apparant His Father dooth not debate the case with him doth not chyde and threaten him but straight-way dooth embrace him VVherefore they gather foolishly heere-hence that say gods mercy is not ready for sinners till they by repentance prouoke him there-vnto Heare say they our heauenly Father is set forth to be most easie to forgiue but not before the the sinner doe purpose to returne therefore God dooth not vouchsafe any his famous before they seeke it True it is that the sinnen may obtaine pardon forgiueries that it is most requisite that he should be toucht with sorow of conscience wherby he may be displeased with himselfe but it followeth not therefore that repentance which is the gift of God should haue his first beginning of mans owne motion And in this sort farre vnfitly is an earthly father compared vnto God for it is not in mans power by the secrete instinct and working of the holy spirit to renue and alter and change the hart of a sinner and of a stony to make a fleshly hart Eze. 11.19 and 36.26 But the question is not heâ—re whether man being conuerted of himselfe returne vnto the Lord but vnder the person of an earthly father Gods mercie is coÌ„mended and his readines to forgiue The grace of God which hastneth speedily worketh requireth no delay As the nurse seeing the weak child to set forward to go doth presently run to stay him So dooth God help those by his grace to begin and continue in godlines of life whom he hath framed therevnto Iob. 14. Thou shalt call me and I shall aunswere thee thou louest the worke of thine owne hands The mercie of God is not slowe to them that trulie repent As soone as we being toucht with sorrow call vnto him for mercy and forgiuenes he openeth the wings of his mercie to receiue those that flye vnto him that they may returne into his fauour and be reconciled vnto him How-beit it falleth out most backwardly that the more diligent God is to doe vs good the more forward are we to all euill and slow to goodnes How hasty were the Israelites to giue theyr iewels and earings to the making of a golden calfe and to bad purposes we are liberall enough if not too prodigall But who is there that to the releâ—â—e of a poore man would giue his ring off his finger or golde out of his purse nay scarce a poore penny and what small helpe is a penny Vpon whores and harlots most vngodly we consume great wealth but vppon our poore kinred wee are loth to bestowe the least helpe Vertue calleth vnto vs commaundeth vs and wee are fast asleepe and heare not Vice and wickednes dooth but becken and hold vp the finger wee run most speedily We are hastie to doe euill but slow to good works He fell vpon his necke VVhereby is declared not onely Gods loue but his great care in preseruing guiding and gouerning of them which turne vnto him he doth cherrish and embrace the repentant sinner with both his armes of mercy loue and compassion His lest arme is the forgiuenes of sinnes and his right arme is the promise of glory and euerlasting life According to that of the prophet Hosea 11.3 I led Ephraim as one should beare him in his armes I ledde them with cordes of a man euen with bands of loue and I vvas to them as he that taketh of the yoke from theyr iawes And kissed him Which signifieth the infusion of his heauenly grace pouring forth the greatnes of his affection shewing the effect of his heauenly bounty and goodnesse toward a penitent sinner By these sencible matters of embracing and kissing more high and heauenly things are meant By the kisse is meant the perfection of grace because a kisse is a signe of perfect reconciliation good will peace and loue therefore it is set in the last place Great is the gracious fauour that God sheweth to man-kinde The manifold mercies of God for if hee should straight lie deale with the most godly he should find matter enough to condemne them But so excâ—eding is his mercy compassion that hee presenâ—eth sinners calleth backe those that flie froÌ„ him gathereth together those that are disperced deliuereth them that are readie to perrish quickneth those that are dead in sin iustifieth them whose deserts haue been farre otherwise rebuketh those that are negligent stirreth vp those that sleepe in sin raiseth vp those that are falne instructeth those that are ignorant bringeth back those that are gone astray embra-braceth them that returne and keepeth preserueth theÌ„ by all means possible Who soeuer therefore doth duly consider Gods mercy compassion hath no cause to distrust and to fall away from God but rather to be coÌ„forted with hope of pardon Why therfore ô sinner dost not thou depart froÌ„ sin seeing that thou maist bee graciouslie receiued For at what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sin I wil put out all his wickednes out my of remeÌ„brance saith the Lord. Howe ready is Gods mercy toward thee that hee may graciously receiue thee and crowne thee also with honour Come out then out of thy prison into this place of liberty if it be possible that thou canst wind thy selfe out of the slauerie of sin thou shalt finde thy Sauiour vvith his armes wide open most louingly and graciously to receiue thee and also to prepare thee an euerlasting dwelling place in heauen after this wretched life and that more princelike theÌ„ any king in this world doth enioy Feare not little flock contemptible base despised in the world for it is your Fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome Why doost thou not stirre then from sin beeing almost ouer-whelmed why doost thou stand in dirt and mire when thy feet may goe vpon cleere ground Some Father woulde haue taken vp his prodigall child very sharply corrected him seuerely hee woulde haue called thys spend-thrift to account how he had spent his goods how he had wasted his patrimonie where he had beene so long as a vagabond But beholde the great compassion of the father of this prodigall sonâ—â— resembling Gods mercy to a desolate sinner He dooth not aske account of him where hee was or how hee had wasted his substance he doth not reuile neither doth he handle him sharply but with a most mild ioyfull countenaunce and a louing behauiour goeth out to meete him embraceth kisseth him and maketh great ioy O inestimable loue infinite charitie goodnes vnspeakeable VVhat minde is it that would not burst forth in teares what hard hart is it if it were harder then the Adamant which would not be mollified and relent at so great kindnes and curtesie offred Returne therfore vnto the Lord who art farre off from him it is his desire a sinner should liue he would not his death how head-long and voyde of reason then is he that will refuse life and take hold of death
it proceedeth namely from affliction the knowledge and feeling of his owne misery Seuenthly how Christ is our present Aduocate in our distresse and misery when we call vpon him earnestly and vnfainedly and in truth and sincerity Because through the humble sure of Christ the prodigall son obtained mercie Eyghtly the infinite mercy of GOD which is not ouercome by the multitude of our sinnes to remoue all despaire Ninthly the great solemnity that God and all the holy Angels doe make at the conuersion of a sinner Lastly an incouragement to them that liue well that they may continue in well dooing and be godly stil As also an instruction to them not to murmure at Gods works but rather to reuerence them and to reioyce that it hath pleased him to deale so graciously with sinners and to call them home that went so far astray Whereby vvee are further taught not rashly to iudge of any but to hope the best and in charitie to pray for their amendment There is no parable in the gospell more full of comfort consolation Whereby I am perswaded that there is no such greeuous sinner nor hainous offender vvhich would not turn vnto God if he consider in this example gods goodnes boūtifulnes and the entire loue of so mercifull a Father which of his own gracious accord went out to meete his prodigall sonne and to receiue him without any shew of deniall contrary to the custome of earthly Fathers vvhich fret and fume and are hardly drawne to such mercy How kindly doth he embrace him array him put a ring on his finger kill the fatted calfe for him make merry reioyce for him And howe farre of hee was frō casting in his teeth his former euill life that he maketh no mention thereof but rather findeth fault vvith the elder brother that repined thereat seeking to satis-fie and appease him The younger sonne not in age but in manners not in yeeres but in want of wisdome whereby he is the more easily inclined and drawne vnto bad wayes Some aged men are but young in theyr wordes gesture and conuersation and these the prophet Esay 65. calleth young men of an hundred yeeres old Some are young men concerning their time yet are aged men in good behauiour as Ioseph Dauid Samuell Daniell Iohn Baptist According to that the Lord said vnto Moses Numb 11. Gather vnto me seuenty men whom thou knowest to be auncient in discretion giuen to be vertuous and godly well disposed The foolishnes and lightnes of a sinner is heere set forth in that he is termed a young man For for the most part they know but little and haue experience but of a fewe matters they are vnskilfull in theyr owne affayres and stand in great neede of counsell If this prodigall Sonne left his Fathers house Foolishnes and sought his owne decay and destruction it was through his owne folly where-with hee was ouer-ruled and headlong carried away As fore-cast is more worth then great maintenaunce so is wisedome the disposer the continuer of great wealth Children consider no more then that which is before theyr eyes neyther doe they fore-cast things to come Deut. 32. O that they were wise then woulde they vnderstand this they would consider theyr latter end And our Sauiour Christ saith Luke 19. O that they had known the time of theyr visitation at the least in thys theyr day The Apostle Saint Paule wisheth euery where vnto the faithfull that they bee filled with the knowledge of God For it is no meruaile if God be forsaken of them to whom hee is not knowne which neyther heare the worde of God nor haue it nor make any care or regard thereof The prodigall sonne vnderstood not the great blessings that vvere in his Fathers house but afterward affliction gaue him to vnderstand when he felt the want thereof So we leaue God fall into sinne Blindnes because we know not the mischiefes that flow from thence Were it not that the Hawkes eyes were hidde and his feete tyed hee would mount aloft into the skies so if the eyes of our minde were not blinded with worldlie pleasures and vanities wee should sure be lifted vp with heauenly thoughts to despise these earthly delights For all the commodities and pleasures of this life haue but a short time of continuance Phil. 3. Sinners continuing in theyr sinfull race are inwardly blinded that they cannot see the light of God nor finde the way to come out of theyr lothsome darknesse For although there be many sins some of weaknes and some of malice yet ignorance is the roote of all For when we know not whether there be a God or a deuill heauen or hell ioyes or torments no meruaile if wee wilfully runne into all wickednesse All vvhich if the sinner did well knovve and beleeue hee would not so easily offend as he doth at least-wise hee would not fall into so many and so great and dangerous sins as he doth and that daily No man sinneth but hee that seeth not what hee looseth by sinning Therefore let vs pray with the prophet psalme 12. Lord lighten mine eyes that I fall not in death And psalm 118. Giue mee vnderstanding and I will search thy law yea I will keepe it with my whole hart Let vs desire true knowledge that we doe not leaue GOD that wee may remaine with him and be in his house be content to be ruled by him keepe his commaundements Not onely ignorance of Gods goodnes blessings gyfts and graces doth turne vs away from God Confidence in his owne wisedom but also the confidence in our owne strength our owne selfe will and our owne selfe-loue No perswasions can alter a young mans mind and a wilful sinner vntill he haue fully tryed his own way Beyond all measure they trust too much to themselues to their own strength and wisdome policy and fetches thinking themselues to be of such good gouernment that they know well enough how to order to dispose their owne matters And this selfe wisdom is the cause that many forsake god Therefore the Lord saith Reuel 3. Thou sayest I am rich and want nothing and knowest not that thou art miserable and poore and blind and naked But how little wee are able to doe without Gods helpe and grace shall be shewed hereafter Peter was bold and presumed saying Though all men be offended yet will not I be offended who because he trusted too much to his owne strength was ouer-come by a filly maid Mat. 26. So also Dauid heerein confesseth his owne fault Psal 29. I sayde in my prosperitie I shall neuer be remooued and presently after Thou turnedst away thy face from me and I was troubled And hauing full tryall in himselfe hee reproueth them which put not theyr trust in God Psal 52.8 Loe this is the man that tooke not God for his strength but trusted vnto the multitude of his riches and strengthned himselfe in his wickednes But
in the same crosse Eph. 2. He hath quickned vs which were dead in trespasses and sinnes wherein in tyme past wee walked according to the course of this world after the prince that ruleth in the ayre euen the spirit that nowe worketh in the children of disobedience Among whom we also haue had our conuersation in time past in the lustes of our flesh in fulfilling the will of the flesh and of the minde and were by nature the children of wrath as vvell as others But God which is rich in mercy through his great loue where-with he loued vs euen when we were dead in sinnes hath quickned vs together in Christ by whose grace ye are saued And hath raised vs vp Wee which were without Christ and were aliants from the common wealth of Israell and strangers from the couenaunt of promise and had no hope and were without God in the vvorld and were once a farre off by the blood of Christ are now made neere For he is our peace betwixt GOD the Father vs in him we haue the peace of conscience and boldnes towards God as wee read 1. Iohn 3.20.21 If our hart condemne vs God is greater thē our hart knoweth all things Beloued if our hart condemne vs not then haue we boldnesse towards God And what soeuer wee aske we receiue of him because wee keepe his commaundements and doe those thinges which are pleasing in his sight Now therfore wee are no more strangers and forrainers but Cittizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God For through him we haue an entrance vnto the Father So that now we may reioyce in God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom we haue now receiued the attonement Then beeing iustified by faith Ro. 5. we haue peace toward GOD through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom also wee haue accesse to God our Father who onely hath brought vs into his presence arrayed vs with his owne garment of holines and innocencie Heb. 10.22 Let vs draw neere with a true hart in assurance of fayth sprinckled in our harts from an euill conscience washed in our bodies with pure water chap. 4.16 and let vs go boldly vnto the throne of grace that we may receaue mercy and finde grace to helpe in time of neede Through this comfort that most vn godly King Manasses after the view and sight of his former iniquities hope of mercy forgiuenes was incouraged to com to god as his father Thou are the most high Lord saith he of great cōpassion long suffering and most mercifull repentest for mans miseries Thou ô Lord according to thy great goodnes hast promised repentance and forgiuenes to thē that sin against thee for thy infinite mercies hast appoynted repentance vnto sinners that they may bee saued Thou therfore ô Lord that art the God of the iust hast no appoynted repentance to the iust as to Abraham Isaac and Iacob which haue not finned against thee in like sort as I haue doone but thou hast appoynted repentance to mee that am a sinner for I haue finned aboue the nūber of the sand of the sea My transgressions ô lord are multiplyed my transgressions are exceeding many and I am not worthy to behold and see the height of the heauens for the multitude of mine vnrighteousnes I haue prouoked thy wrath done euill before thee I did not thy wil neither kept I thy commaundements I haue set vp abhominations haue multiplyed offences Now therfore I bow the knee of my hart beseeching thee of grace And so foorth most excellently as appereth in his prayer set down after the 2. booke of Chronicles Peter went out and wept bitterly Mary Magdalen washed Christ his feete vvith teares and wiped them with the hayre of her head The Publicane would not cast vp his eyes to heauen Manasses boweth the knees of his hart beseeching grace the prodigall sonne calling himselfe to remembrance and humbling himselfe by repentance and in great hope of pardon and forgiuenes approcheth vnto GOD saying Father I haue finned against heauen and before thee The name of Father is a cōfortable name therefore hath Christ placed it in the beginning of that daylie prayer which he hath taught his disciples Our father which art in heauen c. that they might the more boldly cherfully come before him and what can the father deny the son who taketh pleasure in dooing his child good See also how merciful the lord is who being offended doth not disdaine to be called a father of great sinners who haue mightily dishonoured him I haue finned hee humbly confesseth his fault neither dooth he excuse himselfe as Adam and Eue did neyther doth hee lay the faulte eyther vpon his corrupt nature or the deuils inticement or euil company counsell or euill examples in the world which might prouoke him therevnto but onely vpon himselfe For when we sin it is more our own fault then other mens for we are not compeld there-unto Wherefore Dauid beholding the destruction of his people saith O Lord it is I that haue finned but these sheepe what haue they done This confession of sinne dooth GOD require of a sinner although hee know all hee looketh for the voyce of thy confession For by the mouth man confesseth vnto saluation The sinner accusing himselfe dooth preuent the accuser and doth prouoke Gods mercy Father I haue sinned not as other men but my sins are more then the haires of my head I haue finned against heauen as the prophet calleth the heauen and the earth to witnes against the Israelites I will not go about to cleere my selfe but I will plainely confesle that I am vnwoorthy of all fauour These thoughts came not vnto him by the course of his naturall wit and worldly reason but through the grace of God which altered his minde and by the force of faith which made him mount aboue all earthly considerations For if hee had followed his owne naturall reason he woulde haue saide I did not vnderstand wherein I offended neyther haue I done these things of set purpose but foolishlie was I led away through ill company and bad counsell and therefore there is cause why I should be pardoned Which course of he had followed he might rather haue prouoked his Fathers displeasure then drawne him vnto mercy Before an earthly Iudge our confession dooth condemne vs but before God it is the meanes to procure our saluation The Lord saith Ezech. 18 My wayes are not as your wayes neyther are my thoughts as your thoughts Dauid Manasses Mary Magdalen Peter the publican and the thiefe did humbly confesse that theyr offences were greater then theyr punishment and therefore they obtained mercy whereof Caine Saule and Achab and other missed because proudly and not humbly they asked gods mercy I haue sinned against heauen because I haue made more account of earthly and corruptible matters then of heauenly as if a man should more highly esteem the seruant
As it is saide of Esau and Iacob God hated the one and loued the other Ro. 9.13 and whom God loueth he loueth to the end Ioh. 13 1. Also the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Ro. 11.29 Fiftly for Gods promise Ps 89. My mercy will I keepe for him for euermore my louing kindnes will I not take from him My couenant wil I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips No reason therefore there is for any of vs to despaire of Gods grace and goodnes if there be any sparke of grace left within vs in the meane time let vs take heed that we quench not the spirit and bring sorrow to our selues and danger to our soules Howbeit the most bad nature of mankinde is such and we become such greeuous offenders and so carelesse with all of our owne saluation and so wholy giuen vp to the world and to the vanities pleasures therof that vnlesse the Lord by his surpassing wonderfull mercy should turne vs vnto repentance by more great vehement and weighty helps of his grace then commonly are to be seene and more mightily graciously should mollifie our hard and stony harts and breake and tame our euill dispositions and bring vnder our froward and stubborn wills to the obedience of his most holy will surely we should neuer continue in a good course but fall away from God and from our owne saluation Seeing therefore it is so hard to be wone to God let vs take heede how we fall away from God and if we haue offended be forgiuen and often forgiuen let vs remember the warning Christ gaue to the woman taken in adultery Goe thy wayes and sinne no more Shimei that cursed Dauid and had his pardon graunted him on that condition he should not goe out of Ierusalem forgetting his promise that stood vpon so waighty a condition as the hazzard of his life through a small occasion for couetousnes to recouer his seruant that was gone frō him lost his life without any more fauour or hope of mercy At which time also his former wickednēs was brought to his remembrance his punishment pronoūced to be so much the iuster for that So let vs lay this example to our hart take heede of the least occasions of sin least after wee haue repented vowed amendement we be taken tardy in our owne negligence and forgetfulnes and all our former wickednes layd to our charge and no fauour mercie any more to be graunted Remember Lots wife 2. Pet. 2.19 For of whom soeuer a man is ouercome euen vnto the same is he in bondage And if we after wee haue escaped from the filthinesse of the worlde through the knowledge of the Lord and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ are yet intangled againe therein and ouercome our latter end shall be worse then our beginning psalm 125.5 The Lorde will be good to those that are true of hart and as for such as turne backe vnto theyr owne wickednes the Lord will leade them forth with the euill dooers If any with-draw himselfe saith the Lord my soule shall haue no pleasure in him Let vs often remember that warning with due cōsideration which I haue already spoken vnto you of Sin no more least a worse thing come vnto thee 2. Cor. 2.11 Beware of often sliding Gen 38 26 Psal 68 21 66 16 Wisd 1.2 to 6. especially let vs take heed that we adde not sin vnto sin least we meet with that worse thing that is least wee die in our sin and be damned for euer 2. Pet. 3.17 Ye therefore beloued seeing ye know these things before beware least ye be also plucked away with the euill conuersation of the wicked fall from your own stedfastnes But grow in grace in the knowledge of our Lord Sauiour Iesus Christ to whom be glory both now and for euermore Amen Deo soli omnis laus sit et gloria et gratia in secula Of the Prodigall Sonne LVKE 15.11 Hee said moreouer A certaine man had two sonnes And the younger of them said to his Father Father giue mee the portion of the goods that falleth to me So hee deuided to them his substance c. AFter that the vncleane spirit was driuen out of the prodigall sonne and that he had left his lewde life hee returned not to his owne euill custome againe neyther did he giue the deuill a second entrance Wee read not that Dauid Mary Magdalen and Peter sinned anie more as they had done For why the remembrance of theyr former sinnes made them more watchful and wary 2. Cor. 2.11 Gen. 38.26 This parable dooth liuely represent vnto vs our excellent our decayed and our restored estate Our excellent estate in Adam in whom our patrimony was giuen vs in most large and liberall sort we being endued with holines and righteousnes being created after the image of God beeing furnished and adorned vvith all heauenlie gifts and graces and beeing furthered with all temporall blessings fit and conuenient for this life Our decaied estate through his wilful disobedience and manifold offences through our originall corruption and actuall deprauation our euill inclinations our disordered life behauiour and conuersation Our restored estate in our conuersion to GOD in true and vnfained repentance in a holy life and godly obedience as also especially in Gods great bountifulnes and mercy in calling vs in giuing vs repentance mollifying our hard harts by his heauenly grace and by his worde instructing vs daily in the course of godlines and especially by his powerful working in vs framing vs there-vnto and inabling vs to performe what soeuer is agreeable to his holy will and lawe whereby wee are dailie more and more acceptable vnto him Againe it sheweth vs what we are beeing left vnto our selues how easily wee are giuen to fall away from GOD. Nothing doth sooner bring vs to the knowledge of God and of our selues then our owne rod and misery Furthermore we see the happie estate of affliction in that it is a meane to bring vs to repentance and to the fauour of GOD. Lastly heere appeareth Gods great bountifulnes and infinite mercie toward sinners wayting for our repentance and reioycing at our conuersion and beeing more ready to forgiue then we to aske pardon Wherein this is a great comfort vnto vs that the infinite multitude of sinnes cannot remooue his mercy from vs. But to follow the text more naturally and in such order as it is layde downe before vs let vs consider these obseruations First that hauing receaued his patrimonie he went from his fathers house Secondly not onely frō his fathers house but into a farre country Thirdly what he did there He spent his patrimony riotously and wastfully Fourthly vvhat insued in those dayes There followed a famine Fiftlie the miserable estate of a sinner vnder the condition of the prodigal sonne feeding swine Sixtly the effectual conuersion of a sinner where-hence
his disciples but not this He bore with the vnbeleefe of Thomas and of the rest suffered theyr pride and ambition when they stroue who should be the greatest when they called for fire from heauen to cōsume the Samaritans and to be reuenged of thē hee gently reproued them When they enuied at others for casting out deuils in his Name he did not so greatly rebuke them The couetousnes of Iudas nay his treason Christ did freendly forwarne him of Peter denied him and forswore him and yet he restored him The beastlines of lust he which feedeth among the Lillies could neuer abide in his company And therefore his loue was especially bent vnto the Euangelist Saint Iohn for his purity and virginitie Hee is the seruant of the deuill whose minde doth onely runne vpon beastly cogitations And the Apostle Gala. 5. doth pronounce of them that they that are so carried away shall neuer enter into the kingdom of heauen This sinne is the fire of hell the matter whereof is gluttony filthines the flame shame the smoake that ascendeth therehence and euerlasting torments the ende and the reward thereof VVhen the deuill tempted our Sauiour Christ hee did not once offer to intangle him by this meanes knowing how farre it was from his nature and how much he did detest it the deuill was not so grosse but he assaulted him with finer conceits Thys sin destroyeth the body shortneth the life defaceth vertue and is the manifest breach of Gods lawe All other sinnes defile the soule but this defileth both soule bodie Your bodies are the temple of God and hee that defileth the temple of God him shall God destroy 1. Cor. 6. Thou canst not auoyde Gods seuere iudgement if thou doost impudentlie abuse the Temple of God But nowe thys cursed plague hath spredde it selfe ouer all the worlde Lots daughters are counted most infamous but I feare mee there are some which are more woorthy of shame which in the sight of the worlde are counted chast They required onely to preserue seede of theyr Father but many wiues follow lust too greedily more then to haue children beside many other shameful behauiours vnknowne to the world wherof their conscience no doubt doth accuse thē Let them call for mercy and forgiuenesse and endeuour chastity without the which none shall see God The female among beasts hauing conceaued doe neuer suffer the male to come neere them Thus the vnreasonable creatures teach vs that make great account of Christianitie to be sober temperate and chast God forbid that all should so be affected and they that are so ouertaken may learne to amend for shame of themselues and feare of eternal punishment This sin is ouer-come by flying from it Remedies of lust as the Apostle counselleth 1. Corin. 6.18 Fly fornication All other sinnes are ouercome by fighting this only by flying It is not good to fight with that enemy which taketh strength by thy presence Howe shall that King fight with his enemie that hath traytours in his army And when we fight against riot whoredome our own body and sinfull flesh is ready to take part against vs. Another remedy of thys sin is the remembrance of hel fire wherein lewd persons shall bee tormented It is a harde thing to resist thy tentation but more hard to endure hell torments But as the greater fire ouercommeth the lesser so let hell fire put out the flame of fleshly lust A third remedy is repentance with a ful and resolute endeuour of all amendment A fourth remedy is the practise of al good workes walking in an honest vocation preyer and fasting Fire is quenched by water by humble teares all fleshlie lusts are washed and wiped away This sinne as all other sinnes is not in our power to refraine or ouercome the Lord therefore giue vs his grace and of his goodnes alter the power of our wicked nature And that wee cannot doe the Lorde will bring to passe in our behalfe if wee earnestly seeke his helpe by prayer and that comfort and strength which Paul had the same shal we haue My grace is sufficient for thee To these helps may other also bee added to keepe our selues as much as may be out of the companie of Women according to that verse Carpit enim vires paulatim vritque videndo famina Againe to settle our selues to studie and earnest meditation to vse our selues to hard fare and hard lodging Sine cerere et Baccho friget Venus And this is it which the Apostle speaketh of 1. Cor. 9.27 I beate downe my bodie and bring it into subiection By this prodigall sonne wee are taught into how great misery a foolish and selfe-willed man or woman is brought vnto by following their owne vnbrideled will He was wealthy sounde and in especiall account in his fathers house but euery one seeth into howe great pouerty and miserie hee is brought in following his owne swinge and sway hee lost all that euer hee had and of a wealthy man and in high degree became most vnhappy and of base account being pinched with pouerty for his aboundance hauing rags for his robes and beeing inforced to eate huskes vvith Swine which before could away with nothing but delicates and dainties VVe see also vvhat is his reward which forsaketh the Lord as also what his practise is that is left vnto himselfe becomming worse worse and falling from one sin into another Marke also howe the number of sins increase daily vntill they haue altogether ouer-whelmed vs. We learne also vvhat a horrible iudgement and miserable condition remaineth to him whom GOD giueth ouer and vvho is thus left to himselfe On the contrary what a great ioy comfort it is to be vnder Gods direction and tuition the which onely keepeth vs from sinne from danger and from eternall death They that are not vnder Gods guiding and vnder his safegarde howe great are theyr miseries and into howe manie inconueniences doe they fall howe manie mischiefes and calamities doe light vppon them Thys prodigall Sonne lost all spent his goods riotouslie among harlots and beeing driuen to great pouertie was almost starued to death by famine And heere-hence followeth the fourth matter worthie of noting and remembrance to wit what ensued in those daies after he had spent all There followed a famine miserable scarcetie Now when he had spent all there arose a great dearth throughout the Land Now. c. and hee began to bee in necessitie This is the end of riotous maisterfull youth which quickly consume all and come vnto great miseries if not lamentable ends Wherefore it is the duty of the parents to bring vp theyr chyldren in the instruction information of the Lord Ephe. 6.4 And if their education proue well and their children bee of good gouernment so much they haue got and gained as also they are to giue GOD thankes that hath giuen so good successe But if the contrary fall out this crosse and
affliction is patiently to bee indured and the parents are in the meane time to content and comfort themselues that in dooing theyr best endeuour they haue discharged theyr dutie Ezech. 3.19 For often times it falls out not onely to slothfull and negligent parents but also to those that are most watchfull carefull that they may haue chyldren wicked and vngodly farre differing from the disposition of the parents And the more worthy and godly the Parents are the more are they vexed with this affliction as Adam had Caine and Noe had Cham Abraham had Ismaell and Isaac had Esau and Dauid had Absolon Ammon Eh had Hophni and Phinehas and Samuell had sonnes giuen to corruption and bribery all which did greatly disgrace theyr Fathers houses stocke and linage In this prodigall Sonne although hee were so forgone yet God doth not vtterly forsake him but reacheth him out the hand of mercy sheweth him the means of repentance First in setting before his eyes his pouerty and misery and then pinching him with famine that by his rods chastisements he might draw him to newnesse and amendement Ose 2.9 And worthily hee began to want to whom the treasure of knowledge and wisedome and of the feare of God did seeme a matter so base preferring his own pleasures and the vanities of the world before it who had forsaken the high estimation of heauenlie wealth Hee that leaueth the well-spring must needes thirst and hee that departeth from treasure must needs want he that emptieth himselfe of honestie goodnes must needes come to nothing Hee began to want suffer hunger because nothing can satis-fie a prodigall minde and hee is woorthy to bee famished which will not feede of heauenly foode Where-soeuer Ioseph went there was plenty and where he was not there was scarcety enough So where God is there is no want and where his helping hand is not it is no maruell though all come to hauock ruine Three things are heere woorthy to be considered First that without God thereis nothing but famine and penury Secondly that nothing can satis-fie our soules but God Thirdly how in God onely not else-where men all other creatures finde all plenty and aboundance Psal 34. The Lyons want â—â—â—d suffer hunger but they that feare the Lord want no manner of thing that is good psal 23. The Lorde is my Shepheard therefore can I lacke nothing And there is no Prince nor Potentate in the worlde that can say so For the greater theyr estate the greater theyr expences and vpon infinite expences come great wants Onely the godly mind which hueth in a contented estate hath this sufficiencie The sheepe ouer whoÌ„ the deuill is shepheard haue noysome hearbes to feede on and venomous water to drinke which secretly infect vnto death For honours pleasures and riches bring destruction to the soule of a sinner they deceiue vs of eternall life and keepe vs farre from it He that is sicke of the Dropsie is still athirst and wealth and pleasure still call for more psal 145.15 The eyes of all waite vpon thee ô Lord and thou giuest them theyr meate in due season Coniurers can sette aboundance of dainty â—eates before thine eyes but if thou touch to tast there is nothing but onely the deceit of the eyes which for a time they can wonderfully delude So the deceauable worlde can perswade her followers that all her gyfts are of great waight and that they are sufficient to satis-fie our desire to the vttermost but in the end they prooue to bee vaine more vnconstant then the wind and lighter then vanitie it selfe And this is a most true cause why sinners can neuer bee satis-fied and finde them-selues contented Hee that is a Husbandman woulde be a gentleman a gentleman a squire a squire a Knight a Knight a Lorde a Lorde an Earle So are all the desires of the world they stirre vp hunger but they neuer satis-fie hunger or quench thirst Therefore the prophet truly speaketh of such Yee haue eaten and haue not enough ye haue drunke and are thirstie ye clothe you and are not warme he that earneth wages putteth the wages into a broken bagge The water that was poured about the Altar was burnt vp 1. Reg. 18. Ionas gourde withered so in all the pleasures profits in the world there is a worme ingendered within them â—hat dooth consume them The more thou hast of this worlds goods the more doth the fire of thy desire breake forth into a flame as if thou shouldest endeuour to put out fire with oyle Secondly nothing can satis-fie our mindes but God as the prodigall Sonne was neuer quiet in mind vntill he returned vnto his Fathers house There is no ioy or perfection but in God As God speaketh by the mouth of the prophet psalme 81. Open thy mouth wide and I shall fill it After that God did commaund vnto the people the keeping of his commaundements he willeth theÌ„ to opeâ— their mouth wide he will fill it Which is not meant of the mouth of the body which a little may fill but of the contentation of the soule which is not easily satisfied The soule beeing made to the image of God must then be in his best perfection when God doth begin to renue it In God onely is sufficiency rest quietnesse and perfect ioy without GOD there is nothing but greefe and perplexity of minde which increaseth and multiplyeth while wee make that account of the world as wee doe seeking our rest and chiefest solace therein That vessell which is put into the vvater is very light but being taken out is very heauie So so long as thy minde doth rest in God all thinges are comfortable and ioyfull but when it is plunged in worldly desires all things seemeâ—â—d and sorrowfull The vngodly beeing weary in seruing the worlde are most combersome vnto themselues hauing a clogged soule and a heauy conscience For honours wealth pleasure they haue not so glistering a shew but they haue as many dangers ioyned with them The godly in theyr chiefest perplexities miseries and distresses haue rest and ioy in God who filleth their harts with great cheerefulnes wheras without God there is neither peace of conscience nor any other true comfort The bodie can take no rest beeing straitned in a narrow roome and all the worlds delights are too strait for a godly soule for it desireth to bee inlarged with that freedome which commeth from God euen as the byrde which is fed with daintie meate in a cage makes more account of further libertie although hee be destitute of dainties Moses beeing in Pharaos Court could not so well serue God as when hee vvas quite cleere from it Seeing theÌ„ there is no rest in these worldly matters turne vnto God and make a better choyce a happier change When God made man hee rested from all the workes which hee had made so did he not rest wheÌ„ he had made other creatures Seeing
therefore GOD rested in making man let mans chiefest happines be in resting in God God filleth our desires with goodnesse saith the Prophet neyther is our appetite satis-fied vntill it enioy that vvished end For our soule is of so noble a disposition that it can finde rest no where but in the chiefest good Therefore the holy king and prophet sayth Euen as the Hart desireth the water brookes so longeth my soule after thee ô God My soule is a thirst for God yea euen for the liuing GOD when shall I come before the presence of God My teares were my meate day and night while they daily said vnto me where is now thy God Hee was absent farre from god therefore he wept hungring and thirsting after him desiring to be replenished with god that hee might finde all perfect ioy And feeing the worlde cannot fill vp thy desire betake thy selfe to Christ Come vnto me ye that hunger and thirst and I will refresh you Math. 11.28 Iohn 4.14 And I will fill the emptie soule with goodnes Psalm 36. Delight thy selfe in the Lord and hee shall giue thee thy haâ—s desire Hetherto we haue shewed how that in the world there is nothing but famine and great scarcetie and penury of all thinges but in God onely there is perfect sufficiencie ioy and glorie to be sounde Nowe let vs see a further reason of these thinges afore-sayde and vvhy in the vvorlde is scarcely and all plenty with God which is the third thing to be spoken of The world is not sufficient because the large and ample capacitie of our mindes dooth further extend it selfe The soule which was created for God what-soeuer is inferiour to God it counteth it but base The pottle or the gallon cannot bee filled with the measure of a pynt all the worlds goods is but as a graine of mustard seede in the belly of an Elephant they fill the soule satisfie the minde in such sort that stil there is some place empty so vaine they are and fall of sound as empty vessels haue a great sound in these desires there is no soundnesse no perfection Againe the desires of the soule are infinite the profits pleasures of this world haue their bounds So that there is no other remedy for vs in this life but to remoue our mindes from the desire of these earthly things and to transport them vnto God and heauenly considerations that so our mindes and our desires may fully be contented For all other creatures GOD hath appoynted theyr foode but God only is the foode of the soule As grasse for the Lyon flesh for the horse is vnmeete foode because they are not agreeable to theyr nature so ought not earthly desires to be the foode of the soule For there is nothing in the worlde to serue the minde but onely God Pryde and couetousnes and enuy and pleasure are the things that mens mindes doe most ayme at but these are rather the famine then the foode of the soule The grace of God and the heauenly gyfts of his holy Spirit they onely comfort and nourish the soule and strong then it Why is breade rather the nourishment of mans body then poyson The reason is because the one is agreeable to the nature of man the other dooth destroy it So is GOD the foode of the soule because his presence and goodnesse is most agreeable there-vnto beeing created after the likenes of God as for all other matters they are nothing else but death and famishment And if thou feede the soule vvith any earthly considerations it is as if thou shouldest feede the body with stones and grauell As our soule without God beginneth to be sad heauy hungry and dead so all the delights pleasures profits commodities of this worlde are nothing but misery pouerty The fist generall matter is the miserable estate of a sinner vnder the condition of the prodigall sonne feeding Swine Then hee went and claue to a Cittizen of that Country and hee sent him to his Farme to feed swine This is the best preferment that we get by the deuils seruice First by our owne voluntary free-will we yeeld ourselues slaues vnto the deuill for the deuill hath no power ouer vs till wee haue put our necks into his yoake Which worke when we haue once performed we are very hardly with-drawne from our vngodly purpose And when the deuill hath vs in his bands he then sticks too close vnto vs neither is it as we may suppose so easie a matter to shake off his yoke Our wilfull disobedience comes not of ignorance or infirmitie but of froward and stubborne disposition inclined to all wickednesse And this is the difference betwixt the godly and the wicked the godly falling into sinne riseth againe but the wicked continueth his course Neyther can wee be likened to the deuill in nothing more then in the perseuerance of sinne in spending the best of our time so and in waxing old therein The prodigall Sonne inforced by famine went not to his Father Shame vnprofitable not that hee had altogether forgotten his Father but that shame kept him back which keepeth many from good purposes He had rather suffer famme and banishment then that he would once confesse his fault Many had rather be vexed by the torment of conscience then in the sight of God to humble themselues and to keepe a smothering fire within their breast then to open theyr griefe to a godly friend or faithfull Minister to haue ease comfort If thou didst consider the safetie of thy soule and the quietnes of thy conscience the reproch of men shoulde neuer daunt thee neyther should the shame of the world euer confound thee VVhat needest thou to care what the world thinketh of thee so that thou be in Gods fad our and be reconciled vnto him VVhose displeasure if thou couldest perceiue neither the shame of the world nor any other let should keepe thee backe from the due consideration of thine estate God knoweth all why shouldst thou be ashamed to confesse thy fault before him But because either the shame or estimatioÌ„ of the world doth more preuaile with thee then the quietnes of thy conscience or the feare and fauour of GOD therefore art thou drowned in thy sin sinking therein daily more and more It may be he thought his father so seuere and extreame that he would not be intreated or that all former charity or fauour was banished from his breast so that eyther by famine Despaire or through despayre hee was brought into that case to be separated farre from his Father and to yeelde himselfe into dishonorable slauery who before was free But many are of so abiect a mind that they feare there is no place for mercy hauing so often repented and yet falne againe and despayring of amendement they say within themselues Many times haue I purposed to cut off the course of sin and to mend my life but yet I cannot my sinfull
we may grow in dislike of theÌ„ which is a token of his fatherly goodnesse Hoseâ— 2. The foolish man hath said in his hart I wil goe after my louers which giue me my bread and my water my wooll and my flaxe But the Lord in merty saith I will hedge thy way with thornes that thou shalt not finde thy pathes Though she follow after her louers yet shall shee not come at them though she seeke them yet shall shee not come nigh them Then shall she say I will goe and returne to my first husband Now she did not know that I gaâ—â— her her corne and wine therefore will I returne and take away my corne in the time thereof and my wine in the season thereof and will recouer my wooll my flaxe lent to couer her shame And nowe will discouer her lâ—w dnesle in the fight of her louers no man shall deliuer her out of my hand I will also cause all her mirth to cease Afterward I will allure 〈◊〉 and bring her into the wildernesse and speake freendly vnto her What place of Scripture more significant to set forth this matter in hand The Lord â—ath hedged vvith thornes the way of that foulâ— that departeth from him as this prodigalb sunne is pinched with famine penury that went from his fathers house Wherefore he resolueth to goe to his former friendes where he was farre better before as this pindig all sonne comparing his former alâ—â—â—dance with this preâ—ent want went and remined The dog when her is hungry looketh vp to his maister waiting when â—eo will cast him somwhat to care and been a full begins to play the wanton so for these transitory things of this world we cal to God and when our turne is seued then eâ—ther we play rioâ—â—or goe wandâ—ing from God How profitable therefore in follow affliction and labour which make vs returne againe The great famine hunger which the sonnet of Iacob felt was the cause that they founde out their great friend Ioseph and that their Father might receiue great ioy for the recouery of his lost sonne and that they should confesse their fault say Worthly â—â—o we suffer these things which sinned against our brother did not consider him in his misery Gene. 42. As thys prâ—dâ—gâ—ll some returned 〈◊〉 his Father so his father first did giue him this grace that he might returne opening the eyes of his mind and soule that hee might knowe his offenceâ— and hate the sin considering the great misery that should far vpon him if he did it noâ— This made him lift vp his soule to God as Nabuchadnezzer did after his seauemyâ—râ—s banishment among the wilde beâ—stes Then he rose and find I wil goe to my Father calling his former life to remeÌ„branâ—â— sorrowling therefore purposing afterward most fled fastly to amend For they that resâ—â—ue to continue in sinne are not yet â—lsem Awake from sinne thou that sâ—eâ—pest and â—â—llâ— west in sinne and stand vp froÌ„ death 〈…〉 He wisely consideâ—eth all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ces I am his somâ—e they are but hirelings I do not onely hunger but am almost farm sâ—ed they haue plenty I am one and they many though I haue offended yet my father is pittifull My former life hath not beene so bad but by Gods grace I may amend come into sauour againe Which is well wooâ—â—y the noâ—ng for many see theyr saâ—lâ—e are sorry and repent them and yet through the want of the hope of Gods mercy and forgiuenes fall into despane It had beene no coÌ„fort to say I perish with â—aâ—â—â—e vnlesse hee had raised vp himselfe to thinkâ— howe many hirelings were in his Fathers house whoÌ„ he fed to the full so great was his bounty and goodnesse Iohn Bapâ—â—st threatned hell torments to sinners but yet raised them vp with comfort of forgiuenes hope of Gods mercy Behold sâ—â—th he the lamb or god which takeâ—â— away the sins of the world Peter wheÌ„ he had sharply rebuked the Iewes for Christes death doth exhort euery one to repentance and to be baptized Acts. 2. Paul being sâ—â—â—â—en blind was willed to rise to goe into the city there he should know what he should do Acts. 9. After Peter had forswoâ—ne Christ wept bitterly he heard of this comfort Tel Pâ—ter also that christ is risen Mar. 16.7 Two things are heere apparant the acknowledgement of sinne and the mercie of God feare and hope Both come from God by the one he casteth vs downe by the other he raiseth vs vp againe Considering the hirelings this whetteth on his miserie and moueth vnto repentance in that his estate is farre worse then the hirelings I had almost said then any mans else Preferriâ—â— the worst before himselfe and desiring but the lowest roome in the house of God aâ— the prophet Dauid mourneth that hâ— coâ—ld not com into gods presence seeing the sparrowe buildeth her nest by thy Altarâ—â—o Lord Hee thinketh himselfe vnworthy to aspire to a high roome Many of Gods children haue spirituall and temporall comfort enough and I want am like to perâ—ish There are many in godâ— house which serue God rather for feare of punishment then for the loue of GOD. But bâ—tter it is to bee a seruaunt in Gods â—â—â—se then to bee a Prince in the worlde The greatest part seeke after goods and riâ—â—â—â— do iâ—â—â—â—race but Lord graunt vs thy 〈◊〉 thy fauour and thy grace psal to And if GOD be so gracious and bountiful to them that serue him for feare how much more tender care will hee haue ouer his owne children whose hope hee will not make voyde not leaue their good deedes vnrewarded I will rise and goe to my Father In that he saith he wil rise he sheweth that he was falne seeing none can rise but they that are falne In that he saith he will goe vnto his father he thereby confesseth hee went farre away from him Calling him his Father hee maketh it euident that since his departure hee hath beene in the hand of a Tyrant Heereby wee also perceiue that a sinner can finde no comfort refuge but from him whom he hath offended Finding no rest but rather great dangers in that course of life for the choyce whereof hee forsooke God now he decreeth to return to God in whom onely is his lyfe and his hope The soule beeing made to the Image of GOD can be satis-fied with nothing but God Therefore the prophet Dauid saith What haue I in heauen or earth that I desire in coÌ„parison of thee If a ghâ—tton haue a little meate set before him he sayth What is this for mee In like sort the prophet saith psaâ— 16. All things in the world are nothing to him I shall be satis-fied when he shal appearâ— in his glory perfect beauty But wherefore doe wee desire so much the goods of this world and hauing obtained them why doe wee sette so little by them because aboue all these the
then the Maister God hath made all these earthly things for the body and the body for the soule the soule for himself that it might learn to know him loue honour reuerence him I wil praise the lord alwaies saith the prophet psal 33. and my mouth shal be ful of his praise Man throgh sin is dumbe and cannot prayse God I haue finned before thee that is in the inward receit of my soule where-into no mans eyes can pierce but onely God aboue many more hainous are our offences thē are openly known to the world As the prophet saith psal 50. Against thee only haue I sinned done this euil in thy fight He lay with Bathshabe secretly and more priuily did hee conspire the death of Vriah yet was it not so secret but it vvas most manifest to God there were fewe or no witnesses but onely God and his conscience Euery sinne before God is rather esteemed from the inward hart then from the outward worke For out of the hart come adulteries murders the like Mat. 15. And that thou maist know that Dauid finned priuily Nathan said from GOD Thou hast doone this in secrete but that which I wil doe in punishing thy sin shall be before al Israel Ananias Saphira finned before God We commit those things before God which we would be ashamed to doe before a prince or noble man yea before any meane man I haue finned before thee ô Lord my God what small account haue I made of thee howe little haue I regarded thee I shoulde haue considered that thou didst looke vpon me behold my doings that althogh I was much long prouoked by my sinful flesh yet the remembrance of thy presence authority scuerity in punishing should haue restrained mee Is God blind that he cannot see our offences psal 94.9 Eccl. 23.18 He. 4.13 nay our blindnes is lamentable which cannot see our blindnes is lamentable which cannot see our owne misery vntill it be almost past remedy and we in a maner brought to despaire as our first parents in paradice and Iudas after he had betrayed Christ The wicked Iudges that woulde haue defiled Susanna woulde not behold heauen Although sinners beleeue that God knoweth all yet they suspect that he is not offended with their sins or els they flatter themselues thinking that they shall escape scotfree because GOD dooth forbeare to punish them The forbearing of GOD which should prouoke thē to repentance dooth harden them in theyr sines That the eyes of God cannot be blinded let vs heare what the Word of God doth say to this intent 1. Sam. 16. GOD seeth not as man seeth for man looketh on the outward appearance but God beholdeth the hart psalm 7. The righteous God tryeth the very harts and raines He fitly aptly saith that God searcheth for the smallest things that are cannot escape his sight he searcheth diligently as it is said of the vvoman that swept her house lighted a candle to finde her Iost groate The knowledge of God diueth into the bottome of the great deepe Ecclus. 24. so that that which neuer man sawe is manifest vnto him Let no man think his sinne to be vnknowne neither let him say with the wicked Iudges The Orchard doores are shut and no man seeth vs. The Iudge of all the world seeth thee before whose iudgement seate thou shalt stand Many are like the foolish beast which hauing his head hid thinketh all his body hid to Although we see not God ye God seeth vs is about our paths God willed Ezech. chap. 8. to dig through the hole of the wall that hee might see the abhominations of the house of Israell Then he said vnto me sonne of man hast thou seene what the auncients of the house of Israell doe in the dark euery one in the chamber of his imagery for they say The Lord seeth vs not the Lord hath forsaken the earth I haue sinned before thee so impudent and shamelesse was I like a beast before thee neither cōsidering thy secrete knowledge nor fearing the power of thy manifold punishments for diuers are the waies which thou vsest to punish offenders I haue finned before thee for thou onelie knowest my secrets Man doth not see the hainousnes of his sinnes till God do open his eyes The deuill blinded our first parents eyes to make them beleeue they were gods but when God opened theyr eyes they appeared to themselues to bee most miserable creatures and to be ashamed of themselues and their own nakednesse I haue sinned plenty made him wilde and vnciuill and like to a brute beast that hath no vnderstanding beeing altogether disobedient and vnruly therefore came this misdry wel vpon him as a fit meane to bring him to repentance So fit it is that God by great extreamities should violentlie breake our vnrulie nature and that miseries and despaire shoulde pull vs downe vppon our knees whom no other remedie can tame And happy is that distresse vvhich constrayneth a man to amend his cuill life Thys tenor and forme of speaking vnto his Father no eloquence or art of Rethoricke had put into thys young mans mind but his owne conscience beeing greeued and displeased with it selfe and yet not vtterly conceauing an extreame ill opinion of his Fathers goodnes For Gods mercie is not truly receaued till harty repentance become an humble suter which hath all his ground of cōfort in the hope of Gods mercy And the confession of our sinnes ought alwayes to be according to the nature of the offence Psal 32 5. if publique then publique confession if otherwise betwixt God and thy conscience I am no more woorthy to be called thy sonne make mee as one of thy hired seruaunts This is one effectual note of repentance when we are perswaded that we shall not be refused of our heauenly Father but that wee shall obtaine mercy and forgiuenesse although vvee be altogether vnwoorthy Though I am not worthy to be one of thy houshold vouchsafe me to be a hanger on Vnworthy hee was to be called his sonne because by sinne hee had many wayes defaced the Image of God and now beeing farre vnlike vnto him By sinne hee made himselfe the seruaunt of the deuill and of sinne For of whom-socuer a man is ouercome euen vnto the same is hee in bondage 2. Pet. 2.19 Thefore I confesse my selfe vnworthy of fauour or to be vouchsafed the name of a Sonne humblie request that I may bee as one of thy hired seruants So that prudent woman Abigaell knowing that Dauid requested her to wife 1. Sa. 25.41 saith Behold let thine handmaid be a seruant to wash the feet of the seruaunts of my Lord. The Centurion said I am vnwoorthy thou shouldst come vnder the roofe of my house And for this humble cōfession Christ praised the Centurions faith granted his request Luke 7.8.9 Depart from me saith Peter for I am a sinfull man Yet none more worthy then they
and not your garment so likewise allthe Prophets The first degree therefore is to call himselfe to better remembrance A second degree is to compare together the losse the gaine the good things we haue lost the euill which we haue falne into therefore he sayd Howe many hirelings are in my Fathers house c. The third degree in to rise and to raise himselfe vp and with a stedfast purpose to returne vnto God to confesse thy sinnes as this prodigall sonne did effectually And when hee was yet a great way off his Father saw him had compassion on him The eyght matter worthy of our consideration in this parable is the infinite mercie of God which is not ouercome by the multitude of our sinnes to remoue all despaire vvhere-into we are most easily readie to fall Behold a patterne of the gracious mercifulnesse of God who hauing iust cause to be angry yet when he saw this lost son turned his anger into pitty and compassion The Vulture seeth a carkasse a far of then flyeth vnto it then ceazeth vppon it and lastly feedeth therâ—on Christ saw this prodigall sonne a farre off in the region of sinne for health and saluation is farre from sinners vntill it please GOD to make it neere Hee saw him with the eyes of pittie and compassion as he looked vpon Peter after he had thrice denied him God dooth not looke when wee will returne vnto him but rather doth preuent vs with his mercy and grace Therefore it is no doubt but that when wee doe repent GOD dooth receiue vs into his fauour And if men which by nature are desirous of reuenge which stand too much vppon theyr owne authoritie yet through a fatherly kinde of affection forgiue the great offences of theyr sonnes yea of theyr owne accord vvill endeuour to seeke after them shall wee thinke that God is or will be more hard to vs whose goodnes is infinite which far surpasseth all the kindnes that an earthly father can shew Esa 65.24 Before they cry I wil heare them psal 32.5 I saide I will confesse vnto the Lord my vnrighteousnes thou forgauest the iniquitie of my sinne It is the mercy of the Lord that wee are not vtterly consumed as the prophet Iere. speaketh When he was a farre of that is when he first purposed to return vnto the Lord. So soone as hee had a minde to be made whole euen before hee made his moane vnto Christ or knew what Christ was this most louing and gentle Father friend and Sauiour made him whole and bad him sin no more least a worse thing might befall him And here is fulfilled that which God speaketh by the prophet Esay chap. 65. It shall be that ere euer they call I shall aunswere them and while they are yet but thinking howe to speake I shall heare them He did behold him as Dauid desired psalm 25.17 Looke vpon mine aduersitie and misery and forgiue mee all my sin God hath great care ouer the godly euen when they goe astray from him neyther dooth he straight-way cast them off The prodigall sonne coulde not returne nor once conceiue so holy a desire vnlesse God had looked vppon him with a most gracious aspect 2. Cor. 3.5 The image represented in the glasse cannot lift vp the eyes vnlesse he whose image it is doe first looke vp Therefore that thou must lyft vp thy eyes to heauen thou hadst neede that God whose image thou art shoulde first looke down vpon thee from heauen and cast the eyes of his mercy vppon thee that thereby thou maist be drawne to lyft vp the eyes of thy minde to him that looketh vpon thee For vnlesse hee doe first by a speciall influence looke vppon thee thou canst neyther looke vpon him nor be conuerted vnto him Thou canst not rise and goe vnto him vnlesse he mooue thee and leade thee or inforce and drawe thee As our Sauiour saith No man commeth vnto me vnlesse my heauenly father draw him Ioh. 6. Wherefore the spouse in the Canticles acknowledging his secret power most friendly operation prayeth saying chap. 1. Draw mee after thee wee will runne after the sauour of thy sweet oyniments If thou doost not draw mee I cannot come after thee So the prophet Eze. chap. 2.2 When God commaunded him to stand vpon his feete the spirit entred into him set him vpon his feete for vnlesse the Spirit of the Lord had holpen him hee could not haue flood by himselfe Lam. 5.21 Turn thou vs vnto thee ô Lord and we shall be turned So fist he be held Peter and after he wept bitterly The psal 104. speaketh of God ver 32. The earth shal tremble at the looke of him if he doe but touch the hills they shall smoake This is he which bringeth the lost sheep into his fold who onely doth heale our infirmities and hath mercy on our iniquities This is he onely of whoÌ„ Iob speaketh chap. 27. God hath mollified my hart and the Almighty hath put my soule in bitternes God onely doth giue repentance For as Saint Paule saith It is the gift of God 2. Tim. 2.25 When he willeth vs to instruct with meeknes them that are contrary minded proouing if God at anie time will giue them repentance that they may know the truth So that the mercy of God is necessary not onely in the worke of repentance but before wee doe repent According to that in the psalm Thy mercy ô Lord shall preuent me All our endeuours are not sufficient to iustifie vs 〈◊〉 to reconcile vs vnto the lord Iustification but that which is wanting in vs the Lord most bountifully dooth supply Some vvorkeâ— pâ—â—â—yning vnto our iustify cation are onely vvrought of God yet must not we be dile but doe our best endeuour For as that body is dead vvhich hath not motion and stirring so that fayth is not so effectuall which wanteth good works Some vvorkes of GOD goe before our instification vvhich doe not requite eythâ—r our consent or our helpe and furtherance Of vvhich sort are Predestination Election and Calling to knocke at the doore of our conscience by his secrete and most gracious inspirations Betwixt these wherby our iustify cation is begunne ended there are other middle works concurrent as Fayth Hope Charitie Repentance Practise of a godly life which require also our endeuour The free gift of Gods grace and an abilitie to perâ—â—â—â—â— good-vvorks is onely Gods gyft which be doth most largely graunt to them which are obedient to his holy calling When he was a farre off his father sawe him and had compassion on him therefore the forgiuenes of our sinnes and our iustify cation is onely ascribed to his mercie And that thou mayst perceiue howe ready God is to forgiue finners to help to fauour them therefore it followeth in the Text. He ran and fell on his neclâ—e and kissed him In his foreknowledge â—unning and embracing him his great clemencie and mercy is
O Lord breake all our stubborne harts and make vs to sigh grone vnder the most heauy burden and waight of sin who are maruailously loden yet thinke our selues in great ease and at great libertie Make an end of thy sin and looke vp to God who will ease thee For when thou night and day doost thinke vpon nothing else and doost set thy selfe to nothing else but to offend and displease God he dailie hourely heaping vpon thee a thousand meanes of his mercy waiteth for thy returne and daily looketh for thy happy repentance The happy remēbrance whereof did make this prodigall sonne to say Father I haue sinned against heauen before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy son Great sinnes great griefe but a short confession and this is a waightie poynt of repentance when with the sence the feeling and remorce of sinne is ioyned both sadnesse and shamefastnesse And where there is not this sadnesse and shamefastnes the sinner can neuer returne to goodnes Therefore there must goe before repentance a holy anger and inward griefe and discontentment that wee haue displeased God For following our owne wayes we grow to great forgetfulnes but returning vnto God then are we brought to true remembrance Truly did the Apostle S. Paule speak 1. Cor. 15.9 I am not worthy to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the Church of God ioyfully remembring gods mercy and his own happy returne For the more graciously the lord doth visit a sinner with his mercy the more deeply doth it sink into the hart of a true penitent sinner the more doth he hūble himselfe before God the more greeuously doth he accuse his owne wicked nature and disposition The more cleerly that he doth perceiue Gods mercy and compassion and doth behold his maiestie holines comparing there-vnto his own vn worthines ingratitude frowardnes and his most sinfull inclination the more doth he detest the same the more plainly doth hee confesse his fault All vvhich matters when the prophet Esay did euidently behold hee cryed out of himselfe chap. 6.5 saying Woe is me for I am vndone because I am a man of polluted lyps Iob also 42.5 saith I haue heard of thee by hearing of the eare but now my eye seeth thee Therefore I abhor my selfe and repent in dust ashes When the Apostle Saint Paule savve so much in him-selfe Rom. chap. 7. he cryed out O vvretched shooes on his feete Heere commeth the ninth matter to be intreated of namely the great solemnitie that God all the holy Angels do make at the conuersion of a sinner His Father doth not speake any thundering words of crueltie nor threaten to beate him or to cast him off nor to cast him in the teeth with his bounteous goodnes shewed vnto him neyther doth he lay vnto him his going away nor burden him with his gluttony or other abhominable poynts of lyuing he remembreth none of all this geare he doth so greatly reioyce that he hath got his Sonne againe The Son thought himselfe vnworthy the title or name of his son yet the father restoreth him to his old state and degree againe The sonne doth vtterly condemne himselfe and the father doth absolue and quit him The sonne did cast himselfe downe to be a seruaunt and the father setteth him perfectly againe in his old state dignitie Him that had cast him selfe into the bond seruice of abhominable maisters that is the filthy pleasures of the body him did his father vouchsafe to embrace in his armes to him that had deserued to bee scourged vvith many a sore stripe is giuen a kisse for a token of perfect loue and attonement Happy is that sinner whō the Lord vouchsafeth to kisse and embrace because he confessed his sins and refused the name of a sonne for that in his conscience he knew himselfe faulty there was brought forth the best robe and restored vnto him How-soeuer hee hath behaued himselfe saith his Father my son he was he hath beene dead and nowe is he called to life againe For sin is the death of the soule and hee runneth toward death which leaueth and forsaketh the Authour of life Hee leaueth and forsaketh the Authour of life whosoeuer is in loue with the things of this world for the worldly pleasures are farre wide from Gods schooling And such a one is reuiued againe as dooth repent and reforme his sinfull life He was lost without any hope euer to be recouered againe if he had be one left to himselfe howbeit he was found and gotten againe To depart away from the fathers house is to perrish for out of the same house there is no health The Father speaketh not to the Son but to the seruaunts he that repents prayes for Gods goodnes receiueth no aunswere Nowe when I passed by thee and looked vppon thee behold thy time was as the time of loue and I spredde my skirts ouer thee and couered thy filthines yea I sware vnto thee and entred into a couenaunt with thee saith the Lord God thou becammest mine Then washed I thee vvith water c. Thus doth our heauenly father not onely forgiue our sinnes in burying putting quite out the remembrance of them but also hee restoreth vnto vs those gyfts which we had lost As he dooth depriue vs of them and take them away punishing our vnthankfulnesse thereby and driuing vs to shame by the reproch of our nakednes Now by these tokens of Gods loue the true and effectuall forgiuenes of our sinnes is signified The father willeth the seruants to bring forth the best robe and giueth no time of delay for in this case delay breedes danger When a sinner in this sort dooth recount his manifold offences Despayre and is vexed with the torment of conscience it is high time to yeeld help for feare least through despayre he be cast away There is no stay betwixt forgiuenes of our sins and Gods grace and fauour The health of the body is not recouered but by little and little because the matter is not of so great waight but the distressed estate of the soule must be releeued with all speede that may conueniently be offred and affoorded When the body is sicke wee are meruailous diligent to haue health yea if it bee but the head-ache we can suffer no delay seeking for helpe and calling for Phisitions according as our power and abilitie vvill stretch So after our sinne committed we shoulde be as hasty to rise and to repent Repentance but heerein euery little excuse stayeth vs backe and wee are content to delay thys time of our conuersion a great deale longer then we should so much the more beeing intangled in wordly affaires and altogether drowned in forgetfulnes In so dooing thou loosest the practise of good workes and art troubled for want of the peace and quietnes of conscience Againe thou knowest not hovve suddainelie thy lyfe shall be taken from thee The humble
confession of thy fault is the happy entrance to obtaine Gods mercie VVash you make you cleane sayth the Prophet Esay chapter 1. verse 16. take avvay the euill of your vvorkes from before mine eyes cease to doe euill The whole Church which is the company of the godly shall helpe thee with their prayers or if thy confession bee priuate thou shalt be much comforted by the admonitions of thy faithfull friendes or godly Minister vnto whom thou shalt confesse thy fault Loose not so great a benefit through thy negligence and deferre not the health of thy soule Suffer not so vgly so loth-some a guest as the deuill is long to abide in thy soule which by right is the Temple of God Suffer not the deuill to make any mansion in thy soule who should not haue the least entertainment but expell him and thrust him forth And if thou doe perceiue thy selfe to be in the iawes of this cruell Woolfe call for the help of Christ that most stout valiant Shepheard which can teare in peeces the lawes of the Woolfe yea of the most stoutest Lyon 1. Sam. 21.9 As the sword which is neuer occupyed gathereth rust in the sheath and is fit for nothing so that soule which gathereth still the filth of sin and is neuer clensed is fitte for no vse but onely for destruction The seruaunts are willed to bring foorth the best robe God onely giueth grace and forgiuenesse of sinnes but by the handes of his seruaunts the Ministers it is applyed vnto sinners who vpon theyr true repentance in Gods name and in his behalfe do absolue them from their sinne As the psalme 130. saith With the Lord there is mercy and vvith him there is plentious redemption and he shall redeeme Israell froÌ„ all his sames The Ministers they bring foorth this precious robe out of the Wardrobe of Gods mercie and of the infinite merrits of Christ his death and passion He put on a ring on his hand That is Ring hee gaue him power to practise all good workes Hee restoreth vnto this penitent sinner the garment of holines and grace and all other good workes which hee did in the state of grace before hee fell from thence He put shooes on his feete That is Shooes he made the rebellious affections of his corrupted hart and stubborne will obedient and subiect to the rule and gouernment of his godly and sanctified soule hee made them most swift and ready to doe good which before were slow to all godlinesse and most quicke to all wickednes But God not content onely here-with of a Reuenges doth shew himselfe a great Comforâ—â—â— not onely forgiuing sinne but granting grace to take heed of future follies and how we fall into the like offences againe As Iob saith chap. 22. If thou returne to the Aloâ—ghtie thou shalt be built vp and thou shalt put iniquitie farre from thy tabernacle Thou shalt lay vp gold for dust and the gold of Ophir as the flints of the riuers For weakenesse thou shalt haue strength and for ignorance blindnes thou shalt haue heauenly wisedome in stand of the wine of the pleasures of this worlde thou shalt drinke of the water of life shalt neuer thirst after the pleasures profits and vanities of this world but still continually thou shalt growe in dislike of these and long for those ioyes which neuer shall haue end Many a one forgiues through feare others would reuenge yet cannot but God with his onely beck can destroy whom he will Yet he being so often prouoked despised refused dooth patiently forbeare vs and louingly allure vs and friendly receiueth vs and most comfortably embraceth vs. Making great ioy at our repentance and amendment and stedfast purpose to continue in goodnes therefore he biddeth his seruants Kill the faâ— calfe to Being the faâ—â—â— calfe and kill him And leâ— vs â—â—te and be merry For this my soone saith heâ— â—as dead and is aliue againe and be was losâ—â— but he is found and they began to be â—â—â—rie This doth represent the great ioy whâ—â—â— Christ tooke out of the conuersion of sinners and publicanes with whom hoe did 〈◊〉 and for the which matter he was reproued of the Sotibes Pharisies Vnto whom he â—â—â—swered that he came not to call the righteous but the sinners to repentance Againe head â—led them to consider what this meant I will haue mercy saith he and not sacrifice Not onely the Angels in heauen reioyde at the conuersion of a sinner but also the whole church and God himselfe and therefore he saith let vs be merry The first thought of a sinner is of his sinne next of his owne maâ—â—◠〈◊〉 froward disposition heâ—re-hence 〈…〉 â—â—â—eth the hatred and 〈◊〉 of sinne This made Petes to say Depart from me 6 Lord for I am a sinfull man There is not so much ioy when the sinner 〈…〉 there is also aâ—grâ—â—â— ioy The ioy of a sinner â—â—â—â—â—â—ed when he 〈◊〉 a good course and â—â—â—eth himselfe to liue well after the 〈◊〉 of Goâ—â— most holy will Not only his 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ends houshold 〈…〉 all some himselfe 〈…〉 see so happy a change No tong can vtter the extraordinary ioyes and 〈…〉 which God granted to the soules inward 〈◊〉 of them which hauing â—spansâ— to God If after thâ—◠〈◊〉 there were no glory remaining for the godly 〈◊〉 illegrâ—â—◠〈…〉 thâ—◠〈◊〉 they haue should persâ—â—â— theÌ„ 〈…〉 out sin See the difference betwixt the keeping of Swine the pleâ—â—◠〈◊〉 fathers table In sinne there is not 〈…〉 â—â—â—me â—â—â—th 〈◊〉 in 〈…〉 abound a 〈◊〉 gracious faâ—â—◠〈…〉 sinners are deceaâ—ed 〈…〉 thâ— in that they â—â—ink therâ—â—◠〈◊〉 so greaâ— coÌ„fort plenâ—â— to be sound 〈…〉 life as they 〈◊〉 they 〈◊〉 a lewâ—â— life esteeming 〈…〉 〈◊〉 of â—his 〈…〉 â—heâ—fore they are 〈…〉 〈…〉 lewd woman 〈…〉 â—â—â—ence for 〈◊〉 life would sâ—â—â—er diuine but that she feaâ—eth pouerty and diuert other worldly helps for that cause endangereth her soule for euer But let that of the prophet coÌ„fort thee Psal 36. I neuer saw the righteous forsaken nor their seed beâ—ing their bread The birds of the heauen they neither sow nor spin yet God prouideth for theÌ„ how wil not god prouide for them much rather which truly tuâ—ne vnto him See how he prouided for this prodigal son who as soon as he left his sinful life found a banket prepared ioyfull coÌ„pany pleasant musick The children of Israel departing froÌ„ the bondage of Egipt saw Gods miraculous deliuerance sang reioyced neuer wanted food from heauen vntil they can into the promised land of Canâ—an They which leauing the vaniâ—â—es of this world make their volage throgh the Deserts of this life seâ—sing God seeking â—â—â—enly Canaâ—â—â— God granteth theÌ„ many worthy meditations heauenly coÌ„forts where with they are inwardly fed as with Manna froÌ„ beâ—â—â— hauing diuers sâ—â—â—es 〈◊〉 â—â—â—agements that they should not saint The Israelites in Egipt
as he gaue vnto them that came in first therefore the labourers murmured against the maister of the vineyard saying These last haue wrought but one houre thou hast made them equall vnto vs which haue born the burdeâ— and heare of the day And he answered one of them sayings Friend I doâ— thee no wrong is it not lawfull for me to doe as I will with my owne Is thine eye euill because mine is good 〈◊〉 Ionas when he had prephecied the destruction of Niniuie went out of the Citty sate on the cast side of the Citty and there made him a Booth and fate vnder iâ— in the shaddow till he might see what should be doone in the Citty And God made a gourd to rise vp which shadowed Ionas from the heat of the sound whereas he was glad Anone after GOD caused it to perish wherevppon Ionast wished in his heart to die Then God saide vnto Ionast Dost thou well to be angry for the gourd And bee said I doe well to be angry vnto the death Then said the Lord. Thou hast had pitty on the gourd for the which thou hast not laboured noâ—ther mads shiâ— grow which came vâ— in one â—ight and perished in another and should not I spare Niniuie that 〈◊〉 Citty wherein are sixe score thousands persons that cannot discerne betwixt theyâ—â—â—ight hand and theyr left Should man that hath neede of Gods mercy repine when GOD shewth mercie vnto others especially Ionas which had so manifolde try all of Gods mercie VVee knowe not into what sinnes wee may fall when as wee would be glad to cry and call for mercy and to desire others to pray for vs. VVho was more approued of the Lord the Leuit or the Samaritane that helped the wounded man that fell among theeues Many in these our dayes are like to those before recited Enuie which are sorry that God is eyther bountifull or mercifull vnto others and doe enuie that GOD dooth good vnto sinners vvhich in a manner seeme to sinne against the holy Ghost because they are agreeued to beholde Gods goodnes and gracious vvorkes in others VVho by reason of GODS mercie growe to bee malicious beeing heerein lyke vnto spyders vvho out of good flowers canne gather nothing but poyson and in so dooing treasure and heape vp vnto them-selues wrath agaynst the day of vvrath and of GODS iust indigriation They oppose them selues agayrist Charitie vvhich is the Ladie and Queene of all other vertues Wherein their sinne is so much the greater as also the wise man faith Wisd 2. Through enuie of the deuil came death into the world and they that holde of his side prooue it Through enuie of Gods glory the Angels became deuils through enuy of mans estate the deuill tempted him to disobey God and so ouerthrew him Caine slew Abell because his owne deedes were euill and his brothers good Iosephs brethren through enuy sold him and Saul persecuted Dauid and the Iewes crucified Christ Ah cruell vipers that sought his death who came to giue them life If we were as holy and as righteous as euer were Dauid Samuell Esay Ieremy yet heerein wee should not murmure to see God shew mercy to others Moses wished himselfe to be raced out of the booke of life for the Israclites Samuell prayed for Saul Iâ—remy wished his head were a foundtaine of teares that he might weepe for his people Christ prayeth for his persecutours Father forgiue them they know not what they doe and S. Stephen prayed that the Lord would not lay that sinne to their charge Poore publicanes and sinners that are distressed in conscience faine would come suffer them to come vnto me for of such and to such appertaineth the kingdome of heauen For they are your brethren and I am the father of them and of you and loue them entirely They hauing care of their saluation at last are turned to the Lord whereof you also ought to reioyce and to giue God great thanks If we grudge and repine at Gods mercy toward others and it proceede from enity our nature is most bad if from out seuerity wee are too extreame Iudges little considering what we would should be done to vs in the like case and what may fall our vpon our selues Let vs marke the high mind of the Pharise and howe he boasted of his owne righteousnes Luk. 18. I thank hee God that I am not as other men deceaâ—eâ—s adulterers or enen as this publican I fast twice in the weeke I giue â—ithe of all that I possesse The selfe same thing saith the elder brother Loe these many yeares haue I done thee seruice neither brake I at any time they commaundement and yet thoâ—â— neuer gauâ—st â—nâ— a Kid that I might make â—eâ—y with aâ—y friends But when this thâ—â—â—oâ—e wâ—â— come disâ—â—infully spoken which hath deuoâ—â—â—d thy goods with harlots thou hast for his sake killed the fat calfâ—â— Tâ—â—â— 3 3. For wee our selues also were 〈◊〉 times past vnwise disobedient deceaued seruing the lusts and diuers pleasures liuing in maliciousnes enuy hatefull and haâ—iâ—g one another But when the bountifulnes and loue of God our Sauiour toward man appâ—aâ—â—d Not by the workeâ— of righteousnessâ— which wee had done but according to his mercy he saued vs by the washing of the new bâ—th the â—eneâ—ing of the holy ghostâ— Which hee shedde on vs abound and through Iesus Christ and Sauiour that fat calfe and that 〈◊〉 on late Lamb which was slain forâ—s that our â—ouâ—es might 〈◊〉 on his deserts and hand of especiall comfort there hence These Phariseâ— neuer tooled vpon thâ—â—â— a merciful disposition â—â—â—â—fore â—â—â—ev not 〈…〉 â—o mercy â—uâ—â—s the poore 〈…〉 away 〈◊〉 iustified in gods sight 〈…〉 boasted so much of his 〈…〉 dâ—â—deâ— so gods mercy is 〈◊〉 his goodnes more abound 〈…〉 are 〈…〉 â—â—iffe â—ppon 〈…〉 For they 〈◊〉 stand may fall let them that think they stand take heede least they fall If we will be accounted the children of god we must brotherly forgiue those faults offences which god himselfe forgiueth Many vnderstande the Iewes vnder the name of the elder brother for wâ—e knowe how with great pride loâ—â—â—es they did grudge at the calling of the Gentiles But they which so expound this parable doe not well confider the true â—â—â—â—ing therof although it may suffer that application Hipocraâ—es cannot abide that gods mercy should be so large who were they such obedient sonnes as they boast the selues yet they ought not so proudly and so disdainfully to enuy and grudge at their poore brethren who repent and turne to newnes of life Oftentimes the elder are set aside and they ouâ—ger made more account of so 〈◊〉 pleaseth God to debase the iudgements of 〈◊〉 Esaâ—â— the elder yet Iacoâ—â—ad the blessing Manasses the elder yet Ephraim preseâ—â—ed king Dauid â—ad elder brethren Adoniah was the elder but Salomon had the 〈…〉 the world 〈◊〉 the elder 〈…〉 estimation so hipocrites â—eare the greatest
shew of holines In outward seruices they are obedient as Esau iâ— the meane time they can hardly abide that Gods mercy should â—e shewed to sinners being ready in a manner to â—all GOD to account as though â—â—ne were 〈…〉 of Gods faâ—ouâ— but â—â—â—ly they themselues who although they seeme still to be in the fathers presence yet are not alwaies heires For the last shall be first and the first last Hipocrites who may be â—â—â—med the sonnes of Agâ—◠〈◊〉 are preferred and for a whiâ—â— they stand for â—eiâ—â—â— who like Ismaâ—ll vaunt themselues of their birth-right and 〈◊〉 disdainâ— their younger brethren Whose intolleâ—aâ—â—e pride and seuerity doth further appeare in that they must be entreated of no lower a man them the fathâ—◠〈◊〉 they â—â—ould not think hardly thâ—â— mercy should be shewed to their brethren By the example of the father 〈…〉 learne to be â—â—â—ourable toward the 〈◊〉 faulâ—â— of 〈◊〉 brethren although God doth 〈◊〉 request vs thereâ—â—to To 〈◊〉 effect 〈…〉 chap of Maister 〈…〉 vpon these wordes My brethren be not manie Maisters knowing that wee shall reâ—â—aue the greator condemnation For in manie things we sâ—â—all Which words heâ—deâ—idoth first intâ—â—â—â— exhortation or admonition that the godly and Saints of God doe not ambitiously or rigorously censure theyr brethreâ— Secondly into the reasons of that his exhortation which are two 1. From Gods â—â—â—ine â—â—dgement which shall be the â—â—â—uien â—nâ—â—nvs liâ— wee shall iudge otheâ—â— sâ— sâ—aâ—ply â— From the imbecilitie frailty of our nature which are subiect to sin as well as other then are VVeâ—sâ—â— in thoughts in speecheâ— and deedes as the examples of holier men then we are being recited in Scriptures do declare Three respects there are in men wherby their rigour towards other should be abâ—teâ— First to recount what in former times themselues haue beene Secondly to think what here-after they may be Thirdly to remember what presently they are Ouâ— of other mens falls a foure-fold profit insueth 1. The glory of god his power mercy is made manifest in making theÌ„ vessels of glory who by theys fins deserued A soft aunswere putteth away wrath but greeuous words stir vp strife An enemies hasty nature may bee appeased by gentle words and all strife and contention by this meanes may soone cease So the Apostle S. Paule teacheth vs not to bee quarrelsome but to be modest shewing al gentlenes vnto all men But he aunswered and said to his father Loe these many yeeres haue I doone thee seruice neyther broke I at any tyme thy commaundement and yet thou neuer ganest me a Kidde that I might make merry with my friends But when this thy sonne was com which hath deuoured thy goods with harlots thou hast for his sake killed the sat Calfe Hipocrites accuse God of iniquitie and iudge themselues iust For when they haue performed the outward obedience of the law they think they haue perfectly fulfilled the whole law that by right they ought to haue not onely the blessings of this life but also the loves of another For say they wee neuer broke thy commaundement As the young rich man sayde All these things haue I obserued from my youth Math. 19.20 But when they heare out of the gospell that GOD doth not respect mens merrits and deserts but dooth freely forgiue sinnes receiue sinners vnto mercie of his owne good will and vndeserued fauour they by and by iudge GOD to be most vnrighteous which doth reiect those which haue deserued so worthy well in the sight of the world and doth receiue notorious sinners and knowne offenders Esay 58.3 Wee haue fasted say they and thou hast not regarded we haue humbled our soules and thou knewest not What righteousnes is this to condemne vs that haue fulfilled the lawe and to saue them which haue so diuersly transgressed it This is the foolish boasting of hypocrites Thys elder brother is worthy of reproofe in two respects First that he had no cause to â—e angry to see his younger brother to be sâ— well dealt withall seeing it was no hurt oâ— harme or any disaduantage vnto him Secondly hauing no regard of the welfare of his brother he is sad and heauy to see him so ioyfully receiued This elder brother this Pharise this bâ—sting iusticiary saith not So many yeer oâ— thou hast bredde mee vp thou hast taken great sorrow and care for mee and I shall neuer be able to make recompence and amends But hee forgetting his dutie is vp with his deserts So many yeeres haue I serued thee As the other sayd I fast twice in the weeke I pay tythes of all that I possesse and so forth What could be spoken more arrogantly then to say he neuer broke his commandement Who coulde of right say so but the onely sonne of God who truly might say I do those things which please my Father Ioh. 8. All other may say Wee haue gone astray and are vnprofitable seruants psal 14. Luk. 17. If he had committed no other sinne yet in this he broke the rule of charitie enuying at the good estate of his brother and taking no compassion of his former misery Neyther dooth he say My brother but in contempt Thy sonne So great was his pride and high mind These Pharises would haue Christ to be conuersant with none but themselues and these iusticiaries would haue none to haue part in Christ but onely themselues But now let vs marke how tenderly and mildly Christ answereth vnto this murmuring and grudging sonne not stirring him vp or prouoking him to anger but rather by all meanes making him to know his bountifull minde toward him what he mindeth to doe for him that with all thankfulnes hâ—e might accept of his goodnesse and be well content with his Fathers dealings And hee sayd vnto him sonne thou art euer with mee and all that I haue is thine It was meete that we should make merrie be glad for this thy brother was deade and is aliue againe and he was lost but he is found The great gentlenes of God is heerein seene in that so graciously he beareth with the faults of murmurers vouchsafeth to call him sonne although hee were a most grudging sonne He would also winne weane him from his fault by making him consider the daily bessings that are powred vpon him the great abundance that he is like hereafter to be partaker of Neyther doth he reproue him sharply but exhorteth by milde perswasions saying It vvas meete that we should make merrie and be gladde and why art thou thus offended seeing thou shouldst be in thys case as ioyfull as vvee For thys thy Brother Note how hee saith not My sonne but This thy brother to allure him to mutuall concord loue good will Whereby we also haue a warning to shew compassion one toward another and to reioyce at the good one of another seeing wee are the same people Nation hauing one God one Redeemer one Baptisme Exod. 32. When the
people had offended the Lord said vnto Moses Goe downe thy people haue committed a great sin And Moses likewise vnto the Lord O Lord let not thy wrath breake forth against thy people vtterly to consume them Therefore nowe if thou pardon theyr sin thy mercie shall appeare but if thou wilt not I pray thee rase me out of thy booke which thou hast written He was dead and is aliue againe And such is the estate of those that depart from God that they are counted for dead and lost but when they returne to God they liue againe For repentance it is that makes the way to Gods mercy of which mercie we take hold by faith but yet wee are not capable of that mercy vntill wee displease our selues Through sin coâ—meth death For death is the wages of sin Rom. 6. In that we are â—ecouered from sin and death it is Gods mercy as the prophet Ose speaketh chap. 13. O Israell one hath destroied thee but in me is thy help Where had Ionas beene or what had become of him if God had not thought of him in mercy and brought him to comfort againe The benefits that GOD daily poureth downe vpon vs shewe that our destruction commeth not from him but wee our selues are the workers of our owne ouerthrow And when we are restored we are to reioyce of Gods mercy and goodnes c to accuse condemne our owne wilfulnes froward stubborne nature which so rebelliouslie is set to contrary Gods commaundements and holy will and law By this parable sinners are to behold an assured trust in Gods mercy that they may learne to repent and to yeelde themselues to Gods calling Also those that stande may learne to feare God and not to contemne poore penitent sinners but let them feare Gods iudgements there-withall acknowledging Gods mercy for forgiuenes of sinnes that euen they also may obtaine saluation through Iesus Christ Who was therefore sent of God the Father into this world to saue sinners 2. Tim. 1.15 For God hath not sent his Son into the world to iudge the world but that the world by him should be saued Ioh. 3.17 The Father of this prodigall sonne had more ioy in the recouery of his sonne then in the losse of that great wealth and substance Vnder the example of the Father pleading in the behalfe of his prodigall sonne is manifestly declared howe Christ aunswereth for sinners becommeth theyr Patron Aduocate and defender that we also may learne to humble our selues to the release and helpe of sinners to be gracious louing and modest to all and to be well inclined euen toward our very enemies which continually murmur speak ill of vs. Which thing if thou shalt frame thy selfe vnto doe thy endeuour to the best of thy power thou shalt liue in peace both with God and man haue the loue and good will of all and after this life ended thou shalt be pertaker of eternall ioy Amen Soli Deo laus et gloria et gratia The Parable of the Rich man and Lazarus LVKE 16. There was a certaine Rich man which was clothed in purple and fine linnen and fared well and delicatly euery day THis parable setteth foorth vnto vs the wofull estate in time to come of vnmercifull rich men in this world for they are worthy to haue all mercie denyed them which when they vvere requested there-vnto yet shewed no token thereof In this parable are set downe these fiue considerations following First the example of a wicked worldling very loose carelesse setting light by God despising his poore neighbour Secondly the patterne of a godly man submitting himselfe to Gods will in all his distresses and waiting for comfort and deliuerance according to Gods good vvill and pleasure Thirdly the ioyfull estate of the godly after death being ful of vnspeakable comfort and glory Fourthly the lamentable estate of the wicked after death Wisd Lastly the word of God beeing deliuered by the prophets Christ and the Apostles is reuerently to be heard dutifully to bee obeyed which to our great good calleth vs to repentance newnes of life The Euangelists haue not disposed all things in order but haue set forth the effect of Christ his exhortations so farre forth as vvas needfull to the edification of the Church And in this parable our Sauiour doth shew what shall be come of theÌ„ hereafter which hauing no regard of the pore giue themselues wholy to their pleasures in the meane time suffering the poore to hunger and starue while they might relieue them Although it seeme to some a plaine parable yet it is more likely it was a thing doone because the name of Lazarus is put to The effect of this parable is to with-drawe vs from the abuse of our wealth and riches and to perswade vs vnto bountifulnesse and liberalitie towarde the poore For whom would not the lamentable and of the Rich man feare in time to make them learne to be mercifull to the poore The rich man is heere set downe without any mention of his name because god raketh no care of the wicked nor remembreth their names We are willed to make vs friendes of our riches not by purchasing Lands but by giuing to the poore that when we shall want as the poore now doe then they may receiue vs into euerlasting habitations And by this example he perswadeth vs that we doe not neglect or forget or disdaine to giue almes For who would not these words tenisie Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasures and like wife Lazarus paynes now therefore is he comforted thou art tormented This is a in of trailous change and a miserable alteration to see any but the other day to fare daintily and to goe brauely after a while to be tormented with thirst to be naked and spoyled of all helps In this sort shall the vnmertifull rich suffer hunger and thirst when as they that haue serued GOD and liued in his feare shall want no manner of thing that is good By the rich man is signified not onely he that hath great wealth but that hath wise children dieâ— for ualities in aboundance Whose estate Iob doth liuely describe chapter 21. And these are they vvhich banker euery day 〈◊〉 Iobs wastful children But if you consider the estate of the poore all things are quite coutrary And the end theyr death doth shewe all or rather theyr estate which shal be after death which maketh the godly that were miserable in this life to be then most glistering and glorious and the rich which in this life liued as Kings and Emperours and were vngodly withall after death to be in farre worse account then the lowest pages the basest vassals and the vilest and poorest beggers on the earth Yea full gladly vvould they change if it vvere possible on this condition that they might returne againe from death to life It is not theyr riches that bringeth them to this
rich men to haue a rich soule to God then after theyr worldly braueries to be throwne down into hell Hee went not downe to hell to see vvhat there was done but to feele that which was intollerable and to abide such misery that neuer should haue end And why was it he came to his goods aright but hee did not dispose them as God commaunded Hee was no thiefe nor Vsurer but onely vnmercifull and therefore found no mercie If he were so greeuously punished for not vsing his owne goods well what shall become of thieues Vsurers which deceaue other men of theyr goods and doe vniustly detaine them Hellish torments can no more bee conceaued then heauenly ioyes both beeing infinite And as in hope wee haue some taste and feeling of heauenly ioyes so is it sufficient to knowe these endlesse vvoes in grosse and after a sort though confusedly so farre foorth as may serue to keepe vs in Gods feare And though we cannot enter into the depth of these matters let vs leaue of to be curious meditate on those things which are most necessary In thys example we learne that the wicked throgh the feeling of their misery are meruallously vexed and are desirous of some comfort Yet all hope being cut of they feele a double torment First the remembrance of theyr manifold and hainous sinnes is a continuall torment vnto them Secondly the consideration of the ioyes of the godly increaseth their griefe farre more comparing their vnspeakable ioyes with their endlesse and vnsufferable miseries This rich mans sorrowes therfore were mightily increased The rich mans woes increased first by seeing Lazarus in so good case and himselfe in such endlesse woes Secondly beholding how vnrecouerable his state vvas for out of hell there is no redemption Thirdly how cōfortlesse hee was in that hee required but one drop of water to coole his tongue and could not haue it although he earnestly requested the same hauing the least comfort denied him that was vnmercifull in small matters And lastly in fearing the damnation of his bretheren which were yet aliue and were like to drinke of the same cup. In vaine doth he looke vpon him after death which was vnmercifull to him in his life He doth not behold him with the eyes of his body but with the eyes of his mind his vnderstanding was now opened which in his life time was shut The Wise man counselleth that we should not turne away our eyes from the poore least the Lord turne away his face from vs. And as the Mold-warpe so is the rich man blind all his life and cannot see himselfe nor God but is altogether busied about earthly considerations And as the Moldwarpe is said to open his eies at the time of death so these rich men at the time of death can say Vanity of vanities vanity of vanities and all is but vanitie After death they can say What hath pride profited vs or the pompe of riches Wisd 5. It is well spoken but it is considered and thought vppon too late Hee sawe Abraham a farre of for saluation is farre from the wicked psalm 118. So farre of was the Rich man from Lazarus as the grace of God from sinne vertue from vice heauen from hell Hee that lay at the rich mans gate is in great glory farre aboue him and hee that in this lyfe wanted no comfort now wanteth no misery To this agreeth that of Salomon pro. 14.19 The euill shall bowe before the good and the wicked at the gates of the righteous Diues liued in this world in plesure Lazarus in labour and sorrow but now is Lazarus exalted hee tormented As the Lord saith by the prophet Esay 65.13 Behold my seruaunts shall eate ye shal be hungry my seruants shall drink ye shal be thirsty my seruants shal reioyce and yee shall be ashamed Behold my seruaunts shall sing for ioy of heart and yee shall cry for sorrovve of heart and shall howle for vexation of minde Lazarus in this life begged of the rich man but the rich man after begged of the poore man and as the rich man heard him not so was not he heard As wee reade Prou. 21.13 He that stoppeth his eare at the crying of the poore hee shall also cry and not be heard As it was a paine to the poore man to lie before the rich mans gate hee in penury and the rich man serued so plentifullie so was it a paine to the rich man to see Lazarus in such great glory and himselfe in such great misery and vnspeakable torments For as God when hee cast Adam out of Paradice placed him not farre from thence that hee might daily beholde from what a blessed place hee was banished so did GOD set before the eyes of the rich man the happy estate of Lazarus that he should be vexed so much the more Wisd 5. Then shall the righteous stand in great boldnesle before the face of such as haue for mented him And they shall change theyr mindes and sigh for griefe of mind and thy within themselues This is he whō we sometimes had in derision and in a parable of reproch Wee fooles thought his life madnes and his end without honour Howe is he counted among the chyldren of God is portion is among the Saints It is not sayd heere The diuersity of torments that the rich man vvas in torment but in torments for manifold are the torments of hell The vvant of Gods most comfortable presence vvhich no doubt the damned doe desire if not for the loue of Gods goodnes yet for theyr owne ease and infinite refreshing The outward torments of the body expressed by the fire in respect of which our fire is but a painted fire The worme of a gnawing and byting conscience Most ouglie darknes worse then the darknes of Egypt A most beastly stinke with infinite other torments whereof the least is most intollerable or more then can be suffered or deuised in this life Euen against nature they shall desire not to be and wish they had neuer been borne There shal be no power able to deliuer them from thence and the remembrance thereof from time to time shal most greeuously torment their minds These paines endlesse and comfortlesse shall make them die vvhich cannot die VVherefore considering these torments there should be nothing so hard in this life which God did cōmaund but wee should Then hee cryed and said Father Abraham haue mercy on mee and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water coole my tongue For I am tormented in this flame What great increase of sorrow was this that he should desire to haue comfort frō Lazarus yet could haue none He cryed and made a great lamentation because his paine was so exceeding great Now he calleth him Father Abraham whom hee would not follow in his life time againe he calleth him father too late repenteth too late See what it is to
boast of the name of a Christian and not to shewe the practise thereof in our life conuersation For not euery one that can say Lorde Lorde shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but hee that dooth the will of my Father which is in heauen Math. 7.21.22 Many shall say in that day Lord Lord. And hee shall say vnto them I know yee not Depart from me yee that worke iniquitie The foolish Virgins Math. 25.11 could say Lord Lord open to vs But he aunswered and said Verily I knowe you not And they that sayd Lord when sawe wee thee a hungry or naked To them it shal be sayd Inasmuch as yee did it not to the poore for my sake yee did it not to mee knowing that I committed and commended the poore vnto you in my steed The poore yee haue alwaies with you but mee shall ye not haue alwaies Then also shall they heare that dolefull doome sentence and iudgement Depart from me yee cursed into euerlasting fire Math. 25.41 Father Abraham haue mercy on me He called for mercy too late as also he was farre vnworthy of mercy which would take no pitty and compassion of his poore neyghbour And he shall haue iudgement without mercy that sheweth no mercy Math. chap. 18. Heere-hence wee may gather two profitable instructions The first is to shewe mercy to our poore neighbour if vve will looke for mercy at Gods hands Secondly to call for mercy and forgiuenes and pardon of our sinnes in this life and not to deferre it vntill the last howre or at least wise till after death To defer it to the last howre is to hazzardous and venterous when as we may sooner misse theÌ„ to haue our request graunted the other that is after death is altogether vaine and vnprofitable He that would not shewe mercy to his fellowe seruant that ought him but a hundred pence was greeueously punished Ecclus. 28.2 Forgiue thy neighbour the hurt that he hath done to thee so shall thy sinnes bee forgiuen thee also when thou prayest What measure thou metest the same shall be measured to thee Endeuour therefore what thou canst to be mercifull to the poore calling thy selfe to rememberance how greatly thou standest in neede of mercy from God As for this rich mans too late repentance hee was not so wise as Dauid psal 50. Heare ô Lord and haue mercy vpon me Lord be thou my helper for what profit is there when I goe downe to the pitte and out of hell there is no redemption And therefore earnestly and humbly hee prayeth for mercy in his lyfe time before the eternall barres doe close him in Neither did this rich man repent that hee had offended God but beeing in excessiue paine he called for release vvhen as then none would bee granted Follow the Wise mans counsell Eccles. 9.10 All that thy hand shall finde to doe doe it with all thy power for there is neither worke nor inuention not knowledge nor vvisedome in the graue whether thou goest O Lord in death who wil remember thee and in hell whose tale shall be heard So long as a great peece of timber is caried vppon the water so long it seemeth light but when it is cast vppon the Land then he that before could moue it with his hand cannot now doe it with all the force of his body Likewise so long as wee liue the burden of sin seemeth light as though wee had no burden at all but when death Gods messenger hath cited vs to appeare before the court of his tribunall seate then doe our sinnes appeare in theyr collours shewing themselues to be infinite and the burden of them intollerable And vvee which woulde not fore-see these eternall punishments shall then be thrust dovvne among the damned for euer to feele them My sinnes saith Dauid are gone ouer my head and are like a burden too heauy for me to beare psalm 40. My sinnes haue taken such holde vpon mee that I am not able to looke vp yea they are moe in number then the haires of my head my hart hath failed mee O Lord let it be thy plesure to deliuer mee make hast ô Lord to helpe mee Set the 50. psalme before thee for a patterne to follow and let thy hart shed forth teares aboundantly And then shalt thou finde that comfort which Christ promiseth Math. 11.28 Come vnto me all yee that are weary and laden and I vvill ease you And howe comfortable this easing shall be looke vppon the historie of the prodigall sonne Luke 15. Thys foolish rich man would not lay downe his burden in his life time after death is was bound of so fast that he could not shake it of But why did he speake to Abraham not to Lazarus Because hee iudged him after his owne disposition that hee would not forget to reuenge whereas vvith the godly there is no such qualitie euen in thys life much lesse in another Thinking thys with himselfe If I in my great prosperity had no care of him surely hee will haue as little care of me neither will he come vnto me Therefore he maketh his request vnto Abraham supposing that hee knewe not what was happened But let vs heare what his request vvas Send Lazarus that hee may dip the typ of his finger in water coole my tongue for I am tormented in this flame Alas what could a droppe of water comfort him and should he not by and by againe be in as great torment And what was the torment of the tongue to the vnspeakable paines of all the rest of the body Iust are the iudgements of God and hee recoâ—â—penceth accordingly For he that denied small matters was enforced to craue euen the least helpe which neuerthelesse according to his desert was denied him Let no man despise the poore for God can make the richest man poore in a moment The sonnes of Iacob came afterward into the hands of Ioseph Despise no body whom before they hated vnto the death contemned and despised Thou mayest stand in need of his helpe whom now thou dost scorne For so it may fall out that GOD may appoint him to doe thee good Saul deadly persecuted Dauid God deliuered Saul into his hands twice and had not the godly hart of Dauid had more pitty the cruelty of Saul had iustly deserued death Simei that cursed Dauid and thought hee should neuer returne any more to raigne was faine to cast himselfe downe as it were at his feete to craue mercy Haman was enforced to doe Mardocheus great honour whom before hee could not abide to looke vpon And this hapneth to many VVherefore if thou beest placed in high authority doe not exalt thy selfe too high for he whom thou contemnest may be in higher estate then thy selfe and may requit thee againe VVhere there is mention made of the rich mans tongue wee must vnderstand that the soule hath no tongue nor hands nor fingers Tongue but this is rather to be vnderstoode in