read the ancient Fathers to prove and trie every thing and Sectaries seek novelties and admire them to hold that which is good and not to depart from the faith of the Catholicke Church For there is but one dove one spouse one body of Christ Of this sinne the Apostle giveth the Church warning saying Let us consider one another and provoke unto love Hebr. 10. 24 25. and unto good Workes not forsaking the fellowship that we have among our selves as is the manner of some It is the manner of some to turne with the spiders breath the sweet iuyce of flowers into poison to seeke knots in bulrushes to stumble at every straw that stoppeth the course of their eager spirit to breake the bonds of peace to forsake this fellowship that wee should have among ourselves and to single and sever themselves by themselves they busie their braines about Pythagoras numbers Plato's Idea and Aristotles commonwealth they see not at Damascus a strange 2 Reg. 16. 10 11 Altar with Ahaz but they strait-way get the patterne and Vrias the Priest must make them the like at home But what saith Paul concerning these Sectaries I beseech you brethren saith he marke them diligently which cause division and offences contrary to the Rom. 16 17 18. doctrine which yee have learned and avoid them for they that are such serve not the Lord Iesus Christ but their owne bellies and with faire speeches and flattering deceive the heart of the simple The Prophet David saith Ierusalem a figure of the Church is built as a City that is at unity in it selfe and when the Holy Ghost Psal 122. 3. Act. 2. 1. Act. 4. 32. Iudg. 20. 1. came downe in visible signes upon the Apōstles They were all with one accord in one place and it is said that the whole multitude of them that beleeved in the first times had but one heart and one Soule It is said of Israel that they came together as it had beene one man with the same mind and intent not with as many opinions as persons The Iewes had but one kind of worship prescribed and 2 Chro. 30. 12. that in one only Temple And it is said of Iuda that the hand of the Lord was in Iuda so that he gave them one heart to do the commandement of the King and of the rulers according to the Word of the Lord So if we will become a spirituall building unto God if wee will receive the promise of the Holy Ghost if we will worship God in Spirit and truth if we will have the hand of the Lord upon us we must be at unity and concord with our selves we must abide with one accord and one mind in an house wee must have one heart to doe the commandement of the King and of the rulers we must not leave the Temple to follow every opinion but we must be no makers of Sects but must keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace S. Peter prophesied and foretold of these Sectaries Ephes 4. 3. which privily should bring in damnable heresies even denying the 2 Pet. 2. 1 2 3. Lord that hath bought them and bring upon thmselves swift damnation and that many should follow their damnable wayes by whom the way of truth saith he shall be evill spoken of and through covetousnesse shall they with fained words make marchandize of you c. There is in a naturall body a quicking soule a radicall humour and a naturall heate and there is in the spirituall body Division sometime more dangerous than Idolatry of the Church the Holy Ghost to give life to it Faith is the radicall humour to continue it and charity as the naturall heate or vitall Spirit carried throughout the Arteries or parts of the Church For All things must be done in love Division and discord 1 Cor. 10. 14. Sects and Schismes are the cause of all evill of all mischiefe this is that Pandoras boxe that Trojane horse from whom all evill and mischiefe doe proceed Example among many other may be the Church of Corinth who beginning about matters of ceremonies and policie proceeded first to division and separation some holding of Paul some of Apollo some of Cephas and some of Christ and so to false doctrine denying the Resurrection 1 Cor. 1. 12. and therefore by the Canon of the Apostle to be avoided and Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria told Novatus that it was Euseb de vit Const 2. more grievous to breake the unity of the Church then to commit Idolatry For this saith hee was punished but with the sword but the other with the opening gulfe of the earth swallowing up the Authors and confederates thereof Et non dubitabitur sceleratius esse commissum quod gravius erat vindicatum And there is no doubt but that was more haynously committed which was more sharply and severely punished If yee have bitter Iam. 3. 14 16. envying and strife in your hearts saith the Holy Ghost reioyce not for where envying and strife is there is sedition and all manner of evill wayes There be three Furies in Hell Heresy Schisme Apostacy Saith a learned man Haeresis errorem fundamentalem in side tuetur Heresy defendeth some fundamentall error in the faith Schisma unitatem Ecclesiae ob minuta discindit Schisme cutteth in sunder the unity of the Church for small and trifling things Apostasia rectam fidem religionem penitùs abdicat Apostasie utterly rejecteth and forsaketh the right Faith Religion of God and turneth from the holy Commandements given of God For heresy is occupied about dogmaticall conclusions concerning Faith and beliefe Schisme about rites and ceremonies and other things of no moment For whosoever shall obstinately defend any perverse corrupt opinion is an Hereticke whosoever shall divide himselfe from the Church for manners and rites is a Schismaticke Againe one and the selfe-same errour in divers men hath divers names For a false opinion of God is in a Iew Infidelity in an Ethnike Paganisme in a Christian heresy in a Turke Ignorancy Heresy is only in such as are baptized even as Schisme is Finely said Bibliander that one sinne according to divers effects hath divers names For to doe any thing against the Scriptures saith hee it is sinne or rebellion rather to thinke any thing contrary to the Scriptures it is foolishnesse to contradict them is error to forsake them Apostacy Pride the cause of heresy schisme All these are pardonable if they be not wilfull we must therefore be very watchfull that Satan possesseth not our mind heart or life our mind with perverse doctrine our heart with wicked affections our life with evill manners Study therefore day and night to keep the mind in purity and in the knowledge Hemming of the trueth the heart with pious and holy cogitations and thy life with chast manners and good examples Cyprian saith Vnum tentat diabolus tentat ut
to content their owne sinnefull humour But so to reprehend is no way lawfull wee must deale with sinners as Samuel did with Saul chide them for their sinne yet pray for their soule as Moses did with the Israelites who corrected their iniquities yet would be blotted out of Gods Booke for their safeties as David did with Absalom who detested his fault and yet would have died for his sake then shall wee shew our selves true physicians that seare the sore to preserve the person and hate the sinne to preserve the soule THE NINE AND TVVENTIETH SERMON VERS XVIII How that they told you that there shall bee mockers in the last time c. Scorning and mocking the highest degree of sin NOw he commeth to the words that he will have them to remember they be these That there shall come in the last dayes mockers hee calleth the wicked mockers for in mustering up their sinnes hee beginneth with their flouting as an arch sinne a capitall sinne hee placeth it in the forefront as Ioab did Vrias it is a Metropolitan sinne as Salomons harlot 1 Reg. 3. was among women the worst of all as the beast in the Apocalyps Apoc. 13. which inspired the other with blasphemy like Antiochus who did more hurt then all the Tyrants before him Of these mockers speaketh Peter as though he had followed Iude verbatim word for word but he hath answered them so fully that we need not go any further for their confutation There shall saith he come in the last dayes mockers which will walke after their lusts and say Where 1 Pet. 3 3 4 5 6 7. 8 9. is the promise of his comming for since the Fathers died all things continue alike from the beginning of the creation For this they willingly know not that the Heavens were of old and the earth that was of the water and by the water by the Word of God wherefore the world that then was perished overflowed with the water but the Heavens and earth which There have beene scorners in all ages are now are kept by the same Word in store and reserved unto fire against the day of Iudgement and of the destruction of ungodly men Dearely beloved be not ignorant of this one thing that one day with the Lord is as a thousand yeeres and a thousand yeeres as one day The Lord is not slacke concerning his promise as some men count slacknesse but is patient toward us c. Salomon had to doe with such All things come alike to all Eccles 9. 2. and the same condition is to the just and to the wicked to the good and to the pure and to the polluted and to him that sacrificeth and him that sacrificeth not as is the good so is the sinner he that sweareth and he that feareth an oath so they said in Chrysostomes time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Give me something here let hereafter go to others Mat. 22. such were in Christs dayes the Sadduces they denied the Resurrection Paul had to doe with these beasts which said Let us eate and drinke for to morrow we shall dye But if Peter reasoned well 1 Cor. 15. 32. 1 Pet. 47. saying Now is the end of all things at hand be yee therefore sober and watching in prayer The Epicures in Pauls time reasoned vilely and beastly nam contrariorum contraria est ratio for of contraries there is a contrary reason Such skummes have beene in all ages when Esay spake of sackloth they spake of slaying of oxen and Esa 22. drinking wine when the Apostles spake with new tongues they spake with their old tongues and said that they were drunken with new wine when Paul spake of the true God the Athenians Act. 2. 13. called him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a babbler a rascall a trifler when Christ wrought miracles they said that he did them by the Divell and Mat. 12. now that we speake of God and the Kingdome of God they say that we are idle and must say something and that our doctrine is good for those that have little to doe they deride us as simple men that know nothing with the Corinthians they call our preaching foolishnes with the Aegyptians they call our resort unto the Church idlenesse with the Captaines they call our Exod. 8. 2 Reg. 9. Act. 26. 1 Cor. 1. 21. Act. 26. 25. preachers madde men with Festus they call our zeale plaine dotage and madnesse and with Pliny they call our meetings conventicles but wee will answere them as Paul did the Corinths It pleaseth God through the foolishnes of preaching to save them that beleeve As the Apostle did Festus Wee are not mad but wee speake the Words of truth and sobernes As the Christians did Plinie Trajane and others for their night meetings our witnesse is above our praise is not with men but with God The Latines for mocking use a triple Synonyme Irrisio subsannatio Rom. 2. illusio à risu â—â—gatu ludo a laughing to skorne a mocking by snuffing up the nose and a scorning by way of jesting the first two are open the third more secret when we breake a jest upon our neighbour that tends to his disgrace Of these mockers there be sundry kindes Some that mocke God Some that mocke Gods man They that mocke God are of two sorts the open that deny Divers sorts of mockers both of God and men God in word and in deed as Pharaoh And the secret that professe in shew but deny in truth like the Sonne in the Gospell who in word said I go father but in truth went not at all Multi adorantes Crucem exteriùs Crucem spiritualem per contemptum conculcant Many will beare the Crosse in their bosomes that never imprint it in their hearts and many fall before it in their closet that never follow it in their lives Irrisor non poenitens qui adhuc agit quod penitet He is a 〈◊〉 Iside no repenter whose works are not answerable to their words These mocke-Gods shall one day feele the hand of God Glaucus that scoffed at Venus was torne in pieces with his mares Lycurgus despising Bacchus chopt his owne legs asunder as hee lopt his vines Holofernes acknowledging no God but Nabuchodonozer Iudith 13. was murthered by a woman the people that will sacrifice to the Queene of heaven were consumed with the sword of famine Nicanor that derided the Lord of the Sabbath lost his head hand shoulder Phericides in derision of the God-head bragged Ier. 44. 17. abroad that himselfe had as much prosperity that never did sacrifice as they that offred an hundred Hecatombs to the gods but was as Herod coÌ„sumed with lice Daphida a scoffer in derision Act. 12. 23. of Apollos Oracle at Delphos enquired of it whether he should find his horse that he lost when indeed hee had none the Oracle made this answere Inventurum quidem sed ut co turbatus periret that
and concludeth his Epistle with it Grace bee with you Amen for wee must not doubt of Gods promises but beleeve stedfastly That all the promises of God are in Amen diversly used in Scripture Christ yea and are in him AMEN Againe this word Amen teacheth us to desire earnestly 2 Tim. 4. 22. and fervently the thing wee pray for For the prayer of the righteous availeth much if it bee fervent David was fervent in his Iam. 9. 16. Psal 106. 48. prayer Blessed bee the Lord God of Israel for ever and ever and let all the people say Amen And verily this word Amen noteth our desire our earnest fervent desire to bee heard and to obtaine it is in effect thus much O Lord thus bee it unto mee what my tongue or soule have begged give it me grant it me Amen Amen So Lord even so Lord. FINIS THE TABLE OF THE Sermons upon Saint IVDE Points handled Serm. 1. THe holy Ghost the Author of all Scripture Fol. 1. Two Iudases 1 Iscariot 2 Brother of Iames 1 Some Scriptures doubted of 2 A threefold office of the Church concerning Scripture 3 Honourable titles given the wicked why 4 Stormes should not discourage the godly ibid. Three sorts of servants ibid. Gods service most happy 5 Gods service perfect freedome ibid. Brings all good to us 6 All other service vile or dangerous 7 Mans dignity in three things 8 Priviledges of Gods servants ibid. Pope abuseth the title of servant 9 Servants must imitate their Master obey him 10 Gods servants rewarded ibid. Servants may not Lord it over the rest of the Family 11 Godly profession brings more glory than honourable alliance 12 13. Sermon 2. VOcation the first step to Salvation 15 Before calling wee are children of wrath not capable of Christ 16 The happinesse of having the Gospell 17 Vocation Externall Internall Invitation Admission 17 18 Externall calling unprofitable without internall 18 The efficacie of Gods Word in the ministery thereof 19 Vocation diverse in respect of time and place 20 None called for desert ibid. Sanctification followes vocation 21 God as he beginne will finish till he glorifie ibid. Sanctification three-fold Imputed unto us Wrought in us Wrought by us 22 Difference of righteousnesse of Iustification and Sanctification 23 Papisticall doctrine tends to licentiousnes ours to holinesse ibid. Faith and Workes joyned in the person justified in the act of justification 24 Sermon 3. CHrists Priesthood two parts Redemption Intercession 26 Redemption hath two parts Reconciliation and Sanctification ibid. Reconciliation consists in two points Remission of sinnes and imputation of Christs righteousnesse 27 Iustification what it is ibid. Adoption what it is ibid. Benefits of Adoption and Iustification 27 Sanctification consists in mortification and vivification 28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath his beginning godly sorrow his companion the Spirituall combat ibid. Sanctification but in part as our knowledge ibid. Divers acceptions of holinesse 29 Wee must bee holy because God is holy 30 Wee must bee holy because it is the end of our Redemption 31 Without holinesse no salvation ibid. Wee must bee holy because called Saints ibid. All our holinesse is from God 32 The persons of the Trinity distinguished 33 Preservation in the state of Grace the chiefest blessing 34 Gods providence preserves in all accidents of life 35 God frees from all afflictions 36 God preserves his Scriptures and Saints 37 Gods preservation of soule and spirituall estate most gracious 38 39 Sermon 4. MErcie Peace and Love three most excellent gifts 40 How these three flow from the Trinity ibid. How mercy in God 41 A rule for Christian salutations ibid. Mercy fourefold ibid. Generall mercies bestowed on all ibid. Speciall mercies on the elect ibid. The long suffering of God 42 The greatest mercy concernes salvation ibid. Our election is of Mercy ibid. Gods abundant mercy in Christ 43 Mercy seven-fold ibid. All that wee have is of mercy ibid. Misericordia communis peccantium portus ibid. Peace three-fold 44 Peace the ornament of the Church and signe of Christs Kingdome ibid. God the Author of Peace 45 A commendation of peace ibid. Contention cause of destruction 46 Vnion makes powerfull ibid. True peace to bee sought and imbraced 47 Righteousnesse cause of peace ibid. Peace of Conscience passeth all understanding 48 Prosperity profiteth not without peace of Conscience ibid. The wicked have no peace 49 Christ dyed rose ascended to perfect our peace ibid. Peace is used for outward prosperitie 50 All priviledges spirituall and temporall belong to the godly ibid. Yet sometime God withholds outward blessings 51 Sermon 5. God loves the fountaine of mercy peace and all good things 52 Gods love is most abundant immeasurable immutable unspeakeable 53 How God is said to be love ibid. Love of man to man the most excellent vertue 54 No Love to man without the love of God 55 True love rare among men 56 That love which is truely Christian must be embraced all other abandoned 57 Not sufficient to have grace but there must be a desire of increase till we come to glory 58 Sermon 6. FAith the most necessarie and excellent vertue 61 Sonnes three-fold by Nature by Doctrine by Adoption or Inspiration 62 Faith set out by it's attributes that wee might labour for it 63 Many carelesse to get Faith or maintaine it ibid. Faith must bee maintained to the death 64 A foure-fold fight and flight of Ministers ibid. The zeale of Idolaters and Heretickes for false religion should make us to be zealous for Gods truth 65 Divers degrees of zeale ibid. God lookes to the truth of our zeale not the heate 66 God accepts according to that a man hath if in truth ibid. Love ought to bee shewed in all our instructions and reprehensions 67 What love required in Ministers to their people ibid. Wee must be zealous in the matter of Religion and industrious for our soules 68 Salvation ought to be our onely ayme to have it assured to our selves and propagated to others 69 Many more regard humane writings yea vaine pamphlets than Scriptures 70 All men ought to labour to get assurance of salvation 71 Salvation common in three respects ibid. As salvation is common so the Church Catholicke 72 Writing the most safe meanes to performe God truth ibid. Traditions bring errors to the Church 73 Exhortation powerfull urged in meekenesse 74 The Minister must exhort and the people suffer the Word of exhortation 75 Sermon 7. GOds truth must bee maintained 76 Faith the gift of God a fruit of the Spirit ibid. Divers acceptions of Faith 77 Divers excellent attributes of saving Faith ibid. Faith a worke of the Trinity 78 The meanes to beget Faith outwardly the Ministery of the Word inwardly the operation of the Spirit 79 True Faith in few in all ages ibid. True Religion most ancient and Scriptures before all other writings 80 As God is immutable so his truth and Religion ibid. Though types and shadowes vanish truth and
described by the Apostle by a three-fold comparison viz. of clouds without raine trees without fruit starres without light Hee setteth it out by many elegant and apt resemblances insisting especially in the resemblance of it to unfruitfull trees Dehorts from it first because it is odious to God which desireth and delighteth in sincerity of the heart 2. because Christ denounceth so many woes against it Hel being prepared for it Heaven being shut against it The Contents of the foure and twentieth Sermon HAving spoken of the sinnes of the wicked mentioned by Saint Iude viz. Epicurisme Pride Hypocrisie Hee proceedes to their judgement which is eternall damnation it is described by divers names yet by none sufficiently expressed All sufferings here but shadowes the beginning of sorrowes in respect of them Hee setteth out the torments of Hell by the contraries the joyes of Heaven and in themselves being of all sorts yea more than can bee either expressed or conceived upon the consideration hereof hee exhorts to live godly that wee may escape them and this exhortation he urgeth further because they are eternall irremissible and by fire which is intolerable shewed by comparison with our fire in divers respects and these torments to bee multiplyed according as they have multiplyed their sinnes The Contents of the five and twentieth Sermon HAving shewed that all the former sinners shall bee judged hee prooves it out of the Prophesie of Enoch and because this Prophesie being not extant the Papists gather that this and many truths beside being preserved in the Church by traditions therefore traditions are to bee embraced together with Scripture as grounds of faith Hee proveth the all-sufficiency of the Scriptures for faith and manners without tradition and refutes their blasphemous slandering and sleighting the Scriptures and so proceedes to speake of the judgement that Iude intends being the last generall judgement prooving that it must 〈…〉 Secondly that it must bee executed by the Sonne the second person in the Trinity Thirdly the manner how hee shall appeare which shall bee in humane shape yet with power and great glory and this hee sets out by comparing the second comming with his first and his proceeding with them in foro justiciae with this here in foro misericordiae Fourthly the end of his comming to judge all concerning all their workes words thoughts that the Swearers and blasphemers shall have the greatest doome Fiftly that this judgement is most certaine God having appointed it and mens consciences witnessing and telling them it internally Hee concludes with a threefold use 1 For terror of the wicked 2 Comfort of the godly penitent 3 Instruction of all The Contents of the sixe and twentieth Sermon HEE entreth upon Saint Iudes description of the wicked by foure-sinnes 1 Impatience 2 Lusts 3 Pride 4 Flattery Hee handles the two former Impatience and Lusts Shewing impatience to bee double 1 Against God 2 Against Men. The first the roote of many sinnes occasioned many wayes often mentioned in the Scripture ever reprooved and seuerely punished hee exhorts to patience shewes three meanes to effect it and shewes the danger of impatience Impatience against men manifold in all sorts and degrees which he doth sharpely reprooue and perswades patience in regard of our mutuall wants he entereth upon the second sinne viz. Lust hee sheweth that they be most base most pernicious which though God hath taught us to tame by many meanes yet we are too much led by them yeelding both to evill motion and naturall affection all which we must represse by the word and though wee have them remaining in us yet we must not suffer them to raigne in us And further that we may avoid them he setteth out what they be what sinnes they bring forth that they are insatiable infectious to soule and body and make us uncapable of grace and salvation and subject to damnation The Contents of the seven and twentieth Sermon HAving spoken of the two first sinnes of the wicked viz. Impatience and Lusts he proceedeth to the other two Pride and Flattery In speaking of Pride he sheweth that though it bee in the heart yet it vents it selfe most at the mouth as all corruption doth That Pride by 〈◊〉 is in all yet the godly repell it as David Paul glory in the Lord that is the true glory it is vaine to glory in any thing else That proud men shew their pride in speaking 〈◊〉 â—hingâ— yet usually they vaunt most that have lest worth in them as their hearts and speeches are vaine so they get nothing but vanity though they speake proudly for gaine Among all vaunters the Pope is chiefe and his flatterers in the next ranck secondly he speaketh of the last sinne viz. Flattery sheweth the property of Flatterers their aime and their punishments as also of them that listen to them and therefore we should stop our eares against them as Vlysses against the Syrens song That this sinne hath its name from servility and therefore Flatterers are base and servile creatures It is odious in all but especially in Ministers The desire to be flattered the cause of flattery yet he that flatters hath and he that reproveth love Wee should therefore embrace truth and detest flattery though it please The Contents of the eight and twentieth Sermon HAving observed the opposition betweene the Saints to whom he writ and these wicked of whom before he had written hee sheweth that the godly and the wicked are every where opposed and though the wicked the more in number yet not to be followed seeing Christs flocke is little and there be few that shall be saved and better to be blessed with those few then to be condemned with the multitude After commending you for remembring the Word of God he setteth out the excellency and utility thereof taxing our negligence herein and teaching how we may heare and remember and because it is called the Word of the Apostles hee first sheweth that the Doctrine of the Apostles and not humane writings or traditions are to bee relyed upon And secondly he confutes those that gather from hence that the Author of the Epistle was no Apostle and the Epistle not Canonicall and shewes this to be Iudes modesty to alleage others yet no infirming but a confirming of his owne authority Lastly from his kinde compellation beloved he notes his mildnesse and commends that grace and shewes that it must be used in all our courses yet so as with it some tartnesse and severe reprehensions must be used with respect of due circumstances to persons place time kinde of offence and hee reprehends three sorts that reprehends for sinister ends and shewes what should be our chiefe aime in our reproofes The Contents of the nine and twentieth Sermon IVde prophesing of mockers that should bee in the last times hee treats of their sinne observing that Iude put it in the forefront That there have beene mockers in ages some of God and Religion some of men
that were without Law to the weake he became as weake that hee Act. 20. 20. 1 Thess 2. 11. might winne the weake and became all things to all men that by all meanes he might winne some Hee taught publikely and privately throughout every house exhorting and comforting every one as a Father doth his Children Even so the Minister of God must be carefull of every soule that he may bee partaker of this common salvation 2. Secondly hee calleth it common salvation because it is not prepared for some few as the Arke was for the Deluge For 1 Pet. 3. 20. Exod. 19. Iohn 4. 22. then but a few that is Eight persons were saved in the water Neither because it appertaineth to one nation Kingdome or people as the Law of Moses to the Israelites Salvation is of the Iewes But the doctrine of the Gospell is offered unto all Christ sent his Apostles in orbem non in urbem Goe into the world preach the Gospell to every creature Erunt illi testes usque ad fines terrae they were As Salvation is common so the Church is Catholike his witnesses to the end of the world With these places Augustine refuted the Donatists which tyed the Church to a small corner of the world Africa Thirdly hee calleth it common Salvation because we are all saved by one common meanes that is by Christ Salvation is of the Lord. Ego sum ego sum praeter me non est Salvator I am I Psal 13. Esa 43. am and besides mee there is no Saviour no true Saviour All other come short Vana salus hominum Mans salvation is in vaine And therefore the Elders the Angels and all Creatures give this glory to Christ Salvation is of him that sitteth on the Throne and of the Lambe and they all together cry Amen For these causes it is called common Salvation In this sense as Salvation is called common so the Church is Apoc. 4. called common or Catholike in three respects First it is not tyed to any time as the time of the Law but it endureth ever Mar. 16. Secondly it is not tyed to any place as to Iuda For in Iuda was God knowne and his name was great in Israel but to the whole Psal 76. 1. Act. 10. 34. world For God is no accepter of persons but in every nation hee that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted And the true worshippers worship him in spirit truth As Christ said unto the woman Iohn 4. 23. Thirdly it is not tyed to any persons as to the seed of Abraham but to all that beleeve There is neither Iew nor Gentile there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female but wee Gal. 3. 28. are all one in Christ Iesus In these respects Salvation is called catholicke or common and so is the Church It is worth your noting that Iude sayth hee gave all diligence to write For Iude speaketh here of necessity of writing For Hosius Eckius Pigheus Andradius say that Christ commanded the Apostles to preach not to write and that their writings are subesse non praeesse fidei nostrae that Scripturae sequuntur Ecclesiam the Scriptures follow the Church and not the Church the Scriptures But Saint Peter saith he wrote that the truth might remaine to posterity his words are these I thinke it meete so long as I am in 2 Pet. 1. 13 14 15. this tabernacle to stirre you up by putting you in remembrance seeing I know the time is at hand that I must lay downe my tabernacle c. I will endevour therefore alwayes that yee also may bee able to have remembrance of these things after my departing So Saint Iohn wrote to all Little children I write unto you that your sinnes are forgiven you And againe I write unto you Fathers because yee have known him 1 Iohn 2. 12 13 14. that is from the beginning And againe I write to you young men because yee have overcome the world I write unto you babes c. Chrysostome writing upon these words They that are in Iewry let them flie to the Math. 24. 16. mountaines Id est qui in fide sunt conferant se ad Scripturas that is quoth Chrysost Let them that are in the Faith flie unto the Scriptures I love not allegories but it is true that Chrysostome said Traditions the meanes of propagating errors though not upon that occasion S. Iohn saw three Gospells written viz. Mathew Marke and Luke and approved them S. Peter allowed of Pauls Epistles and commended them unto the Churches yea the Prophets nayled their prophecies in writing 2 Pet. 3. 15. Hebr. 2. 2. Hebr. 2. 1. 2 Tim. 3. 16. to the doores of the Temple which the Priests reserved in the Sanctuarie lest the things should runne out that they received by word of mouth Paul at the end of his life saith of all the bookes of the New Testament that they were able to make the man of God perfect Traditions and unwritten verities or vanities have beene ever the Pandora-boxes full of poyson the Troiane horse out of which all enemies have issued that cursed water of Styx that killeth them that taste it These traditions the Holy Ghost sometime likeneth to sowre grapes which cannot bee eaten Sometime to broken cisternes that can hold no water Sometime to sand wherupon Esa 5. Jer. 2. Mat. 7. Esa 64. to build it is not lawfull Sometime to a menstruous cloth And sometime to things more base and vile than any of these On the Contrarie the written Word is called a Fountaine waters of life a Rocke whereupon the Church is built the sword of the Esa 55. Apoc. 21. Luk 6. Ephes 8. Ephes 2. 19. spirit Basis Ecclesiae the foundation of the Church But what will not hungrie dogs eate and Papists receive all the spite of the Papists is against the written word that they may give us poyson for meate sowre Leaven for sweet dough thornes for grapes thistles for figges the Legend for the Gospell mens traditions Mat. 15. 9. Gen. 8. for Gods precepts the cup of the whore of Babylon for the cup of the Lord. But as Noahs dove found no rest but in the Arke so our consciences find no rest but in the Word Augustine calleth the scriptures the Lords Scales which shew Quid grave quid leve what August contra Donat. is heavie and what is light Vbi non appendimus quid volumus sed omnia per trutinam Domini whereby wee apprehend not what we would but all things according to the ballance of the Sanctuary of the Lord himselfe And he saith unto them often Auferantur de medio chartae nostrae procedat in medium codex Dei take away from among us our owne writings and let the booke of God be brought forth Non audiamus Haec dico haec dicis sed hoc dicit Dominus Let us not heare these words This
and Sacraments was not utterly rejected Paul acknowledgeth them a glorious Church Certainely tares and uncleane vessels are in the Church yet let us endeavour our selves to be good corne and not goe out of the Churh but follow the counsell of Augustine Corripiat homo quod potest quod non potest patienter ferat let a man reprove what he can without danger of Schisme and what he cannot let him patiently suffer but let him never make separation For first in the Church there be many more that feare God and worke righteousnesse than the outward eye can discerne this deceived Elias but the foundation of God standeth firme God knoweth who are his Secondly 2 Tim. 2. 19. even of them that are vile and naught some of them are touched with griefe of conscience for their sinnes and hunger and thrist after righteousnesse Thirdly a man is not to be condemned for some particular fact for the brightest fire hath some smoke the clearest water some mud the face of Venus a Molle and the most heavenly affection some infection of earth In multis peccavimus Iam. 3. 2. omnes In many things we offend all But I may fitly apply that to our Brownists and Separatists which the religious Emperour said to one of that humour Si tam sanctus sis c. If you bee so holy that you will not communicate in the Word and Sacraments with us your even fellow Christians set a ladder to the clouds and clime up to heaven alone In this point the Donatists were ridiculous who meeting in an assembly with the Catholikes for the allaying of some controversies and being intreated by the Tribune to sit downe with the rest answered they stood of purpose because it is written Cum sceleratis non sedebo I will not sit downe with the wicked To whom Saint Augustine wittily and effectually replyed Cur ergo ad nos intrare vobis non fuit religio c. why then make you no conscience to enter the same place with us seeing it is written also in the precedent words Ad mulignos non ingrediar I will not goe unto the wicked and with the ungodly I will not sit downe But let the Brownists and all of the Separation leave their evill speaking let them returne home to their mother the Church of England for doubtlesse The eye that mocketh his father and despiseth the governement Prov. 13. 17. of his Mother the Ravens of the Vallies shall picke it out and the young Eagles eate it and so to leave our evill-speaking Separists An evill speaker is a murtherer with his tongue By the way observe that if men will doe evill they must heare evill it is no rayling to rebuke him sharpely that doth wickedly Some finding fault with Saint Augustine for his tartnesse and sharpenesse in reproving answered wittily Emendate vitam ego emendabo verba mend you your wayes and I shall mend my words Cessate perversè agere cease you from doing evill and I shall cease to reprove and rebuke For where sinne is ranke and red Boanarges the sonne of thunder is more necessary than Barnabas the sonne of consolation They speake evill An evill speaker is a murtherer Et gladium portat in lingua non in vagina and the sword that murthereth with all he carryeth in his tongue not in his scabbard A man may say to these evill speakers as Christ said to Peter Pone gladium in vagina put up thy sword into thy sheath These are like Cockes fed with garlicke that overcome others with ranknesse of breath not with strength of body Vincunt clamore non veritate they overcome with clamours and out-cryes not with verity and truth But if at the day of Iudgement they must give an account for every idle word Mat. 12. 36. what for their evill words And if the wrath of God is wont to fall on the children of unbeleefe it must needs fall upon these evill speakers for they are altogether wrapped in unbeleefe If Sodome and Gomorah were destroyed from heaven for sinning against nature what vengeance remaines for these evill speakers that offend the God of nature If then Thou longest after life and wouldest see good dayes refraine thy tongue from evill and thy Psal 34. 12 13. lips that they speake no guile Pambo a man utterly unlearned in the Scriptures on a time came to Saint Hierome to be taught some Scripture without booke he turned him to the first verse of the 39. Psalme I said I will take heed unto my wayes that I offend not in my tongue A lesson that our evill speakers will not learne for they offend more in the tongue than in hand foot eare eye or any member besides their tongues are like unto the sting of Adders to a sword yea a sharpe sword to a razor and to arrowes their tongues are fire yea a world of wickednesse being set on fire of Hell They speake evill of those things which they know not c. They rayle in their ignorance on things which they know not Scientia non habet inimicum praeter ignorantem the birds have no such enemy as the Owle nor the Passenger no such enemy as the blind worme nor the Mariner no such enemy as the Mermaid so the learned no such enemy as the ignorant Saint Peter speaking of the Epicures and Atheists of the world saith They knew not and that willingly And Paul said of the Gentiles that they walked In mentis vanitate in the vanity of their mind having 2 Pet. 3. 5. their cogitation darkned and being strangers from the life of God thorow Divers kindes of ignorance the ignorance that is in them The like he said of the Idolaters That they were vaine in their imaginations and their foolish heart was full of darknesse and when they professed themselves to be wise they became Ephes 4. 17. Rom. 1. 21 22. Esa 40. 21. fooles c. So Esay said of the Iewes Know ye nothing have ye not heard it hath it not beene told you from the beginning have yee not understood it by the foundation of the earth Thus Christ said of the Pharisees for denying the resurrection Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures neither the power of God Paul imputed all his malice Mat. 22. 29. and his blasphemy to his ignorance I was saith he a blasphemer a persecutour an oppressor but I was received into mercy for that I did it ignorantly through unbeleefe As there be degrees in sinne so is 1 Tim. 1. 13. there a gradation in ignorance It is a sinne to be ignorant in that we should know but a greater to be ignorant in that wee are bound to know There is Ignorantia Simplex and Affectata Simple and affected Ignorance Or there is Ignorantia Ideotarum of Idols Sophistarum of crafty men Or as some Invincibilis inconquerable Vincibilis conquerable Or as others Voluntaria willing Involuntaria unwilling Or as others Negativa negative
their followers were hanged and it were overlong to speake at large of Iohn and Francis Throgmorton Brooke Redman Parry Babington Arden with divers others who received according to their deserts Let every soule therfore learne to Rom. 13. 1. submit himselfe to the higher powers and never to resist For we must suffer the Princes will to be done aut à nobis aut de nobis either of us or on us of us when he commands for truth on us when he commands against truth either we must be patients or agents Agents when he is good and godly Patients when he is tyrannous and wicked If we resist our end will be damnation either temporall for The wrath of a King is as the roring of a lion he that prouoketh him to Pro. 20. â— anger sinneth against his owne soule or eternall as is manifest in Chore who went downe quicke to Hell If murther be a crying sinne then treason may well be called a roring sinne and calles for speedy judgement But for as much as I have spoken before of this point I will proceed no further with it VERSE XII Metaphors very vsefull in teaching These are spots in your feasts of charity when they feast with you without all feare feeding themselves c. IN this Text are contained two things A detection of their sinnes and A denouncing of Iudgement The sinnes here are three The first is Epicurisme in that they eate and drinke without feare feeding themselves The second is Pride in that they are like the waves of the Sea swelling on high The third is Hypocrisie in that they are as clouds promising raine and yet have nothing but drynesse in them empty clouds in that they are as Trees which promise fruit and yet have nothing but leaves corrupt trees in that they are as starres which promise light and yet have nothing but darknesse in them wandring starres Their Iudgement is to be reserved to blacke darknesse that is Hell fire hell paines and there hee amplifieth it by setting out Gods Iudgement how hee shall come with thousands of Angels and that he shall judge all men namely them Dan. 7. that speake against him Lastly that he shall judge them for every evill worke and word so fearefull shall it be But first for the manner and then for the matter The manner of handling is plaine he teacheth them by plain things as spots waves clouds trees starres things sensible and objected to our eyes because he had a desire to profit them So Christs similitudes are fetched from light salt fannes corne chaffe trees Mat. 3. 5. 10. 13. 6. sheepe wolves seed pearles So Pauls Metaphors and borrowed speeches are taken from planting watering building tilling running fighting leaven sweet dough 1 Cor. 3. 1 Cor. 5. 9. c. Who had better gifts than Paul more learning more Philosophy more tongues he was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel he was not inferiour to the very chiefe Apostles for though hee Act. 22. was rude in speaking that is though he used no worldly eloquence yet for knowledge and understanding hee did exceed and spake with tongues more than they all his Epistles are as the shop of an Apothecary 1 Cor. 11. 5 6. a man cannot read them but he shall carry away the smell ofexcellent learning yet came he not in the wisdome of words 1 Cor. 1. 1 2. for hee regarded not to know any thing save Iesus Christ and him crucified We come to the Word in the pride of our heart and have our eares tickled not our hearts edified to heare some strange thing that may bring us into a wonderment of things Gods Word hath its elegancy and eloquence we know not God in his justice suffereth us to depart empty yea worse than we came If the Preacher fil not the Pulpit full of fine words trim Phrases Fathers Doctors Councels Poetrie Philosophy if hee doe not aucupari syllabas hunt after syllables to please itching eares wee crie out that hee was unlearned and a plaine homely teacher and English Doctor But wee must desire wholesome not tooth-some meat For as we must teach wholesome Doctrine For if any man teach otherwise 1 Tim. 6. 3 4. and consenteth not to the wholesome words of the Lord Iesus Christ and to the Doctrine which is according to Godlinesse hee is pust up and knoweth nothing so yee must heare wholesome doctrine not be like unto those of whom Paul prophesied saying The time will come when they will not suffer wholesom doctrine but having their eares 2 Tim. 4. 3 4. itching shall after their own lusts get them an he ape of teachers and shall turne their eares from the truth and shall be given to fables to false and unprofitable doctrine We must speake and you must heare as the words of God All Doctors Councels Poets Philosophers are but darkenesse the Word is light onely so saith David 1 Pet. 4. 11. Thy word is a Lanthorne to my feet and a light to my pathes The Word must sit on the Bench when all these shal stand at the bar Psal 119. those that bom-baste their Sermons that fill the Pulpit full of these Authors either they deliver little doctrine or else unprofitable doctrine not as Paul did Hee kept backe nothing that was profitable but shewed and taught openly and through every house Act. 20. 20 21. witnessing both to the Iewes and to the Grecians the repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Iesus Christ Such builders either have no mortar or else untempered mortar like the false prophets Such Cookes either have no salt or unsavoury salt Ezech. 13. 10. Mat. 5. 13. such nurses either have no milke or else corrupt milke that hath taken wind the Word is sincere milke and yet I deny not but Gods Spirit hath his eloquence and no writings more eloquent 1 Pet. 2. 2. than they To give you a little taste speaking of Iuda and Ierusalems punishment for their idolatry hee saith I will stretch over Ierusalem the line of Samaria and the plummet of the house of Ahab and I will wipe Ierusalem as a man wipeth a dish which hee wipeth and turneth upside-downe And David speaking of the Sunne-rising and wherrying about the Heavens hee saith that hee commeth forth as a bridegroome out of his chamber and rejoyceth as a mighty man to run Psal 19. 5. Esa 5. his race So the Prophet Esay speaking of the sinne of the people he saith that they did draw iniquity with cords of vanity and sinne with cart-ropes And speaking of Gods power hee setteth it out with such eloquent words as the like have not beene heard for marke his phrases Who hath measured the Waters in his fist and counted Heaven with his spanne and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountaines in a waight and the hils in a Esa â—0 12. ballance For Esay was a
1 Sam. 4. 11. Ier. 7. 9 10 11 12. walke after other gods whom yee know not and come and stand before me in this house whereupon my name is called and say We are delivered though we have done all these abominations Is this house become a denne of theeves wherupon my name is called before your eyes Behold even I see it saith the Lord. But goe yee now unto my place which is in Shilo where I set my name at the beginning and behold what I did to it for the wickednesse of my people Israel Thus for hypocrisie was Shilo destroyed they halted with God Dicunt sed non faciunt they said but they did not He is not a Iew that is one outward neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Iew that is one within and Rom. 2. 28 29. the Circumcision is of the heart in the spirit not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God So we are Protestants in the Letter not in the Spirit professors outward none inward Christians in the 1 Pet. 3. 21. flesh none in the heart baptized in the body not in the conscience It is said of Epicurus that he did put on but the bare name of Cicero 5. Tuscul a Philosopher was not a Philosopher in truth It may as truly be spoken that many in this age put on but the naked shape of Christians and are not Christians indeed and that many colour their wickednesse by outward pretence of Religion and by bearing Bibles in their hands and the Word in their mouth though it be never settled in their hearts being like the Carbuncle that hath a fiery shew yet never flames like those that use muske and pommanders to conceale their unsavory and stinking breath But such God hateth with a dooble hatred and will be revenged of them It were better that we had no eares to heare Hypocrisie the counterfeit of religion nor tongues in our head to talke of God rather then by talking and hearing to cover our notorious wickednesse For we shall perish and we shall have neither part nor fellowship in the number of the faithfull God above all things commended sincerity in Iehosaphat Act. 8. 21. 2 Chro. 19. 3. For he had prepared his heart to seeke God hee had some sap but hee had the heart of an Oke also and was sincere so was Eleazar hee 2 Mac. 6. 23. could not be drawne to play the hypocrite by no flatteries nor allurements no not to save his life thereby and to avoid most grievous torments And Nazianzen could say of his Father that he chastised pride and loved humility not fainedly or colourably but sincerely truly and that he reposed humility in his soule and not in his garments or bowing downe of his head or low speech or a thicke and long beard or coloured haire or grave pace in going For these things saith he are easely devised yet quickly reproved for no counterfeit thing can be durable Such men there were once but where are they now to be found and how rare are they Most men are like the Church of Sardis they have a name to live and yet are dead they seeme to live but with God they are dead their faith is dead their zeale dead men live when they bring forth fruite else they be dead Tullies sonne brought from Atheus not only nomen but rem not the name of learning only but learning it selfe So wee should bring and carry away from Christ not his name only but his vertues and so be followers of God as deare Children otherwise if we be Christians Ephes 5. 1. in name and not in truth if we draw neere unto God with our mouthes and have our hearts farre from him we shall perish for Can a rush grow without mire or can grasse grow without water so are Iob. 8. 11 13 14. the paths of all that forget God and the hypocrites hope shall perish his confidence shall be cut off and his trust shall be as in the house of a spider And againe it is said of the hypocrite that his ioy is but a moment and though his excellency mount up to Heaven and his head reach unto Cap. 20. 5 6. the clouds yet shall he perish for ever like his dung c. Let us then as we love our soules shunne hypocrisie and use sincerity this shall comfort us at the last as it did Ezechias for being upon his death-bed this was his comfort that he had served God not in shew but Esa 38. 3 in truth but we are cloven-footed cloven-hearted with God In animis hominum multae sunt latebrae multique recessus In mens hearts there be many dennes and lurking places and many windings turnings But let me say to the hypocrite as Chrysostome said Hypocrita aut esto quod appares aut appare quod es Hypocrite eyther be as thou seemest or appeare as thou art for simulata sanctitas est Aug. duplexiniquitas counterfeite piety is double impiety First because it is impiety and then because it is counterfeite making truth falshood and God a lier But as it is said Non auditores sed factores legis Not the hearers but the doers of the Law shal be iustified so of religion Non eandem profitentes sed eidem obedientes Rom. 2. not professors but performers shall bee glorified Let us not Sincerity is by God required hypocrisie reproved then bee like the Figge tree which our Saviour cursed that had leaves in abundance but no fruit at all For it is not the lifting up of our eyes or the knocking of our brests nor the holding up of our hands which shall stand us in stead at the last day but Mat. 21. the wounded soule the sincerity of the heart the contrite spirit joyned with outward observance and obedience which shall administer true joy in the latter end Therefore let us as elect of God holy beloved let us I say professe with our mouthes and practise with our lives let us sing in voyce with the spirit also let us repent in life and sow in teares let us cleanse the flesh that wee may bee mortified and cleanse our spirit so shall wee be glorified let us never be as cloudes without water as trees without fruit as the raging waves of the sea as starres without light I meane hypocrites For hypocrites are as clouds without water as trees without fruit as starres without light Thus Iude painteth them out and that finely and so doth our Saviour for speaking of hypocrites he saith They binde heavie burdens and grievous to bee borne but they themselves will Mat. 23. not move them with one of their fingers and hee saith that They doe all their workes to bee seene of men that they straine at a gnat and swallow downe a Cammell that they tithe Mint Annise and Cummin but leave the weightier matters
At the first he came as a Lambe now shall he come as a Lion Venit tunc salvare nunc iudicare he came then to save us now he shall come to judge us And yet to speake fully his first comming was not without glory two contraries were conjoyned Summa humilitas summa sublimitas the deepest humility and the highest sublimity Aug. he lay among the beasts yet praised of Angels which sung Gloria in excelsis Glory bee to God on high What is hee Luk 2. that is so base and so glorious so little and so great so poore and so rich poore in the flesh poore in the manger poore in the stable but great and rich and glorious in heaven whom the starres obey great and glorious in the aire Mat. 2. where the Angels sing great and glorious in earth for Herod and all Ierusalem were moved at the tidings of him It is the greatest basenesse Luk 2. for God to bee conceived and the greatest glory to bee conceived by the Holy Ghost the greatest basenesse to be borne Esay 7. of a Woman and the greatest glory to be borne of a Virgin the greatest basenesse to be borne in a stable and the greatest glory to shine in the Heavens the greatest basenesse to deplore among beasts and the greatest glory to be sung of Angels the greatest basenesse to be baptized among sinners and the greatest glory to have the heavens open the spirit to descend and to heare the Father of heaven speaking from heaven This is my beloved Sonne Mat. 3. 16. in whom I am well pleased It is the greatest basenesse to suffer death upon the Crosse and the greatest glory to rise againe from the dead formosus erat in Coelis formosus erat in terra he was faire and beautifull in heaven faire and beautifull in earth faire and beautifull in his throne of glory faire and beautifull in the manger faire and beautifull among the Angels faire and beautifull among the beasts Quid facitis ô Magi puerum ne adoratis What doe yee ô yee Wise-men doe yee worship the child Is he not therefore a King I but where is the Kings Court Where is his Throne Where the continuall resort and haunt of this Court Is not his Court the stable his Throne the Manger They that resort and haunt this Court the Oxe and the Asse Yet vndique formosus est on every side he was faire and glorious The Lords two Courts one of Mercy the other of Iustice For when he spake the sea was calme when he commanded the windes were whist when he called the dead did rise and when he died the Sunne was eclipsed when he rose the earth trembled when he ascended the heavens opened so farre Augustine Thus his first comming was not without glory but his second shall be glorious indeed He shall come in the glory of his Father with Mat. 24. all the holy Angels One speaking of this comming of Christ to iudgement saith Posterior Christi adventus non erit mitis sed terribilis Christs latter comming shall not bee gentle but terrible and fearefull For measure me the greatnesse of one arme by the quantity of another the Iustice of God by the mercy of God If he was so mercifull in his first comming as to take our flesh and to suffer death upon the Crosse for us and how iust how severe will hee bee in his second comming to all those that have either contemned or abused his mercy Quam facilis fuit in primo adventu Looke how facile gentle and propice he was in his first comming tam difficilis erit in secundo adventu so hard so uneasy to bee intreated will he be in his second comming infinit in mercy infinit in Iustice ready to pardon and ready to punish God shall arise and his enemies shall be scattered they also that hate him shall fly before him As Psal 88. 1 2. the smoke vanisheth so shalt thou drive them away and as Wax melteth before the fire so shall the wicked perish at the presence of God And as the Prophet saith God is jealous and the Lord revengeth even the Lord of anger the Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries and he reserveth Nahum 1. 1 2. wrath for his enemies the Lord is slow to anger but great in power and will not surely cleere the wicked As we treasure up our sinnes so hee treasureth up his wrath Indies crescunt peccata indies crescit ira our sinnes increase daily and his wrath daily Bernard saith that the Lord hath two Courts the one of mercy the other of iustice the one in this life the other in the life to come when he shall come with thousands of his Saints to judgement Here is forum miscricordiae the Court of mercy there shall be forum Iustitiae the Court of Iustice for there he will reward every man according to his Works Augustine bringeth in Christ thus Rom. 2. 6. speaking at the last day Ecce fabri Filium quem irrisistis Behold the Carpenters Sonne whom yee have derided Ecce eum in quem non credidistis Behold him in whom yee have not beleeved behold the wounds which yee have made in my hands and feet behold the side which yee have pierced behold the face which you have beraide with your spittle Behold the glory that shall presse and overwhelme you and the Majesty that shall breake and bruise you For our Iudge will iudge righteously and iustly Hee will reward every man according to his worke that is to them which by continuance Rom. 2. 6 7. in well doing seeke glory and honour and immortality eternall life but unto them that are contentious and disobey the truth and obey Wee must meditate as well on the Iustice of God as on his mercy unrighteousnesse shall be indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish shall be upon the soule of every man that doth evill And here note the blindnesse of the World All men prate of mercy but few talke of Iustice like the Benjamites we cast stones with one hand like Iudg. 19. Mat. 26. Polipheme we see but with one eye with Malchus wee heare but with one eare like the Vnicorne we defend our selves with one horne from God like the Amazones many brethren give sucke to the Church with one pap delivering but one doctrine namely that of mercy But let me speake familiarly If a fellon will not trust only on the mercy of the Iudge at the Assise Let us not deceive our selves against that great Assise day Whatsoever Gal. 6 7 8. a man soweth that shall he reape for he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reape life everlasting In quo statu novissimus vitae dies relinquet in eo resurrectionis primus dies inveniet qualis in isto die quisque moritur talis in die illo iudicabitur In
dung and drinke their owne pisse and thus boasted the Kings and 2 Reg. 18. 27. Rulers of the Earth against the Lord and against his Anoynted Let us breake their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us Happy is hee that can see his owne vilenesse but it followeth well there Hee that dwelleth in Heaven shall laugh them to scorne the Lord shall have them in derision Let not the wiseman glory in his wisdome nor the strong man in his strength Psal 2. 3. but he that will glory let him glory in the Lord and make his boast of his praise The Pharises boasted much of their doings they delivered their almes with the sound of trumpets but they muttered their sinnes in the eares of their fellowes they spake softly quoth Epiphanius like the peacocke that croweth when he looketh at his wings but is mute when hee looketh at his feet which are foule and ugly This sinne of pride is naturall or universall and therefore the more to be eschewed of the children of God Habet quisque naevos superbiae not droppes but rivers blottes staines of Ierome pride spotted like a Leopard wee drew it from the loines of Adam and sucked it out of the brests of Heva for they were proud and would be like unto God Sed dum rapere voluerunt divinitatem August amiserunt foelicitatem whiles they would have caught the divinity they lost their felicity yea the Angels that sinned before man fell through pride though not only pride Paul 1 Tim. 3. calleth it The condemnation of the Divell Not long after the destruction of the old world and the reparation of the new the builders of Babel fell this way saying proudly Faciamus turrim extensam in coelos Let us build a City a tower whose top may reach Gen. 11. unto the heaven But God plagued their pride with the confusion of tongues and divided them into seventy three tongues which before spake all but one tongue It is naturall to us to thinke proudly of our selves to speake proud things to deale arrogantly and to boast outragiously We are like the Ciclopians and like Poliphemus see but with one eye we see our vertues not our vices which are tenne to one as the Leopard hath tenne blacke spots to one white but he is an happy man that can see his vilenesse his sinne and can accuse himselfe not praise himselfe as Paul did when he said God forbid that I should rejoice in anything but in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus whereby the world is crucified Gal. 6. 14. unto me and I unto the world Paul was a great Apostle circumcised the eighth day of the kindred of Israel of the Tribe of Benjamin an Phil. 3 4 6 8. Hebrew of the Hebrewes by the Law a Pharisee concerning zeale wonderfull touching the righteousnesse which is in the Law unrebukeable Yet hee was not proud of any of these things but counted all things losse and did iudge them to bee dung that he might winne Christ and writing to the Corinthians he saith thus Who is weake and I am not weake Who is offended and I burne not If I must needs reioice I will 2 Cor. 11. 30 31. reioice in mine infirmities as imprisonments beating hunger thirst and such like which things the adversaries did condemne as infirme in him And againe he said I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified he knew no oathes no lies no rancour no whoredome by himselfe no Capitall sinne for the Child of Iesting base fruit of wit God may say with Christ in some respect Which of you can reprove me of sinne yet would not he boast for he had peccata occulta secret Iohn 10. sinnes There be some that apply their wit and understanding to nothing else but to frumpes and jests to disgrace others to move laughter if they can nippe or by a girding scoffe disgrace another honester then themselves we call them merry Greeks pleasant companions good fellowes but this is the least harvest the least fruit of their wit Iocis utuntur qui currum poties quà m Curiam decent as one saith they use jests and sportes which become rather the Cart then the Court Quique vomitum citius quà m risum moveant and which will sooner move vomit than sport and then they triumph but in truth without victory These are dogs not men For of evill men there be two kindes alij sunt Canes alij porci some are dogges some are hogges Fooles are hogs which neglect the truth secure and refuse the Word but some are dogges which slander and deride the professors of the truth beware of these dogges these dogges shall not goe to Phil. 3. 2. Apoc. 22. 14. Heaven as Seneca said of Sylla that he left killing when none were left to be killed so these proud tongues will leave scoffing when there are no honest men to be plaied upon Good men strive to debase themselves they stop their eares at their praises as Mariners doe at the song of the Meremaid As Adders doe at the voice of the Charmer they say with David Peccatum meum semper coram me My sinne is ever before me they Psal 51. are vile and will be more vile as David said to Michol who taunted him nay despised him in her heart when shee saw him dancing before the Arke O how glorious quoth she was the King 2 Sam. 6. 20 21 22. of Israel this day which was uncovered to dâ—y in the eyes of the maidens of his servants as a foole uncovereth himself But he answered her That which he did was for noworldly affection but only for the zeale he bare to God and to his glory and I will quoth hee bee yet more vile then thus and I will bee low in mine owne sight c. So Gods Children they are vile and low in their owne sight they can say with David Lord I am not high-minded I have no proud lookes I Psal 131. 1 2. doe not exercise my selfe in matters that are too high for me c. But many are proud hauty boasting bragging of their works as of their prayers almes readings fastings c. But doest thou glory in thy prayers O foole where thou praiest one prayer others pray a thousand The Eutiches prayed continually Iames had his knees horne-hoofed with prayer Christ prayed a whole night which thou never diddest Doest thou glory of thy Almes O foole where thou givest a penny thou receivest a pound at the hands of God and in all that thou art but a steward and thou must reddere rationem give an accompt of thy stewardship Zachee would give halfe his good to the poore thou not the hundred not the thousand part yet hee boasted not Doest thou glory in thy reading Where thou readest a line others read a We must so live that our conscience may comfort us volume Alphonsus King of Naples read over
opened her mouth to sing but she lost her meate by it Thus the flatterer aimeth at advantage at gaine at profit he maketh a shew he is thy friend and wisheth thee well but he is but a verball friend a friend from teeth outward a flattering friend a friend in shew but not in deed like Aristotles fallacions and falling starres which seeme to be and are not a friend only in name one that will give thee his hand but not the heart for he hath a tongue to commend thee but yet no longer then it is for his advantage like Hiena he hath a faire face but a false heart like Iael to Sisera We read in Theognis this saying Seeme with thy tongue to flatter all but in thy deeds love none at all O these flatterers they are lucritam cupidi so greedy of gaine that they have animam venalem a soule to sell for quid non mortalia pectora cogit auri sacra fames What doth not the cursed hunger of gold drive men to doe This sets them aworke to flatter lie sweare and forsweare and what not Salomon saith of the harlot that she will not leave a man worth a morsell of bread no more will these flatterers they will soake and sucke men as the Ivie doth the Oake and bring them at last into our Ladies bands and make them sing by beggery Chrysostome saith Sicut finis oratoris est dilectione persuasisse medici medicina curasse sic adulatoris est suavi loquio se ditasse As the end of an Oratour is to perswade in loue and the end of a Physician to cure by medicine so the end of the flatterer is with his sweethony-sugar-candy speeches to inrich himselfe and begger thee and the end of his clawing is gaine advantage I will conclude with the saying of Augustine Melius est a quolibet reprehendi quà m ab adulante laudari It is better to bee blamed of any then praised of a flatterer Augustine being asked What was the first second and third part of a good man of a Christian answered Humility so if I were asked What were the first second and third part of a vile man I will answere Pride and he hath pride whose mouth speaketh proud things And of all mouthes let the Popish mouthes goe in the quintessence of pride and bragging they speake of merits workes of Iustification and supererogation enough for themselves and their neighbours wherein they injure both the Iustice Mercy of God for his Iustice cannot be perfect if he take for satisfaction either all or part of that which proceedeth from a The Popes and their flatterers the proudest vaunters sinner they injure his mercies For it is not perfect absolute if he forgive not all the debt but receiveth part of us But his bloud clenseth us from all sinne originall and actuall sinnes secret and open sinnes sinnes of omission sinnes of commission his bloud clenseth all purgeth all doth away all But to proceed 1 Iohn 1. 7. the Canonists say that Papa potest dispensare contra jus divinum jus naturae contra Apostolos contra omnia praecepta Dei The Pope can dispense against the Law Divine the Law of Nature against the Apostles against all the Commandements of God Let God men and Angels judge what mouth now speaketh proudly The great Cham of Tartaria after he hath dined soundeth a trumpet and giveth leave to all Christian Princes to goe to dinner and by this prety conceit maketh himselfe head over Kings and Emperours because Peter said Ecce hîc sunt duo gladij Behold here are two swords Thus this Italian Priest is not ashamed to be called Dominus Deus noster Papa our Lord God the Pope to be kneeled unto with these words Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi miserere nobis Lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the world have mercy upon us As was Martin the fifth Harding calleth us Goliah and themselves litle David but forasmuch as they have neither Davids sling in their hands nor Davids stones in their scrip they must not looke that the wise Ladies of Israel will with their lutes and timbrels sing before them that David hath slaine his ten thousand but he is Goliah that 1 Sam. 18. crieth I cannot erre Habeo omnes leges in scrinio pectoris I have all lawes in the closet of my brest I am above Councels I judge all no man judgeth me Sum rex regum I am King of Kings I can doe whatsoever Christ could doe All power is given unto me But let us deale with the Papists as Agesilaus did with his enemies Mat. 28. hee pulled off their bombasted coats and shewed their apish wearish bodies to his souldiers saying Ecce ingentia corpora Ecce magna illorum ossa behold their mighty bodies behold their bigge bones The Pope calleth himselfe servum servorum the servant of servants but can hee that is carried on Noble mens shoulders that caused the French King to trotte by his bridle as Zacharie did Childericke the Emperour to hold his stirrop Noble men to kisse his feet bee servus servorum the servant of servants I need not name Hildebrands usage to Henry the fourth at Canusia nor that of Clemens the fifth to Francis Dandalus nor that of Alexander the third to Fredericke the Emperour nor that of Innocentius the third to King Iohn of England nor of Pius Quintus to the Queene But to leave the man of sinne himselfe and to come to the frogges that creep out of his mouth what a croking doe they make How doe their mouthes exceed in pride Staphilus calleth our people hogges dogges Harding calleth our Bishops and Ministers Cumane Asses Martin calleth them novos Oratores Popish Priests and Iesuites notorious railers new Orators Stultos adolescentes Foolish yong men non tam disertos in errore quà m desertos à veritate not so cunning in errour as ignorant of the truth Bellarmine calleth our writers Pecudes Gigantes Monstra Beasts Giants Monsters and saith that they give no honour to Christ nor Angels nor Saints Thus they disgrace us in words and their mouthes speake proud swelling things when they cannot confute us they raile on us and deale with us as Nero dealt with the Christians who hurled them to dogs to be devoured and when the mastives would not touch them he clad the Christians in Beares skinnes to kindle the fury of the dogs that they might take them to bee beasts and not men so they impute all lewdnesse to us to make men thinke that we are that which we are not they are like the beast Bonosus mentioned by Aristotle who having his hornes reflexed not being able to defend himselfe with them three or foure furlongs off poysoneth the dogges with his dung which is so hot as it burneth off all their haire So when they cannot hurt us with truth they defile us with the durt and dung of their calumnies this veine of railing
If I should please men saith the Gal. 1. 10. Apostle I am not the servant of God Now chuse whether thou wilt serve God or men we must learne of the Lord Iesus His enemies could say though temptingly That he was true taught the way of Mat. 22. 16. God truly neither cared for any man for he considered not the person of men As touching the outward quality as whether a man be rich or poore some workes of Christ are our instruction as his miracles some are our imitation as his deeds vertues Learne not therefore of Christ to rebuke the Wind to still the Sea to turne Mar. 5. Iohn 2. Luke 7. Iohn 9. Water into Wine to raise the Dead to open the eyes of the Blind for these thou canst not doe all these are thy instruction but learne to speake truely this thou mayest doe and this is thy imitation speake truth and that truely for God liketh better of Adverbes than of Nounes Christ spake without regard of men let us learne to speake so The word flatterer in Greeke signifieth servility or slavishnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For he is a Page a Servant a Slave to other mens affections there is no difference betweene a Gally-slave and him but that the one is fettered in body the other in minde the one serveth the Turke the other the Divell the one chained for a time the other for ever For the Flatterer is in the snare of the Divel and is taken of him at his will Tot vincula habemus quot peccata we have so many bands as we have sinnes I would that there were not 2 Tim. 2. 26. of these Flatterers amongst the Church-men who should rather rebuke then flatter Surely the vulgar people delight to Soothing Preachers the most base flatterers be flattered and would not by their willes heare the Law of the Lord and hence is it That they say to the seers See not and to the Prophets Prophesy not unto us right things but speake flattering things unto us Prophesy errours But such flattering prophets the Holy Ghost Esay 30. 10. calleth the taile and saith The Lord will cut off from Israel head and taile branch and rush in one day the ancient and the honorable man hee Esay 9. 14 15. is the head and the prophet that teacheth lies he is the taile But as touching these flattering prophets that will sow pillowes under mens elbowes and sooth them up in their sins God will punish them He will feed them with Wormewood and make them drinke the water of gall The Holy Ghost compareth them to bad surgeons Ier. 23. 15. that bring toothsome but not wholesome medicines They have Ier. 8. 11. healed the hurt of the daughter of my people with sweet words saith God saying Peace peace when there was no peace Hence grew the ruine of Ierusalem hence is the ruine of England that we are not playne with our people we monish them not the complaint of God against the false prophets may bee taken up against many of us Thy prophets have looked out vaine and foolish things for thee and they have not discovered thine iniquity to turne away thy captivity but Lament 2. 14. looked out for thee false prophesies c. Ministers are called The salt Mat. 5. Ier. 8. of the earth the light of the World Physicians Surgeons Salt must needs be sharp to a rotten wound light is painefull to a sore eye a good Physician must trouble his patient ere hee heale him A Surgeon must lance a festred wound God will have Esay crie aloud Esay 58. 1. lift up his voice like a trumpet shew the people their offences and the house of Iacob their sinnes Ieremy must speake all that God commandeth He must not be afraid of mens faces Esay would not flatter Princes but told them that they were rebellious and companions of Ier. 1. 8. Esay 1. 23. theeves that they loved gifts and followed after rewards that they iudged not the fatherlesse and the Widowes complaints came not before them He that shall deale so with the Nobles of England shall have small thankes yet are they men and not God flesh and not spirit sinnefull aswell as they of Iuda Iames and Iohn were Boanarges sonnes of thunder we had need thunder and lighten as Pericles did Mar. 3. in Greece speaking will do little good we must not sow pillowes under Ezech. 13. 10. Gal. 4. 16. mens elbowes We say as Paul said to the Galatians Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth Better you hate us then God For they that flatter you serve not the Lord Iesus Christ but their owne bellies and with faire speeches and flattering deceive the hearts Rom. 16. 18. of the simple Flattery is a sinne but we are the cause of it the fault is in our selves No man can be flattered but he first flattereth himselfe no vermine breedeth where hee findeth no warmth no flies swarme where they see no flesh no Eagles light where they see no carcasse no man claweth but where he seeth pride in the partie to worke upon These men are as brasse-pots which be they never so huge yet a man can carry them by the eares where hee Reproofe profits more then flattery will so may these men bee carried by the eares and yet it is to their owne hurt For flatterers are like wormes and mothes which eate wooll and garments but it cannot be seene till the knop be off so proud men see not their sinnes till it bee too late Si fueris Thraso non deerit tibi Gnato If thou wilt be a boasting bragging Thraso thou shalt never want a flattring parasitical Gnato Thus by these flatterers many Gentlemen be cōsumed before they be aware their flattering followers undoe them There be two kindes of persecutions Manus persequentis Lingua adulantis the hand of the Tyrant and the tongue of the flatterer the latter is the worser as it is most pernicious to the soule it doth the soule good to be reprooved it driveth away sin as the North-wind doth the raine Multi culpāt amicos Many blame their friends but those accusations are but like water in a Smithes-forge to kindle not to quench the fire Let us blame and rebuke men not to make them worse but better not viler but warier David prayed Corripiat me justus Let the righteous smite me For that is a benefit Psal 41. 5. Let him reprove me and it shall be a precious oyle that shall not breake my August ser 59. de verbis Domini head Well said Augustine Non omnis qui parcit est amicus nec omnis qui ferit est inimicus Not every one that spareth us is a Friend nor every one that striketh us is an enemy Melius cum sinceritate diligere quà m cum levitate decipere better to love with sincerity then to deceive with levity
his feet Hee rebuketh the Sea drieth it he drieth up all the rivers The mountaines tremble for him and the hills melt and the earth is burnt at his sight yea the world and all that dwell therein who can stand before his wrath if his wrath be kindled yea but a little blessed are all they that put their trust in him God telleth the Idumaeans Though thou exalt thy selfe like an Eagle and make thy nest among the starres thence will I bring thee downe saith Obadiah vers 4. the Lord. Paul applieth the example of Gods justice on Israel to the Church of Corinth and all Churches I would not have you ignorant quoth he that all our fathers were under the cloud and all passed thorough the Sea c. but with many of them God was not pleased for 1 Cor. 10. 1. 5. 6 7 8 9 10 11. they were overthrowne in the wildernesse Now these are examples to us to the intent that wee should not lust after evill things as they lusted neither be yee idolaters as were some of them As it is written the people sate downe to eate and drinke and rose up to play Neither let us commit fornication as some of them committed fornication and fell in one day three and twenty thousand neither let us tempt Christ as some of them also tempted him and were destroyed of serpents neither murmure yee as some of them murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer Now all these things came unto them for examples and were written to admonish us upon whom the ends of the world are come The continuance of Gods mercy for a long time doth not assure us of perpetuall safety but of greater destruction if we beleeve not Quantò gradus altior tantò casus gravior the higher we are in dignity the more grievous our fall and misery as was said of the whore of Babylon Inasmuch as shee glorified herselfe and lived in pleasure so much give yee to Apoc. 18. 7. Mat. 11. 23. Ier. 18 18. 21. her torment and sorrow And so Capernaum that was lift up to heaven was threatned to bee throwne downe to hell The Iewes thought that the dignity of their Priesthood should have continued for ever and therefore they said The law shall not perish from the priest nor counsell from the wise nor the word from the Prophet Therfore saith God deliver up their children to famine and let them drop away The higher exalted the lower dejected if impious by force of the sword and let their wives be robbed of their children and be widdowes and let their husbands be put to death and let the yong men be slaine with the sword in the battell They bragged of Moses that he was their teacher they boasted of Abraham and a succession from Abraham but Iohn answereth them saying Say not to your selves wee have Abraham to our father For God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham of them came the Fathers of them came Luk. 3. 8. Christ yet were they not all Israel that came of Israel neither are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham This augmented the punishment of Israel that God had beene so good unto them for every blessing is as good as a bill of enditement preferred against us at the great Assise-day for listen what God himselfe saith O my people what have I done unto thee Michea 6. 3. 14 15. or wherin have I grieved thee testify against me surely I brought thee up out of the land of Aegypt and redeemed thee out of the house of servants I have sent before thee Moses Aaron Miriam And thus the Lord goeth on intimating unto them that hee never hurt them but bestowed infinite blessings and benefits upon them but because they misused them God threatneth them That they shall eate and not be satisfied and thy casting downe shall be in the middest of thee meaning that they shall be consumed with inward griefe and evill and further he threatneth them saying Thou shalt sow but not reape thou shalt tread the Olives but thou shalt not annoint thee with oyle and make sweet wine but shalt not drinke wine This also augmented the punishment of Eli's house that whereas God did chuse him out of all the tribes of Israel to bee his Priest and to offer upon Gods Altar and to burne Incense and to weare an Ephod before God yet because he honoured his children more than God God 1 Sam. 2. 28. 31. threatned to cut off his arme and the arme of his Fathers house and that there should not be an old man in his house for ever Esay and Michah prophesied unto Iuda sixty yeares Hosea and Amos in Israel seventy yeares yet God sealed neither the one nor the other an obligation of perpetuall mercy The one was carried into Assyria a captivity irreturnable the other into Babylon where they 2 Reg. 17. 6. Psal 137. Amos. 8. 10. could not sing the Lords songs in a strange land God turned their songs into mournings and their feasts into lamentations The Papists speake of our overthrowes in Ireland as the Syrians said that God was the God of Israel in the mountaines but not in the vallies So they say he is our God in England but not in Ireland they say that hee was a God in the beginning of the Queenes raigne but not now Zidkia of Rome the Iesuites have made them hornes of iron as 1 Reg. 22. 11. saying that they will push England Herod of Rome hath sent us word of our destruction but if wee repent we may answere him as Christ did Herod Goe yee Luk. 13. 32. Mat. 9. 15. and tell the Foxe c. Wee are the children of the wedding and therefore cannot mourne yet The arrow of our deliverance is as yet in the Kings hands against the Aramites the Papists If wee Where God spareth long he punisheth more if impenitent repent all our enemies shall be but the Thistles of Lebanon but if we bring not forth the fruits of the Gospell wee may rather weepe with Elisha to thinke what evill Hazael the Papists will doe to the Church of God Surely God will do to us as to Israel God bare long with them but afterwards he destroyed them 2 Reg. 14. 9. 2 Reg. 8. 11 12. God hath hands of iron and feere of lead hee commeth slowly but when he commeth he payeth surely Deus tardus est ad iram sed tarditatem gravitate poenae compensat God is slow to anger but he recompenseth his slownesse with grievousnesse of punishment Hereupon saith Paul But thou after thy hardnesse and heart that cannot repent heape unto thy selfe wrath against the day of Rom. 2. 5 6 7 8 9. wrath and declaration of the iust iudgement of God who will reward every man according to his works To them which by continuance in wel-doing seeke glory and honour and immortality eternall life but unto them that
are contentious and disobey the truth and obey unrighteousnesse shall be indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish shal be upon the soule of every man that doth evill Looke not to the beginning of sinne but the end of it the roote of it is a carelesse hard heart and therefore we are commanded to exhort one another daily while it is called Hebr. 3. 13. to day lest we be hardened with the deceitfulnesse of sinne the flower of it is sweet for a time and therefore called by the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes The pleasures of sinne the sight of it is like Heva her apple which was faire and pleasant to the eye the taste of Hebr. 11. 25. Gen. 3. 6. 1 Sam. 14. 17. Luk. 3. 7. it is like Ionathans hony combe which cleered his eyes which before were dimme for wearinesse and hunger the committing of it is like the birth of a viper which eateth out the belly of her damme the sting of it as the sting of an Aspe pleasant at the Rom. 3. Cap. 6. 21. 23. first and brings a man asleepe but the fruit of it is shame in this life And therefore saith the Apostle what fruit had yee of those things whereof yee are now ashamed meaning their sinnes and the end of it in the life to come is hell fire For the wages of sinne is death For sinne is as a Tyrant which raigneth by force and at last rewardeth his servants with death and damnation Thus the root the flower the sight the tast the sting the fruit the end of sinne all is damnable Behold this monster this Aesops snake the uglinesse of sinne in Nabuchadenezzar transformed from a man to a beast The terror Dan. 4. 1 Sam. 15. of it in Agag the Amalekite The folly of it in Salomons young man whom Salomon derideth notably saying Rejoyce thou yong man in thy youth and walke in the wayes of thine heart and in the sight of thine Eccles 11. 9. eyes but know that for all these things God will will bring thee to iudgement The bitternesse of it in the rich men named by Iames Goe to yee rich men weepe and howle for your miseries that shall come upon Iam. 5. 1 2 3. you your riches are corrupt your garments moat-heaten your gold and silver is canckred and the rust of it shal be a witnesse against you and it shall eate your flesh as it were fire The unstablenesse of it in the Amalekites now dauncing now dead The reward of it in the fooles named God punisheth not the reprobate till sinne be at the fall by Salomon The end of it in the rich glutton who for his sinne lieth frying in hell in torments The life of the godly is as a Comedie dolefull at the first but joyfull at the last So saith David They that sow in teares shall reape in ioy they went weeping and carried precious seed but they shall returne with 1 Sam. 30. VVisd 5. Luk. 16. Psal 126. 5. 6. ioy and bring their sheaves But the life of the wicked is cleane contrary that is as a Tragedie dolefull at the last so saith our Saviour Woe be to you that laugh for yee shall wayle and weepe and Luk. 6. 25. Pro. 22. 8. Salomon affirmeth That hee that soweth iniquity shall reape affliction and the rod of his anger shall faile that is his authority whereby hee did oppresse others shall bee taken from him and Paul saith That they which sow in the flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption afterwards this afterwards marres all after all pleasure commeth paine and destruction So said Abraham to Dives Sonne remember Luk. 16. 25. that thou in thy life time receivedst thy pleasure contrarily Lazarus paine now is he comforted and thou art punished The pride of Adam was turned into labour and sorrow The stoutnesse of Nimrod into confusion The beauty of Absalom into hanging The strength of Goliah into shame The envie of Caine into desolatition Gen. 3. Cap. 10. 2 Sam. 16. 1 Sam. 17. hee wandred like a Rogue Nec in caeteris est contrarium videre and we may behold the same in the rest when they have added drunkennesse to thirst afterwards commeth God and destroyeth them he wayteth for the ripenesse of our sinnes before he plucke us off the tree or cut us off the earth he tarieth till we be dry before hee burneth us till wee be fat before hee slay us till wee bee withered before hee hew us downe Therefore is it said that the earth was full of cruelty that the sinne of Sodome was Gen. 6. Gen. 18. Amos 8. great that the sinnes of Israel were as ripe apples and when our sinnes be once ripe God will cut us downe with the scithe of his wrath and hacke us downe with the axe of his vengeance And yet we see God to punish some speedily to crop them in their beginning True sometime God killeth the Cockatrice in the egge before it bee a serpent sometime hee plucketh the fruit from the tree before it bee ripe hee rooteth out the pricke before it be a thorne what then differt tamen non aufert God doth deferre but yet hee doth not auferre the punishment of the wicked like Polypheme that would eate Vlysses last but yet eate him though it were long Vt creditor qui debitum ab uno statim exigit alium in diem reponit sed cum foenore solvendum As a Creditor that requireth his debt of one man presently to another hee giveth day and respite yet to be paid with usury God tooke away Caligula in the beginning of his tyrannie but hee suffered Nero to tyrannize longer but Tiberius raged and made havocke of the Church longer than they yet in the end God met with him and freed the earth of so vile a burden God killed Omri in two yeares he suffred Manasses to wallow in blood fifty yeares Tempora mutantur 1 Reg. 16. 2 Reg. 21. nos mutamur in illis the times are changed and we are Infidelity the cause of Israels destruction changed in them Dionysius having a prosperous wind said that God favoured Pirats The Athenians said that Harpalus gave a lively testimony against the Gods for that hee escaped so long unpunished But so long goeth the pot to the water that at last it cometh broken home God met with these two afterwards Looke not on men as they are here in this world here they prosper and flourish like a greene Bay-tree but looke to their end then they wither like trees that cast their leaves in winter then they wish they had never beene borne what good hath our pride done us what profit hath the pompe of riches brought us Thou seest Dionysius spoiling Syracusa many yeares looke againe Wisd 5. 8. and thou shalt see him a poore Schoolemaster in Corinth Asceptro adferulam devolutum devolved fallen from the scepter to the ferula Thou seest Caesar