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spirit_n	everlasting_a	reap_v	sow_v	6,865	5	10.5221	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A08578	An explanation of the generall Epistle of Saint Iude. Delivered in one and forty sermons, by that learned, reverend, and faithfull servant of Christ, Master Samuel Otes, parson of Sowthreps in Norfolke. Preached in the parish church of Northwalsham, in the same county, in a publike lecture. And now published for the benefit of Gods church, by Samuel Otes, his sonne, minister of the Word of God at Marsham	Otes, Samuel, 1578 or 9-1658.; Otes, Samuel, d. 1683.	1633 (1633)	STC 18896; ESTC S115186	606,924	589

it otherwise it will not be sure and stedfast It is a sheild but God must frame it and strengthen it So that the slaunder of the Papists redoundeth to God not to us But I may say to Act. 13. 48. Hebr. 6. 19. Ephes 6. 17. 2 Thess 2. 11 12. you as Paul said to the Thessalonians God shall send them strong delusion that they should beleeve lyes that all they might be damned which beleeved not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse God hath fed them with lyes because they received not the truth they beleeve not But to leave this and to returne againe to these Israelites These Israelites wanted faith and so all the parts of a Christian as the root giveth sappe to all the branches the Sunne light to all the Planets the earth nourishment to all plants the water life to all fishes So faith giveth life and allowance to all our actions For without it splendida opera sunt splendida peccata our glistering works are but glistering sinnes therefore is it said that by faith Abel offered unto God a greater sacrifice than Caine c. by faith Hebr. 11. 4 5. 7 8. Enoch was taken away that he should not see death By faith Noah being warned of God and moved with reverence prepared the Arke By faith Abraham when he was called obeyed God c. Faith is the eye wherewith we see God it is the mouth wherby we speake to God the hand whereby wee touch him the foote whereby wee goe unto him saith Ambrose Thus Stephen the ring leader of Martyrs saw Ambros Act. 6. Luk. 18. Luk 2. Iohn 1. him with the eyes of faith The Publicane spake to him with the mouth of faith Simeon embraced him with the armes of faith Thus Andrew walked to Christ with the foote of a lively faith Thus all must come to Christ not with the legges of their body but of faith We must draw neere with a true heart in assurance of faith Hebr. 10. 22. being sprinkled in our hearts from an evill conscience and washed in our bodies with pure water But the Infidells like Polypheme the Giant want eyes like the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the river Ganges they want mouthes like the Cripple in the third of the Acts they want legges For by faith Christ dwelleth in us by faith we eate him by faith we put him on by Ephes 3. Iohn 6. Gal. 3. Gal. 2. 20. faith we live in him therefore wanting faith we want all Many therefore want all the parts of Christianity for few beleeve but are Cyphers in the Church of God and shall be Cyphers in the Kingdome of God But to cut up the veines and arteries of this vice and make an Anatomie of it we can all say I beleeve in God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost yet few beleeve and are perswaded of the love and power of God but rest in the creature not in the Creator if they see not meanes If God give us friends wee make Idols of them and trust in them as the Iewes did in Esay 31. Psal 52. 7. Ier. 5. 2 Chro. 16. the Aegyptians if money we thinke never to want as it is said of Doeg hee trusted in the multitude of his riches and strengthened himselfe in his malice if armour we trust in them as the Iewes did if Physitians wee trust in them as Asa did if wisdome wee thinke to smooth all causes and to wade thorough all bad matters Want of faith the cause of al sinne and misery as the false Prophets These are our treasures and our hearts are upon them as Mat. 6. We make flesh our arme Thus what for friends money munition physicke cunning God is not regarded the helpelesse trust in friends the poore in money the souldier Ier. 18. Jer. 17. in armour the sicke in Physitians the cunning in their wisdome like Achitophel But of all others our infidelity appeareth in our running to witches wherein I say with Elisha Is it not because there is no King in England as 2 Reg. 1. Here I could wish my voice as a trumpet or as the voice of Stentor who had the voice of fifty men Satan is a deceiver and shall we trust in him A lyer and shall we beleeve him an enemy and shall wee crave ayde of him Absit God forbid Most men beleeve not For our faith hath a triple foundation First that Christ is true God and therefore can help 1 Tim. 2. Secondly true Man and therefore will helpe Hebr. 4. Thirdly that he is one Person not by confusion of substance but by the union of natures for God and man make but one Christ and Mat. 11. 11. Psal 30. will help us for if a Father will helpe his Sonne in his wants how much more will hee helpe us Let us therefore put off our sackecloath and girde us with gladnesse let us rejoice for ever For now is salvation in Heaven and strength and the Kingdome of our Apoc. 12. 10. God and the power of his Christ for the accuser of our brethren is throwne downe c. Hence commeth all mischiefe that wee beleeve not God which appeareth in our life If a sicke man should have two Physitians the one prescribing a present remedy the other a present poison if he should follow the latter would wee not conclude that either he would not be healed or else that hee beleeved not the other so standeth the case betwixt God and us either wee would not bee saved or else wee doe not beleeve God This is manifest in two men Adam and Abraham the one the father of all men the other of the faithfull Now Adam eate of Gen. 3. the tree which God forbad and why because he beleeved not Act. 7. God but Satan and so doe most men But Abraham when God commanded him to leave his Countrey and kindred he did so Gen. 22. when God commanded him to offer his Sonne he did it For he Esa 1. beleeved God and so doe few men But let us not listen to Satan and our owne flesh but to God promising happinesse if we obey him Thou hast here two counsellors the flesh and the spirit The flesh bids thee follow thy lustes but the spirit saith if thou doest so thou shalt perish For he that soweth in the flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption but hee that soweth in the spirit shall of the spirit Gal. 6. 8. reape life everlasting now whether of these wilt thou beleeve Yet in all this I doe not speake of the justifying faith but that the wicked have not no not so much as the Historicall faith to beleeve the Scriptures Nam Faith a chiefe instrumentall cause of salvation Fidestriplex Iustificans Miraculosa Historica For faith is threefold There is a lively justifying Faith a miraculous and an historicall faith but the former is most rare like a blacke swanne or Phoenix in Arabia In all

were all damned for so must they bee if they savour not of Gods Spirit For the Wisdome of the flesh is death the Wisdome of the Spirit is life and Rom. 8. 6 8 13. peace and againe They that are in the flesh cannot please God and againe If yee live after the flesh yee shall dye but if yee mortify the deeds of the body by the Spirit yee shall live and againe Whatsoever a man soweth that shall hee reape hee that soweth Gal. 6. 7 8. to his flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption and hee that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reape life everlasting Now temporall and eternall are opposite The things that are seene are temporall but the things which are not seene are eternall But not 2 Cor. 4. 18. Temporall and Spirituall But this was the policy of the Papists to name themselves spirituall that they might withdraw themselves from the Magistrate as though they pertained to God only not to Caesar Secondly they called their The regenerate onely have the Spirit of God in them lands and livings spirituall to exempt them also from the Magistrate and yet Paul calleth all these earthly commodities carnall as in his Epistle to the Corinthians If wee have sowne unto you spirituall things is it a great thing if wee reape 1 Cor. 9. 11. your carnall things And againe If the Gentiles bee made partakers Rom. 15. 27. of their spirituall things their duty is also to minister unto them in carnall things And to the end to defeate Caesar they set the Image of the Church upon their Coyne not Caesars Image Thirdly to make the more gaine they tooke to the punishment of Adultery Incest Drunkennesse Vsury Perjury Simony Sorcery under the colour of spirituall things and so they caught Testaments Legacies Marriages Dowries Ierome calleth the people Secular men but Temporall no man calleth them as though their hope reached but unto this life only whereas they are to bee saved aswell as Church-men To whom wrote Paul but unto the people For whom else prayed hee His words are plaine Brethren my hearts desire for Israel is that they might bee saved Well They have not the Spirit not the Spirit of Regeneration and sanctification but they have the Spirit of illumination but Gods children they have Gods Spirit of regeneration they are led by Gods Spirit and the Spirit of God certifieth Rom. 8. 16. their Spirits that they are the sonnes of God and he that hath not the Spirit of God is none of Gods it is the Spirit of God that worketh in us all in all The bath of regeneration and the renovation of the Spirit saveth us Wee are justified sanctified and Tit. 3. 1 Cor. 6. Gal. 5. 22. washed by the Spirit All good works are the fruits of the Spirit untill Gods Spirit hath renewed us wee are stables for the Divell Si durus sit hic sermo as the Disciples said Iohn 6. Luk 11. 21. blame him that spake it O there is No medium betwixt these two either Gods Spirit dwelleth in us or Satan Know yee 1 Cor. 6. 16. not that yee are the Temple of God and the Spirit of God dwelleth in you The Spirit is the same in the Church as the soule in the body it is it that quickneth us hee leadeth us into all Iohn 16. 3. truth hee sealeth up all graces in our hearts hee applieth all the mercies of God all the merits of Christ Iesus unto us hee worketh all graces and giveth all spirituall gifts unto us The Apostle making the comparison betweene the 1 Cor. 6. 11. 1 Cor. 13. 3. 8. Gal. 5. 2. flesh and the Spirit resembleth it to a tree that yeeldeth all manner of good fruits like the apple-tree of Persia or like the Tree of life Let us then intertaine Gods Spirit make much of him nourish every good motion that is wrought in us by him and every sparke will bee a fire flaming out of us every drop will bee a river issuing out of us to eternall life if wee nourish it but let us not quench the Spirit All grace and goodnesse flowes from Gods Spirit nor grieve the Spirit lest Saint Iude his Prophesy bee verified of us that wee are naturall men fleshly not having the Spirit but let us stirre up the gift of God in us blow at the coale and put spurres to this horse 1 Thess 5. 19. THE ONE AND THIRTIETH SERMON VERS XX. But yee beloved edifie your selves in your most holy faith praying in the holy Ghost The godly and the wicked every way opposite STill hee proceedeth in the comparison betwixt the godly and ungodly the elect and the reprobate the lambes on the right hand and the goates on the left hand of the Lord Iesus noting that the godly remember the words of the Lord they are peaceable without sects spirituall they increase in faith they pray in the Holy Ghost they keepe themselves in the love of God they looke for eternall life but on the contrary the wicked remember nothing they scoffe at Religion they be scorners they bee unquiet they be meere naturall men they decrease in goodnesse they pray not they love not God they cannot looke for life but death and destruction Tribulation and anguish shall bee upon the soules of them Vpon Rom. 9. Psal 11. 6 7. them God will raine snares fire and brimstone storme and tempest this shall be their portion to drinke A Lion out of the forrest shall slay them and a Woolfe in the wildernesse shall destroy them a Ier. 1. 5 6. Leopard shall watch over their Cities every one that goeth out shall bee torne in pieces because their trespasses are many and The Church and Saints as houses must be edified or builded dayly their rebellions are increased Sed but yee beloved but this Conjunction discretive here is emphaticall Sed vos autem dilecti but you beloved as if hee should have said You must not be like the wicked they be mockers they walke after their ungodly lusts they are makers of sects fleshly having not the Spirit but you must not doe so but you must turne over another leafe learne a new lesson This teacheth all Christians to live like Christians not as miscreants the true Christian turnes away his eyes from vanity as Iob the miscreant applies his senses to folly as Holofernes The Iob. Iudith 10. true Christian setteth a watch before his mouth and keepeth the doore of his lips the miscreant gives liberty to his tongue to speake evill and raile like Rabshakeh the true Christian is alwayes doing good as Abraham the miscreant alwayes doing 2 Reg. 18. evill as Achab the one loveth goodnesse the other badnesse the one setteth Gods judgements before his face the other puts them from his sight the one kils sinne in the thought the other suffers it to raigne in the heart the one knowes the end of his sinne

Alexander was borne in the dayes of Aristotle The Queene of Sheba pronounced Salomons men happy for hearing him How happy 1 Reg. 10. are wee then that live in the call of the Gospel Blessed are the eyes saith our Saviour to his Disciples which see that yee see for I A little part of the World called tell you that Prophets and Kings have desired to see those things which yee see and have not seene them and to heare those things that yee heare and have not heard them O terque quaterque beati oculi nostri O Luke 10. 23. thrice and foure times blessed are our eyes For as God called a little angle of Iewry and passed over all the World besides For hee suffered all the Gentiles to walke in their owne wayes So God Act. 14. 16. hath passed over all Africa Asia America and called a little piece of Europe all nations else are polluted The Grecians adore the Virgin Mary and Saints painted the Creature for the Creator The Aethiopians adore the Emperour Presbyter Iohannes The Tartarians the Great Cham. The Persians the Fire and the Sunne The Turkes Mahomet The Borussians many gods as Antrimpus Protrimpus Pelintus c. The Indians spirits called Zemes. The Papists Images But wee adore the true God They worship they know not what we worship that which wee know God hath given his Iohn 4. 22. Word to Europe hee hath given to other Nations other blessings To the Muscovites hides and precious skinnes to the Moores of Barbarie sugar and sweet spices to the Spaniards wine and fruits to the Indians gold and silver to them of Cathai pearle and precious stones to the Persians silke and margarites to them of Island Finland Greenland fish and fowles But to us hee hath given his Gospel Blessed be the day and happy bee the houre wherein it came to us Let that day be as the day wherein Israel came out of Aegypt let it bee the head of the yeare let no cloud staine it nor darkenesse possesse it If we had as many tongues as Argus had eyes if every haire of our head were a life and every life as long as Methuselahs all were too little to praise God Thanke God that thou livest in this time of the Gospel Let thy soule praise God Let all that is Psal 103. 1. within thee praise his holy name Thus must God call us by his Word else wee are reprobates in the Church but not of the Church For as excrements are in the body and not of the body so reprobates are in the Church but not of the Church They wet 1 Iohn 2. 19. out from us but are not of us for if they had bin of us they would have continued with us Many that heare this Sermō are among us but not Mat. 25. of us and the time shall come that the Goats shall be separated from the Sheepe the Dogs from the Lambes the Crowes from the Doves the Bastards from the Children the Chaffe from the Corne. Oh then heare the call of Gods Ministers Calling is of two sorts Externall Internall Externall is either common to all by the instinct of nature and workes of God or not common to all by the Word preached Internall and effectuall is the worke of the whole Trinitie whereby God the Father through the Sonne by the holy Ghost not onely offers Grace but giveth it to the Elect. Vocantur electi Calling externall and internall Externall calling vnprofitable without the Internall vel foris per externam praedicationem vel intus efficaci operatione spiritus Sancti The Elect are called either without by outward preaching of the Word or within by the inward effectuall operation of the holy Ghost This hath two parts The one Invitement The other Admission Invitement is when God offers remission and life everlasting to all that doe beleeve and this outwardly by the preaching of the Word and inwardly by inspiration of heavenly desires Admission is when men are entred into the kingdome of Grace and this outwardly by Baptisme and inwardly by the spirit engraffing them into Christ and making them reall members of Gods Kingdome Of this effectuall calling speaketh Iude here the greatest blessing in the World For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Spiritus Dei non amittitur totaliter finaliter quos semel Rom. 11. 29. Iohn 13. semper diligit Deus The spirit of God cannot totally and finally bee lost for whom God loveth once hee loveth ever Et quos semel semper vocat deus ejus vocatio irrita fieri non potest And whom God once hee ever calleth for his calling cannot be frustrate For all things worke for the best to them that love God even to them that are called of purpose Rom. 8. 28. The externall calling is often unprofitable because it is not joyned with the internall the Ministery of man in the Church wanteth the Ministery of the spirit in the heart Paul planteth Apollo watereth but God giveth the increase Wee call you but 1 Cor. 3. God chooseth you We light a candle often before them that Mat 22. 14. Eccles 24. Psal 58. are blind as Christ did to the Pharisees Wee cry to them that are deafe as David did to Abner Wee set meate on the graves of dead men that cannot eate We charme deafe Adders which will not heare Wee mourne to them that will not weepe Wee pipe to them that will not dance Wee preach to them that will not repent Luke 7. Laterem crudam lavamus We wash a raw brike For if the internall calling wanteth wee may preach all our life and you may heare ten thousand Sermons and yet bee never the better except the inward Schoole-master the Spirit of God joyne with the Preacher We cannot command Grace For to one is given by the Spirit the word of Wisedome to another the word of Knowledge by the same Spirit to another is given Faith by the same Spirit to another the gift of Healing by the same Spirit and 1 Cor. 12. 8 9 10 11. to another the operation of Great workes to another Prophecie to another the discerning of Spirits to another diversity of Tongues and to another the Interpretation of tongues and all these things worketh even the selfe same Spirit distributing to every man severally even as he will The Blacke-moore will not change his skin nor the Leopard alter his spots the Panther will not be tamed nor the Adder The Gospell powerfull to them that are called charmed nor the crooked Serpent made straight nor the salt Sea made fresh and wicked men will not bee taught wee can but preach to you God by his Spirit must call you Lactantius speaking of the Word and the Minister meaneth the inward calling joined with the outward Da mihi inquit Libro 3. de falsa sapientia hominem iracundum uno verbo Dei reddam placidum ut ovem da

1 Sam. 4. 11. Ier. 7. 9 10 11 12. walke after other gods whom yee know not and come and stand before me in this house whereupon my name is called and say We are delivered though we have done all these abominations Is this house become a denne of theeves wherupon my name is called before your eyes Behold even I see it saith the Lord. But goe yee now unto my place which is in Shilo where I set my name at the beginning and behold what I did to it for the wickednesse of my people Israel Thus for hypocrisie was Shilo destroyed they halted with God Dicunt sed non faciunt they said but they did not He is not a Iew that is one outward neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Iew that is one within and Rom. 2. 28 29. the Circumcision is of the heart in the spirit not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God So we are Protestants in the Letter not in the Spirit professors outward none inward Christians in the 1 Pet. 3. 21. flesh none in the heart baptized in the body not in the conscience It is said of Epicurus that he did put on but the bare name of Cicero 5. Tuscul a Philosopher was not a Philosopher in truth It may as truly be spoken that many in this age put on but the naked shape of Christians and are not Christians indeed and that many colour their wickednesse by outward pretence of Religion and by bearing Bibles in their hands and the Word in their mouth though it be never settled in their hearts being like the Carbuncle that hath a fiery shew yet never flames like those that use muske and pommanders to conceale their unsavory and stinking breath But such God hateth with a dooble hatred and will be revenged of them It were better that we had no eares to heare Hypocrisie the counterfeit of religion nor tongues in our head to talke of God rather then by talking and hearing to cover our notorious wickednesse For we shall perish and we shall have neither part nor fellowship in the number of the faithfull God above all things commended sincerity in Iehosaphat Act. 8. 21. 2 Chro. 19. 3. For he had prepared his heart to seeke God hee had some sap but hee had the heart of an Oke also and was sincere so was Eleazar hee 2 Mac. 6. 23. could not be drawne to play the hypocrite by no flatteries nor allurements no not to save his life thereby and to avoid most grievous torments And Nazianzen could say of his Father that he chastised pride and loved humility not fainedly or colourably but sincerely truly and that he reposed humility in his soule and not in his garments or bowing downe of his head or low speech or a thicke and long beard or coloured haire or grave pace in going For these things saith he are easely devised yet quickly reproved for no counterfeit thing can be durable Such men there were once but where are they now to be found and how rare are they Most men are like the Church of Sardis they have a name to live and yet are dead they seeme to live but with God they are dead their faith is dead their zeale dead men live when they bring forth fruite else they be dead Tullies sonne brought from Atheus not only nomen but rem not the name of learning only but learning it selfe So wee should bring and carry away from Christ not his name only but his vertues and so be followers of God as deare Children otherwise if we be Christians Ephes 5. 1. in name and not in truth if we draw neere unto God with our mouthes and have our hearts farre from him we shall perish for Can a rush grow without mire or can grasse grow without water so are Iob. 8. 11 13 14. the paths of all that forget God and the hypocrites hope shall perish his confidence shall be cut off and his trust shall be as in the house of a spider And againe it is said of the hypocrite that his ioy is but a moment and though his excellency mount up to Heaven and his head reach unto Cap. 20. 5 6. the clouds yet shall he perish for ever like his dung c. Let us then as we love our soules shunne hypocrisie and use sincerity this shall comfort us at the last as it did Ezechias for being upon his death-bed this was his comfort that he had served God not in shew but Esa 38. 3 in truth but we are cloven-footed cloven-hearted with God In animis hominum multae sunt latebrae multique recessus In mens hearts there be many dennes and lurking places and many windings turnings But let me say to the hypocrite as Chrysostome said Hypocrita aut esto quod appares aut appare quod es Hypocrite eyther be as thou seemest or appeare as thou art for simulata sanctitas est Aug. duplexiniquitas counterfeite piety is double impiety First because it is impiety and then because it is counterfeite making truth falshood and God a lier But as it is said Non auditores sed factores legis Not the hearers but the doers of the Law shal be iustified so of religion Non eandem profitentes sed eidem obedientes Rom. 2. not professors but performers shall bee glorified Let us not Sincerity is by God required hypocrisie reproved then bee like the Figge tree which our Saviour cursed that had leaves in abundance but no fruit at all For it is not the lifting up of our eyes or the knocking of our brests nor the holding up of our hands which shall stand us in stead at the last day but Mat. 21. the wounded soule the sincerity of the heart the contrite spirit joyned with outward observance and obedience which shall administer true joy in the latter end Therefore let us as elect of God holy beloved let us I say professe with our mouthes and practise with our lives let us sing in voyce with the spirit also let us repent in life and sow in teares let us cleanse the flesh that wee may bee mortified and cleanse our spirit so shall wee be glorified let us never be as cloudes without water as trees without fruit as the raging waves of the sea as starres without light I meane hypocrites For hypocrites are as clouds without water as trees without fruit as starres without light Thus Iude painteth them out and that finely and so doth our Saviour for speaking of hypocrites he saith They binde heavie burdens and grievous to bee borne but they themselves will Mat. 23. not move them with one of their fingers and hee saith that They doe all their workes to bee seene of men that they straine at a gnat and swallow downe a Cammell that they tithe Mint Annise and Cummin but leave the weightier matters

If I should please men saith the Gal. 1. 10. Apostle I am not the servant of God Now chuse whether thou wilt serve God or men we must learne of the Lord Iesus His enemies could say though temptingly That he was true taught the way of Mat. 22. 16. God truly neither cared for any man for he considered not the person of men As touching the outward quality as whether a man be rich or poore some workes of Christ are our instruction as his miracles some are our imitation as his deeds vertues Learne not therefore of Christ to rebuke the Wind to still the Sea to turne Mar. 5. Iohn 2. Luke 7. Iohn 9. Water into Wine to raise the Dead to open the eyes of the Blind for these thou canst not doe all these are thy instruction but learne to speake truely this thou mayest doe and this is thy imitation speake truth and that truely for God liketh better of Adverbes than of Nounes Christ spake without regard of men let us learne to speake so The word flatterer in Greeke signifieth servility or slavishnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For he is a Page a Servant a Slave to other mens affections there is no difference betweene a Gally-slave and him but that the one is fettered in body the other in minde the one serveth the Turke the other the Divell the one chained for a time the other for ever For the Flatterer is in the snare of the Divel and is taken of him at his will Tot vincula habemus quot peccata we have so many bands as we have sinnes I would that there were not 2 Tim. 2. 26. of these Flatterers amongst the Church-men who should rather rebuke then flatter Surely the vulgar people delight to Soothing Preachers the most base flatterers be flattered and would not by their willes heare the Law of the Lord and hence is it That they say to the seers See not and to the Prophets Prophesy not unto us right things but speake flattering things unto us Prophesy errours But such flattering prophets the Holy Ghost Esay 30. 10. calleth the taile and saith The Lord will cut off from Israel head and taile branch and rush in one day the ancient and the honorable man hee Esay 9. 14 15. is the head and the prophet that teacheth lies he is the taile But as touching these flattering prophets that will sow pillowes under mens elbowes and sooth them up in their sins God will punish them He will feed them with Wormewood and make them drinke the water of gall The Holy Ghost compareth them to bad surgeons Ier. 23. 15. that bring toothsome but not wholesome medicines They have Ier. 8. 11. healed the hurt of the daughter of my people with sweet words saith God saying Peace peace when there was no peace Hence grew the ruine of Ierusalem hence is the ruine of England that we are not playne with our people we monish them not the complaint of God against the false prophets may bee taken up against many of us Thy prophets have looked out vaine and foolish things for thee and they have not discovered thine iniquity to turne away thy captivity but Lament 2. 14. looked out for thee false prophesies c. Ministers are called The salt Mat. 5. Ier. 8. of the earth the light of the World Physicians Surgeons Salt must needs be sharp to a rotten wound light is painefull to a sore eye a good Physician must trouble his patient ere hee heale him A Surgeon must lance a festred wound God will have Esay crie aloud Esay 58. 1. lift up his voice like a trumpet shew the people their offences and the house of Iacob their sinnes Ieremy must speake all that God commandeth He must not be afraid of mens faces Esay would not flatter Princes but told them that they were rebellious and companions of Ier. 1. 8. Esay 1. 23. theeves that they loved gifts and followed after rewards that they iudged not the fatherlesse and the Widowes complaints came not before them He that shall deale so with the Nobles of England shall have small thankes yet are they men and not God flesh and not spirit sinnefull aswell as they of Iuda Iames and Iohn were Boanarges sonnes of thunder we had need thunder and lighten as Pericles did Mar. 3. in Greece speaking will do little good we must not sow pillowes under Ezech. 13. 10. Gal. 4. 16. mens elbowes We say as Paul said to the Galatians Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth Better you hate us then God For they that flatter you serve not the Lord Iesus Christ but their owne bellies and with faire speeches and flattering deceive the hearts Rom. 16. 18. of the simple Flattery is a sinne but we are the cause of it the fault is in our selves No man can be flattered but he first flattereth himselfe no vermine breedeth where hee findeth no warmth no flies swarme where they see no flesh no Eagles light where they see no carcasse no man claweth but where he seeth pride in the partie to worke upon These men are as brasse-pots which be they never so huge yet a man can carry them by the eares where hee Reproofe profits more then flattery will so may these men bee carried by the eares and yet it is to their owne hurt For flatterers are like wormes and mothes which eate wooll and garments but it cannot be seene till the knop be off so proud men see not their sinnes till it bee too late Si fueris Thraso non deerit tibi Gnato If thou wilt be a boasting bragging Thraso thou shalt never want a flattring parasitical Gnato Thus by these flatterers many Gentlemen be cōsumed before they be aware their flattering followers undoe them There be two kindes of persecutions Manus persequentis Lingua adulantis the hand of the Tyrant and the tongue of the flatterer the latter is the worser as it is most pernicious to the soule it doth the soule good to be reprooved it driveth away sin as the North-wind doth the raine Multi culpāt amicos Many blame their friends but those accusations are but like water in a Smithes-forge to kindle not to quench the fire Let us blame and rebuke men not to make them worse but better not viler but warier David prayed Corripiat me justus Let the righteous smite me For that is a benefit Psal 41. 5. Let him reprove me and it shall be a precious oyle that shall not breake my August ser 59. de verbis Domini head Well said Augustine Non omnis qui parcit est amicus nec omnis qui ferit est inimicus Not every one that spareth us is a Friend nor every one that striketh us is an enemy Melius cum sinceritate diligere quàm cum levitate decipere better to love with sincerity then to deceive with levity

that their truth in their dealings their religion in swearing their zeale in serving their false gods far exceeds ours But let us shake off every thing that presseth downe and the sin that hangeth on so fast and strive to exceed them I must confesse that the best men have their faults they have their lusts the best oke hath sap the best gold hath his drosse the best oyle his some and the best tree his barke but yet there is a difference betweene an Oake that hath some sap and some heart withall and that which is all sap betwixt smoking flaxe that never flameth and Iuniper coales which smoke and yet burne also betwixt men that are sicke and men that are dead betwixt them that have some faults and them that yeeld to all faults The wicked man mocketh at judgement the mouth of the wicked swalloweth up iniquity There is difference betweene eating and swallowing Prov. 19. 28. such a distinction the Apostle maketh Neverthelesse though we walke in the flesh yet we warre not after the flesh though we 2 Cor. 10. 3. fall we doe not lye by it like the Elephant habitat peccatum sed non regnat sinne dwelleth in us but it raigneth not bellat sed non Rom. 6. 12. debellat it warres but it winnes not all are sicke in sinne but all are not dead in sinne all live in the flesh but sowe not to the Ephes 2. 1. Gal. 6. 8. flesh we all hold out our profession in many infirmities Who can say My heart is cleane There is a difference between blasted trees Prov. 20. and barren trees And yet S. Iude condemneth not nature utterly as though there were no goodnesse in it for many excellent things are done by the light and instinct of nature though not availeable to salvation For as the heate of the Sunne is not ever there where the light is as under the North pole so the sanctification Naturall men were generally illuminated though not sanctified of the Spirit is not ever where the illumination is Naturall men are illuminated but not sanctified by the Spirit Hence it commeth that they have found out many arts and sciences and have spoken rarely yea above Christians Emere vendere instituit Bacchus Bacchus taught men to buy and sell Ceres to sow Corne when as before men were fed with acornes the Assyrians found out letters for before that time men could neither write nor read Eurialus and Hiperbius taught men to build houses whereas before they lodged in the dennes caves of the earth Socrates called philosophy from heaven and placed it in Cities for before that time men wandred up and downe in the wildernesse after the manner of beasts Cecrops taught men to build townes for before men lived disjoined and severed one from another the Aegyptians found out weaving for before men went naked Ericthonius of Athens found out silver for before there was nothing but chopping and changing Aesculapius invented physicke for before men died suddenly of many diseases yea the very beasts by nature excell many men the Elephant seemeth to understand the mother tongue and to have a kind of religion to adore the Sunne-rising a kind of humanity as to reduce the wanderer a kind of obedience as to know the Prince the very Lion is gentle to that beast that humbleth himselfe he is gentler to women then men and praieth not on an infant except in great extremity of hunger he killeth the Lionesse having had copulation with the Leopard Sabinus his dog held up the dead corps of his Master in Tyber and Bucephalus ate no meate after the death of Alexander These things are not found in al men Oh brethren we walke as naturall men as carnall worldly fleshly men voide of Gods Spirit therefore the Scripture compareth good men spirituall men to pearles and precious stones to signify tantam esse horum raritatem quanta est gemmarum that there is as great a rarity and scarcenesse of them as of precious stones and that as common stones exceed in number precious stones so naturall men exceed spirituall men Salomon saith Stultorum numerum Eccles 1. 4. esse infinitum The number of fooles to bee numberlesse and Paul faith All seeke their owne and not that which appertaines to the Lord Iesus none understandeth from the least of them to the Phil. 3. 11. greatest of them every one is given to covetousnesse and from the Prophet even unto the Priest all deale falsely and as the Prophet speaketh Mens hands are defiled with bloud and their fingers Ier. 6. 12. Esay 59. 3 4 5. with iniquity their lippes speake lies and their tongues murmure forth iniquity no man calleth for Iustice no man contendeth for truth they trust in vanity and speake vaine things they conceive mischiefe and bring forth iniquity they hatch Cockatrice egges and weave the spiders webbe hee that eateth of their egges dieth and that which is troden upon breaketh out into a Serpent The Law of God is called Deut. 5. 33. the way of our life men are willed to walke in all the wayes that Love makes al things easy God hath commanded them that they may live habet haec via duo in sese difficultatem suavitatē saith one in this way there be two things hardnesse and sweetnesse hardnesse by reason of our nature and sweetnesse by reason of grace that which is hard by nature is sweetned by grace hereupon Christ saith that his yoke Mat. 11. is sweet eò quòd jugum est grave est in that it is a yoke it is grievous but sweet by reason of grace for as the bush burned with fire and was not consumed with fire because God was in the bush so our heavy yoke is made light because the Lord is in it who helpeth Exod. 30. us with his grace to beare it For grace stirreth up the love of God in our hearts which maketh the yoke of his commandements easy For nothing is grievous unto love love swalloweth all difficulties Why doe hunters fowlers fishers take such intolerable paines It is because they love the sport pernoctant venatores in nive hunters doe watch all the night in the snow such is their love to their game What maketh the mother to watch many nights to give the child sucke with great paine to take such toile in the washing keeping attending and in the education of it but love Can a mother forget her child She cannot The Esay 49. 15. interrogation implieth a negation What meane the beasts and fowles to spare meate from their owne mouthes and to put it into the mouth of their young What maketh the Pelicane to feed her yong birds with her blood but love So the love of God maketh the precepts of God seeme easy to us Non est arduum orare legere meditare jejunare It is no hard matter for us to pray to read to meditate to fast because the