preuaile against vs and to this end let vs know as our Sauiour Christ saith to his Disciples Yee haue neede of patience so wee haue neede of knowledge of faith of hope of loue and other graces of the spirit of God for Sathan will not onely assault vs but perhaps continue his siege battery a day a weeke a moneth and giue vs no respight and though he will sound the retreate and depart sometime for a season as Saint Luke Luk. 4. saith yet he will returne againe perhapes another way and set vpon vs by some other meanes therefore arme your selues saith the Apostle and resist him and if this battell seeme hard and tedious vnto vs remember in what cause we fight and for what crowne our Sauiour Christ saith in the Reuelation He that ouercometh shall inherite great and glorious things and Paul saith The Saintes shall iudge the Angelles that is the deuilles Paul saieth to 1. Cor. 6. Timothy I haue fought a good fight and then he addeth I looke for the Crowne the Saints in heauen that are now crowned haue come vnto it thorow many temptations and tribulations therefore let vs harken to the Apostles exhortation be strong in the Lorde put on the whole armour of God and resist in the euil day and the God of peace shall treade Rom. 16. downe sathan vnder ouâ— feete shortly ⧠The Houre-glasse of Mans life PSALME 90. 12. Teach vs so to number our dayes that we may apply our hartes to wisedome THIS whole booke is called the booke of Psalmes because it contayneth in it for the most part matter of praise and thankesgiuing though there be many other doctrines mingled therewithall They are called the Psalmes of Dauid because he compiled most of them not because he made them all for this was made by Moses as yee may see by the title of it We call this the 90. Psalme because it is bound with the Psalmes and standes in the place of that number but it is intituled and that more fitly agreeing with the matter of it A prayer of Moses In which Moses setteth forth the estate of mans life generally and perticulerly of the people of Israell in the wildernesse where he saw many thousands of them that came out of Egypt dye some by one meanes and some by another as it is more largely recorded in the booke of Numbers Now Moses considered that many of their forefathers liued almost a thousand yeares whereto hee hath respect in the 4. verse where he saith One thousand yeâ—res in thy sight is but as yesterday and the life of man was growne shorter and shorter and in his time ordinarily it was not one hundred yeares as appeares in the 10. verse The dayes of a man are threescore yeares and tenne or perhaps fourescore which was nothing to their fathers how much lesse when they were cut off by strange punishmentes in the middest of their course and dyed thicke and three-fould without warning Now after the mention of those things he breakes out into this speech Teach vs to know our dayes that we may apply our harts to wisedome In which words are two things to be considered first a petition secondly a reason of the petition The petition is in these first wordes Teach vs to number our dayes The reason is in these other wordes in the end of the verse that we may apply our hartes to wisedome Wherby we are taught first of al that there is a number of euery mans dayes for this difference to be considered betweene this life and the next life this life hath an end therefore it is called temporall the next life endes not therefore it is called eternall the certaine number of our daies is knowne Iob. 14. 5 to God and not to vs. But he doth not desire to know the certaine number of his dayes but rather the vncertaine number of them that is that God would teach them to know the breuity and shortnes of mans life Therefore he sets it downe by dayes not by yeares and this he desires not for himselfe only but for the people and therefore he saith not teach me but teach vs to number our dayes Now according to Moses prayer God hath taught vs this point in the Scripture that all men are mortall and must dye as the Lord saide to Adam In the day that thou eatest of the tree in the middest of the garden thou shalt die although the diuell who for that cause our Sauiour Christ saith Iohn 8. Was a lyer from the beginning spake contrary and said to Eue Thou shalt not die at all yet indeed Adam died for although he dyed not by by yet he was a dead man because sentence was passed vpon him and all his life afterward was but a dying life euerything then sauoring of death and euery day beeing a step vnto death If any will inquire what death is to speake generally it is a seperation from the condition of this mortall and temporall life but to speake more properlye it is a seperation of the soule and body as the ioyning togeather of the soule and body at the first was the cause of life as it is said God breathed into Adam the breath of life and Gen. 1. man was made a liuing soule so the seperation of the soule from the bodye is the cause of death as Christ saieth to the ritch man This night they shall fetch away thy soule thou shalt dye This Adam by his sinne brought not onelye vpon himselfe but vpon all his posteritye as Paul saieth Rom. 5. By man sinne entred into the worlde and death by sinne and death went ouer all men forasmuch as all men haue sinned therefore it is saide not onely of Adam himselfe but of dyuers of the fathers that were his posterity to shew the trueth of Gods threatning to Adam In the daye Gen. 5. thou doest eate of such a tree thou shalt dye And to shewe the falcehoode of the diuelles promise to Eue that though sâ—e did eate it she should not dye at all such and such a one liued thus many hundred yeares but he dyed for though the day be neuer so long at length comes euensong Heb. 9. the Apostle saith It is appointed to al men once to dye after that comes the iudgement when all men are dead then comes the general iudgemeÌ„t but when euery one dyes then comes his perticuler iudgement as appeares in the example of the ritch man and Lazarus for as the day of death leaues vs so the day of doome shall finde vs therfore Dauid when he laye sicke said I goe the waye of all the worlde for death is as an vnpartiall iudge that is indifferent to all poore and rich Iob speakes of some men that would seeke death either for the auoyding of present sorrow or procuring of future ioy but whether a man seekes it or no he shall be sure it will seeke him We read of a HeatheÌ„
Christian brothers and sisters Psal 16. 3 a naturall man loues them not but rather hates them as Iohn shewes in his first Epistle A regenerate man doth see and feele the remnants of corruption and complaines Rom. 7. 23. of it the naturall man doth not but iustifies himselfe as the Pharisie did Luk. 18. 11. The regenerate man would not doe the euill Rom. 7. 19. that some time he dooth and he would doe the good that he dooth not and that good that he doth he would doe it better the naturall man dooth the euill that hee would hee dooth no good nor hath no minde to it neither dooth hee truely desire to be any better then he is The regenerate man prayes and cries Rom. 8. 20. Abba father by the spirite groanes vnto God for fauour for helpe against temptation for strength against sinne for grace to thinke speake and doe better the naturall man spendes no praiers about these things if he do it is but in few colde and fashionable wordes without affection of heart the regenerate man doth truely and earnestly striue against the corruption of nature that Gal. 5. 1â— yet remaines in him more and more ouercome it as Saloman saith In all labour there is profit the naturall man doth not so hauing nothing in him but flesh There is in a regenerate man as it were two men as Rebecca had two natioÌ„s in her wombe so a Christian hath as it were two natures in his wombe the members of the olde man and the new man of the flesâ— and of the spirite as Paule saith the flesh resistes the spirit and Gal. 5. 17. the spirite resistes the flesh therefore saith Peter abstaine from fleshly lusts that fight against the â—oule the striuing against corruption is the greatest excercise of a Christian outward troubles and enemies are nothing like it when the flesh or corruption preuailes in the childe of God thereof growes sorrow and griefe as Dauid when hee had sinned saith I goe mourning all the day but when the spirit preuailes against the flesh thereof growes ioy and comfort But a naturall man further then the feare of mans law or the shame of the worlde dooth enforce him hath no sorrow for his â—innes except some few examples such as were Esau and Iudas whome God dooth touch with hellish tormentes that in them other great sinners might see as it were a toarch of hell fire burning before their eâ—es and as a naturall man hath no sorrow for sin further then feare of man or shame doth force him so he hath no ioy in good things further then pride or vainglory doth pricke him so that to vse the common similitude of the scripture as we may know a good tree from a bad tree by the difference of their fruites so we may know a spirituall man from a carnall man by the difference of their mindes and manners A regenerate man that is borne of the spirite though he be not perfectly sanctified in this life yet hee is wholely sanctified for as there is a naturall birth of the whole man so there is a spirituall birth of the whole man that is as all the partes both of his soule and bodie are vitiated and corrupted by the first birth so all the partes of his soule and bodye his iudgement affection his will his conscience his memory his eyes his tongue handes feete c. are sanctified by his second and new birth and there is no part of a regenerate man so corrupt as it was before I speake not of some extraordynarye fault that some good man may fall into by strong temptation which peraduenture hee committed not nor the like before his conuersion but I speake of that ordinarye estate that Gods children are brought vnto by regeneration Therefore we are in the Scripture not onely exhorted generally to put on the new man to be renewed to amend out liues to be holy as God is holy but wee are exhorted to the perticuler vertues and partes of the new man as to knowledge loue pacience temperance humility and diuers other partes of sanctification there is no naturall man but doth something that is good in it selfe though it bee not so to him but a regenerate man is good many wayes within and without in wordes and indeedes Againe hee that is borne againe of the spirit doth grow in grace and the guiftes of the spirite that is not onely to adde one grace to another as Peter saith â—oyne to 2. Pet. 1. 5 your faith vertue to vertue patience to patience temperance to temperance c. But euery grace and spirituall gift dooth grow greater stronger as the disciples saide to Christ Lord increase our faith so we must saye Lorde increase ours and our loue our pacience our zeale c. For as there is growing of the first birth from children to men as growing in the corruption of the first birth as the Apostle saith Euill men and deceiuers waxe worse and worse so there is a growing in the second and new birth from little to much The meanes here of is the word of God as Peter speakes as new borne babes desire the 1. Per. 2. 2 sincere milke of the word that yee may grow thereby and prayer As our Sauiour said ouâ— heauenly father will giue the holy Ghost that is the giuftes of the holy Ghost to those that aske him Now seeing it is so necessary that a man should bee borne againe without the which he cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen let euery man and woman examine themselues whether he can finde a new creature in him or no which he shall know by the former properties of a regenerate man let him examine whether hee haue a new minde and new manners in generall then let him examine the perticulers first 1 If he loues God with the affection of a childe to his father 2 If he loues the children of God with the affection of a brother or sister 3 If he delightes in the lawe of God because of the excellent wisedome holinesse and righteousnesse that is in vs. 4 If hee sees his owne corruption of nature and condemnes it and himselfe for it 5 If in his affection hee would not doe that which is euill and contrary to the law but would doe that which is good and agreeable to the law 6 If he praies to God with an vnfained hart not only for pardon of sinne but for power against sinne 7 If he doe truely and earnestly striue against sinne and for vertue not only without but within himselfe 8 If he hath remorse and sorrowe for sinne though they be little in comparison and secret that the world knowes not and ioy in goodnesse 9 If he desire and vse the meanes of the word of God that may make him growe in the new birthe and become better If a man finde these things in himselfe he is regenerate and borne againe if not he is not borne of
bee worne no where else but in the court but there yee shall be sure to finde it If those that be of low calling weare high apparell it must needs shew pride for there must be some difference between the Maiestrate and the subiect between the master the seruant between a Iack a Gentleman between Joane my Lady Againe if those of poore estate weare rich apparell it must needs shew folly vanity neglect of their family for there must be some differeÌ„ce between Cressus Codrus In the book of Martirs it is reported of one of the kings of England who commaunded his man to buy him a paire of hoase of a marke but now a meane subiect will weare a paire of hoase of twenty marke and euen those that be of calling and ability though they may weare costly apparrell yet they must not weare it at all times for in the day of humilation commaunded to the people of Israell or in the day of a publike fast none might put on their best apparrell therefore it was wont to be a common fault in gentlewomen when they came to a fast they came in the brauery and curiosity of apparrell as if they went to a feast and as there be some restraintes in the Sciripture touching the matter of apparrell so touching the forme and fashion of it it is forbidden men to weare womens apparrell Deu. 22. women to weare mens apparrell because it is a confusion and dangerous occasion of sinne it is also forbidden both men and women to weare strange apparrell like Zeph. 1. monsters as many now a dayes will haue other faces or complexions other haire and other bellies then God hath made them they are not content with the french Hoode with the Italian Ruffes with the Dutch hoase with the Indean shooes but they must haue euery day new and forraine fashions that they are growne out of fashion They doe not onely borrow the matâ—er of their apparrell from diuers creatures â—s beastes foules fishes wormes but they borrow the forme of their apparrell from diuers countries but Paule saith fashion not Rom. 12. 3. our selues like vnto this world there are no perticuler rules set downe in the Scripture for the fashion of apparrell but generally the Scripture saith it must agree with comâ—nesse modesty and sobriety a paterne whereof we must fetch from the Churches that is from the practise of Christian sober modest persons for in a question of womens attyring their heades the Apostle 1. Cor. 11 saith they had no such custome as some of the Corinthias vsed neither the churches of God therefore when young women that should haue sober mindes or ould women that haue young mindes shall weare nothing vpon their heades but their haire and that set vp a fore like a forehorse toppe I meane not a little which some sober women vse but set vp a great deale ilfauoured haire and immodestly when they shall weare monstrous vardugales which as it is saide were inuented by a strumpet to couer a great belly which requires more stuffe and takes vp more roome in meeting then some of them are worth and worthy of when they be exceeding curious in their colors cuts let them behold and inquire if such such that be religious wise sober and modest women go so apparrelled and inquire why they do not they shal finde it is because religion sobriety modesty wherewith they are indewed will not suffer them to doe so for shame but they that want religion and vertue cannot iudge of the vnseemelines vanity of these things whose apparrelling let it not be outward he opposes the outward apparrel to the inward apparrell which is the hid man of the hart that he speakes of afterward his meaning is not so much to condemne the outward apparrell as to commend vnto them the inwarde apparrell therefore hee saith to the Christian women whose apparrell let it not be outward but inward as if hee shold say thinke not that your chiefe beauty and brauery standes in decking of the body but in garnishing of the minde as our Sauiour Christ saith Labour not for the Ioh. 6. meate that perishes but for the meate that indures to euerlasting life Hee forbides not labour for that but requires the chiefe labour for the other hee would not haue them thinke their chiefe dyet to bee the foode of the bodye but the foode of the soule When our sauiour Christ bids his disciples Mat. 6. not lay vp treasure for themselues in earth but in heauen hee would haue men thinke that their chiefe riches is not goods but goodnes so when he saith here Whose apparrelling let it not bee outwarde but inward hee meanes they should not thinke the garmeÌ„ts of the body but the vertues of the minde their chiefe ornamentes When Adam Eue fell their soules were naked aswel as their bodies so it is with al their posterity as it is said in the Reuelation the Reue. 3. third chap. to the church of Laoditia thou seest not how thou art miserable and naked they were not naked in their bodyes but in their soules As God appointed our first parentes skins to couer their bodyes so he appointed his owne sonne and his owne image to couer their soules which the scripture willes al men to put on Paul saith to the RomaÌ„ put on the Lord Iesus Rom. 13. Christ to the EphesiaÌ„s put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnes Ephe. 4. true holines yea the soule is more naked theÌ„ the body for there be some parts of the body that haue some comlines in theÌ„ and neede no couering as the face and 1. Cor. 12 handes but the soule is vncomely and naked in euery part the vnderstanding memory conscience will affection and all both of men and women haue need to be apparrelled regenerated and sanctified therefore as when any part of the body is naked either armes legges or feete wee seeke to get apparrell for it sleeues hoase shooes so much more must we doe for the nakednes of the soule Is any proude seeke for the garment of humility is any incontinent seeke for the garment of chastity is any couetous seeke for the garment of lyberality is any malicious seeke for the garment of charity and as the Scripture doth will vs to be moderate and incomparison carclesse of the attire of the body because we are too much giuen to it so it willes vs to bee carefull yea curious as I may say in these things of the soule as Peter 2. Pet. 1. saith loyne moreouer to your faith vertue to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godlinesse and to godlinesse brotherly kindenesse and to brotherly kindenesse loue and to the Thessalonians Paule willes Christians to increase more and more in them but in this place the Apostle setteth downe the attire of Christian
the name of Broade cloathes yea it is euident that oftentimes they gaine three times foure times then shillings in a Cloath and more it is not knowne what But they say their gaines growes otherwayes then by their workefolkes as by buiing their wooll their oade their indico and the like at the best hand by selling their Clothes well I answer first for their buying except the corrupt deuices that some I hope not all doe vse that way which I will not speake of my Text onely reproouing iniury to the poore I suppose their gaine is not great that waye but as it falles out in all such vncertaine things that sometime they may gaine and sometime they may loose sellers beeing as prouident as buyers now for the gaine that they haue by selling they meane by selling of time to this I answere Although I would haue such gaine examined by the rule and reason whereby we condemne vsury seeing they venture not charitably with the Marchant but if his state crackes not their stocke holdes though his ship sinkes yet I deny not but as they gaine sometime by their buying so they gaine often by this kind of selling although some time they loose by both But their certaine their ordinary and so their chiefe gaine I dare say in the iudgement of reason is that they get by from the poore people by the more cheape doing of their worke then other mens which is miserable gaine as if a man should rob the spittle-house Now as wee haue seene the Clothiers gaine let vs see the poores losse in the law when they bought men women and children for mony kept them only for their worke when the yeare of their freedome came they might not send them awaye empty but in this case I haue in hand it is otherwise that where some Clothiers dies worth twenty thousand poūd some workeman that hath wrought vnder him not seuen but twenty yeare dies not worth twenty groates let it bee considered how the poore can liue of the wages they haue as it is set downe before what they can earne if they be wel and not hindred by sickenesse sucking children or the like but if any of these hindrances fall vnto them how shall they buy them theirs bread clothes fire-wood pay their house rent and such like necessaries for their life Yea this abridgement of wages is a cause of all the misery of the poore both in body and soule for by reason of their small earnings they cannot spare an houre in a weeke but must take the Saboth to washe their cloathes to peece their ragges to fetch a bundle of wood when they should come to Church to serue God yea they do not onely this way sinne by occasion thereof but are hazarded vpon dangerous temptations of pilfring stealing as Agar said Prou. 30. giue me not pouerty least I steale which I feare is one woful meanes of many of the poores liuing let it be considered Christianly and equally if it bee not so that by this meanes a fewe Clothiers in a countrye growe ritch and many thousandes growe poore and if the inritching of two or three in a Towne bee not the impouerishing of many if I may not saye the hindring of all the Towne for not onely those that worke vnder them finde it those waies yee haue hard but other Townsmen also and not to speake of that that other men beare out rates according to their ability that is seene when Clothiers go away much more easily in that their ability is not seene that other men maintaine the minister of their landes and labours when Clothiers do nothing that they do put away Corne either that they buy for dayes or that they haue growing to their workefolkes at a greater rate then the market so are occasions of raising the price thorow the country But onely to speake of that that is pertinent to my purpose that other men partly by compulsion and partly by compassion are faine to releeue those by charity whome the Clothiers as before doe impouerish by iniury other men lend the poore money Corne and other things beeing faine to loose it when Clothiers if they lend them any thing will paye themselues againe in their worke The Prophets doe much and often complaine of ritch mens grinding the faces of the poore flaying of their skinnes buying the needy for siluer and for shoes now who may be charged with these things in our time and in our country but the Clothiers that generally doe deale with them But some will say the Marchantes deale as euill with their workemen patching and pressing them with commodities if the Marchantes doe so as I know some haue done and thinke still some doe they are in the same condemnation but who doth it in any comparison of number or measure like the Clothiers who haue all the time and all the labour and all the cunning I wil not say of all but of almost all the poore for all which in the winding vp the poore get nothing but a lowse But as it is wisedome and iustice in all controuersies to heare both tales so besides their perticuler obiections that before haue fallen in by the way let vs heare further what Clothiers can aleadge for themselues either against this occasion or for their owne accusation Clothiers pleade for the defence of their course in this wages and say they may giue their workefolkes lesse wages then others doe because they set their workefolkes on worke all the yeare when others sometime doe want worke by the waye marke that wee haue their confession that they giue their workefolkes lesse wages then other men doe theirs now they saye they may doe so for this reason that they set them on worke all the yeare which saye they others doe not but to this I answere if they doe set them on worke all the yeare they haue the more gaine and not the lesse worke is this a good reason that because the poore doe lengthen their worke therefore they maye shorten their wages but most Clothyers doe not set the poore on worke all the yeare but all Labourers and Masons doe sometime want worke in Winter so doe their workefolkes in Summer and their workefolkes in Summer doe worke in the fieldes about Haye or Corne and haue the wages of Labourers aforesaid that is foure pence and sixe pence a day and meate and drinke but in Winter when Labourers shall want worke shall spinne and carde vnder them they cannot earne two pence or three pence towardes their bread and drinke and whereas husbandmen giue better diet and better wages in haruest for their hast Winter being the Clothiers time of haruest and hast they giue no more then their former pittance The Clothiers say we can haue our worke done thus if one will not another will I answere necessity hath no law the poore must worke sot little rather then sit still for nothing for among the Clothiers
obscure so great a mistery Now that we might the better see the greatnesse of this mistery that God is manifested in the flesh as it were with a paire of spectacles let vs briefely consider on the one side what God is and on the other side what man is And yet I meane not to enter into any large discription of God least we should thinke he may be fully conceiued for one saith truely and wittily If all the world were full of bookes if all the creatures in the world were writers and all the water in the sea were inke the writers would be wearied the bookes would be filled and the sea would be emptied and exhausted before his perfection could be manifested Therefore Simonides being asked what God was desired a dayes respit to make answere and being asked the next day he deferred two dayes respit and againe being asked the third time saide the more I search it the further I am from it When I seeke for God saith one of the ancient fathers I doe not seeke for the glistering beauties of Dyamondes and precious stones for the eye I doe not seeke for the pleasant melodie of birdes and tunable instruments for the eare I do not seeke for the sauour of flowers spices and oyntments for the smell I doe not seeke for hony and delectable things for the taste which brute beastes may be capable of but I seeke for a glory aboue all beauty for a voyce aboue all melodie and for a sauour and sweetnesse aboue all delicacie which neither beastes nor men with their outward censes can attaine vnto God is the most absolute supreame excelent thing a substance deuine inuisible eternall infinite vnchangeable glorious almightie onely wise true iust mercifull gracious and bountifull before whom the Esa 6. Cherubins do couer their faces of whom thorow whom for whom are all things Rom. 11. saith the Apostle to him be glory for euer Now as God is thus and much more excellent then can be spoken so on the other side man especially considered as Adam hath left him is most base insomuch that Dauid comparing man but with some of the creatures said What is man that thou art mindfull of him and the sonne of man that Psal 8. thou doest consider him how much more compared with the Creator Yea man is not onely base but miserable and so miserable that if Christ had not come to redeeme vs it had beene better for vs we had beene stones yea beares and toades therefore seeing all that can be saide is too little to set forth Gods maiesty and nothing can be said enough to set forth mans misery this that the Apostle saith That God is manyfest in the flesh must needes be a great mistery By God the Apostle meanes not the first person in the diety which is the father nor the third person which is the holye Ghost but the second person which is the Sonne for though there bee but one God yet in the Godhead there Mat. 28. are three persons the father the sonne and the holy Ghost Now it was the sonne the second person that was more manifested in the flesh as Iohn saith The word was made Iohn 1. flesh and dwelt among vs we saw the glorye thereof as the glory of the onely begotten soâ—ne of the father full of grace and truth Therefore Paule saith In him dwels the fulnesse of Col. 2. 9. the Godhead bodily And yet we are not to thinke he was thrust out of heauen as the euill Angels were but he tooke flesh of his owne accorde as the Apostle saith in the second to the Phillipians he being equal with God tooke on him the forme of a seruant for as Adam sinned and ouerthrew mankinde voluntarily so it was necessarie that Christ should take our nature and redeeme vs voluntarily Manifested in the flesh By flesh he meanes not the body of man onely but our whole humane nature consisting of soule and body As when Peter saith He suffred in the 1. Pet. 4. flesh it is not meant he suffered in his body onely but in his soule also as he saith of Mat. 2. himselfe my soule is heauy euen to the death so when it is said here he was manifested in the flesh he meanes in our humane nature for he was in all things like to vs sinne excepted Heb. The manner of his taking flesh was of a woman as it is said God sent his sonne made of a woman Mathew tels vs Gal. 4. Mat. 1. what woman namely the virgin Mary therefore he is in the Scripture called the Sonne of man not that any man was his father but because on a woman he tooke on him mans nature this is that the Prophet Esay spake of him They shall call his name Esa 7. Emanuell that is God with vs therefore are there such misticall speeches in the scripture Iohn Baptist saith of him he that comes Ioh. 1. after me is before me that is he comes after me in his manhood but was before me in his Godhead He is likened to Melchisadeck who is said to be without father and Heb. â— without mother for as he was man he was without father and as he was God he was without mother and he himselfe saith in Iohn 5. Ioh. 5. Before Abraham was I am This is that which some diuines haue spoken of in a wondring maner That he which is eternall should be borne in time that hee Esa 7. Dan. 7. which is called the ancient of daies should be a child of an houre old that he which is the worde should become a babe that Iohn 1. cannot speake that he which is infinite should be compassed in the wombe of a Luke 2. Virgin that hee should not onely make vs like himselfe at the first but make himselfe like vs that the flesh of Adam and the sinne of Adam being ioyned in all other men should be separated in that man that was the sonne of God because he was not borne after the ordinarie manner of men but was conceiued by the holy ghost and borne of the Virgin Mary this is wonderfull Who would haue thought that these two natures the Godhead and the manhood that were so farre deuided a sunder should haue beene so neerelie ioyned together not in one Paradice as at the first but in one person that more meerely then the soule and the body for they may be deuided but the godhead and manhoode of Christ cannot therefore this is a great mistery that God is manifested in the flesh Yet we must not imagine two Christes one that was God and another that was man but one Christ who is both God and man the diuell hath stirred vp some heritickes to deny his Godhead and some to deny his manhood and some also to confound them together thinking to corrupt this mistery and so to ouerthrow religion those that haue denied his Godhead alleadge for colour
and the practise of godlinesse fewe are exercised in them which shewes a carelesse minde but hee that is desirous to keepe a good conscience will enquire how they may doe it If men would doe as the Disciples of Mat. 13. our Sauiour Christ did and as good men did Num. 6. 9. 1. Cor. 7. 1. Acts. 2. obserue their doubts and write them either in their mindes or in their tables and propound them in conuenient place and company they might be wiser then they be and doe their duties better then they doe and auoide many sinnes that they fall into as the prouerbe is the blinde eates many a Flie yea many a Spider Iesus answered Verily I say to thee except Verse 5. a man be borne of water and of the spirite he cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen Because Nichodemus asked how a man could be borne againe that was olde our Sauiour Christ telles him how and because he vnderstood Christs former words carnally he telles him they must be vnderstoode spiritually The Papistes take these wordes to bee spoken of baptisme and say except a man be baptised he cannot be saued putting a necessity in baptisme vnto saluation it is true indeed that baptisme is necessary and that to saluation as all the meanes of saluation which God hath appointed are necessary and cannot be contemned without peril of condemnation but baptisme is not necessary to saluation in their sence as if none could be saued except they be baptised for the thiefe that was crucified with Luk. 23. 1 Christ who was conuerted after baptisme was instituted was saued and yet he was not baptised so if any should die without baptisme when they would cannot haue it it hinders not their saluation if infants die before they be brought to baptisme though negligence herein may be a sinne in the parents yet is it no preiudice to the childe no more then it was to those children that died without circumsition when they might not apply it before the eight day for if the want of baptisme should be shutte from saluation then it were possible to ouerthrow the election of God which Mat. 24. Christ denies But although baptisme bee called the 〈◊〉 and sacrament of regeneration because it doth signifie and outwardly represent to our eyes that clensing and renewing which the holy Gost dooth worke inwardly in our harts yet it is not our Sauiour Christes purpose in this place to speake of baptisme at all but to teach Nichodemus that in his former speach he ment not a carnall but a spirituall birth the reason why he names water is because often in the Scripture the spirit is set foorth by water to Iohn 7 38. shew the working of the spirit in those that are borne againe as water dooth wash away the filthinesse of the bodie and make the same more cleane so the spirit dooth clense and purifie the soule therefore it 1. Cor. 6. 11. is called the spirite of sanctification so that in these wordes it is as our Sauiour Christ should say I doe not meane that a man should be borne againe carnally but that he should be borne againe spiritually as yee are borne first like your earthlye father who is flesh so you must be borne againe like your heauenlye Father who is spirite and bee made pertaker as Peter speakes of his deuine nature not in substance 2. Pet. 1. 4 but in qualities as hee saith Bâ—â— Leui. 11. 4. 4. Mat. 5. yee holy as I am holy And as Christ saith Be yee mercifull as your heauenly father is mercifull And in that Christ saith heere A maâ— must be borne againe of the spirit it shewe 〈…〉 that regeneration consists not in a ciuill reformation such as the lawes of the countrie the companie that men keepe and the respect of their credit and outward safety may drawe them vnto but hee meanes that Christian reformation which the spirite thorowe the knowledge and faith of the worde of God dooth frame men vnto begetting a knowing in or iudgement a hating in affection and forsaking in conuersation of those things which are euill in them by their first birth that are contrarie to the worde and that tende to condemnation and on the contrarie begetting in them a knowing in iudgement a loue in affection and following in conuersation of those things which be good that they haue by a new birth that are agreeable to the worde and that tende to saluation Except yee be borne againe of the spirite thus saith our Sauiour Christ yee cannot enter into the kingdome of God To the same effect spake â—ohn Baptist to some of the other Pharisies who Luke 3. 8 came to him to be baptised which was an entrance into the Church Bring forth saith he first fruites worthie amendment of life as if hee should say What should you doe in the Church or what should you doe with the badge or name of Christianitie when you are still corrupt and naughtie men So our Sauiour Christ saith to Nichodemus heere What shouldest thou or any such as thou art doe in the new state of the Church where God is a King rules by his word and grace and where men and women are subiâ—ct to him in minde and manners whent hou art still an olde man in the strength of thy ignorance and naturall corruption for the Church is the doore of the kingdome of God and none are to be leâ— into the kingdome of God in this world so farre as men can iudge that shall haue no place in the kingdome of God in thâ— world to come for if the Apostle woulâ— haue knowne and grosse sinners to be 〈…〉 thrust out of the Church when they be in 1. Cor. 5. then he would haue them to be kept ouâ— that they come not in and in that Phi 〈…〉 did admit Sin on Magus it was because h 〈…〉 Acts. 8. did dissemble that which was not in him and pretended faith regeneration whe 〈…〉 he had it not but though he deceiued P 〈…〉 lip he could not deceiue Peter who perce 〈…〉 ued that he was an hipocrâ—â—e in the ga 〈…〉 of bitternesse we now receiue children 〈◊〉 baptisme and enter them into the Church because the parents beeing faithfull the 〈…〉 â—eede is holy in the account of the seruan 〈…〉 of God as the Apostle saith but we mu 〈…〉 1. Cor. 7. 14. see some testimonies of grace in themselue 〈…〉 before we receiue them to the other sacr 〈…〉 ment if any one will obiect â—udas he w 〈…〉 then no open offender and also it was th 〈…〉 the Scripture might be fulfilled And those that haue by baptisme beenâ— enticed into the Church must know th 〈…〉 if when they come to yeares of vnderstanding they doe not answer to that they professed in Baptisme to renounce the deuill and his workes and to beleeue and obey Gods word though they haue a place in the Church and be
accounted Christians among men yet they shall be shutte out of the kingdome of heauen with the Mat. 25. fiue foolish Virgins Therefore saith our Sauiour Christ Except a man bee borne of water and of the spirile except hee been cleansed from corruption and made partaker of the guiftes of sanctification he cannot enter into the kingdome of God But if a man be borne againe he shall enter our Sauiour Christ vseth the like speech in Math. 19. 9. He that putteth away his wife except it bee for fornication and marries another committeth adulâ—erie but if it be for fornication it is otherwise then so in this place he saith Except a man be borne againe hee cannot see the kingdome of God but if hee be borne againe he shall see it both heere and hereafter as Peter saith Blessed be God who hath begotten vs againe to 1. Pet. 1. inheritance immortall vndefiled rescrued in â—eauen for vs. It is not indeed our Sauiour Christes purpose to set foorth the excellencie of a regenerate and Christian estate that is shewed in other places of Scripture but his purpose is to shewe the necessitie of it and that without it a man cannot be saued That which is borne of the flesh is flesh Verse 6. Our Sauiour Christ confirmes his answere to Nichodemus as if hee should saye I would haue thee vnderstand I did not meane when I sayde a man must bee borne againe that a man should enter into his mothers wombe againe as thou diddest carnally take mee for if he could or should that would not profit him because it is carnall and all one with the first birthe for that which is borne of the flesh is flesh By flesh in the first place is meant the substance of flesh and in the second place the corruption of flesh as if hee should saye that which is borne of naturall parents bodilye is sinfull and corrupt If Adam had stoode in his first estate that which should haue beene borne of the flesh had not beene corrupt but holy but since Adam fell all that are naturallye borne of him are flesh that is to say corrupt both in body and soule and not onelye the inferiour partes of the soule as the thoughts and imaginations thereof which in Genâ—sis are sayde to bee euill Gen. 6. 5. continuallye but also the higher partes of the soule as the wisdome and conscience As Paul speaketh to the Romans Rom. 8. 〈◊〉 The wisedome of the flesh is emnitie against God and to Titus Their conscience is defiled Tit. 1. 15 And as the soule is corrupted so is the bodye and the partes thereof therefore Rom. 3 the Scripture speaketh of some men and saythe Their eyes are full of adulterie and the poyson of Aspes is vnder theyr lippes their handes are full of bloud their feete runne to euill Therefore the Ephe. 2. 5 Apostle sayth of all naturall men They are dead in trispasses Therefore when the Papists saye there is free-will in men by nature and some disposition to goodnesse they speake contrarye to our Sauiour Christ That which is borne of the fleshe is fleshe Let them shewe what parte of a man is vncontrouled in the Scripture and in what parte eyther of religion or conuersation wee are not directed from the highest point of â—aith to the lowest part of manners as how to eate and drinke and to apparell our selues Theâ—efore whatsoeuer the Papists doe ignorantly speake we must knowe as it is vnpossible for vs to doe any thing belonging to this life till we be borne so it is to doe any thing belonging to a better life till wee be borne againe for wee are not sufficient saith the Apostle of our selues to thinke a good thought but all our sufficiencie Phil. 2. 13 is of God who worketh in vs both the will and the deede that is by a spirituall and new birth for that which is borne of the flesh is flesh It is true that the corruption of our first birthe dooth not shewe it selfe in all alike but in some more then in other some are so incontinent that their owne wiues cannot serue them but are like fedde horses neighing after their neighbours wiues some are so intemperate that they become Iere. 5. 8. like Swine in drunkennesse and gormandize some are so furious as they care not who they reuile and rayle vppon some are so couetous that they will be guile and deceiue euerye one they deale withall other naturall men are more ciuill in shew but no better in deed some are in words as louing as Ionathan but in heart as spightfull as Absalon some are in words as honest as Susanna but in deede though secretly as vnchaste as Dalyla some haue new faces but olde hearts a newe cloake but an olde coate yea those that haue the best naturall guiftes as witte cloquence knowledge of humaine sciences and in some pointes doâ— seeme to shewe foorth speciall vertues as it is sayde of Socrates hee was so temperate that hee would neuer eate but when hee was hungrie and so pacient that hee was neuer seene to be angrie Scipio Affricanus is said to haue beene so pittyâ—ull that hee vsed his captiues as if they had beene his owne Souldyers There are also great things spoken of the Iustice of Aristides of the liberalitie of Mespania and of the chastitye of Lucretia But these or whatsoeuer such things haue beene found in Heathens they were nothing else but gilded sinnes because they proceeded from fleshe that is to say from pryde loue of praise and such like corruptions of nature and not from regeneration Mat. 6. 1. and the spirite of sanctification Therefore saith our Sauiour Christ That which is borne of the fleshe is fleshe as if hee should saye there is nothing but corruption in a naturall man neyther in his thoughts in his wordes nor in his workes if we could but see the heart and the corners and courses of a naturall mans life as it is indeede it would seeme more odious vnto vs then any thing that euer we sawe for all that is borne of the fleshe is fleshe and not onely all that is in a man when hee is borne is corrupt but all that afterwarde hee dooth thinke speake or doe according to his first birthe that is according to his naturall iudgement naturall affection and naturall conuersation Therefore the Apostle speaking of the estate of all naturall men saith There is none that Rom. 3. dooth good no not one For which cause wee are commanded in the Scripture to put off the corruptions of our nature Paul saith to the Ephesians Put of the olde man which is corrupte Ephe. 4. to purge them As the same Apostle saith to the Corinthians Purge the olde â—euin of 1. Cor. 5. maliciousnesse and wickednesse To denye them as our Sauiour Christ sayth Hee Mark 8. that will be my Disciple let him deny himselfe that is his owne corrupt iudgement and affection to
be Because he could not conceiue them by reason he thought they could not be but there bee many things done that wee cannot perceiue how they bee done An Adamant stone drawes Yron to it though we cannot perceiue how it dooth it a Diamond stone will write vppon Glasse though wee cannot perceiue how wee see the shadow of a Dyall is gone but we cannot perceiue how it is gone so a childe in a short time is growne but we cannot perceiue how it growes Now if our reason be confounded in so many earthly things how much more in this heauenly worke of regeneration Iesus answered Art thou a teacher in Israel Verse 10 and knowest not these things Seeing he lost his speech on him he fals to rebuking of him as if hee should say takest thou vpon thee to teach and guide other and art ignorant thy selfe and knowest not the principles that are as it were the A. B. C. to religion they had read the Scripture that said Circumcise the foreskin of your heartes turne to God repent c. but they vnderstood it not for if they had they should haue seene it all one with this that Christ saith Yee must be borne againe but Nichodemus knew not these things I doubt there be many men yea some ministers at this day which yet is more strange that can but onely reade the Scripture and repeate the letter but in the spirituall sence are as ignorant as Nichodemus to whome this reproofe doth no lesse but much more iustly belong Our Sauiour Christ hath vsed doctrine and confutation before and now he vseth reprehension but if the two former would haue serued he would haue spared the third so after men haue beene taught conuinced if they will not learne and practise they must be reprooued and so much the more earnestly as their faults are more vnworthy as Christ saith here to Nichodemus Art thou a teacher in Israel the choise people in the world and art ignorant of the chiefe point of religion As if it should be said to a maister art thou a iudge or iustice and dealest vniustly to a rich man art thou wealthy and liuest nigardly to a Christian professest thou trueth and speakest and dealest falsly and this is as necessary a part of the ministry as any other it as the purging part of a medicine that setteth all the rest of working for Nichodemus goeth away and is sharpned by this and by this makes vse of the rest for we heare no more of him till Iohn saith afterwarde hee was a Disciple of Christ indeede and though nowe hee came to Christ secretly yet afterward he professed Christ boldelye and ioyned with Ioseph of Aramathia to burie him honourablie Let Ministers learne by our Sauiour Christes example to vse all meanes doctrine confutation and reprehension euen to great men when neede require they perish else and learne by Nichodemus his example to make vse of these things though it bee long first by doctrine to reforme our ignorance by confutation to reforme our errors and by reprehension to reforme our sinnes and amend our liues Afterwarde the spirite of God in his good time did blowe vpon Nichodemus and by the grace thereof he was made capable of those things which he could not perceiue when hee was a naturall man Therefore let vs learne once more and once for euer that though the Minister vses neuer so great wisedome neuer so great zeale neuer so great faithfulnesse constancie and patience in teaching and admonishing of men yet without Gods blessing and grace all shall be in vaine vnto them and let vs knowe it is wante of grace that men continue ignorant after so much teaching it is wante of grace that men are frowarde and spurne against iust reprehension And to conclude let vs knowe that those onely who conforme themselues in iudgement affection and conuersation to the word of God are gratious men 〈◊〉 The little flocke of Christ. MARK 4. 3. Hearken beholde there went out a sower to sowe 4. And as he sowed some fell by the waye side and the fowles of the heauen came and deuoured it vp 5. And some fell on stonie ground where it had not much earth and by and by sprung vp because it had not depth of earth 6. But assoone as the sunne was vp it caught heate and because it had not roote it withered away 7. And some fell among thornes and the thornes grew vp and choaked it that it gaue no fruite 8. Some againe fell in good ground and did yeeld fruite some thirtie fould some sixtie fould and some an hundred fould 9. Then he said vnto them he that hath an eare to heare let him heare OVr Sauiour Christ being sent to preache glad tidings of mercie fauour and saluation to poore and penitent sinners many came to heare him and at this time the number of hearers being great he left the house where he was and went into a larger roome by the Sea Mat. 13. â— side and went it to a ship that was insteed of a Pulpit which beeing remooued a little from the land that he might be free from crowding and interruption he sate downe and taught the people This place of scripture I haue chosen as I promised in the beginning to shew howe small a number in comparison are pertakers of the misterie of godlinesse These wordes doe containe a Parable wherein our Sauiour Christ as is vsuall in Parables dooth by similitudes and familier examples borrowed from earthly things Prou. 1. set foorth heauenly things Salomon calles Parables darke sayings and so they are if they bee not expounded as this Parable were darke if the explanation that Christ makes of it afterwarde were not added This is called the Parable of the sower and containes certaine borrowed speaches taken from husbandrie and such things as concernes the body whereby is set foorth such things as concerne the soule When Christ had propounded this Parable the Disciples did aske him the meaning Verse 10 of it as wee may â—ee in verse 10. and in the 14. verse hee comes to expound it to them To the sower he compares the Minister 1. Cor. 3. 9. who is by Paul called Gods labourer to the seed he compares the worde in the 14. 1. Pet. 1. 23. verse which Peter calles immortall seede of our new birth to the ground he compares 1. Cor. 3. 9. the heartes of men which Paul calls Gods husbandrie and â—erem 4. 4. calles them fallowe ground that had neede bee plowed vp to the fruite he compares the duties of holinesse and righteousnes which Rom. 6. the word requires and workes in men The drift of the Parable is to shewe though many doe heare yet the worde takes no effect nor brings foorth no fruite in the most because of their vnfitnesse for it some giue the worde no entertainment at all but it goeth in at one eare and out at the other Some receiues it but so shallowly that
come it is wofull to thinke how many we shall see then of this kinde of ground Some doe continue till the gowte layes holde of them as King Asa some till the worlde layes holde of them as Demas and some doe continue till persecution layes holde of them as Francis Spera some men are like the Snaile that put out a long paire of hornes but if yee doe but touch them in they goe others will stand out some small matters but the threatning of death is the death of their religion but our Sauiour Christ saith to the Church of Smirna continue faithfull to the death and I will giue thee a crowne of life our Sauiour Christ hauing tould his Disciples of warres of enemies and dangers saith he that continues to the end shal be saued and bids them not feare him that killes the body Mat. 24. for the feare of a thing is many times worse then the thing it selfe for though persecutioÌ„ be threatned we know not what the intent of it is We reade of Domicianus the Emperor of Rome who made a proclamation that all those that would not worship an image should be banished wherevpon many of his subiects because they would keepe good consciences fled the rest yeelded became idolaters Then the Emperor called againe those that fled and placed them next vnto him and those that worshipped the image he banished from him saying they that wil not be faithfull to God will not be faithfull to me But if there should be a ful purpose of the maiestrate to shed the bloud of the Saints they cannot doe it except vntil God will suffer them for Christ saith A haire of your head shall not perish without your fathers prouidence he can change the kings hart it may bee we shall suffer but a few lewd words as they caled the christians in queene Maries daies holy knaues holy whores but remember the seruant is not better then his maister it may be a little imprisonment yet he can giue vs fauour in the eyes of the keeper of the prison as he did Ioseph he can open the prison dores and loose our fetters as he did Peter and if God giue liberty to the persecuters Acts. 10. yet they can but kill the body and if Gods will be we should die why should wee haue a will to liue if Philemon did owe to Paul not onelye that which hee had but himselfe how much more doe wee owe our selues to God as one saith If God had but giuen mee my life Iowe it him againe but seeing he hath giuen for mee the life of his sonne what am I to that gift in the 11. to the Heb. we reade of many Martirs that were diuersely persecuted and would not bee deliuered it is reported of a French Martir who beeing offered this fauour to bee spared of his chaines and fetters as hee went to execution aunswered no but the more contemptible his death was the more honourable Remember whatsoeuer we suffer for Christ he suffered more for vs shall a fire of stickes that lastes but an houre daunt a Christian man that so many women yea so many children haue indured cannot he that caused the fire that it should not touch the three children make it burne thee quicklve cannot hee that caused the Lions that they should not touch Daniel cause them to crush thee softely let vs remember that the honour of Martyrs hath alwayes bin great in the Church and their reward is great in heauen therefore saith wise Salomon buy the trueth but sell it not no Mat. 5. not for thy life and on contrarywise let vs consider what an vnwise thing it is to deny the trueth for the company of friendes to loose the familiarity of God and his Angels for hope of preferment to loose the inheritance of heauen for feare of paine to throw our selues into the torments of hell for regarde of the body to cast awaye the soule besides that it may be a man that so saues his life shall loose it within a weeke after by some disease or mischance yet if he should liue twenty yeares he shall finde his life worse then death for better is a happy death then an vnhappy life for the torment of conscience that will follow the denying of the trueth is worse then persecution as yee may see in Dauid who found the torment of his sinne of adultery from which there was no escape a heauier thing to beare then all the persecutions of Saule how much more heauy thinke we will be the occasion of the sinne of Apostacie as yee may see in Francis Spera who beeing a professor of religion for feare of persecution fell to imbrace Popery then he cryed out of himselfe that he was a reprobate and wished that he might be ten thousand yeares in hell fire so that at length hee might be deliuered Seeing it is so let vs pray to God to soften our hartes that the worde may take deepe roote in vs that as we know professe it so we may beleeue and bring forth fruite of it for those that doe not beleeue and practise it will not dye for it those that will doe nothing for it will suffer nothing for it and let vs pray to God that we may cleaue vnto it not for a time but alwayes for our reward shall not be a reward of dayes and yeares but for euer Also they that receiue the seede among thornes Verse 18. There is a third sort of ground that were fitter to beare fruit then the two former but that there are thornes bryers and weedes in it vnpulled vp that springes higher branches further and spreds wider then the Corne and choake the seede that it cannot beare fruite to this kinde of ground our Sauiour Christ compares those men that haue wit reason and capacity enough and might become good men and doe good duties but other things which hee callâ—â— thornes takes vp the roome in their harts that they cannot Our Sauiour Christ shews also what these thornes be that chaoke the word that is to say the cares of the world deceitfulnesse of ritches Luke addeth voluptuousnesse in a word hee meanes by thornes the corrupt lustes of mens nature that doe carry them so egerly after the profits pleasures of the world that they neglect the duties of godlines that are prescribed in the word By cares of the world oâ—â— Sauiour Christ doth not meane moderate care for that the word doth command and may stand well with religion Salomon reprooues carelesnesse and telles vs that the Pro. 6. little Emit that wantes reason dooth prouide in Summer for winter much more should a man that hath reason and most of all a man that hath religion as Paul saith He that prouides not for his house and familye 1. Tim. 5. hath denied the faith and is worse then an infidell But by cares of the worlde heere our Sauiour Christ meaneth immoderate and excessiue cares that the worlde
Spanish inquisition then came in the French massaker and other diabolicall practises so long as men liue ignorantlye eyther wickedlye or ciuillye without religion the diuell will not disquiet them because they are his peaceable subiectes but when they set their hartes to religion and shake of his subiection then he will vse all hostility against theÌ„ and wrastle with them And as the diuell doth wrastle with vs so saith the Apostle we do must wrastle with him For as we hould it not sure to haue peace with the Spaniardes because we cannot haue it without dangerous conditions so it is neuer sure to haue peace with the diuell for then we must needes haue warre with God The Church is called millitant in this world because it is alwayes fighting with Sathan sinne and spirituall enemies which doth distinguish it from the Church in heauen which is called ryumphant because it hath wonne the fielde and gotten the conquest of the enemies Now as it is with the whole millitant Church so it is with euery member therof for which cause our life is called a warfare therefore the Apostle saith We wrastle c. Not shewing what euery Christian must doe but what euery man doth if he be a Christian And among many other markes of Christianity there is none more certain nor sensible theÌ„ this to shew our selues enemies to the diuel by withstanding his assaults and temptations for although by nature we haue neither wiâ—l nor power so to doe yet by grace being furnished with the armour of God we haue both He calles these enemies principalities powers hee giues diuers of these titles to the good Angels in the first to the Collosians But they are good these are euill they are our friendes these are our enimies they fight for vs these fight against vs therefore this is the dâ—scription of the diuel that he hath spoken of before hee calles him a Prince of the world that is of the Ephe. 2. wicked world not of the Church for he is in the Church not as a gouernour and commander but as a tempter onely He is called the Prince of the darkenes of this world not of the light his dominion is by ignorance error sinne and wickednes he is an enemy to the light and seekes to put it out therefore hath taught Antichrist to perswade the people that ignorance is the mother of deuotion and that they should not haue the exercise of the scripture Therefore in the time of Popery when the people were nusled in ignorance what apparitions speeches and practises of Sathan were there that the light hath scatred therfore when God sent foorth Paul to preach the Gospell he tels him he shall turne the people from darkenesse to light and from the power of Sathan Acts. 26. to God Yea he saith not onely wee wrastle with a Prince but with Principalities shewing that many of these princes do band themselues against vs for although we commonly speake of the diuell in the singular number yet wee must vnderstand there be many diuils of the nature force that the Apostle speakes of here it is said a Mat. 5. legion possessed a man they al are not only enemies of the Church but of euery member of the church Now we know when one person is to encounter with many such enemies he had need to be well armed Powers They bee not onely princes but powers earthly princes are called powers not in respect of themselues for Rom. they are weake as other men but in respect of diuers helpes and assistanâ—es that they haue to commaund and take their part but the diuels are called powers in respect of the force and strength they haue in themselues by nature the deuils power may be perceiued by gathering togeather the Iob. â— windes and the fire and an host of men to destroy Iobs cattel his seruants children Mat. 8. sea with violence by causing those that he possessed in our Sauiour Christes time to breake the fetters and chaines wherewith they were tied maister Perkins writes of a man neare Genâ—ua blasphemed God so that all which hard him trembled who said if there be any diuell let him take me and carry me where I shal be for euer and presently he was taken into the aire and neuer seene more Some wheÌ„ they see such corporal examples say Lord how strong the diuil is thinking none are any way possessed of the diuell but those that be mad or straught but his chiefe power is exercised is to be coÌ„sidered spiritualy in drawing men to sin and thereby to distruction we may see it in tempting our first parents and preuailing against them who were perfect indowed with asmuch knowledge as the nature of man was capable of and wee may see it in tempting Caine and carrying him to kill his brother contrarye to nature and contrarye to his conscience wee may see it easily in tempting and carrying men to dyuers monstrous sinnes idolatry adultery drunkennesse and houlding them in them as with spirituall snares and bandes that no counsell doctrine nor sight of other mens harmes can drawe him from them he was strong before time but he is more strong now because he rages toward his ende for anger is the whetstone of strength spirituall and these bee no corporall enemies but spirits that cannot bee seene with bodily eves therefore are the more dangerous There bee dyuers Athistes at this day like the Saduces in our Sauiour Christes time that thinke there be no spirits because they cannot bee seene but shall we beleeue them or the Apostle there be many things that cannot be seene as the wind a voyce a sauour c. which yet are aâ— wee haue a corporall sight and sence of some things as we haue bodies so we haue a spirituall sight and sence of some other things as wee haue soules Some haue painted the diuell in a bodily shape with hornes tayle such like but it is fond seeing he is an inuisible spirit cannot be proportioned therefore the apparitions of Sathan that haue bin so much spoken of are not to be feared but his spirituall delusions and temptations must be taken heede of Now as he is a spirite so hee hath the properties of a spirite hee hath great knowledge for though he hath not so much knowledge as the good Angels seeing he hath lost by his fall that way aswell as man hath done yet hee hath much more knowledge then man hath naturally because he is a sole spirite besides that hee hath increased his knowledge by long experience practise he hath vnderstanding of all languages of the state of all countries of the condition and complexion of all persons he knowes to what sinnes men are most inclined to and by what meanes he hath preuailed against them and others that haue beene like them Some because the diuell hath more knowledge then men haue taken occasion to seeke to him to vnderstand of things
that are lost c. But these is one of the assaults of the diuell that we must wrastle against for the Scripture forbids vs to haue familiarity with the deuil the enemy of mankinde neither will this be any colour that they goe not to the diuell but to a witch seeing God forbiddeth that also Leui. 20. 6. And Leui. seeing though not themselues yet the witch hath familiarity with the deuill and they haue familiarity with him in his instrument and it is all one to take counsell from the deuill at the first hand and at the second hand there is a curse pronounced against them that seeke to witches Our Sauiour Christ rebuked Sathan when hee spake the trueth because we would not receiue it from him no more should we seeing whensoeuer he speakes either he lyes or speakes the trueth to deceiue I cannot better compare this seeking to the deuill by witches then to those that seeke mony at the handes of biting vsurers I say byting vsurers who haue no respect to the good of the borrower but to their owne aduantage to wrap the partie in bondes till they ouerthrow his estate for howsoeuer it seemes a benefit that serues their turne to know that they seeke at the handes of the deuill or witches which yet is not so commonly but in foolish conceit only yet it turnes to their great hurt and damage bringing their soules further into thraledome Saul went to the witch of Endor to 1. Sam. 18. call vp Samuell but it was not Samuell but a sinnelesse conceite it was the deuill in the likenesse of Samuell for they would not bury Samuell in a mantle that was his ordinary attyre but they did bury him doubtlesse in a lynen cloath as the manner was but this practise of Saul hastened 1. Cro. 10. 13. his distruction As the deuill hath great knowledge so hee hath great agility and nimblenesse to passe from place to place for though hee be not infinite but finite yet he compasses the whole earth as it is sade in Job and that in short time some Iob. 1. men haue beene saide to sayle about the worlde in three yeares the Sunne that is a bodily substance as wee see compasses the worlde in 24. houres how much more the deuill that is a spirite therefore wheresoeuer a man dwelles hee must looke to bee assaulted of this enemie hee tempted Adam in Paradise Iob in the land of Vz our Sauiour Christ in the wildernes the sea cannot hinder him stone walles cannot barre him as it may other enemies but hee hath a spirituall passage and spirituall accesse to euerye place and euerye person Wickednesses As the deuill is a spirite so he is a wicked spirite they were at the first created good as were the other Angelles but the Apostle saieth they kept not their first estate but fell and became Iude. diuelles therefore as in the Scripture the other Angels that stoode are called elect and holy Angels so they that fell are called euill and wicked spirytes the diuell is called an vncleane spirite he is called a lier and a murderer Iohn 8. And as he is a wicked spirit so he temptes men and women to wickednesse he tempted Adam and Eue to pride and rebellion Gne 3. he tempted Iob to blasphemy for though he afflicted him in his goodes and bodie yet his purpose was to draw him to blasphemy Iob. 1. as appeares by his wordes to the Lord dooth Iob feare thee for naught but touch him and hee will curse thee to thy face he tempted Ahabs falce Prophets King 22. to lying he tempted our Sauiour Christ to Mat. 4. distrust and presumption he tempted Ananias and Saphira to hipocrise and dissembling Acts. 5. he tempted Iudas to couetousnesse Mat. 26. and theft So he temptes all men to one sin or other and some time to one sinne and somtime to another He will tempt men to continue in ignorance and not to heare sermons nor reade good bookes if he preuaile not that way he will tempt them with error that they should belieue lyes insteed of the truth if he cānot preuaile that way he wil tempt thē to holde the truth in hipocrisie if he cānot corrupt their religion he will seeke to corrupt their conuersation make them leaprous christians he wil tempt men to iniustice as he did Achab to vnmercifulnesse as he did Diues to vncleanenesse as he did Herode to intemperance as hee did the prodigall childe if hee cannot preuaile to drawe men neither from religion nor good conuersation he will tempt them to be proud of their knowledge and proud of their vertues that will mare all the good things that are in them as he did the Pharises The diuell hath diuers nets to take men withall he hath ease wherewith hee hath intrapped Dauid he hath pleasure wherewith he caught Salomon he hath the beauty of women wherewith hee vanquished the two iudges spoken of in Susanna hee hath profit whereby he inthralled Iudas hee hath euill company by which hee indangered Iehosaphat hee hath euill examples wherewith hee corrupted the Isralites they would haue a king like other nations He doth endeuor and that by all meanes to draw all men to wickednesse Alexander was not so vnsatiable to conquer the world corporally as he is to conquer the worlde spiritually Alexander fought to conquer but one age but the diuell all ages If he were an aduersary that had any goodnesse in him we might expect some gentle handling by yeelding to him but he is a wicked aduersary such a one that delightes in bloud therefore in the Scripture hee is called a Lyon and a Dragon full of cruelty those that he ouercomes hee will tyrannize ouer them and bring them to greater miserye then can bee imagined for this cause take the whole Verse 13. armour of God c. as if he should saye seeing we haue a battell to fight and not with one enemy but with many not with bodily enemies but spirituall not with weake enemies but strong not with simple enemies but subtill not with honest gentle enemies but wicked and cruell and seeing euery Christian euen the weakest woman must passe these perils and pikes of the diuelles temptations arme your selues thorowly the Apostle hauing told vs of the danger shewes vs the remedy hee hath exhorted to the same thing in verse 11. before and now hee repeates it againe giuing vs to vnderstand there is necessity in vsing this remedy and that there is no remedy but this Wise men will be prouided against all enemies especially against domesticall and dangerous enemies that euery houre waite their opportunitie to hurt them and if men be so carefull to take heede of corporall enemies that can but kil the body how careful should we be to take heede of these enemies that seeke to destroy the soule auoide them we cānot but prepare our selues to withstand them we may or else the Apostle
woman who when newes was brought her that her sonne was slaine in the warres answered I know saith she that I conceiued a mortall man I once saw this posie written on the Tombe of a dead man to be read of them that liue as I was so be yee and as I am yee shal be But though reason and experience doth teach vs that all must dye euery one can say when he heares a knel there is one dead when he sees a graue here lyes such a one wee see what we are we haue but a time here yet some do make no good vse of it When Alexander bad a Philosopher aske a reward of him for some seruice or pleasure he had done for him the Philosopher said giue me immortality Immortality said Alexander how should a maÌ„ that is mortall giue immortality Mortall said the Philosopher why then art thou so greedy of kingdomes and liuest as if thou shouldest neuer dye therefore God would haue it set downe in the Scripture that it might be a matter of faith aswell as of reason that all must dye both wise men as Salomon and foolish men as Nabal both â—tch men as Iob poore men as Lazarus Marshall men as Joab and peaceable men as the inhabitantes of Laish both ould men as Methuselah and young men as Iosias both tall men as Saul and little men as Zacheus both strong men as Sampson and beaufull men as Absalon and not men onelye but women also as Dorcas and not men and women onely but children also as the Shunamites sonne c. It is not wit wealth strength friendes authority nor any thing that can alwayes preserue a man froÌ„ death who knockes as indifferently at one mans gate as another He that had come to the tombe of Alexander might haue said this great Monarch of the worlde hath mette with his ouer-match Nowe as both reason and religion teacheth that death is certaine so that the time place and manner of dying is vncertaine there is no man knowes the time of his death for although for speciall purpose God dooth reueale it to some as the deuill beeing the executioner of some of Gods iudgements who the Witch raysed vp in the likenesse of Samuel toulde Saul that to morrowe hee should be with him And it is sayde Julius Caesar was warned of the first daye of Marche yet these were extraordinarie and diabolicall things notwithstanding this is ordinarily true in all men that Iacob Gen. 49. saith of himselfe I am olde and knowe not the day of my death Phisitions in the extremitie of some disease can giue a great gesse of others and some that haue beene at the departure of many when they see the countenance waxe pale the lippes waxe blacke the pulse waxe weake or gone the handes and feete waxe colde can giue a neere coniecture that death is not farre of Yet sometimes these gesses doe deceiue them for God brings downe to the graue and raises vp againe Therefore no man knowes the daye of his death till the day come nor the houre of his death till the houre come but when it doth come then it dooth as an enemie indeede assaile the castle of the body and ransack euery corner with terror and driue the vitall partes from one place to another til at the length it doth chase away the soule As the time of death is vncertaine so is the place some dye by sea and some by land Saul dyed in the field Eglon dyed in his Parlour Ishbosheth dyed on his bed Senacherib dyed in the Temple of his God Ioab at the very Aulter the Infants of Bethelem dyed in the cradle And as the time and place is vncertaine so is the manner some dye in peace and some dye in warre as Ionathan some dye by Beares as the children that mocked the Prophet Elisha some dye by Lyons as the young Prophet that disobeyed the worde of the Lorde some dye by the stinging of Serpentes as many of the Isralites some by Dogges as Iesabell some dye by Wormes as Herod some dye by surfetting as those that dyed with the Quailes betweene their teeth some die by famine as at the siege of Ierusalem some dye by violent winds as the children of Iob some by fire as the captaines their fifties some by the water as Pharaoh and his hoast some by swallowing of the earth as Corah Dathan and Abyram some dye by the Angel of God as the first borne in Egipt some die by the handes of euill men as Stephen who was persecuted for righteousnesse and some by the hands of good men as Shemai who hauing rayled vpon Dauid was executed by Salomon some dye by their owne handes as Ahitophel some die by the hand of God immediately and extraordinarily as Ananias and Saphira some dye by the hand of God mediately and by ordinary diseases some dye suddenly as Ezechiel saith When the people were gathered in a great assembly Pelatia the sonne of Benaza dyed and as those that dye of pestilent Feauours Quinsies Plurisies c. some dye of lingring sickenesses as Paulsies Dropsies Consumptions some dye of excessiue affections passions of the minde some of sorrow as the Apostle saith Worldly sorrow causeth death some dye of feare as Eli when tydings came that the Arke was taken hee fell downe and brake his necke some dye of greife as it is saide Hâ—meâ— did because hee could not answere a riddle that certaine fisher men propounded vnto him some dye with ioy as it is reported of Sophacles because in a prize of learning he got the victory of his enemies some dye by little things as it is saide that a little gnat choked a Pope of Roome Auacreon had his breath stopt with a Raysenstone Lucia dyed with a Needle which her sucking childe smote into her brest Although there bee but one way to bee borne yet there bee moe wayes to dye Now as God hath taught vs that mans dayes are numbred he must dye so he hath taught vs mans dayes are but a small number he must dye shortely Iob saith Man that is borne of a woman hath but a short time to liue Paul coÌ„pares mans life to a tabernade 2. Cor. 5. or shed of bowes that stands but a short time the Prophet Esay compares mans life Esa 1. 40 to grasse that standes but a Summer and in the same chapter he compares it to a flower that hath but his moneth In the fift verse of this Psalme it is compared to a sheepe that hath but his night Iob compares it to a shadow that hath but his houre in the 9. verse of this Psalme Moses compares it to a thought whereof there may bee no lesse then a hundred in an houre yea so fraile iâ— mans life that it may abide any extenuation in the worlde We may be compared to certaine small flyes which are bred by the Riuer Hispanis that in the morning are bred at noone are in their full
because she goes to him that hath her heart It is a worthy saying of Iacob that I haue thought of many a time when he was sick and in the midest of his speech with Ioseph and his other sonnes Lord saith he I haue waighted for thy saluation therefore let no man so desire this life but let him be content to change it for a better for it is an absurd thing that naturall inclination should ouerrule the force of Christian hope There is a third sort of men as I said before who know they must dye will peraduenture bee content to yeelde to death when it comes but they will not labor for wisedome while they liue therefore it were well they would often take vp this petitioÌ„ of Moses Teach vs to nuÌ„ber our daies that we may apply our harts to wisedome But what wisedome doth Moses meane If he had bin a PhisitioÌ„ we might haue thought he had ment naturall wisedome to prouide Methredates and preseruations for this life if hee had beene a Philosopher we might haue thought by wisedome he had ment humane wisedome to know the nature of things in the firmament in the earth and in the sea to obserue things past and to gesse at all things to come but Moses was learned in all the wisedome of the Egiptians therefore he prayes not for that wiseodme which he had but for that which he and the people wanted if he had beene a Politision as Matcheuill calles him wee might haue thought hee ment here worldely wisedome to heape vp honours ritches and prefermentes for himselfe and his posterity but his practise was against this wisedome for he refused to be called the sonne of Pharaoes daughter and the pleasures and treasures of Egipt and Heb. 11. his drift in this place shewes that hee meanes not this wisedome for what similitude had there beene betweene this petition that God would teach them to number their dayes that is to knowe the breuitye and vncertainetye of their life and his reason That we may apply our heartes to wisedome if hee had ment this wisedome to heape vp ritches and honours which wee must shortlye leaue behinde vs therefore wee must knowe Moses beeing a deuine hee prayes for spirituall Godly and heauenlye and true wisedome that is the knowledge and practise of the worde of God which is able to make a man wise vnto saluation this is the wisedome that Salomon 1. King 3 the wisest man in the worlde prayed for before ritches long life or the life of his enemies and which hee saythe in the Prouerbes is better then Golde Pro. 3. and Pearles to shewe that it will recompence all the cost that can bee bestowed vpon it This is the wisedome that the Queene of Sheba tooke such a long iourney for to shewe that it will recompence all the 1. Kin. 10 labour that can bee bestowed for it and this is it that shall iustiye procure the title of wise men as Moses saieth of those that heare and obay the worde in Deutronâ—mie Deâ— it shall bee sayde of them they onelye are a wise people and in respect of this wisedome our Sauiour Christ calleth the true professors of the Church wise virgins Mat. 25. Wherefore Moses saith Teach vs so to number our dayes that we may apply our harts to wisedome For that which is rotten and tottering had neede leane to a stable thing we haue seene how fraile the body is therfore we had neede of wisedome whereby we may repaire the soule wee haue seene this life is short and vncertaine therefore we had neede of wisedome that we may seeke for a better life that is euerlasting seeing wee shall leaue all outward things behinde vs we haue neede of wisedome that wee may haue some thing to carrye with vs. Wisedome is a generall word and comprehendes all that a man is to beleeue to doe to suffer before death that may make him happy in the next life Paul that speaks of the shortnesse of mans life and compares it to a tabernacle or a shed of bowes He 1. Cor. 5. willes maiestrates to gouerne their subiects equally and he willes subiectes to obay their gouerners dutifully he willes ministers Rom. 13. to attend vnto reading and to preach 2. Tim. 4. in season and out of season he willes the gouerners of the Church to rule with diligence Rom. 12. and to redresse the things that remaine he willes the Christians to come Titus 1. together euery first day of the weeke not only to here the word pray and receiue the sacramentes but to distribute to the poore Ephe. 6. he willes husband to loue their wiues and wiues to obay their husbands he willes children to honour and obay their parents and parentes to instruct their children hee willes seruantes to obay and shew all good faithfulnesse to their maisters and maisters Titus 2. to do that which is right to their seruantes for saith he we must all die and we must all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ and receiue according to that wee 2. Cor. 5. haue done in this body now he that would lye soft must make his bed thereafter therefore when Moses saith Teach vs so to number our dayes that we may apply our harts to wisedome he meanes that we may walke not as fooles but as wise redeeming the time as Paul saith that we may get knowledge Ephe. 5. faith repentance and grow in euery grace and vertue belonging to our renouation here and saluation hereafter and that while it is called to day according to the counsell of Salomon Remember thy maker Eccle. 1â— in the dayes of thy youth before the keepers of the house tremble that is the hands before the strong men shall bow that is the legges before they waxe darke that looke out at the windowes that is the eyes before the daughters of musicke shall be abased that is the eares before the Grashoppers or crooked shoulders shall bee a burden and before the wheele shall be broken at the cesterne that is the heart and before dust returne to the earth whence it came for that which foolish men desire to doe in the end wisemen labour to doe in the beginning as one saith wisely When I was young I studied how to liue and now I am old I study how to dye The Apostle saith It is appointed to all men once to dye now that which is once and but once to be done is to be carefully done for to dye well saieth maister Perkins is an arte that must be learned as long as wee liue therefore he that would dye well must be carefull to liue well he that must be at an houres warning will haue all things ready his cloake his bootes his spurs and all wee may be called for within this houre where is our cloake our bootes that is our vertues and readines for our iourney to be gone he that would be perfectly wise
in the life to come must labour to be partly and truely wise in this worlde therefore Moses saith heare Teach vs so to number our dayes that wee may aâ—ply our heartes to wisedome And marke that hee saith Apply our harts to wisedome Not our eares to heare of it onely nor our tongues to speake of it onelye but our heartes to thinke of it and he meanes not a few wandering thoughtes of wisedome but a serious and conscionable bending of our iudgement and affection to those things that wisedome requires that we may looke both neere enough what we are now and farre enough what we shall bee afterwarde and thinke of it soone enough and thinke of it long enough It is not enough to heare a funerall sermon to speake of death but to thinke of it nor to heare of heauen speake of better life but thinke of it what it is to haue it and what it is to want it Marke he makes to consideratioÌ„ of death a reason to apply our heartes to wisedome we are so vnapt to goodnesse that wee had neede of reasons to perswade vs to euery good thing and wee are so apt to foolish things that we had neede haue some reasons to perswade vs to wisedome now there is no reason of more force then this that our life is shorte and vncertaine and wee cannot tell whether wee haue a weeke a daye or an houre to learne this long lesson There is nothing can teach a man better how to liue then to thinke euery daye to dye the wise man saith If thou wouldest remembeâ— thy end thou shouldest not sin Ezechias when the message of death came to him how profitable were his meditations Iacob Iosua and Dauid how carefull Esai 38. were they to instruct their families and to doe such things as were to be done when they did see and say we goe the way of all the world therefore saith Salomon It is better to go into the house of mourning then into Eccle. 7. the house of banqueting For he that is wise will lay it to his hart Philip king of Macedon appointed his chamberlaine euerye morning to cry vnto him Phillip remember thou art mortall and must dye and it is saide to this day Presbiter Iohn hath serued to his table a deathes head in a platter to put him in minde of his mortallity and many men it seemes to the same end doth weare a deathes head in a ring on their finger nay euery one dooth weare death it selfe in his finger for euery ache and euery paine doth put a man in minde though he be now well he shall be sick though he now walke strongly he shall lye weake though he now liue he shall die Therefore saith Moses Teach vs so to number our dayes that we may apply our harts to wisedome for forgetfulnesse of death is the cause that we apply our hearts to follye as the fiue foolish Virgins who thought not of preparing themselues till the Bridegrome Mat. 25. came As many put of repentance till the last and are busiâ—d about any thing saue that is most necessarie Moses knew that both wise and foolish dye but diuerslie Wise men dye and doe after death receiue the rewarde of their wisedome fooles dye and receiue the fruite of their follie Therefore let vs apply our hearts to wisedome that whether Christ send for vs by his Angels wee may bee receiued into Abrahams bosome or if we tarry till he come himselfe we may be receiued into the wedding chamber The reward of Religion and Godlinesse and punishment of irreligious wickednesse LVKE 16. 19. There was a certaine ritche man which was clothed in Purple and sine linnen and fared well and delicately euery day 20. Also there was a certaine begger named Lazarus which was laide at his gate full of sores 21. And desired to be refreshed with the crummes that sell from the ritche mans table and the dogges came and licked his sores 22. And it was so that the begger dyed and was carryed by the Angels into Abrahams bosome the ritch man also dyed and was buried 23. And being in hell in torments c. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30 THis text stands of two parts the first is a Historie the second is a Parable the Historie continues vnto the 23 verse Wherein our Sauiour Christ setteth forth an example of a ritch man whom he describes by his apparell by his diet by his death buriall of a poore man whom he describes by his name by his infirmities other circumstances The Parable continues from the 23. verse to the end of the Chapter wherein our Sauiour Christ by parabolicall speeches for our capacitie sets forth such things as else we could not conceiue For where it is said the ritch man being in hell should lift vp his eyes and see Abraham and Lazarus and should speake to him with his tongue and Abraham should heare him and answere him againe These things must be vnderstood after the maner of Parables for the ritch mans body was not in hell but in the graue it is said hee was buryed onely his soule was in hell therefore hee had not the vse or gouernement of his eyes to see of his eares to heare nor of his tongue to speake neither were the bodyes of Abraham and Lazarus in heauen that they should heare the ritch man or speake vnto him therefore the rehearsall of corporall sight hearing and saying is after the manner of Parables for our capacitie and instruction that we might know how the estate of the good and bad shall differ in the next life from that it is in this life how they that haue heere serued God reuerenced his worde loued their brethren fathfully done their duties and paciently borne their crosses shall in the next life be comforted and rewarded and those that haue here dishonoured God contemned his word neglected their brethren and not done nor suffred such things as God would haue them shall in the next life bee perpetually punished and in vaine shall desire the least mitigation of their miserie The drift of our Sauiour Christ in this example is to discourage the Pharises from their wickednesse or else in this ritch man to behold their doome to incourage his disciples in vertue and goodnesse and so in this poore man to beholde their reward The ritch man is set in the first place because in this life he had the preferment and he is purposely described to haue the world at will for the backe and the belly he had asmuch as hart could wish for the backe hee was cloathed with Purple a colour both costly and goodly for the sight and fine linnen softe and easie next the skinne for feeling for the belly hee fared deliciouslie that is hee had many pleasant and daintie dishes of meate and that not once or twice a weeke but euery day hee had also diuers other things answerable and suteable to these as a
stately house for it is said Lazarus lay at his gate or gate house and might not haue accesse to his inner building he had also diuers seruants to waite vpon him for it is saide no man gaue releefe to Lazarus neyther the maister nor any of his men likewise he had a kennell of Houndes for Hunting or Spanniels for Hawking for it is sayde the Dogges came and licked Lazarus sores but our Sauiour Christ specially noteth his apparell and dyet to shewe his vnmercifulnesse that hauing aboundance of the things that Lazarus wanted beeing hungrye and colde hee would not releeue him The meaning of the Holy-ghost is not to condemne the vse of costly apparell and pleasant meate as some peraduenture may thinke for if we could haue heard it sayde of this ritch man as it is sayde of ritch Iob That he sed the hungrie and clothed the naked wee should haue had no cause to mislike his aboundance for apparrell and that of all colours is ordained of God not onely for our nakednesse but also for our comlinesse meate and drinke of all kindes is ordained of God not onely for our emptinesse but also for our daintinesse not onely for necessitie but also for solemnitie although this man hauing no grace no doubt did abuse his aboundance to surfetting and gluttony therefore hee is commonly called the ritch glutton which sinne is much spoken against in other places of Scripture and must bee auoyded of vs as that which will bring vs not onely to other sinnes but to condemnation as the Apostle saith and therefore one saith No maruell Phil. 3. though of all other creatures the diuell did take such delight in the Hogs because they are so like his cormorants But our Sauiour Christ condemnes his vnmercifulnes that though hee had plenty of meanes yet he had no minde to doe Lazarus good This man was a carnall man that did onely feede his body and cared not for the foode of the soule he regarded not Moses and the Prophets he studied to clothe the â—ody and cared not for the apparell of the soule he wanted loue and liberalitie hee had his portion in this life but none in the life to come for he went to hell Some thinke because they fare not deliliciouslie nor go apparrelled gorgiously as this man did they are without the compasse of this condemnation but it is not the hauing of these things but the want of grace to vse them well that condemned him therefore though they haue not that he had yet if they wante that he had not they may go to hell Some thinke there be no bad men but murderers adulterers dâ—uÌ„kards blasphemers and such like but the Scripture saith that worldly and couetous 1. Cor. 6. men be wicked men and shall perish also Some thinke if they cannot be charged with getting their goods ill there can be no plea against them for the vse of them but the Scripture condemnes not onely oppressors and deceiuers but also vncharitable niggards and not onely those that bee vniust but those that be vnmercifull shall beare their iudgement how much more those that bee both vniust and vnmercifull Some saye they may doe what they liste with their owne but first consider the things wee haue are not our owne The earth is the Lords saith Dauid and all that is therein hee is the owner of them in fee simple wee haue but a lease from him for life or for tearme of yeares and with Prouiso that we make no strip nor wast that we performe the Lords seruice appeare in his courts or assemblies that we pay him his rent that is tribute to Caesar maintenance to the Minister and reliefe to the poore and those that doe not the Lorde may daylye and will reasonablie saye to euery man as it was sayde to the vniust Stewarde Giue account of thy Stewardship for thou mayest bee no longer Steward There was a certaine begger There hath alwayes beene are and shal be diuersities of estates and degrees in the world some rich and some poore and many times it falles out though not alwaies that wicked men haue a greater portion of outward things then godly men that Salomons wordes Eccle. 9. might bee confirmed No man knowes by these things whether he be loued or hated that is No man can saye because I am ritche therefore I am loued of God for Diues was ritche and yet hated not because hee was ritche but because he was naught and no man can say I am poore therfore I am hated for Lazarus was poore and yet loued not because he was poore but because hee was good How Lazarus became poore it is not set downe there be many meanes of impouerishment sometime men become poore by the oppression of the ritch that by force take from them that is theirs as Ahab tooke away Nabothâ—s vineyarde somtime 1. Kin. 21 by ritch mens defrauding and deminishing of their wages sometime by fire water Iam. 5. 3. theeues which we call mischances or casualties though it come not to passe without the prouidence of God as we see in the example of Iob. Iob. 1. But it is most probable that Lazarus became poore by sicknesse or other infirmities of the body spending that he had vpon Phisitions and Surgions or vpon himselfe in the want of ability to labour And being poore he begged for though it be saide in the law there shal be no begger in Israell yet the meaning is not that the poore being in extremity may not beg but that the ritch and men of authority should vse such contribution and care of them that they neede not begge which was neglected now especially towardes Lazarus that hee was faine to begge for though Dauid saith I haue beene young and nâ—w am ould yet did I neuer sâ—e the righteous forsaken nor his seede begge their bread yet wee must vnderstand it not as a thing that neuer falles out but that hee neuer sawe when the Church in his time was well ordred and the commaundement of God regarded but afterwarde the state of the Church and common wealth of Israell grewe out of order and then two blinde men stoode by the waye side begging then a cripple laye at the beautyfull gate of the Temple to aske almes of Peter and Acts. 3. Iohn then Lazarus laye at the ritch mans gate and desired crummes but this was the fault of the gouerners to suffer this and not of Lazarus to doe this now as the lawe of God saieth There shall bee no begger in Israell So the law of the prince sayth there shall be no begger in England 2. Cor. 16 and as the Scripture appointes this meanes of releeuing the poore that euerye first daye of the weeke that is euerye Saboth when the people came togeather they should laye somewhat a part as God had blessed them in the iudgement of their owne consciences And the same should bee distributed in simplicitye by the Deacons So the lawe of
16 fullnesse of ioye for there is nothing to abate our ioye as it is heere seeing the first things are past neyther shall there want any thing that may further our ioye there wee shall beholde more goodlye things then euer wee sawe not onelye the perfect beautye and excellencye of the Saints but the shyning glory and maiesty of God Wee shall heare more pleasant things then euer wee heard As the singing of prayse honour and glorye to God for his wisedome power trueth mercye and goodnesse shewed to the elect and for his wisedome power and iustice to the reprobate with such matter in such order and with such varyetie of voyces great and small of Angelles men women and children flowing from the perfection of that estate as to the which no harmonye in the worlde can bee compared and there are not onelye such comfortable things as the bodye is capable of but also those that shall fullye satisfie and delight the soule largenesse of vnderstanding plentifull remembrance notable and perfect holynesse and righteousnesse Neyther shall there bee any abatement of our comforte by feare of change for these shall bee euerlasting and vnchangeable One saith If a man did know him that should enioye this kingdome hee would kisse the grounde whereon hee treades and salute him with Happye man that thou arte who shalt enioye the presence of God the company of Angelles the fellowshippe of Saints and possesse infinite and euerlasting honour treasure and pleasure happye was the daye wherein thou wert borne and more happye shall bee the daye wherein thou shalt dye for then thou shalt be happy infinitely this is the estate that Lazarus was lifted vp vnto If hee had changed his former poore and base estate to bee like to the ritch man in his pompe and brauerie it had beene a great thing but when he is preferred imcomporably to this high estate of excellencie it passes all speech This is the glory that Paul saith Rom. 8. all the afflictions of this life are not worthy of Therefore our Sauiour Christ saith Blessed are yee when men reuile you persecute Mat. 5. you and falsely say all manner of euill against you for my sake reioyce and be glad for great is your rewarde in heauen which Moses saw by faith and therefore as the Apostle saith Heb. 11. refused to be called the sonne of Pharoes daughter and chose rather to suffer aduersitie with the people of God then to enioye the pleasures of sinne for a season esteeming the rebukes of Christ greater ritches then the treasures of Aegipt for hee had respect to the recompence of rewarde The ritch man also dyed Where we see the saying of the Prophet verified All flesh is grasse and the glorie thereof as the floure Esai 40. of the fielde Not some but all flesh not the flesh of the poore onelye but of the such also Dauid in the person of the Lorde speakes of great men saying I haue saide Psalm 82 yee are Gods but yee shall dye like men and fall like one of the Princes meaning that are gone the difference betweene men serues but for this life as in a cast of counters one hath the place of one thousand pound another of a halfe penny but shuffle them togeather and there is no difference and all of them are not worth a groate Nabuchadonazer Iulius Caesar Phillip of Spaine and all the great men that haue liued formerly in the worlde are dead And the Scripture saith There is not a man liuing that shall not see death this man in his life was like to a man that playes on a stage for an houre in kingly robes but when his part is played hee is turned into his Canuas dublet Now what did all his possessions auaile him when a little peece of ground of fiue foote must containe him what did his stately house profit him when a smale and base coffin of boordes must hould him what did his braue apparrell helpe him when a Linnen sheete must windo him what did the pampering of his bodye pleasure him when the Wormes must eate him and what did his delicate fare and sweete meate bring him but sharpe and sowre sawce weâ—l all his wealth could not buie of death for it is said he dyed Hee was buryed There is no mention made of the buriall of Lazarus it may be he was not buryed at all because hee was poore and loathsome but it is no matter to him for wheresoeuer the bodies of godly men are bestowed they shall bee found out at the resurrection and glorified in heauen But this man because he was ritch was buried and it is like in stately maner as the fashion is now with a Harrald of Armes mourning gownes and a painted Tombe but it is no matter for wheresoeuer the bodies of wicked men are bestowed they shall be called for againe at the last iudgement and be burned in hell But here is no mencion made of any thing hee gaue to the poore at his death neither some ritche men who will giue nothing while they liue yet when they dye will giue some small matter although the poore are beholding to death for that and not to them therefore it might bee wished that such ritche men would dye quickly that there might bee some good done at their death for they do hurt while they liue Yee see the last of him he is buried so many men flante it out in their brauerie and in their iniquitie but the next newes wee here of them they are in their graue But what became of his soule as Lazarus was carryed by the Angels into Abrahams bosome so he was carryed by the deuils into hell for it is sayd he was in hell in torments Wee see many dye and because wee here no more tidings of them wee doe not regarde it but the Scripture and this example telles vs what becomes of them namely that good men are in heauen and bad men are in hell Many men at their death do bequeath their land to such a one their goods to such a one and know not what shall become of themselues but afterwarde they knowe what is become of themselues but know not what is become of any thing else There bee manie like this man that neuer thinke seriouslie of hell till they come there some will say scoffinglie and desperately they will caste fire-brandes there but they shall bee tormented as this man was and crye out for paine and griefe with weeping and gnashing of teeth As his ritches could not buye of death so it could not buie of hell For riâ—ches auailes not in the day of vengeance saith Dauid for though the Prophet saith there bee some wicked men haue made a couenant with death a league with damnation yet he meanes not as if they could doe so indeed but in their owne imagination for it is saide this man was in hell in torments which is the place of all wicked men for saith one If
1. Thes 1. women especially of married women shews wherin their chiefe decking shold not be and then wherein it should bee it must not be outward for that is the manner of the Gentiles but inward which is the manner of Christians Dauid saith The Psalm 45 Church is all glorious within It may be these women thought to winne their husbandes beeing Gentiles by apparrelling themselues like the Gentiles but the Apostle telles them there bee other ornamentes fitter for that purpose as weakenesse of minde reuerend wordes and dutyfull workes that is the onely attire of true Christians He sets downe one particuler of outward attire wherein their apparrelling must not be that is broidred haire which was the fashion of the Gentiles to let their haire which was giuen them for a couering haÌ„g downe plated or broidred like a horse taile and those that were ritch did spangle it with golde also now this was so vnseemly a thing for Christians that the Apostles banished it out of all Churches as appeares in the former Epistle to the Corinthians Now 1. Cor. 11 vnder this one kinde the Apostle comprehendes all Heathenish immodesty corrupt and curious fashions in attire when he saith whose apparrelling let it not be outward but he would haue it inward and he names also one part of the inward attire or new man wherein their apparrelling must bee that is meekenesse and quietnesse of spirite and vnder that he comprehendes all the rest for there be dyuers other inwarde ornamentes besides this in the fift chapter of this Epistle he saith Decke your selues inwardly with lowlinesse of minde whereby it seemes some were proude of their outward apparrell although there be no more cause for men or womeÌ„ to be proude of their apparrell that is appointed to couer our nakednesse then for a theefe to be proude of the brand in his hand that is couered with fine gloues Paul also speaking 1. Tim. 2. of the attire of Christian women names shamefastnesse modestye and good workes and indeede euerye vertue of regeneration is a necessary ornament for Christians but because there bee some vertues more suteable to men and some more sutable to women hee speaking to women saith Whose apparrelling let it not bee outward but let the hid man of the heart bee vncorrupt with a meeke and quiet spirite For that which settes out the body onely must not bee the attyre that Christian women doe affect but that which sets forth â—he goodnesse of the minde now these outwarde ornamentes set not foorth the â—ertue of the minde but the vanity of â—he minde and if these outwarde things â—ee not the chiefe attyre for Christian â—ues then not for Christian widdowes â—nd maides Turtulian seeing the women of his time too curyous in their attire which is most incident to that sexe saâ—thâ— Come foorth you women hauing your â—eartes filled with secresie and your eyes â—dorned with bashfulnesse take to your â—ares the worde of God and tippe your â—ongues with silence put about your â—eckes the yoake of Christ haue someâ—hat to doe in your handes and fasten your â—eete at home which is a fine suite but alâ—hough there be many vertues of the mind â—â— for women to put on yet the Apostle â—oth chiefly commend meekenesse which â—more comly then golde in a wife as wayâ—ardnes brawling in a woman is a most â—comely thing in a house Meekenesse is a grace of the spirite of God and vertue of regeneration wherby a â— man or woman is made so staide and moderate in their affections as they can indure contrary wordes and workes and quietly passe by vnkindlinesses iniuries the contrary whereto is wrath waywardnesse brauling and reuenge this meekenesse our Sauiour Christ willes all Christians to learne of him One saith If yee did Mat. 18. not learne of humble men learne of humble God The Apostle Iâ—mes would haue Iam. 1. men shewe this meekenesse in receiuing the word that is the commaundementes admonitions reprehentions of the word of God So the Apostle Peter would haue Christian wiues shew it in receiuing the commaundementes and admonitions of their husbands who were Infidels and therefore would often peraduenture crosse them and offer occasions to mooue them Now those that haue meeke mindes may liue with any man and those that haue not wil liue quietly with no man therfore saith Peter Let the hid man of the heart bee decked with a meeke and quiet spirite and then yee shall be the trimmest women in the country but if you want this you want your chiefe ornament though yee haue neuer so many iewelles and aglets about you But in that the Apostle doth call them from the desire and indeuour of these outward ornamentes to the regard of inward vertues it shewes what we are most adicted vnto namely to neglect our precious soules and to prouide for our rotten bodies gentlewomeÌ„ ofteÌ„ looke in a glasse of steele to see if all be well without but seldome looke in the glasse of Gods worde to see if all be well within yee shall finde them often in Sturbidge faire in the royall Exchange in the Goldesmithes or Mercers shops but seldome in the Churches they will bestow much money to procure rings iewelles and the like but bee at no charge to maintaine a preacher but as when men are very worldly it is a signe they are nothing heauenly as when men are much giuen to cerimonies commonly they neglect the substance of religion so when gentlewomen are so giuen to the outward attire they regard not the inward they haue so many partlets fillets fruntlets brastlets that they caÌ„not attend to the chiefe things I reade of one Pando who seeing a gentlewomen curious in attyring her selfe wept â—aying she is more carefull to trim her body then I am my soule But the reasons that the Apostle vses to perswade women to preferre the ornamentes of the minde before the ornamentes of the body are not to bee forgotten which are three first those of the body are corrupt these of the minde are vncorrupt secondly God doth set by these of the minde thirdly holy women haue thus tired theÌ„selues especially Sara the mother not onely of the maides but of Christian wiues also for first when he saith Let the hid man of the hart be vncorrupt he secretly implyeth that the other attire that is outward is corrupt as Iames saith Your ritches are corrupt So he saith Your garments Iam. 5. 1. are Moth-eaten Now who would much affect those things that will perish either by naturall or accidentall meanes but vertue is vncorrupt and shall not perish when he saith this inward attire of meekenes before God is a thing much set by he meanes that God cares not for the other Dauid saith he delights in no mans legges much lesse in his stockings men may peraduenture esteeme the other but God esteemes this for God sees not as man sees man lookes on the outward appearance but God