of liberty epicurisme sensualitie that we plucke vp good vvorkes as weedes by the rootes and cast them foorth of the doores as the children of the bondwomaÌ„ not worthy to inherite with the free-borne We never said that faith without workes barren and empty of her fruits iustified an vnrighteous soule but that faith so qualified doth notwithstanding iustifie without those workes this we mainetaine against men and angels so we remooue not workes from faith but workes from iustifying Still they followe their mistresse but in remission of sinnes and cloathing the sinner with the iustice of God therein they giue her the place and put the burthen of that worke vpon her shoulders Let Bilha the handmaide supply the defectes of Rahell and beare children vnto Iacob but let her ever remember that Rahel is aboue her and singular in some respect And let not Ioseph forget though he ride in the second chariot of Egypt be the next man to the king yet that the king hath reserved the throne to himselfe Shall I yet teach you by a more sensible and familiar demonstration Bethulia is in danger of Holofernes the terrour of the East as we of the iustice of God and as the strength of Bethulia was thought too weake to encounter him so all our obedience to the law of God is weake and vnsufficient to defende vs. Iudith vndertaketh for the people of her city faith for vs Iudith goeth accompanied with her handmaides faith with her works and though the eies of her handmaid were ever towards her Lady to carry the scrippe c. yet in performing that act of deliverance Iudith is alone her maide standing and waiting at the dore and not so much as setting her foot within the chamber So although our loue and obedience bee as attendant to faith as ever that servant was to Iudith yet in performing this mighty act of deliverance acquiting the conscience froÌ„ the curse of the law pacifying the anger of God and presenting vs blamelesse before his holy eies al which standeth in the apprehension of the merites of Christ and a stedfast perswasion that he hath assumed for vs faith is wholely and solely alone our workes not claiming any part in that sacred action Therefore wee conclude saith the Apostle Rom. 3. that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the law Therefore you see saith Iames in the second of his Epistle that of works a man is iustified and not of faith only He is and he is not doth the one conclude the former and doeth the other inferre also by way of conclusion that he hath prooved the latter What shall we say is God divided or is there dissension in the spirit of vnity or is there more than one truth Apostle against Apostle Iames against Paul in one and the same question deriving a contrary conclusion Not so But as the striking of two flintes togither beateth out fire so the comparing of these their two opinions will make the truth more manifest Surely by faith we are iustified without the workes of the law Meane it of ceremonies as some doe meane it of morall commandements the position is both waies true This rocke we must cleaue vnto this rocke must be published abroad rockes stones will publish this rocke if we conceale it To him that worketh not but beleeveth on him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is accounted for righteousnes Rom. 4. to him that worketh not I will not say that he worketh not at all but he worketh not in this action nor with any intent either to prepare or further his iustificatioÌ„ before the face of God his workes are not reckoned at that time nay they withdraw their presence and hang downe their heades and are abashed to offer themselues in that service But here is the point As I am iustified by faith without the workes of the law so by the workes of the law must my faith be iustified that is avouched made good and testified both to God and man with effectuall proofe and demonstration that it is not a naked fruitlesse hypocriticall faith but soundlye and substantially conditioned So Iames ment it And Thomas Aquinas writing vpon that Epistle confirmeth that meaning that the iustification vvhereof he spake is the exercising or accomplishing of iustice for a thing is then saide to bee done either vvhen it is perfected or when it is made knowne So then there is one righteousnesse imputed favoured and cast vpon vs though it bee not ours there is another righteousnes exercised or declared there is one iustice of iustification there is another iustice of testification there is one that acquiteth before God another that approveth especially before man the one without vs and lent the other within vs inhabitant and inherent the one in Christ and from him communicated to vs the other in our selues and to him in some sort recompenced For such is the nature of faith and loue as the Auncientes described their graces the one is in taking and apprehension the other is in giving and remuneration First we receiue by our faith and then by our charitie we returne some-thing Paule speaketh of the former of these iustifications Iames of the latter Paule delivered simply the doctrine Iames answered an obiection against those that gloried in the name and shadow of faith Paule instructed the vnderstanding Iames informed the life Paule as a Doctor and in the schooles lecturing Iames as a pastour and in the pulpit applying the one handling iustification properly the other to speake as properly sanctification the one establishing a reall christian iustifying faith the other confuting a verball devilish falsifying faith There is now then but one Lord one spirit one truth one gospell one tongue one soule in both these Apostles Consider the state of the question in this present example of the Ninivites You know what they were not only aliantes and strangers fâ—om the covenant and hope of God but of aliantes strangers such whose iniquity streamed into the highest heaven and called downe vengance vpon them What should they now doe to redeeme their peace For if they had fasted till their knees had bowed vnder them if they had put sacke-cloath about their loines till the haire and wale thereof had entred even into their soules if they had spent the day in crying and the night in wailing and if they had lived besides as iustly to the world as Aristides did in Athens who was banished the city for over-much iustice and had not withall beleeved I wil not say but God might haue spared to haue made them notorious examples of his iustice to the worlde but surely they had remained as aforetime children of darknes still and sonnes of perdition and the waies of peace they had never knowne Therefore to conclude on their parte they are iustified by their faith This is it that investeth them into the friendship and loue of God their very beleeving of him is imputed
vnto them for righteousnesse as it was to Abraham and to testifie that faith to man to make it perfect before God to seale it vp to their owne conscience they are abundant also in good workes which is that other iustification vvhereof Iames disputeth For as in the temple of Ierusalem there were 3. distinctions of roumes the entry or porch where the beasts were killed the altar where they were sacrificed the holiest place of al whither the high priest entred once every yeare so in this repentance of Niniveh there are 3. sortes of righteousnes the first of ceremony in wearing sacke-cloath and fasting the second of morality in restitution the third the iustice of faith and as it were the dore of hope wherby they first enter into the kingdome of heaven We haue heard what the Ninivites did for their partes let vs nowe consider what God for his It is said that he saw their workes and repentâ—d him of the plague intended and brought it not Nay it is saide that God saw their workes God repented him of the plague vvith repetitioÌ„ of that blessed name to let the world vnderstande that the mischiefe was not turned away for the value and vertue of their workes but for the acceptance of his own good pleasure nor for the repentance of the city but for the repentaÌ„ce of his own heart a gracious inclination propension that he tooke to deliver them No marvaile it was if when God saw their workes he bethought him of their deliverance For when the person is once approved received to grace which their faith procured them his blemishes are not then looked vpon his infirmities covered his vnperfect obedience taken in good part nay coÌ„meÌ„ded honored rewarded daily provoked with promises invitatioÌ„s of greater blessednes to come So a father allureth his son the servaÌ„t doth ten times more yet is the recoÌ„peÌ„ce of the son ten times greater for the father respecteth not so much the workes of his child but because he is a father teÌ„dreth followeth him with fatherly affection wheras the hired servant on the other side is but a stranger vnto him Why then were the works of Niniveh acceptable vnto God not of theÌ„selues but for their sakes that wrought them they for their faith for this is the root that beareth theÌ„ al. In that great cloud of witnesses Heb. 11. what was the reason that they pleased God besides the honour of the world that they vvere vvell reported of and obtained the promises which was the garlande they ranne for besides their suffering of adversities subduing of kingdomes vvorking of righteousnesse with many other famous exploites there ascribed vnto them what was the reason I say but their faith which is the whole burdeÌ„ of the song in that memorable bead-role By faith did Abell thus Enoch thus and others otherwise But why not their workes of themselues For is not charity more than faith these three remaine faith hope and loue but the greater of these three is loue 1. Cor. 13. And the first and the greate commaundemente is this Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy GOD c. Math. the two and twentith And the end of the commaundement is loue 1. Tim. 1. And loue is the fulfilling of the lawe Romanes the thirteenth I graunt all this if thou be able to performe it Loue the Lorde thy God with all thy heart c. and thy neighbour as thy selfe and there is nothing wanting vnto thee thou hast kept the commandement thou hast fulfilled the law thou needest not the passion of thy redeemer thou maiest catch the crowne of life by rightfull desert But this thou art not able to performe were thou as righteous as Noe as obedient as Abraham as holy as Iob as faithfull as David as cleare as the sunne and moone as pure as the starres in heaven yet thou must sing and sigh with a better soule than thine owne who saw and sighed for the impurity of all living flesh Enter not into iudgement vvith thy servant O Lorde for no flesh living can bee iustified in thy sight God hath concluded thee and thy fathers before thee and the fruit of thy body to the last generation of the world vnder sinne and because vnder sinne therefore vnder wrath and malediction and death if thou flie not into the sanctuarie to hide and safegarde thy selfe But blessed be the name of Christ the daies are come wherein this song is sunge in the lande of Iudah and through all the Israell of God farre and neare vvee haue a stronge cittie salvation hath God set for wals and bul-workes about it Open ye the gates that the righteous nation which keepeth faith may enter in Which is that righteous nation that shall enter into the citty of God thus walled and fortressed but that which keepeth faith or rather faithes as the Hebrew hath that is all faith not ceasing to beleeue till their liues end They that beleeue thus adding faith vnto faith the Lord vvill returne them as great a measure of his blessing even peace vpon peace in the next wordes because they trust in him We neede no better expositour The righteous man is he that beleeveth and the beleeving man is he that vvorketh righteousnes for these two shall never be sundred and the onlie key that openeth vnto vs the gates of the citty is our faith So then when we see good workes we must know that they are but fruites and seeke out the root of them and when we haue the root we must also haue regarde to the moisture and iuice whereby it is nourished For as the fruits of the earth grow from their root that root liveth not by it selfe but is fedde and preserved by the fatnes of the soile warmth of the sun benefite of the aire vnder which it standeth so good workes grow from faith and that faith liveth in the obiect the merites and obedience of Iesus Christ feeding and strengthning it selfe by the sweet influence and sappe of these heavenly conceites that he came into the worlde to saue sinners and that he died for her sinne and rose to life for her iustification For as we esteeme the worth of a ring of gold not so much in it selfe as in the gemme that it carrieth so are we iustified magnified also in the sight of God by faith in Christ not for this quality of beleeving which is as vnperfite as our works but for the obiect of this quality Christ our mediatour which is the diamonde and iewell borne therein The hand of a leper though never so bloudy and vncleane yet it may doe the office of an hand in taking and holding fast the almes that is given The giver may bee liberall enough and the gift sufficient to releeue though the hand that received it full of impurity So it is not the weakenesse of our faith in apprehending and applying the passion of Christ that
immortality of their soules others disputing doubting knowing nothing to purpose til their knowledge commeth to late others obiecting themselues to death rather in a vaineglorious ostentation then vpon sound reason I say compare with them one the other side christian consciences neither loving their liues more than a good cause and yet without good cause not leaving them and aske them what they thinke of this temporall life they will answere both by speech and action that they regard not how long or how short it is but how well conditioned I borrow his words of whome I may say concerning his precepts and iudgements for morall life that he was a Gentile-christian or as Paul to Agrippa almost a christian as in the acting of a comedy it skilleth not what length it had but how well it was plaide Consider their magnanimous but withall wise resolutions such I meane as should turne them to greater advantage Esther knew that her service in hand was honourable before God and man and her hope not vaine therefore maketh her rekoning of the cost before the worke begun If I perish I perish her meaning assuredly was If I perish I perish not though I loose my life yet I shall saue it If there were not hope after death Iob would never haue said lo though he kill me yet will I trust in him And what availeth it him to know that his redeemer lived but that hee consequently knewe the meanes wherby his life should be redeemed If the presence of God did not illighten darknes and his life quicken death it selfe David woulde never haue taken such hart vnto him Though I shoulde walke through the valley of the shadowe of death I woulde feare no evill for thou art with mee and thy rodde and thy staffe comforte mee If his shepheardes staffe had fayled him against the Lyon and the Beare which hee slevve at the sheepe-foulde or his sling against Golias that he had fallen into their handes yet this staffe and strength of the Lord could haue restored his losses The sentence that all these bare in their mouthes and harts and kept as their watch-worde was this Death is mine advantage The Apostle taketh their persons vpon him and speaketh for them all Therefore we faint not because we know that if our outward man perish yet the inward man is renued daily God buildeth as fast as nature and violence can destroy Wee know againe that if our earthly house of this tabernacle bee destroyed wee haue a building given of God that is an house not made with handes but eternall in the heavens Vpon the assurance of this house not made of lime and sande nor yet of flesh and bloude but of glorie and immortalitie hee desireth to bee dissolved and to bee with Christ and by his reioycing that hee hath bee dyeth dayly though not in the passion of his body yet in the forwardnesse and propension of his minde and and he received the sentence of death in himselfe as a man that cast the worst before the iudge pronounced it I may say for conclusion in some sort as Socrates did Non vivit cui nihil est in mente nisi vt vivat He liveth not who mindeth nothing but this life or as the Romane orator well interpreteth it cui nihil est in vitâ iucundius vitâ who holdeth nothing in his life dearer then life it selfe For is this a life where the house is but clay the breath a vapour or smoake the body a body of death our garment corruption the moth and the worme our portion that as the wombe of the earth bred vs so the wombe of the earth must againe receiue vs and as the Lorde of our spirites said vnto vs receiue the breath of life for a time so he will say hereafter returne yee sonnes of Adam and go to destruction By this time you may make the connexion of my text The master of the shippe and his company 1. worshippe and pray vnto false Gods that is builde the house of the spider for their refuge 2. Because they are false they haue them in ielousie and suspicion call vpon thy God 3. because in suspicion they make question of their assistaunce if so bee 4. because question of better thinges to come they are content to holde that which already they haue in possession and therefore say that wee perish not With vs it fareth othervvise Because our faith is stedfast and cannot deceiue vs in the corruption of our bodies vexation of our spirites orbity of our vviues and children casualty of goods wracke of ships and liues wee are not removed from our patience we leaue it to the wisedome of God to amend all our mishappes we conclude with Ioab to Abishai The Lorde doe that which is good in his eies honour and dishonour good reporte and evill reporte in one sense are alike vnto vs and though wee bee vnknowne yet wee are knowne though sorrowing yet wee reioyce though having nothing yet wee possesse all thinges though wee bee chastened yet are we not killed nay though we die yet we liue and are not dead we gather by scattering we win by losing we liue by dying we perish not by that which men call perishing In this heauenly meditation let me leaue you for this time of that blessed inheritance in your fathers house the peny nay the poundes the invaluable weight and masse of golde nay of glory after your labours ended in the vineyard meate drinke at the table of the Lord sight of his excellēt goodnes face to face pleasures at his right hand and fulnes of ioy in his presence for euermore Let vs then say with the Psalmist my soule is a thirst for the living God oh whē shall I come to appeare in the presence of our God For what is a prison to a pallace tents boothes to an abiding citty the region of death to the land of the living the life of men to the life of angels a bodie of humility to a body of glory the valley of teares to that holy and heauenly mounte Sion whereon the lambe standeth gathering his saints about him to the participation of those ioies which himselfe enioieth and by his holy intescession purchaseth for his members THE NINTH LECTVRE Cap. 1. ver 7. And they saide euery one to his fellowe Come and let vs cast lottes c. AS the māner of sick men is in an hote ague or the like disease to pant within themselues and by groning to testifie their pangs to others to throw of their clothes and to tosse from side to side in the bed for mitigation of their paines which whether they doe or do not their sicknes still remaineth till the nature thereof bee more neerely examined and albeit they chaunge their place they change not their weaknes so do these Marriners sicke of the anger of God as the other of a feuer disquieted in al their affectiōs
into the secretes of God But it is as true which the Apostle demandeth on the behalfe of the Lord Is there any iniquity with God far bee it Therefore they sinne a sinne which the darkest darkenesse in hell is too easie to requite who when they haue spilte the bloud of the innocent like water vpon the grounde defiled their neighbours bed troubled the earth and provoked heauen vvith many pernitious infamous mischiefes rapes robberies proditions burninges spoylings depopulations c. spewe out a blasphemy against righteousnesse it selfe countenauncing their sinnes by authoritie of him who hateth sinne and pleading that they haue done but the will of God in doing such outrages I knovv that the vvill of God though they had staves of yron in their handes and heartes to resist shall be done Vngracious vnwillinge and vnbeleevinge instrumentes shall doe that service to God which they dreame not of When God saith kill not and they contradict wee will kill even then though they violate the law of God yet is his will accomplished He hath hookes for the nostrelles and bridles for the chawes of the vvicked which they suppose not I will adde more Iudge yee vvhat I saie and the Lord giue you vnderstanding in all thinges He hath spurres for their flankes and sides which they neuer imagined Senacharib founde a bridle to stay him and an hooke to turne him backe Pharaoh had a spurre to driue him forwarde I vvill harden the heart of Pharaoh Exod. 4. and in many other places Let him alone let him take his pleasure and pastime but when he hath hardened his ovvne heart by malice then will I also harden it by iustice Thus the will of God is one way renounced and as sure as hee liveth and raigneth in heauen shall at the same time and in the same action some other way be perfourmed And yet are the men wicked though they do that which God would God most holy iust though he would that which the wicked do They beguile theÌ„selues heerein by a fallacy they are taken in their owne nets which they lay for an other purpose For thus they presume Hee that doth the will of God sinneth not true keepe the commandements honour God obey the Prince loue thy neighbour as thy selfe this is voluntas signi his will recorded in holy writ published abroade signified to all flesh and as it were proclaimed at a standard by precept threatnings promises terrour reward earnestly and openly required Novv the murtherer assumeth vpon the former grounde I doe the will of God For had it not stood with his vvill my power had fayled my hart had not beene able to conceiue a thought within me and my hande had vvithered and shrunke togither before I had giuen the stroke true likewise But this iâ— an other will a secret will of God his will at the second hand if I may so call is and by an accident a vvill against a wil that because hee did not that which God had publiquely enioyned hee should doe another thing which he had privately deterâ—ined Augustine deliuereth it in wise and pithy tearmes De hijs qui faciunt quae non vult facit ipse quae vult Of those vvhich doe vvhat God would not hee doeth what hee would and by a marveilous vneffable meanes it commeth to passe that it is not done without or besides his vvill which is euen done against his wil. Euclide to one that neuer rested to enquire of the Gods aunswered deseruedly Other thinges I knovve not this I know that they hate curious and busie inquisitours Adam was driuen out of paradise for affecting too much knowledge Israell had died the death Exod. 19. if they had past their bounds to climbe vp vnto the mounte and to gaze vpon the Lorde The men of Bethshemesh vvere slaine to the number of fiftie thousande for prying into the Arke 1. Sam. 6. The question is as high as the highest heauens dwelleth in light as vnsearchable as God himselfe couered vvith a curtaine of sacred secresie vvhich shall neuer bee dravvne aside till that day come vvherein wee shall knovve as wee are knovvne and then but in measure and proportion VVho is able to decide that dwelleth vvith mortall flesh how farre the counsell of the Lord goeth in ordering and disposing sinfull actions This I am bolde to say because I am loath to leade you farther into a bottomeles sea than where the lambe may wade without danger of miscarying and if there be ought behinde which is not opened vnto you let this bee your comforte Deus revelabit GOD will one daie reveale it but in this present question there is an errour I suppose in two extremities either to thinke that God is the authour of sinne which sensuall and phantasticke Libertines rubbing their filthinesse vpon his puritie haue imputed vnto him or that GOD doeth only but suffer and permitte sinne sitting in heaven to beholde the stratagemes of the vvicked vvithout intermedling as if his Godhead were bounde like Sampsons armes halfe of his power and liberty restrained a greater parte of the world and the manners thereof running vpon wheeles and the cursed children of Beliall hasting like dromedaries to fullfill the lustes of their owne godlesse heartes vvithout the gouernment and moderation of the highest Lorde Either of these opinions mee thinkes denyeth the Godhead For howsoever in wordes both may admitte it they deny it in opinion They receaue it at the gates and exclude it at the posterne The one destroyeth the iustice goodnesse of the deity in that they charge GOD to bee the authour of sinne the other his omnipotency and providence in that they bereave him of a greate part of his businesse The latter of these two positions that God doeth permit sinne is sounde and catholike enough if more bee added vnto it for God doeth more than permit the former is filled to the brimme with most monstrous impiety If the devilles in hell may bee hearde to speake for themselues and against God what coulde they say to deprave him more than this Indeede wee haue sinned and forsaken our faith but God caused vs It is a most damnable and reprobate thought that any vessell of clay shoulde so conceaue of his former who in the creation of all thinges made al things good and past not a vvorke from his fingers without the approbation of his most prudent iudgment Beholde it was good very good God saw it Aske but the maisters of humane wisedome they will enforme you in this behalfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God by no meanes is vniust but as righteous as possible maybe Seneca asketh the cause why the Gods doe good hee aunswereth their nature is the cause They can neither take nor doe wronge they neither giue nor haue mischiefe in them You haue the same doctrine Iames 1. Let no man when he is tempted say that he is tempted by God for God is not tempted with evill and
driue him to desperation the Sabaeans to store vp treasures of vvickednesse and to shew that stolne bread is sweet vnto them The envy and malignity of Sathan whence is it of God No. God borroweth and vseth his service I graunte but Sathan first profered it so the malice is his owne who was a murtherer from the beginning hee onely addâ—ng gouernement and moderation therevnto The furious and bloudy rapines of the other whence are they from God no. They lay in the cisternes of their owne heartes Sathan drew them forth by insâ—igation themselues let loose the streame and when it was once on flote the Lorde directed and disposed the course by his wisedome For this present I ende God is of pure eies and can beholde no vvickednesse hee hath 〈◊〉 righteousnesse to the rule and vveighed his iustice in a ballance his soule hateth and abhorreth sin I haue served with your iniquities It is a labour service thraldome vnto him more than Israell endured vnder their grievous task-masters his law to this day curseth and condemneth sin his hands haue smitten scrouged sin he hath throwne downe angels plagued men overturned cities ruinated nations and not spared his owne bowels whilst hee appeared in the similitude of sinfull flesh hee hath drowned the world vvith a floud of waters shall burne the world with a floud of fire because of sin The sentence shall stand vnmooueable as long as heaven and earth endureth tribulation anguish vpon every soule that doth evil Ievv or Gentile All adulterers murtherers idolaters sacrilegious blasphemous covetous wretches liers swearers forswearers whom the Apostle calleth dogges barking at the iustice of God making a causelesse complaint against him as if he were cause of their sins shall one day see the folly and feele the price of their vnrighteous inâ—ectation Let God therefore be true and let all men be liers let God be iust and all men sinners let God be iustified in al his iudgements and let all his accusers vanish and consume in the madnes of their heartes as the fome vpon the waters THE XIX LECTVRE Chap. 1. ver 14. For thou Lord hast done as it pleased thee THe Mariners in this reason of their petition acknowledge 2. things directly 1. the worke of God in the casting foorth of Ionas Thou Lord hast done it 2. the ground of his workes his owne will as it pleased thee A third thing is acknowledged by implication the equity iustice of that will as the warrant for their deed for thou Lord c. their meaning is not therein either to charge him with a tyraÌ„nous will quod libet licet as the manner of grievous princes is to thinke that lawfull whatsoever pleaseth them either to insimulate and accuse him of iniustice to make him actor or patrone of any their sins who dealeth in the actions of meÌ„ sometimes with open sometimes with secret but alwaies with a righteous iudgement Therefore I noted their corruption who thinke themselues excused in their most enormous and execrable sins because they fulfill the will of God in one sense not that open and revealed will which he hath given in tables published by sound of a trumpet specified by blessings cursings promises threatnings exhortations dehortations and such like wherevnto they stand strictly bound but a secret and hidden will written in another booke wrapt vp in the counsâ—iles of his owne breast which neither they intended when they did their misdeedes neither were they ever charged therewith from Gods lips Secreta Domino revelata nobis filijs nostris Secret thinges belong to the Lord revealed to vs our children 1. Quantum ad ipsos fecerunt quod Deus noluit touching their owne purpose and intendment they have done that which God would not they have transgressed his lawe with contentation of heart perhappes with gladnes it may be with greedinesse taking a solace and pleasure therein and not wishing to have done otherwise they have pursued it to the third and fourth generation from the first assault or motion of sin to consent from consent to delight from delight to custome and yet not giving over till they come to a spirit of slumber or rather a death in sin 2. Quantum ad omnipotentiam Dei nullo modo id efficere valuerunt touching the omnipotencie of God they were never abâ—e to doe it he sitteth in heaven that laugheth them to scorne he besiegeth them round about and his hand is vpon them They are not able to depart from his will more than if a ship were going from Ioppe to Tharsis as this ship was from West to East and one by walking vpon the hatches a contrary course as if he would goe from East to West from Tharsis towardes Ioppe againe might stay the motion or flight of the shippe he doth his endevour to hinder it by bending both his face and his pace backewarde but the ship is too well winged and of too huge a burthen to be resisted so those others shewe their will to frustrate and faile the will of God by committing sinne prohibited but yet they shall doe a will of his or rather his will shal be done vpon them maugre their malicious and sworne contradictions De hijs qui faciunt quae non vult facit ipse quae vult Of those that doe what he would not he doth what he would and as he commanded light to shine out of darknes so he can commaund good out of euill treasure from out the midst of drosse and commodity from the very heart of deepest wickednesse at least he will execute his iustice vpon offenders as he professeth Exod. 14. I will get me honour vpon Pharaoh and all his host for this cause he set him vp to shew his power in him and that his name might be declared to the whole earth Exod. 9. To reduce a diffused but a dangerous intricate question wherin as I then protested the warinesse of my proceeding so now I againe protest the subiection of my spirite to the spirites of prophets God forbid that I should not bee readier to learne than to teach I say to reduce it to heads I proposed vnto you the errors of some in 2. 〈◊〉 of extremities some going too far in that they make God the 〈◊〉 of sin others comming aâ— short that God doth only permit 〈◊〉 The former an error 〈◊〉 for devils than men the latter an error of humanity offending of simplicity rather then malice speaking truth of God when they acknowledge his permission of sinne but 〈…〉 who le truth because they thinke God only permitteth it both deny the godhead in effect the one destroying the goodnes and 〈◊〉 the other impairing the omnipotency providence government thereof in that they restraine it from some thinges The former of these two opinions that God is the author of sin most prodigious to coÌ„ceive though engendred in the braine I know not whether of men or devils yet is taken by
is the leader and the captaine faileth the knees smite togither sorrow is in the loines and the face gathereth blacknesse But I leaue to discusse the nature of feare because I haue handled it twise before This onelie I obserue in the mariners out of these words that they goe from strength to strength the longer the leaven lieth in the meale the more it leaveneth the longer they reteine in their harts the knowledge of the true God the more they encrease in knowledge If you compare the 5. and 10. and this 16. verses togither you shall finde that in the first they only feared in the second they feared exceedinglie in the third they feared the Lord exceedinglie The first declareth no more than the affectioÌ„ the secoÌ„d addeth the measure the third the obiect The first was the feare of nature the second of grace in the prime and first sprowting thereof the third of grace in a further perfection At the first they feare as men next as novices lastly as coÌ„verts First they see a tempest and because it threatneth destruction vnto them they are afraide which is incident to all men secondlie they heare a confession of the true Lorde a relation of an offence done a declaration of the iustice of God then they are afraide more than before now lastlie they see the event and proofe of all things the truth of a Prophetes words the importunity of iudgement the excecution of vengeance at this they feare as much as before but their idolles wholie relinquished they feare whome they shoulde feare the dreadfull Lorde of hostes and to publish that feare to the whole worlde they offer sacrifices and make vowes Thus is the kingdome of God described Math. 13. it is as a graine of mustard seede at the first the least of all seedes but when a man hath sowen it in his fielde it becommeth first an hearbe secondly the greatest of hearbes thirdly a tree fourthly the birds make arbours and shades in the boughes thereof So doe the marriners passe from one feare as the seede to an other feare as the hearbe and to a great feare as a great hearbe and yet to a greater feare the feare of the Lord as to a tree and the boughes thereof are so large that birdes may build nests in them that is their workes and fruites so apparant that others may be drawne by the sight and example of them There is small hope comfort to be had of that man who though hee heare the worde of God and receiveth it and forthwith receiveth it and furthermore with ioy yet serveth but the time applying his religion conscience to the present condition of things Examine your selves by these notes whether you are sowen in the fielde of the Lorde to take roote and to growe to perfection yea or no whether yee heare the lawe to keepe the law whether you hold that which you have as Philadelphia is counselled and not only hold at a stay but strengthen and confirme the remnant that which is lefte that your workes may be fulfilled before the Lorde as Sardi is wished to do whether you runne not onely to pace the grounde to make vp the number of runners to wearie your bodies to spend your breathes but to obtaine also for that is the Apostles exhortation So runne that yee may obtaine There is no time of standing in this life we must still forwardes and thinke that every blessing of God bestowed vpon vs is a further calling and provocation of God as were his callings vpon Elias when he found him a daies iorney in the wildernesse sitting and sleeping vnder a iuniper tree hee calleth vpon him vp and eate and when he found him a second time vp thou hast a great iorney to goe and when hee had travailed forty daies and was lodged in a cave what doest thou here Elias and when hee had brought him forth to the mount what doest thou heare Elias Goe and returne vnto the wildernesse by Damascus and doe thus and thus So whether we be entered into our way or have proceeded in it whether we be babes in Christ or strong men whether carnall or spirituall wee must vp and eate and strengthen our selves first with milke and then with stronger meat wee have still a greater iorney to goe wee must walke from grace to grace from vertue to vertue from knowledge to knowledge and allwaies thinke that we heare a voice that calleth vs forward Thou hast yet a greater iorney to goe what doest thou heare Elias Our Saviour telleth his disciples Iohn 14 that in his fathers house are the mansions they are not in the wildernesse nor in Horeb not vpon the mount where Peter would haue had the tabernacles builte nor in anye parte of this life therefore let no man singe a requiem to his soule Anima quiesce Soule take thy ease or body take thy rest till hee commeth to that place where his rest is Christ observed this course himselfe Luke 13. Goe tell that foxe Beholde I cast out devilles and do cures this day and to morrowe and the thirde day I shal be perfited The church of Thyatira in the Revelation is thus commended I knowe thy workes and thy loue and thy faith c. and that thy last workes are more than the first And the conclusion or posie of the Epistle vvritten to that church and of all the other Epistles is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not he that draweth his sword nor hee that fighteth the battelles of the Lorde nor hee that spendeth his bloud much lesse hee that fainteth or flieth but hee that overcommeth shall eate of the tree of life and receiue those other blessings To conclude It is a graue and serious exhortation which the Apostle maketh to the Hebrewes leaving the doctrine of the beginning of Christ let vs be led forward to perfection not laying againe the foundation of repentance from dead workes and faith towardes God c. The earth which drinketh in the raine which commeth oft vpon it and bringeth forth hearbes meete for them by whome it is drest receaveth blessing of God but that which beareth thornes and briers is reprooved and is neere vnto cursing whose ende is to be burned You see how the plagues arise 1. reproofe 2. a curse 3. burning and therefore it is as requisite that wee encrease in our fruitfulnesse Hee addeth a modest and kinde qualification of his former speech But wee are perswaded better thinges of you and such as are â—eere to salvation though wee thus speake If wee shoulde thus speake of our corrupt and vnprofitable times wee are perswaded better things our perswasion must be stronger then our proofe and experience For our grounde hath drunke this raine whereof he wrote and often dranke it not distilled from the cloudes of the aire but from an higher region of Gods most gratious favour Where are the hearbs fitte for the vse of the husbandman that dressed it I see but
mercie pleaseth him For who hath first loved or first given or anye way deserved and it shal bee restored vnto him a thousande folde Blessinges and thankesgivinges for evermore bee heaped vpon his holy name in whom the treasures of mercy and loving kindenesse dwell bodylie who of his owne benevolente disposition hath both pleased himselfe and pleasured his poore people with so gracious a qualitye Even so LORD for that good pleasure and purpose sake deale with the rest of thy people as thou hast dealt with Ionas and the marriners take awaie those iniquities of ours that take away thy favour and blessing from vs and as a stranger that knoweth them not passe by our transgressions retaine not thine anger for ever though we retaine our sinnes the cause of thine anger but returne to vs by grace who returne not to thee by repentance and haue compassion vpon vs who haue not compassion vpon our owne soules subdue our raigning and raging vnrighteousnesse and drowne our offences in the bottome of the sea which els will drowne vs in the bottome of perdition The mysteries buried vnder this type of the casting vp of Ionas the seconde principall consideration vvherein I bounded my selfe are collected by some 1. The preaching of the gospell to the Gentiles not before the passion and resurrection of Christ because Ionas went not to Niniveh till after his sinking and rising againe 2. A lanterne of comforte to all that sit in the darkenesse of affliction and in the shadowe of death held out in the enlargement of Ionas who though hee vvere swallowed downe into the bowels of an vnmercifull beast yet by the hand of the Lord he was againe cast our These are somewhat enforced But the only counterpane indeed to match this original is the resurrection of the blessed sonne of God from death to life figured in the restitution of the prophet to his former estate of liuelyhode and by him applyed in the gospel to this body of truth who is very and substantiall trueth For so hee telleth the Scribes and Pharisees twise in one Evangelist An evill and adulterous generation degenerated from the faith and workes of their father Abraham wherein standeth the right descent of his children asketh a signe but no signe shall bee given vnto it saue the signe of the Prophet Ionas For as Ionas vvas three daies and three nightes in the whales belly so shall the sonne of man bee three daies and three nightes in the â—earte of the earth His meaning was that if this so vnlikely and in nature so vncredible a signe coulde not mooue them all the tokens in heaven and earth would not take effect That Christ is risen againe there is no question The bookes are open and hee that runneth may reade enough to perswade him Hee that tolde them of the signe before mentioned signified the same worke vnder the name and shadow of the temple of Ierusalem a little to obscure his meaning and that hee tearmed a signe also Destroie this temple and I will builde it againe in three daies He meante not the temple of Salomon as they mistooke but the temple of his bodie more costly and glorious than ever that admired temple of theirs the buildinge whereof in the counsaile of his father was more than forty and sixe yeares even from the first age of the worlde and everie stone therein angular precious and tryed cut out of a mountaine without handes ordeined from the highest heauens without humane furtheraunce and such whereof hee affirmed longe before in the mouth of his Prophet who could iustifie his saying Thou shalt not suffer thine holy one to see corruption though of the other temple hee prophecied and it was perfourmed there shall not a stone bee lefte standing vpon a stone that shall not bee cast dovvne Praedixit revixit He gaue warning before that it shoulde so bee and hee fulfilled it The earth-quake at the very time of his resurrection Math. 28. the testimonie and rebuke of Angelles vvhy seeke yee the living amongest the deade hee is risen he is not here his manifestation to one to two to twelue to moe than fiue hundreth at once once and againe his breaking of breade amongst them the printes of his handes and side their very fingers and nayles for evidence sake thrust into them togither with so many predictions that thus it must bee and so many sermons and exhortations that so it was are able to resolue any spirite that setteth not it selfe of purpose to resist the holie Ghost Or if there be any of so audacious impiety as to deny the scriptures the warrante whereof is so stronge that Paul in the Actes of the Apostles not tarrying the answere of king Agrippa by his owne mouth speaketh in his name by a reasonable and vndoubted concession I know thou beleevest them and hee thought it afterwardes firme enough to prooue any article of the faith without other force according to the scriptures let them listen a while to that learned disputation that GREAT ATHANASIVS helde concerning this point Hee proveth that the sonne of God coulde not chuse but die having taken vnto him a body of death and that hee coulde not but liue againe because that bodye of his was vitae sacrarium The vestrie or chappell wherein life vvas conserved And hee holdeth it a senselesse thing that a dead man shoulde haue the power so to extimulate and pricke the mindes of the livinge that the Grecian and Pagan was brought to forsake his auncient nationall idolatries and worship the Saviour of the world that a man forsaken of life and able to doe nothing should so hinder the actions of actiue and liues-men that by the preaching of Iesus of Nazareth an adulterer leaveth his adulteries a murtherer his bloud sheades and at the naming of his dreadfull name the very devilles departe from their oracles and oratories He vrgeth yet further Howe can the carkas of a dead man prevaile so much with the living that vpon the confidence of life therein contained they haue endured the losse of libertie countrie wife children goods good name and life it selfe with such Christian magnanimity that the Arrians espying it beganne to receiue it as a ruled and resolved case not to be doubted of there is no Christian living that feareth death As for the slaunder of his sworne enemies the Iewes whose malice cannot ende but in the ende of the woorlde vvho contrary to common humanity belyed him in his graue and gaue not leaue to his bones to rest in peace saying and hyring men to saye and vvith a greate summe purchasing that vntrueth as the chiefe captaine did his burgesshippe Actes the two and twentith His disciples came by nighte and stole him awaie while we slept let it sleepe in the dust with them till the time come When everie eie shall see him even those that pierced him vpon the crosse and those that watched
Israell in the desert to some not houres to others not minutes but their spirit departeth from them as Iacob vvent from Laban and the Israelites from the land of Egypt without leaue taking carrying away their iewels and treasures and vvhatsoever in this life is most deare vnto them O happie are they to vvhome this favour is lente vvhich vvas shewed to Niniveh yet forty daies for thy repentance But thrise most vvretched on the other side vvhome the Angell of God hath aunswered time shall be no more vnto thee the night is come wherein thou canst not worke the vision is ended the prophecy fulfilled the doores shut vp thy gracious visitation past who in the closing of an eie are pulled from the lande of the living their place is no more knowne Let me tell you for conclusion that which was spoken to Niniveh in this place vnder condition was afterwards simply pronounced by Nahum Niniveh was destroied indeede Tobias before his death hearde of the fall of Niniveh the monarchie that said within it selfe here will I dwell was translated into Babylon He that endured Ierusalem so longe was afterward so obstinate against it that if Moses and Samuell had stoode before him to aske her pardon hee woulde not haue beene entreated hee that forbare that froward and stubborne generation forty yeares long afterwards sware in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest And as he hath spared and spared and spared so hee will overturne and overturne and overturne Ezech 31. and as he hath added yet more houres and yet more yeares and yet forty daies so hee will add yet more plagues and yet more punishments and yet more vengeance According to his fearfull commination Levit. 26. I will yet plague you seven times more yet seven times more still with further repetition as there is no end of our sinnes so there is no end of his anger This were the preaching fitt for these times blessings must sleepe a while mercy go aside peace returne to the God of peace not be spoken of That reverend religious honest estimation which was of God in former times there is mercy with thee o Lord and therfore shalt thou be feared is now abandoned and put to flight This rather must be our doctrine there is iudgement with thee o Lord with thee o Lord there is ruine and subversion vvith thee are plagues o Lord with thee there is battaile and famine and snares and captivity storme tempest there is fire brimstone with thee O Lord therefore thou shalt be feared Happy are we if either loue or feare will draw vs to repentance if our marble and flinti heartes wil be softned with any raine that falleth if our stiffe and yron-sinued neckes will bow with any yoke either the sweete yoke of the gospell of Christ or the heavye vnsupportable yoke of the lawe and iudgement But if Niniveh continue as it hath begun Niniveh shall bee overthrowen I am not a prophet nor the sonne of a prophet to set the time either of forty or fifty daies or yeares more or lesse hee sitteth aboue to whome it is best knowne and is comming in the cloudes to determin that question But mercye and iustice I knowe are two sisters and as the one hath had her day so the other shall not misse hers and the Lord hath two armes two cuppes two recompences and doubtlesse there is a rewarde for the righteous and doubtlesse there is also a plague for obstinate and impoenitent sinners THE XXXIIII LECTVRE Chap. 3. vers 5. So the people of Niniveh beleeved God and proclaimed a fast c. THE third part of the fowre whereinto the Chapter divideth it selfe containeth the repentance of Niniveh continued vvithout interruption from the beginning of the fifth verse to the end of the ninth where it is ioifully embraced by the mercy and pardon of God towards her which was the last parte The first of these five which we are presently to deale with is the generall table contents of that which the other fowre diduce into speciall branches as Ezechiel first portraied the siege of Ierusalem vpon a bricke to give the people of the Iewes an image of that misery vvhich afterwardes they should finde distinctly and at large accomplished For whatsoever wee heare in the lineall succession of all the rest touching their faith fastes sackloth proclamations vvithout respect of person or age wee have broched vnto vs in this prooemiall sentence Their ordering and disposing of this weighty businesse of repentance with every office and service belonging vnto it is so comely convenient and with such arte as if David were to apoint the Levites and priestes of the temple their courses againe and to settle the singers and porters in their severall ministrations hee could not have shewed more wisedome and skilfulnes For such are the duties tendered to God by this people of Niniveh as were these officers of the temple Some principall others accessary some morall others ceremoniall some for substance others rather for shew and to set out the worke some to the soule belonginge others to the body and outward man And in all these the first have the first places the second and inferiour such as are fitte for them Faith goeth before works in worke fasting goeth before sackloth in the persons the greatest goeth before the lesse in the doinge of all this the proclamation of the king and counsaile goeth before the excecution of the people The army that Salomon spake of was never better set nor almost the starres of heaven better ordered then this conversion of Niniveh First they beleeved God For the Apostles rule admitteth no exception Without faith it is vnpossible to please God For he that commeth to God must beleeue that God is and not onely his being but in his nature and property that he is also a rewarder of them that seeke him This is the first stone of their building the first round of the ladder of Iacob whereby they climbe to the presence of God From faith which is an action of the minde they goe to the workes of the body Fasting and sackloth For faith cried within them as Rachel cried to Iacob giue mee children or I die Faith is hardely received and credited to be faith vnlesse it be testified For that is the touchstone that the Apostle trieth vs by Shew mee thy faith by thy workes So first they quicken the soule for faith is the life of it and then they kill the body by taking away the foode thereof wherein the life of the body consisted and buryinge it in a shrowde of sackloth In their workes they begin with fasting as it were the greater thinges of the lawe and end with sackecloth as the lesse For as Ierome noteth fasting is rather to be chosen without sackcloth then sackcloth without fastinge therfore is fasting put before sackecloth But if wee shall adioyne
from the 8. verse their turning from their evill waies and from the wickednesse of their handes which some expound of restitution wee shall see that they went from fasting and sackcloth to that which was more then both The persons are as rightly placed For they humble themselues from the greatest of them to the least of them which declareth not onely an vniversall consent that there was but one heart one soule one faith one fâ—st one attire amongst them all but that the king began the people were led by him and that olde menne gaue example to the younge parents to their children Lastly according to the wordes of the Psalme I beleeved therefore haue I spoken no sooner had they holde of faith in their heartes but their tongues are presently exercised nay their pens set one worke not onely to speake but to speake publiquely to speake vpon the house toppes by open proclamation that all might vnderstande and it is probable enough from the 7. verse that ill the proclamation was heard for order and obedience sake they did nothing More particularly 1. the radicall and fundamentall action wherewith they begin is faith 2. the obiect of that faith God 3. the effectes and fruites of their faith abstinence from tvvo vices the slaunder and reproch whereof Asia was famously subiect vnto 4. their generality in that abstinence 5. their warrant and commission for so doing by the edicte of the King I reserve to an other place So the people of Niniveh beleeved God When Ahiiah the prophet told Ieroboam that God shoulde raise vp a king in Israell to destroy his house not to leaue him in hope that the time was far off remooved hee correcteth himselfe with sudden and quicke demaunde and maketh the aunswere vnto it What yea euen now Did I saye hee shoulde nay it is already done So soone as the worde was gone from the mouth of Ionas yet 40. daies and Niniveh shall bee destroied vvithout pawsing and resting vpon the matter they beleeved God What yea even now It vvas so speedily done that almost it was lesse then imagination It is very straunge that a Gentile nation vvhich vvere ever alâ—ants from the common wealth of Israell and straungers from the covenants of promise should so soone be caught within these nettes For when prophets preach the mercies or iudgments of God so fatte are the eares and vncapable the hearts of the incredulous vvorlde much more when God is a straunger amongst them that they may preach amongst the rest as Esay did who hath beleeved our report or to whome is the arme of the Lord revealed either the gospell which is his power to salvation to them that beleeue or the lawe which is his rod of iron to crush them in pieces that transgresse it Rather as it is in Habbaccuk they will behold amongst the heathen and regarde and wonder and mervaile they vvill lend their eies to gaze their tongues to talke but with all they will despise and lightly esteeme all that is saide vnto them Beholde yee despisers and wonder at your vnbeliefe you that wonder so much yet despise For I will worke a worke in your daies saith the Lord yee will not beleeue it though it be told you The Lord vvill worke it prophets declare it and yet the people beleeue not Nay their manner of deriding and insulting at the iudgments of God is let him make speede let him hasten his worke that wee may see it and let the counsaile of the holy one draw neare and come that wee may know it And sometimes they plainely deny the Lorde and all his iudgements saying It is not hee neither shall the plague come vpon vs neither shall wee see sworde or famine And as for his prophets they are but wind and the word is not in them Moses and Aaron preached vnto Pharo not onely in the name of the Lord and with kinde exhortations let my people goe nor onely by threates and sentences of iudgement but by apparant plagues the effectuallest preachers that might bee by the tongues of frogges lice flies grashoppers of morraine botches darkenesse haile-stones bloud and death it selfe could not all these mooue him No but the first time hee returned into his house and hardened his heart and the second When he saw he had rest he hardned his heart againe and the thirde time his heart remained obstinate and likewise the fourth though Moses gaue him warning let not Pharaoh from hence-forth deceiue mee any more and so hee continued to his dying day building vp hardnesse of heart as high as ever Babell vvas intended even vp into heaven by denying and defying the God thereof till hee quite overthrew him in the red sea What shall vvee say to this but as the apostle doth All men haue not faith God sent his patriaâ—kes in the ancienter ages of the vvorlde and founde not faith sent his prophetes in a later generation and founde not faith Last of all sent his sonne a man approoved to the vvorlde and approoving his doctrine with great vvorkes and vvonders and signes and founde not faith and vvhen the sonne of man commeth againe shall hee finde faith on the earth So contrary it is to the nature of man to beleeue any thing that custome and experience hath not invred him with or may be coÌ„prehended by discourse of reason Yet this people of Niniveh having received you heare but one prophet and from that one prophet one sentence and but in one part of the citty skattered and sowen amongst them presently beleeved as if the Lord from heaven had thrust his fingers into their eares and hartes and by a miracle set them open It rather seemeth to haue beene faith of credulity which is heere mentioned yeelding assent to the truth of the prophecie then faith of affiance coÌ„fidence taking hold of mercy That is they first apprehend God in the faithfulnes of his word they knowe him to be a God that cannot lie they suspect not the prophet distrust not the message assuring themselues as certainly as that they liue that the iudgment shall fall vpon them without the iudges dâ—spensation Notvvithstanding there to haue staied without tasting some sweetenes of the mercy of God had ben little to their harts ease The devils beleeue and tremble They are reserved to the iudgment of the great daie and they keepe a kalender that they are reserved For they neither see nor heare of Iesus of Nazareth the iudge of the quicke and dead Angels and men death and hell but they are inwardly afflicted and aske why hee is come to vexe them before the time And surely to beleeue the truth of God in his iustice without aspect and application of mercy to teÌ„per it to consider nothing in that infinit supreme maiestie but that he is fortis vltor dominus the Lorde a strong revenger reddens retribuet hee that recompenceth will
sustenance sake Wherein they noted a great indignity that those hands should be vsed at the mill wherewith hee wrote of the sunne and starres It grieveth mee to speake vvhat shiftes they are driven vnto who are able to labour in the word to doe the worke of righte good evangelistes idque vitae sustentandae causa not to grow rich thereby but to put meate into their mouthes and the mouthes of their families I conclude with the exhortation of the Apostle 1. Thes. 5. Now wee beseech you brethren that you know them which labour amongst you and are over you in the Lorde and admonish you that yee haue them in singular or abundant or more then abundant loue for their workes sake From an abundant spirit hee craveth abūdant abūdance of loue empting his soule of words that if it vvere possible hee might stirre their heartes In this sparingly sparing generation of ours what wordes might serue to warme their frozen devotion vvhome neither painefulnesse in labouring nor preeminence in overseeing nor vigilancy in admonishing can cause to knowe and discerne no nor keepe from contemning or so exceedingly to loue no nor vvithdraw from exceedingly hating these labourers rulers vvatchmen of theirs but even for their workes sake because they are ministers most debase and despight them They knew Christ among the Iewes to bee the carpenters sonne and such to bee his brethren and sisters So these they are content to know not in the worthinesse of their calling givinge countenance to their place and maintenaace to their service but in the basenesse of their birth and kindred poorenesse of their liuinges pensions and whatsoever may make to adde vnto them further disgrace And proclaimed a fast and put on sackloth Fasting and sackeclothe saith Ierome are the armour of repentaunce Shee commeth not to God with a full belly and meate betweene the teeth nor in gorgeous attire of silver and golde or of needle worke but with the thinnest face and coursest apparrell that shee can provide Shee is so much the apter to apply her suite and to entreat GOD. Not that the emptinesse of the stomake or roughnesse of the garment doe so much content him which are but outwarde signes of an inwarde cause from whence they proceede For when the soule is touched indeede and feeleth the smarte of her sinnes because it hungreth and thirsteth after the righteousnesse of God therefore it cannot thinke on feeding the outward man but commaundeth it abstinence for a time even from necssary eating and because it longeth to bee clothed with the salvation of God therefore it chargeth her flesh and bloud not to take care for wonted attiring but to change their accustomed ornamentes into sackcloth and ashes Meanetime the pleasure that God hath is in the sorrow of the heart and in the humility of the minde which the humiliation of the body giveth him assurance of The practise of David Psalm 35 is mee thinketh a very good paterne both to shewe the order of repentance to assigne the place that fasting sackcloth haue therein When they were sicke I clothed my self with sackcloth humbled my soule vvith fasting and my praier vvas turned vpon my bosome I behaved my selfe as to my friend or brother and made lamentation as one that bewaileth his mother 1. There must be some misery as the sickenes of friends maladies of our own soules or the publicke sores of the whole land 2. Vpon that misery ensueth an inward harty compassion as in a case that dearely affecteth vs. 3. vpon that cōpassion griefe which mercy is never sundred frō 4. vpon that griefe a neglect of bodily duties neither leasure to fill it with meates drinkes nor care to trim it with ornamēts 5. vpon the neglect of the body doe the exercises of the soule praier the like offer thēselues 6. praier with her other cōpanions at length come laden home with the sheaues of comfort blisse frō the plentifullest fields So that sackecloath and sasting as they are the witnesses of sorrow or some like passion so are they helps also occasions to more acceptable workes then they are themselues neither lye they next to the favor of God but they thrust praier faith between them and home to begge remission I meane not to prevent my text by shewing the nature originall kindes and vse of fasting amongest both heathens Christians which some later verses of this chapter doe challendge to themselues Only I obserue for this present that both those sinnes wherwith the people of Asia did most especially abound and these in Niniveh perhaps more especially then the rest they laboured forthwith to reforme that is the delicacy of meates drinkes intemperancy in cloathing The rich man in the gospell is noted for both these as handmaides that waited vpon his riches And Niniveh the richest lady vnder heaven was not cleare from them To rid themselues of these baites allurements 1. they fast from meate drinke sleepe ointments delightes recreations of all sorts For that is truly to fast not only to forsake forget ordinary food but to emprison shut vp the body from all the pleasures of life to pul downe the strength and pride thereof for neighbour-hoods sake to afflict the soule with it in effect to giue it straight commandement touch not taste not handle not any thing wherein thy wonted ioies consisted 2. They proclame a fast they leaue it not indifferent and arbitrary to the will of every private cittizen to doe what hee best fansied They binde them by a law and decree to do as the rest did least there might have bin some in the city carrying their Epicurisme and loosenesse of life to their graue Let vs eate and drinke for within forty daies vvee shall die 3. They put on sacke-cloath Perhappes not sacke-cloth in kinde which all the shoppes in Niniveh coulde not supply them with but the vilest and simplest vveedes that they might devise Their purple and prince-like furniture wherein they esteemed not warmth but the colour and die and ware them for their price more then necessity their wanton disdainefull superfluous sailes of pride and vaine-glory they lay aside and but for open vncivilitie they would strippe themselues to the bare skinne and repente naked 4. from the greatest to the least They spare no calling Prince nor peere noble nor vulgar person They spare no age old nor yong The aged that went with his staffe and the suckling that drew the breast are all chardged alike even those who for bodily infirmities were vnable enough to beare it The two daughters of the horse-leach which sucke the bloude of our land wasting the substance and commodity thereof in vaine in some the effects of their wealth in others the efficientes of their beggery are the vices of these Assyrians which directly and purposedly they crosse in this worke of repentaunce For what hath
vndone both gentlemen meane men in our country so much broughte some to shame as their backe bellie pride and profusion What means shall we vse to crush these vipers amongst you declaiming will not serue Denouncing of the iudgements of God we haue found vnprofitable by over-long experience Haue we not beaten your eares I mistake the aire the winde a thousand times vvith faithfull earnest detection of these monsters pride prodigality strangenes of apparell excesse of meates drinkes and haue we not gained thereby as if we had preached but fables Niniveh is fallen long since because shee returned to that wallowing which here shee repented her of But Niniveh shal rise againe and stand vpright against vs and condemne vs face to face for shee repented in hunger and thirst we in satiety gluttony surfetting drunkennes for either we never repente at all or these are the stomakes which we bring in repentance And Niniveh repented in sacke-cloth and ashes stuffe of the coursest woofe and workemanship and of the simplest fashion that their wits coulde invent we in our silkes and velvets of French Italian Iewish Turkish Barbarian hellish devises for either vve never repent at all or these are the guises and shewes we bring in repentance These these are the stomakes we goe with I say not to our beddes to stretch our selues and to take our ease till we haue gotten our appetites againe and these are the weeds we carry I say not to the theatres to bee stared vpon nor to the kings court where soft raiment is more tolerable to be worne But vvith these stomakes and these weedes we goe to the temple of the Lorde his house of praying and preaching and as boldly present our selues therewith as if the favour of God were sonest wonne by such intemperancies Whither we be a people defiled and corrupted as these in Niniveh were vvee are not so shamelesse to dissemble and whither prophets haue beene amongst vs as Ionas was in Niniveh let their wearied tongues and sorrowfull soules for their lost labour witnes an other day whither the iudgementes of God some we haue already felt and some wee haue cause to feare though not so grievous as they did we neede none other messengers to report then our eies standing in our heades and beholding some parte of them accomplished And lastly we would thinke it a great wrong vnto vs to be chardged with vnbeleefe Wee say wee beleeue God as frankely and confidently as ever the men of Niniveh did Thus far wee will be equall with Niniveh But shewe me your faith by your workes as they did in Niniveh If your sinnes haue deserved a iudgement and iudgement hath beene sounded by prophetes besides the preaching of experience and prophets you say are beleeved because you receiue them as those that speake in the name of the Lord I say againe shew me your faith by your workes as that citie did When did you fast I name not bread and water but from superfluous sustenance VVhen did you pull one dish from your tables or one morsell from your bowels Nay doe you not daily adde and invent for pleasure even till the creatures of God which die for your liues cry out vpon you we desire not to bee spared but not to bee abused vvee refuse not to serue your necessitie but your riot kill to eate but to eate deliciouslie and intemperately kill vs not Or when did you chandge one sute or thred of your rayment in signe of suppliant and contrite spirites shall I say by proclamation no nor by the secret and single decree of any private heart Or from the greatest to the least No. For greatnesse will not stoupe but at greater iudgementes The Lorde doth bruise but the heele of the body when the poore are smitten vnlesse he reach the head the rich and mighty amongst vs feele it not Brethren there must be some ende of these things our eating and drinking not to liue but as if wee woulde die with fulnesse and wearing of pride like a chaine to our neckes and a mantle to our whole bodies or if Moses and Samuell vvere amongst vs they woulde be weary of their preaching Yea there must be some ende or if Moses and Samuell vvithall the angels in heaven vvere amongst vs to bestowe both their preachings and praiers that we might be saved they should saue but their owne soules and neither vs nor our sonnes and daughters This is an yeare of temptation whereof I maie saye as Moses did in Deuteronomie of a straunge prophet Tâ—ntat vos dominus vester The LORDE your God prooveth you whither you loue him or no vvhither you can bee contente for his sake to leaue superfluities a while and to lay aside vanitie and converte your heartes and handes to the workes of mercie In the timeliest time of your harvest hee covered the heavens with a sacke to teach you the way to sacke-cloath and sent leanenesse vpon the earth to teach you frugalitie and thriftinesse in the vse of his blessinges Manie the poorer of our lande vvoulde bee glad vvith the disciples of Christ to rubbe an eare of corne betweene their handes for reliefe of their hunger if they coulde come by it Their bowels sounde like shaumes for vvante of foode and their teeth are cleane vvhen your barnes and garners are filled to the toppe your presses runne over and your bellies are satisfied vvith more then the flower of vvheat O take somewhat from your bellies and backes if you haue any loue to that hidden Manna the meate that perisheth not the fruites of the tree of life in the middest of the paradise of God if any desire to those vvhite garmentes washt in the bloud of Christ and rather to shine hereafter as the starres in the firmament then as glo-wormes vpon the earth in this present life take from your bellies and backes both in regard of your owne soules to witnesse humility and sobriety before God and man and for your poore brethren sake that they may bee fedde and clothed It is Christ that hungreth and Christ that must satisfie you Christ that craveth and Christ that must give vnto you Christ that lieth at your gates and Christ that must advaunce you to glorie Hee is the advocate to the poore and the iudge of the rich hee hath the sentence of blessing and cursing in his mouth and to those that are plentifull givers he shall render a plentifull recompence THE XXXV LECTVRE Chap. 3. ver 6. For word came vnto the king of Niniveh and he rose from his throne c. THE first of those fiue verses vvherein the repentaunce of Niniveh is laide downe is nothing else I told you but a generall comprehension of that which is afterwarde repeated and repolished with more particular declaration Therein they lay their foundation low and sure for the first stone of their building that beareth vp al the rest is faith plainly and expressely mentioned which if
the light of his countenance the life of his compassions taken away his wrath kindled nay his fierce and furious wrath the length and breadth whereof no more than of his mercies canne be measured there ensueth an abundance of misery vvith a diligent traine of all kindes of plagues having an open field to range in because there is no wil in God to resist them Therfore they beleeved in the fourth place that if his presence were recovered his decree changed and his wrath stopt they should be freed from the danger threatned vnto thē assuring thēselues otherwise that the buildings of their city should sinke downe stone after stone and that the children thereof should all be buried and entombed togither in one cōmon destruction Therefore miserable is their estate who liue within the vapour and heate of Gods displeasure We are all by nature the children of wrath borne to inherite it as we inherite our fathers lands but Christ hath purchased vs favour by his bloud we confirme it to our selues in some sort by making conscience to offend walking warily in the feare of the Lord. But such as run on their wicked race without turning draw their vnhappy breath vvithout repenting heaping anger vpon anger and not caring to pacifie the force therof their ende is the ende of the sentence that they are sure to perish not in themselues alone but in al that appertaineth vnto them their tabernacles children posteriey memortials nor onely in the life of their bodies but in the life and eternity of their soules nor for an age and generation of time but whilst God raigneth in heaven able to do iustice To avoide this danger it shal be safe for vs all to quēch the anger of God in time to take the bloud of the Lambe and cast vpon the flames therof and through the riches of his merites to seeke the acceptance and to hold acquaintance friendship vvith our God that we perish not And God sawe their workes c. We are now come to the fourth part of the chapter the mercy of God towardes Niniveh greater than both the former because it is not exhibited to one as vnto Ionas nor vnto a fewe as vnto the mariners but vnto a whole citty plentifully peopled and stored with inhabitantes Even so it is whither one or more many or fewe man woman childe citties kingdomes Empires worldes all generations past present and those that are to come wee drawe out waters of ioy and comfort out of this well of salvation There is a degree also in the wordes of this sentence For 1. God approoveth their workes and conceaveth a liking of their service done if you will knowe what works you haue it by explication made plaine their conversion from their evill waies that is their whole course of repentance Secondly vpon that approbation hee repented him of the evill which hee saide hee woulde bringe vpon them Thirdly vpon that repentance and change of minde he doth it not The words are not greatly obscure a little explanation may serue to vnfold them God saw Why was he a straunger till that time in Niniveh or did he but then begin to open his eyes to take the knowledge of their works or is ther any thing in heavē or earth or in the deepe that he seeth not with his eies tē thousand times brighter than the sun yea though it were hid I say not within the reines hearts of our bodies but in the reines and hart of the lowest destruction Some interpret it thus he saw that is he made thēselves to see or the world to see that hee was well pleased with their workes others more simplie and truly he saw their works that is himselfe approved them as Gen. 1. hee saw that the light was good that is he allowed it by his iudgement so heere hee shewed by his fact event that followed that the repētance of Niniveh highly cōtented him Likewise Gen. 4. God looked vnto the gift of Abel but not vnto the gift of Cain he saw thē both with his eie of knowledge but not of liking good affection Or to say further God saw that in the works of the Ninivites which if Ionas or the whole world had presumed to have seene they had deceived themselves he saw their hearts from whence those works proceeded how truly syncerely they were done without dissimulatiō In this sense we say that the church is invisible as we are taught in our Creede we rather beleeve that it is thā with our eies can behold it not that we turne men into spirits not having flesh bones or into trāsparēt substāces such as the aire is which we cannot see but because although we behold the body the outward appearance wee cannot search into their spirites neither are able to discerne them in that whereby they are Christians and of the householde of faith Wee thinke they are myrtles when they are but netles lambes when they are but vvoolues and citizens of Ierusalem vvhen they are but Iebusites Their workes Not onely their workes of ceremony order and discipline as fasting sackcloth crying which are not godlinesse it selfe but gestures and behaviours setting it forth nor onely their morall workes of charity towardes God and man in forsaking their wicked waies and making restitution of ill gotten goodes for these are most of them outwarde workes but hee sawe the workes also of the inward man and as it is expounded in the next vvordes hee saw their perfect and full conversion which consisted not in fasting and sackcloth alone or in formall professions but in the change and alteration of all their powers Thus to acknowledge the true and immortal God is a worke but a worke of the spirit both because the spirit of God is the author and because the spirite of man is the actour and administer thereof To beleeue is also a worke of the spirit for when they asked Ioh 6. What shall wee doe that wee might worke the workes of God Iesus answered them this is the worke of God that yee believe in him whome hee hath sent GOD sawe all these workes in them what they thought howe they beleeved which way the purposes of their heartes were bente hee sawe their faith as well as their ceremonies their iustice Evangelicall aswell as their Legall hee sawe their whole bodye of repentance wherein there was knowledge desire iudgement affection faith hope and whatsoever else was requisite to bee vsed in that worke And God repented Wee had the worde before who knoweth if God will repent But can this bee Repentance hath ever some griefe annexed vnto it and an accusation of our selues of something done amisse which wee woulde gladly retract both these are far from God who sitteth in heaven having all sufficiencye of pleasure and contentment in himselfe and for his workes abroade they are so exactly done by rule that wee cannot suspect any errour
therein committed The answere is this he that dwelleth in such brightnesse of light as never eye of mortalitye coulde approach vnto the sight of whole face to an earthly man is vnsufferable and the knowledge of those invisible thinges in the God-head vnpossible yet to giue some ayme and coniecture vnto vs what he is hee appeareth as it were transfigured into the likenesse of our nature and in our owne familiar tearmes not departinge from our accustomed manners speaketh to our carnall senses and that man may know him in some measure hee will bee knowne as man by eyes eares handes feete other bodily members by anger sorrow repentance ielousie with the like spirituall affections By which hee woulde signifie vnto vs not that which is so indeede but that which is needefull on our beâ—alfe so to bee vttered and expressed For because wee are not ignorant of the vse office effect of these dailie and naturall thinges in our selues therefore when wee heare them ascribed to God by translation we are able partly to ghesse what is meant by them The rule which Bernard giveth in his 4. Sermon vpon the Canticles is catholique and vniversally serveth to the opening of these figures Haec habet omnia Deus per effectum non per naturam All these hath God not by nature but by effect Now what is the effect of anger revenge For a man that is angered is desirous to bee satisfied and to wreake himselfe vpon him that hath provoked him the passion of anger is not in the nature of God but the effect is Vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lorde What is the effect of repenâ—ance The change or abrogation of some thing formerly done or at least determined Repentance is not in God the effect of repentance is the recallinge or vndooinge of a worke which in the iudgement of the worlde was like to haue continued Thus hee repented the making of man Gen. 6. and the advancing of Saul to the kingdome 1. Sam. 15. not that his heart was grieved but his handes that is his iustice and power vndid it and thus hee repented his iudgement agaâ—nst Niniveh by slayinge the sequele and fall thereof So that the easiest exposition indeede of the repentance of God is in the third member of the verse for therefore hee repented him because hee did it not The evill which is heere mentioned is different from that vvhich went before where their evill waies are spoken of for that was culpable this but poenall that defileth a man this but chasâ—eneth afflicteth him that was evill in dooing this but in suffering that in nature this but in feeling the latter proceedeth from the iustice of God the other hee is most free from And God sawe their workes that they turned from their evill waies When I first tooke in hande to declare the repentance of Niniveh I desired you to beare in minde that the first and principall gate whereby they entered into that service towardes God was faith The Prophet who compiled the history noted no lesse as appeareth by his placing of it in the heade of the booke that is in the beginning of the whole narration They beleeved God they tooke him to bee a God of truth and made no question but his worde in the mouth of his servant shoulde bee established And I as little doubt but they also beleeved God not onely assentinge to the truth of the message but entertaining in their heartes a persuasion of deliverance in the ninth verse it is very plaine where the hope of his mercy is that which induceth them to all these workes of pietye Heere it is saide that God sawe their workes and consequentlye repented him of the iudgement and did it not The place hath beene abused and a weapon drawne there hence to fight against Gods grace that these afflictions of the Ninivites macerating themselues with fasting and sackcloth prepared them aforehand to the easier attainement of their pardon Such are the pillers which they builde their workes of preparation vpon that before a man is iustified his workes may deserue that favour of God not of condignity they say worth for worth but of of congruity as if it stood not with reason and conscience that their workes shoulde bee forgotten If the prophet had trusted our simplicitye herein and concealed the name of faith weich heere hee placeth with her open face as the leader and forerunner to all their other actions coulde wee ever haue imagined that they woulde haue humbled themselues by repentance and prayed vnto God on whome they had not first beleeved and whosoever hee bee that spendeth his wretched dayes in the wildernesse of this worlde a wildernesse of sinne as the children of Israell in that wast and roaring wildernesse of SIN Exod. 16. without this cloude by day and piller by night to guide him the way to his rest hee walketh hee knoweth not howe hee strayeth stumbleth falleth because hee hath not light hee liveth and dieth in darkenesse his soule is as a fielde vntilled or as a vineyard growne wilde which though it haue store of grapes they are but sowre grapes his worshippe of God and workes of common civility what glasse soever they beare of honesty and commodity in the eyes of men they are both vnfruitfull to himselfe and before the face of God full of sinne and reprobation There are two thinges in the vvhole course of this history wherevnto I will limite my speech the one what the Ninivites did they beleeved proclaimed a fast repented the other what God he sawe their workes and was satisfied In the person of the Ninivites faith goeth formost workes follow it This is the nature of a true and a living faith it ever worketh by loue Gal. 5. and by workes it is made perfect Iam. 2. faith without these is as an almes of the rich man to the poore departe in peace warme thy selfe fill thy belly but he giveth him nothing Or as the body without the spirit wherin the life motion thereof consisteth For even the theefe vpoÌ„ the crosse that litle time which he had he bestowed in good workes In reproofe of his fellow condemnation of themselues iustification of Christ invocation of his name and a true confession that he was the king of Israell And this although we speake write imprint preach in all our assemblies even the pillers of our churches can beare witnes vnto vs that faith is an idle vnperfect verball deade faith where is not sanctity of life to attend it and wee both receiue it our selues as a faithfull saying confirme it to others that such as haue beleeved God must also be carefull to excell in good workes yet if the pens presses of the Romane faction might passe without controlment we should be trâ—ducâ—d as far as the world is christian for preaching only faith in the iustification of a sinfull man that our gospell is a gospell
can preiudice the bounty of our GOD and those rich benefites of his grace which his beloved sonne hath purchased for vs. I nowe conclude GOD saw the workes of the Ninivites and in those vvoorkes not onely their outwarde countenance but their inwarde and vnfeined affection and faith the roote from whence they sprang and as the fruites of their faith so he accepted them not for the worth and accounte of the workes which they dare not themselues rely vpon but through the riches and abundance of his owne loving kindnesse This is the plea that Daniell helde in the ninth of his Prophecie a man of as righteous a spirite as ever the Lateran pallace of Rome helde according to all thy righteousnesse for the LORDES sake for thy greate tender mercies for thine owne sake and vvith direct exception to their inherente iustice for wee doe not present our supplications before thee for our owne righteousnesse This plea we must all sticke vnto Gods mercy in his owne gracious disposition Gods righteousnesse in his promises Gods goodnesse in the Lorde his anointed his Christ his Messias And this shal be a blessed testimony vnto vs at the last day that wee haue stood and fought for the seede of the woman and for the preciousnesse of his bloud and passion against the seede of the serpent that we never gaue place no not for an instant to Pharisee Iew Pelagian Papist Libertine to diminish or discredite the power thereof Giue mee that soule that breatheth vpon the earth in plight as the soules of these Ninivites were nowe called to a reckoning of their fore passed liues their consciences accusing them of hydeous and monstrous iniquities the law pleading the anger of GOD flaming against them the throate of hell gaping wide and ready to swallow them downe when they were to take their leaue of one worlde and to enter another of endlesse punishment vnlesse they coulde finde the meanes to appease the fury of their maker and iudge Giue me the soule that dareth for the price of a soule stande in contention with the iustice of GOD vpon the triall of good workes either to bee iustified the meane-time or heereafter to be glorified and liue by them O sweete and comfortable name nature operation of grace grace and onely grace blessed bee the wombe that bare thee and the bowels that ingendered thee When it commeth to this question iustificemur simul Let vs bee iudged togither if thou haste ought to saie for thy selfe bring it forth O happy heavenly and only grace that bearest thy children safe in thy bosome and settest them with confidence and ioy before the seat of God when the clients followers of their owne righteousnes be it what it may bee with the least flash of lightning that fleeth from the face of God shal tremble and quake as the popler in the forrest O the Ocean maine sea of over-flowing grace and we drinke at puddles We sit in our cels and comment we come into the schooles and dispute about the merit of good workes without trouble But lie we vpon out beds of sicknes feele we a troubled perplexed conscience wee shal be glad to cry grace and grace alone Christ and Christ alone the bloud of Abell and Peter and Thomas and Paul shall be forgotten and the bloud of the Lambe shal be had in price as for the merits of our vnprofitable service we shal be best at ease when we talke least of them The only one fiftith Psalme Haue mercie vpon me O Lorde c. his memory bee blessed that gaue the note hath saved many distressed soules and opened the kingdome of heaven vnto them who if they had stood vpon riches and sufficiencie in themselues as the church of Laodicea did they had lost the kingdome It is vsually given to our seloâ—s for their necke-verse when the lawe is disposed to favour them Wee are all felons and transgressors against the law of God let it bee our soules-verse and God will seclude the rigour of his law and take mercy vpon vs. Some of the wordes of that Psalme were the last that Bernarde vttered even in the panges of death Let them also be the last of ours a brokeÌ„ contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Finally the choise is briefely proposed and as quickely made if grace not workes if workes not grace if this be the choise let vs humbly beseech God to illighten our eies to open our vnderstandings to direct our affections and to reach forth our handes to the better part which shall never be taken from vs that leaving our workes to his favourable interpretation either to follow vs or to stay behinde and either to bee something or nothing in his sight his mercy may only triumph and his covenant in the bloud of Christ Iesus may ever be advanced that we may sing in our Ierusalem as they sing in the courtes of heaven worthy is the Lambe that was killed to receive the glory and honour and praise and to beare the name of our whole salvation THE XL. LECTVRE Chap. 4. vers 1. Therefore it displeased Ionas exceedingly he was angry THE whole prophecy of Ionas againe to repeat that which ought not to be forgotten is the preaching of mercy An history written to the world and as a publique evidence instrument from God delivered vnto vs in every page line wherof his goodnes towardes mankind is mervailously expressed And as the 4. beastes in Ezechiel were ioyned one to the other by their winges so the 4. Chapters of this booke hang togither by a continuation and succession of Gods loving kindnes Open this booke as our Saviour opened the booke of the prophecie of Esaias by chance and read at your pleasure from the first of it to the last you shall never vvant a text or example of comforte whereby a distressed conscience may be relieved The marriners are delivered from the fury of the elements Ionas both from those and from the belly of a cruell fishe the Ninivites God knoweth from what whither from fire and brimstone or from sinkinge into the grounde or any such like weapons of wrath which in his armoury of iustice in heaven are stored vp and reserved for the day of the wicked but all are delivered Notwithstandinge which rare examples of mercy as Christ spake in the gospell beholde more than Ionas is heere so though the prophet did his parte before in penninge those discourses yet in handlinge this last he is more than himselfe though the mercy of God abounded before yet here it excelleth Then was mercy practised I confesse but heere it is pleaded maintained prooved by argumeÌ„ts apologies parables the equity and reasonablenes thereof vpheld and means made vnto Ionas in some sort that if God be gracious to Niniveh hee will bee pleased favourably to interpret it The distribution of the Chapter is into three partes 1. The affection of Ionas vpon the
There is not any knowledge of learning to bee despised seeing that all science whatsoever is in the nature and kinde of good thinges Rather those that despite it vvee must repute rude and vnprofitable altogither who would bee glad that all men vvere ignoraunt that their owne ignorance lying in the common heape mighte not be espied If Philosophie shoulde therefore not be set by because some haue erred through Philosophie no more shoulde the sunne and the moone because some haue made them their Gods and committed idolatrie vvith them It seemeth by the preface of M. Luther vpon the Epistle to the Galathians that the Anabaptistes condemned the graces and workes of God for the indignity of the persons and subiectes in vvhome they were founde Luther retorted vpon them Then belike matrimony authority liberty c. are not the workes of God because the men who vse them are some of them wicked Wicked men haue the vse of the sun the moone the earth the aire the water and other creatures of God Therefore is not the sunne the sunne and do the others loose their goodnesse because they are so vsed The Anabaptistes themselues when as yet they were not rebaptised had notwithstanding bodies and soules now because they were not rebaptized were not their bodies true bodies and their soules right soules Say that their parents also had a time when they were not rebaptized Were they not therfore truly married If not it will follow therevpon that the parentes were adulterers their children bastardes and not meete to inherite their fathers landes Likewise truth is truth wheresoever I finde it Whither vvee search in Philosophy or in the histories of the Gentiles or in Canonicall scriptures there is but one truth If Peter if the Sibylles if the devilles shall say that Christ is the sonne of the living GOD it is not in one a truth a lie in the other but though the persons motiues and endes bee different the substance of the confession is in all the same It was true which Menander the Poet spake before the Apostle ever wrote it to the Church of Corinth Evill wordes corrupt good manners And because it was a truth in Menander therefore the Apostle alleadged it which else hee woulde not The difference betweene them is that as in Lacedaemon sometimes when in a waighty consultation an eloquent but an evill man had set downe a good decree which they coulde not amende they caused it to bee pronounced by one of honest name and conversation and in such simplicity of wordes as hee was able presently to light vpon by that meanes neither crediting the bad authour so much as to take a iudgement from his mouth nor reiecting the good sentence so that which was a truth in the lips of Menander is not more true vttered by an Apostles tongue but it hath gotten a more approoved and sanctified author And surely as in the tilling of the ground the culter and share are the instrumentes that breake the cloddes and carry the burthen of the worke yet the other partes of the plough are not vnnecessary to further it so for the first breaking vp of the fallow ground of mens heartes and killing the weedes and brambles that are therein of Adams auncient corruption or for preaching the greate mysterie of pietie and comfortable speâ—king to Sion touching the pointes of salvation the onely worde of God sharper then culter or share or two edged sword is onely and absolutely sufficient But a man must dayly builde vpon the former foundation and not onely teach but explicate by discoursing illustrate by examples exemplifie by parables and similitudes by arguments confirme shame the gaine-saiers convince the adversaries fashion the life to the doctrine plant iudgement and iustice insteede of vnrighteousnes stirre vp the affections and shewe himselfe every way a vvorkeman not to bee ashamed and rightly dividing the worde of trueth from whom if you take his knife that is his arte and cunning he shall rather teare it with his teeth and pull it asunder with his nailes than rightly divide it But you appeale to the consciences of beleevers and desire to knowe vvhither their first conversion to the faith vvere by reading or hearing of Gentile stories No. For who ever required that service of prophane learning which whatsoever the instrument or meanes be is principally and almost wholy the worke of the holy Ghost and wherein is fulfilled vpon every convert that commeth to the knowledge of the trueth that which Samuell comforted Saule with The spirite of the Lorde shall come vpon thee and thou shalt bee turned into an other man VVho else taketh the stonie hearte out of their bodies and giveth them an hearte of flesh And we know besides that the conversions of men to the faith haue not beene all after one sorte in some by the preaching of Christ crucified as in those that vvere added to the Church by the sermon of Peter in some by a word from the mouth of Christ Follovve mee in some by visions and voyces from heaven as Paule Act. 9. was throwne from his horse and smitten with blindnesse and a voice came downe from the clowdes saying Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee and Saint Augustine reporteth Confess 8.12 that by a voice from heaven saying Take vp and reade take vp and reade hee was directed to that sentence Rom. 13. Not in chambeâ—ing and wantonnesse c. Iustine Martyr witnesseth of himselfe in his Apology to Antoninus that when he saw the innocent Christians after their slaunderous and false traducementes carried to their deathes patient and ioyfull that they were thought worthy to suffer for the name of Christ it occasioned his chandge of religion Socrates and Sozomene write that many of Alexandria when the great temple of Serapis was repurdged and made serviceable for the vse of the Christians finding some mysticall letters or cyphers therein vvhereby the forme of a crosse was figured and signification long before given that the temple shoulde haue an ende thought it warning enough to forsake their heathenish superstitions and to embrace the gospell of Christ Iesus Many other Aegyptians beeing terrified by the strange inundation of Nilus higher than the wonted manner thereof was immediatlie condemned their ancient idolatry and applyed themselues to the worship of the living God Clodoveus the French King after manie perswasions of Crotildis his lady a religious Burgundian vainelie spent vpon him having at length receaved a great discomfiture and slaughter in a battaile against the Almannes and finding himselfe forsaken of all earthly aide cast vp his eies into heaven and vowed to become a Christian vpon condition that God would giue him the victory over his enimies which he faithfully performed Now it holdeth not in reason that because men are converted to the faith by miracles martyrdoms visioÌ„s inundatioÌ„s hieroglyphicks such meanes therefore they should alwaies be confirmed by the same or that those
invincible courage in defending the Church Nazianzen writeth of Basile that betweene him his followers there is no more cōparison than betweene pillers their shadowes I omitte the rest But such are our vnequall iudgementes of those whose equalles wee shall hardelye bee that if vvee were willed to speake what we thought of Basile we would reckon him but a shadow and counterfeit to our selues and great Athanasius as one of the least amongst vs and thrust out the eyes of Ambrose and tearme him a crow and a chough as the Pie of Mirandula did Cyprian should haue a letter of his name changed as sometimes it was and bee but Caprian vnto vs one that wrote of trifles and vanities I omitte the rest the classicall and principall Doctours of the church next the Apostles of Christ and their next succeeders the starres and ornamentes of learning the pillers of religion and Christianity in their time who put their bodyes and soules betwixt Christ and his adversaries who spake and vvrote and lived and died in defence of his truth whose labours were then renowned and GOD in his providence hath reserved their bookes to this day monumentes to vs of their infatigable paines and helpes to our studies if wee bee not enemies to our selues I could be content to say much for them because I vse them much For I never could bee bold to offer mine owne inventions and conceiptes to the world when I haue found them such in S. Augustine and others as might not bee amended I would not wish the learned of any sort that hath but borne a booke to dispraise learning She hath enemies enough abroade though she be iustified by her children It is fitter that wisedome be beaten by fooles than by wisemen and that Barbary disgrace artes rather than Athens the mother and nurse of them But aboue all other places a blow given in the pulpit leaveth a skarre in the face of learning which cannot easily be removed It preiudiceth the teaching of others as if they fed the people with akornes huskes in steede of bred because they gather the mēbers of truth togither dispersed through oratours philosophers poets fathers scriptures make one body of them all which God is the author of they are thought in a manner to preach falshod Or at least it is vanity in those that preach itching in those that heare in neither of both to be allowed I also condēne it whē it is so Vaine vaine glorious invention let it wither at the braine that sent it forth And let itching eares fret consume away with the malignity of their humours Where we find them itching afte◠pleāsure it is good to make them smart with the acrimony of severe reprehension But where it is otherwise let not a rash conclusion without proofe be admitted against good learning If Asclepiodorus will draw with a cole or chawke alone I iudge him not if others will paint with colours neither let them bee iudged If some will barely teach and others proue if some affect to speake with simplicity and others with variety illustrate If some conferre with men of yester day others with antiquitye some binde themselues precisely to the words of God others not refraine the words of men vsing thē as the words of God If some stande narrowlye vpon the tearmes and sentences of faith others not depart from the proportion of faith nor bring in anye thinge dissonant and disagreeing to the vniformity thereof both may doe well but the latter in mine opinion doe farre the better That which concerneth you in this little dissent of iudgementes the sheepe of his pasture by whome wee are set in his house to giue you your portion in due time is this that you be not dismaied heereat For wee preach not our selues in such kinde of preachinges but Christ Iesus the Lorde not to commend our giftes but to edifie your consciences And to this ende I may saye vvith some alteration of vvordes as the Apostle to the Corinthians All thinges are yours whither it bee Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the vvorlde or life or death or thinges present or thinges to come so all thinges are yours in our preachinge whither it be scripture or nature or art all is yours Yours are Philosophers Orators Historigraphers Poets Iewes Gentiles Grecians Barbarians Fathers new-writers men angelles that you may be saved this only is the end where vnto our knowledge learning of what kind soever is directed To returne to Ionas discontented and withall to conclude you see the fall nay you see the relapse of a chosen prophet a sicknes recovered and a recidivation into the same or a worse sickenes Before hee had sinned and recanted his sinne and washed his disobedience away with the water of the sea but now is returned to the mire againe mire indeed wherein his heart as a troubled muddy spring is so disordered that he discerneth nothing a right neither in faith to God nor charity to man nor loue to himselfe accusing the most righteous Lord envying his innocent brethren and carried away headlong with a kind of detestation towardes his owne person once angry and angry againe and not onely conceaving but defending anger angry with the worme in the earth angry with the sunne in the skie angry with the winde in the aire angry with the former and governour of all these who could haue ended his passion with the least breath of his angry lippes A daungerous and grievous wound in a Sainte If I woulde thrust my fingers into it and thoroughly handle it But I leaue it to the order of my text vvorthy of another sea and of another whale and once more of the belly of hell even of hell indeede if God would exactly stand to repay it Improbe Neptunum accusat qui iterum naufragium facit Hee hath no reason to accuse Neptune that so presentlye after a late daunger will hazard himself to take shipwracke againe God is admirable in his Saintes not onely in their risinges but in their fallings also The best amongst them haue fallen And I loue to report their falles not that I take any pleasure with vngracious Chain to vncover the nakednes of my fathers but because that mantell and cloke of charity which God casteth over their sinnes to cover their weaknesses with is the comfortablest reading and learninge that the world hath S. Augustine spake wisely of the errour of Cyprian Propterea non vidit aliquid ut aliquid per eum supereminentius videretur There was something which he saw not that hee might gaine the knowlege of some more excellent thing That vvhich hee lost in faith hee gott in charity So there is somewhat that Ionas doth not to make way to the doing of some bettter worke For if hee gained nothing else the mercy of God might by this meanes bee the more commended in the forgiuenesse of his trespasse and that which hee
the best wine is that which is farthest brought for the more it is shaken in carriage the more it is fined and made fit for vse so there is both pleasure profit to heare any point of learning sifted moved to fro by the diverse iudgmeÌ„ts of learned men If I were as skilfull in simpling as some are I woulde giue you my simple opinioÌ„ But now I must speake froÌ„ mine authors R. Esdras saith that the wise of Spain called it Cucurbita or Cucumer which is in English a gourd or cucuÌ„ber but withal he addeth ratio iniri non potest vt sciatur quid sit we caÌ„not finde out the meanes to knovv what it was The Latin vular traÌ„slatioÌ„ calleth it Hedera which in our English signifieth Ivy Ierome disprooveth that eveÌ„ against himselfe saith that the Latines haue no name for it for Ivy and gourds and cucumers he saith creepe vpon the grouÌ„d haue need of tendrels props to beare theÌ„ vp but this tree sustained her selfe with her owne truncke had broad leaues like a vine the shadow which it cast was very thicke Some called it Bryonia bryony or wild nep the white vine which groweth in the hedges with red berries blistereth his skin that haÌ„dleth it SoÌ„e rapuÌ„ siluestre the wilde rape roote The Hebrews the Chaldees name it KikaioÌ„ the GreciaÌ„s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Arabians Elkerva whereof ye haue the oile of kerva in the Apothecaries shops Sometimes they cal it Cataputia maior great spourdge Pendactylum for the similitude which it hath with the 5. fingers of the haÌ„d Whervpon the French by reason of the ioints knots which are in the leaues therof name it Palme de Christ that is to say Christes hande The Hetrurians call it Phaseolum faselles or long pease a kinde of pulse rising so high that it served them for arbours Lastly the Germanes for the admirable heigth of it call it wonder boome that is the woÌ„derful tree Thus every nation as it could get any tree which in their imagination came nearest vnto it so they lent it a name But we may coÌ„clude vvith Oecolampadius according to that of Esdras before Incertum qualis frutex vel arbor It is not knowne what bush or tree it was At length the Latines the latest and in my iudgment the skilfullest amongst them haue all agreed to call it riciâ—us which in propriety of speach signifieth a tike a creature noisome to dogs for the likenes of the seed or grain that it beareth is applied to this tree Dioscorides calleth it arborosum fruticeÌ„ a bush yet a tree like vnto a figge-tree but lesse with leaues like to a plane but greater soft blackish and bearing seed like vnto tikes We may read of it in Pliny and of the oyle that coÌ„meth therhence togither with the variety of names that are giveÌ„ vnto it But al with one coÌ„sent agree that it sodainly springeth to the heigth of an Oliue diffuseth it selfe like Ivy that it hath scattering boughes broad leaues like the plane tree wher-vnder they were wont to feast most coÌ„modious to giue a shadow For which cause R. Kimhi noteth they vsed to place it before tavern dores Whither wee haue lighted vpon the name or not it sufficeth for the history to vnderstand that God provided a tree wonderfully tall plentifully stored with boughes leaues such as was most convenient to give comfort vnto Ionas O how admirable are the works of God the least wherof may challenge so many coÌ„mentaries expositions to be spent vpoÌ„ it what shall we then thinke of all nature if the whole table book therof were set before our eies to be viewed coÌ„sidered when one plant of the ground findeth not learning enough amongst Iews Barbarians nor Christians to vnfolde it When we behold the heaveÌ„s the works of his fingers the moone and the stars which he hath ordained I say not then as the Psalmist doth Lord what is man or the son of man that thou shouldest so visite him but what is man or the son of man that he should iudge or giue sentence of the and we may both begin end that Psalme as the prophet doth O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy name in all the world in the great buildinges treasures therof when one small creature parcell of thy workes breedeth such confusion in the wits of man Much more deepely might the Lord oppose vs as he did his servant Iob with the greater wonders of nature wheÌ„ we straine at gnats cannot coÌ„ceiue of little things hast thou entred into the bottomes of the sea or walked to seeke out the depth haue the gates of death ben opened vnto thee or hast thou seene the gates of the shadow of death hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth tell if thou knowest al this where is the way that light dwelleth where is the place of darknes Anaxagoras being askt why maÌ„ was made auÌ„swered to behold the heaveÌ„s to magnifie God in his creatures Surely as our Saviour coÌ„meÌ„ded the smal mites which the widow cast into the treasury so there is not the least worke that God doth but deserveth the greatest admiratioÌ„ that our hearts can coÌ„prehend And therefore the enchauÌ„ters of Pharoah wheÌ„ they were come to try their cunning in lice the basest conteÌ„ptiblest creatures they were enforced to cry out this is the finger of God To conclude as Christ made the coÌ„parison betweene the lillies his servants if God so cloath the grasse of the field which to day is standing to morrow is cast into the oveÌ„ how much more shal he do vnto you O ye of little faith so may we say if God be so glorious in a meaÌ„e plaÌ„t of the field which in a night caÌ„e vp in a night perished again much more are his mightier works highly to be marvailed at But in this 6. verse to bring it into order there are two parts 1. the creation of the gourd by the hands of God 2. the acceptation of Ionas The former hath 4. ioints divisions in it 1. the gourd was prepared by the Lord God for who els was able to create some haue gone about to imitate the workes of creation as to make thunders and lightnings and to fly in the aire but they haue paid the price of saying in their foolish harts I wil be like the most high 2. It was made to ascend 3. to be a shadow over the head of Ionas 4. to deliver him froÌ„ his griefe The preparing of the gourd had little pleasured Ionas vnlesse it had ascended to some height nor the ascending on high vnlesse it had beene flexible and bowed it selfe over his heade nor the hanging over his head without such quantity of boughes and leaues as were sufficient to shadow it all these grow and ascend
place to this auditory and would singe vpon earth as the Angels sange from heaven glorye bee to God and peace to men then no men better pleasing But you will not suffer vs to thinke the thoughts of peace When we say wee will meditate of mercy we are presētly interrupted called to a songue of iudgment These latter and last daies full of the ripest and last sins which no posterity shal be able to adde vnto so drunken and drowned in viciousnes that as in a plague we marvaile not so much at those that die as at those that escape so in this generall infection of sinne not at the vilenes of the most but that any almost is innocent giue vs no rest from bitter speakings And to giue you one reason for many we are fearfully afraide if we take not that wise advertisement that the Apostle gaue in the Epistle to the Coloss. Say to Archippus take heed to the ministery that thou hast receaved in the Lord that thou fulfill it Paul wrote it to the Collossians and the Collossians must doe it by word of mouth to Archippus and they all to vs all as many as are in the office of Archippus write speake proclaime and least it might be forgotten set it in the end of many precepts and advise it by way of post-script Take heede looke vnto it giue good and carefull regard haue your eies in your heades and your hearts in your eie liddes it is a worke not a play a burthen nor an honour a service not a vacancy and you haue receaved it in him that will require it talent vse principall and interest giue you the fulnes of wrath if you doe it to halfes and not perfitely fulfill it THE XXXII LECTVRE Chap. 3. vers 3. So Ionas arose and went to Niniveh accordinge to the word of the Lord. Now Niniveh was a great and excellent cittie of three daies iourney THE first part of the Chapter wherein the commission of Ionas is renewed vnto him wee haue already absolved and are now to proceede to the execution thereof which was the 2. generall branche Wherin hee so warily behaveth himselfe havinge bought his experience with cost that hee departeth not an haires breadth from his directions perfined Beeing bidden to arise hee ariseth to goe hee goeth not now to Tharsis as before but to Niniveh to proclaime hee proclaimeth not the fansies or supposalles of his owne heade but the preachinge no doubt which the Lorde bade him because it is saide according to the worde of the Lorde As for that which is added or rather interposed and by a parenthesis conveyed into the rest of the greatnesse of Niniveh it maketh the rather for the commendation of his duetie that failed not in so large a province and the faith of that people who were so presently reformed I will followe the card that Ionas doth As hee went to Niniveh and preached according to the worde of the Lorde so because the same word of the Lorde againe repeated in my text tieth mee to a rememoration of the same particulars which erst I haue delivered let it not offend your eares that I passe not by them without some further explication The present occurrents are 1. his readines and speede to obey the calling of the Lord So Ionas arose 2. his running to the marke proposed not out of the waie and went to Niniveh 3. his walking by line and levell according to the worde of the Lorde 4. a caution or watchworde cast forth by the holy ghost concerning the greatenesse of of the cittie as if it were plainely saide Bee carefull not to forget the compasse of Niniveh If you thinke on that in the course of this story you will easily graunte that the service of my prophet was the more laudable in persisting and the conversion of the inhabitantes in taking so short a time They spake of the Lacedaemonians in former times a people in defence of their right most prodigall of their liues and quicke to encounter any daunger That it was a shame for any man to fly from the battaile but for a Lacedaemonian even to pawse and deliberate vpon it Ionas beinge willed to Arise and goe to Niniveh is now so far from flyinge the face of the Lorde that as if his eare were pulled and his soule goaded with that worde hee taketh the first handsell of time to begin his worke So truely was it said by Esaie in the 40. of his prophecie They that waite vpon the Lorde shall renue their strength they shall lifte vp their winges as the Eagles they shall runne and not bee wearie and they shall walke and not fainte Ionas was quicke enough before when hee highed himselfe to Tharsis with more hast then good speede as the wicked and disobedient haue wings vpon their heeles to beare them to destruction their feete are swifte to shedde bloude and they runne with more alacritie to death then others to life but hee wanted that encouragement which Esay speaketh of he waited not vpon the will of the Lord neither had hee the testimony of a good conscience and therefore was soone weary of that vnhappy race Now he ariseth with a better will and feeleth agilitie put into his bones which before he was not acquainted with The word implieth many times such hast as admitteth no dalliance The Iewes in the 2. of Nehemias havinge hearde of the goodnesse of their God vpon them and the wordes of the king for the repairing of Ierusalem presently made aunswere to the speech of Nehemias let vs rise and build Let vs not loose so good an opportunity nor giue advātage to our enemies by protraction of time And it followeth immediately vpon that accorde of theirs So they strengthned their hand to good The latter expoundeth the former Let vs rise and builde that is let vs strengthen our handes and hartily addresse our seues to dispatch this busines Afterwardes when their adversaries reproched thē and charged them with rebellinge against the king Nehemias aunswered the God of heaven vvill prosper vs and vnder the warrant of his protections we his servantes will rise and builde that is we will not be removed from our worke vvith all your threatnings and discountenancings Then arose Eliashib the high priest with his brethren the priests they built the sheep-gate c. And surely if you consider the order and manner of their building how they flanked one the other in the worke some setting thēselues to the sheepgate some to the fishport some to the gate of the olde fishpoole others to the valley gate these next vnto those and all in their apointed wardes and stations and I doubt not but every man except the greate ones of the Tekoites who put not their neckes to the worke as earnest as Baruch was of vvhome it is saide that he killed and fired himselfe in the doing of his taske for they watched in the nighte time and
put not of their cloathes saue onely for the washing you vvill easily confesse that their meaning vvas when they first saide let us rise and builde to doe their worke at once and to busie themselues aboute nothinge els not to giue rest to their bodies more then nature did necessarily and importunately call for nor vacation to their mindes till their worke were at an ende Thus Ionas arose for I am as willing in these our lasie and loytring daies to builde vpon the worde as those vpon the fragmentes and ruins of Ierusalem that is he strengthened and armed and inflamed himselfe to runne vvith his errande to Niniveh his legges are as pillers of marble and his feete as the feete of an Vnicorne to vndertake the travaile Hee knevve that as vineger is to the teeth and as smoake to the eies of a man so is a slowthfull messenger to him that sendeth them but much more a slowthfull prophet woulde grievously offende so high a LORDE as hee was nowe to deale with So Ionas arose The example riseth with full strength against idlnesse a sinne as idly and carelessely neglected in this place as carelessely committed I will speake with your good leaue Your collections for the poore by hear-say are not over-spating The Lord encrease not onely your oile and meale in your vessels but your mercy within your bowels The lower you draw forth these wels of charity the clearer will your waters flow vnto you But where are corrections for the slowthful the meane time an almes as necessary as the former and a worke of mercy not to bee slipte in a well-ordered common-wealth The faithlesse stewarde in the gospell being warned to make his accounte and giue over the stewarde-shippe amidst his perplexed thoughtes what he shoulde doe for times to come saide within himselfe I cannot digge and to begge I am ashamed These more faithlesse in their callinges then that vnrighteous stewarde are not ashamed to begge though they are able enough to digge and sustaine the burthen of other labours but vvill not as vnprofitable to the earth as Margites in the Poet of whome it vvas saide that hee neither ploughed nor delved nor did any thing his life throughout that might tend to good Will you knowe the cause that Aegysthus became an adulterer we neede not call for Oedipus or any cunning interpreter to render a reason of his lewde living Slowthfulnesse vvas the bane that poysoned him And if you will knowe the cause of so many robberies in the fieldes riottes in your streetes disorders in common life wee may shortlie and in a worde deriue them from idlnesse it is so ranke a sinke sayeth Bernarde of all lustfull and lavvelesse temptations It is not lesse then a wonder in nature that Plinie in his naturall history reporteth of the bees their industry and painefulnesse to bee such and so hardly to bee matched in the vvorlde that almost of the shaddowe saith he rather then substaunce of a verie small living creature nature hath made an incomparable thing They never loose a day from labour if the aire will giue them leaue to worke And when the weather is lowring and troublesome they cleanse their hiues and carry out the filth of those that laboured within dores The manner of their working is this In the day time they keepe watch and warde at the gates as they doe in campes In the night they take their rest and when the day is sprong they haue an officer to call them vp with humming twice or thrice as with the sound of a trumpet The younger go abroad to fetch in worke the elder stay at home some bring burthens other vnloade them Some build other polish some supply them with stuffe for the worke other take care for their victuals for they take not their diet apart that they may be equall in all things Moreover they are very observant and strict in exacting the labours of every one and such as are idle they note and chasten with death Finally the drones which are the servantes of the right bees they are content to giue house-roome vnto in fruitfull years but they rule them as their slaues and put them formost to the labours and if they be slacke punish them without pitty and when the hony is ripe they driue them from their dwellings and many falling vpon one spoile them of their liues Go to the bees O sluggard consider their waies and be wise they are but small amongest foules yet doth their fruit exceede in sweetnes saith the sonne of Sirach their labour in greatnesse And goe to the bees ye magistrates of the earth and learne from that little kingdome of theirs to vse the vigour and sharpenesse of discipline against our vnserviceable drones who like paralyticke members in the body of man loose and vnbound in the iointes of obedience say to the head commaund vs not for vvee will not stirre at thine apointment I will adde to the former example vvhat the same history speaketh of the pismires a people not strong yet prepare they their meate in sommer They labour likewise as the bees But these make the other horde vp meate Their bodies and the burthens they beare haue no comparison But such as are over-great for their strength they set their shoulders vnto and with their hinder legges drawe them backe-warde And because they fetch their provision from sundry places the one not knowing which vvaye the other goeth therefore they ordaine certaine daies of marte wherein they meete and conferre and take a generall account each of others labour We see saith he that the very flintes are vvorne and pathes trodden out vvith their iournying least any might doubt in every creature of the worlde how availeable it is to vse never so little diligence I say againe Goe to the pismires O sluggarde consider their vvaies and bee vvise For they having no guide governour nor ruler provide their meate in sommer and gather their foode in harvest We having our rulers and guides of many sortes soule to governe our bodies reason our soules God our reason nature to shew vs the way as it did these creatures law to hold vs therein and grace to further vs and not labouring for the foode of this transitorie life alone but for that meate that perisheth not and for the rest from our labours yet are content as it vvere to languish aliue and to linger out our little time in a continual wearinesse of well-doing as if the lavve had never beene given to the sonnes of Adam to labour nor to the daughters of Eue to passe through affliction and vvhen I saye not pismires and bees and the little wormes of the grounde but the angels of heaven are evermore attending vpon their businesses for thousande thousandes stande before him and tenne thousande thousandes minister vnto him yet wee will sit downe and holde our selues bound to no ministration nay when the Lorde himselfe sanctified not