with vs but we should take that course which this Ieweller by his practise here prescribeth vs who resigneth vp all that he had in the world that he might buy this treasure of Gods word Let vs doe the like Augustine Nos ipsos pro illa margarita demus non quia tanti vateamus sed quia plus dare non possumus Let vs giue our selues for this pearle of great price not because we are worth somuch but because we haue no more to giue Minus dat vt plus accipiat hoc fac tu Da modica accipe magna da temporalia accipe aeterna da terram accipe coelum This Ieweller hath a wonderfull bargaine in giuing vp his state and interest to this world for liuery and seisin of this better purchace of the world that is to come For as Augustine saith he giueth the lesse to receiue the more doe thou the like Giue meane things and receiue greater for them giue temporall things and receiue eternall giue earth and receiue heauen giue golde and receiue God As thou forsakest father and mother to cleaue to thy wife so forsake father and mother wife and al be it neuer so neere and deere vnto thee to cleaue to God To sell all that we haue is to renounce the lusts of the flesh and of the minde and so to shake off the world which inticeth vs to wickednes as Ioseph shaked his cloake from him Genesis 39. and left it with his mistris egging him to vncleannesse But this is that that breaketh off the bargaine and keepeth vs from this purchase we endure well enough to heare of the pleasure and profit of this purchase but we like not the couenants we are loath to be touched in our worldly state or to alter the condition of our life the doctrine of repentance and the Gospel of Christ teaching vs to deny all vngodlinesse and worldly vanity and to liue soberly iustly and vprightly in this world is grieuous vnto vs Tit. 2. and we cannot abide it The children of Israel hearing of the fruitfulnes of the promised land of Canaan Num. 14 buckled themselues in al the haste vnto the battell and marched towards it eger of the present possession of it but hearing the place was inhabited with Giants they hung downe their heads and their hearts failed them and altred quite from the men they were before their fancies were set vpon Aegypt again So many hearing by Gods spies that came from heauen of the ioy and happines laid vp in store for vs in the life that is to come especially of saint Paul who was rapt vp to heauen and was full of reuelations 2. Cor. 12 and discoursing of the vnspeakable riches of his kingdome rauisheth the hearers with these delightfull tidings that the eie hath not seene the eare hath not heard 1. Cor. 2 neyther can the heart of man conctiue the things that God hath prepared for them that loue him men I say heartned with such consolation they take stomacke to themselues and are zealous and hot in spirit after it to winne and enioy it But withall vnderstanding that the way is narrow Math. 7 and the doore streight that leadeth into it and that there wil be some difficultie in our passage our hearts grow heauy and our iourney is dashed and our whole minde is set vppon retiring vnto Aegypt and to embrace this present world He that hath earnest occasion of speech with another man A similitude coueteth to find that man alone and free from other busines when as God would speake to vs he would find vs in this case he would haue vs loue men sequestred and put apart from the world Therefore when hee was to commune with Abraham Gen. 12 he willed him to be priuate to resigne his natiue soyle Vr of the Caldeans and to inioy his blessed presence to forget his owne kinred and his fathers house And because that cares are the daughters of riches which as thornes do choake the good seed of the worde in worldly minded men the Lord enacted in the state of Israel that cleargy men Deut. 18 seperated and put a part to the ministrie should not haue worldly hereditaments and possessions as other of the tribes that their minds whilest they were in their holy ministration might not be distracted and miscaried with them As also it was a constitution among them Leuit. 〈◊〉 that he that was bunched and crooked in the backe shuld not serue minister in the temple For this defect and impediment of body is a hindraunce to their eies that they cannot lift them vp to heauen as they shuld So such as are distorted and crooked in mind and haue their affections always stooping looking on the world are no fit persons to serue before the Lord and to enter into his courtes Mortifie we therfore all our worldly lusts and slay we them down right with the sword of the spirit Let vs not imprison in the bowels of our soules such sinnes as we like best and keep them aliue as Saul did Agag 1. Sam. 15 whom God commaunded should be put to death but let vs hew them in peeces as Samuel did Agag in Gilgal before the Lord and beate them as small as the dust of the earth If we pitty our sins as Ely did his sons 1. Sam. 2 when we ought to punish them God will punish them and wil bring a great iudgement against vs for them Oh heauy and most grieuous is that commination of the Lord against Achab 1. King 20. for demissing Benhadad Because saith God thou hast let goe out of thy handes a man whome I appointed to die thy life shall goe for his life The like sentence is gone out against all that saue aliue that sinne they should destroy they shal die for it If ye liue saith Saint Paul after the flesh ye shall die Rom. 8 but if ye shall mortifie the flesh by the spirit ye shall liue Thus Paul maketh two men of one the one the outward and the other the inward man both which are vnited in one yet are they so sundry as they cannot agree in one but the generation of the one must be the others corruption the life of the one must be the death of the other and therefore to saue and keepe aliue the one we must needes mortifie and put to death the other What a good match we shall make in coping away the pleasure of the world for the ioyes of heauen at that generall county day wherein the bookes and scrolles of consciences shall be laid open plainly will appeare at what time all those things that we haue here gathered together will do vs no good where no manner of excuse may serue our turne where there wil be no place of any refuge for vs. Here there haue bin found some places of small succor in the time of danger Gen. 3 Genes 18 Gen. 19 1.
water shall thirst no more The word of God raiseth vppe the dead regenerateth the liuing healeth the sicke and preserueth the whole delighteth the godly reclaimeth the wicked lightneth the blinde warmeth the cold comforteth the sad and confirmeth the desperate The want of this is the high way that leadeth to the chambers of death and deadly misfortune For from hence onely proceede vaine hope trembling feare consuming care furious lust boiling couetousnes fretting enuy fuming anger the whole black gard rablement retinue of malignant mischiefs of impotent affectioÌ„s the carbuncles boils botches of our soules Infinite are the attributes to expresse his properties which are giuen to the word It is called Light Bread Wine Medcine a Sword a Hammer a fire Seede Light because with his orient brightnesse it illuminateth our mindes informing them and induing them with heauenly wisedome Bread because it sustaineth our hungry soules Psalm 107 and filleth our empty soules with goodnesse strengthning and staying vs in the way of godlines Wine because it cherisheth mannes heart with the gladsome memory of his mercies promises and maketh him mery with the ioy of his countenance Medicine that it healeth our putrifying sore swellings and corruptions A Sword that it diuideth betweene the soule and the marrow Hebr. 4. and heweth asunder all our workes and affections that are sinfull A Hammer because it battreth and mollifieth our hard and stony consciences A Fire because it kindleth the spirite and the loue of God within vs. And Seede because it being sowed in the furrowes of our heartes by the spirit of God our husbandman it is of verie great increase and cast in some an hundred in some threescore in othersome thirty fold Since then the vse heereof is so great and manifold and extendeth it selfe so farre why worketh it not these wholsome effects in our â—â—nfull consciences why is it still as a dead letter vnto vs as bitter to our taste as is the very gall or the water of worme-wood and we can not digest it If Gods word be a light why walke wee not in this light but groape at noone day â—â—t stil in palpable and damnable darkenesse of horrible ignorance If it be Bread why doe we not as the Angel say de to Iohn Take this booke and eate it Reuel 20. but we do still remayne hungry like dogges and goe about the city If it be Wine why do we not powre out take our fil of it and make our hearts cheereful and merry with it If it be Medicine why do we not bind it to our blisters and wounds to drawe out the rancor and corruption of them and to make vs whole Since it is a Sword why do we not with it cut the cordes of vanitie and cart-ropes of iniquitie and hew all the bondes of vngodlinesse asunder If it be a Hammer why doth not the noise of it grate thine care and the power of it breake thy heart A similitude but thine eares like Smiths dogges vsed to such noyse giue no heed vnto it and thy heart more hard and stubborn than the adamant yeeld not a whit at all the blowes therewith If it be Fire why doth it not take holde of sin consume our wickednes like stubble and melt all the vngodly of the earth like drosse and inflame and lighten al our heart with Gods loue If it be Seede why commeth it not vppâ—â— and take deepe roote in vs but we are stil as waste ground which hath not beene sowed at all The raine is alone which descendeth vpon the corne and vpon the thornes A similitude but the effect is not one for it falles vpon the corne to ripen it for the barne but vpon the thorn to fit it for the fire The gracious deaw of the blessed worde of God hath beene great among vs it behooueth vs to see to his effect whether this moisture doth bring vppe thornes within vs oringendreth good seede Goe to then now tell me what is it that thou wantest and tel me whether this be not a treasure and a store-house to furnish euery want Doost thou hunt after honour 2. Cor. 4. and praise of men by this shal euery man haue praise of God Doth thy heart couet after riches and â—ong life beholde Prover 3 the length of dayes is at his right hand Riches and plenteousnesse is in his house Dauid resteth wholly contenâ—ed with this The Lord is my portion Moses before him preferreth Christs rebuke before â—he coffers and riches of Aegypt Hebr. 11 All the riches that are in the world make not an end of â—his ioyful haruest for it is not shut vp vnder the promises of this life 1. Tim. 4. but it stretcheth to the promises of the life that is to come The Spirite speaketh euidently Psalme 34 They which seeke the Lord shall want nothing that is good Answerable wherunto is this Aphorisme of our Sauiour Matthew 6 First seeke the kingdome of God and this shall be the Porter that shall bring in all your liuing all other things shall be put into your mouthes If ignorance doth trouble thee here thou maist haue knowledge if heauinesse comfort if doubt counsaile if feare hope if dispaire encoragement if temptation protection The latter Dauid with these small smooth stones Mathew 41 smote the hairy scalpe of our ghostly Goliah and put him to confusion And the former Dauid with his shield and buckler did beare off brauely the buffets that sinne gaue him Psalme 119 I did hide saieth he thy Lawe within my heart that I might not sinne against thee There is no age or sexe or condition of persons that hath not a great benefite and treasure of the word It is a rule for the yong man to square his life and for the old man to order his death 2. King 4 It is vnto the poore instead of the meale that tooke away the bitternes and death of that hearb which was in the pot it giueth them comfort in the midst of al theiâ— sorrowes It sheweth the rich man how to vse his riches it teacheth the Senatour wisedome So that euen as Ioseph had no vse of Astronomie because he had the gift of prophesie so he needeth not any other riches that hath this imcomparable riches of Gods spirit Since therfore we so diligently read books of humane learning from wheÌ„ce we obserue nothing but either common-wealth discipline or gouernement of health or precepts oeconomicall or points of husbandrie or inuentions of trades or allurements vnto pleasures how much more ought our whole studie be set vpon Gods law by which God himselfe speaketh face to face vnto vs by which the mind is exceedingly comforted disquiet thoughts dispelled the whole man enabled beyond all imagination to euery good worke Be thou of what mould and constitution that may be here is argument and reading for thy turne Art thou of a graue and seuere disposition and doth
God let me aske thee this one thing why dost thou amplifie and enlarge this matter and giuest such letters of commendation vnto it No doubt thy answere is that treasure of much worth hath need to be wel kept and that pearles of cheefest price which are easily lost should be fast tied to ribbands and warily locked vp It is to much purpose that the word is sampled and patterned to a pearl and a manifold and comfortable vse we haue hereof and it liuely setteth forth the dignitie nature and excellencie of the word This Pearl is the omnipotent and eternal word of God properly so called for sundry good respects whether we consider the subiect matter or form manner and operation of the pearle For the matter of it Plinius it consisteth wholy of the dew of heauen which a certain shel-fish vsually at a set and certaine season of the yeere draweth to it self as natural philosophers and historians do report now how in this property it fitteth Christs nature the kingly Prophet sheweth vs directly in this wise Psalme 110 The fruit of the womb is of the dew of the morning Aug. Tom. 4. Quaest in Mat. quaestio 13. Ille ad margaritam iam ipsam peruenerat quae integumentis mortalitatis quasi ocncharum obstaculis inter profunda huius saecnli atque inter duritias saxeas Iudaeorum aliquando latuerat Christ now as saith Augustine grew vnto the very substance of a pearle inclosed and shut vp in virgins womb and mantle of mortalitie as it were in the shell and couerture of the fish lying hid a while in the depth of this world as it were in the sea and among the cragged rocks of the people of the Iewes The forme of the pearle is orient and glistering and exceeding beautifull wherein it hath a notable agreement with this word as the same father in the same place thus witnesseth Verbum Domini lucidum candore veritatis solidum firmitate aeternitatis vndique sui simile pulchritudine diuinitatis The word of God shineth through the brightnesse of the veritie it is firm and sound through the solidity of eternity and it is in al parts alike in the beautie of diuinitie The vertue and operation of the pearle is great and for diuers vses is exceeding medicinable among other to remedie the panting of the heart to quicken comfort and restore the vitall spirits to depell and driue away the giddinesse dizzinesse and swimming of the head Now how all these conspire in one in Christ and are compleate in him and are brought to passe in vs by feeling experience by the operation of the word it is as cleer and apparant as the Sunne This was that which was Dauids comfort and quickened him in the midst of his trouble Psalme 119 The want of this 1. Sam. 28. droue Saul into all perplexed and pittiful passions and most desperate designements whilest he rowled in his melancholy and mad moode and bethought himselfe how God was departed from him and aunsweared him no more either by Prophet or by dreame A similitude This is the comfortable electuarie of our soules made by the art of the best Phisitian and approoued by long experience as most excellent This is that aqua vitae which doth A similitude not only slack and alay our thirst but worketh within vs to the quickning of our life when it is dead in sinne Iohn 6 Therefore Peter calleth it the word of life saying Lord whither shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall life And Christ calleth it life This is life eternall Iohn 17 to know thee the true God and him whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ There is no sinner so swallowed vp of sinne so dead and buried in it whome the woorde can not quicken and rayse vp againe It cried out to the drie and dead bones in the field and loe they were knit together Ezech. 37 the flesh came vpon them and the skinne aboue couered them they breathed liued stoode vpon their feete and became a mightie armie Lazarus who had lien foure daies in his graue was quickned by this word Iohn 11 As the bodie liueth by his bodily food A similitude so doth the soule by his spiritual foode the food and diet of the soule is the word But herein this food exceedeth much the other that this is effectuall and liuely to the dead but the other is nourishable onely to the liuing Take thou heede therefore of the wretchles regard and loathsomnesse of the word since it is thy meate A similitude For as among the diseases of the body there is none more desperate then his whose stomacke either loatheth or retaineth not his meate the strength of his life without which the body dieth so he whose soule abhorreth this meate is in all extremitie and is brought according to the saying of the prophet Psaim 107. euen to deaths doore What man is so desperately and irrecouerably sicke A similitude who doth not gladly heare that Phisitian who doth but barely make him promise of his health albeit he be not able to performe it wherefore since Gods word is life of it selfe and healeth all infirmities suffereth vs not to be giddie in the spirit or wauer in the faith but giueth vs assurance of our eternal saluation ô deare and precious let this pearle be in our sight Let the Poets boast of Orpheus as they please who with musicke tamed sauage beasts of this we are most sure that Gods worde hath reclaymed and altered beastly minds Act. 9 and of Apostates hath made them Apostles of purloyners of Gods secrets and merchandizers of the word hath made them the faithfull dispensers of his mysteries Paul very expressely laieth out so much whenas portraying out our counterfeit as it was without Christ after whose glorious image we haue bin perfected and transformed he indigestly shadoweth vs out with a blacke coale in this mishappen manner We our selues also were in times past vnwise Titus 3. disobedient deceiued seruing the lustes and diuers pleasures liuing in maliciousnesse and enuy hatefull and hating one another Likewise leading vs along with a rehearsall of sundrie enormities which we rifely committed he inferreth therevpon that this was our estate but the case is altred with vs we are washed sanctified 1. Cor. 6. and iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the spirit of God Be we neuer so profound and deeply wise in humane wisedome it may beseeme vs well to seeke after this wisedome as a Pearle of greater price and vertue than the other Solomon the wisest that euer was saw verie manifestly that wheresoeuer the vncreated wisedome of God spake Prouer. 〈◊〉 it spake of excellent things euen things seemely for Princes And although some places are shallow enough for the lambe to wade in yet there be some deep enough to drowne the very elephant of the which we may say with the
holy Apostle Oh the deepenesse of the counsailes and wisedome of God! Rom. 11. how vnsearchable are thy wayes and thy paths past finding out One Plato is woorth a thousand vulgar men the Scriptures surpasse all the writings in the world Loe thou that arte so highly conceited of thy selfe and thinkest thou canst see farre beyond the Moone imagining that a Preacher can speake nothing vnto thee but that thou knewest before or that he is not able to stirre thy affections 2. Sam. 11. 2. Sam. 12. I wish that Dauid might bee a president vnto thee to reforme thy iudgement who being mightily inspired with the Spirit yet for al his wisedome dwelt stil in the damnable ignorance of his sinne without remorce of conscience vntill the liuely voice of Nathan the Preacher pierced his heart opened the eyes of his vnderstanding and taught him knowledge Nabuchadnezzar hadde a vision of a tree Dan. 4. which was a figure of his fortune but all his wisards in court and country coulde not lay it open but he tormented himself with the hidden mysterie of it vntill Daniel did vnfolde it Paul was a choice man Actes 22. of very rare parts and induments of mind traded vp in learning at Gamaliels feet Actes 9. a doctor of the law mightily read and checked by his aduersaries openly for ouermuch studying of himselfe yet for al â—â—s priuiledge of his wisedome and learning â—â—e was sottish and senslesse vntill hee entred â—â—to Christ his schoole his learning was but a â—ead letter vnto him vntil the spirit quickned â—im and he was sent to Ananias who informed him what to do If the Spirit openeth not the doore of thy â—ppes thou speakest like a Parrot A similitude thou canst â—ot tell what as Caiphas who prophecied and â—reached of Christ but didde not know so much Trust mee there is no estate of life more miserable than to remaine in ignorance of the word and no estate happier than to haue the knowledge of it What say I of this Pearle â—hat it easeth panting hearts dizzie heads and theereth vitall spirits this word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is all in all vnto vs. If Saul be madde thorow melancholy 1. Sam. 16. if Dauid play these songs and ditties vppon the harpe his frensie leaueth him and his minde is againe quieted This charmed the very diuell and made him swell he did burst when he did set vpon our Sauiour putting him to shame Matth. 4. and to his heeles sodainly This curbled and so ratled the ruffians that were sent from the Scribes and hie Priests Iohn 7. to attach and arrest Christ as they had no power ouer him It exhorteth it threatneth it inciteth it reclaymeth it instructeth it conuinceth it singeth it mourneth it praieth it detesteth it commendeth it disalloweth it recounteth things past foretelleth things to come it singeth of mercy and discourseth of iudgement It bendeth euery way like to soft waxe to bend our stubborne consciences Paul in this especially commendeth his Timothie 2. Tim. 3. that he hadde spent his time in the study of the Scriptures from his tender age wherby he was able to shew himself a workman to cut the word aright to doe the worke of an Euangelist to be prompt and furnished to euery good worke Thrice happy was the state and gouernement of Israel Exod. 28. which by Vrim and Thummim asked counsaile of the Lord wee are nowe in blessed case who haue the light and lanterne of Gods word set vpon an hill set out in our pulpits as in a candlesticke by which wee haue Gods counsaile and direction for our doings so as hauing this Iewel and Pearle vpon our breasts voyde of all feare and trembling at the heart freed from al wauering and vnstable wayes and finaly reuiued in our vitall spirits wee take vp the songs and sayings of Gods saints As with diuine Dauid who merrily maketh this melody on his harpe and humble bandore Psal 27. The Lorde is my life and my saluation whome then shall I feare The Lorde is the strength of my life of whome then shall I be afraide What if hostes of men beset me Psalme 23. yet shal I not feare and though there rise vp war against me yet shall I put my trust in thee And with Daniels consortes shew our heroicall and inuincible stomackes with faithfull heartes saying Beholde the God whome we worship Dan. 3. he shall deliuer vs out of the fiery furnace And wyth peerelesse Paul commune the case and challenge all aduersary power into the field and expostulate thus with them Rom. 8. Who shal seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lorde And wyth hym when wee haue seene all that they can doe be of this courage and resolution with our selues that nothing shal be able to sunder and diuorse vs from the fauor of the Lord. But all this while heere is but one Pearle spoken of to which the word of the kingdom â—s compared And not without good cause For there is but one at one time ingendred in â—he fish and it seemeth that the name that is giuen vnto the Pearle which is called Vnio expresseth this his nature which signifieth One. In this it hath a fitte allusion vnto Christ who is our sole and alone mediator and hath no other either Angel or Saint to share and partake wyth hym 1. Tim. 2. There is but one Mediator betweene God and man the man Christ Iesus Neither is there saluation in any other else Actes 4. For there is no name vnder heauen whereby we must be saued Iohn 6. but the name of Iesus For whither elso shall we goe Lorde thou hast the wordes of eternall life As all the light and brightnes of the starres proceede from one Sunne A similitude so all our righteousnes proceedeth entirely from one Sonne of righteousnes Iesus Christ only As Pharao sayd to Ioseph which name in the Egyptian language is a Sauior I am Pharao Genesis 41. and without thee shal no man stirre his hand or his foote in all the land of Egypt So may it be sayde of Christ that wythout him wee are able to do nothing of our selues Math. 28. For all power is giuen by his father vnto him both in heauen and earth One sunne alone chaceth away the foggy darkenes of the night A similitude there are infinite other starres but all of them shining and glistering together and putting to their power are not able to dispell it I graunt that they are to vs as lampes and burning torches and minister great light but yet the blacknes of darknesse doth remayne and is not expelled by them The only sonne of God hath done away our night and hath turned the darkenesse of our grosse ignoraunce into the day-light of his glorious gospel shining into our hearts God hath also giuen vs many helpes besides
by which he hath much illuminated our minds as men of learned skil much seene in philosophy and poyntes of humane learning who shine as smaller stars in the firmament of this world but these haue caried as it were a candle before the sunne which vanisheth before it it hath not remoued the night from vs but thicke clowdes and darknes hath still ouershadowed vs onely Christ the brightnes of his Father giueth cleere light to vs that sit in darknes the light that lightneth the Gentiles and the glory of the people Israel Since then one Pearle supplieth all our wants what neede we more than one Luke 2. The starres of heauen are many A similitude because they are â—mperfect and one of them seuered can not giue such light as all of them conioyned The â—tarres are many because their light is little â—herefore that which is wanting in them singularly is supplied by them generally But â—here is but one sunne because his light is sufficient of it selfe hee needeth not the ayde of â—lanet or of starre to encrease his light So Christ is light enough and in him is no darknes he is a sole and sufficient Sauior and therfore he abideth no copartners with him Augustine by a plausible and plaine similitude thus dilateth vpon this poynt August and maketh the matter manifest The golde which thou possessest can not bee thy siluer Thou canst not call thy bread which thou eatest thy wine but Christ may be said to be instar omnium all in all vnto thee And herein he only satisfieth and contenteth himselfe and this is as the Philosophers stone vnto him and the golden mine desiring nothing in comparison of this or beside this alone saying in this sorte O Lord I require nothing but thee for thou arte onely my Doctor and Doctrine Physician and Medicine the sole preparer and perfecter of my minde my loue and louer my gift and giuer my life and the only preseruer of my life But the learned Schoole-man Gregory paraphraseth pathetically and properly vppon this poynt Gregorie I consider sayth hee the fathers of the olde and new Testament Dauid Daniel Amos Peter Paul Mathew and mine eyes of faith are fully fixed on them He inspireth the yong harper and he maketh him a Psalmist He breatheth vpon the babe and hee is wiser than the aged and is made their Iudge He giueth the simple shepheard and heardsman in the field the wisedome of his Spirite and he becoms a famous shepheard and prophet of the people He calleth the fisherman and immediately hee angleth and fisheth for men and with his nets draweth thousands at once from the bottomles pitte of eternall destruction to the highest top of their eternall saluation He enlightneth the persecutor and he prooues a passing Preacher of an erratical and wandring starre a fixed starre keeping his station a starre that is in the right hand of Christ He reclaymeth the customer and â—he impure Publicane and loe he becomes a blessed actuary and penne-man of a Gospel Since therfore all riches and graces of god doe streame from one fountayne since one â—oote ingendreth and bringeth forth all fruit since one and the same spirite is the craftesâ—an of al trades and the founder of al knowledge were it not better for vs to be acquainted with this on 〈◊〉 which is the porter that brin â—eth in al our expâ—r then to runne to vnderings inferiâ— vp 〈◊〉 base creatures which shall â—euer be able to supply our necessities A similitude What â—eggar beggeth almes of his fellowe beggar whenas a right honorable and liberall nobleman passeth by him and is ready to bestowe greater almes vpon him We are but beggars brats in this world from the sun moone and starres we do begge our light from the earth we begge our bread from beasts birds and fishes we begge our meate and clothing and what do these yeeld vs without the Lord or in comparison of the Lord let our recourse therefore and sutes be vnto him What maruell is it that this one spirit shuld worke all things in vs A similitude since one minde ruleth all the senses and faculties of the body and stirreth vs vp to such infinite kindes of actions Be perswaded therefore to make purchase of this Pearle whatsoeuer it dooth cost thee beeing that which Christ calleth 1. Pet. 11 the hiddeâ— Manna and Peter the ioy vnspeakeable and Dauid Psalme 36 the fountaine and wel of all pleasures and which in this parable is set at a high rate This the diuell laboureth especially to depriue vs of knowing in his subtilty that it is oâ— that woorth For as pyrats on the seas principaly do bend their force â—â—â—inst those shipâ— which they knowe to bee 〈◊〉 with goldâ— pearle A similitude and treasure and goâ—â—â—â— of greateâ— wealth so such as are indued with heauenâ— riches and fraught wyth the graces of his hâ—â—ly spirite and beare about them this pearle 〈◊〉 peerelesse price against such this rouer anâ— pyrate of our soules especially layeth his dangerous assaults and shootes his fiery dartes The Spirite here in a subtile kinde of wisedome as I may so say to win vs to the word suteth himselfe in his forme and frame of speech to our fancies and affections A similitude like a skilful angler couering his hook with a pleasant baite to toll fishes vnto him setting out his speech with most delightfull wordes to drawe our soules vnto him The hope and expectation of gaine set before vs rowseth vs vppe plucketh vs by the eares and causeth vs to stirre and abide all aduentures He that eateth eateth in hope 1. Corint 9 and he that thresheth thresheth in hope The hope of a good haruest hartneth the husbandman all the yeere long to all tedious toyle and turmoyle of his body The souldier giueth a hardy onset and dreadeth no danger vpon the comforte hee conceiueth of a conquest of sharing out the â—poyle and of a bountifull booty at the last The Huntes-man for the loue he beareth to his game in expectation of his sport rangeth about and vnder-goeth all wrathfull spite of â—ny colde and tempestuous weather finally â—here is nothing of which we haue any hope which is not as a spurre to pricke vs forwarde vnto any attempt whereby we may atchieue 〈◊〉 Dauid â— Sam. 17. before hee gripleth with Goliah of Gath first communeth about the case asketh the standers by What shal bee giuen to the man that ouercommeth him And when aunswere was returned that the King woulde bestowe great treasure vpon him and giue his daughter in marriage vnto him and woulde make him free denison in the land of Israel Dauid had enough the hope of this reward foorthwith gaue him boldenesse and stomacke enough to fight hand to hand with him Nowe if it shall be asked what that man shall haue that shall ouercome the spirituall Giant the world and the flesh wee answere that treasure at his pleasure
his armes to sleep he must not keepe his tabernacle or stand in the market place but he must gird vp his reynes put his sandalls vpon his feet he hath a painfull pilgrimage chargeable voiage he must haue the feet of an Hind and the wings of a Doue Abac. 3. and giue all diligence to find out this hidden and vnspeakable treasure Psal 55 and to make purchase of it I know that God hath opened vnto some the treasures of his grace who haue bin carelesse enogh of it as little or not at al inquiring after it clocking like a hen putting out his hand vnto a wicked gain-saying people as to Mathew the Publicane Math. 8 to the woman the Samaritan to Zachee the vsurer Iohn 4 Luke 19 1. Tim. 3. Hai. 6â— to Paul the persecutor and to the nation of the Gentiles generally of whom by the mouth of Isaith he saith planly I was found of them who neuer sought me Thereby manifesting that the riches of his goodnesse without our merites depend vpon his mercies yet vnto such to whom he giueth this particular grace he requireth their diligence for their better furtherance and that we should vse his appointed meanes to attaine vnto that end he hath propounded vnto vs. That our eies should not be euill because he is good nor our pains and carefulnes be in the rereward because his louing kindnes is in the foreward Isal 55 And therfore by Isaiah he crieth alowd saying Seek the Lord while he is to be found Amos. 5 call vpon him whilst he is nigh Answerable wherevnto is that of Amos the Prophet seeke the Lord and your soules shall liue whom our Sauiour Christ answereth like the Eccho seeke and ye shall find knocke and it shall be opened vnto you Math. 6. The estate and condition of a christian life is laborious and painfull It was a law before the law Gen. 3 that with the hard sweat of our foreheads and labor of our hands we should bring in our liuing And the couenant of the law of the Gospel is so streight as he that refuseth to vndergo this labor 2. Thes 3 his mouth must be muzled and he must not eate The first Adam was not seated in the garden of Eden Gen. 2 there to take his perambulations and his pleasure and there to sit at ease but to digge and dresse it and to take due paines with it And the second Adam came not into this world here to rest himselfe in a chaire of ease and to liue without labour but he did eate his bread not onely in the sweat but also in the very bloud of his face and made his whole life vnto his very death an exceeding painfull pilgrimage Math. 25 He excluded the nodding and drowsie virgins and did shut heauen gates against them And he shaketh vp very roundly the idle gazers and standers in the market place Math. 20 and sent them into his vineyard for to labour in it This life is the vineyard of the Lord of Hostes into which none but labourers are called In this life we haue but our labour onely our penny and wages for our labour is kept for vs to the life that is to come where we shal hunger and labour no more and where all teares shall be wiped from our eies Therefore the spirit in the Reuelation saith Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord they rest from their labours and their workes follow them Iob calleth our life a warfare Iob. 7 to expresse the painful nature and condition of it which rowseth vs and maketh vs to trusse vp our loynes and to looke about vs. Else where he likewise saith that a man is borne to trauaile Iob. 5 as the sparkes flie vpwards yea as we may so say Gen. 47 as the bird is made to flie wherfore Iacob termed his life a pilgrimage and Paul properly compareth it to a race Iacob his life 1. Cor. 9 whenas he soiourned with his vnckle Laban is the right line and leuell of our liues if we liue as we should do which he storieth out himselfe and rippeth vp to Laban in this wise Gen. 31 These twentie yeeres haul I been in thy house I was in the day consumed with heate and with frost in the night and the sleep departed from mine eies Seemeth this a hard thing it cannot be but that hard things must be gotten hardly A similitude He that is desirous to haue the gold of India must take a painfull iourney and abide a great aduenture before he may attaine it As euery thing hath his end so there are meanes which we must vse which may bring vs to this end He that will be cured of a most grieuous disease must not refuse such phisick as best serueth therevnto Similitudes Hee that buyeth a bargaine and purchase of land immediatly bethinketh himselfe therewithall what may be the price of it I know it that albeit al labourers are not chosen yet there are none but that are labourers chosen and haue their penny of the master of the vineyard The fruitlesse fig-tree that hath nothing but leaues Marâ— 11 is blasted at the breath of Christs heauy displeasure and so being dead in naturall vegetation it is twice dead in spirituall malediction The edge of the sharpe axe is put to with force to the roote of the seare and vnprofitable tree so as seruing not for fruit it shal be hewed downe and serue for the fire Be our labour neuer so sower to vs yet it giueth a great sweetnes and pleasure to those things which we bring in by labour Wherfore that may be argument enough vnto vs if there were nothing else to minister encouragement to be painefull and industrious in all godly enterprises Do not all things seem sweete and delitious vnto him whose life is most laborsome I refer you to the husbandman and day-labourer heerein whose diet and quiet through worke and wearinesse is more toothsome and delightsome than his that surffeteth himselfe with ease cowcheth on soft pallets stalketh and strowteth sluggishly enough in his orchardes and galleries and pampereth himselfe with his new deuised dishes He that neuer laboureth can neuer recreate and refresh himself with ease The pauement is a pallet more pleasurable to the laborer than the field bedde of dowlne is to the lordly loyterer A course and grose diet batleth and better goeth downe with the pesant sweating at the plough than the finest foode doth with the curious Courtier sweating in his bedde or in his drowsie chayre by the fire side Suruey the common course of all creaturs vnder heauen and wee shall finde that their condition and nature is such as directly crosseth and ouerthwarteth all securitie The heauens the planets Psal 1â— and the whole frame thereof haue their distinct and peculiar motions they goe as a bridegroome out of his chamber and reioyce as a Giant to run
Israelites were so glutted with the garlicke of Aegypt as they had no fancie to a finer foode Let vs be purged of these hurtfull euil humors and so shal our souls be fulfilled with Gods word Whenas Christ vppon his entrance into the temple chaced away such with a whip of cords Iohn 2 who chopped and changed and made their worldly bargaines and matches in the Temple what doth this his zealous fact conclude els but that the impure negotiations of this world cannot be intermedled with the exercise of his word He cannot away with such paltry doings when as his holy misteries which are of such moment are needful to be handled What Courtier would not think himselfe greatly iniured A similitus who whilst he is busie in talk with his prince about his great sutes a country pesant with his irksome clamour should interrupt his businesse It is a grand dodge that the soule so excellent a creature sustaineth who whilst her sutes should be put vp to God it is disturbed and cut off by the vntimely importunat molestation of the world God neuer presented himselfe vnto Moses so long as he was a Courtier in Egypt Exod. 25 and liued in pleasure daintily dandled in Pharaoes daughters hands and dieted delitiously with the princes iunkets but hee was first espied of Moses in the middst of a bramble or bush of thornes to insinuate thus much that he is not to be found in a pleasurable life but in a state that is pricked and wounded with the briars and thorns of persecution And at that time God straitly charged Moses to put off his shooes before he came vnto him teaching vs thereby to put off our worldly mindes before we presume to prease to the presence of the Lord. When the prophet Elias sawe Gods glory and maiesty passing by before him he couered blinded his eies with his mantle whosoeuer will be partaker of Gods glorie hee must close vp the eies of his earthly affectiōs and must not behold the vanity of the world Psalme 89. He will not dwell in the stincking cage of our bodies of whom it is written Righteousnes and iudgement is the habitation of his seate If thou hast a vessel that thou wouldest fil with any liquor A similitude and that standeth full of another already is it possible to put them both together or to put in the one without emptying the other Thou arte to bee filled with the liquor of life with the sweete balme and oyle of the grace of God thy glasse viall euen thy heart is full already of bitter water of wormewoode of the brackish and salt water of the sea of this world therefore powre this out first and rince thy vessell cleane that it neyther may keepe out or infect that pleasant confection and restauratiue that is to be putt into it And embrace the sweete counsaile of saint Augustine in this case in this sorte directing vs Ex inani quod implendum est bono implendus es funde malum quia melle vult te implere Deus August si aceto plenus es vbi mel pones Empty that which is to be filled Thou art to be filled with the goodnes of thy God powre out thy wickednes God wil fill thy belly with hony but if that be ful of vinegar before where shal he find roome in thee for his hony As hee that will graffe a wilde oliue tree A similitude vnfruitfull by nature first loppeth and cutteth off his riotous branches and graffeth in that stocke in the roome of them the braunches of a fruitfull and fertile three so such as wil be planted in the Lordes house Psalme 92. and will florish in the courts of the house of our God and bee graffed into the stocke and body of Christ hee must first prune and toppe his worldly inclinations the shrubbes of sinne and the armes of vngodlines must be broken off and the loue of God the estimation of his word and the braunches of holinesse and righteousnes of life must bee graffed in their place Psalme 137 Howe shall wee sing the Lordes song in a strange land sayth the kingly Prophet The world and heauen are as strange as may be and therefore so long as we are giuen to the world we cannot sing vnto the Lord in our hearts If wee therefore cannot sing Oh let vs sigh to be deliuered from it that wee may in heauen make that cheerefull noyse of Haleluya to the Lorde and in the meane while trebble with one harpe vpon Dauids dumpe weeping and mourning for the remembrāce of Syon Sarah was first past her youthfull yeeres Genes 1◠and was dead to the world before shee conceiued and brought foorth Isaac which was his fathers ioy We must first subdue and ouercome the worlde and be dead vnto it or else we shall neuer bring forth the effects and fruites of true ioy which is of Gods Spirite Euery beast was to be killd before it could be sacrificed Leuitie 1. so first our beastly worldly lusts must be killed before we can be a sacrifice to God Iacob was called Iacob Genes 25. which signifieth a supplanter before he was called Israel which is Gen. 32 Seeing God to teach vs that wee must first treade the world vnder feete before wee can see this presence of the Lord. As Daniel first destroyed the Idol Bel Dan. 14. and then hee buckeled with the Dragon well enough so destroy thou this dumbe idoll of the world and thou shalt griple with the deuill the olde dragon well enough It is dangerous to ride on an vntamed colt that laboureth to cast thee A similitude this worlde is thy vnruly lade assaying alwayes in thy voyage to Ierusalem to throw downe thy spirit The spirite and the world are as a paire of balaunces and scales A similitude when the one of them mounteth vp the other is weighed downe when the Spirite is eleuated and cast vppe to heauen our worldly affections are throwne downe to the earth Or they are like an houre Glasse A similitude which emptieth one parte to fill another the soule when it is ful of the spirite of God emptieth it selfe of the lusts of the world Abraham receiued not the couenaunt of circumcision before he went from Vr Gen. 18 which was his worldely possession before about receiuest Gods couenant in thy mouth and professest his religion it is looked that thou shouldest as thou arte called of God giue vp and renounce thy too worldly disposition As the tree leaneth so it falleth A similitude when the axe is put vnto it if the body and braunches weigh to the left side it wil fal on the left side If al thy life time thou leanest to the left side namely to the world neuer looke when thou diest that thou shalt fall on the right hand of his glory and felicitie If thou wilt liue to God the worlde must not sunder
Ioseph who left his cloak in the hands of his Mistris and ranne away naked rather than he would yeeld to hir wicked lust to leaue all that thou hast in the world rather than to the offence of God and destruction of thy soule to cleaue vnto wickednes What prisoner that is fast shutte vp in prison A similitude and condemned to die for his capitall crimes and he seeth no other meane of escaping but by the breach of the wall and his friendes aduiseth him hereunto wil not take their counsell and the better to get through so narrow a passage wil not put off al his apparel to the skinne and leaue it behinde him to preserue his life Wee see how death is set before our eies for our heinous sinnes and rebellions against God and we cannot shun it but by striuing to goe through the straight gate that entreth into heauen and to crowd into that Iet it not be grieuous to stripour selues of whatsoeuer burden wee doe carry about vs but to presse in le ts make any shift albeit it be with grating galling and wounding these our mortall bodies To be blinde in soule and to be ignorant of Gods word is a farre more horrible and palpable blindnes than that which the Lorde in iudgement did bring vpon the land of Egypt Exod. 10. which was so foggy and grosse for the time as one man could not see an other or once stirre out of the place wherein he was For whereas man consisteth of two parts the body and the soule how farre the soule doth exceede the body it is not so easie for vs to define But this is most manifest that the body if it might be sundred from the soule litle differeth from the bodies of bruit beasts if that the soule might be singled from the body it would be but little inferior vnto angelicall spirites Whatsoeuer ornament A similitude grace and feature is in the body it hath it from the soule his vigor functions and naturall induments are from thence deriued For as the beautie and brauery of a picture ouer-layde with golde consisteth not in the woodden subiect but in the orient and golden forme which beeing defaced and put out it is nothing but a rude and deformed substance so the soule beeing the life and the liuelihoode of the man which giueth essence and forme vnto the man being taken from the body the body becommeth a most vncleane carrion most vgly and fearefull vnto vs to behold Yet in most preposterous and brainsicke maner al the whole care is set vpon the body and we grow most remisse and carelesse of the soule The base bond-woman the flesh is aduaunced and set in the higher roome and the spirit our peerelesse and beautiful lady to her great disgrace is debased and put downe to the lowermost end If the body be diseased how many Physitians are sent for to succor it if in want what cares do we take to supply it if in danger we runne through thicke and thinne to shunne it but the deadly disease the wofull want the extreamest danger that can be of the soule is not respected of vs. Whereas the soule is the Mistris and the body but the chamber-mayde whereas the soule is the rider and the body but the beast that beareth the rider loe the minion mayd is graced and her Mistris despised the simpler iade is stroaked and the rider is thrown off and cast vnto the ground The body is but the garment couerlet of the soule It is meere madnesse for any to spoyle his body that he might not spoyle his garment so is it for vs to saue the body to destroy the soule If all outward things be ordayned for the body and the body bee created for the soule and the soule for God is it not grose and absurde follie to busie our selues wholly about those things that are to this end and to neglect the maine poynt of all which is the end it selfe To prouide such stuffe as may sette vp a house and neuer to goe in hand with the house To get many bookes and to procure vs many teachers and yet to make no vse of these bookes and teachers To goe to warre and to be carefull to haue a fine scabard enamelld embossed with pearle with gold and not to care for the matter of the blade whether it be of yron or of lead or of any other base and impure substances The bodie is the subiect and as it were the case sheath of the soule wherein the soule is hidden it is a franticke fashion therefore to be so curious and nice about the pleasures of the body and to be so carelesse and vnwise for the treasure of the soule Let vs lay them both together and weigh them in the ballaunce of iudgement and discretion and the disproportion that will appeare betweene them will conuince in our election our too too blinde and preiudicate affections If no tongue be able to vnfold the preheminence and dignitie royall that the soule dooth carry aboue the body I thinke that much lesse the glory of Gods Saintes in the life that is to come how much it exceedeth and excelleth all the glory that this present world affordeth is able to be expressed For how can both themselues admitt a iust comparison whenas one is momentanie subiect to all vanitie the other eternall comprehending all felicitie Isai 64 Of this saieth the Lord The eye hath not seene what the Lord hath prepared for them that expect him And of the other saith Saint Iames It is a vapour that appeareth for a time Iames 4. and vanisheth away The Philosophers of the Gentiles prying into the nature and condition of this life but with the eye of humane reason found matter enough of discontentment with it inasmuch as Seneca is of that minde as hee thinketh that no man would vouchsafe to take vppon him this life if first he might be certified of the estate and maner of it Silenus another of that sect saith plainely that the best thing in his conceit is not to be borne and that the next to that is to die Stories do speake of a people in Thracia who entertaine their infants when they are borne into the worlde with teares and great lamenting and doe celebrate their funeralles with all melody and triumphing And I marud not at it why the heathen sorte should be so conceited of this life since the deere Saints of God Iob and Ieremy were so malcontented with it Iob 3 Ierem. 20 Giue me a man in whome all the fauours of this worlde shall conspire who is in the faunt and liueth as hee list anotomize his lfe giue a right iudgement of al the pleasures and wishes he enioyeth tel me what they are Is hee in honour and estimation amongmen and dooth the worlde applaude him What is this to him in the rigorous iudgment whenas he shall not be tryed by his country but his