which is not a follower of him and how to follow him euen in all his vertues as first in his humilitie as he commandeth vs himselfe Learne of me for I am meeke c. Mat. 11. the place mentioned before and euen so to humble and submit our selues one vnto another as if occasion require to doe the most base dueties and seruices that can be each to other as he himselfe did when he washed his Disciples feete and enioyned them to doe the like Saying Ioh. 13.14.15 If I then your Lord and Master haue washed your feete ye ought also to wash one anothers feete for I haue giuen you an example that ye should doe euen as I haue done to you Secondly in suffering aduersitie and bearing the crosse as he himselfe likewise warneth vs in the Gospell Saying He that will be my disciple let him take vp his crosse and follow me To which also Peter exhorteth vs saying For Christ also suffered for vs leauing vs an example that we should follow his steps 1. Pet. 2.21 Thirdly in loue as he himselfe likewise requireth Ioh. 15.12 This is my commandement that ye loue one another as I haue loued you Finally least I dwell too long in this point in all the workes of charitie in all the deeds of mercie in all the fruits of the spirit that we may be holy as he is holy righteous as he is righteous and perfect as he is perfect although not aequaliter as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is altogether vnpossible yet similiter and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as farre foorth as lieth in vs that we may grow vp to a perfect man euen vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ Ephes 4.13 And thus much of the person of the chiefe Shepheard Now of the time when he will bestow and we shall receiue the reward mentioned in the words following that is when hee shall appeare There are two commings or appearings of this chiefe Shepheard The first in humilitie the second in maiestie the first in pouertie the second power the first grace the second glorie first to be iudged secondly to iudge the first to die the second to restore life the first is gone and past the second is comming and approacheth of which our Apostle in this place and not of the other Which second comming is called by diuers and sundrie names in the Scripture according to the diuers and sundry effects and fruits benefits and blessings which we shall reape and receiue thereby As sometimes it is called the kingdome of God as Luke 17.20 because then the spirituall heauenly and euerlasting kingdome shall be restored to Israel when as our Sauiour shall shew himselfe to be the king of heauen and earth and shall haue an Archangell sounding a trumpet before him as his herauld or harbinger and the rest of the Angels euen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the author to the Heb. an whole troupe of heauenly souldiers which shall attend vpon him as his guard when as he shal make all the elect and faithfull his subiects and admit them free-denizens and fellowe citizens with the Saints yea when as they shall as heires and heires annexed with Christ possesse inherite and enioy that kingdome which God the Father prepared and gaue vnto them God the Sonne purchased and appointed vnto them and into the which God the holy Ghost recorded and enrowled them which kingdome hath these foure surpassing priuiledges and prerogatiues besides many other liberties immunities and franchises euen those foure last articles of our creed First the communion of Saints secondly remission of sinnes thirdly resurrection of the body and fourthly life euerlasting Cuius pax charitas lex veritas modus aeternitas as Austin the peace whereof is nothing but charitie c. Secondly it is called the day of Christs comming Mat. 24. and Luke 17. because that then our Sauiour shall not only be with vs in spiritual presence presidence as hitherto be hath beene since the ascension of him selfe and the descension of the holy Ghost but shall come both in person and spirit both in bodie soule both in his humanitie and in his diuinitie of which comming of his Austin hath these words Veniet tanquam rex gloriosus è Palatio tanquam sponsus speciosus èthalamo c. Thirdly the great day in many places of the Scriptures great in respect of the greatnesse of our Sauiour that then commeth the great King of glorie the great Lord of heauen and earth againe great in regarde of the great thinges that shall be done that day and finally great of it selfe greater then any of the feasts of the Iewes then the feasts of Tabernacles Penticost or Easter which were but shadowes and significations of this great day Yea greater then the great high and solemne holy daies of Christians greater then the day of the Incarnation Passion or Resurrection of our Sauiour Fourthly the latter day oftentimes in the Gospel wherein we must take our dernier adewe after which there shall be no other day which shall be neither artificiall day nor naturall day but an eternal day a day without night wherein shall be a light without darknesse wherein shall neither Sunne shine nor Moone giue light nor starre appeare but only the brightnesse of the glorie of God the last Sabaoth of Sabaoths the day of that euerlasting Iubile wherein all men shall rest from their labours receaue continuall quiet and liue in perpetuall peace for euer and euer Fiftly the time of cooling or refreshing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 3.19 wherein after we haue sweat and swounke in this toilesome and troublesome world and beene scorched in the purgatorie of this life in the parching heate of persecution we shal be cooled and comforted refreshed and reuiued againe not only with the fresh holesome ayrie wind of the holy Ghost but with the sweete springing water of the mercie of God with which not only the tips of our tongues shall be cooled which was all that Hel-burnt Diues did desire but our whole bodies and soules shall be sprinckled with Sixtly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 3.5 the day of wrath and of the declaration or reuelation of the iust iudgement of God As first the day of wrath of the effect in respect of the wicked and reprobate who shall then finde and feele the Lord to poure out the terrible effects of his furious affection of anger vpon them when as he shall shewe himselfe to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 harde and austere as the slothfull seruant said of him euen a seuere iudge and a consuming fire as it is Heb. 12.20 out of Deut. 4.24 whose fierie wrath so hoatly inflamed against them they shall not be able then to quench no not with streames of drerie teares and flouds of bitter flittings And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day of the Reuelation of the iust iudgement of God because that then our Sauiour will declare and reueile himselfe to be
other mens beards which they haue deerly bought as they to haue the sweete and that which other men haue painfully sweat for others to beate the bush and they to haue the bird As couetous Vespasian was woont to vse his officers vnderneath him like spunges Vespasian to let them alone till they were full and afterwards to presse them out againe to suffer them first to stuffe their bagges with siluer and golde that hee at his pleasure might emptie them againe Not to be like the great fishes which onely liue by eating vp the lesse nor to make their treasure houses to be as the spleene is to the body the receptacle of all ill humors so they to be the store-house of euill gotten goods O that the shepheards of Christs flocke would vouchsafe to follow the holsome counsell of an Heathen tyrant in this behalfe euen Tyberius Emperour of Rome Tyberius to a rigorous exactour vnderneath him Boni pastoris esse tondere pecus non deglubere Or els as Alexander the great who being also offended with the like hard vsages and sore extorsions of his subiects by his officers vnderneath him Saying vnto those that were about him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is That he should not abide that Gardiner that would not cut his hearbs but plucke them vp by the rootes nor that would not croppe his trees but fell them wholy to the ground when as rather this is the duetie of a good gouernour either in the Church or common wealth not to diminish and impouerish the estate of the people but to countenance and comfort to defend and shend them against all aduersaries whatsoeuer And therefore Isocrates to Nicocles councelleth him to take this for a certaine sure and sound token of a wise and welordered gouernment when all things did proceede well and when the common people did profit and prosper euerie one in his place and calling through his prudence and prouidence And thus much should suffice to haue been spoken of this first proposition but that we must needs say something of this last word which is in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and interpreted Gods heritage which is indeed al one with that which in the former verse is called Gods flocke for as God vouchsafes to call himselfe a shepheard his Church a sheepfould and our Sauiour to terme himselfe the doore of the sheepfould his word the greene pastures wherwith he feedeth and the waters of comfort whereunto he leadeth his flocke and the faithfull and the elect the sheepe of his flocke Psal 23. Ioh. 10. So it pleaseth him to liken himselfe to a rich man whose lot is fallen in a faire ground and hath a goodly heritage as Dauid Psal 16. And his son Christ Iesus our Sauiour to be his heire to succeed him in his Heritage and this his heritage or inheritance to be the Church the number of them that beleeue his word and Gospel and euerie particular congregation in anie towne or countrey to be as Farmers Lordships and manners as it were parts and parcels of his whole inheritance committed to the seuerall charges of his ministers and pastors being as it were his stewards bayliffes and farmers who shal one day be called to a reckening account with this sound of summance Redde rationem villicationis A deed of gift of which inheritance the Lord did grant to our Sauiour from the beginning the terme whereof is contained in the 2. Psal in those words of Dauid in the person of the Lord God himselfe Thou art my son this day haue I begotten thee Aske of me and I will giue thee Heathen for thine inheritance and the outmost parts of the world for thy possession sealed vnto him by an euerlasting decree from before all worlds as an eternall Charter for euer and confirmed vnto him by diuers other testimonies of scripture of which inheritance he hath now present fruition then seizing it into his owne hands when as he himselfe was here vpon earth and claimed his right in his owne person and sent his seruants his Apostles to all the coasts and quarters of the world by the warrant of the word and seales of the Sacraments to take possession for him of al people and nations whatsoeuer admitting them his tenants by giuing them the Gods penny or earnest pennie of his spirit that they might be assured to be his whereby we that were before of the number of the heathen Pagans and Gentiles as dogs thrust out of doores as wolues without the fould as aliants and strangers from the common wealth of Israel and finally as tenants in villinage vnto Sathan the prince of the world are now become of the societie of faithful Christians as seruants or rather children of the houshold of God sheepe of Christs flock franck-denisons and fellow citizens with the Saints and to conclude free-holders and that in Capite euen in our head Christ Iesus who is the great King and Lord ouer all the world of whose proper heritage and inheritance we are to whom onely we belong and to no other which inheritance of his is of such account and regard with him that he will not suffer it to be spoiled and wasted at any hand nor anie of his tenants to be abused or oppressed by anie landlords farmers stewards auditors receiuers bailiffs or surueighers which he hath set ouer them Some vnskilfully doe suppose because of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greeke that this word is only here taken for the Cleargie because the whole ministerie of olde was woònt to be so called by a peeuish imitation of some doting fathers who did catachrestically vse or rather abuse this word after this maner but vnmeet it is and amisse to restrain that name and appropriate it to a fewe which the scripture attributeth in commō to the whole Church of God and all the members thereof the holy Ghost vsing in this word a Metonomia of the adiunct for the subiect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lot for heritage because they were woont in old time to deuide all inheritances by lotte as the children of Israel had the land of Canaan by equall portions parted amongst them And thus much for the first proposition of this third Antithesis and first part of my text which is negatiue or dehortatorie declaring to the ministers of the word what they ought to auoide in their charge and gouernment of Gods Church Now therefore of the second proposition of this opposition which is affirmatiue and exhortatorie to a duetie which they ought to performe being the second principal part of my text of which more briefly But that ye may be examples of the flocke In Iurie the shepheards which led and fed any sheepe went before them and their flocks alwaies followed after them contrary to our common vse and custome Euen so here Peter he would haue the spirituall shepheards of Christs flocke to go before them Preachers should be good
curse and death as first condemnation for so the Apostle By the offence of one the fault came on all men vnto cōdemnation Rom. 5.18 Secondly curse for as saith the same Apostle out of Deut. 27.26 Cursed is euerie man that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the Lawe to doe them Gal. 3.10 Thirdly death for according to the commination of the law whosoeuer shall not performe euerie iote and tittle of the lawe shall die the death and the conclusion of our Apostle The wages of sinne is death Rom. 6. And the last with condemnation curse and death not temporall or for a time but perpetuall and for euer because man himselfe was neuer able to beare and abide as the Lord himselfe knew who seeth all his frailties and infirmities and yet it being necessarie that man hauing sinned man should suffer for that the sentence of condemnation should not be reuersed nor curse of the lawe reuoked nor the doome of death redeemed but that one must needes die for the people and one for all and not that man alone as being sufficient because all men had trāns gressed nor a beast being too base to satisfie for so great and so manie trespasses nor an Angell as being too weake for such a punishment and passion It pleased God the Father of his gratious goodnesse to send downe his onely begotten sonne out of his owne bosome and it liked also Christ himselfe the sonne of God yea God of God light of light verie God of verie God of his owne intire loue to vouchsafe to discend downe from the highest heauen vpon the earth and to be incarnate incorporate and compassed about with our claiey mould to take vpon him our vile and seruile nature and to be manifested vnto the world in our weake fraile and wretched flesh and to be borne of a silly simple and sinfull woman to performe for man all obedience and to reforme his disobedience to ransome sinne and redeeme his transgression by his body to saue our soules and by his owne death to purchase our liues by his owne crucifying to take away our curse by his owne condemnation to obtaine a common saluation and by his owne sacrifice to make a generall satisfaction for all other vnto God his father O magna gratia magna dignatio And this is that great wonderfull mystery which is so notably set out by the Euangelists in the Gospell which when we consider our spirite must needes be rauished our senses benummed our Witts captiuated and all our outward and inward parts and powers to be astonished that the word should be come fleash Iohn 1.14 and to be made of the seede of Dauid according to the fleash Rom. 1.3 and being in the fourme of God and thinking it noe robberie to be equall with God should make himselfe of no reputation and take vpon him the fourme of a seruant and be made like vnto men and be formed in shape of a man Phil. 2.6.7 which is such a misterie that I may vse Austin words in an other matter Yet fitly applied to this purpose Vt altitudine ipsa rerum superbos terreat profunditate attē tos teneat veritate magnos pascat vtilitate paruulos nutriat in his 5. lib Genesi ad Lite Chapit 3. that with the depth thereof it terrifieth the arrogant which thinke they can conceiue all thinges with the hardnesse thereof it will make men attentiue and studious which otherwise would be idle and negligent and with the truth thereof will exercise the most perfit and able which thinke all matters easie and plaine and lastly with the pressire and fruitfulnesse thereof will nourish the simplier sorte which like younge sucklinges can hardly brooke anie stronge meates and not onely such a misterie but such a greate misterie as what could be greater saith the same Father that a virgin should cōceaue a sonne without the seede of man What greater then that God should be borne of a woman and what finally greater then this that she that confesseth herselfe a lowly handmaid should become the mother of her owne maker Where vpon Austin saieth vpon the Magnificat Misterium incarnationis verbi super omnia constat esse ineffabile Wherein are not only manie but also greate miracles as that a virgin should become a mother God a man Greate miracles and the Creatour a Creature that truth should come out from the Earth that Righteousnesse should looke downe from Heauen that maiestie shuld take vpon it Humilitie that he that is the Auncient of daies and was for euer before all daies and created euery day should be borne in a daie to deliuer vs from the euill of euerie day that he by his birth should bestow vpon his mother the gifte of fruitfulnes yet not take away from her the vertue of virginitie that he that in the beginning of the world made the first Adā according to his own Image and similitude should make himselfe afterwards in the ending of the world according to our similitude and likenesse descending downe vnto vs by that which he tooke of ours deliuering vs by that which remained in himselfe conceiued by the holy Ghost not of the substance but by the power thereof not by generation but by benediction Finally not by propagation but by sanctification and his Mother conceauing him not by man but by God not by seede but by the spirit not by humaine meanes but by the ouer shadowing of the most highest So that as he was borne without Carnall copulation so was he brought forth with out mortall corruption And as he was first borne of his Father before al worldes without a mother and did create the world so secondly was he borne of his mother in the world without a father that he might consecrate by his deuine Maiestie inuisible by his humaine birth visible in them both wonderfull of the one as impossible to be expressed the Prophet saith And who shall declare his generation Esaie 53. Of the other as necessarie to be knowne and credible to be beleeued The Euangelist And the birth of Christ Iesus was after this māner Math 1. Before he was borne abiding in the bosome of his father and yet filling the wombe of his mother in the time of his birth the euerlasting Father in heauen and yet a Young infant vpon the Earth after birth a light shining in the world as Iohn and yet dwelling in the light that cannot be attained vnto as Paule of which his birth and of the manner and ende thereof Austin hath these sweete words Vt Sponsus processit de thalamo suo vt gigas exultauit ad currendam viam speciosus vt sponsus fortis vt gigas amabilis et terribilis serenus seuerus pulcher bonis asper malis that is he went forth as a bridegrome c. Which manner of his bringing forth was farre more strāg then any other birthes of mankind that were before then that first of
declare our selues to be those of these last daies perillous times which Paule foretould should be in the world hauing ashew of Godlinesse but denying the power thereof 2. Tim. 3.5 not to loue one another in tougne in word only but indeede and in truth as Iohn exhorteth vs for such externall shewes and semblances such outward facing and gracing with such deepe dissembling and hollow harted hyprocrisie God vtterly hateth and abhorreth wheÌ„ as we dally with God himselfe double with men deceaue our owne soules as may well be said deceauing and being deceaued making this world as it were a Theator the Church a stage themselues as actours and players in seeming to be that which they are not in disguising theÌ„selues as it were with the side Robes broad Philactaries and loÌ„g fringes of the scribes and Pharises vice masking vnder the visour of vertue profainenesse lurking vnder the couerture of holynesse and falsehood hiding it selfe vnder the coulour of truth and veritie which is not to follow the steppes of our Sauioure who would only as it is here sette downe be iustified in the spirit and thus much of this second branch of this tree of truth now of the thirde Seene of Angels After that our Apostle had sette downe in the wordes going before that double heauenly misterie of our Sauiour Christ that he was manifested in the fleash and iustified in the spirit he doth amplifie the miracle of that misterie and the power of God by a notable circumstance of greate waight and moment confirming and establishing the same by the witnesse and testimonie of high and Heauenly powers as in matters of greatest importance are requisit to be eye and eare witnesses not persons of base and meane estate and credit but such as are of worthie estimation and reputation not mortall men of the inhabitances of the earth who would be astonished at the wonder of so greate a worke that Christ should become a man but eueÌ„ the immortall Angels the host of heauen who were excedingly glad and reioyced to see the same within finite admiration praysing the name of God being such a newe and strang thing vnto them as they neuer wisht nor thought of before for althoughe it be to begraÌ„ted that these Saints and seruants of God which stand in the presence of God and behold the face of God doe know manie of the secrets of God as being indewed with an excellent knowledge in heauenly mysteries there fore are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as seeing and perceauing much and therfore did no doute vnderstand that the world should at length be redeemed and saued and that Christ in time should be borne and finally should suffer and be slaine for the sinnes of mankind As we reade that the Angell Gabriell did foretell the same vnto the Prophet Daniell 9. Dani. Notwithstanding most sure and certaine it is that they know not euerie misterie miracle of God nor all the secrets of the Lords whole deuine counsels and therefore not euerie particular circumstance of time place and person belonging to the incarnation passion and resurrection of our sauiour neither yet knewe they the meanes and howe these thinges should be brought to passe Insomuch that all be it they sawe not this at the first yet at the last the Lord vouch safed to reuele the same vnto theÌ„ and not onely to make them behoulders thereof but also messengers and ambassadours of so glad tidinges and reioysers of so greate a grace bestowed vpon mankind As was Gabriell not onely the foretellour of these happie newes in general tearmes vnto Daniell as is before declared but also as legate a latere froÌ„ the lord God himselfe the signifier and certifier of all the particular circuÌ„staÌ„ces beloÌ„ging to his incarnation vnto Ioseph Marie Zacharie and the shephards as it may appeare in the beginning of the gospell as first who should be his forerunner euen Iohn the baptist the sonne of Zacharie and Elizabeth Secondly how he should be conceaued euen by the holy ghost Thirdly who should be his mother euen the virgin marie Fourthly the place where he should be borne euen in BethleÌ„ the least of all the cities of Iuda Fifthly his name whereby he should be called eueÌ„ Iesus because he should saue the people from their sinnes with many other specialties sette downe at large by the Euangelists all which when it was perfourmed as the angell had prophesied and had beene fullfilled as Gabriell had fore shewed to Ioseph Marie Zacharias and the sheaphards of Bethelem not only he himselfe but the Angels of God likewise were rapte and rauished as it were with ioy when they saw it brought to passe which made also an host of heauenly souldiers to ioine in consort and to praise God and say Glorie be to God on highe on earth peace and good will towards men Luke 2 13.14 The cause of this their exceeding gladnes being this not only for the common saluation of maÌ„kind and generall grace that had appeared vnto all but for that the Lord vouchsafed both to shew them that fauour as to make them the spectatours of so notable a miracle to giue them that honour as to take them as witnesses of so greate a misterie for the strengthning of our faith enlarging of our hope the ascertaning and assuring of our soules and consciences in the vndouted truth thereof and these as witnesses in the higher degree as in the nexte wordes he descendeth to the testimonie of these that are of lower accompt euen of men here note the Proprietie of the speech the pregnancie of the Phrase which it pleaseth â—he blessed spirite of God in holy and heauenly wisedome here to vse when as the Apostle saith that he was seene of Angels and not that Angels did see him signifying hereby not any vertue in themselues in this respect but Gods vouchsafing toward them Seing that is said to appeare vnto one which is not in the behoulders power to see it As when one hath a stone before his eies which he looketh vpoÌ„ we say not a stoÌ„e is seene of him but he seeth a stoÌ„e the like of the sunne the moone the light the rest of the visible creatures of God here in the world the common and continuall obiects of our sight so that not of their owne nature nor by their owne power nor through any abilitie that was in them did they see the lord Christ but only by Gods gift grace and goodnes was the incarnate word reueiled vnto them and many other misteries which were before vnknowne of them whereupon Beda saith Quod in natiuitate apparuit Angelis claritas quae non aâ—tea in veritate visa est hominibus that is that after the natiuitie of our sauiour there appeared a clearer brightnesse in the angells then euer indeede appeared before vnto men and that in two respects first in regard of the ministerie of the Apostles secondly in respect of the knowledge of the people
the Iudge of the world to giue dome and definitiue sentence both of quicke and dead and that as it were in open court of generall Sessions or assises when as he shall render to euerie man according to his workes vengeance vpon the wicked and reward vpon the righteous destruction and damnation vnto the vngodly but soules health and saluation vnto the Godly Seuenthly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day of the Epiphanie not the first Epiphanie when Christs birth was manifested to the wise men of the East by the leading of a starre but when Christs glorie shall be reueiled by the finall eclipse of the sunne the darkning of the moone the falling of the stars and the shaking of the powers of heauen when as the sonne of man shall so come as the lightning commeth out of the East and shineth vnto the West Mat. 24.27 and 29. when as the hearts of all men shal be made manifest Eightly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day of visitation when as Christ Iesus the great bishop of our soules shall visit the ample diocesse of his Church and shall call all the cleargie before him and cause them to render account of their cures and charges and shall make those shine as starres for euer and euer that shal winne soules vnto God but will remoue those candles out of their candlestickes or els the candlestickes out of their places which either giue no light or bad light or are either dropping candles by their lewd lothsome life or spitting candles by their troublesome and seditious doctrine Ninthly the day of appearing as in this place because that then our Sauiour the sunne of Righteousnesse shall sodenly pearse the cloudes and breake fourth in glorious brightnesse by the shining beames of his heauenly grace fulfilling the heartes of all the faithfull with the cheerefull light and comfortable heate of his diuine presence which haue lien long as it were in Iosephs colde yrons of aduersitie and affliction and languished in Daniels darke dungeon of despaire As the naturall sunne with his gladsome glee after the dismall darkenesse of the wearie night dispelleth and dispierceth the thicke clouds being long looked and longed for at the last appeareth to the chearing and cherishing of all mankind so called an appearing to the comfort and consolation of the good the godly that when they see the least glimpse and glimmering of him to peepe out or appeare they should then lift vp their heads and looke vp because their redemption is at hand for then and neuer till then shall the workeman receiue his wages the labourer in the Lords vineyard his pennie the faithfull seruant the rule of the Lords house the thriftie vser of his talents the gouernment of so many Cities the constant runner his propounded garland the spirituall souldier his promised crowne the little flocke their prepared kingdome the followers of Christ in their regeneration their thrones of iudgement Which time teacheth vs that we should not so doate as to dreame of any crowne throne or kingdome in this life or once to looke for any paradise heauen or other blessednesse in this world nor any time to hope for any happinesse before our chiefe shepheard doe appeare For as there is no heauenly paradise but in Abrahams bosome nor any pleasures for euermore but at the right hand of God nor any true ioies to be found but in the kingdome of heauen so are we not to enter into this paradise to enioy these pleasures and to be partakers of these ioies vntill the day of his appearing In the meane time therefore we must not with the husbandman looke to reape with ioy before we haue sown with tears nor to looke to liue with him before we haue died with him to raigne with him before we haue suffered with him to be glorisied with him before we haue beene crucified with him to sit with him on his right hand and on his left before we haue drunck of the cuppe that he hath druncke of and been baptized with the baptisme that he hath been baptized with to bee crowned with this crowne of glorie before we haue bin crowned with his crown of thorns to be found as fine gold for the treasure-house of the Lord vntill we bee purged and purified in the fire and fornace of affliction to be good corn in the Lords garner before we haue been sifted by Sathan Finally not to sit on his throne before we haue continued with him in his temptations For first must the Church be militant here vpon earth before it can be triumphant in heauen first must we suffer affliction before we can liue Godly in Christ Iesus and to conclude first must we be in tribulation before we can enter into the kingdome of heauen It followeth in the next words Yee shall receiue c. Now come we to the reward which our Apostle Peter promiseth in the person of our Sauiour Christ which is no light thing of small valew or meane account but the greatest gifte and richest reward that can be giuen and receiued a bountie beseeming the person of our Sauiour the bestower and worthy the partie that is partaker Kings and Princes when they liberally conferre gifts and rewards they giue not toies and trifles but great and royall guerdons such as are agreeable to their maicstic and magnificence Aristotle writes of his Magnanimus that he bestowes benefits vpon others freely and franckly and that herecompenceth aboue measure and proportion and that he will not vouchsafe to giue light little things but precious and peerelesse presents But howsoeuer the Philosopher frame such a man according to his owne fantasie as a Phaenix seldome or no whereto be found yet such a one the Scripture describeth God the Father and Christ Iesus his sonne and our Sauiour to be in all respects as first to be the giuer of all things and that liberally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not vpbraidingly and those that he doth giue to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good gifts and perfect gifts Iames 2.17 farre surpassing in worth and worthinesse the gifts of any Palatines or Potentates Kings and Keysars Conquerors and Monerches in the world Pharo King of Egypt gaue noble gifts vnto Ioseph when he gaue him his owne signet to weare on his hand fine garments of linnen to put on his backe a chaine of golde to put about his necke and gaue him to wife a Princes daughter and made him Vice-roy of all his land and gaue him his best coach but one to sit in Gen. 41. Saul king of Israel honourably rewarded Dauid when as hee gaue him his royall robe and all his Princely garments vnto his sword his bow his girdle and made him lieutenant generall of all his forces and smally his owne daughter to wife 1. Sam. 18. The Queen of Saba gaue princely presents to Salomon when shee gaue him sixscore talents of golde and an exceeding quantitie of sweete odours and an infinit number of precious stones