better life is the soule spoiled of when sinne hath taken it captiue The Adultresse will hunt for the precious life She is ambitious and would vsurpe Gods due and claime the heart the soule Hee that doth loue her destroyeth his owne soule Which shee loues not for it selfe but for the destruction of it that all the blossomes of grace may dwindle and shrinke away as bloomes in a nipping Frost and all our comforts runne from vs as flatterers from a falling Greatnesse or as Vermine from an house on fire Nay euen both thy liues are endangered The wicked man goâ—â—h after her as a foole to the correction of the stâ—ckes till a 〈◊〉 strike through his liuer as a bird hasteth to the snare and knoweth not that it is for his life It is as ineuitably true of the spirituall Harlots mischiefe For the turning away of the simple shall slay them Saue my life and take my goods saith the prostrate and yeelding Traueller to the theefe But there is no mercy with this enemie the life must pay for it She is worse then that inuincible Nauy that threatned to cut the throates of all Men Women Infants but I would to God shee might goe hence againe without her errand as they did and haue as little cause to bragge of her conquests Thus haue wee discribed the Temptresse The Tempted followes who are here called the Dead There be three kindes of death corporall spirituall eternall Corporall when the body leaues this life Spirituall when the soule forsakes and is forsaken of grace Eternall when both shall be throwne into hell 1. is the seperation of the soule from the body 2. is the seperation of body and soule from grace 3. the seperation of them both from euerlasting happinesse Man hath two parts by which hee liues and two places wherein he might liue if hee obayed God Earth for a time Heauen for euer This Harlot Sin depriues either part of man in either place of true life and subiects him both to the first and second death Let vs therefore examine in these particulars first what this death is and secondly how Sathans guests the wicked may be said liable thereunto 1. Corporall death is the departure of the soule from the body whereby the body is left dead without action motion sense For the life of the body is the vnion of the soule with it For which essentiall dependance the soule is often called and taken for the life Peter said vnto him Lord why cannot I follow thee now I will lay downe my soule for thy sake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his soule meaning as it iâ— translated his life And He that findeth his soule shall loose it but hee that looseth his soule for my sake shall finde it Here the Soule is taken for the Life So that in this death there is the seperation of the soule and body the dissolution of the person the priuation of life the continuance of death for there is no possible regresse from the priuation to the habite except by the supernaturall and miraculous hand of God This is the first but not the worst death which sinnâ— procureth And though the speciall deaâ—nesse of the guests here be spirituall yet this which we call naturall may be implied may be applied for when God threatned death to Adams sinne in illo die mâ—riâ—ris in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die yet Adam liued nine hundred and thirtie yeares after There was notwithstanding no delay no delusion of Gods decree for in ipso die in that very day death tooke hold on him and so is the Hebrew phrase dying thou shalt dye fall into a languishing and incurable consumption that shall neuer leaue thee till it bring thee to thy graue So that hee instantly dyed not by present seperation of soule and body but by mortallitie mutabillitie miserie yea by sorrow and paine as the instruments and agents of Death Thus said that Father After a man beginneth to be in this body by reason of his sinne he is euen in death The wicked then are not onely called Dead because the conscience is dead but also in respect of Gods decree whose inviolable substitution of Death to Sinne cannot be euaded auoyded It is the Satute-law decreed in the great Parliament of Heauen Statutum omnibus seâ—el mori It is appoynted vnto men once to die Tâ—is is one speciall kindnesse that sinne doth vs one kisse of her lippes Shee giues her louers three mortall kisses The first kils the conscience the second the carkase the third body and soule for euer Death passed vpon all men for that all haue sinned So Paul schooles his Corinths For this cause many are weaâ—e and sicke among you and many sleepe And conclusiuely peccati stipendium mors The wages of sinne is Death This Death is to the wicked death indeed euen as it is in it owne full nature the curse of God the suburbes of Hell Neither is this vniust dealing with God that man should incurre the death of his body that had reiected the life of his soule nisi praecessisset in peccato mors animae numquam corporis mors in supplicio sequerâ—tur If sinne had not first wounded the body death could not haue killed the soule Hence saith Augustine Men shunne the death of the flesh rather then the death of the spirit that is the punishment rather then the cause of the punishment Indeed Death considered in Christ and ioyned with a good life is to Gods elect an aduantage nothing else but a bridge ouer this tempestuous sea to Paradice Gods mercy made it so saith S. Augustine Not by making death in it selfe good but an instrument of good to his This hee demonstrates by an instance As the Law is not euill when it increaseth the lust of sinners sâ— death is not good though it augmâ—nt the glory of suâ—ferers The wicked vse the law ill though the law be good The good die well though death be euill Hence saith Solomon The day of death is better then the day of ones birth For our death is not obitus sed abitus not a perishing but a parting Non amittitur anima praemittitur tantum The soule is not lost to the body but onely sent before it to ioy Si duriùs seponitur meliùs reponitur If the soule be painfully laid off it is ioyfully laid vp Though euery man that hath his Genesis must haue his Exodus and they that are borne must dye Yet saith Tertullian of the Saints Profectio est quam putas moâ—tem Our dying on earth is but the taking our iourney to Heauen Simeon departs and that in peace In pace in pacem Death cannot be euentually hurtfull to the good for it no sooner takes away the temporall life but Christ giues eternall in the roome of it Alas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Corpora cadauera Our graues shall as
surely be Coffins to our bodies as our bodies haue beene Coffins to our soules The minde is but in bondage whiles the body holds it on earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Plato affirmes Of whom saith an Anthony that when hee saw one too indulgent to his flesh in high Diet he asked him What doe you meane to make your prison so strong Thus qui gloriatur in viribus corporis gloriatur in viribus carceris He that boasteth the strength of his body doth but bragge how strong the Prison is wherein he is â—ayled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The body is the disease the graue the destinie the necessitie and burden of the soule Hinc cupiunt metuuntque dolent gaudentque nec auras Respiciunt clausae tenebris et carcere caeco Feares ioyes griefes and desires mans life do share It wants no ills that in a Prison are It was a good obseruation that fell from that Stoicke Homo calamitatis fabula infaelicitatis tabula Man is a Storie of woe and a map of miserie So Mantuan Nam quid longa dies nobis nisi longa dolorum Colluvies Longi patientià carceris aetas It appeares then that Death is to the good a procurer of good Mors intermittit vitam non eripit Venit iterum qui nos in lucem râ—ponat dies Their Death is but like the taking in sunder of a Clocke vvhich is pulled a pieces by the makers hand that it may bee scowred and repolished and made goe more perfectly But Death to the wicked is the second step to that infernall Vault that shall breede either an innouation of their ioyes or an addition to their sorrowes Diues for his momentanie pleasures hath insufferable paines Iudas goes from the Gallowes to the Pit Esau from his dissolution in earth to his desolation in Hell The dead are there Though the dead in soule be meant literally yet it fetcheth in the body also For as originall sinne is the originall cause of Death so actuall sinnes hasten it Men speede out a Commission of Iniquities against their owne liues So the enuious man rots his owne bones The Glutton strangles the Drunkard drownes himselfe The male-content dryes vp his blood in fretting The couetous whiles he Italionates his conscience and would Romanize his estate starues himselfe in plaine English and would hang himselfe when the Market falls but that hee is loath to be at the charges of a Halter Thus it is a Feast of Death both for the present sense and future certaintie of it The dead are there 2. Spirituall death is called the death of the soule which consisteth not in the losse of her vnderstanding and will these she can neuer loose no not in Hell but of the truth and grace of God wanting both the light of faith to direct her and the strength of Loue to incite her to goodnesse For to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace The soule is the life of the body God of the soule The spirit gone vtterly from vs wee are dead And so especially are the guests of Satan dead You hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sinnes And the Widdow that liueth in pleaâ—ure is dead whiles she liueth This diuorcement and seperation made betwixt God and the soule by sinne is mors animae the death of the soule But your Iniquities haue seperated betweene you and your God But we liue by faith and that in the Sonne of God His spirit quickens vs as the soule doth a lumpe of flesh when God infuseth it Now because these termes of spirituall death are communicated both to the elect and reprobates it is not amisse to conceiue that there is a double kinde of spirituall death 1. In regard of the Subiect that dieth 2. In regard of the Obiect whereunto it dieth Spirituall death in the faithfull is three-fold 1. They are dead to Sinne. How shall wee that are dead to sinne liue any longer therein A dead nature cannot worke He that is dead to sinne cannot as hee is dead sinne Wee sinne indeede not because wee are dead to sinne but because not dead enough Would to God you were yet more dead that you might yet more liue This is called Mortification What are mortified Lustes The wicked haue mortification too but it is of grace Matth. 8. They are both ioyntly expressed Let the dead burie the dead Which Saint Aâ—gustine expounds Let the spiritually dead bury those that are corporally dead The faithfull are dead to sinne the faithlesse are dead in sinne It is true life to bee thus dead Mortificatio concupiscentiae viâ—ificatio animae so farre is the spirit quickened as the flesh is mortified So true is this Paradoxe that a Christian so farre liues as he is dead so farâ—e he is a Conquerour as he is conquered Vincendo se vincitur à se. By ouercomming himselfe he is ouercome of himselfe Whiles hee ouer-rules his lustes his soule rules him When the outward cold rageth with greatest violence the inward heat is more and more effectuall When Death hath killed and stilled concupiscence the heart begins to liue This warre makes our peace This life and death is wrought in vs by Christ who at one blow slew our sinnes and saued our soules Vna eademque manus vulnus opemque tulit One and the same hand gaue the wound and the cure Vulneratur concupiscentia sanatur conscientia The deadly blow to the concupiscence hath reuiued the conscience For Christ takes away as well dominandi vim as damnandi vim the dominion of sinne as the damnation of sinne He died that sinne might not raigne in our mortall body he came to destroy not onely the Deuill but the workes of the Deuill Hence if you would with the spectacles of the Scriptures reade your owne estates to God Reckon your selues to be dead indeede vnto sinne but aliue vnto God through Iesus Christ our Lord. This triall consists not in being free from lusts but in brideling them not in scaping tentation but in vanquishing it It is enough that in all these things wee are more then Conquerours through him that loued vs. 2. They are dead to the Law For I through the Law am dead to the Law that I might liue vnto God Wherein hee opposeth the Law against the Law the new against the olde the Lawe of Christ against that of Moses This accuseth the accusing condemneth the condemning Law The Papists vnderstand this of the ceremoniall Law but Paul plainely expresseth that the Law morall which would haue beene to vs a Law morâ—all is put vnder wee are dead vnto it As Christ at once came ouer death and ouercame death et super it eâ— superat So we in him are exempted from the condemning power and killing letter of the Law and by being dead vnto it are aliue ouer it
and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them But when they are once in they finde themselues deceaued for the dead are there c. Then put no trust in so weake comforts that will be vnto you as Egypt to Israel a Reed which when you leane vpon it will not onely faile you but the splinters shall run into your hand You shall be ashamed of your weake confidence The Burden of the beasts of the South Into the land of trouble c. I am no Prognosticator Yet if Cosmographie affirme that wee liue in a Southerne Climate and experience testifie that wee haue many beasts among vs methinkes these words lie as fit for vs as if they were purposely made How many in our land by losse of Conscience are become Atheists and by losse of Reason beasts who run so fast to this Egiptian feast of wickednesse that hee speakes easiest against them that speakes but of a Burden These hauing found Sathans temptations true for the daintinesse iudging by their owne lusts dare also take his word for the continuance But if the great Table of this Earth shall be ouerthrowne what shall become of the dainties that the hand of nature hath set on it To which purpose saith Ierome Oh si possemus in talem ascendere speculam de qua vniuersam terram sub nostris pedibus cerneremus iam tiâ—i ostenderem totius orbis ruinas c. If it could be granted vs to stand on some lofty Pinacle from which wee might behold the whole earth vnder our feete how easily perswasion would make these earthly pleasures seeme vile in thy opinion You saâ— your pleasures are for number manifold for truth manifest for dimension great grant all though all be false yet they are for time short for end sowre Breue est quod delectat aeternum quod cruciat It is short that pleaseth them euerlasting that plagueth them Pleasure is a channell and Death the sea whereinto it runs Mellifâ—uus ingressus fâ—llifluus regressus yeeld your ioyes sweet at the Porch so you grant them bitter at the Posterne Securus et Securis must meete Wickednesse and wretchednesse must be made acquainted The lewd mans dinner shall haue that rich mans Supper Thou foole this night thy soule shall be required of thee The Deuill then you see is a crafty and cheating hoast whose performance falls as short of his promise as time doth of eternitie Let then the Apostles caueat be the vse of this obseruation Let no man deceiue you with vaine words for because of these things commeth the wrath of God on the children of disobedience The punishments of the wickâ—d are most vsually in the like proper and proportionable to their offences 1. Solomon here opposeth the house of mourning to the house of feasting as in expresse termes Eccleâ— 7. for as it is fit in the body that surfet should be followed with death so these that greedily make themselues sicke with sinne become iustly dead in soule 2. They haue affected the workes of hell therefore it is iust that hell should affect them and that euerie one should be granted their â—wne place 3. As they would not know what they did till they had done it so they fitly know not the place whither they shall goe till they are in it Nescit hee knoweth not c. 4. For the high places which their ambition climbed to Ver. 14. They are cast downe like Lâ—cifer to the lowest place the depth of Hell As Simon Magus would flye with arrogance so he came dowâ—e with a vengeance and broke his necke See how fitly they are quâ—ted They eate the bread of wickednesse and drinke the wine of violence now they are scanted of both except they will eate the bread of gall and drinke their owne teares Thus Pharaoh drownes the Hebrew males in a Riuer Exod. 1. therefore is drowned himselfe with his army in a sea Exod. 14. He had laide insupportable burdens on Israell God returnes them with full weight number measure When Israell had cut off the thumbs and great toes of Adoni-bezek heare the maimed King confesse the equitie of this Iudgment Threescore and ten Kings hauing their thumbs and great toes cut off gathered their meate vnder my table as I haue done so God hath requited me As proud Baiazeth threatned to serue Tamberlaine being conquered to imprison him in a cage of iron and carry him about the world in triumph so the Scithian hauing tooke that bragging Turke put him to the punishment which hiâ—selfe had lesson'd carrying and carting him through Asia to be scorned of his owne people Thus Haman is hanged on his owne gallowes Perillus tries the tricke of his owne torment The Papists that would haue fired vs in a house were themselues fired out of a house Gunpowder spoyled some of their eyes Musket-shot killed others the Engines of their owne conspiracie and the rest were aduanced higher by the head then the Parliament-house that would haue lifted vs higher of purpose to giue vs the more mortall â—all God hath â—etaliated their workes into their owne bosomes They trauelled with iniquitie conceiued mischiefe and loe the birth is their owne sorrow They haue digged a pit for vs and that low vnto Hell and are falne into it themselues Nec enim lex aequior vlla est Quà m necis artifices artâ— perire sua No iuster Law can be deuis'd or made Then that sinnes agents fall by their owne trade The order of Hell proceedes with the same degrees though it giue a greater portion yet the same proportion of torment These wretched guests were too busie with the waters of sinne behold now they are in the depth of a pit where no water is Diues that wasted so many Tunnes of Wine cannot now procure water not a Pot of water not a handfull of water not a drop of water to coole his tongue Desiderauit guttam qui non dedit micam A iust recompence Hee would not giue a crumme he shall not haue a drop Bread hath no smaller fragment then a crumme water no lesse fraction then a drop As he denied the least comfort to Lazarus liuing so Lazarus shall not bring him the least comfort dead Thus the paine for sinne answeres the pleasure of sinne Where now are those delicate moisels deepe carowses loose laughters proud poâ—t midnight reuels wanton songs Why begins not his fellow-guest with a new health or the Musicke of some rauishing note or if all faile hath his foole-knauish Parasite no obscene iest that may giue him delight Alas Hell is too melancholly a place for mirth All the Musicke is round-ecchoing groanes all the water is muddie with stench all the food anguish Thus damnable sinnes shall haue semblable punishments and as Augustine of the tongue so wee may say of any member Si non reddet Deo faciendo quae debet reddâ—t ei patiendo quae debet If it will
diuided to our hands by the rule of three A tripartite Metaphore that willingly spreads it selfe into an Allegorie 1. Gods word is the Balme 2. The Prophets are the Physitians 3. The People are the Patients who are very sicke Balme without a Physitian a Physitian without Balme a Patient without both is in fausta separatio an vnhappy disiunction If a man be ill there is neede of Physicke when he hath Physicke he needes a Physitian to apply it So that here is miserie in being sicke mercie in the Physicke Not to disioyne or disioynt the Prophets order let vs obserue that the words are spoken 1. In the person of God 2. In the forme of a question 3. By a conclusiue inference Onely two things I would first generally obserue to you as necessarie inductions to the subsequent Doctrines Both which may naturally be inferred not tyrannously enforced from the words That which first obiects it selfe to our consideration is the Wisedome of God in working on mens affections which leades vs here from naturall wants subiect to sense to supernaturall inuisible and more secret defects from miseries to mysteries That as if any man admired Solomons House they would be rauished in desire to see Gods House which transcended the former so much as the former transcended their expectation So heere wee might be led from mans worke to Gods worke from things materiall to things mysticall and by the happinesse of cure to our sicke bodies be induced to seeke and get recouerie of our dying soules The second is the fit collation and respondent relation of Diuinitie and Physicke the one vndertaking to preserue and restore the health of the body the other performing much more to the soule 1. God leades vs by sensible to the sight of insensible wants by calamities that vexe our liuing bodies to perils that endanger our dying Consciences That wee might inferre vpon his premisses what would be an eternall losse by the sight of a temporall crosse that is so hardly brooked If a famine of bread be so heauie how vnsupportable is the dearth of the Word saith the Prophet Man may liue without bread not without the word If a wearie Traueller be so vnable to beare a burden on his shoulders how ponderous is sinne in the Conscience which Zacharie calls a talent of Lead If blindnesse be such a miserie what is â—gnorance lf the night be so vncomfortable what doth the darknesse of Superstition afford If bodily Disease so afflict our sense how intollerable will a spirituall sicknesse proue Thus all earthly and inferiour Obiects to a Christian soule are like Marginall hands directing his reading to a better and heauenly reference I intend to vrge this poynt the more as it is more necessarie both for the profit of it being well obserued and for the generall neglect of it because they are few in these dayes that reduce Christianitie to Meditation but fewer that produce Meditation to practise and obedience Diseases destined toward Death as their end that can by Nature neither be violently endured nor violently repelled perplexe the flesh with much paine but if Diseases which be Deaths capitall Chirurgions his preceding Heraulds to proclaime his neerenesse his Ledgers that vsurpe his place till himselfe comes be so vexing and full of anguish what is Death it selfe which kils the Diseases that killed vs For the perfection of sicknesse is Death But alas if the sicknesse and Death of the body be such what are Sinne the sicknesse and Impenitencie the death of the soule What is the dimmed eye to the darkned vnderstanding the infected members to the poysoned affections the torment of the reynes to the stitches girds and gripes of an aking Consciencâ— what is the Childes caput dolet my head akes to Ierusalems cor dolet my heart akes The soule to leaue the body with her offices of life is not so grieuous as Gods spirit to relinquish the soule with the comforts of grace In a word it is farre lesse miserable to giue vp the ghost then to giue vp the holy Ghost The soule that enters the body without any sensible pleasure departs not from it without extreame paine Hee that is animans animas the soule of our soules forsakes not our spirits but our paine is more though our sense be lesse As in the Warres the cut of a sword crossing the Fibres carries more smart vvith it though lesse mortallitie then the fatall charge of a Death-thundring Cannon The soule hath two places an Inferiour which it ruleth the body a Superiour wherein it resteth God! Mans greatest sorrow is when hee dyes vpwardly that GOD forsakes his God-forsaking soule His greatest sense when he diâ—s downewards and sicknesse disperseth and dispatcheth his vitall powers Let then the inferiour suffering vvaken vs to see the Superiour that doth vveaken vs. Thus God drawes our eyes from one obiect to another nay by one to another by that which wee loue on earth to that which wee should loue in Heauen by the prouidence for our bodies to the prouision for our soules So our Sauiour hauing discoursed of carefulnesse for terrene wants drawes his speech to the perswasion of celestiall benefits giuing the coherence with a But. But first seeke ye the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these inferiour things shall be added vnto you Vt ad excellenâ—iam diuinarum rerum per corporalia homines attollat That at once hee might lesson vs to holy duties and lessen our care for earthly things Thus quios homini sublime dedit cor subliâ—ius eleuare voluit Hee that gaue man a countenance lifted high meant to erect his thoughts to a higher contemplation For many haue such groueling and earth-creeping affections that if their bodies curuitie was answerable to their soules incederent quadrâ—pides they would become foure-footed beasts It is a course preposterous to Gods creation disproportionable to mans fabricke that he should fixe his eyes and thoughts and desires on the base earth made for his feete to stand on and turne his feete against Heauen in contempt lifting vp his heele against God Hee whose ill-ballancing Iudgement thinkes Heauen light and Earth onely weightie and worthie doth as it were walke on his head with his heeles vpward I haue heard Trauellers speake of monstrous and praeternaturall men but neuer any so contranaturall as these Christ knew in the dayes of his flesh what easie apprehension worldly things would finde in vs what hard impression heauenly would finde on vs therefore so often by plaine comparisons taught secret Doctrines by Histories Misteries How to the life doth he explaine the mercie of God to the miserie of man in the lost Sheepe in the lost Groat in the lost Sonne How sweetly doth hee describe the different hearers of Gods Oracles in the Parable of the Seede which howsoeuer it seemed a Riddle to the selfe-blinding Iewes yet was a familiar demonstration to the beleeuing Saints So the Prophets found
literall as spirituall meaning In the former I haue instanced insisted on the latter It should be tedious to giue account for euery circumstance The learned and good man will iudge faucurably To the rest Si quid tu rectiâ—s istis Proâ—ir us imperti si non his vtere mecum I passe by â—he triutall obiections against Sermons in print as the deadnesse of the letter the multitude of Bookes pâ—essing to the Pâ—esse c. As if the eye could giue no help to the soule as if the queasie stomach could not forbeare surfetting as if some mens sullennesse and crying push at Sermons should be preiudiciall to otâ—ers benefit as if the Prophets had not added line to line as well as precept vpon precept I heare of some â—dle Drones humming out their dry derisions that wee will be men in print slighting the matter for the Authors sake But because their inuectiues are as impotent as themselues are impudent I will answere no further then haec culpas sed tu non meliora facis Or to borrow the words of the Epigrammatist Cum tua non edas carpis mea carmina Leli Carpere vel noli nostâ—a vâ—l edâ—tua Sloth sits and censures what th' industrious teach Foxes dispraise the Grapes they cannot reach One caueat good Reader and then God speed thee Let me intrâ—â— tâ—ee not to giue my Booke the chopping censure A word old enough yet would haue a Comment Do not open it at a ventures by reading the broken pieces of two or three lines iudge it But read it through and then I beg no pardon if thou â—islikest it Farewell Thine THO. ADAMS THE DIVELS BANKET The first Sermon PROVERB 9.17.18 Stollen waters are sweet and the bread of Secrecies is pleasant but he knoweth not that the dead are there and that her guests are in the depth of Hell I Haue here chosen two Texts in one intending to Preach of a couple of Preachers one by vsurpation the other by assignation the Worlds Chaplen and the Lords Prophet Where conceaue 1. the Preachers 2. their Texts 3. their Sermons 4. their Pulpits 5. their Commissions 1. The Preachers are two the first hath a double name Literally here the Harlot Metaphorically Sinne the minde's Harlot for between them is all spiritual adultry committed Some vnderstand it more Sinecdochically the Temptation to sinne but omne mauis includit minus their interpretation is like that short bed you cannot lay this Harlot at her ful length in it Others conceaue an Antithesis here and by conferring the 4. verse with the 16. collect an opposition of two sorts of Preachers the sincere Prophets of Wisedome and the corrupted Teachers of Traditions errors leasings I cannot subscribe to this sense as full enough let it goe for a branch call it not the body of the Tree This first Preacher then is the delightfulnesse or if you will the decâ—itfâ—lnesse of sinne The second is Solomon not erring adulterating idolatrising Solomon but conuerted confirmed Solomon A King and a Preacher 2. Their Texts 1. Sinnes Text is from Hels Scriptum est taken out of the Deuils Spell either Lucian his olde Testament or Machiauell his new lawes made in the court of damnation enacted in the vault of darkenesse like those vnder the Parliament-house Gunpowder-lawes fit for the Iustices of Hell 2. Solomons Text is the Word of eternall Truth with a Scriptum est caelitus inspiratum giuen from Heauen this is Desuper the other Desubter this is all Scripture is giuen by inspiratioâ— from God profitable c. the former is the Delusion of thâ— Deuill that lying spirit in the mouth of Ahabs prophâ—â—s the diuinitie of Hell 3. The Sermons differs as well as the Texts 1. The Harlots dixit verse 16. is thus amplified Stollen waters are sweet and the bread of Secrecies is pleasant Tullius nor Tertullus nor Hermes the speaker in the Parliament of the Heathen gods neuer moued so eloquent a tongue shee preaches according to the palate of her audience Placentia nay it is Placenta a sweet Cake whose floure is Sugar and the humour that tempers it Honey sweet pleasant Shee cannot want auditours for such a Sermon for as it is in Faires the Pedler and the Ballat-monger haue more throng then the rich Merchant Vanitie hath as many customers as shee can turne to when Veritie hath but a colde market 2. Solomons Sermon is opposed to it with a But But he knoweth not that the dead are there and that her ghâ—sts are in the depth of Hell A crosse blow that disarmes the Deuils Fencer a flat conuiction or Non-plus giuen to the arguments of sinne a little Colliquintida put into the sweâ—t-pot that as I haue obserued in some beguiling Pictures looke on it one way and it presents to you a beautifull Dâ—mosell goe on the aduerse side and behold it is a Deuill or some mishapen Stigmaticke Sinne shewes you a faire Picture Stollen waters are sweet c. Suaue delicio sum Pleasure and delight Solomon takes you on the other side and shewes you the vgly visages of Death and Hell the dead are there c. If Sinne open her Shop of delicacies Solomon shewes the Trap-dore and the Vault if she boast her Oliues hee points to the Prickles if she discouers the greene and gay flowers of delice he cryes to the Ingredients Latet anguis in herba the Serpent lurkes there Illa mouet iste monet she charmes and he breakes her spels as curious and proud as her House is Solomon is bold to write Lord haue mercy on vs on the dores and to tell vs the plague is there Stollen waters are sweet c. But the dead are there c. 4 Their Pulpits haue locall and ceremoniall difference 1. The Harlot's is described verse 14. She sits at the dore of her house on a seat in the high places of the Citie 1. Sedet she sits she is got into that inchaunted Chaire Psal. 1. 2. at her house shee neede not stray farre for customers in se turba ruunt luxuriosa proci they come in troupes to her 3. at her dore shee presents her selfe to the common eye and would be notable though not able to answere the shew 4. on a Seat nouit suum locum Vice knowes her Seat the Deuill is not without his Randeuous what say you to a Tauerne a Play-house a Feast a May-game that I say not an Ordinary 5. in the Citie Whoredome scornes to liue obscurely in the Suburbs Shee hath friends to admit her within the walles 6. Nay in the high places of the Citie in the largest streetes populous and popular houses in excelsis vrbis one of the most curious and â—taâ—ely edifices of the Citie Thus Sinne reades not a high-way lecture onely as among Theeues nor a Chamber-lecture onely as among Courtezans nor a Masse-lecture onely as among Iesuâ—tes nor a Vault-lecture onely as among Traitours nor a Table-lecture onely as among Humorists
not be roome enough to receiue it Reade and ponder Heliodorus deede and doome and quake at it You cannot steale waters from the liuing God but they will poison you 4. The fourth Viall is Faction a Water of Trouble to the drinker this robs God of his order and peace the Waters of Schisme are stollen waters yet such as many a Separatist loues to drinke of they thinke not that they rob God whiles they steale peace from the Church Christi tunica must be vnica Christs Coate was without seame his truth must be without Rent wee must be all at one least at all none Let vs not pleade so hard for paritie in the Church till wee bring Anarchie into the Common-wealth let our dispositions be like Abrahams I pray thee let there be no strife betweene mee and thee for we are Brethren Let not Gods eutaxie Order by our friuolous scruples be brought to ataxie Confusion Let Calum's rule ouer-rule our turbulent and refractarie spirits Omnia indifferentia in Ecclesiae libertate posita sunt All indifferent things are put to the disposition and ordering of the Church Oh you whom Christ hath made Fishers of soules fish no longer in troubled waters Let vs not wrangle any more about colours as the Constantinopolitans did once in the dayes of Iustinian about blew and greene till they were all neither blew nor greene but red the streetes swimming in bloud and the Emperour himselfe endangered So the Factions of the Bâ—anchi and Neri about the two colours of blacke and white cost the Dukedome of Florence deere euen the beautie and peace of the Countrey What haue wee all beene deceiued hath God beene a stranger to vs all this while Haâ—e I beene so long time with you and haue you not knowne mee saith Christ to Philip hath the Truth beene hid in corners that we must grope for it in a Sectaries budget or are not such men rather sicke of Donatisme that euery Nouelist with a whirlegig in his braine must broach new opinions and those made Canons nay Sanctions as sure as if a generall Councell had confirmed them Wretched men that shake off the true comely habite of Religion to bespeake them a new-fashioned suite of profession at an Humourists Shop Oh that their sore eyes could before they left vs haue seene what sacrilegious breaches they haue made into Gods free-hold robbing his Church of her peace and waking the Spouse of Christ with their turbulent noises Factions are stollen waters 5. The last viall of this first Course is Profanenesse a compounded Water whereout no sinne is excluded there was no poison the Deuill could thinke on left out when he tempered this water It robbes God of his glory Wee are borne to honour God it is his due and that hee will haue either ate or dete by thee or vpon thee Irreligion robbes him of this honour Solummodo hoc â—habet c. onely he hath this to helpe himselfe that hee can make it shine in thy â—ust confusion So Menahem destroyed Tipsah because they would not open vnto him but these will open to Christ knocking if hee will be content Stramineas habitare casas c. Basely to dwell in the diuided part Oâ— the fowle sluttish and polluted hart If CHRIST will dwell with Belâ—all and share part of the Conscience with wickednesse let him come and welcome but hee scornes to be an Inmate and let Sathan be Lord of the house he that acâ—epted a stable for his presence-chamber in his humilitie doth iustly disdaine such abode now in his glory though the walls be but Clay if the furniture be good Humilitie and Repentance and the cheere answerable Faith and Charitie hee will enter in and Feast But as his Wombe was wherein borne and his Tombe wherein buried so must his Temple be now glorified Hee was conceaued in a wombe where none else was conceaued receaued into a Tombe where none else was interred so hee will temple himselfe in a heart where no affected sinne shall be his equall The profane among the Heathen were thrust from their sacrificiall solemnities Innocui veniant procul hinc procul impius esto Casta placent superis pura cum mente venite Pure innocent and spotles sprites Are welcome to these holy rites To the profane and sensuall state Be euer shut the Temple gate But now our profane saue that labour they thrust from themselues all pious rites they sing not with the Church a Tenebo te Domine I will holde thee fast oh Lord but with Simeon a Nunc dimittis though with another spirit they are glad to be gone CHRIST is as welcome to them as Câ—sars Taxers to the Iewes or the Beadle to the Brothel-house so the Gergesites tell him to his face Sir to be plaine with you you are no guest for vs our secure liues and your seuere Lawes will neuer cotten Men liue without considering themselues vnde vbi quomodo quo Whence they are where they are how they do whither they go that all these mathematicall lines haue Earth for their Center Whence are wee from Earth Where are wee on Earth How liue wee vnworthy of Earth or any blessing vpon it Wither goe wee to Earth Terram terra tegat Earth to Earth Wee are composed of foure Elements and they striue in vs for Masterie but the lowest gets the better and there is no rest till Earth haue the predominance These men liue as if there was neither Earth to deuoure their bodies nor gulfe lower then Earth to swallow their soules This is profanenesse The world is ranke manured with sinne Atheisme growes vp as a Tree Errour and Ignorance are the Leaues Profanenesse and Rebellion the Fruit and the end is the Axe and the Fire Their best is verball Deuotion actuall Abomination Diuâ—dunt opera a fide vtrumque perimitur They seperate workes from faith they diuide the childe and kill it Workes are dead without Faith and Faith is not aliue without Workes They take away that visible distinction betwixt Christians and Infidels whiles they liue not as honest men Oh that I could cut this point short and yet keepe my discourse but somewhat euen with the subiect but the world drinkes too greedily of these profane waters which rob God of his glory Most men are no longer Tenants to the Deuill and retailours of his Wares but proprietaries peruerted and peruerse persons they striue to be as deepe sharers as himselfe Machiauell will no longer worke Iourney-worke with the Deuill hee will now cut out the garment of damnation himselfe The Vices of these men are so monstrous that they no lesse benumme in all good men the tendernesse of affection then in themselues the sense of all humanitie Vox faucibus haeret It is a shame to vtter an amazement to heare yet they blush not to commit such execrable impieties Impudence is onely in fashion and there is no forehead held so gracefull as that
arguments that perswade the sweetnesse of this Bread This is 1. eyther the Leauen of the Pharises 2. Or the leauen of the Sadduces 3. Or the Leauen of the Herodians The Leauen Pharisaicall is described by CHRIST himselfe to be Hypocrisie a tradition to make cleane the out side of the Cup but no deuotion to keepe the inside pure from extortion and excesse The Leauen of the Sadduces is the doctrine of the Sadduces as the mistaken Apostles about Bread corrected their owne errours This Doctrine was a deniall of Resurrection of Angel of Spirit The Herodian Leauen was dissolute profanenesse deriued from the obseruation of Foxe-like Herod These pleadings for Sinne by the Deuils mercenarie Aduocates put like Leauen a better taste into his Bread Thus it is leauened 7. It lackes now nothing but baking Sure the Ouen that bakes this corrupt Bread is our owne euill affections which the Deuill heates by his temptations and with supply of Fewell to their humours Thus by sinne he makes way for sinne and prepares one iniquitie out of another Hee strikes fire at the couetous heart of Iudas and so bakes both Treason and Murder He hath made Absolons affections so hot by Ambition that Incest and Parricide is easily baked in them The Prophet Hosea speakes the sinnes of Israel in this Allegory They are all Adulterers as an Ouen heated by the Baker who ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the Dough vntill it be leauened They haue made ready their heart like an Ouen whiles they lye in waite their Baker sleepeth all the night in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire They are all hote as an Ouen c. Yea Ephraim it selfe is a Cake halfe baked Thus when our affections are made a fiery Ouen through the greedinesse of sinne there is soone drawne out a batch of wickednesse Thus the Deuill runnes through many occupations before his Bread be baked his Banket prepared for his guests He is a Seedesman a Waterer a Reaper a Thrasher a Miller a Moulder a Baker A Baker here for his Bread as before a Brewer for his Waters And to conclude an Host that makes the wake inuites the guests and Bankets them with their owne damnation You haue heard how this Seruice may be called Bread and therein the subtiltie of the Deuils prescription Let vs as iustly poise his description in the ballance and see how it holds weight Secret bread or the bread of secrecie nay of Secrecies for sinne is not like the Raile that sits alone but like the Partridges which flye by Coueys Secret This will be found a fraudulent dimension for there is nothing so secret that shall not be made manifest The speeches of whispering the actes of the Closet shall not scape publishing The Allegorie of Adulterie is prosecuted Forbidden lusts stollen by snatches and inioyed in secret are sweet and pleasant It is instanced in this particular what hath a generall extent to all the paralells euery sister of that cursed stocke I will hold with it thus far that sin loues secrecie and I will testifie against it a degree further that no sin is so secret as the Tempter here affirmes it or the committers imagine it And from these two rootes I will produce you a double fruit of Instruction 1. Vniust things loue priuacie the Adulterer saith Iob loues the darke Thais drawes Paphnutius into the secret and more remoued chambers The two wicked Elders thus tempt that Embleme of chastitie Ostia pomerij clausa sunt the gates of the Orchyard are shut and no body sees vs. Hence the generation of sinnes are called the workes of darkenesse And reformation of life is compared to our decent walking in the day Though the light of grace shines saith the Sunne of brightnesse yet men loue darkenesse better because their deeds are euill Ignorance and the Night haue a fit similitude 1. Both seasons are still and hush't no noyse to waken the Sybarites vnlesse the Cockes the Ministers Nuncij Dei et diei and their noise is not held worth the hearing Few will beleeue Christs Cocke though hee crowes to them that the day is broken 2. Both seasons procure stumbling The wayes of our pilgrimage is not so euen but that wee need both light to shew the rubbes and eyes to disceâ—ne them The Gospell is the day Christ is the light Faith is the eye that apprehends it Light without eyes eyes without light are defectiue to our good If either be wanting the stumbling feet indanger the body In the spirituall priuation of either Gospell or Faith the affections are not able to keepe vpright the Conscience 3. Both are vncomfortable seasons Nox erroris terroris plenissima The night is full of wondring of wandring Imagine the Egyptians case in that grosse and palpable darkenesse the longest naturall night that the Booke of God specifies A silent solitary melancholy inextricable season In which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no murmure disquiets the Ayre no man heares his name no Birds sing except the Owle and the Night-rauen which croake onely dismall things 4. Both are fit seasons for fowle spirits to range in It hath beene fabled of night-walking sprights Let it be false yet this is true the Deuill is the Prince of darkenesse his kingdome is a kingdome of darkenesse and his walkes are the walkes of dâ—rkenesse In the calignious night of Superstition and Ignorance hee playes Rex and captiuates many a soule to his obedience His children as it is fit haue the same disposition with their father They are Tenebrio's and loue nocturnos conuentus meetings in the darke as the â—owder-Traâ—tours met in the Vault But the eyes of Iehouah see not onely things â—one in the tops of the Mountaines but could spâ—e the Treaâ—on of the Vaulâ— 2. And this is the consequent Iâ—struction which I would the Diuels blinded guests should know God sees There is nothing secret to his eye 1. Hee sees our sinnes in the Booke of eternitie before our owne hearts conceiued them 2. He sees them in our hearts when our inuentions haue giuen them forme and our intentions birth 3. Hee sees their action on the Theater of this Earth quite through the scene of our liues 4. Hee sees them when his wrathfull eye takes notice of them and his hand is lift vp to punish them There is nothing so secret and abstracted from the senses of men Vt creatoris aut lateat cogitationem aut effugiat potestatem that it may either lurke from the eye or escape from the hand of God No Master of a familie is so well acquainted with euery corner of his house or can so readily fetch any Casket or Boxe he pleaseth as the Master of the whole familie in Heauen and Earth knowes all the Angles and Vaults of the World Iupiter est quodcunque vides quocunque moueris In him we liue moue and haue our being
The villanâ—es of the Cloistures were not vnseene to his reuenging eye Perhaps they tooke a recluse life that they might practise experimentall wickednes without suspition proâ—â—sing to the world contemplation premising their owne thoughts to contamination They thought themselues secure shadowed from the eye of notice and fenced from the hand of Iustice So they were in doctrine out of the world but in proofe the world was in them they were not more politi strict in profession then polluti loose in conuersation But as darke as their Vaults were the all-seeing GOD descried their whoredomes and destroyed their habitations or at least emptied them of so filthy Tenants The obscuritie of their Cels and Dorters thickenesse of Wals closenesse of Windores with the cloake of a strict profession throwne ouer all the rest could not make their sinnes darke to the eye of Heauen Our impieties are not without witnesse To videt Angelus malus videt te bonus videt et bonis et malis maior Angelis Deus The good Angell and the bad and hee that is better then the Angels farre aboue all principalities and powers sees thee The iust man sets foorth his actions to be iustified Lucem aethera petit teste soâ—e viuit Hee loues the light and walkes with the witnesse of the Sunne It is recorded of Iacob Hee was a plaine man dweâ—ling in Tents Nathaniel by the testimonie of the best witnesse was an Israelite indeed in whom was no guile It was the Rabbins councell to his Scholler Remember there is 1. a seeing Eye 2. a hearing Eare. 3. a Booke written Sic viue cum hominibus quasi Deus videat sic loquâ—re Deo quasâ— homines aâ—diant So conuerse with men as if GOD saw thee so speake to God as if men heard thee For non discessit Deus quando recessit God is not absent though thou dost not feele him present Corporeall substances are in one place locally and circumscriptiuely incorporeall created substances neither locally nor circumscriptiuely but definitiuely GOD the creating substance is euery whit in euery place not circumscriptiuely as bodies nor definitiuely as Angels but repletiuely Ioâ—is omnia plena filling euery place by his essence Hee is hypostatically in CHRIST graciously in his Saints gloriously in Heauen powerfully in Hell You see then the falsehood of the Deuils assertion Sinnes would be secret but they are not The Bread of secrecie being described I should come in the third and last place to the Ascription It is pleasant But because the former adiunct of sweetnesse doth but little diuersifie from this of Pleasure and I shall haue iust occasion to conuince the Deuils fained delicacie from Solomons proued miserie I will therefore silence it And for conclusiue application giue mee the leaue of your patience to examine the truth of the former secrecie It is the Deuils pollicie though he can not blinde his eyes that made the light in Heauen and the sight in man yet hee would darken our sinnes with the vaile of secrecies from the view of the vvorld And are they so no the suffering eye sees them and can point them out nay sensible demonstration speakes them to the eaâ—es and obiects them to the sight of man The iniquities of these dayes are not ashamed to shew their faces but vvalke the streets without feare of a Serâ—eant The sinnes of the Citie are as pert and apert as the sonnes of the Citie I would Iniquitie was not bolder then Honestie or that Innocence might speed no worse then Nocence Absit vt sic sed vtinam vt vel sic saith Saint Augustine in the like case God forbid it should be so bad yet I vvould it were no worse For the times are so wheeled about to their olde byas that vix licet esse bonum it is scarce safe to be an honest man Suspition makes the good euill and flatterie makes the euill good the first in the opinion of others the last in the opinion of themselues Our faith is small and led â—â—th reason our life euill and led without reason Corruptio morum toâ—lit scientiam ethicam Our euill maners shut vp Philosophy and Diuinitie too into the caue of Ignorance This Forrest of Man and Beast the world growes from euill to worse like Nabuchâ—dnezzars dreamed Image whose Head was Golden Siluer armes Brasen thighes but his feet were of Iron and Clay What Ouid did but Poetâ—ze experience doth moralize our manners actually performe This last is as it must bee the worst Our Couetise saith It is terrae aetas an Earthen Age. Our Oppression ferrea aetas an Iron Age. Our Impudence ahâ—nea aetas a Brasen Age. Neither aurea nor argentea saith Necessitie For the poore may say as the Priest Siluer and Gold haue I none Let me say our sinnes haue made it worthy to be called inferna aetas a hellish Age. Sinne is called by Paul The olde man but hee is stronger now then hee was in his Iâ—fancie diebus Adamâ— in the dayes of Adam Most mens repentance is in the knee or tongue but their wickednesse in the heart and hand Money marres all for this and the pleasures this may procure Esau sels his Birth-right Iudas sels his Master Ahab sels himselfe to worke vvickednesse Sinne was wont to loue priuacie as if shee walked in feare The Tippler kept his priuate Ale-bench not the Market place the Adulterer his Chamber not with Absolon the house-top the Theefe was for the night or sequestrate wayes the corrupt Lawyer tooke bribes in his Studie not in the open Hall but now peccata nullas petitura teâ—â—bras our sinnes scorne the darke Men are so farre from being ashamed of their fruitlesse liues that mala comittunt commissa iactant iactata defendunt they commit euill â—oast that they committed and defend that they boasted Pride is worne as a chaine and crueltie as a garment conspectu omnium as proud of the fashion They talke of a Conscience that seekes couers like Adams Figge leaues but these glory in their shame whose end is damnation saith Saint Paul The very Harlot comes short of them shee wipes her lippes and saith shee hâ—th not sinned Bâ—tter fare those that yet would be accounted honest Wee may iustly paralell these times and our complaints to the Prophet Esay's The shew of their countenance doth witnesse against them they declare their sinne at Sodome they hide it not But woe bee to their soules for they haue rewarded euill to themselues So the Iewes answered GOD pleading hard to them There is no hope no for I haue loued strangers and after them I will goe Nay resolutely they discharged GOD of further paines Wee are Lords wee will no more come vnto thee Therefore Ezekiel denounceth their destruction For this cause yee shall bee taken with the hand of Iudgement because your sinnes are discouered and in all your
postea nullus eris once vtterly lost thou art nobody It is hard to recouer the Set when a man is put to the after-game for his credit Though many a maâ—s reputation be but hypemeniâ—m â—vum a rotten Egge whiles he is a great dealer with other mens goods and of himselfe no better then a begger And though the most famous are but Astmatici short-breathed men and their reputation no better then Ephraims righteousnesse but a morning dewe yet actum est de homine cum actum est de nomine when a mans good name is done himselfe is vndone A man indeede may loose his good name without cause and be at once accused abused when slanders against him are maliciously excepted easily accepted But God shal bring forth his righteousnes as the light and his Iudgment as the noone day Contrarily another man hides the vlcers of his sore conscience with the playsters of sound repute But to be puffed vp with the wrongfull estimation of our selues by the flattering breath of others blowne praises is a ridiculous pride Saepe flagellatur in corde proprio qui laudatur in orâ— alieno Many that are commended in other mouthes are secretly and iustly snibbed in their owne conscience Such a one couzens his neighbours they one another and all himselfe And as originally the deceit came from him so euentually the shame will end in him Hence they whose fames haue beene carried furthest on the wings of report haue beene after by the manifestation of their hidden wickednesses more deaded in mens thoughts then in their owne carkasse For the name of the wicked shall rot This is the mischiefe which sinne in generall as whoredome in particular works to the name a rotten reputation an infamous farne a reproach for a report that their silent memories are neuer coniured vp from the graue of obliuion but as the Sonne of Nebaâ—'s for their owne disgrace and for an intimation of terrour to the imitation of their wickednesse It were well for them if Time which vnnaturally deuoures his owne brood could as well still their mention as it hath staid their motion or that their memoriall might not suruiue their funerall Now though it be no euident demonstration yet it is a very ominous and suspitious thing to haue an ill name The Prouerbe saith hee is halfe hanged A thiefe before the Iudge speeds the worse for his notorious name Is this all no but as he whose breath is stifled with a cord is wholly hanged so he that hath strangled his owne reputation which is the breath of his breath with a lewd life is at least halfe suspended His Infamy hangs on the Gybbet of popular contempt till it be recouered He is halfe aliue halfe a corps It was the plaine meaning of the Prouerbe Now that a bad name is a broad shame it appeares because no Stewes-haunter would be called a Whore-monger No Papist an Idolater no Vsurer an Vsurer All sinners are ashamed to be accounted what they haue assumed to be But it is certaine that he that is ashamed of his name his name may be ashamed of him As thou louest thy reputation with men seeke the testimonie of thine owne conscience It is the best fame that carries credit with God Let men say what they list Oh Lord thou knowest mine innocence Yet because it is hard to do good vnlesse a man be reputed good therefore dare not to darken the light of thy name by the grosse cloudes of thy Impieties This is the second destruction that continued Vice brings her Louers A wound and dishonour shall he get and his reproach shall not be wiped away When hee hath done it he is vndone by it Perdit honorem perdendo honestatem The dishonestie in him shall bring dishonour to him he builds Haman-like a gallowes for his owne credite 3. In his health The precepts of Wisedome practised with obedience bring health to the flesh are life to those that find them But sinne is rottonnesse to the bones He that committeth fornication saith Saint Paul sinneth against his owne body Let it be ineuitably true in this sin it is at least accidentally true in all sinnes For though God suffers some reprobates to keepe sâ—râ—e health and to escape common Plagues that they haue fat eyes and cleare lungs merry hearts and nimble loynes and can stroke their gray haires yet often hee either puts them on the racke of some terrible disease or quite puts out their candle Bloudy and deceitfull men shall not liue out halfe their dayes All sicknesse orignally proceeds from sinne all weaknesse from wickednesse As Mephibosheth caught his lamenesse by falling from his Nurâ—e so all men their diseasednes by falling from their Christ. The euill disposition of the soule marres the good composition of the body There is no disaster to the members but for disorder in the manners All diseases are Gods reall sermons from heauen whereby hee accuseth and punisheth man for his sins The Harlot is a plague to the flesh she is worse then a feauer more infectious then the pistilence Euery Nation hath his seuerall disease Irish the Ague Spanyards the Pip Dutch-men the dropsie French their fatall and merited miserie neither doe the English goe scot-free All haue their speciall plagues somewhat proper to themselues except whoredome and sinne communicate them But the Harlot is an vniuersall plague whereof no Nation is free shee makes the strong man glad of poâ—â—on brings health acquainted with the Phisitian and hee that stoutly denied the knowledge of his gate now stands trembling at his study dore with a bare head a bending knee and an humble phrase She is the common sinke of all corruptions both naturall and preternaturall incident to the conscience or corpes and hath more diseases attending on her then the Hospitall The Madianitâ—sh Harlot Sinne leads in a traine of no fewer nor weaker plagues Consumptions Feauers Inflammations Botches Emerods Pestilences are peccati qedisehuae the obseruant hand-maides of iniquitie As it is then wicked to take the members of Christ and make them the members of an Harlot so it is wretched to diuorce the affections of the minde from God and wed them to any impietie Thus doe these paire of Harlots impaire the health 4. They both concurre to spoyle a mans soule whiles the Soule of the soule Gods Spirit quo agitante calescimus is by this bereaued vs. In him wee liue moue and haue our being In illo viuimus viuimus per naturam bene viuimus per gratiam In illo mouemus vel mouemur potius ad humana ad diuina opera suscipienda 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 essentiam habemus quoad esse et quoad bene esse In him all liue naturally some graciously In him wee moue or rather are moued to the performance all of humane workes some of diuine In him wee haue our being both that we are at all and that we are well This
soule her true forme and playes the make-bate betwixt God and thee betwixt thee and thy selfe So long as securitie hath kept thee sleeping in thy delighted impieties this quarrell is not commenced The mortallest enemies are not alwayes in pitched fields one against another This truce holds some till their death-beds neither doe they euer complaine till their complaints can doe them no good For then at once the sicke carkase after many tossings and turnings to finde the easiest side moanes his vnabated anguish and the sicker conscience after triall of many shifts too late feeleth and confesseth her vnappeased torment So Cain Iudas Nero in vaine seeke for forraine helps when their executioner is within them The wicked man cannot want furies so long as he hath himselfe Indeede the soule may flye from the body not sinne from the soule An impatient Iudas may leape out of the priuate hell in himselfe into the common pit below as the boyling fishes out of the Caldron into the flame But the gaine hath beene the addition of a new hell without them not the losse of the old hell within them The worme of Conscience doth not then cease her office of gnawing when the fâ—ends begin their office of torturing Both ioyne their forces to make the dissolutely wicked desolately wretched If this man be not in the depth of Hell deepely miserable there is none Loe now the Shot at the Deuils Banket A reckoning must be payd and this is double 1. the earnest in this life 2. the full payment in the life to come The earnest is whiles Hell is cast into the wicked the full satisfaction is when the wicked shall be cast into Hell Whosoeuer was not found written in the booke of life was cast into the Lake of fire I will take leaue to amplifie both these a little further 1. The earnest is the horrour of an euill conscience which sparkles with the beginnings of future torments I know that some feele not this in the pride of their vanities or at least will not seeme to feele it Some whorish for-heads can out-face their sinnes and laugh them out of countenance Wide gorges that can swallow periuries bloodynesse adulteries vsuries extortions without trouble But it may be the heart doth not laugh with the looke He dares be an hypocrite that durst be a villaine If hee would speake truth of himsâ—lfe he would testifie that his thoughts will not affoord him sleepe nor his sleepe affoord him rest but whiles his senses are bound his sinne is loose No command of reason can quiet the tempest in his heart No sonne of Sceua no helpe of the world can cast out this Deuill The blood of the body often being stopped in the issue at the nostrils bursts out at the mouth or finds way into the stomach The conscience thus wounded will bleed to death if the blood of Iesus Christ doe not stanch it Thinke of this ye that forget God and are onely indulgent to your selues the time shall come you shall remember God neither to your thankes nor ease and would forget your selues Happy were it for you if you hauing lost your God could also loose your selues But you cannot hide your selues from your selues Conscience will neither be blinded in seeking nor bribed in speaking You shall say vnto it as that wicked Ahab to Elias hast thou found me oh thou mine enemie yet alas all this is but the earnest A hell I may call it and a deepe hell and as I â—ay say a little smoake reâ—king out of that fiery pit whereby the afâ—licted may giue a guesse at Hell as Pythagoras guessed at the stature of Hercules by the length of his foote But else per nulla figura gehâ—nnae nothing can truely resemble Hell 2. The earnest is infinitly short of the totall summe And his Lord was wroth and deliuered him to the tormenters till hee should pay all that was due vnto him The guest must indure a death not dying liue a life not liuing no torment ends without the beginning of a worse The sight afflicted with darknesse and vgly Deuills the hearing with shrikes and horrible cries the smelling with noysome stenches the tast with rauenous hunger and bitter gall the feeling with intollerable yet vnquenchable fire Thousands poynting at not one among thousands pitying the distressed wreâ—ch I know this Earth is a dungeon in regard of Heauen yet a Heauen in respect of Hell wee haue miserie enough here it is mercie to what is there Thinke of a gloomy hideous and deepe Lake full of pestilent dampes and rotten vapours as thicke as cloudes of pitch more palpable then the fogs of Egipt that the eye of the Sunne is too dull to peirce them and his heate too weake to dissolue them Adde hereunto a fire flashing in the reprobates face which shall yeeld no more light then with a glimpse to shew him the torments of others and others the torments of himselfe yet withall of so violent a burning that should it glow on mountaines of steele it would melt them like mountaines of Snow This is the guests reckoning a sore a sowre payment for a short and scarce sweet Banket All his senses haue been pleased now they are all plagued In stead of perfumes fragrant odors a sulphurous stench shall strike vp into his nosthrils In stead of his lasciuious Dalila's that fadomed him in the armes of lust behold Adders Toades Serpents crawling on his bosome In stead of the Dorian musicke charming his eares Man-drakes and Night-rauens still shriking to them the reuerberating grones of euer and neuer dying companions tolling their funerall not finall knels and yels round about him In stead of wanton kisses snakes euer sucking at his breath and galling his flesh with their neuer blunted stings Thinke of this feast you riotous feasters in sinne There is a place called Hell whither after the generall and last assises the condemned shall be sent through a blacke way death is but a shadow to it with many a sigh and sobbe and grones to those cursed fiends that must be their tormentors as they haue beene their tempters Behold now a new feast a fatall a finall one To suppe in the vault of darknesse with the princes and subiects of horror at the table of vengance in the chaire of desperation Where the difference on earth betwixt Master and Seruant drudge and commander shall be quite abolished Except some Atheisticall Machiauell or trayterous Seminary or some bloody delegate of the Inquisition be admitted the vpper-end of the table But otherwise there is no regard of age beauty riches valour learning birth The vsurer hath not a cushion more then his broker There is not the bredth of a bench betweene Herod and his Parasites The Pope himselfe hath no easier a bed then the poorest Masse-priest Corinthian Lais speeds no better then her chambermaid The Cardinall hath not the vpper hand of his Pander There is no prioritie betweene the plotter
Glory 1. God himselfe is the feast-maker he is Land-lord of the world and â—illeth euery liuing thing with goodnesse The Eagles and Lions seeke their meate at God But though all the sonnes of Iacob haue good cheare from Ioseph yet Beniamins messe exceeds Esau shall haue the prosperitie of the earth but Iacob goes away with the blessing Ismaell may haue outward fauours but the inheritance belongs to Izhak The King fauoureth all his subiects but they of his Court stand in his presence partake of his Princely graces Gods bountie extends to the wicked also but the Saints shall onely sit at his table in Heauen This is that feaster qui est super omnia et sine quo nulla sunt omnia Of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for euer 2. The cheare is beyond all sense all science Eye hath not seene nor eare heard nether haue entred into the heart of man the things God hath prepared for them that loue him The eye sees much the eare heares more the heart conceaues most yet all short of apprehension much more of comprehension of these pleasures Therefore enter thou into thy Masters ioy for it is too great to enter into thee 3. The company is excellent the glorious presence of the blessed Trinitie the Father that made vs the Sonne that bought vs the Holy Ghost that brought vs to this place The holy and vnspotted Angels that reioyced at our conuersion on earth much more at our consolation in Heauen All the Patriarchs Prophets Saints before the Law in the Law in the Gospell the full Communion of Saints Here the more the mirrier yea and the better cheare to Oh the sweet melodie of Halleluiahs which so many glorified voyces shall sing to God in Heauen the hoarcenesse of sinne and the harshnesse of punishment being separated from vs with a bill of euerlasting diuorce 4. Admirable is the Banketing place the high Court of Heauen where our apparell shall be such as beseemeth the attendants on the King of Kings euen the fashion of the glorious body of Christ. The purest things are placed highermost The earth as grossest is put in the lowest roome the water aboue the earth the ayre aboue the water the fire aboue the ayre the sphaeres of Heauen aboue any of them and yet thâ— place where this feast is kept is aboue them all the Heauen of Heauens Take here a slight rellish of the cheare in Gods kingdome where your welcome shall be answerable to all the rest Eate oh my friends and make you merry oh well-beloued And then as those that haue tasted some delicate dish finde other plaine meates but vnpleasant so you that haue tasted of heauenly things cannot but contemne the best worldly pleasures As therefore some dainty guest knowing there is so pleasant fare to come let vs reserue our appetites for that and not suffer our selues to be cloyed with the course diet of the world Thus as wee fast on the Eues that we may feast on the Holy-dayes let vs be sure that after our abstinence from the surfets of sinne we shall be euerlastingly fed and fatted with the mercies of God Which resolution the Lord grant vs here which Banket the Lord giue vs hereafter Amen FINIS THE Sinners passing-Bell OR A complaint from Heauen for Mans Sinnes Published by THOMAS ADAMS Preacher of Gods Word at Willington in Bedford-shire 1 CORINTH 11.30 For this cause many are weake and sickly among you and many sleepe AVGVST EPIST. 188. Ipse sibi denegat curam qui Medico non publicat causam Hee hath no care of his owne cure that declares not to the Phisition his griefe LONDON Printed by Thomas Snodham for Iohn Budge and are to be sold at the great South-dore of Paules and at Brittaines-Bursse 1614. TO THE TRVLY-NOBLE KNIGHT Sr. Anthony Sainct-Iohn sauing health Right Worshipfull THe sicknesse of this World is growne so lethargicall that his recouery is almost despaired and therefore his Phisitians finding by infallible symptoms that his consumption is not curable leaue him to the malignancie of his disease For the eye of his faith is blinde the eare of his attention deafe the foote of his obedience lame the hand of his charitie numm'd and shut vp with a griping couetousnesse All his vitall parts whereby he should liue to goodnesse are in a swoune he lies bed-rid in his securitie and hath little lesse then giuen vp the Holy Ghost It cannot be denied but that he lies at the mercie of God It is therefore too late to tolle his Passing-bell that hath no breath of obedience left in him I might rather ring out his knell Yet because there are many in this world that are not of this world many sicke of the generall disease of Sin whose recouerie is not hopelesse though their present state be happelesse and some that if they knew but themselues sicke would resort to the Poole of Bethesda the waters of life to be cured I haue therefore presumed to take them apart and tell them impartially their owne illnesse Oh that to performe the cure were no more difficult then to describe the Maladie or prescribe the remedie I haue endeuoured the latter the other to God who can both kill and giue life who is yet pleased by his word to worke our recouery and to make me one vnworthy instrument to administer his Phisicke Now as the most accurate Phisitians ancient or moderne though they deliuered precepts in their facultie worthy of the worlds acceptance and vse yet they set them forth vnder some Noble Patronage so I haue presumed vnder the countenance of your protection to publish this phisicall or rather metaphysicall Treatise for as the Sicknesse is spirituall so the cure must be supernaturall Assuring my selfe that if you shall vse any obseruation here and giue it your good word of Probatum est many others wil be induced the more redily to embrace it My intent is to doe good and if I had any better Receite I would not like some Phisitians I know not whither more enuious or couetous with an excellent Medicine let it liue and die with my selfe God conserue your either health and giue you with a sound body a sounder faith whereby you may liue the life of Grace heere of Glory hereafter Your VVorships humbly deuoted THOMAS ADAMS THE Sinners Passing-Bell OR A Complaint from Heauen for Mans Sinnes The fift Sermon IEREM 8.22 Is there no Balme in Gilead Is there no Phisitian there why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recouered THis is a world to make Phisitians rich if men loued not their purse better then their health For the world waxeth old and old age is weake and sickly As when death begins to ceaze vpon a man his braine by little and little groweth out of order his minde becomes cloudy and troubled with fantasies the channels of his blood and the radicall moisture the
oyle that feâ—ds the lampe of his life beginne to dry vp all his limbes loose their former agillitie As the litâ—le world thus decaies in the great so the great decaies in it selfe that Nature is faine to leane on the staffe of Art â—nd to be held vp by mans industrie The signes which Christ hath giuen to fore-run the worlds ruine are called by a Father aegritudines Mundi the diseases or sicknesses of the world as sicknesse naturally goes before death Warres dying the earth into a sanguine hew dead carkases infecting the aires and the infected aires breathing about plagues and pestilences and sore contagions Whereof saith the same Father nullâ— magis quam nos testes sumus quos mundi finis inuenit none can be more certaine witnesses then wee vpon whom the ends of the world are come That sometimes the influences of Heauen spoyle the fruits of the earth and the fogs of earth soile the vertues of the Heauenly bodies that neither Plannets aboue nor plants below yeeld vs expected comforts So God for our sinnes brings the heauen the earth the ayre and whatsoeuer was created for mans vse to be his enemie and to warre against him And all because omnia quae ad vsum vitae accipimus ad vsum vitij conuertimus we turne all things to vices corruption which were giuen for natures protection Therefore what we haue â—iuerted to wickednesse God hath reuerted to our reuenge We are sicke of sinne and therefore the world is sicke of vs. Our liues shorten as if the booke of our dayes were by Gods knife of Iudgement cut lesse and brought from Folio as in the Patriarchs before the flood to Quarto in the Fathers after the flood nay to Octauo as with the Prophets of the Law nay euen to Decimosexto as with vs in the dayes of the Gospell The Elements are more mixed drossie and confused the ayres are infected neither wants our intemperance to second all the rest We hasten that we would not haue Death and runne so to riot in the Aprill of our early vanities that our May shall not scape the fall of our lâ—afe Our great Landlord hath let vs a faire house and we suffer it quickly to runne to ruine That whereas the Soule might dwell in the body as a Pallace of delight shee findes it a crazy sickish rotten cabinet in danger euery gust of dropping downe How few shalt thou meete if their tongues would be true to their griefes without some disturbance or affliction There lyes one groning of a sicke heart another shakes his aking head a third roares for the torments of his reines a fourth for the racking of his gowty ioynts a fift grouels with the Falling-sicknesse a last lyes halfe dead of a Palsie Here is worke for the Physitians They ruffle in the roabes of preferment and ride in the Foote-clothes of reuerence Early and deuout suppliants stand at their study dores quaking with ready mony in their hands and glad it will be accepted The body if it be sicke is content sometimes to buy vnguentum areum with vnguentum aureum leaden trash with golden cash But it is sicke and needes Phisicke let it haue it There is another Phisitian that thriues well too if not best and that 's the Lawyer For men goe not to the Phisitian till their bodies be sicke but to the Lawyer when they be well to make them sicke Thus whilâ—s they feare an Ague they fall into a Consumption He that scapes his disease and fals into the hands of his Phisitian or from his trouble of suites lights into the fingers of his Lawyer fulfils the old verse Incidit in Scyllam dum vult vitare Charibdim Or is in the poore Birds case that flying in feare from the Cuckooe lighted into the tallonâ— of the Hawke These are a couple of thriuing Phisitians Alter tuetur aâ—gros alter tuetur agros One lookes to the state of the person the other of the purse so the old verse testifies Dat Galenus opes dat Iustinianus honores Phisicke giues wealth and Law Honour I speake not against due reward for iust deserts in both these faculties These Phisitians are both in request but the third the Phisitian of the soule of whom I am now occasioned to shew there is most neede may stand at the dore with Homer and did hee speake with the voyce of Angels not to be admitted The sicke Rich man lyes patiently vnder his Phisitians hands hee giues him golden words reall thankes nay and often flattering obseruance If the state lye sicke of a Consumption or if some contentious Emperick by new suits would lance the impostum'd swellings of it or if perhaps it lye sullen-sicke of Naboths Vineyard the Lawyer is perchance not sent for but gone to and his help imploâ—ed not without a Royall sacrifice at least But for the Minister of his Parish if hee may not haue his head vnder his girdle and his attendance as seruile as his Liuerie-groomes hee thinkes himselfe indignified and rages like the Pope that any Priest durst eate of his Peacocke How short doth this Phisitians respect fall of both the others Let him feed his Sheepe if hee will with the Milke of the Word his Sheepe will not feede him with the Milke of reward He shall hardly get from his Patron the Milke of the Vicaredge but if he lookes for the fleeces of the Parsonage hee shall haue after the Prouerbe Lanam caprinam Contempt and scorne Haman was not more madde for Mordecais Cap then the great one is that as much obseruance ariseth not to him from the blacke coate as from his owne blew coate The Church is beholden to him that hee will turne one of his cast Seruitours out of his owne into her seruice out of his Chamber into the Chancell from the Buttry-hatch to the Pulpit He that was not worthy enough to waite on his Worship is good enough for God Yeeld this sore almost healed yet the honour of the Ministerie thriues like Trees in Autumne Euen their best estimate is but a shadow and that a preposterous one for it goes backe faster then the shadow in the Dyall of Ahaz If a Rich man haue foure Sonnes the youngest or contemnedst must be the Priest Perhaps the Eldest shall be committed to his Lands for if his Lands should be committed to him his Father feares hee would carie them all vp to London hee dares not venture it without binding it sure For which purpose he makes his second Sonne a Lawyer a good â—ising profession for a man may by that which I neither enuie nor taxe runne vp like Ionas gourd to preferment and for wealth a Clustre of Law is worth a whole Vintage of Gospell If hee studie meanes for his third loe Physicke smels well That as the other may keepe the estate from running so this the body from ruining For his youngest Sonne hee cares not if he puts him into Gods seruice and make him
their owne vse shall at last with as inuincible forwardnesse bespeake themselues euery curse in the sacred volume Thus easie and ordinarie is it for men to be others Phisitians rather then their owne Statesmen in forraine Common-wealths not looking into their owne dores sometimes putting on Aarons Robes and teaching him to teach and often scalding their lips in their Neighbours Pottage They can weede other Gardens whiles their owne is ouer-runne with Nettles Like that too obsequious Romane Souldiour that digged a fountaine for Caesar and perished himselfe in a voluntary thirst But Charitie begins at home and hee that loues not his owne soule I vvill hardly trust him with mine The Vsurer blames his Sonâ—es pride sees not his owne extortion And whiles the hypocrite is helping the dissolute out of the mire he stickes in deeper himselfe The Pharises are on the Disciples Iacket for eating with vnwashen hands whiles themselues are not blame-worthy that eate with vnwashen hearts No maruell if when we fixe both our eyes on others wants wee lacke a third to see our owne If two blinde men rush one vpon another in the vvay either complaines of others blindnesse neither of his owne Thus like mannerly guests when a good morsell is carued to vs wee lay it liberally on anothers trencher and fast our selues How much better were it for vs to feed on our owne portion Goe backe goe backe thou foolish sinner turne in to thine owne house and stray not with Dina till thou be rauished Consider your wayes in your hearts If thou findest not worke enough to doe at home in cleansing thy owne heart come forth then and helpe thy Neighbours Whosoeuer you are sit not like lookers on at Gods Mart but hauing good vvares profferd you and that so cheape grace peace and remission of sinnes for nothing take it and blesse his name that giues it Receiue with no lesse thankfulnesse the Phisicke of admonition he sends you apply it carefully if it doe not worke on your soules effectually there is nothing left that may doe you good The word of God is powerfull as his owne Maiestie and shall neuer returne backe to himselfe againe without speeding the Commission it went for Apply it then to your soules in faith and repentance least God apply it in feare and vengeance Lord open our hearts with the key of Grace that thy holy word may enter in to raigne in vs in this world and to saue vs in the world to come Amen FINIS THE Sinners passing-Bell OR Phisicke from Heauen THE Second Sermon Published by THOMAS ADAMS Preacher of Gods Word at Willington in Bedford-shire HOSEA 13.9 Oh Israell thou hast destroyed thy selfe but in mee is thy helpe AVGVST Serm. de Temp. 145. Quid de te tu ipse tam male meruisti vt inter bona tua nolis aliquod esse malum nisi teipsum How didst thou oh wicked man deserue so ill of thy selfe that among all thy goods thou wouldst haue nothing bad but thy selfe LONDON Printed by Thomas Snodham for Ralph Mab and are to be sold in Paules Churchyard at the signe of the Grayhound 1614. TO THE VERIE WORTHY GENTLEman Mr. Iohn Alleyne sauing health SIR I haue endeuoured in this short Sermon to prescribe to these sicke times some spirituall Phisicke The ground I haue receiued from the direction of God the methode I submit to the correction of man In this I might erre in the other I could not The maine and materiall obiects I haue leuelled at are 1. to beget in vs a sense of the sinnes we haue done of the miseries whereby we are vndone 2. To rebuke our forgetfulnesse of Gods long-since ordained remedie the true intrinsique Balme of his Gospell In the sauing vse whereof wee are like some Countries blessed with the medicinall benefits of Nature yet through nescience or negligence defectiue to our selues in the application Inward diseases are as frequent as outward those by disquiet of minde as these by disdiet of body It was a rare age that had no spirituall plague ranging and raging in it Ours hath manifold and manifest vile and viâ—ible ones the VVorld growing at once olde and decayed in nature lustie and actiue in producing sinnes VVickednesse is an aged Harlot yet as pregnant and teeming as euer It cannot be denied but that our Iniquities are so palpable that it is as easie to proue them as to reproue them Were our bodies but halfe so diseased and yet this yeere hath not fauoured them as our soules are a strange and vnheard of mortallitie would ensue Man is naturally very indulgent to himselfe but misplaceth his bountie Hee giues the body so much libertie that it becomes licentious but his soule is so prisoned vp in the bonds of corrupt affections that she cries of him as that troubled Princesse of her strict keeper from such a Iaylour good Lord deliuer me The Flesh is made a Gentleman the Minde a Beggar Sicke wee are yet consult not the Oracles of Heauen for our welfare nor sollicite the helpe of our great Phisitian Christ. He is our Sauiour and bare our sicknesses saith the Prophet yea tooke on him our infirmities Infirmitates speciei non indiuidui Infirmities commune to the nature of mankinde not particularly incident to euery singular person Those hee tooke on himselfe that he might know the better to succour vs in our weaknesse As the Queene sung of her selfe in the Poet. Non ignara mali miseris succurrere disco It is most perfectly true of our Iesus that hee learned by his owne sorrowes to pitie ours though all his sufferance was for our sakes But how should hee helpe vs if wee make not our moane to him How should we be restored when Gods sauing Phisicke is vnsought vnbought vnapplied To conuince our neglect and perswade our better vse of the Gospell tends this weake labour To your protection it willingly flies and would rest it selfe vnder your shadow The God of Peace giue you the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding and afford you many ioyes in this life to the end and in the next his ioy without end Yours in the seruices of loue THO. ADAMS THE Sinners Passing-Bell OR Phisicke from Heauen The sixt Sermon IEREM 8.22 Is there no Balme at Gilead Is there no Phisitian there why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recouered THe Allegorie is Tripartite and propounds to our considerations 1. What is the Balme 2. Who are the Phisitians 3. Who are the sicke The Balme is the Word The Phisitians are the Ministers The Sicke are the Sinners For the first The Balsame-Tree is a little shrubbe neuer growing past the height of two Cubites and spreading like a Vine The Tree is of an Ash-colour the boughs small and tender the leaues are like to Rew. Isidore thus distinguisheth it The Tree is called Basamum the Roote orilo-Balsamum the Branches Xylo-Balsamum the Seede carpo-Balsamum the Iuyce opo-Balâ—amum Plinie saith the
Faith wee bring with vs to the Temple so much of this gracious and flowing Balme of life we receiue Consider that this Balme is animae languentis medicina the Phisicke for a sicke soule Come to it like Patients that desire to be cured Quidam veniunt vt noua per quirant haec curiositas est quidam vt sciantur haec vanitas est They abuse this word that search it onely for newes and this is curiositie or to get themselues a name and this is vanitie or to sell the truth and this is Simonie or to iest on it and this is Epicurisme or to confute it and this is Atheisme You doe well condemne first them that preferre Machiauell to Moses Ismaels scoffes to Ieremies teares Iericho to Ierusalem the tower of Babell to the gates of Bethell or secondly those that put away the Ministry as a superfluous Office and thinke they know inough to saue themselues Dux ero miles ero duce me â—e milite solus Bella geram They will be their owne captaines and their owne souldiours and without calling the assistance of man or Angell Prophet or Apostle they will bandâ— with the Diuell and all his army hand to hand or thirdly those that like the Collier dance in a circular measure and hang all their Faith on the hookes of others beliefe exercising all their religion by an exorcising Masse whiles they count the Old and New Testaments bookes of controuersie and that it is peremptory sacriledge to meddle with the scriptures You doe well to abhorre these dotages but still looke that all be well at home Loue the Word and that with an appetite Beati esurientes Blessed are they thâ—t hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be satisfied But as you haue loue to it so liue by it Non scholae sed vitae discendum Wee learne not onely to know good but to liue well Audiatis vt sciatis saith Saint Bernard sciatis vt aediâ—icemini et hoc integritas est vt aedisicetis et hoc Charitas est Heare to know know to edifie your selues this is integritie to edifie others this is Charitie Bring then to this Balme vialls of sinceritie not of hypocrisie least God fill them with the vialls of his indignation It is not enough to haue eares but eares to heare Idle Auditours are like Idoll Gods which haue members not for vse but shew like glasse wâ—ndowes vpon stone-walls to giue ornament not to receiue light 5. The Balsame tree was graunted sometimes to one onely people Iudea as Pliny testifies It was thence deriued to other Nations Who that is a Christian doth not know and confesse the appropriation of this spirituall Balme once to that onely Nation He sheweth his word vnto Iacob his statutes and his iudgements vnto Israel Hee hath not dealt so with any Nation and as for his Iudgements they haue not knowne them Now as their earthly Balme was by their ciuill Merchants transported to other Nations so when this heauenly Balme was giuen to any Gentile a Merchant of their owne a Prophet of Israel carried it Niniueh could not haue it without a Ionas Nor Babilon without some Daniels And though Paul and the Apostles had a Commission from Christ to preach the Gospell to all Nations yet obserue how they take their leaue of the Iewes It was necessary that the word of God should first haue beene spoken to you but seeing you put it from you and iudge your selues vnworthie of euerlasting life loe we turne to the Gentiles Other Lands might bragge of their naturall and nationall benefits onely Iury of both the Balmes Non omnis fert omnia tellus Nihil est ex omni parte beatum India mittit ebur molles dant thura Sabai Totaque thuriferis Panchaia diues arenis Hiram had store of Timber Moab of Sheepe Ophir was famous for gold Chittim for Iuorie Basan for Oakes Lebanon for Cedars Flascon had the best Wines Athens the best Honey Persia the best Oyle Babilon the best Corne Tyrâ— the best Purple Tharsis the best Ships the West Indies for Gold the East for Spices but of all Iury bore the Palme for bearing the Balme Such grace had Israel for the temporall much more for the spirituall Balme that all Nations might make low courtesie to her as the Queene of the Prouinces and be beholding to her for the crummes that fell from her Table as the Syrophaenician desired of Christ. Yet shee that transcended all in her blessings deâ—cended lower then all in her disobedience And as she lift vp her head and gloried in her speciall priuiledges so she might hang downe her head for shame at her speciall wickednesses For it is obserued that there are sinnes adherent to Nations proper peculiar genuine as their flesh cleaueth to their bones That as for the climate of Heauen their bodies differ so for the custome of their liues their dispositions vary from others So that many Countries are more dangerous either for sinnes or calamities For of necessitie they that liue among them must either imitate them and doe ill or hate them and suffer ill since amicitae pares aut quarunt aut faciunt cohabitation of place seekes or makes coaptation of manners S. Paul notes the Cretians for Lyers S. Luke the Athenians for newes inquirers and bearers The Graecians were noted for light the Parthians for fearefull the Sodomites for Gluttons like as England God saue the sample hath now suppled lythed and stretched their throates If we should gather Sinnes to their particular Centers wee would appoint Pride to Spaine Lust to France Poysoning to Italie Drunkennesse to Germanie Epicurisme to England Now it was Israels wickednesse and wretchednesse that they fell to Idolatrie Not that other Nations were not Idolaters but Israels vilest because they alone were taught the true worship of God Iosephus holds that the Iewes were the best Souldiours of the world both for abillitie of body and agillitie of minde in strength in stratagem Diuers people are now excellent fighters one speciall and singular way The Romanes fight well in their Councels I had almost said Fence-schooles the Italians in their Shops the Spaniards in their Ships the French-men in a hold the Scot with his Launce the Irish-man on foote with his Dart. But the Iewes were saith Iosephus euery way expert Alas their victorie came not from their owne strength the Lord fought for them So one of them chaâ—eth ten of his enemies a hundreth chase a thousand They had the shield of Gods protection the sword of his spirit the word of God defence and offence against their carnall and spirituall enemies And if euer they receiued wound to their flesh or spirits they had heere both the soueraine Balmes to cure them But alas they that were so euery-way-blessed lost all by loosing their Balme and treading it vnder feet For this cause their Balme is giuen to vs their auersion
their euersion is our conuersion They were Gods Vâ—ne but they lost their sweetnesse They vvere Gods Oliues but they lost their fatnesse Therefore God tooke away his Balme 6. Pliny affirmes that euen when the Balâ—ame tree grew onely in Iury yet it was not growing commonly in the Land as other trees either for Timber Fruit or Medicine but onely in the Kings Garden The prepared Iuyce or Opobalâ—amum was communicated to their wants but the Trees stoode not in a Subiects Orchard He saith further that it grew in two Orchyards of the Kings whereof the greater was of twentie dayes aring I force no greater credite to this then you will willingly giue it which yet is not improbable but this I build on and propound for truth that this spirituall Balme growes onely in the Garden of the King of Heauen To him that ouercommeth will I giue to â—ate of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God It growes in the Paradise or heauenly Orchard of God The roote of it is in Heauen there sits that holy tree at the right hand of his Father His fruit his seed his Balme he sends downe to vs written by his Prophets and Apostles read and preached by his Ministers Mahomet would challenge this Balme to grow in his Garden and bids vs search for it in his Alchoran The Apostate Iewes affirme it to grow in their Sinagogue and point vs to the Talmud The Russian or Muscouitish turne vs ouer to their Nicolâ—itan Font and bid vs diue for it there The Pope pluckes vs by the sleeue as a Trades-man that would faine take our money and tells vs that he onely hath the Balme and shewes vs his Masse-booke If we suspect it there hee warrants the vertue from a generall Councell If it doth not yet smell well he affirmes not without menacing damnation to our mistrust that it is euen in scrinio pectoris sui in the closet of his owne breast who cannot erre Tut saith he as it growes in Gods Garden simply it may poyson you As if it were dangerous to be medled withall till he had plaid the Apothecarie and adulterated it with his owne sophistication Indeede he makes it sweet by his fayning it and therefore his Shop wants not Customers But it is deere when Gods is cheape saith the Prophet Buy it without money without price Wherefore doe you spend money c. Well it can grow in one onely Garden and that is Gods There is but one truth Onâ— Lord one Faith one Baptisme c. Euen they that haue held the greatest falshoods hold that there is but one truth Nay most will confesse that this Balsame tree is onely in Gods Garden but they presume to temper the Balme at their owne pleasure and vvill not minister it to the world except their owne fansie hath compounded it confounded it with their impure mixtures No false Religion no fundamentall Heresie but giue God the appropriation of the Balme but they take to themselues the ministration the adulteration of it So in effect they either arrogate the Balme to themselues or take it out of Gods Garden as it were whither he will or no to plant it in their owne So they bragge euery one of this Balme But who will not suspect the Wares out of a knowne Couseners Shop It is vnlawfull and wicked to offer to Gods Church Balsamum vâ—l alterum velidem alteratum either another Balme or after another fashion then he appoints But as Clusius writes of new Balmes Peruvianum et Balsamum de Tolu from Peru and Tolu so demonstration is made vs of new Balmes some rather Logicall then Theologicall Germanie knowes my meaning Others produce vs Balmes of Piety made vp with Pollicie the coate of Religion put vpon the backe of State Where there may be some Balme but it is so mixed that it is marred For to a scruple of that they put in whole ounces of other ingredients an ounce of Oleum vulpinuâ— Foxe-like subtiltie as much oleum viperis poysonable opinion and no lesse oleum tartari c. A whole pound of pollicie an arme-full of stinking weedes friuolous and superstitious Reliques all these are put to a poore dramme or scruple of Balme Nay and all these shall be dash'd and slubberd together by a Masse-Priest an idle and vnskilfull Apothecarie And when any conscience is knowne sore by auricular Confession it shall haue a plaister of this stuffe Perhaps this is that they call their Holy-oyle which is said to heale the sicke body if it recouers or at least to cure the soule of her sinnes at least of so many as may keepe a man from Hell and put him into Purgatorie where he shall haue house-roome and fire-wood free till the Pope with soule-Masses and merits can get him a plat of ground in Heauen to build a house on How shamefull is it to match their oyle with Gods Balme to kneele to it as God to ascribe euents to it which God workes and to helpe the glory of it to call those workes miracles whereas they might finde fitter vse for it about their boots Though it be newly inuented and euery day more sophisticate then other yet they make their Patients belieue that it is auncient and deriued from holy Scriptures and enter the lists with the Champions of Gods truth to maintaine the puritie and antiquitie of it A great while they kept Gods Balme the word wholly from the people now because the cursings of the people haue a little pierced their soules for ingrossing this Balme and denying iâ— to their sores they haue stopped their mouthes with the Rhemish Testament But as they erst did curse them for hoording Gods graine so now their iust anger is as sharp against them for the musty mill-dew'd blasted stuffe they buy of them Their wickednesse is no lesse now in poysoning them then it was before in staruing them Before no Balme now new Balme Before no plaister to their woundes now that which makes them ranckle worse So they haue mended the matter as that Phisitian did his Patients health to whom because hee was vrged to minister somewhat hee gaue him a potion that dispatched his disease life at once Thus the Popish Balme is as Renodaeus cals one vulgare Balsamum exoletum inodorum vietum rancidum stale vnsauory rammish lanke vile Such is the sophisticate doctrine of superstitious heretikes speaking for Gods precepts their owne prescripts preaching themselues and in their own names for ostentation like the Scribes deliuering falshoods and fathering them on the Lord Hee hath said it abusing mens eares with old wiues tales and old mens dreames traditions of Elders constitutions of Popes precepts of men vnwritten truths vntrue writings either with-holding the truth in vnrighteousnes or seâ—â—ing the word of God for gaine or corrupting it and dealing with it as Adulterers doe in their filthinesse as these respect not issue but lust so the other not Gods glory
as a Hammer to breake the stone in the heart The stone in the reines is dangerous in the bladder painefull but none so deadly as the stone in the heart This Balme supples the stonie heart and turnes it into a heart of flesh 3. They commend their Balme for a speciall ease to the anger of a venomous biting But our Balme is more excellent in aculeum Draconis imò mortis against the sting of that great red Dragon nay of Death it selfe Oh Death where is thy sting Three Serpents giue vs vâ—nomous wounds Sinne first stings vs the Deuill next and Death last This Balme of Christ fetcheth out all their poysons 4. Others say of this Balme that it is the best solution to the obstructions of the Liuer I haue heard the Liuer in the body compared with zeale in the soule The Liuer according to Phisitians is the third principall member wherein rest the animall spirits In the soule two graces precede Zeale Faith and Repentance I say not this in thesi but in hypothesi not simply but in respect and that rather of order then of time For a man is begotten of immortall seed by the Spirit at once Now as the Liuer calefies the stomach like fire vnder the Pot and thence succours digestion so doth zeale heate a mans workes with an holy feruour which are without that a cold sacrifice to God A soule without zeale doth as hardly liue as a body without a Liuer Haly calles the Liuer the Well of Moisture wee may say of zeale it is the very Cisterne whence all other graces as liuing there doe issue forth into our liues The Liuer is called Hepar and Iecur because it draweth iuyce to it selfe turneth it into blood by vaines serueth the body as the water-house doth a Citie by pipes Nay it ministreth a surging heate to the braine to the eyes to the wits saitâ— Isidore The Pagan Nigromancers sacrificed onely Liuers on the alâ—ar of their God Phaebus before his oraculous answeres were giuen In the soule other graces as Faith Hope Charitie Repentance did first rather breede zeale but zeale being once inkindled doth minister nutrimentall heate to all these and is indeede the best sacrifice that wee can offer to God Without zeale all are like the oblation of Caine. Now if any obstructions of sinne seeme to oppresse this Zeale in vs this Balme of Gods word is the onely soueraigne remedy to cleanse it For the zeale is dangerous as the Liuer either by too much heate or too much cold to be distempered To ouerheate the Liuer of zeale many haue found the cause of a perillous surfetin the Conscience whiles like the two Disciples nothing could content them but fire from heauen against sinners If euer Bishop was in the time of Poperie away with the office now If euer Masse was said in Church pull it downe Though some depopulatours haue now done it in extreame coldnesse nay frozen dregges of hart making them either no Churches or polluted ones whiles those which were once Temples for Gods shepherds are now coates for their owne Yet they in vnmeasurable heate wished what these with vnreasonable cold Liuers affected Such miserable theeues haue crucified the Church one by a new religion in will the other by a no religion in deed They would not onely take away the abuse but the thing it selfe not onely the Ceremonie but the substance As the Painter did by the picture of King Henry the eight whom hee had drawne fairely with a Bible in his hand and set it to open view against Queene Mary's comming in triumph through the Citie for which being reproued by a great man that â—aw it and charged to wipe out the booke he to make sure worke wiped out the Bible and the hand too and so in mending the fault hee maymed the picture This is the effect of praeter-naturall heate to make of a remedie a disease Thus whiles they dreame that Babilon stands vpon Ceremonies they offer to race the foundations of Ierusalem it selfe Well this Balme of Gods word if their sicke soules would apply it might coole this vngentle heate of their liuers For it serues not onely to inkindle heate of zâ—ale in the ouer-cold heart but to refrigerate the preposterous feruour in the fiery-hote This is the sauing Balme that scoures away the obstructions in the Liuer and preuents the dropsie For the dropsie is nothing else saith the Philosopher but the errour of the digestiâ—e vertue in the hollownesse of the Liuer Some haue such hollownes in their zeale whiles they prâ—tend holinesse of zeale as was in the yron hornes of that false prophet Zedekiah that for want of applying this Balme they are sicke of the dropsie of hipocrisie Innumerable are the vses of Balme if wee giue credit to Phisitians vel potum vel inunctum It strengthens the nerues it excites and cherisheth the natiue heate in any part it succoureth the paraliticke and delayeth the fury of convulsions c. And last of all is the most soueragine help either to greene wounds or to inueterate vlcers These all these and more then euer was vntruely fained or truely performed by the Balsame to the body is spiritually fulfilled in this happy heauenly and true intrinsique Balme Gods word It heales the sores of the conscience which either originall or actuall sinne haue made in it It keepes the greene wound which sorrow for sinne cuts in the hart from ranckling the soule to death This is that Balsame tree that hath fructum vberrimum vsum saluberrimum plenteous fruit profitable vse and is in a word both a preseruatiue against and a restoratiue from all dangers to a beleeuing Christian. It is not onely Phisicke but health it selfe and hath more vertue sauing vertue validitie of sauing vertue then the tongues of men and Angels can euer sufficiently describe You haue heere the similitudes Heare one or two discrepancies of this naturall and supernatural Balmes For as no Metaphore should of necessitie runne like a Coach on foure wheeles when to goe like a man on two sound legges is sufficient so eartâ—ly things compared with heauenly must looke to fall more short then Linus of Hercules the shrub of the Cedar or the lowest Mole-banke of the highest Pyramides 1. This earthly Balme cannot preserue the body of it selfe but by the accession of the spirituall Balme Euen Angels food so called not because they made it but because they ministred it cannot nourish without Gods word of blessing For euery creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be receiued with thanksgiuing for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer If the mercie of God be not on our sustenance we may dye with meate in our mouthes like the Israelites If his prouidentiall goodnesse with-hold the vertue were our garments as costly as the Ephod of Aaron there is no benefit in them When many are sicke they trust to the Phisitians as Asa
the other side of Iordan The fetching ouer their Merchandise was no long nor dangerous voyage Yet was this spirituall Balme neerer to them it lay like Manna at their dores Venit ad limina virtus The Kingdome of Heauen is among you saith Christ. There needed no great iourney for naturall Phisicke but lesse for spirituall comfort Behold God himselfe giues his vocall answeres betweene the Cherubins Yet alas as it was once iustly prouerb'd on the Monkes and such spirituall or rather carnall Couents in that night of Popery that the neerer they were to the Church the further from God So it was euen verefied of the Iewes that by how much they were of all next to the Sanctuary by so much of all remotest from sanctitie And therefore he that once said Gilead is mine and of the Temple in Iuda this is my house called by my name afterward left both the hill of Gilead and the Mount Syon and the holy Sanctuary a pray to the Romanes who left not a stone vpon a stone to testifie thâ— ruines of it or for succeeding ages to say This was the Temple of God Thus saith the Prophet Hosea Gilead is a Citie of them that worke iniquitie and is polluted with blood Therefore God turned that fruitfull Land into barrennesse for the wickednesse of them â—hat dwelt therein For not content with the fertillitie of their soile they manured it with blood saith the Prophet Hence no maruell if it became at last like the cuâ—sed Mountaines of Gilboah that drunke the blood of Saul and Ionathan You haue heard the Balme the next subiect that offers it selfe to our speech is the Phisitians Is there no Balme at Gilead is there no Phisitians there The Prophets are allegorically called Phisitians as the word is Balme So are the Ministers of the Gospell in due measure in their place To speake properly and fully Christ is our onely Phisitian and wee are but his Ministers bound to apply his sauing Phisicke to the sickly soules of his people It is he onely that cures the carkasse the conscience 1. No Phisitian can heale the body without him The Woman with the bloudy issue was not bettered by her Phisitians though she had emptied all her substance into their purses till Christ vndertooke her cure The Leper in the 8. of Mathew was as hopelesse as haplesse till hee met with this Phisitian and then the least touch of his â—inger healed him Phisitians deale often not by extracting but protracting the disease making rather diseases for their cure then cures for diseases prolonging our sicknesses by Art which Nature or rather natures defect hath not made so tedious Therefore as one saith wittily the best Phisicke is to take no Phisicke or as another boldly our new Phisicke is worse then our old sicknesse But when our diseases be committed to this heauenly Doctour and hee is pleased to take them in hand our venture is without all peraduenture wee shall be healed The least touch of his finger the least breath of his mouth can cast out the euill in vs that can cast out the diuell in vs he can hee will cure vs. 2. No Minister can heale the Conscience where Christ hath not giuen a blessing to it Otherwise he may lament with the Prophet I haue laboured in vaine I haue spent my strength for nought Or as the Apostle I haue fished all night and caught nothing yet at thy command c. Who then is Paul or who is Apollo but Ministers by whom â—ee belieued â—uen as the Lord gaue to euery man I haue planted Apollo watered but GOD gaue the increase If any be blinde Hee is the Oculist if any be lame He sets the Bonâ—s if any be wounded Hee is the Chirurgion if any be sicke Hee is the Phisitian They write of the Indian Phisitians that they cure the wound by sucking the poison Christ heales after a manner I know not whither more louing and strange by taking the disease vpon himselfe Who his owne selâ—e bare our sinnes in his owne body on the tree He was wounded for our transgressions hee was bruised for our iniquities and with his stripes we are healed And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquitie of vs all As the scape-goaâ—e was said to beare vpon him the sinnes of Israell so saith the Prophet of his antytipe Christ morbos portauit nostros hee hath borne our griefes too vnsupportable a burthen for our shoulders able to sincke vs downe to hell as they did Caine and Iudas if they had beene imposed Tulit Iesus Christ carried our sorrowes Neuer was such a Phisitian that changed healths with his sicke Patient But Hâ—e was humbled for vs. Mans maker is made man the worlds succourer takes sucke the Bread is hungry the Fountaine thirsty the Light sleepy the Way weary the Truth accused the Iudge condemned Health it selfe is become sicke nay dead for our saluation For mans sake such was our weaknesse Christ descended such was his kindnesse tooke one him to cure vs such was his goodnesse and performed it such was his greatnesse It was not Abanah nor Pharphar nor all the riuers of Damascus not the water of Iordan though bathing in it 70. times not Iobs â—now-water nor Dauids water of Isope not the poole of Bethesda though stirred with a thousand Angels that was able to wash vs cleane Onely fusus sanguis Medici factum medicamentum phrenetici the bloud of the Physitian is spilt that it may become a medicine of saluation to all beleeuers This is the Pelican that preserues her young with her own blood This is the Goat that with his warme gore breakes the adamants of our harts This is that lambe of God that with his owne blood takes away the sinnes of the world When the Oracle had told the king of Athens that himselfe must dye in the battaile or his whole army perish Codrus then King neuer stucke at it but obtruded his owne life into the â—awes of ineuitable death that hee might saue his peoples The King of heauen waâ— more freely willing to lay downe his for the â—edemption of his Saints when the eternall decree of God had propounded him the choise Is there no means to recouer the sicke world but I must dye that it may liue then take my life quoth Life it selfe Thus pro me doluit qui non habuit quod pro se doleret He was made sicke for me that I might be made sound in him This then is our Phisitian in whom alone is sauing health As Sybilla sung of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Virginij partus magnoque aequaeua Parenti Progenies superas coeli quae missa per auras Antiquam generis labem mortalibus aegris Abluit obstructique viam patefecit Olympi Hee wrought all things with his word and healed euery disease with his power To Him let vs resort confessing our sores our sorrowes They that be