lightning and tempest with what terrour will hee come himselfe It was but a brag when the king of Iuda proclaimed warre against the king of Aram said No man shall deliuer thē out of my hands but it is true when God saith no man shall deliuer them out of my hands therefore the author to the Hebrews saith It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of God for hee euer ouercommeth Therefore when the Egyptians perceiued that God fought against them they cryed Wee will fle wee will flie for God sighteth against vs Exod. 14. 25. So the proud may cry I will flie I will flie for God fighteth against vs. When the king of Iuda proclaimed warre against the king of Israel the king of Israel returned answere that the thistle rebelled against the cedar 2. King 14. 9. yet there was but king against king a man against a man how much rather may the king of heauen answer this proud earth the thistle rebelleth against the Cedar The giant durst chalenge but one of the host of Israel but the Lord chalengeth all the host of pride euen as hee giueth grace to all that are hūble so he resisteth all that are proud It had been too heauie for them if he had sayde the Lord doth not care for them for Gods care preserueth vs and our owne care doth but trouble vs but to say that the Lord doth resist them is as if Michael should denounce warre with the dragon till he hath cast him into the pit This is a marshall word and comes with armes and weapons vpon them if a man should see a Lion come vpon him would hee not start if he should see a Giant come agaynst him would he not feare But now the Lorde of hosts the Lion of Iuda which destroyed the Giants is vp in armes to resist the proud and the proud feare not so much as the humble God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble but the world resisteth the humble and giueth grace to the proud as Dauid notes Men will praise thee not when thou reformest thy selfe to God but whē thou doest forme thy selfe to thy lusts that is they which will be strowters shal not want flatterers which will praise euery thing that they do and euery thing that they speake euery thing that they weare and say it becomes thē well to weare long haire that it becomes thē well to weare bellied dublets that it becomes them well to iet in their going that it becoms thē wel to sweare in their talking Now when they heare men sooth them in their follies then think they we haue nothing els to commend vs if men will praise vs for our vanities we will haue friends enough so the humour swelleth and thinkes with it selfe if they will looke vpon mee when I doe set but a stout face vpon it how would they behold mee if I were in apparell if they doe so admire me in silkes how would they cap me and cursie me and worship me if I were in veluets if I be so braue in plaine veluet what if my veluet were pinct or cut or printed So they studie for fashions as Lawyers do for delayes count that part naked which is not as gaudie as the rest till all their bodie be couered ouer with pride as their mind is with folly Therefore Dauid saith that pride is as a chaine vnto them that is it goeth round about them like a chaine and makes them thinke that all men loue them and praise them and admire them and worship them for their brauerie Therefore as Saul sayd to Samuel Honour me before this people so the proude man saith to his chaine and his ruffes and his pinckes and his cuts honour me before this people all that he speaketh or doth or weareth is like Nabuchadnezzars pallace which he built for his honor This is their work so soone as they rise to put a Pedlars shop vpon theyr backes and colour their faces and pricke their ruffes and frisle theyr hayre and then their daies worke is done as though their office were to paint a fayre Image euery morning and at night to blot it out agayn from
of this vice GOD suffereth men to fall into other vices which men abhorre and punish as theft and fornication and drunkennes to make them ashamed by these vices which were not ashamed of pride this is an argument that of all sinnes pride is the worst because God suffereth other sinnes to come and shame vs least we should bee proude Agayne Pride hath this propertie and sleight that it mixeth it selfe with our good workes and followeth vertue As from the ashes of a Phoenix ariseth another Phoenix so of the ashes of our good workes ariseth pride When the diuell cannot stay vs from a good worke then he laboureth by all meanes to make vs proud of it and so he staineth our worke and stealeth our reward For though a man doe neuer so much good yet if he be proude of it hee loseth his reward as the Pharisies did therefore the best and the wisest and the holiest men had need to watch this vice for if they take not great heed it will make them proud of their wisedome and of their zeale and of their goodnes Paul was almost puffed vp with reuelations Aron and Miriam began to rebell because they thought themselues as good as Moses and all the fathers of any heresie began their heresie at this a magnificate opinion of themselues and an ouerweening of their owne gifts So pride setteth vpon the best euen as the temper set vpon Christ Agayne a man had need to take heede of pride for she will not keepe counsaile but if he be proud she will tell that he is proud and therefore is called an impudent sinne because she descrieth her selfe in the eye in the speech in the iesture in the looke in the gaâ—e like the drunkard so that a man cannot bee proud and seeme humble Thus God hath tied a iust punishmeÌ„t to this vice that he which entertaineth the vice that he loueth should not auoid the name which he abhorreth but he shall be esteemed proud and called proud of all that know him and many that know him not shall point at him with their fingers in the streetes say there goes a proud fellow which they pronounce of no vice els but the drunkard because these two bewray themselues Thus you see howe the proud resist God now you shall see how GOD resisteth the proud They are so heady that almost none dare resist them but God I will resist them saith God Therefore when hee heard the proud man say in the 14 of Esaiah I will ascend vp into heauen hee answereth himselfe Thou shalt be brought downe to the graue This is hee which resisteth the proud When Hamans wife heard her husband say that Mordecai was against him because he was an Israelite she sayd that her husband should take the soile and Mordecai shoulde preuayle What if she had heard her husband say that the Lord of Mordecai was agaynst him If the seruant bee so terrible who dare encounter with his master God hated Esau and how did Esau prosper though hee was the elder brother yet he missed the birth-right and though his father loued him yet hee could not blesse him because God hated him God was wroth with the Angels and droue them out of heauen God was wroth with Adam and thrust him out of Paradice GOD was wroth with Nabucadnezzar and turned him out of his Pallace God was wroth with Cain and though hee were the first man that was borne of a woman yet God made him a vagabond vpon his owne land GOD was wroth with Saul and though he was the first king that euer was annoynted yet God made his owne hand his executioner GOD was wroth with the olde world and though the earth was naked when they were drowned yet hee regarded nothing but destroyed a world of men together This is he which resisteth the proude what shall wee doe if the world be against vs and the flesh against vs and the diuell against vs and God against vs too which should defend vs In heauen in earth and in the sea he findes vs out And as the displeasure of a king draweth many enemies with it so the displeasure of God setteth all his creatures against vs therefore he is called the Lord of hoasts as though hee came with an armie against vs. When hee fought with the Aramites the Sunne tooke his part when hee fought against the Sodomites the fire tooke his parte when hee fought against the Egyptians the water tooke his parte when he fought against the Murmurers the earth tooke his part when he fought against the Idolaters the Lyons tooke his part when hee fought against the mockers the Beares tooke his part this is hee which resisteth the proud What can hee hope which remembreth that God is set against him and that the Lord of heauen and of earth is his enemie This thought made the Philistines flie say God is come into the hoast No enemie is like this enemie he euer ouercommeth and when hee hath ouercomen he can cast into hell make the diuels torment them againe therefore well might Salomon prophecie Pro. 29. 23. The pride of man shall bring him lowe for God hath ouercome him who brought pride into the world as pride brought him low so Salomon saith it shall bring men low too What a turne is this that that which he tooke like a chayne as Dauid sayth to adorne him doth hang him that which he tooke to exalt him doth debase him that which hee tooke to winne loue getteth hatred that which he tooke to obtaine glory procureth shame as if God did take the sworde out of his hand as Dauid tooke the sworde of Goliah and slewe him with his owne weapon When the Pharisie said he was not like the Publicane Luk. 19. 11. he said true for then he was not like the Publican indeede because the Publican was better than he So when a proude man thinkes best of himselfe then God and men thinke worst of him all his glorie is but like a vapour which clymeth as though it would goe vp to heauen but when it comes to a little height it falles downe againe and neuer ascends more So Adam thought that the faire apple shuld make him like his maker Gen. 3. but God resisted his pride and that apple made him like the Serpent that tempted him with it Absolom thought that rebellion would make him a king 2. Sam. 15. 2. but God resisted his pride and his rebellion hanged him on a tree Nimrod thought that Babel should get him a name Gen. 11. but God resisted his pride the name of his building was called CoÌ„fusioÌ„ euer since Nabuchadnezzar built his pallace for his honor Dan. 4. but God resisted his pride and his pallace spued him out when his seruants remayned in it Shebna builded a sepulcher for his memoriall Esa 22. but GOD resisted his pride and buried
I will be as Ioshua which stoode alone and as Elkanah was in stead of children to Annah so Christ shall be in stead of comfort in stead of wealth and health and libertie to mee For manie were the troubles of Ioseph and the Lord deliuered him out of all many were the troubles of Abraham and the Lord deliuered him out of all many were the troubles of Dauid and the Lorde deliuered him out of all manie were the troubles of Iob and the Lorde deliuered him out of all therefore he can deliuer me out of all But if he doe not say Sidrach Misaac and Abednego yet wee will not doe euill to escape daunger because Christ hath suffered more for vs. Therefore if I perish I perish saith Hester She was content that her life should perish but if my purse suffer my money doth but perish if my bodie bee imprisoned my pleasures doe but perish and who can tell wheÌ„ he hath suffered that which is appoynted Therefore God sayth When I see conuenient time will I execute iudgement Not when thou doest thinke it a conuenient time but when he doth think it a conuenient time Therefore saith Dauid to the Lord In thee doe I trust al the day that is if he come not in the morning he will come at noone if he come not at noone he will come at night at one houre of the day he will deliuer me and then as the calme was greater after the tempest than it was before so my ioye shall bee sweeter after teares than it was before the remembrance of Babylon will make vs sing more ioyfull in Sion Thus Dauid describeth the iourney of the righteous as if they should goe through the sea and the wildernesse as the Israelites went to Canaan Looke not for ease nor pleasure in your way but for beasts and serpents and theeues vntill ye be past the wildernesse all is straight and darke and feareful but so soon as you are through the narrowe gate all is large and goodly and pleasant as if you were in Paradise Seeing then your kingdome is not here looke not for a golden life in an iron world but remember that Lazarus doth not mourne in heauen though he suffered paines vpon earth but the glutton mourneth in hell that staied not for the pleasures of heauen To which pleasures the Lord Iesus bring vs when this cloud of trouble is blowen ouer vs Amen FINIS THE CHRISTIANS Practise Rom. 12. 2. Be yee changed by the renuing of your mindes that yee may prooue what is the good will of God acceptable and perfect WHen Christ sent foorth his Disciples he said vnto them Goe preach and baptize ioyning these two together Preaching and Baptizing This being the occasion of our exercise because I am to speake of Baptisme which is the Sacrament of Regeneration I could not choose a fitter Scripture then this which I handled last which speakes of the renuâ—ng of our mindes for when our mindes are renued then the vow which we made in Baptisme is performed When Paul had forbidden the Romanes to fashion themselues vnto the world he sheweth them another fashion which hee calles The renuing of the minde As the Eagle renueth her youth so men must renue their mindes This fashion is called the Wedding garment which euery man must weare that comes to the banquet of the King As when men haue gone ouer one fashion after another at last they come to the olde fashion againe so here Paul calles them to the olde fashion again which was vsed in Adams time that is the Image and fashion wherein they were created Nowe the reason followeth That they might proue what the wil of God is as if hee should say This shall be the fruit of your regeneration when your mindes are renued you shall know many thinges which are hid from you you shall bee able to iudge doctrines who preach truth and who preach error and you shall vnderstand the will of God what he would haue you doe and what hee would haue you flie as if you were in his bosome As new wine will not abide but in new vessels so this new knowledge will not abide but in new mindes The minde renued knoweth God so that this Scripture may be called the path to knowledge or the waie to sound the minde of God which is a secret that euery man longs to know but the most turne a wrong leafe to finde it as Paul sayth of Peter He lookes a wrong way to the Gospel When the serpent taught knowledge he said If ye eate the forbidden fruite your eyes shalbe opened and you shall knowe good and euill but Paul sayth If ye will not eate the forbidden fruite your eyes shal be opened and you shall know good and euill This is one reason why Paul would haue them renue their mindes That they might know the will of God Why doth not the word of God teach vs the wil of God Yes but no man doth vnderstand this word but hee which hath a new minde because as the Sunne is not discerned by any light but by his owne light so no spirite can interpret the Scripture but the same spirite which wrote it which is called the holy spirite because it is holy and because it makes holy Sinne was the first vaile which obscured mans vnderstanding and till the cause of this eclipse be taken away the Apostle sayth that we shall see but in part that is as the Sunne may be seene in his eclipse but he seemes liker to darknesse then to light so vnderstanding may be seene in the wicked but it is liker ignorance then knowledge therefore Paul makes knowledge one of the fruites which bud out of righteousnes They which haue renued their mindes saith he shall proue what the will of God is that is they shall trie all that they doe heare and learne by all that they see vntill they tract out the will and meaning of GOD. As the water ingendreth Ice and the Ice againe ingendreth water so knowledge begets righteousnes and righteousnes againe begetteth knowledge according to that in Eccles 2. 26 To a man that is good in his sight God giueth wisedome and knowledge therefore though ye haue seene cunning Lawyers by much reading and expert Phisitians by long study yet you could neuer see a perfect and sound and iudiciall Diuine without holynesse I cannot tel how this knowledge is rather feeling than learning in the aboundance of the heart or an extreame study sent by God vnto good men like the Ramme which was brought vnto Abraham when he would sacrifice his Sonne As Salomon sayth The knowledge of good things is vnderstanding so none but they which are holy haue this vnderstanding He which can say with Dauid I loue thy lawe and I keepe thy precepts may follow with Dauid I haue more vnderstanding than my teachers and know more then the auncient
before ye come to the Lords Supper Purge the olde leauen of maliciousnes and wickednesse out of your hearts that is the leauen which you should purge out of your houses Therefore marke what the Apostle writeth to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 11. I beleeue it is a matter which you did neuer consider For this cause many are weake and sicke among you and many sleepe or die For what cause Because they receiued this holy Sacrament vnworthily and vnreuerently before they were prepared with faith and hope and repentance for this cause many are weak and sicke among you and many die Who did euer thinke that his sicknes or his wants or his infirmities did grow for that he receiued the Lords supper vnworthilie Many causes haue bin supposed but this cause was neuer thoght of Haue any of you said in distresses of bodie or minde This is come vnto me because I did receiue the blessed Sacrament of Christ vnworthilie because I came not prepared with that minde as they which beleeue and know God Yet the Apostle which by his diuine spirit knewe the cause of these calamities among the Corinthians dooth depute their strange diseases sodain death to none other cause but to their vnworthie and vnreuerent receiuing of this holy Sacrament Nay hee saith further That hee which eateth and drinketh this Sacrament vnworthilie eateth and drinketh his owne damnation that is he taketh possession of death hell and damnation euen while he eates as the diuell entred into Iudas while he receiued Nowe if your Phisitian should warne you of such a thing that you take it in season in measure or els it is poison wil kil you I suppose you wold obserue the season and measure and take it in such order as he prescribeth as neere as you could if you beleeue him so if yee beleeue the Apostle that you receiue the Sacrament to your damnation if you receiue it vnworthilie I am sure you will not take it vnreuerently or rashly for all the world If I had the words of motion to speak that which might be spoken of this matter it would fright Iudas himselfe that no man would come to this holy banquet without his wedding garment Consider but this how you would come into the presence of God how would you prepare your selues to come before the maker of heauen and earth which searcheth the reynes knoweth euery corner of the heart If euer ye did approach vnto God if euer yee came neere vnto the Lord you neuer came so neere as now when you come to receiue his bodie and blood and are vnited vnto him in one spirituall body and yet peraduenture many come not so prepared so clensed so dressed so trimmed into the presence of God as Hester did into the presence of Assuerus What doe you thinke of these elements what doe you imagine of this bread and wine They are seales What seales Seales of his word seales of Gods promise seales of your adoption If euer you were instructed or comforted out of this book that instruction comfort is confirmed and ratified vnto you now by Christs seale Christ hath not ordained Sacraments in his church for a fashion or dumb shew that you should feele or see or tast but as the woman which had a bloodie flix when she touched the hem of Christs garment hee said that vertue was gone out of him that is all the graces which these signes represent that is all the blessings that Christ Iesus hath purchased vnto man by his death Now because if you receiue this Sacrament rightly you are vnited vnto Christ as the members with the head if euer you did beleeue or loue or repent before this requireth you to beleeue and loue and repent more because now you are Christs body which shewes that ye must obey Christ the head like members of the bodie for the bodie is ruled by the head What haue you now to receiue al these blessings If ye haue not faith how can you lay hold of any promises or merits of Christ to say this is mine If you had a hand to take and a fayth to apprehend now you might eat of that bread which is better then Manna which he that tasteth doth not hunger again after any pleasure in the worlde Heere is enough for Abraham and Abrahams seede Come vnto it all that thirst and it will refresh you Happiâ—r is that man nowe that hath his wedding garment than the rich glutton that fareth deliciously and goeth in purple euerie day Now you are the Lords guests and the Lord himselfe is your feast and this feaste is before you the holiest meat that euer you did eate and the comfortablest meate that euer ye did eate and yet the dangeroust meate that euer you did eate you stand vpon life or death you eate to saluation or damnation there is nothing in this world which you can receiue with greater benefite or with greater perill Adam did not eate the forbidden fruite with greater danger Adam could not tast the tree of life with greater fruite than you may taste and receiue this Sacrament The Arke was a signe of mercie yet Vzziah was slaine for touching the Arke vnreuerentlie Circumcision was a good thing yet Circumcision did not profite the Sichemites but was away to make their enemies slaie them because they were not circumcised for Religion but for lucre so if ye receiue for custome and not for deuotion this Sacrament shall bee to you as Circumcision was to them Therefore take heede how you receiue as they receiued least you meere with a curse when you looke for a blessing If thou remembrest any sin against God or against thy neighbour leaue thine offering at the Altar and be reconciled before thou come into his presence for if stubble come to fire there is no waie but burne now beloued let faith and loue and repentance haue their perfect worke that you may receiue this Sacrament as Christ would haue you rceiue it God grant you as much profit by it as is offered in it so much comfort of it as it hath brought to any whosoeuer haue receiued it faithfully reuerently and worthily before you FINIS THE GODLIE MANS REQVEST PSALM 90. 12. Teach vs O Lord to number our daies that wee may applie our hearts to wisedome THis Psalme was compyled by Moses as ye may see by the title at what time the Spies returned from the land of Canaan and God for the murmuring of the people pronounced that al which were aboue twentie yeares old should die in the wildernes except Caleb and Iosua that encouraged their brethren to goe to Canaan Now when Moses heard the sentence of death pronounced against himselfe and all the Iewes which came out of Egypt except only two Caleb and Iosua that all should die before they came to the land which they sought he prayeth thus for himselfe and the rest Teach vs O Lord to number our daies
doe as they doe if they did but thinke that these speeches and deeds should come to iudgement As the bird guideth her flight with her traine so the life of man is best directed by a continuall recourse vnto his end The thoght of death hath made many sinnes auoid like the diuel when Christ alleaged Scripture it is like a strainer all the thoughts and speeches and actions which come through it are clensed and purified like a cloth which commeth out of the water Seeing then that so much fruit growes of one stalk which is the numbring of our daies let vs consider what an haruest we haue lost which happily before this day neuer prayed with Moses that the Lord wold teach vs to number our dayes What if we had died in the dayes of our ignoraunce like Iudas which hanged himselfe before he could see the Passion or Resurrection or ascension of Christ But God hath cared for vs more then we haue cared for our selues We should haue numbred our dayes and sinnes too but alas howe many dayes haue wee spent and yet neuer thought why any day was giuen vs But as the olde yeere went and a newe yeere came so we thought that a new would follow that and so we think that another will come after this and so they thought which are dead already This is not to number our dayes but to prouoke GOD to shorten our daies there are few here which haue not seen twentie years now if we had but euery yeare learned one vertue since we were borne we might by this time haue been like Saints among men but the time is yet to come when we must applie our hearts to wisdome To riches pleasures we haue applyed our harts and our eyes and our eares and our handes too but to wisdome we haue not applyed our hearts There may be many causes but there shuld be no cause if wee had numbred our dayes For surely if a man could perswade himselfe that this is his last day as it may be he would not deferre his repentance vntill to morrow If he could think that this is his last meale that euer he shall eate hee would not surfet if he could beleeue that the words which he doth speake to day should be the last that euer he should speake he would not offend with his tongue if hee could be perswaded that this sermon should be the last sermon that euer he should heare he would heare it better then euer he heard any yet Yet breath is in the bodie and the heart may applie it selfe and the eye may applie it selfe and the eare may applie it selfe and the hand may applie it selfe Worke while it is light I can but teach you with words as Iohn Baptized with water As Moses prayed the Lord to teach him to number his dayes so you must pray the Lord to teach you to number your dayes And now I lead you to number your dayes It may bee that thou hast but twenty years to serue God wilt thou not liue twenty yeares like a Christian that thou maiest liue a thousand yeares like an Angel It may bee that thou hast but tenne yeeres to serue him wilt thou not serue tenne yeares for heauen which wouldst serue twenty yeares for a farme It may be that thou hast but fiue yeares to serue God wilt thou spend fiue yeares wel to redeeme all thy yeares for fiue Yet GOD doth knowe whether many here haue so long to repent for all the yeares which they haue spent in sinne If thou were borne but to day thy iourney is not an hundred yeares If thou be a man halfe thy time is spent already if thou be an olde man then thou art drawing to thy Inne and thy race is but a breath therfore as Christ said vnto his Disciples when he found them sleeping Could ye not watch one houre So I say to my selfe and to you can we not pray can we not suffer a little while He which is tyred can crawle a little way a little farther one steppe more for a kingdome For this cause God wold not haue men know whē they shall die because they should make readie at all times hauing no more certaintie of one houre than another Therefore our Sauiour saith watch because you know not when the Lord will come to take you or to iudge you Happy are they which hear the word and keepe it Thus you see that death is the last vpon earth that the time of man is set that his race is short that he thinkes not of it that if he did remember it it would make him applie his minde to good as he doth to euill and nowe I ende as I began The Lord teach vs to number our dayes that wee may applie our hearts to wisedome Amen FINIS A LOOKING-GLASSE for Drunkards Gen. 9. 20. 21. 20 Noah also began to be an husbandman and planted a vineyard 21 And he drunke of the Wine and was drunken and was vncouered in the midst of his Tent. FIrst we are to speake of Noah then of Cham his wicked sonne after of Shem and Iapheth his good sons In Noah first of that which he did wel thē of his sin In Cham first of his sinne and then of his curse In his brethren first of their reuerence and then of their blessing Nowe wee will speake of the Father and after of his Children Then sayth Moses Noah began to bee an husbandman This is the first name which is giuen to Noah after the flood hee is called an Husband-man and the first worke which is mentioned was the planting of a Vineyard One would thinke when all men were drowned with the flood and none left aliue to possesse the earth but Noah and his sonnes that he should haue found him selfe something els to doe than to plant Vineyards and that the holy Ghost should haue intituled him king of the world and not an husband-man of the earth seeing there bee no such men as Noah was which had more in his hand than any king hath in the world or shall haue to the worlds end but hereby the holy Ghost would shew that God doth not respect kings for their titles nor men for their riches as we doe and therefore he nameth Noah after the worke which he did not after the possessions which he had an husbandman It seemeth that there was great diuersitie between their age and ours For if we should see nowe a King goe to plough a Noble man driue the teame a Gentleman keepe sheepe he should be scorned for his labour more than Noah was for his drunkennes yet when we reade how this Monarch of the world thought no scorne to play the husband-man wee consider nor his Princely calling nor his auncient yeares nor his large possessions to commend his industrie or modestie or lowlie minde therein which may teach vs humilitie though we learne to disdaine husbandrie of whom will we learne to be humble if Kings
9. 24. that is so seek that thou mayst finde so aske that thou mayst obtaine so knocke that it may bee opened so giue that thou maist doe good so suffer that thou maist haue comfort so heare that thou mayst profite How many haue fasted and watched and prayed more than we and yet lost al their deuotion because they thought not of this rule to doe good in a good sort The Papists so they pray care not how they pray for they thinke it enough to pray and therefore when they haue gone ouer their beads their prayer is done although they neuer thought what they asked But Ieremie saith Cursed be he that doth the busines of the Lorde negligently whether hee heare negligently or pray negligently or receiue negligently or preach negligently The Scribes and Pharisies did fast and watch and pray and heare and reade and giue and doe all that we can doe and yet Christ rewardeth al their works with a woe Woe be vnto you Scribes and Pharisies The Disciple which betraied Christ heard so much as the Disciples that loued Christ yet he had no feeling nor comfort nor profite of all his companie with Christ because he did not vse it as the rest did The Iewes did heare more then all the world beside yet because they tooke no heed to that which they heard therefore they crucified him which came to saue them and became the cursedst people vppon the earth which were the blessedst Nation before therefore the A b c. of a Christian is to learne the Arte of hearing We care how wee sow lest our seed should be lost so let vs care how we heare least Gods seede bee lost There is no seede which groweth so fast as Gods seede if it bee sowne well therefore that I may shewe you that methode of hearing which Christ commendeth heere to his disciples it is necessarie to obserue fiue things First the necessitie of hearing secondly the fruite which commeth by hearing thirdly the kindes of hearers fourthly the danger of hearing amisse fiftly that manner of hearing which will make you remember that which is said and teache you more in a yeare than you haue learned all your life Touching the necessitie of hearing When Christ saith Take heede how you heare hee implieth that all his Disciples should heare nay they which were excommunicate from the prayers and from the councels and from the Sacraments for their sinnes yet were not excommunicate from hearing because they should learne to repent Here that large commaundement of our Sauiour Christ standeth That which I say vnto you I say vnto all therefore it is a general Proclamation Whosoeuer hath an eare to heare let him heare The place implyeth that al should heare though it importeth that al can not heare When the voyce spake from heauen it said nothing but This is my beloued son heare him as thongh all the duties of man were comprised in hearing Whē Christ spake but of one thing which is necessarie he spake of hearing Luke 10. 22. As though it were so necessarie to heare that all necessities should giue place vnto it When men would not heare God spake to the ground Oh earth earth earth heare the word of the Lord Iere 22. 29. shewing that GOD so contemneth them which will not heare that he regardes the earth and the trees and the stones being senselesse creatures aboue them When GOD stroke Zacharias hee made him dumbe but not deafe When GOD stroke Saul hee made him blinde but not deafe When GOD stroke Mephibosheth hee made him lame but not deafe Thus GOD would haue them heare which cannot see nor speake nor goe But there is a diuell which is called the deaffe diuell Marke 9. 25. shewing that the diuell would haue vs deaffe because hee that heareth instruction is in the way to life but Hee which heares not instruction goeth out of the way Prouerbs tenne-seauenteenth To shew the necessitie of hearing the worde which we should heare is called meate in the fifth Chapter and the eleuenth verse of the Epistle to the Hebrues and the want of the Worde is called a famine in the eight chapter of Amos Prophecie and the eleuenth verse as though it were as necessarie for vs to heare as it is to eate Although our heartes are contrarie to the Worde more than to any thing beside yet no man can thinke that this is the Word of GOD but hee thinkes it necessarie to bee heard Besides if Christ bee the Word as Saint Iohn calleth him in the first chapter and fourteenth verse and the Worde is receiued by no other meanes but by hearing onely can anie man then receiue Christ without hearing Let not anie bee thus fonde so vainely to dreame for that were to receiue the Worde without the Worde Therefore as Iohn wept vntill the Booke was opened and so soone as it was opened all the Elders sung so wee shoulde coumpt it the greatest cause of weeping when the worde is taken from vs that wee cannot heare it and the greatest cause of reioycing when it is open to vs that wee may heare without let Thus much of the necessitie of hearing Secondly touching the fruite that commeth by hearing Of all our sences hearing is the sence of learning and therefore Salomon begins his Wisedome with Hearken my sonne Prouer. 1. 8. opening as it were the doore where Wisedome must enter Therefore except in praying temptations neuer trouble a man so much as in hearing which sheweth that these two are the destroyers of the destroyer therefore as the tempter himselfe could not abide to heare the Word when Christ spake so hee cannot abide that wee should heare the Word It must needes bee good for vs which our enemies would keepe from vs. Many hearing the Worde haue met with knowledge haue met with comfort haue met with saluation but without the Worde neuer any was conuerted to GOD. Therefore whensoeuer the Worde is preached euery one may say to himselfe as the Disciples saide to the blinde man Bee of good comfort hee calleth thee bee of good comfort the Lorde calleth thee When Christ heard a woman say Blessed are the breastes which gaue thee sucke Christ replied Blessed are they which heare the Worde of God shewing that his Disciples were more blessed for hearing him than his Mother for bearing him As Isaac gaue Iacob a double blessing so Christ blesseth them againe fo◠in Matthew 16. 17. hee saith Blessed are the eares which heare the things which you heare shewing that the Iewes were more blessed than all the worlde because they had this one blessing to heare the trueth If they be blessed which heare then you come hither for a blessing and hee which is blessed wanteth nothing Euery priuiledge dooth importe some speciall good to him which hath it but it is the priuiledge of man to heare the Worde and therefore the Worde became man because it belongeth onely to man God hath
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
God and keepe his Commaundements When he had gone through a thousand vanities then that comes in at the ende euen like our repentance which staies till death So his drift is to shew that mans happinesse is not in these things which we count of but in those which we deferre his reason is they are all vanitie his proofe is because there is no stabilitie in them nor contentatiō of minde his conclusion is therfore contemne the world and looke vp to Heauen from whence ye came and whither yee shall goe This is the scope which Salomon aymes at as though wee did all seeke happinesse but we goe a wrong waie vnto it Therefore he sounds a retyre shewing that if wee holde on our course and goe forwards as we haue begun wee shall not finde happinesse but great miserie because we goe by vanitie Therefore to fright vs out of this way hee breakes forth into an exclamation Vanitie of vanities All is vanitie Now Salomon full of wisedome and schooled with experience is licensed to giue his sentence of the whole world For the spirituall man iudgeth all things his iudgement is so certaine that it runnes before the Euidence and condemnes al for Vanitie before he conuince them to be vaine whereas wee prooue first and condemne after because our words are no authorities hee concludes first and prooues after neuer any iudge did condemne so manie together Salomon resolued all the questions of the Queene Shebah yet Salomon neuer aunswered so many questions at once as now for what can you enquire but heere you haue an answere Aske him as the Souldiers and harlots and Publicans asked Iohn What is sinne Vanitie saith Salomon What is Pleasure Vanitie too What is Beautie Vanitie too What is Riches Vanitie too What is Honour Vanitie too What is Long life Vanitie too This is the state of all things after the fall all turne to Vanitie This is no reproch to the things but shame to him which so abused them that all things should be called Vanitie for him What a testimonie is this of him which should bee the onely seruant of God on earth whome hee created in holines and righteousnes whom he framed to his owne Image whom he placed in Paradise and woulde haue raised to heauen to heare that he hath so polluted his life with euerie sinne that now there is nothing but Vanitie That is a lamentable song which will make him weepe that tunes it if hee thinke what he saith how his state is chaunged since Adam his father died Once God saith that all was good and now he saith that all is nought and vaine as though he forbad man that which he created for man That is not Salomons meaning to debarre men from the vse of creatures although all things changed with man became worse than they were yet hee dooth heere rather shewe that man reapes nothing but Vanitie out of these things by reason of his corruption than that the things themselues are vaine if they were well vsed For euen since the creation Paule saith 1. Tim. 4. That euerie creature of God is good and nothing is to be reiected if it be receiued or vsed with thankesgiuing for it is sanctified by the worde of God and praier That is it which maketh them profitable to vs which because it is wanting for the most part therfore Salomon saith that all are vaine to vs not vaine of themselues but because they are not sanctified as they should be therefore in the 2. 24. the 3. 12. and 22. the 5. 17. the 8. and 15. he shewes a way how we may make profit of all and reioyce in our labours and finde a lawfull pleasure in earthly things so often he cals to the vse lest wee should erre as the Monkes and Eremits haue done before mistaking these wordes when he saith that All is vanity they haue forsaken all companie gouernement and office and trade and got themselues into the wildernes amongst beasts to liue in quiet and silence saying that men could not liue in the world and please God because All is vanitie so while they counted all things vaine they became vain themselues and left those blessings which Salomon inioyed after his knowledge more than he did before Therefore it is vaine man which Salomon reproueth which is not onelie called Vanitie but lighter thā Vanitie If he did not things vainely nothing should bee vaine in the worlde whereas now by abuse we may se sometime as great vanitie in the best things as in the worst For are not many vaine in their knowledge vaine in their pollicies vaine in their learning as other are vaine in their ignorance Was not the wisedom of Achitopel a vaine thing The swiftnes of Hazael a vaine thing The strength of Goliah a vaine thing The treasures of Nabuchadnezzar a vaine thing The honour of Ammon a vaine thing The beautie of Absolon a vaine thing The knowledge of the Scribes a vaine thing The deuotion of the Pharisies a vaine thing And so is the learning of all those a vaine thing that do no good with it but either it lies vnder a bushell and mouldes or else it prattles like Tertullus alwaies against Paul striuing to make warre betweene them which loue dearer than any brethren By this you may see that vanitie is bolde when she breaks into houses and Churches and Pallaces and sometime vanitie may come to infect where Trueth may not come to reprooue Is it not high time then to sounde this Alarum againe Vanitie of vanities c. If we could heare how vehementlie and how pittifullie Salomon pronounced this outcrie happilie it would moue vs a little to heare how hee did exclame of his owne life and condemned himselfe as it were by the sounde of a Trumpet that all might heare For we are all by nature such deafe Adders that whether the Prophets come piping or mourning or crying they goe away from vs againe mourning like Ieremie we would haue cured Babel but she would not be cured Nay the Citie of Ierusalem would not saith our Sauiour Christ when hee wept for his Israelites Therefore Salomon speakes thrice like a Cryer Vanitie of vanities as the mother which would faine make her sonne to heare she doubles and trebles her wordes What my sonne and what the sonne of my wombe and what the sonne of my desires So when GOD would stirre vs vp to heare he crieth thrice to the earth and saith Earth earth earth heare the word of the Lord so when Salomon would disswade from the companie of the wicked reade Prouerbs 4. 1 4 how often he repeates the charge Enter not into the waie of the wicked walke not in it auoid it goe not by it turne from it and passe by as though hee would neuer haue done or as though wee woulde neuer heare So Christ when hee taught Peter what was his duetie rehearsed it thrice Feede Feede Feede Ioseph
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
day It would haue troubled them to watch so long for a good cause but it was fit that the worke of darknes shoulde be done in draknes therefore Christ saith This is the houre of darknesse the houre of darkenes and the power of darknes and the worke of darknes met together When they should rest malice would not suffer them to rest but they became like Owles which watch in the night and cannot sleepe Heere was fulfilled Salomons saying They cannot sleepe before they haue done euill so eagre wee are vpon reuenge more than anie thing else They say that hee cannot stay which rideth vpon the Diuell for malice draweth him and furie spurres him Therefore Zacheus went not so hastely to receiue Christ as his enemies hast to destroy him Nay rather I may say to destroy themselues For as they prayed at Christes death so it came vpon them They sayed his bloud be vpon vs and vpon our children so his bloud is vpon them and vpon their children which haue beene Vagabonds ouer the earth euer since and haue no countrie of their owne for if they be cursed which do the Lords busines negligently they must be cursed too which doe the Diuels busines diligently If men were so hastie in executing Iustice as they were in executing malice so many mē should not be vndone by sutes of Lawe for in one day they could apprehend accuse and examine and condemne and execute him which was Innocent but hee which is iust cānot be quit in one terme nor two nay if he haue right in a yeare it is counted quick dispatch and hee is glad that hee met with such a speedie Lawyer How then when they take a bad cause in hand and prolong it too which keeps their Clients in suspence from day to day and from weeke to weeke in great charge and sinne together I would to GOD that some did not sit in counsaile against good Christiās as these Priests did against Christ but GOD in his mercie dooth daily confounde and bring to nothing the accursed counsailes of the wicked Antichrist and all his rebellious confederates So when the wicked tooke counsaile together wickednesse was the ende of their counsayles for there is nothing woorse to the vngodlie than to meete together for before they meete their wickednes is a little hid like the poyson in a Serpent but when they meete together one setteth on another and the poyson breakes forth into vile speeches and detestable workes and vngodly practises as we see in Tauernes and such like assemblies as this For now they are met together they haue conspired amongst themselues to accuse vnto the Gouernour the most innocent man in the world as if he were the worst man liuing they abused him and mocked him and reuiled him and buffeted him before they brought him to the Gouernor which sheweth that they woulde haue killed him too if they durst without the Gouernour but sin is craftie and therefore they obserue the order of lawe and forme of iudgement lest they should be takē in the snare which they made for him First because Pilate had the authoritie ouer iudgements of death and not they Therefore they are inforced to seeke vnto his iudgement seat to saue themselues from blame and to be deliuered out of trouble if they did vsurpe any thing vpon the Magistrates Office Then because they might not runne vnto the gouernour before daye without suspition of tumult they staide vntill it was morning but so soone as they coulde come they came post hast for the Sunne did no sooner peepe but euen at the verie breake of day they were all readie to flocke vnto the Iudge against him This they did without knowledge but God directed euery thing vnto a right end For it was meete that the Sonne of GOD shoulde bee cleered in a solemne manner by an earthlie Iudge to shewe how wee shalbe cleered by the heauenlie Iudge and therefore as it appeareth in the seuen and twentieth Chapter and foure and twentieth verse of Saint Mathewes Gospell Pilate saide that he found no euill in him before he gaue sentence against him which sheweth that he died not for his owne sinnes but for our sinnes and therefore though they went to the Iudge to saue thēselues from blame yet God sent them to the Iudge that his worde might be fulfilled Lastly this Pilate was a Roman gouernour which ruled for Caesar as Zacheus was a Romane collectour which gathered for Caesar For at that time the Romanes had brought much of the worlde vnto their subiection as since that time they haue brought much of the worlde vnto Idolatry and therefore God would haue his sonne to be iudged by the Romane policie and to be condemned by a Romane Iudge and to be slaine with a Romane death as it were ioyning the Iewes and the Romans in impietie together to shewe that these two Nations shoulde be the odioust people vnto him in all the worlde and how his seruaunts should be crucified there where hee was crucified himselfe for as the Romanes then did crucifie Christ vpon a Crosse so they crucifie him nowe vpon their Altar and resemble the Dragon which when he could not preuaile against Michaell himselfe then hee fought against the woman and her seed that is the Church and her children which are slaine in Rome as the Prophets were in Ierusalem Thus Rome began with the heade and ends with the members So much of the Priests and the Scribes and the Pharisies and the elders Pilate what they did against Christ of whome was fullfilled Dauids praier Lord turne the counsell of Achitophell vnto follie So their counsell was turned vnto follie For as Paule reuiued when he was stoned so Christ rose againe when he was buried to shewe that there is no counsell against God and therefore let all our counsels be for God Now we come to Iudas to aggreuate this tragicall counsell The Euangelist annexeth vnto it the desperate end of the cursedst mā that euer was Three things are speciallie noted of this Traitor his death the cause of his death the confession which hee made before his death His death in the fift verse Hee went hanged himself The cause of his death in the 3. verse For that hee had betrayed his Lord now did see him condemned had no ioy of the money which was giuen vnto him for his Treason His confession in the thirde verse I haue sinned betraying innocent bloude I will speake of euerie worde as they lie for your memorie Therefore first of his Treason When Iudas the traytor before hee was called Iudas the Apostle now he is called Iudas the traitor to distingish him from other of that name lest anie of his name shoulde be defamed for him a brand is set in his forehead like the letter Tau or Caines marke to make him hatefull like a rogue which is burned in the eare so Esau was called Edom which signifieth Redde
terrours of Iudas come vppon the soule the tongue cannot hide his sinne for despaire and horror will not bee smothered But hee which hath Sauls spirite haunting him will rage as Saul did There is a warning conscience a gnawing conscience The warning conscience commeth before sinne The gnawing conscience followeth after sinne The warning conscience is often lulled a sleepe but the gnawing conscience wakeneth her againe If there bee anie hell in this world they which feele the worme of conscience gnawing vpon their hearts may truely say that they haue felt the torments of hell Who can expresse that mans horror but himselfe Nay what horrors are they which he cannot expresse himselfe Sorrowes are met in his soule as at a feast feare thought anguish deuide his soule betweene them All the furies of hell leape vpon his heart like a stage Thought calleth to Feare Feare whistleth to horror horror beckeneth to despaire and faith come and helpe mee to torment this sinner One saith that shee commeth from this sinne and another saith that shee commeth from that sinne so he goeth through a thousand deaths cannot die Irons are laid vpon his bodie like a prisoner Al his lightes are put out at once hee hath no soule fit to be comforted Thus he lieth as it were vpon the racke sayth that he beares the world vpon his shoulders and that no man suffereth that which he suffereth So let him lye saith God without ease vntil he confesse repent call for mercie This is the goodlie waye which the Serpent sayde would make you Gods and made him a diuel Therefore at last learne the sleight of Sathan in this wretched traytor His subtilties are wel called the depth of Sathan for is so deepe that few can soūd him Now he lets Iudas see his sinne before he hid it from him Vntil he had sinned hee made as though it were no sinne but with promises and bribes mufled his face and couered the vilenesse of his fact lest shame should keepe him frō it But whē he had done he made it seeme as vile as hee could to make him despaire for it All his baites are made of this fashion that the sinne is done before the punishment bee considered Let vs not looke for Iudas to come out of hell to warne vs for this is written for our learning therefore Be as wise as Serpentes that the Serpent may not deceiue you The Petition of Moses to God The Text Deut. 3. Chap. 23. 24 verse And I besought the Lord the same time saying O Lord God thou hast begunne to shew thy seruant thy greatnes and thy mightie hand for where is there a God in heauen or earth that can doe like thy workes and like thy power HEere Moses teacheth vs howe to pray hee beginneth first and telleth God that he hath begunne to shewe him fauour well might Moses so say for hee was no sooner borne but the Lorde beganne to shewe him his greatnesse in sauing him when he was cast into the Riuer and deliuering him vnto a Kings daughter to be brought vp and after by his mightie prouidence bringing him to his mother to be nursed If all that the Lorde hath done for him till this time be considered hee had great cause to say O Lorde thou hast begun to shewe thy seruaut thy greatnes Heerein Moses in some part sheweth himselfe thankefull for that hee hath receiued trusting thereby to intreat GOD to continue his benefits and louing-kindnes towards him which is a thing that pleaseth God for which of vs hauing a friend at whose hands wee had receiued a benefite heretofore if we should stand in neede of him againe woulde not saie vnto him Sir you haue beene my friend heretofore and many waies good vnto mee the consideration whereof at this time hath imboldened mee to come vnto you againe Who is it but will account this a thankfull fellow and saye see it is a good deede to doo for one which sheweth himselfe so thankfull Euen so Moses commeth to God he is not like one who sitting in his doore and seeth one day by daye come by him and salute him and yet taketh no acquaintance so that if he stand in need of him either hee knoweth not where he dwelleth or els because he is not acquainted with him he is abashed to aske any thing of him Moses is not such a one but hee is acquainted with the Lorde who so often passed by him and therefore he now sayth Thou hast begun O Lord thou hast begun to shewe thy seruaunt thy greatnesse and thy mightie hand Of this is already spokē what this greatnes and mightie hand which God shewed to Moses was we haue alreadie heard namely that mightie deliuerance which the Lorde euen from his birth to this time had sent him in the time of neede For where is there a God in heauen or in earth that canne doo like thy woorkes or like thy power Here Moses challengeth all the Idoll Gods and telleth them that amongst them all there is not one of them that can doo like his God So God when he is opposed and set against his enemies is then most glorious and confoundeth them all Now Moses procedeth in his prayer saying I praye thee let mee goe ouer and see the good land that is beyond Iordan that goodly mountaine Lebanon But the Lord was angrye with mee for your sakes and would not heare mee and the Lord said vnto me Let is suffise thee or bee content speake no more vnto me of this matter Get thee vp into the top of Pisgah c. Heerein is foure things to be considered First the prayer of Moses in these wordes I pray thee c. Then the answere of God for his prayer then the mitigating of his anger set downe in these wordes Let it suffise thee or be content c. Speak no more vnto mee of this matter Then the promise which God maketh vnto Moses that hee shall see the land of Canaan though not possesse it First for the prayer of Moses set down in these wordes I pray thee let mee goe ouer and see the good Land c. Here Moses prayeth like one of vs who are alwayes crauing but neuer haue respect to the will of God to say Thy will bee done Christ hath not taught vs to aske Our dayly bread before he taught vs to say Thy will be done and therefore Christ when he went to pray after hee had prayed that if it were possible that houre might passe from him Yet after remembring how hee had taught his Disciples before returned againe and saide Neuerthelesse not that I will but that thou wilt bee done And our prayer made after this sort is the cause many time why wee are not hearde therefore let vs hereafter learne in our prayers to pray that Gods will may bee doone What this Mountaine Lebanon is surely Moses meaneth the place where the Temple shoulde bee built
yeare for which he shall giue account The second lesson which Iob seemes to point vs vnto is to prepare our selues before we eat the communion that is to sanctifie our selues our meats as Christ did when they had nothing but a few fishes and bare bread yet there was prayer before they did eate For as Paul saith All the creatures of God are sanctified vnto vs by prayer and thanksgiuing He which doth not pray to God for his dayly bread nor thanke him for it dooth not receiue the creatures of God but steale them from him as a man which taketh a thing without asking or thanking There is a kind of men which I speak of which hold it too sad a matter to say a short grace before they fal to meate least it should forspeake their mirth keepe theÌ„ in a sober mind til they rise againe I haue heard many say that they caÌ„not be merie vnles they swear and whoop carouse dally gibe therefore if they can choose they will neuer bee a guest where any godly man is present lest his countenance or wordes should dash their sport if any matter of God happeÌ„ to come in while they are in the vaine it is like a damp which puts out their lights and turnes their mirth into heauinesse as the hideous hande which wrote vpon the wall cast Baltasar into a dumpe These men had neede to leaue their feasting and go to praying for they deserue to die like the Iewes with the quailes in their mouthes It may be thought Iob that my sonnes haue a spice of this vanitie If it be so with the godly sort as Iobs childreÌ„ were that they may forget themselues at such a time step too farre and slip a sinne what shall wee say of them that driue God out of their company when they banquet and say that scripture dooth not become the table as though we should forget God while wee receiue his benefits we need not say as Iob saide It may be that they blaspheme GOD in their hearts for they blaspheme him with their mouthes we need not say it may be that they doe sinne for they doe nothing but sinne And their feaste is a feast of sinnes as if the Diuelles should banquet together But they which feast as Iob would haue his children sanctifie themselues before eate as in the presence of God and are merie as it were with the Angels when they take their bread they thinke with themselues what a goodnes this is that God giueth such vertue to bread to sustaine life which hath no life in it selfe when they see so many things before them prepared for the flesh they consider with themselues what care God hath of my soule which careth so much for my body which shall goâ— to dust There is another lessoÌ„ which wil stand you in great stead if ye marke it when Iob saith It may be that my sonnes haue sinned Hereby hee teacheth vs to suspect the worst of the flesh and to liue in a kind of ielousie of our selues as he saith that his maner was cap. 9. I feared al my workes that is he did mistrust himselfe and washt his hands and his feet and his eies and his eares and his tongue lest they should sin as a mercer mistrusts his prentice lest hee should filtch so he thought not onely whether his sonnes sinned but he thought of his owne sins too when thou seest some selling in their shops some tipling in the Tauernes some playing in Theaters then thinke of this with thy selfe It is very like that these men swallow many sinnes for God is neuer so forgotten as in feasting and sporting bargaining then turne to thy compassions and pray for them that God would keepe them from sin when temptation is at hand and that hee would not impute their sins to their charge so we should doe for our brethren as Iob did for his children Again so we ought to think when we our selues come from places of teÌ„ptation which infect like a corrupt ayre It may be that I haue sinned haue I seen and heard al this and not slipped my foote with them Come I home sound whole haue I drawn none of the infected ayre Doth none of the dust sticke vpon my garments Looke about my soule and if thou remembrest any sinne which slipt from thee then pray for thy self as Iob did for his children If thou wilt not pray for thy selfe who shal pray for thee If thou wilt not repent thy selfe who shall repent for thee Looke not for Iob to sacrifice for thee Iob cannot sacrifice for thee but thou mayst sacrifice thy selfe and none but thee This should be the thought of euery Christian not whether we haue pleased nor whether wee haue reuenged but whether wee haue sinned for if Iob was so zealous of his children how zealous should we be of our selues FINIS Satans Compassing the Earth IOB 1. 7. 8. 7 Then the Lord sayd vnto Satan Whence commest thou And Satan answered the Lord saying From compassing the earth too and fro and from walking in it 8 And the Lord said vnto Satan Hast thou not considered my seruant Iob how none is like him in earth an vpright man one that feareth God ande schueth euill I Haue spoken of the question already now of the answer Compassing here doth signifie teÌ„pting the earth doth signifie al the people of the earth as if he should say I come from tempting all men It is some vantage vnto vs to heare that the Spaniards are coÌ„ming â—â—fore they com what number they haue and how they are appointed that we may leuie our forces accordingly But beloued there is a greater aduersary theÌ„ the Spaniard which brings in the Spaniards your aduersary the Diuell It is good for vs to heare when hee comes that we may be in a readines agaynst him as we prepare against them Therefore this Scripture and this time accorde well In Reuelation 12. 10. the diuel is called an accuser and now I am an accuser of the accuser he accuseth vs to God and God accuseth him to vs that when he comes like an Angel yet we may say to him like Christ Auoyd Satan First giue me leaue to say vnto you as Christ sayd vnto his disciples Take heed how you heare for that which I am to speake vnto you of the diuel the diuel would not haue you heare and therfore as he is here called a Compasser so he will compasse your eyes with shewes your eares with sounds your sences with sleep and your thoughts with fancies all to hinder you from hearing while the articles are against him and after I haue spoken he will compasse you againe with businesse cares and pleasures and quarrels to make you forget that which you haue heard as hee hath made you forget that which ye haue heard before or els to conteÌ„ne as thogh you might doe well without it as hee hath compassed