wanderers by running to Rome such superstitious places vnlesse they were weary of the Church of God would fetch home Idols If it were granted that there is some little truth among them yet who is so simple as to seeke his corne among a great heap of chaffe and that far off who may haue it at home winnowed and clensed to his hand The very sight of euill is dangerous and they bee rare eyes that doe not conuey this poison to our hearts I haue heard of some that euen by laboring in the Spanish galleys haue come home the slaues of their superstitions Egypt was alwayes an vnlucky place for Israel as Rome is for England The people soiourned there and they brought home one Calfe Ieroboam soiourned there and he brought home Two calues an old woman in all likelihood had soiourned there and shee brought home a great many The Romish Idols haue not the shape of calues they haue the sense and meaning of those calues and to fill the Temple full of Calues what is it but to make Religion guilty of Bulls Consider it well ye that make no scruple of superstitious assemblies it will bee hard for you to dwell in a Temple of Idols vntainted Not to sinne the sins of the place we liue in is as strange as for pure liquor tunn'd vp in a musty vessel not to smel of the caske Egypt will teach euen a Ioseph to sweare a Peter will learne to curse in the high Priests Hall If we be not scorch'd with the fire of bad company we shall be sure to be black'd with the smoke The soundest body that is may be infected with a contagious ayre Indeed a man may trauel through Ethiopia vnchanged but he cannot dwell there without a complexion discoloured How hath the common practise of others brought men to the deuillish fashion of swearing or to the bruitish habit of drinking by their owne confessions Superstition if it haue once got a secret liking of the heart like the plague will hang in the very clothes and after long concealement breake forth in an vnlook'd for infection The Israelites after all their ayring in the wildernesse will still smell of Egypt We read God saying Out of Egypt haue I called my Sonne That God did call his Sonne out of Egypt it is no wonder the wonder is that hee did call him into Egypt It is true that Egypt could not hurt Christ the King doth not follow the Court the Court waits vpon the King wheresoeuer Christ was there was the Church But be our Israelites so sure of their sonnes when they send them into Egypt or any superstitious places It was their presumption to send them in let it bee their repentance to call them out The familiar societie of orthodox Christians with misâ—beleeuers hath by God euer been most strictly forbidden and the neerer this coniunction the more dangerous and displeasing to the forbidder No man can chuse a worse friend then one whom God holds his enemy When Religion and Superstition meet in one bed they commonly produce a mungrell generation If Dauid marry Maachah their issue proues an Absolon If Salomon loue idolatrous women here is enough to ouerthrow him with all his wisdome Other strange women only tempt to lust these to mis-religion and by ioyning his heart to theirs hee shall diâ—ioyne it from God One Religion matching with another not seldome breed an Atheist one of no religion at all I doe not say this is a sufficient cause of diuorce after it is done but of restraint before it is done They may be one flesh though they be not one spirit The difference of religion or vertue makes no diuorce here the great Iudges sentence shall doe that heereafter And the beleeuing husband is neuer the further from heauen though hee cannot bring his vnbeleeuing wife along with him The better shall not carry vp the worse to heauen nor the worse pull downe the beâ—ter to hell Quod fieri non debuit factum valet But now is there no tree in the Garden but the forbidden none for me to loue but one that hates the truth Yes lâ—t vs say to them in plâ—ine fidelitie as the sonnâ—s of Iacob did to the Shichemites in dissembling policie Wee cannot giue our sister to a man that is vncircumcised either consent you to vs in the truth of our Religion or wee will not consent to you in the league of our Communion Saint Chrysostome calls this a plaine deniall of Christ. Hâ—e that eateth of the meate offered to Idols Gustu negauit Christum hath denied Christ with his tasting If hee but handle those things with delight Tactu negauit Christum hee hath denied Christ with his touching Though hee touch not taste not yet if he stand to looke vpon the Idolatry with patience Visu negauit Christum hee hath denied Christ with his eyes If he listen to those execrable charmes Auditu negauit Christum hath denyed Christ with his eares Omitting all these if he doe but smell to the Incense with pleasure Odoratu negauit Christum hee hath denied Christ with his smelling It is said of the Israelites Commisti sunt inter gentes They were mingled among the Heathen What followed Presently they learned their works The reason why the Rauen returned not to Noahs Arke is giuen by some because it met with a dead carkase by the way Why doe we pray Deliuer vs from evill but that wee imply besides all other mischiefes there is an infectious power in it to make vs euill Let vs doe that wee pray and pray that wee may doe it Yea Lord free vs from Egypt estrange vs from Rome separate vs from Idols deliuer vs from euill For thine is the kingdome the power and the glorie for euer and euer Amen Thus farre we haue taken a literall suruey of the Text concerning the materiall Temple externall or obiectuall Idols and the impossibilitie of their agreement Now to come neerer home to our selues in a morall Exposition here first The Temple of God Is the Church of Christ and they are so like that we often interchange the tearmes calling a Temple the Church the Church a Temple of God The materiall Temple vnder the Law was a figure of the spirituall vnder the Gospell The former was distinguished into three roomes the Porch the holy place and the Sanctum Sanctorum or Holy of holies The Porch prefigured Baptisme which is the doore whereby we enter into the Church of Christ. The Holy place the communion of the militant church vply earth separated from the world The Hoon of holies whereinto the high Priest only entred that once a yeare presignified the glorious kingdome of heauen wherinto the Lord Iesus entred once for all There was one Court of the Temple common whither accesse was denied to none though they were vnâ—leane or vncircumcised thus farre they might be admitted There was another Court within that allowed to none but
publike good An Ante is a wise creature for it selfe but a shrewed thing in a Garden Magistrates that are great louers of themselues are seldome true louers of their Countrey All their actions bee motions that haue recourse to one Center that is themselues A cunning head without an honest heart is but like him that can packe the Cards yet when hee hath done cannot play the Game or like a house with many conuenient Staires Entries and other passages but neuer a faire roome all the inwards bee sluttish and offensiue It is not then Thou that knowest the Wealth or the Birth or the Head but the Heart as if in an Election that were the maine it is all if the rest be admitted on the By. Heere then wee haue three remarkeable obseruations 1. What kind of Hearts God will not chuse and we may guesse at them 2. What Hearts hee will chuse and himselfe describes them 3. Why hee will chuse men especially by the Heart First what kind of Hearts hee will not chuse and of these among many I will mention but three 1. Câ—r diâ—isum a distracted Heart part wherof is dedicated to the Lord and part to the world But hee that made all will not bee contented with a piece Aut Caesar aut nihil The seruice of two Masters in the obedience of their contrary commands is incompetible sensu composito Indeed Zacheus did first serue the world and not Christ afterward Christ and not the world but neuer the world and Christ together Many diuisions followed sinne 1. It diuided the heart from God Your sinnes haue seperated betweene you and your God 2. It diuided heart from heart God by Marriage made one of two sinne doth often by preuarication make two of one It diuided the tongue from the heart So Cain answered God when hee questioned him about Abel Am I my Brothers keeper As if hee would say Goe looke 4. It diuided tongue from tongue at the building of Babell that when one called for Bricke his fellow brings him morter and when hee spake of comming downe the other falles a remoouing the ladder 5. It diuided the heart from it selfe They spake with a double heart The originall is A heart and a heart one for the Church another for the Change one for Sundayes another for working dayes one for the King another for the Pope A man without a heart is a wonder but a man with two hearts is a monster It is said of Iudas There were many hearts in one man and wee read of the Saints There was one heart in many men Dabo illis cor vnum a speciall blessing Now this diuision of heart is intolerable in a Magistrate when hee plyes his owne cause vnder the pretence of anothers and cares not who lose so hee bee a gayner Saint Ierome calles this Câ—r malè locatum for many haue hearts but not in their right places Câ—r habet in ventre gulosus lâ—sciuus in libidine cupidus in lucris Naturally if the heart bee remooued from the proper seate it instantly dyes The eye vnnested from the head cannot see the foote sundered from the body cannot goe so spiritually let the heart bee vncentred from Christ it is dead Thus the Coward is sayd to haue his heart at his heele the timorous hath his heart at his mouth the enuious hath his heart in his eyes the Prodigall hath his heart in his hand the foole hath his heart in his tongue the couetous locks it vp in his chest He that knowes the hearts of all men will not chuse a diuided or misplaced heart 2. Câ—r lapideum a hard or stony heart This is Ingratum ad beneficia infidum ad coâ—silia inverecundum ad turpia inhumanum ad bona temerarium ad omnia A Rocke which all the Floods of that infinite Sea of Gods mercies and Iudgements cannot soften A Stitthy that is still the harder for beating It hath all the properties of a stone it is as cold as a stone as heauie as a stone as hard as a stone as senselesse as a stone No perswasions can heate it no prohibitions can stay it no instructions can teach it no compassions can mollifie it Were it of yron it might bee wrought were it of lead it might bee molten and cast into some better forme were it of earth it might bee tempered to another fashion but being stone nothing remaines but that it bee broken What was Pharaohs greatest plague was it the murraine of Beastes was it the plague of Boyles was it the destruction of the Fruits was it the turning of their Riuers into Blood was it the striking of their First borne with death No though all these plagues were grieuous yet one was more grieuous then all Cor durum his hard heart Hee that knowes all hearts knowes how ill this would be in a Magistrate a heart which no cryes of Orphans no teares of Widowes no mourning of the oppressed can melt into pitie From such a Heart good Lord deliuer vs. 3. Cor cupidum a couetous heart the desires whereof are neuer filled A handfull of corne put to the whole heape encreaseth it yea adde water to the Sea it hath so much the more but hee that loueth Siluer shall neuer bee satisfied with Siluer One desire may bee filled but another comes Crescit amor nummi quantùm ipsa pecuâ—ia creseit Naturall desires are finite as thirst is satisfied with drinke and hunger with meate But vnnatuall desires bee infinite as it fares with the body in burning Feuers Quò plus sunt potae plus sitiuntur aquae So it is in the couetous heart Vt cùm possideat plurima plura petat Grace can neuer fill the purse nor wealth the heart This vice is in all men iniquitie but in a Magistrate Blasphemie the roote of all euill in euery man the rot of all goodnesse in a great Man It leaues them like those Idoles in the Psalme neither eyes to see nor eares to heare but onely hands to handle Such mâ—n will transgresse for handfulls of barley and morsells of bread and a very dramme of profite put into the Scole of Iustice turnes iâ— to the wrong side There is not among all the charmes of Hell a more damnable spell to inchant a Magistrate then the loue of Money This turnes Iudgement into Wormâ—wood or at least into vineger for if Iniustice doe not make it bitter as Wormewood yet shifts and delayes will make it sowre as vineger O how sor did and execrable should bribes bee to them and stinke worse in their nostrils then Vespasians tribute of vrine Let them not onely binde their owne hands and the hands of their seruants that may take but euen binde the hands of them that would offer Hee that vseth Integritie doeth the former but hee that constantly professeth Integritie doth the latter It is not enough to auoyde the fault but euen the suspition It is some discredit to the Iudge when a Clyent with
peremptory couclusion Vel poenitendum vel pereundum Except yee repent yee shall all likewise perish Such vengeâ—nce is no way to bee auoyded but by repentance But here the Iewes might flatter themselues If wee be greater sinners then they how comes it to passe that wee speed better then they To this silent obiection Christ makes an Apologicall answere verse 6. You are not spared because you are more righteous but because God to you is more gracious You deserue such or sorer Iudgements and the reason of this impunitie is not to bee looked for in your innocence but in the Lordes patience not because you are not worse to him but because hee is better to you who offers you space and grace to amend if at least at last you will bring foorth the fruites of Repentance There be some termes in the Text as that the Vineyard is the Church euery Christian a Fig-tree God the Owner euery Pastor a Dresser wherein your vnderstandings may well preuent my discourâ—e these known and familiar things I take as granted of all hands It is a Parable therefore not to bee forced euery way nor made to warrant a conclusion which the Author neuer meant This were when it offers vs the company a myle to compell it to goe with vs twaine or to make Christes Messenger speake our errand Such is the trade of Rome what their owne policie hath made necessarie they will teach God to make good this is to picke darknesse out of the Suâ—â—e No Verificatur in sensu suo like a good creature it does onely that it was made for A Parable is not like a Looking-glasse to represent all formes and faces but a well drawne Picture to remonstrate that person whereof it is a counterfeit It is like a knife with the haft it cutts not with the backe it cuts not it cuts with the edge A Candle is made to light vs not to heate vs a Stoue is made to heate vs not to â—ight vs if this Parable like the Sunne may giue both light and heate the more profitable the more acceptable Then sayd hee to the Dresser c. That part of it to which I limit my present Discourse deliuers it selfe to vs in these foure passages A Consultation Then sayd hee to the Dressâ—r of his Vineyard A Complaint Behold these three yeeres I come seeking fruit on this Fig-tree and find none A Sentence Cut it downe A Reason Why cumbers it the ground The Consultation Then said be vnto c. Dixit non percussit hee spake hee stroke not hee might haue spared words and begunne with wounds The Tree had rather deserued the Axe and Fire then a Consultation of recouery How easily would man haue reiected his hopelesse brother as when a piece of clay will not worke to his minde the Potter throwes it away or wee cast foule ragges to the dung-hill little thinking that they may become white paper But with God Verba antecedunt verbera hee will bee heard before hee bee felt Our first Parents when they had sinned Vocem andiuerunt Heard the voyce of God Hee reasoned with them before he condemned them If the fathers word can correct the child hee will let the rod alone Wicked men vse the sudden Arguments of steele and yron as Ioab discoursed with Amasa in the fift ribbe they speake Daggers poynts So Zedekiah disputed with the Prophet a word and a blow yea a blow without a word he strucke him first and spoke to him afterwards God deales otherwise Behold I stand at the doore and knocke hee knockes at the doore does not presently breake it open Hee giues vs warning of his Iudgements that gaue him no warning of our sinnes Why doeth hee thus That wee might see our miserable estate and fall to timely deprecation that so punishing our selues wee might saue him a labour Dixit non destinauit as if the Lord would double and repeat his thoughts before hee decreed it to irreuocable ruine A diuine president of moderation If he that cannot transgresse in his wrath nor exceed in his Iustice will yet Consulere amicum aduise with his friend how ought fraile man to suspend his furious purposes to mâ—ture deliberation It is too common with vs to attempt dangerous and desperate actions without further counsell then our owne greene thoughts So Anger is made a Solicitor Passion a Iudge and Rashnesse an Executioner The wise man first considers then speakes or does the mad man first speakes or does and then considers Which driues him on necessitie to plâ—y the after-game with shame and sorâ—ow to recouer his former estate or giue it lost for euer O holy deliberation whither art thou fled Dauids Hâ—rpe did cast the euill spirit out this would keepe him from euer comming in It is a Porter at the Gate of Gods spirituall Temple Man that would be as sure to keepe out his enemies as Dauid would haue bin ready to let in his friends How many desperate precipices of sin would be preuented were this Rule remembred Consule Cultorem For matter of estate we are counselled by the Lawyer for health of body aduised by the Physician we trust the Pilot to steere our course by Sea the Suruey or to mete out our Land but for the soule let it be as barren as this Fig-tree we take no counsell of the Gardiner Doe worldlings consult the Preacher concerning their vsurious trade before they vndertake it Doe Gallants aduise with him before they meet in Aceldama the field of blood O that they would admit an answere from such a friend before they giue an answere to such an enemy Dixit Vinitori Such is the honour God doâ—h his Ministers to acquaint them with his owne purposes Surely the Lord will do nothing but he first reuealeth it to his seruants the Prophets Nothing which may conduce to the office of their Ministery and the good of his Church To you it is giuen to know the â—ysteries of the kingdome of Heauen To you not to the world they haue no such reuelation It is giuen it 's none of your inheritance you were not borne to it To knowe Mysteries Sapere alta not common things Of the kingdome not secular such mysteries are for the knowledge of Statizing Iesuites but of heauen Shall I hide from Abraham the thing that I mean to do The matter concerned Sodome not Abraham yet was it reuealed to Abraham not to Sodome But doth God need any mans counsell Who hath at any time beene his Counseller Will the Potter take aduice of his pots No when Christ asked Philip where supply of bread might bee had for the multitude This beâ— said to prooue him for he himselfe knew what he would doe His questions are not his but our satisfactions Thus doth hee credit his owne Ordinance teaching the world how to esteeme of them whom himselfe so singularly honors How poore a place soeuer they finde in mens thoughts the
Like Sampson it may make vs sport for a while but will at last pull downe the house vpon our heads The voyce of the Turtle is not heard in our Land Vox Turturis vox gemâ—â—tis True penitents bee more rare then Turtles The voyce of the Sparrow wee heare chirping lust of the Night-bird buzzing ignorance the voyce of the Scriech-owle croaking blasphemy of the Popiniay gawdy pride the voyce of the Kite and Cormorant couetousnesse and oppression these and other Birdes of that wing bee common But Non audita est vox Turturis who mournes for the sinne of the time and longs to bee freed from the time of sinne It was an vnhappy spectacle in Israel to see at once Lachrymantem Dominum and ridentem populum a weeping Sauiour and deriding sinners We complaine of our crosses and losses wee complaine of our maladies of our iniuries enemies miseries the Lord open our eyes and soften our hearts to see and feele the cause of all and to complaine of our sinnes I come The Lord had often sent before now he came himselfe euen by his personall presence accepting our nature The Sonne of God that made vs the Sonnes of men became the Sonne of man to make vs the Sons of God Hee came voluntarily we come into the world not by our owne wills but by the will of our parents Christ came by his owne will Hee came not for his owne benefit but ours What profit doth the Sunne receiue by our looking on him Wee are the better for his light not hee for our sight A shower of raine that waters the earth gets nothing to it selfe the earth fares the better for it He came for our fruites these cannot enrich him Lord our well-doing extendeth not to thee Neuer came such an Inhabitant to our Countrey as Iesus Had God graunted men the libertie to beg of him what they would and haue it they durst not haue beene so bold as to aske his onely Sonne When the King giues a free concession to his subiect to make choise of his owne sute without deniall he will not bee so impudent as to beg the Prince Let vs entertaine him well wee fare the better for him the profit of our redemption blesâ—eth all the rest vnto vs. Farre bee it from vs to welcome him with scandals with blasphemies and neglect Hee may then reply as Absolon to Hushai Is this thy kindnes to thy friend No you say we make much of him hold him in the highest regard trust him with our whole saluation But knowe Christ fares not the better for thy Faith but for thy Charity Faith is a beggerly receiuer Charitie is a rich giuâ—r Thy Faith is a hand that takes something from him to enrich thy selfe thy Charitie is a hand that giues some thing to him in his distressed members Indeed Christ is the subiect of all tongus but he is not the obiect of all hearts The Schoole disputes of him the Pulpit preaches of him Profession talks of him Profane men sweare by him few loue him few â—erue him He is come let him bee made welcome by setting our best cheere and choycest fruites before him Whom should we entertaine if not our Sauiour Seeking But did not Hee know before What need hee seeke that hath found Hee that vnderstands our thoughts long before they are borne cannot be nescious of our workes when they are done My answere shall bee short the Lords Quaerit is a Requirit hee doth not seeke a thing that is hid from him but requiâ—es a debt that is due vnto him Seeking This is no rare but a continued act It is not Veni I came Hee came vnto his owne c Nor a Venturus sum Yet a little while and I will come But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Reuel 3.20 Sto pulsans I stand knocking so here Venio querens l come seeking Hee seekes continually will you heare how long These three yeares Much time hath beene spent about the Interpretation of this time how it is appliable to the Iewish Synagogue to whom it was immediatly referred I find no great difference among Expositors sauing onely in their tearmes Some by the first yeare vnderstand the time before the Captiuitie by the second their returne to Iury by the last the comming of Christ. Some by the first yeare conceiue the Lawe giuen by Moses By the second the Propheticall attestations by the third the grace of our Lord Iesus Some resolue it thus the first yeare was the time of Circumcision from Abraham to Moses the next the Leuitical Law from Moses to Christ the last is the yeare of Saluation by the Messias Others vnderstand the first yeare to bee of the Patriarchs the middle yeare of the Iudges the third of the Kings After all this hee was intreated to forbeare it a fourth yeare till it was instructed by the Apostles and then being found fruitlesse it was cut downe by the Romanes But I rather take a definite number to be put for an indefinite three yeares is time long enough to wait for the proofe of a tree such a proportionable expectation had the Lord for that Church If literally you would haue it I take this to bee the probablest exposition These three yeares were the very three yeares of his Preaching healing diseases casting out Deuils working Miracles before their faces The other yeare which he added was the time while the Apostles offer'd them the Gospel of saluation Whereof the refusers were cut downe the accepters were saued He hath likewise waited for the Church of Christianity three yeares that is three reuolutions of Ages thrice fiue hundred yeres Or he hath tarried the leasure of the whole world three yeares the first yeare vnder nature the second vnder the Law the third vnder Grace the fourth is now a passing and who knowes how farre it is spent Or to apply it to our selues these three yeares of our visitation hath beene so many scores of yeares Conceiue the formost to be in the dayes of King Edward 6. who purged the gold from the rust and drosse of Superstition Ignorance and Cussenage which it had contracted The Sunne beganne to shine out in his bright lustre the Lord came seeking our fruits but not finding them answerable to his expectation nor worthy of the glorious Gospell hee drewe another cloud ouer our Sunne teaching vs better to value that heauenly Manna wherewith we were so suddenly growne wanton The second yeare vnder Queene Elizabeth of so blessed memory that Royall nurse vpon whose Bosome the Church of God leaned to take her rest Shee did againe vindicate this Vineyard which had so long lyen among Fryars and Monkes that it had allmost quite forgotten the language of Canaan Shee taught it a new to speake the Dialect of the Holy Ghost When that Gracious Queene was taken from a Crowne of gold to a Diadem of glory then began our third yeare wherein our present Soueraigne was sent Dignissimus Regno
Sonne by his mercy and mediation the Holy Ghost by his grace and sanctification all diuiding the streames of their goodnesse for the best behoofe of the world The more any thing furthers the common good the more noble is the Nature and more resembling the Creator The Earth is fruitfull the Sea the Ayre the Heauens are fruitfull and shall not man bring foorth fruites for whom all these are fruitfull While all the Armies of Heauen and Earth are busied in fructifying shall Man of more singular graces and faculties be idle a burden to the world and himselfe Both the Church of God for the propagation of pietie and the world it selfe for the vpholding of his estate requires our Fruites If Happinesse consisted in doing nothing God that meant Adam so happy would neuer haue set him about businesse but as Paradise was his Store-house so also his work-house his pleasure was his taske There is no state of man that can priuiledge a folded hand Our life is Vita pulueris non puluinaris Landes Meanes and Moneyes men make the protections of Idlenesse whereas Adam commaunded the whole earth yet worke expected him In Paradise all things did labour for man now man must labour for all things Adam did worke because he was happy wee his children must worke that wee may bee happy Heauen is for ioyes Hell for paines Earth for labour God hath three houses this is his Worke-house that aboue is his Ware-house O then let vs bee fruitfull that others benefit may bee ours our benefit theirs and the glory of all the Lords If Magistrates yeeld not the Fruits of Iustice Ministers the fruits of knowledge priuate men the fruits of Charitie and Obedienâ—e it is as vnnaturall as if the Sunne should forget to shine or the earth to fructifie God made all these for man hee made man for himselfe of vs he lookes for Fruit of vs let him finde it from vs accept it in vs increase it and to vs reward it through Him in whome alone wee expect mercie Iesus Christ. The successe followes Non inuenio We haue brought the Lord into his Vineyard heard him calling for the Dresser shewing him a Tree telling him of a three yeares expectation now if after all this we inquire for the euent himselfe certifies vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I finde none None Peraduenture he came before the season Nondum tempus erat Ficorum When should a Tree bring forth fruits but Tempore suo This is the praise of the good Tree that it brings foorth the fruit in due season If the Figge-tree could haue obiected to the Owner as Elisha to his seruant Hoccine tempus Is this a time to plant Vineyards or gather fruit Or as the man replyed to his neighbour that came to borrowe loaues at midnight Is this a time to lend Bread when my selfe and family are in bed The Spring is the season of fructifying the Autumne of gathering When the time of the singing of Birds is come Then the Figtree puts foorth her greene Figges But Cum fermento perfundatur puluis when the dust is leauened with myre and the bands of Orion haue lock'd vp the influence of Heauen Who seeks fruit in Winter hee must be content with Winter fruit There is the Winter of an afflicted Conscience no maruell then if neither ripe Figges nor so much as greene leaues appeare when all the Sappe is retyred to the Roote as in extreame cold the bloud runnes to the heart to succour it When the Babylonians required of their captiue Israelites some Hebrewe Songs they could soone answere How shall wee sing the Lordes Song in a strange Land Is this a time or place to be merry But did the Lord come out of season No hee required it not the first day or moneth but wayted the full time expecting fruit in the Autumne or Vintage season Non anté tempus querit qui per triennium venit Hee came not with a Trienniall Visitation as Episcopall Fathers vse to visite once in three yeeres but euery yeare euery moneth in the yeare weeke of the moneth day of the weeke Of another Figge-tree it is said that The time of Figges was not yet yet hee cursed it Heere the time was three yeares past without fruit yet he cursed it not But looke to it If thou wilt not fructifie Tempoâ—e tuo thou shalt be cut down tempore non tuo perish before thy time There is not a day in the yeare wherein hee forbeares seeking our fruit yet Venio non inuenio I find none None Nunquid quia male quasiuit Dominus Was there any errour in his search Men often seeke Bona good things non bene not in a good manner Either they faile in their Quando as Ioseph sought Christ after a dayes iourney whereas hee is too precious to bee missed one houre They shall seeke thee Tempore inveniendi when thou mayest be found Or in the right Vbi as Mary sought her Son in Cognatione Carnis among her kinred who was in Domo Patris in the Temple So the Papists seeke now him in Pictures who promised to bee found in the Scriptures Or in their Quomodo as they that seeke aliud pro illo aliud prae illo another insted of him another besides him another with him another before him which they doe not seeke for him All these seeke and misse because they seeke amisse The world is commonly mistaken in their search Quaerunt bona locis non suis they seeke for things out of their proper orbes Men seeke Honour in Pride whereas Honour is to bee found in Humilitie They seeke reputation in bloodie reuenge alas that is to bee found in Patience It is the glory of a man to passe by an offence They seeke content in Riches which is as if one should seeke for fresh water in the midst of the Sea But in none of these circumstances did this Seeker faile not in the Vbi for he sought in the Vineyard not in the Quando for he came in the Vintage not in the Quomodo for he sought fruit on that Figtree about which hee had bene at so great charges yet I finde none None Haply not so thicke with fruites as the Vines of Engedi euery Land is not a Caanan to flowe with Milke and Honey But yet some competent measure enough to pay the Land-lord rent for the ground it stands on no None If there bee none to spare whereof the owner may make money yet Sufficiat ad vsum suum ad esum suum that hee may eate the labours of his owne hands no None If the number bee not as the Sand yet let there bee a Remnant If there cannot bee a whole haruest yet let there bee a Tenth If not a Tenth yet let there bee some gleanings and that is a woefull scarcitie if the gleanings bee not allowed yet let there bee heere and there a Figge a Grape a Berry on the outmost branches
be putrefyed what shall season it A sweet Singer delights vs all but Quis medebitur cantatori a Serpente percusso If a Serpent hath stung him who shall recouer his voice If the eye be blind what shall looke to the eye Ad nihilum valet quod non valet ad finem suum It is good for nothing that is not good for the end it was made If a knife bee not good to cut we say it is good for nothing yet may some other vse be inuented for it If a Plough be not good to breake the ground we say it is good for nothing yet it may stop a gap If a hound be not good to hunt we say he is good for nothing yet may he in the night giue warning of a theefe But if a Fig-tree a Professor be not good for fruit he is indeed good for nothing The refuse of other things haue their vses sowre Wine will make Vineger olde Rags make Paper Lees are for Dyers Soile is good to fat the Land Potsheards and broken tiles to mend high waies all good for somewhat yea they offer to sel the combings of haires Ladies and Gentlewomen know whether they be good for any purpose or no. But the fruitlesse vine the sauourlesse Salt the lightlesse Lampe the Fig-lesse Figge-tree the gracelesse Christian is good for nothing We all haue our Stations in the Vineyard to bring foorth fruits but what bee those fruits It was a smart Inuention of him that hauing placed the Emperour and the Pope reconciled in their Maiestick Thrones he brought the States of the world before them First comes a Counseller of State with this Motto I Aduise you two then a Courtier I Flatter you three then a Husbandman I Feed you foure then a Merchant I Coussen you fiue then a Lawyer I Robbe you sixe then a Souldier I Fight for you seuen then a Physician I Kill you eight Lastly a Priest I absolue you all nine This was his Satyre But in the feare of God as our Soueraigne doth gouerne vs in Truth and Peace So let the Counseller aduise the Iudge censure the Husbandman labour Merchant trafficke the Lawyer plead the Souldier beare armes the Diuine preach all bring forth the fruites of righteousnesse that this Kingdome may flourish and bee an exemplary encouragement to our neighbours that our Children may bee blessed after vs our Enemies conuinced Aliens conuerted Satan confounded the Gospell honoured the Lord glorified and our owne soules eternally saued Which grace the happy fruit of the Gospell and glory the happie fruit of Grace God the Father grant vs all for his mercies sake God the Sonne for his merits sake God the Holy Ghost for his Names sake to whom three Persons and one most glorious God he rendred all honour and obedience now and for euer Amen FINIS THE TEMPLE A Sermon Preached at PAVLS Crosse the fifth of August 1624. BY THO. ADAMS LONDON Printed by A. Mathewes for Iohn Grismand and are to bee sold at his Shop in Pauls Alley at the Signe of the Gunne 1624. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE SIR HENRY CAREY Lord HVNSDON Viscount Rochford MY LORD AMong the many absurdities which giue vs iust cause to abhorre the Religion of the present Roman Church this seemeth to me none of the least that they haue filled all the Temples vnder the commaund of their politike Hierarchy with Idols and changed the glory of the Inuisible God into the worship of visible Images They inuocate the Saints by them yea they dare not serue the Lord without them As if God had repealed his vnchageable Law and in stead of condemning all worship by an Image would now receiue no worship without an Image I haue obserued this one among the other famous markes of that Synagogue that they striue to condemne that which God hath iustified and to iustifie what he hath condemned For the former He hath precisely directed our Iustification only by faith in the merits of Christ this they vehemâ—ntly dispute against For the other He hath not without mention of his Ieâ—ousie for bidden all worship that hath the least tang of Idolatry this they eagerly maintaine What large Volumes haue they written against the Second Commaundement as if they were not content to expunge it out of their Catechismes vnlesse they did also Dogmatice 〈◊〉 it to the whole world They first set the people vpon a plaine rebellion then make shew to fetch them off again with a neat distinction Thus doe they pumpe their wits to legitimate that by a distinction which God hath pronounced a Bastard by his definitiue sentence as if the Papall Decrees were that law wherby the world should bee iudged at the last day But who will regard a house of magnificent structure of honourable ancient memory when the plague hath infected it or theeues possesse it And who in their right senses will ioyne themselues to that Temple which after pretence of long standing stately building and of many such prerogatiues and royalties is fouÌ„d to be be smeared with superstitions and profaned with innumerable Idols Why should wee delight to dwell there where God hath refused to dwell with vs. I publish this argument as no new thing to your Lordship but wherein your well experienced knowledge is able to informe mee Onely I haue beene bold through your thrice honoured Name to transmit this small Discourse to the world emboldened by the long proofe I haue had of your constant loue to the Truth and the gracious Pietie of your most noble Mother the best encouragement of my poore labours on earth The best blessings of God bee still multiplied vpon her your selfe your religious Lady and your honorable Family which is continually implored by Your Lordships humble Seruant THO. ADAMS THE TEMPLE 2. COR. 6.16 What agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols IT is not fit they should bee too familiar oâ— neare together in this world whose portions shall be so farre asunder in the world to come The Sheepe and Goates are indeed now blended promiscuouâ—ly and none can distinguish them here but hee that shall separate them hereafter the right and left hand of the last Tribunall shall declare them But they that be alien or opposite to vs in Faith and Profession are manifest and we haue a frequent charge De non commiscendo Now the neerer this ill match'd coniunction the more intolerable the same boord ill the same bed worse worst of all the same Temple So the Apostle begins his dehortation Bee not vnequally yoked with vnbeleeuers so he ends it What agreement hath the Temple of God with Idoles Diuers seeds of graine in one ground diuers kinds of beasts in one yoke diuers sorts of cloth in one garment were expressely forbidden vnder the Law and shall seuerall Religions bee allowed in one Church vnder the Gospell The absurdnes of such a mixture is here illustrated by many oppositions the sound of all which is Interrogatiue the sense Negatiue Righteousnesse
the Israelites of them to none but the cleane There was a third proper only to the Priests and Leuites whither the Laitie might not come thus farre they might bring their offerings but further they might not offer to goe In the Temple it selfe there was one roome into which the Leuites might not enter the Priests might Another whither the Priests might not come but onely the high Priest and euen hee but once yearely Some passages of the Christian Church are common to all euen to the vncleane hypocrites and foule-hearted sinners They haue accesse to Gods holy ordinances and tread in his Courts as the Pharisee came into the congregation and Iudas receiued the Communion Other are secret and reserued wherein the faithfull onely conuerse with God and solace themselues in the sweet fruition of his gracious presence The materiall Temple in three diuisions seemed to be a cleare representation of the Church in three degrees The first signified the externall and visible face of the Church from which no professor of Christ is debarred The second the communion of the inuisible Church vpon earth The last the highest heauen of Gods glorified Saints Neither did those roomes more exceed one another then do these parts of the spirituall house of Christ. What are the most polished corners of the Temple to the spirituall liuing stones of the Church What be pebles to Saphirs or marbles to Diamonds Howsoeuer some are more transported with insensible monuments then with liuing Saints As it was a complaint long since Fulget Ecclesia in parietibus luget in pauperibus Yet Temples are built for men not men for Temples and what is a glorious edifice when the whole world is not worth one soule Dead walls bee of small value to the liuing Temples of the holy Ghost yea the temple of our body to the temple of Christs Body his Church yea the Temple of Gods Church militant on earth to that which is triumphant in heauen What is siluer and gold Cedar and Marble to those diuine graces faith truth pietie holinesse Salomons Temple did last but some 430. yeares the Church is for eternitie The Temple took vp but a little space of ground at most the Hill Sion the Church is vniuersally spread in all parts of the world God hath his chosen Did our intellectuall eyes truely behold the beauty of this Temple wee would with that good Emperor esteeme it better to be a member of the Church then head of the kingdome We would set this one thing against all worldly glories As when Henry 4. that late Great king of France was told of the king of Spaines ample dominions as first he is king of Castile and I quoth Henry am king of France he is king of Nauarre and I am king of France he is king of Portugall and I am king of France he is king of Naples and I am king of France he is king of the Siâ—ilies and I am king of France hee is king of Noua Hispania the West Indies and I am king of France he thought the kingdome of France equiualent to all these So let thy soule O Christian solace it selfe against all the wants of thy mortall pilgrimage in this that thou art a member of the church Another hath more wit or learning yet I am a Christian another hath more honour and preferment on earth yet I am a Christian another hath more siluer and gold and riches yet I am a Christian another hath large possessions yet I haue an Inheritance in heauen I am a Christian. Dauid thought it not so happy to bee a King in his owne house as to bee a doore-keeper in Gods house Were our hearts throughly sanctified we would vnder-value all honours to this that we are parts of this spirituall Temple the members of Iesus Christ. Idols Euery deuice of man in the seruice of God is a meere Idol Whatsoeuer we inuent out of Gods Schoole or substitute in Gods roome is to vs an Idol Howsoeuer we flatter our selues with reflecting all the honour on God yet hee will reflect the vengeance on vs. Shall a man speake deceitfully for God or tell a lye for his glory Hee is not so penurious of meanes to honour himselfe as to be beholding to vs for a lye The doctrine of vniuersall grace seemes to make much for Gods glory but himselfe sayes it is â—lye for he wâ—ll haue mercie on whom hâ— will haue mercy and whom hee will hee hardneth To say that Christ in the wombe wrought many miracles hath a faire shew of honouring him but who can say it is not a lye Sure wee reade no such matter To distribute among the Saints departed seuerall Offices as one to haue the charge of women in child-bed another to bee the Patron of such a Citie or Countrey to omit their protection of beasts one for hogs another for horses seemes to honour God in thus honouring them but it is a lye and a plaine derogation to his vniuersall prouidence yea as absurd as if the flies should take vpon them to giue the charges and offices of this kingdome To say the Saints in heauen know the occurrents of this nether world and the condition of their ancient friends or children below reading them in the Deitie as by the reflection of a glasse this is a fiction that carries a shew of honouring God but it doth indeed dishonor him by making creatures as omniscient as their Maker Besides how absurd is it to say that Iohn in Patmos seeing Christ did see all that Christ saw If I standing on the ground see a man on the top of a high Turret doe I see all that hee seeth If the sight of him that looketh bee to be measured by the sight of him on whom hee looketh it will follow that hee which looketh on a blinde man should see noâ—hing at all And who seeth not the blindness of this consequeÌ„ce To say that all the worship done to the Virgin mother redounds to the honour of her Sonne and God is a grosse falshood The Idolatrous Iewes might as well haue pretended the honor of God when they worshipped the Queene of heauen That fanaticall vision of theirs concerning the two ladders that reached vp to heauen while Christ was preparing to iudge the world the one Red at the top whereof Christ sate the other white at the top whereof the Virgin sate and when the Friers could not get vp the red ladder of Christ but euermore tumbled downe backward St. Francis called them vp the white ladder of our Lady and there they were receiued Did this make for the honour of Christ when the red blood of our Sauiour is not so able to bring men to heauen as the white milke of his mother which must needs be the morall or meaning of it Or the obseruation of Barrhadius the Iesuite who made bold to aske Christ why in his ascension to heauen he did not take his mother along with him
swallowed vp by confusion And the same God deliuer vs his people from their conspiracies that hath deliuered this his Church from their Idolatries Thus wee haue looked abroad but now haue we no Idols at home O how happy was it if they were as farre from the Temple as they are from agreement with the Temple I will not abound in this discouery there be three maine Idols among vs Vaine Pâ—easure vaine Honor and Riches it is to be feared that these three vanities haue more clients then the Trinity that made vs. The â—irst is an Idol of the water the next an Idol of the ayre the last an Idol of the earth 1. Vaine Pleasure and oh what a world of foolish worshippers flocke to this merry Goddesse Shee hath a Temple in euery corner Ebrietie sits in Tauernes burning smoky Incense and sacrificing drink-offrings to her So that if a man should prophesie of wine and strong drinke he were a Prophet fit for this age but to preach sobrietie is held but a dry doctrine We commend wine for the excellency of it but if it could speak as it can take away speech it would complaine that by our abuse both the excellencies are lost for the excellent man doth so spoile the excellent wine vntill the excellent wine hath spoiled the excellent man O that a man should take pleasure in that which makes him no man that he should let a thiefe in at his mouth to steale away his wit that for a little throat-indulgence he should kil in himselfe not onely the first Adam his reason but euen the second Adam his regeneration so commit two murders at once In euery Brothell this Idol hath her temple where the bed of vncleannes is the Altar the Priest a strumpet and the sacrifice a burning flesh offred to Moloch It is no rare thing for a man to make an Idol of his Mistres and to spend more time in her courtings then he doth at his prayers more cost on her body theÌ„ vpon his own soule Images were but dead Idols but painted Popiniayes be liuing Idols Pleasure hath a larger extent then I can now stand to suruey this may be called an Idol of the Water fluid and vnsatisfying 2. Vaine Honour is the Idol of fooles no wise man euer sought felicity in shadows His Temple is Pride his Altar Ambition his Seruice Flattery his Sacrifice Petulancy Silly Sennacherib to make an Idol of a Chariot and no wiser Prince of Tyre to make an Idol of his own brain Men mistake the way to bee great while they neglect the way to be good All the while a man hunts after his shadow hee mis-spends his time and paines for the Sun is vpon his back behind him and his shadow is still vn-ouertaken before him but let him turne his face to the Sun follow that his shadow shall follow him Invaine doth that man pursue honor his shadow while he turnes his face from vertue and goodnes he shall misse what hee so labors to catch but let him set his face toward Christ the Sun of righteousnes and run to the high prize of eternitie this shadow shall wayt vpon him for those that honour me I will honour saith the Lord. God resisteth the proud and good reason for the proud resisteth God Other sins diuert a man from God only Pride brings him against God brings God against him There is nothing in this world worth our pride but that mosse will grow to a stone Pride is euer dangerous but theÌ„ most when it puffes vs vp with a presumption of merit Thus the Romists presume to do more good works and those more perfect then God requires so that he is become a debter to them bound to make them satisfaction But doubtles God wil more easily beare with those sinnes wherof we repent then with that righteousnes whereof we presume I am not as other men are said the Pharisee the clock of his tongue went truer then the dyall of his heart he was not like other men indeed sure he was like none of them that should be saued Humility is so hard a lesson to get into the heart that Christ was faine to come downe from heauen in his owne person to teach it Pride is euen conuersant about good workes and graces this Saul loues to be among the prophets So that if a man haue some good measure of sanctification and of assurance of eternall life it will be hard not to be proud of that Pride hath hurt many Humility neuer yet did harme A man goes in at a dore and he stoops the dore is high enough yet he stoops you will say he needs not stoope yea but saith Bernard there is no hurt in his stooping otherwise he may catch a knocke this way he is safe A man may beare himselfe too high vpon the fauor of God there is no danger in his stooping no harme in humilitie Let me rather be the lowest of Gods seruants then the noblest among his enemies The honour of this world is at best but a golden dreame from which men commonly awake in contempt This is an Idol of the Ayre 3. Wealth is the couetous mans Idol Iob shewes the form of his Canonization He mâ—kes gold his hope and sayes to the wedge Thou art my confidence As treason sets vp a new king for Dauid Absolon so couetousnes sets vp a new god for Iehouah Mamon But O miserable god saith Luther that cannot defend it selfe from rusting or robbing And O more miserable man that trusts himselfe vpon the keeping of that god which himselfe is faine to keepe Micah did not worship his siluer till it was cast into the forme of an Idol these spare the labour of forming and worship the very metall The Superstitious adore Aurum in Idolo gold in the Idol the couetous find Idolum in Auro an Idol in the very gold Metalla seemes to sound quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Post alia necessaria when they had manured the ground sowen seeds gathered fruits and found out other things to sustaine life then Itum est in viscer a terra they digged into the bowels of the earth O that man should lay that next his heart which God hath placed vnder his feet that the thing which might bee best spared should bee most admired Mammon hath his Temple the world God hath his Temple the Church but there be many that balke Gods Temple to goe to Mammons and they offer faire that make some reuerence to God as they passe by him to the world Hence it is that so many get riches and so few godlines The Poets faine Pluto to be the god of Hell the god of Riches as if Riches and Hell had both one Master Sometime they set him forth lame and slow-paced sometime nimble as fire When Iupiter sends him to a Souldier or a Scholer he goes limping when hee sends him to on of his Pandars he flies