A DIVINE HERBALL OR GARDEN Of GRACES.
For the earth which drinketh in the raine that commeth oft vpon it, and bringeth forth herbes meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiueth blessing from God.
But that which beareth thornes and bryars, is reiected, and is nigh vnto cursing, whose end is to be burned.
I Presume, heere is no Atheist to heare and denie;Rom. 1. 16. The Gospell is the power of God to saluation. I hope here is no Libertine; if there be, let him heare also: It is the power of God to confusion. [Page 2] It is a double-edged Sword, Heb. 4. 12. and giues, vel vitam, vel vindi [...]tam, either instruction, or destruction. It is Fire, that doth melt waxe to repentance, and harden clay to vengeance. It is here a Raine or Deaw falling on the ground of mans heart; causing one soyle to bee fertile in good workes, another to abound with weedes of impiety: For it returneth not backe to him that sent it, in vaine. That it conuayes grace to vs, and returnes our fruitfull gratitude to God, is a high and happy mercy. That it offers grace to the wicked and by their corrupt natures occasions greater impietie, is a heauy but holy iudgement.
Not to trauell farre for Diuision, heere lyes Earth before vs. And as I haue seene in some places of this Iland, one hedge parts a fruitfull medow, and a barren heath: so of this Earth, Man; the same substance for natures constitution, clay of the same heape in the creating hand of the Potter; for matter, masse, and stuffe, none made de meliore luto; though in respect of Eternities Ordination, some vessels of honour, of disshonour others; here be two kindes, a good and a bad soyle: the one a Garden, the other a desart: the former an inclosure of sweet herbes, excellent graces: the latter a wild and sauage Forrest of Bryars and thornes, scratching and wounding offences.
For the better ground we wil consider. 1. The operatiue meanes, or working cause of the fertility; the raine that commeth often vpon it. 2. The [Page 3] thankefull returning of expected fruite; it bringeth forth herbes meete for them, by whom it is dressed. 3. The reward of mercy; it receiueth blessing from God.
All is an Allegory. The Earth is Man: the Raine, Gods Word: the herbes are Graces: and the Blessing, is a sweet retribution and accumulation of mercie.
The Earth
IS the best ground that lyes betwixt heauen and earth, Man: the noblest part of this world: the worthiest creature, that hath earth for the pauement, and heauen for the seeling: the Creators Image; and as some read, his Shadow; which moues as the body doth, whose it is. When the body puts forth an arme, the shadow shewes an arme, &c: so man in his actions and courses depends vpon the disposition of God, as his allpowerfull Maker and Mouer. The blessed Deity (which hath in it a Trinity of most equall and eternall Persons) is the first and best of all beings: the holy Angels next: & a Ioue tertius Aiax, man next them.
Ardens conceateth vpon Marke 16.Marke 16. 15. in the Apostles commission, Goe ye into all the World, and preach the Gospell to euery Creature; that by this Euery Creature, is meant Man. For to liuelesse, senselesse, or reason-lesse things, God neuer enioyned to preach the Gospell. But man is called [Page 4] Euery creature, because hee hath a participation of the best in all creatures. * Stones haue a being, not life: plants haue a being and life, not sense: beasts haue a being, life, and sense, but not vnderstanding: Angels haue both being, life, sense, and vnderstanding. Man participates with all these in their best. He hath a being with stones, life with plants, sense with beasts, vnderstanding with Angels: a sweet abstract or compendium of all creatures perfections.
Let not all this make man proud. Euen this word Earth, though here vsed in a spiritual sense, puts him in minde that this excellent man is a mortall creature. Earth, must bee earth: hot earth to colde earth: that earth which hath now a life in it,Iere. 22. 29. to that earth which hath no life in it. Therefore I will say from the Prophet. O earth, earth, earth, heare the word of the Lord. Bestow not too much paines in adorning this perishable earth, thy flesh: the earth thou must be careful of, and which God here waters from heauen with his holy deawes, is thy heart, thy conscience.
I could willingly steppe out a little to chide those, that neglecting Gods Earth, the Soule; fall to trimming with a curious superstition the Earths earth, clay and lome: a body of corruption painted, til it shine like a Lilly (like it in whitenesse, not in humility,Cant. 2. 1. the candor of beautie; for the Lilly growes lowe; Lilium conuallium, a flower of the vallies and bottomes) a little slime done ouer with a past-boord; rottennesse hidde vnder [Page 5] golden leaues; stench lapp'd vp in a bundle of silkes: and by reason of poison suck'd from sinne and hell, worthy of no better attribute then glorious damnation. Is there no sicknesse? is there no disgrace? is there no old age? is there no death? that you make so much of this earth. Or doe you desperately resolue to dote on it liuing, as if you neuer hoped to finde it againe being dead? Feare not, you shall meet with it againe; perhaps when you would not. God hath struck as gallant, as you can make or thinke your selues, with sodaine, sore, and sure iudgements. Beleeue it, his hand is his owne. His arme was neuer yet broken, luxate, or manacled.
Woe worth them that haue put Pride and Couetousnesse fellow-commoners among vs: for they out-eate vs all, and sta [...]ue the whole house of our Land. Couetise would be charitable, but there is that other summe to make vp. Pride would giue, or at least forbeare to extort, but there is a ruffe of the new fashion to bee bought.* Dignity, a caroch, or strange apparell is to be purchas'd; and who but the poore tenants must pay for it! vpon whom they (once so accoutred) afterward looke betwixt scorne and anger: and goe as if they were shut vp in wainscote.
Such a one will not giue, lest his white hand [Page 6] should touch the poore beggars: who perhaps hath a hand cleaner then his; I meane, from aspersions of bloud, rapine, iniury, briberie, lust and filthinesse. He cannot intend to pray; for he is called to dinner iust when his last locke is hung to his minde. O the monstrous curiositie of tricking vp this earth of earth! yet from the Courtier to the Carter, from the Lady to the Inkle-beggar,* there is this excesse and going beyond their calling.
But I haue strayed out of my way, to cut off a lappe of Prides garment: I conclude this Earth with this caution. Respice, aspice, prospice. Looke back what thou wast: behold what thou art: consider what thou must be.BERNARD Recole primordia, attende media, pr [...]uideto nouissima. Haec pudorem adducunt, illa dolorem ingerunt, ista timorem incutiunt. Call to mind former things, see the present, foresee the last. The first will breede in thee shame, the other griefe, these feare. Remember thou wert taken out of the earth: behold thy strength of life subiect to diseases; manifold, manifest, sensible ones: foresee that thou must dye; this earth must to earth againe.
But the Earth here meant is a diuine, spirituall, immortall nature; called Earth by a Metaphor, incapable of suffering terrene fragilitie. This is Gods Earth, and that in a high and mysticall sense, though proper enough. Indeed Domini terra, the earth is the Lords and the fulnes [...]e thereof, sayth the Psalmist. But he hath not such respect [Page 7] to the Earth he made, as to this Earth for whom he made it. This is Terra sigillata, earth that he hath sealed and sanctified for himselfe, by setting his stampe and impression vpon it. Now the good mans heart is compared to Earth for diuerse reasons.
1. For humilitie. Humus, quasi humilis. The Earth is the lowest of all elements, and the center of the world. The godly heart is not so low in situation; but so lowly in it owne estimation. God is sayd to hang the earth vpon nothing. Io [...]. 26.Iob. 26. 7. He stretcheth out the North ouer the empty place, and hangeth the Earth vpon nothing: that it might wholly depend on himselfe. So a true Christian heart, in regard of it selfe, is founded vpon nothing; (hath an humble vilipending and disprising of it owne worth) that it may (ex toto, & ex tuto) wholly and safely rely on God. O man of earth, why exaltest thou thy selfe? this is the way to preuent and frustrate the exaltation of God. Keepe thy selfe lowly as the Earth; reiect all opinion of thy owne worth, and thou shalt one day ouer-top the cloudes. The Earth is thy mother, that brought thee forth when thou wert not: a stage that carries thee whiles thou art: a tombe that receiues thee when thou art not. It giues thee originall, harbour, sepulchre. Like a kind mother, shee beares her off-spring on her backe; and her brood is her perpetuall burden, till she receiue them again into the same womb, from whence she deliuered them. She shall bee [Page 8] yet more kinde to thee, if her basenesse can teach thee humility; and keepe thee from being more proud of other things, then thou canst (with any reason) be of thy Parentage. Few are proud of their soules; and none but fooles can bee proud of their bodies: seeing here is all the difference betwixt him that walkes, and his floore he walkes on: Liuing Earth treads vpon dead earth, and shall at last bee as dead as his pauement. Many are the fauours that the earth doth vs; yet amongst them all there is none greater, then the schooling vs to humility; and working in vs a true acknowledgement of our owne vilenesse, and so directing vs to heauen, to find that aboue which she cannot giue vs below.
2. For Patience. The Earth is called Terra, quia teritur: and this is the naturall earth. For they distinguish it into 3. sorts. Terra quam terimus: terra quam gerimus: terra quam quaerimus; which is the glorious land of Promise. That earth is cut and wounded with culters and shares; yet is patient to suffer it, and returnes fruits to those that ploughed it. The good heart is thus rent with vexations, and broken with sorrowes; yet offers the other cheeke to the smiter, endureth all with a magnanimous patience; assured of that victory, which comes by suffering, Vincit qui patitur. Neither is this all: it returns mercy for iniury, prayers for persecutions, and blesseth them that cursed it.Psal. 129. 3. The Plowers plowed vpon my backe: they made long their furrowes. Psal. 35. 12. 13. They rewarded mee [Page 9] euill for good, to the spoyling of my soule. Yet when they were sicke, my cloathing was sackecloth, I humbled my soule with fasting: I was heauy, as one that mourned for his friend or brother; and my prayer returned into mine owne bosome. When the heart of our Sauiour was thus ploughed vp with a speare, it ran streames of mercie, reall mercie; which his vocall tongue interpreted, Father forgiue them: they know not what they doe. His bloud Heb. 12.Heb. 12. 24. had a voice, a mercifull voice, and spake better things then the bloud of Abel. That cryed from the cauerns of the earth for reuenge; this from the Crosse in the sweet tune of compassion and forgiuenesse. It is a strong argument of a heart rich in grace, to wrappe and embrace his iniurer in the armes of loue; as the earth quietly receiues those dead to buriall, who liuing tore vp her bowels.
3. For faithful Constancie. The Earth is called Solum; because it stands alone, depending on nothing but the Makers hand.Eccle. 1. 4. One generation passeth away, and another generation commeth; but the earth abideth for euer. Shee often changeth her burden, without any sensible mutation of her selfe.Psa. 119. 90. Thy faithfulnesse is to all generations: thou h [...]st established the Earth, and it standeth. The Hebrew is, To generation and generation: inferring that times, and men, and the sonnes of men, posterity after posterity passe away, but the Earth whereon, and whereout they passe, abideth. The parts thereof haue been altered; and violent [Page 10] Earth-quakes begot in the owne bowels, haue totterd it.Psal. 104. 5. But God hath layd the foundations of the earth, (the Originall is, founded it vpon her bases) that it should not be remoued for euer: the body of it is immoueable. Such a constant soliditie is in the faithfull heart; that should it thunder Buls from Rome, and bolts from heauen, Impau [...]dum ferient ruinae. [...] Indeede God hath sometimes bent an angry brow against his owne deare ones; and then no maruell, if they shudder: if the bones of Dauid tremble, and the teeth of Hezekiah chatter. But God will not be long angry with his: and the balances, at first putting in of the euenest weights, may be a little swayed, not without some shew of inequality: which yet after a little motion, settle themselues in a iust poyse. So the first terrour hath moued the godly, not remoued them: they return to themselues, and rest in a resolued peace. Lord, doe what thou wilt: if thou kill mee, I will trust in thee. Let vs heare it from him, that had it from the Lord. Psal. 112.Psal. 112. 6. Surely he shall not be moued for euer: the righteous shall bee in euerlasting remembrance. He shall not be afraide of euill tydings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord. His heart is established, &c. Oh sweet description of a constant soule!
They giue diuerse causes of Earth-quakes: Aristotle among the rest, admits the ecclipse of the Sun for one; the interposition of the Moones body hindring some places from his heate. I know not how certaine this is in Philosophie: [...]n [Page 11] Diuinity it is most true, that onely the ecclipse of our Sunne, IESVS CHRIST, raiseth Earth-quakes in our hearts: when that inconstant and euer-changing body of (the Moone) the world steppes betwixt our Sunne and vs, and keepes vs from the kindly vitall heate of his fauour: then, O then, the earth of our heart quakes; and we feele a terrour in our bones and bowels, as if the busie hand of death were searching them. But no ecclipse lasts long: especially not this: our Sunne will shine on vs againe: we shall stand sure,Psal. 129. 1. euen as mount Sion, which cannot be remoued, but abideth for euer.
4. For Charitie. The Earth brings forth food for all creatures that liue on it. Greene herbe for the cattell: oyle and wine for man: The vallyes stand thicke with corne: the Mower filleth his sythe, and the binder vp of sheaues his bosome. A good man is so full of charitie: he releeues all without improuidence to himselfe. He giues plentifully that all may haue some: not indiscreetly, that some haue all. On the Earth stand many glorious Cities, and goodly buildings; faire monuments of her beauty and adornation. The sanctified soule, in an happy respondencie, hath manifold workes of charitie, manifest deedes of piety; that sweetly become the Faith which he professeth.
5. For Riches. The Earth is but poore without: the surface of it, especially when squalid winter hath bemired it, seemes poore and barren: [Page 12] but within, it is full of rich mines, ores of gold, and quarries of precious minerals. For medals and mettals, it is abundantly wealthy. The sanctified heart may seeme poore to the worlds eye, which only beholds and iudgeth the rinde and huske, and thinkes there is no treasure in the Cabinet, because it is couered with leather. But within hee is full of golden mines, and rich ores; the inuisible graces of faith, feare, loue, hope, patience, holinesse: sweeter then the spices of the East Indies, and richer then the gold of the West.Psal. 45. 13. Omnis decor filiae Sion ab intus. The Kings Daughter is all glorious within. It is not the superficiall skinne, but the internall beautie, that moues the King of heauen to bee enamoured of vs;Cant. 4. 7. and to say, Thou art all faire my Loue: there is no spot in thee.
6. Lastly, for Fertilitie. The Earth is fruitfull: when the ayre hath giuen influence, the Clouds showred downe seasonable deawes, and the Sunne bestowed his kindly heate; loe, the thankfull earth returnes fruites, and that in abundance. The Christian soule, hauing receiued such holy operations, inspirations, and sanctifying motions from aboue, is neuer found without a gratefull fertility. Yea, as the Earth to man, so man to God, returnes a blessed vsurie; tenne for one; nay sometimes 30. sometimes 60. sometimes an hundred fold.
But the succeeding doctrine will challenge this demonstration. I haue been somewhat copious [Page 13] in the first word; the breuity of the rest shall recompence it. The operatiue cause, that worketh the good earth to this fruitfulnesse, is a heauenly Raine that falls oft vpon it: and the earth doth drinke it vp. Wherein is obseruable, that the raine doth come, that it is welcome. God sends it plenteously, and man entertaines it louingly. It comes oft, and he drinkes it vp. Gods loue to man is declared in the comming: in the welcomming, mans loue to God. In the former, we will consider, 1. The matter. 2. The manner. The matter that commeth, is Raine. The manner consists in 3▪ respects. 1. There is mercy, It commeth. It is not constrained, deserued, pulled downe from heauen; It commeth. 2. Frequencie, it commeth often: there is no scanting of this mercy: it flowes abundantly, as if the windowes of heauen were opened: Often. 3. Direction of it right, vpon this earth. It falls not neere it, nor besides it, but vpon it. To begin with the
Raine.
GOds Word is often compared to Raine or Deaw. Deut. 32. 2. Moses beginnes his Song with My doctrine shall drop as the raine, my speech shal distill as the deaw; as the small raine vpon the tender herbe, and as the showers vpon the grasse. Therfore in the first verse, he calls to the earth to heare his voice. Man is the Earth, and his Doctrine the [Page 14] Raine. Mica. 2.Mica. 2. 6. Prophecie yee not: the originall word is Drop ye not, &c. Amos 7. 16.Amos 7. 16. Thou sayest, Prophecy not against Israel, drop not thy word against the house of Isaac. Ezek. 21.Ezek. 21. 2. Sonne of man set thy face toward Ierusalem, and drop thy word toward the holy places. The Metaphore is vsuall: wherein stands the comparison? In 6. concurrences.
1. It is the property of Raine to coole heate▪ Experience tels vs, that a sweltring feruour of the ayre, which almost fryes vs, is allayed by a moderate shower sent from the clouds. The burning heate of sinne in vs, and of Gods anger for sinne against vs, is quenched by the Gospell. It cooles our intemperate heate of malice, anger, ambition, auarice, lust; which are burning sins.
2. Another effect of Raine, is Thirst quenched. The drie earth parched with heate, opens it selfe in refts and cranies, as if it would deuoure the cloudes for moisture. The Christian soule thirsts after righteousnesse; is drie at heart till he can haue the Gospell: a showre of this mercy from heauen quencheth his thirst: he is satisfied. Whosoeuer drinketh of the water that I shal giue him, shal neuer thirst: Ioh. 4. 14. but it shall bee in him a well of water, springing vp into euerlasting life.
3. Raine doth allay the windes. When the ayre is in an vprore, and the stoutest Cedars crouch to the ground before a violent blast; euen Towers and Cities tremble; a showre of raine sent from the cloudes mitigates this fury. When the Potentates of the world, Tyrants, little [Page 15] better then Diuels, Gog and Magog, Moab and Ammon, Turkey, Rome, Hell, storme against vs; God quiets all our feares, secures vs from al their terrours by a gracious raine, droppes of mercie in the neuer-fayling promises of the Gospell.
4. Raine hath a powerfull efficacy to cleanse the ayre. When infectious fogges, and contagious vapours haue filled it full of corruption, the distilling showres wash away the noysome putrifaction. We know, that too often filthy fumes of errors and heresies surge vp in a land, that the soule of faith is almost stifled, and the vncleannesse of corrupt doctrine gets a predominant place: the Lord then droppes his word from heauen: the pure Raine of his holy Gospell cleanseth away this putrifaction, and giues new life to the almost smothered truth. Wo to them then that would depriue mens soules of the Gospell, and with-hold the Truth in vnrighteousnesse. When they locke vp the gates of grace (as Christ reproued the Lawyers) and labour to make the heauens brasse, they must needes also make the Earth iron. How should the earth of mans heart bring forth fruits, when the raine is with-held from it? No maruell, if their ayre be poyson'd.
5. Raine hath yet another working; to mollifie a hard matter. The parched and heat-hardned earth is made soft by the deawes of heauen. O how hard and obdurate is the heart of man, till this raine [...]falls on it. Is the heart couetous? no teares from distressed eyes can melt a peny out of [Page 16] it. Is it malicious? no supplications can begge forbearance of the least wrong. Is it giuen to drunkennesse? you may melt his body into a dropsie; before his heart into sobrietie. Is it ambitious? you may as well treat with Lucifer about humiliation. Is it factious? a Quire of Angels cannot sing him into peace. No means on earth can soften the heart; whether you annoint it with the supple balmes of entreaties, or thunder against it the bolts of menaces, or beate it with the hammer of mortall blowes. Behold! GOD showres this raine of the Gospell from heauen, and it is sodainely softned. One Sermon may pricke him at the heart; one droppe of a Sauiours bloud distilled on it by the Spirit, in the preaching of the Word, melts him like waxe. The Drunkard is made sober, the Adulterer chaste, Zaccheus mercifull, and raging Paul as tame as a Lambe.
They that haue erst serued the Diuell with an eager appetite, and were hurried by him with a voluntary precipitation; haue all their chaines eaten off by this Aqua fortis: one droppe of this raine hath broken their fetters; and now all the powers of hell cannot preuaile against them. There is a Legend, (I had as good say, a tale) of an Hermite, that heard (as he imagin'd) all the Diuels of hell on the other side of the wall, lifting, and blowing, and groning, as if they were a remouing the world. The Hermite desires to see them: admitted, behold, they were all lifting [Page 17] at a feather, and could not stirre it. The application may serue; yeeld the fable idle. Satan and his Armies, Spirits, Lusts, Vanities, Sinnes, that erst could tosse and blow a man vp and downe like a feather; and did not sooner present a wickednesse to his sight, but he was more ready for action, then they for instigation; now they cannot stirre him: they may sooner remoue the world from the pillars, then him from the grace and mercy of God. The deaw of heauen hath watred him, and made him grow; and the power of hell shall not supplant him. The raine of mercie hath softned his heart, and the heat of sinne shall neuer harden it.
6 Lastly, Raine is one principall subordinate cause, that all things fructifie. This holy deaw is the operatiue meanes and working cause, next vnder the grace of God in our Lord Iesus Christ, that the soules of Christians should bring forth the fruits of faith and obedience. I know, God can saue without it: we dispute not of his power, but of his worke; of ordinary, not extraordinary operations. God vsually worketh this in our hearts by his word. Thus for the matter: the manner is:
- 1. It commeth.
- 2. Often.
- 3. Vpon it.
It commeth:
IT is not forc'd, nor fetch'd, but comes of his owne meere mercy, whose it is. Iam. 1.Iames 1. 17. So sayth the Apostle: Euery good gift, and euery perfect gift is from aboue, and commeth downe from the Father of lights. They that want it, haue no merit of congruity to draw it to them: they that haue it, haue no merite of condignitie to keepe it with them. It is the mercy and gratuitall fauour of God, that this Gospell commeth to vs. For, if ipsum minus be munus, how highly is this great gift to be praysed! What deserue we more then other Nations? They haue as pregnant wittes, as proportionable bodies, as strong sinewes as we: and perhaps would bring forth better fruits. Yet they want it: with vs it is. Wee need not trauell from Coast to coast, nor iourney to it; it is come to vs. Venit ad limina virtus: will you steppe ouer your thresholds, and gather Manna? When the Gospell was farre off from our Fathers, yet in them Studium audiendi superabat taedium accedendi: the desire of hearing it beguiled the length of the way. But we will scarce put forth our hand to take this bread: and, as in some ignorant countrey townes, be more eager to catch the raine, that falls from the out-side of the Church in their buckets, then this raine of [Page 19] grace preached in it, in their hearts. Oh you wrong vs; wee are fond of it; we call for preaching: yes, as your forefathers of the blind times would call apace for holy water; yet when the Sexton cast it on thē, they would turn away their faces, and let it fall on their backes. Let God sow as thicke as he will, you wil come vp thinne. You will admit frequencie of preaching, but you haue taken an order with your selues of rare practising. You are content this Raine should come, as the next circumstance giues it,
Often.
GOD hath respect to our infirmities, and sends vs a plentiful raine. One showre will not make vs fruitful; it must come oft vpon us. Gutta cauat lapidem, non vi, sed saepe cadendo. The raine dints the hard stone, not by violence, but by oft-falling droppes. Line must be added to line: here a little and there a little. God could powre a whole floud on vs at once: but mans vnderstanding
Sayes the Poet. If much were powred at once, a great deale would fall besides, and be spilt. Like children, wee must bee fed by spoonfulls, according to the capacity of our weake natures. It is [Page 20] not an abundant raine falling at once, that makes the plants grow; but kindly and frequent showers. One sermon in a yeare contents some throughly; and God is highly beholding to thē, if they wil sit out that waking. You desire your fields, your gardens, your plants to be often watred; your soules will grow well enough with one raining. How happy would man be, if hee were as wise for his soule, as he is for his body! Some there are, that would heare often, may be too often; til edification turne to tedification; and get themselues a multitude of Teachers; but they wil doe nothing. You shall haue them run ten miles to a Sermon; but not steppe to their owne dores with a morsell of bread to a poore brother. They wish wel to the cause of Christ, but they will doe nothing for it worth God-a-mercie. The world is full of good wishes: but heauen only full of good workes. Others would haue this Raine fall often, so it be such as they desire it. Such a cloud must giue it, and it must be begotten in thunder; faction and innouation.Hier. in Ep. ad Galat. Till Euangelium Christi fit euangelium hominis; aut quod peius est, Diaboli. Till the Gospell of Christ be made mans Gospell, or which is worse, the deuills, If the raine, as it falls, doe not smell of Nouelty, it shal fall besides them. They regard not so much heauen whence it comes, as who brings it. I haue read of two, that meeting at a Tauem,Manl. fel a tossing their religion about as m [...] rily as their cuppes: and much drunken discourse was of their profession. One protested himself of [Page 21] Doctor Martins Religion: the other swore, hee was of Doctor Luthers Religion: whereas Martin and Luther was one man. No raine shall water them, but such a mans: otherwise be it neuer so wholesome, they spew it vp againe. As if their consciēce were so nice & delicate as that ground at Coleine, Baron. where some of St. Vrsula's eleuen thousand Virgins were buried; which will cast vp againe in the night, any that haue bene interred there in the day: except of that company, though it were a child newly baptised. For our selues, the limits of sobriety being kept, desire wee to heare the Gospell often; and let our due succeding obedience iustifie the goodnesse of our thirst. When Christ spake of the bread of life, the transported Disciples beseech him, Lord, euermore giue us this bread. Ioh. 6. 34. So pray wee, Lord euermore showre down vpon vs this raine.
Vpon it.
GOd so directs this deaw of his Word, that it shall fall on our hearts, not besides. The Raine of the Gospell, like the raine of the clouds, hath sometimes gone by coasts. Amos 4.Amos 4. 7. I haue with-holden the raine from you, and I haue caused it to raine vpon one Citie, and caused it not to raine vpon another Citie: one piece was rained vpon, and the piece whereupon it rayned not withered. But I haue wetted your fields, moysten'd your [Page 22] hearts, with the deawes of heauen, giuen you my statutes and ordinances, Psa. 147. 20. sayth the Lord: I haue not dealt so with euery people; there be some that haue not the knowledge of my lawes. The Sunne shines on many nations, where this spirituall raine falls not. This is not all; but as at the last day, two in one bed shall be diuorced; so euen now one seat in the Church may holde two, vpon one whereof this sauing raine may fall, not on the other. The Spirit blowes where hee pleaseth: and though the sound of the raine be to all open eares alike, yet the spirituall deaw drops only into the open hart. Many come to Iacobs well, but bring no pitchers with them; wherewith to drawe the water. A good showre may come on the earth, yet if a man house himselfe, or bee shrouded vnder a thicke bush, or borough'd in the ground, hee will be drie still. God sends downe his raine; one houseth himselfe in the darkenesse of securitie: hee is too drowsie to be told in with the bells: Another sits dallying with the delights of lust vnder a green bush, a third is borough'd in the ground, mining and intrenching himselfe in the quest of riches. Alas, how should the deaw of grace fall vpon these! Thou wouldst not shelter thy ground from the clouds, lest it grow barren: oh then keep not thy soule from the raine of heauen.
You haue heard how the raine is come; now heare how it is made welcome. The good groūd drinkes it, nay drinkes it in. Imbibit. The comparison stands thus. The thirsty Land drinkes [Page 23] vp the raine greedily, which the cloudes poure vpon it. You would wonder what becomes of it: you may finde it in your fruites. When your Vines hang full of clusters, your Gardens stand thicke with flowers, your Medowes with grasse, your fields with corne; you will say, the earth hath been beholden to the heauen. That hath rained moisture, this hath drunke it in; we see it in our fruits.Hos. 2. 21. The Lord sayth, I will heare the heauens, and they shall heare the earth, and the earth shall heare the corne, and the wine, and the oyle, and they shall heare Iezreel. The fruits of corne, wine, oyle, witnesse that the earth hath heard them, that heauen hath heard the earth, and that the Lord hath heard the heauen. The heauens giue influence to the ground, the ground sappe to the plants, the plants nourishment to vs, the Lord a blessing to all. The Lord watereth the hills from the chambers: Psa. 104. 13 the earth is satisfied with the fruit of the workes. Hee causeth the grasse to growe for the cattell, and herbe for the seruice of man: Wine to make glad his heart, and oyle to make his face shine; and bread to strengthen mans heart, &c. With such thirsty appetite, and no lesse happy successe, doth the good soule swallow the dew of grace. If you perceiue not when the faithfull take it; you may see they haue it: for their fruits testifie it. It is a most euident demonstration, that they haue bin beholding to the Gospell; they haue a sanctified life. Drinkes it in.
There bee very many great Drinkers in the [Page 24] world. The maine drunkennesse, that giues denomination to all the rest, is that throte-drunkennesse: whereof the Prophet, Vae fortibus ad potandum. These are they, that will not drinke this mysticall wine in the Church, so willingly as bee drunk in the tap-house. Wine-worshippers, that are at it on their knees, protesting from the bottomes of their hearts to the bottome of the cups; if the health be not pledged, actum est de amicitia: farewell friendship. I haue read of a streete in Rome, called vicus sobrius, sober street. Find such a street in any Citie or populous towne in England, and some good man wil put it in the Chronicle.
It hath beene sayd, that the Germanes are great drinkers; and therefore to Carowse is giuen to be deriued from them; the word being originally to Gar-rowse, which is to drinke off all: Gar signifying totum: so the Germanes are called by themselues Germanni, quasi toti homines; as if a Germane were All-man; according to another denomination of their Country, Allmanie. And so wee are growne to thinke him, that can tipple soundly, a tall man, nay all-man from top to toe. But if England plyes her liquor so fast as shee begins, Germany is like to loose her Charter. I haue heard how the Iesuits out-stripp'd the Franciscans. Indeed Saint Francis at the first meeting sawe sixe thousand Fryers. Ignatius, because he could not begin his order with so many, made vp the number in Diuels. The Germanes had of [Page 25] vs both priority and number for drunkards. Our English beggars first got the fashion: but because their number was short, and it was like that the Nation would be disgrac'd, it was agreed to make it vp in Gallants.
No maruell, if the Lord for this threaten vs with the rod of famine, and to scourge vs with that most smarting string of his whippe. God hath layd himselfe faire in his bow already, and is ready to draw this arrow vp to the head, and send it singing into our bosomes. Ferro saeuior fames: it is one of Gods sorest iudgements. Beasts and Sword kill quickly; and the Plague is not long in dispatching vs: but Dearth is a lingring death. Lament. 4.Lament. 4. 9 They that be slaine with the sword, are better then they that be slaine with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field. We see how our seasons are changed, because we can finde no season to repentance. Our Springs haue bin graues, rather then cradles: our Summers haue not shot vp, but withered our grasse: our Autumnes haue taken away the flockes of our sheepe. And for our latest Haruest, wee haue had cause to inuert the words of our Sauiour, Luke 10.Luke 10. 2. Hee sayth, the Haruest is great, but the Labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord to send forth more Labourers into his haruest. But wee might haue sayd: the Labourers are many, and the haruest is small: pray ye therfore the Lord to send a greater haruest for the Labourers. God hath thus, as it were, pulled the Cup [Page 26] from the Drunkards lippes; and since hee will know no measure, the Lord wil stint him. If there will bee no voluntary, there shall be an enforced fast. Wee haue other great drinkers besides.
What say you to those that Drinke vp whole townes, vnpeople countreys, depopulate villages, inclose fields? that Pharise-like, swallow vp poore mens houses, drink their goods, though mingled with teares of damme and young ones, mother & children? Are not these horrible drinkers? Sure God will one day hold the Cup of vengeance to their lippes, and bid them drinke their fils.
The Proud-man is a great drinker. It is not his belly, but his back, that is the drunkard. He pincheth the poore, rackes out the other fine, enhanceth the rent, spends his owne meanes, and what he can finger besides, vpon clothes. If his rent-day make euen with his Silkeman, Mercer, Taylor, he is well. And his white Madam drinkes deeper then he. The walls of the Citie are kept in reparation with easier cost, then a Ladies face, and the appurtenances to her head.
The Ambitious is a deepe-drinker: O hee hath a dry thirst vpon him. He loues the wine of promotion extremely. Put a whole monopoly into the cup, and he will carouse it off. There is a time when other drunkards giue ouer for asleeping-while: this drinker hath neuer enough.
Your grimme Vsurer is a monstrous drinker: you shall seldome see him drunke at's owne cost: yet he hath vow'd, not to be sober til his Doomesdaye. [Page 27] His braines, and his gowne are lin'd with foxe; hee is euer afoxing. It may be some infernall spirit hath put loue-pouder in his drinke; for hee dotes vpon the deuill extremely. Let him take heed; hee shall one day drinke his owne obligations and they wil choke him.
The Rob-altar is a huge drinker. Hee loues, like Belshazzar, to drinke only in the goblets of the Temple. Wo vnto him, he carowses the wine he neuer swet for, and keeps the poore Minister thirsty. The tenth sheafe is his dyet: the tenth fleece (O 'tis a golden fleece he thinkes) is his drinke: but the wooll shall choke him. Some drinke downe whole Churches and steeples; but the bells shall ring in their bellies.
Euery couetous worldling is a great drinker: he swallowes aurum potabil [...] as his dyet-drinke. And like an absolute, dissolute drunkard, the more he drinks, the dryer he is; for he hath neuer enough. It may be said of him, as it was of Bonosus, whom the Emperour Aurelian set to drinke with the German Embassador; not a man, but a rundlet fill'd with wine.
And my fine precise Artizan, that shunnes a Tauerne, as the Diuell doth a Crosse, is often as drunke as the rankest. His language doth not sauour of the pot; he sweares not, but indeed: but trust him, and indeed hee will cozen you to your face. The loue of mony hath made him drunk. And though the Prouerbe be, In vino veritas; yet as drunke as he is, you shall neuer haue truth break out of his lips.
[Page 28] And the vnconscionable Lawyer, that takes fees on both hands, as if he could not drinke but with two cuppes at once, is not hee a great drinker? If what is wanting in the goodnesse of the cause, be supplied in the greatnes of the fees, O these ‘Foecundi calices, quem non fecere disertum?’
Let all thinke these ebrieties must be accounted for. How fearefull were it, if a mans latter end should take him drunke!Luke 21. 34 Take heed to your selues, lest at any time your hearts bee ouercharged with surfeting and drunkennesse, and so that day come vpon you vnawares. In corporall ebriety the soule leaues a drunken body: in spirituall, the body leaues a drunken soule; both desperately fearefull.
There is yet a last, and those a blest sort of Drinkers: which drinke in this sweete raine of grace and mercie. They doe not onely taste it: so do the wicked. Verse 4. They haue tasted of the heauenly gift: they haue tasted of the good word of God, and of the powers of the world to come. 2. Nor drinke it onely to their throat, as if they did gargarize the word; as carnall Politicians, and formall Professors doe. They must attend, they must admit, but no further then their throates: they will but gargarize the Gospell. It shall neuer come into their stomakes, neuer neere their hearts. But these drinke it in, digest it in their [Page 29] consciences; take liberall draughts of it, and do indeede drinke Healths thereof. Common health-maintainers drinke their sicknesse. Therefore sayes the moderne Poet honestly, ‘Vne salus sanis nullam potare salutem.’
But this is a sauing health: such as our Sauiour began to vs; when hee dranke to vs in his owne bloud, a sauing Health to all Nations. And wee are bound to pledge him in our owne faith and thankfulnesse; as Dauid, I will take the cup of saluation, and blesse the name of the Lord. This is a hearty draught of the waters of life; the deeper the sweeter. Blessed he is that drinkes soundly of it, and with a thirsty appetite. There is, as Diuines say,Ardens. sancta ebrietas: such as fell on the blessed Apostles on Whitsunday. Acts 2. They were drunke (not with new wine, but) with the holy Ghost. This holy plenitude doth (as it were) inebriate the soules of the Saints.Psal. 36. 8. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of thy house: and thou shalt make them drinke of the riuer of thy pleasures. The Spouse sings of her Sauiours kindnes, He brought me to the banqueting house, Cant. 2. 4. 5. and his banner ouer me, was loue. Stay mee with flagons, and comfort me with apples, for I am sicke of loue. In the originall it is called, House of wine. Christ hath broached to his Church the sweet wines of the Gospell, and our hearts are cheared with it; our soules made merry with flagons of mercie [Page 30] Come to this wine,Cant. 5. 1. bibite & inebriamini: eate O friends, drinke, yea drinke abundantly, O beloued: drinke and be drunke with it. God will be pleased with this (and no other but this) Drunkennes.
The vessell of our heart being once thus filled with grace, shall hereafter be replenished with glorie.