as all Christ his actions are the instructions of Christians therefore euery Christian but especially Preachers whome it more specially concerneth must learne by this example how to behaue themselues when they are inuited to great feastes namely speake their conscience freely when they see a fault The best requitall that wee can make for our good cheare is to giue good counsell and wholesome admonitions to them that inuite vs When Christ dined with the Pharisie Luke 11. and was misliked for not washing before dinner he tooke occasion to reproue their hypocrisie their outward shew of holines which was the sinne of the Pharises and at another time hee noteth them for pressing to the chiefe places at banquets and sheweth what modesty is to be obserued in sitting downe to meate and what ghests should bee bidden to our table So should Preachers behaue Luke 14. themselues towards those that inuite them to great feastes when they see perhaps some fault or disorder either in the master of the house or in some other of the ghests to say vnto them thus or other wise as the case requireth I will warne you of one thing that will doe you good that you woulde leaue your vsurie and extortion your couetousnes and oppression that you would leaue your swearing and blaspheming the name of God that you woulde forbeare to prophane the Lords Sabboth that you would leaue your pride and excesse in your diet and apparell that you woulde forbeare to speake ill of any behinde their backes or to beare any malice or hatred to any of your neighbours These are the faultes which are easie to bee espied almost in euery place and these are the faultes which the faithfull minister of Christ Iesus shoulde not leaue vnreprooued 1. Kin. 18 Mat. 14 Marke 6. 20. wheresoeuer hee commeth But as Elias told Ahab of his idolatry though hee were his king and Iohn Baptist tolde Herede of his adulterie though hee did many things for him and heard him gladly so should the preachers reprooue the people for their notorious offences notwithstanding some fauours and curtesies receiued from them If Christ had cause to find fault with Martha for her too much diligence in his entertainment it seemeth hee was not curious in his diet but would haue been content with simple cates hee was no delicate or daintie ghest he did not affect or delight in sumptuous banquets or costly fare he rather requireth a religious heart a constant faith a willing mind to heare the word with an earnest care to liue thereafter These are the thinges wherein the Lorde delighteth these are the iuncates which hee desireth and which he preferreth before all earthly cheare Thus is Martha reprehended for her curiousitie nowe let vs see how Mary is excused and commended for her godly care One thing is necessary sayth Christ and what is that one thing Euen to heare the word preached which is the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleeueth A man may better want all thinges then that one needefull thing and yet wee desire all other thinges and neglect that one thing which is so needfull This one thing hath Marie chosen and therefore hath chosen the better part Marthaes part is good because it prouideth for this present life but Maries part is better because it leadeth to eternall life It is good to bee occupied about our calling to get our liuing but it is better to be occupied in hearing the word which is able to saue our soules As the head and the foote are both needfull in the body so Mary and Martha are both needefull in a Common-wealth man hath two vocations the one earthlie by his labour the other heauenly by his prayer There is the actiue life which consisteth in practising the affaires of this life wherein man sheweth himselfe to be like himselfe and there is the contemplatiue life which consisteth in the meditation of diuine and heauenly things wherein man sheweth himselfe to bee like the Angels for they which labour in their temporall vocations doe liue like men but they which labour in spirituall matters liue like Angels When they heare the word God speaketh vnto them when they pray they speake vnto God so that there is a continuall conference betweene God and them because they are continually exercised in hearing and praying Christ loued Martha for her hospitality as Isaac loued Esau for his venison So did he loue Mary for her diligence in hearing his word as Rebecca loued Iacob for harkening to her voyce A Nurse which hath her breast full of milke doth loue the child that sucks it from her and Christ Gen. 25 28. which hath his breast full of heauenly milke is glad when he hath children to sucke the same Let vs therefore as the Apostle willeth vs 1. Pet 2. 12 laying aside all maliciousnes and all guile and dissimulation and enuy and all euill speaking as new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that wee may grow thereby to bee perfect men in Christ Iesus let vs breathe after the fountaine of the liuing water which springeth vp vnto eternall life and as the faintie Hart desireth the water brooke Psal 42. 1 to quench his thirst and for as much as many thinges are so troublesome and one thing is so needefull let vs seeke Ec. 12. 13. Heb 11. 6 Rom. 10. 17. that one needfull thing the end of all things euen to feare God and keepe his commandements which wee learne by hearing the word of God wherby faith without the which it is impossible to please God is begotten and nourished in the hearts of men This is that good part which Marie hath chosen by so much better then her sisters choyce because it concerneth a better life and hath the fruition of this present life Marie hath a double portion shee heard the word and eate of 1. Tim. 4. 8 the meate which her sister dressed for godlinesse hath the promise of this life and of the life to come As for all other things whether they bee honors promotions pleasures and what not they serue onely for the maintenance of this present life which is so short and subiect to mutabilitie but the word of GOD is the foode of the soule the bread of life that immortall seede which bringeth forth fruit vnto 1. Pet. 1. 13. eternall life Let the worde of God therefore bee precious vnto vs because it was so permanent for heauen and earth must passe but the worde of God endureth for euer Luke 21 33 1. Pet. 1 25. If wee make choyce of any thing beside it must bee taken from vs or wee shall bee taken from it but if wee make choyce of this one thing it shal neuer be taken from vs neither in this world nor in the world to come The Lord graunt that wee bee not onely hearers but doers of Ia. 1. 22 the word that it may be truely said of vs as
God in humilitie and sinceritie and in full assurance of faith continually who without end is to be sought because without ende hee is to be beloued The third thing contained in our dutie is what effect this seeking and praying ought to worke in vs comprehended in these words If thou bee pure and vpright if the cloudes be full they will powre forth raine vpon the earth and vnpossible it is that a man that seeketh after God and prayeth vnto the Almightie should not bring foorth the fruites of a good life for if the tree bee good the fruites cannot bee bad and if the head of the water be pure it will send foorth pure waters into the cesternes Wherefore as good motions are stirred vp by prayer so must they bee fostered by practise of life according to that of the Apostle Quench not the Spirite nor greiue the holy one of God by whome yee are sealed to the day of redemption 1. Thes 5 He quencheth dearely beloued the spirit which being once lightned with the sparkles of faith and felt Gods Ephes 4. motions in his heart doth neglect to increase the one to a flame and the other to good workes in his life but with the dogge turneth to his vomits and with the Sowe that was washed to her wallowing againe in the mire Therefore beloued loue and seeke the Lord pray to the Almightie be pure and vpright in conuersation flie from sinne as from a Serpent for if thou come neere it will bite thee The teeth thereof are as the teeth of a Lyon to slay the soules of men and all iniquitie is as a two edged sword the wounds that it giues cannot bee healed I dare not stand as I would vpon these points fearing tediousnesse wherefore let this suffice for the former general part concerning the dutie we owe vnto God Now Gods promises for the performance hereof yeeld vnto vs most plentifull matter of doctrine and consolation First of his iustice that as hee will suffer no sinne vnpunished so he will suffer no good worke vnrewarded but giueth to euery seuerall action his seuerall hire and iust recompence of reward Shall the houre come in which all that are in their graues shall heare a voyce and come forth they that haue done well to the resurrection of life they that haue done euill to the resurrection of condemnation Shall the Lord search Ierusalem with Lanthornes Shall all full corners bee sweept and all pleites and wrinkles bee vnfolded Shall the Sea graue death and hell giue vp all that is in them And shall all the dead both great and small stand before God when the books are opened And shall euery man haue praise of God according vnto his deseruing Shall wee then discerne betweene the vessels of honour and of wrath between sheep and Goates the iust and vniust Finally shall there be an infallible generall and incorrupt iudgement wherein the booke of all our offences shall bee laid wide open Now God bee mercifull vnto vs bee fauourable O Lord be fauourable But to proceede it is thy nature O Lord to gather 1. Thes 5. vp the wheate and burne the tares to cut downe all fruitlesse trees and cast them into the fire yea into a fierie Ephe. 4. furnace that neuer shall bee quenched into an vtter darknesse where is weeping wailing gnashing of teeth then be fauourable O Lord be fauourable Doth not the Lord spare Dauid a king and a Prophet for murther Doth hee not spare the Sichemites for adulterie Nor Absalom for treason Nor Saule for tyrannie Nor Eli for negligence nor A chab Ieroboam nor Iezabel for cruelty nor Herod Nabuchadnezzar and Lucifer for pride nor Pharaoh for incredulity Then beefauorable O Lord be fauourable to vs in whom almost euerie one of these sinnes doe dwell and remaine Did the Lord for corruption ouer flow the world with water Did hee burne Sodome for her villanie Did hee cast Adam and Eue out of Paradise for eating of the forbidden fruite Did hee stone a poore wretch to death for gathering chips on the Sabboth day Then bee fauourable O Lord bee fauourable vnto vs. But doth not the Lord spare the Cedar tree for his height nor the Oke for his strength Nor the Poplar for his smoothnesse Nor the Lawrel for his greennesse No verily from the Cedar that is in Lybanon euen to the Hysop that groweth out of the wall yea euery one that bringeth not forth good fruite is hewne downe and cast into the fire it is a righteous thing with God to render vengance to those that disobey him and to destroy such as haue forsaken the law by euerlasting perdition Behold the Lord shall come in the great and latter day of iudgement when none shall escape his iudgement seate with clouds shall hee come and euery eye shall see him euen they which pierced him thorow shall also waile before him being summoned all to appeare most fearefully before his imperiall throne of maiestie then bee fauourable O Lord bee fauourable Alas with what eies shal wee miserable sinners behold him so gloriously sitting in his royall kingdome with all his mightie and holy Angels and whole number of Saints sounding with the voice of the Archangell and trumpet of God causing the heauens to passe away with a noyse and the elements to melt like waxe and the earth to burne with the workes thereof Yea with what eyes shall wee behold him when wee see the Sunne darkened the Moone eclipsed and the stars fall downe from heauen But alas when hee taketh the furbished blade into his hand when hee is readie to throw the fierie thunderboults of his wrath when he summoneth before him the worme that neuer dieth the fire that neuer shall bee quenched to reuenge vpon the wicked into what a plight are they then driuen Then leaue they off Bee fauourable O Lord bee fauourable and say to the hils O ye mountaines come and couer vs. O yee waters come and ouerwhelme vs woe woe woe how great is this darknesse The godly on the other side are bathed in such streames of blisse and aduanced to such happinesse as neither tongue can vtter nor heart conceiue The second thing wee haue to note in his promises is his mercy which exceedeth all his works For God though hee haue giuen a curse of the law against sinners yet seeing Christ for the penitent hath borne the curse whereby his iustice is not impared he is content to accept our weaknes as our strength to recompence our imperfection with reward of greatest perfection and that which wee can performe but in small part hee is content to accept as whole nor for any desert of ours but in satisfaction of his sonne who payd with the seale of his owne bloud the ransome for our sinnes hee hath cancelled the hand-writing that was against vs. Wherefore wee are to pray vnto God that whensoeuer our sinnes shall come in question before him that hee would looke vpon
Christ sayde of his Disciples that heard his preaching Behold thy brother Ma. 12 50. Luke 11. my sister and mother or as hee answered the woman that commended his carnall kindred Blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe the same FINIS THE FIRST SERMON OF Noahs drunkennesse Gen. 9 20. 21. Noah also began to bee a husbandman and planted a vineyard And hee dranke of the wine and was drunken and was vn couered in the middest of his tent FIrst wee are to speake of Noah then of Cham his wicked sonne after of Shem and Iapheth his good sonnes In Noah first of that which he did well and then of his sinne In Cham first of his sinne then of his curse In his brethren first of their reuerence and then of their blessing Now wee will speake of the father and after of his children Then saith Moses that Noah began to bee an husbandman This is the first name which is giuen to Noah after the flood hee is called a husbandman and the first work which is mentioned was the planting of a vineyard one would thinke when all men were drowned with the flood and none left a liue to possesse the earth but Noah and his sons that hee should haue found himselfe something else to doe then to plant vineyards and that the holy Ghost should haue intituled him King of the world and not a husbandman of the earth seeing there bee no such men as Noah was which hath more in his hand then any King hath in the world or shall haue to the worlds end but thereby the holy Ghost would shewe that God doth not respect Kings for their titles nor men for their riches as we doe and therefore hee nameth Noah after the worke which hee did not after the possessions which hee had an husbandman It seemeth that there was great diuersitie betweene this age and ours for if wee should see now a King goe to plough a noble man to driue the teame a gentleman keep sheep hee should be scorned for his labour more then Noah was for his drunkennesse yet when wee read how this Monarch of the world thought no scorn to play the husbandman wee consider not his princely calling nor his ancient yeares nor his large possessions to commend his industrie or modestie or lowely mind therein Which may teach vs humility though wee learne to disdaine husbandry Of whom will we learne to be humble if kings giue examples and the sonne of God humbleth himselfe from heauen to earth and yet wee contemne the example of the kings of the earth and the example of the King of heauen The time was when Adam digged and delued and Dauid kept sheepe and all the house of Iacob were called men occupied about cattell but as they for this were abhominable to the Egyptians as Moses saieth in the same verse so they which doe like them are abhorred of their brethren and they which liue by them scorne them for their worke which would bee chastened themselues because they worke not There was no art nor science which was somuch set by in former times and is now profitable to the Common-wealth bringing lesie profit vnto her selfe that may so iustly complaine of her fall without cause and her despite from them that liue by her as this painefull science of husbandry that it is maruell that any man will take the paine for the rest to be contemned for his labour and bee a scorne for the rest which might hunger and starue if hee did not labour for them more then they doe for themselues No maruaile then though many in the poore countries murmure and complayne that other cannot liue by them and they cannot liue themselues but it is maruell if their complaints doe not grow in time to rebellion and pull others as low as themselues for why should the greatest paine yeelde the lesse profit yet this is their case for if you marke you shall see that the husbandman doth bare the price of his fruites so soone as the dearth is past though hee raiseth it a little while the dearth lasteth but they which rayse the price of their wares with him seldome fall againe but make men pay as dâ—are when the dearth is past as if it were a dearth still Thus a plentifull yeare doth dammage him and a hard yeare doth vantage them So this painefull man is faine to liue poorely fare meanely goe barely house homelie rise early labour dayly sell cheape and buy deare that I may truely say that no man deserueth his liuing better no man fulfilleth the law neerer that is Thou shalt get thy liuing in the sweate of thy browes then this poore sonne of Adam which picks his crums out of the earth Therefore he should not bee mocked for his labour which hath vexation mough though all men speake well of him and in my opinion if any deserue to bee loued for his innocencie or for his truth or his paine or the good which he brings to the Common-wealth this Realme is not so much beholding to any sort of men but those that feede the soule as those that feede the bodie that is those that labour the earth yet you see how they liue like drudges as though they were your seruantes to prouide foode for you and after to bring it to your doores as the beastes serue them so they serue you as though you were another kinde of men I cannot thinke vppon their miserie but my thoughts tell mee that it is a great part of our vnthankefulnesse that wee neuer consider what an easie life and liuing God hath giuen vnto vs in respect of them If the Apostles rule were kept they which doe not worke should not eate but now they which doe not worke eate most and the husbandmen which worke eate not but are like Bees which prouide foode for other and pinch themselues Let vs consider this for they had not one law and wee another but the same curse which was denounced vpon Adam was denounced vpon all his children That euery man shoulde get his liuing in the sweat of his browes Although I know there be diuers workes and diuers gifts and diuers callings to worke in yet alwayes prouided they which doe not worke shoulde not eate for in the sweat of thy browes that is in labour trauell thou King and thou Iudge and thou Prelate and thou Landlord and thou Gentleman shalt get thy liuing as Adam thy father did or else thou doest auoid the curse and a greater curse shall follow that is they which will not sweat on earth shall sweat in hell Adam had food as well as thou and so had Noah and more then thou vnlesse thou hadst all for they had all and yet they might not be idle because their hands were not giuen them for nothing some worke with their pen some with their tongues some with their fingers as nature hath made nothing idle but that hee which is a Magistrate should