should haue no apprehension of the state to come yet can hee not bee so happie as beasts who haue neither labour in getting neither care in keeping neither griefe in loosing as is afore mentioned which also Gregorie noteth in this only feare to loose saying If a couetous mā spieth a stronger then himself he feareth that he wil take away his goods If a weaker that he will steale them wherupon he addeth O poore wretch he endureth as much hurt as he feareth to endure Neither feareth hee without cause For as among a flocke of sheepe the Wolfe alwaies choseth the fattest and the Egle among Geefe the best so do theeues and robbers among men lay for the richest 15 Which is more It is a prouerbe that couetousnesse maketh but a small hill for many times it is with the couetous as with Aesops dogge who swimming with a peece of flesh in his mouth seing the shadow thereof taking that to be another piece of flesh opening his mouth to catch that also lost the same which he before had so the couetous man being vnsatiable and euerie way seeking to encrease that he hath doth many times loose that which is in his hand Prou. 15.27 Prou. 28.16 To conclude He that hateth couetousnes saith Salomon trobleth his hous but he that hateth rewards shal liue Likewise in another place He that hateth couetousnes shal prolong his daies Thus the couetous man hauing euen in his self imaginatiō no felicity but in this life is much more miserable because throgh his couetosnes he shortneth the course of his felicitie If the couetous man kindleth an vnquenchable fire for the life to come vnlesse hee bee a sencelesse beast euen in this life he shal feele a tormentor of his wicked conscience which astonishing him in liew of pleasuring him with that which he taketh for his felicitie ministreth to him nothing but hinderaunce feare care anguish and heuinesse The onely meditation and apprehension of these vengeances iudgements of God against the wicked should so pierce our harts that wee might abhorring couetousnes Amend our liues 16 The fourth remedie is this that as the principall spring of couetousnes is distrust of God so we may learne so to rest vpon his prouidence that dayly begging of him our dayly bread wee neuer doubt but that he will giue vs all things necessarie for this life and neuer forsake vs. And this doth the Apostle note saying Let your conuersation be without couetousnesse Heb. 1◠5 and bee content with those things that ye haue for he hath said I will not fayle thee Col 3 5. neither forsake thee It is a kind of Idolatry as S. Paul noteth to put the confidence of life in goods And herein as in manie other things we doe great iniurie and dishonour to God For as golde of it selfe can neither feede nor cloth vs so that which we buy with golde or siluer proceedeth not out of the gold or siluer but from Gods prouidence neither can it minister any help without Gods grace and blessing If wrongfully thou hast gotten gold it is accursed what blessing canst thou then looke for in it considering the same commeth not as is aforesaid from the fauour of God If thou hast any substance well come bye thou hast them from the hand of God for it is hee that hath giuen them Should this pledge of his care for thee engender mistrust of him Experience saith S. Paul engendreth hope Rom. 5 4. Thou as fearing least he should take frō thee that which he hath giuen thee or that he would not giue thee more at thy neede wilt haue it against his will and as it were in despite of him But it will proue to thee poysoned bread and cursed money 17 Imagine therefore that life is better then food Mat. 6.25 Gen. 1. as Iesus Christ said and the body of more valew then the rayment or sustenance Before the creation of man the world was made wher into he was brought as into a pallace replenished and adorned with all goods created expressely for his vse And before the soule the body was created to receiue it Sith hee nourished the body before it was borne into the world and by his only prouidence prouided it of sustenance in the mothers brestes and through her care of clothing before the birth shall we call into question his fartherly care ouer vs Mat. 6 26. Shall wee that are borne and that put our trustes in him feare that he will faile or forsake vs We are more precious in his sight then either foules or hearbes of whom neuerthelesse he sheweth a manifest care to feede them Will the housholder take care to water the hearbes of his garden or fodder his cattell and suffer his men and maides to famish for hunger and thirst Will he take care for his men and maides let his own children starue Moreouer haue not we our liuing our being our mouing from God What will al the worlds good thē auaile vs without Gods blessing Act. 17 28. Luk. 12.15 Take heede and beware of couetousnes saith Iesus Christ for though a man hath aboundance yet his life standeth not in his riches Sith our life dependeth not vpon our riches but vpon God onely let vs put our trust not in our goods but in God vpō whose pleasure our goods doe depend who also hath promised that he wil not forsake those that put their trust in him 18 Among the rest there is yet one mischiefe and that is this We are gluttenous licorous childrē And knowing that our heauenly father will not please vs in our foolish appetites we wil prouide for our selues that plentifully that we may haue the lesse neede to depend vpon him Whereas contrariwise our duty requireth that we should be content with our daily bread that we craue at his hands euen for euery day that we craue it not to heape vp riches for the last day as S. Iames saith Many that say to God Giue vs this day our dayly bread Iam. 5 3. would be very loth he should take them at their word as concerning themselues dayly giue them bread but for a day at once but such men by vsing that praier do make a skorne of God And therfore let vs learne to depend vpon his prouidence to that end to moderate our appetites let vs renounce couetousnes behold we haue wealth enough Let vs practise the speech of a heathen philosopher to a couetous mā Plato Democritus Labor not to encrease thy possession but rather to diminish thy couetousnesse As also another being asked how a mā might become rich answered by growing poore in couetousnes Socrates being demanded who was the richest he saith he that coueteth least is content with a little And indeede the remedy to quench his thirst that is vexed with a whote feuer cōmeth not of giuing him drinke but of taking away his feuer which causeth
the holy supper to the end that by participation in his body bloud we might the more be strengthened in this assurance that Christ is ours together with all his benefits so feede our soules spiritually to life euerlasting And indeed as ther is no saluation but in Christ so doth not Christ any whit profit vs except we belieue that he is ours together with all his benefits Well is he presented vnto vs in the preaching of the Gospell but ther be yet two other points those very notable in the cōmuniō of the holy supper For God who in his preaching speaketh generally to al men in his holy supper directeth his particular promise as it were by name to euery the cōmunicants therin And not so satisfied he also deliuereth them a seale and visible token to assure thē that his pleasure is that Christ with al his benefits should as certainely belong to euery of thē as they see touch and tail that they be partakers of that bread wine that is deliuered vnto thē He thē that careth not to be cōfirmed in this assurance that Christ with all his benefits is his is possessed with too much pride if hee thinketh it needles either that he prophane it as not feeling what a comfort and ioy it is to haue assuraunce of his saluation in Iesu◠Christ The second reason is that we presenting our selues at the Lords table may by so doing make as it were a publike protestation that we haue no fellowship with Idolaters and heretickes neither with the world But that we take our selues to be the children of God the mēbers of the body of Christ that we looke for life and saluation through him onely and so shew forth the benefit of his death al this in remembrance of him to his glorie The first reason declareth how necessary the vse of the holy supper is in regard of our selues The second how requisite it is to the glorie of God and the edification of our neighbours We might also add a third reason That is that the holie Supper is a seale of our vnion knitting together into one bodie vnder our head Iesus Christ as S. Paule expressely saith That we who are many are but one bread and one bodie because we are all partakers of one bread And thus those men that voluntarily do abstaine therefro do depriue their soules of their food Christ of his glorie and by their euill example doe minister offence to their neighbours To conclude They seperate or rather keep them selues seperate from the bodie of Christ Hereby it appeareth that they which be negligent and care not for communicating in the Lords Supper when he giueth them opportunitie do deserue not onely not to be accompted members of Christs Church Nomb. 9.9 but also to incurre the most horrible iudgement and vengeance of God As God in old time declared by Moses That the man that did not celebrate his passeouer should be cut off from among the people and beare his owne sin because he offered not the offering of the Lord in due season 2 Againe we see in sundrie reformed Churches a number of negligent hearers of sermons but yet are there many more that care not for communicating in the Lords Supper and that vpon sundry considerations first some that liue in bad consciences in whordome theft drunkennesse or other iniquities from which they are not determined yet to abstaine do forbeare the communion as doubting least they should aggrauate their condemnation according as saith S. Paule 1. Cor. 11. He that eateth and drinketh vnworthely eateth and drinketh his owne damnation These men doe resemble those who lyuing in fornication do refuse to marrie least thereby their fornication which they are not minded to giue ouer should be the more grieuous as being conuerted into adultery They may also be likened to those who hating their neighbours when they say the Lords prayer Our father which art in heauen c. do leaue out this petition forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespas against vs as imagining that if they should say that they should pray to God not to forgiue their owne sinnes because they forgiue not their neighbours But as they who lyuing in fornication and will not marry least they should forsake their adultery are in a wofull estate so the others that aske no forgiuenes for their transgressions and seek to continue in hatred against their neighbours are worthy double condemnation one in respect of their hatred that they continue the other for their sinnes for the which they aske no forgiuenes Euen so they that forbeare the holy Supper in respect of their bad consciences do pronounce sentence against themselues namely that they deserue double death first for their sinne which they do continue in wicked consciences and secondly because they seperate themselues from the communion of Christ in whom onely is the fulnesse of life What shall they then doe Let them put away their wicked conscience Let them dissolue the bands of Sathan Let them come forth of hell If they say that they can not so farre master their affections Why haue they married themselues to fornication hatred theft and other like iniquities vpon condition that they will neuer be diuorced from the same surely that is a token that they do not steadfastly beleeue that there is a hell prepared for such liners Or at the least the pleasure that they take in their sinne doth quench all remembrance thereof Otherwise the sole apprehension of this horrible and vnquenchable fire would force them to giue ouer the wickednesse that leadeth and draweth them thereto And indeed if in a mightie tempest they should chaunce to finde themselues vpon the sea in daunger of drowning they would a thousand times protest to forsake their bad consciences that so they might submit themselues to the obedience of God But how can they lie downe and sleepe vpon a pillow of fornication theft hatred and other wickednesse giuing themselues as a pray to Sathan if God in his long suffering should not recouer them Let them flatter themselues at their pleasures for if they continue in abusing the pacience of God and abstaining from the holy Supper to the end to goe on in a wicked conscience their estate is most woefull and accursed As he therefore who wanting the gift of continencie and liuing in fornication ought to abhorre it and to prouide himselfe of a remedie by marriage so as often as they haue aduertisment or heare of the celebration of the Lords supper let them at the least thinke themselues wakened and summoned to renounce their wicked consciences and by participating in the holy supper to seperate themselues from the societie of the wicked to glorifie God and to be confirmed in faith and courage to goe forward from good to better 3 Others doe forbeare the communion because they will not submit themselues to Ecclesiasticall orders and discipline If wee might admit
himselfe from this duetie beeing in his iourney yet riding on his chariot hee read the Prophet Esaie but wee Christians will almost be ashamed to shew our selues so religious Yet might this diligence of a great Heathen Lord as yet ignorant together with his feruent affection to reade the holy Scripture make vs to blush for shame for that we do neglect so many our conuenient opportunities and great leasure to reade the doctrine of the Gospell so cleere and full of singular consolations 5 Saint Augustine reporteth that himselfe was conuerted to the true Christian religion by reading the holy scriptures In his confessions also that he was mooued to the sayde reading by hearing the voyce as it were of some little childe singing and saying Take and reade Rom. 13.14 And that obeying that voyce he lighting vppon this place Put on the Lorde Iesus Christ and take no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof was conuerted to the Lorde whome hee had so mightily wythstood How many thousands euen in our dayes haue there beene conuerted and illuminated by reading the Scriptures and other good bookes written vpon the same But this is the mischiefe that many are content with some small tast and darke or weak beginning and neuer thinke it necessarie dayly to goe forwarde albeit vndoubtedly such a beginning of lyght and comfort shoulde kindle theyr heartes and cause them to imitate the labourers in the mines of siluer and golde who when they haue found a good vain of mettall doo followe it to the end But the end of this golden vaine of the holye Scripture will neuer bee sounde for the farther wee reade the more wee shall finde and such are the pleasures thereof that the more wee eate the more will our appetite increase 6 It is surely maruellous that all the endeauours of sathan euer seeking to depriue vs of the holye Scriptures cannot bee vnto vs a manifest aduertisement assured testimonie of the commodity or rather necessitie of reading the same For to what ende did he in the dayes of Antiochus seeke to abolish all the bookes of the lawe 1. Mac. 1 Or to what purpose dyd hee in the Romish Church procure that the people might not bee permitted to reade the holye Scriptures especially in a vulgar or knowen language Could hee more euidently declare himselfe to bee the prince of darknesse and father of lyes than by taking from the people of God the light and truth of Gods most holy and sacred worde May wee not thereof gather that in vs hee feareth nothing so much as the reading of the same Or ought wee not wyth greater courage to growe more diligent and feruent in this duetie This zeale did appeare when by Sathan wee were oppressed wyth this effecte that wee myght not reade but as violence is asswaged so our zeale is quayled The fire appeareth not because the stone lighteth not vppon the steele Yet sayeth Saint Augustine hee that careth not for reading the holy Scriptures August in his 56. sermon to the brethren in the wildernes Esa 5.13 1. Cor. 4.38 sent out of paradise is to feare not onely depriuation of eternall felicitie but also that hee can neuer escape euerlasting punishment For the neglect of reading Gods holy worde is so daungerous a matter that the Prophet in greate sorrowe cryed out My people are gone into captiuitie because they had no knowledge For hee that is ignoraunt shall bee ignorant Vndoubtedly God will not vouchsafe to knowe him in eternall felycitie which in this lyfe careth not to seeke after God by reading the holy Scriptures It were good that we feared Math. 25.12 least wee shoulde heare the same that was sayde to the foolish virgines when the doores were shutte I knowe you not Why shall hee not knowe those whome hee wyll sende into euerlasting fyre Yes so farre foorth as not to aduowe those who in this lyfe cared not to knowe him to bee his in the daye of iudgement Prou. 28.9 And therefore are wee dilygently to note the saying of Salomon Hee that turneth awaie his eare from hearing the lawe euen his prayer shall be abhominable Hee therefore that desireth that God shoulde heare him must first heare God For how can hee pretend that God shall heare or graunt his petitions considering that himselfe careth not for hearing of God when hee speaketh vnto him in his holy Scriptures Then proceeding in his purpose hee addeth this complaint Some Christians yea euen some of the Cleargie when they are vppon a iourney doo prepare bread wine oyle and so foorth or other things sith they care so much for the flesh or bodie can they not also care for feeding their soules by diligent reading of the holye Scriptures 7 Bee diligent sayth Chrisostome before the Sermon Chrisost vpō Iohn Ca 1 Homil. 10. Tome 5 to take into your handes the Gospels that wee are to reade and in your houses repeat them many times seeking diligently the vnderstanding of the same then giue attentiue heede to the Sermon so shall I more easily teach you by reason of your perfectnesse in the sentence which you shall haue read at home and beeing your selues soone instructed you shall bee the more readie to teach others If anie man pretend excuse vppon his businesse and employmentes eyther publyke or priuate surely it is a great abuse so much to giue himselfe thereto that for temporall affayres and worldly commodities hee shoulde neglect the studie of such as bee eternall The time that they sometimes spende euen by whole dayes together in conuersing with their friendes in walking for theyr pleasures in playes and pastimes and in long sittinges wherein they neuer excuse themselues by anie of theyr businesses will take from them all excuse whatsoeuer in the daie of Gods iudgement You vse such dilygence sayth he about these base abiect and vaine trifles that you account such as bee spirituall and concerne heauen to be vtterly vnprofitable and of no value 8 Some there are which thinke reading to bee a studie to belong onely to the Minister and for the most parte they will content themselues wyth a Sermon and as for the rest they wyll dispense therewyth that they may the more liberally employe the rest of theyr time in the affayres and businesse of this lyfe Neyther is this anie newe corruption crepte in of late For it had taken root in the time of Chrisostome who also then complained thereof and sharply reprooued it Chriso in his 2. Tom. 2. hom vpō the first of Math. Also in his 3. sermon of Lazarus as vtterlye dislyking of the same You will aunswere sayth hee I am no Monke I haue a wife and children and charge of familie and householde But see this is the plague that corrupteth all that yee wyll laye the whole burden of holy reading vppon the Monkes as if it belonged vnto them onelie notwithstanding contrarywise it be more requisite and necessarie for you than
word may be confirmed And if he will not vouchsafe to heare them tell it vnto the Church if hee refuse to heare the Church also let him be vnto thee as the heathen and publicans Verely I say vnto you whatsoeuer ye bind on earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer yee loose vpon earth shal be loosed in heauen This sentence threatning ought so neerely to touch our harts that we shold not despise the exhortations admonitions that tend to amendment For if the impenitent be detained in the bonds of Satan vntill by amendment they be vnbounde As their estate is truely wretched miserable so is there nothing that we should haue in greater regard then by amending our liues to be dissolued and vnbound Thus may we see how the holie ministerie signified by the kingdome of heauen considered in all the principall parts thereof ought to bind vs in all affectionate desire to amend The twelfth cause of Amendement taken of this That by the kingdome of heauen is signified the most blessed felicitie of the children of God in heauen The kingdome of God in vs and the holy ministerie in the Church Chap. 12. THis is one thing worthy the noting that by the kingdome of heauen or of God is signified the felicitie of Gods children in heauen the kingdome of God in vs and the holy ministrie or the Church This title The kingdome of heauen common to these three seuerall estates doth sufficiently shew that albeit there be a great binding coniunction betweene thē yea euen such that as being in the kingdome of heauen that is in the Church and vsing the holy ministerie we are in the waie to heauen so the kingdom of heauen proceeding there hence being in vs we are assured to enter into the kingdome of God which is in heauen And in deede these are as it were two steps to climbe vp and two gates which we must passe through to get in And therefore who so desireth to be resolued whether hee bee of the number of the elect and heires of the kingdome of God let him seeke the certaintie knowledge therof in himselfe For if he be a member of the Church and inioy the holy ministerie men may haue some ground and are euen bound to account him a child of God belonging to his kingdom but if he be gotten vp the second step and seeleth the kingdome of God in his heart let him bee assured that God accounteth him his child and that he shall enter into his kingdome of eternall glorie Nowe as there is no greater felicitie than to inioy the kingdome of God in heauen so is ther nothing to be more desired than to enter thorough both the first and second gate of this kingdome of heauen This is one sharpe spurre to induce vs to practise this commandement of Iesus Christ First seeke the kingdome of God Math. 6.36 and the righteousnes thereof and consequently let vs amend our liues For if the apprehension of the kingdome of glorie that is in heauen ought euen to rauish vs into a feruent desire to attaine theurnto Likewise that we cannot attaine thereto vnles the kingdome of heauen bee also in vs that is to saie if wee haue not faith fructifying in good workes amendement of life Furthermore that we cannot haue this kingdome of heauen in vs vnlesse we also be members of the Church and vse the holy ministerie It followeth that there is nothing that we should so feruently desire and so earnestly seeke for◠as the kingdome of heauen that is to inioy the holy ministerie in the Church and by the vse thereof to establish the kingdome of heauen in vs and thereby finally to enter into the fruition of the kingdome of God in heauen 2 But ordinarily wee doo the contrarie Wee seeke first the things that concerne this present life and as for those that belong to the kingdome of heauen we seeke after them but seldome slightly and as it were for a fashion Our reason Because wee doo naturally loue the bodie more than the soule and the goods and commodities of this temporall life more than the treasures of spirituall riches Wee resemble little children that esteeme more of an apple or morsell of Sugar than of an assuraunce of rents Neyther need we to open our eyes verie wide or to vse any spectacles to see this corruptiō in men experience doth but too plainly shew it And for our more manifest conuiction heereof let vs consider fiue proofes which wee may note vppon all the fingers of one of our handes that we may the better remember them and so take some care to correct them First wherupon we do first think when we wake that is what is neerest to our hands for sometimes euen the care of some matter doeth waken vs. If thou findest that thy first cogitations when thou doest awake are such as concerne the bodie and this present lyfe and do nothing concerne the kingdome of heauen the dutie saluation and comfort of thy soule this is one pin vpon the sleeue and a pricke in one finger to make thee to remember that thou carest more for earth than for heauen for the bodie than for the soule 3 Secondly Iesus Christ sayth that of the abundaunce of the heart the tongue speaketh Mat. 12.34 When therefore thou goest to bed thinke what speech communication thou hast had all that daie so shalt thou be forced to confesse that peraduenture thou hast spoken little of the kingdome of heauen or of the saluation of thy soul but rather or at the leastwise that the greatest part without comparison hath concerned the bodie and this present life The third point concerneth the care and affection that in many doth appeare to be greater for the getting of goods and other the appurtenaunces of this life than for the obtaining of the kingdome of God his righteousnes And in deede most men and the wisest in the worlde doo not so much as vnderstand the meaning of the kingdome of heauen and the righteousnes thereof so farre are they from seeking it rather than the riches commodities of the flesh wherewith they be better acquainted and which naturally they doo more desire The fourth resteth in the care which without comparison is greater for the preseruation of the bodie and this life present than for the keeping of the soule or anie thing that concerneth the kingdome of heauen And indeed al men do take more care to nourish the body than the soul also to preuent the diseases or woūds of the bodie rather than of the soule The fifth consisteth in this that according as our loue or inclination to any thing is great or small so is our sorrow for the losse thereof more or lesse If through dronkennes falling into the fire we chance to burne our face it troubleth vs more than when by dronkennes we lose the image of God and cast our soules into hell fire The loosing of
cause them to denie a God which is the principall and fundamentall argument of all the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles especially considering that if this foundation should bee false all the rest were but lies and vanitie Likewise these men that registred the holy Scriptures neuer labored after the glorie of man by ostentation of anie new inuention For al of them euen from Moses to the Apostles haue had one the same matter subiect of their writings namely this selfe same diuinitie Neither haue they sought after glorie reputation nobilitie of descent or vertues but haue set downe as in sundrie places we may perceiue euen their owne infirmities and transgressions yea somtimes matter of reproch to themselues to their posteritie Prophane writers do ordinarily tend to magnifie the vertues valiant actions of men to the end to giue thē the praise But the holy scripture euery where tendeth to glorifie God euen in euery thing that may becōmendable in man Shewing that al victories deliuerance aduancemēt to dignitie vertue to be briefe that all goodnes cōmeth of God not of man 5 As concerning the contents of the holy scripture it is the same that only laieth open the verie fountaine of mans corruption that sheweth how great and pernitious it is The multitude and grieuousnes of his sins The horrible punishmēt that they deserue not only in this world but in the world to come Only this holy Scripture teacheth the assured remedy against these horrible inconueniences so that man feeling himselfe worthie of all misery euen of eternall death doth notwithstanding find himself cōtent ioyfull in the midst of the tribulations of this life blessed in the assured expectation of an incomprehensible eternal felicitie This Scripture laboreth wholy to humble man and to exalt God It exhorteth man to renounce wickednes to apply him selfe to righteousnesse to despise present and temporall goods that he may aspire to those that be spirituall inuisible and eternall To be briefe it teacheth as well true holinesse and pietie towards God as true loue peace and concord among men earnestly exhorting them to these duties Who is it then that ought not to haue a feeling of this in his owne conscience that this holie scripture proceedeth from God 6 Moreouer in other bookes we find counsels exhortations and reasons to perswade Heer we haue expresse and precise commandements wherby it appeareth that a superior speaketh that giueth commandement to his inferior namely God to man The holie Scripture prescribeth a Law not onely to the bodie or in externall causes but also to the spirite cogitations and affections of the soule It is therefore the spirit of God that speaketh who onely hath dominion ouer the soule and knoweth the affections and passions of the same In this holie Scripture we find promises and threates of eternall weale and woe as well to the soule as to the bodie It is then the Eternall and the Almighty that both promiseth threatneth This holy Scripture teacheth vs the same thing which the creation of the world doth namely that there is a God almighty all-wise most good and beneficiall He therefore that is the Auctor of the creatures is also the Auctor of the holie Scripture In this Scripture we find predictions of matters which mans vnderstanding could neuer foresee yea the verie time of the performance of the same is many times noted sometimes a hundred yeares a thousand yea three thousand before they came to passe Yet are they alwaies fulfilled in their due time of necessitie therefore God must be the Auctor of the same 7 Again all the Philosophers together in their many volumes haue neither said nor taught so righteous so holie and so necessarie matter as doth this holie Scripture in the ten wordes of the law yea euen in these two short sentences That we should loue God with all our hart with all our strength and with all our soule our neighbour as our selfe From God onlie therefore must this doctrine proceed The style likewise of this Scripture is simple and without affectation and yet it penetrateth and pierceth the hart and conscience far more deepely then the writings of the most excellent Orators in the world Whence should such efficacie proceed 1. Cor. 2.4.5 but from the spirit of God which is the Auctor thereof This is it that S. Paul expresly noteth saying Neither stood my woord and preaching in the entising speech of mans wisdome but in plaine euidence of the spirit and of power That your faith should not be in the wisedome of men but in the power of God 8 This holy scripture propoundeth vnto vs the history from the beginning of the world with the doctrine euer since continued among both Iews Christians yet which is wel worthy to be marked we find no contradiction or disagreement either in the histories or doctrine that may not easily be vnfoulded and reconciled But as for other books they begin their Histories two or three thousand yeares later And what discorde do we find in their writinges both in their histories and in their doctrine Againe there are no books for the maintenance and confession of the doctrine whereof both men and women euen by thousands from age to age Princes marchants artificers learned and vnlearned haue voluntarily resolued euen with cheerfulnes to abandon fathers mothers husbands wiues children goods dignities yea life it selfe and suffered torments that cannot be sustained by any one that is not holden vp by some diuine power Yet heer may you behold Martirs that is to say authentical witnesses that this holie scripture proceedeth from God This also is the reason why of all other bookes the Deuill an enemie to God and to the saluation of mankind hath most endeuored to falsifie to corrupt and to abolish this holie Scripture therby as it were confessing that proceeding from God it is repugnant to him necessarie for mans saluation And yet hath the same bin miraculously preserued and kept in his integrity euen with the danger of their liues that were guardians thereof yea which is more euen by the Iewes themselues the sworn enemies to Iesus Christ of whom the Law the Prophets do beare witnes And therfore S. Augustin compareth them to Stationers who in their shops do keep many books but for the vse of other men They haue bin preserued therefore vndoubtedly by his only prouidence who was their Auctor And to this purposeis the example of the time of Antiochus most notable For in his daies 1. Mac. l. 57 59. namely in the hundred and fiue fortieth yeare of the Grecian Monarchie did they deface and burne all the books of the Law that could be found and yet within two yeares after 1. Mac. 3.37 48. euen in the hundred and seuen fortieth yeare of the said Monarchy was the book of the Law foūd again among the Iewes Yet who did euer obiect either to the Iewes or Christians
tree and hearb should bring forth seed to increase according to his kind And therefore so many hearbes and trees as we see in gardens medowes forestes are so many witnesses against the Atheistes that there is a God 20 Now let vs speake of those creatures that haue not onely essence and life but also sence or seeing As fish soules and other creatures First as concerning their generation For example wee might demaund of those men that do belieue that ther is no God whether was first the henne or the egge For the egge commeth from the henne and the henne out of the egge If they answere the egge How came that egge without a henne Or how could that which was not make it selfe an egge Or how did that which was an egge hauing onely essence giue it selfe life Sith also that feeling commeth of sence how could a thing that had onely essence giue it selfe sence to heare see tast smell or feele either cold or heate Againe if there bee not also a cocke with the henne or that the henne sitteth not vpon the egge the egge wil rot bring forth nothing How therefore could the egge if it were before the henne bring forth the henne considering there was neither cocke nor henne as also that the egge had onely essence but neither life nor feeling If they say the henne was before the egge yet wil not that suffice For of necessitie there must also haue beene a cocke with the henne before the egge for otherwise the egge would neuer haue yeelded a henne It must needs then be that God hauing created heauen earth of nothing of that which neuer was either egge or henne Gen. 1. hath created the cocke the henne to bring forth egges froÌ„ whence the hens haue their originall as Moses teacheth 21 But yet let vs marke how the henne proceedeth from the egge Imagine the egge to be vnder the henne what is in the egge A substance hauing onely essence but neither token of life oâ— forme of soule Come againe within a few daies ye that perceiue the head of a litle chicken piercing the egge â—heâ—â— with her head and clouen beake Looke vpon the eyes and shape of the head Marke what is in it heare the voice Come to the body consider the winges and the feete What is in the body the â—â—â—ers the diuersitie of colours and to conclude the life and motions thereof Remember that al this was wrought within the egge shell whereto 〈◊〉 any man set hand or vnderstanding Who theâ— without touching the inner side of the egge hath formed such a creature onely through the hens warming of the egge who knew not what the did Who so will not acknowledge it to be onely God doth combat against his owne conscience and reason Moreouer who is the cause that hennes egges alwaies do yeeld chickeÌ„s the egges of other soules young ones according to the kinde from whence they came Doth this diuersity of soules rest either in the egges or in their substance Euery man knoweth no. The small chickens therefore issuing out of their shels are witnesses sufficient against the Atheists that ther is a God who hath created formed them 22 Next let vs behold other soules flying in the aire Al waightie thinges fall toward the earth What is it then that beareth vp the soules in the aire If they say the wings Put the winges of a swanne vpon a dead sparrow and cast it vp into the aire yet will it fall to the ground wings and all The soule therefore must haue life neither is that enough For in her winges she must also haue very artificiall motions together with a wonderfull industry to flie maruailous swift Some times to turne short some times to mount aloft as the larke and sometimes to stoope very low as the swallow And whence proceedeth this industry and skill but from God Againe who created the aire to beare them vp Meate to nourish them indued them with industry to make their neasts but God But this may suffice for soules Neither shall wee neede to aledge like testimonies for the diuinitie as may bee noted in fishes and other creatures who all with one consent doe agree in their generation shape life nature propertie and other considerations to proclaime that ther is a God from whom they take their essence life feeling and motions 23 Lastly let vs come to the chiefe handiworke of God which is man of the philosophers termed the little world because that in him we may discerne as it were an Abridgement of the whole world yea more then is to be seene in all the world besides For man besides his essence life and sence or feeling hath also reason vnderstanding The frame of mans body in euery part therof both internal externall considered doth sufficiently testifie him that created it to be a master workman And in deede who could so exactly proportion all the members of the body So dispose order it that euery part theâ—of hath relation to the vse seruice one of another together with the preseruation of the body vnder the conduct of a spirit that gouerneth the whole which without motion giueth seuerall motions to all the members of this body with reason and vnderstanding to guide euery member in his action representing to it selfe thinges pasâ— present and to come neere or farre off concealed and â—â—dden in the sea within the center of the earth aboue the heauens or in the bodies or heartes of men and declaring the imaginations thereof by the diuerse motions of the tongue And albeit such a spirit be in vs yet can we neither see nor comprehend it Howbeit man composed of such a bodie of such a spirit or soule cannot bee from all eternitie as in other creatures we haue proued The time was that man was not that he liued not that he had neither feeling nor reason Whence theÌ„ came the first man who was nothing How could that which had neither life feeling nor reason giue it selfe that which it had not How could that which was no spirit make it self a spirit How could that which had neither vnderstanding nor reason make it selfe vnderstanding and reason When thou seest a man Gen. 1. thou presupposest a father and to that father another father and so vpward vntill at last thou commest to Adam There art thou put from thy naturall discourse and presupposing a father for him and so art driuen to acknowledge God to haue created the first man as Moses also rehearseth Hee that seeth onely the portraiture of a man doth immediatly conceiue a painter and if it be a faire peece his first question is Who made it If a dead peece of worke shall make vs conceiue a liuing worke-man much rather should a liuing peece of worke namely Man make vs to conceiue a quickning worke-man euen God who onely is able to giue essence life feeling and reason 24 Now let vs proceed to the
woman If man were of himselfe must woman be so also If she likewise were of her selfe how came she to be subiect to man How did she so conueniently dispose all partes of her bodie to the generation of children To the nourishing of them in her wombe with her owne bloud To such painfull child-birth To the changing of her bloud into milke in her paps and dugges so conuenient for the suckling of her child Man and woman hauing essence lyfe sense and reason cannot neuerthelesse ingender either when they will or what they will male or female neither frame or shape one onely member of the little babe conceiued in the mothers wombe How then could man and woman euen before they had life feeling reason or so much as essence come by vnderstanding power and consent to make themselues that which they were not to giue themselues that which they had not and to agree to make the one male the other female Man therfore woman are the verie worke of God the almightie wife worke man 25 Besides the testimonies of all people and nations that euer were who all doo confesse that there is a God wee haue propounded foure sortes of creatures who without speech doo each for it selfe testifie against the Atheists that if they will not confesse and acknowledge a God they are vndoubtedly blinde senselesse deuoide of vnderstanding or soule Now let vs consider all these creatures ioyntly and together throughout the whole world First if all thinges bee of themselues or from all eternitie did they make themselues such as they now are indiuisibly or in particular If euerie grain of sand euerie drop of water euery clod of earth euery stone euerie kinde of hearbe and plant euerie birde sith creature male or female If I saie euerie of these creatures made it selfe neuer was before or from all eternitie First to the end to denie one God they confesse millions considering that whatsoeuer is of it selfe as also anie thing that is from all eternitie is God Secondly all creatures hauing onely essence lyfe and sense are by nature subiect to corruption as experience teacheth and therefore they cannot haue beene from all eternitie For whatsoeuer is eternall is immortal and not subiect to corruption or change But how could they haue made themselues of nothing considering that notwithstanding theyr essence and life they cannot preserue themselues but are subiect to change corruption and death If they saye that at the beginning there was some lumpe whereof euerye one was formed wee woulde demaund who created that lumpe And so must wee returne to the saying of Moses who writeth that In the beginning God created heauen and earth Gen. 1. and the earth was without forme and voide Wee would also demand sith this lumpe was without shape lyfe motion or vnderstanding whence came this distinction of creatures so farre differing eache from other some hauing onely essence others essence and lyfe others essence lyfe and feeling and others all foure essence lyfe feeling and reason Who made such an vneqeuall diuision Who subiected the Sun and Moone to the vse of man The earth to nourish hearbes and plants The hearbes and plants to nourish cattell The cattell and sith to nourish man In this so vnequall a proportion and subiection repugnant to nature by nature the great will not willingly subiect themselues to the small whence commeth so good agreement and obedience Necessarily therefore wee must conclude that there is a God a creator diuider and conductor of his creatures who protecteth the order that he hath established among them 26 Then let vs looke into this vniuersall world and therein beholde the heauens beautified with the Sunne the Moone and the starres the earth clothed with hearbs plants and creatures the sea replenished with water and fish man endued with vnderstanding and reason brought into this world as it were into a pallace abounding in all goodnes and heere inioying so many creatures in such numbers and diuerse sortes Who heareth not this vniuersall world in euery part thereof exclaiming against these Atheists that there is a God Who is he which passing through a forrest there finding some building though halfe decard will not immediatly imagine the steps of some men who passing that way haue thereto set their hands for it could not be the work of any other creature How then can anie man possibly beholde this excellent frame of the world not iudge immediatly that a greater than the world or man hath thereto set his hand What man when he seeth a faire house gallantly built will thinke that it hath stood from all eternitie either that it built it selfe and not rather presuppose an Architect or builder How much rather should this frame of the worlde directly lead vs to the creator And what man is he who acknowleging his essence his life his senses his soul vnderstanding reason withall contemplating this world created for him will not immediatly confesse that man is created for a greater than himselfe namely for his creator The soule mouing and guiding the bodie is truly the image of God mouing and guiding the world and man in the vse of the same Wherfore like as he cannot haue essence life and motion but the same must be to him a certaine testimonie of his soule liuing within him so the essence life sense motion vnderstanding of al that is in the world is an assured stedfast groūd to beleeue that there is a God the creator preseruer and guider of this vniuersall world Act. 17.21 Euen as an ancient heathen alledged by saint Paul doth saie In God we all doo liue and moue Neither can any man vse his senses in the contemplation of the world and inioying of so many creatures benefits of God daily poured vpon him but as if with his hande he felt him he must needs perceiue there is a God And therefore not amisse said a certain Ethnike That he that denieth a God Auicenna an Arabian is not besides his wits but euen vtterly is deuoid of wit 27 These wretched Atheists doo reply Who did euer see God that we may beleeue him Which is as much as if they should say that we must beleeue no more than we see with our eies And thus to the end to deny God they renounce the other foure bodily senses together with the vnderstanding and reason of their soule so growe to brutishnesse Neuerthelesse albeit they see not the heate in a burning coale yet if they bee touched therewith they crie out and confesse that it is hot They see not the coldnesse of Ise yet by experience they confesse it is colde They see not the bitternesse or sweetnes of meate or drinke yet doo they by tast beleeue the bitternes of gal the sweetnes of honie They confesse the sound of a bel musicall instruments albeit they see thē not but heare them onely They likewise beleeue an aire that they breath
strengthned theÌ„selues to wickednes saying Rom. 2.4 Psal 94 Tush God seeth not Is it not a manifest deniall of God to imagine him to be blind But as he addeth Is it not an extreame folly to thinke that he that formed the light and gaue sight to the eie seeth not but is blind Or he that formed the hart of man so knoweth the depth thereof doth not also see the workes of the same 6 Behold how wherfore we feare man more than God confessing God with our lips we deny him in our works which truly is a mere folly And in deed naturally we most feare him that hath most power and meanes to execute his threats him whose threatnings are most dangerous hurtfull to conclude euen him whose threatnings are not in vain but most certaine Any one wil sooner feare the threatning of a man than of a childe of a magistrate than of a priuate person the losse of life than the penaltie of some portion of money the threatninges of a sober man than the scolding speeches of a foolish and hairbraind woman But is not God more able than man to execute his threatnings All creature are at his commandement to do his will euen Angels men or deuils The aire through corruption to infect the sea to ouer whelm vs the land to swallow vs vp and the beasts to deuour vs. Wanteth he arrows in his quiuer to shoot forth at men With how many strange horrible plagues did he smite the Egyptians What water pooles found he wheÌ„ all the world was so drowned that the waters stood fifteen cubites aboue the highest mountains in the world Exod. 5.9.10 Ge. 1.7 Let vs read the 26. of Leuit. the 28. of Deut. there note with how many sorts of plagues calamities he can wil punish such as rebell against his commandements neither can anie counsell or strength withstand him Act. 17.26 Contrariwise what power hath man to hurt sith that in God he liueth he moueth hath his being What may hee doo against his will without whose power he cannot stir one finger liue one moment or haue anie being 7 Secondly how farre may mans threatnings extend Euen to the losse of goods and those bodies that are subiect to death But God hath power ouer all soules and therefore Iesus Christ admonisheth vs not to feare those that kill the bodie and no more Luk. 12.4 but feare him sayth he who when he hath killed hath power to cast into hell yea I saie feare him Neither can man afflict but for a time but Gods punishments are euerlasting and without end The threatnings of man are many times light and vaine yea and soone altered and reuersed but as God is righteous and true so his threatnings are euermore put in execution either in this world or in the world to come vnlesse we preuent them by Amendement of Life Nahum 1 The mightie God saith the Prophet Nahum is ielous and the Lord reuengeth and hath wrath at his commandement The Lord will take vengeance of his aduersaries and reserueth wrath for his enemies The Lord is slow to anger but he is great in power and will not surely cleere the wicked The Lord hath his waie in the whirle wind in the storme the clouds are the dust of his feete He rebuketh the sea and he drieth it and hee dryeth vp all the riuers Bashan is wasted and Carmel and the flower of Libanon is wasted The mountaines tremble for him and the hils melt the earth is burned at his sight yea the world and all that dwell therein Who caÌ„ stand before his wrath or who can abide in the fiercenes of his wrath His wrath is powred out like fire and the rockes are broken by him If the power and will of God be such in the execution of his threatnings euen threatnings not against the body only but also against the soule then in reproofe of this folly to feare man more than God doth the Prophet Esay iustly say Esa 2.22 Cease you from the man whose breath is in his nostrels for Whreein is he to be esteemed Againe Esa â—1 12 Who art thou that thou shouldest feare a mortall man and the sonne of man which shall be made as grasse and forgettest the Lorde thy maker that hath spread out the heauens and laide the foundations of the earth The rather therefore to amend our liues let vs hereafter bee better aduised in fearing God more than man so esteeming more of God than of man or rather not esteeming man but in God withall let vs remember that those men haue reason to feare man that feare not God more than man 8 The third proofe consisteth in this That we repose more trust in man than in God And this folly proceedeth from three originall springs First wee are so brutish that as beastes apprehend no more than is before their eies so wee beleeue no more than wee see We see that men haue meanes to helpe vs but we see not God neither knowe his power And this is the cause that we trust more to man that promiseth our sustenance than to God who promiseth to prouide for vs Mat. 6.26 neuer to forsake vs yea than to God who sendeth vs the schoole of soules hearbes flowers of them to learne that man being farre more excellent and precious in the sight of God ought wholy to rest vpon him for his sustenance and life 9 Secondly we are so addicted to the flesh that we accompt nothing to be a blessing but what delighteth the flesh And so when men do promise things fit and commodious for the same we trust to them more then to God who promising many blessings assistance and reliefe doth not alwaies fulfill those promises after the lustes of the flesh but to the good of the spirite and saluation of the soule Thus albeit he performeth to vs more then it seemeth he hath promised namely spirituall and eternall gifts in stead of carnall and temporall yet can not our flesh comprehend that hee hath fulfilled his promises Thus when in sickenes pouerty or prison man promiseth recouery assistance or deliuery we trust more in him then God who in his word maketh the like promises For flesh knoweth no other reliefe succour or deliuerie then that which is bodily which God often times changeth into spirituall and euerlasting more excelent in deed yet lesse knowne to man 10 The third cause resteth in the time of performance of promises God in his wisedome doth sometimes vse long delaies as flesh doth imagin in the performance of his promises Wherupon man naturally whot impatient beholding that which he esteemeth neerer and more redy at hand trusteth more to man then to God Rom. 5.4 Hereto we may add that as S. Paul saith Experience engendreth hope And therfore as man findeth helpe and reliefe in men who being of abilitie doe also loue him And on the
owne and welbeloued Sonne Iesus Christ What mercy goodnesse and loue shineth in this redemption That he so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne to the end that all that beleeue in him might not perish Ioh. 3.16 1. Ioh. 4.9 but haue life euerlasting What a seale of his truth in that notwithstanding the ingratitude and vnworthinesse of the world he yet in his appointed time sent the seed of the woman promised to our forefathers Gen. 3.15 to breake the Serpents head To be briefe what power shewed he in this redemption wrought by Iesus Christ Gal. 4.4 wherein he surmounted and ouercame the deuill sinne death and hell But what doth such an image of God so expressely represented before our eyes in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ accomplishing our redemption shoot at but to giue vs to vnderstand and earnestly to feele the wisedome holinesse righteousnesse mercy truth goodnesse loue and power of God the father of Iesus Christ That we might loue him put our trust in him cleane vnto him call vpon him acknowledging him to be the inexpuiseable fountaine of al goodnesse and so glorifie him And the rather because by this meanes we are reclaimed from death and euerlasting damnation we bee made the children of God through the same Iesus Christ and inheritors of his kingdome and glory Rightly therefore doe we say that the ende of our redemption shoulde tend to encrease our knowledge of God that we may glorifie him That it is the dutie whereto Saint Paul exhorteth vs saying You are bought for a price 1. Cor. 6.20 therfore glorifie God in your body in your spirit for they are Gods Also in another place Eph. 1.6 God hath chosē vs to him throgh Iesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace 8 Ther is yet another consideration When Christ gaue sight to the blind raised the dead healed the sicke wrought other like miracles Mat. 9.8 Luk. 13.13 the same were so many testimonies seales of his diuinitie consequently arguments to induce men to glorifie him As he himselfe saith speaking of the sicknes of Lazarus This sicknes is not vnto death but for the glory of God Ioh. 11.4 that the sonne might be glorified therby For his raising frō death was a testimony of his diuine power But we al are naturally as concerning the soul dead in sin blind sicke of a hūdred diseases And as the soule is more excellēt thē the body so the illuminating restoring to life curing of the diseases of the soule are miracles more excellētly representing the deuine power grace then those of the body Of necessity therefore these miracles being performed in vs through faith in Iesus Christ do bind vs to glorifie him And how By effectual demonstration that where we were blind sicke dead in spirit we are now illuminated cured raised againe to life And indeed the motions affections holy works of Gods children being assured testimonies that in soule they be illuminated risen againe are the true meanes to glorifie God Contrariwise if we walk as men yet blind in the darknes of ignorance as men sicke polluted in vice corruption as men yet dead in sin We doo so much as in vs lieth abolish the miracles of Iesus Christ consequently his glory In this respect Saint Peter saith Haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles 1. Pet. 2 1◠that they which speake euill of you as of euill doers may by your good works which they shall see glorifie God in the day of the visitation Mat. 5.16 And in the same sence saith Iesus Christ Let your light so shine before men that seing your good works they may glorify God your father 9 But what argument is this to glorifie God in our holy conuersation good works Because as we haue before said shewed the same be testimonies effects of our spiritual resurrection consequently of Gods power goodnes mercy toward vs. Wherupon the ignorant seing that we who in the time of our ignorāce were dead in sin giuen ouer to all vice corruption since we were illuminated in the truth of the Gospell haue by this spiritual resurrection declared such an alteration in vs that now we are contrariwise become as it were new creatures walking in purenes holines loue may also glorifie God in two sorts First in this miraculous alteration that they see in vs as being a worke truely proceeding of the power and goodnes of God Secondly in this that by such miracles they be moued to allowe and embrace the same religion which we professe as being conuict that it is truely of God not of man Psal 65.1 To conclude where Dauid crieth out O God praise waiteth for thee in Sion He manifestly declareth vnto vs that they which be regenerate through the redemption in Iesus Christ are burgeses of Sion and members of the Church bound to praise God And also that we frustrate God of his dutie and expectation Psal 119 175 if we refer not out whole liues to his glory saying with Dauid O Lord let my soule liue that I may praise thee 10 The secōd principal end of our life should tend to attaine to life euer lasting John 3.16.17 And indeed In as much as God hath sent his Son into the world that the world through him might be saued that he so loued the world that he hath giuē his only begottē son to the end that al that beleue in him might not perish but haue life euerlasting It thereby appeareth that as the end of our redemption accomplished in Iesus Christ is the sauing of the elect so we that beleeue in him shoulde in all the course of our liues aime at this To bee saued by him Otherwyse wee doo so much as in vs lieth reuerse that excellent and wonderfull work of our redemption God hath created man without comparison more excellent than beasts yet if man be not saued nor attaineth to life euerlasting hee is much more miserable than the brute beast which passing ouer this life a great deale more easilye than man after death feeleth no euill and contrariwise the man which aimeth not at this lyfe euerlasting after all his calamities both bodily and ghostly tribulations in this life at his death entereth into incomprehensible and eternall torments If man who naturally desireth felicitie could comprehend the felicitie of such as attaine to the kingdom of heauen likewise the miserie and woe of those who at their decease doo passe into euerlasting death the very horror of the death of these wretches together with the soueraigne felicitie of the blessed would make him earnestly to couet after life euerlasting to esteeme this incomprehensible felicitie to be one of the principall endes of his lyfe Such therefore as doo neuer propound the kingdome of
heauen for the scope of theyr liues are no men but beasts for they neuer thinke their souls to be immortall they beleeue not that they must die neither doo they remember that after death there is a hell and eternall fire prepared for those who liuing heere doo neuer seeke after lyfe euerlasting Yea Mat. 16.26 VVhat doth it auaile a man saith our sauiour Iesus Christ to winne the whole world and to loose his owne soule Luke 9.23 This lyfe beeing vnto him a high waie to death and to a firie torment that shall neuer be quenched 11 Let vs not therefore make riches honour or other carnall commodities the leuell of our liues but let vs aime at the celestial and eternall life as Iesus Christ admonisheth vs saying Iohn 6.27 Labour not for the meate which perisheth but for the meate that endureth to euerlasting lyfe Againe Seeke first the kingdome of God and his righteousnes Mathew 6 33. and all other things shall be ministred vnto you But we cannot attaine to this eternall lyfe without the knowledge of God that wee may put our trust in him call vpon him in all our necessities obey his commandementes and with thankesgiuing acknowledge that all goodnes commeth from him And in deede wee cannot trust in God neither call vpon him vnlesse we bee assured of his wyll and power to helpe vs neither can we obey him with anie kindly obedience which consisteth in loue vnlesse we knowe how deeply we be bound both to loue and obey him as also we cannot acknowledge all goodnes to proceed from him vnlesse we knowe him to be the fountaine of all goodnesse This therefore must be the end of our life euen to increase in the knowledge of God that by reposing our confidence in him by calling vpon him by obeying him and by acknowledging him to bee the fountaine of all goodnesse wee may attaine to lyfe euerlasting 12 True it is that in the creation of heauen earth and in the conduct and gouernment thereof he reuealeth himselfe vnto vs maketh vs to feele that he is a God almighty al wise al good well dooing howbeit especiallye in Iesus Christ as is aforesayde doo we knowe God God I saie our God father and sauiour almightie wise holy righteous mercifull good and true And this is the knowledge wherein God is truely glorified and by the which wee obtaine life euerlasting as Iesus Christe himselfe doeth teach vs Iohn 17.1 saying Father the houre is come glorifie thy sonne that thy sonne also may glorifie thee As thou hast giuen him power ouer all flesh that he should giue eternall life to all them that thou hast giuen him And this is life eternall that they know thee to be the onely verie God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ. And in deed as when a man is loth to go out of his way it is requisite he shuld know both whether which waie to go so haue we both in Iesus Christ very God very man For in that he is God Augustine of the Citie of God li. 11. c. 2 and consequently life to him we must go in that he is man by him we must come vnto God and bee vnited with him that wee may obtaine life euerlasting And in that sense doth he call himselfe the way Iohn 14.6 the truth and the life If he be the life he is the place whether we must go if he be the way by him we must trauell to attaine to life euerlasting As also by calling himselfe the truth he teacheth vs that hee is the accomplishment and truth of al that afore time was figured touching life euerlasting the meanes to attaine to the same Thus the second principall end of our life should consist in knowing of God through his sonne Iesus Christe and knowing him to put our trust in him to call vppon him to obeye his commandementes and to acknowledge him to be the fountaine of all goodnesse that so wee may glorifie him and glorifying him attaine to life euerlasting 13 Moreouer the end of glorifying of God our saluation wyll be a ready meanes to make vs to liue according to God for it will be a continual aduertisement rule to bridle vs from al thoughts affections words and deeds contrarie to the glorie of God the saluation of our soules considering that beeing contrarie thereto they ouerthrow the two principall ends of our life 14 Now let vs come to the third end of our life which is to bee considered in the particular vocation of euerie man This ende ought not to bee our profite honor or other carnall commoditie but that in seruing of men we may serue God God the creator and redeemer can well inough preserue both our bodies souls without the ministery of men but thus far he honoreth vs as to vouchsafe to worke his workes by vs. 1. Tim. 4.16 And in this consideration doth he giue and hath giuen vs shepheards ministers of his word to the end as S. Paul saith to saue those that harken vnto them by illuminating their hearts creating saith in them by reforming them to obedience through the means of the holy ministery with the efficacy of his holy spirit blessing the labors of his seruants In this respect also vouchsafing there should be food for the body he hath appointed some to be husbandmen to til the earth some to be millers and some to be bakers For the furnishing vs of apparell that some should be shepheards some shearers of sheepe some carders some spinsters some weuers fullers diers tailers c. For the prouiding of vs of houses that some should be carpenters masons c. To be briefe that there should bee an infinit number of artificers and marchants whose function is to furnish all things requisite for the entertainment and maintenance of the bodie Hee also ordaineth kyngs princes and magistrates by their authoritie to keepe euery one within the compasse of his vocation and so to execute theyr office in the maintaining of the good and punishing the wicked Thus God fulfilleth his work will in the preseruation of our bodies saluation of our souls Col. 3.24 by the emploiment of men in his seruice euery one according to his vocation Neither is there so much as the bondman but doth serue God by seruing his Lord as S. Paul saith That by faithful seruice to their masters they serue the Lord. 15 Hereby it appeareth that the end of mans life ought to rest in the seruing of God by seruing of men in their vocation It doth not therefore consist onely herein that the artificer should get sufficient to maintaine his family the marchant to obtaine ricâ—es other men credit dignitie and carnall commodities For this is the seruing of our selues not of God albeit men for the most part do thus corrupt prophane their labors workes life liuing to another end than they ought And in
beast that hee knew nothing and that in the sight of God he was but a beast Ieremie touched with the same errour Iere. 11.7 entereth into argument with God demaunding why the wicked shoulde prosper and the righteous bee in tribulation Ioâ— 11 6.7 Psal 22.2 Psal 13.2 Psal 79.5 Psal 77 10. Esa 49.14 Iob also confesseth that it troubled him and made his flesh to tremble How often doth Dauid complaine resting onely vppon the outwarde shew of his troubled estate as if God had forsaken him as if hee had forgotten him as if hee had beene angrie with him as if hee had withdrawen his grace mercy from him The Church of Israel considering her afflictions entered into opinion complaint that God had forgotten forsaken hir To be briefe al men naturally haue respect to the outward apparance deeming such as doo prosper to be blessed the afflicted to be accursed 2 This peruerse iudgement proceedeth of another folly and abuse euen this That wee imagine that all grace sauour blessing and felicitie resteth onely in honour riches and carnall commodities But as this sparke of the image of God sometimes giueth light to our mindes that all thinges depende vppon Gods prouidence yet fall wee into this errour to thinke that God in his wrath and displeasure reiecteth all those that are afflicted and that contrarywise hee loueth and fauoureth such as doo prosper and thereof wee conclude that the afflicted are accursed and the wicked blessed As for others who attribute all to fortune and aduenture and knowe no other good or felicitie but this lyfe they lykewise fall into the same errour as thinking all that prosper in this lyfe to bee blessed and the afflicted to bee accursed And this causeth the wicked to flatter and harden theyr heartes in all iniquitie Much lyke to the Sicilian tyrant who when he had despoiled the temple of all the golde therein Dionisius hauing a fayre winde vpon the sea sayd You see that the immortall Gods doo fauour sacriledge and Church-robbers The lyke blasphemies doth the prophet Malachie attribute to the wicked in his dayes saying It is in vaine to serue God Malach. 3.4 and what profite is it that wee haue kepte his commandements and that wee walked humbly before the Lorde of hoastes Therefore wee count the proude blessed euen they that worke wickednes are set vp and they that tempt God yea they are deliuered Besides what is the reason that many hauing knowledge of the truth doo yet rest plunged in idolatrie And others also that had forsaken it do returne therto but euen that considering of the outward apparance of Idolaters inioying their goods dignities and carnall commodities and the afflictions of such as followe Iesus Christ they thinke them to bee more blessed than those that carrie the crosse of Christ 3 What lykewise is the reason that so much people yea euen so many nations which professe religion doo giue ouer themselues to vnlawfull traffique to fraude deceit and other iniquities Euen this that they imagine that those men which doo most abounde in riches and carnall commodities albeit wrongfully gotten are neuerthelesse more blessed than the poore afflicted that walke sincerely and vprightly Our sight is so thicke and our eyes are so dimme that we cannot penetrate beyond the outward prosperity and come to the sight of the iniquity that lurketh vnder the same which is vndoubtedly accursed by God bringeth forth mischief notwithstanding whatsoeuer colour it be shaddowed and clothed withall We discerne onely the prosperitie of the one and the affliction of the other but doo neuer looke to the cause and end of the same We see the garment onely and not the bodie or the bodie but not the soule the outward worke but not the workeman 4 Let vs therefore applie this to our purpose In the first Psalme it is saide Blessed is the man that doeth not walke in the counsell of the wicked nor stand in the waie of sinners nor sit in the seate of the scornefull And this may wee well beleeue if wee but looke vpon the wicked the sinners and scornefull eyther vpon a scaffolde or vpon a ladder readie to be executed to the death or cast into hell But if thou considerest these wicked ones these sinners and scorners clothed in wealth adorned with honour reioycing in carnall commodities thy minde will alter For casting thy eâ—e vppon the garment the delight of the flesh thou wilt thinke them blessed yea thou wilt not beleeue the doctrine of Dauid who sayth thou canst not bee blessed vnlesse thou renouncest the wicked course of the wicked and sinners Thou resemblest those who seeing a man in a goodly bed serued with all dainties and with sound of musicke doo thinke him much blessed but himselfe contrarywise feeling the intollerable anguish of the gout or collike will complaine as a miserable and wretched man 5 This folly also to iudge by the outward apparance is so much the greater as that thereby wee doo conclude that wee are brute beasts voide of an immortall soule Likewise that beeing beasts wee are more miserable than all other beasts Beasts fishes or souls haue easier liues than men especially than the children of God who aboue all other are subiect to tribulations These creatures wanting vnderstanding doo manye times passe ouer the whole course of theyr liues without feeling anie calamitie vntill death whereof likewise they haue no apprehension They liue without care sorrow or other passions that trouble man And therefore if man as beasts haue no immortal soule these creatures are more blessed than hee and consequently the wicked that liue at ease and in prosperitie are much more blessed than the afflicted children of God if after death they haue no feeling of good or euill But if wee bee fully resolued that man is not a beast but hauing an immortall soule is after his death to looke to go either to heauen or to hell we will no longer by the outward apparance iudge that the beast much lesse the wicked man in all his triumph is more happie than the afflicted children of God Luke 16.19 If afflicted Lazarus and the rich man triumphing in pleasures had had no immortall soules men might with some reason haue adiudged Lazarus accursed and the rich man blessed But that iudgement is to passe vpon beastes onely For as for them beeing no beasts but endued with immortall soules albeit the rich man was honourably buryed and Lazarus with beggerie yet the rich mans soule beeing cast into hell fire cryed out that hee was and is accursed and that the soule of Lazarus beeing by the Angels lifted into heauen was is blessed We read that Croesus king of Lidia inioying great abundance of wealth Plu. in the life of Solon and all other prosperitie that might make a man blessed in this worlde on a time demaunded of Solon one of the seuen wise men of Greece whether he thought there were anie man more blessed
than himselfe But Solon answered that no man was to bee called blessed before his death Rightly did Solon there reproue the folly of Croesus who thought himselfe blessed in vncertaine prosperitie As Solon lykewise being accounted so wise shewed his follye by signifying in such an answere that Croesus had bene blessed if he had continued in such prosperitie vntill his death Yet if Solon iudged that Croesus coulde not thinke himselfe blessed in all his prosperitie what would hee haue iudged if he had beene a Christian and had seene the change of Croesus prosperitie not into that calamitie that befell him when Cyrus afterward tooke him prisoner but euen into hell and death euerlasting Might hee not and that iustly haue sayd that Croesus notwithstanding his prosperitie euen albeit the same had stuck by him vnto his death was neuer blessed but most accursed 6 Plato a Heathen confirmeth the same by a notable discourse Plut. in his consolation to Apolonius which Plutarch indeauouring to comfort Apollonius vppon the death of his sonne doth alleadge This euermore sayth hee was one resolute opinion that whosoeuer departed this lyfe had liued vertuously at his death he was transported to the Ilands of the blessed and there feeling no inconuenience inioyed soueraigne felicitie And contrarywise they which liued wickedly and vniustly were sent into the prison of iustice and vengeaunce called Tartarum At the first sentence was awarded by liuing Iudges and while men were yet aliue but the same daie that they were to die Howbeit there grewe such abuse heerein that complaint was brought from the Ilandes of the blessed that some were sent thether that had beene wicked and peruerse liuers And thereuppon was the occasion of such abuse examined which was sounde to proceede of this that iudgement was giuen while the men yet liued clothed with honourable carcases wyth riches nobilitye and other lyke qualities In respect whereof they found many witnesses who making their apparaunce before the Iudges affirmed for them that they were men that deserued to passe to the sayde Ilandes of the blessed The cause of the errour once found out it was decreed that from thence forth ther should no iudgement passe vntill after death when the soules should bee depriued of theyr bodies and that also not by men yet aliue and subiect to bee abused by the outwarde shew but by spirites who should see nothing but the spirits and naked soules of those whom they were to giue sentence vppon to the ende that they which in this world had wrought wickednesse in theyr honourable bodies clothed with nobilitie riches and such other qualities might bee sent to tormentes and contrarywise that they who during theyr liues had kepte righteous hâ—lye and vertuous soules albeit in poore abiect and afflicted bodies might passe into the Ilandes of the blessed This was the discourse of a Heathen man who had attained some sight of the truth albeit intangled in ignorance and errour yet fitly confirming our argument namely that wee must not iudge of mannes felicitie or miserie by the outwarde apparance 7 This folly of iudging by the outward apparance doth yet proceede farther For it can take no place at the least wherein to stay and settle it selfe in mans heart but onely among those that denie Gods prouidence namely those that thinke there is no righteous God that administreth iustice For confesse that there is a God and that hee is righteous and thou canst not iudge of mans felicitie or miserie by the outward shew Thou canst not I saie iudge whether hee that liueth in prosperitie be blessed or another in affliction cursed For sith most vsually the wicked do prosper in this lyfe and contrarywise the children of God haue most trouble what should become of Gods iustice whose nature is to rewarde euill to the wicked and good to the good A certaine Bishop of Verdune in his Chronicle reporteth that one Almauri king of Ierusalem on a time demanded of a certaine Doctor howe he could proue another life after this The Doctor asked him whether he beleeued there was a God Which when he had graunted It sufficeth sayd the Doctor For if there be a God he is righteous if hee bee righteous he must administer iustice in rewarding the good and punishing the wicked Nowe thy selfe sayde hee hast knowen such a wicked man who alwayes liuing in pleasure and honour slept in peace Thou knewest such another a verie good man in continuall tribulation euen to the death If therefore there bee a righteous God it cannot bee chosen but there is another lyfe wherein this good man resteth nowe in blisse and the wicked man in woe Whether this was a true reporte or but a fiction for example and doctrine yet doeth it surely most playnelye teach vs that hee that by outwarde prosperitie iudgeth a man to be blessed and by tribulation to bee accursed denyeth a God in that hee denyeth his iustice The doctrine of this historie or example doeth Saint Paul also confirme saying That the tribulations of the faithfull layde vppon them by the wicked that are in prosperitie are a manifest testimonie of the iudgement to come farre other than the fooles do by the outward apparance imagine The reason hee also addeth saying 2. Thes 1 For it is a righteous thing wyth God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and rest to you that are troubled Which iustice if it be not executed in this life he concludeth that it shal be in the latter comming of Iesus Christ to iudgement 8. It is blasphemie against God sayth Dauid to saie that he will not regard mans transgressions to punish them according to his iustice Wee will not therefore saie Psal 10.13 that the sinner liuing in pleasure alreadie condemned in the sight of God and waiting but the houre of eternall death can bee blessed or more blessed than the faithfull and troubled man who walketh through tribulations to take possession of the kingdome of heauen For if by outward apparance wee iudge the wicked man that is in prosperitie to be blessed and the good man that is in affliction accursed we shall abolish Gods iustice yea euen God himselfe And this is the rather to bee noted to the end that when the children and seruants of God doo finde themselues sometime pricked with this temptation they may the better stand vpon their gard with constancy to resist the same 9 Some men in olde time reiected the booke of Ecclesiastes Philast in his catal of heretikes c. 132. Iac. Chrisost polit in the preface before the com on the Canticles thinking that Salomon wrote it in his olde age after hee had beene carryed awaie by the multitude of his wiues Alleadging that in that booke hee placed mans soueraigne and chiefe felicitie in the pleasures and lustes of the flesh as if there were no other lyfe after this Some Epicures lykewise in our time doo abuse it to the lyke purpose alleadging that there
in matter appertaining to life euerlasting thinketh himselfe wise and is in deed but a foole because he is wise in the lesse and a foole in the principall wise as concerning men and this temporall life but a foole as concerning God and life euerlasting And we shall finde many presidents counsellors aduocates phisitions philosophers marchants and artificers wise discreet and aduised in their arte and vocation who all in the vocation of Christianitie are but fooles ignorant and senselesse They are verie perfect in matter concerning this present life but ignorant and foolish in matter of lyfe euerlasting Neither is it anie maruell For euerie man in youth learneth a phrase mysterie or arte whereby to grow wise expert in his vocation and so to prouide for this present life but few there are that learne the skill to bee true Christians wise and well aduised Beholde therefore how weening to be wise because they bee wise men they be but fooles in that they be ignorant vnaduised Christians 3 By experience we see that the aduocate can be skilfull learned in the vnderstanding of the ciuill laws pleading other mens causes yet vnderstandeth nothing in Gods law whereby to plead his owne cause against the deuill and so be iustified in the sight of God The phisition can be skilfull and expert in the cure of bodily diseases and yet not know wherein the cure of so many the diseases of his owne soule doth consist The Arithmetician can multiply numbers yet wotteth not how to reckon to 70. or 80. yeres of his life Psal 90 12 but as all the rest must bee forced to praie to God to giue him grace to vnderstand how to count his daies that he may apply his heart to true wisedome The Geometrician can bee skilfull in measuring the earth yet hath no knowledg of heauen either of Iesus Christ who is the way to come thereunto The Astronomer is well seene in the course and greatnesse of the Sun yet hath no skill in the Son of righteousnes our Lord Iesus Christ The philosophers perfect in a number of the secrets of nature are neuertheles ignorant in the mysteries and secretes of the eternall saluation of the soule reuealed in the Gospell The marchant can keepe his booke of accounts to know his estate who is indebted to him yet wotteth not hee what account hee must make to God of his life The Smith is skilful in making of keies yet vnderstandeth not what the keies of the kingdome of heauen are Euery one can tell what fruit apple trees pearetrees plumtrees c. do beare yet few know what fruit Christians should beare To be brief there be men enow wise and aduised but few Christians wise and well instructed What is it for an aduocate a phisition a marchant or an artificer to be wise in his profession and yet in Christianitie to be a foole ignorant and vnaduised To bee accounted wise among beasts that haue no immortall soule yet to be so much the more foolish and vnaduised as that in seruing men wisely and God foolishly hee looseth both bodie and soule for euer Augustine in his myrrour for sinners cap. 6 S Augustine reproouing those that take greater delight in the writings of Plato and Aristotle than of the Apostles calleth them fooles His reason because they reaped knowledge like to their study leaues in sted of fruit that is to say words and no vertue So men generally thinking themselues wise because they be so in matters of this life are yet foolish sensles in that they vnderstand not what is requisite for the obtaining of lyfe euerlasting 4 What doth it auaile vs saith S. Augustine subtilly to search out Augustine in his booke of the spirit and the letter cap. 1. 2 and plentifully to comprehend the nature of all things if wee haue no knowledge of our selues This sentence Know thy selfe for the excellencie thereof was thought to be brought from heauen The rather to the end that man standing in necessity of the knowledge of himselfe his ignorance pouertie miserie might humble himself seeke his felicity from other than himselfe The wise Socrates said that he knew but one thing viz. that he knew nothing And therein he spake better than hee was aware For if man knowing much as hee did must notwithstanding confesse that hee knoweth nothing in comparison of so much as hee is ignoraunt of euen in such sciences as concerne not life euerlasting how much rather must he were he double as wise as euer was Socrates confesse that he knoweth nothing if he haue no knowledge in the heauenly knowledge requisite to the saluation of our soules It is therefore a hellish opinion for a man to think himself wise when he is a fool likewise to be a wise man yet a foolish vntaught christian Iesus Christ speaking to the pharisies who thinking themselues skilful said Are we also blind Said vnto them If yee were blind Ioh. 9 40 you should haue no sin But now you saie We do see therefore your sin abideth in you Thereby shewing that as the beginning of a cure consisteth in the knowledge and feeling of the hurt so the beginning of our sight resteth in the knowledge that we are ignorant and fooles That we may therfore Amend our liues we must giue ouer this folly wherby we thinke our selues wise and heereafter being better aduised confes that we know nothing so long as we know not Iesus Christ Besides that how wise discreet and expert so euer we be in worldly matters yet knowing our selues to bee fooles and senselesse in thinking our selues wise while we are ignorant Christians we may be better aduised increasing in whatsoeuer may make vs become true Christians and consequently the children of God and inheritours of life euerlasting 5 This is the knowledge of all knowledge and consisteth in two poyntes First in that which Saint Paule sayeth I am not determined to know my other thing 1. Cor. 2.2 but onely Iesus Christ and him crucifyed Therin declaring that he that knoweth not Christ knoweth nothing but is a foole deuoid of sense how wise discreet so euer he is in the sight of the world so he that truly knoweth Iesus Christ how simple so euer the world accounteth him is perfectly wise and well aduised Secondly this knowledge consisteth in the beginning of wisedome Pro. 1.7 as the holy Ghost calleth it namely in walking in the feare of God Whereupon Dauid addeth that they which walke in the feare of God and keepe his commandements Psa 111.10 are wise And on the other side SalomoÌ„ protesteth that such as despise this wisdome discretion are fooles Iob. 28. â—5 Iob more largely speaking therof sayth Wisedome is more to bee esteemed than siluer golde precious stones or any worldly goods Then discoursing vppon the wonderfull workes of God in the knowledge whereof it seemeth there resteth great wisdome he concludeth his speech
saying Then did he see it and counted it he prepared it also and considered it And vnto man hee said Behold the feare of the Lord is true wisdome and to depart from euill is vnderstanding Hereby we see that as they that doo know Iesus Christ and walk in the feare of God are truly wise so they that haue not this wisdome are very fooles albeit they thinke themselues wise in that beeing esteemed wise men as concerning the world they are in deed foolish Christians in the sight of God 6 These seuen aforesaid follies do euidently declare that wyth great reason the holy Ghost warneth vs in the first sermon of Iesus Christ and of Iohn the Baptist that for the good and due Amendement of our liues the knowledge and feeling of our naturall follies ought to admonish vs to be more wise circumspect and better aduised hereafter For as in beleeuing that there is no God In thinking better of man than of God In thinking to liue euer so not to liue as if we should die In not knowing wherefore we liue and so liuing at randon not for the seruice of God and our neighbours but for our selues In iudging Gods children in respect of their outwarde tribulations to bee accursed and the wicked thorough their prosperitie to be blessed Beleeuing our enemies the world the flesh and the deuill rather than God our perfect and faithfull frend To be short in thinking our selues wise because we are wise as men and yet are ignorant and fooles as Christians Being I saie possessed of all these follies the same are against vs so many ropes and strong chaines in the hands of our enemy the deuill wherwith to pull vs on to sinne and to make vs continually to offend God to heape iniquitie vppon iniquitie and consequently to turne awaie from God from heauen from life euerlasting glory to folow after satan and so to cast our selues into the hel fire in to death into euerlasting damnation And contrariwise if beleeuing there is a God and esteeming him to be as he is all wise almightie all iust and true we doo loue feare and put our whole confidence in him If beleeuing that we must die and that shortly we doo applie our harts to wisdome liuing as we would euen at death wish wee had liued If knowing wherefore we doo liue we do referre the whole course of our liues to the glory of God to our saluation and to the seruice of our neighbors If iudging of mans felicitie or miserie not by the outward apparaunce but by the testimonie of God in his word we doo euen perceiue that the children of God albeit in tribulation are blessed and the wicked though in prosperitie accursed If renouncing the pernitious counselles of our enemies the world the flesh and the deuill we doo listen vnto and beleeue the counsels and admonitions of our God To conclude if considerding that all discretion knowledge and wisdome of man without the knowledge of Christ and the skil of saluation be but folly Also if vnderstanding that we be but fooles men deuoid of knowledge so long as wee are not wise and well aduised Christians therefore wee conuert and returne to God and walke in the waie that shall bring vs to heauen to life and to euerlasting glorie If I saie we doo thus conuert and amend our liues according to the will of God we shall finally become inheritours of his kingdome through his sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. The end of the first Booke VVHEREIN MAN IS TO AMEND The second Booke That man knowing Idolatrie and superstition ought wholy to abstaine from all participation in the same Chap. 1. WE haue before declared that the greatest Folly wherewith man is possessed is the offending of God And contrariwise that the beginning of all knowledge wisedome resteth in walking in his loue feare and obedience Also that as all men are naturally inclined to this Folly namely to offend God so we ought by amending our liues heereafter to become more wise and better aduised Now are we more particularly to vnderstand Wherein we are principally to amend The first point therefore to be intreated of consisteth in this That man hauing obtained knowledge of the truth ought to renounce all Idolatrie in no wise to participate in the same Many there are who with their bodies assisting at Idolatrie and superstition do neuerthelesse maintaine that they deserue not to be reproued because they disallow the same in their hearts These men should remember that sith Christ suffered both in body soule for the redemption both of our bodies and soules reason would that wee likewise should glorifie him as Saint Paul saith both in our bodies souls which are his And in deed inasmuch as man consisteth both of bodie and soule we are to cleanse both bodie and soule of all pollution that we may as Saint Paul admonisheth fulfill our sanctification 1. Cor. 6.9.20 1. Cor. 7.1 It is therefore a most sacrilegious and intollerable diuision to giue ouer our bodies to the seruice of the deuill when we say that we reserue our soules to God Will the worst husband among men bee content that his wise prostituting her bodie to whoredoome shall saie for excuse that she reserueth her heart for him S. Paule saith our bodies are Christes members and that applying them to whoredome we take them from the body of Christ make them the members of an harlot But the holy Ghost calleth Idolatrie whoredome he therefore that with his bodie assisteth at Idolatry dismembreth himselfe from Iesus Christ 1. Cor. 6 and maketh himselfe a member of the Idoll 2 In this consideration doth the Apostle exhort the Corinthians to flie from Idolatrie and least they should reply as these men do saying We disallow it in our hearts we know that the Idoll is nothing 1. Cor. 10 he addeth I speake as vnto those that haue knowledge not to the ignorant Then doth he bring them back againe to their owne iudgment the feeling of their owne consciences by the vse of the supper For as the communicants by eating the bread and drinking the wine haue a participation in Christ and are made his members so they that be assistants in the sacrifice of the Idols and doo eate of that that is sacrificed vnto them are made partakers of the Idols euen of the deuil as he expresly saith because that which is sacrificed to Idols is sacrificed to the deuill But saith he afterward yee cannot drinke the cup of the Lord and the cup of deuils yee cannot be partakers of the Lords table and of the table of deuils And to the end to preuent all replication he addeth Do we prouoke the Lord to anger Are we stronger than he And this he saith to shew vs that notwithstanding whatsoeuer we aledge that we do not apply our harts therto or that we know that the Idol is nothing yet in that we assist with our bodies
earth shall perish from the earth from vnder these heauens He hath made the earth by his power c. Wherein we are to note that albeit Ieremie writ al his prophecies in Hebrew yet this one sentence is set downe in the Caldean or Babilonian speech therby admonishing the captiue Iewes to disaduow Idols to cōfesse the true God plainly sensibly in a language knowen to the Idolaters If this confession bee required of these poore captiue Iewes how can these men be excused who being at libertie to depart from among the Idolaters do assist at their Idolatry thereby to giue the world to vnderstand that they also are Idolaters therefore dare not vtter one word in reproofe of the Idols 9 Sith therefore that the first sermon both of Christ of Iohn the Baptist do notably proclaime Amend your liues Let all such as haue attained to the knowledge of the truth resolue with thēselues to renounce all Idolatrie superstition vtterly to denie all assistance participation whatsoeuer therin either in hart or body Let them remember that all abandoning of their bodies to Idolatrie is a prophanation of the temple of God That the yeelding of the body to the deuill reseruing the hart to God is intollerable sacriledge That the denial of the true God the worshipping of the deuill is detestable hipocrisie That thereby they blaspheme Iesus Christ honor the Idol that they giue offēce to their neighbours as well by confirming some in their errors as by inducing others to follow their examples But especially let them remember that their pretended excuse will redound to their double damnatiō For if he who thinking to worship God yet of ignorāce throgh worshiping an Idoll offendeth deserueth death surely then he that boweth his body to worship that which he knoweth to be an Idoll 1. Con. 10.20 Luk. 12.47.48 yea a very deuil as S. Paul calleth it offendeth in far greater measure deserues greter punishmēt And so doth Christ himself pronounce concerning the disobedient seruant who knowing his masters wil not doing it Exod. 20.5 shall be beaten much more grieuously thē he that was ignorāt therof And indeed it is not only a simple sinne and transgression as in the ignorant but more contempt and misprision against the maiestie of the law-giuer as God in many places complaineth of his people that they haue dispised him Rom. 5.20 yea euen hated him as himselfe faith in his law And hereto likewise may be referred the sentence of the Apostle where hee saith That God gaue the law that sinne might abound because the knowledge of the law taking away ignorance maketh the transgression to be conioyned with contempt and despising of God 10 The more therfore that we know the inconuenience of Idolatrie the more we are to detest abhor and flie from it and neuer flatter our selues in the presence of God who knoweth our hearts It is but a foolish enterprise to vndertake to deceiue the Lord or to thinke to prosper by offending him We feare the losse of our goods dignities countrie and life if we go not to masse with other men and counterfeate our selues to bee Idolaters as they are yet we feare not to loose the treasure and inheritance of heauen life euerlasting and the kingdome of God by polluting our bodies in Idolatrie euen by the assured testimonie of our owne hearts We are not to order our duties after the easements of our flesh but according to the word of God The meanes to obtaine safetie and felicitie consisteth not in prouoking God to wrath by seruing of Idols but if we desire his mercie and fauour towardes vs wee must renounce and denie our selues and the world that wee may worship and serue him onely Let vs obey S. Iohn who saith 1. Ioh. 5.21 Psal 97.7 1. Cor. 6.20 My little children keepe your selues from Idols And let vs remember that the holy Ghost pronounceth woe to all those that worship Idols And contrariwise blesseth all those that adore and glorifie God both in hart and minde That it is not enough that we seperate our selues from Idolatrie vnlesse we also ioyne with the Church of Christ by frequenting Sermons communicating in the Sacraments and comming to common prayer Chap. 2. AS repentance and Amendement of life consisteth in this that we forsake sinne and applie our selues to goodnesse So it is not enough that we keepe both bodies and soules from Idolatrie and superstition vnlesse that also seperating our bodies from Idolaters we adioine our selues to the Church of Christ by hearing his word receiuing the Sacraments calling vpon God in the name of Iesus Christ The titles that the holy Ghost attributeth to this Church do euidently declare vnto vs of how great importance to the glory of God saluatiō of mankind this duty of ioyning with the true Church is First it is in many places called the kingdom of God yet not without great cause For as this kingdome consisteth in euidēt assured knowledge of the true God of his Son Iesus Christ in faith righteousnes peace and comfort of the holy Ghost in sanctification to be briefe in euerlasting life glory So is it in the church wherin God manifests himself reueales his truth pleasure To the mēbers therof he giueth faith righteousnes holines peace ioy and finally life glory euerlasting Contrariwise the kingdom of Sathan cōsisteth in ignorance Mat. 13. infidelity corruptiō vice sin iniquity in a bad conscience trouble of mind dispaire death damnation The members therfore of Christs Church are the kingdome of God retired from the power dominion of Sathā to the end that God may raigne in them by his spirit the scepter of his word as contrariwise al that are without the Church do belong to the kingdome of Sathā as S. Paul also doth say of the excōmunicate that they be deliuered to Sathā who raigneth without the Church of Christ 1. Cor. 5.5 1. Cor 6.9.10 Luk. 13.28 Act. 1.47 This likewise is confirmed in that the same title of the kingdom of God wherby the Church is signified is also attributed to that blessed glorious estate which the elect shal enioy after the resurrection Wherin we are taught that theris such a cōiunction betweene the Church that glorious kingdom of Iesus Christ that it is as it were the suburbes gate thereinto wherupon also al they that refuse to ioyne with the Church can pretend no portion in this kingdom of heauē For the path to felicitie importeth an ascention frō the kingdome of God vpon earth to the kingdome of God in heauē And that doth S. Luke note saying that God did dayly adioyne vnto the Church those that should be saued thereby signifying that such as refuse to adioyne themselues therto do minister no occasion to imagine that they haue attained the way to saluation and life euerlasting 2 By another title are the
the head our steadfast abiding in the doctrine of truth and vnion in the faith of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christe are all wrought by the ministerie of the woorde which Iesus Christ hath ordained in his holye Church To bee short that preaching is as it were the knitting and ioyning of the sinewes to vnite the faithfull into one bodie Whosoeuer therefore despiseth or reiecteth this order and benefite of Iesus Christ hee tendeth onely to scatter the Church or vtterly to destroy it Neither is the light of the sunne yea euen meat or drinke so necessarie and profitable for the preseruation of this present life as is the ministery for the vpholding of the church and bringing vs to saluation and life euerlasting 10 The premises throughly considered do also teach vs the reason why God where he might haue vsed the seruice of Angels to reueale vnto vs the doctrine of saluation Act. 8.26 and to instruct vs by the reading of his word vouchsafed to speak vnto vs by the ministerie of men like vnto our selues whereof we haue sundrie notable examples The Eunuch treasurer to Queene Candâ—ces read vppon his chariot the booke of the prophet Esaye Act. 9.9 God was not satisfied with this his affection and dutie neither did he send an Angell to expound it vnto him but imploying the ministerâ—e of man he sent him Philip. When Iesus Christ appeared to Paul and conuerted him yea euen spak vnto him he could also haue instructed him himselfe Act. 10.3 or haue sent some Angell to doo it but he contrarywise sent him to Ananias that at the mouth of an aÌ„ he might learn his will The Angell sent to Cornelius the Centurion to declare vnto him that his praiers and almes were come vp before God in liew of teaching him appointed him to send for Saint Peter that of him he might vnderstand the doctrine of saluation What man therefore is he that now dare either by expectation of reuelation from heauen or by contenting himselfe onely with reading presume to reuerse or controll the order established in the wisdome of God for the teaching of men and the bringing of them to saluation by the ministerie of men What confusion might insue of such rashnes and presumption What ingratitude against God to contemne such an honour and reuerence doone vnto men and a benefite of such greate excellencie yea euen of profite and necessitie Truely therefore inasmuch as the preaching of the Gospell is tearmed the kingdome of God Col. 4. such as doo despise and reiect it doo make themselues not onely vnworthy thereof but also most wretched and accursed instrumentes to aduance the kingdome of sathan Rather therfore apprehending the incomprensible treasure of the ministerie of the woorde let vs with the Prophet Esay and the holye Apostle Saint Paule saye O howe beautifull are the feete of them that bring gladde tidinges of peace and doo also bring gladde tidinges of good things 11 Neither must wee imagine or thinke with our selues Esa 52.7 Rom. 10.15 that being a little entered thereinto we neede not to heare anie more preaching for euen all the daies of our liues must wee be Christs schollers in the schoole of his Church vnder the ministerie of men As also the faithfull in olde time were called disciples whereby the holy Ghost signifieth vnto vs Act. 11 26. that the children of God must continue daily disciples and so learn in Christs schole vntill that departing out of the same they ascend into heauen And in deede such as being impotent and weake when they haue some voyage or iourney in hande and therefore doo take a waggon or a horse and when they haue ridde some fifteene or twentie leagues doo not straight waie without consideration of they businesse leaue theyr horse or chariot but doo retayne the same vntyll they come to theyr iourneyes ende but our iourney wyll neuer bee at an ende vntyll that by death wee bee lyfted vp into heauen The forwardest among vs as the holy Apostle Saint Paule saith doo yet knowe but in parte 1. Cor. 12.13 Ephes 4.13 And the ministerie is ordayned to profite vs vntyll wee become to bee perfect men and haue attayned to the perfect measure and full age of Iesus Christ as the same Apostle more at large doeth teach vs. And this perfection and age of man is neuer accomplyshed vntyll death And truely as the office of the ministerie consisteth in feeding the flocke of Iesus Christ by the preaching of his holie woorde so this woorde Foode doeth teach and admonish vs that as for the time of our lyuing and beeing in this worlde wee doo stande in neede of foode for our bodyes so can wee not forbeare preaching and teaching for the feeding and nourishment of our soules vntill we be lifted vp into heauen 12 But wert thou as skilful as Saint Paul yet must thou confesse that thou still standest in need of the holy ministerie 1. Cor. 14.3 2. Tim. 3.16 For preaching is ordained not onely to teach vs that which wee knowe not but also to reprehend our vices to exhort vs to our duties to comfort vs and to strengthen vs in the faith and obedience of God Whatsoeuer hee bee therefore that knoweth himselfe hee doeth sufficiently by these reasons and considerations vnderstande that hee hath neede of the holy ministerie all the dayes of his lyfe Schollers haue nothing to learne but knowledge and that euen of humane doctrine and therefore theyr studies haue a limitation but preaching is ordayned not onely for increase of knowledge but also to teach vs to put our knowledge in practise that is to say to aduaunce vs continually more and more in faith and amendement of lyfe wherein we shall neuer be perfect vntyll death By the premises then it doth appeare that euerie one that hath anie purpose to obeye this exhortation of Iesus Christ and of Saint Iohn where they saie Amend your liues must resolue to ioyne with the Church of Christ that diligently and carefully they may heare his worde all the dayes of theyr lyfe Also that it is the duetie of euerie Christian to put in practise this saying of the Prophet Esaie Esa 2.2 In the latter daies the mountaine of the house of the Lord shall bee prepared in the toppe of the mountaines and all Nations shall flow vnto it and many people shall go and saie Come let vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lorde to the house of the God of Iacob and hee will teach vs his waies and wee will walke in his pathes And that wee may inioye such a benefite let vs euen feele in our selues that burning affection and desire which that excellent Prophet Dauid had Psal 27.4 that with him we may praie to God to giue vs grace that wee abide and remaine in his temple all the dayes of our liues 13 Some there are that confesse that indeed it is their duetie to doe this but they can not
resolue least they should be knowen to be of the religion so loose their goods dignities otherworldly commodities Is not the soule more precious then the body Must we not haue more respect to the soule then to the body In a time of famine we can be content to sell al for bread rather then to die for hunger Gen. 47. Did not the Egyptians giue all their money their cattle and finally their possessions to Ioseph for corne Nay more then so we will euen snatch bread out of the fire And lastly if wee haue no other meanes wee can bee content to leaue countrey kinred and friends to trauaile into forrein countries to seek for food rather then to die for hunger But why do we not as much for our soules The famished soule cryeth out I must liue And is it not meere rashnesse to think to liue without food We must therfore forsake all for to obtaine the spirituall food of the woord we must euen wrest it from out the fire and persecution or els depart into some other countrey where it may be had freely And thereto doth Iesus Christ lead vs when he saith Labour not for the meat which perisheth but for the meat that endureth vnto euerlasting lyfe Should we call in question his promise who saith Seeke first the kingdom of God and his righteousnes and all other things shal be ministred vnto you Hath he not effectually declared vnto vs what care he taketh to feed those that follow him to heare his word Behold there were sower thousand besides women children that folowed him into the desert to heare his doctrine They knew not what to eate but Iesus Christ had a care thereof I am moued in compassion toward this multitude said he for three daies haue they been with me and haue nothing to eate and I will not send them away fasting least they faint by the way Herevpon he blessed seauen loaues and a few fishes and gaue vnto them so that they were all satisfied 14 Some scorners and blasphemers will say let God take care for the soule and I will take care for the bodie But contrarywise let vs say Let vs take such care for the soule as God hath commanded and he will care for the bodie as he hath promised Let his promise be vnto vs as the pitcher of oyle and the barrell of meale to the Widow of Sarepta that neuer wasted euen a more certain rent then the money in our purses or the goods in our houses What will it profit a man to win all the world and to loose his owne soule What a folly were it to buy a house for the bodie laying out so much therevpon that for want of goods the bodie so well housed must die for hunger Euen so what shall a man get by keeping his goods for to feed and cloath the bodie which is the house of the soule and in the mean time suffer the soule to pyne away and die for hunger Sith therefore the question now dependeth vpon the amendement of lyfe let vs resolue to frequent and heare the preaching of the Gospell and so to feed our soules with the word of God turning away our eyes from all incumbrances offered by the flesh and assuring our selues that we can catch no harme by obeying God and seeking food life and saluation for our soules 15 Others there are who albeit they may freely without danger frequent Sermons are neuertheles marueilous cold and negligent in that dutie who think it sufficient that they haue the liberty albeit they vse it not Such men respect only the commodities of the flesh the world They be prophane in their harts and deuoid of religion accompting of no other God but their riches neither religion Augustine of the manners of the Catholike Church but a care skill to purchase wealth to grow mightie in the land S. Austen rehearseth three degrees of woe He saith he that hath not that he loueth cannot be said to be blessed Neither he that hath that which he loueth if his loue be hurtful vnto him Neither he that hath that which is soueraignely good profitable if he loueth not that which he hath Now as we may to sample the first bring in those who louing the holy ministerie haue no meanes to come by it the second such as loue superstition Idolatrie and do enioy it so for the third among others we may place those that are in place where they may freely commodiously haue the vse of the holy ministerie of the word and sacraments but doe not loue it therefore doe either neglect it or peraduenture despise it These men shall incurre Gods double iudgement for contemning treading vnder foot the food of their soules the incomprehensible graces which God offereth vnto thē in the preaching of his word They be men that thinke not thēselues to be men for they liue as beastes that care only for the body and this life but make no accompt of the soule and life euerlasting If sometime they come to a Sermon it is but for a fashion because it is an honour to be of the religion But let them harken to Iesus Christ who crieth Amend your liues to that end meditat vpō that which we haue spoken that therby vnderstanding that the preaching of the word is ordained to build Gods house the body of Christ which is his Church to illuminate vs with the truth to strengthen vs in saith to reproue our vices to exhort vs to liue acording to God to comfort vs in our afflictions to bee short to saue vs That vnderstanding I say how profitable and necessarie it is they may awake from their giddinesse and take hart to heare diligently the Sermons to the glorie of God and the saluation of their soules Let them not thinke the time bestowed at Sermons to be lost as some doe but let them assuredly beleeue that they cannot better employ their time then in the preseruation of the life of their soules in encreasing the health of the same in strengthening their hearts against all temptations and mortal assaults in the more certaine apprehension of the kingdome of heauen the riches of the glorie prepared for the true disciples of Iesu Christ in glory euerlasting Of our duties to communicate in the holy sacraments Chap. 4. NOw let vs come to the sacraments As concerning baptisme in as much as among all Christians except the Anabaptistes the institution ordinance of Iesus Christ to baptiste children is obserued reseruing to another place the corruptiō of not knowing much lesse practising the vse of our baptisme wee will proceed to the supper The supper was ordained principally for two reasons The first As a mother hauing brought forth her litle one doth not forsake it but nurseth bringeth it vp So Christ hauing ordained baptisme to bee as a seale pledge of our spiritual new birth into his Church did institute
in adioyning our selues to the Church of Christ ther to hear his word attentiuely to participate in his sacrameÌ„ts holily deuoutly with our whole affections to assist at coÌ„mon praiers Of the duetie both of domesticall and priuate praiers of euery faithfull Chap. 6. NOw as we haue shewed that publique praiers in the Church and the preaching of Gods word are vnto vs most profitable necessary so are we to vnderstand that notwithstaÌ„ding the same we are not neuertheles to neglect the vse both of Domesticall and priuate praier nor yet to forbeare the reading of the holy Scripture in our houses These be two points wherein as in that they be more coÌ„mon pernitious in respect of negligence slouth so are we the more hartely in dutie to seeke to Amend As for the praiers which euery housholder is to practise among his family Morning Euening we will speake of them hereafter where we entreate of the duties of housholders But for the priuate praiers of euery perticuler person ther is no man but besides his publique and domesticall exercises ought dayly to exercise himselfe therin Were we endued with the true knowledg both of our selues our estate condition of the efficacie of praiers we should need no solliciter to put vs in mind many times to present our selues before God to pray him more and more to reueale his truth to encrease in vs faith loue pacience and other his spirituall gifts to mortifie our corruptions to strengthen vs against the temptations and assaults of the flesh the world and the deuill to prouide vs of such and such necessaries wherof we are in want to preserue vs from so many daungers wherwith we are enuironed To be short to grant vs his holy spirite happyly to conduct vs all the daies of our life He that feeleth not the necessity of such graces and consequently of praier to obtaine them is sencelesse and voide of al vnderstanding as also euery man perticulerly in his vocation hath great need of Gods assistance and consequently of praiers Parents that God will giue them grace vertuously to bring vp wel to nurture their children Ministers of the word in holines to employ themselues in their ministerie Marchaunts and artificers faithfully to follow their traficke and trades Generally all men that God will vouchsafe to blesse them in their vocations workes and labours And besides there may be many of our acquaintance whose estate and condition bindeth vs to pray to God for them also 2 To be briefe ther is not any but after all priuate petitions accomodated to the time to the persons or to the occurreÌ„ces ought dayly to put in practise the doctrine of Iesus Christ where he saith You shall pray thus Our father which art in heauen c. as followeth In this forme of praier teaching vs that euery of vs ought dayly to present himselfe before God is a procurer first of his glorie then of the benefit and saluation of the congregation The zeale of Gods glorie as also our loue towards our neighbours do bind vâ— dayly to make this praier and that with greater diligence and feruencie because that making it as it were from the month of Christ the author thereof we shall be assured of hearing and consequently it shall make greatly to the aduancement as well of the glorie of God as of the good and saluation of our neighbours whereupon also as God in the obedience of his law doth more respeâ—t the obedience of his children then the worke it selfe so may we say that this praier whereby in the three first petitions we seeke the glory of God and in the three last the good and necessities requisite both for the body soule as well of our neighbours as of our selues being dayly with hart and mind poured forth is as it were a fulfilling of the lawe the summe whereof consisteth in this that wee loue God with our whole hearts and our neighbours as our selfe 3 Moreouer in these praiers lifting vp our hearts vnto God and so communicating dayly with him we do by little and little forget the earth and the world and doe grow spirituall and heauenly Euen as Moses in olde time hauing conuersed with God fortie daies and fortie nights when hee came downe to the people seemed to haue shining beames in his face And indeede as by little and little we learne the maners and language of those with whom we do ordinarily conuerse besides that by such conuersation ther breedeth a certaine affection betweene them more then others so by this our conuersing with God in our praiers we learne both the manners and language of heauen and in our selues doe perceiue some encrease of loue towards God Which is more as wee are but to much enclined either to our selues or at other mens solliciting to some riot or iniquitie so when we call to mind that in the morning we haue praied vnto God that he would vouchsafe to keepe vs also that at night we are to return againe to do the like the same is vnto vs a mightie bridle to restraine vs from wickednes and to retaine vs in due obedience towards God Besides as when we pray vnto him we haue regard to his promises the experience of his benefits and so cal him father beseeching him to guide vs as a father doth his children the same is a good meanes to strengthen our faith and a foundation of comfort in euerie vocation and estate whereinto it pleaseth God to call and place vs assuring our selues that by such praiers euery thing that shall come to passe shall be according to the worke and conduct of our father yea euen the accomplishment of his will which cannot be bad vnto vs. To be short such as through Gods grace doe dayly exercise themselues therein do by experience find what a comfort benefit and contentation they receiue by the same 4 This is the reason why the most excellent seruants children of God haue beene the rather addicted thereto How seruently did Moses employ himselfe therein when hee continued groueling before God in prayer for the space of fortie dayes and fortie nightes Likewise Samuell when hee sayde God sorbid that I shoulde sinne against the Lorde and cease praying for you Deu 9.18 1. Sam. 12.23 Psa 119.147 Psal 88.14 Act. 10.2.4 Especially the princely Prophet Dauid who in his Psalmes sufficiently declareth that he was as it were tyed thereto by dayly exercise As perticulerly wher to this purpose hee sayth I preuented the morning light to praye to God Againe My prayer preuenteth thee in the Morning Cornelius the Centurion so laboured therein that he prayed continually Whereby finally the Lords Angell sayde vnto him Pphil 1.4 Ehe 1.16 Col. 1.9 1. Thes 1.2 5.17 Col. 4.2 that his praiers were come in remembraunce before God S. Paul in many Epistles protesteth that he ceased not night and day to pray for the Churches As also in many places
neuer haue beene annoyed with heate or colde that doe so molest him Moreouer this vse of garmentes doeth testifie vnto vs. Gods goodnesse and mercie towardes vs in that hee ministreth wherewith to releeue our necessities and so bindeth vs more and more to praise him To make therefore our garmentes a pompe and shew whereby to bee honored and glorified is the reuersing of the vse of them and manifest sacriledge against God Yet is this corruption so common that there is none no not the little children but will boast of gay garments Let vs therefore that haue more wit then children euen vs I say especially that are instructed in Gods word and know the originall and vse of garmentes in liew of seeking glorie in the same learne by them to humble our selues and to render all thankes and prayses to God to whome it appertaineth 8 For a third remedie let vs remember what a folly yea what an extreame iniquitie it is to take more care for garmentes for the bodie then for ornaments for the soule For as the bodie being of more valew then the garment wee will sell or pawne foorth the garment for to feede the bodie so ought wee to leaue all affecton to beautifie our bodies the better to tende to the adorning of our soules And hereto doth Saint Peter exhort vs 1. Pet. 1 3. saying Let not the womans apparell be outward with broydered heare or golde put about or in putting on of apparell but let the hid man of the hart be vncorrupt with a meeke and quiet spirit which is before God a thing much set by The same doth S. Paule also confirme saying Let women araie themselues in comely apparell with shamefastnesse and modestie 1. Tim. 2.9 not broidered haire or golde or pearle or costly apparell but as becommeth women that professe the feare of God with good workes If wee dwel in a borrowed house looking weekly when we must depart wee wyll neuer trouble our selues wyth anie cost or fitting of it as wee woulde doo if wee were sure to remayn in it all the daies of our liues And what is the bodie but a house lent vnto the soule from whence it looketh dayly to departe What reason haue wee then so to care for adorning the bodie which shortly must rot and perish so to neglect the soul which is immortal Men commonly doo care to be more honestly appareled when they are to meet at some banquet or marriage or to come before some honourable personages than ordinarily when they conuerse wyth inferiours Now wee as concerning our bodies doo conuerse wyth men lyke vnto our selues but as concerning our soule with God and his angels to whome it is lifted vp now by faith but at death really Is it not therefore repugnant to all order and reason to care more for the beautifying of the bodie than for adorning of the soule 9 Some man wyll saie Why albeit we beautifie our bodyes yet doo wee thinke vpon the adorning of the soule But this is a mere abuse for it is an olde saying that the great care to prouide for the bodie is an euident token of the neglect and small affection to adorne the soule Who can saie that hee is loth to burne his house when hee layeth burning coales hard by a stacke of strawe Naturally wee are inclined to ambition and pride and what is all this pompe prouision for the bodie but wood and straw kindled by the fyre of our Ambition Humilitie modestie charitie chastitie and holinesse are the chiefe ornamentes of our soules and is there anie thing more contrarie to these vertues than Ambition pride crueltie lust and prophane liuing which all doo appeare in these pompes and ornamentes for the bodie Well may wee confesse that there bee some more proude in theyr paltrie peltes than many in theyr sumptuous apparell When Antisthenes ware a turnde cloake Socrates tolde him that hee discerned his vaineglorie and ambition through the rentes of his cloake Contrariwise queene Heste rprotested before God that shee tooke no more pride in her most rich apparell The last book of Hest 14.6 than in base and defouled clothes But we speake of that which is common with men as experience sheweth For in deede wee shall finde few in whome ambition or desire to bee thought rich or noble or among women to appeare fayre is not the verie originall foutnaine of theyr sumptuous apparell pompe and beautifieng of the bodie 10 Some will reply did God create golde siluer silke and such like to no vse We confesse he created them to vse but not to abuse of his liberalitie to take occasion to praise him but not to extoll our selues And truely it is a great abusing of Gods creatures when we employ them to maintain our pride and ambition and in liew of reseruing al honour and praise to him that is the giuer of them to minister offence to our neighbours Againe it followeth not that the vse of silke and golde permitted to Kinges Princes and people of like calling should equally bee permitted and commanded for euerye Marchaunt and Artificer Princes may without reprehension or blemish of pride weare that which Marchaunts and Artificers cannot vse without note of pride and presumption True it is that the more modestly that any shall vse it the more commendable it is But it were but a trouble to pollicie and conscience without reason or ground to submit all person of whatsoeuer calling to Marchaunts attire as also it is not conuenient to abase Marchaunts into poore Artificers apparell 11 Yet is there another point to be considered God as to another purpose is afore said hath made men not Lordes but stewards of his goods with condition that they shall giue accompt of the same And in that respect it is lawfull for men of honour and calling honourably to cloth themselues so long as they also reserue meanes and clothe the poore members of Christ And indeede this sentence which he will pronounce in the day of iudgement Depart from me ye cursed into eternal fire Mat. 25. for I was naked and ye clothed me not c. might make those to tremble whose superfluitie and excesse in apparell would wel suffice to cloth the poore members of Iesus Christ But this sparingnes is an euident signe of incredulitie as Saint Iames noteth Iam. 2.15 tearming it to be a testimonie of a dead faith when we cloth not those that bee naked The silke ribbands and lace that couer the cloth the edgings passements and purles added to stuffe of it selfe curious enough the ringes enriched with precious stones the golde the siluer and pearle wherewith the bodies are decked vp shal in the day of iudgement arise against those that take no pitie of the poore that lay vpon straw went woolward and quaking for colde for want of garments Let those that dispence with such sumpteousnes and excesse examine their owne consciences whether they doe to others as they would be
doone to if God should visite them with the like necessitie Let thē thinke whether if they had but one hundred crownes they would bestow them all vpon one silke gowne layde on with golde lace and the whiles goe without a shert hosen or shoes The poore are their flesh Esay 58.7 saith Esay who commaundeth to couer them but they contrariwise that they may cloth thēselues sumptuously do leaue the poor naked without sherts hose or shoes Let them then thinke with themselues whether in the accompt of the goods that God hath committed vnto them the Articles of excesse and superfluitie in apparell will bee alowed by him who vndoubtedly heareth the cries and oppositions of his poore members complayning that they were left naked If a Taylour when he hath made a garment a great deale too long large being reproued shall haue no other excuse but that hee had too much stuffe woulde that bee accepted Woulde they not tell him that hee shoulde haue made the garment after the measure of the bodie but not according to the quantitie of the stuffe Euen so they that hauing plentie of goods doe employ them not after the measure of their vocation or the profession of a reformed religion but in superfluitie and excesse doe expose themselues to the skorne and grieuous reprehension in the sight of God and his Angels Let them therefore cloth themselues decently euerie man according to his calling yet so that the poore bee not forsaken in their necessities Let them put on such cloth that the poore may at least haue freeze To bee short let them put in practise the saying of Esay of the conuersion of the Marchaunts of Tyre Esay 23.18 That their traficke and Marchaundise shall bee sanctified to the Lord. It shall not bee locked vp neither hidden but shall bee vnto those that dwell in the presence of the Lorde that they may eate and be satisfied and haue dureable clothing for so doth the word signifie that he vseth 12 To conclude wee are to thinke that professing reformed religion it were meete wee should giue examples of reformation yet doe men see in vs the encrease of pompe and excesse in apparell as well in fashion as in stuffe edginges laces quoifes and other like vanities These as they testifie are small reformation in heart so doe they with manie call in doubte our faith and consequently our doctrine Those of the Church of Rome doe hereof occasion to harden their heartes in that in this pointe they see no difference betweene them and vs. As also the Anabaptistes haue almost no other argument to diuert themselues and others from our doctrine but the pompe and excesse in apparell that they see in the professors of our religion Beholde saie they they sauour all together of the worlde They bee worldly people Bee they the children of God Saint Iohn sayth Loue not the worlde 1. Ioh. 2 15. Ioh. 4.4 hee that loueth the world is an enemie to God Yet it is true that these men professing a greater simplicitie in apparell doe euen in themselues shew ambition to the world as concerning the stuffe for condemning a garde of veluet or a pafement lace they yet requite the vanitie with the excellencie and price of the stuffe which cannot be too fine or too deere for them and so in sumptuousnesse doe exceede both gards and lace Yet doth our dutie also require that for our partes wee shoulde take away all obiections or occasion to stumble at vs. Also as they are not to condemne the doctrine for anie such outward matters so are wee to remember the protestation of Saint Paule who sayth 1. Cor. 8.13 Rather then I will offend my neighbour I will eate no flesh while I liue If hee so submitted and resolued himselfe in a matter indifferent how much rather shoulde wee beware of offending the weake in these vanities prohibited by God Woe Luk 17.1 2. sayth Iesus Christ bee vnto him by whome offences come It were better for that man a mille stone were hanged about his necke and that hee were cast into the sea Shall wee euen obstinately through our vanities be causes of the ruine of our brethren Iustine in his 20 booke for whome Iesus Christ hath died Iustine reporteth that Pithagoras by his doctrine perswaded women to laye aside their golden ornamentes and other pompe of theyr garmentes as instrumentes of vanitie and impudencie and declared vnto them that the true ornamentes of women did consist not in garmentes but in chastitie What a great shame doe wee offer to Iesus Christ when his Authoritie and doctrine cannot worke the like effecte as to make vs to forsake such vanities which the perswasion of the Paynime brought the poore heathen vnto If these exhortations cannot pierce deepe enough into our heartes let vs call to minde how the Prophet Sophonie threatneth euen the Princes rulers and great courtiers saying It shall bee in the daye of the Lordes sacrifice thereby meaning the day of his vengeance that I will visite the Princes and the kinges children Sopho. 1.8 and all such as are clothed with straunge apparell Thus wee see how the Princes and great Lordes making a shew of their sundrie sutes of sumptuous apparell and new and straunge fashions are heere threatned with Gods iudgements And therefore let such as be of meaner calling imagine whether such vanities and corruptions bee worthie greater punishment in them or no. 13 Now in as much as our Sauiour Iesus Christ the Sonne or God and his forerunner Iohn Baptist doe in their first preaching admonish vs to Amend our liues Let vs studie to forsake this ambitious vanitie so that euery man in his calling not imaginarie but such as God hath called him vnto apparelling himselfe modestly may in effect declare that he feareth God and mindeth to liue to edification remembring that garments are as it were a notable blemish of sinne the occasion of garments made as well to couer our shame as to defend vs from other the discommodities engendred in Adams transgression That the vse of the garments in steade of pride and puffing of vs vp may tend to humilitie making vs to glorifie God for his mercie and liberalitie towardes vs. Moreouer that we take care not to decke vp our bodies which shortly must perish and rot but to adorne our soules which are immortall with holinesse and good workes in the sight of God To be short that cutting off our superfluities wee doe therewith assist and relieue the poore members of Iesus Christ to the ende that in the day of iudgement Mat. 25. this blessed sentence I was naked and ye clothed me come therfore yee blessed of God my father and possesse the kingdome of heauen may passe on our sides Of excesse and superfluitie in feastes and banquets Chap. 24 NOw let vs speake of banquets No man can in these daies make a feast without excesse and that excesse must bee also reproued and represented
to the host by some one of the companie euen of those that professe the religion yet ordinarily in such sort as the host accompteth it as a commendation of his magnificence plentie As also if he that semeth to find the fault chance afterward to make another it shal likewise be such as he likewise wil looke for the like censure which hee also will take to redound to the praise of his liberalitie and plentie Hereto haue relation all excuses of meane entertainment and desire to take patience euen in a feast that sloweth with all dainties and are motioned onely to minister occasion to the guests to say that there is but ouer much and by such a censure to get the commendation of plentie and liberality Thus each man reprouing and accusing other of excesse no man sheweth any Amendement Yet let vs not thinke but these pettie censures proceeding either of worldly ciuilitie and slatterie or of Christian admonition are so many sentences giuen by our owne mouthes which shall be laide before vs in the daie of iudgement to our condemnation God hath ordained meate and drinke for two principall purposes First to nourish and relieue vs to the end that thereby recouering new strength and force which fitly is called refection wee may euery man applie our selues to that seruice whereto he hath called vs But our banquets contrariwise doe returne vs vnprofitable as growing so dull and heauie by our long sittinges and plentie that wee are fitter and more readie to sleepe like hogges then as Christians prouided to follow our vocations especially to heere or reade Gods worde or to tend to prayers and meditation And thus in our banquete we take not our refection but destruction If a horse by eating too many Oates should grow heauie and slacke to goe or drawe wee woulde beware of giuing him too much least wee shoulde both loose our prouender and weaken our horse Euen so in meate and drinke and long sittinges if the plentie make vs heauie and slow in our vocations namely in the seruice of God we haue iust cause to cut it off and so to take away the abuse which is especially hurtfull and to be condemned 2 If our studies were as much applyed to make our feasts as sober and simple as they are plentifull and delicious both our bodies would be better at ease our soules more readie to their actions and our selues better able to relieue the poore And indeede euen in dutie we are bounde to leane more to sobrietie then to superfluitie and excesse to vertue then to vice and to remember the saying of Iustine to this purpose Iustine lib. 20 Frugalitie is the mother and nurse to all vertue Yet doe our aboundaunce of dainties our diuersitie of meates and our inuentions of new sauces and wantonnesse declare the contrarie So that now it will aske more time to learne to be a good cooke to make the body sicke then to be a Doctor of Physicke to minister health We reprooue such women as to the end to seeme more beautifull and to allure mens fancies doe paint themselues Yet wee commend such cookes as can make diuersitie of sauces to prouoke appetite to meate Do we feare eating too litle an appetite accompanied with health There was neuer man that repented his being sober but many their eating and drinking too much The best is therefore to vse common and grosse meate for that is easiest gotten soonest and with least labour made readie of lowest price nothing so hurtfull and such as wee eate not much off The Romaines did eate either in publique or with their doores open that euery man might be a witnesse of their frugalitie 3 The second purpose and vse of foode is to procure vs to prayse and glorifie God for his goodnesse and liberalitie towards vs. And therefore Saint Paule saith Whether wee eate or wether we drinke 1. Cor. 10.31 or whatsoeuer wee doe let vs doe all to the honour and glorie of God But to the contrarie which of vs when we tast the sauour of meate or drinke is in heart mooued to say with Dauid O Lord thou art good and gracious Psal 119.68 In how many of our feastes doe wee take occasion or argument to enter into the acknowledgement or discourse of the goodnesse sweetnesse or power of God the auctor of all goodnesse Plutarck reporteth that a certaine nation called Siborites Plu. in his banquets of the 7. Sages did vsually inuite Ladies to their feasts a yeere before hand to the end that they might haue time to prouide themselues to come honourably or rather in great pompe But it were fitter saith he when we are inuited to a banquet in time to prepare to come prouided of speech and honest profitable and conuenient communication If this consideration coulde take place in a heathen Philosopher what a shame is it for vs Christians to come into companie and feastes vnprouided of such holie and vertuous talke as might tend to Gods glorie and the edefying of the assistants And indeede the sauce of Christian banquets ought to consist of wise vertuous and holie discourses But our want of instruction and the starued affection of our hartes to vertue doe cause vs to consume our time at banquets either in vaine talke or in vrging our guests to eate and drinke Xenophon and other Philosophers were of opinion that it were good and profitable to collect note downe al table talke If Christians yea euen our selues that professe the reformed religiō Plut. in his Syme lib. 1 shold put this in practise what should we find in such registers Words and discourses which the next day would be found vnworthy our vtterance euen such as euen worldlings would be ashamed of So long as the Chruch continued vnder the crosse at euery feast the table talke consisted of holy communication questions of edificatiō But now such discourses are odious anoy vs. Ther is now no newes but of mery sētences sauoring somtimes too much both of the world the flesh Plutarch in the banquet of the 7. sages 4 The Egyptians in their banquets cōmonly exhibited that which they called Scelet in which word they signified the bones of man dryed ioyned knite together and thereby admonished the assistants that within some shorttime themselues should bee like to the same This truly was a meanes to restraine thē from vsing their food with excesse or vaine speeches At Metz in Lorraine they haue a custome that at marriage feasts the hangman in person cōmeth to demand a dish of meat And this at such feasts ministreth occasion to talke of death of vertuous life To many men these customes may seeme bitter and not fit for banquets but if we wist how ready we are to too much mirth to offending of God in our banquets we would confesse that our diseases do require such Phisicke Iobs children were well taught instructed yet no doubt at their banquets one
of mortall infection and stench And Plato terming it a bayte for all mischiefe thereby sufficiently sheweth that such as giue themselues thereto are taken and killed euen as the fish that taketh the hooke couered with the baite Neither were they much mistaken that compared it to venome or strong poyson tempered with hypocras or sweete milke And indeede this voluptuous pleasure so poysoneth man that it depriueth him of the reason and vertue of his soule together with the helpe of his bodie and maketh him vnworthie to bee reckoned among men And in that respect sayth Cycero hee that is giuen to lust iudgeth all thinges not by reason but by his owne sence and so thinketh that to be the best which most delighteth him and so doth easilye consent to bee caryed awaie with pleasures which longe him more and more in calamitie Neither can we follow pleasure vnlesse wee renounce vertue because that pleasure respecteth the particular and vertue the good of the common And therefore there is not so badde a Lord and master as pleasure and voluptuousnesse whose nature is to make a man readie to all mischiefe and slowe to anie goodnesse It weakneth the bodie as Diogenes noted when to one giuen to lust and pleasure hee applyed this saying of Homer Child thy life is short The same Diogenes also acknowledging that which wee haue saide namely that it is a vice vnbeseeming man doth aptly declare his minde For in that the Athenians were much addicted to lust and pleasure and the Lacedemonians to sobrietie and temperancie as himselfe was trauayling from Lacedemon to Athens beeing demaunded whence hee came and whither hee woulde hee answered that he came from among men but was going toward women And the same doeth Iustine note in Sardanapalus who sayd he Iustin is his first booke liued in pleasures more sit to bee a woman than a man especially one that raigned ouer so many prouinces And in deed that lustfull lyfe was the worker of his death Cicer. li. 2. de finibus through the conspiracie of some that could not lyke to bee gouerned by so voluptuous a king And therefore dyd Cicero iustly saie that he that giueth himselfe ouer to lust but one day is vnworthie the name of a man And in deede lust is more sit and conuenient for hogs than for a man endued with reason and vnderstanding 3 To conclude what greater iniurie can our enemie worke vs Sen. Epist 28 sayth Seneca than these lusts doth vnto many for plunging them selues therein they get such a custome that they become most miserable in that they grow into necessitie of things before superfluous because they cannot bee without them and so doo serue their lusts which they cannot inioy yea which is the type of all calamitie they loue theyr owne mishap And this enemie is so much the more dangerous because wyth the outward face alluring baites thereof it hath ouercome the strongest and most valyant men in the world as Hanibal who after he had ouercommen his enimies was conquered by lust and pleasure It is a gulfe or fire that deuoureth mans substance and wealth wherwith he should liue maintaine himselfe and his familie and which is another miserie a path to all wicked practises namely to popular seditions wherein men may fish in troubled water and finde some pretence to get other mens goods to prosecute theyr owne pleasures Pythagoras to that purpose sayde that pleasure once entered into townes engendered sacietie then violence and lastly destruction and contrarywise that sobrietie temperance are the two means to shun such inconueniences In lyke sense the Philosopher Heraclitus being required to shew the originall of sedition and how it might bee restrained in stead of some long oration to the people called for a little water and meale tempering them together he drunk it and so without anie more speeches departed thereby declaring that continence and sobrietie were the meanes to maintain peace and concord 4 If the heathen who had respect onely to man and to this present life could saie thus much a against lust how farre ought Gods children to detest it in respect of the life to come August in a certain SermoÌ„ And in deed he saith Saint Augustine who for a small pleasure giueth that for the which Christ dyed namely his bodie and soule sheweth that hee esteemeth Iesus Christ to be but a foolish and vnwise marchant that would redeeme with such a price that which the voluptuous man esteemeth so little of and giueth so cheape when he giueth ouer himselfe to destruction for so small a pleasure which wil soone be ouer When lusts pleasures saith Saint Ambrose haue wounded a man they are gone when they haue brought him into miserie they are retired and when they haue made him most wretched they haue forsaken him Saint Barnard noteth three sorts of persecutions in the Church the first by tyrants the seconde by heretikes and the last by lusts and pleasures whereto hee addeth that this last is the most pernitious applying to that purpose this sentence which hee alleadgeth out of Esaie In my peace my bitternes is most bitter Esay 38.17 And then saith Bâ—tter is the persecution of tyrantes more bitter of heretikes but most bitter of all is that of lusts and pleasures The same doth Chrisostome confirme saying We incur more harme by the plesures of the flesh than by the most grieuous torments of tormentors for torments do beget martyrs but lusts do beget Epicures Of torments we forme vertues but of lusts we norish increase vice And therfore we may compare our lusts to the apple which our first parents transgressing Gods coÌ„mandemeÌ„t did eat in paradise Gen 3.6 1. Tim. 5.6 which being faire to the eie was mortal to the mouth Whereupon S. Paul saith The widow that liueth in pleasure is dead while she liueth 5 Sith then that Iesus Christ admonisheth vs to amend let vs take heed of so dangerous and pernitious an enemy to that end let vs remember all the sentences before mentioned by the which euery man may vnderstaÌ„d that vnles he mind to be altogether miserable and wretched he must shun such lusts pleasures And by them no doubt is the common prouerbe meant For one pleasure a thousand sorrowes not in respect of this life onely but in respect of the life euerlasting To this purpose do we reade that Lisimachus when the Scithians had besieged him in a place where for want of water he was forced to yeld after he had dronke fresh water said Alas what a great felicitie haue I lost for a very short pleasure If a Painim would so grieue for loosing a temporall felicitie howe much rather ought we that professe to beleeue Gods word by the testimonie of the same are to expect life and euerlasting felicitie both to think and say when lusts do assalt vs Alas wretch that I am shall I for inioying a briefe temporal pleasure
will take no pleasure therein Dronkennesse sayth Plutarch is a passion full of tumult deuoyde of sense and reason Many sayth Augustine transported with wine haue committed most wicked and detestable murthers The example of great Alexander is notable who in his dronkennesse slew Clytus one of his deerest and most faithfull seruants which when he knew hauing disgested his wine hee woulde haue died for sorrow Heereto may wee referre that notable saying of Pythagoras that the vine yeeldeth three grapes the one of pleasure the second of dronkennesse and the last of outrage is also the saying of Anacharsis that the first draught is for thirst the second for sustenance the third for pleasure and the fourth ingendereth wrath And which is more the dronken man is a lyon to himselfe in that hee iniureth and wasteth both his bodie and his goods Bas Ser. against Dronkards It is maruell sayeth Basil that the bodyes of dronkardes beeing by nature of earth beeing so moistned do not dissolue into claie and morter Plut. Sim. dis li. 3.4.5 August to a holy virgin To such men sayth hee the soule is but salt to preserue the bodie for a time from rotting Dronkardes sayth Plutarch doo soone wax olde balde and graie before theyr time As Alexander the conqueror of so many kingdomes was ouercome by wine Seneca in his 84. Ep. to Lucil so many townes long time besieged haue beene taken and burned while the watch men haue beene dronke and a sleepe Seneca speaketh more largely What calamities saith hee haue growen of dronkennesse By her haue strong and most warlyke people beene deliuered to theyr enemies by it haue townes that haue long helde out agaynst the enemie beene opened and taken by it haue whole Nations Iust l. 1 that obstinately haue reiected the yoake of dominion of others bene subdued To be short such as in warre haue bene inuinsible haue by wine bene ouercome Iustine propoundeth a notable example in the Scithians of whome he saith that they were ouercome first by wine then by wepons Neither are we to maruel that it commeth so to passe for the dronkard peruerteth all that hee gouerneth hee maketh his bodie to reele he along he stoppeth and reuerseth the principall actions of his soule he drowneth the shippe that he guideth he ouerthroweth the chariot that hee driueth he looseth the army that hee leadeth but which is the fulnesse of his mishap by dronkennes becomming twice a childe hee reiecteth the gouernment of others but chiefely the couenant of God and so casteth himself headlong into ruine and euerlasting damnation 7 As Iesus Christ admonisheth vs to amend our liues so truely shoulde the consideration of the premises moue vs to shunne this accursed dronkennesse as a pestilence as Aeschilus in old time called it But especially the remembrance of the spirituall dangers mischiefes and inconueniences euen of euerlasting death the fruites of this dronkennesse ought mightily to mooue our heartes wholly to renounce it First as there is no exercise more profitable for the children of God for theyr saluation or wherein God is greatlyer glorified than in prayer thankesgiuing and praises to the Lord so is there nothing that sooner quencheth the vse of the same than dronkennesse Also if ordinarie sobrietie yea euen extraordinarie fasting bee sometimes requisite in praier that wee may bee the better disposed thereunto what can the dronkardes praiers bee but either none or meere mockeries And how shall we reade Gods worde or heare anie sermon when our heads are fraught with wine or strong drinke Againe if the sober doe many times fal on sleep therat what are we to expect of the dronkard but brutish sluggishnesse which depriueth him of all profite by the word of God And is there anie greater miserie than voluntarilie to depriue our selues of the fruite of praier Gods word When the Secretarie or Counseller is to conferre with his prince about matters of great waight or importance shal he make himselfe dronke or come dronke into his masters presence If wee ought dayly to praie vnto almightie God and by reading wherein truely consisteth and dependeth mannes great felicitie heare him speaking vnto vs doo not wee when we are dronke depriue our selues of this so familiar profitable and most comfortable communication with God 8 Againe how can a man that is giuen to dronkennes imploy him selfe in his vocation It is not for kings O Lemuel sayde his mother vnto him Prouer. 31.4 It is not for kings to drinke wine nor for princes strong drinke least hee drinke and forget the decree and chaunge the iudgement of all the children of affliction And in that consideration the holy Apostle Saint Paul ordayneth 1. Tim. 3 3.8 Tit. 1.7 Leuit. 10.9 Num. 6.3 Esay 5.11 that Bishoppes Elders and Deacons should not bee giuen to wine to the ende the better to discharge theyr offices Likewise in former daies the Priests in their wayting time and the Nazarites might drinke no wine Esay also speaking more generally declared this inconuenience thereto adding a threatning of Gods horrible iudgement for the same Woe bee vnto thē sayth he that rise vp early to follow dronkennesse and to them that continue vntil night till the wine doth inflame them And the harp and violl timbrell and pipe and wine are in their feasts but they regarde not the Lordes worke neither consider the worke of his hands August in his 231. sermon of shunning dronkennesse 9 But let vs more particularly enter into consideration of the inconueniences and mischiefes growing of dronkennesse to those that are giuen thereto First as a long and sore raine sayeth Saint Augustine moystneth the earth and so conuerteth it into mire that it cannot bee tilled to bring foorth fruit euen so our bodies distempered with too much wine cannot receiue the spirituall husbandrie neyther yeeld anie fruite beseeming the immortall soule Chrisost ho. 1. vpon these wordes Modico vino c. Wee are sayth hee farther to beware that our bodyes ouer moystned with wine growe not as it were into saltes or marishes where ther groweth nothing but weeds frogges serpents and other lyke beastes The dronkard sayth Chrisostome is a voluntarie deuill deuoid of excuse for his destruction or obloquy with men Dronkennesse sayth Saint Augustine is the mother of all wickednesse the argument of all offences the roote of all transgressions Aug. to a holy virgin distemperaunce of the head destruction of the senses a storme of the tongue waues of the bodie shipwracke of chastitie losse of time voluntarie madnesse infamous languishing corruption of manners dishonour to lyfe reproach to honestie and death of the soule Then hee addeth Dronkennesse is an amiable deuill a licorous poyson and a sweete sinne Hee that hath it hath not himselfe and hee that is dronke doeth not simply sinne but is wholy conuerted into sinne In a mightie storme sometime both the shippe and the men are saued by casting the goods into the sea
but the dronken man casting vp the superfluitie of his wine for the ease of his bodie produceth a witnes which cryeth out for vengeance agaynst both body and soul for such excesse prophanation of Gods good creatures as wyll swallowe him vp in the terrible sea of Gods heauie wrath and indignation The dronkard sayth Saint Augustine pouring in his wine Aug. in his booke of repentance 1. Cor. 6.10 1. Cor. 5.11 is swallowed vp of wine and made an abhomination in the sight of God a contempt to the Angels a scorne to men depriued of vertue and a confusion with the deuills Neither is it in vaine that the Apostle Saint Paul denounceth to dronkards that they shall not inherite the kingdome of heauen And to shew how farre wee are to detest and abhorre this vice hee prohibiteth all conuersation wyth those who professing the Gospell doo giue themselues to dronkennesse 10 Is it not meete that dronkardes in the daie of iudgement should yeeld account of Gods goods which they haue abused by dronkennesse whereby they haue made themselues vnprofitable to the seruice of God through the abuse and prophanation of his so good creatures whereby they should haue bene induced rather to praise God and for destroying their bodies with wine which should haue bene to them as phisicke by the sober vse thereof to preserue them as Saint Paul exhorteth Timothie 1. Tim. 5 2â— August in a certain sermoÌ„ to drinke a lyttle in respect of his weake stomacke and vsuall infirmities But what shall we saie to him that forceth another to drinke himselfe dronke Saint Augustine answereth that in the day of iudgement he shall be guiltie both of his owne sinne and of his sinne whome he hath made dronken Little do we thinke vpon these iudgments of God yet can we confesse with our lips that ther is nothing more certaine than death nor more vncertaine than the houre thereof Againe what is to be sayd of such as die in their dronkennesse as we reade of Ela king of Israel Ammon the son of Dauid 2. Kin. 16.9 2. Sam. 13. Dan. 5 Luke 21.34 Balthasar king of Babylon and others Doth not wine cast them as it were quicke into the pit of hell Not without reason doeth Iesus Christ admonish vs to beware saying Take heed to your selues least at anie time your hearts be oppressed with surfeting and drunkennes and cares of this life and least that da e come on you at vnawares Be not dronke saith S. Paul with wine wherein is excesse Eph. 5.18 but be ye filled with the spirit As if he shuld saie that as it is dangerous to be filled with wine so in as much as we cannot be without filling he wisheth vs that it be not with wine but with the holy Ghost to the end we may bee made perfect in all spirituall and heauenly graces Rom. 13.13 11 The same Apostle admonisheth vs not to walke in gluttony dronkennes but so as we may be clothed with Iesus Christ thereby shewing that we must not presume of any vnion or coniunction with Christ but with condition that we forsake these corruptions of the flesh 1. Thes 5.7 They that are dronke saith he are dronke by night Thereby teaching that nothing so euill beseemeth the children of God whom he tearmeth the children of the day children of light as darknes which if men euen vnbeleeuers were not past all shame should not be seene in them but by night neither then but vpon condition to acknowledge the truth of the wordes of Iesus Christ Iohn 3.20 Senec. Ep. 84. to Lucill He that doth euill hateth the light And in deed how many things saith Seneca do men in their dronkennes which when they are sober they wil be ashamed of 12 This sole aduertisement might suffice to resolue vs to shun dronkennesse and to practise the counsell of Pythagoras who being demanded how a man might auoide it Pluta against the Stoâ—kes in his Apoth answered By considering what wee haue sayde and done when wee were dronke But because for the most parte our memorie then faileth vs the Lacedemonians in their publike bankets vsed to bring in two or three of their Helots a kind or seruants not much differing from slaues dronken to the end that by the insolencie and filthines of theyr dronkennes theyr youth might learne what a villanous and abhominable vice it is 13 Anacharsis maruelled at the Grecians who at the beginning of theyr feasts drunke in small cuppes but when theyr thirst was ouer in greate ones thereby declaring that it is an vnnaturall course as thirst decreaseth to increase in drinke Yet this corruption reprooued by a Heathen man is in vse among Christians yea and so that some at the first sitting downe will refraine from drinke to the end the better as they tearme it to beare the great blowes that is to drinke the great cuppes that shall come in the end Men woulde neuer bee so greedie and inclinable to this corruption Eras Apo. li. 3 if they woulde bee content to drinke as Socrates sayde such drinke as woulde not stirre vp a desire to drinke with out thirst Yet meane wee not to allowe of the counsell of Lycurgus who to keepe men from dronkennesse commanded to cut downe the vines Lycurgus sayth Plutarch was not so well aduised Pluta of hearing of Poets when seeing some fall to dronkennes and so to sinne he commanded to cut downe the vines It had beene better sayth hee to haue digged wells neere to the vines so by a sober God to haue bridled and corrected that frantike God as Plato tearmeth him hereby noting that we must beware of the strength and licorishnes of wine and a laie and asswage it with water 14 To conclude let vs remember the saying of Salomon Prouer. 23.29 To whome is woe to whome is sorrowe to whome is strife to whome is murmuring to whome are woundes without cause and to whome is the rednes of the eies Euen to them that tarrie long at the wine to them that goe and seeke mixt wine Looke not vpon the wine when it is redde or when it sheweth his colour in the cuppe or goeth downe pleasantly In the ende thereof it will bite like a serpent and hurt lyke a cockatrice Thine eies shall looke vpon strange women and thine heart shall speake lewde thinges Let vs heereunto adde his Oration that defended the strength of wine Oh yee men how strong is wine 1. Esd 3.18 it deceiueth all men that drinke it it maketh the minde of the king and of the fatherlesse all one of the bond man of the free man of the poore man and of the rich man It turneth euerie thought into ioy and gladnes so that one remembreth no manner of sorrowe or debt It maketh euerie heart rich so that one remembreth neither king nor gouernor and causeth to speak all things by talents When men are dronke they haue
either mistaking or otherwise that might bee seene which by the example of our first fathers and nature it selfe wee are taught to hide Which is more God among the Iewes so biddeth the woman to weare the mans garment or the man the womans whereto the lawe addeth Who so doeth it is an abhomination to the Lorde Why Will some say Is that such a fault No but hee teacheth that wee must preuent all daunger of falling as also that the woman thereby enboulden not her selfe to forget all modestie neither the man to enure himselfe in effeminate wantonnesse vnworthie his nature To bee short hee teacheth that the forme of modest attire each one in his kinde and calling is a good warrant for chastitie Manie heathen haue shewed themselues verie vertuous and carefull to shunne all alurementes and occasions that might induce them to this iniquitie Wee reade that Great Alexander hauing ouercome Darius woulde not see his wife who was verie fayre least hee might haue beene allured to lust after her When Cains Gracchus was gouernour of Sardynia hee prohibited all accesse of women to his house except of such as came to craue iustice Plut. in his Apotheg 1. Cor. 35.33 And Hieron of Sicill condemned the Poet Epicharmus in a great fine because in the presence of his wife hee had vsed dishonest speeches And indeede as Saint Paule saith Euill wordes corrupt good manners 11 To conclude let vs consider Plut. in his Laconic Apotheg and in our hartes write the aunswere of Geradatas the Lacedemonian to him that asked what punishment Licurgus had decreed against adulterers None saith hee for wee haue none such among vs. But if there shoulde saith the other The Lacedemonian answered he should satisfie with such an Oxe as stretching his necke ouer this hill pointing to a high hill might drinke of the riuer that runneth at the foote of the same heereto when the other replyed that it was not possible to find any such Oxe neither is it possible saith the Lacedemonian to finde any adulterer among vs who haue banished from among vs all riches pleasures and excesse in apparell And contrariwise doe especially commend modestie temperaunce and due obedience to the Magistrate If Gods authoritie mooue vs not to shunne adulterie and to detest it likewise to auoide all occasions and alurements to that iniquitie we surely doe deserue to be sent to the schoole of that heathen Lacedemonian there to learne to flee from euery thing that may minister occasion to offend God namely to commit adulterie Otherwise the Lacedemonians with whome ther was found no adulterie so long as they kept the lawes to them giuen by a mortal man shal be iudges against the Christians among whom through their contempt of Gods holy ordinances we dayly see so many adulterers 12 And thus much wee may adde that man committing adulterie sinneth more grieuously then woman â—omb lib. 4. dist 35. C. Christian 32. q. 5. in that it is his parte to surmount her in vertue and by his good example to direct her as also her sinne is the greatest by reason of the confusion and supposition of children and therby transferring lands and goods to those that haue no right therein Pro. 2.17 But in as much as in eitheir of them there is breach of faith and couenant with God as Salomon saith their sinne is equall and they shall be equally punished in the day of iudgement 13 As concerning the other kind of fornication committed betweene free persons such I meane as neither the one or the other are knit by marriage True it is that the heathen neuer made any great accompt thereof But they be neither our lawgiuers nor our iudges but onely our liuing God who forbidding adulterie doth also forbid all carnall copulation that is not in marriage Let euery man saith Saint Paul possesse his owne vessell in holines and honour and not in the lustes and concupiscence 1. Thes 4.4 as the Gentiles which knew not God The Apostles likewise knowing this corruption of the Gentiles expressely condemned the same among Christians and that doth sufficiently appeare in that writing to the faithfull that were conuerted and liued among the Gentiles Act. 15.20 they expressely commanded them to beware of fornication And as for such prophane Christians and skorners as dare auouch that it is not prohibited in the olde testament but in the new only they offer great iniurie to Gods holinesse And indeede the only reason why as Saint Paul teacheth God ordained marriage namely to auoide fornication 1. Cor. 7.2 doth sufficiently proue that marriage being ordained euen from the beginning of the world all carnall coniunction among those that then also were vnmarried was had in detestation And that is it which the Apostle to the Hebrewes noteth when hauing said Heb. 13.4 That mariage is honorable among al men and the bed vndefiled he addeth but whoremongers adulterers God will iudge For in that maner opposing whoredome against marriage he plainely declareth that Almighty God by instituting marriage did intend to curse al other carnall copulation committed out of marriage Deut. 23.17.18 And hath he not by the mouth of Moses expresly said There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel neither shall there be a whore keeper of the sonnes of Israell Likewise to declare how greatly he doth detest it he forbiddeth the bringing of the hyre of a whore for any vow into his house 14 But we shal not need long to insist vpon a matter so euident certaine Gen. 34.25 Truely the sons of Iacob committed a wicked and detestable offence when they vsed circumcision as a cloke or pretence to murder the enhabitants of Sichem for their sisters sake whoÌ„ the kings sonne had destoured Yet in that murder doth God euidently shew what estimation he maketh of chastitie when hee doth so horribly punish the fornication of Sichem with the death of himselfe his father and all his people 1. Cor. 10. But especially when Saint Paul admonishing vs to beware of fornication propoundeth the examples of Gods iudgement executed against the Iewes of whoÌ„ for their fornication God in one day slew three and twentie thousand he doth plainely teach vs by the representation of this example taken out of the olde testament that God euen from the beginning hath euermore condemned and most terribly punished whoredome And in as much as Iesus Christ came not to enforce the law but to declare the true sence and vse thereof euery place of the new testament that condemneth whoredome is a witnesse that God hath forbidden the same euer since the time of Moses 15 Much rather are we Christians to abhorre it euen wee that haue receiued at Gods hand farre greater benefits then the Iewes and are more plainely euidently and at large instructed in the wil of God as concerning the preseruing of our bodies and soules in all purenesse and chastitie This is the will of God
saith Saint Paule 1. Thes 4 â— Colos 3.5 euen your sanctification and that yee should abstaine from fornication Againe Ephe. 5.3 Mortifie your members which are on the earth fornication vncleannesse inordinate affection and euil concupiscence In another place he proceedeth farther saying But fornication and all vncleannesse let it not be once named among you as it becommeth Saints If these admonitious do not sufficiently penetrate our consciences to resolue vs to Amend our liues and to flie from whoredome the rather to abhorre it let vs note what punishments God inflicted vpon fornicators and adulterers Wee haue alreadie touched the example of his horrible iudgement in killing 23000. 1. Cor. 10.8 Iewes in one day for whoredome which Saint Paul propoundeth to diuert vs from the like offence for feare of the like punishment But especially wee are to feare the sentence of death and euerlasting damnation pronounced by the Soueraigne iudge against whoremongers Whoremongers 1. Cor. 6.10 Heb. 13.4 sayth Saint Paule shall not inherite the kingdome of God What shall then become of them The Apostle aunswereth that God shall condemne them And because the world hath neuer beene free from scorners who apprehending no part of Gods iudgementes haue endeuored likewise to diuert others from feare thereof Ephe. 5.5 Saint Paule hauing vrged the consciences of the Ephesians in saying Yee know that no whoremonger no vncleane person hath any inheritance in the kingdome of Christ and of God hee addeth Let no man deceiue you with vaine wordes for for such thinges commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of disobedience And this word Commeth he doth vse as if hee had euen pointed vnto it and shewed it discending out of heauen Saint Iohn describeth vnto vs this wrath and condemnation in a fearefull manner Apoca. 21.8 saying The portion of the whoremongers shall bee in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death And to the ende to make them the more sensibly to feel that God hath reiected them Saint Paul commaundeth that they should bee excommunicated and that we should forbeare to conuerse with them 1. Cor. 5.9 vnlesse to the end to bring them to repentance 16 To conclude let vs note the liuely pregnant reasons that Saint Paul propoundeth to make vs to abhorre whoredome Know you not saith he that your bodies are the members of Christ 1. Cor. 6 15. Shall I then take the members of Christ make them the members of an harlot First let vs remember that our spirituall vnion with Christ concerneth not the soule only but also the body For wee are members of his flesh and his bones Ephe. 5.30 Otherwise wee should haue but a weake hope of the resurrection if the coniunction implyed not the whole person coÌ„posed both of the body and soule And this our coniunction with him is such that wee are all one with him as being members of his body taking life from the same spirit as he also saith Hee that is vnited and conioined to the Lord is one selfe spirit But what of al this 1 Cor. 6.17 Euen the same that S. Paul saith Hee that committeth fornication taketh a member from the body of Christ maketh it a member of a harlot And indeed as he addeth He that coupleth himselfe with a harlot is one body as it is written Two shall be one flesh It must therefore of necessitie follow either that Christ must together with the member of his body be taken and vnited to the harlot which euen to imagine is most horrible or els the member must be plucked from the body of Christ when it is coupled and vnited vnto the harlot which also is detestable as he sheweth saying God forbid 17. His second reason is this Euery sin that man coÌ„miteth is without the body but he that committeth whoredome sinneth against his owne body Which some do note as if whoredome did therein print some greater blemish of villanie and infamie then any other sin As also S. Paul speaking of sinne against nature saith Rom. 1.24 They haue defiled their owne bodies betweene themselues Otherwise that he sinneth against his owne body in that he the whore with whom he sinneth are one body Besides that beeing an excellent member of the body of Christ he sinneth deeply against his body in pulling it off from the body of Christ and making it a member of a villanous whore and thereby becomming one body with her 18 Saint Pauls third argument is this Our bodies are the temples of the holy Ghost But the holy Ghost cannot abide in any vncleane or polluted place We do therfore by whoredome driue away the holy ghost make our selues an habitatioÌ„ for the vnclene spirit which is the Deuil To conclude he saith 1. Cor. 6 we are no longer our owne why Because God hath bought vs with a price In that he deliuered his son Iesus Christ to the death for vs. And therefore as he addeth we are to glorify God in our bodies in our spirits which are his not to commit such villanous sacriledge as forsaking God to giue to a whore that which is not our owne but Gods 19 What are we then to do 1. Cor. 6.18 Euen to the end to amend our liues according as Iesus Christ admonisheth commandeth vs we are to put in practise the same wherto Saint Paul exhorteth vs saying Flie fornication therby declaring that it is our dutie so to abhor it that in liew of seeking after it we flie from it Hierome in his Epistles Greg. in his Moralles as froÌ„ a most pernitious damnable and accursed pestilence and to the same purpose let vs remember the saying of Saint Hierome Oh how sharpe is the fruite of whoredome It is more bitter then Gaule and more cruell then the sword and diligently let vs meditate vpon the saying of another Doctor When whoredome hath once taken holde of a mans vnderstanding shee will hardly suffer him to thinke of any goodnes For the desires of man are as it were glued together Of the suggestion of the flesh commeth imagination of imagination conceite of conceite affection of affection delectation of delectation consent of consent action of action custome of custome dispaire of dispaire excuse of excuse boasting and of boasting of sinne condemnation If therefore through the infirmitie of our flesh we feele in our selues the first steppes to this corruption let vs either breake off or preuent the rest that follow least we ascend to the highest from whence the fall is no lesse then certaine and horrible damnation Of Dances Chap. 18. ANd hereto will we yet adde two kindes of pleasure or voluptuousnesse Dancing and playes And we wil begin with dancing as with that which many times ministreth occasion of whoâ—dome before spoken of As it is not meete to condemne al recreation and pastime so is it no reason to alow dancing in maner as
two heates will soone hatch a damnable desire and such as we are to shun all occasion of as a mortall plague 15 Howbeit wee wyll not saie that all that doo dance do leuell at fornication but to the contrarie will confesse that they neuer thinke of anie such matter yet doo wee vpholde that it is a laying together of fyre and winde that kindleth it And it is most certaine that most dances doo not end in such chastitie as they began And therefore wheresoeuer wee see anie daunger wee are to feare and flie from it Neyther must wee euer imagine that there is no danger when the occasions are euident eyther presume that wee are strong inough to surmount the danger whereinto voluntarilie wee thrust our selues but let vs thinke vpon this saying He that loueth danger shall fall into it and that it is the reward of foolish presumption Can a man sayth Salomon take fyre in his bosome and his clothes not be burnt Prouer. 6 27. Or shall a man walke vppon hot coales and not burne his feet Hee that feareth the plague shunneth the infection all come not to actuall fornication yet is not that inough for vnder these wordes Thou shalt not commit adulterie are comprised all thoughts desires lusts beginnings allurements and apparance of fornication And who is hee that taking pleasure in dancing can exempt himselfe To prooue a disease to bee contagious it is enough to shew that many are infected though not all In a matter of perill we haue regard what commeth often to passe though not alwaies 16 Neyther is it inough that some are of constancie to auoyde pollution heerein For if such a one ministreth cause to drawe others into such lusts is not he the cause of theyr destruction Doth not his pleasure breed the losse of him for whom Iesus Christ hath dyed Rom 14 15 Luke 17 2 Had it not beene better for him to haue bene cast into the sea according to the saying of Christ with a milstone about his necke than that his neighbour should by him haue taken occasion to offend God 17 Now let vs giue care to the agreement and consent of the good fathers and most excellent doctors of the Church with the testimonies of Gods word the reasons and necessarie consequences gathered of the same as alredie they haue bene alledged With one consent they all condemne dancing as the sweet baits allurements and kindlers of lust tending to fornication In briefe as follies lightnes and vanitie pernitious scandalous and vtterlie vnworthie all Christians Great Basil complaining of the lewdnesse of women in his time sayth These wanton women Basil in a Sermon of dronkennesse forgetting all feare of God stand in no awe of the threates of euerlasting fyre In lien of thinking how to purge theyr hearts from all wicked lusts to wash awaie theyr former sinnes with teares to prouide to be redie in the greate daie of the appearing of Iesus Christ reiecting his yoake most villanously vncouering theyr heads to spite God and his Angels like shamelesse wretches wyth theyr haire layde open to the sight of men in theyr garmentes vttering all tokens of wantonnesse and in this maner tripping and mincing it with their seet with shamelesse eyes and lasciuious countenances mad after dancing and alluring the intemperaunce of youth after them are commen into holy places nere the towne wals to follow their dāces and therby haue prophaned them made them the markets of all filthynes They haue infected the aire with theyr brothell songs and polluted the earth wyth theyr feet leaping most lewdly and enuironed with troupes of young people as it were wyth a Theater Shamelesse folish women that haue forborne novillany or folly How can I hide these things or what a iust cōplaint may I make It is wine that hath bred vs the losse of so manye soules In this discourse among other things this good Doctour noteth that such as giue themselues to dauncing are not greatly touched wyth the fear of God wyth sorrow for theyr sinne wyth remembrance of the comming of Christ neyther wyth anie cogitations of a better lyfe that in dances there is folly and weaknes of minde that they bee allurements of mens affections vnto women that wyth dances loue songs the ayre is infected the earth not so much worne as polluted wyth feet and that the holy places are conuerted into markets of all vncleannesse that the women that frequent there are past shame To bee short that dances doo implie so many mischiefes that they cannot bee sufficiently complayned of To conclude that wine is the occasion of dances and consequently the destruction of many soules 18 Prosecuting this argument in the same treatise hee sayth Men and women in their dancing and deliuering theyr wretched soules to the deuill doo pierce and rent each other with shaftes of lust All theyr actions are the actiuities and feates of iuglers lewd songs and brothe like iestures and lasciuious prouoking to fornication Behold thou dalliest and sportest in a foolish ioy when thou shouldest weep and be sorry for thy misdeeds Forgetting the psalmes and hymnes that thou hast learned thou appliest thy selfe to prophane songs thou mouest thy feet deuoid of thy senses dost friske vp and downe O foole when thou shouldest lend thy knee to the seruice of God and our Lorde Iesus Christ thou dancest Whom shall I bewaile maidens or married women Doth he not heere againe laie open great inconueniences in dancing Doth he not affirme that they bee repugnant to all holy duties of Christians Also that the inconueniences are such as may giue occasion to all good men to weepe so oft as they thinke thereupon Chriso in his 49. hom vpō Mathew 19 As for Chrisostome hee hath written whole homelies against dancing But for breuities sake wee will onely collect some places Expounding the dance at Herods feast hee sayth It was the deuill that taught the damsell to please Herode and to depriue him of his senses for surely the deuill is euer in the middest of these lasciuious leapings and dances God gaue vs our legges to walke modestly not to fetch such friskes and gambaldes to stand in the fellowship of Angels not to hoppe vp and downe most villanously If the bodie so wreatheth and deformeth it selfe in such impudent gestures may we not think that the soule is made more foule and villanous To these tunes and in these dances doth the deuill dance by them doo the deuills ministers seduce men Agayne in these dayes haue wee lyke assemblyes and feastes as was Herodes not that Saint Iohn is in them beheaded but that the members of Christ are there rent from him and other offences more wicked and abhominable are there committed For the dancers doo not now craue the head of Saint Iohn but the soules of the assistants There making them the slaues of lust and entangling them in filthie loue and delights they pluck away not a head but a
simplie condemned This reformation were good in things of themselues good as thus Wee must not abolish the vse of the Sacramentes because they haue bene abused but we must take awaie the abuse The bodie because it is sicke must not bee killed but the feauer taken awaie but dances considered in theyr originall in theyr forme in their ends and naturall vse cannot be placed in this course but as things in themselues and in euerie their partes vicious they are to bee abolished Euen as a tree venimous in her leaues fruites and bodie must not be lopped but quite cut downe by the roote But let vs aske these reformers of dances what they thinke good to be taken awaie Some will saie all lasciuious songs others will adde that women and maides shall not bee mixed with men and young frie. This is somewhat yet not all Some will go farther and saie let him that list to leape dance do it priuatly in his chamber not openly All these reformations in deed will cut off most part of our dances which cannot be performed but in companie cause men to loose all affection and vse of the same For take away the mixture of men and women the lewd songes and tunes the publyke mirth and pastime the speeches communication and gesture that proceed of the flesh and the world who will dance Such a reformation will vtterly abolish all dances so vicious infected and corrupt they are in themselues As also there is no reforming of the stewes but by taking of them awaie 31 Some wyll saie If it bee not lawfull to daunce farewell all good fellowshippe Truelie it were farre more wisedome to forbeare such fellowship than thereby to stand in danger of offending God But if we chance thereinto let vs practise the counsell of Saint Paul not participate in the vnfruitfull workes of darknes but reproue them not in wordes onely but also in deeds that our constant deniall to dance may be a reall reprehension and actuall reproofe of such as do dance 32 Others will replie that if they denie to dance Ephes 5.11 they shall bee tearmed hypocrites scrupulous persons But it is better wrongfully to beare such tants than to ioyne with the wicked worke wickednesse with them Also what reason is it that hee that doeth euill should haue more power to draw vs to do euil with him than wee by our constancie to drawe him to vertue In this case therefore it were good to practise the decrees of the auncient counsels which command that when wee haue soberly and honestly eaten and dronken together if anie prepare to dance we should depart awaie from theyr societie But they will replie that so we shall minister offence to some yet is it more tollerable so to doo than to offend God Besides 1. Pet. 4.4 Saint Peter armeth vs agaynst this temptation aduertising vs that worldlings wyll bee grieued if we runne not wyth them to the same excesse of ryot But the worst they can saie of vs shall be that we would not dance that is that we would doo nothing vnbeseeming Christians And this constancie maye peraduenture touch some of the company procure them also to leaue such insolencie and riot Howsoeuer it bee there can bee no excuse in the sight of almightie God to doo euill And better it is to be a lyght in these darknesses and disordered companies than to suffer our selues to be lead by the blinde and to followe theyr faults and sinnes 33 Some will alleadge diuerse the profites that come of dauncing First that it is an exercise fit for health but the iudgments of the Phisitions doo saie otherwise for all vehement exercises are dangerous after meate and commonly dancing followeth the full belly Besides that theyr owne consciences doo testifie that in dancing the bodily health is the least parte of the minde yea if wee may beleeue experience wee shall finde that by the violent motions of dauncing more haue incurred mortall sicknesse than bodily health Likewise albeit dancing might be healthfull to the bodie yet beeing so preiudiciall to the soule as is before declared wee are to forbeare the same The vse of flesh is more requisite for the preseruation of lyfe than dauncing yet doeth Saint Paule saie that rather will hee eate no flesh while hee liueth 1. Cor. 8.13 than he will offend his brother How much sooner would he haue protested of dancing Others doo propound agilitie of the bodie But as this agilitie is not required in all so doo they not in dancing practise the getting of it but rather to boast of that which they haue and therein to take a pride Withall there bee many other exercises farre exempt from such daungers of the soule as wee finde in dancing 34 But among all commodities and profits by dancing some do alleadge that they bee pathes to marriage and meanes to attayne thereto But how As when Herodias daughter had pleased Herod in dauncing hee offered her the one halfe of his kingdome so some noting the grace gesture and amorous behauiours of some dancers doo fall into liking and so doo offer vnto them their bodies and goods crauing and taking them to their wiues But this allegation doth euidently confirme our former demonstrations that dances are bellowes to kindle the hearts in lust Besides that albeit they may bring forth marriage in some yet surely not in the thirtith part of those that by dances are inflamed and mooued to lust And therefore as such lusts are accursed by God euen so are the dances that breede and inflame them Moreouer what blessings of God are men to attend of such mariages practised by such daungerous vicious and offensiue means so repugnant to the modestie and holynesse that is required in the children of God Agayne marriages forced by lust are for the most part vnequall yet cannot bee restrained neyther the lust quenched but by concluding the marriage and therefore can yeelde no better fruites but trouble and other inconueniences so that it were better to roote out dancing out of the common wealth than to minister occasion of such wretched marriages So many vices therefore accompaniing dancing we ought with Cicero to resolue neuer to daunce albeit thereby wee might gaine a million of golde especially if wee remember the saying of the holie Apostle Saint Paule that wee must not doo euill that good may come of it Rom. 3.8 Such holy thinges as marriage must bee dealte in in holynesse and lawfully Besides so many vices and pernitious dangers concurring in daunces can bee no beginning or foundation of anie good worke 35 Our dauncers atturneys alleadge some examples out of the holy Scripture for theyr allowance Marie saie they the sister of Moses and Aaron daunced among the women of Israel after theyr passage ouer the redde sea When Dauid had ouercome Goliah the women of Israel daunced When Iudith returned from the slaughter of Holophernes the wiues of Bethulia daunced Dauid also leaped
to seeme greater then they are and confirmed his speech by this authoritie of a Poet saying The neighbours fieldes are euermore with corne much better sped Ouid. Their stockes in milke more plentifull how euer they be fed 9 The feeling of this sorrow anguish heauines and torment bred in the hart by enuie might make vs to loath and detest it Yet is there farther occasion Rom. 13.10 Col. 3.14 1. Ioh. 4.7 Ioh. 13 35. 1. Cor. 13. There is nothing more repugnant to Charitie which notwithstanding is as Saint Paul saith The fulfilling of the law The bond of perfectnes The true marke of the children of God As Iesus Christ also saith Herein shall men know that yee are my Disciples if yee loue one another euen as I haue loued you Loue sayth Saint Paule Enuieth not She reioyceth not in vnrighteousnes but reioyceth in the truth And contrariwise The enuious man mourneth and afflictions as is aforesaid Nazianz. in his first book of diuinitie Chrisostome on Mathew Hom. 41. therin resembling slies that light vpon wounds and cleuing to the same do there at sucke their sustenance Or as the Dorre who naturally lurking in dung taketh her food thereof so doth the enuious man grow fat in other mens calamities Can there then be any thing more repugnant to charitie and this vnion of the members of Christes body which as Saint Paul saith Causeth them to haue the same care one for another So that if one member suffer Cor. 12.25 all suffer with it if one bee had in honour all the rest reioyce with it And therfore it is a shame to vs Christians that we do not vnderstand it and the rather because euen the heathen doe instruct vs Plut. of Enuie and hatred as among others Plutarch who saith Hatred and Enuie are directlye opposite to loue which reioyceth in other mens felicitie 10 Likewise as enuie is repugnant to loue so is thee contrarie to the peace and concord that should dwell among the children of God Iam. 3.14 16. In this sence doth S. Iames tearme her bytter thereby vnderstanding that she is a poyson of a Cankered will conuerting all to bitternesse whereupon doe ensue contention and debate and therefore he addeth For where enuying and strife is there is sedition and all manner of euill workes Plutarch also saith Enuie and Ielouzie are passions which euermore doe engender vsuall and daungerous enmitie Plut. of profit to be taken of enemies And so it is the more pernitious in respect that as the same Author saith ordynarily it followeth such as deale in matters of estate wherein contention and enuie are most hurtfull Hereupon saith Antisthenes Laertius It is in vaine to cleanse Wheate from Chasse and to purge an armie of vnprofitable souldiers vnlesse wee also purge the common wealth of all enuious persons and banish them from among vs. 11 Moreouer as enuie ordinarily accompanieth hatred which Saint Iohn placeth in the degrees of murder 1. Ioh. 3 15. So doth it beare such sway in some that it plungeth them headlong in murder al horrible wickednes Who moued the deuil to vrge man to eate of the forbidden fruit wherby to throw him downe to draw him with himselfe into euerlasting death Wisd 2.24 The booke of Wisedome as is aforesaid testifieth that it was enuie What caused Cayn so cruelly to murder his brother Abell Eunie as the holy Scripture plainely noteth God warneth him to forbeare yet hee went forward And indeed as Chrisostom saith Gen. 4.5 Cain enuying his brother cold not disgest the hatred that he had coÌ„ceaued but the more that God warned him 1. Sam. 18. the more did his sorow anguish hatred encrease which driue him to shed his brothers bloud Who stirred vp Saul so often and by so many deuises to attempt to seeke to kill Dauid Yea when he had so often misled with his owne mouth acknowledged his wrong yet to pursue him so obstinately to the death Euen that accursed enuie that was first engendered of this Gen. 37. that the daughters of Israell in their song Saule hath slaine his thousand and Dauid his tenne thousand preferred Dauid before him and afterward encreased by Samuels anointing him to be King What moued the sonnes of Iacob to resolue vpon Iosephs death and when they had defiled his coate with bloud to send it to their father whereby to vexe him with most cruell and mortall sorrow and heauinesse and lastly to sell him to the Ismaelites to carie him into Egypt so to seperate him from the Church consequently to abandon his body to tribulation and his soule to destruction The sole enuie that they had conceiued against him for the priuate affection that Iacob bare vnto him Mat. 21.15 which afterward was encreased through his dreames To bee short What induced the high Priests and Scribes Mat. 27.18 at the hands of Iudas a traitor to his Lord and Master to buy Iesus Christ to deliuer him into the hands of Pilate so obstinately to pursue him to the death So euident was their enuie that Pilate himselfe as S. Mathew noteth knew that for enuie they had deliuered him In this sence doth Paule Gal. 5.21 speaking of the frutes of the flesh ioyne murder with enuie as the cursed frute thereof 12 To conclude Plut. of Enuie and hatred what a villanous abhominable vice is enuie saith Plutarch considering that many can confesse that they hate him whom they doe not enuie Sooner will they acknowledge themselues to be possessed with wrath feare hatred Chrisostome vpon Mathew or some other like passion and vice then confesse any enuie as testifieng therby that enuy is the most villanous detestable disease that can come to the soule Chrisostome doth aptly describe the Original of this disease saying He that enuieth pâ—rchaseth to himselfe reproch and honor to him that is enuied For as ambition is the mother nurse of enuie so is there nothing more contrarie to ambition then the acknowledgement that a man is enuious considering that enuie is a confession that the enuied is endued with greater vertue prosperitie or some other excellencie then he that enuieth 13 In as much therfore as enuie engendreth so many tormenâ—s vexations in our harts that nothing is more contrarie to loue that it breedeth hatred strife debate that it draweth men to commit murder and other horrible transgressions To be short that euen among men it is so detestable that they will rather colour it with other vices then acknowledge it Let vs to the end according to the admonition of Iesus Christ to amend our liues refraine al selfe loue and consequently all enuie Let euery man bee content with that estate and condition whereto God hath called him faithfully imploy himselfe therin euer waiting the blessing of the Lord without enuying others prosperitie Let vs remember that the enuious man pretendeth to
case that in this respect wee should not feare God more than man It happeneth many times that the backbiter with great protestation and attestation sayth I tell you but I would be loth to saie so much to another let it I praie you rest betweene vs speake not of it let no man knowe that I tolde you Oh foole dost thou more feare the blame at a mans hands whom thou hast spoken euill of than the eternall fire that thou kindelest and the curse of God which by backbiting thou pullest vpō thy head Darest thou not detract or speake euill of thy neighbor before his face albeit hee hath but some small meanes to be reuenged yet wilt thou boldly speake euill of him in the presence of almightie God who threatneth and is able to swallowe thee vp If the man whom thou speakest euill of chance to come in place thou doest blush and fallest into other talke But when thou backbitest him remember that God heareth thee and blushing at thy folly turne to some other talke and speake of such things as may be acceptable in the sight of God 13 Againe canst thou like a fool put more trust in anothers tonge than in thine owne Thou couldest not bridle thine owne tongue and doest thou request another to bridle his Why doest thou put thy selfe in the mercie and discretion of another If hee to whome thou hast opened thy mouth hath no more hold of his tongue than thou hast of thine hast thou not put into his hande a staffe wherewith by reuealing thy secret to bring thee into brabling strife Why doest thou reueale that to another which thou wouldest shoulde be kept secret If thou sayest I trust him So hath hee an other whome hee trusteth and his friend another c. to whome they will reueale it It is as if when sundrie faggots lie each by other thou shouldest kindle the one and so by degrees burne them all In some countries vpon anie murther or other hainous trespasse they ring the towne bell which when other townes or villages doo heare they likewise doo ring theyrs and so from one to an other whereby all the Countrie is soone aduertised that there is some offender to bee taken or staide Euen so thou when the clock of thy tongue hath stroken looke that hee that heard it will lykewise strike his and his neighbor that heareth it his and so shal the infyrmitie of thy neighbour soone come to the eares of many And therefore if thou beest loth it shoulde bee knowen why hast thou rung the bell of thy tongue in a countrie where thou knowest that euerie man is readie likewise to ring his 14 Let vs proceede Not onely hee that speaketh euill of his neighbour is a backbiter but also hee that hearkneth to the slander And in deed he that is desirous to heare of the faults frailtie of another sheweth himself to be deuoid both of zeale to Gods glorie and of loue to his neighbour For seeing God is dishonored in the transgressions sinnes of men it is our parts hearing of the same to mourne and bewaile the dishonour of God and in charitie we ought to take compassion of our neighbor who by his offence bringeth Gods wrath vpon his head If in liew of sorrowing for the sins transgressions euen of those whom before we knew not we delight to heare of them doo we not strip our selues out of all loue of God and charitie to men In this sense doth Dauid saie that he that receiueth a false reporte against his neighbour Psalm 15.3 shall haue no place in the house of God And in deed both he that hearkneth to the backbiter and the backbiter do serue the deuill alike the one with his tongue the other with his eare Bernard in a certain sermō Detraction saith S. Bernard is a sharp sword which at one blow woundeth three It slaieth the soule of the backbiter and the soule of him that giueth eare vnto him it woundeth impaireth the good name of him that is backbitten or slandered 15 And what doth more norish and maintaine backbiting than the vsuall vice of hearkning thereto euen with greedines For as if there were no receiuer of theftes there would not bee so many theeues so if none would hearken to backbiting Prou. 25. 23 there would not be so many backbiters As the north winde saith Salomon driueth awaie raine so doeth an angrie countenance the slandering tongue As the shaft saith Hierome shot against a stone reboundeth Hierom to Rusticus sometime hurteth him that shot it so when a backbiter seeth his countenance that heareth or in deed that hearkneth not vnto him sad or frouning hee holdeth his peace he waxeth pale his countenance is troubled and his tongue stoppeth sodainly In this consideration he saith in another place Beware of backbiting Hier. in his Epist to Nepor also of listning thereto Let thine eares be as farre from them as thy tongue For when the backbiter perceiueth that thou giuest no eare to him hee cannot well go forward Thou shalt not saith the Lord Exod. 23.1 receiue or take vp anie false report This worde Receiue or take vp euidently declareth that backbiting and slandering will soone fade awaie and decaie if it bee not receiued or taken vp and so vnderpropped and vpheld by the consent that is giuen thereto Hierome to Celantius 16 Sith therfore that the inclination to backbite likewise to hear backbiting is such that euen they who otherwise are far from many other vices as Hierom saith do easily fal into these snares of the deuill that according as Christ exhorteth we may amend our liues let vs thinke vpon the premises to the end we may abhor al backbiting let vs keepe our tongs eares pure so as the vse of these vices now so common may vtterly be abolished To be short let vs apply our tongs to speak open our eares to heare such things as may redoūd to the glory of God the saluation of our neighbors 17 Moreouer if wee heare that anie speake euill of vs let vs so order our liues that as Plato in olde time sayde men maye not beleeue such slanderous reports of vs. As Philip king of Macedon sayde Plutarch in his Apotheg that the reproch and iniuries of the Athenian orators caused him so to order his wordes and deedes that themselues should be proued lyers Neyther let vs forget what hee both sayde and dyd when it was tolde him that Nicanor spake hardlye of him I must bethinke me Plutarch in his Apotheg said he whether I neuer gaue him occasion so to say Aftewarde hearing that Nicanor was decayde and growen into contempt hee sent him a present And then beeing shewed that Nicanor spake well of him You see sayeth hee that it is in vs to cause men to speake well or ill of vs. If the euill therefore that is spoken of vs be true or that
God And so let her humble her selfe in the sight of God and bee well assured that her subiection and obedience is acceptable vnto him Likewise that the more that the Image of God is restored in her and her husband through the regeneration of the holy Ghost the lesse difficultie shall she finde in that subiection and obedience as many in their marriage haue indeede tried to their great contentment and consolation 8 Some other duties ther be that particularly belong to women As first a certaine discretion and desire required at their handes to please the nature inclination and maners of their husbands so long as the same import no wickednesse For as the looking glasse how soeuer faire and beautifully adorned is nothing worth if it shew that countenaunce sad which is pleasaunt Eras Apotheg lib. 3. or the same pleasant that is sad So the woman deserueth no commendation that as it were contrarying her husband when hee is merie sheweth her selfe sad or in his sadnes vttereth her mirth And hereto may we referre the old saying of Socrates Men should obey the lawes of their Citties and women the maners of their husbands 9 Moreouer a modest and chast woman that loueth her husband must also loue her house as remembring that the husband that loueth his wife cannot so well like of the sight of any Tapisserie as to see his wife in his house Tit. 2. 5. And Saint Paule willeth the auncient women to teach the yonger sort among other things to bee chast to loue their husbands and to keepe the house Plut. in the precepts of marriage In this sence did our auncesters represent a woman by a Torteyse who neuer goeth out of her shell The woman that gaddeth from house to house to prate confoundeth her selfe her husband and her familie But there are fower seasons wherein the woman is to goe abroad The first to come to holy meetings according to the duty of pietie The second to visit such as stand in neede as the dutie of loue and charitie doe require The third for employment in houshold affaires committed to her charge The last with her husband when he shall require her As also Abimelech king of Gerar reprouing Sarah because she had as it were abandoned her selfe in that shee confessed not that Abraham was her husband Gen. 20.16 said vnto her Thy husband is the vayle of thine eyes to all men 10 The wife also is in dutie to bee content to please her husband and not to bee curious or giuen to adorning of her bodie or sumptuousnesse in apparell Which vanitie must of necessitie proceede either of ambition and pride or of some disordinate desire to content others rather then her husband And therefore it will better like him and bee more seemely and fit for her to vse modestie heerein especiall considering that such curiositie and vanitie is accompanied with great expence yea and in some with danger of lasciuiousnes And therfore Saint Paul admonisheth women to aray themselues in seemely and honest apparel with shamefastnes modesty not in brayded haire gold pearle 1. Tim. 2.9 or sumptuous apparel And the rather to correct this corruptioÌ„ being too coÌ„mon among women he exhorteth theÌ„ to be adorned with good works 1. Pet. 3.3 which saith he do best beseem such women as professe the seruice of God S Peter also hauing likewise coÌ„demned the outward ornaments which doe consist in imbrayded haire golde lace and gorgeous apparel admonisheth them to labour that the hidden man that is the soule may bee well furnished of vertue And in truth pietie and vertue are excellent ornaments for a woman of smal charge and the common prouerb is true that the women which are curious in adorning their bodies are negligent in furnishing the wants of their soules An ornament saith the Philosopher Crates is that which adorneth that adorneth which ministreth honor But gold-rings other deckings of the body are not the purchasers of honor but wisedome modestie chastitie and other vertues The woman that loueth her husband well must studie vpon all these duties aforesaid which as SalomoÌ„ saith wil make her happy Happy is the husband that hath a good wife and the reckoning of his life is double Prou. 26. Againe A vertuous wife reioyceth her husband and causeth him to liue in peace A good wife is a good inheritance which shall be giuen in recompence to those that feare God 11 To conclude let the wife carefully meditate practise the vertues which Salomon coÌ„mendeth in wise vertuous women in the 31. Chapter of the Prouerbs And the rather because the same are represented in 22. verses whereof the first beginneth at A the second at B Prou. 31. c. After the order of the Hebrew Alphabet were in that sort set downe by Salomon for a helpe to memorie consequently to shew that they are worthy to be learned by hart And therfore we wil here insert them to the end that wiues daily vsing them may studie to be more and more adorned with such vertues as make the woman commendable and the man blessed The vertues of a faithfull woman and a good huswife as they be described in Salomons Prouerbs Chap. 31. Who shall find a vertuous woman for her price is far aboue the pearles The hart of her husband trusteth in her and he shall haue no neede of spoyle She will doe him good and not euill all the daies of her life She seeketh Woole and Flax and laboureth cheerefully with her hands She is like the Marchants ships she bringeth her foode from a far She riseth while it is yet night giueth the portion to her houshold the ordinarie to her maides She considereth a field and getteth it with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard She girdeth her loynes with strength strengthneth her armes She feeleth that her marchandise is good her candle is not put out by night Shee putteth her hands to the wheele her handes handle the spindle She stretcheth out her hand to the poore and putteth foorth her handes to the neede She feareth not the Snow for her familie for all her familie is â—othed with Scarlet She maketh her selfe carpets fine linnen and pâ—â—ple is her garment Her husband is knowen in the gates when he sitteth with the elders of the land She maketh sheetes and selleth them and giueth girdles to the Marchant Strength and honor is her clothing and in the latter day she shall reioyce She openeth her mouth with wisedome and the law of grace is in her tongue She ouerseeth the waies of her husband and eateth not the bread of Idlenesse Her children rise vp and cal her blessed her husband also shall praise her saying Many daughters haue doone vertuously but thou surmountest them all Fauour is deceitfull and beautie is vanitie but a woman that feareth the Lord shee shall be praysed Giue her of the fruite of her handes and let
For as in a great stormie winde a man lappeth his cloke about him holdeth it fast for feare of loosing but when the winde is downe and the wether calme he letteth it hang easily so when husbands will as it were perforce wrest awaie their wiues infirnities manye of them will obstinately resist yet coÌ„trariwise by sweete words louing exhortations they might be wonne voluntarily to forsake them Thirdly the husband must seeke diligently to remoue the stone wherat his wife stumbleth taketh occasion of grief So when Sarah was moued against Abraham because of Agar obiected vnto him albeit wroÌ„gfully Gen. 16. that he was the cause that she contemned her bearing with his wife he remoued the cause of the contention in suffering her to turne Agar out of doores He must also take heed that himself be not taynted with the same vice which hee reproueth in his wife least shee stoppe his mouth with the reproch of the same fault But rather by giuing her example by the contrarie vertue let her be induced to imitate him In reprouing the wife the husband must alwaies vse such discretion that she bee not brought into contempt and therefore it should neuer bee doone in the presence of more then themselues For as it is meere follie for a husband to praise and commend his wife in companie so is it as daungerous to checke and reproue her before witnesse For indeede thereof it commeth that women being not able to beare that disgrace will replie and so prouoke strife and dissention in open presence which will redound to great reproch and offence And therefore doth Cleobulus of Lyndie one of the wisemen of Greece deliuer these two precepts to the married man First that he flatter not his wife Secondly that hee reproue her not before straungers And Marcus Aurelius vseth three saying A wise husband and one that seeketh to liue in quiet with his wife must obserue these three rules Often to admonish Seeldome to reproue and neuer to smite her Let the husband also remember the sayinges of a heathen who speaking of the infirmities of the woman very aptly saith That they must bee either taken away or borne withall Hee that can take them quite away maketh the woman farre more commodious and fit for his purpose and hee that can beare with them maketh himselfe better and more vertuous 5 The husband is also to vnderstand that as God created the woman not of the head and so equall in authoritie with her husband so also he created her not of Adams foote that shee should bee troden downe and despised but hee tooke her out of the ribbe that shee might walke ioyntly with him vnder the conduct and gouernment of her head And in that respect the husband is not to commaund his wife in manner as the master his seruaunt but as the soule doth the body as being conioyned in like affection and good will For as the soule in gouerning the bodie tendeth to the benefite and commoditie of the same so ought the dominion commaundement of the husband ouer his wife to tend to reioyce and content her 6 To conclude As God hath testified his singular goodnes vnto man in creating him an helper to assist him so let him consider in how many sortes shee is to him a helper to passe ouer this lyfe in blessednesse And let this dayly seeking of such a benefite receyued at the hand of God induce him to render thankes and to dispose himselfe to vse it well to his owne comfort and saluation and not to abuse it to the destruction both of himself and his wife But if hee chaunceth as many do vpon troubles afflictions in marriage let him remember that the same doo proceed not properly from marriage but from the corruptions of the parties marryed and for his parte let him studie to amend his infirmities and faults by amendement of lyfe and withall praie to God to grant the like grace vnto his wise to the ende that the more they recouer the image of God the more feeling they maye haue of the felicitie of marryage which Adam and Eue had inioyed had they continued as they were created in the image of God Of the duties of parents towards their children Chap 4. SVch as bee married doo growe to bee fathers and mothers by bringing forth children thorough the blessing of God Let vs therefore vnderstand the duties of parents to theyr children and of children to theyr parents And now wee will begin wyth parents First of theyr due care to see theyr children taught to praie to God and to rehearse the Apostles Creed and the ten commandements For as by this exercise theyr heartes and mindes shall the rather bee inclined to godlynesse and reuerence toward God so as they increase in age they shall euerie daie better than other comprehend that which they learne to theyr owne comfort and instruction to saluation Also as the tongue is called the glorie of man because that besides all other reasons by his speech he is discerned from the brute beastes so is it meete that so soone as the child can begin to speake his tongue should bee imployed to glorifie God by calling vpon him and protesting the grounds of faith As also in repeating the will of God in such sort as he will that wee should serue and honor him 2 Secondly if parents doo note anie vice in theyr little ones as lying choller enuie couetousnesse contempt of parents reâ—dines to strife and other lyke corruptions it is theyr duetie diligently in time to reproue correct them as men vse to plucke vp weedes while they bee yet young least growing vp among the good seed they shoulde hinder their growth and choake them vp By experience wee can see that mothers swathing theyr little ones doo laie theyr limmes right each in his place likewise if a child be geuen to bee left handed they chide him yea sometimes they binde it vp or otherwise restraine the vse of it that hee may bee accustomed to the right Also if the childe hath some string vnder his tongue they cut it least it shoulde hinder his speech much rather then ought they to beware that by theyr inconuenience the vices of the soule doo not increase for it is the dutie of parents euen in the infancie to beginne to shape and frame the soule vnto vertue 3 It is also the dutie of parents to prouide that theyr children maye learne to write and reade for it maye bee vnto them a great helpe in the course of this life and a treasure of greater account than money And therfore the negligence of many is sharply to bee reproued Besides that the peformance of the dueties of parents heerein doth greatly binde theyr children vnto them Neuerthelesse the principall end thereof shoulde not haue respect to such commoditie as the children may reape thereby towardes the vse of this present life but rather that they may reade the word of God to
vicious thou puttest him in danger of losse both of body and soule 16 Some doo respect their friendship with some masters rather than their vertue and so doo commit to them their children least they should be angrie for putting them to another These men do resemble him who being daungerously sick vseth the aduise of an ignorant phisition that is his kinseman or familiar friend for feare he should take offence if he shuld cal another albeit without comparison more learned skilfull If thou shouldest haue any waightie matter in law wouldest thou rather commit thy cause to an igâ—anâ— and negligent atturney because he is thy friende than to him that were both diligent and learned Making a voiage through some daungerous sea wouldest thou in a tempest commit thy ship to a yong pilot vnskilful or dronke because he is thy friend what a foole art thou that wilt not take the like care of the profit honor and saluation of thy child 17 Others commit their children either to him that is best cheap or by whome they may growe into greatest aduancement in the world but neuer respect the hazard of their child so they may either spare or get worldly goods When one shewed the Orator Lycurgus Eras Apo. li. 8 that hee had offered great wages to a philosopher to teach his children he vertuously answered If anie man will assure me to restore me my children endued with more vertue I will giue him not onely that some but euen halfe my goods The vertuous and wise Emperor Marcus Aurelius writeth that in the Annals of the Tarentine warre he found that the renowmed Purlius did weare a ring wherein was ingrauen this sentence The dominion of the whole earth is a small reward to him that is vertuous but to the vicious the losse of life is a simple punishment Heereby may fathers learne how carefully they ought to restraine their children froÌ„ vice to inure theÌ„ to vertue As in deede the fathers that instruct or cause their children to be instructed do far excel such as onely do beget them for of these they receiue life only of the other good and vertuous life 18 Moreouer parents ought not so much to relie vpon the diligence of childrens masters as neuer to care to vnderstaÌ„d how they profite and proceed in vertue for the regarde of such diligence would make the masters more carefully to discarge their dueties And thereof came the prouerbe The masters eie fatteth the horse this The masters eie is the fruitfulnes of the garden Parents ought not too much to hearken or credite children when they complaine of their masters rigor and seueritie Among the Lacedemonians if the children vpon the reproofe or chastisement of any whosoeuer Plutar. in his Lacon Instit for anie man was at libertie to vse correction euen to other mens children did complaine to their parents the same was a great reproch to them because themselues corrected not their children Not that we are not in discretion to inquire or take notice whether the master vseth crueltie or inhumanitie towarde them least through too much rigor hard vsage they shuld grow desperate 19 Howbeit such is the inclination of many euen from theyr youth to wickednesse that instruction by words either of parents or masters will not suffice without the rodde and correction And this doth God command and experience sheweth it to bee most necessarie He that spareth the rod sayth Salomon hateth the childe Prou. 13.24 Prou. 19.18 Pro. 29.15 17. Prou. 23.13 but he that loueth him basteth to correction Againe Correct thy childe while there is hope and regard not his crying Againe The rod and correction minister wisedome but the child lefte at libertie shameth his mother Correct thy sonne he will giue thee rest and pleasure to thy soule Withdrawe not correction from thy child if thou smite him with the rod hee shall not die Thou shalt smite him with the rod and deliuer his soule from hell The booke of Ecclesiasticus intreateth heereof more at large saying He that loueth his sonne causeth him oft to feele the rod Eccle. 30 1â— â— that he may haue ioy of him in the end Hee that chastiseth his son shall haue ioy in him and shall reioyce of him among his acquaintance An vntamed horse will be stubborne and a wanton child will be wilfull 8.9.10.11.12 13. If thou bring vp thy sonne delicatly he shal make thee afraid if thou play with him he shall bring thee to heauines Laugh not with him least thou be sorie with him and least thou gnash thy teeth in the end Giue him no libertie in his youth and winke not at his folly Bow downe his necke while he is young and beat him on the sides least he waxe stubborne and be disobedient to thee and so bring sorrow to thy heart Chastise thy child be diligent therein least his shame grieue thee In this sense do we say that many times the rod is better for children than bread And in deed as Phisitions surgeons Apothecaries are necessarie in a town for the cure of sicknes and bodily wounds so are rods chastisement for the correction of the corruptions of the soule 20 Herein is God so resolute that in the dutie of the father to chastise his child he willeth vs to learn that he doth the office of a father when he chastiseth vs with afflictions And as a father by correction declareth a true loue to his child with a desire of his good and saluation Heb. 12 so is it the will of God that wee should receiue such afflictions as he laieth vpoÌ„ vs as effects of his loue towards vs as testimonies that he accepteth vs as his lawfull children and no bastardes Likewise if seeing many children fighting together wee also see a man come and correct onely one of them wee presently thinke that to bee his childe because hee performeth the dutie of a father and so sheweth that hee loueth him better than the rest whome hee letteth goe without correction Therefore as wee saie that the pittiful and gentle Surgion empaireth the wounds so doth too much gentlenesse toward children and winking at their faults without correction breed theyr disobedience vnthriftinesse and miserie Likewise as God is thereby greatly dishonoured so doeth hee not suffer the parents that are slacke in theyr duetie to their children to escape scot free And to this purpose haue we a notable example in Holy the high priest for when he heard of the wickednesse and offensiue dealings of his sons Ophny Phinces he vsed some verball reprehensions yet because he neither reproued nor chastised theÌ„ more sharply God obiecteth to him their iniquities saying Wherefore haue you kicked against my sacrifice and hast honored thy children more than me 1. Sam. 2 Then doth hee pronounce also this horrible sentence That the priesthoode should be taken from his house that both his sonnes should die in one
the same as before wee haue more at large declared In the second booke c. 17. of Adulterie and all fornicatiō Princes therefore and Christian magistrates that inflict no punishment for adulterie are vnexcusable in the sight both of God and men And they must thinke that as such iniquitie doeth prouoke Gods wrath not against the adulterers onely but also against the whole nation where it is tollerated so by not punishing it themselues doo maintaine the wrath of God as a fyre kindled to consume both them and their subiects To whom by such slacknesse and conniuence they also giue head to commit it wythout all feare The Emperour Iustinian in a decree whereby he ordayneth death to baudes that make sale of women or maidens for fornication In the Nouell Constitutions Rub. of Bauds Gen. 38.24 doth adde this Wee beleeue that thorough this our care to maintain chastitie our common wealth wyll take great increase and that God will graunt vs all prosperitie We reade that the Patriarke Iuda when hee sawe that his daughter in law Thamar whome hee had promised in marriage to his sonne Sella had played the harlot hee condemned her to die euen to bee burned Wherein the Magistrates of our time are to note three points that may induce them to doo their duties First that albeit the persons bee not yet married but betrothed onely yet as is aforesayd this adulterie deserueth death Secondly that adulterie was punished wyth death namely by fyre euen before the lawe giuen by Moses Thirdly that no kindred or friendshippe shoulde withholde the Magistrate from punishing adulterers And heereof we haue an instance in Zaleucus the Locryan Lawyer Val. Max ca. 5 Aelian l 1◠hee hauing ordained that both the eies of an adulterer shoulde bee pulled out when his owne sonne was taken wyth that fault would needes haue two eyes lost and so caused one of his owne and another of his sayde sonnes to be plucked forth 61 It is therefore a great reproch and slacknesse in Christians so to mitigate the punishment of this sinne that they haue shewed themselues in manner neuer touched with the abhomination of such iniquitie In the dayes of the Emperour Iustinian adulterers were put onely to some fine of monie which might in deed somewhat restraine the poore but the rich thereby tooke occasion to commit it the more as thinking themselues quit for a smal summe of monie True it is that by vertue of some decrees of the said Iustinian the women taken in adulterie were thrust into some monasterie But what else was this but formally to oppugne the saying of Saint Paule who commandeth that the woman who cannot containe should marrie In the Councell of Tibur it was decreed that if the woman that had committed adulterie Counsell of Tibu◠holden the yeare 895. cap. 46. Counsel of Orleance cap. 1. Causaid constitui mus 17. q. 4. could retire and saue her selfe in the Church shee should not bee redeliuered into the handes either of her husband or of the Iudge The lyke was also decreed in the first Councell at Orleance where it was moreouer ordained that if her husband or the Iudge did redemaund her shee should be redeliuered but with an oath that they should doo her no hurt vpon paine of excommunication And thus dyd the Cleargie in those daies drawe vnto them the notice and iudgement of adulterie whether to purchase thereby the fines for their owne profite or for anie more vilanous or detestable purpose But as by that meanes they were wylling to saue and preserue the bodyes of the adultresses so haue they strained the soules to the end to cast them headlong into euerlasting death The Counsell of Elibertin cap 18. In deed in a Councell holden in Spaine it was decreed that if a Bishoppe a priest or a Deacon were taken in adulterie hee should neuer againe be receiued into the peace and reconcilement of the Church no not in the houre of death Also that this rule should bee in force against all other persons vpon theyr seconde offence And therefore sayth Saint Cyprian in his dayes some Bishoppes woulde not receiue adulterers to the peace of the Church But hee was of opinion to vse some moderation least sinners should fall into desperation and that desperation should draw them on headlong into all wickednesse And therefore sayth hee The Councel of Ancyra Cap. 20. it were good they shoulde trye theyr repentaunce wythout limitation of time which notwithstanding by one Councell was appointed to be seuen yeres 62 Thus may wee see whereinto those men do fall that will be wiser and shew more mercie than God But mortall man notwithstanding whatsoeuer authoritie hee pretendeth must not alter the decrees of the liuing Lord. And the Lord hath commanded that adulterers should bee punished with death Neyther is there in manner anie nation in the world but agreeth to this iudgement of God as wee haue before declared If therefore wee would obeye God in punishing adulterie with death his wrath would be turned from vs and wee should bee freed from thousands of questions difficulties that growe vppon the sparing of theyr liues and men standing in more feare of God would not so soone abandon them selues thereto In olde time theeues were not by anie lawe eyther of God or man punished wyth death but adulterers were but now contrarywise theeues must die for it and adulterers must escape in manner scotfree Is not this a token that Christians are more feruently bent to the preseruation of their goods than of the chastitie or honour of their wiues They alleadge the example of Christ who dismissed the woman that was taken in adulterie with out condemnation Iohn 8. But as Christ came not to execute the office of a Iudge neither would vsurp it so when he had asked her whether the sentence of the Iudges had condemned her and vnderstood no before he dismissed her hee sufficiently declared that if sentence had bene passed he would not haue hindered the execution 1. Cor. 10.8 And therefore by the premises let all Christian Magistrates vnderstand that it is theyr dutie to punish such iniquitie and with all remember that whatsoeuer slacknesse or negligence shall bee found in them shall not remaine vnpunished And so let them in holines resolue straightly to forbid this abhomination of adultry to stop the course of it and to take away all allurements entisements thereto and that with such punishment that all other may feare to commit the like iniquitie Let them also diligently see to other fornication that it escape not vnpunished as remembring the vengeaunce that the Lorde did take of the like when for the same in one daie he slew twentie and three thousand 63 Namely let them not suffer among their subiects any stews tauernes or other receptacles of adulterie for hire which serue as baites allurements and meanes to defile and destroy both bodies and soules for euer also to prouoke Gods
peruerse permit no murtherers or periured persons to liue that hee vpholde the Church feed the poore establish iust men in publike offices retaine ancient wise and discreet counsellers that in anie wise hee apply not himselfe to the superstitions of deuiners magitians and pythonicall spirites that he deferre his displeasure and defend his Countrie from his enemies with magnanimity and iustice that he repose his whole confidence in God that hee bee not puffed vp in prosperitie and with patience beare aduersitie that hee maintayne the Catholike faith and suffer not anie wickednes in his children that he allot certaine houres to praier vnto God and eate not but in due season for woe be to the earth where the gouernors doo arise early to eate These things sayth Saint Augustine doo minister prosperitie in this lyfe and doo leade the king to a better dominion euen to the celestiall and eternall kingdome Seeing therfore that our Lorde Iesus Christ exhorteth vs to amend our liues let all magistrates examining themselues by that which hath bin before spoken concerning their duties determine aduise themselues to amend such faultes as may be in them that they may imploy themselues to gouerne theyr subiects more and more in vertue wisedome and holynesse to the glorie of God and the benefit and saluation of themselues and their sayd subiects Of the dutie of Subiects to their Magistrates Chap. 7. NOw let vs proceede to the duetie of subiectes to their Magistrates As in the fifth commandement of the Lawe the word Father signifyeth all superiours that haue charge conduct and gouernment of others and consequently all Magistrates so the word Honour includeth all duties and offices wherein the subiects are bound to the superior powers And this doth Saint Peter confirme 1 Pet. 2.17 saying Honour the king Where this word Honor doth especially import loue reuerence subiection obedience assistance to conclude praiers and supplications for them As touching the first point that is to loue them God commaundeth it in his lawe for the summe of the second Table thereof importeth that wee loue our neighbour as our selues And if all men bee our neighbours how much rather the Magistrates who in the fiftth commandement are signified by the worde Father the rather to admonish vs that we ought to loue them as our fathers and in deed they be many times tearmed fathers of the people Moreouer if the image of God that resteth vppon all the children of Adam doth binde vs to loue them howe much rather are wee to loue those who besides the image common to all the rest of Adams brood haue yet one particular and most excellent portion therof in that they are as it were Gods lieutenants to gouerne his people and of the same doo beare the title of God I haue sayde yee are Gods and the children of the highest sayth the prophet Dauid Psalm 82.6 Agayne God sitteth in the assemblie of Gods he iudgeth in the midst of the Gods 2 This consideration bindeth vs to loue them albeit they discharge not their duties to theyr subiects For theyr faulte taketh not awaie the Image or priuiledge of God The king sayth Saint Augustine beareth the image of God and must therefore be honoured and loued If not in respect of his person yet for his calling and office howe much rather then shoulde the people loue theyr magistrats when they shew themselues to be the seruants of God for our good and as their office requireth to draw vs to liue a quiet and peaceable lyfe in all godlynes and honestie and so to make vs happie For were it not a monstrous and vnnaturall matter not to loue those by whose handes care wisedome power and authoritie God vouchsafeth to establish and preserue vs in a blessed estate both of bodie and soule 3 This image and title of God which they doo beare doth also admonish vs to reuerence and regarde them both in heart and minde in worde and worke For surely he that despiseth them despiseth God in them And that is one cause why hee forbyddeth backbiting of them saying Thou shalt not speake euill of the Iudge neither shalt thou curse the prince of thy people Exod. 22.28 And because many doo presume to murmure and backbite them as imagining that they shall neuer knowe of it Salomon warneth vs not to deceiue our selues in that point saying Curse not the king no not in thy thought for the foules of heauen shall carrie the voice Besides Preach 10.20 albeit the same bee kept secret from man yet God that heareth it wyll reuenge the wrong done to his maiestie Saint Peter and Saint Iude doo declare 2. Pet. 2.10 Iude. 8. that euen in theyr time there were some that contemned the superiour powers and dominions proude persons giuen ouer to theyr owne sense euen such as dyd not abhorre to reproue and controll authoritie And some there be in these our daies that shew themselues to haue bene their schollers for they maintaine that a faythfull man the childe of God cannot exercise the office of a magistrate especially as concerning the vse of the swoorde agaynst transgressours Doo not such men tread this holy ordinance of God vnder foote when they affyrme that superior power beseemeth none but the wicked and vnbeleeuers 4 Besides the loue and reuerence due vnto Magistrates we are also to yeeld vnto them subiection and obedience as Saint Paule admonisheth vs saying Let euerie soule bee subiect to the higher powers Rom. 13.1 for there is no power but of God and the powers that be are ordained of God Whereupon hee also inferreth and that iustly that whosoeuer resisteth the magistrate resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall bring vpon themselues iudgement The same Apostle writing to Titus Titus 3.1 sayth Put them in remembrance that they be subiect to principalities and powers and that they obey their gouernours And surely sith God hath printed in the person of the Magistrate the characters of his image and maiestie wee haue greate reason to beware of offending him And this wee reade of the people of Israel in the behalfe of Iosua That the Lord did magnifie him in the sight of all Israel and they feared him as they had done Moses all the daies of his life Iosua 4.14 This feare of offending the magistrate is grounded vpon two reasons first vpon the authoritie and power that God giueth him to punish such as are rebellious as the Apostle sayth If thou doest euill feare the magistrate for hee beareth not the swoorde for naught Rom. 13. 4. but is the minister of God to take vengeance on him that doth euill Secondly because albeit hee were not armed with this power yet we ought to feare God who commaundeth vs to be obedient to the Magistrate and to bee subiect vnto him And this doth Saint Peter note saying Submit your selues vnto all manner ordinance of man 1. Pet. 2.3 Rom. 13. 5. for the Lordes
modestie and piety which these men albeit Emperours dyd shew in taking this censure and repulse in good parte should be an example to all princes and magistrates not to infringe vnder colour of theyr greatnes the orders of the Church but rather to submit themselues for the defence of the same so is it the duetie of the pastours to bee discreet and moderate and not rashly or wythout a sure ground to anie vse such libertie and authoritie And as in the meane time they must not for feare or faint heart omit anie thing that God requireth at the handes of a faythfull pastour in the fulfilling of his charge so must they still remember the saying of Saint Paule 2. Cor. 10.8 13 10 confyrmed by his owne example That the power which they haue receiued from the Lorde must tende and serue to edification not to destruction 23 In correspondence heereof Saint Augustine giueth this counsell that if the pastours cannot purge and amend all faultes among theyr flocke as themselues coulde desire Augu. against Parm. l. 2. c. 1. l. 3. c. 1. 2 yet must not they therfore giue ouer theyr calling or trouble the Church wyth desperate rigor For whosoeuer as hee addeth doth correct so much as hee may by reproouing or that which hee cannot correct hee excludeth wythout breaking the vnitie or that which cannot bee excluded wythout dissention hee reprooueth yet beareth wyth all The same is exempt from the curse and is not guiltie of the sinne And the reason hee deliuereth in another place saying That the order and course to maintaine good gouernment in the Church must alwayes haue regarde to the vnitie of the spirite by the bonde of peace Thus sayth hee doeth the Apostle commaund vs to doo and dooing otherwise our remedie by correction is not onely superfluous but also pernicious and consequently looseth the nature of a remedie And going on hee sayth Hee that shall carefully consider these thinges wyll neuerthelesse vse seueritie yet so as to preserue vnion and not to infringe the bonde of peace or concorde by vsing intemperaunce in his correction Well doeth hee confesse that those Pastours which are neglygent to admonish reproue and correct tâ—e badde Ephe. 4.3 are guiltie in the sight of God And wythall hee addeth that hee which is a publyke officer and may excommunicate the wicked but doth it not sinneth to his owne condemnation As also he willeth that all bee done with discretion And lastly hee concludeth with Saint Cyprian whome hee alleadgeth saying let man therefore correct what hee may with mercie That which hee cannot let him patiently beare and mourne for it in loue Hee also giueth this counsell that if a whole nation bee infected wyth one sinne the seueritie must be moderated with mercie for saith hee to make a separation is but badde and pernitious counsell commonly hath euill successe Yea it rather troubleth the good that are weake than amendeth the bad that are obstinate in theyr sinne 24 The pastor is also in dutie to take care for the afflicted sheep whether in visiting to comfort and strengthen theyr patience and faith or in prouiding that they may be releeued and succoured in theyr want and necessitie First as concerning the visitation of the sicke If euerie faythfull man bee therein to imploie himselfe as Iesus Christ teacheth saying I was sicke and yee visited mee howe much rather ought they to exercise themselues therein to whome the soueraigne pastour Iesus Christe hath commended the health of soules For as men ordinarily at such times feeling the anguish of theyr sicknes and hauing some apprehension of death are most troubled wyth impatience mistrust and other temptations and daungerous assaultes wherein the deuill practiseth his vttermost indeuours so haue they at that time especiall neede of the presence of their pastors And therefore as the midwife hasteth to a woman in trauell to helpe her forth with her childe and the more that her paines increase the more shee helpeth and imployeth her selfe to procure the happie deliuery of her fruit euen so ought the pastours to hasten to the sicke of theyr folde to comfort and strengthen them In briefe to help them to deliuer vp their soules to God in the faith of Iesus Christ And in deede if they that are sicke in bodie haue neede of the phisition for theyr bodyes much more doo they stand in necessitie of theyr pastors for the health of theyr soules And therefore such as are negligent in this dutie do purchase to themselues the curse that almightie God hath pronounced agaynst the wicked shepheards of his people saying Wo vnto the pastors of Israel that feede themselues but feed not their flock the weake yee haue not strengthned Ezech. 34. 2 the sicke ye haue not healed neither haue yee bound vp the broken Esay hearing that Ezechias king of Iuda was sicke 2. King 20 Ruffin Eccle. hist l. 1. c. 4. dyd visite him and it seemeth that Paphnutius emploied himselfe herein for Ruffin writeth of him that by praying to God for them he healed many that were sicke 25 As it is the dutie of pastors to visit the sicke so must they be carefull to helpe the want and necessitie of the poore And this Saint Paule sayeth Gal. 1.10 2. Cor. 8. 9 was by the Apostles especially commended to him namely to haue care of the poore As also he protesteth that he was diligent herein and that doth the Epistle that hee wrote to the Corinthians manifestly confirme It is the glory of the Bishop sayth Saint Hierome to prouide for the necessitie of the poore And writing to Nepotian when hee hath reproued the superfluitie vsed in his time in adorning their Churches Hierom in his Epistles he commendeth Exuperius Bishoppe of Tholouse who then liued in that hee administred the Sacrament of the bodie of Iesus Christ in a small wicker basket and the Sacrament of his bloud in a glasse but withall taking order that no poore man should starue Like zeale and charitie dyd Cyril Bishoppe of Ierusalem also practise For when in a time of famine hee was not able otherwise to releeue the necessity of the poore he solde all the ornaments and vessels of the Church to distribute in almes Saint Ambrose seeing himselfe blamed by the Arrians for breaking the sacred vessels The Tripartite hist l. 5 Ambr. in his booke of duties l. 2. c 28 to paie the ransome of prisoners taken by the Infidels maketh his excuse or rather by an exhortation worth the memorie approueth his action saying He that sent the Apostles without golde assembled also the Churches without golde The Church hath gold not to hoord vp but to distribute and helpe in time of need To what end should wee keepe that which is to no vse Knowe we not how much siluer and golde the Assyrians tooke out of the temple of the Lord Is it not more meete that the pastor should make money of it
God hath giuen them ouer vs that therupon we may hartely loue them respect them obey them be carefull for them and especially employ our selues diligently in feruent praiers to God that he may vouchsafe to preserue the good and faithfull Pastors and that he would replenishe thē with the gifts of the holy spirite that they may faithfully employ themselues in their charge and that hee will mightily blesse their labours to his glory and the saluation of his Church 8 Hauing now declared the duties as well common to the Husband and the wife as perticularly of the husband to the wife and of the wife to the husband of parentes to their children and of children to their parents of Magistrates to their subiects and of subiects to their Magistrates lastly of Pastors and Ministers of the worde to the Church and of the Church to them euery one that desireth to amend his life according to the exhortation of Iesus Christ is to examine himselfe First because he is a Christian by the law of God that he may thereby know his sinnes and wickednes and so amend Next euery one in his vocation as the husband the wife the father the mother the childe the Magistrate the subiect the Pastor and the Church each in his seuerall calling is likewise to enter into examination of himselfe by that which hath bene aboue spoken in this third Booke touching their duties to the end that knowing and feeling in how many sortes and waies we do faile in that which God requireth of euery one in his perticular calling we may aduise our selues how to amend our liues And that we may be the more earnestly stirred and moued hereunto we will in the next book lay down the principall causes and reasons whereby all Christians in generall and euery one perticularly in his vocation ought may in their harts be touched and fele themselues bound and affectionate to amendment according as Iesus Christ doth exhort The fourth Booke Of the causes of Amendement of Life The first cause why we should Amend is taken of the authoritie of Iesus Christ to command vs. Chapter 1. THe onely and sole commaundement of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God who saith Amend your liues Mat. 4.17 ought to induce vs to yeald vnto him all ready and voluntarye obedience For that hee is of authoritie to commaund vs his very names and tytles doe sufficiently declare As therefore Kinges Princes and other Magistrates doe set down their names tytles in the beginnings of their Proclamations as well to authorise them as to binde their subiectes to obey them so before we enter into the reason which Iesus Christ to induce vs to this amendement of life namely because the kingdome of heauen is at hand doth alleadge we will lay downe some of the names and tytles of him that commaundeth vs to amend Exod. 20.2 whereby we may the better vnderstand as well his authoritie to commaund as our dutie to obey 2 First he is the sonne of God who in the preface of the law executing euen then the office of a Prophet a King Exod. 3.14 and a leader of his people speaking saith I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egipt out of the house of bondage Act. 17.28 These titles in the beginning of the law doe declare that he hath double authoritye to commaund vs and that we likewise are double bound to yealde to him our obedience First he calleth himselfe The Lord and vseth this worde Iehoua which signifieth Essence or him that is Col. 1.16.17 wherein he teacheth that it is in him and by him as S. Paul also affirmeth that we are that we liue and that we haue our mouing And therfore in another place speaking of Iesus Christ he saith All things were created by him and for him and in him all thinges consist What a monstrous matter were it if we should not consecrate our whole life to the seruice and obedience of him without whole power we can neither liue neither be neither subsist one onely houre But this name Iehoua is to be drawen yet further Exod. 6. 3. namely to the effect of his promises because it is he who giueth as it were essence vnto them and by his fulfilling a new being to his creatures Himselfe hath taught vs saying I appeared to Abraham Isaac and Iacob in my name Schaddei that is to say God Almighty yet did they not know me by my name Iehoua Exod. 20. 2. for by this name Iehoua he meaneth his Essence whereby he hath with efficacy and effect made the truth of his promises long since promised to the Fathers to be giuing as it were a new being to their children at the bringing of thē forth of Egipt and therefore he addeth Thy God thereby to signifie that it was his people whom he had redeemed and so dedicated and consecrated to himselfe Then doth hee remember them of th◠deliuerye out of the bondage of Egipt which was to them as a resurrection reestablishment vnto life He then that gaue the law being the same God that commanded vs to amend by liuing according to the rule of the same hath declared by his titles and names set down in this preface that he hath duble right authority to commaund vs and therefore that it is a two-fold and monstrous ingratitude not to obey him Exod. 13.2 who commaunding vs by the right both of our creation and of our redemption doth sufficiently declare that we cānot subsist in life either of body or soule without his power and grace Exod. 13.2 Exod. 12.29 3 God in olde time ordained that euery male that opened the wombe should be consecrated to the Lord for at such time as for the bringing forth of his people he slewe all the first borne of Egipt he willed that the first born of the Iewes should be giuen and dedicated to him as being his owne And the more euidentlye to declare vnto them this dutie to be consecrated vnto him he took the Leuites in stead of the first borne of all the other tribes Num. 3.44 to employ them wholy in his seruice yet did he also ordein that all that were aboue twentye yeeres olde Exod. 30.12 should paye euery man halfe a shekle to be employed in the seruice of the tabernacle of the congregation to be a memoriall before the Lord of the redemption of their persons and that being freede from the yoake of Pharaoh and made a nation subiect vnto God who had redeemed and deliuered them they might giue themselues wholy to serue and obey him and altogither to liue to him The fulfilling of these figures and ordenances we haue in Iesus Christ who besides that he is our creator as is aforesaid hath also reuealed himselfe in the fleshe to be our redeemer and sauiour he it is that hath saued and brought vs forth not of the bondage of Pharaoh but from the tirannye
darknes What concord hath Christ with Belial Or what part hath the beleeuer with the Infidell And what agreement hath the temple of God with Idols for yee are the temple of the liuing God as God hath sayde I will dwell among them and walke there and I will bee their God and they shall bee my people Wherefore come out from among them and separate your selues sayth the Lord and touch no vncleane thing and I will receiue you and I will bee a father vnto you and you shall bee my sonnes and daughters saith the Lorde almightie And in the next Chapter following hee addeth Now therefore beloued seeing wee haue these promises let vs cleanse our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirite and growe vp vnto full holinesse in the feare of God 3 The temple of Ierusalem was called holy because it was not a lodging for men but the house of God wholye dedicated and consecrated to his seruice as were also the vesselles belonging thereto in the same respect called holy Nowe if Baltasar king of Babylon by vsing them in a banquet drinking in them with his princes and concubines dyd prophane them and was for the same soone after rewarded for the same night hee lost both his kingdome and lyfe surely they that shall abandon not the vessels but the temple it selfe and not a temple of stone and of wood but euen theyr bodies and soules that are made the liuely temples of the liuing God to the prophane and filthie vses of the world and the flesh in lieu of dedicating the whole to the holye seruice of God who is with them do most filthily prophane the Temple of God and can expect no other than a most horrible vengeaunce and punishment as the holie Apostle Saint Paule protesteth saying Hee that destroieth the temple of God God will destroie him 1. Cor. 3.17 for the temple of God is holy which you are When a king maketh his entrie into a Towne or Citie hee findeth those streetes where he is to passe made cleane and his pallace hanged howe much rather ought wee whome God chooseth to bee his temple and to make his entrie into vs to bee with vs and to dwell with vs to purifie and cleanse from all filthynesse and vncleannesse and to adorne the place of his habitation with all vertue and holynesse 1. Pet. 1 13 4 Heereunto doth Saint Peter exhort vs saying Gird vp the loines of your minde bee sober and trust perfectly on the grace that is brought vnto you by the reuelation of Iesus Christ as obedient children not fashioning your selues vnto the former lusts of your ignorance But as hee that hath called you is holie so bee yee holie in all manner of conuersation because it is written Leuit. 11.44 19. 2 Be ye holie for I am holy Where hee sayeth that the loyns of our minds must be girt hee sheweth that as they that weare long garments when they come in foule wayes doo tucke and girte them vp least they should load them with mire by dragging them through the same so wee whose mindes and affections doo so bend to the earth that they doo euen traile thereupon walking thorough this world full of mire and corruption must tucke them vp toward heauen least they shoulde touch such daungerous and damnable mire from the which we ought wholy to retire and separate our selues that we may be made holy to the Lord. If anie man 2. Tim. 2.21 sayth Saint Paul purge himselfe from these filthinesses and corruptions he shall be a vessell vnto honour sanctified and meet for the Lord and prepared vnto euerie good worke 5 Iesus Christ prayeth vnto his father to sanctifie vs but how Euen by withdrawing vs from the corruptions of this worlde Iohn 17.17 and guiding vs by his spirite to bee consecrated and dedicated vnto him If therefore we grow not in sanctification we do make vaine the prayer of Iesus Christ so farre as it concerneth our selues In the same prayer hee addeth this protestation For their sakes I sanctifie my selfe Iohn 17.19 that they also maie bee sanctified thorough the truth If our sauiour Iesus Christ sanctified and consecrated himselfe to God his father to the ende his holynesse might stretch vnto vs and so in him and by him wee might bee sanctifyed vnto God wee doo falsely boast that hee is Emanuel God wyth vs conioyned and vnited vnto vs and that wee are members of his bodie vnlesse that separating our selues from the corruptions of the worlde and the flesh 1. Cor. 1.30 wee bee sanctified in him and vnto him And in deede if Christ were of God made vnto vs not onely righteousnesse but also sanctification it is in vaine for vs to boast of iustification wythout sanctification for God beeing wyth vs and vnited vnto vs this vnion must of necessitie engender not onelye our iustification in him but also our sanctification by him 6 It is the holy Ghost dwelling in vs that hath conioyned vs with Iesus Christ that hee may bee E anuel God wyth vs For hee sayth the Apostle Saint Paul that hath not the spirit of Christ is not his And as there can bee no fire without warmth or lyght so cannot God bee by his spirite in vs or with vs but hee will also sanctifie and purifie vs from all vice and corruption Rom. 8.9 that hee may consecrate vs vnto God We beleeue the holy Catholike Church Holy I saie because God is with it causing it to participate in his holynesse Wee are not therefore members of this holy Church vnlesse wee also bee holie As lykewise wee adde that wee beleeue the communion of Saintes that is of the faithfull and children of God But falsely and in vaine shall wee beare the name of Saintes or pretende our selues to bee the faithfull and children of God vnlesse that denying the filthynesse and corruptions of the worlde and the flesh wee bee fully dedicated in all purenesse and holynsse to the seruice of God And in deede when the holy Apostle sayeth Ensue peace and holinesse Heb. 12.14 without the which no man commeth to the Lorde Hee aduertiseth vs that holinesse is as it were the bonde betweene God and vs also that without the same we cannot beholde the face of the Lord. 7 This is the will of God saith Saint Paule euen your sanctification 1 Thes 4.3 that is that wee abstaine from whooredome that euerie one of you shuld know how to possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour not in the lust of couetousnes euen as the Gentiles which knowe not God That no man oppresse or defrande his brother in anie matter for the Lorde is auenger of all such thinges as wee also haue tolde yee before time and testified for God hath not called vs to vncleannes but vnto holines 8 Whereas Emanuel commaundeth vs to sanctifie the sabaoth daie hee therein sheweth vs how much his holynes doth bind vs to amend our liues The
first reason of this commandement tended by the ceasing from manuall labour to figure vnto vs the spirituall rest namely the mortification and ceasing from all desires willes workes and wordes of the flesh Esa 58.13 as the Prophet Esay also declareth saying If thou refrainest vpon the sabaoth from dooing thy will vpon my holie daie and doest consecrate it to bee a holie and pleasing Sabaoth to the Lorde of glorie and that thou glorifie him in not dooing thy owne workes and that thy owne will be not found therein thou shalt prosper in God Besides this figure hath farther relation euen vnto Iesus Christ as to the truth thereof because it was hee who dying for vs purchased vnto vs the grace so to mortifie the olde man that beeing dead vnto sinne Col. 2.16 wee might sanctifie this Sabaoth in resting from our workes and labours And to that purpose wee reade in Exodus Obserue my Sabaoth for it is a signe that I am the God that sanctifyeth you Exod. 31.13 Ezech. 20.12 Now how necessarie this amendement sanctification of life is it doth appeare in this that God neuer required anie thing more strictly than obedience to this commandement of the Sabaoth Ezech. 20.13 22.8 23 38. Iere. 17.21.27 For wheresoeuer he wil note that all religion is subuerted he complaineth that his Sabaoth is defiled and violated 9 Where God also commaundeth that hee that had gathered a few stickes vpon the saboath day should be put to death he plainly sheweth that the least will word or work of our sleth deserueth euerlasting death And in deed this Emanuel perfectly and infinitly holy cannot indure any filthynes and sinne in that which is ioyned and vnited vnto him As we doo also reade that when the soâ—s of Aaron Nadab and Abiu offered strange fire before the Lorde the fire proceeded from the presence of the Lorde and deuoured them Leuit. 10. 1 and they died before the Lord whereupon Moses said vnto Aaron This is it that the Lord pronounced saying I will be sanctified in those that come neere vnto me and I will bee glorified in the presence of all the people Therby shewing that the neerer that Emanuel commeth vnto men or draweth men vnto him the lesse will hee beare with their corruptions and the sooner will he punish theÌ„ as doth appeare in a lump of waxe which the neerer that it is laid to the fire the more doth the fire shew his heate in melting it And in this respect when God appearing out of the burning bush to Moses commanded him to put of his shooes of his feet he addeth this reason For the ground whereon thou standest is holy not by nature more than anie other Exod. 3.5 but in regard of the presence of God 10 In olde time God dwelt in the midst of the people of Israel and the Arke and the Temple were testimonies of his presence which presence tended to assure them either of his sauor to blesse those that yeelded due obedience by amendement of lyfe oâ— of his wrath to punish those most grieuously who contemning this grace should rebell against him And this dyd Iosua most liuelye represent to the people of Israel For when they had protested that they would serue God and no Idols hee sayde vnto them You cannot serue the Lord for hee is a holy and iealous God and will not pardon your sinnes and transgressions so that if you forsake him hee will roughly intreate you Ios 24.19 When God named his sonne Iesus Christ Emanuel hee thereby declared vnto vs that hee is in the middest among vs and with vs after a more excellent fashion as beeing vnited and conioyned in our flesh and consequentlye vnto vs. And therefore we are also the more bounde in duetie to liue in holynesse by amendement of lyfe as beeing assured that as hee is come neerer vnto vs and more excellently into vs thorough his sonne Emanuel so will hee shew himselfe more seuere and iealous in punishing vs when wee turne from him and serue his enemies the world and the flesh So often therefore as wee shall heare or reade this name Emanuel attributed to Iesus Christ let vs remember that the same is a summon to vs to amend our liues that separating our selues from all filthinesse and corruption wee may bee consecrated and wholy dedicated to the seruice of God who is with vs in praying him fully to sanctifie vs both in bodie in soule and in minde that wee may bee preserued without reproch vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ Hee sayth Saint Paul that hath called vs to this sanctification ioyning vs vnto Iesus Christ 1. Thes 5.23 is faithfull and will doo it 11 Secondly this name Emanuel teacheth vs that God is with vs wheresoeuer wee bee and consequently that he seeth and knoweth all our thoughts wills wordes and workes For as wee haue before sayde his diuinitie is in all places and consequently by vs with vs and in vs. Not that we should rest vpon the bare contemplation of this diuine essence to vs incomprehensible but that we should referre all to his prouidence by beleeuing that it is he that seeth knoweth guideth and gouerneth all that is done in heauen in earth neither that he should need to stand neere vs to looke vpon our affections and works And in deed marke how he reproueth hypocrites Iere. 23.23 that thought that they had to do with a God of a short or a dim sight Weenest thou sayeth he that I am a God neere at hand and not a God a farre off Can anie hide himselfe in secret places that I shall not see him sayth the Lorde Doo not I fill heauen and earth sayth the Lord Hypocrits did imagine such a God in heauen that withall they represented him to themselues to be like a man yea euen short sighted such a one as could not see farre so perswaded themselues that God did not see theyr wicked thoughtes and workes But hee reproued them saying that hee is not a God at hand only that is to saie such a one as is lyke vnto men that had need to stand by when they will see anie thing but that hee seeth a farre of As Dauid also representeth him vnto vs saying Psalme 33. 13 Hebr. 4.13 The Lord looketh from the heauens hee beholdeth all the sonnes of men and from his dwelling hee seeth all the inhabitants of the earth And the Apostle plainly declareth that no creature can be hidden from him but all things lie open and bare to his sight that wee haue to doo withall In the meane time because that men according to theyr nature doo more easily beleeue that such as are neere them do see them let them thinke that in whatsoeuer place they be God is neere them as this name Emanuel doth admonish which signifieth that God is with vs yea euen in vs as hauing ioyned and vnited vs to himselfe and therefore that
our eyes as hee opened the eyes of the saide seruant at the praier of his Prophet whereby he saw a whole mountaine of horses and fiery chariots round about him 7 Moreouer he hath the heauens and all that is in them the aire Deut. 28. Leuit 26. the cloudes the windes the sea the earth the beastes and all other cretures which are euen so many mighty armies redy to obey him either to fauour such as amend their liues or to punish the rebellious and obstinate â—xod 7. 8.9 10. hath he not still in his power the like armies as he employed in olde time against Pharaoh can hee not conuert not riuers onely but euen all the waters in the worlde into bloud and make them to bring forth such abundance of bring that they shall couer all the face of the earth to conuert all the â—ust in the worlde into Fleas to send a medly of beails able to 〈…〉 and houses to stay both men and beastes with pestinence to torment them with botches and blâ—nes to waste the fruites of the earth with hayle and Grashoppers to change the light into paâ—pable and continuall darkenesse with other like strange and deâ—dly armyes If this mighty God Iesuâ— Christ Iâ—hn 18.6 Psal 2.5 speaking meekly to those that came to apprehend him oueâ—threw them what shall hee dâ—e when hee shall come to speake in his wrath holding in his hand an iron rod to bruse his enemies as a potters vessell 8 Now let vs proceede to the fruites and arguments of amendment of life which come of the apprehension of the strength and might of Iesus Christ of these there be two especiall First feare to offend him Secondly assurance against all our enemies that seeke to diuerte vs from our obedience towardes him Concerning the first if we apprehend this incomprehensible power and strength of Iesus Christ who commandeth vs to amend how should not we be resolued and encouraged to yeeld vnto him due obedience how should we not feare to displease him that hath such armies at his commandement ready to roote out those that disobey him how daie we tread vpon the earth that is ready to open and to swallow vs vp Num. 16.31 Psal 106.17 as in olde time it did Chorah Dathan and Abiron how can we without feare think vpon the Sea which at his commandement is ready to break forth to drowne vs as in olde time it drowned al the rebellious and disobedient worlde Deut. 11 6. Gen 7. how dare we draw breath which he can infect to slay vs with pestilence and other diseases how daie we go into the fieldes Leuit. 26.22 when we remember that there be euen armies of wilde beastes ready to deuoure vs according to his threatninges in his lawe or as hee sent Beares to deuoure the children that mocked his Prophet Elizeus 2. King 1â— 4. how dare we dispense with our selues to despise his commandement to amend considering he hath al Kings and nations in the world ready to obey when be commandeth them to destroy vs as in old time he but whistled for the armye of Nabuchadnezzer Esâ—â— 26. and â—â— and it came against his people â—â—â—el how can we but feare by our sinnes to prouoke to wrath the mighty God that threatneth to turne the heauen into brasse and the earth into iron and to commaund the cloudes that they shal not same Leuâ—t 26. Dâ—â—t 28. Gen â— who also can send scarcity of seauen yeeres as he did into Egipt yea euen to depriue vs of all sustenance that we may perish for want of foode how daie we disobey him in whome we are we liue we moue who suddenly can send a palsey into all our meÌ„bers take away our liues and vtterly root vs out but especially how is it that we take no heed of displeasing him that hath readye whole armies of deuils so mighty and terrible enemies that waite not for his commandement but euen for leaue to destroy vs as the history of Iob doth euidently declare naturally we feare to displease him that hath most power to be reuenged and to punish vs Iob. 1. and in that sence we are more affeard to offend a King then a subiect a man theÌ„ a child We ought therfore greatly to fear to offend God that hath such power to punish those that wil not amend their liues Luke 12.4 to which purpose Iesus Christ also saith Feare him who when hee hath killed the body can also cast the soule into hel fire Behold therfore how the apprehension of the power of Iesus Christ should moue vs to feare to displease him and consequently to amend our liues 9 As touching the second fruit which concerneth our assurance against the assaults of our enemies we are to note two points First that we are subiect to many and grieuous afflictions and assaultes Secondly that the assurance of the power and strength of Iesus Christ should confirme our constancy in that obedience which we owe vnto him for the first S. Paul saith 2. Tim. 3.12 that such as wil liue faithfully in the feare of God in Iesus Christ are subiect to persecutions also that the more we labour to put of the world and sinne the more sharply we are assailed by the worlde and sinners Iohn 13.19 If ye were of the world saith Iesus Christ the world would loue her own but now because you haue forsaken the worlde the worlde hateth you This doth S. Augustin very aptly note saying The world must necessarily hate vs because we hate the things that the world loueth Likewise Aug. Sent. by Prosper 35. 3. because Iesus Christ hath freed vs from the tiranny of Satan he being an enemy to the glory of God and the saluation of man doth labour the more to ouerthrow and destroy vs as also S. Iohn saith that the great dragon the old serpent called the deuil seeing himselfe cast forth with his angels Apoc. 12. being moued because hee could not swallow vp either the whole body or the head of the Church leuied war against the rest that keep the commandements of God and haue the testimony of Iesus Christ 10 Now to come to the second point If we feare God seek to amend our liues we shal not need to feare man nor deuils nor any other enemies that labour to turn vs from our duties but may perseuere constantly with assurance that this strong and mighty God will keep vs and in the end destroy them and conuert all their endeuours to our good and saluation to this purpose let vs remember how Balak king of Moab enterprised to destroy the people of God by procuring Balaam to curse them and how God opposed himselfe and conuerted his wicked desire to curse them into blessings Balaam declareth what Balak had commaunded him saying Come and curse Iacob for my sake come I say and curse Israel But the Lord compelled him to say How can I curse
them Num. 23. The mightie God hath not cursed them or how shall I detest them The Lord hath not detested them Againe The mighty God cannot lie neither is he as the sonne of man to repent He hath spoken and shal he not performe he hath sayde and shall hee not confirme it Beholde I haue receiued his worde to bleâ—se and seeing hee hath blessed them I may not reuoke it This is the foundation of this safegard and protection He perceiued no iniquitie in Iacob neither did hee see any frowardnes in Israel the Lord his â—â—des with him and the Kings triumph in him To conclude of the peoâ—â—e of God he saith He that blesseth thee shal be blessed and he that cursâ—th thee shal be cursed This assurance haue they that seeke to amend their liues vnder the protection of this strong and mighty God 11 And indeed albeit when we walke in simplicity plainnes and truth and so labour to amend our liues if the whole world should life against vs to molest and destroy vs yet hath this strong and mighty God euen whole armies of Angels to keepe vs as in olde time he had for Elizeus he hath Seas to swallow vp the Pharaohs of our time 2. King 6.3 Dan. 6. and all that persecute the children of God If we be constant in the seruice of God he is yet able to stoppe the throat and to tye vp the pawes of the hungry Lyons that we shall not be rent or deuoured as in olde time hee preserued Daniel that was cast into the Lyons denne If in purpose to amend we will not fall downe before idols albeit men take vpon them to burne vs quick yet let vs say with the three Hebrew Princes Our God is able to deliuer vs and with them protest that we will worship no Idols and remember that God is able to deliuer vs out of the siery furnace yea euen to preserue euery haire of our heads from burning Dan. 3. as he preserued those three Hebrew Princes To be short that all creatures are euen so many mighty armies at the commaundement of the creator ready to be imployed to our good and saluation either to preserue vs from the assaults of our enemies so long as we perseuere in well doing either to chastice vs and so to bring vs to amendment either to punish the disobedient and obstinate Let vs therfore apprehend this soueraigne power of this mighty God Iesus Christ that fearing to offend him and so amending our liues we need not to feare the endeuors of our enemies let vs vndoubtedly beleeue that as he is almighty and hath so many and such strong armyes at his commaundement so hee hath power to preserue those that shall amend their liues and to destroye and roote out all such as shall rebell against him or seeke to hurt his faithfull and obedient subiects and seruants Luke 2 14. Iohn 14.27 Eph. 2.17 12 Iesus Christ is also called the Prince of peace to represent vnto vs that it is he that is the author giuer therof This is witnessed in that at his birth euen millions of Angels sung this song Glory be to God on high and in earth peace as also himselfe saide to his Apostles I giue you my peace and the same did he cause them to publish throughout the worlde in his name As also S. Paule saith that at his comming he preached the gospel of peace to all that were neer hand or a farre off this peace may be considered in two sortes First it signifieth peace and tranquility of conscience whereof S. Paul speaketh saying that being iustified by faith we haue peace toward God through Iesus Christ Secondly this peace contayneth all blessinges both of body and soule And as this Prince of peace who commaundeth vs to amend is author both of the one and the other peace so this title Prince of peace giuen to Iesus Christ should be vnto vs a mighty argument and a quick spurre to moue vs to amendment of life Lastly being by nature the children of wrath and al our affections Gods enemies Eph. 2. 3. Rom. 8.7 and euen so many souldiers in the deuils pay to fight against God and to incense him against vs this Prince of peace Iesus Christ vouchsafed to dye for vs to the end to make satisfaction for all our sinnes and so to appease Gods wrath and to take away the cause of this so mortall and wofull warre betweene him and vs. Rom. 5.1 Phil. 4.7 13 This is the groundworke of this so blessed a peace which the children of God doe enioy for being iustified by faith in Iesus Christ we haue rest and peace of conscience as knowing that God is our father that he aduoweth vs to be his children and loueth vs in his welbeloued sonne And this peace passeth all vnderstanding as S. Paul saith because there is nothing so coÌ„trary to the sence of man as in our selues to feele this grace that being sinners worthy Gods wrath we should neuerthelesse be assured that we are righteous and welbeloued of God whereby to hope well in the middest of dispaire to see great riches of heauenly and eternall goods in the gulfe of our pouertie and in this our weaknes and infirmitie euen indignity wherewith we are possessed to be at quiet and in full assurance against the deuill death sinne hell and all other our enemies Now to shew that this peace is mightie and of force to make vs to amend our liues he addeth that it will keepe our sences and thoughtes in Iesus Christ togither with all our affections and desires signified by the hart but from what euen from diuerting from God and from the obedience and duetye that we owe vnto him for finely if wee coulde feele what a comfort peace and consolation there is in this peace of our soules before God we would be loath to loose such a soueraigne felicitye by displeasing him and so in liewe of this peace to bring vpon our consciences trouble terrour and feare through the apprehension and feeling of Gods wrath 14 And indeed there is no such hell or anguish in this life as a bad conscience it is a cruel and intollerable tormentor if we haue a childe that by crying is grieuous vnto vs we seek to appease him either by threats or promises by gifts or stripes but if he will not be so stilled either we can send him away from vs or our selues goe from him that we may not be troubled with his crying it is not so with a troubled minde deuoide of this blessed peace The conscience once feeling or apprehending the wrath of God euen but a little will neuer suffer vs to be quiet promise threaten giue strike what euer you doe still it cryeth lowder and lowder and stil it tormenteth yea when you seeke to send it away it sticketh closer vnto you neither can you departe from it for being in you it is alwaies at hand How diligently therefore
and cheerefull in the seruice of God 1. Ioh. 2.20.27 of the effect heereof is the name of oyle and oyntment giuen vnto him How then can wee saie that we are annointed with the spirite of Christ so long as we doo not amend our slacknesse in the seruice of God growing forward in strength and disposition to imploy our selues cheerfully therein Luke 3.16 11 To conclude hee is called Fire for two considerations First because it is hee that refineth burneth and consumeth our vicious lusts which are as the superfluities and excrementes of our soules and on the other side it is hee that kindleth our heartes in the loue of God and feruent desire to serue and honor him But if we perceiue no effects of this fire of the holie Ghost in vs â—ourning consuming our vice and corruption that by amending our liues wee may growe in purenesse and holynes With what conscience can wee saie that the spirite of Christ is in vs As this spirit cannot be dead neither can it bring forth vicious or corrupt fruit Likewise if wee increase not in zeale and loue to God this want of the operation of the holy Ghost is an assured testimonie of that hee is not in vs Exod. 8.19 21.18 Luke 11.20 Luke 1.66 because wee feele not his fire heating vs in the loue of God Finally the holy Ghost is called the finger and hand of God because that by him hee exerciseth his vertue and that by his inspiration wee are regenerate into heauenly life that wee may no more bee driuen or lead by our selues but bee gouerned by his motion and operation If therefore wee denie not our owne wisedome and the affections of our flesh and so suffer our selues to bee guided and lead by the hand of the holy spirite wee doo wrongfully challenge the name of Christians and boast of the spirite of Christ dwelling in vs. Thus this name Christ aduertising vs that hee hath receiued the holie spirite to make vs partakers thereof according to the measure to euerie one ordained ought to bee vnto vs a mightie inducement and sharpe spurre to mooue vs to amendement of lyfe 12 This vnction of the holy spirite dyd our Lorde Iesus Christ receiue to the end to exercise three offices requisite to our saluation namely to be our king our Priest and our Prophet And this also to represent vnto vs how deeply this name Christ bindeth vs to amend our liues First for the office of king Iohn 18.36 If his kingdome be not of this world as himselfe confessed before Pilat but spiritual we are to correct our false imaginations that leade vs to seeke the world in his kingdome as looking that hee shoulde giue to his seruants great riches honorable offices and other carnall commodities For it is the part of the princes of this world to present earthly kingdoms to those that reuerence them Math. 4.9 but as for our king Iesus Christ hee willeth vs to seeke all the felicitie that hee promiseth in heauen And therefore when wee are persecuted or otherwise afflicted wee must correct this false opinion of thinking our selues miserable or that our king hath no care of vs For contrarywise afflictions should make vs to lifte vp our heartes to heauen the dwelling of our king where hee hath layed vp the treasures ioyes and glorie of his kingdome Secondly sith hee is our king that hee may raigne in vs wee are warned to forsake the worlde sinne and the deuill his enemies so that hee onely raigning in vs mortifying sinne may make vs to denie the world and strengthen vs against Sathan Let not sinne sayth Saint Paul raigne in you Rom. 6.13 Iohn 16.33 Rom. 16.20 Luke 1 74 to obey the lusts thereof And Iesus Christ sayth Bee of good cheere for I haue ouercome the world And the Apostle promiseth vs that God will tread downe sathan vnder our feet Thus this king hauing deliuered vs out of the handes of our enemies bindeth vs as Zacharie sayth Without feare to serue him in righteousnes and holynes all the dayes of our lyfe and so to amend Let vs also remember that the scepter of a good pastor is deliuered vnto him blessedly to guide his sheepe that shall heare his voyce Psalme 2. and by amendement followe him As also hee hath an iron rodde to bruse as a potters vessell all such as shall rebell against him Let vs therefore amend and renounce euerie thing whereat this king may be displeased that we may bee happily gouerned by the sheepehooke of our good shepheard and not brused wyth the iron rodde of this iust king that breaketh those that wythout amendement of lyfe doo continue in vnbeleefe and obstinate in their sinne The kingdome of Sathan from which Christ hath redeemed vs doth consist in darknesse infidelitie and bad conscience and all vice silthynesse and corruption Contrariwise the kingdom of Iesus Christ consisteth in light in knowledge of the true God and his sonne Iesus Christ in faith loue holynes patience and other like vertues These are the true effectes of the spirituall kingdome of Iesus Christ We must therefore effectually shew that wee are transported from the kingdome of Sathan to the kingdome of Iesus Christ But how By amending our liues and growing more and more in faith loue patience and holynesse to bee short in all good workes and vertues required in the subiects of this spirituall king Iesus Christ 13 The second office of Christ is to be our high Priest who offered himselfe a sacrifice vnto God that by his death hee myght satisfie his iustice and so reconcile vs to him Who is there then among vs that representing to himselfe that it is the welbeloued sonne of God and the prince of glorie that giueth himselfe not to a common death but euen to the shamefull and cursed death of the crosse together with the apprehension and feeling of the wrath and terrible indignation of God ingendering in his bodie horrible terrour and mortall anguish in his soule And all this for his enemyes by nature the children of wrath poore sinners and the bond men of Sathan What man is there I saie that meditating vpon these things shall not bee euen rauished in admiration of his incomprehensible loue towardes vs which loue Saint Paul doeth at large and verie often make mention of Is it possible that this name Christ Rom. 5 Ephes 2 representing vnto vs this priest thus offering himselfe in such a sacrifice for vs poore and abhominable sinners and consequently the apprehension of his incomprehensible loue towards vs should not rauish and force our verie soules to loue him wyth all our heartes our mindes and our strength and through feruent loue to obey his commandement of amendement and to abhorre to thinke saie or doo anie thing that may displease this Christ our high Priest 1. Cor. 16. 22 If anie man sayth the Apostle Saint Paul loue not the Lord Iesus Christ let him bee had
whereof the one doth signifie Be ye better aduised or learne to know your ignorance or fault and the other as much as if wee should saie Returne and conuert By the first the holy Ghost teacheth that it is a great folly to offend God considering that God exhorting vs to amend commandeth vs to be wise and aduised And the other confirmeth it to be in truth a great folly For when God saith Conuert returne to me namely by amendement he giueth vs to vnderstand that by transgressing his law we go to the deuill by amending we turne backe and go from the deuill to the liuing God And in deed if anie man list to demand what waie the idolaters fornicators whoremongers dronkardes couetous persons dreamers blasphemers and to bee short all they that giue themselues to the world and to the lusts of the flesh doo take the aunswere is certaine and readie euen they that take the waie that leadeth to hell that forsaking life they go to death and running from God they draw neere to the deuil Saint Paul making a catalogue of these people doth resolutely pronounce 1. Cor. 6.10 Rom. 6.23 Deut. 27.26 that they shall not inherit the kingdome of God also that the reward of sinne is death and cursed is he that keepeth not the commandements of the law And because there are few that take care to obey God to amend their liues Math. 7.13 our Lord Iesus Christ pronounceth that broade is the gate and path that leadeth to destruction As therefore if a man departing from Paris taketh his waie into Spaine and yet giueth out that hee wil take his waie through Flanders or Holand euerie man will scorne him as a foole or take pittie of him as if he were a senselesse person that goeth farre amisse euen so is it with him who taking no course to amend but continuing in offending of God doth neuertheles say vphold that he will go to heauen for euery man may iudge him to be senselesse and greatly out of the waie because he taketh the contrarie course which leadeth to hell 2 Now if there be no greater madnes or pernitious folly than by offending God to take the waie to hell and euerlasting fire Iesus Christ in commanding vs to amend doth iustly saie Be ye wise better aduised and conuert returne to me And in deed if God should aske the sinner Wilt thou amend Wilt thou go to hel fire into weeping and gnashing of teeth with the deuills There is no man so desperate but that he will answere No Lorde God forbid yet hath not God good cause to replie Why thou takest the way thether thy workes doo leade to hell and euerlasting destruction and therefore amend But how Lord be better aduised As now thou turnest thy backe to me and thy face to the deuill so turne conuert thou to mee Where thou goest from heauen and drawest neere vnto hell turne backe leaue the world the flesh and all the corruptions of the same walking in my commandements amend thy life Thus turning thy backe to the deuil thy face vnto me going from hell thou shalt come to me the fountaine of life euerlasting And in deed saith S. Augustin we draw neere vnto God who is euery where Prosper in his sentences out of Augustine Se. 91. Sc. 195 not by remouing from place to place but by alteration of manners For as dissimilitude separateth vs frō him so doth resemblance and imitation conioyne vs with him And what a woe is this saith he by displeasing God to abandon this soueraigne felicitie which is in all places Let this commandement therefore Amend that is to saie Be ye better aduised and conuert vnto me waken and inflame our hearts to amend our liues and to be wise and aduised to conuert vnto God If a marchaunt seemeth willing to trust another that is redie to be banquerout with all his goods one warning will be inough to reclaime him ye shall not need to praie him to beware or to alleadge many reasons to withhold him The only feare apprehēsion of the losse of all his goods wil be reason and exhortation sufficient What shall wee then doo when Iesus Christ saith Be ye better aduised that is Amend and note that by offending God so taking the waie to hel we indanger our selues yea we do euen assure our selues to loose both bodies and souls for euer Is it not meere madnes and vngrateful rage to continue and not to be wiser and better aduised that wee may conuert to God and by amendement preserue our bodies and souls vnto life euerlasting The eight cause of Amendement taken of the reason added by Iesus Christ where he saith For the kingdome of heauen or of God is at hand Chap. 8. NOw let vs especially consider the reason added by Iesus Christ For the kingdome of heauen or of God is at hand And for the better vnderstanding therof let vs note three significations of the kingdome of heauen First by this kingdome is signified the blessed estate and incomprehensible felicitie that wee shall inioye after the resurrection is when Iesus Christ sayth Math. 8.11 Many shall come from the East and from the West and shall sit at the table in the kingdome of heauen with Abraham Isaac and Iacob Agayne Math. 7.21 Not euery one that sayth Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but hee that doth the will of my father shall enter into the kingdome of heauen Againe Suffer little children to come vnto mee Math. 19.14 for vnto such belongeth the kingdome of heauen And so in many other passages Secondly by the kingdom of heauen is signified the estate of the regenerate man which consisteth in the true knowledge of God in faith in mortification of the olde man and in newnesse of lyfe As when Iesus Christ sayth The kingdome of God is in you Luke 17.21 Also in this saying of Saint Paul The kingdome of God is not meate or drinke but righteousnes and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost Thirdly Rom. 14.17 the kingdome of heauen many times signifieth the ministerie and preaching of the Gospell As when Saint Paul speaking of certaine faithfull seruants of Iesus Christ sayd Col. 4.11 Math. 11.11 These onely are my companions in the worke of the kingdom of God Againe as where Iesus Christ saith He that is best in the kingdome of heauen is greater than Iohn the Baptist Whereto wee also refeere this saying of Iesus Christ Math. 13.3 13.44.45 The kingdome of heauen is like vnto seede that fell in diuerse groundes Thereby signifying that the holy ministerie bringeth not fruit in all men Likewise where he compareth the kingdome of heauen to a treasure hidden in the earth and to a marchant that sought for good pearles thereby to shew how highly wee are to esteeme of the holy ministerie 2 All these significations of the kingdome of heauen ought
reformed and the goodnesse wisedome and wonderfull iustice of God be reuealed 5 True it is as Saint Peter saith that in the later times there shall come scorners that shall walke after their owne lusts say Where is the promise of his comming 2. Pet 3.3 For since the fathers died all things continue alike from the beginning of the creation And in deed we now see but too many that are not touched with the apprehension either of the kingdome of heauen or of the torments of hell but are possessed with prophane and deuilish spirits that take al to be but fables that is spoken as well of the kingdome of heauen promised to the faithfull as of the tormentes of hell prepared for the wicked And this is a pernitious pollicie of Sathan wherewith he discourageth the faithfull from walking in the feare of God from amending their liues Psal 73 13. from cleansing their harts and as the Prophet saith from washing their hands in innocencie But to the contrary hereof let vs stand stedfast and be wel assured that there is a kingdom of heauen prepared for the children of God and a hell for the disobedient and therfore let vs labour to grow in faith to fructisie in good workes 2. Cor. 15 58 and so to amend our liues as knowing that as S. Paul saith our labour shall not be in vaine in the sight of the Lord. 6 This is the foundation whereupon the Apostle laieth holde to perswade men to repentance and amendement of lyfe God sayth hee Act. 17.30 nothing regarding this time of ignorance now admonisheth all men euerie where to repent because hee hath appoynted a daie in the which hee will iudge the worlde in righteousnesse But how in righteousnesse Euerie man shall as else where it is sayde receiue the thinges that are done in his bodie 2 Cor. 5 10 according as hee hath done whether it bee good or euill and God will render to euerie man according to his workes That is to them which by continuance in well dooing seeke glorie honour and immortalitie Rom. 2.6 eternall life but vnto them that are contentious and disobey the truth and obey vnrighteousnes shall be indignation and wrath 7 Albet we see not this kingdome of heauen Rom. 8. Heb. 11. yet let vs remember that the goods saluation of Gods children consisteth in faith and hope and that as well the one as the other doth appertaine to things to come which we see not so that not to beleeue or hope for more than we see is to be short the abolishment of faith and hope and so consequently the subuerting of the assured foundation of our saluation Let therfore this faith the mother of hope and hope her mothers nurse cause vs patiently to attend the fruition of this kingdom of heauen and our assured attendance for the same make vs to amend our liues Apoc 19.9 T it 2.11 that we may cloath our selues in garmentes beseeming those that purpose to come vnto the marriage and to haue a seat at the banquet of the lambe Iesus Christ The grace of God saith S. Paul that bringeth saluation to al men hath appeared teacheth vs that we should denie vngodlynes and worldly lusts and that we should liue righteously soberly and godly in this present world looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glorie of God which is our sauiour Iesus Christ The same Apostle gaue thanks to God for the Colossians when he heard of their faith and loue for the hopes sake which was laid vp for them in heauen Col. 1.4 1. Iohn 3 And in this sense saith Saint Iohn Welbeloued we are now the children of God but yet it doth not appeare what we shal be and we know that when Iesus Christ shal appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is And euery man that hath this hope in him purgeth himselfe euen as he is pure 8 But to the end the more earnestly to incourage vs to amend our liues in hope of the kingdome of heauen wee are moreouer to apprehend the incomprehensible excellencie of the glorie and ioye that we shall inioy in this kingdome when our bodies being risen againe vncorruptible and immortall like vnto the image of the glorious bodie of Christ reunited to their sanctified souls shall be lifted vp into the house of God our father aboue all heauens wher we shall see the face of God as the Sun in his brightnes shall inioy the fruit of the praiers of Iesus Christ when he said Iohn 17.24 Father I wil that they which thou hast giuen mee bee with me where I am 1 Cor 15.28 that they may see my glorie which thou hast giuen me When Iesus Christ hath rendered the kingdome to God his father then shall God the father the son the holy Ghost be vnto vs all in all yea euen such a fulnes of good and felicitie that as sundrie vessels cast into the sea are so filled with water that they can desire or hold no more so this sea of diuinity being in vs all in all we shall be replenished and satisfied with life glorie and ioy so as we shall not bee able to desire or haue anie more Apoc. 21.18 Euen when wee shall bee truely burgeses of the heauenly and holy Citie that shall be of fine golde like vnto pure Christall the foundations of the walls set with precious stones the twelue gates made of twelue pearles which shal need neither Sun nor Moone to shine therein for the light of God shall illuminate it and the lambe himselfe shall be the candle To be short when we shall be in the fellowship of the Angels shining as the Sunne in his pride and rauished with ioy that shall neuer be taken from vs. A ioy I saie not onely for our owne felicitie but also for the felicitie of all the elect for wee shall loue them all as our selues and so shall reioyce as much for their felicitie as for our owne And this ioy shal be infinitly corroborated by the contemplation as well of the glorie of Iesus Christ whom iustly we shal loue better than our selues as also of the glorious maiestie of God whom we shall loue with our hearts our strength and our mindes 9 If the representation remembrance of this kingdom of heauen doth not kindle our heartes with a feruent desire to attaine thereto and by desiring the same to amend our liues that we may take the path that leadeth to such felicitie the same is an assured testimonie that wee account of our selues as of beastes that looke for no goodnesse after death And on the other side if the apprehension of the fire that neuer shall be quenched of the wormes that shall be alwayes gnawing of the terrible darknes of the weeping and gnashing of teeth through the feeling of the heauy wrath of the liuing God doth not moue our harts to feare to offend
him and in offending him to cast our selues into the gulfe and bottomlesse pit of this eternall wo The same is an euident token that wee are either Atheists or Saduces that beleeue neither the resurrection of the bodie nor the immortality of the soul To be short neither heauen nor hell 10 When therefore we heare that Christ to the end to induce vs to amendement alleadgeth this reason For the kingdome of heauen is at hand Let vs stedfastly beleeue that there is a kingdom of heauen replenished with glorie immortall ioy let the apprehension of such a felicitie inflame our harts with a feruent resolute desire to denie our selues the world and the flesh so to amend our liues that louing God and our neighbors and endeuouring to yeld vnto him all obedience we may conforme our actions to his holy and good will as in hart to seeke nothing so much as to please him and to abhorre nothing more than the offending of him Let vs alwayes thinke with our selues that wee are no beasts who after death haue no feeling of good or euill but contrariwise let vs consider that at the seperation either of the body or of the soule the soule must goe either to heauen or to hell also that the bodye must followe after yea night and day let vs thinke and meditate vpon the difference that shal be betweene those that shall goe into the kingdome of heauen and the others that shall departe into hell 11 Let vs remember that not for a thousand yeares but euen for euer and infinitely we shal be either in soueraigne blisse or in extream misery Can we then possibly apprehend the glory and felicity of this kingdome of heauen Mat. 7.13.21 Luke 13 2◠without vnspeakable ioye and feruent desire to attaine thereto either consider of the cursed estate of the reprobate without trembling and feare let vs therfore think vpon the saying of Christ Labour to enter in at the narow gate least when you shall say Lord open vnto vs the gate of the kingdome of heauen that we may come in he answereth I know ye not depart from me ye workers of iniquitie There shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth when he shall see Abraham Isaac and Iacob and all the prophets in the kingdome of God and your selues shut out at dores Let vs beholde the difference betweene the two theeues that were hanged on either side of Iesus Christ of whom the one departed into hell Luke 23.39 and the other ascended into the kingdome of heauen as Iesus Christ sayde vnto him This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise Let vs looke vpon the soule of Lazarus by the Angels caryed into Abrahams bosome where it rested in ioy as hee testified Luke 16.19 and the soule of the cursed rich man cast into torments as S. Luke witnesseth and himselfe confesseth saying I am tormeneted in this flame When he praieth to be refreshed with a little water but was denyed To be short let vs beholde the great multitude of the blessed that stood before the throne and in the presence of the Lambe clothed in long white garments with branches of palmes of victorye in their handes seruing God day and night gouerned by the Lambe and by him leadde to the liuely springes of water Apoc. 7. 9. and withall let vs looke vpon the others speaking to the rockes and mountains saying Fall vpon vs and hyde vs from before the face of him that sitteth vpon the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe Let vs I say beholde them cast into the lake of fyre and brimstone to be tormented day and night for euer Apoc. 6.16 Apoc. 19.20 and 20.15 For who is it that will not be earnestly touched in hart hastely to departe and retyre out of the way into hell and diligently and constantly to walke by amendement of life into the kingdome of heauen Can it be possible if we should not think vpon them or can God think vpon them and not amend either can we amend and not feel our selues blessed by being gotten into the way of such a felicitie Apoc. 6.16 that wee may constantly perseuere vntill that God fulfilling his worke in vs doe receiue vs into the fruition of this kingdome of heauen to enioy the same for euer and euer The ninth cause of amendment taken hereof that the kingdome of God which we looke for in heauen doth admonish vs that we are strangers pilgrimes and trauelers in this life Chap. 9. THe holy scripture doth many times tearme vs strangers pilgrims and trauellers neither is it onely as it was with Abraham Gen. 23.4 when he spake to the Cananites saying I am a stranger and a forrener amongst you and as it is daylye with those who flying from persecution and forsaking the land of their natiuitie doe goe to dwell in another prouince and kingdome wherein they are strangers but we are so tearmed in respect of the kingdome of heauen our true and eternall countrey And indeed if we be Burgesses of heauen Eph. 2.10 Prosper in his sentences out of August Sent 17. as S. Paul teacheth we are strangers to the earth according to the saying of S. Augustin also All they that belong to the heauenly Cittie are pilgrimes and strangers in this worlde so long as this their tēporary life doth continue they do liue in an others countrey And that wee maye the better vnderstand this we call that land our countrey wherein we were borne and brought vp wherin our parents and ancestours successiuely haue made their abode and wherein we haue our principall goods possessions and inheritances Now whence doe we take our spirituall birth but frō our father which is in heauen Phil 3.20 where doe we receiue the soule of our spirituall birth but in the Church which is the kingdome of God or where is the house of our father but in heauen and there dwelleth our eldest brother Iesus Christ and al other our brothers and sisters in him 1. Pet. 1.4 Moreouer our treasure immortal inheritāce vndefiled and vncorruptible are reserued in heauen as saith S. Peter for vs that beleeue in Iesus Christ heauen is then our true coūtrey and in respect thereof are we here called strangers pilgrimes and trauellers on the earth 2 This doth the Apostle writing to the Hebrews euidently declare Heb. 11.13 where speaking of the ancient fathers he saith All these died in the faith and receiued not the promises but saw them a farre of and beleeued them and receiued them thankefullye and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth For they that say such things declare plainely that they seeke a countrey And if they had beene mindefull of that countrey from whence they came out Gen. 12.1 they had leisure to haue returned But now they desire a better that is an heauenly Wherfore God is not ashamed of them to be called their God for he
talke with their parents and feele a feruent desire to be soone there euen so we if we remember that in heauen we haue treasures of eternall riches an vndefiled inheritance immortall and incorruptible which is reserued for vs a heauenly father that loueth vs in his welbeloued son our elder brother Iesus Christ in glory the angels holy spirits in ioy and that wee their fellow burgesses haue our portion in all these goods and are euen vpon the point to be really in heauen with them why should we not be rauished with a feruent desire to be lifted vp thether and with S. Paul to say I couet to be dissolued and to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 what letteth vs when wee feele how hardly wee are entreated and what mortall wounds our soules doe daylye receiue by offending God through their corruptions to say with S. Paul Rom. 7.24 O wretched men that we are who shall deliuer vs from this body of death Shall not the very feeling of so grieuous and so many bodily afflictions whereto we are subiect in this strange land cause vs seruently to pray to be deliuered from the same 2. Cor. 5. 1. especially considering that we know as S. Paul saith that when the earthly habitation of this lodge is destroyed wee haue a building in God euen an euerlasting house in the heauens which is not made with mans hand And in this respect we that abide in these earthly dwellinges doe groane vnder our burdens for we desire to bee clothed with our habitation which is in heauen as knowing that remaining vpon earth wee are absent from the Lord for we doe walke in saith and not by sight albeit we trust loue rather to be estranged from this body and to dwell with the Lord. 7 Howbeit attending vntill we may be really there both in body and soule let vs be there in spirit let vs be conuersant in heauen and begin to feele the felicity wherof we shall hereafter haue full and perfect fruition in this conuersation with God with the angels and with the holy spirits let vs more and more learne the language and maners of heauen to the end wee may resemble the angels saints there dwelling When Moses had conuersed with God forty daies vpon the mountaine Exod. 34.29 at his comming downe his face shined and glistered with the heauenly glorye so will it bee with vs by then we haue for twenty or thirty yeares bene conuersant in heauen we shall become heauenlye and spirituall both in worde and deed euen as by experience wee see that when a countryman hath dwelled some twenty or thirty yeares in the Court he forgetteth his country speech and course of life and groweth to be as good a courtier as if he were borne in the Court Our earthly talke and communication our worldly course of life and the corruptions of the flesh that beare but too much swaye in vs doe but ouer manifestlye shew how little we are conuersant in heauen and consequently doe testifie that we account our selues Burgesses of earth and not of heauen That wee may therefore amend let vs continually thinke that heauen is our true countrey that wee are Burgesses thereof that there we haue our parents and blessed brethren the treasures of ioye and glory an immortall and incorruptible enheritance and that we are at the very point of going thither to take possession as in truth wee doe euery houre looke for the time of our departure let this holye meditation make vs to conuerse in heauen and to liue as heauēly people setting our harts vpon our treasure let it euen make vs to forsake the speeche habit fashions and manners of those among whom wee are for a short time strangers that we may enure our selues to the language and holy life of the burgesses of heauen and angels with whom we shall liue for euer Let it withdraw our affections from all that we must leaue at our departure out of this forrain country least otherwise we lose the incomprehensible goods that are prepared for vs in our heauenly and eternal country let it cause vs to renounce al that might detaine vs in this country replenished with misery and calamity that cheerefully we may aspire to our country which aboundeth in ioy glory and al felicity Let it enforce vs to say with Dauid Woe is me that I remaine in Mesech Psal 120.5 and dwell in the tentes of Keder That is to say among barbarous nations that loue not the Burgesses of heauen let the hard vsage of the prince of this world in this strange country make vs to couet to liue among the blessed Cittizens of the kingdome of heauen let all our thoughtes words cōmunication testifie that in spirit we are already there yea let all our works be preparatiues and pathes to lead vs therinto and to these ends let vs ouercome all that might break of or hinder our so happy iourney from earth to heauen 8 We must moreouer remember that we are pilgrimes and trauellers and therefore for the attaining to the place whereto wee are trauelling wee must beware of three points First of turning backe againe Secondly of turning either to the right hand or to the lefte Thirdly of standing still The offending of God and transgressing his commaundementes is a going backe againe for as in walking after his woorde and in his feare wee goe to God to heauen and to euerlasting life so by sinning in liewe of going forwarde wee slippe backe and drawe toward death as we haue before more at large declared We cannot therefore turne backe that is to saye offend God but with this condition that wee shall fall into ruine and euerlasting perdition much like vnto him who flying from his enemies that pursue him in liewe of sauing himselfe in some towne turneth backe towardes them and so putteth himselfe into their handes neither are we without many and mighty enemies that pursue vs and labour to make vs to turne backe by offending God and these must wee fight against Deerely beloued saith the Apostle Saint Peter 1. Pet. 2.11 I beseech you as strangers and pilgrimes abstayne from fleshly lustes which fight against the soule Let vs diligently note that hee heere saith not against our goods to rob vs of them neither against our bodies to murder vs but against our soules to induce thē to offend God so to drawe them into euerlasting damnation And heereof haue we a notable example in the person of Iob Iob. 1. he was a iust man one that feared God and eschewed euill and so walked in the waye to heauen but Satan would withstand him and therefore commenced warre against his soule but how true it is he seemed as if he would haue fought against his goods in causing them to bee taken away against his children in procuring their death and against his body in vexing it most cruelly yet was it properly the soule that he assaulted as himselfe
obey him that hath alreadie done vs so much good both in bodie and soule Not without cause therefore doth God so sharply complaine of those that rent and tread vnder foot such vehement bondes whereby they are summoned to theyr duty in amendement as we haue many notable examples in the writings both of the Prophets and Apostles Gods benefites are the cordes of humanitie Osc 11.4 as Oseas tearmeth them whereby hee seeketh to plucke vs from the waie of perdition and by amendement of lyfe to leade vs to saluation Doeth not the deuill thinke you hold vs fall fettered in mightie and strong chaines sith we cannot be drawen by these cordes of mercie and humanitie to the seruice of our God 6 Yet is there thus much more The ministers do propound not onely the benefites receiued out also the promises of other most excellent and plentifull blessings and benefites both bodily and ghostly to those that by amending theyr liues shall labour to obey God And this it were to bee wished that euerie man would note in the reading of the olde and newe Testament to the ende they might both the better vnderstand them and be by them the more earnestly moued when they are in the sermons represented vnto vs. For how wonderfull is the goodnes of God who vouchsaseth to promise vs so many benefites if wee amend our liues that is to saie if we performe the thing whereto we are alreadie bound If I owe vpon a verie formall bill a hundred crownes will my creditor to the end to induce me to paie the same faithfully promise to giue mee ten times as many more Yet thus doth God deale with vs. For what is al our obedience and amendement of life in respect of the benefites that God promiseth to obey him whereto we are alreadie bound If he that is free bindeth himselfe to serue another then is it reason that his master should promise him some wages reward for his seruice but we are not free but alreadie bound to serue our God yet doth he promise vs great benefits if we imploy our selues faithfully in his seruice by amending our liues Are not wee then verie stubborne against God and enemies to our selues that thus contemne the promises of his rewards and benefites towards vs If a Prince should promise a tayler or shoomaker sonne thousand crownes for one yeeres seruice would any man refuse it Would not he to whome it were offered or promised bee readie to leaue his house his wise his children and all other things to goe to seruice to such a Lord for one yeere How vnthankfull or senslesse are we therefore that will not be otherwise wonne and induced to serue God who by so many so excellent and so assured promises doth daily inuite vs thereto 7 Besides the representation of benefites alreadie receiued and of promises of more to come doo they not also propounde in the name of the almightie righteous and true God most grieuous and manifolde threatnings to the end that if we will not by curteous and fatherly gentlenesse bee induced to amend Leuit. 26. Deut. 28 Leuit. 26. wee may bee as it were forced by the threatninges of a seuere and rigorous Iudge What a scroule of woes doeth the Lorde by his seruant Moses propound agaynst such as will not amend Wherein wee are also well to note that hee denounceth if the first stripes can breede no amendement hee will adde seuen times as many more Also if wee will not yet amend our liues he wyll yet double them seuen times more And in deede as hee afflicteth and punisheth vs to the ende to make vs to conuert and turne to him and consequently to induce vs to amendement of lyfe so doeth hee by his so often redoubling of his threates shewe that wee must eyther humble and bowe our selues by obedience or else breake them to our euerlasting and eternall destruction Is it not then a horrible obstinacie and monstrous mâ—re dulitie not to feare and tremble at such threatnings of the liuing God Are not the same which hee heeretofore hath executed and daily doeth execute against the impenitent euen so many seales and myrrours representing vnto vs the verie truth of his great and terrible threatnings thereby to induce and perswade vs steadfastly and vndoubtedly to beleeue that our selues vnlesse we amend shall also feele the execution of his vengeance against vs as himselfe sayth in Saint Luke Luke 13 3 1. Cor. 10.7 If yee will not amend you shall perish likewise In lyke manner also Saint Paule noting some punishmentes and vengeances inflicted in the wildernesse vppon Idolaters fornicators tempters of Christ and such as murthured against him thereby to warne the Corinthians to beware of the like iniquities in conclusion doth adde that all these things were done for example sake and are written for our learning as those vppon whome the endes of the world are come Wherefore sayth hee let him that standeth take heede that hee doo not fall And in deed wherefore are offenders publikely executed but for example to those that looke vpon them that they may beware of committing the lyke offences least themselues doo also incurre the lyke punishment When he that hath committed some wicked murther seeth another murtherer executed will hee not saie in his heart If the Iudge wist what I haue done hee would lykewise condemne mee to die But God seeth all hee is iust and will not bee corrupted with rewards WheÌ„ therfore the minister of the word doth lay before vs the horrible punishments executed agaynst those that will not amende doth hee it not to the end that they which heare of such iudgements of God shoulde immediatly resolue to amend and saie in themselues If we wil amend this fault which we so grieuously punished in such and such wee also shall vndoubtedly perish in like sorte 8 Neither maye wee harden our heartes in wickednesse because there is no lykelyhoode of occasion to feare anie calamitie or affliction but contrarywise let vs remember the Niniuites What lykelyhood was there that they shoulde feare that within fortie daies Niniuie shoulde bee destroyed Ionas 3 Math. 12.41 It was a flourishing towne the chiefe citye of a mightie realme yet at the preaching of Ionas a man to them vnknowen they also heathen deuoid of all knowledge of the true God or of his holy doctrine dyd conuert to God in fasting sackcloth And shall not they bee iudges against such as dayly hearing Gods threatnings at the mouthes of those whome they knowe to bee his seruants doo notwithstanding continue obstinate without amendement And albeit it seeme that God slackneth the execution of his vengeance against many vnpenitent persons yet ther is a time of their punishment ordained and it shall be executed vpon many in this life but in the later day of iudgement vpon all those that make no account to amend 9 Heereof let vs well note the examples propounded by Saint Peter and Saint Iude
If God sayth hee spared not the Angels that had sinned but cast them downe into hell 2. Pet. 2.4 and deliuered them into the chaines of darknes to be kept vnto iudgement Neither spared the olde worlde but saued Noah the eight person a preacher of righteousnes and brought in the floud vpon the world of the vngodly And turned the cities of Sodome and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them ouerthrewe them and made them an example vnto them that afterward should liue vngodly and deliuered the iust Loth The Lord knoweth to deliuer the godly that honor him out of temptation and to reserue the vngodly vnto the daie of iudgement to be punished Saint Iude in stead of the example of the floud propoundeth the vengeance of God poured vpon the vnbeleeuing Israelites in the wildernesse Also Iude vers 5 making mention of the horrible punishment fallen vpon Sodome and Gomorrha sayth that they were set forth for an example and suffered the vengeance of eternall fire When therefore wee heare the threatnings of the liuing God by the mouth of his seruants let vs make hast to conuert to the Lord in amendement of lyfe lest by our obstinacie as Saint Paul sayth and our hearts not knowing howe to repent we heape vp wrath for the day of wrath Rom. 2.5 and of the manifestation of the iust iudgement of God who shall render to euerie man according to his workes 10 Inasmuch therefore as through our infirmitie albeit wee bee taught the waie to heauen and that we bee put in minde to walke in the same by representation of benefits receiued of promises of blessings to come yea euen of threatninges with the examples of vengeance we neuertheles cannot desist from offending of God and so from turning out of the waie of saluation and lyfe euerlasting The ministers of the word doo moreouer vse reprehensions reprouing our sinnes and offences thereby to reduce vs into the right waie and in respect of our slownesse to doo good and to amend our liues they also vse vehement exhortations yea they do euen praie adiure and intreate vs in the name of God to amend and to walke in the feare of God And where wee haue many noâ—some hinderances that trouble vs and quaile our courages 2. Thes 2.11 they do likewise propound vnto vs mightie consolations in the woorde of God to the end wee may cheerefully and constantly proceede in the waie of saluation What man therefore inioying the holy ministerie can excuse himselfe in the sight of God in case hee doo not constantly resolue to amend his lyfe and dayly to put the same in practise How horrible a iudgement shall he deserue that is so hardened in wickednesse and so tied in the chaines of Sathan that there is no light before his eyes no path to the waie of saluation no feeling of Gods benefites no remembrance of his promises no feare of his threatninges no apprehension of the examples of his vengeance no reprehension no exhortation no consolation that can bee of strength and sufficient to moue his heart to amend Be not these men then that remaine thus obstinate without amendement euen monsters in nature 11 Now as the administration of the Sacraments is one part of the holy ministery let vs first see how forcibly our Baptisme shuld moue vs to amend our liues Baptisme is the seale of the couenant of God comprehending especially two graces namely remission of sinnes our regeneration or spirituall renuing When the children of Christians therfore are baptised the same is as if God speaking by the mouthes of his ministers shoulde saie O my people acknowledge my great mercie and goodnesse towards these little babes they are conceiued in sinne borne in iniquity by nature the children of wrath yet doo I aduow them for mine their sinne a d corruption is washed awaie in the bloud of Iesus Christ I doâ—â—nite and ioyne them vnto him to the end that being grafted into his death and resurrection they may bee regenerated theyr olde man bee mortified and themselues become newe creatures in my sight In them do I seale these graces whilest they be yet babes before they know me euen before they haue done anie good that so they may be acknowledged to bee meerely free to my glorie Is not this a great bond vnto children to binde them as they come to age to loue God who loued them before they knew him and to doo the dutie of children because hee aduowed them to be his children euen before they hadde done anie good Surelye loue should beget loue and loue feare to offend and feare to offend amendement of lyfe If by Baptisme wee bee regenerate and made the children of God are wee not bound to liue as the children of God and as it may beseem the holynes of such a father The kings children doo not apply theyr minds to handle crafts but to works fitting their greatnes much lesse then should the children of God applie themselues to the works of the darke Such as by Baptisme are recalled from death should doo no deadly works they that by Baptisme are incorporated into Iesus Christ ought so to be guided by his spirit that as it is the soule that worketh all the workes of the bodie so the spirit of Christ as it were the soule of this new man Iesus Christ being considered as vnited with his bodie there should be no motion thought worde or worke but such as should proceed from the spirite of Iesus Christ in all fulnesse dwelling in him and in vs his members according to the measure limited to euery one of vs. 12 Moreouer if by Baptisme we be grafted into Iesus Christ we must bring forth fruit worthie of Iesus Christ Iohn 15 5. Hee that dwelleth in me sayth he and I in him beareth much fruit If wee speake of trees experience teacheth vs that the signe that is thereinto grafted doth in such wise drawe awaie thâ— sappe and force thereof that it bringeth forth fruit according to it selfe kinde not after the kinde of the tree whereinto it is grafted but wyth Iesus Christe it is contrarie for they that are grafted in him doo in deede gather strength from him yet so that they alter their nature bring forth fruit not after the kinde of Adams children but of Iesus Christe into whom they are grafted And therefore as it were a monstrous matter to see an apple tree whereupon nothing had beene grafted beare acornes so is it as straunge and repugnaunt to reason that they who by Baptisme are ingrafted into Iesus Christ should not bring foorth the fruites of righteousnesse according to his kinde Lykewise if Baptisme bee a pledge of our regeneration of necessitie the workes and affections of our first generation according to the which we are full of corruption and wickednesse must cease and be mortified and now we must shew forth the fruits and effects of our regeneration in newnes of life sith by our baptisme our olde
man was crucified with Iesus Christ wee must not nowe raise him again but leaue him dead And as a dead man is no longer possessed of the motions thoughts affections and woorkes of a liuing man so wee by our Baptisme beeing dead into Iesus Christ must no longer haue anie motions affections wordes or workes of our old man 13 There yet resteth this consideration that by Baptisme we do put on Christ But Christ whom we haue put on is holy and of a sweete sauour before God Gal. 3.27 And shall we be so slouthfull as to trail this sacred garment through the mire and silthines of this worlde Or putting it off to put on the villanous and stinking garment of flesh by walking in the affections thereof Let vs walke saith Saint Paule honestly as in the daie not in gluttonie or dronkennesse Rom. 13.13 neither in chambering and wantonnesse in strife and enuying But let vs put on Iesus Christ and take no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lustes thereof Thus doeth our Baptisme diuersely and in sundrie wise binde vs to amende our liues But because in Baptismes names are giuen as in olde time in the circumcision so ofte as wee heare our names let the same be an aduertisement vnto vs of our Baptisme putting vs in minde of our duties to amend 14 Vpon the holy ministerie dependeth also the communion in the holy supper of the Lord. Many are the reasons for the which Christ dyd ordaine it all which doo also binde vs to amend Of these wee will now consider soure principall The first by the vse of the holy supper our faith is strengthned and our soules are spiritually fed in the hope of lyfe euerlasting And therfore as the child when hee commeth to age is bound to honor his parents not onely for his begetting bringing into this life but also because they haue fed and brought him vp still do continue the same duties vnto him euen so should it be with vs whom God hath as it were begotten into his Church through our Baptisme and to whom he hath since in his holy Supper ministered the food of our soules in the communion of the bodie and bloud of Iesus Christ For not onely our spirituall new birth by Baptisme but also the spirituall foode which this good father â—â—eth vnto vs in his holy supper do binde vs to honor him yea and should thereto mightily induce vs considering that for food to our soules hee hath deliuered his onely sonne Iesus Christ to be crucified for vs. If anie man had a child so sicke that nothing coulde serue for his foode and recouerie but pearles confected or preserued how much should such a child bee bound to loue and honour his parents that for his releefe had not grudged at theyr expense Truly it were a most bitter ingratitude not to care to please or obey them Euen so what reproofe shoulde we deserue of our heauenly father who seedeth vs in his holy supper not with pearles but with the verie flesh and bloud of his son Iesus Christ in case wee should make no account to please him by amendement of life withall considering that as there is no comparison betweene pearles and the body and bloud of Iesus Christ so the spiritual life of our souls is without comparison much more excellent than the life of our bodies 15 Moreouer as meate and drinke ministred vnto the bodie do maintaine the life motions senses of the bodie so from the communion in the bodie and bloud of Iesus Christ which is the foode of the soule must proceed the spirituall and heauenly life cogitations affections wordes and deedes And therefore as it were a strange case if the bodie by eating and drinking shoulde gather no sustenance and consequently want all motions sense and bodyly operation so were it a monstrous matter that the soule communicating in the body and blood of Iesus Christ should gather no spirituall foode that might bring forth newnesse of life and holines in words and deeds 16 Besides as the holy supper is the table of Gods children the faithfull members of the Church of Iesus Christ so the communicating thereat is a solemne protestation that wee are the children of God true belieuers members of the church of Christ and that so we seperate our selues from the prophane worldly and vicious people and do purpose to liue holily righteously and religiously as it beseemeth the children of God and faithfull members of the Church Such therefore as communicating in the holy supper doe not neuerthelesse amende their liues but walking after the worlde and the flesh are giuen to whoredome drunkennesse gluttony couetousnesse deceite fraude ambition pride enuye hatred backbiting with other like vices and corruptions doe shew themselues counterfects hipocrites do eare and drinke their owne damnation and doe horribly scandalize or offend the Church whereof they shoulde be members togither with the doctrine that they doe professe First what an impudency is it solemnely to protest by taking the bread and wine that thou thinkest thy selfe to bee the childe of God and yet in thy selfe doest find that thou doest not so think that thou art a member of Christ and yet dost not belieue him that thou renouncest the world and the flesh and yet art in loue with them that thou wilt liue in holinesse and yet hast no will thereto that thou seekest life in Iesus Christ when voluntarilie thou doest cast thy selfe into death that thou wilt amende thy life yet hast no intent to forsake thy vice and corruptions to be short thus to abuse this holy communion to the end to make men belieue that which God seeth to bee false and contrarie to thy protestation 1. Cor. 11.27 Doest thou not belieue the protestation of S. Paule who saith that Whosoeuer shall eat this bread and drinke of this cuppe vnworthely doth eate and drinke his owne damnation because hee discerneth not the Lords bodie namely from bodily and carnal food which the mouth of the wicked and abhominable do receiue as wel as the mouth of the righteous man one that feareth God 17 Againe doest thou not apprehende the offence that thou doest commit in that thou openest the mouth of the aduersary to religion to condemne the doctrine of truth to reiecte the Church of Christ to blame the children of God and to blaspheme God himselfe thinkest thou not that thou doest harden them in their errours in the way of destruction damnatioÌ„ doest thou not consider that thou doest arme and encourage them to seduce such as are members of the Church and redeemed by the blood of Iesus Christ by declaring vnto them that men so giuen ouer to the world and the flesh cannot bee of the true Church that the doctrine of truth can bring forth no such fruits that the Church is no house for drunkerds adulterers couetous persons deceiuers quarelers enuious people men possessed with other like vices shouldest
our bodie lyfe or earthly goods for anie offence coÌ„mitted by vs doth without comparison more daunt and quaile vs than the desert of euerlasting death and the losse of the kingdome of heauen 4 Let vs therefore plainly confesse the truth that naturally wee loue the bodie better than the soule the goods commodities of this temporal life better than the tresures of eternity And consequently that in lieu of seeking first the kingdome of heauen and the righteousnes thereof and thereupon expecting that all other things shall be giuen vs according to the promise of Christ wee contrarywise setting the caâ—t before the horse doo first and much more seeke that which concerneth the bodie and this present life than anie thing that toucheth the soule the kingdom of heauen And yet he that knoweth not that the body is more than the soul hath no soule neither hath anie vnderstanding or reason and is no man but a beast And he that confesseth not the kingdome of heauen to be infinitly better than all the kingdomes of the world sheweth himselfe to bee most peruerse and malitious 5 That we may therefore correct these corruptions so amend our liues Math. 13.44 45. let vs remember that Iesus Christ likeneth the kingdome of heauen to a treasure hidde in the field which when a man hath sound he hideth it and for ioy thereof departeth and selleth all that he hath buieth that field Also to a pearle of great value for the purchase wherof the marchant selleth al that he hath But what was this so excellent treasure or pearle of so great price euen the Church or holy ministerie The kingdome of God in vs and the kingdome of glorie in heauen This kingdome of heauen therfore must we first especially seeke after and after the example of those marchants sell all we haue that is to saie forsake all that we account to bee precious concerning this life that wee may inioy this kingdome of heauen 6 And in deede first they that beeing members of the Church doo vse the holy ministerie are accounted to bee the children of God and members of Iesus Christ who also imployeth this holie ministerie to driue from them the kingdome of Sathan and to establish his And so are they gotten on to the first step and entered in at the first gate In the meane time because there be also hypocrites that do enter and abide there for a time in shew keeping the place of Gods children it is requisite moreouer that the kingdom of heauen be in vs. For as all they that are possessed with righteousnesse Rom. 14.17 peace and the ioy of the holie Ghost which Saint Paule calleth the kingdome of God are certaine to enrer into heauen so is it in vaine to pretend to enter into the kingdome of God which is in heauen vnlesse the kingdome of heauen which is the gate be first in vs that is to saie if we haue not the true knowledge of God and of his sonne Iesus Christ a liuely fayth a feruent charitie vnles wee increase in sanctification of bodie of soule and of minde vnles in our selues wee do feele a good conscience conioyned with peace and ioy in the holie Ghost and vnlesse wee bee regenerate in newnesse of lyfe As also Iesus Christ himselfe doth plainly say That vnlesse wee bee borne againe wee cannot see the kingdome of God And in deede it is written Iohn 3.3 1. Cor. 6.9 That neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor wantons nor theeues nor couetous men nor dronkardes nor euill speakers nor rauishers shall inherite the kingdome of God Yet before hee pronounceth this sentence hee wakeneth vs saying Deceiue not your selues to the end that casting off all illusions and sweete baites of the world the flesh and the deuill we may be assured that by amendement correcting of these vices and other lyke corruptions we shall inherite the kingdome of God Wherefore as where there bee two gates to a towne it is not inough that wee enter the first vnlesse wee also passe through the second so is it not inough that wee beeing members of the Church vsing the holie ministerie which we haue sayd to be as the first gate to the kingdome of heauen vnlesse wee thence proceede to the second in liuing as true and liuely members of the Church declaring the effectes of the holy ministerie by the testimonies of our faith mortification of the old man newnesse of lyfe in briefe by dayly amendement For albeit wee haue preached the worde of God yea and wrought myracles yet shall wee not therefore enter into the kingdome of heauen vnlesse wee also amende our liues as Iesus Christ also sayd Not euery one that saith Lord Lord Mat. 7.21 shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but hee which doth the will of my father which is in heauen Manye will saye vnto mee in that daye Lord Lord haue we not by thy name prophecied and by thy name cast out deuils and by thy name done many great workes Then will I professe vnto them I neuer knew ye Departe from me ye workers of iniquitie 7 The parable of the seede sowen in sundry sorts of ground doth euidently declare that for the establishing of the kingdom of heauen in vs Mat. 13. also that we may assuredly enter into the kingdome of God which is in heauen we are to amend in three points First as the seede that fell by the way side and so was deuoured by the soules of the aire so must we beware that our harts be not so hard and impenitent that the woorde heard when it cannot enter into theÌ„ vanish away and be as it were euen violently caught away by satan Secondly we must be so firmly resolued to beare in patience the losse of parents brethren sisters goods dignities yea euen of life that being possessed with this good humour of patience a good conscience and faith the sunny heat of persecution may not make this sacred seede vnfruitfull or vnprofitable or cause vs to forsake the Church which is the kingdome of heauen and so fall againe vnder the tiranny of Satan as a dogge to his vomite or a washed sow to her myre Thirdlye 2. Pet. 2.12 as the seede that fell among thornes coÌ„meth at the last to be choaked vp and stiffeled so must we beware that the cares of worldly affaires the earnest desire of the coÌ„modities of this transitory life do not choak vp the good seede of the heauenly doctrine These three pernicious inconuemences must we auâ—id and amend in case we desire to enter into the kingdome of God that is in heauen 8 Now where it is said in this parable that only the fourth part of the seed did bring forth fruite we are thereof togather for the inducing of vs to ameÌ„dmeÌ„t of life that the number of those that shal be saued in the kingdom of God which is in heauen shaâ—be small and this doth our
to the workes of darkenesse What an ingratitude will it be in vs who by nature are Gentils if when the kingdom of heauen is thus come vpon vs by the preaching of the Gospell we make no accompt thereof neither haue any care to amend our liues according to the cōmandemēt of Iesus Christ how mightily wil the deuil possesse vs vnlesse by the ministerye of the holy ghost he be expelled to the end to make roome for the kingdome of heauen in vs 8 Iesus Christ saith The men of Niniue shall rise in iudgement with this generation and condemne it for they repented at the preaching of Ionas and beholde a greater then Ionas is heere Againe Mat. 12.41.42 The Queene of the south shall rise in iudgement with this generation and shall condemne it For she came from the vtmost partes of the earth to heare the wisedome of Salomon and beholde a greater then Salomon is heere Woe thē be vnto vs if hearing the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 13.12 we doe not obey his commandement and amend It is now time that we should arise from sleep saith S. Paul for now is our saluation neerer then when we beleeued by the preaching of the gospell and were before vnbeleeuers The night is past and the day is come let vs therfore cast away the works of darknes and put on the armour of light so as we walk honestly as in the day not in gluttony and drunkennes c. 9 This kingdome of heauen is at hand and dayly gathereth vpon vs in two maners which for a conclusion wee will heere adde First all faithfull beleeuers doe know and are assured that at the separation of the soule and the body the soule shal be exalted into heauen with Christ Now as dayly this seperation doth by death drawe neerer and neerer to the faithfull so doth the kingdome of heauen also come vpon them how carefull therfore should we be to amend our liues and to prepare our selues to make our entry into heauen the holy Ghost protesteth that there shall enter no vncleane thing Apoc. 21.27 neither any that worketh abhomination or lyes We must therefore put of all the workes of the flesh which are as S. Paul noteth adultery fornication vncleannesse wantonnesse idolatrie Gal. 5.19 witchcraft hatred debate emulation wrath contention sedition heresie enuie murther dronkennes gluttonie and such lyke And afterward protesteth that they which commit these things shall not inherite the kingdome of God Let vs then beware of delaying of this amendment least in a matter of such importance we bee surprised we haue not two soules that we may hazarde one If the day of death findeth vs a sleepe in our sinnes woe be vnto vs let vs remember the saying of S. Peter The end of all thinges draweth neere 1. Pet 4. Be ye therfore sober and watchfull in praier Euery of vs shall in our death finde this end of all things and indeed let vs look vpon a rich man caried dead out at dores and we shall see that all is at an end with him neither hath his body any more then his length of ground 10 Let vs therefore remember to be sober not in workes of pietie for in them we cannot be too plentifull neither in sinne for we must vtterly abstaine therefro wherin then euen in thinges appertaining to this present life 1. Cor. 7.29 by practising this admonition of S. Paul And this I say brethren because the time is shorte hereafter that both they which haue wines be as though they had none And they that weep as though they wept not And they that reioyce as though they reioyced not And they that buy as though they possessed not And they that vse this worlde as though they vsed it not for the fashion of this worlde goeth away And I would haue you without care Here doth he shew that the sobriety whereto S. Peter exhorteth vs doth admonish vs that there is drunkennesse not onely of the body but also of the spirite And indeede where Iesus Christ saith See to your selues Luke 21.34 that your harts be not ouercome with gluttony and drunkennesse neither with the cares of this life He doth sufficiently declare that there is another kinde of drunkennesse then either with beere or wine And that is when the care for the things of this life whether of warre or marchandise or of landes and possessions of wiues or of children doe so feaze vpon and entangle our mindes and affections that we are diuerted letted frō that which is required for the seruice of God and the saluation of our soules if a man rise in the morning and goe to the Tauerne and tarry there all day and at night commeth home drunke and so againe the next day and the next and all the weeke long and neuer thinketh vpon his famely but letteth his wife and his children sit staruing at home wil we not say that he is a drunkard and in case he continue this course a moneth or two will we not reporte of him as of a perfect and desperate drunkard What shall we then say of those that doe so set their harts and mindes vpon the affaires of this life that so soone as they are vp in the morning they are presently at the Tauern of those cares wherein they delight and whereto they so giue themselues that they care neither for the kingdome of heauen the seruice of God nor the saluation of their own soules which is more during this repast at home their mindes are in their tauernes yea and which is worse whether they speak to God in their praiers or that God talketh to them by sermons their mindes are so wandering that immediatly they are in this tauerne of worldly cares and affaires and that so deepely that they neither hear God speaking to them neither wot what themselues doe say to him for there is no more but the body that speaketh or heareth euen a body as it were without a soule for their minde is in their Tauerne If they then follow this course not one moneth or sixe or tenne neyther one yeere but ten twentie thirtie yea euen to the death may we not well call them perfect drunkards Likewise as to that tauerne that beareth the name to haue the best drinke or wine the drunkards will soonest resort as seeking occasions to be drunk so these spirituall drunkards doe seeke after townes and places of most practise where there is great dooinges which breede encrease of cares that likewise they may be the more drunken in them 11 This is an excessiue and most pernitious drunkennesse yet ouer common among christians and therefore let euery man examine him selfe that knowing it he may amend And indede sith the kingdome of heauen doth dayly approch to the faithfull by death we are in duty to beware according to Christs admonition that our harts be not ouercome with this drunkennesse of cares least that day ouertake