giueth Principijs obsta seâ—o medicina paratur Ouidius Cum mala per long as inualuere moras It is good to stop an euill in the beginning that it doe not proceed to a greater mischiefe the medicine commeth too late when the wound and dis ease through sufferance and continuance is grown incurable A similitude It is too late then to wash a garment which is nowe consumed and rotten with dirt and filthinesse A similitude that hath long aboade in it Hee doth peruerslie who hauing a beautifull standing cuppe of golde and hath verie precious balme giuen vnto him to put into the cup will not put it in before the cup hath stoode long before full of filthie lyquor and doth now retaine the force and strength of the sauour of the liquour So is he as bransicke and preposterouslie peeuish who when GOD hath giuen him the precious balme of his holie grace and his cup may ouerflowe hee will not accept of it in his young age but will first fill his vessell fall of sinne and filthinesse till hee come to bee olde â— similitude It is good to withstande the enemie at the first assaulte and not to suffer him to enter into the cittie or to chase him out at the first entrance it is harde to driue the strong manne out of possession and it is too late to resist his forces when as he hath inuaded similitude and gotten thy strong holds It is too late for thee to powder thy meate and to sprinkle it with salte alreadie greatlie tainted and much saâ—â—ring of corruption and swarming with Flie blowinges similitude Hee that mindes to prooue an expert rider hee will beginne betimes and at ten yeares olde hee will bee practising and assaying with himselfe what he is able for to doe Hee that intendeth a shepherds life A similitude will endeuor with a sling to be dealing when he is a boy he wil vse himselfe betimes to a shepheards scrip and hee will harden himselfe asore hande to abide the wrath and violence of the seasons Thus ye see howe in worldly matters we knowe our opportunities by these therfore let vs be taught to knowe our times for our religious duties Our youth which is our best time is also the best for the seruice of God let vs then in this time seeke by all meanes to subdue sinne and to stir vp the spirit to all works of godlines If wee doe not this but let our youth haue his ryotous race this will followe of it one sinne will hale and drawe on another One sinne draweth on an other so as in shorte time with this prodigall young man wee shall as it were be nothing else but sinne Well saith learned Gregory Greg. lib. 25 moral cap. 12 Peccatum quod per poenitentiam non diluitur mox suo pondere aliud trahit Sinne which is not done awaie with repentance with the waight and burden of it draweth another after it To the like effect Saint Augustine Aug. lib. 5 contrae Inlianum speaketh thus Vnum peccatum est poena alterius vnum peccatum Dominus permittit vt aliud puniat One sinne is the punishment of another and God suffereth one sinne to take vengeance of another as it is written in Saint Iohn his Reuelation Reuel 22 Hee that is filthie let him be filthy still When as Cain laboured of the sinne of Enuie he staide not there but his enuie brought forth murder Geâ— 4 his murder heresie supposing he could hide his iniquitie from God and last of all hee fell into vtter desperation the very next doore to perdition and destruction In Dauid wee haue an example of the like For first sinne brought forth lust 2. Sam. 1â— lust adultery adulterie the murder of an innocent man The like may bee saide of Peter Hee first simplie denied Christ Mark 14 hee secondlie more boldelie stoode to the deniall but thirdlie verie impudentlie hee bound it with banning and most accursed swearing When as Iudas prooued a thiefe hee grewe a murmurer disdaining and grudging the deuotion of Marie Magdalen â—on 12 and after that a traytor and finallie a desperate destroyer of himselfe This prodigall companion when hee first became vntowarde he neuer rested vntill he grewe past grace and came to the extremity and top of al inquity This is the mischieuous operation of sinne these be the dangerous and damnable effects thereof â—imilitude As a stone that is cast into the water raiseth vp a bubble and that immediatly raiseth vp another so one sinne occasioneth another vntill we grow obdurate and hardened in our sinne When Samson gaue consent to be bound of Dalila â—g 16 hee came so into bondes as hee coulde not come out beeing first bounde with greene cordes that were neuer dried secondly beeing bounde more surelie with new ropes that were neuer occupied but thirdlie seuen locks of his heade were platted with the threeds of the woofe and were fastened with a pinne but last of all hee was shauen and depriued of his strength and deliuered vp into the hands of the Philistines who did cruellie entreate him and so from one mischiefe he ran into all danger So euerie sinner if he taketh not good heed from one sinne falleth into a thousand his ende is farre woorse then his beginning â—say 5. He draweth iniquitie as the Prophet sayth with cords of vanitie and sin as it were with cartropes He is still faster bounde in the diuels Chaines till the iron enter into his verie soule to the destruction of his soule Osea 4 If a man maketh entrance into a sinne by swearing hee proceedeth with lying and breaketh out into stealing whooring and killing and blood toucheth blood And what is the cause hereof Trulie onelie this in that a sinner hath no feeling of his sinne A sinner hath no feling of sinne One sinne doth more vex and torment a iust man then huge heapes of sinnes do an vngodly person There is no element that is heauie in his spheare A similituâ— If a man that would swimme plungeth himself into the bottom of a ryuer albeit he be couered with neuer so much water yet is not that water anie burthen vnto him so long as he abideth and continueth in the riuer but out of the riuer a bucket of that water laid vpon his shoulders is too heauie for him for thâ—â— is the Element out of his place and by meanes therefore is burdenson A similiâ—â—â—â— A scoppe of water whilest it is in the Well may bee haled and dragged to and fro of a childe but beeing eleuated aboue his element and raysed vâ—â—boue the toppe of the water it requireth the strength and force of a mans arme A similitude He that eateth Onions smelleth not the grosnes and ranknes of their sauour but another who commeth nigh him dooth soone perceiue and feele it Thou hast swallowed vp O
quiet minde for there is a manifold vse that commeth of them First they serue notablie to curble our proude mindes and to tamâ—â—â—e wanton lusts of the flesh which in our prosperitâ—e is ouermuch pregnant insulting and preuayling ouer the motions of the spirite When as Peter was commended by his Maister Christ for his good confession Matt. 16 hee was so perte and proude of this prayse as hee presumed afterwarde most malapertlie to gainesay him The spouse in the Canticles Cant. 3 being commended by her bridegroome for her suspassing beautie in comelines resembling the tents of Kedar and the Curtaines of Salomon grew thereby so audacious as shee talked and communed so familiarlie with him as one friend with another putting forth questions asking him where he fed and where he did lay at noone Zebedeus his two sonnes Matt. 20 because they were so happie as by fleshlie consanguinitie to bee allyed to Christ they presentlie were so bolde as to clayme a prerogatiue and libertie by it to chalenge the left hande and right hand in his kingdome Wherefore because worldly fauour and prosperitie do so puffe vs vp with pride as wee forget our selues it is exceeding good that we fall into temptations which are good schoolmaisters to traine vs vp in the knowledge of our selues A similitude The maister that hath a seruant lying sicke if hee seeth that wine is hurtfull for him giueth commandement to alay it with water which may abate the heat operation of the wine so God our good maister seeing vs his seruants to be very sicke of sinne and perceiuing that the wine of worldlie prosperitie is poysonable vnto vs hee slacketh the power and hurtfull effect of it by mixing the water of tribulation with it A similitude That Gentleman that hath a Hawke of great account will vouchsafe the paines himselfe in attending and dieting him hee will coy and stroke him with his owne hand and smooth his feathers and taketh great delight in the often looking on him but as he doth thus so he likewise hoodeth him fâ—st tyeth him by the feete vnto the Pearch If this seemeth strange to him that hath no skill is not acquainted with the reason of it but shall first demaund why he tendeth and tendereth him so much Answere will be made because hee so loueth him If further it be asked why then he hoodeth lyeth and fettereth him it will be answered leâ—st the Hawke which he so loueth should escape and flie from him so the Lorde dealeth with his beloued people hee feedeth and cockereth vs because we are his darlinges and hee greatly loueth vs but hee hoodeth vs and bindeth vs therewithall vnto aduersitie because wee should not depart away from him roauing and scouting after our owne libertie Thus heedfullie did he tende and looke vnto Dauid as any man can looke vnto his hawke 1. Sam. 16.17 prosecuting and following him with fauour vpon fauour caâ—ling him from a shepheard to the gouernment of a kingdome putting a new heart into him and indewing him with the spirit of prophecie in verie ample measure in giuing him a famous field against Goliah so renowning him by the slaughter of the Philistins as his name grewe most glorious and hee became the staffe and subiect of the dittie of the damsels of Israel who playing vppon their pipes and musicall instruments sung with one consent and with sweet concent Saul hath slaine his thousand but Dauid his tenne thousand These things God did for him because hee so loued him But least hee should bee too proude by them the Lord hooded him and tied him to the pearch in stirring vp Saul to be his persecutor by whose persecutions he was so insnared and surelie tied as he could not flie away for the verie snares of death did ouercome him and the paines of hel it selfe did ouertake him Ioseph was his fathers onelie birde God made him not onlie gracious in the eyes of his father but also amiable and delightfull to his mistresse nowe least this culling him shoulde bee a meane as it were to kill him as by hurting his soule and alluring him from God hee was solde from his father by his brethren into Egypt Gen. 27 Gen. 29 and was quite cast out of fauour by his mistresse and by his maister fast bound in the prison as a hawk vnto the pearch 1. King 19 The Lord was euer louing to Elias and hee vsed familiarly to talke with him as a father with his sonne or one friend with an other now least he should be ouermuch conceited with this abundant kindnes and be too fond vpon this fauor the Lord mixed trouble with prosperitie and sent Iezabel to persecute him Ezechiel Ezech. 2. was mightily inspired with the spirit and had manie reuelations but that these should not make him dote vpon himselfe and to esteeme too highlie of himselfe hee heard this voyce alwayes sounding in his eare Sonne of man that for all this fauour and loue of God he should knowe himselfe that hee is but man Paul had a liuelie feeling hereof â— Cor. 12 as hee himselfe acknowledgeth for least the abundance of Reuelations shoulde extoll him the Angell of Sathan was sent vnto him to buffet and humble him Afflictions therefore serue verie well to tame and keepe vnder our sinfull affections Secondlie God sendeth afflictions to his Saints that not being burthened with earthlie prosperitie wee might goe the lighter and speedyer vnto God and flie as it were a birde vnto the hill It so often happeneth to wayfayring men that espying in their trauelling a delightfull greene hill A similitude they take occasion to slacke their iourney to goe out of the way to sit downe and rest themselues vpon that hill Wherefore to preuent and cut off such occasions of lingring and loytring whilest we are in this life which is as it were out way hee taketh away from vs all vaine shewes of pleasures that not beeing miscarried with the vanitie of such flowers which adorne this greene hill we might still goe forwarde and make more haste to heauen As God permitted Pharaoh to afflict the Israelits Exod. 1 that they might haue a longing of their departure from Egypt and loue the land of Canaan so God would haue vs his children to be afflicted that wee might desire to depart froÌ„ the Egyptian bondage of our sinne and couet our spiritual inheritance and Canaan in the kingdome of heauen If a man that trauelleth into a farre land maie there obtaine his hearts desire and liue as him listeth he wil not much desire to returne to his own Countrie to liue in aduersitie For Iacob was willing inough to soiorne with Laban so long as Laban well entreated him but when he was vnciuilly demeaned and his face was not towarde him as it was before he forthwith resolued vpon his departure and acquainted Rachell with it Thirdly God exerciseth his seruants with afflictions to terrifie them
his good grace but also in prodigall and pernitious persons such a one as this was for a time the verie excrementes and scumme of all people can woorke his owne will pollishing and bringing them to so excellent an ende This fellowe waâ— so deuoted and solde vnto sinne as hee seemed wholie to be turned into sinne and to bee nothing but sinne His siluer became drosse as the Prophet Esay Esai 1 sayeth and yet this goldsmith made a costlie vessell of it to serue in his tabernacle God would not as saint Augustine Augu. super Psal 104 saith suffer sinne to bee but that he knoweth how to mâ—ke a vertue of it to turne it vâ—to good according vnto that which the Apostle saith where sin doth abouÌ„d there grace doth superabound He can get himself honour of Pharao and all his enemies and make their sinnes declare abroad his righteousnes Let no man therefore despaire of grace in respect of the greatnes and continuance of sin God suffreth some to go verie farre to make them know themselues to roote them in vertue and to ground them in repentance and the better to reduce them to humilitie of minde A similitude As he that pulleth downe an olde decaied house in miserable ruine and buildeth vp a newe in the same room bestoweth much time about the foundation that that being stedfast the structure and building that is coupled vnto it may remaine firme aâ—d sure so God for a time letteth alone a sinner suffreth him to lie as a rotten wal vpon the ground he is long in laying his foundation that that being grounded vpon godly humilitie he might builde thereupon his whole worke of pietie After Dauid had couered himselfe with sinne 2 Sam. 12 Sin causeth humilitie as it were with a garment and had dwelled in it adding sinne vnto sinne after adulterie bringing forth murther when he was taxed at the length for them proceeded against by Nathan he was presentlie much humbled for euer afterward more prouident and aduised Yea he himselfe had a feeling in himselfe what a cure and good his sin had wrought vpon him For this much hee doubted not to confesse saying Psal 119 It is good for mee that thou hast humbled me that I might learne thy law Peter by his threefold sinne and defection was euer after better taught to curble his presumption and to weigh his owne strength and not so to flourish before the fielde and triumph before the victorie Wherefore when Christ asked him after the resurrection whether that hee loued him he appealed to Christes iudgement replying confidently Thou knowest that I loue thee Iohn 21 Hee was before so well warned as hee was now well armed His former wound stirred vp his spirits kindled his zeale and made him more couragious Paul was a chosen vessell of Gods grace 1. Tim. 1 and a deare saint of God but hee was first a persecutor before hee was a preacher a Saul that persecuted the true Dauid before hee was a Paul a professour and worshipper of the son of Dauid But the common remembrance of his wonted wickednes bred in him all humblenes he had neuer without doubt beene so exceeding dutifull had hee not before beene so exceeding sinfull It is not to be spoken howe his former sinnes did tame him as before his sinne was as a sworde to wounde him so it serued nowe as a medicine for to heale him As often iniquitie doth bring forth humilitie so it doth afterwarde stirre vs vnto vigilancie 〈◊〉 causeth â—â—gilancie The fish will afterwarde bee warie of that place where shee hath before beene pricked with the hooke and the birds which haue beene fettered and entangled with the snare and haue hurt a wing or ioynt will afterwardes be circumspect and will flie the net so sinne albeit for a time it is hurtfull yet in the end it is verie much profitable as giuing vs warning by former mishaps hereafter more circumspectlie to looke vnto our steps A similitude So long as the thorne doth grow within the vines they do choake them and hinder them that they cannot flourish but if you roote them vp and set them about the vines they serue as a hedge and a defence for the vines so sinne so long as it remaineth in the minde and groweth within the soule it pricketh and woundeth the soul exceedingly but beeing digged vp and set in the valley of our sight and remâ—mbrance it serueth as a wall to gard and preserue vs that neither the wilde Boare that commeth out of the forrest nor the Beare that issueth from the wood shall roote it vp We haue last of all this benefite by our former sinnes that they make vs afterwarde Sin maketh vs afterward more religious more zealous in Gods seruice and to runne with Dauid the way of his commandements There are none so hot professors of religion then those who before haue bin stone colde in religion As a wayfaring man that is left behind will make the more haste A similitude and mend his pace when he seeth that his companie is farre afore him that hee might not either wander he knoweth not whither or trauell solitarilie so he that is put backward and behind by sin when as he seeth it he striueth more feruently to ouerget his felowes and maketh more haste in his iourney towards heauen Thus God as a cunning and expert physition A similitude of poysonable confections maketh comfortable electuaries of sin which is a ranke most deadly poison maketh approued medicins Man by his sin purposeth only euill but God directeth turneth it vnto good In a mischieuous mind Genes 37. Gen. 50 the confederat brethren sold Ioseph into Egypt but God so disposed it as Ioseph acknowledged the end manifested that he was sent thither for their preseruation Saul plotted the murther destruction of Dauid desiring of him a hundred foreskins of the Philistins 1. Sam. 18 for he said my hand shall not bee vpon him but the hands of the Philistins but though his eies were euil yet was god good from this platforme of his ruine and confusion he tooke occasion to work his renowne to make his name famous by his noble victories Iudas betraied his Lorde and maister and committed a vilde sinne with as sinful an intention but God thereupon brought his good worke to passe and wrought our saluation The ninth Chapter Of the Prodigall sonne his execution of his purpose wherein is considered the present necessitie of our speedie repentance without our further delaying it THe Prodigall sonne beeing full of the spirit and wholy consecrated vnto heauenly thoughts hee lingereth not that the spirit might coole within him but whilest it is hot and the fire breaketh out hee followeth the effects and motions of the spirit for it is reported in the history of him that hee arose and went vnto his father In saying that he arose he insinuateth