the question Lord who shall dwell in thine holy hill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answere He that speaketh the trueth a corde sue from his heart Truth is a debt that we owe vnto God vpon a threefold band First ratione creationis by right creation for he that created vs is the God and Father of trueth and we should be the children of trueth 2. Ratione redemptionis By right of redemption for hee that redeemed vs is the way the life and the trueth And therefore all that looke for saluation by him must learne to speake the trueth But Ratione sanctification is by reason of our sanctification for bring sanctified by the spirit of trueth our tongues ought to bed exercised in speaking the trueth The second way or meanes to mortifie our speech is to haue 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 profit in our words So saith the wise man 〈◊〉 lipd of the right eaun there is wisedome found as a well of life and as fined silver euery word must be pondered with salt that it corrupt not it selfe not infect others all our speach must tend to edification The Heathen were wont to say that the two masters or vshers of the world were action and speech But wee are yet to speake of wordes where of O ate saide Verba attendenda 〈◊〉 loquentis The words are to be attended not the mouil of the speaker There fore thou shalt if its profite Here by 〈◊〉 that wee should so speake that there may be some profit in our wordes for euery word that tends not to some good use is an idle word as Ierom defines it An idle word is that that is spoken without edification either of the nearer or of the speaker when our words doe neither minister comfort vnto our consciences nor instructions to others in the way of pietie and godlinesse Such a kinde of speach is to bee mortified Therefore let vs with David set a watch before our mouthes and keeper be doore of our lips that with the said Dauid we may vtter the righteousness and prayses of the Lord and our wordes being gratious may strike some impression into the hearers hearts For as Plato saide Worde without good effect are like water that drowneth the people and doeth itselfe no good Lastly if we will mortifie our speach wee must haue Moderamen in verbis 〈◊〉 means in words as the wise man saith Let thy words be fewe for in many words there cannot want iniquitie Therefore he that restalneth his lippes it wife saith he i fon fraistra fit per plura quod fierl potest pauciora It is in vaine to vse many words when fewer words will conteins the matter So then not to vse vaine tautologies in our speach will be a good meanes to mortifie our tongues A foole saith Salomon is accounted wife when he holdeth his peace and prudent when ke stoppeth his lippes not wise in saying nothing at all but in vsing a meane in wordes Hereunto tend the words of Christ When thou prayest vse few words shewing hereby that multiplicitie of words is a means re draw vs to offend And if Christ will not haue vs to vse many words in prayer then his mind is that we should vse a meane in other things As Salomon saith A wise man will guide his words with discretion and vse knowledge aright And to borrow the words of Cato 〈◊〉 Deo qui sort ratione dcore He is next unto God who knoweth in redson to keepe silence Hereunto sutes the saying of Syrach The wordes of the wise are 〈◊〉 in the balance both for the nature qualitie and quantity of them Thus much for the mortifying of the tongue Lastly in the third place as sinne is to bee mortified in the motion and tongue so likewise in the action If ye liue after-the flesh ye shall die but if ye mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the spirit yee shall liue And as the same Apostle saith The grace of God that brings saluation hath appeared teaching vs to due is all ungodlinesse and vnrighteousaesse and that wee should liue godly in this present world knowing as a Father faith that we must haue remotionemmali aremouing of euill before we can haue substitutionem boni aplacing in of that which is good as God taught the Iewes cease to doe euill learne to doe good As Paul said to the Ephesians so I say vnto you Cast off the old man as Matthew left his calling and Zacheus his bribing so leaue your sinful actions to conclude with Crates Thebanus which could not follow the study of Philosophie because his money was an hinderance vnto him and therefore said Ego pordam to ne tu perdas me I will destroy thine lest thou mayest destroy mee So destroy thine euill deedes lest they destroy thee The reasons to perswade vs to abandon all euill actions are these First our actions doe the greatest hurt and dishonour both to God and man and therefore obserue the Decalogue and you shall finde that in the first table the Lord forbids but one sinne in the heart Thou shalt haue no other Gods before mee and another in words Thou shalt not take my name in vaine But hee forbids two in action first the making and bowing to false Gods And secondly the prophaning of the Sabbath Looke into the second Table and you shall find the like first one sin of the heart Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours oxe c. and another of the tongue Thou shalt not beare false witnesse c. But there are foure of workes or actions forbidden first Thou shalt not disobey thy 〈◊〉 c. Secondly Thou shalt not steale Thirdly Thou shalt not commit adultery Fourthly Thou shalt doe no murder Hereby shewing that God is most dishonoured and man oppressed by outward actions And this is manifest by that of Amos We will make the Ephah small and the shekel great and falsifie the weights by deceit wee will buy the poore for siluer and the needie for shooes and sell the refuse of the wheate These are all outward actions The old saying is true in this Words be but winde blowes be vnkind Euill thoughts and words are blowne away with the ayre but actions leaue an impression behindethem Not their words but their ingrossing of corne doth starue the poore not their thoughts but their hands robbes their states suckes their bloods and grinde their faces Ad as actions doethe most hurt so doe they continue longer then words Euen as the visage of him who passeth by is soone forgotten but if it be pictured the memorie of it continues long So sinne in words is like the same entring in at the one eare and out at the other But sinne in action is a picture dayly to looke vpon witnesse that of leroboam that neuer ceased vntill the kingdome ended Therefore it is good to withstand the beginnings knowing that the end will bring much euill that so there may
the things of God Yea so farre off that they are foolishnesse vnto him Si in ratione habitaret malum c. as Tollet obserues If euill should dwell in the reason then could it not will that which is good I remember Virgils verse Igneus est ollis vigor caelestis origo Scminibus quantum non noxia corpora tardant Terrenique hebetent artus moribundaque membra Those seedes haue fiery vigor and heauenly spring So farre as bodies Lnder not with fulnesse Or earthly dying members clogge with dulnesse Wee neede not to borrow proofes from the heathen Poets wee find them in our selues and the infallible trueth of God hath spoken it that in vs there dwells no goodnesse Rom. 7. And further the same Apostle saith Wee are all sold vnder sinne And There is none that doth good no not one If our nature be thus corrupt how can it produce any thing but that which is euill The barren heart is the ground of my discourse And according to the common distinction of euill here is a double euill in this barren and bad soile Vnum quodmalus facit One euill which the wicked man doth and then alterum quod malum patitur another euill which hee suffers The euill that hee doth is here the meditation to sinne or as my text saith a heart prepared to sinne The euill that he suffers is the corruption of nature which sauours nothing but vice The Philosopher said that the earth was a naturall mother vnto weedes but a stepmother vnto herbs It is true in this earth man by a procliuity of his owne naturall inclination is apt to produce all manner of euill but can bring foorth no good God must first play the husbandman with him There is no Farmer that so labours his ground as God must our hearts Wicked men are bad earth and base minded and naturally sinke downewards yea with a dull and ponderous declination All his actions haue a low obiect not out of humilitie but of base deiection Apollonius reporteth one strange thing among the rest of his reports That there was a people which could not see in the light but in the darke A strange report yet it is here true by experience The wicked cannot see any thing in the light of grace they haue their light onely in the darkenesse of nature for they here see and vnderstand through the darke cloudes of nature No maruell then if their heartes bee set vpon sinne when they can see nothing but euill Neither is God in this any way causa Peccati eitheir because his whole nature is corrupted or in with holding grace from him For the first the wise man cleareth God saying This haue I learned that God made man righteous but he hath found out many inuentions For how could a good cause produce an euill effect A Deo perfecto nihil malum nihil turpe est saith the Heathen From God that is perfect commeth neither euill nor foule thing Deus malorum causa non est cum bonus sit God is not the authour of euill when he himselfe is most good But as the Lord speaketh by the Prophet Perditio tua ex te Distruction is of thy selfe O Israel As God is not the cause of this corrupted nature and so not the cause of sinne so God is not vniust in withholding his grace from the wicked as some heretickes haue reasoned in this manner Priuatio est a Deo to be depriued is from God Priuatio est Peccatum To be depriued is sinne ergo peccatum est a Deo sinne is from God But this is easily answered for it doth not followe because we can doe nothing without grace that therefore God is bound to giue it Indeed we are bound to serue him but he is not bound to bestow his grace vpon vs it may be illustrated thus The King can raise a begger to great honour is hee therefore bound to doe it no man will conclude it So it is with God if he bestowe his grace vpon this man it is his mercy towards him if he doe it not to another it is none iniustice to him For his grace is free I will haue mercy on him to whom I will shewe mercy and will haue compassion on him on whom I will haue compassion So though man be corrupted God in no wise is the cause of his corruption Then this nature being so corrupt seeth and tasteth nothing but that which is euill A second cause or reason proceedeth from Sathan for hee sitteth in the heart of the wicked as a Prince vpon his throne commanding the same how and when he will This way and that way as the winds doe the Sedars in Libanus As the Apostle Paul saith They are taken prisoners by him to doe his will He is a workeman that is neuer without employment for them The diuell by the testimony of our Lord is the Prince of this world Note then his Monarchy is great and his kingdome bigger then the kingdome of Christ. For broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many runne that way But narrow is the way that leadeth vnto life and fewe walke that way If his kingdome bee so great no maruell if his employments be so many euery subiect therein is a great States-man for he is of the priuy counsell and there is neuer a day but there is a consultation between the Deuill and the heart of a wicked man The Deuill cannot be without the least of these but with great danger to his kingdome There is a two-fold cable-roape where by the Deuill drawes their hearts vnto sinne The first is the profit of sinning Come cast in thy Lot with vs we will finde riches and also fill our houses with spoyles Sinne neuer comes emptie handed for if it dyed we would reiect it We haue all earned Iudas his lesson which is Quid dabis And thus much doth the Apostle intimate in the Romanes where he saieth What profit had yee then in those things Hereby shewing that the end of sinning was the game of profit The second is pleasure and delight of this speaketh the Apostie in his second Epistle to the Thessalonianst They tooke pleasure in vnrighteousnesse And this is that that aggrauates a mans sinne to sinne and then to take pleasure in it Thus hee bindes two sinnes together 1. 2 finne to doe it 2. a sinne to loue it So the Diuell began with Adam and Euah to tempt them to sinne by the pleasure of sinne saying Yee shall bee as Gods knowing good and euill In many arts the more-skilfull the more ill-full Armis polentior astus Fraude goes beyond force Thus Sathan hath stollen trueths garment and put it on errors backe And so because the wayes to hell are full of greene pathes and tempting pleasures many runne apace till they come to their owne place with Iudas Sinne is a coach the Diuell is the carter then needes must they goe
Libbians Gaddies and both Affricaes And More excelling He that hath learned to mortifie his lustes doeth beginne to conquer his manners Secondly as sinne is to be mortified in the motion while it is in the heart so likewise it must be crucified in the tongue Our words must bee powdered with salt to drie vp the supersluitie of corruption and to keepe them from putrifaction The tongue of man 〈◊〉 that opens the way to the heart Ambrose calls it 〈◊〉 mentis The glasse of the minde Lingua est mentis interprices The tongue is the interpreter of the minde Lingua quid melius What is better then the tongue said the Poet if we vse it to the glory of God and the good of other But if it be vsed to blasphemies and euill speaking then Lingua quid peius eadem What is worse thin the tongue It is called lingua and hath that name of lingere to licke vp And true it is the euill man licketh vp the poyson of Aspes as Dauid saith and as it is said of the beast that had a mouth giuen him to speake blasphemies so is itthat the man of a venimous tongue gorgeth out nothing but execrable words against God and man And when their speach is at the best it is but mungrell like that it halfe one and halfe other And the most part commonly is the worst part and that they haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at their fingers ends But heare O vaine babling tongue heare O idle tongue heare and tremble Then an euill tongue is to bee suppressed And if you aske me what must be mortified in the tongue I answer with Basil Euery word that belongeth not to an intended profit If you thinke that this will not goe currant in the balance of the Sanctuary then fasten your considerations vpon the wordes of Paul whose testimouy cannot be denied Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouthes but that which is good Ad edificationem vsus to the vse of edification What must nothing passe but such as serues to edifie with all Surely then I feare that the greatest part of men must be silent three quarters of the yeere This gouernment of the tongue was of great estimation euen among the Heathen He is wise and discrete that can refraine his tongue saith Socrates and the same Socrates said Speake euer of God for the speaking of God 〈◊〉 so much all other words as God 〈◊〉 all other creatures With him agreeth Pheta surnamed the Diuine He is to be accounted 〈◊〉 and wise that alwayes disposeth his tongue to speake of God and godlinesse Here by she wing of what respect the vertue of the tongue was among them and should be much more with vs that excell them in knowledge The like respect of good speech is among the Persians And to that ende they may establish the same they doe teach their children three things in the time of their youth First to ride a horse 2. to shoote 3. to speake the trueth which is the best of all sea oning them with the same whiles they are young that they may the better keepe it when they shall come to age for as Horace saith Quo semel est imputa recens seruabit odorem Testa diui The liquors that new vessels first container Behind them leaues a tast that still remaines But what neede we to drawe water out of these dry welles when the sountaine of liuing waters is full euen vp to the brimme for Dauid saide long before If any man long after good dayes let him refraine his tongue from euill and his lippes that they speake no guile For by thy words thou shalt be iustified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned Hereunto tendeth the saying of Iames. If any man seemeth religious and refraineth not his tongue this mans Religion is in vaine Hereby shewing that he cannot be a good Christian that hath not preuailed so farre as to mortifie his speech to auert the wordes of the wicked in Ieremie Come let vs smite him with the tongue But follow my counsell and I will teach you how to strike the tongue sor it is an vuruly member set on fire with no materiall fire but with the fire of Hell We are very forward to imitation in things that are carnall and terestriall treading in mens crooked by-pathes and walking in the worne way of their defects As the imitators of Alexander who went forward in his going would needes imitate him in their stoopings euen so doe we But the good we follow limping and lingering If you will needes turne imitators walke in the footesteppes of good men and let the Lord bee a patterne of your imitation I will curse them that curse thee doeth the Lord scourge such as offend and hurt vs then let vs cruefie that which offends God namely our tongue Doeth humaine charitie bind thee to reduce thy neighbours wandering beast and shall not Christianity double the care of thine own erring soule How many are ther who haue almost incurable tongus dyed in graine and put into the collour of iniquitie which to cure and to recouer obserue these three things First that the speech may be mortified we must haue veritatem in verbis trueth in words For there is no goodnesse in alyar saith Plato lying is a monsterous and wicked euill that filthely defileth and prophaneth the tongue of man which of God is otherwise consecrated euen to the trueth and vtterance of his praise And if this be the way to mortifie sinne in words namely to speake the trueth Then Lord take from me the way of lying saith Dauid for it is hard for him to speake the trueth that accustometh himselfe to lying Hee that speaketh trueth will shewe righteousnesse saith Soloman whereas the lying tongue vseth deceite Sinne is like a Nowne adiectiue that cannot stand alone but requireth another to helpe him Sinne is committed by action but supported by lying As Acts 3. Ananias and Saphira sinned in their hypocrisie and supported this sinne with a lye The way therefore to ouerthrowe the whole frame of iniquity is with Samson to pul down the mainepoasts whereon the house is built namely lying If you would haue a patterne to worke by then fasten your eyes vpon Christ of whom it is said that there was no guile found in his mouth his very enemies were 〈◊〉 to confesse the same Master we knowe that then art lust and carest for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 trueth Hete see how his foes acknowledge it with praise ro his name And herein we may see how truethe the saying of Aristorle is He needes no to be ashamed that speaketh the trueth for nothing brings shame but finne trueth beings commendations as we see in Christ was truth in Christ then let it not be wanting in vs for oninis Christia actio nostra debet osse instructio Euery action of Christ ought to be our instruction Daujd long before asking
the Papists against the same The Apostles wrote certaine things not that their writings should be aboue our faith and religion but rather that they should bee vnder saith Albertus See what an imputation hee layes vpon the Apostles Epistles that they are not able to direct vs in faith and true religion Obserue yet another blasphemie of his The Scriptures are double iudges Now we know that a double Iudge is altogether vnprofitable and not fit for that place Euen so are the Scriptures by his argument and of lesse account then their traditions So it appeares by the saying of Andradius Neither in those bookes wherein the sacred mysteries are written is there one iote of diuinitie which by any force of religion can bind vs to beleeue what is there in contained By whose saying you heare that the word is not able to bring men to the knowledge of God religion and faith Thus he doth conclude them not to be holy pure and perfect Lodouicus saith The Scripture is as it were dead ynke fit for no vse but to bee caitaway So the Papists esteeme of Gods holy word as an vnholy writing saying What aduantage hath this fable of Christ brought vnto vs So the whole Gospel is reckoned by them as a fable In a word the whole Scripture is accounted vnholy But whether it be more meete to beleeue God or man let the world iudge Dauid saith that the Scriptures are pure and vndefiled And Christ saith that they are true and holy And I say let Gods word be righteous and the Papists blasphemers Now I come to the workes of righteousnesse which wee must sowe yet not as the Papists Necessitate efficientiae They are necessary as efficient causes together with faith of our saluation but necessitate praesentiae they are necessary for the present and we cannot be without them For faith doth iustifie and workes doe testifie Credis in Christum fac Christi opera vt viuat ' fides tua Doest thou beleeue in Christ do thou Christs workes that thy faith may liue There is a three-fold vse of the workes of righteousnesse first Gods glory secondly the good of others and thirdly our owne comfort How shall it appeare that wee are iustified if the fruit of righteousnesse be not seene as Barnard saith As we discerne the life of the body by the motion of the body so the life of faith by good works And that you may the better know how to doe the workes of righteousnesse obserue first that they be commanded of God secondly that they be well done thirdly that they be done to a good end Vt sit mandatum a Deo That it be commanded of God that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Scriptures Then is it not so much to be inquired whether it bee good and equall as whether God hath commaunded the same or no for sometimes lawfull things are vnlawfull Againe sometimes vnlawfull things are lawfull As thus to kill and murther a mans owne child is vnlawfull yet if God command it then is it lawfull as for example in Abraham which was commanded to kill his-sonne which if he had refused had sinned and to haue done it without command had been a sinne likewise Or thus It is lawfull to pray one for another yet when God forbids it then is it a sinne to pray not in respect of the subiect of prayer but because it is a disobedience vnto Gods command as appeareth by the Prophet Ieremy Againe lawfull things done by some are vertues which being done by others are sinne As thus It is lawfull for a Magistrate to put a murtherer to death but for a priuate man it is a sinne Therefore that is a false rule that many examine things by Whether it be good or equall and not whether God hath commanded it or no. By this rule the vsurer examines his vsury In deed saith hee God hath forbidden it yet marke what profit comes hereof Men that can vse no calling may liue if they haue money Besides marke what good it doth vnto the borrower Many are made by borrowing and to giue ouer the same would doe much hurt But this is a false rule if God hath not commanded the same it is altogether vnlawfull By the same rule we measure our charitie saying If I shall giue vnto the poore and relieue the needie then I my felfe may want Likewise in their callings If I shall tell the trueth in selling vse good wares and true weights and measures it is the way to be a Beggar and the like But this is a false rule I denie not but that it is good for a man to keepe his estate and not to grow into pouertie yet not by such a meanes as God hath not commanded By such a false rule Saul examined his obedience Shall I kill the King and the chiefe cattell no I may haue a great ransome for the King and for the cattell they will serue for sacrifice or for breede or the like and therefore it is better to preserue the King and the best cattell aliue But for all his wisedome God told him that he was a foole and had sinned in so doing and therefore hee receiued a iust recompense for his desert It is dangerous to call Gods precepts into question touching the purity thereof If he hath said it or commanded it it is righteous and we must obey it Secondly as it must be commanded of God so it must be well done as it must be bonum so it must bee bene That you may take your worke along with you obserue there must be first knowledge secondly faith thirdly readinesse 1. There must bee knowledge for euery action is to be knowen before it can be well done either we shal doe more then we ought or lesse then we should The heathen man could say that he that knoweth not what he seeketh cannot tell when to finde that which he lacketh as Cato obserues Ignotum tibi nolito praeponere notis Cognita indicio constant incognita casu Doe not thou preferre any thing vnknowen before things that are knowen Knowen things stand in iudgement and vnknowen in chance As the common Prouerbe is A blind man may catch a Hare and as well may an ignorant man light vpon some of the precepts of God yet seldome seene Pithagoras hath a pretie saying He that knoweth not what he ought to know is a brute beast among men He that knoweth no more then hee hath neede of is a man among bruit beast and He that knoweth all that may be knowen is a God among men And because knowledge is the ground of all Arts God taught his people first to know and then to doe for the way to doe well is to know the good 2. It must be done with the heart that is in zeale loue reuerence feare and the like Vt sit ex vera fide That it be of true faith not so much the things
he is very vnwilling to goe and leaue any thing vnfinished for hee thinkes to get more in one houre by a piece of paper and that with lesse paines then in this way in a whole moneth with greater labour The drunkard sits at ease on his seate and no sooner calls for one pot but hee shall haue two Therefore hee cares not to come into this patly least their should be no tap-houses in the way for he cannot goe farre without a draught and the iourney being long he faints to thinke of it My lady lust will not come in this path because she cannot meete with her companions and to leaue her whorish trade and take paines for her liuing in an honest course shee will not for she gets her maintenance with more ease and often the poxe with all as an ouerplusse So she resolues not to goe the way to heauen and rather then she will take the paines for it shee will goe without it The fashion mungers with their top and top-gallants thinke this way to be both too narrow and the seeling too lowe it will spoile the fashion of their ruffes vnfrizle their haire and staine their beautie yet if they might haue a coach of ease drawne with two horses pride and pleasure they are halfe minded to God but deny them this and you shall loose their company the path hard the iourney long and the paines great a worke too hard for these daintie dames their fingers too tender to handle this seede and their roundabouts too broade to enter in at that doore The Lawyer would trauell this iourney were it not a way of peace and that is not for his profit here trueth is to be spoken and iustice to be performed a worke too hard for him a seede that neuer came within his garner He thinkes to get more in one Tearmes lying then in a whole yeeres truth in Religion and so had rather haue a iourney at Candlemas to Westminster then at Midsomer to heauen Thus because the way seemes troublesome the paine great so long before they shall haue their wages they resolue not to sowe this seede atall Religion was wont to be a pleasure now it is reckened a labour it is too hot in summer they dare not come to the Church then least it make their heads to ake in winter too cold then they refuse to come because they must not bring a fire with them so that Religion is neuer in season with these and they can finde no time to sowe this seede In the winter the stormes are too boysterous and in the sommer the Sunne is too hotte so they keepe the seede still vnsowne Is godlines become laborious and the practise of piety vnprofitable that the wayes of Zion lament because fewe come to the solemne assemblies that a man may with more ease goe out at a Church doore then in at a Play-house gate Most men with Demas shewe Religion a faire paire of heeles I will commend vnto your considerations a story how true it is I knowe not of a certaine man that did still send his wife to sowe this seede the practise of Religion at length when they came to knocke at heauen gates Peter being the imagined porter lets in the woman but keepes out the man answering him thus Illa intrauit prose te She is entred both for her selfe and for thee for as shee went to the Church for thee so shee must goe into heauen for thee We may well moralize vpon this for if wee will not labour to haue a personality of faith and a propriety of deuotion and Religion seruing God in our owne persons and sowing this seede with our owne handes we may goe to the gate of desire but be turned backe againe with confusion Then will the old verse be renewed Scilicet immemores supera vt conuexa reuisant Rursus 〈◊〉 in corpora velle reuerti Therefore let vs with Ioshuah serue the Lord in our owne persone that we may be blessed in our selues For the iust shal liue 〈◊〉 in his faith not by another mans faith And therefore see thou keepe Gods commandements Non memoria sedvita Not in thy memorie but in thy life Non vt reddas ea sed vt facias ea Not to say them by roat but to doe them That so we may say with the Apostle Wee haue kept the faith and henceforth is layd vp for vs a crowne of righteousnesse The Proprietie of the persons You. LAcem You These are the persons and the last part of the seed time Gods commandements are all set downe in the second person Thou You and Yee Hereby to shew that none must denie his seruice to God nor to haue any cuasion or staringhole from this duety Non dicamus Wee may not say Quid nobis tibi est What haue wee to doe with thee But rather to say with the Apostle These things are written for our learning For the propriety of faith is when things are generally spoken to applie them in particular as the Apostle like a good Logician fiames an argument out of the generality of Gods promises thus Christ came to saue sinners there is his proposition But I am a sinner there is his assumption Ergo He came to saue me here is the conclusion Thus euery man when hee heares Gods commandements is to frame his argument to himselfe in this manner Gods commandements are giuen to men But I am a man Ergo. Gods commandements are giuen to mee And so from this argument we should come to another of practising in this sort Whosoeuer is exhorted must obey But I am exhorted Therefore I must obey And hereunto serneth the saying of Christ 〈◊〉 which I say vnto you I say vnto all men euen so when God saith Thou shalt Yee shall and You shall is spoken not to one but to all And so much doth the Prophet intimate in this place Quod autem vobis dico omnibus dico What I say vnto you I say vnto all sow to your selues in righteousnesse But is there none for all that hath bee said that doe apologise for themselues saying Wee are great men and therefore to be freed in this thing as the manner is O thou man of God goe into the land of Iudah and prophe sie there but prophesie no more at Bethel why for it is the kings Court Thus they fight against the Lord with his owne weapons and proue so much the worse as they might haue beene the better and diuert the meanes of their wel doing into an occasion of their confusion That which this Prophet spake was true in them and is as euident in vs As they increased so they sinned not the more they increased in people but in their greatnesse There is such an antipathie betwixt the good blessings of God and the hearts of the wicked that the more they induce them to the seruice of God for their saluation the more they wrastle
sound doctrine honest life and good hospitalitie It is both commondable and commodious for Ministers to preach in the plurall number with good doctrine and charitable hospitalitie wordes without deedes auaile little It is recorded of Alexander Seuerus which said that he was more mooued to beleeue in Christ by the Christians hospitality then by all Origines learned and eloquent perswasions Doctrine and charitie are the two handes which build vp the walles of Sion and who so thus buildes shall receiue a double portion with Beniamin You which are in authoritie both in Church and common-wealth are worthy of double honour in this life and shall reape a two fould croppe in the world to come It may be sayde of Magistrates as it was saide of Christ they are set for the rysing and falling of many in the land you are the high Ceders of Lebanon whose fall is the hurt of many The Church is compared to a building we are the builders you are the side stones and the inferiour people the filling stones So long as you stand the people are safe but if you giue way they fall out by whole heapes Twise happy therefore shall you be if you stand faithfull to the Lord and looke how much you are aboue others in the kingdome of grace by so much shall you shine more then others in the kingdome of glory Thus shall you reape a double blessing with Iacob twise blessed in this world and double crowned in the world to come And you my brethren of the lower sort shall reape a haruest according to your seede for God will make an inquisition after all that you haue done and not a good thought shall goe vnrewarded Then your feeding the hungry clothing the naked pitie to the fatherlesse and widowe ministring to the Saints and your vpholding of religion shalappeare Then shall euery man haue Secundum opera 〈◊〉 peace of conscience ioy in the holy Ghost Blessed then shall you be in your persons blessed in your actions blessed in your estate and blessed in your posterity And as Christ saide in another kinde all these are but the beginnings the full croppe is yet to come Eye hath not seene eare hath not heard what those things are which God hath layde vppe for those that sowe this seede And thus much briefly for the haruest in generall I come now to the more particular parts of this haruest which are first the property of the worke Reape Secondly the manner of it According to mercie First the propertie of the worke is to reape Haruest is called Autumnus hath that name of Augende increasing For then commeth in store of fruit that the earth bringeth forth which fruit is gathered when the Sunne entreth into Libra which is when the Sunne is in the right line that is called Linea Equinoctialis And so from that time it comes into Libra till it come into the signe that is called Sagittarius Now it is no small comfort to the husbandman after he hath taken great pains and been at great cost to see the haruest approach and the regions to growe white It is no lesse but much more ioy to the child of God which hath sowed the seede of obedience all his lifetime to haue the haruest of promise brought home to the doore of his conscience and ready to enter the barne of his soule But let vs consider this reaping First as it is in grace and then as it will be in glory First we are to consider a little the haruest in grace For they that reape not in grace shall not enioy an haruest in glory Post mercatum solutum nullus negociatur After the market is ended there is neither buying nor selling He that prepareth not things necessary while hee is here is like to want hereafter Wherefore follow the counsell of Christ Lay vp treasure for your selues in heauen that when these earthly Tabernacles shall faile they may receiue you into euerlasting habitations And here for your better vnderstanding how to reape in the kingdome of grace consider it first Temporall and secondly Spirituall First there is an earthly haruest which God hath promised the threshing shall reach vnto the vintage and the vintage shall reach vnto the sowing time and you shall eate your bread in plenteousnesse c. It is no small blessing to dwell in the greene pastures and to haue our cups to ouerflow with abunance Obserue the seed of righteousnes brings the haruest of earthly blessings Would a man reape aboundance and ascend to pompous honour Let him trauell this way and it will bring him thither For godlinesse hath the promise of this life as well as of that to come And this did God teach them by setting before them a catalogue of these things vpon condition that they would obey him The like he saith in another place that they which honour me I will honour them And wee see it as truely performed in Abraham Iacob Iob and many more Obedience brings vs within the couenant of the promise which euer runnes vpon conditions If ye doe if ye beleeue if yee obey The condition being kept the promise is ours as the Apostle notes Ye haue neede of patience that after yee haue done the will of God yee might receiue the promise If you aske who shall ascend to the hill of the Lord Dauid telleth you The man that walketh vprightly and worketh righteousnes and speaketh the trueth from his heart If you aske who shall enter into glory Christ telles you Non auditores sed factores Not hearers but doers If you aske me the way to get earthly blessings I answere with Christ Keepe the Commandements Christ calleth Loue the greatest commandement but Solomon calleth obedience the end of all saying Heare the end of all feare God and keepe his Commandements For this is that which makes vs coheires with Christ by everue wherof all things are ours So saith the Apostle All things are yours and you Christs Soli habent omnia qui habent habentem omnia They alone possesse all things that possesse the Possessour of all things Doth not this minister matter of comfort to those which haue walked in this path of righteousnesse To whom I may say as Christ did to the good seruant Well done you good and faithfull seruants enter into your masters ioy and take possession of these earthly blessings Euery one that beleeueth and doth well confirmeth the Law by his life And you knowe and hardly to bee knowne what the reward of that is which no demension in art no effection in nature no proportion in the creature can expresse Such is the loue of God to them and their right vnto all things Therfore as the Epicures said to themselues so may I say to these Ede bibe lude Eate drinke and be merry But now some obiect against the trueth of this point saying If after obedience we haue right to reape this haruest