are most proane vnto it The seede of this sin is in the very best and often sprouteth forth to our great shame Psal 73.28 say thou with Dauid in euery distresse It is good for mee to draw neere vnto the Lord. For assuredly this is the onely way that will bring a man peace at the latter end Ambrose Vnto a Citizen The farre Countrey as wee haue heard is the region of sinne Now this Citizen may seeme to represent the prince of darkenesse with his cursed confederates the reprobate Angels called Citizens in the kingdome of sinne because they haue not onely sinned but they abide and continue in sinne they dwell in it and cannot leaue it But let him be whom hee will he was but a hard master towards this his seruant he put him to base worke and gaue him but small wages not foode for his belly Learne then Those that refuse to giue seruice vnto God Doctr. Those that wil not serue God shall serue a harder Master Deut. 28.41.48 shall be enforced to serue a worse master Deut. 28.47.48 And what doth the scripture speake of such as are not conuerted nor returned to the Lord doth it not say such are ruled by the God of this world id est the Deuil who works in the hearts of the children of disobedience doth it not testifie 2 Tim. 2. vlt. that such are in the snare of the Diuell being taken captiue of him at his will Reason there are but 2. Reason Lords and commanders of the whole world God and the Diuell forsaking the seruice of the one we must needs goe into the vineyard of the other there is no remedy The vse of this is for admonition to vs that we know Vse 1 how we leaue Gods house and seruice that we cast not of the yoke of the Lord our God for if we refuse to seâ—ue him let vs be assured we shall serue others whose seruice we shall find more hard and wages most wofull at the last there is no fishing like vnto the sea no seruice like vnto God and to the Kings keepe still then in the house of God neuer comes a better Oh remember that you are Gods sworne seruants and haue taken the blessed sacrament vpon it that you will be obedient vnto him and fight against the world flesh and deuill and that valiantly and constantly vnto your liues end beware lest you be found guilty of periurie and apostacie from the liuing God make good what you haue promised and vowed to the Lord before his Saints and blessed Angels who are witnesses of thy couenant Math. 7.22 Call him not only Lord Lord as many do but let him indeed be thy Lord as few doe Did seruice consist in wearing of a liuery or taking of wages or giuing good words then God should haue seruants enough but there must be more obedience is required in a cheerefull doing all that is enioyned be not then stubborne withdraw not the shoulder from yeilding obedience vnto the Almighty carry thy selfe in all things like a dutifull seruant deserue not to be cast out lest thou sing the song of this prodigall How many hired seruants in my fathers house haue bread enough 1 Iohn 5.3 and I perish for hunger This master is liberal he giues the best wages and for the easiest worke euery one of his seruants are aduanced to be sonns euery sonne is an heire euery heire a king euery king hath an eternal kingdome thus God rewards with honour but Satan with shame do not then by swearing by drunkennesse and such like sinnes thrust thy selfe out of Gods doores and enter into the seruice of that beggerly master the Diuell who hath nothing to giue his followers but hell and euer lasting torments keepe then in Gods seruice and thou art made for euer Text. And he sent him to his feilds to feede swine By farme or feilds wee may vnderstand this world by swine sinners wicked and vngodly men of the world his feeding of them is his keeping company conuersing with them This seemes to be the morrall exposition of these words Now for some instruction and first in that the wicked are compared to swine wee may obserue thuâ— much Doctr. Wicked men are no better then bruit beasts Men without grace are no better then beasts without reason they are swinish brutish Hence it is that the holy Ghost who can giue most congruous names to natures doth so frequently in scripture compare the wicked to bruit and sauage creatures sometimes to Lyons Psal 58 6. Psal 59.6 Psal 80.13 Psal 22.12 Psal 32.9 Math. 10 16. Luke 13.32 Isay 1.3 Math. 7.6 1 Pet. 2.22 somtimes to Doggs sometimes to Bores sometimes to Bulls sometimes to Horses and Mules sometimes to Woulfes sometimes to Foxes sometimes to the Oxe and Asse otherwhiles to Swine doe not all these names serue to set forth their brutish disposition Reasons of this point may be these first because man by sinne degenerateth into the nature of the beast by it Reason 1 he loseth the right vse of his vnderstanding which is the very thing that maketh them men and doth distinguish them from bruites This the Prophet sheweth plainely in the 49. Psal the 20. verse Where he saith that man being in honor and vnderstandeth not is like to the beasts that perish Here the Prophet sheweth that mans honour aboue the beasts is his vnderstanding which he loosing by sinne doth degenerate into the dishonourable ranke of bruit creatures Secondly because wicked men giue vp themselues to Reason 2 be led by sence and appetite like the bruit beast who followeth his owne lust and no other perswasion they will not liue by rules of renewed reason perswasions to leaue sin and take better courses can no more preuaile with them then with a beast 2. Pet. 2.12 this reason Peter giues in his second epistle the second chapter and the 12. verse so the Prophet Ieremiah Ier. 5.8 expresseth this property in the wicked Iewes where he saith that like full fed horses euerie one neigheth after his Neighbours wife The vse we are to make of this poynt is manifold first it may serue to shew vs the cursed and malignant qualitie of sinnes which Circes like doth transforme men into beasts and maketh those who at the beginning were made after Gods owne Image most glorious and beautifull to be more vgly in the sight of God then the most brutish creature that he hath made Secondly it may teach vs how to esteeme of the wicked surely as God himselfe esteemes of them no better then of beasts nay well were it for them if they were no worse for when the beast dies his misery ends but when these die their vnhappinesse begins These are the heard of vncleane Swine whereinto to the Deuil is entred and will at length fling them into that bottomlesse Lake Thirdly let wicked men take notice of their owne Vse 3 base estate and condition
who though they be neuer so great rumbling it in Caroches riding on their Palfreyes yet if sinfull and gracelesse they are no better then the beasts that draw them then the horse that carries them nay worser in Gods account What man would indure to be called a beast to be termed an Asse an Owle a Dogge or the like yet the brutish practises of many shew they are no better How many liue like Swine rooting in the earth trampling vnder their feet the holy things of God contemning the Word and Sacraments and wallow in the myre of vncleanenesse and drunkennesse How many resemble the Horse and Mule who will not indure bit or bridle nothing can curbe them or keepe them in compasse mercies iudgements promises threatnings all are too little their Rider they will cast and giue him a farewell with their heeles such iadish trickes too many vse What a number of two-leg'd Dogges are abroad in the world of all sorts and kinds some resemble the Mastiffe worrying Christs Lambes by grinding the faces of the poore some haue the qualitie of the Spaniell fawning and flattering good for nothing but to fetch and carrie tale-bearers busie-bodies Others of the Greyhound out-running all moderation running in all excesse of riot spending on backe and belly their whole patrimonie There are many also resemble your bawling Curres Raylers Reuilers of God and goodnesse And as many the Bloud-hound persecuters of the Saints and seruants of God who are neuer well till they haue their bloud to drinke Thus wee see how manie resemble these bruites in their practises who notwithstanding would thinke foule scorne so to be esteemed but thou wicked gracelesse person whosoeuer thou be esteeme as highly of thy selfe as thou wilt yet thou art a very bruit and no better God doth so account thee and who dares otherwise esteeme of thee Vse 4 Fourthly and lastly let this teach vs not to satisfie nor content our selues in this that hauing speech and reason we goe beyond birds beasts and other creeping things vnlesse by grace and goodnesse wee excell and goe beyond vnregenerated persons for else though thou dost retaine both the place and shape of a man yet being in thy qualities and properties like a beast thou art no better in the eyes of God To feed Swine Here is the worke this new Master did imploy this Prodigall in to keepe his Pigges Text. Here was a sorrie preferment to forsake his sonne-ship and become a Swine-heard The poynt we may from hence learne is this The seruice of Satan is a most base seruice Doctr. The seruice of Satan is a most base seruice What more base then this to keepe at the Hogges-trough and serue sinne yet this is the worke whereabout he was imployed so then his seruice is but base drudgerie neuer did the Taske-masters of Aegypt impose on the Israelites so base a worke as Satan on his slaues for their making Bricke was not vnlawfull but these must doe that onely for the Deuill that is vnlawfull euerie brutish lust must be yeelded to euerie lewd and sinnefull companion conuersed with the bodie must be defiled the soule and conscience corrupted yea 2. Sam. 13. 2. Sam. 17. Math. 27.3 2. Pet. 22. all their workes and waies polluted What was the seruice whereabout Ammon Iudas Achitophel were imployed was it not most base and vile and why is it that the Holy Ghost compares sinne to the myre nay to the dogges vomit if it were not to set for the basenesse of it Such as the Master is Reason such must needes his seruice be now Satan is become the verie basest of all Gods creatures therefore his seruice must needes be base he can imploy his in no better seruice then he hath for them viz. to rake continually in the stinking kennels of sinne whereby to staine and poyson themselues yea the whole World The Vse that we are to make of this may be first for reproofe of such as glorie in their shame bragging and boasting of their base seruitude of their wicked sinnefull and flagitious courses which they daily follow and thinke it to be a credit to sweare swagger drinke carouse and the like surely if it be a credit to be a drudge and slaue vnto the Deuil to be at the command of euerie base lust and to be imployed about the basest scullerie then they haue whereof to boast Deceiue thy selfe no longer thou prophane liuer but see thy condition bragge and boast of thy freedome and priuiledges wealth and worship neuer so much yet know thou art but a drudge and a base drudge being at the command of euerie lust be it neuer so vile and canst thou be free no no thou art not free till Christ doth make the free and then Ioh. 8.36 thou shalt be free indeed So long as thou seruest sinne thou art not freed by him but art still a bond slaue vnto the Deuil 2. Tim. 2.26 being taken captiue by him at his will Vse 2 In the second place this may serue to estrange our affections from Satans seruice Who would serue such a Master as doth set him about nothing but the basest drudgerie Shall man who was created after the glorious Image of God suffer himselfe to be so abased as to become a Hog heard If thou hast any sparke of true courage in thy bosome returne to thy fathers house and be no longer held in this base seruitude Shall such a man as I flye said Nehemiah so say thou Shall such a one as I who was made but a little inferiour to the Angels themselues created after the Image of God nobly discended borne to a Kingdome suffer my selfe to be the Deuils Scullion nay I will not I will hereafter carrie my selfe more loftie and thinke scorne to inthrall my selfe to so base a bondage Text. Ver. 16. And he would faine haue filled his belly with the Huskes By Huskes is generally vnderstood the vanities of this present euill world which can giue no true content to the soule of man hauing nothing in them but emptinesse vanitie vacuitie and no sollid nor substantiall nutriment Yet there are some who by them vnderstand the Doctrine of the Scribes and Pharises August which was frothie and without substannce being stuffed with tales and fables and many traditions receyued from their elders which Doctrine of theirs being thus of their owne deuising could not satisfie nor nourish the hungrie soules of poore sinners but they went away still as hungrie as they came and this they take to be meant by the words following And no man gaue vnto him If this exposition be taken which in my iudgement may well be I cannot see any inconuenience wil follow But forasmuch as the whole current of expositors doe giue the other it will not be amisse to speake somewhat of both though the briefer Taking the former this is the poynt No earthly thing can satisfie the soule Doctr. No earthly thing can content the
vpon their crownes the Barbers paines shall then be spared In a word all sorts are confuted in their habits no place no calling nor condition is respected or regarded Gentlemen goe like Nobles Citizens like Courtiers the Countryman like the Citizen the seruant will be attired as his master the maide like vnto her mistresse Salomons vanitie is come againe into the world Seruants ride on horsebacke and Masters goe on foote and so farre are we from that modest and comely attyring of our selues which the Apostle doth require as that the attire which many weare better beseemeth strumpets then honest Matrons being neither fashioned to our bodies nor made large enough to couer those naked parts which both God and nature would haue couered how iustly may the Lord fashion our bodies to our clothes seeing we will not fashion our cloths vnto our bodies And thus is our liberty abused which God affordeth vs for which this Land and Nation is like to smoake vnlesse it please the Lord in mercy to looke vpon vs and giue vs hearts to repent for these abominations which are so rise amongst vs. You that feare the Lord call vpon his name you that loue King and Country fall to mourning for assuredly these sinnes cannot escape vnpunished without there be an vniuersall humiliation and repentance And let vs eat and be merry Heere was cause of ioy on all sides The father hath cause of ioy Text. who losing an vntoward sonne now findes an obedient childe who findes him humbled that went away obdurate and impenitent The sonne himselfe hath cause of ioy in finding so kinde a welcome at his Fathers hands whom he had so much wronged And heere is cause of reioycing also for the houshold seruants in that their Masters sonne was now found who had been so long lost Therfore saith the Father let vs cat and be merry not doe Yee for this my sonnes returne or doe Thou my son for that thou art returned but let Vs reioyce let Vs bee merry for this so blessed a returne and change The true turning of any soule from sinne Doctr. The true conuersion of any doth administer much matter of reioycing vnto the faithfull Verse 5 6. Verse 7. Verse 8 9. doth administer matter of exceeding great ioy and reioycing This is declared in the two fore going parables First in that of the lost sheepe where wee see that the shepheard when hee findes his sheepe layeth it on his shoulder and comming home calleth his friends together and wils them to reioyce because hee had found the sheepe which was wanting Now heare how Christ applies this I say vnto you that likewise ioy shall bee in Heauen ouer one sinner that repenteth more then ouer ninety and nine iust persons which neede no repentance So in that other parable of the lost groat the poore woman lights a candle sweepes the house searcheth euery corner and when she hath found her groat shee gathereth her neighbours together saying Reioyce with me Verse 10. for I haue found the piece which I had lost Heare now what followes Likewise I say vnto you there is ioy in the presence of the Angels of God for one sinner that conuerteth As it causeth the Angels of Heauen to reioyce so doth it likewise cause the Saints vpon the earth for when the Iewes heard of the conuersion of the Gentiles Acts 11.18 and that the Holy Ghost was fallen vpon them as vpon themselues at the beginning They held their peace as the Text saith and glorified God saying Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance vnto life Reason The reason is because God is heereby glorified and his Church and Kingdome is increased and aduanced Now as there is nothing that ought to be more grieuous to vs then Gods dishonour so nothing ought to reioyce our hearts more then to see his praise set forth and his name magnified Vse 1 First then this may serue to reprooue such as enuy and murmure at the conuersion of their brethren Thus did the Brother of this Prodigall as heereafter we shall see so did the Iewes stumble at the conuersion of the Gentiles Acts 12.3 15.1 who had rather renounce the Gospell then to receiue them into a fellowship of the same faith Thus doe many peruersely and maliciously repine at the bringing of their brethren into the estate of grace wherat they ought especially to reioyce 1 Pet. 4.4 Yea farther they mocke and persecute them for no other cause but because they haue left their sins turned to the Lord. But let these know that such as bee themselues conuerted will reioyce at the conuersion of their brethren and let me wish them to take heed how they murmure at the mercy of God shewed in the conuersion of any for feare they depriue themselues for euer of it Vse 2 Secondly this should be as a forcible motiue to make vs returne vnto the Lord Consider thou shalt reioyce both the heart of God and man by thy repentance the Saints vpon the earth will reioyce and magnifie Gods name the Angels in heauen shall bee exceeding glad and praise God for thee yea the thrice gloririous and blessed Trinity will also beare their parts in this reioycing The Father will reioyce when thou who art by nature the childe of wrath and slaue of Satan becommest his adopted sonne and heire of grace The Sonne also will be glad because by thy repentance his death and bloud shed becomes auailable vnto thee The Holy Ghost likewise shall reioyce because by repentance thy heart is purged and made a fit temple for himselfe to dwell in Oh what a notable spurre would this bee to true repentance if it were well considered Consider of it thou who as yet continuest in a course of sinne thou shalt reioyce the hearts of God Angels and Men if thou wilt repent And surely if it will bring ioy to them it will bring farre greater ioy vnto thy selfe in the end It is thy good that causeth them to reioyce for it concerneth not them so much as it concernes thy selfe Turne therefore from thy euill wayes leaue and forsake thy former courses thou shalt haue no cause of griefe for thy so doing The hearts of others thou wilt make glad but thine owne soule shall finde the greatest comfort Thirdly let this serue to exhort such as are conuerted Vse 3 to vse all good meanes for the conuersion of their brethren Seeke to gaine and winne them to the faith and if they be gained reioyce vnfainedly for Gods mercy towards them Away with that same vncircumcised care of enuy bee not offended for thy brothers good but let it cause thee to breake forth into a praising of the name of God Text. VERSE 24. For this my sonne was dead and is aliue Againe he was lost but is found and they began to be merrie AS the father made great ioy vpon his sonnes returne so he had good reason mouing him
many are heerein much to blame who put vp many an vntrue report that is raised of them and neuer goe about to cleere themselues nor defend their owne credit They are too too carelesse of what is spoken of them although it bee neuer so falsely and slanderously spoken yet they sit downe by it Hence it commeth to passe Hominum est dissolutorum ad iniurias diuini nominis securè conniuentium c. Apolog. Iewel part 1. cap. 3. Diuis 5. that the profession is discredited and the Lord dishonoured For men to be carelesse saith one what is spoken by them and their owne matter be it neuer so falsely spoken especially when it is such that the Maiesty of God and the cause of Religion may thereby be damaged is the part doubtlesse of dissolute and retchlesse persons and of them which wickedly winke at the iniuries done vnto the name of God But must a man for euery slander Quest goe about to send and proue when then shall he be at quiet if this be so Such indignities and wrongs as are of the least sort Answ In what case we are to passe by a slander in what not Prou. 19.11 and touch onely our priuate persons may bee borne withall and winked at And so saith Salomon The discretion of a man deferreth his anger and it is his glory to passe ouer a transgression But if the wrong bee of another nature if the slanders which are layd vpon our persons redound to the discredit of our profession and to the hurting and hindering of the cause of the Gospell in this case we may not be silent lest through our sides the Church of God receiue a blow Iohn 8.49 An example hereof we haue in our Sauiour Christ who when the Iewes obiected against him two crimes Melanct. in loc Luther one that hee was a Samaritane another that hee had a Deuill neglected that crime which concerned his person and passed it ouer as being of the least sort of wrongs stands vpō that other especially which touched his doctrine I haue not a Deuill A better patterne we cannot haue for our imitation And as this concernes all Christians in generall so in speciall vs Ministers for our good life is more respected then our learning Common people more regard what they heare of vs then what they heare from vs such is the corruption of our times It stands vs therfore in hand to keepe a good name and estimation amongst Gods people and to defend our owne innocency when we are falsely slandered and accused We are to perswade others Now what can hinder this more then a bad perswasion of vs in the hearts of those with whom wee are to deale wee therefore aboue all others ought to free our selues from all false imputations for a good perswasion of the Teacher bringeth a ready entertainment of the thing that is taught but a bad conceit doth much preiudice the truth And thus much bee spoken of this poynt now wee come to the next and last viz. Doctr. God will maintaine the righteous cause of his children against the wicked God will make the innocency of his seruants knowne hee will vphold and maintaine their righteous cause against all opposers This poynt though it bee not manifestly expressed yet it is inclusiuely implyed in the text Hee was dead saith the Father but he is now aliue he was lost but is found We heard before what the sonne obiected against his father First that hee had beene dutifull and obedient Secondly that his brother had beene vndutifull and dissolute and therfore his father did deale vniustly Now the father heere cleeres his iustice and answereth both his obiections The first in the 31 verse and the other in this last so then without doubt this did the father intend as to cleere himselfe so to defend his sonne The poynt then is truely gathered now let vs heare it further pooued Dauid perswading Gods people to patience and confidence in the Lord vseth this as an argument Psal 37.6 Hee shall bring forth thy righteousnesse as the light and thy iudgements as the noone day as if hee should haue sayd Temple in loc Howsoeuer thy innocency be at somtimes couered as it were with a thick and darke mist of slander and oppression yet the Lord will in his good time scatter and dissolue this mist and so make thy innocency apparent and cleere to the world yea he shall make thy righteous cause to be so euident as the Sunne when it riseth nay which is more as at noon-day when it is at the highest shineth brightest I could further shew you the truth of this Gen. 39.10 by many examples Ioseph being accused by his Mistresse and vpon that false accusation being imprisoned by his Master Psal 105.18 where his feet were held in the stocks and hee laid in Irons found this to be true for how did God make his innocency knowne vnto the world and in his good time scatter those mists of slanders cast vpon him causing his Sun to shine with a glorious lustre Thus the Lord dealt with Iob Iob 42.7 howsoeuer he was falsely accused had many slanderous imputations laid vnto his charge yet the Lord at length made his innocency knowne and did mainetaine and vphold his righteous cause as his story sheweth at large This also was Gods dealing with Ieremiah he was accused to be a conspirator and to weaken the hands of the people for which he was cast into prison Ierem. 37.15 yea into a loathsome dungeon but heare him now speake of himselfe and of Gods dealing towards him Rament 3.55.56.57.58 I called vpon thy name O Lord out of the low dungeon thou hast heard my voyce c. Thou drewest neere in the day that I called vpon thee thou saydst Feare not O Lord thou hast maintained the cause of my soule and redeemed my life God did maintaine his cause against all opposers As this hath beene prooued by Scripture so it may bee further cleered by Reasons For first It is his place and office so to doe he is the Reason 1 Iudge of all the world as Abraham sayth Gen. 18.25 and shall not he doe right It belongeth vnto him to render to euery one according to his workes and therefore at last hee will come forth and bring the righteousnesse of his seruants into open light Secondly he hath promised to relieue his seruants Reason 2 Psal 146.7.10 Rom. 3.4 when they are oppressed and will he goe backe from his word or say and vnsay as man doth It cannot be let God be true and euery man a lyar Seeing then that this is so Let this serue to encourage Vse 1 vs in all well-doing seeing God is with vs and in our righteous cause will neuer leaue vs let the wicked traduce vs and slaunder vs yet God will at length plead our cause and make our innocency knowne to our glory and