heauie loding sinckes the vessell but by a moderate loding it hath prosperous sailing so if we fill our houses with too much vnnecessarie store the inuasion of an vnexpected matter may drowne the boate but if we lay vp what is méete and bestowe the ouerplus on the poore though a vehement whirlewind blow vpon vs yet we shall passe through the waues and not leese all Hoord not vp then too much least thou leese euen that is necessarie And that thou maiest accomplish these things the better ponder earnestly that of the wise sonne of Syrach My sonne Ecclus. 14.11 Aug. in enchir doe good to thy selfe of that thou hast As if he should say He that will proceed aright in giuing of almes must begin from himselfe and bestow it first vpon himselfe for almes is the worke of mercy and if mercie be fit for other is it not for thee If we must loue our neighbour as our selues we must first loue our selues in the feare of the Lord and with godly and Christian charitie as we ought to doe and then secondarily loue our brethren by the same Rule For charitie begins from it selfe and none can so loue his neighbour as he ought to doe except he first earnestly loue himselfe and wish well to himselfe Vâ—â—enâ—â—s 〈◊〉 â—â—è 〈…〉 For that which the Philosopher spake of the good man may be much more rightly spoken of the godly man namely that he is the greatest selfelouer that is he loues himselfe most and first with the true loue commanded and allowed of God Are we commanded then to loue our enemies and to pray for our enemies and to blesse and doe good to our enemies and shall we not loue our selues and séeke to doe good to our selues Shall we take remorse on those that are shut vp in prison and visite them and shall we be regardles of our sillie soule and cruell towards it that is fettered by sinne like a captiue in the chaines of this mortall bodie and neuer visite it and consider in what state it is Shall we féede the hungrie giue drinke to the thirstie cloath the naked and shall we not labour to haue our soules fed with the heauenly Manna of Gods word and refreshed with the swéete water of the fountaine of life and apparelled with the robe of Christs righteousnes by a liuely faith that it may appeare holy and vnspotted in the sight of God Shall we comfort the distrefied with aduersitie giuing them kinde spéeches and shall we not speake kindly to our owne â—â—les and rehearse and relaie vnto them the manifold and maruellous merceies of God Shall we haue more care of our bodies that they may be in health quiet and good liking nay shall we haue more care of the bodies of others that they want not thinges requisite for this life which is so fading and fickle then we haue of our soules that were bought not with siluer and gold or corruptible things but with the inestimable price of Christs blood that immaculate lambe of God that they may be partakers of the eternall and vnchangeable life Wherefore that we may giue bountifully to those that want and as we ought to giue let vs be first compassionate charitable and tender harted towards our owne selues and let vs be carefull not to pollute that which the pretious blood of Christ hath purified and let vs labour to gouerne our vnderstanding and our will and our desire as we ought to doe and because our frailtie is such that we must néedes fall often while we liue in this world let vs beséech our heauenly father so to enlighten our vnderstanding and so to subiect our willes to his holy pleasure and so to moderate our desires that we growing in grace and in the knowledge of God and his Christ our Redéemer may liue godly and circumspectly in this world waiting for the blessed hope of eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen A GHEST FOR THE SOVLE Col. 3.16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you plenteously in all wisedome THe Gospell describing the perillous slipperie state of maÌ„s life in this world proposeth the parable of the vncleane spirit Matt. 12.43.44.45 which being cast out of his hold after many consultations at last entereth into the same person out of whom he was expelled if he finde him emptie and idle And we must diligently marke this For whereas Adam by his fall brought death into the world and corrupted the whole nature of man and therby we are prone and enclined to all euill and vngodlines we are deliuered from this pollution and miserie by our Sauiour Christ Iesus Notwithstanding Sathan retaines his disposition and we retaine ours For Sathan seekes and hunts and allures and laies counterwaits to deuoure vs and we are careleâ—â— and negligent and secure and many times pull â—â—to vs occasions to doe euill And what comes to pâ—pâ— The last end is worse then the beginning for to the Lord is woont to punish our contempt negligence and vnthankfulnes We see then that it sufficeth not to be once fréed from the spirituall tyrannie and thraldome of Sathan but we must striue and endeuour not to looke backe to Sodome and not to defile our garments when they are washed in the blood of the Lambe It is God alone that doth preserue vs from fo doing and therefore we daily pray vnto him That he would not leade vs into tentation And albeit it is God alone that doth defend vs from backsliding yet he hath also left vs a meanes and helpe of this defence and preseruation in which our selues may exercise our selues Of this S. Paul entreates in this passage saying Let the word of Christ dwell in you plenteously in all wisedome As though he should thus say the word of God is the bréeder of faith in your harts and by faith you apprehend Christ his merits and so consequently are saued therefore lay a sure and setled ground worke in this word of God for if you heare the word and surely kéepe iâ— it wil cause you to growe from grace to grace from vertue to vertue from good worke â—o good worke till ye come to the full age of perfite men in Christ This is large commendation of the word of God The cerâ—enâ—◠〈◊〉 â—uiâ—◠〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 of God but say some we would willingly knowe how we may be assured that the scripture hath vndoubtedly procéeded from God and hath béene endited by the holy Ghost to the end we may giue the more reuerence vnto it and the rather receiue it Let vs then consider the implacable and irâ—econciliable hatred of Sathan and the world wherwith they pursue the doctrine of the scripture whereas they tolerate other doctrines though neuer so absurde and impious and the vtter downefal of the persecutors and haters thereof for not one of those cruell Romane Emperours that raised the tenne first persecutions in the primitiue Church escaped a miserable end and the
should goe out at them aboue all other I submissely implore your fauour for the acceptation and patronizing of my slender trauell beseechching you not to be displeased that I haue beene emboldned to dedicate this simple worke vnto you I was prouoked by your zeale to pure and vndefiled religioÌ„ by your vnpartiall regard of Iustice by your feruent affection to benefit your Countrey and by your loue to Learning and the learned which vertues as they are infused into you by the Author of all sincere vertue so they seeme in you to be hereditarie and deriued and transfused from your gracious Progenitors by these things I was prouoked to yeeld this testimony of your deserts as a consenting harmonie and generall applause of the multitude And thus praying the Lord to multiply and continue his mercies vpon you and yours I humble commend this declaration of my reuerent and due conceit of your worthines vnto your selfe and your selfe vnto the Almightie Your Worships in all dutifulnes to be commaunded ROB WOLCOMBE THE SEEKING OF HEAVEN Matt. 6.33 But seeke ye first the kingdome of God and his righteousnes and all these things shall be ministred vnto you I It is the dutie of a sincere teacher of the will word of God Ier. 1.10 2. Cor 10.4 first to plucke vp iniquitie and to roote out vngodlines to destroy sinne to throwe downe the strong holdes of Sathan and then to build pietie and to plant the feare of the Lord. For as we see that thornes must be first pulled vp before good séede can be dispearsed with gaine and profit so none can apply their mindes to vertue before they lay aside the contrarie and repugnant vices Ier. 4.3 Isai 1.16 Psal 34.15 Therefore the Prophets exhorting sinners to repentance haue said that we must plough vp our fallow ground and not sowe vpon thornes and we must cease to doe euill and learne to doe well and we must decline from euill and doe that which is good The same order is obserued by Christ the true publisher of Gods pleasure For when he had sufficiently dehorted from anxietie and carefull pensiuenes touching earthly things as meate drinke and raiment namely because it hinders the seruice of God drawes vs to the seruice of Mâ—â—â—mo that is of worldly wealth and because it is foolish and superfluous for God will giue foode and raiment to his children for he that hath giuen life which is the greater will giue foode and raiment which is the lesser he that féedes the fowles of the heauen that neither sowe nor reape will he not féede his seruants that both sowe and reape he that cloathes the lillies that labour not nor spin will he not cloath his children that doe both these and when he had shewed both that this carefulnes is troublesome and profits nothing for who by carking can adde one cubite to his stature and that this anxietie pertaines to the Gentiles and Ethnicks which are ignorant of God and strangers from Christian religion and therefore ought to be far from vs that are Christians and doe acknowledge God to be our mercifull God and father When Christ had by these reasons disswaded from pensiue carefulnes now in these words he exhortes to godlines vertue and righteousnes saying But seeke ye first the kingdome of God and his righteousnes and all these things shall be ministred vnto you In which words there are contained two things the first is an exhortation in these words But seeke ye fâ—rst the kingdome of God and his righteousnes the second is a reason of the exhortation in these words And all these things shall be ministred vnto you We are exhorted to seeke principally and before all other things the kingdome of God and Gods righteousnes And what is the kingdome of God It is the kingdome of grace in this life wheÌ„ Gods holy spirit swaies and rules in our hearts doeth so transforme and alter vs that of enemies of God we are reconciled vnto him For we are by nature strangers from God and the commonwealth of Israel and replenished with all vncleannes and iniquitie Ioh. 3.5 Matt. 3.11 and the spirit of God and his grace is water to purifie our pollution and fire to burne away our drosse and rust and oyle to supple and soften our hardnes and the seede of godlines 1. Io. 2.20 1. Io. 3.9 Luk. 11.20 froÌ„ which our soules growe vp into faire and goodly trees in whose branches vertues and good workes make their nests and dwelling places and the finger of God that engraues in our hearts the will and commandement of God and obedience vnto the same Luk 1.32 In this kingdome of grace Christ Iesus is the King and high Lord appoynted by his father to rule and gouerne it In this kingdome of grace the Subiects are the faithfull whom Christ hath redeemed with his death and set â—ree from the tyrannie of Sathan In this kingdome of grace the lawes are the word of God wherein all things are commaunded that belong both to the humble seruice and obedience of that supreme King and to the concord of the Subiects and citizens In this kingdome of grace all things are spirituall namely the King himselfe his glorie power Subiects lawes reward and punishment of Rebels And therefore Christ saith to Pilate Ioh. 18.36 my kingdome is not of this world For Christ requires no such thing of his Subiects as earthly kings are wont to aske but contrarily he doth continually enrich them with his owne gifts and spirituall riches he makes all his Subiects partakers of his kingly dignitie which earthly Kings cannot doe he doth not onely commaund as other Kings doe but also giues vs his owne spirit which puts power into vs whereby we are made able to yéeld our humble and dutifull obedience to his commaundements Finally all other kingdomes are subiect to alteration change but this kingdome of grace is inuincible and shall endure vntill the last comming of Christ This is the kingdome that our Sauiour bids vs to séeke first and chiefly and therefore let vs all pray that we may be Subiects thereof For grace is the balme to cure the sores and sicknesses of our soules grace is the directer of our thoughts spéeches and works in the awe of God as the rudder rules the ship grace is the garment and robe that couers and clothes our naturall defects and imperfections grace is the celestiall influence that makes our minds to spring foorth into godly actions as the raine that drops from heauen bréedes fertilitie in the earth grace is the swéetner of our workes which are otherwise bitter and vnsauorie as they issue from our corrupt wels as Eliâ—haes salt cured the bitter and venemous water of the citie Iericho 1. King 2. And what can be more fitly said of grace then that Saint Austin hath said Tract in Iohan. 41. As the Physitian hates the infirmitie of the Patient and workes by curing
that the infirmitie is expelled the Patient cased so God workes in vs by his grace vt peccatum consumatur homo liberetur that sinne is consumed and we set at libertie to the end we may fréely serue the Lord in holines righteousnes all the daies of our life Or else the Kingdome of God in this place may be taken for the kingdome of glorie which is the scope last ende of all the godlie and vnto which we are directed and led by the kingdome of grace For as among the Romanes Honour had a temple and Vertue had a temple but these temples were so built and scituate that none could come into the temple of Honour but hée must first passe through the temple of Vertue so there is a kingdome of grace in this life and there is a kingdome of glorie in the life to come but these two Kingdomes haue such coherence and societie betwéene themselues that none can enter into the kingdome of glorie except he walke through the kingdome of grace nor none may be a subiect in the latter except hée haue bene a subiect in the former In the kingdome of glorie there shall be perfect knowledge here wée know but in parte and sée darkely through a glasse 1. Cor. 13 9. In the kingdome of glorie shal be eternall life peace quietnes ioy and concord here our life is as a Flower our peace is soone broken our quietnes troubled our ioy molested our concorde dissolued In the kingdome of glorie is no death sorrowe wearines infirmitie hunger thirste pouertie slauerie Reu. 21.27 For no imperfection or vncleannes enter into the newe Ierusalem héere the waues of affliction and tribulation tumble one vpon the others necke as long as wee carrie about vs this bodie of death Briefly if we liue here in prosperitie yet we liue subiect to mortalitie and sicknes yet we sée but a vaine and wicked world yet we behold but mortall men and dwell but with sinfull men and conuerse but with inconstant men but in the kingdome of glorie our bodies shall be immortall the Maiestie of God shall be the obiect of our eyes Hebr. 12.22 the company of innumerable Angels and the assemblie and congregation of the first borne which are written in heauen and the spirites of iust and perfect men shall be those with whom we shall continually abide and dwell What is the earth and earthly glorie compared with the glittering Pallace of heauen but an earthen and dirtie cottage of a beggar in respect of a gay gilded mansion of a Prince They that are translated out of the wretchednes of this world into the blessednes of that other worlde are like those that are exalted out of Dungeons fetters into a Royall throne of dignitie It is much to say this but when S. Iohn Chrysostome had saide it Hom. 6. ad Heb. he addes presently Sed neque sic integrè pertingere potui ad illius regni similitudinem that by this spéech he could not fully expresse the likenesse of that glorious Kingdome For in the aduancement from worldly miserie to worldly felicitie there ariseth a pleasure and great delight but after a few dayes the minde begins to be satiate with the ioy and gladnes and though it remaine in delectation yet the delectation beginnes to fade for that it is vsuall and common but in those good things which eye hath not séene nor eare hath heard nor mans heart can comprehend there is no decrease ende or change but there is an augmentation of ioy replenished with all desireable good things For as the death of the wicked may be termed euill worse and worst euill because it ends their earthly ioy Bernard in paruis sermonib ser 41. worse because it sends to tormeÌ„ts worst because there is no ende of those anguishes so the death of the godly may be called good better and best good because it finisheth their miseries better because it puts into possession of happines best because there is no alteration nor feare of alteration in that happines In a word as much as the soule excels the bodie so much the ioyes of heauen surmount all the pleasantest and carest choisest delites of this fading life And this is that kingdome that Christ commands vs to seeke before all other things and who will not be desirous to attaine vnto it The Righteousnes of God which Christ bids vs to followe is that Righteousnes and holines which God in his word commaunds and allowes And these wordes The righteousnes of God are an exposition and declaration of the former namely the K ngdome of God For then God doth raigne in vs and then we are subiects of Gods kingdom when he by his holy spirit works sanctification and an earnest desire of godlines in our hearts to liue godly and holily and soberly in this present world Therefore if we will be inheritors of Gods kingdome and finde the ioyes thereof we must as obedient children not fashion our selues vnto the former lusts of our ignorance 1. Pet. 1. v 4 15. â—6 17 â—8 19 but as he which hath called vs is holie so we must be holy in all manner of conuersation because it is written Bee yeâ— holie for I am holie And since we call him Father which without respect of persons iudgeth according to euery mans work we must passe the time of our abiding héere in feare knowing that we were not redéemed with corruptible things as siluer and golde but with the pretious bloud of Christ as of a Lambe vndefiled and without spot And is it not reason that we should studie to please the Lord in holines Ioh. â— 16 and righteousnes and newnes of life Since God hath so loued vs that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beléeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life When thou art worne out with age or liuest in pouertie or art tossed and turmoyled with affliction and aduersitie what wouldest thou not suffer to bee made young and lustie rich and wealthie setled and quiet Christ hath promised and will performe more then all these Prâ—â— 25.14 Iud. 11.12 Antiochus was called Dolon because hée was wont to say that he would giue and he would reward he would pay and yet gaue and rewarded and payde nothing being like the vapour and winde that hath no Raine Hebr. 13.18 and the clowde without water but Iesus Christ is no willinger to promise then able to performe and hée is the same yesterday and to day and for euer For youth doth not so much excéede Age riches beggerie peace quietnes Nay truth doeth scarce so much excéede a dreame and the bodie a shadow and a precious iewell a clod of clay as all the brauery and pleasant delights of this world shal be truely and indéede excéeded by the glorie and ioy of heauen If any would liken the glorie of heauen to the brightnes of the Sunne yet he should say nothing
after a sort nor any way expresse the greatnes thereof For why What fellowship hath Light with darknes what communion hath calamitie with tranquilitie what part hath the endles life with the fickle and momentanie life Therefore when thou liuest in obscuritie if thou wouldest be ready to giue euen all thy state and substance and to doe thy vtmost endeuour that thou mightest be brought into the presence of an earthly Potentate and liue in his presence and sit at his table and enioy his company and fauour wilt thou refuse to séeke the righteousnes of God and to walke in the good workes that God hath appointed for vs that thou maiest be made partaker of the companie of Angels and Saints and vnspeakeable ioyes of heauen Propter haec Hom. 35. de diuers quae Pecuniae quae Corpora non sunt impendenda Imò quot Animas exponere dignum fuerit That we may enioy those ioyes what mony should we not expend what strength of body should we not impaire Nay how many liues if we had many liues should we not neglect and léese as saith Saint Iohn Chrysostome Wherefore let this exhortation of our Sauiour Christ be neuer forgotten when he saith But seeke ye first the kingdome of God and his righteousnes Now the reason why we should séeke first Gods kingdome and his righteousnes is for that then all other things shall be ministred vnto vs and shall be giuen vnto vs as a surpassage and aduantage If we finde the kingdome of God and his righteousnes though we haue fewe or none of these transitorie things yet it surpasseth all the treasure of India and gold of Peru but if we abound with earthly blessings and yet want the inestimable iewell of Gods grace while we liue heere and shall not be citizens and inhabitants of Gods eternall and glorious kingdome of heauen what are we but hungrie in the midst of our dainties and thirstie in the middest of our fountaines and naked in the middest of our garments and poore and miserable in the middest of our abundance and imagined felicitie for our true and principall felicitie is in heauen of which these earthly blessings and commodities are the additions pledges and tokens Christ therefore saith But seeke ye first the kingdome of God and his righteousnes and all these things shall be ministred vnto you or shall be cast vnto you He vseth a word taken from them that buy fruits as Peares apples or the like who when they bestowe monie and paie it they haue commonly cast vnto them somewhat aboue the number So saith Christ if you séeke first the kingdome of God and his righteousnes earthly benefits shall be added and ministred ouer aboue your expectatioÌ„ Where the Sun is there is light and warmth where the soule is there is liuely motion and action where the fauour of the Prince is there is honour and preferment and where the kingdome of God is and his righteousnes there is ioye plentie peace prosperitie and what not Therefore if we desire to abound with all good things let vs séeke first the kingdome of God and his righteousnes Here perhaps some may say many godly people and Paul himself by name who chiefely did séeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnes yet spent their life in hunger 2. Cor. 11.23 c. and thirst and fastings and colde and nakednes and then how is this promise true that all other things shall be cast and ministred vnto vs yea but behold Pauls minde and contentation for he could say Phil. 4.11.12.13 I haue learned in whatsoeuer state I am therewith to be content and I can be abased and I can abound euery where in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry and to abound and to haue want I am able to doe all things through the helpe of Christ which strengtheneth me Wherby we sée that other things are cast and ministred vnto the godly either in very déede or else as much as they doe desire He hath no néede of any thing that desires nothing Very litle is enough for him that is filled with the loue and feare of God and depends on Gods prouidence and liberalitie and séekes chiefly the kingdome of God and his righteousnes A certaine Philosopher could say when he sawe a faire fraught with all varietie of wares Basil Const mon. cap. 5. Quam multis ego non egeo How many things are there here which I neede not An ancient Father saies that as oftentimes when we muse and contemplate earnestly on things of this life the minde is so deepely fixed on the cogitation that the eares eyes and other senses doe not execute their function but the minde as it were forsakes the outward senses and altogether strickes in the contemplation so our vehement fastning of our loue on God and godly things will easily expell and chase out vaine thoughts for worldly profite and pleasure So that God casteth all things vnto him Gen. 15.1 and 17.1 who wants nothing and vnto whom God is all things and who hath learned with the Apostle in whatsoeuer state he is therewith to be content that is who thinks whatsoeuer he hath to be sufficient and longs after no more then he hath Saint Chrysostome saies fitly that none that goeth to a rich feast is carefull for that daies diet and none that goeth to a Well is carefull for his thirst Therefore since we may and must assure our selues of the liberalitie and mercifull prouidence of God farre more plenteous then all feasts and wels let vs not account our selues poore and néedie Luk. 14.16 Let vs goe to the great supper vnto which wée are inuited and we shall not lacke meate in the way let vs goe to that Fountaine which saide If any man thirst let him come vnto me and drinke Ioh. 7.37 and we shall not want drinke in the iourney So true is it that Christ sayes heere that if wee absolutely and principally seeke the Kingdome of God and his Righteousnes all these things shall be ministred vnto vs as things either necessarily depending on the former or else following them of their owne accord Questionles of our selues we are vnapte to séeke the kingdome of God and his Righteousnes because our depraued nature is repugnant vnto it and is rather delighted with the workes of darkenes then with the armor of light Therefore we must beséech God to giue vs the grace of his holy Spirit that wée may applie our hearts to the heauenly Wisedome and encline our stubborne disposition to â—is blessed and acceptable pleasure and commandement And we must diligently attend â—nd hearken to the word of God which is the incorruptible seede whereby the Spirite doth regenerate vs 2 Pet. 2.2 and worke effectually in vs. Why doe manie not long for the Kingdome of God and his Righteousnes Because they are carnall and the carnall cannot conceiue the things of Gods kingdome which is spirituall
not stand in the Iudgement nor in the assemblie of the Righteous for their way shall vtterlie perish If an vnworthie seruant of Christ shall not be belieued yet belieue GOD himselfe who made this promise to the olde Israelites Exod. 34 24. I will cast our the Nations before thee â—â—d enlarge thy Coasts so that no man shall desire thy Land when thou shalt come vp to appeere before the Lord thy God thrise in the yâ—â—re The Israelites were to ascend thrise yearely out of all Iewry vnto the temple of Ieâ—uâ—alem leauing at home onely their wiues and small children and manie of the Tribes wâ—â—â— distant from the Temple the iourney of saâ—â—â—aâ—es God doth promise that by their ascending they should receiue no damage in their House-holde affaires and that no enemie or thiefe should spoyle their land or possessions in their absence This is a type for vs and written for our learning that we may know that GOD will haue care that we shall not be damaged in teÌ„porall things if we care to serue him and to labour for the bread that perisheth not At a word if an vnworthy seruant of Christ shall not be belieued yet belieue our Sauiour CHRIST himselfe who sayes here without any ambiguitie Seeke first the kingdome of God and his Righteousnes and all these things shall be ministred vnto you Finally if we must seeke first the kingdome of God and his Righteousnes those are to be reprehended that vndertake their daylie workes and businesses without commending their labours and endeuors to the blessed protection and benediction of God by prayer and supplication What can the most ingenious or industrious man performe of himselfe without the blessing of God Psal 127.1.2 Except the Lord build the house they labor in vaine that build it Except the Lord keepe the Citie the Keeper waketh in vaine It is in vaine to rise early and to lye downe late and to eate the bread of sorrow For it is the Lord that surely giueth rest to his beloued For that we depend not vpon God wee flée not to God wee pray not to God Am. 5.11 Zeph. 1.13 Agg. 1.6 Is not this the cause that many sowe much and reape little build houses other dwell in them plant Orchyards and eate not of the fruites eate but haue not enough drinke but are not filled cloath themselues but are not warme earne wages but lay it vp in a broken and bottomlesse Bagge Say not I cannot come to the church to praier euery day before I goe forth to my labour I am not learned it is for clergie men to be so diligent in prayers Although thou canst not come to the church yet hast thou not a priuate deuotion and prayers to powre foorth in thy house and on the way in the field and in thy labour Although thou be vnlearned yet art thou not able to vtter the Lords praier and in a word or two to beg mercy of God Althogh thou be no clerke yet art thou not subiect to manifold temptations aswell as clergie men They that trauell through vnwholsom countreys and infectious aires take preseruatiues to be safe from hurte those that know their enemies lie in wayt for them in euery corner carry still some weapon to defend themselues And shall not a Christian arme himselfe with the Armor of praier and defend himselfe with the preseruatiue of godly meditations since Sathan séekes by the venome of sinne to infect all our actions and layes a bayt to entrap vs in our meate in our drinke and in our garments and in our spéeches and in all our dooings Wherefore whatsoeuer we shall doe in word or déede Col. 3.17 let vs do all in the Name of the Lorde IESVS praying heartily to GOD the Father for the obtaining of his holy Spirit mercifull protection 1. Tim. 4.5 that all his Creatures may be sanctified vnto vs by his word praier and that whatsoeuer wee shall enterprise or attempt may redound to the glory of God the profite of our Neighbours and our owne saluation How comfortable is the promise Aske and it shall be giuen you seeke Matth. 7.7.8 and yee shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you For whosoeuer asketh receiueth and hee that seeketh findeth to him that knocketh it shal be opened How gratious is God Psal 145.8 Isay 65.24 to heare the requests of all those that call vpon him faithfully for he hath saide Yea before they call I wil answere and while they speake I will heare How can it be that the prayer of the Righteous should not preuaile much Rom. 8.26 and pierce the cloudes since Christ maketh intercession for vs at the right hand of God and thogh we know not what to pray as we ought yet the Spirite it selfe maketh request for vs Luk. 18.1 1 Tim. 2.8 with sighs which cannot be expressed O then let vs pray alwayes not wax faint O then let vs lift vp pure haÌ„ds euery where without wrath vr doubting O then let Prayer be the salte to season all our actions and the Doue to bring vs the oliue leafe that is the messenger to fetch down from Heauen the fauour and louing mercie of God vpon vs Gen. 8.11 and whither we goe foorth of our houses let vs pray and whither we returne home let vs pray Hieron in Epist Nec priùs corpuscalum requiescat quà m animam pascat and let not our body rest before it féede the soule with this celestiall foode To conclude and to binde vp all as it were in one little bundle let vs often and seriously consider the vanitie and fléeting mutabilitie of this life and of all the Pride and Pompe thereof and the vnspeakeable ioyes and perpetuitie of the Kingdome of God and then this exhortation and precept of our Lord and Maister CHRIST IESVS which containes the whole summe of a Christian mans dutie and may be in stead of a thousand Sermons will neuer slip out of our hearts wherein hée sayes But seeke yee first the Kingdome of God and his Righteousnes and all these things shall be ministred vnto you A WHIP FOR LOYTERERS Matth. 20.6 And hee went about the eleuenth houre and found others standing idle and saide vnto them Why stand yee heere all the day idle IN that none receiued the penny in the euening but such as laboured longer or lesse time in the vineyard we are taught that none of discretion age yéeres shall receiue the recoÌ„pence of the reward the ioyes of Heauen but such as in this present worlde labour diligently in their calling and endeuor to bring forth the fruits of such good workes as are commanded in the word of God procéed from a true Faith and serue for the honoring and glorifying of Gods holy name But as none shall be crowned in the kingdom of glory that hath not finished his course in the Kingdome of grace that is in the vineyard
sluggish our bodie being now vnfit for battell and enclining to ease and deliciousnes For so with little adooe hee wresteth out of our hand the sworde of the Spirite which is the Word of God as he preuailed against Euah She had the word of God if she had stickt vnto it she had not fallen But when Sathan saw that she was somthing careles in kéeping Gods word and that she turned the absolute commaundement of God into a conditionall peraduenture hee tooke the Word out of her heart And so soone as shee yéelded a little vnto him hee had the victorie Therefore Resist stedfast in the Faith Paul rehearseth the whole furniture of a Christian Soldiour all the parts thereof whē he saith Stand therfore Ephes 6.14.15.16 17.18 and your loynes girded about with Veritie and hauing on the Brest-plate of Righteousnes your feete shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace Aboue all take the Shielde of Faith wherewith yee may quench all the fierie dartes of the wicked and take the helmet of saluatiō the sword of the spirit which is the word of God pray alwaies with all māner praier supplicatiō in the spirite The weapons of a Soldiour must partly defend partly offend and with both these the Apostle armeth the Soldiour of Christ Hee props girds vs vp with truth that we may stād For wtout Truth which is Christ himselfe all other Vertues fall Least our breast shuld be woūded we becom forgetfull of our dutie he gardes vs with Iustice that giues to euery one his owne our feete must be couered that is the whole race of our life must bee so ordered that we may rūne in the gospell of peace not following our affections but Gods word that bréedes trāquillitie of consciēce that wee may repell the darts of distrust concupiscence he armeth vs with the shield of Faith which expels distrust bridles concupiscence makes vs to leade a life worthie of our profession And that Sathan may not strike the head and trouble the reason of man he giues the helmet of saluation that is Iesus Christ the head of the Church and Sauiour of the whole bodie If anie say I haue not those weapons I am vnarmed Whence shall I get them Hee shewes that they are gotten by Prayer that God giues his giftes to them that pray for them So that Paul is larger in this point thē Peter 1. Ioh. 5.4 but the sense is one for Faith onely is our victorie against the world For all that is borne of God ouercommeth this world and this is that victory that hath ouercome this world euen our Faith as S. Iohn affirmes Marke that he vseth the time that is past saying that Faith hath ouercome this world to giue vs to vnderstand that though as yet we be in the battell yet questionles we shal be conquerors and we may assure our selues of the victorie For Faith is the instrument and as it were the meane and hand whereby we lay holde vpon him that hath indéede performed it euen Christ Iesus It is but to resist in Faith and immediatly the fielde is wonne as saint Iames witnesseth Resist the Diuell saith he and hee will flee from you If we flie he is a Lyon if we stand stoutly and manfully Iam. 4.7 He flées as a flie and why not for he is Beelzebub that is the God of Flies For if anie should say If Sathā thā be bound why doth hee preuaile so much It is true indéed that he preuaileth much but he dominieres but on the lukewarme and negligent and them that doe not feare God in truth Hée is tyed like a dogge bound in chaines he cā hurt none but him that securely comes too néere vnto him And how foolish is the man that is bitten of a dogge bound vp in chaines Ioyne not thy selfe to him by the pleasures and desires of the world Aug. serm 197. de tempore and then hee will not presume to approach vnto thée He may barke he may allure he can byte none but such as are willing For hee hurtes not by enforcing but by perswading and hee doth not extort a consent from vs but hee begges and dsires it He can doe much indéede but not without Gods sufferance If his power were not bounded Psal 141. hee would molest and destroy the whole worlde and not suffer one godly person to remaine aliue But hee that kéepeth Israell will neither slumber nor sléepe the Lorde himselfe is the kéeper of the godly so that the Sunne shall not burne them by day nor the moone by night the Lord shall preserue their going out and their cōming in for euermore Iob. cap. 1. 2. Sathan could not afflict Iob either in body or goods wtout leaue graunted him of God 1. King 22 hee could not seduce Ahabs prophets without leaue granted him of God he could not enter into the Heard of swine without Christs permission Mat. 8.31 Let vs therefore bee couragious for the haires of our head are numbred the Dragon that old Serpent is bound cast into the bottomles pit cannot come out Reu. 20. till the Lord appoint a time for his losing He is a busie tēpter indéed but fixe thy Faith on CHRIST Matth. 12 29. Col. 2.15 for he hath bound the strōg man spoyled his house hee hath spoyled the principalities powers hath made a shewe of them openly and hath Triumphed ouer them in the crosse hée is the Sonne of God that was made manifest for this purpose 1. Ioh. 3.8 that hee might destroy the workes of the Diuell And he not onely conquers himselfe but also hee imparts the conquest on them that beléeue in him 1. Ioh. 2.13.14 And therefore Iohn writes to the young men because they had ouercome that wicked one because they were strong and the Word of God abode in them whereby they ouercame that wicked one He is a walker and wanderer and compasser of all the Earth indéed but he walkes onely 2. Pet. 2.4 when God permits him to goe out of his Dungeon and prison for otherwise he cannot stirre being fast bound in chaines of darknes Hee is an accuser of the godly indéede but who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that iustifieth Rom. 8.1.33.34 who shall condemne It is Christ which is dead yea or rather which is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God and maketh request also for vs And there is no condemnation to them that are in CHRIST IESVS He is a deceiuer indeede but he cannot preuaile against Gods Elect. Mat. 7.24 The windes may blowe and the Rayne fall and the Floudes beate vpon the faithfull but their Faith is built on the sure ground and therefore it cannot be demolished The godlie may be afflicted Ioh. 16.21 but their sorrow shal be turned into ioy as the sorrow of
a woman vanisheth away wheÌ„ a child is borne The billowes and surging Seas may dash against Christs Church Matt. 16.18 but for that it is stablished and setled on CHIST the Rocke the gates of Hell shall not preuaile against it For as Physitians vse Serpents Vipers in Triacle for the help of men so God vseth Sathan in tentation for the profite of his childreÌ„ and for this purpose so ordereth his tentations that as he should blind the hearts of the disobedient and at last punish them eternally so he should only trie make knowne the Faith Hope Patience and Constancie of the godly that Gods Grace may be sufficient for them and that after they haue bin tryed for a while they may receiue the crowne of glorie that neuer withereth Therefore if hee would friendly insinuate himself pretending to do vs good that he may the sooner drawe vs out of the narrow way let vs oppose the expresse will and commandement of God against him not depart therefrom either to the right hand or to the lefte hand If he go about to rip vp our conscience with the knife of the Law to daunt vs with the vglinesse and haynousnes of our sinnes Gen. 4. Matt. 27. 1. Ioh. 1.9 as hee dealt with Cayne and Iudas let vs remember that if wée faithfully and penitently acknowledge our sinnes God is faithfull and iust to forgiue our sinnes and the blood of IESVS CHRIST his Sonne clenseth vs from all vnrighteousnes And to the beléeuer God hath twise thundred this most comfortable voyce froÌ„ heauen Mat. 3. 17. This is my beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased If he perswade vs to murmure in dearths or be discontent with the flourishing state of some vngodly persons as he threw this stuÌ„bling block before Dauid Psal 33. 73. Iob. 27.7 Ierem. 12. and before Iob before Ieremias let vs submit our selues vnder Gods mighty hand and cast all our care vpon him for he cares for vs all and not feare because it is our Fathers pleasure to giue vs a Kingdome If he would puffe vs wâ—th pride for well doing and make our hearts swell with prosperitie let vs consider that when we haue done all we are vnprofitable seruants and that we are but stewards of Gods gifts and shall one day be called to an account for our stewardship If when he is expulsed once or twise yet he returne againe Exod. 14. for as Pharaoh stird vehemently to bring backe the Israelites when they were departed out of Egypt and as the spirit raged and fomed mightily when he was expelled out of him whom he had possessed from his infancie Matt. 9.20.21 so the Pharaoh that tyrannized ouer the soules of sinners if he léese his praie he vncessantly attempts to winne it againe and generally as our Sauiour witnesseth Matt. 12.43.44.45 when the vncleane spirit is gone out of a man he walketh throughout drie place séeking rest and finding none he saith I will returne into mine house from whence I came and if he finde the roome emptie swept and garnished he taketh seauen other spirits worse then himselfe and they enter in and dwell there and the end of that man is worse then the beginning therefore to escape that lamentable pernition if Sathan returne after his expulsion let vs betake our selues to earnest prayer and then as the Lyon feares at the sight of a Cocke and flies at the crowing of a Cocke so this roaring and ramping Lyon feares at the sight of a faithfull person and flies at his prayer For as some remedies against poyson are hoate and some cold so the remedies against tentations and troubles are either the mildnes and coldnes of patience or the vehemencie and ardentnes of prayer What if thou canst not still vse long and set prayer and vttered with tongue either for that thou art vnlearned or for that thy busines hinders and stops it or for that the time and place forbid it Yet pray continually in heart and pray earnestly in minde and pray zealously in spirit August ad ProbaÌ„ as it is reported that the Christians in Egypt were accustomed to vse often yet short prayers and to vtter them forcibly yet spéedily least the intention and heedfulnes which is requisite for him that praieth per productiones moras euanescat hebitetur should vanish away and become dull by long staie doe this and thou shalt trie vndoubtedly that such prayer though bréefe yet it is an ayde to the soule a sacrifice to God a scourge to Sathan For though while our life is in this pilgrimage it cannot be without sinne and tentation for our profiting is knowne by tentation neither doth any knowe himselfe except he be tried neither can any be crowned except he ouercome neither can any ouercome except he striue neither can any striue except he haue an enemie and trials though then the Sea can no more be without tempests then the world without tentations yet we must valiantly by vehement praier resist the assault and batterie and when the surge of triall flowes vpon vs we must call and crie with the Apostles when the ship was couered with waues Maister saue vs Matt. 8.25 we perish and then we shall sée that the windes and stormes will cease and that he doth nâ—â— sléepe that séemed to sléepe for a little season And aboue all things we must take héede that we resist Sathans suggestions and allurements in the beginning for he could not preuaile ouer vs vnles we did encrease his strength by our vices and did giue him roome to enter in and dominiere in vs by our iniquities For this cause the Apostle speaking of anger saith Ephes 4.26 that the Sunne must not go downe vpon our wrath and that we must not giue place to the Diuell As if he said that anger or any other sinne will growe past cure like a wound that by delaie waxes incurable if it be not repressed spéedily and because continuance in sinne makes an entrance for Sathan who hauing entered vpon our hearts doth péece-meale at last wholy possesse them therefore we must betimes shut the doores against so hurtfull a guest For as a Serpent easily conuaies in the rest of his body if he get an entrance for his head so Sathan that subtile and slippery serpent if we permit one sinne to créepe into vs and giue consent thereunto he insinuates his whole traine and he drawes vs from consent to practise from practise to delight from delight to custome from custome to boasting in sinne from boasting in sinne to obdurate hearts Hier. in epist Dum paruus est hostis interfice vt nequitia elidatur in semine kill the Enemie of the soule while he is but little that vngodlines may be crusht in the séede as the Cockatrice is most safely slaine in the shell before he be hatcht and brought forth Suppose that we had séene Adam in his tentation when thoughts arose
our hearts that otherwise would rebell against his decrées and because he comforts vs both by the swéete promises reuealed in his word and by that comforter Ioh. 14.16.17.26 and Ioh. 16.13 that abideth with the godly for euer euen the spirit of truth who shall leade into all truth and teach the faithfull all things requisite to their saluation and bring all things to remembrance that Christ hath told vs. Matt. 5.4 Christ saies expressely Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted One Prophet thus comforts the Iewes Sorrow and mourne Micah 4.10 ô daughter Zion like a woman in trauell for now thou shalt goe forth of the citie and dwell in the field and shalt goe into Babel but there shalt thou be deliuered there the Lord shall deliuer thee from the hand of thine enemies And another Prophet thus Isay 54.7.8 for a little while haue I forsaken thee but with great compassion will I gather thee for a moment in mine anger I hâ—d my face from thee for a little season but wâ—th euerlasting mâ—rcie haue I had compassion on thee saith the Lord thy Redéemer And another Prophet thus Come Hos 6.1.2 and let vs returne to the Lord for he hath spoyled and hee will heale vs hee hath wounded vs and hee will binde vs vp after two daies will he reuiue vs and in the third day wâ—ll hee raise vs vp and we shall liue in his sight These words are fully fraught with heauenly consolation and may be appropriated to all and euery one of the faithfull Sée the truth héereof in the beggar Lazarus who though he were full of sores in this world yet he was after this life in Abrahams bosome but the rich glutton though he fared deliciously and were clad gorgeously euery day yet after this life he was in hell tormented in firie flames And héereof Abraham yéeldes no other reason but this Sonne remember Luk. 16. â— 26. that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasures and likewise Lazarus paines now therefore is he comforted and thou art tormented Wherefore as in the workes of nature God declares his prouidence not in taking away diseases vtterly from mens bodies but in prouiding fit remedies for all maladies so in the workes of grace God declares his goodnes in that he hath not altogether taken away tribulation from his elect neither would he haue them exonerated from all sorrowes but against all afflictions and crosses he hath giuen vs the certaine expectation of the life to come as a shield and rocke of defence and therefore Christ saith your sorrowe shall be turned to ioy As it is appointed for the godly to be sorrie in this world and then to reioyce so on the contrarie the vngodly reioyce héere but at length their gladnes is chaunged into sorrowe Isay 65.13.14 So saith the Lord by the Prophet Isayah Behold my seruants shall eate and ye shall be hungrie behold my seruants shall drinke and ye shall be thirstie behold my seruants shall reioyce and yee shall be ashamed behold my seruants shall sing for ioy of heart and ye shall cry for sorrowe of heart and shall houle for vexation of minde Reu. 18.6.7.8 Ihon the Diuine saith of the great whore of Babylon reward her euen as she hath rewarded you and giue her double according to her workes and in the cup that she hath filled to you fill her the double in as much as she glorified her selfe and liued in pleasure so much giue you to her torment and sorrow for she saith in her heart I sit being a Queene and am no widdowe and shall see no mourning therefore shall her plagues come at one day death and sorrowe and famine and she shall be burnt with fire for that God which condemneth her he is a strong Lord. As it is said of the godly Matt. 5.4 Luk. 6.25 Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted so also it is said of the vngodly woe be to you that are full for ye shall hunger Woe be to you that now laugh for ye shall wayle and weepe Worldlings desire to conforme and fashion themselues according to this present world to fulfill the lusts of the flesh to walke after the flesh to reioyce in strife enuying chambering wantonnes drunkennes gluttonie deceit guile lying couetousnes backbiting reuenge hatred malice anger These are the workes of the old man these are the desires of the world these are the reioycings of the vnregenerate of the children of disobedience But all this what is it but to heape vp wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust Iudgment For though the wicked act their parts neuer so plausibly yet when the Tragedie is ended and the stage broken downe then they shall crie out one to another We haue wearied our selues in the way of wickednes and destruction Wisd 5.7.8 c. and wee haue gone through dangerous wayes but wee haue not knowne the way of the Lorde What hath pride profited vs or what profite hath the pompe of Riches brought vs All those things are passed away like a shadowe and as a Post that passeth by As a ship that passeth ouer the waues of the water which when it is gone by the trace thereof cannot be found neither the pathes of it in the Floods or as a Bird that flieth through the Ayre and no man can sée any token of her passage but onely heare the noyse of her wings beating the light winde parting the aire through the vehemencie of her going and fléesh on shaking her wings whereas afterward no token of her way can be found or as when an Arrow is shotte at a marke it parteth the Aire which immediatly commeth together againe so that a man cannot knowe where it went thorough Euen so wee as soone as we were borne we beganne to drawe to our ende and haue shewed no token of vertue but are consumed in our owne wickednes And how can it be otherwise For the hope of the vngodly is like the dust that is blowne away with the winde and like a thinne fome that is scattered abroade with the storme and as the smoke which is dispersed with the winde and as the remembraÌ„ce of him passeth that tarrieth but for a day Is the matter euen so why then it is vanitie to trust in the ioyes of the world For all the imaginations of worldlings of their golde and siluer of their honors and promotions of their houses and possessions of their wiues and children of their Banquets and sportes doe fade away in a moment as if they had nere bene What are the ioyes of the world but the dreames of them that sléepe For so saith the Prophet Isay 29.8 And it shall bee like as an hungrie man dreameth and behold he eateth when he awaketh his soule is emptie or like as a thirsty man dreameth and loe he is drinking and when he awaketh behold
inspiration and doeth seale it vp in our hearts Isa 3 1. Matth. 13.11 Luk. 8.10 1. Ioh. â— â—0 27 For the Arme of the Lord in working maÌ„s Redemption hath not bene reuealed to all and euery one vnderstandeth not the secrets of the kingdome of Heauen but whosoeuer are led by Gods spirit they easily acknowledge the force of the spirit speaking in the scripture they haue an anointing from that Holy one and knowe all things and they neede not that any man teach them but the same true annointing and not lying teacheth them of all things and therefore the Apostle saith 1. Cor 1.15 That he that is spirituall discerneth all things This testimonie of the spirit doeth chiefely confirme vs and doth onely satisfie vs for the certaintie of the Scripture Ioh. 14.17 and is onely knowne to the Elect without which the testimonie of the Church auailes nothing For as God is onely a méete witnes of himselfe in his word so his word can finde no credite in our hearts before it be sealed by the inward witnes of his holy spirit And this is the Authenticke irrefragable and vndoubted Authoritie of that scripture of which Paul speakes when he saith Let the words of Christ dwell in you plenteously in all wisedome that is Exercise your selues in the word of God and put it in practise The Word of Christ is the Doctrine of Christ and the word of the Gospell and generally the whole Canonicall Scripture * The whole scripture is the word of Christ because it aimes at him as a booke doth aime at the Title which is able to instruct in true Religion that is in Faith and loue and therewithall to saue our soules And the word of the Apostle hath a great Emphasis and force in that he saieth not Let the word of Christ be in you but Let the word of Christ dwell in you And how not sparingly and niggishly and a little but plenteously richly and aboundantly His meaning is that the doctrine of the Gospell should be very familiar and well knowne to the Faithfull and that it should be so farre off from them to be ashamed of the Gospell of Christ Rom. 1.1 which is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth as that on the contrarie 1. Pet. 3.15 they should be readie alwaies to giue an answere to euery man that asketh them a reason of the hope that is in them with meeknes and reuerence And here we may gather with what spirite they are led at this day who doe strictly forbid the multitude common sort from reading and perusing the Scripture crying out that there is no greater pestilence to be taken héede of then the reading of the word of God by the common people For questionles Paul speakes héere to men and women of all states and conditions and he would haue them not only to take a slender sleight taste of Christs word but he chargeth that it should dwell in them that is that it should be rooted and stablished in them and in all plenteousnes whereby they may daily profite and procéed in the attainment of euerlasting saluation But for that some haue a preposterous desire of learning abusing the word of God either to ambitiousnes or vaine curiositie or deprauing the sinceritie thereof one way or other therefore he ioynes immediately in all wisdome As if he had said it is not enough to haue the word of Christ among vs to handle it daily vnles we doe it wisely and reason and dispute of it religiously and reuerently For there are some prophane and vnreuerent men who handling the Scriptures with vnwashen hands and talking of them with rash tongues doe speake grossely of God and things pertaining to God and doe carnally expound that which coÌ„taines some secret mysterie Therfore prudence and discretion and sobrietie is necessarie for him that will handle the word of God profitably and to edifying For the Scripture doth compreheÌ„d mere Oracles and sets downe the holy and eternal will of God and therefore it requires readers and hearers studious of holines addiected to godlines who with ferueÌ„t sighes and groanings and zealous Prayers conceiued in the feare of the Lord Psal 111.10 Prou. 1.7 must desire to be instructed from aboue For the feare of the Lord is the beginning of Wisedome saith Dauid and of Knowledge saith Salomon And that this precept of the holy Apostle may be the better performed of vs let vs consider first how profitable and necessarie the word of God is for vs and secondly after what sort and with what heart we must heare it 1. The profitablenes of the Word First let vs see the profitablenes and commoditie of the word of God If we obserue duely the titles that God hath enstamped on his Word in holy Scripture we may easily perceiue the inestimable commoditie that redounds to vs by the searching reading and hearing thereof Deut. 8.3 It is the spirituall Manna that procéedeth out of the mouth of God and giues life to men represented by that foode of Angels and Bread sent from Heauen readie without labour Wisd 20.21 which had abundance of all pleasures in it and was meete for all tastes and serued to the appetite of him that tooke it and was meete to that that euery man would It is the light and the Trueth that leades vs in this world that giues direction to the people that walke in darkenes Psal 43.3 Isa 9 2. Ex. 28.18 and shines vpon them that dwell in the Land of the shadow of death expressed by the bright Carbuncle that was set in Aarons brest plate It is the pure Wheate in comparison whereof the traditions and deuises of men are but chaffe Ier. 32.28 It is the nourishment and Bread of life for want and scarcitie of which Am. 8. there comes the pining staruing and death of soule in comparison whereof the fantasies of men are but huskes fit to nourish swine withall Psal 23.2 Ier. 36.25 Ier. 2.13 Ier. 32.24 Psal 119.30 Isa 22. Psal 12.6 Matt. 13.43.44 It is the pure water of saluation in comparison whereof mens inuentions are broken cesternes that can hold no water It is the powerfull fire and the hammer that breakes the rocks and the word of truth and the siluer purified and refined from the earth in comparison whereof the doctrines of men are dreames and drosse and impuritie It is the inualuable pearle and treasure which no earthly riches can counteruaile and therefore to be sought and bought of all them that will be prouident Merchants for their soules health Io. 6.68 Isa 59.5 2. Tim. 2.17 Matt. 2.16.17 Luk. 2.62 10.42 13.34 It is the word breeding eternall life whereas humane ordinances are but Cockatrices egges and Spiders webbes and fretting cankers It is the new garment that must not be matched nor patched with old rags and the new wine that abhorres old bottels It is
of the Lord are with them that feare him and he will not admit the sinfull soule into the mysteries contained in his holy word If we will haue our hearing of the word to prosper we must remoue the curtaine of wickednes from our hearts 2. Cor. 3.15 else we shall heare without profite as the Iewes reade the lawe and vnderstand it not because the vaile is not taken from them If we will be rightly instructed and sanctified by hearing the word and bring foorth acceptable fruit we must breake vp the fallowe ground Ier. 4.4 and not sowe among thornes for if the good séede fall among thornie sinnes that naturally sprout and spring vp in vs they will choake all the good plants of holy doctrine that are graffed in our hearts If we will approach néere to God by hearing the word we must not bring a prophane and a wicked heart Leu. 10.3 as Nadab and â—bihu offered strange fire before the Lord for God will be honored in them that drawe nigh vnto him If we will growe in grace by our entrance into the Lords house we must looke to our feete how much more to our hearts when we come thither Matt. 22.11 and we must not thrust into the marriage feast not arraied in the marriage robe that is we must not presume to heare the word of God with a polluted vncleane and vnsanctified heart An honest and vertuous heart rinsed and clensed from the dregs of iniquitie makes vs chéerefull and forward and desirous to heare the word of God And as hunger is the best sawe for meate so the desire of the word is the best motiue and prouocation to the hearing thereof and where that desire is there the words of the Psalmist shall be heard How swéete are thy promises vnto my mouth Psal 119.103 yea more then hony vnto my mouth To be hungry for meate declares good health of bodie so to long for the word of God Hom. 2. in Isai argueth good constitution of soule saith Saint Chrysostome And why doe many get so little good by hearing It is because the honest and good heart is not in them that brings foorth the true desire of hearing When Diogenes was repelled of â—nâ—sthâ—nes he put his head vnder his staffe and said beate me Laerâ— l. 6. as long as thou wilt for thou shalt finde no staffe so hard that may driue me away from thee as long as thou speakest any thing that I may learne If our desire of diuine wisedome were answerable to Diâ—genes his desire of humane wisedome no labour no paines no busines should plucke vs backe from hearing of the word But therefore doe we neglect to heare because we desire not to heare and therefore we desire not to heare because we know not the true benefite of hearing and haue not the good heart that should excite vs to séeke it out For as the things which we behold a far off are represented bigger to our view then they are indéed and those things seeme big which are néere vnto vs so to a sinner that loues earthly things all things pertaining to God because they are farre from his eye and the whole knowledge of diuine matters appeares small contemptible and the ioyes commodities only of this world séeme fairer desirable because they are néere to his eye from this blindnes proposterous iudgement springs that difference betwéene corporall foode set on the table and spirituall foode deliuered in preaching For when we are inuited to a banquet we doe not refuâ—e as if we wanted not meate but when we are inuited to heare the word we oftentimes refuse as if we néeded no preaching When we sit at table we would gladly be serued with the best meate and care not before whom the course meate be set but in hearing the word as in the reprehension of some vice that chiefely makes for the soules health we remoue the best from vs and shift it off to other saying this toucheth him or him not me When we sit at table we would be first but when we shall heare the word we care not if we be last When we sit at table scarce any banquet séemes too long but when we heare the word almost euery sermon is tedious Lastly at table we eate often and almost daily the same foode without disdaine but in hearing the word we can scarse heare one spéech twise vttered without loathing And what is the cause of all this but for that our stomackes are queasie and our appetites decaied towards heauenly things Wherefore as the blinde Bartimaeus cast away his cloake Mar. 10. â—0 when he should come to Christ to receiue his sight of bodie so we must cast off our rags of sinne when we come to the word to receiue knowledge and our inward sight of minde For the feare of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge Pro. 1.7 Gods graces will not come to the heart nor remaine in the heart that is not clensed from wickednes if we will haue Christ to teach vs Mar. 4.34 as he expounded all things to his disciples apart we must also goe apart from iniquitie and the loue of the things of the world and we must earnestly beg that honest and good heart of him that seeth and ruleth all hearts that our soules being made vndefiled Virgines Reu. 14.3 may sing the Virgines song which none can learne but such as sing it Next we must heare and kéepe and retaine the word in our hearts that it may dwell in vs plenteously He that puts bread or any other meate into his mouth first chewes it and then conuaies it into his stomack so when we haue heard Gods word we must meditate on that we haue heard and we must consider what was spoken and how it was spoken and to what purpose it was spoken There is much adoe to kéepe the word when it is heard for the flesh and the diuell fight against the Spirit that séekes by the preaching of the word to be a new ghest in our soules 2. King 9.20 But as Iehu was knowne by his furious marching so an honest and good heart is knowne by zeale and earnestnes to finish a good purpose in hearing and keeping Gods word that it may dwell in vs. And as Iaakob when he wrestled with the Angell said I will not let thee goe Gen. 32.26 except thou blesse me so a true Israelite will say when he heares the word I will sixe it in my heart and I will not let it depart till it reforme my minde and bring foorth fruit Neither auailes it ought to heare the word except the heart kéepe it and faith engraue it deepely in the soule What did it profit Adam Gen. 3.11 to heare the commandement to abstaine from the trée of knowledge of good and euill when he neither beléeued nor kept it What did it profite Loâ—s wife to heare that commandement Gen. 19.17 Escape
of God the onely comforter doth swéeten the bitternes of affliction and doth strengthen our féeble knées and stablish our fainting hearts we may iustly say O Lord wee are not worthy that such consolation should come vnder the roofe of our soules Besides this as the Centurion said Maister I am not worthy that thou shouldest come vnder my roofe so we may inuert and turne about and stretch his spéech farther and say O Lord we are not worthy that we should come vnder thy roofe And why The world in which we inhabite is Gods house and we are all Tenants at will to be put out at our liue lords pleasure In this house of the world Man is a great commander hauing dominion ouer the workes of Gods hands and hauing all things put vnder his féete The Sunne and the Moone giue him light the shéepe and oxen and beasts of the field the foules of the aire and fishes of the Sea yéeld him sustenance the birds delight him with singing the flowers solace him with smelling all the workes of Gods fingers serue either for this profite or pleasure or both In that then Man a worme and the sonne of rottennes and corruption is brought into such a spacious and specious a great and gay house of God as the world is and made little lower then God and crowned with glorie and worship we may iustly say Psal 8.4 O Lord our Lord what is man that thou art mindfull of him and the Sonne of man that thou visitest him We are not worthy that we should come vnder the roofe of thy house Nay when we consider our houses that protect and shroud vs from the furie and violence of the weather our beds whereon we case our selues when we are wearie and sicke our liuings and goods by which we sustaine our selues our children which are an heritage and gift that commeth from the Lord and which possesse the fruit of our labours and which preserue our memoriall on earth when we consider these and many other blessings which God bestowes on vs that daily and hourely offend him and transgresse his commaundements and which many others doe want who notwithstanding are redéemed with the pretious blood of Christ aswell as we may we not procéed farther and say O Lord we are not worthy that we should come vnder the roofe of our owne house Furthermore the materiall temple and Church is called the house of God For why In the Church we are taught the statutes and lawes of God and God speakes vnto vs in his sacred word In the Church we speake vnto God by praier and we worship God by singing foorth the swéet praises of his mercie and goodnes In the Church we are by Baptisme clensed from our sinnes and receiued into Christs Church and congregation which is the spirituall house of God and we are incorporated into Christs bodie made members thereof In the Church we spiritually feede on the body and blood of our Sauiour Christ and we are thereby partakers of Christs merites righteousnes to the fruition of eternall life In that then the materiall Church is the house of God and the soueraigne Apothecary shop where euery sinner may finde a spirituall medicine and salue to cure the maladies infirmities of his soule we may truely say when we are going into the temple and Church where we participate of so many diuine things O Lord we are not worthy that we should come vnder the roofe of thine house Lastly let vs contemplate on the ioyes and felicitie of Heauen where is ioy without sorrowe plentie without scarsitie glorie without enuie life without death where is the trée of life and the riuer of the water of life where the Seraphins sing continually Holy holy holy and all the Angels and Saints praise God vncessantly with most sugred and harmonious melodie where the elect receiue the pennie of immortalitie for working in the vineyard and sit downe with Abraham Isaak and Iaakob and where are those vnspeakable good things which eye hath not séene nor eare heard nor heart of man can conceiue In that then God hath ordained vs to this eternall rest and from the dust hath exalted vs to his heauenly kingdome we may truely say O Lord we are not worthy that we should come vnder the roofe of Heauen Thales Milesius being old and hauing deuised some admirable inuention of the motion of the Heauens he did communicate it with Mandrita another Philosopher who gaue him thankes for the instruction and asked what recompence he should giue him for the document to whom Thales said O Mandrita it shall be sufficient to me if when thou wilt vtter this which thou hast learned of me thou doe not ascribe it to thy selfe but confesse that it was mine inuention This a man craues of a Man how much more iustly doth God require of vs that if we haue any vertue or any knowledge or any wisedome or any strength or any good thing when we make vse of it we attribute it not to our selues but acknowledge that it is receiued from him Wherefore let vs humble and prostrate our selues with this Noble and godly Centurion let vs praise the Lord for all his blessings with vnfained thankefulnes let vs confesse our vnworthines either that God should come vnder our roofe or that we should come vnder Gods roofe let vs amend our liues repent for our iniquities and expresse true gratitude by our good workes that God may augment and heape his mercies vpon vs continually and that Christ may heare vs as he heard the Centurion and that as by the mercy of God we entered into the house of God the world and dwell therein and as by the same mercy we enter from time to time into the materiall Church which is the house of God so at last by the fauour and grace of Christ we may ascend and mount into the glorious and magnificent house of Heauen there to remaine with him for euermore Amen CONSTANCIES CROWNE Gal. 6.9 Let vs not therefore be wearie of well doing for in due season we shall reape if we faint not THe holy Apostle Paul in these words doth admonish the Galathians and in the Galathians all other Christians to be plenteous in good works and to bring foorth the fruits of the Spirit neither this onely but to persist and perseuere in well doing that they may obtaine the reward of eternall life The spéech containes first an exhortation to continue in well doing secondly a reason and motiue why we should not faint in well doing The exhortation is this Let vs not therefore be wearie of well doing If we refer this well doing to beneficence and liberalitie towards the néedie which is spoken of in the verse following where the Apostle saith While we haue time Calon poioûntes 1. eupoioûntes euergetoûntes let vs doe good to all men as if well doing were doing well and bestowing well on the poore then where Paul saith Let vs not be
eares that they should not heare yea they made their hearts as an adamant stone least they should heare the law and the words which the Lord of hoasts sent in his spirit by the ministerie of the Prophets There is no stone so hard as the Diamond yet the disobedient were as hard as the Diamond Let not vs Christians equall their hardnesse and let not vs be found harder then the Diamond so that the spéech of an auncient Father may be appropriated to vs when hee sayes that the Diamond though most hard Cyp. de dâ—p martyriâ— yet it is mollified and maistered with the blood of an hee Goate but that we doe not east aside our hardnesse nor as yet are softened by the blood of Christ who was the true scape goate Leu. 16.21 shadowed out in the types of the olde sacrifices vpon which Aaron was to put his hands and to confesse ouer him all the iniquities and trespasses and sinnes of the children of Israel and to send him away by the hand of a man appointed into the wildernesse and which was a true figure of Iesus Christ that beareth the sinnes of the people Moses strake the rocke with his rod Isai 53.4 Psal 78 2â—.2 and the waters gushed out so let the remembrance of Christes sufferings and the infinite benefites that wee receiue thereby pierce our hearts and draw forth teares of true repentance and of amendment of life Psal 78.8.9.10.11 For as the Israelites were a rebellious generation a generation that fet not their heart aright and whose spirit was not faithfull to GOD and the children of Ephraim being armed and shooting with the bowe turned backe in the day of battell and kept not the couenant of God but refused to walke in his law because they forgot his Acts and his wonderfull workes that hée had shewed them so what truer reason can be giuen of rebellion against Gods ordinances but our forgetting of Gods incomprehensible loue Rom. 8.32 Ioh. 3.16 who spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him for vs all to death and that so loued the world that hée gaue his onely begotten Sonne that whoseuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Shall wee so long exhilerate and encourage our spirituall foes by wallowing in the filthinesse of sinne and giue them occasion to say in their hearts O our soules reioyce Psa 35.25 wee haue deuoured them And shall wée not by our conuersion procure ioy to the holy Angels of GOD Luk. 15.7 that reioyce more for one sinner that conuerteth then for ninety and nine iust men that neede none amendment of life Let vs dash the young children of Babylon against the stones that is Psa 137.9 let vs destroy the broode of sinne in the cradle and infancie before it wholly possesse vs and let vs spéedily driue away the tentations and enticements to wickednes that wee may say with the man of God Psâ—l 18.37.38 We haue pursued our enemies and taken them and haue not turned againe till we haue consumed them â—e haue wounded them and they were not able to rise they are fallen vnder our feete Let vs beware how sinne take roote in vs for as inueterate maladies of the body craue long and sharpe curing and as cloath often and deepely dipped in the fatte hardly or neuer leeseth his colour so the inâ—eterate vices of the soule are not easily remooued and the corruption of the minde that becomes an habite cannot be washed away without much adoe Ier. 3.23 Can the blacke Moore change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may they also doe good that are accustomed to euill saith the Lord by his holy Prophet Let vs breake the bands of Sathan and escape out of his snare wherin he would hold vs at his pleasure and let vs not suffer him to deale with vs as the childe deales with the bird which he tieth with a threede by the foote permitting it sometimes to skip fréely but then pulling it backe when it thinkes to escape so let not Sathan tie vs by the vse and custome of iniquitie that though we séeme likely sometimes to flie from him yet he may drawe vs backe because we are fettered in the traps of sinne Let vs auoid and shun the baite of wickednes with the warie fish least if we swallow downe the baite the hooke also catch vs and then our ghostly Enemie leade vs hither and thither as the fisher drawes and carries the ensnared fish according as himselfe desireth At a word 〈◊〉 not the tumults of our sinfull desires breede in vs a spirituall deafeneâ— that we cannot heare the distinct and piercing sound of the word of God that doth admonish vs Heb. 12.1 To cast away euery thing that prâ—sseth downe and the sinne that hangeth so fast on as the dwellers by some places of the Riuer Nâ—us in Egypt Cic. in sâ—m Scip. called Catadupae can heare no sound because they haue gotten a deafenes by the continual rumbling of the Riuer that rusheth downe from high mountaines but let vs beseech God to open our eares both inwardly and outwardly that we may abandon vngodlines learne to doe well and pray vnfainedly vnto the Lord Psal 69.14.15.16 that he would deliuer vs out of the mire that we sinke not and that he would deliuer vs from them that hate vs and from the déepe waters and that the water floud may not drawe vs nor the deepe swallowe vs vp nor the pit shut her mouth vpon vs and that the Lord would heare vs For his louing â—iâ—dnes is good and turne vnto vs according to the multitude of his tender mercies Contrarily to them that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse to them that haue taken vp the crosse of Christ and follow him to them that sigh vnder the burthen of iniquitie to them that are desirous to remooue hence and to dwell with the Lord to them that loue prayer the word and all good workes this spéech of the Apostle is to be proposed Let vs not be wearie of well doing for in due season we shall reape if we faint not Hast thou begun to renounce sinne and to embrace righteousnesse Let not the old Prouerbe be verified of thee 2 Pet. 2.20.21.22 The Dogge is returned to his owne vomite and the Sow that was washed to the wallowing in the miâ—e For if thou after thou hast escaped from the filthinesse of the world through the acknowledging of the Lord and of the Sauiour Iesus Christ art yet entangled therein and ouercome the latter end is worse then the beginning for it had béene better for thée not to haue acknowledged the way of righteousnesse then after thou hast acknowledged it to turne from the holy commaundement giuen vnto thée As the Scripture doeth witnesse that Christ should not surcease in the progresse of Mediatorship Math. 12.20 Luk. 1.74 75. till â—ee brought iudgement into victorie that is till hee shewed