he imploieth all his seruants about him to adorne and set him forth and prouide a banquet for him He would thus cloath him to shew vs what account he maketh of him how highly hee honoreth him as his owne darling though the other woulde haue sued to be but his hyreling He willeth his officers to fetch him the best or the first roabe His roabe what it was and to adorne him with it This first roabe was his first dignitie which Adam lost and Christ redeemed Innocency and holinesse and the grace of God with the which he was first cloathed wherby he was cloathed like vnto the sun in beauty and brightnes With this roabe was Adam first inuested but by his wilful departure from his father he was stripped of it So as we his sonnes who do treade in his steps are subiect to his miseries and may with him bee ashamed of our nakednes But God in his Christ Christ is our roabe to vs his prodigall conuerted sonnes hath restored vs our robe for hee is the garment which we must put on according to that which the Apostle Paule saith Rom. 13 Put yee on the Lord Iesus Christ Hee is the wedding garment mentioned in the gospel Matt. 22 without which wee may not presse vnto the heauenly banquet His righteousnes in vs is the garment of our elder brother by which we must attaine the blessing of our father as Iacob by putting on the garment of Esau obtained the blessing of his father Isaack This is he vpon whom the kingly harper diuinelie descanteth in this dainty ditty O my God thou art exceeding glorious Psal 104 thou art cloathed with maiestie and honor In him behold the great wonder in heauen a woman cloathed with the sunne Reuel 12 If so bee therefore we doe weare his cloth and become his seruants if we put on his merits and obedience our sinnes shall be couered and our nakednes shall bee no more seene Wherefore bestow thou no more labor vpon the olde rags which Adam hath left thee Sowe no longer paultry fig leaues and rotten pieces together for thy paines will be lost and it will not acquite the cost which thou bestowest on them It happeneth sometime that a poore creature hath a garment so olde and spent with wearing A similitude as if it take a rent it cannot be stitched vp for the threads doe breake asunder they are so rotten and decaied with vse as they are not firme enough to sustaine a newe thread or to beare a needle so our robe of rebellion which wee doe carrie about vs hath beene worne so bare by our ancient and long continuance in sinne as there is no repairing it but wee must leaue it as beggars doe their rags 1. Cor. 1 and cast it vpon the hedge and wee must put on a new garment euen Iesus Christ Our wisdom iustification sanctification and redemption For he is as Chrysost very wel doth say vnto the people of Antioch Chrysost ad pop Antioche â—um hom 21 Rom. 6 all in all vnto vs our table our house our garment our head our roote To this ende doth Paule say Whosoeuer bee baptized in Christ must put on Christ as hee is raised vp from the deade by the glory of his father so wee also should walke in newnesse of life nowe we put on Christ Iesus by a liuely faith Ambrose and doe weare him about vs euen as Stephen beeing in earth touched him in heauen 2. Tim. 4 This is to bee diligently obserued of vs and the rather bicause there are erroneous spirits wholy led by the doctrine of Diuels who do bumbast themselues with their owne righteousnes destroying that righteousnes which is by faith Reuel 3 They do but flatter and deceiue themselues with a vâ—in opinion of that which is not in them as the Lâ—â—dâ—niaÌ„â— whoÌ„ the spirit taxeth saying Thou saiest I am rich and increased with goods haue need of nothing knowest not how thou art wretched and miserable and pâ—ore and blind and naked I counsaile thee to buy of me gold tried by the fire that thou maiest bee made rich and white raiment that thou maiest be cloathed and that thy filthy nakednesse do not appeare Such as go strouting ietting about bragging of their workes are like vnto the souldiours against whom in times past king Agesilaus did fight in battell who beeing the leanest and most carionlie creatures which the worldes eye coulde see they quilted and embossed the quarters of their garments with huge flappes and borders to appeare huge and mightie to terrifie their enemies but after they were vanquished and slaine in the field and stripped of these vestments their lanke and thinne sides appeared to their viewe and the enemie scorned them So if we disrobe iusticiaries and meritmongers of their bragging borders of their conceited and counterfeit righteousnes and lay them naked to the eye of the worlde they will appeare the most apish and ridiculous persons as anie one can beholde It is vanitie to sooth and please our selues in that which we ought to bee ashamed of for the wages of our merits is death Psal 51 We are borne in sinne and conceiued in iniquitie Iob. 9 Iob. 25. saith the kinglie Prophet I feared all my workes saith that iust man Iob. The starres in Gods sight are vncleane much more a vilde man saith the same saint If wee consider our owne merits wee must despaire sayth the auncient father Hierome Hieron in 6 Esay Hee that trusteth not to his good workes nor hopeth with himselfe by his workes to be iustified he hath onelie the hope of saluation and the mercies of the Lord sayth reuerend Basil Basilius Being iustified by faith wee haue peace with God through our Lorde Iesus Christ as the holie Ghost teacheth vs. Wherefore let vs with the foure and twentie Elders Reuel 4 spoken of in the Apocalips Take off the Crownes from our heads and lay them downe at the feete of the Lambe Whatsoeuer worke we do let vs lay it at the feete of Christ who woorketh in vs as Paule teacheth who speaking of his labours that they exceeded others he stoppeth and correcteth himselfe saying Not I but the grace of God in me We are of our selues as the prodigall sonne verie poorelie and filthily attyred It is God the father in his dear sonne who clotheth vs in costly and imbrodered garments with a vesture of gold wrought about with diuerse colours Wherefore giue glorie to God my sonne as Iosua Iosuâ— â— said to Achan and boast not of thy selfe The sixth Chapter Of his ring and shooes which were giuen vnto him AS he richly araieth him with a royall to be so he further graceth him adorning him with a ring This ring serued for a signet and seale of the couenant and last will which hee maketh with him namely that hee would become his God and hee should bee numbred among his people that he
farmer to a hard tyrant then an owner in the house of a merciful father â— Secondlie what oddes are in their seruice herein appeare in that the one pineth vs with hunger and the other filleth vs with the plenteousnesse of his house Betweene the hoggish huskes and heauenlie delicates there is no proportion and yet this kind of meat so mean and miserable could not be granted him O horrible slauerie and thraldom of the diuell who draweth vs vnto his seruice with faire words promising much and performing nothing promising ioy but bringing pain promising credit but bringing shame promising life and leading vnto death giuing one thing for another as Laban serued Iacob giuing him Leah when hee promised him Rachel Genes 29. The worlde and the Deuill do nothing but beguile vs the pleasures are but vaine which they do shew vs and yet they keepe them from vs after they haue shewed them wee cannot serue more niggish and spitefull maisters for they wil part with nothing Such a one was Pharao Exod. 5 who when as the Israelites had plodded in his claie and tyred themselues in his slâ—uish worke he denied them strawe and yet woulde abate nothing of his set taske and tale of his bricke Also such a terrible tyrant was Holofernes who when as he laide siege to Bethulia Iudith 7 hee stopped vp the streames and fountaines of water which ranne thorough the citie whereby the distressed inhabitants of that place pinched and oppressed with the penury of water receiuing euery day a portion by a measure the scarcity of it did rather torment theÌ„ then any way comfort them and rather inflaming then slacking their thirst This is the wonted guise of the worlde and the Diuell It presenteth to our eies a bewtiful woman A similituâ— only to be with vs and ensnare vs with her beauty and forthwith he snatcheth her out of our sight suffereth vs not to haue comfort in her companie thereby to adde more affliction vnto vs. Thou canst not bee filled with the pleasures of this worlde they doe rather famish thee then any way feed thee How greedy and vnsufficed is a couetous man hee is hungry like a dog as Dauid saiâ—h and goeth about the Citty he hath neuer his content but complaineth still of want hee is of all needy the neediest man for he wanteth not onelie that which he hath not but also that he hath for he hath no grace to vse it The Poets speake of the like torment which Tantalus endured and sustained in hell who was thirsty in the midst of the water that streamed by his lips to which effect the Poet writeth thus Tantalus a labijs sitiens fugientia captat Flumina quid rides mutato nomine de te Fabulanarratur But God contrariwise plentifullie replenisheth our hungry bodies Luk. â— and filleth our soules with goodnesse He filleth our mouth with good things as the blessed virgin in hir heaueÌ„ly himn acknowledgeth and the eyes of all wayte vppon him Psal 145 and he giueth them their meate in due season as Dauid prophecieth Open thy mouth therefore wide and I will fill it saith the Lorde Ephraim is fed with the wind saith the Prophet Osea â—ea 1â— The thinges of this worlde are windie and swelling like the hoggish huskes that the prodigall young man woulde haue crammed himselfe with they onely puffe vs vp and make vs looke big we doe not battle and thriue by them They are like the charmed and enchanted meat oâ— â—imilitude Nigromancers which hath only but a bare shew of meat without any taste or sauor in it Wherfore for this cause let vs forsake the world and renounce the diuel who sterneth famisheth vs and cleaue we only to the Lord our God who is our portion and inheritance for euer The last marke of difference between these two masters is in the wages which they giue vnto their hired seruants the only point which seruants are to stand vpon There is no man who yeeldeth to serue anie master but first of all hee indenteth with him for his wages if thou wilt needes bee a seruant to the worlde and a slaue to the Diuell serue not for nothing consider how thy labour and paines shal bee recompensed which if thou doest thou shalt haue smal incouragement to appertaine to them for their stipend and wages is death Rom. 6 Psal 13â— They doe render thee euill for good to the great disquiet of thy soule When as Samson was vnder the subiection of the Philistins what reward had he of al his labors Iudg. 16 and trauaile among them but al despightful vsage they boaring out his eies and constraining him most slâ—uishly to grind at the mill When as the Israelites toiled out of measure Exod. 5 and were cleane out of heart in bringing in of stubble this their harde sweate and sorrow was as hardlie recompenced for they had nothing but stripes at their wearisome returne of their cruel taske-maisters Gen. 31 Iacob serued Laban a long time in all simplicitie and faithfulnes he was a most profitable seruant vnto him yet for al that he could not haue his due but his wages was changed ten times and hee was very vnciuilly and churlishlie intreated This is the Bias of the wicked worlde and the deuils fashion do we neuer so much for them it is either not at all or very badly regarded 1. Sam. 2â— They serue vs right as Nabal serued Dauid who required his benefits with horrible vnkindnes like a cruell Carle churlishlie refusing to relieue his necessitie hauing receiued many fauours at his hands hoggishly according to his clownish nature and grantingly answering the seruants of Dauid who is Dauid and who is the sonne of Ishai there be many seruants now a daies that breake euery man from his master shall I then take my bread and my water and my flesh that I haue killed for my shearers and giue it vnto men whom I know not whence they bee Nabal by interpretation a foole and is a liuely figure of this present world who in the time of neede forsaketh them all who haue stoode them in most stead in former times â—miâ—â—â—ude The world and the deuill are like to an vnkind Inkeeper who maketh no account and reckoning of his guests after they are gone yea scarce knoweth them when they come againe although they haue often resorted to that Inne and haue spent much money An Inne keeper will sooner knowe thee by a wrong then by a benefit which thou doest him If thou strikest him with thy fist and giuest him a blow which may sticke to his ribs and ill intreatest him he wil long remember thee but spend thy thrift with him and shew him al kindnes and he wil soone forget thee Wherefore since this seruice must cost thee to much paine and doth so little pleasure thee I warn thee to be wiser and not to toile with the Spider A
him he declareth his entire loue vnto him for a kisse among men A kisse a token of loue among men hath alwaies gone currant for a pledge and pawne of kindnesse which is professed by it For because by our mouthes we do drawe our spirits and thereby doe vnfolde the secrets of our hearts and do vtter our thoughts by the outward ioining together of our mouthes wee doe promise an agreement and coniunction of hearts Gene. 45 Hence it is that Ioseph when he opened and reuealed himselfe vnto his brethren and would poure out his loue in the greatest measure vpon them among other notes and tokens thereof hee affectionatly fel vpon their necks and kissed them Luke 7 Mary Magdalen the sinner when shee was conuerted to testifie her loue which shee did beare to Christ shee did cast downe hir selfe at the feete of Christ and most humbly kissed them Matt. 26 When Iudas the traitour studied with himselfe what course might be the best to bring Christ vnto his death he could not deuise a more subtil shift thē vnder a kisse a pretence of kindnesse to couer his villany Cant. 1 When as the church in the Canticles sueth to her spouse to shew his loue vnto hir she intreateth her husband Christ that he would bee so fauourable as for to kisse her with the kisses of his mouth that is that hee would manifest and declare his affections by manefest and good tokens The father therefore protesteth all loue and good wil vnto his son and as a seale and confirmation of it he bindeth and sealeth it vp with a kisse so as now he may fully satisfie himselfe and make no doubt of it That which is here typically shrowded and shadowed vnder a parable is plainly and substantially in euery one of vs verified For this is gods behauior towardes vs his lost children whome vpon our returne he generally kisseth For doth not he most manifestly shewe his loue towardes vs as if he should kisse vs when as his lips are so ful of grace as he thus affectionately and graciously greeteth vs As I liue Ezech. 1◠I will not the death of a sinner but rather that hee doth returne and liue This is to be esteemed as the kindest most comfortable kisse that may be giuen vnto vs of the like sort is this comfort Iohn 3. So God loued the worlde as hee gaue his only begotten son that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting And this This is my beloued sonne Matt. 3 in whome I am well pleased heare him As the father thus kisseth vs so doth the sonne that we might kisse him Psal 2 least he be angry with vs. Who doth not wonder at these gracious wordes which proceede from his mouth appertaining vnto all Matth. 1◠Come vnto me all ye that labour and are heauy loaden and I will ease you To the same purpose serue the Sacraments of the church which are seuerall sweete kisses and as it were the earnest peny to confirme the couenant that God bath made vnto vs. And truly he ioineth himselfe closely vnto vs and streightly embraceth vs and as it were kisseth vs when as by baptisme hee doth receiue vs into the lap of the church incorporateth vs into his holy congregation maketh vs the mysticall body of his sonne espousing vs vnto him and with him intituling vs vnto his blessed inheritance purchased by his bloud in the kingdome of heauen The like he doth by the mystical supper by which we are instructed that hee is the same who kisseth and cherisheth vs as sustaining vs with his blessed bodie and bloud which he gaue and shed for vs to saue and preserue vs both bodies and soules vnto eternall life To these may be numbred all his kinds of benefits which are inestimable and vnspeakeable of which there is no end by all which he imbraceth vs with the armes of mercy and kisseth vs with the kisses of his mouth It is our duty in regard of this to shew loue to him who hath so loued vs yea who hath loued vs when as we loued not him who whilest we were enemies hath vouchsafed to die for vs. Let his kisses therefore kindle our affections and drawe vs on to kisse him againe who is our loue our doue our beloued our bridegroom our sauior But how may we iustly be ashamed of our selues that wee haue forsaken our own spouse haue cōmitted filthines with strāge flesh we haue wrought folly in Israel and haue cōmitted fornication with the baude of Babilon 〈…〉 who with her craft hath caused vs to yeeld and with hir flattering lips hath enticed vs The whore of Rome hath bewitched our heartes and hir painted face hath rauished our affections But take wee in time the aduise of sage Salomon and let vs prudently follow it 〈…〉 Heare me now therefore O children and harken vnto the words of my mouth Let not thine hart decline to her waies wander thou not in her paths for she hath caused manie to fall down wounded and the strong men are all slaine by her Hir house is the way vnto the graue which goeth downe vnto the chambers of death The fift Chapter Of the Roiall robe giuen by the father vnto the prodigal sonne when he was in presence WE haue hitherto discussed diuers main pointes of rare and strange fauour shewed by the father to his sonne a far off and somewhat we haue spoken of his gestures and actions of loue towards him when he drew nigh vnto him but now far greater remain to be intreated of admirably expressed when hee was in presence with him Now had he fit time and iustice required it and his sonnes sinnes deserued it that he should rip vp vnto him his defaults past and cal to his remēbrance the offences of his youth to call him to account of the time mispent and to lay open the booke of conscience before him Some seuere father if he had such a sonne would haue ratled him roundly and woulde haue either constrained himselfe to seeme inexorable or otherwise would not haue accepted of him but vpon cōditions of amendment of maners of an absolute obedience afterwards But this father is so fatherlie and ful of fauor as he cannot giue himselfe to rigor and austerity but assoone as he seeth him his loue is set on fire and burneth towards him so as the coles that follow are kindled at it for assoone as he hath him he most courteously enteraineth him graciously greeteth him with all louing kindnes Hee suffereth him not to conclude his speech though he knew wel enough that he had not much to speake He should haue spoken on and saide as hee purposed Make mee one of thy hired seruants but the father interrupteth him by his hasty calling to his seruants for him giuing more then hee himselfe would haue requested or his mind conceiued For immediatly while the words were in his mouth