3 As in fishing when the fishes bee deceiued with the baite haue the Hookes in their mouths men draw them and make them follow whither so euer please them Euen so God withdraweth mightie Tyrantes from executing their deuises and from obtaining their enterprises Threatnings AS sometimes it thundreth without lightning which thunder bringeth most terrour but voide of all daunger So the Threatnings of some doo appeare terrible yet are they voide of all trouble and hurt Esay 37.29 Trade of life 1 AS the Oxe is most apt for the plough the Horse for the carte and the hound for hunting So ought men to chuse that occupation and Trade of life wherunto by nature they are most apt 2 As he which hath no house of his owne wandereth here and there So he which followeth no certaine Trade of life must foolishly assay many sorts and chaunces Thoughts LIke as the Lord requireth an account of euerie idle word Euen so he requireth tribute of wicked lusts Thoughts arrayneth them keepeth a court for them and setteth fines and mercements vppon the heads of them Math. 12.36 Rom. 7.7 Iam. 1.15 Math. 9.4 Temperate LIke as it is in vaine to shut the outter Gates of a Citie if but one bee left open whereat the enemie may enter So it is not enough to bee Temperate in other things that is to haue a firme and moderate gouernment of reason against vicious affections of the mind if we set open our eares vnto ribauldrie and filthie talke Tongue 1 AS ryuers be compassed with banks least they should flow ouer So ought our Tongue to be walled with reason least it should be ouer busie in babling Iam. 3.2 c. 1. Pet. 3.10 2 As beasts and birds by mans industrie are tame Euen so contrariwise the Tongue of man is so vnruely that no man can tame it Iam. 3.7 8. 3 As a very little fire kindleth neuer so great a heape of matter apt to be kindled Euen so the Tongue setteth the whole course of nature on fire is kinled it selfe of hell Iam. 3.5 6. 4 As a sharpe Rasour with the least touch that can be shaueth and cutteth So dooth also the Tongue of a mischieuous lying man Psal 52.2 5 As a Ship though neuer so great and huge is turned about with a verie small Rudder Euen so the Tongue though it be a small member oftentimes ouer-ruleth the whole bodie and setteth it out of course Iam. 3.4 6 As it is vnpossible that a Figge-tree should be able to bring forth Oliues or a Vine Figges So it cannot be that that Tongue which is giuen to euil speaking and slaundering should be able to bring foorth any good thing not defiled with the venim of the Tongue and the heart Iam. 3.11 12. 7 As Fire Chaffe and Stubble being added vnto it or any thing apt to burne will burne it cleane vp yea if Townes if Cities yea the whole world be added therto it will burne them vp all So likewise if words be added to the Tongue then backbiting slaundering swearing lying c. it will at the last set whole Kingdomes on fire Talke 1 AS the Musitian with the soft striking of strings doth please vs So the Talke that is gentle dooth sooner perswade then that which is rigorous and extreame 2 As the East wind is accounted neither good for man nor beast Euen so Talke and words that profit not are not wont to proceed from the wise Iob. 15.2 3. 3 As the sauour of stinking carrion is noysom to them that smel it So is the speech of fooles tedious to wise men that heare it 4 As a Vessell is knowne by the sound whether it be whole or broken So are men prooued by their speech whether they be wise or foolish Two natures in the personall vnion of Christ LIke as in that one person of Christ there be Two natures So there is a dubble will working wisedome strength power vertue c. the one heauenly and not created the other humane and created Luk. 2.52 Mar. 11.13 13.32 1. Iohn 2.1 17. Iohn 2.25 6.64 5.20 Heb. 1.9 Iohn 1.33 4.6 Heb. 1.3 Iohn 2.19 10.18 Testimonie of the spirit in the elect AS Marchants being desirous to sell their wares are content to let the buyer see handle and sometimes also taste of the same thereby to induce them to buy Euen so God Almightie willing as it were to sell vs the ioyes of heauen is content to impart a certaine taste before hand to such as he seeth are willing to buy thereby to make them come off roundly with the price and not to sticke in paying so much as he requireth False Teachers AS emptie Cloudes which boast of raine but yet haue none are blowne away with the winde Euen so false and vntrue Teachers who bragge of great things yet they bring not that which they boast off 2. Pet. 2.17 Hose 13.3 Iude. ver 12. Trouble of conscience 1 AS the Angel did say that ther shal be no more death neither sorrow neither crying neither shal there be any more paine So after that we are at peace with God it is most true that there shal be no more Trouble of conscience Reue. 21.14 2 As it is a chiefe point of worldly wisedome not to tarrie for the vse of phisicke vntill we be deadly sicke but to be acquainted with Gods merciful preseruation to defend vs from it So likewise it is a chiefe pollicie of a good Christian not onely to seeke comfort when the agonie and Trouble of Conscience is vpon him but also to vse all good helpes to meet with it before it comes 3 Like as we condemne them of folly who will not as well labour to keep themselues out of debt as also to pay the debt when they owe it So likewise it is a madnesse not to be circumspect to auoyd all occasions which may bring Trouble of minde or Conscience vpon them As also they would be prouident to enter euery good way which may drawe them out of this Trouble when they haue once entered into it Types of truth AS the Rauen was a figure of the Lawe of God which threatned al sinners So the floud was a reuengement sent from Almightie God vpon all offenders Gene. 8.6 c. Trinitie LIke as if three Kings equall in dignitie should meete all in one place being equall also in power and maiestie if all three should sit downe though one be no better then an other yet one of them must needs sit downe the first and another in the second place and then the third but yet we cannot say that he which sat downe first is the chiefest So it is in the Trinitie though none be greater or aboue another yet the Father is in the first place not because he is before the Sonne or the holy Ghost in dignitie or honour but because hee is the fountaine of the Deitie the Sonne being from him and the holy Ghost from them both 2
to whom it were sent wold not take it but refuse it despitefully or contemne it the man that sent it might well thinke he had contemned and disdained him and not his gift or present but what might hee thinke if hee should cast it into the dyrt and trample it vnder his feete Therefore if hee did as hee ought to do he should consider when he receiued the token the minde and good will of his friend that sent or gaue it and according therevnto to esteeme and receiue it So likewise if we do as we ought to do in beeing partakers of these holy Mysteries we should rather consider the minde and good will of our louer Christ then the Bread and Wine which we see yea if we do not altogither consider Christes minde and purpose in this behalfe we deale vnhonestly and strumpâ— like with him For it is the propertie of Strumpets to consider the things giuen and sent them rather then the good will and minde of the giuer and sender whereof the true louers doo not consider in any point the value of the things giuen or sent but the minde and good will of the partie So we if we be true Louers of Christ must not consider barely the outward things as the Bread and Wine which wee see and our senses perceiue but rather altogither wee must viewe and consider the minde of Christ and therafter and according to it to esteeme and account of the same 4 Like as if a wilfull and rebellious subiect should no more esteeme or regard his Princes seale then other common wax or haue it in no greater reuerence then the seale of some priuate man it might rightly be said that hee maketh no difference of his Princes person that is to say that he doth no more esteeme him then hee doth other men yet it needeth not that the Kings person bee there really present So when we come to the Lordes table if we take vnreuerently the misticall Bread and Wine as other common meates appointed for the bellie then make wee no difference of the Lordes Body wee doo not esteeme the worthinesse price and vertue of it which in the holy Mysteries is so freely and so liberally offered vnto vs. And therefore if we receiue this Sacrament vnreuerently not considering who is the Author of it nor who it is that offereth himselfe so mercifully and louingly vnto vs it is no maruell therefore that the holy Apostle saith that we are guiltie of the Body and bloud of the Lord that is to say that we are before the seate of Almightie God because of our vnthankfulnesse and vnreuerent handling of the holy Mysteries counted as guiltie as if wee had slaine the Body of the onely begotten sonne of GOD and shead his most precious bloud vpon the Crosse Or it is no maruell that in stead of grace in stead of forgiuegesse of our sinnes and of life euerlasting wee doo eate and drinke our owne damnation And yet it followeth not that the Body and bloud of Christ be really present there in the Sacrament Christes naturall and immortall Body can be but in one place at once and not in many places 1 LIke as the Soule of man vnited to his Body cannot be a Body because it is a spirit Euen so the like is of the Body and of the Soule of Iesus Christ and of his diuine and humaine nature of the which euerie one of them holdeth so continually his properties that the one cannot be that the other is For albeit that they be vnited together by personall vnion yet for all they remaine alway distinct in their vnitie according to their properties and not confused in such sort that the one cannot be the other wherefore wee may not say at all that the Diuinitie is the humanitie or that the humanitie is the Diuinitie nor that the one is conuerted into the other For if there were such a conuersion they should no more be that which they are but should bee chaunged into other natures which thing cannot be For God can neuer bee but God Wherefore hee cannot be conuerted into man but he may vnite man to himselfe as he hath done in the person of his Sonne Iesus Christ Likewise man cannot bee conuerted into God for so much as he is a creature and that God which is the Creator of all cannot bee created but is without beginning as hee is without end and infinite the which thing cannot agree with any creature From whence it followeth that the Gods which are created are no Gods at all but are onely creatures or else vaine illusions or imaginations And as the substance of GOD cannot bee conuerted into that of man nor that of man into that of God for otherwise God should not be God nor man should not be man at all Euen so neither the one nor the other may be without his conuenient and naturall properties belonging to the diuine nature it is no more diuine nature but humaine In like sort if the Sacramentall signes of the Body and bloud of Iesus Christ haue the naturall properties which do belong to the Bread and to the Wine as they haue indeed if they haue their qualities and accidents and these same effects they are not then really and substancially the Body and bloud of him but Bread and Wine remaining alwaies in their substance with their accidents 2 As the bodie of the Sunne and light of it are so ioyntly ioyned together that the one cannot be seperated from the other yet it followeth not that wheresoeuer the light of the Sunne is there the body of the Sunne must be also For as the Sunne being still in the Element according to the order that God hath appointed among vs his creatures doth wtth his light refresh comfort and quicken all things here vpon earth So our Sauiour Christ Iesus who is the true Sonne of righteousnesse being still vntill the time that God hath appointed on the right hand of his Father touching his manhood that is to say aboue in heauen in the place of beatitude felicitie and ioy raigning there with the Father in equall glorie and maiestie doth continually assist aide and comfort his Church by his holy spirit being alwaies present with his elect and chosen by his diuine Maiestie prouidence and inuisible grace whom hee doth not cease through his almightie power the spirit being the worker of it to feede still with the wholsome foode of his most precious flesh and bloud Now as it were most noysome and hurtfull vnto all the whole earth if we had here belowe the Body of the Sunne so is it not expedient that the Church and Congregation of the faithful should haue Christ still present here touching his humanitie and manhood For so he saith Iohn 16.7 3 As no man can denie but that the eye and the sight of it be so ioyntly and inseperably ioyned together that as long as the eye is whole and sound the one cannot be seperated from the other yet
light to euery thing although there bee that receiue no light at all at it Euen so Christ is called the light of the world although a great number haue no part of the grace of his light yet his Redemption is vniuersall because it is so appointed vnto all men that without it none is nor can be redeemed Iohn 8.12 9.5 1. Timo. 2.6 Christ receiued by faith 1 A As the naturall body receiueth life from the head and is dead without it and as the braunch though it be neuer so neare the Vine-stock yet if it abide not in it and growe not in it hath no life there from and therefore withereth and if it abide in it then it liketh and fructifieth And as the hungrie and thirstie man hath not the benefite of meate and drinke to liue by by comming where it is seeing it and knowing it but by eating and drinking thereof and digesting it so that by force of nature there growe an vnion betwixt him and his meate Euen so it is as necessarie that the faithfull bee vnited to their head Christ spiritually engrafted into him and grow in him by faith and that euery one that would be saued eate him and drinke him and that so effectually as that hee may be their spirituall foode For if it be thus they shall liue for euer by him otherwise they remaine in death wither and must perish Neither is it sufficient that wee heare or reade of him and his merites and passion but they must bee receiued by faith Col. 1.18 Ephe. 1.22.23 Iohn 6.53 54 55. 2 As meat drink being set before vs is taken in by eating thereof to our temporall nourishment Euen so Christ is as surely apprehended of vs by faith to our spiritual maintenance in the word preached and Sacraments ministred which are the dishes wherin one and the selfesame Christ is offered vnto vs. 3 As the Soule naturally ioyned to the body bringeth forth her effects So Christ dwelling in vs by faith and the holy Ghost after a spirituall manner and by a spirituall vertue doth shewe his power in vs to inable vs to resist sinne and to bridle the corrupt desires of the flesh 1. Pet. 4.1 4 As there can bee no eating without taking or receiuing of meate So no beleeuing in Christ without a spirituall receiuing and apprehending of him How the two Tables of the 10. Commaundements be alike AS one man may be like an other in nature and qualitie although the one exceede the other in greatnesse degree and dignitie c. Euen so the second Table of the 10. Commaundements is like in qualitie and condition vnto the first yet they are not equall for the first is in degree of more dignitie and excellencie then the second Math. 22.39 Confession of our euill deeds to God 1 LIke as Beggers if they haue any good thing doo conceale and hide it and doo onely shewe their ragges and their soares wherby they may moue and stirre the compassion of the beholders to pittie them Euen so it behoueth vs not to boast our good deedes before God as the Pharisie did but to professe and confesse our euill deedes if wee will prouoke the Lord his mercie towards vs as the Publican did Luk. 18.9.10.11 c. 2 As a man that hath money to pay whilest hee hath it in his hand is loath to part with it but when he hath once paide it he is glad that it is discharged and would not for any thing it were to pay againe Euen so men before they haue confessed their sinnes are vnwilling to disburthen themselues of them but when Confession is once made they haue eased their hearts and discharged their consciences conceiuing such comfort as they would not for all the world it were to doo againe Psal 91 1 2. c. 3 As they which haue in their stomacks meate vndigested or store of ill humours are eased if they vomit them vp So if sinners and euill dooers doo Confesse their sinnes to God they shal finde ease in their soules and consciences Proud Persecutors which thinke that without Gods leaue they may deale as they list with Christians LIke as King Kantus sometime King of this Realme standing by the water side aftet a great raine and marking how the water did rise which by leisure so encreased that it wet his feete where he stood and hee beeing so proud in heart thought that whatsoeuer he said euerie thing would obey straight commaunded the water that â—t should arise no further nor wet his maisters feete any more but when he sawe that the water rose still and would not obey him but ranne into his shooes hee perceiued his foolishnes and confessed there was a God and â— King aboue him whom onely the waters would obey Euen so all greedie Churles and couetous Cormorants â—hall well perceiue when they haue wrought themselues wearie and gotten little that all encrease comes from the â—ord and not of themselues Psal 75.6.7 127.1 2. â—ro 10.22 Luk. 5.5.6 Christ a most wholesome medicine and and salue to all poore sinners 1 AS the brazen Serpent was eleuated and lifted vp in the Desart by Moses for to heale all those that did looke vpon it So it was necessarie that our Sauiour Iesus Christ as he himselfe doth witnesse should be hanged vpon the Crosse and lifted vp on high for to heale all those that be deadly stung and wounded by the old Serpent the diuell Nomb. 21.8 Iohn 3.14 12.31 32 33. 2 As the brazen Serpent had the figure forme and shape of a Serpent and yet it was no Serpent no nor yet had any venome or poyson So our Sauiour Christ did take vpon him the shape of a sinner and yet he was no sinner but was and is a most wholesome medicine and soueraigne salue vnto all poore sinners that doo behold and looke vpon him by faith and that seeke for saluation no where else but in the onely merits of his death and passion Heb. 4.15 3 As there was no Phisicke Medicine or Salue that could heale those that were stung of the firie Serpents but only the looking vpon the brazeÌ„ Serpent that was erected and set vp by the commaundement of God Euen so haue we no maner of Phisicke or salue against sinne and euerlasting death or any other obiect or marke set before the eyes of our faith to behold for to bring soule health and saluation vnto vs but onely Iesus Christ being crucified who is giuen vnto vs of God For it doth not belong vnto vs to chuse the medicine or salue but it pertaineth to God our soueraigne Phisition who alone is able to heale vs from this deadly sicknesse who also alone knoweth what medicine or salue is necessarie for vs. 4 And as it is not in our power to finde the medicine of saluation so can we not of our selues finde the maner and meanes how to vse and applie the same For as in the sicknesse of the body the sicke
the people of his Church and powreth out aboundaunce of his blessings vppon them Esay 44.3 The growth of grace by Christs death AS Wheate except it bee sowen in the ground and there die doth not spring againe and so multiplie Euen so the knowledge of those benefites which wee haue by Christ are encreased grewe and multiplyed throughout the whole world by his death Iohn 12.24 Calling 1 LIkewise a sword being committed into the hands of a Souldier by the Captaine generall hee is not to smite before he bee commaunded to fight and before the Trumpet bee sounded to battell Euen so though a man haue excellents giuen him yet hee is not to execute any function especially publikely before hee receiue a particular warrant and Calling from God Reue. 16.1 2 As Sampson though he had strength giuen him that he was able to haue defended the Israelites and reuenged them of their enemies yet hee could not take vpon him the gouernment of the people vntill such time that the Lord had called him vnto it So likewise the Ministers of the word albeit they haue neuer so notable gifts of knowledge vtterance c. yet they are not in any case to entrude themselues into the Ministerie vnlesse they haue a particular Calling from the Lord. 3 As the Ostrige hath wings and flieth not So some men haue a Calling but they answere it not they haue knowledge but they practise it not they haue words but they worke not 4 Like as if a straunger should violently thrust in himselfe to bee the shepheard of thy sheepe thou wouldest aske him who sent for him what hee hadde to doo there and thou wouldest rather thinke him to bee a theefe and a murtherer of thy sheepe then to bee a faithfull and trustie seruant So surely if thou come to take charge of Gods people before he inwardly moue thy conscience to pitie his people and outwardly by order call and place thee where hee thinkes good hee will iudge thee a theefe a woolfe a deuourer and not a feeder Beautie AS a Ring or Iewell of Gold is very vnseemely and dooth not become the filthy snoute of a swine that is alwayes rooting in the dyrt and myer So vncomely is Beautie to a woman that hath not wit nor discretion to behaue her selfe Benefites AS the Moone doth shew her light in the world which she receiueth from the Sunne so we ought to bestow the Benefits receiued of God to the profit and commoditie of our neighbour The Authoritie of the Church not aboue the word of God 1 LIke as it is not reason nor iust that a Wife should controll or be superiour and aboue her Husbands word and commaundement hauing a wise and discreete Husband to gouerne and commaund her So likewise it is no reason or right whatsoeuer the Papists say that the Authoritie of the Church which is the Wife should be greater and of more force then the word and will of the Husband Christ Iesus Ephe. 5.24 2 As man is not aboue God nor the Wife aboue the Husband for otherwise to say the one is blasphemie and the other absurd Euen so it is blasphemie and absurd to say that the Authoritie of the Church is greater then the word and Scriptures of God Wise Counsell of a friend AS the sent and sauour of a sweete Oyntment or Perfume is comfortable to the braines and heart So is the wise and heartie Counsell of a mans assured friend Pro. 27.9 Cities and Countries AS a Pot of meate seething on the fire which no body skimmeth must needs be full of loathsome filth So Cities and Countries continuing in bloudie violence without repentance and amendment must needs be â—oathsome and abhominable in the eyes of God Ezech. 24.6 Men must be fitted to their Callings and the Callings to the men LIke as a member of a mans body out of ioynt is daungerous and hindereth his health and welfare So in like maner the setting of Children to Callings vnfitting their gifts and affections is daungerous and hurtfull both to the Church and Common-wealth Distinction of Callings LIke as the members in a mans body although they liue by one life and one soule are notwithstanding distinct and diuerse one from an other in functions as the foote seeth not but the eye the eare heareth and not the hand c. Euen so also the members of Christ howsoeuer they liue all by one and the same faith are notwithstanding in their particular functions and Callings one to be distinguished from an other Gods Creatures admirable AS when men behold any curious worke of a cunning and skilfull Craftsman straightway they will leaue the worke and enquire after him that made it that they may praise his skill Euen so it is the dutie of Christians in this case when they come abroad and behold euerie where in all the Creatures the admirable and vnspeakeable wisedome goodnesse and power of God then they must make haste from the Creature and go forward to the Creator to praise and glorifie him Reue. 4.11 Christ our Lord. 1 AS in former times the custome hath beeâ—â— that when one is taken prisoner in the fieldes hee that payes his raunsome shall become alwayes after his Lord Euen so likewise Christ when we were bondslaues vnder hell death and condemnation paid the ransome of our redemption and freed vs from the bondage of sinne and Sathan and therefore in that respect he is our Lord. Christ tooke vpon him our infirmities LIke as if a man be sicke of some grieuous disease and if a friend come vnto him that hath beene troubled with the same disease hee will shewe more compassion then twentie others Euen so Christ hauing felt in his owne soule and body the anguish and the manifolde perplexities that wee feele in our temptations and afflictions hath his bowels as it were a running towards vs euermore beeing prest and readie to relieue vs in all our miseries Heb. 2.17 4.15 Esay 53.3.4 Christes humane nature AS the Plant called Mistell hauing no roote of his owne both growes and liues in the stocke or body of the Oake or some other Tree So our Sauiour Christes humane nature hauing no proper substance is as it were ingrafted into the person of himselfe and â—s wholely supported and sustained by it so as it should not bee at all if it were not sustained in that manner Contempt of the Minister AS Husbandmen that misvse their Land-lord and his seruants which hee sendeth to them for the rents and profites of his lande are woorthily and iustly thrust out and others planted in their roomes So likewise were the Iewes cut off from being the people and Church of God for misvsing of Christ his Apostles and Prophets and so assuredly shall all they be that despise and set naught by and cruelly misvse and intreat the Ministers of the Gospel and the Preachers of his word which are sent vnto them A fruitlesse Confession AS it is bootelesse for a man that is very