surely be Coffins to our bodies as our bodies haue beene Coffins to our soules The minde is but in bondage whiles the body holds it on earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Plato affirmes Of whom saith an Anthony that when hee saw one too indulgent to his flesh in high Diet he asked him What doe you meane to make your prison so strong Thus qui gloriatur in viribus corporis gloriatur in viribus carceris He that boasteth the strength of his body doth but bragge how strong the Prison is wherein he is â—ayled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The body is the disease the graue the destinie the necessitie and burden of the soule Hinc cupiunt metuuntque dolent gaudentque nec auras Respiciunt clausae tenebris et carcere caeco Feares ioyes griefes and desires mans life do share It wants no ills that in a Prison are It was a good obseruation that fell from that Stoicke Homo calamitatis fabula infaelicitatis tabula Man is a Storie of woe and a map of miserie So Mantuan Nam quid longa dies nobis nisi longa dolorum Colluvies Longi patientià carceris aetas It appeares then that Death is to the good a procurer of good Mors intermittit vitam non eripit Venit iterum qui nos in lucem râ—ponat dies Their Death is but like the taking in sunder of a Clocke vvhich is pulled a pieces by the makers hand that it may bee scowred and repolished and made goe more perfectly But Death to the wicked is the second step to that infernall Vault that shall breede either an innouation of their ioyes or an addition to their sorrowes Diues for his momentanie pleasures hath insufferable paines Iudas goes from the Gallowes to the Pit Esau from his dissolution in earth to his desolation in Hell The dead are there Though the dead in soule be meant literally yet it fetcheth in the body also For as originall sinne is the originall cause of Death so actuall sinnes hasten it Men speede out a Commission of Iniquities against their owne liues So the enuious man rots his owne bones The Glutton strangles the Drunkard drownes himselfe The male-content dryes vp his blood in fretting The couetous whiles he Italionates his conscience and would Romanize his estate starues himselfe in plaine English and would hang himselfe when the Market falls but that hee is loath to be at the charges of a Halter Thus it is a Feast of Death both for the present sense and future certaintie of it The dead are there 2. Spirituall death is called the death of the soule which consisteth not in the losse of her vnderstanding and will these she can neuer loose no not in Hell but of the truth and grace of God wanting both the light of faith to direct her and the strength of Loue to incite her to goodnesse For to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace The soule is the life of the body God of the soule The spirit gone vtterly from vs wee are dead And so especially are the guests of Satan dead You hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sinnes And the Widdow that liueth in pleaâ—ure is dead whiles she liueth This diuorcement and seperation made betwixt God and the soule by sinne is mors animae the death of the soule But your Iniquities haue seperated betweene you and your God But we liue by faith and that in the Sonne of God His spirit quickens vs as the soule doth a lumpe of flesh when God infuseth it Now because these termes of spirituall death are communicated both to the elect and reprobates it is not amisse to conceiue that there is a double kinde of spirituall death 1. In regard of the Subiect that dieth 2. In regard of the Obiect whereunto it dieth Spirituall death in the faithfull is three-fold 1. They are dead to Sinne. How shall wee that are dead to sinne liue any longer therein A dead nature cannot worke He that is dead to sinne cannot as hee is dead sinne Wee sinne indeede not because wee are dead to sinne but because not dead enough Would to God you were yet more dead that you might yet more liue This is called Mortification What are mortified Lustes The wicked haue mortification too but it is of grace Matth. 8. They are both ioyntly expressed Let the dead burie the dead Which Saint Aâ—gustine expounds Let the spiritually dead bury those that are corporally dead The faithfull are dead to sinne the faithlesse are dead in sinne It is true life to bee thus dead Mortificatio concupiscentiae viâ—ificatio animae so farre is the spirit quickened as the flesh is mortified So true is this Paradoxe that a Christian so farre liues as he is dead so farâ—e he is a Conquerour as he is conquered Vincendo se vincitur à se. By ouercomming himselfe he is ouercome of himselfe Whiles hee ouer-rules his lustes his soule rules him When the outward cold rageth with greatest violence the inward heat is more and more effectuall When Death hath killed and stilled concupiscence the heart begins to liue This warre makes our peace This life and death is wrought in vs by Christ who at one blow slew our sinnes and saued our soules Vna eademque manus vulnus opemque tulit One and the same hand gaue the wound and the cure Vulneratur concupiscentia sanatur conscientia The deadly blow to the concupiscence hath reuiued the conscience For Christ takes away as well dominandi vim as damnandi vim the dominion of sinne as the damnation of sinne He died that sinne might not raigne in our mortall body he came to destroy not onely the Deuill but the workes of the Deuill Hence if you would with the spectacles of the Scriptures reade your owne estates to God Reckon your selues to be dead indeede vnto sinne but aliue vnto God through Iesus Christ our Lord. This triall consists not in being free from lusts but in brideling them not in scaping tentation but in vanquishing it It is enough that in all these things wee are more then Conquerours through him that loued vs. 2. They are dead to the Law For I through the Law am dead to the Law that I might liue vnto God Wherein hee opposeth the Law against the Law the new against the olde the Lawe of Christ against that of Moses This accuseth the accusing condemneth the condemning Law The Papists vnderstand this of the ceremoniall Law but Paul plainely expresseth that the Law morall which would haue beene to vs a Law morâ—all is put vnder wee are dead vnto it As Christ at once came ouer death and ouercame death et super it eâ— superat So we in him are exempted from the condemning power and killing letter of the Law and by being dead vnto it are aliue ouer it
were of the sons of Sceua Iesus wee know but who are yee God wee know calming floods quieting the windes but who art thou beat on him more furiously then loe saith Canutus what a goodly God I am and behold my commaund conuincing his flatterers Oh that some strong West-winde would ridde our Land of these Locusts The last sort of Vials serued in at this Course are Stollen waters which immediately robbe our selues The Deuill findes vs cheare at our owne cost and with cates stollen from our owne possessions hee makes vs a bounteous feast Truth is euery Cup of sinne wee drinke of is a water that at least indirectly robs our selues neither can wee feede on Atheisme Heresie Sacriledge Murder Adulterie but we rifle our soules of grace our Consciences of peace for the Deuils Banket neuer makes a man the fatter for his feeding the guests the more they eate the more leane and meager they looke their strength goes away with their repast as if they fed on nothing but Sauce and all their sweet delicates in taste were but fretting in digestion like Vinegar Oliues or Pulse neither doth batten cheerish because it wants a blessing vnto it Onely it gets them a stomach the more hartily they feed on sinne the greater appetite they haue to it Though custome of sinne hath brought them past feeling and they haue long since made a deed of gift of themselues into the hands of licentiousnesse yet behold in them still an eager prosecution of sinne euen with greedinesse Though mischiefe was the last thing they did when they went to bed nay the onely action of their bed yet they rise earely so soone as the morning is light to practise it They may be sicke of sins incurable surfet yet feele themselues hungry still that the Cup of their wickednesse may be filled to the brim and so receiue a portion and proportion of torment accordingly Thus as the gyrouagi equi molam trahentes multùm ambulant parùm promouent the Mil-turning-horse coniured into his Circle moues much but remoues little or as the Poet of Ixion Voluitur Ixion qui se sequiturque fugitque So the more these guests eat the more vnsatisfied they rise vp Ye shall eat and not be satisfied ye shall drinke not be â—illed as he that dreameth of good cheare but awakes with an hungry soule All the delights of sinne put not the least drop of good blood into the vaines nor blesse the heart with the smallest addition of content They browse like Beastes on these sweet boughes but they looke thinne after it as if they had deuoured their owne bowels 1. The first Viall of this nature is Pride a stollen water indeed but deriued from thine owne Fountaine It may strike God offend thy Brother but it doth immediately robbe thy selfe The decoration of the body is the deuoration of the substance the backe weares the siluer that would doe better in the Purse Armenta vertuntur in ornamenta the grounds are vnstocked to make the backe glister Adam and Eue had Coates of Beasts skinnes but now many beastes flesh skinnes and all will scarce furnish a prodigall younger sonne of Adam with a sute And as many sell their tame beasts in the Countrie to enrich their wilde beasts in the Citie so you haue others that to reuell at a Christmas will rauell out their Patrimonies Pride and good husbandrie are neither Kith nor Kin but Iaball and Iuball are brethren Iaball that dwelt in Tents and tended the Heards had Iuball to his brother who was the father of Musicke to shew that Iaball and Iuball frugalitie and Musicke good Husbandry and Content are brothers and dwell together But Pride and Opulencie may kisse in the Morning as a married couple but will be diuorced before Sun-set They whose Fathers could sit and tell their Michael-masse-hundreths haue brought December on their estates by wearing May on their backes all the yeere This is the plague and clogge of the Fashion that it is neuer vnhamperd of Debets Pride begins with Habeo ends with Debeo and sometimes makes good euery sillable gradatim Debeo I owe more then I am worth Beo I blesse my creditors or rather blesse my selfe from my Creditors Eo I betake me to my heeles Thus England was honoured with them whiles they were Gallants Germany or Rome must take them and keepe them being beggars Oh that men would breake their fasts with frugalitie that they might neuer suppe vvith want What folly is it to begin with Plaudite Who doth not marke my brauerie and end with Plangite Good Passenger a Penny Oh that they could from the high promontorie of their rich estates foresee how neere Pride and Riot dwell to the Spittle-house not that but God alloweth both garments for necessitie and ornaments for comlinesse according to thy degree but such must not weare Silkes that are not able to buy Cloath Many women are propter venusâ—atem inuenustae saith Chrysostome so fine that they are the worse againe Fashions farre fetcht and deere bought fill the eye with content but emptie the purse Christs reproofe to the Iewes may fitly be turned on vs Why doe ye kill the Prophets and build vp their Tombes Why doe yee kill your soules with sinnes and garnish your bodies with braueries the Maid is finer then the Mistresse which Saint Ierome saith would make a man laugh a Christian weepe to see Hagar is tricked vp and Sara put into rags the soule goes euery day in her worky-day clothes vnhighted with graces whiles the body keepes perpetual holy day in gainesse The house of Saul is set vp the Flesh is graced the house of Dauid is persecuted and kept downe the Spirit is neglected I know that Pride is neuer without her owne paine though shee will not feele it be her garments what they will yet she will neuer be too hot nor too colde There is no time to pray read heare meditate all goes away in trimming There is so much rigging about the Ship that as Ouid wittily pars minima est ipsa puella sui A woman for the most part is the least part of her selfe Faemina culta nimis faemina casta minus too gawdie brauerie argues too slender chastitie The garment of saluation is slighted and the long white robe of glory scorned the Lord Iesus Christ a garment not the vvorse but the better for vvearing is throwne by and the ridiculous chaine of Pride is put on but ornamentum est quod ornat ornat quod honestiorem facit That alone doth beautifie vvhich doth beatifie or make the soule happie no ornament doth so grace vs as that vvee are gratious Thus the substance is emptied for a shew and many robbe themselues of all they haue to put a good suite on their backes 2. The next Cup of these stollen waters is Epicurisme a water which whiles we sup of vve sucke our selues A
sinne that vvhiles men commit it it commits them either to the high-way or the Hedges and from thence either by a Writ or a Warrant an Arrest or a Mittimus to the prison Solomon saith Hee shall not be rich The Gut is a Gulfe that vvill easily swallow all his commings in Meat should be as wise Agur praied food conuenient for thee or as the Hebrew phrase is the food of thy allowance This dish is to feed on all dishes that may pleasâ— the appetite or rather may delight surfet for appetite dares not lodge in an Epicures house This Sinne is instar omnium like the Feast it selfe saue that the Glutton feedes on Gods good â—reatures corporally but on Sathans mysticall boord is set nothing but what is originally euill and absolutely banefull So that here Gluttony that feeds on all Dishes is but a priuate Dish it selfe and though perhaps for the extent and largenesse it takes vp the greater roome yet for the number it is but one It is most rancke Idolatrie sayes Paul and so neere to Atheisme vvith a no-God that it makes a carnall God In mea paâ—ria Deus venter as profound and profane as the Babilonians sacrifice they to their Bell these to their Belly Perhaps you will say they are more kinde to themselues not a whit for they vvrappe vp death in their full morsels and swallow it as Pilles in the Pappe of delicatie They ouerthrow nature vvith that should preserue it as the Earth that is too rancke marres the Corne. They make short vvorke vvith their estates and not long vvith their liues as if they knew that if they liued long they must bee beggars therefore at once they make haste to spend their liuings and ende their liues Full Suppers midde-night Reuels Morning Iunkets giue them no time to blow but adde new to their indigested surfets They are the Deuils crammed Fowles like Aesops Henne too fat to lay to produce the fruites of any goodnesse They doe not dispensare but dissipare bona Domini wisely dispence but blindely scatter the gifts of GOD. They pray not so much for daily Bread as for daintie Bread and thinke God wrongs them if they may not Diues-like fare diliciously euery day Sense is their Purueyour Appetite their Steward They place Paradise in their throates and Heauen in their guts Meane time the state wastes the soule pines and though the flesh be puffed and blowne vp the spirits languish they loue not to liue in a Fenne but to haue a Fenne in them It is not plague enough that GOD withall sends leannesse into their soules but their estates sincke their liues fall away they spinne a webbe out of their owne bowels vvorse then the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men-eaters they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 selfe-eaters they put a Pleurisie into their bloods a Tabe and Consumption into their states an Apoplexie into their soules the meat that perisheth not is fastidious to their palates that they may feede on that which feeds on them and so at once deuoure and be deuoured drinke of a cup that drinkes vp them 3. The third Viall is Idlenesse a filching water to for it steales away our meanes both to get goods and to be good It is a rust to the Conscience a theefe to the estate The Idle man is the Deuâ—ls Cushion wherevpon he sits and takes his ease He refuseth all works as either thankelesse or dangerous Thus charactered he had rather freeze then fetch wood hee had rather steale then worke and yet rather begge then take paines to steale and yet in many things rather want then begge Ignaui sunt fures saith Melancthon Sluggards are theeues they robbe insensibly the Common-wealth most sensibly themselues Pouertie comes on him as an armed man The Idlesbie is pouerties prisoner if hee liue without a calling pouertie hath a calling to arrest him When the Cisterne of his patrimonie is emptied and seemes to inuite his labour to replenish it hee flatters himselfe with enough still and lookes for supply without paines Necessitie must driue him to any worke and what hee can not auferre he will differre auoyd hee will delay Euery get-nothing is a theefe and lazinesse is a stollen water if the Deuill can winne thee to plye hard this liquour hee knowes it will whet thy stomach to any vice Faction Theeuerie Lust Drunkennesse blood with many Birds of this blacke wing offer themselues to the Idle minde and striue to preferre their seruice Would you know sayes the Poet how Aegistus became an adulterer In promptu causa est desidiosus erat the cause is easie the answere ready hee was Idle Hee that might make his estate good by labour by Idlenesse robbes it This is a dangerous water and full of vile effects for when the lazie haue robbed themselues they fall aboard and robbe others This is the Idle-mans best end that as hee is a Thiefe and liues a beast so to dye a beggar 4. The fourth Cup is Enuie Water of a strange and vncouth taste There is no pleasure in being drunke with this stollen water for it frets and gnawes both in palates and entralls There is no good rellish with it either in tast or digestion Onely it is like that Acidula aqua that Plinie speakes of which makes a man drunke sooner then wine Enuie keepes a Register of Iniuries and graues that in Marble which Charitie writes in the dust Wrong It cannot endure that any should be conferred with it preferred to it Nec quemquam iam ferre potest Caesarue priorem Pompeiusue parem Caesar can brooke no Greater Pompey no riuall Iohn Baptist was of another spirit when he heard that the people had left him to follow Christ he spake with the voice of content My ioy is fulfilled He must encrease and I must decrease Inuidus non est idoneus auditor The enuious man is an incompetent hearer his eares are not fit to his head If hee heares good of another hee frets that it is good if ill he is discontent that he may not iudge him for it If wronged hee cannot stay Gods leasure to quit him he is straight either a Saul or an Esau by secret ambushes or by open hostillitie he must carue himselfe a satisfaction No plaister will heale his pricked finger but his heart-bloud that did it if he might serue himselfe he would take vnreasonable peny-worthes S. Augustine would coole his heate Vis vindicari Christiane Wilt thou bereuenged of thine aduersarie oh Christian tarry a while Nondum vindicatus est Christus Thy Lord and Sauiour is not yet auenged of his enemies Malice is so madde that it will not spare friend to wreake vengeance on foes So Garnet told the Powder-traitours that some innocent mighâ— be destroyed with many nocent if the publicke good could not otherwise be perfected His instance was that in a Towne besieged though some friends were there yet no wrong nor offence at
and pulls not off his hands or his eyes till the eye of Heauen is ashamed of it and denies further light hee is not wearie let him sit at Church two houres the seate is vneasie his bones ake either a Cushion to fall a sleepe with or he will bee gone That Christ may iustly and fitly continue that his reproofe vpon such Can ye not watch with mee one houre Thus the Commaund makes things burdensome and Prohibition desirable The wicked would not so eagerly catch at vanities if God had not said nolitâ— tangere touch them not Rapine Lust Ebrietie Sacriledge would sitte idle for want of customers if Gods interdiction had not sette a ne ingrediaris on their doores Enter not Rome I know not how truly bragges and let her boast her sinne that shee hath the fewer Adulterers because shee sets vp the Stewes It is reported that Italy did neuer more abound with Students then when Iulian had shut vp the Schoole-doores and turned Learning into exile He had fellowes in that Empire of so contrarie dispositions that some restrayned all things some forbad nothing and so made their times either tyrannous or licentious insomuch that it was a busie question in those times whether of those Emperours were worse one that would let euery man doe as he list and the other that would suffer no man to doe as hee would It is obserued of the Iewes that whiles the Oracles of heauen were open and Religion leaned on the shoulders of peace they fell frequently to Idolatrie but with the Babilonian bridle in their mouthes they eagerly pursue it their persecution for it encreased their prosecution of it So the bloud of Martyrs seedes the Church as if from their dead ashes sprung Phoenix-like many professours If troden Vertue grow so fast like Camomill how then doth restrained Vice thriue sure this Hydra rather multiplies his heads by the blowes of reproofe Sure it is that ex malis moribus oriuntur plurimae leges If men were not prone to infinite sinnes a more sparing number of lawes would serue our turnes And the more dangerous the law hath made the passage of Iniustice the more frequently feruently they loue to saile after it What they quake to suffer they tickle to doe as if their Itch could not bee cured till the Law scratch them so peruerse is their disposition that onely coaction must force them to good onely correction binde them from euill Now as it is shame that necessitie should draw vs to that whereunto our owne good should leade vs so it is past shame to warre for that which God hath charged vs to ware of Malum est agere quod prohibetur sed agere quià prohibetur pâ—ssimum Hee that doth that which is forbidden is euill hee that doth it because it is forbidden Deuill But as the honest man that hath somewhat to take to is in most care to come out of debt so hee that hath neither honestie nor lands takes care onely to come into debt and to be trusted Thus wee all long for restrained things and doate on difficulties but looke with an ouerly scorne and winking neglect on granted faculties Pharaoh is sicke of Gods plague the peaceable dismission of Israell will cure him hee sees his medicine no hee will be sicker yet Israell shall not goe Oh that these vvho wrastle with God would thinke that the more fiercely and firily they assault him they are sure of the sorer fall The harder the earthen vessell rusheth vpon the Brasen the more it is shiuered in pieces But nothing doth giue the vngodly such content as that they dangerously pull out of the iawes of difficultie No Flowers haue so good a smell as the Stollen no repast so sauoury as the cates of Theft Quae venit ex tuto minus est accepta voluptas Facilitie and libertie onely takes off the edge of Lust and what God doth restraine man will not refraine The Adulterer cares not for the chaste societie of a faire and louing wife but the lusts of vncleannesse which he steales with hazard from anothers bed are sweet in his opinion Ahabs whole kingdome is despised in his thoughts whiles â—e is sicke of Nabaoths Vineyard Heare Esau What is my Birth-right to mee when I can not taste of those red pottage Oh the crossenesse of our refractary dispositions that are therefore the more earnestly set vpon the pro because God hath more clearely charged them with the contra as if our naturall course was Crab-like to goe backward and our delight was to be a second crosse to CHRIST whereby though wee cannot crucifie his Flesh yet wee oppose and oppugne his Spirit as if Cynically we affected snarling or like the Gyants would trye our strengths with God Thus wee haue examined the Deuils reason and finde the natures of the vvicked actually disputing for the truth of his assertion and so interdicta placent the waters of sinne seeme sweet and are more greedily swallowed because they are stollen The Prince of the ayre so rules in the hearts of the children of disobedience that their appetites onely couet prohibited meates and their affections languish after discharged obiectes But your turning of things vp-side downe shall be esteemed as the Potters clay And those mine enemies which would not that I should raigne ouer them bring hither and slay them before mee GOD hath a hooke for Senacherib a curbe for Saul a bridle for these Horses and Mules the highest mouer ouer-rules the swift motion of these inferiour Sphaeres that they cannot fire the vvorld but as they delight to make other mens possessions theirs by stealth so they shall one day bee glad if they could put off that is theirs vpon other men and shift away the torments that shall for euer sticke on their flesh and spirits 2 The second argument of their sweetnesse is their cheapenesse The sinnes of stealth please the vvicked because they are cheape vvhat a man gets by robberie comes vvithout cost The vngodly vvould spare their purse though they lay out of their conscience Parcatur sumptui Fauour their temporall estates though their eternall pay for it Iudas had rather lose his soule then his purse and for thirtie siluerlings hee sels his Master to the Pharises himselfe to the Deuill Yet when all is done hee might put his gaines in his eye It is but their conceit of the cheapnesse they pay deare for it in the vpshot The Deuill is no such franke Chapman to sell his Wares for nothing Hee vvould not proffer Christ the kingdomes vvithout a price hee must be worshipped for them The guests carry not a draught from his table but they must make curtesie to him for it His worship must be thanked at least nay thankes will not serue affected obayed honoured Hee is proude still and stands vppon it beyond measure to bee worshipped Hee vvill part vvith an ounce of vanitie for a dramme of worship
quid faciemus what shall wee doe That they will not admit the nouell question of these toyte-headed times What shall we thinke They will not giue the coâ—science leaue after a tedious and importunate sollicitation to study of the matter But are more iniurious and impenetrable to their owne soules then that vniust Iudge to the Widdow A cheate is offred to a Trades-man an Inclosure to a Landlord an vnder-hand Fee clapt in the left hand of a Magistrate if they be euill and corruption hath first Marshalled the way the field is wonne They neuer treat with sinne for truce or pawse on an answere but presently yeeld the fort of their conscience No wonder then if the Deuils Harlot be so bold when she is so sure of welcome It is our weakenesse that prompts the Deuill with encouragement whom if we did resist hee would desist Our weake repulses harten and prouoke his fiercer assaults He would not shew the Worldling his apparant hornes if hee did not presume of his couetous desire to bee horsed on the backe of Mammon and hurried to Hell Hence sinne is so bold as to say in the wicked heart Non est Deus there is no God and so peremptorily to conclude to it selfe I shall not be moued for I shall neuer be in adueâ—sitie Hence euen their inward thought is that their houses shall continue for euer c. This is presumptuous and whorish prostitution to set out Iniquitie bare-faced without the Maske of pretexts to hide her vgly visage An impetuous an imperious Impudence that not wâ—th a feminine rapture but rather with a masculine rape captiues the conscience You see Follies prostitution 2. Prodition is the ranckling tooth that followes her rauishing kisses Iudas kissed his Maister with the same heart Iniquâ—tie hath an infectious breath if a faire countenance All her delights are like faire and sweet flowers but full of Serpents The tempted may giue a concluding groane Sic violor violis oh violenta tuis Thy soft flowers haue stung me to death For indeede it is most true Nemo ipsum peccatum amat sed male amando illud quod amat illaqueatur peccato No man loues sinne for it owne sake but by an irregular and sinister loue to that hee doth loue hee is snared with sinne The Deuill knowes that his Ephesian Harlot Vice would want worshippers if treason and death were written vp on the Temple-dore therefore health and content are proclaimed and as on the Theater prâ—sented but there is Hell vnder the Stage there is treason in the vault Thus Temptation misleades the Nauigatours with a Pyrates light deceiues the liuing fowles with a dead bird a Syren a Iudas a Iebusite a Iesuite For were the Iesuite to play the Deuill or the Deuill the Iâ—suite on the stage of this world it would be hard to iudge which was the Iesuite which the Deuill or which played the part most naturally As Iniquâ—ties are Sathans Harlots to corrupt the affections so Iesuites are his Eâ—gines to peruert the braines for if the new guest here be heart-sicke so their Proâ—elite is braine-sicke Both are made so dissolute till they become desolate robbed and destitute of all comfort Sinne deales with her guests as that bloody Germane Prince that hauing inuited many great States to a solemne Feast flattered and singled them out one by one and cut off all their heads As fatall a successe attends on the flatteries of sinne Oh then fuge peccatum exulceratricem hanc Fly this Harlot that carries death about her Goe aloofe from her dore as they say the Deuill doth by the Crosse but let that sauour of supposition nay of superstition doe thou in sincere deuotion flie from sinne quasi à facie colubri as from a Serpent Shee hath a Syrens voyce a Mermaides face a Helens beautie to tempt thee but a Leapers touch a Serpents sting a trayterous hand to wound thee The best way to conquer Sinne is by the Parthian warre to runne away So the Poet. Sed fuge tutus adhuc Parthus ab hoste fuga est Tunc peccata fugantur cum fugiantur Wee then put sinne to a forced flight when it puts vs to a voluntarie flight That Poeticall amoris artifex et medicus so counsels Fuge conscia vestriconcubitus c. But beyond all exception the holy Apostle giues the charge flie Fornication Shunne the place suspect the apparâ—nce of euill You see her Prodition Her perdition followes Shee vndoes a man not so much in the estate of his carkasse as of his conscience The guest is not so much damnified in respect of his goods as damned in respect of his grace Euery man is not vndone that is beggered many like Iob Minime pereunt cum maxime perire videntur are indeede least vndone when they seeme most vndone Nay some may say with the Philosopher perieram nisi periâ—ssem if I had not sustained losse I had beene lost So Dauids great trouble made him a good man Naamans leaprous flesh brought him a white and cleane spirit But the perdition that vice brings is not so visible as it is miserable The sequell of the Text will amplifie this onely now I apply it to the Harlot The Harlot destroyes a man many wayes 1. In his goods It is a costly sinne Thamar would not yeeld to Iudah without a hire The hire makes the Whore Stat meretrix certo quouis mercabilis aere Et miseras iusso corpore quaerit opes Compar'd with Harlots the worst beast is good No beasts but they will sell their flesh and blood The old Prouerbe conioynes venery and beggerie The Prodigall returned not from his Harlot without an empty Purse Sinne doth no lesse vndoe a mans estate It is a Purgatorie to his Patrimonie It is obiected It rather helps him to riches and swels his purse Doth not a bribed hand asycophant-tongâ—e a couetous and griping palme make men wealthie Yeeld wealthie not rich He is rich that possesseth what hee got iustly and vsâ—th what he possesseth conscionably other wealthy are not vnlike either the Capuchines or the Seculars Some like the former professe beggerie though they possesse the Indies these had rather fill their eye then their belly and will not breake a Summe though they endanger their healths The other sort are like the Seculars that will fare well though with a hard farewell But as the Harlot so often Vice brings a man to a morsell of bread Prou. 6. Thus Tibi fit damne vitio lucrosa voluptas Pleasure is no lesse then a losse to thee then a gaine to Sinne. It is not amisse to answere Sathans Inuiters to this Feast as the vitious Poet his Cockatrice Cur siâ— mutatus quaeris quia munera posâ—is Haec te non patitur causa placere mihi It is euen one reason to disswade vs from sinne that it is costly 2. In his good name No worldly vndoing is like this shipwrack Goods may be redeemed but this semel amissa
better life is the soule spoiled of when sinne hath taken it captiue The Adultresse will hunt for the precious life She is ambitious and would vsurpe Gods due and claime the heart the soule Hee that doth loue her destroyeth his owne soule Which shee loues not for it selfe but for the destruction of it that all the blossomes of grace may dwindle and shrinke away as bloomes in a nipping Frost and all our comforts runne from vs as flatterers from a falling Greatnesse or as Vermine from an house on fire Nay euen both thy liues are endangered The wicked man goâ—â—h after her as a foole to the correction of the stâ—ckes till a 〈◊〉 strike through his liuer as a bird hasteth to the snare and knoweth not that it is for his life It is as ineuitably true of the spirituall Harlots mischiefe For the turning away of the simple shall slay them Saue my life and take my goods saith the prostrate and yeelding Traueller to the theefe But there is no mercy with this enemie the life must pay for it She is worse then that inuincible Nauy that threatned to cut the throates of all Men Women Infants but I would to God shee might goe hence againe without her errand as they did and haue as little cause to bragge of her conquests Thus haue wee discribed the Temptresse The Tempted followes who are here called the Dead There be three kindes of death corporall spirituall eternall Corporall when the body leaues this life Spirituall when the soule forsakes and is forsaken of grace Eternall when both shall be throwne into hell 1. is the seperation of the soule from the body 2. is the seperation of body and soule from grace 3. the seperation of them both from euerlasting happinesse Man hath two parts by which hee liues and two places wherein he might liue if hee obayed God Earth for a time Heauen for euer This Harlot Sin depriues either part of man in either place of true life and subiects him both to the first and second death Let vs therefore examine in these particulars first what this death is and secondly how Sathans guests the wicked may be said liable thereunto 1. Corporall death is the departure of the soule from the body whereby the body is left dead without action motion sense For the life of the body is the vnion of the soule with it For which essentiall dependance the soule is often called and taken for the life Peter said vnto him Lord why cannot I follow thee now I will lay downe my soule for thy sake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his soule meaning as it iâ— translated his life And He that findeth his soule shall loose it but hee that looseth his soule for my sake shall finde it Here the Soule is taken for the Life So that in this death there is the seperation of the soule and body the dissolution of the person the priuation of life the continuance of death for there is no possible regresse from the priuation to the habite except by the supernaturall and miraculous hand of God This is the first but not the worst death which sinnâ— procureth And though the speciall deaâ—nesse of the guests here be spirituall yet this which we call naturall may be implied may be applied for when God threatned death to Adams sinne in illo die mâ—riâ—ris in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die yet Adam liued nine hundred and thirtie yeares after There was notwithstanding no delay no delusion of Gods decree for in ipso die in that very day death tooke hold on him and so is the Hebrew phrase dying thou shalt dye fall into a languishing and incurable consumption that shall neuer leaue thee till it bring thee to thy graue So that hee instantly dyed not by present seperation of soule and body but by mortallitie mutabillitie miserie yea by sorrow and paine as the instruments and agents of Death Thus said that Father After a man beginneth to be in this body by reason of his sinne he is euen in death The wicked then are not onely called Dead because the conscience is dead but also in respect of Gods decree whose inviolable substitution of Death to Sinne cannot be euaded auoyded It is the Satute-law decreed in the great Parliament of Heauen Statutum omnibus seâ—el mori It is appoynted vnto men once to die Tâ—is is one speciall kindnesse that sinne doth vs one kisse of her lippes Shee giues her louers three mortall kisses The first kils the conscience the second the carkase the third body and soule for euer Death passed vpon all men for that all haue sinned So Paul schooles his Corinths For this cause many are weaâ—e and sicke among you and many sleepe And conclusiuely peccati stipendium mors The wages of sinne is Death This Death is to the wicked death indeed euen as it is in it owne full nature the curse of God the suburbes of Hell Neither is this vniust dealing with God that man should incurre the death of his body that had reiected the life of his soule nisi praecessisset in peccato mors animae numquam corporis mors in supplicio sequerâ—tur If sinne had not first wounded the body death could not haue killed the soule Hence saith Augustine Men shunne the death of the flesh rather then the death of the spirit that is the punishment rather then the cause of the punishment Indeed Death considered in Christ and ioyned with a good life is to Gods elect an aduantage nothing else but a bridge ouer this tempestuous sea to Paradice Gods mercy made it so saith S. Augustine Not by making death in it selfe good but an instrument of good to his This hee demonstrates by an instance As the Law is not euill when it increaseth the lust of sinners sâ— death is not good though it augmâ—nt the glory of suâ—ferers The wicked vse the law ill though the law be good The good die well though death be euill Hence saith Solomon The day of death is better then the day of ones birth For our death is not obitus sed abitus not a perishing but a parting Non amittitur anima praemittitur tantum The soule is not lost to the body but onely sent before it to ioy Si duriùs seponitur meliùs reponitur If the soule be painfully laid off it is ioyfully laid vp Though euery man that hath his Genesis must haue his Exodus and they that are borne must dye Yet saith Tertullian of the Saints Profectio est quam putas moâ—tem Our dying on earth is but the taking our iourney to Heauen Simeon departs and that in peace In pace in pacem Death cannot be euentually hurtfull to the good for it no sooner takes away the temporall life but Christ giues eternall in the roome of it Alas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Corpora cadauera Our graues shall as
that actuall applications pierced more then verball explications Nathan by an instance of supposition wrought Dauids hart to an humble confession Hee drew the Proposition from his owne lippes The man that hath done this is worthie of death and then stroke while the iron was hot by an inferred Conclusion Thou art the man The Prophet Ahijah rent the new garment of Ieroboam in twelue pieces and bad him reserue tenne to himselfe in signe That God had rent the Kingdome out of the hand of Solomon and giuen tenne Tribes to him Esay by going naked and bare-foote as by a visible signe lessons Egâ—pt and Ethiopia that after this manner they should goe captiue to Assiria Ieremie by wearing bands and yokes and sending them to the Kings of Edom Moab Ammon Tyre Sidon Iudah giues them an actuall representation a visible Sacrament of their Babilonish captiuitie Ezekiells pourtraying vpon a Tile the Citie Ierusalem and the siege against it is called by God a signe against them Agabus tooke Pauls girdle and bound his owne hands and feete a signe and that from the holy Ghost that hee who ought the girdle should be so bound at Ierusalem and deliuered into the hands of the Gentiles God schooled Ionas in the Gourd by a liuely Apothegme and reall subiection to his owne eyes of his vniust impatience against God and Niniueh It was Gods vsuall dealing with Israell by the afflictions wherewith hee grieued them to put into their mindes how they had grieued him by their sins So Paul as our Prophet here For this cause yee are weake sickely and many dye drawing them by these sensible cords of their plagues to the feeling of their sinnes which made their soules faint in Grace sicke in Sinne dead in Apostasie For this cause c. This Doctrine affords a double vse particular and generall particular to Ministers generall to all Christians 1. To the dispensers of Gods secrets It allowes them in borrowed formes to expresse the meditations of their harts God hath giuen vs this libertie in the performance of our callings not onely nakedly to lay downe the truth but with the helpes of Inuention Wit Art to remoue loathing of his Manna If wee had none to heare vs but Cornelius or Lidia or such sanctified eares a meere affirmation were a sufficient confirmation But our Auditors are like the Belgicke armies that consist of French English Scotch Germaine Spanish Italian c. so many hearers so many humours the same diuersity of men and mindes That as guests at a strange dish euery man hath a rellish by himselfe that all our helpes can scarce help one soule to heauen But of all kindes there is none that creepes with better insinuation or leaues behinde it a deeper impression in the Conscience then a fit comparison This extorted from Dauid what would hardly haue ben graunted that as Dauid slew Goliath with his owne sword so Nathan slew Dauids sinne with his owne word Iotham conuinced the Shechemites folly in their approued raigne of Abimelech ouer them by the tale of the Bramble Euen temporall occasions are often the Mines to digge out spirituall instructions The people flocke to Christ for his bread Christ preacheth to them another bread whereof hee that eates shall neuer dye The Samaritane vvoman speakes to him of Iacobs Well hee tells her of Iesus Well whose bottome or foundation was in Heauen whose mouth and spring downewards to the earth crosse to all earthly fountaines contayning waters of life to be drawne and carried away in the Buckets of faith She thought it a new Well she found it a true Well whereof drinking her soules thirst was for euer satisfied The Creeple begges for an Almes the Apostle hath no money but answeres his small request with a great bequest health in the name of Iesus Nihil additur marsupio multum saluti His Purse is nothing the fuller his body is much the happier This course you see both Christ and his Apostles gaue vs in practise and precept In practise When the woman blessed the wombe that bare Christ and the pappes which gauâ— him sucke he deriueâ— hence occasion to blesse them which conceiue him in their faith and receaue him in their obedience Blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it Euen as Mary her selfe was rather blessed percipiendo fidem quam concipiendo carnem Christi in receauing the faith then conceauing the flesh of Christ. So the newes of his kinred in the flesh standing at the doore taught him to teach who are his true kinred in the Spirit In precept to his Apostles If they will not receaue and beleeue you Wipe off the dust of their Citie that cleaueth to your feete against them If they will not be moued with your words amaze them with your wonders Heale the sicke cleanse the leapers raise the dead cast out Deuils We cannot now worke miracles yet we can speake of miracles Euen we must also as obey his Documents so obserue his doings and follow him in due measure both in his words works though non passibus aequis not with equall steps Our imitation must be with limitation aptly dâ—stinguishing what we must onely admire in our mindes what admit in our manners 2. To all Christians that wee climbe vp by the staires of these inferiour creatures to contemplate the glorious power of the Creatour A good Christian that like the Bee workes honey from euery flower suffers no action demonstration euent to slip by him without a question All Obiects to a meditating Solomon are like wings to reare mount vp his thoughts to Heauen As the old Româ—nes when they saw the blew stones thought of Olympus so let euery Obiect though low in it selfe eleuate our mindes to Mount Syon A meane scaffold may serue to raise vp a goodly building Courtiers weather-driuen into a poore Cottage etiam in caula de Aula loquuntur gather hence opportunitie to praise the Court Wee may no lesse euen ex hara de ara dicendi ansam sumere from our Tabernacles on earth be induced to praise our standing house in Heauen So as the Philosopher aymed at the pitch stature of Hercules by viewing the length of the print of his foote Wee may by the base and dwarfiâ—h pleasures on our earth guesse at the high and noble ioyes in Heauen How can we cast vp our eyes to that they were made to behold and not suffer our mindes to transcend it passing through the lower Heauen which God made for Fowles Vapours Meteors to the Firmament wherein he fixed his Starres and thence meditating of the Empyreall Heauen which he created for himselfe his Angels his Saints a place no lesse glorious aboue the visible then the visible is aboue the earth Read in euery Starre and let the Moone be your Candle to doe it the prouident disposition of God the eternitie of your after-life But
once gaue it a Potion of Water to cleanse it Quas olim intulerant terris contagia sordes vos olim vltrices ablueratis aquae At nunc cum terras cum totas aequoris vndas polluerit manus quà m fuit ante scelus Quiá superest caelo nisi missus vt ignis ab alto Ipsas cum terris deuoret vlter aquas Once in Gods sight the World so filthy stood That hee did wash and soake it in a flood But now it 's growne so foule and full of mire Nothing remaines to purge it but a fire Which Strabus writing on the worlds destruction by fire would seeme to gather from those two coulours in the Rainebow caeruleo et igno blew and red The first cataclysme of water is past the second deluge of fire is to come So saith the Apostle The heauens being on fire shall be dissolued the Elements shall melt with feruent heate Nouam qualitatem induent manente substantia All earthly things shall waxe old and dye Mors etiam saxis nominibusque venit but the substance shall remaine It is but the fashion of this world that passeth away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 figura non natura When all the putrified fâ—ces drossie and combustible matter shall bee refined in the fire all things shall be reduced to a christaline clearenesse Thus though the heathen prophanely made the Phisitian a God yet the Christian may say truely Our God is become our Phisitian And his Ministers are his deputies vnder him bringing in their lips the sauing Medicines that God hath giuen them You see the willing similitude of these professions Indeed the Phisitian cannot so aptly and ably challenge or make bold with the Ministers office as the Minister may with his The Clergie-man may minister medicines the Phisitian may not administer the Sacraments It is true thus farre Euery Christian is a Priest to offer vp prayers for himselfe and the whole Church although not publikely and ministerially and none but a Cain will deny himselfe to be his Brothers keeper Though exhortation be the Ministers dutie yet exhort one another daily And if wee serue one another in loue we must carry euery one a conuerting Ministrie though God alone haue the conuerting power Turne one another and liue Now as this conuerting worke is a conuertible worke I meane reciprocall and mutuall from one to another the Phisitian may apportion to himselfe a great share in it Who may better speake to the soule then hee that is trusted with the body or when can the stampe of grace take so easie impression in mans heart as when the heat of Gods affliction hath melted it What breast is vnvulnerable to the strokes of death The miserable carkase hath then or neuer a penetrable conscience This conscience is so deafed in the dayes of our iollitie with the loud noyse of Musicke Oathes Carowsings Clamours Quarrels Sports that it cannot heare the Prophets cry All flesh is grasse When sicknesse hath throwne him on the bed of anguish and made his stomacke too queasie for quaffes too fine and daintie for euen Iunkets naked him of his silkes paled his cheekes sunke his eyes chilled his blood and stunted all his vigorous spirits the Phisitian is sent for and must scarce be let out when the Minister may not be let in His presence is too dull and full of melancholy no messenger shall come for him till his comming be too late How iustly then should the Phisitian be a Diuine when the Diuine may not be a Phisitian How well may hee mingle Recipâ— and Resipisce penitentiall exhortations with his medicinall applications and praescripts Thus memorable and worthy to be our precedent was that Italian Phisitians course that when dissolâ—te Ludouicus lay desolate in his sicknesse and desired his helpe hee answered him in his owne tune If you shall liue you shall liue though no Phisicke be giuen you If you shall dye you shall dye Phisicke cannot helpe you According to the sicke mans libertine and hereticall opinion concerning Praedestination If I shall be saued I shall be saued howsoeuer I loue or liue If I shall be damned I shall be damned howsoeuer I doe or dye The Phisitians answere gaue him demonstratiue conuiction taught him the vse of meanes as well for his soules as bodyes health and so cured recanting Ludouicus of both his diseases at once A godly practise worthy our Phisitians imitation But with vs Gracâ— waites at the heeles of Nature and they diue so deepe into the secrets of Philosophie that they neuer looke vp to the misteries of Diuinitie As some Mathematicians deale so much in Iacobs Staffe that they forget Iacobs Ladder so some Phisitians God decrease the number are so deepe Naturalists that they are very shallow Christians The best cure depends â—pon Gods care It is poore and eneruate help to which Gods blessing hath not added strength If God doth not heare the heauens for vertue and heauen heare the earth for influence and earth the Phisitian for ingredients all their receits are but deceits and the paper of their Bils will doe as much good as the praescripts in it Simples are but simple things and all compounds idle when they want the best ingredient of Gods blessing Let Plato then hold the candle to Moses and all Phisitians drinke at the well of the sons of the Prophets As their purpose aimeth at our healths so let them intreat God to leuell their hands their direction and successe stands in the name of the Lord of Hostes. The forme of the words is Interrogatorie Is there no Balme at Giliad are there no Phisitians there It is most true Balme is not scarce nor are the Phisitians few yet Israell is sicke God doth conuince that by a question which might be without question affirmed but would not be without question graunted The best insinuation or piercing assertion is ex interrogando by way of question not onely for explication but for application of truth God doth as it were appeale to mans conscience and fetch euidence from the impartiall testimonie of his heart That here what is true in Gods reprehension may appeare true in mans apprehension The first word that euer God spake to man after his fall was a question ADAM vbi es where art thou Hee continues the same formam loquendi normam arguendi forme methode of speech Who told thee that thou was naked Hast thou eaten of the Tree whereof c. And to the woman What is this that thou hast done Before man fell to sinne God fell not to questioning All his speeches were to him either commendatory or commandatory approbationis non exprobationis verba words of approuall not of exception Hee createth ordereth blesseth man and all things to him but when man fell to sliding God fell to chiding Because man turned his heart to another obiect God turned his voyce to another accent Gods questions are not of the
Tree is all medicinable the chiefe and prime vertue is in the Iuyce the second in the Seede the third in the Rinde the last and weakest in the Stocke It comforts both by tasting and smelling It is most commonly distinguished by Phisitians into Lignum Semen Lâ—quorem the Wood the Seede and the Iuyce This is the nature of the Balsamum This holy Word is heere called Balme and si fas sit magnis componere parua if wee may compare heauenly with earthly spirituall with naturall things they agree in many resemblances The vn-erring Wisedome of Heauen hath giuen this comparison There is no feare to build on Gods ground whiles the Analogie of Faith limits vs. It is the Builders first and principall care to chuse a sure foundation The rotten moorish quicke-sandy grounds that some haue â—et their edifices on haue failed their hopes and destituted their intents How many worthy wittes haue spent their times and studies to dawbe vp the â—ilthy walls of Rome with vntempered morter How well had they hunted if they had not mistaken their game How rich apparrell haue they wouen for a Babilonish Harlot How well had they sailed if Rome had not guided their Compasse But euery mans worke shall be made manifest For the day shall declare it because it shall be reuealed by fire and the fire shall try euery mans worke of what sort it is Happy is he that hath a rocke for his ground that no gusts stormes windes waues may ouer-turne his house Though other foundation none can lay then that is layd which is Iesus Christ yet blessed is hee that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath builded safely vpon this ground God hath here layd my ground I will be hold to build my speech on that whereon I build my faith Onely sobrietie shall be my bounds Wee may call Gods word that Balme tree whereon the fruit of life growes A tree that heales a tree that helps A tree of both medicament and nutriment Like the Tree of life which beares twelue manner of fruits and yeeldeth her fruit euery moneth Neither is the fruit onely nourishing but euen the leaues of the tree were for the healing of the Nations Now though the Balme heere whereunto the Word is compared is more generally taken for the iuyce now fitted and ready for application yet without pinching the Metaphore or restraining the libertie of it I see not why it may not so be likened both for generall and particular properties It is not enough to say this but to shew it Let me say it now shew it anone For the Balme you haue the Tree the Seed the Iuice Gods Word will not vnfitly paralell it in resemblances transcend it in effectuall properties The Tree it selfe is the Word We finde the eternall Word so compared I am the true Vine and my Father is the Husbandman Hee is a Tree but arbor inuersa the roote of this tree is in Heauen It was once made â—lesh and dwelt amongst vs and wee beheld his glory the glory as of the onely begotten of the Father full of grace and truth Now hee is in Heauen Onely this Word still speakes vnto vs by his word the word incarnate by the word written made sounding in the mouth of his Ministers This word of His is compared and expressed by many Metaphores to leauen for seasoning to honey for sweetning to the hammer for breaking the stonie heart Is not my Word like as a fire saith the Lord and like a hammer that breaketh the rocke in pieces To a sword that cuts both wayes The word of God is quicke and powerfull and sharper then a two-edged sword c. Another sword can but enter the flesh and pierce the bones or at most diuide the soule and the body but this the soule and the spirit where no other sword can come no not the Cherubins sierie sword that kept the passage of Paradise It is here a Tree a Balme-tree a saluing a sauing tree Albumasar saith that the more medicinable a plant is the lesse it nourisheth But this Tree reddit aegrotum sanum sanum verò santorem makes a sicke soule sound and a whole one sounder It is not onely Phisicke when men be sicke but meate when they be vvhole Triacle to expell preseruatiues to preuent poyson It is not onely a sword to beate backe our common enemie but a Bulwarke to hinder his approach It carries a seed with it Carpo-balâ—amum an immortall and incorruptible seed which concurres to the begetting of a new man the old rotting and dying away for it hath power of both to mortifâ—e and dead the â—lesh to reuiue and quicken the spirit That seed which the sower went out to sow Happy is the good ground of the heart that receiues it That little Mustard-seed which sprâ—ads vp into branches able to giue the fowles of heauen harbour Disâ—rimâ—n hoc inter opâ—ra Dei et Mundi This difference is betwixt the workes of God and of the World The workes of the world haue great and swelling Entrances but malo sine clauduntur they halt in the conclusion The vvorkes of God from a most slender beginning haue a most glorious issue The vvord is at first a little seed how powerfull how plentifull are the effects how manifold how manifest are the operations of it casting downe the highest things that exalt themselues against the knowledge of God and captiuating euery thought to the obedience of Christ. The iuyce is no lesse powerfull to mollifie the stony heart and make it tender and soft as a heart of flesh The seed conuinceth the vnderstanding the Iuyce mollifieth the affections All is excellent but still conspicuum minùs quod maximè est praeclarum the roote that yeelds this seed this iuyce is the power of God A tree hath manifest to the eye leaues and flowers and fruits but the roote most precious lies hidden In man the body is seene not the purer and better part of him his soule The Kings daughter though her cloathing be of wrought gold is most glorious within In all things we see the accidents not the forme not the substance There are but few that rightly tast the seed and the iuyce but who hath comprehended the roote of this Balme The Balsame is a little tree but it spreads beyond a Vine The vertue of it in all respects is full of dilatation It spreads 1. largely for shadow 2. pregnantly for fruit 3. all this from a small beginning So that we may say of it as the Church of her Sauiour As the apple tree among the trees of the wood so is my Beloued among the Sonnes I sate downe vnder his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my tast It spreads No sharpe frosts nor nipping blasts nor chilling aires nor drisling sleete can marre the beautie or eneruate the vertue of this spirituall Tree The more it is stopped the
of sullen silence Some are shallow pits that run so long open mouth till their Springs are quite dry whiles they wâ—l be prius Doctores quam discipuli Masters that neuer were Schollers and leape into Pauls Chaire when they neuer sate at the feet of Gamaliel There must be therefore Wisedome both in the Dispensers hearers of Gods mysteries in the former to distribute in the other to apportion their due and fit share of this Balme 3. The Balsame tree being vvounded too deepe dyes the word of G0D cannot be marred it may be martyred and forced to suffer iniurious interpretations The Papists haue made and called the Scriptures a â—ose of waxe and they wring this Nose so hard that as Solomon sayes they force out blood As Christ once so his word often is crucified betweene two Theeues the Papist on the left hand the Schismaticke on the right These would rauish the virgin-purenesse of the Gospell and adulterate the beautie of it They cannot cut except they cut a pieces nor distinguish but they must extinguish They diuide faire but they leaue the Quotient emptie They subdiuide till they bring all to nothing but fractions but factions Wee may obserue that among these there are as few vnifici in the Church as Munisici in the Common-wealth They are commonly most miserable men of their purses most prodigall of their opinions They diuide the Word too plentifully to their turbulent Auditours they diuide their goods too sparingly to poore Christians There are too many of such ill Logicians that diuide all things define nothing As a moderne Poet well Definit Logicus res non modo diuidit at nos Nil definimus omnia diuidimus These pierce the Balme too deepe not to straine out Iuyce but blood and in what they are able to kill it 4. When the Balsame is cut they vse to set Vialls in the Dennes to receiue the Iuyce or sappe When the word is diuided by preaching the people should bring Vialls with them to gather this sauing Balme These Vials are our eares which should couch close to the Pulpit that this intrinsique Balme may not be spilt besides How many Sermons are lost whiles you bring not with you the vessels of attention We cut and diuide and sluce out Riuers of sauing health from this Tree but all runnes besides and so your health is not recouered You come frequently to the Wells of Life but you bring no Pitchers with you You crie on vs for store of Preaching and call vs idle Drones if wee goe not double iourney euery Sabaoth but still you goe home with vnfallowed with vnhallowed hearts Our Gilead affords you Balme enough yet you haue sickly soules You heare to heare and to feede either your humours or your opinions or your hypocrisies You shall heare a puffed Ananias cry Alas for his non-preaching Minister if at least he forbeares his snarling and currish inuectiues of dumbe dogge c. When alas let many Apostles come with the holy coniuration of Prayer and Preaching yet they cannot cast out the deafe Deuill in many of them They blame our dumbe Dogges not their owne deafe Deuils They vvould seeme to cure vs that are sent to cure them if at least they would be cured Wee would haue cured Babell nay we would haue cured Bethell but shee would not be cured It will be said that most hearers bring with them the Vials of attention yeeld it yet for the most part they are either without mouthes or without bottoms Without mouthes to let in one droppe of this Balme of Grace or without bottomes that when wee haue put it in and looke to see it againe in your liues behold it is runne through you as water through a sieue and scarce leaues any wet behinde it And to speake impartially many of you that haue Vials with bottomes eares of attention with hearts of retention and the ground of remembrance yet they are so narrow at the toppe that they are not capable but of drop by drop Thinke not your selues so able to receiue at the eare and conceiue at the hart innumerable things at once You are not broad glasses but narrow-necked Vials and then best receiue this Balme of life when it is stilled from the Lymbecke of Preaching with a soft fire and a gentle powring in So saith the Prophet Line must be added to line precept vpon precept heere a little and there a little When a great vessell powres liquour into a straite-mouth'd Viall the sourse must be small and sparing fit to the capacitie of the receiuer that in time it may be filled It is often seene that when this iuyce comes with too full and frequent a streame almost all runnes besides I doe not speake this vel prohibendi vel cohibendi animo to curbe the forwardnesse of godly Ministers or perswade the raritie of Sermons God still of his mercie multiply labourers into and labours in his haruest But to correct your obstreperous clamours against vs noâ— to chill the heate of your zealous hearing but to inkindle the fire of your conscionable obeying Doe not stand so much vpon Sacrifice that you forget Mercie Bee not so angry for want of two or three Sermons in a weeke when you will not obey the least Doctrine of one in a month You blesse your Samuels in the name of the Lord with protestation of your obedience to the will of the Lord wee reply what meanes then the bleating of the Sheepe and the lowing of the Oxen in our eares the loud noyse of your Oaths Iniuries Oppressions Fraudes Circumventions You come with bookes in your hands but with no booke for Gods Spirit to write obedience in A Bible vnder the arme with many is but like a Rule at ones backe whiles all his actions are out of square The Historie of the Bible is carryed away easier then the misterie Philosophy saith that there is no vacuitâ—e no vessell is empty if of water or other such liquid and materiall substances yet not of aire So perhaps you bring hither Vialls to receiue this Bâ—lme of Grace and cary them away full but onely full of winde a vast incircumscrib'd and swimming knowledge is in some a motion a notion a meere implicite and confused tenencie of many things which lye like Corne loose on the floore of their braines How rarâ— is it to see a Viall carried from the Church full of Balme a Conscience of Grace I know there are many names in our Sardâ— I speake not to disharten any but to encourage all Onely would to God we would shew lesse and doe more of goodnesse Yet shew freely if you doe godly I reprehend not shewing but not doing Wee preach not to your flesh but to your spirits neither is this Balme for the eare but for the soule Therefore I summe vp this obseruation with a Father Quantum vas fidei capacis afferimus tantum gratiae inundantis haurimus Looke how capacious a vessell of
Faith wee bring with vs to the Temple so much of this gracious and flowing Balme of life we receiue Consider that this Balme is animae languentis medicina the Phisicke for a sicke soule Come to it like Patients that desire to be cured Quidam veniunt vt noua per quirant haec curiositas est quidam vt sciantur haec vanitas est They abuse this word that search it onely for newes and this is curiositie or to get themselues a name and this is vanitie or to sell the truth and this is Simonie or to iest on it and this is Epicurisme or to confute it and this is Atheisme You doe well condemne first them that preferre Machiauell to Moses Ismaels scoffes to Ieremies teares Iericho to Ierusalem the tower of Babell to the gates of Bethell or secondly those that put away the Ministry as a superfluous Office and thinke they know inough to saue themselues Dux ero miles ero duce me â—e milite solus Bella geram They will be their owne captaines and their owne souldiours and without calling the assistance of man or Angell Prophet or Apostle they will bandâ— with the Diuell and all his army hand to hand or thirdly those that like the Collier dance in a circular measure and hang all their Faith on the hookes of others beliefe exercising all their religion by an exorcising Masse whiles they count the Old and New Testaments bookes of controuersie and that it is peremptory sacriledge to meddle with the scriptures You doe well to abhorre these dotages but still looke that all be well at home Loue the Word and that with an appetite Beati esurientes Blessed are they thâ—t hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be satisfied But as you haue loue to it so liue by it Non scholae sed vitae discendum Wee learne not onely to know good but to liue well Audiatis vt sciatis saith Saint Bernard sciatis vt aediâ—icemini et hoc integritas est vt aedisicetis et hoc Charitas est Heare to know know to edifie your selues this is integritie to edifie others this is Charitie Bring then to this Balme vialls of sinceritie not of hypocrisie least God fill them with the vialls of his indignation It is not enough to haue eares but eares to heare Idle Auditours are like Idoll Gods which haue members not for vse but shew like glasse wâ—ndowes vpon stone-walls to giue ornament not to receiue light 5. The Balsame tree was graunted sometimes to one onely people Iudea as Pliny testifies It was thence deriued to other Nations Who that is a Christian doth not know and confesse the appropriation of this spirituall Balme once to that onely Nation He sheweth his word vnto Iacob his statutes and his iudgements vnto Israel Hee hath not dealt so with any Nation and as for his Iudgements they haue not knowne them Now as their earthly Balme was by their ciuill Merchants transported to other Nations so when this heauenly Balme was giuen to any Gentile a Merchant of their owne a Prophet of Israel carried it Niniueh could not haue it without a Ionas Nor Babilon without some Daniels And though Paul and the Apostles had a Commission from Christ to preach the Gospell to all Nations yet obserue how they take their leaue of the Iewes It was necessary that the word of God should first haue beene spoken to you but seeing you put it from you and iudge your selues vnworthie of euerlasting life loe we turne to the Gentiles Other Lands might bragge of their naturall and nationall benefits onely Iury of both the Balmes Non omnis fert omnia tellus Nihil est ex omni parte beatum India mittit ebur molles dant thura Sabai Totaque thuriferis Panchaia diues arenis Hiram had store of Timber Moab of Sheepe Ophir was famous for gold Chittim for Iuorie Basan for Oakes Lebanon for Cedars Flascon had the best Wines Athens the best Honey Persia the best Oyle Babilon the best Corne Tyrâ— the best Purple Tharsis the best Ships the West Indies for Gold the East for Spices but of all Iury bore the Palme for bearing the Balme Such grace had Israel for the temporall much more for the spirituall Balme that all Nations might make low courtesie to her as the Queene of the Prouinces and be beholding to her for the crummes that fell from her Table as the Syrophaenician desired of Christ. Yet shee that transcended all in her blessings deâ—cended lower then all in her disobedience And as she lift vp her head and gloried in her speciall priuiledges so she might hang downe her head for shame at her speciall wickednesses For it is obserued that there are sinnes adherent to Nations proper peculiar genuine as their flesh cleaueth to their bones That as for the climate of Heauen their bodies differ so for the custome of their liues their dispositions vary from others So that many Countries are more dangerous either for sinnes or calamities For of necessitie they that liue among them must either imitate them and doe ill or hate them and suffer ill since amicitae pares aut quarunt aut faciunt cohabitation of place seekes or makes coaptation of manners S. Paul notes the Cretians for Lyers S. Luke the Athenians for newes inquirers and bearers The Graecians were noted for light the Parthians for fearefull the Sodomites for Gluttons like as England God saue the sample hath now suppled lythed and stretched their throates If we should gather Sinnes to their particular Centers wee would appoint Pride to Spaine Lust to France Poysoning to Italie Drunkennesse to Germanie Epicurisme to England Now it was Israels wickednesse and wretchednesse that they fell to Idolatrie Not that other Nations were not Idolaters but Israels vilest because they alone were taught the true worship of God Iosephus holds that the Iewes were the best Souldiours of the world both for abillitie of body and agillitie of minde in strength in stratagem Diuers people are now excellent fighters one speciall and singular way The Romanes fight well in their Councels I had almost said Fence-schooles the Italians in their Shops the Spaniards in their Ships the French-men in a hold the Scot with his Launce the Irish-man on foote with his Dart. But the Iewes were saith Iosephus euery way expert Alas their victorie came not from their owne strength the Lord fought for them So one of them chaâ—eth ten of his enemies a hundreth chase a thousand They had the shield of Gods protection the sword of his spirit the word of God defence and offence against their carnall and spirituall enemies And if euer they receiued wound to their flesh or spirits they had heere both the soueraine Balmes to cure them But alas they that were so euery-way-blessed lost all by loosing their Balme and treading it vnder feet For this cause their Balme is giuen to vs their auersion
then your obedient workes We must free our soules that we haue not administred soothing Sermons least at once wee flatter and further you in your follies You are apt enough to deriue authoritie for your sinnes from our liues and make our patternes patrons of your lewdnesse As I wish that our life were not so bad so withall that you would not out-goe out-doe it in euill You goe dangerously farre whiles you make our weaknesse a warrant to your presumption But if you fasten so wickedly on our vices you shall neuer finde countenance from our voyces Wee condemne our owne ills and you for aduenturing your soules to Satan on so silly aduantage Stand forth and testifie against vs Did we euer spare your vsuries depopulations malice fraudes ebrietie pride swearing contempt of holy things and duties Could any Pharise euer tye our tongues with the strings of Iudas purse and charme our conniuence or silence with giftes Wretched men if there be any such guilty of so palpable adulation qui purpuram magis quà m deum colunt Call them your owne common slaues not Gods seruants that to gaine your least fauours are fauourable to your greatest sinnes and whilst they winne your credites loose your soules We must follow our Master who gaue vs a Commission and giues vs direction to performe it Hee came once with pax vobis peace be vnto you at another time with vae vobis woe be vnto you We must be like him who was that good Samaritane putting into your wounds as well the searching wine of reprehension to eate out the dead flesh as the oyle of consolation to cheare your spirits Sometimes with Ieremies Hammer bruising your strength of wickednesse though here with Ieremies Balme binding vp your broken hearts And for you my Brethren know that the things which cure you doe not euermore please you Loue not your palates aboue your soules Thou lyest sicke of a bodily disease and callest on the Phisitian not for well relished but healthfull Potions thou receiuest them spight of thy abhorring stomach and being cured both thankest and rewardest him Thy soule is sicke God thy bâ—st Phisitian vnsent to sends thee Phisicke perhaps the bitter Pils of affliction or sharpe prescripts of repentance by his word thoâ— loathest the sauour and wilt rather hazard thy soule then offend thy flesh and when thou shouldest thanke grumblest at the Phisitian So farre inferiour is our loue of the soule to that of our bodie that â—or the one wee had rather vndergoe any paynes then death for the other wee rather chuse a wilfull sicknesse then a harsh remedie Giue then your Physitian leaue to fit and apply his medicines and doe not you teach him to teach you Leaue your olde adiuration to your too obsequious Chaplens if there be any such yet remayning Loquimini placentia Prophecie not vnto vs right things speake vnto vs smooth things prophecie deceits Get you out of the way c. Threaten your Priests no longer with suits and quereles and expulsions from their poore Vineyards which you haue erst robbed because they bring you sowre grapes sharpe wine of reproofes Doe not colour all your malice against them with the imputation of ill life to them when you are indeede onely fretted with their iust reprehension of your impieties Barre not the freedome of their tongues by tying them to conditions this you shall say and this not say on paine of my displeasure You may preach against sinnes but not meddle with the Pope or you may inueigh against Rome Idolatrie so you touch not at my Herodias or you may taxe Lust so you let mee alone for Nabaoths Vineyard As if the Gospell might bee preached with your limitations and forsaking the holy Ghost wee must come to fetch direction from your lippes Ionas spared not Great Niniueh nor the great King of Great Niniueh why should we spare your sinnes that would saue your soules You will loue vs the better when you once loue your selues better If any gaine were more valuable then that of godlines or any means more auailable then spirituall Physicke to your saluations we would hearken to it and you He that is wisest hath taught vs it we are rebels if we not obey it Your exulcerated sores cannot bee healed with incarnatiue salues 4. Spirituall Phisitians no lesse then the Secretaries of Nature must haue knowledge and Art Empirickes endanger not more bodies then ideotish Priests soules He that cannot powre healthfull moisture and iuyce of life into the gasping spirit and fill the veines that affliction hath emptied deserues not the name of a spirituall Phisitian Arts haue their vse and humane learning is not to be despised so long as like an obedient Hagar she serues Sara with necessary helpe Onely let the Booke of God stand highest in our estimation as it is in Gods eleuation and let all the sheaues doe homage to it But Empirickes cannot brooke Craterus saith the Prouerbe sottish Enthusiastes condemne all learning all premeditation This is to tye the holy Ghost to a Pen and Inkhorne c. They must runne away with their Sermons as Horses with an emptie Cart. But now he that wil flie into Gods mysteries with such sicke feathers shall be found to flagge low with a broken pineon or soaring too high without sober direction endanger himselfe Barbarisme is grosse in an Orator Ignorance in a Phisitian Dulnesse in an Aduocate rudenesse in a Minister Christ chose Fishermen but made them Fishers of men gaue them a Calling and vertues for it Shall therefore any phantasticall spirit thinke that Christs singular action is our generall patterne As if men were the more faulâ—ie the more fit the more silly the more sufficient Christ so furnished â—is with knowledge and language that the people wondred at their wisedome and knew or rather acknowledged that they had beene with Iesus It is said of Emperickes that they haue but one medicine for all diseases if that cure not they know not how to doe it but the Scribe instructed for Heauen and instructing for Heauen drawes out of his treasure both old and new which he hath carefully laid vp by his former studie high points for forward Schollers easier â—essons for those in a lower forme To children milke such things as may nourish not oppresse aptanon alta to the profound as Demosthenes said he desired to speake non modo scripta sed etiam sculpta matters of weight and diligence The truth is that wee must preach Christ not our selues and regard the peoples benefit more then our owne credite being content to loose our selues to winne others to God And to this purpose is required learning as a Phisitian is not lesse knowing because hee giues an easie and common receite to a certaine Patient but rather out of his iudgement findes that fittest for him It is no small learning to illustrate obscurities to cleare the subtilties of the Schoole to open Gods mysteries to