from man it is damnable to reb God for the thest is so much the greater by how 〈◊〉 God is greater then man and spiritual riches better then temporall Let Dauid be brought foorth for the condemnation of these which concludeth that it is a greater sinne to robbe a poore man then a rich Where Dauid concludeth that hee that had stollen the poore mans sheppe should die you may apply it thus Man is rich God is poore for man hath six dayes allowed him God but one what a shame is it then to steale that one day from God and to appropriate the same to our owne pleasure O great ingratitude that cannot be content to allowe that vnto God which cost thee nothing what wouldest thou doe if it should cost the somewhat hauing sixe dayes canst thou not finde in thy heart to let God haue that one day that hee hath reserued to himselfe What wouldest thou doe if God had taken sixe to himselfe and giuen thee but one yet euen then it had beene a sinne to haue taken any part of those daies from him hen much more now Sinne is tollerable in none and lesse tollerable in some The poore hath no law to prophane the Saboath much lesse the rich These are rich if not too rich and what neede haue veluet coates to steale the Saboath or any part thereof from God These are silken theeues and rather then they will abate any thing the Saboath shall goe to wracke God shall be dishonoured and his word despised If I should tell you that there were man slaughter euery Saboath day in the Exchange you would abhorre it but I say vnto you there is worse for the Saboath day is broken a greater sinne then murther But these will appologise for themselues that it is after they haue beene at the Church well grant it be so yet tell me whether that be not a breach of the law to wound a man though he kill him not or to couzen by craft though he robbe not by force or to lust though the adultery be not committed So then I conclude though we prophane not the whole day yet if any part thereof be prophaned it is a breach of the precept And that it may appeare so turne your considerations to that of Esay Wherein the Lord teacheth vs two things 1. negatiuely a. affirmatiuely Negatiuely he doth dehort vs from two things the one is externall that we should doe no actions belonging to this temporall life either of profit or of pleasure saying Turne away thy foote and speake no vaine word Thus as he doth prohibite the externall prophanation of it so he doeth the internall prophanation also Namely that we should not thinke our owne thoughts And affirmatiuely he commaundeth the sanctifying of the Saboath saying if thou turne away thy foote one the Saboath from doing thine owne will on mine holy day and call the Saboah a delight to consecrate it as glorious to the Lord and shalt honour him not doing thine owne wayes nor seeking thine owne will nor speaking a vaine word That you may see the greatnes of this sinne note how the holy Ghost makes this the marke and period of a wicked man Then the land shall enioy her Saboaths Hereby shewing that the wicked are ripe in their wickednesse when they beginne to prophane the Saboath With this compare the saying of Amos. Though they were wicked and cruell and greedy after gaine in the selling of their wares yet would they stay till the Saboath was past Hereby shewing that the breach of the Saboath is a greater sinne then the destruction of the poore You will say that these are strangers that haue their inambulation in the Exchange Well it is so and what of that shall they haue a tolleration thereby to prophane the Saboath Remember that God made one lawe for the Iewe and the stranger and by my consent if they will not be obedient to our law they should haue no benefit by it but I must leaue them to authoritie I haue almost done with the subiect there is but one field more But how is my heart oppressed with sudden passion to transport you into this fielde sowne with a shewe of puritie a hot profession of religion and I hope also with vprightnesse of heart yet there are dangerous teares of murmuration that are ready to choake this good corne and of necessitie must be plowed vppe I speake not this to dull the edge of your profession but rather to sharpen your loue and to ripen your iudgement in true godlinesse For non auditores sed factores legis not the hearers of the lawe shall bee iustified but the doers nec eadem profitentes sed eidem obedientes not professors but performers shall bee glorified Thinke not that I am so far void of charity to condemne these as hypocriticall mocke-gods that altogether run out of the way but steppe aside with one foote whereas they should turne neither to the right hand nor to the left Giue me leaue to say as the holy Ghost saith to the Church of Ephesus I knowe thy workes thy labour and thy patience and thy faith I knowe these haue the fruite of the spirit they are diligent to heare the word conscionable to keepe the Sabbaoth vsing holy exercises in their samilies and hauing a great measure of prayer the Lord increase it an hundred fould more then it is Yet I haue somewhat against them They are too vnnaturall children speaking euill of their mother and those that are in authoritie darting forth male volent speeches slanders and imputations against the gouernours and gouernment both of our Church and common-wealth and disgorging themselues to the great scandall of Religion and griefe to our Clergie Shall the poyson of aspes bee found vnder your tongues you that should defend vs by your speech to offend vs in your words One blowe of you Israelites wounds vs deeper then an hundred stripes of the Edomites If it had beene our enemines that had done vs this dishonour we could well haue endured the same But it is you O professors I that haue lifted vp your hilles against vs. O let me say as God saide by Hosea Though Israel play the Harlot yet let not Iuda sinne Though Papistes seeke to blowe vs vp the Brownistes to forsake vs the Deuill to tempt vs the flesh to rebell the world to allure and the wicked to perfecute vs yet let not zealous professors reuile vs let not Iehosephat ioyne with Ahab and take part with the enemies of the Lord least a curse follow It seemes strange vnto me to see how our endeuours are rewarded with vngratefulnesse Be we learned eloquent powerfull zealous painefull and godly in life yet all our labours are requited with a depart from vs we know you not Why Because we are conformalists so that one herbe of this kinde shall spoyle the whole pot of pottage Our conformitie to established orders shall dull the edge
vncleannesse This by our Lord is called adultery whose word wee may take for currant and from this kinde of adultery there are few free Many are restrained from the outward acte partly by outward shame and partly sor seare of pumshment This is a secret kind of adultery which no man ees but God For the heart of man is deepe and who kuowes it ani ithouah choker lib yet I the Lord searcheth the bea rt finding out this socret adultery which there seldome stayes but as Lis minimis verbis interdum maxima crescit Of small wordes sometime ariseth great contention Euen so of inward motion ariseth carnall copulation Ex paruo initio res magna oritur From a small biginning ariseth a great matter Secondly it is committed in the behauiour countenance lookes and attire which is so reckoned by the Lord himselfe Thou hast a whorish behauiour Ne dicatis vos habere animos pudices sihabeatis oculot impudicos saith Augustine Say not that you haue modest and chaste affections if you haue vnchaste and wanton eyes Habitus mentis in corporis statu cernitur The condition of the minde is seene in the state of the bodies as Ambrose obserues There is a liuely example of this of Tamer that attired her selfe in some wanton attire whereby she drew Iuda to sinne whereby it appeares that wanton habit is a load-stone to drawe men to lust Geradas of Lacedemonia being demanded of his hoast what paine adulterers suffered at Sparta made this answere O hospes nemo apud nos fit adulter neque fieripotest O hoast there is none adulterer among vs neither can there be any for we neuer come at any Comedies or any other Playes nor in company with any wanton attired persons Hereby shewing that this wanton gefture is a kinde of adultery Sophocles beholding the beautie and behauiour of one was rebuked of Pericles for it in this manner Praetoris est non solum manus a pecuniae lucro sed etiam occulos a libidino so aspectu continentes habere Not onely the bandes of him that is a Pretor ought to refraine from lucre of money but also the eyes to bee continent from wanton lookes Yet this kinde of adultery is common with vs of this land Such painting the face laying out the breasts frisling abroade the haire and casting aside the eye All which wanton trickes are no lesse then the sinne of adultery De adulterio vultiu meditantur adulterium castitatis By the adulterating of the countenance they meditate the adulterating of chastitie saith Ambrose Thirdly adultery is committed by wanton wordes luxurious songs vnchast speeches and filthy ribaldrie whereby the hearers are infected and their owne lust inflamed All which are condemned by the Apostle and from which he much dehorteth Let no corrupt communication proceeds out of your mouthes And in the 3. Ephesians ver 4. he saith the like Neither filthinesse nor foolish talking nor lesting which are things not comely The last branch of this adultery is carnall copulation the highest steppe of this sinne There is yet another field sowne with the seede of vipers Brokers that liue by extortion lending money vpon pawnes whose customes are monstrous and such as to finde among men improbable and I thinke among Christians impossible Onely I suppose among deuils incarnate the like is to bee found I haue heard them called the deuils nearest kinsemen and so as verely I beleeue it The vermine of the earth the corruption of nature and bred like monsters It is not long time since this viperous generation sprung vp I hope authoritie will take an order to cut them downe before it be long If I shou'd report vnto you their common vsurie you would hardly beleeue me And yet if I should not tell you I should offend What I speake is not by relation but by mine owne experience Their accustomed manner in their trading is after a good pawne deliuered to take for interest eight pence a moneth for a pound their bill of sale which is foure perce to them must bee renued euery moneth so that the vse of twentie shillings comes to thirteene shillings by the yeere So after this reckoning an hundred pound comes to threescore and fine pound in the yeere This is monstrous extortion besides this the Register hath a fee which the borrower payes and commonly they lend but halse the worth and gaine the rest to themselues in the forseit of the pawne Are not these then the vipers of the world goawing off the flesh from the poore mans boanes robbe their estates grinde their saces and sucke their bloods No matuell if there bee so many poore in this land when Salirbury-plaine is come so neere I will not accuse them though I shroudly misdoubt them that they are little better then theeues For what difference is betweene them that breake the house and those that receiue the goods the one sort robbes priuately and the other robbes publikely or as I may say the one by craft and the other by violence and force God concluded that the image-maker and the image-worshipper were both as one and I thinke there is no more difference betweene a thiefe and a Broker then as Seneca saith is betweene a lyer and a flatterer both speake an vntrueth To vse the Logitians rule Whatsoeuer is the cause of a cause is also the cause of the thing caused The Broker makes sale of clothes and the thiese seeing such good sale of clothes makes the more hast to steale as the prouerbe is If there were none to receiue there would be none to steale What makes the thiese to steale so sast Because hee can presently put them off to the Broker and the Broker can as quickly metamorphise them into some other fashion And now tell me whether the broker be not a thiese Yes sure though not equally palpable yet equally culpable theeues Hence came that saying A crafty knaue needes no Broker as if a Broker were worse then a knaue Then iudge you what hee is Some of them are gone to Tyborne a fruit of their calling And I wish the rest to giue ouer or amend lest they follow after There is yet another tough piece of fallow ground and much adoe there will beeto plow it vp because it brings such profit as it doth being as it is This fielde is sowen with no lesse then beaten Satten whether merchants or no I cannot tell but I am sure they are Exchange-walkers that walke there for a bootie to exchange their soules for a little of Mammons inheritance that a man may almost with as much case goe thorow Westminster-hall gate in the Terme time as thorow the Exchange betweene the houres of eleuen and twelue on the Sabbaoth day Is this a time to receiue vineyards fields money and garments Is this a time to talke of your 〈◊〉 to hearken after newes exchange commodities and conferre of worldly matters Surely if it be death to steale
of our endeuours I know that you will cut and slash me in your censures as meate to the cauldron yet Dicatur veritas rumpatur inuidia Let trueth be spoken and enuie burst her gall We had neede to doe by and with you as the little children did with Minerua the goddesse so esteemed by them that ruled the memorie the storehouse of discipline and of wisedome which children at this Mineruaes feast vsed to carrie new yeeres gifts to their masters making play dayes of the same to the seruice of the Goddesse whereof came this verse of Ouid Pallida nunc pueri tenerique or note puella qui bene placarit Pallida doctus erit Now Pallas Temple youth and damsels fill He that can please her shall haue mit at will Desire we your good commendations e yea we would but then wee must shew our selues refractary to established orders wrangle about formes and shadowes and shoote squibbes in the ayreat those that are in authority then we shall please you and our doctrine shal be embraced Otherwise we cannot purchase your fauour for your Motto is Wee loue such preaching But let vs see if there bee any iust cause of your calumniations which if there be it will appeare either in doctrine discipline or manners First that it may appeare that there is none in doctrine obserue these three points following First that it must be from God that is The doctrine vpon which we build our saluation must be such as God hath preseribed vnto his Church For Cursed are they that adde thereunto as is manifest by our Lord In vaine they worship mè teaching for doctrine the precepts of mens yea if an Angel should preach any other doctrine then that which God hath deliuered let him bee accursed No doctrine goes currant in the ballance of the Sanctuary but such as comes fró the bosome of the Father Then iudge if the Church of England doth erre or no fró this point namely retaining that doctrine and only that doctrine which God hath prescribed We doe not like the Papists teach you to build your faith vpon vnwritten verities Secondly as it must be from God so it must be compleat that is the whole will of God must be vsed in the Church For the whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to conuince and to instruct in righteousnesse That the man of God may be perfect to euery good worke For not one syllable of Gods word must be kept backe And in this the Church of England cleareth her selfe as in the former not keeping backe any part of Gods word from the Church but freely teaching and giuing liberty vnto prosessors wholly to enioy it Indeed if we should with the Church of Rome locke vp the word in an vnknowen tongue or steale part out from it as they doe the second Commandement we were then iustly to bee accused Thirdly and lastly it must bee rightly ordered which the Church of England obserues For wherein doeth our Church offend in this For we teach Gods loue the primary cause of our saluation Christ his obedience and suffering to be the materiall cause and faith the instrumental cause Againe we teach first Election then Calling then Iustification then Glorification Therefore if there be the same which God commanded and all that God commanded and also ordered according to his will then the Church of England is not to be condemned nor refused for any thing in the doctrine thereof Seeing you haue no iust cause to complaine in regard of doctrine let vs see if there bee any in the discipline and gouernment thereof To that end that wee may perceiue this point the clearer we will obserue the discipline in three branches first diuine secondly necessary thirdly indifferent First diuine gouernment of discipline is such an order as is set downe by God in his word as Prayer the Sacraments the excommunicating of wicked persons gathering of almes for the poore and Ministers and Elders for the gouernement of the Congregation c. All which are practised in the Church of England yet they obiect that the Sacraments are not obserued as Christ instituted them For there is added the surplesse kneeling the crosse and the like But to these I answere thus First the time when Christ commaunded or ordeined these in the Church the Church was not then established and confined to any place and therefore orders could not be ordained before the Church was established Secondly they may be answered thus Christ did not say as oft as yee obserue these orders yee shew the Lords death but as oft as ye eate of this bread and drinke of this cup setting downe the subiect and leauing the ordering of it vnto the Church touching outward ceremonies Thirdly it may bee answered thus The Church hath not appointed these ceremonies as any parts of the Sacraments For then they could not bee Sacraments but when they should bee so deliuered and so receiued But now to shew that these outward ceremonies are no parts of the Sacraments They are administred sometimes with them and sometimes without them at the discretion of the Ministers And besides this obserue that when any are of this opinion that these are not lawfull Sacraments without the ceremonies that then these are denied the ceremonies though they hauc the Sacrament to the end they may know these ceremonies to be no part of diuine discipline for if they were they could not nor might be omitted In the next place behold that discipline which wee call necessary that is the vse of such things as God hath not commanded and yet they are needfull and warrantable by consequence from the word of God As for example wee haue no commandement for the manner or for me of consecrating the Sacraments yet it is necessarie that they should bee consecrated Moreouer what commandement haue wee for a forme of prayer yet it is necessary otherwise there would be a confusion in the Church Againe what commandement haue we for the buriall of the dead yet it is necessary that there should be some forme vsed that there may be some distinction betweene the buriall of Christians and dogges Of this nature are Te Deum laudamus after the first Lesson and Benedictus after the second And likewise Magnificat and Nunc demittis Also the Collects and Churching of women and the like which albeit God hath not set downe by way of precept yet they are needfull and cannot be omitted Lastly behold that discipline which wee call indifferent that is the vse of such things as may be vsed or omitted it being no vertue to vse them nor any vice to omit them Such are the Surplesse the Crosse in Baptisme kneeling at the Communion wearing a white cloth to be Churched and sestiuall dayes which things may be done or omitted as occasions may serue The Church of England doeth not like the Church of Rome tye the conscience to the
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
ensue a great happinesse according to that true saying of the Poet Virgil Foelix quipotuitrerum cognoscere causas O blessed hee and excellent that knowes the cause of each euent Thus for our conclusion of this branch obserue that such as are truely plowed by the word and Spirit of God are dead tosinne and sinne in them for they that are Ghrists haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Likewise the same Apostle saith If Christ be in you the bodie is dead because of sinne but the spirit is life for righteousnesse sake If you will haue an example of this that further it may be manifested turne your eyes vnto there of the Acts 18. 19. verses Many that beleeued came and confessed and shewed their workes Many also of them that vsed curious arts brought their bookes and burned them before all men and they counted the price of them and found it fifty thousand pieces of siluer If you aske a reason of it it is from the power of grace which is able to subdue the power of Sathan For Sathan sinne the flesh and the world can but make a finite power but wee are protected with an infinite power Greater is hee that is in you then hee which is in the word Therefore whosoeuer is borne of God doth not sinne neo potest peccare neither can sinne O excellent gift as one affirmes being donum omnium donorum maximum A gift excelling all gifts Augustine vpon this hath this obseruation Before the law we do not fight vnder the law we fight and are ouercome vnder grace wee fight and ouercome For wee are more then conquerers in Iesus Christ. It is a thing common with the Physicians to driue and purge out a lesser poyson by a stronger as we dayly see a lesser light extinguished by the greater The Sunne puts out the light of the Moone and the power of Gods grace puts cut the power of sinne Thus when the stronger man gets into the house bindes the master and spoyles him of his goods God is the stronger man his grace is the influence which comes downe from heauen to helpe vs in the midst of our conflicts Much like the elements that helped 〈◊〉 in his battell so that he got the victory whereof Claudian sung O nimium dilecte Deo cuimilitat aether Et coniurati veninut ad classica venti O Gods beloued when power aeriall And winds came armd to helpe when thou doest call Let not slip your consideration without obseruation where sinne liues and thriue there all goodnesse withers and dies Dauid put sorth a question Lord let me know mine age and the number of my dayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I haue to liue So many doe say Lord let me know mine estate whether I belong to thee or no. And now I answere as the Frenchman did the Scots and the Irish which of long time had been at controuersie for a piece of ground to which nation it should belong The controuersie was to bee ended by the said Frenchman in this maner Put said he thereinto Serpents and Snakes If they die it belongeth to Ireland but if they liue it belongeth to Scotlands Thus the contiouersie was ended So in like maner if sinne liues and thriues in you you belong to Sathan but if it wither and die then you belong to God So our Lord teacheth vs Matt. 7. 16. You shall know them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by their fruits Thus here is an end of this branch Lastly the terrene plow makes the earth more fit for the seede Euen so doeth the tearing of the heart by true repentance makes it the more apt to embrace the mercie of God The thid part THus we haue gone thorow the subiect and the propertie of the worke now followes the proprietie of the persons lacaem your committing this worke to euery particular person Obserue that all men are agents in their faith repentance contrition and saluation Plowe vp your falowe ground your owne falowe As God saide to Ierusalem Wash thy heart O Ierusalem and by the Prophet Ioel Scindite corda vestrum Rent your hearts So I say vnto you wash and rent your owne hearts for if you will not lay to your helping hand they are neuer like to bee cleane God in the time of the Lawe commanded that lie which should offer an offering was to put his hand vpon the head of it Heb. 3. 2. Hereby shewing that we must haue a hand with God in euery part and worke of regenetation He that made without thee will not instifie thee without thee He made thee without thy knowledge and doth instifie thee with thy consent Therefore said Christ If you will find seeke If you will receiue then aske For no seeking no finding no asking no receiuing God proclaimes not Ho euery one that is athirst I will bring him water But Ho euery one that is athirst let him come and fetch water Supper is made ready by our Lord all things are prepared at his owne cost and charges and when it was ready hee said not goe carie it to these men but goe bid them come in and eate it Herevnto tend the words of Paul Worke out your saluation with feare and trembling And Peter also saith Make your calling and election sure Sure it is with God not with vs vntill then Worthily doth that sieke person perish that calleth not for the Physician but refuseth him comming of his owne accord vnto him Man by the ordinance of God is appointed an agent for his owne saluation For the subiect of faith repentance and contrition are in vs not in God Indeed God is the efficient cause the word the instrumental cause but our hearts willes and affections the materiall cause that is subiectum conuersionis the subiect of conuersion as the schoolmen define the fanie Delor est in corde Sorrow is in the heart Fuga est in voluntate Flying is in the will and that with purpose not to commit sinne any more Auertio est in corde voluntate a malo ad bonum The turning is in the heart and will from euill vnto that that is good still the subiect is in vs and so we must needes be agents For wee are not like a piece of waxe that receiues no impression but what is put into it being meerely pasaiue but actiue as formerly hath been shewed And to adde the sentence of Aristotle Nemo voleus malus nec inuitus foelix No man is euill with his will nor any man is happie against his will In thy mouth and heart is the cause of saluation saith Chrysostomes that is the 〈◊〉 use and subiect as hath beene sayd And as the subiect is in vs so euery man is best acquainted with his owne heart which other men is not able to know for What man knoweth the things of a man saue the spirit of a man which is in him it is a
good to obey God and God knew the kingdome too good for him He rent his Obligiens from God and God the Crowne from him Is it good for the vessell of dust to encounter with the arme of omnipotency The potte with the potter Sine percutiat sine percutiatur franginecesse est whether it strike or be strocken it must needs be broken When the Centurian came to Christ for the healing of his seruant he seemed to illustrate this point by an argument taken from himselfe I am a man of authorine I say to one come and he commeth to another goe and he goeth out of which words he frames an argument thus If men haue that prerogatiue to commaund and ordaine lawes then much more God But men haue a prerogatiue to doe the same Ergo God hath prerogatiue and power to command And after this manner God himselfe reasons if you feare to offend the 〈◊〉 of your Prince Then you ought to feare to offend against my commaund But it is true you feare to offend his commaund Ergo You ought to feare to offend my precepts Therefore let vs doe as Soloman saide heare the ends of all feare God and keepe his commaundements For hee is a great and dreadfull God clothed with maiesty the splender of whose glory is tenne thousand times more bright then the Sunne at the sight of whose maiestie the Angels tremble the Heauens melt away like waxe the mountaines smoke the foundations of the earth are mooued and the floods are dried vp and wilt not thou feare to disobey this great and glorious God whose name is wonderfull his iustice infinite his power omnipotent his wisedome vnsearchable his knowledge from eternitie to eternitie and his iudgements intollerable endlesse and remedilesse But if this great and glorious Iehouah which commaunds the sonnes of men to direct their wayes by his word will not serue to perswade you then let the necessity thereof perswade you hereunto for as Peter saide of the name of Iesus so I say of the word there is no other thing that can direct and shewe vs how to walke aright For nihil est 〈◊〉 vel stabile in rebus humanis nothing is firme and stable in humane things Therefore I say with Christ to the Rabbin which asked him saying what shall I doe to be saued in lege quid Scriptum est quomodo legis what is written in the lawe how readest thou for herein is read the righteousnesse of God from faith to faith That is ex fide veteris testementi in fidem noui as Origin obserues from the faith of the olde Testament to the faith of the newe So Chrysostome and this agrees with that of Paul The lawe was our schoolemaster to bring vs to Christ. The olde shewed a Mosias to come the newe sheweth that he is come or as Ambrose saith Ex fide promittentis Dei infidem hominis Credentis From the faith of God promising to the faith of man beleeuing That is the Scriptures doe shew how God giueth and bestoweth his blessings and also how wee are to embrace them God promiseth and man beleeues or as Augustine saith ex fide Praedicantium in fidem andientium from the faith of the Preachers to the faith of the hearers So saith the Apostle faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God preached We preach you beleeue wee teach and you must obey Or ex fide praesentium in fidem futurerum from the faith of things present to the faith of things to come shewing how to liue in the kingdome of grace that hereafter we may enioy the kingdome of glory So doeth the Apostle teach vs saying whatsoeuer is written is written for our learning that we by them might haue hope and consolation of future ioyes For this is that which is able to make a man perfect vnto euery good worke If now you shall demaund of mee wherewith shall a man redresse his wayes I answere with Dauid by taking heede to the word of the Lord for that is the true guide to the kingdome of glory If Gods word the word of righteousnesse be the marke whereat we mustayme then I see fewe hitte the white some shoote wide with the Idolaters some ouer with the proude and ambitious some to lowe with the couetous others too short with their halfe turnes so that as Dauid said they are all gone out of the way non est qui faciat bonum non est usquae ad vnum there is none that doeth good no not one They eate vncleane things in Ashur and oyle is caried into Egypt but woe to such as goe into Ashur or downe to Egypt and haue not asked counsell of Gods word The formest of this cursed crue is the whore of Rome with all her English calues which hath stollen trueths garment to couer errors nakednesse her seuerall names prefigured out her manifold errors She is called a beast Antichrist 〈◊〉 Prophet a whore and multorum 〈◊〉 num sed non boni many names but neuer a good name Of whom I will demaund this one thing whether she be able to maintaine her wayes by the word of God or no If not then as it hath beene saide so is it still Rome is a whore and all those pretended Catholikes bastards begotten in the bed of adultery First let them tell me by what authoritie from the word of God they keepe the word of saluation lockt vp in an vnknowne tongue from the people yea they haue warrant for what they doe and marke it well First the word is the cause of errors and heresies as they say therefore not fit to be knowne Whereas indeede the want of it is rather the cause of errors as the trueth it selfe saith whom wee will belecue before them doe ye not erre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because ye know not the Scriptures And Dauid compareth them to a lanthorne to light our pathes if the light thereof be hid how can they profit vs for still we are ready to stumble at euery error and fall into euery heresie Therefore saith Peter Wee haue a most sure word to the which yee doe well that yee take heede as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place But it seemes these men will bee wiser then God but God shall make it manifest to their confusion that they are fooles Secondly the people cannot vnderstand the word of God when it is translated Ergo it ought not to be translated at all whereas the translation of them is the way to vnderstand them and vnderstanding the way to get faith and faith the way to heauen But why doeth not the wise lesuite reason as well against saluation it selfe thus Man is not able though hee haue the meanes to saue himselfe ergo it is not fit hee should haue the meanes at all And now who will not laugh at such an argument Augustines saying shall end this Why are
was with the Athenians For the more good they did know the lesse they did But Scire tuum nihil est nisi te scire hoc sciat alter Thy knowledge is nothing vnlesse another man know that thou hast knowledge Fiftly it is fitly compared vnto sowing because the best seede is to bee put into the ground to teach man what seede of obedience to sowe namely the best And to shew the same God commanded in the Law they should offer the best of all their cattell and without blemish It is not the sowing but the good sowing that brings this haruest of happinesse For the husbandman knowes if he should cast bad seede into the earth that either it would not spring vp or being sprung vp it would come to bee lanke and emptie corne So if wee sowe seede which is not good it will die and perish or if it doesping vp to giue vs any comfort it is vnitable and vanishing Therefore our seede must be such as that it will endure the earth vndergoe the stormes and boisterous weather When the merchant sets his shippe to the sea hee lookes that it be sound within and without and able to endure the weather or else shee is neuer like to returne home againe but with losse Would a Christian send forth his seede of obedience let it bee good that it may endure all weathers otherwise it will hardly returne againe and if it doe it will bee with a broken conscience and a weather beaten spirit God commanded the Tabernacle to be made of the best stones wood gold and other things and the best spices for ointments principally to teach the people that their obedience must be of the best sort Answerable hereunto was that of Marie who brought oyntment and that very costly to anoint Christ Shee knew she ought to obserue the custome of the Law in bringing the best as strictly should wee obserue and performe this duety in sowing the best obedience For it will be more glorious vnto God and with greater profit returne againe vnto our selues Here I cannot but condole and wish mine eyes to weepe day and night for the seede of our dissembling Protestants who like the Grecians speake much and do little They beleeue as Christians but liue as Pagans ciuile in speach rude in their manners The name of God is in their tongues but the feare of God is not in their hearts The Papists call vs Solifideans but our workes doe declare vs rather Nolifideans for the more we knowe the lesse good we doe we frie in words and freeze in deedes speake by elles and worke by inches changing workes into wordes and godly deuotion into bare knowledge O remember that the Vrim and the 〈◊〉 must goe together That is light of knowledge and holinesse of life for there is as great danger in not doing of good as there is profit in forbearing of euill It was a question whether it were better to haue a soe that hurts not or a friend that helpes not The rich man is in hell Non quod abstulerit Not for taking away another mans Sed quod non donarit sua But because he gaue not of his owne Barrennesse was euer accounted a curse a shame and areproch The first borne of idlesle is to doe nothing The second is to doe some thing to no purpose And the third is to doe that which is pernitious and hurtfull Some will take no paines in sowing vnlesse the deuill set them a worke and too many haue wee of these sowers in this land So that I thinke there was neuer more filthinesse in Sodome drunkennesse in Flanders lying in Creete and hypocrisie in Iurie then is now practised in England The custome of iniquity hath so chased away the shame of sinne that common wickednesse is taken for no priuate offence He ere is such vnmercifulnesse bribing oppressing and grinding the faces of the poore as if there were no God to honour Deuill to dread Heauen to hope for nor hell to shunne Men are more ready to keepe their money then their consciences and their soules are of lesse credit then their seales Is this the sowing of our Christians the practise of our profession the seale of our faith and the fruite of our Religion O remember the tree that had no fruite on it was accursed how much more when there is euill fruite thereon as drunkennesse adultery swearing lying stealing killing brybing c. Some cruell as Lions craftie as Foxes filthy as swine enuious as dogges and as rauenous as wolues Homo homini lupus est Man it to man a wolse Therefore let my counsell bee vnto you as Daniel was vnto the King Breake off your sinnes by righteousnesse and your iniquity by mercy towards the poore let your soules be pure your hearts zealous your liues religious your actions holy and your handes 〈◊〉 or good workes that it may be saide to you as it was to that good seruant Well done thou good and faithfull seruant enter into thy masters ioy Giue me leaue to speake one word more of this terrene sowing which is a worke very laborious yet not like vnto the spirituall sowing a worke very hard yet effected with ease greatly opposed yet not hindered much neglected yet most necessary commonly despised yet none more amiable A worke it is saith Saint Paul Worke out your saluation with feare and trembling For the kingdome of heauen comes not with obseruation there belongs more vnto it then haue and hold it dilligence that industerous worke-master must worke it out it is not gotten by speculation For the life of man is short the way is long if thou wilt come vnto the worke beginne to runne with speede The more a man hath to doe and little time allowed the greater is his labour to effect it Qui cupit optatem cursu contingeremetam Multa tulit facitque miser sudauit alist He that in running doth desire the wished marke to tuch He runneth very speedily and sweateth very much Nothing can bee effected without labour and shall wee thinke heauen to be obtained with a song Idlenesse in humaine affaires is accounted a sinne but in Religion a double sinne and many are infected therewith which rather then they will take a little paines to walke in the pathes of righteousnes that leades to heauen they will tumble in the greene pleasures of iniquitie which leade to hell The common harlot the world with her painted amorous face hath so bewitched the fooles of this age that they are sicke of loue and euery one is ready to doe her the best seruice they can Some are so infected with the silken dropsie that they cannot tread in the pathes of saluation without a Coatch and then they goe but like vnto a snaile least they should come there too soone The vsurer would walk in this would walke in this way but he hath not yet read ouer his billes nor gotten the waxe cleare from his fingers and
story of the Gospel to bee true but for to assure a man of that which he beleeues to be true that they are his And this will appeare to be so by the Etymologie of this Theologicall faith considered either in the Hebrew Greeke or Latine in the Hebrew it is called amunah which commeth of aman which is firme and sure And therefore the Apostle doth vse this word to confirme the promises of God saying All the promises of God are in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so in the Syriack amin And hereupon it is that the Church hath appoynted this word to bee said at the end of all prayers nay God himselfe appoynted the same when the people were to be blessed they were to answere and say Amen Also this word Amen signifies a nourcery where trees are planted Faith is the nourcery where the trees of Gods promises grow And so to goe from aman to omen and then to omeneth which is in the feminine gender so that faith is both the nource and the nourcery And as the Etymologie of faith in the Hebrew confirmes the trueth of this doctrine so wee shall see the same in the Greeke For faith in the Greeke is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the third Praeterperfect tense Passiue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence commeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is I am perswaded the actiue verbe is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Praeterperfect tense meane is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I perswade my selfe And so you reade of the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For I am perswaded that neither life nor death shall separate mee from the loue of God in Christ. So that according to this Etymologie of faith it is then a certaine perswading of a mans selfe of the promises of God The Etymologie thereof according to Latine is the same with the former Fides comes of fio or as Cicero saith of fiendo which signifies doing For the thing we beleeue is done and made firme vnto vs. And hereupon saith Chrysostome Therefore wee are called faithfull that we should without doubting beleeue these things that are said And to adde the saying of Augustine He which doubteth in faith is an Insidell Faith then is the euidence of things hoped for and he that hath it must needs haue assurance of glory Secondly if saluation be of faith then it must be while faith is in vse that we may attaine to this saluation Now it is manifest that Iustus ex fide viuet the iust shall liue by faith Which saying is taken out of the Prophet Habakkuk the iust must liue in his faith The meaning is that our saluation is by beleeuing as the instrumentall cause thereof But now faith indures but this life as the Apostle notes the difference betweene faith hope and loue The chiefe is loue for that remaineth with vs for euer in glory Hope goes to the graue yet leaues vs not there but like Peter followeth vs into the high Priests hall I meane into heauen and there remaineth till the day of iudgement Now faith is of shorter continuance and attends vs as a good seruant to the graue and there leaues vs so that after death there is no faith Therefore seeing saluation is of faith and faith but onely in this life it followes that while wee are in the kingdome of grace we are assured of glory If now bee the time of faith and the saluation of the soule be the reward of faith who doubteth then of the assurance of saluation while he is here in this world There are yet other good arguments to prooue that this assurance of glory is in this life viz 〈◊〉 wee lost saluation and here we must finde it againe Mee thinkes that place of the Apostle may be applyed to this and it shall be saide in the place where it was saide yee are not the sonnes of God yee are the sonnes of God Where the wound began the cure was made where death emred there life proceeded Againe in this world we were redeemed now it is fit that where redemption is wrought there assurance should be sealed And here note how answerable the worke of redemption was to the fall of Adam viz Adam sinned in eating Christ suffered in fasting Adam sinned in the spring Christ suffered in the spring Adam sinned in a garden Christ suffered in a garden here Adam lost all and here Christ hath recouered all where wee are redeemed there wee are sealed and where we are sealed there we are assured There is good vse to be made of this doctrine first against the Papist who say that men cannot be assured of this haruest and call the remission of sinnes vaine and of all confidence the hardest and remote and fides daemoniorum non Apostolornm the faith of Deuils not Apostles And this confidence in the promises of God belongs rather ad presumptionem non ad fidem to presumption and not to faith And here let vs see the Scriptures they confirme this their deuillish doctrine by and the first is this Who can say my heart is cleane not that there is none cleane but no man knowes when his heart is cleane Ergo no man can be assured of saluation But to this it may bee answered 1. the wise man speaketh against such as thought themselues to bee meritorious and free from sinne 2. Bee it granted that no man hath a cleane heart free from it yet he doeth not inferre hereupon therefore he cannot be assured of saluation 3. If none but such as are pure from sinne can bee assured of saluation then their Priests are not assured as they say Againe no man knoweth whether hee bee worthy loue or hatred therefore a man cannot be assured of saluation But this place speakes not of any inward cōfort and assurance of glory but of outward estate by the outward estate of man it is not to be knowne who is loued or hated of God because the assurance of saluation is not in outward worldly prosperitie but in the inward grace of the spirit so this place is nothing to prooue no assurance of saluation Againe they bring the saying of the Apostle worke out your saluation with feare and trembling Ergo where there is feare there can be no assurance but doubtfulnesse But marke what feare this is 1. Feare your carnall presumption by which you thinke to be in the state of grace and are not feare this 2. Feare to fall into error and to be deceiued by the craftinesse of men wherby they lay in waite to deceiue feare these 3. Feare in regard of the reuerence to God but no feare in doubtfulnesse of saluation To conclude if this be the best proofe that they can bring to confirme their doctrine the foundation is weake their arguments like ropes made of sand and the building cannot long stand To turne my selfe from them to you and reproofe into matter of exhortation whether you
that is heauen they are all vnworthy For Quid Junt merita omnia ad tantam gloriam What are all our merits to so great glory To conclude neither our works before or after iustification are any cause that is efficient of this haruest but the mercy of God which as it had the initiating in grace so it hath the consummating in glory Non in nostris recte factis sed in tua bonitate situm est It lieth not in our well done deedes but in thy goodnesse O God Returne we home to our selues where wee shall finde great cause of thankefulnesse while the worke is so small and the reward so great Do we deserue nothing and yet inioy so much Then learne with Dauid to say Non nobis Domine sed nomini tuo da gloriam Not vnto vs Lord but vnto thy Name giue the glory And this is one principall end why saluation is not of workes but of mercy that God might haue all the praise for Hee hath chosen vs in Christ to the praise of the glory of his grace We may all vse the saying of Bernard When I was ignorant he instructed mee when I erred hee reclaimed me when I stood he held me vp when I fell he raised me when I came to him he receiued me O quid retribuam c O what shall I giue vnto the Lord for all his fauours What Euen with Dauid take the cup of thankesgiuing and drinke hearty draughts to the Lord. This thankesgiuing consisteth in three things First In cordibus nostris in our hearts for to loue him as saith Moses And now what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to loue him 2. In operibus nostris in our works to honour and glorifie him by obedience 3. In verbis nostris in our words to giue praise and thankes vnto him There is another vse to bee made of this seeing our workes are not perfect not to sit downe in the chaire of content but to adde somewhat to the building as Peter saith To increase in grace and knowledge The Apostles case must be ours We are not yet perfect and therfore must endeuour our selues vnto that which is before And as the man said to Christ Increase my faith So Lord increase our faith Lastly this vndeserued loue of God to man should be a copy to our hands and a sputre to our feete to teach vs to shew the like loue to our brethren though they deserue not the same at our hands Which duety was taught by that parable of the seruaunt which had so much forgiuen him ought from the consideration thereof to forgiue his fellow seruant God is gone before vs Happy are we if we follow after and yet cursed if we stay behind And thus at the last I haue passed from the precept to the consequent The second part of the Text is the Consequent FOr it is time to seeke the Lord till he come and teach you righteousnesse God neuer giues an exhortation but addes a reason to moue vs to imbrace the same as sometime of iudgement Thou shalt not take the Name of God in vaine for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse c. Sometime of mercie as Honour thy father and thy mother that thy dayes may bee long c. And here you see this precept not to want his reason Which part I haue formerly viewed vnder two generall heads First by an argument drawen from their negligence for it is time to seeke the Lord. Secondly by an argument drawen from the benefit thereof till he come and raine righteousnesse to you Obserue in the first branch first the action Seeke there is the property of the worke Secondly whom the Lord there is the obiect of our labour Thirdly why For it time there is the compelling cause The Action SEeke this comes first to our hands according to our former diuision The perambulation of a Christian is from East to West from North to South to seeke the Lord in the streetes of contemplation and meditation Not with Diogenes with a candle and a lanterne searching the streetes of Athens but with our whole hearts with Dauid to seeke the Lord. We must not thinke that God will follow vs with his blessings if wee flee from him as Ionas did For as God seekes vs so he puts into our hearts a preuenting grace to seeke him The rich man goes not with his almes to the poore mans house rather the poore man comes to the rich mans gate The Lord is rich enough and needes none of our labour yet we cannot haue his blessings without paines for if we will finde we must seeke Heauen is not gotten with ease neither is saluation brought and laid at our doores No the kingdome of heauen comes not by obseruation and a contemplatiue speculation Diligence that industrious workemaster must make our calling and election sure For Nemo volens malus nec inuitus foelix No man is euill with his will neither is any happy against his will Let not this obseruation slippe without your vse we cannot haue the parts of saluation performed for vs by an Atturney God requireth euery man to performe these things in and by himselfe other mens faith will doe vs no good neither is there any thing that doth more hurt then doing these things Non perse sed per alium Not by himselfe but by another as many great men thinke to go to heauen by their Chapleins by whom they are religious in this life by them also they thinke to be glorious in the life to come And often wee see when the Chaplein is out of doores grace is not to bee seene in the Parler and godlinesse may not stay within doores Surely a man may as well see to walke by another mans eyes as to goe to heauen by another mans workes The question shall not bee What haue they done but What hast thou done Therefore you that intend to seeke the Lord and weare the liuery of Christ must lay aside all your nicenesse and bid idlenesse the mother of mischiefe adue and put on the armour of God and fight the Lords battels in your owne persons Seeke This duetie is set out in Scripture by many epithets Paul calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a race to shew what speede is to be made in the way of saluation Againe he telles the Philippians that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a worke to shew what paines we are to take in the meanes of saluation And Christ calles it a seeking and sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seeke which agreeth with the word in my Text Lidrosh to seeke and is the same in the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to shew the difficulty in finding Obserue that heauen is not gotten but with great labour and paines taking Qui cupit optatam cursu contingere metam multa tulit fecitque miser sudauit alsit Hee that desireth first to touch the marke taketh much
thou a theefe looke vpon the Crosse Art thou a persecuter looke vpon Paul These are all gone before and then mayest thou follow after onely bee not thou more vnwilling to goe to God then he is to come to thee And so much for the time past Time to come ANd as it is time to seeke the Lord in regard of the time past so it is in regard of the time to come which is altogether vncertaine For Nothing is so certaine as death and nothing so vncertaine as the houre of death This is our Aprill and May wherein we flourish the next is our Iuly and August wherein we shall be cut downe We had but one way to come into the world but many wayes to goe out againe Therefore while we haue time let vs seeke the Lord For now is the acceptable time and while it is called to day For this is the time wherein God is to be sought dum dies est while it is day dum prope est while it is neere dum nobis prodest while it may pofit vs let vs seeke the Lord. First the longer we stay the harder our hearts grow with sinne Iudas may be an example in this vnto vs for he was a cunning dissembler then a secret theese then a bold lyar after that a traitour and last of all a desperate murderer For as the Sunne the longer it shines vpon the clay the harder it is euen so the longer sinne remaines in vs the more obdurate is our hearts Will you see how this monster worketh vpon vs the Apostle tels you first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mind is darkened that they cannot discerne what to do secondly then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they become ignorant thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a hardnesse of heart lastly they become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 past feeling or a heart that cannot repent Therefore let vs follow the counsell of the Apostle while it is called to day let vs obey lest we be hardened before to morrow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the deceit of sinne Secondly seeke now because it is not knowen whether God wil offer his grace againe or no when we haue once refused the same you know that Esau sought the blessing with teares but could not haue it Forget not the story of Herodotus of the fish God which hath promi sed forgiuenesse to him that repenteth doth not promise to him that sinneth repentance And doth not Christ tell you thus much when as those that refused to come to the feast had this returne from Christ they shall not taste of my meate Was not likewise those foolish Virgins that went without oyle in their lampes turned backe when they would haue entred in Let all this worke vpon you for your more diligence in this to seeke the Lord and that while we haue time and the doore of Gods mercie is open Let not the pleasures of the world deceiue vs as the riuer of Iordan doth the fish which caries them swimming and playing till on a sudden they fall into Mare mortuum the dead Sea But take wee heede of the streames of vanitie lest they cast vs not into the dead sea of Iordan but into the dead sea of perdition The second part of the reason NOw followeth the second part of the consequence or reason Vntill hee come and raine righteousnesse vpon you Which part I haue deuided into two parts 1. the continuance till hee come 2. the ende and raine righteousnesse vnto you Gnad iabo vntill he come this is the continuance of it for hauing laide our handes to the plough wee must not looke backe but continue to perfection Faith is called fides in latine in which word as some obserue is a compendium of all Christian dutie The first letter is F. which as they say is facere to doe for true faith is a working faith not the hearers but the doers The second letter is I. which is integritas fuinesse for we must haue a regard to all the Commaundements of God The third letter is D. delectio loue for true faith worketh by loue The fourth letter is E. which is externe outward our good deedes must be manifest The fifth letter is S. which is semper alwayes for we must not be weary of well doing So that the propertie of faith is to doe the qualitie is loue the forme is outward and the continuance is alwayes The beginning of faith is facere and the ende semper doe and doe to the ende The race of a godly life profiteth nothing vnlesse it bee finished with a good ende Thus runnes the condition hee that endureth to the end shall be saued We must not be like the flyes bred by the riuer Hispanis which are bred in the morning in full strength at noone and dead at night Heauen is not promised to those that doe well but that continue in wel-doing Let this worke vpon your considerations and drawe your endeuours this way to seeke the Lord vntill hee come for as yet you are not come to perfection neither will till he come The Apostle said of himselfe and we may apply to our selues we are not yet perfect and therefore to seeke still for more perfection for there is no man so cured of his wound but there remaineth some marke of the former wound So the soule which receiued the wound of sinne though it bee cured hath some scarres of sinne still while we are in this world we are in the schoole of Christ and must continually learne till we be perfectly skilfull in the wayes of obedience and when we haue that then haue we found the Lord but as yet wee may say with Socratas Hoc solum scimus quod nibil scimus This is one thing wee knowe that we knowe nothing So saith the Apostle If any man thinke he knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing as he ought therefore seeke vntill he come If you aske me when he comes I answer 1. he comes Praedicatione Euangeli By the preaching of the Gospell So he came to his owne thus he came to Iudas and so to many But if hee came no other wayes then thus and yet he must come thus as good neuer come and better it were not to finde him at all 2 He comes and that with more profite to his children and vs. Conuersione nostriad Deum by conuerting vs to God And thus he came to Mary Mathew Zacheus and others and happy are they to whom hee thus comes therefore seeke vntill thou finde God to speake peace to thy soule 3 He comes increment is fidei penitentiae aliorum donorum spiritus sancti in conuersis by increasing of faith and repentance and other gifts of the spirit in those that are conuerted and thus hee comes daily to the godly and therefore seeke vntill he come in this manner 4 He comes Consummations glorificatione Eeclesiae in secundo
Christi aduentu By consummation and glorification of the Church in the second comming of Christ and vntill then we must seeke the Lord. The last pare the ende VVE are come now by your patience to the last branch of our text And teach you righteousnesse where in obserue 1. the propertie of it Teach 2. the forme of it Rightcousnesse 3. the persons You. The propertie of the worke comes first to be handled Raine This part would bee better vnsoulded by some Phylosopher then by me Raine is impression that commeth of much cold vapour and moist gathered into a body of a cloude drawne out of the earth or waters by the heate of the Sunne into the middle region of the ayre whereby cold it is so knit together that it hangeth vntill either the waight or heate cause it to breake Some thinke the raine and cloudes are not aboue nine miles in height Albertus Magnus saith they are but three miles in height and some thinke that they be but halfe a mile and some againe by Geometricall demonstrations make it aboue fiftie miles to the place where the cloudes and raine are gathered but not to be too curious to seeke for that whereof we haue no neede To conclude sometime they are higher sometime they are lower according to the waight thereof where they breake to the great feare and no lesse danger of man and beast but to come to the true raine here intended Raine the word iorch doth signifie to raine yet a supernaturall showre which makes glad the city of God Gods word is compared to raine and is this raine fo saith the Lord my word shall droppe as the raine Likewise his spirit is compared to raine I will power water on the dry ground And fitly is his word and grace comcompared to raine 1 Raine is called Imber and hath that name of Imbuendo for it springeth and tempereth the earth and maketh it beare fruite Man is compared to earth and the word and grace to raine If this raine be not showred downe vpon this earth it is vnfruitfull therefore to make this earth fruitfull God sends downe the showers of this raine vpon it as the operatiue meanes and working cause to make the hearts of men fruitfull in faith loue and the like and their liues full of good workes And to this belongs the saying of the wise man Arise O North and come O South because in these two places are the signes which concerne the water and the earth as Taurus Virgo and Capricornus which are in the South and be earthly signes The other are Cancer Pisces and Scorpio in the North and bee watery signes Now when the earth of mans heart and the raine of Gods grace doe meete there followes a fruitfull haruest 2 Raine is called Pluuia and hath that name of pluralitate pluralitie of drops and that drop after drop that the earth might receiue it the better A droppe is part of a cloude being broken which destilleth downe droppe after droppe A fit embleme of this supernaturall raine which from one cloude the spirit destilleth into the hearts of men grace after grace and gift after gift Man hath not all the graces of God at the first but by degrees as the Apostle saith We must first haue milke and then strong meate first a lesse grace then a greater and after that full perfection Regeneration is compared to a birth where first the braine is made then the heart after that the liuer then the sinewes arreryes and pipes and lastly the handes and feete And thus is it in the spirituall birth first knowledge and vnderstanding then faith and repentance after peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost and lastly full assurance of all Gods mercies 3 Raine is a maker of peace for often wee see the windes and other elements in an vproare where by the stout Cedars are bowed to the ground Towres and Castles trembling and the waters roaring But now comes a showre of raine from the cloudes and mittigates all this fury Euen so when since the conscience Gods wrath and the terrors of hell accuse vs within and Gog Magog Moab and Ammon I meane wicked men persecute vs without then are wee in great feare and trembling But now comes a showre of grace and mittigates all feares and secures vs from all terrours 4. Raine is Medicus a good Phisition hauing a powerfull efficacie to cleanse the ayre when by infectious fogges and contagious vapours it is corrupted washing away with the showres thereof all the noysome putrifaction euen so when the iudgement and vnderstanding are infected with the filthy fumes of errours and heresies and the trueth almost stifled then commeth a shoure of grace and cleanseth the soule from all these infectious fogges 5. Raine mollifieth the hard earth and makes it more apt for tillage whereby the bowels of the earth are cut with coulters and shares Euen so the hard and obdurate heart of man is made soft and apt to euery good worke by the showres of Gods grace Happie earth whereon this raine falles that is so operatiue and donum omnium donorum maximum A gift farre aboue all other gifts Ioreh of iarah and signifies to teach as well as to raine For while we liue in this world we are in the schoole of Christ and haue need of teaching and the chiefe teacher is the Spirit of God as Christ The comforter whom the Father will send in my Name shall teach you all things outward meanes without this will doe no good For Paulmay plant Apollo may water yet it is God which teacheth by the Spirit or otherwise all is in vaine For Non verbis hominis sit vt intelligatur verbum Dei facit Deus vt intelligatis The wordes of man cannot make man to vnderstand the word of God but it is God that maketh them to vnderstand The outward ministery worketh no grace in the hearts of men It is but a subordinate meanes and causa instrumentalis The instrumentall cause and not causa efficiens The efficient cause Therefore sayth the Apostle Haue you receiued the holy Ghost Intimating thereby that if they wanted the Spirit they could haue no faith for Hoc est opus Dei This is the worke of God Gods assisting grace and the ministery of man must go together else thereis no power in our perishable voyces to effect your consciences Breake away this Analogie and vertuall association of the spirit from the word and you shall bee like those women euer learning but neuer able to come to the knowledge of the trueth Learne then First to follow the counsell of Christ to giue God the things that belong to God and to Cesar that which belongeth to Cesar. If by the ministerie of man you haue gotten some good measure of knowledge faith loue repentance and the like forget not your duetie to the messengers of God Haue them in singular respect for their workes