Ioab that he should not kil Absalon so God hath boūd maisters that they should not oppresse their seruants Shall God respect thine more then thou Art thou made fresher to thy labor by a little rest is not thy seruant made stronger by rest to labour for thee How many beasts and sheepe did Laban lose onely for hardly intreating of a good seruaunt therefore that is the way to lose but not to thriue Hee which counteth his seruant a slaue is in an error for there is difference betweene beleeuing seruants and infidell seruants the infidels were made slaues to the Iewes because God hated them and would humble them but their brethren did serue them like helpers which should be trained by them It is not a base nor vile thing to bee called a seruaunt for our Lord is called a seruaunt which teacheth Christians to vse their seruaunts well for Christes sake seeing they are seruants too and haue one maister Christ As Dauid speaketh of man saying Thou hast made him a little lower then the Angels so I may say of seruaunts that God hath made them a little lower then children not children but the next to children as one would say inferior children or sonnes in law And therefore the housholder is called Pater familias which signifieth a Father of his familie because he should haue a fatherly care ouer his seruants as if they were his children and not vse them onely for their labour like beasts Besides the name of a seruaunt dooth not signifie suffering but doing therfore masters must not exercise their hands vpō them but set their hands to worke and yet as God layeth no more vpon his seruaunts then hee makes them able to beare so men should laie no more vpon their seruaunts then they are able to beare For a good man saith Salomon will be mercifull to his beast and therefore hee will bee more mercifull to his brother That mā is not worthie to be serued which cannot affoord that his seruants should serue God as well as himselfe Giue vnto God that which is Gods and then thou maist take that which is thine He that careth not for his familie saith Paul is worse then an infidell because infidels care for their familie But as Agur praieth Giue me not too much nor too litle but feed me with food conuenient so their care should not be too much nor too little but cōueniēt or else they are worse then infidels to because couetousnes is called Idolatry which is worse then infidelitie for it is lesse rebellion not to honor the king then to set vp another king against him as the Idolatrous do against the king of heauen Next vnto seruants instruction and labors must bee considered their corrections As Paul saith Fathers prouoke not your childrē to wrath So may I say Maisters prouoke not your seruants to wrath that is vse such reproofes and such corrections that you do not prouoke them but moue them that you do not exasperate them but winne them for reuiling wordes and vnreasonable fiercenesse doth more hurt then good And therefore the law of God did charge the maister that he should not inflict aboue fortie stripes vpon his seruant least he should seeme despised in his eyes For while a childe or scholler or seruant doth thinke that he is reproued for loue or beaten with reason it makes him thinke of his fault and is ashamed but when hee seeth that he is rebuked with curses beaten with staues as though they were hated like a dog his heart is hardned against the man which correcteth him and the fault for the which he is corrected and after he becommeth desperate like a horse which turneth vpon the striker and therfore thinke that God euen then chides you whensoeuer you chide in such rage For though there be a fault yet some thinges must be winkt at and some thinges must be forgiuen and some punished with a looke for hee which takes the forfeite of euerie offence shall neuer bee in anie rest but vexe himselfe more then his seruant Further I haue heard experience say that in these punishments it is most meet and acceptable to the offender that the man should correct his men and the woman her maides for a mans nature scorneth to be beaten of a woman and a maides nature is corrupted with the stripes of a man Therefore wee reade that Abraham would not meddle with his mayd but committed her to his wife and said Doe with her as it pleaseth thee as if hee should say It belongeth not to mee but to thee Lastly we put the dutie toward children because they come last to their handes In Latin children are called pignora that is pledges as if I should say a pledge of the husbands loue to the wife and a pledge of the wiues loue toward the husband for there is nothing which doth so knit loue between the man and the wife as the frute of the wombe Therefore when Leah began to conceiue she sayd now my husband will loue me as though the husband did loue for children If a woman haue many defects as Leah had yet this is the mendes which she makes her husband to bring him children which is the right wedding Ring that sealeth and maketh vp the marriage When their father and mother fall out they perke vp betweene thē like litle mediators and with many pretie sportes make truce when other dare not speake to them Therefore now let vs consider what these little ones may challenge of their parents that stand them in stead of Lawyers Before we teach parents to loue their children they had need be taught not to loue them too much for Dauids darling was Dauids traitor and this is the manner of God when a man begins to set any thing in Gods roome and loue it aboue him which gaue it either to take away it or to take away him before hee prouoke him too much therefore if parentes wold haue their children liue they must take heed to loue them too much for the giuer is offended when the gift is more esteemed than he The first duetie is the mothers that is to nurse her childe at her own brestes as Sara did Isaac and therefore Esay ioyneth the nurses name and the mothers name both in one calleth them nursing mothers shewing that mothers should be the nurses So when God those a nurse for Moses he led the hand maid ◠Pharaos daughter to his mother as though God would haue none nurse him but his mother After whē the son of God was born his father thoght none fit to be his nurse but the virgin his mother The earths fountaines are made to giue water and the brestes of women are made to giue suck Euery beast and euery foule is bred of the same that did beare it onely women loue to be mothers but not nurses Therefore if their Children proue
THE SERMONS OF MAISTER HENRIE SMITH GATHERED INTO ONE VOLVME Printed according to his corrected Copies in his life time ANCHORA SPEI AT LONDON Printed by Richard Field for Thomas Man dwelling in Pater Noster row at the signe of the Talbot 1593. NOBILISSIMO VIRO GVILIELMO CECILIO EQVITI AVRATO BARONI BVRGHLEIENSI SVMMO ANGLIAE THESAVRARIO ET CANTABRIGIENSIS ACADEMIAE CANCELLARIO HENRICVS SMITHVS HAEC PIGNORA IN GRATI ANIMI TESTIMONIVM CONSECRAVIT THE SEVERAL TEXTS and titles of the Sermons contained in this Booke A Preparatiue to Mariage A treatise of the Lords supper in two Sermons I. Corinthians 11. 23. 24. c. The Lord Iesus in the night that he c. The Examination of Vsurie in two Sermons Psalme 15. 1. 5. Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle c. The benefite of Contentation 1. Timothie 6. 6. Godlinesse is great gaine if a man be c. The affinitie of the Faithfull Luke 1. 19. 20. 21. Then came to him his mother and his c. The Christians Sacrifice Prouerb 23. 26. My Sonne giue me thy heart The true triall of the Spirits 1. Thessalonians 19. 20. 21. 22. Quench not the Spirit c. The Wedding garment Romans 13. 14. Put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ c. The way to walke in Romans 13 13 Let vs walke honestly as in the day c. The pride of Nabuchadnezzar Daniel 4. 26 27. At the end of twelue moneths he c. The fall of Nabuchadnezzar Daniel 4. 28. 29. 30. While the word was in his mouth c. The Restitution of Nabuchadnezzar Daniel 4. 31. 32. 33. 34. And at the end of these daies c. The honour of Humilitie 1. Peter 5. 5. God resâ—steth the proud and giueth c The Young-mans Taske Ecclesiastes 12. 1. Remember thy Creator in the daies of c. The triall of the righteous Psalme 34. 19. Many are the troubles of the righteous c. The Christians practise Romans 12. 2. Be ye changed by the renuing of your c. The Pilgrims Wish Philippians 1. 23. I desire to be dissolued and to be with c. The Godly mans request Psalme 90. 12. Teach vs O Lord to number our daies c. A Glasse for Drunkards in two Sermons Genesis 9. 20. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. And Noah began to be an husband c. The Art of Hearing in two Sermons Luke 8. 18. Take heed how you heare The Heauenly Thrift Luke 8. 18. Whosoeuer hath to him shall be giuen c. The Magistrates Scripture Psalme 82. 76. I haue sayd Ye are Gods but ye shall die c. The Triall of Vanities Eccle. 1. 2. Vanitie of vanities sayth the Preacher The Ladder of Peace 1. Thess 15. 16. 17. 18. Reioice euermore c. The betraying of Christ Math. 27. 1. 2. 3. 4. When the morning was come and the c. The petition of Moses Deut. 3. 23. 24. And I besought the Lord the same c. The Dialogue betweene Paul and Agrippa Act. 26. 27. 28. 29. O King Agrippa beleeuest thou the c. The Humilitie of Paul Rom. 12. 1. 2. I beseech you therefore brethren c. A looking Glasse for Christians Rom. 12. 3. I say through the grace that is giuen c. Foode for new borne babes 1. Pet. 2. 2. As new borne babes desire the sincere c. The banquet of Iobs Children Iob. 1. 4. 5. And his Sonnes went and banqueted c. Satans compassing the Earth Iob. 1. 7. 8. Then the Lord sayd vnto Satan c. A Caueat for Christians 1. Cor. 10. 12. Let him that thinketh he standeth take c. To the Reader BEcause sicknesse hath restrained mee from preaching I am content to doe any good by writing Happie is that author which is instead of other that after his booke is read men need read no moe of that matter I go vpon a Theame which many haue trauersed before me prolixly or cursorily or barrenly If I haue performed by studie any more then the rest let my Reader iudge and giue glorie to him which teacheth by whome he wil What I haue endeuoured my selfe do feele and others know We are ignorant of many things for a few that we vnderstand but I haue bin alway ashamed that my writings shuld weigh lighter for want of paines which is the bane of printing and surfetteth the Reader Now I send thee like a Bee to gather hony out of flowers weeds Euery gardeÌ„ is furnished with others so is ours Read pray and meditate thy profit shall be little in any booke vnlesse thou read alone and vnles thou read all and record after as the Bereans did the sermons of Paul It is one of the births of my fainting therfore take it with a right hand and if thou find any thing that doth make thee better I repent not that others importunitie hath obtained it for thee Farewell As Iacob blessed his sonnes when he left them so now I must leaue my fruit to others I pray God to blesse it that it may bring forth fruit in other and be the sauour of life to all that reade it Thine in Christ H. S. THE EPISTLE TO THE TREATISE OF THE LORDS SVPPER IN the first sermon the aduersary is confuted In the second sermon the Communicants are prepared In both are manie obseruations and the wordes of the Text expounded Now labour for thy selfe as I haue laboured for thee I would haue thee profit somewhat more by this book because it hath weakened mee more then all the rest Farewell The principall contents of this Treatise THe cause of contracts before mariage 1 Three honors giuen of God to mariage 2 Three causes of mariage 9 Whether Ministers may marrie 12 Whether an olde man may marrie a young woman contra 13 Whether Protestants may marrie Papists 31 Whether children may marrie without Parents consent 31 Whether husbands may strike their wiues 44 Whether the vse of mariage be sinne 18 Whether mothers should nurse their Children 63 How children should be brought vp 64 Fiue markes in the choice of a husband or wife 26 The husbands duties 40 The wiues duties 47 Their duties to their seruants 56 Their duties to their children 62 Three examples of good parents 66 Of Stepmothers 67 Of Diuorcement 69 Other obseruations that fall in handling the parts MAriage the first ordinance of God and calling of men fol. 3 Christs first miracle at a mariage 4 Three mariages of Christ 4 By mariage the womans curse turned to two blessings 5 A note of Adams sleepe 6 Another application of the rib whereof was made the woman 7 The day of mariage counted the ioyfullest day in mans life 7 Fornicators like the diuell 12 No bastard prospered but Iephtah 12 A married Fornicator like a Gentleman theefe 13 A wife is the poore mans treasure wherein onely he matcheth the rich 16 Two spies for a wife discretion fancie 17 The wife must not onely be godly but fit 18
A memorable saying of one that light vpon a fit wife 20 The beginning of the ring in mariage 20 Why mariage doth come of Nuptiae 22 Maides must speake like an Eccho 24 A lesson for the married drawne from the name of wedding garment 33 The man and wife like Cock and Dam. 32 Mariage compounded of two loues 36 The best policy in mariage is to begin wel 37 They must learne one anothers nature 38 A sweet example teaching how couples shall neuer fall out 39 Man and wife like two partners 42 Abraham bid to leaue all but his wife 44 Why wiues are called huswiues 50 When the Man is away the wife must liue like a widow 52 Why a wife was called the contrary to a husband 52 The cause whie manie despise their Husbands Other obseruations Many obseruations vpon seruants 56 The master must correct his men mistresse her maides 62 Children like mediators betweene a man and his wife 63 Adulterie like the disease of Mariage and diuorcement like the remedie 70 Why adulterie should dissolue mariage more then any thing else 69 A sentence for the maried to thinke vpon 71 A PREPARATIVE TO MARIAGE YOu are come hither to be cōtracted in the Lord that is of two to be made one for as god hath knit the bones sinews togither for the strengthening of mens bodies so he hath knit mā womā togither for the strēgthening of their life because two are firmer thē one therfore when God made the woman for man he said I will make him a helpe shewing that man is stronger by his wife Euery mariage before it be knit should be cōtracted as it is shewed in Exo. 22. 16. Deu. 22. 28. which stay between the contract and the mariage was the time of longing for their affection to settle in because the deferring of that which we loue doth kindle the desire which if it came easilie and speedily vnto vs would make vs set lesse by it Therfore we read how Ioseph Marie were contracted before they were married In the contract Christ was conceiued and in the marriage Christ was borne that he might honor both estates virginity with his conception and mariage with his birth You are contracted but to be married therfore I passe from contracts to speake of marriage which is nothing else but a communion of life betweene man and woman ioyned together according to the ordinance of God First I will shew the excellencie of marriage then the institution of it then the causes of it then the choise of it then the duties of it and lastly the diuorcement of it Well might Paule say Marriage is honourable for God hath honoured it himselfe It is honorable for the author honorable for the time and honorable for the place Whereas all other ordinances were appointed of God by the hands of men or the hands of Angels mariage was ordained by God himself which cannot erre No man nor Angell brought the wife to the husband but God him selfe so marriage hath more honor of God in this then all other ordinances of God beside because he solemnized it himselfe Then it is honourable for the time for it was the first ordinance that God instituted euen the first thing which he did after man and woman were created and that in the state of innocencie before either had sinned like the finest flower which will not thriue but in a cleane ground Before man had anie other calling he was called to be a husband therefore it hath the honour of antiquitie aboue all other ordinances because it was ordained first and is the auncientest calling of men Then it is honourable for the place For whereas all other ordinances were instituted out of Paradise mariage was instituted in Paradise in the happiest place to signifie how happie they are that marrie in the Lord they do not onely marrie one another but Christ is married vnto them and so marriage hath the honour of the place aboue all other ordinances because it was ordained in Paradise As God the Father honoured marriage so did God the Sonne which is called the seed of the woman and therfore Marriage was so honored amongst women because of this seed that when Elizabeth brought foorth a sonne she sayd that God had taken away her rebuke counting it the honour of women to beare children and by consequence the honour of women to be married for the children which are borne out of mariage are the dishonor of women and called by the shamefull name of Bastards As Christ honoured Mariage with his birth so he honoured it with his miracles for the first miracle which Christ did he wrought at a mariage in Canaan where he turned their water into wine so if Christ be at your mariage that is if you marie in Christ your water shalbe turned into wine that is your peace and your rest and your ioy and your happinesse shall begin with your Mariage but if you marie not in Christ then your wine shall be turned into water that is you shall liue woorse hereafter then you did before As hee honoured it with miracles so hee honoured it with praises for he compareth the kingdome of God to a Wedding and he compareth holinesse to a wedding Garment And in the fifth of Cāticles he is wedded him selfe We reade in Scripture of three Mariages of Christ The first was when Christ and our nature met together The second is when Christ and our soule ioyne together The third is the vnion of Christ and his Chruch These are Christs three wiues As Christ honoured Mariage so do Christs Disciples for Iohn calleth the coniunction of Christ and the faithfull a Mariage And in the one and twentith of the Reuelation and ninth verse the Church hath the name of a Bride whereas Heresie is called an harlot Further for the honour of Mariage Paul sheweth how by it the curse of the woman was turned into a blessing for the womans curse was the paines which she should suffer in her trauaile Now by mariage this curse is turned into a blessing for children are the first blessing in all the Scripture And therefore Christ saith that so soone as the mother seeth a manchilde borne into the world shee forgetteth all her sorowes as though her curse were turned into a blessing And further Paul saith that by bearing of children if she continue in faith patience she shall be saued as though one curse were turned into two blessings For first she shall haue children and after she shall haue saluation What a mercifull God haue we whose curses are blessings So he loued our Parents when he punished them that he could scarce punish them for loue and therfore a comfort was folded in his iudgement To honour mariage more it is sayd that God tooke a
vnnaturall they may say thou followest thy mother for she was vnnaturall first in locking vp her brests from thee and committing thee forth like a Cuckow to be hatched in a Sparrowes nest Hereof it comes that we say He suckt euill from the dug that is as the Nurse is affected in her bodie or in her minde commonly the childe draweth the like infirmitie from her as the egges of a Henne are altered vnder the Hauke yet they which haue no milke can giue no milke But whose breastes haue this perpetuall drought Forsooth it is lyke the goute no beggers may haue it but Citizens or Gentlewomen In the ninth chapter of Hosea thy brestes are named for a curse what lamentable happe haue Gentlewomen to light vpon this curse more then other sure if their breasts be drie as they say they should fast and pray together that this curse migro be remoued from them The next dutie is Catechize a childe in his youth and he will remember it when he is olde This is the right blessing which fathers and mothers giue to their children when they cause God to blesse them too The wrong mother cared not though the childe were deuided but the right mother would not haue it deuided so wicked Parents care not though their children be destroied but godly parents would not haue them destroyed but saued that when they haue dwelt together in earth they may dwell together in heauen As the Midwife frameth the bodie when it is young and tender so the parents must frame the minde while it is greene and flexible for youth is the seed time of vertue They which are called fathers are called by the name of God to warne them that they are in stead of God to their children which teacheth all his sons What example haue children but their parents and sure the prouidence of God doth ease their charge more than they are aware for a childe will learne better of his father than of anie other And therefore wee read of no Schoolemaisters in the scripture but the Parents for when Christ saith to the Iewes If yee be the sonnes of Abraham yee will doe the workes of your Father Abraham he sheweth that sonnes vse to walke in their Fathers steppes whether they bee good or bad It is a maruellous delight to the father and mother when people say that their children are like them but if they be like them in godlinesse it is as great delight to other as to the parents or else we say that they are so like that they are the worse for it Well doth Dauid call children arrowes for if they be wel bred they shoote at their parents enemies and if they be euill bred they shoote at their parents Therefore many fathers want a staffe to stay them in their age because they prepared none before like olde Eli which was corrected himselfe for not correcting his sonnes Are not children called the fruite of their parents Therefore as a good tree is knowne by bringing foorth good fruite so parents should shewe their godlinesse in the education of their children which are their fruite For this cause the Iewes were wont to name their children so whē they were borne that euer after if they did but thinke vppon their names they would put them in mind of that religion which they should professe for they did signifie some thing that they should learne An admonition to such as call their children at all aduentures somtime by the names of dogs euen as they proue after In 1. Kings 2. 2. we haue Dauid instructing his sonnes In Gen. 39. Iacob correcting his sonnes and in Iob. 1. Iob praying for his sonnes These three put together instructing correcting praying make good children and happie parents Once Christ tooke a childe and set him in the midst of his disciples and sayd He which will receiue the kingdome of heauen must receiue it as a little childe shewing that our children should be so innocent so humble and voide of euill that they may be taken for examples of the children of God Therefore in Psalme 127. 4. children are called the heritage of the Lord to shew that they should be trained as though they were not mens children but Gods that they may haue Gods heritage after Thus if you doo your seruants shall be Gods seruants and your children shall be Gods children and your house shall be Gods house like a little Church when others are like a denne of theeues Now I speake to one which is a mother so soone as she is married therefore peraduenture you looke that I should shewe the dutie of stepmothers Their name dooth shewe them their duetie too for a stepmother doth signifie a stedmother that is one mother dieth and another commeth in her stead therefore that your loue may settle to those little ones as it ought you must remember that ye are their stedmother that is in sted of their mother and therefore to loue them and tender them and cherish them as their mother did She must not looke vpon them like Rehoboam who tolde his people that hee would be worse vnto them then his predecessour for then they will turne from her as his subiects did from him but she must come to them as Dauid came to the people after Saules death and sayd Though your master Saul be dead yet I will raigne ouer you so she must say to them though your mother be dead yet will I be a mother so the children will loue her asmuch as their father Further these children are orphanes and therefore you must not onely regarde them as children but as orphane children Now God requireth a greater care ouer widowes and Orphanes than ouer anie other women or children Lastly you must remember that saying As you measure vnto other so it shall be measured vnto you againe that is as you intreate these children so another may come after and intreat your children for he which hath taken away the first mother and sent you can take away the seconde mother and sende a third which shall not be like a stepmother to yours vnlesse you be like a stepmother to these If these duties bee performed in marriage then I neede not speake of Diuorcement which is the rod of mariage and diuideth them which were one flesh as if the bodie and soule were parted asunder But because all performe not their wedlocke vowes therfore hee which appointed mariage hath appointed diuorcement as it were taking our priuilege from vs when we abuse it As God hath ordained remedies for euery disease so he hath ordained a remedie for the disease of mariage The disease of marriage is adulterie and the medicine hereof is diuorcement Moses licensed them to depart for hardnesse of heart but Christ licenseth them to depart for no cause but adulterie If they might be separated for discord some
this day but thus it standes God hath sent vnto vs for our hearts and wee answere him as the husbands of the vineyard when he sent for fruites or as Nabal answered Dauid when he sent for food Who is Dauid or who is the Lord that I should take my heart from pleasure and sin and giue it vnto him Thus we demurre vpon the cause when we should giue whether we should giue or no and aske the flesh and our lusts and our pleasures and if the diuell will not giue his assent then wee returne an excuse it is not mine to giue or if thou canst get the diuels good will I will not stand or let sinne and pleasure haue it for a while and when they haue done with it then God shall haue it Thus euery thing which should be thrown out hath a place in our heart and he which should bee receiued in can haue no roome there though hee would open the doores of heauen if we would open the doores of our hearts that the King of glorie might come in What shall become of those hearts when he which craues them now shall iudge them hereafter Then shall they stand like Esau and see them blessed like Iacob which gaue their hearts and crie themselues as hee did to his father Isaac Hast thou not reserued a blessing for vs What a heauie heart will it bee then when it may not ioy any longer here and the ioyes of Heauen are shut agaynst it and hee which desired it will not haue it because it comes like the foolish Virgins when the doores of mercie are shut Thus ye haue heard what God requires for all that hee hath giuen you and how all your seruices are lost vntill you bring it What shall I wish you now before my departure I wish you would giue all your hearts to God while I speake that yee might haue a Kingdome for them Send for your hearts where they are wandering one from the Banke another from the Tauerne another from the Shop another frō the Theaters call them home and giue them all vnto God and see how hee will welcome them as the Father imbraceth his Sonne If your hearts were with God durst the Diuell fetch them durst those sinnes come at them Euen as Dina was defloured when she strayed from home so is the heart when it straieth from God Therefore call the members together and let them fast like a quest of twelue men vntill they consent vppon lawe before anie moe Tearmes passe to giue God his right and let him take the heart which hee wooeth which hee would marrie which hee would endowe with all his goods and make it the heyre of the crowne When you pray let your heart pray when you heare let your heart heare when you giue let your heart giue whatsoeuer you doe set the heart to doe it and if it be not so perfect as it should bee yet it shalbe accepted for the friend that giues it Now if you cannot command your hearts to turne vnto God because the diuell pleades custome and the flesh will not agree to leaue her possessions then remember what Christ saith When ye giue almes let not your left hand know what the right hand doth so the flesh must not knowe what the spirite doth Thou must not make thy lusts of counsel but as Abraham when hee was bid to offer his sonne rose vp betime and left his wife at home and neuer made Sarah priuie lest she should stop him being more tender ouer her childe like women than the father is so thou must giue thy heart to God before the flesh heare of it for if Abigaile had consulted with Nabal whether she shuld haue supplied Dauid with victuals or no when he sent the miser would neuer haue giuen his consent which scolded so soone as he heard of it therefore she went alone and gaue that which hee asked and neuer tolde her husband what shee would doe lest hee should hinder her which sought her welfare and his too so wee should steale our harts from the world as the world stole them from vs and transport them to God when the flesh is a sleepe I haue but one daye more to teach you all that you must learne of me therefore I would holde you heere vntill you assent to giue all your hearts to God If ye giue them not now where haue I cast the seede and how haue ye heard all this yeare If ye will giue them now ye shall bee adopted this daye the sonnes of God and I shall leaue you in the bosome of Christ which will giue you heauen for your hearts The Lord Iesu graunt that my wordes bee not the sauour of death vnto my soule here but that you may goe in strength thereof through prosperitie and aduersitie till you heare that comfort from heauen Come ye blessed and receiue the inheritance prepared for you FINIS THE TRVE TRIAL OF THE SPIRITES To the Reader TWo things we are apt to forget Gods benefites and our sinnes for the first the Lord saith I haue loued you and they say Wherein hast thou loued vs For the second hee saith Ye haue despised me and they say Wherein haue we despised thee THE TRVE TRIAL OF THE SPIRITES 1. Thess 5. 19 c. 19 Quench not the spirit 20 Despise not prophecying 21 Trie all things and keepe that which is good 22 Abstaine from all appearance of euill AT the last time which I spake of these wordes In all things giue thanks Quench not the Spirit Touching the first I shewed you that it is an easier thing to obtaine of God than to bee thankfull to him for moe haue gone away speeders than haue gone away thankers Then how the wicked are beholding to God as well as the iust and therfore it is sayd that the Sunne doth shine vpon the iust and the vniust Then how Iacob came not so barely to Laban when he brought nothing with him but his staffe in his hand as man commeth into this worlde without strength or staffe to sustaine him which made the Apostle to aske What haue you which you haue not receiued Therefore to teach man to be thankfull vnto his maker hee was not made in Paradise the place of ioy and happines but being made out of Paradise hee was brought into Paradise to shew how all his ioy and happines came from God and not from nature that he might know where to bestow his thankes Therefore Dauid to perswade all men vnto thankfulnesse saith It is a good and pleasant thing to be thankfull If he had sayd no more but good all which loue goodnesse were bound to be thankful but when he saith not onely good but pleasant too all which loue pleasure are bounde to be thankfull and therefore as Peters mother in lawe so soone as Christ healed her of a feauer rose vp immediatly to
First heere is to bee noted that amongst the blessings of Iob his children are reckoned first so soone as the holy Ghost was past his spirituall blessings which he mentioneth in the first verse of all before all his other blessings landes and houses and goods and cattell and friends and seruants hee speakes of his children as the chiefest treasure which Iob had next vnto his vertues although hee was counted the greatest man for riches and cattels and all things else in all the east parts 3. verse Therefore the Diuell when hee had taken away all his other riches tooke away his children last of al trying him as it were by degrees as if he should say I haue a greater plague for him yet if the loosing of his goods and stealing of his cattell and burning of his houses and slaying of his seruauntes will not moue him yet I know what will rowse him when his children are all feasting together I will raise a mighty wind and blow downe the house vppon their heads and kill euery sonne daughter which he hath at a clap Indeed this newes frighted him forest as appeareth in the 20. verse his patience was so great that when they brought him word of his oxen camels and asses and sheepe he neuer shrinked we doe not reade that he made any answer as though he cared not for thē but whē he heard that his deare children seuen sonnes and three daughters after he had brought thē vp to ripe yeares were slaine all at once then the story saith that he rose vp from his seat and rent his garments and shaued his head and fell downe to the ground and cryed Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne againe So euen the diuell knoweth what a man loueth and what a blessing it is to haue children therefore when God commaunded the man and the woman to increase and multiply it is saide before that God blessed them Gen. 1. 28. which was the first blessing that was giuen to man which is called a blessing The blessing of children Againe when God spake the same words to Noah his sonnes it is said before that God blessed Noah his sons Gen. 9. 4. so children came still vnder the name of blessing Thus God himself sheweth that children are his gifts to make you thankfull for them and carefull of them as Iob was And therefore some men haue more riches and some lesse some none because it is the blessing of God as Salomon saith which maketh rich Pro. 10. 22. so some men haue many children some few some none because it is the blessing of God as Dauid saith which sendeth children Psal 128. But this is the difference betweene temporall blessings and spirituall blessings that spirituall blessings are simplie good and therefore doe all men good that enioy them as faith and loue and patiēce can neuer hurt a man but better him and temporall blessings are as he which hath them to good man riches are good honors are good health is good libertie is good because he doth good with them but to an euil man they are euill because they make him worse and he doth euill with them as Ieroboam had not done so much hurt if he had not been in such honour Therefore we pray for health and wealth and honour and rest and libertie and life with a caution If it bee Gods will As Christ praied for the remouing of his crosse because we knowe not whether they be good or euill whether they will make vs better or worse or whether wee shall doe good with them or hurt Thus when Iob had his cattell and his houses and his friends and his seruants and his children about him hee was like the man of whom Dauid speakes The righteous man shall flourish like a palme tree Psalm 91. 13. Therefore the diuell sayd that God had made an hedge about Iob. vers 10. As an hedge goeth round about a garden so Gods blessings went round about Iob according to that Psal 33. 10. Him which trusteth in the Lord mercie shall embrace on euery side Thus Iob was endowed with children but how his children were affected we cannot define so well as of their father because the holie Ghost saith nothing of them but that they banquetted which doth sound as though he noted a disparagement betweene Iob and his sonnes as there was betweene Ely and his sonnes for oftentimes a godly father hath vntoward children which make him watch and fast and pray weepe when they little think while they themselues ruffle and sweare and banquet and game till pouertie fall on their purses as the house fell vpon their heads so it seemes that Iobs sonnes were secure vpon their fathers holines as many are vpon their fathers husbandrie which thinke the olde man hath enough for vs we need not care to get or saue so they might thinke Our father sacrificeth for vs wee may feast and be merrie his deuotion will serue for vs he is an olde man let him pray and GOD will heare him One Lot is enough in an house but if Iob had bred vp his sonnes so God would not haue commended him but rebuked him as he did Ely Therfore this is not spoken against Iobs sons that they banquetted as it is spoken against the Israelites that they sate them downe to eate and rose vp to play For first it is not like that hee which was so cōmēded of God that he said No man was like him vpon the earth vers 8. would not teach his children in their youth as he prayed for them after Agayne if they had been Epicures and Libertines and beazlers GOD would not haue heard his prayer for them no more then he would heare Samuels prayer for Saul Agayne if they had despised that GOD which their father worshipped hee would neuer haue sayd as hee saith It may bee that my sonnes haue blasphemed God as though some fault might scape them by ignorance or rashnes but he would haue sayd My sonnes are blasphemers and therefore I must punish them For that which the lawe sayd against blasphemers after that Iob vnderstoode by the lawe of conscience written in his heart as Paul sayth Rom. 2. 15. Agayne if they had vsed theyr feasts for theyr lusts like them which say Let vs eate and drinke for to morrowe wee shall dye it had beene vayne for Iob to speake to them of sanctification for they would not haue sanctified themselues at his bidding But it is sayde that before Iob offered sacrifice for them they were sanctified that is they considered the faults which they had committed and repented for them and reconciled themselues then Iob sacrificed for them Again if their feasts had been surfetings and disorders like our Wakes and Reuels Iob should haue forbidden their feasts not praied God to pardon their sinnes which they committed in feasting suffer them to sinne still for that were to mock God