person in this life whom hee will receiue to dwell with him in euerlasting life But I will be sparing in prosecuting this in regard of the neere affinity which it hath with the succeeding Doctrine to which I hasten But behold oppression The cleane contrary was found to that which God expected He looked to haue the poore defended and their causes heard by such as were in place but by none so much as they were they iniured and oppressed A sinne beyond thought or expectation and therefore set out with a note of admiration Behold oppression c. Hence our note shall be Oppression of the poore especially by such as ought to be defenders and releeuers of the poore is a sinne hainous grieuous In the first Chapter of this Booke we finde it to be of a bloudy nature Your hands are full of bloud And in the third Chapter to make the former good we shall finde oppressors charged with beating the people to pieces and grinding the faces of the poore And in the fourteenth Psalme with eating them vp as one would eat vp bread The Prophet Amos chargeth oppressors with swallowing of them vp And Micah chargeth Princes and Magistrates yet further to wit with eating the very flesh of his people and flaying their skins from off them and breaking of their bones and chopping them in peeces as for the pot and as flesh within the cauldron How fearefully was Iehoiakim threatned for this sinne Woe vnto him that buildeth his house by vnrighteousnesse and his chambers by wrong that vseth his neighbours seruice without wages and giueth him not for his worke c. Shalt thou reigne because thou clothest thy selfe in Cedar Did not thy father eat and drinke and doe iudgement and iustice and then it was well with him He iudged the cause of the poore and needy then it was well with him But thine eies and thy heart are not but for thy couetousnesse and for to shed innocent bloud and for oppression and for violence to doe it Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning Iehoiakim the sonne of Iosiah King of Iudah They shall not lament for him saying ah my brother or ah my sister they shall not lament for him saying ah Lord or ah his glory He shall be buried with the buriall of an Asse drawen and cast forth beyond the gates of Ierusalem These are proofes sufficient for my Doctrine strongly confirming what I haue now taught viz. Oppression of the poore especially by such as ought to defend and releeue the poore is a hainous and grieuous sinne For first it is a sinne against Nature and Race Beasts wee see molest not their owne kinde Lions fight not with Lions Serpents spend not their venome vpon Serpents and therefore it is more than brutish for man to deuoure man by this sinne of oppression This made Cyprian seeing it practised by some to cry out with wonderment and admiration Oh the detestable cruelty of mans malice The fierce Lions spare Daniel in the Den the rauenous birds doe feed Eliah in the Wildernesse but one man exerciseth cruelty vpon another and only man to man is become pernicious Secondly it is a sinne against Religion and Grace For the grace of God that bringeth saluation hath appeared vnto all men teaching vs that denying vngodlinesse and worldly lusts we should liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world And this was prophesied of long since that in the time of the Gospell the Wolfe should dwell with the Lambe and the Leopard should lie with the Kid c. and that none should hurt and destroy in all the mountaine of the Lords holinesse Thirdly when it is practised by great men it is a sinne against Place Now as there is no impiety to that impiety which is committed in God Sanctuary so there is no iniustice to that iniustice which is committed and practised in the very seat and sanctuary of iustice and whereby men amidst the Law sinne against the Law as Ananias the High Priest did in commanding Paul to bee smitten contrary to the Law It therefore being a sinne against Race Grace and Place I doubt not but on all sides it will be confest to be most hainous Which doctrine serues first for Reprehension euen of all those who vse any kinde of iniustice either by violence or by colour of law or by any other cunning dealing whatsoeuer against such as are not able to withstand them for that I call oppression whose teeth are as swords and their iawes as kniues to deuoure the poore from off the earth and the needy from amongst men who are Lions Wolues Kine Buls Beasts yea monsters in the shape of men with which beasts or monsters many Countries swarme as Egypt did with Frogs and Locusts They abound both in Foro and in Choro in Change and Chancell Church and Common-wealth To rip vp all the sorts of them were infinite with some of the principall I will only deale And first to begin with them whom I haue not least cause to thinke vpon our Church oppressors those greedy and Harpie-like deuourers of sacred things who prey vpon their patrimonie who pray for them and vniustly turne the reuenues of the Church vnto their owne proper vse Against whom that kingly Prophet Dauid bestowes a whole Psalme and cals them Gods enemies tumultuous proud God-haters craftie enemies confederate enemies who combine themselues together to annihilate a Church And that we might not be deceiued in the persons he describes them to vs by their words They are those that say Let vs take to our selues the houses of God in possession they beat their braines and spend their wits how to appropriate that to them and theirs which the Almighty is inuested in And that they haue and hold but by what right or title the very name of Impropriations doth shew as being altogether improper for them that haue them and held by an vnproper title For tithes are due only to the Church and cannot be alienated to any other vse they hauing once beene passed ouer to God and dedicated to the Church neither haue the Laitie ought to doe herewith for where tithes are paid there must be a matter of giuing and receiuing the Minister giueth spirituall things saith the Apostle and receiueth carnall things Now because Lay-men cannot performe the one they haue not to meddle with the other for not keeping the condition they cannot claime the couenant I doe not denie but it may be in the power of Ciuill Magistrates to allow any other maintenance vnto the Minister so it be competent but seeing tithes are by law established amongst vs for this purpose to be the hire of the Lords labourers and the wages of his workmen it is a great a sinne to defraud the Minister of his portion as to keepe backe the meat or wages from an ordinarie labourer yea farre greater and yet S. Iames
beginning they glorified God saying Then hath God also vnto the Gentiles granted repentance vnto life It maketh vs likewise to reioyce at our owne well-doing because honour thereby redounds to the name of God so saith Solomon It is ioy to the iust to doe iudgement And lastly in our owne saluation that our names are written in the booke of life Thus in these and in all things else which tend and so farre forth as they tend to the setting forth of the Almighties praise doth Loue cause vs to reioyce Further our Loue if sound will be discerned by our Feare How afraid are we to offend or any way displease those whom we entirely affect And therefore these two are ioyned together by Moses as sisters for where one is there is the other True it is that perfect Loue casteth out Feare as S. Iohn speaketh but that is meant of a slauish and seruile feare not of this sonne-like and filiall feare for it doth establish it Moses in one verse sheweth both these kindes of feares Feare not saith he to Israel for God is come to proue you and that his feare may be before your faces that you sinne not He bids them not to feare viz. with that slauish-feare and yet chargeth them to feare viz. with this godly and child-like feare By this latter feare then we need not feare to try our loue For without question he that truly loues God is afraid to displease God by committing of the least sinne for feare lest it should make a diuorce betweene him and his God whom his soule loueth Moreouer Loue causeth Sorrow and Griefe 1. For our beloueds absence 2. For any wrong or iniurie offered vnto him Doe we not see what discontentment beasts which out of naturall instinct loue their young doe shew when they haue lost them And how grieuously doe Parents take the death or absence of their children In humane loue amongst friends it fareth after the same manner as it doth in naturall what a heauy parting was there betweene Ionathan and Dauid And is not this the nature of religious loue The Spouse hauing lost her welbeloued inquires through the streets as vndone without him Saw yee him whom my soule loueth And so doth euery faithfull soule when through their misbehauiour they cause the Lord for a while to leaue them and withdraw his fauourable presence from them In case of wrong we haue an excellent example in Ionathan how grieuously did he take it that his beloued friend Dauid should be iniured though it were his owne father who offered it For so saith the text He was grieued for Dauid because his father had done him shame So loue to God causeth a man to take to heart things done against his name and honour be it done either by himselfe or other If by himselfe he goeth out with Peter and weepeth bitterly and as it is said of the people of God in the day of their repentance drawes water to powre it out before the Lord. And so was Dauid affected as appeares in that poenitentiall Psalme which he made vpon occasion of his foule fall into adulterie and murther If by others he laments it heartily with Lot who dwelling amongst the wicked in seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soule from day to day with their vnlawfull deeds And thus did Dauid I beheld the transgressors and was grieued because they kept not thy word Riuers of teares runne downe mine eyes because they keepe not thy law So Ezra who when he heard how the people had sinned and dishonoured God by taking strange wiues vnto them He rent his garment and his mantle and pluckt the haire from off his head and beard and sate downe astonied Ieremiah likewise when he saw the people would not giue glory to the Lord neither would heare he telleth them his soule should weepe in secret for their pride and his eye should weepe sore and runne downe with teares for their disobedience And thus did those mourners marked with Gods owne marke for his mourne for the abominations committed in Ierusalem whereby they testified the soundnesse of this grace of Loue. As Griefe so Patience in suffering and vndergoing of trouble labour paine will manifest how great our loue is which we beare to God What infinite paines will men that loue the world take for a handfull of it Hunters Hawkers how doe they toyle and moyle yet neuer complaine And why They loue the sport Hard things loue makes easie great paines to it seemes pleasure no taske so hard which loue refuses to gratifie the beloued partie For the loue that Iacob did beare to Rachel he was content to vndergoe seuen yeares hard seruice and they seemed vnto him but as a few dayes the reason is giuen in the text For the loue he had to her If Shechem will marry Dinah it must be on condition of Circumcision he must first suffer the cutting of his tender flesh though it be as questionlesse it would be very painfull Now the young man deferred not to doe the thing because he had delight in Iacobs daughter The like patience will be found in vndergoing any paine or trouble for Gods cause if we truly loue him The Apostles depart from the presence of the Councell reioycing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Christ Ignatius that blessed Martyr of Christ Iesus thus testified his loue as appeareth by his Epistle which he wrote vnto the Church of Rome where he professeth that the more he was exercised with the iniuries of his oppressors the more he was instructed and that he weighed neither visible nor inuisible things for the loue of Christ And addeth further Come fire crosse wilde beasts slaughter tearing of bones dismembring of the parts of my bodie yea let all the torments of the deuill rush vpon me so I may enioy Christ better for me to be a Martyr than a Monarch my Loue is crucified c. And so Iohn Hus who being led forth to the place of execution after he was condemned in the Councell of Constance to be burned hauing a cap of paper set vpon his head in which were painted three deuils of an vgly shape and this inscription added This is an Arch-heretique when he beheld it said very mildly My Lord Iesus Christ who was innocent vouchsafed to weare a sharpe crowne of thornes for me wretched sinner and therefore I will beare this though imposed as a scorne for his names sake And in that truly named Golden Legend of how many doe we reade who were tryed by mockings scourgings bonds imprisonments who were stoned sawen asunder tempted slaine with the sword who wandered about in sheeps skins and goat skins being destiture afflicted tormented c. Thus Gods seruants whose hearts haue beene inflamed with a loue vnto him haue reioyced in their sufferings and patiently
our loue may soone be seene our workes indeed doe not iustifie yet they testifie As in a clocke though the singer of the Dyall makes not the clocke to goe but the clocke it yet the finger without shewes how the clocke within doth stirre so here And therefore what Saint Iames speakes of Faith Shew mee thy Faith by thy workes for that Faith that is without workes is dead So say I by loue Shew mee thy loue by thy workes for that loue that is without workes is dead Ye loue your backes and spare not to cloathe them you loue your children and therefore doe much for them you loue your beasts and therefore bestow largely on them and can you say you loue the Lord and deale so pinchingly and illiberally with him It cannot be For looke as the loue of God is the fountaine of all his benefits extended vnto man so is loue in man the cause of his obedience and seruice to his God God hath loued vs first to doe vs good and we loue him next that wee may doe him seruice And thus wee haue done with the markes of triall whereby if wee take any tolerable paines in the examination of our selues it would soone be seene what loue to God we beare and as I feare it would appeare that albeit the greatest number professe they loue the Lord yet the fewest number would bee found to loue him in sincerity And Lord thou seest and knowest it For how little art thou desired or sought for How small is that Ioy which men take in thee or thine Who sets thy feare before their eyes and when thou hidest thy face what man is troubled Where is our patience in suffring for thy sake when one houre in thy house of praise cannot be endured without an ache in our bones and of what are we so soone weary as of well-doing As for our zeale where is it while we sit still and see thee dishonoured hauing no courage for thy truth And doe not our tongues condemne vs while they are for all purposes except thy glory If they should iustifie vs would not our workes and actions testifie against vs We call thee Lord but where 's thine honour The title onely and no more thou gettest of vs Or if thou doest it is but the dregs and off all the very worst of all and yet we grudge when wee haue not the best from thee O blessed Sauiour shed abroad thy loue in our hearts that we may loue thee better And this is the first vse which I would haue made of this let our second be for Exhortation that we would loue the Lord yea preferre him in our loue aboue all other welbeloueds Let our Affections be set vpon him and be enflamed towards him Let our tongues be mute to all vanities and eloquent only vnto him and for him who gaue man his tongue and speech and whilest other mens discourses are taken vp about trifles let ours be spent in setting forth his praises Let our Actions bee such as may be pleasing to him and let vs not dare to venture vpon any thing that may offend him And how euer we cannot perfectly yet let vs all pray for grace that we may loue him yet more feruently and lesse fainedly only for himselfe and his mercy For this end vse these helpes Get a true knowledge of him and of his name For they that know him loue him and as our knowledge is such is our loue The Heathen man obserued that vnknowne things were not desired though in themselues they were neuer so excellent or desirable And what a helpe this is for the attainment of this grace appeares by that speech of the Church vnto her Spouse Thy name is as ointment powred forth therefore doe the Virgins loue thee His name fame glory and renowne was by many meanes made knowne especially by his Word vnto the world and hence it was the Church did carry such an inward affection and hearty desire to him which she testified by an outward approuing and liking of him Thou then that desirest to loue God see thou get the true and sound knowledge of God labour first for that by vsing all good meanes tending thereunto especially diligent reading and conscionable attending to the preaching of the Word Search the Scriptures saith our Sauiour for in them ye thinke to haue eternall life and they are they which testifie of me Seriously meditate of Gods loue to thee in Christ before all worlds were and of his rich mercy which he offers thee through Christ Consider what a difference hee hath made betweene thee and many other that are reprobates which onely came from the riches of his loue for by nature thou wert as vile as they as miserable as they a childe of wrath as well as any of them not a haire to choose betweene them and thee Consider of it likewise in other particulars as thou shalt haue occasion and it will worke thy heart to loue him Loue is loues load-stone so sheweth the Apostle The loue of Christ constraineth vs. Labour then to loue God a little who hath loued vs exceeding much and indeed as Bernard speaketh we cannot answer God well in any thing but in loue For if he be angry with vs wee may not answer him againe in anger if he iudge vs we may not againe iudge him if he chide vs we must be patient if he command we must obey But in that he loueth we may yea must returne loue for loue for he loueth to be loued Remember often his holy presence and doe not dare to goe whole weekes nor daies nor houres without thinking of him for that will estrange our Affections more and more from him We see how it often happens with new maried couples who though at first they seeme somewhat strange and hardly can affect each one the other yet through daily familiarity and communion they come at length entirely to loue Withdraw your hearts from the loue of the world if you would loue the Lord For the loue of God and it cannot stand together so witnesseth S. Iohn If any man loue the world the loue of the Father is not in him And so S. Iames The friendship of the world is enmity with God whosoeuer therefore will be the friend of the world is the enemy of God And thus our blessed Sauiour Yee cannot serue God and Mammon We must therefore either renounce the world or our part in Christ for worldlines and Christianity as we see are two such ends as will neuer meet Thy loue to the world must abate if thou would est haue thy loue to Christ encrease See thou frequent the company of the godly Thou must walke in the steps of the flocke and feed thy kids neere the tents of the shepheards Thou must conuerse with holy Christians who are sicke of loue and abound in holy affections When those daughters of Ierusalem who at first
speaketh chose rather to speake barbarously than finely and to vse the barbarous word ossum in his exposition rather than the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though he allow it in the text and so reads it because though it were not so Grammaticall yet it was the more intelligible word and he desired his peoples profit aboue his owne credit holding it better that the learned should reproue him than that the ignorant should not vnderstand him So then let vs preach not as we are able to speake but as our people are able to heare and as they can beare remembring still that we must rather seeke to make our people schollers than to shew our selues schollers vnto our people Now in vsing of Parables Similitudes Allegories c. these rules as I haue else-where shewed are to be followed 1. That they be not farre fetcht but sitting for the matter in hand 2. That they be borrowed from things well knowne and easie to be conceiued 3. That we still haue a care of the maiestie of Scripture auoiding all ridiculous and base stuffe 4. That we vse them rather for instructing of life than for prouing any point of faith 5. That we turne not all into Allegories to the destroying of the letter which was Origens fault 6. That they be quickly dispatched and not too much insisted on Let Hearers learne not to despise their Ministers for their plainnesse but if any themselues for their childishnesse who must be thus lisped to Seeke not so much to haue thy eare tickled as thy vnderstanding enlightned The painfull Bee passeth by Roses and Violets and sits vpon Time so shouldst thou rather chuse to feed on plaine and wholsome doctrine though hot and biting than on the quirkes and flowers of mans inuention In a word learne euermore to iudge that Sermon best though plaine whereby thou vnderstandest most And so much for this first point Now heare a second There is no earthly thing which may not be applied to some speciall vse for our edification in grace Things earthly may put vs in minde of things heauenly things naturall of spirituall What is there in this world that hath any being but may reade to man a Diuinity Lecture From the highest Angell to the lowest worme all teach vs somewhat The Sun Moone Starres are good Schoolemasters When I behold thy Heauens the workes of thy fingers the Moone and the Starres which thou hast ordained What is man say I then that thou art mindfull of him or the sonne of man that thou so viâ—â—test him Thus the Heauens preach the glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy worke So the Fowles of the Heauens The Storke knoweth her appointed times the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow obserue the time of their comming These may teach vs to know the day of our visitation and the iudgement of the Lord. The beasts of the field likewise may instruct vs The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his masters Crib By them may Israel be schooled and learne obedience Yea of the little Ant or Emmet may man be taught prouidence Goe to the Ant thou sluggard consider her wayes and bee wise which hauing no guide ouersoer or ruler prouideth her meat in the Summer gathereth her food in the haruest And as the creatures so may euery action and ordinary occasion bee applied to good purpose The Husbandman breaking vp his ground theacheth vs the necessity of Repentance calleth vpon vs for the breaking vp the faâ—low 〈◊〉 our hearts His casting in his seed and sowing of his field sheweth vs the nature of the wâ—â—d the necessity and vtility of the same The Corne dying and fructifying preacheth to vs that Article of our faith The resurrection of the body The beholding of â—aâ—es and weeds in the field may instruct vs of the state and condition of the Church militant The Merchant searching for pearles and paying dearely for that of price should remember vs of a farre more precious pearle The Gospell of the Kingdome which we should highly rate and sell all to buy Childrens asking for bread or meat at their fathers hands and the Fathers readinesse to giue them what they aske may teach vs our duties towards God and set forth the readinesse of Gods loue to vs. Seruants waiting vpon their Masters and Maids attending vpon their Mistresses should teach vs to wait vpon the Lord our God vntill he haue mercy on vs. Thus Gods wisdome is in this kinde remarkable directing vs by all things that may runne into our senses to raise vs furtherances in spirituall things Yea not only things lawfull but we shall finde likewise that things sinfull and vnlawfull afford resemblances to admonish of dutie The employment of our gifts to the glory of the bestower we haue pressed by resemblance of the Vsurers cursed courses Wisdome to prouide for euerlasting Tabernacles by liberalitie to the poore Saints is taught vs by the vniust policie of the deceitfull Steward Watchfulnesse for the sudden comming of Christ by the vnexpected comming of a theefe to his prey In a word there was nothing which our Sauiour could heare or see or doe but he made spirituall vse of it and tooke occasion thereby to administer heauenly instructions vnto his followers Thus we haue seene this truth proued now let vs heare it further applied This may serue for our Humiliation seeing that by our sinne and apostasie wee are degraded beneath the beasts and become their schollers Our father Adam was made Lord of the creatures and by the knowledge wherewith God endued him he knew the Lord and the creature also At one Court he imposed names to them all according to their kindes as knowing them better in their nature and vertue than they did themselues The knowledge which he had of God led him to this knowledge of the creature and it was not by the creature that hee learned the knowledge of the Creator But by sinne man falling away from God he hath so far degenerated from his owne kinde as that he is now become inferiour vnto them and they as Balaams Asse can teach their master To the schoole of the creature is man now sent and put backe like an idle truant to his A. B. C. to learne the glory goodnesse and prouidence of the Creator by looking vpon it neither are we able to learne so much as the creature can teach vs when we ply our lesson hardest Consider we how farre the creature doth excell man and that not only in naturall faculties as the Ape in tasting the Spider in touching the Lynx in seeing the Boare in hearing the Vulture in smelling c. wherein we come not nigh them nor yet only in naturall gifts and qualities of the body as the Horse in strength the Roe in swiftnesse the Lion in courage c. wherein wee are not able
And therefore let this serue further for our Instruction that we learne highly to esteeme of such as be truly godly seeme they neuer so meane or base in the worlds eye Thus did S. Lawrence that blessed Martyr of Christ Iesus who being demanded of the Tyrant where the riches of the Church lay looking for store of gold and such like treasure he gathered together a multitude of poore Christians telling the Tyrant that there was the riches and beauty of the Church and albeit they were now ragged and vnseemly in the eyes of men yet they should one day be clad in white robes and shine in maiestie and glory before the throne of God The like as I haue read was the practise of Ingo an ancient King of the Draues and Veneds who making vpon a time a stately feast inuited thereunto all his Nobles who were at that time Pagans and vnconuerted to the Christian faith and a multitude of poore Christians His Nobles he set in his Hall below and those poore Christians with himselfe in his presence chamber entertaining them with the royallest cheere and kingliest attendance that might be At which when his Nobles wondered he told them this he did not as hee was king of the Drauâ—s but as king of another world wherein these should bee his companions and fellow Princes To them he would giue ciuill due in the gouernment of the Commonwealth but these hee must loue and honour in his heart as most honoured and best beloued of God Reade this to thy shame who knowest not how to shew the least respect vnto a Christian and if thou wouldst not haue it to condemne thee let it mend thee causing thee to be more respectiue in thy cariage towards such as serue the Lord So shalt thou imitate God like a good childe herein and get a testimonie to thy owne conscience that thou art Gods because thou louest his image which marke of a childe of God may comfort thee when all others in the time of temptation may faile thee Hence also we may haue Direction how to become excellent and famous namely by becomming gracious This way will not faile to effect it and no other course can be auaileable without it Men may be wealthy and ignominious they may haue gorgeous apparell and yet be contemptible Pharaohs horses had costly trappings and the Midianites Camels had chaines of gold about their necks Grace and goodnesse doe more decke and adorne than all these doe or can This is that which the Apostle calleth Seeking glory and honour by well-doing and only is that whereby Abel Noah Abraham and the rest obtained a good report How grosly then are such deceiued as thinke godlinesse doth cause contempt and the way to become honourable is to grow gracelesse and sinfull For can any wise man thinke that the dunghill of wickednesse is a fit Mine to digge out a good estimation or that the puddle water of vanity will make a man seeme beautifull and faire or that the onely way to make a man sweet is to tumble in a iakes Certainly figgs grow not vpon thornes neither is the sweet oyntment of a good name compounded of those stinking ingredients Pride Drunkennesse Whoredome Profanenesse or the like A good name ariseth out of honest things as the Poet could say and not from actions sinfull and dishonest Cain and Esau we know were wicked men and dead many hundred yeeres agoe yet the Scripture neuer speaketh of them but with great reproach as Prophane Esau Cain who was of that wicked one and slow his brother And so Iudas who is neuer almost spoken of but he is called by the name of traitor The Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles haue likewise beene a long time dead and yet how louely are their names Scripture neuer speakes of them but with great respect as Abraham the Father of the faithfull Moses the seruant of God Dauid the sweet singer of Israel And S. Peter S. Paul S. Iohn and so the rest Thus the wicked leaue a filthy sauour behinde them as a greasie snuffe when it goeth out which euery one that passeth by stops his nose at but the godly leaue their names behinde them for a blessing the very remembrance of them is sweet and like the end of some sweet wax candle which euery one loues to haue the sent of euen after it hath left burning Wouldst thou then bee counted excellent See that thou doe worthily in Ephratha and so be famous in Bethlehem It is vertue onely that can emblazon thy name and that will doe it A field of sinceritie charged with deeds of pietie cannot but be accomplisht with a crest of glorie But if thou liuest licentiously and prophanely so loathsome will thy abominable life make thee as that thou shalt scarce euer come into mention of Gods people but with a stile like that of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat that made Israel to sinne And lastly for Consolation let this serue to the godly poore despised by the rich and worldly wise Know thou for thy comfort thou art a choise plant in Gods account and hee that knowes the true worth of things esteemes thee precious and holds thee for one of his iewels of great price whateuer men doe deeme And when that day of separation shall come hee will then make it known to all the world First by his setting thee on his right hand as one of his darlings whom he purposeth to aduance and honour when all other shall be turned to the left hand as base and contemptible Secondly by that his gracious call and sweet sentence Come thou blessed c. The prosecuting of this point would bee very comfortable but I hasten and now come to the fift Particular heere mentioned whereby Gods loue to this his Vineyard was manifested in these words He built a Tower in the midst of it which was as well for the beautifying and adorning it as for the further strengthning of it By which Tower whether wee vnderstand the glorious Temple in Ierusalem that stately edifice and building or Ierusalem it selfe whereunto all the Tribes resorted and the nations came to worship it will leade vs to this Obseruation that The Beautie and Bulwarke of a place is Gods seruice and worship erected and set vp in that place For neither is Ierusalem nor Zion here compared to a Tower especially in regard of the stately buildings multiplicity of Turrets aspiring Towers or the like but in regard of Religion that was found in it In Ierusalem was the continuall worship of God In the Temple the continued seruice of God and this was it which gaue the grace and countenance this made it the golden head of the picture Ladie of the world seat of the Monarchie and as Micah agreeing with this of our Prophet cals it the Tower of the flocke and the strong hold of the daughter of
should be called worshipfull or a Carr-man honourable and who could away with that Nay more it is a kinde of sacriledge vnder those holy names to liue an vnholy life Belshazzar sinned against God by excesse and intemperancie in his eating and drinking but in that he abused the holy vessels of the house of God to serue him to such prophane and vnholy vses was a sinne more fearefull and sacriledge most horrible Thus for thee as thou art a man to sinne prouokes Gods wrath and deserues damnation but to sinne vnder the Christian name and commit wickednesse as thou art a Gospeller it is with Belshazzar to abuse and prophane the holy vessels of Gods house and this must needs plunge thee into the hottest fire of hell To conclude this vse let me tell you what I haue read of a libidinous Gentleman who sporting with a Curtezan in a house of sinne happened to aske her name which she said was Mary whereat he was stricken with such a remorse and reuerence that he instantly not only cast off the harlot but amended his future life Art thou called a Christian and yet followest drunkennesse swearing c. let that very name cause thee to be ashamed of thy folly Let all apply what I forbeare to amplifie Further in that these people haue these titles Israel Iudah the names of their forefathers giuen them as titles of honour and names of excellency we learne a third lesson And obserue another note viz. Good Parents and Progenitors are great ornaments to their posteritie Parents that are godly and religious doe no whit at all disgrace their children by their pietie and godlinesse but much countenance and grace them by it insomuch that it is an honour for posteritie to descend from such worthie Ancestors Solomons Prouerbe may be a sufficient proofe hereof Childrens children are the crowne of the elders and the glory of the children are their fathers to wit if they be godly and pious Besides sundrie instances and examples that might be brought for the confirming of this truth as of Abraham what an honourable title was it accounted to be called the son of Abraham and childe of Abraham The Iewes brag and boast therefore They were Abrahams seed and they had Abraham to their Father And so it was indeed to them that walked in his steps and were like him in grace And so afterwards in Dauid what an excellent prerogatiue was it accounted to be to descend from him and be of his Family For such are the seed of Princes and linage of Kings for thus hath God aduanced the godly to be Kings Priests and Prophets vnto himselfe they come of the noblest House and Family that is whose originall commeth not out of some corner of the earth but they spring of Christ of whom all the Families in heauen and earth are called And this is right and proper Nobilitie indeed This being so it first reproueth such Parents as hope to bring credit and renowne to their posterities by their lewd and sinfull courses they liue miserably and deale vniustly and open the mouths of all to crie out vpon their falshood and deceit their couetousnesse and extortion and yet thinke to raise vp their houses and aduance their names and adorne their children with glorie and estimation But this truth may discouer vnto such parents their folly and great madnesse for this is not the way to bring credit but disgrace to their posterities yea when they are dead and rotten their euill courses will be cast as dung in the faces of such as they leaue behinde as experience makes good Such a man saith one was this childes father What that Vsurer that Worldling that Extortioner that Drunkard that Whore-master saith another How can thy childe stand by and heare this without red cheekes it must needs be matter of shame and griefe vnto him Wouldst thou indeed be an ornament to thy childe and childs childe after thee then see thou be righteous and religious and so thy name shal be remembred in them when thou art dead Oh what a credit is it now accounted to be of the posteritie of Latimer Bradford Ridley and other of those men of God who suffered for the truth How are such esteemed and accounted of amongst all Let experience make thee wise and so liue thou that thy children also may account it their honour not their shame to name thee when thou attraked vp in the dust Secondly let Children who haue had or haue godly and religious parents be thankfull for them and repose their Gentry more in their forefathers vertues that they had than in their great lands and reuenewes that they possessed esteeming them the worthiest of all their Ancestors who were the godliest rather than they who were the wealthiest And withall let such be stirred vp to tread in their fathers steps for all that hath beene said is with this prouiso that we their children be adorned with their gifts and vertues For though wee descend from godly and worthy Ancestors yet if wee degenerate from them as a base and bastard brood it can be no honour credit comfort nor commendation to vs. Put case a man haue a thousand pound land a yeere left him by his friends and he spend it all like the Prodigall in riotous and voluptuous liuing what credit is it for him to brag that such an estate was left him nay is it not a shame So if the vertues of thy parents liue in thee it is then a grace vnto thee that thou descendedst from their loynes otherwise the contrary The very Heathen haue rather choose to descend of vnnoble parents so themselues were noble and renowned through vertue than to come of worthy parents and progenitors and themselues to grow base and degenerate out of kinde So it is better to be religious and the sonne of wicked parents than being the sonne of godly parents to be wicked Cain Cham Ismael and Esau might boast of Adam Noah Abraham Isaac the noblest parents who on the other side might blush and grieue at such degenerate issues Walke then in the steps of thy godly parents and speake not of thy bloud but of thy good not of thy parents vertues but of thy owne for what hath a coward to doe to glorie in the valour of his father And I would that Papists would consider of this who brag that their Pope and Bishops are the Successours of Peter and the rest of the Apostles Well admit this to be true yet can they shew vs how they succeed them in their gifts and graces If they cannot as all the world may see they cannot their personall succession is nothing worth and they brag of an emptie title without honour It remaines now that we come to take a view of the fruits which this Vineyard brought forth which is the third and last thing I propounded to be considered Hee looked for iudgement but
a Garden enclosed 73 It stands in need of daily looking to ibid. She is exposed to many dangers 74 She is deare vnto the Lord. 75 93 She is but one 76 99 The more the Church is afflicted the more she flourisheth 78 She is outwardly blacke but inwardly glorious ibid. It is her priuiledge that God is her keeper 89 Why the Deuill seekes to persecute her 93 She may be corrupted with Idolatry 95 Church in England not to be forsaken for some wants 97 Which the Papists make to bee the Catholike Church 99 Her enemies are but weake 245 The miseries of the Church should moue vs to pitty her 265 Christ only deserues our loue 61 Members of the Church receiue the sap of grace from him 76 All that are in the Church are not truly incorporated into Christ 77 Comparisons may lawfully be vsed 82 Company of the godly to be frequented 55 Mans Conscience shall iustifie Gods proceedings 182 The Conscience shal one day be awakned 183 The Cheeks of it not to be neglected 183 198 Contention and discord the beginnings of warre 264 Conuersation of Christians should bee such as that our aduersaries may iustifie it 185 The Creature is become mans Schoolemaster 86 A double vse to be made of them 88 They are a defence for the godly 111 They are Gods hoasts 286 All of them are against the wicked 287 The godly Conquer when they seeme conquered 253 God remembreth mercy in his Corrections 257 D DEath of the godly a forerunner of Iudgement 213 Necessity of Gods Decree no excuse for wickednesse 196 Discipline not wanting in our Church 97 It is not of the essence of the Church 133 Dignity of the godly very great 121 The Deuill hath not power ouer any creature but by Gods permission 246 How he is the God of this world 282 Authors of Diuision in the Church sinne fearefully 102 We must receiue nothing for Doctrine but what is grounded on Scripture 165 Dowry great giuen by Christ to his Spouse 62 Diuersity of gifts giuen by God for the good of the Church 16 E EArthly things afford heauenly instructions 83 Wee may make resemblances betwixt things Earthly and heauenly 82 What Errors make a Church to bee no Church 98 Enuy a sinne vnnaturall 101 The way how to become Excellent 125 The wicked Excuselesse 194 Excommunication a grieuous censure 115 Not to passe for small trifles 116 F FAith is the root of other graces 147 Personality of Faith needfull 149 Families to be purged of prophane persons 119 Famine how grieuous at the destruction of Ierusalem 259 Our owne Faults propounded in anothers person soone espied 6 Nothing to be attributed vnto Fortune 227 Fruit bring forth to God 94 By bearing Fruit we glorifie God 104 142 Such as are Fruitfull shall grow more fruitfull 106 Gods cost on vs should moue to Fruitfulnesse 136 Euery creature is in it kind Fruitfull 138 Fruitfulnesse of a Christian the ground-worke of prosperity 139 If we be Fruitfull there is no Law against vs. 140 It is high time we should bring forth Fruit. 141 We must first be transplanted and set into Christ before we can beare Fruit. 143 Such as are in Christ bring forth Fruit incontinent 144 The properties of good Fruit. 149 G GArison strong about the godly 112 The Godly are runne to in the day of trouble 80 God is the Protector of his people 111 He is the husbandman of his Church 89 God is not the Author of sinne 194 The Godly to bee esteemed aboue others 124 The exceed all others in growth in grace 77 God hath little Glory in the world 34 Gods Glory should be our aime in all our actions 32 The Godly preferre it before their owne saluation 35 By Glorifying God we bring glory to our selues 36 Iudgements fearefull on such as rob God of his Glory 36 We ought to Grow in grace 105 H HOw God Hardens 194 The godly Hated and why 93 Hearers must be carefull what they receiue for Gospell 65 They may not rashly censure their Teachers for some disabilities 271 They must pray for them 272 Hearers must suffer the word of application as well as of doctrine 280 They may not finde fault with their teachers for their plainnesse 83 Heauens are diligent learned and Catholike Pastors 34 Humane testimonies may lawfully be alledged in Sermons 14 God Husbands his people 89 Husbandry a commendable vocation ibid. Submit our selues to Gods Husbandry 91 How to know whether God hath Husbanded the heart 90 Hypocrisie in the end shal be discouered 133 Humility and tendernesse of heart to bee laboured for 145 I I Dolaters not to be familiar withall 118 Ignorance no good plea. 86 Impropriations held by an improper title where some obiections answered 304 Ingrossers are oppressors 311 Irreligious persons enemies to King and State 118 Isaiah a noble Prophet and eloquent together with his death 2 He fainted not in his function 3 He was of Christs kindred 9 Iudgements of God diuers waies foretold 212 The way to preuent Gods Iudgements is to Iudge our selues 184 Iustice in our dealings the touchstone of true Religion 298 K KIndred of the godly noble 120 Kingdome weakned by sinne 242 Knowledge of God a meanes to loue God 53 Sinnes against Knowledge fearefull 199 L LAndlords many are oppressors 310 Law-suits are durable 309 No Law against the godly 140 Leaues of profession not enough 146 Loue God before all 53 Christ only deserues our Loue. 61 How our Loue to God may be discouered 42 The way to bring our hearts to Loue the Lord. 53 We may not answer God in any thing except in Loue. 54 Lewd Life of a Professor dishonours God 37 Sinfull Lusts ouershadow the soule 146 God is the absolute Lord ouer all 282 M MAgistrates as the head should gouerne wisely 100 Priuate persons may not meddle with the office of Magistrates 101 Magistrates should back the Ministers of the Word with the vse of the temporall sword 116 Meeknesse to be shewed in our dealing with sinners 175 Sinnes against the Meanes fearefull 197 The more Meanes the more obedience doth God expect 270 To contemne the Meanes grieues the Lord. 200 No Meanes can reclaime the wicked 201 Meanes contemned causeth the Lord to depriue vs of them 267 Meanes to bring our hearts to loue God 53 Meanes to make vs fruitfull 143 It is fearefull to make our selues Merry with others sinnes 202 Ministers are builders stewards 279 Wherein they must shew themselues faithfull ibid. They must bee painfull in their function 109 They must wooe for Christ 58 They must deliuer nothing but by warrant from God 64 They must attend their callings 67 They should be well prouided for 68 They are the subordinate Husbandmen of the Church 89 Idle Ministers like Harlots 108 Ministers must seeke to God for ability to discharge their function 273 They may not be discouraged so as to surcease their paines 11 Their life is a spirituall piscation 11 They are not