haue to liue wil make vs applie our harts to that which is good The first point is that as euery one had a day to come into this world so he shal haue a day to goe out of this world When Moses had spoken of some which liued 700. yeeres and other which liued 800. yeeres and other which liued 900. yeeres shewing that some had a longer time and some a shortet yet he speakes this of all mortuus est at last comes in mortuus est that is he died which is the Epitaph of euery man We are not lodged in a castell but in an Inne where wee are but guests and therefore Peter cals vs strangers We are not Citizens of the earth but Citizens of Heauen and therefore the Apostle saith we haue here no abiding City but we look for one to come As Christ saith my kingdom is not of this world so we may say My dwelling is not in this world but the soule soareth vpward whence she came the body stoopeth downward whence it came as the tabernacles of the Iews were made to remoue so our tabernacles are made to remoue Euery man is a tenant at wil ther is nothing sure in life but deth as he which wrote this is gone so I which preach it you which heare it one comming in one going out is to all Although this is daily seene yet it had need be prooued nay euery man had need to die to make him beleeue that he shall die When Adam Eue became subiect to death because of their sin to teach them to think on death so soon as they were thrust out of paradise God clothed them with the skins of dead beastes which shewed them that now they were cloathed with death and that as the beastes were dead whose skins they wore so they should die also therefore Dauid saith Man being in honour became like the beasts which perish when he saith that hee did become like the beasts which perish he implieth that man should not perish like the beasts but when he did like a beast hee died like a beast From that day euery man might say with Iob Corruption was my father and the worme was my mother For the rich glutton is lockt in his graue as fast as poore Lazarus Therfore God speaking of kings saith I said ye are Gods but ye shal die like men If kings must die like men then the expectation of men is death therefore when this king was readie to die he said to Salomon that he should go the way of all the earth calling death the way of all the earth to which Esay be ares witnesse crying all flesh is grasse that is it falleth and is cut downe like grasse In paradise we might liue or die in the world we liue must die in heauen she shall liue and not die Before sinne nothing could change vs now euery thing doth change vs. For when winter comes wee are cold when age comes wee are withered when sicknesse comes we are weak to shew that when death comes we shal die The clothes which were vpon our backs the sun which sets ouer our heads the graues which lie vnder our feete the meate which goes into our mouthes câ—ie vnto vs that we shall we are and sade and die like the fishes and foules and beasts which euen now were liuing in their elements and now are dead in our dishes Euery thing euerie day suffers some eclipse and nothing stands at a stay but one creature calles to another let vs leaue this world Our fathers summoned vs and we shall summon our children to the graue first wee wax olde then wee wax drie then wee wax weake then wee wax sicke so wee melt away by drops at last as we caried other so other cary vs vnto the graue this is the last bed which euery man shal sleep in we must returne to our mothers wombe Therefore Iacob called his life but a pilgrimage therfore Paul called his life but a race therfore Dauid calleth him selfe but a worme a pilgrimage hath an end a race hath a stop a worme is but troden vnder foote and dead straight so in a houre we are and are not heere we are now and anon we are separated to morrow one sickneth and the next day another sickneth and all that be here neuer meet againe we may well be called earthen vessels for we are soone broken a spider is able to choake vs a pin is able to kill vs all of vs are borne one way and die a hundred waies As Eliah stood in the doore of the caâ—e when God passed by so wee stand in the passages of this world readie to go out whensoeuer God shall cal We loose first our infancie then our childhood then our youth at last as we came in the roomes of other so other come into our roomes If all our daies were as long as the day of Iosua when the sun stood still in the midst of heauen yet it will be night at last our sun shal set like other It is not long that we grow but when we begin to fall we are like the ice which thaweth sooner then it froze so these little worlds are destroied first and at last the great world shal be destroied too for all which was made for vs shall perish with vs. What do you learne when you thinke of this but that which Moses saith to applie your hearts to wisdome death commeth after life and yet it guides the whole life like the sterne of a ship but for death there would be no rule but euery mans lust should be his law he is like a King which frighteth a far oft though he defer his sessions and stay the execution yet the verie feare that he will come makes the proudest peacock lay downe his feathers and is like a dampe which puts out all the lights of pleasure The second note is that the time of man is set his bounds appointed which he cannot passe therfore Moses praieth the Lord that he would teach him to number his daies as though there were a number of our daies Therefore God is called Palmoni which signifieth a secret number because he knoweth the number of our daies which is secret to vs. As it was said to Balthasar God hath numbred thy kingdome so it may be said to all God hath numbred thy life To this Job beareth witnes saying Are not his daies determined thou hast appoynted his bounds which he cannot passe Again Ieremie saith they could not stand because the day of their destruction was come As there is a day of destruction and a day of death so there is a day of birth a day of marriage a day of honour a day of deliuerance according to that the determinatioÌ„ is made that is God hath determined all things As God appointed a time when
this cloake of Shem and Iaphet and not onely they but others too for if any speake of corruption in Rulers or briberie in Iudges or Simonie in Bishops or non-residencie in Pastors he is said to discouer his fathers nakednesse like Cham but as we may not reueale all sinnes least the vncircumcised reioyce so wee may not couer some sinnes least the vncircumcised encrease For if some mens drunkennesse were not reprooued they would bee drunken still and make a common weale of drunkards therefore they which will bee conuerted first let them prooue themselues fathers as Noah was and after let them amend as Noah did and they which couer them let them distinguish betweene Noah and Cham and betweene errour and obstinacie For some Christ appointeth admonition for others reprehension for others Excommunication and for others correction therefore euerie mans nakednesse must not bee couered as Noahs was wee will couer the first drunkennesse as Shem and Iaphet did if they will repent as Noah did and bee drunken no more But shall wee followe them like a blinde mans Boye to stay them so often as they fall when they say that they stumble not though they lye on the ground This is not the cloake of reuerence but the cloake of flatterie Therefore as Christ said Let the dead burie the dead So I may say let the wicked couer the wicked the Wolues are not the Lambes fathers but the Lambes Butchers therfore if they would bee couered let them speake to their Children to couer them for this is our rule They which sin openly reprooue openly that the rest may feare 1. Tim. 5. 20. Thus you haue heard what the badde Sonne did and what the good sonnes did now wee come to Noah againe Then Noah awoake and knew what his yonger sonne had done vnto him and said vnto him Cursed be Canaan a seruant of seruants shall he be vnto his brethren He said moreouer Blessed be the Lord God of Shem and let Canaan bee his seruant c. First he sheweth how Noah commeth to himselfe then how he knew what his sonnes had done vnto him then how he curseth one and blesseth another As his sonnes were ashamed of his nakednes when he was drunken so now he is sober he is ashamed of it himselfe therefore he is said to awake from his wine as though hee had beene a sleepe for The drunkard saith Salomon is as one that sleepeth Prouerbs 23. 34. When the belly is full the boanes are at rest so when Noah was full his thoughts were at rest therefore beeing as it were lulled a sheepe with ouermuch wine hee may be said to awake Here Moses would exhort all them that sleepe with Noah to awake with Noah Noah was once intemperate and many follow him in that Noah was but once intemperate and few follow him in that Dauid was once incontinent and many follow him in that Dauid was but once incontinent and few follow him in that Peter was once vnfaithfull and many follow him in that Peter was but once vnfaithfull and few follow him in that This the difference betweene the faithfull and the wicked both fall and but one riseth againe It followeth He knew what his yonger sonne had done vnto him either by the spirit of God which suggested him or els by some other that tould him for a drunken man dooth not remember what is said or done and therefore the drunkard saith I was beaten but when I awaked I knew it not Pro. 23. 35. Therfore when Lot was drunken his daughters laye with him and it is said Gen. 19. 33. that he perceiued not when they lay downe nor when they rose vp therefore Noah knew either by the spirit which informed him or by others which told him Now as Moses declaring Chams sinne called him the father of Canaan so Noah repeating his sinne againe called him his younger sonne He disdaineth to name him but calleth him a younger sonne to aggrauate his fault because we will suffer our elder sonnes to bee more familiar with vs but of the younger wee looke for more reuerence or else because parents are woont to make more of the youngest and dandle them as Iacob did Beniamin and so hee might say My yonger sonne which for his yeares should haue shewed mee most duetie and for my affection should haue borne mee most loue my younger sonne hath sought my dishonour and not content to scorne mee himselfe hath published my shame and as much as in him lay prouoked his brethren to scorne me too Of whome is a man so often deceaued as of his neerest friend Lightly the younger sonne is better than the elder as Ioseph was better than his elder brethren Dauid was better than his elder brethren Abell was better than his elder brother Isaac was better than his elder brother Iacob was better than his elder brother but here the youngest is worst so neither vertue nor vice goeth by age Now as Christ when he awoke rebuked the windes and comforted his Disciples so Noah when he awoke cursed the scorner and blessed the other Moses doth not set downe his wordes of choller but bringeth him in speaking by the spirite of prophecie what should come vpon all his sonnes It is like that the good Patriarch had bewailed his owne sinne before and now hauing repented and got pardon for it he commeth forth like a proclaymer of Gods iudgement and thundreth against this mocker What a griefe was this to the father to bee constrained to condemne his owne sonne and with his own mouth to pronounce him banished from the Church of God for though Cham had not the nature of a sonne yet Noah had not lost the nature of a father and he saw what a small number was left vpon earth like Adams children for to replenish the whole world againe therefore it grieued him to curse his sonne as much as it reioyced his sonne to scorne him Yet as Abraham would sacrifice his sonne rather then displease GOD so Noah did curse his sonne rather then he would displease GOD shewing that wee should not spare our owne bowels when God would haue them punished but doe as the fathers and mothers of Idolaters and blasphemers did in the law who brought the first stone to presse their sonnes to death shewing that as the sonne of God died for them so their sonnes should die for God if they would not serue him Now the curse goeth foorth Cursed be Canaan that is cursed be scorners cursed be all they wich dishonour their father and mother A seruant of seruants shall hee be this is the first mention of seruants in all the scripture man was not made to serue but to rule but sinne maketh them serue which should rule therefore as you saw sinne bring in the first nakednes so you see sinne bringing in the first seruant A seruant of seruants shall he bee This curse is denounced with great vehemencie for he saith not simplie A seruant shall he be but
he is vaine which makes euerie man deferre his repentance vntill the verie houre come that sinne maketh preparation to leaue him and then fainting hee is vnwilling to depart because he is not readie Therfore I haue chosen this sentence which speakes of nothing but vanitie to shew how wee take the waie to miserie for the waie to happines and turne the day of saluation to the day of vanitie Let euerie man thinke as I goe in this matter why he should loue that which Salomon repented if he think Salomon happier after he repented thaÌ„ he was before This verse is the summe or contentes of all this booke and therefore Salomon beginnes with it and ends with it as if he should saie First this is the matter which I will prooue and after this is the matter which I haue proued now you see whether I tolde you true that All is vanitie I may call it Salomons Theame or the faâ—dle of vanities which when he hath bound in a bundle he bids vs caste it into the fire for after hee hath done with them in his last chapter and thirteenth verse as though hee would haue no more thought of them he turnes away from them as if hee had buried them goes to another matter saying Now let vs heare the end of all Feare God and keeep his commaundements for this is the whole dutie of man as though hee were exceeding glad that after so many daungers through the rout of vanitie yet GOD let him see the hauen of rest and brought him to the right end and set him vpon shoare where hee might see his vanities as Moses looked back vpon his enemies saw them drowned behind him The whole narration doth shew that Salomon wrote this book after his fall When he had the experience of vanities and seene the folly of the world what euill comes of pleasure and what fruite groweth of sinne he was bold to say Vanitie of vanities c. which he auoucheth with such protestation as though he would iustifie it against many aduersaries For all the world is in loue with that which he calles vanitie Therefore hee puts to his name in the middest of his sentence as if hee would defend it against all commers if any man ask who broched this strange doctrine the Preacher saith SalomoÌ„ To testifie his heartie conuersion to God he cals himselfe a Preacher in the witnes of his vnfained repentance as if God had said vnto him Thou being conuerted conuert thy brethren and be a Preacher as thou art a King so when we are conuerted wee should become Preachers vnto other and shew some fruits of our calling as Salomon left this book for a monument to all ages of his conuersioÌ„ Therefore they which write that Salomon dyed in his sinne and that such a famous instrument of God went to the damned doe great wrong to the worthie King which giues them such an example to repent and would correct their rash iudgement if they considered First that he was the cleerest figure of Christ except Melchisedec which passed all Kings in prosperitie and all men in wisedome Secondly that hee was inspired by the Holie Ghost like the prophets to bee one of the pennes of God to write his holy word the word of saluation which was not fit for a reprobate Thirdlie that GOD promised to his father that hee would not take his spirit and his mercie from him as he did froÌ„ Saule nor forsake him as he did Saule but correct him in another sort Fourthlie that GOD is said to loue him therefore as Paule concludes that Iacob was elected because God saith Iacob haue I loued So we may conclude that Salomon was elected because God saith Salomon haue I loued Fiftly that in Luke 13. 28. Al the Prophets of God are said to be in heauen and therefore Salomon being an holie Prophet must beholden to be in heauen To shew that he was a holy prophet in 2. Pet. 3 2. Peter calleth all the Prophets which wrote the Scripture Holie Prophets Lastly we may gather out of the seauenth Chapter of this booke and the thirtieth verse and out of the 5. of the Prouerbes and the fourteenth verse that Salomon had left his concubines and vanities before he wrote this booke Therefore to say that the figure of Christ the penne of the holie Scripture the man whom God loued the wisest man that euer was and one of the holie prophets died a reprobate is presumption against the Word impietie against God and wrong to the dead Although because of his grieuous fal in Idolatrie and vncleannesse GOD left him in disgrace and makes no mention of his repentance where hee speakes of his death that they which stand may take heed lest they fall and see how easie it is to slip by the exaÌ„ple of him which was wiser than they Salomon being wicked and yet saued was a figure of the Church whose sinnes are forgiuen Thus hauing found as it were the Mine now let vs digge for the treasure Vanitie of vanities c. This is Salomons conclusion when hee had gone through the whole world tried all thinges like a spye sent into a straunge country as if he were now come home from his pilgrimage they gather about him to inquire what he hath heard and seene abroad and what he thinks of the world and these things which are so loued among men like a man in admiratioÌ„ of that which he had seen and not able to expresse particularly one after another hee contracts his newes into aword you aske me what I haue seene and what I haue heard Vanitie saith Salomon what els Vanitie of vanities and what els All is vanitie This is the history of my voyage I haue seen nothing but vanitie ouer the world Carrie this for the newes from the Preacher vanitie of vanities Al is vanitie as if hee should say Vanitie and greater Vanitie and more than Vanitie so the further hee did goe the more Vanitie hee did see and the nearer he looked the greater it seemed till at the last he could see nothing but vanitie When he was come to this that he did see all things vaine vpon which men set their heartes he was moued with compassion and could be silent no longer but needes hee must write to them which seeke felicitie as he did in transitorie things to warne them that they seek it not any longer in these foolish things which haue no stability nor contentation but flie from them to The feare of God which hath the promises of this life and the life to come Therefore he beginnes with All is vanitie as if he should say Loue not the world nor the things of the world For I haue tryed that there is no certaintie in them Thus hee withdraweth them First from the wrong way and then sets them in the right way to happines which he defineth at last to Feare
if ye haue tried the pleasures of vanitie alreadie as I knowe ye haue whether yee may readilie say with Saint Paule What profit haue we of these things whereof we are ashamed no profit but shame and griefe and guilt a dreadful expectation of iudgement As Salomon cals folly the inheritaunce of follie so vanitie is the inheritaunce of vanitie Ten times Laban changed Iacobs wages but ten thousand times sinne hath changed your wages and deceiued you with other successe than you looked for like Shebna which built his Sepulchre in one Countrey and was buried in the other and yet how many changes are behinde you knowe not for if you did you woulde make inquisition now and banish them at first for whensoeuer ye goe about to cast them out they will say still like the Diuels that thou tormentest them before the time It seemes that manie are touched with compassion of this therfore repriue their vanities and slack the execution as though they were affraid to offend the Diuell euen we perhaps are in the trace of vanitie hunting with Salomon to finde that which we loue and finde it not because we seeke it out of the way What is the remedy So runne saith Paul that ye may obtaine you haue tried the euil way to happines now try the good way and then that which yee loue nowe shall not onely seeme vaine but Vanitie of Vanities that ye wil maruaile how ye could loue them so long and would not bee in that dotage of thē again for all the world Vntill these earthlie things seeme vaine no heauenlie things shal seeme precious therefore lose no more time the daie comes when Vanitie of vanities shall be turned to miserie of miseries and All is vanitie to All is miserie There is a certain place called Hel where God keepes generall Sessions there Iustice shall sit to examine vanity who hath embraced her and who hath forsaken her God and he which made his pleasure of sinne so soone as he heares this doome Depart from me yee wicked shall goe downe by a blacke waie with many a sigh and 〈◊〉 from God from the Angels from the Saints from ioie from glory from blisse with the fiends of hell to 〈…〉 Pallace of darkenes with the Princes of horror at the table of vengeance in the 〈◊〉 of calamitie with the crowne of death vpon his head he which tempted him to sinne shall plague him for sinning vntil he crie like Gam My punishment is greater than I can beare for all the griefes and feares and cares and troubles which fed vppon him while he liued shall meete in an houre and exceede them so farre that he suffers for all and maruaile how any torment can bee left for other What faith or feare haue they that go dauncing leaping to this fire as it were to a banquet like a foole which runneth to the stocks How happie were it for men as we liue in these daies if there were no iudgment at all What will we answere when he which made Salomon to write this shall aske why we would not beleeue it what shall we say when he which came from his kingdom to bring vs vnto it demaunds why we did turne the day of saluation vnto the date of vanitie if ye cannot excuse it here how will ye defend it there we were borne in vanitie and we liue in vanitie but wee would not die in vanitie because no man lookes for any good of his sinnes after he is past this world therefore let vs remember that whither the vaine men are gone thither vaine men shall goe There be not two endes for sinners but one what a wofull bargaine will it seeme then to remember that thou didst sell they soule for vanitie If any thing wil reclaime vs this wil◠be a terrour in our heartes to thinke that we shal giue account vnto him which will measure to vs as much miserie as wee haue taken vanitie therefore as Abner saide to Ioab knowest thou not that it will be bitternes in the latter ende So let euery man consider with himselfe though his vanities be swee◠now yet they will bee bitter in the ende As Ammon after hee had fulfilled his lust did hate Thamar which defied her more than he loued her before so when the sport is past and Death lookes vs in the face wee shall hate our vanities more than wee loue 〈…〉 All this 〈◊〉 conclude that our Sauiour said to Martha but one thing is necessarie Which God graunt wee may choose for his sonne Iesus Christ and then wee haue learned this lesson FINIS The Ladder of Peace Reioyce euer more pray continually in all things giue thankes WHen I spake last of these words I shewed you how the Apostle commēdeth vnto vs three vertues of greater price than the three presents which the wisemen brought vnto Christ the first is Reioice euermore the second is pray continually the third in all things giue thankes All three are of one last for wee must reioice continually because he saith reioyce euermore and we must pray continually because he saith pray continually and wee must giue thankes continually because he saith in all things giue thanks These are the three things which one saith Al men doe and no man doth because euerie man doth them and scarce one doth them as hee should Therefore the Apostle to shewe vs how we should doo them well doth put continually vnto them as though continuance were the perfection of al vertues I chose this scripture for a consolation to them which are afflicted in conscience which is commonly the disease of the innocentest soule for they thinke that they doo wel to mourne continually and Paul saith Reioice continually and therefore I will speake a little more of these wordes than I did before If you marke it it may well be called The Ladder of Peace for it stands vpon three steps and euery step is a step from trouble to peace from sorrow to ioy for hee which can Reioyce is past his griefe he which can pray is passing from his griefe he which can giue thankes hath obtained his desire A man cannot reioyce mourne a man cannot pray and despaire a man cannot giue thankes and bee offended therefore keepe still vpon one of these three steps and you shall neuer sorrow too much If thou canst not reioyce as if thy paine were past then giue thankes because thy paine is profitable if thou canst not thinke that thy payne is worth thankes then pray that thou maist haue patience to beare it and it is vnpossible that in praying or thanking or reioycing that any greefe should want patience enough to beare it But when you forget to reioyce in the Lord then you begin to muse and after to feare and after to distrust and at last to despayre and then euery thought seemes to be a sinne against the holy Ghost How many sinnes doth the afflicted conscience
them which breake the lawes of men but to suffer and suffer and euer to suffer all that the diuels would heape vpon vs. Then came the mercie of God for Christ which shedde his bloud like an vmpire betweene God and vs and saide as Esay saide to Hezechia Thou shalt not dye but liue loose him let him goe for hee is mine So we were staied like the widdowes sonne when he was carried to his graue This is the benefite of Christes death and this Sacrament is the remembrance of it and therefore whensoeuer we receiue it this addition commeth with it which is shed for the remission of sinnes our fault was so hainous and greeuous that no ransome could counteruaile it vnlesse God himselfe had suffered for vs. Being in this extremitie neither man nor angel offered his life for vs but the prince himselfe which should haue crucified vs came to be crucified of vs for vs y t we might say with stedfast faith I beleeue the remission of sinnes not the satisfaction of sinnes but the remission of sinnes Marke this distinction against Popish merites of workes or penance Christ hath satisfied and not we we are remitted and not Christ therefore we say in our confession I beleeue the remission of sinnes which I may call the mercifull Article because it is the quintessence and sweetnesse of all the twelue Therefore who but Antichrist durst depraue it If there be a satisfaction for our sinnes by our works or by our pilgrimages or by our masses or by our penance let Christ neuer be called a forgiuer but an exchanger like the Pope which selleth his pardons Wretched creatures which will not receiue the Lord when he comes to their doore Christ saith Take for nothing and they say no we will not take but buy Vile base miserable men disdaine to take grace of God without satisfaction but they will cope with the Lord and giue him so many pilgrimages fast so many daies heare so many masses and paie so manie workes for it vntill they haue done as much good as they haue done euill Our sinnes are infinite and God is infinit but our works are finite in number and measure how can they answere then to that which exceedeth number and measure Therefore be content with Iosephs brethren to take your money againe and say that you haue corne for nothing that is you are saued for nothing or else when you say I beleeue the remission of sinnes you lie vnto God because you doo not beleeue the remission of sinnes but satisfaction for sinnes like the Papists It followeth As often as yee shall eate this bread and drinke this cuppe yee shall shewe the Lords death till he come Here are three inuincible arguments against Popish transubstantiation like the three witnesses vnder which euerie word doth stand First we are sayd to eate bread then it is not flesh but bread Secondly we are saide to shew the Lordes death then it is but a shewe or representation of his death Thirdly it is said vntill hee come if hee be to come then he is not come if he be come how can we say vntill hee come The effect of this verse was shewed in these wordes Doe this in remembrance of me For to say Doe this in remembrance of me and to say So oft as you doe this you shew my death is much at one so that if you call this Sacrament a shewe of Christes death as it is called here then it is not Christ or if you call it a remembraunce of Christ as it is called there yet it is not Christ but a shewe or remembrance of Christ but this is such a shew and remembrance that the next verse saith Whosoeuer receiueth it vnworthily is guiltie of the bodie and bloud of Christ Will yee know who receiueth vnworthely In the nine and twentith verse Paul saith he discerneth not the Lords bodie that is which putteth no difference betweene this bread and other but eateth like a childe the meate which hee knoweth not and after the bread seemeth stones to him and the wine poyson because his conscience telleth him I haue receiued vnwoorthelie before I could say like Dauid My hart is prepared My sheepe saith Christ know my voyce as they discerne Christs wordes so they discerne Christes bodie and therefore so often as they come to the Lordes table they seeme to come into the Lords presence there they greete and kisse and embrace one another with affections which none can know but they that feele like Iohn which leaped in the wombe so soone as Christ came neare him Will yee know beside what it is to bee guiltie of the bodie and blood of Christ euen as Iudas was guiltie for betraying him and Pilate for deliuering him and the Iewes for crucifying him so they are guiltie which receiue this Sacrament vnworthily as Pilate and Caiphas and Iudas were If they be guiltie of Christs death they are guiltie of theyr owne death too as if they had committed two murthers and therefore Paul saith after that many of the Corinthians dyed onely for the vnwoorthie receiuing of this Sacrament As the Worde is the sauour of death to them which receiue it vnworthelie so the Sacrament is the sauour of death to them which receiue it vnworthelie it neuer goeth into their mouth but they are traitors ipso facto may say to Hell this day haue I taken possession of thee because I am guiltie of Christes blood Therefore it followeth immediatlie Let a man examine himselfe before hee eate of this bread or drinke of this wine as if he should say If he which receiueth this Sacrament vnworthely bee guiltie of Christes death like Iudas which hanged himselfe if these signes be receiued to saluation or damnation like the Word the next lesson is to examine your selues before you receiue lest you receiue like the sonne of perdition which swallowed the bread and the Diuell together Therefore Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate that is let him examine first and receiue after for if wee should receiue the bread of the earth reuerentlie how should we receiue the bread of heauen When Iehonadab came to Iehu his chariot hee sayd Is thy heart vpright as my heart is toward thee So when wee come to the Lordes table hee would haue our hearts vpright to him as his heart is to vs for who feasteth his enemies and mockers The golden Ring sitteth highest at our table but the Wedding garment sitteth highest at this table It is safer eating with vnwashen handes than with an vnwashen heart The Iewes were taught to choose the Lambe of the Passe-ouer on the tenth daye of the first moneth in which moneth they came out of Egypt and on the fourteenth daye after they were taught to eate him so they had foure daies respite betweene the choosing and the killing to prepare
which shall he on their death-bed Three things do giue me hope One is that all hearts are in the hands of God to call them at what houre he list and therfore Saul may become an Apostle The next is that the third crow doth waken moe than the former and therefore after the crowing of other this Crow may happily bee heard The last is that there is no sinne but some men haue bene reclaimed from it and so may Vsurers from their sinne Therefore goe my booke like Dauid against Goliah and fight the Lordes battels against Vsurers The Lord giue that successe to his doctrine in these leaues that it may consume Vsurers as Ioshuah droue out the Chananites before him If I could take but this one weede out of the Londoners garden I were answered for my health and my strength spent amongst them Reade with thy best mind thou shalt profit more Thine H. S. THE EXAMINATION OF VSVRIE THE FIRST SERMON Psal 15. verse 1. 5. 1 Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle Who shall rest in thine holy mountaine 5 He that giueth not his mony to vsurie THese two verses must be considered together because one is the question and the other is the answere Dauid demaundes who shall come to heauen and God tels him that Vsurers shall not come thither as if he should say they goe to hell Therefore as Paul taught Timothie to warne them which are rich as though they had more neede to bee warned than other so this sentence seemeth to be penned for a warning to the rich because it strikes vpon the rich mans vice I haue spoken of Briberie and Symonie and now I must speake of their sister Vsurie Many times haue I thought to speake of this Theame but the arguments which are alleadged for it haue made me doubtfull what to say in it because it hath gone as it were vnder protection At last you see it falleth into my text and therefore now I cannot bauke it any longer Therefore if anie heere haue fauoured this occupation before let him now submit his thoughts to Gods thoughts for I will alleadge nothing against it but that which is built vpon the rocke Vsurie is the sin which God will trie now whether you loue better than his word that is whether you will leaue it if hee forbid it For if he flatly forbid it and yet you wilfullie retaine it then you loue Vsurie better than Gods word Therefore one saith well that our Vsurers are Heretikes because after manie admonitions yet they maintaine their errour and persist in it obstinately as Papists do in Poperie For this cause I am glad that I haue anie occasion to gripple with this sinne where it hath made so manie spoiles where it hath so manie patrones for it is sayd that there be moe of this profession in this Citie then there be in all the Land beside There be certaine sinnes which are like an vnreasonable enemie which will not bee reconciled to death and this is one of these euerlasting sinnes which liue and dye with a man For when he hath resigned his pride and his enuie and his lust yet Vsurie remaineth with him and hee saith as Naaman saide Let the Lord be mercifull vnto me in this let mee haue a dispensation for this as though this were a necessarie sinne and he could not liue without it There be three sinnes which are counted no sinnes and yet they doe more hurt then all their fellowes and those are Briberie Nonresidencie and Vsurie these three because they are gainfull are turned from sinnes to occupations How manie of this Citie for all that they are vsurers yet wold be counted honest men and would faine haue Vsurie esteemed as a trade whereas if it were not so gainefull it would be counted as great a sinne as anie othe and so it is counted of all but them which liue by it This is the nature of pleasure and profite to make sinnes seeme no sinnes if we gaine anie thing by them but the more gainfull a sinne is the more dangerous it is and the more gainefull vsurie is the more dangerous it is I will speake the more of it because happely you shall not heare of this matter againe First I will define what Vsurie is Secondly I will shew you what Vsurie doth signifie Thirdly I will shew the vnlawfulnesse of it Fourthly I will shew the kindnes of it Fiftly I will shewe the arguments which are alleadged for it Sixtly I wil shew the punishment of it Seuenthly I will shew you what opinion we should holde of them which doo not lend vpon Vsurie but borrow vpon Vsurie Lastly I will shew you what they should do which haue got their riches by Vsurie Touching the first Vsurie is that gayne which is gotten by lending for the vse of the thing which a man lendeth couenaunting before with the borrower to receiue more then was borrowed and therfore one cals the Vsurer a legall theefe because before he steale he tels the partie how much he will steale as though he stoale by lawe This word more comes in like a sixt finger which makes a monster because it is more then should bee Another defining vsurie calleth it the contrarie to Charitie for Paul saith Loue seeketh not her owne but vsurie seeketh anothers that is not her owne therefore Vsurie is farre from loue but God is loue saith Iohn therfore Vsurie is farre from God too Now all the Commaundements of God are fulfilled by loue which Christ noteth when hee draweth all the commaundements to one commaundement which is Loue God aboue all things and thy neighbour as thy selfe as if hee should say hee which loueth God will keepe all the Commandements which respect God and he which loueth his neighbour will keepe all the Commandements which respect his neighbour therefore to maintaine loue God forbiddeth all things which hinder this loue and amongst the rest here he forbiddeth Vsurie as one of her deadliest enemies For a man cannot loue and be a Vsurer because Vsurie is a kind of crueltie and a kinde of extortion and a kinde of persecution and therefore the want of loue doth make vsurers for if there were Loue there would be no vsurie no deceipt no extortion no slaundering no reuenging no oppression but we should liue in peace and ioy and contentment like the Angels whereby you see that all our sinnes are against our selues for if there were no deceipt then we should not be deceiued if there were no slaunder then wee should not be slaundered if there were no enuie then wee should not be enuied if there were no extortion then wee should not be iniured if there were no vsurie then we should not be oppressed Therefore Gods law had bene better for vs than our owne law for if his law did stand then we should not be deceiued nor slaundered nor enuied nor iniured nor oppressed God hath
if wee did eate him not as the Papists doe in their Masse but as the meate is turned into the substance of the bodie goeth through euerie part of man so Christ and his Word should goe from part of part from eare to heart from heart to mouth from mouth to hand til we be of one nature with them that they bee the verie substance of our thoughts and speeches and actions as the meate is of our bodie This is to eate Christ and his Word or else we do not eate them but chew them when our taste is satisfied spue them out againe Thus we must put on Christ for the Worde signifieth so to put him on as if thou wouldest put him in that he may be one with thee and thou with him as it were in a bodie together As hee hath put on all our infirmities so we must put on all his graces not halfe on but all on and claspe him to vs and gird him about vs and weare him euen as we weare our skinne which is alway about vs. Then there shall be no neede of Wyres nor curles nor perriwigs the husbands shall not be forced to racke their rents nor inhaunce their fines nor sell their lands to decke their wiues but as the poore mantle of Eliah seemed better to Elisha than all the roabes of Salomon so the Wedding Garment shall seeme better than all the flaunts of vanitie put euery fashion out of fashion which is not modest and comely like it selfe If you will know farther how to put on Christ you shall see how your Text will Catechize you in his three names Lord Iesus Christ The Apostle seemeth to spell out the way vnto vs how we should weare this Garment First we must put him on as Lord then we must put him on as Iesus lastly we must put him on as Christ Thou must put him on as Lord that is thy ruler to command thee thy tutor to gouerne thee and thy master to direct thee thou must be no mans seruant but his take no mans part against him but say with the Apostle Whether is it meete to obey God or you Thou must put him on as Iesus that is thy Sauiour in whom thou trustest thy protector on whom thou dependest thy redeemer in whom thou beleeuest thou must not look for thy saluatiō from Angel nor Saint nor anie thing beside him For the name of Iesus signifieth a Sauiour and is giuen to none but him and he is not onely called the Sauiour but the Saluation in the Song of Simeon to shew that he is the onely Sauiour for there may be many Sauiours but there can be but one saluation as there may be many tortures and yet but one death Therefore when hee is called the Saluation it implieth that there is no Sauiour beside him Thou must put him on as Christ that is a King to rule a Prophet to teach a Priest to praie and sacrifice and pacifie the wrath of God for thee For this name Christ doth signifie that hee was annoynted a King a Priest and a Prophet for man a King to rule him a Priest to offer sacrifice for him a Prophet to teach him So that hee putteth on Christ as Lord which worshippeth none but him hee putteth on Christ as Iesus which beleeueth in none but him and he putteth on Christ as Christ which worshippeth none but him beleeueth in none but him and heareth none but him You put on Christ first when you are baptized then you were sealed and consecrated to his seruice so soone as you came into the world you vowed to renounce the world and follow God How many haue put on Christ thus and since haue put him off againe which haue broken the first promise that euer they made and were neuer faithfull to God since You put on Christ againe when you are called and sanctified that is when you cast off the olde man which is corrupt with the lusts of the flesh the pride of life and the cares of this worlde and put on the newe man which is regenerate in righteousnesse holinesse to the Image of Christ or likenesse of Adam in his innocencie for to put on the new man is to become a newe man as if thou were borne againe and conceiued of the holie Ghost Of this Iob speaketh when he sayth I put on Iustice and it couered mee You put on Christ againe when you receiue his holy Sacrament and are partakers of his bodie and blood that is the merites of his obedience and passion by Faith which heareth him as if she did see him and seeth him as if she did feele him and feeleth him as if she did taste him and tasteth him as if she did digest him then Christ is become yours and dwelleth in you and feedeth you with his grace to eternal life as the bread and wine sustaineth the life present Lastly when you haue put on Christ in these three sortes which is your Garment for this world after you shall put on Christ in heauen and be cloathed with his glorie and that shall be your last vesture which shall neuer weare out Thus haue you heard what is ment by putting on Christ first to cloath our selues with righteousnes and holines like Christ then because our own righteousnes is too short to couer our armes and legges and thighes of sinne but still some bare place will peere out and shame vs in the sight of God therefore we must borrow Christes Garments as Iacob did his brothers and couer our selues with his righteousnes that is beleeue that his righteousnes shal supply our vnrighteousnes his sufferings shal stand for our sufferings because he came to fulfill the lawe and beare the curse and satisfie his Father for vs that all which beleeue in him might not die but haue life euerlasting Now I haue shewed you this goodly Garment you must go to another to helpe you to put it on and none can put this Garment vpon you but he which is the Garment the Lord Iesus Christ Therefore to him let vs pray FINIS THE WAY TO VVALKE IN. Rom. 13. 13. Let vs walke honestly as in the day not in gluttonie and dronkennesse neither in chambering and wantonnesse nor in strife and enuying c. HAuing alreadie shewed you a kingdome nowe I will shew you wherein this kingdome consisteth and in what it doth not cōsist as in the fourteenth of the Romanes hee sheweth that it consisteth not in meates and drinkes c. but in righteousnesse and peace ioy in the holy Ghost But because I am to speake of some vices which this text calleth me vnto I will first proceede in them beseeching you as you can heare them to bee condemned so speedily to proceed in execution to put them to death and so to go forward with the rest of your sinnes Let vs walke honestly as
in the day not in gluttonie and drunkennesse c. As if he should saie know you that I bidde you put away from you the workes of darknesse he nameth not all the workes of darkenesse but chiefly those that doe raigne and are cause of more wickednesse that is gluttonie drunkennesse strife and enuying c. three monsters come out of hell and trouble the whole worlde therefore cast off these and you haue cast off all Now to speake of them I wil begin where the vices begin and as I point them out vnto you so I pray you to slay them as if you had marshall lawe in your handes to put them to death By this narration the Apostle sheweth the chaine of sinne how one sinne will draw on another after it for no sinne is so base that it will goe alone wherefore resist all sinnes or none for if you entertaine one sinne it will presently drawe another after it and so the whole house will be full of theeues as Gehezi his pride made him to lye and Adams fall made him to excuse himselfe Peters deniall made him sweare and after his swearing made him curse himselfe c. for the sinner cannot staie after he hath committed one sin to commit another nor till hee hath come to the bottome euen to the bottome of hell If I should stand to anatomize and paint out all vices in their kinde I should craue a longer time than is allotted to mee therefore I will briefly touch them As huge as the sea is yet one maye taste the saltnesse of it in a droppe so in one sinne you may see how ill fauoured all the rest bee for there is no sinne but weakeneth the bodie shorteneth the life corrupteth and consumeth the goods preuenteth grace and maketh vs odious to GOD and to Angels You are giuen to hate your enemies these are they therefore hate them they keepe you from repentance least you should bee saued wherefore I wil shew you what is in this box lest the same goe to your eyes and so blinde you Walke not in gluttonie drunkennesse strife c. These come lyke fayre Ladies with presents in their handes to wooe the vnstable soule of man Gluttonie commeth with the pleasure of the flesh Drunkennesse with the satisfying of the thirst Strife with the reuenge of the enemie And first what gluttonie and drunkennes offereth and how many haue bene deceiued with their sweete meates and strong drinkes till all haue bene turned into a bellie and so turned the body into sinne dayly experience teacheth vs. Now by the way the Apostle we must note doth approue sobrietie vertue that as a man may drinke and not be drunken so he may eate that he loueth and not glut himselfe for he forbiddeth not to eate meate but not to eate too much lest thou surfet for the golden meane is good for all things Salomon doth not forbid to eate honie but eate not too much lest thou surfet As the bodie may not offend the soule so the soule may not iniurie the bodie lest it bee vnfit to serue the soule Manie there bee that thinke they haue not sinned in gluttony til they surfet but this is gluttonie in excesse and punisheth it selfe with many diseases as dulnes of wit want of memorie and shortnes of life Now that you may sinne in gluttonie and not to surfet appeareth by the rich man in the sixteenth of Luke who fared deliciouslie euerie day and neuer surfeted yet for all that hee is called a glutton to teach vs that there be gluttons which do not surfet This kinde of sin much displeaseth God when men eate and drinke and rise vp to play and remember not the afflictions of Ioseph and Lazarus lying at the doore many be such banquets where none do come with a Wedding garment where Christ is neuer inuited Manie thinges may perswade vs to temperance we may learne it of the beastes who desire no chaunge nor hoord not and are content God prouided meate for all creatures as hearbes rootes and grasse before hee prouided anie for man to teach vs what little care wee should haue of our belly for we liue not by bread onely but by euerie worde that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Christ hath taught vs to fast when he prepared himselfe thereunto in the wildernesse but hee neuer by anie example taught vs to feast some there be which thinke hee did neuer eate flesh but in the paschall Lambe which although it doth not teach or debar vs from eating flesh which Peter was willed to eate in the vision yet it teacheth vs to tame the flesh lest Hagar should get the vpper hand of her mistresse When the belly is full the flesh lusteth the tongue prateth the wit sleepeth and Satan carrieth away the minde when the vnderstanding is away As the moyst and waterish groundes bring forth nothing but frogs and toades so the belly and watrie stomacke that is stuffed like a tunne bringeth forth nothing but a drousie minde foggie thoughts filthie speeches and corrupt affections therefore the Phisition saith nothing better for the bodie then abstinence the Diuine saith nothing better for the soule then abstinence the Lawyer saith nothing better for the wits then abstinence but because there is no lawe for this vice therfore it breaketh out so mightilie Whoredome hath a lawe Theft hath a lawe Murther hath a lawe but this sinne is without law Now to the second sinne which is Drunkennes these are two sisters betwixt whom there is little difference in this sinne some are mad some are merrie some doe vomite some doe sleepe and some doe reele and then there is no difference betweene a man and a beast sauing that the one can stand and the other cannot As euerie Scripture that maketh against Theft maketh against Nonresidencie so euerie reason which maketh against gluttonie maketh against drunkennesse Now after these commeth chambering and wantonnesse and no meruaile sayth one though the impes doe followe when the diuell goeth before for fulnesse of bread went before the sinne of the Sodomites So when Dauid had dined and was full walking vpon his pallace his eyes glaunced his flesh lusted his heart consented the fire burned and there was no water to quench it And therefore in that so great a champion as Dauid did fall let him that standeth take heede lest hee fall And seeing that thou in thy selfe art no stronger or mightier imitate and followe the example of those that are cunning wrastlers who to cast downe another wil first fall downe themselues so we to ouerthrowe our enemies must subiect our selues and humble our selues first by fasting and praier Sodome was burned but the sinnes haue escaped Sweete wordes soft attyre wanton behauiour and such like haue conspired and agreed all together to sette honestie to sale And wee vse dailie to pray that wee bee not ledde into temptation and yet wee doe leade our selues into temptation For our fayre
followeth that all the rest might bee cast vpon him as when Salomon desired wisdome before honour God gaue him wisdome and honour too because he sought the best first There was a poole in Iurie where the sicke and Leprous laye for at one time of the daye the Angell came and stirred the water and then he which stept in first was healed of his disease hee which stept in first was healed saith Iohn none but hee which stept in first so he which taketh time is sure but he which foresloweth time oftener faileth then speedeth For when golden opportunitie is past no time will fit for her If Elias would bee serued before the widdow when shee had but a little cruse of Oyle which was not enough to serue her selfe will God be serued after Elias will God bee serued after thee Nay after the flesh and after the diuell Thou maist reade in the 19. of Leuit. and the 13. that GOD would not haue the labourers hire staie in thy hands all night but would haue thee pay him before thou sleepe If God would not haue the labourers due stay in thy hands one night how darest thou keepe his due from him day and night so many dayes and nights and weekes and moneths and yeares together where is the morning sacrifice which God requireth nay where is the euening sacrifice which God requireth the glomy morning hath ouercast the whole day doest thou thinke it enough if thou do not sit in the chaire of scorners or if thou do not staÌ„d in the waie of sinners hee which standeth stayeth not he which sitteth taketh his ease but he which walketh goeth his way Yet he which walketh in the way of sinners though hee neither sit nor stand is not of the blessed number But hee which neither sitteth nor standeth nor walketh is blessed saith Dauid Psalm 1. ver 1. Alas then why doe we sit if they which stande are accurssed and they which walke are not blessed Christ saieth First seeke the kingdome of God and wee say first let mee burie my father first let me bid my friendes farewell and so many things first So long in burying our Father and bidding our friends farewell that is the riches and honours and pleasures of this worlde that there is no time left to seeke the kingdome but followe mee is turned to followe vs Christ must followe our sinnes and come after our pleasures or else he shall not be serued at al. When we were Children we deferred tyll we were men when we are men we deferre tyll wee bee olde men when wee are olde men wee deferre tyll death in all our lyfe wee finde no leasure to liue well but flit from sinne to sin from wicked thoughts to wicked speeches from wicked speeches to wicked deedes as the flie skippeth from scab to scab vntill wee bee cast so farre behinde that we haue no courage to goe forward or else straied so far out of our way that wee care not to seeke it againe Therefore I cannot say to you as Christ saide First seeke the kingdome of heauen for then you should haue sought it long agoe but now I must say with the Apostle Redeeme the time and at last Seeke the kingdome of heauen For it is to be feared that as little flies when many came together plagued and destroyed the Egyptians so short houres but many in sinne and securitie will steale away our whole life and deceiue our repentance while wee liue like beasts longer then Nabuchadnezzar There be not many Lots but many linger like Lot loth to depart vntill they see the fire burne If the Angell had not snatched him awaie Lot had perished with Sodome for his delaye There be not fiue foolish Virgins and fiue wise but fiue for one knock when the doore is shut There bee not many Simeons but many as old as Simeon which neuer yet imbraced Christ in their hearts They thought to repent before they were so olde yet now they doate for age they are not olde enough to repent yet Naye I answere many Masters of Israell Maiors Aldermen Sheriffes Iustices Baâ—liffes Constables Gentlemen know no more what it is to be borne againe than Nicodemus which came by night line after line sermon after sermon and the Black more like himselfe All their tearms are vacations all their religion promises and all their promises hypocrises In stead of catechising their children as Salomon teacheth them they catechise them to hunt hawke to ride and vaute to ruffle sweare to game and daunce as they were catechised themselues least the childe should prooue better than his father and then he is qualified like a Gentleman Is this to seeke the kingdome of heauen first or last or not at all Woe to the securitie woe to the stubbornnesse woe to the drousinesse of this age The theefe commeth at midnight and we sleep till the dawning of the day we let in sathan before wee bid him auoyd we sell our birthright before it come to our hands we seek for oyle when our lampes should burne this daye passeth like yesterday and to morrowe we will spend like this day So hee which should haue the first fruites can get no fruites because we mar the ground before we sowe it Consider this ye which might haue known a thousand things more than yee doo if yee had begun when Salomon taught you God will not alway knocke at the doore Christ will not alway clocke like an Henne Iohn will not alway crie in the wildernesse but mercy is in the foreward and iudgement in the rereward They which can saye now We haue a prophet shall say We had a prophet but wee entertained him like the Gergesites so God sent him awaie from vs like Ionah to the Niniuites when the Israelites despised him Yet Wisedome cryeth in the streetes Let euerie Ioseph store vp before the famine come for he which promiseth thee pardon when thou doost returne dooth not promise that to morrowe thou shalt returne Repentance is a gift and a gift must be taken when it is offered The time past is gone and thou canst not recall that to repent in the time to com is vncertaine thou canst not assure that to repent in the present time is onely thine and thou maiest repent in that but anone that will be gone too Therefore as Samuell began to serue God in his minoritie as Timothie read the Scriptures in his childhood and Iohn grewe in spirit as hee rypened in yeares so whether thou be olde or yong thy repentance caÌ„not come too soone because thy sinne is gone before If thou lackest a spurre to make thee runne see how euerie day runneth awaye with thy life youth commeth vpon childhood age commeth vpon youth death commeth vpon age with such a swift saile that if all our minutes were spent in mortifying our selues yet our glasse would bee runne out before wee had purged halfe our corruptions All these examples sentences and Prouerbs and
our sinnes are washed with Christes bloud when our bodies are washed they are taken out of the water againe to signifie how we shall be raised from death to life by the resurrection of Christ and how we should rise from sinne to righteousnesse thus we begin our life with a solemne promise to God before the Church to serue him with our bodies and soules till death vs depart Now let vs remember how we haue kept this promise with the Lord or rather how we haue broken promise with him then we gaue our selues to GOD but since we haue giuen our selues to sinne then wee promised to renounce the world but euer since we haue embraced the world therefore now let vs begin to pay that which we ought so long and pray the Lord which hath instituted this Sacrament as a seale of his mercie to receiue this child into his fauour as we receiue it into his Church to baptize it with his spirit as wee baptize it with water and powre vpon it his grace as we giue it the signe of grace FINIS THE PILGRIMS WISH PHILIP 1. 23. I desire to bee dissolued and to bee with Christ. HEere is Pauls desire to be dissolued and the cause that he might be with Christ wherein first you shal see the difference betweene the faithfull and the wicked how one loatheth this life and the other longeth after it Secondly because the Apostle seemes to desire death you shall see whether any man may wish to die Thirdly because after his dissolution hee hopes to bee with Christ you shall see the diuersitie of iudgements betweene Paul and the Papists which think when they are dead that they shall goe on to Purgatorie Lastlie because the soules which are with Christ cannot walke as they did when they liued vpon the earth you shall heare a little of walking spirits which haue beene so much talked of in the time of poperie and were taken for the soules of them which were dead after wee will speake a little of the Sacrament which yee come to receiue and so commit you to God I desire to be dissolued Before Christes comming when the Kings or Patriarches died it is said that they went to their fathers as we read of Dauid and Salomon c. but after Christs comming when the faithfull die they are said to go to Christ as we read of the penitent thief Luke 23. 43. Not because the Patriarches went not to Christ as well as they but because yet Christ was not ascended to heauen therefore they are not to go to Christ although if they went to heauen they must needes go to Christ because Christ touching his Godhead was alwaies in heauen I desire to be dissolued As the wordly long for Christ to come to them so the faithful long to go to Christ for vnlesse we ascend to him as he descended to vs his descending is in vaine because he came downe that we might go vp he descended to take our flesh we ascende to take his kingdom he descended to be crucified we ascende to be glorified he descended to hell we ascend to heauen that is to ioy to glory to blisse to our father to our Sauiour to our comforter to Angels to Saints to eternall life therefore good cause had Paul to desire to be with Christ that he might be at rest for no doubt it was the sweetest voice that euer the theefe heard in this life when Christ said vnto him This day shalt thou bee with me in Paradise Luke 23. chapt vers 45. Besides as Paul persecuâ—ed before so he was after persecuted himselfe as he tels the Corinthians 2. Cor. 11. 24. I was thrise beaten with rods I was once stoned I suffered thrise shipwrake c. Therefore good cause had Paul to desire to be with Christ that he might be out of trouble Yet he wil not dissolue himself but desireth to be dissolued that is that he which brought him into this world would take him out of the world neither doth he wish or pray or make any petitioÌ„ to God to take away his life but tels him his desire desiring to be dissolued to desire is not to pray but shewes what we approue neither doth he desire so to be dissolued as though he were weary of his labors would suffer no more for Christ but he is content to liue as he saith in the 24. vers Neuertheles for me to abide in the flesh were better for you as if he should say to do you good I am content to suffer euil and stay still from Christ whom I long to be with Seeing then that he wil not dissolue himself nor pray to be dissolued but is content to liue stil why doth he say I desire to be dissolued Onelie to shew what he preferreth in his desire if hee might choose life or death for his owne respect he could be content to leaue friends and riches and pleasures and life and all onely to bee with Christ This seemes to be a good lesson for sickemen when they can liue no longer then to be with Christ were better then to be with the glutton which neuer thought of heauen til he was in hell but Paul was not sicke nor sore when he desired to be dissolued therefore this is not onely for the sicke but for the whole If he had wished to liue stay still in the world no man need to be taught to say after him for yong old desire not to be dissolued but few are content to bee dissolued To a naturall man in this life nothing is so sweete as life it selfe and he which is in loue with this world seldome dyeth quietly vpon his bed but to a minde which misliketh this worlde nothing can come so welcome as death because it takes him out of the world This it is which Paul would haue vs learne that nothing in this world is so pretious or pleasant that for it we should desire to liue or stay from God one hower though all may not wish to die yet all must subscribe to this that death is better then life because it leads to Christ which when Paul had throughlie tasted he was satisfied for all things else and desired to liue no longer that he might bee with Christ heerein appeareth the end of mans life which when he hath obtayned he desireth to liue no longer how great riches and honours and friends soeuer he leaue behind him From the time he knoweth Christ crucified and begins like Enoch to walke with God he cryeth euer after with the Apostle I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ who shall deliuer mee from this bodie of sinne death weare to me aduantage Euen as Simeon reioiced that Christ came to him so the faithfull reioice that they shall go to Christ The necessitie of sinne is so irksome to him which knoweth the vilenesse of sinne that the faithfull man but to doe good would not liue
then before seeing the daye of his death was so neere But you will say Whatsoeuer it was it seemes that he could prophecie of things to come for hee foretold Sauls death Can the diuell prophecie This was an easie matter for the diuell to prophecie because he knew that Dauid was annoynted before and therefore Saul must be remooued that he might reigne as he was annoynted Secondly he knew that Samuel had prophecied his confusion and therefore hee must bee degraded that the Prophecie might bee fulfilled Thirdly hee did see the Philistins comming against him and therefore no meruaile if he did aime that his death was neere at hand seeing a man might prophecie the same If any man bee not satisfied with this to beleeue that the soules of the dead doe not walke after their dissolution let mee reason with him thus Is it a soule which thou seest Why a soule is a spirit and cannot bee scene no more then a voyce or an Eccho diddest thou euer see thine own soule though it hath been euer with thee since thou was borne Doest thou thinke it is a bodie Why a bodie cannot walke without a soule for the soule is the life which mooueth the bodie If thou say it is a bodie and soule too then why doth Paul call death a dissolution It is a separation of the soule from the bodie if the bodie and soule bee not dissolued then the man is not dead but liuing still If thou say the soule is come to the bodie and the bodie is risen to the soule for that time then I can say no more to thee but beleeue thine owne eyes If thou thinkest that it is such a mans bodie which thou seest looke in the graue and open the ground and there thou shalt see the bodie where it was laide euen while this vizard walkes in thy sight therefore apparitions are no other then that which appeared to Saul Thus the Diuel hath many wayes to deceiue and this is one a dangerous one to draw vs from the word of God to visions dreames and apparitions vpon which many of the doctrines of the Papists are grounded They had neuer heard of Purgatorie but for these spirites which walked in the night and tolde them they were the soules of such and such which suffered in fire till their masses and almes and pilgrimages did raunsome them out So these night spirits begate Purgatorie and Purgatorie begate trentalles as one Serpent hatcheth another Yet a third question riseth out of these wordes and that is this Whether a Christian may wish for death As Paul desired so may wee desire if wee haue Pauls spirit As Christ told his Disciples when they asked him whether they should pray for fire from heauen as Elias did Christ answered that they knewe not of what spirit they were as if he should say If you were of Elias spirit and did praye with the same mind and to the same end that he did then you might pray as he prayed The wicked wish to die because they would bee rid of the crosse and suffer no more for God as Cain so soone as he was cursed and knew that his life should be a torment he sought to dye to preuent the iust iudgement of God spight him as it were which shuld punish sinnes So doe the people oftentimes which haue not to satisfie hunger the sicke which saint of an incurable disease and the wearie captiues in prison galleis and bonds As for the faithfull if they at any time wish to die they pray for death as the last remedy against sinne and Sathan euen as they pray in the Reuelation for the hastening of Christs comming to iudgement Come Lord Iesus come quickly for the shortening of the daies of sinne least all flesh should perish But they which wish for death in this sorte would dye as the will of God hath ordained and mortifie their flesh to abide these troubles and still by fayth suppresse the doloruos griefe of sin by frequent meditation of inward ioy receiued by grace in Christ and therein reuiue themselues as with the earnest pennie of their inheritance which they shall receiue at the fit time when it shall comfort them much to haue suffered so long Much therefore haue they to answere which are not contented to die in peace and stay till they bee dissolued but as though themselues were the authors of life death from cruell heart giue wrongfull commission to the bloodie hand to cut asunder that which God hath ioyned the louing soule and their body as Iudas Achitophel Saul and Pilate did not one of these was good in life or death Yet the Author of the Macchabees commendeth Raz is most of all for that which was the greatest sinne that euer he did for killing himselfe Man was not borne of his owne pleasure neither must hee die at his owne lust or else it had been good for Iob which suffered more than any Saint except Christ to make away himselfe as Iudas did But why is it commanded then thou shall nor kill If thou maist not kill another much lesse maist thou kill thy selfe As for the example of Sampson Iud. 16. 30. which may seeme to oppose against this in that he killed himselfe when as he pulled the house vpon his owne head and all that were with him vnderstand that hee was a figure of Christ which vanquished moe in his death than in all his life and it appeareth that he had warrant from God in that his strength being taken from him was for the acte in a moment restored to him vpon his prayer And the Epistle to the Hebr. 11. 13. to cleere that fact saith that he did it of faith that is knowing that he had deserued to die and that by these meanes the enemies of God should bee destroyed he submitted himselfe to the good will of GGD like a good Captaine which ventured his life to kill his enemies therefore we must not looke to particultr examples but to the generall law Wherfore let no man doe this euill that any good may come of it but rather follow the aduise of the holy Apostle as it becommeth vs with patience let vs runne out the race which is set before vs. Here I might shew you that they are guiltie of their owne death that kill themselues with surfetting intemperance drunkennesse c. although they loue their life too deare yet they take all meanes to hasten their deaths Thus much of Purgatorie night spirits and praying for death Nowe it remaneth that as the Leuites sanctified their brethren before they did eate the Passeouer so I would prepare you before yee eate this holy Sacrament of which the passeouer was but a signe The Iewes were taught of God before they did eate the Passeouer to put away leauen out of their houses the daie before Exod. 12. 15. Hath God care of leauen No this is it which the Apostle teacheth 1. Corinth 5.
speake of daies but asked him how old he was yet he answered of daies to shew that not only his yeares but his daies were fewe Our fathers marueiling to see how sodainlie men are and are not compared life to a dreame in the night to a bubble in the water to a ship in the sea to an arrow which neuer resteth till it fall to a player which speaketh his part vpon the stage and straight he giueth place to another to a man which commeth to the market to buy one thing and sell another and then is gone home againe so the figure of this world passeth away This is our life while we enioy it we loose it as Iacob sayd that his daies had been fewe so wee may say that our daies shall be few Now why hath GOD appoynted such a short time to man in this world Surely least he should deferre to doe good as his manner is for though his life is so short yet he thinks it too long to repent The Prophet saith that our yeares are but threescore and ten as though this were but a little time to liue But why should we liue so long for if our life were but a yeare yet a yeare is more then we vse al the rest is lost for wee deferre till that weeke which we thinke will be last It is sayd of the diuell that he is busie because his time is short but the time of man is shorter and therefore Christ saith In this thy day as though no day could bee called thy daye but this daye and therefore all that thou hast to doe thou must doe this day Consider this all which trauell toward heauen had wee not neede to make hast which must goe such a long iourney in such a short time How can he choose but run which remembreth that euery day runneth away with his life The fourth poynt is our aptnesse to forget death rather then any thing els and therefore Moses praieth the Lord to teach him to number his daies as though they were still slipping out of his minde He which hath numbred our daies must teach vs to number our daies for when Moses prayeth the Lorde to teach him to number his daies he signifieth that he would very faine remember them but still his minde did turne from them and that he could not thinke vpon them longer then he thought on the Lord which taught him to number them such is the rebellion of our nature wee cannot remember that which wee should because we remēber so many things which we should forget How often doth the Scripture cal death to our minds Yet we read how they put the day of death from them would not remember it Salomon bids vs remember that we shal come to iudgement yet we reade how they pleade against the day of iudgement and syllogize to their sinnes That all things shall continue as they be because there hath been no chaunge yet euen so it is with vs as the foole saith in his hart there is no God so we say in our hearts there is no death or at least death will not come before we bee old Of al numbers we cannot skill to number our daies we can number our sheepe our oxen our coyn but we think that our daies are infinite therfore we neuer go about to number thē We can number other mēs daies and yeres think they wil die ere it be long if we see them sick or sore or old but we can not nūber our own When two ships meet on the sea they which are in one ship thinke that the other ship doth saile exceeding fast but that their ship goeth faire and softly or rather stādeth stil although in truth one ship saileth as fast as the other so euery man thinkes that other post and run and flye to the graue but that himselfe standeth stocke still although indeede a yeare with him is no longer then it is with other beside that we are giuen to forget death wee striue to forget it like them which say we may not remember Teach me to number my daies nay teach me to multiplie my daies teach me to remember death nay teach me to prolong death or if I cannot prolong death teach me to forget death that I may sinne without feare for the remembrāce of death maketh a man to sinne fearefully takes away the pleasure of sinne Therefore if ye mark there is a kind of men which cannot abide to heare of death they are sick with the name of it the reason is Achab cannot abide Michaiah because hee neuer prophecied good vnto him but euill so death neuer prophecied good to the wicked but euill for which they cannot abide it Therefore as Pharaoh bad Moses goe out of his sight so they bid death goe out of their sight and say when he comes as Achab said to Eliah Art thou here my enemie whē they should say welcome my frend For as the diuels thought Christ was come to tormēt them so the vngodly think that death comes to tormēt them Is it peace when they see death they doubt it is not peace because they neuer loued the God of peace O that I could bring you into their hearts that yee might see more then tongue can expresse for I doe not thinke that any Epicure or worldling or Nonresident haue any ioy to thinke of death or desire to be dissolued but rather that hee might neuer bee dissolued because death coms to the wicked like a iayler which comes alwaies to hale vnto prison therefore their care is not to remember death that they might apply their hearts to wisedome but to forget death lest they should apply their harts to wisedome and loose their pleasures before the time for he which is not purposed yet to leaue his sinnes would not be troubled with any thought that might make him take his pleasure fearefully least he should leaue sinne before sinne leaue him Therefore the diuell doth neuer teach a man to number his daies because he gains by the forgetfulnes of death but the Lord which would haue a man to applie his heart to wisedome it is he which teacheth vs to number our daies and therfore Moses praieth vnto him because we pray not vnto him as he did to teach vs to number our daies therefore we die like wormes before we be aware So farre we are from that which he shooteth at to apply his heart to wisedome that we are not in the way vnto it that is to remēber that wee shall die The last poynt is the cause why Moses would learne to number his daies that he might apply his heart to wisedome as if he should say vntill men think vpon death they neuer applie their hearts to wisedom but busie themselues with worldly matters as though they were fethering a nest that should neuer be pulled down Wisedom hath alwaies carried that shew of excellencie that the
doe as they doe if they did but thinke that these speeches and deeds should come to iudgement As the bird guideth her flight with her traine so the life of man is best directed by a continuall recourse vnto his end The thoght of death hath made many sinnes auoid like the diuel when Christ alleaged Scripture it is like a strainer all the thoughts and speeches and actions which come through it are clensed and purified like a cloth which commeth out of the water Seeing then that so much fruit growes of one stalk which is the numbring of our daies let vs consider what an haruest we haue lost which happily before this day neuer prayed with Moses that the Lord wold teach vs to number our dayes What if we had died in the dayes of our ignoraunce like Iudas which hanged himselfe before he could see the Passion or Resurrection or ascension of Christ But God hath cared for vs more then we haue cared for our selues We should haue numbred our dayes and sinnes too but alas howe many dayes haue wee spent and yet neuer thought why any day was giuen vs But as the olde yeere went and a newe yeere came so we thought that a new would follow that and so we think that another will come after this and so they thought which are dead already This is not to number our dayes but to prouoke GOD to shorten our daies there are few here which haue not seen twentie years now if we had but euery yeare learned one vertue since we were borne we might by this time haue been like Saints among men but the time is yet to come when we must applie our hearts to wisdome To riches pleasures we haue applyed our harts and our eyes and our eares and our handes too but to wisdome we haue not applyed our hearts There may be many causes but there shuld be no cause if wee had numbred our dayes For surely if a man could perswade himselfe that this is his last day as it may be he would not deferre his repentance vntill to morrow If he could think that this is his last meale that euer he shall eate hee would not surfet if he could beleeue that the words which he doth speake to day should be the last that euer he should speake he would not offend with his tongue if hee could be perswaded that this sermon should be the last sermon that euer he should heare he would heare it better then euer he heard any yet Yet breath is in the bodie and the heart may applie it selfe and the eye may applie it selfe and the eare may applie it selfe and the hand may applie it selfe Worke while it is light I can but teach you with words as Iohn Baptized with water As Moses prayed the Lord to teach him to number his dayes so you must pray the Lord to teach you to number your dayes And now I lead you to number your dayes It may bee that thou hast but twenty years to serue God wilt thou not liue twenty yeares like a Christian that thou maiest liue a thousand yeares like an Angel It may bee that thou hast but tenne yeeres to serue him wilt thou not serue tenne yeares for heauen which wouldst serue twenty yeares for a farme It may be that thou hast but fiue yeares to serue God wilt thou spend fiue yeares wel to redeeme all thy yeares for fiue Yet GOD doth knowe whether many here haue so long to repent for all the yeares which they haue spent in sinne If thou were borne but to day thy iourney is not an hundred yeares If thou be a man halfe thy time is spent already if thou be an olde man then thou art drawing to thy Inne and thy race is but a breath therfore as Christ said vnto his Disciples when he found them sleeping Could ye not watch one houre So I say to my selfe and to you can we not pray can we not suffer a little while He which is tyred can crawle a little way a little farther one steppe more for a kingdome For this cause God wold not haue men know whē they shall die because they should make readie at all times hauing no more certaintie of one houre than another Therefore our Sauiour saith watch because you know not when the Lord will come to take you or to iudge you Happy are they which hear the word and keepe it Thus you see that death is the last vpon earth that the time of man is set that his race is short that he thinkes not of it that if he did remember it it would make him applie his minde to good as he doth to euill and nowe I ende as I began The Lord teach vs to number our dayes that wee may applie our hearts to wisedome Amen FINIS A LOOKING-GLASSE for Drunkards Gen. 9. 20. 21. 20 Noah also began to be an husbandman and planted a vineyard 21 And he drunke of the Wine and was drunken and was vncouered in the midst of his Tent. FIrst we are to speake of Noah then of Cham his wicked sonne after of Shem and Iapheth his good sons In Noah first of that which he did wel thē of his sin In Cham first of his sinne and then of his curse In his brethren first of their reuerence and then of their blessing Nowe wee will speake of the Father and after of his Children Then sayth Moses Noah began to bee an husbandman This is the first name which is giuen to Noah after the flood hee is called an Husband-man and the first worke which is mentioned was the planting of a Vineyard One would thinke when all men were drowned with the flood and none left aliue to possesse the earth but Noah and his sonnes that he should haue found him selfe something els to doe than to plant Vineyards and that the holy Ghost should haue intituled him king of the world and not an husband-man of the earth seeing there bee no such men as Noah was which had more in his hand than any king hath in the world or shall haue to the worlds end but hereby the holy Ghost would shew that God doth not respect kings for their titles nor men for their riches as we doe and therefore he nameth Noah after the worke which he did not after the possessions which he had an husbandman It seemeth that there was great diuersitie between their age and ours For if we should see nowe a King goe to plough a Noble man driue the teame a Gentleman keepe sheepe he should be scorned for his labour more than Noah was for his drunkennes yet when we reade how this Monarch of the world thought no scorne to play the husband-man wee consider nor his Princely calling nor his auncient yeares nor his large possessions to commend his industrie or modestie or lowlie minde therein which may teach vs humilitie though we learne to disdaine husbandrie of whom will we learne to be humble if Kings
went off Thus Adam which began the world at first was made naked with sinne and Noah which began the world agayne is made naked with sinne to shewe that sinne is no shrowder but a stripper This is one fruite of the Vine more then Noah looked for in stead of being refreshed and comforted he was stripped and scorned There is a thing which followeth sinne which Iob calleth a rod which the sinner neuer thinketh of before he haue done When the childe hath faulted then he is beaten so now Noah hath sinned he must bee beaten first he is stript naked after he is scourged wine putteth off his cloathes and then Cham commeth lasheth him to shew that wine can both cheere the hart and grieue the hart As the forbidden tree when it promised our parents knowledge tooke their knowledge from them so euery sinne giueth other wages then it promiseth Little thought Noah that wine would make him naked but now hee is naked and stripped too as though hee were first stripped and then whipped Hee which beleeued the threatning like Lot when others mocked he which escaped the floud when others were drowned he to whō all the fowles of the ayre and the beasts of the earth flocked in couples as they did to Adam hee which was reserued to declare the iudgements of GOD and begin the world agayne Noah the example of temperance the example of moderation the example of sobrietie lyeth naked in his Tent for drinking the wine which hee himselfe hath planted the operation of wine was drunkennesse the sequell of drunkennesse was nakednesse the effect of nakednesse was derision As the Serpents sting is in his taile so the end of sinne is bitternesse least he should loue the vice wherewith hee was once defiled as they which are once drunke hardly get out of the sellar God giueth him a Memorandum like Iacobs limping that he was neuer drunken after but learned temperancie of intemperancie therefore it is good a little to feele the sting of sinne that we may handle it like a hornet Now when Noah the father was drunken Cham the sonne becommeth a scorner the father deserued to bee despised of his sonne because he had disfigured the image of a father Therefore it followeth When Cham the father of Canaan sawe the nakednesse of his father he tolde his two brethren without c. Drunkennes was his fault and shame must be his punishment Wherby you may note how God doth proportionate match sins and punishments together that a man may looke vpon his punishment like a glasse and see his sinne Againe by this you may see how God doth bring forth the faults of the iust aswel as the vniust or els other would say as Christ saith Ioh. 8. Who can accuse me of sinne What a griefe was this to Dauid that his son should bee his traytor So to increase the griefe of Noah his sonne was his scorner He may say as the Psalmist saith Psal 54. 12. It is thou O man euen my companion and familiar which delighted together If mine enemie had defamed me I could haue borne it or I woulde haue fled from him but he whom I haue loued nay he whom I brought into the world made me a shame to the world like the Viper which killeth the damme that beareth it So oftentimes the prophecie of Michaiah proueth true A mans enemies are they of his owne house Chap. 7. 6. As Iudas betrayed his Master Who can reclaime a wicked disposition how deepe was the roote of euill hid in his heart that Noah could neuer know it before he shewed it Vntill now Cham seemed as good as Shem and if Iaphet had said thou shalt be cursed he would haue said thou shalt be cursed Hipocrisie is spun with such a fine thred that we may liue as long with a man as Noah did with Cham and scarce discerne him Heere are two sinnes which goe before Chams curse one that he did see his fathers nakednes the other that he did reueale it vnto his Brethren When he sayth that Cham saw his fathers nakednes he meaneth that he looked vpon it with a pleasure as Dauid vpon the nakednes of Bethsheba for he might haue seene it by chaunce and not offended as a man seeth an Image and detesteth it The Edomites are reproued for looking vpon the affliction of their brethren because they reioyced to see it But the friends of Iob looked vpon his afflictions and are not reprooued because they sorrowed to see his sorrowes Therefore Cham did not sinne in seeing but in gazing and reioycing like the Edomites There is a wise eye and there is a foolish eye the wise eye is like the Bee which gathereth honie of euerie weede the foolish eye is like the spider which gathereth poyson of euery flower Therefore God licensed Abraham to see the flames of Sodome which he forbad Lot because that which teacheth one tempteth another it is a true Prouerbe the eye is a shrew although it shewe light yet it leadeth many into darkenesse If Eue had not seene she had not lusted for it is said Seeing that the tree was pleasant to the eyes she tooke and eate If Achan had not seene he had not stolne For he saith first I saw and then I coueted If Dauid had not seene hee had not lusted for it is sayd first That he did see her and then hee sent for her So when Cham had seene the temptation he was snared with the sin therefore it followeth He told his brethrē which were without c. Thus sin groweth of sin from the eye to the heart and from the heart to the tongue a man may goe into a labyrinth easilie but when he is in hee cannot get out so Cham did see a temptation easily but when he had seene it he could not looke from it Therefore when Esayah speaketh of vanitie he named Cart-ropes of vanitie to shew how one sinne draweth on another as it were with Cart-ropes and one sinner maketh another as Eue did Adam When Sathan was cast out himselfe hee sought euer after whome hee might deuoure so when Cham had strained reuerence himselfe hee laboured to bring his brethren into the same disobedience All men seeke after fellowes and we thinke it euill to be euill alone therefore the theeues before they goe to steale call their mates and say Come with vs Prou. 1. 10. It is enough saith Peter that we haue spent our former time in lusts so it was enough that Cham had faulted himself but when hee had seene he would haue his brethren see too When he was become a scorner he would haue his brethren scorners too therefore as Andrew called Simon and Philip called Nathaniel to see the Son of God so Cham called his brethren to see the nakednes of his father The sins of men are like a plume of feathers for itching eares and an euil disposition breedeth an
is giuen to none but to him which is called Excellent and such a pleasant thing that Paul ioyneth Pray continuallie with Reioice continually and such a heauenlie thing that it makes vs like the Angels which are in Heauen and such a necessarie thing that God built a house for it and made a daie for it and such a holy thing that none but the holie can deale with it and such a strong thing that it ouercommeth GOD which ouercommeth all How is it then that our Fathers spent so much time in praier and we make no account of it Haue we nothing to praie for as well as they Nay they prayed for nothing but wee had neede to praie for the like The Turkes and Idolaters praie to them which caÌ„not heare but he which saith I will heare hath not so many Supplications to him as Noble-men What will we giue God if we will not afford him thanks What will we doe for him if we wil not praise him If thou be wise saith Salomon thou art wise vnto thy seâ—fe so if we doo praie we do praie for our selues Shall the birds sing vnto God and not they for whome hee created birdes What a foole is he which will fight and trauaile and watch for himselfe and will not speake for himselfe If GOD had required such costlie Sacrifices of vs as hee did of the Iewes it is to be feared that hee shall not be serued at all for we are such Gregesites that we would not part from our beasts to Sacrifice to him Therefore let vs not say God will not heare but let vs say we doe not aske for God is redâ—er to giue than we to aske therefore let vs pray that our neglect of prayer may be forgiuen FINIS The betraying of Christ Math. 27. 1. 2. 3. 4. When the morning was come all the chiefe Priestes and the Elders of the people tooke counsaile against Iesus to put him to death And led him away bound and deliuered him vnto Pontius Pilate the Gouernour Then when Iudas which betrayed him sawe that hee was condemned hee repented himselfe and brought againe the thirtie pieces of siluer to the chiefe Priests and Elders Saying I haue sinned betraying the innocent bloud but they sayd what is that to vs see thou to it THE last time you heard how a Publican receiued Christ now you shall heare howe an Apostle betraieth Christ But first heere is set downe what the Priests and the Elders did against Christ of whom it is said When the morning was come all the chiefe Priests and the Elders of the people tooke counsaile against Iesus to put him to death 2. And led him awaie bound and deliuered him vnto Pontius Pilate the gouernour The Priests were Ecclesiasticall persons and the Elders were ciuill Magistrates so they which shoulde haue stoode most for Christ stoode moste against him Marke putteth in the Scribes too Luke putteth in the whole multitude as if he should say The Priests the Scribes and the Pharisies and the Elders and the people Hee which stood for all had all against him Heere is fulfilled that which was prophesied in the second Psalme They banded themselues against the Lord against his annonited But why did they band themselues against the Lord or against his annointed What was their desire of him To haue his goods nay hee had non for himselfe but they were richer than he To haue his libertie Nay that would not suffice them for they had bound him before To bring the people into dislike of him Nay that would not serue them for they had done so alreadie vntill euen his Disciples were fled from him What would they haue then his bloud yea they tooke counsaile saith Mathewe to put him to death They had the Diuels minde which is not satisfied but with death and how doe they continue it Hee saith They tooke counsaile about it When Pharaoh did most foolishlie hee said come Let vs worke wiselie So when they did worst then they seeme to doe it in best maner for they will not sinne without counsaile a wise counsaile to cousult of murther like the Papists counsels when they giue licence for treason They may be fitlier said to take armes then to take counsell For Christ saith before that they came with swords sâ—aues to take him Dauid speakes of a malignant Church that is a Church of malicious persons such a Church was this for they called themselues the Church and went about to kill the head of the Church In the beginning of the night Christ instituted the Sacrament and consulted how to saue them and at midnight they institued their treason and consulted how to destroy him The time which they chose and the Iudge which they chose are specially to be noted the time In the morning c. This therefore is not to be expounded of the beginning of their counsell but of the end of their counsell for they tooke counsell in the night and executed it in the morning When they agreed to goe vnto Pilate it was night but when they brought him to Pilate it was morning But marke how vniustly they handled him before they brought him to the Iudge They should haue done nothing against him before he came to his iudgment but they did all against him except condemning him and crucifying him before they came to the Iudge For all that is spoken before of examining him and mocking him and reuiling him and buffeting him spitting in his face was done before they came to the Iudge which shewes that they were euen angry that they could not kil him without the Iuge too All this was done in the night and therefore Christ saide to his Disciples in the Euening This night all of you shall bee offended for mee Shewing that all these things should be done in the night Therefore Saint Marke saith that Peter and Iames and Iohn where a sleepe when Iudas and his companions came against him which sheweth that it was the time of sleep and in the one and fiftieth verse hee sayth that a yong man ran after with a linnen garment vpon his bare bodie which sheweth that hee hearing a tumult and an vprore to grow in the night ran forth of dores in great hast without his clothes as they doe in a fire to se what was doone and it is added that they stroue to take him and that hee was fayne to slippe of his Linnen and runne away from them naked as Ioseph did when hee left his Cloake with his light Mistresse when he slipt from her which sheweth how voyde of shame and modestie they were to offer such violence to a straunger that hee coulde scarse scape their handes naked although they had nothing against him This I note to shew that their conspiracie against Christ was a night worke like them which hate the light because they doe euill It was not their woont to sit in counsayle in the night but in the
was vndone for euer Heere was the scripture fulfilled The bread of deceit is sweete to a man but his mouth shall be filled with grauell So this gaine of treason was sweete to Iudas but when hee digested it it cracked like grauel in his teeth Who woulde suffer for millions of gold that which Iudas suffereth for thirtie pence and yet manie are contente to sinne for lesse Iudas was a traitour for thirtie pence but a thousand are liars and deceiuers and swearers for a penie If they can get anie thing by lies or oathes or wiles it is like the misterie of their occupation Bee not deceiued the time commeth when you would restore this gaine againe as Iudas did and peraduenture you shall not find the owners where to make restitution How many at the houre of death haue offered their praiers and their supplications and seruice vnto God as Iudas offred his money to the Priests and God woulde not accept it but they dyed as they liued and went from despaire vnto destruction Therefore to day heare his voyce If you will not be so good as Zacheus to restore foure folde for all that you haue gotten by vsurie or briberie or extortion or deceite yet be so good as Iudas to bring againe so much as you haue taken and if you doo it not with Iudas minde but with Zacheus minde it shall be accepted as Zacheus was â— The last consideration is the confession â—â—ich he makes before his death I haue sinned c. Oh Iudas saith one doest thou know that thou hast sinned and diddest not knowe that thou shouldest sinne it is not enough to say I haue sinned So said Saul and Caine and Pharaoh I haue sinned But who saith I will not sinne When sin is past then wee knowe it but if wee did looke to it before then we neede not say I haue sinned for sin is chosen in the darke like bad wares when the faults are not seene Sinne seemes no sinne vntil it come to I haue sinnâ—d that is vntill it be past If Iudas had shewed his repeÌ„tance to God as he shewed it but to men happily his offence might haue founde mercy But he did separate himselfe further from God by his despaire than he was separated before by his treason chose rather to run vnto them which would mock him than vnto him which should succour him Therefore his confession was without remission and though he saide I haue sinned yet God aunsweres not I haue forgiuen to shew that except our repentance be better than his it shal not weigh against one sinne Yet Iudas doth not onelie acknowledge himselfe a sinner which is the most that manie of vs confesse because hee woulde not be counted worse than other but reckoned his sin without an accuser as if one should come forth and 〈◊〉 I haue stolen an horse so he saith I hauâ—◠〈…〉 trayed my maister In what did Iudas sinne in treason then treason is sinne and yet the Papistes counte it a merite as though they should merite by sinne There was neuer any heretike which maintained treason but the Papist Touch not mine annointed saith God nay kill his annointed say they How farre are they from Dauid which would not laie his hand vpon Saul If hee were a man after Gods heart as hee is called then they must be men after the diuels heart After that Iudas had reciued meate of Christ he went about to betray him So after they haue receiued Peace and Plentie and prosperitie of their Prince they goe about to betray her As Dauids enemies longed and saide When will Dauid die and the name of Dauid perish So they long and crie when will Elizabeth die and the name of Elizabeth perish But Elizabeth liueth and they die which seeke her death Iohn cals the Pharisies a generation of Vipers which neuer are borne but their mother dyeth for it How right this fitteth with the papistes for they cannot liue without the death of their mother For the Spaniard which would slaughter them they woulde slaughter the Nurse which cherisheth them Had Zimri Peace saith Iezabel which â—lue his maister So I may say haue they died in peace which would haue slaine their mistresse they which haue not hanged themselues like Iudas haue beene hanged by others like Hammon as though they had beene sent ouer but to visite Tyborn So God hath blessed them that blesse her and cursed them which curse her Therefore some Traitoures haue confessed that they had sinned in betraying the Lords annointed as Iudas confessed that hee had sinned in betraying the Lord himselfe He betraied him as though he had not beene innocent and nowe hee must die he saith I haue betraied innocent bloud Innocent in deede For when he asked his enemies which of them coulde accuse him of sinne they had nothing to answere Innocent in life Innocent in speech and Innocent in thought The infants which be called innocents were not so innocent therefore howe should he bee innocent which betraied the innocentest of all We are taught to be good vnto al but especially to the good but Iudas was naught to all but worst to the best If he had betraied anie he might say I haue sinned because all dissimulation and guile is condemned 1. Pet. 2. 1. But when the innocents are betrayed nay when the innocentest is betraied it seemeth more than sinne because neuer any betraied innocent Christ but Iudas Thus Christ was iustified of his Disciples and his enemies He which betrayed him sayd he was innocent He which condemned him said hee was innocent And the Diuels which made Iudas betray him Pilate condemne him sayde before that hee was the sonne of God and called him holy Thus euery sinner shall bee condemned of himselfe before hee be condemned of God that the Lord may bee iustified when he iudgeth If Iudas coulde haue sayde I beleeue when hee saide I haue sinned God woulde haue aunswered him as Nathan aunswered Dauid Thy sinne is forgiuen But hee confessed and amended not What shall be to them which doe not confesse but defende their sinnes Is not thy sinne worse then Iudas when Iudas saith I haue sinned and thou saist I haue not sinned This is our manner to pleade not guiltie so long as we liue Sinnes and excuses are twinnes borne at a birth one followeth the other Zarah came after Phares out of the wombe Gen. 38. 30. Iudas sayth I haue sinned but wee say I haue not sinned or I haue sinned but a little or I haue sinned against my will so wee minse our sinnes as though they needed no forgiuenes Salomon sayd I am more foolish then anie man but wee would bee counted wiser than anie man Paul called himselfe the greatest sinner but we would be iudged the least sinners so we are ashamed of sinne and yet not ashamed to sinne If we would iudge our selues wee should not be iudged Be not deceiued for sinne doth not ende as it begins When the
and God honoured For after that Iosua had quietly possessed the Lande of Canaan he builded a Tabernacle wherein to call vppon the Lorde not perfect Nowe it followeth in the Text But the Lorde was angrie with mee for your sakes and would not heare me c. So soone as Moses changed his praier God turneth from him and will not heare him So soone we make God to forsake vs if wee doe not according to his will Moses sheweth the cause why God woulde not heare him although he were a great man and in high authority yet he is not ashamed to confesse his fault which hee might haue kept secrete if he would for the people knewe not that he had sinned because the sinne which he committed was not open but secret yea it was but a little repine as in the eleuenth of Numbers the eleuenth verse therefore Moses might haue kept it from them but because hee woulde not iustifie himselfe hee telleth them that the Lorde was angry with him and because hee would not haue the people to iustifie themselues he telleth them it is for their sakes Thus when Moses changeth his prayer God will no longer heare him so wee see that where sin is their prayer is not effectuall so that if wee will hope to receiue by prayer any thing at Gods handes wee must first remooue and take a way the cause of our hinderance which is sinne before wee can receiue the thing wee pray for For here we see that prayer which before pacified the wrath of God which healed Meriam being striken with Leprosie which raised the widdowes Sonne from death to life by which Dauid obtayned victorie which brought downe fire from heauen to consume the Idolaters Sacrifices which brought Ieremiah out of prison and Ionah out of the Fishes belly and made the Sunne to stande stil and the raine to fall from heauen and triumphed ouer all is heere by a little sinne quite ouerthrowne euen like a greate Monarke poysoned with a little Spider But the Lord was angrie with me for your sakes and would not heare me God when Moses had prayed did not graunt his request but was angrie with him but lest Moses should be quite discouraged he straight wayes mitigateth his anger biddeth him be content and speake no more vnto him of that matter God doth not bid him that hee shoulde not praie any more vnto him but that he should pray no more for that thing First God biddeth him to be content as if he should haue said although thou maist not enter into the land yet I will content thee other waies thus God woulde haue vs in what estate soeuer we be to be content with our calling for it is his appointment And seeing he hath in ough to content vs all therefore wee shoulde not murmure nor grudge one at another but be thankfull vnto him because it is his good will and pleasure it shoulde bee so And surelie Moses woulde and was willing that the Iewes should profite by his Doctrine for he hath set it downe in the 20. of Numbers twise and in the 27. 13. in the 32. Deut. 49. and in this place all to the intent to shewe that God is able to content all He is not like to Iacob who when hee had blessed one of his sonnes could not blesse the other but he when hee had blessed the poore blessed the hungry and when hee had blessed the hungrie he blessed them that wept when he had blessed them that wept he blessed them that were reuiled and suffered for Christes sake There is no ende of his blessing because his mercie indureeh for euer God is so mercifull that though we are nor able to praie aright yet he considereth of our praiers and turneth to the best for our good not graunting our request manie times but a better thing than we doe desire of him as when Dauid praied that the Childe gotten in adultery might liue God heard him and did consider of it yet did not graunt his request but a better thing that was that his Sonne Salomon should raigne after him And when our Sauiour Christ praied that that houre might passe ouer him God heard him and did consider of it yet did not grant his request but a better thing that his death should take away the sinnes of the world and here in this place where Moses priaeth God heareth his praier and doth consider of it yet doth not grant his request but a better thing that is that he shall goe into heauenly Canaan Thus wee see that God is so mercifull that hee can scarce punish sinners hee is so louing that often he giueth vs better things than wee can desire who then will offend so merciful and louing a father Let vs seeing God is so merciful vnto vs take heede that we abuse not his mercies lest in so dooing we prouoke him vnto iudgement Now God hath told Moses that he shall not goe into the Land he beginneth to teach him how hee shall doe to see it and biddeth him goe vp into the top of Pisgah and cast his eies Estward and westward and Northward and Southward and behold it c. As a Bird staied with a little string or a strong man in swimming held backe by a small twig so a little sinne staieth this great Captaine that he cannot come within the land of Canaan First God is angry with him enuies him altogether as though hee were not worthy so much as to go vp the mount thus we may see how one of the least sinnes is able to turne from vs all the goodnes all the fauour which God beareth to vs. After God commands Moses to go vp the mount Here Moses obeieth Gods cōmandement but if he had bin like many a murmuring man he would haue denied to go vp the moūt saying what banquet is this to me but a dainty dish set before one forbiddē to eate but Moses had rather die than anger the Lorde againe when he had bid him be content Thus we may learne of Moses to bee content with our calling whether wee haue little or much For God contented Moses as wel with the sight of Canaan as those who possessed it So when GOD hath not ordained vs to see great substance as he hath some of our brethren yet because we should not be discontent he will giue vs as much pleasure at the sight of them in others as though we our selues enioyed them So GOD contenth Moses and he contenteth Iosua for as Iosua came into the land as Moses could not so Moses saw it as Iosua coulde not So I say God contenteth all that Iosua should not enuie Moses nor Moses enuie Iosua And this was the great power of God who although Moses were very old yet was his eie-sight most perfect insomuch that hee could see farther than any of all his company For being vpon the
neuer brought Agrippa to altogether Therefore they which fishe for soul 〈◊〉 must take Paules net and remember what God saith to Ieremie 15. 19. Let them bee conuerted vnto thee But be not thou conuerted vnto them for then thou shalt neuer conuert them Signifiing that our constancie in goodnes shall induce others to turne from their wickednes and make him which is but almost come to altogether This is the substance of Paules replie that it is not enough to be a Christian almost that is to haue a kinde of religion a little knowledge a little faith a cold zeale a flattering holines like the touch of the hem but we must march to perfection and doe his will vpon earth as it is in heauen and contend to be holie as hee is holie This is religion saith Iames to keepe thy selfe vnspotted like a glasse which is still wiped To this end saith Paul 2. Tim. 3. The Scripture doth teache and reproue and instruct and comfort That the man of God might bee absolute And in the 1. to the Ephe. 41. To this ende wee were elected that wee might be holie and without blame And Rom. 1. He describes our iourney from faith to faith not from faith to distrust As Dauid describes the waie of the righteous Psal 840. 7. From vertue to vertue as a trauailer goes from towne to towne till he come to his Inne What a foolish thing were it for the Scribe to stay there whē our Lord telles him Thou art not farre from the kingdome of heauen for therefore Christ telleth him that he is not farre from heauen to incourage him lest he should giue ouer before he come to it So if yee staie at almost and repente in some sort as Esau did when hee wept you may hunt for the blessing as Esau did and goe without it for God is not mocked but God is mocked if colours and shewes will serue When GOD said Seeke my face mine heart aunswered said Dauid I will seeke thy face Psalme 27. 8. So wee must aunswere the Lorde to that which he asketh and not when hee biddes vs seeke his face seeke his backe when he requireth al giue him halfe God asketh Art thou a Christian and thou aunsweres O Lord I am almost a Christian What niggardlie aunswere is this to him which deserueth a thousande times more than the best can giue If thy maister aske thee art thou my seruant wilt thou aunswere him I am almost thy seruant If the Prince aske thee Art thou my subiect wilt thou aunswere I am almost thy subiect If thy father aske thee art thou my sonne wilt thou answere I am almost thy sonne If thou art but almost his son then he is but almost thy father And so it is with God a son or no sonne halfe a sonne is a bastard How doest thou know God to be thy God but as thou art his seruant How doest thou knowe God to be thy father but as thou art his son By thy loue thou shalt know Gods loue for according to thy minde towards him is his minde of thee whereby thou maist truelie iudge whether he fauour thee or hate thee and no way else God loueth nothing almost therefore he doth not loue almost Therefore loue as thou maist be loued or else thy loue is lost Thou must seeke as thou maist finde or else thy labour is lost They shall seeke and finde me saith God because they shall seeke with all their hearts as in Ieremie 29. Chapter and the 13. verse as though they should not finde him though they sought him vnlesse the sought him with all their hearts Naaman is not onelie commaunded to wash himselfe in Iordan but to washe himselfe seuen times and then he shall bee healed So man is not onely commaunded to obey God but to obey him while hee liues and then he shall be saued Be faithfull saith the Angell vnto death and then I will giue thee the Crowne of life Reuel 2 10. When Saul was commanded to kill the Idolatrous beasts he was commaunded to kil all and because he spared some God reiected him Yet God hath more mercie on beasts than on sins Would he haue the beasts of sinners die their vices liue No saith Christ Make cleane within that is leaue no filth behind Whensoeuer Christ cast out one deuill we read that he cast out al euē the legion together so when thou castest out one vice cast out all for one is not worthier than another The Prophet doth teach vs to power out our sins like water which leaueth no taste or colour or sent behinde There is a whole old man and there must be a whole newe man The old man must change with the new man wisedome for wisedome loue for loue feare for feare his worldlie wisedome for heauenlie wisedome his carnall loue for spirituall loue his seruile feare for Christian feare his idle thoughts for holy thoughtes his vaine wordes for wholesome wordes his fleshlye workes for righteous workes This is a Christian altogether as if he were cast in a newe mould As a Painter woulde drawe a beautifull picture which should bee fairer than all women in the worlde hee would marke the speciall grace of euerie one and make one beautie of all so we must make vp a Christian and take modestie from him faith from him loue from him patience from him zeale from him and humility from him vntill it be like the Image of Christ This is the building of a Christian First his foundation is laide and then his walles and then his roofe and then a Christian like Adam in Paradise God made all things good therefore if we bee but almost good all thinges are better than wee The wicked man speaketh out of the corruption of his fleshlie heart and shall not the righteous speake of the aboundance of his spirituall heart Hee which is merrie would be merrier if he knew how He which is enuious would looke sterner if he could He which is proud would goe brauer if hee had it and all if wee could bee worse wee would but let them amend which looke to die For what kinde of man should hee bee which must beare the Image of God be the Temple of the holie Ghost and inherite the kingdome of heauen Who is fit for these things saith Paul Nay who is fit for these things Do ye know no enough in riches nor pleasure nor sinne and thinke that you haue enough of religion before yee haue any The good are knowne because none but they which are good striue to be better Wee are inuited to a banquet shall we go but halfe the way vnto it Were it not better that the fig-tree had borne fruites than leaues that the Virgins had carried oyle than lamps So is it not better for vs to be vessels of gold that come to the Lords table than like the image in Daniel part of gold part of siluer part of brasse part of iron part of clay
what passion expelled what sin repented what good performed since we began to receiue thy benefites this day wee must confesse against our selues that all our works words thoughts haue been the seruice of the world the flesh and the diuell we haue offended thee and contemned thee all the day and at night wee pray vnto thee Father forgiue vs all our sins which haue dishonored thee while thou diddest serue vs run from thee while thou didst call vs and forgotten thee whilest thou didst feede vs so thou sparest vs so we sleepe and to morrow we sinne againe this is the course of al our pilgrimage to leaue that which thou commandest and doe that which thou forbiddest Therefore thou mightest iustly forsake vs as we forsake thee and condemne vs whose conscience condemnes our selues but who can measure thy goodnesse which giuest all and forgiuest all Though we are sinfull yet thou louest vs though wee knocke not yet thou openest though we aske not yet thou giuest what should wee haue if wee did serue thee which hast done all these things for thine enemies Therefore thou which hast giuen vs al things for thy seruice O Lord giue vs a heart to serue thee let this be the houre of our conuersion let not euill ouercome good let not thine enemie haue his will but giue vs strength to resist patience to endure and constancie to perseuere vnto the end Instruct vs by thy word guide vs by thy spirite mollifie vs by thy grace humble vs by thy corrections winne vs by thy benefites reconcile our nature to thy will and teach vs to make profite of euery thing that wee may see thee in all things and all things in thee because O most mercifull father we walk between thy mercie and iustice through many temptations gouerne our steps with such discretion that the hope of mercie may preuent dispaire the feare of iustice may keepe vs from presumption that in mirth wee bee not vaine in knowledge we be not proude in zeale we bee not bitter but as the tree bringeth foorth first leaues then blossomes and then fruit so first wee may bring foorth good thoughts then good speeches and after a good life to the honor of thy name the good of thy children the saluation of our soules remembring the time when we shall sleepe in the graue and the day when wee shall awake to iudgement Now the time is come O Lord which thou hast appointed for rest and without thee wee can neither wake nor sleepe which hast made the day and night and rulest both therefore into thy hands we commend our soules and bodies that thou hast bought that they may serue thee restore them O Lorde to their first Image and keepe them to thy seruice and resigne vs not to our selues againe but finish thy work that we may euery day come neerer and neerer to thy kingdome till we hate the way to hell as much as hell it selfe and euery cogitation and speech and action be so many steps to heauen For thy names sake for thy promise sake for thy sonnes sake O Lord wee lift vp our hearts hands voyce vnto thee in his name which suffered for sinne and sinned not Our Father c. A Prayer for a sicke man ALmightie God and all mercifull Father which art the Phisition of our bodies and soules in thy hands are life and death thou bringest to the graue and pullest backe againe we came into this world vpon condition to forsake it whensoeuer thou wouldest call vs and now the Somners are come thy â—etters hold me and none can loose me but he which bound me I am sicke in bodie and soule but he hath stroken me which in iudgment sheweth mercie I deserued to dye so soone as I came to life but thou hast preserued me till now and shall this mercie bee in vaine as though wee were preserued for nothing Who can praise thee in the graue I haue done thee no seruice since I was borne but my goodnesse is to come and shall I dye before I begin to liue but Lord thou knowest what is best of all and if thou conuert me I shall be conuerted in an houre and as thou acceptedst the will of Dauid as well as the act of Salomon so thou wilt accept my desire to serue thee as well as if I did liue to glorifie thee The spirit is willing but the flesh is fraile and as I did liue sinfullie whensoeuer thy spirite was from mee so I shall dye vnwillingly vnlesse thy spirite prepare mee therefore deare father giue mee that minde which a sicke man should haue and increase my patience with my payne and call vnto my remembrance all which I haue heard or read or felt or meditated to strengthen mee in this houre of my triall that I which neuer taught any good while I liued maye nowe teach other how to dye and to beare theyr sicknes patiently apply vnto me all the mercies and merites of thy beloued sonne as if he had dyed for me alone Be not from me when the enemie comes but when the tempter is busiest let thy spirite bee busiest too and if it please thee to loose me out of this prison wheÌ„ I shal leaue my earth to earth let thine Angel carrie vp my soule to heauen as they did Lazarus and place me in one of those mansions which thy sonne is gone to prepare for me This is my mediator which hath reconciled me and thee when thou didst abhorre mee for my sinnes and thou didst send him from heauen to vs to shew that thou art bound to heare him for vs. Therfore in him I come vnto thee in him I call vpon thee O my redeemer my preseruer and my sauiour to thee be all prayse with thy father and the holy spirite for euer Amen What shall stay me from my Father my brother and my Comforter A comfortable speech taken from a godly Preacher lying vpon his death-bed written for the sicke I Owe to God a death as his Sonne died for me Euer since I was borne I haue been sailing to this hauen and gathering patience to comfort this houre therefore shal I be one of those guestes nowe that would not come to the banquet wheÌ„ they were inuited what hurt is in going to Paradise I shal loose nothing but the sence of euil and anon I shall haue greater ioyes then I feele paines For my head is in heauen already to assure mee that my soule and body shall follow after O death where is thy sting why should I feare that which I would not escape because my chiefest happinesse is behinde and I cannot haue it vnles I go vnto it I would go through hell to heauen and therefore If I martch but through death I suffer lesse then I would suffer for God My paines doe not dismay mee because I trauaile to bring forth eternall life my sinnes doe not fright me because I haue Christ my redeemer the iudge doth not
to euery good as we are to euill Teach vs to remember our sinnes that thou maiest forget them and let our sorrowe here preuent the sorrowe to come Wee were made like thee let not flesh and bloud turne the image of God to the image of Satan our foes are thy foes let not thine enemies preuaile against thee to take vs from thee but make thy word vnto vs like the starre which led vnto Christ make thy benefites like the pillar which brought to the land of promise make thy crosse like the messenger which compelled guests vnto the banquet that wee may walke before men like examples and alway looke vpon thy sonne how he would speake and doe before we speake or do any thing Keepe vs in that feare of thy Maiestie that we may make conscience of all that we doe and that wee may count no sinne small but leaue our lying and swearing and surfetting and coueting and boasting and flanting and inordinate gaming and wanton sporting because they drawe vs to other sinnes and are forbidden as straightly as other Let not our hearts at any time be so dazled but that in all temptations we may discerne between good and euill between right and wrong between trueth and errour and that we may iudge of all things as they are and not as they seeme to bee let our mindes bee alwaies so occupied that wee may learne some thing of euerie thing and vse all those creatures as meanes and helpes prepared for vs to serue thee Let our affections growe so towarde one another that wee may loue thee asmuch for the prosperitie of other as if it were our owne let our faith and loue and prayer be alway so readie to goe vnto thee for our helpe that in sicknes we may finde patience in prison wee may finde ioy in pouertie wee may find contentment and in all troubles we may finde hope Turne all our ioyes to the ioye of the holy Ghost and all our peace to the peace of conscience and all our feares to the feare of sin that we may loue righteousnesse with as great good will as euer we loued wickednes and goe before other in thankfulnes towards thee as farre as thou goest in mercie towards vs before them taking all that thou sendest as a gift and leauing our pleasures before they leaue vs that our time to come may be a repentance of the time past thinking alway of the ioyes of heauen the paines of hell our owne death and the death of thy sonne for vs. Yet Lord let vs speake once again like Abraham one thing more we will beg at thy hands our resolutions are variable we can not performe our promises to thee therefore settle vs in a constant forme of obedience that we may serue thee from this houre with those dueties which the world the diuell and the flesh woulde haue vs deferre vntill the point of death Lord we are vnworthie to aske any thing for our selues yet thy fauor hath preferred vs to be petitioners for other Therefore wee beseech thee to heare vs for them and them for vs and thy sonne for all Blesse the vniuersall Church with truth with peace and thy holie Discipline Strengthen all them which suffer for thy cause and let them see the spirite of comfort comming towardes them as thy Angels came to thy sonne when he was hungrie Be mercifull vnto all those which lie in anguish of conscience for remorse of their sinnes as thou hast made them examples so teach vs to take example by them that wee may looke vpon thy Gospel to keepe vs from despaire and vpon thy lawe to keep vs from presumption Prosper the armies which fight thy battailes and shew a difference betweene thy seruantes and thy enemies as thou didst betweene the Israelits and the Aegyptians that they which serue thee not may come to thy seruice seeing that no God dooth blesse besides thee Make vs thankefull for our peace whome thou hast set at libertie while thou hast laid our dangers vpon others which mightest haue laide their dangers vpon vs And teach vs to build thy Church in our rest as Salomon builte thy temple in his peace Haue mercie vpon this sinfull Lande which is sicke of long prosperitie Let not thy blessings rise vp against vs but indue vs with grace as thou hast with riches that wee may goe before other nations in religion as wee goe before them in plentie giue vs such harts as thy seruants should haue that thy will may be our will that thy Law may be our Lawe and that we may seeke our kingdome in thy kingdome Giue vnto our Prince a Princely heart vnto our counsellers the spirit of counsel vnto our Iudges the spirite of Iudgement vnto our Ministers the spirite of doctrine vnto our people the spirite of obedience that wee may all retaine that communion here that we may enioy the communion of Saints hereafter Blesse this familie with thy grace and peace that the Rulers thereof may gouerne according to thy word that the seruants obey like the seruants of God and that wee may all be loued of thee Now Lorde wee haue commenced our suite our vnderstanding is weake and our memorie short and wee vnworthie to pray vnto thee more vnworthie to receiue the things which we praye for Therefore we commend our prayers and our selues vnto thy mercie in the name of thy beloued son our louing Sauiour whose righteousnesse pleadeth for our vnrighteousnes Our father which art in heauen c. ruption as though wee were made to sinne indeede or in worde or in thought wee haue broken all thy Commandements that wee might see what good is in euill which hath lefte nothing but guilt and shame and expectation of iudgement while we might haue had peace of conscience ioye of heart and all the graces which come with the holie spirite Some haue been wonne by the word but we would not suffer it to change vs some haue been reformed by thy crosse but wee woulde not suffer it to purge vs some haue been mooued by thy benefites but wee would not suffer them to perswade vs nay we haue giuen consent to the Diuell that wee will abuse all thy gifts so fast as they come and therefore thy blessings make vs proude thy riches couetous thy peace wanton thy meates intemperate thy mercie secure and all thy benefites are weapons to rebell against thee that if thou looke into our hearts thou maist saye our Religion is hypocrisie our zeale enuie our wisedome pollicie our peace securitie our life rebellion our deuotion ends with our prayers and wee liue as though wee had no soules to saue What shall wee answer for that which our conscience condemnes Wee are one daye neerer to death since we rose when we shall giue account how euery day hath been spent and how we haue got those things which other will consume when we are gone And if thou shouldest aske vs now what lust asswaged what affection qualified